The Legend of Everfree Creekby ShadowWalking18ChaptersApplebloomApplebloom (2)Applebloom (3)Applejack (1)Applejack (2)Applejack (3)ApplebloomI was the first ya know. Ta see it that is. I mean, I kinda saw it. I didn't know what it was at first, but it sure didn't look like anything I ever seen. But I wasn't scared, I'm a big pony. When did I see it? Oh well, I was running home after a day of crusading. I was running a little late and I decided ta cut through the woods ta get home 'efore curfew.... - Applebloom Applebloom ran as fast as her hooves could carry here. Her overalls were grass and tree sap stained and there were still a few twigs in her mane from that fall she and the other CMC had when they tried their hooves at tree surveying. Her backpack jumped about on her back, her books and notes banging together inside. The sun was already starting its descent over the horizon, and she wasn't sure if she would get back to the farm house in time to avoid a lecture fro Applejack for missing curfew. She had cut through the forest after she had left the club house. Normally she would go around them as these woods were part of the Everfree, if less wild and untamed as the whole Everfree itself, but the normal path would take too long and this way cut right toward the farm. Besides, she wasn't afraid and she had taken this short cut before. She never saw anything scary or dangerous. Well, there was that small patch of Poison Joke, but she knew where it was to avoid it. The little filly was just passing around a corner of willow trees that hung over a slow flowing creek that fed into one of the big rivers near town that fed the local lake. Sometimes Applebloom would splash in the creek if she was especially covered in tree sap, pine needles, or that one time taffy mix when she and the girls had tried their hooves at taffy making. It always got her clothes soggy, but it was easier to explain that she tripped in a puddle then try to explain how she ended up covered in sap or taffy. Besides, the cold water felt good, especially during the summer. It was this time, that the youngest of the Apple family, decided to make such a stop. A quick splash of water to get some of the sap off and to wipe her hooves. She walked over to the edge of the stream and set to work, picking some water up with her hooves and wiping away at the offending sap. She was just about ready to leave, when she heard something rustling in the bushes on the other side of the creek. Applebloom froze, and watched. Though this bit of forest was on the edge of the Everfree, it was still part of it. Even her own farm had Timber wolves prowl along the edges. she waited, watching for any sign of movement, when another rustling of the bushes to her side caught her attention. Turning her head, Applebloom froze as she saw a dark figure hunched over near the other edge of the creek. The creature was some distance away, so she couldn't make out any details. But she knew it was something she had never seen before. Her fear was momentarily forgotten as curiosity now took hold. What was this creature? What was it doing? Applebloom watched as the creature extended what she assumed was its arms, into the water and then to its head. The head itself was difficult to make out due to matted mane or fur that seemed gnarled and unkempt. It looked like the creature was drinking. She couldn't see well, but the arms looked like they didn't end with hooves but some sort of claw like appendages. Applebloom leaned further, to try and get a better look when one of her hooves pressed down on a twig. The snap of the wood made her flinch, and she watched with sudden horror as the creature looked toward her and to her shock and fear, stood up on two large legs. It was huge, as big as a tree maybe bigger, and it peered at her from across the creek. An uncontrollable fear came over the little filly, afraid that whatever this creature was might try to run at her. Its large frame made it clear that if it did so, there was little she could do. Turning quickly, Applebloom ran down the path, leaping over branches, roots and bushes as she cut through the woods. She didn't know if the creature was following her, but her frightened mind seemed to be playing games with her, as she confused the breaking of sticks and rustling of leaves she caused as signs the creature was giving chase. It only made her run even harder, and when the family farmhouse came into view she burst through the door and collapse to the ground. "Whoa nelly!" Applebloom looked up, seeing her older sister Applejack standing by the stove cooking. She set down the wooden spoon she was using to stir something and rushed over. Applebloom let her sister lift her up and she threw her hooves around her in a hug and squeezed tightly. "Whoa, Applebloom what's wrong? Y'all came bargin' in here like a bat outta tartarus." "I-I-I," Applebloom gasped, taking in deep gulps of air. "Now take a breather sugarcube." Applejack said softly, trying to calm her little sister down. "A-A monster! I saw a monster!" Applebloom shouted, before burying her face into her sisters chest. Applebloom (2)I guess I wasn't surprised nopony believed me. I mean, I probably wouldn't 'ave believed myself if I hadn't seen it. But I did, and I'm an apple and apples don't tell fibs. Course, no pony wanted to believe me. At least none of the older ponies. But I knew two ponies that would... -Applebloom. The next morning, Applebloom woke with a frown. As she went over to her dresser to pick out her clothes for the day, she looked out her window towards the woods. The memory of her encounter came back, as did the memory of what happened after she got back home. "A monster?" Applejack had said, "Was it a Timber wolf?" "No, I wouldn' be scared o' no timber wolf. It was...well I don't know what it was." Applebloom said, letting her sister go. Applejack raised a brow, "Well what did it look like?" "W-Well it was as big as a tree and it was all hairy. And it walked on two legs, with long hairy arms." Applebloom explained, taking deep breathes of air as she did. Applejack blinked, then chuckled, "Now that is some imagination ya got there Applebloom." "What?!" The youngest apple gasped, "But its real I saw it." Applejack placed a hoof on her hip, "Now sugarcube, I ain't no animal expert like Fluttershy, or even Twilight, but I know me the animals and critters around the woods of our farm and I ain't never seen or heard o' anything like that." "But I saw it. I was right at the edge of the Everfree." Applebloom said, only realizing at the last minute her mistake. Her older sister raised a brow, crossed her forehooves over her chest and looked down at her with a serious look. "And how did ya see that? Ya know yer not allowed near the woods by the Everfree. So how did ya see it near the Everfree unless ya were in there?" "Uuuuuh...." Applebloom started, before rubbing the back of her head with a blush, smiling nervously. Suffice to say, Applebloom was grounded for a week when her little short cut was found out. Of course even with the knowledge that the creature was from the Everfree, her older sister and even Granny Smith or Big Mac, whom found out during dinner when Applejack told them of her grounding, didn't believe her. Applejack was sure she had just seen a bear, as did the rest of her family. Though Granny Smith, having long lived near the Everfree, did at least commit to a number of well known tactics that she had developed to keep back the normal denizens of the Everfree; if just to help Applebloom sleep soundly. A small part of her head was telling her she was just being irrational. Maybe it had been a bear, or maybe just something else from the Everfree. She didn't need to get so worked up about it. Still, even as she looked away from the fog covered woods of the Everfree that bordered her home, she felt that the forest had a more menacing feel to its air now. Applebloom shook her head, and gave her face a few slaps to focus. Whatever she had seen was the past. Time to focus. She quickly went to the bathroom for a shower, letting the warm water help her forget her encounter from yesterday. After that she got dressed and went down for breakfast. After a hearty breakfast of grasspancakes, Applebloom grabbed up her backpack and started her way to school. The early morning fog was still in the air, which gave her normal commute to school a more repressing and fearful atmosphere. Often the little filly found herself looking around, trying to see through the fog. Her eyes seeing movement that wasn't there. Her ears instinctively moving around to listen for anything out of the ordinary. Her young imagination working against her, with ideas of the creature she had seen stalking her, or watching her from within the fog. She went the long way this time, both because she was in trouble enough for her little short cut. And secondly out of fear. When she finally broke through the fog and made it into Ponyville and to the school yard, did she breathe a sigh of relief. "Hey Applebloom." Applebloom turned and saw Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle walking up the road from their own houses. Scootaloo wore her usual shorts and t shirt, and sporting a few bandages from their little tree fiasco the other day. Sweetie Belle wore a white skirt and shirt, and some of her mane had been cut; due to having ended up with a mane full of tree sap yesterday. "Hey girls. How ya doin'?" Applebloom asked, smiling. "Rarity was horrified by my mane the other day. Though she did manage to get most of it out." Sweetie Belle said, rubbing her cut mane with a frown, "Though she still had to cut it a bit." Scootaloo blew a raspberry, "So you got a mane cut. I'm grounded for a week....again. I swear my parents should just expect me to come home dirty; but mom is such a neat freak." Applebloom chuckled, "Well, you and me are in the same boat then Scoots." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both looked at their friend in shock. "No way," Scootall exclaimed, "You got grounded? For what?" "Yeah, I mean you went home after one of our crusading mishaps and never got in trouble before." Applebloom sighed, her ears flattening, "Eh...Applejack kinda found out that I went through that path through the Everfree. Ya know she doesn't like me goin' in there." "How did she find out about that? That was like, your secret shortcut, you didn't even tell us about it until we pressured you." Scoots asked. Applebloom looked around, and motioned the girls to come closer. "If I tell ya, do ya promise not ta laugh?" Applebloom asked, looking around suspiciously, "Or tell anypony else?" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both looked at each other confused, before nodding. "Pinkie Promise." They both said, doing the motions. "Alright...well-" Applebloom started, opening her mouth to tell her friends....until the school bell rang. Applebloom jumped, then looked to her friends. "I'll tell ya at recess. Okay?" Applebloom said, as they made their way inside with the other kids. Scootaloo and Sweetie nodded, and all three took their seats as class began. A few hours after the start of class, the school bell rang once more signaling recess. The three crusaders ran out with excitement with the rest of the kids, and made their way to their favorite spot under a large oak. They went behind the tree, and sat in a small circle. "Okay Applebloom, spill it," Scootaloo stated, "How did you get in trouble?" Applebloom looked around, then whispered to her friends. "Well. I was heading through my shortcut when I heard something coming out of the woods." Applebloom started. "Was it a Timberwolf?" Sweetie asked, her hoof going to her mouth in worry. "No, it wasn't a Timberwolf. It was something else. It was all hairy." Applebloom said with a shake of her head. "Was it a bear?" Scootaloo added in. Applebloom shook her head, "No. Just listen. I saw it come out of a bush and move over to the stream. It was big and hairy looking, but it didn't look like a bear. It looked to slim." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo leaned in, listening intently now. Their curiosity perked by the story. "I don't think it noticed me, cause all it did was drink from the stream using its front legs. Like a pony, scooping water and bringing it to its face. That was covered in hair as well," Applebloom went on, the memory playing back in her mind, "I must 'ave watched it for at least a few minutes when I accidentally stepped on a twig tryin' ta get a closer look." "That must have spooked it, cause the next thing I know, this creature stands up on two legs and looks right in my direction. Right at me!" Applebloom sucked in a breath as she shivered. "It stood on two legs?" Scootaloo said, surprised. Applebloom nodded, "It was huge. It was as big as a tree, maybe bigger, and its arms were huge. I thought for sure it was gonna lunge at me across the stream, when it just turned around and walked back into the Everfree." "What did you do next?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I didn't know what it was I saw, but seeing somethin' so big, well I ran as fast as my hooves could take me. When I got home, I was so scared I blabbed right ta Applejack about what I saw." Applebloom finished. Scootaloo facehoofed, "You mean you got yourself in trouble. Come on Applebloom." Applebloom smiled nervously, but sighed in defeat. "What did Applejack do when you told her about the monster?" Sweetie Belle asked. Applebloom frowned, "She didn't believe me. Not even Big Mac or Granny Smith did. They think I just saw a bear." Applebloom then looked at her friends, and a thin thread of doubt crept in her mind now. "Do you girls believe me? I mean, its a rather weird tale." She asked. