PV: Apples

"So does Sunset Shimmer do stuff like this often?" Applejack asked, looking back at the two of us.

After Sunset was whisked away by her teacher, the rest of us went our separate ways. Trixie and the other Elements returned to their homes while the three of us -- Applejack, Starlight, and I -- made our way to the farmer's home.

"Not from what I've seen," Starlight answered the earth pony. The lilac mare was carrying all of Sunset's luggage. In spite of my argument to let me help her, she'd insisted. Firmly. Once I'd realized there was no way I was going to change her mind, I relented without any further protests. "This one," she tilted her head in my direction, "probably knows better than I do, though. They've been friends with each other for a lot longer than I've known either of them."

"I don't know about that," I said under my breath, drawing an annoyed glare from the unicorn. Had Sunset and I known each other? Sure. But were we ever friends before? I'd say no.

"Ah see," Applejack faced forward. "Wanna hear somethin' funny, Starlight? Me, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash have all been friends fer quite uh while now, but me, Rare, and Trix have known each other fer much, much longer."

"Ooookay...?" Starlight kept her eyes on me even while she was speaking to the orange mare. "Did you have a point, Applejack, or...?"

"Ah was gonna get ta that," the orange mare said firmly. "Ya know, patience is a virtue, Starlight."

"I've never been much interested in virtues," Starlight shrugged before grinning seductively at me. "I'm much more of a... vices mare myself."

I rolled my eyes, forced to look away. The slight blush that came to my cheeks wasn't something I wanted her to see.

Why is she so darn pretty!?

Thankfully, Applejack continued, taking Starlight's attention off of me.

"Anyway, bein' with them... with all mah friends, I mean... Pinkie especially," she chuckled. "Ah've learned somethin' pretty important about friendship."

"APPLEJACK!"

The orange mare and I lifted our heads to look in the direction of the shout. A small, yellow earth pony with a maroon mane and tail was galloping her hardest our way, though with her meager stature, she wouldn't reach us for a little while.

"YO, APPLE BLOOM!" Applejack called back with a glowing smile and an enthusiastic wave of her hoof.

"You were saying?" Starlight said as the three of us continued onward.

"Patience, Starlight," Applejack looked back with a smirk on her face. "Ya know, ya really are like Rainbow... in that way, at least."

"Would you just get on with it?" Starlight shook her head, choosing to take the comment as scornful.

"What ah meant ta say was; it don't really matter how long ya've known or been friends with someone. What really matters is how much ya care about em."

...

I glanced sidelong at the lilac mare. She was quiet. The earth pony's words must have reached something inside of her because she was clearly thinking deeply about them.

...

"Hey, Sis!" the little filly had finally made it to us, a bright smile on her face. "How was yer trip!? Did everypony else already head home!? Did ya bring me anythin'!? Ya brought me somethin', right!?"

"Course I did, AB," Applejack ruffled the yellow filly's mane with a hoof. "But ain't ya forgettin' somethin' important?"

Guess her whole family's gonna have apple cutie marks... makes sense.

"Uhhhh?" The filly looked up at the orange mare, baffled by her question.

"Where are yer manners, Apple Bloom!?" Applejack glared down at the filly, displeased with her lack of decorum. "Can't ya see we have guests?"

"OH!" A sudden look of realization was quickly replaced by embarrassment before she looked at me and Starlight in a panic. "Right! My bad! Howdy!"

"Geez," Applejack shook her head, a smile lifting her lips. "Starlight? Twilight? This is mah little sister Apple Bloom. Ah call her AB. AB? Meet Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer."

"Nice to meetcha!" the little filly bounced into the air with glee.

"You, too," I offered the filly my most polite smile.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Apple Bloom!" Starlight looked really... happy? She was practically bouncing in place herself.

...Weird.

"They're gonna be stayin' with us fer uh couple days. OH! And another mare will be along in a little while ta stay with us, too," she patted her little sister on top of the head. "Make sure yer real respectful ta em all, alright? They're tha princesses students, after all."

"Wha- REALLY!?" her eyes lit up with wonder as she gave us a second, more thorough look.

"We sure are!" Starlight powered her horn, a jovial smile on her face. "If you want, I can show you some pretty cool spells I know!"

"Could ya really!?" Apple Bloom lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree. "That'd be awesome!"

"Of course I can!"

If I didn't know any better, I'd guess Starlight was more excited than the young Apple. I'd not seen the unicorn so happy in well... since she'd thought she'd captured Sunset and I back in her town.

