Chapters "Rainbow. Spill it."
"What, AJ? There's nothing to spill."
"You're obviously upset. Is it or isn't it because I invited Apple Bloom along on our day out?"
" Now you're calling it 'our' day out. Because that's what I thought we were doing, but then—"
"It was a suggestion. Nothin' more. School was canceled, so I thought she might have been bored. But she could have easily spent the day with her friends. You told me you were okay with her comin' along."
"And, what, you couldn't have picked up that I clearly wasn't?"
"Who is this I'm talkin' to right now!? You have never had a problem with speaking your mind. What is it about me that all of a sudden you're okay with lyin'!?"
"Hey—calm down!"
"You lied to me, Rainbow! You lied to my face! I need to know I can trust you, and how can I ever do that if you're gonna try and hurt me like—"
"Don't you ever say that. Don't you ever say I would try to hurt you. Alright? I'm dumb, and I don't know what I'm doing, but I would never want to hurt you. Don't ever throw that at me. I'm just—I'm just dumb."
"...I..."
"What?"
"...Yeah. Yeah, y'are dumb."
"Well, I'm glad we can agree on something."
"I'll try to be more mindful of when I should leave my family out of time meant for us."
"Sounds good."
"Alright."
"...Hay Burger's around the corner."
"Again? You'll really shovel any old greasy food in your mouth."
"Eh. If it's cheap."
"Pfft. Sounds like you're good to pay for it, then."
"Done deal."
"I'm just saying, if I can sneeze on a letter and send it to Canterlot, you've gotta be able to invent some sort of spell that'll send ponies there."
"Spike! Spike, I'm telling you. Magic's not that easy."
Twilight and Spike sat in their respective seats next to the castle's map of Equestria, playfully arguing in between sips of eggnog. The library's roots hung from the ceiling, still suspending countless memories. Rainbow lay across her own seat, off to their right. The cutie marks on her and Twilight's thrones glowed brightly.
Spike tipped his glass about, watching the thick liquid slide along the walls. "I bet somepony could do it. Maybe you're not the Element of Magic after all!" He put his glass down on the map.
"Oh, that's—Hey! If you're going to set your eggnog on our strange mystical glowing map, at least use a coaster." She levitated Spike's glass in the air and slid the nearby wooden coaster underneath it.
Rainbow spent her time idly spinning her coaster in circles on the map, having no drink with which to make proper use of it. Twilight looked sidelong at Rainbow, lightly biting down on her lip, a silent sigh escaping her.
Spike looked out the window. "Man, it's getting late. Gonna be time to head to bed soon." He hopped off his seat. "But not yet! I'm gonna make some popcorn. Be back in a bit!"
Twilight watched Spike leave the room, then turned to Rainbow. She opened her mouth for a moment, then hesitated and closed it.
She breathed out. "Hey," she said. "I know you don't like to talk about this stuff, but—"
"You were right, earlier." Rainbow responded, still staring at her coaster. "When I came in. I just…" She looked at Applejack's empty seat, on the other side of Twilight. "I just want to be with her," she said quietly.
Twilight stammered slightly, taken aback. "Well I'm—I'm glad to hear you—I mean, not glad that—"
Rainbow smirked softly. "Applejack's always trying to get me to be more honest with other ponies. And myself. Guess it's working, finally."
The room was silent for a moment. Twilight waited patiently.
"I could have gone with her, you know. Like, if I'd pushed for it. She didn't say that I couldn't, just that… she wasn't sure if I should. I could have pushed. And I wanted to, but…" Rainbow gave her coaster another solid spin. "...If she's not sure, how can I be? Everypony else at the farm keeps saying 'Wow, you really fit in!' and 'You're here for life!' But whenever they say that, Applejack just... smiles, and looks like she's somewhere else.
"She's one of the most self-assured ponies I know. She's got so much confidence. Real confidence, not like… not like me." She breathed in. "I feel like I can do anything if she believes in me."
She rolled over, hiding her face from Twilight. "...I don't know what to do if she doesn't."
Twilight let the silence hang in the air a while longer. "I'm sure she does, Rainbow. I'm certain that's not what's going on. She is a confident pony, but… everypony has a weakness, I guess. Something so important to them that they can never fully trust that they won't… you know... I mean..."
Rainbow stayed curled up, facing away from Twilight. Twilight bit down on her lip again and looked up at the ceiling, frustration in her eyes.
After a moment, Twilight stepped off of her seat and walked over to Rainbow, gently rubbing her shoulder. "C'mon. I have something to show you."
Rainbow turned to face her with a weary expression.
Apple Bloom climbed the stairs to the second floor of the Pies' family home, poking her head up to see Applejack pacing back and forth near the bunk beds. Big Mac sat at the table nearby, head propped up on his front hooves, idly reading a book.
"Hey, you two! The Pies brought some cards out, and they're offerin' to teach us a new game! They keep score with rocks! Surprisin', I know." She grinned. "You guys wanna come?"
