It was another happy and carefree day along Ponyville. The cream yellow Pegasus with pink swirled mane was now on her way to the schoolhouse with her adoptive daughter as the other pony parents were, except for Scootaloo, who seemed to be alone whenever this would come up as normal.

"Have a good day at school, sweetie..." Fluttershy told Boots like a good mother would.

Boots hugged the Pegasus and went to join her friends.

"Yes, Mama." Boots said.

Fluttershy smiled as she watched Boots go to her friends, she looked a little sad though as she saw certain fillies and colts with two parents. True, Boots wanted her and Discord to adopt her, but they weren't even married... Would it be okay if they were to get married? What would everypony else say? She just waved to Boots and walked off to get back to feed the animals and go about her day having another adventurous day to find out about the magic of friendship.

Boots laughed once she met up with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

"Hi, blank flanks..." Diamond Tiara came to them with Silver Spoon just to spoil their fun.

"Oh, great," Scootaloo groaned. "What do you want, Diamond?"

"Oh, nuthin'..." Diamond Tiara circled them. "Say Boots, who are you bringin' for Family Appreciation Day?"

"What?" Boots looked to her.

"You know... The time of year where somepony from your family comes," Diamond Tiara explained, then pretended to look astonished. "Oh, that's right... You don't have a family!"

"I do so!" Boots retorted.

"Um, not really..." Silver Spoon got in her face. "You're just a reject and a couple of misfits took you in... That's not a family, that's a freak show!"

"Hey, you leave her alone!" Sweetie belle said, defending Boots with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo's help.

Boots felt a little bad as she stared at the ground now. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon just laughed at them.

"Oh, Boots, I would get a brush again..." Diamond Tiara advised mockingly. "I think you missed a few parasprites..."

The bell rang to bring them all inside the schoolhouse.

"Hey, don't feel bad..." Scootaloo said to Boots. "I don't see my own parents much, my mom's usually very busy at home, so I go out most of the time..."

"Really?" Boots asked. "Then what about your dad?"

"He lives far away..." Scootaloo admitted.

"Divorce?" Boots wondered.

"I think so... But he's protecting Cadence and Shining Armor." Scootaloo encouraged.

"What about you, Apple Bloom?" Boots asked the earth filly about her parents.

Apple Bloom looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ah don't remember..."

"What do you mean you don't remember?" Boots looked confused.

"Well, Ah don't remember what they look like." Apple Bloom explained.

"Oh..." Boots sounded a little sad for her. "Um, Sweetie Belle?"

"My parents live back home," Sweetie Belle smiled fondly. "I usually like to hang out with Rarity..."

The students took their seats and they continued their conversations until their teacher would come in to start their day. Scootaloo did miss her parents and just wished that she could spend time together with them like a happy family. The CMC switched to other topics though and tried to cheer each other up.

Soon enough, Cheerilee came in. "Good morning, my little ponies."

"Good morning, Ms. Cheerilee..." the class greeted back gleefully as always.

While this was going on, Atticus, Mo, Cherry, and Patch were now looking up in the clouds, wearing their Equestrian medallions.

Cherry was more asleep, but a bit in zen since it was more of a cloudy day than a sunny day, which was just how she liked it. "I could fall asleep right here..."

"Didn't you get any sleep last night?" Mo asked her.

"Two hours... A new record..." Cherry rolled her eyes at herself.

"I'm guessing that would be a no." Patch said.

"I just can't sleep as well as I used to..." Cherry grumbled. "I hate being a writer... Millions of ideas invade my brain when I could be dreaming of something I desire... Then those dreams become inspiration for stories... I think I need a vacation."

"You took one earlier in the summer and saw your brother for the first time in a year." Atticus reminded her.

"That doesn't count..." Cherry still looked a little miserable. "I need to get out of this place."

"Like Equestria?" Patch asked hopefully.

"Anywhere but here..." Cherry shrugged.

"Maybe we could just go there ourselves this time..." Mo suggested, getting on her stomach. "Who knows? Maybe something will happen there that'll make it exciting instead of just a summon?"

"Yeah," Atticus said. "Besides, it's been a while since we were last there."

"I guess we could visit the Mane Six..." Cherry shrugged. "We haven't had a lot of excitement around here lately... Man, being home from school is getting boring."

"Let's go then!" Patch was eager to go.

"Yeah!" Atticus agreed.

They all knelt in the grass together and fiddled with their medallions until they would glow and take them straight to Ponyville. For Patch, it was his Equestrian medallion/Pound Puppy dog tag. Their medallions then glowed and teleported them straight to Ponyville and turned them into their pony forms.

Derpy Hooves was trotting by in the town square, then saw the energy blast and zipped away by a muffin stand. Cherry lifted one hoof and coughed a little, the dust caught in her throat a little.

"Looks like we're here." Patch said.

Mo looked around. "Where is everypony?"

"Oh, don't tell me the world's going to Tartarus again..." Atticus moaned.

The four of them looked ahead and saw something going on in SugarCube Corner.

"Hey, what's going on there?" Cherry wondered.

The four of them decided to go in and explore as it looked like the Mane Six were all together, they were smiling to each other, but it looked like Twilight was the center of attention.

"Look, it's the girls!" Atticus cheered.

The mares looked around and saw their friends and rushed to them to give them hugs.

"Ah didn't know ya guys were comin'!" Applejack sounded pleased.

"We just thought we'd stop by..." Patch said to them. "What's going on here?"

Twilight blushed and looked to the floor. "Come sit with us... I'll tell you everything."

'She's blushing; this must be about a guy.' Mo thought.

"MR. AND MRS. CAKE, FOUR SUGAR DRINKS!" Pinkie Pie called.

"You got it, Pinkie Pie!" the Cake couple told her, making her smile.

"Oww...?" Cherry's ears twitched since she was right next to the silly pony.

"Oh, sorry Cherry..." Pinkie Pie said softly then. "I keep forgetting you don't like loud noises..."

"So, what's new?" Patch asked.

Twilight looked to the others and beamed, putting her hooves to her face. "Cadence and Shining Armor had their baby shower!"

"And they didn't invite us?" Mo looked a little sad.

"They probably thought it'd be boring for you, but that's not the best part," Twilight bit her lip. "Shining's other guards came and Flash Sentry asked me to marry him!"

"That's amazing news, Twilight!" Atticus congratulated his alicorn sister figure.

"Yeah!" Patch cheered.

Twilight smiled, though she had tears in her eyes, she was mostly overjoyed.

"Let's see the ring." Cherry insisted.

Twilight gestured to her horn to show her engagement ring which was a beautiful garnet gem that glowered indigo with a hint of rose and blue, the same colors of hers and Flash Sentry's manes.

"It's beautiful." Mo said.

"So, when's the wedding?" Patch asked.

"Probably in about 30 moons..." Twilight speculated. "Lots to do to get ready, you know..."

Fluttershy had a smile, but she seemed emotional on the inside.

"Fluttershy, are you okay?" Cherry asked her.

"Oh, yes..." Fluttershy smiled, though sounded indeed sad. "This is a happy day for Twilight..."

"Yeah, but Fluttershy, if there is anything that you need to get off your chest; you can tell us." Patch said.

"I'm fine..." Fluttershy said softly.

Mr. Cake came with the four extra drinks for everypony else. Cherry, Atticus, Mo, and Patch then took their drinks.

"So, uh, how are Boots and the CMC doing?" Patch asked.

"Still tryin' out for cutie marks..." Rainbow Dash replied after taking a big sip from her drink.

"Ah wonder if Boots can even get one..." Applejack thought out loud. "Other than that, she seems to be getting along nicely with the others..."

"Some ponies think she's odd though..." Fluttershy remembered some bullying stories whenever Boots would either be home with her or when Discord would bring her with him like visits from divorced parents.

"Wow." Patch said.

"I'm sometimes worried she isn't happy here..." Fluttershy sighed.

"Speaking of which, when are you and Discord gonna get married?" Cherry asked.

Fluttershy blushed at the question. "Why would you ask something like that?"

"Come on, Flutters, you two obviously like each other..." Cherry glanced back. "He rarely hurts you... He wanted to be your friend... He tortured Angel Bunny, it made me laugh..." she listed endless examples.

"Okay, just to shorten of what she's trying to explain is that you and Discord are meant to be." Patch said.

Fluttershy actually blushed then. "I never noticed that before..."

"It's kinda obvious..." Cherry glanced back. "Not as bad as when Big Mac and Cheerilee had a love poison, but still..."

"Hmm..." Fluttershy had a small smile. "Maybe I should give him a chance... But... I'm a little nervous of the direct approach, I don't wanna scare him..."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you won't scare him." Atticus said.

"Oh..." Fluttershy tapped her hooves together.

"If you want, we can go with you to see him..." Mo suggested. "I don't know a lot about love myself, but being a girl, I know these things..."

Cherry had no comment to that.

The other Mane Six members also agreed to that.

"Okay... Maybe when we have dinner with Boots..." Fluttershy suggested then, then looked to their guests. "Would you like to come for dinner?"

"We'd love to come to dinner." Atticus said.

"Yeah." Patch agreed.

"Yeah... Just don't mix up our food..." Cherry said, knowing how Fluttershy had a lot of animal friends.

Fluttershy smiled then. "Super!"

"Twi, do you have pictures of the baby shower?" Atticus asked his sister figure.

"Oh, sure... Lemme show you..." Twilight took out Spike's camera and showed them the palace, Princess Celestia stopping by, and the future parents having a good time. "Oh, I'm so excited, I'm gonna be an aunt!"

"Can I go and do some research?" Patch asked, raising his hoof.

"Uhh... Okay, if you want..." Twilight smiled, not sure what he meant by that.

"Great, because I want to do some research on Scootaloo's parents as well as Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Mac's parents and find out where they are." Patch said.

The others looked to each other and shrugged. After the celebration at the SugarCube Corner, the Mane Six went off.

2. Chapter 2

"Oh, it's about time to pick up Boots..." Fluttershy looked at the time.

"Do you want us to come with?" Atticus asked.

"If you don't mind..." Fluttershy looked back to them with a smile.

The four of them went along and joined Fluttershy on the way to the school.

"So... Where does Boots live... I mean, who goes with her?" Cherry was confused.

"We switch, sometimes she's with me, sometimes she's with Discord..." Fluttershy explained.

"That's great," Patch said. "That way she can spend time with you and then with Discord."

"Oh, yes..." Fluttershy smiled. "I was still surprised when she asked us both to be her new parents after we got rid of that horrible Claudia woman... I just hope maybe we can live happily ever after."

"I'm sure you three will be." Atticus said.

Fluttershy smiled as they walked along, so far, all was well.

The bell rang on the schoolhouse top, releasing the ponies after a day of class.

"Scootaloo, could you come here for a moment?" Cheerilee asked the flightless Pegasus.

"Oh man, what did I do now?" Scootaloo frowned and went back into the school.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie, Belle, and Boots looked worried for their friend.

"Yes, Miss Cheerilee, am I in trouble?" Scootaloo asked.

"Not at all, Scootaloo..." Cheerilee had a smile. "During lunch, I received a letter from your mother, but it's mostly for you."

Scootaloo looked curious, but saw the letter on her teacher's desk and decided to open it and read it. She then gasped with excitement, she tried to fly in victory like Rainbow Dash would, but just ended up falling headfirst in the floor.

"Scootaloo, are you alright?" Cheerilee got worried for her.

"NEVER BETTER!" Scootaloo sounded chipper and zipped outside the school.

The sight of Scootaloo's face just made Cheerilee giggle, telling that the letter must have been from Scootaloo's parents or at least from one of her parents.

Cherry hummed in her walking, but was knocked over as Scootaloo zoomed home. "What the!?"

Scootaloo didn't notice it, but her wings were actually flying her faster and faster.

"Whoa! Was that Scootaloo?" Atticus asked.

"Looks like it..." Mo whispered in slight shock.

Fluttershy looked, then smiled as Boots came over.

"I thought Scootaloo couldn't fly?" Cherry was confused once she got back up on her hooves.

"She can't..." Patch blinked, a little shocked.

"Then how was she now able to fly?" Atticus asked.

"Mama, before dinner, can I see Scootaloo?" Boots asked.

Fluttershy smiled. "Sure, dear... Just don't be too long, you know how your father likes to see you when you're out of school."

Boots followed Scootaloo to her home which no one usually went to because of how busy her mother was, even more than Rarity or Granny Smith. "Scootaloo! SCOOTALOOO!"

"Boots?" Scootaloo looked down. "How'd you get all the way down there?"

"You're flying, Scootaloo!" Boots told her.

Scootaloo stopped and looked around. "Wow, I-I'm flying... I'm flying!"

"This is amazing!" Boots said out of amazement with how this was Scootaloo's first day flying.

Scootaloo laughed as she flew along the clouds, having fun. "Oh man, I gotta go home! I'm sorry, Boots, but I really need to go now!"

Boots watched her go and decided to get back to her mother and her godaunts and uncles.

"Uh, Fluttershy, I gotta go and do my research, but I promise I will be back in time for dinner." Patch said.

"Okay Patch... Be careful, okay?" Fluttershy then advised. "This is a pretty big place."

"I will," Patch promised and he went off. "I'll see you guys later!"

"That puppy is always on an adventure..." Cherry remarked.

"Yeah, it's who he is." Atticus said.

"Come along, Boots, dear... It's time to feed the animals..." Fluttershy told her little filly and walked home with her. "Your aunts and uncle are going to join us."

Boots smiled to them and happily followed her mother home. Diamond Tiara still glared at Boots before going home with her daddy to be spoiled.

"Okay, let's see where to start? Maybe the hospital will have some info on who Scootaloo's parents are along with Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Mac's parents." Patch said, galloping off to the hospital.

Nurse Coldheart and Nurse Redheart were discussing something together, then noticed him coming in.

"May we help you?" Redheart asked Patch with a chipper smile.

"Uh, I'm here to do research on Scootaloo's and the Apple family," Patch said. "Do you have any records on Scootaloo's parents? Along with any records of Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Macintosh's parents?" He then asked.

"Oh, those Apples..." Nurse Redheart chuckled. "Let me see..." she then went to a file cabinet and opened it to find a file on the Apple family. "The Apple family should be easy to find since there's so many of them... I mean, can you imagine the family gatherings?"

"With how many relatives they must have, yeah, I can imagine." Patch said.

Nurse Redheart found a file and opened it to look among. "Let's see... Aww... Look at the little foals..." she blushed once she saw baby Apple Bloom, baby Applejack, and Baby Mac. "Now... Let's see if I can find anything about the Apple parents... I haven't seen those two since Apple Bloom was born... She was such a wonderful and healthy foal."

"I bet she was," Patch replied. "Wait... Haven't seen them since Apple Bloom was born?"

"Well of course to give birth to little Apple Bloom..." Nurse Redheart chuckled. "Feels like any other day at the hospital is a blur..." she continued to concentrate on the file to find information on the long-lost parents of the Apples. "Let's see now... I believe Granny Smith is their father's mother if memory serves..."

"Perfect, I'll ask her what happened to them; anyway, what about Scootaloo's parents?" Patch asked.

"Scootaloo..." Nurse Redheart tried to think.

"She's one of the students in Ponyville School... Trying to get a cutie mark with her friends..." Patch tried to jog her memory.

"Ah, yes..." Nurse Redheart smiled then once she realized who he was talking about. "I remember when they were here last week... Trying to be Cutie Mark Crusader Candy Stripers I think..." she then went to find a file on the flightless Pegasus filly.

"Yeah, I don't think anyone has ever seen their parents." Patch replied.

"Let's see what we can find, okay?" Redheart smiled to him, then continued to look for something of use to the both of them, but mostly to him.

'If their information is here, then maybe their information will also be able to tell me where they are.' Patch thought.

Nurse Redheart seemed to have trouble with finding a file on Scootaloo and where she came from, but she kept looking.

3. Chapter 3

Meanwhile, Fluttershy led the others back to her home and she was feeding some of the animals while Boots helped, she was even able to get Angel Bunny to eat his dinner without making a fuss.

"Wow, Fluttershy, Angel Bunny is more obedient." Atticus said.

"Oh, yes... He seems to enjoy Boots's company more... So from now on, she'll be feeding him," Fluttershy smiled. "I don't know what she did, but it seems to be working."

Angel Bunny was given a simple carrot and didn't like it, until Boots's dog instinct kicked in and she snarled at him like she would eat him, so he quickly ate the vegetable and she smiled in victory.

"I guess at least he's not a brat anymore..." Cherry shrugged at that.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

Mo giggled to Boots's little antics.

"Is he here yet...?" Boots pouted.

"Give him time, dear..." Fluttershy reminded her to be patient.

"Don't worry, Boots, he'll be here soon." Mo assured her.

Boots pouted and tried to distract herself.

"Boots, how was school today?" Fluttershy knew how much she loved tlaking about school and that it might help.

"Well, tomorrow is Family Appreciation Day." Boots said.

"Oh, how wonderful." Fluttershy smiled at that.

"Yeah... Wonderful..." Boots said softly, thinking about what Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon said earlier.

"Oh, dear, what's wrong?" Fluttershy instantly frowned at her unhappiness.

"Well... I mean..." Boots wasn't sure how exactly to spit this out. "The others at school say you and Daddy don't count cuz you're not really my family..."

"Oh, Boots, you can't let that stop you..." Mo tried to soothe.

"Yeah, family isn't just about the ones that are related to you by blood; they are the ones that love and care for you and raise you." Atticus said.

"How would you know?" Boots asked them.

Atticus and Mo looked to each other, then Mo looked back down. "Boots, I was an orphan growing up... I've been through foster home to foster home with my puppy, Angel. One day we ended up on the streets, but it worked out well in the end and you know why?

"Why?" Boots then asked.

"We found a family who loves us just the way we are, James and Elizabeth may not be my real parents, but I love them and always will from now on." Mo smiled fondly.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

Boots smiled and hugged them, nuzzling against them.

Mo giggled. "Hey, that tickles!"

Cherry was lying down on Fluttershy's couch and noticed the Discord lamp. "I'm not sure if I like this thing or not..."

The eyes then looked to her and blinked, making her jump off the couch. If the lamp looked at her and blinked, it only meant one thing: Discord had arrived. Boots gasped with joy. Suddenly, there was a cloud of magic dust and the infamous draconequus arrived.

"Oh, there you are," Fluttershy smiled. "Welcome back."

"Daddy!" Boots clung to him.

"Please don't sing..." Cherry muttered inaudibly.

"Did someone say sing?" Discord asked.

"NO! DON'T!" Cherry cried out.

"Oh, well if you insist..." Discord played reverse psychology with her.

"AAAUGH!" Cherry pulled on her mane.

Boots only giggled, she loved it when he would sing to her.

'Oh, come on, it's not that bad.' Atticus thought.

"Why do you torment me?" Cherry grumbled.

"Silly Cherry Berry, you know you love me..." Discord pinched her cheek.

"Stop." Cherry was not in the mood.

Discord instead went to Fluttershy and Boots and hugged them right away.

"They are a loving, happy family." Mo said.

"Yeah." Atticus added.

Mo smiled to Atticus and hid a giggle.

"So, what are you all doing here?" Discord asked the guests.

"I invited them for dinner." Fluttershy smiled.

"Just please don't rotate the house..." Cherry muttered about Keep Calm and Flutter On. "I get vertigo."

"Oh, Cherry, a Debbie Downer as always..." Discord carried an umbrella which made a dark cloud hover above Cherry's head complete with thunder and lightning.

"I'm actually in a good mood..." Cherry said to him, despite looking miserable.

"Yeah and Patch is also joining us; he just had to go do research on Scootaloo's parents along with Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Macintosh's parents." Atticus said.

"Oh, what an interesting adventure." Discord smiled.

"Yeah..." Boots chuckled bashfully.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Nurse Redheart was still looking.

"I'm sorry, Patch, I'm having trouble here..." Redheart struggled. "Is Scootaloo her first or last name?" She then asked.

"It's her first name," Patch replied. "Oh, and she's an orange pegasus filly with a purple mane and tail."

"Okay..." Nurse Redheart kept looking.

"Wait, what time is it?" Patch asked, realizing how late it was.

