A/N: This is the first chapter of a three chaptered story, and I hope everyone likes it! It was a prize for TwiLanes, who came in first place in Round Six of my contest!

"There ya girls are," called Applejack, trotting over to where the two young ponies were playing. "I've been lookin' high and low for ya'll!"

Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo paused in their games, and the light orange pony dropped the ball she'd been holding.

"Oh, hey Applejack!" Scootaloo shuffled backwards as she spoke, until she was able to put a front hoof ontop of the ball and keep it from rolling away.

Sweetie Belle blinked at her with wide eyes. "Why did you need us? We didn't do anything wrong, did we?"

"Aw, shucks no!" Applejack shook her head at the two fillies and laughed. "It's just that Apple Bloom took off this mornin' and I ain't seen her since. We were supposed to go to the river this evenin'. I thought you girls might know where she was?"

Without thinking, Sweetie Belle smiled and opened her mouth, not hesitating at all to answer the older mare's question. Before she could, Scootaloo cut her off.

"Sorry, AJ. We haven't seen Apple Bloom since yesterday," answered Scootaloo, and her voice was smooth and easy going, not rushed at all. She gave a little shrug before nudging the ball in her friends direction.

Sweetie Belle couldn't think of anything to do but nod, agree, and kick it back.

-x-x-x-

"Why did you lie to her like that?" hissed Sweetie Belle, the moment that she was sure Applejack was out of hearing range.

Scootaloo frowned, letting the ball roll past her and down the road. "Because, we told Apple Bloom that we wouldn't tell anyone where she went. That means Applejack, too!"

That was true, she supposed, but that was also hours ago. And, really, only Scootaloo had made that promise, ever eager to contribute to a new adventure.

"I know...I just, oh, I don't know!" Sweetie Belle gave a loud sigh, letting herself flop down onto the ground. "It doesn't feel right, Scootaloo."

The orange mare just rolled her eyes. "You'll get used to it, Sweetie Belle. Trust me."

-x-x-x-

Sweetie Belle trusted Scootaloo at first, but as the hours passed by she wondered if she should.

Noon came and went; and there was no sign of Apple Bloom.

Two passed by; and the tree house was devoid of the usual laughter.

By three, Sweetie Belle couldn't take it anymore and found her hooves taking her down the familiar path to Sweet Apple Acres.

Just a few moments before knocking on the door, she chickened out and changed her mind and turned tail and went to her home away from home.

-x-x-

Scootaloo was already at the treehouse when Sweetie Belle arrive, idly doodling something on a piece of paper. The young unicorn wasn't surprised. Scootaloo was always at the tree house - and for good reason, too. But that was a different story and neither here no there and Sweetie Belle gave a loud sigh as she dropped onto the floor beside her friend.

"Apple Bloom still isn't back yet," she muttered.

Scootaloo grunted but didn't look up from her picture.

"I think that Applejack is starting to get really worried, Scoot. Do you think we should tell her where Apple Bloom went?" asked Sweetie Belle, and she couldn't help but defer the decision to the other mare, hated making decisions on her own.

Again, Scootaloo never looked up from her drawing. "Not yet, or we'll just get in trouble. Wait 'till dinner, and if she's not back yet...I guess we'll have to tell them."

-x-

"Apple Bloom!"

The sound of someones voice woke up Sweetie Belle, loud and persistent in her ears.

"Apple Bloom! Are ya up there?"

Sweetie Belle yawned and went to stand up, only to be stopped by a heavy weight sprawled over her back. She gave an impatiant shake, yelping at her friend, "Ugh, Scoot! Come on! Wake up!"

In the time it took for Scootaloo to groggily climb off of Sweetie Belle and look around, the owner of the voice had scrambled up the ladder and an irate Applejack was peering around the room.

"Hey! You can't be up here," protested Scootaloo. "No big ponies allowed!"

"Oh, hush it," snapped Applejack, pawing the floor with one hoof. "Ya'll had us worried sick, I got every right to be up here!"

Sweetie Belle furrowed her brows, trying hard to fight back another yawn. "Why would we have worried you?"

"Why? Why? Maybe 'cause ya'll been out all night!" Applejack was clearly not in a good mood, and had Sweetie Belle ever seen her so unhappy before? So irritatable and quick to snap?

No, she didn't think she had. Knew she hadn't, actually, because this was Applejack and, if nothing else, Applejack was a foals pony.

"We weren't out all night," argued Scootaloo.

Applejack frowned, brushing past the young pegasus and peering behind the beat up tartan couch. "Unless my clock and your clocks are different, Scootaloo, ya have been. Now, I've had enough of this silly business! Where's Apple Bloom at?"

Scootaloo ran behind the couch, snorting at Applejack. She couldn't stand when other ponies where in her tree house, when ponies ran loose and uninvited, toppling and turning and looking at things they didn't need to see. "She's not here! We told you this morning that we didn't see her!"

The lie seemed to flow easily off of Scootaloo's tongue, but Sweetie Belle could feel the truth clawing at her throat, all but begging to be told. She bit her lip and tried not to meet Applejack's gaze.

"That was yesterday mornin', ya filly, and she ain't been home since the evening before," snapped Applejack and there was something more then anger in her voice.

She was upset.

Scootaloo was upset.

Sweetie Belle was upset - and she could not keep quiet any longer.

-x-x-

"She was so mad," whispered Sweetie Belle, burrowing her face further into the mound of pillows that made up their couch.

Rarity hummed, but didn't look up from her work. She had a deadline to meet, and Bright Lights mother would be most unhappy if her daughters dress wasn't finished in time.

"And now mom and dad are going to be really mad too!" The young mare could feel tears well up in her eyes at the thought, because she was always trying to make them proud of her.

Proud of her, like they were proud of Rarity.

"They most certainly are," agreed Rarity, absently. She pinned a piece of iridescent green fabric to the base, not at all concerned with the matter, certain that Apple Bloom would show up at any moment.

But Sweetie Belle lacked her elder sisters confidence

only heard disdain in Rarity's voice

couldn't forget the stories she had heard about the Ever Free Forest

felt her stomach clench and her throat go tight and she looked up at the white mare with wide, wet eyes.

"Are you mad at me too?" The words were barely even whispered, and Sweetie Belle's heart felt like someone was squeezing it tight.

For the first time since her baby sister had come into the room, Rarity looked away from her work, frowning slightly.

Furrowed her brows.

Wished her parents were around more often.

And then sighed and took a seat next to the pony she had practically raised.

"Come now, darling, why ever would I be mad?" asked Rarity, and she had never been good at this comfort thing but always tried her best, really she did.

"Because I lied," whimpered Sweetie Belle, pressing closer to Rarity. "And now Apple Bloom's lost."

"Darling, telling the truth is a wonderful thing, but so is keeping a promise to your friend. And that's what you were doing, right?"Rarity paused, waiting for Sweetie Belle to give a slight nod before continuing. "That's just as important as not lying - and in the end, when you realized something was wrong, you let Applejack know what had happened. That's an amazing thing you did."

"And she got mad at me," whispered Sweetie Belle, unable to get that look she had been given out of her mind.

"Only because she was worried for her sister. As soon as Apple Bloom shows up again, she'll apologize," promised Rarity. "You'll see."