A Swap They'll Never Forget
Sweet Apple Acres. Once a shelter for survival, now a cozy home bristling with a full orchard. The shelter, once the last hope for the family, was then itself storage for machinery and other equipment. When dawn came, the sun beamed out-stretched limbs across the fields and painted the clouds in bright red with a dust of orange.
Roaming the landscape, it came across the window of a young, curious soul wrapped in heavy, warm covers. Her hooves twitched in excitement for the coming day. Her smile was not of patience, but of momentary contentment.
When the sun slowly slid its way into her window, it woke up the filly. Usually, she wouldn't want to get out of bed. But that was on the weekdays. She excitedly hopped out of bed.
She sprinted down the stairs, almost falling at one step but got back to her hooves the next. When she finally spun around for the dining-room table, her sister looked up with a smirk.
"All-Day Crusadin'?" asked Applejack.
The answer was obvious as Apple Bloom devoured all the pancakes before her eyes with absolute rush but none of the hunger. She still gave Applejack a big nod. She tried to explain her plans through her mouthful but it only resulted in crumbs and a lot of mess. It all stopped when Applejack pressed a hoof onto her muzzle.
"Just chew, sugar-cube. I'll hear about what you're doin' with the crusadin' later, alright?"
It wasn't until Apple Bloom hummed in agreement that Applejack released her hoof.
---[({x})]---
With everything squared, Apple Bloom headed to her friends. Sweetie Belle managed to barely slip through Rarity's grasp despite the multitude of things she had for Sweetie Belle to do that day while Scootaloo managed the usual approval needed to leave the Ponyville orphanage unattended.
The Cutie-Mark Crusader’s Club House was a large single-roomed house stacked on a bulky tree. The CMC met at the treehouse for their special mission to each get a Cutie Mark of their own.
Gathered at the center of the house, Apple Bloom stood behind a stand to initiate the meeting. “Alright, Cutie Mark Crusaders! Here’s the latest: yesterday we tried Monster Huntin’,”
“Chair Installing!” said Scootaloo.
“Candy Baking!” said Sweetie Belle.
Apple Bloom proceeded, “Psychic Readin’, Zip Linein’, even arguein’," Apple Bloom skimmed through the lsit, "Blah, blah, blah!” she shuffled through the ever-expanding list of things to try, the list itself carpeting the floor as it rolled through and around. “What is it we hadn’t tried?”
Sweetie Belle perked up. “Oh! Rarity’s making her new Fall Collection fashion line! Maybe we can help with that!”
Scootaloo grimaced “Bleh! That is so boring! What’s next, we’re gonna go to the school play? Maybe wear stuffy clothes while we’re at it?!”
“They are not stuffy,” Sweetie Belle grated, “they’re elegant!”
Scootaloo stuck out her tongue.
Apple Bloom cleared her throat. “And besides, I heard that she didn’t wanna ‘spoil it’ or somethin’ like that,” Apple Bloom recalled.
“Well, yeah. I just wanted an excuse to get Rarity to show me all ready! Don’t you wonder what it looks like?”
“I bet it’s something stupid that has orange, red, a-and all those other warm colors!”
Apple Bloom tilted her head. “I’m surprised you know that much about color, Scootaloo,”
Scootaloo reeled back. “The heck are you talking about?!”
“Oh, just that you know stuffy, puffy kinda stuff, is all,” Apple Bloom smirked.
“What am I, colorblind?” Scootaloo shot back,“Take a hike!”
Apple Bloom perked up. “Wait a darn minute, that’s a great idea!”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle leaned in, “What?”
“What Scoots said!”
“That I’m colorblind?” said Scootaloo.
“That Scootaloo asked ‘what am I?’, because that’s the big question we have been asking since we have been striving to look deep into our hearts, to find ourselves, to earn our Cutiemarks?”
The other two foals blinked.
"Well, maybe you can write a song about it. Like you did for our Cutie Mark Crusaders theme song!” Apple Bloom suggested.