Big Mac turned to her and shook his head, before smiling and returning to his book. Applejack stopped her pacing for a moment to respond, "Eh… maybe later." She resumed pacing.
Apple Bloom smiled. "C'mon, Jack! You've been mopin' up here for—"
"Oh, no you don't." Applejack cut her off, and marched towards the stairs. "Only she gets to call me that. I ain't lettin' anypony else get used to it."
"Ah-ha! " Apple Bloom shouted. "That's the first time I've heard you say she's allowed to call you that!"
"Oh, for—Right, she's not allowed, but—Ahh, get movin' on to your game." Applejack turned away. Apple Bloom snickered as she walked back down the stairs.
Applejack continued to walk around the room, restless, thinking. Her hooves made an endless repetitive noise against the hard wood floor. Big Mac's brow furrowed as he tried to concentrate.
Applejack stopped near Big Mac. "...I mean, she could have come. I never said… I never said she couldn't. Just that I wasn't… sure."
Big Mac swiveled slowly in his seat, turning to face Applejack. He said nothing, looking her in the eye with a tired and stern expression.
"I s'pose I was… hoping she'd say that she was sure. That she knew it would be fine. I would have happily let her come along. But, I… One of us needed to be sure that she... belonged. Right?"
Big Mac said nothing.
"It wasn't like I was runnin' some sort of secret test or nothin'! That's—that's not how it works with us. I just…"
Applejack stared at the wall for a minute. "We're here tryin' so hard to make things work with the Pies... last thing we need is for somethin' to happen down the road, and then all the pictures taken here.. all the memories…
"I know Rainbow sometimes has... doubts… so I guess I could have put it differently…" She looked at Big Mac. "Apple Bloom's too young to really understand, but… I made the right decision, right? I'm makin' sense. Right?"
Big Mac clicked his tongue and held his gaze. "Eeeenope."
Applejack blinked, her mouth hanging open slightly. "Wh… But…"
"Hooo-wee! First round's done." Granny Smith's voice echoed from the stairs as she hobbled up slowly. "Pinkie's got the most o' dem rocks so far, but that can change! Prob'ly won't. But it could!"
She saw Applejack's pained expression. "Still frettin', eh?"
Applejack looked back at her and nodded slowly. "At this point I think I might just be a loon," she said, glancing at Big Mac briefly. "I don't know what I'm thinkin' anymore."
Granny called down the stairs. "Deal me outta the next hand or two! Ah'm gonna need a bit." She slowly moved past Applejack. "C'mere. Ah have somethin' to show you."
Applejack followed her, her head cocked.
"So what's it like to fly, anyway?"
"Heh. You really wanna know? I always thought I should keep that quiet when I'm around earth ponies and unicorns. 'Cause… you know."
"Well, if you wanna make it even, I can tell you what it's like to lift more than two hay bales without decidin' I need a nap."
"Oh, man. I'm never helping you on the farm again if that's the sass I'm gonna get. Anyway, it's like... "
"...Yeah?"
"Gimme a second! It's like… it's freedom, I guess. It's being able to look just about anywhere and think 'Yeah, I can get there.' I don't have to worry about bridges, or ladders, or climbing paths…"
"Like us poor downtrodden ground-bound earth-huggers, right?"
"Hey, you asked!"
"I was thinking more of the actual sensation. What do you feel, when you're up there?"
"Well, there's the wind rippling against me… the sun beating down on me, usually… bugs splatting against my face, sometimes. That's not really my favorite part."
"Hah! I don't imagine it's Fluttershy's, either."
"Pff. She doesn't usually fly fast enough for that to be a problem for her, but, yeah, she's told me to slow down a few times for their sake.
"Well, that's it? Wind, sun, bugs?"
"I don't know what else to say. The feeling of freedom is way more powerful than any of that. It's half the reason I like going so fast—when I see somewhere I want to be, I want to be there. I love the feeling that nothing can stop me."
"Nothin'? Surely some weather's gotta make for a no-fly sorta situation."
"Oh, well, yeah. Thunderstorms you should probably stay on the ground for. Cold weather, too. Like if it's cold enough to snow, you really gotta have a good reason if you're planning to go very far."
"And if you've got one?"
"Heh. Get there fast, I guess."
"Well, it's almost that time of year. Gonna be downtrodden with the rest of us, I guess."
"Eh. Give me some hot cocoa and a cozy fireplace, and I make do. And, hey, as long as you're there—I don't mind being an earth-hugger."
"Aww. You can be real sappy when you wanna."
"And if you tell anypony, I'm totally flying you off a cliff."
"Ima tell Pinkie."
"Like one of those big ones, with sharp rocks at the bottom."
Twilight flapped her wings and lifted herself off the floor, circling around the room and straining slightly to get the lift needed to climb. Rainbow followed, her ascent more effortless.
Twilight flew next to the grand chandelier, slowly navigating the many dangling gems, each showcasing a significant memory. She moved to an area near the center. "Here, take a look at this. I still add to this, you know. Some of the ones around here are more recent."
