“Well, it must be a Unicorn.” Diamond Tiara motioned to the desks and chairs above them. “This is obviously magic.”
“That’s a whole lotta magic for just a prank!” said Snips. “I don’t think any of us could do that. Could we?”
Apple Bloom glanced over her shoulder at Lilymoon, who was hanging back and not contributing to the conversation. Based on some of the looks the other ponies shot in Lilymoon’s direction, Apple Bloom could tell she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. Pip wandered around the room examining the stacks of books.
“Well, whoever did it definitely took his or her time,” Pip observed. “This must have taken all night!” Pip brushed too close to one of the stacks. It wobbled back and forth. “Oh bother,” he muttered. Everypony gasped as the entire stack slowly teetered over and crashed onto the floor, sending books everywhere. The students looked around, but the other stacks remained standing, and the desks and chairs remained firmly on the ceiling. “Well, that wasn’t too bad,” Pip said, relieved.
One of the toppled books suddenly flew into the air. Diamond Tiara yelped. A second book flew up and slammed against the wall. Another book flew in the opposite direction, causing several ponies to duck. Something bumped Twist, knocking her backward. It was almost as if some invisible force were moving through the room, throwing books. Whatever it was, it was moving steadily in one direction.
It was moving right toward Pip!
CHAPTER FIVE
Pip backed away as the books flew into the air in a path that led toward him. He zigged and zagged out of the way, but no matter where he moved, the invisible force changed direction and continued toward him.
“Keep it away from me!” yelled Pip. Scootaloo rushed toward the books flying into the air but looked around, unsure what to do next.
“Keep what away? There’s nothing here!” she exclaimed. The books stopped. Nopony moved a muscle.
Suddenly, Pip launched up toward the ceiling as if something had grabbed him by the hoof. He shouted in alarm as the classroom broke into pandemonium.
“What’s happening?!” screamed Snips.
“Run for your lives!” yelled Snails.
“Somepony get me down from here!” Pip squealed as he flew through the air, weaving among the chairs and desks.
Apple Bloom searched the room for Lilymoon. She was standing out of the way in the corner, watching Pip intently. She took a step forward, as if she were about to do something.
But Sweetie Belle jumped in front of Apple Bloom, blocking her view. “We need to get him down from there!”
Apple Bloom watched Pip and got an idea. She turned to the others.
“Crusaders! Remember when we performed in the opening ceremonies of the Equestria Games?”
“Oh yeah!” Scootaloo said, grinning. “I’m on it!” She ran to the back of the class to give herself some room. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stood facing each other, their hooves outstretched between them. Scootaloo galloped toward her friends.
“One,” counted Apple Bloom as Scootaloo leaped toward them.
“Two,” Sweetie Belle continued as Scootaloo landed in her friends’ hooves.
“Three!” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said together as they hurled Scootaloo into the air.
Scootaloo flew through the classroom and slammed into Pip. Whatever had a hold of him let go, and they both flew into a pile of books, knocking the tower to the ground as they landed. Pip was a bit shaken up but otherwise unharmed.
Everypony rushed out of the Schoolhouse toward the playground and waited, silent and scared. But whatever had grabbed Pip seemed to have disappeared… for the moment, at least.
“Thith definitely theemth like more than jutht a prank,” observed Twist.
“Well, if nopony else is going to point out the obvious, I will,” Silver Spoon announced. “Nothing like this has ever happened before, so what’s the big difference now?”
Silver Spoon turned and glared at Lilymoon, who was standing away from the other ponies. “Would you like to tell us anything, Lilymoon?” The students all glared at Lilymoon, waiting for her to respond to the accusation. She glared back at them.
“I have nothing to say to any of you,” Lilymoon said defensively. Apple Bloom stepped forward.
“Now, everypony, just take a breath,” Apple Bloom began. “Lilymoon, nopony is sayin’ this is your fault or nothin’—”
“I think that’s exactly what we’re saying,” Diamond Tiara interrupted. “You don’t think it’s a little bit odd that Lilymoon shows up, and the next thing you know, all this happens?”
