“This is a stupid idea.”

Apple Bloom picked her head up to meet Scootaloo's gaze. She was pacing back and forth before the bench, her wings twitching every so often. Her mane was a mess of unkempt violet curls and frazzles, looking as if it were purposely driven to look as chaotic as possible. Or maybe it was just from the winds of the early morning; she found it hard to tell.

“You promised,” she said, her voice glum and devoid of its usual pleasantness.

“I know and I'm here!” Scootaloo brought her hoof down, slamming down on the wooden platform. A tint of red quickly crept into her face from the number of ponies gazed at her, puzzled by her sudden outburst. “I just think you're doing something really stupid,” she continued a little quieter.

Apple Bloom's lips quivered and for a moment, she contemplated on telling her friend what to do with her opinion. The anger dissipated within the moment though, as she knew petty squabbles were a luxury she couldn't afford at the moment. She merely sighed and looked at the letter next to her again, taking in every single sentence one-by-one.

“I made up my mind.”

“You're stubborn.” Scootaloo huffed and grumbled some more, her wings unfurling. Most pegasi were slightly more careful not to let their wings reveal every single shift of emotion, but she could care less. “All three of us are,” she added, cracking a tired, somewhat sleepy smile.

“Where's Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom asked.

“She'll be here.” Scootaloo looked at the schedule again. She still hard more than thirty minutes left till departure. “She said she'll just have to be careful, because Rarity is like a hawk, while she's asleep.”

A smile forced its way through Apple Bloom's barricade of melancholy, although she fought to hold back the giggle following it.

“My folks are sound sleepers, especially Applejack. Granny says her snorin' keeps them Timber Wolves away.”

Scootaloo snorted and broke into a giggling fit, with her chiming in on it soon enough. Others were giving them glares of disapproval, but neither of the two young mares chose to care. They wanted to make the most out of the few minutes of unrestrained happiness they could get, knowing it would be their last for a while. The chuckles eventually faded into heaving chests and chattering teeth, once the chilly air did its work.

“Did you pack everything?”

“I didn't have much.” Apple Bloom opened up her little sack and rummaged through the contents for the umpteenth time.

A little food, a small blanket and a picture of her family were pretty much all that resided within the striped sheet. The most important was still the letter her under her guarding hoof through. So many promises were placed into those few, but very carefully chosen sentences. She still felt dizzy whenever she took the time to really think of the journey she was about to embark upon.

“You should have at least talked to them.” Scootaloo peeked into her friends fairly empty inventory, her disapproval clear as she scrunched her nose a little. “Granny Smith would have made you a pie. Anything's better than oatmeal.”

“I couldn't.”

She cast her eyes upon the letter again, as if it was liable to disappear into thin air. That little parchment held her future and nopony could take it from her. The words had burned into her mind; each and every word has rung in her head a million times already.

“Horseapples.”

“I can't just done up and tell 'em!” Apple Bloom raised her voice, her face slowly changing to match the color of her hair. The ponies around them no longer paid any mind, far too used to the idea that the two would shout till the train's whistle drowned out their voices.

“Why?” Scootaloo asked, scowling at her friend. “You family is the nicest in all of Ponyville. They'd understand—“

“Understand what?” Apple Bloom snapped, only to immediately force herself to calm down as quick as possible. The last thing she wanted was to drive away the only friend who had come to see her off so far. “I'm sorry Scoot... I just... this ain't as simple as when we went crusadin' all the time.”

The pegasus was ready to argue, but couldn't find it in herself to refute any of her friend's points. She was right after all. Their crusading days were over now, especially now that Apple Bloom was about to leave. She always hoped to be the first to leave, maybe on a grand adventure with her idol, Rainbow Dash. This seemed more and more like something out of a childish dream. Something she should have grown out of already.

“I love the farm... and I love my family,” Apple Bloom mumbled, leaving Scootaloo confused whether she was talking to her, or no one in particular. “But I wanna see Canterlot and the Academy and... Scoot, I got accepted! The first time I didn't need any help and I got and done it on my own!” she sniffled, holding back the batch of tears that threatened to break through her dwindling resolve.

“You did it completely on your own.” Scootaloo nodded. She could hardly forget the day she got the letter and before it really sunk in. Apple Bloom had been the happiest pony in all of Equestria, laughing and crying like a madmare.

