Do Blooms Come From Apples?

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

“Apple Bloom, hoof me that box over there,” Applejack commanded as she steadied herself on the ladder, and pointed one hoof at the one box sitting on the floor.

“I gotta put that in the attic. After that, we’re all done cleaning the barn for summer,” Applejack added as she gave the open barn one final scrutinizing gaze from the top of the stares.

“Then I can go see my friends?” Apple Bloom asked anxiously as she carefully craned her neck upwards so that the box on her head was within Applejack’s reach. “‘Cause I haven’t had a chance to get your birthday gift, yet.”

Applejack could hear the anxiety in her voice, and the ruffling of the loose hay under Apple Bloom’s hooves as she fidgeted in place. Applejack couldn’t help but laugh softly as she reached a hoof under the box, and began to push it off of Apple Bloom’s head, and onto the ladder.

“You shoulda’ done that earlier. It’s not like you didn’t know when it was,” Applejack pointed out with a smirk as she pushed the box up the stairs, and towards the hole into the loft.

“After all, I got your birthday gift days ago,” Applejack lectured as she finished pushing the box into the loft, and began planning where she would stash it.

“I’ve been pretty busy recently,” Apple Bloom protested as she stomped a hoof, and puffed out her cheeks. “When I’m not working here on the farm, I’ve been working with my friends to find our Cutie Marks. And, then there was the Equestria Games tryouts last week, and all the homework from Twilight Time -- Twilight’s been riding us heavier since we filled her library with Cake a couple of days ago...”

“You just gotta make time for these things,” Applejack pointed out sensibly as she climbed into the loft so that she could push the box into an open corner.

“I’ve been pretty busy too. Don’t forget I got a lot of responsibilities to my friends too. It’s just about makin’ time for your friends, and your kin,” Applejack objected as she finished pushing the box into place, and made a beeline for the ladder.

“Look on the bright side little sis, at least we were lucky enough to both be born on April 30th… That means we only gotta do three birthdays a year, and not four,” Applejack jovially chuckled as she climbed down the ladder, and then playfully bumped Apple Bloom’s cheek with a hoof.

“How did we end up with the same birthday, anyway?” Apple Bloom asked as something occurred to her.

“I’ve never heard of two relatives sharing a birthday before,” Apple Bloom pointed out as she looked upwards, and stuck her tongue out in an obvious sign of how hard she was thinking about the question.

Applejack paused for a second as she tried to consider how much information to divulge. “If I recall correctly: Ma and Pa did a pie route to Manehatten every May -- so I guess they just got lucky,” Applejack managed to spit out with a shrug of her withers.

“If you recall?” Apple Bloom asked with a concerned expression written clearly on her face.

“Well… That time of my life is kinda blurry,” Applejack admitted with a deep blush as she rubbed a hoof in her mane.

“Granny says a cow kicked me in the head,” Applejack continued despite Apple Bloom’s aghast look and gaping jaw.

“I don’t remember it -- of course. But, I believer her. I remember Mootilda used to be a firebrand back when she was a heifer. And, I used to practice my rodeo with her all the time,” Applejack continued as she tried to recall anything more. However, there simply wasn’t much else. That wasn’t to say she didn’t remember anything from those months, but most memories had needed to be remembered a thread at a time months later.

Applejack gave her sister one final smile, only to notice the concerned look still written on her little sister’s face. “Don’t you worry about that, Apple Bloom. Time heals everything…. So rather than worrying about me, you should be worryin’ about hanging out with your friends, instead,” Applejack said soothingly, as she gave Apple Bloom a soft push with her hoof. The small yellow filly quickly caught her footing and shot her big sister one final nod, and a smile before she dashed off towards the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse.

It was pushing dinner by the time Apple Bloom returned to the barn. On her face, she wore a huge, and triumphant smile. “Well, looks like somepony was successful,” Applejack praised with a large smile beaming on her face.

“Sure did. You’re gonna love the gift me and my friends made!” Apple Bloom cheered as she quickly wiped her hooves on the welcome mat.

“Great,” Applejack agreed.

“So, why don’t you go wash your hooves and then set the table. Dinner’s gonna be ready in a couple of minutes,” Applejack requested as she carefully flipped the hay-steaks in the frying pan.

“Will do, sis,” Apple Bloom agreed as she cantered over to the cupboard, and began to pull dishes out of it. “So, sis…” Apple Bloom reluctantly said as a new thought crossed her mind.

“What’s up, Apple Bloom?” Applejack curiously asked.

“So, I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier… And, I thought maybe I could stay home alone whenever Granny and Big Mac go out? I mean, then you could spend the time you take foalsitting me on other tasks,” Apple Bloom nervously pointed out in a slightly hushed voice.

“Hmm,” Applejack pondered as she rubbed her chin.

“I suppose you are gettin’ older... And, it wouldn’t hurt you to stay alone for a coupl’a hours at a time… But, I gotta talk it over with Granny Smith, and Big Mac. Still, I suppose Ma and Pa let me go to Manehatten alone to stay with the Oranges...” Applejack offered.

“I’m surprised Ma didn’t go with you to Manehatten. Wasn’t Aunt Orange her sister?” Apple Bloom pondered as she voiced a question she’d always had about Applejack’s Cutie Mark story.

Applejack could feel a slight headache building at the back of her head as she considered the answer to the question. Her headaches were a condition she’d been dealing with since she was a little filly. Applejack had never fully understood what the doctors had told her about them. But, she knew that she’d been having these from time to time since that cow kicked her in the head.

“Huh, that’s a good question,” Applejack admitted before she shrugged her withers. “I guess Ma and Pa just wanted me to have some space to find my own identity.”

“It’s still better than the time Mac and I tried to take the farm from Granny Smith. That one ended with Big Mac in the hospital… Yeah, I should’a talked to Ma and Pa before I tried that stunt,” Applejack offered with a healthy laugh.

“What? The hospital? When did this happen?” Apple Bloom sputtered as she forgot about the plates sitting on her back, and her attention was now set on Applejack.

Applejack tried not to think about her building headache, which had grown quite a bit worse with this new question.

“It was a bit before you were born,” Applejack explained as she then stirred the gravy pan on another burner.

“It’s a long tale. I’ll tell you about it another time. But, let’s just say that Ma and Pa were pretty hooves off that time too,” Applejack admitted with a warm chuckle.

“I guess they trusted us to make our own decisions a lot sooner than Granny, Mac, and I have with you,” Applejack conceded, this time with a hint of hesitance.

“Anyway dinner’s ready, so we can talk about all these things later,” Applejack offered as she pulled the potatoes off of the stove, and walked them over to the sink so that she could drain and mash them.

It was still dark when Applejack’s eyes slowly opened. Eagerly she stretched out as she put her mind towards everything she had to do that day. “Happy Honesty Day,” she told herself with a stifled giggle as she rolled off of the bed, and walked over to the other side of the room, where the hat rack sat on the wall.

“No better day to turn one year older,” Applejack decided with a smile as she pulled her hat down from the rack with a hoof, and plopped it onto her head.

Applejack mechanically walked to the stairs. She’d done this trip hundreds of times. She knew the feel of every stair in the stairway and could do it all by heart. Her path next took her through the family room. The room’s smell of old books was one Applejack had smelled since she was very little. She knew the faint scent of apples that also lingered in the quaint room from its proximity to the kitchen.

Applejack actually didn’t need to look where she stepped. Memories and love guided her way past Granny Smith’s rocker, which was parked by the staircase and, the couch by the far door. Every painting, from the portrait of a scenic mountain to the Equestrian Gothic painting, marked the hallway towards the plain wooden rimmed arch that would lead her to the end of her journey. The kitchen...

Gotta start Bloom’s ninth birthday out right, Applejack told herself as she carefully lit the pilot light for the stove, and contemplated which breakfast to make.

Maybe Bloom would like Chocolate Chip Pancakes? Applejack pondered as she carefully stepped on the Bellows a few times to help stoke the heat of the stove a little.

Maybe I should ask Big Mac? Applejack continued, only to come to a realization…

Speaking of which, where is Big Mac? He should be up by now? Applejack asked herself as she reversed her course to return upstairs to check if Big Mac had overslept.

In all of Applejack’s years, she couldn’t remember a single time Big Mac had ever overslept. He had never failed to be a hard worker… Whereas Applejack had decided to try the fancy life in Manehatten… a decision she always regretted -- even if it did end in her Cutie Mark.

Gently Applejack rapped on Big Mac’s door. She didn’t want to be too loud. After all, Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were allowed to sleep a bit longer because of their ages. “Mac, are you awake?” Applejack gently whispered as she pushed open the door to her big brother’s room.

“I know it’s a bit sudden… B-But, I can’t keep lying about it...” Applejack’s usually mute brother grimly mumble to a doll that sat silently on the floor across from the red stallion.

“I-I got to tell you the truth. I-If I don’t, it’s gonna eat a hole in me,” Big Mac somberly continued, only to suddenly grow silent as he heard the soft snickering of his little sister.

“Sorry for interrupting you,” Applejack acknowledged with a another snicker.

“I wanted to wake you. But now: I gotta know, who’s the lucky mare?” Applejack asked through a giant cheshire smile as she bumped Big Mac in the side with one of her hooves. While it was a silly thing for the stallion to do, Applejack was happy to see him try to get his words out -- especially, if this was a sign that Big Mac was working up the courage to propose to some lucky filly friend.

“Eenope… It’s nothing,” Big Mac managed to mumble before he quickly went silent. He then stared down at the ground with a shamed looked, that reminded Applejack of the expression she’d seen Apple Bloom give her when the filly had broken Granny Smith’s favorite plate.

Well, it ain’t a confession of love… so what is this about? Applejack asked herself before she trotted over to stand next to Big Mac.

“Is it something you want to talk about?” Applejack asked as she put a foreleg around the stallion’s withers.

“Eenope…” Big Mac responded with a shake of his head. Still, Applejack waited a few moments to see if the big stallion would change his mind.

“Actually, Sis?” Big Mac mumbled in a soft tone filled with hesitance.

“What’s up? ‘Cause you know you can talk to me about anythin’,” Applejack asked eagerly as she scrutinized the stallion’s face for some kind of clue about what he was about to say.

“If you lie to a pony for years, -- and they don’t know you’re lying -- and lying to them does them some good, is it still wrong to lie to them?” Big Mac finally asked, before his words went completely quiet, again.

“Do you remember the ‘Flim-Flac’ brother’s Miracle Tonic?” Applejack reminded him.

“Even lying for a good reason doesn’t do anypony any good.” Applejack pointed out as she made a point to keep her eyes on Big Mac.

“Now, what’s this all about?” Applejack inquired as she continued to scrutinize the large red stallion.

Big Mac noticeably avoided eye contact as his eyes averted away from Applejack, and towards the door several times. “It ain’t anything…” Big Mac answered. However, Applejack continued to stare at the stallion -- who was now beginning to noticeably sweat -- as she waited for the real explanation.

”Oh look at the time. I gotta go,” Big Mac suddenly pointed out as he dashed out the door.

What the hay is going on? Applejack asked herself as she watched her older brother gallop away like his tail was on fire.

Applejack eagerly trotted into the barn. Whimsically she whistled a tune as she carried the punch bowl and the record player on her back. Applejack’s whistling was interrupted, however, as she noticed Rarity was standing at the back table, both snickering and reading a magazine intently while unpacking the presents from her saddlebags with her magic.

