Sweetie Belle

Later that day, in the CMCs' Clubhouse.

Throughout the time I've known Apple Bloom, I came to learn that it was extremely rare for her to be quiet for longer than a few minutes. Unless she was either doing chores or watching a movie. Yet, here she was, sitting with Scootaloo and me at the clubhouse's table, not making a sound with her mouth for far longer than usual. Her arms were crossed, her bow was droopy, and she had this sad frown on her face. Goodness, she didn't even touch her Fizzy Apple Cider and she loved that drink! Something was clearly bugging her and we had a very good idea as to what it was. We had tried more than once to get her to at least talk to us, but to no avail. Still, I wasn't going to give up on her. So, once again, I tried reaching out to her as delicately as I could;

"I don't blame you for being worried, but you have a chance to show people that you're a helpful Apple!"

I hoped that invoking her family in an encouraging way would help improve Apple Bloom's mood. For a brief moment, her bow perked up slightly as she looked over at me with eyes filled with worry and regret. It hurt me to see my dear friend look so miserable. With a shaky voice, she asked me;

"But what if Ah fail and let them down?"

She whimpered while looking down at the table;

"What if Ah hurt her again?"

Just like that, she face-planted the table, her whimpers muffled but hardly blocked by the wood. Looks like our guess was right, although I was hoping we were wrong. I couldn't say I blamed AB though. After all, all three of us had hurt Twist, once upon a time. Seeing our friend in such a miserable state caused my own guilt to flare up along with a specific memory. Oh, why did it have to be that one?!

"Why did you hurt me?!" Twist exclaimed with a terrible combination of sorrow and anger in her voice and lisp, tears streaming down from her eyes;

"Friends shouldn't hurt their friends! They help them!"

I couldn't stand it any longer.

I got up out of my seat, walked over to Apple Bloom, and began to gently stroke her red hair with my right hand in an effort to comfort her. Even if my words weren't enough at the time, I knew I had to do something to help her! Scootaloo went over to her as well and suggested with one of her encouraging grins;

"You know, what I like to do whenever I'm feeling down or overwhelmed is take a long walk or a long ride on my scooter."

She then started to stretch her arms while adding;

"Really clears the head."

I could always count on Scoots to step up before most people. I just hoped she wasn't putting on a brave face to hide her guilt. Apple Bloom slowly moved her head off of the table to look over at Scoots and said with a soft and slightly less shaky voice;

"A walk sounds mighty nice right about now."

Sensing the opportunity, I told her sweetly;

"Then we'll take a walk together."

I guess hearing that we would all be in on this idea gave AB the push she needed. She got up out of her seat as well, albeit slowly. She turned to look at me and showed me a really large smile. Larger than it needed to be, if you ask me.

After a good few minutes, we found ourselves walking down the forest path that was behind our clubhouse. This path was used by members of the Apple household many times before, so we all knew it was safe. Applejack was a bit hesitant about letting us go. Big sisters tend to worry, after all. But, after seeing how miserable Apple Bloom looked and getting our word that we would stay on the path and be back by dinner, she gave us her permission. We walked together in a line, with Apple Bloom herself leading us down the path, Scootaloo in the middle, and me bringing up the rear. A gentle wind blew through the trees, making the branches bounce. We were silent for over a minute before Apple Bloom whimpered sadly again. Before I could come up with comforting words, Scootaloo said to her confidently and gently;

"We know you got this, AB. Doing hard work is what you do at the farm every day!"

"That, and Granny Smith will be with you," I added, hoping that my own words would strengthen Scoots'.

"Ah know, ya'll," Apple Bloom responded with a sigh while keeping her eyes on the path;

"It's just..."

She whimpered again while suddenly holding the sides of her head with both hands, unable to finish her sentence. Scoots and I were about ready to hug her tight.

We really shouldn't have hesitated.

Apple Bloom bolted away from us before we could hug her, running down the path in a hurry. We made sure to chase her down, determined to stop our friend from accidentally bumping into danger. Yes, the forest was safe for travel, but even grown-ups could get badly hurt in there if they didn't watch their step! Scootaloo could keep pace with her easily enough, but I could barely keep pace with Scoots. Mere seconds after the chase began, Scootaloo exclaimed with concern and strengthened resolve;

"She's crying, Sweets!"

Any fatigue I was feeling at that moment got swept away by my invigorated desire to help our friend. After a minute of running, we approached a fork in the path. A fork that Apple Bloom probably did not notice, for she ran straight off the beaten path and through the trees in the middle. On the one hand, we promised Applejack that we'd stay on the path. On the other hand, this was a movie club emergency and Apple Bloom needed us! So, we followed her, and our hearts, into the grassy unknown.

