“Apple Bloom, hoof me that box over there,” Applejack commanded as she steadied herself on the ladder, and pointed one hoof at the one box sitting on the floor.
“I gotta put that in the attic. After that, we’re all done cleaning the barn for summer,” Applejack added as she gave the open barn one final scrutinizing gaze from the top of the stares.
“Then I can go see my friends?” Apple Bloom asked anxiously as she carefully craned her neck upwards so that the box on her head was within Applejack’s reach. “‘Cause I haven’t had a chance to get your birthday gift, yet.”
Applejack could hear the anxiety in her voice, and the ruffling of the loose hay under Apple Bloom’s hooves as she fidgeted in place. Applejack couldn’t help but laugh softly as she reached a hoof under the box, and began to push it off of Apple Bloom’s head, and onto the ladder.
“You shoulda’ done that earlier. It’s not like you didn’t know when it was,” Applejack pointed out with a smirk as she pushed the box up the stairs, and towards the hole into the loft.
“After all, I got your birthday gift days ago,” Applejack lectured as she finished pushing the box into the loft, and began planning where she would stash it.
“I’ve been pretty busy recently,” Apple Bloom protested as she stomped a hoof, and puffed out her cheeks. “When I’m not working here on the farm, I’ve been working with my friends to find our Cutie Marks. And, then there was the Equestria Games tryouts last week, and all the homework from Twilight Time -- Twilight’s been riding us heavier since we filled her library with Cake a couple of days ago...”
“You just gotta make time for these things,” Applejack pointed out sensibly as she climbed into the loft so that she could push the box into an open corner.
“I’ve been pretty busy too. Don’t forget I got a lot of responsibilities to my friends too. It’s just about makin’ time for your friends, and your kin,” Applejack objected as she finished pushing the box into place, and made a beeline for the ladder.
“Look on the bright side little sis, at least we were lucky enough to both be born on April 30th… That means we only gotta do three birthdays a year, and not four,” Applejack jovially chuckled as she climbed down the ladder, and then playfully bumped Apple Bloom’s cheek with a hoof.
“How did we end up with the same birthday, anyway?” Apple Bloom asked as something occurred to her.
“I’ve never heard of two relatives sharing a birthday before,” Apple Bloom pointed out as she looked upwards, and stuck her tongue out in an obvious sign of how hard she was thinking about the question.
Applejack paused for a second as she tried to consider how much information to divulge. “If I recall correctly: Ma and Pa did a pie route to Manehatten every May -- so I guess they just got lucky,” Applejack managed to spit out with a shrug of her withers.
“If you recall?” Apple Bloom asked with a concerned expression written clearly on her face.
“Well… That time of my life is kinda blurry,” Applejack admitted with a deep blush as she rubbed a hoof in her mane.
“Granny says a cow kicked me in the head,” Applejack continued despite Apple Bloom’s aghast look and gaping jaw.
“I don’t remember it -- of course. But, I believer her. I remember Mootilda used to be a firebrand back when she was a heifer. And, I used to practice my rodeo with her all the time,” Applejack continued as she tried to recall anything more. However, there simply wasn’t much else. That wasn’t to say she didn’t remember anything from those months, but most memories had needed to be remembered a thread at a time months later.
Applejack gave her sister one final smile, only to notice the concerned look still written on her little sister’s face. “Don’t you worry about that, Apple Bloom. Time heals everything…. So rather than worrying about me, you should be worryin’ about hanging out with your friends, instead,” Applejack said soothingly, as she gave Apple Bloom a soft push with her hoof. The small yellow filly quickly caught her footing and shot her big sister one final nod, and a smile before she dashed off towards the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse.
It was pushing dinner by the time Apple Bloom returned to the barn. On her face, she wore a huge, and triumphant smile. “Well, looks like somepony was successful,” Applejack praised with a large smile beaming on her face.
“Sure did. You’re gonna love the gift me and my friends made!” Apple Bloom cheered as she quickly wiped her hooves on the welcome mat.
“Great,” Applejack agreed.
“So, why don’t you go wash your hooves and then set the table. Dinner’s gonna be ready in a couple of minutes,” Applejack requested as she carefully flipped the hay-steaks in the frying pan.
“Will do, sis,” Apple Bloom agreed as she cantered over to the cupboard, and began to pull dishes out of it. “So, sis…” Apple Bloom reluctantly said as a new thought crossed her mind.
