Twilight stared in abject horror at the mess that was the Ponyville Hall of Records. "What in Equestria...?"
Polly Mare laughed self-consciously. "To be honest...I've never really gotten around to setting up a filing system."
Twilight wheeled on her. "But...these are all of Ponyville's important records! This information needs to be filed and catalogued and sorted and stamped and labeled and...and..." Her left ear twitched, and a manic grin spread across her face. "This is not a problem! This just calls for...ORGANIZATION!" She bounced in place on her hooves, flaring her wings. "I'll get all this sorted out, and then we can begin the process of setting up a neat, organized, efficient new system of government for Ponyville!"
Polly backed away slightly. "Alright. Um...is there anything I can do, Your Highness?"
Twilight nodded. "Go to your office—well, my office—and get the list on the desk, then take it to whichever contractor you normally use for big construction projects in Ponyville. Get an estimate on the new library. Don't authorize it yet, and tell them it needs to be cleared by me first."
"A-alright. I'm on it." Polly rushed out the door, and Twilight turned to the task of sorting the history of Ponyville in legal document form.
"Let's see...construction records, city planning records, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, carriage certificates, crop estimates, weather reports..." Twilight skimmed the header of each document before placing it on a pile with its brethren for further sorting.
Once the documents had all been organized into piles, Twilight began the laborious, meticulous task of labeling, stamping, and filing everything in a neat, orderly, efficient manner. She spent an hour and a half on the documents pertaining to city planning, construction, weather, and trade. Once she was done, she turned to the vital statistics piles. She rubbed her chin with a hoof, frowning. "I should cross-index these," she mused. She flipped through the birth certificates, and stopped when she came upon a familiar name.
APPLEJACK
Born on the 10th day of Harvestmoon in the year 978 Celestia
To Bright Macintosh who is the father and Pear Butter who is the mother
In the town of Ponyville
"Huh. Now that I think about it, I never knew anything about Applejack's parents," Twilight said. The name 'Bright Macintosh' seemed familiar; feeling she'd just seen it, she glanced at the death certificates. She shuffled through them until she found it:
BRIGHT MACINTOSH
Died on the 9th day of Wintersun in the year 996 Celestia
The certificate went on to list his rather grim cause of death. A moment later, she found a matching document for Pear Butter, with almost identical details.
Setting those aside, she went back to the birth certificates pile.
BIG MACINTOSH
Born on the 3rd day of Summersun in the year 969 Celestia
To Bright Macintosh who is the father and Pear Butter who is the mother
In the town of Ponyville
APPLE BLOOM
Born on the 22nd day of Springsun in the year 992 Celestia
To __________ who is the father and Applejack who is the mother
In the town of Ponyville
Twilight froze, eyes wide, and reread Apple Bloom's birth certificate twice.
The filing forgotten, she ran from Town Hall, spread her wings, and took off for Sweet Apple Acres.
* * * * *
Applejack peered up at an apple tree, head tilted, brow furrowed as she studied its branches. "Eeyup," she said. Tensing her legs, she leapt into the air, snagged a stunted branch with her teeth, and ripped it free, spitting it to the side as she landed on her hooves.
"Applejack, we need to talk," Twilight Sparkle said from behind her.
"GAH!" Applejack spun around, rearing. "Consarnit, Twilight! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Sorry," Twilight said tersely, "but this is really important." She looked around furtively, then leaned closer. "Is anypony else here right now?"
"Jes' Granny Smith," Applejack said with a shrug. "Apple Bloom's off on a field trip with her class, an' Big Mac's in town doin' some shoppin' for new tools an' such."
Twilight nodded. "Alright. Let's head up to the house. I want to talk to Granny Smith too."
"What's goin' on, Twilight?" Applejack asked.
"Wait until we get inside," Twilight said as she trotted toward the farmhouse. With a frown, Applejack followed her.
As Twilight opened the door, Granny, seated in her rocking chair, looked up. "Well howdy, Yer Highness!" she called cheerfully.
"Hello, Granny," Twilight said. She sat down on a worn-out old cushion. Applejack sat on the living room sofa.
"So what's this all about, Twi?" Applejack asked.
Twilight looked at the two Apples and sighed, her ears lowering. "I was refiling paperwork at the Hall of Records when I came across something...unexpected."