I'm not sure how long we were running after Apple Bloom. A few minutes? Half of an hour, maybe? A girl can lose track of time when focused entirely on a task. At any rate, we chased her down until she tripped on the exposed root of a nearby tree and fell face-first onto the grass, allowing us to catch up to her at last. Scootaloo immediately went over to lift her back up by her left shoulder, while I lifted her by her right. Between the two of us, we were able to get AB back on her feet. Even then, she was still crying, the poor girl. Her head was lowered to face the ground. I could see the tear stains her shower of tears was creating on the dirt below her face. The front of her outfit and even her bow had dirt on them, but she didn't have any noticeable injuries. While she sniffed and whimpered, we guided her over to a nearby tree stump and had her sit down on it. After sitting down on the grass at her two sides, we slowly and gently hugged her close. As terribly sad as she was, she still relaxed into our arms. No words were spoken by any of us as I listened to my dear friend weep. Scoots and I didn't need them to let Apple Bloom know that we were there for her. There we sat in that forest for a good long while, not wanting to leave each other for even a moment. I was sure that it was Apple Bloom's guilt, the guilt all three of us shared, that was bothering her. I could feel it try to give me trouble in my head too, like a heavy weight that was trying to crush me from the inside. I mentally fought back against it and focused on what I was doing. During that time, all we heard was the wind blowing through the trees, the chirping birds, and the occasional cricket. All of these sounds brought a sense of calm that I hoped was helping Apple Bloom recover. They were certainly keeping Scoots and me from falling to pieces too. But, to our surprise, a new sound had joined the others. Immediately, I noticed two things about this sound. Firstly, it was a simple lengthy sound, like a single vocalized note being held for a really long time. Secondly, and most importantly:

It was amazing!

The sound stayed strong as I quickly checked on Apple Bloom to see how she was reacting to it. She was slowly raising her head up. Her face was riddled with dirt and tear stains, but not even they could hide the curiosity in her watery eyes. Looking over at Scootaloo, I saw that she was turning her head in different directions, looking around for the source of the sound. The vocalized note was held for a while longer before it stopped, to my disappointment. We looked at each other for a few seconds before the sound played again. Ah, but this time, Scoots was able to narrow down where it was coming from;

"It's over here, girls!" she exclaimed while shooting up from our hug like a rocket. She then motioned for us to follow her while she jogged a few steps away from the stump before stopping. After turning around to look at us, she asked confidently;

"You coming or what?"

Smiling over our friend being herself, I looked over at Apple Bloom. She gazed at Scootaloo for almost three seconds before turning her attention over to me. A tiny smile forming on her face, she answered with a soft voice that didn't sound as sad as it did before;

"Alrighty then."

With a little help from me, she got up off of the stump and together, we followed Scootaloo deeper into the forest, using the lovely new sound as our guide to its source. It was during this search that I truly felt how soothing it was to me, like a warm blanket wrapped around my brain. As much as I wanted to fully immersive myself into its beauty, I knew I needed to be ready in case my friends needed me. Since I was walking beside Apple Bloom, I was able to check in on her every now and then. What I noticed was that, as time passed, her mood was slowly getting better. I wondered if the sound was soothing to her as well. After what felt like a minute of walking, we caught sight of someone among the trees. It was a lady who was sitting on a different tree stump with her legs crossed while wearing sandals. Her hands rested on her lap, her eyes were closed, and a peaceful smile shined on her face like the gentle light from an old-fashioned oil lamp. We could recognize those two-toned dreadlocks anywhere: it was Tree Hugger!

Before we could react, she opened her mouth and let out that beautiful sound without fail, her smile shining even more brightly than before;

"Oooooooooooommm!"

It was more amazing to hear it up close than it was from a distance! I didn't just feel a warm blanket around my brain this time. I also felt my thoughts slow down to a crawl, allowing a powerful sense of relaxation to wash over me. The kind that made me want to lay back and just... well... be, if that makes any sense. Looking over at Scootaloo, I saw that she was expressing a wide excited grin. She was also looking back at me while pointing at Apple Bloom with her right thumb. Naturally, I obliged her, only to find that AB's once tiny smile was growing by the second, her bow rising in tandem with it. Oh, Tree Hugger was going to get a hug from us for this! Relieved that our friend was getting better, I sat down on the grass and closed my eyes to truly enjoy the simplistic vocal brilliance that Tree Hugger was performing. I could hear Scootaloo and Apple Bloom do the same thing. It didn't take long for me to feel that relaxation from earlier grow stronger whenever the long-drawn-out sound was uttered. I could feel it taking me into a state of peace and quiet and I couldn't think of a reason to fight it. My breathing slowed down to a gentle pace as the sound took me deeper into that state each time it was repeated.

Deeper...

Deeper...

