What Would a Genealogy Cutie Mark Look Like, Anyway?
Apple Bloom loved this part. It was the best part of going to bed. The part when her big sister tucked her in.
But tonight was different. Tonight, Apple Bloom sat up, letting the freshly tucked blanket fall from her shoulders. "Applejack?" She asked.
"Yeah?" Was the absent-minded reply. Applejack was expecting her to request a story. It was part of their ritual.
The question Apple Bloom asked instead was decidedly not. "When's Mom coming back?"
That caught Applejack short. The little pony continued, "I've always wanted to meet her."
After a moment, Applejack spoke. "Hon, your mom... she wasn't fit to raise you. Not the way you needed." She shook her head. "I doubt you'll ever actually meet her."
She leaned down and kissed Apple Bloom on her forehead. "Get some sleep, Apple Bloom. You'll need your rest if you're gonna hang out with your friends all day tomorrow."
As Apple Bloom laid back down, her sister turned out the lights. "Goodnight." She said, then she shut the door. Apple Bloom bade her good night through the door and closed her eyes.
Then she sat back up. "Wait. 'Your mom'?"
"Wow, Apple Bloom, you're looking rough today." Was the first thing Scootaloo said when the Crusaders met the next day.
It wasn't an unfair assessment. Between her red eyes and matted hair, the pony wasn't projecting the most dignified air. "Sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night."
Sweetie Belle put a hoof on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
Apple Bloom looked at her unicorn friend, then the pegasus who was fiddling with her scooter. "I-," she said as she slumped onto her hindquarters, "I think I'm adopted."
"Adopted?!" The other Crusaders exclaimed.
Scootaloo stopped tighening the the bolts on the scooter's wheel. "What did Applejack say?" She asked.
"I asked her about our mom and she said your mom. Your mom."
Sweetie Belle shook her head. "You know that doesn't necesarily mean anything." She told Apple Bloom, not looking totally convinced. "Your sister could've just been using a figure of speech. Or something."
"Why don't you just ask her? She'd probably tell you. She was the Bearer of the Element of Honesty for awhile."
"That's just it, Scootaloo. If I am adopted and Applejack was lying to me about being my sister when she was a bearer, then how can I trust her now?"
"You don't know she was lying to you." Sweetie Belle pointed out.
Apple Bloom stood back up. "Well, there's only one way to find out. I have to see my birth certificate."
"We should ask Twilight if she can help. She is a princess, after all." Sweetie Belle said. "If anyone knows where to look, it's her."
This got a nod from Apple Bloom. "Let's go."
"Maybe we can get our cutie marks in geneology!" Scootaloo pumped her hoof into the air. Then she noticed the others shaking their heads, and their disapproving looks. She lowered her hoof. "Sorry, bad joke."
Scootaloo got them to Twilight's castle in almost record time (you can't set records every time). They nearly bashed the door down, and found Twilight in the atrium.
"Oh, hello Cutie Mark Crusaders." The princess smiled as she turned toward them. "How can I help you today?"
"It's so shiny in here." Sweetie Belle muttered. "No wonder my sister likes it so much."
Apple Bloom was practically jumping. "We need to see my birth certificate!"
Twilight shot them a quizzical look. "Okay..." Then she nodded. "You're in luck. Ever since my castle grew, the mayor's been housing city records here."
She kicked the floor sheepishly. "She said I owed her one after that riot I started."
Twilight waved for them to follow and set off down a series of halls. To pass the time, she asked if they were keeping up with their studies.
"Of course." Scootaloo replied. "We practice every day!"
"That's good to hear. Well, here we are."
The door to the records room was clearly added well after the castle's initial growth, as it was made of simple wood with painted-on letters marking it for what it was. Twilight pushed it open with her magic and they all strode in.
"Let's see... Apple Bloom, you should be in 'A'. Ah!" She turned to the Crusaders, a scroll hovering before her. "More proof that we should all listen to Pinkie more often.
Unfurling the scroll, Twilight began to scan for the relevent info. "Hmm... Apple Bloom, Apple Bloom, Apple Bloom. Alright. Apple Bloom, your mom is- WHAT? Really?"
"What is it?!" Apple Bloom cried.
"Who is it?" Added the other two.
"Ummm...I need to ask Applejack about this. I'll get back to you." With that she teleported out, taking the scroll with her.
Apple Bloom was not having it. "Scootaloo! To the farm!"
"On it!"
And they sped away.
They reached the farm(this time it was a record), just in time to see Twilight approach Applejack and Big Mac. "They must've been bucking some trees. Looks like she just found 'em." Apple Bloom whispered. "Come on, let's sneak up on 'em."
Crawling like ninja-ponies, the trio inched to just within earshot. "Applejack! There you are."
"What's wrong, Twilight?"
The princess levitated the scroll so that Applejack could read it. "Apple Bloom and her friends came to me, asking to see her birth certificate. I looked at it before I gave it to her. Is this true?"
Applejack hung her head. "Yeah. Yeah, it's true."
"I knew it!" Apple Bloom couldn't hold it in any longer. She jumped out from behind the bush the Crusaders were hiding behind. The other two followed.
Twilight was more confused than startled. "You knew?"
"Well, I didn't know-know. But I had my suspicions. And now I do know. I'm adopted!" She rounded on Applejack. "And you didn't tell me!"
"Adopted?" Applejack sputtered.
"Yeah! So much for the Element of Honesty, huh? Good thing you got rid of it!"
"Sugarcube, you're not adopted. You're-"
Applejack sighed. "You're mine."
"WHAT?!" Was all the little pony could even think to exclaim. A beat. "Then who... who's my dad?"
"No-one in Ponyville. Your dad was a show pony, all tricks and, as I found out later, no substance. Split the minute I told him I was pregnant. Left me to raise you by myself. Applejack paused a second before continuing. "I was so young. Could barely take care of myself, let alone a little baby. So when you were born, Granny Smith agreed to raise you as if you were my sister. Kindest thing anypony's done for anypony."
"Ee-yup." Was all Big Mac could add.
"I can't believe it..."
Applejack hugged her... daughter. "I know it's a lot to take in. And I'm sorry I never told you, honest."
Apple Bloom pushed her away. "You're sorry? That's great! You've lied to me my entire life, but at least you're sorry!"
"I never lied to you, I just-"
"You lied to me! You were my Big Sister an- you were my Mom and you lied to me!" She shook her head. "I- I just can't..."
"I never meant to hurt you, Apple Bloom. I just had to do this. I was pretty much a filly myself, I couldn't handle the responsibility. Please forgive me."
Apple Bloom turned and started walking away. "I'm gonna go stay with Scootaloo for a while. I think that'd be best." Reluctantly, the other Crusaders followed, leaving Twilight, Big Mac, and Applejack behind.
No one said anything.
