“You have to talk to her someday, little filly.”
“Ah want to, Granny, Ah really do,” Applejack sighed, fidgeting with her hat nervously between her hooves. “Ah jus’ don’t know if Ah’m ready. Ah don’t know if she’ll understand.”
“We did what we had to do, Applejack. You were a youngin’, too young to be lookin’ after a foal of yer own.” Granny Smith smiled at her granddaughter. “You know I’d like to say hello to my great-granddaughter, before I shuffle off,” the old mare added with a wink at the younger.
“Can’t things jus’… can’t they jus’ stay the same?” Applejack sighed. “Everything is workin’ right now. Everypony is happy.”
“But are ya? Are ya really? Don’t think Ah don’t see that look ya get in yer eye.” Granny Smith turned to look her granddaughter in the eyes. “Ignorin’ it’s just as bad as lying to yerself… and you’ve been lyin’ to yerself so long that even you’re startin’ to believe it’s the truth.”
“Ah dunno. Ah…” Applejack brushed a stray tear from her cheek. “Ah’m mighty sorry, Granny. Can Ah be excused? Ah need to get some air.”
“Of course; you don’t have to ask my permission to leave.” Granny Smith chuckled, a warm sound that helped sooth Applejack’s frayed nerves.
They always frayed when the topic came up.
Applejack pushed away from the table. Big Mac would be returning for lunch soon, and Apple Bloom was likely to come hurtling through the kitchen for a feast before a hard day’s crusading. She slipped her hat back to its rightful place, and closed the door behind her.
“You got to tell her, little filly,” Granny Smith sighed as she watched the door close. “The longer you leave it, the harder it’s gonna be.”
Ж
“Oh, Applejack!” Rarity waved with enthusiasm as she saw her friend walking through town. She cantered across the square, careful not to drop the bags she was levitating, to where her friend was trudging slowly. “What a rare treat to see you in town on a S—”
Rarity cut herself off when she saw the morose look on Applejack’s face.
“Oh, hi sugarcube,” Applejack replied with a sullen tone, a weak smile playing across her lips. “Ah didn’t see ya there… How are ya doin’ today?”
“I’m fiiiine…” she responded. “And how are you?” Rarity watched as that false smile grew.
“Ah’m doin’ fine and dandy.” Applejack looked to the bags Rarity was carrying. “Been shoppin’? What did ya get?”
Rarity fought the urge to frown; Applejack was never one for small talk, and had never asked Rarity about shopping before. Clearly her farmer friend was being evasive.
“Oh, I just had to pick up some cakes from Sugarcube Corner. Oh, and some more tea! Twilight is coming over soon, and one can not serve anything but hoof-picked tea to royalty. I had some mail-ordered from Tea Love’s shop in Canterlot.”
“Th’ one with the tiny cakes?” Applejack asked.
“The very same,” Rarity responded, annoyed that most of her friends had only remembered the tiny cakes, rather than the divine selection of teas available.
As upset as Applejack was, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Well, that sounds… mighty nice. Y’all have a good time then, and say ‘hi’ to Twi for me.” Rarity’s eyes narrowed as Applejack started to walk away.
Oh-ho-ho-ho-no, Applejack. You will not get off the hook that easily.
“Why don’t you join us, my dear?” Rarity asked, as she trotted up beside the retreating mare. “I am certain Twilight would not mind you joining us… so long as you clean those hooves before coming into my boutique!” Rarity added, bumping her flank against her friend.
“That’s alright, sugarcube. Ah don’t want to interrupt y’all.”
Shoot! Not even a bite, Rarity thought to herself. Normally the farmer would scoff… or make some remark involving the words ‘prissy’ and ‘frou-frou’. Even after their little spat at Twilight’s sleepover, the two enjoyed a little jab at each other every now and then; it was an established part of their repartee.
“Oh, nonsense! We’d love to have you join us.” Rarity kept step with Applejack. Something was the matter, and she wanted to know what it was. Applejack did not seem convinced, so Rarity added the kicker. “Why, I am certain Twilight would feel terrible if she thought you didn’t feel welcome. We all see less and less of her these days.”
It was completely untrue, but both Applejack and Rarity were well aware of Twilight’s fear that she would become isolated from them, now that she was a princess. She felt a tad guilty manipulating her friend that way, but it was for a good cause! At least, Rarity thought so, if she could only find out what was upsetting her friend.
“Alright, Ah’ll come,” Applejack sighed.
Ж
“So…” Twilight started, looking towards their unusually quiet companion. “How are things at the farm? Ready for cider season?”
“Eeyup.”
Twilight looked to Rarity, who shrugged. Throughout their conversation Applejack had remained quiet, avoiding joining the conversation and answering enquiries with the shortest responses.
Twilight reached a hoof out, and gently touched Applejack’s. The farmer pulled back with a start.
“What was that for, Twilight?” Applejack asked, her hoof now hidden behind the other.
“Applejack,” Rarity replied, “something is upsetting you. That was clear since I met you in the market today.”
