//------------------------------// // Chapter Eleven // Story: Floret // by Crystal Moose //------------------------------// “Brushed yer teeth?” Applejack asked. “Y’all ate a lotta sweets last night, an’ ya don’t want cavities!” “Eeyup,” the filly responded with a yawn. “Better see if ya pass th’ sniff test, then. If Ah ain’t happy, ya’ll be back in t’ brush ‘em again!” Apple Bloom breathed a minty breath towards Applejack, the older mare giving an approving nod. “Good girl. Now ya better get inta bed.” Applejack followed the filly to her bedroom, lifting Apple Bloom into her bed. “Now, no crawlin’ outside an’ fallin’ asleep on th’ grass. Big Mac’ll have yer hide if he has t’ carry ya back inside again.” Apple Bloom blushed, embarrassed at Applejack’s teasing. It wasn’t her fault she and Dinky had fallen asleep outside. It was certainly quieter than with Sweetie Belle, Berry Pinch and Scootaloo, and she only had the faintest recollection of Big Mac waking her and Dinky, then carrying them back to the clubhouse. As soon as her head hit the pillow, her weariness from the day threatened to overtake her. “G’night, Apple Bloom,” Applejack whispered, as she tucked the filly in. She kissed her gently on the forehead. “G’night, sis…” Apple Bloom yawned. Applejack paused at the doorway, and sighed. “Rest up— ya got a big day of school ahead o’ ya tomorrow.” Apple Bloom’s eyes were shut before the door even closed. The unwanted, dirty little secret. Diamond Tiara’s voice floated out of Carrot Top’s mouth as she and Lyra circled the filly. Silver Spoon’s laugh tumbled out of Lyra’s mouth, as the two circled closer and closer. “We’re sorry.” The five fillies—Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Alula, Dinky and Berry Pinch—turned away from her. “Our mothers don’t want us hanging around you anymore.” “Wait!” Apple Bloom yelled as she ran after them. No matter how fast she ran, her hooves could not gain purchase, and the girls drifted off into the darkness. Only Dinky looked back, over her shoulder. Apple Bloom fell to the ground and covered her face. She fought back the sobs, but she couldn’t help it. When she removed her hooves from her eyes, Apple Bloom found herself in a hospital room. In the bed in front of her, a wall-eyed pegasus laid nuzzling a frail unicorn filly. The foal watched Apple Bloom, making small gurgling sounds as the mother placed small loving kisses on her forehead. “Welcome to the family, little one.” On the other side of the partition, Granny Smith and Big Mac sat next to another bed. Applejack was lying there, a small bundle wrapped in her arms. “Ah’m sorry, Granny. Ah jus’ don’t know what went wrong,” Applejack sniffled. “There, there,” Granny Smith cooed, patting Applejack’s hoof. “We all make mistakes from time t’ time.” Ah’m not a mistake! Apple Bloom tried to call out to her family, but could not find her voice. Ya promised me, Applejack. Ah wasn’t a mistake. “We’ll be okay, Sis,” Big Mac’s voice rumbled, despite his far smaller stature. “Ya won’t have t’ think about it ever ag’in.” Carrot Top and Lyra walked through the door across from the bed. “Ugh!” Diamond Tiara’s voice came from Carrot Top’s mouth. “She’s still a blank flank. Do we really need to take this one?” “Please, take her,” Applejack sobbed. “Ah don’t know how t’ be a mother. Please, take her.” Lyra lifted the foal by her rear ankle, holding her at a distance with her magic. A long tuft of amaranth mane spilled from out of the wrapped blanket. No! Don’t send me away! Please, Applejack, don’t send me away! She watched in horror as Lyra and Carrot Top carried the foal out the door, not even paying attention to its cries. Applejack, please… Apple Bloom shot up, gasping for air. Her bed was soaked with sweat, despite the pleasant breeze blowing through her window. She shook all over, trying to dispel the last remnants of her nightmare. Diamond Tiara’s laughter seemed to echo through the night. She slipped out of bed, uncertain what the time was. She opened the door to her room, and was grateful to see light still spilling out from underneath Applejack’s door. The filly crept across the darkened hall, and lifted her hoof to knock gently on Applejack’s door, but stopped when she heard a gentle song drift through. ♪Little Apple Bloom, little Apple Bloom of mine In the garden there is a flower, little Apple Bloom of mine♫ Apple Bloom sat down, listening to the tune… it felt so familiar. ♪Under the Apple tree Lay your head under the bow Oh swing, oh sway Lay down to sleep.♫ It repeated itself, a gentle tune, filling her with both happiness and sorrow. During the second verse, Apple Bloom joined in, her voice barely a whisper. ♪Little Apple Bloom, little Apple Bloom of mine In the garden there is a flower, little Apple Bloom of mine♫ A song somepony had once sung to her. Vague memories of warm fur, gentle rocking… and that song. ♪Under the Apple tree Lay your head under the bow Oh swing, oh sway Lay down to sleep.♫ Her mother. Her mother used to sing that song to her. The faintest of memories, being held and rocked gently, falling asleep to that song. Applejack had started humming the tune, having stopped singing. Apple Bloom sat at the closed door, uncertain what she wanted to do. She sat there for what felt like hours. The filly wasn’t certain how long ago Applejack had finished her song, but when she heard the sharp blow of Applejack blowing out her candle, the filly finally worked up the courage to knock. “Hmm? Somepony there?” Applejack’s voice drifted through the door. “It’s— It’s me.” Apple Bloom spoke as softly as she could. “C-Can Ah come in?” “Sure thing, sugarcube.” Apple Bloom pushed the door open, and crossed the room. “What’s up, Bloom?” “Ah… Ah had a nightmare.” “Oh…” Applejack paused. “Did ya wanna talk about it?