Babs woke up with a start. She was excited, yet nervous at the same time. She quickly grabbed an orange and headed out the door. She was the first one at the cafe where they would meet them. The filly threw the orange peels in a waste bin near the entrance. She was having a good start today, with no nightmares the other night. With a trot, she started a conversation between her and the crusaders whom recently entered.

"Hi! So, do you guys have 'the money'?" She giggled as a colt showed her a small suitcase.

"Yup, this case looks mighty fancy. Surely, they'll think it holds a just number of bills." He said while hitting the suitcase, making a noise that showed it was actually hollow.

  Finally, the bullies came. They always came to this cafe. Since they knew it was Babs favorite, the leader just had to say it was her favorite, too. What a load of hay.

"Oh, look! They finally decided to come along!" Said the leader, whom Babs could never remember the name of. She could see Apple Bloom next to her, looking a bit confused.  

"I don't mean any trouble, I just came by to ask Apple Bloom something. We'll give you all a good amount of money if you would stop bullying us for a moment?" Babs replied to the insult.

"Ehm..Weeell...I guess," The other filly said, dragging out her words to sound like she was thinking. "Now, where's the dough?!"

She asked greedily.

"You'll get that in a second." Was her answer. She slumped with a 'hmph'.

  Apple Bloom and the CMC met up in the hangout. The other talked about random things so they wouldn't seem suspicious while Babs slowly crept near Apple Bloom.

"So, AB...It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Why is a blank flank talking to me?"

"Look, just to let you know, you don't need to hold back."

"It's nothing going on. Look! DT sucks, but aren't real nutjobs-" Suddenly she stopped. Babs thought that was worded out weird. Does she mean she can be a better bully than Diamond Tiara? Was it a code?

"I...see. Nothing to talk about, I guess," Babs waved at the colt a sign of retreat. They needed to escape. They had no actual money.

  After what felt like hours of running to Babs, she was safe at home. Quickly, she wrote down what Apple Bloom said.

It's nothing going on. Look! DT sucks, but aren't real nutjobs

  And Babs tried every code she knew. Read it backwards, upside down, in a mirror, use the letter before, use the letter after... And then it clicked. Maybe it's like an acrostic! She wrote it down.

I t's

N othing

G oing

O n

L ook

D T

S ucks

B ut

A ren't

R eal

N utjobs

That could make "Ingo L.D.S. barn", "ING old S.B. Arn", or other jumbles of things Babs didn't even think we're real words. But after random jumbles, she came up with "In Gold's barn". A friend of the leader, Shimmer Gold, was usually just called 'Gold'. That was also her family name. Her Dad is a miner, her Mom a salesperson, and her Ma and Pa farmers. Her grandparents own a barn. What would be in it, though? There wwas no specific time to come, or what was in it. But Babs was desperate, so she headed out alone.

And could you lend a helping hand (hoof)?

  *I woke up with a start. What was it now?

"...Are you awake?" Apple Bloom whispered while poking me.

"I am now..." I grumbled. She made an innocent smile.

"What's so important?"

"I just...wanted to make sure of something," Hm. That was very vague. It must be very personal, or else it could have probably been able to wait until morning.

"Well? Spit it out!" I was in a cranky mood, and you could tell. It wasn't helping her say it at all.

"Can we make a promise? A Pinkie Pie Promise?" It was a very low whisper.

"Okay,"

"I'm very serious right now,"

"Okay," The earth pony made a sigh before continuing.

"We'll always be together, right? Always?" That was it? What a dumb question! Of course, of course, why would I say no?

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." I said nonchalantly, doing all the right gestures and movements. She looked as if she was relieved, desperate almost.

"Th-Thankyou...Good night,"

"Night," Was what I ended the conversation with.

  In the cold night stood a lone figure. She maneuvered through the vastness of it. Babs opened the large barn door, which caused a creaking noise to be heard. It echoed throughout the barn and its walls. She stepped further. Suddenly, she heard a glass break. It dropped from the hooves of a familiar pony. Her eyes widened, and Babs did the same.

"Apple...Apple Bloom? Is it really you?" The orange pony whispered, feeling her bow, which was placed on her simple hair. The same style as before...before any of this.

  "H-Howdy...partner," came an accent only a real farmpony could muster. She was ba-

"You're back! You're back!" Babs exclaimed. She was shushed by Apple Bloom, whom was looking around.

"Shh, It's bad enough I broke that expensive wine glass they gave me. Are we even allowed to drink wine yet?" She wondered, until she shook her head and dismissed the thought. She hugged Babs.

"I never left. They just made...threats if I didn't join them. I've decided to leave today." Apple Bloom explained as she pointed a hoof to some bags and luggage. So, together they ventured once again into the bitter night.

Once home, they lay on their beds, exhausted. Babs looked at Apple Bloom and started to speak.

"I want to make sure of something..." She said, surprising the cream pony slightly.

"Uh, sure."

"I feel like this is déjà vu, but... We'll always be together, right?" After this simple question, silence hung in the room. The answer was obvious, but sometimes everypony needed some kind of reassurance.

"Of course. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Apple Bloom replied with a warm smile.  

"Always,"