Nurse Redheart looked at the time. "Appears to be 5:15 right now."

"Oh, no, it's almost time for dinner!" Patch said.

Nurse Redheart looked concerned, but then had a contemplative smile. "I'll keep looking for you... You run along to dinner and if I find anything, I'll contact you." She then promised.

"Really? Oh, thank you!" Patch said before leaving for Fluttershy's cottage.

"Good night now!" Nurse Redheart smiled, waving to him, then went back to the mission she was sent on by him.

"Oh, man, I can't believe I almost forgot." Patch said while galloping towards Fluttershy's cottage.

Luckily for Patch, Fluttershy just now decided to get dinner started as Boots was doing some homework. Patch then came up to the door and then knocks on it as soon as he was in front of Fluttershy's cottage. Angel got the door.

"Oh, hi, Angel..." Patch said to the usually mean-spirited bunny rabbit.

Angel let him in without a word and shut the door after him, then hopped away as everybody else was on the couch.

"S-Sorry, everyone, I kind of lost track of time I was at the hospital to find out about Scootaloo's parents and Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Mac's parents." Patch explained.

"Oh, that's okay..." Mo chuckled. "I see Atticus's detective aspirations have rubbed off on you."

"Yep, it sure looks like it." Atticus agreed.

"So, am I on time?" Patch asked.

"Dinner is almost ready." Boots told him.

"Whew!" Patch sighed.

"Did you find anything useful?" Mo asked her boyfriend's adoptive puppy.

"Well, no but Nurse Redheart said that she would inform me if she found out anything about Scootaloo's parents," Patch said. "Tomorrow, I'm gonna go and ask Granny Smith of where Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Mac's parents were."

"Well, good luck with that." Mo smiled.

"I believe in you, Patch..." Boots smiled deeper to Patch, coming closer to him with rather sultry eyes.

Patch looked to her and backed away slightly, he felt a little nervous around her now. "Um... Thank you, Boots..."

Boots giggled and smiled to him.

"Uh, is it just me or does it seem like Boots might have a crush on Patch?" Atticus asked.

"Aw... Puppy Love..." Cherry mumbled, sounding uninterested.

"WHAT!?" Discord went paternal, noticing what they were talking about, even if he wasn't Boots's true father, but still...

"Relax, I'm sure it's just a phase..." Cherry glanced back at him, being as stoic as Pinkie Pie's sister, the legendary Maud Pie.

"Hmm..." Discord decided to keep an eye on Patch and Boots.

"Oh, my... Um, Boots, you seem like a nice filly, but I'm kind of spoken for." Patch said.

Boots pouted.

"Listen, I like you a lot, we can still be friends... I'm sorry, but please understand..." Patch tried to make her not cry or throw a temper tantrum.

Boots sighed and stared at the floor. "Okay... I'm sorry, Patch..."

Patch gave her a gentle pat on the back to soothe her. "I promise, we can still be friends, Colette just wouldn't like it if you took me from her. You'll meet someone, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Boots said.

Patch gave her a friendly smile, Boots smiled back, but when he walked off, she let out a small disappointed sigh.

"Dinner!" Fluttershy called as she hovered into the main room where they all were. "I also got some meat for you guys since Discord is a carnivore and rarely eats vegetables... I hope that's okay, but maybe this way, you'll have more of a taste for oats."

"I'm sure it's delicious." Mo said.

"There's also some flowers..." Fluttershy smiled as she took them to the kitchen.

Cherry glanced to Discord, she remembered how he claimed to have reformed when Fluttershy invited the others over to dinner and he was playing around and she just kept defending him.

"Why don't you cut loose and relax, Cherry?" Discord looked to her. "You look stressed."

"Don't touch me..." Cherry glanced to him, then took her seat as the others did.

"Yikes!" Patch yelped. "Looks like someone really needed a vacation."

"Isn't there anything that makes her happy... Like, ever?" Mo whispered to Atticus.

"I think the only thing would be like Halloween." Atticus said.

"Hmm..." Mo hummed a bit.

"What's a Halloween?" Fluttershy asked as she served them all dinner.

"It's their universe's Nightmare Night." Boots explained, she was from the same dimension as Cherry, Atticus, Mo, and Patch after all.

"Oh..." Fluttershy smiled. "It's a scary evening, but wonderful, especially for little fillies and colts."

"Yep, it sure is." Atticu said.

"Well, everypony, dig in." Fluttershy told them.

Mo had to admit that the food did look peculiar, but she was going to at least try it before she might say something she would regret. Of course, the family ate normally like it was no big deal.

Cherry ate some, but this was too normal and extraordinary, which often meant that something would go wrong, after she finished her first plate, she stood up from her seat. "May I be excused?" she asked. "I need to get some fresh air."

"Of course, Cherry." Fluttershy smiled and allowed her to go.

Cherry nodded and left the table, going outside and gently shut the door behind her.

The food was even delicious to Atticus, Patch, and Mo.

'Wow, this food is great or maybe it's because we're in our pony forms.' Patch thought.

"That might have something to do with it..." Fluttershy shrugged, she wouldn't really know herself.

"I never thought daisies could taste so well with bacon." Patch chuckled.

Mo couldn't help but sneeze to her sandwich.

"Oh my, are you catching a cold, Mo?" Fluttershy got worried.

Mo sniffled. "Must be the pollen..." she chuckled bashfully.

"That might be it." Atticus said.

Boots looked to the front door. "I hope Cherry's okay..."

"It's probably just traveling... She usually doesn't like to leave her home sometimes..." Atticus shrugged.

They all kept on eating, trying not to worry too much about Cherry.

4. Chapter 4

Cherry kept on walking and hunched herself down onto the edge of a cliff and looked to the night sky as two shooting stars were passing Sweet Apple Acres as usual. "What's going to happen to this world tonight...?" she whispered to herself, refusing to believe that this was going to be a normal and relaxing visit to Ponyville.

For that question, I don't think anyone could answer her question. Cherry lowered her head and settled herself, she would not leave until she would get her answer.

"Lovely dinner, Fluttershy..." Discord smiled as he finished and was now full.

"Yeah, it was great, Mama." Boots added.

Fluttershy blushed at the praises she was given for her cooking. "Why, thank you all... I'm glad you enjoyed it so much."

"Um, by the way, Discord, do you know everything?" Patch asked.

"Mostly." Discord chuckled, a bit smugly, he couldn't help it, it was just how he was, good or evil.

"Um, then, do you know anything about Scootloo's parents or Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Mac's parents?" Patch asked.

"Hm..." Discord tried to think. "I heard that little Scootaloo mention her father was a Canterlot guard and her mother is a very busy mare at home..."

"Okay, that's something, now just gotta figure out their names," Patch replied. "And as for the Apple parents?"

"Hmm..." Discord tried to think about them. "I believe they live in Manehatten..."

"That's their Aunt and Uncle Orange..." Atticus informed him.

"Oh, right... Umm..." Discord seemed to be actually drawing a blank. "Shoot... Who were those folks?"

"It's all right," Patch replied. "I'm sure Granny Smith will know."

"Yes, she is an Apple herself after all..." Discord shrugged honestly. "I do know most things and others being centuries old and all."

"That's cool, so you're like your very own history book teller." Patch said.

"I suppose you could say that..." Discord smiled, he then looked down to Boots, who looked like she wanted to go up like many infants did, but she was school aged. "Oh, you want a ride?"

Boots smiled and nodded. "Uh-huh!"

"Okay, we'll go outside in a moment." Discord patted her on the head.

"Don't stay out too late," Fluttershy cautioned. "And stay away from Timberwolves."

"Why?" Patch asked.

"Don't you know how dangerous timberwolves can be?" Fluttershy asked him.

"Aren't they just like wolves in the human world?" Patch asked.

Mo looked to him, then back to Fluttershy. "You got a book on them?"

"Of course..." Fluttershy decided to get it.

"Great, then that can help give us info on them." Atticus said.

"How do you not know?" Mo whispered to Atticus, she thought he would know anything about Equestria.

"Well, I do know everything about them from the show, but I think there might be more about them." Atticus whispered to Mo.

Mo simply shrugged and she wiped her mouth from her dinner. While Fluttershy was gone, Discord took out a tiny black box and smiled to it, he was hiding it from the Pegasus.

"Looks like someone is wanting to ask a certain shy pegasus a big question." Atticus said, noticing the tiny black box.

"What makes you say that?" Discord pretended to not know what he was going on about.

Mo hid a giggle, she knew it too since Elizabeth had so many single friends she would often meet at socials or tea parties.

"Because if I'm right; inside that tiny black box is an engagement ring." Atticus said.

"How do you know it's not a donut?" Discord quizzed.

Mo and Atticus gave an unimpressed expression on their faces.

"You obviously like her..." Mo spoke up. "She likes you... You're going to have a family..."

"Yeah, so why deny it?" Patch asked.

"I'm just worried she might not feel the same way..." Discord said softly.

"What? No way!" Patch said. "She's totally in love with you."

"Really?" Discord never imagined that.

"Really." Atticus said.

"Hmm..." Discord looked a little eager now.

Fluttershy came back with the book and Discord hid the box from her. "Here we go..." she gently set the book down and gave it to Atticus to study about their land and the possible dangers, hopefully no Changelings though.

"Now, let's see if these things are only vicious creatures or more than that." Atticus said before opening the book with his magic.

"Why, I was for one..." Discord had an evil laugh.

Fluttershy sent him a glare, but not her stare, just a scolding firm look.

"Oh, sorry, dear..." Discord chuckled sheepishly.

Atticus began to read up on the timberwolves. Mo decided to keep him some company, plus she was a little curious about the dangers of Equestria herself.

It was getting late and Cherry still had not yet come back. Cherry woke up with a slight yawn, but she saw something glowing green in the distance. She got a little nervous and wandered to it and wondered what it could have been. She saw that it had backed up from her. Cherry looked curious and came closer to it. The green glow came closer, then ran off.

"Hey, get back here!" Cherry demanded and rushed off to chase it.

She began to continue chase it until she was in the Everfree Forest and began to hear growling.

"Wh-What's that?" Cherry sounded scared for the first time in a long time in her life.

"Don't worry... I won't hurt you..." a voice taunted. "Soon everypony will be against you and your friends..."

"Look, I don't know who or what you are, but I'm one of the carriers of the Elements of Harmony and if you don't stop, I'll use my wisdom against you!" Cherry threatened, then gasped to see her medallion was somehow taken from her.

"Leave the Everfree Forest and never return." The voice said.

"What if I don't?" Cherry sounded seriously annoyed. "Send a cockatrise after me?"

"Worse..." the voice taunted. "Much worse..."

"I've been through a lot in my life, I think I can handle any situation." Cherry shrugged it off.

"We will kill you." The voice threatened with a growl.

"Sounds good to me..." Cherry laughed sarcastically, she then just decided to go. "Some threat..." she mumbled, then decided to actually get going then.

"That mare is unlike most ponies..." the voice mumbled. "She must be hiding something about herself..."

"Papa, please don't hurt her; I stole what you wanted me to steal from her." A second voice said, sounding like a child.

"Hush, you!" the first voice snapped at him.

This caused for the second voice to whimper.

"Now, give me it." The first voice commanded.

The second voice did as he was ordered.

"Excellent... Now we just have a lot more to cover..." the first voice laughed wickedly.

Twilight was going through town, using her horn to carry the next Daring Do book, she had already finished it and decided to see Atticus if he or his friends would like to borrow it since Rainbow Dash could get her own Daring Do books from now on. Suddenly, she saw something shining in the Everfree Forest.

Twilight's eyes looked from Fluttershy's cottage, she gently set the book in her saddlebag and she noticed the glow. "What in Equestria is that...?" she wondered, unable to ignore it, then walked off to see what it was. "This should only take a minute." But then she heard growling and then saw glowing green eyes. Twilight was horrified and let out a startling scream.

"Do you guys have a place to stay?" Fluttershy asked Atticus, Mo, and Patch.

"Well, um, I-I don't think so." Patch answered, unknowingly.

"Hm..." Fluttershy hummed.

"Why don't you all stay here?" Discord suggested. "I can make plenty of room!"

"We wouldn't want to impose." Patch said.

Suddenly, they heard a certain scream.

"That sounded like Twilight." Atticus said before galloping outside.

"Oh, my goodness!" Fluttershy sounded nervous. "Discord, stay with Boots."

Discord nodded and held their adoptive daughter close.

"Is Aunt Twilight gonna be okay?" Boots sounded worried as the others left to find the alicorn.

"I hope so, dear." Discord said.

Atticus, Mo, Patch, and Fluttershy rushed to find their friend who seemed to need their help.

'Don't worry, Twilight, we're coming.' Atticus thought to himself.

Cherry was wandering back, little did she know that due to her element being stolen, she was slowly changing just as the others came to save Twilight.

"Twilight, what's wrong?" Atticus asked.

"S-S-Someone's out there..." Twilight shook a little, she looked different too. "T-They're threatening us!"

"Us?" Patch asked.

"You, me, the others..." Twilight explained. "They're stealing our Elements of Harmony!"

"That's not all they stole..." Fluttershy noticed something different about Twilight.

"What's that?" Twilight asked.

"Didn't you used to have a horn, wings, and cutie mark?" Mo asked.

This caused for Twilight look herself in a reflection and gasp.

"Who did this to you?" Fluttershy asked.

"I-I don't know, I didn't recognize them..." Twilight got very nervous. "They just sounded evil!"

"Well, let's get you home." Atticus said.

"You've had a long night." Fluttershy agreed.

"Yep." Patch nodded.

Atticus, Mo, and Patch took Twilight back to her home.

Spike was making hot chocolate while waiting for her to come back. He then heard the front door open.

Spike set his mug down and came over. "Twilight, back so soon?" he smiled, then saw they weren't happy and looked distressed. "What's wrong?"

"Long story, Spike..." Twilight frowned. "There's someone haunting Equestria."

"What!? Who?" Spike got concerned.

"I didn't see... But they took my element and my cutie mark and horn!" Twilight was over reacting, but she had a good reason to do so this time.

"I think I'm gonna stay here with Twilight." Atticus decided.

"Be careful..." Mo told her boyfriend in deep concern.

"I will." Atticus said before kissing his girlfriend.

Mo smiled to him, then went back with Fluttershy and Patch.

"We'll check in on you in the morning then, Twilight." Fluttershy told her.

Twilight smiled, but she looked very wore out.

"Here, you look like you could use this." Spike offered the hot chocolate to her.

Twilight smiled to him, then took a sip.

"Let's get you to bed." Atticus said.

"Thanks, Atticus..." Twilight looked weary toward him.

Atticus took Twilight to her bed, she looked like she really needed some rest.

"Of all the years I've been alive, I didn't dare imagine that things might get worse..." Twilight frowned. "Maybe there's something in my books for this."

"We'll worry about that in the morning, but right now, you need your rest." Atticus said, sounding like a brother worried for his sister.

"But that thing's out there!" Twilight was still paranoid slightly.

"Don't worry, Twilight." Atticus said before putting up a barrier to protect them from whatever was out there.

Twilight's eyes fluttered and she smiled her thanks to him. "Oh... Why must everything fall into my hooves?" she sighed as she tried to relax now.

"It's okay, Twilight," Atticus said. "We'll all figure this out together."

"I hope so..." Twilight sighed sleepily. "I don't want this to end up like when Discord took over harmony."

"Don't worry, it won't; I promise." Atticus assured her, putting her to bed.

"I... I just don't know... I... I..." Twilight yawned heavily and seemed to instantly fall asleep right there.

"Sleep well, Twilight." Atticus said before putting the blanket on her.

Twilight lightly snored and got herself comfortable.

Spike decided to maybe do a bit of cleaning for Twilight and found the book, turning to Atticus. "Oh, here... Twilight wanted to give this to you."

"A Daring Do book?" Atticus asked.

"Yeah, she's already read it," Spike smiled. "She said you can borrow it."

"Wow... So that's why she was outside," Atticus said. "She was coming over to Fluttershy's to let me borrow this."

"Yeah, she thought you'd might like them," Spike smiled. "Rainbow Dash did after all."

"That's true." Atticus said.

Meanwhile, Patch wasn't getting any sleep; he was wanting to see these timberwolves for himself and hopefully wouldn't be attacked by what attacked Twilight.

Cherry seemed to be going through an endless pattern, almost like a loop. "It feels like I've been walking to Fluttershy's forever..." she mumbled. "I don't remember her cottage being so far away... And didn't I already pass Sweet Apple Acres and the SugarCube Corner?" she looked very confused. She then looked and saw that she finally got back to Fluttershy's place.

Cherry shook her head, holding it with a hoof. "I must be more tired than I thought..." she muttered as she walked to the cottage.

Patch decided that since he couldn't sleep, he could at least go and do some reading. Cherry came in then while Patch was looking for a book.

"Where were you?" Patch asked her.

"I... I'm not sure..." Cherry looked back at the door, then back at him. "I knew something funny was going on around here..."

"Like what?" Patch asked while looking for the book.

"Some evil force in the Everfree Forest..." Cherry explained the best she could remember. "I saw something glowing and green there... I went to see what it was... I didn't see anyone though, I only heard a disturbing voice."

"Yeah, yeah, that's interesting," Patch said, not paying attention to what she said while looking for the book. "Where is it?"

"Mm..." Cherry hummed at him, then just came insdie and flopped on the couch next to Boots and Discord. "I'm beat..."

"Hi Beat, I'm Discord." the draconequus joked, making Boots laugh.

"Not now..." Cherry was not in the mood for his jokes.

"Okay, okay." Discord said.

"Where is it?" Patch asked then noticed a piece of wood that looked like a claw on the floor. "Weird."

Cherry yawned and seemed to fall asleep on the couch.

Discord transported himself to next to the ex-puppy. "What is it, boy?"

"This looks like claw made completely out of wood," Patch said, not affected by Discord's appearance next to him. "It looks like the size of a pup or so I think."

Discord took it and hummed as he tried to study it. "That's very odd..." he had to admit.

"Hmm..." Patch said before a feeling came over him and he started to leave the cottage and galloped off.

"Now where are you going?" Discord asked him.

"Out to the Everfree Forest." Patch said before continuing to gallop off.

Discord sighed and shook his head.

5. Chapter 5

Pinkie Pie seemed to had been following a balloon that was flying toward something green and shiny. "Ooh, what's that?~" she went closer and closer to it, forgetting about the balloon briefly.

Patch continued his way towards the Everfree Forest. Pinkie Pie kept following the glow as it shined bright in the Everfree Forest, pulling her mentally and physically. Patch kept going until he found the book along with a timberwolf pup. The pup tilted its head at him. Patch tilted his head the other way and blinked to it. To both of their surprises, neither of them had attacked the other. Patch smiled to the pup, coming a little closer to it, but then he heard another shriek. It had been Pinkie Pie. Surprisingly, both of them went to see what was wrong.

"Pinkie Pie!" the former Dalmatian called to the earth pony. "Pinkie Pie... Are you alright?"

The pink earth pony turned to them, her mane no longer poofy and frizzy, but looked long, straight, and depressing. "Fine... Beat it!" she sounded anything but constantly cheerful.

"Uh, Pinkie Pie, are you sure you're okay, because you don't seem like your usual self." Patch said out of concern.

Pinkie Pie just laughed and made him trip. "Just get out of my way if ya know what's good for you..." she smirked and walked off, she also didn't seem to have her cutie mark.

"Okay, what the heck was that all about?" Patch asked. "And what the heck happened to you?"

Something was very wrong in Ponyville.

"Papa never said that it would change their personalities." The timberwolf pup said.

Patch looked back at the puppy. "Oh, you can talk..." he noticed then, a little surprised since the pup didn't speak before.

"Y-Yes, but we don't usually talk to ponies because it's for protection for our families, but for my papa he's, well, evil or so I think." The timberwolf pup said.

"I see..." Patch could sort of understand that. "By the way, could you tell me about this?" he showed the claw.

"Oops, I guess one of my claws must have came loose." The timberwolf pup said.

"Oh, no harm done..." Patch chuckled. "Let me help you with that..."

The pup and Patch got to working together, slowly becoming friends.

