Mirror: Book I - Mind

The boy planted his feet into the lush, green grass of the earth as he took a strong, proper stance and raised the axe high above his head. The edge of the sharpened metal shined in the stark rays of sunlight, sweat trickled down his brow, his muscles tensed. The blade came down with a quick, focused swing, and splintered the log into a clean pair. He left the tool embedded into the stump of the tree and took a long breath of the fresh, heavenly scent of the outdoors, gazing across the green fields and eyeing the treeline as his eyes traveled up to the heaven-sent sky above.

“Nothing like choppin’ logs on a sunny afternoon.” He smiled, humming to himself.

“Did you say something?” A small voice returned from behind.

The boy jumped. “Oh, Fluttershy?” He settled back down. “It’s just you.”

“I’m sorry, did I scare you?” She giggled. “Usually it’s the other way around.”

“Of course not!” He puffed his chest confidently, leaning upon the butt of the handle. Clumsily, the tool gave to his weight and he stumbled sideways, his arse to the ground and the axe landing in his lap.

Fluttershy giggled again, approaching him. “I came out to see how you were doing.”

“Never been better.” He fessed, standing up and preparing another log to the stump. “It’s a good thing you kept these in the shed during the rain, otherwise they would’ve been impossible to chop.”

“I had been meaning to do it myself." The pegasus observed with concern. "That axe must be too small for you.”

“Nonsense, it’s very light-weight.” He prepared his stance.

“And, rather old, too.” She mumbled.

“As skinny as I am, it’s perfect for me!” The head raised, he heaved and swung.

*clunk!*

Odd, that wasn’t the sound an axe head should make when being embedded into a chunk of wood. He soon found out that there was in fact no head any longer, and the jittering vibrations of the handle coming into collision with the log sent wave after shockwave through his arms, down his torso and legs, and into the earth. For a short moment then, David and Fluttershy stood together staring at the headless axe handle, wondering where in the world the blade could have gone. They looked to the left, they looked to the right, blinked at one another, and soon got their answer when they decided to look straight up.

Fluttershy shielded herself with her wings and sprinted for the nearest cover whilst David’s arrow roulette instincts kicked in, in spite of the fact that he had never played arrow roulette before. As though its target had already been determined from the beginning, the sharp, spinning piece of iron plummeted straight back down and sunk itself into the top of the log. With fright and awe, both the pegasus and the boy slowly reunited towards the stump to observe the damage, or rather, progress. He gripped the piece with both hands and gave a mighty tug, the iron popping off of the top like a corkscrew to a bottle.

“Where did you say you bought this from, again?” David asked her.

The mare quickly promised that from now on, she’d purchase her tools from only the finest hardware market stalls. Not that David was planning to use any of them in the future, now. Break time was just around the corner anyhow, and they spent it sitting on unchopped logs, sharing her special brew of tea.

“I apologize for the, um, inefficiency of my tools.” Fluttershy said. “I should have checked to make sure it was okay before I let you use it.”

“Don’t sweat it, Flutters.” He blew on his tea, and sipped. “Like I said, it wasn’t your fault.”

“I’ll pay you the bits I promised now.” She offered. “You won’t even have to come back and finish the job. If anything, I should be the one who’s doing this.”

“You don’t have to do that.” David reassured. “At that rate I might as well have kept the bits I payed you for the meat you’ve been giving me. If it weren’t for your consideration and hospitality, I think I would’ve been dead by now.” He thought for a moment, shaking his head before he gave a nod to the pony. “You’ve done plenty already to repay me, this is just my way of saying thanks.” And he smiled.

The timid pegasus, caught off guard hid part of her own smile behind her mane and trained her eyes on the pile of timber lopped into fourths. A bit of ease washed over her as she gently tapped her hooves together. “To be honest, I don’t think I would’ve been able to do this by myself.” She admitted.

Brief visions of the flimsy, butter-yellow pony struggling to lift the axe and get the blade anywhere near her mark filled the boy’s head, and with a silent shudder he wondered just how exactly she managed during the winters before this. Nothing that a little help from the neighbors couldn’t fix, or better yet her friends, and the boy was idly aware of a certain, tree-rattling mare who lived not too far from here. With a puff and a heave the boy sprung back to his feet, patting his legs and clasping his blistered paws together.