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both looked at each other and seemed to think about it. "Well, I mean are you sure you didn't just see a bear?" Sweetie asked. "I'm sure. I've seen bears before. Heck, Fluttershy has a pet bear. I can tell the difference." "Well it is the Everfree," Scootaloo pointed out, "who knows whats in there. But you're our friend. If you say you saw this...whatever it was, I believe you." "Me too." Sweetie added, with a nod. Applebloom smiled, "Thanks girls. It's good ta see somepony believes me. But remember, ya can't tell anyone about this." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded. Unknown to all three of them that listening from the other side of the tree, a silver coated filly smiled a sly grin. After the recess, Applebloom was jotting down some notes as Cheerilee gave her lecture on today's lesson concerning biology. It was as she was writing her notes, that a folded up piece of paper landed on her desk, causing her to mess up a letter of her notes. She looked up to the sides, frowning in irritation as she saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both looking at her with mischievous grins. Tiara pointed at the note with that cocky grin on her face. Faust, sometimes Applebloom wished she could buck that grin right off. She looked at the folded note. A part of her was telling her to just throw it away, seeing that this was just a way to tease her no doubt. But she knew that if she didn't, they would just egg her on; and felt it best to just get this over with. It was probably another blank piece of paper meant to get her in trouble with the teacher, and mock her on her blank flank. Applebloom was use to that by now, and frankly was starting to wish that Tiara would get something original now. As she unfolded the message and her eyes nearly bulged out her sockets. There on the paper was not a blank sheet of paper, but instead a somewhat crudely drawn picture of a scribbly creature on two legs, the scribbles making it look hairy, and two large claw like arms standing over a cowering and crying Applebloom. Tiara and Silver Spoon giggled and snickered, and Applebloom ground her teeth as she turned toward Diamond Tiara and opened her mouth to tell the bully filly off, when the paper was snatched up and Applebloom looked from Tiara to Cheerliee who looked down at her with a serious look she gave when she found a student not paying attention. "Applebloom, is now really the time to be doodling...." Cheerlie took a moment to look at the paper, then her ears went flat and her eyes looked confused, "Uh....what is this?" Tiara burst laughing and said, "Applebloom thinks she saw a monster in the woods." Silver Spoon joined in, "Yeah and its all hairy and walks on two legs." The two bullies laughed, and the rest of the class save Scoots and Sweetie burst into laughter. Cheerliee just looked confused before clapping her hooves. "That's enough." Cheerilee called, cutting off the laughter, "Lets just focus on the lesson? Hmmm? This will be on the test you all have to take. Tomorrow." Cheerlie turned her back as all the students gave a collective awww in disappointment, and she walked back to the chalkboard, tossing the drawing into the waste paper bin; going back to teaching her class. Applebloom shot a venomous glare at Tiara, before covering her head in dismay. All through the lesson, she could hear all the students laughing at her. Once class was over, Applebloom walked out with her friends. Some of the other students snickering as she passed. Her ears lay flat on her head, and she had an irritated scowl on her face. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle could see their friends look, and tried to take her mind off the latest ridicule by Tiara. "I can't believe they found out." Applebloom hissed. "Oh come on Applebloom, don't let it get to you. It's Tiara and Silver Spoon after all." Scootaloo said, trying to sooth her friends irritation. "Yeah, I mean we believe you. Who cares what other ponies think." Sweetie added in. "I do. I'm sick of always being picked on by those two. Aren't you?" Applebloom said harshly, causing her friends ears to flatten. They could tell that Applebloom was really irritated this time. "Well yeah, but come on we're use to it by now. If we try and fight back, they just egg us on harder. You know that." Scootaloo said. "Besides, I'm kinda use to their blank flank jokes by now." Sweetie added in with a shrug. "So am I," the irritated filly said, stomping her hoof on the ground, "but this is different. She has the whole school laughing at me now. I just wish I could shut her up once and for all." "Well how are you going to do that?" Scootaloo asked. "Yeah, its not like you could capture that monster you saw and prove it to her its real." Sweetie added. Applebloom stopped in her tracks, and a slow smile started coming to her face. "Wait...I didn't mean that!" Sweetie exclaimed, fearful now. "But it's perfect. I could prove not only to Tiara and the class, but even ta my family what I saw as real. We might even get our cutie marks in monster capturing." Applebloom said, punching her hoof into the other with a smirk on her face. "But, how are we going to even capture this...thing you saw?" Scootaloo asked. "And what if it's dangerous?" Sweetie pointed out, fearful of where this was all going. "Don't worry. I'll think of something. But are you girls with me?" Applebloom asked. "I'm in. This might be cool." Scootaloo said, putting her hoof out, which Applebloom placed hers on. Both girls looked at Sweetie Belle now, smiling. Sweetie Belle herself looked fearful, and worried. "I don't know...." She started. "Come on Sweetie Belle, we got to do this. This is to help clear our Appleblooms name." Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belle bit her lip, and slowly put her hoof on her friends. "Okay....but I have a bad feeling about this." And so like that, the three friends agreed that they would capture this creature. The only question now was, how did you capture a creature that you knew nothing about? It was a question that Applebloom though about all the way home and into the hours of the night. Author's Note If you have had a sighting of something odd, feel free to share. I might even be inspired to write a chapter about it :) This fiction is inspired by the Legend of Boggy Creek mostly. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. Its a rather interesting movie; old as it is. Applebloom (3)We Crusaders made it our mission to catch this monster. Course I wasn't stupid, and I knew that tryin' ta do this ourselves was dangerous. We had ta plan fer this sort of task, and not go runnin' inta the Everfree. Course, we knew we couldn't just build a trap for it either. Last time we tried that we uh...well its not important. We needed somethin' easy ta use and mobile while we went lookin'. So Me, Scootaloo and Sweetie pooled our allowance together and managed ta buy one o' them fancy new photo cameras they sell now...... -Applebloom. FLASH "AH! I'm blind!" "Sweetie Belle, your not blind. You had the flash on." Scootaloo said, snatching the new camera from her unicorn friend. Sweetie Belle looked around with glazed eyes, then rubbed them till her eyes returned to normal. "Oh....I knew that." Sweetie smiled nervously. "Hey, can ta two be careful with that. It wasn't cheap ya know." Applebloom called behind her friends, as they made their way toward the clubhouse. "Yeah, tell me about it. I hope this was worth it Applebloom, I had to help my mom clean the house so many times to get them I still have prune lines on my hooves. "Trust me. When we get that picture of that monster, not only will we shut Diamond Tiara up, but we will be famous!" Applebloom cheered. "Really?" Sweetie Belle squeaked. "Hey, yeah!" Scootaloo said, excited now. Applebloom nodded, "Exactly. Now come on, we want to get to the clubhouse and get ready." The three made off at a jog for the last stretch of the walk to the clubhouse. They had planned to use it as their base of operations, under the guise of a sleepover/camp out. Given it was the weekend, the girls figured they had two days to try and capture an image of the monster that Applebloom had seen. The clubhouse made the most sense. It was just close enough to Sweet Apple Acres farm to run for help, or shelter. Yet it was close enough to both the area where Applebloom saw the creature and the rest of the Everfree to have a wide area to search. Just like they learned in their wilderness lessons in the Filly Guide scouts. It was late afternoon, with the sun beginning its descent over the horizon when the girls reached the clubhouse. They began setting up their base. Sleeping bags and flashlights. Soda to help them stay awake, and the camera. They also had various foods, mostly for themselves, but they also had some for bait. Once they were set up, they went down to the spot where Applebloom had first seen the creature. She pointed at the spot across the creek where she had seen it to them. "It was right there when I saw it." She said, as they hopped across a few rocks to the other side. Scootaloo nodded, "Right we should see if it left any clues then." "Are you sure about this? What if it comes back?" Sweetie asked, fearful. "Then that will make it easier to get a picture. Sweetie Belle, you keep an eye out and have the camera ready. Me and Applebloom will look around." Scootaloo ordered. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle nodded, and all three of them got to work. They looked for prints or hair, figuring that it would be the easiest to find. The creek had a muddy bank, but the water itself raised and fell over the day so if there had been any prints they were no longer there. They spent perhaps almost an hour or more, just as the sun was falling over the horizon and night fall was starting. They didn't find anything, and returned to the clubhouse somewhat disappointed. As night full ascended, the girls lay in the clubhouse, the girls spent it watching the forest, coloring, drawing, homework, eating cookies and drinking cider and soda and other assortments of snacks they had brought. As the night grew darker, the three settled themselves into their sleeping bags, huddled in a circle beside a lamp. There they talked about school, what they did after school, and if they had any crushes in school. And slowly, with the quiet night around them the three slowly started to fall asleep. Sometime later, Applebloom woke with a yawn and rubbing her eyes. A feeling in her body, forced her up and out of her bag and to grab a flashlight to guide her path out of the club house to answer the call of nature as it were. "Stupid soda." Applebloom muttered to herself as she moved around a bush to do her business. As she sleepily fumbled with the flash light and her pajama pants, Applebloom bent down to attend to business when her noise twitched picking up a noise. She looked around, her ears moving to pinpoint the sound. Again she caught it, and she quickly turned off the flashlight, and waited. Her eyes slowly getting use to the darkness, with only the light of the moon above. She watched out towards the forest, and she watched with horror as a dark figure as tall as a tree began moving out of the forest. Appplebloom ducked down, glad she had already crouched low to attend to business now, or she would certainly have peed in her pants. She peeked through holes in the bushes and watched the large dark shape, walk on two legs stepping out of the woods and into a patch of moonlight. It was the same creature from before! Applebloom fumbled carefully with her pants before popping the flashlight into her mouth and crouched low to crawl towards the clubhouse stairs. She was both afraid, terrified and yet at the same time excited. Now she could get the proof she needed. She crawled on all fours up the stairs, but nearly cursed when she ascended the last step and the wood creaked loudly. She laid herself flat and watched the creature, that looked in her direction of the sound. Her heartbeat raced as she watched the creature as she peeked over the small rail of the clubhouse. The creature kept still before moving off towards the orchard. 'It's after our apples!' Applebloom thought. She wasn't sure if she should be worried for her family, or complimented that even this creature knew where to get the best apples in Equestria. As the creature walked off, Applelboom crawled back into the clubhouse and shook her friends vigorously. "Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle." She whispered with a hiss. "Ugh, no more for me thanks." Scootaloo said in her sleep, before Applebloom shook her again. "MMmm, is it time for breakfast?" Sweetie asked, yawning as she rubbed her eyes. "Girls get up!" Applebloom hissed again, "I saw it. It's near here!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at Applebloom confused. "The monster!" Applebloom whispered again with exasperation. Scoots and Sweetie both jumped, with Sweetie ducking low and Scootaloo crawling to the window. "Where?" the daring Pegasus filly asked, looking around with her eyes squinting to see. "It's heading toward the farm. It must be after the apples. If we hurry we can catch a picture of it." Applebloom said as she snatched the camera up. "What!?" Sweetie Belle squeaked in fear, "You want us to go out there in the dark with it around!?" "Are you sure that's safe?" Scootaloo asked. "We just need ta get one picture. We will be close to the farm. We just snap the picture, then run ta the farmhouse. Now come on!" Applebloom stated, before moving out into the darkness. