Apple Bloom grinned with the vigor of youth. Her wide smile caught the wind, filtering the fun in the air like a whale swimming trough plankton. She felt light as a feather in this sea of wind-blown pollen, prancing among the joyous flowers that shared her love of spring. Even the apple trees were budding, and soon the whole farm would be filled with beautiful, white petals.
This bundle of filly energy had but one thing in mind: playing with Applejack. They had something of a tradition where her older sister would plan something special if she managed to beat her old seed-planting record while wrapping up winter, and Apple Bloom had sown an extra row all by herself. “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Ah can't wait to see what Applejack's gonna do this year. Maybe kite flyin' or high divin' or pony tag or wrasslin' or tossin' shoes or—ooh ooh! I know, I bet she's gonna go all-out this year an we can have an entire iron sister competition! That would be amazin'!”
It didn't take long to locate the pony in question, as Applejack was sitting amongst the apple trees, staring up at one in particular. With glee, Apple Bloom broke into a full gallop and thundered over, shaking up dirt as she ran.
Without looking at her, Applejack held up a hoof, motioning for her to stop. Apple Bloom felt uneasy; something was off. She slowed down and walked up, trying to see what Applejack was looking at. There was nothing in the tree, and the tree itself, while still a bit small as it was only ten tears old, was just as full of the vigor of life as every other tree on the farm.
It was weird, but not so weird that she thought much of it. “So what do you want to do first? Bowling, or juggling, or—”
“Not now, Apple Bloom. Ah need to stare at this tree.”
“What?” She raised an eyebrow and flattened her lips. “Are you sure?”
“Of course Ah'm sure. Just look at it!” Applejack's voice edged into irritation, and Apple Bloom frowned. Something strange was going on.
Swivelling her head back and forth, Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, drew a spyglass and examined the bark in excessively minute detail. Being young, it was still mostly smooth except for little bumps that appeared in loosely-organized horizontally oriented rows. Giving up, Apple Bloom rolled on her back and stared up at her sister who still hadn't moved. “What, exactly, are ya looking at?” she asked.
“Growie.”
Apple Bloom blinked. “The tree?”
“Yep.”
Stepping in front, Apple Bloom waved her hoof in front of her sister's face. Applejack simply reached out and gently pushed Apple Bloom aside. Scratching her head, Apple Bloom asked, “Um, why?”
“Because she needs my attention, that's why.” Still staring at the tree, Applejack remained sitting on her haunches. The silence drew on as Apple Bloom waited for a real answer. None seemed to be forthcoming.
“Why?” Apple Bloom repeated.
“Do y'all know what kind of tree this is?”
Faster than a blink, Apple Bloom glanced at the tree and back at Applejack. “It's a gala apple tree.”
“Yep.”
“So?”
“I'm sorry, sugarcube, but if ya don't already know what's goin' on then yer only going to get in the way. Please leave.”
“What!?” Wide-eyed, Apple Bloom reared back. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut. “But Applejack, what about our super-special post-planting sisterly bonding time that we do every year?”
“It's just gonna have to wait.” Her voice was slow and firm, leaving no room for argument.
“Uh, Okay...” Ears drooping, Apple Bloom slowly walked off. She kept pausing every half-step to look back in case Applejack changed her mind, but she didn't. The orange mare remained stationary, still staring at the tree with single-minded purpose.
Having been rebuked, she was suddenly in possession of a lot of free time that she didn't know what to do with. In truth, there were plenty of things she could do, but she really had her heart set on playing with her sister and doing stuff by herself would pale in comparison. Applejack's non-reason for pushing her aside was really irritating too. What was up with that?
Idly pawing at a daisy, Apple Bloom frowned. She couldn't believe that Applejack would just brush her off without a very good reason, but what she was actually doing appeared to have no purpose. It was a mystery, and one that needed solving. Who knew Applejack better than her brother? Having decided on a course of action, Apple Bloom stood up and gave a little filly snort. She'd get to the bottom of this, or her name wasn't Apple Bowtie Blossom.
“Big Mac! Big Mac! Big Mac!” Bouncing around in front of him, Apple Bloom certainly got his attention.
He was working in the corn field, putting the finishing touches on the spring planting. With the filly bounding in front of him, he unhitched his harness and left the plow sitting in the dirt. “Yep?” he asked.
“Applejack's acting really strange. We were supposed to be doin' all kinds of fun things, but she's just starin' at a tree! Do ya have any idea why?”
Big Mac blinked. “Eenope,” he eenoped.
“Well come on! We've gotta figure it out.” Apple Bloom frantically waved towards the orchard and trotted off. Shrugging, Big Mac followed her tail.
Sure enough, Applejack was still there, still staring at the same tree. Racing up next to her, Apple Bloom pointed her hoof at her sister. “See what I mean?”
Big Mac gasped. The morning light filtered through the orchard, sending a lens flare directly into his heart. He plodded up to Applejack and sat down, joining her in staring at the tree.
“What.” Apple Bloom deadpanned. “Please tell me yer not—”
“He is.”
“Eeyep.”
“Oh come on!” Apple Bloom threw her hooves into the air. She growled and stomped on the ground, crunching dead leaves. “Fine. Be that way. I'm gonna get Granny Smith and if y'all are just yankin' my tail, then yer gonna be sorry!”
Granny Smith's old legs shook as she hobbled along among the trees. A light scent of pollen gave the air that wonderful spring odor. “Now what's this again? Yer siblings are bookin' at a tree?”
“No! Not book—look,” Apple Bloom moaned. This was the fifth time she'd had to correct her. “And they're ignoring me.”
“They're pouring you? Pouring what? They'd best not be givin' ya hard cider. Yer too young fer that.” Granny Smith scrunched up her wrinkled face and pressed it against Apple Bloom's nose, who scooted back.