“Well, a deal’s a deal.” He said steadily. “I’ll bet you there’s a spare in town somewhere with your name written all over it. Just wait right here, and I’ll have that pile all chopped up before sundown.”

“I can’t have you spend your own money on my mistakes.” She ran around and in front of him. “That’d be no different if I stole from you!”

“It’s Twilight’s allowance.” David admitted, scratching his head. “If anything, you’d be stealing from the Princess.”

“Oh…oh my…”

David sighed, pinching the bridge between his eyes. “Look, Flutters, I’m not trying to frame you anything, but we should probably get you a new axe anyhow, or at the very least fix that one.” He advised. “My dad always taught me to keep your tools in check before the cold season hits. You’ll never know what you’ll need or when you’ll need it.”

“Fix that one…?” Fluttershy repeated, softly murmuring to herself as she searched the ground with her gaze. That very second later, a bright flash appeared above her head. “That’s it! Applejack knows everything when it comes to fixing old tools. If we take it to her, I’m sure she could have it patched up in no time.”

“Yeah, you lost me at ‘Applejack’.” The boy twirled around the mare and continued down the path. “Now, how about that new axe we were talking about-”

“Now wait just a moment, mister.” Fluttershy huffed.

“Eep! Oh no…” He came to a halt and drooped. “She used ‘mister’ again.”

“I already know that you and Applejack don’t get along all that well.”

“More like she wants to lop my head off with mach twelve projectile apples.”

“So, this is why I suggest that we take the axe to Applejack. Maybe then you two can bond over the importance of keeping your tools all clean.” She brushed her mane. “Or, whatever it was you said about your dad.”

“Lasso girl’s pissed off enough as it is, now you want me to flaunt my undeceased parents in her face?” He sighed and shook his head. “This was rigged from the start…”

Fluttershy felt her hopes from within slowly diminish as her reasons to bribe the boy were soon wearing thin. In her understanding, it probably would have been better to go out and buy a new axe anyways, settling her qualms with the first mistake she had made by buying that poor old axe, almost completely disregarding the sorry state that it was in. Deeper within, however, the young pegasus was determined to see mends strung between even the most unlikely of ponies, or in this case, a human and a pony. Applejack may have never liked the boy to begin with, but Fluttershy was adamant on changing that, and she was positive that kindness could work a world of wonders.

“It takes a little push and a shove first.” She reminded.

“Huh?” David turned back around.

“I don’t think you can act like there isn’t any problem between you and Applejack forever.” Fluttershy began. “And I think that goes for a lot of other ponies in this town as well. If I believe that everypony in this world deserves a little kindness, then I believe they can give a little, too.”

The boy stood in the midst of the path for a little moment longer, the sun granting small spells of warmth as the momentary breeze allowed him to run his decisions by. With another drop of his shoulders, he gave the little pony a timid gaze.

“I just hope she has as much faith in your speech as you do.” He shuddered involuntarily.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be right there with you.” She reassured.

“Right, gotta have some witnesses to the murder…” He lifted the handle over his shoulder and tucked the head to his side.

The trees of the orchard lining the white-fenced path greeted the pair with varying hues of lime and viridescent green, not an apple to be seen on anyone of the branches. Baskets full of the delectable, freshly fallen fruit laid against their trunks and beneath the shade, ready to be taken to the barn for tedious lengths of sorting and a long winter’s storage. The end of harvesting season was at its pinnacle, and the front gates to Sweet Apple Acres were as welcoming as ever, even though the boy had to duck to make his entry.

David immediately flinched out of reflex, images of the furious little lasso pony charging at him with an axe of her own, but strangely enough the threats never arrived, At least, not as suddenly as he had anticipated. Fluttershy led a calm, quiet gaze across the field and along the exterior of the barn, attempting to locate at least any one of the Apples anywhere. Nopony was within its vicinity, leading the young pegasus to wonder.

“They all must be working in the orchard.” Fluttershy supposed. “Harvesting season is the busiest time of the year for the Apples, without a doubt.”

“Think we should try another time?” The boy attempted.

“I’m sure they’ll be around any minute now, we’ll just have to be patient.”

“You two quit that jibber-jaberrin’ over thar’! I’m tryin’ to concentrate.” An elderly howl sounded from the barn. “These here pickin’s ain’t gonna sort themselves.”

