//------------------------------//
// LP67: It's Just Dinner [Slice of Life?] 
// Story: Half Hour Horses: Legacy Prompts 
// by HoofAndQuill 
//------------------------------//



The prompt: Things worth doing together.



"But I don't wanna!  I got other things to do, Applejack!"

Applejack sighed quietly as she set up another barrel of apples for shipping out tomorrow.  "Sugar, it's just dinner.  You'll be out with your friends in an hour or so."

Apple Bloom stamped a hoof.  "But it ain't fair!  Sweetie Belle doesn't have to eat dinner at home every day!  And Scootaloo about never does!"

"That's 'cause Rarity left home soon as she was able, an' pegasus ponies are weird about this an' that."  Applejack tried to keep her voice nice and neutral as she closed up the wagon, and then sat down.

Apple Bloom plopped her rear down on the floor of the barn and rolled her eyes.  When her big sister started sounding like that, she knew darn well she wasn't getting out of it.

"What's got you so worked up, Sugar?  You used to love eatin' dinner with your family."

Apple Bloom scuffed one hoof against the floor.  "It ain't that, Applejack.  I got Crusader business!  There's a new colt at school who doesn't have his cutie mark yet, and we're supposed to be meetin' up to think of a way to help him."

"And that colt'll still be blank tomorrow, probably.  Besides, it's not going to be all night, Sugar.  Just a little bit of time for us, that's all."

Yep, definitely not getting out of it.  Apple Bloom slumped to the floor, with her forelegs splayed out in front of her.  "It ain't fair.  I can eat dinner with y'all any time I want.  I'll do it tomorrow."

Applejack nodded, and looked over the barrels of apples sitting all around the barn, most of which needed proper storage and shipping out to all over Equestria.  "Apple Bloom, I get it, I do.  I got a lot of work left too, an' even an hour or two more would help out a ton."

Apple Bloom waited for the other horseshoe to drop.

"And you're right, you can eat dinner with us any day.  If you want to run off to your Crusaders meetin', you can.  But listen, when I was uh... a little younger than you, I thought the same way.  Didn't want to come back home to some borin' apple orchard.  I even told Granny before, same thing you just said."

Apple Bloom looked up at Applejack, but her big sister was looking aside at the moment.

"Then, uh... one day..."  Applejack trailed off a moment, and then turned to look at Apple Bloom again.  "Listen, Sugar.  Right now you can eat with all of us any time you like.  But one day, you won't be able to anymore.  An' that day, you're gonna wish you'd taken the chance when you could."

"Come on, Applejack.  I know what you're sayin', but Granny isn't that old.  She's always sayin' she's going to be around for a good long while still!  It's just one day!"

Applejack nodded.  "It ain't always age that does it, Sugar.  But you go on ahead, I'll see you when you get back."

Apple Bloom stood up and hugged her sister, before galloping off and out of the barn.

Something stuck in her head though, as she galloped along the trail toward the front gate.  She knew exactly what her sister was talking about.  Ma and Pa had died all of a sudden, and Applejack felt guilty or something.  But it wasn't the same and she ought to know it!

Besides, Applejack missed plenty of dinners when she was off running around and saving Equestria.

It was always kind of weird without her there.  Granny and Mac always seemed worried that she might not come back.  Apple Bloom knew better than that, nothing could beat her big sister, after all.  But sometimes Applejack was off for a week or more, and then even Apple Bloom would start to get worried.

She slowed to a stop, at the gate that marked the edge of Sweet Apple Acres.

Who knows when her sister's cutie mark might call her into some adventure again?  Maybe tomorrow morning, and maybe... maybe she wouldn't...

That was silly.  Applejack wouldn't go missing or anything.  She'd be here tomorrow, and every day, like always.  So would Granny, and Big Mac.

It was silly, but Apple Bloom stopped at the gate, and then turned around.

The Crusaders would be there after dinner.  They knew she always ate with her family, after all, and they'd still have plenty of time to have their meeting.  Right now, she had something more important to do.