“What’s so funny?” Applejack asked as she walked behind Rarity, and craned her neck a bit to the left so that she could see whatever Rarity was reading.

“Prince Blueblood dyes his mane, and eyes?” Applejack read out loud.

“I know, isn’t it hilarious,” laughed Rarity. “He’s trying to give his eyes an azure tinge but has come out as a pantone hue.”

“Why’s this news?” Applejack couldn’t help but ask. She literally didn’t understand what was so salacious about a pony dying their mane, and changing their eye color. “And aren’t they both orange?”

Rarity quickly coughed and blushed. “Darling, look at the mane, and eye color. It clashes horribly with the manestyle he is trying to achieve. It just highlights his lack of any fashion sense,” Rarity explained in her usual slightly condescending tone.

“I just don’t see it.. dark orange eyes, and dark red manes ain’t that odd. Lots’a ponies got those colors,” Applejack disputed with a shake of her head before she decided to move the conversation along. “And besides that, I thought you and Blueblood were getting along now.”

“Oh darling, we are,” Rarity insisted with a forced laugh, and a nervous bat of her mane. ”A lady never holds a grudge. And besides, we both agreed not to fight whenever we meet -- it made launching a zeppelin together much easier.”

Applejack could only roll her eyes. It seemed that the prince hadn’t gotten over being splattered with cake. And, Rarity hadn’t gotten over being used as a pony cake shield. It seemed Applejack had been lucky. She’d left that evening without the prince even noticing she existed...

“Anyways, thanks for coming early to help, Rarity,” Applejack said with a grateful smile. “But, could you do me another favor?” Applejack asked nervously.

“You know you can ask me anything... except to get wet, or dirty,” Rarity stated calmly as she raised her head, and gave Applejack a confident smile.

“Big Mac was actin’ weird earlier, and I wanted to know if you’ve heard anythin’? I know you hear more things around town then I do. He was sayin’ something about lying to somepony… But for the life of me, I can’t think who that could be,” Applejack admitted with a worried expression written on her face.

“I can’t say I have,” Rarity admitted with a slightly stunned look on her face. “Did he, perhaps, give some kind of hint?”

“I can’t say he --” Applejack started to admit, only to be interrupted by a shaky yell.

“I, don’t worry about it. Mac wasn’t talking about anythin’ important,” Granny Smith yelled from across the room as she struggled to use her walker to walk over to Applejack, and Rarity.

“He was just joshin’ you,” Granny Smith insisted before she slowly turned around, mumbled a vague order to get back to work, and then stumbled off the way she’d come.

“Well, that was… odd” Rarity acknowledged to Applejack with a nervous look.

Applejack swallowed deeply and nodded her agreement.

The barn was abuzz with the laughing of fillies and colts, and the animated chatter of stallions and mares as the dual birthday slowly wound down to the final event of the evening: gift opening. Poor Apple Bloom had spent the whole time trying to figure out what the gifts sitting on the back table were. But, Applejack had held strong. She didn’t want the gifts to be opened until the end of the party. Because in Applejack’s mind, that would draw the party out longer.

Still, Apple Bloom’s impatience had hit its crescendo with the serving of cake. And despite Applejack’s interests, Pinkie Pie had taken that as the signal to start bringing the gifts over to be open. “Open this one next, Apple Bloom! It’s from Applejack!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she bounced over to the yellow filly, and then plopped the gift right in front of the eager filly.

“What is it?” Apple Bloom asked as she hastily tore the paper off of the gift box. Applejack smirked but otherwise provided no answers. With the sound of cardboard being flung open, Applejack’s gift to Apple Bloom quickly succumbed to Apple Bloom’s enthusiasm and revealed its contents.

“Is this a picture of me with Ma and Pa?” Apple Bloom inquired as her scrutinizing gaze flashed up and down the framed photo.

“Sure is. I know you wanted one, I’m sorry it isn’t an authentic photo… I couldn’t find a good photo either. So, I went down to Mr. Photo Edit to have a picture of you added to a picture of Ma and Pa that I found,” Applejack explained as she blushed with embarrassment. It shouldn’t have been difficult to find. Granny Smith kept literally hundreds of family photo albums.

“I hope that’s still ok,” Applejack mumbled as it occurred to her how poorly the gift actually fit what Apple Bloom had asked for.

“It’s ok? Isn’t it Apple Bloom?” Pinkie Pie interrupted as she pulled the two sisters into a tight group hug. “After all, isn’t it the thought that counts?” she added as she shot both sisters a huge smile.

“That’s true...” Apple Bloom conceded, despite the obvious look of disappointment on her face, and the slow tone of her voice... However, her face and smile slowly picked up with each syllable of the sentence, until she was giving Applejack an actually chipper tone, and a big smile. You did your best, and that’s what counts.”

“I guess... ” Applejack mumbled with a blush as she felt the bitter sting of failure.

“Maybe Twilight could help me organize the barn later. I’m sure we could find those photo albums if we had some help organizing,” Applejack considered as she looked upwards toward Twilight Sparkle.

However, Applejack’s gaze deviated a little as she noticed the worried look that Big Mac and Granny Smith tried to shoot each other, without any other pony noticing… It didn’t evade Applejack’s gaze.

Applejack couldn’t help but frown. These secrets were starting to really concern her.

Applejack and Big Mac smiled and waved as the last guest left the barn, and went on their way back home. Apple Bloom would have been waving too -- no doubt -- if she wasn’t in her room with her friends enjoying her post-birthday sleepover.

When Applejack was sure the last guest was just out of earshot, she decided now was the time to voice her concerns. “Big Mac, why have you and Granny been actin’ weird all day?” Applejack asked sternly. The stallion looked away and shuffled his hooves a little.

“And, don’t bother denyin’ it. First, you ask me about lyin’, and then you suddenly deny you said it… Then, Granny Smith tells me to ignore you. And finally, I saw that gaze you and Granny shot each other...” Applejack grumbled as she chose to look off into the distance, rather than stare her brother in the eyes.

“Mac, you know I don’t like secrets… At least, not between us,” Applejack admonished.

“It makes me feel like you and Granny are treatin’ me like a little filly… and, I don’t like it,” Applejack concluded with a stomp of her hoof as she looked back towards the stallion, with a look that garnered no objection.

"Sorry, Applejack, but it’s just - it’s just that you were in a such bad place when it happened," he began to explain as he struggled to collect his thoughts whilst battling an internal ethical dilemma. “It was just so hard to see you like that …”

He tried to put on a brave face for Applejack. But instead, it came off confused which only seemed to worry her more. “The Doctor's thought it’d be best to give you time and it’d be best to forget. To move on with your life ... you know … you were in such a bad place … I was afraid you weres going to break ... but it seems so darn wrong … I wanna tell you but … what’ll happen if I do? … gosh I dunno…”

“Mac, what are you talking about? What’s got you so spooked?” Applejack asked with a slight quiver in her voice.

“Applejack... ” Big Mac started before he gave a gulp. His eyes glazed over as he seemed to consider losing his nerve… However, the demanding gaze of Applejack bartered no backing out. “There wasn’t a cow… you were never kicked as a filly…”

“What? What does that mean?” asked Applejack.

“It means that … Apple Bloom ain’t your sister...” Big Mac continued with a deep gulp and a heavy breath.

Applejack could feel the second headache in two days building. Clearly, the building stress of the last couple of days was agitating her headaches.

“What?!!” Applejack shouted before she regained a semblance of control.

”What are you goin’ on about?” Applejack growled as she looked at Big Mac with a rather strict expression.

“I remember the day she was born… I remember Ma and Pa wrapping her in their warm embrace… So, I ask you again: what are you talkin’ about?” Applejack added as she rubbed her aching temples with both of her front hooves.

Big Mac gulped again. His breath was now heavy, and his body shuddered a little. Quickly the stallion clamped his eyes shut, and he refused to open them. “Apple Bloom ain’t your sister. She’s your daughter,” Big Mac managed to say between shuddering breaths.

Applejack’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Her stern expression had washed off of her face and was replaced by a look of pure befuddlement. Applejack quickly regained her composure, however. She then slapped her forehead with one of her hooves and looked up towards the clouds.

“Mac, how much of the hard cider did you drink tonight?” Applejack said with a laugh. However, her laugh seemed forced, considering her voice carried a more chastising tone.

“You know I don’t like you drinkin’ that stuff, especially when we’re with kin,” Applejack added with a groan… Clearly, she would need to lock that stuff in one of the old barns.

“I didn’t drink any. Your memories ain’t real. Somepony erased your memories,” Big Mac insisted as he took a step back. He could see Applejack’s laughter quickly dry up, and a rather obvious scowl appear on her face.

“What?” Applejack’s icy voice said. Her whole body had grown rigid. The only sign of emotion in her voice, or on her voice was the fact that her eyes were now slightly squinted.

“You went to Manehatten, and then came back pregnant, and with no memory of any of it. The doctors spent months helpin’ you remember what little you could,” Big Mac insisted as he took another three steps away from the invisible fire burning on his sister’s body.

The headache that Applejack was trying not to think about had chosen this moment to remind her of its existence. The painful throbbing aggressively demanded that she acknowledge it, and not what Big Mac had just said.

“Mac, how can you say that about our sister?” Applejack protested. “The sister that Ma and Pa left in our care!”

“Seriously, how can you not remember Ma’s dying words to us?” Applejack pleaded as she tried not to think about her growing headache or agitation. “I remember her pleading with us to care for Apple Bloom for her!”

“Applejack, it didn’t happen,” Big Mac stated plainly as he rallied his courage, and looked Applejack firmly in the eyes. “AJ, ask yourself this: would Ma and Pa even allow you to go to Manehatten on your own?”

Applejack wasn’t sure if it was her agitation or the headache, but she knew that she’d had enough of this conversation.

Applejack snorted and returned Big Mac’s resolve with a stern look of her own. “Big Mac, I don’t know what’s gotten into you. But, this ain’t a funny joke,” Applejack retorted coldly as she made a point to stomp and storm her way around Big Mac, and out the barn doors.

“Now, I’m going to get some fresh air. And, I want you to stay here, and think about just why this here joke ain’t funny,” Applejack concluded as she stormed off towards Ponyville.

Chapter 2

Applejack’s temper had only cooled a little as she reached the outskirts of the town. How could he say that about our little sister, She sniffled as she made a point to wipe some of the tears from her eyes. Still, he’d said one thing that had made her pause.

It don’t matter… she decided with a shake of her head. I know what’s true. And, that ain’t it!

I just gotta prove him wrong! Applejack added as she paused for a second to consider how best to do that. It was an admittedly petty thing to do, but Applejack wanted to rub it in Big Mac’s face. Applejack spent a moment thinking about who had been in Miss. Play Write’s class, because another colt or filly who was in her class could tear Big Mac’s whole argument apart with the most obvious hole in his argument….

Time to see Rarity, Applejack decided with a nod before she set her course to the Carousel Boutique.

It was just after dark by the time Applejack arrived at the doors to the Carousel Boutique. Firmly Applejack knocked on the door a couple of times with her hoof.

“Hello?” Rarity asked as she slowly opened the door.

“Applejack, what’s going on?” Rarity asked with a definite worry as she noticed Applejack at the door. “Is Sweetie Belle, and the girls ok?”

“No. No, the girls are ok,” Applejack assured Rarity, who noticeably relaxed at the admission. “I just had a fight with Big Mac, and I needed somepony to talk to.”

