Waking up before the sun was up wasn't as bad as some people made it out to be. Applejack found it quite relaxing, actually. The slight murmur of the quiet world outside, the cool air not yet heated by the sun's rays, the quiet song of the crickets as the sky dimmed into the cool shades of twilight. It was more than anything Applejack could ask for.
Running a hand through her loose blonde hair, Applejack looked out the window, already dressed and ready for the day. She tended to wake up before anyone else, so she prematurely brought down clothes from her room the night before and got dressed in the still darkness of the living room. Idle hands played with the ring on her middle finger—a possession once belonging to her mother—as Applejack watched the world outside.
She sighed, gazing at the clouds travelling through the endless expanse of sky.
Applejack caressed her sleeved arm, deciding to roll up the bothersome things and rubbed her bare forearms, warming them up against the slight coolness of the early morning house. The only thing left to do was tie her hair up, and then she could worry about what to do. The cattle outside stirred as the sun grew closer to the horizon.
Certainly, it was something people took for granted. Maybe she did as well if she was being honest. The clear sky and the gentle, silent breeze were something that wasn’t apparent in the city where it was always noisy and polluted. Applejack grabbed the elastic from her wrist and put it in her mouth, holding it between her teeth as her hands brushed through her hair. She decided to tie her locks into a loose ponytail for ease and comfort, unlike the braids she used when she was going out.
Once that was done, Applejack turned away from the window and made her way to the kitchen. There were a lot of things she could make for breakfast, but strangely, she wasn’t feeling like making any of them. Applejack huffed and opened the cupboard, looking for the failsafe. She moved various boxes around until she finally found what she was looking for. Turning the box of pancake mix in her hand, Applejack inspected it, making sure it wasn’t expired. Satisfied with what she saw, she poured a hefty amount into a bowl, finishing up the box, and ran water from the sink into the bowl.
Mixing the concoction until it was as thick as pancake batter should be, Applejack set the stove on and placed two pans on it, spraying them with non-stick spray. After it heated up sufficiently, Applejack poured the batter onto the pan. It sizzled and bubbled. She could only make four at a time so she figured she’d have to be efficient.
As if awakened by the sheer knowledge that breakfast would be ready, Applejack noticed muffled talking from upstairs and then steps coming down. She watched as Apple Bloom and Apple Fritter entered the main floor of the house, each yawning sleepily but with a smile on their faces.
“Mornin’, Applejack!” Apple Bloom greeted as she automatically went to set the table.
“Mornin’, Bloom,” Applejack greeted back. “An’ good mornin’ to you, Fritter. How’d you sleep?”
Apple Fritter stretched her arms upwards. The already loose-fitting pajamas she borrowed from Applejack practically hung off her body as she delivered a long yawn and let her arms fall to the side. “Like a baby, cuz,” she mumbled. “That bed of yours is mighty comfortable. No wonder yer always so well-rested.”
Applejack guffawed. “Darn right, Fritter. Spent a good heap-a money on that mattress, I’d hope it’s good.” She grinned as she turned the pancakes over, admiring the perfect golden colour and the fluffiness already prevailing from the treat.
Her cousin scratched at her green hair. It was amusing to Applejack to see the usually neatly tied hair be so dishevelled, but then again, so was her own hair. As Apple Bloom finished setting the table, Big Mac was the next to come downstairs. Applejack turned to him and waved. “Heya Big Mac!”
“Howdy,” he replied with a wave of his own. “Makin’ pancakes? Box ‘r handmade?”
“Box,” Applejack admitted. “Guess the pull-out ain’t as comfy as I remember. Kinda tired.”
“Smells good,” Big Mac replied with a shrug. “An’ that ol’ thing was never comfortable, AJ.”
Applejack shrugged, checking under the pancakes to make sure they weren’t burning. She flipped them onto two plates and handed them to Apple Bloom. “Now, you know the rules, Bloom. Guests first, alright?”
Apple Bloom nodded, though she licked her lips as she gazed at the pancakes. “Yup, I remember.”
The rest of the pancakes went by with about as much hassle as the first set. Not long after Applejack finished the pancakes for her brother, Granny Smith emerged from her room on the ground floor and sat down at the table, already initiating conversation with the family. Applejack smiled as laughter erupted from the table, and the sounds of happy eating floated through the air.
Finally, her own pancakes were ready, and Applejack sat down with her family. Though Apple Fritter and Big Mac were already done with their servings, each member of the family stayed at the table to listen to the conversation at hand. Applejack chewed wordlessly, completely enthralled by Granny Smith’s story.
“... and that’s how we started ranchin’, unlike the rest of our family,” she finished with a smile and a gulp of her apple juice.
Apple Bloom gasped in awe. “Wow. So, Great Uncle Stem got ran over by a stampedin’ calf and that’s when he decided that we’d be the ones keepin’ cattle?”
“Well,” Big Mac interjected, “there was a little more to it’n that, Bloom.”
