Chapters “Ah got ya Sugarcube !”
“Pull me up!”
“ Ah’m trying’, but the portal-my strength-Ah can’t lift ya !”
“Know that...Ah don’t regret a thing!”
“ Sugarcube ! SUGARCUBE!”
Applejack awoke with a start, her body coated in sweat. She looked around her room to see sunlight flowing into the room from her window, illuminating the green environment that was her bedroom. Her alarm clock was blaring, telling her the current time.
05:00. It was therefore a school day. That was the worst thing, ultimately.
Applejack pulled herself out of bed and walked over to the mirror, switching the light on as she did so. She looked a mess, as you’d expect of a person who had just woken up. Her hair was messy and all over the place, her vision was bleary, her face and cheeks were watery, and her eyes were red. She had cried herself to sleep the previous night. And the night before that. And the night before that one, as well.
The cause of her sadness and pain was clear to anyone. Apple Bloom was dead, and AJ missed her very much.
The last few months had been happy for her. First having reunited with her friends, they had both reformed Sunset Shimmer and defeated the Sirens, which itself was a benefit as it meant that, in most student’s eyes, Sunset had redeemed herself. That Christmas had even seen the Crusaders do something nice for them, in the form of a special meal to say ‘thank you’. That had been, safe to say, the best Christmas they’d ever had at Sweet Apple Acres.
Naturally, those three had got up to plenty of ‘Crusading’, or what looked like playing to anybody else. What had always amazed her was the large and vivid imaginations those three had, effortlessly able to transform a basement into a lost temple, or an artificial cave (of which there was one in Canterlot Park) into an Egyptian tomb. It seemed a skill of kids their age, something Applejack herself had lost as she aged and took on more responsibility alongside her brother. Luckily, her parents were there to help her cover the load, a luxury her pony counterpart lacked, according to Twilight. Though it was unclear whether they were missing or dead, it might as well have been the latter.
But this spring had thrown her world into chaos. Everything she had believed as certain, as true, had come crashing down.
First had been the revelation that the Apple Bloom she had been with for those few months was not her sister, but an imposter called ‘Tom’, who simply looked like her. This was shocking enough, but the revelation that her world was a TV show where Tom was from caused her to question her very existence.
But it only got worse from there. The real Apple Bloom had behaved unlike herself, being rude and bossy. It saddened Applejack that this had happened, but she had treated the other Apple Bloom horribly, even when she had saved her life. When Midnight Sparkle had attacked, the other Bloom had knocked her out of the way, but had been sucked into the portal.
And now she was gone, forever. Applejack never even got a chance to say sorry. It saddened her deeply that she had failed so badly as a sister. Never again would she hear Apple Bloom and her friends charging around the fields of Sweet Apple Acres, or have a chance to ask her about her day at school, or even try to out-farm her in Farming Simulator .
It hurt so much.
Applejack got dressed, and then went downstairs, sitting at the breakfast table. Nobody spoke. There was nothing worth discussing anymore, as their eyes scanned over to the empty chair. Apple Bloom had always had the biggest appetite of them all, but now nobody had much strength to eat.
The funeral was in a few days, but as a body had never been found, they had made the decision to bury her most treasured possessions in the casket instead. It was the worst thing possible for the family. No child should ever have to lose a sibling, nor should a parent ever have to lose a son or daughter. But that was the reality of the situation, and Applejack knew it was her fault, and her fault alone.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had been badly affected, as far as she could tell. Both of them had slipped into depression over losing their best friend. Pip was suffering especially badly, as he had sheltered her for a few days before she vanished. AJ’s own friends were prepared to stand by her side, but there was no denying that such a loss cut through the community of Canterlot, not least as it was somebody who was taken as their life was just beginning.
Grand Pear sighed as he stood up. “I’d better get the truck out,” he said, stepping out of the door.
A few minutes later, Applejack and Big Mac stepped out into the courtyard. This was always the hardest part of the day for AJ. It was here, when she was a little under two years old, she’d learned she was going to have a little sister. And now that sister was gone.
As she went to get into the truck, she suddenly heard a voice in the distance.
“Applejack!”
She dismissed it. She’d been hearing voices for a few days now.
“Applejack!”
There it was again. Applejack looked down the lane, and saw a sight that made her gasp in amazement.
There, running towards her from the direction of the drive, was a girl with lemon skin and red hair, wearing a green shirt, blue jeans, orange boots and a red bow in her hair.
It was Apple Bloom.
Applejack’s heart leapt for joy. “Sugarcube!” she cried, and she ran toward her little sister.
As I ran closer, I could see the tears streaming down Applejack’s face. She was clearly overjoyed to see me again. To my amazement, the other members of the family turned out to see what was going on, and were all equally stunned to see what was happening.
Applejack wrapped her arms around me, as we embraced. “Sugarcube, yer alive!” she exclaimed.
I smiled in her warm embrace. “Well, Ah couldn’t leave ya, could Ah?” I replied.
She stopped briefly. “Are ya Tom?” she asked, confused.
“No,” I replied. “Tom don’t exist no more. Ah’m Apple Bloom.”
Applejack laughed. “That’s a relief ta here.” Her face then grew stern. “But don’t go scarin’ me like that again, you hear me?”
I nodded. “Ah got it, sis.”
Bright Mac had reached the scene, and took me in his arms. “We shall turn this day of mourning into one of celebration. ‘For this child of mine was dead and is alive again; she was lost and is found.’ Ah’ll get to work on party plannin’ right away!”
“Ah think you’ve forgotten somethin’,” Big Mac interrupted.
“Yes?” asked Pear Butter.
“We need to get off ta school!”
I panicked. “Do ya still have mah books and rucksack?”
Granny Smith nodded. “We kept those things to act as a memorial to ya. There in yer room.”
“Thanks Granny!” I sprinted past, toward the house. I had never been so glad to step through that great wooden door, through the kitchen where we’d made that dinner, up the stairs and into my room.
Everything was exactly as I’d left it. I went over to the bed and grabbed the bag, loading today’s books and folders into it. I then turned around, only to see a note lying on the table.
It read as follows;
Hi Apple Bloom,
Glad to see you decided to go back to Canterlot . I hope you enjoy your life here, just as much as I’ll try to enjoy mine.