With returning glances of satisfaction, the pair made their way to the foot of the barn, its entrance barricaded with row after row of apple baskets. In the midst of it all was none other than the matriarch of the entire Apple’s operation, Granny Smith. The old mare hardly even lifted her head as the two visitors weaved in and out of the haphazardly lined baskets to meet her, the boy being careful as to not knock anything out of its organized chaos.

“Hello, Granny Smith.” Fluttershy cooed, politely as ever. “I take it Applejack and the others are out working in the orchard?”

“Y’come to take over for ‘em?” Granny cackled. “These ol’ britches o’ mine ain’t what they used to be. Back in my apple buckin’ days, this here sortin’ game was considered a punishment for the youngins.”

“I’d love to help, but goodness, I don’t even know where to start.” Fluttershy glanced across the many baskets.

“Give your elder a bit o’ company for once, an’ I’ll show ya’ how.” Her toothy, broken grin shone past her cheeks.

If rocks weren’t just rocks, as a certain mineralistic mare had once told the boy, apples most certainly weren’t just apples. It took more than just a keen eye to tell the differences between a good apple, and one destined to rot before it even reached the market stalls. Time and time again, the boy watched as Granny seemed to throw perfectly good looking apples into the compost basket. He took a momentary inspection and sniff to the apple in his own hand, and carefully went to place it in the “good” container. Only, a wrinkly green hoof stopped him before he could make the deed.

“I don’t understand…” He shrugged subtly, daring to question the elder. “Can’t you just shave off the bad spots and still consider it good?”

“Does pluckin’ the bad outta’ somepony magically make ‘em a goody-horse-shoes?” Granny nabbed the apple out of his hand, and with practiced precision, split the apple into two clean halves with her hooves alone. “Y’see here, sonny? Apples go bad cuz’o their core. How can y’all expect a flimsy foundation to bring any good to anypony?” She up and tossed the halves behind her, bouncing off the barn door and into the compost.

“But you throw so many of them away.” He furthured. “At least half of what you’ve already harvested. Don’t you think it’s a bit of a, I dunno…waste?”

“Waste?” The old pony raspberried and snorted in amusement. “If’n a single, rotten apple dares get past them there gates, this whole orchard here would go to waste, an’ that’s because ya’ let it go bad at the core.” Granny yammered on. “I’ve trotted this here orchard for well over ninety years, saw to its beginnin’s and harvested them trees since the day they sprung up outta’ the earth. I’d know more than my right flank by now that it wudn’t the business that kept them roots growing, the leaves swayin’ or the apples fallin’. It was sumtin’ stronger than the roots of them trees. It was family.”

“Family, huh…?” David mused for a moment, attempting to reminisce on his past. Blurred as the images may have been, faces of the life he led back home shone glimpses of what at least could have been. To an extent of uncertainty, the boy lingered among these thoughts, and for but a short moment felt that he no longer knew if he actually wanted to return home.

In mere minutes, the quiet vicinity of the orchard broke away to the sound of siblings hollering and calling to one another. Though he hadn’t even turned to see, David knew whom exactly was trotting up behind them now, her emerald eyes a familiar sting upon his back. Fluttershy was the first to turn and greet her friend.

“Mind tellin’ me what the circus is in town, for?” The mare started.

Fluttershy frowned and shook her head. “Applejack, there’s no reason to be rude. I’m the one who brought him here, after all.”

“You brought ‘im here?” The farm pony groaned. “Y’know he ain’t no farm animal, right, Shy?”

“You’re right, he’s not.” The pegasus began. “As a matter of fact, he is a very strong and able helper…who just so happened to break my axe while chopping firewood for me and now we sort of-kind of need your help fixing it. If, um, that’s alright with you?” And she smiled innocently.

Applejack raised a singular brow, looking past the pegasus and glazing over the boy’s back with a condescending meander. David glanced over his shoulder, firing up what little embers of courage he had to even look his fellow pony in the eye. Fluttershy followed the earth pony’s gaze, causing the boy to turn back to his work as though nothing ever happened in the first place. Once again she sighed, and turned back to the mare in the setson.

“You know how upset Twilight will get if you two don’t get along?” Fluttershy tried.