“Well,” Sweetie cracked, “I don’t know. I think I’ll do better at whatever Rarity does!”
“Alrighty then!” Apple Bloom nodded.
Per usual, their special talents were right in their faces and it was ignored.
“So, um, yeah - it’s what Scoots’ said. ‘Take a hike’! That’s what we’re gonna do today: hikin’!”
“But we did that already, remember?” Scootaloo recalled.
“Yeah, but Twilight found out that time,” reminded Apple Bloom, “So we had to take that tiny hill in the playground,"
“Yeah, that wasn’t enough to get a hiking Cutiemark! We need a real adventure!” Scootaloo determined.
“YEAH!!! CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MOUNTAIN HIKERS 2.0! YAY!!!”
After they packed their bags with snacks, drinks, a scooter, a comb, and an apple for luck; they were ready for their adventure to the mountain filled with possible doom. And after a long journey just to find one, they were already tired enough to venture back home.
But it was great, for in their journey they faced many challenges: they ran away from shadow ponies with hoodies, helped a sick hedgehog, and they fought against a fire-breathing dragon!
One was actually their imagination, another was fully true, and the third was also true but with a hint of fantasy.
After what felt like the longest Sunday of their crusading carrier; they were all back home and ready for bed for the next morning.
---[({x})]---
The sun rose back up to creep its way back into Sweet Apple Acres for another fight.
It wasn’t Sunday, so this time Apple Bloom fought harder. But there was an extra weight to this. As much as she didn’t want to wake up, she almost feared that she just might never again. It was as if she had never slept in her entire night, and last night’s rest wasn’t enough.
But as always, the sun had eventually won, and reluctantly her heavy eyes opened.
She was met with the usual dark green walls and wooden floor, but what struck her was the arrangement. Instead of a wide mirror there was a more heart-shaped vanity mirror. Instead of a wardrobe, there was a closet. Instead of a night stand, there was a rocking chair. And also a night stand.
With a glass of water.
With teeth in there.
What in Celestia’s mane am I doin’ in Granny’s room?
She tried to get out of bed, but found it a bit more challenging than usual. Her quilted blanket and sheets weren’t as heavy as her own, and yet it felt like a cow laid on her and wouldn’t get off. And, strangely, her back started to hurt as well. She also felt a bit taller, and her skin felt like it was wearing a bit thin.
She remembered the mirror in Granny’s room. In any other circumstance, the mirror was used for a quick brushing and getting her bow together. That day, the mirror was critical.
Was she sick?
Did something happen and she simply forgot for the moment?
When she dragged herself to the mirror, she saw something that made every single theory and thought disappeared into thin air.
She screamed.
Apple Bloom did not see herself in the mirror. Instead, she saw Granny Smith. And when she screamed, she didn't do so with her own voice: she screamed with Granny's voice!
"Granny, are you alright?" asked a concerned voice; it was Applejack, but Apple Bloom could not really process that. With all the shock and her new body weak and old, she passed out.
---[({x})]---
Apple Bloom woke up with the feeling of being in a dream. With what she thought she imagined, she was relieved to just go to school and tell her friends everything about that horrible dream.
She checked her hoof.
Green and wrinkly.
Yep, she thought, it’s not a dream. She took a breath and processed how to handle her situation.
She was in Granny Smith’s body.
Then came the questions; how, when, and why?
She decided to get up and find some answers. She's a crusader, and a crusader’s gonna do what a crusader’s gonna do; even if she was a bit old for the moment.
She attempted to comb her mane just as she normally did with her regular body, but Granny Smith’s mane was as thick as straw. She opted to make it a big bon like her Granny usually does.
So that's why she wears her mane like that. Apple Bloom never bothered a pony about their mane choices, other than gawking at individual pop-ponies who would wear the most ridiculous styles, but this was an exception.
She slowly walked her way to Applejack to ask her what was going on, but then she heard whispering. She stopped to listen.
“Big Mac! She’s not gettin’ crazy. She just saw a rat or spider or something I guess, that’s all," came Applejack’s voice. She kept it low in order to avoid waking up Granny. Or Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom in Granny’s body?