“Cheerilee was the first who noticed,” she said, recalling a story she'd been clinging to a lot these past few days. Scootaloo knew it by heart already, but couldn't find it in herself to interrupt her. “You remember Snips munchin' on those leaves he found?”

“Yeah, I remember, Scootaloo said, peeking over Apple Bloom. She could only to see a bunch of older ponies, but no white unicorn. “That and Cheerilee freaking out when you started giving them those berries, too!”

“But it worked! Those leaves woulda left some big ol' rashes.” she said, her face brightening up just from this little story alone. “Zecora' a great teacher.”

“Her soup is terrible though.”

“Hey, you take that—okay, I reckon it really was icky.”

Both of them started chuckling again as the light of the day brightened up the station. Apple Bloom glanced up and bit her mouth. The hands were drawing closer and closer to departure and there was still no sign of Sweetie Belle. Part of her wondered whether she'd ever arrive. She suddenly swallowed as an even worse thought ran through her mind.

“Scootaloo...” Her friend grunted and took her eyes off the clouds over the horizon to look back at her. “What if she got caught?”

“By Rarity?” she asked back, shaking her head a little. “She wouldn't tell anypony. You know her.”

“Yeah...”

Her hoof danced along the lines on the letter, circling around the insignia of the Canterlot Academy.

“Apple Bloom!”

“I know!” she snapped back, smacking the paper. The name at the bottom stuck out like a sore hoof, making her eyes sting. She covered it up again, feeling sick just looking at it. “I know...”

“Look, you know I don't like this. You know I think it's stupid. But I'm still here and I didn't tell on you. Sweetie wouldn't either.” Scootaloo rubbed her shoulder and smiled. “Crusaders stick together, remember?”

“Always and forever,” she said and leaned forward, pulling the unsuspecting pony into a tight hug.

Scootaloo gasped in surprise, but didn't try to squirm away and instead returned the hug. The somewhat disgusted look on her face was adorable and not even Apple Bloom could resist a chuckle. Some things just never changed.

A loud honk separated the two soon enough though. The hands finally hit the spot they both dreaded, signaling that the express line to Canterlot was to arrive in just a few minutes. Scootaloo heard the familiar rumbling and could already see puffs of smoke. For all the times she complained how slow trains were, she wished it was even slower. She took a deep breath and swallowed, nervous as if she was about to take her flight exam.

“Apple Bloom...” Scootalo asked, her voice already giving away the question that was eating her. “Are you sure you'll be alright?”

“I don't know,” she said. She wanted to hide from Scootaloo's piercing stare so badly. “I mean... the Academy will gimme food and stuff, but I only got a couple bits—no, no, I'll be okay.”

“Will you visit us?” Scootaloo had to raise her voice as the train approached the station. Regardless how much she wanted to be like Rainbow Dash, her legs were still wobbling and she felt a pressure in her throat as well.

Apple Bloom stayed silent and hopped off the bench. She placed the letter in her bag and walked towards the edge of the platform, her anxious friend in tow. Scootaloo could barely even restrain her wings as they kept twitching and flapping even, responding to her jumbled feelings.

“Can I visit you?” she was just about shouting, the train's noise drowning out her voice.

Apple Bloom waited until the doors opened and hopped through. She looked back to see Scootaloo's biting her lips in a failed effort to drown her tears with pain. A smile appeared on her face and she reached out to pull the pegasus close to her one last time.

“You'll be the best flyer around these parts. Come see me anytime you want to,” she whispered, only to hear Scootaloo bursting into tears with a loud cry.

Both of them had tears running down their cheeks by the time they separated. Apple Bloom rose a little higher and left a kiss on her friend's forehead before stepping back as the doors closed up. They kept staring at each other while the train prepared to depart, telling each other so much more with just a simple gaze.

A blur of white suddenly exploded into view, tumbling head over hooves through the crowd on the platform Scootaloo looked back and reached out to help her get closer, only for the train to sound its final honk. The engines flared alive with raw power and the old, yet endlessly dependable vehicle began its slow trek towards the seat of Equestria's power.