Rainbow moved near her and held a purple gem in her hoof, peering into the center. She scoffed lightly. "The Crusaders getting their cutie marks? That's your idea of recent? Kinda been over a year."
Twilight laughed. "Alright, well, I don't add to this often. I did add that a good few months ago, though. Keep going. There's newer stuff."
Rainbow flew over to a green gem and peered inside. "This one's just your first day in Ponyville."
"Alright, that's—You've drifted out of the new section. Just—" Twilight moved next to an orange gem and not so subtly nudged at it, looking away and coughing.
Rainbow raised an eyebrow at Twilight, then flew over to the orange gem. She picked it up and squinted for a moment, before opening her eyes wide and blinking, her mouth opening slightly. In the center she saw herself and Applejack, standing in a corner of Sugarcube Corner, balloons and streamers decorating the walls. Applejack was saying something while the Rainbow in the memory smiled back, attempting to appear casual. Rainbow could see the excitement in her own eyes, even at this size.
She looked at Twilight, confused. "This is…"
"Where it began." Twilight nodded, smiling.
Rainbow gazed back into the gem. "But why is it…? I mean, how is this even a memory of yours? " She peered closer, seeing Twilight and Pinkie around a nearby corner, grinning ear to ear with their hooves to their mouths. "Oh. Welp. Never knew about that. "
"Yeah, I'm… I'm suddenly realizing this might be slightly creepier than I intended." Twilight shifted awkwardly.
"I swear, this whole town's nosey. Okay, but seriously. Why is this here? " Rainbow asked.
Twilight smiled. "Why are the Crusaders getting their marks here?" She flew closer to Rainbow. "Because watching ponies I care about go through something life-changing is a memory I will always treasure."
Rainbow dropped the gem, looking away and rolling her eyes. "Twilight…"
"I'm serious. Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie—we've all been so incredibly happy, seeing you two so happy. And we can tell it's going to stick." Twilight put her hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "Applejack knows, too. She...
"Like I said before, everypony has a weakness. You know as well as I do that Applejack's family is the most important thing to her in the world, and no matter how sure she is, she'll always be scared when it comes to anything that could affect it." Twilight breathed out. "Look... you can't beat her family, Rainbow. You can never replace it as her number one."
Rainbow turned to face Twilight, nostrils flaring, teeth gritted. "Well then what am I supposed to—"
"But you can be part of it," Twilight hurriedly finished. Rainbow's face softened. "She may not have it in her to pull you into her family... but you can push. She'll let you in. I'm sure of it."
Twilight hugged Rainbow tightly, then pulled back, meeting her eyes intently. "So if you want to make that happen... you're going to have to be the confident one. Just this once."
Rainbow looked back at Twilight, eyes glistening, then shifted her gaze to the window, watching the snow blow through the night air.
Granny Smith stopped between the two bunk beds reserved for the Apples, next to a window, wind whistling faintly through a seam that wasn't quite airtight. She opened one of her saddle bags, and began pulling out a large leather book. "Hoo!" she breathed. "All these old pictures of you—are they growin' up with you? Ah swear this wasn't this heavy last time Ah touched it."
Applejack blinked in surprise. "You brought the big photo album? Ain't exactly travel-size."
Granny hefted it onto the bottom bunk near her, then sat up next to it. "Well, this here's a big event. And Ah had a feelin' Ah might be needin' it."
Applejack sat up on the bed, taking her hat off so it wasn't crushed against the top bunk, as Granny flipped through it. Years of old sepia-tone photos flashed by, before the color started to grow more vibrant. Applejack saw a flash of an infant Big Mac, before Granny stopped and flipped back several pages. "Shoot, too far…"
"There!" Granny said, pointing to a large photo, featuring dozens and dozens of ponies standing in front of the Sweet Apple Acres barn. Applejack smiled, seeing her mother and father near the back. "First Apple Family Reunion with yer ma and pa together. You know how long they were goin' out before she brought him?"
Applejack thought for a moment, then sighed and nodded. "A few weeks. I remember, 'cause Pa liked to go on about how surprised he was when she asked him to come. Blew him away how different this family was."
Granny looked at Applejack pointedly. Applejack huffed in exasperation. "But that's—There's always like a hundred ponies there! That's fine! You could bring an orthros and I bet most of 'em wouldn't notice until they started questioning the smell around dinnertime."
"Alright, ya stubborn mule. Look. You see him?" Granny pointed at a pony off of the center, with a light brown coat color and half-lidded, friendly eyes.
"Course, Granny. That's Uncle Hayseed." Applejack looked at Granny. "You never did say why you brought him up earlier."
"Can you tell me how he fits in the family?"
"Well, he…" Applejack thought back. It was always difficult to keep track of the many Apple ponies and all their familial connections, but Uncle Hayseed was one of her favorites. "...Huh."
She shook her head. "I can't think of any other relatives he showed up with… and I'm pretty sure I'd remember if he was one of my parents' brothers. He a cousin of a cousin, or something?"
Granny shook her head. "Nope. Used to go out with an Apple, and then we didn't let him leave. No blood relation to anypony in this picture."