Applejack nodded. The story that Granny told was certainly a lot more complex than that, but she figured it’d be pointless to re-explain it for her sister. She got it mostly right, anyway. Instead, she turned to her grandmother and smiled. “That’s kinda funny, Granny. I can’t imagine any of our animals hurtin’ us like that. Least, not on purpose.”
Granny Smith waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, the way I remember it, it wasn’t the calf’s fault. Ol’ Uncle Stem was botherin’ the poor thing, is all.” She pointed a fork at the others. “Y’all best be careful ‘round the animals. No matter if it’s yer own horse. Anythin’ spooks a big animal like a cow or a horse ‘n you’re in for a heap of trouble if y’ain’t lucky,” she warned.
Despite already knowing it, Applejack nodded. There was nothing wrong with a little extra warning, especially for Apple Bloom who enjoyed being around the cattle and the sheep so much. She glanced at the younger girl who nodded seriously, then cracked a smile at Apple Fritter.
“Wow. Seems a lot more dangerous’n bein’ a regular ol’ farmer,” she gulped with a nervous smile.
Applejack shrugged. “I reckon it can be, but if you’re careful it ain’t too bad. Kinda the same as havin’ horses,” she pointed out. “Ya just gotta know how to treat ‘em.”
Apple Fritter nodded. “Still, y’all always amaze me, cuz. We have sheep and a few cows back at our farm for milkin', but nothin’ like the animals y’all have here. Certainly no more than one bull.”
“Well, ain't nothin' bad gonna happen, Fritter," Applejack reassured her with a smile. "Just ain't. 'Sides, Macky there is a hell of a bull rider. I'm sure he can take on a buckin' bronco." Applejack smirked with a snort. "Hell, all of us can. Even li'l Bloom's had her share of steer ridin'."
Apple Bloom nodded. "Yup! It's real fun, though I don't really like to fall. Kinda hurts," she admitted. "I only do it sometimes."
"Speakin' of things ya only do sometimes," Granny cut in, "it's about time ya get to school, Bloom!"
With a squeal, Apple Bloom turned to Granny Smith. "W–Granny! I do my homework all the time!"
Applejack crossed her arms. "Then why'd your teacher call to say ya didn't give in your assignment?"
Apple Bloom looked down bashfully. "Well, I mighta forgotten just the one time…"
~~~~🍎~~~~
"That's a real fancy school ya got there, li'l cuz," Apple Fritter said with a whistle. "A lot nicer'n the school my li'l sisters go to."
Apple Bloom shrugged. "I guess, but I wish it wasn't so far," she admitted as she toyed with the straps of her backpack. "Wish I could be homeschooled like AJ and Mac were."
"You were," Applejack reminded her. "Up 'til junior high. This school ain't that far, Bloom. It's the closest school to us. Only a forty-minute drive an' it's close to the city."
Apple Bloom pouted, looking out the window where groups of kids her age to a bit younger than Applejack herself gathered. A few of them waved at Apple Bloom, who returned the wave shyly before turning back to her relatives. "It ain't fair, you didn't have to go to real school 'til ya was, like, sixteen!"
"An' Mac didn't get to at all," Applejack responded sternly. "Luckily, Pa was a real good teacher an' made up for the fact that we didn't have a school nearby. They only built this school a few years ago, y'know."
"I know," Apple Bloom grumbled.
Apple Fritter reached from the backseat to ruffle Apple Bloom's red hair. "Go on, get to school, cuz. Don't wanna miss any more assignments."
Jumping out of the car, Apple Bloom groaned. "It was one time!" she shrieked as she shut the door and trudged to the front of the school, leaving Apple Fritter and Applejack laughing in the car.
Apple Fritter snorted behind Applejack and gave her a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Well, thanks for havin' me over last night, cuz. 'N for takin' care of Dory. And for the cheque." At the mention of the last thing, she gave an awkward smile.
"That's what family's for, Fritter," Applejack replied with a grin as Apple Fritter took it upon herself to climb to the front seat. As Apple Fritter buckled her seatbelt, Applejack began the drive out of the schoolyard, conscious of some of the glances they were receiving. She snorted in amusement. "Ya'd think they'd never seen anyone from outside the city, huh?"
"Well that's just silly, don'tcha think, cuz?" Apple Fritter chuckled and looked at the school growing smaller behind them. "They basically go to school at the very edge of the city."
Applejack snorted. "True. I just hope the kids ain't teasin' Bloom or nothin'," she worried aloud. "Kids are silly; they like to make fun of what's different."
The engine hummed as Apple Fritter stayed quiet, probably thinking of something to say. Finally, she sighed and put her hands behind her head, leaning against the car seat more casually. "I don't think so, cuz. Ya see those kids who waved at her? They seemed nice," she pointed out. "'N I'm sure she'd tell ya if'n there was anyone teasin' her."
