“Hey—sis?”
Applejack looked up from the pie crust rolled out beneath her forehooves. Apple Bloom was standing—cowering, more like—in the kitchen doorway, head bowed, ears pinned down, eyes looking everywhere but forward.
Applejack’s heart sank. She knew that look.
“For Celestia’s sake, Apple Bloom, don’t tell me. I don’t got the time to fix Crusader messes today, not with all the bakin’ and cleanin’ and preparin'—you know Granny’s hip’s been actin’ up too much to help right now, and Big Mac an’ Sugar Belle won’t be back 'til the party—biggest Hearth’s Warming Eve in years, it feels like—”
Apple Bloom’s eyes were wide. “No, no, it ain’t anything like that!” Hesitance abandoned, she leaped forward, hooves splayed in a panic. “I swear! It’s got nothing to do with crusadin’. It’s just – you’re right, this is the most ponies we’ve had for dinner, ever, I think. I couldn’t…”
She trailed off, looking down again. Relieved, but also concerned, AJ put down the rolling pin.
“Out with it, sugar cube,” she said gently. She had a hunch this deserved her full attention.
The filly’s whole body sagged. Applejack moved a stack of pans off a chair, inviting her to sit down.
Apple Bloom’s eyes roamed over the table, taking in the pie crust, the bowls of half-mixed ingredients, the open recipe books. Looking at anything that wasn’t her sister’s face. “…I talked to Diamond Tiara yesterday.”
Whatever Applejack had expected, it wasn’t that. Frankly, she’d seen neither hide nor hair from Apple Bloom’s childhood bully since—well, since Diamond Tiara had stopped bullying her all those years ago. Apple Bloom had talked about it a bit; Applejack knew the broad strokes, mostly regarding Apple Bloom’s feelings about it all. Compassion for a suffering classmate, mixed with less positive emotions—Diamond had tormented her for years, after all—and shame for feeling that way. But after a while, time passed, and Apple Bloom…
“First time I talked to her in a while.” Apple Bloom’s eyes fell shut with an exhale, as though it were a heinous admission.
“Y’don’t have to talk to her if y’don’t want to.” It was something Applejack had already told her many times, but it bore repeating.
“I know.” The filly’s frown didn’t relax. “I haven’t really talked to her in two years, y’know. I mean, I’m friendly an’ all, and I wave an’ ask how she’s doin’, but… I don’t hang out with her. She wanted to, at first, I could tell—but she never asked to, and I never invited her… Well, I did once, but she said she was busy, and I stopped tryin’.”
Apple Bloom stopped, visibly collecting her thoughts. Applejack was struck by how mature she looked, how fast she was growing up.
“I don’t regret it, mostly. I well an’ truly forgave her, but I needed a bit of distance for a while.”
This felt like one of those times AJ was just supposed to listen, as though her sister was building to a specific point, yet she couldn’t help but say, “I woulda needed more distance than that.”
That got Apple Bloom to crack a grin. “She’s not bad anymore, honest. She’s as much my friend as the rest a’ the ponies in my class.”
It was a weird distinction, calling someone your friend, but keeping them at foreleg’s length. Applejack had never known what to make of it, but then again, she didn’t know what it was like to grow up with somepony like Diamond Tiara.
“So, what’d she say when you talked to her?” AJ prompted.
“Well…” Apple Bloom’s smile faded. “Her mom left.”
Oh.
“Ah, shoot. I’m sorry.” That explained Apple Bloom’s solemnity.
“Yeah.” Her ears folded down. “So, um… the thing I wanted t’ask you—I know we got a lot to do, with so many ponies comin’ over and everythin’—”
“Of course y’can invite Diamond,” Applejack said gently.
“I—really?” Apple Bloom perked up, but there was still something withdrawn in her expression. Something that kept her brows knit together.
“Ain’t that what you were goin’ to ask?”
“Yeah, a’course. But I was also gonna ask”—Apple Bloom’s breath hitched—“do you think I should? Is it a bad idea?”
Applejack considered her sister for a long moment, looking for some indication of her thoughts. “You afraid she’s goin’ to cause trouble?”
“No.”
“Are you uncomfortable ‘round her?”
“No. Not anymore, I swear.”