Sorry about the lack of heritage railways here! I did make sure to add some UK routes to Train Simulator though, namely Woodhead and NYMR.
Have a good time, and make sure to make your friends happy.
Your’s sincerely,
Tom Haddington.
I headed outside and onto the porch, sprinting down to the truck. I hopped in the rear seat and we set off for Canterlot High. We had new adventures, but I certainly had some explaining to do.
Author's Note
Well, it begins.
I had no idea that this setting would become so popular, so I've opened it up to being a collab. If this interests you, PM me for further details. We already have 2 stories underway, with a third to be added soon.
Happy thanksgivin', y'all!
Bright Mac-sorry, Pa- started the truck’s engine, and released the brakes. We pulled out onto the highway, and drove down the road through the parade of glorious trees resplendent in their Spring colours. Easter was approaching, and that only one thing.
But I’ll tell you about that later.
Pa hit the radio, and the song that came up couldn’t have been more fitting.
“Hey, it’s King’s Highway , by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers !” Big Mac noted.
“Good song, ain’t it?” Pa replied. “Apparently, he’ll be playing Canterlot soon and Ah was thinkin’ of goin’. Anybody interested?”
I was confused for a moment, and then realised that the year here was 2014. That meant he hadn’t died yet.
“Sounds a good idea,” I said, with a smile.
“Count me in!” added Big Mac.
“Yeehaw!” Applejack added.
As we rolled along, I just looked out of the window enjoying the scenery. I was so happy to see this all again, it nearly having been lost to me forever. The mountains could be seen in the difference, with sunlight flowing down the hills and bathing the town in beautiful sunshine. This truck had a smooth ride, in spite of the retro styling. If they were to be truly authentic, the suspension would lurch periodically like a bucking bronco!
And no, I didn’t just swear.
We pulled up in the parking lot, and I jumped out of the truck, grabbing my bag as I did so.
“Be careful!” called Pa. “We only just got ya back!”
“Ah’ll be careful!” I replied, starting to walk forward and into the school building.
As I walked down the corridor, I heard surprised voices speaking.
“It’s Apple Bloom!” said one.
“How is that even possible?” asked another.
I walked on, determined to find two people in particular.
I found one of them easily enough. Scootaloo was slumped against a wall, her expression vacant and her eyes puffy. It was clear she had lost all willpower and strength, as normally she’d be talking with Sweetie Belle about now.
“Howdy Scoots!” I said, trying to lighten the mood. She looked up with a look of apprehension and guilt.
“OK, so the depression clearly wasn’t enough, now I’m going mad,” was all she said.
“What ya mean? Ah’m right here, in front of ya, ain’t Ah?”
Scootaloo got up, and glared at me. “You’re dead, Apple Bloom! You’re dead! People don’t just come back to life, this isn’t a Disney movie! I think I can safely conclude that none of this is real, and I’m just losing my mind!”
“Ah wouldn’t be able to react to what ya sayin’ if I weren’t here,” I replied flatly.
“No!” Scootaloo shot back. “My brain is just making this up! I’m only hearing what I want to hear.”
I sighed, and leaned forward, closing my hand around hers. “If Ah were a ghost, Ah wouldn’t be able to touch ya,” I told her. “Are ya convinced now, Thomas?”
Scootaloo looked utterly shocked. She simply stood up, took a close look, and put her hand on my shoulder. “If you were just air,” she replied, “my hand would have gone straight through you.”
It took her brain a moment to comprehend the significance of this. Then she threw her arms around me. “I’m so glad you’re back!”
I returned in kind. “Ah’d never leave mah friends in the lurch, Scoots,” I replied. “Now then, where’s Sweetie Belle?”
“I haven’t seen her,” the young athlete replied. “Nor have I seen Pip. He’s probably around though; he wouldn’t miss school for anything.”
I mentally groaned. Nodding, I stepped backward and spoke again. “Thanks for that. Ah hope nobody else is too surprised though.”
“Things have been a little crazy around here lately,” Scootaloo admitted. “Flying students, she-demons, overcompetitive students-”
“Well, that’s funny, comin’ from you!” I joked.
“HEY!” she exclaimed. “I get enough grief from liking Rumble. And DON’T mention Sweetie Belle loudly blurting out the fact I took dance as my elective!”
“Ah’d imagine you’d be good for that,” I said, teasing her. “You’re nimble, got dainty feet, look so sweet in a dr-”
“SHUT UP!” Scootaloo shouted, her normally orange face having gone purple. “I don’t like being seen as girly, OK?”
“Yer secret’s safe with me, partner,” I smiled. Just then, the bell went. “Great; another day, another lesson with Mr Discord.”
“He is a little zany, I will admit,” Scootaloo smiled. “But even though the lessons may be dull and hellish, at least you don’t have to go through them alone.”
“Aw, thanks Scoots,” I said. Now where had I heard that before?
I know!
“Well, at least Anon-a-Miss didn’t happen in this world,” I said to myself.
“Who’s Anon-a-Miss?” asked Scootaloo. “Cause that would the WORST alias ever . I mean, seriously, ‘Anon-a-Miss'? That’s just screaming ‘I’m doing something suspicious’!”
The lesson was a little more challenging, but again was explained in an incomprehensible manner.
Mr Discord pointed at the board, speaking quickly. Too quickly. “And thus, the square of the hypotenuse is the sum of the squares of the two sides.”
Scootaloo looked at me. She had a look of utter bafflement on her face. “Sorry sir,” she spoke up. “But why do we need to know the hippopotamus?”
“No, no!” Discord replied. “The hypotenuse!”
In a whirl, he was suddenly dressed as a Redcoat.
“I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.”
There was a flash of light, and he was suddenly back to his suit and tie. “This theorem is infinitely useful, as it allows you to figure out the extract length of an object or line in any given case.” He indicated to Scootaloo. “Say you were trying to recover a soccer ball from a tree. If you calculated the length of the ground, then calculated the height of the tree, you would know how long the ladder would need to be!”
He simply got a look of confusion from the girl. “Sorry, I didn’t understand that. At all.”
“May Ah try?” I asked.
Mr Discord looked surprised. “I suppose so,” he said. “You explained algebra well, so I suppose this won’t hurt.”