“Now Applejack,” this was Big Macintosh, “Granny has been living for a long time, so she’s growing a bit old. I think the day we’ve been afraid of has come,”
This was rare for Apple Bloom to see. She never in her life had heard them argue over anything. This, Apple Bloom figured, must have been important.
“Look,” Big Macintosh continued, "we all love her. But we’re apple farmers, and we’re busy. I’m startin’ to think we can’t leave her by herself no more. I’m hatin’ to say this, but at one point we gotta take her to a home. It’s the right thing to do,"
Apple Bloom, as Granny Smith, cringed - unsure if she should tell them the truth or not since she already made Granny sound unwell as-is.
Applejack choked, “Well!- I just, oh, I guess you’re right," her head dropped, “So, you remember what’s gonna happen tomorrow, right?”
“Eeyup,"
“Good, maybe we should go get Apple Bloom and— oh, mornin’ Granny! Not feeling like wearing your orange apple bandit?”
Apple Bloom was caught, and there was no turning back.
“Ya, ah’m hime-” she covered her mouth.
“Oh Granny, you forgot your teeth again, didn’t you? Here, I'll go get 'em for you," she trotted over to Granny’s room to retrieve her teeth while Big Macintosh had a worried look on his face. He suspected Granny Smith was eavesdropping. Apple Bloom could not be sure because Big Macintosh resumed his straight face when Applejack returned with the teeth.
“Here you go, Granny!”
At last, she had teeth again. “Ah, thanks sis’— uh, I mean; thanks dearie," She recovered, but only got suspicious looks from her siblings. She chuckled nervously.
Big Macintosh looked at a clock. “I think it’s time to do some buckin’, AJ,"
Applejack gave a hesitant nod, then perked up a bit as she turned to Granny Smith. “You stay here, Granny. Big Mac and I got some work to do!”
“Alrighty, then, dearie” she forced out, “Don’t, get into trouble,”
As soon as they had left, there came complete silence.
The only sound she heard was the clock, and eventually the sound of Winona's bark and Applejack scolding her.
But after that, nothing.
Time flew by, hour after hour.
Eventually, she attempted to try Granny’s normal hobby she used to kill time: sowing.
But it was a struggle, though. Sowing was just not as easy as it looked.
Was this what Granny’s life was like these days? Was it always this boring, with an exception of the Apple family reunion and other occasions? Was it always that quiet and lonely? She was ready to go nuts. She was ready for anything to happen!
As time flew by, she started to think.
Soon, her thinking led to more thinking.
And after that, her thinking led to a train of thought.
And her train of thought trailed off to more thinking.
And quite soon, questions.
How could this happen?
Who made this happen?
When did this happen?
And on top of all, why? Why did this happen?
---[({x})]---
After a long day that felt like it went on forever, Applejack, Big Macintosh, and Apple Bloom all came back and—
wait, Apple Bloom?
Apple Bloom’s eyes, as Granny Smith, shot open when she saw her original body. She wanted to run over to ask questions but was afraid that Applejack and Big Macintosh would worry. She was afraid that she would look like she lost it; like Granny Smith lost it. All she did was watch in silence as her original body just strolled along casually as if nothing weird had happened. It was even freakier because she acted and talked just like her.
“We’re back, Granny! How was your day?” said Applejack.
“Um, fine, dear," Apple Bloom shook her head as she tried her best to emulate Granny Smith.
“So, um,” Applejack began, “how about you do some shoppin’? Here," Applejack then handed bits to Granny Smith.
“Ah," Apple Bloom processed. “Alrighty, then,”
Apple Bloom wondered if they were going to have another discussion about possibly taking her to a senior housing and they needed a distraction?
What if, Apple Bloom wondered, This ‘Apple Bloom’ was up to no good and I can’t do nothin’ about it! What if it’s a changeling? Could changelings change ponies into other ponies, anyway? She knew next to nothing about changelings, so it was as good of a guess as she could get. So why me? Why now? Is the changeling tryin’ to get Granny in a home for its diabolical plan?