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other, before snatching up flashlights, and following after their friend. The girls moved carefully through the dark woods, Applebloo taking the lead, holding the camera defiantly, while Scootaloo followed behind with Sweetie Belle clinging to her in fright. Applebloom wouldn't admit it, but she was afraid as well and she kept close to her friends for comfort. "What if it sees us?" Sweetie Belle whispered, almost in a sob as she looked around. "Just be quiet." Scootaloo hissed. Sweetie Belle made a slight whimper, as Applebloom turned a corner to take them into the orchard. The sound of snapping twigs or branches, and the crunch of apples, made all three fillies go still. All three girls jumped behind a tree, with Sweetie Belle now clinging tightly to Scootaloo, eyes clenched shut and her body shaking. Even Scootaloo, eyes wide now, looked scared. Applebloom felt her breathing pick up as she and Scootaloo slowly peeked around a tree. "There it is..." She whispered. Scootaloo peeked around and sucked in a breath. Even Sweetie Belle opened an eye to see, and her eyes shot open wide with fear as all three of them saw the creature. It was huddled as a dark, black shape that was difficult to make out in the darkness. Only small spots of moonlight poking through the tree leaves made it distinct amongst the dark shapes of the trees. The creature seemed to be eating something, before standing up and dropping what Applebloom guessed was a cored apple and reaching up to grab another. Sweetie Belle choked back a whimper as she saw the full size of the creature, its long arm pulling a branch low to pluck an apple. With its new food in its grasp, the creature crouched low and proceeded to eat again. "Take the picture." Scootaloo hissed. Applebloom blinked, then realized she was holding the camera. "Oh right...uh...n-now how do I do that?" The young apple whispered. Scootaloo looked at her friend in shock, "What?" "Well sorry, I haven't used one o' these before." Applebloom protested, trying to figure out how to prepare the camera. "Oh give me that." Scootaloo huffed, trying to take the camera. "I can do it!" Applebloom protested, pushing her friend away. "Girls..." Sweetie Belle whispered. Scootaloo didn't hear, "No you can't, you're gonna break it." "I got it, just stop gettin' in my way." Applebloom responded, also not hearing Sweetie Belle. "Girls!" Sweetie Squeaked, her voice terrified now. "What?" Both girls said, turning to their friend. Then their ears went flat and their eyes slowly went up at the tall, large black form that stood before them. It was the creature, standing right before them and looking down at them. All three girls looked up with wide, horror filled eyes. No pony made a sound, until finally the silence was broken. "AAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sweetie Belle shriekd, letting off a high pitched squeal of fear. Scootaloo joined in as did Applebloom, she brought the camera up and hit the first button her hoof felt and a wide flash went from the camera. The creature roared, its voice a loud booming shriek or roar. It stopped around, waving its arm wildly and stepped toward them in a rampage. It's screaming picking up. "RUN!" The three fillies turned and ran, screaming as they rushed toward the farm house. The screams of the creature behind them, following them even as they broke through the orchard onto the farmstead. The farmhouse, once dark, now went alight with lights turning on. The girls ran, just as two ponies, Applejack and Big Mac, burst through out the door with bats. The girls rushed to the ponies, throwing themselves at them as they cried. "What in tarnation!?" Applejack shouted, both surprised, scared and angry, "What's goin' on?" "We saw it!" Scootaloo shouted. "It's in the orchard!" Sweetie added. "We got a picture!" Applebloom finished. "What are you three fillies talkin' about?" AJ asked, confused. "The monster!" All three fillies said at once. AJ and Big Mac stared at the three fillies, then each other and both of them facehoofed. "Oh ponyfeathers, not all three o' ya." AJ sighed, exasperated. "It's the truth!" Applebloom said, "It was in the orchard eating our apples. And we got a picture." "It's probably still there!" Scootaloo added. "You girls...." AJ said with a shake of her head. "Please sis, just let us show ya." Applebloom begged. Applejack sighed, "Alright. Where did ya see this monster?" It took some convincing, but soon the girls were leading AJ back to where they had seen the creature. When they arrived, they were greeted to a scene. "Well, I will tell ya this. It does look like somethin' was here." AJ said, noting the apple cores on the ground. "But...it was here. We saw it." Sweetie said, looking around. Around there was apple cores, snapped twigs and branches. But no creature. "It was eating our apples. It just plucked them right out of the tree." Applebloom stated, desperate to find something that proved that the monster had been here. Applejack however, was done with it all. "Ya know what I see. I see the signs of some apple thieving varmint. No doubt those raccoons again, or even a bear, but I don't see any monster. " "But-" Applebloom started, but her sister cut her off. "I also see three little fillies who were out at night when they shouldn' 'ave been. And causing a ruckus for no reason." Applejack went on, leveling a disapproving look at the girls. The three girls frowned and looked down. "Now, we're gonna march back ta the house and we are all gonna go back ta sleep. Ya can get yerstuff from the clubhouse in the morning. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle ya'll can sleep on the couch tonight. Now march." Applejack stated, pointing toward the direction of the farm house. The three fillies grumbled but obeyed, and all four of them walked back to the farmhouse. Applebloom was rather sad that her sister still didn't believe her, but a small smile curled on her lips as she hugged the camera to her chest. 'Least we got a photo. I'll show em.' She thought, sure that she had the proof she needed. The following day, the girls went down to the photoshop to have their camera film developed, eager to see the picture. But what they got....was not what they had hoped for. Applebloom sat at a park table, face planted against the table in despair as she held the blank, black photos. "Oh, so this thing is the lens cap." Sweetie Belle said, as she removed the object that had been covering the lens the whole night they had used the camera." "Wow, uh...I guess this is a set back huh Applebloom?" Scootaloo said nervously, rubbing the back of her head. Applebloom just groaned and covered her head with her hooves. Applejack (1)"I ain't one ta call somepony a liar. But I'm a hard ta earth Earth Pony and like my mama, ain't one fer nonsense. Applebloom's stories of monsters as tall as trees, and walkin' on two legs. Pfft, sounded rather like a tall tale ta me at first. No creature walks on two legs except ponies, dragons sometimes, minotaurs, griffons...well ya know what I mean. Their all civilized beings, though that might be stretchin' fer griffons, but what I'm gettin' at is that they all live either in Equestria or their own countries. But Applebloom said this thing was in the Everfree, and there ain't no creature livin' there that walks on two legs. Three maybe. At most eight, but nothin' that walks on two legs. I lived near the Everfree my whole life, and while I ain't some bio science person like Twilight, I know enough 'bout what calls those woods home ta 'ave a good idea of what does and doesn't live there. Besides, Applebloom is a little filly and fillies are always prone ta over exaggerate what they said they saw. And ta be honest, I've caught Applebloom in a lie more than once. So ya could understood my skepticism. For while I just thought we had some apple thieving varmint on our property....." -Applejack Applejack carefully fitted the last piece of bait and the line of the cage trap in place, before nodding approvingly as she crossed her hooves over her chest in a proud stance. "There. That oughta catch whatever's eatin' our apples." ed "Eeeyup." Big Mac said, as he stood up from his own finished trap. AJ and Big Mac had spent nearly the whole day setting up cage traps around the ripe apple trees in the orchard. Normally they would have been out bucking, but the two of them had some help now from three fillies who were doing some work now fer their fibbing. Honestly, Applejack did not know where her little sister got such crazy, fanciful ideas about monsters. She was sure it was all them comic books she read. Applejack took a moment to inspect the area, frowning at the applecore still on the ground. Those would be gathered up for the pig slop, but it was still disheartening to see perfectly good apples for market just eaten like that. It was a loss of product and profit. "Big Mac, can ya'll take care o' these, I'll go check on Applebloom and her friends." AJ called to her brother as she turned and headed toward the patch of the orchard where the fillies were working. "Eeeeyup." Mac responded with a nod as he took up a bucket and proceeded to get the applecores. AJ made her way to the south field, there the CMC fillies were hard at work. Applebloom was bucking apples, though her skill was still in the works and it took her two or three bucks to clear one tree. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo didn't do much better. She smiled and watched the three of them work for a bit. She didn't like to have fillies do such hard work, but as an Apple she couldn't tolerate nonsense, especially ones from three fillies that woke her up in the middle of the night with tall tales. Content to see that they weren't slacking off, AJ turned and went to attend to her own chores now. For the remainder of the day, she worked content with the knowledge that, whatever it was that was eating the apples would be locked up soon enough. Then she would give it to Fluttershy to deal with. As supper time came around, Applejack was glad to see that they were almost done with the area of the orchard; perhaps they could get it all done tomorrow ahead of schedule. The thought made her smile, and while the work on a farm never really ended, being able to get something done ahead of normal was always a boon. As Applejack headed back to the farm house, she was almost barreled over by Winona who ran around her with excitement; her leash in her mouth. AJ chuckled, "Oh alright Winona. We can go for a short walk." Winona barked and panted, her tail wagging excitedly as AJ attached the leash and turned from her path to the house to a small path she often walked Winona through. As they walked, AJ was so focused on determining the work load for tomorrow that she nearly tripped when suddenly Winona stopped in her tracks and stared off toward the woods. "Wha? What is it girl?" Applejack asked, looking at her dog curiously. Winona stared quietly, before kneeling down and growling before letting out a rapid stream of loud barks and snarls. AJ had to brace herself as she yanked back on the leash, just as Winona tried to barrel towards the woods. "Whoa there girl. What's got you all riled up?" The cowmare asked, confused. Winona kept barking and AJ squinted, looking in the same direction. She didn't see anything, but Winona seemed intent on a rock near some bushes and trees at the edge of the woods. She snarled and barked further, trying to run towards that spot. Applejack started to feel curious of what could get Winona, usually a rather playful dog, so aggressive. Eventually her answers were given when from the bushes.... ...jumped out a squirrel that sat on the rock and started to eat an acorn in its paws. AJ's ears flattened and she raised a brow at her dog, who kept barking. "Oh, you silly pooch, it's just a squirrel." Applejack said with sigh, and started on the path again, having to yank on Winona few times before the dog finally, with a small whine, gave up on the squirrel. When AJ and Winona finally returned home, she noticed that Winona was acting strange. When not eating, she would look out the window toward the woods, her tail wagging slowly all the time. AJ could only sigh and assume that she was smelling some litter critter to chase. Probably foxes or more squirrels. She use to do that when she was a pup. Appejack shrugged it off, even when as she turned in for the night and got snug up in her bed, Winona moved toward the window and stared out with intent; when normally she would curl up on the bed with her. "Come on girl. Climb inta bed." AJ called, patting the covers. Winona turned, looking at her. Barked once, then looked out the window again. Applejack sighed and planted her head on her pillow. She figured Winona would climb into bed eventually, once she got bored. She went to sleep, assured of that thought. Yet when she woke up the next morning, she saw that Winona still stood be the window, as if she had never left her spot and she had her teeth bared in a low growl. When Applejack went outside to check the traps, she saw that they were empty and that more applecores lay on the ground once more. Applejack (2)"Now, I thought Winona's behavior was strange. But she's a dog, so I figured she was just barking at small critters. Lots a dogs do that, mine ain't no different. I caught her chasing Angel or some of Fluttershy's ferrets once. Still, I ain't never seen her so intent like that. Like she was thinkin' she was the only thing guardin' the farm. But I didn't 'ave time ta think on it too much. At the time, I was still worried 'bout our apples; especially after the traps didn't work. I got ta work immediately, figuring the best thing be ta get the apples bucked and into storage as quickly as possible. Once they were in their barrels and crates, they be safe from any rodents...." -Applejack Applejack worked double time, bucking trees like no other. She couldn't remember a time she had worked this hard then when she tried to do the whole orchard by herself. She often had to stop to catch her breath, and wipe her brow of sweat, but this had to get done. She couldn't understand how the traps didn't work, but right now she had to strive to save her farms apples and their profits. Market day would be around the corner and if they couldn't reach their quota of shipment of apples, it would hurt the farm. As she finished up another group of barrels, she loaded them onto the cart and gave the oxen