"Hmm… well, who was it? Someone who didn't show up a lot, I'm guessing."
Granny placed her hoof on the photo, pointing.
"...Ma? He used to go out with Ma?"
"That's right. They wanted different things, but he was still just the kindest soul you could ever rightly meet. He was the first pony to teach you how to tie a good knot, weren't he?"
Applejack chuckled. "Yeah, and then I was tyin' Big Mac to trees every other day when he wasn't payin' attention. Can't imagine Ma and Pa were too happy 'bout that."
Granny laughed. "Well, they loved him all the same. He was always welcome, and he always loved to be there. He was never hesitant to come 'cause yer Ma were there. Only when she..." Granny's eyes grew distant for a moment, her gaze lowering. "...weren't."
The room was quiet for a moment. Applejack placed her hoof on the page, stroking down the photo gently.
After a moment, she spoke. "So is this supposed to be yer way of reassurin' me? 'Eh, even if it doesn't work out, she can still come to reunions and stuff?' That's what you wanted to tell me?"
Granny reached a frail hoof around and swiftly smacked the back of Applejack's head. "No, y'durn fool! You been listenin' to a word Ah been sayin'!?" Applejack winced in pain, then rubbed the sore spot, frowning.
"What Ah'm sayin', " Granny continued, "is that this family's a heck of a lot stronger than you seem to be givin' it credit fer. This family's built on acceptance and togetherness, and you seem to be thinkin' that you'll go wreckin' the whole thing if y'bring a bad mate to Hearth's Warming!"
"Well I didn't… I never thought I'd wreck the family or anythin', but—" Applejack protested, eyes focused on the photo.
"Yer parents raised a smart mare. A strong mare." Granny put her hoof to Applejack's chin, raising her head and making sure she was focused on her. "No matter what, the fact that you chose her to be yer partner, even if it's only been a little bit, makes her a very special pony, and this family will never regret havin' her be a part of our lives."
"...But the Pies…"
"Don't use that excuse. What the Pies think don't have a thing to do with this and you know it."
Applejack's eyes stayed locked on Granny's. She opened her mouth, then closed it. She opened it again, then closed it again. Her eyes grew unfocused as her expression gradually grew distraught.
She looked back at Granny. "I…"
The train blared in the distance, loud enough to come through the closed window. Applejack's ears perked up and her eyes widened as she looked out the window, seeing nothing but darkness and snowfall. Granny blinked in confusion.
Applejack leapt off the bed and dashed for the stairs. Big Mac swiveled around with wide eyes as Applejack raced down the steps and turned for the front door. "Hey, Applejack!" Pinkie Pie called. "Wanna get in on—Whoa!" Applejack clipped the game table, sending rocks spilling onto the floor.
Limestone grumbled loudly as Apple Bloom called out. "Sis! Sis, what's wrong!?" Applejack barged through the front door, leaving it swinging open as wind and snow poured in.
Applejack ran through the night, gritting her teeth and squinting as the snow blew into her eyes, her legs moving with a desperate speed. She stumbled briefly, losing the path underneath the blanket of white.
She arrived at the lip of the Pie's land, the train station in view. A lone light hanging off the station's roof pierced through the snowfall, but the train blocked view of the platform itself, idling, smoke billowing out the top. Applejack stopped running and watched.
Eventually, the train moved on down the track. Applejack saw only two ponies from neighboring farms on the platform, getting back from a late-night supply run. She slowly lowered her flank until she was simply sitting in the snow, and she stared up into the night sky.
Before long, she heard the soft sound of hooves in snow, and turned to see Granny Smith joining her, bundled in a scarf. Apple Bloom and Pinkie were outside the front door of the house, heads cocked, frowning.
Applejack looked back at the train station. "All day… every time I've heard the train, I… I keep thinking maybe she…"
She looked at her grandmother, tears forming in her eyes. "I made a mistake, Granny."
Granny moved closer to her and wrapped a hoof around her, and they sat together, staring up at the falling snow.
"What was I thinkin'...?" Applejack said, quietly. "And what is she thinkin' right now...?"
"You'll make it right." Granny gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Now, c'mon, 'fore you catch a cold."
Granny started to walk back to the house, and Applejack sat there a moment longer, looking towards Ponyville. She sighed a deep and fractured sigh, and began to move.
And then she stopped. Something bright, right where her eyes lay, off in the distance. A gasp slowly escaped her throat as she realized what she was seeing.
"C'mon, Applejack. You can—" Granny turned towards Applejack, and saw it. "...Oh, my…"
Apple Bloom gasped as well. Pinkie's eyes widened, and she leaned back inside the house. "Mom—Limestone—Marble—Everypony! Get out here! You need to—Get out here now! " she screamed.
"For crying out loud, Pinkie, what are you—" Limestone said, before looking into the distance. Her mouth fell open as the rest of the Pies came outside, followed by Big Mac. "...Wow…"
The brightness continued to expand, a hollow ring gradually dividing cleanly into rich colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. The display filled up more and more of the sky, striking against the dark sky.
