What Dreams May Take Shapeby ThatHandsomeDevilChaptersPrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Prologue-”There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it.” -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman The Everfree Forest, Ponyville’s own natural anomaly, was no easier to brave the depths of in the evening than it was any other time of the day. Especially if you were all alone, and a filly to boot. The sun had yet to go down, but the thick treetops blocked out much of the vital sunlight little fillies like Apple Bloom needed to not be scared senseless. Shadows were thrown in the worst possible ways across tangled vegetation, their appearance made threatening by nothing more than the placement of light. Animals with no caretakers whatsoever hooted and hollered in the depths of the trees, and, worst of all, terrible monsters that could only exist in such a strange place lay in wait, ready to strike at the first scent of fresh meat. Apple Bloom was scared, sure, but she had something to prove. She was a brave little filly, consarn it, and she would collect those ingredients for Zecora! As she trotted through the unkempt grass, her muzzle lowered to the ground to look closely for a particular flower, she recalled what the Zebra had told her. “Alrighty, Miss Zecora, ah reckon this potion is close to bein’ done, right?” The enthusiastic little filly exclaimed, eyeing the bright purple glowing potion as it bubbled in Zecora’s cauldron, splashing the walls with neon colors. As Zecora had earlier explained, the potion was a happiness potion, meant to lift a poor depressed pony out of the dumps. A pleasant fragrance, tinged with notes of lavender and berry, wafted up from the mixture. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but let out a sound of approval as she breathed in the amiable scent. Zecora, turning back from her recipe book, chuckled in a knowing way at the filly. “Ah yes, my dear little Apple Bloom, this mixture can also be a special perfume! With just the right ingredients, it makes some very special scents!” “Ah can tell! This smells better than Granny Smiths old fashioned Apple Spice cake, and that there’s some mighty good eatin’!” “Of this, little filly, I have no doubt but of one ingredient, I am all out! The last ingredient that I require, is one you know, Heart’s Desire!” “You talkin’ about that flower that made me get all them crazy cutie marks?” Apple Bloom asked, unable to resist turning her head to look at the spot where a cutie mark would rest, were she not still a blank flank. “Ah know it’s out there in the forest... Could I get you some more?” “Indeed, that is the very one and we need more for my potion.” Can I trust you, little Apple Bloom to get this flower in the forest’s gloom?” “‘Course you can, Zecora! I’ll getcha that flower lickety split! The sound of a twig snapping under Apple Bloom’s hoof yanked her back into the present faster than apples falling off an Applejack-bucked tree. She nearly leapt out of her fur, looking all around wildly for a sinister creature that might have been lying in wait. Spying no Tartarus-esque creature that aimed to snack on her innards, she continued along the grassy path, shivering as though there were Windigo’s nipping at her hooves. In Applebloom’s fright, she barely noticed the quiet crunching sound of a healthy flower beneath her hooves. Looking down, she noticed she had trotted right over a flower of Heart’s Desire! Wayta go, AB, ya silly little filly, the frightened pony thought to herself as she haphazardly plucked the flower from the ground with her teeth and turned in the direction she had came, galloping as fast as her little legs could take her back to the sanctuary of Zecora’s hut. After delivering the flower to a very pleased Zecora, Apple Bloom made an excuse about needing to get back to Sweet Apple Acres before Applejack began to worry, and ran out of the Everfree Forest at a speed that would make even Rainbow Dash envious. Making it back to Sweet Apple Acres in record time, Apple Bloom spied her older sister working the South field, digging up a plot of earth to plant another apple tree. The location was strange, though; It was in the center of a clear patch of earth, free from the crowding of the hundreds of other trees that occupied the fertile land. “Heya, sis! Whatcha doin out here so late in the day? The sun’s gonna be down soon!” Apple Bloom asked as she trotted up to her sister. “Hey there, lil’ filly. Shucks, the mailmare just came by with a special gift from Braeburn. It’s a seed from Bloomberg! “Oh... Bloomberg, huh?” Applebloom felt a little uneasy now, knowing that, however clear-headed her sister may usually be, she seemed to have an unnatural amount of affection for that particular tree. “Darn tootin’! So ah’m plantin’ this here little seed so that it can grow up to be a big strong apple tree jus’ like Bloomberg!” Applejack said, smiling just a little too brightly. “Can ah help?” Apple Bloom asked, always excited to give her big sis a helping hand. “Heh. Well, the job is already half finished, slowpoke. But ah’ll tell ya what. You can put the seed in the ground and cover it up, okay?” Apple Bloom did as she was instructed, taking the delicate seed and dropping it into the patch of dirt Applejack had dug, pushing the pile of dirt back into position. As she did so, a single petal of Heart’s Desire that had clung to her hoof when she tread on the flower was rubbed off, and mixed in with the dirt. As the dirt filled the hole again, the seed touched the petal, and the magic in the petal began to imbue the seed. Neither of the Apple