“Yes, it does look like you’ve had it hard,” Rarity admitted as she noticed the obvious signs of crying on her friend’s face.

”Well then, come right in,” Rarity offered as she opened the door wide, and raised a foreleg in a clear offer to enter.

“Thanks, Rarity,” replied Applejack as she tipped her hat, and let herself inside. Carefully she followed Rarity into the dining room.

“Wait here, darling. I’ll just brew us some tea,” Rarity offered with a smile as she pointed at one of the stools sitting next to her dining room table. “It sounds like you might need some.”

“Thanks, Rarity,” Applejack gratefully said as she walked over to the dining room table. While Rarity continued to the other side of the kitchen to reach the stove, Applejack sat down at one of the stools that were in front of the kitchen table.

Normally when Applejack sat down at Rarity’s table, it was clean. But this time, the kitchen table was covered in photos and brochures of a very meticulously maintained school.

Applejack couldn’t help but be a bit curious. “Hey Rarity, what school are all these here papers on?” Applejack asked Rarity from across the room.

Is that St. Wind’s? Applejack pondered as some faint memory tickled the back of her mind.

“Oh Darling, that’s a school in Manehatten that I’ve been researching. Why do you ask?” Rarity asked as she began to warm the teapot sitting on her stove.

“I was just curious because I was gonna go there,” Applejack explained, only to watch Rarity appear in a puff of smoke.

“W-What?!” Rarity stammered as she looked at Applejack with her jaw hanging low enough to nearly scrape the ground.

“You were going to go to St. Wind Whistler's School For Prestigious Foals. The most prestigious, most exclusive, most expensive school in all of equestria?” Rarity shouted in pure shock.

“Sure was,” Applejack casually admitted with a shrug of her withers.

“B-b-but how?” Rarity stuttered as the regal unicorn struggled to understand what she was hearing.

Applejack warmly chuckled as she remembered the whimsical memory. “Aunt and Uncle Orange were going to send me there…” Applejack admitted. After all, Aunt and Uncle Orange’s dinner parties weren’t just to meet interesting ponies.

“It might have been an exclusive school, but they couldn’t seem to make a uniform that fit me,” Applejack said with a giggle.

“All of their uniforms were too tight around the middle of my barrel,” Applejack added with a shrug of her withers.

“It’s a shame you didn’t go there though,” Rarity said with a slight sigh and tinge of jealousy as she carefully poured tea into two empty tea cups. “You see, rumor has it that Prince Blueblood will be coming to Ponyville to ask Twilight about some kind of friendship problem. Several business owners -- myself included -- have been trying to figure out a way to make his visit as enjoyable as possible.”

“What’s that gotta do with St. Wind’s?” Applejack puzzled as she looked to Rarity for some clarification.

“He’s an alumnus,” Rarity passively explained as she passed one of the two teacups to Applejack. “And, if you’d gone there, then you could tell me a bit about the culture there. Maybe then I could use it to make something familiar to him.”

“Sorry, I can’t help you there,” Applejack admitted as she took three spoonfuls of sugar, and dumped them into her teacup.

“It’s not that important,” Rarity offered.

“Now, about your question: I’m all ears,” Rarity added as she waited patiently for Applejack to explain what had brought here all the way to the boutique.

“Well, this evening Big Mac said Apple Bloom is my daughter. I think it’s some kind of prank,” Applejack grumbled before she retold the entire story to Rarity.

“If this is a prank, then that is certainly not within good taste,” Rarity considered with a disgusted look as she took a dainty sip of her tea.

“Right. So, I wanted you to help me tell him off,” Applejack continued as she took a sip of her tea. Her lips then curled down in an expression of disgust. The tea wasn’t bad, but there was an odd taste of something in the tea that she didn’t recognize… It tasted a little like Pumpkin Pie.

“Oh dear, did you not like that bit of nutmeg I added to the tea?” Rarity asked with an apologetic expression.

“The sales pony assured me that it was the perfect addition to the tea,” Rarity added as she pondered whether she should get a refund or not.

“It’s fine,” Applejack mumbled.

“I just wanted to ask you this: do you remember how long I was in Manehatten?” Applejack asked as she eagerly waited for her friend to say the one thing that would prove Big Mac wrong.

“I’m not really sure,” Rarity admitted with a definite regret in her tone. “We weren’t friends at the time, so I wasn’t too concerned with where, and when you were gone. But, I remember you missed the end of school about three or four years in a row… I’m sorry if that isn’t helpful”

Applejack could feel another headache building as she pondered where she had been. However, she intentionally ignored the headache, and smirked instead, because she could remember the answer to the question.

“No, it’s fine. I went to Aunt and Uncle Oranges in the summer for a couple’a months,” Applejack explained as she rubbed her chin.

“And the next year, I think I left early for Camp Friendship. And, that final year I was grounded for that hospital stunt where Granny Smith almost sawed off Big Mac’s leg. So, that proves there ain’t no way I would’a had time to foal Apple Bloom,” Applejack exclaimed Triumphantly, as she pounded the table slightly with one hoof.

“I’m glad I could be of help,” Rarity agreed with a warm smile.

“But, I don’t feel like this will be enough to really make your point,” Rarity cautioned. ”if you really want to prove him wrong, I suggest you ask Twilight about memory erasing spells. I believe I remember Miss. Play Write had a lesson about them. I believe she said they were impossible.”

“Didn’t Sombra erase everyponies’ memory?” Applejack pointed out with a slight frown.

“Considering they remembered, Sombra couldn’t have erased their memories, per se,” Rarity corrected.

“So, basically If she says it’s impossible, then that’ll show him who’s right” Rarity explained with a victorious smirk. One that Applejack couldn’t help but return.

It was pushing nine at night by the time Applejack had gotten close enough to see the library. I hope Twilight doesn’t mind me coming late… But, I gotta show Mac. It ain’t funny sayin’ stuff like that about our little sister, Applejack thought with a bitter huff.

Much to Applejack’s surprise, though. Applejack saw a royal carriage riding out of town from the direction of the library. I guess Twilight’s awake? Applejack considered as she decided not to think too hard about which of Equestria’s three other princesses had been visiting Twilight Sparkle. Instead, she trotted the distance from herself to the library. Once there, she gave the door a couple of hard knocks with her hoof.

A very tired looking Spike opened the door. “Hey Spike,” Applejack greeted with a bow of her hat.

“Can I talk to Twilight for just a minute or two?” she requested politely.

“Might as well, she’s going to be burning the midnight oil on Prince Blueblood’s friendship problem,” Spike grumbled as he opened the door wider to let Applejack have plenty of room to enter the library with.

“She’s up in her room,” Spike added, which Applejack acknowledged with a grateful nod.

Driven by the strength of her purpose, Applejack trotted up the stairs to Twilight Sparkle’s bedroom. “Hey Twi, can I have a moment of your time?” Applejack called out as she entered Twilight’s bedroom.

The large bedroom was full of several stacks of a multitude of books with several different topics. But, all topics seemed to be in the range of: betrayal, regret, reconciliation, and — oddly enough — several school yearbooks.

Twilight didn’t respond at first. Instead, she continued to feverishly shift the order of the books in her mountainous stack. “Hey TWI!” Applejack shouted with a hint of petulance. She didn’t mean to do it, but she was already tired of running around town trying to prove Big Mac definitively wrong.

This time Twilight Sparkle actually flinched. Her magic inadvertently broke, causing every book in its hold to pummel the oak floor below them. “Sorry Twilight, but I needed to ask you about memory erasing spells,” Applejack explained in a much softer tone.

“No, I’m sorry,” Twilight apologized as she rubbed the ridge of her nose.

“Prince Blueblood was just here, and he’s got one doozy of a problem he’s hoping I can help him with. Needless to say, I’m not sure he came to the right pony. I’ve been a princess for less than a year, and I’m not even sure if friendship is my dominion,” Twilight added as she pointed a hoof at the still unopened magic crystal box.

“You know you can always count on us to help you,” Applejack offered as she gave Twilight a sympathetic look.

“I know,” Twilight admitted before she turned to face Applejack directly. “But, what was this you were asking about? Memory erasing spells?”

“Rarity thinks it’s impossible. I wanted to know if that’s true,” Applejack explained as she skipped the longer details of her search, and got straight to the point with her busy friend.

“Strictly speaking: it’s not impossible. Although, it is an extremely difficult spell. It is a high level spell, after all,” Twilight Sparkle lectured. Applejack could feel disappointment creeping into her heart already.

“But, it is impossible to do safely. The spell will either suppress the memories -- and thus fail --, or it will leave brain damage,” Twilight Sparkle continued as she pulled a book off of one of the library’s shelves, and floated it over to Applejack.

“So if a pony don’t have brain damage, then she couldn’t have had her memories erased?” Applejack asked as she resisted the urge to rub her hooves together in delight. She finally had something she could throw in Big Mac’s face.

“That, or they would have repressed memories. Which, any memory spell can bring back. In fact, the spell I used on you after Discord’s mind magic is just such a spell,” Twilight eagerly explained as she flipped the book floating in front of Applejack to a specific page.

“Thanks Twi, this is what I needed,” Applejack agreed with a big smile.

“Now, I can tell Mac that I don’t have erased memories!” Applejack finished as she gave Twilight Sparkle a grateful hoof shake.

“Why would he even say that?” Twilight couldn’t help but ask.

“It’s some kind of dumb prank. He says Apple Bloom is my daughter, but I don’t know it cause somepony erased my memories,” Applejack grumbled with a bitter huff.

“That’s not a very funny joke,” Twilight contemplated before she paused for a moment so that she could consider if somepony might actually find it funny.

“That’s what I told him, but he just wasn’t listening!” Applejack grumbled.

“Well, I hope that book helps,” Twilight offered sympathetically.

“I know it will,” Applejack countered with a wide smile as she saw herself out of the library.

The door to the Apple Family barn creaked open as Applejack let herself in. She carefully entered as quietly as possible. She didn’t want to wake Apple Bloom or her friends upstairs. She, also, didn’t want to gain Big Mac’s attention. She didn’t want to deal with the stallion, and his dumb joke at the moment. Instead, Applejack just wanted to sneak upstairs and say goodnight to her baby sister.

Sneakily Applejack crept into the family room. Her plan then came completely unraveled as she noticed the small yellow filly sitting on the family couch. Apple Bloom’s eyes were red and puffy. The obvious bags under the filly’s eyes were a clear indicator the Apple Bloom had been crying.

“What’s wrong little sis,” Applejack asked as she trotted over, took a seat next to Apple Bloom, and placed a hoof on one of her sister’s withers.

“I-is it true? A-Am I adopted, or are you really my Ma?” Apple Bloom sniffled as she looked up to Applejack with tear filled eyes.

“Neither. I ain’t your Ma, and you ain’t adopted” Applejack answered as she tried to figure out where this came from.

“Apple Bloom, where did this come from? Is this ‘cause of something Big Mac said?” Applejack gently, but carefully asked.

Apple Bloom nodded with another sniffle. “I didn’t believe it at first, either,” Apple Bloom admitted. “He said your parents died years before I was born.”

Applejack could feel her headache return. It was the perfect accompaniment to the growing look of skepticism on her face. Apple Bloom took a look at Applejack’s face, and then let off a long sigh. “He said that you wouldn’t remember,” Apple Bloom added.

“Bloom, I know that’s impossible. I remember exactly when they died,” Applejack asserted.

