Celestia’s Daughter
Chapter 4: The Pertinacious
Celestia stuck her head into the kitchen and furrowed her brow. “Hello?” she called out, making the rest of the way in. “Anypony? Where are they...?”
She stepped over to the sink and noticed a stack of dishes in the rack. Completely dry, not even a shine that comes with a leftover layer of water. Clearly breakfast had taken place a while ago.
“Where the hay have you been?” Applebloom said.
Celestia turned to see a rather disgruntled looking filly standing in the doorway.
“Oh...” Celestia began. “Well, I mean, I thought we’d be getting up at dawn. Isn’t that when the workday starts?”
The younger pony raised a brow. “Well, yeah, I guess. So ya mean ya’ve been sleeping all this time? Come on, come on, we gotta get goin’, we’re already late!”
With a tilt of her head, Celestia looked over at the clean plates. “But what about breakfast?”
“We had that ages ago,” Applebloom said. “You really don’t know a thing ‘bout farmin’, do ya?”
“Well, I...” Celestia trailed off. With a gulp, she realized what she had been about to say. Something diplomatic. Defensive. Dishonest.
“Well, Ah guess you could grab an apple right quick. Ah’m sure Applejack won’t mind ya having one.” Applebloom pointed at a basket sitting by itself beside the table. “Grab one an’ lets get goin’!”
Celestia watched as the little filly left, a strange feeling arising in her as she found herself wondering. Was this the same Applebloom she had seen last night? Applebloom then had been excited at one point, forlorn the rest of the time. Now she was aggravated, brows furrowed, mouth set to a scowl. Was the little filly actually always like this? Was this temporary?
What of consistency? How much did that apply? She had been so wrong about Twilight’s patterns and actions. Were others the same? Did they behave far differently than she could ever know?
As Celestia walked into the sunlight of the morning, she was reluctant to admit, even to herself, the fear she was feeling. She had always prided herself on her ability to predict other’s actions. Was she actually wrong most of the time? She knew Twilight wouldn’t have actually succeeded on her own, knew she would have realized this and brought all her friends with her when she discovered where the Crystal Heart was, or at least her friends would insist on going...
But what if she hadn’t? What if they hadn’t? What if Twilight had gone by herself? She would have no doubt been overwhelmed by any one of Sombra’s traps. If Twilight had been without her friends, the Crystal Kingdom would have fallen. Maybe even the rest of the world.
“Hey, are you okay?” Applebloom asked, poking Celestia’s’s leg.
Celestia gasped and jumped. “Oh my! W-what was I doing?”
“Well, you almost hit Timmy right there.”
When Celestia looked forward, she observed that she had almost hit a tree. “Oh... Timmy?”
“Yeah, Timmy. You almost hit Timmy and banged yer noggin. Are you okay?”
“I’m...” Honesty, Celestia, honesty. “No, I’m not fine. A terrifying thought entered my mind.”
The filly raised a brow. “Really? You’re scared of something?”
“Everypony gets scared,” Celestia said with a smile. “Even ponies who move the sun.”
“What’cha scared of? If ya don’t mind talking about it.”
Celestia pursed her lips for a moment. “I’d rather not. It’s not something little fillies would understand.”
“Ugh,” Applebloom scoffed. “Ah hate it when grown-ups say it’s big pony stuff. Ah am a big pony!” She grinned. “In fact, Ah’m your teacher as of today. So Ah order you to tell me what’s scaring you.”
Celestia chuckled against her best efforts. “Well, you’re a smart one, I’ll give you that. But you’re my teacher in farming, not in acting normal. And besides, this really is a problem I shouldn’t tell you. Even if you did understand, you’d be terrified out of your mind.”
The younger pony gave Celestia a dubious look. “Do ya Pinkie Promise?”
“Pinkie Promise? What’s that?”