sister’s noticed, and they began to walk back towards the farmhouse to eat their supper. Behind them, a green sapling slowly wormed its way out from under the dirt. Chapter 1The next day, Friday, was a rainy school day for little Apple Bloom. Angry gray clouds brought with them surprisingly calm droplets of water that softly pattered on the window sill of the little classroom where Miss Cheerilee taught her students. It was recess, and since the rain was pouring down outside the schoolhouse, the fillies and colts were having their playtime indoors. Apple Bloom was busy at her desk, pencil in mouth, as she sketched in her little green notebook. Artistry had always been a hobby of hers, but never one she excelled at. During the CMC’s unintentionally dreadful (and hilarious) act at the talent show, Apple Bloom had shirked off artistic responsibilities for her friend Sweetie Belle, whom she knew had a flair for the dramatic, much like her older sister, Rarity. In truth, it had always been Apple Bloom’s deepest desire to be talented in the ways of the brush and pencil. But she could never find a way to truly express the things she felt inside. But artistry was still her passion, and so, despite her shortcomings, she kept her pencil and her hopes held high. By the end of recess, there was a sketch of the hillside out the window in the middle of the drowsy downpour, obviously sketched by an amateur, with few honest suggestions of deeper talent. Apple Bloom sighed dejectedly. She knew her art was rubbish. She doubted it would ever change much, even if she tried her hardest. Some ponies were just born with the ability to create beautiful illusions, and some ponies just couldn’t. Despite this knowledge, Applebloom didn’t give up, because creating art that satisfied her need to leave her mark on the world, no matter how small that mark might be, was more important to her than being talented in it. The bell to signify that recess was over rang out , and the students scurried back to their desks. Apple Bloom quickly placed her notebook back into her bag, hoping that no one would notice what she was trying to make. Miss Cheerilee called the class back to order, making her way back up to the front of the blackboard. After class, the rain had finally stopped, but the clouds had yet to go away. Drops of water dripped from the roof of the schoolhouse, and pools of water formed on the muddy trail that led down the hill. Apple Bloom was walking ahead of most of the group, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon a little ways behind. As usual, they were spouting their usual snooty banter. Apple Bloom was so busy trying to shut it out, she didn’t notice the slick mud puddle under her hoof. As soon as her hoof hit the brown puddle, Apple Bloom slipped, tumbling over hard, her book bag falling off of her back and into a nearby puddle. Before she had time to recover, Apple Bloom saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walk over to the puddle, Diamond Tiara snickering as she lifted Apple Bloom’s flipped-open sketchbook, lying face-up in the puddle. “Well, what have we here?” She said in a sinister voice, flipping through the pages as Silver Spoon looked on, their giggles get progressively more drawn out as they went from drawing to drawing. “Stop it! Don’ lookit those!” Apple Bloom said, struggling to pull herself up from the mud. But it was already much too late. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were yucking it up now, laughing at a ridiculously proportioned portrait of Granny Smith. Apple Bloom’s face was covered with mud and tears as she pulled herself up and galloped over to the two bullies, who responded with “Looks like someone isn’t getting her cutie mark in art, is she?”. Diamond Tiara tossed the notebook back into the puddle, floating face up with the rest of Apple Bloom’s school supplies. Apple Bloom continued sobbing as she looked on at her waterlogged notebook, the sketches inside ruined forever. Her face was dirty and messy, streaked with brown. She began the task of pulling her school supplies from out of the puddle, throwing them back into her ruined book bag and slinging it onto her back, soaking herself in the process. Not that she cared anymore. Sure, her art was not the best, but it was hers. She put her heart and soul into what she made, even if it didn’t look the way it did in her mind. Apple Bloom plodded slowly the rest of the way home, dirty, downtrodden, and defeated. The only sound was the occasional whimper that escaped from between her lips as she continued to sob, even long after she had run out of tears. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s behavior had been atrocious, sure, but what if they were right? What if her art really was so bad that no one would ever care about it? What good was leaving your mark if no one would ever care to see it? Ah jus’ don’t know... Apple Bloom thought to herself as she passed through the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres, head hung too low to even notice that, out in the Southern Field, where there had once been a clear plot of circular land, now stood an almost fully-grown apple tree, with absolutely no leaves in its branches. The next day, Saturday, was work-day for the Apple Family. Today was work in the Northern fields. Every member was contributing more than their fair share, and progress was going smoothly. Despite that, it didn’t take long for Applejack to notice that her little sister was still down from last night, when she’d refused to speak to anypony. She had simply eaten her meal in silence, not looking up to any of the