“No! It's not that either. C'mon! You'll see it when ya get there.” Despite Apple Bloom's boundless energy and frantic waving, Granny Smith still moved slower than a snail's pace. As she lumbered along, the seasons turned, continents drifted apart, stars were born and died, and entire galaxies burnt themselves out, fading away into cosmic dust at the end of time itself. Well, not really. It only took five minutes, but to an impatient little filly like Apple Bloom it sure felt like forever.
Upon reaching sight of the others, Granny Smith's eyes widened. Her shaky joints snapped firm and she plodded over with real purpose. Keeping her gaze on the tree, she never once looked away. “Well bless my old heart. Can it be? Is it really happening?”
“Eeyep,” Big Mac eeyeped.
“I sure hope so,” Applejack said, still staring at the tree.
“What? What's happening? What's goin' on?” Apple Bloom's mouth hung open, and she looked back and forth between her silent but determined family and the tree, which stood there all tree-like. No matter how had she squinted or twisted her head, Apple Bloom still couldn't see anything other than a nice-looking but otherwise ordinary apple tree. “Please tell me; I really wanna know!”
“Ya think we should tell her?” Granny Smith asked.
“Nope.”
“Granny, Ah don't thinks it's a good idea. 'Cause—ya'know.” Applejack pointed at the tree.
Sighing, Granny Smith said, “I'm sorry, Apple Bloom, but Applejack is right. I should have told ya ages ago, but now that it's happenin' we just can't spare the time.”
Apple Bloom frowned. It really hurt being shut out like that, and now she wanted to know more than ever before. Wandering over, she stood next to the tree so that they were facing her. She would have stood in front, but with the three of them intent on staring at it she didn't want to upset them by getting in the way. “At least let me help. Do-do you want me to get some water for the tree? Or climb up and prune off some buds so it makes bigger, juicier apples? Or maybe—”
“Sorry, sugarcube but spring rains are scheduled for tomorrow and it's too early to be doin' any sort of pruning yet. Ah think the best way ya can help is by leavin' us be and letting us work undisturbed.” Despite Apple Bloom's standing by the tree, Applejack's eyes never once left the tree's canopy as she spoke.
Apple Bloom drooped her head. This wasn't how the day was supposed to go. She was supposed to be having fun, not suffering in ignorance as her family pushed her away so that they could stare at some stupid tree! Well, if that's how they were going to be, then fine. She'd find some other way to have fun.
The Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse wasn't far, being on the farm, so that's where Apple Bloom went. She was a bit surprised to find her friends there, though. They were leaning over the table, scribbling on something. “Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, wow am I glad to see you.”
“Apple Bloom?” Sweetie dropped her pencil and looked up. “I thought you said you weren't coming today.”
“Yeah, so did I, but Applejack blew me off in favor of starin' at a tree, of all things! What's worse is that Big Mac and Granny Smith joined in, and now they're all staring at the tree!”
Scootaloo blinked. She also dropped her pencil. “Wow, that's...”
“Really, really strange,” Sweetie said. They both looked at each other and eyebrows were raised.
“Yeah, strange and rude. They refuse to tell me what's going on, so ya know what? Ah'm gonna refuse to care.” Apple Bloom walked past them and plopped her filly rump on one of the stools by the table. “Hey, this is a pretty cool drawing of Rainbow Dash, but why is she wearing a tutu? And what's with the banana?”
There was no response. The clubhouse was empty.
Alarmed, Apple Bloom ran over to the door. Both her friends had abandoned her in favor of walking deeper into the orchard. Apple Bloom trotted over to catch up. “Hey! What do you think you're doing? Don't just abandon me like that!”
“That tree sounds pretty cool,” Scootaloo said. She hopped and buzzed her wings.
“Yeah. I need to see it myself,” Sweetie added.
“Huh?” Apple Bloom's heart sunk even as her friends wore wide smiles to match their wide strides. This was getting beyond weird. They hadn't even seen the tree yet and they were already acting odd. Heck, they'd hardly even acknowledged her before scampering off. What was going on?
“Oh my gosh!” Sweetie bounced on her hooves and darted over. Sure enough, she plopped her rump next to the others and sat there, smiling, staring at the tree.
“So awesome!” Also joining them, Scootaloo walked over and sat down. Her eyes were so wide that she looked like she was in awe.
Applejack gave a slight nod, one of the few motions she'd made all day. “How kind of ya to join us.”
“Believe me, we wouldn't miss this for the whole world,” Scootaloo said.
Apple Bloom gnashed her teeth. Again with the non-specific, generic talk that enticed her curiosity but did nothing to sate it. “Miss what?” she moaned. “What is going on?”
“It's...” Sweetie started to say something, but shrugged. “I can't really explain it.”
“It's more like a feeling, kinda from the gut,” Scootaloo said.
Lacking anything better to do, Apple Bloom wandered over and sat next to them. The tree, for its part, did nothing. “You mean like when you eat too much ice cream?” Apple Bloom asked.
“No! Not like that. It's more like... Well, I've never felt anything like this before. I just know it's awesome, though.”
“Yep,” Big Mac added.
“Right.” Apple Bloom drooped her head. Her friends now ignored her in favor of staring at the tree, just like her family. Well, if the tree was all that special, surely she'd see it sooner or later. Narrowing her eyes, she peered at the apple tree. It hadn't changed one bit, and it was still just a plain, old tree. Moaning, she rolled over on her back and looked up at the sky. At least the birds flying around weren't caught up in this nonsense. It'd be really awkward if the animals joined in too.
Eventually, she got so bored that she scuffed her hooves in the dirt, drawing little circles. She stood her filly self up and not a single pony, big or small, had changed position. She wasn't even sure if they blinked. “Applejack, are you sure I can't help? Because I'd love to do something, anything. Please don't leave me out.”
“Ah'm sorry, sugarcube. I really am. But if y'all don't already know what's goin' on then ya can't do much good here. We'll be fine without ya.”
“Don't worry, Apple Bloom. We'll catch up with you after this is over,” Scootaloo said.
