It took roughly a week to repair all the damage that was done to Ponyville. Zephyr and Big Mac discovered that it was caused by Spike somehow growing massive and out-of-control. Twilight tried to explain, as she learned from Zecora, that one way Dragons get bigger is through how greedy they get. Because it was Spike's birthday, he inadvertently got greedy when everypony started giving him gifts.

Zephyr knew Spike wasn't in his right mind when he did it, but the big brother made sure the Dragon apologized to Scootaloo for trying to steal her scooter regardless. The filly was fine otherwise and was rather nonplussed about the whole thing, stating that something crazy happening in Ponyville every once in a while was quickly becoming the norm.

I'm... pretty sure that's not a good thing...

While she knew Zephyr had been recruited as a temporary soldier, it didn't stop Fluttershy from tackle-hugging her brother out of worry when he revealed that he was home. It got even worse when she discovered his wing injury as she promptly dragged him to the hospital to get it patched up, despite his insistence that he could fly fine. On the other hoof, Scootaloo was excited to hear that he was a soldier even for a short while.

Once the chaos of Ponyville's reconstruction was over, Zephyr finally decided to let his friends know what happened that one night. One extra pony he invited was Big Mac, having developed a camaraderie with the farmer and knew he could be trusted. With support from Fluttershy and Twilight, Zephyr told them what happened.

Big Mac was surprised to hear that Gale Singer was actually a gender-bent Zephyr, but thought no further on it. Of greater concern to him alongside his sister and her 3 other friends was the violent outburst Zephyr went through. Even he, an Apple with strong familial values, couldn't see himself losing it that badly.

After some thought, Applejack shook her head. "It must have taken a lot of courage to tell us, sugahcube. Ah' can at least thank you for trusting us with this much. Still, it is worrying..."

"That's besides the point!" Rainbow was subconsciously more worried about Zephyr than about the violent outburst itself. "Why DID it happen? You're so similar to Fluttershy that... unless that's exactly why your reaction was all the more severe?"

Zephyr shook his head. "But... what if it's something... else?" Fluttershy put a hoof on his shoulder in worry.

"Even if it is, I'm sure us Earth Ponies can stop it before it gets too out of hoof!" Pinkie wanted to inject some positivity back into the atmosphere. "Nothing snaps a pony out of a rage like getting tired!"

Applejack smiled at Big Mac while patting his back. "Plus, Big Mac here can help overpower you if it comes to that. That's why ya' included him in this discussion if ah' had to guess." To say Applejack was proud of her big brother after what he accomplished during his stint as a soldier was an understatement. Though she didn't realize it, she had been more affectionate towards him after learning of it.

"Eeyup."

"Well, hopefully it won't come to that." Rarity smiles at the group. "As long as we support each other, we should be able to help prevent it from happening! For now, let's simply keep it at the back of our minds. It won't do us any good to constantly worry about it."

"Took the words right out of my mouth!" Pinkie cheered enthusiastically as everypony else agreed. "Oh, but I godda get back to Sugar Cube Corner! Mrs. Cake still can't work for whatever reason so it's up to me and Mr. Cake to make up the difference!"

"... Granny, please! Those ponies over there are watchin' me!"

Applebloom was in the middle of the market with her grandma, Granny Smith. The old mare's antics with ensuring the best possible outcome for the Zap Apple Jam was embarrassing the poor filly to death. Made worse by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon mockingly laughing at her. The bonnet she was wearing wasn't helping her much either.

Whether she was senile or just acting it, nopony but Granny Smith herself knew. She took a look at the other two fillies for a second. "What? aren't--"

"Oh? Hello Applebloom and Mrs. Smith!" Applebloom could've smiled so widely if it weren't for leftover embarrassment. Zephyr had approached the two with a smile on his own face, oblivious to what the filly was just going through.

Granny Smith tuts at Zephyr. "Jus' call me Granny Smith, youn'in'! Yer an official part of the Apple Family!"