members of the family. If anypony tried to ask her about it, she simply replied “Ah can’t talk about it yet. Please, jus’ gimme some time.” She’d gone to bed right after that, and had gotten up along with everypony else as usual to do the chores. Applejack looked at her little sister, returning from placing a basket of apples by the cart. She figured now was as good a time as any to try and talk with her about it again. “Hey there, AB. Still feeling a lil’ down in the dumps, huh?” Applejack asked, trying to keep her tone light. “Yeah...” her little sister responded, her head aimed at the ground. “Ya ready to talk about it some, sugarcube?” Apple Bloom paused for a second, searching for the right words to say. “Sis... have ya ever felt like jus’ ‘cause there was somethin’ that you really wanted to do, dudn’t mean that you were meant ta do it?” “Is this about yer cutie mark again?” “No, not this time...” AJ was surprised, but, at the same time, more than slightly relieved that Apple Bloom’s problem didn’t have anything to do with that dadgum cutie mark for once. “So whaddya mean? Make some sense, pumpkin.” “I jus’ feel like what I love ain’t worth loving, ‘cause when I do it, nopony else appreciates it.” Applejack smiled at her sister. “Ah know that feelin’, lil’ sis. Shoot, that’s why ah went to Aunt and Uncle Orange’s so long ago, ‘cause I wanted to make somethin’ of mahself. Ah didn’ wanna jus’ live an’ that be it. Ah wanted to be able to do somethin’ that’d make a difference. Ah wanted to be a pony that’d change things.” “So what happened?” Apple Bloom asked, surprised that her big sister had felt the same way she had. “When ah realized how homesick ah was, ah had plenty ah time to think about other thing on my way home. One’a those things was what it meant to love somethin’. If you love somethin’, you jus’ do it, and you do it because ya’ love it, not ‘cause it’ll impress somepony else. And, everything ya do does make a difference, whether ya know it or not. And, maybe it won’t make that big of a difference. But maybe it don’t need to. Maybe it just needs to be somethin’ you want, granted it can’t go hurtin’ anypony else. But, as long as it ain’t, maybe that’s enough. Jus’ doin’ it because it feels right.” “Wow... That’s certain phil-oh-siph-icull of you, big sis.” Apple Bloom said playfully, having cheered up already. Applejack pulled her sibling into a hug, squeezing her tightly. “Aww, shush. Now come on, we gotta beat our old record, we got it in us!” For the rest of the day, the nagging thought that her sister might be wrong sat in the back of Apple Bloom’s mind, gradually wading through until it was at the forefront. Apple Bloom still wasn’t convinced. What good was it to do something you love if nopony would appreciate it? What good was it to waste your time on something if nopony ever saw it? How could that possibly be worth it? After the work day had finally come to an end, and the Apple Family was finally tucked into bed, Apple Bloom still lay awake, looking at the moon. It had been a clear day that day, and it looked to be the same way that evening. The silver light reflected off of the apple trees and the ground, painting an eerie, but beautiful picture. Looking at a night like that, it was easy to see why Luna was upset ponies did not appreciate her beautiful night. How Apple Bloom longed to paint a picture of that night. How she desired so to sketch the farm, to sketch anything, to CREATE. Unable to resist the desire, Apple Bloom fetched an unused notebook and pencil, nearly crying all over again at remembering that she had lost her old one after a day of distraction, and set off towards the South field. Sweet Apple Acres was unnerving at night, but, then again, this was not the first time Apple Bloom had wandered around the fields at night. She knew it better than any ol’ monster ever could, and she knew Applejack and Big Macintosh would protect her. The smell of grass, tree bark, and apples filled the filly’s nostrils as she made her way through the maze of trees, taking in the silver-tinged splendor that surrounded her. As Apple Bloom made her way to the edge of the tree line, something caught her eye. There was a tree there, full-grown, with no leaves. None at all. “What in tarnation?” The confused little filly thought, trotting over to its barren branches. Despite its eerie appearance, Apple Bloom could not help but feel compelled to sit underneath it. Somehow, sitting under the tree made her feel relaxed. At ease. Like everything was going to be okay. Beyond the tree sat the patch of dirt and then another row of trees. Apple Bloom retrieved her sketchbook and pencil, and she began drawing. No matter how hard she tried, though, she could not get it to look the way it looked in her mind. Tiredness of the mind and of the body overtook Apple Bloom as she laid against the tree to finally sleep, thinking to herself “I wish I could make something so beautiful, even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would be blown away...” Chapter 2Apple Bloom awoke that morning feeling like part of her was missing. She slowly worked her way off of the ground, dirt trapped here and there in her mane, and dusted on her cheek, as well. The smell of earth invaded her nostrils, along with another scent... A scent that reminded her ever so slightly of the potion that she had helped Zecora make only two days ago. But it smelled like something else. It smelt like grass after the rainfall, like the salty air of the sea, which Apple Bloom had only gotten to see once, while visiting cousins. She recalled wanting to sketch the angry leviathan of water