a pat on the rump to get them moving back to the barn for storage. As she guided the cart, passing Big Mac who was working on his own section of the orchard, she then spotted Winona, who was once again tugging at the leash, which was tied securely to a tree, and barking towards the woods. There was another problem. When AJ had let Winona out the morning first thing, the dog made a b line for the Everfree and the woods, forcing Applejack to chase her down; forcing her to tie Winona up to a harness and tree; partly so she could still run around outside, and finally to keep her from running off into the woods. She didn't know what was wrong with Winona, but Applejack couldn't deal with her and the apple harvest at the same time. Maybe Winona was in heat again, Celestia knew that the poor dog could get rather crazy when it was that time of year and with not a lot of male dogs in town, there was little AJ could do but give Winona longer walks and games of tug a war to help. Maybe she was smelling some wild dogs or wolves or something? But it was a problem for another time, as she worked to get the cart clear of the barrels and the barrels of apples into storage. Then it was back out to the orchard for another load. The work was hard, long into the day, and she had to skip more then one break, but eventually all the apples were bucked and stored. "There, that ought ta keep any varmint out." AJ said proudly, patting her hooves clean with a smile before closing and locking the barn storage door and setting the heavy wooden beam to lock it. AJ wiped the sweat from her forehead, her muscles sore from the work and decided that with the work done for the day, she could have a nice relaxing bath now. Somehow a bath always felt better after a good day of hard work. After her bath, Applejack was glad to climb into bed for a good nights sleep. It would be another hard day of work tomorrow, getting the barrels shipped out. They might even have some left over even after transport and market day. The pigpen fences would need fixing. The wire fence around the chicken coop needed some holes patched. Some repairs to the barn and farm house. Wood to chop for the winter. Then there was all the paper work, financial records and accounts to look over; Big Mac did that usually though. He was more...math savvy. Applejack called for Winona once more, but again the dog just stared out the window. She gave little growls every so often. Applejack finally huffed, "Winona now, come here girl." Winona turned, ears down and she gave a slight whimper, as Applejack called her again. Slowly the dog walked over and jumped into bed, giving sad little doggy eyes. "Oh don't be sad girl. I ain't mad, but whatever it is yer smellin' out there ain't worth the trouble. Now stop this and go ta bed." AJ said to the dog, before patting her head gently, earning a tail wag from Winona. Winona for her party gave another whimper, looked to the window then slowly curled on the bed and settled next to Applejack. AJ nodded, confident that her dog would go back to normal now. She wrapped a hoof around Winona and closed her eyes as she laid her head on her pillow. When Applejack had finally fallen asleep, she was sure that when she woke up it would be at the sound of her alarm waking her to begin her work on the farm. But that shouldn't have been for several hours, especially not disturbing her from a rather pleasant dream. But just as she was about to win first prize for the worlds largest apple, the size of a mountain, her dream came crashing down as she felt dog paws climbing onto and kicking her as something ran and leaped off of her; barking loudly as it did so. "What in Tarnation? Winona!" Applejack shouted, holding her stomach where Winona had jumped off of. She glared at the dog, who was now barking like mad and staring out the window. Applejack groaned and tore herself from her rather comfy and warm covers and threw on her night robe as she stomped over to Winona; who ignored her and kept barking. "Winona, what are ya-" Smash Applejack nearly jumped out of her robe and nightwear as she heard the distinct sound of wood being smashed. The sound was close by, near the farm house. Winona barked louder, and Applejack ran and snatched the leash, attaching it to Winona and rushing out the door with the dog pulling her along. As she ran down, AJ grabbed a bat and flashlight in the front door closet, and threw open the door and rushed outside. Winona barked and yanked on the leash, pulling in the direction of the barn storage area, where the apple harvest was. "Pony Feathers!" Applejack swore and she ran toward the storage with Winona barking loudly. As she turned around the corner of the barn, she saw something dark and black, rushing away from the farm. They were already a good distance away, and the darkness of the cloudy night made it hard to see details. But Applejack was sure it was running on two legs. Winona barked, growling at the figure as it ran off and lost as it went over and under the ridge of a hill. Applejack watched the fleeing culprit and then turned her attention to the storage. The lock bar had been removed and tossed aside, and the door hug open. Inside, one of the barrels had been smashed open, and apples littered the ground. Some had been eaten, but she also found some leaving a line toward the door and open near the fence; indicating that whoever had fled had also stolen some of the apples. A commotion back at the farm house, with lights turning on, made Applejack look from the scene of the crime, to the house and then back toward the direction of the intruder, then back to the farm house as she saw her family come bursting out. Granny Smith had her cane, held like a club and an army hat on. Big Mac wielded a large hammer, and Applebloom had nothing but came running up to her. "What in heavens sakes?" Granny called as they all got to Applejack and saw the storage and the smashed barrel. "What happened Applejack?" Big Mac asked, as he examined the crime scene. "I don't know. I saw something running from the farm over that ridge. Whoever it was must 'ave broken inta the apple storage." Applejack answered, still trying to piece the events together. "Why some no good, snake in the grass thief stealing our apples is what that is!" Granny said with a hiss, spitting in the direction that Applejack had pointed to where the culprit had fled. "Did ya get a good look?" Big Mac asked. AJ shook her head, "I saw them running, but it was too dark ta get a good look and they were already half way gone by the time I got here. But they was running on two legs. It weren't no bear." "It was the monster. I told ya it was real." Applebloom pointed out, earning groans from everyone. "Oh Applebloom, not this again." AJ groaned, rubbing her head. "But, ya saw it!" Applebloom said again, almost pleadingly. "What I saw was someone running from the farm. They was on two legs, but that's all. But they didn't look as tall as a tree. No doubt it was a thief, maybe a Diamond Dog or even a pony. That makes more sense then some nonsense story about monsters." Applejack stated firmly. "But-" Applebloom started, put AJ put her hoof over her mouth. "No butts. Now march yer flank back ta bed missy. Ya got school tomorrow, ya just leave this mess ta the big ponies ta solve." AJ pointed to the farmhouse as she finished. Applebloom frowned, her ears flattening as she turned and walked back to the farm house, muttering that she was a big pony. AJ sighed, rubbed her head again as she kneeled down to hug Winona. "I'm sorry girl. I should have listened ta ya better." She said. Winona whimpered and licked AJ's face. "So, what do we do?" Granny Smith asked. AJ sighed, "Lets all go back ta bed. We'll deal with it tomorrow. I doubt whoever did this won't be coming back tonight. First, Big Mac help me clean this mess." "Eeeyup." Big Mac said with a nod as he bent to clean up the mess of the smashed barrel. Applejack handed Winona over to Granny, to bring back inside and she got to work to help clean the mess. This whole event had her head pounding now. She hoped this raid wouldn't mess up their shipments, the farm needed the profits to survive and having someone or somepony stealing from them... Appejack clenched her hooves. She wouldn't let it happen again. Next time that thief showed up, she'd be there ta give them the bucking of their life. Applejack (3)I didn't know who or what I saw that night. It could 'ave been a Diamond Dog. Or a pony. Maybe anything. I didn't think it was a bear anymore, cause I know I saw it running on two legs. But I didn't think it was a monster. I had ta be realistic with this. Our apples were being stolen, and I couldn't waste time thinkin' it was some monster like Applebloom seemed intent on. I spent the rest o' that night unable to sleep though. The next day, we did an accounting of our apples. We'd 'ave enough ta meet our shipment demands...barely anyway. But we be unable ta sell much in market day in town. That would cost us some bits. I didn't wait that night expectin' ta hurt somepony, but I 'ad ta take a stand. Fer the good o' my family and the farm. ....I didn't believe the tales of a monster my sister told me. I believe her now. Applejack's head nodded back and forth as she breathed lightly, small little noises escaping as she did. "Neigh. Neigh. Neigh." She softly snored, as her head started to droop. Winona barked, jolting Applejack awake. "Whoa!" She looked around, gripping the bat she had procured tight, before realizing it was Winona, "Oh. Ya scared me there girl. Guess I was noddin' off there." She patted the dogs head, before yawning and staring out back out from the farm porch. She looked around, her ears twitching and turning to listen for any unnatural noises. And beside her Winona sniffed at the air, but so far had not reacted to any unknown presence. Having decided to face down the thief, Applejack had spent all the time after her chores patrolling the farm. Even as the day ended, she had kept up the vigil; even choosing to eat her dinner outside on the porch. The sound of the door opening, told AJ someone was coming outside. She turned to see her big brother, a mug of what smelled like coffee in his hoof. Big Mac offered the mug with a smile. "Oh thanks Big Mac. A little pick me up would be a big help." AJ smiled, taking the mug and taking a long slow sip of the still hot drink. Setting down her drink, AJ went back to her vigil, "THanks again. Ya can go back inside. You're gonna need all your rest tomorrow." Big Mac frowned, "Nope." "Now Big Mac I can handle this on my own. I 'ave saved Equestria several times before. I can handle a little thief." Big Mac still frowned, but sighed and turned to go back inside. "Just becareful okay." He said simply. "I will. Good night." AJ said, giving a reassuring smile. For the next hour or so, AJ kept herself up and watched. When all the lights in the farm house were off and the whole farm was dark, save the light of the moon and stars, did AJ get off the chair she had been sitting in and gripped Winona's leash. It was time to patrol. "Come on Winona." AJ said, pulling on the leash and leading the way. Winona followed with a bark. The two of them walked along around the farm, checking the apple storage and barn. So far nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Applejack had begun to feel that maybe last nights encounter had been enough to scare off the thief. This was soon shattered when Winona began to growl. "What is it girl?" AJ whispered, gripping her bat. Winona growled and began to bark, lunging forward. Applejack gripped the leash and ran, heading for the apple storage. All the way Winona barked. But when she arrived, the door was untouched and Winona was still barking and trying to pull forward. A sudden loud squeal, made her nearly jump out of her skin. Enough that her grip slacked and Winona yanked herself free and charged off into the darkness; heading in the direction of the sound. The pig pen. "Winona!" Applejack shouted, following. Winona did not stop, barking. She was going so fast, Applejack couldn't keep up. She heard Winona barking, and pigs squealing before a new sound came about. It was a sound like nothing she had heard, like some sort of screaming roar, as Winona snarled. Applejack finally got to the pig pen, just in time to see Winona flying through the air and hitting the ground hard; her barks turning into yelps of pain. "Winona!" AJ screamed, fearful for her dog. She turned in the direction Winona had been thrown and her heart froze. There, clear in the moon light, stood a tall hairy black beast. The same beast she had seen last night. It had two small pigs in both its arms, that struggled fruitlessly and squealed. The lights in the farm house went on, and the beast looked before turning back to AJ. Applejack, shock now gone, gripped her bat and charged. "Ya let them go ya varmint!" She screamed, charging. The beast roared, and lifted a leg in a kick. Applejack had not expected how long the creatures legs were and it struck her across the side of her body and lifted her off her feet. She hit the ground winded and bruised. The creature then turned, carrying off both pigs and leaped over the pig pen fence and rushing off back to the woods. By the time the rest of the family got out, various implements in hoof and to AJ, the creature was already gone. The following morning, Applejack, and the rest of the apple clan, brought Winona to the vet. The poor dog had been struck across the head, a tooth missing from apparently having bitten and being yanked off the creature. Her left back hip was cracked, as were several ribs from being thrown. Applejack herself also had a heavy bruise on her side from the kick. Though both would recover. The two pigs were never seen again, and the creature never seemed to come back after that, though some nights they thought they could hear it roaming at the edge of the farm. Never the less, the Apples to this day lock and bar their doors and windows before going to sleep.