“Then why didn’t y’all just let me be?” Applejack growled.
“Because we’re your friends,” Twilight answered. “If something is bothering you, then you should tell us; we might be able to help.”
“Nopony can help me with this problem.” Applejack pushed herself away from the table.
“I am sure we can help,” Rarity responded.
Applejack could feel her eyes welling up. Not here!
“Y’all don’t know what you’re talkin’ about!” Applejack made a break for the door. If she could just get outside, get away from them—
“Wait!” A purple flash burst in front of the running mare, and Applejack found herself toppling over the third highest princess in Equestria.
“Oh, dear! Are you two alright?” Rarity called as she trotted from the kitchen, concern etched across her brow as she cast a glance to the ponnequins around her boutique. She eased when she could see nothing in the shop was damaged, or out of order.
“Did anypony get the number of that train?” Twilight asked as she sat up, untangling herself from Applejack. “Are you okay, Applejack?”
Twilight and Rarity looked down at their friend; Applejack had covered her face with her hat, and shied away from them as they tried to help her to her hooves.
“Applejack, darling?” Rarity stepped lightly as she moved towards the farmer once she was on her hooves again. Applejack was shaking all over, though her face was still obscured by her stetson.
“Oh, Applejack, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you!”
“Yah didn’t hurt me, Twi,” Applejack answered with a raspy voice. When she lifted her hat from her face and placed it back on her head, both mares could see her tears, matting the fur of her cheeks. “Ah’m sorry, Ah should leave. Ah can’t bother you none with mah problems.”
Rarity and Twilight were in shock; neither of them had ever seen the strong farm-mare crying before. They were not sure how to deal with this Applejack.
“We’re here for you, Applejack.” Rarity levitated a box of tissues and gave them to Applejack. “No matter what your problems, we’re here for you.”
“We are.” Twilight nodded.
“Come on, let’s go back into the kitchen, and you can tell us what is going on.”
Ж
“Y’all remember when Ah told ya the story of how Ah got mah cutie mark?”
Both mares nodded.
“Well, a couple’a things happened when Ah was in Manehattan.” Applejack paused, sighing. “Ah was young, and Ah was stupid.
“When Ah was staying with Aunt and Uncle Orange, Ah met a colt. He was the son of one’a mah uncle’s business partners. He was real nice t’ me, and real easy on th’ eye.
“He were a little older than me, too. Ah was only fourteen when Ah went there.”
Rarity’s brow furrowed, while Twilight listened intently.
“Ah didn’ know much about… relations… Ma and Pa was already— well, they was no longer with us. An’ Granny Smith didn’t talk about such things.
“So Ah didn’t really know what Ah was doin’, or…” Applejack lowered her gaze, not wanting to look at her friends. “…how to be… uhhh… safe.”
Rarity rose and sat next to Applejack, pulling her into a hug. Twilight looked to the marshmallow mare; clearly Rarity had picked something up that Twilight hadn’t.
“Ah— Ah was ‘bout four months along when Ah got back t’ Ponyville.” Applejack accepted the tissue Rarity offered. “Ah didn’t know, not until Granny Smith took me t’ see the doctor.
“Ah was so terrified— Ah was too young! Ah didn’t know how t’ be a mother.”
Rarity squeezed Applejack tightly. Twilight moved to give her friend a hug, too, having finally caught on to what they were talking about.
“Ah— we dealt with it, as a family. But Ah always felt terrible—”
They were interrupted by a hissing sound, and the clatter of fabric.
“Oh, Opal, are you okay, sweetie?” Rarity called out from the table. She got up to check what had happened. Opal had evidently been playing with the fabric from one of her fabric bins, and the thing had toppled on her.
“Mommy is a little busy right now, so you just run along.” Rarity eyed the mess of fabric on the floor. “I guess I will have to just clean that up later.”
She watched as the small ball of claws and fur turned an angry eye towards the fabric, before the cat slowly skulked up the stairs.
“I’m sorry, Applejack, you were saying…”
Ж
Sweetie Belle crept quietly through the boutique, careful not to make a sound. She could hear Rarity talking to somepony in the kitchen, and her sister did not like to be interrupted.
The Crusaders were going to be trying for their skydiving cutie marks today, and while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were busy trying to convince Rainbow Dash to give them a lift up to the clouds, it was Sweetie Belle’s job to get the material for their parachutes.
It wasn’t stealing, per se, she was just borrowing the material; she was going to bring it back. And like her dad always said, it’s easier to forgive than to give permission… or something like that. It was usually when mom caught him borrowing cookies from the cookie jar.
“Ah— Ah was ‘bout four months along when Ah got back t’ Ponyville.” Sweetie Belle recognised Applejack’s voice. She listened in quietly as she sifted through one of Rarity’s fabric bins.
Did it really take four months for her to come home? She told us she ran all the way!
“Ah didn’t know, not until Granny Smith took me t’ see the doctor.”
Well, that would make sense. Anypony would be sick if they ran for four months.
“Ah was so terrified— Ah was too young! Ah didn’t know how t’ be a mother.”