“Are you sure?” Apple Bloom sniffled. However, even before Applejack could respond the filly continued, “He told me that if I needed proof, then I should look at the photo albums.”

Applejack opened her mouth to make a denial, only to close it right back again. Applejack could see it: Apple Bloom needed to get this off of her chest.

“Well, I didn’t believe any of it. So, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and I -- and then just me, when Granny sent us to bed -- looked through all of the photo albums,” Apple Bloom explained. It was about this moment that Applejack noticed that every photo album from the barn had been piled up in one small mountain in the middle of the room.

“I found pictures of Ma being pregnant with you. I found pictures of her being pregnant with Big Mac. But I couldn’t find one of her with me,” Apple Bloom explained as she pointed a hoof at the pile of photo albums.

“I mean it. I checked every last one. I really did. But, I did find something, Applejack,” Apple Bloom lamented.

“What did you find little sis?” Applejack gently asked.

“He was right. He was right,” Apple Bloom continued.

“No, he can’t have been,” Applejack objected.

“No, he was,” Apple Bloom insisted. “There isn’t one of me Applejack. There isn’t a single photo of me. The last photo of my parents was dated in 989. I was born in 992.”

Applejack could see Apple Bloom slowly descend into depression. Slowly her tears returned with a vengeance, and a look of pain cross her small face. “I’m so confused. Who am I? Am I even an apple?” Apple Bloom wailed.

“Now listen here, and listen well,” Applejack commanded.

“I am your sister. And by that, I do mean your sister by blood,” Applejack sternly stated with absolute certainty.

“But…” Apple Bloom countered, but Applejack interrupted her before she could finish her thought.

“Listen, I know you’re too young to remember, but I do. And, see this here book that Twilight gave me,” Applejack stated as she made a point to show Apple Bloom the book that she’d borrowed from Twilight’s library.

“It says that memory erasing spells are nearly impossible to cast,” Applejack asserted as thumped the book a couple of times with one of her hooves.

“But the photos...” Apple Bloom countered.

Applejack fought the return of her headache. She was starting to get sick of these. But, it seemed this was going to be her week for headaches. It seemed that all of the stress was exasperating her condition.

“Did Big Mac ever tell you about the termites that ate half of the barn? The albums probably got lost, or destroyed,” Applejack explained calmly, but firmly.

“But, I remember. I remember feeling the kicks coming from our Ma’s belly. You’re an apple, and my sister,” Applejack stated. She could remember the pure joy of feeling that firm kick, reminding her that a new life was awaiting its birth into this world.

Apple Bloom actually hesitated as she considered Applejack’s explanation. It sounded like a plausible explanation. And, although Applejack would have been young, she should have been old enough to be able to recall such an event.

Applejack couldn’t help but smile as Apple Bloom’s tears gave way to a tiny little smile. “There you go. That’s much better,” Applejack explained with a warm smile. She then gave Apple Bloom that warm hug she had planned to give earlier.

“Now go back to bed. And, I don’t want to hear anymore of this nonsense, you hear,” Applejack gently commanded.

“Oh, and don’t wake your friends when you get there,” Applejack added as her commanding expression, faded to a more jovial expression.

Apple Bloom nodded and trotted back towards the staircase.

Now, I gotta get a drink, Applejack decided with a sigh as she backtracked back to the kitchen. On the other hoof, at least her headache had begun to fade.

Applejack tossed and turned in her bed. She knew her bedroom by heart. She knew where both hooks were on the walls. She knew the lassos hanging from said hooks. She knew the hat rack sitting on the wall next to one of the lasso pegs. She knew the painting that sat on the wall above her bed’s headboard. She even knew the end table that sat between the left side of her bed and the window.

And yet, Applejack couldn’t help but feel like the room looked so unfamiliar that evening. Dang it, Applejack! Applejack cursed as she rubbed her forehead, and tried to stop worrying about it all.

You know when your parents died. You know Apple Bloom made a mistake on the date. So, why are you worrying about this? Applejack complained to herself as it turned a pinch past midnight.

That does it. I’m gonna answer this question right now! Applejack decided as she rolled out of bed, grabbed a lantern, and made her way down the stairs, out of the old farmhouse, and down to a specific grove hidden amongst the trees of the apple orchard.

“This here question ends here and now!” Applejack growled as she trotted over to the dual graves of her beloved parents Bright Mac and Buttercup.

“Please forgive me Ma, and Pa. But, I got to prove Big Mac wrong once and for all!” Applejack announced as she trotted over to the graves. Carefully she laid down on the grass so that she could get at eye level with the graves.

It ain’t possible!” Applejack whispered in utter horror and dismay. Tears swelled as the word “no” escaped her lips. Below the inscriptions read:

Here lies Pear Butter.
Loving Mother, and beloved wife.
You will be missed.

May you sleep well in Celestia’s grace.

May 950 ANM - Feb 989 ANM

Here lies Bright Mac.
Loving Father, and beloved husband.
You will be missed.

May you sleep well next to your beloved pear.

Aug 949 ANM - Apr 989 ANM

Chapter 3

Princess Celestia's sun peered over the horizon and into Applejack's bloodshot eyes. She had been crying all night. Last night's revelation was a massive blow to the mare’s ego. She couldn't understand it all, but she did come to one very simple conclusion:

Somepony had changed the date on her parents’ grave.

This desecration of her parent’s grave to perpetuate a lie was beyond comprehension or forgiveness. No words could describe Applejack's emotional state of mind, other than a seething rage that bore into her heart, and an unequivocal determination to seek justice and to prove the conspirators wrong.

She would set the record straight about Apple Bloom’s true parentage and their relationship. Wasting no time, she marched to Ponyville town hall where a lone mare sat in her office.

"Applejack," greeted a little surprised Mayor Mare. "What brings you here so early?"

"I wish to make a complaint," Applejack quietly said as she was barely able to keep her emotions in check.

"Oh," replied Mayor Mare cautiously. "There isn't any pony here who can help at the moment. They are busy making preparations for the Prince's arrival. Maybe I can help?"

"I want to know who did it?" Applejack asked.

"I'm sorry," Mayor Mare said earnestly. "I didn't quite hear..."

"I want to know who did it?" Applejack repeated, her anger beginning to spill over.

“Do what, dear?" Mayor Mare asked with a trained calm.

“Who changed my parents’ graves?!” Applejack roared.

“What?” stammered the confused mayor.

“I said: who changed my parent’s grave?” Applejack growled.

“Applejack, please calm down,” Mayor Mare pleaded as she raised both forelegs in a defensive position. The mayor remained in that position until Applejack had taken two or three long deep soothing breaths.

“Now, slowly tell me what happened,” Mayor Mare instructed as she gave Applejack a reassuring smile.

“Some pony changed the dates on my parents’ graves!” Applejack growled before she slammed a hoof into Mayor Mare’s desk. “And, I want justice!”

“OK, I’ll get a guard to look into it,” Mayor Mare offered as she tried to remain calm despite Applejack’s fury.

“So, let me write the guard a small report,” Mayor Mare explained as she took out some paper and a quill.

“Now, what did they write on the grave?” Mayor Mare asked as she carefully dipped the point of the quill into her inkwell.

“First, they changed the year on my parent’s graves from 992 ANM to 989 ANM,” Applejack explained as she watched Mayor Mare write down that small bit of information… However, Applejack’s wrathful expression quickly gave way to confusion as she watched Mayor Mare slowly lower her quill, and look at Applejack as if the farm mare had just grown a second head.

“I’m sorry, did you say that they changed the date from 992 to 989?” Mayor Mare enunciated with extreme caution.

“Yeah. Don’t you recall that Bloom was born in 992?” Applejack huffed.

“But, 989 was when they died,” Mayor Mare hesitantly disputed. Carefully the mare kept a cautious eye on Applejack, just in case the angry mare did something she would regret.

“I remember because I officiated both their wedding and their funeral,” Mayor Mare slowly responded.

“You gotta be wrong,” Applejack insisted.

“‘Cause I remember Apple Bloom being born before my parents died!” Applejack added with a slight shudder.

“Applejack, are you sure you still want to talk about this? Don’t forget about your headaches,” Mayor Mare cautioned, earning a sour look from Applejack.

“Of course I want to talk about it. Give me a copy of Apple Bloom’s birth certificate. I’m not gonna stand here and let you speak nonsense about Apple Bloom,” Applejack demanded.

Mayor Mare looked back at Applejack with a look of both sympathy, and concern. “Applejack, are you sure -- really sure -- you want to know the answer to this?” Mayor Mare cautioned.

“Dag nabbit, YES!” Applejack growled as she glared at Mayor Mare.

Mayor Mare closed her eyes and gave a long defeated sigh. “OK, come with me,” she ordered as she led Applejack to another room. Once there, she sorted through a filing cabinet, until she produced a cream colored piece of paper. Applejack carefully lifted the paper so that she could get a better look at it.

“W-what?” Applejack stuttered as she looked at the offending letter like it had been written by Tirek himself in the pits of Tartarus, and contained every form of blasphemy before Faust that had ever been written.

“I-is this some kind of joke?” Applejack continued to stutter. She suddenly felt extremely light headed. The world was spinning, and she was having trouble keeping her footing. Her head was pounding like a jackhammer. Applejack hadn’t had a headache this bad since she slammed her head into a tree trunk.

“Are you ok?” Mayor Mare said with complete concern as she reached out a foreleg to help steady Applejack.

“D-Discord!” Applejack hissed as she mashed the piece of paper back into Mayor Mare’s chest.

“T-t-that snake! D-Discord did something! An’ I’m gonna teach him a thing or two!” Applejack growled as she teetered in place, but, after a heroic effort, managed to regain her footing.

“That varmints gonna pay for this here prank!” Applejack shouted as she ignored her splitting headache, and she stormed out of the room, town hall, and down the road back to Twilight Sparkle’s library.

Twilight Sparkle stared and stared at the offending book. But, no matter how much she looked at it, she still couldn’t believe what she saw. For the fifth time in the last thirty seconds, Twilight Sparkle rubbed her eyes with her hooves. But, no matter what she did, the picture in the yearbook didn’t change.

“Twilight! Discord’s at it again!” Applejack screamed as she burst through Twilight’s bedroom door, practically knocking the door off its hinges.

“Get the rest of the girls. We gotta reign in that monster!” Applejack demanded with a completely red face.

“What did he do?” Twilight groaned as she rubbed her muzzle, and tried not to think too hard about what inappropriate, or childish thing Discord had probably done.

“He made everypony think that I gave birth to Apple Bloom. It’s ridiculous. I mean, I think I’d remember if’n I went through the miracle of birth,” Applejack shouted through her red face.

“OK, we’re going to need to get Fluttershy in order to talk to him,” Twilight considered with a sagely nod.

“That’s gonna be hard. She’s still out of town at that animal cartoon convention in Manehatten,” Applejack admitted.

“What? But, you said: Discord did something,” Twilight puzzled with a few blinks of her eyes.

“Therefore, he and Fluttershy must have come back from the convention,” Twilight pointed out as she rubbed her muzzle with a hoof.

“Then, he came home without her?” Applejack insisted.

“Something isn’t adding up,” Twilight pondered as she lit up her horn. The lavender appendage blinked purple a few times but ultimately didn’t do anything.

“He’s not even within fifty miles of town,” Twilight considered with a few more blinks of her eyes.

“According to the tracking spell, he hasn’t been in town for the last week,” Twilight continued to explain.