“Yep! However long that takes,” Sweetie Belle added.
“Okay then. I'll just... be going now.” Slowly, Apple Bloom plodded away. A few times, she stopped and turned around, in case they all decided to change their minds and declare that it was an elaborate prank or something. That never happened. Finally, she raised a hoof to wave one last time before walking off. “Good luck, I guess.”
To say that Apple Bloom had mixed feelings was an understatement. She was torn between worrying about everypony and feeling scorned by them. Regardless, even if they were just doing this to be mean, which didn't seem likely, she still cared enough to seek help. Well, not that they wanted help, but it was obvious they needed some, right? Something was seriously messing with their emotions, and Apple Bloom was determined to get to the bottom of it. Who could she ask for help, though?
Given what she'd seen, Apple Bloom reluctantly decided to seek out Fluttershy. Perhaps she'd be able to talk to the animals and figure out what was going on. That, and Fluttershy's cottage wasn't all that far from the farm. Having made up her mind, the little filly plodded along with the determination of youth. That is to say, she ran.
The landscape was bight, cheery, and vibrant. Numerous birds milled about, chirping their melodic tunes. Had Apple Bloom known that they were simply squabbling, she might not have thought them so cheery. Ignorant, she smiled after catching her breath and then knocked on the cottage door. It wasn't Fluttershy who answered though, but a vaguely familiar green pony with an unkempt raspberry mane done up in dreadlocks.
“Ooh, you have a deep vibe emanating from your core. It harmonizes my aura with glee.”
Apple Bloom blinked. There was only one pony she knew of who talked like that. “Tree Hugger?”
“Your remembrance resonates with my being. And you must be one of those apple ponies. Bowtie, was it?”
“Apple Bloom, actually.” Peering in the door, she didn't catch sight of the yellow pegasus she was looking for. “Is Fluttershy around? I really need her help with something.”
“She's gone to harmonize a dispute between two chickadees who both felt entitled to the same fine ponycrafted nest. They just need some auditory bliss to sooth their agitation and they'll return to their proper aural balance.”
Apple Bloom scratched at the back of her head. “Um, I didn't understand any of that, but ya know about trees, right? Maybe you can help me.”
Tree Hugger narrowed her eyes and peered at Apple Bloom. She seemed to be looking through the filly at something on the ground under her. “Your aura isn't aligned with distress, but your face says otherwise. I don't think I've seen this level of somatic dissonance before. Do you have something arboreal on your heart?”
“Uh...” Apple Bloom blinked. She would likely be doing that a lot if she wasted too much brain power attempting to understand what Tree Hugger was saying. Instead, she just decided to explain her problem. “There's this apple tree. It's a nice tree, Ah guess, but everypony who comes close to it just stops what they're doing and stares at it. It's so creepy! Do you have any idea what's goin' on?”
Tree Hugger's eyes widened and she looked up past Apple Bloom out towards the orchard. “My people need me.” She ran off, thundering past Apple Bloom and startling a bunch of birds into the air. Apple Bloom would have felt rebuked if she hadn't totally expected that.
Poking her head into the cottage, she called out, “Fluttershy, Are you there?”
There was no answer.
Biting her lip, Apple Bloom shut the door and collapsed. She was a filly doormat, and none to happy about that. If she couldn't talk to Flutershy, then who else could help? A small part of her wanted to believe that this whole thing was some sort of very elaborate hoax, but she had no idea why everypony would want to do such a thing to her. If it was really a hoax, then Pinkie Pie would know. She seemed to know everything that happened in town.
Would Pinkie Pie even tell her if it really was a prank? Probably not, but it was better to get up and ask than sit around moping, right?
Pushing herself up, Apple Bloom took a deep breath before strolling into town. The streets were packed with ponies in a bustle of activity. The marketplace thrummed with life as ponies haggled, chattered, or otherwise carted around large wagons full of goods. Scents of various fruits and many different types of flowers mingled with the earthy smell of dirt from the road. There were even hints of perfumes, cologne, cinnamon, and good old-fashioned sweat. If one could bottle up Ponyville and put it in a bottle, it would smell like this street corner right here.
The normalcy of life here made Apple Bloom feel better. As far as she was concerned, whatever crazy thing was going on at the farm could stay there. She took a few more steps in the direction of Sugarcube Corner, but a sudden silence made her heart sink. The only sound she heard was the sound of her own hooves on the cobblestones.
Slowly, she turned around. Everypony in the entire marketplace had stopped what they were doing to give her strange looks. Apple Bloom nervously patted herself down, shaking off dust, and she also adjusted her big, red bow so it looked better. “Um, can I help y'all with anything?”
The other ponies raised eyebrows and glanced around at each other. Apparently, their odd silence was just as awkward for them as it was for Apple Bloom. “Is something strange going on?” a creamy mare by the name of Bon Bon asked.
“You mean aside from y'all just stoppin' everything to ask me that?”
They nodded.
Apple Bloom bit her lip. She debated running off, but wasn't sure if they'd give chase. She'd better not risk it. “Well... There's this tree back on the farm, and everypony won't stop staring at it. Do any of y'all have any idea what's goin' on?”
Many ponies shrugged and a few glanced over their shoulders in the general direction of the farm. “No, but there's an easy way to find out.” Apple Bloom didn't recognize that voice, but it came from a yellow unicorn with three blue hearts for a cutie mark.
That pony turned around, joined by many others. Apple Bloom felt very strange. This was now so far past eerie that even ghosts would be spooked. The townsponies closed up their shops, unhitched their harnesses, dropped their bags, and herded themselves out. They left as one giant group, all headed towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Apple Bloom was left unexpectedly in the dust, and Ponyville had suddenly become a ghost town. Shivering, she looked at herself. “They were all fine until I showed up. Maybe it's not the tree at all, maybe it's me! But... how could that happen? How could I...?”
