Author's Note

Firstly, I'd like to thank my proofreader and friend The Blue EM2 for co-authoring this chapter. And, to make more sense of who Apple Bloom is I'd suggest you read

TAn Apple a Day

• Equestria Girls
• Adventure
• Comedy
• Thriller

Of all the people it had to happen to...

• Sex
• Big Mac
• Granny Smith
• OC
• Applejack (EqG)
• Pear Butter

The Blue EM2 · 20k words  ·  58  20 · 1.1k views

It's a great story and it will help you make more sense of this story. Also, I'm extending the deadline for the cameo challenge from last chapter, you will be able to submit your answers until the next chapter is posted. Remember to submit your answers in a PM. Also, last chapter's and this chapter's titles come from a Christian song. If you can guess the song, you'll get an free sneak peek at the next chapter.
WARNING:
If you are depressed and are looking for a comical story to read, this chapter is not for you. Consider yourself warned.

...Where Hope Can Be Found

"You ain't from around here, are you?" The young girl, who I recognize as Apple Bloom says while leaning against a locker.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say a little too quickly. She's really throwing me into uncharted territory.

"Well, you were talkin' like ya knew what Sunset were about ta say. Care ta explain that?" She counters.

"Er, um. Lucky guess?" I say. Knowing it's a weak argument, if that.

"Ah don't think so. Y'all'll be celebratin' soon, but Sunset'll make ya look a right fool online this evenin', and then attempt ta kill ya with a fireball!" She says waving her hands for effect I'd guess.

Then something she said makes me think.
"Wait, how do you know that? And I doubt that she'll make me look quite that foolish." I say with bravado.

She stands up and winks at me, saying, "Ya ain't the only one who knows we're livin' in a movie. So what did he look like?"

I rub my chin and allow that to sink in. Then my eyes widen as I realize what she's insinuating. "What did who look like? You mean?..."

"Did ya go ta Bronycon, get sold somethin' by a creepy guy or gal and then turn inta whichever character ya were dressed as?" She says, which confirms my suspicions.

"No," I admit. "I was dressed as my OC, Misty Rose. But I did buy a Twilight crown and journal from a creepy dude. I hope Annabelle is ok. My 'real' name is Katrina Miller."

"Oh boy, this bit'll be really hard ta explain." She says with awkwardness in her voice.

"What do you mean? I mean, you're just like me. Right?" I say with confusion.

"Not really." She says hesitantly "It's a tad embarrasin' ta explain, Ah'll admit, but Ah weren't a girl before this mess happened."

It takes about thirty seconds before this sinks in. My eyes widen as the reality sinks in. "Um..."

Her, (or I guess technically his,) face is as red as her, (redundant,) namesake. "Pinkie promise y'all tell nobody else?"

Heat rushes into my face as well. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." I say sincerely.

I hear her, (You know, I'm just gonna say her,) let out a breath she must have been holding. "Thanks. Ya said it were yer OC ya were dressed as, right? Why didn't ya become her?"

She does make a good point. "Your guess is as good as mine. Though I trust that God has a plan for this. '"For I know the plans I have for you," Declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future full of hope."' Jeremiah 29:11." I say/quote.

"Somebody who knows there Bible backwards, huh? How many times are we told it is the 'Word a' God'?" She asks casually.

I think for a moment, "More times than I can count. But John 1:1-5 comes to mind. 'In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.' That's the New Living Translation, or NLT. So you're a Christian too?" I ask, truly curious to find out if she's more of an ally than I originally thought.

"Yup. What do ya expect when ya come from a Southern family?
Wait, what am Ah sayin'? This'll start happenin' ta you too! Y'all'll become just like the character you are!"

I bite my lip so hard I taste blood "I really hope not. But if it's God's will for me, so be it." I say with conviction.

"Sheesh. Next thin' ya know, ya'll be greetin' folks with 'everypony'. Anyways, take mah warnin'. Sunset's gonna try somethin' at the Fall Formal, so be prepared." She says, obviously trying to help.

"I know. I'll do my best to keep an eye on Spike. So, what was your name before all of this crazy stuff happened?" I ask truly curious.

"Tom Haddington. As ya probably picked up, Ah was a guy who liked Apple Bloom. Yer not the only one who left a siblin' behind." I will truly pray for her sibling she left behind.

"How do you know Annabelle is my sister? And what's your sibling's name?" I say before realizing that I let the cat out of the bag.

"Rebecca. Ah actually saw her after Ah... changed, and she... she thought Ah was just some mad cosplayer tryin' ta hit on her."

Oof, I wince at that. "Ouch. Thank God I passed out in the bathroom and woke up here." I say thanking God for his small mercies.

"Which way did it go? Older or younger?" Apple Bloom interjects.

It takes me a minute to understand what she's asking. "Actually I'm around the same age as Twilight seems to be. How about you?" I ask.

"Lost eight years, like in those weird age regression stories." She says.

It makes me think about how this can happen and I feel an insatiable desire to research it. "Hmm. Interesting. I'm going to research that once I get back to Equestria."

"See? You are talkin' like her!" She exclaims.

"But I..." I try to deny what's happening, yet I sigh in defeat. "You're right. Yet I can promise myself one thing. I will never forget God or what he's done for me." I say stomping my foot.

"Maybe this is all just fate after all. Ah kinda just bumbled from day ta day, but now Ah have somethin' ta really look ahead for.
Besides, Pip is pretty cute." She says while turning a light pink.

"I thought you were a guy. And I believe that God has a plan for us. Maybe we need to be here for 'such a time as this.'" I say, then I realize that what I said could be hurtful to her. So I quickly amend saying, "I'm sorry if that seemed rude. I just have a hard time dealing with homosexuality. God is working on me though."