ApplebloomI was the first ya know. Ta see it that is. I mean, I kinda saw it. I didn't know what it was at first, but it sure didn't look like anything I ever seen. But I wasn't scared, I'm a big pony. When did I see it? Oh well, I was running home after a day of crusading. I was running a little late and I decided ta cut through the woods ta get home 'efore curfew.... - Applebloom Applebloom ran as fast as her hooves could carry here. Her overalls were grass and tree sap stained and there were still a few twigs in her mane from that fall she and the other CMC had when they tried their hooves at tree surveying. Her backpack jumped about on her back, her books and notes banging together inside. The sun was already starting its descent over the horizon, and she wasn't sure if she would get back to the farm house in time to avoid a lecture fro Applejack for missing curfew. She had cut through the forest after she had left the club house. Normally she would go around them as these woods were part of the Everfree, if less wild and untamed as the whole Everfree itself, but the normal path would take too long and this way cut right toward the farm. Besides, she wasn't afraid and she had taken this short cut before. She never saw anything scary or dangerous. Well, there was that small patch of Poison Joke, but she knew where it was to avoid it. The little filly was just passing around a corner of willow trees that hung over a slow flowing creek that fed into one of the big rivers near town that fed the local lake. Sometimes Applebloom would splash in the creek if she was especially covered in tree sap, pine needles, or that one time taffy mix when she and the girls had tried their hooves at taffy making. It always got her clothes soggy, but it was easier to explain that she tripped in a puddle then try to explain how she ended up covered in sap or taffy. Besides, the cold water felt good, especially during the summer. It was this time, that the youngest of the Apple family, decided to make such a stop. A quick splash of water to get some of the sap off and to wipe her hooves. She walked over to the edge of the stream and set to work, picking some water up with her hooves and wiping away at the offending sap. She was just about ready to leave, when she heard something rustling in the bushes on the other side of the creek. Applebloom froze, and watched. Though this bit of forest was on the edge of the Everfree, it was still part of it. Even her own farm had Timber wolves prowl along the edges. she waited, watching for any sign of movement, when another rustling of the bushes to her side caught her attention. Turning her head, Applebloom froze as she saw a dark figure hunched over near the other edge of the creek. The creature was some distance away, so she couldn't make out any details. But she knew it was something she had never seen before. Her fear was momentarily forgotten as curiosity now took hold. What was this creature? What was it doing? Applebloom watched as the creature extended what she assumed was its arms, into the water and then to its head. The head itself was difficult to make out due to matted mane or fur that seemed gnarled and unkempt. It looked like the creature was drinking. She couldn't see well, but the arms looked like they didn't end with hooves but some sort of claw like appendages. Applebloom leaned further, to try and get a better look when one of her hooves pressed down on a twig. The snap of the wood made her flinch, and she watched with sudden horror as the creature looked toward her and to her shock and fear, stood up on two large legs. It was huge, as big as a tree maybe bigger, and it peered at her from across the creek. An uncontrollable fear came over the little filly, afraid that whatever this creature was might try to run at her. Its large frame made it clear that if it did so, there was little she could do. Turning quickly, Applebloom ran down the path, leaping over branches, roots and bushes as she cut through the woods. She didn't know if the creature was following her, but her frightened mind seemed to be playing games with her, as she confused the breaking of sticks and rustling of leaves she caused as signs the creature was giving chase. It only made her run even harder, and when the family farmhouse came into view she burst through the door and collapse to the ground. "Whoa nelly!" Applebloom looked up, seeing her older sister Applejack standing by the stove cooking. She set down the wooden spoon she was using to stir something and rushed over. Applebloom let her sister lift her up and she threw her hooves around her in a hug and squeezed tightly. "Whoa, Applebloom what's wrong? Y'all came bargin' in here like a bat outta tartarus." "I-I-I," Applebloom gasped, taking in deep gulps of air. "Now take a breather sugarcube." Applejack said softly, trying to calm her little sister down. "A-A monster! I saw a monster!" Applebloom shouted, before burying her face into her sisters chest.
Applebloom (2)I guess I wasn't surprised nopony believed me. I mean, I probably wouldn't 'ave believed myself if I hadn't seen it. But I did, and I'm an apple and apples don't tell fibs. Course, no pony wanted to believe me. At least none of the older ponies. But I knew two ponies that would... -Applebloom. The next morning, Applebloom woke with a frown. As she went over to her dresser to pick out her clothes for the day, she looked out her window towards the woods. The memory of her encounter came back, as did the memory of what happened after she got back home. "A monster?" Applejack had said, "Was it a Timber wolf?" "No, I wouldn' be scared o' no timber wolf. It was...well I don't know what it was." Applebloom said, letting her sister go. Applejack raised a brow, "Well what did it look like?" "W-Well it was as big as a tree and it was all hairy. And it walked on two legs, with long hairy arms." Applebloom explained, taking deep breathes of air as she did. Applejack blinked, then chuckled, "Now that is some imagination ya got there Applebloom." "What?!" The youngest apple gasped, "But its real I saw it." Applejack placed a hoof on her hip, "Now sugarcube, I ain't no animal expert like Fluttershy, or even Twilight, but I know me the animals and critters around the woods of our farm and I ain't never seen or heard o' anything like that." "But I saw it. I was right at the edge of the Everfree." Applebloom said, only realizing at the last minute her mistake. Her older sister raised a brow, crossed her forehooves over her chest and looked down at her with a serious look. "And how did ya see that? Ya know yer not allowed near the woods by the Everfree. So how did ya see it near the Everfree unless ya were in there?" "Uuuuuh...." Applebloom started, before rubbing the back of her head with a blush, smiling nervously. Suffice to say, Applebloom was grounded for a week when her little short cut was found out. Of course even with the knowledge that the creature was from the Everfree, her older sister and even Granny Smith or Big Mac, whom found out during dinner when Applejack told them of her grounding, didn't believe her. Applejack was sure she had just seen a bear, as did the rest of her family. Though Granny Smith, having long lived near the Everfree, did at least commit to a number of well known tactics that she had developed to keep back the normal denizens of the Everfree; if just to help Applebloom sleep soundly. A small part of her head was telling her she was just being irrational. Maybe it had been a bear, or maybe just something else from the Everfree. She didn't need to get so worked up about it. Still, even as she looked away from the fog covered woods of the Everfree that bordered her home, she felt that the forest had a more menacing feel to its air now. Applebloom shook her head, and gave her face a few slaps to focus. Whatever she had seen was the past. Time to focus. She quickly went to the bathroom for a shower, letting the warm water help her forget her encounter from yesterday. After that she got dressed and went down for breakfast. After a hearty breakfast of grasspancakes, Applebloom grabbed up her backpack and started her way to school. The early morning fog was still in the air, which gave her normal commute to school a more repressing and fearful atmosphere. Often the little filly found herself looking around, trying to see through the fog. Her eyes seeing movement that wasn't there. Her ears instinctively moving around to listen for anything out of the ordinary. Her young imagination working against her, with ideas of the creature she had seen stalking her, or watching her from within the fog. She went the long way this time, both because she was in trouble enough for her little short cut. And secondly out of fear. When she finally broke through the fog and made it into Ponyville and to the school yard, did she breathe a sigh of relief. "Hey Applebloom." Applebloom turned and saw Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle walking up the road from their own houses. Scootaloo wore her usual shorts and t shirt, and sporting a few bandages from their little tree fiasco the other day. Sweetie Belle wore a white skirt and shirt, and some of her mane had been cut; due to having ended up with a mane full of tree sap yesterday. "Hey girls. How ya doin'?" Applebloom asked, smiling. "Rarity was horrified by my mane the other day. Though she did manage to get most of it out." Sweetie Belle said, rubbing her cut mane with a frown, "Though she still had to cut it a bit." Scootaloo blew a raspberry, "So you got a mane cut. I'm grounded for a week....again. I swear my parents should just expect me to come home dirty; but mom is such a neat freak." Applebloom chuckled, "Well, you and me are in the same boat then Scoots." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both looked at their friend in shock. "No way," Scootall exclaimed, "You got grounded? For what?" "Yeah, I mean you went home after one of our crusading mishaps and never got in trouble before." Applebloom sighed, her ears flattening, "Eh...Applejack kinda found out that I went through that path through the Everfree. Ya know she doesn't like me goin' in there." "How did she find out about that? That was like, your secret shortcut, you didn't even tell us about it until we pressured you." Scoots asked. Applebloom looked around, and motioned the girls to come closer. "If I tell ya, do ya promise not ta laugh?" Applebloom asked, looking around suspiciously, "Or tell anypony else?" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both looked at each other confused, before nodding. "Pinkie Promise." They both said, doing the motions. "Alright...well-" Applebloom started, opening her mouth to tell her friends....until the school bell rang. Applebloom jumped, then looked to her friends. "I'll tell ya at recess. Okay?" Applebloom said, as they made their way inside with the other kids. Scootaloo and Sweetie nodded, and all three took their seats as class began. A few hours after the start of class, the school bell rang once more signaling recess. The three crusaders ran out with excitement with the rest of the kids, and made their way to their favorite spot under a large oak. They went behind the tree, and sat in a small circle. "Okay Applebloom, spill it," Scootaloo stated, "How did you get in trouble?" Applebloom looked around, then whispered to her friends. "Well. I was heading through my shortcut when I heard something coming out of the woods." Applebloom started. "Was it a Timberwolf?" Sweetie asked, her hoof going to her mouth in worry. "No, it wasn't a Timberwolf. It was something else. It was all hairy." Applebloom said with a shake of her head. "Was it a bear?" Scootaloo added in. Applebloom shook her head, "No. Just listen. I saw it come out of a bush and move over to the stream. It was big and hairy looking, but it didn't look like a bear. It looked to slim." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo leaned in, listening intently now. Their curiosity perked by the story. "I don't think it noticed me, cause all it did was drink from the stream using its front legs. Like a pony, scooping water and bringing it to its face. That was covered in hair as well," Applebloom went on, the memory playing back in her mind, "I must 'ave watched it for at least a few minutes when I accidentally stepped on a twig tryin' ta get a closer look." "That must have spooked it, cause the next thing I know, this creature stands up on two legs and looks right in my direction. Right at me!" Applebloom sucked in a breath as she shivered. "It stood on two legs?" Scootaloo said, surprised. Applebloom nodded, "It was huge. It was as big as a tree, maybe bigger, and its arms were huge. I thought for sure it was gonna lunge at me across the stream, when it just turned around and walked back into the Everfree." "What did you do next?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I didn't know what it was I saw, but seeing somethin' so big, well I ran as fast as my hooves could take me. When I got home, I was so scared I blabbed right ta Applejack about what I saw." Applebloom finished. Scootaloo facehoofed, "You mean you got yourself in trouble. Come on Applebloom." Applebloom smiled nervously, but sighed in defeat. "What did Applejack do when you told her about the monster?" Sweetie Belle asked. Applebloom frowned, "She didn't believe me. Not even Big Mac or Granny Smith did. They think I just saw a bear." Applebloom then looked at her friends, and a thin thread of doubt crept in her mind now. "Do you girls believe me? I mean, its a rather weird tale." She asked. