Life in Allspark Wells

Chapters

First Day of School
Ironhide's Slice of Life
Nightshade's Sleepover
New Threads
Wheelie
Double Shuffle and Featherweight
Wheelie's Grand Day Out
When Girl Meets Bird
Scarlett Marbles
Pastel Goth's Very Big Secret
The Imperator and the Farm Girl
Armorhide and the Tankers
Making Noise
Pastel and Wreck-Gar
Finding Inspiration
Sensory Overload
Aurochs Compost
Roots and Berries, Wolves and Boars
Aanslag
Yank in the Guards
People Vs Aurochs Compost
Little and Big Brothers
Nightshade
Safety First
My Naam is Appelbloei
Canuks on the Hill
Dance Class with Wheelie
Sideswipe's Smoking Problem
He Just Don't Got It
Enter the PYA
Apple Bloom vs the PYA
Brighter Pastels
Side Swiping in the Past
Monsieur Labelle

First Day of School

Part 1; First Day of School

As the sun began to shine its rays of light across the land that was the home to the town of Allspark Wells, every living thing began to stir from their slumber and prepare for the day. Birds let out caws, crows, and chirps as they tended to their chicks before flying off to hunt for food. Small mammals crawled out of their burrows, sniffing the air for their breakfast. And in every house that made up the small town, people began to rise from their beds (however groggily) and prepare for everything the day had in store for them.

And in one of these houses, or to be more specific, a two-story building that housed both a commercial garage and living quarters for a decently sized family, a teenaged girl with yellow skin and burgundy died hair, began to wake from her slumber.

Letting out a loud yawn as she stretched her arms, Apple Bloom rose from her bed as she thought to herself, ‘Alright. First day of school, here Ah come!’ Indeed, today would be the first day of high school, or rather, her first day of school at Iacon High.

That detail reminded the former farm girl of just how she’d gotten here. Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom whispered to herself, “Heh. Feels like a lifetime ago.” Indeed, almost one year earlier, she had roped her friends into an admittedly poorly thought-out plan to frame their sisters’ new friend, former bully Sunset Shimmer, for posting hurtful and embarrassing personal information on the internet. No sooner had the trio been caught than they were all punished, including Apple Bloom.

Fast forward nearly seven months, one summer, countless misadventures, and one unpleasant reunion with her sister, and Apple Bloom had found that her life had significantly changed for the better. As she thought back on everything she’d been through, the former farm girl couldn’t help but allow a smile to form across her lips as fond memories made with her new friends flashed in front of her eyes. Whether it was tap dancing with her boyfriend Tender Taps and his sister Double Shuffle, Learning about dinosaurs from Marble Pie, Helping Rattrap with his garden, or providing a comforting shoulder for her new adopted sister Sideswipe, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but remark to herself, “Guess Ah’ve had quite the impact on everyone ‘round these parts.”

Her daydreaming was interrupted when her bedroom door was opened, followed by a familiar raspy voice calling out, “Rise and shine young lady! Mr. Bossman wants you up and at ‘em five minutes ago!” Apple Bloom turned to the door, only to be greeted by the familiar sight of a gray skinned man with black hair that extended to his upper lip via friendly mutton chops, a white jumpsuit with red and green stripes, circular glasses, and who held a hammer and trash can lid in his hands.

Before the enthusiastic man could bang his instruments together, Apple Bloom raised her hands as she called out, “Alright, Ah’m up Wheeljack. Ah’ll be down in a minute.” She then let out a sigh as she added, “Just give me a few minutes to get ready and Ah’ll be down, alright?” Sighing to himself, Wheeljack relented with a defeated, “Alright. Get dressed in quiet like a square.” He then slinked off, leaving Apple Bloom to quip to herself, “Why does he always have to be such a smartass?”

After a few minutes, the former farm girl slipped into what she felt would be an appropriate outfit for the day; a dark blue pair of overalls, a red and white striped tee shirt, and a pair of black boots. She’d done her hair up in braided pigtails, the style she’d adopted since she first came to Allspark Wells. Throwing in just enough make up to touch up any major imperfections (save for the unfortunate gap where one of her teeth had once rested), and the burgundy haired girl felt that she could take on the world.

“Alright.” Apple Bloom said as she took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

The Kitchen…

Sliding down the stairwell and leaping into the kitchen, Apple Bloom cheerfully greeted, “Mornin’ everyone!” Already, she found herself greeted by her aunt Chromia; the older woman was setting the table as she replied, “My, looks like someone got on the right side of the bed this morning.” As the gray skinned woman made her way to her niece, she asked, “You feeling ready for your first day of school?”

Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “You bet, or at least as ready as Ah think Ah can be.” She then grasped her arm with her hand as she added, “Though, if Ah’m bein’ honest, Ah’m kinda nervous. Ah haven’t been in school since the start of the last semester.” The former farm girl took a deep breath and finished, “Maybe Ah’m just overthinking everything.”

From behind her, Apple Bloom heard the familiar sound of a teenaged girl’s voice practically shout, “You bet your ass you are!” The burgundy haired girl shot up and let out a surprised, “Gah!” Turning around, she found herself staring at a familiar girl with pale white skin, black hair, and wearing a black sleeveless shirt, a red denim vest and pants, and a pair of black biker boots.

Letting out an obnoxious snort and chuckle, Sideswipe quipped, “Oh man, you should see the look on your face!” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as she groaned, “That wasn’t funny Sideswipe.” However, the pale biker simply finished her fit of laughter as she replied, “It was too.”

Chromia then interrupted the siblings’ squabble with a stern, “Sideswipe, that wasn’t nice, and you know how I feel about swearing.” Sighing in resignation, Sideswipe conceded defeat and apologized, “Sorry about that Apple Bloom. You forgive me?”

Pondering over whether to actually forgive her adopted sister, Apple Bloom relented and, with a small smile forming across her lips, replied, “Ah forgive you Sideswipe.” She then pulled the pale biker into a tight hug, one which Sideswipe happily reciprocated.

At that moment, the kitchen door opened, revealing a very familiar gray skinned man wearing a red plaid shirt, gray pants with suspenders, and a general sense of warmth and safety off him. Walking into the room, he playfully called out, “Well, if it isn’t my three favorite ladies.”

Apple Bloom immediately bolted over to the older man and wrapped her arms around him as she enthusiastically greeted, “Mornin’ uncle Ironhide!” Hugging his niece (and as far as was concerned, his daughter) back, Ironhide let out a playful, “I take it this means you slept well?” The former farm girl released her uncle as she replied, “Ah did, even if Wheeljack was plannin’ on givin’ me a rude awakening.”

“Heh, remind me to put Wheeljack on latrine duty today.” Ironhide cheekily ordered Chromia. He then turned his attention to Sideswipe and asked, “What about you kid? You sleep well?”

Sideswipe shrugged as she replied, “Pretty much. No nightmares, so I guess I can’t complain.” Ironhide let out a gentle chuckle as he “That’s good.” He then paused for a moment as he inspected the pale biker’s shoulder and inquired, “You sure that shirt meets the school’s dress code?” Sideswipe groaned and bent her head backwards as she replied, “I checked the school’s dress code last night, and trust me, this shirt should work.” Ironhide relented, but quickly added, “Alright then. But just in case, pack an extra tee shirt, ok?” The pale biker simply nodded and replied with a simple, “Yes sir.”

Before anyone could say anything else, Chromia interrupted, “I do hate to interfere, but we should probably finish getting breakfast ready, or else you’re gonna be late dropping the girls off at school.” Apple Bloom then added, “And Ah don’t know about you, but Ah’m kinda hungry.” Ironhide relented, “Alright. I’ll finish everything up.” He then turned to Chromia and requested, “You mind keeping an eye on Wheeljack and Wreck-Gar while I take the girls?” Chromia nodded as she replied, “You’ve got it. I’ll make sure that knuckle head doesn’t do anything stupid.”

And so, the little family began to finish up preparations for breakfast, hopeful there would still be plenty of time for Ironhide to drive the girls to school.

Ironhide’s Van…

As the red van made its way down the road, Apple Bloom allowed her eyes to drift off, taking in the sights of Allspark Wells around her. Making a mental note of every building they passed, the former farm girl found her thought to herself, ‘Alright, we make a left turn here, then we go past three lights and past the drug store and Hot Rod’s diner.’

She was distracted from her mental map making when Ironhide asked, “You ok there kid?” Turning to face her uncle, Apple Bloom admitted, “Ah think so.” She then took a deep breath before continuing, “Guess Ah’m just nervous.” As the van pulled up to a red light, Ironhide turned to face his daughter and reassured her, “Don’t worry kid, you’ll do fine.”

From across the van, Sideswipe complimented, “Yeah, who wouldn’t love you?” Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief as she replied, “Thanks.” The pale biker then added, “Besides, you’ve got an easier job than me. I have to deal with teachers who might remember me.” Ironhide immediately added, “And I want you on best behavior young lady.” Groaning, Sideswipe replied, “I will, unless someone else draws first blood.”

Once the light turned green, Ironhide accelerated the van closer towards its destination, leaving Apple Bloom to think, ‘Maybe things won’t be so bad.’

A Few Minutes Later…

To say Apple Bloom was impressed by the building before her would be an understatement. There, on the other side of the car door, rested a grand, two-story building with the same golden colored exterior as almost every other building in Allspark Wells. Near the far end of the building sat a glass atrium where Apple Bloom could see tables where she would almost certainly be eating lunch in several hours. All in all, it seemed like a warm and inviting building.

Ironhide interrupted his daughter’s trance with a gentle, “Come on girls, you better head on in. I gotta get back to the chop shop before Wheeljack does something stupid.” Sideswipe scooped up her backpack and said, “Alright. See you Ironhide.” The family patriarch bade farewell with a gentle, “Stay out of trouble. Love you.” Starting to blush with embarrassment, the pale biker replied, “I love you too.”

Taking a Deep breath, Apple Bloom picked up her messenger bag as she turned to her uncle and said, “See ya Uncle Ironhide.” The older man gave a gentle nod as he reassured her, “See you kid. And don’t worry, I’m not gonna shout something embarrassing as you and Sideswipe are heading inside.” The former farm girl let out a gentle giggle as she responded with a simple, “Thanks. Ah love you.” The older man replied with a soft, “I love you too. Now go out there and give it your best shot.”

With that, Apple Bloom took a deep breath, unbuckled her seat belt, opened the van door, and stepped outside. True to his word, Ironhide didn’t lower the window and say anything cheesy or corny. Instead, he gave the two girls a reassuring nod and drove off back to the chop shop.

Once the family’s red van had disappeared into the horizon, Sideswipe called out to her sister, “Come on, we gotta find our homeroom!” Apple Bloom turned to face the pale biker as she replied, “Alright! Wait for me.” With that, she followed her sister up to the school’s front door. Once both girls had closed the distance, Sideswipe asked, “So, you ready?”

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah’m ready.”

Hallways of Iacon High…

As both girls walked down the hallway, Apple Bloom was overcome with the reality of one thing she hadn’t missed since the Anon-A-Miss disaster; the fact that school hallways are, more often than not, congested quagmires filled to the brim with other people. Both girls found themselves struggling to stay together as they dealt with the scores of other students, all making their way from one classroom to the next. Struggling to keep up with her sister, the former farm girl couldn’t help but quip, “Ah don’t think Canterlot High was ever this busy.”

But as the two teenagers continued their trek through the crowd, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but notice something incredibly odd; Some of the other students were staring at her. ‘Something’s not quite right.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. It would have been one thing if it were the occasional stray eye, but this was different. With every step, it seemed that more and more eyes were focusing on her.

Deciding to try and break the growing sense of tension, Apple Bloom approached one of the many people watching her, a purple teenaged girl with blue hair in a green dress, and asked, “Howdy! Ah’m Apple Bloom. Who are you?” The purple teen didn’t say anything, instead glaring right at the former farm girl before strutting away in a huff. As Apple Bloom processed this, Sideswipe folded her arms and quipped, “Well that’s just rude.”

Turning to her sister, Apple Bloom asked, “You think she knows about…. You know….” Sideswipe shrugged as she answered, “I dunno. I mean it’s not like you can ignore it completely.” All the former farm girl could do was sigh as she replied, “Ah guess you’re right.” After all, given how Wheeljack had (drunkenly) blurted out what she’d done when she first arrived in Allspark Wells all those months ago, as well as the fact that even Sideswipe found out about Apple Bloom’s past before even meeting the former farm girl, it wasn’t a far stretch to say that at least a good few people already knew both who Apple Bloom was as well as what she’d done.

Sighing to herself, the former farm girl could only defeatedly remark, “Guess that answers mah question.” Sideswipe immediately rested her hand on Apple Bloom’s shoulder as she tried to reassure her with a gentle, “Hey, today hasn’t even started yet. I’m sure she was just being a bitch.” Even Apple Bloom couldn’t help but giggle at her sister’s use of profanity.

Once she finished laughing, Apple Bloom allowed the smile to remain on her face as she said, “We better pick up the pace and try to find our homeroom.” Sideswipe nodded as she replied, “I guess you’re right.” With that, the pale biker began to lead her adopted sister through the congested hallways.

A Few Minutes Later….

“Here we are.” Sideswipe said with a sigh of relief. “This looks like the place. Room 212.” It had taken several minutes, one flight of stairs, and a wrong turn leading to a supplies closet, but both girls had made it to what would be their homeroom for the next school year. Folding her arms confidently, the pale biker bragged, “See? I told you I could get us here.”

Playfully rolling her eyes, Apple Bloom replied, “Whatever you say captain Sideswipe. Ah just hope it was worth the scenic route” The older girl stuck her tongue out at her sister as she complained, “Oh please. I got us here before the bell rang, didn’t I?” Shrugging, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but answer, “Eh. You got a point.”

Opening the door, Apple Bloom was greeted by the pleasant sight of several rows of desks, each one with name tags that designated who was assigned to what desk. The walls were painted a dark blue and were covered with maps of various countries all over the world. At one end of the room sat a white board with several markers and erasers resting gently on the extended tray beneath it, and nestled in one of the corners sat a teacher’s desk covered in stacks of paper and even a small globe. All in all, Apple Bloom felt that this would be the sort of classroom she would be more than comfortable in.

It also didn’t hurt that, at this particular moment, there were only a handful of other students. ‘Phew. At least we got ourselves a few minutes.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. As she tentatively made her way into the classroom, she wondered, ‘Wonder which seat is mine?’

It didn’t take long for Apple Bloom to find which desk had been assigned to her; the nametag with her name on it was right at the far end of the front row. In fact, it was actually the closest seat to the teacher’s desk. As she walked up to it, the former farm girl thought to herself, ‘Huh. Wonder if this is because they wanna keep an eye on me?’ Shaking her head, Apple Bloom whispered to herself, “It’s just a coincidence. Ah’m sure you just got the short straw for the closest seat to the teacher is all.”

Apple Bloom was distracted from her internal doubt by the sound of someone calling out, “Excuse me?” Turning to see who it was, the former farm girl was greeted by the sight of a light blue teenaged girl with black hair, and bangs that covered her left eye, all while not obscuring the beauty mark that sat comfortably over her left cheek bone. She wore a pink dress that Apple Bloom figured was probably sleeveless, a black leather jacket, and black boots that had a small but noticeable heel. Perhaps what was most surprising was the dark eyeliner and black lipstick that adorned her face. All in all, this mystery girl seemed somewhat intimidating, but also kind of inviting.

Scooting into the desk next to her, the mystery goth girl extended her hand and rather sheepishly said, “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.” The first thing that went through Apple Bloom’s mind was ‘Huh. Her voice sounds kinda deep.’ Indeed, the blue girl’s voice wasn’t exactly as low as the bass singer of a barbershop quartet, but it was deeper than the former farm girl expected.

Still, Apple Bloom knew that people’s voices came in all shapes and sizes, so she decided not to pay it too much attention. Instead, the burgundy haired girl extended her own hand and shook the other girl’s as she replied, “Nice to meet you too. Ah’m Apple Bloom.”

Smiling, the blue girl introduced herself with, “I’m Pastel Goth.” Once both girls finished their handshake, Pastel began to scratch the back of her neck as she nervously asked, “So, if you’re Apple Bloom, is it true that you…. You know…”

Before she even realized what she was doing, Apple Bloom sighed in resignation and frustration. Realizing she’d struck a nerve, Pastel Goth tried to apologize, “Oh Primus, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to….” The former farm girl raised her hand and reassured her new acquaintance, “It’s alright.” She then paused for a moment before, “Guess there was no point in hopin’ people wouldn’t know.”

Smiling, Pastel Goth replied, “If it’s too much, I won’t pry anything from you.” When Apple Bloom gave a confused look, the blue girl continued, “I know a thing or two about keeping things under wraps.” Taken by surprise by this new girl’s friendliness, the former farm girl could only reply with a gentle, “Thanks.” Pastel replied with a friendly, “You’re welcome.”

At that moment, a new sound caught Apple Bloom’s ears; the sound of someone playing a recorder. Turning to see who it was, the former farm girl was surprised to see that it the small instrument was not being played by a hipster student, but by a gray skinned man with dark black hair, a blue button shirt with a crooked bowtie, a black suit coat that was clearly a size or two too big, gray plaid pants, dark brown pixie boots. As he walked towards the teacher’s desk, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Ah got a feelin’ this guy must be our teacher.’

Sure enough, the mystery man finished his little diddy, laid his recorder on the desk, and began rubbing his hands together as he turned his attention to the now mostly full classroom and began, “Ha ha ha. Well now, what do we have here?” His inviting voice and British accent intrigued Apple Bloom, Sideswipe, Pastel Goth, and everyone else as he continued, “So many faces here. Some brand new, some familiar. Some here for the first time, some possibly for the last.”

As Apple Bloom found herself hanging on his every word, the teacher caught himself as he stated, “Oh, but where are my manners? I’m Doctor Pennywhistle, and I’m your homeroom teacher. To some of you, I might even be your history teacher as well.” The former farm girl thought to herself, ‘Doctor Pennywhistle. Huh, Ah’ve never had a doctor as a teacher before.’

Rubbing his hands together again, Doctor Pennywhistle began, “Now then, since we will all be together for the school year, I want everyone to get to know each other a little better. Thus, everyone is going to introduce themselves and reveal something about themselves.”

The moment Apple Bloom heard that, she found herself instinctively giving a massive gulp of fear. ‘Oh no.’ The burgundy haired girl thought to herself. ‘Please don’t start with me. Please don’t start with me!’

Thankfully, Doctor Pennywhistle made his way to the opposite end of the classroom and, turning to an orange skinned boy, asked, “Why don’t we start with you?” The unfamiliar boy stood up and introduced himself with, “Okay, my name is Sandstorm, and I raise rattlesnakes.” As the rest of the class let out “oohs” and “ahs,” Apple Bloom let out sighed in relief as she whispered to herself, “Ok. You got a few moments. Gotta think of somethin’ that doesn’t directly link back to what happened back home.’

After a few moments, Sideswipe stood up and introduced herself with, “’Sup everyone. I’m Sideswipe and I own a motorcycle.” Pastel Goth immediately let out an excited, “No way. Really?” The pale biker struck a confident pose as she answered, “You bet.” Dr. Pennywhistle then turned to his cerulean student and asked, “How about you tell us a little about yourself?” Letting out a gentle chuckle as she straightened her jacket and answered, “Well, Uh… I’m Pastel Goth and….” Struggling to think of something herself, gave an interesting piece of information about herself.

“My older brother is Blaster.”

As Apple Bloom found herself somewhat confused at that revelation, one of the other students, a caramel skinned girl blurted out, “No way! Your brother is that radio DJ guy?” Pastel Goth nervously scratched the back of her neck as she replied, “Yeah. He’s a pretty cool guy.”

Doctor Pennywhistle then said, “Now then, that leaves one student left.” Turning to a certain former farm girl, the gray teacher continued, “It’s your turn.” Despite having spent the entire time trying to think of something to say, however, Apple Bloom still didn’t know what to say about herself. Starting to internally panic, she thought to herself, ‘Oh no. What do Ah do?’ She was further interrupted by her teacher inquiring, “Everything alright?”

Thinking on the fly, she introduced herself with, “Ah’m Apple Bloom and Ah was actually born in Canterlot City.”

For a few moments, Apple Bloom felt herself breathe a sigh of relief. After all, given that it was only a state away, and people moved between cities all the time. However, the brief moment of hope was dashed when the former farm girl was distracted by the sound of someone snickering, clearly trying to hold laughter. ‘Please don’t tell me it’s what Ah think it is.’ The burgundy haired girl thought to herself.

At that moment, Doctor Pennywhistle turned to the same caramel colored girl from before and sternly ordered, “Alright now Caramel Syrup. What is it that’s so funny to you?” Standing up from her desk, Syrup pointed to Apple Bloom and cruelly replied, “If she really wanted to share something juicy, she should have just said that she was Anon-A-Miss!”

Almost immediately, several other students began to chat amongst themselves. While some like Sandstone were more surprised, saying, “No way! That’s her?”, others, such as a girl seated next to Caramel Syrup, indignantly complained, “No way. We have homeroom with that manipulative bitch?” Even Sideswipe giving her a furious glare couldn’t help Apple Bloom feel any better.

Doctor Pennywhistle soon spoke up, demanding, “That will do everyone! I want everyone to quiet down now.” As the rest of the class simmered down, the gray teacher began to explain something that Apple Bloom figured would be important at some point.

But right now, that didn’t matter. All that Apple Bloom really cared about right now was that, just like when she first arrived in Allspark Wells, everyone knew what she’d done. The only thing the former farm girl could do was slump down and rest her head on her desk in defeat, hoping she could pay attention to whatever Doctor Pennywhistle was talking about.

First Period…

After an otherwise uneventful homeroom, Apple Bloom trudged to her first period class. Pulling out her schedule from her messenger bag, she read out, “Mr. Compost, room 131.” Taking a deep breath, she said to herself, “Alright, let’s get this over with.” Entering the new classroom, she found the walls were covered with informative posters and displays of biology, botany, and other aspects of organic life. And rather than singular desks, there were several long, black tables that multiple students would sit at.

As for those students, it seemed that Apple Bloom was among, if not the last student to arrive. Letting out a small sigh of relief, the former farm girl lamented to herself, “Well, at least Ah’m not late.” Sure enough, no sooner than she took another step forward did the loud ringing of a school bell drowned out all other noise.

The moment the bell finished ringing, Apple Bloom heard the sound of an unfamiliar man’s voice calling out, “Alright now students. Quiet down.” Turning to see who it was, the burgundy haired girl found herself staring at a rather homely man with sickly green skin, long dirty brown hair that was clearly showing signs of balding, simple and, if her eye weren’t deceiving her, dirty clothes, and an all-around air of smug confidence surrounding him.

Staring at his new pupil, the older man folded his arms as he sternly asked, “So, you must be Apple Bloom?” Nervously nodding, the former farm girl answered, “Yeah.” Almost immediately, the teacher turned his attention to the class as he continued, “Now that we’re all here, greetings fellow citizens of the world. I’m Mr. Compost, and I will be your biology teacher this semester.” He then turned his attention to Apple Bloom and, in a surprisingly stern tone, stated, “And I assure you, if you try anything like what you did in Canterlot City, I guarantee you’ll fail this class!”

Under normal circumstances, any other student would protest a teacher acting in such an intimidating or rude manner, but Apple Bloom, already worn down by her day so far, simply sighed and replied, “Ah understand sir.” Seeming content, Mr. Compost as he pointed to the only remaining empty seat as he said, “Take your seat Apple Bloom.”

As Apple Bloom sat down, she heard yet more students snickering and whispering to each other, cementing the fact that they knew who she was. All the former farm girl could do was sigh and let her head collapse straight down onto the desk and mutter to herself, “Ah hate this.”

The Cafeteria, Later That Day….

Seated at a far-off table in the cafeteria, Apple Bloom glumly ate her lunch, specifically a slice of acceptable but otherwise bland pizza. After swallowing a bit, she sighed as she dejectedly said to herself, “So, one homeroom one biology class, and one English class, and all of them know everythin’ about me.” Reaching for her milk, the former farm girl sighed as she lamented, “So much for a fresh start ‘round here.”

Still, it wasn’t entirely surprising to the former farm girl. As she dejectedly picked up her slice of pizza, Apple Bloom chastised herself with, “Ah guess Ah shouldn’t have expected everyone to just run up to me, beggin’ to be mah friend.” After all, given that the entire town knew about the whole Anon-A-Miss incident, it wasn’t like her new school would be any different. And as someone who knew quite a fair bit about manipulating people, Apple Bloom knew just how nasty high schoolers could be.

Apple Bloom was distracted from her little pity party by the very familiar sound a certain boy’s voice asking, “Excuse me? Is this seat taken?” Immediately lighting up, the former farm girl said to herself, “That sounds like Tender Taps!” Sure enough, she turned around to see her boyfriend, dressed in a purple button shirt over a dark gray tee shirt, purple pants, and black shoes. As he placed his own lunch down on the table, the former farm girl did the only thing she could think of.

She leapt up from her table and wrapped her boyfriend in a tight hug.

Hugging his girlfriend back, Tender Taps happily replied, “Glad to see you too!” As Apple Bloom released him, she sheepishly admitted, “Sorry for jumpin’ you. It’s kinda been a lousy day.” The orange dancer inquired, “What’s wrong?” Sighing, the former farm girl answered, “Let’s just say that just about everyone around here knows.”

Sighing, Tender Taps asked, “And let me guess, more than a few people have addressed you about it?” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Not only that, mah biology teacher, Mr. Compost, just up and outs me before class can even begin!” Sitting back down in defeat, the former farm girl lamented, “Guess Ah brought it on mahself though.”

To her delight, Tender Taps sat down, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and reassured her, “Look on the bright side, at least we have the same lunch period.” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but allow herself to smile and let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “That is a good plus side.” She then asked, “So tell me, how’s your day been?”

Lighting up at the fact that his girlfriend was feeling just a bit better, Tender Taps began, “Well, my homeroom teacher is Mrs. Allegra, and she’s the drama and chorus teacher, and she….” With that, Apple Bloom refocused her attention to her boyfriend, happy that, at least for a few moments, she could forget everything that had happened so far that day.

A Short While Later…

Once again finding herself taking a deep breath in anticipation, Apple Bloom found herself entering the art room. Though her lunch period had been a nice break, the former farm girl once again found herself going once more into the fray. Sighing, Apple Bloom straightened her messenger bag as she pepped herself up with, “Let’s get this over with.”

Entering her next class, Apple Bloom was pleasantly greeted by the sight of the art room. Rather than posters or safety instructions, the walls were covered with cabinets and shelves filled with art supplies and the occasional past project of students long gone. And instead of simple school desks, there were long desks for multiple students, all arranged in a square ring around the center.

Thankfully, there weren’t that many other students present. There were a few other kids, some unfamiliar, and some the burgundy haired girl remembered from the halls or other classes. However, there was one student that made Apple Bloom feel just a little bit better.

Seated at the end of one of the desks sat Pastel Goth, who called out, “Hey Apple Bloom! Over here!” Letting out a sigh of relief, Apple Bloom called out to her new friend, “Ah’m commin’.”

As the burgundy haired girl sat down next to the cerulean girl, Pastel inquired, “How’s your day been?” Apple Bloom let out a gentle sigh as she replied, “Honestly, not too great. Guess people have been, you know….”

Before she could finish, Apple Bloom was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice mockingly stating, “That you’re, like, the reason Canterlot High tore itself apart?” Turning to see who it was, the two girls were greeted by the sight of a purple girl with yellow hair, her arms pressed condescendingly on her hips as she continued, “You better not try anything you little bitch.” She then strutted off, satisfied she’d made her point.

Motioning to the purple teen, Apple Bloom defeatedly explained, “That’s been happening all day.” Sighing in defeat, the former farm girl continued, “Maybe it’s just karma.” As slumped down yet again, Apple Bloom finished, “Ah mean, you knew about me, right?”

Nodding, Pastel Goth replied, “Yeah. I did.” She then, to Apple Bloom’s Surprise, rested an arm around her and said, “But, you know, I remember my brother Blaster telling me that, “We all fuck up, and it’s what you do next that counts.” Confused but touched, Apple Bloom asked, “But, now forgive me if this comes off as rude, we only met earlier today.” The cerulean goth girl shrugged as she replied, “Yeah, but….” Pausing for a moment, Pastel finished with, “Well, I guess I just took a leap of faith.”

Feeling just a bit better, Apple Bloom let out a gentle chuckle as she admitted, “Guess Ah did to when Ah got here.” Pastel began to laugh herself as she asked, “So does this mean we’re friends?” Allowing herself to feel excited and optimistic for the future, Apple Bloom pulled the cerulean goth into a tight hug as she happily squealed, “Friends.”

And she was happily surprised when Pastel Goth returned the gesture just as tightly.

Dr. Pennywhistle’s Room.

Once again entering her homeroom, Apple Bloom reassured herself, “Just one more class.” Indeed, her final class of the day would be world history with her homeroom teacher, Doctor Pennywhistle. Making her way back into the now familiar classroom, the former farm girl was greeted by the sight of several other students. However, this time, she was greeted by a surprisingly familiar face.

Seated at a desk in the front row sat a gray girl in a turtleneck sweater, dark gray kilt, black boots, and a black leather jacket.

Running up to her friend, Apple Bloom practically squealed, “Marble?! What are you doin’ here?” As the two friends hugged each other, the gray geologist replied, “Mr. Beachcomber enrolled me here so I could improve my people skills.” She then held her arm as she sighed, “This place is crowded.” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah know. It’s kinda overwhelmin’.” Thankfully, Marble allowed a small smile to form on her face as she added, “At least I have English class with Sideswipe.” She then began to blush, clearly recalling the warm and safe feeling of being in the same class as her awesome girlfriend.

The joyous reunion was ended when Doctor Pennywhistle called out, “Alright everyone, take your seats.” As the bell rang and everyone sat down at a desk (with Apple Bloom sitting down next to Marble), the history teacher enthusiastically continued, “Now then my friends, welcome to world history 101.” Taking a deep breath of anticipation, Doctor Pennywhistle asked his class, “But first, do any of you know what history is?”

As confusion rang through the class, one of the students nervously replied with, “Uh… it’s all the stuff that happened in the past?” Doctor Pennywhistle let out an amused chuckle as he replied, “In some ways, that is true. However, history is more than that.” After a few moments, Apple Bloom raised her hand as she asked, “Then what is history if it isn’t just everythin’ that’s happened.”

Lighting up at his student’s curiosity, Doctor Pennywhistle rubbed his hands together as he elaborated, “You see, all throughout humanity’s history, we’ve all been interconnected to each other. Every decision influences both our own future and everyone else’s.” Pausing for a moment, he added, “Maybe not quite that wound tightly together, but the fact is that we are all here because of the decisions and actions made by those in the past, and they were where they were because of those before them.” He then paused before finishing, “And that’s what we’re here for this semester.”

And as Doctor Pennywhistle continued, Apple Bloom found herself entirely enraptured by her teacher’s words, feeling so entranced that she didn’t think about how bad the rest of the day had been.

A Short While Later…

“And that should do it for today.” Doctor Pennywhistle said as several other students began to get up and make their way out of the classroom. As they left, the gray teacher continued, “We’ll pick up from here tomorrow.” Getting up from her desk, Marble bade Apple Bloom farewell with a gentle, “See you Apple Bloom.” Letting out a relieved sigh, the burgundy haired girl replied, “Take care Marble. And if you see Sideswipe, don’t get too distracted.”

As Marble left the classroom (and struggled to control her growing blush), Apple Bloom was caught off guard by the sound of Doctor Pennywhistle calling out for her. “Apple Bloom? May I have a word with you please?”

Gulping in fear, the former farm girl began to feel sweat starting to drip down her forehead. ‘Oh no.’ She thought to herself. ‘He’s gonna chew into mah ass about everythin’. Ah just know it.’ Sighing to herself in resignation, the former farm girl lamented, “Alright. Let’s just get this over with.” Approaching her teacher’s desk, Apple Bloom nervously asked, “You wanted to see me Doctor Pennywhistle?” Setting the paper he was looking over down, the gray teacher said something that surprised the former farm girl.

“It seems I owe you an apology Apple Bloom.”

For a few moments, both student and teacher stood and sat there, the former confused and surprised at what the latter had said. Finally regaining herself, Apple Bloom inquired, “Apology?” Nodding, Doctor Pennywhistle explained, “I’ve heard from some of my colleagues that your first day has not been the best.” Standing up, he continued, “And I take it homeroom was not the only time people brought attention to that little incident back in Canterlot City?”

Nodding in resignation, Apple Bloom lamented, “Ah guess it’s no secret, is it?” Allowing a somber expression to consume his face, Doctor Pennywhistle replied, “Normally I wouldn’t have this sort of conversation with students, but I’ve been hearing others gossiping about it and….” He then paused for a moment before finishing, “I was instructed by the principal to mitigate the situation.” Confused, Apple Bloom could only say, “Uh, you lost me.”

As the other students of the homeroom class made their way into the classroom, Doctor Pennywhistle reassured the former farm girl, “Don’t worry, I think I can mitigate some of it. Now, go back to your desk.” Apple Bloom decided to just roll with it and made her way back to her desk.

Once she was back at her desk, Pastel Goth asked, “Hey Apple Bloom, what was that all about?” Shrugging, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah don’t know.” As the last students made their way into the classroom, Doctor Pennywhistle made his way to the front of the class and cleared his throat, and it was then that he made a small speech.

“Now then, earlier today I heard some of you making rather rude remarks about one of your fellow classmates.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “I won’t name names, but I want it made sure that I will not allow such behavior in my class!” Crossing his arms, Doctor Pennywhistle finished with a gentle but firm, “If you absolutely must engage in such gossip, then save it for when you get home, or at least for later.”

As for Apple Bloom, she found herself overcome by a sense of relief. ‘Guess it would be too good to make people stop altogether.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. ‘But at least Ah don’t have to worry about it in homeroom. Or history class, hopefully.’

Having finished, Doctor Pennywhistle finished with, “Now then, since I’m sure you’ve all had a busy day so far, I will leave the rest of our little get together for a study period. If any of you have any questions, feel free to ask me about.” With that, he returned to his desk, leaving his students to study or otherwise wait for the final bell to ring for the day.

Pastel Goth immediately took the opportunity to ask, “Hey Apple Bloom? Can I ask something?” Pulling out her notebook from biology class, Apple Bloom replied, “Ask away.” Taking a deep breath, the cerulean girl asked, “What happened to your tooth?”

‘Of course, she’d ask that.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. Before she could even reply, Pastel quickly added, “I mean, if it’s not too much for you.” Raising her hand to reassure her new friend, the burgundy haired girl replied, “It’s not. It’s just….” Pausing for a moment, Apple Bloom decided to tell Pastel what happened.

“It sorta started a few weeks back when Ah went home to Canterlot City for a visit…..”

School Entrance, A Short While Later…

“No way! You’re a tap dancer too?” Pastel Goth enthusiastically exclaimed as she, Apple Bloom, and Sideswipe made their way to the school’s front door. Before the former farm girl could reply, Sideswipe interrupted with a cocky, “Actually, we both are.” It was only once she finished that Apple Bloom answered, “But yeah. Ah started not long after Ah arrived here.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Pastel Goth continued, “I started dancing when I was younger, and tap was always something I excelled in. Guess I’m just a musical kinda gal.” Smiling, Apple Bloom rested her arm on her friend as she reassured her, “And there ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.” It was at this point that Pastel began to giggle as she quipped, “Whatever you say cowgirl.”

Before either girl could say anything else, Sideswipe tapped Apple Bloom’s shoulder as she warned, “Red van at twelve o’ clock.” Sure enough, the former farm girl followed her sister’s extended arm to see that Ironhide had arrived to pick his daughters up. Sighing in resignation, the former farm girl lamented, “Guess we’ll see you tomorrow?” She was pleasantly surprised when Pastel Goth pulled her into a hug as she replied, “See you tomorrow cowgirl.” Hugging her back, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but admit, “You know, Ah kinda like “cowgirl.” See ya tomorrow.”

With that, Apple Bloom and Sideswipe departed, Leaving Pastel Goth, neither girl knowing that they had quickly become the cerulean goth’s first friends in a long time.

Once the two were in their guardian’s van, they were pleasantly surprised to see both Ironhide and Chromia there with him. The family matriarch enthusiastically inquired, “Hello girls. How was your first day of school?” Sideswipe immediately groaned, “Not too bad, except for my chemistry teacher. That prick is a cocksucker.” Chromia immediately chastised her daughter, “Hey, watch your language young lady!”

While mother and daughter quibbled over profanity, Ironhide, already driving back home, looked to Apple Bloom through the rear-view mirror and inquired, “What about you kid? How was your day?” For a few moments, the former farm girl didn’t quite know how to respond. Sure, there was the fact that, just as she feared, nearly everyone knew about her past. But on the other hand, at least one teacher was sympathetic to her, and that didn’t even include her new friend Pastel Goth. Shrugging, Apple Bloom simply answered, “Ah think today went by pretty well.”

And so, as the van continued its journey home to the Chop Shop, Apple Bloom looked out the window and thought to herself, ‘Ah got a feelin’ this year might not be so bad after all.’

After all, what better way to start a new school year than in Allspark Wells, the place where new futures were forged?

Author's Note

Next Time; Sideswipe, Marble, and Pastel help Apple Bloom find a new look for the new year.

Author's note; It's good to be back.

Ironhide's Slice of Life

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 10; Ironhide’s Slice of Life

As the sun began its rise above the horizon over Allspark Wells, Ironhide was starting to stir from his slumber. Blinking his weary eyes, the former sergeant stared into the alarm clock that rested on his nightstand. Once his vision was clear, he noticed that the clock read six twenty-nine.

“Oh Primus. Here we go.” Ironhide whispered to himself. Just as those words escaped his lips, the alarm clock let out a piercing screech, forcing both the family patriarch and his wife bolting up. Recoiling in annoyance, Ironhide reached out and pressed a button on the alarm clock, silencing that annoying little device.

Once peace had returned to the bedroom, Chromia let out a sigh of relief as she remarked, “I still don’t understand why you keep that stupid alarm clock around.” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Ironhide quipped, “I mean, it got us awake, didn’t it?” The family matriarch couldn’t help but laugh along as she replied, “I guess you’ve got a point.” She then began to stretch as she continued, “Though I’d prefer something that doesn’t make my ears bleed.”

Smiling, Ironhide reassured his wife, “Maybe I can see if I can lower the volume.” He then picked up the clock and began to fiddle with it as Chromia warned, “Maybe you should save that for tonight. We both have a long day today.” She then leant into her husband and gave him a kiss on the lips, a kiss he happily returned.

After a few minutes, both adults had changed their attire for the day. Chromia wore a deep blue pair of overalls over a faded blue button shirt with black boots, while Ironhide wore a faded red button shirt, gray pants, black suspenders, and dark burgundy boots. As Chromia made her way to the bathroom to relieve herself, Ironhide found himself staring at his reflection in the bedroom mirror.

Taking in his reflection, Ironhide smiled as he remarked, “Can’t believe I’ve made it this far.” Indeed, despite being greeted by the wrinkles in his face and the few visible gray hairs, the former sergeant couldn’t help but feel glad to be alive. After all, the signs of his aging were just proof that he’d made it out of that damn jungle alive. This thought turned bittersweet as he glanced over to the side of the mirror, where a picture of himself and the other Wreckers rested.

“I just wish the rest of you boys were here.” Ironhide lamented to the picture. While he, Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Hound were still alive, that didn’t change the fact that the rest of the team, including his close friend Huffer and commanding officer Optimus Prime, were no longer among the living. Resting his hand against the aged photograph, the former sergeant wistfully said, “You’d have loved the girls.”

At that moment, Chromia’s voice rang out, “I’m done!” Turning around, Ironhide found his wife emerging from the bathroom, her hair freshly rinsed and combed. Walking up to her husband, the gray woman asked, “Thinking about your old buddies?” Nodding, the family patriarch replied, “Yeah. Just thinking about the could’ve-beens and would’ve-beens.” Wrapping her arms around her husband, Chromia asked, “Need me to do kitchen duties today?”

Shaking his head, Ironhide answered, “I appreciate that, but I’d like to handle breakfast today. I’m thinking something special.” Nodding, Chromia replied, “Alright. But I’d like to handle lunch and dinner.” The gray man smiled as he quipped, “As you wish m’lady.” After sharing another kiss, the husband-and-wife team began to make their way out of their bedroom, both looking forward to what the day had in store for them.

The Kitchen, Thirty Minutes Later

“There we go.” Ironhide said to himself as he finished frying the French toast on the stove. On normal days, he, Chromia, or even Apple Bloom would prepare a simple breakfast of eggs, toast, and maybe some ham or bacon. But today, for a reason he couldn’t put his finger on, the family patriarch felt the need to do something special. Smiling, Ironhide quipped, “If anything, it’s nice to shake things up a little.”

From behind him, Ironhide heard the familiar sound of Apple Bloom’s voice calling out, “Mornin’ Uncle Ironhide!” Turning around, the older man was greeted by the sight of his daughter entering the kitchen, flanked by Sideswipe and Sparkplug. Running up to her uncle, the former farm girl pulled him into a tight hug as he playfully asked, “I take it you slept well kid?” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Yeah, Ah slept like a baby.”

As she released her uncle from her hug, Apple Bloom asked, “Anythin’ you need me to do?” Pondering for a moment, Ironhide answered, “I suppose you could help set the table.” He then pointed to Sideswipe as he continued, “Same goes for you too.” The pale biker groaned as he replied, “Ugh, sir yes sir.”

At that moment, a devious thought entered Ironhide’s mind. Smirking, the family patriarch quipped, “If KP duty isn’t up to your liking, then perhaps you could handle latrine duty.” Sideswipe immediately perked up as she replied, “I guess setting the table isn’t too bad.”

As the two girls set the table up for everyone, Ironhide couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and pride for them. After all, both Apple Bloom and Sideswipe found their way to his chop shop, and more importantly, into the former sergeant’s heart. Apple Bloom, his goddaughter from the Apple clan, was dumped on him by her sister, and quickly proved herself to be a loyal and good natured, if perhaps impulsive, kid. As for Sideswipe, she’d been stopping by his shop for what seemed like an eternity, and once he knew just how dangerous her father had become, Ironhide couldn’t just stand back and do nothing.

The family patriarch was distracted from his recollection of the past when Apple Bloom asked, “Uncle Ironhide? Is that supposed to make that much smoke?” Caught off guard, Ironhide replied with a simple, “What?” Before he could continue, the scent of something burning enveloped his nostrils. Turning around, he found a cloud of smoke rising from his French toast, giving the old sergeant enough reason to grumble, “Oh, that’s just prime!”

After managing to prevent the smoke from setting off the fire alarm, Ironhide presented his family with his cooking as he declared, “Alright everyone. I give you French toast, ala depanneurs.” Taking a bite for herself, Apple Bloom lit up with delight as she complimented, “This is really good. A bit crunchy, but pretty good nonetheless.” Chromia was the next, who said, “As always, you’re quite the master chef.” Even Sideswipe couldn’t help but remark, “Eh, it’s alright.” Ironhide let out a gentle chuckle as he admitted, “coming from you, I’ll take that as high praise.”

At that moment, Ratchet and Wheeljack entered the kitchen, the former warning the latter, “You’ve got to be careful around all those electric wires. You’re gonna fry yourself.” Rather than take his coworker’s warning seriously, the maverick replied, “Don’t worry about me. I’m impossible to kill. Remember that time we got cornered by those two “delightful” young ladies?” Before he could finish it, Chromia warned, “If you’re telling the story I think you’re telling, please stop.”

Sighing in resignation, Wheeljack defeatedly replied, “Yes ma’am.” An intrigued Apple Bloom swallowed her mouthful as she asked, “what do you mean by “delightful young ladies?” Before Wheeljack could answer, the family matriarch gently but sternly warned, “Apple Bloom?” Sighing in defeat, the former farm girl relented and stopped inquiring about the endeavor.

As everyone finished their breakfasts, Ironhide turned to his daughters and began, “Now then, I believe you two better head off to school.” Nodding, Apple Bloom gave her uncle another hug as she bade, “See you later Uncle Ironhide. Ah love you.” Hugging the burgundy haired girl back, Ironhide replied, “I love you too kid.” As the two girls made their way out of the kitchen, he bade a final, “Good luck girls!”

Once the girls were gone, Ironhide turned his attention to Ratchet and Wheeljack as he continued, “As for you boys, here’s the game plan. We’re gonna be getting some cars that came from a fender bender yesterday.” He then turned to Wheeljack as he continued, “And as for you, I need to borrow the robots. I want to see if they can handle working in the smelting pools.”

“Really?” Wheeljack asked. “You want to see how the boys will handle the heat?” Nodding, Ironhide replied, “More of a test really. If today goes well, perhaps we can consider delegating smelting duties to them.” He then raised his hand as he reassured his friend, “Any sign of trouble, and I’ll pull them out, ok?”

Satisfied, Wheeljack replied, “Alright then. Time to see if the boys are good at….” Pausing for a moment as a mischievous smirk formed across his lips, the maverick mechanic finished with a snarky, “… Taking the heat.” As he let out a hearty laugh at his own joke, Ratchet rolled his eyes as he remarked, “It’s not that funny Wheeljack.” Wheeljack simply continued to laugh as he replied, “That’s just because you’re a stick in the mud.”

While the two men continued to debate just how funny Wheeljack’s joke was, Chromia turned to her husband and asked, “You won’t forget about your promise to Apple Bloom today, right?” Taking his wife’s hand, Ironhide reassured her, “Trust me, I’m just gonna see how those bucketheads react with that kind of heat. Besides, I’ll be done by the time she gets home.” Nodding, the blue clad woman replied, “Alright. But if you forget, you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” Despite the threatening tone in her voice, Ironhide could tell by the smirk on her face that she wasn’t being entirely serious.

After finishing their breakfast, everyone stood up and began to start their duties for the day.

The Smelting Pits, Later that Day

Standing on a platform near the smelting pits clad in a cumbersome protective suit, Ironhide watched as Wheelie, Brains, and Wreck-Gar performed their duties. ‘So far, so good.’ The former sergeant thought to himself. As his eyes focused on Wheelie, he noticed the small robot was pushing a wheelbarrow overflowing with scrap metal. “Hey Wheelie!” Ironhide called out. “Don’t push yourself too hard. Leave that load for Wreck-Gar.”

Looking up to Ironhide, Wheelie called back, “Don’t worry about me Mr. Ironhide sir. I can handle it.” As much as Ironhide respected the little robot’s determination, he still felt Wheelie was pushing himself too far, and thus warned him, “I mean it kid. I don’t want you making a mistake that could get you hurt. Last thing I need today is explaining to Wheeljack why you’re nothing more than melted slag.”

At that moment, Brains interrupted with, “I hate to disappoint you sar, but I’m startin’ to feel me circuits sizzle. Mind if I take a wee break?” Nodding, Ironhide answered, “Actually, I think that will be enough for today.” He then turned to the other Prometheans as he called out, “Alright boys! That’s enough for today! We’ll continue tomorrow!” No sooner had he said this than Wreck-Gar released the wheelbarrow he was using and complained, “Thank the maker. This heat is unbearable. How do you and Master Wheeljack tolerate it?”

Even as Wreck-Gar and Brains began to make their way to the exit, Wheelie still tried to continue as he struggled to lift his own wheelbarrow. Seeing the small robot ignoring his orders, Ironhide called out, “You heard me Wheelie! Drop what you’re doing and fall out!” The moment he said that, the former sergeant mentally chastised himself, ‘Damnit man. You’re starting to fall back onto old habits.’

Despite his reservations, Ironhide’s words seemed to have gotten through to Wheelie, who slammed his wheelbarrow’s handles down to the ground as he grumbled, “Sir, yes sir!” Being referred to as “sir” caught Ironhide off guard, as normally only Ratchet or Wheeljack called him that.

Climbing down and approaching the small robot, Ironhide pulled off his protective mask as he asked, “Everything alright there kid?” As the two made their way outside, Wheelie answered, “I dunno sir.” Once they made it to the scrapyard, he continued, “I guess I just want to show Mr. Wheeljack I’m just as useful as my brothers.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Ironhide bent down and patted Wheelie on the back as he reassured him, “You’re just as useful as Brains and Wreck-Gar. And even if you weren’t, you still have a place here.” He then stood up as he joked, “Besides, with how much those two bicker with each other, you get more done a day than they do in a week.” Wheelie couldn’t help but laugh as he replied, “I’ll make sure not to tell them you said that.”

At that moment, Wreck-Gar approached the duo as he informed them, “I do hate to interrupt you two, but Master Wheeljack says some men are here to dispose of some motorcars that were damaged in some sort of fender bender.” Ironhide nodded as he replied, “Alright. I’ll see to it. You make sure Wheelie here wasn’t cooked by the heat.”

Wreck-Gar clicked his heels and saluted Ironhide as he replied, “Roger Wilco sir.” As he and Wheelie marched away, the family patriarch smiled and shook his head as he remarked, “Heh. Guess I can thank Wheeljack for that.”

A few minutes later, Ironhide made his way to the scrapyard’s front gate. There, he was greeted by a man with orange skin, blue hair, and a plaid red shirt and blue jeans as he asked, “You Ironhide?” turning his attention to the tow truck that had two mutilated sedans, the former sergeant nodded as he answered, “Yup. I take it these are from that fender bender?” The orange man replied, “Yup. Apparently, some poor dumb bastard got drunk and slammed his ride into someone else’s car. Thank Primus no one was seriously hurt.”

Turning back to the orange man, Ironhide remarked, “Yeah. Now then, let me open the gate and show you where you can drop those off. After that, we can worry about payment.” The tow truck driver gave an affirming nod as he replied, “You got it buddy.” He then made his way back to his truck as Ironhide began to open the gate.

Once he’d opened the way for the tow truck, things progressed smoothly. The two wrecked cars were deposited in an empty opening in the scrapyard, Ironhide and the orange tow truck driver exchanged the agreed upon payment, and the latter departed for his next assignment.

Now that he was momentarily alone, Ironhide began to talk to himself, “Now then, I’ve tested the robots in the smelting pools and dealt with those wrecked cars. Now the next thing on the itinerary is….”

That Afternoon

Waiting at the front counter, Ironhide glanced down at the watch on his wrist as he thought to himself, “They ought to be home any second now.” Indeed, the wristwatch stated that it was currently three forty-eight, eighteen minutes after the end of the school day. Scratching the back of his neck, the family patriarch reassured himself, “Don’t fret about them. It takes about fifteen minutes to get from here to Iacon High. The girls are probably just caught in traffic or something.”

Thankfully for the family patriarch, a familiar gray motorcycle with a sidecar pulled up to the “employee’s only” parking spot. The driver was a teenaged girl in a black sleeveless shirt, red denim vest and pants, black boots, and a biker’s helmet. On the other hand, the passenger was another teenaged girl with dyed burgundy hair in braided pigtails, a red over the shoulder shirt, a black tank top, a dark green and blue kilt, and black boots. Ironhide smiled as he smirked to himself, “Right on time.”

As the two girls entered the chop shop, Apple Bloom ran up to Ironhide and wrapped her arms around her uncle as she exclaimed, “Hey Uncle Ironhide! You’re here just like you promised!” Hugging his daughter back, the family patriarch reassured her, “Of course I am. I promised you I’d help clean the attic so you have somewhere to practice that dancing of yours.” He then turned to Sideswipe and said, “Of course, we could use an extra set of hands.”

Straightening her vest, Sideswipe simply quipped. “Yeah. Well, good luck with that.” Once the pale biker made her way to her room, Apple Bloom turned to her uncle as she remarked, “Guess it’s just us, right?” Ironhide let out a gentle chuckle as he reassured her, “Yeah. We’ve got this.”

The Attic

Picking up a cardboard box of old clothes, Ironhide let out a loud groan as he joked, “Phew. I swear these weren’t that heavy the last time we rearranged things up here.” As he moved the box to the other side of the dusty attic, Apple Bloom reassured him, “If it’s too much for you, Ah’m sure Ah can handle this mahself.” Setting his heavy box down, the family patriarch reassured his daughter, “It’s alright kiddo. Besides, this old soldier has got a few more battles in him.”

Apple Bloom then said, “Thanks for helpin’ me turn the attic into somewhere Ah can practice mah dancin’.” Smiling, Ironhide warmly replied, “No problem. I’m glad you’ve found a hobby you love.” He then added, “And besides, I’m pretty sure the previous owner of this place made sure sound this place is soundproof. Last time anyone tried reorganizing anything up here, Wheeljack broke his arm and none of us heard him screaming.” Intrigued, Apple Bloom asked, “Really?”

Ironhide nodded as he replied, "Yeah. We only found out what happened because he didn’t show up for KP that night, and the moment I opened the door to the stairway, I heard him screaming in pain.” As Apple Bloom took this in, the former sergeant reassured her, “So don’t worry. You can make all the noise you want up here, and you won’t need to worry about annoying anyone.” He then gently reminded her, “Of course, we don’t want you loosing track of time.” The former farm girl nodded as she reassured, “Don’t worry about it sir.”

As the two resumed their cleaning and reorganization of the attic, Apple Bloom called out, “Hey Uncle Ironhide, what’s this?” Confused, Ironhide turned around as he asked, “What’d you find kid?” Making his way to his daughter, he was caught off guard when Apple Bloom presented him with an old leather-bound journal. She explained, “Ah found this in a box over here next to this clothes wrack with this khaki outfit or something.”

Ironhide, however, wasn’t paying attention to his daughter’s words. Instead, his eyes were locked on the journal that now rested in her hands. ‘No way. I wondered where that went.’ He thought to himself. ‘I can’t believe she found it so easily.’

Apple Bloom, concerned for her uncle, asked, “Uh, Uncle Ironhide? You alright?” Shaking his head as he recomposed himself, Ironhide replied, “I’m fine kid. It’s just…” As he motioned to the journal, the former sergeant explained, “I haven’t seen that journal in years.” Curious, Apple Bloom asked, “What is it?”

Letting out a gentle sigh, Ironhide answered, “Its’ my father’s journal from the Last Great War.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Your dad’s journal? And the Last Great War?” She looked down to the leatherbound journal in her hands as Ironhide replied, “Yup. He wrote down his experiences from his landing on the island of Carpessa to the day the war ended.” He then admitted, “I like to think part of the reason I was so mentally prepared for going into the army was because he never sugarcoated anything.”

Intrigued, Apple Bloom asked, “Ooh. So, if Ah may ask, you mind if Ah borrow this then?” Ironhide thought to himself, ‘Well, I guess if she found it, she’d probably be a little curious.’ After a few moments of pondering it, the family patriarch responded, “I suppose you can. Just be careful. That journal there is decades old, and it’s the only copy.” Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks Uncle Ironhide. Ah promise Ah’ll be careful.”

As she set the journal on a nearby desk, both Ironhide and Apple Bloom heard someone knocking on the attic door. When the family patriarch opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of Ratchet, who was catching his breath as he said, “Hey boss. I was going over the calendar and I just realized that this hearth’s warming is our turn to host the pond hopping.”

‘Oh shit!’ Ironhide thought to himself. ‘That’s this year? How could I be stupid enough to forget that it’s a pond hopping year?’ Before he could continue his internal panicking, Apple Bloom joined the two adults as she asked, “Excuse me for askin’, but what do you mean by pond hoppin’?”

Turning around to face his daughter, Ironhide took a deep breath as he explained, “Pond hopping is a little tradition our family has with some friends of ours up in Scotland.” He then pointed up into the attic, “It actually has to do with my dad’s journal. In fact…”

Pausing for a moment as the gears in his head turned, Ironhide asked, “Apple Bloom? Would you please go get my dad’s journal? I think you and Sideswipe should know how it ties into pond hopping.”

The Living Room

As Apple Bloom and Sideswipe made their way into the living room, the pale biker asked, “What’s going on anyway? Ratchet showed up at my room and said there’s something called a “pond hopping” happening this year.” Before the former farm girl could answer her sister’s question, Ironhide, Chromia, and Ratchet entered as the family patriarch began, “It’s sort of a bi-family tradition.”

As everyone sat down, Ironhide continued, “So Apple Bloom found my father’s journal, and I was explaining how he fought in the Last Great War. You see, during the invasion of the mainland, he got caught up in a little scandal, and he ended up joining the Commonwealth forces.” Sideswipe immediately lit up as she asked, “The Commonwealth? Like the Brits?”

Nodding, Ironhide elaborated, “Highlanders to be precise. He bonded with the members of a highland guard squad, specifically a soldier named Leadfoot.” He then presented another book, this one a photo album, to his daughters as he explained, “They served through the end of the war together.” As Apple Bloom and Sideswipe took the photo album, they opened the book and were surprised by what they saw.

There rested an old photograph of two men. One was a man with black skin and dark gray hair, piercing blue eyes, and a khaki uniform with a cotton suspender like webbing and a wide rimmed helmet. The other was a dark red man with gray hair, blue eyes, and a nearly identical outfit. Both men were posing with their bolt action rifles in one hand and in the other, they were holding opposite ends of a red flag with a white circle and a black symbol that resembled some sort of weird cross.

Pointing to the black man, Ironhide said, “That’s my dad, Armorhide.” He then pointed to the other man as he continued, “And that’s Leadfoot. They saved each other’s lives during the war, and since then, our families have always stayed in touch.”

Chromia then spoke up with, “To be more specific, every five years, our families meet up and spend the holidays together.” Apple Bloom replied, “Awh, that’s so sweet.” As she said this, Sideswipe raised her hand as she asked, “So, when you mean “pond hopping,” does that mean we’re going all the way over to the highlands?”

Ratchet let out a gentle chuckle as he answered, “Heh heh, not this time. This year we’re hosting them. Now, in five years, we’ll be heading over for a few weeks, but you girls don’t need to worry about passports or anything.” As both girls let out sighs of relief, Apple Bloom asked, “Wait, does that mean we gotta share bedrooms?”

Ironhide reassured his daughter, “Don’t worry. We’ll figure out sleeping arrangements closer to hearth’s warming. As for now, just know that this year’s hearth’s warming will be a bit busy.” Having her question answered, Apple Bloom remarked, “Well, in that case, Ah’m already kinda excited about it.” Even Sideswipe couldn’t help but shrug as she replied, “Sounds like fun.”

Smiling, Ironhide continued, “Now that we’ve got that settled, Apple Bloom, you wanna get back to cleaning the attic? The former farm girl shot up as she replied, “You bet sir.” The family patriarch let out a gentle chuckle as he said, “Alright then. Let’s get to it.”

Ironhide and Chromia’s Room, Later that Night…

Stepping out of their shared bedroom, Ironhide was greeted with the sight of his wife tucked into bed, reading a book. Turning to her husband, the family matriarch asked, “Feeling better?” Sitting down on the bed, Ironhide replied, "Yeah. Nothing like a good shower to close they day out.” As he pulled the covers back, the former sergeant asked, “You think we’ll have enough room for everyone for this year’s pond hopping?”

Setting her book on her nightstand, Chromia answered, “I can’t say for certain. After all, we didn’t have two lovely daughters and Wheeljack’s automatons. We just had Torque Wrench, and she was more than willing to sleep on the couch.” The family patriarch let out a wistful chuckle as he replied, “Heh, that kid can sleep anywhere.” He then realized, “I guess we’ll need to let her and her partner know about the pond hopping coming. That’s two more people, not to mention Hound.”

Chromia wrapped her arm around her husband as she reassured him, “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. Besides, at least it won’t be like that year Topspin gave everyone food poisoning.” Ironhide recoiled with disgust as he replied, “Ugh, don’t remind me. That’s the last time I eat raw haggis.” He then turned back to his wife as he caressed her cheek and continued, “Yeah, we’ll make it work.” He then began to blush as he asked, “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

Blushing in turn, Chromia answered, “You say that every night.” Ironhide took his wife’s hand as he playfully replied, “Well, I wouldn’t if it weren’t true.” As the two took each other’s hands, Chromia pulled her husband into a passionate kiss as she whispered, “I love you.” Ironhide, in turn, warmly replied, “I love you too.”

As she turned the nightstand lamp off, Chromia said, “Let’s get some sleep. See you in the morning dear.” Once the light was out, both adults tucked themselves in as Ironhide replied, “Sleep well hun.” And so, as he drifted off to the land of slumber, the former sergeant thought to himself, ‘We’ve got this. Our little family may not be the most conventional, but we’ve got this. Nothing’s gonna stand in our way.’

Author's Note

Next Time; As Apple Bloom reads Armorhide's journal, she learns that the "Greatest Generation" wasn't as "clean" as she thought.

Author's Note; I figured it was time to give Ironhide a chapter that wasn't him reliving his memories from the war and enjoy a relatively uneventful day, albeit one that sets up a few ideas I have.

Nightshade's Sleepover

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 24; Nightshade’s Sleepover

Sitting impatiently in her desk, Double Shuffle darted her eyes quickly between the aging clock on the wall and her English teacher, who was droning on and on over something that he’d already mentioned earlier that period. Groaning as she allowed her head to slump onto her desk, the young hoofer whispered, “I’d give a month’s worth of allowance for today to be over already.”

It was a warm and sunny Friday afternoon, and for Double Shuffle, the day of her first sleepover with her friends Featherweight and Nightshade. ‘This is gonna be so much fun!’ the blue hoofer thought to herself. ‘At least I think it will. I’ve never had a sleepover like this before.’

Indeed, this brief little adventure would be the first time she’d ever been to a sleepover on her own. While she had been on a few sleepovers beforehand, they’d all been company sleepovers at her previous dance studio, and her brother had been there with her each time. Sighing to herself, Double Shuffle thought, ‘But not this time. This time, it’s just gonna be me.’

At that moment, the school bell rang out, signaling that it was the end the school day. Turning to his pupils, the teacher called out, “Alright everyone. I hope you have a good weekend, and I’ll see you all Monday.” As everyone began to collect their belongings, Double Shuffle scooped her schoolbooks up and rested them in her backpack before shuffling her way out of the classroom.

Entering the hallways, Double Shuffle began to make her way to her locker as she said to herself, “Ok, you need to remember to get your change of clothes for tonight and meet up with Featherweight and or Nightshade in front of the school.” Opening her locker, the blue dancer pulled out her duffel bag and opened it as she began to take inventory. “Shirts, check. Pajama pants, check. Socks, check. Underwear, check.” Once she was sure she had everything she needed, Double Shuffle closed her duffel bag as she steeled herself, “Alright. Let’s do this.”

Before Double Shuffle could resume her trek, she was caught off guard by the sound of someone mockingly remarking, “What’s going on here skinny boy? You going out on some little playdate?” Turning to see what was going on, the blue girl found a group of older boys circled around someone she couldn’t see, as one of them, a vaguely familiar boy with purple skin and red hair, held a backpack above his victim. Sneering at his pray, the purple boy quipped, “What are you gonna do about it noodle arm?”

From inside the circle, Double Shuffle could hear Featherweight’s voice call out, “Give that back you bastard!” Realizing that her friend was being bullied again, the blue girl began to dart her eyes around the hallway, desperately looking for an open door to a classroom. Once she spotted one, Double Shuffle ran towards the door and ran inside, where she found an old woman with green skin and gray/white hair beginning to grade the day’s assignment.

Taking a deep breath, Double Shuffle called out, “Ma’am, a gang of boys are picking on my friend!” Deep down, the blue girl was worried that this teacher wouldn’t do their job, simply scoffing before returning to grading the assignments in front of her. After all, it had been a common reaction to bullying back at her old school in Canterlot City, and she’d heard about how high school was a “dog eat dog” world.

Thankfully, the teacher immediately got up from her desk and asked, “What’s going on? Show me!” Double Shuffle lit up as she pointed back to the door as she answered, “Right outside! Follow me!” She then led the teacher through the door and pointed to the group of bullies as she explained, “Over there! Look!”

Walking up to the gang, the green teacher called out, “What’s going on over here?” As the group of boys found themselves frozen in fear, Featherweight wiggled his way out of the circle, clutching his backpack as he angrily growled, “These as…. Jerks stole my backpack!” Taking this information in, the teacher folded her arms as she sternly ordered, “In that case, you boys are coming with me to see Principal Van Diesel!” When the purple boy grumbled something to himself, the teacher stamped her foot against the ground as she sternly continued, “Now!”

As the gang of bullies were escorted away by the teacher, Double Shuffle ran up to Featherweight as she asked, “You alright Featherweight? They didn’t take anything, did they?” The cream boy opened his backpack and began to inspect the contents as he replied, “Doesn’t look like it. I swear, those jerks either seem to like me or just can’t find another target.” Turning his attention to his friend, Featherweight remarked, “Thanks for the save. At this rate, you’ll come charging in wearing shining armor.” The young dancer couldn’t help but giggle, “I dunno. I prefer a good suit over plate armor.”

Taking her friend’s hand, Double Shuffle began, “Come on. Let’s get out of here and find Nightshade.” With that, the two young teens made their way down the hallway, hopeful they could find their friend and begin their weekend.

A Few Minutes Later

Stepping out of the cramped school building and into the sunshine, Double Shuffle began to scan the horizon as she asked, “Where’s Nightshade? They said they’d be waiting for us!” Featherweight straightened his backpack as he replied, “I don’t know. You think they got held up with something?” The blue girl continued to look as she muttered, “Well, they’re not sitting on that little brick wall thing in front of the school, and I don’t think they’d just run off and leave us high and dry, right?”

From behind the two young teens, a familiar voice called out, “Hey guys! Sorry I’m late!” Turning around, Double Shuffle found Nightshade running up to her, the gray teen dressed in a gray button shirt, black pants with suspenders, brown boots, and a pair of circular glasses. Catching their breath, the gray teen explained, “Sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I had to help clean up the computer lab. Some slob spilled water all over five keyboards.” They then rested their arms around their friends’ shoulders as they asked, “You two ready for some fun?”

Pumping her fist, Double Shuffle exclaimed, “You bet! I’ve got everything right here!” She then presented her duffle bag as she continued, “I’ve got a change of clothes, some fun stuff, my tap shoes, everything!” Taking this in, Nightshade let out a gentle chuckle as they asked, “Really? You ever go anywhere without your tap shoes?” The blue girl replied with a faux offended, “What? I wouldn’t go anywhere without my tap shoes. How else would I show you some of my sick moves?”

Featherweight then spoke up with a gentle, “Uh guys? There’s a car here and the person in it is trying to get your attention.” Giving their friend a confused, “Huh,” Nightshade turned to see a dark gray sedan, leading them to say, “Oh! My mom’s here! Come on!” The gray teen then grabbed their friends by their hands and gently dragged them up to the van.

As the three teens opened the doors to the gray sedan and began to sit down, Nightshade warmly said, “Hey mom. Sorry for keeping you waiting.” Their mother, a pale white woman with yellow hair and blue lipstick, reassured them, “No sweat dear. I noticed you were chatting with your new friends.” Turning to her guests, she introduced herself, “Hello there, I’m Strongarm.”

“Nice to meet you ma’am. I’m Double Shuffle.” The blue hoofer introduced herself while giving a polite nod. She then continued with, “Nightshade and I have homeroom and math class together.”

Featherweight followed with a nervous, “Uh…. Hi there. I’m Featherweight. I met Nightshade when they joined my history and tech class.” Nightshade then added, “Yup. They both invited me to that dance class earlier this week.”

As she began to drive her car away, Strongarm replied, “Well, it’s wonderful to meet you two. Nightshade told me all about you two and how awesome you are.” While Double Shuffle and Featherweight gave each other mischievous smirks to each other, Nightshade could only whine, “Mom. You’re embarrassing me.” The blue girl extended her hand to her friend as she reassured them, “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”

Focusing on the road ahead of her, Strongarm remarked, “Well I’m just happy you made some friends. I wonder how your siblings will react.” Hearing this, Double Shuffle asked, “Siblings? You have siblings?” Scratching the back of their neck, Nightshade replied, “Yeah. Two brothers and two sisters actually.”

Taking this information in, Double Shuffle asked, “So, does that mean we’re gonna be having company?” Nightshade replied, “Don’t worry. They’ll give us plenty of privacy.” They then let out a snort as they added, “Especially Hashtag.”

Double Shuffle found herself thinking, ‘Four siblings? That’s a handful.’ The most she’d ever had to deal with was her own brother Tender Taps and her newfound big sister in Apple Bloom. ‘But having four siblings? That sounds like a recipe for a stress induced breakdown.’ Still, the fact that Nightshade hadn’t ever complained about them made the young dancer think, ‘Hopefully, they’re all pretty nice. How bad could it be?’

Nightshade’s House

As the gray care pulled up to its destination, Nightshade pointed to something on the other side of the window as they declared, “Well, here we are. Mi casa es tu casa.” An intrigued Double Shuffle glanced at what her friend was pointing at, only to be pleasantly surprised by what she found.

There, in front of them, stood a two-story house with dark green paint. The front had an enclosed foyer, the yard was decorated with several plastic flamingos, and if the young hoofer’s eyes weren’t deceiving her, she could make out a satellite dish poking out from the far wall. All in all, it was a perfectly normal and welcoming house.

Stepping out of the car, Double Shuffle took the homely sight in as she asked, “So this is where you live?” Nodding, Nightshade replied, “Yup. It gets a bit chaotic at times, but it’s home. Besides, this place isn’t as cramped as our last home.” Grabbing his backpack while getting out of the gray sedan, Featherweight replied, “Nice place.”

As the three young teens approached the front door, Strongarm quickly explained, “Now, I’ll order some pizza in a few hours. Nightshade, you can show your friends around, and I’ll make sure your siblings behave themselves.” Nightshade asked, “Especially Hashtag?” Nodding, the pale woman replied, “Especially Hashtag.” Turning to their friends, the green haired teen instinctively reached forward and opened the door as they said, “Behold, home sweet home.”

The Terran Home

Stepping into the living room, Double Shuffle was surprised by how chaotic yet orderly everything was. The walls were lined with large boxes, both plastic and cardboard, the sofa was covered in small crumbs, and the television was covered in wires that could only be connected to an undetermined number of other devices. ‘Seems pretty lived in.’ The blue hoofer thought to herself.

Walking past their friends, Nightshade remarked, “Sorry if this place is a bit messy. We only got here a few weeks ago, and with seven of us….” Featherweight rested his hand on his friend’s shoulder as he reassured him, “Don’t worry. I’ve seen worse messes of some scout outings.” Hearing this, Double Shuffle asked, “Whoa whoa whoa. You’re in scouting?”

Before Featherweight could reply, a girl’s voice called out, “Nightshade? You home with your new friends yet?” From around the corner, two teenagers, both of whom seemed to be a few years older than Double Shuffle and her friends. One of them, a girl, had gray-green skin, red hair, orange eyes, and a red tee shirt and shorts with dark green sneakers. The other, a boy, had dark blue skin, gray hair, a pair of goggles, a white jacket over a white shirt and pants, black boots, and a white helmet in his hand.

Turning to their friends, Nightshade explained, “These are my older siblings.” Pointing to the girl, they continued, “My older sister, Twitch.” As the red-haired girl gave a polite bow, Nightshade gestured to their brother as they added, “And this is my brother, Thrash.” The blue boy, Thrash if Double Shuffle heard correctly, gave an inviting head nod as he greeted, “Nice to meet you two. You must be Featherweight and Double Shuffle.”

Nodding, the blue hoofer replied, “Yeah. It’s nice to meet you Thrash.” She then extended her hand as Featherweight replied, “Nice to meet you as well. I didn’t know Nightshade had any siblings, let alone four.” As the gray teen let out a nervous gulp, Twitch explained, “Don’t blame ‘em. Probably took a hell of a lot of courage to talk with you two, let alone tell you about us.”

The playful moment was interrupted by Strongarm joining the group as she asked, “Would you two mind giving me a hand? Let Nightshade show their friends to their room.” Hearing this, Twitch groaned as she complained, “Ugh, mom! Do we have to?” Thrash gave his sister a playful nudge as he reassured her, “Come on. Let’s give them a little privacy.”

As Strongarm and her two eldest children departed, Nightshade turned to their guests as they asked, “So, would you two like to see your sleeping arrangements for the night?”

Nightshade’s Room

Entering their bedroom, Nightshade asked, “So, what do you two think?” Double Shuffle was impressed by just how organized everything was. There was a bed that had been placed against the corner, a large desk with odd mechanical devices lying on top of it, blueprints hanging on all four walls, a small television with some sort of gaming console plugged into it, an open closet with several shirts and coats hanging inside, and to her surprise, three air mattresses laying on the floor in a circle.

Taking everything in, Double Shuffle remarked, “I like it. Looks kinda like a mad scientist’s room.” Smiling, Nightshade replied, “Thanks. That’s what I was sort of going for.” They then dramatically held their arms out as they invited, “Set your stuff down and unwind. It’s time to kick back, relax, and unwind!”

Sitting down as she allowed her backpack to slide off of her shoulders, Double Shuffle asked, “So, if those two are your older siblings, then where are your younger siblings?” As they loosened their tie, Nightshade explained, “Hashtag is probably editing a video of theirs, and Jawbreaker is probably just relaxing in his and Thrash’s room.” They then let out a relieved sigh as they elaborated, “Yeah, both my brothers and sisters share rooms with each other.” A curious Featherweight asked, “Really? Then, why do you have your own room?”

Shrugging, Nightshade simply answered, “Guess mom thought that, since I’m not really a boy or a girl, it would be a bit awkward being stuck with two of either.” They then paused for a moment before adding, “Actually that came out a bit weird. I meant to say that, since I’m nonbinary, it would just be better to give me some privacy, you know?”

Nodding, Double Shuffle replied, “I guess that makes sense.” Nightshade smiled as they asked, “On the plus side, it means we’ve got this room to ourselves. What do you guys wanna do first?”

Featherweight raised his hand as he asked, “Well, since we’ve all only really known each other, how about we reveal a little bit about each other? Kinda like a truth or dare, just without the dare part.” Double Shuffle lit up with an enthusiastic, “That sounds like a great idea!” Seeing their friend squeal with excitement, Nightshade remarked, “Well then, how about you go first?”

As the three young teens sat in a small circle, Double Shuffle took a deep breath as she began, “Well, my name is Double Shuffle, and as I’ve probably made a bit obvious, I love tap dancing.” Nightshade raised their hand as they asked, “I noticed your brother in that tap class. Anyone else in your family dance?”

Lighting up brighter than a light bulb, Double Shuffle enthusiastically explained, “Where do I start? My mom and dad are dancers, my grandparents were dancers, my aunts were dancers, my great grandparents….” Feeling herself runout of breath, the blue girl inhaled before finishing, “It runs in the family.” Featherweight interrupted with a proud, “I can tell. You’ve gotta be one of the best tap dancers I’ve ever seen!” Double Shuffle couldn’t help but blush as she replied with a gentle, “Thanks.”

Nightshade then asked, “So, do you have any other hobbies?” Double Shuffle began to answer before pausing, eventually relenting and admitting, “Well…. I guess I don’t really have other hobbies. Tap dancing has always just kinda been…. My thing.” The green haired teen rested a hand on their friend’s shoulder as they reassured her, “Don’t worry. I know the feeling.”

Turning to Featherweight, Nightshade asked, “What about you?” Scratching the back of his neck, the cream boy began, “Well, you two already know my name, and, I guess the two things about me is that I like taking pictures and I….” Pausing as he took a deep gulp, Nightshade continued, “And as I said earlier, I’m in scouting.”

Intrigued, Nightshade replied, “Ooh. That’s so cool!” To Double Shuffle’s surprise, Featherweight let out a dejected scoff before remarking, “It can be.” Confused, the young hoofer asked, “What’s so bad about scouting?

Raising his hands, the cream boy reiterated, “Oh, it’s not bad!” Featherweight then reached for his backpack and pulled out a large, thick book as he explained, “I’ve gotten to do a lot of really cool things because of it, but look here!” Opening the book, Double Shuffle was amazed and impressed by what she found.

There, in the pages, were photographs of Featherweight and several other boys doing a variety of physical activities. One picture showed the group posing next to a waterfall, another showed the group on bicycles on some sort of trail, and yet another showed everyone standing at attention wearing light brown tunics over dark green pants. Taking this in, Double Shuffle asked, “These are really good pictures!” Hearing this, Featherweight began to blush as he replied, “Well, wait till you see these!”

Turning the pages, Featherweight stopped on one page as he asked, “What do you think of this?” He then pointed at a picture of a forest at dawn, the light dripping through the canopy made Double Shuffle think, ‘Whoa. This looks like something from an animated movie!’ Taking a moment to compose herself, the blue hoofer remarked, “That’s amazing! You took that picture?”

Nodding, Featherweight replied, “Yup. I took that on an outing to Yellow-Steel National Park.” He then sighed as he lamented, “It was the only good part of that trip, actually.” Noticing their friend’s mood change, Nightshade asked, “What happened? Bad weather? Animal trouble?”

Shaking his head, Featherweight answered, “Nope. It was the other boys.” As Nightshade and Double Shuffle took this in, the cream boy elaborated, “I don’t know what it is about my troop, but everyone there are a bunch of….” Pausing as he contemplated just what to say, he finished with a blunt, “Assholes. They’re like a bunch of assholes and….” Taking a moment to collect himself, Featherweight continued, “Guess I’m not as much of a “manly man” as the rest of them. It’s like I’m something of an outsider, and I have to admit, everyone does a good job of making it clear they don’t like me being there.”

Hearing this, Double Shuffle instinctively pulled Featherweight into a bone crushing hug as she apologized, “I’m so sorry about that.” Though caught off guard, the cream boy hugged his friend back as he reassured her, “Thanks. And don’t worry about me. I’ve gotten used to the kind of crap those dicks always pull.”

To his surprise, Nightshade stood up as they declared, “That doesn’t make it right!” When Featherweight and Double Shuffle scooted back in fear, the green haired teen elaborated, “What I meant to say is that you shouldn’t have to put up with people treating you like crap. You’re a really cool dude, and you don’t deserve that kind of hazing.”

All Featherweight could do was let out a sniffle whilst a tear escaped his eye as he replied, “Thanks.”

Once they sat back down, Nightshade began, “I guess it’s my turn. I’m Nightshade, and on top of having a massive family, I love experimenting and tinkering with things. It just…” Letting out a wistful sigh, the green haired teen elaborated, “It’s something where I feel like I’m in control.” Double Shuffle raised her hand as she asked, “Does that have to do with you being Nonbinary?”

Nodding, Nightshade answered, “It does.” They then asked, “So, since we’re friends, can I trust you two to keep this between us?” When Double Shuffle and Featherweight gave reassuring nods, the green haired teen elaborated, “Well, I never really felt like a boy, but when I tried experimenting with being a girl, it didn’t feel right either. Then, one day, I met someone named Amethyst, and they taught me about the term nonbinary, and I just…” Letting out a relieved sigh, they finished, “It was a wonderful word for a wonderful experience.”

Hearing this, Double Shuffle complimented, “That’s a pretty cool way to put it. You ever thought of taking up poetry or writing?” Nightshade began to faintly blush as they replied, “Huh. Never thought about it before. I guess it’d be worth a shot.” Hearing this, the blue girl exclaimed, “Yeah! I’m sure you’d be as good a poet as you are a tinkerer.”

Nightshade lit up and allowed a large smile to form on their lips as they began, “Let me show you what I’ve been working on!” Rising up to their feet, the green haired tinkerer walked over to their closet, picked up a cardboard box, and set it down in front of their friends as they continued, “I call this little girl here Arachnid.”

Reaching into the box, Nightshade pulled out a rectangular box made of crudely welded metal with three red eyes on the front side and four spider-like legs folded against its side. As the green haired teen pulled out a remote control from the box, Featherweight asked, “Wait, is this thing like some sort of remote-controlled car?” Nodding, Nightshade replied, “Yup. Though it’s a lot cooler. Watch!”

As Nightshade pressed a button on their controller, the boxy machine’s eyes lit up as it unfurled its legs before standing up before a synthesized voice called out, “Arachnid online.” Double Shuffle felt her jaw drop as she said, “Whoa. That’s awesome! What else can it do?” The green haired tinker shook their head as they added, “Not much else at the moment, just walk around.” They then pressed another button on their controller, making the small machine walk forward.

At that moment, the muffled sound of a young boy’s voice called out, “Nightshade? Nightshade’s friends?” As Double Shuffle turned to see who said that, the bedroom door opened, revealing a younger boy with light green skin, orange hair, purple eyes, and an orange shirt with brown pants. The new boy took a deep breath before saying, “Mom says she wants to know what kind of pizza you guys want tonight.”

Without hesitation, all three young teens replied, “Cheese.” They then began to look to each other in confusion, before each one nodded in confirmation to each other.

Taking this information in, the young green boy replied, “Ok. I’ll tell mom.” Smiling, Nightshade replied, “Thanks Jawbreaker.” As Jawbreaker began to walk away, Featherweight asked, “Hey, you wanna join us?” Turning around, the younger boy replied, “No thanks. I’ve got some model fossils I want to put together tonight.” Hearing this, Double Shuffle remarked, “Ooh, that sounds like something one of my brother’s friends would like.” Jawbreaker shrugged as he bade farewell with, “Ooh. Sounds like someone with great tastes.”

As Jawbreaker departed, Nightshade asked, “So, either of you want to take Arachnid here for a spin?”

Later That Night

“That’s it Featherweight! Get ‘em!” Double Shuffle exclaimed as she watched her friends playing some sort of old fighting game. After they’d eaten dinner (with an empty pizza box leaning against the wall and plastic cups of soda next to each of their inflatable beds), they’d decided to pass the time with an old game that had been a hand me down from Nightshade’s brother Thrash. As Nightshade controlled a knight with a giant clawed hand, Featherweight played as an undead pirate with two swords.

Needless to say, tensions were high as her friends found themselves in an intense battle transcending history.

Focusing on the match, Featherweight pressed a few buttons on his controller, leading his ghost pirate to impale Nightshade’s knight, lift him up with his swords, and slam him onto the ground as the game’s announcer declared, “K.O!” As the green haired teen groaned in “resignation,” Featherweight’s pirate clanged his blade’s together as he declared, “Your soul now belongs to me!”

Dropping his controller on the ground, Featherweight pumped his fists as he declared, “Yes! Yes! I am the champion!” As his friends gave him amused looks, the cream boy meekly apologized, “Heh. Sorry about that.” Double Shuffle smiled as she took his hand and reassured him, “Relax. You’re a pretty good undead pirate.” Feeling his heart race as he blushed, Featherweight adopted a pirate accent as he playfully replied, “Aye, thank you me hearty!”

Nightshade, on the other hand, began to slowly reach for their pillow as they said, “Well, far be it from me to be a sore loser, I must congratulate you for besting me fair and square.” They then extended their hand to Featherweight as they continued, “I tip my hat to you.” Featherweight, not noticing the pillow, accepted his friend’s handshake as he replied, “Thanks. You did a good job.”

Before Double Shuffle could react, Nightshade slapped Featherweight with the pillow in their hand.

As Featherweight recoiled from the “blow,” Double Shuffle incredulously asked, “What was that for?” Almost immediately, Nightshade gulped and began to apologize, “I’m sorry, I just get super competitive and get carried away and…” Before they could finish, Featherweight raised his right hand and interrupted, “It’s ok. I get it.” However, Double Shuffle noticed he had managed to scoop up his own pillow in his left hand, leading her to think, ‘Oh no. I think I know where this is going.’

Sure enough, Featherweight smacked his pillow against Nightshade’s face. Not even flinching, the green haired teen lamented, “Yeah, I deserve that.” When the cream boy smacked him again, they continued, “Maybe that one too.” But when Featherweight slapped him with a pillow for the third time, Nightshade rolled their eyes as they mischievously warned, “Ok, that’s it.”

As the two teens began to engage in an intense pillow fight, Double Shuffle threw herself in between her friends as she called out, “Alright! Stop that right now!” Sadly, both Featherweight and Nightshade were winding up a strong swing, and the blue hoofer found herself on the receiving end of two pillows, one to the front of her head, and one to the back.

While Double Shuffle recoiled in confusion, both of her friends tried to catch her as Featherweight apologized, “Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!” Nightshade rested their hands on her shoulders as they added, “That was an accident! I had no idea you were gonna do that!”

Taking a deep breath, Double Shuffle reassured her friends, “Don’t worry. I’m not one to hold a grudge.” However, neither Featherweight nor Nightshade noticed her scooting her pillow up to her with her foot. Before either could react, Double Shuffle thought, ‘Time to give them a taste of their own medicine.’ With that, she scooped up her pillow and slapped both of her friends in the face.

Playfully holding her hands behind her back, Double Shuffle smugly added, “There. Nothing left to hold a grudge over.” Both Nightshade and Featherweight looked to each other, nodded, and before the blue hoofer could react, both decided to slap their pillows in Double Shuffle’s face, this time deliberately.

Feeling herself scowl before giving in to a fit of laughter, Double Shuffle chuckled, “Oh, it is on!” With that, all three teens began to engage in a massive three-way pillow fight.

Later That Night

Lying on her inflatable bed, Double Shuffle was able to make out the sight of her friends sleeping on theirs. While Nightshade laid motionless on theirs, Featherweight slept under two blankets, a purple-pink teddy bear clutched firmly in his arms. Smiling, the blue hoofer remarked, “That was one hell of a pillow fight. I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun off the dance floor or stage before.”

Feeling her heart soar, the blue hoofer thought to herself, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever had friends like this before.’ After all, she’d had a good relationship with her brother and Apple Bloom, but they were here older brother and big sister figure. But now, having these two people who she just enjoyed being around, Double Shuffle could only think, ‘I love this.’

The young girl would have continued, but her eyes began to grow heavy, leading Double Shuffle to let out a yawn before thinking, ‘I better get some sleep.’ With that, the young hoofer tucked herself in under her blanket and began to drift off into the land of slumber.

All while Strongarm watched from an open sliver from her child’s bedroom door, thinking to herself, ‘I’ve never seen them so happy before. I’m glad Nightshade was finally able to make some friends.’

Author's Note

Next Time; A dirty bad habit of Sideswipe lands her in hot water.

Author's Note; Nightshade's full name, Nightshade Terran, is a reference to the terrans from Transformers Earthspark. Originally, their mother was supposed to be more directly named after their mother from the show, but I remembered that the 2015 RID added a female police character in Strongarm, hence the name. Finally, I think Marble might get along well with Jawbreaker.....

New Threads

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 2; New Threads

Marble’s Room

Sitting around in a circle as they chatted, Sideswipe, Marble Pie, and Pastel Goth chatted to each other about how their week had been. The first week of school was now over, and as Saturday was now only one night away, the trio of girls were taking the opportunity to relax and put their cares away until Monday.

“Oh my goodness!” Pastel Goth exclaimed with barely contained excitement and joy. “You two are just so adorable!” Indeed, Marble and Sideswipe were blushing as they held each other’s hand. They were distracted as Pastel playfully lamented, “I wish I had someone who likes me the way you two hve each other.”

Sideswipe immediately took Pastel’s hand as she reassured her, “Hey, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find someone.” Marble then added, “Exactly! Who wouldn’t want someone like you?” Blushing, Pastel looked away in embarrassment as she replied, “I… uh…. I’ve never been lucky in love.”

After a few moments, Sideswipe shrugged as she relented, “Maybe one day you’ll be lucky. Now then, I think your nails need a new coat of paint.” Pastel Goth let out a sigh of relief as she pulled out her black nail polish as she replied, “Here we go. This stuff is my favorite.” As she unscrewed the bottle of appealing black liquid, the cerulean goth lamented, “A shame Apple Bloom couldn’t be here.”

The moment those words entered her ears, Sideswipe felt herself overcome by a brief sting of sadness. Seeing her girlfriend’s spirit drop a bit, Marble inquired, “Yeah. Where is Apple Bloom anyway?” Taking a deep breath, Sideswipe figured the only thing she could do was tell the truth, and explained, “She’s been feeling a bit down in the dumps lately.”

A concerned Marble immediately asked, “Are people still giving her trouble about…. You know….” The pale biker knew her girlfriend was referring to the Anon-A-Miss incident, that sinister shadow that hung over her sister’s past like a blanket that couldn’t be pulled off. However, Sideswipe knew that, for once, her past sins were not what had been eating Apple Bloom.

“No not that.” Sideswipe reassured her friends. “If it were that, Apple Bloom would have told us.” As Pastel and Marble sighed in relief, the pale biker continued, “Besides, Doctor Pennywhistle and the rest of our teachers have been cracking down on people for it. I haven’t heard anyone say anything about Anon-A-Miss since Tuesday.”

Straightening her jacket, Marble inquired, “Then what has Apple Bloom so down in the dumps?” For a few moments, Sideswipe tried to think what could have been affecting her sister. ‘Well, she hasn’t shown any signs of homesickness.’ The pale biker thought to herself. ‘There isn’t anything with Tender Taps going on.’ Indeed, if anything, having lunch with her boyfriend was one of, if not the only thing that Apple Bloom looked forward to.

After a few more moments, Sideswipe could only sigh in resignation as she admitted, “Hell if I know.”

At that moment, Pastel Goth slammed her fist onto the floor as she declared, “Well that won’t do!” As Sideswipe and Marble looked at her with surprise and concern, the cerulean goth elaborated, “If we don’t know or can’t change what’s eating cowgirl, then I say the least we can do is help her and lift her spirit!” Rising up to her feet, Pastel rose her fist into the air and declared, “Who’s with me?”

For a brief moment, Sideswipe found herself caught completely off guard, not quite sure whether to stand up as well or back away from her new friend. ‘Heh, gotta admit she’s got enthusiasm.’ The pale biker thought to herself. However, another thought entered her thought. ‘Wait a minute. Pastel’s Absolutely right! What kind of friends would we be for Apple Bloom if we left her high and dry? We gotta do something for her!’

Before she could say anything, Pastel Goth began to sit back down as she sheepishly admitted, “I mean, I was just thinking that we’d be pretty crappy friends if we didn’t help Apple Bloom the way she’s help any of us.” Deciding her friend was right, Sideswipe reassured her, “No, you’re right! We need to do something for Apple Bloom.” As Pastel and Sideswipe smiled in unison, Marble asked, “But what are we gonna do for her?”

‘Oh shit!’ Sideswipe thought to herself. ‘What do we do for Apple Bloom?’ Stroking her chin, the pale biker thought of things her sister liked to do or always made her happy. “Let’s see, we could do a dance jam session.” The Pale biker suggested. However, both of the other girls shook their heads as it was clear that that would not work.

At that moment, Pastel suggested, “If I may, Whenever I feel down in the dumps, like really down, I like to go shopping. You know, a new outfit can often make you feel like a new person.”

Upon hearing this, Sideswipe lit up as she exclaimed, “Pastel, you’re a genius!” As the cerulean girl began to blush, the pale biker continued, “Girls, I think a shopping trip is what Apple Bloom needs!” Marble then rose up as she enthusiastically declared, “Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!”

And so, the three girls began to plot out plans for the next day, all of them eagerly awaiting what the next day would have in store.

Roads of Allspark Wells, the Next Morning…

As they rode down the road, Apple Bloom turned to her sister as she asked, “Where are we goin’ again?” Keeping her eyes on the road, Sideswipe explained, “I told you Apple Bloom, it’s a surprise.”

Indeed, the pale biker had made sure her surrogate sister didn’t know what she had in store for her. All Sideswipe did say was that she had something planned for Apple Bloom, and that Ironhide had given his blessing for it to happen. Now, all that was left was to make sure the former farm girl got to the predetermined destination.

After a few more minutes, Sideswipe arrived at her destination; Inky Rose’s clothing boutique. As they pulled up to a conveniently clear parking space near the entrance, Apple Bloom inquired, “What are we doin’ here?” Powering down her motorcycle, Sideswipe explained, “Well, the girls and I were worried that something has you down, so we all figured we’d try to cheer you up.”

As Apple Bloom took this in, two familiar faces emerged from the store’s front door. Both girls were clad in black leather jackets, something that they had in common with the former farm girl, who was wearing her new jacket to protect her from the cool wind pushing against her. Though while Marble wore a gray turtleneck with black skirt and riding boots, Pastel wore an unbuttoned pink plaid shirt over a black tank top, black pants, and her heeled black boots. All of this was in contrast to Sideswipe, who was once again clad in her preferred outfit of a black tank top over a red denim vest, red jeans, and black biker boots.

Running up to her new friend, Pastel wrapped Apple Bloom in a tight hug as she happily exclaimed, “What’s up cowgirl?” Hugging the cerulean goth back, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah, you know, same old same old.” Once they released each other, the former farm girl asked, “But what about you guys? What are you doing here?”

Marble was the first to reply, simply explaining, “We’re here for you Apple Bloom.” As the former farm girl found herself feeling confused, Sideswipe continued, “After hearing that you’ve had a rough week, we thought that we’d do something to try and cheer you up.” She then began to scratch the back of her neck as she added, “And you can thank Pastel for thinking of this shopping trip.” Indeed, the cerulean goth straightened her jacket as she finished with, “Think of it as a little thank you for being my friend.”

Apple Bloom didn’t verbally respond to her friends’ gesture of goodwill. Instead, she simply pulled everyone into a massive yet surprisingly gentle group hug. As everyone hugged her back, Sideswipe couldn’t help but ponder to herself, ‘That’s odd. Normally I’d be struggling to breathe.’

After a few moments, Apple Bloom released everyone as she smiled and said, “Thanks guys.” Marble took her friend’s hand as she replied, “Don’t thank us yet. Come on!” With that, the quartet of teens made their way into Inky Rose’s boutique.

Inky Rose’s Boutique

Sideswipe had forgotten just how inviting Inky Rose’s place was. The rows and rows of shirts, pants, skirts, coats, and every other piece of clothing anyone could possibly want was as appetizing to the eyes as an all you can eat buffet was to a hungry stomach. It had actually been a long time since the pale biker had gone clothes shopping; she preferred to spend any allowance money or spare change on tricking out her bike. But sometimes, even the punkiest and most masculine lesbian like her wanted to feel girly every now and then.

But this time, Sideswipe was here for her sister.

As the group made their way into the boutique, they were greeted by the sight of a familiar woman with light purple skin, dark purple hair in braided pigtails, and dark gothic clothing approached them as she greeted, “Hello there young ladies. Welcome to my lovely little establishment.” Sideswipe stepped forward as she replied, “Hey miss Inky Rose.”

Lighting up, Inky Rose practically squealed, “Why, is that you Sideswipe?! I haven’t seen you in nearly two years!” Smiling, Sideswipe replied, “Heh, yeah, it’s been a while.” She then began to scratch the back of her neck as she continued, “We’re here because Apple Bloom has had a rough week.” Inky Rose let out a small sigh as she reassured the group, “I know the feeling.”

Apple Bloom then approached Inky Rose as she asked, “If Ah may ask, you have any suggestions for somethin’ that might make me feel a bit better?” The former farm girl expected the older woman to say that she’d something in black.

To everyone’s surprise, Inky Rose instead replied, “When you need a new look to cheer yourself up, it’s up to you to decide. It has to be something that you’re both comfortable in as well as something that you like how it looks.” She then gestured to the many rows of clothing as she enthusiastically declared, “Take a look around girls! I’m sure you’ll find something!”

Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks ma’am.” She then turned to her friends as she exclaimed, “Come on girls! Let’s take a look around!” Pastel Goth took the former farm girl’s hand and began to lead her through the nearest aisle as she replied, “You got it cowgirl!” As the disappeared down the aisle, Marble made her way to Sideswipe and locked her fingers through her girlfriend’s hand as she asked, “You think she’ll find anything?”

Sideswipe simply smirked as she quipped, “Only one way to find out.”

A Short While Later…

“What do you think?” Apple Bloom inquired as she exited the changing room. The former farm girl had changed into an entirely new (for her at least) ensemble consisting of a black tank top, blue denim vest, and blue jeans over her black boots. As the other three teens took this new sight in, Marble was the first to speak up with an enthusiastic, “I like it!” As Apple Bloom blushed, the gray geologist added, “You really rock denim.”

Pastel, on the other hand, gave a weak smile as she explained, “I dunno. I mean, I like it and you look good, but I don’t know if it really screams “you.”” She then glanced at Sideswipe as she added, “And I got a feeling that may not be the most original look.”

Apple Bloom herself was staring in her reflection in the mirror next to the dressing room door as she admitted, “Ah guess not.” She then rolled her shoulders as she added, “And Ah think this vest is scratchin’ mah arm pits.” As she took off the vest, she continued, “Well, Ah think Ah’m out of ideas. You guys have anything?” As everyone began to ponder and brainstorm, Pastel raised her hand as she exclaimed, “I have an idea….”

A Short While Later…

“Yeah, maybe this wasn’t my best idea.” Pastel Goth sheepishly lamented as everyone took in the awkward sight before them. Apple Bloom was standing before them, wearing a dark red pleated dress under her leather jacket, black heeled boots, and fishnet leggings. The only thing that was more out of character for the former farm girl was the black lipstick and eyeliner that had been cacked on her face. For several moments, no one dared utter a single word, barely able to find quite the right way to describe what they were seeing.

Eventually, Apple Bloom sighed as she bluntly remarked, “This doesn’t work, does it?” Rather than say anything, the other three girls simply shook their heads in unison. Turning to face the mirror, the former farm girl glumly stared at her reflection as she remarked, “Better than Ah thought, but still just not me.” As she made her way to a nearby chair, the former farm girl asked, “So, any more ideas?”

Yet Another Short While Later….

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Apple Bloom groaned as she saw herself wearing a green tee shirt, blue jeans, and yellow gum boots. Turning to face her friends, the former farm girl lamented, “You do know this is what Ah used to wear back home right?” Pastel simply shrugged as she replied, “Oh. I didn’t know that.” As Apple Bloom trudged back into the dressing room and asked, “Ok, what’s next?”

Sighing to herself, Sideswipe lamented, “I don’t know. We’ve gone through everything.” Marble herself held her head low in defeat as she pondered, “I can’t think of anything else.” The gray geologist continued, “Maybe we should call it a day?” Before anyone could say anything else, Pastel interrupted, “What are you girls talking about? We can’t just give up!”

At that moment, Apple Bloom reemerged from the dressing room, having changed back into her dark overalls and red tee shirt, as she lamented, “Ah dunno. Nothin’s really been clickin’, you know?” As she made her way to the cerulean goth, the former farm girl continued, “Look, Ah really appreciate what you’re doin’, Ah really do, but Ah think we should just admit defeat and….”

“NO!” Pastel impulsively blurted out, stunning everyone. As the rest of the gang found themselves stunned in silence, the cerulean goth apologized, “I’m sorry for lashing out like that. I guess that….” Pausing for a moment, she continued, “I’ve never really had many friends, and I guess I just wanted today to be special and go just right, you know?”

Apple Bloom walked up to her new friend and, to her surprise, pulled her into a tight hug as she reassured her, “Like Ah told you, Ah really appreciate what you’re doin’.” As Pastel hugged her new friend back, the cerulean goth found herself replying, “Thanks.”

Once the two girls finished their hug, Marble asked, “So Apple Bloom? What exactly has been bothering you?” For a few moments, the former farm girl found herself looking over her shoulder in shame as she struggled to find the right words to describe how she was feeling. As she did this, Sideswipe walked up to her surrogate sister and rested a hand on her shoulder as she reassured her, “It’s ok. You can tell us anything.” Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom admitted what was bothering her.

“Ah guess what’s been bothering me is that….” As her eyes began to water and her voice began to crack, the former farm girl continued, “This is the first year Ah’ve started school away from home.” By now a tear had begun to drip from her right eye as she finished, “And Ah guess it just all started to hit me. For the first time, Ah’m not back at home with mah Granny Smith or mah brother Big Macintosh or even….” Pausing for a brief moment, Apple Bloom tried to say a certain name, but just couldn’t will herself to mention her older sister.

Sideswipe didn’t say anything, instead she practically leapt onto her sister and nearly crushed her in a tight hug as she apologized, “I’m sorry Apple Bloom!” Now it was the pale biker’s turn to begin tearing up as she continued, “I should’ve known you’d feel homesick. I feel like such a dumbass!” Apple Bloom hugged her sister back as she reassured her sister, “You’re not a dumbass! Ah’m the one who’s a dumbass for not realizin’ Ah was homesick!”

Once the two sisters finished their hug, Marble wrapped her arms around her girlfriend as she asked, “You alright there?” Gently hugging the gray geologist back, Sideswipe reassured her, “I’m fine. Guess I just got kinda emotional for a moment.” Letting out a small (and admittedly adorable) giggle, Marble simply replied, “Mr. Beachcomber likes to say we all get a little emotional sometimes.”

Walking up to her new friend, Pastel Goth apologized, “I’m sorry if this little outing didn’t really help you Apple Bloom.” To her surprise, the former farm girl took her friend’s hand and reassured her, “Hey, today ain’t over yet. Ah’m sure we can find somethin’.” She then gave Pastel a mischievous smirk as she added, “And besides, Ah think Ah’m growin’ out of some of mah clothes anyway.”

Allowing a small but determined smirk to form on her face, Pastel remarked, “In that case, why don’t we let you take lead?”

A Few Moments Later….

Walking down one of the aisles, Apple Bloom inspected the many options for outfit bottoms. “Now then, what do we have here?” The former farm girl said to herself as she inspected a pair of red jeans. Putting them up to her waist, she was disappointed to see that they were sadly too big for her. “Awh man. Ah don’t have any belts with enough holes for this.”

It was at this moment that something in the corner of her eye caught Apple Bloom’s attention. Setting the red jeans back on the rack, the former farm girl made her way to the end of the aisle as she said to herself, “Well now, what’s this?” Reaching out, Apple Bloom found herself grabbing and holding a dark green and blue tartan pattern kilt. Letting out a gentle chuckle, the former farm girl remarked, “Well now, this oughta work.”

Putting the kilt to her waist, Apple Bloom was pleasantly surprised to see that it seemed to perfectly match her own waistline. Pumping her fist, the former farm girl squealed, “Yes!” Slinging the kilt over her shoulder, Apple Bloom pondered to herself, “Ah wonder what else Ah can find.”

A Short Moment Later…

As everyone gathered around the dressing room door, Sideswipe found herself starting to worry to herself, ‘Keep it together Sideswipe. Apple Bloom picked this one out herself. She’ll totally rock it.’ Indeed, unlike the other outfits, this one was something that the former farm girl had put together all on her own. As Marble held her girlfriend’s hand, Pastel Goth tried to control her breathing as she began to stick her hands in her jacket pockets in an attempt to control anxious energy. Eventually, the dressing room door opened as Apple Bloom asked, “So, what do you guys think?”

The former farm girl was wearing a bright red over the shoulder blouse over a visible black tank top, the dark green and blue tartan kilt she’d found, and a brand-new pair of black boots. As everyone took this in, Pastel was the first to offer her opinion.

“Whoa. You’ve got the touch there cowgirl!”

Smiling as she blushed, Apple Bloom replied with a gentle, “Thanks Pastel. Ah found this kilt here and everythin’ just sorta formed around it.” She then twirled around as she admitted, “Ah haven’t worn somethin’ like this in a while, but Ah think Ah’ve kinda missed wearin’ a skirt or kilt like this.”

As for Marble, the pale geologist wrapped her friend in a tight embrace as she happily squealed, “Oooohh So pretty!” For her part, Apple Bloom let out a gentle chuckle as she added, “Thanks. Ah also made sure it was somethin’ that would pass the school’s dress code.” Upon hearing this, Sideswipe couldn’t help but quip, “Oh please. Why are people so concerned with a dress code anyway? It’s not like someone’s just gonna show up butt naked. That’d just be creepy.” All four girls couldn’t help but find the pale biker’s remark hilarious.

Once she’d slipped her leather jacket back on, Apple Bloom glanced at her reflection in the mirror, she allowed a confident smile to form on her face as she remarked, “Oh yeah. This is definitely me.” She then turned back to the dressing room door and added, “Although, Ah do suppose Ah could switch back every now and then.” As she said this, Pastel walked up to her, rested her hand on the former farm girl’s shoulder and reassured her, “Nothing wrong with that. It’s not like this is some sort of cartoon where we all wear the same outfits every day.”

As everyone all let out a good laugh at the cerulean goth’s oddly specific remark, Marble turned to Sideswipe and remarked, “Looks like things turned out just right after all.” Blushing, the pale biker took her girlfriend’s hand as she replied, “I guess it did.” She then gave the gray geologist a kiss to her cheek as she continued, “Let’s just hope today doesn’t get any more taxing on us.”

And so, the quartet of girls continued their little adventure, wondering what else they could find in store.

Apple Bloom’s Room, That Night…

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Apple Bloom still found it a little bit hard to believe that she’d reinvented herself for the second time that year. “Heh, never thought Ah’d be able to pull of over the shoulder so well.” Indeed, the former farm girl couldn’t help but marvel just how well her red over the shoulder blouse suited her, as well as how well it went with her kilt. Of course, the latter probably benefited from the contrasting green to her shirt’s red.

Before she could continue to enjoy her brief moment of vanity, the former farm girl was distracted by the crash of thunder. Making her way to the bedroom window, Apple Bloom noticed that rain was pouring down as lighting flashed its blinding light. Sighing to herself, she lamented, “Ah hope Double Shuffle is doin’ alright.”

The former farm girl was further distracted when Ironhide’s voice rang out, asking, “Apple Bloom? You mind helping out with dinner?” Turning to the door, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah’ll be right there!” Giving one last glance to the window, the burgundy haired girl remarked, “Guess Ah’ll just have to leave rain watchin’ for later.”

With that, Apple Bloom left to help her uncle with dinner, blissfully unaware of the fact that, at that moment, Wheeljack was busy in his workshop, preparing to do something that would once again upset the status quo.

Author's Note

Next Time; Wheeljack wouldn't dare to be stupid to do something like try to play Primus again, right?

Author's Note; Apple Bloom's new outfit, particularly her shirt, is partially inspired by Lilith Clawthorne's outfit from first half of the Owl House season 2. In addition, her use of a kilt, which is Black Watch Tartan, was chosen to contrast to the bright red of her new shirt and the dark burgundy of her hair.

Wheelie

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 3; Wheelie

“Go long boy!” Apple Bloom enthusiastically ordered as she tossed a ball off towards the distance, sending Sparkplug chasing the small toy. Sure enough, the little black terrier managed to find and fetch the ball before returning to his owner. Giggling, the former farm girl knelt down as she began to rub Sparkplug and asked, “Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?”

As Apple Bloom showered Sparkplug with affection, she allowed her memory to remember the previous day’s misadventure and how her friends helped her reinvent her look. Now she felt like an almost entirely new girl, one ready to take on the world. Of course, tomorrow was the start of a new school week, meaning that she’d need to charge once more into the fray of high school.

Sighing to herself, the former farm girl picked up Sparkplug as she lamented, “Guess things are still wearin’ me down a bit. At least you’re still here for me, right little guy?” Sure enough, the black terrier let out an affectionate bark as he licked Apple Bloom’s face. Letting out a gentle laugh, the burgundy haired girl remarked, “Alright then. Let’s get you somethin’ to eat.”

The Living Room…

Entering the living room, Apple Bloom was pleasantly surprised to see Sideswipe and Chromia playing chess against each other as Ironhide and Ratchet watched on. As the pale biker moved one of her bishops, the family matriarch remarked, “Good move.” She then countered this by moving blocking it with a pawn. As the two women continued their game, Ratchet leaned into his boss and asked, “Who do you think’ll win?” For his part, Ironhide shrugged as he replied, “I’m not dumb enough to take sides on a battle like this.”

Walking up to her family Apple Bloom sat down next to her uncle on the couch and placed Sparkplug on the ground as she asked, “What’s up?” Smiling, Ironhide gently replied, “Not much. Just one of the most intense games of chess I’ve seen in a while.” He then asked, “Sparkplug get plenty of exercise?” Before Apple Bloom could answer, Sparkplug let out an enthusiastic bark as he leapt up onto Ironhide’s lap and began to make himself comfortable, leading the old scrapper to remark, “Guess that answers my question.”

Apple Bloom was so distracted by Sparkplug’s antics that she barely registered Sideswipe enthusiastically leaping up from her seat as she squealed, “Yes! Checkmate!” Turning to face her sister, the former farm girl found Sideswipe straightening her vest as she confidently remarked, “I knew I’d win.” For her part, Chromia let out a gentle chuckle as she admitted, “You win fair and square. Just don’t get carried away with it.”

Upon hearing this, Ratchet’s eyes lit up as he remarked, “Speaking of getting carried away, where’s Wheeljack?” Turning to the older medic, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah haven’t seen him since….” Pausing, the former farm girl realized that she hadn’t actually seen him since the night before. Processing her realization, Apple Bloom simply answered, “Ah haven’t seen him today.”

Sideswipe then remarked, “I haven’t seen Wheeljack today either.” As Ironhide and Ratchet turned to her, the pale biker continued, “At first I just thought I was just not paying attention, but now that you mention it, I haven’t seen him all day.” Chromia herself even replied, “And while I do appreciate how things have been kinda quiet around here today, I am kinda worried about him.”

No sooner had those words escaped Chromia’s mouth than Wheeljack trudged right into the living room. Staring at him, Apple Bloom could make out the dark circles under his eyes, betraying his exhaustion. This, combined with the maverick mechanic’s hunched over position and the fact that he seemed to completely ignore everyone else, was not like Wheeljack at all.

Before she could say anything, Ratchet stood up from his seat and approached his old friend, inquiring, “Hey Wheeljack! Where’ve you been?” Turning to face the old medic, Wheeljack replied, “Busy.”

Apple Bloom immediately thought to herself, ‘That’s odd. Wheeljack isn’t normally this blunt or unenthusiastic.’ After all, Wheeljack was known for enthusiastic declarations of excitement or entertaining rants filled with profanity. But merely declaring that he was busy? That wasn’t like the maverick mechanic at all.

Before Apple Bloom could ponder any further, Ratchet spoke up with, “I noticed you’ve been seemingly avoiding us today.” The old medic then pointed up towards the ceiling as he continued, “Especially the day after a particularly nasty thunderstorm.” When Wheeljack gave a confused look, Ratchet further elaborated, “Which, if I may, is something I remember happened several months ago. Specifically….” Now pointing straight at his friend’s chest, Ratchet finished with, “If my memory isn’t incorrect, is about the time you first created that walking bucket of bolts Wreck-Gar.”

It was at this moment, Apple Bloom noticed that Wheeljack was growing suspiciously nervous, even beginning to show signs that he might be starting to sweat. Gulping in fear, the maverick mechanic nervously asked, “Wh-what are you getting at Ratchet?!”

“You made another robot, didn’t you?”

For several moments, everyone stood there, completely dumbfounded by Ratchet’s accusation. Apple Bloom found herself thinking, ‘That’s kinda odd. How can Ratchet come to that sort of conclusion?’ Even Ironhide, normally one to call out Wheeljack’s shenanigans, stood up and turned to the old medic as he warned, “That’s quite the accusation Ratchet. What makes you think that Wheeljack did something like that just because last night was a thund……”
The family patriarch was interrupted by Wheeljack stomping his foot as he pointed at Ratchet and defended himself with a furious, “Oh come on! I can’t believe you Ratchet! We’ve known each other for what, twenty-five…. Thirty years?! You’d have to be crazy to think I’d do something that stupid again!”

However, Apple Bloom wasn’t focusing on Wheeljack’s words. Instead, she was distracted by what was sneaking into the living room.

Because there, walking in right behind Wheeljack, was a small waist high robot carrying a box of railroad spikes. Rather than a bronze cyclops like Wreck-Gar, this pint sized promethean had a relatively small body, two arms that each had a hand with two fingers and a thumb, short legs that ended in bird-like feet with flipped up wheels on the back, and most uniquely, a very long neck with exposed wires and a simple head that consisted solely of binocular shaped eyes. All Apple Bloom could think to herself was, ‘Huh. That little guy looks kinda cute.’

Wheeljack, on the other hand, hadn’t noticed the small robot entering the living room. Instead, he was continuing his rant, rambling, “To think that I, Wheeljack, would dare to do the same thing as create another Wreck-Gar is ludicrous! I would never….”

He was interrupted by the small robot tugging on his jumpsuit as it, in an adorably high-pitched voice, innocently asked, “Excuse me? Where did you say you wanted these spikes again?” Without missing a beat, Wheeljack pointed back to the door as he bluntly yet calmly answered, “I told you to take it to the smelting pits.” Nodding, the little robot cheerfully replied, “Okie dokie boss!”

As the little robot began to walk away, Wheeljack returned his focus to the others and resumed his rant with, “I would never, ever, in a million years….” However, as the other three adults and even Sideswipe gave him a disapproving look, the maverick mechanic, realizing that he had not only lied to everyone but also put his foot into his mouth, could only defeatedly mutter, “Make another one exactly like Wreck-Gar?”

It was at this moment that Wheeljack knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he had screwed up.

Turning to the small robot, Wheeljack nervously blurted out, “We’ve been found out Wheelie! Run for it!” Both maverick mechanic and pint sized promethean darted out the living room door and, as far as Apple Bloom could figure, fleeing back to Wheeljack’s workshop, with the small robot dropping his box of spikes on the floor.

After a few moments of confusion, Ironhide sighed in resignation as he quipped, “Well, here we go again.” As he sighed in resignation, Apple Bloom made her way to the spilled railroad spikes and began to pick them up as she remarked, “So…. Wheeljack made another one. Ah don’t know about you guys but, now that it’s happened, Ah’m not too surprised.” Even Sideswipe couldn’t help but remark, “Sheesh. Maybe he has like a Primus complex or something?”

Taking a deep breath, Ironhide made his way to the spilled spikes and bent down as he said, “Alright then. Once we clean up this mess here, I think I’ll have a word with him. Anyone wanna come along?”

Wheeljack’s Workshop

“Wheeljack?” Ironhide called out as Apple Bloom and Sideswipe stood behind him. As the family patriarch knocked on the door, the former farm girl turned to her sister as she asked, “How much do you think Uncle Ironhide will tear into his ass?” Shrugging, Sideswipe simply answered, “Probably enough to make a good sandwich.”

At that moment, the workshop door opened, revealing the bronze cyclops that was Wreck-Gar. Tilting his head, the metallic man asked, “Good to see you sir. Anything I can do for you?” Folding his arms, Ironhide answered, “I need to have a word with Wheeljack.” Sighing, Wreck-Gar shook his head as he replied, “Come on in sir. I suppose we can all talk about my new brothers.”

As the bronze cyclops pulled the door open, he called out, “Master Wheeljack? Master Ironhide and the girls are here, and I think they’d like to have a word with our new companions.” Sure enough, Wheeljack emerged from the back of his workshop and nervously began to scratch the back of his neck as he began, “So…. I take it you’re not particularly happy with me over….” He was interrupted by Ironhide remarking, “You made another robot. And from Wreck-Gar’s choice of words, I’m gonna say you made more than one.”

Sighing in defeat, Wheeljack relented and admitted, “Ok fine. I got a little antsy and decided to….” For a few moments, the maverick mechanic tried to think of just what to say, but eventually, he gave up and turned his head to call out, “Come on out boys. The jig is up.”

It was at this moment that two small robots emerged from the back of the workshop and made their way up to the group. One of them was the same little promethean that Apple Bloom recognized from earlier. The other was nearly identical, but it lacked the retractable wheels on its legs, had an additional block on the back of its head and, if Apple Bloom’s eyes weren’t deceiving her, two glass circles in front of its eyes resembling glasses.

Taking a deep breath, Wheeljack gestured to the two robots as he introduced them with, “Ironhide, girls, these are Wheelie and Brains.”

As everyone took this in, the robot with makeshift glasses, Brains if Apple Bloom remembered correctly, approached the group and introduced himself, “’Greetin’s everyone. Me name’s Brains, and I’m the brains of this little operation.” His unique accent reminded everyone of Wheeljack’s father Queue. Intrigued, Sideswipe remarked, “Your voice, it kinda sounds like….”

