Apple Family Drabbles

"I'm beat."

It was a sentiment that was shared amongst Apple Bloom's female classmates just right after their PE class in the girl's locker room. Even the normally uptight Diamond Tiara couldn't help but mentally agree with the youngest Apple, who tiredly wiped her sweat off her brow as she stretched her arms. Scootaloo groaned in exhaustion as she put her usual clothes back on while Sweetie Belle seemed unaffected by what they just did earlier. She raised a few eyebrows amongst the more tired girls in her class but nobody bothered to comment on it. That is, until Apple Bloom did.

She tilted her head in curiosity at her friend. "Say Sweetie, how come you aren't so tired?"

"A lady has her secrets." Sweetie Belle replied with a wry smile.

Scootaloo sighed exasperatedly on her bench. "Oh, not that again."

Someone else in their class was about to remark, but then Miss Cheerilee in gym clothing entered their locker room.

"Girls, I'm afraid I have some bad news." She began without preamble in a solemn tone. "Everyone's going home early."

A collective of "Oh's?", "Yay's!", and "Huh's?!" flooded the room.

The Crusaders shared a look, then Apple Bloom took a step forward. "Uhm... why, Miss Cheerilee?"

Cheerilee shrugged. "Apparently, the weather team decided to let it hail today, and soon. I don't know why, though."

The Crusaders looked at each other again, but they felt that something was wrong... off. But whatever; they were able to go go home or go crusading earlier than usual, and for that they ignored their gut feeling and welcomed the benefits today's freak weather provided them. Their looks of doubt and suspicion were quickly replaced by looks of eagerness.

"Yes!" Scootaloo fist pumped, but Cheerilee sighed, signalling that she still had more to say.

"But there's a catch..."

Everyone groaned.

"Everyone's going to be picked up by their parents."

Wait a minute. That wasn't too bad.

"That's it?" A confused Scootaloo asked.

"That's it." Cheerilee nodded with a smile. "Now, everyone go get your stuff and wait for your parents!"

+

It wasn't long until Apple Bloom spotted her family's all too familiar red truck park across the street to her school. It's driver was none other than Big Macintosh, who waved at her and her friends as soon as he got out and caught sight of them. The Crusaders waved back at the man who easily stood out of the crowd of parents and guardians coming to get their children. They ran to him, skillfully avoiding bumping into others and soon found themselves in front of Apple Bloom's older brother.

"Hey girls." He greeted them as Apple Bloom ran up and hugged his leg.

"Hey Big Mac." They all chorused cheerily at once.

Big Macintosh nodded and led them to the truck at his own pace. People who saw him coming wisely made way for them lest they wanted to walk into a man who was sure to land you flat on your ass if you didn't expect to bump into him - all those years spent working on his family's farm had given him a pretty powerful build, and obviously it wasn't just for show.

"So, it looks like y'all got a lucky break today." Said Mac casually as he opened the other door for the girls to climb into the passenger seat, then paused as he thoughtfully put a finger to his chin. "Hmm... It reminds me of that time when it snowed in the middle of July and I couldn't get any work done."

"Oh yeah!" Sweetie Belle grinned. "I remember throwing a snowball at Rarity's face that day. She got really mad at me!"

"Oh, didn't we go out crusading on that day too?" Scootaloo wondered aloud as she made space for Sweetie Belle.

"Yeah, but we ended up joining the massive snowball fight that everyone else in Ponyville fought in anyways." Apple Bloom chuckled. "Oh man, that was so fun. Snowballs, snowballs everywhere!"

"Eeyup." Big Mac agreed, climbing into his seat and checking the configurations. "Now y'all got your seat belts on, girls?"

"Hold on a second, Big Mac." Sweetie Belle said as she fidgeted with her belt. "Ah! There we go!"

"Alright, let's get going then." Big Mac nodded, eagerly revving up the truck and feeling it kick to life.

+

It wasn't too long until they reached the Apple household and they were just short of being in the nick of time. The clouds started pouring hail the size of rocks that could fit one of the girls' palms perfectly, but despite that the countless apple trees that dotted the land around the Apple family's home were safe from harm thanks to one of Twilight's spells that Applejack had asked her to cast over the farm earlier. When they got out of the truck Big Macintosh quickly ushered them in but not before getting pelted by a few hailstones. He was okay though. They only stung him, and the feeling didn't last long.

"Make yourselves at home, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle." The man said as he entered last, dusting off a stray hailstone that melted on his shoulder onto the floor mat behind him. "After all, everyone in my family considers you two a part of us."

"Okay!" The two girls grinned and then they began to relax.