Cringing, Apple Bloom abandoned her quest to find Pinkie and ran back to the farm. Sure enough, half the town had formed a circle around the tree, and all of them were staring at it. Well, almost all of them. A certain green mare had her hooves wrapped around the trunk and she had her cheeks pressed against the bark.
“Ah'm so glad ya found Tree Hugger.”
Apple Bloom jumped. Given the silence, it startled her to hear Applejack's voice.
“She's a real tree whisperer, that one,” Granny Smith added.
“She's... hugging the tree,” Apple Bloom said.
Grinning, Scootaloo said, “Well, yeah! And she's doing a totally awesome job of it too. So professional!”
“Mm-hmm,” Sweetie Belle mm-hmmed.
This oddly large crowd of ponies all staring at the tree unnerved Apple Bloom, but she had a question that she really needed an answer to. She walked up to Scootaloo and whispered in her ear, “Was it me? Was I the one who made you feel this way? Did I do this?”
“Uh... you did tell us about the tree.” Scootaloo blinked. Well, at least she was capable of doing that. She still stared at the tree, though.
“I don't know,” Sweetie Belle said. “I don't think it was you, but at the same time, I wasn't aware I had this feeling until you showed up.”
“Huh.” That was a better answer than Apple Bloom had hoped for, but at the same time, it didn't really tell her much. It was only one piece of a large puzzle. Come to think of it, Apple Bloom was terrible at puzzles. She had a tendency to get distracted, and never had the patience to sit through assembling much more than the edges.
“Apple Bloom, now's not the time nor place to be askin' questions,” Applejack admonished. The tone of her voice was heavy but firm.
“Oh. Okay. Y'all want me to bugger off again?”
“Mm-hmm,” many ponies said.
Hanging her head, Apple Bloom didn't have much of a choice. She left.
Once again, she paused to look back. The tree was still a tree, and everypony else still thought it was the most fascinating thing in the entire world, except for her. In the middle of it all, Tree Hugger was glomping the tree and had earned massive praise for that. Apple Bloom couldn't control her emotions, and in that moment a fit of jealous rage flared within her. “I could have done that!” she wailed.
She wasn't certain if her disguise helped, but Apple Bloom wanted to avoid 'enlightening' any other ponies by accident. This whole thing reeked of a magical mishap, and if there was anypony who could help her with magic, it was Twilight. She just had to make sure that Twilight herself didn't fall under the spell, somehow. Thus, she was dressed up in her platypus costume.
Having made her way to the large, sparkling, crystalline tree-castle, Apple Bloom decided not to knock and simply walked in.
“Hey, Apple Bloom.” Spike had been carrying a large stack of books, but he set them down when he heard her enter. He scratched his head. “Why are you a platypus?”
“It's, um...” That was the biggest flaw in her plan. Finding a way to explain it. “Nevermind the costume. Is Twilight around?”
“Yep!” He cupped his claws over his mouth and yelled, “Hey, Twilight! Apple Bloom's here and she's dressed up as a platypus!”
One of the side doors in the large, crystalline hallway creaked open and Twilight flew out. “Apple Bloom, why are you a platypus?”
“I—uh, think there's something wrong with me. Everypony who sees me goes running off to stare at a tree! You have to help me, Twilight. I don't wanna cause problems.”
“What, really?” Twilight raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to one side. “Huh.”
Spike gave them both odd looks. “Stare at a tree? You can't be serious, can you?”
“Spike, I can definitely feel... something. It's like an itch at the back of my mind. For some reason, it's giving me a feeling a deja vu. I've felt magic like that before, but I can't place it. Apple Bloom, would you mind joining me in the third door on the left?”
“Okay.” Apple Bloom should have felt mortified by that diagnosis, but she actually felt relieved. Twilight would know how to fix it, right?
Shedding her costume, which didn't seem to be doing any good, she bundled it against the wall and joined Twilight in her study room. This particular one had a large collection of books, though that was true of just about every room here now. Scanning the shelves, Twilight removed a green vine-wrapped tome.
“Here it is. Magical Creepers and Crawly Potions.”
“My potions textbook?” Apple Bloom asked. What did potions have to do with any of this? She hadn't made any potions recently.
Opening the book, Twilight flipped to the index. “Apple Bloom, all plants have at least some inherent magic. That's where most potions get their power. If a tree's involved, I think we can learn more about your condition by looking up its inherent properties. What kind of tree is it?”
“It's an apple tree. A gala to be precise.”
Twilight deadpanned and slapped the book shut.
Spike snickered and covered his mouth. “Yep, those are magical, all right—magically delicious!”
“Nevermind. Apple Bloom, did you happen to see or hear anything weird recently, before any of this started?”
Apple Bloom tapped on her chin, scrunching up her face in deep thought. “Well, now that ya mention it, I did spot a fourty-two leaf clover yesterday. That was kinda weird.”
“Hmm, anything else?”
“I also found a nice-looking, fresh apple, but my friends were way more interested in the clover. I kinda, sorta wished that apples were better respected, but I didn't expect anythin' to happen, honest!”
“Apple Bloom, plants can't grant wishes. That's absurd. The kind of magic needed to power a spell like that would be on the alicorn level, or even the Elements of Harmony. They also don't have any ears, so even if they did have some power there's no way they could do anything. Unless...” Twilight voice trailed off and she rubbed at her chin.
“Did you say that you'd found a fresh apple?” Twilight asked.
“Yes.” Apple Bloom nodded. Where was she going with this?
Twilight suddenly gasped and raised her wing. Her cutie mark was glowing, pulsating with the power of the Cutie Map. “Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes! Finally, I'm being summoned to solve a friendship problem. Oh, I can't wait to see where the map sends me! I've always wanted to go to Fillydelphia, or Las Peagas, or Saddle Arabia, or that epic library in Trottington! Ooh, ooh! Maybe it'll even send me to Maretropolis!”
“Uh, Twilight,” Spike waved an arm in front of her face, bringing her back to reality. “Maretropolis isn't even a real place, remember?”