"I haven't seen you around Ponyville until today..." the pup said to him.

"Oh, umm... I'm visiting..." Patch tried to make up a story, not revealing the truth just yet.

"Really?" The timberwolf pup asked. "So, you're like, from the human world?"

"Promise not to tell anyone?" Patch asked him.

The timberwolf pup smiled and nodded, hoping that this would mean they would become friends.

"Well... I am, only, I'm not a human myself," Patch explained. "Me and other friends of mine are apart of Princess Celestia's secret Earthian army, we're from a dimension where humans are more in charge since they're kind of the only animals intelligent enough. Some humans can talk to animals though, but we mostly come here and we help serve Princess Twilight Sparkle with her dragon friend, Spike."

"Wait, this Twilight Sparkle, did she have a cutie mark that had stars and a symbol of magic?" The timberwolf pup asked, concerned.

"Um, yeah, how'd you know?" Patch asked.

"Oh, no, this is bad," The timberwolf pup said. "My father took away her cutie mark along with her wings and her horn."

Patch was a little nervous now. "Why would he do that...?"

"I-I can't tell you..." the timberwolf backed up, feeling he said too much. "You must go... Now!"

"Please, tell me, you can trust me; besides, we're friends now, right?" Patch asked the timberwolf pup.

"W-We're friends?" The timberwolf pup smiled.

"Only if you will be my friend and I will be one back." Patch promised.

"Well, then, I guess we are friends." The timberwolf pup smiled.

"I guess we should first start our friendship with an introduction," Patch smiled. "My name is Patch."

"It's nice to meet you, Patch; my name is Timber." The timberwolf pup introduced.

"Oh, that suits you." Patch replied.

"Thanks," Timber smiled before frowning. "And as for about my father, he, well...He wanted to steal all the cutie marks and flying ability/wings and magic/horns so then our clan would be more powerful than the ponies."

"Well that won't do," Patch frowned. "You don't wanna hurt ponies, do you?"

"No..." Timber shook his head. "But ponies are just afraid of me because, well, you know... I'm a timberwolf... Especially the Apple family..."

"Oh, come on, isn't there one pony that isn't afraid of you?" Patch asked.

"I don't know..." Timber said before looking shy. "There is one pony I do really wanna be friends with though... The littlest Apple."

"Apple Bloom?" Patch replied.

"That's her name." Timber nodded then.

"I can make that happen." Patch smiled.

Timber looked shy.

"I promise," Patch vowed. "You can count on me."

"Gee, thanks..." Timber smiled. "You're pretty nice for a common pony."

"Thanks." Patch smiled.

They both soon heard a howl.

"Uh-oh, that sounds like my father." Timber frowned.

"I should let you go, don't worry though, I'll make this all better." Patch said.

Timber nodded and rushed off away from Patch while Patch went his own way away from the timberwolf.

'Tomorrow, I'll introduce Apple Bloom to him.' Patch thought to himself.

Atticus was a little wary, then saw Patch coming. "There you are!"

"Hey, Atticus!" Patch smiled. "You won't believe what I have to tell you!"

"Oh... What is it?" Atticus smiled back since Patch was excited.

"I made a new friend and you won't believe of what he is." Patch said.

"What is he?" Atticus asked.

"Don't freak out, but he's a timberwolf." Patch replied.

"A timberwolf?!" Atticus asked out of shock.

"Yeah, and he can talk!" Patch smiled.

Atticus's left eye twitched.

"Now, before you say anything, he's really nice and just wants friends..." Patch told him.

"Oh, Patch, what's next?" Atticus face-hoofed. "Someone befriending a Changeling?"

"But he really is really nice." Patch frowned.

"Patch, I'm sorry, but I don't want you to see him anymore," Atticus said. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Atticus..." Patch pouted.

"Promise me, Patch Pongo..." Atticus said firmly. "You're my best nonhuman best friend."

"I promise..." Patch frowned.

"That's a good boy..." Atticus said. "The last thing I want you to do is to get hurt by one of our worst Equestrian enemies."

"But they don't have to be." Patch said.

"I said no, Patch." Atticus said firmly.

"You just don't know!" Patch replied. "There could be friendly creatures outside of the ponyfolk!"

"Patch, that's enough, it's time to go inside." Atticus said.

Patch sighed and followed Atticus inside their temporary shelter for the night. Mo seemed to be running in her sleep and even yipped like a puppy. Atticus snickered to this as he then used his horn to put a blanket around his girlfriend. Patch soon went to bed, but decided to still go and get Apple Bloom and Timber to meet and where he'll have to keep this a secret from Atticus. He dreamed up plans for this as he kept it to himself, knowing Atticus wouldn't approve. Atticus soon went to sleep. The others seemed to sleep okay despite the cutie mark scare with the timberwolves.

6. Chapter 6

The others were a little worried about Fluttershy, she had been craving cotton candy and chocolate milk lately and she was also easily prone to anger. Soon enough, she came to visit the doctor and the nurses came with a diagnosis which soothed their worries and it all made sense now: She had become pregnant.

"Pregnant!" Mo smiled.

Nurse Redheart soon came with information that Patch was looking for. "Here's your-" she was about to say.

"Thanks, ma'am, I really appreciate this!" Patch took it before she could finish as he had been anticipating this for a while. He first read Scootaloo's information.

Scootaloo's mother lived far out of Ponyville and her identity was shocking. She was AK Yearling, also known as the author of the Daring Do books and her father was a guard in Canterlot.

"Cool." Patch smiled.

"Anything good?" Nurse Redheart smiled.

"Yes, thank you very much." Patch said before then checking the Apple files, and where he found out everything about them he even found out about Apple Bloom's parents and where he was shocked at what he found out.

It was so devastating and surprising.

"Oh...So, that's what happened to them." Patch frowned.

"Everything okay, Patch?" Cherry asked after the others celebrated Fluttershy's pregnancy.

"I just found out what happened to Apple Bloom's parents." Patch said.

"Oh, my..." Cherry replied. "Um... What happened?"

Patch decided to let her read for herself. Cherry took a look and once she finished, she cupped her mouth with her hoof and her face turned deathly pale.

"We better be gentle when we tell Apple Bloom." Patch said.

"Yeah..." Cherry agreed. "It's always tougher on the youngest ones."

"Anyway, I better get going I gotta go and show Apple Bloom something." Patch said.

"Stay away from timberwolves." Atticus warned.

"Yes, Atticus..." Patch sighed.

Patch soon rushed to Sweet Apple Acres and where he was going to be going behind Atticus's back.

"Cherry, where's Patch going?" Atticus asked.

"Uh, you know kids..." Cherry chuckled sheepishly. "He's probably chasing a car."

"Cherry, where is he going?" Atticus asked.

"I think he just wanted to take a solo trip to SugarCube Corner." Cherry said, looking down from his eyes.

"Really?" Atticus asked. "Even when Pinkie Pie is right here?"

"Uh, sure why not?" Cherry said.

"Why won't you look me in the eyes?" Atticus asked.

"Uh... I love the floor tiles here..." Cherry was clearly lying now.

"You're lying." Atticus said.

"No, I'm not..." Cherry continued to stare at the floor.

"Yes, you are," Atticus said. "You won't look me in the eye."

Cherry then looked him right in the eyes.

"Now talk to me." Atticus smirked.

Cherry bit her lip and stuttered/stammered. Atticus hummed as he started to think of how to get her to tell him the truth. Cherry smiled nervously.

Meanwhile, Patch had made it to Sweet Apple Acres. Patch panted slightly and took a stretch, then knocked on the front door, hoping Apple Bloom would be home.

Granny Smith answered the door and smiled softly. "Ah, well if it isn't my favorite visitin' little flibbery gibbet."

"Hello, Granny Smith, is Apple Bloom home?" Patch asked.

"She's doin' her chores right now." Granny Smith replied.

Patch nodded and went to the farm to see Apple Bloom was doing her chores alone and he decided to help her out. "Need a hoof?"

"Hey, Patch." Apple Bloom smiled.

"Apple Bloom, do you mind if after we're done with your chores that you come with me into the Everfree Forest?" Patch asked.

"Uh, Ah dunno..." Apple Bloom replied nervously. "Ah'd hate to go there without Applejack or Big Macintosh."

"I'll be with you." Patch insisted.

"Well... Okay..." Apple Bloom said then. "But why?"

"I have a friend there I want you to meet and possibly become friends with him," Patch said before whispering to himself. "And possibly more than friends with him."

"What was that?" Apple Bloom asked, noticing the whisper.

"Oh, nuthin'." Patch smiled innocently.

Apple Bloom glanced at him, but then continued her chores and did them a little quicker this time so she could go to the forest with him, and where after a while, they were finally done with her chores and were now ready to go into the Everfree Forest.

"Goin' out!" Apple Bloom told her family on the way out.

Patch smiled as he walked with Apple Bloom to the Everfree Forest.

They both soon made it to the Everfree Forest, and where Apple Bloom had Patch go first.

"Timber! Are you here?! I have a surprise for you which might not be a surprise, since, well, just come out and you'll know what I mean!" Patch called out.

Apple Bloom looked nervous and curious of what Patch was up to.

"Now, Apple Bloom, what you are about to see might be shocking, but just stay calm and I promise that everything will be alright." Patch said.

"Um, okay?" Apple Bloom said, confused.

Then what happened next surprised Apple Bloom, but not in a good way as she saw Timber; a timberwolf. She had been warned to stay away from them, even if he was a pup.

Apple Bloom's orange eyes widened and she let out a yelp.

"Apple Bloom, it's okay, he won't hurt you!" Patch promised.

"T-T-T-T-T-Timberwolf!" Apple Bloom sounded terrified.

Apple Bloom soon rushed off and where since she wasn't looking where she was going, she was running right to a cliff.

"Apple Bloom, come back!" Patch cried out.

"I knew this would happen..." Timber sounded sad. He then saw where Apple Bloom was going and decided that he had to go and try to stop her from falling off the cliff.

Apple Bloom kept running blindly, then stopped as she noticed the cliff and she was close to slipping and falling, and where that was about to happen as the ground from underneath her gave way. Apple Bloom had tears in her eyes as this looked like the end for her. Timber rushed over and saw that the filly was about to fall to a possible untimely death like her parents before her, but he then reached out as he leaned toward her.

"Go away!" Apple Bloom swatted at him, thinking he was just trying to make her even more miserable, but she kept sliding and was close to the sharp and painful bottom, and where what happened next surprised her, Timber had saved her from falling. Apple Bloom yelled out until she then opened her eyes and found herself latched onto the timberwolf.

"It's okay..." Timber soothed. "I gotcha."

"Well, this is unexpected." Apple Bloom said before she was brought back up to safety.

Timber helped her up with a smile. "Feel better?"

"Well... Thank ya kindly for savin' me." Apple Bloom remembered her manners, even if he was a timberwolf.

"No problem, I didn't want you to get hurt or even worse." Timber smiled shyly.

Apple Bloom smiled back and seemed to blush slightly. "But, wait, you're a timberwolf, why didn't you hurt me?" She then asked.

"Well, it's because all I ever wanted was a friend., Timber frowned before blushing. "And I was hoping to become friends with you."

"Really...?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yes, I would never wanna hurt anyone, but nobody back home understands..." Timber said softly. "I hope you do."

"Of course Ah do, I don't know what Ah'd do if Ah didn't have any friends." Apple Bloom smiled.

"Same here." Patch smiled back.

"Ah used to not have friends before Ah met Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom reminisced. "Sure, Ah hung out with this filly named Twist, but after she got her cutie mark, Ah didn't think she'd wanna be friends with a blank flank."

"Why wouldn't want to hang out with you just for not having your cutie mark?" Timber asked. "That's ridiculous."

"Well... There was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon..." Apple Bloom shuffled her hoof.

"Those two must be bullies then." Timber said.

"By how they sound, yeah, they are." Patch nodded.

"Ah guess we aren't so different after all." Apple Bloom said to Timber.

"Yeah, I guess not." Timber smiled back to her.

"But we'll have to keep our meetings a secret." Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, because if my tribe knew I was friends with ponies or any creatures from Earth, they would either freak out or they would want me to use our friendship to their advantage." Timber replied.

"Great thinking you two." Patch approved.

"Thanks." Apple Bloom and Timber smiled before they blushed at each other.

Patch chuckled to them.

"But from what time to what time?" Patch asked.

"Ah usally have an hour off after lunch if Ah still have chores before Ah finish." Apple Bloom suggested.

"That sounds like a perfect time." Timber smiled.

"Yeah, Ah usually take a walk to work off the food Ah just ate, so maybe we could walk together?" Apple Bloom replied.

"Yeah, and maybe play," Timber smiled. "I've always wanted to do that."

"Y'all know how to play 'Tag'?" Apple Bloom smiled. "I'll teach ya."

"Yay!" Timber smiled.

Apple Bloom giggled to his excitement. This was sure the start of a beautiful friendship. Hours went by as the three of them played. Patch laughed as he had a lot of fun.

7. Chapter 7

Back with Cherry and Atticus...

"Okay, Cherry... Tell me where Patch is." Atticus demanded.

"Nope." Cherry replied.

"Cherry, it's been hours, and we haven't seen him." Atticus said.

"You can't make me talk." Cherry replied.

"Oh, really?" Atticus smirked before he casted the truth spell on her.

Cherry's eyes widened and she cupped her muzzle.

Atticus smirked to that slightly. "So, Cherry, where's Patch...?"

Cherry muffled and stuttered, trying to hold it in.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Atticus asked.

Cherry still stuttered and stammered while trying to clamp her mouth shut.

"Give up, you can't win." Atticus said.

Cherry struggled before smirking with her eyes shut. "I know where he's not."

"Clever closing your eyes so you don't have to look at me while the spell is in affect." Atticus said.

"I know where he's not..." Cherry then said while looking him in the eye that time.

"He went to Sweet Apple Acres to bring Apple Bloom with him to meet his new friend, didn't he?" Atticus asked.

Cherry's eyes widened and her left eye twitched. "Stupid detective wannabe..." she then muttered.

"I can't believe it, he is actually going behind my back to see that timberwolf again and this time, he's bringing Apple Bloom with him." Atticus said which surprised everyone.

"Come on, Atticus, it's Patch, I'm sure he has a very good reason for this..." Cherry said. "Patch knows that being brave doesn't mean you go out looking for trouble."

"Cherry, it's a timberwolf and timberwolves are nuthin', but ruthlous creatures that attack anything they see." Applejack told her.

"Maybe this one is nice." Cherry replied.

"A nice timberwolf?" Pinkie Pie laughed. "That's a good one... 'Sides, my Pinkie Sense is going off."

Cherry stepped back then to avoid a falling flower pot or anything else that would randomly fall from the sky.

"Which one is Pinkie Pie?" Atticus asked.

"Something dangerous is going to happen..." Pinkie said. "I think we need to see a fortune first."

"No, I am not going to ask 'Madame Pinkie'..." Cherry groaned, already getting an aneurysm.

"I'll ask her." Atticus said.

"Great!" Pinkie beamed.

"I should head back to Discord and Boots anyhow." Fluttershy said.

"Okay, Fluttershy." Mo smiled.

Fluttershy smiled back and decided to find Discord and Boots. Rarity and Rainbow Dash decided to go home with her to make sure she would get there okay. With in a few seconds, Pinkie Pie changed into Madame Pinkie. It was then a gypsy fortune teller like setting. Pinkie Pie sat across with a crystal ball and waved her hooves ominously all around the sphere. Atticus sat across from her to find out what her Pinkie Pie sense was telling her.

Pinkie Pie waved her hooves with some ooh sounds. "I see you going for a long walk... With Mo with you hoof in hoof..."

Atticus blushed. "Uh, I think we can skip that."

"Alright, alright." Pinkie Pie said.

Atticus smiled shyly at the mention of spending his future with Mo.

"I see Patch..." Pinkie Pie then said.

"What's he doing?" Atticus asked,

"He's in the Everfree Forest with Apple Bloom..." Pinkie narrowed her eyes to take a closer look. "It looks like a timberwolf has Apple Bloom cornered..."

"Oh, no..." Atticus said.

"It looks like Apple Bloom is about to fall..." Pinkie continued dramatically.

Atticus bit his hooves nervously. "W-What else?" he soon asked.

"I see... I see... I see..." Pinkie said.

"WHAT?!" Atticus flipped out. "WHAT DO YOU SEE?!"

"Some spit-up, somethin' tells me that the Cake twins were here." Pinkie said.

This caused for Atticus to anime fall. Pinkie grinned cheekily.

"I gotta go." Atticus said.

"Aww... Okay..." Pinkie let him go.

Atticus walked out and looked very unfortunate.

Twilight saw this and came to him since Cherry went with the others to take Fluttershy home. "You look like you could use some tea."

"I have to go and save them from that timberwolf." Atticus said.

"Oh, Atticus, it'll be okay..." Twilight said. "Maybe you should use your Element of Harmony."

"No, I'll use my strength to scare off the timberwolf." Atticus said.

"Um... Well, okay..." Twilight said, a little worried about him.

Atticus then rushed off to the Everfree Forest.

"Ah should get back to the farm, it's rather late." Apple Bloom said.

"Thanks for a great day." Timber smiled to her.

"Yer mighty welcome." Apple Bloom smiled back.

"Yeah, we had a lot of fun today." Patch smiled to both of them.

Timber hugged them both which was surprising, though in a good way.

"Come on, Apple Bloom, I'll take you home." Patch walked beside the young filly.

Apple Bloom smiled back toward Timber on the way back to Sweet Apple Acres and it was pitch dark outside and even the moon was out which made Apple Bloom a little nervous.

"There you are!" Big Mac said slightly firm toward Apple Bloom as it was way past a few hours. "It is way past your curfew, young mare!"

"Ah'm sorry, Big Mac, Ah didn't mean to cause you to worry." Apple Bloom frowned.

"It's really late..." Big Mac scolded.

"It's my fault... "Patch quickly spoke up. "I wanted to show her something and I ended up making it longer than it should've been. Don't punish her, please."

Apple Bloom was amazed by Patch as he took the blame.

"Ya sure?" Big Mac asked.

"Yes, I'm very sorry..." Patch nodded as he took the blame for Apple Bloom.

Big Mac was surprised by this. Patch bowed to Apple Bloom's brother.

'Wow, he took the blame for me.' Apple Bloom thought to herself.

"Be careful next time, we were so worried." Big Mac told Patch.

"Yes, sir." Patch replied respectively.

Apple Bloom soon went inside with Big Mac.

Patch then decided to get to Twilight's place for the night, and where he saw Atticus rushing over to Sweet Apple Acres, finding it the shortest way to the Everfree Forest. "Um... Hey, Atticus."

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Atticus asked.

"I was just with Apple Bloom." Patch said.

"Without me or supervision?" Atticus asked.

Patch didn't like this behavior. "You're not my dad."

"Patch, I was just worried." Atticus said.

"You don't have to worry about me," Patch said. "I wouldn't get hurt."

"Oh, then why did I see you and APple Bloom in the Everfree Forest on Pinkie's crystal ball then?" Atticus asked.

"Wait, what?" Patch asked.

"That's right, I know," Atticus replied. "I saw it in Pinkie's crystal ball."

"Atticus, what you think you saw wasn't really what happened; we were just playing." Patch said.

"That was a timberwolf." Atticus reminded.

"Will you just listen to me for five minutes?!" Patch demanded.

"I am your master, you listen to me!" Atticus demanded right back.

Patch frowned slightly. "I can't believe you won't listen to me, we're supposed to be best friends..."

"We are best friends, but Patch, it's a timberwolf; there is no such thing as a nice timberwolf." Atticus said.

Patch glared with tears in his eyes slightly. 'Don't you remember some of our other adventures where we learned not to judge people just based on how they look or seem?"

"I'm not, it's a timberwolf, and timberwolves can't be friends," Atticus scolded. "Now come on, we'll talk about this later, let's get to Twilight's."

"No." Patch argued.

"What did you say?" Atticus glanced back.

"I said no," Patch said, trying to sound strong. "I know you're my master, but that doesn't mean you have to be mean to timberwolves just because you're a stubborn jerk!"

"Timberwolves are nothing but wild monsters and that have no feelings what so ever." Atticus told him.