I stepped up to the board, and drew a triangle. “Now, there are three sides to a Right-Angled triangle,” I said. Helpfully, I marked them as A, B, and C. “C is what is called the hypotenuse, or the longest side. In order ta calculate the longest side, we use the followin’ theorem; A2+B2=C2.”
I wrote this on the board, wiped the letters off and wrote down two numbers. Against A I put the number 3, and against B I put the number 2.
“This makes this question 32+22,” I told them. “What does that add up ta?”
“5!” shouted Snips, from the back.
“That’s 3 plus 2,” I answered. “What squared stands for is the number multiplied by itself.” I rewrote the equation with some brackets: (3x3) + (2x2) =.
“Now what does that make?” I asked.
Scootaloo’s hand shot up. “13!”
“Good,” I said. “But that makes C squared, not C. All we have ta do is to find the square root of C.”
I took out my calculator and punched in the numbers.
“3.6!” answered a student.
“Rounded ta one decimal place, yes,” I said to him.
Mr Discord smiled. “Now for a real challenge. What if they were to give you C and B, but NOT A?”
He rewrote the board, and put some different numbers on it. C was now 6, and B had become 4, but A was just...A.
Scootaloo was suddenly on a roll. “First we need to rewrite the formula as A2 +42 = 62!”
I wrote this down.
“Then square them!” added Featherweight.
The equation now looked as follows; A2 + 16 = 36.
“Err, what do we do now?” Rumble asked, looking confused.
I started writing again, rearranging it to read 36-16=A2.
“A2=20!” Scootaloo answered.
Featherweight produced his calculator. “Square root of 20 is 4.5!”
“Ta one decimal place!” I added, writing that last figure on the board.
Mr Discord looked at the board. “That’s correct!” he exclaimed. “Now, I’d like you to answer these 10 questions before the end of the lesson. Make sure to show full working in your answers.”
Once the lesson was over, Scootaloo and myself, alongside Rumble, filed out and headed out through the door.
“That was awesome Apple Bloom!” Rumble said.
“Thanks buddy,” I replied.
“Ya doin’ anythin’ particular this evenin’?” Scootaloo asked me.
“We’re havin’ a party at Sweet Apple Acres, so yeah,” I replied.
Scootaloo nodded. “Rumble and me are goin’ over my place,” she said. “My aunts are keen to meet him.”
“Ah hope you two lovebirds have fun,” I smiled.
“Hey!” Rumble exclaimed. “We’re just friends!”
“Ah was only teasin’,” I laughed. “See ya!”
I stepped outside, heading for the car park when I saw Button Mash talking to Sweetie Belle. But something about Sweetie Belle’s manner wasn’t quite right.
“Howdy, y’all!” I called.
Sweetie Belle glanced over to me. “Hi Apple Bloom!” she called.
“Hey, Button, do ya mind if me and Sweetie Belle talk for a bit?” I asked.
“Sure, take your time,” Button replied. “And it’s ‘Sweetie Belle and I’!”
I shrugged. “He knows what Ah mean.”
“So, what’s this about Apple Bloom?”
I paused, bracing myself for her response. “You fell outa the portal, right?”
Sweetie Belle gasped. “How did you know?”
“’Cause Ah did. Does the name Tom Haddington ring a bell?”
“The brony who vanished at BronyCon? It was on the news!” Sweetie Belle squealed.
“Well, Ah was Haddington. Ah lived as Apple Bloom for months, and Ah’m here for good. Now then, what was yer name originally?”
“Jimmy Hook. But I go by Sweetie Belle now!”
“OK. Look, Ah imagine yer probably scared and confused, but-”
“Are you kidding?” Sweetie Belle interrupted. “This is the best day of my life!”
I was confused. “Yer sayin’ you wanted to be transformed?”
“Well, Sweetie Belle is my favourite Crusader, and now I AM her! WHOO!” Sweetie Belle punched the air in excitement.
This was certainly new. I simply shrugged my shoulders. “Well, if ya need help with anythin’, know you can call me. Ah’m over at Sweet Apple Acres.”
A loud horn beeped from across the car park. “Apple Bloom!” called Pa.
“Ah gotta go!” I called. “Enjoy yer evenin’, and don’t forget we got some Crusadin’ to do this Sunday!”
“Got it!” Sweetie Belle replied.
I hoped into the truck, and Pa looked back with a smile. “What were you discussing with Sweetie Belle?”
“Just some plans for Sunday,” I replied.
“You goin’ Crusadin’ again?”
“Yup!” I exclaimed. “Ah can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon!”
“If only Ah had half the imagination you do,” Pa laughed, as he put the truck into gear and set off up the highway.
Author's Note
This is the newest chapter, and things are on a roll.
If you want to catch up on Sweetie Belle, click the link here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/425396/the-belle-rings-true
The next day arrived and flew by with considerable speed. It wasn’t long until the afternoon arrived, and the sun stretched its long glorious beams across the warm, beautiful world that I called home. As we drove home that day, we could see that preparations for an impromptu gathering were already being assembled, like tables, chairs and tablecloths.
“We must be expectin’ a lot of folks,” I said.
“We invited most of the town to this, even the Mayor!” Pa replied. “As a community, boy are we glad to have ya back.”
We pulled up outside the house, and I hopped out of the passenger seat, walking over to the door to the house. I knocked on it for a few moments, and Pear - sorry, Ma - came to answer it.
“Did ya have a good day?” she asked.
“Eeyup!” I exclaimed, impersonating my big brother. “Mah friends are all relieved Ah’m OK, and the lessons aren’t too awkward-although Mr Discord kinda needs ta make explaining things a little easier!”
“Well, Ah’m so glad we got ya back,” Ma replied. “Now you’d better be headin’ upstairs, we gotta party to bake!”
“Is there a specific dress code?” I asked.
“Well, ya don’t have ta wear a dress if ya don’t want to,” Ma answered, making a pun on what I had said.
“Well, whatcha think Pip’d like?” I asked her again.
“Ah think that he’d just want ta see you,” Ma reassured me. “You’d best be getting' ready, the first guests will be arrivin’ soon.”
“Got it!” I sped off up the stairs, hoping I’d make the right choice of clothes.
After a shower (much needed, and oh so relaxing), I made the decision to simply wear the same clothes I had warn earlier that day. If I was back from the dead, they might as well see me, and not some girl in a dress who vaguely resembled her. After fixing my bow in place, I stepped down the stairs to already hear the noise and hubbub of revellers.
