PEN PALS 2

ANOTHER UNUSUAL LETTER

Applebloom sat up in her bed one morning and gave a mighty yawn. She glanced at the window, taking note of the sun lazily making its way through the sunrise. She stretched her legs before jumping out of bed.

It had been one year since her relationship with Babs had been exposed to her family, and one year since Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had been separated thanks to revealing their relationship to Filthy Rich. Despite the events that had occurred a year ago, the Apples were, oddly enough, on good terms with Filthy Rich and his family. Of course, the filly had a sneaking suspicion that this must be because of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon exposing to Applejack they had been having sex behind the stallion's back for nearly two years. The farm mare didn't trust that coin-greedy stallion for one second, but she played nice when she did see him.

Applebloom walked to her closet and began shuffling through her clothes. Babs was coming over for the weekend again, and Applebloom wanted to wow her lover with an outfit she had been saving for this occasion. This weekend would mark a year that the two had been dating, and their love for each other couldn't be stronger.

However, the more Applebloom searched, the more panicked she got. It was quickly becoming obvious that the outfit she planned to wear had gone missing.

“Applejack!”, the farm filly called out, starting to throw out garments of clothing behind her as she continued her frantic search through the closet.

“What is it, surgarcube?”, Applejack's response could be heard as she walked into the room. She took note of the fact that her little sister's bedroom was a complete mess, thanks to the clothes being thrown out of the closet without a care.

“Where's that outfit Ah asked ya to buy me two months ago?”, Applebloom asked, not even taking her head out to look at her sister. The amount of garments in the closet was quickly depleting to nothing.

“Which outfit are we talkin' bout?”, the farm mare inquired, fighting the urge to scold the filly about her bedroom's condition.

Applebloom yanked her head out and gave her sister an annoyed expression.

“Oh come on!", she exclaimed impatiently. "Ya know exactly which outfit Ah'm talkin bout! It's the one Ah asked ya to buy me in exchange for doing your share of applebuckin' for three weeks!”, she explained and resumed her search through her closet, but ended up clearing out the rest of its contents in the next few seconds.

“Oh, that one", Applejack replied. "Ah think it's in the wash.”

The farm pony was almost whirled in circles when the filly ran past her with an aghast expression.

“That outfit is dry clean only!”, Applebloom cried as she ran down the hall and downstairs, in a fashion that reminded the farm pony of Rarity. “Please don't be wet, please don't be wet!”, she begged when she rounded the corner to the wash room.

She gasped in horror upon seeing the outfit dripping from the clothesline.

“Ya ruined it!”, Applebloom yelled at the top of her lungs, causing everypony in the house to avert their attention to the washroom.

“What's all the fuss about?”, Granny Smith could be heard asking as she walked into the washroom. She saw her granddaughter in tears.

“The outfit Ah planned on wearing this weekend for Babs got ruined, and it's all Applejack's fault!", Applebloom wailed between sobs. "Ah told her it was dry clean only!”

“Ah see. So, what's the occasion?”, Granny Smith asked curiously, walking over to the outfit to examine it.

“This weekend is me and Babs' one year anniversary", Applebloom replied with a sniffle. "Ah wanted to impress her with it, so Ah kept it hidden from her by stashin' it in here. Ah thought Ah brought it back to mah room last week though.”

“Oh sweetie, she'll like ya just as ya are", Granny Smith remarked, walking over to the filly and running a hoof on her shoulder comfortingly. "Ya know this, right?”

“Ah know... but this was important to me. Ah really wanted to surprise her with this for the occasion”, the weeping filly replied, wiping tears from her eyes. She once again looked at her ruined outfit, which nearly caused her to break into fully blown sobs anew.

It was at this point that Applejack came walking into the washroom, looking guilt stricken.

“Ah'm really sorry 'bout this, little sis. Ah saw it sittin' in your closet and it looked mighty dusty, so Ah thought Ah would do ya a favor and wash it for ya. Ah didn't know it wasn't supposed to be washed in water ”, she said, her head held in front of her chest in an apologetic manner.

