Chapter 7.
New Dawn.

Applejack's cries died down as her breathing calmed. She had been crying for hours to the red ribbon still in her grasp. She had fallen asleep the night prior, wanting nothing more than the Timberwolves to pounce with their claws and fangs, to finish the job. Only, the lashing never came. She awoke the next morning to see the Timberwolves had left during the night, but her sister was also gone. Jumping to her hooves with her surprisingly healed wounds, she ran through the forest, hoping to find her sister. It wasn't until she stumbled upon a hollowed-out tree where at the base was her sister's pink ribbon she would use for a bow.

"Apple Bloom," she whimpered, pulling the pink ribbon closer to her chest. She hoped, beyond hope, she would find her sister. To bring her back home. To show her that she loved her more than any sister ever could. But you can't always get what you want. "Ah'm sorry. Ah'm so, so sorry."

A low rumble could be heard in the distance. Thunder. Looking up, she could see the tall tell signs of storm clouds overhead. The weather pegasi had scheduled a storm for the afternoon, and it did seem to be that time of day.

Looking back to the ribbon grasped in her hooves, she brought it up to her teeth. With the fabric in her mouth and one last check of the area around her, she started to make her way out of the forest. One slow agonizing step after another, through the woods she went. She had a stoic gaze to the forest floor. The trees around her swayed slightly in the building wind. The ground moved under her staggered hooves, yet she trudged on. Wind, lightning, thunder, crash.

Applejack never even flinched.

Pinkie Pie bounced her way to Sweet Apple Acres, hoping to see Applejack was as wide awake as she was. Thinking back to the day prior, it seemed Applejack was a bit under the weather. And as such, Pinkie Pie had an entire day planned for the two of them.

Pinkie had been thinking a bit more about Applejack as of late. She seemed down and distant. Much like she had when her parents died. Pinkie stopped bouncing at the thought of Applejacks parents. She remembered that day. She had just moved to Ponyville from the rock farm she grew up on, hoping to start a new beginning.

She had a long journey that lasted for many days from her families farm to Ponyville. Upon arrival, the sun had just started rising over the horizon and a heavy haze shined across the sky. Aside from the rainbow that taught her to smile, Ponyville in the early hours of the morning was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

Armed with the few essentials she had, she made her way down the valley towards town. She talked with a few of the locals and got to learn about the history of the village. She also learned about Sugarcube Corner, a bakery where only the most delicious treats were made. Pinkie didn't know this at the time, but only weeks later, the bakery would become her new permanent home.

Her stomach growled as the smell of food found her muzzle. She had been walking for days, and food was definitely the first thing she was going to try in this new town. With her first destination in sight, Pinkie walked into Sugarcube Corner.

The bell above the door chimed to signal the arrival of a new customer. "Just a moment," a voice called out from the kitchen. Pinkie Pie sat on a stool by the counter and peered about the store. Much like its name, Sugarcube Corner indeed looked to be made out of sugar. The walls looked like gingerbread, with lollypops and candy canes for decoration. It looked like a nice place to call a bakery in Pinkie's book.

True to her word, a plump mare with a cerulean coat, a striped mane and tail of crimson and a cutie mark of three cupcakes walked out from the kitchen. "Good morning. Can I get you anything? Oh!" the mare exclaimed upon seeing the small, skinny pink filly, "my dear, you look famished! Have you not eaten anything?"

Pinkie looked down towards the counter, "not really. It's been a long few days."

The mare cried back to the kitchen in alarm, "honey! I need a sampler platter, stat!"

"On it dear!" a young stallion called back. Within moments, a stallion with an amber coat, an orange mane and tail and a cutie mark of three carrot cakes came out with the platter in his teeth, "here you go, honey."

"Thank you," the cerulean mare thanked before practically shoving the tray of food and sweets in front of the pink filly. "There you go, dear. Take as much as you'd like."

Pinkie was in awe at the mountain of food before her. There were so many sweets and goodies, she didn't even know where to begin. She quickly chose the closest thing her small hooves could reach. A simple chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing and pink sprinkles.

While she ate, the mare asked, "And where did you come from deary? I haven't seen you around Ponyville before."

"That's because I just came in this morning," Pinkie said as she took another bite of the cupcake, "I came from my families rock farm, about 150 miles out or so."

The mare and stallion were stunned. "How long have you been walking? Are you all alone?" asked the stallion.