“A promise ya never, ever break. Because everypony in Ponyville know ya don’t. If you do, ya lose a friend’s trust. An’ losin’ a friends trust is the best way ta lose a friend-”
Before Applebloom could finish, an echo shot throughout the orchard of Sweet Apple Acres. She couldn’t be sure, but Celestia was fairly certain that somepony had yelled the word “forever” at the edge of the farm.
“Uh, yeah...” Applebloom scratched her head. “Anyway, cross your heart, hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in your eye.” As she said this, she moved her hooves is accordance with each action described, moving her hoof along her chest, making a flapping motion, and poking her eye.
Celestia chuckled. “Very well. I cross my heart and hope to fly,” she chuckled again as she flapped her hooves, “stick a cupcake in my eye,” she made sure to keep her eye closed as she put her hoof against her face, “that what I was thinking about is not something for most ponies to think about.”
Applebloom nodded with a smile. “Alrighty, then. It’s time to get started. We’re behind schedule for Saturday’s chores, an’ we’re gonna have ta double time if we want to keep up.”
“Right then,” Celestia said. She scratched her chin as Applebloom led her on. “Are you sure you’ll be alright? I mean, you are still hurt.”
“Ah’m fine, Ah’m fine. It’s just a sprain, is all, quit yer stallin’, we gotta hurry!”
“Very well. What’s first on our agenda for the day?”
“Firstly, we gotta go get the milk. Let’s get to it!”
Celestia guffawed for a moment. “Um... I’m sorry, Betsy, but what did you say I have to do?”
Betsy rolled her eyes. “You must milk me, darling. It’s certainly not going to come out on it’s own, you know.”
‘Er...” Celestia arched her head around. “But I have to, well, I mean...”
“Yes? Deary, you certainly didn’t come here without expecting to get dirty, did you?” She turned her head to Applebloom. “Where did you find this help, little Apple? She seems a bit odd.”
From her stool, Applebloom chuckled and waved a hoof. “Don’t worry, she’ll get the hang of it. Oh, Ah forgot to introduce you. This here is-”
“Celestia,” she said, reaching a hoof out. “My name is Celestia.”
The cow shook her hoof, then furrowed her brow. “Hmm, Celestia, Celestia... that name seems familiar. Are you a celebrity?”
Celestia giggled a bit. “You could say that. So, if you don’t mind, could you please explain what it is I have to do?” Her mouth scrunched a bit.
“This ain’t that hard,” Applebloom said with a shake of her head. “Ya take the udder, ya squeeze the teats, ya make milk go in the bucket, ya pour the bucket into the tank. How’s this hard?”
“What a silly pony,” another cow said from near a bale of hay. “But then I suppose she isn’t different from the other ponies. Honestly, we all have mammaries and make milk, you’d think they wouldn’t care.”
“You know ponies, Gloria, if they don’t grow up on a farm, they have no stomach at all.”
Celestia cleared her throat. “I can deal with this just fine.”
Betsy gave a smile. “Well, if you’re sure. If you feel the need to lose your lunch, though, please aim for the bucket. You don’t want to have to wash the mess, because then Applejack will be sure to make you clean the rest of the barn.”
“She had me try that with one of the other barns,” Celestia said. She levitated another stool and bucket into place, getting behind Betsy. “Okay... it’s okay. It’s just a body part, lots of mammals have it.”
“Jus get on with it,” Applebloom groaned. “We’re gettin’ more an’ more behind schedule.”
“Right, right, schedule.” With a deep breath, Celestia reached out her hoof and touched Betsy’s udder, almost gagging from the way it squished from her touch.
Applebloom giggled and gripped her sides. “Sorry, Celestia, but yer even worse than the last fella we had helpin’ out.”
Celestia shuddered, half at the touch of what she considered to be a private appendage, and half at her own weakness. She was Equestria’s ruler, for goodness sake! She should be able to handle this.
Then she had an idea.
“Hey, uh, ya might not want to stand right behind a cow as ya milk her, by the way.”
Celestia was too busy concentrating her magic, her horn glowing as she began to magically grip Betsy’s teats.
“Wait, wait, don’t use magic!” Applebloom shouted, waving her forelegs around.