"That's what I saw," Pinkie Pie said. "All those years ago. That's what I saw."
Igneous Rock removed his hat, transfixed. "All those years ago… I thought it but a story."
Pinkie Pie's smile grew with the ring. "Who needs stories?"
Applejack was looking away, scanning the sky above her, only seeing snowflakes. She looked at Granny briefly, who was also searching the sky. Their eyes met, and Granny could only offer a pained shrug.
Applejack's ears twitched as she heard a soft thud. She turned around in time to see a blue figure sliding through the snow, a trail leading from an impact point. "Rainbow! "
Applejack ran over to the the slumped pegasus. "What are you doing!? You told me—You can't—" She leaned down, a hoof frantically traveling over Rainbow's head and neck.
Rainbow began to cough, and raised her head weakly, her face covered in frost. "Jac—Applejack—" She slowly began to prop herself up on her legs, shivers coursing through her body.
Applejack gave her leverage to stand. "I'm right here, Rainbow." She tried to look into Rainbow's eyes, searching for some sign she was okay.
Rainbow breathed in and looked back at Applejack, startling her. For a brief moment, Rainbow's shivering stopped, her eyes unwaveringly focused.
"I'm good enough. I promise." Her breath was staggered and harsh.
Applejack was already nodding, her eyes welling with tears. A laugh escaped her. "I know you are. I know."
The two ponies pressed together, Rainbow chilling Applejack and Applejack warming Rainbow. They each wrapped a foreleg around the other in a tight embrace, tears streaming from tightly shut eyes. Granny's hoof went to her chest as she smiled, her own eyes starting to mist. Pinkie Pie hugged Limestone tightly, her chin quivering, Limestone squirming in her grip.
Applejack broke away from Rainbow, an uncontrollable smile on her face as she lightly stroked the side of Rainbow's head. "C'mon. Let's get you inside."
Applejack supported Rainbow as the two walked slowly for the door. Rainbow sneezed, then sniffled, wiping her muzzle. "Erf. I think I'm gonna be downtrodden for a while."
Applejack laughed. "Well, there's hot cocoa and a cozy fireplace. And, course, I'm here."
Rainbow looked ahead at the house, smirking. "Better be some good cocoa."
Applejack squeezed her tightly, grinning as one last tear flowed down her cheek. The Pies made way for them to enter the house, and then followed them inside. Granny shuffled in as well, giving Apple Bloom and Big Mac a firm hug, and the group closed the door behind them.
Gradually, the residents of the surrounding farms filed back into their homes, still unsure what exactly they saw, and turned off their lights. The night became quiet and calm, only the soft whistle of the wind disturbing the peace.
"So... have you told them yet?"
"Eh? Told who, sugarcube?"
"Uh, your family. Duh."
"What are you goin' on about? I told them the first day."
"You—Whoa, what? Seriously?"
"I tell my family everythin'. What, were you thinkin' I'd just be tiptoein' around them with this?"
"...Nahh, you're right. That makes sense."
"So... does this mean you haven't told your family?"
"...Uhh."
"Well, what're you waitin' for? Ya featherbrain."
"Man, I dunno! I'll tell 'em, I'll tell 'em."
"Don't tell me yer gettin' nervous about us, now."
"Heh. No, AJ. Never."
Twilight Sparkle walked down the stairs of the crystal castle, picking up speed as the knocking grew more fervent. "I'm coming, I'm coming! Yeesh," she said under her breath.
She walked up to the front door and swung it open with her magic. Rainbow Dash trotted in, snowflakes dotting her hair. She shook herself off, scattering the light layer of snow off on the floor, where it quickly melted. "Pleh! It's cold, Twilight! It's cold! "
Twilight pressed her lips together as she closed the door. "That tends to happen around Hearth's Warming, Rainbow."
"I'm just sayin', you could walk a little faster, y'know?" she said, grinning. She looked up at the wreaths and lights scattered about the grand entryway. "Oh, man. You do good decorating work."
"Well, Rarity helped with the arranging. Anyway—If it's so cold out, why would you wait for me at all? You know it's always been pretty much an open-door policy as far as you and the others are concerned."
"Oh, right. Well… I mean, I know you and Spike have your own Hearth's Warming Eve traditions, so I didn't want to… show up randomly in your castle, just 'cause I want to hang out here. So I… uh. Showed up randomly at your door." She put a hoof up to the back of her head, rubbing awkwardly.
"Oh! You want to join us for our Hearth's Warming Eve celebrations? Well, that's fine." Twilight paused, thinking. "Ohh, right… Applejack went to the rock farm, right? To spend it with Pinkie's family, like last year." She smiled sympathetically. "You just want to be with her, huh?"
"What—No! How did Applejack even come up!? No one was talking about Applejack until you started talking about Applejack, and now the conversation's all about Applejack!" She waved her front hooves in circles in the air, some manner of visual representation that was obviously flying over Twilight's head. "Moving on! Have you guys started opening your presents?"
Twilight chuckled. "No, not yet. Spike!" she called out, "Pour some more eggnog! We've got one more joining us!"