"That's where it gets wierd! Ah was a guy and liked girls, but when Ah woke up from after bein' hit by a door, first thin' Ah knew Ah had the hots fer Pip! Probably because Ah'm female now.
Wait, did you switch genders?" She asks with a confused look on her face.

"No. I've been a female since God formed me in my mother's womb. I guess it would be odd since now you are genetically a girl if you liked girls. Again I'm sorry for the rude words." I apologize again.

"Eh, no worries. Have ya encountered anybody else like this? If there's at least two, there may be more out there!" She says with hope written on her face.

"No." I say regretfully "Otherwise I would of played my hand a little more subtly. But that's not to say that there aren't any others." I say trying to reassure her.

"Ah well. If we're the only ones here, at least we ain't goin' through it alone." She says with a slight smile on her face.

"Amen sister. Or is it brother? Um, could you do me a favor?" I say as an idea 'sparkles' in my head.

"Probably sister right now. What da y'all need doin'?" She asks curiously.

"So, you know when Sunset puts on the crown in the movie and gets turned into a terrifying She-Daemon? Do you think you and your friends could help me?" I ask.

"What do ya need? Ah'm all ears." She says sincerely.

"So here's what I'm thinking..."

After talking strategy with AB, I realize I have no idea where the library is. So I decide to ask AB. "Hey, would you show me how to get to the library?"

"Sure thin', follow me!" She says while motioning for me to follow her.

"Thank you. Hey, did you have to fly in for Brony-Con?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Yup. Flight was kinda lon' too." She says while stretching a bit. I understand, I hated flying to Brony-Con.

"What part of America did you fly in from? I flew in from Topeka, Kansas." I ask, trying to get to know her.

"Ah weren't American. Ah flew in from London." She says politely.

Oops. I really put my foot in my mouth. "Oh, cool." I say with excitement in my voice. I've always wanted to meet someone from the UK. "What denomination are you? I'm protestant, though I attend a non-denominational church."

"Mah original pa was a Methodist, and Ah suppose Ah am too." She answers.

I decide against voicing my opinion on that, So I say "Hmm. Interesting. So, how long have you been a Brony?"

"Since it began. Ah were babysittin' Rebecca, and she wanted ta watch it as a good show," She says while making air quotes. "Ah thought it'd be awful!"

"Don't most Bronies?" I ask in a teasing tone.

"Touche. If ya told me that Ah'd like a show about pastel coloured ponies, Ah'd have called ya crazy!" She says smiling.

"Yeah, I hear you. My friend Mark, likes MLP, that's how we became friends. But I've watched every generation of MLP. Believe it or not." I reply. Remembering watching them fills me with nostalgia.

"Phewee! Ah weren't even alive when it started!" She says in shock I'd guess.

"Me either. But my mom was. And she introduced me to the first generations."

"That's better than mine. They mocked me over it and loudly told relatives once."

I feel my eyes widen in shock that family would do that. "Oh my. That had to hurt." My heart hurts for her.

"They eventually stopped, but Ma- Mom made a joke out of it a few days before Ah left fer Baltimore." Her eyes fill up with tears as she finishes, "And Ah never had a chance ta say goodbye!"

"Neither did I." I say fighting sobs. "I miss my father and mother and my siblings." I say before completely breaking into uncontrollable sobs.

I feel her arm wrap around me as she tries to comfort me. "Hey, Ah'm certain we'll find a way back someday."

I sniff and wipe my eyes and say, "I hope so. Thank you."

"No problem. Ah know what yer goin' through." She says wiping her own eyes.

"I'm glad for that." I say with a grateful smile, then I say to defuse any new tears, "Just so you know, I took a typing class last school year, So I won't have the whole fists on the keyboard thing." I smile.

"Thank heavens. But Sunset's real good at video editin'." She peeks through the library door and says, "Sorry, mah friends are in there. Mind if Ah join 'em?"

"No. And AB." I say mysteriously.

"Erm, yes?" She says with confusion.

"Remember to wait to sing along with the chorus after I come out." I say as I walk through the door and to the computer. I obviously don't need to use it as I know exactly what I need, but I choose to see if they have any info on Sunset, I mean, we know very little about her before Rainbow Rocks. I find a "My Stable" profile, whatever the heck that is, on her. I browse around for a good fifteen minutes, tuning out everything else. Shortly after I look for the Yearbook and I let Spike out of my backpack. I don't grab a ton of books and I don't go near the copier, so I'm not sure what, if anything, Sunset will have on me. I did trip a couple times, even though I was quite dexterous on my feet before I came here, (I was even a ballerina,) so I don't know what happened, I have no logical explanation for this, and that bugs me more than I'd care to admit.

Anyhoo, hours pass and the school closes. and I go looking for the roof exit after I see that Spike is sleeping. I find it, and walk outside. I take a deep breath, and I exhale slow. I allow myself to think about what a, (seemingly,) mess today has been. I think about my mom Beth, my dad Steve and my siblings Annabelle, Abby, and Charlie. Me and Annabelle used to go by Katy and Annie so all of us Miller kids had a eee sound at the end of our names. I miss them so much. I feel tears run down my cheeks as I begin to sing.

"I have to find a way,
To make it home ok,
I can't believe this one small thing,
Could of changed everything.
Oh why,
Oh why,

Something is wrong, it's plain to see,
This isn't how it's meant to be,
Only one can see it how I can,
This was not part of my plan,
Oh why,
Oh why,

Losing family,
I don't know what to do,
Seeking answers,
I fear I won't get home, to you,
I'll try,
I'll try,
I'll try,
I'll try."

"This all leaves me to wonder,
Can hope be found here?"