“What?” Celestia said, right before betsy let out a massive and frantic “moo” sound. Too fast for Celestia to even notice, Betsy kicked her legs back, knocking into Celestia. The pony discovered that cows, despite their thin looking legs a soft looking bulk, were incredibly powerful. She didn’t realize this until after she was sent flying through the air and made a Celestia shaped hole in the wall.
Applebloom poked her head out to see Celestia laying on her back, tongue sticking out as he eyes spun around.
“Ah hope you know that this wall is comin’ out of your paycheck.”
Celestia merely groaned in response.
“Alright, collecting eggs should be a cinch,” Applebloom said. “Jus’ get in the coop and grab the eggs from under the chickens. Oh, an’ no magic grabbin’ the eggs.”
Celestia rubbed her shoulder, hissing a bit from the bruise. “Right, no magic near the chickens. At least these things don’t weigh more than I do.” She looked into the hen house, seeing all the chickens sitting in nests and running along the ground. “They aren’t particularly angry, are they?”
“Naw, they’re all sweethearts. Though Ah’d start with Lady Cluckington first, she’s the calmest one.” Applebloom hobbled into the coop, moving to the backmost nests. She reached out to one hen, who leaned into the filly’s hoof. “Ain’tcha a sweetie? Ain’t ya?” After a moment of petting, she reached under Lady Cluckington and pulled out an egg. “There, easy. Now you give it a try.”
Celestia walked into the coop after Applebloom walked out. She scrunched her nose a bit from the musky smell, but tried her best to ignore it. “Um, hello, Lady Cluckington.”
Lady Cluckington bawcked and bowed her head.
“Oh, why thank you. Your feathers are very pristine as well.”
“Baawk, bak.”
“Yes, you are quite delightful looking. Your comb and wattle are lovely.”
“Bak, bak, bagawk.”
“No, no, I’m just Celestia, though I’m honored I’m talked about amongst the fowl folk as well.”
Applebloom deadpanned as she watched Celestia talk to the chicken’s. “Fer cryin’ out loud...”
“Bagawk!”
“No, no, I meant ‘fowl’ not ‘foul’. Fowl like a bird.”
“Bak, bak, bak!”
“Really, I’m sure you’re a wonderful chicken.”
“Bawk!”
“No, I meant wonderful to talk to, not at the dinner table!”
Every chicken in the barn turned it’s head to Celestia, each sporting an angry glare.
“Wait, wait, please, I fully support animal rights, I didn’t mean to offend.”
“Uh, Celestia?” Applebloom said, stepping back. “Ah suggest ya get away from there...”
Celestia began to slowly back away, still spouting apologies and giving as sincere a grin as possible, but ended up bumping into one of the nests. It fell to the ground, the chicken and it’s eggs tumbling to the ground. All the hens gasped and their stares intensified in rage.
“Ah think you’d better run.”
Applejack splashed cold water into her face and shivered, lapping a little bit up to appease her thirst. She grabbed a towel and dried herself off, then moved to the table and sat down.
With a sigh, she picked up an apple and bit into it, laying her head into her hoof.
“Ya know, apples might be good fer keepin’ doctors away, but they sure as sugar ain’t gonna keep problems from gettin’ any bigger.”
She turned her head to her grandmother, lowering her eyelids. “Oh, Granny. An’ what problem might ya be talking about?”
“Ya know ‘xactly what problem Ah’m talkin’ ‘bout.” Granny Smith hobbled to the table and sat across from Applejack. “There’s a pony out there ya need ta talk ta, an’ Ah can see, plain as day, tha’ ya doin’ all ya can ta avoid her.” She scowled.
“Ah don’t need ta talk to her,” Applejack said. “An’ don’t think Ah ain’t still sore with ya, neither. There ain’t no way ya couldn’t have known.”
Granny Smith shook her head. “Dear, ya know it weren’t mah place ta tell ya anythin’. You were happy, an’ there wasn’t any reason to. Don’t be thick headed now when there’s talkin’ ta be done.”