Granny worked her gums. "We ain't gone an' lost the farm or nothin', have we?"
"No, nothing like that," Twilight said. "It's about Apple Bloom." She looked at Applejack. "I saw her birth certificate."
Applejack tensed up. "Yeah, and?"
Granny sighed. "Applejack...yer Ma an' Pa didn't put their names on Apple Bloom's birth certificate like y' asked."
Applejack stared at Granny. Her ears fell flat. "Horseapples."
"Applejack...you're Apple Bloom's mother?" Twilight asked softly.
Applejack sighed. "Dammit...Ah never wanted anypony t' know..."
"Not even Apple Bloom?" Twilight asked.
"Especially not Apple Bloom," Applejack said.
"Applejack, I don't understand," Twilight said. "Why would you hide this? You, the most honest pony I know...I just can't believe—"
"Ah was fourteen when Ah got in a family way," Applejack said quietly. "Ah wasn't th' same pony Ah am today. Ah was young. Ah was scared. Ah was embarrassed. Ah didn't..." Applejack swallowed. "Ah couldn't handle it.
"Ah talked it over with Ma and Pa, an' Granny an' Big Mac. They weren't none too happy with what Ah had in mind, but..." She sighed. "We told ever'pony Ma was pregnant again. We made it look like she was fixin' t' have a foal. When...when Ah started t' show, down the line...me an' Ma started wearin' big heavy saddleblankets that hung clear t' our hooves all over town. Me t' hide that Ah was pregnant, an' Ma t' hide that she wasn't.
"Then when Apple Bloom came, well...Ah weaned 'er an' all, but we got it inta her head early on that mah Ma an' Pa were her Ma an' Pa, an' Ah was her big sister. It was all goin' great...ever'thin' worked out just like Ah wanted.
"An' then Ma an' Pa died. By that point...well...we were already tangled up in mah lie." Applejack shrugged. "Ah couldn't bring mahself t' tell Apple Bloom th' truth, an' Ah wasn't about t' let Big Mac or Granny tell 'er."
Twilight's eyes filled with tears. "Applejack..." She studied her friend, who was rubbing one fetlock with the other hoof and looking down at the floor. "Is it alright if I ask..." She trailed off.
"Ask what, who her daddy is?" Applejack said.
Granny snorted. "Forget it. She ain't never told a soul. We all tried t' get 'er t' tell us for a dog's age, but Ah still don't know."
Twilight approached Applejack, placing a hoof gently on her shoulder. "Applejack...don't you think it's time now? Do you really want to keep living with this secret? Even knowing it could be hurting your family?"
Applejack gave Twilight a dirty look. "That's right low, Twi," she said sourly. Then, she sighed. "But you're right." She bowed her head. "Apple Bloom's daddy is Braeburn."
Granny's eyes widened. "Braeburn?! You gotta be kiddin' me!"
Twilight drew back, a faintly disgusted look on her face. "Braeburn?! Your cousin from Appleloosa?!"
Applejack sighed. "This was back when we could still buck th' west orchard, before them fruit bats moved in. Back before Appleloosa was settled. Remember how Braeburn an' his papa used t' come around t' help around applebuck season?" At Granny's nod, Applejack continued, "Well, one day, it was hotter'n dragon farts out in th' orchard, an' me an' Braeburn had been buckin' an' doin' chores right up till sunset. We was wore out an' sweaty, an'...well...Ah was in heat, an' that didn't help none.
"So Braeburn said he could sure use somethin' t' drink, an' Ah agreed, an' then...Ah did somethin' real stupid." Applejack looked down, cheeks burning. "Ah snuck inta Pa's private cider stash."
Granny blinked. "You mean th' double hard?"
"Eeyup." Applejack snorted. "Didn't know what Ah was doin'. Got me an' Braeburn nice an' drunk. An' then, well...Ah don't really remember how or why it happened, but..." She looked away. "An' that was that." She looked up. "Braeburn never knew. He was so drunk he doesn't even remember us...y'know. Heck, Ah doubt he even remembers drinkin' that cider."
"An' that's why you ain't never told nopony?" Granny asked.
"Eeyup. Ah mean, it is pretty embarrassin'," Applejack said with a heavy sigh.