“I ain’t sayin’ it’s not odd,” Apple Bloom said, “but this ain’t the first crazy thing to ever happen in Ponyville. For all we know she could be just as confused as we are.” She turned. “Lilymoon?”
Lilymoon glared at Apple Bloom. Instead of answering, she ran off.
Silver Spoon turned to Apple Bloom. “Looks pretty guilty to me.”
CHAPTER SIX
Once Miss Cheerilee returned and heard what had happened to Pip, she announced that class was canceled and the Schoolhouse would be closed until they figured out just what was going on.
With the rest of the day free, the Cutie Mark Crusaders decided to head back to Sweet Apple Acres. Granny Smith was on a zap apple baking rampage, and the kitchen was bursting with baked goods. Apple Bloom knew there would be plenty to snack on while they discussed what to do about Lilymoon and the Schoolhouse. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo entered the kitchen to find Granny in the midst of baking a batch of zap apple pies to go along with the jams, tarts, muffins, and fritters that already filled the kitchen.
“Now hurry up and fix those pipes! I got another batch to make up for Golden Delicious after this’n!” Granny called out.
“Eeyup!” Big Mac replied from under the sink as he tinkered with the plumbing. Applejack walked into the kitchen carrying another bushel of zap apples. She set them down and wiped sweat from her brow.
“Here ya go, Granny,” Applejack said. “This should do ya for the next coupla batches.” Applejack saw the Crusaders in the kitchen and glanced up at the clock. “Hold up. Why aren’t y’all in school?” she asked suspiciously.
“Miss Cheerilee let us out early today,” Apple Bloom mentioned casually as she gathered some zap apple fritters to take up to her room. But her sister wasn’t gonna let her off that easily.
“And why would Cheerilee let y’all out early?” Applejack pressed. “What happened?”
“Well, nopony knows exactly what happened,” Scootaloo offered up. Apple Bloom shot her a look, but Scootaloo rolled her eyes and continued. “Something messed up the Schoolhouse. The whole place was a disaster. And then whatever did it grabbed Pip and flew him around the room!”
“Say what, now?!” Applejack exclaimed as Granny Smith and Big Mac stopped what they were doing to listen.
“A few of the ponies in class think the new student has something to do with all of it. But we don’t know that for sure yet,” Sweetie Belle added.
“It’s that new family up on Horseshoe Hill!” Granny Smith said. “That house has been empty for more moons than I care to count. Somethin’ strange about it.”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed.
“What’s strange?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Well, nopony knows for sure,” Granny said, placing some pies on the windowsill to cool. “But there’s a reason it’s been empty for so long. The ponies who lived there before… somethin’ wasn’t right about them, if I recall.”
“Oh, that’s just a buncha old ponies’ tales,” Applejack scoffed. She turned back to the Crusaders. “You said somethin’ grabbed Pip and spun him? That sounds dangerous. Maybe I should head over to the castle, round up the others, and we can—”
“No! It’s fine!” Apple Bloom said, louder than she intended. Everypony stopped and looked at her.
“Well, it don’t sound fine to me,” Applejack insisted, “and it won’t hurt for me to mention t
o Twilight—”
“Ponies in Equestria somehow managed to survive before you and your friends came along, y’know!” Apple Bloom blurted out.
Applejack stared at her sister in surprise.
“Well, of course I know that. I’m just worried about you is all.”
“Of course you’re worried about me!” Apple Bloom said, rolling her eyes. “You’re the almighty Applejack, hero of Equestria! And I’m just your little sister who can’t do anything on her own!” Apple Bloom stormed out of the kitchen and slammed the door, leaving a very confused Apple family—and the zap apple fritters—behind her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Apple Bloom sat at a table inside Sugarcube Corner eating one of Mrs. Cake’s cupcakes. It wasn’t as good as anything Granny Smith was currently baking, but on the plus side, there was no annoying big sister here trying to do everything for her.