“I don’t give a barrel o’ bucks what Twilight thinks.” Applejack spat sideways. “Not anymore.”

“Have you even talked to her since, you know…?”

“’Course not.”

“There’s no good reason to hold all these grudges, they’ll only tear you apart from the inside.”

“Are we here to fix your axe or not?” The freckled pony huffed.

“Applejack.” David was on his feet, approaching the mare.

The jumpy little equine took a subtly defensive stance, attempting to appear intimidating yet keeping her ground all the same. The boy had learned by now that the easiest ways to read a pony’s body language was by what he didn’t have. Flickering of the ears, swishing of the tail. They were obvious from time to time, sure, but you had to look out for them. No doubt she was on edge, but for whatever reason in this moment, David found it funny that they could talk. They could be negotiated with.

“I agree with Fluttershy, grudges can tear a person apart, and can even tear someone away from the people that they love.” He said, slowly lending a hand. “I’m willing to forget about this whole mess just as long as you are. I’m not asking you to be my friend, I’m just saying…let’s start over.”

Applejack smirked, grinning with a hint of amusement. “And I suppose Twilight told ya’ to say that to me?”

“If she had anything to say to you, I believe she would have come out here to do it herself, but that’s your own dispute to settle.” He justified. “I’m lending you an honest truce. In actuality, all I really want is to go home, but so long as I’m here I’m not going to let these ill intentions settle.”

The pony seemed to calm down a little, if only to let her next words slide. “It’s no wonder Twilight went an’ took ya’ in, or even made you into her fancy Equerry an’ all. Lotta’ other ponies had no idea why, but I knew it was because you ain’t just some dumb animal. I always knew you were pretty dang smart, and that’s the thing…”

Slowly, his hand went back. “What?” The boy wondered, waiting.

“Can’t ya’ figure it out already?” The farm mare almost laughed. “Ain’t nopony ever gonna truly treat you like a friend because you’re different. You’re scary different.”

It was an attack against his own, self-inflicted doubts and uncertainties, and it seemed to strike the boy at his core in an odd, discomforting situation. The boy wasn’t one hundred percent certain just what exactly the mare was trying to infer, whether it be that she was inadvertently admitting her own fear of him or if the fear the ponies had for him was something completely different to consider, and it only set the two on a course much further away from one another. A course that which neither had the intuition to realize that it would lead them right back to one another.

Fluttershy observed the short-lived conversation with a hint of hope, only to end in a strife of despair. Although she inwardly revered the boy for his efforts, it seemed that a link was still missing, and the pegasus knew then that it was going to take more than just one meeting to finally get these two on more “peaceful” terms.

All the silence that had settled was once again filled with the distant call of childern’s voices. The trio looked past the trees of the orchard and found the familiar set of three emerging from its line. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, running off to Celestia knows where, but Applejack wasn’t about to let their little escapade slide by so easily.

“Hold it there, lil’ Bloom.” Applejack swept a hoof in front of her sister.

“What’s the big deal, sis?” Apple Bloom looked up pouting.

“I think somepony ain’t finished doin’ their chores just yet.” The farm mare stomped a hoof.

Apple Bloom stomped a hoof back. “Why do ya’ think I got back so early? Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo helped out.”

“Uh-huh!” Sweetie popped her head out.

“That’s right!” Scootaloo piped up.

The three fillies ran past the older mare and trotted up to the boy with smiles and greetings, allowing him to kneel down and pat their manes.

“Good to see you, girls.” He laughed. “Staying out of trouble, I hope?”

“Mischief season comes before harvestin’ season, we’ll have to wait til’ next year.” Apple Bloom moped.

“But that’s okay, we’ve got plenty of other things to do!” Sweetie Belle hopped.

“Wanna go crawdad catching with us?” Scootaloo offered.

“Not so fast, lil’un’s.” Applejack warned. “Supper’s just ‘round the corner. Apple Bloom, y’all might as well wash up an’ say goodbye to your friends.”

“But we just got here!” Apple Bloom whined again. “We were just gonna go down by the creek and nab some crawdads. What’s wrong with that?”

“I gotta help Fluttershy here with this axe before we settle down, so go on.” The older sister nudged the younger’s haunches. “Get movin’.”