“What’s up, Apple Bloom?” Applejack curiously asked.
“So, I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier… And, I thought maybe I could stay home alone whenever Granny and Big Mac go out? I mean, then you could spend the time you take foalsitting me on other tasks,” Apple Bloom nervously pointed out in a slightly hushed voice.
“Hmm,” Applejack pondered as she rubbed her chin.
“I suppose you are gettin’ older... And, it wouldn’t hurt you to stay alone for a coupl’a hours at a time… But, I gotta talk it over with Granny Smith, and Big Mac. Still, I suppose Ma and Pa let me go to Manehatten alone to stay with the Oranges...” Applejack offered.
“I’m surprised Ma didn’t go with you to Manehatten. Wasn’t Aunt Orange her sister?” Apple Bloom pondered as she voiced a question she’d always had about Applejack’s Cutie Mark story.
Applejack could feel a slight headache building at the back of her head as she considered the answer to the question. Her headaches were a condition she’d been dealing with since she was a little filly. Applejack had never fully understood what the doctors had told her about them. But, she knew that she’d been having these from time to time since that cow kicked her in the head.
“Huh, that’s a good question,” Applejack admitted before she shrugged her withers. “I guess Ma and Pa just wanted me to have some space to find my own identity.”
“It’s still better than the time Mac and I tried to take the farm from Granny Smith. That one ended with Big Mac in the hospital… Yeah, I should’a talked to Ma and Pa before I tried that stunt,” Applejack offered with a healthy laugh.
“What? The hospital? When did this happen?” Apple Bloom sputtered as she forgot about the plates sitting on her back, and her attention was now set on Applejack.
Applejack tried not to think about her building headache, which had grown quite a bit worse with this new question.
“It was a bit before you were born,” Applejack explained as she then stirred the gravy pan on another burner.
“It’s a long tale. I’ll tell you about it another time. But, let’s just say that Ma and Pa were pretty hooves off that time too,” Applejack admitted with a warm chuckle.
“I guess they trusted us to make our own decisions a lot sooner than Granny, Mac, and I have with you,” Applejack conceded, this time with a hint of hesitance.
“Anyway dinner’s ready, so we can talk about all these things later,” Applejack offered as she pulled the potatoes off of the stove, and walked them over to the sink so that she could drain and mash them.
It was still dark when Applejack’s eyes slowly opened. Eagerly she stretched out as she put her mind towards everything she had to do that day. “Happy Honesty Day,” she told herself with a stifled giggle as she rolled off of the bed, and walked over to the other side of the room, where the hat rack sat on the wall.
“No better day to turn one year older,” Applejack decided with a smile as she pulled her hat down from the rack with a hoof, and plopped it onto her head.
Applejack mechanically walked to the stairs. She’d done this trip hundreds of times. She knew the feel of every stair in the stairway and could do it all by heart. Her path next took her through the family room. The room’s smell of old books was one Applejack had smelled since she was very little. She knew the faint scent of apples that also lingered in the quaint room from its proximity to the kitchen.
Applejack actually didn’t need to look where she stepped. Memories and love guided her way past Granny Smith’s rocker, which was parked by the staircase and, the couch by the far door. Every painting, from the portrait of a scenic mountain to the Equestrian Gothic painting, marked the hallway towards the plain wooden rimmed arch that would lead her to the end of her journey. The kitchen...
Gotta start Bloom’s ninth birthday out right, Applejack told herself as she carefully lit the pilot light for the stove, and contemplated which breakfast to make.
Maybe Bloom would like Chocolate Chip Pancakes? Applejack pondered as she carefully stepped on the Bellows a few times to help stoke the heat of the stove a little.
Maybe I should ask Big Mac? Applejack continued, only to come to a realization…
Speaking of which, where is Big Mac? He should be up by now? Applejack asked herself as she reversed her course to return upstairs to check if Big Mac had overslept.
In all of Applejack’s years, she couldn’t remember a single time Big Mac had ever overslept. He had never failed to be a hard worker… Whereas Applejack had decided to try the fancy life in Manehatten… a decision she always regretted -- even if it did end in her Cutie Mark.
Gently Applejack rapped on Big Mac’s door. She didn’t want to be too loud. After all, Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were allowed to sleep a bit longer because of their ages. “Mac, are you awake?” Applejack gently whispered as she pushed open the door to her big brother’s room.