Apple Bloom heard the door open and knew without looking it was Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. They both sat down at the table and waited a few minutes before saying anything.
“So”—Scootaloo finally broke the silence—“that was… interesting.”
Apple Bloom was embarrassed. She hadn’t planned on blowing up at her sister, especially in front of her friends. She knew Applejack just wanted to help. But if her sister was gonna run around saving the day all the time, what did that leave for Apple Bloom to do?
“We got our cutie marks. We’re not little fillies anymore,” Apple Bloom explained. “When Applejack was my age, she had already defeated Nightmare Moon!”
“Actually,” Scootaloo said, doing the math in her head, “I don’t think they were quite this young when—”
“The point is,” Apple Bloom interrupted, “helpin’ other ponies find their cutie marks is nice and all, but…” She trailed off.
“But our sisters and their friends save Equestria every other day…” Sweetie Belle finished for her.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom agreed. “We got some big hooves to fill.”
Scootaloo put her wing on Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “Look, we get it. Sweetie Belle feels the same way being Rarity’s sister, and everypony knows I wish I were half as awesome as Rainbow Dash. But comparing yourself to the most heroic ponies in Equestria, one of whom happens to be your sister, is a lot of pressure!”
“I know,” Apple Bloom admitted, “but I guess I just figured this stuff with Lilymoon happened at our Schoolhouse. With a pony our age. I was hoping it was something we could handle ourselves.”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle glanced at each other and nodded.
“Well then, let’s handle it,” Scootaloo said, grinning.
“Really?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I guess so,” Sweetie Belle said a little nervously. “I mean, if I’m gonna do something completely terrifying, I may as well do it with my two best friends, right?”
“We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Scootaloo said. “We’ve done everything together for as long as I can remember. So if you think figuring out what’s going on with Lilymoon is our next big mission, then you can count on us!”
Apple Bloom hugged her friends. She really was the luckiest pony in the whole world.
“Well, let’s go over what we know so far. Lilymoon’s family is from Trotsylvania and they live up in that house on Horseshoe Hill. Granny said something was up with that place. Maybe we can start there?”
“Or,” Scootaloo said, slamming her hooves on the table, “we return to the scene of the crime!” She smiled triumphantly.
“The Schoolhouse?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“No! The Everfree Forest!” Scootaloo corrected.
“Technically, that’s not the scene of the crime,” Sweetie Belle said matter-of-factly. “That’s just where we spotted her.” While the two of them bickered, Apple Bloom glanced out the window.
“Ugh. You know what I mean!” Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
“I just don’t know why it makes sense to—” Sweetie Belle began, but Apple Bloom interrupted her.
“Scootaloo, you’re a genius!” Apple Bloom announced.
“I am?” Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom pointed. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked out the window and, sure enough, there was Lilymoon, sneaking right back into the Everfree Forest!
CHAPTER EIGHT
“We can’t just go rushing after her like we did last time,” Apple Bloom said to the others as they hurried out of Sugarcube Corner.
“Well, what do you suggest? She’s already got a head start,” Scootaloo said impatiently.
Apple Bloom looked ahead. She could see Lilymoon was headed toward the same tree with the same big roots she had climbed over yesterday. If they just rushed after her, they would probably lose her again. Apple Bloom examined the options. She saw a larger entrance nearby with a clearer path.
“There!” Apple Bloom pointed. “We can enter the Forest through there so we don’t have to go crawling through the trees and bushes. It will let us get a little bit ahead, and then we can wait for her!” The other two nodded, and they veered toward the entrance.
“And we’re sure this is how we want to spend our afternoon?” Sweetie Belle asked one more time.
“Yes!” Apple Bloom insisted.
They entered the Forest and ran as quickly as they could down the path. Once she thought they were far enough ahead, Apple Bloom motioned for the other two to slow down. They stopped and listened. Sure enough, in addition to the usual spooky sounds of the Forest, they could hear somepony walking through bushes and making just enough noise to be heard.
“This way, y’all,” Apple Bloom whispered as she stepped off the path and picked her way carefully through the overgrown Forest. After all, it wouldn’t do them any good if Lilymoon heard them coming.