the moment she laid eyes on it. Sometimes, she still wondered if such a chance would ever arise. Apple Bloom had dreamt a most peculiar dream that evening, sleeping under the apple tree with no leaves. It was not unpleasant, simply filled with a feeling of detachment the likes of which she could not understand nor explain. It felt like a very part of the essence of her being was being molded; shifted and changed into a single form, growing and filling itself out into a separate object entirely separate from her being. Like a piece of her heart had been snapped off and made into something different. Finally, after getting her bearings, Apple Bloom stood rather unsteadily on her hooves, turning around to get a better look at the peculiar tree she had fallen asleep at the base of the night before. Its branches were devoid of any sort of life, branches bare and leafless. However, it appeared to be healthy, almost giving off a radiance of its own. Definitely, however, the most perplexing feature of this tree was the single apple that Apple Bloom discovered hanging from a low branch on the other side of the tree. It was red, with splashes of bright blues, greens, and yellows, much too evenly colored and randomly placed to be part of any normal apple. Maybe it’s a new kind of Zap Apple tree? Apple Bloom thought to herself, examining the bark of the tree. It wasn’t a purplish tinge, like a Zap Apple tree would have, nor did it appear to have any sort of electrical discharge. For now, Apple Bloom dismissed the idea, and got a better look at the mysterious apple. While looks alone wouldn’t give it away as appealing, everything else about it did. The smell of the apple, fragrant and tinged with light spices, like apple cider, along with the things she’d been smelling before, and the strange, soft texture both felt welcoming to Apple Bloom, inviting her to take a single bite, the snake and the forbidden fruit of her Tree of Eden, in one dangerous combination. Apple Bloom felt a growling in her stomach, sending the rest of her body into a rumbling that convinced her that it was time to feast. She raised the apple to her lips, taking a single bite. She savored the taste of the fruit first. It was like all of the best tastes that reminded her of her home and her family and everything else rolled into one item. Apple pie and cider and fritters and tarts and everything else sweet and delicious. It even tasted like Zap Apple Jam! Apple Bloom wolfed down the fruit like a starved animal, the entire thing reduced to a core without seeds in less than 20 seconds. By the time she was done, Apple Bloom felt full; not only in her stomach, but in her heart, as well. Like the piece she couldn’t help but feel had been taken out the night previous had been placed back inside, stronger and better than ever. Apple Bloom remembered the sketch pad she had abandoned last night in favor of sleep. It lay beside the base of the tree, still clean besides a few brushes of dust that dotted the canvas. The yellow filly blew on the paper to scatter the dust away, viewing the previous night’s effort to sketch anything worth seeing. As always, the craftsmanship was shoddy. The true desire to create could be seen, but couldn’t be conveyed. Little Apple Bloom was overwhelmed with emotion. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed like she always came up empty handed. Her work and effort, her true desire to return something to the world, was for nothing! Was she so doomed to live with such inhibitions with no way to exhibit them? Such a thought was even worse than the thought of never earning her cutie mark, if such a thing was even possible... Still... Apple Bloom felt something new and different in her heart. A presence of warmth and strength that had not manifested until this moment. She felt a sudden urge to create anyhow, regardless of whether or not anyone ever saw it. To Tartarus with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon! If they were to live their lives in ignorance, then let them. What they thought of her was of no concern to her. She retrieved her pencil from the ground, focusing her artistic discretion on the strange tree. As Apple Bloom sketched, she felt a strange sensation almost tugging against her hoof like a piece of string attached to her nerves. Like there was an unseen force pushing her hoof further and reeling it in when her lines went off course. It wasn’t enough to be distracting, really, but she could feel it there, coaxing her. Before she knew it, the lines she had been, only a moment before, haphazardly creating, were connected. Apple Bloom could do nothing at that moment, really, except for gasp. Her sketch, which would otherwise have resulted in a jumbled mess of jagged lines, was, instead, a clear, and concise sketch of the tree. The lines weren’t spot on, but translated well from page to the real world, nearly to scale, with proportions and even perspective all much improved. Apple Bloom could not believe that her own hoof had sketched something so much... better. It brought a question to her mind; “Was it even me that made this sketch... Or something else?”. The filly didn’t know. What she did know is that now she could rub her talent in those snooty little filly’s faces! That would teach them to bully her, and treat her like somethin’ to throw into yesterdays scrap heap! Apple Bloom set off to find something much more grand and elaborate to sketch. Something to really wow the two schoolyard bullies. WIth her new talent, anything seemed possible. The core of the gift-giving apple lay forgotten at the foot of the tree. Within 30 minutes, it was gone, returned to the dirt from which it had sprung.