Sweetie Belle stopped searching the bin.
Did she just say…?
Sweetie Belle fell backwards out of the fabric stash, crashing onto Opal’s tail. The cat hissed and swiped at her. The filly dove for the fabric now spilled across the floor, just as Rarity entered the room.
In an uncanny reversal of her usual luck, Opal was blamed for the mess Sweetie Belle made, and Rarity did not notice the little filly hiding in the stash. Opal glowered at Sweetie Belle as the cat skulked up the stairs.
The moment Rarity was back in the kitchen, Sweetie Belle made a dash for the exit. Forget the fabric, she had to talk to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!
Ж
“Ah can’t believe Rainbow Dash said no! Ah thought ya said she was cool, Scootaloo.”
“She is cool!” Scootaloo protested as they zoomed along on her scooter. “She’s the most coolest of cools that ever cooled. Why, she’s so cool that I bet that she said we shouldn’t try parachuting because she knows how totally uncool parachuting is.”
“Uhhh, maaaaaaaybe?” Apple Bloom responded. “But what are we supposed to do now? Sweetie Belle is probably in the clubhouse right now, waitin’ for us.”
The two skidded to a halt in front of the clubhouse.
“Sweetie Belle, are ya there?” Apple Bloom called out, as she and Scootaloo ascended the ramp. “Rainbow Dash said no!”
They walked through the doorway to find Sweetie Belle bouncing with excitement.
“That’s okay it doesn’t matter I just heard the most awesome thing!” she squealed, with so much excitement a small burst of green shot from her horn.
“Oops, sorry…” Sweetie Belle apologised, as Scootaloo doused the now-lit curtains.
Once the fire was under control (the Crusaders never did understand why they never got their cutie marks in fire-fighting; they certainly did it enough!), they turned back to Sweetie Belle.
“So?” Scootaloo prompted. “What’s the news?”
Sweetie Belle looked to Scootaloo for a few moments, then burst out, “Oh yeah!
“I was getting the material for the parachutes when I heard my sister talking to somepony. Applejack was there, and I think it was Twilight, too.
“They were talking about when Applejack was in Manehattan and when she came back she had a filly! Isn’t that amazing?”
“What‽” Scootaloo gasped. “You never told us Applejack had a foal!”
“Whuh?” Apple Bloom asked. “What do you… Ah don’t… wait, yer saying Ah have a niece‽”
“That’s what Applejack said!” Sweetie Belle answered. “You’re Auntie Apple Bloom!”
“That’s so cool!” Scootaloo added. “Oh wait, you know what this means?”
“What?” both fillies asked at once.
“Well, since the Apple Family are always the last to get their cutie marks—”
“Hey!” Apple Bloom protested.
“—that means that your niece probably doesn’t have her cutie mark either. Which means…”
All three fillies looked at each other, and shouted in unison, “WE CAN ASK HER TO BECOME A CUTIE MARK CRUSADER!”
Ж
Applejack trudged back to the farm, her head hanging low as to avoid the gaze of any passers by. While it was good talking with the girls, it had been emotionally exhausting, and she didn’t want to have to deal with anypony else. Too many ponies knew already…
Thankfully, Twilight and Rarity had not judged her harshly. Twilight was a little surprised at her decision, but Rarity had understood why Applejack had made such a choice. Still, they were completely supportive… something Applejack felt ashamed that she had not expected. She wasn’t sure about other ponies, though.
The sun was sinking slowly over the western fields. The golden light bathed the apple orchard, giving the trees an ethereal glow. Sunsets like this brought peace to Applejack’s heart; they told her everything was right with the world, that everything would be okay.
Her reverie was interrupted abruptly as she stepped through the door, and was tackled by a small, yellow filly.
“Applejack! Why didn’t ya ever tell me?” Apple Bloom bounced with joy on top of the prone mare. “Ah can’t believe it, Ah have a niece! Ah can’t believe Ah’m Auntie Apple Bloom! Why did y’all keep it a secret from me?”
Applejack looked around the room to where Big Mac and Granny Smith were sitting. Big Mac was looking everywhere but at his sister, and Granny Smith wore an uncharacteristic frown.
“We didn’t tell ‘er, Applejack,” Granny answered the unspoken question. “Seems she heard it from one o’ her friends, when you were visiting yer dressy friend today.”
Rarity’s.
The crash in the boutique.
It must have been Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo who had overheard.
The fleeting peace Applejack had finally achieved evaporated as the little filly continued to bounce around her excitedly. She got up and sat on her haunches, and pulled the excited filly into her arms. Tears streaked down her cheeks for the second time this day.
“You ain’t an aunt, Apple Bloom.” Applejack hugged Apple Bloom as hard as she could; she had hoped desperately that this day would never come. She loved her little sister; how would Apple Bloom look at her after this… once she knew the truth?
“Ah’m really sorry, sugarcube.” Applejack sniffed as she rubbed a teary cheek across Apple Bloom’s. “There’s something Ah’ve gotta tell ya about— about your momma.”