"With the way you're acting, I think YOU'RE a wild monster!" Patch yelled with tears in his eyes.

"That's enough out of you; we're going back to Twilight's castle and that is final!" Atticus glared as he grabbed Patch.

"Hey, let me go!" Patch yelped.

Atticus ignored his protests and took him back to Twilight's by force.

"Let me go!" Patch barked.

Atticus continued to ignore him.

"I SAID LET ME GO!" Patch barked as he actually bit Atticus's hand.

"OW!" Atticus yelped as he then dropped Patch.

Patch had tears in his eyes, he then ran to a room in the castle while crying.

"Atticus...?" Cherry walked over.

"Patch bit me...He actually bit me." Atticus said out of shock.

"What?" Cherry's eyes widened as she sounded shocked about that herself.

"He actually did bite my hand." Atticus said.

"What did you do?" Cherry asked.

Atticus told her everything that happened.

"It kinda sounds like it was your fault..." Cherry spoke up sheepishly.

"How was it my fault?!" Atticus asked.

"You didn't listen to him." Cherry replied.

"But Cherry, it's a timberwolf, they are wild and have no feelings." Atticus said.

"You should know better than to judge others just based on how they look or their background." Cherry defended.

"That's different, this is a timberwolf!" Atticus defended.

"Atticus, don't you remember when we were adopted by Lord Ben?" Cherry reminded. "He was nice and sweet and was a very handsome man... He then met Lady Tremaine, she had daughters of her own, he thought she was majestic and maternal, but look at how she turned out."

"Yeah, I remember, but it's still different." Atticus said.

"I don't care!" Cherry glared. "He might be a timberwolf, but maybe he just wants friends! Look at Discord, we all used to be afraid of him, but now he's gonna marry Fluttershy and become Boots's father!"

"Yeah, I know, but there is no way that there could be a nice timberwolf." Atticus said.

"Atticus, will you just trust Patch on this?" Cherry narrowed her eyes. "He would never deceive you and why would he hang around a predator he knew was unsafe?"

Atticus began to try to think of a reason.

Cherry folded her arms. "I'm waiting, Mr. Busy Body."

"Um... Alright, you have a point." Atticus said.

"Why won't you listen to Patch?" Cherry folded her arms. "I thought dogs were man's best friend."

"Dogs are man's best friend." Atticus sighed.

"Then why don't you listen to Patch?" Cherry asked. "I may not know this timberwolf, but he could be nice, you should give him a chance, because you are gonna lose Patch if you keep going on like this. You're worse than Triton when Ariel became interested in humans and met Eric and Scuttle."

"You're right..." Atticus sighed.

'Of course I'm right, I'm a woman." Cherry smirked.

"Yeah, yeah." Atticus said.

"I'm sorry, Atticus, but you were kind of being a butt towards Patch." Cherry replied.

"I know..." Atticus frowned.

"You only have yourself to blame." Cherry said and then turned the other way and wandered off to leave him alone with his thoughts.

Atticus began to think of what he had done. He hung his head and went to his room to get some sleep.

8. Chapter 8

It was a rather long and tough night for everypony. Apple Bloom fell asleep, but she kept finding herself dreaming about her new timberwolf friend, and where she found a spinning arrow in front of her. "What...?" she then wondered. "What's that?" she then took a closer look. "An arrow... A spinning arrow...?"

The arrow continued to spin around and around and around and around and then stops, pointing forward. Apple Bloom looked dizzy from the spinning arrow, so she blinked a moment and then looked to where the arrow was pointing once it stopped spinning, and where she saw it pointing to a sunrise.

Apple Bloom's eyes glowed as she then stepped over to follow where the arrow had pointed to. And where she saw a war about to happen and where she saw that her and Timber and Patch were in the middle of it to try and stop it. This made her eyes widen. She had a feeling this would happen soon. Apple Bloom woke up from her dream as the rooster crowed.

Granny Smith was outside, checking the crops while Applejack made breakfast for the family this morning.

"Uh, Granny, can I ask ya somethin'?" Apple Bloom came to her grandmother.

"Sure thing, Sugar Cube." Granny Smith said while checking on the crops.

"Ah... Ah had this dream..." Apple Bloom started.

"Oh, a dream!" Granny Smith beamed. "Let's hear all about it!"

"Well, it starts with me and...This friend of mine and then in front of me; there's this spinning arrow." Apple Bloom said.

"A spinning arrow, eh?" Granny Smith asked.

"Yes, Ah saw it..." Apple Bloom explained the best she could. "Ah could see it spinning faster, an' faster, an' faster... Until suddenly, it stops."

Winona's eyes and head seemed to spin with Apple Bloom's spinning until she then stopped and made herself dizzy.

"Hmm... Well, it might be leading to yer destiny." Granny Smith said.

"My destiny, are ya sure, Granny?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yep, at least that's what yer great-great-grandmother told me." Granny Smith said.

"Great-Great-Grandmother...?" Apple Bloom tilted her head at her estranged grandmother.

"Yes, which would be my grandmother since my ma would be yer great-grandmother." Granny Smith explained.

"Ohh." Apple Bloom smiled.

"Get it now?" Granny Smith smiled back.

"Yeah..." Apple Bloom nodded. "So, um, what happened and what did you do?"

"Well, I asked my granny the same question you asked me about yer spinning arrow dream." Granny Smith smiled.

"You had that dream too?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yes, that's how I met your grandpappy of course." Granny Smith giggled.

"Aw!" Apple Bloom smiled until she paused. "Wait, the spinning arrow dream led you to Grandpappy?"

"Oh, yes..." Granny Smith nodded. "It took a while until Ah realized it was pointin' to him all along. From then on, Ah believed that those dreams were meant to lead one to their special somepony."

"Erm... What if, say, it pointed to a different species than a pony?" Apple Bloom asked. "Y'all wouldn't think that was unusual, would ya?"

"Well, Ah would indeed say that it was a different kind of love." Granny Smith smiled.

"Ya wouldn't disown me, would ya?" Apple Bloom asked as she then shuffled her hoof as she started to have feelings for Timber after he had saved her life last night.

"Of course not, Sugar Cube, no matter who ye were in loved with." Granny Smith smiled.

"Thanks, Granny..." Apple Bloom smiled back thankfully.

Apple Bloom decided to leave the rest of the dream to herself.

"Was there anythin' else you wanted, Half-Pint?" Granny Smith asked her youngest grandchild.

"Uh, no, thanks, Granny, Ah'm glad we had this talk," Apple Bloom smiled. She soon saw Patch sneaking around to the Everfree Forest after she saw him make hand/hoof signals. "Uh, Ah'll see ya later, Granny."

"Okay, deary, Ah gotta tend to these crops, winter will be a'comin' before ya know it." Granny Smith said as she then went back to her garden.

Apple Bloom soon rushed into the Everfree Forest.

Patch paced around, then stopped once he saw the earth filly coming.

"Here Ah am..." Apple Bloom panted. "Ah hope Ah'm not too late."

"Nope, you're not late." Patch smiled.

Apple Bloom smiled back. They soon saw Timber coming to them.

"Howdy, Timber." Apple Bloom smiled to the young timberwolf.

"Erm... Hello there, Apple Bloom." Timber bashfully smiled back.

"So, what shall we play today?" Patch asked.

"Hmm... Hide and Seek?" Apple Bloom suggested.

"Yeah, there's probably lots of good hiding places here." Patch agreed.

"Yeah, let's play that" Timber smiled.

"NOT IT!" Patch and Apple Bloom then said and laughed as they ran off while Timber looked dumbfounded.

Timber then smirked and he went against a tree and started to count while they went off to hide. He continued to count as Patch and Apple Bloom began to finding perfect hiding places. The two giggled as they went to their hiding places.

"Ready or not, here I come!" Timber then wandered around the forest to find his new friends.

While they were playing their game, a full grown timberwolf was looking for his next target. Zecora was inside her hut, but felt a great disturbance in the air. The Timberwolf soon used a blast of dark magic and was able to drain Zecora of her strength and cutie mark. Zecora suddenly felt weak as she wasn't able to work on her potions or spells anymore and she put her hoof to her head.

"Soon, the timberwolves will be the ones to take over all of Equestria with me as their leader." The Timberwolf said.

There was then laughter heard.

"Ah, who's this now?" the timberwolf smirked darkly as he overheard joyful laughter from little ponies.

"You'll never find us!" Patch's voice called out.

Timber giggled as he went to find Apple Bloom and Patch for their little game. Unknown to any of them, they were being watched by an evil timberwolf.

Apple Bloom giggled as she hid. "They'll never find me here."

"Found you!" Timber smiled as he found her behind a tree.

"Aw, dang, how'd ya find me?" Apple Bloom pouted.

"Special timberwolf powers..." Timber chuckled.

"Dang it." Apple Bloom pouted.

"Now, to find Patch." Timber smiled.

"Okay." Apple Bloom smiled back.

The young timberwolf and earth filly then went to find their colt friend.

"They'll never find me in this tree." Patch whispered.

Timber and Apple Bloom walked along.

"So, uh, that friend of yours, Sweetie Belle," Timber made conversation as they looked for Patch. "What's she doing hanging around that brown colt?"

"Y'all mean Button Mash?" Apple Bloom replied. "They've been gettin' close lately."

"Like going on dates and such?" Timber asked as he looked behind a tree.

"Ah wouldn't know 'bout that, but Rarity says Sweetie Belle does seem quite smitten with him..." Apple Bloom replied before looking behind a bush. "Whatever that means."

"I think it means she has a crush on him or is in love with him." Timberwolf said before he saw Patch's tail coming from a tree.

Apple Bloom looked up with him and smirked. Timber smirked back. Patch snickered as he hid in the tree, not realizing he had been found.

"Found you!" Timber and Apple Bloom smirked.

Patch yelped and fell down, but luckily, didn't get hurt. "Double cross!"

"Yup." Apple Bloom giggled.

"Next time, try to hide your tail well." Timber smirked playfully.

Patch looked sheepish then as his tail then tucked between his legs. Apple Bloom and Timber chuckled to that.

Patch soon sniffed something. "We're not alone." He said to the others.

Apple Bloom and Timber looked concerned.

"We better get going." Patch said.

"Is it danger?" Apple Bloom asked, biting her lip slightly.

"It smells like a timberwolf, but it's coming from over there." Patch said as he pointed to the right.

"Oh, no..." Timber sounded worried. "Uh, you guys should go back home."

"But we just got started!" Apple Bloom frowned.

"Apple Bloom, please, the two of you have to go now before my father comes." Timber said.

"But!" Apple Bloom yelped.

"Come on, Apple Bloom..." Patch insisted to walk her out of the forest to safety.

"Well, all right." Apple Bloom frowned.

Timber nodded to them. Patch then took Apple Bloom away to get out of sight.

Timber then looked nervous as the older timberwolf came to him. "Hello, Father."

"I thought I heard voices." Timber's father smirked as he looked behind a bush.

"Uh, I was just talking to myself, sir." Timber replied nervously.

"Oh, really?" Timber's father smirked. "Then explain to me how you were able to sound like three different children laughing."

"Maybe you were just hearing echos from Ponyville?" Timber smiled nervously.

Timber's father came to the bush. "Then you wouldn't mind if I looked through this bush."

"Um, of course not." Timber said nervously.

Timber's father went over to the bush only to see no one behind it. "Huh... There's no one there..." he then said.

'Thank Celestia...' Timber thought to himself before breathing in relief.

"Oh, but what's this?" Timber's father smirked as he saw a red ribbon on the ground.

"Huh?" Timber asked.

"I don't believe I've seen you wear this before..." Timber's father held out the red ribbon. "Care to explain?"

'Oh, no, Apple Bloom's red ribbon.' Timber thought to himself.

"Well?" Timber's father asked.

"Uhh... Umm..." Timber stammered. "I ate somepony."

Timber's father glanced. "You ate somepony?"

"Yep." Timber nodded.

"Then why isn't there any blood on any of your claws or fangs?" Timber's father glared.

"Uh, I cleaned it up, because I'm gonna wear it for dressing up..." Timber took it and tied the ribbon around his neck to wear it like a bow tie. "See? I'm fancy!"

Timber's father was almost convinced until he saw some tracks of pony hoof prints and decided to act like he was proud of his son first but then would expose of what he saw. Timber smiled nervously as sweat beaded down his face.

"I'm so proud of you, son." Timber's father said, acting proud.

Timber smiled nervously.

"Now run along..." Timber's father told him. "Take your... Erm... Bow with you."

Timber looked nervous, but he did go off with the ribbon. 'Don't worry, Apple Bloom, I'll bring this back for you one way or another.' he then thought to himself.

'I shall have to keep an eye on my son.' Timber's father thought to himself.

Timber couldn't find Apple Bloom or Patch anywhere, so he kept the ribbon close to him for now and would give it to the earth filly as soon as he would see her again. He felt so different around her and wasn't sure what it could be.

Apple Bloom and Patch had made their way out of the Everfree Forest.

"Okay, we're out," Patch smiled before he saw Apple Bloom was missing something. "Uh, Apple Bloom, where's your ribbon that you use to make into your hair bow?"

"Huh...?" Apple Bloom patted the top of her mane before yelling out.

"Apple Bloom, calm down..." Patch soothed.

"My ribbon!" Apple Bloom panicked. "Ah've had that for as long as Ah can remember!"

"It must have somehow got untied and flew off your mane." Patch said.

Apple Bloom looked distressed.

"That bow's important to you, huh?" Patch asked.

Apple Bloom sighed. "Ah've had it since Ah came home from the hospital."

"Ohh." Patch said, understanding now before frowning.

Apple Bloom frowned back.

"Don't worry, we'll get it back." Patch promised.

"Thanks," Apple Bloom smiled before she saw him still sad. "What's wrong?"

Patch looked away.

"Patch?" Apple Bloom frowned at his sadness.

"Um, Apple Bloom; I found out what happened to your parents." Patch frowned.

"You what?!" Apple Bloom's orange eyes widened before smiling. "Oh, so when are they comin' back from Las Pegasus? They've missed the past family reunions since Ah was born! Ah want them to get to know Babs. She's my favorite cousin, ya know."

"Apple Bloom, your parents aren't coming back." Patch frowned.

"W-What?" Apple Bloom asked out of worry.

"I'm sorry, Apple Bloom, but y-your parents are dead." Patch frowned.

"Dead?" Apple Bloom replied. "But... Granny Smith said that-"

Patch sighed as he began to tell her what he found out from the files he read. Apple Bloom listened to him as she was finally being told the truth of what became of her parents not too long after she had been born. After she was told the truth, Apple Bloom had tears in her eyes.

"Apple Bloom, I'm so sorry..." Patch frowned as he made the filly cry.

"Ah-Ah never even got a chance to meet them." Apple Bloom cried.

"Apple Bloom, it's okay..." Patch tried to comfort.

"Get away from me!" Apple Bloom bawled as she ran away, blinded by her tears, but she was able to run away back home and not into the forest. "It can't be true! It just can't!"

"Maybe now wasn't the right time." Patch sighed.

Apple Bloom ran and kept crying.

Atticus, Cherry, and Mo were walking with Applejack.

"There ya are, Apple Bloom!" Applejack looked down to her little sister. "What's wrong?"

"Patch... We... Forest... Ribbon..." Apple Bloom said before crying out loud.

"Wait, did she just say forest?" Atticus asked.

"Uh-oh..." Cherry gulped.

Atticus looked over. "You knew about this?"

Cherry grinned nervously and zipped away.

"CHERRY!" Atticus chased her.

"Apple Bloom, what were you doing in the Everfree Forest?" Applejack asked.

Apple Bloom was about to say, but didn't want Patch to get in trouble. "Ah... Ah was goin' for a stroll... Then Ah got lost and Patch came to help me back home."

"Where is he then?" Applejack asked.

"Oh, he must have went back to try and look for my ribbon/bow that Ah lost." Apple Bloom said.

"Y'all should be more careful, Apple Bloom..." Applejack warned her. "We coulda lost ya."

"Like w-we lost Mom and Dad?" Apple Bloom asked, hoping that what Patch told her was a lie.

Applejack's face paled and she bit her lip as her eyes swooshed back and forth. "Erm... Right..." she then smiled nervously.

Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes. "Are ya lyin'?"

"Why would Ah lie?" Applejack laughed nervously. "Ah'm the Element of Honesty."

"Applejack, please tell me the truth; are Mom and Dad really... Dead?" Apple Bloom frowned.

Applejack smiled nervously, but then sighed as she was unable to hold it in any longer. "Ah'm sorry, Apple Bloom... They're not really touring Las Pegasus and became Wonderbolts... They died when Ah was about yer age."

Apple Bloom became heartbroken as Patch was telling the truth and where she really wouldn't see her parents.

"Apple Bloom..." Applejack held out her hoof.

Apple Bloom ran blindly into her home and ran up into her bed, burying her face in her pillow and cried loudly in pain and sorrow. Applejack soon sighed as she was sad that her younger sister had to find out this way she then saw Patch coming back from the same direction Apple Bloom came from before running home. Applejack's heart ached when she heard the sobbing from her little sister and went to go see Patch.

"I never should have told Apple Bloom, she wasn't ready yet." Patch sighed quietly.

"It's okay..." Applejack sighed. "We shouldn't have lied about it anyway."

"So, Wonderbolts?" Patch asked curiously.

"There's two shooting stars that come by Sweet Apple Acres every night..." Applejack replied. "Ah like to think of 'em as our parents visiting us and checkin' over us from Heaven."

"And I'm sure they are happy that Apple Bloom is falling in love." Patch smiled before covering his muzzle.

"Apple Bloom in love?" Applejack replied before chuckling. "That sounds mighty sweet, but Ah think she's way too young for that."

"Hey, she is as old as me and I'm in love with Colette." Patch retorted to her.

"Ah suppose, but..." Applejack sounded worried about Apple Bloom already being in love.

"Sweetie Belle likes Button Mash..." Patch continued. "Colette's sister Danielle likes Copper... Our friend Angel likes Colette's brother Scamp."

"Ah guess Ah can't stop her from bein' in love." Applejack sighed.

Patch smiled.

"Ah just can't believe how grown up she's become..." Applejack sighed. "Seems like only yesterday she started school with Miss Cheerilee."

"That's what growing up does to ya." Patch said.

"Ah know..." Applejack replied. "Sorry 'bout that, Patch, Ah keep forgettin' she ain't a foal no more."

"Well, I better get going before Atticus finds me." Patch said.

Applejack nodded and let him go. Patch then nodded back and went off.

9. Chapter 9

"Uncle! UNCLE!" Cherry yelped as Atticus was holding her down. "Yow... Oww!"

"How come you didn't tell me?!" Atticus glared.

"I promised I wouldn't!" Cherry groaned.

"Wait, you promised?!" Atticus glared.

Cherry smiled nervously. "You wouldn't beat up your own best friend, would ya?"

"No." Atticus said, letting her go.

Cherry smiled innocently then before standing on all fours. Patch soon stopped in his tracks as he saw Atticus and tried to hide. Cherry looked over and looked nervous.

Atticus narrowed his eyes to her. "What're you-"

"Tag, you're it!" Cherry punched his nose and ran off one way.

"That was random." Atticus said, confused.

Cherry kept running.

Atticus rubbed his nose and looked to his hoof to see blood. "Oh, Cherry, you gave me a nosebleed somehow!"

This caused Cherry to stop in her tracks.

"Ugh, son of a..." Atticus groaned.

Cherry walked back over. "I gave YOU a nosebleed?"

"Yeah, what the heck, Cherry?!" Atticus glared.

"I... I panicked..." Cherry stuttered.

"It's alright." Atticus said before using his magic to heal his nose/muzzle.

Cherry looked to her own hoof. "How'd I do that?"

"I don't know, but you're not doing it again!" Atticus lunged out for her.

Cherry screamed to that.

"Atticus, don't!" Patch called out.

Atticus landed on Cherry and looked back. "Patch, there you are!"

"Get off her now," Patch said. "I've never seen you lunge at her."

"She lied to me..." Atticus growled while Cherry looked nervous.

"But she only lied because she promised to not tell you where I was going." Patch said.