Applejack's grip on the steering wheel loosened a bit as she considered what her cousin said. She sighed. "I guess you're right. I'm just gettin' myself all worked up over nothin'." Applejack frowned as she gazed at the outer city limits turn into farmland as they headed back toward the rural areas of the city. "Kids were nothin' short of nasty to me when I went to school there, so I reckon I'm just worried."
With a nod, Apple Fritter put her hand on Applejack's shoulder. "See? Now you're gettin' it. Though, why were they makin' fun of ya?"
"Hell if I know," Applejack said with a shrug. She laughed suddenly, bringing a hand to her face to cover an eye as she did so, though she made sure it wouldn't impede her driving. "I guess it wasn't much of a problem with where I came from an' more of a me problem." She gripped the steering wheel again, her voice growing colder. "'Cause bein' different never stopped Strawberry from makin' fun of me."
The air grew thick between both girls. They both stayed silent as they drove for a few minutes. Applejack bit her lip, regretting the sudden change in mood, but before she could say anything, Apple Fritter spoke up.
"I'm sorry to hear that, cuz. I never knew she was like that," she admitted, stroking her grassy green hair. "She just seems so nice now. Apart from y'all's arguin' 'n stuff. I can't imagine her ever havin' been a bully."
And maybe she wasn't anymore. Applejack had considered that. But even when she had tried to see the best in Strawberry, something would remind her of why she didn't like her in the first place. She scowled. "I guess ya just don't know her like I do."
Apple Fritter looked away. "Naw, cuz. I think you don't know her like I do. Really. But that's alright."
The reminder of the conversation they had had the night before brought almost a sense of guilt to Applejack. She had gotten so worked up, but at least Apple Fritter was smart enough to just walk away. Absent-mindedly, Applejack stroked the brim of her Stetson and exhaled deeply through her nose.
"So, are ya goin' to the Appleoosa Rodeo in two weeks?" Applejack asked, hoping to tone down the uncomfortable energy in the car. "Hear it's got some great prize money up for grabs an' the arena is pretty cool."
The subject change wasn't at all subtle, but Applejack figured that neither of them would care as long as they could talk about something else. She seemed to be right as Apple Fritter nodded. "Sure am, cuz. Ain't too far from my place, anyway."
That pleased Applejack. She smiled, happy that at least one of her cousins would be there… but if it was meant to be in Appleoosa… “Hey, do ya think Candy’ll be there? Or Braeburn? I’ve been itchin’ to see ‘em.” She glanced back at her cousin for a brief moment before setting her eyes back on the road, adjusting her speed to the long expanse of empty back roads.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole lot of ‘em showed up, cuz,” Apple Fritter replied with a slight bounce to her voice. Applejack assumed she was holding in a giggle. “Would be nice to see ‘em. Brae has the most handsome stallion, don’t he?”
Applejack nodded, fondly remembering the black and white stallion that Braeburn, as a bullfighter, always rode around on. “He sure does. Can’t wait to see ‘im out on the job, he’s always so fun to watch during bull ridin’ what with his bullfightin’ an’ all. I hope Macky won’t need his help though,” she guffawed. “Bet that Brae wouldn’t let ‘im ever hear the end of it.”
Apple Fritter nodded as they kept reminiscing about the last time they saw their family members and their horses. Applejack turned on the radio halfway through the ride and for the rest of the last hour, they sang songs together as they careened down the empty roads.
By the time Applejack’s truck hit a familiar dirt road and a sign to indicate Apple Fritter’s home, they had just finished the latest song, which was nothing short of perfect timing. Applejack slowed to a stop and turned to her cousin with a content smile. “Well, always nice to see ya, Fritter.”
Unbuckling her seatbelt, Apple Fritter returned the smile. “Pleasure’s always mine, cuz. ‘Specially for all your help,” she admitted with a blush. “Sorry to make you drive all this way, I know it’s a long two-hour drive back now. I didn’t mean to take up all your time, AJ.”
Applejack waved her hand dismissively. “Nothin’ doin’, really. I’ll be back in time for lunch, so it ain’t a big deal. Mac can handle the animals just fine, trust me.”
“Alright, well then I’d best be goin’, then. Don’t wanna take up too much of your time now,” Apple Fritter responded as she stepped out of the vehicle and shut the door behind her. With a friendly wave, she peered back into the truck. “Thanks again, cuz. I’ll see ya on Wednesday! I’ll be around to pick up Dory then if that’s alright. I know I said the weekend, but...”
Applejack flashed her a thumbs-up as she began to walk away. “Sounds good, Fritter. Text me how the repairs go, alright?”
“Yup! See ya soon, cuz,” she called to her. “Have a good weekend!”
“You too!”
Setting the truck to reverse, Applejack peered behind her on the off chance that one of their cats would be there. Once she deemed it safe to reverse, Applejack turned around and started driving back. She put the music on a little louder and sang along as she started the drive back, happy to have helped.