Twilight looked Applejack straight in the eye. "No matter how embarrassing it is, don't you think you owe Apple Bloom the truth? It isn't right to let her go through life thinking her parents are dead, when her mother is right here."
"Well now, t'ain't necessarily that simple," Granny Smith said. "That filly ain't gonna take it too well."
Applejack sighed. "No...Twilight's right." She trotted over to the window and looked out at the farm. "Ah always knew, deep down, someday Ah'd hafta tell Apple Bloom th' truth. Ah just...didn't wanna face it." She turned back around. "Ah'm scared. An' it ain't gonna be easy. But...it's what's right."
"Do you...do you want me to be here when you tell her?" Twilight asked. "For moral support?"
Applejack shook her head. "Thanks, but...Ah think it should just be me an' Apple Bloom."
Twilight nodded. "Well, you know where to find me if you need me," she said. She stood and trotted to the door. "By the way, Applejack?"
"Yeah, Twi?"
"For what it's worth...you've been a pretty good mother to Apple Bloom all along." With that, Twilight took off, soaring into the sky.
Applejack's eyes widened, irises narrowing to pinpricks. Her jaw dropped.
Granny Smith smirked.
* * * * *
Apple Bloom returned home from her class field trip to a wonderful smell. "Is that Granny bakin' a pie?" she wondered.
She walked into the kitchen to find Applejack placing a tray of apple turnovers on the table, next to a pitcher of milk and two glasses. Applejack looked up. "Howdy Apple Bloom," she said. "Uh...Ah made us a little snack."
"Thanks, sis!" Apple Bloom said, trotting eagerly to the table and sitting down.
Applejack poured two glasses of milk and slid one in front of Apple Bloom. "Careful now, them treats is hot," she said as she slid a turnover onto a small plate with a spatula and placed it before Apple Bloom, before serving herself.
"Looks an' smells dee-licious!" Apple Bloom said happily.
Applejack watched Apple Bloom blow on her turnover and take a bite. She sighed. "Hey, Apple Bloom...Ah gotta talk to you about somethin'. Somethin'...real important."
Apple Bloom looked up. "Sure, what's up?"
Applejack started to say something, then stopped. She grabbed her milk, took a sip, then seemed to be about to speak again.
"You okay, sis?" Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack sighed. "Dang it all, there ain't no easy way t' do this." She looked right into Apple Bloom's eyes. "Apple Bloom...you ain't mah little sister."
Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"
Applejack took a deep breath. "You're mah daughter, Apple Bloom. Ah'm your real mama."
Apple Bloom froze, staring at Applejack. "Say whut now?"
Applejack sighed and told Apple Bloom what she had told Twilight and Granny Smith earlier, leaving out the part about Braeburn and getting drunk. When she was finished, Apple Bloom's eyes were wide and wet.
"This is...this is some kinda joke, right?" Apple Bloom asked plaintively. "You're funnin' me, right?"
Applejack shook her head. "Ah'm tellin' th' honest truth, Apple Bloom." She bowed her head. "Ah was a scared kid what did somethin' stupid, an' then Ah went an' did somethin' else stupid, an'...an' Ah never shoulda pretended we was sisters, or made everypony else in th' family go along with it." She looked up at Apple Bloom, tears in her eyes. "Ah'm sorry."
Apple Bloom swallowed heavily. "Why...why are you tellin' me this now?"
Applejack looked down at her plate. "Honestly? Ah wasn't sure Ah'd ever get around t' tellin' you th' truth." She chuckled ruefully. "Some 'Element of Honesty' Ah am, huh?" She shook her head. "By th' time Ma and Pa died, it...it jes' didn't seem possible no more, an'...an' Ah didn't wanna change th' way things were. Even though..." She swallowed. "Even though Ah ended up raisin' you anyhow, jes' like Ma and Pa wanted me to in th' first place." She grimaced. "Ah knew Ah couldn't keep it secret forever, but...Ah jes' didn't wanna..." She gestured with her hooves. "This."
"You...weren't ever gonna tell me?" Apple Bloom asked. "Never?"
"Ah know," Applejack said. "That's selfish of me, an'...an' a sorry ain't gonna cut it."
"So...why did you decide to tell me?"
"Twilight found your birth certificate down at Town Hall," Applejack said. "She came out here a little while ago an' confronted me about it." She sighed.
"So Twilight guilted you into telling me you're my mother?" Apple Bloom asked, a touch of anger in her voice.