Prologue-”There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it.” -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman The Everfree Forest, Ponyville’s own natural anomaly, was no easier to brave the depths of in the evening than it was any other time of the day. Especially if you were all alone, and a filly to boot. The sun had yet to go down, but the thick treetops blocked out much of the vital sunlight little fillies like Apple Bloom needed to not be scared senseless. Shadows were thrown in the worst possible ways across tangled vegetation, their appearance made threatening by nothing more than the placement of light. Animals with no caretakers whatsoever hooted and hollered in the depths of the trees, and, worst of all, terrible monsters that could only exist in such a strange place lay in wait, ready to strike at the first scent of fresh meat. Apple Bloom was scared, sure, but she had something to prove. She was a brave little filly, consarn it, and she would collect those ingredients for Zecora! As she trotted through the unkempt grass, her muzzle lowered to the ground to look closely for a particular flower, she recalled what the Zebra had told her. “Alrighty, Miss Zecora, ah reckon this potion is close to bein’ done, right?” The enthusiastic little filly exclaimed, eyeing the bright purple glowing potion as it bubbled in Zecora’s cauldron, splashing the walls with neon colors. As Zecora had earlier explained, the potion was a happiness potion, meant to lift a poor depressed pony out of the dumps. A pleasant fragrance, tinged with notes of lavender and berry, wafted up from the mixture. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but let out a sound of approval as she breathed in the amiable scent. Zecora, turning back from her recipe book, chuckled in a knowing way at the filly. “Ah yes, my dear little Apple Bloom, this mixture can also be a special perfume! With just the right ingredients, it makes some very special scents!” “Ah can tell! This smells better than Granny Smiths old fashioned Apple Spice cake, and that there’s some mighty good eatin’!” “Of this, little filly, I have no doubt but of one ingredient, I am all out! The last ingredient that I require, is one you know, Heart’s Desire!” “You talkin’ about that flower that made me get all them crazy cutie marks?” Apple Bloom asked, unable to resist turning her head to look at the spot where a cutie mark would rest, were she not still a blank flank. “Ah know it’s out there in the forest... Could I get you some more?” “Indeed, that is the very one and we need more for my potion.” Can I trust you, little Apple Bloom to get this flower in the forest’s gloom?” “‘Course you can, Zecora! I’ll getcha that flower lickety split! The sound of a twig snapping under Apple Bloom’s hoof yanked her back into the present faster than apples falling off an Applejack-bucked tree. She nearly leapt out of her fur, looking all around wildly for a sinister creature that might have been lying in wait. Spying no Tartarus-esque creature that aimed to snack on her innards, she continued along the grassy path, shivering as though there were Windigo’s nipping at her hooves. In Applebloom’s fright, she barely noticed the quiet crunching sound of a healthy flower beneath her hooves. Looking down, she noticed she had trotted right over a flower of Heart’s Desire! Wayta go, AB, ya silly little filly, the frightened pony thought to herself as she haphazardly plucked the flower from the ground with her teeth and turned in the direction she had came, galloping as fast as her little legs could take her back to the sanctuary of Zecora’s hut. After delivering the flower to a very pleased Zecora, Apple Bloom made an excuse about needing to get back to Sweet Apple Acres before Applejack began to worry, and ran out of the Everfree Forest at a speed that would make even Rainbow Dash envious. Making it back to Sweet Apple Acres in record time, Apple Bloom spied her older sister working the South field, digging up a plot of earth to plant another apple tree. The location was strange, though; It was in the center of a clear patch of earth, free from the crowding of the hundreds of other trees that occupied the fertile land. “Heya, sis! Whatcha doin out here so late in the day? The sun’s gonna be down soon!” Apple Bloom asked as she trotted up to her sister. “Hey there, lil’ filly. Shucks, the mailmare just came by with a special gift from Braeburn. It’s a seed from Bloomberg! “Oh... Bloomberg, huh?” Applebloom felt a little uneasy now, knowing that, however clear-headed her sister may usually be, she seemed to have an unnatural amount of affection for that particular tree. “Darn tootin’! So ah’m plantin’ this here little seed so that it can grow up to be a big strong apple tree jus’ like Bloomberg!” Applejack said, smiling just a little too brightly. “Can ah help?” Apple Bloom asked, always excited to give her big sis a helping hand. “Heh. Well, the job is already half finished, slowpoke. But ah’ll tell ya what. You can put the seed in the ground and cover it up, okay?” Apple Bloom did as she was instructed, taking the delicate seed and dropping it into the patch of dirt Applejack had dug, pushing the pile of dirt back into position. As she did so, a single petal of Heart’s Desire that had clung to her hoof when she tread on the flower was rubbed off, and mixed in with the dirt. As the dirt filled the hole again, the seed touched the petal, and the magic in the petal began to imbue the seed. Neither of the Apple sister’s noticed, and they began to walk back towards the farmhouse to eat their supper. Behind them, a green sapling slowly wormed its way out from under the dirt.