“Oh, right, heh-heh.” Settling back down on the ground, Twilight grinned sheepishly and her cheeks flushed slightly. She strode towards the door, but paused to say a few parting words. “I'm sorry I have to go, but this is more important.”
“I understand.” Apple Bloom drooped her head and scuffed her hooves on the cold, stone floor.
Grinning, Spike collected the potions book and stuffed it back on the shelf. “Cheer up, Apple Bloom. If your problem really was all that important, I'm sure the map wouldn't have called her away.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Her moping didn't last long, as a shriek pierced through the walls and echoed throughout the hollows of the crystalline tree-castle. Spike jumped. “That sounded like Twilight!” For a baby dragon, he was certainly fast. Flinging open the door he ran down the hall towards the throne room where the Cutie Map was located. Apple Bloom trotted after him.
The giant doors of the throne room were too heavy for him to force open quickly, though he tried. He threw his weight against the large, stone surface and his claws scratched the ground as moved, making a horrible screeching noise. “Twilight, are you—”
Inside the chamber, the Cutie Map had gone completely haywire. It was spouting a literal fountain of cutie marks that hung about, swirling around in the room.
“Spike, I'm fine. I was just startled, that's all.”
Twilight might as well have not spoken, because neither Spike nor Apple Bloom were looking at her. Their wide eyes were on the dozens, maybe even hundreds, of cutie marks swirling through the air, most of which they recognized. Pointing a claw at a golden lyre, Spike said, “That's Lyra's.” Another cutie mark swirled by his outstretched arm, this one three smiling flowers. “And Cheerilee's. And there's Fluttershy's, and that one looks like yours, Apple Bloom.” As that last one swung around, Spike frowned. “No, wait, it's Scootaloo's.”
“It looks like the cutie marks of everypony in town,” Twilight said. Her eyes attempted to follow them as they swirled though the air but there were just too many to keep track of.
Soon, the vortex tightened up, becoming a near-literal tornado. At the very center, atop Twilight's minature castle, was her own cutie mark. The huge mass hopped, moving very slightly to the right. Twilight brought her face close and squinted. “That's still in town.”
“Sweet Apple Acres!” They all yelled.
They all looked at each other, and Twilight paled like she'd seen a ghost. “I-I-I... I have to go.” Turning tail, she flew off.
“Wait! I'm coming too!” Spike yelled as he ran after her.
Apple Bloom lingered behind. While the Cutie Map was an absolute wonder unto itself, she couldn't help but feel slighted. Literally everypony's cutie marks hung in the air, swirling around, except for one that was only notable by its absence. Her own flank remained dull and un-glowy. Scowling, she glared at the majestic, sparkling table. “Et tu, Cutie Map?”
Apple Bloom was walking back to the farm, but she didn't know why she bothered. She obviously wasn't needed, or wanted. The map specifically hadn't called her, so that meant she should stay away, right? Ponyville was so quiet that even the bunnies rustling in the grass sounded loud. They were cute and all, but they weren't much company.
If she wanted to, Apple Bloom had the perfect opportunity to go looting. Everypony had left their stuff unattended, and she could have her fill of anything she wanted at the market. Such thoughts just felt so wrong, though. It was almost like she wanted to punish them all for abandoning her, but she wasn't prone to petty revenge like Sweetie Belle was.
Picking up a discarded horseshoe, Apple Bloom stood back and tossed it at a mailbox. It clacked neatly around the post. Though it was a perfect shot, it failed to make her happy. Nothing like that could possibly be any fun without her friends around to witness it, or, well, anypony else for that matter.
Sweet Apple Acres wasn't that far away, and though she wasn't wanted, she knew that everypony was there, still staring at the same, boring apple tree. It was all her fault, too, somehow. If only Twilight had been able to finish before that stupid map called her way. Then Apple Bloom would actually know what was going on. She cared, and that's what hurt her the most.
Well, if this had all gotten started with a stray wish that she'd made, then perhaps she could make a counter wish and everything would be better? It was worth a shot, right? “I wish—I wish that—”
A blinding flash overwhelmed her. Yelping, she raised a hoof to shield her eyes only to be knocked off her hooves by a massive shockwave. She had no idea how far she tumbled, but her whole body felt like it'd been placed on the receiving end of whack-a-mole.
Dizzy, ears ringing, and vision obscured by floating spots, Apple Bloom was little more than a fuzzy pile of misery. Eventually, she forced herself to stand, shook her head, and rubbed her eyes. She still felt woozy, but her senses had returned enough for her to catch the tail end of a spiraling rainbow disappearing into the sky. All around her, carts were overturned, snapped branches and leaves lay scattered about and windows were cracked or blown out.
“What the hay was that?”
Her eyes widened and her ears drooped when she looked at the horizon. There was no question about it; the blast had come from Sweet Apple Acres.
Apple Bloom dropped into a weak canter. She wanted to gallop, but one of her hind legs ached and she couldn't make herself go any faster. If anypony needed help, she had to get there as soon as possible. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, they were right there at the center of the explosion. Her heart ached.
She ran.
It felt like forever, but she finally burst upon the scene. Promptly skidding to a halt, her jaw dropped. Not only was everypony fine, but they were covered in vibrant colors. Extra streaks ran through manes and tails, additional copies of cutie marks covered their bodies—on their flanks, wrapped around their legs, and even on their faces. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were madly grinning and examining their newfound appearances. Apple Bloom was far too relieved that they were okay for anything as petty as jealousy, though she made a mental note to be jealous later.
The effect didn't last long, and the rainbow colors faded away like many popping soap bubbles. The townsponies didn't really notice, for the most part, as most of them were looking up at the sky. The rest were looking about with wide eyes, scratching their heads, or otherwise appeared confused. Well, at least they weren't all still staring at the tree. Er...
Speaking of the tree, where was it? Peering through the crowd, Apple Bloom couldn't see it. “What happened here?”