After a few more moments Applebloom stood to her all fours and let out a sigh.

“It's okay Ah guess", she said. "Ya didn't know. But now Ah have nothin' to wear for me and Babs' one year anniversary.”

She walked out of the washroom, past Granny Smith and Applejack. After a brief moment of silence, the elder mare gave Applejack a subtle nudge with her left elbow, giving her a slightly stern glance.

“Oh horsefeathers", Applejack thought to herself dismally. "Looks like Ah'm not gonna be gettin' mahself that new plow this month.”

She walked up to Applebloom and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“Listen surgarcube, if this outfit is that important to ya to wear, Ah suppose Ah could get ya another one”, she said in a comforting manner.

Applebloom turned to look at her with a curious look.

“What's the catch?”, she asked suspiciously.

“No catch", Applejack answered. "It's mah fault your outfit's ruined, so Ah reckon it's mah responsibility to get ya another one.”

This was met with an excited hug by her little sister.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!”, Applebloom exclaimed happily. It didn't last long though, because she then looked up at the clock and gave a gasp. “Oh horsefeathers! Ah'm gonna be late for school!”, she realized in a panicked tone, bolting away from her sister and out the door. A brief moment later, her head popped back in. “Thanks again!”, she said before disappearing again.

“That was mighty kind of ya, Applejack”, Granny Smith remarked with smile, walking up next to her granddaughter.

“One year", Applejack remarked. "Ah can barely believe those two made it one year. Ah didn't think they would last two months to be honest.”

This was met with a swift hoof to the hindquarters by the elder mare.

“Applejack! Now, Ah know ya weren't raised to speak ill of yer family!”, Granny Smith scolded with a stern glare.

“Sorry, Granny. Ya gotta understand though, Ah'm still adjustin' to all this. Ah've only recently been able to stop goin' green when those two kiss around me. And let's not forget the family reunion no more than two months ago", Applejack recalled, followed by a sigh. "Ah swear, if looks could kill a pony, every one of us would have been dead from the looks some of the Apple family gave us. Especially dealin' with Babs' parents. Ah can't believe they thought it was a joke 'till they saw Babs and Applebloom pucker up in front of 'em...”

FLASH BACK

Babs' mother and father stared at the scene that played out before them. They looked shocked and pale as Applebloom and Babs locked lips in front of the two.

“Oh horsefeathers!”, Granny Smith exclaimed, breaking into full gallop upon witnessing this. Applejack's expression became whiter than a ghost.

“I-I-I thought it was a game or some kind of joke!", Babs' mother exclaimed in a slightly frantic tone, which was getting more frantic with each sentence. "Why are they kissing? Henry, why are they kissing?!”

Henry, however, was at a loss for words for a time.

“Babs Seed!”, his voice eventually erupted so loudly that nearly everypony within twenty feet turned to look at them.

“Now hang on a cotton pickin' moment, ya two. Ah want a word with ya!”, Granny Smith interjected in the nick of time, grabbing both parents' attention and dragging them off to the side.

END FLASHBACK

”That reunion was a might of hoof-full, Ah admit ", Granny Smith recalled with a heavy sigh. "'Specially dealin' with Babs' parents. Ah got twenty questions and more from 'em and it took me nearly an hour to calm their fears. And even then Ah feared they might do what Filthy Rich did to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.”

“How did ya manage to calm 'em down anyways, Granny?”, Applejack asked curiously.

“Ah told 'em a bull-faced lie", Granny Smith replied. "Said that they were kissin' cousins. Then Ah had to explain to them what kissin' cousins were. That lie will only hold up for so long though. They'll figure out the truth sooner or later. Then the apples are gonna hit the fan and the real test for the two of 'em is gonna begin”, she ended and sighed dejectedly.

“That's not like ya to tell a lie, Granny", Applejack remarked with a curious glance at her grandmother. "Why would ya do that?”

