The Group Chat

Apple Bloom

I watched Winona running after the stick I tossed, shuddering slightly as I pulled my winter coat around me. Canterlot winters were always cold. How Winona was perfectly okay with just running around out here was beyond me. Dogs are built differently and he’s no exception. At least I have him still. Dogs are the most innocent creatures on the planet next to babies. They can do no wrong in my eyes.

Everyone else may hate me, but I still got my dog at least.

“Come here boy,” I called out. Winona ran up and dropped the stick at my feet. “Good boy. At least I still got you, right?”

“Bark!”

I leaned down and scratched his ears with a chuckle. I’m no Fluttershy, I’m not able to get animals like she can. I don’t think anybody can except our family vet, Dr. Fauna, but even I could tell that he was happy to see me by that bark.

“Oh Winona,” I sighed and sank to my knees in the snow and hugged him as he licked my cheek. “I done fucked up. I done something so stupid I ain’t even sure I can fix it. I don’t even know why I came back from Equestria. I shoulda just stayed behind. Not like my family would miss me, but that’s my own doing. At least I got to see ya.”

I sniffed as his tail wagged and he curled up in a ball on my lap as we sat in silence. Winona and I always had a strong connection. I had got him when I was only five. We did (and do) everything together.

“Ya know, Granny would wash your mouth out with soap if she caught ya talking like that.”

I froze in fear and slowly looked back at Big Mac leaning against the doorframe of the patio with a frown on his face. I’m so fucked.

“You ain’t gonna tell her, are ya?” I asked in fear and he shrugged. He always was hard to read.

“Depends.”

“On what?”

Big Mac nudged the chair next to him with a boot and sat down in the one next to it, crossing his legs. Big Mac is more soft spoken than the rest of us, especially me. So we had to learn to read how he acted.

I stood up with Winona in my arms and strode over to the chair, sitting down and dusted the snow off my knees.

“So what are we doing here?” I asked and Big Mac raised an eyebrow. “We ain’t done this in awhile.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac confirmed and stared at me. “Ah heard everything ya said. And Ah don’t agree with it at all.”

“I did mess up big time. I don’t know why you don’t agree with that,” I scratched my head in confusion and Big Mac rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“Ah wasn’t talking about that Bloom. Ah was talking about us not missing you,” Big Mac explained and I tilted my head. He gave another sigh and rested a hand on his thigh, idly flicking some snow off him.

“But Applejack is mad at me. Probably hates me,” I sighed and looked away down at Winona. “It’s justified.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Big Mac stated and I stared at him. “She’s disappointed and mad, but AJ could never hate you.”

“I framed one of her friends. And lost our family business. And got Applejack laughed at. I’m no better than Sunset was. Heck, I’m worse than she was now. Someone could have killed themselves. And it would have been my fault.”

“It would have,” Big Mac agreed bluntly and I winced. “We bounced back though. Granny did some of her special talking to the Riches and pitched a new product to them.”

My jaw dropped slightly and he chuckled. I didn’t hear anything about this but then again, I’ve been absent for a while.

“What happened between Strawberry and AJ ain’t your fault. Those two have been at it for years. AJ was younger than you are now, she and Strawberry dated. Elementary school was a interesting time for the both of em. Granny made em break up. Said it wasn’t natural,” Big Mac explained and I raised an eyebrow.

“But she is perfectly okay with a few of our other classmates dating each other, like Lyra and Bon Bon. Curly Winds and Whiz Kid.”

“She changed her opinion afterwards. Strawberry never forgave Applejack for that. She doesn’t like the rest of us by extension. It’s complicated between the two,” Big Mac answered and leaned back with his hand wrapped around a mug and his other reached out to pet Winona. “Strawberry is hurtin, that’s all. Ah ain’t saying revenge is right, but Ah can see where she is coming from.”

I didn’t know about that either. I once asked Applejack why the two hated each other and she had shut me down pretty quick.

“But that’s not AJs fault,” I pointed out and Big Mac nodded his agreement.

“It ain’t, sure but she didn’t have to leave Strawberry either. AJ ain’t at fault, but nor is Strawberry. Kids can be mean to each other. School beefs won’t even matter when you’re an adult,” Big Mac looked at me pointedly.

“I’m not so sure about that,” I sighed and Big Mac rolled his eyes before I felt his hand on my shoulder. “You know, before I left for Equestria, some people said our parents would be disappointed in me.”

“Names.”

I shuddered slightly at his cold tone. Big Mac rarely got mad.

“Uh Cherry Crash and Teddy, I think? The football player. Tall guy, brown hair.”

“Ah know him. Ah’ll talk to them and we will straighten things out,” Big Mac answered and narrowed his eyes. “You wanna know something about Ma and Pa?”

I leaned forward slightly. Mom and Dad was always a tense topic in the family. They didn’t really get brought up often unless in passing or at family reunions and I nodded.

“They would be mad as all hell at you. But they’d also respect you for owning your mistakes. Ma and Pa were strict, but fair. They’d stand behind you the entire step of the way. If they were still here, they’d be doing that. After Pa spanked the hell outta ya, of course,” Big Mac chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. “Ah won’t lie, Ah was in that position a few times. So was AJ more than once.”

I scoffed and shook my head. I highly doubted Big Mac or even AJ was in that position. The two almost never got in trouble. I can’t remember them ever getting punished in my short life.

“Tomorrow is Christmas, Apple Bloom. You’re my baby sister and Ah love ya. Ah don’t like seeing you down.”

“I know. I doubt there’s anything in there for me anyway,” I sighed and glanced inside as Big Mac snorted with a innocent smile.

“Ah ain’t got a clue. Ya know, after the account started, Applejack and Ah waited till you fell asleep. We fought in the living room. That was the first time in a long time Ah raised my voice, especially to Applejack. Ah never believed Sunset was guilty. Ah tried to talk to her after Applejack cut off ties but Sunset was too scared of anyone with the name Apple. Applejack always had a sorta rose tinted glasses when it came to you. Ah do too at times. She didnt want to believe it was you. Ah was the first to bring up you and the other two being responsible. Ah think that was the first time Applejack ever pushed me in my entire life.”

“I’m sorry,” I sighed and Big Mac wrapped an arm around me and squeezed my shoulder.

“Ah forgive you. In time, Applejack and everyone else will. Ah love you kid. And ah will always be here to look out for you, no matter what,” Big Mac promised and I leaned into his hug.

“Bloom, Big Mac, dinner is ready,” AJ stepped outside and gave us a curious look with a small smile. “Y’all doing okay?”

“Yeah. Just talking,” Big Mac answered as Applejack approached and I tensed she rubbed my head with a smile. “We will be inside in a few.”

Applejack nodded and walked away back inside. Winona uncurled and licked my cheek before jumping off my lap after Applejack.

“Ready to go inside?” Big Mac asked and yawned.

“Yeah.”