“It is so wonderful to be able to celebrate with the Apples again!” said one voice, which I recognised as Mayor Novo. Wait, how do I - as if this was going to start making sense now!
“It truly is a wonderful occasion on which we celebrate,” said another voice, which I recognised as Fancy Pants, the town clerk.
“The Apple family cider is always wonderful irrespective of what is happening,” added the voice of Mayor.
“Well, shall we enter?” asked Fancy Pants. The door suddenly opened, and both of them walked my way.
“Why, hello Apple Bloom!” the Mayor said to me. She had a friendly smile upon her face. “It is truly wonderful to know a member of our community is safe.”
“But how does it feel to fall through multiple dimensions and end up in different places?” asked Fancy Pants.
“Well,” I said, “it’s kinda a long story. Ah’m now aware that there a multiple versions of us. There was even a version of us Crusaders who engaged in some social media nonsense over Christmas! There was even one where Sweetie Belle was robotic, Ah was some sort of demon thing, and Scoots was a... well Ah don’t know what Scoots was! But it was sure bizarre!”
“Doesn’t she have a vivid imagination!” Novo smiled. “Truly is she an inspiration to us all. But may I ask where your parents are?”
“Ma and Pa are probably in the kitchen, Ah ain’t seen Granny or Grand Pear yet.” The Mayor and her entourage took the opportunity to move onwards, deeper into the house, and I followed.
A most mighty feast awaited us. Prepared were many, many plates and tables, outdoors and indoors. It seemed that the family had decided to go for the self-service option, which I’ll admit, given the number of guests, seemed to be a lot more practical.
“Good evenin’, Mayor Novo!” Pa greeted the local dignity. “Ya wan’t somethin’ ta drink?”
“Soft cider please,” she replied in her regal tone. “I’m on official business, and it would hardly do to be seen drunk here.”
Given my age, I couldn’t touch the hard stuff. Not that I’d want to; I’d heard that it was incredibly fizzy.
Just as I was thinking that thought, my butt seemed to feel sore. The message was clear; don’t go anywhere near it, or else!
I immediately dismissed that thought, and went back to the door as another guest arrived. I opened the door and who should come through but...
“Apple Bloom!” Pip exclaimed, as he flew through the door and nearly knocked me over.
“Hey, easy bud!” I cried as I hugged him. “Ah’m so glad to see ya!”
“I thought I’d lost you forever!” Pip replied. “But at least we are back together now.”
“That we are,” I smiled. “But we’re kinda creatin’ a traffic jam, so we might wanna step outa the way.”
After that moment, the next notable arrivals were the Wondertones, who gathered on an impromptu stage outside. Rarity produced her ocarina, and set about tuning the members. Then Big Mac commenced singing;
“Bum, bum, bum-ba-da, ba-da
Bum, bum, bum-ba-da ah”-
It was their old classic, Find the Music in You . I’d always liked this one ever since Filli Vanilli had aired, but fittingly for the human world, the lyrics were a little different. Each use of ‘trot’ became walk, for instance, and references to ‘ponies’ were replaced with ‘people’. They made a surprisingly beautiful sound singing together, even if I preferred the true male close harmony sound.
When they had finished performing, we all applauded. But just as the Wondertones launched into Love me Do , somebody bumped into me from the rear.
I swung around to see it was Scootaloo, grinning from ear to ear. She was safely kitted up in her helmet and shinpads, and sad proudly upon her scooter. True, it was a bit rusty, but she was proud of it nonetheless. It was all she had to remind her of her parents most days, who were rarely around to care for her.
That brings me onto the other individuals. Rumble was standing a little further back, wrapped up in his black sports shirt, khaki shorts, and black boots. He’d brought a soccer ball for some reason, and his purple eyes were scanning around at all the people who were around.
Further back were a pair of women, whom I assumed to be Scootaloo’s aunts (and not her isn'ts). Aunt Lofty and Aunt Holiday were usually the ones caring for her, and I got the impression they were firm, but fair with her. I didn’t know them well enough to have formed an opinion of them, so I only had Scootaloo’s word to go on.
“How are ya?” Scootaloo asked.
“Given recent events, pretty good, thanks,” I answered.
One of the two aunts stepped over. “How’s it feel to be the star of the show?”
“Ah’ve never been so keen on bein’ the centre of attention,” I replied. “So, Scoots, how are ya and Rumble?”
Scootaloo’s face went bright red. “Um, uh...” she stammered out.
“We had a good night last night!” Rumble said quickly. “I can only assume I got the seal of approval from Aunt’s Lofty and Holiday.”
“Approved, certified, and guaranteed!” said the other aunts. I wasn’t entirely sure which of them was which. Besides, I thought they only appeared in the comics!
“On the topic of that,” said the other, “shall we go get something to drink?”
The Wondertones continued with their setlist as we just stood about, idly chatting. When suddenly more people arrived.
“Sorry I’m late Apple Bloom!” called Sweetie Belle, running toward me, dragging Button Mash along.
“Sweetie, be careful!” Button shouted. “I’d prefer for my arm not to leave its socket!”
Sweetie Belle paid him no attention, and stopped in front of me. “It’s so nice to see you again!” she squealed.
“Sweetie, it’s been 2 hours at the most,” I replied.
“But we’re all back together!” Button exclaimed. “Are we still on for the CMC movie night on Sunday evening?”
“We sure are!” I exclaimed. “How have you two been?”
“Well, Button’s a great dancer,” Sweetie Belle started. “Turns out he’s in dance class, and he sometimes gets to partner up with Scootaloo.”
“I don’t like her that way!” Button exclaimed. “Besides, Sweetie’s not too bad herself. She put down a solid Cajun 2-step yesterday!”
“What is all this Cajun business?” asked Rarity, walking over to us. “Has Sweetie been dancing again?”
“If you can waltz, I can do the two-step!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “Besides, the waltz is German, not English. So there!”
“I suppose we do have that Cajun spirit in us,” Rarity admitted. “But it looks like the band is getting going again. Tootaloo!”
Button smiled as he spoke to Sweetie Belle. “J’ai passe devant tu porte,” he said with a smile.
“That’s because it’s on your route to school!” Sweetie Belle replied, laughing.
Our discussion was interrupted by the loud ringing of a bell. “A moment please!” called Pa.