“Oh, Applejack, won’t you let them have their fun, if only for a moment?” Fluttershy wagered. “I’m sure this repair won’t take that long, and by then the girls will be back just in time for supper.” The pegasus called over the little fillies. “Isn’t that right, girls?”

“Yes, Miss Fluttershy.” They all spoke in unison, lining up neatly and obediently.

“How did ya’ do that…?” The farm mare wondered, quickly shaking her head after. “But who’s gonna watch them while they’re gone?”

A spell of silence overcame the boy before he could offer. “I’ll go.” He said.

Applejack’s singular eyebrow had never reached such heights before. “Say what now?”

“I mean, they’ve already offered to take me along, so I could take them off your hands-er um…hooves, for a moment?”

“Well, ain’t that richer than Mr. Filthy Rich?” Applejack cackled to the sky. “Like I’d ever let the likes of you-”

“But, Applejack, it’s for our school project.” Apple Bloom attempted.

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“But who’s going to help me with the axe?” Fluttershy wondered.

A fuse threatened to go off as the very freckles of her face grew to a beat, tomato red. “Wish pa had never told me the importance of keepin’ my tools in check…” The farm pony grumbled and paced about before turning back to her sister and answering. “I’m only lettin’ you go so Miss Cheerilee don’t gotta come up with a stern talkin’ to next time I see her.”

Apple Bloom pumped her hoof, and the others quietly cheered next to her.

“And you.” Daggers struck through one end of the boy’s skull to the other. “If’n my little sister gets so much as a scratch, I’ll run that monkey tail o’ yours to the Gates o’ the Branded and watch you burn in Cerberus’ hell hole myself. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear.”

“Crystal…ma’am.” The boy saluted, involuntarily.

“Fluttershy, let’s go get this silly axe o’ yours back in business.” Applejack began trotting in the other direction with the pegasus’ back to the barn. She spun her hat around, her eyes traveling around her head with the brim as they landed on the back of her mane and glared the boy down. She slitted and played the “I’m watching you” gesture before turning back proper and hopping around the corner.

“Well, that was…unexpected?” Sweetie Belle cocked her gaze.

“You mean that freaky eyes thing she just did?” Scootaloo shivered.

“She does that all the time.” Apple Bloom waved a hoof. “Now c’mon, what’re we waitin’ for?”

“The Great Seedling?” The boy questioned.

“Y’heard right.” Apple Bloom delivered a mischievous grin, to which the girls followed suit. “Our project to Miss Cheerilee’s gonna be over the very legend that walks this here orchard. ‘Course, I couldn’t tell Applejack that, an’ I don’t think anypony would find a couple o’ crawdads all that interesting.”

“And here I thought I was going to get to use my long, dexterous fingers.” He pinched his digits together. “Y’know, to catch the little critters?”

“But you still can!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “In fact, that’s what we need you here for.”

“Emotional support?”

“No, silly.” Scootaloo swiped his leg. “To draw a sketch of the Great Seedling when we find it.”

“Okay, so if the Seedling really does exist, then why don’t you just take a picture of it?” David proposed.

“O’course it exists, and that’s the problem.” Apple Bloom explained. “Y’can’t take a picture of the Seedling ‘cause it always knows when you’re gonna.”

“Trust us, we tried with Featherweight about a thousand times.” Sweetie Belle added.

“He made us pay for more film rolls, and I’m already out of my bits for the month.” Scootaloo mentioned, looking back up at the boy. “Please, Mr. David, won’t you use your freaky alien fingers to help us out?”

Soon after, the girls began arguing to each other over the wording Scootaloo had chosen, and how it was always her mouth that got them into trouble. In the midst of their bickering the boy leaned against one of the orchard trees and began to weigh the consequences of leading such expeditions. As far as he might of known, the Great Seedling was nothing but tall tale and myth in this world, even if it were a realm full of magical, colorful horses and various other creatures. That, of course, was one of the primary problems. He didn’t know what could be out there, and given the recent connections between the Great Seedling and certain pig-napping, chicken slaughtering monstrosities, almost everything about this little adventure spelt doom for the boy and his little musketeers.

With a moment’s glance, his eyes traveled skyward past the leaves. It’s broad daylight. He supposed. Why should I be worried?

“-And don’t think I forgot the time you called me a chicken!” Scootaloo snarled.

