Interlude
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The world stopped turning. The entire planet Earth ceased to move.
Thatâs what it felt like, at least, to the young girl. She fiddled with the hat she held tightly in her grip, bending the brim inwards and farther than it was supposed to bend. The soft brown colour, one she had always been so jealous of, mocked her as it reminded her of everything.
Unfocused eyes traipsed over the wooden floor, dancing with the shapes that formed in her field of vision. Her body felt like lead as she sat on the couch, neither comfortable nor uncomfortable under her. At least nobody had really tried to bother her. They understood her desire to be alone.
After she had gotten out of the car, Apple Bloom hadnât been able to unsee it. Every time she blinked, she imagined the dead silence of the arena. The muttering and hushed whispers. The way her family darkened around her. All the energy and excitement that drained out of her body so quickly only made her exhausted, but sleep did not come. How could it?
Apple Bloom sighed and propped her legs up on the cushion, rolling herself into a tiny ball. Her arms clasped around her knees, her hands still clutching tightly to Applejackâs worn lucky hat. She couldnât let it go. She just couldnât.
Next to her, the sofa dipped. Apple Bloom lazily glanced over to see Apple Crumble take a seat next to her. She didnât say anything at first, only smiling briefly at Apple Bloom and rubbing her biceps with unsure hands.
It had been an entire day, and all Apple Bloom could do was sit on the couch. She just couldnât stop thinking about it. It brought her to the nearest place she could sit and left her there. Apple Bloom saw it happen every time she shut her eyes. She saw her sister fall off and not get up. She saw her get stretchered away.Â
And in the silence, she heard the sirens wail. Apple Bloom could practically see them take away Applejack, who was always so strong, limp and helpless on that boxy, loud ambulance. Why hadnât they taken her, too?
âBloom?â
Apple Bloom blinked, realizing she had been staring at her cousin. She cleared her throat and shakily responded, âYeah?â
âHow are you?â
What a dumb question. Apple Bloomâs fingers curled tighter around the hat, crumpling the brim. âFine.â
Crumble squinted. âAre ya sure?â
âUh-huh,â Apple Bloom muttered, turning her gaze to the floorboards she had become so familiar with. Her lips turned up into a snarl, hidden by her forearms. âYes, Crumble. I feel just fine right now, not knowinâ whatâs goinâ on with my sister and beinâ stuck here all useless.â
Her tone must have come out too harsh judging by Crumbleâs wince. âSorry. Itâs just⊠youâve been here since ya got back. I just wanna make sure youâre alright.â
Apple Bloom tried to be mad but ultimately gave up and sighed into her self-embrace. With the exhale, her body loosened a bit. âI know. Iâm sorry. It means a lot, Crumble, Iâm just a bit⊠scared.â
âYa got every right to be, Bloom,â Crumble responded, daring to give her cousin a side hug. âBut Applejackâll be fine. Sheâs tough as bricks, right?â
Wordlessly, Apple Bloom nodded.
âThey just gotta make her feel better first.â Apple Crumble put a hand on top of Apple Bloomâs. âMy friendâs uncle was in a similar situation, but after some time, he was back on his feet anâ ridinâ broncs like there was no tomorrowâ
Apple Bloom chuckled dryly. âEither heâs the bravest man I ever heard of or the stupidest.â
In return, Crumble chortled. âI know right! Anyway, my point is that sheâll be fine. Anâ Iâm sure theyâll be callinâ soon.â
âYeah, youâre right,â the young girl responded airily. Her resolve hardened and she shook her head to bring herself back. âYouâre right. Applejackâs never met a problem she couldnât solve. Sheâll⊠sheâll be fine.â
Crumble nodded eagerly and wrapped Apple Bloom in a half hug. âHey, no need to tell me twice! Iâve seen her get up from worse, anâ Iâm sure you have too.â
âYeah,â Apple Bloom muttered. âYeah, she has. Dunno how sheâs still up anâ at âem but sheâs always been tough! I wanna be like her.â
Both girls smiled at each other for a moment before Apple Crumble brought her hands back to her own arms. The smile they shared each fell away a bit as they broke eye contact. Apple Bloom glanced down to her own hands and the hat she held in them and turned away again. âI keep thinkinâ something bad happened,â she admitted quietly. Her fists unclenched as she stared at the long fingers that attached to them. âI just⊠I got this feelinâ, this⊠pit in my stomach when she fell anâ... anâ didnât get back up.â
As she blinked, she saw the memory flash in her mind. Squeezing her eyes shut tighter didnât make it go away, but it was the only thing that her body could think to do as she hugged the hat closer to her body. Her voice trembled as she went on, âI dunno what to do, Crumble. I got that offer from that program, but if somethinâ bad happened to my sister, I just canât go.â
âIâm not too sure what to tell ya, to be honest with ya, Bloom.â Crumble propped her feet up on the couch and tucked her knees into her arms. âI guess itâs a choice yâall will have to make if it comes to that, but I think you should do what feels right in the moment. I just hope it doesnât hafta come to that.â
Apple Bloom frowned and rubbed her cheek with an outstretched hand. âYeah, me neither. I donât wanna go if itâs somethinâ not good, yâknow? I canât leave my sister in that case, but itâs also just a⊠once in a lifetime opportunity. I donât wanna miss out on that either.â
After a moment of painful silence, Apple Crumble shifted her weight on the couch. The rustling of her clothing against the sofa pulled Apple Bloomâs attention to it, and it was then that she noticed just how quiet the house was. Crumble glanced at Apple Bloom. âWhat do you think sheâd tell you to do?â
What Applejack would tell her to do? Apple Bloom furrowed her brow in thought. Her sister was always so supportive and grounded. She always told Apple Bloom to follow her dreams and to be true to herself. That was what she would say, Apple Bloom was sure. âSheâd tell me to do it, I think. No matter what, she wants whatâs best for me,â Apple Bloom responded softly. Saying it out loud only made her more sure.Â
âExactly,â Crumble responded with a smile. âAnd hey, donât worry âbout it, okay Bloom? Sheâll be alright.â
That was true. Apple Bloom knew it was. Sheâd seen Applejack go through a lot physically and emotionally and she always came right back up. If anything, her sister was an inspiration! There was no longer any doubt in Apple Bloomâs mind that her sister would be okay. She held out the worn but sturdy hat in her hands and stared at it. Memories of her sister winning awards came to mind, replacing all the negative thoughts with a strange surge of optimism, and she smiled shakily.
Apple Bloom just couldnât wait to give it back.