The next few chapters are the reason why this story is rated T... it has a bit of descriptive violence and racial contents (ponywise).

• Chapter Thirty: Heart's Desire •

…

Sweetie Belle nosed her way through the garden, feeling the grass as cool as stone underneath her pure white hooves. Flower buds dangled in her way, and pebbles rolled underneath her hooves as she neared the end of the garden. She peered at the sky, a midnight gleam illuminating from the glowing white moon- which tonight was whole. The stars sprinkled the sky like glitter, and the Milky Way was mysterious- looking like clouds of mist were hovering before the twinkling stars. Sweetie Belle hopped over a small stream, the water delicately trickling down like a cascading waterfall- but in a more tranquil fashion. Finally, she found herself at the end of the garden, where an invisible barrier broke her up from the world beyond- the world she had grown up in. Her viridian eyes scintillated with a child-like wonder. What would happen if she took one step forwards? A single step which would not impact her, but the others around her. She was like an element- an item- not even a living soul. She was a facet, which two other sources relied on. Depended on. Unfortunately, the source which Sweetie Belle was, was very rare, and could not be broken in two- only one side could survive on it. The side which the source, whom Sweetie Belle was, had to make the final decision on which side she would pick. In the end, it came down to who needed her more. And that was when the answer became obvious. Uncertainty still clung to her though- like a flea, which was impossible to itch away. Was it really what she wanted? Did she want to have the rest of her life locked away in a bubble, wearing away immunity to adventure and creativity which was what a filly like her relied on to achieve full capacities in intellectual and social data. She didn't want that, but another pony just wanted her. Nothing other than her- she was the only gift which could make this pony smile... she was the last scrap of hope left in a desert of cruelty and despair. She was the last hope of a pony whom's name she was still unaware of. She was a treasure, locked up in a chest lined with gold, with metal locks keeping the chest closed. She was miles below sea level, on the sand at the bottom of the ocean, just waiting to find a key which could turn the lock to her imprisonment. She was a doll- with a missing button eye, and stuffing which was not going to be stitched back into her form.

Sweetie Belle peered behind her, before she looked at the invisible force field. "There is always a way around things... Raripunzel used to tell me that." She lay down on the grass, which was cool under her touch. "But this situation is impossible. An answer is impossible." She felt tears running down her cheeks, as her brain tried to work its way around things, but could not find any solutions to her obstacle.

"What I've heard says it always turns out right...

But this road won't come,

To it's end.

How come resolutions won't take no flight?

Have I forgotten,

About life?"

She peered into the grass, before it faded into a bunch of images flashing through her mind, and winding pathways, leading in different directions of life.

"So now,

I'm stuffed between a bunch of new dimensions, see...

Leading to a few insecurities.

I find the answer will not come so I will sing my song...

as me."

She peered to the stars again, getting onto her hooves.

"Dad oh mum thee see me?

In the middle of destiny.

I can not decide, why can't I turn tail and flee?

Let a sea birth from my...

Very eyes as I shall cry.

I can't decide won't somepony come here and help me?"

She looked at the barrier, observing the scenery beyond it... trees and trees. Her home was there somewhere, and her friends were there, perhaps worrying about her. Maybe they were thinking of her now? Or had they forgotten about her?

"Sometimes I wish I could just turn to dust...

Let all this pain just,

Fade away.

But I was born for some unknown reason.

And I must play my part,

In this world."

Sweetie Belle inched closer to the barrier, almost touching it now, as she found herself locked between the two places she referred to as home.

"So now...

Can I destroy one's hopes and one's believing dreams?

Desire might just get the better off of me.

I find that running will not help so I'll embrace it and...

I'll scream!"

She momentarily took a long step. She was now standing halfway between two worlds, and she could feel darkness beginning to corrupt her soul and turn her evil. She felt it seeping through her veins... bombard her... make her want to run on her own mind... make her own decisions and not care for others.

"Dad oh mum thee see me?

In the middle of destiny.

I can not decide, why can't I turn tail and flee?

Let a sea birth from my...

Very eyes as I shall cry.

I can't decide won't somepony come here and help me?"

Two shoulder angels appeared besides her, one being as light a as the sun, a shining halo hovering above her head. The other one was moody and dark, having bright red devil horns on her head.

"Don't hurt one, stay and let him have company..."

The angelic angel whimpered, keeping to the tune of the melody Sweetie Belle had been singing.