“It was a pretty good joke.” Sweetie Belle snickered.

“Why you-”

“Alright, girls, settle down.” The boy raised his palms. “Listen up. The responsible adult part of me is telling me to take you girls back to the barn where you’ll all be safe and out of harm’s way.”

“Aw…” The three frowned in unison.

“But~” He motioned. “The little kid part of me is telling me to go do cool, little kid stuff. And let’s face it, I’m not done growing up quite yet, now am I?”

“This is why I wish I had an older brother like you sometimes, instead o’ Applejack.” Apple Bloom laughed.

“Yeah, just…don’t let her catch you saying that.” The boy scratched his scalp.

“Last one to the Seedling’s house is a rotten egg!” Scootaloo shouted.

She whipped out her scooter from underneath her and planted both hooves to the board, the others on the handle. Revving up her wings, she sped off into the orchard, twisting and kick-flipping off of tree trunks and banks in the earth, the white little unicorn following just as quickly with the earth pony laughing along. Needless to say, the boy was left in the dust.

“Hey, at least put a helmet on!” He shouted, racing after them. “Am I an adult, or a kid today? I can’t tell anymore…”

Wherever the Seedling’s house might be, David was already certain such a place didn’t exist, but aiming for the Crusader’s clubhouse might have been his best bet. He hurdled past one hedge after another and tumbled past stacks of apple baskets, picking up the fruits that had been knocked out of place and tossing them back into the containers he zipped by further down the isle. The hollering of the little ponies echoed through out the greens, giving the human little chance to locate his party, lest he come back to the barn empty handed. Not to mention, shoulders empty headed.

Apple Bloom knows the orchard, she’s lived here long enough. He thought. And the girls ought’a be fine, too. I just hope they don’t make it back before I do, then they’d make me look bad!

His jog through the orchard carried on as the momentary thoughts were traded for another, slim vision of this supposed Seedling lurking about like thin slices of an alluring light, dancing between the slits of the trees in the far, far reaches of the woods. Parts of these woods, as David was well aware now, connected to the Everfree forest. Those sections were of course far off now, and the boy could almost trust the girls not to go anywhere near such regions. Almost.

His running came to a screeching halt. Pausing, he quickly crouched behind a tree trunk, and watched the new enigma from afar. It was an animal of some sort, no taller than an average buck, or at least what the boy would assume to be. It’s hide was as bright as the golden light of day, and its antlers a great crown upon its head, like that of a tree with hundreds of perfectly symmetrical branches.

Wait… The boy thought carefully. I’ve been here before, in my dreams!

The creature paused, spared a glance to the human, and continued walking through the orchard. David blinked, unbelieving of his eyes.

“Watcha’ lookin’ at?”

“Gah!” He jumped, squirming around to find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “I-I mean. Ga-Gosh, look at all of these…trees.”

The pair of fillies gave their glances of amusement, returning to the boy. “You plan to draw the whole orchard?” Scootaloo snickered.

“Look over there!” Sweetie Belle shot a hoof forward, the other two following her aim.

In the midst of the light where David had been carefully peering into, a lone figure sat at the base of a tree, her hoof planted reverently against the bark. It was Apple Bloom, standing quietly as though a spell had been washed over her.

I don’t remember how this dream ended. The boy thought. I don’t even think I got this far.

Of all the trees in the orchard that grew in the blink of an eye with one another, given the magical phenomenon of the zap apple trees, there were but only two trees on the entire farm which were excepted out of that rule. These two trees were not only the tallest and strongest among the many, but twisted together by destiny, romance, and a pinch of chance. It was without a doubt a haven of quietness and respect, just as Apple Bloom was practicing so.

David and the remaining Crusaders only dared an inch into the cove, resting before the trunk of a tree as they craned their necks to look skyward at the massive timber pair twisting and spiraling around one another. While one tree bared apples, the other carried pears. A definite tale of seed-crossed lovers, tying their bond so at the hoof of the hill, here in the heart of Sweet Apple Acres.

