Chapter 2: Virgin’s Bloom
The crack of dawn found Applejack where it normally did, rolling out of bed bleary eyed with her mane and tail askew. A deep yawn as she scratched that self same mane with a hoof and gave a good one-eyed squint at nothing as Celestia’s sun’s first rays of light drifted in her window. A final stretch and the young mare made her way to the upstairs bathroom to freshen up.
The crow of a rooster entered the window as the dusty orange mare tied her mane into its almost trademark ‘pony’ tail. She felt more alive after a quick cold-water scrub of her face and running a brush through her long blonde tresses. As she moved to tie off her tail with a matching hair tie, her waking senses caught a hint of a slightly sour scent in the air. Lifting her hind leg AJ took a quick whiff in the direction of her nethers confirming her suspicions.
With a mild groan Applejack opened the medicine chest behind the mirror over the sink, and removed a bottle of pills. She hated her seasonal cycles, about as much as they seemed to hate her. Cramps, sore back, the itching, and crabbiness, she loathed them all, well the crabbiness did have the advantage of keeping the other gender at leg’s length or better. There really wasn’t one in particular that stood out without the others trying to outdo it. The pills were ‘suppressants’ meant to keep her pheromone levels low and take the edge off the rest of the symptoms, and that only meant she wasn’t going to be sashaying her hind-end all over Ponyville trying to attract a foal-daddy. She still was in for a lousy next while her biology tried to yet again unsuccessfully demand to be put to use.
Popping two of the pills from the bottle, Applejack downed them with a glass of water and finished her morning routine before proceeding to the door of her younger sister’s room. The orange mare gave two quick hoof taps on the base of the door followed with a hearty, “Wakey, wakey, Apple Bloom, up ‘n’ at ‘em!”
AJ didn’t wait to hear the younger pony rouse before heading downstairs to start breakfast. As she reached the kitchen she saw the steam curling lazily from the mouth of the coffee pot. Her older brother, Big McIntosh, had obviously already been up. The big red earth pony stallion was always the first pony up in the morning. AJ grinned; she used to tell Apple Bloom that Big Mac had to get up so early so he could wake up the roosters, so they could then wake up the rest of the Ponyville.
A twinge from her nether regions made point of fact for the blonde maned mare. If she was going to get through another round of estrus, she might as well do it on a full stomach, and this morning she felt it called for eggs. Tossing another log in the firebox of the stove she gave the bellows a couple of pumps to make sure the fresh wood caught and headed out to gather some eggs from chicken coop.
Trotting across the yard she spotted the work-barn door open and detoured in the direction of the other structure. Through the open door she saw the big crimson form of her older brother sitting on a straw bale, wrapping his front hoof in a bandage.
“McIntosh?” AJ called to her brother, as she trotted up to the door. “What’re ya doing with that bandage?”
The elder sibling said nothing as he finished tightening the wrap on his front hoof. The binding finished to his satisfaction, he turned his head to reply to his sister, before her patience ran thin.
“Just rolled mah hoof a little while I was takin’ a jog ‘round the orchard this morning, nothin’ serious.”
“Alright, you still able to …” Applejack paused as she took a better look at her brother. The scratches were hard to notice against his red coat but the more she looked the easier it was to see them, the few stray twigs and leaves in his mane and tail, a little easier. “You sure that all you did was roll y’r hoof?”
“Eeyup, rolled mah hoof an’ took a little tumble. I’ll be fine AJ.”
“A’right McIntosh, if you say so, I’ll take y’r word for it.” She said with a nod as she turned back toward the direction of the chicken coop. Eggs were still needed for breakfast, after all.
She had scarcely gone half a dozen lengths when she spotted her little sister trotting out of the edge of the orchard.
“Apple Bloom!” She called out in surprise to the small scarlet maned blonde filly. “What are ya doing out here?”
The littlest Apple froze cold in her tracks not having expected to be seen outside so early in the morning.
“I … ah … decided to … try and go for an early morning jog like big brother … I didn’t get up early enough … so I just ran out to the club house an’ back.”
“Un-huh,” Applejack may just have gotten out of bed less than twenty minutes ago but she wasn’t foaled yesterday. Something about her sister’s tale didn’t hold water. “Well, do me a favor and fetch some eggs from the coop while I go get the table set.”
“Yes ma’am, right away ma’am.” Apple Bloom scampered off in the direction of the hen house at a speedy clip.
“Apple Bloom!” AJ called out before her sister got too far. The younger pony skidded to a stop so hard she tumbled flank over forelock landing rump first in a mud puddle.
“You forgot the basket.” Applejack snickered at her sloppy sibling as the younger pony picked herself up and trotted over to take the basket from her older sister. “And wash y’rself off at the pump before ya come tracking all that mud inside. I know we’re not as fussy as Rarity ‘round here, but there is a limit.”
“Right, sis.” Apple Bloom chirped as she trotted off, egg basket balanced on her head, muddy flanks, and an equally muddy tail plastered to her backside.