Suddenly, the sound stopped. Why did it stop?! It was wonderful!

I opened my eyes to see that, to my surprise, Tree Hugger was standing up from her stump and looking right at us. Her peaceful smile refusing to vanish, she showed us a peace sign with her right hand and greeted us with a voice that sounded seriously relaxed;

"Blessings, radical ones."

All three of us stood back up almost as quickly as Rainbow Dash could fly. Feeling a little nervous, I told her;

"I hope we're not disturbing you."

Tree Hugger shook her head and replied;

"Your presence is unexpected and welcome."

She then gestured to the grass near her stump and offered;

"Would you three like to sit with me?"

We looked at each other for a moment before nodding in silent agreement. After we turned our attention back over to Tree Hugger, Apple Bloom answered on our behalf, albeit somewhat hesitantly;

"Ah suppose we could sit with ya' for a spell."

We sat with Tree Hugger in silence, the sounds of nature being gentle to our ears. I really liked the chirping of the birds, since it was almost like they were singing. Tree Hugger sat on her stump, her face radiating peace and contentment. Apple Bloom sat closest to her right side, with me sitting next to her. Scootaloo sat to my right. After about a minute, Apple Bloom broke our silence by asking the nice lady;

"So, what was that sound ya' were makin' earlier?"

I happily gushed while looking right at Tree Hugger;

"Yeah, it was so beautiful!"

She looked back at us, her face's seemingly natural calmness revealing that we were not annoying her in the slightest. With a quick giggle, she answered;

"That, sweet souls, was the Om chant."

"Om chant? What's that?" asked a confused Scootaloo. Tree Hugger gazed up at the sky above us, the light from the sun shining through the branches and leaves as she explained with a truly relaxed voice;

"It is a chant that is simplistic and powerful at the same time. It can help bring calm, focus, and clarity to a person's mind."

Well, that explains a lot! Fondly remembering the short-lived peace it had brought me earlier, I told her;

"Your chant definitely made me calm!"

"It calmed me down too," noted Scootaloo, I saw Apple Bloom's bow perk up when she spoke with a chipper voice;

"Same 'ere. Much obliged, Tree Hugger."

I was relieved to see my friend be in a good mood again. Scootaloo took this moment to explain;

"Yeah, we heard your cool chant when we were sitting at our own stump. We got curious, so we followed it here."

Tree Hugger chuckled softly before noting;

"Yes, the Om chant can sometimes attract people to it."

She gave each of us a knowing gaze and added;

"Especially those who are in great need of a moment's peace to start with."

Just like that, AB's bow became droopy again. Within moments of this happening, I took her right hand into my hands to give her comfort. I could practically feel the large encouraging smile from Scootaloo. AB looked over at me and let out a small grateful smile that warmed my heart. She then showed that same expression to Scoots. Her bow, sadly, did not perk back up. Without warning, Tree Hugger got our attention by asking;

"What troubles you, little one?"

We turned to look at her and instantly noticed that she was gazing directly at Apple Bloom with peace in her eyes and warmth in her grin. Our club leader flinched and gulped in response. I gave her right hand a gentle squeeze while Scootaloo patted her left shoulder with her right hand, all to give her a helpful push. Seemed like Tree Hugger had the same idea, for she made clear with a soothing voice;

"You will not get any judgement from me or your two groovy friends."

I had seen enough movies to know what 'groovy' meant, so I felt a little flattered over being complimented. Ah, but she wasn't done yet. She turned her head to gaze at the vibrant plant life around us and the birds flying overhead while adding;

"Nature does not judge either."

She looked back at Apple Bloom and told her sweetly;

"If you wish, let it be here, in this moment, that you speak your truth."

All of us were silent for five or so seconds. Scoots and I watched AB closely, waiting patiently for her to make her choice. She took a deep breath, exhaled with an audible sigh, and stood right up. I gently released my grip on her hand to let her be. Her bow still droopy and her hands placed in her pockets, she slowly walked up to the left side of Tree Hugger's stump while talking with a voice laced with regret;

"First of all, sugarcube, before anythin' else..."

As soon as she stopped at the stump, she turned to face the hippie, sadness painted all over her face. Knowing exactly what was coming and feeling just as much regret in our hearts, Scoots and I gave Tree Hugger a similar look. Her voice revealing a mixture of sadness and subtle determination, Apple Bloom told her on our club's behalf;

"We hurt a lot of people last Winter, includin' ya'. Ya' better believe we'll help repair the damage done good and proper."

I focused on Tree Hugger's face for a bit to find any sign of frustration or anger over our friend's words, but all I could find was calmness and focus. But, I did notice that her smile from before grew just a little bit wider. She silently nodded at Apple Bloom, who lowered her head to stare at the ground for a moment or two before speaking again;

"It's bad enough that we hurt folks in general..."