"Oh? Who is it?" Spike emerged from a room and poked his head over a banister, far above the two ponies. A small orange yarn hat sat on his head. "Hey! Hi, Rainbow Dash!" he said, waving.
"Hey, Spike!" Rainbow waved back. "Lookin' sharp!"
"Never stopped!" Spike grinned and turned back to fetch more eggnog. Rainbow laughed.
Twilight smiled. "Cmon. We'll meet him by the tree." She started to walk up the stairs.
Rainbow stared off to the side for a few moments, unfocused, before following. Her steps were slow and heavy.
The train's whistle blared into the open air as it pulled into the stone-constructed station. The doors opened, and Pinkie Pie bounded off, followed by Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, and Big Macintosh, lugging the family's clothing in a suitcase on his back.
Applejack came out last, saddlebags draped on her back, straining. "What the hay did you pack in these, Granny? Nnh!"
"Only the important a-thing-ers! Hearth's Warming's a special time, and there's a few a-thing-ers y'just can't do the holiday without." Granny Smith turned to see Maud slowly walking up the stairs to the boarding platform. "Well howdy there, Maud! Good t'see ya again!"
"Hello," Maud replied. "I am pleased you all appear to have made it here safely." She blinked.
"Omigosh! Maud's here to meet us at the train station! Just like last year!" Pinkie shouted, and hugged Maud tightly. "Our first official cross-family Hearth's Warming tradition! Wheeee!"
Apple Bloom arched an eyebrow, smiling. "Pinkie, are you gonna call everything that happens to happen twice a tradition?"
"Omigosh! Maud's wearing the same frock as last year! It's the traditional meet-the-Apple-family-and-your-favorite-sister-at-the-train-station frock! " Pinke bounded in circles around Maud.
Big Mac looked at Apple Bloom. "Eeyup." Apple Bloom laughed.
The train departed from the station, and Maud started to lead the group down the short path to the rock farm. Applejack lagged behind, trying to get the saddlebag straps more comfortable. Apple Bloom fell back to her.
"I know you told me to stop talking about it—" Apple Bloom began.
"And you said to yourself, 'Well, that was probably just a suggestion'?" Applejack said, gnawing at the straps on her back.
"But I don't get iiiiiit!" Apple Bloom hopped up and down. "I know it's an 'intimate family event,' like you said, but Rainbow's part of our family now! Isn't she?"
"Well, I'm sorry, but four months is a little quick to be sayin' somethin' like that, don't ya think?"
"Why are you like this all of a sudden!? It's not like the Pie family doesn't know about you two, right? I'm pretty sure Pinkie Pie's letters home are, like, fifty pages long. And I've heard you two sayin' plenty of times that this was for real!" The path started to slope up as they drew closer to the farm.
"You've heard us...? Okay, first of all, that's… creepy." Applejack looked at her, wary, then shook her head. "Look, it's not about that. This is… it's how things work when it comes to stuff like this. I'm just bein' pragmatic. You might not know what that word means, but that's just a sign that this is a grown-up conversation and you'll understand when you're older."
Apple Bloom grumbled. "I know what it means…" She walked ahead, sullen, to rejoin Big Mac and Granny.
Applejack stared off to the side, out into the snowy, rocky plains. She gritted her teeth and breathed out. "You'll understand…" She looked in the direction of Ponyville, deluding herself into thinking she could see Rainbow's floating cloud home if she squinted just so. "...right?"
"Oooohh!" Pinkie's shout snapped Applejack back to attention, and she looked forward once more as the slope evened out, the rock farm coming into view. As with the year before, glowing rocks dotted the path, creating a wondrous vista.
"I'm so excited!" Pinkie hopped backwards, shouting at each pony as she passed them by. "Are you excited, Big Mac? Are you excited, Granny? Are you excited, Apple Bloom!?" They all nodded their heads enthusiastically.
"And are you excited, Applejack?" Pinkie hopped on Applejack's back right alongside her saddlebags, nearly knocking the wind out of her. "Our families' second Hearth's Warming Eve! Now that we know what we're doing, this is our chance to really seal the deal and make some memories! This is gonna be awesome! "
"Heh… yeah. Awesome," Applejack replied softly. Pinkie Pie leapt off and trotted towards the rock farm, humming, as her parents and sisters emerged from the house to meet them.
Applejack adjusted the straps once more, and continued on.
"Oh, hold on, sugarcube. You got a bur in your tail."
"Heh… you call everypony sugarcube. You should have something more awesome for me by now. C'mon."
"Pet names, Dash? You never really struck me as the 'pet name' sorta pony."
"Well, when you say it like that…"
"I could just drop the 'cube.' C'mere, sugar."
"Oh, no. No no no no. That's not going to work."
"What's wrong, sugar? Feelin' okay? I hope the afternoon sun ain't gettin' to ya."
"You stop that right now, or I'm calling you Jack from now until we're dead."
"Oh, wow. Yeah, I regret everythin' that led to this."
"Uh-oh. Too late, Jack. I think I'm growing attached."