“I know it’s a bit sudden… B-But, I can’t keep lying about it...” Applejack’s usually mute brother grimly mumble to a doll that sat silently on the floor across from the red stallion.
“I-I got to tell you the truth. I-If I don’t, it’s gonna eat a hole in me,” Big Mac somberly continued, only to suddenly grow silent as he heard the soft snickering of his little sister.
“Sorry for interrupting you,” Applejack acknowledged with a another snicker.
“I wanted to wake you. But now: I gotta know, who’s the lucky mare?” Applejack asked through a giant cheshire smile as she bumped Big Mac in the side with one of her hooves. While it was a silly thing for the stallion to do, Applejack was happy to see him try to get his words out -- especially, if this was a sign that Big Mac was working up the courage to propose to some lucky filly friend.
“Eenope… It’s nothing,” Big Mac managed to mumble before he quickly went silent. He then stared down at the ground with a shamed looked, that reminded Applejack of the expression she’d seen Apple Bloom give her when the filly had broken Granny Smith’s favorite plate.
Well, it ain’t a confession of love… so what is this about? Applejack asked herself before she trotted over to stand next to Big Mac.
“Is it something you want to talk about?” Applejack asked as she put a foreleg around the stallion’s withers.
“Eenope…” Big Mac responded with a shake of his head. Still, Applejack waited a few moments to see if the big stallion would change his mind.
“Actually, Sis?” Big Mac mumbled in a soft tone filled with hesitance.
“What’s up? ‘Cause you know you can talk to me about anythin’,” Applejack asked eagerly as she scrutinized the stallion’s face for some kind of clue about what he was about to say.
“If you lie to a pony for years, -- and they don’t know you’re lying -- and lying to them does them some good, is it still wrong to lie to them?” Big Mac finally asked, before his words went completely quiet, again.
“Do you remember the ‘Flim-Flac’ brother’s Miracle Tonic?” Applejack reminded him.
“Even lying for a good reason doesn’t do anypony any good.” Applejack pointed out as she made a point to keep her eyes on Big Mac.
“Now, what’s this all about?” Applejack inquired as she continued to scrutinize the large red stallion.
Big Mac noticeably avoided eye contact as his eyes averted away from Applejack, and towards the door several times. “It ain’t anything…” Big Mac answered. However, Applejack continued to stare at the stallion -- who was now beginning to noticeably sweat -- as she waited for the real explanation.
”Oh look at the time. I gotta go,” Big Mac suddenly pointed out as he dashed out the door.
What the hay is going on? Applejack asked herself as she watched her older brother gallop away like his tail was on fire.
Applejack eagerly trotted into the barn. Whimsically she whistled a tune as she carried the punch bowl and the record player on her back. Applejack’s whistling was interrupted, however, as she noticed Rarity was standing at the back table, both snickering and reading a magazine intently while unpacking the presents from her saddlebags with her magic.
“What’s so funny?” Applejack asked as she walked behind Rarity, and craned her neck a bit to the left so that she could see whatever Rarity was reading.
“Prince Blueblood dyes his mane, and eyes?” Applejack read out loud.
“I know, isn’t it hilarious,” laughed Rarity. “He’s trying to give his eyes an azure tinge but has come out as a pantone hue.”
“Why’s this news?” Applejack couldn’t help but ask. She literally didn’t understand what was so salacious about a pony dying their mane, and changing their eye color. “And aren’t they both orange?”
Rarity quickly coughed and blushed. “Darling, look at the mane, and eye color. It clashes horribly with the manestyle he is trying to achieve. It just highlights his lack of any fashion sense,” Rarity explained in her usual slightly condescending tone.
“I just don’t see it.. dark orange eyes, and dark red manes ain’t that odd. Lots’a ponies got those colors,” Applejack disputed with a shake of her head before she decided to move the conversation along. “And besides that, I thought you and Blueblood were getting along now.”
“Oh darling, we are,” Rarity insisted with a forced laugh, and a nervous bat of her mane. ”A lady never holds a grudge. And besides, we both agreed not to fight whenever we meet -- it made launching a zeppelin together much easier.”
Applejack could only roll her eyes. It seemed that the prince hadn’t gotten over being splattered with cake. And, Rarity hadn’t gotten over being used as a pony cake shield. It seemed Applejack had been lucky. She’d left that evening without the prince even noticing she existed...
“Anyways, thanks for coming early to help, Rarity,” Applejack said with a grateful smile. “But, could you do me another favor?” Applejack asked nervously.
