Applejack was distracted, and Apple Bloom couldn’t blame her. Her big sister was trying to get things in order before her big day, but she was constantly being distracted by some brightly colored flank or another. Really, Apple Bloom felt a little sorry for her big sis if not incredibly amused to see the stoic, strong willed earth pony so constantly tongue tied and jelly legged. Heck, she could understand why it’d be a little hard to deal with five other ponies up and coming on their wedding day, and such ponies as them didn’t make things any easier.
Apple Bloom couldn’t stop grinning at the thought of all six of those ponies together, and she felt a certain glee at each memory of her big sis flustered or overwhelmed as she was relentlessly tag teamed. And now AJ just stared out at the orchard with a serious expression, and Apple Bloom was perfectly content to wait there until she broke down and let Apple Bloom know just what she’d called her out for.
Apple Bloom peeked over and felt a little giddy at the reminder that she was almost as tall as her big sister now; she’d shot up after she’d earned her cutie mark, and she felt a certain pride that she was slowly becoming as strong and sturdy as her big sister. When she had been younger, she’d never fancied that she’d ever come close to that solidity that Applejack just exuded in her very aura, that sense that she could weather anything without flinching and that she would never fail you no matter how hard the task. Apple Bloom had always admired her older sister’s strength of will.
And now she was emulating that as best she could. Sure, she was Apple Bloom, and Apple Bloom would never be Applejack, but she was a member of the Apple Family and that stood for something much larger than other ponies may have known. Apple Bloom would be reliable and dependable, and she would make good on the trust that other ponies placed on her. She would make Applejack and the rest of her family proud.
Applejack glanced over to smile softly at her little sister. “You finally got rid of that bow of yours?”
Apple Bloom nodded, her copious scarlet curls bobbing in her eyes, barely restrained by a small pink hair tie. “I did. I figured it’s about time I looked like a head of the family instead of some little filly rooting around for cutie marks.”
They both grinned at that, and Applejack sighed. “Things sure are different now, Apple Bloom. More complicated too.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Sure are.”
“Not worse,” she clarified, “but definitely more complicated.”
They lapsed into silence again. Apple Bloom knew that AJ would get to her point eventually; this was her emulating Big Macintosh she figured, getting all quiet and contemplative while choosing her words. Apple Bloom had a mild epiphany that Applejack must’ve looked up to Big Mac as much as she herself looked up to AJ. She wondered who Big Mac had looked up to, and when that train of thought turned a little painful, she wondered who’d look up to her. She had no answer for that on either.
Applejack spoke again, staring out at the apple trees as far as the eye could see, “I’m leaving for a while. A long while, and that means that somepony else has got to be in charge.”
Apple Bloom nodded, she had assumed. “I figure Big Macintosh’ll do the farm good.”
Applejack chuckled. “I’m not talking about Big Macintosh.”
Apple Bloom stared; her mouth might’ve been open just a little bit too. “Granny Smith?”
Applejack shook her head with a grin. “Granny Smith doesn’t want to run the farm! She’s tired of all this nonsense. And Big Mac sure don’t like taking the lead. He’s much happier with the apples and the figures. I’m talking about you, Bloom.”
Apple Bloom felt an odd mixture of pride and nausea and excitement. Her tail whisked back and forth behind her, and she fought the desire to dance on her hooves and holler a bit. She stood straight and tall, like Applejack.
“You want me to run the farm while you’re gone?” she couldn’t keep the tremor from her voice as she said it.
Applejack nodded. “I know you’ve got a lot of carpentering to do, and I understand if you want to say no and go do that instead. But I know you’d do the farm right, and I want to give you the chance to take the job if you want to.”
Apple Bloom couldn’t help herself from grinning. “Oh I’d be mighty glad to do it, AJ! Mighty glad!”
Next thing she knew Applejack had plopped her old Stetson on Apple Bloom’s head. “Well looky there: it fits. Now I know you’re right for the job.”
“Your hat?” Apple Bloom frowned. “What makes you think I want your silly old hat?”
Applejack grinned and nudged Apple Bloom with her flank. “It’s not my hat, Bloom, it’s the pony who’s running the farm’s hat. It was Momma’s hat, and her momma’s hat, and now it’s your hat. Least until I come back for it.”
Apple Bloom closed her eyes and felt the gentle weight settling over her ears, and she decided it felt right. A subtle reminder of the legacy she was striving to uphold, a symbol of respect in the Apple Family. Her hat.
She grabbed Applejack and in a hug, and she was a little startled to feel tears running down her cheeks. “I’m gonna miss you, Applejack.”
She didn’t feel wetness where Applejack’s face touched her neck. Applejack didn’t cry, that’d just be ridiculous. “I’m so proud of you, Bloom. We’re all real proud of you.”
And in that moment Apple Bloom could feel it, the strength of the Apple Family behind her and at her hooves. She could feel the pride of her family settling over her like a warm blanket. And most importantly she could feel the trust of her big sis like a calloused hoof on her back.
She felt complete.