Chapter 12: You Wouldn’t Understand
Applejack retired back into the farmhouse after a long day of bucking trees. She was plum tuckered out, and was looking forward to a good rest. Dinner was on the table; apparently Granny Smith had been busy at work while Applejack had been outside. Applejack wandered into the kitchen, catching Granny Smith’s attention.
“What’s fer dinner, Granny Smith?” Applejack asked.
“A fresh garden salad with apple slices,” Granny Smith said, chuckling. “You know, it wouldn’t be an Apple family dinner if the dinner didn’t have no apples in it!”
“Couldn’t agree more,” Applejack said.
“Where’s Big Mac?” Granny Smith said.
“Oh, he’s just finishin’ up outside,” Applejack said. “He’ll be in in a minute. Where’d Apple Bloom run off to?”
“She’s doin’ her homework like a good filly,” Granny Smith said. “Actually, the dinner’s just about ready. Could you go fetch her fer me?”
“Sure thing, Granny Smith,” Applejack said. She left the kitchen and headed upstairs to Apple Bloom’s room.
“Apple Bloom,” Applejack called through the door, “soup’s on!”
“Can ah talk to you fer a second Applejack? Before we go down to eat?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Well sure ya can, Sugarcube. What’s on yer mind?” Applejack asked as she opened the door. She was surprised to see the bags under Apple Bloom’s eyes.
“Apple Bloom, have you not been sleepin’ well?” Applejack asked.
“No, ah haven’t,” Apple Bloom said. “The past couple o’ nights, ah’ve been gettin’ nightmares, and they’re so scary they keep me from fallin’ asleep.”
“Oh, Apple Bloom,” Applejack said, trotting over to her and embracing her. “Nightmares aren’t real. Ya can’t let that stuff get to ya so much.”
“But they’re really scary,” Apple Bloom said.
“Well, why don’t ya tell me one of them?” Applejack asked. “So ah know what yer talkin’ about.”
“Ah don’t wanna think about it,” Apple Bloom said.
“Come now, Sugarcube, talkin’s about the only way to get somethin’ off yer chest, so it isn’t weighing you down no more. Tell yer big sister Applejack about those scary nightmares.”
“Well, if you say so…” Apple Bloom said. “There’s this one that keeps comin’ back. Ah’m lost in the Everfree Forest, and it’s really dark, and the only sound’s the rustlin’ o’ my hoofsteps as ah walk through the forest. All of a sudden ah smell somethin’ really awful, and before ah know it, ah’m surrounded by giant Timberwolves! They’re the size o’ trees, ah swear! Ah crane my neck to look at ’em and ah can barely see their heads. Anyway, there’s usually a small openin’ in between their legs and ah start runnin’, but they’re too fast and they quickly catch up to me, but just before ah get attacked or eaten or somethin’, ah wake up in a cold sweat.”
“Why, that sounds absolutely dreadful,” Applejack said. “If yer havin’ nightmares like that, it’s no wonder ya can’t sleep.”
“Applejack!” Granny Smith called from downstairs. “Are you and Apple Bloom comin’ down fer dinner?”
“In a minute, Granny Smith!” Applejack called back. She then turned to Apple Bloom. “Is there anythin’ ah can do to help you with these nightmares?”
“Well, there is one thing…” Apple Bloom said, “but yer not gonna like it.”
“Why wouldn’t ah like it?” Applejack asked. “Why don’t ya tell me what it is before you start supposin’ ah won’t like it?”
“Okay,” Apple Bloom said. “Well, ah’ve talked to the other Cutie Mark Crusaders about this, and Scootaloo didn’t have much to say, but Sweetie Belle said she used to get nightmares when she was a little filly. She remembers goin’ into her parents’ room to sleep in their bed, and that made the nightmares go away.”
“So you wanna sleep in Granny Smith’s bed?” Applejack asked.