“Talk, talk, talk,” Applejack scoffed. “Ah ain’t in any mood ta be talkin to... to her.”
“Then talk ta me. Ya know I love ya an’ would never do a thin ta hurt ya.”
“Doesn’t mean ya haven’t.”
“Applejack, be reasonable an’ use yer noggin, think fer a moment. Ya know she hasn’t said anythin’ after all this time. So why now, uh? Why not sooner, why not when... well, you know.”
Applejack’s eye twitched. “Don’t ya dare mention Ma an’ Pa ta me now. Knowing she... knowing that the Princess gave birth to me an’ is trying to take Ma’s place is jus’...” She turned her head.
“Yer not thinkin’ still. Look past that for a moment an’-”
“Ah know, dangnabit!” Applejack yelled, slamming her hoof on the table. “Ya think Ah don’t know? Ah get it. Somethin’ important is going ta happen, and she needs ta tell me. Yeah, Ah know Ah’m being a pig-headed idiot, Ah know Celestia means well. Shoot, look at her; she’s lettin’ Applebloom tell her what ta do. But Ah’ll sooner take a trip ta Tartarus before Ah ever say she’s mah Mamma, ya got that?”
Granny smith frowned. “Ah know Ah can’t make ya talk ta nopony, bein’ the stubborn mule that ya are. Jus’ know that Ah’m not mad or disappointed in ya. Ah deserve yer frustration, and maybe Tia does too. But ya know she never does somethin’ without purpose.”
“Ah know that...” Applejack sighed, rolling her once bitten Apple across the tabletop. “But I hate this. I didn’t ask ta be Celestia’s daughter. Do ya have any idea what it’s like goin’ into town now? It’s a nightmare. An it’s all her fault. She doesn’t get it, though. She has a nice an’ comfy castle she can go to anytime she wants. What about us ponies closer to the ground? Yeah, sure, I bet she’s got all them affairs of the state to deal with, but come on! She has no idea how hard anythin’ really is.
“Ah used ta think she was this wise, all powerful ruler that could do no wrong. Then I met her an’ saw she was approachable. Then... then there was the Gala. Hot dog, that gosh darn Gala. I ain’t gonna forget that for a really long time what that stupid party did ta us.”
Granny rubbed her chin. “Everypony makes mistakes, Applejack.”
“Well, she needs ta learn her mistakes hurt a lot more ponies than she realizes. Then Ah’ll listen. Ah’ll go ta Canterlot an’ get all gussied up ta be the next princess of Equestria. But until then, she’s a pony who needs ta get kocked down a few pegs.”
Granny smiled and nodded. “‘Bout time we came ta an agreement on somethin’.”
Applejack raised a brow.
“Oh, sure, Tia’s a sweet ol’ thing, but she doesn’ know a lick ’bout how ponies work. Friendship an’ love, sure, but not all the technicalities in between. An’ Ah think you’ll be the pony ta do it.”
Applejack crossed her forelegs. “Yeah, well... she needs it. Maybe she’ll actually be able ta help ponies instead of making their lives worse.”
“Aaaaaaaahhhh!” Celestia screamed, running through the kitchen with a pack of ravenous chickens quite literally at her tail. “Please help me!”
Granny gaped after Celestia, while Applejack started laughing, falling to the floor while gripping at her sides.
“Well... maybe she needs a bit more work than we thought...”
Applejack tapped her hoof as she glared at the row of chickens standing in front of her. “Now, what do ya’ll have ta say fer yerselves?”
“Bawk, bawk...” all the chickens said at once.
“Good,” Applejack said. She turned to Celestia. “They did say sorry, right?”
Celestia, trying to avoid moving as much as she could to not aggravate the stinging sensation all over her body, only moved her mouth. “Yes, they apologized.”
“Good,” Applejack said again. She then turned back to the chickens. “Just for this, no feedin’ fer the day.”
The chickens all hung their heads in shame.