"I will fight you. I will fight you, and it won't be pretty."
"Snrk. Never is."
Spike ran his fingers along the corners of his present. It was rectangular, larger than him, and still clad in wrapping paper. The lit fireplace, adorned with stockings and dolls, created dancing shadows on the decorated evergreen tree in the corner.
"What do you think it is, Rainbow?" Spike said, without turning away from his gift. "Man, I feel sorry for all those suckers that have to wait until tomorrow to open their presents."
Rainbow laughed, sitting on the floor behind him. "Well, you know what it's not. It's not a book, unless it's got about a billion pages. So that's a plus, huh?"
"Ain't that the truth." Spike grinned and hopped up on Twilight's back to examine the package's top.
"Rainbow!" Twilight said. "This from the pony who camped out all night for the Daring Do movie novelization?"
Rainbow raised her hooves defensively. "Hey, I'm just trying to speak his language." She smirked.
Twilight rolled her eyes, and Spike accidentally caused a small tear in the wrapping paper near the top. "Oop!" he said. "Well, guess that's it. Gotta keep goin' now. Nothing I can do!"
Spike hopped on top of the present, pulling at the tape and shredding every bit of paper he could reach, revealing a wooden surface. He jumped off, dragging the paper with him and revealing it fully.
He stepped back. "Ah! It's a… bookshelf. " He pressed his lips together, surveying the two-shelved piece of furniture and nodding.
"Baaaaaahahahaha!" Rainbow fell backwards. "Oh, man. That's good comedy."
"It's not—His old one is run-down!" Twilight protested. "He's gotta put his books somewhere!"
"You know, we've got a whole library, Twilight," Spike said.
"And get your books lost in the clutter? I don't think so." Twilight walked over to him. "And there's lots more Hearth's Warmings and birthdays for you coming up, so you're gonna get a lot more." She rubbed her hoof into Spike's head.
Spike squirmed out from under Twilight's hoof and ran to the tree. "Alright, alright! Here, your turn." He picked up a small wrapped-up box and carried it over to Twilight, who lifted it with her magic.
Twilight's horn flared as she peeled the paper away, then opened the box, revealing a green scarf. "Oooh! I love it, Spike. Thank you." She threw a hoof around Spike and hugged him.
Rainbow peered in the box. "That's totally your color, Spike. Like… that's your exact shade of green."
Twilight looked at Rainbow, then back at Spike, raising an eyebrow. "Rarity did tell us recently that she thought our shades complemented each other 'marvelously'..."
Rainbow laughed, and punched Spike in the shoulder. "Well, we couldn't ignore advice from her, could we?" Twilight giggled.
"Make fun of me all you want," Spike said, waving his hand dismissively, "but that pony knows everything there is to know about complementary colors. I assume. Is there a lot to know? I dunno. I'm gonna get another present." He walked over to the tree, poking at the remaining gifts marked with his name.
Twilight turned to Rainbow, taking a sip of her eggnog. "I feel bad that you have to just watch us opening gifts. I almost feel like I should go quickly wrap something up so you can join in."
"I mean, I can pretend," Rainbow said, and cleared her throat. "'Oh my gosh! Could it be!? A real live book!? I didn't see this coming in a mil—'"
Twilight swatted the back of Rainbow's head, and Rainbow and Spike both broke into laughter. "How is that not played out by now?" Twilight said. "When is it gonna get old to the two of you?"
"When you stop buying ponies books! " Rainbow said, still laughing. Twilight sighed and pressed her hoof into the bridge of her muzzle, but smiled. Spike walked over and fistbumped Rainbow's hoof, still chuckling, a new gift in hand.
"Coulda brought your own gifts over here," Spike said, shaking his gift. "But then, you probably opened them with Applejack already, I guess. She get you anything special?"
Twilight winced. Spike was focused on the gift, prodding into it with a finger, as Rainbow took a few moments to answer. "It… we're, uh… we're waiting until after she gets back."
"Oh! Right." Spike smacked his forehead. "I can't believe I keep forgetting everypony else has to wait another day. Seriously, you're missing out." He tore the paper off, finding a jigsaw puzzle. "Hah! Still trying to get someone to do puzzles with, huh, Twili—" He looked at Twilight and stopped short, noticing her staring at him with a pained and incredulous expression. "...What?"
"Uh…" Rainbow shook her glass, only a thick sliver of residue stuck at the bottom. "Hey, Twilight, mind if I go get some more? Got a 'too much egg, not enough nog' situation going on right now."
"Yeah, of course. Take as much as you like," Twilight replied. Rainbow walked out of the room, turning towards the kitchen.
As she passed out of sight, Twilight turned back to Spike, adopting her expression of incredulity once again. Spike shrank under her gaze, but frowned. "Applejack is only gone for a couple of days, right? I didn't think Rainbow'd be all, like… you know." He shrugged apologetically.
Twilight sighed, and looked into the fireplace.