Chapter 1The next day, Friday, was a rainy school day for little Apple Bloom. Angry gray clouds brought with them surprisingly calm droplets of water that softly pattered on the window sill of the little classroom where Miss Cheerilee taught her students. It was recess, and since the rain was pouring down outside the schoolhouse, the fillies and colts were having their playtime indoors. Apple Bloom was busy at her desk, pencil in mouth, as she sketched in her little green notebook. Artistry had always been a hobby of hers, but never one she excelled at. During the CMC’s unintentionally dreadful (and hilarious) act at the talent show, Apple Bloom had shirked off artistic responsibilities for her friend Sweetie Belle, whom she knew had a flair for the dramatic, much like her older sister, Rarity. In truth, it had always been Apple Bloom’s deepest desire to be talented in the ways of the brush and pencil. But she could never find a way to truly express the things she felt inside. But artistry was still her passion, and so, despite her shortcomings, she kept her pencil and her hopes held high. By the end of recess, there was a sketch of the hillside out the window in the middle of the drowsy downpour, obviously sketched by an amateur, with few honest suggestions of deeper talent. Apple Bloom sighed dejectedly. She knew her art was rubbish. She doubted it would ever change much, even if she tried her hardest. Some ponies were just born with the ability to create beautiful illusions, and some ponies just couldn’t. Despite this knowledge, Applebloom didn’t give up, because creating art that satisfied her need to leave her mark on the world, no matter how small that mark might be, was more important to her than being talented in it. The bell to signify that recess was over rang out , and the students scurried back to their desks. Apple Bloom quickly placed her notebook back into her bag, hoping that no one would notice what she was trying to make. Miss Cheerilee called the class back to order, making her way back up to the front of the blackboard. After class, the rain had finally stopped, but the clouds had yet to go away. Drops of water dripped from the roof of the schoolhouse, and pools of water formed on the muddy trail that led down the hill. Apple Bloom was walking ahead of most of the group, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon a little ways behind. As usual, they were spouting their usual snooty banter. Apple Bloom was so busy trying to shut it out, she didn’t notice the slick mud puddle under her hoof. As soon as her hoof hit the brown puddle, Apple Bloom slipped, tumbling over hard, her book bag falling off of her back and into a nearby puddle. Before she had time to recover, Apple Bloom saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walk over to the puddle, Diamond Tiara snickering as she lifted Apple Bloom’s flipped-open sketchbook, lying face-up in the puddle. “Well, what have we here?” She said in a sinister voice, flipping through the pages as Silver Spoon looked on, their giggles get progressively more drawn out as they went from drawing to drawing. “Stop it! Don’ lookit those!” Apple Bloom said, struggling to pull herself up from the mud. But it was already much too late. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were yucking it up now, laughing at a ridiculously proportioned portrait of Granny Smith. Apple Bloom’s face was covered with mud and tears as she pulled herself up and galloped over to the two bullies, who responded with “Looks like someone isn’t getting her cutie mark in art, is she?”. Diamond Tiara tossed the notebook back into the puddle, floating face up with the rest of Apple Bloom’s school supplies. Apple Bloom continued sobbing as she looked on at her waterlogged notebook, the sketches inside ruined forever. Her face was dirty and messy, streaked with brown. She began the task of pulling her school supplies from out of the puddle, throwing them back into her ruined book bag and slinging it onto her back, soaking herself in the process. Not that she cared anymore. Sure, her art was not the best, but it was hers. She put her heart and soul into what she made, even if it didn’t look the way it did in her mind. Apple Bloom plodded slowly the rest of the way home, dirty, downtrodden, and defeated. The only sound was the occasional whimper that escaped from between her lips as she continued to sob, even long after she had run out of tears. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s behavior had been atrocious, sure, but what if they were right? What if her art really was so bad that no one would ever care about it? What good was leaving your mark if no one would ever care to see it? Ah jus’ don’t know... Apple Bloom thought to herself as she passed through the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres, head hung too low to even notice that, out in the Southern Field, where there had once been a clear plot of circular land, now stood an almost fully-grown apple tree, with absolutely no leaves in its branches. The next day, Saturday, was work-day for the Apple Family. Today was work in the Northern fields. Every member was contributing more than their fair share, and progress was going smoothly. Despite that, it didn’t take long for Applejack to notice that her little sister was still down from last night, when she’d refused to speak to anypony. She had simply eaten her meal in silence, not looking up to any of the members of the family. If anypony tried to ask her about