"Pretty much, yeah," Applejack said, hanging her head in shame.
Apple Bloom rose from the table. "Ah need t' go for a walk," she said. "Ah can't...right now, Ah just can't be...here."
Applejack sighed. "Ah understand."
As Applejack watched Apple Bloom head for the front door, she felt her heart breaking.
* * * * *
Apple Bloom trotted aimlessly up the dusty dirt road from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville proper, lost in thought.
In the span of a half hour, her world had completely changed. Her parents, who had passed away almost seven years before...were actually her grandparents.
Her sister was her mother.
Everything was just...wrong.
A sudden, sick thought made her stop in her tracks. *If Applejack is...then what about...is Big Mac—?*
The thought turned her stomach. That...couldn't be possible. At least, she hoped it wasn't. Things were twisted enough already.
"Hey Apple Bloom. You alright?"
Apple Bloom shook herself and looked up. A tiny cloud hovered above her, with Rainbow Dash peering over the edge.
"Oh...hi Rainbow Dash," Apple Bloom said listlessly.
Rainbow dropped from the cloud and landed beside Apple Bloom. "What's up? You look pretty down."
Apple Bloom sighed. "Ah...Ah don't wanna talk about it," she said.
"You sure? Talking about your problems always helps," Rainbow said. She rustled her wings. "Noooot that I'd want anypony to know I said that." She patted Apple Bloom on the head. "If you don't wanna talk to me, maybe you should talk to AJ?"
"NO!" Apple Bloom shouted, startling Rainbow Dash. "...sorry. Ah just..." Apple Bloom looked away, frowning.
Rainbow Dash nodded in understanding. "Had a fight with AJ, huh?"
"...somethin' like that."
"Yeah, I getcha. I don't have any brothers or sisters, but back when I was...a little older than you, I kinda went through a teen rebel phase. Had a few pretty bad fights with my dad." Rainbow snorted. "Tried to run away a couple times, too. But you know what?" She looked Apple Bloom right in the eyes. "I got over it. Because you can't stay mad at family."
Apple Bloom frowned and looked away. "Ah dunno. Ah'm not really mad, just..." She sighed. "It's hard t' explain."
"Well...once you've cooled off some, go back home and talk it out," Rainbow said. "Just don't do anything dumb, okay?" With a wave, she took off, dragging her cloud with her.
Apple Bloom sighed, kicking at the road. She lay down in the dirt, ears flat. She lay there for quite some time.
"Apple Bloom?"
She looked up to see Big Macintosh approaching. She swallowed nervously. "Hey...Big Mac..."
Big Macintosh tilted his head curiously at her. "Why in tarnation are you lyin' in th' middle of th' road?" He frowned. "You didn't have another fight with your sister, did you?"
"Don'tcha mean 'with my mother'?" Apple Bloom said, arching her back and glaring up at him.
Big Macintosh paled, eyes wide. "What—?"
"She told me," Apple Bloom said. "She told me Ah'm her daughter."
Big Macintosh sighed. "Welp...it had t' come out sooner or later." He looked down at Apple Bloom, eyes gentle. "Don't be too hard on your mama, Apple Bloom. What she did...it weren't right, an' we all tried t' stop 'er, but...the important thing is, she loves you. She's always loved you."
Apple Bloom looked down, eyes full of tears. "Ah know," she said. "Ah just...Ah'm havin' a tough time wrappin' mah head around all this." She looked back up at Big Macintosh. "Who's mah real papa? She didn't say."
Big Macintosh shrugged, frowning. "Ah don't know, Apple Bloom. To this day, Applejack ain't told nopony who your daddy is."
Apple Bloom blinked. "Not even Ma an' Pa?"
"Nope." Big Macintosh sighed. "You know how stubborn that gal can be."
"Yeah..." Apple Bloom sighed.
Big Macintosh started walking back down the road to Sweet Apple Acres. "You come along home now, Apple Bloom."
"Alright," Apple Bloom said, trudging behind him.
* * * * *
When the front door opened again, Applejack's heart leapt in her chest. When she saw Apple Bloom walk in behind Big Macintosh, she charged over and swept the filly up in a hug. "Oh thank goodness," she said.
Apple Bloom pushed her away. "Ah'm still upset with you," she said.