“Ah know Granny Smith wouldn’t like it,” Apple Bloom said. “And ah’m too afraid to ask Big Mac ’cause ah don’t know what he’ll think. So that leaves…”
“Me,” Applejack said.
“But ah was afraid you’d hate the idea, too,” Apple Bloom said, “so ah’ve been nervous all day thinkin’ about tellin’ you. Will ya help me?”
“Of course ah’ll help you, Apple Bloom,” Applejack said with a smile. “What kind of big sister would ah be if ah didn’t?”
“Oh, thank you so much, Applejack!” Apple Bloom shouted, beaming as she hugged her sister tightly around her neck.
“Just one thing, though,” Applejack said, and Apple Bloom’s face returned to one of worry.
“What is it?” Apple Bloom asked.
“We can’t let Granny Smith know about what we’re doin’. Ah don’t think she’d like it very much.”
“Why is that?” Apple Bloom asked. “What’s Granny Smith got against cuddlin’?”
“Ah reckon ah don’t know,” Applejack said. “So we can’t let her find out, you understand?” Apple Bloom nodded.
“Good,” Applejack said. “Now let’s go down to dinner.”
***
Dinner was delicious as usual, with the apple slices adding a fruity flavor to the salad. Soon, it was time for everypony to tuck in for the night. Applejack brought Apple Bloom to her room to keep up appearances around Granny Smith, before tucking in herself in her own room. Granny Smith called goodnight to everypony before shutting the door to her room.
Apple Bloom waited a few minutes to make sure Granny Smith was asleep, then slowly got out of her bed and crept over to Applejack’s room. Applejack had left the door partially open so Apple Bloom could open it without making too much noise. Once Apple Bloom had shut the door behind them, she trotted over to Applejack’s bed and climbed in.
“Are ya comfortable?” Applejack asked as Apple Bloom settled her body against Applejack’s.
“Yep!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, smiling as she snuggled up against her sister.
“Still afraid to go to sleep?” Applejack asked.
“Nope!” Apple Bloom said.
“Well, goodnight then,” Applejack said before closing her eyes.
“Goodnight, Applejack,” Apple Bloom said before shutting her eyes herself.
The two of them were sleeping soundly when suddenly the door opened. Applejack awoke with a stir and rubbed her eyes.
“Who’s wakin’ me up in the middle o’ the night?” she mumbled to herself. She looked to see Granny Smith standing in the doorway, looking confused.
“What’s Apple Bloom doin’ in your bed?” Granny Smith asked.
“What are you doin’ up?” Applejack asked.
“Ever since Apple Bloom first told me about the nightmares, ah’ve been checkin’ on her while she was asleep. Ah was all of a flutter when ah didn’t see her in her bed. Don’t get me wrong, ah’m relieved to see her here safe, but what’s she doin’ snugglin’ up against you?”
The noise of the conversation woke Apple Bloom up. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Granny Smith standing in the doorway. She blushed, realizing she’d been caught in the act.
“Ah don’t see what the big deal is,” Applejack said. “She just told me today she’s been havin’ nightmares and she asked if she could sleep with me in order to calm her down. That’s all that was happenin’.”
“You know ah don’t approve of that,” Granny Smith said. “Apple Bloom, get out of your bed at once and go to yer room!”
“But this is workin’!” Apple Bloom cried. “Ah stopped havin’ the nightmares when ah slept next to mah big sister. Do you want me to have nightmares, Granny Smith?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Apple Bloom,” Granny Smith said, “of course ah don’t want that. But there’s other ways to deal with nightmares that are far better than…this. Ya have to grow up and start actin’ like the big filly that you are.”
“But ah don’t even have my cutie mark yet!” Apple Bloom complained. “How can ah be a big filly without one o’ those?”
“That’s beside the point,” Granny Smith said. “You’re an Apple, and Apples don’t get scared of a bad dream or two. What you two are doin’ is wrong, and it needs to stop.”