Ma really just missed it on her, I swear, she gets into more mud and mess than any colt I know of. Prissiest little tom-colt y’ever saw. I wonder whatever gave Ma the idea she was gonna be a colt in the first place? Applejack mused as she watched her sister traipse off, before heading back into the barn-house to get the table set and grab a cup of coffee.
Breakfast wasn’t normally a big deal at Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac’s bowl was already in the sink, as Applejack had already seen. It seemed her brother at times lived on oatmeal and coffee, at least in the mornings. Usually it was the mares of the house that got to sit down and eat that first meal together. Sunday was about the only day that Big Mac would join them for breakfast on any kind of regular basis.
Applejack shook her head as she wondered how her older brother had managed to grow into such a huge strapping stallion from such a scrawny little colt, some how. Big McIntosh aside, this morning it was just her and Apple Bloom for breakfast, Granny Smith being at the Ponyville hospital having undergone hip surgery the other day. It would be a couple of days yet before Doc Stable would likely be willing to send Granny home to finish recuperating.
It was the sound of frantic munching brought AJ’s mind back to the present as Apple Bloom practically inhaled her bean-sprout and pepper omelet, along with the toast with apple butter.
“Braaarrrp!!” the smaller pony belched before declaring, “I’m all done sis, gotta run, me and the Crusaders are going to try to get our cutie marks as … something, uhm …, it’s Sweetie’s turn to pick so I’ll find out when I get there.”
It was as Apple Bloom turned away from the table and headed for the stairs that Applejack caught the scent in the air, it was sweet, with a hint of sour ammonia hiding beneath, it was almost like …
AJ quickly ducked her head under the table and saw the wet spot on the booster block and cushion that Apple Bloom had been sitting on. Sitting on and fidgeting all through breakfast. She walked around the table and took a better whiff …
“Apple Bloom!”
The small filly froze on the bottom step as her stomach did a big back flip and looked back at her older sister, eyes wide at the upcurled top lip sneer on AJ’s muzzle.
“Get your tail up to the bathroom right now, little missy.”
Apple Bloom swallowed hard and bolted for the bathroom, AJ following hot on her tail.
“Whoa there, sugar cube!” Applejack called as she dashed up the stairs after her sister, only to come skidding to a halt too late as the bathroom door slammed shut in her face.
“Apple Bloom?” AJ asked through the door.
“Go away! I’m in here, wait your turn.” The younger pony shot back through the wooden barricade.
AJ leaned patiently against the wall beside the door as she responded to the obviously scared young filly inside the privy. “And when might that be?”
“When you’re not mad at me any more for wetting the bed and trying to hide the sheets, and for dripping on the cushion at the breakfast table, and …” the frightened filly broke off with a sob of fear mixed with equal parts fear and confusion.
“Wet the bed did ya?”
“Yes.” came the small reply from the other side of the door.
AJ chuckled slightly, “It’s all right, I’m not mad at ya, these things kinda sneak up on ya sometimes.”
“I … Wha?” Apple Bloom stumbled verbally. A few moments later there was a soft click of the cross-bolt sliding back and the door latch opening.
Applejack looked down at her little sister as the filly’s amber eyes peeped out from the gap in the door, a confused expression on the crimson coiffed filly’s face.
“You’re not mad?” Apple Bloom murmured.
“No, I’m not, I just wish you’d told me what had happened.” AJ assured her sister as she pushed her way in to join Apple Bloom in the bathroom.
“But I peed the bed Applejack, I’m too old to do that.” Apple Bloom whined in reply, embarrassed at her unintentional faux pas. Being called a ‘baby’ and a ‘blank flank’ was bad enough without her body betraying her in ways that seemed to prove Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon right.
“You sort of did, and sort of didn’t.” AJ informed her sister as she reached up and opened the medicine cabinet above the sink. She pulled out a narrow wooden box and popped the stopper from the end and drew a heavy glass thermometer from inside it.
“I did what?” Apple Bloom queried, not understanding what her sister was getting after.
Turning the rod about on her hoof Applejack placed the business end in her own mouth and looked at her younger sibling seated on the bath mat nearby.
“Are you feeling sick, sis?” Apple Bloom cocked her head as she spoke.
“Naw, Ah’m right as rain, this here’s f’r you. Now this is gonna seem a might strange but I need ya t’ turn round and put y’r forelegs on the edge of the tub an’ hold y’r tail out of the way f’r me.”
Apple Bloom immediately backed herself into the nearest corner, a look of shock on her face and her tail tucked tightly over her plot. “No way, no how. I’m a big pony and I can hold a thermometer in my mouth just like you.”
AJ grinned as well as she could with the glass rod protruding from the edge of her mouth and not drop it. “It’s not that kind of thermometer, sugar cube.”
“Then why do you have it in your mouth?” Apple Bloom countered, still trying to back herself through the wall.
“’Cause the first time Granny Smith used this on me it was colder than a Windegoe’s withers, so I’m trying to warm it up some f’r ya.” The older mare explained calmly. “This here is a special kind of thermometer f’r while you’re in season, meant f’r checkin’ t’ see if y’r fertile and ready to have foals, so of course it’s gotta go in yer …”
“But I’m too young t’ have foals Applejack, I don’t even have my cutie mark yet!” The younger pony gasped as what her sister was saying sank in.