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both looked at each other and seemed to think about it. "Well, I mean are you sure you didn't just see a bear?" Sweetie asked. "I'm sure. I've seen bears before. Heck, Fluttershy has a pet bear. I can tell the difference." "Well it is the Everfree," Scootaloo pointed out, "who knows whats in there. But you're our friend. If you say you saw this...whatever it was, I believe you." "Me too." Sweetie added, with a nod. Applebloom smiled, "Thanks girls. It's good ta see somepony believes me. But remember, ya can't tell anyone about this." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded. Unknown to all three of them that listening from the other side of the tree, a silver coated filly smiled a sly grin. After the recess, Applebloom was jotting down some notes as Cheerilee gave her lecture on today's lesson concerning biology. It was as she was writing her notes, that a folded up piece of paper landed on her desk, causing her to mess up a letter of her notes. She looked up to the sides, frowning in irritation as she saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both looking at her with mischievous grins. Tiara pointed at the note with that cocky grin on her face. Faust, sometimes Applebloom wished she could buck that grin right off. She looked at the folded note. A part of her was telling her to just throw it away, seeing that this was just a way to tease her no doubt. But she knew that if she didn't, they would just egg her on; and felt it best to just get this over with. It was probably another blank piece of paper meant to get her in trouble with the teacher, and mock her on her blank flank. Applebloom was use to that by now, and frankly was starting to wish that Tiara would get something original now. As she unfolded the message and her eyes nearly bulged out her sockets. There on the paper was not a blank sheet of paper, but instead a somewhat crudely drawn picture of a scribbly creature on two legs, the scribbles making it look hairy, and two large claw like arms standing over a cowering and crying Applebloom. Tiara and Silver Spoon giggled and snickered, and Applebloom ground her teeth as she turned toward Diamond Tiara and opened her mouth to tell the bully filly off, when the paper was snatched up and Applebloom looked from Tiara to Cheerliee who looked down at her with a serious look she gave when she found a student not paying attention. "Applebloom, is now really the time to be doodling...." Cheerlie took a moment to look at the paper, then her ears went flat and her eyes looked confused, "Uh....what is this?" Tiara burst laughing and said, "Applebloom thinks she saw a monster in the woods." Silver Spoon joined in, "Yeah and its all hairy and walks on two legs." The two bullies laughed, and the rest of the class save Scoots and Sweetie burst into laughter. Cheerliee just looked confused before clapping her hooves. "That's enough." Cheerilee called, cutting off the laughter, "Lets just focus on the lesson? Hmmm? This will be on the test you all have to take. Tomorrow." Cheerlie turned her back as all the students gave a collective awww in disappointment, and she walked back to the chalkboard, tossing the drawing into the waste paper bin; going back to teaching her class. Applebloom shot a venomous glare at Tiara, before covering her head in dismay. All through the lesson, she could hear all the students laughing at her. Once class was over, Applebloom walked out with her friends. Some of the other students snickering as she passed. Her ears lay flat on her head, and she had an irritated scowl on her face. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle could see their friends look, and tried to take her mind off the latest ridicule by Tiara. "I can't believe they found out." Applebloom hissed. "Oh come on Applebloom, don't let it get to you. It's Tiara and Silver Spoon after all." Scootaloo said, trying to sooth her friends irritation. "Yeah, I mean we believe you. Who cares what other ponies think." Sweetie added in. "I do. I'm sick of always being picked on by those two. Aren't you?" Applebloom said harshly, causing her friends ears to flatten. They could tell that Applebloom was really irritated this time. "Well yeah, but come on we're use to it by now. If we try and fight back, they just egg us on harder. You know that." Scootaloo said. "Besides, I'm kinda use to their blank flank jokes by now." Sweetie added in with a shrug. "So am I," the irritated filly said, stomping her hoof on the ground, "but this is different. She has the whole school laughing at me now. I just wish I could shut her up once and for all." "Well how are you going to do that?" Scootaloo asked. "Yeah, its not like you could capture that monster you saw and prove it to her its real." Sweetie added. Applebloom stopped in her tracks, and a slow smile started coming to her face. "Wait...I didn't mean that!" Sweetie exclaimed, fearful now. "But it's perfect. I could prove not only to Tiara and the class, but even ta my family what I saw as real. We might even get our cutie marks in monster capturing." Applebloom said, punching her hoof into the other with a smirk on her face. "But, how are we going to even capture this...thing you saw?" Scootaloo asked. "And what if it's dangerous?" Sweetie pointed out, fearful of where this was all going. "Don't worry. I'll think of something. But are you girls with me?" Applebloom asked. "I'm in. This might be cool." Scootaloo said, putting her hoof out, which Applebloom placed hers on. Both girls looked at Sweetie Belle now, smiling. Sweetie Belle herself looked fearful, and worried. "I don't know...." She started. "Come on Sweetie Belle, we got to do this. This is to help clear our Appleblooms name." Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belle bit her lip, and slowly put her hoof on her friends. "Okay....but I have a bad feeling about this." And so like that, the three friends agreed that they would capture this creature. The only question now was, how did you capture a creature that you knew nothing about? It was a question that Applebloom though about all the way home and into the hours of the night. Author's Note If you have had a sighting of something odd, feel free to share. I might even be inspired to write a chapter about it :) This fiction is inspired by the Legend of Boggy Creek mostly. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. Its a rather interesting movie; old as it is.
Applebloom (3)We Crusaders made it our mission to catch this monster. Course I wasn't stupid, and I knew that tryin' ta do this ourselves was dangerous. We had ta plan fer this sort of task, and not go runnin' inta the Everfree. Course, we knew we couldn't just build a trap for it either. Last time we tried that we uh...well its not important. We needed somethin' easy ta use and mobile while we went lookin'. So Me, Scootaloo and Sweetie pooled our allowance together and managed ta buy one o' them fancy new photo cameras they sell now...... -Applebloom. FLASH "AH! I'm blind!" "Sweetie Belle, your not blind. You had the flash on." Scootaloo said, snatching the new camera from her unicorn friend. Sweetie Belle looked around with glazed eyes, then rubbed them till her eyes returned to normal. "Oh....I knew that." Sweetie smiled nervously. "Hey, can ta two be careful with that. It wasn't cheap ya know." Applebloom called behind her friends, as they made their way toward the clubhouse. "Yeah, tell me about it. I hope this was worth it Applebloom, I had to help my mom clean the house so many times to get them I still have prune lines on my hooves. "Trust me. When we get that picture of that monster, not only will we shut Diamond Tiara up, but we will be famous!" Applebloom cheered. "Really?" Sweetie Belle squeaked. "Hey, yeah!" Scootaloo said, excited now. Applebloom nodded, "Exactly. Now come on, we want to get to the clubhouse and get ready." The three made off at a jog for the last stretch of the walk to the clubhouse. They had planned to use it as their base of operations, under the guise of a sleepover/camp out. Given it was the weekend, the girls figured they had two days to try and capture an image of the monster that Applebloom had seen. The clubhouse made the most sense. It was just close enough to Sweet Apple Acres farm to run for help, or shelter. Yet it was close enough to both the area where Applebloom saw the creature and the rest of the Everfree to have a wide area to search. Just like they learned in their wilderness lessons in the Filly Guide scouts. It was late afternoon, with the sun beginning its descent over the horizon when the girls reached the clubhouse. They began setting up their base. Sleeping bags and flashlights. Soda to help them stay awake, and the camera. They also had various foods, mostly for themselves, but they also had some for bait. Once they were set up, they went down to the spot where Applebloom had first seen the creature. She pointed at the spot across the creek where she had seen it to them. "It was right there when I saw it." She said, as they hopped across a few rocks to the other side. Scootaloo nodded, "Right we should see if it left any clues then." "Are you sure about this? What if it comes back?" Sweetie asked, fearful. "Then that will make it easier to get a picture. Sweetie Belle, you keep an eye out and have the camera ready. Me and Applebloom will look around." Scootaloo ordered. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle nodded, and all three of them got to work. They looked for prints or hair, figuring that it would be the easiest to find. The creek had a muddy bank, but the water itself raised and fell over the day so if there had been any prints they were no longer there. They spent perhaps almost an hour or more, just as the sun was falling over the horizon and night fall was starting. They didn't find anything, and returned to the clubhouse somewhat disappointed. As night full ascended, the girls lay in the clubhouse, the girls spent it watching the forest, coloring, drawing, homework, eating cookies and drinking cider and soda and other assortments of snacks they had brought. As the night grew darker, the three settled themselves into their sleeping bags, huddled in a circle beside a lamp. There they talked about school, what they did after school, and if they had any crushes in school. And slowly, with the quiet night around them the three slowly started to fall asleep. Sometime later, Applebloom woke with a yawn and rubbing her eyes. A feeling in her body, forced her up and out of her bag and to grab a flashlight to guide her path out of the club house to answer the call of nature as it were. "Stupid soda." Applebloom muttered to herself as she moved around a bush to do her business. As she sleepily fumbled with the flash light and her pajama pants, Applebloom bent down to attend to business when her noise twitched picking up a noise. She looked around, her ears moving to pinpoint the sound. Again she caught it, and she quickly turned off the flashlight, and waited. Her eyes slowly getting use to the darkness, with only the light of the moon above. She watched out towards the forest, and she watched with horror as a dark figure as tall as a tree began moving out of the forest. Appplebloom ducked down, glad she had already crouched low to attend to business now, or she would certainly have peed in her pants. She peeked through holes in the bushes and watched the large dark shape, walk on two legs stepping out of the woods and into a patch of moonlight. It was the same creature from before! Applebloom fumbled carefully with her pants before popping the flashlight into her mouth and crouched low to crawl towards the clubhouse stairs. She was both afraid, terrified and yet at the same time excited. Now she could get the proof she needed. She crawled on all fours up the stairs, but nearly cursed when she ascended the last step and the wood creaked loudly. She laid herself flat and watched the creature, that looked in her direction of the sound. Her heartbeat raced as she watched the creature as she peeked over the small rail of the clubhouse. The creature kept still before moving off towards the orchard. 'It's after our apples!' Applebloom thought. She wasn't sure if she should be worried for her family, or complimented that even this creature knew where to get the best apples in Equestria. As the creature walked off, Applelboom crawled back into the clubhouse and shook her friends vigorously. "Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle." She whispered with a hiss. "Ugh, no more for me thanks." Scootaloo said in her sleep, before Applebloom shook her again. "MMmm, is it time for breakfast?" Sweetie asked, yawning as she rubbed her eyes. "Girls get up!" Applebloom hissed again, "I saw it. It's near here!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at Applebloom confused. "The monster!" Applebloom whispered again with exasperation. Scoots and Sweetie both jumped, with Sweetie ducking low and Scootaloo crawling to the window. "Where?" the daring Pegasus filly asked, looking around with her eyes squinting to see. "It's heading toward the farm. It must be after the apples. If we hurry we can catch a picture of it." Applebloom said as she snatched the camera up. "What!?" Sweetie Belle squeaked in fear, "You want us to go out there in the dark with it around!?" "Are you sure that's safe?" Scootaloo asked. "We just need ta get one picture. We will be close to the farm. We just snap the picture, then run ta the farmhouse. Now come on!" Applebloom stated, before moving out into the darkness. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other, before snatching up flashlights, and following after their friend. The girls moved carefully through the dark woods, Applebloo taking the lead, holding the camera defiantly, while Scootaloo followed behind with Sweetie Belle clinging to her in fright. Applebloom wouldn't admit it, but she was afraid as well and she kept close to her friends for comfort. "What if it sees us?" Sweetie Belle whispered, almost in a sob as she looked around. "Just be quiet." Scootaloo hissed. Sweetie Belle made a slight whimper, as Applebloom turned a corner to take them into the orchard. The sound of snapping twigs or branches, and the crunch of apples, made all three fillies go still. All three girls jumped behind a tree, with Sweetie Belle now clinging tightly to Scootaloo, eyes clenched shut and her body shaking. Even Scootaloo, eyes wide now, looked scared. Applebloom felt her breathing pick up as she and Scootaloo slowly peeked around a tree. "There it is..." She whispered. Scootaloo peeked around and sucked in a breath. Even Sweetie Belle opened an eye to see, and her eyes shot open wide with fear as all three of them saw the creature. It was huddled as a dark, black shape that was difficult to make out in the darkness. Only small spots of moonlight poking through the tree leaves made it distinct amongst the dark shapes of the trees. The creature seemed to be eating something, before standing up and dropping what Applebloom guessed was a cored apple and reaching up to grab another. Sweetie Belle choked back a whimper as she saw the full size of the creature, its long arm pulling a branch low to pluck an apple. With its new food in its grasp, the creature crouched low and proceeded to eat again. "Take the picture." Scootaloo hissed. Applebloom blinked, then realized she was holding the camera. "Oh right...uh...n-now how do I do that?" The young apple whispered. Scootaloo looked at her friend in shock, "What?" "Well sorry, I haven't used one o' these before." Applebloom protested, trying to figure out how to prepare the camera. "Oh give me that." Scootaloo huffed, trying to take the camera. "I can do it!" Applebloom protested, pushing her friend away. "Girls..." Sweetie Belle whispered. Scootaloo didn't hear, "No you can't, you're gonna break it." "I got it, just stop gettin' in my way." Applebloom responded, also not hearing Sweetie Belle. "Girls!" Sweetie Squeaked, her voice terrified now. "What?" Both girls said, turning to their friend. Then their ears went flat and their eyes slowly went up at the tall, large black form that stood before them. It was the creature, standing right before them and looking down at them. All three girls looked up with wide, horror filled eyes. No pony made a sound, until finally the silence was broken. "AAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sweetie Belle shriekd, letting off a high pitched squeal of fear. Scootaloo joined in as did Applebloom, she brought the camera up and hit the first button her hoof felt and a wide flash went from the camera. The creature roared, its voice a loud booming shriek or roar. It stopped around, waving its arm wildly and stepped toward them in a rampage. It's screaming picking up. "RUN!" The three fillies turned and ran, screaming as they rushed toward the farm house. The screams of the creature behind them, following them even as they broke through the orchard onto the farmstead. The farmhouse, once dark, now went alight with lights turning on. The girls ran, just as two ponies, Applejack and Big Mac, burst through out the door with bats. The girls rushed to the ponies, throwing themselves at them as they cried. "What in tarnation!?" Applejack shouted, both surprised, scared and angry, "What's goin' on?" "We saw it!" Scootaloo shouted. "It's in the orchard!" Sweetie added. "We got a picture!" Applebloom finished. "What are you three fillies talkin' about?" AJ asked, confused. "The monster!" All three fillies said at once. AJ and Big Mac stared at the three fillies, then each other and both of them facehoofed. "Oh ponyfeathers, not all three o' ya." AJ sighed, exasperated. "It's the truth!" Applebloom said, "It was in the orchard eating our apples. And we got a picture." "It's probably still there!" Scootaloo added. "You girls...." AJ said with a shake of her head. "Please sis, just let us show ya." Applebloom begged. Applejack sighed, "Alright. Where did ya see this monster?" It took some convincing, but soon the girls were leading AJ back to where they had seen the creature. When they arrived, they were greeted to a scene. "Well, I will tell ya this. It does look like somethin' was here." AJ said, noting the apple cores on the ground. "But...it was here. We saw it." Sweetie said, looking around. Around there was apple cores, snapped twigs and branches. But no creature. "It was eating our apples. It just plucked them right out of the tree." Applebloom stated, desperate to find something that proved that the monster had been here. Applejack however, was done with it all. "Ya know what I see. I see the signs of some apple thieving varmint. No doubt those raccoons again, or even a bear, but I don't see any monster. " "But-" Applebloom started, but her sister cut her off. "I also see three little fillies who were out at night when they shouldn' 'ave been. And causing a ruckus for no reason." Applejack went on, leveling a disapproving look at the girls. The three girls frowned and looked down. "Now, we're gonna march back ta the house and we are all gonna go back ta sleep. Ya can get yerstuff from the clubhouse in the morning. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle ya'll can sleep on the couch tonight. Now march." Applejack stated, pointing toward the direction of the farm house. The three fillies grumbled but obeyed, and all four of them walked back to the farmhouse. Applebloom was rather sad that her sister still didn't believe her, but a small smile curled on her lips as she hugged the camera to her chest. 'Least we got a photo. I'll show em.' She thought, sure that she had the proof she needed. The following day, the girls went down to the photoshop to have their camera film developed, eager to see the picture. But what they got....was not what they had hoped for. Applebloom sat at a park table, face planted against the table in despair as she held the blank, black photos. "Oh, so this thing is the lens cap." Sweetie Belle said, as she removed the object that had been covering the lens the whole night they had used the camera." "Wow, uh...I guess this is a set back huh Applebloom?" Scootaloo said nervously, rubbing the back of her head. Applebloom just groaned and covered her head with her hooves.
Applejack (1)"I ain't one ta call somepony a liar. But I'm a hard ta earth Earth Pony and like my mama, ain't one fer nonsense. Applebloom's stories of monsters as tall as trees, and walkin' on two legs. Pfft, sounded rather like a tall tale ta me at first. No creature walks on two legs except ponies, dragons sometimes, minotaurs, griffons...well ya know what I mean. Their all civilized beings, though that might be stretchin' fer griffons, but what I'm gettin' at is that they all live either in Equestria or their own countries. But Applebloom said this thing was in the Everfree, and there ain't no creature livin' there that walks on two legs. Three maybe. At most eight, but nothin' that walks on two legs. I lived near the Everfree my whole life, and while I ain't some bio science person like Twilight, I know enough 'bout what calls those woods home ta 'ave a good idea of what does and doesn't live there. Besides, Applebloom is a little filly and fillies are always prone ta over exaggerate what they said they saw. And ta be honest, I've caught Applebloom in a lie more than once. So ya could understood my skepticism. For while I just thought we had some apple thieving varmint on our property....." -Applejack Applejack carefully fitted the last piece of bait and the line of the cage trap in place, before nodding approvingly as she crossed her hooves over her chest in a proud stance. "There. That oughta catch whatever's eatin' our apples." ed "Eeeyup." Big Mac said, as he stood up from his own finished trap. AJ and Big Mac had spent nearly the whole day setting up cage traps around the ripe apple trees in the orchard. Normally they would have been out bucking, but the two of them had some help now from three fillies who were doing some work now fer their fibbing. Honestly, Applejack did not know where her little sister got such crazy, fanciful ideas about monsters. She was sure it was all them comic books she read. Applejack took a moment to inspect the area, frowning at the applecore still on the ground. Those would be gathered up for the pig slop, but it was still disheartening to see perfectly good apples for market just eaten like that. It was a loss of product and profit. "Big Mac, can ya'll take care o' these, I'll go check on Applebloom and her friends." AJ called to her brother as she turned and headed toward the patch of the orchard where the fillies were working. "Eeeeyup." Mac responded with a nod as he took up a bucket and proceeded to get the applecores. AJ made her way to the south field, there the CMC fillies were hard at work. Applebloom was bucking apples, though her skill was still in the works and it took her two or three bucks to clear one tree. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo didn't do much better. She smiled and watched the three of them work for a bit. She didn't like to have fillies do such hard work, but as an Apple she couldn't tolerate nonsense, especially ones from three fillies that woke her up in the middle of the night with tall tales. Content to see that they weren't slacking off, AJ turned and went to attend to her own chores now. For the remainder of the day, she worked content with the knowledge that, whatever it was that was eating the apples would be locked up soon enough. Then she would give it to Fluttershy to deal with. As supper time came around, Applejack was glad to see that they were almost done with the area of the orchard; perhaps they could get it all done tomorrow ahead of schedule. The thought made her smile, and while the work on a farm never really ended, being able to get something done ahead of normal was always a boon. As Applejack headed back to the farm house, she was almost barreled over by Winona who ran around her with excitement; her leash in her mouth. AJ chuckled, "Oh alright Winona. We can go for a short walk." Winona barked and panted, her tail wagging excitedly as AJ attached the leash and turned from her path to the house to a small path she often walked Winona through. As they walked, AJ was so focused on determining the work load for tomorrow that she nearly tripped when suddenly Winona stopped in her tracks and stared off toward the woods. "Wha? What is it girl?" Applejack asked, looking at her dog curiously. Winona stared quietly, before kneeling down and growling before letting out a rapid stream of loud barks and snarls. AJ had to brace herself as she yanked back on the leash, just as Winona tried to barrel towards the woods. "Whoa there girl. What's got you all riled up?" The cowmare asked, confused. Winona kept barking and AJ squinted, looking in the same direction. She didn't see anything, but Winona seemed intent on a rock near some bushes and trees at the edge of the woods. She snarled and barked further, trying to run towards that spot. Applejack started to feel curious of what could get Winona, usually a rather playful dog, so aggressive. Eventually her answers were given when from the bushes.... ...jumped out a squirrel that sat on the rock and started to eat an acorn in its paws. AJ's ears flattened and she raised a brow at her dog, who kept barking. "Oh, you silly pooch, it's just a squirrel." Applejack said with sigh, and started on the path again, having to yank on Winona few times before the dog finally, with a small whine, gave up on the squirrel. When AJ and Winona finally returned home, she noticed that Winona was acting strange. When not eating, she would look out the window toward the woods, her tail wagging slowly all the time. AJ could only sigh and assume that she was smelling some litter critter to chase. Probably foxes or more squirrels. She use to do that when she was a pup. Appejack shrugged it off, even when as she turned in for the night and got snug up in her bed, Winona moved toward the window and stared out with intent; when normally she would curl up on the bed with her. "Come on girl. Climb inta bed." AJ called, patting the covers. Winona turned, looking at her. Barked once, then looked out the window again. Applejack sighed and planted her head on her pillow. She figured Winona would climb into bed eventually, once she got bored. She went to sleep, assured of that thought. Yet when she woke up the next morning, she saw that Winona still stood be the window, as if she had never left her spot and she had her teeth bared in a low growl. When Applejack went outside to check the traps, she saw that they were empty and that more applecores lay on the ground once more.