Silence fell, thankfully not squishing anyone.
“Can we all bow our heads in prayer please?” Pa asked. We all complied.
“Dear Lord, thank you for friends and family. Let us remember as we share with friends and family that we respect and value all that we know and have. May we always remain friends, livin’ in unity and happiness. Amen.”
“Amen,” we all replied.
Pa walked over to me. “You get to go first,” he said. “For the one that was lost is found!”
After our meal, talk began. But I found most of it dull. Ranging from what parents were doing to the wonders of the Equestrian tax system, it was all horribly dull. I excused myself, and went outside.
I sat down outside, with the light of the moon illuminating the ground, and the cool air blowing through my hair. I sighed, and looked out across Sweet Apple Acres.
“Is something wrong?” Pip asked me, stepping over.
“If that’s what bein’ an adult is like, Ah think Ah’d rather remain a child,” I grunted.
“I know the feeling,” Pip replied. “Most of those conversations were so boring!”
“At least mah friends understand,” I answered.
“We all do, and it’s only fair you get some space given the occasion,” Pip admitted. “It’s a nice night, isn’t it?”
“It sure is,” I replied, thinking dreamily about the future with Pip.
I turned my head to him. “Given the weather, should we-?”
“Yes,” he said promptly.
It was not long until our lips met, and I enjoyed the moment. If you’d told me back in my old life I’d eventually be dating a fictional character, I’d have called you mad.
But this felt like it was meant to be. We were simply perfect for each other, and we were truly happy in each other’s company. Nothing could interrupt our bliss-
“How are you two lovebirds?”
I froze, looking up to see Scootaloo looking at me.
“Hey!” Pip said, annoyed. “That was meant to be a private moment you just ruined!”
“I thought you’d like to know that desert is ready,” Scootaloo told me. “One of them looks like President Trump!”
I instantly clicked something was wrong. The year is 2014, that hasn’t happened yet! Unless…
I pulled my phone out, and texted Sweetie Belle.
“C’mon Scoots, we need ta go!” I cried.
“What? Why?”
“Ah’ll explain when we get ta the clubhouse!” I answered.
I threw open the door, and let my friends through. I then closed it behind me and turned on the light.
“Scoots, you’ve got some explainin’ ta do,” I said.
“What’s this all about?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Scoots here just mentioned President Trump. But here he ain’t gonna be elected for another two years.”
“That is a considerable oversight,” Sweetie Belle pondered.
Scootaloo looked sheepishly at me. “Fine, I’m not from here!” she exclaimed.
“Then where are you from?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo sighed. “My name was Emily. I was at a convention dressed as Scootaloo, when I purchased a helmet and scooter. Next thing I know, I wake up here as Scoots. But what was even weirder was that I was knocked over by a cosplayer whose Apple Bloom was absolutely perfect. She sounded so upset as well!”
My breath froze in my lungs. “Sorry, what did ya say?” I asked.
“It was a perfect cosplay,” Scootaloo replied.
The memory, that horrible memory, flooded back to the front of my mind. “Scoots,” I said, “it was me you knocked over.”
“Really? That explains so much!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Like how we were both found in the same place before we woke up.”
“And me!” added Sweetie Belle. “I used to be somebody from Roanoke Island. Jimmy Hook?”
“Hey, I know you from Fimfiction!” Scootaloo exclaimed.
“And it seems we all got here as a result of purchasin’, or bein’ given, an item by that merchant”, I noted. “Very strange.”
I smiled. “But it can wait. We got somethin’ more important.”
“Namely?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Ice cream!” I replied.
The three of us charged out of the clubhouse, with questions in the back of our minds, but otherwise contented to be friends.
Author's Note
Sorry this took so long to update, I've been having internet problems.
If you want to catch up on what Scoots has been up to, click the link below; https://www.fimfiction.net/story/425505/a-case-of-the-scoots
The morning arrived that Sunday, as mornings are known to do at least once a week in our part of the world. I climbed out of bed, the sun greeting my face ready for another fun day of Crusading.
Sunday was the day off, in which no work was done. Handily, Crusading didn’t qualify as work, so I was free to do that as I saw fit. But before that, I had to go shower. The water blasted off the dirt and grime of the night, and I was ready, barring getting dressed, for a good day.
After choosing to wear my trademark outfit, and remembering this time to put the bow in my hair, I wandered down the stairs to see breakfast being readied, a glorious assortment of bacon, sausage and hash browns. There were also grits, not something I would have especially associated with California, but I suppose Pa may have brought it with him from West Virginia. The family took their seats, and we began conversing.
“So, what’s everyone up to today?” asked Ma.
“Well, Bright and I were gonna do some work on one of the Apple Shakers,” Grand Pear noted. “That piece of machinery will help us when apple season comes around in September.”
“We’re mechanisin’?” Granny Smith said in horror. “But the best taste can only be achieved by hand pickin’!”
“The problem is,” Pa observed, “demand is outstripping supply. “You know how disappointed everyone gets when we run out every year because we can’t pick those apples fast enough!”
“Then why not get the youngin’ ta climb trees and extract some?” Granny suggested.
Applejack shook her head. “Apple Bloom’s not strong enough to get those apple baskets down. She’s better off stayin’ on Sadie's footplate and runnin’ the flywheel.”
“Ah’m good with machines,” I added.
“I think we know where she got that from!” Grand Pear laughed. “Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, eh Mrs Smith?”
Granny Smith shook her head. “You Californians,” she grumbled.
“On the topic of Sadie ,” PaBright Mac continued, “Big Mac, didn’t somebody offer you a pair of traction engines for sale?”
“Alongside a diesel tractor, yes,” my older brother answered. “Ah can’t remember off the top o’ mah head how much it cost, but it should be affordable what with the flow of money comin’ in.” He looked at me. “Assumin’ Sugarcube here’s appetite don’t increase further.”
“Hey!” I replied. “That ain’t funny!”
Ma took to laughing. “I think that’s the longest sentence you’ve ever spoken, Big Mac!”
“It ain’t!” he replied. “The very longest was that time Ah did Joyce. 3,687 words. Longest sentence in the English language”.
I inwardly groaned. I remembered studying that, and finding it a piece of absolute nonsense. “That’s a lotta words ta say in one go,” I said.
“Especially given he usually only gives one-word answers!” Applejack laughed.
