//------------------------------// // Weird is Relative // Story: My little Short Stories // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Weird is Relative At the same time Twilight and I's adopted daughter went missing, two other Ponies from Dream Valley had another adventure of their own, one that involved one of the most famous family reunions in the entire history of Ponyland. "Wow, can you so totally believe this? I so can't totally believe this!" Surprise asked, flapping around over Applejack's head, firing words off a mile a minute. "I mean, I can understand wanting you to come, but me? It's just sooo totally weird!" "Surprise? A piece of advice." AJ replied sarcastically, looking up at the other pony. "Taking a breath between blabbing might actually let some oxygen reach yer brain." The two ponies were trotting through the dug open pits and holes of the Ponyville ruins, making their way to the edge of what had once been the town. The two had come here for an event of some significance, though one of them couldn't actually believe she had finally been asked to come. "I mean, sure I might be related to the Apple family a little bit, Twilight told me all six of our harmony families marred into each other over the years." Surprise whinnied excitedly. "But you! You're no only a member of the Apple family, you practically ARE the apple family!" "I'm not surprised you've been invited, we always had a fellin' Pinkie Pie was kin to the Apples." The orange earth mare replied. "But if you must know, the family and I have had... issues over the last few centuries, and I really don't wanna talk about it." "Yeah, you never wanna talk about stuff with your old family." Surprise slowed down her hyper-ness, stopping to look the other mare in the eye. "In fact, you won't tell us anything about our ancestors, or Equestria. How come?" "FOR THE THOUSANDTH TIME. I've told all of you I really don't remember it that well." Applejack replied with a snort. "It's all the same with me, Cheerilee, and Spike- the whole thing's a big messy fog- and I'm actually kind of glad it is." "Well, I hope you're ready to tell the members of your family that." Surprise told her, as the two arrived at the edge of what had once been Sweet Apple acres... only to they there were already several hundred ponies there. There were several tents set up, with ponies coming and going from tent to tent. Eating baked apples, square dancing, several old mares working on a ridiculously large quilt. Even though most of the Apple family had mostly migrated out of Equestria and to the southern lands, the always came back here, back to this sacred spot, in order to celebrate their family reunion every hundred moons (as the Equestrians had reckoned time). True, many family members had drifted away over the generations, and many branches off the family had either died off or been wiped out. But still the strength of this farming family had endured for well over a millennia. Their reunion here...it was a sight Applejack remembered in the deepest recesses of her mind. And he was a sight that caused her the greatest pain. "I-I'll tell you what, Surprise." The mare told her friend nervously, stopping dead in her tracks. "Y-you go on and join the festivities. I think I'll go look around the museum they built for the Ponyville archeological dig." "Hey, are you trying to get away from your own family?" The white Pegasus cocked an eyebrow. "What exactly is goin' on here, AJ?" "Nothing's going on, I dunno what you're talkin' about!" But when Surprise gave her that look, she let out a sigh. "Oh, all right! I haven't exactly been on the best of terms with my distant kin for a long time now, and I don't know how many of em' will take to me being here today." But didn't Daddy Apple Delight invite you here today?" The white Pegasus asked, looking around at all the ponies with apple-themed cutie marks on their flanks. "Doesn't the head of the entire family's opinion mean something?" "Yes, I guess your right." AJ conceded. "But how can I really know if-" "Ah, there you two are!" A loud voice with a slight lisp called out. "I'd heard that both of you had been invited, but nobody knew if thew would actually show up!" "Twist!" Surprise called out, zipping up to hug the Purple unicorn. "It's so awesome to see ya here! How've ya been?" Visiting from Surprise's hometown of Hoofkaido, the orange-maned mare with a pretzel cutie mark and been the Pegasus's childhood friend. Like Surprise, she too was distantly related to the family, and as such had been invited to the Apple reunion. Even though her special talent was being a pretzel maker, Applejack couldn't help but note that the lisping mare vaguely reminded her of a little filly with glasses. She talked in the same manner as the little candy maker pony had, and AJ couldn't help but be reminded of one of her sister's dearest little friends. "Hey, there, Mith Applejack! Good to finally thee you at one of these things!" The mare greeted her. "Nice to see you again too, Twist." AJ replied weakly. "How's the pretzel business going these days?" "Oh, you now how it ith. Sthomtimes, it bakes up into a nith fluffy crust, Some times you burn your prethzles to a nithe scorched black." Twist replied with a laugh. "Howth's things in Dream Valley?" The two mares started a conversation, as AJ looked around at the other ponies. Members of the apple family laughed and talked and joked together, so happy to be together again, if only for this one day. Applejack had not been allowed to know this current generation of the family as they had been growing up, and she felt like a stranger amongst her own kin. "E-excuse me miss..." A blue Pegasus mare with a candy-cane striped mane asked nervously, trotting up to her. "I don't mean to bother you, but... are you her?" "If you mean 'am I Applejack, little filly, then yes." The orange earth mare replied, looking this pony with a curly mane over. "I didn't expect to meet a member of the family who was a Pegasus." "Oh, yes! I'm from the small branch of the family here in Ponyland!" The mare replied with a smile. "My name's Candy Apple, and considering your past, I guess I would be a filly to you." "Watch yer mouth, kid. Don't the Apples teach their ponies to respect their elders?" The mare asked sarcastically, patting the other mare on the back. "Seriously, why don't we go grab a couple of hot dogs from the food tent, and you can tell me about your own family." "I don't believe that is wise." A white stallion came up over the hill, scowling at the two. "Candy, go join your sisters. I wish to speak to Applejack alone." The other mare frowned, and obediently trotted off. Applejack only glared at this pony with the Apple Tree cutie mark, this current head of the Apple Family whom AJ had known since he had been a foal. There was no love lost between these two Equines, despite the fact that AJ had even named her son after him as a goodwill gesture. The blonde pony farmer only stared down at the once-immortal mare in contempt. "Hello, Apple Delight." Applejack bowed her heard in greeting. "It sure is a pleasure to see you again, though I suppose you're not very happy to see me." "Eeyup. The elders never should have forced me to invite you here." The stallion said in response, staring at the mare he had hoped he would never see again. "You never should've come here, AJ. You really should not have come back."