"You went to those timberwolves again, didn't you?" Atticus asked firmly.

"Yeah, but just to play Hide and Seek." Patch said.

"Patch..." Atticus sighed.

"Will you just trust me?!" Patch replied. "I know timberwolves are bad, but I met one who's actually really nice!"

"Really?" Atticus asked.

"Yes!" Patch frowned. "It hurts me that you won't trust or believe me."

"But it's just that because no one's ever met a nice timberwolf." Atticus explained.

"I have!" Patch glared.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you." Atticus said.

"Oh, so now you're gonna listen to me?" Patch asked firmly.

"And I should have listened to you before," Atticus sighed. "Listen, how's about you and Apple Bloom bring Timber over to me and Granny Smith?"

"How do I know you're not gonna try anything?" Patch glared.

"If I sense any evil in him, I'll strike, but if I don't sense any evil in him, he's gained my trust." Atticus said.

"And I'll never come back home." Patch said.

Atticus looked hurt by that, but he deserved it for not listening to his nonhuman best friend, he gave a sigh. "Yes... If anything goes wrong for your friend, you can do whatever you want to be happy."

"I'm sorry for biting you." Patch then apologized.

"It's okay," Atticus frowned. "I deserved it."

"No offense, but yeah, you kind of did." Patch agreed.

"Thanks for not biting me on the butt." Atticus then smiled sheepishly.

Patch simply laughed a little. Atticus smiled since he could make Patch laugh. Patch smiled back and they went off together into the sunset. Cherry soon followed them.

They all then met at SugarCube Corner. Twilight was there too and she looked very wore out.

"Man, Twilight, you look terrible..." Cherry said. "Maybe you should take a vacation or something."

"She's right, Twilight, you should take it easy." Mo added.

"I'm fine... Really..." Twilight smiled before yawning very loudly.

"No, you need to get some sleep." Atticus said.

"It's okay... Really..." Twilight smiled. "I just need to put the hay in the apple and eat the candle."

"Yeah, you really do need to sleep, luckily, I learned a sleeping spell." Atticus said before he used his magic on Twilight before teleporting her to bed.

Twilight's eyes widened.

"'Scuse us a minute." Atticus said to the others as he used his horn on Twilight.

Twilight soon felt sleepy and she soon fell asleep instantly.

Atticus lay her in bed and tucked her in. "I hope you're not sick, Twily..." he frowned to himself in concern of her. After he got Twilight in bed, he decided to get back to the others.

"Spike is Twilight okay?" Cherry asked.

"She's been acting funny lately." Mo added in.

"She has been exhausted lately..." Spike replied. "I haven't seen her this bad since I tried to take over for her as princess for the day."

"Yikes!" Mo said.

"I know..." Spike agreed. "I don't know what's wrong, but the doctors say she's healthy and isn't sick."

"Well, that's good." Atticus said as he sat back down next to Mo.

"Well, then maybe it has something to do with her wings horn and cutie mark disappearing." Mo said.

"I was hoping I was seeing things with that..." Atticus said.

Rarity and Fluttershy seemed to walk by, but their horn and wings were missing along with their now diminishing cutie marks.

"It's not just Twilight!" Atticus panicked.

"I have a theory." Patch said before using his magic to make diamond appear.

The others then looked to Patch.

"Uh, what's the diamond for?" Cherry asked.

"Think about it." Mo replied since Rarity was in the SugarCube Corner.

"Oh, Rarity, look what I have?" Patch called the former fashonista pony.

Rarity looked over to Patch.

"Ta-da!" Patch grinned as he showed the diamond to her.

"MINE!" Rarity yelled out greedily as she lunged out to take the diamond from Patch.

The others looked in shock. Patch soon made the diamond disappear.

Rarity looked hysterical. "WHERE'S MY DIAMOND?!"

"Rarity... Calm down..." Cherry sounded scared of the fashionista pony.

"What's happening to the girls?" Spike asked.

"This is not good..." Cherry said. "We have to do some investi-" she then looked to Atticus and sipped her milkshake.

Atticus twitched and shook, mentally urging her to finish that sentence.

"Ah..." Cherry smirked as she paused to drive him crazy on purpose.

"Are you serious?" Atticus asked.

Cherry wiped her muzzle.

"SAY IT!" Atticus shook Cherry violently.

"Gation." Cherry finished with a smirk.

"Cherry, I don't think you have ever done that before." Patch said.

"She actually does it a lot now, it's her thing after going to a midnight movie with her theater friends." Atticus explained.

"Ohh." Patch smiled.

"Yeah, it's really hard to give into tempt-" Cherry said before taking a long sip while Atticus looked like his head was going explode.

"Are you serious?!" Atticus glared.

Cherry smirked to him. "Tation."

"Just stay calm, just stay calm." Atticus told himself.

"You okay, Atticus?" Cherry smirked. "You look full of antici-"

"Cherry!" Atticus growled.

Cherry just laughed at him. Atticus started to chase her. Cherry yelped and then ran from Atticus. Patch rolled his eyes until he looked over and saw Mr. and Mrs. Cake tending to their twins and decided to go see the young foals. Pound kept hitting stuff while Pumpkin was rolling around and giggling.

"Hey there, Cake Twins." Patch smiled.

Pound and Pumpkin then looked up and smiled to Patch. Pound went right up to Patch, ready to test out his strength on him. Pumpkin clapped her front hooves together. Mrs. Cake came by.

"It's okay, Mrs. Cake, I got them." Patch assured the mother of the twins.

"Oh, thank you, Patch." Mrs. Cake smiled.

Patch smiled back. Mrs. Cake then went back to work as her twins could be properly looked after now.

"Ya ready for this, Pound?" Patch smirked to the strong Cake twin.

Pound nodded as he was ready to show Patch how strong he was.

"Okay, show me what ya got, buddy." Patch told the colt foal.

Pound soon went to Patch's front right hoof and lifted him up with one hoof. Patch's eyes widened. Pound smirked as he lifted him up easily.

Patch chuckled. "You're just like Bamm-Bamm Rubble."

This gave Pound a devilish idea.

"Uh-oh, maybe I shouldn't have said that." Patch said with wide eyes.

Pound narrowed his eyes with a smirk. Pound soon started to bang Patch around the room like a club and a rag doll.

"Oh, no, Pound, stop that!" Mr. Cake rushed over and picked up his son. "You know what your mother said..."

Pound soon grabbed his father, thinking he wanted to also join in the fun.

"Pound, no, don't, stop!" Mr. Cake yelped.

Pound giggled as he started to do the same to his father, thinking it was plain and innocent fun, and where he soon gave both his father and Patch a spin and sent them flying at a table. Derpy Hooves was given her usual order of muffins until Patch and Mr. Cake landed flat on the table and made the muffins fall onto the floor.

"Looks like I might need to train that son of yours to learn to control his strength and to not use it on other innocent ponies." Patch groaned.

"Heh... I would be insulted if you didn't." Mr. Cake chuckled weakly.

"You two okay?" Derpy asked.

"We'll be okay..." Patch said.

"Erm... Are you okay?" Mr. Cake asked.

Derpy looked in her reflection to see her eyes were normal, she then hit her head and made her eyes wonky. "Ah, much better."

"We're sorry for spilling your muffins." Patch said.

"Ah, it's okay, one of them survived..." Derpy smiled as she then took out a new muffin from her mane and ate it.

Patch and Mr. Cake blinked oddly and then backed away from the estranged pegasus mare. Pound continued clapping, ready to play some more.

"Okay, Pound, that's enough." Mr. Cake smiled nervously to his son.

Pound simply pouted.

"It's okay, Mr. Cake; I can entertain Pound Cake for the rest of the time." Patch said.

"Please do..." Mr. Cake replied. "I haven't seen him like this since he picked up the habit."

"How's about we play Patty Cake, little guy?" Patch asked Pound.

Pound tilted his head.

"Here, I'll show ya." Patch sat down in front of the foal. "Hold out your hooves..." he then held out his own to demonstrate.

Pound held out his hooves, copying him. After their hooves touched, Patch clapped his hooves together and then held them out again, they began to play the game. Patch and Pound played and Patch hoped this would distract the strong foal from nearly tearing down the whole shop, and it seemed to do the trick. Pound giggled as he enjoyed the game.

Patch smiled as they had fun. He soon got push back by the sudden force of Pound's strength as he seemed to now have a bit too much fun. "Okay, I think it's time for a break..." he then smiled nervously.

Pound firmly pouted.

"It's okay; I just think we should take a little break." Patch said.

Pound glared.

"Pound, please calm down..." Patch told him. "We can play again later... Stay out of trouble."

Pound then hit the counter, leaving a dent in it.

"Ah, ah, no hitting things, Pound!" Mrs. Cake warned.

Pound then smiled sweetly and innocently to her.

"Wow." Patch said.

Mrs. Cake smiled to Patch as she then walked by.

10. Chapter 10

Atticus carried a leftover bag as they then left the corner. "Hopefully Twilight doesn't mind leftovers."

"I'm sure she won't." Mo said.

"She's not allergic to anything, is she?" Atticus asked Spike.

"Nah, those will do just fine." Spike smiled.

"Great." Atticus smiled.

Spike smirked then. "But I won't mind taking some."

"Uh, I think you had enough donuts from Donut Joe earlier..." Atticus levitated the bag out of the baby dragon's reach.

Spike pouted in defeat.

"Nice try though." Atticus smirked before he ruffled the scales on Spike's head.

Spike laughed as that tickled. Atticus then left to get the donuts to Twilight. Twilight was luckily still buried in her bed. Atticus then placed the bag on the alicorn princess's nightstand and tucked Twilight in as she continued to doze off.

"Good night, Twilight." Atticus whispered before kissing her on the forehead.

Twilight seemed to smile in her sleep from that. Atticus then left to let Twilight get some more rest.

That night...

Apple Bloom stared out her bedroom window as the twin shooting stars went by the home as they did every night. Her eyes were red and puffy from the crying after finding out what really happened to her parents when she was just a foal, but she was now thinking about her heart in a different way. It was aching and burning, for love... Her love... Timber. She even began to try to get to sleep, but no matter what, she couldn't get to sleep.

In the Everfree forest, Timber had the same trouble. He then looked down at Apple Bloom's ribbon/bow and where he decided that he should return it to her tonight while everyone was asleep. He looked around and saw that everyone appeared to be asleep.

Timber carried the ribbon securely in his mouth as he then tiptoed out of the forest and headed for Sweet Apple Acres, and where he soon saw that Apple Bloom was at her window, unable to sleep either. Timber looked up, he then took a couple of pebbles and threw them at the window. Apple Bloom blinked and then looked down to see Timber. Timber smiled and gestured for her to come down. Apple Bloom tiptoed by Applejack and Big Mac's rooms and knew Granny Smith wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night unless it was Zap Apple Jam season and she then came down to the young timberwolf.

"What are ya'll doing here?" Apple Bloom whispered.

"I just wanted to return this to you." Timber whispered back before he untied the ribbon/bow from his neck and then gave it to Apple Bloom.

"My ribbon!" Apple Bloom whispered loudly.

Timber smiled as the filly then took it and put it back where it belonged and she looked much happier now. He began to help her get it back in place. Apple Bloom and Timber then smiled to each other, seeming to blush as they looked into each other's eyes. They were almost about to kiss, but then, they heard someone coming.

"What's that!?" Apple Bloom suddenly panicked.

"Oh, no..." Timber sounded worried.

They soon heard it coming from inside Apple Bloom's house. Apple Bloom rushed over. Timber kept an eye out and followed her. The one that was awake was Granny Smith.

"Granny..." Apple Bloom whispered. "Ah can't believe she woke up from her sleep! She never wakes up from her sleep!"

"Never?" Timber whispered.

"Never ever..." Apple Bloom shook her head.

Granny Smith poked her head out the window. Apple Bloom and Timber soon hid. Granny Smith looked out the window.

"Get down so she doesn't see us." Apple Bloom told Timber.

Timber nodded before he ducked down. Apple Bloom and Timber looked nervous.

Granny Smith wandered out into the backyard and looked around.

Apple Bloom sniffled. "Ahh... Ahh!"

Timber quickly put a paw over Apple Bloom's nose to keep the sneeze in.

"Whew." Apple Bloom sighed quietly.

Timber smiled to her and she then smiled back to him.

"Hmm... Ah thought Ah saw Apple Bloom come out here." Granny Smith said.

Apple Bloom's stomach turned when she heard her name. Timber soon used a rock and made it sound like Apple Bloom was in the orchard. Granny Smith's left ear wiggled and she then went to the orchard.

"Phew!" Apple Bloom and Timber breathed in relief.

Apple Bloom soon rushed to the door to make it look like she was there all along. Granny Smith came there.

"Hey, Granny!" Apple Bloom smiled nervously.

"Why, Half-Pint, what're ya doin' up so late in the orchard?" Granny Smith asked her youngest grandchild.

"Ah-Ah thought Ah heard something, but it was nothing, but look what Ah found on the ground." Apple Bloom smiled.

Granny Smith leaned over. "Why! It's yer ribbon, Flibberty Gibbert."

"I guess my special friend must have brought it back to me." Apple Bloom smiled.

"Ooh, is that the one ya had that dream 'bout?" Granny Smith then asked.

"Yup," Apple Bloom nodded. "And Ah hope ya can meet him."

"Ah would love to meet one of yer little friends." Granny Smith smiled.

"Maybe tomorrow." Apple Bloom smiled.

Granny Smith patted the filly on the head. "It's late now, come along."

"Yes, Granny." Apple Bloom nodded to her guardian.

The two of them soon went back inside. Apple Bloom looked around and saw that Timber was going back into the forest. She wasn't sure what she felt deep down in her heart, but she could feel it racing a thousand miles an hour and her hooves felt lighter than air as though that were physically possible. She felt her frontal hooves sweating and her face seemed warmer as it was bright pink with blushing. Could it be that she was in love with a timberwolf? She shook her head trying to get that thought out of her head I mean, how could anyone, even a timberwolf love a blank flank like her? She then shrugged to herself and crawled into bed until the rooster would crow and Applejack would call out for breakfast the next morning.

11. Chapter 11

The next day...

Boots was nuzzled up against Fluttershy as they both fell asleep on the couch until Angel shook them both awake, very impatiently.

"Wake up!" Angel glared in Animal language.

Fluttershy and Boots then woke up. Angel then angrily pointed to his empty bowl.

"Oh, my!" Boots gasped. "Mama, we overslept!"

"Oh, dear..." Fluttershy gasped back.

Angel began to wait impatiently.

"Come on, Boots, help me." Fluttershy said.

Boots nodded and went to the kitchen to get the bunny's food. Soon enough, they got Angel his breakfast. Angel then ate his food.

"Oh, my, it's not like me to sleep this late..." Fluttershy frowned in worry.

"Same here." Boots said.

Fluttershy then went with Boots to feed all the other animals.

"Sorry we're late, everybody." Boots told the other pets as she helped her mother.

"We're never this late." Fluttershy said.

The two then prepared the food for the pets who eagerly ate as they were nearly starving.

"Mama, what happened to your wings and cutie mark?" Boots asked, after finally noticing her adoptive mother didn't have either one.

Fluttershy tried to look back, but couldn't.

"Daddy!" Boots called out.

Discord teleported over, he had a smock on with a paint tray with a brush and was covered in purple paint.

"Could you make a mirror for Mama?" Boots then asked.

"Of course, my dear." Discord said.

Boots smiled. Discord then snapped his fingers and held out a mirror for Fluttershy. Fluttershy then shrieked to see her cutie mark and wings had vanished.

"W-Where are my wings and cutie mark?!" Fluttershy asked out of fear.

"What happened to Mama?" Boots asked her adoptive father.

"Must have been the same mysterious force that took away Twilight's horn, wings, and cutie mark." Discord said.

"Aunt Twilight's stuff is taken?" Boots asked.

"I'm afraid so, dear," Discord replied. "I'm not sure who it could be though... I mean, not even I would be so evil before I reformed."

"Maybe a magic mirror can help us." Boots smiled.

"Hmm..." Discord stroked his goatee with his claw. "That does sound logical, my dear Boots."

"Yay!" Boots smiled.

Fluttershy smiled back.

"I better see what's going down..." Discord replied. He soon use his magic to make a magic mirror appear.

Boots looked excited.

"Let's take a look." Discord stood with Fluttershy and Boots.

"Yes, let's." Fluttershy agreed.

Discord looked with Boots and Fluttershy to see what was going on.

At Sweet Apple Acres...

Applejack tried to buck against a tree, but she looked weak as her cutie mark vanished and she was unable to make any apples fall.

"You need any help, Applejack?" Atticus asked.

"Ah'd appreciate it..." Applejack replied. "Big Mac and Granny Smith are in town."

Atticus then came up to the tree and kicked with his back hind legs. "HiYAH!" And where all of the apples from the tree fell on top of them.

"Thank ya kindly." Applejack smiled.

"No problem, AJ," Atticus smiled back. "Well, me and Patch better get going; him and Apple Bloom are going to be bringing me and Granny Smith to meet their mysterious friend."

"Good luck with that." Applejack nodded.

Atticus nodded back. He, Patch, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith soon went to meet Timber.

"Like I said.. I'm so sorry..." Atticus said to Patch.

"I'm sorry too..." Patch replied.

"So, where is this friend of yours, Apple Bloom?" Granny Smith smiled.

"He should be around here..." Apple Bloom pouted.

They soon heard something coming and where it was Timber.

"Oh, there he is!" Apple Bloom smiled.

Granny Smith smiled back as she was excited.

"Everypony, meet Timber." Apple Bloom said as her friend came to meet the family.

Timber seemed a little hesitant.

"Don't worry, Timber, they won't you." Patch said.

Timber took a deep breath, trying to keep calm and then came over to meet Apple Bloom's family. The only ones he got to meet right now was Granny Smith along with Atticus.

"You must be Apple Bloom's sister." Timber smiled politely to Granny Smith.

"Sorry, oh, well, aren't you a nice young fella, even if you are a timberwolf pup," Granny Smith smiled. "Ah'm Granny Smith; Ah'm Apple Bloom's grandmother."

Timber smiled bashfully and shook her hoof in his paw.

"Ooh, that's quite a grip ya got there." Granny Smith smiled.

"Thank you, ma'am." Timber smiled back.

Granny Smith soon looked into Timber's eyes the same way Grandmother Willow looked into John Smith's eyes. Atticus and Patch smiled as this was indeed going so far so good.

"He has a kind spirit and he isn't too bad on the eyes either." Granny Smith winked at her youngest granddaughter.

Apple Bloom and Timber seemed to both blush at this.

"You know what, Timber?" Atticus replied. "Now that I'm getting a closer look at you; you don't seem to have any darkness in you at all, and I don't sense any darkness in you either."

Patch smiled to that.

"Um, well, thank you..." Timber smiled. "Sometimes I think I was a mistake."

"Oh, don't say that..." Atticus tutted.

"Besides, why would you think you were a mistake?" Patch added.

"I don't wanna be bad like everyone else..." Patch stared at the ground with a frown. "A lot of folks run away from me, expecting me to be bad... Like I'm a Changeling or something... They run away before they even get to know me."

"Well, the timberwolves haven't exactly shown any kindness to the ponies." Atticus said to Timber.

"I know..." Timber sighed. "I hate being a timberwolf sometimes."

"Well, maybe more timberwolves can learn to be nice." Patch smiled.

"I would love that..." Timber confessed. "And I'm sorry for what my father has been doing."

"It's okay, Timber, you can't help that..." Patch soothed. "I'm sure something will work right in the end, it usually does."

"He's right." Atticus smiled.

Timber smiled to Atticus. "So, what should we play?" He then asked.

"Oh, you two play togeter?" Granny Smith smirked to Apple Bloom. "Reminds me of the times when I met your grandpappy when I was a filly."

"Granny..." Apple Bloom blushed.

"Okay, okay, Ah'll stop." Granny Smith giggled.

Apple Bloom smiled sheepishly while Timber hid a giggle.

"So, what shall we play?" Patch asked.

"Hmm..." Apple Bloom and Timber thought about it before saying something together in unison. "House!"