“Ah don’t wanna hear it.” She turned to Applebloom. “What’s the damage?”
Applebloom, from her spot on a stump, stopped puffing a feather up into the air. “Welp, we lost about five eggs and a nest was damaged. Oh, an’ there’s a hole in the barn.”
Applejack slapped her face. “Great, that’s fantastic. Alright, I’ll get Big Mac and our mules. Not like one more day will set us back all that much.” She turned to Celestia. “Alright, you two get back ta work. Ah need ta fix all this.”
“I’m... not making things worse, am I?” Celestia asked, wincing a bit as she frowned.
Applejack looked like she wanted to scowl, but was suppressing it. “Like ya ever cared before.” She sighed. “It’s yer first day, stuff happens. Ya won’t be getting full pay this week, though.”
“Understandable,” Celestia said. She groaned a bit as she tried to move her legs. “Aah, ah, that hurts. What’s next on the agenda?”
“Applebloom will tell ya,” she said as she began to walk away. “Go on, back to yer stall, ya featherheads. Anyway, hurry it up, will ya? Daylight’s burning, an there’s no dinner fer slackers.”
Celestia’s stomach grumbled. “What about lunch?”
“Lunch?” Applejack said with a grin. “Sorry, that’s a luxury we farm ponies don’t get. Now hop to it!”
Celestia sighed as Applejack ran off. “I get the feeling she’s still mad at me.”
“Naw, ya should see her when she’s really mad,” Applebloom said as she began to limp off.
“I already have...”
“Right, time for more learnin’. There ain’t no way ya can mess up pig cleanin’.”
“Let’s hope not,” Celestia said as she, with jerky movements, began to follow Applebloom.
“So... you’ve never done farm work before, have ya?” Applebloom said.
“Is it that obvious?” Celestia said with a smile.
“Well, ya know, ya did get bucked by a cow. It’s kinda weird.” She grabbed a hose and uncoiled it part way.
“Weird?” Celestia asked, looking over at the pigs. One in particular looked rather intimidating to her. “What’s so weird about it? A lot of ponies have never done things. I’m sure you’ve never ridden in a taxicab, or made a house.”
“Well, yeah Ah guess...” Applebloom pulled the gate open and motioned for Celestia to follow. “But you know yer so old an all- oh! Uh, Ah didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
“It’s quite fine, Applebloom,” Celestia said, stepping into the pen and jumping a bit at the feeling of mud beneath her hooves. “I’m probably the oldest pony anypony will ever meet. But being old isn’t the same as being worldly.”
The filly picked up a long, broom-like tool over with her mouth, allowing Celestia to take to with magic. “Ah just always thought you were perfect, Ah guess.”
“Hmph. Perfect is the last word to describe me.”
“So, you’ve never been farming after all the time ya’ve been livin’ in Equestria?”
“Well, I might have,” Celestia said. “I just don’t remember.”
Applebloom dropped the hose, water flowing out and making more mud, which the pigs happily began to dance in. “Ya don’t remember? What’dya mean ya don’t remember? How’d ya forget?”
Celestia sighed, looking up at the sun. It wasn’t in her control, she realized, like so many other things. “Think about it like this; does Granny Smith remember things all that well?”
“Hmm, sorta. She’s got lotsa stories, but some things always change in them. She only remembers ‘em perfectly when she’s got a picture or somthin’ ta help her. Oh!” She grabbed the hose and sprayed water all over the largest pig. “Miss Piggington needs the most attention since she’s so big.”
“Miss Piggington,” Celestia said as she began to scrub where Applebloom was spraying. “Charmed.”
Miss Piggington let out a low ‘oink’.
“Maybe ya should quit with the small talk,” Applebloom said.
“Don’t worry, pigs aren’t much for chatter,” Celestia said with a chuckle. “Though they are quite the conversationalists when they feel like it. Anyway, Granny Smith can only remember so much, maybe just about as long as she’s been alive. That’s about how long my memory lasts.”