"Do it for you. You only matter."

The devil persuaded, looking at Sweetie Belle right in the eye. Sweetie Belle swung around, as the angel sung again.

"Just be kind, everything'll be good..."

Sweetie Belle cried, as she herself sung her own part.

"Will somepony please... help me?"

The angelic angel stared at Sweetie Belle, nodding, and pleading.

"Be his, he loves you and you know it..."

The devil rolled her eyes, forcing Sweetie Belle to turn to her.

"Love is pathetic. Go to your friends now."

The angel desperately sung.

"Sweetie Belle... you will break his heart..."

Sweetie Belle furiously batted the self conscious's away, making them disappear, as she peered at the castle, and then to the forest.

"Will somepony... help me?"

Sweetie Belle wailed, and let out a tortured cry as she collapsed to the ground, yanking at her mane- trying to pull it out. Trying to hurt herself as tears riveted from her eyes. This was the most stressful time she had ever had.

"Dad oh mum thee hear me?

This's middle of my destinies.

I can't decide, but I can't turn tail and flee.

Let a sea birth from my...

Very eyes as I am crying.

I can't decide but I'll chose wisely because I'm me."

She smiled, standing up, and singing at the top of her lungs in joy.

"Mummy, daddy, look at me!

I am grown up, I am she!

Sweetie Belle, kind, caring, always there if one needs.

I'll work my way around this.

Because I have courage and dignity.

I'm staying here nopony is going to stop me."

She smiled, as she worked her way back through the barrier, and towards the castle. "Nopony will stop me. Not even me." There was still doubt lingering in the words.

…

"What is this?" The pink filly with the tiara glared menacingly at the filly wearing the bow. "This is not gold! It's a bunch of... rags made from straw!"

Apple Bloom scrunched down, looking as small as possible next to Diamond Tiara. "Well since ah cannot make gold out of hay, ah decided to make dresses instead..."

"Dresses? How is this even classed as a dress?" Diamond Tiara hissed, holding up the straw woven together to create the piece of clothing.

"I like this one," Silver Spoon offered, holding up one of the dresses Apple Bloom had made.

"No you do not," Diamond Tiara roared, storming up, and raking her hoof through the straw, destroying the dress Silver Spoon had been holding. The pieces of straw wafted to the floor, of the now damaged dress.

Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom looked on the verge of tears.

"Ah put a lot of effort into that one..." Apple Bloom whimpered.

"I do not care! I don't care about these dust-cloths! I want gold and I want it now!" Diamond Tiara spoke in a spoilt and nauseating way, before she rampaged forwards to Apple Bloom, so her snout was touching the petrified yellow filly's. "I am fed up with these jokes, you flea-bitten varmint! Be happy that I am generous, because I am going to give you one last night to prove that you do have ability. If you fail, I am going to do a lot worse than just send you to jail! Have I made myself clear?" Diamond Tiara's pupils went small, as she glowered down on the shivering Apple Bloom.

"Crystal..." the yellow filly regained a sturdy voice, trying to sound less submissive before the aggressive filly.

"Better," Diamond Tiara flared, before whipping around and turning to Silver Spoon. "Now let's get away from this inferior."

"B-but the dress..." The grey filly with the icy blue glasses whined.

"No one cares! Now let's go!"

Once Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had left, Apple Bloom slouched to the ground. She didn't cry often, and she was going to try and not let the tears get to her. It was difficult however, as thoughts went whizzing through her mind. She didn't want to get locked up. She wanted to be free. She wanted to be wild. She wanted to be herself, and she wanted to be with her friends, hunting, fighting and surviving. Sure, she had gone down a few steps... she just needed to find a way to step upwards again, on her spiralling staircase.