Applejack (2)"Now, I thought Winona's behavior was strange. But she's a dog, so I figured she was just barking at small critters. Lots a dogs do that, mine ain't no different. I caught her chasing Angel or some of Fluttershy's ferrets once. Still, I ain't never seen her so intent like that. Like she was thinkin' she was the only thing guardin' the farm. But I didn't 'ave time ta think on it too much. At the time, I was still worried 'bout our apples; especially after the traps didn't work. I got ta work immediately, figuring the best thing be ta get the apples bucked and into storage as quickly as possible. Once they were in their barrels and crates, they be safe from any rodents...." -Applejack Applejack worked double time, bucking trees like no other. She couldn't remember a time she had worked this hard then when she tried to do the whole orchard by herself. She often had to stop to catch her breath, and wipe her brow of sweat, but this had to get done. She couldn't understand how the traps didn't work, but right now she had to strive to save her farms apples and their profits. Market day would be around the corner and if they couldn't reach their quota of shipment of apples, it would hurt the farm. As she finished up another group of barrels, she loaded them onto the cart and gave the oxen a pat on the rump to get them moving back to the barn for storage. As she guided the cart, passing Big Mac who was working on his own section of the orchard, she then spotted Winona, who was once again tugging at the leash, which was tied securely to a tree, and barking towards the woods. There was another problem. When AJ had let Winona out the morning first thing, the dog made a b line for the Everfree and the woods, forcing Applejack to chase her down; forcing her to tie Winona up to a harness and tree; partly so she could still run around outside, and finally to keep her from running off into the woods. She didn't know what was wrong with Winona, but Applejack couldn't deal with her and the apple harvest at the same time. Maybe Winona was in heat again, Celestia knew that the poor dog could get rather crazy when it was that time of year and with not a lot of male dogs in town, there was little AJ could do but give Winona longer walks and games of tug a war to help. Maybe she was smelling some wild dogs or wolves or something? But it was a problem for another time, as she worked to get the cart clear of the barrels and the barrels of apples into storage. Then it was back out to the orchard for another load. The work was hard, long into the day, and she had to skip more then one break, but eventually all the apples were bucked and stored. "There, that ought ta keep any varmint out." AJ said proudly, patting her hooves clean with a smile before closing and locking the barn storage door and setting the heavy wooden beam to lock it. AJ wiped the sweat from her forehead, her muscles sore from the work and decided that with the work done for the day, she could have a nice relaxing bath now. Somehow a bath always felt better after a good day of hard work. After her bath, Applejack was glad to climb into bed for a good nights sleep. It would be another hard day of work tomorrow, getting the barrels shipped out. They might even have some left over even after transport and market day. The pigpen fences would need fixing. The wire fence around the chicken coop needed some holes patched. Some repairs to the barn and farm house. Wood to chop for the winter. Then there was all the paper work, financial records and accounts to look over; Big Mac did that usually though. He was more...math savvy. Applejack called for Winona once more, but again the dog just stared out the window. She gave little growls every so often. Applejack finally huffed, "Winona now, come here girl." Winona turned, ears down and she gave a slight whimper, as Applejack called her again. Slowly the dog walked over and jumped into bed, giving sad little doggy eyes. "Oh don't be sad girl. I ain't mad, but whatever it is yer smellin' out there ain't worth the trouble. Now stop this and go ta bed." AJ said to the dog, before patting her head gently, earning a tail wag from Winona. Winona for her party gave another whimper, looked to the window then slowly curled on the bed and settled next to Applejack. AJ nodded, confident that her dog would go back to normal now. She wrapped a hoof around Winona and closed her eyes as she laid her head on her pillow. When Applejack had finally fallen asleep, she was sure that when she woke up it would be at the sound of her alarm waking her to begin her work on the farm. But that shouldn't have been for several hours, especially not disturbing her from a rather pleasant dream. But just as she was about to win first prize for the worlds largest apple, the size of a mountain, her dream came crashing down as she felt dog paws climbing onto and kicking her as something ran and leaped off of her; barking loudly as it did so. "What in Tarnation? Winona!" Applejack shouted, holding her stomach where Winona had jumped off of. She glared at the dog, who was now barking like mad and staring out the window. Applejack groaned and tore herself from her rather comfy and warm covers and threw on her night robe as she stomped over to Winona; who ignored her and kept barking. "Winona, what are ya-" Smash Applejack nearly jumped out of her robe and nightwear as she heard the distinct sound of wood being smashed. The sound was close by, near the farm house. Winona barked louder, and Applejack ran and snatched the leash, attaching it to Winona and rushing out the door with the dog pulling her along. As she ran down, AJ grabbed a bat and flashlight in the front door closet, and threw open the door and rushed outside. Winona barked and yanked on the leash, pulling in the direction of the barn storage area, where the apple harvest was. "Pony Feathers!" Applejack swore and she ran toward the storage with Winona barking loudly. As she turned around the corner of the barn, she saw something dark and black, rushing away from the farm. They were already a good distance away, and the darkness of the cloudy night made it hard to see details. But Applejack was sure it was running on two legs. Winona barked, growling at the figure as it ran off and lost as it went over and under the ridge of a hill. Applejack watched the fleeing culprit and then turned her attention to the storage. The lock bar had been removed and tossed aside, and the door hug open. Inside, one of the barrels had been smashed open, and apples littered the ground. Some had been eaten, but she also found some leaving a line toward the door and open near the fence; indicating that whoever had fled had also stolen some of the apples. A commotion back at the farm house, with lights turning on, made Applejack look from the scene of the crime, to the house and then back toward the direction of the intruder, then back to the farm house as she saw her family come bursting out. Granny Smith had her cane, held like a club and an army hat on. Big Mac wielded a large hammer, and Applebloom had nothing but came running up to her. "What in heavens sakes?" Granny called as they all got to Applejack and saw the storage and the smashed barrel. "What happened Applejack?" Big Mac asked, as he examined the crime scene. "I don't know. I saw something running from the farm over that ridge. Whoever it was must 'ave broken inta the apple storage." Applejack answered, still trying to piece the events together. "Why some no good, snake in the grass thief stealing our apples is what that is!" Granny said with a hiss, spitting in the direction that Applejack had pointed to where the culprit had fled. "Did ya get a good look?" Big Mac asked. AJ shook her head, "I saw them running, but it was too dark ta get a good look and they were already half way gone by the time I got here. But they was running on two legs. It weren't no bear." "It was the monster. I told ya it was real." Applebloom pointed out, earning groans from everyone. "Oh Applebloom, not this again." AJ groaned, rubbing her head. "But, ya saw it!" Applebloom said again, almost pleadingly. "What I saw was someone running from the farm. They was on two legs, but that's all. But they didn't look as tall as a tree. No doubt it was a thief, maybe a Diamond Dog or even a pony. That makes more sense then some nonsense story about monsters." Applejack stated firmly. "But-" Applebloom started, put AJ put her hoof over her mouth. "No butts. Now march yer flank back ta bed missy. Ya got school tomorrow, ya just leave this mess ta the big ponies ta solve." AJ pointed to the farmhouse as she finished. Applebloom frowned, her ears flattening as she turned and walked back to the farm house, muttering that she was a big pony. AJ sighed, rubbed her head again as she kneeled down to hug Winona. "I'm sorry girl. I should have listened ta ya better." She said. Winona whimpered and licked AJ's face. "So, what do we do?" Granny Smith asked. AJ sighed, "Lets all go back ta bed. We'll deal with it tomorrow. I doubt whoever did this won't be coming back tonight. First, Big Mac help me clean this mess." "Eeeyup." Big Mac said with a nod as he bent to clean up the mess of the smashed barrel. Applejack handed Winona over to Granny, to bring back inside and she got to work to help clean the mess. This whole event had her head pounding now. She hoped this raid wouldn't mess up their shipments, the farm needed the profits to survive and having someone or somepony stealing from them... Appejack clenched her hooves. She wouldn't let it happen again. Next time that thief showed up, she'd be there ta give them the bucking of their life.
Applejack (3)I didn't know who or what I saw that night. It could 'ave been a Diamond Dog. Or a pony. Maybe anything. I didn't think it was a bear anymore, cause I know I saw it running on two legs. But I didn't think it was a monster. I had ta be realistic with this. Our apples were being stolen, and I couldn't waste time thinkin' it was some monster like Applebloom seemed intent on. I spent the rest o' that night unable to sleep though. The next day, we did an accounting of our apples. We'd 'ave enough ta meet our shipment demands...barely anyway. But we be unable ta sell much in market day in town. That would cost us some bits. I didn't wait that night expectin' ta hurt somepony, but I 'ad ta take a stand. Fer the good o' my family and the farm. ....I didn't believe the tales of a monster my sister told me. I believe her now. Applejack's head nodded back and forth as she breathed lightly, small little noises escaping as she did. "Neigh. Neigh. Neigh." She softly snored, as her head started to droop. Winona barked, jolting Applejack awake. "Whoa!" She looked around, gripping the bat she had procured tight, before realizing it was Winona, "Oh. Ya scared me there girl. Guess I was noddin' off there." She patted the dogs head, before yawning and staring out back out from the farm porch. She looked around, her ears twitching and turning to listen for any unnatural noises. And beside her Winona sniffed at the air, but so far had not reacted to any unknown presence. Having decided to face down the thief, Applejack had spent all the time after her chores patrolling the farm. Even as the day ended, she had kept up the vigil; even choosing to eat her dinner outside on the porch. The sound of the door opening, told AJ someone was coming outside. She turned to see her big brother, a mug of what smelled like coffee in his hoof. Big Mac offered the mug with a smile. "Oh thanks Big Mac. A little pick me up would be a big help." AJ smiled, taking the mug and taking a long slow sip of the still hot drink. Setting down her drink, AJ went back to her vigil, "THanks again. Ya can go back inside. You're gonna need all your rest tomorrow." Big Mac frowned, "Nope." "Now Big Mac I can handle this on my own. I 'ave saved Equestria several times before. I can handle a little thief." Big Mac still frowned, but sighed and turned to go back inside. "Just becareful okay." He said simply. "I will. Good night." AJ said, giving a reassuring smile. For the next hour or so, AJ kept herself up and watched. When all the lights in the farm house were off and the whole farm was dark, save the light of the moon and stars, did AJ get off the chair she had been sitting in and gripped Winona's leash. It was time to patrol. "Come on Winona." AJ said, pulling on the leash and leading the way. Winona followed with a bark. The two of them walked along around the farm, checking the apple storage and barn. So far nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Applejack had begun to feel that maybe last nights encounter had been enough to scare off the thief. This was soon shattered when Winona began to growl. "What is it girl?" AJ whispered, gripping her bat. Winona growled and began to bark, lunging forward. Applejack gripped the leash and ran, heading for the apple storage. All the way Winona barked. But when she arrived, the door was untouched and Winona was still barking and trying to pull forward. A sudden loud squeal, made her nearly jump out of her skin. Enough that her grip slacked and Winona yanked herself free and charged off into the darkness; heading in the direction of the sound. The pig pen. "Winona!" Applejack shouted, following. Winona did not stop, barking. She was going so fast, Applejack couldn't keep up. She heard Winona barking, and pigs squealing before a new sound came about. It was a sound like nothing she had heard, like some sort of screaming roar, as Winona snarled. Applejack finally got to the pig pen, just in time to see Winona flying through the air and hitting the ground hard; her barks turning into yelps of pain. "Winona!" AJ screamed, fearful for her dog. She turned in the direction Winona had been thrown and her heart froze. There, clear in the moon light, stood a tall hairy black beast. The same beast she had seen last night. It had two small pigs in both its arms, that struggled fruitlessly and squealed. The lights in the farm house went on, and the beast looked before turning back to AJ. Applejack, shock now gone, gripped her bat and charged. "Ya let them go ya varmint!" She screamed, charging. The beast roared, and lifted a leg in a kick. Applejack had not expected how long the creatures legs were and it struck her across the side of her body and lifted her off her feet. She hit the ground winded and bruised. The creature then turned, carrying off both pigs and leaped over the pig pen fence and rushing off back to the woods. By the time the rest of the family got out, various implements in hoof and to AJ, the creature was already gone. The following morning, Applejack, and the rest of the apple clan, brought Winona to the vet. The poor dog had been struck across the head, a tooth missing from apparently having bitten and being yanked off the creature. Her left back hip was cracked, as were several ribs from being thrown. Applejack herself also had a heavy bruise on her side from the kick. Though both would recover. The two pigs were never seen again, and the creature never seemed to come back after that, though some nights they thought they could hear it roaming at the edge of the farm. Never the less, the Apples to this day lock and bar their doors and windows before going to sleep.