"Ah, yes. Thank you Granny Smith." Noticing the full saddlebags, Zephyr grew curious. "What's the occasion?"

"The Zap Apples are upon us! We're just preparing for 'em!"

Zephyr recognized the name. "I think Big Mac told me that their season was close by. I guess it's almost now."

"Eeyup! I was also just about to introduce mahself to Appleblooms friends!"

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were still giggling maliciously, much to Applebloom's chagrin. The farm filly was surprised when the two bullies suddenly adopted terrified looks and began shuffling away quickly. Looking over, Applebloom saw Zephyr giving the two a very disapproving look. "Yeah... maybe another day. Preparation for the Zap Apples should come first, yes?"

Despite what just happened, Granny Smith beamed. "Ah right! Of course! Let's go, Applebloom!" Despite her age, she starts skipping off merrily.

Before following, Applebloom shuffled up to Zephyr. "Thank you so much... ah' didn't know what to do."

"Don't mention it. I get a very... distinct feeling what your relationship with those two is." Applebloom, remembering that Zephyr had issues with bullying growing up, knew right then why he had a bit of venom in his voice there. "But I shouldn't do anything. Applebloom, if you or your friends have any major issues, be sure to let me know, okay?"

"Ah' will. But... actually, ah'll explain later. Ah' need to catch up to grandma!" With that, Applebloom runs after Granny Smith, leaving Zephyr confused as to what she wanted to say.

"Ah'll be embarrassed!"

A few days later, Applebloom was complaining to her friends in their clubhouse. It was family appreciation month and she was the next foal to bring in a relative to show off in some way, shape, or form. Despite Applebloom's best efforts, Applejack and Big Mac couldn't attend on Monday due to the Zap Apples being upon them.

This only left Granny Smith and, as Applebloom remembers from the market the other day, she'll just embarrass the poor filly so much she'll get mocked. That's what she thought at any rate, hence the panicked meeting with her fellow crusaders.

"Ah'll be shamed! Disgraced! Mortified, humilia--"

Sweetie Belle had enough as she cut Applebloom off with a hoof in her mouth. Scootaloo looked apprehensive. "What are you, a dictionary?"

"Snap out of it! We're here to help!" Sweetie Belle thought that Applebloom might have some genuine concerns with having Granny Smith be the 'presenter' on her day. The Unicorn looks back at Scootaloo, expecting her to agree.

If the whole situation had happened before a certain event, Scootaloo would've been completely on board. Now, however, all she had was sadness over the whole thing. "Applebloom... don't you think your throwing your grandmother under the carriage here?"

That took Sweetie Belle for a ride. "Scootaloo? How come you're not on board?"

"Yeah! Don't you care about me getting humiliated?"

Scootaloo shook her head despondently. "I do care, Applebloom, don't misunderstand. But... try and give Granny Smith the benefit of the doubt here! Who knows, maybe she has a story for the class that'll blow everypony else's out the window!"

"What... makes you say that?" Applebloom remained apprehensive, considering Scootaloo wasn't around Granny Smith recently.

While Scootaloo didn't want to make the air heavy, she also wanted to make Applebloom appreciate what she has. Knowing what might happen, she went for it anyways. "I want you to do me a favor. Imagine, even for a second, that Granny Smith suddenly disappeared from your life. How would you feel?"

Applebloom was confused, but tried to anyways. "She's... jus' not there. Why would that--"

"I'm not talking about 'away for the day or week for something' gone. I mean... permanently gone... you'll never see her again gone..."

"S-Scootaloo, you're scaring me here..." Sweetie Belle had no idea what her friend was trying to get at.

Applebloom, unsure as well, adjusted her thought process. The more she imagined it, the more... empty the farm felt. Yet she still couldn't get what Scootaloo was trying to say. "Ah'... still don't get it."

"Remember when I went to a 'memorial service' in Canterlot? That's where I learned more about my adoptive mom's father, Spearwing."

"What's that got to do with imaginin' Granny Smith is gone?"