AJ picked up the rolling pin again, just because she was already behind on the pie, but she didn’t take her eyes off Apple Bloom. “So what’s the problem?”
“Well, Scoots and Sweetie Belle think it’s a bad idea.” Ah. Now Apple Bloom spoke in a rush. “Sweetie Belle thinks it’ll cause all sorts a’ drama with Babs Seed, and Scoots thinks Diamond won’t wanna come ‘cause I haven’t talked to her in so long an’ she might think I’m try’na pity her—”
“Whoa." Applejack raised a hoof. "I think you’re thinkin’ about it too hard.” She paused to lay the pie crust into the tin, using the time to gather her thoughts. “Babs’ll be here in an hour, and you can ask her yourself if she’s okay with it. But I think y’shouldn’t worry about what Diamond’ll think, long as you make it clear you want her here.”
Apple Bloom nodded emphatically, body sagging with relief. Maybe all she needed was reassurance. Maybe she was just nervous.
Applejack had to make sure, though. “But if you don’t want her here, even if you’ve got no reason, just say so. You’ve got the right. No point in invitin’ a pony just ‘cause you feel you have’ta.”
“I promise. I want her here.” Apple Bloom’s big orange eyes resolutely met Applejack’s, and Applejack knew she was telling the truth.
She was struck with the impulse to say something sappy. Consarn it, this was her baby sister, making grown-up decisions, dealing with emotions that AJ wished she could understand, and Apple Bloom deserved to know how proud she was. At the very least, Applejack wanted to make clear that her sister could come to her at any time for advice.
She opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment a voice called, sudden as a whip, from down the hall: “Invite that fool Filthy Rich, too! Y’hear?”
“Granny, you’re supposed to be restin’!” AJ admonished, setting the pie crust down to tend to the elderly pony. Trust Granny Smith to never lose her spirit, even in poor health.
“And yer supposed t’be makin’ pie, but I don’t smell any progress!”
Apple Bloom giggled, and Applejack couldn’t help but shoot her a grin.
“Alright, sugar cube. I’m puttin’ Granny back in bed, and you’re goin’ to peel up some apples.”
The night of Hearth’s Warming Eve found ponies from all over Equestria filling out the Apples’ living room. A fire crackled in the hearth, and snow piled up against the windows; weather pegasi often liked to blanket the town with fresh snow before the morning of the holiday.
Big Mac and Sugar Belle were engaged in light conversation with the Oranges. Fiddly Twang was playing music for Apple Fritter’s new baby, Apple Cobbler was telling a particularly boisterous story to a handful of Smiths and Apples, and Goldie Delicious was laughing at something Filthy Rich had said.
Apple Bloom, Babs Seed, Diamond Tiara, and Pinkie Pie were playing some sort of candy-winning game in front of the fireplace. Despite her sound agreement to Apple Bloom’s plan, Babs had begun the night tense around the former bully, but she’d quickly warmed up. Diamond, for the most part, seemed reserved, but every once and a while somepony would get her to laugh. It was a bright, gentle sound, such a far cry from the taunting laughter Applejack was used to.
Applejack smiled from her place in the corner. It was a good vantage point, and it let her stay close to Granny Smith, who was fast asleep in a rocking chair. The party had been a lot for her.
Applejack couldn’t help herself from picturing the coming year—how well Granny’s health would hold up, and for how long —but she was pulled from her rumination by Filthy Rich appearing at her side.
The stallion was, by all appearances, as professional and put-together as usual, mane slicked back and tie pressed flat, but then again, he was well-versed in appearances. If it weren’t for the heaviness in his eyes, Applejack wouldn't have noticed anything out of the ordinary.
“Got to thank her,” he said, gesturing at the snoring mare, “but I never got the chance to thank you. For the invite.”
“Ain’t gotta thank me. It was Apple Bloom’s idea, and ‘sides, you’re welcome here anytime.”
Rich didn’t respond. The two of them stood in companionable silence, watching the festivities.
There was a shriek of excitement from the fireplace; Pinkie Pie had won the lot of candy. The younger fillies were laughing, trying to convince her to share.
“Well, thank you anyway,” Rich said with a smile, and then he was gone, off to chat up the Oranges about the Manehattan stock market.
Applejack sighed, but she found herself smiling, too.
It was a good Hearth’s Warming Eve.
