“I brought this down from the attic,” I tell Apple Bloom, gently tying the dress around her. “There. Mom wore this to her cutecenera, and I wore it to mine,” I say, tightening her bow.
Pulling away, I wipe at my eyes, taking a long deep breath in. “Oh gosh, I promised myself I wouldn’t cry, but your just growing up so fast.”
She smiles up at me, brushing her hoof across the pale green skirt. “Thanks, Apple Jack! I’m so excited! Me and the girls are already planning to start using the Crusader clubhouse as our headquarters! I can’t wait to start helping other ponies with their cutie marks!”
“And I’m sure you’ll do a fantastic job, but I bet it can wait until after the party. I bet your friends are already at Sugarcube Corner,” I say, brushing the hair from her eyes. “Big Mac’s waiting for you outside. Once the cake is done, I’ll wake up Granny and we’ll be right there.”
“Thank you sis,” she says, pulling me in a tight hug. I bite my lip, but I can’t help the water welling in my eyes as she bounds out the door, eyes shining.
I stand alone in the front room for a stretch of time before I head back into the kitchen. Brio wriggles his tail, looking at me from his highchair as he gums on a piece of bread.
“Well guppy, aren’t you proud of your big sister? It’s about time she got her cutie mark,” I tell him with a chuckle. “I’m glad she won’t be worrying about it no more. She grew up so fast, huh?”
He watches me as I pull the last cake layer from the oven. I carefully set it on top of the little cake pyramid, looking it over thoughtfully. “Four layer cinnamon chocolate cake,” I announce proudly, wiping sweat from my forehead. “Not bad for a days work. Guess I better start mixing the cherry frosting, hm?”
Dropping his bread, on the floor, Brio speaks. “Ahhhaah JJ! Cay! Cay! Ahhhhh!” he says, kicking his tail.
Trotting over, I bend, giving him his bread back. “That’s right, we’re making a cake for your big sister! Cake! Num num num,” I say, wiping crumbs from his chin with the back of my hoof.
He giggles brightly before forcing as much as the bread in his mouth as he could manage.
Smiling, I turn back to the counter and start pouring out the sugar. After I put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk them into a thick frosting, the cake’s cooled enough, so I coat it in a thick layer, then decorate it with rings of cherries and chocolate shavings.
Perfect. Carefully, I carry it outside, setting it in a cart I’d gotten ready, along with a serving knife.
Heading back inside, I put on my saddle bags, and lift Brio into the side Rarity adjusted to be a baby carrier. Pushing my hat up out of my eyes, I throw my head back. “Granny, you up? We’re going to Apple Bloom’s cutecenera!” I yell, sticking my head up the stairway.
Her creaky old voice calls back. “You silly filly, little Apple Bloom doesn’t have a cutie mark!”
“Granny, she showed you this morning, remember?” I yell.
“Oh, uh, yes, right, the shield with the apple, silly me.” She comes out of her room and starts down the stairs on shaky legs. “Is she a knight or something? I forget.”
“She says it’s helping others figure out and understand their cutie mark; I think it’s in the shape of their Crusader’s logo,” I say, helping her down the last step.
“Well good for her! We should tell Big Mac!”
I smile. “He already knows, Granny. Since it’s for all the Crusader’s, he talked to Rarity, and they’re going to have a Ponytones performance. I think Dash is actually going to do a Rainboom as a surprise for the girls,” I pause, jolting. “Oh! That reminds me! I have to go get the presents! I’ll be back quicker then a rattlesnake Granny, don’t go anywhere,” I tell her before galloping up the stairs.
My little sister’s all grown up.