Scootaloo sighed sadly. "When I was there... I learned so much about him. I met so many ponies who were touched by his influence and had so much to tell about him. All it did... was make me wish I could've met him, even just once..." She looks up with a pained look. "But I can't. He's gone and can't come back anymore. I'll... never know the joy of listening to his stories or what his touch feels like. What it's like to be a family with him. I... I just can't."

Now understanding where Scootaloo was coming from, the moment Applebloom thought of Granny Smith's absence in that way, she suddenly felt such a gaping tear in her heart she actually started crying a little bit. "Ah'... ah' don't... wanna imagine that anymore... it hurts..."

"Scootaloo... I'm sorry..." Sweetie Belle gave her friend her own tearful face.

That got a tired chuckle out of the Pegasus filly. "My mom admitted that she felt awful for 'exposing me to such a harsh reality so early in my life'. But hearing Applebloom want to shove her grandma into a dark corner like that is just too painful for me."

Sweetie Belle was about to respond when Applebloom shot past her out the clubhouse and towards the farm house. "Oh Appleboom... the imagery must have really gotten to her."

"Let's let her have her time with her grandma for now. Besides that, I'll even understand if she doesn't want to talk to me for the time being... or anymore for that matter. I just... wanted her to appreciate the family she has."

In the farm house, Granny Smith was sleeping soundly in her rocking chair. All the excitement surrounding Zap Apple season, while an amazing feeling, wears her out much faster in her old age. She wanted to make sure she was well rested for the next stages of the season.

"G-grandma..."

Normally Granny Smith was a very heavy sleeper when she wore herself out. However, hearing the sound of her youngest grandfoal's distressed voice woke her up immediately. "Applebloom? What's wrong?"

"Ah'm sorry... AH'M SORRY, GRANDMA!!" Applebloom jumped into Granny Smith's forehooves, bawling her eyes out.

"Oh my sweet, young grandfoal. Whatever are you sorry for?"

"Ah'... ah' always thought of you as an embarrassment whenever ah' was with you. That ah' didn't want you to be the pony who came with me to Family Appreciation Day. That... ah' never appreciated you! So please... don't disappear on me!"

Granny Smith realized that somepony had broken a very harsh lesson on her youngest, yet she could tell there was no malice in it. Deciding to focus on her grandfoal, she draws Applebloom into a deep hug. "Ah'm sorry, little Applebloom. As much as ah'd like to be in yer life forever, ah'm 'fraid that's jus' not possible. But... that don' mean we can't appreciate all the little things in life along the way. Life's too precious to be wasted on 'what-if's and all that nonsense! We should instead treasure the moments we find most precious to us!"

"Grandma..."

"So please, Applebloom. Smile for yer' ol' grandma! It does my heart good to see you as a happy, healthy filly!" Understanding what Granny Smith was getting at, Applebloom took a moment to calm herself down as best she could before looking at her grandma's face with the most genuine smile she could. "There it is! Yer' such a lovely young filly! It's sights like these an old mare like mah'self treasures!"

Applejack was about to call Granny Smith for something when she saw both her grandmother and her little sister sharing a tender moment. Smiling at the scene, she chose to back off for now. Eh... what ah' wanted to ask can wait. Ah'm just glad Applebloom finally came around.

After a while of sharing another hug, Granny Smith and Applebloom heard a knock on the door. "Mrs. Granny Smith! It's Cheerilee and I'd like to discuss Applebloom's Family Appreciation Day with you!"

"Ms. Cheerilee!" Applebloom managed to recover enough to answer the door for Granny Smith.

"Oh? What's this 'bout a 'Family Appreciation Day'?"

Cheerilee smiles as Applebloom rejoins her grandma. "Yes! This month we're asking all the foals to come into class with a family member to give a presentation or story of some kind. Next Monday is Applebloom's turn, so I came along to ask if you wanted to do something for the class! Would you be willing to?"

"This was what ah' was talking 'bout earlier, grandma. However, ah' don't want to regret not showing you off... so please?" Applebloom looks up at Granny Smith, hope now in her eyes.