“That of a true fenian me boyo.” The small robot confidently interrupted. “I tink Mr. Wheeljack was tinkin’ of his da when he made me.” As Sideswipe knelt down to better look him face to face, Brains leant into her ear and pointed towards Wreck-Gar as he quipped, “Between you and me, I tink that Sassenbach over there has it in for me.”

Upon hearing this, Wreck-Gar stomped over to Brains as he sternly warned, “What have I told you about that word?” Rather than apologize, the bespectacled robot crossed his arms as he defiantly replied, “Ah, shove it Bodach!” Needless to say, Wreck-Gar began to grow tense as he did something no one expected such a well-behaved butler to do.

Wreck-Gar stuck his nose (or made the motions of sticking his nose) in the air as he petulantly remarked, “Bollocks face.”

As everyone took this in, Brains pointed his finger at Wreck-Gar and further remarked, “Dick weed!”

Wreck-Gar then pointed right back at brains as he snottily said, “Bogtrotter!”

Wheelie simply pressed his finger right up to Wreck-Gar’s eye as he practically shouted, “Gobshite!”

As everyone took in the sight of Wreck-Gar and Brains calling each other names, Wheeljack cleared his throat as he nervously admitted, “Yeah, I’ve been having trouble with those two.” Turning his attention back to the fighting robots, Ironhide couldn’t help but sarcastically reply, “I didn’t notice.”

Instead of being concerned, however, Apple Bloom and Sideswipe were too busy laughing at the sight of Brains and Wreck-Gar squabbling at each other like little kids.

Apple Bloom’s fit of laughter was distracted when she felt something poking her on her leg. Turning to see what it was, the former farm girl found herself looking straight down at Wheelie, the small promethean looking up to her in curiosity. Bending down to face him, Apple Bloom greeted him with a gentle, “Guess we better introduce each other. Ah’m Apple Bloom.”

“Uh….” Wheelie nervously began, clearly growing nervous. Letting out a loud gulp (Which Apple Bloom found herself wondering just how that was possible), the small robot extended his hand as he replied, “I’m Wheelie.” As the former farm girl firmly shook his hand, Wheelie awkwardly continued, “I like your skirt.”

Feeling flattered, Apple Bloom replied, “Why thank you kindly. It’s actually a kilt.” Tilting his head, Wheelie asked, “Ooh! That’s a funny word. Kilt. Kilt. Kilt kilt kilt.” As the little robot continued repeating the word kilt to himself, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but remark, “Awh. He’s so adorable.”

The moment of adorableness was ruined when Wheeljack interrupted with a stern, “Ok everyone. Now that you’ve meet the boys, I think I need to make sure Wreck-Gar and Brains don’t tear each other apart.” Just as the maverick mechanic said this, Brains darted away to one of the workshop’s many hidden hiding places as Wreck-Gar shouted, “Get back here you provisional punk!”

Ironhide himself let out a gentle chuckle as he ordered, “Come on girls. Let’s let Wheeljack clean up his mess.” Turning to face his boss and friend, Wheeljack asked, “What? You’re not gonna help me?” The family patriarch shook his head as he replied, “This is your mess buddy. Besides, you have more experience with these boys than I do.” Though somewhat annoyed, the maverick mechanic relented as he admitted, “Good point.”

With that little matter settled, Ironhide turned to his daughters as he said, “Alright girls, you better make sure you have everything ready for school tomorrow.” Nodding, Apple Bloom relented as she replied, “Yes sir.” With that, both Apple Bloom and Sideswipe departed the workshop, all while Ironhide remarked to himself, “First Wreck-Gar, now twins. There’s no way Wheeljack’s gonna keep this under wraps.”

Apple Bloom’s Room, Early The Next Morning….

Looking at herself in her bedroom mirror, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but like what she saw in the mirror. After a good night’s sleep, the former farm girl had woken up with the energy to take on the world and had changed into her new outfit consisting of a red over the shoulder shirt, black tank top, dark green and blue kilt, and black boots. Smirking to herself, she couldn’t help but remark, “Girl, you look smokin’.”

Before she could continue, her stomach began to rumble. Laughing to herself, Apple Bloom remarked, “Better head down and get some breakfast. With that, she made her way out of her bedroom, leaving her messenger bag behind.

The Kitchen…

Making her way down to the kitchen, Apple Bloom greeted the sight of Chromia and Sideswipe with a warm, “Mornin’ everyone!” Chromia returned the favor with a gentle, “Morning Apple Bloom. You sleep well?” Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “Ah slept like a baby.” She then asked, “Need a hand with anythin’?” Smiling, the family matriarch answered, “Would you mind helping with the eggs?”

As Apple Bloom made her way to the fridge to get some eggs, Sideswipe joyfully squealed, “Guess what Apple Bloom? I got permission from the school to drive my bike to school!” Turning to face her sister, the former farm girl enthusiastically replied, “That’s awesome!” Nodding, the pale biker continued, “And that is why the two of us are gonna go in style.” The two girls’ playful banter was interrupted by Chromia warning, “Alright now girls. You better make sure you don’t go on an empty stomach.”

After a few minutes, Apple Bloom had fried up some eggs while Sideswipe had made some toast and poured some glasses of juice. As the two girls ate their breakfast, Chromia inquired, “Aren’t you forgetting anything Apple Bloom?” Swallowing her mouth full, the former farm girl replied, “Ah don’t think so. Ah’ve got everythin’ all set in mah….” It was here that she realized something.

“Mah Backpack!” The former farm girl realized as she stood up from her seat. “Ah forgot mah backpack!” Starting to panic just a bit, Apple Bloom immediately dashed towards the stairwell and back towards her room. Seeing her messenger bag resting next to her writing desk, she let out a sigh of relief as she remarked, “There you are. Almost lost mah cool there.” With one fell swoop, the burgundy haired girl scooped up her backpack and brought it downstairs, hoping she could finish her breakfast before Sideswipe could think about leaving her behind.

Iacon High School…

Pulling her bike up to one of the many parking spaces for older students, Sideswipe powered down her motorcycle as she confidently boasted, “See? I told you I’d get us here in no time!” Rising up from the side car, Apple Bloom let out an amused chuckle as she replied, “Alright, Ah’ll give you that. Ah better be headin’ off to class. See ya later!” Nodding, the pale biker bade her sister farewell as she replied, “Stay out of trouble Apple Bloom.”

As Apple Bloom made her way into the school and passed through the front door, she found herself taking a deep breath as she mentally took stock of the day’s schedule. ‘Ok, startin’ today you go to first period rather than homeroom, which means you gotta deal with Mr. Compost.’ The moment her biology teacher’s name rang in her mind, the former farm girl found herself shuddering as she internally groaned, ‘Please don’t let him be eatin’ some piece of fruit again.’

However, as she began to make her way down one of the school’s many hallways, Apple Bloom realized something that she’d been too busy or rushed to before; her messenger bag was heavier than normal. “Ugh. Feels like Ah’m carryin’ a ton of bricks in this thing.” The former farm girl complained to herself as she stopped to open her backpack to see what was wrong. “Ah don’t understand, Ah packed everythin’ last night. Did Ah put somethin’ else in here in mah sleep?”

She received her answer when, as she opened her messenger bag, a certain long necked, binocular headed robot sprang out as he happily squealed, “Hi Apple Bloom!”

Caught completely off guard, Apple Bloom dropped her backpack as she nearly screamed, “Gah!” After a moment to process what had just happened, the former farm girl could only incredulously ask, “Wheelie?” The small robot crawled out of the messenger bag as he groaned, “Hey, what was that for?”

Apple Bloom wasn’t paying attention to Wheelie’s complaint. Instead, she was panicking at the realization that, not only had one of Wheeljack’s robots had snuck to school with her, but that she didn’t even notice it until it was too late. ‘Oh no.’ the former farm girl thought to herself. ‘Ah can’t believe Ah was stupid enough to not realize why mah backpack was so heavy.’

“Uh…. Apple Bloom?” Wheelie’s squeaky voice inquired, snapping the former farm girl out of her mini panic attack. Refocusing her effort on the small robot, Apple Bloom found herself staring into Wheelie’s eyes as he continued, “You alright there? You look like you’ve seen someone get eaten by a lion.” It was at this moment, just as eyes were starting to focus on them, that Apple Bloom did the only thing she could think of.

She scooped up Wheelie, shoved him back into her backpack, and ran straight to the nearest single stall bathroom she could find.

Once she found a secluded bathroom, Apple Bloom frantically opened her messenger bag, allowing Wheelie to stretch his neck as he complained, “Sheesh Apple Bloom. What’s your problem?” Allowing her fear to turn into frustration, the former farm girl angrily replied, “Mah problem? What the hell are you doin’ here?” Crawling out of the messenger bag, Wheelie simply replied, “I wanted to go to school with you.”

For a moment, Apple Bloom stood there, barely able to fully comprehend just what Wheelie had said. ‘No way.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. ‘There’s no way he is this dumb or impulsive.’ Shaking her head in disbelief, Apple Bloom could only utter a stunned and confused, “What?”

Walking up to his new friend, Wheelie explained, “I said I wanted to come to school with you.” He then began to fidget his hands as he lamented, “I’ve spent my whole life locked up in the workshop, and when Wheeljack explained that you go to school all day, I kinda thought I’d like to see what it was like.” Taking a deep breath, Wheelie looked up to the former farm girl as he asked, “You don’t mind, do you?”

Looking down at Wheelie, Apple Bloom groaned as she asked, “First of all, what do you mean “All your life?” Weren’t you made like yesterday?” As the small robot began to step backwards in fear, the former farm girl continued, “And you just decided to sneak into mah backpack without askin’ mah permission? What were you possibly thinkin?!” Apple Bloom then took a moment to catch her breath as she continued, “Just…. You do know that Wheeljack doesn’t even let Wreck-Gar leave the chop shop. What could possess you to do this? And you do know that Wheeljack will probably be angry with not just you, but possibly me as well?”

Continuing to fidget his hands, Wheelie looked down in shame as he lamented, “Well, I guess I calculated the odds that this whole thing would go smoothly over the chances that this was a stupid idea and I’d make someone angry, and…. I went ahead and did it anyway.”

Groaning, Apple Bloom leant against the bathroom wall and slunk down to the ground as she complained, “Well, ain’t this just prime?” As she sat down, the former farm girl began to think over her situation. ‘Ok, Ah’ve got Wheelie here with me. If anyone sees him, it’ll cause a ruckuss. If Ah call uncle Ironhide or Wheeljack, both of us could get in trouble. And Ah don’t think there’s anywhere Ah can hide him.’

Apple Bloom was distracted from her internal panic as Wheelie tugged at her arm and said, “I’m sorry I hid in your backpack Apple Bloom.” Sighing to herself, the former farm girl replied, “Thanks for apologizin’.” Standing back up, she continued, “Now then, Ah can’t say anythin’ for when we get home, but Ah think there is one thing we can do for now.” Walking over to her messenger bag, Apple Bloom finished with, “If you keep quiet, then you can at least hear everythin’ Ah go through today.”

Wheelie squealed as he exclaimed, “Oh thank you Apple Bloom!” He then climbed into her messenger bag as he enthusiastically continued, “This is gonna be so much fun!” Apple Bloom herself couldn’t help but chuckle at the small robot’s enthusiasm as she straightened her messenger bag as she replied, “Alrighty then. We better head off, or else we’re gonna be late.”

Mr. Compost’s Room…

Making her way to her seat, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but sigh as she complained, “Ugh. At this rate mah back is gonna give out.” Sitting down, the former farm girl couldn’t help but remark, “Ah don’t know whether to complement Wheeljack’s engineerin’ or ask him to make somethin’ lighter.’ Setting her messenger bag on her lap, Apple Bloom made sure to open it just enough to both see inside and pull out her biology textbook while making sure not to expose Wheelie.

As she placed her textbook on the desk, Apple Bloom heard the now familiar voice of Mr. Compost call out, “Greetings fellow citizens of the world!” Turning to face him, the former farm girl found her teacher entering the classroom as he munched on a yellow bell pepper. As he passed her, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘If he’s gonna do that, then the least he could do is not smack so loud.’

Setting the now half eaten pepper on his desk, Mr. Compost began, “Alright now. Today’s we will be picking up where we left off last week with….”

A Few Hours Later….

Allowing her messenger bag to gently slide down to the ground, Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief as she groaned to herself, “Alright. Two classes down, two to go.” So far, she’d made it through Biology and English class, and during that time, Wheelie had managed to behave himself, not even making as much as a peep. If she could get through the rest of the day, then the worst the former farm girl would have to deal with was Wheeljack, and given how he made Wheelie in the first place, she was confident that she could at least temper any frustration he had.

As she prepared to take a bite from her sandwich, Apple Bloom was distracted by the sound of a familiar boy’s voice calling out, “I see you’ve reinvented yourself Apple Bloom.” Turning to see who it was, the former farm girl was greeted by the pleasant sight of her boyfriend Tender Taps carrying a lunch tray of his own. As he sat down, the orange boy complimented, “I like it.”

Smiling as she began to blush, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks Tendy. How’s your day been?” As he sat down next to his girlfriend, Tender Taps replied, “Pretty good. Nothing terrible but nothing really exceptional.” Upon hearing this, the former farm girl replied, “At least that mean’s nothin’ bad.” Smiling, Tender Taps asked, “What about you? How’s your day been?”

For a brief moment, Apple Bloom didn’t know just how to explain her current predicament regarding Wheelie to her boyfriend. After all, Wheeljack’s robots were something that, as far as she knew, had never been perfected before and could make some people uncomfortable. Of course, at the same time, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Well, Tender Taps does know about Wreck-Gar, and we promised we wouldn’t hide anythin’ from each other.’ Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl decided to let her boyfriend in on her current predicament.

“Actually, Mah day has been kinda hectic.” As Tender Taps gave a confused look, Apple Bloom continued, “You know how Wheeljack made Wreck-Gar? Well, he did it again, only with two smaller robots named Brains and Wheelie. And one of them, Wheelie, thought it was a smart enough decision to sneak into mah backpack so he could follow me to school today.”

For a moment, Tender Taps sat there, completely caught off guard by his girlfriend’s revelation. Eventually, he managed to regain some composure as he asked, “Wait, you mean Wheeljack made more of those robots? And one of them is with you right now?” As he said this, a large smile formed on his face as the orange dancer exclaimed, “That is so awesome!”

Feeling relieved that her boyfriend wasn’t upset at her, Apple Bloom allowed herself to smile as she continued, “Hold on. Let me see if he’d like to meet you.” With this, the former farm girl reached for her messenger bag and began to pick it up, only to realize something.

Her bag had been opened, revealing that Wheelie wasn’t there.

“Oh shit!” Apple Bloom glumly said to herself as she realized that she was now in a world of trouble. As she picked up her messenger bag, Tender Taps nervously asked, “What happened?” Turning to face her boyfriend, the former farm girl nervously replied, “He’s gone! Wheelie must have run off somewhere!” Now starting to panic, Apple Bloom began to panic as she continued, “Oh no! This is bad. This is really, really bad!”

Taking his girlfriend’s hand, Tender Taps reassured her, “Don’t worry. If he ran off, he couldn’t have gotten far.” Allowing herself to calm down a little, Apple Bloom gently replied, “Thanks Tendy.” As the two teens rose to their feet, the former farm girl wondered, “But where could Wheelie have gone?”

Before Tender Taps could say anything, a new sound caught their attention; that of a high-pitched voice singing. Indeed, it was, to Apple Bloom at least, a now familiar voice singing, “I’m sitting on top of the wooorrrld. I’m rolling alooooong. Rolling aloooong. And I’m quitting the blues of the wooorrrld. I’m singing a sooooong. Yes, singing a soooong.”

It was at this moment that Tender Taps remarked, “I know that song.” Gulping, Apple Bloom replied with, “Ah know that voice.” Both teens looked at each other in a moment of mutual recognition as Tender Taps said, “Doesn’t sound like it’s too far. Come on!” With that, both teens dashed off to the source of the singing.

It only took a few moments to find the source of the noise; Nestled in one of the cafeteria corners, they found a group of other kids gathered around one small robot singing an old show tune as he rolled around the floor on his retractable wheels.

“Don’t want any millions, I’ve gotten my share.” Wheelie sang as he twirled around on his wheels. “I’ve only got one suit, just one!” He exclaimed as he held out one finger. “That’s all I can weeeeaaaarr.” As Apple Bloom and Tender Taps made their way through the small crowd, Wheelie continued his song, “A bundle of money to make me feel gaaaaayyyy. A sweet little honey, is making me saaaaayyyyy….”

At that moment, Apple Bloom managed to make her way to the front of the crowd, now clearly visible to the small robot. Lighting up with excitement, Wheelie squealed with joy as he skated up to the former far girl as he exclaimed, “Hey Apple Bloom! Look at all my new friends!”

But Apple Bloom wasn’t happy. If anything, the former farm girl simply glared down at Wheelie, not in anger but rather disappointment. One of the other students, a blue boy with orange hair, tried to diffuse the situation as he complimented, “You know this little dude?” Another student added, “Yeah, he sure can carry a tune.” Yet another student, this one a girl Apple Bloom couldn’t see, called out, “And he’s so adorable!” Looking up to Apple Bloom, Wheelie said, “You see? They like me!”

Unfortunately, the festive mood was ruined when the sound of Mr. Compost’s voice rang out, “What’s going on around here?” Turning around in fear, Apple Bloom, Tender Taps, and Wheelie found themselves face to face with the former farm girl’s biology teacher. Walking over to the small promethean, Mr. Compost asked, “And what in the name of Primus almighty is that thing?”

Shaking his fists, Wheelie angrily exclaimed, “I’m not a thing. I’m Wheelie!” Pointing back at Mr. Compost, the small robot continued, “How’d you like it if I called you a “thing” or “it?” You wouldn’t like that, would you?” Watching Wheelie stand up to her teacher, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but whisper to herself, “Gotta give the little guy credit for havin’ balls of brass.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Compost simply let out an amused chuckle as he turned to the crowd of students as he said, “Ok, I get it. This is some sort of practical joke, right? Someone brought some sort of remote controlled toy for a prank or to show off, right?” As the rest of the crowd stood in silence, Wheelie walked up to Apple Bloom as he continued, “I’m not a toy sir. I told you, I’m Wheelie, and I’m a living thing.” He paused for a brief moment before continuing, “Ok, maybe not biologically. I mean, I’m made of scrap metal, but I can think and feel, so I guess that means I’m alive.”

As the gravity of this revelation hit everyone, Mr. Compost asked, “So you really are a….” Nodding, Wheelie interrupted with, “Yup. I’m a living thing.” He then did the one thing that, in hindsight, he shouldn’t have, he turned to the former farm girl as he asked, “Isn’t that right Apple Bloom?”

‘Oh shit!’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. Wheelie may not have revealed anything about how Wheeljack performed his “magic,” but he had very much confirmed a connection between the two of them. Gulping in fear, Apple Bloom could only think, ‘Ah’m screwed.’

Walking up to her, Mr. Compost crossed his arms as he warned, “Well then, I’d like to have a word with you Apple Bloom.” He then pointed to Wheelie, who desperately tried to hide himself from the biology teacher, as he continued, “More specifically, a word with you and your uncle.”

It was at this moment that Apple Bloom, Tender Taps, Wheelie, and everyone else around them knew, that the former farm girl and small robot were, as many of them would put it, royally screwed.

A Half Hour Later…

Sitting in a chair next to the door to one of the school’s conference rooms, Apple Bloom could hear Mr. Compost, Ironhide, and Wheeljack talking with each other. Or more specifically, Mr. Compost lambasting the fact that Wheelie had snuck into the school, Wheeljack was trying to defend his creation’s curiosity, and Ironhide was trying to play peace maker as well as futilely trying to calm the biology teacher down. All in all, the former farm girl felt that she would probably be grounded for the rest of the semester.

Feeling something tug on her kilt, Apple Bloom turned her head to see Wheelie looking up to her as he apologized, “I’m sorry I got you in trouble Apple Bloom.” Sighing in resignation, the former farm girl replied, “Ah guess Ah’m at fault too. If Ah just tried to call Uncle Ironhide or Wheeljack about all this, we wouldn’t be here.” She then picked up the small robot as she continued, “Guess this is what happens when you get too scared of causin’ a scene.”

Before either Apple Bloom or Wheelie could say anything else, the door opened as Wheeljack stormed out, though not before looking back inside (presumably at Mr. Compost) as he shouted, “You don’t say that about my boy you damn dirty hippie!” Ironhide was the next to emerge from the conference room, resting a hand on his friend’s shoulder as he gently ordered, “That will do Wheeljack.” Finally, Mr. Compost appeared, warning, “You better make sure that abominable pollutant never shows up in my classroom again, or I’ll have it turned into farm equipment!”

Wheeljack replied to this threat, much to Ironhide’s annoyance and Apple Bloom and Wheelie’s surprise and amusement, by extending his middle finger and declaring, “Put this in your bong and smoke it!” Needless to say, Mr. Compost simply huffed and walked away.

While the maverick mechanic pumped his fists in triumph, Ironhide turned his attention to his daughter. Gulping in fear, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Here we go.’ The former farm girl took a deep breath as she began, “Uncle Ironhide, Ah’m so sorry for….” She was stopped when Ironhide raised his hand, seemingly preparing to scold her for the day’s misadventures.

Instead, the family patriarch asked, “Wheelie snuck into your backpack, didn’t he?” Caught off guard by her uncle’s question, Apple Bloom simply nodded as she answered, “Yeah.” As Ironhide bent down to face his daughter face to face, the former farm girl found herself confused as to why he was seeming so lenient. Indeed, Ironhide rested his hand on Apple Bloom’s shoulder as he reassured her, “Don’t worry kid. This isn’t your fault.”

As Apple Bloom took this in, Ironhide continued, “I’ll be honest, you were put in a very unfair position today.” He then turned his attention to Wheelie as he added, “Because someone hear was too curious for his own good.” Finally, turning to Wheeljack, Ironhide asked, “Anything you want to say to them?”

Facing Apple Bloom first, Wheeljack sighed in resignation as he apologized, “I’m sorry for putting you in this situation Apple Bloom.” Feeling a bit confused but also relieved that she wasn’t seemingly in any trouble, the former farm girl replied, “Thank you Wheeljack.” The maverick mechanic then turned to Wheelie, now allowing frustration to seep from him, as he sternly said, “As for you, you are in a lot of trouble buddy.” Needless to say, Wheeljack said the one thing that everyone expected him to.

“You are grounded for the next two weeks buddy.”

Sighing, Wheelie simply looked down in shame as he replied, “Yes sir.” Having made his point clear, Wheeljack picked up the small robot as he said, “Now then, I think we better be on our way.” Ironhide nodded as he turned to Apple Bloom and added, “And you better get back to class. We can talk about this when you get home, ok?” Nodding, the burgundy haired girl replied, “See you then Uncle Ironhide.”
With that, Apple Bloom made her way to her next class, while Ironhide, Wheeljack, and Wheelie made their way out of the building, hoping to put the day’s shenanigans behind them.

The Chop Shop, That Evening…

Seated at the kitchen table, Ironhide, Wheeljack, Wheelie, and Apple Bloom wrapped up their brief conversation. The family patriarch focused on his daughter as he asked, “So if something like this happens again, we say…” Apple Bloom answered with an enthusiastic, “We call you and say we “forgot the K-One-Zero.” Nodding, Ironhide replied, “Exactly.” He then added a gentle, “And while I am giving you a pass since Wheelie forced you into this, I would very much appreciate it if this did not happen again.” Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief and gave a simple, “Yes sir.”

Wheeljack then spoke up with, “What about Wheelie?” Turning to the small robot, Ironhide answered, “Since you will not be going anywhere for the next two weeks, I think I can safely say that the two of us will be keeping a close eye on him.” The family patriarch then rose up and said, “Now then, I believe I have KP tonight, so I think Wheelie and I better start getting dinner ready.” He then turned to Apple Bloom and added, “And I think you have some homework to do.”

As everyone else rose up from the table, Wheelie asked, “Can I say something to Apple Bloom first?” When Ironhide and Wheeljack nodded, the small robot turned to the burgundy haired girl and said, “I want to say I’m sorry for everything that happened today. You think you can forgive me?” Apple Bloom gave her answer when she pulled him into a tight hug as she replied, “Ah forgive you. Just don’t do somethin’ that impulsive again.” Hugging her back, Wheelie replied, “I promise.” As the two released each other, Apple Bloom added, “And maybe, with Uncle Ironhide’s permission, Ah can show you around town sometime after the next fifteen days.”

Squealing with joy, Wheelie replied, “It’s a deal.” He then shook the former farm girl’s hand as he quipped, “I’ll hold you to that.” As Apple Bloom shook his hand, Ironhide spoke up, “Alright now. Come on Wheelie. “We better leave Apple Bloom to do her homework in peace” With that, the former farm girl gave a confirming nod as she made her way to her room.

As she entered her bedroom, Apple Bloom found herself looking back over the day’s events. Thinking back, the former farm girl couldn’t help but remark, “Ah don’t quite know why, but that little robot has kinda grown on me.” Indeed, if anything, Wheelie had proven to be friendly and kind, if also curious and impulsive. Taking it all in, Apple Bloom found herself asking, “Ah wonder if this is what it’s like to have a little brother?”

With that, Apple Bloom sat down at her desk as she began to pull out her history textbook, hoping she could get some studying done before dinner.

Author's Note

Next Time; As the dance season starts, Double Shuffle makes a new friend as well as learn that some people have skewed views on "masculinity."

Author's note: Wheelie and Brains are visually inspired by the G2 Goose droids from Star Tours. Also, the song Wheelie sings is "Sitting on top of the world," an old song most famously covered by Al Jolson, a version most people today known for its inclusion in Peter Jackson's adaptation of King Kong.

Double Shuffle and Featherweight

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 4; Double Shuffle and Featherweight

The sun shone brightly as it rested comfortably in the afternoon sky over the town of Allspark Wells. As everyone continued their day, one place that was giving in to the energy of the afternoon was Iacon Middle school. After all, the school day was almost over, and everyone simply wanted for the final bell to ring so they could either go home or otherwise continue with their day.

One of these many kids who were just waiting to be freed was Double Shuffle.

‘Come on.’ The blue hoofer thought to herself as she stared at the old analog clock on her homeroom wall. ‘Just turn to three thirty already!’ As the dial slowly ticked, Double Shuffle found herself biting her lower lip in anticipation.

Thankfully, the clock eventually struck three thirty, followed swiftly by the loud ringing of the school bell. Pumping her fist in the air, Double Shuffle exclaimed, “Finally!” Scooping up her backpack, the young hoofer began to shuffle her way out of the classroom, only to pause before realizing that the growing crowd of students made her dancing impractical.

As some of the other kids began to turn to her, Double Shuffle meekly apologized, “Heh heh. Sorry.” No one really said anything in return; most simply made their way out of the classroom, with the few who did acknowledge her only nodding in silence. Shrugging to herself, the blue dancer glumly muttered to herself, “Guess I shouldn’t have expected anything else.”

Making her way down the hallways, Double Shuffle walked past the endless swarm that was her fellow sixth graders. Some were gathered in small circles as they caught up with each other, some were in pairs as they chatted (as well as trying to enjoy a brief romantic moment), and some were just taking the opportunity to catch their breath for a few moments. All in all, everyone was just enjoying the moment with their friends.

Everyone except Double Shuffle.

If there was one thing that the young dancer had always struggled with, it was making and keeping friends. As she walked down the hallway, Double Shuffle allowed her memory to recall how she didn’t really have many friends back in Canterlot City before her family moved to Allspark Wells. Even when in tap class, the one place she could truly unwind in, the blue girl was always something of an outcast, almost certainly due to her prodigious skills with her feet.

“At least this year should be different.” The yellow haired girl reassured herself. Indeed, this year her mother had finally decided she could finally be in an advanced class. Allowing herself to let out a confident scoff, Double Shuffle privately boasted, “Took long enough.” Realizing what she’d just said, the young dancer quickly shook her head as she tried to warn herself, “Don’t say that. Mom just wanted you to make more friends your age.”

A few moments later, Double Shuffle reached her locker. After removing the lock, the young girl began to pull out everything she’d need for the night and to last until the next morning. For the most part, it was simply just a few textbooks or binders, but the one thing that Double Shuffle was really excited to see was her dance bag. Hugging the bag tightly, the young girl squealed, “I’ve missed you. Hope you didn’t mind waiting here.”

With her first tap class of the school year starting only an hour and a half after the end of the school day, Double Shuffle’s mother, Soft Shoe, had decided that she would simply pick her daughter up from school and take her straight to Hoofer Step’s studio. Now that she’d gotten her dance bag and everything else she’d need to get her homework done, all that was left for Double Shuffle to do was go outside and wait for her mom to pick her up.

At that moment, something caught the young dancer completely off guard. Somewhere not too far from her, Double Shuffle heard a boy’s voice call out, “Hey! Give that back!” Pausing for a moment, the blue hoofer whispered to herself, “What was that?” Her internal train of thought was derailed when she heard the same voice continue, “I’m serious! This isn’t funny!”

Turning to see what was going on, Double Shuffle found the unpleasant sight of a boy roughly her age with cream skin, short brown hair, and if her eyes weren’t betraying her, slightly crooked teeth being teased by several other boys, all of whom were taller than him. One of these bullies, a large purple boy with red hair, was holding some sort of camera above his head, far too high for his victim to reach.

Jumping in a vain attempt to reach his captive camera, the cream boy begged, “Come on. Give it back!” Unfortunately, the purple bully simply scoffed as he snarled, “You want it? You gotta take it noodle nerd.” As the other bullies laughed at their victim’s misfortune, the brown-haired boy jumped up in a vain attempt to reclaim his stolen camera.

If there was one thing that Double Shuffle hated more than anything, it was a bully. She’d had to deal with her fair share of bullies throughout her life, with the worst being Chasse, a snotty jerk whom she, in turn, secretly referred to as the “bitchy ballerina.” But now that she was face to face with the common cruelty of those who belittled others, Double Shuffle knew exactly what she had to do.

Walking up to the group of bullies, the blue dancer demanded, “Hey! You jerks better give him back his camera right now!” As the group of bullies turned their attention to her, Double Shuffle continued, “You guys better stop this or I’m gonna tell the hall monitor. Or maybe even one of the teachers.” For a few moments, the group of ruffians were caught off guard by her defiance.

Unfortunately, the purple punk and leader of the group turned his attention back to his victim as he cruelly mocked, “Well what do we have here? You getting girls to protect you now Featherweight? That’s pathetic.” The cream boy, Featherweight if Double Shuffle heard correctly, simply demanded, “Oh shut up!” He then once again tried to reclaim his camera, only for his tormentor to continue to dangle his stolen prize just out of his reach.

However, there was one thing the purple punk didn’t count on dealing with on his daily dose of bullying: being in the vicinity of someone as nimble and capable on her legs as a dancer like Double Shuffle. While he was busy focusing on Featherweight, the yellow haired dancer leapt into the air and managed to snag the cream boy’s camera. As the group of bullies found themselves caught off guard, Double Shuffle turned to Featherweight as she warned, “Let’s split! Come on!”

With that, both kids bolted down the hallway, all while the gang of bullies pursued them as their purple leader shouted, “Get back here you pansies!”

Eventually, both Double Shuffle and Featherweight made it outside the school. As they caught their breaths, the blue hoofer remarked, “I think we lost ‘em.” The cream boy let out a sigh of relief as he replied, “Yeah.” At this moment, Double Shuffle remembered she was holding her new acquaintance’s camera in her hands and, handing it back to him, gently remarked, “Oh, I nearly forgot. I believe this is yours.”

Taking his camera back, Featherweight squealed, “Oh thank goodness!” He then began to inspect the instrument as he reassured his prized possession, “Good to see those pricks didn’t damage you. A quick cleaning and you’ll be good as new.” Turning to his savior, he began, “Thanks for standing up for me…. What was your name again?”

“Double Shuffle.” The blue hoofer replied. “The name’s Double Shuffle.” She then extended her hand as she asked, “What’s your name?” For a brief moment, the cream boy hesitated to shake his savior’s hand. Eventually, he took her hand and gave it a firm handshake as introduced himself with a gentle, “I’m Featherweight.”

Before either kid could say anything else, they were distracted by the sound of a car honking. Turning to see who it was, Double Shuffle found that it originated from a dark gray sedan that she’d never seen before. Before she could ponder it further, Featherweight blurted out, “That’s my ride. Gotta go.” As he made his way to the sedan, he turned his head to face his new friend as he added a warm, “Take care Double Shuffle.”

As Featherweight got in his car, Double Shuffle could only wave goodbye as he disappeared into the sedan before disappearing off into the horizon.

Hoofer Steps’s Dance Studio, A Short While Later…

As Double Shuffle approached the dance studio, she could hear her mother, Soft Shoe, call out, “Have fun at class sweetie!” Turning to face her mother, the young dancer called back, “Will do. Thanks mom!” Straightening her dance bag, the blue hoofer made her way towards the studio’s door, shuffling and twirling her feet as she allowed her heart to soar. Once she was at the door, the blue hoofer opened the door and entered the studio.

Making her way into the front area, Double Shuffle was greeted by the pleasant sight of Ravage manning the reception desk. The dark man looked up as he saw the blue girl approach and remarked, “Good to see you little Bolshoi. I trust you are doing well, da?” Nodding, Double Shuffle replied, “You bet Mr. Ravage!” She then reached into her dance bag as she continued, “I can’t wait to make some noise!”

Laughing, Ravage played along with a gentle, “I’m sure you deti are going to set the floor on fire.” He then pointed over to the changing rooms as he continued, “I believe you know where the changing rooms are. You’d better get ready. We don’t want you caught off guard for class, da?” Letting out a small chuckle of her own, Double Shuffle replied, “That would suck.” She then made her way to the changing rooms, hoping to slip into her dance attire.

A few minutes later, Double Shuffle returned to the studio’s commons area, now having slipped into a sleeveless leotard, caramel tights, and a simple pair of black athletic pants. Making her way to the row of chairs, the young girl sat down as she rested her dance bag on her lap and pulled out what were perhaps two of her favorite items in the world; a pair of black oxford tap shoes.

For some people, it can take their entire life to find what their passion is. For others, they find what they want to do with their life much earlier, usually during their teen years or early adulthood. But for Double Shuffle, she knew from the moment she saw her father performing on stage that she wanted to be a tap dancer. ‘Heh. It practically runs in the family’ The blue hoofer thought to herself as she held her beloved tap shoes in her hands.

Of course, her passion for tap had caused a few mishaps. Like with any other great passion, Double Shuffle had traded her increased time at the studio or practicing at home in place of hanging out with friends. Taking a deep breath, the blue girl said to herself, “Then again, it’s not like I really have any friends, right?”

Double Shuffle’s self-reflection was interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice with a cowgirl’s accent calling out, “Well what do we have here?” Lifting her head to see who it was, the blue hoofer found herself greeted by a girl with yellow skin, dyed burgundy hair, a red off the shoulder shirt, a dark green and blue pattern kilt, and black boots. Needless to say, she reacted the only way she knew how.

Running up to her surrogate sister, Double Shuffle wrapped the older girl in a massive hug as she squealed, “Apple Bloom!” Hugging the younger girl back, Apple Bloom warmly replied, “Good to see you too Double Shuffle!” As the two sisters released each other, the former farm girl remarked, “Seems like you got here before us.”

Caught off guard by the older girl’s choice of words, Double Shuffle asked, “What do you mean “Us?”” The blue girl received her answer when a group of teens entered through the studio’s front door. One of them was her older brother Tender Taps, dressed in a purple shirt and black jeans. Another was Sideswipe, clad in a black sleeveless shirt, a red vest and jeans, and black boots. The third and final teen was an entirely unfamiliar face, being a girl with blue skin, short black hair that covered her left eye, a pink dress, a black leather jacket, and black boots.

Walking up to Double Shuffle, the new blue girl asked, “So, you’re the little prodigy Apple Bloom told me about?” The young hoofer was surprised by how surprisingly deep her voice was, almost sounding like her brother’s own voice, but couldn’t help but find it was warm and accepting nonetheless. Feeling comfortable with this new girl, Double Shuffle extended her hand as she replied, “Uh…. Yeah? I’m Double Shuffle.”

Shaking the younger girl’s hand back, the cerulean teen introduced herself, “I’m Pastel Goth.” As the two girls finished their handshake, Double Shuffle asked, “So, this mean we’re in the same class?” Pastel gave a wink as she answered, “If you mean if both of us are in advanced tap, then yes we are.” Hearing this, the younger hoofer gave a cocky smile as she replied, “In that case, I hope you brought you’re a-game.”

At this moment, Sideswipe interrupted with a gentle, “I hate to ruin the moment, but we better start getting ready.” As the group of older teens made their way to the dressing rooms, Pastel turned back to Double Shuffle as she reassured her, “See you in a few, kid.”

A few minutes later, Pastel, Apple Bloom, and the others returned to the commons area. Apple Bloom was clad in a red tank top and black pants, Sideswipe was wearing a black sleeveless shirt with black shorts, Tender Taps was wearing a gray tank top with black pants, and Pastel was clad in a black leotard with pink tights. As the quartet made their way back to the younger girl, Pastel remarked, “So Double Shuffle, your brother says you’re quite the prodigy.” Rubbing her hands together, the younger hoofer replied, “I don’t wanna brag, but I think I’m pretty good.” Apple Bloom spoke up with reassuring, “Don’t kid yourself. You’re amazin’!”

At that moment, the front door opened again, this time revealing a pale white girl with light yellow hair tied up in a bun, and clad in a black crop top, black pants, and a gray sports jacket. As she walked up to the group, the new girl called out, “Hey Tender! Hey Double Shuffle!” Smiling, the young hoofer replied, “Hey Pizzelle!”

As she joined the group, Pizzelle continued, “Good to see you two. What have you been up to?” Tender Taps answered with, “Not much. Just practicing and hanging out.” Apple Bloom then added, “We’ve all kinda had quite the summer.” The moment she said this, Pizzelle stepped back in surprise as she asked, “Apple Bloom? What happened to your tooth?” Scratching the back of her neck, the former farm girl began, “Well, that’s a bit of a long story…”

A Short While Later…

As everyone entered the dance studio, Pizzelle turned to Apple Bloom and declared, “I swear, if your sister shows her face around here, I’ll grind her into hamburger meat!” Smiling, the former farm girl replied, “Thanks. But Ah doubt uncle Ironhide will allow her anywhere me anytime soon.”

While they chatted, Double Shuffle sat down to slip on her tap shoes. As she tied her laces, Pastel pulled out her own pair as she remarked, “Those look like they’re pretty high quality.” Nodding, the younger girl replied, “They sure are. Our mom is one of the best dance shoe cobblers around!” She then took notice of Pastel’s simpler oxfords and added, “If you’re ever in the market for a new pair, I’m sure we could get you fitted for something.” Pastel let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

At that moment, the familiar sound of Hoofer Steps’s voice rang out, “All vight now kinder.” Turning to face her teacher, Double Shuffle found the gray woman walking into the studio dressed in a black long-sleeved leotard, a simple skirt, and her black and silver tap shoes. Once she made it to the stereo in the corner, the older woman picked up the clipboard as she began, “Now zen everyvone. Let’s see who is here, Ja?”

Pointing to her pupils with her pencil, Hoofer Steps remarked, “Ve have Doubles Shuffle, Pastel Goth, Pizzelle, Apple Bloom, Tender Taps und…” pausing for a moment, the older woman continued, “Seems ve are missing vone student.” Walking up to her teacher, Double Shuffle asked, “Everything alright?” Hoofer Steps smiled as she replied, “Everysing is alvight. Just looks like ve are missing….”

She was interrupted by the sound of a vaguely familiar voice calling out, “Sorry I’m late. Got held up in traffic.” Double Shuffle found herself frozen for a moment as she thought to herself, ‘Wait a minute. I know that voice.’ As she turned to see who it was, Hoofer Steps replied, “You aren’t late. In fact, you are just in time.”

Double Shuffle, however, found herself caught completely flatfooted. There, looking nervously around him, was a very familiar boy with cream skin, short brown hair, and a surprisingly adorable set of crooked teeth. He was dressed in a pair of black shorts, a black tee shirt, white socks, and a pair of black tap shoes on his feet. ‘No way.’ Double Shuffle thought to herself. ‘It can’t be him.’

Nonetheless, her suspicions were confirmed when Hoofer Steps set her clipboard back on the stereo as she said, “Good to see you Featherveight.”

Letting out a nervous gulp, Featherweight approached the gray teacher as he replied, “Thanks ma’am.” As he said this, Tender Taps shuffled over as he remarked, “Nice to meet you Featherweight. I’m Tender Taps.” Seeing this older boy, the cream boy let out a surprised, “Hello there. I didn’t expect there to be another boy.”

It was at this moment that Featherweight and Double Shuffle locked eyes on each other. Looking at her acquaintance and classmate, the blue girl found herself thinking, ‘No way. Can’t believe that I’m in class with someone from school.’ The realization of this possibility made the younger girl’s heart soar, allowing a small smile to form across her face.

However, instead of showing excitement, Featherweight began to grow visibly nervous. His cream skin began to grow increasingly pale as a few beads of sweat began to drip from his forehead. As she saw this, Double Shuffle thought to herself, ‘What could possibly have him so scared?’

Before either kid could say anything, Hoofer Steps began, “Now zen everyvone. Velcome to our advanced Stepptanz class.” She then made a circle motion with her finger as she continued, “First things first, ve are going to introduce ourselves to each other.” As everyone formed into a small circle (with Double Shuffle placing herself next to her teacher), the gray woman finished with, “I um Hoofer Steps, und I am ze founder of zis dance studio.” She then pointed to Double Shuffle to continue the little game.

Taking a deep breath, the young hoofer introduced herself with, “I’m Double Shuffle, and my dad is one of the Tap Hounds.” The next person to go was Apple Bloom, who continued, “Ah’m Apple Bloom, and this is actually mah first year in a dance class.” After her was Pastel Goth, who added, “I’m Pastel, and I live with my older brother Blaster, the DJ at WARK.” Tender Taps spoke up next with, “I’m Tender Taps and I actually help out with some of the younger classes.” Sideswipe then added, “I’m Sideswipe and I own and ride a motorcycle.” The next was Pizzelle, who added, “I’m Pizzelle, and in my spare time, I like to bake.”

Finally, the only one left was Featherweight. Nervously stepping forward, the cream boy took a deep breath as he introduced himself with, “I’m…. I’m featherweight and….” Visibly struggling to think of something, he finally gave an answer with, “I really like to take pictures.” Hearing this, Double Shuffle thought to herself, ‘That explains his camera.’

Hoofer Steps clapped her hands as she continued, “Alvight now everyvone. Vight now, ve are going to start vith a shuffle exercise to warm us up und to loosen our ankles.” As everyone formed themselves into a line, the gray teacher extended her leg as she called out, “Ve go shuffle, shuffle, double shuffle, double shuffle, flap ball change.” Demonstrating the warmup to her pupils, she called out, “Now zen, can I see you do zat?”

As everyone performed the exercise, Double Shuffle allowed her eyes to drift onto the reflection of everyone in the mirror. She herself was doing the exercise perfectly as was her brother and Apple Bloom, Pastel was having a little trouble keeping her balance was otherwise doing pretty good, Pizzelle and Sideswipe were doing admirable, and to her surprise, Featherweight was surprisingly good on his feet.

Once everyone finished the exercise, Hoofer Steps said, “Very good everyvone. Now zen….”

A Short Hour Later…

“Very good Tender!” Hoofer Steps said as Tender Taps and Pizzelle performed shuffle grab offs across the studio floor. As the two teens approached the center of the studio, the gray teacher called out, “Vemember to stay off your heels Pizelle!” Once they’d made across the floor, Hoofer turned to her next two students, Double Shuffle and Apple Bloom, and said, “You two are next.”

Turning to her older sister, Double Shuffle playfully asked, “You ready Apple Bloom?” Smirking back at her little sister, the former farm girl replied, “You bet.” Hoofer Steps then declared, “Und… NOW!” With this order, both girls shuffled with their right foot before leaping onto it while spanking the ground with their left toe. As they made it across the floor, Hoofer Steps called out, “You’re slurring your sounds together Apple Bloom. I vant to hear each sound.” Once they made it to the opposite wall, the blue girl turned to her older sister as she complimented her, “Nice job.”

Giving her little sister a fist bump, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks. You were awesome!” Tender Taps then added, “You both did a great job.” As he said this, Double Shuffle focused on the students who were doing the technique now. Specifically, it was now Featherweight sandwiched in between Pastel and Sideswipe. In comparison to the two girls, the cream boy was doing a decent job, even if he seemed to be struggling with his pullbacks.

As he joined the rest of the group, Double Shuffle extended her fist as she complimented, “Nice job.” Rather than respond, however, Featherweight didn’t respond to the young hoofer’s compliment. Confused, she thought to herself, ‘That’s kinda odd. Not to mention rude.’ Double Shuffle immediately shook her head as she chastised herself, ‘Don’t think that. He’s probably just a little worn out, that’s all.” Still, it seemed odd to her that the brown-haired boy was, in comparison to everyone else, far more shy and actively trying to keep to himself.

Before Double Shuffle could continue to ponder the situation, Hoofer Steps called out, “Alvight now, ve are now going to focus on….”

A Short While…

“Und a 5, 6, 7, 8!” Hoofer Steps called out as she and her pupils began performing timesteps. After four single timesteps, the class moved up to double, then triple, and finally quadruple timesteps. As Double Shuffle performed the steps, she made sure to strike her feet on the floor in the exact right place. The young hoofer could swear that she could not only hear the clicks, clacks, and taps whenever she struck the floor, but she could even feel the taps hit the wooden surface.

Allowing her eyes to drift to the others, Double Shuffle noticed that everyone else was doing the timesteps just as well as she was. Even Featherweight was doing it perfectly. Now that she saw a confident smile form on the cream boy’s face, she couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘Why does he look kinda cute?’

Once everyone finished, Hoofer Steps stretched her arms out as she said, “Zat should be all for zis veek kinder. Take care of yourselves, und I shall see you all next veek!” As everyone said farewell to the teacher, Double Shuffle noticed Featherweight was trying to slink away and leave in silence. Before he could make it to the door, Double Shuffle called out, “Hey, where are you going?”

Instead of saying anything, Featherweight dashed straight through the door. Concerned, Double Shuffle chased after him as she called out, “What’s going on!” Once both kids were in the commons area, the cream boy stopped himself as he sighed and grumbled to himself, “Guess there was no putting this off forever.” As the young boy defeatedly trudged over to one of the chairs, Double Shuffle asked, “Putting off what? What’s going on?”

As the blue hoofer sat down next to him, Featherweight sighed as he began, “I guess I…. I kinda….” Struggling to find the right words, the cream boy admitted, “I guess I don’t really like to tell people that I like to dance. It’s like…” unable to find the right way to word just what he was trying to say, Featherweight finished, “It kinda makes me feel like I’m weird.”

Hearing this, Double Shuffle immediately reassured him, “It doesn’t make you weird!” Featherweight immediately countered, “But it does! I tap dance, I like to take pictures, my teeth are crooked, I’m thin enough to look like a skeleton, I’m….” Starting to shake as a single tear escaped from his eye, the cream boy apologized, “Sorry for dumping all this on you Double Shuffle. I’m just…”

He was interrupted from his rant when Double Shuffle pulled him into a tight hug. Though caught off guard, Featherweight quickly relented and hugged his new friend back.

Once the two friends finished their hug, Featherweight apologized, “Sorry for going off like that. Guess I’ve been dealing with this for a while and I kinda just let a lot out.” Smiling, Double Shuffle reassured him, “It’s alright. We all have those moments where we need to vent.” She then complimented, “And for the record, you’re a pretty good tap dancer.” Smiling back, Featherweight replied, “You think my dancing is good, you should see what I can do with a camera.”

At this moment, Featherweight shot up to his feet as he remarked, “Oh! I forgot my things back in the studio!” Standing up, Double Shuffle reassured him, “Don’t worry. I’m sure your stuff is right where you left it. Besides, I forgot my stuff too.” She then extended her hand as she asked, “You coming?” The cream boy couldn’t help but faintly blush as he took her hand as he replied, “Yeah.” When the two kids reentered the dance studio, they were greeted by something neither of them expected.

They found Hoofer Steps comforting Pastel Goth from something. The cerulean goth was hugging the gray teacher as she sniffled her audibly runny nose. As she cried, Hoofer Steps reassured her, “You vill alvays be velcome und safe here herr frauline.” As she released herself, Pastel wiped the tears from her eyes as she replied, “I can’t thank you enough.”

Double Shuffle tried to tiptoe over to her dance bag, only to accidentally lose her balance and fall to the ground. As Featherweight helped her back to her feet, Hoofer Steps turned to the two preteens as she asked, “I take it you are here to collect your possessions?”

Nodding, Double Shuffle nervously answered, “Yeah. We forgot our bags. I hope we weren’t interrupting anything.” Pastel approached the two kids as she reassured them, “It’s alright. We were just talking about something.” Upon hearing this, the young hoofer impulsively asked, “Really? What were you talking about?”

As Hoofer Steps gave a concerned look to her elder pupil, Pastel answered, “Something that, at least for now, I’d like to keep between Miss Hoofer Steps and I.” Hearing this, Double Shuffle immediately thought to herself, ‘Awh man. I hate it when people keep stuff from me.’ Still, she knew that her older classmate did reserve the right to keep the previous conversation between her and their teacher, and decided to reply to her response with a simple, “I understand.”

Once both preteens had their bags, Featherweight asked, “So Double Shuffle, you wanna see some of my pics?” Smiling, the young hoofer happily replied, “You bet.” As the two kids made their way out of the studio, the cream boy asked, “So, does this make us friends?” Feeling her heart soar, the blue hoofer happily replied, “You bet. Friends!” With this, both preteens gave each other a fist bump that, without any planning, morphed into a handshake.

As Featherweight and Double Shuffle exited the studio, Pastel Goth turned to Hoofer Steps and said, “I better be heading home. Thanks for… You know…” The gray hoofer reassured her, “It’s alvight herr frauline. I look forward to seeing you again.” Smiling, the cerulean goth shuffled her way out the door as well.

Now that she was alone, Hoofer Steps let out a sigh of relief as she said to herself, “I so love helping ze kinder come into zemselves.” After all, what was more rewarding than helping kids reach their full potential, both as dancers and as people? But for now, with her not needing to teach for another hour, Hoofer Steps decided to blow off steam and enjoy a little recreational tap dancing of her own.

Author's Note

Next Time; I'm not exactly sure, but it will involve Rattrap.

Author's Note; I've decided to take the next two weeks off, as I've been both busy at work and am running into some writer's block.

Also, There's a very particular reason Hoofer Steps affectionately calls Pastel "Herr Frauline."

Wheelie's Grand Day Out

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 5; Wheelie’s Grand Day Out

Making her way through the family’s scrapyard, Apple Bloom took note of the rows of old and rusting trucks that all sat in a row. As she made notes on the clipboard her uncle had given her, the former farm girl muttered to herself, “Mostly the same as last week. Only difference Ah can find is that…” As she said this, Apple Bloom found herself near the open slot where one old six-wheeler had been resting before Ironhide and Wheeljack had it salvaged for anything usable before tearing the rest of it apart. Making a note of it, the Burgundy haired girl pointed to the vacant spot as she finished, “Oh yeah. Uncle Ironhide had that one torn apart a few days ago.”

As she continued her inventory of the scrapyard, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think back on the previous week’s misadventures. Monday alone saw her dealing with one of Wheeljack’s creations, a small robot named Wheelie, sneaking to school with her, causing a small scene and leading to her getting in trouble with Mr. Compost. “Ugh. He wouldn’t let me hear the end of it for the rest of the week.” The former farm girl muttered in contempt of her biology teacher’s disgust of Wheelie.

The next few days were pretty quiet, with the most excitement Apple Bloom had had to deal with being homework. Then Thursday came, and with it her first tap class of the year, and while there wasn’t too much in the way of shenanigans, there had been a small bit where Double Shuffle had some sort of thing with a boy named Featherweight. As she remembered what had happened between the two middle schoolers, the former farm girl thought to herself, ‘At least those two were able to sort whatever was goin’ on out.’ Apple Bloom then let out a gentle chuckle as she continued, ‘Ah do have to admit though, they are kinda cute together.’

And now here she was, on a Saturday afternoon as she performed her chores at the chop shop.

After nearly twenty more minutes, Apple Bloom finished her inventory of the scrapyard. Wiping the sweat from her brow, the former farm girl said to herself, “Alright. Got that done. Now Ah better see if there’s anythin’ Uncle Ironhide needs from me.”

The Chop Shop…

Entering the chop shop, Apple Bloom found her uncle Ironhide and Chromia busy with some sort of old sedan, with the former sticking his head deep into the engine while the latter was working under the car, leaving her feet sticking out underneath. Clearing her throat, the former farm girl asked, “Uncle Ironhide?” Pulling his head out from the engine, the family patriarch asked, “Everything alright there kid?” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Just wanted you to know Ah finished with inventory takin’.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Ironhide remarked, “Nice job Apple Bloom. Now then….” Turning to his wife, the gray scrapper asked, “Hey honey? There anything left Apple Bloom can do?” Not even scooting out from under the car, Chromia replied, “I think Wheeljack said something about running some sort of errand for him. You think you can do that Apple Bloom?”

Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “Ah think Ah can handle that.”

Wheeljack’s Workshop…

Making her way into the maverick mechanic’s old barn, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but remark, “Whoa. He can really get up to a lot if he’s motivated.” Indeed, dangling from the ceiling hung a small series of bins suspended from the ceiling by wires, moving assorted pieces of cast aside electronics to and from the workshop. Each bin led to one of several smaller bins for sorting based on which specific type of device it was, with one for radios, one for tv sets or monitors, and others for every other kind of electronic device imaginable.

“Of course, he probably could do somethin’ about the excess scrap he keeps layin’ around.” The former farm girl remarked as she noticed the piles of discarded metal that was still gathering dust all around the workshop.

Apple Bloom’s train of thought was derailed when she heard a familiar high pitched voice squeal out, “Hey Apple Bloom!” Turning to the source of the sound, the former farm girl was greeted by the sight of a familiar small robot with a long neck and binocular eyes skating up to her as he called out, “I was wondering when you’d drop by!” As the small robot leapt straight into her for a hug, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but smile as she replied, “Good to see you too Wheelie!”

As the two kids finished their hug, Apple Bloom remarked, “Ah gotta admit, Ah’m impressed with what you boys have done with the place.” Squealing with joy, Wheelie happily replied, “It’s awesome, isn’t it? Mr. Wheeljack helped Brains and I install all those gondolas. He said he got the idea from some sort of theme park ride thingy.” He then began to pull on Apple Bloom’s hand as he continued, “And Wheeljack even began to teach me how to fix circuity and other electronics.”

“Don’t overload yourself there kid.” Wheeljack called out as he entered the workshop, still clad in the heavy protective outfit from the smelting pits. Removing his gloves, the maverick mechanic continued, “Last thing I need is you frying yourself with excitement.” He then turned to Apple Bloom as he asked, “Good to see you Apple Bloom. What’s new with the boss?”

Walking up to her coworker, Apple Bloom answered, “Ah finished everythin’ else for the day so far, so Uncle Ironhide said Ah should ask if there’s anythin’ you need me to do for you.” Pausing for a moment, Wheeljack scratched his chin as he answered, “Well, I suppose you could….”

The maverick mechanic was interrupted by the sound of Brains’s voice calling out, “Excuse me sir, but didn’t you say sometin’ about a book somewhere?” Turning to the source of the sound, Apple Bloom found the bespectacled machine approaching the growing group as he greeted, “Good to see you wee lass.” Smiling, the former farm girl replied, “Good to see you too brains.” She then turned back to Wheeljack as she asked, “What do you mean by a book somewhere?”

Nodding, the maverick mechanic replied, “To answer your question, I ordered a book from the local bookstore a few weeks back and it came in today. I’d go get it myself but…” Pausing for a moment, he finished, “I’m both pretty busy and a bit worn out. You think you can pick it up for me?”

Giving the older mechanic a confident nod, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah think Ah can do that for you.” Letting out a sigh of relief, Wheeljack replied, "Thank Primus. You’re a lifesaver kid.” He then made his way to a desk and pulled out a pen and piece of paper before writing something down as he added, “I don’t know if you’ve been there before, so here’s the address.”

Accepting the directions from her co-worker, Apple Bloom reassured him, “Thanks. Ah’ll be back before you know it.” As she turned to leave, though, Wheeljack said something that caught her completely off guard.

“Oh, and take Wheelie with you.”

Both Apple Bloom and Wheelie were completely off guard. Gulping in surprise, the former farm girl asked, “What? You want me to take Wheelie with me?” The small robot, for his part, pumped his fist as he squealed, “Awesome! I get to see the outside world again!” He then began to perform a small jig in excitement.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Wheeljack replied, “Well, after Ironhide and I had a little chat, I kinda decided that maybe we were a little too hard on Wheelie, so I decided to cut him a little slack.” He then paused for a moment before quickly adding, “That and he’s now technically been grounded most of his life so, you know…”

Wheelie spoke up with a simple, “And you did say if I go anywhere, I have to go with Apple Bloom unless she has to go to the bathroom.” As the former farm girl blushed with embarrassment at the small robot’s statement, Wheeljack added, “So Apple Bloom, you mind taking Wheelie with you?”

Streets of Allspark Wells…

“This is gonna be so fun!” Wheelie exclaimed in excitement as he raised his head out of the basket on Apple Bloom’s bike. As the two made their way through town, the small robot continued, “You think we’ll make any new friends Apple Bloom?” the former farm girl let out a gentle chuckle as she answered, “Ah doubt it. We’re just goin’ to pick up Wheeljack’s new book for him.”

Stopping near the gardening store, Apple Bloom asked, “You mind passin’ me the directions Wheelie?” The small promethean nodded as he replied, “Sure thing.” He then reached into the basket and pulled out the piece of paper with the directions on them as he said, “Here we are. Says here we need to….”

Unfortunately, at this moment, a strong gust of wind blew in, pulling the piece of paper straight out of Wheelie’s hand. Seeing this, Apple Bloom jumped out of her bike as she nearly screamed, “No!” Both of them chased after the floating directions, with Wheelie pulling out his wheels to skate after it as he groaned, “Come back here you stupid directions!”

Sadly, as the wind died down, the directions fell straight through street drain, leaving it completely out of either kid’s reach.

Desperately reaching her hand down the drain in a vain attempt to retrieve the now lost instructions, Apple Bloom could only groan, “Ugh, dammit!” As she stood back up in defeat, Wheelie sheepishly apologized, “Sorry I lost the directions Apple Bloom.” The former farm girl bent down to look Wheelie in the eye as she reassured him, “It’s alright little buddy.” She then openly wondered, “Guess we might as well look around town to check every possible bookstore around.

At that moment, the familiar voice of a teenaged boy’s voice called out, “Well, what do we have here? That you Apple Bloom?” Pausing for a brief moment, the burgundy haired girl remarked to herself, “That sounds like Rattrap.” Turning to see who it was, she was pleasantly surprised to see a very familiar boy exiting the gardening store. He had brown skin, gray/white hair, a gray tee shirt with dark jeans, black sneakers with a white toe and laces, a pair of circular glasses, and a slight overbite.

Walking up to his friend, Rattrap remarked, “Haven’t seen you in a while. How you been?” Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “Pretty good Rattrap, all things considered.” Closing the distance, the former farm girl pulled her friend into a tight hug as he happily remarked, “That’s always great to hear.” As the two friends released each other, Rattrap noticed the small robot looking up to him and asked, “Who’s your friend?”

Walking up to the teenaged boy, Wheelie introduced himself, “Hi, I’m Wheelie!” As Rattrap bent down to get a closer look at him, Apple Bloom explained, “Wheeljack made him and another robot named Brains.” Taking this in, the brown boy let out a sigh of amazement as he remarked, “Whoa. You mean that gearhead guy made more robots? I thought Wreck-Gar was enough.” He then turned his attention back to Wheelie as he continued, “I’m Rattrap.”

Wheelie extended his hand to Rattrap as he continued, “It’s nice to meet you Rattrap. How’d you meet Apple Bloom anyway?” As he shook the small robot’s hand, Rattrap explained, “Well, that’s actually a long story. You see….” He was interrupted when Apple Bloom spoke up with, “Hold on just a moment. Let me get mah bike first.” As the former farm girl left to get her bike, the scrawny teen continued, “Well, let’s just say Apple Bloom is the reason I’m not lyin’ starving on the streets.”

Taking this in, Wheelie remarked, “Wow. That’s awesome. I think.” As Rattrap gave him a confused look, the small robot sheepishly admitted, “Yeah, Mr. Wheeljack made me, like, a week ago.” Taking this in, Rattrap remarked, “Huh. I dunno why, but I kinda thought you’d be a bit…. Older?”

As Apple Bloom rejoined the two boys, she remarked, “Sorry about that.” She then continued, “To answer your question Wheelie….” The small robot interrupted with a blunt, “You’re the reason Rattrap isn’t lying starving on the streets?” The burgundy haired girl turned to her friend, who simply shrugged as he replied, “What?” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but let out a small giggle as she remarked, “Well, Ah guess if that’s about it, more or less.”

Turning back to Rattrap, the former farm girl asked, “Actually, you mind helpin’ us with somethin’?” The scrawny teen happily replied, “Sure thing. What do you two need?” Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief as she explained, “Ok, so Wheeljack asked us to pick up a book for him, but we lost the directions to the bookstore, so we don’t know where to go.” Wheelie then held his hands together to make himself look more adorable as he asked, “You will help us, won’t you?”

Pausing for a moment, the scrawny teen scratched his chin as he let out a mischievous, “Hmm….” After minute of leaving his friends in suspense, Rattrap finally replied, “Alright. I don’t have anythin’ better to do anyway.” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as she quipped, “Alright. Thanks Rattrap.” With this, the two young scrappers followed their friend away, hoping he knew just where they needed to go.

A Short While Later…

“Well, here we are.” Rattrap said as he gestured to the shop resting before the group. As Apple Bloom and Wheelie looked up at the store’s sign, the small robot read out loud, “The Underbase? Kind of a weird name for a bookstore, isn’t it?” The scrawny teen shrugged as he answered, “Eh, I wasn’t the one who named it. Guess you just gotta roll with it, you know?” Apple Bloom let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “Ah guess you’re right. Now come on. Let’s get Wheeljack’s book already.”

As the trio entered the shop, Apple Bloom was pleasantly greeted by the sight of several rows of bookshelves, each one filled to the brim with books. The shelves were split down the middle of the store, the space in between occupied by circular tables with the latest pieces of literary opportunities. Taking this in, the former farm girl remarked, “Guess it’s been a while since Ah’ve been somewhere like this before.”

The burgundy haired girl was distracted from her wandering mind when Wheelie pulled on her kilt as he asked, “Hey Apple Bloom, you mind if I look around?” Looking down to the small robot, she replied, “Sorry Wheelie, but not this time.” Wheelie pouted as he complained, “Awh, come on.” Bending down to look him in the eyes, Apple Bloom gently but sternly warned him, “Ah’m serious little buddy. Maybe another time.”

At this moment, Rattrap tapped Apple Bloom on the shoulder as he reassured her, “I can keep an eye on this little guy here. You go ask the person at the counter over there, and we can call this job done and all head home.” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Thanks Rattrap. Ah’ll be back in a flash.”

Walking up to the caramel woman manning the shop’s front desk, Apple Bloom asked, “Excuse me ma’am. Ah’m here to pick up somethin’ for Wheeljack?” The woman replied, “Ah yes, my boss said something about someone else coming to pick up his order. Apparently said something about being busy with something else.” The former farm girl scratched the back of her neck as she replied, “Yeah. Sorry about that.”

Reaching behind her, the caramel clerk presented a decently sized book with, if Apple Bloom was guessing correctly, roughly one hundred and fifty pages, and placing it on the desk as she said, “Alright, that’ll be seventy-five dollars.”

Upon hearing this, Apple Bloom let out a loud gulp as she nervously replied, “Uh, Wheeljack didn’t say anythin’ about needin’ money. He said everythin’ was takin’ care of.” For a few moments, both Apple Bloom and the caramel woman stared at each other in awkward silence. Eventually, the older woman let out a satisfied snort as she said, “I’m just messing with you. Don’t worry, he paid in advance.”

Taking the book, Apple Bloom groaned as she replied, “Fine. But Ah’m tellin’ him about this.” Turning around to leave, she looked at the book’s cover as she read aloud, “Cossack collaborators and other fascist sympathizers?” She began to open it up to see what exactly it was about, only to be greeted by the sound of Rattrap calling out, “Get back here you little troublemaker!” Hearing this, the burgundy haired girl could only groan, “Not again.”

Running up to Rattrap, Apple Bloom asked, “Let me guess, he ran off somewhere?” Nodding, the scrawny teen asked, “This happen before?” As the former farm girl nodded, Rattrap sighed as he pointed deeper into the shop and said, “He went this way, come on.”

After a few minutes, Apple Bloom and Rattrap found Wheelie sitting on the floor against the wall, reading a book that was titled “Robots of science fiction.” Folding her arms, the former farm girl stamped her foot as she cleared her throat to get the small promethean’s attention. Nervously looking up from his book, Wheelie tilted his head and asked, “Hey guys. What’s up?”

Sighing in frustration, Apple Bloom answered, “What did Ah tell you about runnin’ off?” Wheelie rose back up to his feat and hanged his head in defeat as he answered, “To not do it.” The former farm girl extended her hand towards the small robot, silently requesting him to surrender the book he’d found. Once he’d surrendered it, Apple Bloom placed the book on a nearby shelf as she said, “Alright now. Let’s go.”

Streets of Allspark Wells…

As the trio of kids made their way out of the bookstore, Wheelie apologized, “Sorry I ran off Apple Bloom.” Looking up to her, the small robot nervously asked, “You forgive me?” Smiling, Apple Bloom reassured him, Ah forgive you. But please, don’t run off like that again.” She then gestured to Rattrap and added, “Now, if you’ll please, apologize to Rattrap.” Nodding, Wheelie turned to the scrawny teen and apologized, “Sorry for running off on you.”

Bending down to look into the small robot in the eyes, Rattrap replied, “It’s alright little buddy.” He then rested his hand on Wheelie’s shoulder and continued, “Besides, you’re pretty fast on those fancy wheels there.” Lighting up with joy, Wheelie leapt into the air and popped out his wheels as she squealed, “I got complimented on my speed! Alright!” As he skated around the two older teens, Rattrap couldn’t help but remark, “That little guy sure is somethin’.”

At that moment, Apple Bloom asked, “Hey Rattrap? Can Ah ask you a weird question?” Rattrap straightened himself as he replied, “Ask away.” Taking a deep breath, the burgundy haired girl began, “So, the school year started a few weeks back, and Ah’ve seen Marble, Sideswipe, and Tender Taps at school.” Pausing for a moment, she asked, “You don’t go to Iacon High, do you?”

Sighing, Rattrap simply shook his head. Taking this in, Apple Bloom asked, “You go to Kaon High instead?” Once again, the scrawny boy simply shook his head as he answered, “I don’t.” As the former farm girl took this in, Rattrap raised his hands as he reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’m not some sort of drop out!”

After a few moments, Rattrap explained, “Arcee had me enrolled in this weird sort of tutoring program. I basically study one on one with different tutors.” Before Apple Bloom could say anything in response, Wheelie asked, “Why are you doing this weird tutoring thing and not at school with Apple Bloom and her friends?”

Rattrap sighed as he explained, “You know how I said Apple Bloom is the reason I’m not lying starving on the streets? Well, basically, I was homeless and Apple Bloom and Ironhide and everyone are the reason I’m still alive.” As his eyes began to water, the scrawny teen continued, “And since you can’t really learn much in the way of book smarts when you’re focusing on just getting enough food, I kinda fell behind on a lot of stuff. So now, I’m kinda having to blaze through a lot of it all at once.” Looking down to Wheelie, Rattrap asked, “That make any sense?”

Raising his finger, Wheelie answered, “Yes…. Wait a minute…. No, not really.”
Shrugging, Rattrap inquired, “Eh, guess you can’t explain everything to someone who’s only like a week or two old anyway, right?” Turning to Apple Bloom, he found the former farm girl was starting to tear up in sympathy for her friend’s plight before pulling him into a tight hug, one which Rattrap was happy to reciprocate.

And he was pleasantly surprised to feel Wheelie hugging his leg.

Wheeljack’s Workshop

“Wheeljack? You still here?” Apple Bloom called out as she, Rattrap, and Wheelie entered the maverick mechanic’s workshop. For a few moments, no one answered her question, leading to Wheelie to call out, “Mr. Wheeljack? Wreck-Gar? Brains? Anyone?” When the deafening silence continued, Rattrap said out loud, “Uh… I see you guys have tidied the place up a bit.”

The awkward silence was broken by the crashing sound of scrap metal clanging against itself as Wreck-Gar chased Brains around the workshop as he shouted, “Get back here you good for nothing potato farmer!” The bespectacled robot shot back with a cocky, “I’m not gonna make it easy for you bodach!” As the two other robots chased each other away, Rattrap turned to Apple Bloom as he asked, “This sort of thing normal?” Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “Pretty much.”

At that moment, Wheeljack fell from the ceiling as he let out a terrified scream. As the trio of kids gathered around him, Apple Bloom nervously asked, “Wheeljack?! You alright?” The maverick mechanic simply groaned as he laid on the ground as he replied, “Ughghghg. That’s the last time I try modifying the roof on my own.”

Rising back to his feet (and stretching his back), Wheeljack asked, “Oh hey Apple Bloom. You get that book for me?” Apple Bloom nodded as she presented the book to the maverick mechanic as she replied, “Here you go. Why’d you want somethin’ on Cossacks and whatnot?” As he accepted the book, Wheeljack explained, “My dad always taught me to keep my eyes out for people who’d try to pull some sort of fascist takeover and try to turn us all against each other.” He then looked at the book now resting in his hands as he continued, “And trust me, pricks like that often like to use symbols like the ones here from the last great war.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom remarked, “Huh. Sounds interestin’. Ah might need to aske Dr. Pennywhistle about that on Monday.” Rattrap asked, “What are you talkin’ about? Wasn’t that all like, a bagillion years ago?” Walking up to the scrawny teen, Wheeljack began, “Well, more specifically it was….”

He was interrupted by the sound of Ironhide’s voice calling out, “You back yet Apple Bloom?” The former farm girl turned to the workshop door as she called back, “Ah am uncle Ironhide! Be right there!” She then turned to Rattrap as she said, “Come on.” As the scrawny teen nodded, Wheelie asked, “You need me Apple Bloom?”

Before she could answer, Wheeljack turned to his pint sized promethean and ordered, “You go help her with anything she needs.” Nodding, Wheelie replied with an enthusiastic, “Yes sir.” He then popped out his wheels as he skated over to Apple Bloom and informed her, “Ready whenever you are.”

Giving a confident smirk, Apple Bloom replied, “Come on boys.” With that, she led Wheelie and Rattrap out the workshop, all while Wheeljack watched and wondered, if only for the slightest moment, if in his impulsive act of playing Primus, he’d accidentally fumbled his way into fatherhood.

Author's Note

Next Time; Marble finds herself making a new friend, one who adds a bit of color to her monochrome world.

Author's Note; I will be taking another very small break, due to having to go out of town for a family event.
Also, I apologize if this chapter isn't as up to snuff as the others, as I pretty much wrote it to include Rattrap and also to foreshadow something I have in mind down the line (Hint; it has to do with the book).

When Girl Meets Bird

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 6; When Girl Meets Bird

Seated at her desk in Dr. Pennywhistle’s class, Marble Pie found herself completely entranced at her teacher’s lesson on the ancient world of the eons long past. As the older man pointed to the map hung over the dry erase board, he continued, “The old kingdom of the Quintessons was, for their day, the most powerful nation in the world.” With every word Dr. Pennywhistle said, Marble wrote down an abridged version in her notebook.

Despite her fears that attending school would overwhelm her, Marble found that it was, in actuality, not too terrible. The routine of scheduled classes made everything easier to manage, and teachers like Dr. Pennywhistle were more than willing to accommodate her “different way of thinking.” Now, where once she would have been overwhelmed by the crowded classrooms or loud lunch breaks, Marble was actually doing better than either she or Beachcomber thought possible.”

As Dr. Pennywhistle paused for a moment, one of the other students, a red boy named Nosecone, asked, “But didn’t the Quintessons build their monuments off the backs of slaves?” Hearing this, Marble gulped as she thought to herself, ‘I don’t remember him saying anything about slaves.’ Before she could say anything, Dr. Pennywhistle pointed to his student as he explained, “To some extent.”

Taking a deep breath, the old teacher continued, “The Quintessons, like the earliest of the Iaconians, employed slavery. However, many of their great works, such as the pyramids, were built primarily by ordinary citizens conscripted. This included everyone from farmers during the off season and merchants to skilled masons and stoneworkers.” As Marble and the rest of the class took this in, he finished with, “Either a little worse for wear or in perfect shape. Take your pick.”

Before he could continue, the bell rang, signaling it was the end of the school day. Letting out a gentle chuckle, Dr. Pennywhistle said, “Alright everyone. That should be enough for today. We shall pick up from here on Monday. Have a good weekend everyone.” With that, he gave a polite bow as he bade his pupils farewell.

As she packed her backpack, Marble heard the familiar sound of Apple Bloom’s voice call out, “Hey Marble.” Turning to face her friend, the gray geologist found the former farm girl walking up to her, clad in her red off the shoulder shirt, black tank top, dark blue and green kilt, and black laced boots. Smiling, Apple Bloom asked, “You ready for our little meetin’ in the park?”

Nodding with excitement, Marble replied, “Yeah.” She then asked, “So, Ironhide gonna pick you up or something?” Shaking her head, Apple Bloom answered, “Nope. Mrs. Soft Shoe is gonna pick me and Tendy up. We’re gonna meet up with you and Sideswipe.”

At that moment, both girls heard the sound a familiar teenaged girl clearing her throat followed by a snarky, “you girls talking about me behind my back?” Turning to see who it was, Marble was overjoyed to see her girlfriend Sideswipe leaning against the doorframe. Allowing her cheeks to blush red, the gray geologist walked up to her girlfriend as she cheekily replied, “Only to tell Apple Bloom how awesome you are.”

Needless to say, Marble and Sideswipe pulled each other into a tight hug.

Once both girls finished their hug, Sideswipe turned to Apple Bloom and said, “We’ll see you at the park. You make sure Sparkplug doesn’t cause too much trouble ‘till then.” Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “You got it.” Apple Bloom then made her way through the door as she said, “Ah better hurry. Don’t wanna hold Tender Taps up.”

Once Apple Bloom was gone, Sideswipe turned to Marble as she playfully asked, “So, shall we my love?” Blushing as she held her arm, Marble extended her hand as she replied, “Anywhere with you.” Taking her girlfriend’s hand, Sideswipe led Marble away, both girls looking forward to what Apple Bloom had planned for everyone.

The Park, A Short While Later

As Sideswipe’s motorcycle pulled into a parking spot, the young biker revved her beloved bike down as she let out a sigh of relief, saying, “I dunno about you, but I love getting to take this old girl out for a spin.” She turned to her girlfriend as she asked, “Am I right?”

Marble, on the other hand, was removing her helmet as she replied, “Maybe for you. Either I’m going crazy, or your bike is getting louder.” Shaking her head, the gray geologist apologized, “Sorry if that came out as rude.” Thankfully for her, Sideswipe rested a hand on her shoulder as she replied, “I know loud noises get to you. Maybe I can find you some earmuffs.” Smiling, Marble gently replied, “I’d appreciate that.”

Once both girls made their way into the park, they were greeted by the sight of Tender Taps, Apple Bloom, Pastel Goth, and Rattrap all sitting around each other on a blanket. However, there was one thing different about this particular get together that caught Marble completely off guard.

Everyone had their pets with them.

Indeed, Apple Bloom was busy petting Sparkplug the highland terrier, Tender Taps was stroking the orange tabby Skimbles, Rattrap was allowing his rat, Munchy, to run across his arms, and even Pastel was playing with another small rodent in a clear travel box. Overall, everyone was having fun with their pets.

Everyone except Marble Pie.

As Marble and Sideswipe walked up to the rest of the group, Tender Taps greeted them with a warm, “Hey guys. Glad you could make it.” Sitting down next to the orange hoofer, Marble replied, “Thanks. Good to see you too.” She then turned to Rattrap as she continued, “Hey Rattrap. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Shrugging, Rattrap replied, “Same here. Feels like it has been a year or two.” As he said this, Munchy scrambled down the scrawny teen’s arm and onto the blanket as his owner replied, “I think Munchy is happy to see you too.” Watching the small rat make his way to her, Marble couldn’t help but giggle as she replied, “You know, when he’s not sneaking up on you, your little friend is quite adorable.”

Pastel then rose up and pulled Marble and Sideswipe into a tight hug as she exclaimed, “It’s so good to see you girls!” As she released them, the cerulean goth took their hands as she added, “Oh, I almost forgot. There’s someone I want to introduce you to.” She then presented her clear travel box, revealing that it housed a yellow and black hamster looking up at them. As the two girlfriends took the sight of the small rodent in, Pastel enthusiastically exclaimed, “Girls, this is Rosemary.”

Taking in the sight of Rosemary, Marble couldn’t help but squeal, “She’s so cute!” She turned to Sideswipe as she asked, “Isn’t she just so adorable that you want to hug her?” Straightening her vest, the pale biker replied, “I suppose. I mean, I’m not exactly a hamster kind of girl.” Nonetheless, she turned to Pastel as she added, “But Rosemary here is on the cuter side of them.”

Smiling, Pastel replied, “Thanks. I wanted to let the little girl out to stretch her legs but…” As she said this, the sound of barking and hissing caught everyone’s attention. Turning to see what it was, Marble found Sparkplug and Skimbles were staring each other down, both dog and cat clearly antagonizing each other. Seeing the two animals growl at each other, Marble couldn’t help but remark, “I can’t help but think that we should have expected this would happen.”

However, as Apple Bloom and Tender Taps prepared to intervene, Sparkplug and Skimbles suddenly calmed down and began to sniff each other. Once it was clear that the dog and cat had seemingly made peace with each other, the former farm girl remarked, “Phew. Ah was worried they’d try to tear each other apart.” Tender Taps, for his part, wiped his brow as he added, “Yeah. I’d hate to have to explain to Double Shuffle how Skimbles got hurt.” Everyone let out a good laugh at Tender’s remark.

At that moment, Rattrap asked, “Hey Marble, you not have a pet or somethin’?”

As everyone turned to face her, Marble let out a nervous gulp as she replied, “I… Uh…. I don’t have a pet.” For several moments, the rest of the group stared at the gray geologist, leading to her starting to turn pale as she asked, “Uh, that’s bad right?”

Sideswipe rested her hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder as she reassured her, “Of course not. Besides…” She leaned into Marble’s ear as she whispered, “Ironhide may say Sparkplug is a family pet, but let’s be honest, he and Apple Bloom are inseparable.” She then pointed to the former farm girl, who had been knocked onto her back as the small terrier stood on her chest, affectionately licking her face. Nudging her girlfriend, the pale biker tried to reassure Marble, “See? You aren’t the only one pet-less ‘round here.”

Rather than being comforted, Marble simply shrugged as she sighed, “I guess.” She then sat down as she apologized, “Sorry if that came out weird.” As Sideswipe sat down next to her girlfriend as she reassured her, “It’s alright.” As the two girls began to lean against each other, Marble asked, “You think I’d be good with a pet?” Thankfully, Sideswipe answered, “I think you’d be great. Maybe you’d need a little help at first, but you’d be great.”

Feeling her confidence get boosted, Marble smiled as she let out a gentle, “Thanks.” As the rest of their friends continued to play with their pets and catch up with each other, the gray geologist couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘Maybe I could ask Mr. Beachcomber about this.’

Allspark Wells Geology Museum, Early That Evening…

“See you tomorrow Sideswipe!” Marble called out as Sideswipe drove off into the horizon. Turning to make her way towards the museum’s front door as she wrapped her arms around herself in a self-hug while squealing, “I still can’t believe I have a such an awesome girlfriend!” Twirling around in joy, the gray geologist took a deep breath, as she looked up to the sign above the front door and thought to herself, ‘As much as that little pet playdate was kinda fun, it’s always good to be home.’

Entering the museum’s front foyer, the gray geologist couldn’t help feel comfortable at home. As much as she loved spending time with her sisters Maud, Limestone, and Pinkie, Marble always felt that she just didn’t belong on the Pie family’s rock farm. And once it became clear that her father, Igneous Rock Pie, refused to even try to understand her or connect with her, she took the first opportunity to get away from him by studying under the esteemed geologist Beachcomber.

And now here she was, living in Allspark Wells, living with a man who had proven himself to be the parent she always wanted and surrounded by friends she loved more than anything, with the possible exception of her sisters.

At that moment, Marble was distracted from her evaluation of her life by the sound of Beachcomber calling out, “Well now, look who’s back.” Turning to face her mentor and guardian, she found the blue skinned professor walking up to her as he asked, “You have fun with your friends?”

Marble gave her answer by hugging her mentor as she replied, “We did.” As Beachcomber hugged his protégé back, she asked, “Uh, Mr. Beachcomber? Can I ask something?” Nodding, Beachcomber replied, “Sure thing kiddo. What is it?”

Before Marble could ask her question, one of the museum’s other staff members, an orange man with red hair, ran up to the two and called out, “Mr. Beachcomber? We need your opinion on the rearrangement of the coal mining exhibit.” Turning to face his coworker, Beachcomber replied, “Alrighty then. I’ll go check up on it now.”

As for Marble, the gray girl began to pout in disappointment as she thought to herself, ‘Great. Just as I try to ask him, he get’s distracted.’ Thankfully, Beachcomber reassured her, “Come on Marble. You can tell me on the way there.” Upon hearing this, the young geologist thought to herself, ‘Ok, this is it. This is the moment. This is your chance. Just tell him already.’

Taking a deep breath, Marble said, “I was wondering if I could have a pet.”

The moment those words escaped her lips, Marble realized she’d acted impulsively and scrunched herself up in preparation for the inevitable rebuttal from Beachcomber. ‘Come on.’ She thought to herself. ‘You know he’s just gonna say something like “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re too dumb to take care a pet.” Just….’

To the gray geologist’s surprise, Beachcomber gently rested his hand on his protégé’s shoulder, rubbing her leather jacket as he replied, “So, I take it your friend’s pets made you a little jealous?” Pausing for a moment, Marble simply sighed as she replied, “A little.”

Motioning his head to the hallway leading to the coal mining exhibit, Beachcomber invited, “Walk with me a bit.” Caught off guard, Marble replied, “Uh, ok.” She then followed her mentor as he began his inspection.

The moment the two were in the coal mining exhibit, Beachcomber took a deep breath as he began, “Well then, I’ll go ahead and get right to the chase. I don’t think you’re quite ready for a pet.” Taking this in, Marble let out a sigh of resignation as she admitted, “I kinda figured you’d say that.” When the older geologist looked down to her, the gray girl covered her face and quickly apologized, “Sorry if that was too snippy, I didn’t mean to be mean.”

Thankfully, Beachcomber reassured his pupil, “Calm down kid. I’m not gonna go on some rampage like your old man.” As Marble took this in, the older man continued, “But, if I may be a bit honest, there are a few reasons why you can’t have a pet.”

Approaching a diorama depicting how plant matter is compressed in the ground, Beachcomber began, “Firstly, the museum board would never allow any animal other than a service dog on the premises.” Marble simply shrugged as she replied, “Guess that makes sense.” The older geologist continued, “Secondly, with you now in school and me busy with everything here, it would be pretty hard to give a dog or cat or even a fish the attention they’d need.” He then paused for a moment before he gave his final reason.

“And finally, I don’t think you’re ready for the responsibility.”

Marble found herself taken aback by his blunt answer. After a few moments, she asked, “What? I mean, what do you mean I’m not ready?” Once again, she quickly added, “I mean, I don’t wanna sound rude, I’d just like to know.”

Giving his protégé a reassuring smile, Beachcomber warmly praised her with, “Marble, I’m so proud of how much you’ve matured since you came here. I mean, you’ve made friends, you’re able to attend school without a panic attack, and you’ve been managing your Perceptor’s syndrome like a champ.” Feeling her heart soar at her mentor’s compliments, Marble found herself wrapping her mentor in a tight hug, one which he happily returned. After a few moments, she released him as she apologized, “Sorry about that.”

Thankfully, Beachcomber reassured her, “It’s ok.” He then rested his hand on his pupil’s shoulder as he finished, “Trust me, If it was either the museum’s policy or my trust with your maturity, I’d seriously consider a pet. But as it stands, I don’t think we’d be able to take a pet in.”

Smiling, Marble replied, “I understand. Thanks for, you know, explaining why.” Beachcomber, in turn, replied, “No problem. Now then, I better check out what the others wanted from this place, and I think you should get a little studying done.” Letting out a gentle sigh, the gray geologist nodded as she replied, “Ok. Thanks Mr. Beachcomber.” With that, Marble left for the elevator that would take her up to her and her mentor’s little apartment, all while Beachcomber remarked to himself, “Maybe I should have a word with the board about this.”

Downtown Allspark Wells, the Next Day…

Looking up to the sun as it’s light drenched Allspark Wells in a blanket of warmth and light, Marble straightened her jacket as she remarked, “Well isn’t this the perfect weather? Not too hot, and just cool enough that I don’t need to bundle up under a hundred layers.” Indeed, to the gray geologist, the slight chill that could only signal the beginning of autumn was the perfect temperature. Taking a deep breath, Marble looked back towards Sideswipe as she asked, “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Walking up to her girlfriend, Sideswipe tucked her hands into her vest as she replied, “I dunno. Maybe it’s just a little too cool for my tastes.” Hearing this, the gray geologist quipped, “Maybe you wouldn’t be so cold if you wore some sleeves every now and again.” Sideswipe simply chuckled as she pulled out her right hand as she reassured Marble, “It’s not that cold.”

Taking her girlfriend’s hand, Marble warmly said, “Thanks for coming.” Blushing, Sideswipe scratched the back of her neck as she asked, “For what?” The gray geologist brushed her long bangs out of her face as she answered, “For being the best girlfriend ever.” Smiling, Sideswipe replied, “I try my best.”

She then pulled Marble into a gentle kiss, one which the gray geologist was entirely happy to reciprocate.

Once they finished their kiss, Sideswipe asked, “So, since we have the day to ourselves, what would you like to do?” Marble paused for a moment, thinking to herself, ‘Hm… So many choices. There’s the arcade, there’s that little bookstore Apple Bloom told us about earlier, and then there’s that café, even if it’s a bit of a walk.’ After a few moments, the young geologist playfully replied, “I’m up for anything.”

Giving a cocky smirk, Sideswipe replied, “In that case, how about we grab a little snack?”

A Local Shop, A Few Minutes Later….

“Thank you sir.” Marble said as she handed the vendor a ten-dollar bill. The vendor, in turn handed the young girl two cups filled with pretzel bites as he replied, “You’re welcome young lady.” The gray geologist gave a gentle nod as she took the two cups and made her way back to Sideswipe, who was leaning against a lamp post.

Handing one of the cups of pretzel bites to her girlfriend, Marble happily said, “Here you go. On me.” As she accepted the snack, Sideswipe remarked, “You know I could have covered these, right?” Nodding, Marble answered, “I know, but I wanted to.” The pale biker couldn’t help but giggle as she replied, “In that case, here’s to us.”

As both girls ate out of their cups of pretzels, Marble asked, “So, how’s that chemistry teacher of yours?” Upon hearing this, Sideswipe groaned, “Ugh, you mean Mr. Windcharger? He’s the worst.” Picking one of her pretzel bites, the young biker continued, “He actually locked a girl out of the classroom because she was thirty seconds late. Like, he’s just a massive wanker!” Resting her arm around her girlfriend, Marble reassured her, “I’m sorry about him. Maybe one of these days he’ll get himself in trouble.”

At that moment, Sideswipe and Marble were caught off guard by the sound of something screaming. As the piercing scream rang in their ears, both girls wrapped their arms around each other as the gray girl asked, “What the hell was that?” Shaking her head, Sideswipe replied, “Hell if I know.”

As the two girls released each other, another scream, this one far more pained, rang out, forcing Marble to release her girlfriend and cover her ears. Once it stopped, the gray geologist remarked, “There’s something kinda familiar about that sound. It almost sounds like….” She was interrupted by the scream yet again, now almost sounding like a child crying. Hearing this, Marble turned to Sideswipe as she said, “I think it’s coming from up ahead. Come on!”

After a few minutes, both girls made it to the source of the screaming, an abandoned alley. Stepping into the alley, Marble called out, “Uh… Hello? Anyone here?” When no one spoke up, Sideswipe added, “We promise, we won’t hurt you.” Again, no one spoke up. Turning to her girlfriend, the pale biker asked, “You think we’re both going crazy?”

They received their answer in the form of yet another cry, this one betraying both pain and fear. Though Marble recoiled with just how piercing it was, she was able to figure out it was coming from behind a nearby dumpster. Pointing to the dumpster, she called out, “They’re over there. Come on!” As she and Sideswipe made it to the dumpster, both girls realized whatever was making the cries was behind the large green device. Tiptoeing up to the small crevice that separated the dumpster from the wall, Marble found herself caught completely off guard by the source of the noise.

There, lying on the ground and surrounded by discarded pieces of rope, was a large red parrot.

Indeed, the parrot that layed before them was a rather large bird, specifically big enough to require being held by both hands. It had an off-white upper beak, a black lower beak, black stripes that dripped down its face, and brilliant scarlet feathers throughout most of the body, save for the tips of its wings and tail, which were yellow and blue.

But what really caught Marble’s attention was the poor bird’s condition. the poor creature was visibly skinnier than a parrot it’s size should be, and with every breath, feathers fell off as if it was molting. All in all, the poor creature reminded the two girls of a starving dog left alone to the elements.

“Oh you poor thing.” Marble exclaimed as she knelt down to extend her hand to the large parrot. For several moments, the crimson bird sat there, not entirely sure it could trust the gray girl in front of her. As it tilted her head, Marble continued to reassure, “It’s ok. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

At that moment, an idea sprang into the gray geologist’s head. Pulling a pretzel bite out from her cup and offered it to the parrot. Initially, the large bird simply sniffed the delicious snack. However, after a few moments, it scooped up the pretzel bite in its beak and began to devour the morsel. Seeing this, Marble asked the bird, “Tasty, huh?”

Both she and Sideswipe were caught off guard by the parrot replying, “yummy.”

As the parrot finished the pretzel bite, Marble remarked, “Whoa. I know parrots can talk but I’ve never heard one answer me like that.” Sideswipe nodded as she replied, “I’ve read that some parrots can hold conversations, but I’ve never seen it in person.” The girls were interrupted from their conversation by the sound of the parrot’s voice calling out, “Thanks.”

Turning to face the red parrot, Marble asked incredulously, “Are you actually talking to me?” Walking up to the gray girl, the bird replied, “Thanks.” Taking this in, the gray girl found herself thinking, ‘Ok, I’m having a conversation with a parrot. I did not anticipate this happening today.’

Unfortunately, the entertaining mood was interrupted by the red bird letting out another cry, this one conveying the parrot’s pain and sorrow. Extending her hand, Marble asked, “Hey, you wanna come with us?” Hearing this, Sideswipe asked, “What are you doing? Didn’t you say something about Beachcomber not wanting you to have a pet?” Turning to her girlfriend, the gray girl explained, “This little fella is stuck here all on their own. At least we can get them somewhere they’ll be more comfortable.”

Shrugging, Sideswipe relented as she replied, “Alright. I guess we can give it a shot.” Marble pulled her girlfriend into a tight hug as she replied, “Thanks.”

Turning back to the parrot, Marble extended her hand as she offered, “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.” To her pleasant surprise, the red bird climbed onto her arm and perched itself on her shoulder. Smiling, the gray girl couldn’t help but playfully quip, “Look Sideswipe. I’m a pirate. Avast ye mateys.” Sideswipe couldn’t help but giggle and reply “Aye aye captain Marble. Let’s get our new friend back to the museum.

And so, Marble and Sideswipe began the trek back to the latter’s bike, all with their new feathery friend in tow.

Allspark Wells Geology Museum

Entering the museum, Sideswipe called out, “Hello? Mr. Beachcomber?” Marble immediately warned her girlfriend, “He’s not just gonna be out here in the front lobby. We’ll have to get to his office.” The gray girl was caught off guard by the sound of the parrot letting out an enthusiastic whistle right into her ear, forcing Marble to collapse to her knees as she groaned, “Ugh!”

As the young geologist fell to her knees, the red parrot flapped its wings as it glided down to the floor. Looking up to Marble, the bird asked, “Ok?” Once she recovered from the shock of the noise, the gray geologist asked, “Please don’t do that again, ok? It’s very rude.” The red parrot nodded its head and began to nuzzle against her knee, something Marble took as a sign of affection and a way of saying “yes.”

Extending her hand, Marble invited, “Come on.” The scarlet parrot let out an enthusiastic chirp as it climbed onto her arm and birched itself on her shoulder. Turning to her girlfriend, the gay geologist asked, “Now then, shall we?”

Before Sideswipe could say anything in response, both girls were interrupted by the sound of Beachcomber’s voice calling out, “Well now, I thought you two weren’t going to be back for a few more hours?” As Marble turned to face her mentor, she found the blue geologist walking up to her, his normally jovial expression slowly morphing into a confused and concerned scowl as he asked, “Uh, Marble? Why is there a macaw on your shoulder?”

Marble immediately began to fear that her mentor would lash out at her for “taking in a pet” when he explicitly told her not to. Deciding she’d rather avoid that fate, the gray girl took a deep breath as she explained, “Look, Sideswipe and I found this little guy behind a dumpster and they were crying out and we couldn’t just leave ‘em there.”

For a few moments, everyone stood there, wondering who was going to speak up first. Eventually, Beachcomber let out a sigh as he said, “Alright then. Would you girls please follow me?” With that, he led Marble and Sideswipe away, leaving both girls nervous as to what would happen next.

Beachcomber’s Apartment…

Kneeling next to the coffee table to look the red parrot in the eyes, Marble offered it a small cracker as she asked, “So, you hungry?” To her delight, the crimson bird snatched the cracker with its clawed foot and began to nibble on it. As Marble let out a gentle giggle, Sideswipe asked, “You sure parrots can eat crackers? I mean, I know the old saying “Polly want a cracker…””

“It’s just a little something to tide them over.” Marble gently interrupted. Turning to her girlfriend, she further explained, “Once their full, I’ll look up what macaws naturally eat. Hopefully, by then, Beachcomber will finish setting up an appointment with the vet.”

Taking this in, Sideswipe replied, “Ah. Ok, that sounds more like a plan.” She then began to giggle, leading Marble to ask, “What’s so funny?” Catching herself, the pale biker replied, “It’s just kinda cute how you’ve stepped up and taken the initiative with that little parrot.” Blushing, Marble replied, “Well, we couldn’t let them just die.” Turning back to the macaw, she continued, “And besides, its not everyday you find a parrot in the middle of nowhere.” Both girls turned to face the parrot, which was now finishing the cracker.

At that moment, Beachcomber entered the room and said, “Well now, I’ve got good news and bad news.” As he approached the red parrot, he continued, “Good news, I’ve managed to schedule an appointment with a bird expert not too far from here.” Marble immediately asked, “So what’s the bad news?” Sideswipe then asked, “A bird expert, who are they?”

Turning to the pale biker, Beachcomber answered, “She’s some woman by the name of Airazor.” He then turned to his protégé as he continued, “Bad news, she’s busy at the moment. Said something about back-to-back surgeries on some bald eagles. Sort of a once in a lifetime situation.” Finally turning to the red parrot, Beachcomber finished with, “She said that if our friend didn’t have any broken bones, then we can afford to wait until tomorrow morning.”

As Marble turned her attention to the scarlet macaw, she explained, “Well, they don’t seem to have any broken bones. However….” Pausing for a moment, the gray girl added, “I’m surprised they haven’t tried to fly yet. It’s almost like they can’t.”

Giving his protégé a small smile, Beachcomber reassured her, “Well, at any rate, I think you did a good job bringing them here.” Turning to her mentor, the gray girl replied, “Thanks. I just didn’t want to leave them to the elements.” As the two hugged, the older geologist reassured the young teen, “Don’t worry. We’ll take our new friend to this Airazor person tomorrow morning and get this whole thing all sorted out.”

Once they’d finished their hug, Beachcomber said, “Now then, I’ve got some things I need to get done downstairs, and I think you two better keep a good eye on our new friend.” Smiling, Marble reassured her mentor, “I think we can do that sir.” Sideswipe then replied, “Yeah. We’ve got this.” Satisfied, Beachcomber bade the girls farewell as he quipped, “Good luck kids.” With this, he left to resume his duties.

Once Beachcomber was gone, Marble turned to the scarlet macaw and reassured it, “I don’t what’ll happen next, but I promise to take care of you, at least for now.” The parrot let out an excited and enthusiastic squawk before it said, “Like you! Like you!” With that, the macaw began to affectionately nibble Marble’s nose, something the gray girl found both hilarious and somewhat adorable.

All while Sideswipe stood by and quipped to herself, “Looks like you might just find yourself with a pet after all.”

Author's Note

Next Time; Marble and Beachcomber visit the illustrious Airazor, all while the gray girl finds that she and the scarlet macaw make quite the perfect pair.

Scarlett Marbles

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 7; Scarlett Marbles

As the moon cast its light on the town of Allspark Wells, Marble Pie was getting ready for bed. The young geologist had taken a shower, changed into her pajamas, and let her hair down as she stretched and let out a great yawn. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror as she said to herself, “It’s been quite a long day, hasn’t it?” Her eyes had faint but noticeable circles under them, a clear sign that she was ready to throw in the towel for the night.

Before she could give her reflection an answer, Marble was distracted by the sound of a scratchy and uncanny voice calling out, “Happy! Happy!” Turning to see who it was, the young girl found herself locking eyes with a scarlet macaw. Walking up to the crimson avian, Marble extended her hand as she asked, “Sounds like we’ve both had a pretty eventful day, haven’t we?” She received her answer when the macaw extended its head towards her hand and made a sound that was indistinguishable from someone making a kissing sound.

Giggling, Marble couldn’t help but remark, “Couldn’t put it better myself.” She then tried to pick the parrot up, only for the macaw to back up and squawk, “No thank you.” Pausing upon hearing this, the gray girl apologized, “Oh. Sorry about that.” She then asked, “So, if you can talk, can you tell me why you were alone in the street?” The macaw didn’t vocally answer, instead choosing to simply shake its head. Growing concerned, Marble continued, “You don’t remember? Or you don’t want to talk about it?” Once again, the scarlet parrot simply shook its head, this time letting out a dejected growl.

Letting out a gentle yawn, Marble finished, “Well, I’m starting to feel drowsy, so I think we can continue our little chat in the morning, ok?” As the parrot nodded, the gray girl made her way to the other end of her bedroom and presented a large cooking pot as she explained, “We didn’t anticipate having you around, so we don’t have any bird cages. Hopefully, you won’t mind this for the night.”

As she said this, however, the macaw shook its head as it defiantly replied, “No cages. No cages.” The stern and adamant way it said this struck Marble, reminding her of the way she’d stand up to her dad whenever he tried to make her wear or do anything uncomfortable. Taking note of this, the gray girl reassured her new friend, “Don’t worry. It’s not a cage. If you want, you can climb right out.” She demonstrated her point by taking her stuffed triceratops and putting it in the pot, only to pull it out again to prove her point.

Seeing this, the parrot flapped down to the pot and climbed in, but not before looking back up to Marble and asking, “No trick?” Bending down to look the parrot in its eyes, Marble reassured it, “It’s not a trick.” The macaw flapped its wings and made another kissing sound, something the gray geologist figured was a gesture of affection.

Making her way to the bedroom’s light switch, Marble bade the parrot a gentle, “Sleep tight little buddy. See you in the morning.” The macaw screeched out a final, “Nighty night.” Smiling, the gray girl switched the light off before making her way back to her bed and tucking herself under the covers, hopeful she could get a good night’s sleep.

Early the Next Morning…

As the sun began to rise above the town of Allspark Wells, Marble began to stir from her slumber, only to realize that there was something surprisingly heavy on her chest that wasn’t there when she fell asleep the night before. Groaning as she began to shake away the last of her sleepiness, the young girl asked herself, “Ugh, did I cuddle with that weighted teddy bear again?” Before she could fully awaken herself, she received her answer in the form of a familiar voice cawing, “Hello there.”

Blinking, Marble found herself staring eye to eye with a very familiar scarlet macaw.

The young geologist was caught off guard by the parrot’s presence and found herself rising up and backing up against her bedframe as she exclaimed, “Gah! What are you doing here?” The macaw, for its part, flapped its wings as it leapt from Marble’s chest and landed on her mattress. Once she caught her breath, the gray girl remarked, “You startled me. I hope you can forgive me.” The crimson parrot gave its answer in the form of the kissing sound it had made the previous night, leading Marble to reply, “I take that as a yes.”

It was only at this moment that Marble noticed that her bedroom was consumed by an unfamiliar and unpleasant odor. Sniffing the air, the young geologist remarked, “What’s that smell? Reminds me of….” Before she could finish, Marble had an idea. ‘Wait a minute.’ She thought to herself. ‘The parrot is an animal like me, and animals need to relieve themselves with….’ It was at this moment that Marble realized what the scent that plagued her was.

“Eww.” The gray girl groaned as she rose from her bed. “Of course they’d relieve themselves in here.” Rubbing her temple, Marble asked herself, “Ok, where did they do it?”

At that moment, Beachcomber’s voice rang out, “Having trouble there little lady?” Turning to her bedroom door, Marble found her blue mentor leaning against the frame as he smirked, “That’s the thing with pets. They often have little accidents, inconveniencing you at the most inopportune moments.” As he said this, the older geologist gave a cocky smirk, leading Marble to suspect he already knew the parrot had “relieved” itself.

Marble rolled her eyes as she groaned, “I know pets have accidents.” She then knelt down to the macaw as she reassured it, “It’s not your fault.” To her surprise, the red parrot affectionately began to bite on her nose, something Marble quickly realized was a gesture of affection. Smiling, the gray girl asked, “So, where are the cleaning supplies?”

Surprised by his protégé’s maturity, Beachcomber let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “In the closet.” He then began to leave as he continued, “I’ll start making breakfast.” As he left, Marble nodded as she replied, “Ok.”

Once she finished cleaning up the mess, Marble changed into her attire for the day; a dark gray sleeveless turtleneck, a gray and black plaid skirt, black boots, and her beloved black leather jacket. As she fastened a simple black choker around her neck, the gray girl looked at her reflection as she remarked, “I do look good in monochrome.”

To her surprise, the scarlet macaw trotted up to her as it squawked, “Pretty! Pretty!” Marble couldn’t help but smile as she replied, “Thank you kindly little one.” Bending down, the young geologist asked, “You wanna come up?” The macaw let out an enthusiastic squawk as it climbed onto her arm and perched itself on her shoulder. Glancing at her reflection, Marble couldn’t help but notice the contrast of her gray and black monochrome to the parrot’s bright red with hints of yellow and blue. Despite their visual differences, the young geologist couldn’t help but remark, “Aren’t we the odd couple?”

The cute moment was interrupted by Beachcomber calling out, “You finish cleaning up that mess yet?” Turning to the bedroom door, Marble replied, “I think you already know I did.” The older geologist let out a chuckle as he said, “Well, breakfast is ready.”

The Apartment Kitchen…

Entering the kitchen with the parrot perched on her shoulder, Marble asked, “So Mr. Beachcomber, you said that we were gonna go see someone called….” As she sat down at the table, Beachcomber poured a glass of orange juice as he answered, “Airazor. Her name is Airazor.” He then continued, “I looked her up after you went to bed last night. Apparently, she’s one of the best bird experts this side of the country.”

As she fed the parrot an Apple slice, Marble replied, “That’s great. Hopefully she’ll be able to help our little friend here.” She then turned to the macaw as she continued, “And maybe she’ll provide you a good home.” Beachcomber immediately inquired, “And here I thought you wanted to keep our crimson guest.”

Caught off guard, Marble began to defend herself, “I mean, I’d kinda like it if they could stay, but we found them alone on the streets. They probably need help.” She then turned to face her mentor as she replied, “And besides, you said I wasn’t responsible enough for a pet yet.” The gray girl caught herself as she quickly apologized, “Sorry sir. I hope that didn’t come off as too mean.”

Thankfully, Beachcomber reassured his protégé, “It’s alright Marble. So far, you’ve done a pretty good job taking care of our little friend there.” As the younger geologist felt her heart soar at her mentor’s compliments, he continued, “Who knows? Maybe once this is all sorted out, we can talk to the museum board about letting you keep a pet on the property.”

Lighting up, Marble squealed, “Thank you sir.” Nodding, Beachcomber replied, “You’re welcome kid. Now then, eat up. It’ll be about a 45-minute drive to Airazor’s little sanctuary.” With that, Marble and the scarlet macaw began to eat their breakfast, all while Beachcomber thought to himself, ‘Well now, aren’t they just the perfect pair?’

The Open Road, An Hour Later…

Seated in her mentor’s SUV, Marble held the crimson parrot in her lap as she stared out into the green horizon outside her window. As the sea of evergreen trees passed by, she took a deep breath as she remarked, “Sure is a nice day today, isn’t it?” The macaw gave its answer in the form of an excited and enthusiastic caw, suggesting it agreed with her statement. Just holding her feathered friend in her lap made Marble feel somewhat more relaxed, a feeling she remembered her friends seemed to show during their pet playdate a few days before.

After a few more minutes, Beachcomber called out, “All right now, looks like we’re here.” Looking out the window, Marble found herself staring at a wooden building placed right in front of what seemed to be a massive spherical structure, something that reminded her of the third installment of one of her favorite movie franchises. Tilting her head, the young geologist asked, “What do you think she has in there? Pterosaurs?”

Parking the car near the building’s front entrance, Beachcomber turned to his protégé and remarked, “So, you ready kiddo?” Nodding, Marble replied, “I’m ready.” She then unfastened her seatbelt as she turned her attention to the scarlet macaw and said, “Come on.” She then extended her arm for the parrot, who immediately climbed up her arm and perched on her shoulder. Beachcomber couldn’t help but remark, “I swear you two have known each other a day and you’re already inseparable.”

As everyone exited the SUV, Marble was caught off guard by the sound of a bird loudly screeching. ‘That’s odd.’ The gray girl thought to herself. ‘That was too far away for the parrot to make.’ Looking up, she noticed something in the shape of a large bird circling overhead. Marble found herself asking, “What is that? Some sort of eagle?”

Both Marble and Beachcomber received their answer in the form of a woman’s voice answer, “A Condor, in actuality.” Turning to see who it was, they found a woman emerging from the building’s front door. She had gray skin, blue eyes, brown hair tied up into a bun, and wore a golden colored outfit. As she approached the two geologists and their crimson parrot, the woman performed a respectful bow as she introduced herself, “Greetings. I am Airazor.”

Approaching her, Beachcomber introduced himself, “Hello there. I’m Beachcomber, and this is my protégé, Marble Pie. I called yesterday regarding…” He paused for a moment as he turned to the young geologist and pointed to the macaw perched on her shoulder as he finished, “… Our new friend here.”

Airazor made her way to Marble as she remarked, “I must say, for a parrot to be willing to perch itself upon the shoulders of someone they just met is very rare.” As the macaw let out an affectionate squawk, Marble said, “Uh… Thanks? My girlfriend and I found them lying all alone behind a dumpster. We couldn’t just leave them there.” The older woman nodded as she replied, “And for that I am impressed.” She then extended her own arm and said to the parrot, “Lai.”

As the macaw climbed onto her arm, Airazor said, “I see they seem to be in good health, all things considered.” She then began to make her way towards the building as she continued, “I will give them a good check up and see if they have any hidden ailments. You two are free to look around the front office and the aviary observatory.”

Lighting up, Marble turned to her mentor as she asked, “Can I look around Mr. Beachcomber? Please?” Pausing for a moment, Beachcomber scratched his chin before he answered, “Alright, you can. Just be careful.” Smiling, Marble pulls the blue man into a tight hug as she replied, “Thank you.” With that, Airazor took the parrot away to perform her inspection as Marble began to explore the facility.

Aviary Observatory…

Walking through the observatory, Marble was amazed by just how inviting the whole place was. Rather than glass windows, the aviary, or at least the wing she was currently making her way through, and the observatory were simply separated by wooden rails, allowing the many birds that called the aviary home to fly up to visitors for a closer look. Of course, there were a few rules that visitors were instructed to follow. For example, since some of the animals were technically wild animals, no food was allowed inside under any circumstances.

“At least I didn’t have any on me.” Marble whispered to herself. As she continued her walk, the gray geologist couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘I hope that parrot is ok.’ Airazor and Beachcomber reassured her that the scarlet macaw would be alright, but she knew they couldn’t know that until the former finished her examination. ‘I mean, of course the little bird seemed to be alright. They weren’t a complete skeleton, and I don’t think their wings were clipped. Of course, I’ve never seen what a clipped wing looks like…...’

Shaking her head, Marble tried to reassure herself, “Don’t stress yourself out too much. Besides, once they finish with their checkup, Airazor will probably take the parrot in.” The moment she said this, Marble solemnly sighed as she said, “Guess I’ll miss the little buddy.” After all, wasn’t like she could be trusted to take care of a pet, especially for longer than a day or two, right?

Marble’s rambling rant was interrupted by the sound of a bird screeching. Turning to see what it was, the young geologist found herself staring at a large bird with piercing yellow eyes, black skin, and bright red feathers perched on the railing. As the bird locked eyes on her, Marble let out a nervous gulp as she awkwardly greeted, “Uh… Hello there.” She extended her hand to the new bird as she continued, “I’m Marble. You look like a vulture. Who are you?”

It was at this moment that another sound caught Marble completely off guard. It was a deep, scratchy, and metallic voice calling for the large bird to come to it. It was a voice that sent a chill down Marble’s spine. And most importantly, it was a voice that could command complete obedience with two very simple words.

“Laserbeak. Return.”

As Marble felt her heart skip a beat, the crimson feathered vulture let out an affectionate caw before leaping into the air, zooming past the gray girl. Leaping out of the way, she exclaimed, “What was that for?” Turning around to follow where the large bird had gone, Marble found herself shocked by the sight before her.

There, standing with the vulture perched on his arm, stood a man with dark purple skin, piercing yellow eyes, a dark blue suit and tie, and perhaps most striking of all, a purple mask that covered his mouth, chin, nose, and cheeks. This new mystery man gently scratched the bird’s chin as it nuzzled its beak against his face. Marble couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘They seem to have a strong connection to each other.’

The mystery man turned his attention to Marble and, in his unnerving robotic voice, called out, “Girl. Approach.” Gulping in fear, the young geologist nervously approached him as she asked, “Uh, is everything alright sir?” To her surprise, the man extended his other hand as he greeted, “Hello. Laserbeak speaks highly of you.” As she shook his hand, the gray girl replied, “Uh… Thank you? I’m Marble.”

The mystery man gave a polite nod as he replied, “Designation; Soundwave.”

Tilting her head, Marble replied, "Nice to meet you Mr. Soundwave sir. Forgive me for asking, but what’s up with your voice?” For several moments, both Marble and Soundwave stood there in awkward silence. Eventually, the gray girl apologized, “Sorry if that was too intrusive.”

Thankfully for Marble, Soundwave reassured her, “Apologies not needed.” He then pointed to his throat as he explained, “Vocal chords damaged years ago. Synthetic voice box.” His bird, Laserbeak if Marble remembered correctly, let out an affectionate (and admittedly adorable caw) as the purple man responded, “Noted. We shall get you a new toy on the way home.” Turning his attention back to Marble, Soundwave bade, “Farewell Marble. May we meet again.” Nodding, the gray girl replied, “Yeah. Take care sir.”

As the older man began to depart, both he and the gray girl were greeted by Airazor, who gently said, “Good to see that Laserbeak is feeling like herself again. Maybe now you’ll heed my warnings about ingesting dangerous substances.” Nodding, Soundwave replied, “Duly noted. Good day madam.” As Soundwave left, the older woman let out a gentle chuckle as she turned to Marble and remarked, “I see you met Soundwave. He may not be particularly chatty, but he’s a good enough chap.”

Walking up to the older woman, Marble asked, “So, if you’re here, I take it you finished? Everything alright with the parrot?” Smiling, Airazor reassured the young girl, “Everything is alright. She is mostly fine.” Hearing this, the young geologist asked, “She? You mean they’re a girl bird?” Nodding, Airazor continued, “Yes. Now, if you would follow me….” She then began to usher Marble away to the aviary infirmary.

Aviary Infirmary….

As the two women entered the infirmary, Marble found Beachcomber seated in a simple black chair in the room’s corner. However, what really caught the gray girl’s attention was the crimson parrot standing on the table in the middle of the room, looking around with what could only be described “worry.” The moment the macaw locked eyes with her, she let out an excited and friendly, “Marble! Marble!” as she flapped down to the floor and began to try and climb up the gray girl’s leg.

Though she was momentarily caught off guard (and briefly recoiled at the mild pain of the parrot’s claws piercing into her leg), Marble eventually knelt and extended her arm to her feathery friend, allowing her to climb up on her shoulder. Once the bird was comfortably perched, the young geologist asked her, “You doing alright there? I hear you are quite the lovely little lady.”

As the parrot gave Marble an affectionate bite to her nose, Airazor began, “Now then. Beachcomber here explained to me that our little friend here can glide down to the ground but can’t quite fly.” Nodding, the young geologist replied, “Yeah. Are her wings clipped?” The older woman shook her head as she explained, “They aren’t clipped, but it’s something else entirely.”

Taking a deep breath, Airazor explained, “I’ve seen this condition before. Birds that are confined to small environments often don’t develop enough strength in their wings and chest, preventing them from being able to fly.” As the parrot rested her head against Marble’s own head, Beachcomber stood up as he asked, “What do you mean “confined to small environments?” Do you mean like…”

Airazor interrupted with, “You remember how I said that we were busy performing surgery of some bald eagles? It’s because they were rescued from illegal bird smugglers.” Marble felt her jaw dropping as she asked, “What? Illegal bird smugglers?” The older woman nodded as she replied, “Yes. You’d be surprised by just how much some people would pay for exotic pets.” As Marble took this information in, she noticed that the older woman’s fist was starting to clench in rage.

Concerned, Marble asked, “Everything alright ma’am?” Airazor took a deep breath to collect herself before reassuring the young girl, “Everything is fine my dear. At least as far as they can be.” She then turned her attention to the scarlet macaw as she explained, “Animal trafficking just really enrages me. People kidnap rare or exotic animals from the wild and keep them in cages for Primus knows how long and…. It just grinds my gears.”

At that moment, Marble had a realization. ‘Hold on. The parrot is clearly terrified of cages, and if….’ As the gears in her head turned, the gray girl found herself blurting out, “Wait! That explains why our friend here is terrified of cages and would only sleep somewhere she could easily escape from!” She then turned her eyes to the parrot perched on her shoulder, who simply let out an affectionate caw.

Beachcomber then inquired, “I see. Well now, If I may ask, how’d this macaw end up on the street?” Shrugging, Airazor replied, “I have no Idea. I know birds can be quite intelligent, but I’ve never seen anything like what you two have described before.” She then made her way to Marble and the macaw as she complimented, “But I must say, I’m genuinely surprised by just how fond our friend is of you young lady.”