"Ah wonder how all of 'em are doing. Ah hope Babs Seed is doing a good job in leadin'... hehe, and ah wonder how long it'll take Rumble and Scootaloo to confess their undyin' love fer' each other!" Apple Bloom giggled in a mocking way, as the thought of it. The conspicuous topic was just too hilarious. Eventually, her mind settled on Sweetie Belle. She hadn't thought much of what her poor unicorn friend would be going through right now. She was just trying to avoid it to get away the heartache. Apple Bloom wouldn't cry. She could only cry on the inside- and she would try and show the least amount of mercy as possible. Sure, she might have cracked when Diamond Tiara had been yelling at her earlier, but Diamond Tiara was just plain scary. "Poor Sweetie Belle... what is this pony makin' her do now? He's probably torturing her... however..." Flashbacks flickered in Apple Bloom's mind. As soon as she had been taken out of the water, she had seen the look the pony was giving Sweetie Belle- and the way his voice sounded when he was talking to her. The way he was so protective, familiar and... nurturing towards Sweetie Belle. Now that she had thought deeper, she could finally see that torture would be the last thing that the pony would do to Sweetie Belle. "Well ah'll be. Ah can't believe ah didn't think of that before." Apple Bloom shook her head, as she peered at the hay. "And now ah need to solve mah own problem. How am ah goin' to change this into gold? Ah need something like... magic... unicorn magic..." Almost as soon as she had said those words, there was a flash of yellow, showering over the room, blinding Apple Bloom. "Waaaa..." she stepped backwards, cringing as she covered her eyes with her hoof, shading the light. Finally, the light died down, and she could see two pony-ish forms standing in the place where the light had came from. Eventually, Apple Bloom could see from the blinding light, and she realised that they were two colts who looked about her age- except one was very tall and the other was very short.

"Who're ya two? What're ya doin' 'ere?" Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, crouching down into a defensive position and preparing to charge.

"Irrelevant! But seriously, don't charge! Please! We want to help!" The amber one, with the turquoise mane stepped forward.

"Not really. We just want money, or something to trade," the shorter, opal colt with the orange mane grunted.

Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, gaining confidence. "Why would ah want to pay ya two? Ah don't even have any bits, and my items to trade are incredibleh' limited! Ah bet ya both have nothin' important anyway!"

"How about skill?" The amber colt questioned, tilting his head with his long neck.

"Yeah. Skill!" The short, stubby one hopped up and down.

Apple Bloom pricked her ears. "Skill? Ha! Ah bet ya two can't do anything that ah can't alreadeh'!"

The two guffawed, before going quiet and exchanging glances.

"I think she is right..." the shorter one snorted.

The taller colt shook his head. "No, because we're unicorns! She's just an earth pony!"

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Ah can hear ya two ya know? And as incredibleh' racist the two of ya are being, ah ain't goin' to hurt ya..." she added a side note. "Yet."

The two quaked, before the smaller one shook his head, and spoke up. "Well we can do what you need the most right now! We have been eating... ahem... large doses of heart's desire recently... just say what you need and we can do it."

Apple Bloom recognised the herb heart's desire. Ages ago, she had stolen one from Zecora and had eaten it. It had gotten her the Cutie Pox- if it hadn't been for Zecora, she would still be frenzying now, performing ridiculous specialties. Apple Bloom shuddered, before turning to the colts. "Okay. Ah want ya two to spin gold out of this hay."

The amber colt with the giraffe-like neck tilted his head. "Hey?"

"Hey!" The stout, grey-blue-green one called.

Apple Bloom face-hoofed. "No, ah mean hay as in straw! This stuff!" She held up a few wads of the silage.

"Oh that hay! Why didn't you say so? We can do that, but there's price to pay. Hey- that rhymes!" The taller colt grinned, seeming very proud at himself for sort-of-rhyming.

"Yeah! What'll you pay for us to do all of your work?" The stumpy colt cocked his head.

Apple Bloom hesitated, looking around, before she noticed one of the dresses that she had made, which Diamond Tiara hadn't destroyed. "Ah ha! This, 'ere." Apple Bloom took the dress, and handed it to the two colts.

"A dress! Yay! Now we can dress up like Mum!" The short, stocky unicorn grinned. "Deal!"

Apple Bloom watched as the two began to gather all the hay together, and bend it through the spinning wheel. To her shock, she saw a bright golden substance pour from the object, as the wheel spun, and the the gold slid around the pointy part of the object.

"Wow. Heart's desire is stronger than ah thought."

…

"Red Applehood, honey, we are buseh' 'ere," Granny Smith turned to the orange earth pony at the doorway, holding a plate of zap apple jam sandwiches in her jaws.

"Changelings?" The earth pony with the yellow mane dropped the plate as she spoke, and she stood still in shock. "Why are they 'ere?" The glass shattered on the floor, and jam went everywhere.

"Red Applehood! Go make some more now!" Granny Smith narrowed her eyes, knowing that her granddaughter was horrible at telling lies.

"But... but..."

"Now!"

Red Applehood quickly nodded, rushing out into the kitchen.