As they got farther away from the path, Apple Bloom quickly realized that, as many times as the Crusaders had been in the Everfree Forest (and they had been in there more often than most), they had never been in this particular part before. Apple Bloom recalled Zecora had once mentioned that the Forest was much bigger than most ponies realized, even ponies who thought they understood the Everfree Forest. Apple Bloom was beginning to appreciate just how little she actually knew about it. Something about this part of the Forest seemed wilder, more dangerous than the parts she knew (and those parts were no trot in the park!).
Up ahead, she saw what looked like a clearing and heard what she hoped was Lilymoon. She motioned to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and the three of them crept up to a large tree with vines hanging from its branches. They brushed the vines to the side and peered slowly around the tree.
Lilymoon stood in the clearing. She was using her horn to levitate large rocks and stack them on top of one another.
“Look!” whispered Sweetie Belle. “It’s just like the books in the Schoolhouse!”
“She was the one doing it,” replied Scootaloo.
“But why’s she doin’ it out here?” whispered Apple Bloom.
Lilymoon continued stacking rocks and glancing around the Forest, as if she were expecting somepony to show up.
Apple Bloom took a step forward to get a closer look and stepped on a twig. It was small and made the tiniest snap, but it was enough to get Lilymoon’s attention. She turned toward the Crusaders and stared at Apple Bloom, surprised.
“Lilymoon, we got a couple of questions for you,” Apple Bloom said sternly as she stepped toward her. “Right, y’all?”
“Mmpph mph MMMMPH,” she heard behind her. Apple Bloom turned.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were wrapped up in vines. Their mouths were covered and they were being pulled slowly up into the branches of the tree!
CHAPTER NINE
“Lilymoon! Stop it!” Apple Bloom yelled, but when she turned, Lilymoon was gone! In a panic, Apple Bloom rushed toward the tree. She jumped up to grab her friends, but they were already too high to reach. She wasn’t sure what to do! She looked around frantically, but there was nothing nearby she could use to reach them. So in
stead, she did what any Apple family member in her position would do. She started bucking the tree. Hard.
“Put!” Buck. “My!” Buck. “Friends!” Buck. “Down!” Buck. Surprisingly, this actually had an effect. The vines around Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo loosened enough for them to get their mouths free.
“It’s working!” Scootaloo yelled. “Keep hitting it!” Apple Bloom reared back her hooves when she felt something down near the ground. She looked and saw more vines wrapping themselves around her. The vines tugged and, with a scream, Apple Bloom was pulled up into the air to join the others.
“This is really bad.” Sweetie Belle groaned.
“It’s not that bad,” said Apple Bloom as she tried unsuccessfully to grab on to a branch to stop her steady ascent.
“Not that bad?!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “A giant tree is pulling us to our doom and nopony even knows we’re out here! How could it get any worse?!”
A noise caught the Crusaders’ attention and they all turned to see Lilymoon standing nearby, watching the tree pull them higher and higher.
“Well,” said Scootaloo, “somepony knows where we are.” She glared down at Lilymoon. “So this is your plan? We catch you doing… whatever it is you’re doing out here, so you have this tree attack us? We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We’re gonna get out of this easily!” Scootaloo struggled harder, but the vines around them tightened.
Lilymoon didn’t say anything. Instead, she rushed over to the trunk of the tree and started feeling around with her hooves. Whatever she was doing caused the tree to pull up the vines faster, as if it was in a hurry to do whatever it planned to do to the ponies.
“Lilymoon, please!” shouted Apple Bloom. “You don’t have to do this!” Lilymoon ignored Apple Bloom as she continued searching around with her hooves. She reached underneath a lower branch and the entire tree shuddered. She pressed harder and the tree began to sway back and forth. The Crusaders all screamed as they rocked along with the tree. Lilymoon looked up one last time before rushing off into the Forest.
My Little Pony--Ponyville Mysteries--Schoolhouse of Secrets Page 2