Smiling as she scratched the back of her neck, Marble replied, “I guess she has. I’m just sad that we’ll have to give her to you.” However, to both her and Beachcomber’s surprise, Airazor said something that caught both of them off guard.

“Actually, I think she might be better if left under your care.”

As everyone took this in, Airazor explained, “We’re starting to get a little crowded around here, and from what I’ve seen, you two seem to have a really strong connection. And unlike some of the other birds we have here, macaws are safe to be kept as pets.” She then walked up to Marble as she added, “And who knows, I might be able to help you two get all the paperwork done to formally adopt her if you do a good enough job.”

Hearing this, Marble lit up as she practically squealed, “Come on Mr. Beachcomber! Please?!” As his protégé begged him, the older man warned, “I’m not too sure. Remember what I said about the museum board?” Airazor then spoke up as she reassured him, “I think I might be able to help you two with the board. After all, you would be doing a favor for the Cybertron State Bird Rescue and Aviary.”

At this moment, she turned back to Marble and gently warned, “Of course, I will be stopping by once a month to check up on our feathery friend to make sure you are taking care of her. If it looks like you’re doing a poor job, I will remand her back into my care.” Gulping in fear, the gray girl nervously reassured Airazor, “D-d-don’t worry. I’ll do the best I possibly can.”

Now it was Beachcomber’s turn to be just little stern as he told his protégé, “Now Marble, if we do this, I want you to know that this will primarily be your responsibility. I’ll help you, but I want you to understand that this will be up to you.” Resting his hand on the young girl’s free shoulder, the blue geologist asked, “You think you can handle that?”

Hearing this, Marble began to turn deathly pale as she thought to herself, ‘Can I do this? I mean, actually take care of a pet?’ After all, Beachcomber had made it clear to her how much he felt she wasn’t ready for the responsibility. However, when she turned to face the parrot that was sitting on her shoulder, the young geologist knew she couldn’t just allow her crimson friend to be pawned off to someone who may not have had the time to give her the time she needed.

Taking a deep breath, Marble brushed her long bangs out of her face as she said, “Ms. Airazor, I can’t promise I’ll be one hundred percent perfect, but I promise I’ll do the best I can.” As Airazor took this in, the young geologist gulped as she turned her head away, worried she had failed to prove her point.

Instead, the older woman gently reassured her with a warm, “In that case, I think there’s only a few things left to do for now.” Raising her finger, Airazor began, “Firstly, you’ll need to find appropriate sleeping arrangements for our friend here, as well as enrichment materials, cleaning supplies, and somewhere for her to sleep that isn’t a cage.” She then turned to Beachcomber as she added, “I believe you will be able to help with that.”

Turning back to Marble, the older woman concluded with, “As for you, there is one thing you can do for her right now. I believe she needs a name.” Pausing for a moment, the young geologist tried to think of a name for the parrot that she could now more or less call her pet. Thankfully, noticing her brilliant scarlet plumage, Marble could only think of one choice that would fit the red parrot.

“Scarlett. Her name is Scarlett.”

Hearing this, Scarlett let out a series of happy chirps and caws as she said, “Scarlett! I’m Scarlett!” Flapping her wings, the scarlet macaw nuzzled Marble’s cheek, leading to the gray girl to warmly reassure her, “Guess you and me are partners in crime now, aren’t we?” The parrot made kissing noises as she playfully replied, “Stick ‘em up partner” Marble couldn’t help but laugh at Scarlett’s attempt to sound tough.

Approaching his protégé, Beachcomber said, “Alright now. I think we ought to stop by the pet shop and get everything we need. After that, how about we head home?” Nodding, Marble replied, “I think that sounds like a plan.” She then turned her head to face her new pet as she asked, “What do you say Scarlett?”

Flapping her wings, Scarlett happily replied, “Here we go!” Satisfied, Beachcomber turned to face Airazor as he bade, “I think we’re good to go ma’am. Thanks for taking a look at Scarlett. We’ll be in touch.” The older woman gave a respectful bow as she replied, “Thank you. I’ll send you the bill in a few days.”

With that, Beachcomber made his way out of the infirmary and towards the facility’s entrance as he said, “Come on Marble. Let’s get moving.” Nodding, the gray girl replied, “Yes sir.” She then turned to Scarlett as she said, “Let’s go home.” And so, the gray girl and her new parrot departed, all while Airazor let out a happy sigh as she muttered to herself, “Well Scarlett, I think you’re going to find that you’re in very capable hands.”

After all, the young geologist seemed willing to give Scarlett a fresh start, and what better place to start one's life over than a town like Allspark Wells?

Author's Note

Next Time; What starts as a normal school day for Apple Bloom turns into her trying to comfort Pastel Goth as the latter is forced to reveal something incredibly personal about herself.

Author's Note; I chose a Scarlet Macaw for Marble because, though an "exotic" pet, they are animals that have been domesticated for centuries, and the bright red is a nice contrast to Marble's "monochrome," somewhat similar to the juxtaposition of Rainbow Dash and Tank.
Also, Scarlett's place holder name was "Psittaca," but I changed it to be something that would be easier to say.
Finally, Scarlett is a female parrot because I realized all the other previously introduced pets (Sparkplug, Skimbles, and Munchy), were all male, and Rosemary hasn't had much in the way of development yet.

Pastel Goth's Very Big Secret

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 8; Pastel Goth’s Very Big Secret

The funny thing about settling into a routine, at least to Apple Bloom, was that one often found themselves losing track of time. Where once, the former farm girl would have been able to recognize the events of every single day, now it seemed that she couldn’t remember the specifics of the past several weeks. All she did know, at least for certain, was that now it was the first of the month, and it was time for another day of school.

Walking through the school’s front door, Apple Bloom shivered as she remarked, “Ah swear it’s getting’ colder than the smeltin’ pits’ coolant.” Indeed, the burgundy haired girl was starting to wonder if a kilt was the best choice for today. Catching her breath, she remarked to herself, “At least Ah brought mah new jacket.”

Straightening her black leather jacket, Apple Bloom made her way up the school’s grand hallway to her first class. Shaking her head, the young girl couldn’t help but complain to herself, “Just another mornin’ with that stupid hippie. Please, don’t let him be eatin’ somethin’ again. He smacks louder than the cows back on the farm.”

The moment she said this, Apple Bloom’s eyes darted to the old analog clock resting at the top of the stairwell, revealing that it was already 8:20. Gulping, the former farm girl said to herself, “Oh dear. Ah Better hurry up.” With that, she bolted off, or at least moved as fast as she could without incurring the ire of the hall monitors.

Mr. Compost’s Classroom

Entering her biology classroom, Apple Bloom found that it was surprisingly sparce of students. Letting out a sigh of relief, the former farm girl made her way to her desk as she thought to herself, ‘At least Ah won’t be the late.’ As she sat down, the rest of the class began to make their way inside as well. Apple Bloom took a mental note of everyone as they piled into the classroom; some were in a surprisingly cheerful mood, some were still trying to wake up, and some had an attitude that she could only describe as “Please kill me now.”

After a few more minutes, Mr. Compost walked into the classroom. Just as Apple Bloom feared, her hippie teacher was eating a yellow bell pepper. As he passed the former farm girl, she thought to herself, ‘Ugh, Ah swear, one of these days, he’s gonna make me vomit.’

Once he made it to the front of the classroom, Mr. Compost greeted, “Greetings my fellow citizens of the world!” Apple Bloom and the rest of her classmates responded to his off-putting optimism with a unanimous grumble of annoyance. The biology teacher didn’t seem to get the hint, instead replying with an enthusiastic, “Oh come on everyone. Why is everyone so down in the dumps, especially now that we’re approaching that part of the semester?” From behind her, Apple Bloom heard one of her classmates, a sophomore girl, whisper, “Time for his bi-yearly shower?”

Not hearing his pupil’s joke at his expense, Mr. Compost answered his own question with, “It’s time for the midterm project!” When no one said anything in response to his declaration, the old teacher explained, “To those who don’t know, every semester, I have all my pupils make a project that shows creative thinking and resourcefulness in how to benefit the environment. It’s a way to help you all understand your responsibility to the planet!”

Raising his hand, one of the other students, a freshman with green skin named Skids, asked, “You mean like comparing fluorescent lightbulbs vs normal ones?” Shaking his head, Mr. Compost replied, “Yeah, but that bores me. I want you all to do something that hasn’t been done before.” Another student, a dark gray boy with black hair and a black outfit, asked, “What if we just didn’t use a toilet for two weeks?” The scruffy teacher let out a bemused chuckle as he replied, “Hey now, I got rid of my toilet years ago. Who needs plumbing when you have a backyard and a shovel?”

Apple Bloom gulped as she thought to herself, ‘Ok, so he wants me to do somethin’ that both benefits the environment but can’t be somethin’ that’s been done before. No pressure.’ She then thought to herself, ‘Wait, you don’t know just how much this project will count to mah final grade.’ Raising her hand, the former farm girl asked, “Uh, sir? How much will this count to our final grade?”

Pointing to Apple Bloom, Mr. Compost bluntly answered, “A lot. This assignment will be one of the most important things you do for me this semester. I’ve had students who had A’s all throughout the semester that failed this project and almost failed the class.” As the former farm girl let out an awkward gulp, her teacher cheerfully added, “But don’t worry. Those of you who don’t get a good grade can always join me on the root and berry retreat.”

The moment those words escaped Mr. Compost’s lips, Apple Bloom could hear one of her classmates groan, “Ugh, not that root and berry crap again.” Before she could fully react to her fellow pupil’s complaint, the hippie teacher pointed to someone behind her and called out, “I heard that Pipes! One more word out of you, and you’re heading straight for the principal’s office!”

Once Pipes was humbled, Mr. Compost explained, “As I was going to say before I was so rudely interrupted, every semester, I take a group of kids on a magical weekend trip deep into the forest. We subside on nature’s gifts and eschew any and all manmade monstrosities polluting our great planet.” He then let out a wistful sigh as he finished with, “Good times.”

As for Apple Bloom, she simply groaned to herself as she thought, “A whole weekend stuck with Mr. Compost? Ah’d rather eat one of Wheeljack’s overcooked steaks.”

Shrugging, Mr. Compost continued, “But enough with that. You all still have about a month left. Now then, let’s continue where we left off yesterday….” As he began his lecture for the day, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think to herself, “Ah just hope Ah can come up with somethin’ good enough so Ah don’t have to go on that stupid retreat.”

English Class

Sitting in her desk, Apple Bloom pulled out her English textbook and began to flip through the pages. After what seemed like a longer (and far more boring) than usual class with Mr. Compost, it was now time for her second period English class. Now, she just needed to get through another class, and she’d get to make it to lunch and a little time with Tender Taps.

Before she could ponder what she’d say to her boyfriend, Apple Bloom was distracted by the sound of a familiar voice calling out, “Alright now everyone.” Turning to face front of the class, the former farm girl found herself staring at her English teacher, a man with dusty brown skin named Rust Dust. Clearing his throat, the older man began, “So, who here remembers where we left off yesterday?”

Raising her hand, Apple Bloom answered, “We were discussin’ the use of allegory in literature?” Rust Dust nodded his head as he warmly replied, “Very good Apple Bloom.” He then pointed to the marker board behind him as he explained, “We were using the book Maximal Farm as a case study for allegory, and how it was a metaphor for the rise of infamous dictator Destro. Now then, can anyone tell me….”

Lunch

Setting their trays down at their usual seats, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps sat down as the latter asked, “So you’re saying Mr. Compost wants you to do something that big but also original?” Sitting down, the former farm girl replied, “Yeah. Ah gotta figure out somethin’ no one’s ever done before. Guess Ah can rule out workin’ with worms or just plantin’ trees.”

Reaching for his drink, Tender Taps added, “Now that you mention it, I remember this one time a guy in my math class, this real burly football player by the name of Bulkhead, told me about that root and berry thing. He said that he broke his leg and Mr. Compost refused to help him with it.” Taking a sip, the young hoofer continued, “Poor guy’s leg never healed right. Had to quit the football team because of it.”

“No way!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “You mean to say that he actually did that?” As Tender Taps took a bite from his salad, he replied, “All I know is its what Bulkhead said. Just gotta take him at his word.”

Taking this in, the former farm girl began to think to herself, ‘Could he really do that? Just let someone get hurt and do nothin’ about it? And if Ah don’t do well on the assignment, could that someone be me?’ The prospect of finding herself alone in the woods with a teacher she, for lack of a better term, didn’t like, proved to be a terrifying thought.

Seeing his girlfriend panicking, Tender Taps took her hand and reassured her, “Hey, if anything, he’s probably kept on a short leash to make sure something like that doesn’t happen again.” As Apple Bloom took a deep breath at her boyfriend’s reassurance, he added, “And if he did anything, I’d tear his ass apart.” Smiling, the burgundy haired girl took her boyfriend’s hand as she playfully teased, “You’ll always be mah knight in shinin’ armor.”

Blushing, Tender Taps replied, “I try my best.” He then took his girlfriend’s hand and kissed it, a gesture Apple Bloom wholeheartedly played along with.

Art Class

Making her way into her art class, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she psyched herself up with, “Two more classes, and you’re out of here for the day. Besides, you’ll be with Pastel, so it shouldn’t be too bad.” After all, despite the stereotypes about goth kids she’d heard of as a child, Pastel was a surprisingly optimistic and friendly girl.

No sooner had the former farm girl thought this than she noticed her cerulean friend waiting for her at one of the desks. Walking up to her, Apple Bloom loosened her messenger bag as she greeted, “Howdy Pastel. How’s your day been?” Pulling her friend into a hug, Pastel Goth answered, “Same old same old cowgirl. How about you?” Shrugging, the former farm girl replied, “Not too bad. Just dealin’ with Mr. Compost givin’ me an impossible assignment for the midterm.”

As the two girls sat down, Pastel Goth remarked, “Ouch. Sorry about that. I hear he’s kind of a dick.” Sighing, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah dunno. Ah mean, he’s kinda annoyin’, but Ah doubt he’s, you know…” Pausing as she tried to find the right word, the former farm girl sighed as she simply stated, “A dick.” Both girls began to giggle at Apple Bloom’s unoriginality and mild use of profanity.

Once they finished their giggling, Pastel complimented, “Gotta say cowgirl, I love the jacket. Never knew you could pull leather off so well.” Blushing, Apple Bloom replied, “You’re too kind. It was a gift from Sideswipe and Marble after Ah got into that little scuffle with mah sister Applejack.” Saying this, the former farm girl allowed her eyes to drift to her friend’s own attire.

The cerulean goth was wearing a pink sleeveless dress under her black leather jacket. She also had a pair of black boots, black fishnet styled tights, and a black chocker around her neck. Noticing she was being observed, Pastel let out a playful, “I know, I know. I always dress for the occasion.” Starting to blush, Apple Bloom replied, “Well, Ah mean…. You are rather pretty and…”

Wrapping her arm around her friend, Pastel warmly said, “Awh, thanks Cowgirl. You’re too nice.”

At that moment, both girls were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice call out, “Alright now everyone. I hope you all had a good lunch.” Turning to face the source of the voice, they found adult man with light red skin, purple hair, a yellow shirt and brown pants make his way to the front of the class. Both Apple Bloom and Pastel Goth recognized him as their art teacher, Cel Shade.

Turning to his class, Cell Shade began, “So, can anyone remember where we left off yesterday?” Pastel raised her hand as she answered, “We were discussing realism vs romanticism.” Clapping his hands, the art teacher replied, “Exactly! Now….”

Dr. Pennywhistle’s Class…

If there was one class that Apple Bloom truly enjoyed in her day, it was world history with her homeroom teacher, Dr. Pennywhistle. Indeed, the older gray man was pointing to the map of the Tethys Sea as he explained, “Of all the Punicitron colonies, the most important was their settlement here in Kalis.” He then asked his pupils, “So, can anyone tell me why Kalis became such an important city?”

Raising her head, Apple Bloom asked, “Was it because it was an easily defendable location?” Pointing to his student, Dr. Pennywhistle answered, “Kalis was in an easily defendable position, but that wasn’t the only reason the city flourished so much.” Even though she got the question wrong, the former farm girl felt engaged by her interaction with her teacher.

The next student to raise their hand was Marble Pie. The gray girl asked, “Was it because of trading?” Dr. Pennywhistle clapped his hand as he enthusiastically replied, “Exactly! Kalis was one of the region’s largest and wealthiest trade hubs. Practically every good you could find in the ancient world….”

Sadly, the gray man’s speech was interrupted by the ringing of the bell, signaling the end of the school day. Sighing to himself, Dr. Pennywhistle turned to the rest of his class as he said, “Well, looks like we’ll just pick up from here tomorrow. Have a good day everyone, and always remember, use that brain of yours, and the world will be at your fingertips.”

Rising from her desk, Apple Bloom placed her textbook and notebook into her messenger bag as she turned to Marble and bade, “See ya Marble. You gonna leave with Sideswipe?” The gray geologist began to blush as she happily replied, “Yeah. I’m gonna introduce her to Scarlett. Take care Apple Bloom.” As Marble began to leave, the former farm girl let out a friendly sigh as she said to herself, “Those two are so adorable.”

Outside Iacon High School

Making her way to one of the benches that rested outside Iacon High, Apple Bloom sat down as she straightened her jacket and remarked, “Alright, all Ah gotta do is keep an eye out for uncle Ironhide’s van.” Indeed, the road that led to the school was choked full of cars, all lined up to pick up students for the day.

Reaching into her messenger bag for something to pass the time, Apple Bloom recalled how she found herself here. Earlier in the day, Sideswipe had informed both her sister and Ironhide that Marble wanted to introduce her to her new pet macaw Scarlett. However, as the pale biker’s motorcycle only had one additional seat, Ironhide agreed to let Sideswipe take her girlfriend while he picked up Apple Bloom from school that day. As for the former farm girl, Apple Bloom didn’t really mind, as it gave her an opportunity to spend a little more time with her uncle.

Apple Bloom was interrupted from her attempt at curtailing boredom by the sound of Pastel Goth’s voice calling out, “What ’cha doing there Cowgirl?” Turning to see her cerulean friend walking up to her, the burgundy haired girl explained, “Lookin’ for somethin’ to pass the time ‘till Uncle Ironhide arrives.” Sitting down on the bench, she asked, “What are you doin’ here?”

Sitting down next to her friend, Pastel answered, “Same thing as you, I guess. Waiting for my brother Blaster.” She then let out a simple chuckle as she quickly corrected, “I mean, maybe not the exact same thing as you, since Blaster is my brother while Ironhide is your uncle.” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but giggle in response to her friend’s little tangent as she replied, “Ah guess you’re right.”

As the line of cars continued to pick up other students, Pastel asked, “Hey Apple Bloom? Can I ask you something?” Turning to her friend, the former farm girl replied, “Of course you can. What’s eatin’ you?” To her surprise, Pastel had a somewhat nervous expression on her face as she scratched the back of her neck.

‘That’s odd.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Pastel ain’t the sort of girl who’d be nervous over a simple question. What’s buggin’ her?’ True, she hadn’t known Pastel for very long, only a few weeks at most. But at the very least, she knew her friend was kind, smart, strong willed, and not someone who would get nervous or scared easily.

Taking a deep breath, Pastel asked, “So, if someone you knew had a secret, and I mean a big secret, like the kind of secret that, if it got out, could possibly get them hurt, would that be a problem with being their friend?” Caught off guard, Apple Bloom replied with a confused, “Uh…. What do you mean by that?” Sighing, the cerulean goth continued with, “I mean, if you had a friend who had been keeping something from you because they were legitimately afraid of what would happen if people found out about it, would that piss you off?”

For a moment, Apple Bloom didn’t know what to say. After a few moments, she replied with the only thing that came to her mind. “Ah mean, Ah don’t know if Ah’m the person to be askin’ that to since, you know… Anon-A-Miss.” As Pastel let out a dejected sigh, the former farm girl took a deep breath and continued, “But, as your friend, Ah’d say that Ah understand if there’s somethin’ botherin’ you, but you don’t wanna tell just anyone about.”

Taking a deep breath, Pastel explained, “Thanks. So, there’s something I need to tell you, and for now, I want it to stay between us.” She then took Apple Bloom’s hands and insisted, “I mean it. It stays between you and me.” Though caught off guard, the burgundy haired girl replied, “Ah promise. Cross mah heart, to the brass, stick a round right up mah ass.” Giggling at her friend’s promise, Pastel began, “Ok. Apple Bloom, I’m….”

“Hey freak show!” A vaguely familiar boy’s voice called out from behind the two girls. Turning to see who it was, Apple Bloom found four boys walking up to her and Pastel. One had dark brown skin with light yellow hair, one had green skin with blue hair, one had orange skin with white hair, and finally, one of them (whom Apple Bloom figured was the leader), had olive skin with black hair. The olive leader cracked his knuckles as he quipped, “Well well well, if it isn’t Anon-A-Miss and the crossdresser.”

It was at this moment that Apple Bloom recognized the olive boy as she thought to herself, ‘Wait a minute. He’s Oak Leaf from Biology class.’ As the quartet of boys approached the burgundy haired girl and her friend, Apple Bloom asked, “What’s goin’ on here Oak Leaf?”

Shaking his head, Oak Leaf folded his arms as he scoffed, “Not much, just stopping by to try and make sure someone stops crossdressing.” Confused, Apple Bloom asked, “What are you talkin’ about? What do you mean by “crossdressin’?”” Before she could say anything else, the former farm girl noticed that the olive boy’s friends were now surrounding her and Pastel.

However, as her eyes locked on to her friend, Apple Bloom noticed that Pastel was growing far more visibly nervous than she had been earlier. As isolated beads of sweat fell down the cerulean goth’s face, the former farm girl asked, “You alright?” Shaking her head, Pastel simply replied, “Not really. Let’s get out of here.”

As she rose to her feet, Oak Leaf groaned as he rudely asked, “For Primus’s sake Pastel, why don’t you just come out already?”

Hearing this, Pastel stopped in her tracks as she grew deathly pale. For her part, Apple Bloom turned to Oak Leaf and awkwardly asked, “What the hell are you talkin’ about?” The cerulean goth grabbed Apple Bloom’s arm and began to pull her away as she nervously replied, “It doesn’t matter. Let’s just go.” Unfortunately, the two were intercepted by one of the boys as the others closed in, cutting off any and all escape routes.

Strutting up to the two girls, Oak Leaf cruelly continued, “Oh don’t play dumb Anon-A-Miss.” As Apple Bloom began to growl at being reminded of her past, the olive boy continued, “Didn’t you ever wonder why He-She here has such a weird voice?” One of the other boys, the one with orange skin, continued, “Yeah, or why that thing has such a weird face?” As he said this, Pastel’s face turned from a gray pale to a furious red.

Walking up to the orange boy, Pastel pointed her finger right in his face as she furiously growled, “Don’t you ever call me a “thing” again!” Unfortunately, Oak Leaf sneered, “Awh, what’s the matter with you? Couldn’t make it as a dude so you started playing dress up?” He then pushed Pastel as he coldly quipped, “Oops.”

Catching her friend, Apple Bloom growled, “You better apologize to her right now!” Oak Leaf simply let out a mocking laugh as he replied, “Hah! Oh please, don’t tell me he tricked you into believing he’s a dude?” Confused, the former farm girl replied, “What are you talkin’ about? Pastel isn’t a boy.” The olive boy allowed a cruel smirk to form across his face as he remarked, “Well now, since you seem to think he’s really a girl, let’s see if he’ll react like a girl.”

Without further warning, Oak Leaf swung his fist straight towards Pastel’s face. Not thinking, Apple Bloom pushed her friend out of the way so that she would take the brunt of the bully’s attack.

As Apple Bloom fell to the ground, Pastel screamed, “Apple Bloom!” Oak Leaf, on the other hand, cruelly remarked, “Wow, you need someone else to fight your own battles? Maybe you are a chick after all!” Both the olive boy and his friends all laughed as they cruelly mocked the two girls.

Before anyone could do anything else, everyone was distracted by the sound of Dr. Pennywhistle’s voice rang out, calling out, “What is going on here?” Apple Bloom began to rise back up to her feet, only to realize that her head, specifically her eye, was hurting. However, she could make out Oak Leaf calling out, “Beat it guys! Let’s get the hell out of here!”

As the quartet of boys fled, Dr. Pennywhistle knelt down to Apple Bloom as he asked, “What happened here?” Pastel, who by now was noticeably hysterical, explained, “Those bastards just showed up out of nowhere and started picking on us and….” She then made her way to the gray teacher and whispered something into his ear.

Letting out a contemplative sigh, Dr. Pennywhistle, “Nonetheless, let’s get you to the nurse’s office.”

The Nurse’s Office

As Apple Bloom rested an ice pack on her eye, the nurse informed her, “There we go dear. Make sure to keep an eye on that, and you should be good to go.” Getting back onto her feet, the former farm girl replied with a polite, “Thank you kindly.” As the nurse resumed her other duties, Apple Bloom made her way out of the nurse’s office.

Making her way through the door, Apple Bloom found herself staring face to face with Ironhide. Gulping in fear, the former farm girl nervously asked, “Uncle Ironhide? What are you doin’ here?” Letting out a gentle chuckle, the former sergeant answered, “I got a phone call from the principal on the way here. Said something about you intercepting a punch from some sons of bitches.”

The burgundy haired girl nodded in defeat as she replied, “Yeah. Those jerks were pickin’ on Pastel and me and…. They were callin’ her a “he-she” and a boy and…” She was interrupted by her uncle resting a hand on her shoulder as he explained, “It’s alright there kiddo. Dr. Pennywhistle and the principal told me everything. And if I may say, I’m just glad you’re alright.”

Apple Bloom smiled as she pulled her uncle into a tight hug, one which he happily returned. As uncle and daughter finished their hug, Ironhide replied, “Now then, what do you say we go home?” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Sounds like a plan sir.”

At that moment, the two were distracted by the sound of Pastel’s voice calling out, “Damnit!” Concerned, Apple Bloom began to make her way towards the source of the sound, flanked by her uncle. After a few moments, she found her gothic friend sitting on a chair against the wall, her head held in her hands in defeat.

Walking up to her friend, Apple Bloom asked, “What’s goin’ on?” Looking up to the former farm girl, Pastel explained, “I called Blaster about what happened, and he said that he can’t pick me up.” As Apple Bloom gave a concerned look, the cerulean girl explained, “He said he’s busy with stuff at the radio station, so he won’t be able to pick me up for, like, another hour or two.” She then sighed as she explained, “This happens every now and then.”

To Apple Bloom’s surprise, Ironhide reassured the cerulean girl, “Don’t worry there young lady. Why don’t you come with us? I can call Blaster for you and explain that you’re with us.” He then shrugged as he continued, “Of course, you could stay here and just be bored out of your mind…”

Apple Bloom, on the other hand, took Pastel’s hands as she nearly squealed, “Yeah! We can totally hang out and maybe study or do somethin’ fun!” Smiling, Pastel let out a gentle laugh as she replied, “Sure. Thanks Apple Bloom.” Rising up to her feet, the cerulean then added, “And I can tell both you and Sideswipe that “thing” I was gonna tell you.”

As the two girls shared a small hug, Ironhide remarked, “Alright then. Let’s get moving before we get asked to leave.” With that, he began to lead them away, thankful his van would have enough room for everyone.

Apple Bloom’s Room, A Short While Later

“So, what do you think?” Apple Bloom asked Pastel as she showed off her bedroom. Taking everything in, the cerulean goth replied, “It’s nice. Very quaint.” She then walked up to her friend as she continued, “Hey, thanks for letting me hang out here.” The former farm girl pulled her friend into a tight hug as she reassured her, “No problem. That’s what friends are for.”

At that moment, the bedroom door was gently pushed open as Wheelie rode Sparkplug in as he introduced, “Hi there. I’m Wheelie! I hear you’re Apple Bloom’s friend!” Bending down to greet the small promethean, Pastel let out a gentle giggle as she replied, “Hello there. I’m Pastel Goth.” She then shook his hand as she added, “I hear you’re the little robot that snuck into school with Apple Bloom.” Scratching the back of his head, Wheelie replied, “Yeah. I kinda calculated the odds of it working against the odds I was doing something incredibly stupid, and I went a head and did it anyway.”

Letting out a chuckle of her own, Apple Bloom quipped, “Yeah, he’s kind of a handful.” She then knelt as she continued, “But Pastel said she wanted to tell me somethin’. You mind givin’ us a little privacy?” Nodding, Wheelie answered, “You got it ma’am.” He then gave Sparkplug a gentle kick with his feet as he held out his hand and called out, “Hi ho silverware!”

As Wheelie rode Sparkplug out of Apple Bloom’s room, Sideswipe barged straight in as she held her biker helmet and exclaimed, “Hey Apple Bloom! Hey Pastel! I heard something happened from Ironhide! Said you two got jumped by some pricks.” She then walked up to her sister as she asked, “What happened to your eye?”

Resting her hand on her sister’s shoulder, Apple Bloom reassured her, “Ah’m fine. Just took a punch to the face to keep one of ‘em from hurtin’ Pastel’s pretty face.” Hearing this, Pastel blushed as she replied, “You’re too kind.” Shrugging, the former farm girl simply replied, “Ah do what Ah can.”

It was at this moment that Pastel sighed as she began, “Ok, there’s something I need to tell you two.” Nervously looking around the bedroom, she continued, “And for now, I want it to stay between the three of us.” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied with a confident, “Ah understand. Don’t tell anyone.”

To both her and Sideswipe’s surprise, Pastel pointed straight at Apple Bloom’s heart as she bluntly, in no certain terms, “I mean it. No one knows. At least unless I decide otherwise.” Caught off guard, the former farm girl nervously gulped as she replied, “Ah… Ah understand.” For her part, Sideswipe made her way to the bedroom door and locked it as she reassured her, “There we go. No one will know anything.”

Taking a deep breath, Pastel began to slightly shiver as she began, “Ok, so… there’s something about what those assholes said about me that was true. You see…. I…” With her eyes starting to water as she let out a loud gulp, the cerulean goth almost began to noticeably shiver in fear. As Apple Bloom nervously reached out to her friend, Pastel asked, “I take it my voice isn’t what you girls expected?” As the other two girls awkwardly nodded, the cerulean goth undid her choker, revealing that she had a visible lump in her throat, one which neither Apple Bloom nor Sideswipe possessed.

And it was at this moment, when the wheels began to turn in their heads, that Pastel Goth tearfully revealed why she was so nervous. Why her voice was so deep, and why Oak Leaf and his cronies had been so ruthless and cruel.

“Apple Bloom, Sideswipe…. I’m trans.”

As both sisters took this revelation in, Pastel continued, “Yes. I’m trans. I….” Now giving in to her fear and sadness, the cerulean girl tearfully finished with, “You girls are the best friends I’ve had in a long time and… I just wanted you two to know.”

Walking up to her friend, Apple Bloom extended her hand as she asked, “Pastel?” As the teary-eyed goth looked up to her friend, the former farm girl explained, “Ah… Ah can’t say Ah know or even fully understand what bein’ trans is like, but there is one thing Ah can say.”

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom reassured her friend, “Pastel Goth, you’re a beautiful girl, a pretty good tap dancer, a great artist, and most importantly of all, you’re mah friend.” Letting out a deep sigh, she finished with, “And if you say you’re a girl, then…” Stopping as she realized she was sounding off topic, she continued, “Ah guess Ah’m just tryin’ to say Ah stand buy you.”

As Pastel began to tear up again, Sideswipe walked up to the cerulean goth and said, “Hey, take it from someone who’s a lesbian, I know how scary it can be to come out. And if I may, I’m honored you chose to come out to me.” She then reassured her, “And I promise you, I won’t tell anyone.”

Now finding herself reduced to a blubbering mess, Pastel pulled Apple Bloom and Sideswipe into a bone crushing hug as she cried, “I love you girls so much!” Hugging her friend back, the former farm girl gently replied, “Ah love you too Pastel.”

Once she’d calmed down, Pastel wiped her face as she apologized, “Sorry for getting all emotional. I don’t exactly come out to people every day.” Sideswipe gave the cerulean goth a gentle punch to the arm as she reassured her, “No problem. As I said, I know how scary it can be.” Apple Bloom then asked, “So, if you don’t mind me askin’, how’d you know you were trans?”

Taking a deep breath as she held onto her arm, Pastel began, “Well, most of my life, I was always just… Kinda miserable. I always felt something was wrong with me and wearing boys’ clothing just made me feel gross. I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror, because I just saw someone else.” Looking over to the bedroom mirror, she continued, “One day, I decided to let my hair grow out, and I kinda liked how it looked and felt.”

As Apple Bloom and Sideswipe took this in, Pastel continued, “And then one day, I tried this strapless dress on. I don’t know how to explain it, but it just felt right. And when I saw my reflection in the mirror…” Now looking at herself in the mirror as she straightened her leather jacket, Pastel smiled as she finished with, “For the first time in my life, I saw myself.”

Apple Bloom felt her heart melt as she replied, “Awh, that’s so sweet. How’d your folks take it when you….” The moment she said the word “folks,” The former farm girl realized that Pastel’s mood turned from relieved to melancholy as she asked, “They didn’t accept you, did they?”

Shaking her head, Pastel answered, “Mom didn’t really get it, but dad?” Starting to scowl in anger, the cerulean goth continued, “Dad kept trying to change me, saying how I was just “crossdressing” or that I was making an ass out of myself, or that I needed to man up!” Now starting to grow red with anger, she finished with, “He tried to send me to this camp in the middle of nowhere that would “cure me,” but I didn’t want to go so…” Pausing for a moment as she caught her breath, Pastel finished with, “That leads to my brother Blaster. Or rather, I should say stepbrother.”

Confused, Sideswipe asked, “Stepbrother?” Pastel nodded as she explained, “Dad married someone else and divorced her before I was born. Blaster is about twenty years older than me.” Shrugging, the pale biker replied, “Makes sense.”

Taking a deep breath, Pastel said, “Ok, that should be about everything I really wanted to tell you girls.” She then grew momentarily serious as she reminded them, “But I’m serious. I don’t want either of you two telling a soul about this. It’s….” Shuddering for a moment, the cerulean goth simply finished with, “It’s very important.” Sideswipe nodded as she made the motion of zipping her mouth shut as Apple Bloom repeated, “Cross mah heart, to the brass, stick a round right up mah ass.”

Smiling, Pastel replied, “Thanks. You two are the first people I’ve told.” She then held her arm as she continued, “Blaster told some of the teachers at school like Dr. Pennywhistle, and he also told Miss Hoofer Steps.” She then looked at her friends as she finished with, “But you two are first I chose to tell.”

Apple Bloom reassured her gothic friend, “Don’t worry, we’re here for you.” Sideswipe then spoke up with, “And that’s a promise.” The three girls then pulled each other into a massive hug, just happy that they all had each other.

Later That Night

Sitting on the chop shop’s front porch, Apple Bloom and Pastel watched as Ironhide and a vaguely familiar man with red skin, white hair, and a gray suit and tie chatted with each other. Leaning into her friend’s ear, the burgundy haired girl asked, “That guy Blaster?” Nodding, the cerulean goth answered, “Yeah. Looks like he finished with everything at the radio station.”

Indeed, the man who Pastel recognized as Blaster was talking with Ironhide, saying, “Thank you for keeping an eye on her. I swear I’ll make it up to you.” Ironhide, for his part, reassured him, “Don’t worry. It was a pleasure. A friend of either of my girls is always welcome here.” Nodding, Blaster shook the family patriarch’s hand as he finished, “Thank you so much.”

Turning to the two girls, Blaster called out, “Come on Pastel. Let’s go home.” Nodding, the young goth girl replied, “Just give me a sec.” She then turned to Apple Bloom and said, “Thanks for everything cowgirl. See you tomorrow?” Pulling her into a hug, the former farm girl replied, “See you tomorrow. And if anyone tries to pick on you, Ah’ll be your knight in shinin’ armor.”

With that, Pastel picked up her backpack and joined her stepbrother and got into his car before disappearing into the horizon. Once they were gone, Ironhide asked, “Now then, you mind helping me with KP tonight?” Apple Bloom nodded as she stood at attention and replied, “Sir yes sir.”

Blaster’s Car

“So, I hear you got jumped by some punks.” Blaster asked his stepsister as he focused on the road. Staring out into the darkness of the night sky, Pastel replied, “Yeah. Apple Bloom took the blow for me.” She then began to blush as she continued, “I’ve never had anyone other than you stand up for me like that before.”

Letting out an amused laugh, the older DJ remarked, “I’m glad you’re making friends. With this and those tap classes, you’re starting to come out of your shell.” He then briefly glanced at his ward as he quipped, “Otherwise, who are you and what did you do with Pastel?”

To Blaster’s surprise, Pastel informed him, “I came out to Apple Bloom and Sideswipe.” Lighting up, Blaster exclaimed, “Well that’s great! I’m so proud of you kiddo.” He then added, “What about the others?” Turning to face her stepbrother, the cerulean girl explained, “All in good time.” Smiling, the older DJ finished with, “Alright then. Now, how about we put on a few tunes?” Switching on the radio, Blaster and Pastel felt their ears overcome with the intoxicating sound of a guitar solo as they made their way home.

As for Pastel Goth, she felt her heart soar as she thought to herself, ‘Apple Bloom and Sideswipe accepted me when I told them I’m trans. Maybe the others will too.’ With that, the cerulean goth girl hugged herself as she and her stepbrother made their way down the road, feeling that, for the first time in her life, she’d finally found somewhere she could truly call home.

Author's Note

Next Time; It's a surprise.

Author's Note: I'm going to be taking a small break because work has been wearing me down very badly.

Also, I envisioned Pastel as being a trans girl from the very beginning, as I wanted to include more diversity in my characters. Fun Fact, Pastel Goth is, at least to some degree, inspired by the character of Marnie from Pokémon Sword and Shield (I was inspired by a fan theory that Marnie was a trans girl, and while I doubt Nintendo would have done so on purpose, I found it rather heartwarming). This is why her pet hamster is named Rosemary, which is the inspiration for Marnie's Japanese name.

The Imperator and the Farm Girl

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 9; The Imperator and the Farm Girl

Lying on her bed, Applejack stared at the white ceiling. The teenaged farm girl wasn’t fixing her eyes on anything in particular. Instead, she just stared off into the blank void.

Of course, Applejack had more than enough reasons to not want to focus on her surroundings and block everything out. For starters, she was not at home on Sweet Apple Acres. Instead, she was in a patient’s room at the Canterlot City mental hospital. Rather than her normal farm girl attire, she was clad in a simple white shirt, pants, and dull gray loafers. Even her body had begun to change, with her skin fading into a light orange, several hairs stood out no matter how much she combed, and large, dark circles had formed under her eyes. If there was any consultation, Applejack was allowed to keep her father’s beloved Stetson, which now rested on her desk next to her schoolwork.

“Ugh, schoolwork.” Applejack groaned to herself. Slowly rising up from her bed, she trudged over to the desk as she lamented, “Ah’m stuck in this prison, Ah can’t go home, and Ah still gotta do schoolwork.” Rubbing her temple, she asked herself, “How could this get any worse?”

From behind her, the farmgirl heard a familiar and very raspy voice mockingly reply, “Oh tisk tisk. You really think so little of me?” Groaning in frustration, Applejack turned around to find herself confronted by the sight of a man with gray skin, metal plate armor, a dark purple tunic, and piercing red eyes. Folding his arms, the intimidating man playfully continued, “After all we’ve been through together?”

Glaring at her guest, Applejack growled, “Shut your trap there Megatron! What do you want?” Letting out a hearty chuckle, the former emperor replied, “Oh come now, do I really need a reason to want to, how do you kids put it, “Hang out” with my best friend?” Hearing Megatron call her his “best friend” stung Applejack in her heart, leading her to shout, “You and Ah are not friends!”

Megatron walked up to Applejack and pointed right at her heart as he condescendingly stated, “Oh please, I know you better than anyone else, living, dead or otherwise.” He then pointed directly in between her eyes as he added, “I’ve survived worse places than here.” Applejack tried to push Megatron’s finger out of her face, only for him to move his hand out of the way as she growled, “Shut up!” The disgraced emperor simply narrowed his eyes as he shrugged, “Of course. Whatever helps us sleep at night.”

‘Of course he had to say “us.”’ Applejack thought to herself. Ever since that night all those weeks ago when Megatron first showed his face, he had proven to be a persistent thorn in her side. Just when she thought she could have even a moment’s respite from her therapy sessions or schoolwork, the guttural growl of his voice would ring out or she’d see his face in a mirror or in a drink. Sighing in resignation, Applejack asked, “Ah’m never gettin’ rid of you, am Ah?”

Walking up to the window, Megatron stretched his arms and replied, “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll get bored of you someday. Maybe you’ll join me on this side of the Rubicon. Who knows?” All I know is….”

Both Applejack and Megatron were distracted by the sound of someone knocking on her door as a woman’s voice called out, “Excuse me Applejack, but your grandmother and brother are here for their scheduled visit.” Feeling her heart soar (if only slightly), the farm girl replied, “Ok. Ah’ll be right there.” She then turned around as she began, “As for you, you little….”

Applejack found herself staring at an empty space where Megatron had once been. Sighing to herself, the orange farm girl groaned, “Of course he disappears whenever someone Ah need to talk to someone else.” It stumped her that, while the former emperor always bothered her when she was alone, he always seemed to disappear whenever she would be with someone else.

Before she could ponder Megatron’s ethereal nature, the door opened, revealing an orderly with dark brown skin and bright yellow hair. Stepping into the room, the orderly said, “Come on now. Let’s not leave your family waiting.” As much as she was annoyed with Megatron’s messing with her, Applejack couldn’t help but prefer her brother and grandmother’s company.

With a deep breath as a small smile formed across her lips, Applejack made her way towards the orderly as she replied, “Some friendly faces oughta make today a little better.”

Hospital Cafeteria

Entering the hospital cafeteria, Applejack was pleasantly greeted by the sight of her older brother Big Macintosh and her beloved Granny Smith seated at a far-off table. Taking a deep breath, the orange farm girl thought to herself, ‘Never thought Ah’d be so relieved to see them again.’ Then again, she never thought she’d be in a situation where she’d not be able to see her family every day.

As she closed the distance, the orderly gently reminded Applejack, “Remember, you have twenty minutes. Don’t forget you have a session with Doctor Heartstring in ninety minutes.” The teenaged farm girl let out a sigh of annoyance as she replied, “Ah know. Ah’ll try not to draw this out.”

Sitting down across from her brother and grandmother, Applejack greeted them with a gentle, “Hey guys. How’ve y’all been?” Big Mac was the first to reply to his sister, answering her question with a gentle, “We’re doin’ alright.” He then scratched the back of his neck as he continued, “A bit busy, but alright.”

Intrigued, Applejack asked, “Really? What’s goin’ on?” Before Big Mac could reply, Granny Smith answered with, “We’ve just been a bit overwhelmed at the farm is all. With you here and…” Pausing for a moment as she struggled to find the best way to describe her younger granddaughter, she finished with, “With your sister away, we’ve both had to pick up a lot of slack.”

The moment those words entered Applejack’s ears, the middle Apple sibling found herself overcome by two intrusive thoughts. The first was an external anger aimed at Apple Bloom for not being around to attend to her responsibilities. ‘Grrah. This is all your fault Apple Bloom!’ she thought to herself.

Of course, Applejack knew it wasn’t entirely her sister’s fault. While Apple Bloom may have been the mastermind and driving force behind the Anon-A-Miss incident, she wasn’t the one who couldn’t keep her anger under control, nor was she the one who punched her sister in the face, necessitating the need for a restraining order, in turn leading to her own mental breakdown, thus landing her in the mental hospital in the first place.

Applejack was interrupted from her internal self-reflection by the sound of her brother asking, “You alright there?” Shaking her head, the blonde farm girl replied, “Yeah, Ah’m fine. Ah mean, Ah’m not “fine” fine, but….” Sighing, she shrugged and finished with a simple, “You understand what Ah mean, right?”

Big Mac let out a gentle sigh as he nodded and replied, “Ah understand.” He then asked, “How about you? How you holdin’ up in this place?” Applejack sighed as she answered, “It’s not too bad. Kinda borin’ and the food kinda bland, but Ah can’t really complain.” She then asked, “How long am Ah gonna be here again?”

Granny Smith answered with a dejected and blunt, “Until they say you’re sane again.” She then pointed to her granddaughter’s hands as she continued, “Hopefully by the time you won’t need those bandages anymore.” Upon hearing this, Applejack looked down towards her hands, which were covered in bandages, a reminder of her lashing out at her mirror in her sleep and covering her hands in scars and blood.

Sighing, the teenaged farm girl glumly remarked, “Guess it’ll be a few more weeks then.” She then asked, “So, anything else new?” Big Macintosh let out a gentle chuckle as he answered, “As much as Ah was complainin’ about bein’ overworked, we might actually get some help. Aunt Orange and Babs Seed will be stopping by for a while.”

Applejack was caught completely off guard by this revelation. “No way. Aunt Orange? Why’s she comin’ down from Manehattan?” As Big Mac and Granny Smith shared concerned looks with each other, the family matriarch replied, “Apparently things ain’t goin’ so well up there. The Oranges got caught up in some sort of market crash or somethin’, and while Uncle Orange managed to find another job, he has to go overseas for it. Aunt Orange and Babs will only be stayin’ for a short while until he decides if it’s worth movin’ them over.”

Intrigued by this, Applejack remarked, “Well, hopefully everythin’ will work out.” She then asked, “So, any word from Apple Bloom?”

Before Big Mac could say anything, Granny Smith sternly warned, “Ah told you this last time. We ain’t supposed to talk about your sister with you.” She then folded her arms as she warned, “We don’t want Ironhide gettin’ upset with you again.” Taking this in, Applejack groaned, “Ugh. It ain’t fair!” Rather than show any overt sympathy, the family matriarch simply folded her arms as she reminded her granddaughter, “Ah know. But don’t forget, you brought that on yourself after what you did to her.”

Perhaps that was what hurt Applejack the most. It was already one thing to know that she couldn’t see or talk to her younger sister until her eighteenth birthday (and even then, only if Apple Bloom were in a forgiving mood), but the fact that no one would even talk about her sister just broke Applejack’s heart. To the middle Apple sibling, it was as if Apple Bloom had become a taboo subject.

And of course, Applejack knew that it was all her fault.

As Applejack thought back of how her actions had brought her here, she noticed something darting across the corner of her eye. ‘What the hell is that?’ she thought to herself. As her eyes darted after whatever it was, she found herself greeted by the sight of Megatron, the former emperor leaning against the wall.

“Temper temper.” The gray man mockingly chided Applejack. “You better watch that anger of yours.” He then unsheathed his gladius short sword and began to inspect it as he cruelly added, “Then again, it’s not like you can end up anywhere worse than this place, right?”

Applejack could normally handle Megatron’s cruel insults with little more than a growl of anger or rolling her eyes, but something about him mocking her in front of her family touched a nerve. Giving in to her frustration, the teenaged farm girl shot up to her feet as she furiously called out, “You shut your damn mouth you good for nothin’ jerk!”

Big Mac immediately rose up and rested his hand on his sister’s shoulder as he begged, “Applejack! Calm down!” The orange farm girl shook her head as she replied, “What? Big Mac? What are you…” She then paused as she realized what had happened before turning to face where Megatron had stood, only to see that he had disappeared yet again. Sighing, Applejack apologized, “Sorry about that. Ah was just seein’ him again.”

Big Mac pulled his sister into a hug as he asked, “You still seein’ that nasty brute Megatron?” Hugging her brother back, Applejack sighed as she replied, “Yeah. He just shows up and barks somethin’ at me before vanishin’.” She then lamented, “He’s not even a good conversationalist.” This playful quip was met with a gentle chuckle from her brother and grandmother, something that made Applejack feel a little better.

At that moment, the orderly made her way to the family as she informed them, “I hate to interrupt, but we need to get you ready for your therapy session.” Applejack groaned as she whined, “Come on. Just a few more minutes?” Sadly, the orderly shook her head as she replied, “Sorry, but those are the rules.”

As the middle Apple sibling sighed in resignation, Granny Smith reassured her, “Don’t fret there young lady. We’ll be back soon. Just focus on gettin’ better and you’ll be home by hearth’s warming at the latest.”

Smiling, Applejack replied, “Thanks Granny Smith. Ah love you.” She then threw herself at her grandmother and wrapped her arms around her as the older woman replied, “Ah love you too sugar cube.” As Big Mac joined the group hug, he reassured his sister, “Ah’ll be back soon. You just behave yourself.” Applejack let out a gentle chuckle as she quipped, “When have Ah otherwise?”

With that, Big Macintosh and Granny Smith departed as Applejack followed the orderly to her therapy session with Doctor Heartstring, hoping she could get some respite from Megatron’s meddling.

Doctor Heartstring’s office…

Lying on the couch as she said everything on her mind, Applejack finished her story with, “And just as Ah turned back around, he was gone again.” Sighing to herself, the blonde farm girl lamented, “Ah still don’t know why Ah keep seein’ him, but he won’t go away and…” Taking a deep breath as a single tear escaped from her eye, Applejack finished with a simple, “Ah’m scared.”

From across the room, a woman with white skin, blue hair up in a bun, a white coat, pink shirt, blue pants, and brown shoes scribbled into her notebook as she replied, “I see. Well, I must admit I’m still surprised by this “Megatron’s” persistence.” Setting the notebook down on her lap, the woman continued, “Has there been anything else bothering you?”

Sitting up, Applejack replied, “Not too much Doctor Heartstring. Mostly, just the same old same old.” The older woman then asked, “And if I may, have you been taking your medication?” The teenaged farm girl replied, “Of course Ah am!” She then hesitated for a moment before apologizing, “Sorry for gettin’ defensive.”

Thankfully, Doctor Heartstring reassured her, “It’s alright dear. I know this whole thing has been difficult for you.” Smiling, Applejack asked, “So does this mean you know what’s wrong with me? Why am Ah seein’ Megatron?”

Sadly, Doctor Heartstring shook her head as she replied, “I have a few theories, but I don’t want to say anything until I’m certain.” As Applejack sat down and pouted, the pale psychologist reassured her patient, “But when I do figure it out, you’ll be the first to know.” The teenaged farm girl smiled as she replied with a simple, “Thanks.”

At that moment, the sound of a bell ringing caught everyone’s attention. Turning to face the source of the noise, Doctor Heartstring lamented, “Oh dear. It seems we’ve run out of time. See you tomorrow?” Nodding, Applejack replied, “See you tomorrow.” She then began to make her way out of the Doctor’s office, all while she thought to herself, ‘And now, time to get ready for mah friends.’

Later That Day

If there was one thing that Applejack didn’t mind about her current predicament, it was the fact that her friends had promised to stop by and visit her every day. On a normal day (especially in more normal circumstances) she’d usually run into her friends sooner or later. If anything, this sort of made the process easier.

Of course, there were a few caveats to everyone coming to her. For starters, they could only show up during visiting hours, which usually meant everyone would only show up right after school. The other issue was the fact that, in spite of making some progress, Applejack couldn’t help but admit to herself she wasn’t the most fun person to be around. ‘Heh, Ah wonder if it’s mah looks or mah temper that’s made me less appealin’ to everyone.’ After all, it took almost a week of begging and vouching from Fluttershy and Rarity for Pinkie Pie to give her old friend another chance after she "accidentally" called her sister Marble Pie "retarded."

Perhaps what hurt Applejack the most was the fact that she knew that at least one bridge was already burnt. Though most of the others had been willing to still be her friend, Rainbow Dash had made it abundantly clear that she wanted nothing more to do with her. Sighing to herself, Applejack lamented, “Ah made her choose between me an’ Scootaloo. Ah don’t blame her for choosin’ her sister over me.”

Still, that didn’t mean she was completely alone. Making her way to a chair in the visitor’s room, Applejack whispered to herself, “At least Rarity, Pinkie, Twi, and Fluttershy are still willin’ to be mah friend.”

After a few minutes of waiting, Applejack was distracted by the familiar sound of Rarity’s voice calling out, “Hello there darling!” Turning around, the orange farm girl found her fashionista friend, clad in a white shirt and purple skirt and boots walking up to her, flanked by Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. As the trio of girls approached their friend, Applejack let out a gentle chuckle as she greeted, “Howdy girls.”

As Rarity pulled Applejack into a hug (one which the latter happily reciprocated), Fluttershy meekly apologized, “Sci-Twi says she’s sorry she couldn’t be here today. She’s busy working on a project with the robotics club.” The infirmed farm girl reassured her friend, “It’s alright. The world don’t revolve around me.”

Once the group made their way to a nearby table, Applejack asked, “So, what’s new with y’all?” Fluttershy was the first to speak up as she replied, “Angel’s been behaving lately. I was able to get him to eat his cauliflower and Brussel sprouts without any complaints.” The middle Apple sibling replied with a surprised, “Really? Ah’m impressed.”

Applejack’s eyes then turned to Pinkie Pie, who was shaking with anticipation. Letting out a gentle chuckle, the pale orange farm girl asked, “Alright there, what’s new with you Pinkie?” The pink girl took a deep breath as she reached for her phone and exclaimed, “Speaking of animals, Marble got a pet parrot, and she is just the cutest!” Presenting her phone, she continued, “Just look at them!”

Taking Pinkie’s phone, Applejack was pleasantly surprised by the sight of a familiar gray girl in a gray turtleneck and a black leather jacket with a bright red scarlet macaw resting on her shoulder. As she began to hand the phone back to her friend, the teenaged farm girl remarked, “Gotta say, Ah didn’t expect Marble to choose somethin’ so colorful.” Nodding, the pink girl replied, “Yeah. Even weirder, the bird, named Scarlett, is quite the talker. Since Marble isn’t quite the talker, it makes them quite the odd couple.”

Applejack then asked, “How’d she decide to get a parrot anyway? Aren’t they like super expensive?” Pinkie Pie answered her friend with, “That’s what I thought, but apparently, she and Sideswipe found her all alone while they were hanging out. Beachcomber said Scarlett may have escaped from some illegal bird traders.” Fluttershy then added, “I hate it when people take animals from the wild and sell them as “exotic” pets.”

However, Applejack wasn’t paying attention to her friend’s remark. Instead, she was struggling to contain her internal frustration. ‘Come on Applejack, don’t do somethin’ you’ll regret.’ She thought to herself. ‘All she did was say her sister and her girlfriend found a parrot together. Doesn’t have anythin’ to do with Apple Bloom other than the coincidence.’

Noticing her friend was tensing up, Rarity asked, “Everything alright darling?” Applejack sighed as she replied, “More or less. Sorry about that. Ah just….” Pausing for a moment so she could take a deep breath, the blonde farm girl explained, “Since Sideswipe is… You know… Ah just needed a moment.”

Taking her friend’s hand, Rarity asked, “Still having angry thoughts about your sister?” Applejack nodded as she lamented, “Yeah. Ah just… Ah don’t know why just thinkin’ about her pisses me off.” She then apologized, “Sorry for soundin’ selfish.”

Fluttershy reassured her friend, “We understand. I know it’s been hard for you after you….” As the yellow animal lover struggled to find the right words, Applejack interrupted with a blunt, “Since Ah went coo coo and ended up here in the looney bin?”

Rarity immediately spoke up, “Now now Applejack, we don’t need you deprecating yourself like that or using such a rude choice of words.” As the blonde farm girl let out a sigh of resignation, the purple haired fashionista reassured her, “We know that you’re not well, but that doesn’t mean you have to insult yourself.” Pinkie Pie then added, “Yeah, especially since we promised we’d be here for you.”

Feeling overjoyed at her friends’ concern for her, Applejack pulled her friends into a tight hug as she exclaimed, “Ah love you girls so much.” Fluttershy was the first to reply with a gentle, “I love you too Applejack.” Rarity was next, tearing up as she declared, “I love you so much darling.” The last was Pinkie Pie, who began to bleed tears as she cried out, “I love you all so much.”

However, Applejack noticed something in the corner of her eye. ‘Oh no, not him again.’ She thought to herself as she turned her head, only to be greeted by the sight of Megatron, this time unsheathing his gladius sword. Inspecting his blade, the fallen emperor gloated, “You really think they’ll stay your friends? Especially once they see what you can do with their own eyes?” As Applejack began to glare and growl at him, Megatron started to trot over as he quipped, “You know, just like your sister?”

Without thinking, Applejack blurted out, “You shut your goddamn mouth you good for nothin’ backstabber!” The moment those words escaped her mouth, the other three girls backed away from her in fear. Sighing to herself, the teenaged farm girl apologized, “Sorry girls. It’s just….” Hesitating for a moment, she decided to just admit, “He’s back.”

As Megatron walked up to Applejack, Pinkie Pie reassured her friend, “We understand. Don’t let that big meanie push you around and bully you.” Of course, Megatron was not one to take an insult lightly, and thus he aimed his sword right at Pinkie’s throat as he gloated, “Well now, how about I remove your head from your shoulders so you can see just how much of a “meanie” I can be?” Scared for her friend, Applejack charged at him and declared, “Ah won’t let you hurt mah friend!”

But Megatron was a calculated being, and simply sidestepped out of the way, leaving Applejack barreling straight into her pink friend.

As both girls hit the ground, one of the hospital orderlies ran over and asked, “What the hell’s going on?” Fluttershy spoke up with a scared, “Applejack saw Megatron again!” As she rose back up to her feet, the orange farm girl apologized, “Ah’m sorry! Megatron was gonna attack Pinkie and Ah was tryin’ to stop him and…” To her surprise, Pinkie Pie interrupted with a gentle, “Megatron must have been a meanie again. It wasn’t Applejack’s fault.”

Though relieved somewhat, the orderly sternly said, “Be that as it may, I think Applejack has had enough excitement for today. You kids better head home.” Pinke tried to protest, but Applejack relented as she defeatedly said, “You girls better go. Ah don’t wanna give y’all a heart attack or somethin’.” Deciding that there was no point in arguing, the other three girls began to make their way out as Rarity bade, “Do take care darling.”

Once her friends were gone, the orderly took Applejack’s hand as they said, “Alright now. Let’s get you back to your room.” As they began to depart, the blonde farm girl noticed Megatron leaning against the wall, smirking at her. Glaring at the former emperor, Applejack thought to herself, ‘Just you wait ‘till Ah get mah hands on you.’

Applejack’s Room, That Night

As she got ready for bed, Applejack took one last look at her reflection in the mirror. The circles under her eyes were far more noticeable than they had been earlier that morning, her hair was even more frizzled, and even her lips were starting to look chapped. Groaning to herself, she complained, “Ugh. Ah can’t believe that’s me.”

From behind her, Applejack heard Megatron’s voice mock her, “Oh please. You’re as beautiful as a freshly slain Amazon.” The moment she heard his voice, the young girl growled as she turned around and angrily asked, “What is your problem? Why are you messin’ with me?”

Megatron let out a cocky and hearty laugh as he replied, “Because it’s fun!” He then pointed right at Applejack’s nose as he continued, “And because you deserve it.” The blonde farm girl immediately growled back, “Don’t you ever say that again or Ah’ll….” Megatron interrupted her with a condescending, “You’ll do what? Stab me in the back? Send me away? Tear my teeth out?” He then raised his hands as he finished, “Don’t you get it? I’m not going anywhere, so you better get used to me.”

Applejack began to feel her eyes water as she found her anger starting to overtake her again. ‘Don’t do anythin’ stupid. Don’t do anythin’ stupid. Don’t do anythin’ stupid! DON’T DO ANYTHIN’ STUPID!’ She thought to herself. Eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore. Throwing herself onto her bed, Applejack slammed her face into her pillow and screamed her pent-up fury and frustration.

“Damnit damnit damnit damnit!” Applejack bellowed, “Just leave me alone!” Raising her head from her tear-stained pillow, she was pleasantly surprised to see that Megatron had disappeared. Letting out a gentle chuckle, she remarked, “Heh. Guess he’s gone for now.” Of course, she knew that at any moment, Megatron could return and continue to torment her.

Still, the teenaged farm girl found herself starting to yawn as she said to herself, “Guess it’s been a long day.” Applejack then began to tuck herself in under her sheets as she asked herself, “So, same thing tomorrow?” When no one answered, she let out a sigh of relief as she replied, “Alright then. Time for some peace and quiet.”

Once again, Applejack found herself staring up at the ceiling, thinking back at how her actions had brought her to this. Sighing as she began to drift off, the blonde farm girl lamented, “Ah wish things were different.” After all, if she had been able to keep her temper in check, she wouldn’t have had her breakdown and subsequent need to be trapped in this mental hospital. Of course, if Apple Bloom hadn’t started the whole Anon-A-Miss stunt, then she wouldn’t have lost her cool in the first place.

And it was with this thought, just as Applejack finally drifted off into the land of slumber and dreams, that Megatron’s voice whispered in her ear, “And that is why you’ll never escape me.”

Author's Note

Next Time; We give Ironhide a day in the spotlight as we follow an average day from his perspective.

Author's Note; I've decided on keeping Megatron's "nature" mysterious because even I don't know what I want it to be.

Armorhide and the Tankers

Life in Allspark Wells

Part Able; Armorhide and the Tankers

Lying on her bed as she kicked her legs in the air, Apple Bloom found herself enraptured by Armorhide’s journal. Turning the page, the former farm girl couldn’t help but remark, “Ah gotta admit, Ah’m impressed how Armorhide stood up to that General Gutsy for slappin’ that guy with shell shock.” Indeed, she’d just finished a part where the long-deceased man defended a fellow soldier from the notorious General Gutsy, even at the risk of being court martialed.

At that moment, Apple Bloom found herself wondering, ‘Hold on a minute. If Armorhide is Uncle Ironhide’s dad, and Uncle Ironhide’s mah uncle, does that make Armorhide mah grandpa?’ Now that she thought of it, the former farm girl realized she’d never actually had a grandfather before. The closest she’d ever had was her grandmother, Granny Smith. ‘Of course, she’s on mah dad’s side. Ah don’t know who’re mah grandparents on mah mom’s side.’ She thought to herself.

Still, given that Ironhide had become the closest thing she’d ever really had to a father, the idea of seeing Armorhide as her grandfather, even if he was no longer among the living, filled Apple Bloom with a sense of warmth that she hadn’t felt before. The burgundy haired girl then smiled as she looked down at the old journal in her hands as she remarked, “At least Ah have part of him here.”

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom continued where she left off, reading out, “Today could have certainly gone better. We started out advancin’ on a German position when….”

The Battlefield, Many, Many Years Ago

“Keep your heads down!” One of the other soldiers called out as everyone marched behind their tanks. As the bullets buzzed and whirled past them, one of these soldiers, Private Armorhide of the 40th infantry division, gulped as he made sure to keep the hulking tracked behemoth in front of him, protecting him from the incoming artillery and machine gun fire.

To say that the day had gone south would be a massive understatement. No sooner had Armorhide and his squad woken up that morning than they were informed that they’d be storming a German company, and he would be among the first to attack. Now all that stood between the young private and certain death was a medium tank could, at any moment, be taken out by a well-placed anti-tank round.

As a mortar shell exploded near him, Armorhide jumped as he cried out, “Gah! Fucking hell!” From behind him, one of his squad mates called out, “Almost there Armorhide! You ready for this?!” Turning his head around, the dark man replied, “You bet Dum Dum!” He then refocused his attention on the incoming enemy fire as he continued, “We’re almost there boys! Here we go!”

Sure enough, the moment those words escaped Armorhide’s lips, he realized that they were now parallel to the German machine guns, and worse, staring right at the bemused and terrified enemy soldiers. Acting on instinct, the young private aimed his submachine gun at the Germans and pulled the trigger, sending a hailstorm of fire straight at his hapless enemies. Once the opponents were down, Armorhide dove down to the ground and began to crawl forward, careful not to draw too much attention to himself.

As he crawled, Armorhide noticed something odd; the tank that now rested next to him wasn’t firing. ‘That’s odd.’ He thought to himself. ‘Why aren’t they firing? Surely, they can’t be out of ammunition already?’ From behind him, the young private heard one of his fellow squad mates call out, “Hey Armorhide! Get your ass moving!” Realizing he was holding his team up, Armorhide turned his attention to the battle at hand and continued to crawl forward.

No sooner had he resumed his advance than Armorhide saw a bright orange light flying right towards him. ‘Oh shit! It’s an anti-tank round!’ The young private thought to himself. Realizing that the tank next to him was the target, Armorhide shot up to his feet and instantly threw himself several feet away in a desperate attempt to avoid the inevitable explosion from the tank going up in flames.

Thankfully for Armorhide, the anti-tank round simply bounced off the tank’s thick armor. Letting out a sigh of relief, the young soldier remarked, “Thank Primus.” He then turned his attention on the direction the artillery shell came from as he growled, “You’re gonna get it now you Kraut bastards!”

Leaping back to his feet, Armorhide charged the German position as he pulled out a hand grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it right behind the anti-tank gun. He allowed a cocky smirk to form across his lips as he heard the poor sods cry out, “Granate! GRANATE!”

With that, an explosion rocked the anti-tank crew, forcing two hapless Germans, one of whom was now missing his arms, into the air before collapsing back to the ground.

Making his way up to the wrecked anti-tank gun, Armorhide found himself greeted by the sight of a German soldier who’d had his legs blown off as he screamed in agony. ‘Dear god! Poor fuck!’ The young private thought to himself. ‘There’s no way he’ll live through this.’ Indeed, the poor German’s leg stumps were bleeding profusely. Even if he had a first aid kit and there weren’t bullets and shrapnel flying all around him, the enemy soldier would have no hope of survival.

Taking a deep breath, Armorhide aimed his gun at the German’s head and pulled the trigger, sending a bullet straight through his head, killing him instantly.

Once the deed was done, Armorhide noticed that the German guns were now silent. Letting out a deep breath, the young soldier asked, “We win already?” From behind him, Private Dum Dum replied, “Looks like it Armorhide. The krauts are already surrendering. Look!” Turning his head to see what his friend was pointing at, he was pleasantly surprised to see a good number of German soldiers were approaching, all of whom either had their hands up in the air or held their rifles above their heads, signaling their desire to surrender.

As the defeated enemy soldiers made their way past him, Armorhide heard the sound of Dum Dum’s voice call out, “Well, looks like we’ve made it through another one, right buddy?” The young private turned around to face his friend as he replied, “Let’s not count our chickens before they hatch.”

At that moment, both Armorhide and Dum Dum a muffled voice shout, “You dumb fucking bitch!” Confused, the young private asked, “What was that?” Pointing to the tank next to them, Private Dum Dum remarked, “Sounded like it came from in there. Sounds like someone’s angry.”

No sooner had Dum Dum said this than two men emerged from the tank, or rather, one man dragged the other out of the tank by his shirt collar and slammed him onto the ground. The first man, a dark gray man with fiery red slicked back hair and a sergeant’s stripes on his coat, kicked the other man, a young man with yellow skin, blue hair, and fear in his eyes, as the former berated, “I told you to fire, and you didn’t! It’s a miracle that kraut gun didn’t kill us!”

Desperately trying to rise back to his feet, the yellow boy begged, “I’m sorry sir! I just couldn’t do it!” The sergeant didn’t seem to care, simply kicking his subordinate back down as he complained, “I had one of the best gunners in the whole damn army, and now I’m stuck with you. If you don’t learn to kill, I’ll just have to fucking kill you myself.”

Cracking his knuckles, Armorhide began to make his way to the sergeant as he grumbled, “Fuck up or not, no one treats someone else like that!” Before he could give him a piece of his mind, Dum Dum held out his arm to block his friend as he warned him, “Primus almighty Armorhide, that’s Gramps! He’s the nastiest tank commander this side of hell. You get on his bad side, and you’ll be six feet under before you can say “oops.””

‘Gramps.’ Armorhide thought to himself. He’d heard of the name ‘Gramps’ before, mostly stories other soldiers told him. One was how he and his tank crew took on an entire enemy platoon without taking a scratch. Another was how Gramps singlehandedly beat several SS grunts to death with his bare hands. Perhaps the most impressive story Armorhide had ever heard about him was how his single medium tank took on (and successfully knocked out) two tiger tanks.

All these stories made it hard for Armorhide to believe that the man bullying his subordinate was the famous so-called Gramps.

Before Armorhide could fully process this revelation, another voice rang out, this one angrily asking, “Where the hell’d you get that coat? Who’d you kill? Answer me you bastard!” Turning to see what was going on, the young private could only defeatedly remark, “Oh, shit.”

There, right in front of him, was a fellow soldier escorting a captured German wearing one of their own trench coats. Indeed, the poor sap was wearing a khaki trench coat over his “feldgrau” army tunic.

Watching as the poor German was ‘escorted’ up to Gramps, Armorhide sighed to himself as he remarked to himself, “Poor kraut’s already dead and he doesn’t know it.” After all, every soldier knew wearing part of an enemy’s uniform, especially something that covered the whole body like a trench coat, was against the rules of war. If anything, the German soldier should have been shot immediately for wearing the coat, if only to end his suffering as quickly as possible.

Sighing, Armorhide thought to himself, ‘I don’t know how that poor fuck found that coat, but I got a feeling it doesn’t matter.’

As the German soldier was presented to Gramps, he desperately reached into his coat and pulled out a photograph that Armorhide couldn’t see as he nervously asked, “Wurdest du gerne in Bild von meinen Kindern sehen?” To no one’s surprise, the irritated sergeant slapped the photo out of the kraut’s hand before forcibly turning him around and pushing him down to his knees.

Once the German was down on his knees, Gramps pulled out a revolver and walked back to his fearful subordinate as he began, “Look here kid, you’re no good to me unless you got killer in you.” He then presented the gun as he continued, “Kill that kraut over there.” Armorhide rolled his eyes as he whispered to Dum Dum, “Ten bucks the kid don’t got it.”

Sure enough, the yellow subordinate tried to push the gun away as he said, “No, it ain’t right.” Gramps forcibly grabbed the yellow boy by his hair, the gray sergeant spitefully said, “Let me tell you something you fucking retard! This ain’t about right or wrong!” He then pointed to the German as he growled, “You see him? He’s here to kill you Runabout. He’s here to kill YOU!” Gramps then pointed the revolver at the young boy as he continued, “You? You’re here to kill him. So, either you kill him, or I kill you!”

The yellow private began to tear up as he begged, “Then kill me! For Primus’s sake just kill me!” Rather than grant his subordinate’s wish, Gramps slapped him in the face as he placed his hands over the other man’s as he angrily said, “Come on now, just kill him.” As the red headed sergeant said, this, the German soldier began to weep as he begged for his life, crying, “Bitte tote mich nicht. Ich werde alles tun, was du willst.”

For Armorhide, this was all too much. Between the kraut begging for his life and the yellow boy’s clear hesitation to do the deed, the young private knew what had to be done. Taking a deep breath, Armorhide solemnly said, “Oh, fuck it.”

With that, he aimed his submachine gun at the German soldier and shot him in the head, killing him instantly.

As the now lifeless German’s body hit the ground, Sergeant Gramps released his subordinate and angrily stomped up to Armorhide as he furiously demanded, “What the fuck was that for?! I was trying to turn crybaby back there into a killer!” Staring back at the spiteful tanker, Armorhide bluntly replied, “I’m doing what is necessary. If it were because I’m a pacifist, I wouldn’t have shot the son of a bitch myself. Besides….” He then pointed to the yellow man, who had now turned deathly pale and was visibly panicking as he remarked, “The kid don’t got it.”

Gramps responded in a way Armorhide didn’t expect; he grabbed the dark gray private by his collar and slammed him into the ground before punching him in the face as he bellowed, “You ever interfere with me or my crew again and I’ll fucking kill you!” As Private Dum Dum pulled Gramps off of him, Armorhide spat a mouthful of blood out of his mouth as he cockily replied, “Get behind the krauts you fucker!”

Before either man could think of delivering another blow, Armorhide was caught off guard by yet another voice calling out, “Stand down private!” Turning around to see who it was, he was greeted by the sight of a dark blue man in a khaki officer’s uniform walking up to him and asking, “What in the hell is going on here?”

Instinctively snapping to attention, Armorhide reported, “Captain Falcon, Sir!” He then motioned to Gramps and the dead German as he explained, “Sir, this man was threatening to murder one of his crewman Sir.” He then pointed to the yellow boy as he bluntly explained, “The kid there don’t got it.”

Pausing for a moment, Captain Falcon motioned to Gramps as he ordered, “Sergeant, deal with that dead body.” As the spiteful tanker saluted the captain, the latter turned to Armorhide as he menacingly asked, “Private? Would you speak with me for a moment?” Armorhide let out an audible gulp as he replied, “Sir, yes sir.”

After following his commanding officer several feet away, Armorhide was caught off guard when Captain Falcon slammed his fist into his subordinate’s face as he angrily demanded, “What the fuck was that about? Picking a fight with the best damn tank commander in the goddamn army?!” Rising back to his feet, the dark gray private replied, “Sir, that asshole was threatening to murder a fellow soldier. Not to mention I got a look in the kid’s eyes, and he clearly don’t got it sir.”

Groaning to himself, Captain Falcon complained, “Ugh, you know what your problem is Armorhide? You’re too much of a goody two shoes!” As Armorhide took this complaint in, the captain continued, “We’re fighting a war, a war we’ve got to win. I can’t waste my time on every little yellow coward and crybaby we’re stuck with.”

As he began to walk away, Captain Falcon informed his subordinate, “Now then, we’ve got a briefing in fifteen minutes. I need you and the others ready to move for tomorrow’s party. And Private?” Turning around to face Armorhide, Falcon glared as he warned, “If you ever pull something like this or piss off Sergeant Gramps again, you’re dead.”

Gulping in fear at the implicit death threat, Armorhide simply saluted his captain as he replied, “Sir, yes sir.”

A Short While Later

“As you see boys…” Captain Falcon said as he pointed to the map behind him. “We’ll be pushing into the town of Goscinnyville tomorrow. Our contacts in the resistance say that the town is home to a decently sized panzer division. It’ll be a bloody day, so I want you all to eat hearty and get what rest you can.” He then bade his men farewell with, “Boys, you are dismissed.”

The rest of the company replied with an enthusiastic, “Sir, yes sir!”

As they made their way back to their temporary barracks, Dum Dum turned to Armorhide as he asked, “So, you think we’ll be able to take the town?” Shrugging, Armorhide simply replied, “I can’t say anything for certain. If it’s anything like when we took on Uderzoville, it’ll be the longest day of our lives since we landed.”

Taking a deep breath, Dum Dum asked, “Hey Armorhide? Ever since we started pushing the krauts back, they’ve been trying to retaliate but they keep losing. What I’m trying to say is…” Pausing for a moment, the private asked a simple question.

“Why don’t they just give up already?”

Shrugging, Armorhide could only reply, “I wish I had an answer. Maybe they’re too brainwashed to consider that they can’t win.” He then shuddered as he realized, “And once we get to the border, they’re gonna fight that much harder.”

Dum Dum smiled while gently punched his friend’s shoulder as he reassured him, “If we survived Uderzoville, we’ll survive Goscinnyville.” Armorhide let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Yeah. We’ll make it through this one.” Cracking his knuckles, the young private asked, “What could possibly go wrong?”

Goscinnyville, the Next Day

“Me and my big damn mouth!” Armorhide screamed as bullets zoomed past him, barely missing his face. To say that the day was going poorly would be the biggest understatement since the war’s earliest defeats. The Germans were waiting for them, and now Armorhide and his platoon were surrounded by machine guns, mortars, and even a massive, armored car. Needless to say, Armorhide and Dum Dum realized that there was no guarantee they would get out of this alive.

Running up to his friend, Dum Dum shouted, “Just got new orders! They want us to advance to the town center!” Armorhide turned to his friend as he exclaimed, “Are they crazy?! We’re getting our asses pounded out here!” No sooner had he said this than one of the other soldiers called out, “They’ve got a panzer!”

Turning around to see what was going on, Armorhide was horrified to find that a light tank had rolled up in front of them. Worse still, the tank’s turret was rotated so that it aimed right at them. ‘Oh shit!’ the young private thought to himself. Turning to Dum Dum and the rest of the soldiers, Armorhide barked out, “Take cover!” It was at that moment, just as the everyone began to duck and get out of the way, that the German tank opened fire.

And Armorhide was powerless to save Dum Dum from having his head cave in due to a two-centimeter round from the tank.

“Dum Dum!” Armorhide cried out as he saw his friend’s now lifeless body hit the ground. He would have tried to reach out to Dum Dum, but the tank’s continuous fire prevented him from getting out of cover. Besides, the mangled remains of a skull and pool of blood made it clear that Private Dum Dum was no longer among the living.

Steeling himself, Armorhide clutched his submachine gun as he told himself, “Dum Dum is gone. Focus on the here and now.” However, with the bullets whirling around him and the tank parked in front of everyone, it seemed that the only way he’d be leaving was in a body bag or a wooden box.

Thankfully, the sound of an engine rumbling tipped the young private that his salvation was at hand. Turning to see what was coming, Armorhide was pleasantly surprised to see a medium tank rolling up the street. Pumping his fists into the air, the black private called out, “Give them hell boys!”

The moment it was close enough, the medium tank fired at the German light tank, setting it ablaze as the turret was sent flying into the sky. Turning to his fellow soldiers, Armorhide called out, “Come on boys! Time to kill some krauts!” As the others let out war cries of affirmation, the young private readied his submachine gun, bolted from his cover and charged at the German position.

After all, they had a battle to win.

Later that Day

“That’s it, keep walking.” Armorhide gently chided the column of surrendering Germans as they were marched away. Most of them had dirty faces, tattered uniforms, and some of them didn’t even have helmets on their heads. All in all, the young private could only shake his head as he lamented, “Poor sods never stood a chance.”

From behind him, Armorhide heard Captain Falcon call out, “Private!” As the captain approached his subordinate, he informed him, “We got word the krauts hanged some civilians in the town square. I need you to go cut them down.” Momentarily caught off guard by his new orders, Armorhide nodded as he replied, “Yes sir.” He then slung his weapon over his back as he began to head to the town square.

Just as he’d been told, Armorhide was greeted by the presence of a scaffolding from which three bodies were hanging. Two of them were men, one an older man with green skin and orange hair, and the other a young man with blue skin and yellow hair. The final victim was a young woman with yellow skin, red hair, and was wearing a simple blue dress with black shoes.

Shaking his head, Armorhide grumbled to himself, “You never get used to it.” Indeed, while it was one thing to see death all around him in the form of both his comrades and enemies, the sight of innocent people caught up in the slaughter or butchered and strung up by the Germans always made his stomach grumble. If anything, the sight of murdered civilians was the only reason why Armorhide didn’t ask what the whole war was about.

As he approached the three hanging bodies, the young private was distracted by the sound of a familiar voice calling out, “That’s the last fucking straw!” Processing what he just heard, Armorhide thought to himself, ‘That sounds like Gramps.’ Turning around, he was horrified by what he saw.

There, walking up to him, were Gramps and several other men who Armorhide figured were his tank crew. However, what quickly horrified him were two things. One was the fact that the young yellow man from the day before was being dragged by his shirt collar and his hands were tied behind his back.

The other was the fact that Gramps had several feet of rope slung across his back.

Walking up to the tank crew, Armorhide began to instinctively reach for his weapon as he asked, “What in the name of Primus are you boys doing?” One of the other tankers, a tall, pasty white man with blue hair and stubble, cracked his knuckles as he replied, “None of your damn business boy.” He then walked up to Armorhide and looked down on him as he growled, “Got a problem there buttercup?”

Before the young private could answer, Gramps called out, “That will do Thumper.” The large tanker, spitefully looking down on Armorhide, simply growled, “Sir, yes sir.” Before returning to the others, the tank commander asked, “What are you doing here anyway?”

Still reaching for his submachine gun, Armorhide answered, “Captain Falcon asked me to cut these bodies down. Figure he wants to give them a proper burial.” He then darted his eyes to the frightened yellow man as he asked, “What about you guys? Why are his hands tied?” For several moments, no one moved, as if the rest of the tank crew were struggling to find an answer that Armorhide would accept.

Then, without warning, the yellow man tearfully blurted out, “They’re gonna hang me!”

No sooner had those words escaped his lips than the young boy received a pistol butt to the back of his head, forcing him to the ground as he cried out in pain. As the other tankers surrounded him, Armorhide lifted his submachine gun and aimed it at them, only to have Gramps aim his revolver straight at the young private’s face. ‘Fucking hell.’ Armorhide thought to himself as he realized the severity of his current predicament.

After several moments of tense silence, Armorhide bluntly asked, “What the fuck are you doing?” Not even moving his weapon, Gramps turned his head to face Thumper and nudged it, signaling his subordinates to “escort” the yellow boy away. As they dragged their prisoner away, the tank commander turned back to his adversary as he bluntly stated, “The fuck up here froze up during that last battle. We lost more than a few good men because of him.”

“And how the hell will hanging him fix him?!” Armorhide blurted out. Pointing to the three hanging bodies, he demanded, “What the fuck is wrong with you bastards?”

Letting out a cruel smirk, Gramps replied, “We aren’t really gonna hang the boy. We’re just gonna see how his fight or flight instincts work. You know, tough love.” He then nudged his pistol in a far-off direction as he warned, “Now make like the krauts and buzz off.” When Armorhide didn’t budge, Gramps stamped his foot as he barked, “Now!”

Shaking his head, Armorhide sternly replied, “I’m having trouble deciphering what you’re saying, but I know you’re threatening that kid, and I can’t allow that.” It was at that moment the young private realized he was not only threatening a fellow soldier, but a soldier of a higher rank. ‘I could get shot for this.’ He thought to himself.

But the thought of the tank crew threatening the young boy was something that Armorhide would never allow himself to ignore, so he knew he couldn’t back down.

Before either man could fire, both soldiers were distracted by the sound of Thumper screaming, “Get that fucking coward!” As both Armorhide and Gramps turned their attention to the pale tanker, they found the yellow tanker, now covered in purple bruises and a fresh scar on his cheek, fleeing from the rest of his treacherous comrades. Realizing that Gramps was no longer focused on him, Armorhide took the opportunity and charged him, slamming his submachine gun’s butt into his face, forcing him to the ground.

Sadly, the other tankers had caught up to their former comrade and forced him to the ground as they punched and kicked him. Running up to the helpless man, Armorhide fired his weapon into the air as he shouted, “Leave him alone you bastards!” It seemed that his “persuasive skills” were working, as Thumper and the others backed away from Armorhide and the yellow boy, who was now whimpering in fear and pain.

Bending down to help the yellow boy up, Armorhide reassured him, “Come on kid. Let’s get someone to look at those wounds.” As both men stood up, the yellow boy sniffled as he replied, “They’ve been trying to make me a killer.” Sighing to himself, the young private lamented, “Guess the krauts aren’t the only ones around here who don’t know when to give up.” He then aimed his weapon at the other tankers as he warned, “Try anything and you’ll be six feet under.” With that, both Armorhide and the yellow boy turned around and began to depart.

No sooner had they realized that Gramps was in front of them than the tank commander fired his pistol, sending a bullet straight into the yellow boy’s head.

“No!” Armorhide cried out as he tried to help his new comrade up. “Come on buddy, you’re gonna make it.” Sadly, the bullet had gone straight through the poor boy’s head, and his increasingly pale skin and motionlessness made it abundantly clear that the yellow boy was now dead.

Setting the yellow boy’s body on the ground, Armorhide rose up to his feet and furiously asked, “Are you out of your fucking mind?!” Gramps shook his head as he replied, “That kid was a no-good dead horse. Hopefully we’ll get someone with some actual backbone to replace him.” He then mockingly asked, “Now, what to do with you?”

Aiming his submachine gun at the tank commander, Armorhide snarled, “You’d have to be a stupid monkey if you think I won’t tell the brass about this.” In response to this, Gramps smirked as he quipped, “Just one problem there bleeding heart. There’s four of us and only one of you.” A confused Armorhide could only reply with a confused, “What?”

He received his answer when something slammed into the back of his head, forcing him to the ground. The throbbing pain prevented Armorhide from fighting off the tankers as they punched, kicked, and slammed their bodies onto him before, eventually, the young private lost consciousness.

Some Time Later

Blinking his eyes as he returned to the land of consciousness, Armorhide realized two things. The first was that, despite feeling that his eyes were open, he couldn’t see anything. ‘Well, my eyes don’t hurt, so they couldn’t have gouged my eyes out.’ The young private thought to himself. The other thing he noticed was that he was lying horizontally on something that was bouncing up and down. Sighing to himself, Armorhide thought, ‘What the hell is going on?’

It was now, as he tried to straighten himself, that Armorhide realized a third thing; his hands were tied together.

“Wait a minute.” Armorhide said out loud. “Hands tied, can’t see, bumping up and down. Chances are I’m tied up on a….” He was interrupted by the sound of a donkey’s braying, leading the young private to bluntly quip, “Yep, tied up on an ass.” Allowing a smirk to form on his lips, Armorhide couldn’t help but joke, “Guess my ass is on an ass.”

His moment of levity and humor was interrupted by the sound of a gun firing, causing the donkey to let out a scared bray as it reared up, causing Armorhide to fall to the ground. ‘What’s going on?’ He thought to himself. Struggling try and rise, or even sit up, he continued, ‘Maybe Captain Falcon found me?’

Armorhide received his answer when his blindfold was forcibly removed, revealing a man in a field gray uniform. He had red skin, black hair, and a scar near his eyes that probably came from a fencing duel. Behind him, several other soldiers watched him, some of them standing or leaning on building rubble, while others sat on the remains of the civilization around them. These other men either wore gray uniforms or had oak leaf camouflage patterned coats over them.

‘Shit.’ Armorhide thought to himself. ‘Waffen troops.’ He’d had encounters with Waffen soldiers before, and he knew they were both far more ruthless in battle than the average German, but they were also known for their cruelty. Gulping in fear, Armorhide nervously asked, “Uh…. What’s up doc?”

He received his answer in the form of a backhanded slap to his face as the Waffen officer barked, “Schweig schweinehund!” As the young private recoiled in pain, the officer kicked him as he turned to one of the others and ordered, “Gansegeier, nimm diesen Yankee und bearbeite ihn.” One of the soldiers, a young man with blue skin, white hair, and a steel helmet, clicked his heels as he replied, “Jawohl Kapitan.” The young soldier, Gansegeier if Armorhide heard correctly, then walked up to the young private and grabbed him by his collar, all while giving him a sinister smirk.

Thankfully for Armorhide, another gunshot rang out, this time going straight through Gansegeier’s forehead, forcing him to let the young private go and collapse to the ground. ‘What the hell?’ Armorhide thought to himself as the rest of the Waffen soldiers began to panic. As the officer tried to point to something in the distance, a new man charged out from the ruins, brandished a submachine gun, and pulled the trigger, pumping him full of bullets. Once the officer was down, more men emerged from the ruins, eliminating the rest of the Waffen soldiers.

Now that the dust had settled, Armorhide took a mental note of their uniforms. Their unforms were similar but not identical to his own. They had dark brown/khaki uniforms, off-white webbing that held their ammunition and other supplies, black boots with some sort of ankle length gaiters, and most distinctively, wide brimmed helmets that reminded the young private of a salad bowl. Curious, he thought to himself, “Who are these guys?”

At that moment, one of these new soldiers, a man with light gray skin, black hair, and a big shaggy mustache, pulled out a smoking pipe as he ordered, “Nice work lads. Now let’s shove off before Gerry realizes we crashed the party.” Armorhide noticed the celtic accent he spoke with as he thought, ‘wait a minute. I know that accent. He’s Scottish.’

One of the other soldiers, a man with red skin and dark gray hair, pointed to Armorhide and asked, “Oi, what about the yank?” As he approached him, the young private replied, “My name is Armorhide. Private Armorhide, 1st Army, 40th Infantry Division.” The red Scotsman smirked as he replied, “Lance Corporal Leadfoot, 2nd Army, 3rd Battalion, 92nd Foot Guards.” He then aimed his submachine gun at Armorhide as he asked, “What’s a Yank doin’ here?”

The group’s leader walked up to the two as he asked, “Exactly. 40th Infantry should’ne be this far north.” A third soldier asked, “Sar, how do we know he’s not a Gerry spy?” Starting to panic, Armorhide tried to explain, “I was tied up by a tank crew for trying to stop them from murdering a fellow soldier. You gotta believe me!”

Thankfully, the Scottish officer noticed a discarded ball nearby. As the gears in his head turned, he pulled out a match as he ordered, “Leadfoot, Whirlwind, kick that ball back and forth!” Confused, Leadfoot asked, “Sar? You gone daft?” The officer shook his head as he barked, “Do it!” Realizing that their commander wasn’t going to budge, the two highlanders walked over to the ball and began to halfheartedly kick it back and forth. Turning back to Armorhide, the officer asked, “What is that game called?”

Confused but still nervous, Armorhide replied, “Uh… Soccer?”

Smirking to himself, the officer remarked, “Yup, he’s a Yank.” He then pulled out a bayonet and, to Armorhide’s surprise, cut his hands free as he continued, “At least we know you’re not a German spy. As for everythin’ else though, we’ll need to speak with the major about you.” He then turned to the others as he ordered, “Alright lads! Let’s move out!”

As the others began to depart, Leadfoot walked up to Armorhide and warned, “Don’ne try anythin’, or you’ll be deader than a desert fox.” For a moment, the young private hesitated to join these Scotsmen. After all, if he ran into someone like Captain Falcon, he could be accused of, or even shot for desertion. On the other hand, they had saved his life from the Waffen thugs, and he had found himself “far north” of where he was supposed to be. All in all, he decided he’d take his chances with his new friends.

“Lead the way Lance Corporal.” Armorhide said as he followed his new “friend,” uncertain of what his future had in store.

Apple Bloom’s Room, Many Years Later

Apple Bloom was distracted from her grandfather’s journal when someone knocked on her bedroom door. Placing a bookmark in the journal, the burgundy haired girl called out, “Come on in.” The door opened, revealing Ironhide, who asked, “How you doing there kid?”

Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah’m doin’ alright. Just readin’ your dad’s old journal.” The family patriarch gave a smirk as he asked, “Nice. You get to the mainland yet?” Nodding, the former farm girl answered, “Yeah. Armorhide was bonked on the head and tied up to a donkey and saved by all those highlanders.”

Ironhide let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Sounds like you’ve just gotten to the good part.” He then said, “Sadly, it’s starting to get late. You better start getting ready for bed. It is a school night after all.” Though she began to pout, Apple Bloom eventually sighed as she replied, “Alright. Just make sure Sideswipe doesn’t get to the shower before me. She takes forever.” From the other side of the hallway, both Ironhide and Apple Bloom heard Sideswipe call out, “I heard that!”

As both father and daughter let out a good laugh, Ironhide said, “Alright. I’ll leave you to it.” He then left for his own bedroom as Apple Bloom made her way to her dresser and began to pick her pajamas for the night. After settling on a dark red tee shirt and pants, she began to walk towards the door, only to hesitate for a moment as she said, “Hold on a minute.”

Returning to her bed, Apple Bloom picked up her grandfather’s journal and placed it on her nightstand as she said, “Don’t wanna lose this.” As she set made sure the book was secure, she continued, “Guess Ah’ll have to leave you for another night.” With that, the former farm girl left to go take a shower.

After all, she could always save reading her grandfather’s journal for another time.

Author's Note

Next Time; Tender Taps helps Featherweight with both his dancing and his masculinity.

Author's Note; Much like how my last story had Ironhide telling his own war stories to Apple Bloom, this story will use the journal as a way to tell Armorhide's story, as well as a way to lead to the "pond hopping"
Fun fact, Gramps is inspired by the character of "wardaddy" from "Fury."

Making Noise

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 11; Making Noise

“So let me get this straight.” Tender Taps asked his drama teacher, A woman with pink skin, white hair, and a blue dress named Miss Allegra. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he asked, “You mean men used to play both male and female roles?”

Nodding, Miss Allegra replied, “Exactly. For centuries, women were not allowed to participate in theater. Everywhere from the great cities of Iacon to the globe theater and the early plays of the great playwright Midsomer only employed male performers. Of course, Midsomer eventually began to use actresses as well as actors, and others abandoned this practice around the same time.”

Writing down his teacher’s words into his notebook, Tender Taps thought to himself, ‘I never knew that before.’ As he scribbled an abridged version of the history lesson, the bell rang out, signaling that it was the end of the day. Miss Allegra clapped her hands together as she called out, “Alright now everyone, I shall see you all tomorrow. Have a good day.”

As Tender Taps began to gather his stuff, one of his classmates, a junior girl, bade him, “See you tomorrow Happy Feet!” The orange boy let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “See you tomorrow Mint Floss.” Once he had all his stuff, Tender began to walk, or rather, shuffle his way out of the classroom. As he passed through the door, however, Miss Allegra warned him, “Tender? What have I said about dancing in class?” Tender Taps let out nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his neck as he answered, “That I could trip everyone else up.”

Nodding, Miss Alegra reassured him, “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I don’t want you tripping anyone up.” She then added, “Or yourself for that matter. I’m just glad we have someone who can tap dance this semester.” Tender Taps smiled and shrugged as he replied, “Thanks. Now, if you’ll forgive me, I’ve gotta be going.” With that, the orange hoofer made his way out of the classroom.

Making his way through the school’s hallways, Tender Taps allowed a smile to form across his lips as he remarked, “Now that all this is done, the real fun begins.” Approaching his locker, the orange hoofer lit up with excitement as he fixed his eyes on the duffel bag placed snugly inside over his books. Pulling the bag out and slinging it over his shoulder as he pepped himself up with, “Now I’ve got everything, I better find Apple Bloom so we can…”

“Head to dance class?” Apple Bloom’s voice rang out from behind him. Caught off guard, Tender Taps leapt up as he exclaimed, “Gah!” The orange hoofer turned around to find his girlfriend waiting for him. The former farm girl was wearing her normal attire of a red off the shoulder shirt, black tank top, dark green and blue kilt, and black boots while her burgundy dyed hair was up in braided pigtails. She had her burgundy messenger bag slung across her shoulder as she held her own duffel bag in her arms.

Allowing a smug smirk to form on her face, Apple Bloom asked, “Ah got you, didn’t ah?” Catching his breath, Tender Taps admitted, “You did.” He then let out a gentle giggle as he continued, “I have to admit, you always have a way of sneaking up to people.” The former farm girl gave another mischievous smirk as she replied, “It’s a little something Ah picked up from back home.” The orange hoofer smiled as he remarked, “I feel honored being someone you can joke about the whole Anon-A-Miss thing with.” For her part, Apple Bloom took her boyfriend’s hand as she replied, “Consider it a perk of bein’ mah boyfriend.”

At that moment, Tender Taps said, “Come on, we don’t wanna keep mom waiting.” Smiling as she began to blush, Apple Bloom replied, “Lead the way.” With that, the orange hoofer took his girlfriend’s hand and led her away, hoping his mom wasn’t held up in traffic.

Hoofer Steps’s Dance Studio

As Apple Bloom and Tender Taps got out of Soft Shoe’s car, the older woman called out, “Have fun you two. Tender, I’ll make sure to get you and your sister dinner tonight.” The orange hoofer turned back to face his mother as he replied, “Thanks mom. Love you.” The yellow woman blew her son a kiss as she replied, "Love you too.” The older dance shoe cobbler then rolled her window up and drove off.

Once she was gone, Apple Bloom said, “Thanks for lettin’ me ride with you today.” Smiling, Tender Taps reassured her, “No problem! Since Featherweight’s parents offered to bring her with him, it’s made everything more convenient.” He then began to blush as he added, “And it gives us more time together.” The former farm girl began to blush herself as she took her boyfriend’s hand and asked, “Ain’t that the truth?”

The tender moment was interrupted when the studio door opened, revealing a large man with black skin, piercing red eyes, and a brown button shirt over a blue and white stripped shirt. The new man spoke out in a deep voice, “There you are mal’chik. Hoofer has been waiting for you.” Nodding as he let out an amused sigh, Tender Taps replied, “Alright. Lead the way Mr. Ravage.”

Turning back to his girlfriend, Tender Taps playfully lamented, “Alas, we must part ways yet again.” Apple Bloom let out a gentle (and rather adorable) giggle as she replied, “It’s just gonna be a few minutes. Still….” She then gave Tender a kiss to his cheek as she finished, “See you in a few.” The orange hoofer gave a polite bow as he replied, “See you then oh fair maiden.”

Entering the studio, Tender Taps and Ravage were greeted by the sight of Hoofer Steps, dressed in a black leotard, black skirt, and caramel tights, reading over several pieces of paper. The Slavic man cleared his throat as he asked, “Moya Lyubov?” Looking up from her papers, the gray dance teacher greeted, “Ah, Tender. It is good to see you.” She then took one of the pieces of paper as she continued, “Zis is a copy of ze schedule for an average veek. You should be able to find vhen you vill be assisting other classes.”

Taking the schedule, Tender Taps nodded as he replied, “Thank you. I won’t let you down ma’am.” The older woman smiled as she reassured him, “I know you von’t. Now zen, you had better get veady for your own class.” Nodding, the orange hoofer smiled as he replied, “Yes ma’am.” He then began to make his way to the dressing rooms.

Boys’ Dressing Room

Glancing at his reflection in the mirror, Tender Taps let out a sigh of relief as he remarked, “There we go, ready to make a little noise.” Indeed, he had changed into a purple tank top, black pants, and a pair of black oxford tap shoes. As his eyes darted down to his feet, the orange hoofer raised his right foot upwards, revealing the steel toe tap in the mirror’s reflection. “Heh, guess it's in my blood.”

Indeed, Tender Taps began to think of his family, and how as far back as he could recall, they’d all been dancers. Obviously, he and his younger sister were tap dancers, and his father, Hard Shoe, was currently away on tour with the Tap Hounds, an elite dance troupe. And then there was his mother, Soft Shoe, and while she primarily focused her energy on crafting dance shoes, the family’s matriarch still enjoyed striking the floor whenever she could, as well as teaching her kids everything she knew.

Smiling to himself, Tender Taps then remarked, “And don’t forget Grandma Gumboots and Grandpa Hornpipe.” He remembered how his grandfather taught him, or rather, tried to teach him traditional step dancing, and how the energetic boy struggled with keeping his back straight and arms still. Now that he thought about it, didn’t Sideswipe say something about being able to step dance?

At that moment, Tender Taps realized, “Oh man! I better make sure I don’t miss the start of class!” He then scooped up his water bottle and bolted out of the dressing room.

Studio Lobby

Entering the studio’s lobby, Tender Taps was pleasantly surprised to see, Apple Bloom, Sideswipe, Pastel Goth, and Pizzelle standing around, chatting with each other. Approaching his girlfriend, who had changed into a maroon tank top and black pants, the orange hoofer said, “Good to see I didn’t miss anything yet.” The former farm girl simply smiled as she replied, “We wouldn’t start anythin’ without you.” Pastel Goth then added, “Especially since your sister and that other guy haven’t arrived yet.”

At that moment, the studio’s door opened as two middle schoolers made their way inside. One was a blue girl with yellow braided pigtails dressed in a red dress, the other was a cream boy with short brown hair, a black tee shirt and pants, and a small but noticeable gap between his two front teeth.

As the two younger kids approached their classmates, Apple Bloom greeted, “Howdy Double Shuffle! How was school?” The younger girl wrapped her honorary big sister in a tight hug as she replied, “Boring. At least now we can unwind a little bit.” Tender Taps then playfully asked, “No love for me?” The younger blue girl let out a playful giggle as she pulled her brother into a hug of his own as she replied, “But I don’t get to see Apple Bloom every day.”

As the two girls hugged, Tender Taps turned his attention to Featherweight as he asked, “What about you? How you doing?” The cream boy awkwardly replied, “Oh, you know, same old same old.” For a reason he couldn’t put his finger on, the orange hoofer felt that something was off with the younger boy.

Before he could ponder the situation any further, the sound of Hoofer Steps’s voice called out, “Alvight now kinder. Come along everyvone.” As everyone began to make their way into the studio, Tender Taps thought to himself, ‘Ah well. Hopefully class will cheer him up.’ He then followed his friends, looking forward to what Hoofer Steps had in store for them.

A Short While Later…

“Und again.” Hoofer Steps called out as her pupils performed the advanced combination she’d spent the last half hour teaching them. As the teenagers clicked, clacked, and tapped their hearts out, Tender Taps made sure to be as precise as possible. Before he knew it, he’d managed to finish the combination, the only one to do so perfectly.

As everyone finished and caught their breath, Tender Taps playfully quipped, “I’m not even breaking a sweat.” Apple Bloom let out a deep breath of exhaustion, wiping the sweat from her brow as she replied, “Easy for you to say. You’ve got the stamina of a marathon runner.” Even Double Shuffle couldn’t help but remark, “Yeah. I think I need some water.” As the others caught their breath, Pastel Goth complimented, “Still, fantastic job man. You were “en pointe.” Get it?” Tender Taps laughed as he shook his classmates’ hand and replied, “Thanks. You did a good job yourself.”

At that moment, Hoofer Steps spoke up, “Alvight now everyvone. You’ve done a vonderful job. Zat shall do it for zis veek. See you all next time.” As Apple Bloom and Pastel curtsied their teacher, Sideswipe replied, “See you next week ma’am.” She then turned to her sister as she said, “I’m gonna change and get the bike warmed up. You and Pastel gonna tell Tender the thing?”

Curious, Tender Taps asked, “What thing?” Pastel Goth took a deep breath as she explained, “How about we go somewhere a little more… Private?”

The Dressing Rooms

“You’re Trans?” Tender Taps asked in surprise. A few moments earlier, Pastel Goth had come out to him, revealing how she’d been born a boy, but had realized she was a girl, and since transitioned, at least as much as a teenager who’d fled her father and was living with extended family could. Processing everything he’d just learned, the orange hoofer continued, “I mean, now I can kinda see it, but still, you’ve done a great job passing so far.”

Smiling, Pastel Goth let out a sigh of relief as she replied, “Thanks Tender. Apple Bloom said you’d be accepting and, well…” Holding her arm, the cerulean goth admitted, “I’m still kinda selective about who I come out to.” Taking her hand, Tender Taps reassured her, “I understand. It can be scary coming out. As someone who’s bisexual, I know what it’s like to worry about who to come out to.” Intrigued, Pastel remarked, “Really? Never took you for being bi.” Tender Taps let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Guess there’s more to both of us than meets the eye.”

At that moment, Apple Bloom approached the duo, playfully asking, “You ain’t gonna steal mah boy now, are ya Pastel?” Tender let out an amused chuckle as he replied, “Getting jealous again?” The former farm girl took her boyfriend’s hand as she reassured him, “Ah’m just fuckin’ with ya. Besides, Pastel wanted to tell you one on one.” The orange hoofer then blushed as he remarked, “Well, if I may, and forgive me if this sounds kinda rude, but there’s only one girl I have my eyes on.”

Blushing, Apple Bloom squealed, “Awh, come here you.” She then pulled her boyfriend into a passionate kiss, one he was happy to return.

Once the two teens finished their kiss, Apple Bloom lamented, “Ah wish Ah could stay, but Sideswipe and Ah gotta get movin’.” She then wrapped Tender Taps in a tight hug as she bade, “See ya later Tendy. Ah love you.” Hugging his girlfriend back, the orange hoofer replied, “I love you too. Say hi to Wheelie for me.” He then took the burgundy haired girl’s hand as he kissed it, leading to her replying, “Ah shall oh noble knight.”

With that, both Apple Bloom and Pastel Goth departed, leaving Tender Taps alone as he thought ‘I miss her already.’ Still, the orange hoofer knew he couldn’t sit around and mope. After all, he had another class coming up, only this time, he’d be assisting the teacher with the preschoolers. Taking a deep breath as he reached into his dance bag for some deoderant, Tender said to himself, “Alright. Here goes nothing.”

Fifteen Minutes Later

As he stretched his legs, Tender Taps noticed several preschoolers enter the studio, followed by a young woman with purple skin, blue hair that was up in a ballerina’s bun, and dressed in a short-sleeved leotard, caramel tights, and black tap shoes. Making her way up to the orange boy, the young teacher began, “So, you’re my assistant Tender Taps.” She then extended her hand as she introduced herself, “I’m Bombershay.”

Shaking the teacher’s hand back, Tender Taps replied, “It’s nice to meet you. I look forward to helping you.” Bombershay then informed him, “As do I. Hoofer Steps spoke highly of you.” As Tender Taps felt his heart soar from Hoofer Steps’s compliment, the purple woman turned to the gaggle of young girls as she began, “Alright now everyone.” As the preschoolers turned their attention to her, she continued, “Welcome to our tap class for the year. I’m Miss Bombershay, and I will be your teacher.” She then pointed to Tender Taps as she continued, “And this is Tender Taps. He will be helping me.”

After the preschoolers took this in, Bombershay said, “Now then, how about we all get to know each other?” As the girls began to raise their hands to go first, Tender Taps couldn’t help but think to himself, ‘This is gonna be good.’

A Short While Later

“You’re doing great everyone!” Bombershay called out to her class. She then continued, “Once more, shuffle step, shuffle step, shuffle step stamp stamp.” As the girls performed the simple move, Tender Taps watched them, making sure that they understood the step.

As he approached one of the girls, a young preschooler with red skin, yellow hair in a ponytail, and black buckle up tap shoes, the orange hoofer asked, “Doing alright there Teletone?” The young girl crossed her arms as she pouted, “This is too hard.” Bending down to look her in the eye, Tender Taps asked, “Really? What’s so hard about it.”

Teletone allowed her pout to soften as she explained, “I try to do this…” She then shuffled forward, but as she bulled her toe back, the young girl began to lose her balance. As she began to fall, Tender Taps intercepted her as he said, “Whoa there. Got you.” Releasing Teletone, the orange boy reassured her, “That was pretty good. You just need to work on your balance.”

Confused, the preschool girl asked, “My balance?” Tender Taps nodded as he explained, “Exactly. You just lost your balance.” He then asked, “How about we try it a bit slower, one tap at a time?”

Tender Taps then held his arms out as he said, “Now, brush your foot forward.” He then brushed his toe tap forward, signaling to Teletone to repeat what he’d shown her. Soon enough, the preschool girl had her own arms out and brushed her toe forward.

“Great.” Tender Taps said in excitement. “Now, we brush backwards.” He then pulled his foot back, striking the wooden floor with his toe tap. Teletone noticed this and repeated the gesture. She then asked, “Wait, so it’s like this?” She then managed to pull off a shuffle step, albeit while still struggling to keep her balance.

Kneeling back down, Tender Taps congratulated Teletone with an enthusiastic, “Way to go! That’s all there is to it!” The young girl squealed with delight as she extended her fist, leading Tender to give her a fist bump. She then exclaimed, “Maybe it’s not so hard after all.”

At that moment, Miss Bombershay called out, “Great job everyone. Sadly, our class is over for the day. If you will all come with me.” As everyone lined up to be dismissed, Teletone turned to Tender Taps as she asked, “Will you be here next time?” Smiling, the orange boy reassured her, “Of course I will. I’ll see you next week.” To his surprise, Teletone gave him a hug, one which he happily reciprocated.

As Teletone left, Bombershay turned to her assistant as she said, “Great job today Tender. Hoofer said that if you want, you can practice in here.” Lighting up with delight, Tender Taps replied, “Thank you ma’am.” Once she was gone the orange hoofer took a deep breath as he began to stretch his legs and said, “Alright now. If I….”

Later That Evening…

Stepping out of the studio as he slipped on a gray button shirt, Tender Taps wiped the sweat from his brow as he remarked, “Phew. Who needs a workout when you’re a hoofer?” After all, someone who made as much noise as he did would certainly be burning more than a few calories. Then again, a night like tonight was one of the few nights a week where he could afford more than just an hour or two with Double Shuffle practicing at home.

At that moment, the orange hoofer said out loud, “Oh, I nearly forgot! I should see how Double Shuffle is doing.” He then began to make his way to the dressing rooms, hopeful that his sister would be waiting at the tables nearby for him.

To his surprise, Tender Taps found both Double Shuffle and Featherweight seated at the table together, both kids doing homework.

Knocking on the wall, Tender Taps asked, “Am I interrupting anything?” Looking up from her textbook, Double Shuffle shook her head as she replied, “Nope. Just trying to make sense of math.” Featherweight then whispered something into her ear, leading the blue dancer to remark, “Oh! Ok, that makes sense.”

Writing something down on her homework, Double Shuffle then said, “Hey, I gotta go to the bathroom. You mind keeping an eye my things?” Featherweight nodded as he replied, “Sure thing.” As the blonde tap dancer made her way to the bathroom, she squeezed past her older brother as she apologized, “Excuse me.”

Once Double Shuffle was gone, Tender Taps made his way to an empty chair as he asked, “Hey Featherweight, mind if I ask why you’re still here? Class ended like, a few hours ago.” Featherweight let out a gentle sigh as he replied, “I got a text from my mom. She’s busy, so I guess I’m not going anywhere for a bit.” As he said this, there was a tinge of sadness to his voice, not enough to burst into tears, but still enough to audibly regret his situation. He then added, “At least you and Double Shuffle are here. We’re helping each other with our homework.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Tender Taps replied, “Yeah, since I help with one of the preschool classes, Double Shuffle sticks around here with me.” He then asked, “What about your dad?” The cream boy instantly admitted, “He’s out of town. Dad works for…” Featherweight paused for a moment before simply replying, “He’s a performer.”

Lighting up, Tender Taps exclaimed, “Really? Us too! Our dad is a member of the Tap Hounds, so he’s often away.” He then reached for his dance bag and fished around for his phone, before showing it to his classmate as he showed a picture of Hard Shoe with his fellow performers as he continued, “This is them posing for a promotional photo shoot in Manehattan.” However, Tender noticed his enthusiasm was starting to unsettle Featherweight. “Heh, sorry about that.” Tender Taps meekly apologized, “Guess I get carried away with this.”

Featherweight reassured his older classmate, “It’s ok.” He then asked, “So, is it true that your whole family are tap dancers?” Nodding, Tender Taps replied, “Yeah. There’s me and Double Shuffle, and there’s our dad Hard Shoe, and then our mom Soft Shoe, and all of our grandparents were dancers, even if they weren’t tap dancers.”

The cream boy let out an amazed “ooh” as he replied, “That’s cool.” He then asked, “Hey, if it’s not too awkward, can I ask a question?” Tender Taps nodded as he replied, “Ask away.”

Taking a deep breath, Featherweight asked, “Does being a dancer ever make you feel, I dunno, like a weirdo?”

Hearing the younger boy ask this question, Tender Taps thought, ‘Ah, that old question.’ Letting out a small sigh, the orange hoofer answered, “I used to think that sometimes, especially before I moved here.” He then asked, “I take it you’ve had some trouble with other kids bullying you?”

Nodding, Featherweight added, “Yeah. Especially in my scout troop.” He then then let out a defeated sigh as he explained, “The other boys pick on me, and not just because I like to dance. They make fun of my photography and how I don’t like to play all those violent video games that they like and…” Starting to tremble, he defeatedly admitted, “Maybe I’m just different.”

Wrapping his arm around Featherweight, Tender Taps reassured him, “So what if you’re different? That just makes you all the more unique.” As the younger boy turned his attention to him, the orange hoofer reassured him, “And you know what? I’m different too, so I guess that means we gotta stick together.” The cream boy smiled as he replied, “Thanks.”

Releasing his arm from his younger classmate, Tender Taps asked, “Does this mean you’ll be dropping class?” Featherweight furiously shook his head as he replied, “Of course not! Tap is like, one of the few things I really enjoy, right up there with photography. Not to mention how I enjoy everyone here from Miss Hoofer Steps to you and Double Shuffle and…”

“Everything alright?” Double Shuffle’s voice rang out as she approached the two boys. As she made her way towards her seat, Tender Taps noticed that Featherweight’s face began to faintly but noticeably turn pink. He then thought to himself, ‘Oh my. Does he have a crush on my sister?’ Before he could pry any further, the cream boy replied, “Yeah, everything’s fine.” He then added, “Just chatting.”

Smiling, Double Shuffle replied, “That’s great.” She then turned to her brother as she continued, “So when is mom coming by with something to eat? I’m starving.” Tender Taps shrugged as he replied, “I can’t say for sure. Though she’ll probably be here any….”

He was interrupted by the faint rumble caused by his phone vibrating. As he brought the device to his eyes, Tender Taps noticed that he’d received a message from his mother that read “Am here with subs.” The orange hoofer then let out a gentle chuckle as he finished, “Actually, she’s here now.” No sooner had he said this than Double Shuffle bolted away, leaving both boys alone again.

Turning to face Featherweight, Tender Taps was surprised to see that the cream boy was starting to blush again. ‘That’s odd.’ The orange hoofer thought to himself. ‘The only reason he’d possibly get like that around someone like my sister is because he…’

At that moment, a thought entered Tender Taps’s mind as a smug smirk formed on his face. Noticing the older boy’s changed expression, Featherweight nervously asked, “Uh, what’s going on?” Continuing to smirk, Tender cheekily replied, “Oh, nothing really.” He then added, “I just think I see something regarding you and my sister.”

Featherweight immediately shot up as he nervously stammered, “I… I mean… She’s…. We….” As his face began to turn redder than a tomato, Tender Taps reassured him, “It’s alright buddy. I know the feeling.” He then rested a hand on his shoulder as he told him, “It’s always scary the first time.” Taking this in, Featherweight allowed a smile to form on his face as he replied, “Thanks.”

Double Shuffle then returned as she said, “Hey Featherweight, I think you’re mom is here.” The cream boy let out a breath as he replied, “Guess I better pack everything up.” As he began to pack his homework and textbooks up, the blue dancer offered, “Let me give you a hand.”

As she did so, Double Shuffle accidentally rested her hand on top of Featherweight’s hand, leading both kids to lock eyes as they both began to blush. After a few moments of awkward silence, the skinny boy said, “Uh…. Thanks. I better not keep my mom waiting.” He then finished packing his stuff as he nervously asked, “So, I’ll see you later?”

Double Shuffle gave her answer in the form of a hug, which caught Featherweight off guard before he returned it. Once they’d finished their hug, the cream boy scooped up his backpack and dance bag before departing, leaving the young girl already missing her friend as she began to blush again.

Tender Taps then let out a playful, “I see what’s going on here.” As his sister turned to face him, the orange hoofer bluntly stated, “You two like each other.” Caught off guard, Double Shuffle exclaimed, “What? Me and Featherweight? We’ve only known each other a few weeks! And besides…” As she said this, her blue face began to blush as her brother replied, “Of course, but me and Apple Bloom waited a few months before getting together. Besides…” He then leaned right into his sister’s face as he said, “You two are kinda cute together.”

All Double Shuffle could do was blurt out, “Shut up!” She then began to stomp off as she declared, “Hurry up and get your stuff or I’ll tell mom you… you….” Unable to think of what to threaten her brother with, she just groaned as she grumbled, “Just come on.” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Tender Taps replied, “Alright.”

As he walked into the boy’s dressing room, Tender Taps let out a mischievous chuckle as he said to himself, “Oh she definitely likes him.” Picking up his own dance bag and backpack, the orange hoofer continued, “Better not say anything about this to mom. Besides, it’s too early to really say anything for certain.” Then again, from what he’d seen, it was clear that Doubler Shuffle and Featherweight had a rather close friendship, and he could easily see them going further.

Before he could continue, Tender’s stomach began to grumble as he remarked, “No use anticipating the future on an empty stomach.” With that, he fastened his duffel bag and backpack before departing, looking forward to the sandwich his mother had gotten him.

All while he thought to himself, ‘Yeah, those two definitely like each other.’

Author's Note

Next Time: When Wreck-Gar makes a rather nasty faux pau, Pastel Goth finds herself teaching the promethean cyclops a little about herself.

Author's note: I apologize for the unannounced delay, as I came down with a rather nasty cold.