“You know you can ask me anything... except to get wet, or dirty,” Rarity stated calmly as she raised her head, and gave Applejack a confident smile.
“Big Mac was actin’ weird earlier, and I wanted to know if you’ve heard anythin’? I know you hear more things around town then I do. He was sayin’ something about lying to somepony… But for the life of me, I can’t think who that could be,” Applejack admitted with a worried expression written on her face.
“I can’t say I have,” Rarity admitted with a slightly stunned look on her face. “Did he, perhaps, give some kind of hint?”
“I can’t say he --” Applejack started to admit, only to be interrupted by a shaky yell.
“I, don’t worry about it. Mac wasn’t talking about anythin’ important,” Granny Smith yelled from across the room as she struggled to use her walker to walk over to Applejack, and Rarity.
“He was just joshin’ you,” Granny Smith insisted before she slowly turned around, mumbled a vague order to get back to work, and then stumbled off the way she’d come.
“Well, that was… odd” Rarity acknowledged to Applejack with a nervous look.
Applejack swallowed deeply and nodded her agreement.
The barn was abuzz with the laughing of fillies and colts, and the animated chatter of stallions and mares as the dual birthday slowly wound down to the final event of the evening: gift opening. Poor Apple Bloom had spent the whole time trying to figure out what the gifts sitting on the back table were. But, Applejack had held strong. She didn’t want the gifts to be opened until the end of the party. Because in Applejack’s mind, that would draw the party out longer.
Still, Apple Bloom’s impatience had hit its crescendo with the serving of cake. And despite Applejack’s interests, Pinkie Pie had taken that as the signal to start bringing the gifts over to be open. “Open this one next, Apple Bloom! It’s from Applejack!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she bounced over to the yellow filly, and then plopped the gift right in front of the eager filly.
“What is it?” Apple Bloom asked as she hastily tore the paper off of the gift box. Applejack smirked but otherwise provided no answers. With the sound of cardboard being flung open, Applejack’s gift to Apple Bloom quickly succumbed to Apple Bloom’s enthusiasm and revealed its contents.
“Is this a picture of me with Ma and Pa?” Apple Bloom inquired as her scrutinizing gaze flashed up and down the framed photo.
“Sure is. I know you wanted one, I’m sorry it isn’t an authentic photo… I couldn’t find a good photo either. So, I went down to Mr. Photo Edit to have a picture of you added to a picture of Ma and Pa that I found,” Applejack explained as she blushed with embarrassment. It shouldn’t have been difficult to find. Granny Smith kept literally hundreds of family photo albums.
“I hope that’s still ok,” Applejack mumbled as it occurred to her how poorly the gift actually fit what Apple Bloom had asked for.
“It’s ok? Isn’t it Apple Bloom?” Pinkie Pie interrupted as she pulled the two sisters into a tight group hug. “After all, isn’t it the thought that counts?” she added as she shot both sisters a huge smile.
“That’s true...” Apple Bloom conceded, despite the obvious look of disappointment on her face, and the slow tone of her voice... However, her face and smile slowly picked up with each syllable of the sentence, until she was giving Applejack an actually chipper tone, and a big smile. You did your best, and that’s what counts.”
“I guess... ” Applejack mumbled with a blush as she felt the bitter sting of failure.
“Maybe Twilight could help me organize the barn later. I’m sure we could find those photo albums if we had some help organizing,” Applejack considered as she looked upwards toward Twilight Sparkle.
However, Applejack’s gaze deviated a little as she noticed the worried look that Big Mac and Granny Smith tried to shoot each other, without any other pony noticing… It didn’t evade Applejack’s gaze.
Applejack couldn’t help but frown. These secrets were starting to really concern her.
Applejack and Big Mac smiled and waved as the last guest left the barn, and went on their way back home. Apple Bloom would have been waving too -- no doubt -- if she wasn’t in her room with her friends enjoying her post-birthday sleepover.
When Applejack was sure the last guest was just out of earshot, she decided now was the time to voice her concerns. “Big Mac, why have you and Granny been actin’ weird all day?” Applejack asked sternly. The stallion looked away and shuffled his hooves a little.
“And, don’t bother denyin’ it. First, you ask me about lyin’, and then you suddenly deny you said it… Then, Granny Smith tells me to ignore you. And finally, I saw that gaze you and Granny shot each other...” Applejack grumbled as she chose to look off into the distance, rather than stare her brother in the eyes.