The assembled Apples and Pies stood in front of Holder's Boulder, peering up at its immense frame. The lowering sun cast long shadows that extended into the massive quarry a few feet away. Big Mac stretched out his legs in preparation, while Cloudy Quartz removed her glasses and tucked them into her scarf.
"I just want it on record that I think this is a stupid tradition and we're going to break it," Limestone said.
"Well, I just want it on record that you're being a grumpypants and this represents a very special moment for our families! And it's way too tough to break!" Pinkie countered.
Maud held a book with her hoof, writing in it through a pencil in her mouth. She closed the book and tucked it back in her frock. "Both of your statements are now on record."
Applejack stared at Maud for a moment, then turned back to the boulder. "Alright, well, we gonna get to it, or what?"
Igneous Rock nodded. "I must agree. If the boulder is to be dropped into yonder quarry, so that we might retrieve it and strengthen the bond between our families, we should begin with haste, lest nightfall fall upon us before our task is through."
"This is so stupid," Limestone said. "I really didn't think you were serious about this last year. This is completely stupid. We should just—"
"Yer many objections're noted!" Granny Smith yelled. "Now quit gabbin' and git shovin'!" She charged towards the boulder at top speed, which Applejack noted to be slightly faster than an average pony's meander. Granny threw herself against the boulder and strained. "Hrrnnnng… Ah'm hearing crackin' sounds! It's givin' way! ...No, wait. That's m'back."
"Please don't break yourself, Granny." Applejack walked up beside her and began to push as well, and the rest of the two families soon followed. The boulder proved stubborn, having been entrenched in its usual resting spot for the past year.
"Hnnnggg!" Apple Bloom strained. "Y'know, if Rainbow were here—nnnh!—she could hit it from the top and get it movin', and then we'd be—"
"Really, Apple Bloom?" Applejack shot her little sister a glare, and continued to push. The rock finally began to shift, the top of the boulder falling backwards as they slowly got it rolling.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid," Limestone repeated loudly as the boulder cleared the lip of the quarry and started to roll down the side, sliding down until it landed in the divot created from the previous year's impact. "...stupid, stupid, stupid. That was stupid."
Applejack smirked at Apple Bloom. "There, see? Don't need anypony but ourselves. Maybe next year it'll be a bit more sensible to bring her along."
"But you clearly know you'll still be together, so what's the difference!?" Apple Bloom protested.
Cloudy Quartz cleared her throat. "I must lend my approval to your elder sister's adherence to such social customs, child. It is true that a new love can bring boundless joy to all aspects of thy life—but where family is concerned, thou must be certain it truly is love before thou might allow them to partake in events so personal as a family celebration. I did not even consider taking Igneous Rock home to my progenitors for Hearth's Warming until we were well and truly betrothed." Igneous Rock nodded sagely.
"You already told them that took two weeks, Mom!" Pinkie Pie said. "It's all sorts of different when Choosing Rocks are involved!"
Igneous shook his head. "Nevertheless, practicality is a necessity in such situations, and until—"
"Now, hold on!" Granny Smith shouted, marching up to Igneous and pushing her face into his. "Who exactly are you t'tell our family how to treat matters like this? Yer idea of how love and family should mix is all well and good for y'all, but that ain't how the Apples do it, and Ah don't think y'all should be talkin' to my grandkids like your way's the right way!"
Igneous stood firm. "Perhaps I am in error, but from what I had gathered thus far, the goal of these traditions and gatherings is to foster a union between our clans. Given such, it should be expected that thy family will continue to take these matters seriously—including refraining from bringing along what could simply turn out to pass with the change of the season!"
Applejack's cheeks burned, but Granny continued before she could say anything. "Like Ah told ya, that ain't how the Apples do it! Maybe you should meet ol' Uncle Hayseed, and he can tell you—"
"H-hey…" Marble spoke up, quietly. "Let's not fight… I-I think things are going really well. We don't need to… um…" She blushed, and retreated slightly.
Granny's face softened. "Oh, shucks. You're right. And Ah'm glad to see you talkin' a little more these days." She turned to Igneous. "Put 'er there." Igneous hesitantly held his hoof out, which Granny picked up and shook wildly.
Applejack had her head cocked slightly in confusion. "Granny… what does Uncle Hayseed have to do with any of this?"
"Hmm… ya don't know?" Granny thought for a moment. "Heh… he always was one of yer favorites, weren't he?"
"Yeah, he was... when he was around, at least, but—"
Applejack was cut off as she heard the train whistle blare from the direction of the station. She cocked her head up, unable to see anything but the tip of the smoke plume from where she stood.
Pinkie giggled. "I love that sound! And Maud told me it's happening a lot more lately as more farms have been popping up! Lots more trains coming in with ponies and supplies and stuff!" She glanced at Applejack. "Eh? Something wrong, Applejack?"
Applejack looked towards the station for a moment longer, then lowered her head, staring at the ground. She turned to Pinkie after a moment. "Uhh… it's nothin'. We'd better get that boulder before the sun goes away for good today."
The ponies started to walk down the path into the quarry. Applejack took one last look at the fading plume of smoke, then followed.