“I have no idea, but it sure was awesome!”
Startled, Apple Bloom looked up. It was Rainbow Dash who'd answered, pressing her hooves against her cheeks and making a ga-ga face while hovering in the air. Those few words broke the silence and soon the whole crowd was chattering. Pausing a few moments to listen, it seemed like nopony else knew what had happened, either.
She pushed her way deeper through the crowd, wincing as a stray elbow bumped one of her sore spots. Moaning, the acrid scent of ash caught in her nose, edging her on. Soon, she reached the center. There was nothing left of the tree except for an apple-shaped scorch mark on the ground. She looked up, wide eyes facing nopony in particular. “Wow. The tree was mighty odd and all, but y'all didn't have to go and blow it up! Especially not with giant rainbows. Wasn't that, like, extreme overkill?”
“Aw sugarcube, you don't have to worry about nothin'.” Grinning widely, Applejack set a hoof on her sister's shoulder. “Growie's fine. You'll see.”
“Huh?” Apple Bloom looked up, and looked up even further. Daylight was fading, and not in the normal way. Rather than sinking beneath the horizon, the sun just shrank, as if it were withering up and taking the daylight with it.
Her eyes widened, and she huddled closer to her sister. Soon, the sun was little more than a speck, no more than any other star in the now night sky. There was no moon either, and all of the constellations were completely alien to her. As her night vision kicked in, she could barely make out an odd white streak running through the middle of the sky. She had no idea what she was looking at, and it gave her chills.
“It's just as beautiful from this side too.” Twilight settled down next to them, joining them in stargazing.
“What do ya mean?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Not many ponies know this, but the sky is usually shrouded in a veil of magic. What you're seeing now is what's really out there.” Softly, Twilight also added, “I walked among those stars once.”
“Huh?” Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow, but no further explanation was coming. Well, if Twilight wasn't worried then Apple Bloom had no reason to be worried too. All of the townsponies reduced their chatter to hushed whispers. Far, far up above, a single star seemed to sparkle. Its light grew intense as it fell from the sky. Closing in, it took the vague shape of a tree, not a real tree, but a cutie mark of a tree.
The ponies gathered close had to back off as it landed in the exact center of their circle. Upon touching the ground, this shape resolved into that of a drab little filly. She was a light gray-brown with soft, curly, leaf-green hair. Wide green eyes stared straight ahead and her mouth hung agape. She also had a short, stubby horn and little, bushy wings.
Ponies oohed and awed. Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith bowed, as did Twilight. The stranger never once moved, appearing almost frozen in place. Apple Bloom was seriously confused. Who was that, and why did she look so shocked?
Another large figure swooped down from the sky, and this time everypony except Twilight bowed when Princess Celestia came to join them.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, today marks a truly wondrous occasion, as a new magic has been discovered, and with it we have witnessed the birth of a brand new alicorn princess!”
The crowd cheered widely, throwing their hooves in the air and stomping on the ground. Twilight flanked the odd filly opposite Celestia, and did her part by smiling and waving. The little filly herself still did not move, though her pupils constricted down to beads.
“Perhaps you'd like to say a few words?” The filly failed to say anything, and Celestia gave her a little nudge. “Go on; don't be shy.”
When still nothing happened, Twilight cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Uh, she obviously hasn't found her voice yet, so let me say a few words first. I know a lot of you all are wondering just what happened and why”—Apple Bloom nodded vigorously, and ponies in the crowd generally looked on with rapt attention—“so I'll do my best to explain it.”
Flying up, Twilight hovered above them to help project her voice. “This all began yesterday when Apple Bloom found a magic apple. It—”
“Wait—magic apple?” Apple Bloom asked, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean, magic?”
“Apple Bloom, you found a fresh apple on the first day of spring, before the trees even had a chance to bloom. Of course it was magic.” Twilight had a hint of irritation on her voice and smiled like a teacher who'd had to correct the same mistake far too many times.
“Oh, right.” Apple Bloom cast her eyes down. She knew Twilight wasn't really upset at her for interrupting, but resolved to hold her tongue for now. Chances are that Twilight would answer most of her questions anyway as her lectures tended to be thorough.
“So as I was saying, Apple Bloom found a magic apple, and she ate it.”
How did she know I— Apple Bloom bit her lip. This was proving to be difficult.
The large crowd focused on Twilight as she launched into an explanation of the inherent magic in all living things. Everypony was watching her, even Celestia, except for that strange alicorn filly who remained oddly immobile. Apple Bloom hadn't even seen her blink yet. Just who was that mystery pony?
“Here. You'll want this.” Somehow making her way though the crowd, Pinkie Pie handed Apple Bloom a glass of water.
“Uh, thanks.” Apple Bloom blinked. She was mildly irritated at the interruption despite the fact that she had mostly tuned Twilight out. Well, she only had herself to blame for that. Taking a sip, Apple Bloom joined the crowd in looking up and resolved to pay better attention. Twilight, at least, was really getting into her speech what with the way that she waved her forelegs around and grinned a lot.
“—thus, plants can vary in their magical potential the same way that ponies do. This is how an otherwise ordinary apple tree produced magical fruit. And this wasn't just any magic, but the new kind of magic that Celestia was talking about.”
Apple Bloom spat out her drink, spraying the grass in front of her. “Wait a minute! Are you sayin' that the tree became an alicorn princess?”
“Well, yes.”
Apple Bloom dropped her glass and pressed her hooves against the sides of her face, squeezing her cheeks. She also pulled her eyelids down, exposing the red corners of her eyes. “The tree became an alicorn princess. The tree became an alicorn princess. The TREE became an ALICORN PRINCESS! WHY DID THE TREE BECOME AN ALICORN PRINCESS!?” With that final shout, she threw her hooves into the air and her face snapped back into place.