“I don’t think I ever told y’all about my parents?” Apple Bloom suddenly spoke, quiet and calm was her tone. “It’s not like I ever met ‘em myself, but I’m sure they were kind folk. My pa was the best plow pony a crop could ask for, and ma always sang Mac n’ Applejack to sleep. The strummin’ o’ her guitar, I’ll bet it sounded like heaven.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes traveled up the twisting trunks as her hoof gently stroked its surface. There up in the canopy was the unmistakable outline of a heart. The other three watched carefully from afar as she continued. Instinctively, for reasons he could not decipher, David produced his book and pencil. Quietly, he began to draw.

“Y’ever have a moment where ya’ wish ya’ coulda’ said something to somepony, before they up n’ disappeared, an’ you didn’t know if y’all were ever gonna see them again?” Apple Bloom went on. “I never got a chance like that, but…what I wouldn’t do for a hundred of ‘em right now.”

Only a short moment more of reverence was given before Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo decided it best to approach their friend, looking only to provide the comfort and company they knew she needed. The little unicorn herself had endured a good portion of her life without proper parents, and Scootaloo was in no better position.

The boy lingered at the entrance, completing the strokes of his sketch as to reserve the moment for the little ponies in the heart of the clearing. He stood and raised the book in front of the scenery to compare his work, a depiction of the twin trees sketched onto his canvas. If this is a continuation to a dream, then maybe this is me recording that dream. He supposed. But, if my dreams are becoming real…

As the Crusader trio stood in one another’s embrace, Sweetie Belle flared her nostrils and took a deep, regretful whiff.

“Ugh…” Sweetie recoiled. “Scootaloo, now is not the time.”

“It wasn’t me, I swear!”

“Hang on, y’all.” Apple Bloom took a sniff. “I smell it, too.”

Their noses were without a doubt stronger than his own, but it didn’t take long for the boy to pick up that dreadful odor. The monster? No… He sniffed again. Timber wolves!

“Shit, not again…” His heart sank to his feet.

The rot of wood grew thicker as every second passed, and the fillies curled in on each other, embracing and shaking altogether. “What do we do? What do we do?” Scootaloo asked over and over.

“Head back to the barn.” David told them. “But we need to-”

His next words fell on deaf ears as soon as the little pegasus of the group sped off on her scooter and into the thick of the orchard. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed suit, kicking dust up as they vanished into plumes of smoke.

“-stick together…”

Apple Bloom trailed up the high pass and away from her friends in hopes of not only slowing down the supposed timber wolves on their tail, but perhaps even lead the mangy beasts her way so that they might not chase after the others. She bolted forward heading straight for a fallen tree upon the path, aiming to crawl through the crevice strung between the earth and the timber. The strap of her saddlebag snagged itself upon a branch, leaving her lodged within the gap on the road. And then she heard it. The barking of the timber wolves charging up from behind, ready to feast upon their easy-caught prey. Apple Bloom dug her hooves into the earth and heaved with all her might, thus managing to pop herself free from the trap, but unable to slow her descent down the steep side of the hill.

Her bottom hit the canopy and she twirled through the branches, receiving cut after scrape and scratch. Her haunches struck the wall, and her head fell straight for the immovable, unforgiving bolder waiting patiently below.

“Apple Bloom~!” Scootaloo called.

“Where are you~?” Sweetie Belle followed.

“Are the timber wolves still following us?” Scootaloo panted heavily, looking all around.

“I don’t smell them anymore.” Sweetie trotted forward, focusing on the path ahead. “Maybe you did just fart?”

“I’m telling you, it wasn’t-!”

The unicorn froze in her tracks, her pegasus friend bumping into her rear as she loaded a stroke of frustration to ask her what gives. She looked up and past her friend, and immediately got her answer. Sweetie Belle’s pure white coat reached beyond any recognizable hues of pale, and Scootaloo felt as though her entire world had shrunken in on itself.

There, their friend lay at the base of the boulder. Crumpled, scarred, lifeless. An alarming amount of blood pooled around her head.

“Jesus Christ, there they are!” David snarled, barreling past a barricade of bramble. “I told you girls to stick together! What the hell were you…thinking…?”

His gaze strafed to the side, crawling up the walk to the boulder, pushing needles down his throat as the figure and the pool of red met his eyes. Shapes swirled, sounds blurred and senses tingled into numb little nothings. “Oh God.” He mumbled over and over. “Oh God, oh God…” Completely unaware he was even speaking.

