The Applejack of My Eye

“Did that really happen?” Scootaloo asked in shock as the three fillies walked to the school. Applebloom had explained everything that had happened since yesterday; Applejack telling the rest of her friends the truth, getting her cutie mark, Granny kicking her and sis off of the farm, everything. Neither of her friends could believe it. “I don’t believe it. Your granny is super nice.”

“Yeah she is, but I guess not to ponies like me and Applejack.”

“But what’s so bad about having a relationship with your sister?” Sweetie Belle asked confused. “Cheerilee said that you should always have a strong relationship with your family.”

“I don’t think that she meant it like that Sweetie. Two sisters liking each other isn’t something anypony usually approves of. They think that it’s disgusting, wrong, against nature, and lots of other stuff,” Applebloom explained gloomy.

“But did Rainbow Dash actually tell her about the two of you?” Scootaloo asked still in disbelief that her idol would do anything like that. “She’s always loyal to her friends no matter what happens. Why would she abandon Applejack just because she cares about you in a different way?”

“Cuz just like Granny, she thinks it’s disgusting and wrong for sisters to like each other, especially when one of them is only a filly.”

“Maybe she’ll eventually change her mind when she realizes how much you two really care about each other,” Sweetie offered optimistically. “So you actually got your cutie mark?” Sweetie added trying to change the sour mood.

“Yeah, it was a lot of hard work and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I almost fainted when I saw it, though I’m not sure if it was from getting it or from fixing the club house. You two aren’t mad about it are you?”

“Why would we be mad?” Scootaloo asked giving her a nudge. “Isn’t getting our cutie marks the reason we became friends in the first place? Now that you have your cutie mark, we have somepony in our group who’s experienced. Once a crusader, always a crusader.”

Hearing this cheered the bow wearing filly up a bit. She actually already knew what both of her friends special talents were but she didn’t want to spoil it for them. She wanted the two of them to discover it for themselves, though it was kinda weird how neither of them could figure it out when their names made it pretty obvious. “Thanks.”

Eventually, the three fillies found themselves standing in front of the schoolhouse. Applebloom didn’t share as much enthusiasm as the others as they headed into the classroom to be greeted by their teacher. To their slight confusion, Cheerilee looked a bit uncomfortable around them and spoke a bit awkwardly. “Hello girls, glad that you all made it. I hope you’ve had a good morning so far.”

“Yeah, great,” Applebloom said as cheerfully as she could.

“Is something wrong?”

“She’s just having some uh, family issues right now,” Scootaloo explained.

“Well, I hope that whatever is wrong with her and her family will be better soon,” She said in a tone they couldn’t pin down. Regardless, the fillies all went to their designated seats but for some reason when Applebloom sat down, everypony around her scooted away. When she looked at them for an explanation, they all looked away trying to avoid any eye contact. She tried to ignore them as she focused on the lesson that was now starting.

Lunchtime couldn’t have taken any longer to arrive for the crusaders, Applebloom the most. Everyone, even Ms. Cheerilee, seemed to be treating her differently than usual. Even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hadn’t done or said anything to her, yet. As she sat down eating her hay sandwich, she saw out of the corner of her eye a small group of ponies looking at her strangely. But when she moved her head towards them, they looked away minding their own business.

“What’s wrong with everyone today?” Scootaloo wondered what all three were thinking as they looked around at other colts and fillies that were glimpsing at them.

“Do we have anything on our faces?” Sweetie asked trying to rub an imaginary object off her face.

“Maybe they’re noticing your cutie mark,” Scootaloo guessed.

“I don’t think everypony in class is going to look at me weird just because I finally have my cutie mark.”

“Maybe it’s because of how you smell.”

And there was the yet. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were now standing near them, eyeing Applebloom with disgust. “When’s the last time you took a shower?”

“Yeah, you do smell just a little Applebloom,” Sweetie admitted sheepishly.

“What do you two want?” Applebloom asked.

“Well I guess to say congratulations for finally getting a cutie mark. Though I don’t think a pony like you deserves one.”

“A pony like me?” Applebloom questioned with a glare.

“Of course; I mean anypony as sick in the head as you shouldn’t be allowed to have the wondrousness that is a cutie mark.”

“What are you talking about?” She asked a bit worried. They couldn’t possibly know about her and Applejack.

“Oh don’t play innocent, everyone knows what you are. Though if you change your ways for the better then maybe we all can have things be how they’re supposed to be.”