Twilight covered her mouth in a poor attempt at hiding her mirth. “Yes, it is unusual, but it should all make sense when I explain the nature of the magic in question. In order to understand that, some context is needed.
“Long ago, when the world first formed, magic was not structured and controlled like it is now. It was wild, chaotic, random, pervasive, and dangerous. The lands and seas were indistinguishable, and the world burned as much as it froze. But it was the very wild and chaotic nature of this primordial energy that gave rise to its own downfall, for it created life, and this life absorbed the raging magics, bringing peace, stability, and above all else harmony to the land.
“Perhaps this life could have cleansed the world on its own, but chaos does not play fair. Wild and dangerous beasts arose, intent on causing mayhem and strife. But, as before, there was a silver lining. Some beasts were not chaotic; some beasts, were us. When ponies arose, we claimed dominion over magic, as befitting our tribes. In doing so, we altered the very nature of this original form of life. No longer able to keep the harmony on its own, it bore fruit to aid us. Between the trials we ponies have endured, and the friendships that we'd forged, we effectively created six new elements of harmony to use against evil. And we have, many times. The original form of harmony faded into obscurity, and was thought to have been lost, until now.”
While Twilight was speaking, Apple Bloom took the time to watch this strange new alicorn. So she was the tree? No wonder the poor thing wasn't moving; she probably didn't even know that she could! That didn't mean she was incapable of emotion, though. She might be a little calmer now that only Twilight was speaking, but she hadn't lost that wide-eyed, petrified gaze. Surely somepony else would notice and try to comfort her, right? But everypony else was just staring at Twilight...
Apple Bloom clenched her teeth and focused on listening. After her last two outbursts, she really didn't want to make another scene.
“That all changed when Apple Bloom ate the magic apple. It was only a taste of this old energy, but within her body, its power mixed with her own magic and she became a sort-of walking, living, breathing, magical potion. Having already voiced a direction for this magic to take, this unique combination of events allowed anypony who beheld her to be reminded of this ancient magic and come here to pay their respects for an era long past.”
Apple Bloom poked herself in the gut. The thought of using her own body as an ingredient in a potion mix was disturbing. She'd prefer to think of scarfing down that succulent, juicy apple as a means of using it, not being used by it. That also explained why it seemed like she was immune to the effect, though in retrospect, she'd been the most vulnerable. Was she still giving off that vibe? It likely didn't matter now.
“I don't think I need to tell anypony how powerful this magic was, as we all felt it ourselves. It brought us all here, together, in unity for one single purpose. Together, we were allowed a rare look into the past and allowed to experience this old harmony for ourselves. But that alone wasn't quite enough. We would have gathered here and returned home without anything happening, feeling silly, were it not for one last piece of the puzzle: The Cutie Map.
“When Apple Bloom came to me, the vibe she was emitting felt familiar, but I couldn't place it until now. I'd actually felt a power like that once before back when the plundervines were destroyed. The Cutie Map had no such problem, though, and it immediately recognized the magic of its long-lost brethren. That's why it appeared to go haywire. It was doing everything it could to ensure that this power would never be forgotten again.”
Flying high, Twilight clapped her hooves together and grinned madly. “And it shan't! So without further ado, I'd like to introduce Equestria's newest princess, and bearer of the very first Element of Harmony, the one from which all others originated. Please give a warm welcome to... uh...” Twilight's speech came to an abrupt and embarrassing halt. She looked down at Celestia for guidance.
“Growie Gala Apple,” Applejack said.
“Growie Gala Apple!” Twilight repeated, louder, for the benefit of the crowd. “The Princess of Trees!”
The crowd roared, party cannons went off, and ponies stomped on the ground in thunderous applause. Even Apple Bloom clapped her hooves, though she quickly relented. Growie moved for the first time, stiffly jerking back, then she jerked again, as if the act of being startled was itself startling.
Apple Bloom couldn't take it anymore and screamed at the top of her lungs, “Wait! Calm down! Everypony quiet! Can't y'all see that she's upset!?”
The cheering rather haltingly diminished as ponies blinked and glanced at each other. Celestia, for her part, placed a hoof on the filly's shoulder. “Be at ease, my little pony. Everything will be just fine.” She winked and glanced at the night sky. “Here, I think I know how to cheer you up.”
Letting go, Celestia flew up in the sky. Her horn shimmered with a golden halo as she called forth her magic. That star which had receded before, came back in its full glory, bringing the day back with it. Though it wasn't nearly as grand as the magic which had knocked Apple Bloom off her feet, Celestia's power over the sky was always a sight to behold.
Growie's face lit up and her eyes turned upwards to watch the sky. In the light, some more subtle features became apparent like a few yellow freckles on her cheeks and some tufts of red hair mixed in with her green curls. As her eyes turned up, she raised her head and a wide, open smile curled up her cheeks. She reared up, balancing on her hind legs, spread her small wings, and raised her forelegs straight up, all the while staring at the sun. In this position, her cutie mark, which was a tree with three red apples on it, was clearly visible.
Celestia returned to the ground, and then kindly extended a wing to shade the young alicorn's eyes. “I know you enjoy the sun, but you can't stare at it anymore. You'll hurt your eyes.”
If Apple Bloom wanted any confirmation that Growie had been listening and understood what was being said, she got it. Being told that she wasn't allowed to stare at the sun had finally driven home the fact that she wasn't a tree anymore. Her eyes watered, a deep, quavering frown marred her face, and she started to tremble. She looked like she was on the verge of a total breakdown.
Running up, Apple Bloom grabbed her and wrapped her forelegs around the filly's trunk.
“I like your style,” Tree Hugger said.
Pressing close, Apple Bloom felt Growie's heart race. That wasn't a good sign for a pony who barely moved. It was hard to imagine just how stressed she was from everything changing so suddenly and all of this excitement going on in front of her face. “Growie, Ah know I yelled a lot, but I'm not mad at ya. None of us are. Look, Ah know this is all new and everything, but little has actually changed. You know us Apples; we've take good care of our trees and we've loved you since the day you sprouted. That's not going to change now that you're a pony. Ah'm sorry you're upset, and it's mostly my fault, but...