"I think I've been walking for three days. Seen some crazy things on the way here. Oh, and yes. I'm came here by myself," Pinkie said.

After a moment or two, the mare smiled and said, "My name is Cup Cake and this is my husband, Carrot Cake. Is there anyone here in Ponyville to look after you?"

Pinkie shook her head, "No. Why do you ask?"

Cup Cake extended a hoof to the small filly, who finished eating the cupcake and looked at it suspiciously, "Do you need a place to stay for a bit? Just long enough so you can get back on your hooves."

Pinkie took the extended hoof and really smiled for the first time in days, "I would like that."

Pinkie talked to the Cakes for what could have been hours that morning. She told them about her life on the rock farm and how a rainbow taught her to smile. The Cakes were very much confused by that but didn't question the little filly. She told them about her adventures in coming to Ponyville and all the ponies she met on the way, not to mention a sea serpent with a mustache and an orange colt almost as crazy as she is.

While the three talked, Pinkie got to know the town better. She even heard of towns most successful business, Sweet Apple Acres. She heard the history of the family-owned farm.

"Oh, Sweet Apple Acres is the towns most prized possession. In fact, there wouldn't be a town here had it not been for Granny Smith," Cup Cake said, "She's one of the founders of Ponyville," she sighed, "That mare just doesn't know when to quit. Then there was her son, Bright Mac. He married my friend, Pear Butter. They were two of the greatest, sweetest, and even kindest ponies you could ever meet. Just a perfect pair."

"Wait, what do you mean 'were'?" Pinkie questioned.

Cup Cake lowered her head as Carrot Cake stepped in, "Well, they're gone Pinkie. There was an accident in the forest, they didn't make it."

Cup Cake, after wiping the tear from her eye, knelt down to Pinkies eye level, "Pinkie, you can stay with us, but I need you to vow never to go into the forest."

Pinkie was perplexed, "Why?"

"Because there are monsters in there," said Carrot Cake, "we may not be your parents, and we can't tell you what to do, be we also don't want to see you get hurt."

Pinkie thought for a moment before saying, "Ok, I won't."

Cup Cake smiled, "Thank you Pinkie. I don't know what I'd do if I heard you went into the forest."

"Probably go crazy and run in there after her," said Carrot Cake, receiving a glare from his wife, "Oh honey, you know I'm right," just then the bell above the front door chimed, "I got this one honey," he said before trotting off.

Cup Cake sigh in contentment, "What would I do without him?"

Pinkie snickered, "Probably go crazy," she said, rolling around in laughter.

Cup Cake peered at the filly rolling around on her floor, "I'm going to have to keep an eye on you two aren't I?" she thought.

After Pinkie stopped giggling on the floor, she stood up, wiped the tears from her eyes, and asked, "Is there anything else I should know about the farm? I feel like I'm missing something there."

Cup Cake thought for a moment before leaning down to Pinkies level again, "You like cheering ponies upright?"

Pinkie beamed, "Yes, but not just ponies," she said, pulling a list out of nowhere, "There's dragons, griffons, sea serpents, leprechauns..."

"Pinkie," interrupted Cup Cake, "the list won't be necessary. I want you to cheer up a filly I know. She's the daughter of Bright Mac and Pear Butter. She could really use a friend right now."

Pinkie sprang to her hooves, "Oh, I can do that," said before attempting to bolt for the acres, until a hoof stopped her.

"And Pinkie," Cup Cake said, "Be nice to her. She's been through a lot and I'm counting on you to make her feel better."

"I will," Pinkie said before bolting out the door and to the left.

"Pinkie! Right!" called Cup Cake.

Pinkie ran in front of the door again going the other direction, "Thank you!"

Cup Cake shook her head, "I really hope I didn't just make a mistake."

Pinkie bounced down the path to Sweet Apple Acres. She was given the task of cheering up a filly in need and when it came to cheering ponies up, Pinkie never worked half-flanked. As she neared the orchard, she finally got a good look at the place. A white picket fence lined the dirt road leading up to the red farmhouse. To the left, there were apple trees, and to the right, there were more apple trees. She guessed there was more here than just trees, but she could tell from where she was. Then again, this was an orchard.

She made her way up to the front door and knocked, "Hello! Anypony home?"

