//------------------------------// // An Apple family secret // Story: Short stories about ponies and whatnot // by shutaro //------------------------------// “Sis! Look what we found in the attic!” As she heard Apple Bloom and her friends rumble down the stairs Granny Smith felt that familiar itch behind her ears she always had when secrets were about to be revealed. She glanced over at the calendar on the wall and to the red curl she had drawn around next Sunday. She sighed and got out of her rocking chair. “I kept the secret for so long, the Princess won’t blow her crown if I tell them a week early,” she mumbled. Applejack was surrounded by the Cutiemark Crusaders and flipping through a photo album when Granny Smith entered the veranda. She looked at her grandchildren and with her usual voice accustomed to giving orders said, “Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, you better go home for today. This is Apple family business. Apple Bloom, get your brother from the orchard.” The three fillies looked from Granny Smith to Applejack and both mares locked eyes for a moment until Applejack nodded. “Run along Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo. You can do more crusading tomorrow,” she said as she walked over to the huge triangle they used to announce meals. “Apple Bloom, you stay. I’ll call Big Mac.” She grabbed the beater and rang it loudly. Only minutes later the huge stallion climbed up the short stairs to the veranda. “What is it, AJ?” he wheezed. “I ran as fast as I could.” He was panting and sweating, but quickly picked up on the frosty atmosphere that had settled between his sisters and Granny Smith. “You take a look at this album over here, Big McIntosh,” Applejack pointed at a book on the little table before her. “And then Granny can tell us why there is a whole box of stuff and an album with pictures of our parents I have never seen before.” Big Mac sucked in a breath and walked over to the book. He flipped through the pages. He stopped at the last page. “AJ, Bloom, look at the date on this one. Look at mom.” A thin smile broke through Granny Smith’s silence. “It was their last picture with their colleagues. She was starting to show by then. Four months pregnant they finally quit and got back home.” Applejack’s ears perked up. “What do you mean? Why don’t we know about this?” she asked with thinly hidden anger in her voice. “They wear those neat uniforms, were they working for the Princess?” Apple Bloom asked more excited than angry. Granny Smith frowned, “One at a time, one at a time. Yes, they worked for the throne. Diplomatic messengers. Make of that what you will.” “Our parents were spies?” squealed Apple Bloom with delight. Big McIntosh let out a low whistle. “Tartarus if I know,” Granny Smith answered. “They never told us anything when they visited the old farm.” She kicked the planks of the veranda with a forehoof. “Oh, they talked about the great weather in the Griffon Empire and the wonderful smell of wind at sea. But never what they actually did in those places.” She pointed at the box of stuff. “There are a few bundles of postcards in there from all around the world. That’s the main reason why I haven’t told you about this: I really don’t know that much about it.” The old mare hung her head. “One day he left, half a year later he’s back with a girl. They vanish again, half a year later they’re married and we don’t even get to celebrate properly because they only stay for like a week.” “And what’s the other reason?” Applejack’s voice had already lost most of the edge but she was determined to find out as much as she could about this. Big Mac cleared his throat, “On the day after the … you know, the accident, there were a lot of ponies in sunglasses and suits all over the farm.” Granny Smith nodded. “So you actually remember that? Yes, they took most of your parents' stuff and locked it away. Celestia herself was here to promise that we‘ll get it all back. In fact, next Sunday will be the last day of the statute of limitation.” “So that’s the date without a description?” Applejack looked through a window at the calendar in the living room. Granny Smith nodded again and sighed. “I would have preferred to tell you all this at my own pace, but it seems life doesn’t work like that anymore.” “So, if they were spies,” Apple Bloom started, “maybe that accident —” “You stop right there, Apple Bloom Apple!” Granny Smith had found her commanding voice again. “The Princess herself looked into the storm and the flood and found no tampering with the weather or the bridge. And the Apple family is not in the habit of doubting the Princess. Have I made myself clear?” Apple Bloom hid behind her big brother, “Yes, Granny Smith. Perfectly clear.” Granny Smith smiled a sad smile, “Well, I for one am happy that this is finally out in the open. It wasn’t much fun to keep this from my grandchildren. Now, don’t you go telling tales about it, I wasn’t supposed to talk about all this until Sunday, you hear?” Applejack and Big Mac nodded, and Apple Bloom was quick to join in after a little shove in the shoulder. Granny Smith turned and set her eyes on her rocker. “I guess I earned a little nap after all this excitement.” Applejack examined the last picture in the book again. “I feel like I’ve seen that pink unicorn somewhere …“ she mused to herself. “And that purple pegasus with the rainbow mane looks familiar too. Maybe Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s parents…?” She shook her head. “Naww! Can’t be.” She closed the album and placed it back in the box. “Let’s have a closer look at this when we’re done with work tonight.” She lifted the box on her back, “I’ll put this in the living room and join you two in the orchard, okay?” “Eeyup,” answered Big McIntosh, and Apple Bloom jumped onto his back. A few minutes later the three siblings continued working the farm. *** one week later *** Rainbow Dash landed in the tree Applejack was just about to kick. “AJ, you’ll never believe what my old stallion just wrote me today!” “Well, I’d guess he was a secret agent before he met your mom, and worked with Rarity’s mom and my parents to protect Equestria,” she answered and kicked the tree. Rainbow Dash dropped face first into a bucket full of apples.