And when was the last time Granny went outside on her own, anyway?
Apple Bloom needed answers. “Wait, isn’t somepony gonna watch me or somethin’?”
“Yup! You’re gonna spend the day with Fluttershy!” The door creaked open and Fluttershy peaked out.
“Oh? Now? Ok,” with an assured nod from Applejack, Fluttershy stepped further into the house.
“You remember Fluttershy, right?” asked Applejack.
Fluttershy, Fluttershy, didn’t she babysit the me and my friends that one time?
Granny Smith nodded, then all eyes were on Fluttershy.
“Oh, um, I was asked by Applejack if I had time to go shopping with you. I was going to give Mr. Bear his weekly massage, but he was such a sweet, sweet bear when he agreed to do it later,"
“Ohh, okay,” Apple Bloom replied. Her mind was still on the discussions they might have behind her back, but she had no means of resisting without any clever excuses. What did she have better to do? She’s an old mare!
“Alrighty then! Y'all have fun!” Applejack waved out, ready to have Granny Smith out the door as soon as possible.
---[({x})]---
It was a nice, pleasant day in Ponyville. The ponies were, as always, walking about a cheerful spirit. They had such wholesome lives… Apple Bloom tried to distract herself. Focusing on her hooves, she could put away her loathing and misery into the rhythmic counting of her individual steps.
She noticed how she walked slower than usual. That was to be expected, Apple Bloom knew how obvious such a thing would be, but she had to wonder about something. Her slow pace wasn’t even out of being physically unable to run or trot. She knew that Granny really couldn’t do that anyway, but that wasn’t the main reason why she walked. She walked because it was comfortable.
When she was a filly, yesterday, she always found it more comfortable to trot. She never questioned it until then. When she thought about it, it made a lot of sense. Apple Bloom, as a pony, was excited: curious, adventurous, and even a little hasty.
But in Granny’s body, she decided to shimmer down for a bit. To not exhaust herself. To enjoy the scenery.
Sure, why not?
Her gaze finally left her hooves and ventured to the world around her. There were ponies, stalls, and birds. She never really looked at the birds for too long: they never caught her interest. But in her slow pace, she had more than enough time to really capture their simple beauty.
They were such small, cute little things. They flew around, pecked at the ground, even chirped a bit to greet their neighbors. Birds are almost like ponies. They’re so chatty!
How many blades of grass are there? Apple Bloom wondered, Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? Billions? That’s crazy talk! The only billion there can be is in the stars, not on land! A billion is, like, a billion! It’s such a huge number, so many zeroes! It already takes a long time to count to a hundred!
And she tried to count to a billion. She learned that it was not possible to do in one sitting.
And the trees! She continued, Just look at them! How long have they been around? As far as she could wonder, not one of them moved or grew by even an inch since she first saw them. How old are they? Billions of moons? That’s crazy pony talk! Maybe they’re as old as Granny Smith!
“Um, Granny Smith? What’s so funny?” asked Fluttershy.
Apple Bloom was startled to find out she chuckled without having realized it. As quickly as her joints would allow her, she held a hoof over her own muzzle. “I was thinkin’ about, trees?”
Fluttershy locked her into eye contact, the social-equivalent of twisting somepony’s leg until they speak - in the most polite and unintended way, of course.
“Annd, I thought about how I’m, as old as them trees?”
Fluttershy blinked.
Then smiled.
Then puffed her cheeks to fight the urge to laugh.
But Granny Smith smiled too, so she let it out.
“Wow, Granny Smith, I never knew you were so funny,” Fluttershy yammered, “I mean, not that I’m saying you’re not funny, I mean, I’d never thought- um,”
“No, it’s alright Fluttershy. I get it," Granny Smith chuckled, “I get it,"
Fluttershy nodded.
That was it.
