//------------------------------//
// Chapter Four: Applejack 
// Story: Love is in Bloom 
// by MuddyWaters 
//------------------------------//

I turned to the two shadows, and I frowned. "I know it's you," I told them.

"Who's you?" a deeper voice asked.

"The Flim Flam brothers," I responded, too tired to properly deal with them. It'd been a while since the two conponies had come to Ponyville, but considering how the last time they'd been here, I'd almost lost Granny Smith, I wasn't too pleased to see them now.

"Good guess," the first voice, Flim, spoke, as the two stepped out of the shadows. They looked just as they had the last time I'd saw them, tall, lanky, with their stupid straw hats, striped t-shirts, and bow-ties. Flam had his mustache, which, when they were being silent, was one of the only ways I could tell them apart. The only other way was that Flam had a touch more red in his mane and tail.

"What are y'all doing here?" Apple Bloom demanded. She looked angry that the two brothers would even dare show up now. 

"Why, haven't you grown young Apple Bloom," Flam said, stepping up to get a closer look at my younger sister. "Why, you've even got your cutie mark!"

"Stay away from her," Big Mac said, his green eyes narrowed.

Flam backed up, surprised at the red stallion speaking. I remembered that Big Mac barely spoke around them, so of course they'd be shocked. 

"So he can speak," Flim murmured to himself.

"Stop avoiding the question," I told the twins. "Why are you here?"

"Can't we just visit," Flim started.

"-our dear friends," Flam continued.

"-The Apples?" they both finished together. 

"We're not friends," I snapped. "Last time you were here, your stupid cure-all-tonic almost killed Granny!"

They both flinched at that, their smiles wiped off their faces. I realized that I had struck a nerve. Was it possible that these two had finally grown remorseful of what had happened? But it was kind of too late for any remorse. Maybe if they'd shown up a few years ago. 

"Ahh," Flim spoke slowly, "we're sorry about that."

"Yes," Flam responded, speaking as slow as his brother. "We'd like to apologize for that."

"Too late for that," I remarked.

"The pony you should be apologizing to isn't here," Big Mac told them.

"Where is Granny?" Flim asked. "We could come back when she's here and apologize then."

"You'll be waiting an awful long time then," Apple Bloom choked. Of course talking about Granny Smith would be harder for her. She'd been so young when our parents had passed, that she probably didn't remember them. Granny had been the only parent she knew.

Flim and Flam must've understood then, because they took their hats off with their magic, and lowered their heads apologetically.

"We're awfully sorry for your loss," Flam said. "Would you accept our apologies on behalf of Granny Smith?"

"No," I told them. "I'm sorry, but it's not up to us. You should've apologized the second it happened and not waited for nearly five years."

"There has to be a way to get you to accept our apology!" Flim exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," Apple Bloom said, "but you heard Applejack. Now, if you don't mind, we have to get to bed. We have to get up early so we can get Apple Bucking over with."

The twins' eyes lit up. "Apple Bucking?" they chorused together.

"Just the three of you?" Flim asked.

"Eenope," Big Mac replied, causing their faces to fall again, and I was wondering what was going through their minds. Why would they care? I didn't trust them, why should they show up now to apologize. Why hadn't they just stayed away? Ponyville was better of without them here.

"Oh," Flam said, his voice downcast. Him and Flim shared a look. They both nodded quickly to each other.

"We understand," Flim spoke. "We'll leave you to go to bed, Apples. Good night, and good luck with Apple Bucking."

They both trotted down the path in the light of the moon, which had almost reached it peak in the sky. For some strange reason, I couldn't stop watching them retreat, until Apple Bloom knocked on my head with her hoof.

"You coming Applejack?" she asked.

"Yeah," I told her. I followed my siblings inside, but my mind wouldn't stop thinking about the brothers. I just had a bad feeling about them visiting. But why did I feel like their visit was also the best thing that could happen to me?

That night, my dreams were filled with another mystery stallion, still cloaked in shadows. But, tonight, the stallion's figure was more prominent, leaner, and skinnier than most. And it was almost like they were wearing a hat.