Babs Seed, Scootaloo and Rumble exchanged aghast glances, all knowing who that mare was- Apple Bloom had spoken of her countless times.

"Ahem... we will go now. Remember the punishment, and make sure that these kids don't get into any more trouble," a changeling guard uttered, before trotting towards the door. The other guards followed, and before long, they had all completely dispersed.

Granny Smith and the three foals were silent for a moment, before the tea green mare narrowed her eyes, eyeing each foal in turn. "Ah ain't think it's mah blindness aneh'more. That is a colt, and he wasn't with ya last time."

"Yeah, this is Rumble," Scootaloo introduced.

"G'day Rumble!" Granny Smith trotted up, shaking Rumble's hoof so hard, that the young colt was lifted into the air, and bashed to the ground again. The frazzled colt, looked pleadingly at Scootaloo, as Granny Smith roughly patted his head. "No wonder ah got this young stallion mixed up for a filleh'! He's very feminine-like with that lil' snout!"

Scootaloo almost fell to the ground in laughter, before she covered her mouth with her hoof, still letting out the occasional giggle.

Rumble helplessly tried to defend himself. "All foals are born like that! Just wait for me to get older, then I will get a better muzzle!"

"Don't you think you should have gotten your better 'nose' by now?" Scootaloo teased.

"Well don't you think that you should have gotten your Cutie Mark by now?" Rumble remarked.

"No fair! Whatever, peace," Scootaloo snickered. "I guess we are all late bloomers. Just some ponies are late bloomers for more things."

Rumble glared at Scootaloo, about to say something else, when Granny Smith cut in.

"Aww, youth these days. Ah remember ah always used to have arguments with Apple Bloom's grandfather when we were all about yer' ages. Wait a few years, Scootaloo 'n Rumble, and ya'll soon be-"

"-no thanks!" Scootaloo and Rumble quickly spoke in unison, blushing and looking away from each other.

"Heheh. Alrighty then." Granny Smith hobbled up to the kitchen, and spoke as loud as she could. "Red Applehood, darlin' ya can come out now! We have visitors!"

Almost instantly, the orange mare wearing the red hooded cape, optimistically dashed into the living room, seeing the foals and gasping. "Howdy, young'uns! Ah can't remember last time ah saw fillies as cute as ya'll!"

Rumble gave a flustered expression, and Scootaloo cracked up again. "I'm. Not. A. Filly."

Red Applehood gave a good natured laugh. "Oh, ah am very sorry, ah didn't realise! Heh. It's like that time ah was a lot younger- about all ya're ages, and ah misinterpreted that tomato fer' an apple!"

"Now that would be horrible! Ah don't know why, but none of the Apple Family have taste buds fer' tomatoes," Granny Smith mumbled, trotting up to her rocking chair, and settling down on it, her back hunched.

"Of course," Rumble muttered, before plastering a smile onto his face.

"So what're all ya're names kids?" Red Applehood sat down, and listened intently to the three.

"These are Scootaloo and Rumble, and I am Babs Seed... apparently you're my cousin," Babs Seed explained, lowering her head, so her mane sheltered her eyes.

"Well ah'll be!" Red Applehood smiled warmly. "Greetings cous'! Ah guess ya learn new things everyday! So... why are ya all here anyway?"

"It's a long story..." Babs Seed murmured, lowering her head even more.

Red Applehood beckoned the foals forwards, leading them to a couch, and allowing them to sit down, as she grabbed a pillow for herself and sat on the floor. "Ah got more time than than the world."

…

"And then the changeling guards took as here!" Scootaloo concluded. All three of them had gone over how it had started; Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo meeting in the grassy hills. It had gone over practically everything, and Red Applehood had listened keenly to the whole 100,000 worded FanFiction, minus the parts which didn't include the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Red Applehood wiped tears away from her eyes. "That is the most beautiful story ah have ever heard." She straightened up, and narrowed her eyes to the crusaders. "Now what really happened?"

The three exchanged glances.

"That is what happened," Babs Seed spoke.

Red Applehood's eyes widened. "S-so wait... mah Apple Bloom really was taken away by two spoilt-rotten whippersnappers?"

"Pretty much." The three Crusaders slowly nodded.

"What?" Red Applehood screeched. "What? What? What?"

"Ga..." Granny Smith grunted, slowly arousing from her nap.

