//------------------------------// // Interlude // Story: Letting Go Of The Reins // by applebatofalltrades //------------------------------// Interlude ~~~đŸŒ±~~~ The world stopped turning. The entire planet Earth ceased to move. That’s 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 hadn’t 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 Applejack’s worn lucky hat. She couldn’t let it go. She just couldn’t. Next to her, the sofa dipped. Apple Bloom lazily glanced over to see Apple Crumble take a seat next to her. She didn’t 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 couldn’t 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.  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 hadn’t they taken her, too? “Bloom?” Apple Bloom blinked, realizing she had been staring at her cousin. She cleared her throat and shakily responded, “Yeah?” “How are you?” What a dumb question. Apple Bloom’s fingers curled tighter around the hat, crumpling the brim. “Fine.” Crumble squinted. “Are ya sure?” “Uh-huh,” 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.  “Yes, Crumble. I feel just fine right now, not knowin’ what’s goin’ on with my sister and bein’ stuck here all useless.” Her tone must have come out too harsh judging by Crumble’s wince. “Sorry. It’s just
 you’ve been here since ya got back. I just wanna make sure you’re alright.” Apple Bloom tried to be mad but ultimately gave up and sighed into her self-embrace. With the exhale, her body loosened a bit. “I know. I’m sorry. It means a lot, Crumble, I’m just a bit
 scared.” “Ya got every right to be, Bloom,” Crumble responded, daring to give her cousin a side hug. “But Applejack’ll be fine. She’s tough as bricks, right?” Wordlessly, Apple Bloom nodded. “They just gotta make her feel better first.” Apple Crumble put a hand on top of Apple Bloom’s. “My friend’s uncle was in a similar situation, but after some time, he was back on his feet an’ ridin’ broncs like there was no tomorrow” Apple Bloom chuckled dryly. “Either he’s the bravest man I ever heard of or the stupidest.” In return, Crumble chortled. “I know right! Anyway, my point is that she’ll be fine. An’ I’m sure they’ll be callin’ soon.” “Yeah, you’re right,” the young girl responded airily. Her resolve hardened and she shook her head to bring herself back. “You’re right. Applejack’s never met a problem she couldn’t solve. She’ll
 she’ll be fine.” Crumble nodded eagerly and wrapped Apple Bloom in a half hug. “Hey, no need to tell me twice! I’ve seen her get up from worse, an’ I’m sure you have too.” “Yeah,” Apple Bloom muttered. “Yeah, she has. Dunno how she’s still up an’ at ‘em but she’s always been tough! I wanna be like her.” 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. “I keep thinkin’ something bad happened,” she admitted quietly. Her fists unclenched as she stared at the long fingers that attached to them. “I just
 I got this feelin’, this
 pit in my stomach when she fell an’... an’ didn’t get back up.” As she blinked, she saw the memory flash in her mind. Squeezing her eyes shut tighter didn’t 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, “I dunno what to do, Crumble. I got that offer from that program, but if somethin’ bad happened to my sister, I just can’t go.” “I’m not too sure what to tell ya, to be honest with ya, Bloom.” Crumble propped her feet up on the couch and tucked her knees into her arms. “I guess it’s a choice y’all 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 doesn’t hafta come to that.” Apple Bloom frowned and rubbed her cheek with an outstretched hand. “Yeah, me neither. I don’t wanna go if it’s somethin’ not good, y’know? I can’t leave my sister in that case, but it’s also just a
 once in a lifetime opportunity. I don’t wanna miss out on that either.” After a moment of painful silence, Apple Crumble shifted her weight on the couch. The rustling of her clothing against the sofa pulled Apple Bloom’s attention to it, and it was then that she noticed just how quiet the house was. Crumble glanced at Apple Bloom. “What do you think she’d tell you to do?” 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. “She’d tell me to do it, I think. No matter what, she wants what’s best for me,” Apple Bloom responded softly. Saying it out loud only made her more sure.  “Exactly,” Crumble responded with a smile. “And hey, don’t worry ‘bout it, okay Bloom? She’ll be alright.” That was true. Apple Bloom knew it was. She’d 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 Bloom’s 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 couldn’t wait to give it back.