Big Mac turned bright red. This was only a small shift in colour shade given his skin tone, but we got the message.
Once we had finished, and I had helped clear away the plates, Ma asked to see me.
“Apple Bloom, about tonight,” she began.
“Yeah?” I answered.
“How many of you will there be taking part in this event of yours?”
“There’s six of us. Mahself, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Rumble, Pipsqueak, and Button Mash.”
“Where are you planning on doing things?”
“Down in the basement. We can easily rig up a projector and link up Sweetie Belle’s laptop to project onta the back wall.”
“Will you need refreshment?”
I cursed mentally. We’d already been through this bit. “Ah asked the girls-ah mean the others-to bring popcorn. Ah suppose some cider wouldn’t hurt.”
When I saw the look on Ma’s face, I quickly added, “Soft, of course.”
“Before you go to have your meeting, I’ll be cooking you some dinner. How does Apple Family pizza sound?”
That set off my taste buds. “They’ll like that idea, Ah’m sure.”
Ma smiled again. “That’s all. But don’t stay up too late, you’ve got school tomorrow!”
“Got it!” I called back, heading for the kitchen and running for the door.
Big Mac dropped me off at the park, where Sweetie Belle and Em-Scootaloo!-were waiting.
“Hi!” Sweetie Belle called.
“Nice to see you again Bloom!” Scootaloo answered.
“Ah’m so glad the Crusaders could meet again,” I said. “So then, what are we gonna do this week?”
“Explore the tomb of Ahuizotl?” Sweetie Belle suggested. “Hopefully we’ll get out before Stalwart Stallion locks us in!”
“It’s Mojo,” Scootaloo corrected. “And I think we’ve already done that. How about we journey to the city of clouds, and do battle with Sky Pirates?”
“We already did that Scoots!” I pointed out. “Why not try outer space?”
“An adventure with aliens?” Scootaloo nodded. “Sure, why not?”
“I hope they’re not xenomorphs,” Sweetie Belle added, shaking a little.
“Technically they’re not called xenomorphs,” Scootaloo added. “That was just a bit of nonsensical babble from Gorman.”
“How are ya even old enough ta have seen that?” I asked, before, realising my sentence made no sense.
“When my dad’s around, we sometimes watch films together. Besides, it not that scary or gory,” Scootaloo countered.
“Rarity has enough trouble with me watching railway videos on YouTube,” Sweetie Belle noted.
“Why?” I asked. “There’d be no California without the railroad!”
“She thinks it is, quote, ‘most unladylike to use or be interested in such smoky machines’,” Sweetie Belle said, in the (deliberately) worst British accent I had ever heard. I should know, I used to be British!
“Well, fiddlesticks to that!” Scootaloo exclaimed, and we fell about laughing.
Well, our exploration of the abandoned space station was a success, although it was infested with horrifying monsters. Naturally, we fought our way out of the station, and on our escape, we blew the thermic regulator, destroying it utterly and ending the alien threat forever (or at least, until we needed another adventure),
That took most of the afternoon, and a truck came by, with Grand Pear at the wheel.
“What’s happened Grandpa?” I asked, as we got in.
“Yer father’s had an accident with one of the machines,” he groaned. “He hit his head on the shaker and it knocked him out.”
“Is he OK?” I asked, panicked.
“He’s fine, but he’s got a bit of amnesia,” Grand Pear replied. “He’s got most of it, but there are some gaps.”
Scootaloo looked at me nervously. “I hope he’s OK, because my family owes him a lot.”
“We fixed the hole where the rain got in, right?” I asked.
“Did you?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Yeah.”
We arrived back at the house to start setting up for the evening. Down the basements, we began pushing the old furniture around to clear space for the seating. This included pushing a pair of platforms into place to create racked seating, for the cinema affect.
Next came assembling the screen.
“No, Scoots, the tripod does NOT go on the roof,” I pointed out.
“I know that!” she exclaimed. “Besides, you don’t seem to be having much luck yourself.”
“Sweetie Belle!” I called. “How’s the screen?”
“Mounted to the post, but we can’t unroll it yet.”
After Scootaloo had got the tripod in the right place, we mounted the post, and unrolled the projector screen. It was white, and covered a considerable space.
Now came the fun part. We powered up the projector, and linked the laptop into the machine. The display came up-blank.
“There’s no picture!” Sweetie Belle despaired. “This is terrible!”
Scootaloo looked around the front. “The screen lock is engaged.” She pushed the catch back, and the picture came up on the test card. This was really Sweetie Belle’s screensaver, a gif of 611 running past the camera.
“When was that recorded?” I asked.
“The 1994 season, when it was last operational,” Sweetie Belle replied.
I kicked myself. 611 won’t come back until next year!
Satisfied that everything was ready, we relaxed for a bit in the living room, until there was a knock at the door.
I ran to answer it. At the other side were Pip, Rumble and Button Mash.
“Howdy y’all!” I called, as I let them in.
“We good to go for tonight?” Button asked.
“That we are!” I replied. “We can’t start until after dinner.” We sat down, and it was interesting to observe how their faces turned red when they came into closer contact. Of course, I knew how I felt about Pip, which made my amusement at how the others were blushing a little hypocritical, but we happy together as friends, and potentially something more...
My thoughts were shaken free when Ma called us. “Dinner’s ready!”
We went to the table to enjoy our meal together. The pizza was absolutely delicious; one of the benefits of being the daughter of an amazing cook, after all. The conversation flowed like good (soft) cider, and great fun was had by all.
“So, how’s Thunderlane?” Scootaloo asked.
“He’s fine, thanks,” Rumble replied. “He’s going for the Wonderbolts, and if he manages that, then he’s really made it.”
“Tell him I wish him the best,” Scootaloo answered.
I noticed that Button and Sweetie Belle hadn’t said anything in a while. I looked over and simply saw the two of them gazing into each other’s eyes, noticeably blushing.
“Erm, hello?” I asked. “Earth to Sweetie Belle?”
She shook her head in surprise. “Sorry, Button and I were just...ya know.”
Ma came over. “You know, Mac and I were just like you two when we were dating.”
“We’re not like that!” Button protested.
“Sure ya are,” I snorted.
“Says you!” Rumble exclaimed. “Scoots came across you kissing Pip!”