They kept walking for a for the short while until Apple Bloom felt comfortable enough to speak yet again. “So, um. The birds here are amusing,"
Fluttershy perked up. “Oh, you have no idea. Last week, Mr. Flutton was bringing worms for Ms. Flutton, but he dropped them and spent hours looking for them,"
“Hours?”
“Hours," Fluttershy leaned in and stared at her with big eyes.
“, and how do you know he took that long?”
Fluttershy shuffled uncomfortably. “Um. I have a lot of quiet time, sometimes,"
Apple Bloom only grinned to herself. For the first time, in her brief but still enough years in her life, she actually heard an grown-up say they weren’t busy. It was shocking, to say the least.
“Though luckily Mr. Ducktale helped him find his worms. He was a really nice duck. Not to the other ducks, though. He gets jealous when they’re married. But I don’t let him, he’s,” Fluttershy hesitates, “Mean,"
“What, how is he mean? What does he do?”
Fluttershy winced. “I, don’t think you’d want to know,”
“Why not?”
Fluttershy blinked. “Because, um—can we change the subject, please?”
Apple Bloom sighed. Maybe it was because it was too violent or something? She didn’t know, but luckily Apple Bloom knew boundaries when she saw them.
Mostly.
“So why are the ducks so mean?”
With a roll of her eyes, Fluttershy explained. “The males are kind of aggressive. But I’m sure they don’t know any better,"
“Are any of the other animals mean?”
She puts a hoof on the tip of her chin. “Well, there are some. I take care of so many animals, so some are going to be harsher than the others,"
“You said you were gonna massage a bear. Ain’t bears mean?’
Fluttershy smiled. “No, not Mr. Bear. He’s a very nice bear. He even gives me hugs,"
“Aww! That’s so sweet, Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy giggled. “I know, Mr. Bear is just so nice. Maybe you should meet him?" Fluttershy backed up a bit "I mean, if you want to, that is-”
“No, no, I’d love to come! Maybe I could get a cutiemark in—” once again, Apple Bloom slammed her muzzle with a hoof.
“Um. Granny Smith, you already have a cutiemark,"
Granny Smith chuckled. “Right! Hee, hee—that’s, um, silly me. Heh, heh,”
“Granny Smith, are you alright?”
A look of panic shot Granny Smith’s face. “Oh, me? Yeah, fine, I’m fine. Just fine,”
“No, don’t worry. I won’t judge,"
Would she? Apple Bloom thought, Would she really not judge? Fluttershy was one of the kindest pony in all the world. But would even she think Granny Smith’s crazy?
It’s worth a try.
“Ah,” Granny Smith started, “had you ever had that day where you, ah, feel like you were wearin’ somepony else’s horseshoes?”
Fluttershy considered it. “Um, maybe? I do sometimes wonder what it’s like to be somepony else,"
Granny Smith shook her head. “No, no, not wantin’ to be in somepony’s horseshoes: to wake up in somepony’s horseshoes! Like, I dunno why it happened, but it happened!”
Fluttershy looked concerned. “Granny Smith, are you okay?”
Apple Bloom stopped herself. She blew her cover. Granny Smith, then, looked unwell.
“Oh, you're joking again, are you?”
“Ahh, yeah, sure,"
---[({x})]---
“I thank you kindly for sparing some of your time to help Granny out today," Applejack shook Fluttershy’s in her usual rough manner.
“Oh, it's nothing. It was not a bother at all. Just let me know if you’d ever want my help again," Fluttershy was just feeling uncomfortable when Applejack stopped.
“Oh Flutters’,” Applejack laughed, “You’re always just so kind! And I Pinkie Promise to teach Angel Bunny some manners (the little rodent’s needs a real smack in the head) in return for your kindness!”
Fluttershy politely held up a hoof. “Oh, there’s no need to do that, Applejack. Angel is just fine the way he is—”
“I cross my heart, hope to fly: I stick a cupcake in my eye! Sorry, too late Fluttershy! I Pinkie Promised, so it has to be done!”