“I know, and y’r younger than I was when I first came into season, but it seems nature has snuck up on you and it’s hitting you harder than it did me. So we need to be careful, since y’r leaking kinda heavy. A raw fertile mare can make even the calmest colts plum crazy, so after I check y’r temperature, we’ll get ya cleaned up and I’ve got some scent scrubber we can rub on y’r plot to help hide y’r scent f’r now. When we go over to Ponyville Medical to see Granny Smith, we’ll make you an appointment with Doc Soft, and pick you up some suppressants. Okay?”
“I guess …” Apple Bloom relented with a sigh as she stepped away from the wall and moved to follow her sister’s instructions.
“Good girl, Apple Bloom, now just relax and this will go real easy.”
* * * * *
Big McIntosh’s ankle still throbbed slightly as he hauled the empty cart with the pruning tools in it down the orchard path. The injury was minor, but he’d have Fluttershy take a look at it later, anyway. The butter-yellow pegasus mare was pretty good with treating minor aches and such, and was a good friend of AJ’s.
“Hey, Big Mac!” called a voice from above moments before a sky blue pegasus pulled up into a hover just a half a length in from of him, forelegs crossed over her barrel and a scowl on her face. “Have you seen Caramel? I want to give that colt a piece of my mind.”
“Nnope.” Mac replied, Caramel hadn’t shown up yet, but given the brown colt’s propensity for bad timing, he was likely just running late as usual.
“Yeah, well, I helped Sassaflash set up a romantic date for the two of them last night and this morning the Mayor sends Derpy over to wake me up on my day off because Sass didn’t show up for work this morning.”
“Eeyup.” Mac gave a single nod as he spoke, as the rainbow maned mare bolted off again into the blue. If he saw Caramel before Rainbow Dash did, he’d be sure to let the unlucky colt know that the hot-blooded weather mare was bucking for him. At least then the unfortunate fella would have a chance to run for cover while hurricane Dash was tearing up the sky.
As he resumed pulling McIntosh took in the orchard. A storm off the Everfree Forest had blown through a few days ago and he had some broken branches to finish pruning. Not to mention the signs of a Zap Apple season were starting to show, and that would add to the work, as the finicky rainbow-colored fruit was only harvestable for a very short period of time. He was hoping to sack away some extra bushels this time for a little cider related side project he’d found in his grand-pappy’s journal if he could, but that meant staying on top of his chores among other things.
A flicker of white motion caught his attention as he neared the small clearing where his sister’s clubhouse sat. When AJ had been young it had been her ‘Manehatten townhouse’, where she’d host her fancy dinner parties and such. The thought brought bittersweet memories to the surface. AJ had loved hearing about their mother’s younger days growing up in Manehatten high society. Their mother had even promised Applejack a proper Manehatten style cutecenera when AJ’s cutie mark eventually appeared. McIntosh’s heart gave a painful wrench as at the memory, Orange Bloom had never gotten to see Applejack get her cutie mark.
With a brisk shake of his head, McIntosh cast the quickly souring memories aside in favor of his more immediate chores, and trotted onward, only to have a stray breeze bring a whiff of something to his nose. Big Mac paused as his brain processed what his nose was trying to tell him. The scent on the air was familiar, yet different.
He cast about looking for the source of the odd aroma as his lip curled back in the flehmen response as he drew a fuller winding of the scent in. His eyes zeroed on the sheet hanging off the veranda of AJ’s former tree house that now served his youngest sister as the headquarters of the Cutie Mark Crusaders as the three young fillies called themselves.
Cautiously, McIntosh let his curiosity lead him to where the bed sheet hung over the railing of the tree house. One more good whiff, and his brain clicked. The scent was Apple Bloom, mixed with that magical aroma of ‘mare in season’ and urine. Apple Bloom had blossomed it seemed.
So that’s what Apple Bloom had been doing out here so early this morning. Mac mused to himself. Hiding the evidence of a wet bed, probably not knowing what had really happened, and figuring AJ would be tissed with her for having wet it. I hope that AJ’s sharp enough to pick up on it before some daft colt picks up on Apple Bloom.
Mac shook his head in amusement, he certainly wasn’t ready to enforce a pitchfork wedding on his baby sister. Still it couldn’t be any worse than the traditional contracts that he knew his parents had arranged and signed for AJ and him. He was pretty sure AJ wouldn’t take to kindly to Granny Smith handing her that sealed envelope some day.
Himself, he wasn’t sure, but it would probably save the complicated hassle of the whole social dating scene. He’d never really gotten over the teasing for being a scrawny ‘egg head’ in his youth. Well, that was if things didn’t work out with Cheerilee.
As he turned away from the incriminating laundry, Mac caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. It was a hoof print he hadn’t noticed before, and a large one at that he noted, as he placed his own sizable hoof over the stranger’s print for comparison. There were also, he found rub marks around the base of the tree. The prints were too big to be Caramel’s, so who would be out here in the orchard near daybreak beside himself?