Dawn and Gummy began on the path to Sweet Apple Acres. It didn't take long at all to get there, but the amount of walking to get across town was starting to wear on Dawn. Trying hard to think about the old café, the preparations she could get done, and the nap she could take, the unicorn kept quiet and plastered a fake smile on her face. She lifted her head high once more and saw, just as Twilight had said, that there was a big red barn that was impossible to miss.
The duo continued up the path until they came to the gate. They stopped to look on as two very different mares raced each other across the yard. Skidding to a stop, the locals turned on their heels and bucked a pair of apple trees on the edge of the field. Bushels of apples fell in buckets surrounding the base of the tree, and then each mare went to inspect her own collection of baskets.
"Well here goes something," Dawn muttered, mustering up a little pizzaz before greeting the two residents. She approached them carefully and introduced herself. "Hello, my name is Pinkamenia Dawn Pie---." She was promptly cut off from her greeting as the two mares had reached out their right forehoof to her and were now shaking both of her front hooves fiercely.
"Well, howdy-doo, Miss Pinkamenia, a pleasure makin' your acquaintance. I'm Apple Jet, and this here's my sister, Rainbow Zap." The orange one greeted with an awfully heavy accent. She was a blonde-maned pegasus, and with the way she kept her hair, you could tell she was a racer. She let her mane fall loose, quite ragged and wind blown, but she kept her tail in a braid, much like her sister.
The cyan mare interjected, "You know it's legally Dash, not Zap." She was an earth pony with a rainbow colored apple on her flank. She also had a rainbow mane and tail tied up in braids, with a classic cowpony hat sitting on top of her head.
"And who calls you that?" Apple Jet retorted, turning to look at her sister. "It's a part of you more than Dash." She spit out the last word as if it were rotten.
Apple Jet returned back to the newbie, whose front hooves were still vibrating despite the fact that neither mare was shaking her hooves anymore. The pegasus' expression returned to the happy-go-lucky style that it had been before, her emerald eyes dazzling with acceptance. "We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends!"
"Friends? Uh-". Dawn was cut off guard as Gummy forcefully stopped her shaking forehooves.
"So what can we do for you?" Rainbow asked, taking control of the conversation.
"Well, I am here to supervise the Summer Sun Celebration." Dawn replied. She mentally sighed, getting her mind back on track. She had a task to complete and she had a (self-imposed) deadline to meet. "You are in charge of the food, correct?"
"We sure as sugar are! Would you care to sample?" The pegasus offered.
Dawn nodded. "As long as it's not too much trouble, though just seeing the variety should be adequate."
"Oh, you got to try the goods the family made." The rainbow-maned one insisted, grabbing Dawn and rushing her over to a nearby gazebo with a picnic table underneath it.
Meanwhile, Apple Jet called towards the house. "Soup's on everypony!"
More ponies then Dawn thought even lived in Ponyville rushed out of the house, barn, and in from the fields. Each pony carried a food item of some sort, and they eagerly gathered around the table (Although there was no way in Equestria they could all fit around it like a normal family).
Suddenly a figure popped up to Dawn's right. "Now, why don't I introduce y'all to the Apple family?" The blonde pony asked, though it was more of a statement.
"Thanks, but there's really no need to--". Dawn started as Gummy sat down next to her.
Ms. Jet ignored the pleas of the unicorn and started the naming of her family members. "This here's Apple Fritter. Apple Bumpkin. Red Gala. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp..." She stopped to take a breath. "Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith. Up'n'attem, Granny Smith, we got guests."
The old green made wobbled out of her rocking chair. "Wha..? Soup's on? I'm up, here I come, ahm comin'."
'Wait. Rocking chair? When had that gotten there?'. Dawn thought nervously.
"Why, I'd say you're already part of the family!" Rainbow Zap exclaimed, throwing her hoof around the unicorn's neck in a friendly manner.
That comment made Dawn spit out the apple juice she hadn't quite realized she'd been drinking. One of the Apples must have given it to her. She promptly removed Rainbow's hoof with her magic and backed away from the table. "Okay, well, I can see the food situation is handled," She started, trying to make her departure totally natural. "So we'll be on our way."
The small yellow filly, Dawn believed her name was Apple Blossom or something, looked up at the pink pony with big puppy dog eyes. "Aren't you gonna stay for brunch?"
Dawn found it hard to turn down such a cute little foal. "...But we have an awful lot to do..."
The whole family let out a unanimous disappointed sigh. Mothers, Fathers, sisters, brothers, distant cousins, and not one of them wanted to see her leave. Did they seriously consider her part of the family already? How could she possibly hope to resist that kind of community?
It.....it was almost a party.
"...fine."
The whole Apple family cheered, before bringing out yet another round of delicious treats.