Patch was surprised but then smirked at that. "Okay."

"I think we already know who are going to be the mother and father." Atticus smirked.

Apple Bloom and Timber smiled bashfully to each other. Granny Smith then went to shop and allowed Apple Bloom to go play with her friends and not run errands with her this time.

"I guess that would make me the grandfather." Atticus laughed a little.

"Yep." Patch smirked.

Apple Bloom took Timber to the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse and after a while, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were coming over, talking about the weird things going on in Ponyville lately, but then got distracted after they heard giggling from their other friend.

"Is that Apple Bloom?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Without us?" Scootaloo asked as well.

The two fillies opened the door and gasped as they saw Timber with Apple Bloom. "TIMBERWOLF!"

"Girls, calm down, Timber is nice." Apple Bloom told them.

"Timber?" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo asked.

"Howdy!" Timber smiled to Apple Bloom's best friends.

"He's really nice." Patch smiled.

"A nice timber-" Sweetie Belle was about to ask.

"Yes, yes, we know it's weird, but Ah believe and trust him." Apple Bloom told her best friends.

"Well, if you're okay by Apple Bloom and Patch, then you're okay by me." Scootaloo decided.

"So, what are you playing?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"We're playing house." Timber smiled.

"You can be the aunties." Apple Bloom suggested.

"Yay!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo smiled.

Apple Bloom smiled back to them.

"I'm the baby..." Patch mumbled.

This caused for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to snicker while trying not to laugh. Patch glanced to them and sighed as he was the baby in their game of house.

"What's for dinner, honey?" Timber asked, deepening his voice to sound like a father.

"Hayburgers and fries of course." Apple Bloom replied as she took out a plate with imaginary food on it.

"Your specialty dish." Timber smiled.

"Made with love." Apple Bloom smiled back.

Patch smiled himself as he could sense something between the two despite being a timberwolf pup and a pony filly.

"What are we going to feed the baby?" Sweetie Belle asked in an English accent.

"It's favorite, hot mustard with mushy vegetables!" Scootaloo replied.

"Now just wait a minute!" Patch called out before Sweetie Belle shoved a spoon in his mouth.

"Open up for Auntie Sweetie Belle~" Sweetie Belle cooed.

'Holy Dog Biscuits!' Patch thought to himself. He then opened his mouth and yelped as the mustard was spicy and he ran down the bridge into the clubhouse and dunked his head in the water.

"I guess I overdid it with the hot sauce." Scootaloo said as she took out a bottle.

"Maybe just a little." Sweetie Belle said.

Patch came back in while panting. "Guh! I am one hot dog."

This made the others laugh since they knew Patch was actually a puppy.

"Hey, I'm funny." Patch smiled.

They continued to play for a while. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were happy to be apart of this and glad that they gave Timber a chance. Sweetie Belle, Atticus, Scootaloo, and Patch decided to leave Apple Bloom and Timber alone.

"So, that's Scootaloo, huh?" Timber asked Apple Bloom. "I'm surprised that she's a pegasus."

"Why are you surprised?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well, from the way you talked about her, I thought she was a chicken." Timber smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, she's been meaning to try to fly," Apple Bloom said. "And where she finally got to fly."

"I'd love to see her fly." Timber agreed.

The two of them soon looked into each others eye's, feeling an urge. Their eyes glowed into each other's. The two of them were now going to want to kiss. Sweetie Belle realized she forgot something and was on her way back into the clubhouse and her jaw dropped as Apple Bloom and Timber had kissed each other on the lips. Unfortunately, Big Mac was going up into the tree house as well to see what was going on. Apple Bloom and Timber smiled to each other. Sweetie Belle was jaw dropped.

Big Mac was shocked, but then yelled out like an overprotective father. "APPLE BLOOM!"

"Big Mac!" Apple Bloom gasped.

"I think I should get going." Timber said.

Apple Bloom looked worried and surprised as Timber rushed away back into his home in the Everfree Forest.

"What's goin' on?" Applejack asked.

Apple Bloom shuffled her hoof.

"Apple Bloom was kissing a stranger." Big Mac told Applejack.

"Big Mac..." Applejack sighed and shook her head. "Ya gotta stop doin' that, yer not our dad."

"It wasn't a stranger, Apple Bloom kissed Timber." Sweetie Belle said.

"Well Ah didn't know who he was and worst of all, he was a timberwolf." Big Mac narrowed his eyes. "Apple Bloom, Ah forbid you to see that creature."

"But Big Mac, Ah love him!" Apple Bloom cried out before gasping as she admitted that.

This caused Applejack, Big Mac, and Sweetie Belle to gasp; only Sweetie Belle's gasp was an excited gasp while Big Mac's and Applejack's gasps were out of shock. Apple Bloom ran away.

"Apple Bloom, come back!" Applejack called out.

12. Chapter 12

Apple Bloom blindly ran into the forest, then stopped as she kept walking. "Ah guess maybe Big Mac is right... Ah'm too young to fall in love, let alone a timberwolf... Besides... Ah'm a blank flank."

"I don't care if you have a cutie mark or not Apple Bloom, because I love you too." Timber said as he had stopped when he heard her cry that she loved him.

"Timber?!" Apple Bloom's eyes widened.

Timber came up in front of her. "I mean it... I've been in love with you ever since I first laid eyes on you."

"Really?" Apple Bloom smiled.

"Yes..." Timber nodded sincerely. "I'm a wolf and you're a pony, love is love."

"Love is magical." Apple Bloom smiled.

"It's a very wonderful thing." Timber smiled back.

"Suddenly Timber~" Apple Bloom randomly sang. "Is standing here beside me~"

Timber smiled while Apple Bloom randomly sang. The two then seemed to have their own musical number which was like Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors. Unknown to them, Timber's father had been watching the whole thing and where he smiled evilly as he would possibly use this to his advantage. Apple Bloom and Timber sat together as they shared a hug and were imagining their futures together.

"Now to ruin their little relationship and start a war between us and the ponies." Timber's father smirked evilly and quietly before he cued a Timberwolf that was by his side to attack Apple Bloom.

The other timberwolf nodded with a dark smile in agreement. "Yes, my Lord."

The other timberwolf soon sprang out with a howl.

Timber gasped.

"Who's that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"That must be Tate..." Timber said to her. "He's my dad's closest partner in the pack, he's like an uncle to me."

Tate charged in and where he was ready to attack the earth filly.

"Get out of here!" Timber helped Apple Bloom out of the forest. "It's not safe here!"

"Ah'm not leaving you!" Apple Bloom told him.

"I can't let you stay here," Timber said with tears in his eyes. "Just go before it's too late!"

"No way, Timber; Ah'm staying Ah love you too much to let anyone hurt you." Apple Bloom said.

"Apple Bloom, please-" Timber pouted.

Tate jumped down right in front of Apple Bloom and snarled loudly in her face.

"Stay away from her!" Timber growled at Tate.

"Timber?!" Tate glared.

Timber backed Tate against the trees. "You heard me!"

"Why, you little twig!" Tate glared.

Apple Bloom looked worried, but did her best to look brave as she came by Timber's side. "He ain't no twig!"

"Apple Bloom, please, get out of here while you still can!" Timber urged the earth filly.

"No way, Ah am staying right here with you." Apple Bloom said.

"Apple-" Timber started.

"Ah'm not letting you alone... Never." Apple Bloom promised firmly.

Timber sighed as he couldn't talk her out of leaving him.

Tate laughed and hit Apple Bloom against a tree. "Stay out of this, Prissy Pony!"

Apple Bloom yelped and hit against the tree before firmly glaring. "Oh, no, y'all DIDN'T!"

Timber gasped before snarling to Tate. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Timber soon attacked Tate. Tate growled as he fought against Timber. Timber might have been young, but he showed he was a great fighter and didn't hold back against Tate. Tate continued to fight until he saw Applejack coming and then he smiled evilly before he rushed off deeper into the forest. Timber growled as he wrestled against Tate, and where he soon saw that Tate managed to escape.

"Where are you?!" Timber snarled.

"Y'all can run, but ya can't hide!" Apple Bloom added in, her mane was messed up and she had some scars on her body, but she didn't care.

They didn't see him anywhere so they decided to go back the same way as Tmber was going to Apple Bloom home, unfortunately Applejack saw her younger sister with scars and where Applejack didn't come alone.

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack's eyes widened.

"Hi, Applejack..." Apple Bloom greeted her older sister.

"Seize that timberwolf!" Princess Celestia ordered her guards as she and the others got the wrong idea.

"What?!" Timber's eyes widened.

The guards then charged for him.

"No, stop!" Apple Bloom cried out.

The guards soon arrested Timber as they thought that he had attacked her.

"Princess-" Apple Bloom spoke up.

"Don't worry, Apple Bloom, he won't hurt you anymore." Princess Celestia promised the young filly.

"But, Princess, he-" Apple Bloom tried to speak.

"This timberwolf will be punished; I promise you that." Princess Celestia said as she and the guards left with Timber as their prisoner.

"But you don't-" Apple Bloom continued.

"Keep her inside." Princess Celestia told Applejack.

"Listen!" Apple Bloom cried out, but she was shut out.

Timber sadly looked out as he was escorted away from Apple Bloom, perhaps, forever.

"Come on, Sugah Cube, let's get you inside." Applejack said.

"But..." Apple Bloom cried out.

Applejack put her front fore leg around Apple Bloom and took her home. Apple Bloom had tears in her eyes as she was walking from Timber who was going to be gratefully punished by the Great and Powerful Princess of Equestria.

"Wait, Applejack, can I, um, see Timber one last time tonight? Please." Apple Bloom begged.

"Ah'm sorry, Apple Bloom, but-" Applejack was about to say.

"Please!" Apple Bloom pleaded. "Just one last time..." she had puppy dog eyes in her face now.

Applejack looked into her eyes, that was always her weakness as an older sister, she then saw she had no choice but to give in. "All right, Sugah Cube, Ah'll see what Ah can do."

"Thank you." Apple Bloom smiled.

Applejack comforted Apple Bloom the best that she could. Applejack soon went to talk to Princess Celestia into letting Apple Bloom speak/see Timber one last time for the night. Princess Luna was rising the moon.

Applejack went with Apple Bloom to the castle. "My little sister wishes to speak with the imprisoned timberwolf." Applejack told the two guards.

"Make it quick.' One of the guards said as they allowed the earth pony filly in.

Applejack then let Apple Bloom go in alone. The guards stepped aside and let Apple Bloom go inside.

Apple Bloom walked in and looked heartbroken as Timber was locked up in a cold, dark room all by himself. Apple Bloom soon came over to him raising his head with her right hoof as his head was hanging from depression.

"Apple Bloom." Timber said.

"Ah'm so sorry." Apple Bloom frowned sadly.

"For what? This? I've been through worst scrapes than this," Timber said before trying to think of when. "Can't think of any right now, but-"

"It would've been better if we never met," Apple Bloom stopped him. "None of this would've happened."

"Apple Bloom, look at me," Timber looked into the filly's orange eyes. "I'd rather die tomorrow than live a thousand moons without knowing you."

"Oh, Timber." Apple Bloom frowned.

"If I never knew you if I never felt this love, I would have no inkling of how precious life can be~" Timber sang. "If I never held you, I would never have a clue how at last I'd find in you the missing part of me~"

They soon heard someone coming in to see that it was Patch, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo as small as ants before they went back to normal size along with some of Fluttershy's squirrels and birds who had seen what actually happened in the forest.

"In this world so full of fear full of rage and lies, I can see the truth so clear in your eyes, so dry your eyes~" Timber continued to sing to Apple Bloom. "And I'm so grateful to you, I have lived my life through lost forever, if I never knew you~"

Apple Bloom and Timber nuzzled against each other with tears in their eyes. Patch, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and the birds and squirrels felt sad about how this was going end or so they thought would happen.

"I thought our love would be so beautiful somehow, we'd make the whole world bright, I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong, all they'd leave us were these whispers in the night~" Apple Bloom sang. "But still my heart is saying; we were right. Oh, if I never knew you~"

"I thought our love would be so beautiful~" Timber sang.

"Somehow we'd make the whole world bright~" Apple Bloom sang.

"I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong, All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night, But still my heart is saying we were right~" Timber and Apple Bloom sang.

"Oh, if I never knew you~" Apple Bloom sang.

"There's no moment I regret~" Timber sang.

"If I never felt this love~" Apple Bloom sang.

"Since the moment that we met~" Timber sang.

"I would have no inkling of~" Apple Bloom sang.

"If our time has gone too fast~" Timber sang.

"How precious life can be...~" Apple Bloom sang.

"I lived at last...~" Timber sang.

Apple Bloom and Timber were about to kiss. Patch was hoping nothing would interrupt this moment between the two young, interspecies, lovers. Unfortunately, Applejack did interrupt them.

"Apple Bloom." Applejack said as her signal to tell her that her time was up.

Apple Bloom sighed while shutting her eyes. "Goodbye, Timber..."

"Goodbye, Apple Bloom." Timber nuzzled against her.

Once they left, Timber was all alone again. Applejack put her arm around Apple Bloom as they went off back home. Tate was secretly watching this in the bushes, once the sisters went off, he then went off back into the forest to report back to Timber's father.

13. Chapter 13

Cherry, Atticus, Mo, and Patch were at a meeting table together with Discord to talk about the strange things going on since they came to Equestria for a visit.

"This is so strange," Discord said. "I mean, who has ever heard of a pony falling in love with a timberwolf?"

"Besides that..." Cherry said as her head was on the table and she looked up. "Haven't you all noticed that the Mane Six has been acting strange? Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Rarity don't have their wings or horns."

"Fluttershy and Boots overslept for feeding the animals their breakfast." Discord added.

"Applejack couldn't buck apples like she used to..." Atticus then said.

"This is so weird." Mo said.

"Hmm..." Patch wondered what could be up.

"Guh..." Cherry put her head on the table. "Can we go now?"

"We can't rest until we get to the bottom of this." Atticus replied maturely.

"Ugh!" Cherry glared to him, looking over tired. "So solve it, Sherlock Holmes before I eat this table!"

"Wait, the first night I met Timber, he said that his father was able to take away Twilight's cutie mark, wings, and horn." Patch said.

"Rarity and Fluttershy's marks and horn and wings started to disappear..." Mo then remembered what happened at the SugarCube Corner.

"Ugh, don't say sugar..." Cherry complained, obviously hungry right now and she had to wait with them before they could get food so they could solve this and then go to bed after dinner.

"And I also saw Pinkie Pie without her cutie mark and acting all mean and not herself." Patch said.

Mo shuddered. "Mean Pinkie Pie... Tell them, Cherry."

"Do I have to?" Cherry shivered.

Flashback

"I could use a laugh..." Cherry was going with Mo to the Cakes' place to visit Pinkie. "But if she tackles me, I swear..."

"Oh, just let her have fun, Pinkie loves you..." Mo comforted.

Cherry took a deep breath and came inside and went into Pinkie's room. "Hey, Pinkie..." She flinched, expecting to get tackled into a super tight hug since Pinkie seemed to love invading her personal space. "I'm feeling kinda bleaker than usual, do you know any good jokes or maybe a song to cheer me up?"

"Pinkie Pie, you here?" Mo asked.

Pinkie had her mane down like it used to be when she lived on the Rock Farm and she glared to the two.

Cherry smiled nervously and walked over. "Hey, Pinkie..."

Pinkie grabbed her and then pulled her into a fight cloud and began to beat her up.

Cherry screamed out in terror. "What happened to claustrophobic hugs?!"

"Pinkie Pie, what was that all about?!" Mo glared.

Pinkie was now pinning down Cherry. "What's the matter?! YA DON'T LIKE ME THIS WAY?! WHY WON'T YOU LIKE ME, CHERRY?!"

Cherry whimpered and shivered nervously.

"Pinkie, that's enough!" Mo glared.

"I'll tell you when she's had enough!" Pinkie glared bakc before continuing to pummel Cherry.

"THE HORROR!" Cherry cried out after her flashback ended. "Make it stop! I'll do anything to make you happy, Pinkie!"

"Okay, I get it..." Atticus stopped her melodrama.

"Cherry, why don't you like Pinkie?" Patch asked.

"I do..." Cherry tapped her front hooves together shyly. "She just... Makes me nervous... She's so touchy feely... So chipper and energetic... So... Happy!"

"And that is bad?" Mo asked, confused.

"Oh, so if anyone else is hurt, it's fine, but if I am it's not?" Cherry narrowed her eyes. "Pinkie invades my personal space! She always touches me, and I hate being touched!"

"We'll tell her to not do it again when she's back to normal." Mo said.

Cherry shuddered about Pinkie Pie, being very scared of her no matter what type of mood she was in.

"Wait, Cherry, are you scared?" Atticus asked.

"Atticus, don't be silly, Cherry's not scared of anything." Patch replied.

"Oh, really?" Atticus asked before he looked up. "Hey, Cherry, is that Drell about to torture you?"

"Oh, ha, ha, very funny..." Cherry deadpanned.

"No, really, Cherry!" Atticus replied. "He's right behind you!"

"I'm not falling for th-" Cherry was about to say.

Drell then came up behind Cherry and whacked her in the back of her head with a frying pan.

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star~..." Cherry mumbled before she blacked out.

"Now, all we have to do is wait for her to wake up and then she'll be terrified and start shaking." Drell said.

"Did you really have to knock her out?" Atticus asked.

"I'm really sorry about that," Drell reassured. "You can beat me to a pulp later if you want, but she was getting hysterical."

"That's not like Cherry." Mo said.

"Cherry scared..." Patch was surprised. "You'd think someone who hangs out at the cemetery all the time wouldn't be scared of anything."

"Wait, maybe Timber's father also took away her cutie mark!" Mo said.

"But Cherry's special talent is writing... Why would it make her fearful?" Patch asked.

"Even I'm confused about that." Mo said.

"Cherry's a goth, she became goth when we turned ten when Lord Ben met Lady Tremaine after Cinderella's mother died, she likes anything scary," Atticus replied. "With fear, Cherry can't be the person she is. I remember it like it was yesterday..."

Flashback

Cherry looked at her colorful clothes and looked disgusted as she then walked off and came back into the mirror in black clothing. "Life is pain... Life is only pain..." she told herself. "I'm just wandering the world without a purpose in my life... Just to make life miserable for those unlike me..." she then left the house.

Atticus was sent to look for Cherry and found her in the cemetery. "Cherry, what're you doing here?"

"I like it here, nobody bothers me..." Cherry said as she appeared to be writing in a notebook as she suddenly looked inspired for writing.

"Um, that's nice?" Atticus said, confused.

Cherry kept writing.

Atticus sat with her. "Man, it's creepy here."

"I know, I kinda like it." Cherry replied.

"That's the most positive thing I've ever heard you say." Atticus laughed.

Cherry glanced at him and continued to write as she seemed to enjoy her new lifestyle. "About time I smile, huh?" she then joked with a small smirk.

"That would be your only smile." Atticus said.

Cherry wrote her dark poetry. Atticus took a look and grimaced at the dark themes, but he looked to his best friend and smiled because she looked happy for the first time in a very long while.

After a while, she finally finished her poetry.

Atticus smiled nervously. "Better?"

"Much!" Cherry smiled gleefully even though she wrote something very dark and depression.

"Great." Atticus said.

End of Flashback

Atticus was still smiling because his best friend was happy back then, but was nothing but a sniveling coward right now.

"It must have something to do with Timber's father." Discord said.

"Do you know anything about Timber's father?" Patch asked the draconequus.

"Only that he's evil and he's been wanting to get rid of the ponies for a while now." Discord said.

"What timberwolf hasn't?" Atticus sighed before looking to Patch since his new best friend was one of those. "Oh! Sorry, Patch."

"It's okay..." Patch replied. "Well, he cna't do it, right, Discord? I mean, timberwolves don't have magic powers."

"Um, that isn't entirely true." Discord said.

"What?" the others asked.

"Some of them have magic..." Drell walked over, knowing himself. "They may be feral compared to the pony folk in this world, but this pack has access to some dark and evil magic that could rival Zecora."

"Oh, my..." Mo frowned.

Discord and Drell nodded.