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, but… could Ah…” “C’mon, get over here,” Applejack chuckled. She lifted her blanket, and Apple Bloom crawled in. She pressed her back close to Applejack, who wrapped her forearms around her and held her tight to her chest. “G’night, Sugar Plum,” Applejack whispered. “G’night,” Apple Bloom whispered back. She let the gentle rhythm of Applejack’s breathing lull her, torn between wanting her big sister back like before… and wanting her mother to sing to her again. Apple Bloom sat quietly as the rest of the students burst out of the classroom. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had wanted to stay back with her, but Berry and Alula were able to pull them away. Dinky was the last to leave, smiling and nodding towards Apple Bloom with a promise that they’d meet her at Sugarcube Corner when she was ready. “Miss Cheerilee?” “Hmm?” Cheerilee looked up from her desk. “Oh, Apple Bloom. I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were still here.” “It’s okay,” Apple Bloom said, kicking a forehoof on the ground. “Ah know it’s not Thursday, but, uhh…” The filly noticed her teacher glancing at the clock, her brow furrowing at the time. “If it’s not a good time—” “No, no. It’s alright, Apple Bloom,” the teacher responded. “I was going to go and see Twi— Princess Twilight about her visit next week… but I’m certain she will understand.” Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel guilty, considering the second and third glance Cheerilee had given the clock. “Come on, then,” the teacher said with a smile. She trotted towards the back of the classroom, to the reading corner that had become their common spot, with Apple Bloom in tow. Settling down on her favourite cushion, Cheerilee waited for Apple Bloom to speak up. After a minute of awkward silence, the filly finally spoke. “Ah had a nightmare last night… an’ Ah went t’ Applejack’s room…” She paused. “Ah heard somethin’, an’ Ah don’t know how Ah feel about it. “Ah remember a song, one mah Momma used t’ sing t’ me, before… well… It was th’ one thing Ah had of her, and Ah almost forgot it. Applejack has always been a big sister t’ me, not mah Momma— an’… an’ last night…” Apple Bloom fidgeted with her hooves. “She was singin’ Momma’s song. Th’ one mah Momma used t’ sing t’ me, so Ah’d get t’ sleep.” “And how did that make you feel?” “Ah dunno. Angry… that she was singin’ Momma’s song. Happy… cause Ah remember those few memories. An’ Ah guess sad… cuz that’s all Ah got. “It— It jus’ didn’t seem fair; it was th’ one thing Ah had of mah Momma… an’ it turns out it ain’t even real.” A drop of something fell onto one of Apple Bloom’s fetlocks. She raised a hoof to her cheek, and realised she had been crying. “Why do you say it’s ‘not real’?” Cheerilee asked. “Ah always thought that was Momma’s song… Ah never got t’ meet Momma or Poppa, an’ th’ one thing Ah had of ‘em… wasn’t really them.” “Well, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t real,” Cheerilee said, caution in her voice. “You remember your mother singing it to you, when you were very young?” Apple Bloom nodded. “So if Applejack sang it to you, when you were a little foal… why is it not real?” “B-Because… because…” “Okay, let’s try this,” Cheerilee said. “What would be a real mother, to you?” Apple Bloom closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in thought. “Ah guess, somepony t’ help me, when Ah’m feelin’ scared, or angry, or upset. Somepony t’ talk to… somepony t’ tuck me in at night… Ah dunno, Ah’ve never had a momma, so Ah don’t know what t’ expect.” “Who does those things for you now?” “Well, Ah guess Applejack does most of it… Granny Smith an’ Big Mac help sometimes, but most of th’ time, it’s Applejack. She’s th’ one who makes sure Ah’m ready for bed, or helps with mah homework… an’ makes sure Ah’m ready fer school, an’…” Apple Bloom trailed off. “That sounds a lot like the things a mother does… so, again, why was your memory not real?” “Ah always thought she was mah sister, an’ Ah don’t know how… Ah don’t know…” “Maybe, Apple Bloom… maybe Applejack has always been a mother to you, in all but name. When you were scared from your nightmare last night, who did you go to?” “Applejack,” the filly whispered. “Sometimes, labels aren’t important. Whether Applejack is mother, or sister… she’s always been there for you, right?” By the time Apple Bloom got home, Applejack was helping Granny Smith with supper, whilst Big Mac was setting the table. “A-Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked. “Can we talk?” Apple Bloom stood nervously, as Applejack, Big Mac and Granny Smith shared a look. “Sure thing, sugarcube. Big Mac, can ya help Granny Smith here?” Applejack trotted to the door. “Why don’t we sit out on th’ porch, Bloom?” she asked. Apple Bloom followed her out the door. “So, what’s on yer mind?” Applejack asked, her voice a higher pitch than Apple Bloom was used to. “Ah… Ah’ve never known what it was like t’ have a mom…” Apple Bloom started. “All mah life, Ah wondered what it’d be like, t’ have somepony t’ watch over me. “But Ah have always had somepony t’ watch over me, somepony who was there fer me, every time Ah needed her. Maybe that pony was a sister, or maybe that pony was a… mom,” she whispered the final word. “But whatever that pony was, whatever she were called… Ah think th’ important thing was that she were there. Sister… or momma… she were always there. “Ah’d like t’ have that pony back… an’ if she’d still want t’ be there—” Strong forearms wrapped tight around Apple Bloom’s neck, drawing the filly close to Applejack’s warm chest. The smell of her coat filled the filly with a sense of comfort and safety, a happiness and security she had missed these long months. “Always, Apple Bloom,” Applejack whispered. “Always…”