Sweetie Belle dashed towards the doors, but it was already too late. Apple Bloom ignored the popping sound next to her and waved, but could no longer leave the cart. She watched her getting held back by Scootaloo, as she tried to outright jump onto the moving train. The unicorn eventually stopped struggling and burst into bitter tears in her fellow Crusader's hold. She guessed she was cursing Rarity, the train, possibly even her. She wondered if the others in Ponyville would do the same.

A troubled sigh left her throat once the train picked up speed. She'd done it; she had left Ponyville, her family and her friends, all for the promise of a different and exciting new life. Starting tomorrow, she was to learn alchemy and herbalism in the Canterlot Academy, under the best tutors Equestria had to offer. Part of her hoped she'd even meet the Princess, since her sister was the Element of Honesty.

Yet all of that seemed so far away. Right now, only the pain of separation remained. She lowered her gaze and bit her lip, wondering what Granny Smith would say, if she found it she forged her signature for the admission documents. Perhaps in due time, she would visit her again and beg for forgiveness. She looked at her bag again, fueled by the fear that she may have misplaced the letter. Sure enough, it was there.

But the bag itself was nowhere to be found.

Apple Bloom's heart instantly rose right into her throat. She jumped around and scoured the cart for her bag, but apart from a few ponies here and there with their own set of luggage, she could see nothing. The bag she took from Sweet Apple Acres, the key to her past and future was gone. Fresh tears streamed down her face as she ran across, desperately looking for her belongings.

She tired out in a matter of minutes and slumped the nearest seat, her face one of pure horror. Not only has she lost the letter, but everything she had with her. No food, no papers, no money, no nothing. Her mind raced back to Scootaloo's question and she sunk deep into the cushy seat, wishing she could just disappear.

She had nowhere to go.

“Hey kiddo, is everything alright?”

The youngest Apple flinched and looked aside with empty eyes, only to be met with a friendly smile from the ticket collector, an older brown-coated stallion with a thick, bushy beard and the kindest look anypony could imagine. Apple Bloom wiped her face clean, but that did nothing to stop the rest of her tears. She was bawling like a baby filly, who hurt her leg while trying to buck a tree.

“This wouldn't be your bag, right?” he asked, holding up a rugged sack that seemed a lot bigger than the last time she'd seen it.

“Yes!” she cried, jumping up from her sit. “But how—“

“A sweet young mare found it in the other cart. She said the owner must be sad it's missing,” the old stallion chuckled and gave her the already approved ticket. “Have a nice trip now!”

Apple Bloom could barely even think as he left through the door, still in shock over the events of the past few minutes. So much of this felt unrealistic and odd, that she could just not shake the feeling that she had been toyed with. She wanted to feel outraged, but found she was just plain happy she managed to recover all her stuff and possibly more.

Opening up the bag, she found it stuffed to the brim she hadn't packed at all. Her chin hung loose from all the brand new things that were placed in her bag, although perhaps a bit hastily. She rummaged through all of them and found herself crying once more, but with joy this time.

A warm blanket full of various animal motifs was wrapped around a white box, in which she found the prettiest dress she'd ever seen. After brushing through a set of party accessories, she found a set of books, along with an assortment of quills, ink and such. She could see that pack was a little much to have been gifted by just one pony, but she was certain she knew which one of her sister's friends needed some help with gift-giving.

Hidden beneath these heaps of helpful accessories was the true treasure though. Apple Bloom pulled out a bundle neatly wrapped in a large and very familiar checkered tablecloth. She found herself almost afraid to unwrap it, her hooves trembling. She'd left without a word, never told them of her plans and she even forged her grandmother's signature. Even with the rest of the gifts, she wasn't sure her family would forgive something like that.

Sighing, she undid the loose knot and unfolded the tablecloth. She gasped, her hoof rising to cover her gaping mouth. Inside lay a small purse, half a dozen apples, a new bow and a still warm slice of apple pie. She found herself sniffling again for what she hoped was the last time, fresh droplets running down her cheeks. Not only were they aware of her plans, but they even prepared all this just for her.

Apple Bloom's sobbed and giggled as she packed everything away again, save for the pie and a piece of paper. Canterlot was still a long way ahead, but rather than guilty, she just felt excited now. She no longer dreaded what would happen on her arrival. She no longer feared anything at all. Once she examined the ticket back to Ponyville, she wiped her tears and took a hearty bite.

She never thought a pinch of salt could make a pie so much sweeter.