She sniffed in a clear attempt to hold back tears;

"Knowin' that one of those folks was Twist makes it all so much worse..."

Hearing the guilt in her voice made me want to hug that sweet Apple right then and there. But this was her moment to speak, and I wasn't going to take that from her. So, I listened closely as she turned to look Tree Hugger in the eye and exclaimed;

"She was my friend! The first friend Ah ever made!"

She quickly flashed us a small grateful grin before looking up at the sky above our heads. Thanks to where her body was facing, Scoots and I could see her face. With a small nostalgic chuckle and a softer tone, she explained;

"We did so much together back when we were little... She helped me with my chores, Ah helped her make sugary snacks, we helped each other with our homework, and we had so much fun in and out of school."

For a brief moment, a smile filled with joy shined brightly on her face as she went on;

"Shoot, things got even better for us once Sweetie and Scootaloo came along."

I had learned about all of this from her ages ago and I fondly remembered the times we spent with Twist. Even so, just thinking about those times after... what had happened... stung me in the heart. She closed her eyes, aimed her head back down at the ground, and sighed again. I caught sight of her smile being replaced with a deep frown as she moved her head. After being silent for two-to-three seconds, she admitted with soft remorse in her voice;

"She was our friend, ya'll, and we betrayed her... I betrayed her."

She had hit the nail on the head there. I was amazed that I was able to keep my guilt reigned in for her sake. Apple Bloom raised her head to look right at Scootaloo and me. Oh, the regretful misery in those brilliant gamboge eyes nearly broke my heart! Before I could say anything to make her feel better, she declared with a soft voice;

"It's no wonder she's been so dern cold to us."

There was nothing else for it, that girl was getting a hug! I got up, ran over to her, and held her tight. Scootaloo, who got up at the same time as me, hugged her too. Apple Bloom hugged us both in return. She was holding us so tightly, I swear she was trying to give us a bear hug! Before her grip could become uncomfortable, however, Tree Hugger asked us;

"Cold, you say?"

We all looked over at her to find that her peaceful demeanor was holding strong, only I noticed a subtle spark of curiosity in her eyes. Scootaloo explained for the both of us while sounding about as guilty as we felt;

"Yeah, whenever we're around Twist, she doesn't say anything to us at all. She just..."

She visibly shuddered before finished;

"Stares at us. Without showing a single emotion. You know, like the Terminator without his glasses on: cold like steel and stoic like a rock."

"She's been like this ever since we..." I tried to add, but a certain bad memory suddenly flared up in my head. One that involved a very angry bird. Thankfully, it vanished after half of a second. So, I was able to quickly recover and finish my sentence;

"Well, you know what I mean," I told Tree Hugger with what I hoped was an expression that silently told her to not make me give her the details. She seemed to understand, if her gentle nod was any sign. Apple Bloom, to my relief, stepped up to keep the conversation going in my place while we broke up the hug;

"It's like she's judgin' us with nothin' but her eyes, ya'll. Ah can't even look her in the eye without feelin' my guilt flare up faster than a pig fills up his belly durin' dinner time," she said with a regretful tone of voice. It was hard for Scoots and me to argue against that claim. For one thing, all three of us felt terrible guilt whenever we saw Twist in general. For another, what else could she have been doing with those eyes of hers except for judging us?

Tree Hugger, apparently, had a different idea in mind. With a small grin that was surprisingly soothing to my mind, she offered while placing her right hand on her belly;

"May I help you girls better understand her coldness?"

Well, that was unexpected! My friends and I looked at each other for a moment or two before moving our collective gaze back onto Tree Hugger, who's smile grew wider and, somehow, chiller. Confused, I commented to her;

"Huh, usually we're the ones helping the folks we hurt." The hippie chuckled softly and said sweetly;

"Well, there's nothing wrong with you getting help too, is there?"

The three of us giggled over her words before we started to think about how to respond to her offer. Just then, an idea popped up in my brain that made me smirk. I turned to look at my friends, only to find that they were looking at me and each other with the same smirks: a clear sign that we all had the same idea. Apple Bloom, like so many times before, made the call;

"Movie Club Huddle, ya'll."

Her voice sounded more upbeat than it did earlier, which was great for me to hear! We huddled up and, with well-practiced whispering, discussed the topic at hand;

"If Tree Hugger's willing to help us, I say we give her a shot," Scootaloo declared with her usual level of confidence. Apple Bloom, however, was less confident;

"Ain't nothin' wrong with acceptin' help, Ah get that," she began before asking with a confused frown;

"But, how is she gonna help us understand Twist if Twist ain't 'ere?"