“What’s so wrong about it?” Applejack asked. “Ah can’t imagine how snuggling with a family member can be so bad.”
“Because it can lead to other…things,” Granny Smith said.
“What other things?” Applejack asked, confused. Suddenly, a dark shadow passed over Granny Smith’s face and her eyes seemed to lose her sparkle.
“You wouldn’t understand,” she said. “Ah’m sorry ah bothered you.”
“Huh?” Applejack asked.
“There’s nothin’ wrong with you and Apple Bloom,” Granny Smith said. “If it helps with the nightmares, then that’s a good thing. Ah’m sorry.”
“So you’re not mad anymore?” Apple Bloom asked.
“No, Apple Bloom, I’m not,” Granny Smith said.
“Why not?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Ah’d rather not say,” Granny Smith whispered. “Yer far too young. Ah mean, you don’t even have yer cutie mark yet.
“So now ah’m suddenly not a big filly anymore?” Apple Bloom asked, but Applejack placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“Ah think it’s best to let this one go, Apple Bloom,” Applejack said. “Yer not in trouble and you should just leave it at that.” Applejack still didn’t quite understand what had changed Granny Smith’s mind, but she thought it better not to question it.
“Goodnight, you two,” Granny Smith said.
“Goodnight, Granny Smith,” the two sisters replied. Once the door closed, Apple Bloom settled back up against Applejack and the two fell into a peaceful sleep.
***
“Help me understand something,” Rainbow Dash said to Twilight without even a hello. She had just shown up at the door to the library, waking up a groggy Twilight who was hoping for the chance to sleep in today.
“What seems to be confusing you?” Twilight asked, tired but still eager to help her friend.
“Yesterday, Rarity just…it was so weird,” Rainbow Dash said, sitting down on a sofa.
“Rarity what?” Twilight asked. “You have to tell me what she did.”
“Well, she told me everything was fine. I went over to the spa because I thought she was devastated, but when I got there she asked me why she wouldn’t be fine. She didn’t look upset to me at all.”
“Well, isn’t that a good thing?” Twilight asked. “If she’s not upset with you, you don’t need to worry about helping her out, do you? You’re off the hook.”
“But it was the way she said it,” Rainbow Dash said. “I don’t know how to explain it. You know how…warm Rarity is when she usually talks?”
“Do you mean vibrant?” Twilight suggested.
“Yeah, that’s it,” Rainbow Dash said. “Well, she wasn’t like that at all. When I talked to her, she was so…cold. Like, almost kind of metallic.”
“Oh?” Twilight asked.
“I asked her if I could help in the boutique,” Rainbow Dash said, “but she just laughed at me and said I would get in the way. But the laugh was so…empty?”
“Hollow?” Twilight suggested.
“That’s a better word to describe it,” Rainbow Dash said. “And then she told me to go for a flight so I could clear my head. Can you believe it? I go to help her out, and now I’m the one worked up about this? Does that even make any sense to you?”
“Well, to be fair,” Twilight said, “you do seem more worked up than she is. However, if she’s treating you so coldly, maybe she’s doing it to hide her true feelings from you.” Rainbow Dash groaned.
“And what feelings are those?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’ve had enough of secret feelings for an entire lifetime.”
“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “but it seems like she’s more upset than she’s letting on. I think it would be best if you gave her some distance.”
“But then I can’t help her feel better!” Rainbow Dash complained. Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash sternly.
“Why are you so worried about making her feel better?” Twilight asked. “Rarity is her own pony, and she has every right to her own feelings. Are you sure you want to help her feel better, or do you want to help you ease the guilt you’re feeling for rejecting her?”
“What?” Rainbow Dash sputtered. “That’s ridiculous! Why did I even come here for help if you’re just going to shove it right in my face? Thanks a lot, Twilight Sparkle.” With that, Rainbow Dash left the library, slamming the door behind her. Twilight stood there, at a loss for the sudden outburst, hoping that her friend would be all right.