As Applejack watched Rarity trot away, having wholeheartedly thanked the farmpony for her help, AJ wasn’t sure whether she should feel happy or concerned. She had, after all, just succeeded in making Rarity see the light and giving her the strength she needed to reconcile with her sister, and that was something to feel good about.
But what if it would be all for naught? Would Sweetie Belle accept Rarity’s attempts at bringing them back into accord? The filly had only just coldly rejected Rarity.
Applejack decided she would err on the side of hope. Rarity had made mistakes, but now that she appeared to have learnt her lesson, it seemed hopeful that she and Sweetie would be on good terms in no time at all. What kind of family cut off all relations permanently because of some silly disagreements about clothing supplies?
She sighed with a smile, and went back to the campfire. For now, she would enjoy the time with Apple Bloom and Sweetie.
“’Still sisters’ indeed,” said Apple Bloom sullenly. “You’re welcome to be sisters with us as long as ya want, Sweetie. Maybe when Miss Fancy Hooves realizes what sisterhood really means, she can have her second chance.”
“In that case, we’ll be waiting a looong time before she gets it!” replied Sweetie Belle. She and Apple Bloom snorted and laughed along with each other.
Hearing the fillies joke and laugh about Rarity, who had just realized the error of her ways and vowed to repent, made Applejack feel a pang in her chest.
“Um, now now, young’uns,” she said, trying to stop it. “Ah’m sure Rarity really wants to make up with Sweetie, don’t y’all think?”
“Only since there’s summat in it for her,” replied Apple Bloom. “Didn’t you hear her gush about cookin’ her favorite quiche, or b-yoo-ti-fyin’ Sweetie’s mane the way Rarity’d like it?”
“Apple Bloom…” said AJ, hanging her head. “Y’know Rarity can be like that at times. But we all know in our hearts she’s a genuine good friend to be around.”
She cast a glance at the fire. It had been going for quite some time, and it was beginning to die down.
“Say, Sweetie,” said AJ. “How’d you like to come along with me on a sisterly firewood-gathering?”
Sweetie noticed the weak condition of the fire. Going into the forest would be fun, especially at this time of night. Even if rather scary… but she had AJ with her, so that would be safe, right?
“Yeah, okay!” she chirped, getting up and following AJ towards the trees that stood tall above their impromptu campsite.
“Can ah come too?” asked Apple Bloom, smiling excitedly.
“Actually sugarcube, I was thinkin’ you can stay here and take care o’ the fire,” said Applejack. “Ya seem cut out for it.”
Apple Bloom beamed. Applejack must have trusted her a lot to give her the job of guarding the fire. “Sure!”
“We’ll be back in a jiffy!” said AJ.
She turned to Sweetie. “Just don’t go strayin’ too far away from me, ya hear now?” And with that, she and Sweetie Belle disappeared.
AJ picked up a branch. She looked at it carefully, and then turned to Sweetie Belle. “This here is chestnut,” she said. “That’s no good.”
“It’s not?” asked Sweetie, tilting her head.
“Nope. Doesn’t burn well, and it don’t give out a lotta warmth either.” She tossed it aside. “What’s that you got there?”
Sweetie handed the branch she had picked up to Applejack, who took a hard look at it before smiling and nodding. “It’s birch. This’ll go great!” she praised the filly. “Where’d you find it?”
Sweetie Belle pointed to an area a few yards away. AJ grinned, and she and Sweetie trotted over to it.
“You’re good with trees, AJ!” said Sweetie. “Apple Bloom must think you’re phem… pheno…”
“Phenomenal?”
Sweetie smiled sheepishly, blushing, and nodded.
“Ah suppose so…” said Applejack. “Though I got Granny Smith to hand it to. We were goin’ on campin’ trips all the time when I was a filly jus’ like you. She’d teach me and Big Mac how’ta tell which kind’a wood is which and how good each one was for a campfire.”
“And how about Apple Bloom? I bet she was a little too young for it, huh?”
“Well, actually, Apple Bloom wasn’t even around yet,” said AJ.
“Oh. Right,” said Sweetie. “Just you, Big Mac, and Granny Smith on those trips then?”
“Mhm,” confirmed AJ. She looked down at the ground and brushed her hoof in it a few times before sitting down. “Mama was preparin’ to bring our sister into the world. Papa was stayin’ around with her for the support.”