I thought about that question for a moment before giving her my calm answer;

"We can just ask Tree Hugger how she'll do it. We can go from there after that."

Apple Bloom pondered for a second before nodding her head at me in agreement, with Scoots and me following suit. After giving each other fist bumps, we broke up the huddle and turned to face the relaxed hippie. AB spoke to her on our behalf;

"Okay, sugarcube, how are ya' gonna help?"

Tree Hugger slowly stood up from her stump while she explained;

"I wish to guide the three of you through a mental exercise that will allow you to safely reflect on Twist's behavior."

Reflecting on that girl's chilling glare? Just considering that idea made the three of us gulp in frightened unison. I sharply turned my head to check on Apple Bloom, who looked more than a little nervous. Returning my gaze over to Tree Hugger, I noticed that she allowed a sly smirk to form on her face before adding;

"That chant you like so much will help you get through this, I'm sure."

Okay, that eased my worries in a heartbeat! My fear was replaced by my excitement over getting to hear the Om chant again. This encouraged me to keep my attention on Tree Hugger when she explained further;

"I'll start by using the Om chant to bring your minds into a state of deep calm. It'll be while you are in this state that I'll guide you through your reflecting."

Without hesitation, she closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath before exhaling just as slowly. I wasn't sure why she did this in the middle of a conversation, of all times. Maybe she just needed a moment? At any rate, she opened her eyes again and noted with a comforting sweetness that reminded me of Rarity;

"Know that I offer my assistance with pure intent in my heart and no shame will come from you saying no. With that being said..."

She then reached out to us with both arms, her hands wide open. Her face, her entire demeanor for that matter, both looked and felt welcoming to me. All of my instincts told me that there was no danger tied to her or her offer. With a gentle smile and a welcoming warmth in her voice, she asked us;

"Will you humor this old soul?"

Old soul? What in the Crystal Lands did that mean? While dealing with my confusion, I heard Apple Bloom giggle softly before noting;

"Ah don't see no wrinkles on ya' face, sugarcube."

Tree Hugger giggled as well in response, clearly finding humor in AB's well-meaning comment. Scootaloo jumped into the conversation as only she and Rainbow Dash could;

"I'm up for it, but only if my friends are up for it too!" she exclaimed excitedly. AB and I looked over at her to find confidence and enthusiasm in her smile and eyes. That enthusiasm had spread over to me like an awesome infection, pushing me to take Apple Bloom's hand into mind and tell her with a kind voice;

"We're with you no matter what your answer is, AB."

She looked down at the ground before her feet for a second or two before chuckling again. This time, however, that chuckle morphed into a hearty Apple chortle, her mouth opened wide as she raised her head up to face the sky while laughing. It felt really good to hear that from her again! Once she calmed down, she looked back at us and declared with renewed confidence, her eyes and smile shining with friendship;

"With friends like ya'll, Ah can do anythin'."

Without further ado, our fearless leader turned her head to face Tree Hugger, who was as peaceful as ever, and told her with surety;

"Let's do this!"

"Awww yeeaah!" yelled out a pumped Scootaloo while she pumped her right fist. I was about as happy as she was and who could blame us? Apple Bloom was herself again! But our work was not over yet. So, with trust in our heads and hearts, we placed our hands into the helpful hippie's.

She guided us away from her stump and over to a nearby spot on the grass. It was close to a tree, but its roots were not sticking out from it, so there was plenty of room for the four of us. I felt safe and secure as we moved to the spot. I figured that being around my friends and a person as nice as Tree Hugger was the cause. With slow care, we sat down on the grass and got comfy. Tree Hugger released our hands from her gentle grip as we did this. With our legs crossed and our bodies comfortable, we looked at her expectantly. She radiated peace with her smile and entire demeanor, gazing at us silently for a few seconds before instructing us;

"We'll start by taking several deep breaths to encourage our minds to focus entirely on the present moment. On the here and the now."

I nodded my head while Apple Bloom commented with familial pride in her voice;

"Yeah, like Big Mac always says: What's goin' on in life is always right 'ere, right now."

He certainly wasn't wrong about that in my mind. Tree Hugger, with a gentle nod, responded;

"Righteous."

She looked at each of us and continued to provide guidance;

"When you are ready, close your eyes and breathe in..."

We watched her do exactly that at a pace that, to me, appeared as graceful as it was slow. Following along with her, I shut my eyes and inhaled through my mouth. I could hear Apple Bloom and Scootaloo breathe as well. Once we inhaled as much as we reasonably could, we held our breaths for a few seconds before Tree Hugger went on;

"Breathe out slowly..."