“B-but that’s impossible. It don’t add up,” Applejack sputtered as her mind struggled to wrap itself around this new information. Her headache was returning now with a vengeance. Applejack reached her hoof down to steady herself, only to slide the St. Wind Whistler’s School For Prestigious Foals yearbook that Twilight had been looking at down the table a little.

“S-sorry,” Applejack apologized as she noticed that she’d moved the book. Carefully she slid it back in place, only to notice her hoof sitting next to a specific picture of an orange filly… An orange filly with a blond mane, and green eyes. It was a picture of her.

Applejack jumped back and pointed at the page like it was on fire. Applejack’s head was spinning, which only added to her overall discomfort. Still, despite the fact that the world had gone mad, Applejack could still hold to the faint memory she had of Apple Bloom’s first moments in this world.

Yes. Her memories were all the proof she needed. So without a moment of hesitation, she drew the memory to herself. This time she chose to focus on it. She needed to remember it as clearly as possible. Every detail she could, she needed it right now. She had to. It was the only way to make the world make sense again.

The memory was a fuzzy one, but Applejack could remember some of the details.

This part of her memories was always fuzzy, and she never really thought much of it. But this time, she found that she could start to retrieve some substance to it by focusing on some sensations that she could feel.

That being said, there wasn’t much she could really see or feel. What she could tell was that she was laying on her back on something soft. Furthermore, whatever she was laying on seemed to be moving. Is this a bed? Applejack considered.

With that realization a bit more became clear. Above her head, Applejack could see lights moving backwards, and then be replaced with more backwards moving lights. Furthermore, she was in pain. She felt herself clench her stomach.

“Are you scared?” asked a baritone voice.

Is that Big Mac? Applejack pondered.

Was I sick with something? Applejack fretted as she tried to sort out what pain she was feeling.

And with that, Applejack’s focus broke, and the memory ended before it had really begun. Come on, I need the rest, Applejack insisted as she tried to focus on what happened next. Unfortunately, all she could get was the sound of a foal making a very loud noise.

Is that a baby crying? Applejack asked herself as she tried to sort out this new memory. But, the harder she tried to remember, the more the flighty memory slipped through her hooves.

Applejack shook her head. She didn’t need to worry about this memory, anyway. It wasn’t the one she wanted. It was just fluff. Instead, she tried to focus on the memory she had been looking for from the start.

Let’s see: Apple Bloom was just born, Applejack reminded herself as she carefully pulled the desired memory to herself.

Applejack could feel Apple Bloom in her warm embrace. “She’s beautiful, ain’t she,” Applejack said as she looked at her proudly.

“She sure is,” Granny Smith agreed as the green mare slowly came into focus. “Just like her mother,” Granny Smith finished as she gave Apple Bloom a big smile.

“I just wish her dad were here,” Applejack muttered in disappointment as her heart cringed in pain.

“Fiddlesticks, Apple Bloom doesn’t need some flippit colt in her life. This here foal only needs a strong mare to look after her. You just need to stay strong.”

“Yeah, you’re right granny. I just … got to stay strong,” she repeated. She tried. But, the loss of her parents and everything that had happened this past year… it was just getting too much for her. She fell into a deep state of depression. Her legs began to feel numb whilst her throat was dry. The room began to spin, and she suddenly started to feel very faint.

“And don’t you worry, no nothing young’un. Big Mac and I will -,” said Granny Smith reassuringly but stopped when she heard a loud thud behind her - “ Applejack. APPLEJACK!”

The voice was loud with worry, but it soon began to soften until it finally faded away into the darkness along with the memory.

Applejack shook her head. She could feel a hint of fear building. Even her memories had shifted. She was remembering things that didn’t click with what she remembered remembering. For example, where had Bright Mac been? Why had he missed the birth of his youngest daughter? Something was wrong with the world itself, Applejack decided.

Her whole world was spiraling out of control, and out of reason. Applejack found herself struggling to keep from losing the last semblance of reason. All logical explanations were gone, and that left only illogical explanations…

Still, Applejack considered herself a closet follower of Fetlock Holmes, and so she allowed herself to pursue the answer, no matter how illogical. “Twilight, maybe… Maybe I’m in the wrong Equestria… Help me get home to my home Twilight,” Applejack tried as she sat on her butt, and looked up at Twilight with pleading eyes, and cupped hooves.

“Applejack, maybe you need to lay down?” Twilight offered as she offered a consoling hoof over Applejack’s withers.

“I ain’t crazy! I know Apple Bloom is my sister!” Applejack shouted as she jumped to her hooves, broke free from Twilight’s consoling grip, and began to stumble towards the door. Applejack’s eyes were now blinded by tears, and her world seemed to be as shaken as her balance.

The world faded away as Applejack’s feet took her somewhere… she didn’t know where. She couldn’t even hear anything in her fear filled haze. She could vaguely hear some kind of shouting, but she wasn’t sure what they were saying… Until, her run was suddenly interrupted as she felt herself run straight into something big, sturdy, warm, and furry.

“AJ is that you?” asked the silent plea of a soft voice.

Applejack rubbed her aching muzzle and blinked a few times as the world slowly came back into focus. “I’m sorry I bumped into you, mister… I wasn’t looking where I was goin’” Applejack apologized profusely.

“It, It is you!” cheered the large white stallion that was kneeled next to Applejack. His white foreleg was reached out in a kind offer to help her stand up.

“Oh, I’ve been searching all over Equestria for you,” he continued to cheer as Applejack took his offer, and reached a hoof out so that the stallion could help her up.

“Do I know you?” Applejack asked as she rubbed her eyes, and tried to make out more of the stallion’s features.

“It’s me, Blue. Don’t you recognize me?” the stallion pleaded as his previously joyous tone gave way to a definite pleading.

Applejack’s mind spent a moment or two more as she tried to recognize what unicorn stallion had a white coat, blue eyes, and blond mane.

“Prince Blueblood?” Applejack asked as her mind managed to place where she had seen the stallion before.

“It’s me AJ,” the stallion confirmed slowly as Applejack slowly got to her feet. “Have you been well? I hope you have. I’m sorry that I didn’t help you before.”

Applejack could see years of guilt and regret written on his face. “But, I wanted to help you. I honestly did,” the stallion continued to explain. Applejack was uncertain what he was talking about. But, she could tell that the stallion believed he owed her something.

“I… I’m not sure I follow you feller,” Applejack apologized, with a faint hint of regret.

“O-oh… Would you like to talk about it somewhere else? M-maybe somewhere less public? I’m terribly sorry if I just put you on the spot… It’s just like me to speak without thinking first!” Blueblood considered as he gave Applejack another apologetic look.

“No. I really don’t know what you are talking about,” Applejack explained as she rubbed her head. She wanted off this crazy train, and the sudden appearance of the prince had only added to her confusion.

“I see...” the prince mumbled as he looked down in disappointment, and perhaps a look of shame.

“So you didn’t get to keep him, or her… If I’d found you sooner, maybe you could have kept our foal?” Blueblood somberly considered as some small tears rolled down his cheek.

“AJ, I’m so sorry… I’m sorry for everything,” the normally clueless prince openly wept, causing Applejack’s heart to practically stop.

“Foal?! We need to talk,” Applejack sternly commanded.

“I’ve spent the last day and a half being told all my memories were lies, and my sister is my foal. And, I’m sick of this nonsense. I just want some answers!” Applejack ordered as she took a moment to collect her bearings.

“Something is wrong with your memories?” Blueblood asked with a few blinks of his eyes. The confused look slowly morphed on his face to a look of horror as something occurred to him.

“Oh no...” he whispered as his mind got a complete grasp of what was going on.

“That way,” Applejack commanded as she pointed in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

“We’re going back to Sweet Apple Acres, and we’re gonna have a long talk,” Applejack continued as she motioned for Blueblood to follow her.

Author's Note

Once again, I want to thank Jet Storm for editing this story. This chapter, and the next one took a huge amount of rewrites. And, I wanted to thank them for their patience with me on this project.

Chapter 4

The family room of Sweet Apple Acres was crowded. But, despite the number of ponies there, there was no noise. And, the silence had made the tension in the room both tangible, and thick enough to cut with a cleaver.

On one side of the room, Granny Smith sat next to Big Mac on the Apple Family coach. Both she and the red stallion continued to stare at the large white unicorn like he was evil incarnate itself. Next to Big Mac sat Apple Bloom, who rhythmically kept looking at Prince Blueblood, and then Applejack with a quizzical expression. Her young expression almost looked like she was trying to figure out how two shapes might fit together in a puzzle.

Then there was Applejack who sat on a spare chair with her forelegs crossed and her eyes narrowed into threatening slits. She was looking at Big Mac and Prince Blueblood with a look of pure frustration.

Prince Blueblood on the other hoof looked completely ashamed, and afraid. He looked like a colt who had to tell his filly-friend’s parents that he knocked up their daughter.

The only ones who didn’t look angry, afraid, or curious were the two guards that waited by the barn doors, in case the prince needed them.

Of course, it didn’t help that nopony had talked since Applejack had related the events of the day that led up to the current moment. In truth, the silence hadn’t been going on for longer than a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

Then there was a loud rapping on the door, causing everypony to blink, and look at the kitchen door with surprise. “Oh, that must be Miss. Zecora,” Big Mac said with a relieved smile as he rose to his hooves and eagerly trotted over to the door.

“I’ve gotten your plea. So I’m here to help the one in need,” Applejack heard Zecora say as Big Mac let her in.

“Big Mac, what’s going on?” Applejack shouted across the room as Big Mac returned with Zecora behind him.

“W-why are you getting another pony involved?!” Prince Blueblood objected with an outraged face as he saw the new zebra in the room.

“That’s what I wanted to know,” Applejack mumbled with a huff.

“I’ve heard your tragic tale as of late. So I have come to help set the record straight,” Zecora explained as she intentionally ignored the aghast expression on Prince Blueblood’s face.

“Here I have brought something new, a potion to be drunk by two. It will enable you to regain your memory,” Zecora explained as she lifted a bottle of potion out of her bag so that Applejack could get a quick look at it. "That is the purpose of this remedy."

Applejack took one look at the potion. Her eyes then twinkled with a touch of recognition. “Is that the same crazy potion you had Twilight drink?” Applejack asked as she trotted over to Zecora to get a closer look at the potion.

“No, it is slightly different you will find,” Zecora said with a shake of her head. “The one that aided Twilight’s bind -- The potion that required Alicorn Magic -- showed Twilight a past that was tragic. It gave a memory that was not of her own -- a memory of when the twin sisters fought for the throne.”

“So, how does it work?” Applejack puzzled as she patiently looked at the zebra herbalist to clarify herself.

“First two ponies must drink, for their minds to be in sync,” Zecora explained as she brought out two light purple, almost white, potions -- each of which was in a glass bottle, with a golden rim, and had cat faces etched along the neck of the bottle. “The memories that they have shared before, will be remembered once more.”

While most ponies in the room looked at Zecora with a polite but empty stare, Granny Smith looked at the zebra with a look of pure befuddlement. “What does this here doohickey do again,” Granny Smith mumbled as she pointed a hoof at the potion that Zecora was gently placing back in her saddlebags.

“I don’t think what she said was even Equish, or nothin’” Granny Smith grumbled as her brow furled in a clear sign of her frustration.