“And when that day came…” she went on. “When we finally got to see our darlin’ little Apple Bloom… I jus’ thought it was truly a sight’ta behold. T’was the closest I remembered seein’ a baby foal.” Her smiling lips quivered a bit. “I’ll never forget how she gave each an’ ev’ry one of us a big wet kiss on the cheek…”
“Few months later…” She cleared her throat. “Few months later… Mama and Papa were goin’ away to sell apples. They told us they’d be back in three weeks. And Apple Bloom… well, she was pretty sad to see ‘em go. But she seemed to get that they were s’posed to be comin’ back.”
She closed her eyes and had a humble expression fixed on her face. “Sweetie Belle… do you think you’re ready for the next part?”
“Um… yes?” replied Sweetie, unsure.
“Because what I’m gon’ say might just grind your heart into a million pieces.”
Sweetie Belle had had plenty of experience with poetic language. She knew what AJ meant by that.
But she wanted to hear what it was. “Yes, Applejack. I’m ready.”
Applejack took a few seconds to open her eyes and look up. “After about two weeks, we got a knock at the door. Granny Smith answered it, and there stood a tall-lookin’ stallion. He had the sorriest expression I’d ever seen. He needn’t say a word for Granny Smith to know what he’d come to report.”
“They’d been gallopin’ quickly with their wagon. They must’a been cherishin’ the time together. And then… there was a hole in the road. It wasn’t very wide, but it was certainly deep. They tripped in it, and the speed they were goin’ was enough to make the wagon’s back end jump up and…” AJ needn’t have said another word for Sweetie Belle to know what had happened. Her eyes went wide with shock, then watery with sorrow. Any time she or Scootaloo had brought up the topic of Apple Bloom’s parents, the earth pony filly had been quick to change the topic or make an excuse to run off. And now, she knew exactly why.
“An’ I just felt horrible. Ah’d been reassurin’ lil’ Apple Bloom for days that her mama and papa would be back. None of us could’a seen it comin’. I couldn’t even look at my cutie mark without feelin’ horrible at myself,” continued Applejack. “I locked myself up in mah’ room and wanted nothin’ to do with the outside world.”
“But one time, I forgot to lock the door behind me. So as I lay on mah bed loathin’ fate and how cruel and unfair it’d been to all of us, Apple Bloom let herself in and tugged at me. She must’a been able to tell I was upset and she wanted to try’an comfort me any way she could.”
“And what’d I do?” AJ looked down shamefully and remorsefully before continuing. “I screamed at her, with dozens of tears runnin’ down my face. I yelled that mama and papa were dead and that they weren’t comin’ back. I told her to get out with all the fury a month an’a half had given me.”
“When I was finally done, and just sittin’ there breathin’ in and out, she looked up at me with her lil’ shocked an’ innocent eyes. I don’t think she understood exactly what had happened, but what I can tell is that she knew I needed comfort most of all…”
“So I picked her up, held her close to me like she’d vanish into thin air if I didn’t, and I sobbed. I sobbed and blubbered like a baby, with my face nuzzled into her fur, apologizin’ over and over again… Big Mac and Granny Smith came upstairs to see, and then we all hugged together… t’went on like that for nearly half an hour. They musta’ loved it after a month an’ a half o’ me runnin’ upstairs, avoidin’ contact at ev’ry opportunity.”
Sweetie Belle stared on at AJ with a face with all the compassion of the two regal sisters themselves as they would watch over their little ponies, and scooted over to her and wrapped a foreleg around her. Applejack turned to see Sweetie smiling benevolently onward at her, and returned the hug with gratitude.
“And that’s when I swore on all that I held dear…” AJ went on. “…on Celestia… and Luna… and… and all the saints an’ angels in heaven, where Mama and Papa resided… th-that I would do my part to help mah sister grow into a kind, loyal, an’ honest pony. It’s what our parents would’ve wanted.”
