"Heart's desire, huh? Hmmm..."
.......
Well, it was a standard morning for me in Milwaukee. I woke up from a glorious four-hour night sleep to the alarm clock, finding the room to be barely lit from the overcast sunlight entering through the blinds of the one single window. My roommate was still asleep (huge shock), as he would be till the afternoon. Taking "special care" not to wake him, I slipped on the only pair of jeans on the floor and a shirt from the drawer. I always set my clock to be ten minutes fast, letting me get to class about ten minutes early. Realizing I had another forty minutes before my first class that day, I decided to pass the time with a few pony videos.
With Kyrospawn running through my veins, I was ready to start the day. Ever since I've seen my first episode of My Little Pony FIM about a year ago, I've been hooked. I've read some fanfiction, made some fan art, and I've made a few accounts on some pony websites. It's been a fun experience, what with all the friends I've made and the stories I've written and posted. My favorite out of the fanfiction genres was probably the human in equestrian scenario. Sure, it's cliched and cheesy, but it's some shameless entertainment for me.
Anyhoo, back to my routine. Once I'd brushed my teeth and gotten washed up, I set off to the campus shuttle. Since I live in a dormitory off campus, that was my only means of transport to my classes. This time, it's one of those orange school buses with the dorm's name on a label at front. I'm excited over the fact, since I'll be able to sit in the back seat. As childish as it is, I enjoy hitting this one bump on the bridge while seated there.
I walked over to the backmost seat in the bus, sitting down just as the bus started taking motion. My phone went off the instant I sat down. I took it out and realized I had received a text from my sister.
-What are you up to?
I types up a quick response.
+Not much, just heading to class. Josh
(I was in the habit of typing my name at the end of every text I send, even if it was family I was talking to.)
-Any thought of what you want for your birthday?
+I'm still writing the list. You can kick my ass this weekend if I forget to by then. Josh
-Well, do it soon.
+Yup. Josh
-So, any big plans for this week?
+Not Really. Josh
-Okay, you seriously need to stop putting your name at the end of these texts.
+Why? Josh
-Because A: that text you just sent was just one word that was shorter than your name. B: I DON'T NEED YOU TELL ME THAT IT'S YOU WHEN YOU SEND ME TEXT MESSAGES!!!
+Okay. Josh
-Ugh, whatever.
+Anyway, I'll call you after class. Josh
-Kthxbai.
After our text chat, I decided to pass the time with a relaxing pastime: Temple Run.
...a game I had on pause for the whole night.
"c'monc'monc'monc'mon DON'T DIE!!! DON'T DIE!!!" I said loudly in hopes of not attracting the driver's attention.
"DON'T YOU DIE ON ME DUDE!!! I DIDN'T LEAVE YOU PAUSED FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT TO DIE ON ME!!!"
"SHUT UP, BACK THERE!" The driver yelled.
"SORRY!!!" I yelled back.
I hunched myself over to get as close to the small screen as possible. This was it. I was about to beat the dorm's highest record in fifty thousand.
Forty thousand.
Thirty thousand.
"Come on dude. Don't you die. Don't you die, dude, don't you die. Don't die. Don't die. Don't die don't die don't die don't die don't die don't die don't die PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD ALMIGHTY DON'T YOU DIE....."
Twelve thousand.
"Yes."
Eight thousand.
"YES..."
Three Thousand.
"YES....."
...
...
"YES!!! YES!!! YESYESYESYES YESSSSS!!!!!!!"
My victory was short lived, however, because fate found the planets aligning on that very spot that day. Upon a magnificent leap of victory, the bus hit my beloved bridge at that very instant, therefore doubling the magnitude of my jump.
...Right into the bus' roof.
.......
Apple Bloom awoke with a long yawn as she stretched her hooves after a long night's sleep. However, her relaxed state was also one of slight despondence over yesterday's events. Even using a potion to achieve one's "Heart's Desire" had failed her. What was she to do now? Crusading brought her little, and using what could classify as a last resort did nothing for her. She was just as lost as ever, if not more so.
With a sigh, she crawled (if not tumbled) out of bed to go about her tedious routine. She wandered through the hall with squinty eyes to prepare herself for school.
After brushing herself up for the day, she trudged down the steps to see her siblings at the table for breakfast.
Applejack, who was working with buttering a few slices of toast, looked up to see her sister.
"Mornin', Apple Bloom! How'd ya sleep last night?"
"Fine, ah guess..." she mumbled as she got into her seat. However, she was confused once she heard simultaneous gasps from her two siblings. She looked up to see her brother and sister staring at her with amazed expressions.
"Wh-What's goin' on?"