Applejack's ears wilted, and she let go, her head drooping. "Oh," she said listlessly.
"But not too upset for some more of them apple turnovers," Apple Bloom said with a small, hopeful smile.
Applejack smiled. "Sure thing, Apple Bloom. Big Mac, you want some turnovers?"
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh said, unlimbering his saddlebags and following the others to the kitchen.
Once Applejack had placed turnovers and milk in front of everyone, Apple Bloom looked at her. "Ah still have one question," she said.
"Okay," Applejack nodded.
"Ah wanna know who mah daddy is," Apple Bloom said. "Ah asked Big Mac, but he said you ain't never told nopony."
Applejack gulped. "Oh ponyfeathers."
"Applejack," Big Macintosh said sternly, "it's time t' come clean now. You owe this filly th' whole truth." He paused, and added, "Y'owe me an' Granny th' truth too, after all this time."
"Granny knows," Applejack said. "Ah told her earlier today. Her an' Twilight."
Big Macintosh grunted, but said nothing.
Applejack sighed. "Apple Bloom, yer papa is Braeburn."
Big Macintosh choked on his turnover. "BRAEBURN?! Whut th' HELL, AJ?"
"He's our COUSIN!" Apple Bloom said, face green.
"Not only that, he's as queer as a cupcake in a pie judging contest!" Big Macintosh thundered.
Applejack grimaced. "Yeah, Ah know...let's jes' say Pa's secret cider stash kinda makes ponies forget stuff like that."
Big Macintosh gave Applejack a stern, disapproving glare. "Ah see," he said.
"Ah don't," Apple Bloom said. "Whut's cider got t' do with mah gay cousin from Appleloosa bein' mah daddy?"
"Pa liked his cider...extra hard," Applejack said. "An' one day after chores, Ah got into it, an' me an' Braeburn got real drunk."
"Oh. Now Ah get it," Apple Bloom said with a grimace.
"Ah need t' have a little talk with Braeburn," Big Macintosh said gruffly.
"Like hell you do," Applejack said. "He don't know. He don't remember what happened, an' Ah never told him."
"MORE lies?" Apple Bloom asked sharply. "And you're supposed t' be—"
"Yeah yeah, Ah already got this speech from Twilight," Applejack grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Young ponies make mistakes, alright? Real dumb ones." She looked askance at Apple Bloom. "Not that you'd know anything about makin' dumb mistakes, right?"
Apple Bloom looked away guiltily. "Heh...Ah see your point," she said with a weak chuckle. "Still, don't you think you should...?"
"Why?" Applejack asked. "What's th' point? Does it really matter?" She sighed. "Look, Ah know after that whole business with Granny an' th' tonic, Ah learned that you can't let ponies live with a lie just because it's convenient an' makes 'em happy. But this ain't th' same thing. If Ah told Braeburn th' truth, it'd ruin his life. An' for what?"
Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom looked at one another, silently taking in Applejack's words. "Ah guess you're right," Apple Bloom said.
"Eeyup...when you put it like that, it makes sense. Ah don't like it, but it makes sense," Big Macintosh admitted.
"The important thing is...Apple Bloom, you've got a family that loves you. You may not have ever known Ah was your momma, but Ah've done mah best t' raise you up right, jes' like Ma an' Pa did for me an' Big Mac. An' Ah didn't do it alone. Ah had Big Mac an' Granny Smith here t' help after Ma an' Pa passed on." She reached a hoof across the table. "You've still got th' same family you've always had, Apple Bloom. Nothin's ever gonna change that."
Apple Bloom frowned pensively, then reached out and touched Applejack's hoof. "You're right. Ah'm still gonna need time t' let this all sink in, an' Ah'm still mighty upset with you for keepin' this from me all this time, but..." She looked up at Applejack and smiled. "Still family."
Applejack smiled. "Always family."
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh agreed, adding his hoof to the pile.
Applejack sighed. "Ah guess...Ah should probably tell th' rest of mah friends," she said. She chuckled. "Ah do feel better, havin' this all out in th' open an' all."
"Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are gonna flip," Apple Bloom said.
"You're...you're really gonna tell your friends?" Applejack asked curiously.
Apple Bloom shrugged. "Of course. Why wouldn't Ah?"
The three ponies finished their turnovers and milk in silence.