Apple Bloom looked up with a look of pure contemplation as she licked her lips, and attempted to explain, “I think Zecora is sayin’ that she’s got a memory potion. You see: she said that this here potion isn’t the one Twilight drank ‘cause that potion showed her visions of things she didn’t see. This here potion allows two ponies to remember things that the two of them shared.”

Zecora smile, and gave an approving nod. “Apple Bloom, you understand well. You have understood the nature of the spell,” Zecora congratulated the small yellow filly.

“Now you...” Zecora stated as she pointed at Applejack. Her hoof then started to move towards another pony in the room, only for her to be interrupted by Big Mac, who whispered something into the Zebra’s ear. Zecora’s hoof then snapped to point at Prince Blueblood. “...and he must drink. Afterwards, things will be more clear, I think.”

“So the two of us each drink a bottle of this stuff, and then this will show everypony who’s remembering things properly?” Applejack asked with both curiosity and a hint of skepticism.

Zecora nodded. “It will only work when consumed together by two,” Zecora explained as she carefully placed a bottle on the floor in front of Applejack, and another in front of Prince Blueblood. “That include you, Prince Blood of Blue.”

“Are you sure this is safe?” Blueblood hesitated as he bent down to look at the potion, and then poked the bottle a couple of times.

“Zecora’s great at potions. If she says it’s safe then it’s safe,” Apple Bloom asserted. Blueblood shot her a worried look. But after a hard swallow, the worry seemed to wash off of the prince’s face.

“May as well.” decided Applejack as she looked at the unconvinced looking prince.

“Listen: I don’t know you nor do I want to think I was wrong, but I figure if it clears this mess right up, and proves Apple Bloom is my sister then let’s get ‘er done,” said Applejack with a renewed fiery determination.

“If this brings back even some of your memories, then I guess it will be well worth it,” Prince Blueblood offered before he lifted both bottles with his magic, and positioned them in front of himself and Applejack.

“Now, on the count of three have a drink,” Prince Blueblood added as he began to count down. Both ponies held the bottle between their lips and took three long glugs of the foul tasting liquid.

After the drink was down, Blueblood waited for the effects. When nothing came, he found himself questioning the viability of this potion idea. “How long does this take to work?” Blueblood asked. However, his question was quickly answered when both his, and Applejack’s eyes lit up with a bright white light.

Applejack found herself sitting alone in one desk, in a sea of other desks. Everypony was clustered into little groups and animatedly talked amongst themselves. Everypony, but Applejack, that was. Applejack could feel her head sag from the weight of her loneliness.

“AJ, are you ok?” asked a younger Blueblood. A clear concern was written on his face as he looked down at Applejack. A few of the other ponies in the room seemed to notice the prince talking to Applejack. After a few scandalized looks, the colts and fillies that noticed seemed to spawn a whole new set of hushed whispers.

“Blue, is there anypony that doesn’t hate me?” Applejack asked the colt with a slight moistening of her eyes. Applejack could feel a sense of despair color her previous loneliness.

“I don’t think they hate you,” the younger Blueblood corrected.

“It’s more that you don’t fit in, and so they avoid you. It’s like my tutors told me: colts and fillies are more insecure at this age,” the younger Blueblood sagely explained as he offered her a hug. Applejack gratefully returned the hug. If for no other reason, than it was a sip of comfort in a desert of despair.

“Why is the prince hugging the day laborer?” whispered one filly as she complained to another of Applejack’s classmates. Applejack tried to ignore them. Conflicts in the past only seemed to add to her troubles, not reduce them.

“Maybe I’m just bein’ selfish…” Applejack reluctantly admitted.

“Just that, I’ve been here for so long, and things just ain’t gettin’ any better. I don’t want to go back to the farm… Not without Ma and Pa. It just don’t feel like home there without ‘em. But, I don’t want to be here either. You and my Aunt and Uncle are the only ponies here who don’t treat me like something is wrong with me,” Applejack whispered into the colt’s ear. “I just don’t know what to do… I’m sorry. But, I just wish I could get away from my problems.”

Blueblood noticeably paused. His face contorted into a contemplative expression as he considered the conundrum. However, after a few moments, his face lit up with a huge smile as the colt seemed to beam with a realization. “Then, we could sail away from it,” the colt eagerly suggested. “There is a school cruise coming up, and the two of us could go to it together.”

Applejack, however, noticeably flinched at the word ‘school’. “No, no, don’t worry about that. The cruise might be held by the school, but it’s not just for students. It’s for anypony that can get a ticket. Which means there will be lots of different ponies there, and you’ll fit right in,” Blueblood explained as he eagerly smiled at Applejack.

“Are you sure this will be ok?” Applejack reluctantly asked. She knew that her aunt and uncle had a huge amount of faith in Blueblood and his family. But, she couldn’t help but hesitate a bit.

“What could possibly go wrong?” Blueblood innocently asked with a couple of blinks. It was written clearly on his face: he couldn’t fathom any issues with this plan. It was just a simple cruise on the ocean. He’d done this with his family a couple of times before.

Applejack fought a headache as the vision slowly cleared, and returned her to the Apple family barn. “So we were friends at St. Wind’s?” Applejack asked as she tried not to think about the headache.

“Yes,” Blueblood acknowledged with a happy smile.

“Although, I’m sure you could have had many friends if the other students had taken time to get to know you,” Blueblood added with a sagely nod.

“Well, friendships take time to make. And, I wasn’t in Manehatten long. I was there, and then practically out the door as soon as I saw the Sonic Rainboom,” Applejack mused.

“How did you two get to be friends? I thought for sure it would be hard for a prince to meet common ponies,” Apple Bloom asked. Her question managing to rouse Granny Smith’s attention. The green mare’s face shifted from a look of pure malice to a look of intrigue as she continued to stare at Blueblood.

“Well besides the things I just mentioned, I suppose it would be the fact that she reminded me of myself,” Prince Blueblood admitted. “She didn’t have parents, and my parents didn’t have much of a part in my life. You see: even though I had parents, we rarely spent time together. In many regards, they relied on St. Wind Whistler’s to raise me properly.”

“It’s sad that your parents didn’t spend time with you, even though they could,” Apple Bloom lamented as she looked at Blueblood with a sympathetic look.

After that admission, Zecora rubbed her chin a couple of times, before she slipped out of the family room, and the barn.

Applejack, on the other hoof, could feel her heart twist. Apple Bloom had never known her parents, so Applejack had assumed Apple Bloom would never have noticed their absence… But, it turned out the filly had noticed and missed them. What if Blueblood is right? Applejack considered as her heart fell for a minute.

Applejack shook her head. There wasn’t any reason to have regrets because Applejack wasn’t Apple Bloom’s mom -- Buttercup was.

“It’s ok,” Blueblood offered to Apple Bloom before he turned his attention to Applejack.

“I don’t think this helped, I’m afraid,” Blueblood told her apologetically.

"I can't disagree with that. I don't think that proved a darn thing," Applejack agreed with a firm nod, and a huff.

"Maybe you need to drink more?" Apple Bloom offered as she stood up and looked at the two ponies, causing both ponies to pause and return the look. "This potion looks a lot like the one Twilight drank. And, I remember Twilight telling us that she had to drink from the potion more than once."

"But, this aint't proving he's right, or anypony else for that matter," Applejack solemnly admitted to Apple Bloom as she stooped down so that she could look her little sister in the eyes. "And, I don't want anypony to lie to you again. I don't want to see you worryin' needlessly about who your ma was. Not ever again."

Blueblood said nothing, but looked at Applejack with an obvious concern written on his mute face.

Apple Bloom looked solemently down for a minute or two. However, she seemed to rally her courage and looked Applejack in the eyes. "Applejack, you're afraid. I can see it in your eyes, and hear it everytime you reject something somepony tells you. And, I don't want you to be afraid. I want you to find the truth... even if it hurts... Even if it scares you..."

"But, I'm not afraid," Applejack insisted. Her words not knocking the concerned off of Apple Bloom's face.

After a few tense moments, Applejack swallowed hard and continued, "Listen. For you Apple Bloom, I'll drink a bit more."

“Then… I guess it’s bottoms up,” Blueblood told Applejack before both ponies took another mouthful of potion.

Applejack nervously shuffled out of her cabin. She was running late. It was already pushing close to dinner, and she was just now ready. Furthermore, She felt so inappropriately dressed. She didn’t know when it had happened, but last night somepony had stolen her dress, her manecare products, and pretty much every mane/tail tie she had -- except for a couple that had fallen beneath the dresser. And, that left her in a bit of a bind.

But, it was the last night of the cruise, and she didn’t want to miss the candlelight dinner that had been set up for the various couples to enjoy before they departed the cruise, and went back to their everyday lives.

Thankfully, Applejack didn’t consider herself a quitter. Instead, she’d dug out a simple light blue sundress with a pink ribbon that wrapped around from her back to her chest that her aunt Orange had given her for casual use. Because she lacked the products necessary to make that fancy manedo that her aunt said was vital, she instead managed to go with her old ponytails -- a manedo, and taildo she hadn’t worn since she came to Manehatten.

Applejack bit her lip and dearly hoped nopony would notice how unfancy she looked at the moment. Maybe nopony will see me, Applejack hoped as she made a point to search all over the ship’s deck for Prince Blueblood.

Finally, she found him standing by a rose bush that had been placed at one corner of the deck. Next to him stood a royal red unicorn filly, who looked positively miserable. Part of her dress was soaking wet, and her whole head and a good portion of her dress seemed to be covered in cake. Still, the filly noticeably swallowed her frustration and gave the prince another insincere smile as she deliberately bent down and looked at one of the roses on the bush. “Oh my, what a lovely rose,” she enunciated.

“You mean this rose?” Blueblood casually answered as he plucked the rose using his teeth. The fillies eyes lit up, only to suddenly lose their luster when Blueblood carefully positioned the rose in his lapel. “Thank you. It goes with my eyes,” Blueblood stated smugly with a self-fulfilled smile.

“That does it!” the filly shouted as her last bit of patience burned away.

“What’s wrong with you? Do you even know what chivalry is? That’s it! I don’t care who your family is! I wouldn’t marry you if my life depended on it!” she shouted through her completely red face as she stormed off, only acknowledging Applejack’s existence by shooting the filly a sideways look.

“Blue, who was that?” Applejack asked as she craned her neck to watch the filly storm off.

“That’s Gold Digger. She’s that filly I’ve been trying to avoid all trip. She’s one of the suitors that father set up in case I couldn’t find a suitor on my own,” Blueblood grimly explained. Applejack let off a silent “ah” as she finally understood. Blueblood then breathed a long hard sigh.

“I don’t like ponies like her. Their beauty and kindness are only skin deep,” Blueblood added with a shake of his head.

Applejack bit her lip and blushed as she absentmindedly looked at her rather plain looking sundress. Applejack swallowed hard. “Blue, I umm… I… I’m sorry I don’t look too good right now. Somepony stole my dress, and mane things, so I couldn’t get dressed up properly,” Applejack apologized through a rather large blush.

Blueblood gave her an apologetic look before he gently nuzzled her. “Nonsense, you still look ravishing,” Blueblood said with a smile.

“In fact: I think you look even more beautiful in that dress and those ponytails. I think such an honest look fits your natural beauty even better,” Blueblood flattered Applejack with a smitten smile.

“Oh, you’re just sayin’ that,” Applejack disputed as she turned her head away from the prince so that he wouldn’t see her blush.

“No, I’m quite serious,” Blueblood insisted.