Pastel and Wreck-Gar

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 12; Pastel and Wreck-Gar

To many people, the bravest thing someone can do is face their greatest fear. To others, it is revealing something personal, like a well-kept secret. But for Pastel Goth, the bravest thing she could possibly do involved doing both at the same time. More specifically, she was in Apple Bloom’s room with the former farm girl, Sideswipe, Marble Pie, and Rattrap as she informed the latter two of something she felt they deserved to know.

“Rattrap, Marble, I’m a trans girl.”

As the other two teens took this revelation in, Pastel tensed up as she prepared for the worst possible answer. While Apple Bloom and Sideswipe had reassured her that their friends would accept her, the cerulean goth always found herself anticipating the worst possible outcome. After all, her father had expressed his disgust at her when she came out to him, and he’d not been the only one. ‘It’s a miracle that Blaster accepted me.’ Pastel thought to herself, too lost in thought to notice Apple Bloom trying to get her attention.

“Hey Pastel!” Apple Bloom called out, trying to get her friend’s attention. As Pastel turned to the former farm girl, she apologized, “Sorry about that. I kinda zoned out for a moment.” Apple Bloom nodded as she explained, “It’s alright, but Ah think Rattrap wants to say something.” As the cerulean goth turned to face him, the scrawny teen took a deep breath as he began a small speech.

“Alright, I’m not too good at this sort of thing, but let me see if I can explain this. I ain’t gonna pretend I understand what bein’ trans is like, and I know I got a few questions I’d kinda like to ask, but I ain’t gonna pry if it isn’t comfortable for you. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from livin’ on the streets, it’s that you take people at their word and…”

When everyone gave him confused looks, Rattrap cleared his throat and explained, “Pastel, if you say you’re a girl, then you’re a girl, and…. Well…. That’s pretty much it.” As Pastel took this in, Marble rested a hand on her friend’s shoulder as she added, “Pastel, I want you to know that I feel honored you chose to come out to us, and if I may, you are an amazingly beautiful girl.”

Starting to tear up, Pastel Goth pulled the two teens into a massive hug as she squealed, “Thank you so much! You two have no idea how important this is for me!” Indeed, even though she’d already come out to Apple Bloom and Sideswipe the previous week, and to Tender Taps the day before, the cerulean goth still found herself nervous about coming out to yet more people. But having the two immediately reassure her that they accepted her for who she was made Pastel’s heart sore, happy that she’d found more people who recognized her as a girl.

Releasing her friends, Pastel said, “Sorry if that was a bit tight, but I get emotional in situations like this.” Marble reassured her, “It’s ok, I know what it’s like. Remember when I told you about how I had Perceptor’s Syndrome?” Sideswipe then chimed in with, “Yeah, that was a long night.” She then took her girlfriend’s hand as she continued, “I’m just glad I could be there for you.”

At that moment, someone knocked on the bedroom door, followed by a voice that sounded like it was coming through a radio asking, “Hello there. May I come in? I’ve got some refreshments for you kids.” Apple Bloom stood up as she explained, “That must be Wreck-Gar.” She then turned to Pastel as she continued, “He’s a robot that Wheeljack made. Kinda like Wheelie, only he’s full sized and a cyclops.” Rattrap then added, “He’s super fancy, like one of them butlers.”

As the former farm girl opened the door, Pastel Goth was greeted by the sight of a bipedal robot covered in bronze plating with visible wires. While his body proportions were that of a human, his head was very simplistic, consisting simply of a large red eye and a chin with a vertical slit that was certainly his mouth. The only other thing that caught Pastel off guard was the fact that he was carrying a tray that housed a teapot, a series of small cups, and several slices of buttered bread. Intrigued by this metal man, the cerulean goth thought to herself, ‘So that’s Wreck-Gar. I can see the resemblance to Wheelie.’

Entering the bedroom, Wreck-Gar called out, “As you all have been up here a while, I took the liberty brewing up some tea and making some buttered soldiers.” He then set the tray on the table as he continued, “Especially since most of you will leave by the time we start preparations for dinner.” Pastel couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘Gotta admit, his voice has a nice ring to it, even if it sounds like someone talking through an old radio broadcast.’

At that moment, as Wreck-Gar passed her, the bronzed robot asked, “Excuse me young man, but what are you doing wearing a dress?”

For several moments, everyone found themselves speechless. Pastel thought to herself, ‘Wait, don’t tell me he actually said what I think he said.’ She then looked down at the pink dress she’d been wearing under her leather jacket, the only dress anyone in the room was currently wearing. ‘Oh no. Please don’t let this be what I think it is.’

As Pastel began to panic, Rattrap stood up and, turning to Wreck-Gar, began to joke, “Alright, you caught me. I like wearin’ dresses.” He then began to swish his oversized gray shirt around in an attempt to distract the promethean cyclops. Despite the tense situation unfurling, the other kids couldn’t help but laugh at their friend’s distraction. Even Pastel couldn’t help but allow a gentle giggle to escape her as she remarked, “Nice one Rattrap.”

Sadly, Wreck-Gar turned his attention back to Pastel Goth as he elaborated, “As much as I find his performance entertaining, I refer to you young man.” He then added, “I dare say, I find your fashion choice rather queer.” Taking this in, Pastel found herself overcome by a combination of rage and pain. As she started to growl, Wreck-Gar innocently asked, “Is everything alright sir?”

“I AM NOT A BOY!” Pastel shouted at Wreck-Gar, catching everyone off guard. As the robot stepped backwards in surprise, the cerulean girl pointed to his chest as she angrily continued, “My name is Pastel Goth, and I’m a girl, specifically a trans girl. So do me one favor, and never, EVER, call me a boy again! Got it?”

To her surprise, Wreck-Gar held one hand to his hips as he pointed to her as he asked, “Really? Then why is your voice so deep?” This only made Pastel angrier, who barked, “You got a problem with my voice tin can?” The bronze robot continued, “Because you certainly sound like a boy.”

Before anyone could escalate the situation, Apple Bloom stepped in between the two as she called out, “That’s it!” For a moment, Pastel began to internally worry, ‘Please don’t think like that. Apple Bloom is your friend. She wouldn’t do something like blame you for what’s going on, right?’

Thankfully, Apple Bloom turned to Wreck-Gar and calmly but sternly ordered, “Wreck-Gar? You better get out of mah room right now.” The promethean cyclops hesitated for a moment before nodding and replied, “As you wish ma’am.” He then made his way out of the former farm girl’s room as he bade, “I shall return for the tray and cups later.”

Once Wreck-Gar was gone, Apple Bloom turned back to Pastel and apologized, “Ah am so, so sorry he said that. Ah don’t know what’s gotten into him.” The cerulean goth took a deep breath as she replied, “Thanks. Sorry for getting all angry at him, but…” Starting to choke up, she explained, “I’ve had to deal with a lot of people who pull shit like that, and each time it gets harder to take without me just wanting to stuff my face into a pillow and scream.” As a tear escaped from her eye, she finished, “Sorry, it just gets tiring after a while.”

Pastel was pleasantly surprised when Apple Bloom, Sideswipe, and Marble pulled her into a massive group hug. Hugging the former farm girl back, Pastel replied with a gentle, “Thank you.” Apple Bloom reassured her friend, “Ah’ll be tellin’ Wheeljack about this, and if Wreck-Gar tries this again, Ah’ll kick him in the ball bearin’s.” Sideswipe added, “Yeah, and I’ll crack his eye.”

Smiling, Pastel let out a gentle, “Thanks. I love you girls.” She then turned to Rattrap as she reassured him, “You’re pretty cool too.” The scrawny teen shrugged as he replied, “Eh, I do what I can.” With that, Pastel hugged her friends again, outwardly happy but deep inside, subconsciously aware of her own dysphoria.

Later That Evening

Sitting on the porch outside the chop shop, Pastel Goth waited for her older brother, Blaster, to come pick her up. As she straightened her jacket, the cerulean goth muttered to herself, “Stupid robot. I can’t believe he called me a boy.” Sure, she’d been misgendered before, mostly by strangers or people who associated with her parents, and while it often hurt, it was a type of pain she’d gotten used to.

But something about today had hit differently. Unlike in the past, where she didn’t have the means to pass convincingly, Pastel had taken every precaution possible to look like a girl. She’d worn a dress, she’d applied make up and black lipstick, and her hair was long enough for a more feminine hair style, and her boots even had noticeable heels.

“So why did that robot think I was a boy?” She asked herself.

Before she could ponder her predicament any further, Pastel was distracted by the sight of her older brother’s car approaching. Letting out a sigh of relief, the young goth remarked, “Finally. Time to put all that robot’s crap behind me for tonight.” As the car pulled up, the cerulean girl made her way to the passenger’s seat, opened the door, and sat down.

As the car began to drive off, Blaster turned to face his stepsister and enthusiastically ask, “Hey there little lady. How’d today go? Your friends accept you coming out to them?” Nodding, Pastel somberly replied, “They did.” The crimson DJ noticed his sister’s less than enthusiastic mood and asked, “What happened?” The cerulean goth scratched the back of her neck as she replied, “Nothing happened.”

Blaster shook his head as he said, “I know that tone Pastel. Something happened, so please tell me what happened?” Sighing, Pastel explained, “Well, you know how I said one of the guys at Apple Bloom’s place built a small robot? Well, turns out he built another one, this full-sized cyclops and…” Taking a deep breath as she steeled herself, the cerulean goth explained, “He kept misgendering me.”

“Oh, Pastel.” Blaster sympathetically said as he reached his arm across the car and patted his half-sister’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry that robot did that.” As Pastel turned to face her older half-brother, the crimson DJ reassured her, “Hey, when we get home, how about I make some of those ramen noodles you like? You know, the ones with the shrimp?”

Feeling somewhat relieved, Pastel let a small smile form on her lips as she replied, “I’d really like that.” Despite this, the growing sense of unease continued to eat away inside her, leaving the cerulean goth unaware of what was to come that night.

Blaster and Pastel’s Home, That Night

Scrubbing his sponge against the bowl, Blaster remarked to himself, “There we go, one down, another to go.” After returning home, the elder sibling had made his sister’s favorite food, shrimp and ramen, and after a relaxing dinner, Pastel had gone upstairs to take a shower. As he reached for the other bowl, the crimson DJ allowed his eyes to drift towards a photograph of himself and Pastel Goth posing with two guitars.

Reaching to the picture, Blaster smiled as he said, “That was a good day.” He remembered the day that Pastel showed up on his doorstep after running away from their father, and how after he’d reacted poorly, or rather violently, to who she was, his half-sister had nowhere else to go. Though the next several days had been filled with tears, nightmares, and a custody battle with so much shouting that Blaster swore he’d lost some of his hearing.

Thankfully, everything had resolved itself in a satisfactory manner. Blaster had gained custody of his sister, and Pastel was now in an environment where she could embrace her true self. Sure, their father threw a massive fit about “losing his parental rights” and “having his familiar piety defied,” but Blaster couldn’t give half a shit what his father thought.

Letting out a wistful sigh, Blaster remarked, “Glad to see you enjoying life for once.”

At that moment, Blaster was distracted by a sound he didn’t expect to ever hear in his home; Pastel’s voice letting out a furious cry of pain. Dropping the photograph into the sink, the crimson DJ began to panic as he thought to himself, ‘Oh no. Please tell me something she didn’t hurt herself.’ When his sister’s voice screamed out again, Blaster began to run towards the stairs as he called out, “Hold on Pastel! I’m coming!”

Once he was at the bathroom, Blaster called out, “I’m coming in kid!” As he reached for the door, Pastel’s voice screamed back, “Don’t come in! Please don’t come in!” She then tearfully continued, “I don’t want you to see me like this!” When her voice devolved into intelligible crying, Blaster let out a resigned sigh as he replied, “Ok, but are you hurt”

For several moments, Pastel didn’t say anything. Blaster began to internally panic as he asked, “You alright in there?” Once again, his half sister didn’t say anything, the only audible sound was her broken voice sniffling as her nose audibly ran.

Eventually, the bathroom door opened as Pastel, dressed in a pink bathrobe, ran into her brother and wrapped her arms around him as she cried into his chest. Caught off guard, Blaster quickly regained his senses and hugged his sister back as he gently asked, “Hey, it’s alright there. What’s going on?”

Once she’d out enough of her pain, Pastel tearfully began, “Well, after everything that happened today, I just…” Her eyes watering up, the cerulean girl lamented, “I just can’t look at myself without feeling like something’s wrong!” She then buried herself into her brother again, devolving back into an incoherent mess. Blaster could only hug his sister tight as he gently caressed her hair and say, “I’m sorry girl.” He then took a deep breath as he reassured her, “I promise you, if that robot shows his ugly face around here, I’ll turn that thing into scrap metal.”

At that moment, both Blaster and Pastel heard someone knock on the front door? As the two siblings gave each other confused looks, the crimson DJ wondered out loud, “Who the hell would be out this late at night?” He then turned to begin making his way down the stairs, only for Pastel to impulsively take his hand, a clear sign that she didn’t want to be alone. Smiling at his half sister, Blaster reassured her, “Let’s see who it is, and then we can, I dunno, listen to some music?” The cerulean goth could only smile as she replied, “That sounds like a plan.”

The Front Door

Opening the front door, Blaster and Pastel were completely surprised to find a man with gray skin, black hair that led into friendly mutton chops, circular glasses, brown shoes, and an off-white jumpsuit with green and red stripes on it standing before them. The crimson DJ gave a puzzled look as he thought to himself, ‘Who’s this guy? I’ve never seen this geezer before.’ Pastel, on the other hand, let out a confused, “I know you. You’re Wheeljack!” She then turned to her brother as she explained, “This is the guy I told you about! He's one of Apple Bloom and Sideswipe’s uncle’s friends.”

Taking a deep breath, Wheeljack began, “Hello Pastel. We’re here because someone decided to be a prick to you.” Blaster then gave a bemused look as he asked, “Hold on. What do you mean by “we?”” The maverick mechanic nodded as he explained, “Yeah. About that…” He then turned to Pastel as he added, “Someone wants to tell you something.”

As Pastel gave a bemused expression, both she and Blaster noticed a bronze-colored bipedal robot with a single red eye approaching them. Once the promethean cyclops had joined the trio of organics, he introduced himself, “Greetings. I am Cogman version one point one three eight, but you may call me Wreck-Gar.”

While Pastel gave him a furious scowl, Blaster found himself completely dumbfounded by the automaton that stood before him. ‘No way.’ The crimson DJ thought to himself. ‘This… This can’t be real. I mean, I know Pastel said this guy was a robot but…’ As the reality of his situation hit him, Blaster did the only thing one would reasonably do when greeted with a sentient machine.

Blaster fainted, falling backwards as Wreck-Gar turned to you, the reader, and complained, “Don’t you hate it when this happens?”

Forty-Five Minutes Later

After Blaster recovered from the shock of Wreck-Gar’s nature and existence, he and Pastel invited their guests inside, where Wheeljack revealed that, as well as offer an apology, he had a unique offer to the two siblings.

“You want to pawn Wreck-Gar off on us?”

Nodding, Wheeljack explained, “Not exactly just dumping him on you, but I am nonetheless loaning him to you.” As Pastel and Blaster gave each other confused looks, the maverick mechanic explained, “Wreck-Gar has been having some behavioral issues, and after Apple Bloom told me what he said, I decided that he needs to learn a lesson.” He then turned to Pastel as he finished, “So for the next twenty-four hours, Wreck-Gar is at your disposal.”

As Blaster and Pastel took this in, Wreck-Gar approached then and held his arm parallel to his body (like a butler would) as he said, “As Master Wheeljack so eloquently put it, I am your humble servant. I will fulfill any request you have.”

Taking this in, Blaster pondered to himself, ‘Any request? Man, I gotta feeling we are gonna be spoiled tomorrow.’ Before he could say anything, Pastel stood up and ordered, “Alright Wreck-Gar. Finish cleaning the dishes. After that, I guess we won’t need you until morning.” She anticipated that the bronze cyclops would put up a fight, resist, or at the very least hesitate for a moment or two.

Instead, Wreck-Gar gave a polite bow and replied, “As you wish Ma’am.” As he departed for the kitchen (only pausing so Blaster could point him in the right direction), Wheeljack explained, “Apple Bloom, Sideswipe and I drilled it into his head to refer to you by feminine terminology. If he backslides, please tell me, and I’ll confront him about it.”

As the two half siblings took this in, Wheeljack said, “Now then, I leave him in your hands. I’ll be back tomorrow night to pick him up.” With that, the maverick mechanic made his way out the front door.

Once Wheeljack was gone, Pastel turned to her half-brother and said, “I’m gonna go to bed. See you in the morning.” She then turned to the kitchen as she said, “I don’t want him in my room without my permission.” Blaster nodded as he reassured his sister, “Don’t worry. He does, I’ll be sending him back to Wheeljack bolt by bolt. Sweet dreams kid.”

With that, Pastel departed for her bedroom as Blaster thought to himself, ‘I hope that this won’t blow up in our faces.’

Pastel’s Room, The Next Morning

Staring at her reflection in her bedroom mirror, Pastel took in the ensemble she’d chosen for herself that lovely Saturday. She was wearing a pink sleeveless dress, her black leather jacket, and black boots with very noticeable heels. She’d also applied black lipstick, nail polish, and eyeliner. The cerulean goth even had her hair down, allowing her bangs to obscure her left eye. Straightening her jacket, Pastel said to her reflection, “There we are. You are gonna let that robot know you are a girl and that you’re proud of being a girl.”

As she opened her bedroom door, the cerulean goth made her way into the hallway as she noticed something peculiar, the smell of fresh cooking? “That’s odd.” She thought to herself. “Blaster isn’t that great a cook, but this smells… good?” Not only was the smell enticing, but Pastel also heard her brother’s voice coming from his own bedroom, clearly talking on the phone with someone.

“Hold on…” Pastel asked herself out loud. “If Blaster is in his bedroom, then that would mean that…” It was at this moment that she realized what was going on. “Oh, Wreck-Gar.” She then made her way downstairs, curious to see what was going on.

The Kitchen

Entering the Kitchen, Pastel was pleasantly surprised by what she saw. She found Wreck-Gar busy flipping several pancakes onto two plates. The dining table also had been set with silverware and two glasses of orange juice. Taking this in, the teenaged girl cleared her throat, alerting the promethean cyclops to her presence.

Turning around, Wreck-Gar greeted Pastel with a polite, “Ah, good morning young lady. I trust you slept well.” The cerulean goth replied with a cautious, “Yeah. I slept pretty well. What are you doing?” The bronze robot cheerily explained, “I’m preparing breakfast for you and Master Blaster. As I will be in your service until late this evening, I figured I might as well make sure the two of you are well fed.” He then turned added, “Of course I will take responsibility for cleaning up, no need for you to dirty yourself.”

Taking this in, Pastel replied with a confused, “Uh, thank you?” She didn’t know if Wreck-Gar was being truly polite, or if he was disguising any ill intent with feigned kindness. Still, her rumbling stomach outweighed her suspicion, and the cerulean girl said, “I mean, thank you Wreck-Gar. I’m sure Blaster will appreciate this gesture.” The promethean cyclops nodded as he replied, “No problem young lady.”

At that moment, Blaster made his way into the kitchen, holding his cellphone up to his ear as he said, “Look, I thought we made it clear I was off today. I don’t go back on the air until Monday, and I wanted to spend time with… No, I understand but…. Look, I’m just….” Taking a deep breath, the crimson DJ solemnly replied, “Alright, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” He then pressed a button on his phone and rested it in his pocket as he sighed in resignation.

Pastel nervously asked, “Was that the radio station?” Her brother nodded as he replied, “Yeah, they need me to come in and help with some paperwork. Something about a TPS report or a something or other.” The cerulean goth asked, “So, how long are you gonna be out?” Blaster could only shrug as he replied, “I dunno. Hopefully I’ll be back before dusk. Apparently, there’s a lot of crap they need me to go through. Hellif I know why they need me and not one of the interns.”

Wreck-Gar then groaned, “Oh poo poo. And after all the effort I put in to make this breakfast for you.” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Blaster reassured the robot, “I do appreciate the gesture though. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He then reached over to one of the plates of pancakes and grabbed it as he added, “Pastel is in charge while I’m out. DO whatever she says, understood?” Wreck-Gar nodded as he answered, “Roger Wilco sir.”

With the order of who was in charge settled, Blaster took one of the glasses of orange juice and gulped it down before heading for the front door as he called out, “See you two later. Love you Pastel.” The cerulean girl replied, “Love you too blaster. Hurry back.”

Once Blaster was gone, Pastel Goth turned to Wreck-Gar as she informed him, “After breakfast, I’m gonna go back to my room and play a little music.” The promethean cyclops nodded as he replied, “Duly noted. After I finish breakfast, I’ll do some dusting. Let me know if there is any task you require performed.”

With the day’s plans and the chain of command established, Pastel began to eat her breakfast, all while she thought to herself, ‘say what you will about his manners, but Wreck-Gar sure seems to be a pretty good chef.’

Pastel’s Room

Sitting on her bed, Pastel Goth strummed the strings of her electric bass, a gift she’d received from Blaster on her first birthday with him. After finishing her breakfast, the cerulean girl decided to leave Wreck-Gar to clean up the mess, and after that, perform simple tasks such as vacuuming the carpets and dust everything off. ‘Anything to keep him busy.’ She thought to herself as she continued playing her bass.

At that moment, Pastel heard someone knocking on her bedroom door. “Ugh, please don’t tell me he finished already.” She groaned to herself, hoping that the robot would just leave her alone. After a few moments, Wreck-Gar knocked on the door again. The cerulean goth groaned as she accepted that the promethean cyclops was not going to leave her alone.

Setting her bass on the bed, Pastel made her way to her bedroom door and opened it, bringing her face to face with Wreck-Gar as he held a feather duster. The robot locked his red eye with hers as he stated, “Ah, madam. I am pleased to inform you that I have performed the tasks you instructed me to and am awaiting new orders.” Sighing to herself, Pastel shrugged as she replied, “That’s good, but I don’t have any other tasks for you.”

Looking at the bedroom behind his temporary master, Wreck-Gar inquired, “May I have permission to enter your room?” Hesitating for a moment as she scratched her chin, Pastel shrugged her shoulders as she answered, “I suppose you can. Not like you have anything else to do.” As the bronze robot began to pass through the doorway, she stopped him as she pointed to his chest and warned, “But you say one word I don’t like or misgender me, and you’re out. Got it?”

Nodding, Wreck-Gar responded with a simple, “Roger wilco.” Pastel hesitated for a moment, confused by the robot’s choice of words before raising her hands in defeat as she replied, “I don’t know what that means, but I’ll take that as a yes.”

As Wreck-Gar made his way into the teenaged girl’s bedroom, the robot remarked, “I must say, you certainly have a fondness for music.” Indeed, in addition to the electric bass on her bed, Pastel’s walls were decorated with posters of rock bands and singers, famous concerts from decades past, and even a decorative guitar (a guitar that did not produce a great sound, but certainly looked pretty). He then asked, “If I may ask, what is your personal favorite style of music?”

Caught off guard by his seemingly innocent question, Pastel simply answered, “Probably punk rock.” She then made her way back to her bed and picked up her bass as she strummed the beat to one of her favorite songs. As she played, the young girl began to gently sing, “I don’t wanna be who you want me to be. That perfect little prick just isn’t me. I wanna do things my way and I wanna be free, I just wanna be the real me.”

Once she finished, Pastel was pleasantly surprised to find Wreck-Gar clapping as he said, “That was very lovely.” Caught off guard by the compliment, the young girl thought to herself, ‘That’s odd. Never thought a robot would have a taste for music.’ Deciding not to seem rude, Pastel simply replied, “Thanks.” She then asked, “So… What about you? What sort of music do you like?”

Wreck-Gar immediately lit up, his single eye making an expression meant to evoke smiling, as he cleared his throat (something Pastel didn’t know how he could do without a throat) as began to sing, “Sing as goooo, and let the world go byyyy. Singing a song, we’ll march along the hiiiiggghh waaaayyy. Say goodbye to sorrow, there’s always tomorrow, to think of todaaayyyy. Sing as we goooo, although the skies are graaaayyyy. Beggar or king, you’ve got to sing a gaaaayyy tuuuneee. A song and a smile making life worthwhile, so siiiiinnngggg as we goooo aloooooong!”

Impressed by the robot’s singing voice, Pastel applauded him as she said, “That was really good. That some sort of old jazz standard or something?” Nodding, Wreck-Gar replied, “I believe so. I found it on an old record Master Wheeljack has. I believe it belonged to his father, Master Queue.” He then added, “I believe I know another one.”

Straightening himself with the motions one would do to take a deep breath, Wreck-Gar sang, “Hey you! Are you from Dixxiiieee?” He then seamlessly altered his voice as he continued, “Yes, I’m from Dixxiiieeee. Where the fields of cotton, they beckon to meeeee….”

Pastel raised her hand as she interrupted, “Yeah, I’ve heard that song, and I don’t really like it.” She then began to hold her arm in her hand as she added, “It’s one of my dad’s favorites.” The moment those words escaped her lips, Pastel found herself recalling unpleasant memories of her father, how he refused to accept her gender and how he seemed to despise her with every fiber in his body began to reenter her mind.

Seeing the young girl turn so glum due to his choice of music, Wreck-Gar apologized, “I’m sorry I upset you. If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you I…” Pastel interrupted him as she reassured him, “It’s ok. I mean, it’s not “ok” ok but… You couldn’t have known that.”

After an awkward moment of silence, Wreck-Gar asked, “May I ask, if it’s not too much, why you identify as a girl?”

‘Figured he’d ask that at some point.’ Pastel thought to herself. ‘I mean, that’s how this whole nightmare started, right?’ The cerulean goth was interrupted by Wreck-Gar nervously backpaddling, “I apologize if that question was too personal. If it is, you do not have to answer it.”

Taking a deep breath, Pastel replied, “Well, look here. When it comes to something like how I identify, I like to think that I don’t owe anyone an explanation.” She then gestured to him as she asked, “What if I asked you why you, I dunno, why do you identify as a robot?” To her surprise, Wreck-Gar immediately replied, “I am not a mere robot! I am a human being!” His stern response caught Pastel off guard, leading Wreck-Gar to apologize, “My apologies for that. I find the topic of having my humanity questioned.”

Before she could even realize what she was about to say, Pastel glumly replied, “You and me both pal.”

The moment those words escaped her lips, the cerulean goth found herself locking eyes with Wreck-Gar as the promethean cyclops stared right back, as if both individuals saw a bit of themselves in each other. At that moment, Pastel asked, “You wanna see something cool?”

The Roof

As the two climbed up a ladder and onto the house’s roof, Wreck-Gar asked, “You sure this is safe? I don’t want you getting yourself hurt. Master Wheeljack would never forgive me for that.” Pastel looked down as she replied, “Relax, I’ve done this plenty of times.” She wasn’t lying; the young girl would often climb onto the house’s roof whenever she needed the combination of a quiet place to decompress and needed a pleasant sight to make her feel better.

Once the two were safely on the roof, Pastel gestured to the horizon as she playfully asked, “Don’t get a view like that often, do you?” Wreck-Gar turned to face what she was pointing to, only to be greeted by a bird’s eye view of downtown Allspark Wells at dusk. Taking the sight in, Wreck-Gar held his hands to his hips as he replied, “In truth, no. My home is in a rather remote location, and the “best view” I could get is of the road and a few other buildings.”

As the two sat down, Pastel took off her jacket, revealing her bare shoulders as she began, “I like to come up here when I need some peace and quiet.” She then looked to Wreck-Gar as she added, “I came up here the night I came out to Apple Bloom and Sideswipe. Earlier that day, just as I was about to tell Apple Bloom, some bullies tried picking on me, calling me a boy and saying I was a crossdresser.”

Nodding, Wreck-Gar apologized, “I am so sorry those bastards insulted you.” He then looked down in shame as he continued, “And I’m sorry I misgendered you yesterday. When I saw your face, I thought you were male, and didn’t know what a trans person was.”

Pastel Goth took Wreck-Gar’s hand as she explained, “Well, we’re not really that different from anyone else. We just don’t identify as the gender we were born in. In my case, I was born with male…. Parts, but I feel far more comfortable as a girl.” She then added, “The problem is that some people don’t like the idea that people can change. Blaster says it’s because it threatens their sense of privilege or power.”

Nodding, Wreck-Gar replied, “That’s why Master Wheeljack doesn’t let me or my brothers off the property much. Because we were made by a fellow human, apparently our very existence is some sort of existential threat or theological threat to people.” He then shrugged as he continued, “I never took his concerns too seriously, especially after Apple Bloom and Sideswipe seemed to accept me, but after Wheelie snuck his way into school and a teacher threatened to hurt him, I realized that perhaps Master Wheeljack was right all along.”

Pastel found herself feeling something she didn’t expect she’d feel that day; sympathy for Wreck-Gar. ‘I mean, he misgendered me, but he also apologized to me, and it seems he’s not that different from me at all.’ Resting her arm around his shoulder, the cerulean goth reassured him, “Well, I can at least promise you’re always welcome around here.” When the promethean cyclops turned to face her, Pastel quickly added, “As long as you don’t… you know….”

Wreck-Gar’s eye lit up as he exclaimed, “I assure you, I will not make that mistake again m’lady.”

Smiling, Pastel replied with a gentle, “Thanks.” With that, she and Wreck-Gar stared off into the horizon, taking in the sight of their hometown.

The Living Room, That Night

“Pastel! I’m home!” Blaster called out as he entered the house. As he entered the living room, the crimson DJ found himself pleasantly surprised by the sight of Pastel and Wreck-Gar talking with each other, the young girl finishing a story with, “Girl, you just cannot pull of pink like I can. I’m sorry, but it’s a fact.” The robotic cyclops let out a hearty laugh as he replied, “That oughta teach her to steal your style.”

At that moment, Blaster cleared his throat, signaling to the others that he was finally home. Turning to face her brother, Pastel greeted him, “Hey Blaster! Get everything done?” The crimson DJ nodded as he replied, “Yeah. I swear they could’ve gotten everything done without me, but I think they just wanted an excuse to mess with me. Thankfully, the station owner showed up and sorted everything out, so I doubt this will happen again.” He then motioned to Wreck-Gar as he asked, “You behave yourself buddy?”

Wreck-Gar nodded as he replied, “I have performed every task Master Pastel has given me as instructed sir.” The cerulean goth added, “He behaved himself and even apologized for what happened last night.” She then turned to the robot as she added, “And honestly, this guy’s pretty cool. I’d love for him to visit again in the future.”

At that moment, someone knocked on the front door. Hearing this, Wreck-Gar sighed as he lamented, “I believe that’s Master Wheeljack come to pick me up.” He then turned to Pastel as he said, “I do hope we can, as you put it, “hang out” some time in the future. You are a most fascinating young woman.” The cerulean girl began to blush with excitement as she replied, “I’d appreciate that.” To Blaster’s surprise, both Pastel and Wreck-Gar wrapped each other in a tight hug.

Once they finished, Wreck-Gar gave a polite bow to Pastel as he bade, “Until next time.” The cerulean girl gave a curtsey in response as she replied, “Thank you kindly.” With that, the promethean cyclops made his way past Blaster, gave him a respectful nod, and departed through the front door.

Pastel walked up to her brother as she reassured him, “Don’t worry. He behaved himself and proved himself to be a decent chap.” Blaster let out a sigh of relief as he replied, “Thank Primus. Last thing I need tonight is having to deal with more bullshit. Now then…” He then rubbed his eyes as he said, “I need to go take a shower. After that, how about we order some pizza?” His younger half sister replied with a simple, “That sounds like a plan.”

As Blaster left to go take a shower, Pastel began to look back on the day’s events as she thought to herself, ‘What started as me tolerating Wreck-Gar’s presence turned into me gaining a new friend. Maybe other people would be more willing to accept me.” Of course, she knew that not everyone would accept her being a trans girl, but at the very least, today had proven that at least some people were willing to learn and grow.

And so, as she began to head up to her room to continue playing her bass, Pastel Goth let out a gentle sigh as she said to herself, “Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?”

Author's Note

Next Time: Apple Bloom finds the inspiration for her environmental project from an unlikely source.

Author's Note: Happy Pride month everyone. I figured I should have at least one chapter where LGBTQIA+ themes were central to the plot, and once I had the idea to make Pastel the main POV character, everything sort of fell into place. The only real change was that originally, she was supposed to butt heads with Rattrap rather than Wreck-Gar. Also, the reason the POV shifts to Blaster midway through is because I felt uncomfortable having "that scene" from the POV of anyone, let alone a teenager.

Finding Inspiration

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 13; Finding Inspiration

Taking a deep breath as she prepared a small travel pack to take with her, Apple Bloom said to herself, “Alright, Ah’ve got some work gloves, sunscreen, and even a little snack.” Making sure everything was set, the former farm girl slung her bag around her shoulder as she enthusiastically declared, “Alright, now all Ah gotta do is make sure Sideswipe is ready.”

Several days earlier, Rattrap had stopped by the chop shop and invited Apple Bloom and Sideswipe to visit his place and hang out, and the former farm girl was more than happy to spend time with her friend. After all, helping him with his garden would provide an opportunity to relax, especially with the stress of her upcoming biology project.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Apple Bloom took in the outfit she’d chosen for the day. Deciding to return to her previous look, the former farm girl was wearing a blue and white striped tank top, dark blue overalls, and her black boots, a look that screamed as much farmer as it did scrapper. Smiling at her reflection, Apple Bloom allowed felt a whiff of nostalgia as she thought to herself, ‘Can’t wait to help with a bit of farmin’. It’ll be just like old times.”

Before Apple Bloom could continue to reminisce of days long past, however, she was distracted by the sound of Sideswipe groaning in pain. The burgundy haired girl turned to her bedroom door as she openly pondered, “What’s goin’ on.” Making sure her pack was secure, she made her way through her bedroom door and approached the door to her sister’s room before knocking on the door as she asked, “You alright in there Sideswipe?”

From the other end of the closed door, Apple Bloom heard Sideswipe’s voice call out, “I’m not alright Apple Bloom! I feel gross and everything hurts! This….” Pausing for a moment, the pale biker let out an agonized, “It’s bad this time!” A confused Apple Bloom awkwardly replied, “What’s bad? And what do you mean “this time?””

From behind her, Apple Bloom heard her aunt Chromia speak out, “What’s going on up here? I can’t work with everyone screaming.” Turning around to face her aunt, the former farm girl explained, “Sideswipe and Ah were supposed to be headin’ to Rattrap’s, but she says that she’s feelin’ gross and hurtin’ really bad.” She then turned back to the door as she added, “Ah’ve never heard her complain like this before.”

At that moment, the bedroom door opened as Sideswipe peeked her head out the door, dried tear stains making it clear that she’d been crying for a while. The pale biker bluntly explained, “Isn’t it obvious Apple Bloom? I’m having a period!”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom apologized, “Oh mah goodness! Ah’m so sorry Sideswipe!” Her sister reassured her, “It’s alright Apple Bloom, but I don’t think I’m in any condition to go anywhere today.” Sideswipe would have continued, but the pale biker was overcome with more pain, leading to her close her bedroom door, followed by the muffled sound of Sideswipe screaming into a pillow.

As Apple Bloom took this in, Chromia sighed as she said, “Ok. I’ll see if Ratchet has anything to help with Sideswipe. This sounds like it’s worse than normal.” Once the family matriarch was gone, Apple Bloom knocked on the door as she asked, “Anythin’ Ah can do to help?” From the other side of the door, Sideswipe replied, “I’m fine. You go have fun with Rattrap.” Before the former farm girl could say anything else, the pale biker’s voice bluntly continued, “I mean it. Just go already.”

Nodding, Apple Bloom bade her sister farewell with a resigned, “Alright. Hope you feel better.” The former farm girl sighed in resignation as she made her way to the stairwell, leaving her sister to her pain.

Making her way into the living room, Apple Bloom was greeted by the sight of Wheelie sitting on the couch, his head held in his hands in boredom. Turning to face the young girl, the small robot lit up in excitement as he squealed, “Hey Apple Bloom! You going somewhere?!” Nodding, the former farm girl explained, “Yeah. Ah’m headin’ to visit Rattrap. Sideswipe would’ve come along but she’s on her period.” Wheelie replied, “Sorry about that. Wait, what’s a period?” Apple Bloom could only let out an amused chuckle as she replied, “Ah think Ah’ll leave that for Wheeljack to tell you.”

The small robot rolled his eyes as he lamented, “I wish. Wheeljack said he doesn’t want to talk to me for the rest of the day.” The former farm girl inquired, “What? What happened?” Sighing, Wheelie explained, “I was helping Brains with this sort of weird thing that Wheeljack made, and…. I forgot that batteries are supposed to go positive-negative and negative-positive rather than positive-positive and negative-negative.” When Apple Bloom gave him a confused look, Wheelie simply stated, “Wheeljack told me I “did enough” today.”

At that moment, an idea entered Apple Bloom’s mind. “Ah got an idea! How about you come with me?” When Wheelie tilted his head in confusion, the former farm girl added, “Ah’m sure Rattrap would love to meet ya, and if what you said is true, Ah doubt Wheeljack would mind if you came along.” She then added, “Though we oughta tell him first, so he at least knows where you are.”

His eyes lighting up in a way to evoke smiling, Wheelie exclaimed, “Alright! New friend, here I come.” Apple Bloom could only chuckle as she thought to herself, ‘This might not be so bad after all.’

Arcee’s Home, A Short While Later…

Just as she hoped, Wheeljack gave Apple Bloom permission to take Wheelie with her, and now the two had arrived at the pink home of Arcee and Rattrap. Parking her bicycle near the driveway, the former farm girl removed her helmet as she explained, “Now remember, Ah want you to behave yourself. Last thing we need is you messin’ up part of Rattrap’s Garden.” The small robot climbed out of her bike’s basket as he reassured her, “Don’t worry. I’ll be on best behavior.” Wheelie nodded as he replied, “You’ve got it.”

After making their way to the front door, Apple Bloom gave the door a good knock as she called out, “Hello! Ah’m here.” No sooner had she finished knocking that the door opened, revealing a familiar, scrawny teenaged boy with messy silver hair, brown skin, a gray tee shirt, blue jeans covered in dirt, black sneakers with white toes and shoelaces, circular glasses, and a slight but noticeable overbite.

“Good to see ya there Apple Bloom!” Rattrap enthusiastically greeted his friend as he pulled her into a tight hug. As the burgundy haired girl returned the gesture and hugged him back, he continued, “It’s always a treat to see you pop by.”

Releasing her friend, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks Rattrap. Ah’m just sorry Sideswipe couldn’t make it.” Rattrap then began to look around her, completely missing Wheelie as he asked, “That explains why I didn’t hear her motorcycle. Where is she?” Leaning into his ear, Apple Bloom bluntly answered, “She’s on her period.” The scrawny teen could only recoil as he replied, “Ouch. That sucks.”

It was at this moment that Rattrap’s eyes noticed the small robot looking up to him. Jumping back in surprise, he exclaimed, “Gouda almighty! Who or what is that?!” Extending his hand, the pint sized promethean introduced himself “Hi there. I’m Wheelie.” Apple Bloom then added, “Don’t worry! He’s harmless.”

Catching his breath, Rattrap asked, “Judgin’ from the looks of him, I take it Wheeljack made you?” Wheelie nodded as he replied, “Yeah. HE made me and my brothers Wreck-Gar and Brains.” Gulping, the scrawny teen nervously remarked, “He made not one, not two, but three of you?” When Wheelie nodded, Rattrap bluntly exclaimed, “Huh. Wheeljack is makin’ more sentient robots. We’re all gonna die.”

Shaking his cynical pessimism away, Rattrap asked, “Well, now that you two are here, you wanna see the progress on my garden?”

Rattrap’s Garden

As everyone entered the backyard, Rattrap asked, “So, one farmer to another, what do you think?” Taking in the sight before her, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but be impressed by what her friend had accomplished.

Rattrap had several plots of dirt organized throughout the yard, each one full of different vegetables. One was dedicated to potatoes, another was full of carrots, yet another for cabbages, and even some for fruit like blueberries and strawberries. Letting out an impressed whistle, Apple Bloom could only reply, “Ah gotta admit, you’ve done a fantastic job.” She then added, “Almost reminds me of the farm back home.”

Rattrap lit up as he replied, “Thanks. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been worth every moment.” Wheelie then asked, “So, what made you wanna do this anyway? Can’t you just get food from a store?” Intrigued, the scrawny teen asked, “Where do you think stores get their food from?” The small robot raised his hand as he began to give his answer, only to realize that he didn’t actually know, and simply held his head low in shame as he replied, “You got me.”

Apple Bloom bent down to reassure her small friend, “Don’t beat yourself up. No one can know absolutely everything.” She then informed him, “For your information, food like fruits and vegetables are grown from plants like these.” Rattrap nodded as he added, “Exactly. And let’s just say that, after everythin’ I’ve been through, I promised myself I’d never go hungry again, so I took up gardening so I could always have something if I get puckish.”

Shrugging, Wheelie replied, “That makes sense. I think.” Now that the small robot had received her answer, Apple Bloom asked, “So, what do you need our help with?” Scratching his chin, Rattrap replied, “Well, several of my vegetables are fully grown, so I’d appreciate some help picking everything. Think you can help with that?”

Nodding as she pulled her work gloves out of her pack, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah think Ah can handle that.” Wheelie then replied, “I’ve never done something like this before, but I think I can do whatever you want.” Cracking his knuckles, Rattrap declared, “Alrighty then. Now, the first things I need picked are….”

One Hour Later

Pulling a carrot out of the ground, Apple Bloom wiped the sweat from her brow as she remarked, “This sure does take me back.” She then set the freshly picked carrot in a basket with several others, the former farm girl turned to Rattrap as she called out, “How you doin’ over there?” From the other end of the garden, the scrawny teen replied, “Pretty good on this end. Just about to finish with these beets.”

As she continued to gather the carrots, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel a warm sense of familiarity. After all, she’d grown up on a farm and often used to be the one Granny Smith charged with tending to the vegetable garden. Chuckling to herself, the former farm girl remembered the time she had to chase off a gopher with a garden hoe. “Ah coulda swore Ah’d wear mah voice out with how much Ah was screamin’ at that varmint.”

Of course, the moment that memory entered her mind, Apple Bloom realized something; “It feels like a lifetime.” It had been almost a month since the last time she was back at Sweet Apple Acres, and before that, she hadn’t been on the farm in almost seven months. Letting out a deep breath, Apple Bloom wiped the sweat from her brow as she remarked, “It really feels like a lifetime ago.”

Still, it wasn’t like Apple Bloom had lost her green thumb entirely. After all, she was able to help Rattrap with his garden without any issues.

The former farm girl’s blissful moment was interrupted when she heard the sound of something crashing onto the ground. Turning to see what it was, she found Wheelie standing behind several knocked over baskets of produce, which had now spilled all over the ground. Sighing to herself, Apple Bloom thought, ‘He must have tried to carry too much on his own.’

Before Apple Bloom could say anything, Rattrap stood up and exclaimed, “What in the hell was that?!” Walking up to Wheelie, the scrawny teen furiously continued, “What were you doin’? How could you do something this stupid?” As the former farm girl tried to step in between her friends, Wheelie stomped his foot on the ground as he furiously retorted, “It was an accident, and don’t you dare call me stupid!”

As everyone stood there, Wheelie looked down in anger and shame as he said, “Wreck-Gar and Brains call me stupid all the time. Mr. Wheeljack tries to make them stop, but they still do it.” Apple Bloom then turned to Rattrap and said, “Let me handle this.” She then turned to Wheelie and bent down as she said, “Ah’m sorry they call you an idiot.”

Taking a deep breath, Rattrap apologized, “Sorry for gettin’ angry. I just… I kinda blow up sometimes.” He then knelt down to Wheelie’s eyes as he said, “Just…. Promise you won’t try to carry too much, will ya? Nodding, Wheelie replied, “You got it sir.”

With everything settled, Rattrap said, “Now, I think I know something you can do.” He then began to make his way to a secluded corner of the garden and began to get something. Wheelie then looked up to Apple Bloom and apologized, “Sorry for making another mess. I just wanted to be helpful.” The former farm girl smiled as she replied, “It’s alright. Just… try to think before you do somethin’. Letting out a rather adorable laugh, the pint sized promethean replied, “I will. At least, I think I can.”

At that moment, Rattrap returned with a plastic tray filled with bright red flowers as he said, “Now then, these are some poppies I grew for Ironhide. A little gesture of gratitude for helpin’ me.” He then set the tray down as he continued, “I’d appreciate it if you made sure nothin’ happened to these.” Wheelie nodded as he replied, “I can do that sir.”

As Wheelie guarded the poppies, Apple Bloom let out a sigh as she admitted, “Ah wish all problems could be solved this easily. Ah have a project up comin’ up in a few weeks and Ah have no idea on what to do for it.” Intrigued, Rattrap asked, “Really? What’s in about?” Sighing, the former farm girl explained, “Ah gotta do somethin’ that can help the environment, but it has to be somethin’ “original.”” She then sat down as she lamented, “Ah don’t know what to do.”

Sitting down next to his friend, Rattrap shrugged as he lamented, “I wish I knew a way to help.” He then added, “I gotta admit I ain’t been followin’ environmentalism too much. Of course, I’ve been worryin’ about other things.” Apple Bloom could only nod in agreement, as she knew all about her Rattrap’s past homelessness.

At that moment, a woman’s voice called out, “Apple Bloom?” Turning to see who it was, the former farm girl was greeted by the sight of a woman with pale pink skin and white hair up in “cinnamon” buns who continued, “Ironhide just called. Said to make sure you come on home soon.” Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “Ah’ll head back home in a bit Arcee. Just let me finish up here.”

Walking up to the two kids, Arcee asked, “How’s your gardening going?” Standing up to face his maternal guardian, Rattrap replied, “Things are goin’ alright. A little accident, but nothin’ too bad.” He then turned to Apple Bloom as he asked, “You mind helpin’ me clean this up?” Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “Sure thing.” With that, Apple Bloom and Rattrap began to clean up the spilled vegetables, all while Arcee made her way towards Wheelie as the small robot greeted, “Hi. I’m Wheelie. Who are you?”

Outside of the Chop Shop

Parking her bike near the front entrance of the family’s residence, Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief as said, “Home sweet home.” She then looked down to Wheelie as she said, “Ah’ll take that tray of poppies in.” As the former farm girl gently lifted the tray out of her bike’s basket as Wheelie replied, “Ok.”

As the two made their way into through the shop’s front door, the small robot continued, “Hey Apple Bloom? Thanks for agreeing to not tell Wheeljack or the others about dropping that basket of vegetables.” Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “No problem. Ah’m just surprised Arcee found you so adorable.” Wheelie could only shiver in fear as he replied, “Egh. I never thought she’d ever let me go.”

Setting the tray of poppies on the shop’s counter, Apple Bloom called out, “Uncle Ironhide! Aunt Chromia! Ah’m home!” After a few moments, Ironhide emerged from the garage, wearing a gray and red plaid shirt, dark gray trousers, dark red boots, and a pair of suspenders. The family patriarch happily greeted his daughter and the small robot as he asked, “You two have fun with Arcee and Rattrap?” Wrapping her uncle in a gentle hug, Apple Bloom replied, “We did. And Rattrap even grew a little somethin’ for you.”

Motioning to the counter, the burgundy haired girl continued, “He grew these poppies for you.” Taking the gesture in, Ironhide smiled as he replied, “That’s sweet of him.” He then made his way to the tray and continued, “And he chose poppies. That’s a lovely gesture.”

Curious, Apple Bloom asked, “If Ah may, what’s so special about poppies?” When Ironhide turned to face his daughter, she explained, “What Ah mean is, what separates poppies from other flowers?” The older scrapper let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Well, how about I show these to the others as I explain why these are so special?”

As Ironhide gently lifted the tray of poppies, he turned to Apple Bloom and Wheelie as he asked, “Firstly, how much do either of you know about the First Great War?” Before the former farm girl could give an answer, Wheelie replied, “I know that it was the first one, but that’s about it.” The family patriarch let an amused chuckle as he replied, “That is true, there was the First Great War and the Last Great War a few decades later.” Apple Bloom immediately asked, “That’s the one your dad fought in, right?”

Passing into the living room, Ironhide replied, “Yeah. It was.” As the family patriarch set the tray on the coffee table, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone and began to text something as Wheelie asked, “But what does a big fancy war have to do with some red flowers?”

At that moment, Apple Bloom and Wheelie were distracted by the sound a familiar and shrill voice calling out, “Hello!” As the former farm girl turned to see who it was, she and Wheelie were greeted by the sight of a large parrot with bright red feathers. ‘Wait a minute.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Is that Marble’s pet parrot Scarlett?’

No sooner had the thought entered the burgundy haired girl’s mind than Marble Pie dashed into the living room, wearing a gray button shirt, dark gray and black kilt, black boots, and her beloved leather jacket. Bending down as she extended her arm, the gray geologist frantically remarked, “There you are. I told you not to run off on me like that.” As she climbed onto Marble’s arm, Scarlett apologized, “Ooh. Sorry.”

No sooner had the gray girl reclaimed her pet parrot that she realized she was not alone, leading her to say, “Oh! Hey Apple Bloom! Hey Wheelie!” The former farm girl happily replied, “Howdy Marble! What are you doin’ here?” Blushing, Marble replied, “I got a call from Sideswipe, saying she was on her period, so Scarlett and I stopped by to help her, or at least keep her company.” The crimson macaw let out an affectionate caw as she said, “Help our friend!”

Apple Bloom then asked, “How is Sideswipe doin’?” Letting out a gentle sigh, Marble replied, “She’s doing alright. I think she’s made it through the worst of it.” She then added, “I was worried for a moment though. She….” Hesitating for a moment, the gray girl whispered something into Apple Bloom’s ear, leading the former farm girl to giggle uncontrollably. Curious, Wheelie asked, “What’s so funny?” As the two girls looked at each other, Apple Bloom explained, “It’s a girl thing. You probably wouldn’t get it.”

Before Wheelie could ponder what his friends meant, Wheeljack and Ratchet entered the living room as the latter warned, “Remember, make sure to keep the wound clean. Last thing we need is that scab getting worse.” The maverick mechanic simply scoffed as he remarked, “Oh please. What makes you think I won’t keep it clean?” As the two men approached Ironhide, Ratchet simply quipped, “For starters, that time you had that rash on your ass?”

Ironhide then gently barked, “Stow it boys!” When the two other scrappers gave their friend their attention, the family patriarch continued, “Rattrap was kind enough to grow us some poppies.” Ratchet immediately smiled as he replied, “That was sweet of him.” As the three adults marveled at the red flowers, Apple Bloom asked, “Uncle Ironhide said that poppies are related to the First Great War. Why is that?”

Smiling, Ratchet answered, “Simple kid. Poppies represent peace.”

When a confused Apple Bloom tilted her head, the old medic explained, “The first Great War was one of, if not the most destructive conflicts in history. In fact,….” Turning to Ironhide, Ratchet asked, “We still have that book lying around?” Wheeljack then interrupted with, “I know where it is! I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, Wheeljack returned with a hardcover book. Presenting the book to Apple Bloom, he explained, “This just a taste of what it was like.” Taking the book, the former farm girl was intrigued by the cover, which featured a massive metal vehicle with treads around its side surrounded by massive craters, overturned trees, and discarded bullet shells. Perhaps what caught her attention the most was the single red poppy in the foreground.

Intrigued, Apple Bloom flipped through the book, taking in the sights of battlefields covered with ruined vehicles, massive cannons surrounded by mountains of discarded artillery shells, and even a few bodies lying among the craters and barbed wire. However, what spoke to the former farm girl was the images near the end of the book, showing poppies growing in the fields where, shortly beforehand, great armies had been engaged in what seemed to be endless slaughter.

Closing the book, Apple Bloom remarked, “Interestin’. Mind if Ah keep this for a spell?” Ironhide nodded as he replied, “Sure thing kid.” The family patriarch then turned to his subordinates as he continued, “Alright, I’m thinking we can divide these lovely poppies between us, but for now we gotta get some water for these lovely little ones.” As the adults continued their discussion over the poppies, Marble tapped Apple Bloom’s shoulder as she added, “I better go check on Sideswipe. Don’t want her thinking we ran out on her.” She then turned her head to face Scarlett as she asked, “Do we?” The crimson macaw happily chirped, “Sideswipe.” As the gray girl and her pet parrot made their way towards the stairs, Apple Bloom took another look at the book in her hands.

“Huh, wonder what else this book has?”

Apple Bloom’s Room

Taking in the images on the book’s pages, Apple Bloom took notes on everything it had to show. She didn’t know what it was about these images of the battlefields of a century earlier, but, for lack of a better word, it spoke to her. ‘Never thought Ah’d be so fascinated by this sorta thing.’ The former farm girl thought to herself.

From behind her, Wheelie asked, “You find what you’re looking for?” Turning around to face the small robot, Apple Bloom replied, “Can’t really say Ah’ve found it if Ah don’t know what Ah’m lookin’ for.” She then added, “Sometimes, it’s nice to take a look at somethin’ and let it surprise you.” The young girl then turned the page of the book, only to be greeted by the image she found.

There, she saw a picture of a machine gun’s barrel riddled with bullet holes as rain poured down, dripping through the many holes.

At this moment, an idea entered Apple Bloom’s mind. ‘Wait a minute. That barrel looks like it could move water through somethin’ like Rattrap’s Garden.’ This gave the former farm girl another idea. ‘Wait a minute.’ Flipping her notebook to an empty page, she drew the picture of a tube with holes in it as well as some simple carrots below them. Adding water coming out of the holes, realized that, at long last, she had an idea for her project.

Apple Bloom leapt out of her seat as she exclaimed, “That’s it! Ah know what to do for mah environmental project!” She then turned to Wheelie and picked him up, bringing him to eye level as she continued, “Do you know what this means?” A confused and nervous Wheelie replied, “You can stick it to that dirty hippie?”

Setting her friend down, Apple Bloom answered, “In a way, yes. Ah think Ah know what to do.” She then turned back to the book as she confidently continued, “Ah’m gonna show how weapons can be used to serve other purposes.” Smirking, Apple Bloom remarked, “Ah can’t believe Ah found the answer in a book on the First Great War.”

At this moment, Apple Bloom realized, “Hold on. Ah’m gonna need to learn more about weapons that might be salvageable for somethin’ like this.” She then remarked, “But this is just the surface. Ah’m gonna need to know more about this sorta thing.”

Wheelie then spoke up with, “Wait a minute. I think I know how to help.” The small robot darted out of the former farm girl’s room, only to return a short while later as with another book. Presenting the book to Apple Bloom, the pint sized promethean said, “I remember Mr. Wheeljack showing this to Wreck-Gar to help with some old machine guns we melted down two weeks ago, and I think this might help.” Taking the book from him, Apple Bloom read the title aloud, “Machine guns of the Great Wars?” Wheelie nodded as he replied, “If you know how these things work, you might be able to know how they can be taken apart for environmental purposes.”

Lighting up in joy, Apple Bloom scooped Wheelie up as she exclaimed, “Wheelie! You’re a genius!” The small robot was overcome with joy as he replied, “No one’s ever called me a genius before.” He then hugged the former farm girl, who in turn hugged him back.

Setting him down, Apple Bloom asked, “Say, you wanna help me with mah project?” Wheelie let out an excited squee as he replied, “I’d love to!” He then pumped his fists as he declared, “We’ll show that stupid Compost guy who’s just a collection of scrap metal!” The former farm girl replied, “Exactly. You and Ah have got this.”

And so, Apple Bloom and Wheelie began to comb through the book on machine guns, hoping that if they more about these machines of death, they could use the pieces that made them to give life instead.

Author's Note

Next Time; It's a surprise.

Author's Note; I'm gonna be gone for at least another week, since I'm going out of town for family reasons. Rest assured; I'll be back as soon as possible.

Sensory Overload

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 14; Sensory Overload

Taking a deep breath, Marble Pie gathered her notebooks and pencils and placed them into her backpack as she complained to herself, “I really don’t wanna go to school today.” As she sighed to herself, the gray geologist grumbled, “I wish they could have made these stupid pep rallies optional.”

Even though Marble had grown more accustomed to the normal routine of an average day at school, she still found herself caught off guard and thrown off balance whenever something unexpected happened. Sometimes, this was actually something pleasant, like extra study time or moments where she had the chance to go to the library. Other times, Marble found herself being forced to participate in group activities with classmates whom she did not get along with very well.

And then there were moments like earlier that week, when the gray girl learned that the school would be holding a mandatory pep rally.

From behind her, Marble heard the familiar sound of Scarlett’s voice asking, “Alright?” Turning to face her beloved pet parrot, she found the crimson macaw resting on a wooden perch. The gray girl walked over to Scarlett as she replied, “I’m fine. Just nervous about having to go to the stupid pep rally.” Marble was pleasantly surprised when her pet macaw let out an affectionate “coo” and began to nuzzle her arm.

Smiling, Marble extended her arm as she remarked, “Come here you little goober.” As the scarlet macaw climbed onto her arm and up to her shoulder, the gray girl allowed her eyes to glance at her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a dark gray plaid button shirt, gray jeans, black boots, and her beloved leather jacket all while her long bangs covered the right side of her face. Marble couldn’t help but giggle at the juxtaposition of her monochrome style against the bright red, yellow, and blue parrot that sat on her shoulder.

At that moment, Marble’s stomach began to grumble, leading the young girl to remark, “Now then, how about we get some breakfast?”

The Kitchen

Entering the kitchen with Scarlett still perched on her shoulder, Marble was greeted by her mentor, Beachcomber, as he backed out of the freezer and warmly said, “Hey there kiddo. Sleep well?” Nodding, the gray girl replied, “Yeah.” As Scarlett flapped down to the table, the gray girl asked, “We have any more of those toaster waffles?”

Nodding, Beachcomber replied, “Already got two cooking for you. I’ve also got your sertraline for the day all set for you.” He then turned to the crimson macaw as he added, “And I’ve got more than enough fruit for the two of you.” Scarlett let out an enthusiastic, “Ooh. Snack.” Even Marble couldn’t help but reply, “As long as there aren’t any bananas. I can’t even stand touching them.” Intrigued, the blue geologist quipped, “Oh, come on now. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium.”

Playfully rolling her eyes, Marble replied, “I know, but what good are they if I can’t even eat them without throwing them back up?” Beachcomber let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Good point.” He would have continued, but the blue geologist was distracted by the sound of a mechanical popping sound, signaling that Marble’s toaster waffles were finished.

A few moments later, both Marble and Scarlett were busy at work, eating up their breakfasts. As the gray girl took a sip of orange juice, Beachcomber asked, “So, you ready for the pep rally today?” The gray girl swallowed her mouthful as she shook her head and replied, “Nope. I don’t want to go.” Sighing, the blue geologist reassured his protégé, “I know loud noises upset you, but I’m sure it will be alright.”

Taking a moment to take this in, Marble hesitated for a moment before replying, “Yeah. I’ll be alright.” She would have continued, but her stomach continued to growl, pushing her to continue her breakfast. After all, today was going to be a busy day, and there was no point in taking it on with an empty stomach.

Iacon High School, Later That Day

Resting her head in her hands as she battled the urge to stay awake, Marble listened as the substitute English teacher, an old gray fart whose name she couldn’t even remember, rambled on and on about some old epic poem. Continuing his lecture, his monotone voice rang out, “And so Ulysses spent several years on the goddess’s island, helpless against the influence of the lotus flowers.” Groaning to herself, the gray girl thought to herself, ‘Ugh. Why did Mr. Takua have to choose this week of all weeks to sprain his ankle?”

From the other end of the classroom, Marble noticed her girlfriend, Sideswipe, making a stupid face as she gestured to the substitute teacher. ‘Heh.’ The gray girl thought to herself. ‘She always knows how to make days like this bearable.’ The pale biker continued to make ridiculous faces for her girlfriend, completely unaware that the substitute teacher was now standing in front of her, his arms crossed in disappointment.

As Sideswipe turned to face the annoyed teacher, he loudly inquired, “I’m sorry Sideswipe. Are you not entertained?” Caught red handed, the young biker scratched the back of her neck as she answered, “I mean, I’m a fan of Iaconian epics as much as the next girl, but you kinda make it sound so….” Struggling to find the right word, she finished with a blunt and simple, “Boring.”

Scoffing, the substitute teacher rhetorically asked, “And I suppose you can do better?” Taking this as a challenge, Sideswipe stood up from her desk as she retorted, “Now then, how does this start again?” She then turned around to the rest of the class and, holding one hand behind her back as she rested the other at her heart, began, “Sing, o muse of that resourceful man who wondered far and wide after he sacked the sacred crystal citadel….”

A Short While Later…

As the bell rang, Marble and the rest of the class applauded Sideswipe as she gave a dramatic bow and replied, “Thank you everyone. You’re too kind.” While everyone else began to make their way out the door, Marble ran up to her girlfriend and pulled her into a tight hug as she squealed, “That was awesome!” Sideswipe simply smiled as she hugged her girlfriend back and replied, “I try. Besides, I’ve always had a soft spot for the “really” old stuff.” She then gave her gray girlfriend a gentle kiss to the cheek as she added, “At least you’ll have a good show before that damn pep rally.”

Sighing to herself, Marble replied, “Thanks. I still wish I didn’t have to go.” Sideswipe rested her hand on her girlfriend’s chin as she reassured her, “I know. Maybe we can do something after school to make up for it?” Blushing, the gray girl happily answered, “I’d really like that.” The two teens then began to lean into each other for a kiss.

Sadly, they were interrupted by the substitute teacher remarking, “You two better save that for later and get to your next class.” The two girls caught themselves as Marble replied, “Yes sir.” Sideswipe then took her girlfriend’s hand and led her away as she added, “Come on, I’ll get you to your next class.”

As the two girls departed, the substitute teacher grumbled to himself, “Shown up by a dropout punk? I gotta find a new job.”

Dr. Pennywhistle’s Classroom

Seated at her desk, Marble jotted down notes in her notebook as Dr. Pennywhistle pointed to the map of an archipelago for his class. Pointing to a dot on the mainland, the gray teacher explained, “The many city states of Magna Graecia were split into two alliances. On one side, we have the Delerian Alliance led by the ruthless city of Kaon, and the Omega League, which was spearheaded by the city of Tyger Pax.”

As Marble took this in, she heard the sound of Apple Bloom’s voice ask out, “Which side was good guys? The Delerians or the Omegas?” Curious, the gray girl thought to herself, ‘That’s a good question. The warriors of Kaon were clearly very respected, but their entire society was built on the backs of slaves. Meanwhile, Tyger Pax was the birthplace of democracy, but the inhabitants only granted the right to citizens, and they were bigger misogynists than dad.”

Before she could ponder further, Dr. Pennywhistle answered, “That is a rather interesting question.” Turning to his other pupils, the gray teacher explained, “By our standards, both cities were rather brutal.” He then added, “Both employed slavery, both cities sought to expand their influence at the expense of the rest of the world, and neither were known for religious tolerance.”

At that moment, the bell rang out, signaling the end of class. Dr. Pennywhistle let out a wistful sigh as he remarked, “Alright then everyone. We’ll pick up from here on Monday. Now then, you all better head on the gym for the pep rally.” As everyone began to gather their belongings, Marble purposely moved at a slower pace, hoping she could prolong the inevitable long enough to at least miss part of the cursed rally.

Noticing her friend’s lack of enthusiasm, Apple Bloom asked, “You excited for the pep rally Marble?” The gray girl hesitated for a moment before replying, “Not really. At least, not a good kind of excited.” She then held her arm in her hand as she added, “I really don’t wanna do this. All that noise makes me uncomfortable.”

Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “That’s a shame. Ah really wanna go, but Ah gotta do some studyin’ for mah midterm project for Mr. Compost.” Taking this in, Marble complained, “What? You have an excuse not to go? That’s not fair.” To the gray girl, it just didn’t make sense. Why did she have to attend when she really, really didn’t want to while Apple Bloom had a convenient reason to skip it in spite of wanting to go?

Marble was distracted from her train of thought by Apple Bloom tapping her on the shoulder and asking, “You alright there?” Shaking her head, the gray girl lamented, “Not really. I just…” Pausing as she tried to find the right words, Marble continued, “Guess I’m jealous of you a bit.” The former farm girl sighed as she replied, “Trust me, it ain’t somethin’ to be jealous of. Ah have to make sure Mr. Compost likes mah work, or else Ah’ll have to go on this stupid root and berry retreat with him.”

Before either girl could say anything else, Dr. Pennywhistle interrupted with a gentle, “I do hate to butt in, but you two had better be going. I don’t want any hall monitors accosting either of you.” Turning to her teacher, Marble sighed as she replied, “Alright. See you tomorrow sir.”

After gathering her remaining things, Marble and Apple Bloom made their way through the classroom doorway as the former farm girl bade, “See ya later?” The gray girl sighed as she replied, “See you Apple Bloom.” With that, Marble began making her way to the gymnasium, dreading the inevitable show ahead of her.

Iacon High Gymnasium

Entering the gymnasium, Marble was greeted by a massive room with a polished wooden floor, basketball nets that were suspended from the ceiling, and worst of all, two opposing sets of bleachers that held what appeared to be the entirety of the student body. Gulping in fear, the gray girl thought to herself, ‘Wow. This is worse than I thought it would be.’ Nonetheless, she knew that there was no point in wasting anymore time, and thus began to make her way to the less crowded of the bleachers.

As she walked up to the bleacher, Marble passed Mr. Compost and another teacher, a man with light red skin and purple hair, arguing with each other. Pointing to the student body, Compost complained, “I don’t understand why our students are so excited about something frivolous like this but don’t seem to care about the important stuff, like the root and berry retreat.” As Marble passed them, she heard the red teacher let out an annoyed groan as he replied, “For the love of Primus Compost, it would be so wonderful if you could go one flipping day without going on and on about that root and berry retreat crap. I still can’t believe they let you do those stupid trips, let alone two a year.” Mr. Compost simply held his nose in the air as he scoffed, “Because unlike you Cel Shade, I actually care about our planet.”

Walking past the two teachers, Marble made her way up to the top of the bleachers, sitting down on a corner seat far above the ground. As she placed her backpack down in between her legs, the gray girl thought to herself, ‘There we go. At least here I won’t be as close to the noise.’ She then began to reach into her backpack, fishing around for a book to pass the time.

After a few moments, the gray girl pulled out a book from her backpack as she remarked, “There we go.” She then flipped around as she read the title, “Dinosaurs of Laurasia.” Flipping to a page around the middle of the book, Marble read to herself, “Part six, small theropods.”

Before she could settle into her book, Marble was distracted by the sound of a teenaged boy’s voice exclaiming, “Oh yeah! Here we go!” Looking up from her book, the gray geologist found herself greeted by an orange boy with red hair and a dark red shirt and jeans. Sitting down next to her, the boy pumped his fists as he continued, “Come on baby! Bring on the cheerleaders and tunes!”

Turning to face Marble, the orange boy remarked, “I don’t know about you, but I love these pep rallies. Anything to get away from math class.” Taking this in, the gray girl replied, “Good for you, but I don’t like these stupid rallies. They’re loud and noisy and way too crowded for my tastes.” Smirking, the orange teen let out a mischievous chuckle as he pointed to something behind Marble while quipping, “Then boy, did you choose the wrong seat.”

Confused, Marble turned around to see what he was pointing to, only to be horrified to find that she was right in front of a loudspeaker. Letting out a loud gulp, the gray girl could only mutter to herself, “Oh no.” Starting to feel herself beginning to panic, Marble thought to herself, ‘Ok, so I’m right in front of a loudspeaker. No need to panic.’ She then began to eye her surrounding environment, hoping she could find a new seat.

Unfortunately, in the brief time since she’d sat down, every last remaining seat had been claimed by other kids. Realizing that she was effectively trapped, Marble could only gulp in fear as she remarked, “Oh shit.” As Marble slumped back into her seat, she heard the sound of a bass beat from behind her. Acknowledging that the show was about to start, the gray girl took a deep breath as she lamented, “Alright. Let’s get this over with.”

No sooner had those words escaped the gray geologist’s lips than the deafening sound of an electric guitar solo rang out from behind her as the rest of the student body let out an enthusiastic uproar. Meanwhile, down on the floor, a team of cheerleaders dressed in gold and red outfits gathered around each other and began to perform an elaborate routine.

But Marble wasn’t focusing on the cheerleaders or their outfits, or even their impressive choreography. Instead, she found herself desperately pressing her hands against her ears. “Ugh!” Marble groaned to herself, barely able to make out her own voice. “Why does this have to be so loud?”

To her left, Marble could faintly hear the orange boy ask, “Whoa, you alright there? It’s not that loud.” The gray girl stood up and began to sit down again, only to be caught off guard by the piercing screech of a saxophone solo. Tensing up as she scrunched her shoulders, Marble gritted her teeth as she exclaimed, “Ugh, damnit!” As the sound of the prerecorded saxophone solo continued, the gray girl could only press her hands back against her ears.

After several minutes, the loud music faded to silence, allowing Marble to catch her breath as she rested her hands away from her ears. Relaxing, the gray girl gave a small smile as she said, “Thank Primus.” Still, despite the music stopping, the clammer and chatter of the other students was still too loud for the gray girl’s comfort.

Down below, one of the cheerleaders approached a microphone and asked, “How’s everyone doing today? Can I get an “alright?”” Marble gulped as she thought, ‘Oh no. Don’t tell me that this is gonna be some sort of call and response.’ Of course, the cheerleader’s question was answered by hundreds of students calling back, “Alright!” The cry of so many voices shouting overwhelmed Marble, forcing her to try and cover her ears again.

As the crowd died down, the cheerleader continued, “Alright then! We’re gonna have so much fun!” She then pointed to someone Marble couldn’t see as she called out, “Let’s rock this joint!” With that, the sound of a fast drumbeat began to ring throughout the gymnasium. The gray girl gulped as she began to panic, whispering, “Here we go again.”

This time, Marble’s ears were flooded with the deafening sound of some sort of synth keyboard. The keyboard’s shrill tone ate away at the gray girl’s ears, and no matter how hard she pressed her hands against her ears, the music still drowned everything out. Marble collapsed back down to her knees as she let out a pained scream.

At least, she felt like she did. She couldn’t actually hear her own voice over the deafening music.

“Make it stop! Please make it stop!” Marble cried out as she felt a tear drip down from her eyes. As she cried out, the gray girl couldn’t help but think, ‘I knew this was gonna happen. I didn’t want to come here but everyone forced me to. Now my ears hurt and I think I’m getting a headache and….’ Tears continued to fall down her cheeks as she begged, “I can’t stand it! Someone make the noise stop!”

But the music and noise wouldn’t stop. If anything, the sound of scratchy synths and shredding guitars grew even louder. Marble was pressing against her ears with all her might, but the noise was still too loud. Shaking her head, the young geologist screamed, “I feel like my ears are going to start bleeding!” Of course, in spite of feeling herself scream, she couldn’t hear her own voice. Eventually, Marble lost her composure and, taking a deep breath, gave in to her frustration and began to scream, “Would it kill anyone in this damn place….” As she spoke, the music abruptly stopped, leading to the rest of the student body to begin simmering down.

Unfortunately, Marble was already finishing her complaint, and so furiously screamed, “TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS FUCKING NOISE!?”

At that moment, a wave of silence overcame the gymnasium as everyone turned their attention to Marble Pie. For several moments, the gray girl found herself unsure of what to do. ‘Oh no.’ She thought to herself. ‘Please tell me no one heard that.’

Sadly, the orange boy next to her quipped, “Dude, what is your problem? You some kind of special ed girl or something?” As several other students began to murmur to themselves, Marble began to tear up again as she curled into a ball and tried to sink into her leather jacket. Sniffling, the gray girl could only mutter to herself, “I hope Sideswipe didn’t hear that.”

Before she could fret about her girlfriend any further, Marble was interrupted by the sound of an adult’s voice demand, “Young lady? Would you come down here please?” Looking up, the gray girl found the red teacher from earlier was glaring right at her, his arms crossed in frustration and disappointment.

As she rose to her feet, Marble could hear the orange boy mock her, “Ooh. Someone is in trouble.” He wasn’t the only one, as several other students began murmuring to themselves, with one voice, that of a teenaged girl, jeering, “Way to go killjoy!”

All Marble could do was growl in frustration as everyone around her began to mock her. Gritting her teeth, the gray girl could only sigh in frustration as she made her way up to the crimson teacher. ‘Let’s just get this over with.’ She thought to herself. ‘I’m already screwed. No point in making it worse.’ However, the teacher said something that filled Marble’s heart with dread.

“Perhaps a trip to the principal’s office will straighten you out.”

The Principal’s Office

Seated in a chair in front of a great mahogany desk, Marble Pie could only sigh in resignation and shame as she muttered to herself, “Ok, so on top of everything else today, you just had to go and shout “fuck” in front of everybody.” Resting her head against the back of her chair, the gray geologist could only complain, “congratulations, you’ve turned yourself into a social pariah.”

Still, it wasn’t like Marble was that much of a social climber. She always preferred to stick to the shadows, allowing Apple Bloom and Sideswipe to soak up all the attention. The gray girl smiled as she said to herself, “Sideswipe could get along with anyone.” This led to Marble sighing as she continued, “But after today? I wouldn’t be surprised if she dumps me because of….”

Tearing up at the prospect of getting dumped, Marble could only curl into a ball and cry into her knees.

At that moment, the gray girl heard a smooth male voice ask, “Well, what do we have here?” Turning around, Marble found herself locking eyes with a man who had white skin, blue hair and eyes, a red shirt with a blue tie, and khaki pants. The older man walked towards his desk as he continued, “You must me Marble Pie. I heard you have quite the colorful vocabulary.”

As the pale adult sat down at his desk, Marble could only sigh as she apologized. “I’m sorry sir. I just… I got so overwhelmed….” She was interrupted by the principal raising his hand as he interrupted, “I think we both know that that kind of language is absolutely inappropriate, especially for something like a pep rally.” Marble could only sigh as she sniffled, “I understand sir.”

To her surprise, however, the principal continued, “However, I have a feeling that this little incident wasn’t just because you like cursing, was it?” Caught off guard, Marble shook her head as she replied, “Uh no. I…. uh…..” Hesitating for a moment, she continued, “Everything got way too loud for me. It felt like I was gonna go deaf.”

Taking this information in, the principal nodded as he said, “I figured as such. I believe I know what happened here.” Curious, Marble inquired, “What do you mean?” Giving the young girl a reassuring smile, the blue haired man said something that caught her completely off guard.

“Marble, have you ever heard of sensory overload?”

Shaking her head, Marble replied, “Uh… I think I’ve heard of that before, but I don’t really know what that means.” The principal explained to her, “It basically means that one of someone’s senses is overstimulated. From what I heard happened, you were overwhelmed by the noise from the pep rally, correct?” The gray girl sighed as she replied, “Yeah. Loud noises just really annoy me. They make my head and ears hurt.”

Taking this information in, the principal remarked, “Well then, perhaps next time, we can consider excusing you from pep rallies, or at least have you placed somewhere where the noise isn’t as bad.”

Marble found herself overwhelmed with relief. She then asked, “You mean I don’t have to worry about attending these stupid rallies anymore?” The principal nodded as he replied, “If you would like. So long as you promise to avoid using profanity.” The gray girl lit up with excitement as she declared, “Thank you so much Mr….” Pausing for a moment, the young girl lamented, “Forgive me sir. I don’t think I actually know your name.”

Smiling, the principal replied, “My name is Ultra Magnus.”

Feeling a sense of relief, Marble gave a gentle, “Thank you Mr. Ultra Magnus.” Nodding, Ultra Magnus replied, “No problem young lady. Now then….” Looking up to the clock, the blue haired principal continued, “The pep rally should be over by now, so I think you better be going. Don’t want you missing your bus or holding your parents up, do we?” The gray girl held her arm in her hand as she replied, “I guess not.”

Gathering up her belongings, Marble began to make her way to the door as she said, “Thank you Mr. Ultra Magnus.” Nodding, Ultra Magnus reassured his pupil, “You’re welcome Marble. My door is always open to you.”

Once Marble was out of his office, Ultra Magnus let out a sigh of relief as he said to himself, “Always nice to help a kid in need.” He then glanced at the framed photograph on his desk, showing a younger Magnus and his now deceased younger brother. Wistfully smiling at the photo of his brother, the wizened principal continued, “I read up on that Marble girl. She has Perceptor’s Syndrome, but apparently she’s a bright little cookie.”

He then sighed as he lamented, “Shame you couldn’t be here. You could’ve made a pretty darn good PE teacher.” Taking a deep breath, Magnus continued, “Imagine it. Kids studying under the one and only Optimus Prime. Maybe that scrapper Ironhide could give you a hand.”

Still, the aging principal couldn’t spend all day lamenting what could have been, and so he turned his attention to the paperwork that rested on his desk as he thought to himself, ‘Good thing I do this for the kids.’

Outside Iacon High School

No sooner had Marble made it outside than she heard a familiar voice call out for her, “There you are!” Turning to see who it was, the gray girl found both Sideswipe and Apple Bloom running towards her, relief plastered on their faces. As the pale biker pulled her girlfriend into a tight hug, she exclaimed, “I saw what happened! I’m so sorry!”

Trying to free herself, Marble reassured her girlfriend, “It’s alright.” As Sideswipe released her girlfriend, the pale biker responded, “No it’s not! I got a good look at that fucking speaker behind you, and I should’ve known it’d overwhelm you!” She then sighed as she lamented, “Primus I feel like such a dumbass!” Even Apple Bloom couldn’t help but admit, “Ah’m so sorry you got overwhelmed at the pep rally.”

To Sideswipe and Apple Bloom’s surprise, Marble straightened her jacket as she said, “It’s ok. And besides, I have a feeling I won’t have to worry about this sort of thing again.” She then turned to face the school behind them as she added, “Principal Ultra Magnus is pretty cool.”

Upon hearing that name, Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “Wait, you mean our principal is Ultra Magnus?” Nodding, Marble answered, “Yeah. Why, that bad?” The former farm girl shook her head as she replied, “Of course not! If anythin’, that’s great!” She then dropped the bomb shell that surprised both Marble and Sideswipe.

“Ultra Magnus’s younger brother was Uncle Ironhide’s old commander!”

As the two teens took this in, Sideswipe asked, “No way. You mean our principal and Ironhide know each other?” Even Marble couldn’t contain her excitement as she added, “You gotta tell us everything!” The former farm girl smiled as she rested her hands around her friends’ shoulders as she began, “Well, apparently they first met face to face at Uncle Ironhide and Aunt Chromia’s weddin’, but before that….”

And so, as the trio of girls walked off to wait for Ironhide to pick Apple Bloom up, the former farm girl regaled the story she’d heard about her family’s influence on Allspark Wells, all while Marble thought to herself, ‘Give me some quality time with my friends over a stupid pep rally anytime.’

Author's Note

Next Time; Apple Bloom finishes and presents her midterm environmental project, only to find herself locking horns with Mr. Compost.

Author's Note; Marble's experiences with loud noises echoes my own history with sensory overload, though thankfully I never had an incident like the one Marble finds herself in.
Fun Fact, there should be a brief lego reference in this chapter. See if you can find it.

Aurochs Compost

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 15; Aurochs Compost

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom held the electric saw above the steel replica of a heavy machine gun’s water jacket. Looking down at her target through her smelter’s mask, the former farm girl made sure her saw was right above the middle of the target. After all, she only had one chance to get it just right.

From behind her, Apple Bloom heard Ironhide’s voice called out, “If you need, I can do that for you kid. I doubt Mr. Compost will mind.” Turning her head around to face her uncle, the young girl explained, “Ah know. But Ah wanna get more experience workin’ with the heavy tools. That way Ah can be more helpful around here.” As she returned her attention to the water jacket in front of her, Ironhide could only smile as he remarked, “As you say kid.”

For Apple Bloom, this was about more than just proving herself proficient enough with power tools. It was the last week before Fall break, and the time had come for the former farm girl to present her project for Mr. Compost.

Thankfully, the former farm girl had planned everything out perfectly. She’d read up on how nature recovered from war and decided that if nature can cover fields in poppies, than perhaps people could help speed the process along. ‘That was the point of the project, right?’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘To show how we can help the environment. And what better way than to heal land affected by war.’

With her hands steadied and her breath calm, Apple Bloom lowered the electric saw’s blade down, cutting through the machine gun’s water jacket. Sparks flew in every direction as the rotating blade descended, splitting the water jacket into two equal halves. Eventually, the former farm girl’s saw finished cutting its way through the steel cylinder, and the two halves fell to their sides.

As she powered down the saw, Apple Bloom pulled up her mask as she asked, “Ah get it right?” Ironhide made his way up towards the split water jacket and, looking the pieces of metal over, turned to his niece and informed her, “Perfectly equal halves kid. You’re a natural.” The former farm girl let out a sigh of relief as she wiped the sweat from her brow as she said, “Thanks Uncle Ironhide.”

Setting the now powered down saw on the table before walking up to her uncle, Apple Bloom continued, “Thanks for makin’ this mockup of a water jacket for me.” The family patriarch wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulder as he continued, “No sweat kid. I was happy to help.” He then let out a wistful sigh as he added, “Reminds me of when we used to help Torque Wrench with her school projects.” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth overtake her as she hugged her uncle back.

Once the two had finished their embrace, Ironhide said, “Now, I’m gonna make sure the edges on these halves here aren’t too sharp for your presentation tomorrow. You go take a shower. You smell nastier than a skunk sprayed itself as it died.” Smiling as she struggled to keep herself from laughing, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but reply, “Yes sir.” With that, the former farm girl departed the workshop as Ironhide thought to himself, ‘That girl sure has a knack for this sort of work.’

Apple Bloom’s Room, That Night…

“Alright, let’s see….” Apple Bloom said to herself as she went over everything for her presentation for the next day. Pointing to the fresh halves of the water jacket, the former farm girl continued, “Water jacket, check.” She then pointed to the long and thin pipes laying next to the water jacket halves and continued, “Rain gutter barrels, check.” She then continued as she pointed to the gray box as she said, “Makeshift bird house? Check.”

Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl said to herself, “Alright. All the props are ready. Now Ah just need….” She was interrupted by the robotic sound of Wheelie’s voice informing her, “I’ve got your report right here Apple Bloom.” Turning around, Apple Bloom found the small robot holding several pieces of paper in is hand. Taking the paper from him, the burgundy haired girl smiled as she replied, “Thanks Wheelie.”

Rising his bottom eyelids up in a motion she’d figured out was his form of smiling, Wheelie happily inquired, “You think your project will impress Mr. Compost?” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Ah sure as hell hope so. At the very least….” Pausing for a moment, Apple Bloom knelt down to the floor and, to the robot’s surprise, knocked the floor with her knuckle as she continued, “Knock on wood, Ah should earn a passin’ grade.”

Tilting his head, Wheelie asked, “Why did you knock on the floor? What’s that for?” Apple Bloom giggled as she explained, “It’s just somethin’ Ah learned from back home. Sort of somethin’ ya do so you don’t jinx yourself.” The small robot then replied, “Ooooohhh. So, it’s something you do for luck, right?” Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “Exactly! A little somethin’ for luck.”

At that moment, Apple Bloom let out a large yawn before remarking, “Oh mah. Guess Ah better hit the hay. See you in the mornin’ Wheelie.” The small robot groaned as he whined, “Awh, come on. Can’t we hang out just a little longer?” Smiling, the former farm girl reassured her friend, “Don’t worry. We can hang out after school.”

Nodding, Wheelie replied, “Ok. See you in the morning Apple Bloom.” As the small made his way out of her room, Apple Bloom made her way to her dresser and to select her pajamas for the night. After settling on a red plaid shirt and pants, the former farm girl began to make her way to the bathroom, hoping she could beat Sideswipe to the shower.

Iacon High, the Next Day

Stepping out of her uncle’s van, Apple Bloom turned to her uncle as she said, “Ah’m ready.” From inside the red van, Ironhide nodded as he said, “Alright kid. Just let me get the trunk open.” As he flipped a switch on his dashboard, the van’s trunk door began to slowly rise, revealing two medium sized boxes full of Apple Bloom’s makeshift props for her demonstration.

Stacking the boxes before picking them up, Apple Bloom bade her uncle, “See ya after school Uncle Ironhide. Love you!” The family patriarch nodded as he replied, “Love you too kid.” Once the former farm girl had her boxes secure, she closed the van’s trunk before picking her boxes back up as Ironhide began to drive off. The former farm girl then took a deep breath as she said to herself, “Alright. Let’s do this.”

As she entered the school, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel confident for her presentation. “Ah’ve got everythin’ here, Ah’ve got mah report in mah backpack, and Ah’m feelin’ pretty confident about this.” She said to herself. Making her way towards Mr. Compost’s room, the burgundy-haired girl couldn’t help but feel optimistic.

At that moment, Apple Bloom heard a familiar voice complain, “Oh shit man, this is bad!” Stopping in her tracks, the former farm girl thought to herself, “Wait a minute, that sounds like Oak Leaf.” Turning her head, she found a trio of boys chatting amongst themselves. One was a boy with olive skin and white hair, one with orange skin and white hair, and the third boy had green skin with blue hair. Sighing to herself, Apple Bloom whispered, “Yup. It’s Oak Leaf and his two stooges.”

No sooner had she said this than Oak Leaf, who was visibly panicking, explained to his friends, “This is bad. I haven’t got anything for that stupid environmental project, and it’s due today!” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel just a little sorry for the olive boy as she thought, ‘That’s a shame, though given Oak Leaf, he probably brought it on himself.’

The orange boy then reassured his friend, “Relax man. I heard from a senior in my English class that Mr. Compost is, like, a total wackadoodle. All you gotta do is make something up about the environment and you’ll be golden.” Oak Leaf let out a sigh of relief as he replied, “Yeah. I’m sure I’ll be able to fake something for that overgrown carpet.”

Shaking her head, Apple Bloom let out a gentle chuckle as she said to herself, “Good thing Ah came prepared.” She would have continued to mentally gloat over her classmate’s laziness and sloppiness, but she knew that she’d have to get to class sooner or later. ‘That and mah arms are gettin’ kinda heavy.’ She thought to herself. With that, the former farm girl departed, hopeful she could get to class before Oak Leaf.

Mr. Compost’s Classroom

Setting her boxes down next to her desk, Apple Bloom held her hands against her hips as she said, “Alrighty then. Got everythin’ ready.” Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Ah just hope Mr. Compost likes this.”

Looking around the classroom, the former farm girl took notice of everyone else’s projects. One boy had a diagram depicting what looked like a landfill, a girl had several bottles of some sort of liquid, and one boy even had a large glass container full of plants that she could only guess was some sort of compost machine. All in all, it was clear that everyone, save for Oak Leaf, had put a lot of thought and effort into their project.

After several minutes, Mr. Compost entered the classroom as he said, “Greetings fellow citizens of the world.” Once again, the sickly green teacher was munching away at a bell pepper. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel that, at least today, his long brown hair and beard seemed even more unkempt than normal. Once he made his way to the front of the class, Mr. Compost swallowed his mouthful as he continued, “Alright everyone. It’s that time of semester, and from the looks of things, everyone seems to have brought their A-game.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘Hold on. What does he mean by “seems” to have brought our A-game?’ Shaking her head, the former farm girl reassured herself, ‘Probably just wants to make sure everyone put effort into it himself.’ After all, he did say that the project would be one of the most important for the semester, right?

Swallowing his mouthful, Mr. Compost spoke out, “Alright then. Let’s not waste any time. Who wants to go first.” Before Apple Bloom could even think of raising her hand, one of the other students, the girl with several bottles of different liquids, called out, “Me! Me! I wanna go first!” The sickly green teacher let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Alright. You can go first Gum Drop.”

Bringing her bottles up to the front of the class, Gum Drop began, “Now then, have you ever wondered….”

A Short While Later…

“And now the worms can break down organic matter at a faster rate than under normal circumstances.” One of the boys said as he finished his demonstration. Motioning to Mr. Compost, he asked, “So, what do you think sir?” Walking over to the composting machine, the scruffy teacher scowled as he replied, “I don’t know. It’s not really hip or original. Honestly, what’s so special about that little contraption?”

Sitting at her desk, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘That’s it? He’s not impressed?! That’s gotta be the most sophisticated composter Ah’ve ever seen!” Indeed, all period, everyone had shown their hard work to their teacher, but he had proven himself to be fickle and hard to improve. The liquids? Mr. Compost failed her as soon as she finished. One kid’s demonstration on wind farms? The teacher complained about how windmills required being built, and thus “robbing nature of materials.”

And now he was seemingly unsatisfied with her fellow classmate’s compost machine.

Walking around the machine, Mr. Compost remarked, “I see there is some sort of electric system here. If I may, how is this trinket powered?” Gulping nervously, the boy remarked, “Uh…. Its battery powered.” The teacher immediately inquired, “And how exactly are batteries made?” When his pupil couldn’t provide an answer, Compost concluded, “I’ve seen enough. D plus.” The boy tried to speak up in defense of his project, but the teacher interrupted with a blunt, “That will do. Return to your seat.” As the boy dejectedly sulked over to his desk, Mr. Compost turned to the rest of the class and asked, “Who’s next?”

Apple Bloom gulped in fear at the prospect of having to give her report. While earlier, she’d been enthusiastic to give her presentation, now she felt scared that she wouldn’t be able to so much as say anything without Mr. Compost failing her on the spot. Still, she knew that sooner or later, she’d have to give her presentation, and it would be better to just get it done as soon as possible.

Raising her hand, Apple Bloom called out, “Ah think Ah’m ready.” Mr. Compost nodded as he replied, “Alright Apple Bloom. Show us what you’ve got.”

Making her way to the front of the class with her two large boxes, Apple Bloom set them down and reached into one as she took a deep breath. “No pressure.” She whispered to herself. “Just give it your all.” Letting out her deep breath, the former farm girl turned around to face the class as she began her report.

“What does war do to an environment?” Apple Bloom asked the class. When no one answered, the former farm girl continued, “Whatever reason people have for fightin’, they nonetheless leave an impact on the places they fight.” She then presented a large picture, showing the “before” and “after” of a massive battlefield from the First Great War. Pointing to the charred remains on the “After” half, Apple Bloom rhetorically asked, “But how can we help nature reclaim what has been lost?” As everyone began to murmur amongst themselves, Apple Bloom smiled as she continued, “And the best part is that we can undo the damage with a little help from the very machines that inflicted the damage in the first place!”

Reaching into one of her boxes, the former farm girl pulled out one of the water jacket halves as she explained, “This is part of a water jacket. These were used on heavy machine guns to cool their barrels, so they didn’t burst from the heat of constant use.” Flipping the half cylinder around, Apple Bloom continued, “But split these in half, and you can grow flowers and other short root plants in ‘em.”

Setting the water jacket half down on the desk, Apple Bloom reached into her box and pulled out two of the barrels as she explained, “Speakin’ of a machine gun, these long barrels would force a bullet through them and towards the enemy. However, what if they moved somethin’ else, like say…. Water?” Pointing to the drilled holes, she explained, “Water comes out through these holes here and can be used for irrigation. This way you don’t have to make somethin’ new and waste any new metal.”

As the class focused on Apple Bloom’s words, the former farm girl smiled as she continued, “But what about somethin’ related to animals?” Reaching into her box, she presented a wooden box and explained, “This here is the sort of box someone would use to hold everythin’ from extra ammo to grenades and artillery shells. But with a little modification…” Fidgeting with the box, Apple Bloom continued, “And this here starts to resemble a bird house.” She then closed the wooden box, revealing a circular opening similar to those on wooden birdhouses.

After setting the box down, Apple Bloom pulled out several papers as she continued, “Now these are just some simple examples Ah’ve been workin’ on. Ah have several hypothetical ideas written down right here.” Turning to her teacher, the burgundy haired girl nervously gulped as she asked, “Well sir? What do you think?”

Rising from his chair, Mr. Compost scratched his chin as he answered, “Well, If I’m being honest, there’s nothing really exciting about your project. It’s all just so…. Boring.” As Apple Bloom took this in, he continued, “Like, this is the probably the most boring idea I’ve ever had anyone ever present.” He then motioned to her props as he added, “And your whole point revolves around the existence of war, when we should be uniting as one people.”

Gulping as she found herself growing annoyed and confused, Apple Bloom tried to defend herself with, “But Ah did everythin’ you asked sir. Ah explained how we can help the environment recover….” She then reached into her box and presented one of the water jacket halves as she added, “And Mah family and Ah made these out of scrap metal just to prove the point and….”

Before she could even chastise herself for whining to her teacher, Mr. Compost interrupted with a stern, “And do you happen to know how much energy is used to make the materials you used, let alone how much energy was wasted so you could make these little trinkets?” Apple Bloom now found herself completely off guard, unable to think of what to say next. All the former farm girl could do was stammer, “Uh…. Ah…. Uh….”

Shaking his head, Mr. Compost bluntly said, “I believe I’ve seen enough. D minus.”

Apple Bloom felt her jaw drop straight down to the floor. ‘A D minus?’ She thought to herself. ‘No, this can’t be. Ah mean, Ah don’t expect a perfect grade, but a D minus?’ Shaking her head, the burgundy haired girl tried to speak up with a gentle, “Sir, if Ah may….”

Mr. Compost interrupted with a stern, “I said a D minus! One more word out of you and its and F!”

Sighing in resignation, Apple Bloom could only reply with a defeated, “Yes sir.” Setting the water jacket half back into her box, the former farm girl gathered her belongings up and returned to her desk before slumping down, resting her head on her desk in defeat and shame.

Mr. Compost then cracked his knuckles as he said, “Now then, I believe the next up is Oak Leaf.” Turning to the olive boy, the teacher asked, “Oak Leaf? Please come up to the front of the class and give your report.”

Gulping in fear, Oak Leaf stood up and began to make his way to the front of the class empty-handed. As he passed Apple Bloom, the former farm girl couldn’t help but think, ‘At least Ah know Ah won’t be the only one forced to go on that stupid root and berry retreat, and it’ll teach Oak Leaf to not sleep on deadlines.’

Standing in front of the class, Oak Leaf took a deep breath before asking, “Tell me, what has impacted the environment more than anything else?” When no one gave an answer, the olive boy bluntly replied, “It’s people!” As everyone took this in, Oak Leaf continued, “The problem is there are simply too many people on the planet!”

Pausing for a moment, Oak Leaf explained, “This planet is overpopulated, and we need to do something about the surplus population! There is only one solution and it’s to eliminate those who cannot contribute to our society!” He then gave a theatrical bow as he finished with, “There. That’s my solution for this.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom felt her blood boil as she thought, ‘That’s it? His plan to help the environment is eugenics?’ the burgundy haired girl could only shake her head as she thought, ‘There’s no way Mr. Compost would give him anythin’ other than an F.’

Mr. Compost, on the other hand, was enthusiastically clapping and shaking his head as he said, “Bravo Oak Leaf! That is the sort of out of the box thinking we need in this world. A plus!”

Apple Bloom couldn’t believe it. Her well thought out project was given a failing grade while Oak Leaf’s improved rant was given an A. ‘This…. This ain’t fair!’ The former farm girl thought to herself. ‘Ah heard him frettin’ over not havin’ anythin’, and he just pulls somethin’ out of his ass and he gets a passin’ grade and….’ Growling to herself, Apple Bloom couldn’t contain her frustration anymore.

Slamming her fist onto her desk, the former farm girl exclaimed, “That ain’t fair! Oak Leaf just made all that up!” Before the olive boy could say anything to defend himself, Mr. Compost condescendingly replied, “If that’s the case, then perhaps he just had a better idea than you.” As Oak Leaf mockingly stuck his tongue out at Apple Bloom, the class teacher continued, “Besides, he is right. There are simply too many people alive today, and something has to be done about it.”

Apple Bloom never thought she could ever be so angry at any of her teachers before. Sure, she’d been a bit annoyed when someone gave an extra bit of homework or sprang pop quizzes too frequently, but this? Failing students with well thought out ideas while passing someone who not only made something up on the fly, but also advocated eugenics? That was simply too much, and before she could even consciously notice her mouth moving, Apple Bloom made her opinion of the situation very clear.

“Oh, that is bullshit!”

The moment those words escaped past her lips, Apple Bloom held her hands against her mouth as everyone turned their attention to her. ‘Oh shit! Please tell me Ah didn’t just say that.’ Sadly, Mr. Compost crossed his arms as he angrily replied, “That was uncalled for Apple Bloom. One more word out of you, and you’re going straight to the principal’s office!”

Sighing in resignation, Apple Bloom could only dejectedly nod. After a few awkward moments of silence, the bell rang out, signaling the end of class. Mr. Compost clapped his hands as he called out, “All right everyone. I shall see you all later, and to those of you who did poorly on your project, don’t forget about the root and berry retreat this weekend.”

All Apple Bloom could do was gather her belongings, pick up her boxes of props, and trudge out the door, too dejected and angry to even care about how the rest of the day might turn out.

Later That Day

Sitting outside as she waited for Ironhide to pick her up, Apple Bloom could only grumble to herself, “Ah still can’t believe Mr. Compost would fail me while givin’ a passin’ grade to that asshole Oak Leaf.” Shaking her head, the former farm girl tried to ask herself, “Maybe Ah did somethin’ wrong? Ah mean, Ah think Ah got the gist of the assignment. Ah just don’t understand why he hated it.”

Before she could ponder what went wrong any further, Apple Bloom noticed the familiar sight of a red van pulling up. Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl could only say to herself, “Alright. Let’s just get this over with.” Picking up her boxes, she made her way towards her uncle’s van as the trunk slowly opened. As she set the boxes down inside, Apple Bloom dejectedly greeted, “Hey uncle Ironhide.”

“Hey there kid. How’d the presentation go?” Ironhide happily asked his daughter. “You knock that stuck up teacher of yours dead in the water?” However, Apple Bloom didn’t say anything in response to his question. Instead, she just closed the trunk and made her way to the passenger seat and sat down. Concerned, Ironhide asked, “Everything alright there kid?”

Apple Bloom slammed her head against the back of her chair as she groaned, “Ah got a D minus! Mr. Compost said it wasn’t “original” enough and complained about how Ah “required war existin’ in the first place” and….” Pausing for a moment, the former farm girl angrily continued, “And he gave this one kid a passin’ grade just for goin’ on a rant about how the best way to deal with overpopulation is to just kill people!”

Pulling his van into an empty parking spot, Ironhide gently but sternly told his daughter, “Calm down Apple Bloom.” As Apple Bloom took a deep breath to collect herself, she began to speak, “Well, you see…..”

The Chop Shop, Later That Day

“No fucking way!” Wheeljack exclaimed as Apple Bloom finished her story. Turning to the others, the maverick mechanic asked, “I can’t be the only one who thinks that Compost guy is full of bullshit, right?” Chromia spoke up with a gentle but stern, “As much as I don’t appreciate your vulgarity, I do have to agree with you on that. What is this guy thinking?”

As Wheeljack, Chromia, and Ratchet were speaking between themselves, Sideswipe rested her arm around Apple Bloom as she tried to reassure her, “Don’t beat yourself up. One bad grade won’t ruin you.” The former farm girl could only sigh as she replied, “Not with Mr. Compost. He said this assignment would determine whether we passed this class or not. And now, Ah’ll have to go on this stupid root and berry retreat.” Sideswipe tried to think of something to cheer her sister up but could only sigh as she pulled Apple Bloom into a tight hug.

At that moment, Ironhide joined the rest of the family as he hung up from his cellphone. Turning face everyone else, he explained, “I just got off the phone with Ultra Magnus, and he says that he’s organizing a little get together with Mr. Compost about this. Hopefully we can get this whole thing settled out.” Apple Bloom then asked, “What time do we need to be back at the school for this meeting?”

“About an hour.” Ironhide answered. Chromia then said, “Sounds like we better start heading over.” The family patriarch then straightened himself as he explained, “Ok. Apple Bloom, Chromia, you’re with me. Ratchet, Wheeljack, Sideswipe, you two stay here. I got a feeling this could devolve into a clash of personalities, and I don’t want this to get uglier than it already might be.”

As everyone else began to leave the room, Ironhide turned to Apple Bloom and asked, “You ready for this kid?” Shrugging, the former farm girl replied, “Ah guess.” Deep down, however, she was starting to think that getting her family involved would only make things far more complicated. ‘Still, they’re commin’ to mah defense, and there ain’t no point in stoppin’ now.’ She thought to herself.

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom said, “Alright. Let’s do this.”

Iacon High Conference Room, Later That Day

Sitting down at the conference table, Apple Bloom found herself sandwiched between Ironhide and Chromia on one side and Mr. Compost on her other. As everyone sat down, Ironhide spoke up with a polite, “Thank you for agreeing to speak with us about this. We apologize for the inconvenience.” Chromia then added, “Especially on such short notice.”

Mr. Compost, on the other hand, scoffed as he replied, “I don’t understand what there is to discuss. I told everyone to be creative and original, and Apple Bloom wasn’t creative or original enough.” Ironhide immediately spoke up with, “I don’t know what sort of hole you live under, but I think Apple Bloom’s work was more than creative enough.”

Folding his arms, Mr. Compost continued, “I’m not sure I gave instructions to operate heavy machinery or work with metals to create that water jacket thing for her demonstration. Do you know how much energy is spent and wasted from that kind of stuff?” He then pointed at Ironhide as he gloated, “Oh wait! Of course you do. That’s why you work with all that scrap metal and junk in that landfill you own.”

Ironhide immediately shot up from his seat as he growled, “Why you good for nothing little….” He was interrupted by Chromia, who placed herself in between her husband and Mr. Compost as she warned, “You better watch your temper mister, or you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight!” As she said this, Mr. Compost began to snicker to himself, leading the family matriarch to turn to him and say, “As for you, I heard you gave someone a passing grade for not only making something up on the spot, but for advocating mass murder.”

Mr. Compost simply scoffed, “Well sometimes, drastic problems require drastic solutions.” As both Ironhide and Chromia found themselves speechless by the teacher’s statement, he continued, “For example, Apple Bloom has a drastic problem in the form of risking failing my class. But thankfully, there is a way she can still pass.” Giving everyone a mischievous smirk, Compost finished with, “She can join me and everyone else who failed on the root and berry retreat this weekend.”

“Ah’ll do it.” Apple Bloom spoke out in resignation.

As everyone turned their attention to her, the former farm girl took a deep breath as she explained, “At this rate, someone’s just gonna get hurt, so Ah’ll just cut mah losses and do the stupid retreat.” As much as she didn’t want to do it, Apple Bloom knew that this would be the only chance to pass her biology class. ‘Besides, Ah’ve gone campin’ before with Applejack, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo at Winsome Falls.’ She thought to herself. ‘And it’ll be fall break once we get home, so it’s not like it’s really robbin’ me of a weekend, right?’

Mr. Compost made his way up to Apple Bloom and smugly said, “There we are. Nothing wrong with a little teacher student bonding, am I right?” He then tried to rest he hand on the former farm girl’s shoulder, only for Apple Bloom to shrug his hand off as she glared daggers at him, making her displeasure of the situation crystal clear.

Ironhide walked up to his daughter and asked her, “You sure you want to do this Apple Bloom?” Shaking her head, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah don’t wanna do it, but Ah don’t really have a choice. It’s either this or repeat the class, and Ah don’t wanna have to deal with this prick one second more than necessary.” Mr. Compost raised his hand as he said, “You do know I’m standing right here, right?”

Both Ironhide and Apple Bloom bluntly replied, “Yes.”

As Mr. Compost awkwardly nodded, “Well then. I guess that settles everything. I’ll see you tomorrow Apple Bloom, and I look forward to the root and berry retreat this weekend.” With that, he departed the conference room as Chromia folded her arms and said, “I don’t like that guy.” Ironhide nodded as he added, “You and me both.”

But for Apple Bloom, it didn’t matter how much she despised Mr. Compost. If she was going to have any chance of passing her class, she’d have to attend the cursed root and berry retreat. ‘Ah’d rather not have to risk repeatin’ biology.’ She thought to herself. ‘Better to go through one extra weekend with that twat than another semester.’ She then began to giggle to herself as she thought, ‘Heh. Guess Ah have to thank Wreck-Gar for teachin’ me that new word.’

The former farm girl was distracted from her train of thought by Ironhide tapping her shoulder as he said, “Hey kid. Looks like this is a losing battle. We better head home.” Nodding as she sighed in defeat, Apple Bloom replied, “Yeah. Let’s just get out of here.” With that, Ironhide, Chromia, and Apple Bloom left the conference room and began the long trek home.

All three blissfully unaware of what was to come that weekend.

Author's Note

Next Time: Apple Bloom joins the root and berry retreat, only for things to go from bad to worse.

Author's note: The chapter's title is Mr. Compost's full name, Aurochs Compost. It's something that fits this dirty old hippie perfectly. And yes, the concept of the "root and berry retreat" was inspired by the Icarly episode "Igo Nuclear."

Roots and Berries, Wolves and Boars

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 16; Roots and Berries, Wolves and Boars

“You’re sure you have to go on that stupid trip?” Tender Taps asked Apple Bloom as he took a bite from his sandwich. As she swallowed her mouthful of crushed apple, the former farm girl lamented, “Unfortunately, yeah. If Ah don’t do this, Ah’ll fail the class and put up with that hippie all over again!”

It was Friday, and unfortunately for the former farm girl, the infamous root and berry retreat was only a few hours away. ‘Ugh. Ah can’t stand the idea of an extra class with that jerk, let alone a whole weekend.’ She thought to herself. After all, Mr. Compost not only gave her a poor grade for her project, but he also gave a passing grade to Oak Leaf, who simply went on a pro eugenics rant he pulled out of his ass.

Sighing as she allowed her head to fall to the table, Apple Bloom groaned, “It just isn’t fair! Ah don’t need an A plus, but this is just….” Unable to finish her sentence due to her frustration, she could only complain, “He’s a dick!”

Tender Taps nodded as he replied, “I know. I’m sorry you have to put up with him.” He then took his girlfriend’s hand as he said, “Wish I could go with you. At least then you wouldn’t have to do it alone.” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but blush as she locked fingers with her boyfriend and reply, “Ah got a feelin’ this is the sorta thin’ Ah wouldn’t wish on mah worst enemy.” She then leant into his face as she added, “But Ah appreciate the offer.” Starting to feel his face turn red, Tender Taps rested his free hand against Apple Bloom’s cheek as he reassured her, “You’re welcome. I’ll always be willing to risk it for you.”

The two teens then pulled each other into a gentle but passionate kiss.

As they finished their kiss, Apple Bloom leaned against her boyfriend as she gently whispered, “Ah love you Tendy.” Resting his arm around her, Tender Taps gently replied, “I love you too Apple Bloom.” The two would have continued their embrace longer, but the ringing of the lunch bell cut their mini date short.

Sighing to herself, Apple Bloom lamented, “Guess we better get movin’, huh?” Tender Taps nodded as he replied, “I guess so.” He then pulled the burgundy haired girl into a tight hug as he asked, “Just try to stay safe, ok?” Hugging her boyfriend back, the former farm girl replied, “Ah’ll try. Hopefully the worst Ah’ll have to deal with is bein’ a bit worn out.”

As the two teens began to make their way to their classes, Apple Bloom blew her boyfriend a kiss as she bade him, “See ya once this nightmare is over.” Nodding, Tender Taps replied, “See you once you get home. I’ll take you out anywhere you want.” Eventually, the orange hoofer disappeared into the crowd, leaving Apple Bloom alone as she thought, ‘Ah got a bad feelin’ about this.’

Later That Day

Making their way outside the school, Apple Bloom and Sideswipe began to make their way towards the latter’s bike as she asked, “So, aren’t you and the others leaving for the retreat from here?” The former farm girl replied, “Yeah, but not for a few hours.” As they approached the parked motorcycle, Apple Bloom continued, “Besides, Uncle Ironhide wants to make sure Ah have enough stuff.”

As they mounted the motorcycle and its sidecar, Sideswipe remarked, “You know, if you guys are gonna be out in the middle of nowhere, I’m sure Mr. Compost could suffer some sort of “unfortunate accident,” if you catch my drift.” Apple Bloom could only groan as she replied, “Don’t say that! Anythin’ happens, And Ah’ll probably get blamed for it.”

Sideswipe raised her hand in defense as she apologized, “Sheesh. Sorry. But seriously, I’m sure someone could….” Apple Bloom interrupted with a harsh, “Please, just don’t!” Sighing to herself, the pale biker could only rev up her bike and began the trek home.

Apple Bloom’s Room

As the former farm girl rummaged through her closet for clothes that could handle a weekend in the middle of nowhere, Ironhide asked, “Find anything there kid?” popping her head out of her closet, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah found some older pairs of Overalls that might be useful.” Pulling an older pair of dark blue overalls out of the closet, she asked, “You think these will work?”

Smiling, Ironhide replied, “That will certainly be better than that kilt you’ve got on right now.” As Apple Bloom looked down to the green and blue kilt she was wearing, the former soldier continued, “However, your pants aren’t the most important thing you’ll need out there.” Curious, the burgundy haired girl asked, “Really? What about shirts?”

Shaking his head, Ironhide answered, “It’s socks.” Intrigued, Apple Bloom asked, “Socks? What’s so special about socks?” The former sergeant explained, “There’s nothing more important to a soldier than a fresh pair of socks.” The burgundy haired girl tried to speak up, but Ironhide interrupted with a gentle, “I’m serious kid. I’d suggest you take at least nine pairs.” Apple Bloom shrugged as she decided it would not be wise to fight her uncle on this sort of thing.

Several minutes later, the father and daughter pair had packed an old hiking backpack full of several days’ worth of clothes. Wiping a few beads of sweat from her brow, Apple Bloom remarked, “Well, that should be enough to get me through this nightmare.” However, Ironhide sighed as he replied, “I sure as hell hope so.”

Walking up to her uncle, Apple Bloom asked, “You alright Uncle Ironhide?” The former soldier shook his head as he replied, “I got a bad feeling about this. I don’t trust that washed out hippie.” He then pulled his daughter into a tight hug as he said, “Promise me you’ll be safe, ok?” Apple Bloom hugged her uncle back as she replied, “Sure thing.”

Ironhide then stepped back and rested his hands on her shoulders as he sternly reiterated himself, “I’m damn serious. I want you to promise me you’ll be safe and won’t get yourself hurt!”

Taken aback by her uncle’s seriousness, Apple Bloom nodded as she repeated the promise she learned from Ratchet. Crossing her heart with her finger, she said, “Cross mah heart to the brass. Stick a round right up mah ass.” Smiling as he nodded, Ironhide replied, “At a soldier. At ease.”

As Apple Bloom gave her uncle a salute, Ironhide asked, “Now then, what else do we need?”

Iacon High Parking Lot, One Hour Later

Pulling his van up into the parking lot, Ironhide glanced out the window as he remarked, “I think I found Compost’s car.” As Apple Bloom looked out the window, she noticed a rusting white and dark purple van with a circular symbol on the hood. Gulping, the former farm girl couldn’t help but reply, “Ah wouldn’t be surprised.”

As the family’s red van pulled into an empty parking spot, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but take note of her outfit. She’d changed into a pair of blue overalls, a red and white plaid shirt, and a pair of black hiking boots that Ironhide had gotten her a few days earlier (he insisted her normal boots weren’t suited to the rugged outdoor terrain). Now, she would be putting his advice and expertise to the test.

Stepping out of the van with her backpack, Apple Bloom noticed a group of other students standing around the aging vehicle. ‘Guess they’re the ones Ah’ll be goin’ through this farce with.’ She thought to herself. ‘At least Ah won’t be doin’ this alone.’

At that moment, Apple Bloom heard a familiar girl’s voice call out, “Apple Bloom? Is that you?” Turning to see who it was, the former farm girl found herself faced with a teenaged girl who had yellow skin, bright red hair, and was dressed in a similar red plaid shirt, a blue undershirt, khaki shorts, and brown hiking boots. Looking this girl over, the burgundy haired girl asked, “Dream Wave?”

Nodding, Dream Wave remarked, “Haven’t seen you in a hot minute. You here for the you know what?” Apple Bloom sighed as she replied, “Yeah. Mr. Compost didn’t like mah report on the impact of war and how we can use pieces of weapons to undo the damage.” Dream Wave let out a little laugh as she remarked, “Sounds like a better project than me. I tried to demonstrate an electric scooter.” She groaned as she added, “Mr. Compost asked, “Do you know how much energy it takes to charge something like this” and he gave me an F.”

At that moment, the familiar voice of Mr. Compost rang out, “Hopefully this weekend will teach you to give the environment the respect it deserves.” As the two girls turned to find their teacher approaching them from the school building, dressed in a brown woven poncho over a dirty gray shirt. As he walked up to his students, the sickly green teacher continued, “Just as I hope you will also give me the respect I deserve.”

Ironhide immediately spoke up with a stern, “Respect must be earned.” Mr. Compost glared at the former soldier before continuing, “Nonetheless, it seems that everyone is here. Now then, will everyone please board my peacemobile?” As Apple Bloom and the others made their way to their teacher’s van, Ironhide walked up to Mr. Compost and bluntly warned him, “You better bring those kids back in better condition than they are now, or you’ll wear that satisfied smirk around your waist ass first!”

Nervously gulping, Mr. Compost replied, “Sure thing soldier boy. Don’t go fragging anyone over it.” The moment those words exited his lips, Apple Bloom ran up to her teacher as she warned, “Sir, you might not wanna use that word around mah uncle.” As she said this, Ironhide took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and began cracking his knuckles, something the burgundy haired girl was a desperate attempt by her uncle to keep himself calm and not lash out at her teacher.

Turning to her uncle, Apple Bloom bade her uncle farewell with a gentle, “See you when we get back?” Ironhide nodded as he replied, “You’ve got this kid. Love you.” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Ah love you too.” With that, Apple Bloom straightened her backpack and stepped into Mr. Compost’s van.

Stepping into the van, Apple Bloom made her way to an empty seat next to Dream Wave. As she sat down, the red-haired girl asked, “So, you ever do anything like this before? The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Ah’ve been campin’ a few times with mah sister….” Pausing for a moment as she recoiled at the mere memory of Applejack, she continued, “But Ah got a feelin’ this’ll be a bit different than this.”

Before Dream Wave could reply, Mr. Compost opened the driver’s door and sat down as he called out, “Alright everyone. Ready for an exciting weekend?” Neither Apple Bloom nor Dream Wave gave an answer, though a few others responded with unenthusiastic, “Yays.” Slamming the van’s door shut, Mr. Compost complained, “Come on now. We’re gonna be embracing nature, living off the land the way our ancestors did. Doesn’t that sound exciting?” This time, no one said anything in response.

Shrugging to himself, Mr. Compost mumbled, “They’ll change their minds once we get there.” Reving up his van, the sickly green teacher began the trek to the Yellow-Steel national park, hoping his pupils would embrace nature the way he had.

Yellow-Steel National Park, Several Hours Later…

“I like your hair.” Dream Wave complimented Apple Bloom. The yellow girl continued, “You really rock burgundy.” As the former farm girl began to awkwardly blush, Dream Wave continued, “I’ve been thinking about dying my hair myself. I’m thinking of doing like a dark green.”

At that moment, the rusting van began to slow down. Looking out the window, Apple Bloom found herself greeted by the sight of an evergreen forest resting at the base of a rounded mountain. “Whoa.” The former farm girl remarked as she took in the majesty of the forest. Turning to Dream Wave, she exclaimed, “You gotta get a see this.” As the other girl looked out the window, she exclaimed, “It’s beautiful.”

The moment was killed when Mr. Compost called out, “Alright everyone. I need you all to give me your cellphones and other electronics.” One of the other students called out, “But sir, my parents said I need to keep my phone on or near me at all times.” The scruffy teacher shook his head as he replied, “We’re going to be in nature, and I don’t want anyone here to be distracted by these stupid little contraptions. You will leave your devices in this van, and that’s final!”