"Are ya kidding me! Of course ah' can! AJ and Big Mac know everything needed to harvest Zap Apples, so ah can attend! Besides, ah godda show my grandfilly us old fogies have stories even the youn'in's will find interestin'!" Granny Smith, now privy to Applebloom's earlier worries, now wanted to give her best showing to not embarrass her grandfilly anymore.

Cheerilee could tell something just happened because she felt a lot of familial love from the two in front of her, which warmed her heart. "We'll be happy to have you! Since we're both here, Applebloom, do you know where Scootaloo is? I want to discuss who she'll bring in the next Monday after Granny Smith."

Applebloom realized something then. "Oh no! I jus' left my friends behind at the clubhouse! Ms. Cheerilee, if you want to come, ah' can take you to Scootaloo! See you later, grandma!" With that, the filly dashes out the door.

"Ah, grandfoals. Always a sight for sore eyes seeing em' so full of energy!" Cheerilee giggled at Granny Smith's comment before following Applebloom.

Arriving back at the clubhouse, Applebloom burst through the door. "Scootaloo, are ya' still here?"

"Applebloom? I thought you would have not wanted to talk to me after--"

"Why would that make me not want to talk to you, ya' dork!" Scootaloo couldn't help but puff her cheeks out indignantly in response to being called that, only to look shocked when Applebloom patted her on the head. "Ah' appreciate you sticking yer' neck out for me in that way!"

Sweetie Belle couldn't help but giggle at the sight. "Told you there was no need to worry!"

"Glad to see you three getting along as per usual." Cheerilee chose then to enter. "As much as I want to leave you three to it, I need to talk to you about your Family Appreciation Day, Scootaloo. Who are you--"

"Zephyr. No questions asked!"

"That was a quick answer! May I ask why?"

"Well, before we get into what he can talk about, I'll say why nopony else is able to do so. Mom's back in Manehatten doing a gig and dad went with to support her. Fluttershy, as much as I love her to bits, probably wouldn't do well in that environment. Even if she could, I'm not sure what she could talk about besides animals and animal care.

"As for Zephyr, he's been a wind manager for a long time and has lead the weather team in place of Rainbow Dash many times before. In addition, he's the lead singer for Three Night's Grace and has even spent some time as a soldier!"

That explanation got a few knowing smirks from her friends as Sweetie Belle said, "All I heard was how much you love your brother."

"W-why not?"

Cheerilee giggles at the scene. "I understand. I'll be along next week after Granny Smith's presentation to discuss it with your brother."

"Speakin' of yer brother." Applejack had come along as well. "Ah' was wantin' to ask if he could help us with Zap Apple harvesting. Granny Smith is getting an extra good feelin' 'bout this year's batch, so we wanna harvest as many as we can and he worked here before."

"Sure, I can ask him! actually, I can go now before I continue hanging out with my friends!" Waving at Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo exits the clubhouse.

"Actually, Scootaloo, may I talk to you about something regarding you?" Cheerilee managed to stop the Pegasus filly, who turned with a slightly fearful look. "Nothing too serious. I'm just wondering what it was that made you think Applebloom will hate you?"

Applejack, despite knowing it was rude, couldn't help but eavesdrop as Scootaloo sighed. "Well... it's because Applebloom had been thinking of Granny Smith as nothing but an embarrassment to the point she didn't want her coming in on Family Appreciation Day."

"Oh? But they looked so close--" Cheerilee connected the dots right then. "In essence, beforehoof you brought up the possibility that she might not have that much time left to spend with her grandma, yes?"

"Well... it made me sad that she wasn't giving her grandma the time of day. After I went to the memorial service of my adoptive mom's dad, it made me realize that time spent with loved ones is precious because, one day, they'll be gone from your life. That's why... even if Applebloom hated me for it, I wanted her to appreciate the family she has."