Applebloom blinked and dropped the hose. “Ya mean ya can only remember about a hundred years? Ya don’t even remember what it was like a thousand years ago? Two thousand?”
“Oh, I can certainly remember things.” Celestia’s horn glowed a bit brighter as the hose was lifted to splash water atop the massive animal. “Like with Granny Smith, I need pictures to remind or, or it needs to be something really big. I could probably...” She frowned. “I could probably recite word for word what happened the night I had to send Luna away.”
“When ya sent her to the moon?” Applebloom asked softly.
“Yes... and the years since hold a lot of memories.” Celestia sighed again. “It’s frustrating, and every pony experiences it. Some things you wish you could forget, and yet it never seems like you remember enough. For all I know, when I was young, I may have been born on a farm and raised animals.”
“Ya don’t remember when you were a little filly,” Applebloom said in a breathy tone. “Do ya even remember yer ma an’ pa?”
“Mother and father...” Celestia trialed off. She stopped scrubbing, and all the pigs stopped their rolling and playing to stare at her. Her mane was being tugged at, and she realized she was the one doing it.
“I remember... Mother had the most beautiful smile.” Celestia furrowed her brow. “She was bright and colorful, I think. Yes, and shimmered in so many colors. I always wanted to hug her and be held...
“Father was dark, and wasn’t. He was a gentle sort of dark, a bright dark. He was strong. I think... I think I once watched him move a mountain. Why did he do that?
“Mother was sick, yes... and the mountain had something under it. He went under... but never came back out. Or did he? I thought I saw him again, and Mother vanished. Or was it the other way around? Or both?”
“Celestia? Celestia, are you okay?” Applebloom tugged at the larger pony’s leg.
“Their names...” Celestia drawled. “I can’t remember their names anymore. I forgot my parents’ names...” She sniffled and wiped her nose against her leg. “How could I do such a thing?”
“Celestia, please don’t cry,” Applebloom said. “Big ponies aren’t supposed to cry.”
Despite her tears, Celestia chuckled and leaned down to nuzzle Applebloom. “Big ponies say really silly things. They cry just as much as little ponies, maybe even a bit more. They just think it’s bad to do so.”
“Why?”
“I honestly can’t say. I do the same thing, though. I think I need to stop hiding my feelings and be honest. I can’t remember my parents at all, and it makes me want to cry.” She sniffled again and choked a sob back.
Applebloom nuzzled her cheek again. “It’s okay. I never knew my Mamma an’ Poppa, neither.”
Celestia sat down, ignoring the cold mud under her haunches, and grabbed Applebloom in a hug. “How could I be so selfish? I forgot that this had happened to you. Tell me, what do you remember about Orange Sherbert and Apple Core?”
“Not much...” Applebloom said, returning Celestia’s embrace. “All Ah know is that Mamma was the same color as Applejack, an’ Pappa was even bigger than Big Macintosh.”
“Hmm, yes, Apple Core was easily one of the strongest ponies I’d ever met.”
“Did... did you know Momma and Pappa?”
Celestia nodded. “Yes, I remember them quite well. I... well, of course I had to talk to them when I was with Applejack.”
“Ya mean you were with Applejack when she was littler than me? Well, Ah guess ya were, but...”
“Oh, yes, I was there through Applejack’s foalhood. She was such a cute little thing that ate up everything she could get her hooves on. While I was with her, I got to speak with your parents very often.”
Applebloom looked up at Celestia, eyes wide and shimmering. “Could you tell me about Momma?”
“I can, and I will,” Celestia said with a nod. She closed her eyes and hummed a moment. “Orange Sherbert didn’t look much like a farm pony, not at first. You know that’s how you’re related to the oranges, right? She talked with a Manehatten accent, with some Apple speak mixed in.”
One of the pigs sitting around them let out a squeal.
“Ah, yes, thank you. She wasn’t quite like other pony’s from the city. She didn’t like things perfectly clean. Indeed, she liked looking nice and getting dressed up up, but she worked as hard as any farm pony would. Although your father certainly wasn’t one for parties like she was.”