it, she simply replied “Ah can’t talk about it yet. Please, jus’ gimme some time.” She’d gone to bed right after that, and had gotten up along with everypony else as usual to do the chores. Applejack looked at her little sister, returning from placing a basket of apples by the cart. She figured now was as good a time as any to try and talk with her about it again. “Hey there, AB. Still feeling a lil’ down in the dumps, huh?” Applejack asked, trying to keep her tone light. “Yeah...” her little sister responded, her head aimed at the ground. “Ya ready to talk about it some, sugarcube?” Apple Bloom paused for a second, searching for the right words to say. “Sis... have ya ever felt like jus’ ‘cause there was somethin’ that you really wanted to do, dudn’t mean that you were meant ta do it?” “Is this about yer cutie mark again?” “No, not this time...” AJ was surprised, but, at the same time, more than slightly relieved that Apple Bloom’s problem didn’t have anything to do with that dadgum cutie mark for once. “So whaddya mean? Make some sense, pumpkin.” “I jus’ feel like what I love ain’t worth loving, ‘cause when I do it, nopony else appreciates it.” Applejack smiled at her sister. “Ah know that feelin’, lil’ sis. Shoot, that’s why ah went to Aunt and Uncle Orange’s so long ago, ‘cause I wanted to make somethin’ of mahself. Ah didn’ wanna jus’ live an’ that be it. Ah wanted to be able to do somethin’ that’d make a difference. Ah wanted to be a pony that’d change things.” “So what happened?” Apple Bloom asked, surprised that her big sister had felt the same way she had. “When ah realized how homesick ah was, ah had plenty ah time to think about other thing on my way home. One’a those things was what it meant to love somethin’. If you love somethin’, you jus’ do it, and you do it because ya’ love it, not ‘cause it’ll impress somepony else. And, everything ya do does make a difference, whether ya know it or not. And, maybe it won’t make that big of a difference. But maybe it don’t need to. Maybe it just needs to be somethin’ you want, granted it can’t go hurtin’ anypony else. But, as long as it ain’t, maybe that’s enough. Jus’ doin’ it because it feels right.” “Wow... That’s certain phil-oh-siph-icull of you, big sis.” Apple Bloom said playfully, having cheered up already. Applejack pulled her sibling into a hug, squeezing her tightly. “Aww, shush. Now come on, we gotta beat our old record, we got it in us!” For the rest of the day, the nagging thought that her sister might be wrong sat in the back of Apple Bloom’s mind, gradually wading through until it was at the forefront. Apple Bloom still wasn’t convinced. What good was it to do something you love if nopony would appreciate it? What good was it to waste your time on something if nopony ever saw it? How could that possibly be worth it? After the work day had finally come to an end, and the Apple Family was finally tucked into bed, Apple Bloom still lay awake, looking at the moon. It had been a clear day that day, and it looked to be the same way that evening. The silver light reflected off of the apple trees and the ground, painting an eerie, but beautiful picture. Looking at a night like that, it was easy to see why Luna was upset ponies did not appreciate her beautiful night. How Apple Bloom longed to paint a picture of that night. How she desired so to sketch the farm, to sketch anything, to CREATE. Unable to resist the desire, Apple Bloom fetched an unused notebook and pencil, nearly crying all over again at remembering that she had lost her old one after a day of distraction, and set off towards the South field. Sweet Apple Acres was unnerving at night, but, then again, this was not the first time Apple Bloom had wandered around the fields at night. She knew it better than any ol’ monster ever could, and she knew Applejack and Big Macintosh would protect her. The smell of grass, tree bark, and apples filled the filly’s nostrils as she made her way through the maze of trees, taking in the silver-tinged splendor that surrounded her. As Apple Bloom made her way to the edge of the tree line, something caught her eye. There was a tree there, full-grown, with no leaves. None at all. “What in tarnation?” The confused little filly thought, trotting over to its barren branches. Despite its eerie appearance, Apple Bloom could not help but feel compelled to sit underneath it. Somehow, sitting under the tree made her feel relaxed. At ease. Like everything was going to be okay. Beyond the tree sat the patch of dirt and then another row of trees. Apple Bloom retrieved her sketchbook and pencil, and she began drawing. No matter how hard she tried, though, she could not get it to look the way it looked in her mind. Tiredness of the mind and of the body overtook Apple Bloom as she laid against the tree to finally sleep, thinking to herself “I wish I could make something so beautiful, even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would be blown away...”