“Let's just say me and those two have a common history”, Granny Smith replied, walking off towards her rocking chair. She sat in it, and began to work on a quilt she had been sewing together.

“Common history? Ah don't think Ah wanna know...”, Applejack replied, giving an audible shudder at the thought of what her grandmother may or may have not done in her youth...

The Ponyville School bell rang, signaling the end of class for all the students. Applebloom stood in the same spot she always did, waiting for a certain pony to show up. Sure enough, Silver Spoon came trotting up to her.

“Hey, blank-flank. Lose your way again?”, she jeered, purposely bumping into the farm pony and knocking her onto her haunches. She then leaned over, at which point an envelope fell into Applebloom's lap. “Make sure it gets to her!”, she whispered quickly before leaning back, walking down the path and towards the carriage. Filthy Rich could be seen sitting in it, waiting for her to get in.

“Ah know she needs to keep her face so Filthy Rich doesn't catch on, but does she have to shove me so hard?”, Applebloom asked herself softly with an annoyed expression. When Filthy Rich's carriage was out of sight, she bit onto the letter and placed it into her saddle-bag.

Once at home, she placed the letter on the table and sat in her chair, taking a pencil to properly address it to Diamond Tiara's house.

“Another letter from Silver Spoon to Diamond Tiara, Ah expect?", Applejack asked as she walked into the dining room. "Just how long do you plan on helpin' the two send letters like this?”

“As long as Ah need to, big sis. It's not their fault that Filthy Rich is keepin' them apart and makin' sure they can't send letters to one another”, Applebloom replied, licking the stamp and slapping it on the envelope.

“Speakin' of letters, got one from Babs addressed to ya”, Applejack said, reaching into her saddle pack and placing an envelope in front of her.

“Another one?", Applebloom asked in surprise. She began to open the envelope. "That's two in one week. Must be cause our anniversary is this weekend. Say, could ya send this out for me?”

“Sure thing”, Applejack replied, picking up the letter with her mouth and trotting out of the room. Meanwhile, Applebloom poured the contents of the envelope out and opened her own letter.

Dear Applebloom,

Sorry if this letter is short but I just wanted to tell ya that I will be coming over earlier than planned. I should be in Ponyville the next day after this letter arrives. Can't explain why now, gotta go!”

Love, Babs

“She's comin' over tomorrow? Doesn't she have school?”, Applebloom pondered aloud in confusion. It didn't take long, however, before it finally settled into her brain that her fillyfriend was coming over tomorrow. “Applejack! We need to get that outfit today!”, she called out, rushing into the living room and nearly running head first into her older sister.

“What's the rush? She ain't comin' over 'till the weekend. Ah know ya are itchin' to get that outfit, but--”, Applejack began to say before the filly shoved the letter into her face. “Tomorrow?! Don't she have school to be attending?”

“That's what Ah thought too, but she must be gettin' out early. Probably a holiday of some sorts in Manehattan.”

“Hmm, maybe. Ah guess we should be headin' out for that outfit then. Let's get goin'", Applejack concluded. She still wondered why Babs was coming over earlier than planned, but that could wait until the city filly arrives. “We're headin' out for Applebloom's outfit now, Granny. We'll be back in an hour or so”, she called out.

This snapped the elder mare out of one of her daily naps.

“Huh-wha? Now? Don't tell me Applebloom's been pesterin' ya about getting it since she got home, did she?” Granny Smith asked, immediately giving the filly a stern glance.

“That's not it, Granny. We're gettin' it now on account of Babs' arrival bein' pushed up to tomorrow instead of this weekend”, Applejack explained, handing Granny Smith the letter.

She then walked out the front door, quickly followed by Applebloom. Granny Smith read the short letter, raising her eyebrow when she finished.

“Hmm. Somethin' doesn't add up”, she remarked suspiciously, watching her granddaughters walk down the path towards the town...

Author's Note

Here's the first chapter of Pen Pals 2! I'll be busting out a new chapter soon and the coverart will be updated as soon as Zu finishes it!