At a gentle pace, I did as instructed along with my friends. Even after that first breath, I could feel my mind becoming a little bit calmer, the weight of my guilt, our guilt, becoming somewhat easier to carry. It didn't take long for the guidance to continue;

"Breathe in..." Tree Hugger declared, her voice becoming softer in tone but no less audible. Grateful for the mental relief, I continued to follow along. With each breath I took and released, my mind became calmer. The lovely sounds of nature around us were noticed by me, but they were far from distracting. In fact, they actually helped me stay calm. Simply being around my two best friends had the same effect, which made sense. I could not count the number of times when I felt safe and secure around them. Thank you, nature and friends! After the fourth breath, Tree Hugger spoke to us with one of the most soothing voices I had ever heard. It reminded me of when Rarity would hold me close and comfort me after I had a nightmare;

"Allow your breathing to flow like it normally does..."

Feeling a little curious, I tried to focus on my normal breathing pattern. I had no idea how calming my regular breathing could be until that moment! Oh, I wished I had known about that before. Enjoying the pleasant feeling of a relaxed mind, I allowed a tiny smile to form on my face. After a few more seconds, Tree Hugger said;

"Now... let the everlasting chant wash over you..."

With that, she slowly breathed in and performed the chant that had drawn us to her in the first place;

"Oooooooooooommm..."

Oh, that wonderful sound was music to my ears and soothing to my brain. With each time the chant was beautifully uttered, my mind became five, no, ten times calmer than before. Eventually, the sounds of nature had become nothing more than background noise to me. Any thought that came up had either left me alone on their own or was swept away by Tree Hugger's voice. Once again, I could feel the Om chat take me to that state of peace from before. With a soft exhale that released tension I didn't even know was in my body beforehand, I allowed the chant to take me deeper.

Deeper...

Deeper...

This time, there would not be an interruption. Before I knew it, the outside world stopped existing for me, for my attention was placed inside myself. Thoughts came and went, but they did not distract me. Not even my guilt could interrupt, let alone ruin, the peace I was enjoying. Tree Hugger, as if sensing that peace in all three of us, instructed with a voice that was the definition of soothing;

"Let your minds, your imagination, create within you a place of safety and goodness."

My imagination lit up like a Christmas tree with more strength than ever before. What it produced in my head was pulled right from my memories and... goodness, did it feel so real...

I was laying in my bed, all snuggled up under my tucked in blanket. Rarity sat on a chair next to my bed while looking right at me. The sisterly love in her eyes and smile made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy. I couldn't help but smile back as I moved my hands out from the blanket and reached out to her, hoping she'd give me a hug. Just then, I felt a sharp pain in my hands that made me move them back under the blanket with a tiny yelp. Silently cursing certain terrible things, I whimpered while looking up at the ceiling out of pain and shame. My sister, being thoughtful, wrapped me up in her arms with care. There were few things that could distract me from my pain better than a hug from that lady. Feeling better, I relaxed into the blanket, ready to enjoy a good night's sleep. But, before I could sleep, Rarity asked me with love in her voice;

"Could you be a dear and dream good dreams, my little gem?"

Knowing exactly what she was getting at, I answered brightly;

"As you wish."

We giggled over our little in-joke together for a bit before Rarity gave me a quick kiss on my forehead and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her with careful softness. My room was dimly lit by nothing more than the lamp on my nightstand, giving the place a feeling of coziness that I could easily sink into. Before I could, however, I heard the gentle voice of Tree Hugger echo throughout the room;

"When you're ready, recall your memory of Twist's cold eyes."

I instantly felt apprehensive at the thought of doing that, but my desire to make things right stood up to my apprehension. What helped that desire beat it was a feeling that I was very glad to have: my hope that things would work out for me, my friends, my family, and CHS. I closed my eyes and, after one last moment of hesitation, brought the glare from Tartarus to the front of my mind.

I opened my eyes and found that I was no longer in my bed. In fact, I wasn't even in my bedroom! I was standing in the cafeteria with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, the large entrance doors closed behind us. This was back when we had joined the other Wondercolts in making those wonderful gifts for Sunset. They were all working hard on their contributions, some of them taking notice of our presence. I looked over to our left and saw the girl I was looking for: Twist. The glare she was giving us was just as cold and stoic as I remembered. Right when I locked eyes on her, nearly everyone and everything in the room froze in place. It was as if time itself had stopped for all but the two of us. I kept my gaze fixed on her, in spite of my increasingly inflamed guilt trying its best to make me turn away. Tree Hugger, as if on cue, asked;

"Is the young one truly judging you with that chilling gaze?"