As Mr. Compost made his way through the van collecting everyone’s phones, Apple Bloom spoke up with a gentle, “Uh, Ah don’t have a phone sir.” The sickly green teacher nodded as he replied, “Well, one less device to worry about.” After collecting all his students’ electronic devices, Mr. Compost called out, “Now then, will you all follow me?”

Once she’d stepped out of her teacher’s van, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she said, “Ah, gotta love the fresh air.” Dream Wave smiled as she replied, “Yeah, even if we’re stuck here for that stupid root and berry retreat.” The moment she said this, Mr. Compost called out, “I heard that! I’ll show you that this retreat isn’t stupid.” Pointing to the forest, he continued, “Now then, follow me!”

As Mr. Compost began to walk towards the forest, Apple Bloom asked, “Uh, sir? Shouldn’t we be, you know, headin’ for the start of the trail or somethin’?” The sickly green teacher crossed his arms as he scoffed, “Trail? We won’t be following some sort of beaten path. We’re gonna be exploring the wilderness in all of its untapped and untamed glory.” The mood quickly turned sour as the other students began to murmur to themselves, clearly worried about just what their teacher was planning.

Groaning, Mr. Compost told his students, “Well, if you don’t follow me, you’ll just have to repeat the semester with me.” This seemed to give everyone the proper motivation, as the gaggle of students began to line up behind the scruffy teacher. Smiling, Mr. Compost pointed towards the forest as he called out, “Alright, forward fellow citizens of the planet!”

As they made their way to the sea of evergreens, Apple Bloom could only think to herself, “Somethin’ about this don’t feel right.’

Several Hours Later

“There we go.” Mr. Compost said as he finished nailing the final support spike down to the ground. After what seemed like an eternal hike, the group made it to an empty clearing and set up a large communal tent. Turning to face his pupils, the old teacher asked, “See what a little hard work and teamwork can do?”

Wiping some sweat from her brow, Apple Bloom remarked, “Maybe, but we certainly can’t do much on an empty stomach sir. What’s for dinner?” Dream Wave then spoke up with, “Yeah, I’m starving!” Yet another student called out, “What’s for dinner sir?”

Extending his arms, Mr. Compost declared, “Dinner is all around us. We’re gonna be living off the land.” For several seconds, Apple Bloom, Dream Wave, and everyone else stared at their teacher in stunned silence. After a few more moments, Mr. Compost continued, “It’s called a root and berry retreat, so we’re gonna be living off roots and berries.”

The first person to speak up was Dream Wave, who could only ask, “You’ve gotta be kidding us.” Even Apple Bloom couldn’t help but ask, “But, what if we can’t find anythin’?” Mr. Compost answered with a simple, “Then I guess you won’t eat until the trip is done.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom could only think to herself, ‘For the love of…. That is bullshit!’ She was about to speak up, but remembered, ‘Don’t do that. The last time you said that, you only dug yourself deeper into this mess.’ Sighing in resignation, Apple Bloom turned to the rest of the group and said, “Well, looks like we aren’t gonna find any roots or berries or anythin’ by standin’ here.”

As the group began to spread out in the search for food, Apple Bloom gave one look to her teacher, glaring at him as she couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘That pathetic little…’ Shaking her head, the former farm girl continued, ‘Don’t think that. Besides, how hard could it be to find a few berries?’

The Next Morning

Slowly stirring from her restless slumber, Apple Bloom let out a yawn as she began to rise out of her sleeping bag. Blinking her eyes, the burgundy haired girl felt her stomach rumble as she lamented, “Ugh. Can’t believe we couldn’t find anythin’ to eat last night.”

Indeed, despite everyone’s best efforts, no one was able to find any food, and everyone went to bed hungry. Now, cramped together in the large communal tent, it was the start of a new day, and Apple Bloom knew that there was no point in just lying around in the tent all day.

As she stepped outside the tent, the former farm girl was greeted by the sight of Mr. Compost meditating. Looking up to his student, the scruffy teacher stretched his arm and said, “Good Morning Apple Bloom. Ready for a fun filled day in nature?” Glaring at her teacher, Apple Bloom could only reply with a dejected, “Yeah. Sure. Whatever.”

Rising up to his feet, Mr. Compost remarked, “I take it the others are still asleep?” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Pretty much. They’ll probably start wakin’ up within the next fifteen minutes, give or take.” At that moment, one of the other students, a girl with cream skin, black hair, and dressed in a gray tee shirt and blue denim pants, emerged from the tent as she asked, “Morning sir. Morning Apple Bloom.”

Mr. Compost walked up to the girl as he greeted, “Good morning Windshear. I hope you’re ready for another fun day out here in nature.” As Windshear walked up to Apple Bloom, she asked, “So, what’s for breakfast? Anyone find any roots or something?”

At that moment, Mr. Compost lit up as he explained, “Actually, I found several raspberry bushes nearby, and there should be enough for everyone.” Windshear gulped as she nervously asked, “Uh, there anything else? I’m allergic to raspberries.” The scruffy teacher shook his head as he replied, “Nope. Guess you’ll just have to go hungry for now.”

‘No way!’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘There’s no way he just said that.’ The former farm girl could hardly believe that her teacher had told a student that she could go hungry at best or suffer an allergic reaction at worst. Allowing her anger to consume her, Apple Bloom turned to her teacher and angrily asked, “Are you out of your mind sir?”

Shaking his head, Mr. Compost defiantly replied, “I know it’s not ideal, but it’s the hand we’ve been dealt. If you’d like, you can take one of the others and look for food yourself.” He then cracked his knuckles as he continued, “Now then, I better wake everyone else up.” As the scruffy teacher made his way to the large tent, Apple Bloom could only groan, “Well, this is just prime.”

Several minutes later, after everyone had woken up, Mr. Compost had everyone gathered around him as he said, “Alright now everyone, now that you’re all up, I want everyone to begin foraging for food. Time to nourish ourselves on nature’s gifts.” Apple Bloom leaned into Dream Wave’s ear as she quipped, “Maybe mother nature will gift us a shower and rid us of his stench.” Both girls snickered as Mr. Compost turned to them and scolded, “I heard that! In that case, if you two don’t find anything, then you will not eat until later today, got it?”

Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah understand sir.” Turning to Dream Wave, she said, “Come on, let’s find some grub.” The red-haired girl nodded as she replied, “Lead the way.”

A Few Hours Later

Crawling along the dirt with her eyes glued to the ground, Apple Bloom groaned to herself, “Ugh. There’s gotta be somethin’ around here.” As she crawled along the ground, the burgundy haired girl was distracted when she bumped her head into something. “Ouch. What in tarnation was that?” Looking up, Apple Bloom realized that she was kneeling right in front of a large birch tree.

Scratching the back of her head, Apple Bloom remarked, “Heh, guess Ah’m startin’ to lose mah head.” Before she could laugh at her quip, the former farm girl began to groan and sway before needing to sit down. Feeling her head ache and her stomach groan, she couldn’t help but complain, “Ah hate this.”

From her left, Apple Bloom heard Dream Wave tell her, “You aren’t the only one.” Turning to see her friend, the former farm girl asked, “Find anythin’?” Shaking her head, Dream Wave dejectedly replied, “I wish. All I found was poison ivy and pig scat.” As Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion, the red-haired artist explained, “Hog shit.” The former farm girl let out, “Ew. Also, how do you know somethin’ is pig shit anyway?”

Dream Wave let out a wistful sigh as she explained, “My grandpa used to hunt hogs, and he brought me along a few times.” She then turned to the former farm girl and added, “You know, now that I think about it, I saw some bushes that looked like they’d been ravaged by pigs.” Lighting up, Apple Bloom asked, “Well, if there’s pig shit around, Ah guess that does mean pigs are around.”

At that moment, both girls were startled by the unholy sound of a wild beast squealing. As they rose to their feet, Apple Bloom asked, “What was that?” Dream Wave pointed at something behind the former farm girl, leading her to turn around to see what it was.

Sure enough, there, standing atop a fallen log, stood a large, brown boar staring the two girls down. Leaning towards Dream Wave, Apple Bloom whispered, ‘What do we do now?’ As the feral hog let out another screech, the red-haired girl whispered, “Step. Back. Slowly.”

It was at that moment that Apple Bloom stepped on a stray twig.

The feral hog let out a fierce bellow and began to charge the two girls, leading Dream Wave to scream, “Run!” Both girls then dashed away, hopeful they could escape the wrath of the wild hog.

The Communal Tent

As the two out of breath girls approached the tent, an exhausted Apple Bloom remarked, “Ah think…. Ah think we lost him.” Dream Wave let out a deep breath as she replied, “Yeah. He’ll probably be heading home by now.” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “And Ah thought the pigs we had on the farm could be a handful.”

Before either girl could say anything else, they were caught off guard by the sound of someone screaming, “Somebody do something!” Apple Bloom gulped as she remarked, “Sounded like it was from the other side of the tent. Come on!” She then took Dream Wave’s hand and dragged her friend along with her. Once they made it to the other side of the tent, Apple Bloom and Dream Wave were greeted by a terrifying sight.

There, surrounded by the rest of the group, they found Windshear, on her knees, the cream girl’s face turning red as she lay on the ground, struggling to breathe.

Running up to Windshear, Apple Bloom asked, “What’s goin’ on?” One of the other students, a gray skinned boy with black bangs that covered his eyes, exclaimed, “We were eating some of the raspberries and Windshear just started choking!” Gulping in fear, the former farm girl exclaimed, “Oh no! It’s an allergic reaction! Ah heard her say she was allergic to raspberries!” Dream Wave then knelt to Windshear and asked, “Windshear, you have any medicine?!”

The cream girl was barely able to motion to the tent before she continued to struggle to breathe. Turning to the tent, Apple Bloom charged into the flimsy structure and began to frantically search for Windshear’s bag. “Come on. Come on!” The former farm girl muttered to herself as she looked for her friend’s backpack.

After a few seconds, Apple Bloom found Windshear’s backpack lying next to her sleeping bag. Seeing it, she said, “There we go!” The former farm girl leapt towards the backpack and scoured through it, opening every single flap and zipper until she finally found a small bottle of antihistamines. Smiling, Apple Bloom continued, “Finally!”

Darting out of the tent, Apple Bloom ran straight towards Windshear and handed her the bottle as she exclaimed, “Here!” As the cream girl snatched the bottle, everyone heard the sound of Mr. Compost’s voice asking out, “What’s going on over here?” Turning to face the sickly green teacher, the former farm girl found her teacher lazily waltzing up to them as he munched away on a root.

Pointing to Windshear, Apple Bloom shouted, “Windshear is havin’ an allergic reaction to those Raspberries!” Mr. Compost glanced over to the cream girl, who was now taking a deep breath as the color began to return to her face. Shrugging, the scruffy teacher simply replied, “Looks like everything worked out just fine.”

“Just fine?!” Apple Bloom furiously shouted as she took her teacher’s words in. “Didn’t you hear me? Windshear had trouble breathin’! She could’ve died, and you’re sayin’ that this is JUST FINE?” As Mr. Compost glared at her, the former farm girl couldn’t contain her anger anymore, and she angrily asked, “All due respect sir, but are you OUT OF YOUR FUCKIN’ MIND?”

This moment of frustration caught everyone’s attention. As the other teens began to approach the two, Mr. Compost pointed right at Apple Bloom’s chest as he angrily scolded her, “I don’t know what your problem is young lady, but you have been a killjoy the entire trip.” He then folded his arms as he continued, “You better start behaving yourself from this point forward.” He then began to walk towards Windshear, all while Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Behave mahself mah ass!’

As Dream Wave ran up to her, the red-haired girl asked, “You ok Apple Bloom?” Shaking her head, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah’m tired, Ah’m hungry, Windshear had an allergic reaction, and Mr. Compost is a jackass.” Sighing, Dream Wave tried to lighten the mood as she remarked, “Well, I’m sure things can’t exactly get worse.”

At that moment, something in the corner of her eye caught Apple Bloom’s attention. ‘Huh? What’s that?’ she thought to herself. Turning to see what it was, the former farm girl found herself staring at several dark clouds off into the horizon. Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom could only say, “Ah really hope Ah remembered to pack a poncho or somethin’.” Dream Wave could only gulp as she replied, “Me to.”

That Night

The crash of thunder and the flash of lightning outside startled Apple Bloom as she scooted deeper inside the tent. To her right, Dream Wave handed her something brown as she asked, “Want a root?” Nodding, the former farm girl accepted the root as she reached into her pocket and pulled out some of the wild raspberries and offered, “Berries?” The red-haired artist nodded as she accepted the red berries, popping one in her mouth.

Just as Apple Bloom feared, a thunderstorm was now raging outside, forcing the entire group to seek shelter inside their communal tent. Now she, Dream Wave, Mr. Compost, and a half dozen other kids were hiding under the large tarp, hoping the rain and lightning would eventually stop.

From the other end of the tent, the gray skinned boy emerged from outside, absolutely soaked as he set the spade in his hand down on the ground and complained, “Sheesh, when will it stop raining?” Apple Bloom could only sigh as she replied, “Ah wish Ah had an answer, but Ah’m not psychic.” Dream Wave then sighed as she added, “And even if we had our phones to check to look up the forecast, we probably wouldn’t get a signal out her anyway.”

At that moment, Mr. Compost raised his finger as he remarked, “Hold on. I have an idea.” He then began to rummage through his bag as Apple Bloom whispered to herself, “Please let him have somethin’ useful.” Instead, the scruffy teacher pulled out something that looked like a mini xylophone made of cylinders as he said, “The pan flute. It will surely lift our spirits.” Mr. Compost then began to blow into his pan flute, playing a simple (and to Apple Bloom, very unimpressive) song.

At that moment, Dream Wave began to rise up as she said, “I hate to interrupt the jam session, but I have to pee.” As she rose up to leave the tent, Apple Bloom added, “And Ah need a little fresh air.” The boy with low bangs asked, “But it’s raining like hell out there!” The former farm girl sighed as she replied, “Yeah, but Ah’ll take the rain over the pan flute.” Mr. Compost could only shrug as he replied, “Your loss. I’m sure everyone else will be happy to enjoy some fun tunes.” He then continued to play his instrument as Apple Bloom slipped on a red poncho.

The moment she and Dream Wave stepped outside the tent, both girls found themselves completely drenched in rainwater as the red-haired artist lamented, “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about that stupid pan flute.” Apple Bloom giggled as she replied, “Yeah. Honestly Ah just want to get away from him for a few minutes.” She then asked, “So, where are you gonna, you know…”

Dream Wave began to ponder on that question, but the cold rain pouring down on them made both girls shiver. Pointing at something away from the tent, she said, “Come on, I think there’s some rocks over here.” She then took Apple Bloom’s hand as she dragged her into the woods, the former farm girl calling out, “Hey, not so forceful!”

No sooner had she said this than Apple Bloom tripped on an overturned log, faceplanting straight into the mud. Pushing herself up, the former farm girl groaned in frustration as she tried to wipe the mud from her face, only to realize her hands and arms were smothered in mud as well.

“Ugh!” Apple Bloom screamed in frustration. “Well, this is just prime! Stuck in the middle of nowhere, starvin’, soakin’ wet, and completely filthy! Ah wonder how this could possibly get any worse!”

However, no one answered her rhetorical question. The former farm girl found herself standing in the depths of the woods in the middle of the night and in the middle of a thunderstorm. ‘Oh shit. This ain’t good.’ She thought to herself. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she called out, “Hello? Dream Wave?”

Apple Bloom didn’t get a response, only the heavy pitter patter of rain and faint sound of thunder. ‘Keep calm Apple Bloom. Keep calm.’ The burgundy haired girl thought to herself as she looked behind her, only to realize she couldn’t see the clearing or the communal tent. Gulping in fear, Apple Bloom called out, “Hello? Dream Wavey? Mr. Compost? Anybody?”

At that moment, the former farm girl heard Dream Wave’s voice call out, “Apple Bloom? I’m over here?” Apple Bloom lit up as she replied, “Where’s here? Ah’m over here!” Looking around, she continued, “Wherever hear is.” Dream Wave’s voice continued, “Hold on! I’m coming towards you! Just sit….”

Dream Wave’s voice immediately cried out, “Tiiiiiggghhhttt!” This was followed by the red-haired artist’s voice screaming, a loud cracking sound, and her voice crying out in pain. Apple Bloom immediately let out a gulp as she called out, “Oh no! Hold on Dream Wave! Ah’m commin’!”

If there was any consultation to her current predicament, it was that Dream Wave’s screaming made it easier to figure out just where she was. After a few moments, Apple Bloom found herself approaching a rocky outcrop. “Huh. Never noticed this here before.” Indeed, she and the others had scoured the entire area surrounding the clearing, and there hadn’t been any sharp drops anywhere nearby. The former farm girl thought to herself, ‘Then, how far are we from the tent?’

Looking over the ledge, Apple Bloom was able to make out Dream Wave huddled against the rocky wall, her legs seemingly laying in front of her. Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl asked, “You alright there Dream Wave?” Looking up to her friend, the red-haired artist said something that shook Apple Bloom to the core.

“I think my legs are broken!”

“Your legs are broken?” Apple Bloom impulsively asked. A flash of lightning then flashed, startling both girls but showing the former farm girl that there was a path down the outcrop. Noticing this opportunity, Apple Bloom called out, “Hold on, Ah’ll be right there!” She then began to make her way down towards her friend.

Making her way up to Dream Wave, Apple Bloom found the red-haired artist had tears bleeding out of her eyes as she cried, “Primus Apple Bloom! My legs hurt so bad!” The former farm girl looked down, only to find that one of Dream Wave’s legs was bending at an unnatural angle. ‘Oh no!’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘This is bad. This is really, really bad.’ She tried to help straighten her friend’s leg, but the moment she touched her leg, Dream Wave screamed out in pain.

From above them, both girls heard Mr. Compost call out, “Apple Bloom? Dream Wave?” The burgundy haired girl immediately called back, “We’re over here!” She immediately thought to herself, ‘Ah don’t think Ah’d ever be happy to hear his voice.’ Sure enough, the scruffy teacher made his way first to the outcrop, then down the path and towards the two girls as he asked, “I heard you two shouting. What happened?”

Rising up from her friend, Apple Bloom explained, “We were tryin’ to find somewhere to…. You know…. And Dream Wave fell down here and broke her legs!” A she said this, Dream Wave let out another cry of pain as she took a nearby stick and bit down on it in an attempt to contain her pain.

Mr. Compost folded his arms as he scolded the girls, “Well, I guess you’ll just have to stay at the tent for the rest of the retreat.” Taking this in, Apple Bloom furiously replied, “Didn’t you hear me? Dream Wave’s Legs! Are! Broken! She needs help right now!” The sickly green biology teacher pointed right at Apple Bloom’s chest as he replied, “Well she wouldn’t be in this mess if she followed the rules!” The former farm girl shot back with, “Well none of us would be in this mess if you hadn’t pulled all those poor grades for that damn assignment from out of your ass!”

It was at this moment that a new sound caught everyone’s attention. It wasn’t the roar of thunder or crackle of lightning. It wasn’t even the squeal or belch of another wild boar. It was the sort of sound that sent a shiver down Apple Bloom’s spine.

It was the sound of a wolf’s howl.

Dream Wave turned to Mr. Compost and asked, “Sir, was that a wolf?” The scruffy teacher gulped as he nervously replied, “Maybe. But don’t worry, I’m sure that they’re miles away by now.” This statement was interrupted by another wolf’s howl, this one louder than the other, signaling that it was much closer.

Apple Bloom immediately ran towards Dream Wave and wrapped her arms around her as she frantically said, “Come on! We gotta get you out of here!” She then helped her friend up, only to stop in her tracks when Dream Wave screamed in pain as she said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can move. Just get the hell out of here!” The former farm girl immediately shot back, “Ah’m not leavin’ you behind!”

At that moment, both girls and Mr. Compost heard what sounded like a large dog barking. Dream Wave pointed to something off in the distance as she whispered, “Over there.” Apple Bloom followed her friend’s finger, only to find herself staring at two yellow-colored eyes. As the former farm girl processed what she was looking at, Dream Wave whispered, “It’s a wolf.”

Mr. Compost immediately began backing up towards the path up as he nervously muttered, “Uh… I’ll g-g-g-go g-g-get-t-t h-h-h-h-e-e-e-el-l-l-l-p-p-p.” He then bolted up the path and ran away as he called out, “Don’t worry! I’ll get help!”

But neither Apple Bloom nor Dream Wave felt reassured. If anything, both girls felt even more terrified now that their teacher had abandoned them. Dream Wave, in particular began, to hyperventilate as she repeated to herself, “He left us. He left us! HE LEFT US!” All Apple Bloom could do was reach over and grab her friend’s hand as she practically screamed, “Get a hold of yourself!” Once Dream Wave managed to regain some of her composure, the former farm girl tried to smile as she said, “We’re gonna get through this.”

At that moment, a large, gray wolf leapt out from the shadows, followed by two other wolves. The three canines barked at each other as they approached the two girls. Apple Bloom gulped as she muttered, “Oh shit.” Scooping Dream Wave up in her arms, the former farm girl tried to approach the way up, only to be blocked by one of the wolves. The four-legged beast snarled and barked at her, forcing Apple Bloom to walk backwards towards the rocky wall.

“Ok, can’t go that way.” Apple Bloom whispered to herself. She tried to walk away, only to find herself staring face to face with the third wolf. Nervously trying to extend her arm, the former farm girl stuttered, “Uh… N-n-ni-ic-c-c-e-e-e d-d-d-dog-g-g-gy….” The wolf replied by trying to clamp down on her hand, forcing Apple Bloom to pull her hand back as she exclaimed, “Whoa!”

‘Ok, so the way up is blocked…’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘The sideway is blocked, and the front….’ Before she could finish her thought, the first wolf, the leader of the pack from what the two girls could tell, leapt onto a nearby rock and gave them a furious glare. Apple Bloom could only think, ‘And the front is blocked. So that means….’

“We’re trapped.” Dream Wave uttered in absolute dread. As Apple Bloom turned her head to face her friend, the red-haired artist frantically continued, “We’re trapped. There’s no way out!” The former farm girl tried to think of something to say, but she realized that Dream Wave was right. They were up against a rocky outcrop surrounded by three angry looking wolves. It was at this moment that the young artist uttered something that shook both girls to the core.

“We’re gonna die!”

The moment Dream Wave said those three words, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘So this is it?’ She was bombarded by the thought of never seeing her other friends again. ‘Marble, Rattrap, Pastel, Sideswipe, Tender……’ Feeling her eyes water up, Apple Bloom muttered, “Tender Taps.” She then thought, ‘Double Shuffle, Wheelie, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Wreck-Gar, Brains, Aunt Chromia….’ Feeling tears fall down her cheeks as her nose began to run, she could only mutter, “Uncle Ironhide.”

It was now that she realized that this was it. This was the end. Both she and Dream Wave were about to be devoured by a trio of hungry wolves, and there was nothing neither of them could do about it. The only thing Apple Bloom could do was set her friend down on the ground as they both leaned against the rocky outcrop that now acted as their tombstone.

Turning her head to look Dream Wave in the eyes, Apple Bloom could only tearfully mutter, “Ah’m sorry. For everythin’.” Dream Wave, for her part, simply pulled her friend into a tight hug as she replied, “At least we aren’t going out alone.” All Apple Bloom could do was hug her friend back as the lead wolf charged at the two girls and leapt into the air as an unfamiliar loud boom rang through everyone’s ears.

To Be Continued

Author's Note

Next Time; Apple Bloom en Dream Wave gered deur 'n kwintet van bekende gesigte.

Aanslag

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 17; Aanslag

All Apple Bloom could feel was the cold rain pouring down on her. ‘Wait a minute.’ She thought to herself. ‘Shouldn’t we be, you know, bein’ torn apart by that wolf.’ After all, the last thing the former farm girl remembered seeing before she closed her eyes was the gray wolf leaping towards her and Dream Wave.

Opening her eyes, Apple Bloom saw that the gray wolf was laying motionless in front of her as the other two wolves fled back into the darkness. Turning to Dream Wave, the burgundy haired girl began to chuckle as she remarked, “Heh heh. Looks like we got lucky.” Dream Wave couldn’t help but laugh along as tears continued to drip from her eyes. Pointing to the deceased wolf, the red-haired girl remarked, “Must have been struck by lightning!”

Looking over to the wolf’s corpse, Apple Bloom noticed that the body wasn’t smoking or fried. Instead, it was simply as doused in rainwater as both girls were. The only thing that didn’t seem to add up was the fact that there seemed to be a small hole on the right side of its head, right behind the eye.

At that moment, a vaguely familiar voice called out, “Vries! Moenie beweeg nie!” Out of the depths of darkness emerged a man wielding what looked like a bolt action rifle. As he approached the two girls, Apple Bloom could make out more of his appearance. This man had dark blue skin and black hair. He was wearing a khaki shirt and pants, black boots, and had piercing red eyes. All of this, combined with his bolt action rifle, sent a cold shiver down both girls’ spines.

Resting his rifle down as he pulled back the bolt, the dark blue man asked, “Who ore you? Whet ore you doin’ here?” Apple Bloom took a mental not of his unique accent, having never heard anything like it before. ‘Ah swear though…’ She thought to herself. ‘Ah’ve seen this guy before.’

Sighing, the dark blue man continued, “Again. Who ore you? And whet ore you doin’ here?” Collecting herself, the former farm girl replied, “Uh…. Mah name is Apple Bloom, and this is Dream Wave.” The moment he heard this, the man lit up as he said, “Apple Bloom? Wag ‘n minuut…..” Snapping his fingers, he lit up as he continued, “That’s it! You’re one of Ironhide’s girls!”

Curious, Apple Bloom nervously replied, “Uh… yeah. He’s mah uncle.” The man let out a chuckle as he remarked, “Well then, perhaps you remember me frum the history fair a few months beck!” The moment he mentioned the history fair, Apple Bloom realized just where she remembered who the man standing before her was.

“Onslaught?” The former farm girl asked. “You’re Onslaught, right? The guy in that gray uniform from the history fair!”

Nodding, Onslaught replied, “The very same.” He then furrowed his brow as he continued, “But thet doesn’t onswer my question. Whet the hell are you two doin’ out here?” Dream Wave tried to force herself up as she explained, “Well, we’re stuck out here on stupid retreat, and I just happened to fall down here and break my legs.” Apple Bloom then added, “Ah came down to try and help her, and our teacher came down too, but once we heard those wolves, he….” Starting to tear up a bit, she continued, “He just up and left us.”

Sighing to himself, Onslaught angrily muttered, “Damnit! We were told the park would be clear this weekend!” Before Apple Bloom or Dream Wave could inquire on this statement further, the sound of a wolf’s howl caught everyone off guard. As the two girls embraced each other in fear, Onslaught readied his weapon, aiming it into the darkness as he stepped backwards towards his new charges.

Turning his head around to face the girls, Onslaught asked, “Con you two be ready to move?” Apple Bloom shook her head as she replied, “Her legs are broken! She can’t move!” The dark blue man sighed as he replied, “Alright. Con you carry her? If any more of those diere come back, I wonna be able to keep you two aloive.” The former farm girl nodded as she turned to Dream Wave and scooped her up in her arms.

Once Dream Wave was secure, Apple Bloom turned back to Onslaught as she said, “Lead the way sir.” Nodding, the blue man slung his rifle on his back as he replied, “Follow me, and stay quiet.” The former farm girl turned her head to Dream Wave and asked, “You ready?” The red-haired girl replied, “Anything to get out of this rain.”

With that, Onslaught began to lead the two girls away to safety.

After a few minutes of walking in the dark, Dream Wave asked, “How do you know where we’re going?” Keeping his eyes focused on the surrounding brush, Onslaught explained, “The boeke and I come up every year for boar culling. I know this brush loike the back of my hand.” He then held his hand out and looked down at it as he quipped, “Huh. That’s new.”

“Boar cullin’?” Apple Bloom asked. “What’s boar cullin’?” Onslaught gestured to his rifle as he replied, “Too many boars up here wrecking the plece. There’s a bounty of about 40 bucks a head, so every year, my boeke and I come up here to help with the problem.” He then let out a chuckle as he added, “We usually get at least foive, one for each of us. This year, we’ve gotten about eight so far.”

Taking this in, Dream Wave replied, “My dad used to go boar hunting. Stopped after he got a concussion about three years ago.” Onslaught nodded as he remarked, “I don’t blame him. Dikgat pups con put up quite a fight. Heh, reminds me of the time oi….”

“Mr. Onslaught?” Apple Bloom interrupted. As the dark blue man stopped in his tracks, the former farm girl continued, “Ah hate to come off as rude, but you don’t sound like you did back at the history fair.” Onslaught paused for a few moments, leading Apple Bloom to worry that she’d made a mistake by asking him that question. Thankfully for her, he explained, “Yeah that, the boeke and oi just put those accents on for the demonstration.” He then quickly swapped to a more recognizable accent as he added, “’Sides, speakin’ like this is a bit more appropriate for a demonstration like that….” He then returned to his normal voice with a blunt, “Then sounding loike this.”

Apple Bloom began to think about what Onslaught said, but was herself interrupted by Dream Wave saying, “Guys, can we get a move on please? My legs are killing me.” Onslaught nodded as he replied, “Yeah, we’ve wasted enough toime already.” Nodding, the former farm girl straightened herself and readjusted Dream Wave as she replied, “Lead the way sir.”

Several Minutes Later

As the group approached what looked like a dirt trail, Onslaught raised his hand at a right angle, signaling for Apple Bloom to stop. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a flashlight as he whispered, “Keep quoiet.” The blue man then pointed the flashlight at something in the distance and repeatedly flashed it on and off, as if he were flashing a telegram. Curious, Apple Bloom whispered back, “What are you doin’?”

The former farm girl received her answer when, out from the darkness, a light flashed back the same pattern that Onslaught had done. Letting out a sigh of relief, the blue man said, “Alroight. Looks loike Brawl’s on toime.” He then turned to the two girls as he said, “Just a heads up, he’s got quoite a temper.”

Dream Wave simply replied, “I’d deal with a hundred wolves just to get out of this rain.” Apple Bloom then added, “Same here.” Nodding, Onslaught allowed a small smirk to form on his lips as he said, “Very well.” He then motioned his hand forward, signaling for the group to advance.

No sooner had they resumed their trek than Apple Bloom could make out the shape of a parked four-wheel drive sitting on the trail. Turning to face Onslaught, the former farm girl asked, “Isn’t there supposed to be someone else here? Who was flashin’ that light?”

The moment she said this, another man emerged from the darkness. He had dark green skin, yellow eyes, black hair, and was dressed in a similar khaki outfit. The only differences in his outfit were the fact that he wore shorts instead of pants and wore a brown slouch hat with the left side pinned to the side. Looking at this man, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Yup, that’s Brawl. Ah remember him from the history fair as well.”

Approaching the group, Brawl jovially greeted his friend with, “Crikey! I heard that gunshot and then everything went silent! What the hell happened?” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think, ‘Guess Brawl has a different accent in real life too. Kinda sounds like Wreck-Gar, but a bit different.’ She was distracted from her recollection by Dream Wave asking, “I don’t want to interrupt, but can you please set me in the back of that jeep?” Apple Bloom nodded and replied, “Sure thing.”

As Apple Bloom rested her friend in the back of the jeep, she heard Onslaught say, “Oi heard those girls screamin’ and surrounded by wolves. Turns out they’re here because of some school retreat.” He then paused for a minute as he added, “Oi think it’s you know who.” The moment he finished saying this, the former farm girl could see Brawl clenching his fists as he began to visibly tremble with rage. Onslaught immediately rested his hands on his friend’s shoulders as he warned, “Don’t troy anything stupid. Oi don’t want you getting in a pointless foitght.”

Shaking his head, Brawl responded, “That’s a fair dinkum.” He then added, “But if I find the wanker, I won’t hesitate.” Onslaught replied with a blunt, “Then you’re staying at the forward camp ‘till….” He paused for a moment before whispering something into the green man’s ear. Brawl nodded as he replied, “I can hardly wait.”

The two men then made their way to the jeep, with Brawl getting into the driver’s seat and Onslaught getting into the passenger’s seat. The blue man turned to Apple Bloom and nudged to the seat behind him as he invited her, “Get in kid. Unless you’d rether stay here and meet any more wolves.” The former farm girl gave a small smile as she nodded and jumped into the back of the jeep.

Sitting down next to Dream Wave, Apple Bloom asked, “Where we goin’?” Onslaught turned his head to face the young girl as he replied, “We’ve got a camp aboot a short trek from here. Hopefully we con get your legs looked at.” He then pointed to Dream Wave’s legs as he added, “Last thing we need is your legs healin’ incorrectly.”

As the two girls took this in, Brawl revved up the jeep’s engine as he called out, “Hold on to your lugnuts kids! It’s gonna be a bumpy ride!” Sure enough, the moment the jeep began to move, Apple Bloom could feel herself bump up and down as the vehicle began to move down the trail. Despite the bumpy ride, the fact that she was in a somewhat comfortable position hit the former farm girl and she began to drift off to sleep.

Before she could fully fall asleep, Apple Bloom was distracted by Onslaught calling out, “Wake up girly. We’re here.” The former farm girl opened her eyes to see that the jeep had parked next to a surprisingly large gray-green tent propped up by a stream. In front of the tent was a large firepit, albeit extinguished on account of the rainstorm. Turning her head, Apple Bloom found that they’d parked right behind another jeep, this one full having its rear end covered by a tarp. Motioning to the jeep, Onslaught warned, “Oi’d avoid that if you heve a poor gag reflex.”

As Brawl turned the jeep off, Onslaught rose up from his seat as he said, “Noow then, let’s get you two oot of the rain and get those legs looked et.” He then pointed at Dream Wave as he ordered, “Brawl! Kry haar in die tent!” The green man rolled his eyes as he replied, “I’m gonna assume that means to take ‘er inside.” Turning to Dream Wave, Brawl scooped her ups as he said, “Come on now lovely.”

Climbing out of the jeep, Apple Bloom asked, “So, who else is up here?” As he slung his weapon across his back, Onslaught replied, “There’s us, and three others. Blast Off, Swindle, and Vortex.” He added, “Oi think you know Swindle from the fair, but this’ll be the first toime you’ve met the others.” Before Apple Bloom could say anything, her stomach let out a loud rumble as Brawl quipped, “Sounds like someone could go for some pork.”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help but nod as she admitted, “Yeah, Ah haven’t eaten more than a morsel since yesterday.” Onslaught solemnly sighed as he reassured her, “Don’t worry. Oi’m sure we’ve got something for you. Noow, follow me.”

Inside the Tent

Entering the large tent, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but appreciate just how massive it was. There was a communal table in the center, five foldable bunks, several boxes that the former farm girl figured contained weapons and ammunition, and even a small table with papers and writing utensils. But what really caught her attention were the three men who were already inside the tent.

One was a familiar man with dark mustard skin, black hair, and purple eyes lying on one of the beds as he sang, “And that’s not bloody surprising man, ‘cause we’re a bunch of arrogant bastards, who hate….”. The other was a man with dark purple skin, brown hair, and was seated at the table, reading a book. The final man was gray man with red eyes, blue hair, and was polishing his bolt action rifle. All in all, the group reminded Apple Bloom less of a group of hunters and more like a gang of mercenaries.

Onslaught entered the tent as he called out, “Hoesit boys?” The purple man immediately stood up from the table and began to reply, “There you are sir. I was starting to wonder when you were going to get back.” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think to herself, “That guy sounds kinda like Wreck-Gar. Must be English.”

As Brawl brought Dream Wave into the tent and made his way to the beds, the purple man asked, “Sir, why are there two children here?” Onslaught sighed as he replied, “Because thet good for nothin’ munkey brought more kids up here.” Apple Bloom then added, “And mah friend broke her legs and we were attacked by wolves!”

The purple man groaned, “For the love of…. I’d love to give that bastard damn good thrashing!” Brawl immediately spoke up with, “Get in line Blast Off!” The gray man added, “Oh, please. Compost again? That prick will never learn.”

Onslaught immediately raised his hands as he commanded, “Thet’ll do it boeke!” As the others turned to him, the blue man continued, “Alroight, we’ve got a kid with two broken legs. Swindle, Vortex, get her legs set.” He then turned to Blast Off as he continued, “Blast Off, keep an eye on Apple Bloom here.” Turning to Brawl, Onslaught continued, “Brawl, go outside and vent.” Turning to everyone else, he finished with, “Oi gotta make a few phone colls. Let’s roll!”

The four other adults nodded as they attended to their tasks. Swindle and Vortex made their way to Dream Wave and began to inspect her legs, Onslaught stepped to the far corner of the tent as he pulled out a cell phone, and Brawl took a deep breath before stepping outside as Blast Off turned to Apple Bloom and invited her, “Sit down girl. You look like half starved.”

Nodding, the former farm girl made her way to the table as Blast Off walked over to a crate and began to forage through it as he asked, “You’re not a vegetarian, are you?” Shaking her head, Apple Bloom replied, “Right now, Ah’d eat anythin’.” Pulling something out of the crate, Blast Off presented the former farm girl with a plate of what looked thick slices of bacon as he replied, “Hope you don’t mind salted pork. Made from this year’s catch.”

Taking a bite from one of the slices of salted pork, Apple Bloom felt every ounce of restraint in her evaporate as she shoved the morsel into her mouth. Swallowing her mouthful, she reached for another piece, only to stop and turned to Blast Off as she asked, “May Ah have another piece sir?” The purple man let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Eat up girl. I’ve got a feeling you need it more than any of us.”

Before Apple Bloom could take another bite, she was caught off guard by the sound of Brawl’s voice screaming out in what she could only describe as uncontrollable rage. He shouted, “Grrreeeaaaaaggggghhhhhh,” shaking the former farm girl to the bone. Seeing the young girl recoil in fear, Blast Off reassured her, “Don’t worry about Brawl. He’s a decent chap, but he’s got a wee temper problem.”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help but laugh as she took this in. “Heh heh. He’s got a temper problem.” She then pointed to Dream Wave, Swindle and Vortex as she continued, “Ah’m in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a bunch of guys with guns, mah friend broke her legs, Ah was almost eaten by wolves, and AH….” The former farm girl devolved into a fit of manic laughter as she began to feel tears dripping from her eyes.

Catching her breath, Apple Bloom apologized, “Sorry about that, AH just… Ah can’t process this.” Walking up to her, Blast Off patted her on the back as he reassured her, “It’s alright girl.” When she looked him in the eyes, the purple man explained, “I mean, it’s not alright that any of this is happening, but it’s alright that you’re feeling the way you do.”

At that moment, Onslaught walked up to the two as he said, “Hey Apple Bloom! Oi’ve got someone who wents to speak with you!” He then handed his cell phone to the former farm girl, who accepted the small device. Bringing the phone up to her ear, she asked, “Uh… Hello?”

On the other end of the line, Apple Bloom could hear Ironhide’s voice frantically ask, “You alright there kid?”

The moment she heard her uncle’s voice, Apple Bloom felt her eyes water as she asked, “Uncle Ironhide?” The old soldier’s voice gently reassured her, “It’s me kid. I’m here.” As the former farm girl began to sob, Ironhide’s voice seemed to be directed at someone else as he shouted, “Ratchet! Get your shit together! We need to get moving five minutes ago!” He then reassured his daughter, “Listen, Ratchet and I are heading there now. I know Onslaught and his friends can be intimidating, but I trust them.”

Starting to give in to her emotions, Apple Bloom could only tearfully blabber out, “This has been a nightmare. Ah wanna go home!” Ironhide’s voice reassured her, “I know kid. Just stay there, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Look, we’re getting the van ready, so I gotta hang up. I love you.” Managing to regain a fraction of her composure, The former farm girl replied, “Alright, Ah love you too.”

Handing the cell phone back to Onslaught, Apple Bloom began to cry again as the weight of everything she’d been through hit her. She was starving, tired, she’d been abandoned by Mr. Compost, and she’d nearly been eaten by wolves. Now, the former farm girl was holed up in a tent with five men she only vaguely knew as she waited for her uncle to come.

The former farm girl was distracted from her breakdown when she heard Onslaught saying, “Yeh, she’s alroight. There’s another girl here with broken legs…. Vortex and Swindle are troying to set her legs now…... Having that old fort here might help too.” The phone then went quiet, leading the blue man to remark, “Must have hung up.”

Turning to Apple Bloom, Onslaught told her, “Oi’m taking a jeep to the park entrance to meet Ironhide. Oi’ll be back with him and Ratchet, alroight?” The burgundy haired girl nodded as she replied, “Ok.” Smirking, the blue man turned to his friends as he informed them, “Oi’m off to get Ironhide and that old fart Ratchet. Be back in a bit.”

Once Onslaught was gone, Swindle spoke up with a blunt, “Man, I can’t believe that shithead Compost brought more kids up here.” Vortex nodded as he replied, “Damn boyo ought to have learned to stop comin’ up here by now.” Hearing the two adults talk, Apple Bloom asked, “So you have history with Mr. Compost?”

From behind her, Apple Bloom heard Brawl’s voice call out, “Aye. The stupid drongo always brings kids up here this time of year.” As the former farm girl turned around to face him, she found the green man completely soaked as he continued, “Why, a few years back, we had to save his stupid arse when his little camp got caught up in a flash flood.” Vortex chuckled as he added, “Do I ever. Onslaught wanted to leave him to die, but those kids were in danger, and we couldn’t get them out of danger without saving his stupid monkey face.”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help but giggle as she replied, “Wow. Ah never knew he was that reckless.” She then drifted her eyes over to Dream Wave as she asked, “Is she alright?” Turning to face her, Swindle reassured the young girl, “She’s fine. I think she just passed out or something.”

Blast Off spoke up with, “What happens now? Sure, the boss has gone to get Ironhide, but after that?” Brawl cracked his knuckles as he offered, “How about we go and give that drongo a dam good thrashing?” Swindle raised his hands as he replied, “Tempting as that is, we’d be getting a one-way ticket to the slammer, and I don’t want to give up my profitable business over that dickhead.”

As the four adults squabbled with themselves, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Ah think Ah’ll leave that sort of talk to the professionals.’ After all, there was still some salt pork left, and she was still rather hungry.

Some Time Later

Sitting next to the sleeping Dream Wave, Apple Bloom watched her friend as she slept. Across the tent, Brawl and Vortex were arm wrestling as Swindle called out, “Step right up folks. Place your bets and see who wins.” Blast Off simply rolled his eyes as he remarked, “This isn’t a casino Swindle. We’re just passing the time until Onslaught gets back.

At that moment, everyone heard the sound of a jeep pulling up as Blast Off continued, “Well, speak of the demon.” Apple Bloom lit up as she heard thought, ‘Is it really them?’ After all, it hadn’t been that long since Onslaught left to wait for them, right?”

She received her answer when Ironhide, clad in a faded green poncho, burst into the tent, his face frantic and nervous as he asked, “Apple Bloom? You in here?” Staring at her uncle, the former farm girl found herself overcome with relief as she felt her eyes water up again. ‘Ah can’t believe it.’ She thought to herself. ‘He came.’

Running up to her uncle, Apple Bloom threw herself into him as she wrapped her arms around him in a massive hug and began to cry. Hugging his daughter back, Ironhide reassured her, “It’s alright kid. I’m here.” Sniffling, Apple Bloom replied, “Uncle Ironhide, this weekend….. It’s sucked.” The old soldier smiled as he reassured her, “I heard.”

From behind him, Ratchet entered the tent, a duffle bag and crutches slung across his bag as he said, “I do hate to interrupt, but it seems I have a patient.” Releasing her uncle, Apple Bloom pointed to the back of the tent as she explained, “Dream Wave is back there. Ah think she’s out by now.” The old medic nodded as he said, “Ok then. I’ll start immediately.”

As Ratchet made his way towards Dream Wave, Onslaught entered the tent, flanked by a small robot with two binocular eyes and retractable wheels in his feet. The blue man pointed to his guest as he remarked, “Oi take it this little guy is Wheeljack’s handywerk?” Looking up to him, Wheelie remarked, “I like your accent. Where are you from?” The blue man simply muttered, “Transvaal.”

Apple Bloom, on the other hand, ran up to her friend as she asked, “Wheelie? What are you doin’ here?” As she picked him up, Wheelie replied, “Well, I heard you were in trouble and, I calculated the odds I could help vs the odds I was doing something stupid and….” The former farm girl interrupted with a gentle, “And you went ahead and did it anyway?”

Instead, Wheelie held his head low and looked down as he replied, “And it’s my fault you’re here anyway.”

As Apple Bloom set the small robot down, Wheelie continued, “I helped give you the idea of recycling weapons to help the environment. If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” Feeling her heart melt, the former farm girl held her hand under Wheelie’s chin (or at least approximate of a chin) as she reassured him, “Oh Wheelie, it’s not your fault.” As the small robot looked up to her, Apple Bloom continued, “Ah should have known better than to….”

It was at this moment that Apple Bloom realized she knew who was responsible. Feeling her free hand clench into a fist, the former farm girl growled, “It’s Mr. Compost’s fault. He…. He….”

Ironhide immediately rested a hand on his daughter’s shoulder as he said, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, you look like you need some rest.” Apple Bloom turned to her uncle as she asked, “We’re not goin’ home?” The family patriarch nodded as he replied, “For starters, Ratchet wants to make sure your friend’s legs are properly set.” He then turned to face his friend, who was busy applying a splint to Dream Wave’s leg.

As Apple Bloom took this in, Ironhide continued, “And you also need some rest. You’ve had a very eventful day, and I… I just want to make sure you’re safe.” He then sighed as he finished with, “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Feeling her eyes water up again, the burgundy haired girl nodded as she asked, “Will you be here in the morning?” Ironhide nodded as he reassured her, “I’m not leaving your side kid.” Apple Bloom smiled as she replied, “Thank you Uncle Ironhide.” She then let out a wide yawn as she said, “Ah guess Ah am a bit tired.”

Onslaught then joined the three as he informed them, “We’ve got some bunks for you. Not exactly luxurious, but they ought to be enough for one noight.” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Thanks.” She then made her way to one of the empty bunks as Wheelie reassured her, “Don’t worry! We’ll be up all night to keep you safe.” The former farm girl giggled as she quipped, “If you ain’t mah knight in shinin’ armor.”

Laying down on the bunk, Apple Bloom looked her uncle in the eyes one last time as she said, “See you in the mornin’ Uncle Ironhide. Love you.” Ironhide nodded as he replied, “Love you too kid.” With that, she let out a final yawn before drifting off to sleep.

The Next Morning

Blinking her eyes as she stirred back to the land of the living, Apple Bloom rose up from the bunk as she stretched her arms. Letting out a loud yawn, the former farm girl was pleasantly surprised to see Ironhide leaning against the tent pillar as he chatted with Onslaught and Brawl about something While Wheelie sat on the table, swinging his legs as he talked to a now awake Dream Wave.

Standing up, Apple Bloom made her way to the table as she greeted, “Ah see you two are gettin’ along well.” The red-haired artist nodded as she replied, “This little guy is so cute. I gotta make a sketch of him when we get out of here.” Wheelie squealed as he added, “Thank you kindly.” He then asked, “Wait, what’s a sketch again?”

Sitting down next to her friend, Apple Bloom asked, “How’re your legs?” Dream Wave sighed as she replied, “Kinda numb. I think that Ratchet guy gave me something to dull the pain.” She then revealed one of her legs, covered in a cast as she continued, “He even gave me some crutches to help get me to the jeep.” Dream Wave then asked, “Sleep Well?”

Apple Bloom sighed as she replied, “Pretty much. At least Ah didn’t have any nightmares.” Dream Wave nodded as she replied, “Same here. Slept like a baby.” Wheelie then raised his hand as he added, “I didn’t sleep at all. I was busy watching you two.” When the two girls turned to him, the small robot quickly added, “Well, that and occasionally chatting with these lovely chaps here.”

The former farm girl patted Wheelie on the head as she said, “Thanks for commin’. Ah appreciate the gesture.” The small robot lit up as he happily replied, “You’re welcome. We gotta stick together, you know?” Apple Bloom pulled him into a hug as she replied, “Yeah, we do.”

At that moment, Ironhide and Onslaught made their way up to the two girls as the former asked, “You two doing alright?” As Apple Bloom and Dream Wave nodded, the blue man informed them, “Blast Off and Vortex heve gone and informed the park rangers about that little monkey.” Ironhide then added, “And I called Ultra Magnus and caught him up to speed regarding what happened. When we get to the park entrance, it’s gonna be quite the party.”

Dream Wave asked, “Will my dad be there?” Ironhide nodded as he reassured her, “He will be.” He then turned to Apple Bloom as he added, “Mr. Compost and the others should be having a “little chat” with the rangers right about now, so they’ll bring him to the park entrance when we get there.” The former farm girl gulped as she asked, “You think he’ll fail me for… you know…”

Onslaught interrupted her as he bluntly added, “Efter what you two went through, Oi’d say he can suck a great big….” Ironhide raised a finger to the blue man’s lips as he interrupted with, “The point is, none of us give a shit what he thinks.” Apple Bloom could only let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “You know what? Neither do Ah.”

As everyone chatted, Brawl entered the tent as he said, “Alright boys, I think it’s time we get a move on.” Onslaught turned to his friend as he replied, “Oi’m the one whew gives orders here, so Oi’ll say when we’re moving out.” He then raised his hand and circled his finger as he said, “Goed seuns, ko mons rol uit.” Apple Bloom helped Dream Wave up to her feet as Ratchet warned, “Careful now. Don’t put too much pressure on either leg.” The red-haired girl replied, “I know, I know.”

After everyone exited the tent, Apple Bloom noticed the gray skies above her. ‘Heh. So much for a sunny day.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. As she and Ratchet helped Dream Wave into one of the jeeps, Brawl called out, “Don’t worry about space boys. Swindle and I already butchered the dead hogs while you blokes were watchin’ the girls.” Ironhide took a deep breath as he quipped, “That explains the stench.”

Soon, everyone was in one of the jeeps. Apple Bloom, Wheelie, Dream Wave, Ironhide, and Onslaught sat in the first jeep while Brawl, Ratchet, Swindle, Vortex, and Blast Off were cramped into the other one. Turning to face the others, the blue leader called out, “Everyone ready?” Apple Bloom replied, “Ah’m ready to get the hell out of here.”

Revving up his jeep, Onslaught called out, “Very well! Voorspelers!”

Yellow-Steel Park Entrance

As the two jeeps made their way towards the visitor center, Apple Bloom noticed that there was a crowd gathered in front of it. Noticing the crowd, Apple Bloom turned to her uncle as she remarked, “Looks like you weren’t lyin’ about it bein’ a party.” Ironhide nodded as he replied, “Yeah. I kinda decided to go all out with this.”

Once the jeeps were parked, a man with dark red skin and red-orange hair ran up to the group as he called out, “Dream Wave!” The red-haired artist lit up as she replied, “Dad? Dad!” As she tried to climb out of the jeep, Dream Wave’s father pulled her into a hug as he tearfully said, “I’m so glad you’re safe.”

While Dream Wave embraced her father, Apple Bloom was swarmed by several bodies as Chromia and Sideswipe pulled her out of the jeep and hugged her as the pale biker said, “There you are!” Caught off guard, the former farm girl asked, “What are y’all doin’ here?” Chromia explained, “We came to bring you home sweetheart.”

From behind the group, Apple Bloom noticed Tender Taps, Marble Pie, Double Shuffle, Rattrap, and Pastel Goth running up to her as her boyfriend desperately asked, “Are you alright? Please tell me you’re alright!” Pastel then spoke up with a firm, “Back off everyone! Give cowgirl some room to breathe!”

Caught off guard by her friends’ presence, Apple Bloom asked, “What are y’all doin’ here?” Rattrap answered with a blunt, “We’re here for you!” Sideswipe then added, “Wheeljack called everyone right after Ironhide and Ratchet left.” Marble then said, “I guess we kinda figured you’d like some friendly faces.”

Feeling her eyes water for the umpteenth time that day, Apple Bloom pulled everyone into a group hug.

At that moment, Blast Off called out, “Here they come!” Turning to see who it was, Apple Bloom saw a group of park rangers escorting Mr. Compost and the rest of the students towards them. ‘That no good, miserable little….’ the former farm girl thought to herself as she growled and began to stomp towards him. She was stopped by Ironhide, who held his arm in front of her as he warned, “Let us handle this kid.”

As Mr. Compost and his group walked up to everyone else, Dream Wave’s father ran up to the man and, before anyone else could react, tackled him to the ground and began punching him in the face as he screamed, “YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I’LL BREAK YOUR FUCKING LEGS!” As the park rangers pulled him off of the sickly green teacher, Mr. Compost asked, “Sheesh, what’s his problem?”

While the teacher recomposed himself, Windshear and the other students joined Apple Bloom as the former called out, “There you are! We were so worried!” The gray boy added, “Yeah! We packed both your and Dream Wave’s stuff so it wouldn’t get lost.” Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks everyone.”

At that moment, Mr. Compost made his way up to the group as he scolded, “Well, look what we have here.” Hearing his voice, Apple Bloom found herself consumed by an intense anger she’d never felt before. She’d never felt this kind of rage at anyone before. ‘Not even Applejack made me feel like this.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. Rolling his eyes, Mr. Compost continued, “I see you not only spent the night with complete strangers, but you forced the retreat to end early. I hope you’re satisfied with yourself.” Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom said the first thing that came to her mind.

“Ah hate you!”

As everyone took this in, Apple Bloom continued, “You dragged us out here, you tried to scold Dream Wave for gettin’ her legs broken, you abandoned us to those wolves…. You left us….” Unable to hold herself back, the former farm girl exclaimed, “YOU LEFT US TO DIE! AH HATE YOU! AH HATE YOU! AH HATE YOU!”

Shaking his head in disappointment, Mr. Compost replied, “Perhaps that explains the dead wolf I found when I came back.” He then glared his pupil in the eyes as he added, “Clearly you don’t appreciate the environment. Maybe another semester with me will fix that.”

As Apple Bloom glared her teacher in the eyes, Ironhide and Chromia stomped up to Mr. Compost as the former sergeant began to swing his fist. However, his wife interrupted him as she gently said, “Uh uh uh. Ladies first.” Before Apple Bloom could contemplate what her aunt meant, she slammed her knee into Compost’s “ball bearings.” As the scruffy teacher fell to his knees, Chromia declared, “That’s for Dream Wave.” She then threw her fist into his cheek, sending him crashing to the ground as she finished, “And that’s for Apple Bloom.”

Satisfied, Chromia walked off as she said, “I think I made my point.” As Mr. Compost laid on the ground and recoiled in pain, Ironhide remarked, “You know, I don’t think I could’ve put it better myself.” He then turned to the sickly green teacher as he warned, “If you ever go near my daughter again, I’ll make you wish you never set foot out of that forest, you got it?” Rising back to his feet, Mr. Compost furiously replied, “You think you can threaten a teacher soldier boy?”

At that moment, a man’s voice rang out, “You can forget about that Compost!” Turning to see who it was, Apple Bloom, Ironhide, and everyone else saw a man with white skin, blue hair, piercing blue eyes, and wearing a red shirt, blue tie, khaki pants and dark red shoes. As he approached her, Mr. Compost nervously asked, “Mr. Magnus?”

Grabbing Mr. Compost by his shirt collar, Ultra Magnus calmly yet angrily told him, “I received a phone call from Ironhide last night about what’s happened. Two broken legs, a wolf attack….” He was interrupted by Windshear calling out, “And I had an allergic reaction despite saying I couldn’t eat raspberries!”

Taking a deep breath, Ultra Magnus returned his focus to Mr. Compost as he coldly informed him, “I’ve heard enough. Compost, you’re fired! Don’t bother coming back to the school, I’ll have your personal affects sent to you.” He then pulled the scruffy teacher up to his face as he warned, “And if you ever go anywhere near Iacon High again, I’ll have you arrested for trespassing!” He then threw Mr. Compost to the ground as he angrily asked, “Do I make myself clear?”

While Ultra Magnus and Mr. Compost argued, Apple Bloom turned to Ironhide as she asked, “Uncle Ironhide? Can we go home now?” The family patriarch nodded as he answered, “Yeah. Let’s go home.”

As she made her way towards her friends, the former farm girl noticed Onslaught chatting with his friends. Making her way up to him, Apple Bloom said, “Mr. Onslaught, thanks for everythin’. The blue man replied with a warm, “No problem. Oi couldn’t let you get eaten.” Resting a hand on her shoulder, Onslaught bade her, “Sterkte meisie.” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Thanks.”

As Apple Bloom rejoined her friends and family, she took one last look at Mr. Compost, who was now being approached by two police officers. Smiling at the sight of her hated teacher getting his comeuppance, the burgundy haired girl remarked, “Ah hope Ah never have to see him again.” Wheelie spoke up with, “Same here, and I’ve only just met the bastard.” Chromia then warned, “Watch the language young man… er… Bot.”

Letting out a loud yawn, Apple Bloom said, “Ah hate to ruin the mood, but Ah think Ah’d like a little peace and quiet.” Tender Taps nodded as he replied, “Ok. Hopefully we can hang out this week.” The former farm girl smiled as she replied, “Ah’d like that.” She then gave her boyfriend a quick hug, one which he happily replied.

Walking up to his daughter, Ironhide asked, “Ready to go home kid?” Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “Yeah.” With that, everyone began to make their way to their cars and return home.

All while Onslaught and his gang eyed Mr. Compost as the former mumbled to himself, “Ons gaan daai baster ‘n les leer.”

Author's Note

Next Time: Apple Bloom continues learning more about her grandfather Armorhide.

Author's Note: I've finally included all five Combaticons. Their accents are....
Vortex: Welsh
Blast Off: Received Pronunciation
Swindle: American
Brawl: Australian
Onslaught: South African
Originally, Brawl was supposed to be the one who rescued Apple Bloom and Dream Wave, but I didn't like the idea of the intimidating and possibly foul tempered Brawl being the one to save them, so that led to Onslaught being chosen instead.
Also, Onslaught was supposed to say he was from "A town on the cape," but I decided to be a bit more "antiquated" and have him say he's from "Transvaal."
Finally, I hope I've been able to decently mimic a South African Accent, specifically an Afrikaans speaker for Onslaught.

Yank in the Guards

Life in Allspark Wells

Part Bravo; Yank in the Guards

“Ok, one more time.” Apple Bloom said to herself as she prepared to repeat the combination. Scuffing the floor with her tap shoe clad feet, the former farm girl continued, “Wait, was it shuffle hop step shuffle shuffle, or shuffle shuffle shuffle hop step?”

It had been a day since Apple Bloom returned home from the nightmare of the root and berry retreat. Apparently, Mr. Compost had been arrested shortly after everyone left, only to make bail and disappear. Needless to say, Ironhide was not one to forgive what the sickly green teacher had done to Apple Bloom, and after having a talk with everyone, decided to press charges.

But for the former farm girl, right now she just wanted to unwind and enjoy the remainder of fall break.

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom began to repeat the combination. The clicking and clacking of the metal plates on her shoes helped her feel at ease as she tapped across the attic’s wooden floor. ‘This is more like it!’ The burgundy haired girl thought to herself. ‘Gotta thank Tender for teachin’ me this!” Managing to get it just right, Apple Bloom smirked, “That’s more like it.”

After a several minutes, the former farm girl found herself noticing a few beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. “Heh, guess Ah’ve gotten this one down.” Making her way to the other end of the attic, Apple Bloom reached for her dance bag as she remarked, “Now, to find another combination to work on.” Reaching inside, she hoped she could find the notebook she’d been using to write down notes from tap class.

Instead, Apple Bloom pulled out her grandfather’s journal.

“What the….” The former farm girl asked herself. “What’s this doin’ here?” The last time she’d seen the old leatherbound journal, she’d left it on her nightstand. “Wait, Ah remember Ah was readin’ over everythin’ the night before the stupid retreat and….” Letting out a gentle chuckle, she finished, “Heh, guess Ah gotta make sure to not confuse this with mah notebook again.”

Looking over the journal, Apple Bloom thought, ‘Haven’t picked up in a while.’ The last time she’d read it, her grandfather, Armorhide, had just been tied to a donkey, abandoned in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by Waffen thugs, and narrowly saved by a group of Scottish foot guards.

“You know….” The former farm girl said out loud. “Ah wonder what happens next.” Sitting down and crossing her legs, Apple Bloom opened the journal to where she’d left off and read, “Of all the guards they chose to play babysitter for my ass….”

Forward Encampment, Many Years Earlier

‘…. They had to choose the hardass.’ Armorhide thought to himself as he eyed Lance Corporal Leadfoot. The red Scotsman glared back at him, clearly skeptical of the “yank” he and his team had run into.

It had only been a few hours since Private Armorhide had been saved by a group of Highland Foot Guards, and they’d brought him back to a forward encampment. Of course, since his story of being strapped to a jackass made him sound like a dumbass, the young soldier found himself under guard, effectively kept a prisoner in all but name. Now the young private was being held in a small tent, guarded by one of the soldiers who’d saved his life.

Walking up to his “guest,” Leadfoot quipped, “So, you really tink the Major believes your little story yank?” Armorhide looked up to his “host” as he replied, “I suppose he doesn’t have to believe it. I told you guys the truth.” The dark man added, “Besides, you know what they say. Fact can be stranger than fiction.”

Rolling his eyes, Leadfoot replied, “And you really tink we’re that stupid? How do I know you weren’ne tryin’ to desert? Armorhide could only sigh as he replied, “I guess you just gotta trust me.” The red Scotsman looked his “guest” in the eyes as he remarked, “Forgive me if I doubt you. It can be hard to tell who’s unlucky and who’s a coward.”

The moment he heard this, Armorhide stood up and glared Leadfoot in the eyes as he asked, “You calling me a coward?” The red soldier gave a cocky smirk as he replied, “You’re the one who said it.”

Before he could even process what had just been said, Armorhide slammed his fist into Leadfoot’s face, forcing the red soldier into the ground. Seeing the Scotsman lying on the ground, the black soldier could only think to himself, ‘Well, fuck.’

No sooner had Armorhide thought this that Leadfoot swung his legs, knocking the young man to the ground. He then leapt onto the “yank” and began to punch his face as he growled, “I’ll teach you to mess with the Foot Guards you bastard!” All Armorhide could do was try and block the oncoming assault.

At that moment, both men were distracted by the sound of a familiar voice calling out, “At attention!” Leadfoot immediately rose up and stood at attention as Armorhide wiped his mouth, noticing the faint taste of blood on his tongue. He then looked up, only to see the same light gray officer from earlier standing at the tent’s entrance. Seeing this man glare down at him, Armorhide shot up to his feet and stood at attention.

Walking up to the two men, the officer lamented, “I don’ne know what they teach in your army, but here, we do not! Fight! With each other!” Turning to face Armorhide, he continued, “Am I clear, boy?” Taking a deep breath, the young man replied, “Sir, yes sir.”

Satisfied, the officer reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a smoking pipe as he properly introduced himself with, “I believe I know your name Private, but you don’ne know mine. I am Major Blackthorne, but you will call me Major, or Sir, understood?” Nodding, Armorhide replied, “Sir, yes sir.”

Filling his pipe with tobacco, Major Blackthorne continued, “Now then, I have bad news for you Private. I’ve just received word from your countrymen, and your unit, the 40th infantry division, is currently engaged with an armored panzer division.” Caught off guard, Armorhide thought, ‘What? That’s… I…...’ Shaking his head, he said, “Sir, I need to rejoin my unit. They’ll need every man they can get.”

Shaking his head, Major Blackthorne replied, “I’m afraid that’s not possible. We don’ne have the time or resources to escort one soldier to another unit. There is a war on, you know.” Leadfoot then spoke up with a blunt, “Add in the fact we’re movin’ up north.”

“What?” Armorhide incredulously asked. “I mean… Sir, all due respect, but if I don’t return, I could get accused of desertion, especially….”

Before Armorhide could finish, the three men were interrupted by the sound of a siren going off as a far-off voice called out, “We’re under attack! Jerry’s here!” Both Major Blackmore and Leadfoot readied their weapons, Armorhide spoke up with, “Let me help you!” As the major turned his head to face him, the young man continued, “Sir, at least let me prove I’m not a coward!”

Giving the young soldier a smirk, Major Blackmore turned to Lance Corporal Leadfoot as he ordered, “Leadfoot! Get this man a weapon!” Though caught off guard, the red man nodded as he replied, “Sir, yes sir!” As the major darted away, Leadfoot turned to Armorhide and said, “Don’ne try anything stupid yank!” the young private shot back, “My name is Armorhide, and trust me, I won’t!”

Rolling his eyes, Leadfoot could only growl, “Fine, whatever!” He then grabbed Armorhide’s arm as he dragged him away to the encampment’s armory. The moment they stepped outside, Armorhide found himself overwhelmed by the sight of nearly three dozen commonwealth soldiers running around, all of them preparing their weapons for the incoming assault. He could see four men setting up a water-cooled heavy machine gun, several another quartet were preparing an anti-tank gun, and if his eyes weren’t deceiving him, Armorhide could even see a few men mounting some sort of anti-air emplacement.

No sooner had everyone managed to prepare their weapons than the horrifying shriek of an enemy airplane rang out, followed by the rat-tat-tat of machine gun fire. Armorhide felt himself being dragged backwards as Leadfoot angrily asked, “Oi, you daft you wee stupid git?” Releasing his “guest,” the red soldier warned, “Keep your head down if you want don’ne wanna end up splattered into goo!”

At that moment, a half track emerged out of nowhere as German soldiers began to pour out of it’s back. Turning to Leadfoot, Armorhide asked, “You have any grenades?” The red soldier nervously asked, “What? You daft? They’re too far away!” As he said this, a stray bullet whizzed in between both men, compelling Armorhide to grab Leadfoot and push him away, forcing both men to hide behind a stack of boxes.

Grasping Leadfoot’s coat, Armorhide furiously shouted, “Grenades! Yes or no!” The red Scotsman nervously gulped as he handed the black private two hand grenades as he warned, “Don’ne do anything stupid!” Taking the grenades, Armorhide turned around and glanced at the approaching Germans.

“They’re getting close.” Armorhide muttered to himself. As the German soldiers made their way towards the two hidden men, the young yank took a deep breath as he whispered to himself, “You can do this. Aim true and through hard.” Taking a deep breath, he pulled the pin and threw the grenade.

Sure enough, the metal sphere landed right in the middle of the squad of German soldiers. One of them noticed it and, knowing what was about to happen, could only scream, “Granate!” Less than a second later, the entire squad was consumed in a cloud of smoke, dirt, shrapnel, and blood.

Seeing the opportunity, Armorhide leapt over the crates, ran towards the scattered remains of the deceased Germans, knelt down, and got his hands on a still intact bolt action rifle. ‘Jackpot!’ The young private thought as he cycled the weapon. He then realized, ‘Wait a minute, I’m gonna need ammo.’ Groaning to himself, Armorhide knew there was only one way he could get the right kind of ammunition for his new rifle.

“Ugh. I’m gonna regret this.” Armorhide muttered as he crawled over to one of the more intact bodies and began to rummage through the poor schmuck’s webbing, pulling a handful of ammo clips out of the corpse’s pouches. As he began to crawl over to one of the other bodies, he heard Leadfoot’s voice call out, “Get back here you fucking bampot!” Armorhide stashed the ammo into his pocket, firmly grasped the rifle, and ran back to his comrade.

Once the young private was safe, Leadfoot remarked, “You’ve gotta be the craziest yank I’ve ever seen!” He then did something Armorhide didn’t expect; he gave him a playful punch to his arm as he quipped, “You’re a good one boy.” Caught off guard, the young private simply replied with a simple, “Thanks.”

At that moment, the two men were approached by one of the other Foot Guards, a blue man with dark brown hair and wearing a khaki beret with the rest of his uniform, informed them, “We’re pushin’ Jerry back, but they’re not buggerin’ off quick enough! Major wants us to push forward!” Leadfoot replied, “Where does he want us?” The blue man pointed straight ahead as he answered, “Pushing forward!”

Shrugging, Armorhide began to load his stolen rifle as he replied, “Lead the way!” Giving the young yank a confident smirk, the blue man continued, “Follow me! And one more thing?” As Armorhide gave a confused look, the blue soldier replied, “The name’s Claymore!” Smirking, the young private replied, “Armorhide!” Leadfoot then spoke up with, “Come on boys, we’ve got a battle to win here!” The three men then vaulted over the makeshift barricade and charged their German opponents.

Later that Day

Wiping the sweat off his brow, Armorhide held his rifle at the ready as he and the Foot Guards inspected a group of surrendered Germans. Leadfoot approached the first man as he began to pat him down, making sure his new prisoner did not have any sort of hidden knife or small pistol on him. As the red soldier finished his inspection, Armorhide turned to Claymore and asked, “Why are we doing this? Don’t they know if they try anything they’re dead?”

Shrugging, Claymore replied, “Some of these bastards can be quite the sore loser.” He then pointed to one of the Germans as he added, “Any one of these pricks could have a hidden knife or one of those weird single shot pistols.” Sure enough, as Claymore said this, Leadfoot patted down one of the Germans, only to feel something and reach into his coat and pull out a small knife.

“Tinking of given me a shave there boy?” The red Scotsman asked the surrendered German. The hapless kraut shook his head as he gulped in fear. Leadfoot then inspected the knife as he remarked, “Looks rather noice actually.” Armorhide immediately called out, “Stop mucking about Leadfoot!” The red soldier turned around as he replied, “Oi! You don’ne give the orders around here yank!”

At that moment, one of the other Germans, a pale man with yellow hair and piercing blue eyes, charged at Leadfoot! Armorhide barely had time to call out, “Look out!” Before the red soldier could react, he found himself tackled to the ground by the pale German, who quickly snarled, “Du wirst uns nie alle zerstoren!”

Seeing the German threaten his new friend, Armorhide furiously bellowed, “Get off him you sausage sucking monkey!” He then ran up to the two and threw himself onto the kraut, forcing him off of Leadfoot. Punching the German, the young private grabbed his coat, lifted him up, and slammed the kraut into the ground.

Unfortunately, the German kicked Armorhide in his “ball bearings,” forcing him to roll over and recoil in pain as the ruthless kraut pounced on his victim and began to throttle him. The young private quickly found himself struggling to breath as his assailant declared, “Wir warden euch aus unserer Heimat vertreiben!”

Before he could fade away, Armorhide heard Leadfoot shout out, “Oi! Get off my mate!” This was followed by a thunder like crash as the German’s grasp around the young private’s throat instantly relented. Armorhide pushed himself backwards as he caught his breath. “Whoa. Holy shit!” The young man muttered to himself as he noticed the lifeless body laying in front of him.

Leadfoot and Claymore ran up to Armorhide, the former holding a rifle with a smoking barrel as he asked, “You alright there yank?” Nodding as he stood up, the young man replied, “Yeah. Thanks for the help.” The red soldier rested his hand on Armorhide’s shoulder as he replied, “No problem. You saved my arse, figured I’d save yours.” Armorhide could only smile as he added, “Guess that makes us even.”

At that moment, a squad of other soldiers arrived on the scene and aimed their weapons at the remaining Germans as their officer asked, “What’s going on over here?” Claymore turned to the officer as he explained, “One of the Jerries tried to double cross us. Lance Corporal Leadfoot and Private Armorhide managed to take the bastard down sar!”

The officer walked up to the now deceased prisoner and, kicking the body, remarked, “Jolly good work boys!” He then turned to the three men as he added, “Major Blackthorne and Field Marshal Longbow wish to have a word with the yank. My boys and I can deal with the rest of this lot.” As Leadfoot and Claymore nodded and saluted the officer, Armorhide found himself caught off guard as he asked, “Uh, a field marshal? What does he want to see me for?”

Shrugging, the officer replied, “Bloody hell if I know yank. But you better get moving. Don’t want to keep Field Marshal Longbow waiting. There’s a war on you know.” Deciding that there was no point in arguing or asking further questions, Armorhide nodded as he replied, “Yes sir.” Leadfoot then said, “Follow us Armorhide. We know where the General will be.”

Command Tent

Entering the large tent, Armorhide found himself staring at a large table with a map of the region. All to the sides were several officers pointing to different areas of the map and writing notes down. And at the far end of the table stood two officers who seemed to be in charge of whatever was going on.

The first of these men was Major Blackthorne. The light gray man’s uniform was covered in dirt and gunpowder, and the blue hat with a white and red checkered pattern around the middle he wore seemed to have a bullet hole in it. The other man had green skin with black hair and wore what looked like a sweater over his tunic and a black beret with a tank regiment’s pin on it. Noticing this other man’s confident pose, Armorhide thought, ‘That guy must be the field marshal.’

Pointing to something on the map, Major Blackthorne finished, “…And now that they’re fallin’ back, we should be able to push them back at least thirty miles.” Scratching his chin, Marshal Longbow lamented, “Shame we don’t have the petrol to keep up the offensive. That blowhard General Gutsy is gobbling up every last gallon on his push to Lutetia.”

The three men made their way up to the two officers as Leadfoot cleared his throat, “Ah-hem. Sar?” Looking up from the map, the field marshal remarked, “Ah, so which one of you is the yank who got himself stranded up here?” Armorhide let out a nervous gulp as he introduced himself, “That would be me sir. Private Armorhide, 40th Infantry Division.” The field marshal inspected the young private as he remarked, “I must say, I didn’t expect you to show up this far north.”

Major Blackmore immediately spoke up with, “Be that as it may sir, I got a glimpse of what he can do, and I tink he’s a capable soldier.” Leadfoot then interrupted with a firm, “Aye! He saved me life from one of those bastards and I saw him charge a squad of ‘em with nothin’ but a grenade!” When the two officers glared at him, the red soldier meekly apologized, “Sorry sars!”

Taking this information in, Field Marshall Longbow remarked, “I say, you certainly have quite the backbone lad.” Not sure what to say, Armorhide replied with, “Just doing my duty sir.” Smirking, the field marshal remarked, “Now then, with our forces going on different paths and your countrymen preoccupied, I believe there is only one solution to our problem.” At that moment, he said something that caught everyone off guard.

“As of this moment, you, Armorhide, are now a private in the 92nd Highland Foot Guards.”

Armorhide felt his jaw dropping to the ground. ‘A…. A private in their army?” Before he could fully process what he’d heard, Field Marshal Longbow continued, “Actually, come to think of it, I believe I recall being told about your insistence that you’d been set upon by a nasty little group of tankers rather than deserted. You certainly know how to defend a helpless position.” The officer turned to Major Blackthorne as he added, “Major, raise that man to corporal.”

Caught off guard, Major Blackthorne nodded as he replied, “Yes sir!” He then turned to his three subordinates and ordered, “Lance Corporal Leadfoot? Corporal Claymore? Please escort Corporal Armorhide to the quartermaster’s, get him a uniform immediately.” The major then focused on Armorhide as he added, “Corporal, I will make sure you are accustomed to the way we do things around here. I expect you will not disappoint.”

For a split second, Armorhide found himself unsure of what to say. His immediate impulse was to say “Sir, yes sir,” but he didn’t know if this would be the proper response. After all, he remembered that, back in basic training, he was told that Commonwealth soldiers didn’t salute or respond the same way as he was taught. But now, he found himself thinking, ‘Might as well just respond as honestly as possible.’

Taking a deep breath, Armorhide replied, “Sir, I don’t plan to sir.”

Smirking, Major Blackthorne nodded as he ordered, “You boys are dismissed. Report to the Quartermaster’s post.” Armorhide, Leadfoot, and Claymore saluted their commanding officer and began to make their way out of the tent, hopeful they could find a uniform that Armorhide would be able to fit into.

The Attic, Present Day

Apple Bloom was distracted from her grandfather’s journal by the sound of the attic door opening, followed by Ironhide’s voice calling out, “You up here kid?” The former farm girl immediately shot up and replied, “Ah am! What’s up uncle Ironhide?” Once the family patriarch made it to the top of the stairs, he noticed his daughter’s tap shoes and playfully asked, “Making a little noise up here?”

Scratching the back of her neck, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah was, but Ah accidentally grabbed Armorhide’s journal instead of mah notebook, and Ah sorta got distracted doin’ a little readin’.” Ironhide smiled as he said, “That’s good. Listen, I just wanted to catch you up to speed on what’s gonna happen regarding….” He then paused before resuming, “Regarding Mr. Compost’s trial.”

Sighing, Apple Bloom asked, “There a chance that fucker will walk free?” Ironhide raised his finger as he warned, “As much as I agree with your choice of words, I’d avoid calling him that.” The former farm girl sighed as she apologized, “Sorry about that.” The family patriarch reassured her, “It’s alright kid. Besides, with everything he did, Onslaught’s testimony should be enough to send the prick to the slammer.”

Straightening himself, Ironhide informed his daughter, “There is one small issue though. You’ll probably be asked to testify against him.” Apple Bloom groaned as she asked, “That it? Just get up and tell everyone what he did to us?” Ironhide nodded as he replied, “Yeah. Just that. You think you can handle it?”

Hesitating for a moment, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she replied, “Yeah. Ah can do that.”

Pulling his daughter into a hug, Ironhide remarked, “That’s my girl.” Hugging her uncle back, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel safe and secure. Once they’d finished their hug, the former farm girl asked, “Anythin’ you need me to do?” Ironhide reassured her, “Nope. Just keeping you up to speed on the battle plan.” Apple Bloom then lit up as she asked, “Well, you wanna see what Ah’ve been workin’ on?” The former sergeant let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Sure thing kid. Show me what you got.”

With that, Apple Bloom made her way to the center of the attic as she began, “Now, this is called….”

Streets of Allspark Wells, That Night

Shaking his head, Aurochs Compost groaned as he complained, “Ugh, my head.” As he opened his eyes, the now former biology teacher realized his vision was completely black. “What the?” he asked himself as he tried to move, only to realize something.

Not only could he not see, but something, or rather, someone was forcing him on his knees and holding his arms out, trapping him. Starting to panic, Compost nervously asked, “What’s going on? Where am I?” He then tried to shake his arms free, only for something to keep him in place. Gulping in fear, the disgraced teacher asked, “What’s going on?”

He received his answer when a familiar voice ordered, “Get thot stupid beg off his head!”

At that moment, someone pulled a bag off of Compost’s head, revealing that he was in a dark room staring face to face with Onslaught. As the blue man crossed his arms, the disgraced teacher declared, “You! I know you! You’re that poacher from the park!” Onslaught responded to this statement by backhandedly slapping the teacher as he corrected, “Een, we were boar culling, not poaching. And twee, even if we were, Oi’d rather be a poacher then put kids in danger!”

Stepping back, Onslaught asked, “Where’d you foind him?” To Compost’s right, he heard a gruff voice reply, “We found the wanker walkin’ out of the police station!” Turning to see who it was, the disgraced teacher found himself staring at two men. One of them was a gray man with blue hair and red eyes that was holding his arm. The other man, a dark green man with black hair and yellow eyes, pointed to him as he added, “Drongo here was whinin’ about how he was bein’ persecuted ‘cause he’s an activist or some shit!”

Turning back to Onslaught, Aurochs Compost defended himself, “Because I am! I was just trying to help my students appreciate living in harmony with nature.” He was distracted by a posh voice to his left replying, “Hardly! You were charged with three counts of reckless endangerment of a minor, and the only reason you’re free is because you made bail.”

From his left, a purple man with brown hair and dark sunglasses walked up to Onslaught as he said, “It’s public record sir.” Scratching his chin, the blue man asked, “Well, whot ore we goin’ to do with this little piece of bullshit?” As Compost gulped in fear, the gray man holding his right arm suggested, “I say give the boyo a damn good thrashing!” To his left, a voice called out, “I say we take for a ride, maybe back up to Yellow-Steel?” Turning to see who it was, the disgraced teacher found his left arm being held by a man with yellow skin, black hair, and purple eyes.

The purple man then added, “That’s too good for this monkey! I say we castrate him!” Hearing this, Compost began to beg, “No please! Please! Anything but that!” Onslaught shook his head as he replied, “Oll tempting oofers, but no.” He then walked up to the disgraced teacher, menacingly grabbed his chin, and mockingly reassured him, “Doon’t woory boy! We’re not going to kill you.”

Once he said this, Onslaught began to chuckle, leading his for friends to start laughing as well. Caught off guard, Compost began to nervously laugh as he asked, “So, I take it you’re just gonna let me go, right?” Hearing this, everyone else began to laugh even harder, leading Compost to laugh even harder as well. Once he’d calmed down, Onslaught turned to the green man as he nudged his head towards his “guest” and, with a reassuring smile, gave a simple order.

“Break his legs. Both of them.”

Taking this in, Compost could only ask, “What?” He received his answer when the two men holding his arms lifted them up, forcing the disgraced teacher up into the air and revealing his legs. The green man stomped up to him and, staring into Compost’s nervous eyes, gave a sinister smirk as he warned, “This is going to hurt. A lot!” All the disgraced teacher could do was beg, “No no no no no no no….”

But the green man simply lifted his leg and slammed it into Compost’s right knee, producing a sickening crunch as the sickly green ex teacher screamed in pain. The purple man let out a confident chuckle as he quipped, “That’s for that little girl you got hurt!” The green man then walked up to Compost’s left leg, and slammed his foot into his left knee, forcing his leg to bend in an unnatural angle as the disgraced teacher cried out in agony.

Once both legs were broken, Onslaught ordered, “Los hom!” As Compost fell to the ground, the blue man walked up to the disgraced teacher, picked him up by the shirt collar, pulled him up to eye level, and warned, “You’d better hope they foind you guilty. Otherwise, You and Oi are gonna heve lots of fun, verstaan?”

Tearing up in fear, Compost could only mutter, “Just let me go! Please let me go!” Allowing his smirk to morph into a scowl, Onslaught dropped him to the ground as he ordered, “Kry daardie ontaarde uit my sig!” As the gray and purple man picked the disgraced teacher up, the blue man continued, “The cops come askin’, tell them he troyed jumping from the nearest roof.”

The purple man nodded as he replied, “Yes sir.” He then presented the black bag to Compost as he mockingly said, “Nighty night hippie!” With that, the disgraced teacher found himself returning to the darkness as he thought to himself, ‘I am in a world of shit.’

After all, Onslaught felt that evil should always be paid unto evil, and with this, the blue Boer felt that Compost’s evil had now been fully paid back.

Author's Note

Next Time; Apple Bloom, Ironhide, and everyone else take Mr. Compost to court, ending this little arc of our story.

Author's Note: This has been one hell of a week, as I've been writing this while also dealing with having a root canal done, so forgive me if this particular chapter isn't as up to snuff as everything beforehand.

People Vs Aurochs Compost

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 18; People Vs Aurochs Compost

Somewhere in Time and Space

As the thunder crashed around her, Apple Bloom found herself in a dark forest. ‘What in…. How’d Ah get here?’ The former farm girl thought to herself. She couldn’t remember entering this forest, and she had no idea what she’d been doing before. Before she could ponder any further, Apple Bloom was startled by another, far louder crash of thunder.

“Gah!” The burgundy haired girl screamed as she jolted away, allowing her eyes to glance at the sky above her. Rather than the expected black of a night’s sky, or even the occasional dark blue, this sky was an otherworldly purple. Looking up at the unsettling sky, Apple Bloom remarked, “That’s odd. Ah’ve never seen a purple sky before.”

Making her way through the dark forest, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but ponder, “If there’s thunder this loud, why isn’t it rainin’?” Coming up to a small rock, the young girl sat down upon it as she sighed, “Ugh, Ah have no idea what’s going on.”

At that moment, the sound of a wolf’s howl rang out, catching Apple Bloom completely off guard. She jumped up from her seat as she began to stammer, “Wh-wh-who’s th-th-th-there?” For several moments, there was no response, only the uncomfortable silence that surrounded her. The former farm girl let out a gentle sigh of relief as she remarked, “Heh. Guess Ah’m goin’ crazy.”

Turning around as she began to walk away, Apple Bloom found herself face to face with two piercing white eyes glaring right at her. “Gah!” The former farm girl exclaimed as she stepped back in fear. Catching herself, Apple Bloom asked, “What in the…. Who are you?” She received her answer in the form of a hungry growl, followed by a series of fierce barks.

“Oh no!” Apple Bloom muttered to herself as she began to realize just what she was dealing with. “No. Please tell me that’s not a….” Before she could finish, a large black wolf emerged from the shadows, flanked by two white wolves, one on each side. Snarling and drooling, the former farm girl could only back away as she called out, “Stay away. St-st-stay back!”

The three wolves continued to strut up to Apple Bloom, the two white wolves flanking her as the black wolf glared at her with hungry eyes. Starting to feel breathing increase, the burgundy haired girl gulped as she tried to say, “G-g-g-g-good b-b-b-boy.” As she tried extend her hand, the black wolf tried to bite her, with the former farm girl barely able to pull her hand away in time.

Before she could even begin to consider what to do next, the black wolf leapt onto Apple Bloom, forcing her onto her back. As the fierce beast glared at her, the former farm girl screamed in fear. “Gah! Get off me!” She exclaimed as she tried to push the wolf off of her, only for the other wolves to stamp their paws on her hands, trapping her. It was now that the black wolf began to do something that caught Apple Bloom completely off guard.

The wolf began to lick her face.

“Egh. Gross.” Apple Bloom groaned as the wolf continued to brush its tongue across her face. She continued, “Stop that! Stop that!” The former farm girl tried to raise her hands up to push the wolf away, but its two compatriots were still restraining them.

At that moment, the thunder returned, along with the flashes of lightning. For a brief moment, the black wolf transformed into an otherworldly monstrosity. Overcome with fear and horror, Apple Bloom found herself overcome with adrenaline as she finally managed to force her right hand free and, as the lightning crashed one last time, backhand the black wolf as she found herself awakening from her slumber.

Apple Bloom’s Room

“Get off of me!” Apple Bloom screamed as she backhandedly slapped the creature that was now standing on her chest. As she opened her eyes, the former farm girl heard a pained whimper, followed by a loud thud.

Blinking as she returned to the land of the living, Apple Bloom realized that she was back in her bedroom. Looking over to the alarm clock on her nightstand, she found that it was about two in the morning. Sighing to herself, the former farm girl could only mutter, “Heh. Must have had another nightmare.”

However, Apple Bloom was immediately distracted by the sound of something whimpering. “What in tarnation?” The former farm girl asked out loud as she rose up from her bed and made her way over to the source of the sound. There, she found a horrifying discovery.

She found Sparkplug lying on the ground.

“Oh no! Sparkplug!” Apple Bloom exclaimed as she tried to comfort the small terrier. When she extended her hand, however, Sparkplug leapt up and began to back away in fear. Seeing this, the former farm girl began to tear up as she apologized, “No, please! Ah’m sorry Sparkplug!” Despite her best pleas, the black terrier continued to whimper in fear and back away from her.

As Apple Bloom realized that her beloved pet dog was now afraid of her, the bedroom door opened, revealing a concerned and confused Ironhide who promptly asked, “What in the hell is going on here kid?” Sparkplug immediately took the opportunity to bolt out of the bedroom, leading Apple Bloom to call out, “No! Sparkplug! Come back here!” The former farm girl tried to run past her uncle, only for Ironhide to ask, “Apple Bloom! What happened?”

Sighing as she began to cry again, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah…. Ah was havin’ a nightmare where Ah was bein’ attacked by wolves, an’….. and this wolf was lickin’ me and Ah……” Finally losing what was left of her composure, the former farm girl tearfully lamented, “Ah must have hit Sparkplug in mah sleep!”

As Apple Bloom threw herself into her uncle, Ironhide wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug as he reassured her, “It’s ok kid. I’m sure you didn’t mean to hurt him.” The burgundy haired girl shook her head as she retorted, “But Ah still hurt him!” Sighing to herself, she continued, “Ah… Ah gotta….”

Before she could continue, Ironhide placed his finger over Apple Bloom’s lip as he told her, “Not right now. Right now, you need to get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow.” The former farm girl wanted to protest her uncle’s statement, but her exhaustion began to overtake her again. Sighing, Apple Bloom said, “Alright. Guess Ah’ll see you in the mornin’?” The family patriarch nodded as he replied, “See you in the morning kid. I love you.” Giving her uncle a small smile, the former farm girl replied, “Ah love you too.”

Having bade her uncle a good night, Apple Bloom returned to her bed, crawled under the sheets, and drifted off back to the realm of slumber, all while Ironhide closed the bedroom door and thought to himself, ‘Just one more day Apple Bloom. We get through tomorrow, and we can put this nightmare behind us.’

Early the Next Morning

Staring at her reflection in her bedroom mirror, Apple Bloom remarked to herself, “Heh. Never thought Ah’d be able to pull somethin’ like this off.” Indeed, the former farm girl was dressed in a dark red suit coat over a blue shirt, dark red pants, and her black dress shoes. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Still, never thought Ah’d have to be speakin’ at a trial before.”

Indeed, today was the big day. After nearly a week of preparation and anticipation, Apple Bloom and her family, as well as Dream Wave and Windshear’s families, had united to pursue legal action against Mr. Compost for his carelessness and callousness, as well as the injuries he’d allowed everyone to suffer on the root and berry retreat. ‘On one hand, Ah don’t wanna seem to spiteful…’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘On the other hand, Ah wanna make that asshole pay.’

The former farm girl was distracted from her internal monologue when her bedroom door opened, revealing Sideswipe, dressed in her dress shirt, pants, suspenders, and black oxfords. Walking up to her sister, the pale biker let out a whistle as she complimented, “Look at you. You’re smoking girl.” Apple Bloom let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “Thanks Sideswipe. You sleep well?” Nodding, Sideswipe replied, “Like a baby.” She then added, “I heard you screaming last night. Have another nightmare?”

Sighing, Apple Bloom replied, “Yeah. Ah….” Starting to feel her eyes water again, the burgundy haired girl cleared her throat as she continued, “Ah just had an unfortunately timed nightmare.” Pulling her sister into a hug, Sideswipe reassured her, “Don’t beat yourself up. I’m sure it was just a one-off incident.”

At that moment, both girls’ stomachs began to rumble, leading Sideswipe to say, “Come on. Ratchet is making biscuits downstairs. We’re gonna need all the strength we can get for today.” Feeling a sense of optimism wash over her, Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Yeah.” She then followed her sister out of her room and towards the kitchen.

The Kitchen

Making her way to the dining table, Apple Bloom was greeted by the sight of Ratchet serving up some biscuits and sausage for everyone. Noticing the young girl, the former medic greeted, “Morning Apple Bloom. I trust you slept well.” Sitting down at the table, the former farm girl replied, “For the most part. Ah had a…. a nightmare last night.”

Bringing a plate with two biscuit halves and some sausages to the young girl, Ratchet apologized, “Sorry about that Apple Bloom. If it’s about….” Hesitating as he struggled to find quite the right words, the old medic settled on, “…. About what happened over the weekend, I’m sure we can get schedule a therapist appointment.” Reaching for one of the biscuit halves, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks Ratchet.”

As Sideswipe entered the kitchen, the pale biker called out, “Morning Ratchet!” Letting out a gentle chuckle, the former medic replied, “Good morning to you too Sideswipe. I take it you had a good night’s rest?” The pale biker nodded as she replied, “Yeah. I’m tanned, I’m rested, and I’m ready to see that hippie get a great big wedgie!”

Before Ratchet could reply to the pale biker’s enthusiasm, Ironhide and Chromia entered the kitchen, both dressed in formal outfits with the former speaking to someone on his cell phone. Raising his hand to the phone’s speaker, the family patriarch reassured the other end, “Don’t worry, we’re making great time. We should be at the courthouse within the hour, ninety minutes at most.”

Hanging up his phone, Ironhide noticed that his daughters were now awake and dressed. Smiling, he asked, “You two sleep well?” As Sideswipe nodded, Apple Bloom swallowed her mouthful as she replied, “About as well as Ah can be. Once we get this over with, the better.” The family patriarch nodded as he replied, “Same here. I’m ready to put this nonsense behind us too.”

Straightening himself, Ironhide began, “I just got off the phone with Sunbow. He and Dream Wave are already at the courthouse, and we’ll meet them there in about an hour.” A confused Apple Bloom asked, “Who’s Sunbow?” Chromia spoke up with a gentle, “He’s Dream Wave’s father, and he’s the one who’s spearheading this.”

Sideswipe lit up as she added, “Oh yeah! He’s that guy who beat the shit out of Mr. Compost!” Chromia immediately turned to her daughter as she warned, “Language young lady.” As the pale biker sighed before taking a bite of sausage, Apple Bloom asked, “So, when does the trial start?” Chromia replied, “In about two hours, but we need to be there early, so you two better eat up.”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom shoved a full biscuit into her mouth as Ironhide reassured her, “Whoa there! We’re not in that big of a rush!” As the former farm girl swallowed her mouthful, her uncle continued, “Though we do need to be moving in the next twenty minutes.” Taking this in, the former farm girl continued to eat her breakfast.

She would be needing all the strength she could get.

Allspark Wells Courthouse, One Hour Later

“Wow.” Apple Bloom remarked as she took in the sight of the building before her. After finishing breakfast, the family had made their way downtown, and now they were greeted by the sight of a large building made of golden yellow metal like most other buildings in town. What separated this particular building, however, was the grand analog clock on the front of the roof, tall pillars adorning the front façade, and a dark brown wooden door behind them. All in all, Apple Bloom thought to herself, “Forget courthouse. This place looks like a palace of justice.”

As the group approached the courthouse’s front entrance, they were greeted by another group of people. Among this group was Wind Shear, who was wearing a black suit dress, Dream Wave, who was clad in a dark blue dress whilst sitting in a wheelchair, and the same dark red man from several days earlier, wearing a white shirt and khaki pants. Looking this man over, Apple Bloom thought, ‘Guess he’s Sunbow.”

Walking up to Ironhide, Sunbow extended his hand as he greeted, “Good to see you Ironhide. Right on time.” Shaking his hand back, the former soldier replied, “We got here as quickly as we could. You ready to put that hippie down for good?” The dark red man smirked as he replied, “You better believe it.”

As the adults caught up with each other, Dream Wave rolled up to Apple Bloom and greeted, “Hey Apple Bloom. Good to see you.” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Same here, even if Ah’d have preferred better circumstances.” Sideswipe then joined the two as she asked, “’Sup? How’s your legs?” Dream Wave sighed as she answered, “They’re doing alright, though they’re still a little sore.”

The three teens were interrupted when Wheeljack called out, “Come on you three! We’re burning daylight!” Apple Bloom nodded as she placed herself behind Dream Wave as she said, “Come on. Ah’ll push you in.” Dream Wave smiled as she replied, “Thanks Apple Bloom.” With this, everyone began to make their way inside.

The Courtroom

“No way! Someone broke his legs?” Apple Bloom asked Windshear. Nodding, the cream girl nodded as she replied, “Yeah. My parents told me he made bail a few nights back, but he showed back up at the police station with broken legs. He said that guy who saved you two and his buddies did it.” Dream Wave let out a small chuckle as she replied, “Serves the cocksucker right.”

At that moment, Ironhide walked up to the girls and pointed to something as he whispered, “Brace yourselves kids. Here he comes.” Turning to see what her uncle was pointing to, Apple Bloom found herself staring at none other than Mr. Compost. The sickly green teacher was dressed in a simple suit, his normally unkempt hair was slicked back (revealing a noticeable bald spot), and he walked with two crutches in his hands, flanked by a gray man whom the former farm girl figured was his lawyer. All in all, Mr. Compost seemed surprisingly pathetic.

However, that did not stop Apple Bloom from feeling an intense sense of hatred at the mere sight of the man who had abandoned her and Dream Wave to her fate.

As she began to growl, Ironhide rested a hand on Apple Bloom’s shoulder as he whispered, “Keep cool kid. We get through this, and we’ll never have to worry about him again.” Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl nodded as she replied, “And you just need us to tell the jury what happened?” Ironhide nodded as he answered, “Yup. One more battle.” Feeling a small smile form on her lips, she replied, “Yeah. Once more into the fray.”

At that moment, a deep voice rang out, “All rise for the honorable Judge Trademark!” As Apple Bloom and everyone else stood up, she glanced over at the judge, a tall and lean man with cold blue skin, pure white hair, piercing blue eyes, and a wrinkled face that told her that this was a man of no nonsense.

Nodding, Judge Trademark spoke aloud, “You may be seated.” As everyone sat back down, the blue man turned to Mr. Compost as he sternly stated, “Mister Aurochs Compost, you stand accused of three counts of reckless endangerment of a child, as well as gross incompetence. How do you plead?” The sickly green teacher stood up, let out a nervous gulp, and tentatively replied, “Not guilty sir.”

‘Bullshit.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘After everythin’ he did, he has the damn nerve to say he’s not guilty?’ Clenching her fist, the former farm girl desperately wanted call him out, but she remembered what her uncle had told her; ‘Let him make an ass out of himself. He’ll do the work for us.’

As Apple Bloom thought to herself, a man with dark gray skin, red hair, and clad in a black suit with square glasses, stood up as he asked, “Your honor, may I begin my statement?” Judge Trademark nodded as he replied, “You may Mr. Speed Dial.” As this man made his way over to the jury, the former farm girl thought, ‘Guess he’s supposed to be our lawyer. Ah’m surprised this is the first time Ah’m seein’ him in person.’

Turning to the box of twelve people, Speed Dial began, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we are here today due to one thing.” He then pointed to Mr. Compost as he continued, “This past weekend, that man there took a handful of children up to Yellow-Steel national park. And in the span of twenty-four hours, one girl suffered an allergic reaction, one girl broke her legs, and two of them were nearly mauled by wolves!”

Speed Dial was interrupted by Compost’s lawyer, who rose up as he called out, “Objection! That man is trying to lead the jury!” Judge Trademark banged his gavel as he called out, “Overruled!” Speed Dial nodded as he resumed his speech, “Thus, I want you to understand that that man there, though he may appear harmless, is a danger to his students, and should be removed from society.”

As Speed dial returned to his clients, Judge Trademark turned to Compost and his lawyer as he asked, “Would the defense like to say anything?” Apple Bloom was able to make out her teacher and his lawyer discussing something, but she was too far away to make out just what they were saying. After a few minutes, the lawyer stood up, made his way to the jury, and began to speak.

“I do not envy you people.” The lawyer solemnly said. “You have been asked to judge a man for tragic circumstances that were simply beyond his control.” Before Apple Bloom could process this, Sunbow called out, “Like hell it was!” Judge Trademark took a gavel and slammed it on his podium as he barked, “Order! There will be order in this courtroom!”

Recollecting himself, Compost’s lawyer concluded, “Thus, I wish to show you fine people that the tragic circumstances of this past weekend, though tragic, were not caused by my client.”

Pausing for a moment, Judge Trademark nodded as he said aloud, “Very well.” Turning to Speed Dial, he asked, “What evidence do you have against Mr. Compost here?” The dark gray man took a deep breath as he stated, “The prosecution asks Aurochs Compost to take the stand!” As the scrawny teacher rose up and began to nervously approach the stand, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think, ‘Well, let’s see how he does on the stand.’

Once Compost was seated on the stand, Speed Dial began, “Mr. Compost, please tell the jury why you brought all those teenagers to Yellow-Steel National Park last weekend?” Taking a deep breath, Compost replied, “I… I was taking my students on an extra credit trip I call the root and berry retreat.” Nodding, the gray lawyer asked, “And what exactly does this “root and berry retreat” entail of?”

Briefly glancing over to his pupils, Compost replied, “Well, two times a year, I take several students on a magi….” Briefly pausing, he continued, “…On a trip deep into the forest to live off the land.” Taking this in, Speed Dial continued, “I see. Now, if I may inquire, why would you feel the need to take students on such a retreat?”

Compost’s lawyer stood up as he declared, “Objection! How could these questions possibly be relevant?” Judge Trademark replied, “Overruled!” He then turned Speed Dial as he added, “Please continue.” Nodding, the dark gray lawyer continued, “As I was saying, what was the reason why you took those kids on this bi-yearly trip?”

Compost straightened himself as he explained, “Well, you see, I take students on the retreat because they failed a project I’d given them about how they can help our planet and environment.”

As the two men continued their back and forth, Apple Bloom sighed as she whispered to Dream Wave, “Ah got a feelin’ this’ll take a while.” The red-haired artist nodded as she replied, “Same here.” Still, both girls knew they’d come this far, and the former farm girl took a deep breath as she whispered, “Still, we can’t just drift off. We make sure we’re alert for when we take the stand.”

Some Time Later

“So let me get this straight.” Speed Dial said to Wind Shear. “Compost reacted to your allergic reaction with such flippant carelessness?” As the cream girl nodded, she replied, “He did sir. He said that if I didn’t want to risk another reaction, I would just have to either find something else to eat or go hungry.” Both the jury and the audience let out gasps of surprise and murmured amongst themselves, all while Compost began to nervously sweat.

Satisfied, Speed Dial said, “Thank you young lady. That will be all.” As Wind Shear stood up and made her way back to the others, the gray lawyer turned to the jury and asked, “Tell me, what kind of man acts with such callousness to a child, who’s safety and welfare is his responsibility mind you, suffering an allergic reaction?”

As the jury whispered amongst themselves, Speed Dial then added, “My next witness is Dream Wave!” Judge Trademark nodded as he called out, “Will Dream Wave take the stand?” Hearing this, Apple Bloom got up and helped push her friend up to the stand before whispering, “You’ve got this.” The red-haired artist gave a small smile as she replied, “Thanks.”

Once Dream Wave was settled, Speed Dial asked her, “Tell me young lady, what happened to your legs?” Taking a moment to compose herself, the young girl explained, “Well sir, that night, I…. I had to relieve myself, if you catch my meaning….” Though a few members of the audience (and even one of the jurors) giggled to themselves, most people were able to keep their composure at the mention of “bodily functions.”

Nodding, Speed Dial continued, “And how could relieving yourself result in broken legs?” Dream Wave answered, “Well, it was late at night, so obviously, it was pretty dark. It didn’t help that Mr. Compost confiscated all electronic devices, including my flashlight.” As the jury took this in, she continued, “Apple Bloom and I went outside the tent, and we immediately got lost. I tried to find my way to her, but I fell down a small a small cliff-ledge-thing.” Dream Wave then looked down at her legs, now bound in casts, as she finished, “And that’s when he abandoned us.”

At that moment, Compost slammed his fist into the desk in front of him as he declared, “I was running to get help!” Somone from the audience shouted, “Keep lying to yourself you fucking coward!” Another voice, a woman’s, decried, “How dare you!” As more people shouted, Judge Trademark banged his gavel as he declared, “Order! There will be order!” Once everyone began to simmer down, the judge continued, “You may continue young lady.”

Sighing, Dream Wave continued with, “That’s when we were surrounded by the wolves. For a moment, it looked like we were goners. Then, we were rescued by that Onslaught guy and...” Pausing a moment, she finished with, “I don’t remember much after that. I passed out from the pain sometime later.”

Speed Dial nodded as he replied, “That will be all. Thank you, Dream Wave.” Dream Wave let out a sigh of relief as she replied, “Thank you.” She then began to push her wheelchair back towards the others. Once she’d rejoined her friends and family, Apple Bloom whispered, “You alright?”

Dream Wave wiped a tear from her eyes as she replied, “That was…. Scary but satisfying.” Her father walked up to her and rested a hand on her shoulder as he complimented, “I’m so proud of you sweetheart!”

At that moment, Speed Dial said aloud, “I have one more witness I wish to call. The defense calls Apple Bloom to the stand!”

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom began to approach the stand. As she looked around, the former farm girl was able to get a glance at her family watching her from the prosecution. She could see Ironhide, Sideswipe, Chromia, Ratchet, and Wheeljack all giving her reassuring nods and thumbs up. Feeling a bit more confident, the former farm girl made her way up to the stand and sat down.

Walking up to the young girl, Speed Dial inquired, “I have been informed that you had a rather rocky relationship with the defendant, is that true?” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Yes. Mr. Compost was kind of…” Hesitating for a moment, she finished with, “Kind of a hard ass.” Once again, people began to snicker amongst themselves, leading Judge Trademark to warn, “Please use proper terminology young lady.”

As Apple Bloom nervously nodded, Speed Dial continued, “The reason I ask this question is because of the events of the previous Monday. Please tell the jury about the environmental project that resulted in you needing to go on this trip in the first place.”

Sighing, the former farm girl explained, “Yes. Ah’d done a report on how the environment could recover from the effects of war and how weapons can be repurposed for environmental purposes.” Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Can’t say if it really deserves a perfect A plus, but Ah’d like to think it was worth a passin’ grade. Of course, Mr. Compost said it was horrible and….”

Pausing for a moment, Apple Bloom continued, “But when this other kid named Oak Leaf started ramblin’ on and on about how the best solution would be to kill people off….” She was interrupted by Judge Trademark warning her, “We are not here for your petty issues with other classmates.”

Catching herself, Apple Bloom apologized, “Sorry sir.” Speed Dial then added, “So obviously, there was a lot of tension between you and Mr. Compost here, was there not?” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Yes.” Speed Dial then continued, “So, tell the jury about the trip in general. Tell them about how the trip went and how he acted.”

At that moment, Apple Bloom replied, “Heh, where do Ah start? He dragged us up to the middle of nowhere, let us go hungry, not to mention blamin’ Dream Wave for fallin’ and breakin’ her legs.” She then paused for a moment before continuing, “And when he confronted us, he started lashin’ out at Dream Wave about gettin’ herself hurt, and when we heard the wolves, he just bolted away.” Sighing, the former farm girl added, “Just as Dream Wave said, the only reason we’re alive is because Onslaught just happened to be boar cullin’ nearby.”

As the jury took this in, Apple Bloom continued, “Now, most of what happened next isn’t too important. Onslaught and his buddies took us to their tent, helped set Dream Wave’s legs, called mah uncle Ironhide, and just sorta kept an eye on us for the rest of the night. The next morning, when we got out of the forest, we ran into him and the others.” Feeling her fists clench, the former farm girl continued, “That’s when Compost started chewin’ us out for gettin’ one of the wolves killed and bein’ “enemies of the environment,” and that sort of stuff.”

Speed Dial then asked, “That was the last you saw of him before today, correct?” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Yes. Last Ah saw of Compost was him gettin’ arrested, Ah think.” The gray lawyer nodded as he said, “Thank you Apple Bloom. That will be all.”

“Wait!” The former farm girl called out. As everyone found themselves caught off guard, Apple Bloom asked, “Your honor, may Ah say somethin’ to Mr. Compost?” Shaking his head, Judge Trademark replied, “No statements not related to the trial itself may be said until closing statements.” Taking this in, Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Very well.”

Once she’d rejoined her friends and family, Ironhide pulled his daughter into a gentle hug as he said, “You did a good job kid.” Apple Bloom hugged her uncle back as she replied, “Thanks.”

Speed Dial then continued, “Now then….”

Later That Day

Struggling to stay awake, Apple Bloom looked up to the analog clock above Judge Trademark’s podium, noticing that it was almost three o’clock in the afternoon. ‘Sheesh. We’ve been here for almost all day.’ The burgundy haired girl stretched her arms, making sure not to hit Dream Wave or Wind Shear. As she began to yawn, however, the red-haired artist tapped Apple Bloom on the shoulder as she said, “Hey, I think the jury is done.”

Just as Dream Wave had said, the jury made their way back to their box as one of them prepared a piece of paper. Noticing this, Judge Trademark inquired, “Has the jury reached their verdict?” The lead juror nodded as he replied, “We have your honor.” Presenting his piece of paper, he read his verdict out loud.

“On the three charges of reckless endangerment of a minor, we the jury find the defendant, Aurochs Compost, guilty on all counts.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom let out a deep sigh of relief. ‘Ah can’t believe it.’ She thought to herself. ‘Guilty.’ Feeling her lips form a small smile, the former farm girl looked over to her friends to see their reactions. Wind Shear was also smiling while Dream Wave leaned back into her wheelchair, letting out a sigh of relief of her own.

Turning back to face Judge Trademark, Apple Bloom heard him request, “Will the defendant please rise?” When Compost stood up to face the judge, the imposing blue judge scorned him with a stern speech.

“I have listened to the girls testify against your actions, and I can say that you should be ashamed of yourself. Your actions have left scars, both physical and mental, on them, and the blame solely lands on your shoulders. Do you have anything you’d like to say?”

Wiping his eyes, Compost replied, “I am truly sorry that these incidents happened under my watch. I wanted to help my students appreciate nature and our beautiful planet, but instead, it seems they may turn their backs on the lessons I tried to impart on them.”

Hearing her teacher say this, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘He’s not really sayin’ this, right? He can’t be tryin’ to pin the blame on us.’ But here he was, trying to deny his responsibility. Unable to contain her frustration, the former farm girl called out, “That is bullshit!”

Judge Trademark Immediately called out, “Order!” He then banged his gavel as he warned, “You will remain civil in these proceedings young lady!” As Apple Bloom sighed and sat down, he turned back to Compost as he sternly continued, “However, I must remind the defendant that your views on the environment is not what is on trial. Your behavior is, and it is clear that your behavior is completely, unacceptable!”

As Compost took this in, Judge Trademark declared, “Seeing this, I sentence you to thirty years imprisonment, with the possibility of parole only available after you have served twenty years.” He then banged his gavel, sealing the former teacher’s fate.

Hearing this, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Thirty years…. That… That sounds pretty fair actually. Ten years for each of us.’ After all, she may have hated him, but she figured that he wouldn’t be spending the rest of his life behind bars. Given everything, she couldn’t help but feel that thirty years was a fair enough punishment.

Compost, on the other hand, began to beg, “You can’t do that! I have so much to do! To spread the word for our planet’s wellbeing!” His pathetic pleas were falling on deaf ears, however, as Judge Trademark continued, “That will do! I sentence you to serve thirty years imprisonment! You will be remanded to the proper authorities and transported to the Iacon State Medium security facility.”

As the police began to approach Compost, Apple Bloom called out, “Wait! May Ah say somethin’ to him?” This time, the blue judge replied, “You may. Make your peace.” Turning to face her former teacher, the former farm girl began her speech.

“Mr. Compost. When Ah started this semester with you, Ah figured you’d just be a bit of a hardass, the stern but fair teacher. Even considerin’ how you failed all of us while passin’ someone for callin’ for eugenics could be… somethin’ Ah’d just look back on in a decade and laugh off. But what you did to us, to me…” Feeling herself begin to tear up again, Apple Bloom continued, “You abandoned us to those wolves! You abandoned us! And that…. That is somethin’ Ah can’t ever forgive. Ah’ll never forgive you for that.”

Collecting herself, Apple Bloom turned to Judge Trademark as she said, “That’s about it sir.” Nodding, the judge turned to Compost as he ordered, “Guards, get him out of my sight.”

With that, Compost was escorted out of the courtroom and, as far as Apple Bloom was concerned, out of her life.

As the blue judge continued to speak, Apple Bloom found herself zoning out. ‘Heh, guess that took the wind out of me.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. ‘Just gotta stay strong enough to make it home.’

After all, there was still a bit of legal jargon everyone would have to get through.

Iacon High, Several Days Later

Stepping out of her uncle’s van, Apple Bloom turned to Ironhide as she replied, “See ya later uncle Ironhide. Ah love you!” Giving his daughter a reassuring nod, Ironhide replied, “I love you too kid. Stay safe.” As he drove off, the former farm girl straightened her messenger bag, took a deep breath, and made her way to the front door of her school.

Once the trial had been concluded, Apple Bloom spent the rest of her fall break decompressing and generally relaxing. Sleeping in, helping around the chop shop, taking care of Sparkplug (who eventually forgave her), playing video games with Sideswipe, and even hanging out with her friends, the former farm girl found herself enjoying the last few days of freedom she had before she had to return to the monotonous grind of school. Of course, now that she was back, she found herself asking, “Ah wonder what happens now that Compost is gone?”

As she entered the school and made her way through the halls, Apple Bloom noticed that, for the most part, everyone was just minding their own business. Letting out a gentle chuckle, the burgundy haired girl remarked to herself, “Guess Ah shouldn’t have expected a parade, but at least there’s nothin’ like the first day.”

After a few minutes, Apple Bloom made it to what had been Compost’s classroom. Opening the door, the former farm girl found that, though most of her class was already there, there was no teacher. Walking towards her desk, one of her classmates asked, “Hey Apple Bloom! I heard something happened on the root and berry retreat. It true Mr. Compost got fired?” Nodding, the former farm girl replied, “Yup. He…. Ah don’t think we’ll be hearin’ from him in a while.”

From behind her, Apple Bloom heard the sound of Oak Leaf’s voice called out, “Well that’s just prime.” As the olive boy made his way to his desk, he grumbled, “He’s my favorite teacher. Can’t believe that…” He turned to Apple Bloom as he continued, “Somone got him fired.”

Glaring back at Oak Leaf, Apple Bloom warned, “You better not be implyin’ Ah got that asshole fired! He got himself fired when he abandoned Dream Wave and Ah to the wolves!” The olive boy simply glared right back as he remarked, “Maybe you two just proved you’re too much of an environmental detriment.”

Before either teen could say anything either of them could regret, the entire class was caught off guard by the sound of an old voice saying, “Well then, so you are among my pupils for the remaining half semester?” Turning to see who it was, Apple Bloom was greeted by the sight of a familiar face.

There, walking into the classroom, was a man with purple skin, gray hair with long sideburns, a dark purple suit, and most importantly, a single red eye and an eyepatch over his left eye, and a prosthetic left hand that had two fingers and a thumb. As the man walked past her, Apple Bloom found herself thinking, ‘Is that who Ah think it is?’

Turning around to greet his pupils, the one-eyed man introduced himself, “Greetings and Bienvenu. I am Shockwave, and I shall be your teacher for the remainder of this semester.”

As Apple Bloom took this in, one of the other students asked, “What? What happened to Mr. Compost?” Folding his arms, Shockwave answered, “Compost was relieved of his duties due to his actions on his little root and berry retreat. He will not be back.” He then held his mechanical hand behind his back as he added, “I will also be nullifying the project he assigned beforehand. I know many of you put a lot of effort into your assignment, but given the circumstances, I have deemed it necessary to wipe that little slate clean.”

Though some students groaned in annoyance, Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief as she whispered to herself, “Well, what do you know. Guess it means that F is gone. Looks like Compost really is gone after all.” Though the former farm girl was satisfied with this statement, Oak Leaf groaned, “Oh come on! That’s not fair!”

Hearing this, Shockwave walked up to the olive boy as he sternly warned, “Actually, there is something I need to address.” As Oak Leaf found himself starting to sweat, the one-eyed teacher warned, “I do not know what possessed you to dedicate your little speech to advocating eugenics, but I assure you, you and I will be having a little chat after class. Am I clear?” All the olive bully could do was meekly reply, “Yes sir.”

Clapping his hands together, Shockwave switched his attitude as he declared, “Now then, let us begin today’s lesson.” As the one-eyed teacher began his lecture, Apple Bloom found herself feeling optimistic to the future. She was free of Mr. Compost, the failing grade of his project was rescinded, and she even witnessed Oak Leaf getting put in his place.

‘Of course, not everythin’s perfect.’ Apple Bloom thought. ‘Ah still have nightmares, not to mention Dream Wave’s legs.’ Still, she’d dealt with nightmares before, and Dream Wave’s legs would eventually heal. Smiling to herself, the former farm girl continued, ‘Still, Ah got a feelin’ everythin’s gonna be just fine after all.’ And so, pulling out a pencil and starting to take notes, Apple Bloom found herself looking forward to what the week had in store.

After all, the first day back from fall break was something of a new beginning, and what better place to experience a new beginning that a place like Allspark Wells?

Author's Note

Next Time: It's a surprise.

Author's Note: I'm taking a few weeks off because I've been pushing myself on this whole "root and berry retreat" story arc, and I need a little time to recharge.