"How could this have happened?" Mo asked Discord.

"I don't know." Discord said.

"Timber's family can be quite cruel with their own needs and desires..." Drell nodded somberly. "I hear from the grapevines that there is a war going to be planned between ponies and timberwolves."

"But why would they want to plan a war?" Mo asked.

"Timber and Apple Bloom's friendship..." Drell replied. "I mean, a timberwolf and a pony becoming friends? It simply isn't done!"

"Oh, and Discord and Fluttershy's relationship is done?" Patch asked.

"That's different because they know Discord's reformed now and is a father..." Drell replied. "But of course, Discord and Fluttershy have to get married."

"Drell, Apple Bloom and Timber are in love, even if they are different species." Discord said.

"Hey, it's everybody else's rules, not mine." Drell defended.

"Anyways, getting back on the focus at hand/hoof." Atticus said.

"I'm afraid nothing can stop the wolves." Drell frowned somberly.

14. Chapter 14

Meanwhile with Timber's father and his pack...

Tate was coming back over to the pack.

"Ah, Tate, my dear friend." Timber's father greeted.

"Shall we give the pack the breaking news?" Tate asked.

"Care to do the honors?" Timber's father allowed.

"Very well, Titus." Tate nodded.

Timber's father then let Tate have the floor to alert the pack of what has happened.

'Why do I suddenly have a terrible feeling inside me?' Tate thought to himself.

The other wolves then waited anxiously to hear what Tate had to say.

"Erm... Princess Celestia has captured Timber," Tate reported. "We've got to save him! He'd do the same for any of us."

"Tate is right!" one wolf agreed.

"I've tried to warn you, those ponies cannot be trusted!" Titus told them. "My foolish son tried to befriend them and look what they've done with him! So I propose we go back and rescue our courageous comrade. At daybreak, we attack!"

The wolves jeered to this while Tate looked a little guilty.

"What can you expect from filthy little heathens?~" Titus sang. "This what you get when species are diverse.~"

The wolves narrowed their eyes in determination.

"Their cutesy marks make me only see red, They fill me up with dread, They're vermin as I said and worse~" Titus continued.

"They're savages, savages!" the other wolves chanted.

"Barely even human~" Titus continued.

"Savages! Savages!" the wolves continued.

"Drive them from our shore!~" Titus sang. "They're not like you and me, which means they must be evil, we must sound the drums of war~"

"They're savages, savages~" The other wolves chanted. "Dirty shrieking devils~"

"Now we sound the drums of war~" Titus and the pack sang.

The timberwolves were then on their way into Ponyville and out of the Everfree Forest. While they were making their way out, Princess Celestia and her guards/army were getting ready to battle the Timberwolves.

"This is what we feared," Celestia glared sharply. "The wolves are demons, the only thing they feel at all is greed."

"Beneath that woody hide, there's emptiness inside." Flash Sentry said to his fellow guards.

"I wonder if they even bleed!" two guard replied.

"They're savages, savages, barely even human~" the guards chanted. "Savages, savages~"

"Killers at the core." Celestia glared.

"They're different from us, which means they can't be trusted." Flash Sentry said to his fellow guards.

"We must sound the drums of war." Celestia told them as she wore her battle armor.

Timber watched the guards go to attack his kind as he felt he only had himself to blame.

"Let's go kill a few, men!" one wolf proclaimed.

"Now it's up to you, men!" Titus added in.

The wolves and ponies were now ready to attack each other to destroy one's species.

Apple Bloom was holed up in her room and looked very miserable as she was with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Granny Smith while Applejack and Big Mac were off to help in the war.

"They're going to kill him at sunrise, Granny." Apple Bloom frowned.

"You have to stop them." Granny Smith replied.

"Ah can't." Apple Bloom shook her head.

"Sugah Cube, remember your dream-" Granny Smith said.

"Ah was wrong, Granny," Apple Bloom pouted. "Ah followed the wrong path, Ah feel so lost."

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Patch all comforted Apple Bloom the best that they could. Fluttershy's squirrels soon came in, carrying what looked like a wooden compass and where they brought it to Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom looked to the compass and looked over down to it. "A compass?"

Winona urged for Apple Bloom to look closer.

"The spinning arrow..." Apple Bloom then said.

'It's the arrow from yer dream!" Granny Smith told her granddaughter.

"Ah was right, it was pointing to him." Apple Bloom smiled suddenly the front door opened and where the wind started to blow all around Apple Bloom, causing the arrow in the compass to start spinning and where they saw the sun rising.

Apple Bloom knew exactly what she needed to do.

"You want us to come with you?" Scootaloo asked Apple Bloom.

"Yeah, we can come with you." Sweetie Belle added with a smile.

"It might be wise." Granny Smith agreed.

"Let's go then," Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes in determination and put her hoof in.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo did the same.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders stop a war!" the three fillies cheered before dashing off.

"I'm coming with!" Patch told them as he rushed off to catch up with the girls.

"This will be the day," Titus said and looked to his pack. "Let's go, pack!"

The pack then followed him out of the Everfree Forest.

"This will be the morning," Princess Celestia said before looking to her guards. "Bring out the prisoner!"

Two of the guards soon brought Timber out to take him to his death.

"We will see them dying in the dust." The guards said.

"Ah don't know what we can do, Still Ah know we've got to try~" Apple Bloom sang as she ran with Patch, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

"Now, we make them pay~" Titus and the pack sang.

"Mother help our feet to fly!" Apple Bloom sang.

"Now without a warning~" Flash Sentry and the other guards sang.

"Father help our hearts be great!" Apple Bloom sang.

"Now we leave them blood and bone and rust." Celestia and her army said.

"Apples in the family before us~..." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sang.

"It's them or us!" Titus and his pack growled.

"Please don't let it be too late!" Apple Bloom cried out as she pursued with her friends.

"They're just a bunch of filthy, stinking savages," Celestia and her army glared. "Savages!"

"Demons." The pack said.

"Kill them!" Titus exclaimed before calling. "What are you waiting for?"

"Destroy their evil race until there's not a trace left~" Celestia and Titus sang.

"How loud are the drums of war?~" Apple Bloom sang as she ran with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Patch.

"Now we see what comes of trying to be chums." Celestia, her army, Titus and his pack said.

Timber was being placed in front of Celestia for her to do the finishing blow. Celestia narrowed her eyes as her horn charged up to get rid of Timber once and for all.

"Now we sound the drums of War!" the others sang.

"Is this the death of all the love I carried in the drumming of...?" Apple Bloom lunged forward and stood in front of Timber as Celestia's horn was about to waste Timber away. "NO! If you kill him, y'all have to kill me too!"

"Apple Bloom, please stand back." Celestia told the earth pony filly.

"Ah won't!" Apple Bloom replied bravely and firmly. "Ah love him, Princess Celestia!"

"What?" Celestia asked in shock.

This shocked everyone else, as well as Titus's pack.

"Look around you, Princess, this where the path of hatred has brought us!" Apple Bloom told her before hugging Timber. "This is the path that Ah chose, Princess, what will yours be?"

Princess Celestia looked around as everyone looked anxious about Timber's fate, but she then spoke again. "This young filly speaks with wisdom beyond her years," she then said. "We have all come here with anger in our hearts, but she comes with courage and understanding. From this day forward, if there is to be more killing, it will not start with me," she then looked to Flash Sentry as he had restrained the young timberwolf pup. "Release him."

Flash Sentry bowed and let Timber go free. And where Timber and Apple Bloom soon hugged each other happy that he didn't die. The pack seemed to not take this as their advantage unlike their leader.

"Now's our chance!" Titus commanded his pack. "ATTACK!"

"No!" Tate glared at Titus.

"What?" Titus looked back.

"They let him go," Tate defended the ponies. "They don't want to fight."

"It's a trick, don't you see?" Titus glared. "ATTACK!"

His pack didn't seem to follow his orders.

"Oh, fine, I'll do it myself!" Titus glared as he got his magic ready so he could use to blast Celestia and take away her power over the sun.

"NO!" Timber jumped in to take the blast for Princess Celestia, and where he jumped in just in time as the magic blast was fired and where he was hit.

"I never should have kidnapped that pup if he was going to get in the way." Titus glared before covering his mouth.

"What?!" the others asked in shock.

"W-What I mean, is..." Titus said, trying to explain.

The pack started to turn on Titus.

"You're not even my real father?" Timber demanded.

"Nope." Titus shook his head.

Timber glared with tears in his eyes. "You are not my father..."

"No, I am not," Titus said. "But Tate is."

"Uncle Tate?" Timber asked.

"I'm sorry, Timber, but Titus wanted an heir and he took you from me when you were born after you mother died when you were born." Tate explained.

"And besides, he couldn't raise you like I've been trying to and besides that, he's weak." Titus smirked.

Tate glared, feeling angry and hurt from Titus's words.

"Leave him alone!" Timber snarled.

"Just as worthless as your mother!" Titus snarled back.

That was the final straw as Tate wasn't going to let Titus get away with that.

"Perhaps you should join her and rot in Tartarus where you belong!" Titus snarled as he was about to swat Timber with his razor sharp paw.

Tate soon tackled Titus, ready to take him on and where everyone stood back.

"Looks like he's challenging Titus to a Timberwolf battle." One of the Timberwolves said.

Timber took Apple Bloom and went in the back with her, Patch, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

"Princess Celestia, what's going on?" Twilight asked.

"These two are going into a Timberwolf Battle; it's how they choose a new leader of their pack." Princess Celesatia told her prized student.

"Should we do something?" Spike asked.

"It's best to not get involved." Princess Celestia replied.

"You really want to do this, Brother?" Titus asked before grunting as he tried to get free.

"I've gotten stronger over the years." Tate told him.

"It was nice knowing you..." Titus sneered.

Titus and Tate continued to fight this fight seemed like when Simba fought Scar. Timber and Apple Bloom held each other in worry.

15. Chapter 15

It was a long battle, but in the end, Tate was able to win. Tate pushed Titus upward with his back hind legs and bounced Titus away and sent him crashing against a wall. And where usually a Timberwolf would form back together, but Titus didn't. Timber cringed as he buried his face behind Apple Bloom's back, but she held him in comfort.

Tate breathed heavily, then settled down from the fight before coming back to the pup. "It's okay, Timber, it's all over."

Timber soon looked up to his true father who was now getting his magic ready to return somethings to some ponies.

Tate hugged Timber. "Excuse me a moment."

Timber nodded and let him go. Tate then had his front paws glow as he sent an energy sphere up to the clouds which then shined down on the ponies and they were being restored back to normal.

"Wahoo! We're back to normal!" Pinkie Pie cheered as she appeared out of nowhere.

Cherry blinked and then narrowed her eyes. Pinkie then tackled Cherry into a tight hug. Cherry's eyes squeezed from her head slightly. Applejack looked down until she got her cutie mark back and she jumped up with joy and bucked against a tree which made apples successfully fall. Twilight flew in the air successfully and her magic worked wonders. The ponies all cheered as they were all cured.

"Scootaloo?" a guard's voice asked, he removed his helmet to show cherry red mane with a white coat and sapphire blue eyes.

"D-Daddy...?" Scootaloo whispered.

"Yes, sweetie, it's me." The white coat Pegasus smiled.

Scootaloo ran to the pegasus stallion and they shared a tearful hug.

"I've missed you so much." Scootaloo smiled with tears in her eyes.

"I've missed you too, my little Scoots~" Scootaloo's father cooed.

"What's going on, Spectrum?" Flash Sentry walked over, then stopped and smiled at the sight. "Oh, I see."

Discord soon looked at the ring box he had before he went over to Fluttershy.

"Such a wonderful ending for everyone in the end." Fluttershy smiled.

"I think it's about to get better, Mama." Boots smiled back.

Fluttershy looked back as she saw Discord approaching her.

"Um, Fluttershy, I-I have something to ask you." Discord said.

"Yes, Discord?" Fluttershy replied.

"I really like..." Discord rubbed the back of his head shyly. "The skillful way... You feed your animals and keep them in line."

"Oh, oh, Discord~" Fluttershy blushed.

Discord took Fluttershy as he went around with her and the chorus sang with him. "The river was deep, but I swam it~"

"Fluttershy~" Cherry, Atticus, and Mo droned.

"There's a fire in my heart and you fan it~" Discord smiled.

"Fluttershy~"

"So please don't tell me to can it~"

"Fluttershy~"

"There's one thing I have to say and that's darn it, Fluttershy, I love you~" Discord smiled. "Here's the ring to prove I'm no joker, there's three ways that love can go, That's good, bad, or mediocre, Oh! Flutter-Shy-I-Love-You-So!"

Fluttershy squealed at the ring.

'He's finally proposing.' Atticus thought to himself.

Fluttershy and Discord flew high in the air together and chased each other through the clouds which made the clouds turn into heart shapes as they passed the other pegasi in the air.

"Aw, love." Mo smiled.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Cherry grumbled.

"Yep, she's back." Atticus smirked.

Cherry shuddered in disgust of the love fest. After a while, Discord finally asked Fluttershy the big question after the song. Fluttershy then accepted which put everyone in a big cheer.

Later on...

Tate was comforting Timber after Titus was no more and there was peace restored into Equestria, and where the Timberwolves and the ponies were no longer enemies.

"So, you're my dad?" Timber asked Tate.

"Yes," Tate nodded. "I really am... Titus was the leader of our pack and he wanted an heir... He then heard that your mother was pregnant, so when you were born, he took you in as his own."

"Why didn't you stop him?" Timber frowned.

"I'm afraid he was too strong and that wasn't the wisest thing to do..." Tate frowned back. "Your mother learned that the hard way."

"What happened?" Timber asked.

"Titus killed her..." Tate frowned.

"S-So, I'll never get to meet her?" Timber frowned back.

"I'm sorry, Timber..." Tate soothed him.

Timber hugged him with tears in his eyes.

"Ah know how ya feel..." Apple Bloom's voice said.

Tate and Timber looked to the filly.

"My parents died when Ah was just a foal..." Apple Bloom replied. "It can be tough, but there's always family ya do have even if ya really wanna see 'em no matter what, but they are in your heart and dreams, ya just can't see 'em with yer eyes."

Timber smiled as Apple Bloom understood how it felt to not have a family member with you. Apple Bloom smiled back. Tate soon smirked playfully before clearing his throat. Apple Bloom and Timber then blushed, looking back to Tate sheepishly.

"Mind introducing to me your girlfriend, son?" Tate smirked playfully.

Apple Bloom giggled sheepishly.

Ta-Erm... Dad, this is Apple Bloom." Timber introduced.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Apple Bloom," Tate smiled. "And I'm sorry for attacking you both."

"It's okay..." Apple Bloom smiled back.

"Are you sure you're old enough for school?" Tate smirked gnetly. "You look like a grown mare."

"Ah do not," Apple Bloom giggled. "Ah'm the youngest with a brother an' sister."

"Well, still I would have to say you're the most beautiful between you and your sister." Tate smiled.

Apple Bloom blushed to that. "Thank ya, sir."

"You remind me of a very special pegasus filly..." Tate replied. "Her name was Snowdrop, she was blind in sight, but she could see with her heart and she did all she could and created the world's first snowflake."

"Amazing." Apple Bloom smiled.

"Indeed, she was." Luna said.

The others looked to see as Princess Luna approached them.

"She was amazing and she was my friend." Luna said.

"How is she?" Tate smiled to Luna. "I miss her so much."

"Whoa, wait," Timber spoke up. "Dad, you were friends with a pony?"

"Why of course, my boy," Tate replied. "Where do you think you got it from?"

Timber smiled bashfully in response.

"So, where is Snowdrop, Yer Highness?" Apple Bloom smiled.

"She comes and goes," Princess Luna replied. "Perhaps you would like to meet her?"

Apple Bloom and Timber smiled and nodded.

There was then a gust of cold wind and the clouds opened up to show a silver filly with white curly mane who was coming down.

"She's still a filly?" Timber asked. "If she made the first snowflake, wouldn't that make her much older today?"

"We gave Snowdrop a special gift in exchange for her gift to us," Princess Luna replied. "She is forever young."

Snowdrop was able to walk up to the two. "It's nice to meet and see you two."

"I thought ya were just a story." Apple Bloom smiled to Snowdrop.

"Nope, I'm real." Snowdrop smiled.

"Is it great to be young forever?" Timber smiled back.

"It can be enjoyable sometimes..." Snowdrop replied. "Hello, Tate, long time no see."

"Hey, Snow." Tate smiled to the pegasus.

"Apple Bloom! Discord and Fluttershy are going to finally get married!" Sweetie Belle smiled.

"What? Really?!" Apple Bloom beamed.

"Yeah, he just asked her and she said yes!" Scootaloo grinned.

"Wahoo!" Timber and Apple Bloom cheered.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo cheered with them.

"How long do you think it'll take for the wedding?" Tate asked Princess Luna and Snowdrop.

"Oh, knowing Discord, probably... Seconds." Princess Luna said before giggling.

And where it did take seconds after they had planned on where to have the wedding and who would be in charge of what.

"I hope Fluttershy doesn't turn into a bridezilla..." Twilight said as she stood with Atticus and levitated a checklist while checking the boxes with her horn.

"I'm sure she won't." Atticus said.

Twilight did more checks. "That should do it for now."

"And luckily this won't start off like the Canterlot Wedding Changeling Attack Fiasco." Atticus said.

"Yep." Twilight agreed, setting the checklist down for now.

"I can't believe I'm gonna meet Fluttershy's family..." Atticus said. "I mean, I don't know what to expect!"

"Well, she has a brother for one thing." Twilight began.

"That's good." Atticus smiled.

"Just expect him to start bragging and being annoying." Rainbow Dash sighed.

"Oh, he can't be that bad..." Atticus replied.

"Wanna bet?" Rainbow Dash snorted.

"He tried to stay with my parents." Fluttershy said.

"Well, I'm ready for him no matter what." Atticus promised.

"Uncle Zephyr is strange." Boots replied.

"Oh, joy." Rainbow Dash sighed.

"Can't be worse than Drell." Cherry smirked before laughing out loud.

Drell came right behind her with a gown and suit in his hooves. Cherry kept laughing until she then shut her mouth.

"You say-" Drell was about to ask.

"Uh, no, no, I didn't say anything." Cherry smiled nervously.

"Cherry, please, let him finish his question." Atticus said.

"Never mind..." Drell rolled his eyes. "Can somebody help me with measurements? Skippy's having trouble."

"We'll do it." Mo said as she walked by with Rarity.

"Ah, excellent!" Drell smiled and threw them the gown and suit. "You can do the clothes, ladies!"

"We shall do our best." Rarity said.

"Chop chop!" Drell clapped his hooves together.

Mo and Rarity then went to work on the gown and suit.

"Atticus, I want you to give a speech." Drell put his hoof on the male alicorn's shoulder.

"Say what now?" Atticus asked. "I didn't know I had to give a speech."

"You did when I decided." Drell smiled boastfully.

Cherry giggled.

"And Cherry, we can't wait for your song." Drell then said.

"EEK!" Cherry's eyes widened.

"What kind of speech am I supposed to give?" Atticus asked.

"Oh, just a toast to the bride and groom." Drell replied.

"Why do I have to do it?" Atticus asked.

"Skippy was gonna do it, but, he's got a frog in his throat." Drell said.

"He still can't speak, can he?" Atticus asked.

"You make it sound like I make fun of him for not being able to talk." Drell said before cracking up laughing.

"Oh, brother." Atticus sighed.

Drell kept laughing. Skippy glared before pouting and looking self conscious about not being able to talk. Atticus soon sighed before he started to write down a speech.

"Why do I have to sing?!" Cherry glared at Drell.

"Hey, you have to get over your stage fright sooner or later." Drell told her.

Cherry shivered nervously. "I hate public attention."

"Why not let someone else sing?" Patch asked.

Drell just walked away.

Cherry stuck her tongue out at him, then sighed shakily. "I hate him."

"You know with our medallions, they can even let us use spells to make one of us look like the other in case one of us doesn't want to sing." Mo smiled.

Cherry backed away.

"Ah, have a sense of adventure!" Mo reached out and pulled Cherry right back.

"I don't know." Cherry said.