Applejack's face went from amazement to realization, which soon turned to mischief. "Oh, nuttin'." She went back to working on their breakfast. "Would y'all like a...mark of butter with your toast today?"
"...Ah guess..." Apple Bloom said, confused over her sister's tone.
"Alrighty. By the way, y'all might wanna bring a hat to school today, Apple Bloom. There's tell of a...cutie outbreak goin' on round town recently."
Now Apple Bloom could tell Applejack was insinuating something. "Are you trying' to tell me something?"
"Oh, not really. Just try to get it all...behind you and you should get through today okay."
"Applejack, what're ya talking about?" Apple Bloom said as she stood with her fore hooves on the table.
"Apple Bloom, ah really don't want ta say it out loud."
"But ah don't know wha..." her voice trailed off as her face went to pure awe.
Apple Bloom's pupils shrunk as she slowly rotated her neck and looked down to see...
...could it be?
"It is... IT IS!!! AH GOT IT!!! AH FINALLY GOT MY CUTIE MARK!!!" She exclaimed as she bounced around in joy and wrapped her hooves around her sister in a tight hug.
"ah did it...ah finally did it, Applejack..." she said as a few small teardrops started to form.
"D'aww, Apple Bloom, Ah'm so happy for you!" Applejack said as she returned the embrace her sister was giving. "So, how does it feel?"
"It's GREAT!!! Now I can officially stop being called a blank-flank and finally start being called a..." Her thoughts faded away when she saw what her cutie mark was for the first time.
For good reason, too. What WAS it?
"Sis...What's this mean?" She said with a tone as confused as she was happy before.
Applejack, wondering why Apple Bloom would be lost about what her cutie mark was, found justification when she saw it up close.
It looked like the head of some sort of ape-like animal. It had beige-colored skin that lacked fur aside from a large patch of brown hair at the top of its head, its eyes were shut as if it were asleep, and it had a large purple swelling area on it's forehead as if it had sustained some sort of injury.
"Uh..." Applejack tried to be very careful over the situation, not wanting to crush her younger sister's dreams. "Well, Uh..." as much as she tried to put a sympathetic way to put it, she couldn't find any words to describe it.
"Sis...What's this mean?" Apple Bloom repeated, only more somber.
"Ah...Ah..." Applejack gave up with a sigh. "...Ah don't know, Apple Bloom."
"Ya don't know? But what am ah supposed to figure out what this means?" For Apple Bloom, this might as well be worse than being a blank-flank. Sure, she had her Cutie Mark now, but what purpose is it when you can't make heads or tails out of it?
Applejack frowned as her little sister's lower lip started to quiver and a tear's birth began at her eye's corner. She wanted to tell her everything would work out in the end, but this just didn't make sense. How could Apple Bloom find a cutie mark she didn't have any recollection of?
Deciding to go the kinder route, she gave a warm smile for her sister and pulled her into a gentle hug. "Hey, don't cry, little sis...Ah'm sure you'll find out what it means soon enough! It's yer cutie mark, after all."
Apple Bloom sniffled a bit, but managed to calm down at her sister's words. "Ya mean it?"
"Course ah do! Besides, maybe miss Cheerilee might be able ta tell ya what it means!"
Apple Bloom managed to cease her tears, motivated by her sister. "Heh...yer right, sis! Ah'll tell the other girls to see what they think."
"That sounds like a fine idea! Now, why don't we have ourselves some breakfast?"
An Hour Later, at the Schoolhouse...
"...Maybe it's a cutie mark in alien research!" Scootaloo pondered.
"Or alien slaying! It looks like it's hurt, after all." Sweetie Belle added.
Surprisingly, Apple Bloom didn't find their theories too far-fetched. After all, she didn't do anything to find it naturally, it could have meant anything.
"Hmm...maybe..."
"...Or maybe it's a cutie mark in being a freak!!!"
Apple Bloom's jaw clenched at the familiarity of the condescending voice. She regrettably turned her head to see Diamond Tiara and her henchwoman Silver Spoon approaching them.
"What'ya want now, Diamond Tiara?"
"Oh, I just thought I heard you got your cutie mark, and I was actually considering congratulating you! But now I see that you couldn't even do it right after succeeding! Wow, I actually respected you more as a BLANK-FLANK!!!" Both partook in cruel laughter, prompting Apple Bloom to glare at the ground in rage.
"Alright girls, that's enough!" A strict, yet soft voice nearby demanded. Apple Bloom looked up to see her teacher Cheerilee taking her side.
"Both of you inside, now!" The two bullies decided to end their insults and complied. When they were inside, Cheerilee placed a sympathetic hoof on Apple Bloom's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Apple Bloom. You don't have to feel bad about anything they say...you're fine just the way you are!"
"Thanks, Miss Cheerilee...but it's not that, ah got my cutie mark today."