I went crimson. Pip seemed totally oblivious to this fact.
“Well, I do love her, I admit,” he said.
Another awkward (and dare I say, jovial) conversation later, we trooped downstairs to partake of the evening’s event. Sweetie Belle put the disk in the computer, and set it running. She then started her camera and pointed it at us.
“Hello, everybody! This is Sweetie Belle!”
“Scootaloo here!”
“And Ah’m Apple Bloom! We are the CMC!”
“The Canterlot Movie Club!” we chorused, and high-fived together.
“This evening, we have some special guests to join us,” Sweetie Belle continued, rotating the camera as she did so.
“I’m Pipsqueak!” said Pip.
“Rumble, at your service.”
“Hi. I’m Button Mash. I’m 12 years old, and I like-”
“Yes, thank you Button,” Scootaloo interrupted. “Today’s entry is What’s Up .”
“This movie has a curious history,” Sweetie Belle continued. “It appeared in 2010, and probably looks like a knockoff of Up , but the two films have almost nothing in common.”
“If everyone’s ready,” I said, with a smile, “let’s go!”
The film was a most puzzling experience.
“That plot made no sense,” Rumble observed.
“Yeah, many of the scenes felt like they solely existed to draw out the runtime, and the audio editing was dreadful!” Button added.
“It could have been animated a lot better,” Pip added. “I’m pretty certain that metal doesn’t bend in that matter. You know, the Eiffel Tower scene?”
“What was with the rampant racism?” I asked. “They were unnecessarily harsh on that French guy, and the Chinese one felt a little...stereotyped.”
“A little?” Scootaloo asked. “That last line was needlessly cruel, not to mention the dialogue sucked.”
Sweetie Belle shrugged. “It certainly had its comedy value, but I wouldn’t watch again. Besides, the studio that made it, Video Brinquedo , solely exists to make knockoff films. It makes The Asylum look high budget, and that’s saying something!”
“Please, I still haven’t forgotten Transmorphers !” Scootaloo begged.
“Or American Warships ,” I added.
“The film that parodies was pretty terrible,” Rumble noted.
“So, what do you want us to watch next time?” asked Sweetie Belle to the camera. “Let us know in the comments. Until then, see ya!”
She turned the camera off, and ejected the disk. “I’m thankful that’s over,” she said. “It was awful!”
“Agreed,” Button said.
Suddenly, there was a call from upstairs. “Guys, your parents are here!”
One by one, my friends went on their way. I always felt sad when my friends were not around. It was as if a piece of me was missing. Those three filled a piece of my heart that I didn’t even know was missing, and we would stay together until the end of time.
As I got ready for bed, I reflected on the fact that I’d only known them for a few months, but it was the closest I had ever been to anyone in my life.
I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Little did I know, but our friendship would be put to the ultimate test.
Author's Note
Please welcome rainbowdash1 as Bright Mac!
Our first big story arc starts tomorrow. Keep an eye out!
The bus rattled up the road out of Canterlot and sped out onto the highway. They had a few hours journey, and the folks onboard relaxed as the ride commenced.
Seated relatively near the front were the Rainbooms, the old friends who had saved the world on three occasions so far.
“What do ya think we’ll get up to?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I imagine it will be a good time to relax. It’s been a very busy year,” Rarity nodded.
“Yeah, given all the dimensional stuff, learnin’ mah sister was from another world, and takin’ down demons, it’ll be nice to have a break.” Applejack glanced back toward the back of the bus once again.
“You’re looking back there a lot!” Sunset Shimmer commented.
“Nervous habit,” Applejack replied.
Something clearly wasn’t right, but that wasn’t the concern for now, as Twilight had nodded off. Up ahead the speed changed, and a lorry shot across the road with a heavy load.
“Shit!” Discord brakes hard, and the bus slammed to a halt just in time. “Sorry about that.”
“Owww, my nose,” came a muffled voice from the back.
Discord looked around. “Who said that?” he asked.
“Sweetie Belle, keep it down!” said another voice.
Discord got up from the driver’s seat, walked back along the bus and took a look in the back row.
There, dressed in their camping outfits, were Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom.
“We’ll deal with you three later,” he said, sounding displeased. He then turned around and walked back to the front of the bus, sitting down and accelerating forward. The bus rolled along for a few miles before pulling over into a layby.
Principal Celestia looked surprised, but otherwise had no reaction. Discord killed the engine, and motioned to the three middle-schoolers. They stepped forward with awkward looks on their faces.
Applejack motioned to Rarity and Rainbow Dash, and they stepped out after their sisters onto the tarmac.
Discord looked at the three younger students with a deep look of disapproval.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded. “You’re not on the student list!”
“We wanted to come,” Scootaloo said, as if it wasn’t obvious.
“But why sneak onto the bus? It's dangerous if students are unaccounted for! What possessed you three to do this?”
“Er, we’re partly responsible fer that,” said Applejack, raising her voice. Rainbow Dash and Rarity also had awkward expressions on their faces, as if they’d been caught doing something they shouldn’t.
“Who wants to go first?” Discord asked.
Apple Bloom raised her hand. “Well, it all began last night...”
12 hours earlier...
“Why, ma, why?” Applejack asked. I could clearly hear my sister and mother arguing in the next room.
“Because she’s too young, that’s why,” Ma replied. “I don’t want her getting hurt up there.”
“ Ya let Big Mac go when he was twelve, so why not Sugarcube ?”
“That was different. Big Mac was a lot more mature than Apple Bloom is, and you know how those three are. They’ll just cause chaos the entire time!”
“Not while Ah’m there,” Applejack cut in. “She wouldn’t dare misbehave when Ah’m around.”
“Can you be sure of that?” Ma said again. “And what happens if she slips on a rock wall? Besides, we lost her so recently, I don’t want to lose her again!”
“And we’ve been neglectin ’ her fer too long!” Applejack thundered. “She ain’t a little kid anymore; all that Crusadin ’ she does is more than proof she can care fer herself!”
“Playing in a park is different to going out into the world. I honestly fear the day she leaves the nest, as I’ll have no purpose anymore. I’ve devoted most of my life to raising you three, and I will not let her get lost in the woods and get hurt!”
Applejack sighed, exasperated . “Ah can see this is getting' nowhere. Well, Ah’ll go tell my little sis that her ma is so stubborn she won’t even treat her like the responsible kid she is!”