“Parties? Like Pinkie Parties?”
Celestia chuckled. “No, more like the parties Rarity would attend. Stuffy suits and fancy dresses, slow music and waltzes, that sort of thing.”
Applebloom chuckled. “An’ Poppa would take Mamma to them even though he hated them.”
“He didn’t hate them. He hated the suit he always had to wear. Oh, dear, how that poor costume would groan every time he moved. But he put up with it to make Orange Sherbert happy.
“Apple Core was just like Applejack; dependable, strong, caring, and always tried to make everypony happy. Sometimes, he’d even go out of his way just to help ponies, even at cost to himself. He’d do anything, and I mean anything to solve another ponies problem. When he talked to me, it was sincere and honest, treating me like a close friend.
“Orange Sherbert was just as sweet as her namesake. She loved her children as much as anypony could ever love a child.”
“Even Applejack?”
Celestia gave a gentle smile. “Applejack was as much Sherbert's daughter as she was mine... probably more, in fact. Family is a lot more than who gave you birth, Applebloom, or who you live with. It’s about who shows you love, plain and simple. And I know your mother and father loved you dearly.”
Applebloom tilted her head to the side. “Ah wish Ah could have met them... it’s almost like they never existed.”
The pigs all began to oink and squeal.
“Of course they existed. Look around the farm and you can see bits of them everywhere. Orange took care of these trees and brought them life, and Apple Core built that house and tilled this land. And Orange Sherbert is with you, even now.”
“How? Momma’s gone...”
Celestia magically tugged at Applebloom’s bow. “You were so young you don’t remember, but this bow was what Sherbert used to keep her mane tied up, like how Applejack wears hers.”
Instinctively, Applebloom reached up and grabbed her bow. “This was Mamma’s? Nopony ever told me.”
“She wanted you to have it, so you would always have some part of her with you?”
“How do you know?”
“Because,” she nuzzled Applebloom’s nose with her own, “I’m a mother, too. I’d want my daughter to always have some part of myself with her.”
“Does Applejack have something a’ yours? All I’ve ever seen her wear is Poppa’s hat.”
“Yes, she does,” Celestia said as she placed the filly back on the ground. “She doesn’t know it, though. Don’t tell her, please, I want to be the one who shows her.”
“Alright...” Applebloom said, giving a smile. “Thanks, Celestia. Tell me more about Momma and Poppa sometime, okay?”
“Of course.” Celestia stood back up. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I could use a bath a lot more than these pigs do right about now.” She placed a hoof against Piggington. “If you wouldn’t mind, would you lean over so we can finish cleaning you?”
Pigginton made an ‘oink’ noise, leaning over. Unfortunately for Celestia, the giant pig leaned over in her direction.
“Oh dear...”
With a loud splash sound, Piggington fell on top of Celestia, pinning the pony between the mud and her bulk.
Applebloom broke out into a fit of laughter and giggles, falling back into the mud. “Holy cow, ya jus’ can’t catch a break, can ya?”
Celestia worked her head out from under Piggington and blinked the mud away. “Excuse me, miss, but could you please roll the other way?”
The laughter from the little filly continued for a while longer until she was hit in the face with a wad of mud. “Heyyy,” Applebloom said, wiping the mud away.
Celestia chuckled, another hoofful of mud at the ready. “Not so funny when you’re the one covered in filth, hmm?”
With a grin, Applebloom picked up a wad of mud and chucked it at Celestia. “Ah like ta think it’s still funny.”
Celestia shook the mud off her body and prepared another assault. “Alright, little one, this means war. Watch your hoof, because sprains aren’t accounted for on the field of battle!”
That day, the pigs did not get washed.
Celestia trotted up to her seat at the table, muscles aching and coat no longer pristine. She sighed in relief as she was finally able to take the pressure away from her weary legs.
“So...” Applejack began with a not-so-friendly smile. “How did the farm life treat’cha fer a day?”
Celestia responded with a tired groan.