“And you know what happens if you break a Pinkie Promise," added Apple Bloom, the original Apple Bloom body. "It could break a friendship,”
“FOREVER!” with a heavy rasp, Pinkie Pie popped out of a basket Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, carried. Everypony jumped back in surprise as she slowly crept her way back from whence she came.
After their friendly exchanges, Apple Bloom tried to approach her other self and ask questions. However, there was just no way to get some time alone with the other Apple Bloom: Applejack and Big Macintosh were always around.
Even though she did not like it, she was going to keep quiet and was going to bed and lay awake all night long.
--[({x})]---
It was a beautiful day!
Despite how wide awake she was, sleep eventually took over her old body, and this was finally the time for that to end.
Apple Bloom slowly woke up, ready to start yet another boring day as Granny Smith. All most.
Green walls.
Check.
Brown floors.
Check.
Wide mirror and wardrobe full of bows.
Check.
Wait a second,
Apple Bloom hopped out of bed to eagerly see her hooves that were yellow and smooth, just the way she liked them.
The dream’s over!
After her usual routine: comb her mane, clean her coat, breakfast, and balanced favorite big, red bow, she was quite eager for things to be normal again.
--[({x})]---
Apple Bloom rushed to school to tell her friends about her strange dream. To her dismay, she came across Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
Apple Bloom sighed, ready for the usual ‘blank-flank’ routine. But something else happened.
“Um, Apple Bloom?” Diamond Tiara nervously started, “I thought about what you said yesterday, and I just wanted to say,” she braced herself by closing her eyes and gritting her teeth, “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have teased you these past few years! If you’re still a blank-flank, I don’t care. I should really just,” she closed her eyes and shouted, “Mind my own business!”
Diamond Tiara’s head turned back to peek open one eye. Apple Bloom was shocked by the apology, especially because Tiara meant it!
And after an awkward pause, Diamond Tiara kicked Silver Spoon on the hoof. “Ah, yeah. I’m sorry too!” her head dropped as she tried to avoid eye contact.
Soon after, Scootaloo came along and said, “Wow, Apple Bloom! That speech you gave yesterday was awesome!”
Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah!” creaked-in Sweetie Belle, “I’ve never seen anypony talk so, um,” she put a hoof to her chin. “Articulate before! Oh, and look at this!” She handed Apple Bloom a few sheets of paper. “I’ve decided to work on that song! After what you told me yesterday, I think you’re right: I should grow up to become a sing-er!” Her voice cracked even louder than before.
“Ah,” said Apple Bloom, “Great?”
Throughout School, she had to avoid eye contact as much as possible so she wouldn’t get any more smiles or winks from other foals. And that was before recess. She spent all of it avoiding the praise of the other foals about her 'speech' to Diamond Tiara!
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Cheerilee stopped Apple Bloom before she left school with the other foals.
“Apple Bloom,” said Miss Cheerilee, “I just wanted to stop you for a moment to tell you yet again how amazing your essay was!”
Apple Bloom tilted her head. “Erm, it was?”
“Yes, your project on Pioneering in the Early Pioneering Era was amazing! It was like you were there yourself!”
“Aah. I was?”
Cheerilee giggled. “No, I’m sure you weren't, Apple Bloo. You weren't even born yet! But you still managed to make us feel like we were all go back in time!”
Before Cheerlee could go on about the assignment, there was an abrupt shouting across the halls. It was a fight, and as if she was an agent, she turned her glace with a serious expression.
“Oh, I got to go! But I appreciate your modesty!” and as the foals cheered the two sparring colts on, Cheerilee called them down ‘right this instant!’.
From the dense crowd of foals, another colt approached Apple Bloom. “Um, Apple Bloom?”
This took Apple Bloom a second to remember his name. She had seen him from time to time but never actually meant him. At least, not before yesterday. “Um, Rumble, is it?”
He nodded. “Yeah," he chuckled. “I’ve been thinking about what you told me yesterday and-”
She finally remembered him from the time she asked for his help to reach a book in Twilight’s Library. She was afraid to ask Twilight, so she would have rather asked a random classmate to let her climb on his back.