"Wait no..." Red Applehood quickly changed her tone. "Don't wake up, sorry Granneh..." A few seconds of silence passed, before Granny Smith stretched and curled up again, snoring loudly. Red Applehood let out a sigh of relief, before glaring at the three Crusaders, grabbing all three of them by the ears and dragging them outside.

"Ouch! What are you doing?" Scootaloo vigorously tried to writhe away, only to receive more pain.

"This is filly abuse!" Babs Seed hissed.

"Filly and colt!" Rumble snarled, still keeping his voice low, just in case he woke up Granny Smith. Eventually, Red Applehood took them outside the house, as she let go of their ears, still scowling at them.

"Ow..." Babs Seed held her ear. "What the hay was that for?"

"You let mah Apple Bloom get taken away!" Red Applehood snivelled. "And ah will never fer'give mah'self for lettin' her roam free with a bunch of scoundrels!"

"Scoundrels?" Babs Seed shook her head. "No, we are good fillies-"

"-and colts," Rumble muttered under his breathe.

Babs Seed gave him an apologetic glance. "We are good foals, and we would never let Apple Bloom get taken away intentionally!" Babs Seed stepped forwards, so she was standing right before Red Applehood. "Apple Bloom is our friend, and we would die for her. As you may have heard, Scootaloo jumped in to try and save AB- at the cost of us getting into masses of trouble. Apple Bloom is our friend- more than that. Apple Bloom is our family, and we will stop at nothing to try and get her back. You have to believe us."

Red Applehood cocked her head, looking straight down at the three, before smiling and nodding. "Okay. Ah believe ya- but that ain't mean that ah am lettin' her stay with ya'll. If she comes back- when she comes back, ah am takin' her with me. Ah ain't lettin' her get into any more trouble."

The three exchanged glances, before Scootaloo stepped forwards to stand besides Babs Seed. "But Red Applehood! You have to reconsider! Apple Bloom is our leader- she makes our decisions- she decides when we hunt, what to do, how to react... she knows sacrifice, and she holds trustworthiness and honesty. If you take her away from us, we will never survive! We'd just be a bunch of feral foals, running about, causing trouble."

Rumble nodded, joining the three. "I never got to know her well, but in two days, I could tell that she was wise beyond her years, and she was a great asset to our group."

"Stop speaking like she's dead!" Scootaloo spat.

Rumble quickly nodded, gritting his teeth in a sorrowful expression to Red Applehood. He noticed that she still hadn't seemed to have been completely convinced. He thought through all the possible things that he could say, before an idea popped in his head. "You know... Apple Bloom told us a lot about you. She said that you were reasonable, trusting, and a brilliant role model. It would be disappointing if you break all these traits, just because you are too overprotective of Apple Bloom... and you let all of us suffer, just because you are too selfish to share her... her..." Rumble turned to the others, mouthing 'help me.'

"Her... awesomeness!" Scootaloo declared. "You won't share her awesomeness with us."

Babs Seed smacked her head, before insisting, "in a more formal way, let's say that you are too selfish to share her pizzazz... her decision making and level-headedness."

Red Applehood narrowed her eyes. "How?"

"Well..." Scootaloo hesitated. "If you took Apple Bloom away from us... we'd probably be left to die... you are taking one pony at the sacrifice of three... Babs Seed, Sweetie Belle and me... and four if you include Rumble."

"You are so mean to me," Rumble rolled his eyes, before turning to Red Applehood. "So... whad'ya say, partner? Oh great, now I am getting that accent..."

Red Applehood only laughed. "Ah say... ya can keep her. Besides, meh and mah Ma' are alreadeh' strugglin' with just the two of us! We can't afford to add another asset to the famileh'." Red Applehood smiled, turning away from them and glimpsing into space. "Plus, ah think Apple Bloom would want me to let her run free in the wild..." She turned to the three. "With her worthy and loyal friends. Now come inside, ya'll. It's cold."

Scootaloo hung behind, as the three trotted inside. Red Applehood noticed her uncertainty.

"Are ya alright Scootaloo?"

The orange pegasi with the magenta mane nodded slightly. "I am alright... can I please just stay outside for a bit... and think?"

Red Applehood slowly nodded. "Alright. But don't be out for long."

Okay, worst chapter ending yet- it is because I had to cut this chapter in two- it was stretching out too far, and this was the best place I could find to split it, whilst keeping my 'every chapter except the prologue must be 3000+ words rule'.