Little Bits

by Loganberry

Reshelving (flashfic; Slice of Life; Applejack/Twilight)

“Somethin’ wrong, Twi?”

“Tell me something, Applejack. You’ve known me since I arrived in Ponyville. Have I changed?”

Applejack grimaced, rubbed the back of her neck and looked away.

“I want you to be honest.”

Looking back, Applejack raised an eyebrow and grinned crookedly. “Do you now?”

“Yes.” Twilight picked up a book, glancing at its cover. She took a gulp of air. “Please don’t make me wait.”

“Well then,” said Applejack, “I reckon you have changed some. You could be a mite tetchy back in the day.”

“Tetchy?!”

Applejack chuckled. “Maybe not the best word. But you’d have some mighty sharp comebacks sometimes. Took us a while to get used to that. All gone now, though.”

She smiled. Twilight did not.

“That’s a compliment, sugarcube. You’ve learned so much more about everything since.”

Twilight shelved the book. In a small voice, she said, “I know.”

Applejack hugged her close.

Author's Note:

My non-competitive entry (because I was the judge!) for the March 2018 edition of Flashfic 150, which had the prompt "What You Leave Behind". Feedback suggested it was too obscure in conveying its message, that Twilight misses the simpler life she had in her pre-royalty days, but despite that I've left the piece exactly as it was for inclusion here.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

I admit, the deeper meaning of the piece flew right over my head on the first read through. Still, once I knew what to look for, it was very powerful indeed.

[Loganberry]

8826047
Thanks! That's encouraging, since it suggests a bit of tweaking was what was needed, rather than a wholesale revamp.