Ch. 2
"Wait, Applejack is your mom?" Trixie exclaimed, pausing mid-skip. "Not your sister, your mom."
Apple Bloom stared at the pile of stones, trying to pretend like she was picking out one to throw. "Yeah."
Trixie threw the stone she was holding. It only skipped once before sinking. "She's just a few years older than me." She said, slightly over her breath. "Kinda gross, Dad."
Apple Bloom had her stone picked out. She lifted it, took aim, and chucked it. The rock made it five skips, not her best. But it was enough to impress Trixie.
"How do you do that?" She inquired, poking at the pile of stones.
The little pony shrugged. "It's just in how you throw."
"Like this?" Trixie threw again. She got two skips this time.
"Yeah, that's better."
Trixie started gathering another bunch of rocks to throw, not taking much care in the quality of her choices. "Trixie?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Yeah?"
Apple Bloom sat down on a hillock. "Can... can you tell me about him? About our dad?"
Trixie regarded Apple Bloom for a while, weighing what she should say. "My dad- wow, I've got to get used to saying 'our'. Our dad was a show pony, like me. But he didn't use magic. He couldn't, he was an earth pony." She sat down next to her sister and put a foreleg around her. "He was a juggler and escape artist. He could untie any knot and pick any lock with just his teeth." The memories brought a happy smile to her face. "It was amazing! That's what first got me interested in going on the stage."
"He sounds so cool. Not like my sis- mom."
Trixie squeezed the little filly. "Don't think he didn't have his problems, 'cause he definitely did. Leaving you and your mom was one of them."
"You still love him, though."
"Oh, I do. I really do." Trixie confirmed. "I'd give almost anything to have him back, even for just a day. But there was a time, back when he told me about what he did after I was born, that I couldn't stand him. I hated him for what he did to my mom, and I took every opportunity to remind him of that. But that's just what you do when you're a teenager, I guess."
Apple Bloom wriggled her way out of the hug and walked to the edge of the stream. "I don't think I actually-"
"Apple Bloom! There you are."
Apple Bloom turned and saw Applejack heading along the riverbank, towards her. "What do you want?" She demanded.
Applejack stopped just a bit away from her daughter, giving the filly a little space. "I know you've had a hard time since you learned the truth about... our relationship. And I know you're still angry with me." She took a step forward, just a step. "But it's time to come home, sugar cube. Granny and Big Mac miss you, and so do I."
Apple Bloom turned away, refusing to look at the pony she once called her sister. "I don't care."
"Sure you do. You just- what's she doing here?" Applejack asked crossly, noticing Trixie for the first time.
"She came to tell me we're related. She's my sister. My real sister." Apple Bloom explained, rushing to Trixie's defense.
Applejack stomped over to Trixie, who respectfully stood as she approached. "Yeah, I heard about that from the Cakes when I got back to Ponyville. I'll thank you to stay away from my daughter."
"Look," Trixie began, "I just wanted to meet-"
Apple Bloom got between her sister and her real sister. "No! You don't get to dictate who I spend time with!"
"I absolutely do. I'm your mother." Applejack retorted, face to face with her child.
Apple Bloom slammed a hoof down. "You lost that right the second I found out the truth!"
"Just because I'm not really your sister doesn't mean I don't care about you!"
The little filly scoffed. "You didn't care enough to not lie to me for years."
"What about her?" Applejack pointed at Trixie. "Last time she was here, she enslaved the entire town. Just to get back at Twilight!"
Trixie hung her head. "Yeah, I-"
"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Apple Bloom exploded. "You and the rest of the town are never going to let go of that, are you? Look at her. She's sorry! She made a mistake, but it wasn't just her fault! She'd take it back if she could. She..." Apple Bloom ran out of steam as her own words hit home.
Trixie put a hoof on her shoulder. "Sounds like you're not just yelling at Applejack, are you?"
"I-" Apple Bloom sighed. "No, I'm not. I'm sorry... Mom."
Applejack hugged her kid. "I'm sorry, too. I should've told the truth from day one. Darn foolish of me to keep it from you."
"I didn't react too good, did I?" Apple Bloom asked, returning the hug. Tears stung her eyes.
"You reacted as best you could, given what you found out."
The embrace lasted for several long minutes. Then, reluctantly, Applejack pulled back. She faced Trixie. "I guess I owe you an apology as well."
Trixie blushed. "No, there's no need to apologize. You weren't wrong to say I've done horrible things."
"Don't mean it was right to hold it against you." Applejack stubbornly insisted. "Tell you what, why don't you come with us back to Sweet Apple Acres? I'll cook up a big dinner and you can get re-introduced to the rest of the family."
It was Trixie's turn for tears to come. "That sounds nice."
"Well come on, then." The three of them started toward the orchard, Applejack leading the way.
"So, Applejack." Trixie said.
"Yeah?"
"If me and Apple Bloom are sisters, does that make you my step-mom?" She asked, voice full of mischief.
Applejack groaned. "Let's just get through dinner first, ok? We'll see where it goes from there."
Apple Bloom couldn't help but laugh.