"Maybe ya can do that uh little later, alright, girls?" Applejack chuckled, bringing a look of disappointment to both her sister and Starlight. "For now, we need ta get home. Let's get uh mosey on."

Although Starlight and Apple Bloom both let out long "awwwws" the three of us followed behind the orange earth pony.

...

As we approached the sprawling farm, I nearly fell onto my face.

It's... It's HUGE!?

"Wah... You didn't say you were loaded, Applejack!" Starlight was just as in awe as I was.

"T'aint that big uh deal," Applejack blushed. "But yeah, we're doin' perty well. Now come on, I'm excited fer the two uh y'all ta meet tha family."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"WE'RE HOME!" Apple Bloom shouted into the house -- maybe mansion is a better word? -- as we stepped through the large wooden doors. We walked through a small entrance area before entering the spacious foyer. In spite of its size, it was clear the one who'd decorated it was way more down to earth than any native of Canterlot.

There were apples. LOTS of apples. Lots of wood and earthy vibes, too. It was nothing like the castle in Canterlot or the palace in the Crystal Empire, yet it was impressive in its own little way.

"Welcome back! Is Aj with ya, Bloom?" A feminine voice called out from another room as the clopping of hooves echoed our way.

"She is, Ma! And she brought some company with her, too!" the filly looked back at us with a smile.

The mare that entered the foyer from deeper within the house was so stunningly beautiful that my jaw literally dropped. Starlight must've been caught off guard as well because her eyes widened at the sight of the mare.

Her carrot colored mane and tail were very curly, and both had light teal ties in them. Her coat was a soft peach hue. Her cutie mark was a jar of some sort of liquid or cream, which I found to be rather strange, but made sense once I thought about it for a second.

They wouldn't all have apple cutie marks.

"Ma," Applejack smiled as they embraced one another.

'Welcome back, Aj," her mother giggled as they hugged. "Rare isn't with you?" she asked, looking a little sad as they backed away from each other. "I was really hoping to see her today."

"Not right now, Ma," Applejack blushed as she looked away and then at us. "But I did bring some other friends."

"I can see that!" the peach mare smiled our way. "Howdy you two! The name's Pear Butter, but you can call me Buttercup on account of all my friends doing the same!"

Her kindness was a bit staggering.

That and those light teal eyes.

"No offense," Starlight had recovered from the surprise appearance of the mare. "But... we don't even know you."

"Anypony who's a friend of Applejack is a friend of the whole Apple family," the mare stepped forward and wrapped a foreleg around Starlight, who, if I'm being totally honest, didn't look all that displeased by the turn of events. "But that's fair enough, errrm...?"

"Starlight Glimmer." The lilac mare tried to hide her smile when she answered, but didn't do a very good job of it.

"Starlight? What a beautiful name!" Pear beamed. "Well, I'm the matriarch of the Apple Family, Starlight. It is more than a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you, Buttercup," Star grinned with a slight waggle of her eyebrows. I think I'm the only one that noticed, though.

"See! We're best friends already!" Pear laughed before looking my way. "That goes for you, too... uhm..."

"Twilight." I couldn't help but smile myself. Her joyful demeanor was infectious. "Twilight Sparkle."

"Twilight... Sparkle?" Pear tilted her head. "Now why does that name sound so... familiar?"

Applejack leaned over so she could whisper quietly in her mother's ear.

"Proooolly cause these two're tha princesses students."

Pear's eyes went wide.

"P-Princesses!?" The mare let go of Starlight before taking a step back. "Forgive me! I didn't know we were gonna be entertaining royalty!" she bowed low. Applejack chuckled, covering her mouth with a hoof. Starlight was glowing with satisfaction.

"They ain't royalty, Ma," Apple Bloom giggled before her eyes bugged out. "A-are ya!?" she moved to bow as well, just in case.

"We-" I was promptly cut off by my eager friend.

"We're not," Starlight laid a hoof atop Apple Bloom's head. "We're just... learning from them."

"S-See! I told ya!" Apple Bloom smiled, though she didn't sound too certain of herself.

"So that's how it is..." Pear straightened up, looking a little embarrassed in herself.

"Don't matter much, either way," Applejack smiled, looking at me and Starlight. "Y'all're our guests and friends, so we're gonna treat ya right. Ain't that right, Ma?"