Scootaloo looks up at Cheerilee, expecting a lecture. She was surprised to see her teacher with a warm smile. "That was very courageous of you, Scootaloo. You feared severing your bond with Applebloom, yet you went though with it regardless in the hopes that your sorrow would teach her not to take her own family for granted. I'm sure the reason Applebloom felt no reason to hate you is because you helped her see what's important in life."

"Ms. Cheerilee... thank you!"

Applejack continued on her way, a warm smile on her face. Ah'm glad Applebloom's got such good friends...

Some time after Granny Smith's Family Appreciation Day appearance

"Huh, so this is a Zap Apple... I know I was harvesting them a short while ago, but I never figured I'd be holding one here."

Zephyr had never seen or held Zap Apples before he was asked to help harvest them, so it was a new experience to have one in his hoof at that moment. He could practically feel the power of lightning in it.

"Eeyup! That there's the pride and joy of Ponyville and the reason it was even founded!" Granny Smith was along with Applebloom and Applejack. Thanks to Zephyr's help, they were able to get the majority of the harvest done before they vanished. While he was out of practice, Applejack reassured him that they harvested far more than without him. While the harvesting was long done, they had invited him back over to try one out.

Applebloom beamed up at her grandma. "Ah' still can't believe you were there for Ponyville's founding!"

"Hm, sounds like I missed out on quite the story." Zephyr wandered back over, Zap Apple still in hoof. "I hope my presentation day won't be a disappointment..."

That made Applejack shake her head. "There's yer lack of confidence again. Jus' focus on making sure your chosen subject can be interesting enough and you'll be fine!"

"Ah'm sure yer jus' putting too much pressure on yer'self!" Granny Smith grinned. "Anyhoo, whenever yer' free, ah'll be more than happy to regale that tale for ya'! In the meantime, try a bite! Ya earned it after helping us with the harvest!"

As much as he wanted to, one thing made Zephyr hesitate. "There's one thing I keep forgetting to tell everypony-- nothing serious, mind! It's that... for some strange reason, eating too many regular apples at once makes me 'hyper-strung' as I like to call it. AJ, remember when I plastered myself against the ceiling of Sugar Cube Corner my first day here?"

That dumbfounded Applejack. "That happened because ya' ate too many apples? Ah', uh... don't know what to say."

"Maybe Zap Apples will be different?" Applebloom dared to ask.

"Well, ya' might as well see if it'll affect ya'! For the experience if nothing else!" Was Granny Smith's logic.

Zephyr took one last look at the Zap Apple in his hoof before quickly taking a bite. He found it very delicious, more so than the Apple Family's standard apples, but he was frozen in place after the bite.

"Uh... Sugahcube?" Applejack took a few steps back when Zephyr's tail went super-straight and his whole body started vibrating. "Ah' don't like this... TAKE COVER!"

Her instincts were spot on because Zephyr suddenly took flight so fast, the sonic boom he made on take-off unleashed a massive gust of wind.

"WHEEEEE!!!"

The Zap Apple didn't make him 'hyper-strung', it made him 'Pinkie Pie-hyper' as he started zooming all over the place. Applebloom looks up at Applejack after the family recovered from the gust. "Did... we just make another Pinkie Pie?"

"Maybe, but ah'm willing to bet he'll calm back down once the Zap Apple's out of his system." Despite the situation, Applejack wryly smiled as she stored this bit of information away for potential future use.

When he started zipping around Rainbow Dash, the Pegasus mare was rather perturbed especially when it looked like he was in two places at once. "I never thought I'd see Zephyr zipping around like Pinkie Pie today..."

It went on for a while until Zephyr crashed figuratively before quickly following up with a literal one, complete with an unceremonious splut.

Flying down to him, Rainbow gives Zephyr an amused look. "How was that for you?"

"No idea how Pinkie manages that all the time..." Was his exceedingly tired response. Rainbow couldn't help but laugh at it.

Author's Note

Slightly shorter chapter this time. Wanted to give a break from the story revolving mostly around Zephyr and decided to show some cause-and-effect of Scootaloo going to the memorial service. The beginning was for tying up a few loose ends and the end a for-fun deal.