“Do I ever fail to speak my mind? I’m fairly certain I always speak the first thing that enters my head,” Blueblood added as he raised his hoof in a sign of how insightful he believed that statement to be.

Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle a little at that. “Well, I ain’t gonna lie. I appreciate a colt who don’t hold back what he’s thinkin’,” Applejack admitted as she turned her head back to face Blueblood.

“Although, maybe one small improvement,” Blueblood mumbled as he rubbed his chin with a hoof. He then reached his muzzle down to grab the rose in his lapel with his teeth. He then gently placed the rose into the ribbon around Applejack’s chest. “There. I think that rose matches your eyes even better than mine.”

“Thanks,” Applejack mumbled with another blush.

“Let’s go get some dinner,” Blueblood offered as he reached out a hoof. Applejack smiled and grabbed the hoof with her hoof. The two ponies casually walked to the banquet hall where several pairs of ponies were already eating.

“I already picked a table for us,” Blueblood explained as he pointed towards a small table that was already decked in a white tablecloth, candles, and two sets of fancy plates, silverware, and fluted glasses.

Applejack nodded, and continued to walk aside the prince towards the table, only to be interrupted as two rather large, and angry looking guards, and three equally angry looking fillies walked in front of the pair.

“She’s the one who attacked me with cake!” stated a royal red unicorn filly -- who was covered in cake -- as she pointed accusingly at Applejack.

“It’s true, I saw her attack Gold Digger with it!” accused another silver unicorn filly who was wearing a dress that looked eerily familiar to Applejack. The filly wore a green dress with a long train and a dark orange belt. The green train had a white cloud like rim, and a pattern of peach colored apples, and various red, purple, and yellow spots accentuating the slight application of the slightly reflective substance added to the dress. Finally, she wore a golden necklace with a red sigil in the middle and a small golden hat on her head.

The third filly, a filly with a deep yellow coat nodded in agreement with the other two fillies.

“I didn’t do that! And, That’s my dress Applejack!” Applejack snarled as she pointed at the silver filly with an accusatory hoof.

“Is this true?” one of the two burly guards asked the filly.

“It is,” Blueblood accused as he looked at the three fillies with an angry frown.

“It is not, I packed it myself. Besides, why are you listening to a dirty little filly like her? Ask any of the ponies from class. She’s a dirty liar!” Gold Digger objected with a snide smirk as she pointed at Applejack with an accusatory hoof. The other two fillies nodded in a sign that they confirmed Gold Digger’s statement.

One of the two guards walked over to Prince Blueblood and gave the prince an apologetic look. “I’m sorry your highness. I know you vouch for her integrity, but I still need to ask your date to leave. The school has a zero-tolerance policy for fighting. And, we can’t appear to be playing favorites,” the guard explained with an apologetic look.

“But she didn’t do anything!” Blueblood objected.

“I’m sorry, but those are the rules,” the guard continued to apologize.

Applejack looked around the room. Slowly but surely a small gathering of other students had gathered to look at the scene. And several faces looked down at her with disdain. Applejack felt her stomach turn. “Let’s just go, I don’t need the food anyway,” she told the prince in a weak mumble.

“Are you sure?” Blueblood asked apologetically.

“I’m not hungry,” Applejack insisted with a faux strength in her voice and body language. But, there was a slight sniffle that threatened to break into her voice.

“Come on. We can eat in my room. I’m sure my butler would be happy to set up a dinner equally worthy of the cruise’s last night,” Blueblood assured the depressed Applejack as he led her back to his room, but not before shooting the three fillies one final threatening glare.

The walk back to the cabin was unnervingly quiet. But, neither pony was in a talkative mood — possibly even for the same reason. Still, Blueblood did not let that deter him as he opened the cabin door.

“White Gloves, could you be a good fellow and please set up a nice dinner for me and my date?” Prince Blueblood asked his butler, who nodded professionally and then carefully set up the table for them. Afterwards, the portly stallion carefully loaded the table with various food items that he had gathered from the kitchen.

“Thank you, White Gloves. Now, I want to be alone for a bit. I will come get you when we have finished dinner, and are ready for you to clean up,” Blueblood ordered. The butler nodded, bowed, and then left the cabin and went down to get something for himself to eat.

Blueblood carefully lit the candles at the table and made a point to dim the other lights in the cabin. The two ponies spent quite a while talking, and eating. But finally, the food had been finished.

It was about this time that Applejack decided to voice a thought that had been on her mind the entire time. “I’m glad you stood up for me,” Applejack admitted as she looked back at Blueblood with a grateful smile.

“Applejack, I would never do any less for you. I may not be a valiant knight risking his life for his ladylove. But, I still like to believe that I wouldn’t show you any less chivalry. I wish there was someway I could show you just how much our relationship actually meant to me,” he stated as a part of his mind considered ways he could.

The more Blueblood thought of it, the more his mind came back to something his mother had once said, When a stallion and mare become one, it is a beautiful thing. Both ponies are the most vulnerable at that moment, you see. So let them never do so without complete faith, and trust. Therefore, my little colt, never give such a special gift away easily.

“Applejack, I would like give you a very special gift. But, I don’t want to give it if you don’t want it,” Blueblood offered with a blush as he made a point to look at his bed which lay partially visible through the door separating the kitchen and the cabin.

At first, Applejack looked back at the prince with confusion, until her eyes followed the prince’s gaze back to what he was looking at. “Oh...” Applejack mumbled as a blush grew on her cheeks.

“Are you sure it will be ok? Don’t get me wrong: I want your gift… But.... Will it really be ok?” Applejack trailed off as she went quite, and her face lowered into a contemplative expression.

“If we both trust each other completely, then nothing could go wrong,” Blueblood encouraged.

“Well… I do trust you completely...” Applejack mumbled with a deeper blush as she reached her head over and gave the prince a big kiss on the lips. Something that he returned himself.

“So what happened?” Apple Bloom eagerly asked as she watched the glowing white disappear from her sister’s eyes, and be replaced by her normal green eyes. "Did you see your answer?"

“Ugg... I got a headache out of it...” Applejack groaned as she tried to shake away her headache.

“Nothing happened!!!” Prince Blueblood quickly shouted as he looked at Apple Bloom with a mammoth blush.

“Nothing??” Apple Bloom asked in pure confusion.

“Right… We played some Mareopoly, and that was it…” Blueblood insisted as his eyes darted about in a futile attempt to avoid direct eye contact with Apple Bloom.

“Is that really all that happened?” Apple Bloom asked with an obvious skepticism as her eyes darted over to Applejack to see if her sister had a different response.

Blueblood nervously played with his collar as he continued to try to avoid Apple Bloom’s questioning glare. “Right. We might have kissed a little. And, then... uhh... Noth...” Blueblood started, only to suddenly be interrupted as an agitated Applejack shoved the bottle of potion in his mouth...

“Prince Blueblood, you have a Miss. Applejack at the door requesting to see you. Should I send her away?” asked a butler to a Blueblood who was not much older than the one from the previous memory.

“No, show her to the staff dining room. I think she’ll be more comfortable talking to me there than the family dining room,” the colt explained as he made a point to meet her at the small dining room.

It wasn’t long before Applejack was ushered into the dining room, but it was long enough for Blueblood to ask one of the maids to brew a pot of tea for the both of them.

Applejack shuffled nervously into the room. Now that Blueblood looked at her, she seemed out of sorts. Her mane was frazzled and ragged. Her body was jittery, and worry was practically etched into her eyes.

“AJ, have a seat,” the colt calmly offered as he watched Applejack anxiously take a seat at the table. It was about that time that the maid made a timely return with the hot teapot.

“Please, have a cup of tea,” Blueblood offered as he poured her a cup of tea using his magic.

Applejack’s hooves were shaky as she tried to cradle the teacup between her two hooves so that she could take a long shakey sip. Once Applejack had put her teacup down, Blueblood decided to continue the conversation. “So AJ, what brings you to my humble home? Is something the matter?” Blueblood asked with a tinge of worry hiding beneath his casual tone.

Applejack swallowed hard as she tried to swallow her worry. “Blue, I’m in trouble, and I need your help,” Applejack squeaked through her dry, and heavy throat.

“AJ, how can I help you?” Blueblood asked with a deep concern. Whatever it was, this was big. Blueblood could see the raw fear in her face.

I gotta tell him before it’s too late. He’ll understand, Applejack nervously thought. But, she just couldn’t seem to find the words.

“It’s… I… You see...” Applejack stuttered as she struggled to find the words to say. However, instead of finding words the filly only seemed to find more anxiety with each word. It was about the time that Applejack stood up with tears still fresh in her eyes that Blueblood started to understand just how profoundly afraid she was.

“I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it now. I just can’t… Could we talk tomorrow? I’ll have the words to tell you tomorrow, I hope,” Applejack mumbled her apology before she dashed out of the room like her tail was on fire.

Blueblood stood up and held one hoof out as if his hoof could telekinetically stop the worried filly from fleeing the room. “AJ What’s wrong?! You know I’ll help you with it, whatever it is!” Blueblood tried to shout to the fleeing filly as she disappeared down the hall, and out the front door. However, instead of his answer, he saw his father skulk out from around the dining room wall.

“Who was she?” Duke Blueblood coldly, and clinically asked his son as he made a point to stand in front of Prince Blueblood, and loom over him.

“She’s Applejack. She’s a filly from my class,” Blueblood admitted as he looked up at his father’s cold eyes.

“How well do you know each other?” Duke Blueblood asked behind his stern expression.

“We’re just friends,” Prince Blueblood disputed as he didn’t like the accusatory tone his father was giving him.

“Is that really all?” Duke Blueblood asked as he continued his interrogation.

“She ... She …. She was my date to school cruise,” Prince Blueblood acknowledged as he tried to figure out what had made his father so angry. The stallion was always cold, but this time there was an undertone of agitation to his cold demeanor.

“But we didn’t do anything I swear,” Blueblood insisted.

”You dare associate yourself with some low-class pony? It is bad enough she goes to your school but to invite her to social outings is just preposterous,” Duke Blueblood chastised his son with that icy tone of his.

“But...” Blueblood started as he attempted to defend himself, and his beloved fillyfriend.

“Do not interrupt me,” the Duke shouted. His cold icy stare bore into the little prince as he sunk guilty and afraid. Realising his sudden outburst was less than appropriate, the Duke cleared his throat as though the whole affair never happened -- including his son’s misendeavours. “Everypony makes mistakes,” he began to say, but ended in a quiet threatening whisper, “but, you are not just anypony.”

“Yes, sir,” Prince Blue Blood nodded meekly.

Satisfied with his response, the Duke turned around and strutted towards the front door of the mansion. “Now, I will be gone the next several days, because of several important matters I must address,” the Duke explained. The prince began to feel some reprieve at his father’s exit. With his father away, he could talk to Applejack. And perhaps for even a moment, he could escape this miserable existence. Unfortunately, his hope turned to despair as the Duke stopped and glared at his son one last time.

“Upon my return, I expect this matter to be resolved and brought up no further.” Duke Blueblood commanded with utter finality. “Do you understand?”

A rebellious and defiant tear appeared in the corner of Prince Blueblood eye. How he loathed the stallion, he called father. Never had such feelings of rage and despair filled his heart. He tried not to surrender to his father’s will, but his disapproving glare overpowered his resolve.

The Prince conceded, his tail between his legs, and ears drooped in a sign of his disappointment.

“Yes sir,” he muttered.