“I might not know what bein' a tree is like, but Ah do know that being a pony is not so bad. And as a pony, you can run, play, have fun, and even make friends. Y'know, having friends is the best part of bein' a pony, as we look out for each other, help each other, and even struggle together when life pulls surprises and makes things difficult. So what do ya say? Do you wanna be friends?”
Apple Bloom let go and sat down, looking up at Growie's green eyes. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle joined her, but stayed far enough away to avoid crowding in. Other ponies hushed as well, as they all waited for a response. Growie, aside from turning her eyes down to meet Apple Bloom's, didn't make any overt motion. That didn't mean that she wasn't thinking, though. A slight relaxation of her posture made Apple Bloom hope for the best.
Suddenly, Growie swung her forelegs forward and stiffly, crudely mimicked Apple Bloom's gesture by wrapping her hooves around the other filly and yanking her close in a crushing grip. She was stronger than she appeared, and Apple Bloom saw stars as the wind was crushed out of her and her sore spots suffered additional bruising.
“T-too t-tight,” Apple Bloom faintly whimpered. The grip relaxed and she gasped for breath.
Still holding Apple Bloom, Growie seemed to mouth out a word, but no sound came out. She paused, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Her breath smelt faintly like mulch. She took in a deep, very deep breath, expanding her chest to the point that it pressed against Apple Bloom, who winced, and flattened her ears against her skull.
Growie exhaled sharply, but failed to yell. Her noise was more of a hiss mixed with a wheeze. Trying again, she took in a shallower breath and spoke in a stiff, controlled manner. “Ff-friend,” she said. Her voice was raspy and hoarse, but in the silence of the crowd it carried well.
Despite not have given a huge speech or showing off powerful magic, the crowd was happy all the same. They generally awed and smiled. Apple Bloom sniffled. And to think—she'd wanted to waste the day playing with her sister. She'd have to ask her family how they knew sometime, but for now, she was content to spend time with her brand new friend.
Princess Celestia had been watching silently, and her worried gaze melted away to be replaced with a warm smile. Standing tall, her regal presence commanded attention. “I want to thank you all for making this wondrous occasion possible. For today, we have witnessed the original magic of harmony being reborn as a new, seventh element. While us ponies have maintained the peace on our own, Growie's roots will allow us to reconnect with the land itself, and even heal old scars from ages past. I have a feeling that someday she'll even find a way to mend the troubled heart of the Everfree Forest. However, she's going to have a lot of growing up to do before she's ready to face off against any sort of destiny. Living arrangements will need to be made—”
“Can she stay with us?” Apple Bloom asked, and hugged her new friend tight. “Ah mean, she is an Apple...”
“Of course, my little pony.” Nodding to the crowd at large, Celestia rose up with the grace of a swan and hovered above them. Backlit by the sun itself, she was as majestic as she possibly could be. “Spike, take a note please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby declare that the youth Growie Gala Apple, Princess of Trees, shall take up residence here in Sweet Apple Acres. The citizens of Ponyville at large, who helped her bloom into the pony she is now, shall be responsible for her education and upbringing. They shall report when needed to keep me appraised of her growth.” With that final pronouncement, Celestia flew off, returning to her home in Canterlot.
Main event over, the townsponies started to disperse. After all, their day had been interrupted and they all had tasks they needed to get back to. Apple Bloom was fine with that; after all, Growie's temperament was still delicate.
“We have a brand new friend. This is so cool!” Scootaloo joined in the hug, eyes sparkling. “I can't wait to teach you everything there is to know about what it's like to be a pony.”
Sweetie Belle grabbed on as well, the four of them forming a little pile of pony. “Yeah, and after that, you can teach us what it's like to be a tree!”
In the middle, Growie's wide eyes darted back and forth between these two newest additions. Her pulse picked up again, but it wasn't racing as fast as it had been before.
Landing next to them, Twilight said, “I know you're excited, but she looks like she needs some space right now. Thank you for helping, Apple Bloom. I'd like a moment to talk to her myself if you don't mind.” Nodding, the Cutie Mark Crusaders let go and backed off, though they didn't go far.
“Growie, I'm sorry I got caught up in all the excitement; all of us did, to be honest. I guess we all expected too much from you too soon. We never had any intention of terrifying you. If Apple Bloom hadn't stepped in...” she sighed. “But nevermind that. I really came here for something else. I didn't mention this in front of the crowd because it's something of a state secret, but when I said that your element gave rise to the others, I meant that literally. Hidden in a cave in the middle of the Everfree Forest, there's this plant known as the Tree of Harmony. It originally bore the elements as fruit, but wound up suffering without them. You'll want to see it, but that can wait until you've better adjusted to your new life. Speaking of which...
“If all of this becomes too overwhelming, too much for you to handle, or you just want a break, please come to me. I know a spell that can, at least temporarily, turn you back into a tree. And in time—” Twilight pointed at the stubby horn on the little alicorn's head “—I'll teach it to you as well. Do you think you'd like that?”
Growie stared at Twilight. Her mouth hung open, and she didn't respond. Instead, she glanced at Apple Bloom, who nodded. Turning back to Twilight, she asked, “Friend?”
Twilight's cheeks flushed with the warmth of her new smile. “Yes, friend.” She couldn't resist hugging the little filly. “I think you're going to fit in just fine.”
Author's Note
If you're wondering why Applejack never explained to her sister what was going on, it's because that particular Apple family legend was one that her father used to tell. Apple Bloom was too young to remember it, and Applejack didn't want to be badgered with questions about him while she was in such a strange emotional state.
Here's a summary of it in her own words: “You were too young to remember, but yer father always loved to tell this wild tale that someday we Apples would grow the perfect tree, one that would bring together the community and restore harmony to the world.”