“-before I ran away, I told you about my crush?”
Apple Bloom blinked.
“Well, I’m sorry I ran away! I just never expected such a long speech! I mean, don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful. And, um. You’re beautiful,"
Apple Bloom screamed internally.
“Look, I just wasn’t prepared for that. I was too busy bracing myself for you to say ‘no’. Look, Apple Bloom. I’m happy that you're happy with this. So, can we restart from yesterday?”
“Uhh, sure?”
“Good," Rumble cleared his throat, “Apple Bloom, would you go out with me?”
Apple Bloom wished she could go back to being Granny Smith. “Um, I’ll, think about it?” she chuckled nervously with a guilty smile.
“Good. Um. See you then?” Rumble gave a sincere smile, a hoof of friendship offered to Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom stood stunned for a long second, "Sure,"
—[({x})]—
Finally, Apple Bloom could escape from freaky town and head back home even though she was filled with a fountain of questions.
As she drowsily opened the door, Applejack perked up. “Ah-ha! Apple Bloom’s back! Come on, Granny’s been waitin’ to open her Grandparent’s Day present!”
Apple Bloom was taken aback. “Grandparent’s Day?”
Why didn’t they gather to talk about what to get Granny Smith.
For Grandparent’s Day.
Like they could have yesterday?
The answer was simple.
“Sure, sugar cube. Remember? We just talked about it yesterday!”
Yup thought Apple Bloom as confirmation.
“Now open your present, Granny!”
Granny Smith, as Granny Smith, opened the present.
“Happy Grandparents’ Day!” Applejack cheered.
“Eeyup,"
Curious, Apple Bloom trotted over to see what it was.
It was a handkerchief-sized tapestry of the three of them: all standing side by side with big, proud smiles. Even Winona was on it, sitting by Applejack’s side in eager loyalty.
“We hoof-stitched this while you were a shopin’ yesterday! We used all that time you were gone to sew this up! And Apple Bloom did amazing on that thing; didn’t you, Apple Bloom?”
Apple Bloom stared off into the distance as every piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
“Apple Bloom, you there?”
Apple Bloom snapped out of her train of thought.
“Um. Yeah, sure I am, dear- I mean, ‘sis!”
Applejack gave Apple Bloom a strange look.
Apple Bloom could only smile as wide as she could. Apple Bloom found a way to ignore that look. She had something to ask.
“Uh, Granny?,” asked Apple Bloom.
“Yes?” asked Granny Smith.
“Can you tell us about that time the timberwolves tried to take out great-grandpa’s zap apple jam?” Apple Bloom’s eyes were massive, innocent. She hadn’t asked anything like that in years, but none of that mattered.
It felt right.
Granny Smith placed a hoof on her chin as she rocked back on her chair to hum. “Sure, come over here, child!”
It didn’t even take a moment’s hesitation for Apple Bloom to rush over and hop on Granny’s lap as she rocked. Applejack and Big Macintosh sat down and listened.
“You see, on our second zap apple season, it was a time when we thought ‘em Timberwolves won't bother us no-more. But then one hungry little feller came over and took my daddy’s zap apple jam when we was about to eat it! He was so furious, he grabbed a shovel and,”
For the rest of the day, they spent it all with Granny Smith.
Apple Bloom decided to put her crusading on hold, and the same with Applejack and Big Macintosh with their apple bucking.
All day: Granny Smith told them all her stories, and every story had at least one question from Apple Bloom, and occasionally some from Applejack and even Big Macintosh.
Apple Bloom may never be able to understand Granny’s true loneliness, even if she had to suffer one day of it. But she knew just how much joy was in Granny’s heart when she told them story after story of when she was young.
One thing was known for sure—the other crusaders probably gave up looking for Apple Bloom by now and did some crusading without her, Applejack has some bunny-taming to do later, Big Macintosh decided to forget his talk with Applejack about Granny yesterday, and Apple Bloom and Granny Smith were going to have a long talk when they could about yesterday.