"You did? Why, that's wonderful news, Apple Bloom! But why were the-"
"Ah don't know what it's supposed ta mean." She turned around to let her teacher see the mark.
Cheerilee tried to make sense out of Apple Bloom's cutie mark, which would seemingly be easy due to her major in cutieology. However, in all her years of expertise, she'd never seen anything like it.
"Oh...well, maybe you and I could do a little research! I have a book on cutie mark interpretation in the back room."
Later...
For the most part, Apple Bloom was having a decent day. She'd completed all of her homework for the weekend during study time, her sister packed her favorite lunch, and a few classmates were genuinely congratulatory over her cutie mark. However, everything changed during her favorite and final class of the day: art class.
Apple Bloom noticed that a large amount of paint got on her hooves upon finishing her painting.
"Miss Cheerilee, can ah go wash my hooves?"
"Of course you may, Apple Bloom."
Apple Bloom saw herself off to the girl's room, careful not to get paint on the floor. After locking the door, she cheerfully hummed to herself as she lathered her hooves in the sink.
"............uuuuuuuuuggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh..............."
Startled, Apple Bloom looked around, checking to see if an intruder was in the bathroom.
"H...Hello?"
No presence gave an answer.
Although somewhat unnerved, she gave a shrug and presumed her business. After her hooves were devoid of paint, she exited the bathroom to approach Cheerilee.
"Miss Cheerilee? Ah heard something' in the bathroom."
"Really? What'd it sound like?"
"Ah don't know...like something' was groanin'..."
"Well, I don't know what could be in the bathroom that could be groaning."
Apple Bloom decided to let sleeping dogs lie and headed back to her seat. After a few minutes, she'd forgotten about what happened in the bathroom and carried on with her work. However, her memory was jogged soon afterwards.
"...ugh...oh god..."
She looked up in fear, but quickly glanced to her side to see her friend Sweetie Belle with a confused expression.
"What was that?" She whispered.
"Ah don't know!" Apple Bloom whispered back.
"Everything alright, Apple Bloom?" Cheerilee asked from her desk.
"Yes, Miss Cheerilee." she said.
Another few minutes went by in silence, albeit a more creepy one for Apple Bloom.
"Ugh...wha...WHAT THE HELL? WHATS GOING ON!?!?"
Apple Bloom yelped out in fear, causing the entire class to glance to her.
"WHAT'S GOING ON? WHERE AM I!?!"
"Apple Bloom, what is going on?" Cheerilee said strictly, slightly perturbed at Apple Bloom's constant intrusions.
However, as she looked up, she noticed something about Sweetie Belle. She wasn't looking at Apple Bloom out of confusion as the rest of the class was. She was looking at her flank in...fear. Pure, unrelented fear.
"H-H-H-H-HER CUTIE MARK!!!! IT'S MOVING!!!!!!!"
"HELP ME!!! I CAN'T MOVE AT ALL!!!!!!"
The rest of the class looked to the mark, and realized that Sweetie Belle was telling the truth. Numerous classmates gathered to gawk in amazement at Apple Bloom's animated posterior.
.......
"HELP ME!!! I CAN'T MOVE AT ALL!!!!!!"
I had no idea what the hell was happening to me. My vision was blurred to but a cornucopia of abstract colors, and I couldn't feel any arms or legs to move, let alone a body.
I could hear voices. They were all chattering about indistinguishably, but I could make out emotions that resembled shock or fear. They mostly sounded young, like children.
I blinked my eyes numerous times, and the blurs began to form themselves into more distinguishable shapes. I could see a large grape-colored blob standing before me.
"WHAT"S GOING ON? SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!"
My vision slowly began to become clear, but my mind was still registering what I was seeing.
It was Cheerilee. The local grade school teacher of Ponyville. She looked like an animation exactly from the show, but the strange thing was that she looked like she was about fifty feet tall from my perspective. She was also gawking at me, something I could actually understand.
For a while, we just stared at each other, stunned as the rest of the class chattered in amazement. However, she brought two hooves to her mouth and let out an ear-splitting whistle to shut the class the hell up.
Now that the class was silent, she spoke.
"Um, hello..." she said nervously.
"Uh...Hi..." I said in a similar tone. "Wh-What's going on? Why can't I move?"
"Well...you're just a head."
"A HEAD? HOW CAN I BE JUST A HEAD?"
"Well, there isn't really anything else of you."
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
"Well, uh...see for yourself." She walked out of sight for a moment, coming back shortly afterwards with a beauty mirror. She held it steady before me, letting me see what I had become.
Sure enough, I could only see my head. No body, not even a neck. Just a head.
A head surrounded by a pale yellow color.
.....