With a few shuffled hoof steps later, a lime green mare with a white mane and tail opened the door. Her mane and tail also sported a bun style with a nice white ribbon for both. Her cutie mark was of a pie. Most likely an apple pie, she figured. She had a few wrinkles, so Pinke assumed her to be older in age than the Cakes. With a smile on her face, the mare said, "Well good morning little filly, what can I do for you?"

"Good morning to you too," Pinkie smiled, "I'm looking for a filly, around my age, who should live here."

The mare blinked, "Applejack? Are you one of her friends?"

"No, but I just moved into town and was told about her," Pinkie exclaimed, "Is she home?"

"She's probably off in the fields," the mare said while looking off to the fields in the distance, "She was up earlier this morning. If you find her, can you tell her breakfast is ready?"

Pinkie stared at the older mare, "You mean you don't know where she is?"

"Like I said, in the fields. She usually out there by this time," the mare looked back into the house for a second then looked back, "If you're hungry, I have food in the kitchen."

Pinkie loved the idea for more food, but she had another task in mind, "Thank you, but I'm good for now," she paused before adding, "Maybe later though."

The elder mare smiled, "Well, if you need anything, our door's always open. The name's Granny Smith, but ponies just call me Granny."

Pinkie blinked, "Do all ponies call you Granny. Like, even ponies older than you?"

Embarrassed, Granny Smith coughed into her hoof, "Do you have a filly to find?"

"Oh, ya," Pinkie said before running off in whatever direction she saw fit, "Thank you, Granny Smith."

The elder mare watched as the pink blur that was a pony ran off to the west orchard. Shaking her head, she walked back inside the house to find black smoke from the kitchen, "Oh, horseapples."

Pinkie trotted through the fields of apple trees in the quest to find a filly named Applejack. After everything she'd heard of the filly in question, she was more anxious to find her. It seemed that finding her, however, would be harder than it sounded. All she saw for miles was apple trees and nothing but apple trees. She wasn't even told what this filly looked like.

Then her tail started to twitch. "Look out!" a filly called from her left. Pinkie looked up to see a bunch of apples falling from the tree above. In a moment, Pinkie sidestepped to the right, dodging the apples as they hit the ground.

Pinkie peered to her left to see who called out to her. Who she saw, could only have been the filly she was looking for.

"Jee, I'm a might sorry about that. I wasn't watching where I was bucking," the filly explained as she picked up the apples from the ground.

To this, Pinkie just smiled, "That's ok, I'm fine. Are you Applejack?"

The orange filly lifted her head and tipped her hat, which seemed a little big for her, as it slid down her face. Groaning in frustration, she put the hat back where it sat and said, "Yup, and you are?"

Pinkie extended a hoof in greeting, "Pinkie Pie."

"Ok, enough backstory for now!" Pinkie exclaimed as she made her way up the path to Sweet Apple Acres. Upon reaching the door, she knocked, "AppleJack! I know it's early in the morning, but I have an entire day planned for us and I can't wait to get started!"

There was a long pause. Then an even longer pause. By the third pause, Pinkie looked at the door questioningly, "Applejack?" There was still no answer. She looked out towards the orchard to see no sign of the orange mare. Moments later, the door opened to reveal Granny Smith.

"Well good morning Pinkie, what can I do for you?"

"Huh, deja vu," Pinkie said, "I'm looking for Applejack, is she home?"

At that moment in time, Granny's eyes widened, "Actually, no. She went out searching for Apple Bloom before supper. Hadn't come back since."

Pinkie looked back out towards the orchard. If they were anywhere, they'ed be out there, "Ok, thank you, Granny. I'll go look for them."

Granny sighed, "Thank you Pinkie. And if you find them, tell them breakfast is ready."

Pinkie nodded and ran off through the orchard, "Stop deja vuing me random writing spirit!"

She didn't see anypony for hours while running through the orchard. It was almost noon and she was starting to panic. Her Pinkie Sense wasn't even going off to point her in a direction. She was in the south field when she figured it best to run back to town to file a missing ponies report when an orange silhouette appeared near the Everfree Forest. Looking in said direction, Pinkie could make out the form of a pony walking out of the forest. In a gallop, Pinkie ran her way across the fields towards the forest's edge. Who she found, and what she saw, shook her soul.

"Applejack?"

Author's Note

So, this took a while. Sorry about that. I don't have an pictures for this one. I hope you al enjoy the chapter and until next time, Tally-ho.