Chapter 2Apple Bloom awoke that morning feeling like part of her was missing. She slowly worked her way off of the ground, dirt trapped here and there in her mane, and dusted on her cheek, as well. The smell of earth invaded her nostrils, along with another scent... A scent that reminded her ever so slightly of the potion that she had helped Zecora make only two days ago. But it smelled like something else. It smelt like grass after the rainfall, like the salty air of the sea, which Apple Bloom had only gotten to see once, while visiting cousins. She recalled wanting to sketch the angry leviathan of water the moment she laid eyes on it. Sometimes, she still wondered if such a chance would ever arise. Apple Bloom had dreamt a most peculiar dream that evening, sleeping under the apple tree with no leaves. It was not unpleasant, simply filled with a feeling of detachment the likes of which she could not understand nor explain. It felt like a very part of the essence of her being was being molded; shifted and changed into a single form, growing and filling itself out into a separate object entirely separate from her being. Like a piece of her heart had been snapped off and made into something different. Finally, after getting her bearings, Apple Bloom stood rather unsteadily on her hooves, turning around to get a better look at the peculiar tree she had fallen asleep at the base of the night before. Its branches were devoid of any sort of life, branches bare and leafless. However, it appeared to be healthy, almost giving off a radiance of its own. Definitely, however, the most perplexing feature of this tree was the single apple that Apple Bloom discovered hanging from a low branch on the other side of the tree. It was red, with splashes of bright blues, greens, and yellows, much too evenly colored and randomly placed to be part of any normal apple. Maybe it’s a new kind of Zap Apple tree? Apple Bloom thought to herself, examining the bark of the tree. It wasn’t a purplish tinge, like a Zap Apple tree would have, nor did it appear to have any sort of electrical discharge. For now, Apple Bloom dismissed the idea, and got a better look at the mysterious apple. While looks alone wouldn’t give it away as appealing, everything else about it did. The smell of the apple, fragrant and tinged with light spices, like apple cider, along with the things she’d been smelling before, and the strange, soft texture both felt welcoming to Apple Bloom, inviting her to take a single bite, the snake and the forbidden fruit of her Tree of Eden, in one dangerous combination. Apple Bloom felt a growling in her stomach, sending the rest of her body into a rumbling that convinced her that it was time to feast. She raised the apple to her lips, taking a single bite. She savored the taste of the fruit first. It was like all of the best tastes that reminded her of her home and her family and everything else rolled into one item. Apple pie and cider and fritters and tarts and everything else sweet and delicious. It even tasted like Zap Apple Jam! Apple Bloom wolfed down the fruit like a starved animal, the entire thing reduced to a core without seeds in less than 20 seconds. By the time she was done, Apple Bloom felt full; not only in her stomach, but in her heart, as well. Like the piece she couldn’t help but feel had been taken out the night previous had been placed back inside, stronger and better than ever. Apple Bloom remembered the sketch pad she had abandoned last night in favor of sleep. It lay beside the base of the tree, still clean besides a few brushes of dust that dotted the canvas. The yellow filly blew on the paper to scatter the dust away, viewing the previous night’s effort to sketch anything worth seeing. As always, the craftsmanship was shoddy. The true desire to create could be seen, but couldn’t be conveyed. Little Apple Bloom was overwhelmed with emotion. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed like she always came up empty handed. Her work and effort, her true desire to return something to the world, was for nothing! Was she so doomed to live with such inhibitions with no way to exhibit them? Such a thought was even worse than the thought of never earning her cutie mark, if such a thing was even possible... Still... Apple Bloom felt something new and different in her heart. A presence of warmth and strength that had not manifested until this moment. She felt a sudden urge to create anyhow, regardless of whether or not anyone ever saw it. To Tartarus with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon! If they were to live their lives in ignorance, then let them. What they thought of her was of no concern to her. She retrieved her pencil from the ground, focusing her artistic discretion on the strange tree. As Apple Bloom sketched, she felt a strange sensation almost tugging against her hoof like a piece of string attached to her nerves. Like there was an unseen force pushing her hoof further and reeling it in when her lines went off course. It wasn’t enough to be distracting, really, but she could feel it there, coaxing her. Before she knew it, the lines she had been, only a moment before, haphazardly creating, were connected. Apple Bloom could do nothing at that moment, really, except for gasp. Her sketch, which would otherwise have resulted in a jumbled mess of jagged lines, was, instead, a clear, and concise sketch of the tree. The lines weren’t spot on, but translated well from page to the real world, nearly to scale, with proportions and even perspective all much improved. Apple Bloom could not believe that her own hoof had sketched something so much... better. It brought a question to her mind; “Was it even me that made this sketch... Or something else?”. The filly didn’t know. What she did know is that now she could rub her talent in those snooty little filly’s faces! That would teach them to bully her, and treat her like somethin’ to throw into yesterdays scrap heap! Apple Bloom set off to find something much more grand and elaborate to sketch. Something to really wow the two schoolyard bullies. WIth her new talent, anything seemed possible. The core of the gift-giving apple lay forgotten at the foot of the tree. Within 30 minutes, it was gone, returned to the dirt from which it had sprung.