Little and Big Brothers

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 19; Little and Big Brothers

Sweeping the floor of the shop front, Apple Bloom looked over her work as she remarked, “There we go.” Taking in the sight of the now dust-free floor, she continued, “Big Mac is gonna love how clean this place is.” Smiling, the former farm girl said, “Ah can’t wait.”

Apple Bloom had finished the first week of school following fall break, and she’d managed to regain most of a sense of normalcy. The former farm girl made it through biology class with her new teacher, Shockwave, learning about human history under Dr. Pennywhistle, and even her weekly tap class with Hoofer Steps. All in all, Apple Bloom found that things hadn’t just returned to normal, but were now just a little bit better.

At that moment, Apple Bloom was caught off guard by the sound of Sparkplug barking. Hearing this, the former farm girl found herself freezing in fear as she felt a cold chill run throughout her body. As the sound of the small terrier’s bark rang out again, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but see the sight of a giant black wolf staring at her.

Shaking her head, Apple Bloom turned to see a small black terrier walking up to her and sitting down. Bending down to extend her hand to him, the former farm girl apologized, “Sorry for freezin’ up there buddy. Guess Ah’m still uncomfortable with…” As Sparkplug began to whimper, Apple Bloom began to feel her arm tremble as she finished, “…Wolves and dogs.”

To her surprise, Sparkplug walked up to her and rested his head on her leg. Apple Bloom smiled as she began to pet the small terrier and remarked, “Guess you’re hardly a wolf, aren’t ya.” The small terrier let out an affectionate bark as he leapt into Apple Bloom’s chest, leading the former farm girl to giggle, “Heh. Glad to see you aren’t too angry about mah nightmare.”

As Apple Bloom played with Sparkplug, the two were distracted by Ironhide’s voice calling out, “I take it you finished cleaning everything up?” Standing up, Apple Bloom found her uncle walking up to her. Nodding, the burgundy haired girl smiled as she replied, “Ah did. Just got a little caught off guard by Sparkplug here.” Looking down at the highland terrier, she continued, “Guess Ah still get caught off guard hearin’ him bark.”

Ironhide walked up to his daughter as he reassured her, “I know kid.” Patting her on the shoulder, the former sergeant continued, “You’re as tough as I was at your age, but that doesn’t mean you’re invincible.” Apple Bloom let out a sigh as she replied, “Thanks uncle Ironhide.”

At that moment, Ironhide noticed something off in the corner of his eye. Motioning to something behind her, the family patriarch remarked, “Well, look who’s here?” Turning to see what it was, Apple Bloom found herself greeted by a familiar sight.

There, emerging from a parked car, emerged a young man with pale red skin, orange hair, and dressed in a white tee shirt, a bright red jacket, blue jeans, and red and white sneakers.

Allowing herself to give in to her growing excitement, Apple Bloom bolted out of the chop shop and ran up towards her older brother wrapped her arms around him. As she hugged him, the former farm girl exclaimed, “You’re here! Ah’m so glad you’re here!” Hugging his sister back, Big Mac let out a gentle, “Heh heh. Eeyup.”

After several moments, Apple Bloom began to release her big brother, only to find that Big Macintosh not only didn’t let go of her, but actually tightened his grip of her. Confused, the former farm girl asked, “Uh, is everythin’ alright?”

Finally releasing his younger sister, Big Mac took a deep breath as he replied, “Yeah, Ah’m fine. Ah just…” Pausing for a moment, he replied, “Ironhide filled me in on everythin’ that’s happened.” Sighing, Apple Bloom lamented, “Guess Ah should’ve figured you’d find out.”

As the two siblings took this in, the car door opened again, revealing a pink woman with curly purple hair, and a white dress with blue trimmings. As this woman stood up from the car, Apple Bloom greeted, “Howdy Sugar Belle. Hope you’re doin’ alright.” The pink girl replied, “I’m doing alright. Just glad to finally be here.”

While the three chatted, Ironhide and Sparkplug walked up to them as he greeted, “Good to see you again Big Mac. Same to you too Sugar Belle. Hope you had a pleasant drive over.” The eldest Apple sibling nodded as he replied, “It was alright. Pretty uneventful.” Apple Bloom then asked, “You need a hand with your stuff?” Smiling, Big Macintosh replied, “Eeyup.” The former farm girl and her uncle then began to carry their guest’s luggage into the chop shop, hoping they could help get them settled in after a long trek.

The Living Room

As Ironhide and Apple Bloom led Big Mac and Sugar Belle into the living room, the elder Apple sibling complimented, “Ah like the kilt. It suits you.” The former farm girl happily replied, “Thank you. Sideswipe and Pastel helped me find it.” The eldest Apple asked, “Pastel? Don’t think Ah’ve heard that name before.”

Setting her brother’s suitcase down, Apple Bloom replied, “She’s a girl Ah met in homeroom! She’s got a great sense of fashion, even if she has a personal preference for black and pink.” Hearing this, Big Mac remarked, “Well then, Ah’d like to see her for mahself.” The former farm girl immediately lit up before thinking, ‘Wait, what about her bein’…..’

Pausing for a moment, Apple Bloom warned, “Just a heads up, Pastel is trans, so just….” She was interrupted when her brother reassured her, “That so? Well, there ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. She says she’s a girl, then she’s a girl. End of story.” Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief as she added, “Thanks. She’s had a bit of trouble from some jerks for it.”

At that moment, Sideswipe entered the living room, clad in her normal attire. Walking up the group, she greeted “’Sup Big Mac? Haven’t seen you in a while.” The light red boy let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Eeyup. Good to see you too Sideswipe.” He then walked up to the pale biker and pulled her into a tight hug, one which she happily returned.

Once they finished, Sideswipe asked, “You need a hand with your stuff?” Apple Bloom interrupted with a blunt, “We already brought everythin’ in, though Ah guess you could take everythin’ up to….” She then asked, “Hey, where are they stayin’ anyway?”

Sideswipe immediately replied, “They’re staying in my room.” She then turned to Big Mac and Sugar Belle as she continued, “I figured you guys would appreciate having a room to yourselves.” The pale biker then leant against her sister as she playfully asked, “You don’t mind sharing a room again, do you?” Apple Bloom let out a gentle giggle as she replied, “Ah guess not, so long as you take their bags up.”

As the two younger girls continued their conversation, Wheeljack entered the living room, a cell phone held up to his ear as he said, “Don’t worry… Look…. I just thought…. I know, I got dates mixed up….” When the person on the other end said something, the maverick mechanic sighed as he replied, “Alright, I’ll see you in a bit.”

Curious, Apple Bloom asked, “Who were you talkin’ to?” Wheeljack replied, “Oh, that was my dad. Turns out he’s coming here.” Hearing this, Ironhide asked, “What? Your dad? Queue?” Nodding, the maverick mechanic replied, “Yeah. I thought he wasn’t stopping by again for a few months, but apparently, he’s gonna be here in a few hours.” He then noticed his other guests as he nonchalantly greeted, “Oh, hey Big Mac and Big Mac’s girlfriend.”

Before Big Mac could say anything in response to this revelation, Ironhide called out, “Wheeljack!” As her uncle began to chew his friend and co-worker out, Apple Bloom realized, ‘Wheeljack…. Oh! Wheelie and Brains!’ Turning to her brother, the former farm girl exclaimed, “Big Mac! There’s some fellas you gotta meet! Come on!” She then took her brother’s hand and began to drag him away, all while Sugar Belle followed after them.

Wheeljack’s Workshop

Bringing her brother into Wheeljack’s workshop, Apple Bloom began, “So, you remember Wreck-Gar, right?” Catching his breath, Big Mac replied, “Eeyup. He was that robot, right?” As Sugar Belle caught up to them, the former farm girl enthusiastically replied, “Yeah! Long story short, Wheeljack made two more of ‘em!” She then turned to the inside of the workshop as she called out, “Hey boys! There’s someone I want you to meet!”

After a few moments, the familiar frames of two small robots made their way up to the trio of organics. As Big Mac and Sugar Belle took the sight of two autonomous robotic beings in, Apple Bloom introduced them with, “Big Mac, sugar belle, these are Brains and Wheelie!”

One of the robots walked up to the group and extended his three-fingered hand as he introduced himself, “Hi. I’m Wheelie! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Though both older teens were caught off guard, Sugar belle knelt down as she greeted, “Well, aren’t you adorable! My name is sugar Belle.” As she shook the small robot’s hand, Wheelie continued, “Nice to meet you Sugar Belle.”

The other robot made his way up to Big Mac as he introduced himself, “Top o’ the mornin’ to you boyo, or should Oi say afternoon. Me name’s Brains!” The elder Apple sibling replied, “Well howdy there. Mah name is Big Macintosh, but you can call me Big Mac.” The small robot replied, “I must say, you sound loike your sister here.” Smiling, Big Mac remarked, “Thanks. Guess it runs in the family.”

At that moment, Wheeljack entered the workshop as he said, “Alright boys. I want you two presentable for my dad, so it’s deep clean time.” Wheelie groaned, “Ugh, do we have to? I hate deep cleaning.” Walking up to his “brother,” Brains reassured him, “Don’t worry me boyo. I’ll let you go first so you can get it over wit.”

As the robots talked amongst themselves, Big Mac turned to Apple Bloom and asked, “Hey Apple Bloom? Can we have a moment alone?” Curious, the former farm girl replied, “Yeah, but is everythin’ alright?” The eldest Apple sibling simply stated, “Yeah, but Ah just want little moment between us.” Sighing, the former farm girl replied, “Sure thing. How about mah room?”

Apple Bloom’s Room

As the two siblings entered her bedroom, Apple Bloom asked, “So, what’s goin’ on Big Mac?” The former farm girl couldn’t help that something wasn’t right. ‘Ah mean, uncle Ironhide told him about that whole root and berry retreat, so Ah guess he’d be a bit more…’

Apple Bloom was distracted from her train of thought by Big Macintosh pulling her into an impossibly tight hug. The only thing that could catch the former farm girl more off guard was the audible sound of her brother tearing up. Concerned, Apple Bloom asked, “Everythin’ alright Big Mac?”

Releasing his sister as he wiped a few tears from his eyes, Big Mac replied, “Ah’m…. Ah’m just so glad you’re safe.” Taking a deep breath, the eldest Apple sibling continued, “Granny Smith and Ah got the call from Ironhide about what happened with you and that….” Starting to tremble with rage, he continued, “That asshole of a teacher, and Ah just…. Ah wanted to make sure you were alright.” He then pulled her into another hug, one which the younger girl was happy to return.

Feeling her own eyes start to water a bit, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah’m alright. At least mostly alright.” As Big Mac released his sister, she continued, “For the most part, Ah’ve been doin’ alright. The only problem is…. Whenever Ah hear somethin’ like a dog barkin’ or even just look at a picture of a wolf Ah….” Freezing as she felt a chill creep over her, Apple Bloom finished, “Ah think Ah’m scared of wolves.”

Pulling his sister back into another tight hug, Big Mac reassured her, “Ah’m sorry Apple Bloom. Don’t worry, Ah don’t think there are any wolves ‘round here.” Smiling as she wiped a stray tear off her cheek, the former farm girl replied, “Thanks.”

At that moment, both siblings heard the sound of an old man’s voice scream, “YOU DID IT! YOU MAD BASTARD!” Big Mac leapt into the air as he asked, “Who or what was that?” However, Apple Bloom quickly remembered, ‘Ah know that voice.’ Turning to her brother, she reassured him, “That’s just Wheeljack’s dad Queue.” She then began to approach her bedroom door as she called out, “Come on!”

The Living Room

As the two siblings entered the living room, they were greeted by the sight of Wheeljack showing off Wheelie and Brains to an old man with gray skin, balding light blue hair, a wooden cane in his hand, and a blue business suit. Inspecting the two small robots as a giddy smile formed across his lips, the old man exclaimed, “Boy, I knew you could do it! You finally made life!” Scratching the back of his neck, Wheeljack nervously replied, “Heh, thanks dad.”

Clearing her throat, Apple Bloom greeted, “Ah hope we’re not interruptin’ anythin’.” Turning to see who it was, The old man happily exclaimed, “Ah, you’re Apple Bloom! Good to see ya again!” Walking up to the two siblings, he inquired, “And who’s this lad here?” Turning to face her brother, the former farm girl introduced, “This is mah brother, Big Macintosh.”

Extending his hand, the eldest Apple sibling said, “Howdy. You can call me Big Mac.” The old man smiled as he shook his hand and replied, “Good to meet you. Me name’s Queue.” As the two men shook hands, Queue continued, “I see a wee bit of family resemblance between the two of you.” He then pointed to Apple Bloom as he quipped, “I see someone is already getting’ ready for that pond hopping tradition of yours.” The former farm girl replied, “Ah know. Honestly, this kilt here was just somethin’ mah friends and Ah found on a whim.”

Big Mac, however, asked, “What’s pond hoppin’?” Turning to her brother, Apple Bloom began, “Well, you see…”

Later That Night…

“That’s amazin’!” Big Mac exclaimed as Ironhide and Chromia finished their explanation of their family’s unique tradition. As Apple Bloom watched her brother’s excitement grow, sugar Belle added, “That’s so cool! Your family and that other one getting together, it’s like twice the family reunion!” The eldest Apple sibling replied, “Heh heh. Eeyup.”

Ironhide then added, “Of course, that’s not gonna be for a few months. Right now, the closest we’re gonna get is you two and Queue.” He then continued, “Thankfully, I don’t think this weekend should be too busy, so I’m sure you and Apple Bloom can enjoy some time together.” Big Mac immediately replied, “Hey, we’re your guests. That means we should at least be willin’ to pick up some slack around here.”

Chromia let out a gentle chuckle as she added, “Well, perhaps you two can help with cleaning up after dinner tonight?” As the two partners turned to each other, Big Mac nodded as he replied, “Ah think we can do that.” Apple Bloom spoke up with, “Ah can help too!” The family matriarch replied, “Alright then. Let’s get Ratchet and get started.”

As Apple Bloom and Chromia departed, Big Mac stood up and made his way towards Ironhide as he asked, “So, how’s Apple Bloom doin’ since that trip?” Ironhide sighed as he replied, “She’s doing ok. Having a little trouble with anythin’ dog related.” The family patriarch paused for a moment before continuing, “Apparently, it’s something called lupophobia.”

Sighing to himself, Big Mac lamented, “Ugh. Wish Ah could’ve been there for her. This wouldn’t…” Catching himself, the eldest Apple sibling apologized, “Forgive me. Ah just…..” Ironhide interrupted with a gentle, “If she hadn’t left the farm?”

Nodding, Big Mac replied, “Yeah. Ah just….” As Sugar Belle walked up to her boyfriend, he continued, “Ah’m just confused.” To his surprise, Ironhide lamented, “You and me both.” As Big Mac took this in, the former sergeant continued, “The moment I met that hippie teacher, I didn’t trust him. But I still let her go on that damn trip.” Sighing, he continued, “I started preparing for word that something happened, but when I finally got that phone call from Onslaught, I couldn’t help but feel that I kinda let her down.”

Sighing to himself, Big Mac replied, “You and me both, eh?”

As both men stared at each other, Ironhide invited, “Come on kid, I got a feeling they’re gonna need help.” Smiling, Big Mac let out a small chuckle as he replied, “Eeyup.” With that, he and Sugar Belle followed Ironhide, anticipating how they’d be useful to help with dinner.

The Garage; The Next Day

Taking a deep breath as she held an electric saw in her hands, Apple Bloom reassured herself, “Come on, you can do this.” Staring down at the large, unidentifiable slab of scrap metal, the former farm girl powered up her device and, making sure the protective mask around her face was properly fastened, lowered her tool to the scrap metal.

After a few moments, Apple Bloom powered her device down and moved it out of the way before lifting her mask and inspecting her progress. Just as she intended, the burgundy haired girl had sliced right through the chunk of scrap metal. Letting out a sigh of relief, Apple Bloom remarked, “There we go. Sliced just right.”

From behind her, Apple Bloom heard Big Mac remark, “Wow. Never thought Ah’d see you doin’ anythin’ with somethin’ that sharp.” Turning around, the former farm girl found her big brother leaning against the garage door frame. Walking up to his sister, the pale red boy continued, “Just as well, it’s a good thing uncle Ironhide asked me to keep an eye on you.”

Picking up her saw, Apple Bloom replied, “Thanks for doin’ this. Ah’d thought that you’d flip a gasket over me usin’ somethin’ like this.” Big Mac let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Well, he said he was busy with the smeltin’ pools, and Ah wanted to make sure you didn’t hurt yourself.” As the former farm girl reached for the power switch, she warned, “But you might wanna step back. Don’t want you gettin’ hit by any stray sparks.”

Powering up her saw again, Apple Bloom continued to tear away at the continually shrinking hunk of scrap metal.

Later That Day

As Apple Bloom and Big Mac pushed wheelbarrows of scrap metal towards the smelting pools, the latter complained, “Phewey. Ah still can’t believe you do this regularly.” The former farm girl wiped the sweat from her brow as she replied, “Ah dunno about that. Ah only really help with stuff like this on the weekend.” Her brother quickly quipped, “There’s a word for that. Regularly.” All Apple Bloom could do was roll her eyes and playfully mutter to herself, “Wiseass.”

At that moment, both siblings heard the sound of scrap metal clattering and clanging, followed by the loud crash as a cloud of dust rose up from the scrapyard. Turning to see what it was, Apple Bloom said, “Somethin’ must of happened. Come on!” As the two siblings made their way to the scene of the collapse, Apple Bloom called out, “Hello? Anyone here?”

The moment she said this, Wheelie’s head popped out of the rubble as he remarked, “Wow, that was more fun than I ever want to have again.” Hearing this, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but begin to giggle as she asked, “Wheelie? What were you doin’?” The small robot looked downwards as he answered, “Well, I was looking for this…. Uh….” Pausing for a moment, he continued, “I can’t remember what it was. Anyway, I tried pulling this beam and I….”

Wheelie tried to raise his arm to point at something, only to realize that his arms, as well as everything else from his neck down, were trapped under the scrap metal that surrounded him. Looking up to Apple Bloom and Big Mac, the small robot could only bluntly state, “…I’m stuck.”

Making her way to her friend, Apple Bloom reassured Wheelie, “Don’t worry. We’ll get you out of there.” Turning back to face her brother, she said, “Can you go get Wheeljack? We might need his help.” Big Mac nodded as he replied, “Eeyup.” He then darted off to get help, leaving Apple Bloom alone with Wheelie.

A few minutes later, and Big Mac had returned with both Wheeljack and Wreck-Gar. As they approached the entombed robot, the maverick mechanic sighed as he asked, “Let me guess, he tried to get something from the top of a scrap pile?” As both Apple Bloom and Wheelie nodded, Wheeljack continued, “Ugh. You just had to go and cause more chaos, didn’t you?”

Sighing, Wheelie apologized, “I’m sorry sir. I just wanted to help.” Making his way up to the top of the scrap pile, Wheeljack groaned, “It’s hard to accept that apology when you keep messing up.” Even Wreck-Gar joined in, mockingly muttering, “Stupid boy.”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom could only sigh as she thought to herself, ‘Oh no. So, they do call him stupid?’ She remembered when Wheelie had blown up at Rattrap when he called the small robot stupid, and it had been something of a trying moment for her. But to actually hear him called a “stupid boy” in person made her blood boil.

Before Apple Bloom could act upon her frustration, Big Mac walked up to Wreck-Gar and sternly asked, “Ah know Ah didn’t just hear you call Wheelie a “stupid boy,” did Ah?” The cycloptic robot crossed his arms as he replied, “Only because he acts before he thinks.” For his part, Wheelie lifted his head up in between Big Mac and Wreck-Gar as he defiantly stated, “I don’t act without thinking!”

Both Apple Bloom and Wheeljack found themselves shouting, “That’s enough!” at the same time. After a quick moment of awkwardness, the maverick mechanic sighed before he said, “Wreck-Gar might be a bit blunt, but you really need to start thinking things through and stop being so impulsive.” Apple Bloom then added, “And Wreck-Gar, could you at least stop callin’ him a stupid boy? He really doesn’t like it.”

Rolling his eye, Wreck-Gar grumbled, “Alright, I won’t call him a stupid boy, even if that is what he is.” Hearing this, Big Mac stomped up to the cycloptic promethean and warned him, “Wheelie’s your brother, and you should show him a little more respect.”

At that moment, Wreck-Gar shot back, “Well you’re certainly one to talk. You left Apple Bloom here in the first place!”

The moment he heard this, Big Mac grabbed Wreck-Gar by his shoulders and shoved him to the ground as he quietly and coldly warned, “You better watch yourself there tin can.” As the one-eyed promethean glared at Big Mac, Wheeljack stepped in between the two as he warned, “That will do. Wreck-Gar, you will go back to the workshop.” Caught off guard, Wreck-Gar asked, “Me sir? What did I do?” As all eyes fell on the metal man, Wheeljack sternly pointed in the direction of his workshop and ordered, “Now!”

As Wreck-Gar trudged off, Wheeljack turned to Big Mac and apologized, “I’m sorry about him. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. Must be some sort of robo-puberty or something. Either that or his version of the terrible twos.” Shrugging, Big Mac simply replied, “Eh, whatever you say.”

Apple Bloom, on the other hand, asked, “You ok there Big Mac?” Letting out a deep sigh, the eldest Apple sibling replied, “Ah dunno. Maybe Wreck-Gar was right about Applejack and Ah… You know…” Nodding the former farm girl continued, “Left me here?” Big Mac sighed as he lamented, “Guess Ah just… Ah dunno. Ah dunno what Ah was thinkin’ and….”

At that moment, Big Mac began to tear up again as he said, “And me bringin’ you here led to you nearly gettin’ killed by those wolves.”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom began to feel her eyes water as she replied, “Oh Big Mac.” She then leapt onto her brother and pulled him into a massive hug. As Big Mac found himself caught off guard, the former farm girl continued, “Ah’m sorry Ah made you worry about me.” She then wiped a tear from her eyes as she added, “Guess Ah still have a habit of findin’ trouble, even when Ah’m tryin’ to just keep mah head down.”

Big Mac found himself letting out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Heh. No matter what, we Apples always find trouble.” Hearing this, Apple Bloom Couldn’t help but let out a laugh of her own as she added, “But no matter what, we always find a way out?” All Big Mac could do was reply with a gentle, “Heh heh. Eeyup.”

With that, both siblings embrace each other with a tight hug.

As they finished their hug, the two siblings were interrupted by the sound of Wheelie’s voice calling out, “Uh, I hate to interrupt but…” When they turned to him, the small robot continued, “I didn’t want to sound rude, so I stayed quiet. But now that you’ve had your moment, can you please help get me out of here? My hand is starting to feel kinda numb.” Even Wheeljack couldn’t help but add, “Yeah. I… uh… Didn’t want to interrupt anything.”

Smiling, Apple Bloom replied, “Alright. Let’s get you out of there.”

The Living Room, Later That Night

Seated across the table from her brother, Apple Bloom looked down at the chess board before her. It was her move, and she was not in a good position; The former farm girl had lost half of her pawns, both of her bishops, and one of her rooks. Big Mac, on the other hand, was doing far better, only missing a knight, a bishop, a rook, and only three pawns. Scratching her chin, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Don’t go frettin’. It ain’t over yet.” Giving his sister a smug look, Big Mac gloated, “You givin’ up there?” Looking up to her brother, Apple Bloom retorted, “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.”

The burgundy haired girl noticed that her brother’s king was almost completely surrounded by other pieces, with the only opening being a diagonal piece. ‘Wait a minute.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. Darting her eyes across the board, she noticed she had a rook that was only one move away. Allowing a smirk to form across her lips, Apple Bloom moved her bishop over and placed it diagonally across from her brother’s king.

“Checkmate.” Apple Bloom confidently stated. Big Mac rolled is eyes as he replied, “You wish.” He then began to reach for his king, only to realize that, not only was his king trapped, he did not have any pieces that could even block the rival bishop. Even the one bishop he did have was on a white tile while both his king and Apple Bloom’s bishop were on black tiles.

Sighing in resignation, Big Mac replied, “Ah concede. You win.” Apple Bloom pumped her fist in the air before extending her hand to her brother as she complimented, “Good game.” The elder Apple sibling smiled as he shook his sister’s hand as he replied, “Good game.”

From their side, both siblings heard Wheelie’s voice call out, “That was a good game! Wish Wheeljack would teach me how to play.” Turning to face her friend, Apple Bloom found the small robot approaching from the couch as he asked, “Is chess a hard game?” Big Mac replied, “It’s not too hard, just gotta know what each piece does.”

Walking up to the small robot, Apple Bloom asked, “How you holdin’ up from that accident?” Scuffing the floor, Wheelie replied, “Not too bad. Wheeljack replaced my hand, said something about it being too “dented.”” Big Mac then asked, “What about your brother Wreck-Gar?” The small robot grumbled as he replied, “Grounded. Wheeljack said he’s on latrine duty for the next week.”

Hearing Wheelie mention siblings, Apple Bloom turned to Big Mac as she asked, “Hey uh… Big Mac? Can Ah ask somethin’?” Turning to face his little sister, the eldest Apple sibling replied, “Sure thing. What is it?”

“How’s Applejack doin’?”

As Big Mac found himself caught off guard, Wheelie asked, “Wait, isn’t Applejack your older sister? The one who did the thing to your tooth?” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Yeah. Last time Ah saw her was…” Stopping herself as she began to feel her hand tremble, Big Mac interrupted, “Ah dunno if Ah can say anythin’ about it. You know, what with the whole restrainin’ order and everythin’…”

“Ah think that’s just about her contactin’ me.” Apple Bloom interrupted. Pausing for a moment, she continued, “And Ah certainly don’t wanna go findin’ her, Ah just… Wanna know how she’s doin’.”

Hesitating for a moment, Big Mac replied, “She ain’t doin’ too well. Last Ah saw her, she was still seein’ hallucinations of some fella named Megatron.” Taking this information in, Apple Bloom paused for a moment before she replied, “Oh.”

Wheelie raised his hand as he asked, “So, you don’t talk to your sister?” Turning to the small robot, Apple Bloom replied, “Pretty much. Ah know that it might sound kinda selfish but…” Pausing for a moment as she took a deep breath, the former farm girl replied, “After the fact she wanted to get rid of me followin’ the Anon-A-Miss stunt as well as the fact that she was still angry months later….”

Sitting down, Apple Bloom continued, “Guess there’s that part of me that kinda wants her to get over herself while another part of me wants to kick her ass.” As Big Mac sighed to himself, Wheelie walked up to the former farm girl and, to her surprise, climbed up onto her lap and wrapped his arms around her.

Caught off guard, Apple Bloom asked, “What are you doin’?” looking up to her, Wheelie replied, “I’m hugging my big sister.” He then awkwardly paused as he asked, “I mean, I don’t know if we’re actually “siblings,” since Ironhide’s your uncle and with Wheeljack being my maker and he’s kinda like my dad, that would make me your… cousin?”

Smiling as she let out a chuckle, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but hug Wheelie back as she replied, “Nah. You’re mah little brother.”

As Apple Bloom and Wheelie hugged each other, Big Mac couldn’t help but smile as he asked, “So, do you two need a moment alone?” The former farm girl immediately gave her answer when she reached over to her older brother and, to his surprise, pulled him into the hug as she called out, “Get over here!”

At that moment, Sideswipe entered the living room as she said, “Hey guys. Sugar Belle says the bathroom is out of toilet paper. Any of you know where the spare rolls are?” The pale biker immediately found herself pulled into the group hug as she asked, “Uh, did I miss something?” Apple Bloom simply replied, “Just… Havin’ a little siblin’ moment.” Hesitating for a moment, Sideswipe simply decided to shrug and joined in on the group hug.

After a few moments, Sideswipe bluntly continued, “But seriously, she needs tp like… right now.” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah know where we keep the spare rolls.” She then turned to her brother as she added, “Come on. Ah got a feelin’ you’re the only one she’ll accept it from.” Big Mac could only reply with a simple, “Heh. Eeyup.”

As Apple Bloom and Big Mac departed, “Sideswipe asked, “So, what was going on here?” Wheelie lit up as he began, “Well, it started earlier today as I was trying to find a… Actually, I can’t remember what it was, but anyway….” All while Sideswipe rolled her eyes as she mumbled to herself, “What have I gotten myself into?”

Her mild annoyance was simply the natural reaction people usually have when dealing with their younger siblings.

Author's Note

Next Time; Double Shuffle makes a new friend, a night owl who teaches her that people aren't always one thing or another (on a binary, if you will).

Author's Note: This chapter, on top of just trying to get back into the swing of things, is really just trying to catch Big Mac (and eventually Granny Smith) up to speed with the whole "root and berry thing." So, forgive me it this chapter isn't really anything exciting.

Nightshade

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 20; Nightshade

Stirring from her slumber, Double Shuffle rolled over her bed as she lazily slapped a button on her clanging alarm clock. Blinking the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes, the blue girl took a deep breath as she pepped herself up with a determined, “Another day, another chance to make some noise.” Taking a deep breath, she tossed the covers off of her and sprang up from her bed, declaring, “Look out world, here comes Double Shuffle!”

No sooner had the young hoofer said this than the sound of her older brother’s voice called out, “You mind toning it down a notch Double Shuffle?” Letting out an embarrassed chuckle, Double Shuffle apologized, “Sorry Tender.” Taking a deep breath, the blue dancer turned to her closet and asked herself, “Now, what to wear today?”

Ten minutes later, and Double Shuffle had settled on an outfit for the day. She’d chosen a red button shirt over a black sleeveless top, black pants, and a pair of black oxford dress shoes. Her hair was done up in braided pigtails, and she’d even added a red bow at the end of each braid. Glancing at the reflection in her mirror, the blue dancer gave a confident smirk as she remarked, “There we go. Good enough to go on stage.”

Double Shuffle received her answer in the form her stomach rumbling. “Heh. Guess I better head down and get some breakfast.” Making her way to her desk, the young hoofer scooped up her school supplies, shoved them into her backpack, and slung it over her shoulder as she made her way towards her bedroom door.

The Kitchen

Entering the kitchen, Double Shuffle found her mother, Soft Shoe, already grilling some sausages. Before she could greet her mother, the blue dancer was distracted by the sound of a cat meowing. Turning to see who it was, Double Shuffle found an orange tabby cat walking up to her before he began to affectionately rub himself against her leg, letting out a gentle giggle, she greeted, “Good morning to you too Skimbles. You hungry?”

Skimbles gave his answer with an affirming, “Meow.” Double Shuffle nodded as she replied, “Alright. Let’s get you some breakfast.” Making her way to the cupboard, the young hoofer reached down and picked up the large bag of cat food and carried it across the kitchen. She then poured the bag’s contents into a silver bowl that rested on the ground. Setting the bag down, Double Shuffle remarked, “There you go Skimbles. Bon Appetit.”

As Skimbles began to nibble away at his breakfast, Soft Shoe greeted her daughter, “Good morning sweetheart. You sleep well?” Nodding, Double Shuffle answered, “I slept like a baby.” Moving her pan of sausages off the stove, the yellow shoe cobbler replied, “Good to hear it. I’ve got breakfast just about ready, though I’d appreciate it if you helped get the table set.” Nodding, Double Shuffle replied, “You got it mom.”

A few minutes later, Double Shuffle had set the table as Soft Shoe served up some sausages and apple slices for herself and both of her children. No sooner had she done this than Tender Taps, clad in a purple shirt, black pants, black dress shoes, and slicked back hair, entered the kitchen as he lazily greeted, “Morning mom. Morning Double Shuffle.” Turning to face her son, Soft Shoe replied, “Good morning to you too sleepy head.”

As Tender Taps sat down next to his sister, Double Shuffle asked, “You look tired. Everything alright?” Nodding, the orange hoofer replied, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just didn’t sleep super well.” As he took a sip of apple juice, Tender continued, “Doesn’t help that I got a math test today. I’m kinda nervous about it.” Feeling for her brother, Double Shuffle rested her hand on his shoulder as she reassured him, “Hey, you got this.” The older Tap sibling smiled as he replied, “Thanks sis.”

Soft Shoe interrupted the siblings’ banter with a gentle yet stern, “You better eat up. I don’t want you two running late for school.” Double Shuffle nodded as she picked up the pace, quickly cutting up her sausage before shoving the pieces into her mouth, leading Tender Taps to add, “Not that much of a rush.” The blue girl could only swallow her mouthful as she sheepishly replied, “Heh. Sorry.”

Still, they were burning daylight, and Double Shuffle didn’t want to be late for school.

Gamma Omega Middle School, A Short While Later

Stepping out of her mother’s car, Double Shuffle turned to face her mom as she bade, “See you later mom. Love you.” From inside the car, Soft Shoe replied, “Love you too.” As her mother drove off, the blue girl walked, or rather flapped and shuffled her way to the school’s entrance.

Once she was inside, Double Shuffle began to make her way towards her homeroom, all while she performed a few shuffle hop steps down the halls. As she danced through the halls, the blue hoofer couldn’t help but notice several sets of eyes turn to her. ‘Oh yeah.’ Double Shuffle thought to herself. ‘I forgot that stupid rule about dancing in the hallway.’

At that moment, the young hoofer was caught off guard by the sound of a familiar voice remarking, “That was some pretty fine footwork there.” Turning to see who it was, Double Shuffle was pleasantly surprised to see Featherweight. The cream boy was dressed in a white shirt, brown pants, and black and white sneakers. As the young hoofer lit up, Featherweight continued, “You’ve got pinpoint precision.”

Double Shuffle Pulled her friend into a tight hug as she replied, “Good to see you too.” As she released him, the blue hoofer asked, “How’s your morning going so far?” Shrugging, Featherweight replied, “Not too bad. I got up a bit early to develop some pictures I took a while back.” He then began to awkwardly scuff his foot as he continued, “If you’d like, I can show you sometime.” Double Shuffle couldn’t help but begin to blush as she replied, “I’d… Kinda like that.”

The awkward moment was interrupted by the sound of a bell ringing, signaling that students had only a few minutes to arrive at their homeroom class or be tardy. Sighing to himself, Featherweight lamented, “I better get going. See you later?” Double Shuffle nodded as she answered, “Yeah. See you later. And remember…” Both kids then simultaneously said, “Don’t start no shit, but don’t take none either.” With that, the two friends parted ways as they made their way to their homeroom classrooms.

Homeroom

Seated at her desk, Double Shuffle found herself focusing on her notebook, specifically the choreography she’d written down. Feeling her feet quietly tap the floor beneath her, the young hoofer muttered, “Let’s see, should it be spank shuffle shuffle step or…. No, it should be spank flap flap step stomp.” Allowing a small smirk to form on her lips, she tried her combination out, trying not to make too much.

Sadly, the girl in front her turned her head and rudely asked, “Hey, you mind cutting that out? I’m trying to read here.” Double Shuffle let out an awkward chuckle as she apologized, “Heh. Sorry.” As the other girl returned to her reading, the blue hoofer sighed as she thought to herself, ‘Guess I’m the only one around here who enjoys a good beat.’

At that moment, the teacher, a woman with yellow skin, green hair, and a dark blue blouse and skirt, stood up from her desk as she greeted, “Good morning everyone.” Double Shuffle and the rest of the class replied with a simple, “Good morning Miss Greenlight.” Now that she had everyone’s attention, Miss Greenlight straightened herself as she said, “Now, I want you all to know that we have a new member of our homeroom.” Focusing her eyes on someone in the back of the class, she called out, “Nightshade? Would you please come up here?”

Turning to see who it was, Double Shuffle saw someone stand up from the back row and begin to make their way to the front of the class. Once they had made their way up to the front, the blue hoofer was able to get a good look at them.

This new student, Nightshade if she heard correctly, had gray skin, green hair that had two ear like spikes on the back, and yellow-green eyes. They had rectangular glasses and wore a dark cream button shirt that had the upper few buttons unbuttoned, a loose black tie, black leather gloves, suspenders, black pants, and brown zip up boots. As Double Shuffle squinted her eyes, she could even make out the two earrings in each of their ears as well as black lipstick. Taking this in, the blue dancer thought, ‘He looks kinda cute. I think.’ After all, Nightshade seemed to look like a boy, but something about them didn’t exactly scream “teenage boy.”

Turning to her pupil, Miss Greenlight asked, “Would you like to introduce yourself?” Taking a deep breath, Nightshade nodded as they turned to the class and introduced themselves with a polite, “Hello there. My name is Nightshade.” They then hesitated for a moment as they said something that caught the rest of the class off guard.

“And since it’s best to get it out of the way, I go by they/them pronouns.”

As the rest of the class took this in, Double Shuffle thought to herself, ‘They them pronouns? I’ve never heard of someone doing that before, at least exclusively.’ After all, she’d referred to people as “they” if she didn’t know who said person’s identity, but this? She’d never heard of this before.

Double Shuffle was distracted from her thinking when one of her classmates raised her hand and asked, “Does that mean you’re nonbinary?” Nodding, Nightshade replied, “Yes. I am nonbinary.” Taking this information in, the blue hoofer thought to herself, ‘Well, at least that’s a name to go with his… I mean their thing.’

One of her other classmates, a boy, bluntly asked, “So does that mean that you use a girl’s bathroom or something?” Hearing this, Nightshade groaned as lamented, “I prefer neutral bathrooms, but, if necessary, I can use a boy’s room. Ok?” Double Shuffle noticed the resignation in their voice as she thought, ‘I’ve got a feeling that wasn’t the first time someone has asked that question before.’

Miss Greenlight then spoke up with, “Now then, I understand that this is possibly a new experience for you, but I would really appreciate it if you all tried to use the proper pronouns with Nightshade. Am I clear?” taking this in, Double Shuffle nodded as she replied, “Yes ma’am.” Several other students nodded and otherwise replied to their teacher’s statement.

Satisfied, Miss Greenlight turned to Nightshade and said, “Thank you. You may take your seat.” The green haired student nodded before making their way back to their desk.” Once Nightshade had returned to their seat, the teacher said, “Now then, you’d all better get ready for your first class.”

Taking this in, Double Shuffle turned to face Nightshade. To her surprise, they noticed her and gave her an awkward smile as they waved at her. ‘Oh man. They see me.’ The blue dancer thought to herself. ‘Don’t do something stupid. Just act naturally.’ Acting on impulse, Double Shuffle waved back at her green haired classmate.

At that moment, the bell rang, signaling for everyone to make their way to their first class of the day. Sighing, Double Shuffle scooped up her stuff and stood up from her desk as she began to make her way to the door. Turning around, the blue dancer tried to find Nightshade, only to find herself overwhelmed by the swarm of other students making their way to the door as well.

‘Oh dear.’ Double Shuffle thought to herself. ‘I’d better scram or else I’ll cause a traffic jam.’ Darting out of the way, the blue dancer began to make her way to her first class, hoping she could make it before the bell rang again.

Later that Day…

Walking into her math classroom, Double Shuffle rubbed her hands in her eyes as she groaned, “Ugh, it’s not even lunchtime yet, and I’m already bored.” The blue dancer walked over to her desk and sat down as she mumbled, “Man, today has been a slow day.”

From behind her, Double Shuffle heard a familiar voice remark, “Hope I’m not the cause of it.” Turning to see who it was, the blue dancer found herself locking eyes with Nightshade. As they sat down next to her, the blue hoofer nervously reassured them, “Oh, of course not. Just part of the normal day around here.” She then reached into her backpack and pulled out a notebook and her math textbook as she continued, “Just… you know… numbers and letters and stuff.” Hearing herself, Double Shuffle thought, ‘Why am I blabbering like an idiot?”

Letting out an amused chuckle, Nightshade replied, “I know the feeling. Reminds me of when I was in third grade. My teacher was the most unimaginative bore I’ve ever met. He had no passion for anything.” They then noticed Double Shuffle’s notebook and remarked, “I like that sticker you have. That some sort of metal plate or something?”

Looking at her notebook, Double Shuffle eyed the sticker of a toe tap she’d placed on it at the beginning of the school year and replied, “Oh that. That’s just a toe tap. You know, from a tap shoe?” Intrigued, Nightshade asked, “Really? You’re a tap dancer?”

Hearing someone show curiosity for her dancing, Double Shuffle lit up as she exclaimed, “Yeah! My whole family are dancers actually! There’s me, my brother, both of my parents and….” As she continued, the blue girl noticed that Nightshade had been caught off guard by her enthusiasm. She then let out a sheepish…, “Heh. Sorry about that. I uh…. Get a little carried away.”

Smiling, Nightshade reassured her, “It’s alright. My parents say I can get the same way sometimes.” They then reached into their own backpack as they pulled out their own notebook as they lit up and explained, “These are some designs I’ve been working on.” As Nightshade opened their notebook, Double Shuffle found themselves impressed by what she saw.

There, drawn on the piece of paper, seemed to be technical sketches of some type of drone. For the most part, it was a simple design, limited to a skeletal box that would float in the air thanks to four propellers. ‘Well, I’ll be.’ Double Shuffle thought to herself. ‘Not quite as fancy as some of those stuff I’ve seen on the internet, but seems to be a solid design.’

Turning to their friend, Nightshade asked, “You like it?” Nodding, Double Shuffle replied, “It’s pretty good. I think you’ve got the touch man.” Hearing this, the green haired teen let out a dejected sigh as they closed their notebook and set it back in their backpack.

‘Uh oh.’ Double Shuffle thought to herself. ‘I must have said something. Let’s see, “pretty good?” I mean, maybe that could have been a bit too harsh. What about the…’ IT was then that she figured it out. ‘Oh, maybe it was the “man” part.’ Deciding to try it, Double Shuffle turned back to Nightshade and apologized, “Oh, Sorry for saying “man.” I hope it wasn’t too….”

“It’s alright.” Nightshade interrupted. “I know I’m a bit of an oddity. Kinda hard to keep a low profile when you’re not really like everyone else.” They then let out a small sigh as they added, “After a while you get used to it.”

Taking this in, Double Shuffle impulsively replied, “You aren’t the only one. I’ve had people call me crazy or way too old fashioned being a tap dancer.” Hearing this, Nightshade let out an amused chuckle, leading the blue dancer to ask, “Uh… What’s funny?”

Sighing, Nightshade explained, “I don’t think having a hobby, however cool it is, that people find odd is the same as having your identity disrespected.” When Double Shuffle tilted her head in confusion, the green haired teen bluntly stated, “Look, I’m not a “boy” or a “man.” I’m… Me.”

“Oh.” Double Shuffle said. She then thought to herself, ‘Oops. I forgot his… I mean their request to be referred to with they/them pronouns.’ Scratching the back of her neck, the blue dancer apologized, “I’m sorry. I’ve never met someone… someone like you before, so forgive me if I mess up with your…”

Before Double Shuffle could finish her apology, the two kids were distracted by the sound of their teacher’s voice call out, “Simmer down. Simmer down everyone.” The blue dancer turned her head to see who it was, she was greeted by the sight of a man with green skin, golden hair, and a blue suit that could only be her math teacher, Number Cruncher.

“Now then everyone…” Number Cruncher began. “We will pick up where we left off with….”

The cafeteria

Taking a bite from the apple on her tray, Double Shuffle sighed as she thought to herself, ‘I can’t believe Nightshade could turn like that.’ Indeed, the green haired teen hadn’t said another word to her since she accidentally called them “man.” Swallowing her mouthful, the blue girl remarked, “Heck, the moment the bell rang, they just ran off.”

Pausing for a moment, Double Shuffle realized that she’d correctly used the right pronoun for Nightshade, leading to her remarking, “Wow. I used the right word for them.” Scratching her chin, the blue dancer reached for her carton of milk as she continued, “But what about other terms? I know “man” doesn’t really fit with him… I mean…”

Groaning as she allowed her head to fall to the table, Double Shuffle could only groan, “Damnit! I keep messing up!” Taking a deep breath, the young hoofer scolded herself, “You know what they said. Gotta use their preferred pronouns.”

Before she could ponder her predicament any further, Double Shuffle was distracted by the sound of the bell ringing, signaling that lunch was over. Sighing, the blue dancer gathered up her trash and made her way to the trash can, tossing it all away as she made her way towards her next class. She just hoped she could make it up to Nightshade.

Later that Day

Sitting outside the school, Double Shuffle scanned the horizon for her mother’s car. “Come on.” She muttered to herself. “She should be here by now, unless she got busy with fitting a client.” Sighing to herself, the blue hoofer could only complain, “I just wanna go home and practice.”

It was at this moment that the young girl heard the sound of someone’s voice mockingly call out, “Look at this! Girly guy here likes drawing!” Hearing this, Double Shuffle remarked to herself, “Who’s that?” As she turned to see what was going on, another voice, this one Nightshade’s, called out, “Give that back you prick!”

As she turned to see what was going on, Double Shuffle found herself staring at a gang of older boys who were surrounding Nightshade. One of them, a vaguely familiar boy with purple skin and red hair, was ripping pages out of a notebook as he gloated, “What are you gonna do about it wimp?”

Seeing her friend being picked on by the bullies made Double Shuffle’s blood boil. ‘Well, here we go again.’ She thought to herself. Straightening her shirt, the blue dancer stomped up to the group as she demanded, “Leave my friend alone!”

When Nightshade and the gang turned to face her, Double Shuffle warned, “I don’t know what you lot are doing, but you’d better stop right now.” The purple bully walked up to her as he mockingly asked, “What are you gonna do about it? Tattle on us?” As the rest of the bullies laughed, Double Shuffle felt herself begin to faulter as she thought, ‘Oh. These guys probably don’t care if they get in trouble.’ Still, she felt she had to do something, and it was at this moment that she made yet another mistake.

Taking a deep breath, Double Shuffle called out, “All I know is you’re picking on Nightshade, and he’s my friend, so I won’t let you hurt him!”

The moment those words escaped her lips, the blue dancer mentally kicked herself as she thought, ‘you idiot! You just….’ She was interrupted by the sound of one of the other bullies calling out, “Teacher’s coming! Let’s scram!” Indeed, a teacher Double Shuffle didn’t recognize was walking up to the group, a stern expression plastered on his face. Seeing him approach them, the purple bully ordered, “Beat it boys!” As they fled, he turned to Double Shuffle as he warned, “This isn’t over twinkle toes!”

Running up to the green haired teen, Double Shuffle asked, “You alright Nightshade?” As she extended her hand, however, Nightshade slapped it away as they scolded, “What did I tell you?! I told you I’m not a boy for Primus’s sake!” Gathering up their possessions, they continued, “Can’t you just get it through that thick head of yours?!”

Hearing Nightshade criticize and belittle her despite standing up for them, Double Shuffle couldn’t help but allow her frustration to briefly take over as she shot back, “Hey, I’m sorry for using the wrong pronouns again, ok?!” As the green haired teen stepped back in surprise, the blue hoofer sighed as she replied, “Sorry for blowing up at you, but please try to cut me a little slack. It’s been a long day and…”

“I have to go.” Nightshade interrupted. Looking at Double Shuffle, they bluntly stated, “I don’t want to say something I’ll regret. I’m sorry.” Before the blue hoofer could say anything at else, Nightshade ran off, leaving Double Shuffle caught off guard, confused, and depressed.

“Well, this sucks.” The blue dancer groaned to herself. “I called them the wrong pronoun again, I pissed them off, I…” Letting out a groan of frustration, Double Shuffle kicked the ground, sending a small puff of dust into the air as the teacher walked up to her and asked, “I saw some older boys messing with you and your friend. Everything ok?”

Shrugging, Double Shuffle could only reply, “Not really. Nightshade just ran off to Primus knows where, not to mention I accidentally called them a boy again and…” At that moment, something in the corner of her eye caught the young girl’s attention. Turning around, she found Nightshade’s notebook lying on the ground. Bending down to pick it up, she found that several pages had been ripped out.

Taking a deep breath, Double Shuffle could only lament, “And I think I messed up today.” All she could do was begin to pick up the discarded pages and hope she could give them back to Nightshade tomorrow.

Tap Family Studio, Later That Evening

Stomping her feat against the wooden floor, Double Shuffle let out her pent-up frustration as she danced alone in the studio. Once she’d gotten home, the young hoofer had changed into a pair of loose black pants, striped off her red button shirt, and slipped on her black and yellow oxford tap shoes. Normally, she’d stick with one of her many pairs of all black shoes, but right now, she needed something to lift her spirits, leading the young hoofer to bust out the pair gifted by her father.

Normally, Double Shuffle saw getting to practice after school as a chance to relax and unwind, but right now, she just needed an outlet to vent her frustration. As she began to turn, the young girl lost her balance, tripping over her feet and stepping a few steps forward in an attempt to catch herself. Allowing her frustration to boil over again, Double Shuffle slammed her feet into the wooden floor as she groaned, “Ugh. Now I’m tripping over myself! Today has been the worst!”

At that moment, the studio door opened as Tender Taps popped his head in as he asked, “Everything alright in here?” Turning to face her brother, Double Shuffle bluntly answered, “I’m fine. Just been a long day.” The older boy shook his head as he stepped into the studio and replied, “I know you’re lying. I heard you angry dancing and practically screaming.” Walking up to his sister, Tender Taps asked, “So please, tell me what’s going on.”

Sighing in resignation, Double Shuffle lamented, “I just can’t hide anything from you, can I?” Tender Taps let out a small chuckle as he replied, “Because I know you. Especially since you slam all your weight onto the ground when you’re angry dancing.” Scratching the back of her neck, the younger hoofer added, “Yeah. Guess both of us can tell the difference.”

Taking a deep breath, Double Shuffle explained, “Ok so, there’s a new kid in my homeroom and math class, and their name is Nightshade.” As she sat down against the wall, Tender Taps asked, “Is Nightshade giving you any trouble?” Shaking her head, the blue dancer replied, “Oh, of course not. They’re actually really smart and pretty cool. It’s just that they don’t like it when….”

“They’re nonbinary?” Tender Taps asked.

Caught off guard, Double Shuffle replied, “What? How’d you know that?” Tender Taps smiled as he explained, “You kept using “they,” and I just sorta took a guess.” Nodding, the young hoofer continued, “Well, that’s the problem. I just… I accidentally called them a boy, or at least said, “he,” and they got angry with me, and when I tried to apologize, they just got all upset with me.” Sighing, she finished with, “I feel like a jerk.”

Sitting down next to his sister, Tender Taps reassured her, “You’re not a jerk.” He then asked, “I take it Nightshade is the first nonbinary person you’ve met?” Nodding, Double Shuffle replied, “Yeah. What does that mean anyway?” Pausing for a moment, Tender Taps answered, “Well, I can’t entirely answer that, but the important thing is that a nonbinary person doesn’t identify as being either male or female. This means that, when talking to or about them, they prefer using pronouns like they, them, and their.” He then paused for a moment before adding, “Some might also accept other pronouns, but from what you’ve said, it sounds like Nightshade prefers simply they/them.”

Taking this information in, Double Shuffle asked, “So me accidentally calling them a boy would be like calling you a girl?” Tender Taps shrugged as he replied, “More or less. Again, I’m not Nightshade, so I’d leave how they identify to them.” He then added a gentle, “And to remember to use the right pronouns.”

Sighing, Double Shuffle replied, “Yeah.” She then asked, “So, how’d you know this?” Smiling, Tender Taps replied, “One of my friends in theater class is nonbinary. They’re name is Power Ballad, and they came out when the school year started.” Letting out a small chuckle, the older boy continued, “I was able brute force their pronouns into my head pretty quickly, but some of my classmates took a little longer to catch on.”

Taking this information in, Double Shuffle asked, “So all I have to do is just tell myself that they’re “they” over and over again?” Nodding, Tender Taps replied, “Yup. I’m sure Nightshade will appreciate the gesture, and after a while, it’ll become second nature.” Starting to feel a bit better, Double Shuffle asked, “You think they’ll forgive me for… you know…” Taking his sister’s hand, Tender Taps reassured her, “I’m sure they will.”

Giving her brother a hug, Double Shuffle said, “Thanks Tender.” Hugging his sister back, the orange hoofer replied, “No problem Double Shuffle.”

Standing up, Tender Taps said, “Now, I gotta get some studying done, but after that, I think I might do a little practicing too.” He then gave his sister a mischievous smirk as he asked, “You did get you’re homework done, right?” Nodding, Double Shuffle replied, “Yeah. There wasn’t much today anyway.” The older boy then said, “Alright, I’ll be back in a bit. Please don’t wear yourself out too much.”

As Tender Taps left the studio, Double Shuffle rose as she remarked, “Guess that’s all there is to it. Just keep doing it ‘till you get it right.” Smiling to herself, the blue hoofer continued, “Guess it’s kinda like dancing. You keep at it until you get it right, then keep at it ‘till you can’t get it wrong.” Looking down at her feet, Double Shuffle continued, “Speaking of getting it just right, I think I need to work on turning.”

Taking a deep breath, the blue dancer began to strike across the floor as she muttered, “flap heel heel. Flap heel heel….”

Homeroom, the Next Morning

Walking into her homeroom, Double Shuffle was surprised to see that there weren’t too many other kids. The young hoofer had arrived early, wanting to see if she could find Nightshade so she could make things up to them as well as give them back their notebook. Scanning the classroom, she began to look for her friend as she thought, ‘Please be here.’

It didn’t take long. Nightshade was seated next to the spot where Double Shuffle had been sitting the day before. They were reading a book while scribbling notes down on a sheet of paper. The green haired teen was dressed in a similar outfit as the day before, the only noticeable difference being an off-gray shirt rather than a dark cream one. Taking a deep breath, the blue girl whispered, “Well, here goes nothing.”

Making her way to her seat, Double Shuffle sat down as she tentatively said, “Hey.” Not even looking away from their book, Nightshade simply replied, “Hey.” Nodding, the blue girl thought to herself, ‘At least they’re not too angry from yesterday.’ Double Shuffle then reached into her backpack as she presented their notebook and said, “You… uh… forgot this yesterday.” As Nightshade turned to find their notebook, the blue dancer added, “I tried to get as many of the lose pages as possible.”

Letting out a sigh of relief, Nightshade replied, “Thanks Double Shuffle. I was sort of in a rush yesterday.” Double Shuffle nodded as she replied, “Yeah. Yesterday was… certainly something.” Pausing for a moment, the young hoofer knew what she had to do, and began, “Look, about what happened yesterday…”

“I’m sorry for snapping at you.”

Caught off guard by Nightshade’s statement, Double Shuffle asked, “What?” Turning to face their friend, the green haired teen explained, “I lashed out at you, and that wasn’t ok.” Taking this in, the blue girl thought, ‘Well, that’s rather nice of them.’

After hesitating for a moment, Double Shuffle replied, “That’s… that’s sweet of you and it’s alright. Actually…” Taking a deep breath, she apologized, “I’m sorry for accidentally calling you a “he” yesterday. You’re the first nonbinary person I’ve ever met, and I kept….” Struggling to find the right words, she simply said, “I’m sorry.”

To her surprise, Nightshade took her hand as they reassured her, “It’s ok.” As Double Shuffle took this in, the green haired teen continued, “I’ve changed schools so many times because I kept getting crap for being… being me, so I guess I got overwhelmed with someone actually wanting to be my friend. I didn’t want to say anything that could push you away for good.”

Feeling her heart soar, Double Shuffle pulled Nightshade into a tight hug as she squealed “You’re my friend!” Releasing them, the blue dancer reassured them, “Don’t worry, I won’t misgender you again.” Taking a deep breath, she began, “This is Nightshade, they are a genius, and they are my friend.”

Allowing themselves to giggle, Nightshade replied, “Thanks Double Shuffle. You’re pretty cool.” They then asked, “So, if I may ask, how’d you start dancing?” Lighting up, Double Shuffle began, “Well, as I said, it all started with my parents, but for me, it started….”

And so, the two teens chatted as they gave their friendship a proper start. After all, what better place for a proper start than Allspark Wells?

Author's Note

Next Time; Wheeljack's carelessness leads Apple Bloom learning about "proper safety."

Author's Note: I've been tinkering with adding a nonbinary character for a while, and after Earthspark introduced Nightshade, I knew who to choose. (the original choice was a version of Botanica, though I'll save her/them for another day.)

Safety First

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 21; Safety First

If there was one task that annoyed Apple Bloom above all else, it was helping to clean Wheeljack’s workshop. As she approached the aging barn, the former farm girl could only groan, “Would it kill him to use some air freshener once in a while? This place reeks worse than a hog pen.” Taking a deep breath as she straightened her shirt and kilt, she opened the door as she thought, ‘Here goes nothin’.’

Entering the workshop, Apple Bloom was surprised to see that, smell aside, Wheeljack had kept his home surprisingly tidy, with the worst she could find being a few discarded cans of cheap pasta and a few other food items. Of course, there was still a few piles of scrap metal and blueprints strewn all over the work desk. Letting out a sigh of relief, the former farm girl remarked, “This shouldn’t so bad after all.”

As she stepped forward into the workshop, Apple Bloom heard a familiar voice call out from above, “Hi Apple Bloom!” Looking up, the former farm girl found herself greeted by both Wheelie and Brains, the two robots staring down from their little walkway. The young girl let out an amused chuckle as she replied, “Hey Wheelie. Hey Brains. You two have a good day so far?”

As the two robots approached a small stairwell, Brains replied, “Aye. Rather nice and pleasant day, especially without that Sassenbach Wreck-Gar.” Wheelie nodded as he added, “Yeah. We’ve just been working on fixing electronic wires and stuff like that.” He then added, “I still don’t understand how this all works.” Leaping from the stairs to a nearby desk, Wheelie asked, “How was your day Apple Bloom?”

“Not too bad.” Apple Bloom replied, “Just a normal school day, nothin’ too excitin’.” The young girl was about to continue, but the unpleasant odor of decaying food reentered her nose, forcing her to begin coughing and gagging. Watching her friend struggle, Wheelie asked, “You alright there Apple Bloom?” The former farm girl caught her breath as she replied, “Ah’m fine, just… Not used to that stench.”

Thankfully for her, Brains reassured her, “Don’ne worry lass. Oi’ll deal with the master’s food rubbish, you two can sort everytin’ else out.” As Apple Bloom took this in, Wheelie turned to his big sister and asked, “We can handle that, can’t we?” The former farm girl gave her little brother a smirk as she reassured him, “You bet we can.”

A Short While Later

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Apple Bloom held her hands to her hips as she remarked, “That should just about do it.” Making her way to a trash can she’d filled with random pieces of scrap metal, the former farm girl said to herself, “Can’t believe this Wheeljack would have these just lyin’ around.” From the other side of the workshop, Brains was pulling a large trash bag filled with rubbish as he groaned, “Remind me to give master Wheeljack a good kick to his ovaries for bein’ so sloppy.”

Turning to face Wheelie, Apple Bloom found him standing on the main worktable, stacking all the blueprints into two piles. From the way his eyes were lit (a half circle facing upwards that reminded her of a smile), the former farm girl thought, ‘Looks like he’s havin’ more fun than me.’ As the small robot continued his task, Apple Bloom continued, ‘Maybe it’s just because Brains is behavin’.’

At that moment, Wheelie noticed something lying on the table. Kneeling down, the small robot asked aloud, “Huh, what’s this?” Seeing this, Apple Bloom asked, “What’s goin’ on Wheelie? What’d you find?” As the former farm girl made her way up to the table, Wheelie answered, “Some sort of weird metal tube thing with some sort of cylinder and a wooden thingy.” Reaching out, the small robot revealed what the strange item he found was.

It was at this moment that Apple Bloom found Wheelie aiming a revolver at her.

‘Oh shit.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. Slowly stepping backwards, the former farm girl gently began, “Wheelie? What are you doin’?” Hearing this, the small robot tilted his head as he replied, “Just showing this weird thing to you. Why?” Thinking quickly, the burgundy haired girl asked, “Would you mind just puttin’ that thing down?”

As Wheelie lowered the revolver, everyone was caught off guard by the sound of Queue’s voice shouting, “What in the name of Primus almighty are you doin’ you daft little twit?” Turning to face the workshop entrance, Apple Bloom found the old man hobbling inside, his cane slamming into the ground with every other step as he continued, “Where the hell’d you find thart?!” As he closed the distance between himself and the small robot, Wheelie dropped the revolver as he held his arms over his face as he begged, “I’m sorry Mr. Queue! Please don’t hurt me!”

To everyone’s surprise, Queue didn’t immediately lash out at anyone. Instead, the old man simply scooped up the revolver, aimed it downwards, and inspected the gun’s cylinder as he muttered something to himself. ‘Well, at least he doesn’t seem to be super angry.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. Tiptoeing up to him, the former farm girl asked, “Uh… Mr. Queue? Everythin’ alright?”

“Damn good ting that boy at least doesn’t leave these things loaded.” Queue muttered to himself. As he set the weapon on the table, Apple Bloom asked, “Unloaded? What are you talkin’ about?” The old man let out a sigh as he explained, “Me boy left this revolver here lyin’ around, completely unattended.” He then continued to inspect the weapon as he continued, “Damn stupid of him to do, especially wit you an’ your sister Sideswipe around.”

Confused, Apple Bloom asked, “What do you mean by that?” Wheelie then asked, “And what’s so dangerous about that thing anyway?” Turning to the small robot, Queue pointed his cane right at the small robot’s chest as he sternly warned, “This “ting” is a weapon that can seriously hurt or kill someone!”

The moment they heard the word “kill,” Apple Bloom and the two robots felt a cold chill shiver run down their spines. The former farm girl couldn’t help but think, ‘Ah mean, Ah know what a gun can do, but to hear him say it just…’ Shaking her head, the former farm girl asked, “Well, you said it was empty, so at least things turned out alright, right?”

Shaking his head, Queue bluntly answered, “Not a damn bit. The fact he left it unattended is….” Sighing, the older man began to hobble away as he continued to mumble to himself. As he walked towards the door, Apple Bloom turned to Wheelie as she said, “Ah got a feelin’ we better follow him. Come on.”

The Garage

Following Queue into the garage, Apple Bloom and Wheelie found Wheeljack and Ratchet dismantling a car’s engine. As the former farm girl approached the group, she could hear the old medic remarking, “I keep telling you, you have to be precise, otherwise you’ll just turn these things into nothing but scrap metal.” Wheeljack let out a confident smile as he replied, “Oh please, isn’t that what we do here?”

As the maverick mechanic said this, Queue cleared his throat, catching his son’s attention. Turning to his father, Wheeljack greeted, “Oh, Hi dad! What are you doing here?” The aging man didn’t say anything, simply giving his son a disappointed glare. Apple Bloom then tiptoed towards the group as she added, “Uh… Ah think he’s mad because you… Well… Wheelie found somethin’ in your workshop.”

Before Wheeljack could say anything in confusion, Queue revealed the revolver and presented it to his son, sticking the grip forwards as he held the barrel. Not even thinking, the maverick mechanic accepted the weapon as he said, “Thanks dad. But what are you doing with one of my….”

Wheeljack stopped himself when he realized that his father had presented one of his revolvers while glaring at him.

“Shit.” The maverick mechanic muttered to himself. Lifting his cane and pointing it at his son’s chest, Queue angrily replied, “Shite indeed boy! You left this layin’ aboot in your workshop! Oi found one of yer little robots pointin’ it at Apple Bloom!” All Wheeljack could do was gulp and nervously ask, “Uh… Was it Wheelie?”

Apple Bloom and Wheelie stepped forward to make themselves known as the latter replied, “You do know I’m right here, right?” Wheeljack began to speak up, only for Ratchet to pat him on the back as he said, “You’re already up shit creek. You might wanna reconsider what you say next.” Realizing that he was screwed, the maverick mechanic simply sighed and threw his hands up in defeat as he asked, “Alright. I messed up. What are you gonna do? Tell Ironhide?”

That Night

“You left a gun lying around?!” Ironhide screamed at Wheeljack. As the maverick mechanic turned whiter than a ghost, Apple Bloom, Wheelie, and Chromia watched from the couch while Queue stood in the corner, glaring at his son like a vulture at its next meal. The former farm girl couldn’t help but recoil as her uncle continued, “I can’t believe you’d do something so unbelievably stupid!”

Gulping, Wheeljack nervously replied, “Look on the bright side! At least it wasn’t loaded!” Ironhide shook his head as he shot back, “That’s the only reason I’m not kicking your ass all the way to Nova Iacon! Your damn lucky Wheelie didn’t hurt anyone!” Hearing this, the small robot held looked up to Apple Bloom as he lamented, “I could have hurt you?”

Before Apple Bloom could say anything, Ironhide’s furious voice barked, “As of this moment, you’re on latrine duty for the rest of the year! You’re also on half pay for the next month!” He then folded his arms as he asked, “You have anything you want to say to the kids?” Sighing in resignation, Wheeljack turned to Apple Bloom and Wheelie as he said, “I’m sorry for putting you two in this situation. I was careless and neglectful.”

Standing up, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah accept your apology, and Ah think you’ll have plenty of time to reflect on this while your cleaning toilets ‘round here.” Wheelie then added, “And now I know I’m not the only one around here who’s been called stupid.” Wheeljack could only shrug as he muttered, “Huh, that went down better than I thought.”

His optimistic mood was interrupted when Ironhide ordered, “Alright buddy, now go clean the upstairs bathrooms.” Wheeljack could only groan as he began to make his way to the stairwell, lamenting, “Me and my big mouth.”

Once Wheeljack was gone, Ironhide said, “Well, now that that’s taken care of, I think we better start getting dinner ready.” He then turned to Chromia as he asked, “You mind giving me a hand dear?” The family matriarch smiled as she replied, “I thought you’d never ask.” As she got up, Apple Bloom asked, “Um… Uncle Ironhide?” The former sergeant replied, “What is it kid?”

Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl explained, “Ah was just thinkin’, knowin’ Wheeljack, would it be possible for me to learn how to deal with a gun lyin’ around?”

For several moments, everyone stood there in silence. Apple Bloom herself couldn’t help but think, ‘Ah got a feelin’ Ah might have just made a stupid request.’ As everyone turned to her, the former farm girl elaborated, “Ah mean, in the event somethin’ like this happens again, Ah’d like to be able to properly and responsibly relocate any weapons layin’ around.” She then let out a loud gulp as she added, “If that’s alright with y’all of course.”

At that moment, Queue stepped forward as he replied, “Oi can help you with thart.” As Apple Bloom took this in, Ironhide asked, “What? Are you sure that you want to…” The old Fenian interrupted with a gentle, “Don’t worry boyo. Since she’ll have to learn about this sort of thin’, Oi tink it be best she learn from someone who knows all about these tings.” He then turned to Apple Bloom as he reassured her, “Don’ne worry lass, Oi’ll help make sure you know how to handle a foirearm safely.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom remarked, “Well, thank you Mr. Queue.” Lighting up, Queue declared, “There we go. We’ll be once you get home from school tomorrow.” He then began to hobble away as he continued, “Of course, Oi’ll need to get everyting ready, set up a makeshift range….”

Once the old man was gone, Ironhide walked up to his daughter as he warned, “Listen, you need to listen to everything he says, do what ever he tells you too.” Apple Bloom was about to respond with a simple “yes sir,” but the serious and concerned look on her uncle’s face made it clear that this would not be something she could take lightly.

Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl solemnly replied, “Ah understand sir. Do everythin’ he says.”

Satisfied, Ironhide began, “Very well. We’ll handle dinner tonight, as I believe you have some studying to do.” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Ok.” She then began to make her way towards the stairs as Wheelie asked, “Can I help?” The former farm girl smiled as she replied, “Ah don’t know how much, but you’re welcome to try.” The small robot pumped his fists as he squealed, “Awh yeah!”

Watching the two kids disappear, Ironhide could only whistfully think, “Those kids.”

The Scrap Yard, the Next Day

Making her way through the junkyard, Apple Bloom found herself wondering, “Where did Mr. Queue say that he was gonna be? Somethin’ about bein’ “across the yard from Wheeljack’s workshop,” but wasn’t there.” Now she was just trying to find the old man, only to find herself completely lost in the sea of scrap metal. Groaning, the young girl complained, “Remind me to make a map of this place.”

After a few minutes of trekking throughout the scrap yard, Apple Bloom eventually found Queue, the old man opening a briefcase on a folding table next to a makeshift counter. Looking up, Queue called out, “Good to see you me girl!” Hobbling with his cane over to her, the aging Fenian asked, “You ready for yer first safety lesson?”

Scratching the back of her neck, Apple Bloom, “Ah guess. Ah mean, Ah just wanna know what to do when Wheeljack leaves one of these things lyin’ around.” The old man patted her on the shoulder as he continued, “Oi know, but Oi tink it’d be best if you understood everything about firearms.” He then added, “Especially since it ties into the first rule of gun safety.”

Curious, Apple Bloom asked, “First rule? What’s that?” Making his way back to the table, Queue answered, “Always, and Oi mean always, assume a weapon is loaded. Oi know Ironhide has probably stressed this already, but it bears repeatin’. Guns are not toys, and if you feck around with one, you could get yourself or someone else seriously hurt.” He then motioned for the burgundy haired girl to approach him. Making her way towards him, the old man continued, “Now then, let us begin.”

Reaching into the briefcase, Queue pulled out a revolver, one nearly identical to the weapon from the day before and set it down on the table as he said, “Alright. Pick up this weapon.” Confused, Apple Bloom asked, “You want me to pick up that gun?” Nodding, the older man replied, “Yup. Just pick it up and remember not to point it at me or anyone else.”

Confused, Apple Bloom replied, “Uh… Yes sir.” She then reached for the revolver and, taking a deep breath, grasped the revolver’s grip and allowed her index finger to slip through the circular loop at the bottom. As she held the weapon in her right hand, the former farm girl couldn’t help but think, “This is… kind of a weird feelin’.”

At that moment, Queue barked, “Alright! You’ve just made two big mistakes!” Hearing this, Apple Bloom jumped as she released the revolver, allowing the weapon to fall to the ground as Queue sighed, “Make that three big mistakes.” The burgundy haired girl apologized, “Ah’m sorry sir.”

Walking up to the young girl, Queue reassured her, “Don’ne worry lass. Oi believe we learn best through failure, hence me allowin’ you to “fail” you you’ll learn.” Confused, Apple Bloom replied, “Uh… thanks?” Seeing that his pupil wasn’t quite getting it, the old man made his way to the discarded weapon and picked it up as he reassured her, “Now then, let’s go over your mistakes one by one.”

Flipping the cylinder to the side, Queue explained, “Rule number one, always make sure the weapon is unloaded unless you’re ready to fire.” He then presented the revolver and pointed to the cylinder as he added, “As you can see here, there are no rounds inside.” Apple Bloom looked down the cylinder to see that there were six holes through which she could see the ground beneath them.

Pulling the weapon back, Queue asked, “Now then, what do you tink the second mistake you made was?” Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment before she replied, “Ah have no idea sir.” The older man presented the revolver as he pointed to the circle she’d stuck her finger through as he explained, “Rule number two, always keep yer finger off the trigger until your ready to fire.”

Aiming his weapon down the makeshift firing range, Queue held his finger along the metal frame as he explained, “Notice here, Oi’m not actually placing me finger on the weapon. But as Oi get ready to fire….” He then, making sure there was no one in front of him, moved his finger over the trigger and pulled it, producing a loud clicking sound.

Taking this in, Apple Bloom asked, “So, always treat a weapon like it’s loaded and keep mah finger off the trigger. What was the third mistake?” Setting the revolver on the table, Queue answered, “Always treat a weapon with respect. When you dropped it, it could have possibly gone off.” He then stepped away from the table as he commanded, “Now then, please try again, and this toime, remember the three tings Oi taught you.”

Nodding, Apple Bloom approached the table and began to reach for the revolver. ‘Wait a minute.’ She thought to herself as she hesitated. ‘Ah don’t know how to open… Ah mean… work the thing….’ Turning to Queue, the burgundy haired girl asked, “How do Ah open this thing?” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Queue pointed to a metal switch on the revolver as he explained, “Just press down on that little guy right there.” Apple Bloom gave a confirming nod and, with a deep breath, picked up the weapon again.

‘Ok…’ The former farm girl thought. ‘First, make sure Ah’m not holdin’ the trigger.’ Aiming the weapon straight downwards, Apple Bloom made sure her index finger wasn’t resting over the trigger. Once she was certain her finger was resting against the weapon’s frame, she continued, ‘Two, make sure this thing is unloaded.’ Pressing against the switch, Apple Bloom was greeted by the sight of the cylinder, showing all six empty chambers.

‘Remember the third rule. Treat this thing with respect.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘You can do this.’ Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl grasped both of her hands around the revolver’s grip and aimed down the range.

Holding the weapon in her hand, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel like something was wrong. There, in her hands, was a piece of metal that existed for no reason other than to end life. A weapon that existed only to kill.

And she hated it.

Feeling her heart beat faster and harder, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think, ‘Ah don’t like this. Ah really don’t like this.’ Seeing his pupil beginning to panic, Queue gently warned, “Alright young lady. Go ahead and set that down.” The former farm girl didn’t hesitate, immediately setting the empty revolver down onto the table. Once it the weapon was out of her hands, Apple Bloom stepped away from the table and began to back away as she struggled to calm herself.

Seeing the young girl panicking, Queue walked up to her as he asked, “You alright there young lady?” Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she replied, “Ah think so, just need a moment to catch mah breath.” She then pointed to the table as she asked, “If it’s alright with you, can we skip the part where Ah actually shoot that thing? Ah just wanna know how to deal with these things.”

Solemnly nodding, Queue replied, “Then we’re pretty much done here. Those are the three things you need to know about safely dealin’ with firearms.” He then began to place the revolver in the briefcase as he continued, “Oi was preparing for the possibility of testing yer sharpshootin’ skills, but it seems like we’ll save that for another day.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom asked, “So, may Ah leave now?” Nodding, Queue replied, “Of course.” The moment she heard this, the former farm girl departed, wanting to get as far away from the gun as possible.

Apple Bloom’s Room, Later that Evening

Laying on her bed, Apple Bloom stared at the ceiling as she thought, ‘So, Ah did it today. Ah actually held a gun.’ Thinking back to earlier that day, the former farm girl, couldn’t get the feeling of holding the weapon in her hands, as well as how it made her feel like she had more power than she could handle.

Apple Bloom was distracted from her train of thought by the sound of Sparkplug’s barking. Turning her head, she found the small highland terrier sitting beside her bed looking up at her. Letting out a sigh, the burgundy haired girl asked, “You know Ah had a bad day, didn’t you?”

Sparkplug replied with a confirming “Bark” before leaping onto her bed and licking the former farm girl’s face. Letting out a gentle chuckle, Apple Bloom replied, “Guess Ah can always count on you to cheer me up, right?” The small terrier wagged his tail and continued to lick his owner, doing everything he could to cheer her up.

At that moment, someone knocked on her bedroom door. Rising up from her bed, Apple Bloom replied, “Come in.” The door opened, revealing Chromia, who asked, “How’d that little safety lesson with Queue go?” The former farm girl shrugged as she answered, “Alright Ah guess. At least now Ah know what to do when Wheeljack leaves another weapon lyin’ around. At least if it’s a revolver.”

Walking over to her daughter, Chromia sat down next to her as she asked, “Holding that gun make you feel weird?” Apple Bloom found herself flabbergasted as she asked, “What? How’d you know?” The family matriarch gave a small smile as she answered, “Queue told me. I think he was a little disappointed you didn’t want to try shooting it.”

Apple Bloom felt herself shiver with disgust as she remarked, “Ah’m glad Ah didn’t. Ah don’t wanna have to even hold one ever again.” She then asked, “Aunt Chromia? You ever use a gun?” Letting out a small sigh, the older mechanic answered, “A few times.” Intrigued, Apple Bloom inquired, “What? Really?”

Nodding, Chromia explained, “While Ironhide was away during the war, I took some self defense classes since I knew I’d be on my own. Most of them were stuff like CQC or karate, but I did do a few trips to a gun range.” She then let out an embarrassed chuckle as she added, “I think the guy running the place tried hitting on me.” Apple Bloom couldn’t’ help but laugh as the family matriarch added, “Once I told him I had a boyfriend in the army, he quickly stopped.”

Once the former farm girl had regained her breath, Chromia continued, “And I know how you feel. Holding something that can kill someone is…” Pausing for a moment, she solemnly replied, “It’s a surreal feeling, I’ll tell you that.” She then turned to her daughter as she added, “Good thing we have the boys to deal with that sort of thing, right?”

Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Yeah. Ah guess we do.” She then asked, “Can Ah ask somethin’?” The family matriarch answered, “Of course you may.” Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl asked, “Does uncle Ironhide have a gun?”

Chromia rested her arm around her daughter as she answered, “He does, but he also keeps it locked up and hidden away. Trust me, he’s not careless like Wheeljack.” Hearing this, Apple Bloom replied, “That’s good. Ah think.” The family matriarch reassured her, “Don’t worry. Ironhide is far more careful than Wheeljack.” She then carefully darted her eyes around the bedroom before whispering, “He’s probably the dullest knife in this here cabinet.”

While Apple Bloom laughed at her aunt’s statement, on the other side of the property in his workshop, Wheeljack was distracted from his work by the sense that someone had insulted him.

Once both parent and child had finished laughing, Chromia said, “Now then, I think we both better start getting ready for bed.” As she began to walk towards the door, the family matriarch bade, “I love you. See you in the morning.” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Ah love you too.” With that, Chromia departed through her daughter’s bedroom door.

Now that she was alone, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she said to herself, “You know, given everythin’, today wasn’t so bad.” She then turned to Sparkplug as she added, “And besides, at least no one got hurt.” The small terrier gave a confirming bark as the former farm girl continued, “Well, guess Ah better start gettin’ ready for tomorrow. You never know what could happen.”

All she did know was that, more likely than not, there wouldn’t be any guns involved.

Author's Note

Next Time; Apple Bloom and Sideswipe find themselves learning more about Onslaught.

Author's Note: Since the adults, especially Wheeljack, have been shown to own weapons in the past, I figured it was important that Apple Bloom learned at least how to safely deal with a weapon.

My Naam is Appelbloei

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 22; My Naam is Appelbloei

Staring at the oven, Apple Bloom groaned, “Come on, hurry up down there.” Turning to face the clock, the former farm girl saw that it was only eleven thirty. Sighing, she muttered to herself, “At this rate, these apple fritters won’t be finished before sundown.”

It was Saturday morning, and the burgundy haired girl had decided not to spend the day doing more than just helping around the shop. After all, Wheeljack would be handling that as part of his “probation” for his carelessness earlier that week. Now, she had decided she wanted to do something to show her gratitude to…

“Whatcha doing there?” Sideswipe’s voice rang out from behind her. Turning around, Apple Bloom found her sister standing in front of her, her hands behind her back as the pale biker smugly remarked, “I got you, didn’t I?” The former farm girl rolled her eyes as she replied, “Ah hate to burst your bubble, but Ah don’t think much gets me anymore.” Sideswipe simply sighed as she replied, “Unless it’s a wolf, but even I’m not that naughty.”

Shivering at the mere mention of a wolf, Apple Bloom remarked, “Speakin’ of wolves, Ah’m makin’ some apple fritters for Onslaught.” Sideswipe lit up as she replied, “Onslaught? You mean that guy who saved you from those wolves and beat the shit of Mr. Compost?” The former farm girl raised her hand as she answered, “Firstly, yes. Secondly, Ah don’t know about that. Ah just know someone broke his legs, and that it was more than one person.”

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Apple Bloom continued, “And thirdly, Ah just wanna show mah gratitude for what he did for me and Dream Wave.” She then turned back to the oven as she finished, “Just doesn’t feel right to have him save me and not do somethin’ to make it up to him.”

At that moment, the oven began to ring, leading Apple Bloom to remark, “Speakin’ of that, looks like the apple fritters are done.” Slipping on a pair of oven mittens, the former farm girl switched the oven off and pulled the tray of apple fritters out before setting it on the stove above. Turning to face her sister, Apple Bloom warned, “Ah know you can be reckless, but please don’t touch these yet. They’re bound to be pretty hot.”

Straightening her vest, Sideswipe shot back, “Oh please. I’m not that reckless.” Apple Bloom gave her sister an amused smirk as she asked, “Then what were you doin’ leapin’ to and from the scrap piles last night?” The pale biker found herself caught off guard as she stammered, “Well…. I….. Shut up.”

A few minutes later, and Apple Bloom had begun to pack the now cooled off apple fritters into a basket. As she wrapped them up into napkins, the former farm girl noticed Sideswipe trying to sneakily snatch one of the small delectables. Slapping her sister’s hand away, Apple Bloom warned, “Watch it. These aren’t for you.” The pale biker could only groan as she lamented, “Fine. Don’t share. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

As Apple Bloom finished packing up the apple fritters, Sideswipe asked, “So, you actually know how to find Onslaught? I don’t think you’ve ever been to his place.” The former farm girl replied, “Uncle Ironhide gave me directions on how to get there.” The pale biker then asked, “And do you know how far it is from here?” Apple Bloom was about to answer before stopping and saying, “Actually, Ah didn’t read them yet.”

Playfully rolling her eyes, Sideswipe replied, “That old Boer lives like twenty minutes if we take my bike. On your bike, it’d be an hour if you’re peddling at full speed.” Hearing this, Apple Bloom asked, “We?” The pale biker nodded as she explained, “Yeah. With Wheeljack handling most of the chores around here, things are kinda boring.” Before the former farm girl could say anything, Sideswipe interrupted with a blunt, “This ain’t up for debate.”

Apple Bloom relented as she replied, “Alright. But we better hurry.” She then began to reach for the basket, only to stop as she warned, “And no pinchin’ any apple fritters, or else Ah’m tellin’ Uncle Ironhide.” Rolling her eyes, Sideswipe lamented, “Ok, lead the way Apple Bloom.” Smiling, the former farm girl gestured to the door as she said, “Get your keys and meet me at your bike.”

As the two girls departed the kitchen, Apple Bloom could only think to herself, ‘Ah hope bringin’ her isn’t a mistake.’

Onslaught’s Property, Twenty Minutes Later

Riding in her sister’s sidecar, Apple Bloom found herself taken aback by the green fields that surrounded their motorcycle. As they rode down the dirt road, the former farm girl couldn’t help but remark, “Kinda reminds me of back home.” Not looking away from the road, Sideswipe replied, “Makes sense, if you like that kind of thing.”

After a few moments, the motorcycle pulled up to a large two-story house. As Sideswipe parked her bike, Apple Bloom took a mental note of the building before her. The house had an off-white paint job, an outside patio, and if her eyes weren’t deceiving her, a separate one-story building that acted as a garage, in front of which rested a familiar four-wheel drive.

Stepping off her bike, Sideswipe asked, “Isn’t that one of the jeeps Onslaught and his buddies had when they….” She was interrupted by Apple Bloom finishing, “Brought Dream Wave an Ah out of the forest? Yeah.” The burgundy haired girl began to reach into the side car for her basket as she asked, “You think Onslaught will like these?” Shrugging, Sideswipe simply replied, “I dunno. Only one way to find out.”

Walking up to the front door, Apple Bloom knocked on the front door, waiting for someone to response. When no one replied after a few moments, the former farm girl took a deep breath as she knocked again.

At that moment, a familiar voice barked out, “Olroight! Olroight! Oi’m commin’!” As Apple Bloom found herself stepping back in surprise, the door opened, revealing a familiar man with dark blue skin, red eyes, black hair, and dressed in an olive-green shirt and dark blue jeans. Taking note of the two teens in front of him, Onslaught asked, “Appelbloei? Wat maak jy hier?”

Caught off guard, Apple Bloom nervously stammered, “Uh…. Hello Mr. Onslaught?” She then nervously presented her basket as the older man replied, “Uh….Wat?” As the two stood in awkward silence, Sideswipe interrupted as she gave a blunt, “Nice to see you too Onslaught.”

Calming herself down, Apple Bloom explained, “Ah just wanted to give you these as a thank you for savin’ me from those wolves.” For a few moments, everyone stood there in an awkward silence. Eventually, Onslaught accepted the basket as he asked, “Ah. Dankie.” He then opened it and inspected the contents as he asked, “Ooh! Whet ore these?”

Feeling somewhat relaxed, Apple Bloom replied, “They’re apple fritters. It’s kinda an Apple family tradition.” She then added, “Ah just wanted to show mah appreciation.” Softening his posture, Onslaught replied, “Well, Oi appreciate the gesture.” He then asked, “Whoy don’t you two come in?”

Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment as Sideswipe remarked, “All due respect sir, but… you know… stranger danger?” Letting out a laugh, Onslaught replied, “Olroight then. Oi’ll call Ironhide and you can tell him everything that hoppens here when you get home, olroight?”

Hearing this, the former farm girl thought to herself, ‘Well, uncle Ironhide does trust him, and he did say to tell him everythin’…” Shrugging, Apple Bloom replied, “Well, Ah guess a quick visit couldn’t hurt.” Sideswipe, on the other hand, pumped her fist as she added, “Awesome! Anything for some of those apple fritters!”

Snickering to himself, Onslaught invited the two teens in with, “Well then, come on in.” With that, the two sisters entered the house.

Inside Onslaught’s House

Entering the building, Apple Bloom was taken aback by just how impressively homely everything was. While nothing compared to a great plantation house, it was still an impressive sight. In front of her was a great foyer with a simple chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the walls were decorated with portraits of what the former farm girl suspected were long dead relatives of her host.

From behind her, the burgundy haired girl heard Onslaught remark, “Oi know it’s not quite the royal palace or the Ou Raadsaal, but it does it’s job well enough.” The blue man passed his guests as he added, “Oi’l set some tea oon the kettle.” As he passed her, Apple Bloom asked, “What’s the ooh Rad…. That place?” Pausing for a moment, Onslaught answered, “Old historical landmork where Oi’m from. Think of it as loike a parliament or senate hoose.”

“Ooh.” The former farm girl replied. As Onslaught continued his trek to the kitchen, he continued, “One important hoose rule. If eny door is loocked, it’s because there’s somethin’ on the other soide that’s not safe, so don’t go troyin’ to unlock anythin’.” Hearing this, Sideswipe sighed as she sarcastically quipped, “Guess I’ll have to try my lockpicking someplace else.”

Apple Bloom, on the other hand, asked, “Mr. Onslaught? You need a hand with anythin’?” Caught off guard, Onslaught replied, “Well… Oi don’t want to impose on you. You two ore my hooseguests.” He then quickly added, “Of coorse, we will not be alone.” Curious, the burgundy haired girl asked, “Alone? What do does that mean?”

She received her answer when the sound of a door opening rang out in her ears, followed by another familiar voice called out, “Hello? Onslaught? There a reason there’s motorcycle parked in front of the house?” Turning around, Apple Bloom found herself greeted by the sight of Blast Off, the purple man dressed in a khaki tee shirt and shorts with black boots. Seeing the young girl in front of him, Blast Off asked, “Apple Bloom? What are you doing here?”

Sideswipe spoke up with a simple, “She wanted to deliver a little gift as a thank you for saving her from those wolves.” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Yeah. And Onslaught invited us in for tea.” Intrigued, Blast Off let out a humored chuckle as he replied, “Well, make yourselves at home. It’s always nice have visitors.”

Onslaught then spoke out with a gentle, “Apple Bloom? You said you wonted to help?” The former farm girl replied, “Be right there.” Turning to her sister, Apple Bloom said, “Sideswipe, you’d better keep Blast Off company.” As she disappeared, the pale biker found herself alone with Blast Off as she asked, “So… What’s new with you?”

Onslaught’s Kitchen

Entering the kitchen, Apple Bloom was greeted by the sight of Onslaught setting a tea kettle on the stove. ‘Heh. Kinda reminds me of Wreck-Gar.’ She thought to herself. Once she approached the older man, Onslaught asked, “Hoe gaan dit met jou?” The former farm girl tilted her head as she asked, “Uh… What?” Letting out a gentle chuckle, the blue man elaborated, “It means “how ore you?” A greeting, you know?”

“Ah.” Apple Bloom replied. “Sorry for not understandin’ it. Ah’ve never heard anyone speak….” Pausing for a moment, she asked, “What language was that any way?”

Turning the stove on, Onslaught replied, “Kaapse tong.” The former farm girl immediately replied, “Bless you.” The blue man quickly explained, “No no no. Kaapse tong is moy first language. One of the many languages spoken where Oi’m from.”

Intrigued, Apple Bloom asked, “If Ah may, where are you from exactly? Ah remember you said you were from some place called Tran…. Transel….” As she snapped her fingers whilst trying to remember what he had said back in the forest, Onslaught interrupted with a gentle, “Transvaal. It’s a province of the Suidelike Republiek.” He then paused for a moment before correcting himself with, “The naam changed to Gauteng a whoile back, but Oi still coll it Transvaal, even if it’s just because it’s how Oi learned it.”

As the steam began to emerge from the tea kettle, Apple Bloom remarked, “Ooh. Never heard of any of this before.” She then asked, “So that greetin’…. It’s “Woe haan dit met you?” Onslaught couldn’t help but chuckle as he politely corrected, “It’s “Hoe gaan dit met jou.” Of course, informally, it’s just “Hoe gaan dit.”” He then gestured to his throat as he added, “You’ve gotta make thet sort of phlegm sound with your throat.”

Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom tried to repeat, “Woe gaan dit met you?” Just saying the phrase made her throat feel like she had something stuck in it, knowing that she was trying to speak another language made all rather exciting.

Nodding, Onslaught replied, “Dit gaan goed, dankie.” He then added, “A little pronunciation trouble with “Hoe,” but ootherwoise, pretty goed.” Giving a small snicker, the blue man added, “Ot this rate, you’ll be speakin’ Kaapse tong in no toime.” Smiling, he continued, “Here’s a little bit for you. Wat is jou naam? My naam is Aanslag.” Hearing this, the former farm girl asked, “That mean “What is your name” and “My name is Onslaught?” Nodding, Onslaught answered, “Yup. Of course, for you, it’d be “My naam is Appelbloei.”

Before Apple Bloom could reply, the high pitched whining of the tea kettle distracted the both of them.

Grasping the kettle’s handle and preparing some tea bags, Onslaught asked, “Well, whoo’s up for a spot of tea?”

A Few Minutes Later

Sitting down at a circular table, Apple Bloom and Sideswipe found themselves seated across from both Onslaught and Blast Off. As the two girls made themselves comfortable, the blue man began to pour tea into the cups as he said, “Oi must admit, we hoven’t had many visitors up here in a long while.” Blast Off couldn’t help but let out a snort as he added, “Except for Brawl, and that’s just because we had to bring him up here to calm his arse down.”

Once the tea was set, Onslaught removed the apple fritters from the basket and began to place a few on each plate. As he placed a few on Apple Bloom’s plate, the former farm girl said, “Ah hope you like these. Ah wanted to show how much Ah appreciate what you did for me an’ Dream Wave.” The blue man nodded as he replied, “It wos nothin’. Oi just heard your screamin’ and the wolves, ond thet Oi couldn’t let you two get eaten.”

Taking a bite of her apple fritter, Sideswipe let out a euphoric moan as she complimented, “These are soooooo good!” Swallowing her mouth full, the pale biker asked, “How come you don’t make these more often?” Apple Bloom smiled and replied with an amused, “Because with how busy Ah am between school, dance, and normal chores, Ah don’t have as much time. Besides, Ah prefer to leave bakin’ for special occasions.”

Turning her attention to Blast Off, Apple Bloom asked, “Mr. Blast Off? Do you live here with Onslaught?” Nodding, the purple man explained, “Of course. We both moved out here after we met on a job.” Onslaught let out a wistful chuckle as he replied, “Oi remember you were rather green. For a whoile, Oi thought you were gonna get us oll hurt.”

Curious, Apple Bloom asked, “What job were you doin’?” Hearing this, both Blast Off and Onslaught gave each other concerned looks. The purple man whispered something into his friend’s ear, leading Onslaught to reply, “Doon’t woory.”

Turning to face the two girls, Onslaught explained, “We first met woorkin’ as game wordens et a safari park.” Blast Off added, “I’d just mustered of the royal air force, and I needed the money.” Taking a sip of her tea, Apple Bloom asked, “You two worked at a safari park? What did you do there?”

Smiling, Onslaught explained, “Oor job was to keep a close oye on the animals ond keep them safe from poachers.” He then leant closer to his young guests as he menacingly asked, “You’d be surpoised just how much some fokken bastards would pay for a rhino’s horn.” Blast Off then added, “That’s why the park wanted ex-soldiers like both of us. You don’t just let any kind of half-crazed prick with a gun protect rare animals worth millions of pounds.”

Hearing this, Sideswipe groaned, “Ugh, I hate poachers.” Swallowing her mouthful of apple fritters, Apple Bloom asked, “An’ you two just sorta…. Stuck together?” As Onslaught and Blast Off gave each other knowing looks, the pale biker couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. After a few awkward moments, the blue man added, “Well, we trekked around the continent foor a while, ond eventually made our way here where we met the others.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom asked, “So, kinda like uncle Ironhide with Ratchet and Wheeljack?” Onslaught nodded as he awkwardly added, “You could say that…” He then did something neither Apple Bloom nor Sideswipe anticipated.

Onslaught gently rested his hand on Blast Off’s hand.

Seeing this, Sideswipe jumped into the air and pumped her fists as she squealed, “That’s awesome! I’m so happy for you two!” When the two men gave her a confused look, the pale biker meekly apologized, “Sorry. I just…. Get a little excited every time I meet…. You know…” Blast Off couldn’t help but laugh as he added, “I know young lady. I sort of figured your “spunky style” gave away that were in the same club.”

Apple Bloom asked, “What’s goin’ on?” Sideswipe leant into her sister’s ear and whispered, “I think they’re in a relationship.” Taking this in, the former farm girl said, “Ooh. That’s nice.” She then took another bite of her apple fritter as she thought, ‘Guess that’s somethin’ Sideswipe can relate to.’

As everyone continued their tea, the former farm girl couldn’t help but think, ‘Never thought Ah’d be havin’ a tea party with these guys.’

A Short While Later

After their little snack, Apple Bloom found herself exploring Onslaught’s residence. Walking down the halls, the former farm girl couldn’t help but think, ‘Ah gotta admit, this place kinda reminds me of Aunt Apple Rose’s place, only less fancy and showoff-y.” After all, her aunt owned a large, ancestral home, something far fancier than Onslaught’s residence. Making her way to the end of the hall, the burgundy haired girl found a door labelled “Trophy room.” Curious, Apple Bloom called out, “Mr. Onslaught? What’s your trophy room?”

From the end of the hall, the blue man made his way towards his guest as he answered, “Thet’s where Oi display moi trophies from moi hunts ond treks.” He then began to turn the door knob as he asked, “Octually, Oi there’s somethin’ in there that you moight recognoize.” Curious, Apple Bloom asked, “What is it? Some of the stuff from your tent?” as she entered the room, however, the former farm girl was caught off guard by what she found.

There, decorating the room, were taxidermized animals.

“Oh my.” Apple Bloom remarked with curiosity. Indeed, the walls were decorated with the heads of many different species of deer and antelope, while the floor was adorned with rugs made from bears or big cats. The icing on the cake was the fact that, scattered across the room, stood the taxidermized remains of several animals. There were a few antelope like creatures, a mountain lion, and even a dark orange tiger. However, none of them were what really caught the former farm girl’s attention.

Her attention was focused on a gray wolf that stood in the corner.

Walking up to the ferocious canine, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but remark, “Why does this guy look familiar?” Once she was closer, the former farm girl noticed that there was a spot on the right side of it’s head that looked like a healed over hole. Taking this in, Apple Bloom realized that she’d seen this wolf before.

Staring at the wolf’s head, the former farm girl remarked, “This is the wolf that almost…. Almost got me and Dream Wave.” Nodding, Onslaught replied, “Aye. Oi went beck to get this prick once you were safe, ond Oi had him stuffed. Sort of a little memento.” He then added, “Thet ond… He is in rother good condition.” However, the teenaged girl wasn’t focused on his compliment.

Apple Bloom was too enamored with the stuffed wolf that stood inches before her. Feeling her heart begin to beat faster and faster, the former farm girl nervously extended her hand to the deceased creature’s jaw. ‘It ain’t like he’ll bite me. He’s dead.’ She thought to herself. As a bead of sweat dripped down her forehead, Apple Bloom thought, ‘So why am Ah still nervous?’

Seeing his guest overwhelmed, Onslaught asked, “You olroight there?” Hearing this, Apple Bloom replied, “Yeah, pretty much.” She then gestured to the wolf as she continued, “Guess just bein’ around….” Trying to find the right words, she finished with, “… Around this guy just still kinda feels wrong.” Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl asked, “You ever feel uncomfortable around somethin’ even when you know you’re alright?”

Nodding, Onslaught replied, “Oi think you mean it still haunts you?” As Apple Bloom nodded, the blue man let out a sigh as he continued, “Join the club.” Curious, the former farm girl asked, “You almost eaten by a wolf as well?”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Onslaught answered, “Actually, it wos a lion.” As Apple Bloom took this in, the blue man elaborated, “Oi was on a job in the north of the Suidelike Republiek, ond my team and Oi were surrounded by these two lions. We thought that they were female because they didn’t hove manes, but after Oi got a look at one of their bodies….” He then made a snipping motion with his fingers, resulting in Apple Bloom letting out an impulsive chuckle.

Once he’d finished laughing, Onslaught continued, “Of course, we lost most of our team to those two, on top of about thirty locals.” He then shivered as he added, “Oi still get noightmares about it sometimes.” Motioning to the stuffed wolf, Onslaught asked, “Guess thots something both of us heve in common, roight?”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah guess we do.” She then asked, “So, does this mean that mah fear of wolves doesn’t really go away?” Onslaught shrugged as he replied, “Not quite. It con diminish with toime, in your case, but you’ll olways feel just a bit… Off around wolves.” He then scratched the back of his neck as he added, “Just like Oi always feel a bit off even seein’ a photograph of a lion.”

It was at this moment that an idea entered Apple Bloom’s mind. Looking at the stuffed wolf’s mouth, the former farm girl thought, ‘Well, Ah suppose there’s one way to ease mah nerves.’ Taking a deep breath, she extended her arm and rested her hand right in the deceased canine’s mouth and began to feel around. Though she felt a chill run down her spine as a few beads of sweat fell from her brow, knowing that the wolf who had tried to devour her couldn’t hurt her or anyone else made her feel just a bit better.

And in that moment, if only for an instant, the wolf wasn’t quite as scary as he had been.

Onslaught’s Living Room

Entering the living room, Apple Bloom found Sideswipe and Blast Off watching something on an old television. Approaching her sister, the burgundy haired girl asked, “What you two watchin’?” The pale biker turned to her sister as she replied, “Some old marionette series from wherever Onslaught is from.” She then pointed to the screen as she explained, “Good thing this show has subtitles.”

Turning over to the tv screen, Apple Bloom found the image of two puppets dressed in gold and blue suits facing down a creepy pail alien puppet wielding some sort of sci-fi ray gun as the latter said, “So ontmoet os weer, Kaptein Springbok!” Thankfully, the subtitles at the bottom of the screen provided a translation, saying, “So we meet again, Captain Springbok!” Intrigued, the young girl remarked, “Ooh. Ah’d better check this out sometime.”

At that moment, the sound of a telephone rang out. Hearing this, Blast Off stood up from his seat and made his way over to the phone before picking it up and asking, “Hello there. Who is this?” The mystery person on the other end said something, leading the purple man to reply, “Of course, they’re both here.” After another pause, he continued, “I’ll tell them right now.” With that, the other person hung up, leading to Blast Off turning to the two girls and revealing what he’d just heard.

“That was Ironhide, and he says you two better start heading home.”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom said, “Guess we better start headin’ on then.” For her part, Sideswipe groaned, “Awh… ok. Just let me get my keys.” As she began to rummage through her pocket, Onslaught entered the living room as he asked, “Whet’s goin’ on here?”

Turning to the blue man, Apple Bloom explained, “Uncle Ironhide called and said we better head home.” Nodding, Onslaught replied, “Very well then. Oi’ll get your besket.”

Outside

Sitting down in the sidecar, Apple Bloom turned to Onslaught and Blast Off, both of whom were standing on the porch, as she said, “Thanks for invitin’ us in!” The blue man replied with a warm, “Thonks for the opple fritters.” Blast Off then added, “We should do this again sometime.” Turning to his partner, Onslaught added, “So long as we invoite Oironhide.”

Turning to her sister, Apple Bloom fastened her seatbelt and strapped on her helmet as she asked, “You ready?” Sideswipe pulled a pair of goggles over her eyes as she confidently replied, “Always!” Reving up her bike, the pale biker accelerated her ride forward and, soon, both girls had begun their trek home.

Once the two girls were gone, Blast Off asked, “So, you tell them about the other stuff we did back in the day?” Shaking his head, Onslaught replied, “Nee. Oi didn’t wont to stress them. Opple Bloom has enough on her plate olready.” He then took a deep breath before reassuring him, “Laast thing either of them need is finding out we used to be mercenaries.”

Receiving his answer, Blast Off extended his hand as he said, “Come on. We better start getting dinner ready.” As Onslaught took his partner’s hand, the purple man continued, “I’m thinking spaghetti.” With that, both men entered the house, looking forward to a nice dinner with each other.

Apple Bloom’s Room, That Night

Seated at her desk, Apple Bloom stared at the empty notebook sitting in front of her. To the side of the desk rested a book that Wheeljack had found lying around for her. Reaching for this book, the former farm girl noticed the cover as she read out, “Kaapse tong for beginners.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Apple Bloom remarked, “Well, let’s see if Ah can follow along with this.” Opening the book, she began to take notes on the first lesson as she wrote down, “Hallo. My naam is Apple Bloom.” Pausing for a moment, she remembered what she’d learned from Onslaught, and decided that she’d use what she’d learned to give her a head start. Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom scribbled over her writing as she started over with something else.

“Hallo. My naam is Appelbloei.”

Author's Note

Next Time; Apple Bloom continues her grandfather's journal, learning that just because someone is a "good guy" doesn't automatically mean they are a "good" guy.

Author's Note; I've actually been trying to teach myself Afrikaans (or as I call it here, kaapse tong, aka cape's tongue), hence me including the minor lesson here. Didn't help that it gave me an excuse to bring Onslaught back since he's begun to grow on me.

Canuks on the Hill

Life in Allspark Wells

Part Charlie; Canuks on the Hill

Lying down on her bed, Apple Bloom let out an exhausted sigh as she lamented, “Primus almighty Ah’m beat.” It was the end of yet another day, and the former farm had endured the daily grind of school, she found herself dealing with the stresses of studying for a test, her daily chores, and even an emergency “all hands-on deck” situation when Sideswipe got her arm stuck in a pipe.

Needless to say, the young girl was looking forward to eight (or more) hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Letting out a groan as she stretched her arms and legs, Apple Bloom let out, “Oh yeah! That’s it!” Once she had finished her stretch, the young girl began to tuck herself under her sheets. Before she could get comfortable, however, Apple Bloom was distracted by the sound of Sparkplug barking. Turning to her side, the young girl found her beloved highland terrier sitting next to her bed. Letting out a gentle chuckle, she called out, “Come on up here boy.”

Once Sparkplug had leapt onto her bed and made himself comfortable, Apple Bloom found herself thinking, ‘Wait a minute. A highland terrier, just like….’ Turning to her nightstand, the former farm girl was relieved to see her grandfather’s journal was right where she left it. Picking up the journal, Apple Bloom asked, “Say Sparkplug, you in the mood for another chapter?”

As the small dog wagged his tail, Apple Bloom took this as confirmation. Opening the journal, she read aloud, “We had finished securing a hill near the town of…”

Many, many years earlier

Seated against the wrecked hulk of an enemy halftrack, Armorhide took a bite from the piece of bread in his hands as he thought, ‘Hard fought battle.’ In front of him rested the scorching remains of half a dozen other armored vehicles, as well as the fresh bodies of countless soldiers. All around him, British soldiers were walking every which way, some tending to wounded comrades while others simply inspected the wrecks for stragglers.

To his side, Armorhide heard the sound of Leadfoot ask, “You alright there sar?” Turning to face his comrade, the young corporal replied, “About as fine as I can be. Just grabbing a bite to eat.” He then broke off a small piece from his bread and offered it to Leadfoot, only for the red highlander to reply, “Thank you kindly.”

Sitting down next to his friend, Leadfoot complimented, “Nice job on taking that Pak gun.” Armorhide shrugged as he remarked, “It was nothing. I just knew someone had to stop that thing before it took out one of the tanks.” As he took another bite of bread, the young corporal asked, “I nearly forgot, where are we exactly again?”

Letting out gentle sigh, Leadfoot replied, “We’re about ten kilometers from the border. At this rate….” Pausing as he did some math in his head, the red highlander replied, “We should be done here no later than Hearth’s Warming.” Hearing this, Armorhide could only snicker as he playfully warned, “Better be careful with that. I heard folks say that about the last war, and it ended up going on for four years.”

Before Leadfoot could reply, Claymore ran up to the two men as he called out, “Leadfoot! Armorhide!” As the two men rose up to their feet, the blue man elaborated, “Major says we’ve got new orders! Come on!” Turning to his teammate, Armorhide replied, “Very well. Lead the way.”

Command Tent

As Armorhide, Leadfoot, and Claymore joined the rest of the Highland Foot Guards, the young corporal noticed Major Blackthorne talking with another officer, specifically a green man in the khaki tunic of other officers. Leaning into Claymore’s ear, he asked, “What’s going on?” The blue private sighed as he replied, “Damned if I know sar.”

Walking towards his men, Major Blackthorne began, “Nice work today laddies. General Firefly is proud of your effort taking on jerry today. As a reward, we’ve been given the relatively easy task to protect some soon to be deployed artillery here.” Intrigued, Armorhide raised his hands as he asked, “What kind of artillery sir?” The Major turned to his subordinate as he answered, “25 pounder howitzers. They’ll be used in the upcoming assault on a nearby position.”

Receiving his answer, Armorhide nodded as he apologized, “Sorry for interrupting sir.” As Major Blackthorne gave a confirming nod, he continued, “Thankfully, we will not be alone. I’ve received word we’ll be joined by members of the First Royal Canuk Rifles.” He then finished, “That will be all for now. Corporal Armorhide, I require you for a moment.”

As the other members of the Highland Foot Guards departed, Armorhide walked up to his commanding officer as he asked, “Everything alright sir?” Major Blackthorne turned to his subordinate as he warned, “Listen very carefully Corporal, because I will only say this once. The Canuks have a reputation for being rather…. Blunt and rough around the edges.” He then glared right in his subordinate’s eyes as he gave a blunt warning.

“Chances are they will not mind their manners. This means that you must mind yours. Am I clear?”

Nodding as he saluted his commanding officer, Armorhide replied, “Sir yes sir.” A satisfied major Blackthorne finished with, “That will be all Corporal. You are dismissed.” The young corporal nodded as he departed, all while thinking to himself, ‘This may not be as relaxing as I thought.”

The Next Day

Observing the artillery crew as he performed his patrol, Armorhide couldn’t help but be impressed by their efficiency. Over the span of a single night, almost a dozen heavy howitzers had been deployed in the area, and now were unleashing hell upon their opponent. As each weapon’s crew loaded heavy artillery shells, pulled the guns’ levers, and fired their payload, the young corporal couldn’t help but think, ‘Guess these guys know what they’re doing.’

The only downside was that each gun produced a deafening roar each time it fired.

As the nearest gun went off, Armorhide found himself collapsing to his knees as he held his hands to his ears. ‘Fuck me! And I thought tank guns were loud!’ The young corporal thought to himself. Rising back to his feet as he picked up his submachine gun, Armorhide could only mutter to himself, “I hope our next assignment isn’t as loud as this.”

After a few minutes, Armorhide was approached by Leadfoot, the red soldier informing him, “My watch now. Try to protect yer ears.” The young corporal nodded as he warned, “Brace yourself. I think they’re putting more pressure on the krauts.” Nodding, Leadfoot replied, “You better be careful. The Canuk boys showed up.”

Taking this in, Armorhide bade his friend farewell as he said, “Stay safe.” As both men gave polite nods to each other, the young corporal departed, hopeful he could get a bit of respite from the constant artillery shelling.

A Few Minutes Later

Making his way towards a small preparation area, Armorhide was greeted by the sight of two groups of men discussing something with each other. One group were his fellow members of the 92nd Highland Foot Guards, distinguishable by their dark khaki uniforms and dark green helmets. The other group, on the other hand, had lighter tunics and trousers as well as a dark brown helmets. Smiling to himself, the young corporal remarked to himself, “These guys must be the Royal Canuk Rifles.”

As Armorhide approached the group, one of the Canuk Riflemen, a green man with white hair, continued his conversation with a blunt, “Can’t believe it took you guys over a month to take that hellhole.” To the other side, one of the Highlanders with dray skin and black hair, replied, “Aye, but at least we distracted Jerry long enough for you keep pushing in.” Another soldier, Private Claymore, added, “And it were’ne our fault. The krauts were just dug in too damn well.”

Joining his comrades, Armorhide asked, “So, these our new friends?” Hearing his unique accent, the green rifleman replied, “Well, what do we have here? You one of us or are you a Yank?” The young corporal let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “I’m a Yank. It’s a long story.” Claymore then spoke up with, “We found him surrounded by Waffen goons. Turns out he’d angered some tank crew for tryin’ to frag a dead horse.”

It was at this moment that Armorhide was distracted by a vaguely familiar voice calling out, “What’s going on here? Who gave you permission to gossip with those skirt wearers?” The young corporal found himself frozen solid, unable to move as he thought, ‘That voice. That sounds like Gramps.’ As Claymore tried to shake his comrade’s shoulder, the voice continued, “I said who gave you permission to run your mouths?!”

At that moment, an officer with dark gray skin fiery red hair and a moustache, made his way up to his subordinates as he warned, “you boys better remember we’ve got a war to win.” He then turned to face the Highland Foot Guards as he ordered, “You boys better shove off or else.” Focusing his attention on Armorhide, the officer asked, “You slow or something boy?”

It took all of Armorhide’s strength to keep himself from either lashing out at the officer or to just run off in fear.

As the young corporal briefly managed to collect himself, the officer rolled his eyes as he complained, “Well that’s just prime. As you were boys.” Once he was out of earshot, Armorhide found himself muttering, “I can’t believe it. That guy looks and sounds just like Gramps.” He then turned to Claymore as he asked, “I can’t be the only one seeing it, right?”

Shaking his head, Claymore answered, “I don’ne know about that. All I know is that he was one of the officers in the Royal Canuk Rifles. Think one of them said his name was Lieutenant Torrent.” Taking this in, Armorhide let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Yeah, this whole thing is just a little coincidence.” Continuing to laugh, he elaborated, “How big this world is, of course there’d be two men from completely different places with the same face, voice, everything, right?”

Armorhide’s rant was interrupted by what sounded like the faint sound of thunder. Hearing this, the young corporal remarked, “That’s odd. I thought we were told it would be pretty sunny today.” As this thunder continued to ring out, Claymore gulped as he bluntly warned, “That’s not thunder.”

As soon as the private said this, the ground shook as clouds of dirt and soil leapt out into the air. Armorhide was barely able to avoid the worst of the incoming debris by throwing himself to the ground. ‘Fucking hell!’ He thought to himself as dirt rained onto his back and helmet. The young corporal found himself instinctively reaching for his weapon as one of his fellow Highlanders called out, “We’re under attack!”

The moment he heard this, Armorhide found himself readying his weapon as he called out, “Where are the krauts coming from?!” Claymore could only clench his teeth as he shouted back, “Bugger me if I fucking know!” Another explosion rang nearby, this one followed by someone screaming in pain. The deafening sound prevented Armorhide from being able to hear what Claymore had said.

From behind them, Armorhide and Claymore heard the sound of Leadfoot’s voice calling out, “Corporal!” Turning to face his friend, the young corporal found his friend running up to them, holding his rifle in one hand as he held his other against his helmet. Once he had joined his comrades, Leadfoot explained, “Sergeant Ding How says Jerry is pushing up from the south! We have to keep them from taking the howitzers!”

Steeling himself, Armorhide asked, “He say anything about us either pushing against them or staying put?!” Shaking his head, Leadfoot replied, “He didn’t say. He just….” The red soldier was distracted by something behind his friends, leading him to shout, “Get down you daft bastards!” Before Armorhide could react, he found both himself and Claymore getting tackled to the ground as an explosion rang out.

‘Holy fuck!’ The young corporal thought to himself as he processed what was going on. ‘That nearly punched my ticket to the great beyond!’ His moment of relief was ruined when Leadfoot stared off at the distance, specifically the direction he’d been looking at earlier as he fearfully muttered, “Shite! They’ve got a fuckin’ panzer!”

Peeking his head in the direction Leadfoot was staring at, Armorhide felt his heart sink as he saw an unfamiliar tank surrounded by enemy soldiers advancing out from the trees. Witnessing the krauts advancing, the young corporal could only mutter, “Please tell me we have a bazooka nearby.” The red Highlander shook his head as he replied, “We have the PIATs, but we’d need to be closer to use them effectively!”

It was at this moment that the three Highlanders heard the sound of Lieutenant Torrent’s voice calling out, “Alright boys! Let’s take these pricks!” As soon as he said this, the officer, as well as twenty (more or less) other Canuk Riflemen charged the incoming Germans. As they began their attack, Armorhide couldn’t help but quip, “Damn, those guys have got balls of cast iron.”

As the Canuk Riflemen charged at their opponents, Claymore stated, “Awaiting orders sir!” Hearing this, Armorhide looked back to the silent howitzers behind him. ‘Well, the Germans are advancing from the south, and there doesn’t appear to be any sign of them from the north.’ He thought to himself. Turning to Leadfoot, Armorhide asked, “We’re camped to the north, right?”

Nodding, the red Highlander replied, “Aye. There’s no way they’d have gotten past that many of us.” Taking this information in, Armorhide prepared his submachine gun as he said, “Well then. Let’s not let the Canuks hog all the fun!” Pointing to the enemies, the young corporal ordered, “Forward boys!”

With his comrades’ nodding in approval, the three Highlanders prepared their weapons before charging the Germans.

As they charged towards the oncoming enemy, Armorhide ordered, “Claymore! Get to cover! Leadfoot, throw a fucking grenade!” As he said this, the young corporal aimed his submachine gun at an unsuspecting German soldier and pulled the trigger, sending several bullets into the hapless goon. When another soldier tried to point at the oncoming Highlanders, Leadfoot lobbed a hand grenade at him, giving him only a few moments to call out “Granate!”

While Armorhide and his friends picked off several of the German infantrymen, the young corporal heard Lieutenant Torrent’s voice call out, “Someone do something about that tank!” Turning to face the officer, the young man saw him dragging one of his men away from the steel behemoth, leading Armorhide to think, ‘Maybe charging at this thing wasn’t the best idea after all.’

Thankfully, one of the Canuk Riflemen chucked something underneath the tank. Seeing this, Armorhide thought, ‘What was that? Some kind of satchel?’ He didn’t have long to ponder this, as the feral scream from an unfamiliar voice distracted him. The young corporal turned around to see a German Rifleman charging him with his rifle, leaving him only a few moments to react.

But if there was one thing that Armorhide had gotten better at since he joined the Highland Foot Guards, it was how to react to enemy soldiers with less than a second’s notice.

Leaping backwards, Armorhide aimed his submachine gun at the charging opponent and pulled the trigger, shooting the approaching German in the head and upper chest. As the unfortunate soldier fell to the ground, the young corporal turned his attention to another enemy soldier and eliminated him. When a third soldier tried to aim his weapon at him, Armorhide quickly shot him as well, sending his opponent to the ground recoiling in pain.

At that moment, the sound of a loud explosion rang out, catching everyone off guard. Turning to see what had happened, Armorhide was greeted by the sight of the enemy tank being consumed by a cloud of red and orange fire. Smirking to himself, the young corporal thought to himself, ‘If those bastards are lucky, they won’t be getting out of that tank alive.