At first, it looked to me like she was. At least, that's what it looked like whenever I saw her stare at me like that in real life, during those moments when we saw each other. But I couldn't bring myself to stare back at her for longer than a couple of seconds. Even now, it was quickly becoming more and more difficult for me to not look away. I could feel tears being formed in my tear ducts when I felt two very familiar hands gently taking mind. I turned my head to find that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who were apparently not frozen in time, were holding my hands while showing me beaming smiles. Apple Bloom's was warm like her farm during a hot sunny day, while Scootaloo's was confident like her idol. Hope and friendship shined in their eyes for good measure. My two best friends gave my hope a big kick in the pants, pushing me to press on without saying a word! Silently thanking them, I stared Twist down, more determined than ever to figure her out. My guilt rose up again, but it could not stop me this time! The more I gazed at Twist's cold expression, the more I came to think of something I hadn't before. It started off as a whisper in my head, only for it to grow louder the longer I held my gaze. Before long, the thought became crystal clear;

"No... she's not."

It was so obvious to me now! I mean, Twist was so expressive with her thoughts and feelings on stuff back in the day. Even after everything that happened, if she judged us as terrible people, she would have told us so while showing us a fitting feeling on her face, like anger or hatred. This revelation led me to wonder: if Twist wasn't passing judgement, then what was she doing? The moment I asked myself that question, the answer became clear. It was an answer so big and startling that it knocked me out of my deeply peaceful state and back into the real world.

"She's watching... and listening!" my friends and I exclaimed out of pure surprise, our eyes wide with realization. We looked at each other for a moment before Apple Bloom added with excitement in her voice and a growing smile on her face;

"She's tryin' to see what we're like before she passes judgement!"

The idea of her giving us a chance in her own way made me want to sing with delight! Tree Hugger declared to us with her relaxed voice before we could react further, however;

"Something so many of us failed to do with Sunset before she and her radical friends saved our righteous school."

Hearing that painful truth took the wind right out of my happy sails. The three of us showed her understanding and sadness with our eyes for a bit before Scootaloo responded;

"Yeah, just about every student who had been mean to Sunset apologized to her after that..." she said with a regretful sigh. Just then, her eyes grew a bit wide before she asked Tree Hugger;

"Wait a minute, weren't you in the school during the Battle of the Bands? I don't think I saw you."

Yeah... I didn't see her during that competition either! She chuckled before saying with peaceful relief in her eyes;

"Truthfully speaking, I wasn't. In fact, I wasn't even there when the Sirens had first arrived."

Okay, that made me really curious;

"Why weren't you in school back then?" I asked her. She replied with another shorter chuckle;

"I had come down with a stubborn sinus infection. By the time we had recovered, the Battle of the Bands had ended. Sandalwood told me what had happened as soon as I got well."

So, she completely avoided being put under the Sirens' spell? Only three other people in CHS and a cool dragon-puppy had managed that! Apple Bloom, after laughing out of relief and joy, exclaimed;

"Oh, Nelly, Tree Hugger! Ya' got mighty lucky there!"

That hippie showed us a sly smirk and said;

"Was it luck that saved me from the Siren's temptation or a blessing in disguise?"

She gazed up at the sky, her smirk turning back into that peaceful smile. Her words and behavior confused me to say the least. Scootaloo was too, for she asked;

"A blessing from what? The sky?"

Tree Hugger giggled while lowering her head down to look at Scoots before replying;

"Oh, I didn't say that."

Okay, now she was being cryptic! I was getting the feeling she was having some harmless fun, but I couldn't help but also feel a tad annoyed. Apple Bloom was annoyed too, if the impatience in her voice was anything to go by;

"Let's get back on topic, ya'll! Twist ain't judging us none, at least not yet."

Her impatience gave way to the kind of happiness that made her bow bounce as she smiled brightly at each of us while declaring;

"That's just fine! She can be cold and stoic towards us as long as she wants!"

A bit of slyness was added to her smile when she told me specifically;

"Ya' had the right idea, Sweets."

Before I could ask her what she meant, she explained with the biggest brightest smile she could muster;

"We're gonna show that sugarcube who we want to be, that all three of us will help people instead of hurtin' them!"

Oh my stars, my words got through to her and then some! That fact alone drove me to rush over to AB and give her another hug, with Scoots hugging us both right after. Once we broke up the hug, we stood up and gave each other our signature triple-high-five while loudly declaring in happy unison;

"YEAH!"

We turned to give Tree Hugger a look of pure gratitude. I know I was! Apple Bloom spoke for us with sweetness in her voice;

"Thanks a bushel for helpin' us out, sugarcube!"

Tree Hugger nodded at us with a warm grin and said;

"Helping good souls find their way is always a pleasure."

"Speakin' of which..." Apple Bloom said while nervously scratching the back of her neck with her right hand. She turned to look at Scoots and me while finishing;

"We gotta find our way back to the Sweet Apple Acres. Ah kinda ran a ways off the beaten path, ya' see."