Mo soon used the magic of her medallion to change herself into Cherry.

"What're you doing?!" Cherry asked.

"Believe it or not, but I have a nice singing voice." Mo smiled.

Cherry seemed to like this idea as she soon used her magic from her medallion and where she soon changed into Mo. The two then shook hooves in agreement for this.

16. Chapter 16

Boots was the flower filly and Patch was a ring bearer.

Rainbow Dash was the best mare since she was closer with Fluttershy than anybody else in the Mane Six, and the one who would marry them would be Princess Luna.

Mr. Shy had his arm linked with Fluttershy. "My little girl."

"Oh, Daddy..." Fluttershy smiled.

"Hello, Mr. Shy." Mo greeted.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you..." Mr. Shy replied as soft and gentle as his daughter.

"It's so nice to finally meet some of Fluttershy's family..." Mo smiled. "I've wondered about you all."

"The Mrs and I don't get out much." Mr. Shy replied.

"You both must be busy with your jobs." Atticus said.

Mr. Shy shuffled his front hoof.

"I see where Flutters get it." Mo commented as Mr. Shy seemed even more shy than his own daughter.

"So, what exactly do you and your wife do?" Atticus asked.

"Oh, we're retired now, but Mrs. Shy would help me in the Weather Factory." Mr. Shy replied.

"Cool." Atticus smiled.

"Oh, yes, it was a lovely time..." Mrs. Shy said as she walked by. "That's even how we met."

"Aw!" Mo smiled.

Mr. and Mrs. Shy smiled shyly to each other.

"Dad!" Rainbow Dash gasped as she ran to her father.

"Hey, how's Dad's Little Flyer doin'?" Rainbow Blaze chuckled as he hugged his daughter back.

"Wow, everyone must be coming to the wedding." Patch smiled.

"Sure looks like it," Spike agreed with a sad smile. "Everypony's families."

"Are you okay, Spike?" Patch noticed the baby dragon seemed upset.

"Uh, I'll be okay..." Spike replied. "Uh, excuse me, I think I should check on Rarity..." he then zipped away, but Patch could had sworn he heard tears.

"Spike's father and sister should be here any minute now." Celestia said.

"Hm?" Patch looked over.

"I've contacted them," Celestia replied. "Spike has been left out lately since the family things and he knows that he isn't a pony like everyone else around here and belongs somewhere else, so I found out about his natural family: Hugo and Penelope."

"Um, Celestia, does Spike have a powerful dragon power in him?" Atticus asked.

This caused for Celestia to become wide-eyed.

"Is that a yes?" Cherry asked, noticing Celestia's expression.

"Yes, there is a powerful dragon-like power inside of Spike." Celestia confirmed.

"Well, duh," Cherry replied. "He's a dragon after all."

"Yes, but his dragon power is the Ultimate Dragon Power," Celestia said. "And it's locked away inside him."

A while later...

Spike wiped his eyes and sighed sadly. "I wonder who they are... How they are... If they even miss me...?"

"AVALANCHE!" a voice called out.

Spike stood up until he was then tackled into a hug.

"Oh, my gosh, it's so great to finally meet you!" a young female dragon hugged Spike tightly in her arms.

"I'm sorry, but have we met before?" Spike asked.

"I'm your sister!" the young female dragon announced.

"Sister?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, my name's Penelope, we have a LOT of catching up to do!" the dragon replied in excitement.

"We sure do, but first, can you let me breathe?!" Spike gasped.

"Oops," Penelope giggled nervously and let him out of the hug. "Sorry."

"Wait, if you're my sister, then that must mean I have a family!" Spike smiled.

"Uh-huh!" Penelope beamed. "Father, I found him!"

They soon saw an adult male purple dragon flying in.

"Who's that?" Spike asked.

"That would be our father." Penelope told him.

"Wow..." Spike smiled. "He's amazing!"

"I know, right?" Penelope smiled back.

Hugo then flew down and came in front of the two. Spike then noticed his father and sister had wings, but he didn't. His mother must've not had wings.

"I see your wings haven't sprouted out yet." Hugo said before removing some of Spike's scales to reveal wings.

"I have wings?" Spike asked.

"Yes," Hugo replied. "You see, your wings were just covered from those extra scales."

Spike took a look and smiled. "Hey, you're right."

"Of course I'm right, I'm your father." Hugo chuckled.

"So, how strong is your fire, Spike?" Penelope asked.

"Uh, I kinda can't let it out when I want to, it usually just comes out by surprise." Spike replied.

"You must not be in control of it then." Hugo said.

Spike smiled shyly.

"We'll have to fix that." Hugo said as he roughly patted Spike on the head.

"And looks like I've got to get stronger." Spike groaned.

Hugo and Penelope chuckled to that.

Night Light and Twilight Velvet came to see Twilight of course as the wedding was coming together. Cherry was talking with Pinkie Pie's sister Maud until her other two sisters would come with their parents and the two seemed to get along just fine due to being very similar in personality even though Cherry wasn't a fan of rocks like Maud was. Shining Armor and Princess Cadence were also there.

"Should we tell them?" Shining Armor asked his wife.

"Today's all about Fluttershy and Discord, we should wait." Cadence smiled.

Shining Armor then nodded in agreement.

"But I think you should go and give Atticus his punishment." Cadance smirked playfully.

"You think so?" Shining Armor smirked back.

Cadence nodded. "Go for it."

Shining Armor nodded back as he knew what to do with Atticus. Cadence then let him go as she decided to catch up with Twilight and the two did their secret handshake ever since Twilight was a little filly.

"Where's Shining Armor?" Twilight asked after they did their secret handshake.

"Oh, he just has to talk with Atticus about something," Cadence smiled. "I guess they're like brothers."

"Like how we're like sisters." Twilight smiled back.

"So true." Cadence beamed.

Shining Armor soon went over to Atticus to give him a punishment for calling Twilight 'Twily' since he was the only one to call her that since he was her brother, but of course, this would be a playful punishment.

"Whoa!" Atticus yelped.

"My Twily, nopony else's." Shining Armor laughed.

"Oh, so you heard I've been calling her that?" Atticus asked, playfully nervous.

"Yep." Shining Armor replied.

"Well, she's like a sister to me..." Atticus defended.

"Fair point," Shining Armor said. "So then that means we're brothers and you know what that means."

"You gonna tackle me?" Atticus asked like he were expecting that.

"That, and give you a noogie." Shining Armor smirked.

"Oh, boy..." Atticus said.

"Come 'ere!" Shining Armor laughed before then doing what he said he was going to do.

Atticus decided to let him tackle him to the ground so then it would be fair. Shining Armor and Atticus laughed as Twilight and Cadence smiled to that. Cadence looked extra tired and hungry which made the others worry, but she reassured them that she was fine. Patch soon brought her over some food.

"Thanks, Patch." Cadence said before seeming to gobble down the food instead of eating it simply.

Patch grimaced. Cadence smiled as she then looked relieved. Patch smiled back before backing away slowly.

Pinkie put her arm around Cherry. "Cherry, these are my parents, Ma and Pa Pie."

"Erm, hello..." Cherry smiled nervously to the dull and stoic looking couple who raised the bright and cheerful Pinkie Pie.

"Hello." Ma and Pa Pie greeted.

"This is Cherry," Pinkie pushed out the perky goth to her parents. "Isn't she amazing?!"

Cherry blinked to the dull couple.

Pinkie giggled as she then walked off. "I'll let you all get acquainted."

'Wow, I never thought I would ever meet a dull couple.' Cherry thought to herself.

'Wow, I never thought I would meet a dull pony.' Igneous Rock Pie thought to himself while Cloudy Quartz seemed to stare blankly into Cherry's eyes.

"I think I preferred your daughter's company." Cherry said nervously.

"Why?" Cloudy Quartz asked.

Cherry then backed away. "Uh, I'll see ya later," she then ran away. "THIS FAMILY IS INSANE!"

"Let me guess, ya met the parents, right?" Applejack asked Cherry.

Cherry nodded. "You've met them, AJ?"

"Yup." Applejack nodded.

"Oh, boy..." Cherry muttered.

"Ah coulda sworn Granny was tryin' to hit on Igneous." Applejack muttered, remembering that Hearth's Warming she and the family spent with the Pies.

"You mean the one that was dull just like his wife?" Cherry asked.

"Yup." Applejack replied.

"Wonder where she got that idea from?" Cherry grumbled slightly, glancing back at Pinkie's very boring parents.

"So, Spike, how are you doing with your dad and sister?" Patch asked.

"Oh, it's amazing!" Spike smiled. "I can't believe they're finally here!"

"And I noticed that you have wings." Patch smiled.

"Yeah, I didn't know I had wings myself." Spike replied as he expanded them to show them.

"Cool." Patch smiled.

Spike smiled smugly. "Looks like Twilight won't be the only flyer in the family."

"Yeah." Patch laughed a little.

Twilight overheard that and had a small smirk as she talked with her parents.

17. Chapter 17

Later that night...

"Tomorrow's the big day..." Fluttershy said. "Now remember, Boots, Mama and Daddy can't see each other until the wedding, it's a very important tradition. So who would you like to spend the day with until the reception?"

"Daddy." Boots said.

"All right..." Fluttershy gently patted Boots on the head. "Have fun."

"I know I will." Boots smiled to her adoptive mother. She soon went to stay with Discord.

Fluttershy hugged Boots and let her go. Everybody then went to sleep and the next morning, it was all about the wedding between Fluttershy and Discord at last, and where it was a wedding no one would want to miss.

"I wish Mom could see this." Rainbow Dash smiled to her father.

"Oh, it's okay, she can see from where she is..." Rainbow Blaze soothed his daughter before sighing softly. "Ah, Bismuth, if only you could be here with us in person."

"This is so exciting." Boots smiled.

"You remember what to do?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah, I come down the aisle with Patch and I put flowers everywhere." Boots nodded.

"Good." Scootaloo smiled.

Boots smiled back. "I can't believe this is really happening."

"Maybe you'll get a little brother or sister." Apple Bloom encouraged.

Boots looked shy then. "Hopefully~"

"Sure you will." Sweetie Belle said.

Boots took a deep breath. Sweetie Belle then handed Boots a cup of water with her horn. Boots soon took a drink of the water. The others smiled as they wished Boots good luck. The girls' parents then came to take them while Boots had to stay where she was.

'It's finally happening.' Boots thought to herself.

Forte played an opening song for Discord as he walked down the aisle by himself while Fluttershy would be walked down with her father and Boots and Patch.

"Nervous?" Patch smiled to Boots.

"Excited." Boots smiled back.

"Good!" Patch smiled as he stood next to her and held out the pillow with the rings.

Boots beamed as she took the flower basket.

Mr. Shy came over to his daughter and held out his hoof for her so he could walk he down the aisle as was tradition for father of the bride. "I can't believe you're getting married." The pegasus stallion smiled to his daughter with tears in his eyes.

"It doesn't bother you about who he is, does it?" Fluttershy replied.

"Of course not," Mr. Shy said, wiping away his tears. "As long as you're happy, I'm happy."

"Oh, Daddy..." Fluttershy cooed as she hugged him.

Mr. Shy sniffled, hugging her right back. "My little filly~"

A while later, the wedding continued. Forte played the Wedding March which made everypony stand up. Mr. Shy then walked Fluttershy down the aisle as Discord, Boots, Patch, and Luna were waiting for her arrival. Discord seemed to be a little nervous.

"Yay, Flutters!" Derpy smiled to her best friend from Cloudsdale.

Fluttershy and Mr. Shy soon arrived at the end of the aisle. Mr. Shy hesitated, but he then soon let go of Fluttershy and the song ended which allowed everyone to sit back down and Princess Luna began the speech to marry Fluttershy and Discord at last.

'I can't wait to see how Cherry reacts.' Drell thought to himself devilishly.

Cherry was pacing around nervously in the back while Mo was looking over the song's sheet music and lyrics.

"Alright, I've got the whole song memorized." Mo said.

"Okay, now get ready to go out there and wow them." Cherry replied.

"I sure will." Mo said before using her medallion's magic to make her look like Cherry.

Cherry was then made to look like Mo.

"There you are!" Drell glared. "Get out of here, you fraidy cat!" he then grabbed Mo and yanked her out.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Mo said, sounding like Cherry.

"You better be.." Drell said as he dragged her by the tail. "And I don't want any excuses, Little Miss Doomy and Gloomy."

"Yes, sir." Mo groaned.

"Before the vows, we have a song provided to us by Cherry." Princess Luna announced with a smile.

The spotlight then shined on Mo by a microphone with Forte at the keyboard as always.

'Here goes nothing.' Mo thought to herself.

Forte played the music while Mo sang along in her beautiful and angelic voice which only a few have heard.

"I did not see that coming." Drell said.

The others seemed to smirk at Drell as he was proved wrong about 'Cherry's' singing. After a while, the song was done. The others then applauded and Mo gave a bow to the crowd. Atticus of course knew since he was one of the lucky few who knew Mo's true singing voice.

"Curses." Drell whispered.

Mo and Cherry then switched again and Cherry went back out for another bow. Drell gritted his teeth which made him chip a tooth out of karma.

"Looks like karma wasn't being kind to you." Atticus whispered to Drell with a smirk.

Drell rubbed his mouth before fixing his tooth with his magic. Princess Luna then went down to business and it was now time for the important questions for Fluttershy and Discord, and where they would both obviously have the right answers.

"Do you Fluttershy, take Discord to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Luna asked.

"I do." Fluttershy nodded.

"And do you, Discord, take Fluttershy, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Luna then asked.

"I do." Discord smiled.

"And by the power vested in me, in the world of Equestria, I hereby now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride." Luna replied.

Fluttershy and Discord soon kissed. This made everypony cheer in excitement for the happy couple. Mr. and Mrs. Shy smiled with tears in their eyes.

'At least Atticus will have his turn to do his speech.' Drell thought to himself.

"We will now have a speech from Atticus." Luna then told the crowd.

"You're up." Drell said as the strong male alicorn went up to do his speech.

Atticus hid an eye roll, then took a deep breath as he had a couple of papers levitating from his horn.

"I wonder how his speech will be?" Patch whispered.

Atticus took a deep breath and made a speech about love and how special and important it was for many and how Fluttershy and Discord were perfect together, evil if Discord was once evil and he will give them a chance which reflected from prejudging Timber for becoming Patch's friend without giving the timberwolf a chance.

"Nice." Drell whispered.

Atticus smiled and finished up which made everyone cheer and it was now time for cake and dancing.

"Yay! Cake!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

"Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!" Pound and Pumpkin Cake chanted as they pounded on the table together while sitting with their parents, but it seemed to break slightly since Pound was doing it.

"Wait, did Pound and Pumpkin say a new word?" Mo asked.

"Why, I believe they did..." Mrs. Cake noticed.

"Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!" the twins continued to chant.

"I think we better get to the cake before they start having a tantrum." Patch said.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake nodded in agreement as their twins chanted and demanded to have some of the wedding cake. Fluttershy cut the cake with Discord's help and everyone was then given their own slice. The Cake twins soon got to enjoy their slices of cake.

"Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!" Pound and Pumpkin smiled before eating their slices of cake.

"Those two are going to be best friends when they grow up." Patch smiled.

"Let's hope so." Boots agreed as Pound and Pumpkin were close for twins.

"I wonder what it would be like if we had twins?" Mo smirked to Atticus.

"Let's test that theory a little later." Atticus smiled nervously.

"In which room?" Mo smirked.

"Mo, please..." Atticus smiled shyly.

"Oh, come on, Atticus," Mo said before she smirked playfully. "Why don't you want to do it? Is the big strong Wiccan scared?"

"No, of course not!" Atticus replied.

"So then, what do you say?" Mo smirked.

"We'll do it in my room after the wedding." Atticus whispered to her.

"Excuse me?!" Cherry overheard that.

Atticus and Mo glanced at her for eavesdropping.

"What? I have super hearing..." Cherry replied. "I'm like a dog."

"Well, our conversation is between us." Mo said.

"What about me?" Cherry asked.

"Cherry," Atticus rolled his eyes. "Stop being a third wheel... I have a girlfriend now."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Cherry walked away. "Don't let me stop you to-" she then looked back to see Atticus and Mo had then gone to be somewhere alone together. "Where'd they go?"

"They left like 15.40 seconds ago." Patch replied.

"Thank you, Patch!" Cherry deadpanned.

"Just trying to help." Patch said.

Cherry rolled her eyes. Forte came up to Cherry and took her front hooves to dance with her, not even getting her permission.

"And looks like someone wants to dance with you." Patch smirked.

"Maestro..." Cherry glared.

"I know you hate to dance, but at least let me teach you..." Forte said as he held her.

"Fine, but nothing funny." Cherry warned.

"Nothing funny." Forte said.

Cherry glared as they danced together. The wedding went on for a while.

Eventually, it had to come to an end and Fluttershy and Discord were going on a carriage with Boots away to their honeymoon/first family vacation. Fluttershy, of course, had the bouquet to toss. She held out her flowers, then turned around and threw it in the air and every mare jumped up to reach the bouquet, and where luckily, the mare who caught it, was Twilight.

"Hey pal, looks like it could be your turn next." Shining Armor smirked as he gently punched Flash Sentry in a playful way.

"Who knows?" Flash smiled sheepishly.

"Especially since he already proposed to her." Atticus whispered.

"Shh." Mo shushed with a giggle.

Atticus chuckled himself.

18. Chapter 18

After the wedding, Atticus and the others soon left to get back home. The others were sad to see them go, but they understood and hoped they would come back again soon.

Cherry yawned. "Boy, am I exhausted."

"I think me and Atticus are going to be a bit busy in his room." Mo said.

"Gross..." Cherry cringed.

Atticus and Mo soon went to his room. Cherry went straight home as she was very exhausted from the adventure in Equestria which lasted longer than the others. Patch soon went to sleep in the living room so then Mo and Atticus can have their alone time. Forte soon went home next.

"So, are you ready?" Atticus smirked at Mo.

Mo rubbed her arm nervously while turning bright red. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Atticus confirmed.

"Well... Okay... Let's try it." Mo said.

Atticus nodded and carried her in his arms like a bride. He soon brought her over to his bed for them to have sex. Patch's eyes widened. Mo and Atticus stared back. Patch backed away slowly and shut the door so they could have some privacy.

"Um, shall we continue?" Mo asked.

"Yes." Atticus nodded.

The two then began to make love to each other.

Patch came downstairs, went out the backyard door, and went to go see Colette, and he soon came into the Brown house. Colette sighed as she sat alone rather boredily.

"Hey, mind if I come in?" Patch poked his head out through the loose board in the fence.

"Patch!" Colette shot straight up then.

"Did ya miss me?" Patch smiled.

"Only a whole lot." Colette smiled back before nuzzling against him.

Patch nuzzled back.

"So, how long can you stay?" Colette asked.

"As long as you'd like." Patch smiled.

"What about Atticus?" Colette asked.

"He's a little tied up..." Patch said with a small smirk.

"Are he and Mo mating?" Colette asked.

Patch smiled nervously. "Yes."

"I thought humans had to be married to do that." Colette replied.

"Some do it before..." Patch chuckled sheepishly.

"Ooh." Colette smiled.

Patch smiled back to her.

"I've missed you..." Colette rubbed up against him.

"I've missed you too." Patch replied as he rubbed back against her.

Colette and Patch hummed together before they then started to cuddle against each other and ended up in the old doghouse. Patch even seemed to put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door, and where they both soon also had their alone time.

Forte sat on the couch with Cherry and was about to put his arm around her.

"Don't even think about it." Cherry droned as she didn't look up from her poetry book.

"Dang it." Forte sighed.

Cherry kept reading and sipped her Dr. Pepper.

"So, um, how have you been?" Forte asked.

"Adequate..." Cherry replied.

Forte twiddled his fingers together nervously. The moment between them soon became awkward.

Cherry then walked away. "I'm going to my room."

Forte sighed as he let her go then. It was a semi happy ending for everyone. Snowdrop was secretly watching the human world and giggled as she then flew away and went back home as the clouds wrote a big 'The End' in the sky.

A Fluttercord Story

by PerkyGoth14

Chapters

1. Chapter 1