And with that, the Duke was gone.

The memories faded as suddenly as they had come. But, that did not mean Applejack was the same as before... She could feel an unexpected wetness on her cheek.

Applejack slowly raised hoof and rubbed a small tear drop off of her cheek. Applejack then looked at her wet hoof with a somber expression. It had been brief, but for a moment she’d felt the prince’s heart, and it had touched her heart...

“I can’t believe you felt that about me,” Applejack admitted with a slight hesitation in her voice, and a definite surprise written on her face.

“Well, you were the only mare, who could make me feel… loved,” Prince Blueblood explained as he looked back at Applejack with a look of both admiration, and loss written on his face.

“So… what problem was I talkin’ about?” Applejack asked the prince as she rubbed her aching temples. With each dose of potion, her headache was getting worse. And unfortunately, she was probably going to need at least a couple more doses to end this issue.

“I don’t really know. You never got to say,” Blueblood admitted. “But, I’ve had my suspicions for a while,” Blueblood added with a sigh.

“You think she was in foal?” Granny Smith offered as her face resumed its disapproving expression.

“Well, at the time no,” Blueblood admitted.

“I was banned from any further communications with Applejack. My father saw to that,” he bitterly added. In many ways, the prince didn’t miss his late father.

Blueblood then looked at Applejack. “But I managed to get away, if only for an afternoon. And, I met with your Uncle and Aunt… They told me you went back home, with only a note to tell them where you had gone. They were furious with me and refused to tell me where you lived or any way to contact you. I did hear one of them mention a Doctor that you went to see and I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until some years later that I realized that Doctor D Positive was a well known and respected gynecologist,” Blueblood explained as he looked at Applejack with an obvious desire to apologize written on his face.

Applejack felt her heart drop. She couldn’t help but wonder what Apple Bloom would think? Would Apple Bloom hate her for not being her mother? Would Apple Bloom have an identity crisis? The more Applejack thought about it, the more flustered she felt.

Quickly she took control of her thoughts. It don’t matter, cause I ain’t Apple Bloom’s mom. I’m her sister, just like I’ve always been. And, they ain’t proved otherwise, Applejack reminded herself.

“That’s nonsense,” Applejack disputed.

“The memory didn’t say, and I wasn’t in Manehatten for more than a couple of months. There’s no way for a mare to know she’s in foal that fast, unless she intentionally got pregnant,” Applejack fussed. “And, don’t forget: I wasn’t nearly old enough to go into heat when I was there, anyway.”

“Besides, none of this proves that Apple Bloom ain’t Ma and Pa’s foal,” Applejack added as she gave Apple Bloom a concerned look.

“Bloom never knew her Ma and Pa, it ain’t right to confuse her like this,” Applejack snorted, and huffed.

"But Applejack..." Apple Bloom objected.

“Maybe more potion will help?” Granny Smith pondered as she watched the impasse between the two ponies.

“I don’t think so. I noticed all the memories seem to be my memories,” Prince Blueblood glumly admitted.

“And, the only remaining memory I have that would be of any value is the day that I heard that you’d left Manehatten,” Prince Blueblood added as he looked at Applejack with an apologetic expression on his face.

“I have a notion. Perhaps, we need another potion,” Zecora’s voice interrupted the conversation as she trotted in with a new potion held in her mouth.

“What does this one do?” Applejack asked as she watched Zecora trot over to Apple Bloom.

“This potion will make quite apparent, who are Apple Bloom’s parents,” Zecora explained with a triumphant smile as she placed the potion in front of Apple Bloom.

“What do I do?” Apple Bloom asked nervously.

“I want to help Applejack, and Blueblood get their answers,” Apple Bloom admitted as she tried to gather her determination.

“Do I drink the potion or something?” Apple Bloom asked, which earned a nod of confirmation from Zecora.

“In order to reveal your family tree, the potion must also be drunk by these three,” Zecora instructed as she pointed to Applejack, Blueblood, and Big Mac.

“Drink this potion limonite, and watch as your parents are bathed in light,” Zecora clarified as she encouraged Apple Bloom with a warm smile.

“Don’t feel like you have to,” Applejack countered as she looked at Apple Bloom with a hint of fear.

“I’m gonna do it,” Apple Bloom decided as she bit on the top of the bottle, and quaffed down the potion.

She then passed the potion to Big Mac, who drank the potion with a look of curiosity on his face.

Then, he passed it to Blueblood, who hesitantly drank some himself.

Finally, the potion was passed to Applejack, who seemed to hesitate the longest, as she seemed to debate something with herself. But, she eventually drank from the potion.

Once all four ponies had drunk the potion, then the room went silent as all eyes were on Apple Bloom to see if the potion would work.

Slowly Apple Bloom began to glow. And, as she glowed she also slowly rose off of the ground. At first, it was a dull purple glow, but it slowly grew brighter. When the light was at last blinding, it seemed to split a bit of itself off into two more orbs.

The orbs then traveled the room. The orbs first took a moment to float in front of Big Mac, and then skipped him by. To the outside observer, it was like the orbs had rejected him.

The orbs then floated in front of Prince Blueblood. The first of the two orbs then changed from purple to blue, and dove into him. Prince Blueblood then gasped as he slowly lifted off of the ground, and glowed with a brighter and brighter blue light.

Applejack then gasped and held her breath as the last orb floated in front of her. Then the orb dove turned pink and dove into her. Everypony could see the stunned look on her face as she slowly rose off of the ground, and began to take on a brighter and brighter pink light.

“You had me drink the potion to prove a point, didn’t you,” Big Mac whispered to Zecora, who only gave a smirk as a response.

While Big Mac was busy talking to Zecora, Granny Smith watched silently as the light show slowly faded away, and all three ponies slowly descended.

As Applejack descended, she looked off into space with a stunned expression. “I-I… I-I… I can’t deny that,” Applejack mumbled with a definite shell-shocked expression on her face. After that, Applejack stood silently in place with her face bearing a look of pure confusion for several more moments.

“I guess there ain't no doubt now? You are my ma?” Apple Bloom asked with an equally concerned look on her face.

Applejack’s face then twisted into a look of horror. Tears streamed down from her eyes as she trotted over, and knelt down to Apple Bloom’s level. “I’m so sorry Bloom. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good mother. But, I didn’t know, honest,” Applejack sobbed as she grabbed Apple Bloom into a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…” Applejack continued to sob into Apple Bloom’s ear for quite some time.

“Well, I guess that answers that question,” Granny Smith mumbled to Prince Blueblood as the two sisters slowly calmed down.

“I hope I can finally start callin’ my great-granddaughter my great-granddaughter now,” Granny Smith admitted with a wheezy laugh.

Finally, Applejack broke from the hug and walked over to Prince Blueblood. “I know it’s all a lot to take in. I’m still takin’ it in myself,” Applejack absentmindedly admitted as she rubbed the back of her head nervously.

“And, I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t really remember you, outside of the stuff we just saw,” Applejack apologetically explained to the prince, whose face turned somber at the realization.

“You remember nothing?” Prince Blueblood hesitantly asked.

“‘Fraid not, partner,” Applejack admitted with a touch of shame. “I also hate to break this to you, but whatever relationship we had, it ain’t happenin’ now. You’re a complete stranger to me now.”

“So, you really remember nothing?” Blueblood asked with an obvious pleading expression on his face.

“The only other memory I got is you snubbing my Apple Fritter at the Grand Galloping Gala,” Applejack admitted as she nervously rubbed her hoof in her mane.

It was like somepony had scratched a record. Blueblood looked at Applejack with a look of pure horror. “That was you? Oh no! How could I have not noticed… Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” Blueblood started to moan as he started hitting himself in the head with his own hooves.

“I was so intent on making that other mare go away, that I missed the very mare I wanted to find!” Blueblood finished as he broke down into tears, and cupped his eyes with his hooves.

Once the prince had finally calmed down, Applejack decided to get to the next elephant in the room. She’d answered the question of what they had been. She’d answered the question of what they were. That just left one final question...

The room was silent as everypony simply looked off with stunned expressions. Applejack was the first to break the silence. “So what now? It don’t look like I need help. And, I don’t know you, so there ain’t no relationship to continue,” Applejack conceded.

“Actually, that is up to you,” Blueblood admitted.

“But if you have some free time, perhaps you could visit Canterlot some time? I’m sure Princess Celestia would give you a room. And, we could get to know each other? At the very least, I would love to get to know our filly,” Blueblood requested as he gave Apple Bloom a smile.

Apple Bloom, however, remained silent from her position on the coach. Silently she stared down at her hooves with a look of pure contemplation. “Would you like that Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked as she looked at Apple Bloom to see what the filly felt.

“I don’t know what I want…” Apple Bloom admitted glumly. However, the filly seemed to pull her enthusiasm in a valiant attempt to remain strong for her ~~sister~~ mother.

“But, I don’t really mind. And, maybe you could find that spark that you two once had?” Apple Bloom offered as she looked at Applejack with the look of a wanna-be matchmaker.

“If you’re ok with it… Then I guess it’s decided,” Applejack declared as she reached out to Blueblood with a foreleg in an offer to shake hooves.

“Bloom and I will come down this winter, and spend a week, or two there in Canterlot. During that time, you and I can talk, and get to know each other,” Applejack confirmed with a smile as she Blueblood took her hoof, and gave her that hoofshake she wanted.

“Thank you Applejack, you won’t regret this,” Blueblood offered with a huge, and eager smile.

“It’s kind of already too late for regrets,” Applejack admitted with a hard chuckle.

“Just don’t expect any more hanky-panky, you hear!” Applejack ordered earning a knowing nod from Prince Blueblood.

“Yeah, you stay away from my mom!” Apple Bloom shouted before she looked back at Applejack with an awkward expression on her face. “That feels really weird.”

“It’s gonna be even worse when the town hears about it. Expect to get called some nasty names,” Applejack warned Apple Bloom as she reached over her chair, and gave Apple Bloom a warm hug.

“So please, try to talk to me about these things,” Applejack insisted, earning a worried nod from Apple Bloom.

“Do you even gotta tell ‘em?” Apple Bloom whispered to Applejack.

Applejack looked back at Apple Bloom with an apologetic look on her face. “‘Fraid so Apple Bloom… After all, I ain’t gonna lie about my family,” Applejack whispered back to Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom slumped back in the coach, and pouted a little.

“Well, I need some pie. Does anypony else want some?” Granny Smith offered as she shook her head, and tried not to think about this whole awkward situation. Still, she couldn’t help but smile a faint smile. It was nice to finally know the answer to Apple Bloom’s father, even if it was certainly going to cause some problems later.

Every Apple family member and both of Blueblood’s guards raised a hoof. Blueblood, on the other hoof, hesitated for a moment or two, before he raised a hoof for pie.

Applejack slowly sat down and opened up the journal. Carefully she held a quill in her lips and dipped it into an inkwell. Once the tip of the quill emerged covered in ink, Applejack then began to write.

Dear Diary,

The last couple of days have been extremely challenging. I spent the whole time running around trying to prove everypony wrong.

But, I think the reality was that I wasn’t being honest with myself -- because I was afraid that it would change my relationship to Apple Bloom. Now don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t lying to myself. But, you don’t need to lie in order to not be honest.

In the future, I’m going to try to be honest with, none other than, myself as well.

Applejack.

Applejack carefully closed the diary, and then made a beeline for Apple Bloom’s bedroom. She wanted to tell her a bedtime story this evening.