Apple Bloom looked thoughtful as the others moved on. It was only until Scootaloo sat down on the sofa did she notice her friend looking lost in her thoughts. Sweetie Belle noticed too, while Big Mac poked his head in the fridge for anything good for them to devour - Granny Smith was out of town meeting up with some friends and therefore couldn't cook or bake them something hot, and Applejack was... well, Big Mac didn't know where she was, but he knew deep in his heart that she was just hanging out with her friends in town or was probably arguing with either Rarity or Rainbow Dash again somewhere.

He found a somehow uneaten and untouched apple pie, and deeming it was perfect for the occasion, took it out at the same time Scootaloo asked his little sister: "Apple Bloom? What's on your mind?"

The redhead hummed a bit. "I was just thinking about what Miss Cheerilee said to us before we left school."

"Oh?" Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow as the sounds of Apple Bloom's brother turning on the oven was faintly heard from the kitchen. "What about it?"

"She said that our parents would pick us up from school, but..." Apple Bloom began, but then looked considerably thoughtful again as she scratched the back of her head. "Uh, how do I put this..."

Soon enough the redhead sighed. "You know what, nevermind."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shared a glance. Then they both stared at Apple Bloom.

"What?" She asked them.

"Nothing." They said at the same time while keeping their gaze on her.

Inwardly Apple Bloom was getting a bit creeped out, but outwardly she was getting suspicious. "What's gotten to you two?"

"You can mull over that after you've ate, lil' sis." Said a voice from the kitchen door.

It was Big Macintosh. He was carrying the freshly heated apple pie using Granny Smith's cooking mittens, and it's smell was increasing becoming even more heavenly and mouth-watering as he approached the table and set it down. "Pie's ready! Everybody grab a plate and dig in while it's hot."

"That was awfully quick." Apple Bloom muttered in slight disbelief as she slowly went close to the dining table.

"Yum!" The two other girls said at the same time again as they became blurs and within a span of a few seconds completely prepared the table and sat in their seats. Big Macintosh was even momentarily taken aback at the inhuman speed, but just as quickly didn't mind it as he too took his seat and set aside the cooking mittens and then grabbed his knife and fork, with Apple Bloom quickly getting to her seat a few seconds later.

"Say grace." Big Mac said solemnly, and then the four of them began to pray.

+

After a while of joyous pie devouring, Big Macintosh volunteered to wash the dishes while the girls watched a cartoon called 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' on the TV. From what the man understood, it was about a group of six mares - one of which uncannily resembled his sister - doing typical adventure stuff in and out of a town which was coincidentally named Ponyville as well. Inwardly he wondered if the show actually parodied the actual town's people and their lives, but when he finally finished drying the plates and cutlery, he banished the thought and then grabbed a stein of cider for himself as he sat down with the girls. From an outside point of view, it would seem silly that a grown man was watching a cartoon for girls with girls, but he didn't care about that. So as long as everyone around him was happy, he wouldn't give a damn.

Eventually, the show ended but the girls were left craving for more, so Big Mac tuned in the next episode for them.

"I really liked that part when Patty popped out of that barrel all of a sudden!" Scootaloo giggled as the man returned to his seat.

"Me too!" Exclaimed Sweetie Belle with a stifled laugh.

Apple Bloom just smiled and grabbed her older brother's free hand close. "All in all, another good episode."

"Eeyup." Nodded Big Macintosh with a smile that equaled Apple Bloom's.

+

It was getting late, but the hail wasn't letting off.

Big Macintosh was beginning to pace while the girls were continuing watching the show. He occasionally glanced at the clock  and worriedly thought about Granny Smith and Applejack. Whatever it was with the weather today, it didn't feel right. Did the weather team do something wrong, or did whatever they did to create the hailstorm now raging outside become too much for them to handle? The red-shirted man looked over to the phone. He mentally debated on calling the Mayor so she could answer some of his concerns.

But then the power suddenly went off as a great boom followed by a streak of lightning reverberated in the sky.

The three girls screamed as the darkness enveloped them all.

+

Big Macintosh turned on his flashlight to see the three girls huddled close to each other under the kitchen table. He let relief wash over him before he handed each of them old but still effective flashlights appropriate for them. The girls looked puzzled for a second before it dawned on them what Big Mac was going to do.

"Big Mac! Are you really going to do what I think you're going to do?!" Apple Bloom screeched at her brother, her amber eyes showing extreme worry and panic while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged scared glances.

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded grimly. "I've got to check around the farm for any damage. And I need to check on the animals."

"Can't you do that after the storm's gone away?!" Asked Scootaloo incredulously. "I mean, it's dangerous outside!"

"Eenope." He shook his head. "Believe it or not, apples and cider aren't only things that are keeping my family afloat financially, Scootaloo. We need those animals to be okay. If they're not..."

Big Mac shuddered for a bit, but then focused. "Don't worry, y'all. I'll be careful."