She lowered her right hand to her side and said to us apologetically;

"Ah'm mighty sorry for runnin' off on ya'll and makin' ya' worried."

I gave her an understanding smile and told her honestly;

"You've been feeling miserable ever since yesterday, it's no wonder you ran off."

Scootaloo, with a voice that mixed friendliness and confidence, added;

"You're our friend, AB! Whenever you need us, we'll be right there to help you!"

The warmth in Apple Bloom's smile could melt the polar ice caps. As our friendship warmed our hearts, Tree Hugger took this moment to offer;

"I know my way around this forest, so I can help you kids get back home."

Well, it was bound to happen! The Canterlot Movie Club gave our new friend a big movie club hug right then and there, which she happily accepted by hugging us back.

It took us a few minutes of walking, but Tree Hugger had led us back to the fork in the forest path. She walked us down the path until we reached the opening in the forest that led to Sweet Apple Acres. Stopping at the opening, my friends and I looked up at her with gratitude in our eyes and smiles. She looked down at us with peace flowing freely from her entire being. I wondered if this woman had a single regret in her body, but I decided to not ask her about that. A lady does not pry too hard on one's personal business, as Rarity would say. Instead, I told her happily;

"Thank you again for helping us."

"Yeah, you were awesome!" exclaimed a grateful Scootaloo. Apple Bloom, her revitalized mood still set to joyful, added;

"One of these days, we should watch a film together in our clubhouse."

A soft smile shining on her face, Tree Hugger responded as only she could;

"Righteous."

A spark appeared in her eyes for a split-second before she noted;

"Now that I think about it, you sweet souls haven't run one of those groovy movie screenings in quite a while."

She wasn't wrong, actually, which I was sure got all three of us kids to start thinking of fun stuff in our heads. Her smile grew slightly larger when she suggested;

"Perhaps you could change that one day?"

Now, that was a good idea to me! Apple Bloom seemed to agree, for she chuckled jovially before answering;

"We'll keep that in mind, sugarcube."

I was about to think of something else to say when Applejack called out to us from well beyond the forest with a loud jovial voice;

"YOUNGIN'S! SOUP'S ON AND IT'S DELICIOUS!"

Oh, we weren't going to ignore that Apple, or any Apple, when food was mentioned! With an excited smile, I turned to face the opening alongside my friends before we yelled out in return;

"WE'RE ON OUR WAY, APPLEJACK!"

We turned back to give Tree Hugger a proper goodbye, only to find that she had seemingly vanished! Looking around with our eyes and heads, we were surprised and confused. Especially Scootaloo, who asked;

"Is she some kind of hippie ninja?"

Just then, we heard playful giggles and footfalls on grass come from our right side. We looked in that direction and saw Tree Hugger standing among the trees, her face as peaceful as ever. Showing us a peace sign with her right hand one more time, she declared with gentle finality;

"May peace become a part of your lives one day, Canterlot Movie Club."

Smiling back at her while feeling happy over her sweet goodbye, we showed peace signs of our own while Apple Bloom said to her on our behalf;

"See ya' around, Tree Hugger."

After giving us a gentle appreciative nod, she turned around and walked deeper into the forest at a slow and sure pace. After spending time with that kind hippie and watching her leave, a part of me suspected that there was much more to learn from her. But that had to wait. After all, I would never let Apple Family food turn cold if I could help it!

Author's Note

While guilt can strike from seemingly out of nowhere, help can come from unexpected sources, such as a gentle hippie meditating in a forest.

With the kids getting some much-needed insight, they are one step closer to being ready to face Twist.

But can they handle what's coming?

Next chapter: We enter the THIRD (not second) Equestria Girls movie!

Crusade Bio #13 - Tree Hugger

Full Name: Tree Hugger

Nickname(s): Hugger and Forest Girl

Student Status: Enrolled

Grade Level: Sophomore

Closest Relatives: ???

Friends: Fluttershy, the CMCs, Sunset Shimmer, Sandalwood, etc...

Description:

Leader of the Eco Kids clique and CHS' quintessential hippie, Tree Hugger is a young woman who strives to encourage peace and good health within others as well as within herself. An avid practitioner of yoga, meditation, and spiritual matters, she finds great joy and fulfillment in helping people find their way in life. It helps that she exudes good vibes with such ease that she comes off as entirely unfazed by even the tensest of situations. Some of the students have come to wonder if Tree Hugger has ever had stressful day in her life! If she has, then she has not revealed this to anyone, for very much like Sunset Shimmer, much about her past is shrouded in mystery. Outside of school hours, one can often find Tree Hugger in the woods beyond the suburbs of Canterlot City. It is also well known among the Wondercolts that she has a strong bond with Fluttershy thanks to their shared interests and peaceful tendencies.