“Thinkin’ of quittin’? ‘Cause ya can back out anytime ya want. Nopony is making ya stay.” Applejack’s voice had a kind of hopeful undertone that Celestia felt stung by.
“N-no. I need an honest job, after all. I can take it.”
Applejack’s smile became a bit more sincere. Only a bit. “If you’re sure. Now, hurry up an’ eat. Ah ain’t gonna let ya sleep-in next time.”
A bowl of soup was placed in front of Celestia. By whom, she couldn’t say. The sound of her own slurps distracted her too much.
“Hmm...” Big Macintosh hummed. “Seems familiar.”
Granny Smith chuckled. “Well, well, Ah can’see where little Applejack git’s it from.”
Applejack’s face flushed. “Ah don’t eat like that no more!”
“Sure ya do,” Applebloom said. “Just the other day ya ate two tubs of apples all by yerself.”
“S-shut up.”
Celestia pulled her head up and swayed a bit. “Ooh... I needed that. Please tell me there’s seconds and some cake to go with that.”
“Don’t go thinkin’ Ah don’t know about you sneakin’,” Granny snickered, “‘fwitters’ every once in a while.”
Crossing her forelegs, Applejack said, “Alright fine, Ah eat a bunch. Doesn’t mean Ah got it from her.”
Macintosh pushed another bowl to Celestia. “Hope pie’s good’nuff.”
“More than enough.” Celestia dug into her second helping.
Granny Smith chuckled again. “Well, ya weren’t ‘xactly the bes’ farm pony we’ve had, but Ah’ve seen worse. Not bad fer a first day.”
“Are ya kiddin’ me?” Applejack practically shouted. “Applebloom could have done better, an’ her hoof is sprained!”
“Hey, Ah do these chores normally, ya know!” Applebloom retorted.
“An don’t think Ah didn’t see ya both havin’ a mud bath with the pigs when ya were supposed ta be cleanin’ them.”
Celestia raised her head sheepishly. “Oh... you saw that.”
“Ya can’t be messing around, ‘specially since yer a greenhorn. Ya ain’t got time ta be goofin’ off. Every moment counts out here, and we can’t be wasting any of it.”
“AJ, be nice, it’s jus’ her first day,” Granny said.
“I’ll do better tomorrow,” Celestia said. “I’ve learned what is expected of me, honest. I’ll show you that I’m a hard working pony.”
“Hard workin’ ain’t the problem,” Applejack said, pushing herself away from the table. “Ah’ll eat later. Ah need ta be alone fer a bit.”
Celestia sighed as she saw Applejack purposefully look away from her as she walked by. “Be honest with me, Ms. Smith. I was awful, wasn’t I?”
Granny Smith gave a toothy grin. “No worse than a foal first learning ta walk. We all make mistakes, Tia.”
“But yer mistakes were pretty funny,” Applebloom said before taking a sip of her soup.
Big Macintosh bit back a grin.
“I suppose they were,” Celestia said with a giggle. “I just wish Applejack would go a little easier on me.”
“Easy?” Granny said. “Ya think she’s goin’ hard on ya? Yer doin’ tha easy chores.”
Celestia tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“Ya were doin’ Applebloom’s work. The stuff a filly could do. AJ could have given ya much harder stuff ta work with.”
“You mean... it only gets harder?”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac placed a slice of pie in front of her.
“Oh no...” Celestia said, before her face fell right into her dessert.
“Wow, Ah thought ya liked cake a bunch. Ah didn’t know ya liked pie, too.”
Celestia only groaned.
Applejack sighed as she sat down on her bed, taking her hat off and placing it on one of her bed posts. She looked over at a picture from, eyes glazing over.
“Ya told me ta always be forgivin’, Pa. Ya said honesty would always work best. Well, what the hay am Ah supposed ta be doin’ now?”
The picture said nothing in response.
With another sigh, Applejack flopped onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. “She ain’t mah Ma, no matter what she says. We’ll see how long her integrity holds up.” With that, Applejack leaned over and blew her candles out.