Instead, one of the tank’s crewmembers, a man in an officer’s uniform, emerged from the turret’s top hatch, completely consumed by flames as he screamed in agony. Watching the man suffer, the young corporal muttered, “Poor fuck.” Knowing his opponent was too far gone to even consider surrendering, Armorhide aimed his weapon at the soldier and pulled the trigger. Once his opponent was down, the young soldier walked up to the burning body and shot it in the head, making sure the German’s suffering was over.

As the now lifeless body ceased moving, Armorhide felt someone tapping on his shoulder. Turning around to see who it was, the young corporal was greeted by the sight of Leadfoot, who said, “Looks like Jerry is giving up. Look!” Following his friend’s hand, Armorhide was pleasantly surprised to see several German soldiers slowly approaching them, either holding their weapons above their heads or raising empty hands.

Before Armorhide could approach the surrendering enemies, Lieutenant Torrent walked up to one of the Germans and, to everyone’s surprise, slugged him in the face as he bellowed, “That’s for my men you bastard!” As the defeated soldier fell to the ground, the young corporal asked, “What was that for?! They’re surrendering!”

Lieutenant Torrent turned to Armorhide and replied with a furious, “I don’t give a fuck if they’re surrendering! They killed five of my men!” He then pointed to one of his men and ordered, “Get these pricks out of here and send ‘em off to hell!” The Canuk Rifleman nodded as he began to round up the surrendering Germans.

But as the Canuk Riflemen began to escort the surrendering prisoners away, Armorhide found himself thinking, ‘You can’t just execute surrendering prisoners. It ain’t right.’ While he had found himself having to shoot prisoners in the past, the young corporal knew each of those had committed some sort of grievous sin to negate the protection offered under the rules of war. The soldier Gramps was trying to execute? He was wearing a captured trench coat. The prisoner from his first “battle” with the Foot Guards? He’d tried to attack after surrendering, technically committing a false surrender.

‘But these guys?’ Armorhide thought to himself. Taking in the sight of the surrendering Germans, the young soldier continued, ‘They’re surrendering, they’re cooperating, none of them are trying anything, and they seem to be in proper uniform.’ But to have them just be shot outside of battle? That was something Armorhide couldn’t stand by and allow.

Stepping forward, Armorhide ordered, “Privates Claymore and Leadfoot? Escort the prisoners away for questioning!” When the two Highlanders turned to him in confusion, the young corporal continued, “Now! I want them moving five minutes ago!” Walking up to his friend, Leadfoot asked, “Sar?” Armorhide looked his friend and immediate subordinate in the eye as he bluntly said, “Please do it.”

Nodding, Leadfoot replied, “Yes sir.” He then motioned his rifle at the surrendering Germans and ordered, “This way Jerries, and no funny business!” As he and Claymore began to escort the prisoners away, Lieutenant Torrent stomped up to Armorhide as he bellowed, “What the hell was that? I said I wanted those prisoners shot!” The other members of the Canuk Riflemen began to surround the young corporal as one of them complained, “Yeah! We lost five men today, and you’re just gonna let them live?”

Before Armorhide could react, he was caught off guard by the sound of Leadfoot’s voice calling out, “What the fuck do you tink you’re doin’?” Turning around, the young corporal found his comrades trying to stand in between the Canuk Riflemen and the surrendering prisoners. As the Germans gave each other confused looks, one of the riflemen barked, “Come on boys! Let’s give ‘em what for!” Running towards his comrades, Armorhide barked out, “Don’t you dare lay a finger on them you….” Struggling to find an appropriate insult, the young corporal finished, “… You halfwit lumberjacks!”

The Canuk Riflemen didn’t react to the young soldier’s defiance. They simply shoved past the Highlanders, aimed their weapons at the prisoners, and open fired.

As the prisoners fell to the ground, Armorhide felt his blood boil while Claymore shouted, “What the fuck was that for?!” One of the Canuk Riflemen shrugged as he replied, “They’re Jerries. They deserve it!” Lieutenant Torrent then walked up to the group and began, “Exactly. We ain’t in the prisoner takin’ business. We’re in the kraut killing business.” He then strutted up to Armorhide as he gleefully mocked, “And boy… Business is a booming.”

It took every ounce of the young corporal’s willpower and discipline to not strike the Canuk officer in the face.

Armorhide was distracted from his spiteful staring contest when he heard Leadfoot call out, “Sar! One of ‘em is still alive!” Turning around, the young corporal found his comrades trying to lift one of the German prisoners, a young man with dark blue skin and white hair. The young prisoner was groaning as he held his hands against a bullet wound in his chest, clearly too in pain to even try to fight the men helping him.

Turning back around to face Lieutenant Torrent, Armorhide warned, “I’m aware that there’s a war on, but I’m also aware that there are rules, and you just broke them.” As the officer glared daggers at him, the young solider bade a final, “Have a nice day.”

Joining his friends, Armorhide ordered, “Let’s get this guy looked at before he bleeds out. Let’s move!”

Later That Day

Standing next to the wounded prisoner as he laid on a bed in a triage station, Armorhide asked the medic attending to him, “Will he be alright?” Lifting his head from his patient’s chest, the medic, a dark green man with pink hair, answered, “He’ll be harvin’ some chest pain for the next few weeks, but he’ll be in good enough condition to escorted to a POW facility.” The young corporal let out a sign of relief as he said, “Thank Primus. Hopefully he can tell us everything he knows once he’s lucid.”

From behind him, Armorhide heard the sound of Major Blackthorne’s voice ask, “Corporal? May I have a word with you?” Turning around, the young soldier found his commanding officer staring at him, his arms folded in disappointment and an unamused scowl on his face. ‘Oh shit.’ Armorhide thought to himself. ‘He’s probably angry because I lashed out at that lieutenant.’ Sighing to himself, the young solider simply straightened himself as he approached his commanding officer. Glaring at Armorhide, Major Blackthorne asked, “May we speak outside Corporal?” Nodding, the young soldier replied, “Yes sir.”

Once the two men were outside, the Major turned to his subordinate and growled, “You have quite the nerve Corporal!” As the young corporal took this in, the major continued, “I specifically told you to mind your manners, and what do you do?! You went and pissed off Lieutenant Torrent!” Sighing to himself, Blackthorne continued, “I received a report you were blatantly insubordinate to an officer. Please tell me what happened!”

Taking a deep breath, Armorhide answered, “Sir, the Canuks open fired on enemy soldiers who had surrendered. We were only able to save one of them.” Sighing in frustration, Major Blackthorne replied, “Damnit Corporal! You might be the most moral man in this army, but that’s also the one thing that got you into this damn mess!” As the young corporal found himself stepping backwards, the major concluded, “Since your new friend might have useful info, I won’t punish you for this.”

Before Armorhide could even consider letting out a sigh of relief, Major Blackthorne walked up to his subordinate as he coldly warned, “But I want to make this absolutely clear. This will not happen again. Am. I. Clear?”

Gulping in fear, Armorhide replied, “Y-y-y-yes sir.” He then impulsively gave a “yank” salute before switching to a proper salute. The major, satisfied with having made his point, finished, “Very good. You are dismissed.” The young corporal gave a confirming nod before departing.

As he walked away, Armorhide was distracted by a sound he didn’t expect to hear; the sound of someone struggling to keep himself calm. Taking this sound in, the young soldier thought, ‘That’s odd. Someone having a panic attack or something?’ After all, with how much fighting they’d all been through, it was only natural that a few soldiers would begin to break under the constant stress of never ending combat.

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Armorhide muttered to himself, “Well, I better see who it is. They probably need some reassurance.” Following the sound of the nervous breathing, the young soldier thought to himself, ‘Wonder who it is though. Doesn’t sound like any of the lads.’ Making his way past a tent, Armorhide found himself caught off guard by what he found.

There, sitting against the side of the tent as he held his head in his hands, was Lieutenant Torrent.

‘What the hell?’ Armorhide thought to himself. ‘Is that Lieutenant Torrent Having a panic attack?’ Indeed, the gray officer was trying to conceal his face as he muttered, “Just our job. Business is booming. We’re in the killing business, and business is booming.” As he pulled at his face, Lieutenant Torrent realized he was being watched as he jumped away and screamed,
“Gah! What the fuck are you doing here?!”

Raising his hands, Armorhide tried to calm him down, “I was just walking by. Calm down!” The moment he said this, Lieutenant Torrent began to nervously laugh as he retorted, “Calm down? I just got caught being weak by a damn yank and you want me to fucking calm down?!” Continuing his unnerving laughter, the Canuk officer said, “Why don’t you just…. Heh heh heh…. Scream it to the high heavens? Let everyone know!”

As Lieutenant Torrent devolved into manic laughter, the young corporal warned, “Well, that’ll happen if you keep shouting it.” Armorhide then found himself scowling as he impulsively stated, “If you’re gonna do that, I might as well as let the whole army know what you did to those prisoners. You can’t just kill people like that.”

The moment Armorhide said this, Lieutenant Torrent shot up and, stomping up to the young corporal, bellowed, “I don’t give a fuck what some bleeding heart like you thinks. We’re not here to make friends. We’re not here to take prisoners! We’re not here to be “good little boy scouts!” We’re here to kill! We’re here to make the krauts suffer! We’re here to send every last one of them off to hell….” Collapsing to his knees, the Canuk officer made a surprising revelation.

“I’m not a good man.”

Hearing this, Armorhide asked, “What?” Trying to collect himself, Lieutenant Torrent admitted, “I’m not a good man Corporal. I know what this job requires me to do, and what I’ve done I….” Collapsing back to his knees, the officer began to cry into his hands as he admitted, “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t take the killing. But….”

The moment was interrupted by the sound of a voice calling out, “Something’s going on over there! Sounds like the Lieutenant.” Armorhide a lump form in his throat as he thought, ‘Shit. That sounds like some of the Canuk Riflemen.’

Sure enough, a squad of riflemen emerged from the shadows as one of them, a sergeant with red skin and white hair, asked, “What’s going on here?” For several moments, both Armorhide and Lieutenant Torrent were speechless, the former thinking, ‘Shit. What should I do? What should I do?’ At that moment, the young corporal had an idea.

Stepping forward, Armorhide answered, “Everything’s fine. I think he’s just a bit drunk.”

As the riflemen took this in, Lieutenant Torrent stepped forward and, to Armorhide’s surprise, “No I’m not. I’m not as think as you drunk I am.” He then performed a pratfall, one the young corporal realized was intentional and forced, leading him to think, ‘Well I’ll be damned. He’s playing into it.’

The Canuk sergeant shrugged as he remarked, “Guess the Lieutenant is pissed. Come on boys. Let’s get him to his quarters.” When the squad approached their commander, Lieutenant Torrent shrugged them off him as he replied, “I can walk b-b-back to my quarters, so bugger off.” Sighing, the sergeant replied, “Yes sir. Come on boys.”

Once the riflemen had departed, Lieutenant Torrent dropped the drunken charade as he asked Armorhide, “Why did you lie about me being drunk?” The young corporal replied, “No point in fretting about what happened earlier today. Besides, I think I heard somewhere that seeing your CO cracking under pressure will demoralize soldiers. Guess it’s better to see you as having gotten drunk than breaking.”

Taking this in, Lieutenant Torrent wiped the tears from his face as he said, “Well, I…. Thank you.” He then ordered, “You will not tell a soul about this. Ever!” Nodding, Armorhide saluted the officer as he replied, “Yes sir.” When Torrent returned the salute, he gave a final, “Perhaps I can try to show a little more restraint from now on.” Before Armorhide could comprehend what he'd just heard, the officer finished with, “You are dismissed corporal.”

Giving the lieutenant a salute, Armorhide gave a final nod as he departed, thinking to himself, ‘Well, maybe he’ll try to take prisoners if possible from now on.’ Of course, it didn’t really matter since Lieutenant Torrent was in a completely different unit, but the young corporal hoped that his brief act of kindness would stick, and they could all win this war without giving in to their darkness. Still, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

There was still a war on.

Apple Bloom’s Room, The Present Day

Closing her grandfather’s journal, Apple Bloom let out a yawn as she remarked, “Ah think that’s enough for one night, wouldn’t you say Sparkplug?” When she didn’t get a response, the former farm girl focused on the small terrier, only to find him curled up as he slept at her feet. Smiling, Apple Bloom remarked, “Guess that answers mah question.”

Setting the journal down on her nightstand, Apple Bloom switched off the lamp next to it as she whispered, “Time to get some sleep. See you in the mornin’ buddy.” With that, the burgundy haired girl tucked herself under the sheets and drifted off to sleep.

She just hoped her grandfather’s tales didn’t inspire any nightmares of her own.

Author's Note

Next Time; It's a secret. I'm taking a week off due to incoming work obligations.

Author's note: Canuk is an old term to refer to Canada, and I was inspired to include "canuks" due to hearing about how Canadians developed a reputation for their ruthlessness during the world wars.

Also, Lieutenant Torrent was inspired by the character of Lieutenant Aldo Raine from the movie "Inglorious Basterds," and his stated resemblance to Gramps is a nod to both characters being played by Brad Pitt. And spoilers, this will NOT be the last time we see the good Lieutenant.

Dance Class with Wheelie

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 23; Dance Class with Wheelie

Walking through the hallways of Iacon High, Apple Bloom let out a gentle sigh of relief as she opened her locker. The former farm girl let out a sigh of relief when she found her dance bag snuggled safely inside. “Phew. Thank Primus Ah remembered to bring this today.” Apple Bloom whispered to herself. As she pulled the bag out of her locker, she continued, “Of course, Ah guess Uncle Ironhide could have easily brought it when he picks me up….”

Catching herself, Apple Bloom immediately interrupted herself with, “Oh man. Ah better get movin’!”

As she made her way through the school and towards the exit, the burgundy-haired girl found herself bracing herself for the upcoming dance class. ‘After all, this ain’t just a normal class this week.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘This week is “bring a friend” week, and Ah just hope that mah choice won’t cause too much trouble.’

Once she’d passed through the school’s main doors, Apple Bloom scanned the horizon to see if she could find her uncle’s van. “Come on. It should be somewhere right about….” The former farm girl muttered to herself as her eyes darted from car to car. After a few moments, she noticed a familiar red van with gold stripes on the side pulling into the line for pickup, leading Apple Bloom to finish, “There!”

After a few minutes, the crimson van was close enough for Apple Bloom to safely approach. As she approached it, the former farm girl could not only make out the form of her uncle, but she also noticed what looked like a pair of binoculars at the end of a long, gooselike neck staring at her from the passenger’s seat. Letting out a gentle chuckle, the young girl remarked, “Guess Wheelie’s as excited about this as Ah am.”

Opening the front seat door to the van, Apple Bloom was greeted by Ironhide asking, “Hey there kid. How was school?” Before the former farm girl could answer, Wheelie leapt from his seat to the back of his sister’s seat and grasped the head rest as he asked, “You ready for that “bring a friend” week thing? Because I’m ready! I’m ready to learn to dance like you and Sideswipe!”

Catching herself as she sat down, Apple Bloom turned her head to the small robot as she said, “In a moment Wheelie. Let me get buckled in first.” As she fastened her seat belt, the former farm girl turned to her uncle as she replied, “School was alright. Things haven’t been super gossipy or anythin’, just sort of the normal grind, you know?” Ironhide took this information in as he asked, That’s good. How about Shockwave? You getting along with him?” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied, “Yup. He’s about as good a teacher as Mr. Compost, just without all the bullshit.” She then blushed as she apologized, “Forgive mah foul language.” All Ironhide could do was chuckle as he reassured her, “Given what he did, I’d say you can use any language you want for him.”

As Ironhide pulled the van away, Apple Bloom turned to Wheelie as she continued, “Now to answer your question. Yes, Ah’m excited.” The small robot pumped his fists as he squealed, “Yes! This is gonna be so much fun!” While the former farm girl struggled to contain her laughter, Ironhide glared at Wheelie via the reverse mirror as he warned, “What did I say about getting out of your seat while we were moving?”

Wheelie nodded as he sat back down in the car seat and pulled the seatbelt over him. Once he was properly fastened, the small robot apologized, “Sorry Mr. Ironhide.” The family patriarch reassured his passenger, “I’m just Ironhide kid. And I just want to make sure you’re safe in the event something happens.”

Turning to her uncle, Apple Bloom added, “Thanks for lettin’ Wheelie tag along for this.” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Ironhide replied, “Thank Wheeljack. He felt Wheelie has been behaving himself, and agreed to let you bring Wheelie for this “bring a friend” class.”” He then paused for a moment before continuing, “Of course, I have my own reservations, but since Arcee was able to see him without fainting, I’m sure Hoofer Steps won’t mind.”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Ah’m sure Miss Hoofer Steps won’t mind Wheelie. Besides, given how adventurous he is, Ah’m surprised he didn’t try sneakin’ to class already.’ After all, given that Wheelie had hidden himself in her messenger bag in the past, the former farm girl wouldn’t put it past the small robot to try something similar.

Shaking her head, Apple Bloom continued, ‘Don’t worry about that stuff right now. Right now, just focus on class with Wheelie and everyone else.’ With that, the former farm girl reached for her dance bag and held it tight, looking forward to making music with her friends.

Hoofer Steps Dance Studio, A Few Minutes Later

Stepping out of her uncle’s van, Apple Bloom called out, “See ya later Uncle Ironhide! Love you!” As he closed the van door, the former sergeant replied with an enthusiastic, “Love you too!” Wheelie then exited the van as he said, “See you later Mr. Ironhide.”

Once Ironhide had departed, Apple Bloom looked down to Wheelie as she said, “This is Miss Hoofer Steps’s dance school. It’s where Sideswipe, Pastel, Tender Taps, and Ah learn how to tap dance.” The small robot tilted his head as he asked, “But I thought Tender Taps was the one who taught you how to dance?” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Apple Bloom replied, “Yeah, though he was more like a tutor over a teacher.”

Picking up the small robot, Apple Bloom continued, “Come on. Let’s get movin’. Don’t want class to start without us, do we?” Nodding as he climbed into her dance bag, Wheelie pointed towards the studio as he exclaimed, “Forward into the fray!” The former farm girl could only laugh as she finished, “Come on little buddy.”

Entering the studio, Apple Bloom and Wheelie were already greeted by the sight of several of her classmates standing around in a circle, as well as a few other people with them, some familiar and some not. The first person the former farm girl could make out was Tender Taps, the orange boy dressed in a purple button shirt over a black sleeveless shirt and black pants. Feeling her heart flutter, Apple Bloom called out, “Hey Tendy!”

Turning to face his girlfriend, the orange dancer replied, “Hey Apple Bloom!” Running up to her, Tender Taps pulled Apple Bloom into a tight hug, one which she embraced as she kissed his cheek. Loosening his grip, the young boy asked, “So, you bring anyone for this week?” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Yup. Ah brought Wheelie.”

Popping his head out of his sister’s dance bag, the small robot introduced himself, “Hi there. I’m Wheelie. We met about a month ago, remember?” As he extended his hand, Tender Taps remarked, “I remember. Good to see you again little guy.” The orange dancer then added, “Sorry I couldn’t bring anyone this time. You’d have been my first choice, but… You know….”

As Apple Bloom blushed, the two teens were interrupted by the sound of Pastel Goth asking, “Who’s your little friend there? That one of Wheeljack’s other robots?” Turning to face her friend, the former farm girl found the teenaged goth walking up to her, dressed in her standard look of a pink dress under a black leather jacket. Bending down to look the robot in the eyes, Pastel introduced herself, “Hello there. I’m Pastel Goth.”

Apple Bloom set her dance bag down as she said, “This is where you get out, at least for now. Ah don’t want to cause a commotion by bringin’ you into the dressin’ room.” As Wheelie leapt out of his sister’s dance bag, the former farm girl heard another voice call out, “Hey Apple Bloom!” Turning to see who it was, Apple Bloom was greeted by the sight of Double Shuffle, the blue girl was flanked by another kid with gray skin, green hair, and was wearing a button shirt, black pants with suspenders, and brown boots.

Smiling, Apple Bloom greeted, “Howdy there. You Double Shuffle’s friend?” The gray kid nodded as they performed an elaborate bow and introduced themselves, “Greetings and bienvennue. I am Nightshade, and I go by they/them pronouns.” Double Shuffle added a quick, “They’re nonbinary.” Taking this information in, the burgundy-haired girl simply smiled as she replied, “It’s nice to meet you Nightshade. Ah’ll try to remember that.”

At that moment, the front door opened as Sideswipe, dressed in her usual attire of a black sleeveless shirt, a red denim vest and pants, and black biker boots, entered the building and proudly asked, “Hey everyone! How’s everyone doing?” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Apple Bloom replied, “Pretty good, but you better keep it down. Don’t want Ravage getting’ on you for makin’ a scene.” The pale biker could only roll her eyes as she lamented, “Fine, be a party pooper. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

From behind Sideswipe, another familiar girl emerged, specifically a yellow girl with red hair and walking with a pair of crutches that could only be Dream Wave. Approaching her friends, the young artist greeted, “Hey Apple Bloom. Sideswipe told me about this and invited me.” As she hobbled up to her friend, the former farm girl asked, “Good to see you, but you sure you up for this?” Dream Wave nodded as she reassured her friend, “Hey, it’s supposed to be a “bring a friend” week, not “Make them dance week.” I’ll be fine.”

Nodding, Apple Bloom then said, “Well then, Ah think we all better change.” She then began to walk towards the dressing room as she continued, “Come on.”

A Few Minutes Later

Emerging from the dressing room dressed in a maroon tank top and black pants, Apple Bloom held her tap shoes in her hands as she called out, “Wheelie? Where are you?” She received her answer when Wheelie replied, “I’m over here!” Turning to face the small robot, the former farm girl found her younger brother chatting with Nightshade and Pastel Goth, the former writing away on a notepad. The former was dressed the same as before while the latter had changed into a pink off the shoulder shirt and black pants.

Approaching them, Apple Bloom asked, “What’s goin’ on over here?” Turning to his sister, Wheelie explained, “Nightshade here was asking questions about me and what makes me tick.” He then looked down in confusion as he added, “Whatever that means.” The gray teen explained, “I wanted to know how your operating system works. Kinda like how a computer works.”

At that moment, one of the studio doors opened, releasing a horde of younger girls. As they made their way towards the dressing room and their waiting parents, Apple Bloom remarked, “Looks like class is about to start. Come on Wheelie.” The small robot popped the wheels out of his feet and began to follow his older sister into the studio.

Entering the wide-open room, Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief as she said, “Alright. Time to make some noise.” Sitting down against the wall, the former farm girl slipped off her boots and began to slip on her tap shoes. As she laced up her right shoe, Wheelie asked, “Hey Apple Bloom? What are those metal plates on your shoes?”

Before Apple Bloom could answer, Tender Taps’s voice called out, “They’re taps.” The orange hoofer, having already put his own tap shoes on, removed his purple overshirt and shuffled up to his girlfriend and the small robot before explaining, “They’re what we use to make noise against a hard surface like this wooden floor here.” He then struck his toe against the wooden floor as he added, “It’s part of why it’s called tap dancing.” Taking this in, Wheelie replied with, “Ooh. Guess I have an advantage since I have metal feet.” Both Apple Bloom and Tender Taps found themselves laughing at the small robot’s surprisingly clever response.

After a few minutes, the rest of the class had made their way into the studio. While the rest of the normal students had put on their tap shoes, Dream Wave and most of the other guests were simply wearing sneakers or other simple shoes. Only Nightshade had a pair of tap shoes, leading Apple Bloom to think, ‘Huh. Guess Double Shuffle and Tender Taps let them borrow an old pair or somethin’.’ Watching the blue dancer help Nightshade struggle to walk in their heeled shoes, the former farm girl couldn’t help but continue, ‘Well, if they ain’t the cutest….’

Apple Bloom’s train of thought was interrupted when she noticed Hoofer Steps enter the studio. The older woman had her hair up in a ballerina’s bun and was wearing a dark lavender tee shirt, black pants, and black and silver tap shoes. Making her way to the center of the room, Hoofer Steps greeted, “Guten Tag everyvone. I’m glad to see zat several of you have brought some new friends for us all.”

As everyone made a circle around Hoofer Steps, the teacher asked, “So, who vould like to introduce zemselves first?” After a few moments of awkward silence, Dream Wave stepped forward and introduced herself, “Well…. I’m Dream Wave, and I was invited here by Sideswipe.” She then pointed to the crutches in her hand as she added, “Forgive me if I’m not super active here today.”

Nodding, Hoofer Steps reassured the young artist, “Zat vill not be an issue. I sink ve all understand vhy you are not able to dance vith us zis time.” The next to go was Nightshade, who introduced themselves with, “Hello everyone. I am Nightshade, and Double Shuffle invited me.” They then added, “And if I may confess, I’ve never been in a dance class before.”

After Nightshade finished introducing themselves, Wheelie stepped forward and introduced himself with an enthusiastic, “Hello everyone. I’m Wheelie. And Apple Bloom is my big sister!” As everyone took this in, Hoofer Steps remarked, “I must say, I didn’t know your family vas so…. Diverse.”

Shrugging, Apple Bloom replied, “Guess Ah do, right Sideswipe?” The pale biker could only roll her eyes as she replied, “You could say that.”

Clapping her hands, Hoofer Steps began, “Alvight now. I vant everyvone to form two lines please.” As everyone lined up (with Apple Bloom placing herself between Wheelie and Tender Taps), the blonde teacher began, “Now zen, ve shall begin vith…”

Several Minutes Later…

“And a Vone two three four…!” Hoofer Steps called out as the class began a simple combination. As everyone clicked and clacked against the wooden floor, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Shuffle hop step falap ball change. Remember to stay light on your feet.’ Dancing across the floor, the former farm girl heard Hoofer Steps compliment her, “Good job zere Apple Bloom!” The young girl could only smile as she thought, ‘Perfect.’

To her side, Apple Bloom heard Wheelie cry out, “Uh oh! Whoa!” Turning to see what was going on, the former farm girl found her younger brother lose his balance, face planting against the wooden floor. Darting over to the small robot, Apple Bloom called out, “Wheelie! You alright?”

Pushing himself back up to his feet, Wheelie replied, “I think I’m fine.” He then added, “Although I don’t think I’m as good at this tap dancing thing as you all are.” He then tried to perform a simple shuffle ball change, only to quickly lose his balance, falling backwards before being caught by Apple Bloom. As she released her little brother, the former farm girl warned, “You just gotta stay light on your feet.”

As everyone stopped to get some water, Tender Taps walked (or rather shuffled) his way to the two as he reassured the small robot, “You’re doing a pretty good job first time!” Taking this in, Wheelie closed the lower half of his eyes as he asked, “Really? You think I’m pretty good?” The orange hoofer smiled as he replied, “Yeah. Just need to stay light on those flat feet of yours.”

Apple Bloom then added, “Don’t beat yourself up. Ah only started dancin’ less than a year ago and look at me now!” She then stepped back and performed two triple time steps before striking a dramatic pose and remarking, “Behold.” Tender Taps could only giggle, “No one likes a showoff.” Letting out a chuckle of her own, Apple Bloom replied, “Ah learned from the best.”

From the other end of the studio, Apple Bloom heard Nightshade remark, “Oh man. My feet are killing me.” Turning her head, the former farm girl found them in a circle with Featherweight and Double Shuffle as they continued, “How do you two do this for an hour every week?” The young blue hoofer let out a confident chuckle as she replied, “Oh please. I do this for more than an hour every day.”

Seeing the three kids hanging out and talking amongst themselves hit Apple Bloom with a sense of nostalgia. ‘Huh.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. ‘Seein’ them together kinda reminds me of Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Ah.’ As she shook her head, Tender Taps asked, “Hey, everything alright?”

Turning to her boyfriend, Apple Bloom explained, “Ah guess seein’ Double Shuffle an’ her friends kinda reminds me of mah friends.” She then scratched the back of her neck as she continued, “It’s kinda like havin’ déjà vu.” Smiling, Tender Taps took his girlfriend’s hand as he replied, “Sorry about that.”

Blushing, Apple Bloom reassured him, “Don’t worry. Besides….” Turning back to face Double Shuffle and her friends, the former farm girl found them all embracing in a group hug as they laughed. Smiling, Apple Bloom finished, “Guess she kinda reminds me of mahself, that’s all.”

The moment of reflection was interrupted by the sound of Hoofer Steps calling out, “Alvight everyvone. Ve are going to perform some across ze floor exercises.” As everyone rose up and began to make their way to the near side of the studio, Wheelie asked, “What does “across the floor” mean?” Apple Bloom explained, “It means we’re gonna be dancin’ across the studio to the other side.” Tender Taps then added, “It’s a good way to test out some new combinations.”

Sure enough, Hoofer Steps began, “Now zen, ve shall be turning in zis vone. Ve go flap heel flap heel before a maxi ford.” The older woman then demonstrated the combination, turning with her arms outstretched before performing a maxi ford. Turning to face her students and guests, Hoofer Steps inquired, “Who vould like to go first?”

Both Apple Bloom and Tender Taps impulsively raised their hands, leading Hoofer Steps to remark, “Very vell. You two shall go first. Do ve have any ozer volunteers?” After a few moments, Pastel Goth raised her hand as she replied, “Why not? Turn this into a trio.” As the gothic girl joined her friends, Apple Bloom remarked, “We’ve got this.”

As the three teenagers took their places, Hoofer Steps called out, “Very vell. A vone. A two. A vone two three four!” Hearing the cue, Apple Bloom began to perform the combination. Striking her feet against the wooden floor, the former farm girl twirled as she danced across the floor, feeling free as her feet made intoxicating music.

Approaching the other end of the studio floor, Apple Bloom heard Hoofer Steps call out, “Vatch yourself Apple Bloom. You’re missing some of your sounds.” As she finished the combination for the last time, the former farm girl heard her teacher compliment, “All three of you did a vonderful job. I am very proud of you.” As Tender Taps gave a polite bow, the former farm girl and Pastel Goth both gave curtsies as the latter said, “Thank you ma’am.”

Turning to her other students, Hoofer Steps asked, “Who vould like to go next?” To everyone’s surprise, three hands shot up in unison, each belonging, to Featherweight, Double Shuffle, and Nightshade. As the three kids made their way to the front of the group, the blue dancer said, “We wanna go together, if that’s alright miss Hoofer Steps.” The gray teacher nodded as she replied, “Very vell.”

Once Hoofer Steps finished counting off, the three teenagers began to tap the combination across the floor. Apple Bloom focused on her younger sister as she thought, ‘Looks like Double Shuffle’s got it perfect as always.’ Indeed, the blue dancer was shuffling across the floor, each step clear and precise. Turning her attention to Featherweight, Apple Bloom noticed that, while he was struggling a little bit to maintain his balance, the cream boy was still doing a very good job, making precise strikes against the wooden floor.

Finally focusing her attention on Nightshade, Apple Bloom was surprised by just how well they were doing, especially for an inexperienced tap dancer. ‘AH mean, they seem to be having a bit of trouble makin’ the right sounds.’ The former farm girl thought to herself. ‘But they seem to be doin’ alright.’

As the three younger teens made their way to the end of the studio, Hoofer Steps called out, “Very good Double Shuffle und Feazerveight.” When the two dancers curtsied and bowed respectively, she turned to Nightshade as she added, “Und you did a good job Nightshade. Maybe you should consider enrvolling in a class here.” The young teen shrugged as they replied, “I’ll keep your offer in mind.”

Turning to her other students, Hoofer Steps called out, “Now, who vould like to go next?” To her and Apple Bloom’s surprise, Wheelie raised his hand as he called out, “Me! Me! I wanna go!” Letting out a gentle chuckle, the dance teacher replied, “Very vell. Anyvone else?” Sideswipe raised her hand next, followed by Pizzelle. As they took their place, Hoofer Steps counted off, “And a Vone! Two! Vone two three four!”

As everyone began the combination, Apple Bloom watched Wheelie as he tried to perform it. The small robot was visibly struggling, holding his arms out in an attempt to keep his balance. Watching him, the former farm girl thought, ‘Come on little guy. You can do it.’

At that moment, Wheelie leaned too far forward, stumbling before popping his wheels out and skating across the wooden floor. After a few moments, Wheelie leapt into the air as he tried to twirl, only to miss his landing and land firmly on his face.

Running up to her little brother, Apple Bloom asked, “You alright there Wheelie?” As she helped him back up to his feet, Wheelie replied, “I think I have a headache in my whole body.” Chuckling, the former farm girl remarked, “Well, next time try to be a bit more careful, alright?”

As Apple Bloom helped Wheelie over to the others, Tender Taps complimented, “Nice job with those pirouettes. Maybe you should consider tying ballet sometime.” Tilting his head, the small robot asked, “What’s ballet?” Apple Bloom interrupted with, “It’s a style of dance where you gracefully move around and leap in the air an’ all that stuff.” Closing the lower half of his eyes to “smile,” Wheelie replied, “Wow. That sounds kinda fun.”

The gentle moment was interrupted by Hoofer Steps calling out, “Alvight now. Ve are moving on.” Turning to her little brother, Apple Bloom extended her hand as she called out, “Come on. Let’s go.” The small robot nodded as he replied, “Alright.”

A Short While Later

Taking a deep breath as the music played from the studio’s speaker, Apple Bloom caught a glance of herself in the mirror. She and the rest of the regular students were divided into two lines, preparing to perform a mini routine they’d been working on for the last month. It wouldn’t be something they’d perform on a grand stage, but it was something useful for learning new steps and techniques. In front of the former farm girl sat Nightshade, Wheelie, and Dream Wave sat against the large mirror as a small audience. All in all, there was a little pressure, but nothing Apple Bloom couldn’t handle.

When the moment came, Apple Bloom, Sideswipe, Tender Taps, and the rest of the class began their routine. Strutting up towards the mirror, everyone began clicking, clacking, and tapping the wooden floor with their shoes. Feeling a few beads of sweat fall from her brow, the former farm girl thought, ‘Remember, over the top, trenches, and shave and a hair cut.’ After a few moments, the class made it to that moment, and they performed those steps before striking dramatic poses.

As the guests applauded their friends, Dream Wave called out, “OMG! That was so awesome! I’ve got to make some sketches of some of you dancing sometime!” Nightshade added, “Yeah! That was so cool!” Even Wheelie joined in with, “That was very impressive!” Curtsying, Apple Bloom replied, “Thank y’all kindly. Ah always aim to please.” Double Shuffle spoke up next with a confident, “I try not to brag, but I settle for nothing less than perfection.”

As everyone caught their breath, Hoofer Steps spoke out with, “Thank you all everyvone. Zat vill do it for zis veek. I look forvard to seeing you all next veek.” With that, everyone began to gather their belongings and make their way to the studio’s door.

Before Apple Bloom could depart, Tender Taps called out, “Hey Apple Bloom! You got a minute?” Turning around, the former farm girl asked, “Ah do. What’s up?” The orange hoofer began to awkwardly scuff the floor as he replied, “So… The next class won’t be for a little bit and I was just kinda wondering, since we haven’t had a moment alone in a while….” At that moment, the speakers began to play a slow jazz song as he extended his hand and asked, “May I have this dance?”

Blushing as her heart fluttered, Apple Bloom took her boyfriend’s hand as she happily replied, “Ah’d love to.” As Tender Taps gently wrapped his arm around her waist, the former farm girl began to sway along to the music, following Tender along to the beat.

Several Minutes Later

Having changed back into her normal attire of a red off the shoulder shirt, black tank top, dark green and blue pattern kilt, and black boots, Apple Bloom emerged from the dressing room to find Wheelie chatting with Double Shuffle, Featherweight, and Nightshade. Walking up to the group, the former farm girl asked, “What’s goin’ on?”

Double Shuffle immediately answered with, “Nightshade just invited us over for a sleepover!” Wheelie nodded and added, “Yeah! Those two are so lucky! I wish I could go.” As the small robot scuffed the floor, Nightshade apologized, “I’m sorry little guy. Maybe next time?”

Smiling, Apple Bloom turned to her little sister and complimented, “Ah’m happy for you. Ah’m sure you three are gonna have a great time.” She then turned to Wheelie and added, “And hey, maybe we can do somethin’ tonight. How about we play a game? Your choice.” Lighting up, Wheelie squealed, “Really? That’s awesome! Thank you, Apple Bloom!”

As the small robot climbed up his big sister and hugged her, Apple Bloom hugged him back as she replied, “No problem! Now come on. Let’s go home. Ah bet uncle Ironhide is already waitin’ for us.” With that, the two siblings made their way out of the studio.

Once they were gone, Nightshade turned to Double Shuffle and Featherweight and added, “So remember, Friday night right after school.” The cream boy nodded as he replied, “I’ll be there. My mom should let me go, especially since she said she’d appreciate a little peace and quiet.” Double Shuffle then added, “I think my mom would allow it too. It’d give her some quiet time to catch up on some commissions she’s behind on.”

Smiling, Nightshade extended their fist and called out, “Alright. See you guys tomorrow.” Featherweight and Double Shuffle bumped their fist as the former replied, “See you tomorrow at school.” With that, the green haired teen departed, leaving the other two alone.

Scuffing his foot against the floor, Featherweight asked, “So… You wanna study together?” As the cream boy began to faintly blush, Double Shuffle replied, “Sure thing. I’ve got this math test coming up in a few days and….”

With that, the two young teens made their way to a nearby table to begin studying, both looking forward to the upcoming weekend.

Author's Note

Next Time; Double Shuffle, Nightshade, and Featherweight have their first sleepover together, learning about each other in the process.

Author's Note; I apologize for not making any "do the robot" jokes. I just wanted a chapter where I could actually focus on the fact that several of my characters can tap dance since it's been a while since it was really in focus.

Sideswipe's Smoking Problem

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 25; Sideswipe’s Smoking Problem

Sweeping her broom across the garage floor, Sideswipe could only groan, “Ugh. I hate how boring this crap is.” As she shepherded the dust and other small bits of junk towards the small plastic pan across the open garage, the pale biker continued, “Why can’t he just have Wheeljack do this? That idiot is supposed to be on probation or something?” Pausing as she contemplated what she just said, Sideswipe simply shrugged as she answered, “Eh. Guess Ironhide figured toilet duty, smelting duty, KP clean up duty, robot maintenance, and…. Everything else, he decided to show a bit of mercy.”

As far as Sideswipe could tell, it was just another day in the gear grinder. She and Apple Bloom had come home from school, she’d done some of her homework, and now the pale biker was dealing with her daily chores. Letting out a worn-out sigh, she grumbled, “At least he pays us an allowance for all this, otherwise I’d try to organize a strike.”

At that moment, the door to the rest of the chop shop opened as Ratchet’s voice remarked, “I see someone’s been busy here.” Turning to face the old medic, Sideswipe found him standing in the doorway, dressed in a simple gray suit under a white trench coat. As he walked up to her, Ratchet continued, “At least now there shouldn’t be as much dust. Wouldn’t want any of us to have a sneezing fit while working on something.”

Letting out an amused snort, Sideswipe replied, “Yeah, well, anything to earn my keep around here.” Hearing this, Ratchet gently chastised his friend’s ward, “We aren’t a meritocracy. Ironhide just wants to keep you out of trouble.” He then looked around before adding, “Even if we do need every hand on deck every now and then.” He then finished with a gentle yet mischievous, “Especially since Wheeljack is preoccupied with his punitive tasks for leaving that pistol lying around. I mean, the fact he would be so stupid to leave it lying around where someone like Wheelie could find it….”

“Ratchet?” Sideswipe asked, interrupting the old medic’s tangent. As Ratchet stopped in his tracks, the pale biker asked, “Is there something you wanted?” Catching himself, the older man replied, “Ah, yes. I just wanted to say that Apple Bloom and Chromia are handling dinner tonight, so the sarge says you’ve done enough for one night.”

Hearing this, Sideswipe pumped her fist as she exclaimed, “Yes!” She then began to dart away towards the door as she thought, ‘Finally! Time to sneak a little something personal.’ As she approached Ratchet, the pale biker politely asked, “You mind moving? I’d like to get a little fresh air.”

Nodding, Ratchet replied, “Of course. Provided you put that broom and dustbin away of course.” Sighing to herself, Sideswipe groaned, “Fine.” With that, the young biker began to make her way to the discarded broom as she thought to herself, ‘Just a few more minutes.’

The Scrap Yard

Making her way into the family’s large junkyard, Sideswipe began to nervously dart her eyes around to make sure she was alone. ‘Please, don’t let anyone else be out here.’ She thought to herself. ‘Last thing I need right now is someone coming down on my ass.’ Once she was deep in the scrap yard and certain she was alone, Sideswipe reached into her vest pocket as she felt around, mumbling, “Please be in here.” After a few moments, she felt what she was looking for and whispered, “Thank Primus.”

Relieved, Sideswipe pulled a package of Tox-En brand cigarettes.

“There we are.” Sideswipe said with relief as she opened her box of cigarettes and pulled out one of the small sticks of rolled up tobacco. As she stuck it in her mouth, the pale biker reached into her other vest pocket and pulled out a lighter. Taking a moment to look around one last time to make sure she was alone, Sideswipe flicked the lighter on, lit the tip of her cigarette, and took a deep breath.

Letting out a deep breath as smoke emerged from her mouth, Sideswipe thought to herself, ‘Oh yeah. Just what I needed.’ She then brought the cigarette back to her mouth as her mind continued, ‘Nothing like good smoke after a long day.’ Inhaling, the pale girl thought, ‘Gotta love Tox-En. Far better flavor compared to SanjiCo’s bland crap.’

Bringing her cigarette up to her eye, Sideswipe found herself remembering the first time she smoked; She’d been given her first pack by her then girlfriend, a rather chaotic girl named Slipstream. Letting out a wistful sigh, the pale biker lamented, “Shame she ended up being so crazy. Besides, Marble is cuter anyway.” At the thought of her girlfriend, Sideswipe said to herself, “Maybe Marble would like these. Obviously, I won’t push it on her, but I could at least….”

At that moment, Sideswipe was distracted by the sound of Apple Bloom’s voice calling out, “Hello?! Sideswipe?! You out here?!” The pale biker immediately found herself letting out a nervous cough, spitting her cigarette out of her mouth before stomping on it as she thought, ‘Shit! I can’t let Apple Bloom or Ironhide find out about this!’ She then shoved her lighter and cigarette pack into her vest pocket before kicking the now extinguished cigarette under the nearest scrap pile, hoping her sister wouldn’t find it.

Sure enough, Apple Bloom emerged from around the corner, dressed in her red off the shoulder shirt, dark blue and green kilt, and black boots. Approaching her sister, the former farm girl remarked, “There you are. Just wanted to say that dinner is almost ready, so you better come on back.” She then asked, “What are you doin’ out here anyway?”

Keeping her cool, Sideswipe held her hands in her vest pocket as she replied, “I just needed a little fresh air. Nothing wrong with that, is there?” As she said this, the pale biker thought, ‘Please don’t notice anything. I don’t want her narcing on me.”

Thankfully for her, Apple Bloom didn’t seem to notice anything strange, only replying, “Not really. Now come on. Don’t want Wheeljack to start chowin’ down without us, do we?” Letting out an amused chuckle, Sideswipe replied, “I guess not. Lead the way.” Apple Bloom then nodded as she and her sister began to make their way back to the chop shop.

The Chop Shop

As the two teens entered through the side door, they were greeted by the sight of Ratchet talking with Brains, the small robot asking, “Farscinatin’. Oi didn’t know organics were so fragile. Oi tought Master Wheeljack was just fragile.” Letting out an amused snort, the old medic quipped, “That’s just because, and this is between you and me, he’s an idiot.” Deciding to be a bit cheeky, Sideswipe called out, “Oh please. We all know Wheeljack is an idiot.”

As Ratchet and Brains turned to them, Sideswipe asked, “What’s going on? He do something stupid?” Nodding, Brains replied, “Just cuttin’ himself on a saw thart might be a bit too rusty.” Ratchet then added, “And I can’t remember if I’d given him a tetanus shot lately. Or ever.” The old medic began to think as he lamented, “Damn shame my memory isn’t what it used to be.”

As the two girls giggled to themselves, Apple Bloom turned to her sister and said, “Alright, you better go wash up. Don’t want you spillin’ dirt and dust everywhere.” Sideswipe nodded as she replied, “I guess that’s fair.”

Before Sideswipe could leave the room, she was stopped when Ratchet ordered, “Hold it right there!” Stopping in her tracks, the pale biker began to think to herself, ‘What? What’s going on?’ Making his way up to her, the old medic began to sniff the air around her, leading Sideswipe to ask, “Uh…. What are you doing?”

Continuing to sniff around the teenaged girl, Ratchet took a deep breath as he answered, “Forgive me. I thought I smelled something.” Sniffing the air again, the old medic continued, “I swear, it smells like….” Having the old man smell the air around her creeped Sideswipe out, leading her to remark, “Uh… This is kinda creeping me out.” In the back of her mind, the pale biker thought, ‘Wait, please tell he doesn’t think I smell like cigarettes.’

Before Ratchet could seemingly identify what exactly he was smelling, Ironhide’s voice called out, “What’s going on in here?” Turning to see her guardian and adopted father enter the room, Sideswipe thought to herself, ‘Good timing. I started to get the feeling Ratchet was gonna sus me.’ The pale biker walked up to her guardian and explained, “Ratchet was just sniffing me like he’s swapped brains with Sparkplug.”

As Ironhide turned to his subordinate and friend, Ratchet asked, “Well? That true?” Nodding, the old medic replied, “Thought I smelled something fishy sir.” He then stretched his arms as he continued, “Guess I’m just going a bit kooky in my old age.” Ironhide couldn’t help but let out a gentle chuckle as he remarked, “Guess that’s something I’ll be looking forward to in about twenty years.” Turning to his daughters, the family patriarch greeted, “Alright everyone. Let’s eat.” Now that she was seemingly in the clear, Sideswipe let out a gentle sigh as she thought to herself, ‘Thank Primus I’m in the clear.’

At that moment, Ratchet spoke up with a stern, “Oh Sideswipe? Would you please give me your cigarettes?”

‘Oh shit!’ Sideswipe immediately thought to herself as she stopped in her tracks. ‘Please tell me that he didn’t say what I think he said.’ Turning to face the old medic, she found Ratchet giving her a stern glare as he extended his hand towards her, clearly annoyed with her. Sideswipe let out a nervous gulp as she tentatively asked, “Uh… What did you say?”

Shaking his head, Ratchet bluntly answered, “Don’t play dumb with me young lady! Your breath reeks of tobacco, specifically cigarette smoke. So please, just give me those accursed death sticks.” Before the pale biker could think of a way to change the subject, Ironhide asked, “Hold up! Sideswipe? Do you have cigarettes on you?”

Caught off guard and starting to feel like she was being ganged up on, Sideswipe awkwardly asked, “Uh, what are you talking about?” Looking down on his daughter in mild disappointment, Ironhide warned, “Sideswipe? You’d better not be lying to me and Ratchet. So please, tell me. Do you have cigarettes on you?”

For a brief moment, Sideswipe didn’t know what to. ‘On one hand, If I give up my smokes, I’ll be up the creek without a paddle.’ The pale biker thought to herself. ‘But I’m stuck here in between these guys, and if I’ve learned one thing about Ironhide over the years, it’s that he’s persistent.’ Realizing that she was in a no-win scenario, Sideswipe let out a defeated sigh, reached into her vest pocket, and pulled out her box of cigarettes before spitefully shoving it into Ironhide’s hands.

Taking the pack of cigarettes from his daughter, Ironhide lamented, “Well, this is certainly disappointing. I would’ve thought you knew what these can do to you.” Before Sideswipe could react, Apple Bloom incredulously asked, “What? Sideswipe? You smoke?”

Turning around to her sister, Sideswipe impulsively defended herself with a defensive, “It’s no big deal! Just a few puffs to ease some stress!” The pale biker’s defense was rebutted by Ratchet, who warned, “That’s what every smoker says until they find out they have lung cancer.” The old medic shook his head as he lamented, “I can’t believe you’d do something so disgusting. Not to mention you’re too young to be able to get a hold of these.” Ironhide then demanded, “That’s another thing! How the hell did you get your hands on these?”

Without even thinking, Sideswipe immediately and impulsively replied, “I got them from none of your damn business!” The moment those words escaped her lips, the pale girl thought to herself, ‘Damnit! You just mouthed off to Ironhide you idiot!’

Sure enough, Ironhide folded his arms as he sternly warned, “Hold it right there! I don’t like your tone young lady!” Feeling herself give in to her frustration at her predicament, Sideswipe thought, ‘Keep your cool Sideswipe. Don’t lash out at him!’ Sadly, the pale biker was unable to keep herself from pushing herself up on her toes as she tried to look the former sergeant in the eyes in a vain attempt to intimidate him.

Ironhide simply shook his head as he said, “We’ll deal with this later. Right now, I think we all could use something to eat.” Apple Bloom then spoke up with a nervous, “Exactly! No use gettin’ all worked up on an empty stomach.” Sideswipe, however, simply grumbled to herself, ‘Oh, fuck this.’ As she began to stomp away, the former farm girl asked, “Uh, Sideswipe? Where are you goin’?”

Turning around to face her sister, Sideswipe impulsively shouted, “I’m going to my room!” The moment she said this, the pale biker mentally chastised herself as she warned, ‘What the hell are you doing? Do you wanna get grounded?’ Catching herself, Sideswipe took a deep breath as she bluntly said, “I…. I need some alone time.”

Before either Ironhide, Ratchet, or Apple Bloom could say anything, Sideswipe ran off to her room, all while she thought to herself, ‘So much for a relaxing evening.’

Sideswipe’s Room, Later That Night

Lying on her bed, Sideswipe stared up at the ceiling as she grumbled to herself, “Well, this has turned into quite the eventful day. Busy day at school, chores, and now Ironhide took my cigarettes and I just had to lash out at him.” Sighing, the pale biker could only fling her arms into the air as she complained, “Primus, I…. I need a smoke.”

At that moment, someone knocked on the pale girl’s door. ‘Primus.’ Sideswipe thought to herself. ‘That’s gotta be either Ironhide or Ratchet, probably gonna hand my ass to me about that outburst.’ When her guest knocked on her guest again, the pale biker nonchalantly called out, ‘The door is unlocked.’

The door opened, revealing Ironhide with a tray in his hand. Walking up to his daughter, the former sergeant glumly said, “Brought you dinner. You stormed up here in a huff, and I just wanted to make sure you ate something.” Looking at the tray he’d brought up, Sideswipe found a bowl of some sort of soup, a grilled cheese sandwich, apple slices, and a glass of milk. Taking the tray, the young girl simply stated, “Thanks.”

As Sideswipe reached for the spoon, Ironhide asked, “So, how did you get those cigarettes?” Hearing this, the pale biker found herself groaning, “Ugh. Why are you so hung up on that? It’s not like I’m snorting coke injecting smack or anything!” Shaking his head, Ironhide replied, “I don’t care. Smoking is bad for your health, and as long as you’re under my roof, your….”

Sadly, Sideswipe was no longer paying attention. ‘Of course, this old line.’ She thought to herself in frustration. ‘I had to put up with more than enough of it from dad.’ Within less than an instant, the pale biker groaned, “I know, I know, the whole “My house my rules” routine. I’ve heard that song and dance before.”

“Actually…” Ironhide began, his voice betraying a hint of frustration. “I was going to say that since you’re under my roof, your safety is my responsibility, and I don’t want you doing something stupid.” He then let out a gentle sigh as he asked, “So, if I may ask, why did you have those cigarettes on you anyway?”

For a few moments, Sideswipe didn’t know if she should answer her guardian’s question. ‘I mean, I should tell him, what with him taking me in after dad went coocoo.’ She thought to herself. But as she grabbed on to her arm, the pale biker continued, ‘Yet…. I don’t want to say anything, or else I could…. I dunno….’

Sideswipe was distracted from her train of thought as Ironhide snapped his fingers and asked, “Kid? You alright?” Nodding, the pale biker replied, “I’m fine. I just….” Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Can…. Can this just stay between the two of us? At least for now?” The former sergeant nodded as he reassured her, “No problem. Just you and me.”

Now that she was reassured of her confidentiality, Sideswipe took another deep breath as she explained, “Well, after dad had his accident and I had to drop out, I found that trying to help with the bills was very stressful.” As she picked up one of the apple slices from her tray, the pale biker continued, “And, well… This was around the time I met my first girlfriend, and she introduced me.”

Taking this in, Ironhide remarked, “I believe I’ve heard you mention her a few times. What was her name, Slip up? Slapper?” Sideswipe couldn’t help but giggle as she replied, “Her name was Slipstream. And yeah, she helped get me started.” She then continued with a gentle, “And after the first one, I just… Felt like I’d been standing my entire life and sat down for the first time.”

Ironhide nodded as he replied, “I suppose I can’t blame you. After everything you’ve had to go through, I can see why you’d need a stress reliever.” He then added, “I know what it’s like to need a quick fix of for stress relief.”

At that moment, the pale biker lit up as she asked, “Wait a minute! Didn’t you used to smoke? I remember the time you told Apple Bloom and I that story about you and Wheeljack having that argument about that giant gun, and didn’t you say you were smoking a cigar that night?” Nodding, Ironhide replied, “Yeah. That was… a bad habit I picked up back during the war.”

Sighing, the former sergeant elaborated, “I smoked my first cigar after Firefly got picked off by a sniper. Sometimes, it was the only way I could relax or even release a sliver of tension.” Taking a bite from her grilled cheese sandwich, Sideswipe remarked, “Wow. Sorry about that.” Ironhide wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulder and sat down next to her as he reassured her, “It’s ok kid. I quit years ago.”

Curious, Sideswipe impulsively asked, “What made you wanna give it up?” Letting out a gentle chuckle, Ironhide answered, “It was when Chromia and I were seriously considering adopting a child. The fact that we would be responsible for someone else, especially a kid, kinda gave me just the push I needed to quit smoking.” He then quickly added, “Took a few months, but I eventually got clean.”

As she reached for her bowl of soup, Sideswipe asked, “So you haven’t had, like, any relapses or something?” Shaking his head, the former sergeant replied, “Not quite. I’ve been tempted a few times, but so far, I’ve been able to stay clean.”

At that moment, Ironhide rose up from his daughter’s bed as he gently warned, “Now then. Given the nature of this little incident, Ratchet and I are gonna be keeping a close eye on you for the next short while. From now on, you won’t be able to go anywhere around the garage, chop shop, or anywhere else around here without either of us knowing it.”

Caught completely off guard, Sideswipe found herself thinking, ‘What? There’s no way he’d even….’ Shaking her head, the pale biker could only stammer out, “That…. That’s not fair!” Ironhide immediately retorted with a stern, “Fair or not, I’m not going to let you poison yourself under my watch. You’re lucky he convinced me to not resort to going through your stuff.”

Realizing that Ironhide was not going to budge, as well as the fact that pushing against it would only result in digging herself a deeper grave, Sideswipe groaned as she relented, “Fine.” A reluctantly satisfied Ironhide nodded as he asked, “And one more thing. I really need to know who you got those cigarettes from.” For a moment, Sideswipe hesitated as she thought, ‘Well, I either fold now or fold later.’

Sighing in resignation, the pale biker relented and answered, “There’s a guy at school named Reefer. I bought them from him just off school property so it technically can’t be dealing anything on campus.”

The moment she said this, Sideswipe thought to herself, ‘I can’t it. I ratted someone out.’ Groaning to herself, the young biker picked up the tray on her bed and set it down next to it before lying down as she lamented, “Suddenly, I don’t have much of an appetite left.”

Seeing that his daughter needed a moment to herself, Ironhide bade his daughter, “Make sure to take a shower before you go to sleep, ok? Love you Sideswipe.” As much as she was frustrated at her current predicament, Sideswipe replied with a gentle, “I love you too.”

Once Ironhide left her room, Sideswipe looked to the tray of now room temperature food as she lamented, “I’m actually pretty hungry, but I feel sick knowing I ratted Reefer out. Once he finds out, my ass will be torn apart piece by piece.”

All she could do was lie face up in her bed, lamenting that now she’d made it, she’d have to sleep in it.

The Master Bedroom

As Ironhide made his way to his and Chromia’s bed, the blue haired woman asked, “You still worried about Sideswipe?” Tucking himself in under the sheets, the family patriarch replied, “I am. It’s like….” Pausing as he struggled to find the right words, Ironhide continued, “…It’s like she’s turning back into that mischievous troublemaker who used to cause mayhem all over town.”

Patting her husband on the back, Chromia softly reminded him, “We shouldn’t be too surprised. Remember that time she spilled motor oil all over the garage?” Ironhide couldn’t help but laugh as he replied, “Boy, do I ever.” He then added, “Still, I just can’t believe that she’d both be smoking and try to hide it from us.”

Chromia stretched her arms as she explained, “We knew this wasn’t gonna be easy when we took her in. I’m just surprised it took her this long for there to be any real behavioral issues.” Ironhide then added, “Well there was that time she lashed out at Applejack.” The family matriarch couldn’t help but laugh and reply, “Ok, that one was justified.”

Once they’d both had a good laugh, Ironhide said, “We better get some sleep. See you in the morning.” Chromia nodded as she replied, “I love you.” The family matriarch then gave her husband a gentle kiss to the lips as he replied, “I love you too.”

The married couple then went to sleep, hoping they could get enough rest after a long and somewhat trying day.

Sideswipe’s Room, Early the Next Morning

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Sideswipe couldn’t help but smirk as she complimented her reflection, “Girl, you are smoking.” She’d changed into her attire for the day; a black sleeveless shirt under a red denim vest, red jean pants, and black biker boots. Shooting two finger guns at her reflection, Sideswipe took a deep breath as she began to pep herself up, “Ok, another day of school, nothing to fret about. Just… be careful around Reefer. Chances are Ironhide called principal Magnus and informed him about everything.”

At that moment, someone knocked on her bedroom door. ‘Who the bloody hell is that?’ Sideswipe thought to herself. Turning to the door, she called out, “Door’s unlocked. Come on in.”

The door quickly opened, revealing Ratchet, clad in a white lab coat over a dark gray suit. The fact that he had dark circles under his blue eyes signaled to Sideswipe that he not only had just arrived, but also not even had his morning coffee yet. Taking a small gulp, the pale biker asked, “Uh… Everything alright Ratchet?”

Nodding while he gave a small smile, Ratchet answered, “I’m fine young lady. Just wanted to come a bit early to check up on you.” He then took a deep breath as he continued, “I can’t smell any tobacco, so it seems you’ve not taken anything since yesterday.” Sideswipe could only roll her eyes as she sarcastically replied, “Yeah, because I’m so naughty and love trying to sneak a smoke this early in the morning.”

Noticing the young girl’s sarcasm, Ratchet let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Of course. Speaking of that…” The old medic reached into his pocket and pulled out something he then tossed to the pale biker before finishing, “… You might appreciate this.”

Catching the mystery trinket, Sideswipe inspected it as she let out a confused, “Nicotine gum?” Indeed, the item that now rested in her hands was a small pack of nicotine gum in a pink wrapper. Walking up to the young biker, Ratchet explained, “Yup. A little something that should help deal with any potential cravings for a cigarette.” Not sure of what to say next, Sideswipe could only reply with a gentle, “Thanks.” Ratchet nodded as he gently chided, “Once you’re an adult, you can ruin your lungs all you’d like, but ‘till then, we just want to keep an eye on you.”

Sideswipe couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘I’m not a kid. I mean, I’m not quite a…. fine, whatever.” Letting out a deep breath, the pale girl could only reply with a simple, “I understand. Just…. Promise me you won’t try to pad me down like we’re at an airport.” Ratchet made the familiar motions of a pinkie promise as he reassured her, “cross my heart, to the brass. Stick a round right up my ass.” Hearing the old medic briefly swear caught Sideswipe off guard, leading her to begin laughing.

At that moment, Sideswipe’s stomach began to rumble, leading her to remark, “Guess we better head down and start getting breakfast ready, right?” Ratchet replied, “Yup. You and I are on KP duty this morning. Follow me.” He then departed the young girl’s room as he finished, “I’ll be waiting for you downstairs. Don’t waste any time.”

Sideswipe began to make her way for the door when she suddenly found herself overcome with the familiar urge to smoke a cigarette. ‘Shit.’ She thought to herself. Thankfully, the pale biker remembered the nicotine gum she’d been given, and quickly opened it, pulled a strip out, and began to chew it. Feeling her craving briefly subside, Sideswipe couldn’t help but think, ‘Guess I better get used to this, huh?’ Her rumbling stomach distracted the young girl from her need for nicotine, leading Sideswipe to say, “Guess I better get moving.”

With that, Sideswipe departed her room, hoping that whatever she and Ratchet could cook up for breakfast could help keep her mind off her smoky predicament.

Author's Note

Next Time; It's a secret.

Author's Note; I'm gonna be taking a little time off from this since I've been busy with work and need to map out what happens next (not to mention things here in the states are gonna be.... hectic).
Also, I wanted to try and give Sideswipe a bit of her edge back, and I do know that we will see more of her "naughty" side in the future.

He Just Don't Got It

Life in Allspark Wells

Part Dog; He Just Don’t Got It

“Aah…. Aah…. Achoo!” Apple Bloom groaned as she let out yet another loud sneeze. As the snot shot out of her nose and into the tissue she’d just barely managed to press up to her face, the former farm girl felt her throat sting, feeling as if it had been turned into a barren, rocky canyon devoid of any and all water. Reaching over to her nightstand, she grabbed a bottle of water and took a great big gulp. “Ugh.” Apple Bloom grumbled to herself as she sniffled her runny nose.

That morning, Apple Bloom had awoken to find her throat sore, her head throbbing, her nose running and her joints aching. No sooner had she barely made to the kitchen before Ratchet immediately figured out that she’d come down with more than just cold, and thus sent the former farm girl back up to her room while he called a doctor. Now, several hours, a doctor’s visit, and a diagnosis of a sinus infection later, she found herself confined to her bed, unable to do anything else but sleep or just stare at the other end of her bedroom wall.

At that moment, someone knocked on her bedroom door. Apple Bloom let out a quick cough to make sure she didn’t accidentally interrupt whoever it was and called out, “Come in.” As the door opened, the former farm girl was greeted by the sight of an older man with gray skin, white hair, and a white lab coat over a simple suit, followed by a small robot with a skeletal body, two large binocular eyes, and some sort of extended block on the other end of his head.

Walking into his friend’s daughter’s room, Ratchet asked, “So, how are we feeling?” Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she replied, “’Bout the same as an hour ago. Mah throat hurts, Ah….” The young girl was interrupted by the unpleasant buildup of phlegm in her throat. ‘Here we go.’ She thought as she began to cough and gag, barely able to keep herself from throwing up.

Noticing the young girl’s sneezing, Brains remarked, “Oi’m terribly sorry yer feelin’ so under the weather lass.” Apple Bloom gently nodded her head as she replied, “Thanks Brains.” She then turned her head back to Ratchet as she continued, “Not that much different. Just wish this damn sinus thing would pass already.” Ratchet walked up to the young girl and held his hand against her forehead as he replied, “Well, you aren’t running a fever. Another day or so and you’ll be right as rain.”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom asked, “So, does this mean Ah can at least help out a bit?” Ratchet immediately shot back with a blunt, “No. Last thing we need is you getting sicker or spreading it to Ironhide, Chromia, or Wheeljack. Especially Wheeljack.” The old medic then shuddered as he fearfully muttered, “Last time that idiot tried working under the weather, I had to save his ass from falling into the smelting pits.”

Apple Bloom could only let out an amused, “Ooh.” She would have asked for Ratchet to elaborate, but the burgundy haired girl was interrupted by a sudden (and very unpleasant) coughing fit. As she hacked up her lung, Apple Bloom found herself thinking, ‘Oh please don’t start throwin’ up! That’s the last thing Ah need today.’ Thankfully, she managed to control herself as she asked, “Hey, you mind if Ah have a little peace and quiet?”

Ratchet nodded as he replied, “Sure thing kid.” He then turned to Brains as he ordered, “Come on. I want to run an inventory on our medical supplies.” The small robot could only roll his eyes as he complained, “But we did thart yesterday sar.” Nodding, the old medic replied, “Yes, but I enjoy keeping to a habit, especially since Wheeljack is a magnet for disaster.”

As Brains and Ratchet departed her bedroom, Apple Bloom flopped back onto her bed, her head resting on her pillow as she asked herself, “So, what happens now?”

At that moment, an idea entered the former farm girl’s head. ‘Wait. Where’s Armorhide’s journal?’ Reaching to her bedside, Apple Bloom found her grandfather’s journal resting next to the bottle of water she’d taken a sip from. Making sure the old book wasn’t drenched with water, the former farm girl opened it to where she’d left of as she began to read, “It was the end of the summer, and we’d pushed Jerry all the way to the border of….”

3rd Battalion Assembly Area, Many Decades Earlier

Glancing at his reflection in the platoon’s mirror, Armorhide took a deep breath as he said to himself, “Remember, it’s an upturned hand.” He then stood at attention and gave his reflection a “proper” salute. The young corporal had been informed by his commanding officer, Major Blackthorne, that he had to stop giving the incorrect salute to other officers or else he’d be “Spending the rest of the war scraping shit off of everyone’s boots.” Recoiling at the thought, the young soldier thought to himself, ‘Ugh. I’d rather face three tiger tanks than do that.’

As he continued to practice his salutes, Armorhide allowed himself to notice his uniform. Rather than the faded green of his time under Captain Falcon, the uniform of the 92nd Highland Foot Guards was a dark khaki tunic and trousers, black boots with off white gaiters, and a wide brimmed helmet in comparison to the “brain bucket” he’d worn earlier.

At that moment, the young corporal was distracted when a young, unfamiliar voice asked, “Excuse me sar?” Turning around, Armorhide was greeted by the sight of a young man with white skin, blue hair and eyes, and clad in a fresh, clean uniform much like his own. Walking up to him, the new man awkwardly asked, “Is this the 92nd Highland Foot Guards, A Squadron?”

Hearing those words escape the young man’s lips, Armorhide thought to himself, ‘Must be that new guy we were promised. A bit skinnier than I expected, but not too shabby.’ The young corporal nodded as he finally replied, “Yup. I’m corporal Armorhide. You must be the new guy, right?”

As the younger man shot him a salute, he replied, “Sar, Private Bluestreak Sar!” He then asked, “Pardon my askin’, you a Canuk by any chance?” Armorhide shook his head as he replied, “Not quite. I had a….” Pausing as he thought, ‘How do I give him the simplified version?,’ Eventually, he settled on, “I had a unique encounter with a tank crew, so I found myself joining up with these lads.”

From the opposite end of the barracks, Armorhide and Bluestreak heard the sound of Leadfoot’s voice call out, “Aye, that blockhead might sound like a yank, but he’s every bit a Highlander as the rest of us.” As the young corporal turned to face his friend, he found the red skinned man walking up them as he continued, “As for you ya little buckshee crow, we’ll need to see what you can do.”

As Bluestreak let out a nervous gulp, Leadfoot turned to Armorhide as he continued, “Major says we’ve got new orders. Briefing in ten minutes.” The young corporal let out a defeated sigh as he replied, “Alright. We better not keep him waiting.” Armorhide then turned to Bluestreak as he said, “Let’s introduce you to your new family boy.”

Five Minutes Later

As the rest of the Foot Guards sat down on the makeshift stands in front of a rusty projector, Armorhide let out a gentle groan as he leaned into Leadfoot’s ear and asked, “So, there a hidden village we gotta clear out?” Shaking his head, the red Highlander replied, “Hardly. Word’s out that a Jerry battalion hunkering down nearby. We’ve been volunteered to give ‘em the eviction notice.”

Glancing around him, Armorhide couldn’t help but take in just how many other men were there with him. All in all, there were almost fifty other soldiers, many of whom were from other squadrons and platoons in the unit. ‘I mean, it’s not like the Foot Guards is just one squadron, right? That’d be stupid.’

At that moment, Major Blackthorne entered the room and powered up the projector before calling out, “Alright boys! Listen up!” Once all the Highlanders had given their attention to their commanding officer, the major pointed at the projected image against the wall as he began, “Here’s our situation, and Oi’m only gonna say this once.”

Staring at the image, Armorhide found that it was an aerial photograph of the surrounding area, at least for several miles. Major Blackthorne pointed to the center of the picture as he explained, “We’ve received word from the underground that a Waffen battalion is settin’ up shop around here, and we’ll be flanking them while the 1st Royal Canuk Rifles distract them.” He then pointed to an opening next to the enemy battalion’s position as he continued, “We’ll be moving hard and fast, and if we lose the momentum, it will be a slaughterhouse.”

Hearing this, Armorhide could only gulp as he thought, ‘A Waffen battalion? At least they won’t be sneaking up on us this time.’ As he collected himself, Major Blackthorne continued, “You will all be further briefed by your squadron leaders. Good luck to each and every one of you, and good hunting.”

As everyone began to depart the briefing, Leadfoot playfully nudged Bluestreak as he remarked, “Looks like you’re gon’ne get yer teeth cut real soon!” The younger recruit could only let out a nervous, “Yeah. Hopefully they’ll give up without a fuss.” Shaking his head, Armorhide could only lament, “I wish, but these Waffen wankers are fanatics. They’re not gonna surrender unless it’s a blue moon.”

Hearing this, Bluestreak could only let out a terrified gulp as he turned deathly pale (at least as pale as his white skin would allow). Seeing this, Armorhide could only pat his new subordinate on the back as he reassured him, “Don’t worry. Once you get your first kill, everything else falls into place.” His words of encouragement didn’t seem to have any effect on Bluestreak, who simply stared off into what was in front of him.

Sighing, Armorhide decided to change the subject as he said, “Come on boy. Let’s get you introduced to the rest of the squad.”

The Farmlands, the Next Day

“Keep pushing!” The voice of an officer called out amidst the flurry of artillery fire, heavy machine gun fire, and mortar shells crashing all around the members of the 92nd Highland Foot Guards. As he ran up to an overturned tractor, Armorhide rested his back against his temporary protection whilst readying his submachine gun. To his side, Private Claymore joined him as he quipped, “Jerry must be dug in pretty tight!”

At that moment, an officer, a lieutenant judging by his uniform, ran towards them as he shouted, “Forwards men! For king and country!” Sadly, the hapless officer was not protected by any cover, and quickly found himself on the receiving end of over three dozen machine gun rounds. As his body fell to the ground, Armorhide could only shout, “Where the hell is our fucking artillery support?!”

Armorhide received his answer in the form of three faint rumbles, not unlike the crashing of thunder. Looking up at the sky to see a blue sky, the young corporal allowed an excited smile to form across his lips as he muttered, “I think our day just got a little better.”

Sure enough, just on the other side of the overturned tractor, a large cloud of dirt, earth, grass, and anything else that just so happened to get in the way emerged from the ground as a loud “kaboom” rang out. As the cloud of dust began to settle, another explosion occurred in front of it, leading Leadfoot to remark, “Nothin’ like a good creepin’ barrage to push Jerry back!”

Readying his weapon, Armorhide called out, “Alright then! Let’s give these krauts a damn good ass kicking!”

Later That Day

Standing in front of the old farmhouse that, only a few hours earlier had been a Waffen position, Armorhide brought a pipe up to his lips, lit it, and took a deep breath, inhaling the tobacco fumes as he lamented, “Well, that was certainly a one hell of a Saturday morning.” In front of him, a handful of surrendered prisoners were being marched away as Leadfoot mockingly called out, “Better luck next time Fritz!” Watching his friend celebrate their victory, the young corporal could only let out a relieved sigh as he lamented, “At least we made it out of this one alive.”

Turning to his other side, Armorhide found two of the other Highlanders solemnly arranging the bodies of their fellow comrades who’d fallen in the previous battle. Some were unfamiliar faces, whilst others were recognizable, such as that of the unfortunate lieutenant, his skin already graying as his glassy eyes stared up into the sky. Shaking his head, the young man could only lament, “Damn shame it’s all coming down to this.”

At that moment, Armorhide distracted from the sight of his fallen comrades by the sound of Claymore’s voice shouting, “What the hell you fuckin’ bimbot?” Following the sound, the young corporal found his fellow Highlander, rifle slung over his back, dragging Private Bluestreak by his ear. Noticing the pale man’s obvious embarrassment and discomfort, Armorhide could only shake his head as he thought to himself, ‘Why do I have a feeling that this isn’t exactly good news?”

Walking up to his teammates, Armorhide asked, “What’s going on?” Claymore gave his answer when he chucked Bluestreak to the ground in front of the young corporal as he bellowed, “This lily-livered coward didn’t fire a single shot!” He then turned to the young man and ordered, “Empty your weapon! Right now!”

Bluestreak let out a terrified, “Y-y-yes sir!” before he presented his rifle and began to operate the bolt, ejecting the rounds one by one. Just as Claymore said, each round that was ejected still had the bullet inside it, signifying that he’d not even fired his weapon at all. After repeating this ten times, Claymore folded his arms as he growled, “He did’ne even fire a fuckin’ warnin’ shot at the huns!”

Looking down at the fresh rounds, Armorhide couldn’t help but think, ‘Isn’t that queer? Why the hell didn’t he shoot at the Germans?” Raising his head, the young corporal turned to Bluestreak as he asked, “Private? You wanna explain why you didn’t shoot at the enemy?”

Taking a nervous breath, Bluestreak awkwardly replied, “Well, I… I got a good look at one of those Jerries and….” The blue haired man hesitated for a moment before giving his surprising answer.

“He was a human bein’. I just couldn’ne kill another person.”

For several moments, everyone stood there, processing what they’d just heard. Shaking his head, Armorhide thought, ‘You… You gotta be fucking kidding me. This little prick knows we’re in the middle of a goddamn war, right?’ After a few more seconds, the young corporal bluntly asked, “What the hell do you mean by that?”

“He was a person sar!” Bluestreak replied before letting out a loud gulp. “I tried to steel myself for it, but when I saw his eyes, I just knew he was a human, probably with a family and….”

Bluestreak was interrupted when Leadfoot slammed his fist into the young boy’s jaw, producing a sickening smack as the latter warned, “Oi, there’s a bloody war on you know!” He then grabbed Bluestreak by his collar and spitefully warned, “And the next time we have a run in with the Huns, you better make sure you shoot your Primus forsaken gun!”

Seeing his comrades bicker and fight with each other, Armorhide groaned as he declared, “That does it!” Stepping in between Leadfoot and Bluestreak, the young corporal turned to his friend as he warned, “You lashing out like Gramps isn’t gonna change anything!” Before the red Highlander could even consider talking back, Armorhide turned to Bluestreak and added, “And you, whether you like it or not, we’ve got a job to do, so pick up those rounds, reload your weapon, and get ready to….”

Armorhide was interrupted when an explosion rocked everyone, forcing Bluestreak to the ground as Leadfoot asked, “What the hell was that?” As another explosion rang out, this time much closer to the group of Highlanders, Armorhide witnessed a massive, eight wheeled armored car emerge from the nearby trees, followed by enemy soldiers. All the young corporal could do was call out, “Counter attack!”

As the rest of the Highlanders hit the dirt, Armorhide shoved his weapon into Bluestreak’s hands as he ordered, “Aim this at the krauts and pull the trigger! Don’t think, just do it!” He then reached for the young man’s discarded rifle and began to scoop up the discarded rounds as he continued, “Come on boys!”

No sooner had Armorhide said this than the armored car rotated it’s turret in his direction, forcing the young corporal to dive to the ground and crawl to the protection of some hastily piled sandbags. As the young corporal began to reload his rifle, Leadfoot called out, “Someone get a damn PIAT up here!”

Amidst the confusion and chaos, Armorhide found himself staring at a terrified Bluestreak, the young man having dropped his weapon so that he could cover his ears with his hands. ‘Oh, for the love of Primus!’ He thought to himself. ‘Of all the times he has to have a panic attack.’ Rolling his eyes, Armorhide knew that the only thing he could do was continue reloading his new weapon.

Once his rifle was reloaded, Armorhide peaked his head over his sandbags and began to aim his rifle. After a few moments, he aimed his weapon at an unsuspecting German solider. ‘Got you Jerry!’ The young corporal thought to himself as he pulled the trigger, sending a bullet straight into his opponent’s chest. As the enemy soldier fell to the ground, his comrades pointed at Armorhide’s direction and shouted at each other.

Ducking behind the pile of sandbags, Armorhide grumbled, “Bloody krauts. Here we go.” He began to peak his head back over his simple cover, but a flurry of submachine gun fire forced him to keep his head down. All the young corporal could do was keep his head down as he muttered, “Well… Shit.”

Thankfully, Leadfoot came running up with a large, tube-like device as he declared, “PIAT here! Fuckin’ big explosion comin’ right up!” The crimson Highlander aimed his weapon at the armored car and fired, sending its payload straight into the target. The gray behemoth was consumed by a cloud of red fire as the rest of the Germans jumped or dove out of the way. Realizing he had a chance, Armorhide poked his head up and aimed his rifle at one of the panicking soldiers.

As the smoke began to clear, Armorhide called out, “They’re confused and panicking! Let’s kick their asses boys!” Leadfoot and the other Highlanders let out enthusiastic cheers as the young corporal gave a cocky smirk whilst he ejected the spent round from his rifle. Taking a deep breath, Armorhide whispered to himself, “Let’s do this.” With that, he leapt over the sandbags and began to charge the enemy soldiers.

Running towards the Germans, Armorhide aimed his weapon at another one of his enemies, pulled the trigger, and sent another kraut straight to the afterlife. To his side, the young corporal noticed that Bluestreak was following him, his borrowed submachine gun held in both hands as beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. The only comfort Armorhide could take was the fact that his presence at least removed any doubts of cowardice.

Turning his attention back to his enemies, Armorhide aimed his rifle at one of the German soldiers, a surprisingly young man who couldn’t be older than eighteen. Despite his young age, the young corporal immediately aimed his rifle at his opponent as he briefly thought, ‘Primus forgive me.’ With that, he pulled the trigger, sending a round straight into the teen’s head, granting him the mercy of an immediate death.

Before Armorhide could even consider reloading his rifle, another enemy soldier, yet another teenager, charged him and tackled the young corporal to the ground. As the teenaged soldier tried to push a knife into his throat, Armorhide pushed his opponent’s hands back as he growled, “Do your worst you sausage sucking prick!”

In the corner of his eye, Armorhide noticed Bluestreak catching his breath. ‘Thank Primus!’ The young corporal thought to himself in relief. He then called out, “Bluestreak! Help me!” The moment he said this, Bluestreak immediately aimed his weapon at the enemy soldier.

But it was here, at this moment, that Armorhide noticed something. Bluestreak wasn’t pulling the trigger on his weapon, nor was he charging his opponent. He wasn’t even trying to call for help or alert the other soldiers. No, Bluestreak was simply standing there, a nervous expression as he hesitated to fire.

‘Oh no.’ Armorhide thought to himself. ‘Please don’t tell me that son of a bitch is freezing in the middle of battle.’ He would’ve continued to ponder on his teammate’s incompetence, his opponent continued to push his knife closer to the young corporal’s throat, forcing Armorhide to continue his desperate attempt to keep himself alive.

At that moment, the sound of a gunshot rang out in Armorhide’s ears. Within a heartbeat, the German teenager dropped his knife and fell lifelessly onto the young corporal’s chest. Pushing the dead body off of him, Armorhide found Leadfoot standing over him, a concerned look on his face as he asked, “You alright there?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Armorhide replied, taking a deep breath as he shook his head. “Just saw my life flashing before my eyes.” He then paused for a moment before adding, “It was really boring actually.”

Patting his friend on the shoulder, Leadfoot reassured him, “Well, at least you’ve still got a wee bit more time to be a wee bit boring.” The red Highlander then pointed to something in the distance as he added, “Look. Jerry’s givin’ up. Must have had enough.”

Following his friend’s hand, Armorhide was pleasantly surprised to see a handful of enemy soldiers slowly walk up to them, their hands in the air or holding their weapons over their heads. Letting out a sigh of relief, the young corporal could only remark, “Thank Primus.”

But as his eyes followed the surrendering prisoners, Armorhide found himself starring at Bluestreak. The inexperienced soldier had tossed his loaned submachine gun to the ground, collapsed to his knees, and was now dry heaving from stress. Under any other circumstance, Armorhide would be sympathetic to him, or at least pity him.

But not this time. As he stared at his new teammate, Armorhide felt his blood boil, thinking, ‘Why that good for nothing, useless….’ Leadfoot noticed his friend’s growing anger as he asked, “You alright there Armorhide?” The young corporal simply shrugged his comrade away as he stomped up to Bluestreak, cracking his knuckles in anger.

Before Bluestreak could even react, Armorhide grabbed him by his helmet, pulled him upwards, and slammed him to the ground, producing a sickening crunch as he furiously asked, “What in the blue fuck was that?!” Struggling to get himself back up to his feet, Bluestreak fearfully asked, “What… What are you talkin’ about?!”

Pointing to the dead teenager, Armorhide demanded, “Why the hell did you fucking hesitate?! You realize I could’ve died, don’t you, you fucking idiot?!” He then grabbed Bluestreak by his tunic collar and continued, “Why didn’t you shoot him?!” All the young private could do was nervously reply, “Because I just couldn’t do it! I couldn’t kill someone!”

‘Couldn’t do it?’ Armorhide thought to himself as stared at the young soldier. ‘I was nearly killed, and he couldn’t do it?’ Just thinking about it made his blood boil, leading the corporal to slam Bluestreak back to the ground as he angrily said, “Fuck it.” He then began to stomp away, though not before he heard Leadfoot warn, “He’s not normally that prone to tirrivies. Mean’s yer quite the fuckup.”

But Armorhide wasn’t paying attention to his friend’s words. Right now, he just needed somewhere to not think about anything.

Nearby Barn, That Evening

Sitting on a bushel of hay, Armorhide glared across the old barn at Bluestreak, the young man holding his head in shame and resignation as he stared at the floor. Normally, the dark corporal would just chock this up to him being “the new guy,” but now, after nearly being killed due to his hesitation, Armorhide just couldn’t overlook it.

The young corporal was distracted from his train of thought when he heard Claymore call out, “You alright there?” Turning to face the blue Highlander, Armorhide replied, “’Bout as good as I can be given….” He felt his brain freeze for a moment as he finished, “… Everything today.”

Sitting down next to his friend, Claymore sighed as he lamented, “Guess you won’ne like the news.” As Armorhide turned to face his comrade, the blue Highlander continued, “Just got word from Major Blackthorne, there’s a manpower shortage.” He then pointed to Bluestreak as he added, “No one gets rotated out unless they’re wounded too bad or dead, which means we’re stuck with that hollom over there.”

Curious, Armorhide asked, “What’s a hollom?” Sighing, Claymore explained, “It’s an old naval term me uncle taught me. It’s someone in a job they can’t perform, and will never be able to get better.” Intrigued, the young corporal asked, “Ooh. Kinda like a dead horse. It’s something I picked up back in basic. Means someone who, no matter how much you try to beat it into them, are incapable of improvement.” Claymore let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Like that old sayin’, beatin’ a dead horse, right?”

Turning his attention back to Bluestreak, Armorhide growled, “Yeah. Beating a dead horse.” At that moment, the young corporal began to think, ‘Well, guess we gotta rip the bandage right off.’ Taking a deep breath, Armorhide walked up to Bluestreak, rested a hand on his shoulder, and made his opinion clear.

“Boy, I hate to say this, but you don’t got it. You’re a pathetic soldier, and a pitiful excuse of a human being.” As Bluestreak tilted his head, Armorhide groaned as he continued, “I’m taking your ammo.”

Hearing this, Bluestreak began to panic as he replied, “But sar, I… I can be good soldier.” Armorhide shook his head as he bluntly replied, “You couldn’t will yourself to even pull a fucking trigger on two separate occasions. You don’t got it.” This statement lead the young private to ask, “Well, whatever it is, I can learn it.”

“No! God damnit!” Armorhide shouted in frustration. “If you “had it,” you’d have shot that kraut trying to kill me! You don’t learn “it,” you either got it or you don’t!” He then grabbed Bluestreak by his tunic collar as he furiously whispered, “And you! Don’t! Got! It!” Hearing this, the pale private could only look down in shame and regret as Armorhide released him, muttering, “Primus, you’re so infuriating.”

As Armorhide sighed in exhaustion, one of the other Highlanders, an unfamiliar man with purple skin and red hair, asked, “So, we gonna kill this kid or what?”

Hearing this, Armorhide asked, “What?” The new purple soldier explained, “Well, you heard Claymore. We can’ne get any reinforcements unless there’s an openin’, and you said yourself, that wanker is a useless hollom, so we’re gonna have to put him down like a dog.” As he said this, two more Highlanders backed him up as he said, “As long as we’re all talkin’ old sayin’s, you know what they say about the needs of the many and the needs of the few.”

While Armorhide was furious and fed up with Bluestreak’s incompetence, he didn’t want kill him. ‘I mean, I’d kinda like to break his legs, but I’d never kill him.’ The young corporal thought to himself. Once again, he found himself standing in between a helpless, if incompetent man, and a fellow soldier plotting to kill him.

‘Just like Gramps.’

Armorhide walks up to the new soldier and warns him, “Dead horse or not, Hollom or not, we’re not fragging anyone!” This statement was met with Bluestreak asking, “What? You’re gonna kill me?” Turning around, the young corporal found his new subordinate panicking, trying to back away from everyone else.

At that moment, the sound of Major Blackthorne’s voice called out, “Good news lads!” As Armorhide turned to face his commanding officer, he found the major entering the barn, flanked by two Highlanders as he declared, “The last Germans in the area have surrendered, and the Royal Canuk Rifles will take over from here. We’ve been ordered to pull back for some new operation.” The major then called out, “Corporal Armorhide, a word please.” Nodding, Armorhide followed his commanding officer.

Once the two men were outside the barn and under the stars, Major Blackthorne sternly began, “I received a repot about what happened earlier today regarding Private Bluestreak, as well as overhearing that little chat you just had with him. Rest assured, once we’re out of here, I’m transferring him out.” Taking this in, Armorhide nodded as he replied, “Sir, very well sir.”

However, Major Blackthorne continued to stare at his subordinate, signaling that something was wrong. Concerned, Armorhide asked, “Sir, is there more?” The major sighed and shook his head as he continued, “Look, there’s something I need you to know. You’re a good man corporal.” A confused Armorhide replied, “Uh… Thank you sir.”

“That’s not a fucking compliment!” Major Blackthorne shouted, startling Armorhide. “We’re fighting a war here, a war we’ve got to win!” Sighing to himself, the major warned, “You’re lucky you’re such a good soldier as well, so I’ll make this clear. What happened tonight will not happen again. We get another hollom and can’t transfer him out, we will do what is necessary, is that clear?!”

Caught off guard, Armorhide could only gulp as he shot a salute and replied, “Sir, yes sir!” Satisfied, Major Blackthorne replied, “That will do. You are dismissed corporal.” With that, the major departed, leaving Armorhide alone as he thought, ‘Well, guess we’re not so different from Gramps after all.”

All the young corporal could do was promise himself that, if the time came, he wouldn’t actually kill anyone if he didn’t need to.

Apple Bloom’s Bedroom, Many Decades Later

“Wow.” Apple Bloom said as she finished the page of her grandfather’s journal. “That was…. Not somethin’ Ah’d ever want to have to go through.” Setting the journal on her lap, the former farm girl noticed the time on her clock, and how it had moved forward by several hours.

“Oh mah!” the young girl exclaimed as she realized just how long she’d been reading. “Well, Ah suppose Ah can finish this little bit.” Picking up the journal, Apple Bloom was pleasantly surprised to see that, though she’d finished the main section of it, there was a small piece of paper that had been stapled to the page, likely added sometime later. Curious, Apple Bloom began to read it, only to be surprised by what it said.

“We just got word Bluestreak was killed today. He’d been transferred to a field hospital, and from what was said, did a pretty good job as an orderly. They’d been hit by a kraut air raid, and Bluestreak was caught in an explosion while trying to save the patients. He might have been a dead horse, but he certainly wasn’t a coward.”

Reading this, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but lament, “Well, that sucks. Shame Armorhide couldn’t make things up with him.” She’d have continued, but her throbbing headache returned, forcing the burgundy haired girl to rest her head against her pillow as she complained, “Ugh, this sucks.”

Feeling her eyes start to grow heavy, Apple Bloom let out a yawn as she said, “Guess Ah better get a bit of rest.” She then gently placed the old journal on her nightstand before tucking herself into her covers, hopeful a nice long nap would help her feel better.

She just hoped Armorhide’s journal wouldn’t give her any nightmares.

Author's Note

Next Time; a new student run organization at school begins to cast a shadow across Iacon High, forcing Apple Bloom to begin standing up to them.

Author's Notes: I'm taking the rest of the year off and will be back come january. Sorry for being gone so long, but after the US election, I kind of just shut down for a few weeks, and then came down with a sinus infection.

Fun fact; the term "hollom" comes from the novel/film Master and Commander, specifically the character of Midshipman Hollom, and the idea of "You got it or you don't" comes from "the one good scene of Santa inc."

Enter the PYA

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 26; Enter the PYA

Stepping out of her sister’s sidecar, Apple Bloom removed her helmet as she remarked, “You don’t always have to go that fast Sideswipe.” She’d have continued, but a small buildup of phlegm in her throat forced the former farm girl to pause a moment so she could cough. As the burgundy haired girl hacked up a lung, Sideswipe rolled her eyes as she replied, “You’re just being a softie.” She then pointed to her sister’s messenger bag as she added, “Why else do you still have, like, a hundred cough drops in there?”

Reaching into her bag for a cough drop, Apple Bloom replied, “Because Ah don’t wanna risk throwin’ up an’ gettin’ sent home. Ah’ve already missed two days from that sinus infection.” She then popped it into her mouth as she continued, “Last thing Ah need is fallin’ behind.” Sideswipe could only let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “Alright. Come on.”

As she entered Iacon High, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she thought to herself, ‘Alright. Another day in the doldrums.’ She’d spent the last two days dealing with a sinus infection, and now she wanted to get caught up on her schoolwork. ‘Of course, Ah’ll need to speak with Mr. Shockwave, Dr. Pennywhistle….’

Apple Bloom was distracted from her train of thought when she heard the sound of Pastel Goth’s voice call out, “Hey! Piss off you wankers!” Hearing this, the former farm girl nervously whispered to herself, “Oh no. That doesn’t sound good.” No sooner had those words escaped her mouth when the former farm girl heard another voice, this time a familiar boy’s voice, mockingly reply, “Oh please! You’re supposed to be a dude, right?! Start acting like one!”

‘Wait a minute.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘That sounds like Oak Leaf!’ It was at this moment that the former farm girl continued, ‘Hold on. Last time Ah heard Oak Leaf callin’ Pastel a dude was…. WHEN HE TRIED OUTIN’ HER!’ Realizing what was likely happening, Apple Bloom charged forward, following the sound of her friend’s voice.

After a few moments of nervous running, the burgundy haired girl found herself greeted by an unpleasant sight. In front of her, she found Pastel Goth, dressed in a pink dress under her black leather jacket with black boots, surrounded by several boys. One of them was a familiar boy with olive skin, black hair, and, if Apple Bloom’s eyes weren’t deceiving her, had some sort of arm band around his left arm.

But Apple Bloom wasn’t focused on Oak Leaf’s armband. Instead, she was focusing on the fact that the olive boy was cruelly saying, “What’s the matter with you? Don’t you wanna go run to the little girl’s room?” As he and his friends let out a cruel fit of laughter, Pastel could only frown in frustration as a few stray tears escaped from her right eye. Realizing her friend was in trouble, Apple Bloom shook her head as she stepped forward and declared, “You better leave her alone right now!”

Though momentarily caught off guard, Oak Leaf let out a cruel snicker as he retorted, “You’re a little late to the party Anon-A-Miss!” He then pointed to Pastel as he mockingly continued, “Everyone here knows that so called “tranny” is just a dude!” One of the other boys, a peach skinned boy with yellow-orange hair, added, “Yeah. He’s just some pussy with a dick!” Turning to his friend, Oak Leaf complimented, “Nice one Freeze Peach!”

While the gang of boys were fist bumping and complimenting each other, Apple Bloom turned to Pastel Goth, who was now struggling to keep herself from bursting into tears. The former farm girl reached her hand out as she asked, “You alright Pastel?” The goth girl didn’t verbally answer, instead brushing her friend’s hand away and running off.

Chasing after her friend, Apple Bloom called out, “Pastel! Wait!” As both girls shoved and squeezed their way through the crowd of other students, the pale goth eventually ran straight into one of the girls’ bathrooms. Letting out a deep breath, the former farm girl whispered to herself, “Well, hopefully we’ll have a little peace and quiet.”

Entering the bathroom, Apple Bloom was immediately greeted by the sound of Pastel’s voice crying her eyes out. Looking around, the former farm girl found her friend curled up the corner, her head leaning into her folded up legs as black tear marks dripped from her eyes. Her broken sobs made it clear that, however brief her conflict with Oak Leaf was, it had left her absolutely shaken.

Tiptoeing up to her friend, the former farm girl nervously asked, “You alright?” Almost instantly, Pastel shot up and, with tears bleeding from her eyes and snot running from her nose, angrily replied, “YOU REALLY THINK I’M ALRIGHT? As Apple Bloom recoiled in shock, the pale goth let out a deep sigh as she apologized, “I’m sorry. I just….” The former farm girl took her friend’s hand and reassured her, “It’s alright. Just tell me what happened?”

Pastel let out a defeated chuckle as she replied, “What’s there to tell? That asshole basically outed me in front of the entire school. All those people know I’m trans!” She then sat back down as she sniffled, “I… I’m scared.”

All Apple Bloom could do was sit down next to Pastel and wrap her arm around her friend’s shoulder, pulling her into a side hug as she reassured her, “Hey, it’ll be alright.” Shaking her head, the pale goth replied, “It won’t. I know how this ends. Those assholes aren’t gonna leave me alone.” She then continued to cry, tearfully lamenting, “I don’t know what to do.”

Before Apple Bloom could say anything else, the sound of a bell ringing caught their attention. Hearing this, Pastel defeatedly said, “You better head to class. I don’t want you getting a tardy because of me.” The burgundy haired girl took her friend’s hand as she reassured her, “That don’t matter. Right now you don’t need to be alone.”

Taking her friend’s hand, Pastel reassured her, “I’ll be fine, more or less. I just need a moment to calm down.” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Alright, but Ah’ll be checkin’ up on you in art class, alright?” Letting out a gentle and earnest chuckle, the young goth replied, “Fine. Now hurry up.” Standing up, the former farm girl bade farewell with, “See ya later Pastel. Stay safe.”

With that, Apple Bloom departed the bathroom, hoping she could make it to biology class in time.

The Cafeteria, Later That Day

Sitting down at an empty table, Apple Bloom placed her tray on the table as she muttered to herself, “Ugh. Feels like it’s been an eternity, but it’s only just lunch time.” Rubbing her temple, the former farm girl continued, “Ah just hope Pastel will be feelin’ better.”

After her talk with Pastel, Apple Bloom’s first two classes of the day went by without too much incident. As she took a bite from her sandwich, the former farm girl thought, ‘Heh. Oak Leaf didn’t even raise a stink in biology.’ Indeed, class proceeded just like it had every other day. Before she could take another bite, Apple Bloom felt herself begin to gag, forcing the young girl to pause for a moment before reaching into her messenger bag for a cough drop.

At that moment, Apple Bloom was greeted by the sound of Tender Taps’s voice asking, “Hey Apple Bloom! How’s your day been?” Turning to face her boyfriend, the former farm girl was greeted by the familiar orange boy, dressed in a black under shirt, open purple shirt, dark purple slacks, and black dress shoes. As he sat down next to her, the young hoofer asked, “Everything alright?”

Sighing, Apple Bloom replied, “Not really. Ah’m still gettin’ over a sinus infection.” No sooner had she said this than she began coughing again, leading Tender Taps to reply, “Ouch. Sorry about that.” He then began to scratch the back of his neck as he replied, “I guess that explains where you’ve been the last few days.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Apple Bloom continued, “But that’s not the half of it. The moment Ah get here, Ah find Pastel surrounded by that asshole Oak Leaf and his gang of Hooligans, callin’ her a dude.” She then shivered as she added, “Ugh, those guys make me wanna smack ‘em upside the head.”

The moment she said this, Tender Taps nervously asked, “What? They outed her? Please tell me there wasn’t anyone else around!” Apple Bloom shook her head as she continued, “No. There were, like, twenty others?” The orange hoofer let out a defeated and pained sigh as he replied, “Well, that’s just prime!” A concerned Apple Bloom asked, “Does it have to do with people knowin’ she’s trans?”

Nodding, Tender Taps bluntly replied, “In a nutshell, yes. Outing someone as gay, bi, trans, nonbinary, you name it? It’s not just rude, it’s dangerous.” He then began to nervously look around before finishing, “And in some cases, it can get people killed.”

Apple Bloom could only sit there in shock, thinking, ‘What? Could Pastel really be in danger?’ Shaking her head, the former farm girl asked, “You really think someone could…. You know….” Tender Taps immediately interrupted with, “I doubt someone around here will try something that drastic, but if what you said is true, we’re all gonna need to be here for Pastel.” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Yeah. We can’t let those pricks treat her like a punchin’ bag.”

Smiling, Tender Taps then asked, “So, you think you’ll be in good enough shape for tap class tomorrow? I don’t want you wearing yourself out.” Apple Bloom reassured her boyfriend, “Don’t worry. Ah’m mostly over it. Just gotta remember to keep some cough drops on me. Ah’ll be fine for tomorrow.” She then began to blush as she added, “’Sides, it’ll be nice to dance with you again.”

Tender Taps began to blush himself as he replied, “Come on, we do this every week.” Apple Bloom nodded as she took her boyfriend’s hand as she added, “Yup. And it’s the best part of mah week.” She then began to lean in for a kiss, only for the sound of a teacher’s voice called out, “Hey! No kissing like that during school hours!” Caught off guard, both Apple Bloom and Tender Taps recoiled back in embarrassment, leading the orange hoofer to whisper, “Maybe we should find a more secluded place tomorrow.”

Apple Bloom nodded as she quietly replied, “Yeah.”

Art Class

Walking into the art classroom, Apple Bloom darted her eyes around as she looked for Pastel. ‘Huh, she must not be hear yet.’ She thought to herself. Straightening her messenger bag, the former farm girl began to walk towards her seat as she continued, ‘Still, Ah can’t help but worry about her. Ah hope that she’s doin’ alright.’

As she reached into her backpack for her sketchbook, Apple Bloom thought back to what Tender had told her. ‘Outin’ someone bein’ dangerous, even deadly.’ She repeated in her head. ‘But, it’s not like anyone would try to…. Seriously hurt her, right? If Ah was able to interrupt them, surely someone like Dr. Pennywhistle would be able to stop them.’ However, the very thought that something could happen to her friend ate away at Apple Bloom, leading her to ask herself, “She’d be safe here, right?”

At that moment, the former farm girl noticed Pastel Goth entering the classroom. For the most part, the teenaged goth was just as Apple Bloom remembered from earlier that morning, except for one detail.

Pastel was holding an ice patch over her eye.

As the cerulean goth sat down next to her friend, Apple Bloom asked, “Pastel? What happened to your face?” Sighing, Pastel pointed to her eye as she lamented, “Egh, some bitch jumped me in the bathroom right before lunch. Gave me a black eye.” She then removed the ice pack as she revealed that her left eye, normally obscured by her bangs, was now surrounded by the faded purple hue of a bruise. As Apple Bloom took this in, Pastel added, “Yeah. That twat kept calling me a “trannie” and….”

As she continued to explain, Pastel’s voice began to crack as a tear dripped from her other eye. Sighing, the cerulean goth finished with, “I don’t…. I don’t really wanna talk about it.” Apple Bloom wanted to disagree, but the look of resignation and emotional exhaustion in the cerulean goth’s face made her think that, for right now, pressing the issue would not be a good idea. Deciding to cut her losses, the former farm girl simply nodded as she said, “Well, Ah’m sorry about your eye.”

Before Pastel could reply, the girls were distracted when their teacher called out, “Ok class.” Apple Bloom turned around as she greeted, “Good afternoon Mr. Cel Shade.” The light red teacher nodded as he replied, “Good afternoon to you too Apple Bloom.” He then continued, “Now, today we are going to continue on your painting projects.”

At that moment, one of the other students, a boy with a vaguely familiar voice, called out, “Excuse me Mr. Cel Shade. You promised we could do the thing, right?” Turning to see who it was, Apple Bloom was surprised to see it was a boy with peach skin, yellow-orange hair, and to her shock, a red armband around his left arm. ‘Wait a minute. That’s Freeze Peach! One of Oak Leaf’s cronies!”

Sighing to himself, Cel Shade rolled his eyes as he lamented, “Alright. But make it quick.” As Freeze Peach stood up and made his way to the front of the class, Apple Bloom turned to Pastel as she asked, “He’s one of the pricks who was bullyin’ you, right?” All the young goth girl could do was nod ‘yes’ and try to shrink herself into her seat, hoping he wouldn’t see her.

Straightening himself as he stood in front of his classmates, Freeze Peach confidently addressed his peers with, “My friends, I am here to introduce you to a new club, one which will usher in a new age of strength, unity, and discipline!” He then extended his arms out as he declared, “We are the Patriotic Youth Association!”

For several moments, Apple Bloom, Pastel, and everyone else sat in silent confusion. Looking around, the former farm girl raised her hand as she asked, “So, what exactly do you guys do?” Freeze Peach pointed at the former farm girl as he answered, “We promote truth, unity, free speech, and patriotism!” The peach boy then continued, “It is our duty to stomp out everything from censorship to perversion!”

Cel Shade walked up to his student as he said, “Well, you’ve made your point. Please return to your seat.” As he tried to usher Freeze Peach away, the boy defiantly declared, “I am not done! We already have a liar in this class!” He then pointed right at Pastel as he declared, “That boy over there is pretending he’s a chick! He’s pretending to be one of those so-called trannies!”

Pastel immediately stood up and ran towards the door, leaving her belongings behind. Apple Bloom quickly called out, “Pastel! Wait!” As she began to stand up, Cel Shade replied, “That will do Apple Bloom! I will deal with her.” Turning to her teacher, the former farm girl tried to retort, “But sir, she…. That…..”

Thankfully for her, the art teacher turned to Freeze Peach as he sternly stated, “Freeze Peach, you are to go to the principal’s office this instant!” The peach boy tried to protest, complaining, “But sir, all I did was tell the truth. You know, expressed my freedom of speech!” Shaking his head, Cel Shade bluntly replied, “I’m not having this discussion here. You will go to Principal Magnus’s office or you shall be sent home!”

Realizing he wasn’t going to win this argument, Freeze Peach sighed, collected his belongings, and began to depart the classroom. As he passed Apple Bloom, the former farm girl was finally able to get a good look at the armband he was wearing.

It depicted an yellow circle with a black symbol, specifically something that looked like a three pronged crown with a dot over the middle prong. ‘Somethin’ about that thing seems…. Off?’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. Whatever this symbol was, it gave her an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu. ‘What is that thing? And why do Ah have the feelin’ Ah know what it is?’

Once Freeze Peach was gone, Cel Shade apologized, “I’m sorry everyone. I didn’t know he was going to go on that… vile tangent. We will continue where we left off beforehand. Please collect your paintings and….”

Apple Bloom wasn’t focusing on her teacher’s instructions. Instead, all the former farm girl could do was sigh as she thought to herself, ‘Ah hope Pastel will be alright.’

Dr. Pennywhistle’s Classroom

“And then she just ran out of the classroom!” Apple Bloom explained to Marble Pie. As the gray girl slinked into her jacket, the former farm girl continued, “Ah mean, Ah’m glad that Mr. Cel Shade sent that jerk Freeze Peach to the principal’s office, but the fact it happened just….” Growling as she struggled to contain her frustration, Apple Bloom simply finished with, “It really pisses me off.”

Sighing, Marble lamented, “Sheesh. I thought those guys were just messing with Sideswipe and I.” Apple Bloom immediately lit up as she asked, “What? They messed with you two as well?” Nodding, the gray geologist explained, “Yeah. Their leader, some guy named Oak Leaf…. He caught Sideswipe and me chatting near one of the back stairwells, and when they caught us holding hands, he….” Pausing for a moment as she collected herself, Marble finished, “At least Sideswipe was able to scare them off. Guess they got afraid of someone willing to put up a fight.”

Both girls were then distracted when Dr. Pennywhistle called out, “Alright everyone. Simmer down now.” As Apple Bloom turned to face her teacher, she noticed the older gray man had a look of exhaustion and resignation on his eyes. ‘That’s not good.’ She thought to herself. ‘Looks like he’s been havin’ a longer day than usual.’

Walking up to the front chalkboard, Dr. Pennywhistle explained, “Now, I know that some of you will be familiar with this new “Patriotic Youth Association.” Regardless, I will not tolerate any behavior regarding them in my class. If you’re a member, I suggest you remove your fancy little arm bands and avoid speaking about it in my class. Is that clear?” Apple Bloom, Marble Pie, and the rest of the class responded with, “Yes sir.” The former farm girl shrugged as she thought to herself, ‘Well, at least that’s another teacher who’s not takin’ any of their crap.’

Satisfied, Dr. Pennywhistle turned to his chalk board as he asked, “Now then, can anyone tell me where we left off yesterday?” Apple Bloom raised her hand as she asked, “Was it with the collapse of the Iaconian Empire?” The older teacher clapped his hands together as he exclaimed, “Exactly! Of course, there was more than one reason that they fell. Who can name some of the reasons?”

Once again, Apple Bloom raised her hand, leading Dr. Pennywhistle replied, “Yes Apple Bloom?” Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl began, “Well, there was the fact that the empire got too big to effectively govern, multiple tribes migratin’ into the empire, and climate change?” Dr. Pennywhistle nodded as he enthusiastically replied, “Very good. Looks like someone has been studying.”

As Apple Bloom felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment wash over her, Dr. Pennywhistle grabbed a piece of chalk and began to scribble on the chalkboard as he continued, “Now, as the turn of the century began to creep in, the Iaconian Empire found itself….”

Hallways, A Short While Later

Walking down the hallway, Apple Bloom, Marble Pie, and Sideswipe chatted amongst themselves, with the pale biker remarking, “Well, at least Dr. Pennywhistle isn’t gonna take any crap from those twats.” Holding a notebook to her chest, Marble replied, “Yeah. Those guys are just…. The worst.” She then shivered as she elaborated, “They’ve been doing this sort of thing for the last few days.”

Intrigued, Apple Bloom asked, “Last few days? Ah thought today was the first time they’d all been pullin’ this stuff.” Sideswipe shook her head as she replied, “That’s just because you were sick for the last few days. They’ve been popping up here and there, mostly just making a fuss in between classes. But during third period, one of them tried introducing their little club to everyone.”

“That’s what one of them did in art class!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “This guy named Freeze Peach went on this rant about how they’re standin’ up for free speech, truth, and all that stuff!” She then sighed as she added, “And the worst part is they outed Pastel this mornin’, and Freeze Peach tried outin’ her again. Pastel just ran off when he said that.”

Before anyone could say anything else, the three girls were distracted by Pastel’s voice calling out, “You talking about me cowgirl?” Turning to face the cerulean goth, Apple Bloom found her walking up to the group, her black eye having begun to fade as she held her backpack in her arms. Letting out a gentle chuckle, Pastel continued, “I’ve dealt with worse than a bunch of small minded hillbillies.”

Marble asked, “You feeling alright? Apple Bloom told us what happened with you and those Patriotic Youth Association jerks.” Nodding, Pastel lamented, “I mean, getting forced out of the closet by people doing it just to be spiteful isn’t exactly the way I expected I’d spend today, but it’s not my first tango with Unicron.” She then sighed before finishing, “Still, I’d prefer to just head home for today.”

At that moment, the quartet of girls were caught off guard by the sound of another voice, this one Oak Leaf’s, calling out, “Come my friends. Ask yourself, why should we have to tolerate the degenerates filling our school?” Hearing this voice, Pastel took a deep breath as she muttered, “Oh shit. Here we go again.”

Sure enough, right at the grand stairwell near the front doors, Oak Leaf, Freeze Peach, and several others were holding some sort of small rally. Apple Bloom could even make out a table covered with a tablecloth that read “join the PYA today.” Shaking her head, the burgundy haired girl couldn’t help but notice that several other students were standing in front of Oak Leaf’s gang, hanging on to every word he said. Turning to her friends, Apple Bloom lamented, “Come on. Let’s go before they notice us.” As Sideswipe and Marble nodded, Pastel sighed, “Yeah.”

Before the four teens could sneak away, Oak Leaf pointed right at them and declared, “Look no further than those four foul creatures! The spy, the faggot, the retard, and the crossdresser!”

As everyone turned their attention to the four girls, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel both terrified and infuriated. ‘Oh shit.’ She thought to herself. ‘Please tell me that he isn’t gonna say anythin’ else. Please!’

Sadly, some of the other students began to cut the quartet off, leading Freeze Peach to remark, “See? They’re trying to hide their sins!” This remark seemed to strike a fuse, as Sideswipe shouted back, “Oh please! We haven’t done anything to you wankers! You’re just a bunch of….” She was interrupted by the sound of Oak Leaf growling, “You’re all disgusting degenerates! You will all be eradicated!”

‘Oh, it is on!’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘You can’t get away with that kind of bullshit!’ Feeling her fists clench, the former farm girl began to stomp up to Oak Leaf and his cronies. Before she could get too close, however, she was stopped by Pastel, who warned, “Not now cowgirl.”

Caught off guard, Apple Bloom asked, “What? You really wanna let them just…. Say all that crap?” Shaking her head, Pastel lamented, “We’re outnumbered and outgunned.” The cerulean goth then added, “Blaster always told me to know when and where to pick my battles, and this isn’t either.”

Sighing, Apple Bloom said, “Alright, let’s just go.” With that, the four girls departed, all while Oak Leaf, Freeze Peach, and the rest of their gang mocked them, using words that could only generously be considered “school appropriate.”

The Chop Shop, Later That Afternoon

Entering the chop shop, Apple Bloom let out a sigh of exhaustion as she called out, “Uncle Ironhide! We’re home!” While the former farm girl set her helmet on the front counter, Sideswipe said, “I don’t know about you, but I’ve had one hell of a day. I’m gonna go take a nap.” As the pale biker trudged away, Apple Bloom bade her sister, “Alright, but remember to get your homework done, ok?” Sideswipe replied with a blunt, “Yeah, whatever.”

As Sideswipe departed, Ironhide entered the shop front, sweat dripping from his brow and dirt caked on his overalls. Walking up to his daughter, the family patriarch asked, “Hey there kiddo. Have a good day?”

Shaking her head as she held her arm in her hand, Apple Bloom replied, “Not really.” Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl explained, “There’s this new club at school callin’ themselves the “Patriotic Youth Association,” and the first thing Ah saw them do was bullyin’ Pastel and outin’ her.” Tilting his head, Ironhide asked, “Outing her? Like out of the closet?” Nodding, Apple Bloom continued, “Exactly! And…..” Allowing her frustration to consume her, the former farm girl lamented, “Ah just… Ah don’t know what to do.”

Taking this information in, Ironhide remarked, “Well, I think I can call Ultra Magnus and inform him about the outing part. That’s the sort of thing that can get someone killed.” He then rested a hand on his daughter’s shoulder as he reassured her, “Don’t worry. I’ll do what I can, ok?”

Smiling, Apple Bloom wrapped her uncle in a tight hug as she exclaimed, “Thank you uncle Ironhide!” The former sergeant hugged his daughter back as he replied, “No problem, Apple Bloom.” He then warned, “Though, you might wanna be careful now that you’re….” As the former farm girl released him, Apple Bloom looked down to see that her shirt and kilt were now “decorated” with a fine layer of dirt and grime.

“Heh. Sorry about that.” Apple Bloom apologized. She then continued, “Ah guess Ah better change out of these.” Nodding, Ironhide replied, “Alright kid. Just remember you’re with Ratchet on KP tonight, alright?” The former farm girl answered with an enthusiastic, “No problem. At least it means Ah don’t gotta worry about Wheeljack muckin’ anythin’ up.” With that, Apple Bloom departed to change into something a little cleaner.

Now that he was alone, Ironhide muttered to himself, “Patriotic Youth Association? Why does that name just give me a bad feeling?” He then shook his head as he continued, “Better make sure Ultra Magnus knows about it. If they’re willing to out someone, who knows what else they’re capable of doing.”

Ironhide just hoped that whatever was going on wouldn’t spiral out of control.

Author's Note

Next Time; As tensions begin to rise, Apple Bloom finds a breakthrough from an unexpected source, one which might spell the PYA's doom.

Author's Note; The next few chapters were something I'd been toying with for a few months, and "recent events" made me feel that now was the best time to bring this little arc into action.

Apple Bloom vs the PYA

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 27; Apple Bloom vs the PYA

Walking into Iacon High, Apple Bloom straightened her leather jacket as she muttered to herself, “Man. Ah can’t believe how cold it’s gettin’.” Looking down to her bare legs, the former farm girl continued, “Ah should probably look for some tights or somethin’. Ah remember that weird video about highlanders in the First Great War wearin’ stockin’s to help keep their legs warm.”

As she entered through the school’s front doors, Apple Bloom just hoped that today would be relatively quiet and peaceful. The previous day had seen the former farm girl confronted by a new club known as the Patriotic Youth Association. Recoiling in disgust, Apple Bloom muttered, “Ugh. Ah can’t believe those assholes just up and outed Pastel like that.” The thought of seeing all those boys surrounding her friend and calling her a “crossdresser” and a “dude” made the burgundy haired girl’s blood boil.

“Then again, if Dr. Pennywhistle’s and Uncle Ironhide’s response to everythin’ is anythin’, Ah doubt Oak Leaf and his cronies aren’t gonna be makin’ such a big fuss today.” The former farm girl said to herself. “Yeah, Ah’m sure they’ll be keepin’ themselves to the shadows from now on.” Feeling a bit of relief, Apple Bloom straightened her jacket, messenger bag, and dance bag as she began to make her way to her first class of the day.

She was immediately distracted when she heard Oak Leaf’s voice call out, “That’s the problem with all these so-called trannies! They’re all just crazy.” Rolling her eyes and groaning in frustration, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Of course. Let me guess, they’re talkin’ about people like Pastel?’ The former farm girl turned to the source of the sound and began to follow it.

After a few moments, Apple Bloom was greeted by none other than Oak Leaf, Freeze Peach, and the rest of the Patriotic Youth Association, as they addressed a group of students as the olive boy preached, “All those transgender freaks claim that that’s just who they are, but they’re lying to you and themselves. They’re all mentally unwell!” Freeze Peach joined in, ranting, “Yeah! They think they’re all born in the wrong body or some sort of crap like that. But it’s all a load of bull. You’re either a boy or a girl. It’s that simple, just trust the science!”

Hearing Oak Leaf and Freeze Peach’s speech made Apple Bloom’s stomach churn with disgust. ‘Ugh, two clowns, one joke. Get some new damn material.’ She thought to herself. As the former farm girl looked around, she was relieved to see that Pastel was nowhere in sight. ‘At least Pastel doesn’t have to listen to these assholes push her buttons.’

This line of thought led Apple Bloom to ask herself, “Wait. Where is Pastel anyway? If these twits are gonna be spoutin’ this garbage, Ah gotta make sure she’ll be alright.” Tiptoeing away to make sure she didn’t draw attention to herself, the burgundy haired girl heard Oak Leaf continue, “Keep vigilant friends! If you see any of those freaks trying to indoctrinate someone, give ‘em a good kick up the astroburner!

All Apple Bloom could do was groan, “Ugh. Assholes.”

Biology Class

Walking into Mr. Shockwave’s classroom, Apple Bloom sighed as she said to herself, “Ah can’t believe Ah couldn’t find Pastel. She wasn’t in the library, the cafeteria, or anywhere.” After putting her dance bag in her locker, the former farm girl tried searching all over the school for her friend, only to come up empty handed. Eventually, she knew she’d have to eventually get to class, so Apple Bloom decided to wait for art class to make sure the cerulean goth was alright.