“So do ya see, Sweetie Belle?” said the farmpony, looking her directly in the eye for the first time since they had entered the woods. “That’s why I cherish ev’ry moment I spend with mah lil’ sister. Why I won’ ever give up mah moral obligation to be there for her. For years now she's looked up to me and Big Mac. She wouldn't trade our bond for anything. And that's what your relationship with your siblin' can truly be. Ah mean, y'all haven't exactly had the same..." She paused. "...ordeal that we had at very young ages, but that doesn't mean it ain't possible for you two to cherish one another with all your heart."
“And ya know what else?” said AJ, gently pulling Sweetie toward her. “Rarity truly does love you. Just as I would do for Apple Bloom, she would embark all the way to the end o’ Equestria if it meant your well-bein’."
“Oh?” said Sweetie questioningly. “And is that why she yelled at me whenever I tried to show how much I love – loved – her? And why she tried to take me back home so I could do chores for her?”
Applejack sighed. “Look, sugarcube. Ya know as well as me an’ mah friends do that Rarity can be like that sometimes. All vain an’ haughty. But do we really hafta’ focus on that?” she asked. “Rainbow Dash can be kinda self-important on occasion too. We can all testify t’ that, right? But we still love and tolerate her. ‘Cause she doesn’t let it dominate her. It fails to outshine what a loyal, carin’, and devoted pony she really is.”
“An’ as for your sister,” AJ carried on. “She’s played a part in savin’ Equestria twice, helpin’ me with Applebuck Season, cleanin’ up winter to make way for spring… don’t all that seem like it totally overpowers one silly lil’ fight you two had?”
Sweetie was silent with realization. Applejack was speaking the truth.
“It’s jus’ that, well, sometimes big ponies can be busy. Ya mentioned Rarity was tendin’ to some work with her clothin’ line, right?”
“Well… yes,” answered Sweetie, biting her lip.
“Just ‘cause she’s a little busy an’ stressed doesn’t mean she don’t care ‘bout ya, sugarcube. Ya want what's best for your dear sister, don't ya?” AJ reassured her. “An’… I’m sorry to be a bringer o’ tough love, but ya gotta remember the world doesn’t revolve around ya.”
“No, it doesn’t…” agreed Sweetie, looking away a bit.
“Should she have been so short with ya and put ya down all those times? Nope. But it was just as bad on your part to shove her away like that when she only wanted to make up with ya,” said AJ.
“I guess so…” agreed Sweetie Belle. “I’m sorry, Applejack.”
“So are you gonna try and make up with Rarity?” asked AJ.
“Maybe…” Sweetie swished her tail around absentmindedly.
“That’s what I like to hear,” stated Applejack proudly, smiling brightly. “Now let’s go. You found a good spot for gatherin’ wood.” She gathered up some more of the branches, which Sweetie repeated, and AJ led the younger pony out of the forest, and back towards their campfire.
Apple Bloom was still sitting there, relying on the campfire to keep her warm, and she turned her head to see Applejack and Sweetie Belle returning, carrying firewood.
“What took you two so long?” she asked.
Sweetie smiled at her. “We found a good spot for wood.” And she left it at that. Apple Bloom found this good enough and stopped questioning.
Applejack dumped the branches of wood onto the fire and sat down alongside her sister and Sweetie, watching it wave and crackle in Princess Luna’s angelic moonlight.
They passed some more time, telling stories, sharing anecdotes, and generally having a good time, as good friends should around a campfire. This went on until eventually, it was time for bed.
“Well, time to get some shut-eye!” announced Applejack chipperly, dumping a bucket of water onto the fire to extinguish it. “And don’t ya worry Sweetie Belle, the ‘Zebra of Bleakness’ isn’t gonna chop you up and use you as potion ingredients,” she added, glaring playfully at Apple Bloom, to which the younger sister blushed and giggled.
They headed into the tent and got into their respective sleeping bags.
“Thank you, Applejack. Thank you for teaching me what sisterhood really means,” whispered Sweetie Belle.
Apple Bloom nodded, but Applejack caught the double meaning of Sweetie’s sentence. “You’re quite welcome, sugarcube,” she said warmly. “Now let’s get a good night’s sleep for tomorrow.”
As she nestled in her sleeping bag, despite what had taken place that night, Sweetie Belle still wasn’t 100% sold on making up with Rarity. But hearing Applejack’s words had certainly swayed her opinion in a positive direction.
Still, she’d have to see how things would unfold later on.
For now, she would enjoy the time with her friends.