“Sweetie Belle, what’s happening?” Scootaloo shivered. “Why isn’t Apple Bloom moving?”

“I…” The girl struggled, but simply couldn’t. “I don’t know…”

“This isn’t happening.” The pegasus curled inward. “Today wasn’t supposed to go like this…”

It was what every victim of such situations said. Even if the calculations were impossibly perfect, every detail down to the dot and every plan as concise and clear as could be, these sort of things would always happen. There was no real plan, no act of measure nor definite procedure in line, but who was to say that a simple day of fun could turn out like this? It wasn’t supposed to go like this. Truly, it wasn’t.

If I had never showed up here, maybe none of this would have ever happened. David thought, a spike in his heart. But I’ll be damned if I let it end like this.

The boy curled his fingers into a fist and struck himself across the nose, and another across his cheek for good measure. The two standing fillies jumped in surprise to his behavior, and the human was over the fallen filly’s figure before they knew it. A hand was placed over her side, and another lent beneath her chin. Slowly he turned her face, muzzle stained with the sticky, red sap, the boy leaned down and trained his ear over the little pony's nostrils.

He waited, and waited, and the two fillies watched on with shivering, quieted anticipation.

She’s still breathing! His heart skipped a beat.

“Sweetie Belle, the barn can’t be far now.” His voice stern. “Go warn the Apples, Apple Bloom’s been hurt.”

“W-Where are you taking her…?” She asked.

“To the hospital, now go.” He commanded. “And don’t stop running.”

Delivering a shaky nod, the unicorn turned tail and darted.

“Scootaloo, do you know where the hospital is at?”

“Just…just north of the orchard.” She quavered. “Past the train station.”

“Go there and warn the doctors, there’s an emergency.”

“Wha-” She shook again. “What do I tell them?”

“Apple Bloom’s hit her head and she needs help.”

“I…I can’t.” The handles of her scooter rattled. “I can’t do this-”

“Scootaloo, look at me.” He rested his hands to her shoulders. “You’re the fastest thing I’ve ever seen on that scooter, faster than Rainbow Dash.”

“Faster than Rainbow Dash?” Tears streamed past her cheeks.

“And even faster!” He pushed. “Now go, and don’t even think about stopping.”

With those last words, the pony was off buzzing past the trees of the orchard, headed straight for Ponyville. With those last thoughts leaving his mind, visions of Apple Bloom seeing the light of day once again was the only thing at the front of his head as he swaddled the pony up in his jacket and kept the cloth to the back of her head. He ducked and pounded his feet against the dirt like the Devil was on his tail.

Evening struck its way through the repeating windows of the hospital halls, glints of orange reflecting off the walls, leaving a soundless tension in its wake. It felt as though everyone standing outside the door were holding the longest breath of their life, pacing back forth and humming quiet prayers upon waiting chairs. David clutched his bloody jacket and went from heel to toe across one length of the hall and the other. Big Macintosh had been rubbing his hoof up and down Granny’s back ever since they had arrived, the elder cradling the remaining fillies beneath her free hoof. The door clicked, and all present froze. With a slow creak, Applejack emerged from the other side, setson held over her heart. There was a long, painful pause before she spoke.

“Doctors say…” She swallowed. “Apple Bloom’s fallen into a coma.”

Not a pony knew what to say, what to do. David hung his head as his shoulders drooped, and the stilled air of the hospital hallway slowly turned into that of shouts, screams and blood. It only took one little flinch, one little motion to provoke her. The farm girl smashed her hat back over her head, twisted her haunches and kicked the boy right in the chest with every ounce of force a single pony could muster. Applejack was up and on top of the boy before the others even knew what was happening. She swung one hoof after the other, spitting and drawing blood.

“I’LL WATCH YOU BURN IN HELL!!”

The last words shouted throughout the halls and pounded against his ears as Big Macintosh dragged his sister down the corridor and out the door. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo approached the human with frightened yet helping hooves, Granny by his side trying to smear away the blood with a free cloth. He stifled her hoof with his hand, spitting trickles of blood.

“I deserve this…” He mumbled.

“What…?” The fillies asked him.

“No one should ever have to fall for my mistakes, I deserve every bit of pain she’s in right now. She, and her sister.” David mumbled again, wiping his blood and smearing his tears. “I deserve every bit of this…”