I went up to my room, feeling down in my heart. Applejack stepped in after me.
“Well, that were a load of horseapples !” she said quietly, hoping nobody would overhear.
“ Thanks fer tryin ’,” I said. “But looks like Ah’ll be here alone whilst y’all are havin ’ fun.” My eyes began to feel a little wet.
Applejack drew me into a hug. “Ah know how much ya wanted to go on this trip, sugarcube ,” she said. “But Ah have a plan.”
Suddenly, her phone buzzed, and she received two texts.
“Rarity: Mah parents refuse to let Sweetie Belle go ta Camp Everfree . Ridiculous, she’s been a good girl all year!”
She then opened the next one. “Rainbow Dash: Scootaloo’s aunts won’t let her go! This is stupid, Squirt’s been lookin ’ forward to this for months!”
Applejack then smiled. She typed something into a message box for both of them.
“What ya doin ’, sis?” I asked.
“We’re gonna get ya to Camp Everfree ,” she smiled. “Even if it requires unconventional methods.”
The next morning rolled around at last, and Applejack came in to get me up and pack my bag.
“Let’s see, bathin ’ suit, sunscreen, changes o’ clothes, bug spray, hmmm, Ah’m Ah forgettin ’ anythin ’?”
“ Mah phone charger,” I replied. “They do have electricity there, right?”
“Limited connection ta the National Grid,” my sister replied. “But ya shouldn't have power issues.”
We bundled our bags together, and headed out of the house. I was dressed mostly in my usual outfit, but I had switched my usual shirt for one that was dark green, had a collar, and rolled-up sleeves. I’d also taken a pith helmet to protect my head from sunbeams. We loaded our stuff into the truck, and set off into the distance, toward our adventure.
“So,” I finished, “Our stuff was loaded first, and we were put on the back seat.”
Discord sighed. “Well, it’s too late to take you three back now. But your parents will be informed the moment we get there. Understand?”
“We’ll be the ones doing that,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Our parents deserve ta know.”
Discord sighed. “Brilliant. Well, we might as well get going again.”
We re-boarded the bus, and Discord set off again with a grumble.
Just then, Twilight shot awake, screaming loudly. “STOOOOOP!”
Pinkie Pie laughed. “We can’t stop, silly, we’re almost there!”
“Hey, are you okay?” I heard Sunset Shimmer ask.
“Heh. I'm fine.” Twilight sounded less than convinced.
" We are gonna have so much fun!” Pinkie Pie cried. “We're gonna roast marshmallows and eat marshmallows and sleep on marshmallow pillows!” She threw some marshmallows into the air to make that point clear.
Rainbow Dash groaned. “Yeah, probably not gonna do that, eh squirt?”
“Go Rainbow!” Scootaloo cried.
“Maybe you're not,” Pinkie laughed.
Then, Principal Celestia stepped up to address us, in doing so violating highway laws. “ Attention, students!” she said in that warm, yet authoritative voice we were used to. “We're almost there. But before we arrive, we just wanted to say how proud we are of you for raising enough money to go on this class field trip.”
Luna smiled. “When we were your age, we made some of our favourite memories in these woods, and we're sure you will, too.”
“Now who's excited for Camp Everfree?!” Celestia called with excitement.
The students cheered. Much like at the Friendship Games, the sound of music floated through the air, as we all stepped up to start singing.
“Well, we might as well join in,” I said. “C’mon Crusaders, let’s show ‘em what we can do!”
We arrived at Camp Everfree that afternoon. Boy were we excited to be there. But there was one matter to deal with first. Applejack dialled her mother and waited for the call to connect.
“Howdy Applejack!” came the voice of Granny Smith. “You arrive safely?”
“Yeah,” Applejack said. “Look, Ah got a confession ta make.”
“Well, that explains why the gate was unlocked.”
“No, not that. Ah brought Apple Bloom with me.”
“That’s the best joke ya told in ages, Applejack!”
My sister sighed, and switched the phone onto speaker.
“Hi Granny,” I said.
“What?” the old woman snapped. "How’d you get there? Ah’m gonna tan yer hide for this, so hard ya will need a second skin!”
“There’s no need for that,” said another voice. It was Pa! "You two OK?”
“We just got ta Camp Everfree,” Applejack said.
“Ah haveta say, sneakin ’ Apple Bloom aboard was mighty crafty,” he replied. "But when ya get back, yer both grounded fer a week, understood?”
“Yes Pa,” I said.
“Now to stop Big Mac from goin ’ and breakin ’ yer computer,” Pa said. "And Applejack’s.”
“If he so much as moves a disk on mah desk, he’ll regret it!” Applejack thundered.
“Noted,” Pa said. " Ah’ll also make sure Granny don’t beat ya when ya get back.”
“ Yer such a softy!” said another voice at the end of the line.
“It hurts a lot and doesn’t work!” Pa groaned. “Look, I gotta go, have fun, bye!” The line ended.
I jogged over to my friends. “It go well for ya?” I asked.
“So grounded,” Scootaloo groaned.
“Rarity’s already planning the outfits she’ll be modelling on me,” Sweetie Belle groaned. I had to admit she looked pretty in her camping kit, which looked fairly similar to Rarity’s, but the colours were purple shorts, and a pink sleeveless shirt with the Camp Everfree logo on it. Scootaloo was dressed similarly to me, having swapped her hoodie for a green collared shirt.
“At least they ought ta look good on ya,” I said, unhelpfully.
“I know it’ll take her at least three hours on each,” Sweetie Belle continued. “And I won’t be permitted internet access except for homework.”
“At least it’s only for a week,” Scootaloo said hopefully.
“And we can speak ta each other,” I noted. “So it won’t be too bad.”
Just then, the intercom went, a loud, noisy system no longer fit for purpose.
“Hey, everyone! If you could start heading to the courtyard, that would be rad! It's time to start the best week of camp ever!”
The brief was incredibly boring. As Gloriosa Daisy rattled on, well into her 40th minute, Scootaloo poked me and pointed into the forest.
“Let’s go!” she said.
“Wait, what?” Sweetie Belle asked, before we suddenly headed off into the forest, and off on another adventure.
But we weren’t alone. Not at all.
Author's Note
Well, here goes the new story arc. Hope you enjoy it.