“W-what do you mean?” Applebloom didn’t like this one bit. It sounded like Diamond Tiara actually knew about her. But how could she possibly have found out?

“Again with playing innocent, when will you learn? Since you’re too stupid to figure it out on your own, I’ll explain it to you nice and simple. Everyone in Ponyville knows that you’re dating your sister.”

…No. This was just another nightmare, it had to be. There was no way that they could know this. Unless… “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Are you seriously going to keep playing the innocent card or are you going to be honest like your sis? Rainbow Dash made sure to have everyone know about the two of you so it’s not like lying will do you any good,” Diamond said smugly.

Applebloom couldn’t believe what she was hearing at all as she instinctively started to slowly back away from the duo. Luckily, Sweetie and Scootaloo stood in front of her in defense. “So what if she is? If they care about each other that way, then why does it matter?” Scootaloo stated.

“Why does it matter? She’s a freak. For one, they’re both girls. Two, they’re not even the same age. And most importantly, they’re sisters. If that’s not enough to deem her as a disgusting reject of nature then I don’t know what would. But don’t worry Applebloom; I know how to make this all go away.”

“H-how?” She asked now cowering against the side of the school.

“All you really have to do is break up with your sister and abandon your two friends,” She explained with a smirk. “Nothing major,” She added making it grow.

“Leave her alone Tiara,” Sweetie demanded.

“Or what? Are you gonna try and squeak me to death? What are you going to do to stop me Wimpy Belle?”

“Hey, no one talks to Sweetie like that,” Scootaloo stated angrily as she got in the bully’s face.

“Ooh, I’m so scared of the flightless pegasus. You wouldn’t want your parents to know that you got in a fight. Oh wait, that’s right, you don’t have any.”

It took the combined strength of her friends to stop Scootaloo from causing a massacre. “Let me go, I’m tearing her to shreds.”

“Looks like someone can’t control that little temper of theirs, just like her ‘big sister’,” She taunted making Scootaloo even madder.

“I’m gonna beat her down to a pulp,” She yelled still unable to get past her friends.

Diamond simply rolled her eyes and looked back to Applebloom. “Well former blank flank, what do ya say?”

What do I say? Applebloom looked to Sweetie Belle who was doing her best to calm Scootaloo down. They were there for me when I told them the truth, they didn’t just abandon me. “Thanks for the offer, but no.”

Diamond looked at her baffled with her mouth hung open. “Did you just say no? Don’t you realize that nopony in this town is going to respect you or treat you with any decency for being a freak? I’m offering you a safe haven and you say no?!”

“That’s right. I’m not abandoning my best friends just because others think that I’m doing something wrong. Unless this is actually hurting you in some way, then you shouldn’t have any problems with it. And you’re one to talk about having no family when all you have is your dad who’s always working, so if you think about it, you don’t have parents either.”

This was the last straw for her. Diamond Tiara tackled Applebloom and began stomping on her right shoulder repeatedly as hard as she could. “I’ll teach you to disrespect me you little freak.”

“Get off her.” Scootaloo managed to tackle Tiara as well, pining her on the ground while Sweetie ran over to Applebloom whose shoulder was now bruised.

“Come on Applebloom, I’ll get you to the hospital,” Sweetie tried to lift her up but Applebloom swatted her away as she ran as fast as she could, ignoring the searing pain in her shoulder. “Applebloom wait.”

She didn’t show any signs that she heard her friend as she ran all over town trying to find her sister while avoiding as many ponies as she could who were thankfully keeping their distance from her. She looked around every street but didn’t see her anywhere. Maybe she’s at the farm bucking the apple trees, or maybe she’s still at Rarity’s.

“Applebloom?!”

Was that? Applebloom looked and saw her sister and Pinkie Pie standing outside of Sugarcube Corner looking at her with shock and worry. Applebloom ran straight for Applejack and hugged her tighter than she ever had. “Applebloom, what happened? Why aren’t you in school and why’s your shoulder like this?”

“I… it… my dream…” She managed to say through her painful sobs.

“Come on, we need to get you some help.”

“I think Fluttershy’s close by. She’ll know what to do,” Pinkie said.

“Don’t bother,” A voice said behind them. Applejack turned to see none other than the one who had abandoned her, and now the one who was looking satisfied that Applebloom was hurt. “Don't you love that moment when you give someone advice, they don’t listen to you, then you sit back and watch everything you predicted happen?” Rainbow asked with a grin.