"We sure are," Pear nodded before a startled expression came to her face. "Whiiiich prolly means I should head back to the kitchen and make some more food. Y'all ain't too frou-frou for some Apple family specialties, are you?" she smiled warmly.

"Not me," I chuckled, shaking my head.

"I might be," Starlight smirked deviously as she raised a hoof. "But you look good enough yourself I could believe anything you make turns out delicious."

Starlight!

It wasn't out of the ordinary for her, but to do it here of all places? I was mortified. Applejack and Apple Bloom both looked a bit confused. Pear raised an eyebrow, her smile growing slightly.

"I see we've got a charmer here," she raised her head a bit. "Careful there, Miss Starlight. Mac can get mighty protective of me." she giggled. "Speaking of your daddy," she turned towards her older daughter. "They should be in soon. Make sure you welcome them back properly."

"Yes ma'am," Applejack nodded obediently.

"C'mon, Bloom," the mother started back to where she'd come from. "You can give your poor old mom a hoof with things, can't you?"

"Sure can, Ma!" Apple Bloom bounded off in the same direction as her mother, a smile on her face.

"WE'RE HOME!" the masculine shout came from the front door.

"Speak of the devil," Pear laughed as her and Apple Bloom left the room.

As the pair of stallions entered the foyer, they both lit up with glee.

"Aj!? Yer back already!?" the one on the right exclaimed. He was... large, to say the least.

Although, I guess both of them are pretty big.

The stallion on the right had a coat that was a fierce red. His mane and tail were both bright orange, and he even had a few freckles on his cheeks like Applejack. His cutie mark was a solid green apple. In spite of his gargantuan size, he looked as gentle as a lamb.

"Ah am, Macintosh," Applejack smiled. "Good ta see ya."

"Good ta see ya, too," Macintosh grinned. "I'd give ya uh hug, but..." he waved a hoof before himself. Both of the stallions were fairly dirty, a good bit of dust clinging to their coats.

"Ah see how it is," the stallion on the left covered his eyes with a foreleg. "Just ignore yer poor ol' pops, and he'll just leave ya alone, is that it?" He groaned as if he was in actual pain. "Yer such uh meanie, Aj!"

The orange mare just rolled her eyes at the stallion's dramatic display.

The one on the left was every bit as large as the other, but his coat was a light yellow. His mane and tail were the same shade as the other stallion's coat, and his cutie mark looked the same as the first's but with a different type of green apple. Resting on top of his head was a hat that was identical to the one Applejack was wearing. Altogether, both of them were quite handsome in their own rights.

"Hey, Pa. Good ta see you, too," Applejack shook her head, though she was smiling.

The stallion lowered his foreleg immediately, a shining smile on his face.

"Good ta see ya, Aj," the stallion chuckled before looking me and Starlight over. "And who might these two beautiful young fillies be?"

I blushed.

Star donned an indifferent expression.

"Pa? Big Mac? This is Twilight Sparkle," she lifted a hoof towards me. "And this is Starlight Glimmer," she pointed the same hoof towards the lilac mare. "They're mah new friends. Girls, this is mah Pa, Bright Mac," she pointed at the lighter colored stallion. "And this is mah big brother, Big Macintosh," she pointed her hoof at the red stallion.

"Pleasure's all mine," Bright Mac took his hat off, placed his foreleg across his chest, and then bowed his head. "And mah son's, too." Bright elbowed his son in the side, causing the other stallion to bow as well.

"Pleasure's all mine," the red stallion imitated his father in the most respectful way possible. "Any friend of Aj's is uh friend of-"

"The whole Apple family?" Starlight finished for him, drawing both stallion's gazes. "Buttercup already told us that."

"So ya met tha missus already!? That's great!" Bright was ecstatic, lifting his head with a smile as he looked his daughter's way. "Is lunch ready yet?"

"Gonna take uh little while longer, Pa," Applejack replied. "Ma had ta make uh little more, considerin' we got unexpected guests."

"Right! Makes sense," he nodded.

"THE TWO OF Y'ALL NEED TO WASH UP ANYHOW, MAC!" Pear shouted from where I'm guessing was the kitchen. "GET TO IT THE BOTH OF YOU!"

"YES, MA'AM!" Bright and his son shouted back before they both scurried deeper into the house.

"Well, that at least gives me some time ta show y'all ta yer rooms," Applejack chuckled as she watched the males leave. "C'mon, t'aint that far."

As Starlight and I followed Applejack to the stairs, I could swear the lilac mare was skipping.

Author's Note