“Mac, you know I don’t like secrets… At least, not between us,” Applejack admonished.
“It makes me feel like you and Granny are treatin’ me like a little filly… and, I don’t like it,” Applejack concluded with a stomp of her hoof as she looked back towards the stallion, with a look that garnered no objection.
"Sorry, Applejack, but it’s just - it’s just that you were in a such bad place when it happened," he began to explain as he struggled to collect his thoughts whilst battling an internal ethical dilemma. “It was just so hard to see you like that …”
He tried to put on a brave face for Applejack. But instead, it came off confused which only seemed to worry her more. “The Doctor's thought it’d be best to give you time and it’d be best to forget. To move on with your life ... you know … you were in such a bad place … I was afraid you weres going to break ... but it seems so darn wrong … I wanna tell you but … what’ll happen if I do? … gosh I dunno…”
“Mac, what are you talking about? What’s got you so spooked?” Applejack asked with a slight quiver in her voice.
“Applejack... ” Big Mac started before he gave a gulp. His eyes glazed over as he seemed to consider losing his nerve… However, the demanding gaze of Applejack bartered no backing out. “There wasn’t a cow… you were never kicked as a filly…”
“What? What does that mean?” asked Applejack.
“It means that … Apple Bloom ain’t your sister...” Big Mac continued with a deep gulp and a heavy breath.
Applejack could feel the second headache in two days building. Clearly, the building stress of the last couple of days was agitating her headaches.
“What?!!” Applejack shouted before she regained a semblance of control.
”What are you goin’ on about?” Applejack growled as she looked at Big Mac with a rather strict expression.
“I remember the day she was born… I remember Ma and Pa wrapping her in their warm embrace… So, I ask you again: what are you talkin’ about?” Applejack added as she rubbed her aching temples with both of her front hooves.
Big Mac gulped again. His breath was now heavy, and his body shuddered a little. Quickly the stallion clamped his eyes shut, and he refused to open them. “Apple Bloom ain’t your sister. She’s your daughter,” Big Mac managed to say between shuddering breaths.
Applejack’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Her stern expression had washed off of her face and was replaced by a look of pure befuddlement. Applejack quickly regained her composure, however. She then slapped her forehead with one of her hooves and looked up towards the clouds.
“Mac, how much of the hard cider did you drink tonight?” Applejack said with a laugh. However, her laugh seemed forced, considering her voice carried a more chastising tone.
“You know I don’t like you drinkin’ that stuff, especially when we’re with kin,” Applejack added with a groan… Clearly, she would need to lock that stuff in one of the old barns.
“I didn’t drink any. Your memories ain’t real. Somepony erased your memories,” Big Mac insisted as he took a step back. He could see Applejack’s laughter quickly dry up, and a rather obvious scowl appear on her face.
“What?” Applejack’s icy voice said. Her whole body had grown rigid. The only sign of emotion in her voice, or on her voice was the fact that her eyes were now slightly squinted.
“You went to Manehatten, and then came back pregnant, and with no memory of any of it. The doctors spent months helpin’ you remember what little you could,” Big Mac insisted as he took another three steps away from the invisible fire burning on his sister’s body.
The headache that Applejack was trying not to think about had chosen this moment to remind her of its existence. The painful throbbing aggressively demanded that she acknowledge it, and not what Big Mac had just said.
“Mac, how can you say that about our sister?” Applejack protested. “The sister that Ma and Pa left in our care!”
“Seriously, how can you not remember Ma’s dying words to us?” Applejack pleaded as she tried not to think about her growing headache or agitation. “I remember her pleading with us to care for Apple Bloom for her!”
“Applejack, it didn’t happen,” Big Mac stated plainly as he rallied his courage, and looked Applejack firmly in the eyes. “AJ, ask yourself this: would Ma and Pa even allow you to go to Manehatten on your own?”
Applejack wasn’t sure if it was her agitation or the headache, but she knew that she’d had enough of this conversation.
Applejack snorted and returned Big Mac’s resolve with a stern look of her own. “Big Mac, I don’t know what’s gotten into you. But, this ain’t a funny joke,” Applejack retorted coldly as she made a point to stomp and storm her way around Big Mac, and out the barn doors.
“Now, I’m going to get some fresh air. And, I want you to stay here, and think about just why this here joke ain’t funny,” Applejack concluded as she stormed off towards Ponyville.