As she sat down at her desk, the former farm girl stretched her legs as she thought to herself, ‘Just get through school, and then it’s tap class.’ Apple Bloom began to imagine the sight of her and Tender Taps dancing together as she thought, ‘Why can’t Ah have tap class every day instead of just once a week?’ Pausing to think, she continued, ‘Guess havin’ one class a week makes it all the more special.’

Apple Bloom was distracted from her daydream of the future by the sound of Oak Leaf’s voice calling out, “Greetings my comrades!” Groaning as she turned around, the former farm girl found herself greeted by the olive boy confidently strutting into the classroom, his red armband firmly wrapped around his left arm. Shaking her head, Apple Bloom could only think to herself, ‘Blabbin’ in the hallway wasn’t enough for him, now he’s gotta do this here as well?’

Straightening himself, Oak Leaf began, “My friends, the Patriotic Youth Association will be holding mini presentations tomorrow before each class! Everyone is invited to attend and learn the dangers of so-called transgenderism and the freaks who believe in the lie that is nonbinary people!” The olive boy snapped his fingers as he continued, “It’s time people stood up to this madness, and sent those freaks away to the looney bin where they belong!”

Feeling her frustration and anger boil over, Apple Bloom stood up and exclaimed, “Oh shove it up your ass already!” As the other students gasped in shocked silence, the former farm girl folded her arms as she continued, “Ah don’t know what your problem is, but your ramblin’ about people like Pastel is gettin’ pretty annoyin’!” Hesitating for a moment, she finished with a blunt, “So just keep your bullshit to yourself!”

Glaring at the former farm girl, Oak Leaf began to strut up to Apple Bloom as he warned, “Better watch yourself there Anon-A-Miss. We don’t take kindly to girls who stick their noses in places they don’t belong.” He then pressed his finger against Apple Bloom’s forehead and began to push, trying to brush her away.

Standing her ground, the burgundy haired girl gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes as she warned, “Then take it from Anon-A-Miss herself. You try anythin’, and Ah’ll know about it.” The moment she said this, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Oh no. Ah think Ah just declared war on the PYA.’ Sure enough, Oak Leaf snarled, “Is that a threat?”

Before either teen could say anything else, they were distracted when Shockwave entered the classroom, the cycloptic teacher stating, “Alright everyone, I hope you’ve all had a good night’s rest, because we have a lot to do today, and relatively little time to do it.” He then gestured to Apple Bloom and Oak Leaf with his mechanical hand as he warned, “You two, I don’t want any trouble, understand?”

As Oak Leaf begrudgingly nodded and returned to his desk, Apple Bloom sighed as she replied, “Ah understand sir.” Satisfied, Shockwave pointed to the chalkboard at the front of the classroom as he began, “Now then, we shall continue where we left off yesterday with the reproduction methods of plants….”

Art Class

Entering the art classroom, Apple Bloom began to scan her surroundings for any trace of Pastel. Darting her eyes around, the former farm girl thought, ‘She’s not in her seat, she’s not gettin’ her paintin’, she’s…. just not here.’ Sighing to herself, Apple Bloom could only whisper, “Ah just hope she’s alright.”

After several minutes, the rest of the class made their way into the classroom, the burgundy haired girl could only sigh as she lamented, “Looks like she’s not commin’ after all.” This statement was confirmed when her teacher, Cel Shade, began to take roll, noting Pastel’s absence and simply stating that she was absent.

All Apple Bloom could do was whisper, “Ah got a bad feelin’ about this.”

The Hallways, Later that Day

Walking up to her locker, Apple Bloom shook her head as she lamented, “Ah can’t believe Pastel wasn’t in class today. It’s like she’s just disappeared off the face of the earth.” Indeed, the former farm girl’s friend didn’t show up at all, leaving her concerned for the cerulean goth’s safety. Pausing for a moment, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Maybe she’s just out sick? It is around the time of year that cold and flu season starts.’

As she opened her locker, the former farm girl was greeted by the sight of her dance bag waiting for her. Letting out a sigh of relief, Apple Bloom remarked to herself, “At least Ah’ve got this to look forward to.” Pulling the bag out of her locker, she thought, ‘Who knows, maybe she’ll be in class anyway.’

Closing her locker, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she said to herself, “Alright. Now Ah just gotta meet up with Sideswipe and Tender Taps.” She just hoped she could make it out of the school without running into Oak Leaf or any of his cronies.

Hoofer Steps’s Dance Studio

Stepping out of her sister’s side car, Apple Bloom remarked, “Ah still can’t believe you flipped that guy off. Ah thought he was gonna ram us for sure.” Taking off her helmet, Sideswipe gave her sister a cheeky grin as she replied, “Come on, I got us here in one piece, right?” She then cracked her knuckles as she replied, “And it’s not like he could have tried anything without denting his own car.” All Apple Bloom could do was roll her eyes and reply, “Well, Ah’m half tempted to tell Uncle Ironhide about that.”

Rolling her eyes, Sideswipe could only reply, “How about I buy you dinner after class and you keep quiet about this?” Apple Bloom paused for a moment as she thought, ‘Let’s see. On one hand, Ah should tell Uncle Ironhide about her little stunt. On the other hand, free food.’ After a few moments of contemplation, the former farm girl replied, “Alright. But you’re coverin’ everythin’.” Sideswipe could only let out a sigh of relief as she said, “Alright. Now come on, we don’t wanna keep your boyfriend waiting.

Walking into the studio lobby, Apple Bloom let out a deep breath as she said to herself, “It’s always a relief to walk into this place. Kinda like a second home away from home.” Indeed, while she was only at the studio once every week, it just gave a sense of warmth and acceptance that was only rivaled by the chop shop and, to a lesser degree, Sweet Apple Acres.

As the two girls walked further into the studio lobby, a familiar Slavic man’s voice greeted them with a gentle, “Dobryy den’, devochki. I trust you two have had a good day?” Turning to face the familiar form of Ravage, Apple Bloom replied, “Could be better sir. This new club at school has been pickin’ on and bullyin’ people to no end.”

Shaking his head, Ravage lamented, “Seems you are not the only one put off by those malen’kiye suchki. I’ve heard things from some of the other students, and it seems that this is not an isolated incident.” Apple Bloom found herself intrigued this statement, leading her to remark, “Guess that means other people here have had those twits get on their nerves right?” The former soldier let out a gentle chuckle as he replied, “Yes, but I think for now, you have more pressing matters to attend to, da?”

Apple Bloom immediately lit up as she answered, “Oh yeah! Ah better get ready for class! See ya Ravage!” The older man bade her a gentle farewell as he said, “Dasvidaniya Yablochko!” Giving a small bow to Ravage, the former farm girl departed as she made her way to the dressing rooms.

The Studio, Several Minutes Later

Sitting on the floor as she tied the laces to her tap shoes, Apple Bloom chatted with Tender Taps and Double Shuffle, saying, “An’… Ah mean, for all Ah know she could be sick, but havin’ this happen after what those jerks did to her yesterday, Ah can’t help but worry about her.” Taking this information in, the orange hoofer shook his head as he lamented, “I still can’t believe the school lets them just do this out in the open!”

Having changed into her dance attire, Apple Bloom was pleasantly relieved to find her boyfriend and younger sister had arrived, and now the three of them were catching up with each other on how their day had been. While Double Shuffle’s day was relatively normal, both older teens were discussing their interactions with the Patriotic Youth Association.

Shaking his head, Tender Taps lamented, “They’re getting worse. I found out several of them started harassing half my theater class.” He then sighed before continuing, “My friend Power Ballad got roughed up so bad that they had to go to the nurse’s office.” Apple Bloom replied with a concerned, “What? Why’d they do that to ‘em?” Tender Taps could only answer with a glum, “Because Power Ballad is nonbinary, and I guess Oak Leaf and his stooges don’t like people who are different.”

As she tied the laces on her tap shoe, Double Shuffle asked, “So, what are you guys gonna do about these Patriot jerks anyway?” For several moments, Apple Bloom hesitated as she thought, ‘Well, several teachers have told them off, but the PYA kept doing their thing. Obviously Ah can’t just sock ‘em in the face, and Ah don’t think Ah can just convince ‘em…..’ Shaking her head, the former farm girl could only reply, “Ah dunno. All Ah know is we gotta do somethin’.”

At that moment, the three dancers were distracted by the sound of Hoofer Steps’s voice calling out, “Alvight now Kinder! Velcome to class!” Turning to face her teacher, Apple Bloom found the older woman walking into the dance studio, wearing a gray tee shirt over a black leotard, faded pink tights, black and gray tap shoes, and had her hair in a ballerina’s bun. While she had distracted the former farm girl from her conversation, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel relaxed at seeing her teacher.

Clapping her hands, Hoofer Steps called out, “Line up please everyvone!” As Apple Bloom, Tender Taps, and the rest of the class organized themselves into two lines, the gray teacher continued, “Now zen, Voll call.” As she reached for a clipboard on a nearby desk, Hoofer Steps called out, “Apple Bloom?”

Raising her hand, the former farm girl replied, “Ah’m here.” Hoofer Steps took a pencil and checked her clipboard before continuing, “Double Shuffle?” The younger hoofer raised her hand as she answered, “Here!” Hoofer Steps continued as she asked, “Tender Taps?” The orange boy confirmed his presence, leading the teacher to ask, “Sidesvipe?”

One after another, the other students confirmed their presence, until Hoofer Steps called out, “Pastel Goth?” When no one answered, the teacher repeated herself, “Pastel Goth?” Apple Bloom took a deep breath before nervously replying, “Uh…. She wasn’t at school today. She might be sick.” Hoofer Steps then made a final mark on her roster before finishing with a simple, “Very vell zen.”

Setting her clipboard on the desk, Hoofer Steps began, “Now zen. It is time for our varmup exercises.” Placing herself in front of both lines, the teacher continued, “Ve shall start vith our shuffle exercise….”

Twenty Minutes Later

Watching Tender Taps and Pizzelle tap their way across the studio’s wooden floor, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Remember, it’s a five count riff followed by a seven count riff, then another five count, endin’ with two pullbacks.’ As the two other dancers made it to the opposite end of the studio, the former farm girl turned to Double Shuffle and asked, “You ready for this?” The blue dancer gave an enthusiastic nod as she confidently replied, “I was born ready.”

Hoofer Steps turned her attention to Apple Bloom and Double Shuffle as she said, “Alvight you two. It’s your turn.” Having received the go ahead, the former farm girl began to perform the combination.

As she clicked, clacked, and tapped her way across the floor, Apple Bloom allowed herself to momentarily forget everything that had happened earlier that day. No worries about Oak Leaf and his cronies, no stressing out over upcoming tests, nothing that could cause her hair to fall out. Just her, her tap shoes, and the wooden floor.

Once she made it to the other side, Apple Bloom heard Hoofer Steps call out, “Very good Double Shuffle! Nice vork Apple Bloom, zough I vant more clarity from your scuffing.” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Ah under stand ma’am. More clarity.”

Feeling someone tap her on her bare shoulder, Apple Bloom turned to find Tender Taps and Double Shuffle, the former reassuring her, “You did a great job.” The former farm girl couldn’t help but smile as she replied, “Thanks. You too.” Shrugging, Double Shuffle confidently replied, “I try”

At that moment, Apple Bloom heard a familiar voice ring out from the other end of the studio. “Hey! Sorry I’m late!” Turning to the source of the voice, the former farm girl found Pastel Goth nervously entering the studio, the pale goth clad in a black tank top, loose black pants, and a pair of black oxford tap shoes in her hands. Her black eye from the day before had faded, but Apple Bloom could still make it out from under her friend’s hair. As her friend frantically made her way to the wall so she could put her shoes on, the burgundy haired girl couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘At least she’s feelin’ good enough to make it to class.’

Folding her arms, Hoofer Steps inquired, “Pastel, vould you mind explaining vhy you are so late?” The cerulean goth could only awkwardly reply, “I’m sorry. I was…. Uh…. Blaster got caught up in traffic.” Once she had slipped her tap shoes on, Pastel stood up and finished, “Won’t happen again ma’am.” Letting out a gentle sigh, Hoofer Steps replied, “Very vell zen.”

Walking up to her friend, Apple Bloom asked, “There you are! Ah was worried about you! Where were you today?” Pastel could only look over her shoulder as she replied, “I was…. I had to leave early.” She then quickly added, “I don’t want to talk about it. At least right now.”

‘Oh no.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Must have been worse than Ah thought.’ Resting her hand on her friend’s shoulder, the former farm girl reassured Pastel, “Don’t worry. Right now, let’s just make a little noise and unwind.” The cerulean goth gave a small but gentle smile as she replied, “I think it’ll be nice to stretch my legs a bit.”

Hoofer Steps then called out, “Alvight now everyvone, ve shall move on to ze next exercise. Please line up at zis side please.” Apple Bloom then took Pastel’s hand as she said, “Come on.” The former farm girl just hoped that the rest of class could help distract her friend.

Forty Minutes Later

“Alvight now! A five! A six! A five six seven eight!” Hoofer Steps called out, signaling for her class to begin the combination she’d just taught them. As the music played from the speakers, the class tapped against the studio’s wooden floor with precision that made the older woman proud to be their teacher.

For Apple Bloom, hearing and feeling her feet strike the floor helped her forget the stresses from earlier in the day. The fact that Pastel was to her side, dancing her heart out with a smile on her face, just made it all the better. It didn’t matter that her legs were starting to get sore, it didn’t matter that beads of sweat were dripping from her forehead, and it didn’t matter that she was starting to feel out of breath. All that mattered to Apple Bloom was that right now, she was dancing her heart out with her friends.

Once everyone finished the combination, Hoofer Steps clapped her hands as she said, “Wunderbar! Fantastic job everyvone.” She then performed a simple curtsy as she held her arms out while she continued, “Zat vill be all for today everyvone. I hope you all have a good veek, und ve shall meet again next veek.”

As everyone made their way to their dance bags, Apple Bloom asked, “So Pastel, what happened?” Hearing this, Tender Taps asked, “Yeah. I overheard you girls earlier, and I didn’t wanna say anything because I didn’t want to pry.” Sighing, the cerulean goth answered, “Ok, but Somewhere a little more private.” She then scooped up her dance bag as she continued, “Follow me.”

Once the three teens had collected their belongings, Pastel led them out of the studio as she asked, “So, there anywhere private here?” Tender Taps raised his hand as he answered, “There’s a back room we can use. Just let me get permission from Ravage.” A few moments later, and Tender Taps returned, confirming that they could use the empty room.

Once they were alone Pastel sighed as she explained, “Ok, so, you know how those Patriot Youth assholes have been….” Pausing as she struggled to keep her composure, the cerulean goth continued, “Pulling a lot of bullshit because I’m trans?” Nodding, Apple Bloom added, “Yeah. They try somethin’ again?”

Feeling her lip begin to quiver, Pastel answered, “Well… Oak Leaf and some of his….” Instinctively looking over her shoulder, she continued, “They surrounded me and he started going on about….” Finally allowing some tears to escape from her eyes, Pastel finished with, “Oak Leaf started talking about how he’d try to “make sure I was a dude.” I didn’t stick around to see if he was just making an off color joke.”

Taking this information in, Apple Bloom declared, “That’s horrible! Ah can’t believe he’d even think of jokin’ about somethin’ like that!” Tender Taps then added, “For the love of… Did you tell the teachers about that? Sounds a hell of a lot like sexual harassment!”

Sighing, Pastel answered, “I didn’t. I just…. I just knew I couldn’t go back while they were there and…. I called Blaster and went home.” She then leaned against the wall as she lamented, “I know, I know, it’s cowardly, but I….” As the tears began to bleed from her eyes, Pastel collapsed to her knees as she finished, “I’m scared I won’t be able to be myself at school! I’m scared I’ll either be forced back into the closet or I’ll get my ass handed to me by those twats!”

Seeing her friend crumble under the stress of everything she’d been going through hit Apple Bloom right in her heart. Feeling her own eyes start to water, the former farm girl could only say, “Oh Pastel…” Sitting down next to her, Apple Bloom pulled Pastel into a gentle hug as she tried to reassure, “Ah’m so sorry. Ah’m sure everythin’ll be alright.”

Shaking her head, Pastel tearfully lamented, “But it won’t! I’ve been outed, I’ve been bullied, and now I….” Curling up into a ball, the cerulean goth could only say, “I’m just scared. I don’t know what to do.” All Apple Bloom could do was rest her hand around her friend’s shoulder as Tender Taps did the same.

As the two teens comforted their friend, someone knocked on the door as Sideswipe’s voice called out, “Hey Apple Bloom? We should probably be getting ready to leave soon. And Tender? Hoofer Steps says you need to get ready for the next class.” Hearing this, the former farm girl thought to herself, ‘Oh great. On today of all days.’ She was about to say something in response to her sister, but Pastel’s crying distracted her, resulting in Apple Bloom momentarily ignoring Sideswipe.

Standing up, Tender Taps opened the door, greeting Sideswipe as he explained, “Hey, right now we really need a moment alone.” He then took a deep breath as he continued, “Tell Miss Hoofer Steps that we’re having a code Styx.” The pale biker gave a confused look before she replied, “Uh, ok.”

Once Sideswipe was gone, Tender Taps turned to Apple Bloom and Pastel as he explained, “A code Styx means that someone is having an episode of something and needs a little alone time.” He then nervously scratched the back of his neck as he added, “Normally it’s supposed to be for kids on the spectrum having a meltdown, but sometimes it helps for other situations like this.” Pastel sniffled as she replied, “Thanks.”

Taking her friend’s hand, Apple Bloom asked, “Anythin’ else you wanna talk about?” Shaking her head, Pastel replied, “I’m fine, or at least as fine as I can be. Right now, I just… I don’t want to be alone.” Pulling her friend into a tight hug, the former farm girl reassured her, “It’s ok. We’re here for you.”

Taking this information in, Pastel Goth hugged her friend back, thankful that she had a friend like Apple Bloom.

The Chop Shop, That Night

Walking back and forth in the chop shop’s living room, Apple Bloom vented, “And then she just broke down! Ah’ve never seen her so scared before!” Across the room from the former farm girl, Ironhide, Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Wreck-Gar sat on the couch as the burgundy haired girl ranted off the previous day’s events. Eventually stopping herself, she finished with, “Uncle Ironhide, Ah just don’t know what to do.”

Pausing for a moment as he contemplated what he just heard, Ironhide shook his head as he replied, “Well, that’s just Prime. I can’t believe someone can be that twisted, especially a kid.” Ratchet nodded as he added, “Indeed. Whatever happened to picking on people for their looks or weight like when we were kids?” As Apple Bloom and the other adults gave him concerned looks, the old medic asked, “What? I’m just asking a question.”

At that moment, Wreck-Gar asked, “Excuse me Miss Apple Bloom, but might I inquire if I can see this so-called Patriot Youth Association in person?” Caught off guard by the Promethean’s question, Apple Bloom replied with a confused, “What?” Nodding, Wreck-Gar continued, “Forgive my profanity, but those inbred cretin bastards almost assaulted my friend, and I would very much like to get a good look at what sort of miserable, pathetic, bear fucking Huns would hurt Pastel!” The robot then stood up as he finished with a blunt, “And this is, regrettably, not up for discussion.”

‘Well, Ah gotta give him credit for loyalty and determination.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Guess he and Pastel really hit it off after that misgenderin’ incident.’ Turning to her uncle and Wheeljack, the burgundy haired girl asked, “Well, if it’s not too much with you guys, this alright with you?” Deep down, she figured there would be no way Ironhide, Wheeljack, or Ratchet would shoot the idea down.

To everyone’s surprise, Wheeljack replied, “Oh, what the hell? I’m down for this.” He then stood up as he continued, “Well, if Apple Bloom were to accidentally bring Wheelie to school, she’d need to call a K-One-Zero, which means I can come to pick him up, and Wheeljack can have his little look around!” The maverick mechanic turned to his friend and boss as he asked, “It’s a brilliant plan, right?” Taking in what he’d just heard, Ironhide held his hands together and let out a contemplative, “Hm.” After a few moments, the family gave his answer.

“Under normal circumstances, I would say this stunt you three have in mind is reckless and possibly dangerous. However, given what’s going on, you have my blessing.” He then turned to Apple Bloom as he gently warned, “Just don’t try anything too stupid, ok?”

Apple Bloom lit up with delight as she hugged her uncle, squealing, “Thank you Uncle Ironhide!” As the family patriarch hugged his daughter, Wheeljack said, “Now then, I’ll go inform Wheelie.” While everyone else began to set their “plan” into motion, Ratchet could only sigh as he remarked, “I have a very bad feeling about this.”

Iacon High School, the Next Day

Walking into the school’s foyer, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she said to herself, “Alright, no turnin’ back now.” Straightening her messenger bag, she could hear Wheelie’s voice squeaking out, “Ugh, this thing is far more cramped than last time! What are you carrying in here? The Encyclopedia Cybertronica?” The former farm girl couldn’t help but let out a gentle laugh as she replied, “Just mah normal stuff.”

The two siblings were distracted by the sound of a boy declaring, “I can’t do this anymore!” Hearing that, Apple Bloom ordered, “Stay quiet! Ah’ll see what that is.” She then quietly began to walk over to the source of the voice, curious as to what was going on.

To her surprise, Apple Bloom found Oak Leaf, Freeze Peach, and the rest of the Patriot Youth Association gathered under a large banner displaying their odd, crown like symbol. However, one of them, a boy with gray skin, yellow hair, piercing blue eyes, and dressed in a red plaid shirt and blue pants, was standing opposite of them, pointing right at Oak Leaf’s chest as he argued with the club’s leader. Curious, Apple Bloom decided she needed to get a closer look.

Once she was close enough, the former farm girl overheard the gray boy as he complained, “You’re going to far! It might have been one thing to deal with that trans dude, but this? You wanna start picking on special needs kids!” Scoffing, Oak Leaf retorted, “Oh please, you should know that the only people of value are those who can contribute to society.” Freeze Peach then joined in with, “Yeah, No room for useless eaters!”

Hearing all this, Apple Bloom could feel her blood boil as she thought, ‘So now they wanna pull what they’ve been doin’ to Pastel on special needs kids? Ah hope Marble isn’t around to hear this.’ She was distracted from her train of thought when she heard the gray boy’s voice declare, “You know my brother has autism! I can’t do this anymore! I’m done!” As he stomped away, Oak Leaf mockingly replied, “Fine! Who needs a weak willed quitter like you?!”

As the boy passed Apple Bloom, she asked, “Ah, uh… What’s goin’ on?” Not even looking towards her, the gray boy ripped off his armband and shoved it into the former farm girl’s hands as he bluntly replied, “Just realizing I’ve made a big mistake!” Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment, but she figured that, now that she had a physical piece of the PYA, she could now put her “plan” into motion.

Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl opened her messenger bag, placed the broken arm band inside, paused for a few moments as Wheelie looked up at her, and nonchalantly said, “Oh dear. Wheelie has snuck into mah bag again. Ah must report him immediately.” She then began to make her way to the office, hoping Oak Leaf and his cronies hadn’t noticed her.

A Few Minutes Later

Sitting on a chair in the front office, Apple Bloom waited for Wheeljack and Wreck-Gar to come pick up Wheelie. The small robot sat in a chair next to her, swinging his feet back and forth as he asked, “So, how long will it be before they get here?”

The two siblings received their answer when both Wheeljack and Wreck-Gar entered the office, the former letting out an unconvincing, “Oh, there you are.” We were looking everywhere for you.” The cycloptic robot, on the other hand began to wander off, trying to find any trace of the PYA and Oak Leaf. As Wheeljack scooped up Wheelie, the maverick mechanic let out a very flat and unconvincing, “Now where has that that boy gone off too?”

Looking around, Apple Bloom found Wreck-Gar just outside the office, staring something above them. Gesturing to the cycloptic robot, the burgundy haired girl said, “Over there, come on.”

Making their way up to Wreck-Gar, Apple Bloom and Wheeljack found him staring at the Patriot Youth Association’s banner. As the robot stared at it, Apple Bloom asked, “Well, what do you think? Find what you were lookin’ for?” At that moment, Wreck-Gar said something that caught her off guard.

“I didn’t know they were a fascist club.”

Hearing this, Apple Bloom asked, “Fascist? What’s that?” Wheeljack, however, simply let out an amused chuckle as he replied, “Ha! That’s a good one buddy! Those little buggers certainly act like it.” However, Wreck-Gar turned to his creator and, in a surprisingly serious voice, elaborated, “I’m not joking sir. That’s a fascist symbol. I can’t remember where exactly I’ve seen it before, but I know it’s been used by Jerry.”

‘Jerry?’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Ah know that word! It’s what those Highlanders Armorhide fought with called their enemies!’ Suddenly, things began to click in the former farm girl’s mind. ‘Wait. Could this “fascist” thing be those “Jerries?”’

Apple Bloom was distracted by the sound of Oak Leaf’s voice calling out, “Whoa! What’s that thing?” Turning around, she found the olive boy and his cronies approaching Wreck-Gar, awe in his eyes. Rolling her eyes, the burgundy haired girl muttered to herself, “What, they gonna try somethin’ against him as well?’

Before Oak Leaf could say anything, Wreck-Gar noticed the arm band he was wearing and asked, “Excuse me sir, but are you involved with the so called “Patriot Youth Association?” Nodding, the olive boy replied, “I am, in fact, the founder of the Patriot You…..” He was interrupted by the Promethean Cyclops, who continued, “Well, perhaps you could answer a question for me.”

Pointing to the banner, Wreck-Gar asked, “Tell me, why does your club use a fascist symbol? I’m fairly certain no one would tolerate your little gang if they knew what it was.” Hesitating for a moment, Oak Leaf let out a confused, “Uh… What? That’s something I made myself. It’s not a fascist symbol.” Taking this in, Wreck-Gar lowered his upper eyelid into a frown as he asked, “So, if I find a symbol used by fascists that happens to look just like that, it would simply be a coincidence?”

Something about this statement seemed to irritate Oak Leaf. Gritting his teeth, the olive boy angrily replied, “Listen you… you tin can! That symbol is what I say it is! Doesn’t matter if it looks like a fascist or a Waffen symbol or… Whatever! It’s our symbol and that’s all that’s important!”

Hearing this, Wreck-Gar nodded as he cheerfully replied, “Thank you for your time. Have a good day.” He then, to everyone’s surprise, performed an about face and began to march towards the door, swinging his arms as he sang, “Oh oh oh it’s a lovely war! What do we want with eggs and ham when we’ve got plum and apple jam!”

Once Wreck-Gar was gone, Wheeljack walked up to Apple Bloom and said, “You better get to class. I think we might have kept you long enough.” Nodding, the former farm girl bade the older mechanic, “See ya later Wheeljack. See ya Wheelie.” Wheelie waved goodbye as he said, “See you later Apple Bloom!” Giving a gentle curtsy, Apple Bloom departed for her biology class, hoping Shockwave wouldn’t be too upset with her.

Joining his eldest creation, Wheeljack asked, “So Wreck-Gar, did you get a good look at those little punks?” Turning to face his creator, Wreck-Gar bluntly warned, “Sir, I think something is wrong with their leader.” Curious, the maverick mechanic asked, “Of course he would be, given what I’ve heard from Apple Bloom.” Shaking his head, Wreck-Gar warned, “No sir, I fear it’s worse.” Curious, Wheeljack asked, “What do you mean?”

Giving his creator a serious look, Wreck-Gar explained, “I told him his little emblem resembled a fascist symbol. I never said anything about the Waffen.”

Realizing the weight of what he’d just been told, Wheeljack let out a concerned, “Well, that’s not good.” A curious Wheelie raised his hand as he asked, “Uh… What’s a Waffen? That like a pancake or something?” Ignoring his brother’s question, Wreck-Gar asked, “Would it be alright if I did some research when we returned home?”

Nodding, Wheeljack replied, “I think I might join you.” As the two began to depart the school, Wheelie asked, “What’s a Waffen?” Turning to his elder creation, the maverick mechanic said, “I think I’ll leave this to you.” Sighing, Wreck-Gar began, “Well, the Waffen were…”

And it was from this little history speech that Wheelie learned just how cruel human beings can be.

Author's Note

Next Time; Apple Bloom helps cheer Pastel up while Ironhide organizes a little "Get together."

Author's Note; Stay safe everyone. I've got a feeling things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.

Brighter Pastels

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 28; Brighter Pastels

Staring out her bedroom window, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she said to herself, “Ah! Gotta love that fall sunrise!” Indeed, the sun was steadily rising over Allspark Wells, blanketing the town in the warm, orange-red rays of light that gave the former farm girl a feeling that the forth coming day was going to be a good one. Turning to her bedroom mirror, she caught a glimpse of her reflection, specifically her outfit of the day.

The young girl was dressed in a red off the shoulder shirt over a black tank top, a dark green and blue tartan patterned kilt, a brown belt, a pair of black boots, and a pair of white socks that just barely peeked out from her boots. Her hair was still in braided pigtails, albeit with a fresh coat of burgundy hair dye, completely hiding any traces of her naturally bright red hair. Taking everything in, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but remark, “Gotta admit, this look is just too perfect.”

Sadly, when she talked to her reflection, the former farm girl could still see the gap in between her left front tooth and her left canine. Her smile began to faintly fade as she lamented, “Heh. Ah almost keep forgettin’ that.” As she began to fidget with her tongue around the empty slot, Apple Bloom thought, ‘It’s weird really. Everythin’ Ah’ve had the last few months, rangin’ from Mr. Compost to the PYA and Oak Leaf, Ah swear even Ah’ve forgotten Ah’m missin’ a tooth.”

Apple Bloom was distracted from her reflection by the sound of someone knocking on her bedroom door, followed by Wheelie’s voice asking, “Apple Bloom? You in there?” The burgundy-haired girl turned to the door as she replied, “Ah’m here Wheelie. You can come on in!”

Normally, someone would simply open the door and walk right in. However, all Apple Bloom could see was her doorknob lightly flick as Wheelie’s voice grunted out, before the knob eventually turned downward, staying there as the small robot called out, “Uh… Apple Bloom? I’m stuck.” All the former farm girl could do was let out an amused chuckle as she replied, “Ah’ll get it.”

Walking up to her door, Apple Bloom turned the knob, and pulled her door inwards, revealing a small robot awkwardly hanging from the other side of the doorknob. Looking up to his big sister, Wheelie said, “Thanks Apple Bloom. I could’ve sworn I could reach that.” He then released his hands, falling down on his rear end, groaning, “Ugh. Yeah, I think this door is defective.”

The former farm girl could only let out an amused laugh as she explained, “It’s not defective. You’re just not tall enough to reach it, that’s all.” She then rested her hand under Wheelie’s chin as she asked, “Next time, make sure you can reach somethin’ without havin’ to jump up for it, ok?” Taking this in, the small robot nodded as he replied, “Alright.” Apple Bloom then gave her little brother a hug, one which he happily reciprocated.

Once the two siblings had finished their hug, Wheelie said, “Oh! I nearly forgot! Ironhide says breakfast is almost ready.” Apple Bloom nodded as she replied, “Alright then. Better not keep everyone waitin’.” The two then began to make their way to the kitchen, hoping they weren’t keeping everyone waiting.

The Kitchen

Entering the kitchen, Apple Bloom found Ironhide and Ratchet working the stove, frying strips of bacon and eggs respectively. As they did this, Sideswipe removed several pieces of toast from the toaster, small circles under her eyes suggesting she hadn’t slept as much at night. And to top it all off, Chromia was seated at the kitchen table, her face buried in several envelopes and other pieces of mail.

Walking up to her aunt, the former farm girl asked, “Mornin’ Aunt Chromia! Whatcha doin’?” Lifting her head from the mail, the family matriarch answered, “Morning dear. Just going through some bills and sorting out all the junk mail.” She then asked, “Why don’t you ask Ironhide if there’s anything he needs help with?”

Before Apple Bloom could say anything, Ironhide called out, “We’re just about done here, but you mind helping Chromia clearing off all that mail?” The former farm girl nodded as she happily replied, “Sure thing.” She then began to reach for the scattered and cluttered envelopes as she asked, “Where do you need me to take these?” Gathering up the letters in her hand, Chromia answered, “We’ll just take these here to the coffee table. I’ll be dealing with these after breakfast.” Nodding, Apple Bloom replied with a gentle, “Sure thing.”

Several minutes later, Apple Bloom, Chromia, and everyone else was seated at the family table as they enjoyed their breakfast. As the former farm girl took a bite from a piece of toast, Ironhide asked, “So Apple Bloom, you still gonna go hang out with Pastel?” Nodding as she swallowed her mouthful, Apple Bloom replied, “Yup. Ah promised we’d hang out after everythin’ she’s been goin’ through this week.”

Indeed, the burgundy-haired girl had promised Pastel Goth that, after the emotionally exhausting week she’d had to endure, the two girls could spend the day just relaxing with each other. ‘It’s a shame Tender Taps can’t join us.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Hopefully he’ll be alright dealin’ with Double Shuffle, Nightshade, and Featherweight as they do that whatever it was, she said they were all doin’.’ This thought led the former farm girl to continue, ‘Guess Ah should’ve been payin’ more attention to what Double Shuffle was talkin’ about after class.’

With her mouth full of chewed up bacon and eggs, Sideswipe spoke up with, “Hey, give my regards to Pastel, and tell her I’m sorry I can’t make it today.” Ratchet immediately chimed up with a gentle but stern, “What have we said about talking with your mouth full?” The pale biker rolled her eyes as she swallowed her mouthful before replying, “Sorry Ratchet.”

Letting out a gentle chuckle, Apple Bloom reassured her sister, “It’s alright. Ah’m sure she’ll understand that right now, Marble needs you more than she does.” At the mention of her girlfriend, Sideswipe couldn’t help but blush as she dreamily replied, “Yeah. She’s asked me to help with some homework.” Ironhide let out a snort before remarking, “I didn’t know homework is an acceptable date. Back in my day, a date was taking someone out to eat and usually something more, I dunno… fun?” Chromia smiled as she took her husband’s hand and replied, “You always were the romantic one, weren’t you?”

Before anyone could say anything else romantic, Ratchet asked, “So, anyone want to tell me where the hell Wheeljack is?” Hearing the old medic say this, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but reply, “Yeah. Ah haven’t seen him since yesterday. Where is he?” Shaking his head, Ironhide answered, “Probably in his workshop. He and Wreck-Gar were combing through every book we have on the Last Great War.”

As Apple Bloom took this information in, Wheelie’s voice called out, “Yeah, he and Wreck-Gar have been up all night. They’ve been going on and on about “Jerry” this and “Waffen” that.” As the former farm girl turned to face her little brother, the small robot meekly apologized, “Sorry. I heard you guys were talking about romance stuff and plans, and I didn’t want to interrupt.” Petting him on the head, Apple Bloom reassured him, “You didn’t.”

Taking this in, Ironhide asked, “So, have they found anything?” Wheelie shook his head as he replied, “I don’t think so. Wheeljack won’t let me help with their investigation. Said something about how I’m too scatterbrained.” Pausing for a moment, the small robot asked, “What does scatterbrained mean anyway?”

Shaking his head, Ironhide reassured the small robot, “Right now it’s not important. Besides, I’ve got some very important tasks for you today.” Lighting up, Wheelie squealed, “Fantastic! I won’t let you down sir!” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but giggle at her little brother’s enthusiasm.

At that moment, the former farm girl’s eyes drifted off to the clock on the wall, only to see that it was almost nine thirty in the morning. ‘Oh crap!’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Ah better get movin’, and fast!’ She then began to scarf down what was left of her breakfast, leading Armorhide to warn, “Careful there kid! Don’t want to give yourself a stomachache.”

Letting out an embarrassed chuckle, Apple Bloom replied, “Sorry about that.” She then resumed eating her breakfast, albeit at a slower pace. After all, she had somewhere to be and someone to meet up with.

Pastel and Blaster’s Home, A Short While Later

Peddling up to the structure, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Well, this must be the place.’ Indeed, in front of her stood a two-story house with the same golden yellow outer walls of most other buildings in Allspark Wells. The lawn was well trimmed with short grass, as well as a sign that read, “T-R86 Radio. Music that transforms you!” Seeing this sign, the former farm girl remarked, “Guess that should confirm this is their place.”

Parking her bike against the building’s front wall, Apple Bloom began to tiptoe up to the front door as she thought, ‘Well, here goes nothin’.’ Taking a deep breath, the former farm girl knocked on door as she called out, “Hello? Pastel? Ah’m here!” From the other end, a familiar voice called out, “I’m coming!” As the sound of footsteps grew louder, Apple Bloom whispered to herself, “At least she sounds like she’s in a good mood.”

After a few moments, the front door opened, revealing Pastel Goth. The blue girl was dressed in a pink and black checkerboard sleeveless dress, white tights, black riding boots, and her black leather jacket. Her hair was swept over her face, hiding her left eye and beginning to cover her right eye. All in all, the young goth girl looked like she had been transported all the way from a bygone decade.

Pulling her friend into a tight hug, Pastel greeted, “It’s so good to see you!” Apple Bloom returned the hug as she replied, “Same here. Ah’m just sorry Sideswipe couldn’t make it as well.” The cerulean goth let out a gentle sigh as she replied, “I know, but I bet right now, Marble needs her more.” She then gave a playful nudge to Apple Bloom’s arm as she added, “Besides, more fun for us, right?”

Taking her friend’s hand, Pastel pulled her friend inside as she said, “Come on! I wanna show you around!”

Meanwhile, at the Chop Shop

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Ironhide rested the power saw on the table in front of him as he said, “There we go.” On the table sat the sawed-up chunks of several rusting old pipes that he’d broken up for the smelting pools. Turning to his side, the family patriarch found Wheelie looking up to him as he continued, “That’s how you do it. You just gotta make sure you’re protected and not sawing through the table.”

Taking this information in, Wheelie nodded as he replied, “Copy that sir. I think I can handle it.” The small robot then asked, “So, can I have a turn?” Ironhide paused for a moment as he thought, ‘Well, Wheeljack did say that if anything happens, he can repair the little guy.’ Bending down to look Wheelie eye to eye, Ironhide handed him the power saw as he replied, “Here you go kid.”

Squealing with delight, the small robot exclaimed, “Oh yeah! I finally get to help with the scrapping stuff around here!” As Wheelie began to align the power saw to a small piece of pipe, Ironhide couldn’t help but think to himself, ‘I gotta admit, that little guy’s enthusiasm is contagious.’

The pleasant moment was interrupted when the door slammed open as Wheeljack, deep circles in his eyes and hair incredibly messy, sternly ordered, “Hey Sarge! You gotta see something we found!” Ironhide was caught off guard by the maverick mechanic not only ordering him around, but also addressing him by his old rank.

Before Ironhide could fully process what he’d just heard, Wheeljack grabbed him by his hand and pulled him through the door as he insisted, “Come on! We’re burning daylight!” The maverick mechanic then turned to his pint-sized Promethean and ordered, “Wheelie! Put that saw down! This is more important!” All the small robot could do was power down the saw, set it down to the ground, and complain, “Awh. I wanted to cut some stuff up.”

As Ironhide took a deep breath, he found himself overcome with the reeking scent of Wheeljack’s breath. The stench of coffee, morning breath, and whatever else he’d eaten since the night before sickened the former sergeant, who thought, ‘Oh, Primus almighty! This is disgusting!’ He tried to say something, but his gag reflex was quicker, and Ironhide found himself coughing and choking, only able to internally say, ‘This better be important, or I’m shoving a toothbrush so far down his throat he’ll be shitting toothpaste for the next few months.”

After a few awkward moments, Wheeljack brought Ironhide to the living room as he said, “Sorry for the interruption, but Wreck-Gar and I had a breakthrough!” As he released his boss, the former sergeant replied, “You know, you could have just said you found something.” The maverick mechanic began to awkwardly scratch the back of his neck as he apologized, “Yeah, sorry about that. It’s just… I think we found something big.”

At that moment, Chromia, Ratchet, and Wreck-Gar entered the living room, the Promethean cyclops carrying a book in his arm as he said, “Ah, master Wheeljack found you then?” Nodding, Ironhide quipped, “He did, though I wish he could find some mouth wash.” Ratchet then raised his hand as he added, “Same here. Wheeljack, your breath smells like a rotting corpse drenched in crappy coffee.”

Setting his book onto the coffee table, Wreck-Gar solemnly said, “Well, I fear we’ve discovered something more unsettling than master Wheeljack’s personal hygiene.” Opening the book to a middle page, the cycloptic robot pointed to something as he asked, “This look familiar?” Curious, Ironhide, Chromia, and Ratchet looked at what Wreck-Gar was pointing to, only to be surprised by what they found.

There, right in the middle of the page, was a symbol that consisted of a black shield with a three-pronged crown shape, the middle prong extending far above the other two, itself being under a black dot. The symbol itself was also black but surrounded by a white outline to stand out against the plain black background. Curious, Ironhide asked, “So, what is this thing again?” What Wreck-Gar said in response shocked the former sergeant.

“That, sir, is the emblem of the Second Waffen Panzer Division Das Reich.”

Hearing this, Ironhide shook his head as he thought to himself, ‘What in the… No…. there’s no way that….’ After all, there was no way that a teenager would actually use a Waffen symbol for a school’s club, right? ‘There is no way someone would actually be either that fragrantly bold or incredibly stupid.’

Ironhide was distracted from his train of thought when Chromia gently nudged her husband’s arm, asking, “You alright there?” Shaking his head, the former soldier replied, “Yeah, I’m fine.” He then paused for a moment before continuing, “I’m just…. This is quite the accusation.”

Wheeljack then presented something else; the broken armband that Apple Bloom had acquired the previous day. As Ironhide inspected the symbol, he couldn’t help but notice the similarities. ‘Well….’ The former sergeant thought to himself. ‘The armband has three equal sized prongs, while the Waffen’s middle pronged towered over the other two. But everything else…’ As he continued to stare at the two symbols, all the former sergeant could say was, “This… This can’t be a coincidence.”

Ratchet then added, “And this little club. They’ve been engaging in bullying all over the school?” Wreck-Gar nodded as he answered, “Yes sir. Of course there’s everything with Pastel, but apparently Apple Bloom’s boyfriend has reported that others have fallen victim to these bloody hooligans, not to mention how they’ve even targeted Sideswipe and Marble Pie.”

Wheeljack then added, “But that’s not the worst part.” Hearing this, Ironhide rolled his eyes as he asked, “Oh, so you’re telling me that not only are our girls going to school with a gang of punks who are using a Waffen symbol as their club logo, but it’s worse?” Nodding, the maverick mechanic replied, “Yeah. I uh… I looked up these Das Reich guys, and… They did something pretty bad.”

Wreck-Gar interrupted with a blunt, “The Das Reich Division was responsible for the Bonnaville massacre, resulting in the murder of almost six hundred and fifty civilians, mostly women and children.”

The moment he heard this, Ironhide could only groan, “Well, that’s just fucking prime!” As Wheeljack solemnly nodded in agreement, Chromia lamented, “This is… This isn’t a coincidence. Their behavior, the symbol, and now that I think about it, the club’s color choice… I think these PYA kids, or at least that Oak Leaf boy, know what this thing is.” Ratchet replied, “I concur.” Turning to his friend and boss, the aging medic asked, “What are we gonna do sir?”

Pausing as he took a deep breath, Ironhide replied, “Get the phone. We’ve got a few phone calls to make.” He then turned to Wheeljack as he added, “And get every last ounce of coffee we have. We’re gonna be having guests over in a bit, and I think we’ll need every last ounce we have.”

Pastel’s Room

As the sound of a strumming bass and electric organ blasted through the cerulean goth’s bedroom, Apple Bloom gently applied a coat of black nail polish to Pastel’s nails. The two girls had decided to do each other’s nails, and after a game of heads or tails, they’d decided that the former farm girl would be the one to apply a coat of paint first.

“You’re doing a great job cowgirl.” Pastel complimented her friend. “There’s hardly any falling onto my fingers. You sure you don’t do this often?”

Setting the bottle of nail polish on the floor, Apple Bloom answered, “Yeah. We never really did this sort of thing back home on the farm.” She then began to inspect her own hands as she continued, “Mah Granny Smith always used to say how it didn’t matter how much we “fancied ourselves” up, and that all that matters is how we behave.” The former farm girl then lamented, “Sorry, guess Ah just don’t really talk about ‘em all that much anymore.”

Noticing her friend’s mood dropping, Pastel apologized, “Hey, sorry for dampening the mood.” Apple Bloom quickly reassured her, “It’s alright. Guess Ah just get a bit homesick every now and then.” The burgundy haired girl then asked, “You ever miss home? Like even a little bit?”

Shaking her head, Pastel replied, “Not even remotely.” The cerulean goth continued, “I mean, I couldn’t even be myself back then. As far as I care, this place is home.” She then reached for the bottle of nail polish as she asked, “So, you ready to start on your nails?” Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment before replying, “Ah guess.”

As the former farm girl extended her hand, Pastel removed her leather jacket as she remarked, “I know that tone of voice. You didn’t find my answer satisfactory, right?” Apple Bloom let out a gentle gulp as she replied, “Ah mean, a little bit? Ah just don’t wanna press you if it’s too uncomfortable.” She then apologized, “Ah’m sorry for askin’. Ah just didn’t wanna upset you.”

Calming down as she sighed, Pastel Sighed as she lamented, “It’s alright. I know you’re just curious.” She then asked, “If I may, you ever have the feeling that who you are, who you want to be, what you are, are something that your family will never accept?” Pondering this question over, Apple Bloom shook her head as she replied, “Ah can’t say Ah do.”

As the burgundy haired girl spread her fingers out for the nail polish, Pastel continued, “Well, that was the problem with my dad. I ever tell you about him?” Apple Bloom thought this over a moment before answering, “Ah can’t say Ah remember.” The cerulean goth let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “Heh. Good thing you never met him. He’s one of the presenters on this website called “No Quarter News Network. It’s this place where a bunch of assholes go on and on about trans people, gay people, immigrants, and generally anyone they don’t like.”

Taking this in, Apple Bloom remarked, “That’s horrible! He’d say that stuff like that about you?!” Pastel shrugged as she replied, “More or less. Of course, I don’t think he’d appreciate the irony of having a trans daughter while spewing so much transphobia.” She then looked down to her own nails, now covered in black nail polish as she lamented, “Just doing something like this would’ve made him madder than a hare.”

As Apple Bloom let out a mischievous giggle, Pastel gently caressed her friend’s fingernail with a brush coated with black polish whilst explaining, “It’s part of why I always like to wear dresses and a lot of pink. I want to show the world that I’m not only a girl, but that I love being a girl.” She then allowed a gentle chuckle as she continued, “That and pink is just my favorite color. Heh, good thing it goes surprisingly well with black.”

After a few moments, Pastel finished on Apple Bloom’s left hand as she asked, “There we go. What do you think?” Bringing her hand up to her eyes, the former farm girl inspected her now blackened fingernails, the former farm girl couldn’t help but think, ‘You know, this looks good. Scratch that, this looks amazin’!’ While she hadn’t ever really thought that black nails would work for her before, now that she could see it on her fingernails, she found that she loved the look.

“Ah love it!” Apple Bloom squealed with excitement! She then pulled Pastel into a tight hug as she continued, “Thanks Pastel!” The cerulean goth hugged her friend back as she replied, “You’re welcome cowgirl, though you do know I only got one hand, right?” The former farm girl let out an embarrassed chuckle as she apologized, “Heh. Sorry about that.” She then extended her other hand as she continued, “Ah’m ready for the other hand.”

Giving her friend an enthusiastic smirk, Pastel readied her nail polish as she said, “Here we go cowgirl.”

The Chop Shop, Later That Evening

As she peddled down the road, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Ah’m glad that Pastel is doin’ better than the last few days.’ Taking a few moments to glance down at her hands, she could see her now blackened fingernails as she continued, ‘And Ah gotta admit, Ah love her work.’ Indeed, her fingernails were perfectly covered in black paint, something that, while she might have scoffed it off in the past, now, the former farm girl couldn’t help but feel, ‘Maybe Ah should keep ‘em like this.’

But as she continued her trek down the road, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think, ‘But Ah’m still scared for her. Come Monday, we’ll be back in school, and she’ll still have to put up with those… those…’ Struggling to find the right word, the former farm girl could only lament, “Those assholes!”

After a few moments, Apple Bloom found the chop shop emerging from the horizon. Letting out a sigh of relief, she remarked, “At least Ah made it home.” However, as she approached the family’s home, the burgundy haired girl noticed something was very different.

There were dozens of parked cars in front of the chop shop.

“What in the name of…” Apple Bloom asked herself as she parked her bike against the building’s wall. “What’s goin’ on.” For a moment, the former farm girl wondered if there had been some sort of emergency order for metal, but that led to her asking herself, “But wouldn’t that have meant that uncle Ironhide would have needed all hands-on deck?” She continued to look around and noticed that Sideswipe’s bike wasn’t present. “Whatever’s goin’ on, Ah got a bad feelin’ about this.”

Entering the shop front, Apple Bloom called out, “Hello? Uncle Ironhide? Aunt Chromia?” For a moment, it seemed that no one was home. However, the former farm girl couldn’t help but notice the faint sound of other voices emerging from the living room. Confused, Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she said to herself, “Alright, here we go.” Once she entered the living room, however, she was caught off guard by what she found.

The entire room was filled with teachers from Iacon High.

“What in tarnation?” Apple Bloom whispered to herself. Indeed, the entire living room was teeming with familiar faces from her school. Some were teachers she didn’t have or had only seen in passing as she’d walked the halls. But some of the others were far more familiar. In the far end of the living room, she could make out Shockwave, the one-eyed man shaking his head in disgust as he chatted with another, unfamiliar teacher. As she tried to sneak her way into the living room, Apple Bloom accidentally bumped into another teacher, only to gasp in surprise to see it was Dr. Pennywhistle.

“Oh my word!” Dr. Pennywhistle exclaimed as he found himself confronted by one of his pupils. “Apple Bloom? What are you….” He paused for a moment before continuing, “Oh yes. I nearly forgot you live here.” The older teacher then let out a gentle chuckle as he asked, “So… How has your day been?”

Caught off guard and confused, Apple Bloom replied, “Uh… Ah’m doin’ alright?” She then awkwardly asked, “So… What’s goin’ on here? Why are you and half of Iacon High here?” Taking a deep breath, Dr. Pennywhistle sighed as he answered, “That’s…. Actually a bit of a funny story.”

Before the old history teacher could answer, Apple Bloom was caught off guard by the sound of Principal Magnus’s voice shouting, “Are you fucking kidding me?!” As the former farm girl began to tip toe towards the source of the shouting, her principal continued, “I can’t believe I allowed students in my school to operate a goddamn fascist gang under my watch! The school board is gonna tear me limb from limb for this!”

Approaching her principal, Apple Bloom was surprised to see him speaking with Ironhide, the family patriarch reassuring him, “Don’t beat yourself up. I only found out those little punks were using a kraut symbol thanks to Wreck-Gar.” He then patted Ultra Magnus on the shoulder as he reassured his friend, “I’m sure the school board will understand.” Neither man noticed the former farm girl approaching them.

Clearing her throat, Apple Bloom asked, “Uncle Ironhide? Principal Magnus? What’s goin’ on?” Turning to face the young girl, Ultra Magnus let out a sigh as he answered, “Well, guess you’re one of the people I should be thanking for helping to expose our little…. Friends.” Confused, Apple Bloom asked, “Uh… You’re welcome?” Turning to her uncle, the burgundy haired girl asked, “What does he mean by exposin’ someone?”

Ironhide bluntly answered, “It turns out that the symbol the Patriotic Youth Association use is the same symbol used by a Waffen Panzer Division from the Last Great War.” Taking this in, Apple Bloom asked, “Waffen? Wait a minute…” As the gears turned in her head, the former farm girl remembered her grandfather’s journal, particularly how he’d been saved from a squad of Waffen soldiers by the 92nd Highlanders.

Recalling the PYA’s cruelty, transphobia, and general habit of bullying everyone around them, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but remark, “That…. Explains so much.”

Resting a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, Ironhide said, “Hey, you mind giving us a little privacy? This place is pretty crowded.” As much as she wanted to disagree with her uncle, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but agree that the living room was indeed far too crowded, leading her to reply, “Sure thing. Anythin’ you need me to do?” Pausing for a moment as he thought, Ironhide answered, “How about you go check up on Wheelie and Brains? Chromia is keeping them company over in Wheeljack’s Workshop.” Nodding, the former farm girl happily replied, “Ah can do that sir.”

As Apple Bloom departed, Ironhide turned to Ultra Magnus as he asked, “So, this mean we’re gonna get Monsieur Labelle?” Nodding, the principal answered, “I’m leaving that little task to you. He always seems to like you over the rest of us.” The former sergeant let out a defeated sigh as he replied, “Very well. Let’s just hope he’ll be in a receptive mood.”

Shaking his head, Ultra Magnus lamented, “Oh, that’s unlikely. When he finds out what Oak Leaf and his friends have done, he’ll be looking for blood. All we can do is save the others.” Ironhide simply nodded as he replied, “Very well. Guess it’s gonna be a hell of a next few days then.”

After all, it wasn’t everyday that the people of Allspark Wells had to contact one of the only living survivors of the Bonnaville massacre.

Author's Note

Next Time; We see what Sideswipe and Marble were up to as the pale biker tells the story about an unpleasant neighbor.

Author's Note: I apologize for the delay. I've been busy with some emergency car repair expenses.

Side Swiping in the Past

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 29; Side Swiping in the Past

To the average adrenaline junkie like Sideswipe, the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon would be to take her motorcycle off into an abandoned quarry and try to pull off as many tricks as possible. The next best thing would be to find some old, abandoned road and see how fast she could go, feeling the wind brush against her face.

But right now, the young biker found the best way to pass a Saturday afternoon was to be curled up under a blanket with her girlfriend as they watched the latter’s favorite movie.

On the screen, a man pointed at another man as he chastised, “All you care about is what you can take! You have no right!” Another character, a smarmy little man with glasses, smugly replied, “An extinct animal brought back to life has no rights. It exists because we made it. We patented it. We own it.” Watching the movie, Sideswipe couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘You know, I forgot how deep the dialogue in this flick was.’

As the characters in the movie devolved into a fist fight, Sideswipe couldn’t help but quip, “I could take them all on with one hand tied between my back.” Hearing this, Marble let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “You sure about that? That poacher might give you a run for your money.” Feigning indignation, the pale biker asked, “What? You think that little old moi can’t handle one ugly old poacher?”

Marble immediately began to panic as she stammered, “I… I didn’t mean… I….” Realizing she’d upset her girlfriend, the pale biker apologized, “Hey, it’s alright! I was just being cheeky.” As the gray geologist calmed down, Sideswipe apologized, “I’m sorry. I know you….” Marble interrupted with a blunt, “Take things a bit too literally?”

Nodding, Sideswipe reassured her girlfriend, “It’s ok.” She then kissed her girlfriend on the cheek as she continued, “Besides, I think your concern for me is so cute.” Blushing, Marble replied, “I just don’t want to lose you.” The gray geologist then took her girlfriend’s hands and, taking a deep breath, kissed Sideswipe on the lips.

Once the two girls had finished their kiss, Marble began to laugh as she remarked, “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do anything… you know… naughty.” Hearing this, Sideswipe reassured her girlfriend, “Oh please. I’m as much a bad girl as any bad girl ever bad girled before.” Ther was an awkward pause before the pale biker continued, “Ok, that was kinda lame.” Even Marble couldn’t help but agree with, “Yeah, that was pretty lame.”

As the awkward moment passed, Sideswipe continued, “But trust me. I’ve done plenty of “bad girl” things in the past. There was that time I competed in an underground bike race, then there was the time I TP’d principal Magnus’s house…”

It was at this moment that a memory was reawakened in the depths Sideswipe’s mind. Taking a deep breath, the pale biker continued, “And there was this one time I even found myself breaking into someone’s house.” Intrigued, Marble asked, “What? You broke into someone’s house?” Nodding, Sideswipe replied, “Yup. In my defense, I had a good reason to. You see, what happened was….”

Takara’s Toys, Several Years Earlier

Sweeping the floors of the old toy store, a young Sideswipe inspected the progress she’d made. The floor of the shop front was now entirely dirt and dust free, leading the girl to wipe the sweat from her brow as she said to herself, “There we go. Not a spec of anything left.”

From the other end of the shop front, a man with dark purple skin, lavender hair, and wearing a suit and tie, walked over to the pre-teen girl as he complimented, “A fantastic job Sideswipe. I’m proud of you.” Smiling, Sideswipe replied, “Thank you Mr. Takara.” As Takara approached her, the toy shop owner reached into his pocket, pulled out a wallet, and removed several bills as he said, “Here we go. This should cover both today and yesterday. You make sure this all gets to your father.”

Accepting the bills, Sideswipe began to count them as she thought, ‘Let’s see. That’s twenty, forty… Yup. Two hundred bucks. This oughta be enough to cover this month’s bills.’ Stuffing the bills into her pocket, the young girl returned her focus to Takara as she bade, “Kansha shiteimasu.” Letting out a gentle chuckle, “Insho-tekina. Though your pronunciation is still a bit off.”

Sideswipe would have continued, but her eyes briefly drifted off to the old analog clock on the wall, only to see that it was now four o’ clock. Gulping, the young girl quickly said, “Oh dear! I better get moving, or else dad will get suspicious! See you later sir!” As she departed, Takara bade, “Take care young lady. And stay safe!”

Streets of Allspark Wells

Peddling her bicycle down the streets, Sideswipe couldn’t help but complain, “Man, my legs are killing me. One of these days, I should get my hands on a motorcycle or something.” Passing past house after house, the young girl continued, “With how far the house is from the rest of town, it’s either that or getting dad to drive me to and from everyone, and he’d never be agree to that.”

As she passed entered her home neighborhood, Sideswipe thought back to the circumstances that brought her here. Nine months earlier, her father, fire marshal Red Alert, suffered a blow to a head, causing him to become suspicious and paranoid of everyone around him. With her father unable to work, and her mother and brother running off to Primus knows where, the young girl was forced to drop out of school and pick up whatever odd jobs she could all over town.

“Ugh. Why can’t dad just get the help he needs?” Sideswipe complained as her legs continued to sting. “Then I could go back to school and not have to put up with all this stupid shit!” Shaking her head in frustration, she continued, “I swear, I thought I’d be glad I didn’t have to go to school anymore, but now I’d give anything to go back.”

Before Sideswipe could lament her predicament any further, the pale girl was distracted by the sound of a young girl’s voice singing out, “La la la. Tra la la la….” Turning to see who it was, Sideswipe found a small girl, no older than five or six, with yellow skin, orange hair in twin pig tails, and dressed in a pink tee shirt and purple trousers, riding a small tricycle past her as she continued to sing her nonsense song.

Shaking her head as she let out a gentle chuckle, Sideswipe remarked to herself, “I remember when I was her age.” Slowing down, she allowed the young girl to peddle past her, the pale girl called out, “Stay safe out there kid!” As she peddled, the small girl turned around as she replied, “I will! Thank you.”

At that moment, the younger girl accidentally ran aground, getting stuck in the mud of someone’s lawn. As the yellow girl struggled to peddle her bike forward, Sideswipe stopped as she called out, “Hey, everything alright?” As the pale biker parked her bike in front of the lawn, the younger girl replied, “I dunno! My bike won’t move!” She continued to try and peddle in vain, only able to kick up and spit out dirt and grass. Bending down to the bike, Sideswipe gently reassured her new friend, “Hold on there. Let me see if I can free your trike.”

Before Sideswipe could free the younger girl’s bike, both girls were distracted by the sound of a man’s voice furiously calling out, “What are you doing on my lawn?!” As the pale girl turned to see who it was, she was greeted by a man with purple skin, black hair, piercing red eyes, and dressed in a red button shirt and khaki pants, stomping up to them, a furious expression on his face. As the man stomped up to them, Sideswipe let out a loud gulp before she asked, “Uh, you mind giving us a hand? My friend here got her tricycle stuck.”

The purple man trudged up to the yellow girl and, to Sideswipe’s horror, grabbed her by her pigtails, lifted her up to his face, and angrily spat out, “Why do you ruin my yard? Tell me or I spank you!” The younger girl began to cry as she fearfully answered, “I just got my trike stuck! Please put me down!” Glaring at his prisoner with a look that Sideswipe could only describe as “full of hatred,” the purple man chucked her onto the street as he shouted out, “You never come back to my house! If you do, you never leave!”

Running over to the small girl, Sideswipe nervously asked, “You ok there?” Shaking her head, the yellow girl cried, “I want my mommy!” The younger girl then threw herself onto the older girl, who could only gently wrap her arms around her as she tried to reassure her, “It’s ok. I’ll… I’ll…” She found herself unable to speak as she thought to herself, ‘Wait. What will, or even can I do?’

As she released the young girl, Sideswipe turned her head to the purple man, finding him lifting the tricycle up as he ripped the front wheel off of the trike. Feeling her fist clench as she gritted her teeth, the pale girl stood up and stomped over to him as she demanded, “Give that trike back right now!” Staring down at her, the purple man angrily replied, “No! It is on my property! That means it is mine!” He then pointed right at Sideswipe’s chest as he warned, “If you try anything, you will suffer! Now leave! Leave or I claim your life!”

Before Sideswipe could even think of striking him, she was caught off guard by another voice, this one far more familiar to her, cried out, “There you are Sideswipe! Where have you been?” Turning around, she found a man with white skin, bright red hair, and a simple outfit consisting of a button shirt, pants, and a red tie that could only be her father, Red Alert. As her father approached her, Sideswipe could only groan, “Ugh. Not now.”

Trotting up to his daughter, Red Alert sternly asked, “You were supposed to be home five minutes ago! What are you doing here fraternizing with this….” Turning to the purple man, he finished, “This stranger?” Pointing at Red Alert’s face, the purple man replied, “My name is Paka Paka, and I’ll have you know your little brat here was trespassing on my lawn!”

Sideswipe immediately shot back with, “You stole that girl’s tricycle first!” Paka Paka retorted with an angry, “Because she drove it on my property! That makes it mine!” Growling with rage, Sideswipe retorted, “That’s not how it works you… You jackass!”

The pale girl immediately found her arm left arm being yanked away by her father as Red Alert stated, “That will do! The last thing we need is you picking fights with random neighbors.” Trying to free herself, Sideswipe complained, “But dad! We can’t just let him steal her tricycle!” Stopping in his tracks, the older man warned his daughter, “Listen, we have to pick and choose our battles, and that man isn’t worth it.” He then continued to drag his daughter away, the young girl unable to take her eyes off the yellow girl, thinking to herself, ‘I can’t just let Paka Paka get away with this.’

Slipstream’s Hidden Lair, Later That Day

Sitting on a rusty old sedan hood, Sideswipe vented, “And that twat just stole that girl’s tricycle and threatened to… I dunno, hurt her?” the pale girl hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I mean, it’s not like Paka Paka would actually hurt a little girl, right?”

Across from Sideswipe, laying on an old couch with her feet resting on a “salvaged” table covered in playing cards and ashtrays, was her girlfriend, Slipstream. The gray girl had red eyes, a dyed blue bob cut, and wore a dark brown sleeveless shirt that exposed her midriff, tattered pants with pink and purple stripes, and brown lace up boots. This look was in contrast to the pale girl, who wore a black tee shirt, a red leather jacket, black pants, and black lace up boots.

Groaning to herself, Slipstream complained, “Ugh. You are so wound up over some little girl. So what if that Paka Paka guy stole her trike?” Hearing this, Sideswipe replied, “What are you saying? That I shouldn’t have tried to help her?” The gray girl immediately defended herself by stating, “Of course not! I’m just saying, with your dad and all, you should probably know when to let things be?”

Hearing this, Sideswipe declared, “I don’t care! You can’t just steal someone’s trike and make a little girl cry!” She then rose up to her feet as she continued, “I mean… What kind of person just steals someone’s bike in front of them? I wouldn’t do even do that to Sunstreaker, let alone a kid.” Shaking her head, the pale girl could only lament, “I don’t know what to do.”

Rolling her eyes as she groaned, Slipstream stood up as she said, “Well, if it’s gonna be bugging you this bad, I suppose we could “liberate” that stupid tricycle.” Hearing this, Sideswipe perked up as she asked, “Really? You’ll help me?” The blue haired girl nodded, resting her finger under her girlfriend’s chin as she replied, “Yeah. Anything to bring a smile to that cute little face of yours.” While her words were warm, Sideswipe couldn’t’ help but feel that she wasn’t being entirely honest in her enthusiasm.

But right now, that didn’t matter. Right now, all that mattered to Sideswipe was that Slipstream was willing to help her give Paka Paka a lesson in manners. Pulling her girlfriend into a hug, the pale girl squealed, “Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” As the blue haired girl awkwardly hugged her girlfriend back, Sideswipe began, “Ok, we need to meet up tonight at….”

Paka Paka’s House, That Night

“Come on Slipstream. You should have gotten here by now.” Sideswipe said to herself as she awkwardly straightened her jacket to keep herself warm. It was the dead of night, and the pale girl had managed to sneak out of her house and now found herself standing in front of Paka Paka’s house. “Heh. Good thing dad fell asleep watching that soap opera.” But now that she was here, the pale girl found herself having second thoughts about her little adventure.

“What if something happened to Slipstream on the way? What if she bailed on me?” The pale girl said to herself as she began to pace back and forth. “What if someone stopped her? Hell, what if she forgot?”

At that moment, someone tapped Sideswipe on her shoulder as Slipstream’s voice whispered, “Boo!” The pale girl jumped in shock as she screamed, “Gah!” Turning around, Sideswipe found Slipstream had materialized out of nowhere, the blue-haired girl dressed the same as she had been earlier, the only new addition being a black leather jacket. Letting out an amused snort, Slipstream remarked, “Hah. Got you, didn’t I?”

Trying to play it cool, Sideswipe replied, “What? No. I just…. Sneezed, that’s all.” Slipstream rolled her eyes as she replied, “Yeah. Sure.” The blue haired girl then began to walk up to Paka Paka’s house as she continued, “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” The two girls then made their way up to the house.

After a few moments, the two girls made it to the back door. Curious, Sideswipe asked, “What are you gonna do?” Reaching into her pocket, Slipstream pulled out two small metallic prongs and inserted them into the doorknob, fiddling around as she bluntly asked, “What does it look like genius?” All Sideswipe could do was awkwardly answer, “Ah. Yeah. A lockpick.” Hesitating for a moment, the pale girl asked, “Where’d you get that anyway?”

As the door unlocked, Slipstream answered, “Got them from some guy calling himself Gnashteeth. They were a thank you for making a delivery run for him.” Whilst the blue haired girl opened the door, Sideswipe asked, “A delivery? What were you delivering?” Turning back to her girlfriend, Slipstream answered, “I dunno. I didn’t ask, he didn’t tell.” She then ushered Sideswipe inside as she said, “Come on. We’re burning moonlight here.”

Once the two girls had entered the house, Sideswipe asked, “So, what do we do? We split up?” Shaking her head, Slipstream replied, “Nope. We stick together and go door to door.” She then began to tiptoe away before stopping and warning, “And stay quiet. If we get caught, we could end up going straight to juvie or something.” Shuddering at the thought of getting sent to the slammer, Sideswipe gulped as she whispered, “You got it. Staying quiet.”

Tiptoeing into the house, Sideswipe darted her eyes around, trying to find anything that could even loosely resemble a small tricycle. As she and her girlfriend made their way through the room, the pale girl asked, “So, where are we going?” Slipstream began to answer, only to pause before lamenting, “I have no idea.” She then admitted, “I’m still a bit rusty. This is the first house I’ve broken into in a while.”

Before Sideswipe could fully process what she’d just heard, the two girls were distracted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Instinctively hugging each other, Slipstream quietly ordered, “Follow me!” Following her girlfriend, Sideswipe and Slipstream tiptoed out of their current room and into the kitchen.

But the footsteps continued to follow them. Ducking down, Sideswipe and Slipstream leaned against a large, opaque table, hoping it would protect them from Paka Paka. Gulping, Sideswipe peaked her head out to see if they were being followed. While she couldn’t see the house’s resident. She could make out a man’s shadow approaching. The pale girl immediately leaned back against her protection as she whispered, “I think he’s getting closer.”

Feeling her heart pound and pound in her chest, the young teen found herself enveloped by a thin layer of sweat. Slipstream was about to chastise her girlfriend, only to hesitate as she heard Paka Paka’s voice remark, “What’s this? I thought I locked this door!” The blue haired girl impulsively placed one of her hands over her girlfriend’s mouth, leading Sideswipe to do the same to the former’s mouth.

Thankfully for them, Paka Paka let out a gentle chuckle as he remarked, “Stupid lock! I better call a lock smith in the morning.” The two girls then heard him relock the door before walking away as he sang an old tune to himself.

Once they were certain that Paka Paka was gone, the two girls released each other’s mouths as Slipstream remarked, “Thank Primus. That was close.” Sideswipe wiped the vast amount of sweat from her brow as she replied, “Yeah. Maybe we should call this off.” Shaking her head, the blue haired girl retorted, “Hell no. We’ve come this far. We’re gonna find that stupid tricycle if it’s the last thing we do. Now come on!” Slipstream took her girlfriend’s sweat drenched hand and began to drag her off again, hopeful they could find their objective and get out of the house before Paka Paka found them.

Ten Minutes Later

Tiptoeing through the house’s upper floors, Sideswipe and Slipstream made their way to a closed door. Sighing, the pale girl muttered to herself, “Alright. Last room we haven’t checked. Please be in here.” As she grabbed the doorknob and began to turn it, the blue haired girl groaned, “Let’s hope it’s here. Otherwise, we gotta bail.” Opening the door, Sideswipe peaked her head inside, only to be shocked by what she found.

There, inside what should have been an insignificant room used as a guest bedroom, rested a pile of tricycles, bikes, basketballs, baseballs, and other assorted toys. Feeling her jaw drop, Sideswipe could only remark, “By the gods. These have to have come from Primus knows how many kids.”

Walking into the room, Slipstream found herself caught off guard by what she saw. Scratching the back of her neck, the blue haired girl remarked, “Wow. This has to be like… thirty, forty… No, fifty kids worth of stuff.” She then knelt down to pick up a discarded doll, Slipstream continued, “There could be enough here to send this asshole to the slammer!”

Hearing this, Sideswipe replied, “Hopefully. All I care about is getting that girl’s tricycle back to her.” Turning her attention to the pile of hoarded toys, the pale girl began to sift through it as she gently called out, “Give me a hand!” Slipstream groaned as she rested the doll she found to the ground and complained, “Yes ma’am.”

As she combed through everything, Sideswipe asked, “Hey Slipstream? If you didn’t want to do this, why’d you agree to do this?” Shrugging, Slipstream answered, “Because you were being so annoying, sulking about that girl’s tricycle, and I just wanted to put a stop to it.” She then added, “Besides, I’ve been bored.” Taking this in, Sideswipe could only dejectedly reply, “Thanks. I guess.”

After a few minutes, the pale girl found what she was looking for. “Bingo!” She exclaimed as she pulled a broken tricycle out from the pile of confiscated toys. The trike was just as she’d remembered from earlier in the day, including the absence of the front wheel. Looking around, Sideswipe asked, “You find a tricycle wheel around here?”

Slipstream shrugged as she answered, “Nah.” Hearing this, Sideswipe turned back to the pile of toys and resumed her investigation. As she sifted through everything, the pale girl thought, ‘Come on. Come on. You’ve gotta be right around….’ Before she could finish, Sideswipe found a wheel that could easily have belonged to the trike.

“Here!” Sideswipe whispered as she pulled the wheel out from the hoard and, taking a deep breath, snapped it back into the tricycle. Now that the tricycle was complete, the pale biker said, “Alright. I’ve got it. Let’s get the hell out of here.” Nodding, Slipstream replied, “You got it.”

It was at this moment that both girls heard Paka Paka’s voice violently shout, “I knew it!”

‘Shit!’ Sideswipe thought to herself. As she slowly turned around, the pale girl found herself turning even paler as the sweat began to drip, or rather, pour down her face as she realized that she was in serious trouble. ‘Maybe this won’t be so bad. Maybe he’ll just send me home with a warning.’ Taking a deep breath, she began, “Sorry about this Mr. Paka Paka. We were just….”

Sideswipe found herself speechless as Paka Paka, hatred and fury in his face, aimed a shotgun right at her face.

As both girls began to process the danger they were in, Paka Paka angrily asked, “What are you doing in my house?!” Sideswipe wasn’t focusing on the purple man’s words, instead staring at the gun barrel that was aimed right at her. She tried to speak, but found herself unable to, completely overcome with fear. Growling with frustration, Paka Paka stepped forward, bringing the shotgun barrel closer to her as he demanded, “Why are you in my house?!”

Now absolutely terrified, Sideswipe nervously replied, “We were just trying to get that girl’s trike back!” Slipstream then added, “I’m only here because she wanted to do that!” Turning to her girlfriend, the pale girl could only think to herself, ‘Way to be a team player.’

But Paka Paka wasn’t flinching. Glaring at Sideswipe, the purple man barked, “That does not matter! That trike is on my property, therefore it is mine!” He then widened his eyes as he barked something that shook both girls to their bones.

“You broke into my house! I can kill you legally!”

Hearing this, Sideswipe thought, ‘What? I mean… he wouldn’t do it… right?’ Stepping back, the young girl tried to defend herself with, “All due respect sir… We aren’t really a threat to you so….” She then sidestepped Paka Paka’s shotgun, only to find that he was still aiming his weapon at her. As Sideswipe let out a loud gulp. Slipstream called out, “Screw this! I’m out of here!”

Paka Paka tried to turn around to threaten Slipstream, but his finger accidentally pulled the trigger, producing a deafening bang while pellets of shot tore through the wall. As Sideswipe collapsed to her knees and covered her ears, the pale girl cried out, “Fuck me! That’s loud!”

Standing up, the pale girl realized something was wrong. ‘Wait. Where’s Slipstream?’ She thought to herself. Indeed, during the few moments where she’d been distracted by the shotgun blast, Sideswipe’s girlfriend had disappeared, almost certainly running off while she wasn’t looking. Now, the only thing between herself and the way out was a very angry Paka Paka and a shotgun.

Realizing it was her only chance of escape, Sideswipe dropped the tricycle and charged towards the door, shoving past Paka Paka as she ran for her life. Behind her, she could hear the purple man pumping his shotgun as he bellowed, “Come back here so I can kill you!” Now fearing for her life, Sideswipe began to panic as she darted her eyes around, looking for the way out.

‘Oh no.’ The pale girl thought to herself. Running down the hall, she continued to think, ‘This has to be the way out of here.’ Thankfully, she found the main stairwell, leading her to pump her fist as she exclaimed, “Yes!” However, the sound of footsteps approaching made her realize she needed to get moving.

Running down the stairs, Sideswipe thought to herself, ‘Ok. We just gotta go through the kitchen, then there’s the door out of here.’ Allowing a small smirk to form on her face, the pale girl ran straight to the kitchen. Once she was past that, the pale girl found the door she and her girlfriend had come in through. ‘Finally! Time to get the hell out of here!’ She thought to herself as she ran to the door.

But as she turned the doorknob and tried to run outside, someone grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back inside the house.

Landing on her face as her head banged against the floor, Sideswipe groaned, “Ugh. That hurt.” She was distracted from her pain as she heard Paka Paka’s voice spitefully bade, “That won’t matter in a moment!” Looking up, the pale girl found the purple man aiming his shotgun at her again, a terrifying smile on his face as he continued, “I told you! You break in my house! That means I can legally kill you!” Feeling the sweat drop from her brow, Sideswipe nervously asked, “Uh… I don’t know if that’s actually legal.”

“It doesn’t matter!” Paka Paka angrily retorted. Readying his weapon so that it was right up to Sideswipe’s cheek, the purple man let out a horrifying snicker as his lips formed a cruel smile before declaring, “I kill you now!”

At this moment, Sideswipe did the only thing she could do. Raising her leg, the pale girl kicked Paka Paka in the stomach, forcing him to drop his weapon. Seeing the opportunity she’d created, Sideswipe stood up and charged for the door, this time making it outside.

But as she approached the edge of the yard, Sideswipe felt something hit her on the back of her head, forcing her down onto the grass. As she struggled to get back up, the pale girl felt someone try to pull her leg, dragging her backwards. ‘Crap. Must be Paka Paka.’ She thought to herself. Sideswipe tried to crawl forward, only for the purple man’s voice to declare, “Oh no! You’re not getting away from me! I told you I could kill you legally, and I intend to kill you legally!”

Realizing that he intended to actually do her in, Sideswipe began to panic as she begged, “Please don’t kill me! I don’t wanna die!” As she began to tense herself up for the inevitable, the pale girl didn’t notice the two men in blue uniforms approaching them as one of them called out, “Put your hands in the air and get down on the ground!”

Looking towards the new arrivals, Sideswipe found that they were indeed two police officers. ‘I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever been happy to see those little piggies before.’ The pale girl thought to herself. ‘Guess there’s a first time for everything.’

Sure enough, the older officer, a gray man with blue hair, pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Paka Paka as he ordered, “Drop the gun and get down on the ground now!” Aiming his shotgun at the officers, the purple man barked back, “But she broke into my house! I have the right to kill her!” Sideswipe tried to raise her hand to speak out, only to get the shotgun barrel shoved back into her face as Paka Paka barked, “You don’t move, or I turn your head into hamburger!”

The brief distraction Sideswipe had provided the cops the opportunity they needed, and the younger officer charged at Paka Paka. The purple man only had a moment to process what was happening before the younger officer, a gray man with white hair, tackled him to the ground. Once she was free, Sideswipe stood up and ran towards the older officer, hugging him as she declared, “Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank You!”

As the older officer hugged her back, his younger comrade escorted a now handcuffed Paka Paka as he said, “You are under arrest Paka Paka. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…” As he continued to read his prisoner his rights, the older cop complimented, “Nice job there Prowl.” Turning his attention to the young girl, he asked, “We’re here because we got a noise complaint about the shotgun blasts. What the hell are you doing here?”

Taking a moment to process everything, Sideswipe let out a nervous chuckle as she began, “Heh heh, yeah, about that….” Before she could continue, the older police man interrupted as he said, “Given everything, I feel we will need to contact your father.”

All Sideswipe could do was let out a nervous and resigned gulp as she muttered, “Shit.”

Red Alert’s Home, Later That Night

“Thank you, officer.” Red Alert thanked the two police officers as they presented Sideswipe to him. After a quick phone call, the pale girl had been delivered back to her father. Of course, since it was the middle of the night, as well as the fact that her father had no idea that his daughter had broken into another man’s house, the reunion wasn’t a particularly happy one.

Turning to his daughter, Red Alert sternly finished with a foreboding, “This will not. Happen. Again.” As Sideswipe held her head in shame, the policeman bade farewell with a gentle, “Have a good evening sir.” With that, the officer closed the door, leaving the young girl alone at her father’s mercy. Taking a deep breath, she began to apologize, “Hey dad. Sorry about….”

Sideswipe was interrupted when Red Alert slapped her in the face, forcing her to her knees as he furiously barked, “What in the fucking hell were you doing?! Sneaking out of the house? Breaking into Paka Paka’s house? Trying to steal from him?!” As she struggled to get back to her feet, Sideswipe desperately tried to reply, “He stole a girl’s tricycle. I wasn’t just gonna….”

The pale girl received another slap to her face, this one much harder, from her father as Red Alert shouted, “Do you realize something? Do you realize! Let me tell you! If things had been a bit different, you could have been killed! DO YOU REALIZE YOU COULD HAVE DIED?” He then paused for a moment before continuing, “You could have broken this family more than it already has been! You’re just lucky that those cops only wanted to drop you off.”

As Sideswipe took her father’s words in, Red Alert began to calm down as he angrily ordered, “You are grounded for the next…. Until I feel like you’ve learned your lesson! Now go to your room and think long and hard about what you’ve done tonight!” The pale girl wanted to challenge her father’s authority, but the pain in her mouth was too much for her, and she decided that, for tonight at least, she’d concede and obey his wishes. Nodding, Sideswipe replied, “Sir, yes sir.”

Once she’d made it to her bedroom, Sideswipe locked the door, wanting to be alone for the night. She then felt something wet run down her lip. ‘Ugh, don’t tell me I’m drooling.’ The pale girl thought to herself as she wiped her mouth. As she looked to her hand, however, she realized that she wasn’t drooling.

‘Saliva isn’t supposed to be red.’ She thought to herself.

It was at this moment, now that she was alone in her room after having been abandoned by her girlfriend, threatened by Paka Paka, and struck by her father, that Sideswipe lost all composure and began to break down. Throwing herself onto her bed, she screamed into her pillow, “I HATE THIS! I HATE THIS STUPID TOWN, I HATE THAT ASSHOLE, AND I HATE…” She stopped herself before she could hated her father. ‘I… I don’t hate dad.’ She thought to herself.

‘But why do I feel like I do?’

Unable to come up with a good answer, Sideswipe allowed her exhaustion to overcome her as she began crying herself to sleep. After all, it was the only thing she had any sort of control over.

The Present Day

“That’s horrible!” Marble tearfully explained as her girlfriend finished telling her tale. “I can’t believe you had to put up with that!” As she wiped the tears from her face, the gray geologist asked, “Did… Did you know if that girl ever get her tricycle back?”

Nodding, Sideswipe replied, “Oh she did. Her mom visited a few days later and thanked me. Turns out that asshole Paka Paka had been stealing toys for years, and the cops had to start giving them back. The girl got her tricycle back.” The pale biker then paused before lamenting, “Shame I never even found out what her name was.”

Marble then asked, “So, is it true that your girlfriend, Slipstream, just up and abandoned you?” Hearing this, Sideswipe let out a defeated sigh as she replied, “She did. Of course, she showed up about a week later, begging for my forgiveness.” The pale biker then let out a wistful sigh as she lamented, “Then things were fine for a while before….” Shaking her head, Sideswipe finished, “I broke up with her after that. Guess it took me too long to realize that Slipstream was a….”

She was interrupted by the sound of a familiar scratchy voice asking, “A real bitch?” Turning to see who it was, both girls were greeted by a scarlet macaw, the crimson parrot gliding down from a shelf and perching herself on Marble’s shoulder. The bird repeated herself with, “A real bitch. A real bitch.”

Giggling, Marble replied, “That’s very naughty of you Scarlett, but true. She really does seem like a bitch.” As the gray girl booped her parrot on the beak, Sideswipe began to laugh as she replied, “She really was. Besides, if I may, you’re far more beautiful than she ever was.” Hearing this, Marble blushed as she replied, “Awh. Thank you. You’re too sweet.”

Turning as red as her vest, Sideswipe complimented, “As are you. You’re so beautiful.” The two girls began to lean in for a kiss, only for Scarlett to place herself in between them, resulting in both teens kissing the crimson parrot. Sideswipe began to spit out a few stray feathers as she replied, “Ugh. Cheeky little chicken finger.”

Hearing this, Scarlett let out a caw as she began to nudge Marble, leading Sideswipe to apologize, “Sorry about that. Just trying to be cheeky.” The gray girl then reassured her parrot, “Don’t take it too hard, ok?” Scarlett replied by making a kissing sound and replying, “I love you!” Marble immediately lit up as she rested her head gently against Scarlett’s as she replied, “I love you too.”

At that moment, Scarlett asked, “You want some?” Marble let out a gentle chuckle as she replied, “Alright. Let’s get you something to eat.” The gray girl stood up as she explained, “I’m gonna get Scarlett something to eat. Be back in a bit.” Sideswipe responded by standing up and saying, “Let me give you a hand. Besides, I’m kinda hungry too.”

With that, the two girls and scarlet macaw began to make their way to the kitchen. As she did, Sideswipe began to think back, comparing where she was now to where she’d been several years ago. ‘I mean, part of me kinda misses a lot of the excitement.’ She thought to herself. But as she watched her girlfriend get her pet parrot a piece of fruit, she came to a simple conclusion.

‘But I like where I am so much better.’

Author's Note

Next Time: A very special visitor to Iacon High ends the wrath of the Patriotic Youth Association once and for all.

Author's Note: The Character of Paka Paka is named after the infamous animation technique that caused several seizures during the pokemon episode "electric soldier porygon." His behavior and belief on "legality" is inspired by the family guy character of Mr. Washee Washee.
Also, this will not be the last time we see Slipstream.

Monsieur Labelle

Life in Allspark Wells

Part 30; Monsieur Labelle

As the deafening blast of her alarm clock rang in her ears, Apple Bloom groaned as she complained, “Ugh. Just shut up already.” The former farm girl tried to cover her head with her pillow, but the blaring of her clock continued to annoy her, forcing her to accept that it really was time to wake up. Pressing the “stop” button on her alarm clock, Apple Bloom rose up from her bed, let out a loud yawn as she stretched her arms, and declared, “Well, here goes another day in the doldrums.”

Once again, it was Monday morning, and the former farm girl had to get ready for yet another week of school. Making her way to her closet, Apple Bloom said to herself, “Alright. What to wear today?” Sifting through her clothes, she decided to settle on her new regular outfit.

After several minutes, Apple Bloom had changed into her outfit of the day. Like most days, she was wearing a red off the shoulder shirt, a black tank top underneath, a dark green and blue pattern kilt, and black boots. The one thing she had added to her ensemble on this day was a pair of faded black tights, something that she felt would help keep her legs warm in the increasingly cool autumn weather.

Before she could react to her reflection in her bedroom mirror, Apple Bloom was distracted by the sound of someone knocking on her door as her uncle’s voice asked, “You up yet kid?” Turning to her bedroom door, the former farm girl replied, “Ah’m up uncle Ironhide. Just getting ready.” Ironhide replied with, “Alright Apple Bloom. Just don’t mess around for too long. You’ve got a long day ahead.”

Letting out an exhausted sigh, Apple Bloom lamented, “Ah know.” She then made her way to her desk and began to scoop up her schoolbooks and supplies. Once her messenger bag was filled to the brim, the former farm girl took a deep breath as she said to herself, “Here we go.”

A Few Minutes Later

Making her way down to the kitchen, Apple Bloom found the familiar sight of everyone preparing breakfast. As Ratchet and Wheeljack worked the stove as they grilled some sausages and bacon, Chromia was setting the table, and Sideswipe was sweeping the floor, scooping up the crumbs and specs of dust that littered the kitchen surface. ‘Heh. Just another day in paradise.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself.

As she joined everyone else, Apple Bloom greeted everyone with a warm, “Mornin’ everyone.” Chromia replied with a gentle, “Good morning to you too Apple Bloom. Sleep well?” The former farm girl nodded as she replied, “Ah did. Only problem was Ah had to wake up.”

Sideswipe then chimed up as she replied, “I swear, you’re always the last person to get up in the morning. Do you like… stay up at night or something?” Apple Bloom began to answer before Ratchet chimed in with, “If you’re just complaining about how she doesn’t often help with KP in the morning, then you forget how often she helps with dinner KP.” The pale biker could only roll her eyes as she replied, “Yeah yeah.”

As Sideswipe continued to sweep the floor, Apple Bloom asked, “Anythin’ you need me to do?” Before anyone could reply, they were interrupted by the sound of a small dog barking as Sparkplug trotted into the kitchen. Letting out a gentle chuckle, the burgundy haired girl answered her own question, “Guess for starters, Ah can get you somethin’ to eat, shouldn’t Ah little buddy?” the small terrier let out an affectionate “bark” as he wagged his tail, signaling that he was indeed hungry, leading the former farm girl to make her way to the side of the kitchen, lifted a large bag of dog food, and poured it into the highland terrier’s food bowl.

As Sparkplug munched away at his breakfast, Ironhide walked into the kitchen as he talked into cellphone. Keeping the device close to his ears, the family patriarch said, “Of course Magnus. And is Mr. Labelle there?” After a quick pause, he continued, “Good. Please tell me all those damn banners and everything are…” After another pause, Ironhide concluded, “Very well. We’ll be there soon.”

Once Ironhide hung up, Apple Bloom asked, “What was that about uncle Ironhide? Was that Principal Ultra Magnus?” Nodding, the former sergeant replied, “Yup. You remember that little meeting we had two days ago?” When the former farm girl nodded, Ironhide continued, “Well, I suppose there’s no point in keeping you in suspense. There’s gonna be an assembly today that will address our friends, those PYA twits.”

Flipping some sausages from his pan to a plate, Wheeljack spoke up with, “Pardon my language, but those kids aren’t twits. They’re, as my dad would put it, “feckin’ gobshites.”” Chromia immediately shot back with, “Wheeljack? What have I told you about swearing at the table?” The maverick mechanic groaned as he complained, “Oh come on! I didn’t say any of the seven naughty words, or even any real swear words.” The family matriarch folded her arms as she elaborated, “One, “fecking” is one letter away from one of the seven deadly words. And two, I’m fairly certain “gobshite” isn’t something you call your friends.”

As the two adults continued to squabble, Sideswipe rested her broom against the wall as she said, “Well, I dunno about you, but I’m starving.” As the pale biker sat down at the table, Apple Bloom remarked, “Ah bet.” Gathering up enough food for her and her sister, the former farm girl continued, “Besides, last thing we need is you fallin’ asleep during this presentation thing like you did durin’ homeroom.” Groaning, Sideswipe complained, “Come on, it was one time!”

Before either girl could say anything else, Ratchet chimed in with a gentle but firm, “Alright ladies. We’re burning daylight here. We’re shoving off in twenty minutes.” Ironhide immediately spoke up with, “Hey, that’s my line.” The family patriarch then paused for a moment before pointing at the old medic and conceding, “What he said.” Apple Bloom let out a small giggle at her uncle’s remark before she began to eat her breakfast.

After all, she had a long day ahead of her.

Shockwave’s Classroom

Entering her biology class, Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief to see that Oak Leaf hadn’t arrived yet. “Thank Primus.” She whispered to herself. As she approached her desk, the former farm girl continued, “Ah swear, every time that little asshole opens his mouth, he starts ramblin’ on and on about freaks of nature an’ abominations and…” Feeling herself shiver in disgust, Apple Bloom could only finish her sentence with, “Ugh. Makes me sick thinkin’ about it.”

As she approached her desk, the burgundy haired girl noticed a piece of blue paper was resting on it. Picking up the scrap of cerulean paper, Apple Bloom read what was written on it. “Apple Bloom. Selected for standin’ up?” As she looked around, the former farm girl noticed that most of the other desks, had yellow pieces of paper on them. “What in tarnation is goin’ on here?” She asked herself.

Before she could receive an answer, Apple Bloom was distracted by the grating sound of Oak Leaf’s voice asking, “What the heck is this?” Rolling her eyes, the former farm girl grumbled to herself, “Should’ve known he’d get here soon enough. Turning around to face the olive boy, she found him dressed in a gray button shirt, dark blue pants, and black shoes. However, what caught her attention was the colored piece of paper in his hands.

Unlike her blue paper, or everyone else’s yellow paper, Oak Leaf had a piece of dark red paper in his hands.

‘What’s so special about that jerk?’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. She then looked down to her own blue piece of paper as she continued, ‘And what’s so special about me?’ Sitting down, she couldn’t help but feel that this had something to do with the assembly her uncle had told her would happen today. ‘But that still doesn’t really answer anythin’.’

At that moment, Apple Bloom heard the sound of Shockwave greeting his students with, “Greetings and Bienvenue everyone.” Turning to face her teacher, she found the one-eyed teacher walking into the classroom, removing a leather glove from his sole remaining organic hand as he continued, “I trust you’ve all had a pleasant weekend?” The burgundy haired girl couldn’t help but notice her teacher briefly giving Oak Leaf a stern scowl, the sort of scowl Apple Bloom knew was only given when someone was incredibly disappointed.

Once he was in front of his class, Shockwave greeted, “Now, I believe you’ve all noticed the pieces of paper on your desks.” As everyone noticed these pieces of paper, their teacher continued, “These are your assigned seating for the assembly today. If you have yellow, you will be in the main group. If yours is red, you will be up front, and if you have blue, you will be in your own designated section.”

Raising his hand, Oak Leaf asked, “What is this assembly about anyway?” The olive boy looked around at his classmates as he continued, “I mean, we’re all really learning about this right now, right? It’d be nice to know what all this is about.” As the rest of the class began to murmur amongst themselves, Shockwave walked up to his pupil and, with an unnatural coldness in his voice, warned, “You will learn soon enough boy.”

Oak Leaf meekly nodded as he replied, “Ye…. Yes sir.” Watching the olive boy be seemingly put in his place, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but think to herself, ‘Somethin’s gotta be goin’ down. That’s gotta be the first time Ah’ve seen someone actually put that little weasel in his place.’

Turning his attention to the rest of his pupils, Shockwave stated, “The assembly will be in thirty minutes. You may study until then.” As the one-eyed teacher sat down at his desk, Apple Bloom thought to herself, ‘Well, guess the only thing to do is to do a little studyin’ then.’ She then reached into her messenger bag, pulled out her biology textbook, and began to go over her notes from the previous week, all while she found herself continuing, ‘Guess we’ll figure out whatever is goin’ on soon enough.’

The School Gymnasium, Thirty Minutes Later

Walking into the school’s gym, Apple Bloom found that, not only were the bleachers all pulled out, but multiple rows of chairs, about fifteen if her eyes weren’t deceiving her, were arranged in front of a portable stage. Upon said stage stood a podium with the school’s seal on its front as well as a projection board behind it. Taking everything in, the former farm girl let out a gentle whistle as she whispered, “Looks like they aren’t holdin’ anythin’ back.”

Approaching one of the teachers, Apple Bloom asked, “Uh, excuse me, but where am Ah supposed to sit?” When she presented her blue piece of paper, the teacher pointed to a section of the bleachers to the left of the stage as they replied, “Over there young lady.” Nodding, the burgundy haired girl replied, “Thank you.”

As she made her way to the assigned section, Apple Bloom noticed that several of her friends were among those who had been assigned to this section. ‘What in the?’ She thought to herself. ‘There’s Tender Taps, Pastel Goth, Sideswipe, Marble Pie….’ Shaking her head, the former farm girl took a deep breath as she began to look for an empty seat.

At that moment, Pastel and Marble noticed their friend, and they raised their hands as the former called out, “Hey cowgirl! Over here!” Making her way over to her friends, Apple Bloom sat down in between them as she asked, “Howdy girls! Hope you’re doin’ alright.” While Pastel nodded, Marble sighed as she replied, “Not too bad, but some of those patriot jerks cornered me on the way to first period. Before I had a chance to react, they started going on about how I was a freak because of me and Sideswipe.”

As Apple Bloom took this in, Tender Taps and Sideswipe squeezed their way over to their friends as the purple haired boy asked, “There room for us over here?” The former farm girl lit up as she replied, “Ah think so. Make yourselves comfortable.” The other two teens then sat down with the rest of the group, with Tender Taps specifically sitting next to his girlfriend. As he offered his hand, Apple Bloom took his hand as she said, “Thank you kindly.”

Before Apple Bloom and Tender Taps could even begin to blush, Pastel pointed to something as she called out, “Look! Over there! It’s those PYA assholes!” Following her friend’s arm, the former farm girl found that, indeed, Oak Leaf and the rest of the PYA were seated in the front two rows of seats right in front of the stage. Just looking at Oak Leaf, Freeze Peach, and the rest of their friends made Apple Bloom’s blood boil. ‘Ugh.’ She thought to herself.

Apple Bloom felt someone tapping on her shoulder as she heard Marble ask, “Hey, isn’t that Ironhide and… Wreck-Gar?” Following her friend’s hand, the burgundy haired girl was surprised to see that, at the very back of the gymnasium, were not only Ironhide and Wreck-Gar, but Chromia, Ratchet, Soft Shoe, Blaster, and several other parents. Seeing this, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but remark, “Ah remember uncle Ironhide said somethin’ about this assembly, but Ah didn’t think he’d actually be here.”

After a few moments, Apple Bloom turned her attention back to the stage, only to find that principal Ultra Magnus was approaching the podium. As he began to tap the microphone to make sure it was on, the former farm girl whispered, “Well, guess it’s showtime then.”

“Attention please everyone!” Ultra Magnus called out. Once the student body was focused on him, the principal began in earnest, “Now, I know you are all wondering why we have summoned you here. Well, it is because of a concerning discovery made over the weekend.” He then briefly glared down to Oak Leaf and the other members of the PYA as he continued, “It is because I’ve been informed of the origin of the emblem used by the Patriotic Youth Association.”

As the entire school began to stare at Oak Leaf and his cronies, Ultra Magnus said, “However, I believe I am not the best person to discuss this with you.” The principal turned to his right and said, “Il est temps.”

At that moment, Apple Bloom saw an elderly man walk onto the stage. He had dark gray skin, black hair, and his face was wrinkled and tired. The old man wore a simple outfit of a maroon button shirt, khaki pants, and brown shoes. The final thing that the former farm girl noticed was his slow walk, hobbling along with a black cane in his hand. ‘He’s gotta be…. Older than uncle Ironhide at least.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘Maybe older than Queue or even Granny Smith.’

Once the new man was behind the podium, Ultra Magnus declared, “Students, this is Monsieur Renault Labelle the third. Some of you remember when his visited two years ago, but after something came up, we decided we had to contact him. I want you all to listen to what he has to say today.” Turning to Renault, the principal said, “Monsieur, la parole est a toi.”

Nodding as he straightened himself, Mr. Labelle spoke into the microphone, “Bonjour et Bienvenue. As Monsieur Magnus explained, I am Renault Labelle the third.” He then picked up a clicker from the podium, aimed it at the screen behind him, and pressed the button, flickering on an old black and white picture of a family, consisting of a father, mother, two girls, and a young boy that Apple Bloom figured was a young Mr. Labelle.

Pointing to the picture, Mr. Labelle explained, “This was me, my father, Monsieur Renault Labelle the second, my mother, Madame Marianne, and my sisters, Lorraine and Fleur.” As she took in the sight of the old photograph, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but notice that Labelle’s lip was beginning to quiver. ‘Ah guess this mean’s they’re all… gone.’ The former farm girl thought to herself.

As Mr. Labelle pointed to the projection screen and pressed a button, changing the photograph from a family photograph to a black and white picture of a homely town. Apple Bloom couldn’t read any of the signs in the picture, but given that one of them showed a basket with several baguettes in it, she figured was probably a baker.

Taking a deep breath, the older man explained, “This, this was my home in the town of Bonnaville.” As the student body took this in, Mr. Labelle continued, “It was a humble village not too far from the coast. We used to go on day trips up to the channel and play on the beaches.” He then let out a gentle sigh as he lamented, “A shame we never took any good pictures of those beaches.”

Labelle then pressed the button again, then pressed the button again, changing the picture to one of a woman and roughly twenty students. Noticing one of the students seemed to resemble the younger Mr. Labelle from an earlier picture. Turning to the picture, the old man explained, “This was my last class in school. We were just children when things changed.”

‘Changed?’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. ‘What could’ve changed?’ Before she could ponder what it was, the former farm girl noticed something in the corner of her eye. Turning around, she saw Sideswipe holding her hands to her mouth as she gaped in surprise. Curious, the burgundy haired girl whispered, “What’s wrong?” Turning to her sister, the pale biker whispered back, “I think I know where this story is going.”

Before Apple Bloom could react, Mr. Labelle pressed the button on his remote again. This time, the picture was of a young Labelle and one of his sisters at a café somewhere in town. Pointing to the picture, the older man continued, “This was me and Lorraine at a local café. I always loved spending time with her.”

At that moment, Oak Leaf raised his hand and rudely asked, “Hey, is there a point to this scrapbook collection?” As Labelle, Ultra Magnus, and several other adults and even some of the students glared at him, the olive boy let out an awkward gulp before he elaborated, “What I mean to say is, why are you here today anyway?”

Mr. Labelle’s angry glare began to soften into a stern and solemn look as he replied, “I am here today because of you, little Boche.” As Oak Leaf heard this, the older man turned to the rest of the student body as he continued, “Because, you see, the reason why I show you my life, is so you know what I lost when they came.” A confused Freeze Peach asked, “Who’s they?”

Turning his attention to the young boy, Mr. Labelle replied, “The Boche.” Pressing the button on his remote, the old man swapped the picture, replacing it with an old black and white film clip.

It was footage of men in military uniforms carrying rifles as they marched down the streets of Bonnaville. As they marched, the soldiers lifted their legs all the way up to their waste, never bending them. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel that the way they marched reminded her of a group of dancers kicking in unison, only with inhuman, machine-like precision.

As the footage played, Apple Bloom had a realization. ‘Wait a minute.’ She thought to herself. ‘Those uniforms, the way they’re marchin’. Ah’ve seen them before.’ The memories of her research for her environmental project, the descriptions from her grandfather’s journal, everything was clicking in her mind.

‘They’re the Germans!’

Mr. Labelle pressed the button again, this time replacing the video with a picture of several soldiers gathered around one of the inhabitants of the town. The old man sighed as he continued, “They marched into town when they invaded our country. At first, they were an annoyance, but they were manageable.” He then sighed before lamenting, “It was a mistake to ever think ignoring them would work.” As Mr. Labelle pressed the button, Apple Bloom gulped as she thought to herself, ‘Ah’ve got a feelin’ this will get worse.’

Sure enough, the older man presented the next picture, this one showing the soldiers standing in front of a makeshift gallows, from which five bodies were hanging.

As the student body gasped in horror, Apple Bloom shook her head as she whispered to herself, “Ah remember readin’ about this in Armorhide’s journal, but seein’ somethin’ like this just….’ The former farm girl’s blood boiled as she felt her stomach began to churn.

However, there was one thing that surprised Apple Bloom. One of the hanged bodies seemed to resemble one of Mr. Labelle’s sisters. Sure enough, the older man lamented, “But before I knew it, they took Lorraine and executed her to “set an example.””

Once again, Labelle’s lips began to tremble in sorrow. However, this time, the older man couldn’t hold himself back. Allowing a few tears to drip from his eyes, Labelle said, “Excusez-moi un instant.” Once he composed himself, Labelle continued, “But that wasn’t the worst.”

Moving to the next slide, Labelle explained, “When the allies finally landed, the Boche turned into cornered rats. They were furious, and they needed to turn that anger one someone.” Turning to the members of the PYA, the old man asked, “Tell me little boys, what do you think they did?” As the members of the Patriotic Youth Association took this in, Freeze Peach raised his hand as he nervously asked, “Uh… Did they execute several more of the villagers?” Shaking his head, Mr. Labelle replied, “Worse.” He then pressed the button again, this time showing more old footage.

This time, it was shaky footage of soldiers rounding people up into what looked like a church. Indeed, men, women, and even children were being ushered into the building. After a few moments, one of the women in the line, a middle-aged woman carrying a bundle in her arms, tried running away, only for several of the soldiers began to chase her.

‘Oh no.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself as she felt her jaw dropping in horror. ‘Please tell me that she gets out alright.’ Before the footage could answer, however, one of the soldiers in the footage pointed to the audience and shouted something before aiming his weapon at the camera. At that moment, the footage stopped, freezing in place as Mr. Labelle stated, “As you can see, the man who risked filming this was shot by the Boche.”

Now that his lips were starting to tremble again, Labelle continued, “My parents knew something was happening. My father told me to run to the nearby forest, and not to come out until he got me.” Hesitating as he began to lose his composure, the older man continued, “I had to sneak through Bonnaville, all while the Boche were dragging people from their homes. They were even….” He then looked over his shoulder in shame, clearly struggling to remember all the painful memories.

Walking up to his guest, principal Magnus asked, “Should we stop for a moment?” Shaking his head, Mr. Labelle replied, “No. I need to tell these kids.” Aiming his remote to the screen and pressing the button again, the older man turned to the student body as he said, “What you see now, is what the Boche did to my home.” There was just one problem: the picture on the screen did not look like a warm and inviting town.

Instead, the picture showed bombed out and charred buildings, abandoned and damaged cars, and worst of all, a woman lying in the ground with her head in a black puddle.

“Wait.” Apple Bloom said as she realized something. “This is a black and white picture. That means that….” Realizing what the picture was depicting, the former farm girl felt her stomach churn as her heart raced in her chest. Seeing his girlfriend panic, Tender Taps took her hand as he asked, “You alright?” Shaking her head, Apple Bloom replied, “This is just… Ah’ve been readin’ Armorhide’s journal, but to see a picture of it…. Ah just can’t find the words to describe it.”

As the two teens returned their attention to Mr. Labelle, the old man, now visibly struggling to keep himself together, continued, “They killed everyone in town. Less than a dozen of us got out of Bonnaville.” Taking a deep breath, Labelle finished, “They took everything from me. My parents, my sisters, my home. They took it all.” The old man then pressed the button on his remote one more time, presenting another photograph as he added, “And I never thought I’d see them again until now.”

Staring the picture, Apple Bloom saw a large vehicle with wheels in front, treads in the back, and a canvas covering on the back with a machine gun sticking out. What really caught the former farm girl’s attention was the emblem emblazoned on its size. It was a black shield with a three-pronged crown like shape with a circle over the middle prong.

Leaning into Apple Bloom’s ear, Pastel Goth whispered, “That looks like the PYA’s logo.” Nodding, the burgundy haired girl replied, “Almost too similar.” Indeed, while not an exact copy of the PYA’s symbol, it was so close that Apple Bloom thought, ‘That… that can’t be some sorta coincidence. Oak Leaf would have to have….’

And it was at this moment that Apple Bloom realized something. ‘Uncle Ironhide said that Oak Leaf’s emblem resembled that Waffen symbol. That would mean…’ “Oak Leaf based the PYA’s symbol on that thing!” She said out loud, drawing everyone’s attention. As Mr. Labelle locked eyes with her, the former farm girl gulped as she awkwardly apologized, “Ah’m sorry.”

To her surprise, Labelle wasn’t angry. Instead, the old man replied, “That is actually why I was brought here today.” As he turned to the rest of the student body, Labelle continued, “The Boche who destroyed my home were a Waffen Panzer Division, and I’d hoped that their symbol would stay buried in the past.” He then flipped to the next slide, this time showing the PYA’s emblem as he lamented, “But that was before I received a phone call from Ultra Magnus.”

Once he’d said this, Ultra Magnus walked up to the podium as he sternly said, “I wish I had something to ease you all into this, but I don’t, so I’ll be honest. I am impossibly disappointed to learn that some of you were not only creating a hostile environment for your fellow classmates, but also took inspiration from the Primus forsaken WAFFEN?!” As everyone took this in, the principal took a deep breath as he lamented, “I’m sorry, but I can’t believe I need to have this kind of conversation with you.”

Taking a deep breath, Ultra Magnus stated, “This brings us to the pieces of paper you were given earlier today.” The principal turned to Apple Bloom, Pastel, their friends, and the rest of their section as he explained, “Those of you who were given a blue slip have either been victims of the PYA, for which you have my apologies, or you have stood up to them, for which you have my gratitude as well.” Hearing this, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel just a little bit relieved at this statement.

Turning to the bulk of the student body, Principal Magnus continued, “Now, for the rest of you, you may not be members of the PYA, but you also didn’t do anything to stop them. While I am a bit disappointed, I do believe this is a learning experience for everyone.” As everyone took this in, the principal continued, “I trust that you all understand the weight of Monsieur Labelle’s story will inspire you to know when to stand up for injustice in the future.”

Taking a deep breath, Ultra Magnus adopted a stern expression on his face as he said, “Finally, for those of you who were given a red piece of paper, specifically those of you who are members of the Patriotic Youth Association, I want you to stand up. After an awkward moment, Oak Leaf, Freeze Peach, and the rest of the PYA stood up as they found everyone staring at them.

Glaring at his pupils, Ultra Magnus lamented, “The fact that all of you have been bullying your fellow students, making them feel uncomfortable, not to mention reports of outing several, is already grounds for disciplinary action. But to learn that you’ve adopted a Waffen battalion emblem as your logo? I cannot overlook or ignore this.” As some of the PYA members held their heads in shame, the principal made a statement that caught the entire student body off guard.

“As of this moment, the Patriotic Youth Association is both disbanded and barred from ever gathering on school grounds!” As everyone took this in, principal Magnus continued, “Furthermore, all members save for Oak Leaf and Freeze Peach are to be suspended for three weeks.” Some of the club’s members began to murmur to themselves as one of them, a blue boy Apple Bloom didn’t recognize, whined, “That’s not fair!”

Glaring at the boy, Ultra Magnus sternly replied, “After the chaos you’ve all caused, I believe it is more than fair!” Straightening himself, the principal continued, “As for you Freeze Peach, your suspension will be for the remainder of the semester, as well as having your class credits negated and you are to be barred from all extracurricular activities this school provides.” For a moment, it looked like the peach-colored boy would try to say something in protest, but instead, he simply nodded before hanging his head in shame.

‘Kinda reminds me of what happened when Ah got caught.’ Apple Bloom thought to herself. As she watched Freeze Peach resign himself to his fate, she continued, ‘Guess Ah can’t help but be a little sorry for him, even if he helped hurt Pastel.”

At that moment, principal Magnus concluded, “And finally, Oak Leaf. You’re the ringleader of this little farce. All of this is because of your actions.” Extending his arm to gesture to the rest of the student body, Ultra Magnus asked, “Is there anything you’d like to say to everyone here?” The olive boy folded his arms as he defiantly replied, “I won’t apologize for trying to promote free speech and honesty.”

To everyone’s surprise and horror, Ultra Magnus snapped as he angrily declared, “That is it! It will be up to the school board to decide your fate!” As Oak Leaf cowardly recoiled in fear, the principal turned to Mr. Labelle as he asked, “There anything you wanted to say to these boys?”

Nodding, Labelle walked up to the now disgraced members of the PYA as he scolded, “I still remember that day. The day I lost everything to the Boche. I remember when your fellow countrymen found me and chased them away.” As the old man’s face contorted into a disappointed scowl, he lamented, “And I cannot believe the grandchildren of the men who saved me would so embrace the men who stole my family.” Turning to the rest of the student body, Labelle concluded with a defeated, “I hope you will all remember what you’ve learned today. Merci et adieu.”

As Mr. Labelle walked off stage, Ultra Magnus addressed his pupils, “Alright now everyone. Those of you who have been suspended, you will be escorted off school premises. The rest of you will report to class as normal.” With that, the student body of Iacon High began to stand up and make their way to their next classes.

Standing up, Apple Bloom let out a deep sigh as she said, “Ah can’t believe that those assholes actually used a Waffen symbol.” Tender Taps nodded as he replied, “Same here. I’m just glad that it looks like they won’t be causing anymore chaos.” As the two teens began to step down from the bleachers, Pastel joined them as she added, “I’m glad they got what was coming to them. Should teach them to force someone out of the closet.”

Tender Taps then noticed his girlfriend’s hand as he remarked, “Whoa. I like what you did with your nails.” As he took her hand, Apple Bloom began to blush as she replied, “Oh yeah, Pastel helped paint mah nails over the weekend, and Ah think black suits them perfectly.” She then added, “Ah’m glad you like them.”

Before the orange hoofer could come up with a good compliment, everyone was distracted by the sound of someone shouting, “Look out!” As Apple Bloom turned to see what was going on, she was greeted with the sight of Oak Leaf charging at her, a look of bloodlust and spiteful rage burned in his eyes. The olive boy was so close to her that Apple Bloom only had time to think to herself, ‘Oh shit.’

Apple Bloom was tackled to the ground as Oak Leaf began to punch her in the face as he furiously declared, “This is all your fault! You’re gonna pay for this you spying bitch!” As the former farm girl tried to protect her face, Tender Taps tried to pull the olive boy off of his girlfriend as he shouted, “Get off of her!”

But Oak Leaf wouldn’t budge. Ripping Apple Bloom’s hands away from her now bruised face, the olive boy spitefully hissed, “I should’ve known you’d be behind this! You brought that cheese eating surrender monkey here!” The former farm girl could only scream out, “No Ah didn’t!” After all, all she knew was that there was going to be an assembly today. She’d never met Mr. Labelle before or even heard of this Panzer Division Das Reich before Wreck-Gar informed her of it during the previous weekend.

Thankfully for Apple Bloom, Dr. Pennywhistle and principal Magnus ran up to her and pulled Oak Leaf off of her. As Tender Taps and Pastel helped her back onto her feet, the former farm girl heard her hated rival shout, “I’m going to rip you apart piece by piece so that your death is painful, and you’ll regret the day you….” Turning to him, Apple Bloom found Oak Leaf being dragged away, the olive boy frothing at the mouth and glaring in hatred. The sight of him snarling at her reminded the former farm girl of a rabid wolf, one that terrified Apple Bloom.

Thankfully, Dr. Penny Whistle and principal Magnus were able to “escort” Oak Leaf out of the gymnasium. As the olive boy disappeared, Apple Bloom heard her uncle’s voice call out, “You alright there kid?!” Turning to see Ironhide, Chromia, and Ratchet rushing towards her as the old medic remarked, “That looks like a nasty bruise you just got there kid.”

Apple Bloom began to speak, only to find herself overcome with a horrible headache. Collapsing to her knees, Ironhide knelt down and began to help her up as he called out, “Give her some room!” Once the former farm girl was back on her feet, she replied, “Thanks uncle Ironhide.”

Chromia then turned to the other teens as she said, “You kids better get to class. We don’t want you getting in trouble.” As everyone began to depart, Tender Taps performed a small bow as he bade, “See you later at lunch m’lady.” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but blush as she replied, “Of course good sir.” The orange hoofer then departed, leaving Apple Bloom alone with her older guardians.

As Ratchet knelt down to inspect Apple Bloom’s bruised face, Mr. Labelle walked up to them as the old man asked, “Excusez-moi, but is this the young lady who helped expose the Boche?” Turning to face the old man, Apple Bloom asked, “Uh, yes? Ah think?” Chromia then walked towards Mr. Labelle as she explained, “Yes. Apple Bloom helped Wheeljack, Wheelie, and Wreck-Gar expose the PYA.”

Scuffing the gym’s wooden floor, Apple Bloom tried to downplay her accomplishment, “Ah mean, Ah just helped give Wreck-Gar an excuse to come take a look at their stupid banner. He’s the real hero here.” Mr. Labelle nodded as he replied, “Yes, I spoke with monsieur Wheeljack and his robots earlier. I must say, he is an impressive engineer, and those machines are more human than the Boche.”

Resting a hand on the former farm girl’s shoulder, Mr. Labelle continued, “But you helped too. You stood up to the Boche and helped bring them down. In another time and place, you’d have been a great leader of the resistance.” As Apple Bloom took this in, the old man finished, “Merci jeune dame.” Giving a polite nod, the former farm girl replied, “You’re welcome sir.”

As Mr. Labelle walked away, Ratchet spoke up with, “I do hate to interrupt, but we should probably get Apple Bloom to the nurse’s office.” Ironhide nodded as he replied, “Yeah. Let’s move out.” Apple Bloom concurred as she said, Alrighty then. Ah think Ah know the way.”

And so, the former farm girl, her aunt and uncle, and the old medic departed the gymnasium, having finally dealt with the Patriotic Youth Association. All Apple Bloom could think about was, ‘Ah just hope Ah’ll be able to make it to lunch.” She couldn’t wait to put all of this madness behind her and enjoy a nice lunch with her boyfriend.

Author's Note

Next Time: Only time will tell
Author's Note: I will be taking a few weeks off as this chapter (and story arc) have been pretty draining, as well as work being more exhausting than normal.

Trivia: Monsieur Labelle's name comes from the Renault tank and Labelle rifle, and the fate of his hometown is inspired by the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre. In fact, the fictional Waffen unit responsible for "Bonnaville" (Just "Good town") is based on a real unit, the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. The whole idea about similarities with emblems was inspired by the fact that the Wolfsangel, the division's emblem, is the same type of symbol used by the Azov Battalion/Regiment in Ukraine.