• Published 24th Apr 2014
  • 8,359 Views, 444 Comments

Floret - Crystal Moose



Apple Bloom was expecting to find out about the niece she never knew existed. What Applejack shares with her, a secret she held for so many years, threatens to shake Apple Bloom’s world.

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Chapter Two

Apple Bloom awoke as the sun shone through the windows of the clubhouse. She was a little stiff from having spent the night on the floor, but at least this time her impromptu bed came with blankets and a pillow, as opposed to hay and some old newspapers. Big Mac had stayed with her overnight, but he’d evidently already risen and left for his normal chores.

Apple Bloom noticed a small plate covered with a tin lid. Lifting the lid off, she found the plate full of apple dumplings; a breakfast Granny Smith usually made for her on special occasions. Next to the plate was a small vacuum flask filled with warm cocoa.

She begrudgingly ate the dumplings; as angry as she was with her family for lying, she was still powerfully hungry.

If this is their way of sayin’ sorry, it ain’t good enough!

After washing her food down with the cocoa, she checked her school bags. Apple Bloom desperately hoped Big Mac had packed everything; she didn’t particularly feel like heading back to the farmhouse. It was bad enough that her brother insisted on staying in the clubhouse overnight (it was plenty large enough for Apple Bloom and her friends, but Big Mac certainly took up a large portion of the room).

Thankfully everything was in her bag, except for her math book, but she was certain she could get away with ‘forgetting’ that.

She met Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in their normal spot, and they walked to school together in an uneasy silence. Apple Bloom was well aware that the two were shooting her furtive glances when they thought she might not be looking; her friends were not as subtle as they thought they were.

No wonder we didn’t get our cutie marks in being ninjas.

Sweetie Belle had tried a few times to start a conversation, though after several false starts, she seemed to have given up.

They took their seats quietly as Cheerilee greeted the class.

“Ah gotta ask Miss Cheerilee somethin’,” Apple Bloom said as the girls got up from their seats. “Ah’ll be out soon.”

“We can wait for you!” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Yeah, we can hang back,” Scootaloo agreed.

“It’s… uhh… it’s okay. Ah won’t be long.”

Apple Bloom watched as her friends left the classroom, off to enjoy their recess. She opened her desk, and started fussing with her books; she just needed a little bit of time before she could slip away, hopefully unnoticed by her friends.

“Apple Bloom?”

Apple Bloom closed her desk and looked up. Cheerilee was sitting behind her desk, looking at her inquisitively.

“Do you need something?”

“Uhh…” Apple Bloom stalled. “Ah’m… uhh… Ah’m just lookin’ for mah math book. Ah think Ah forgot it this mornin’.”

“Alright…”

Apple Bloom could feel Cheerilee’s eyes boring into her.

“Is everything okay, Apple Bloom?”

“‘Course, Miss Cheerilee,” Apple Bloom replied, putting on her best everything-is-okay grin. “Everything’s as great as apple pie! Well, ‘cept for me forgettin’ mah math book.”

“Okay…” Cheerilee nodded, not taking her eyes off of Apple Bloom. “…if you say so. I have to go out into the yard, so please head outside. I have a spare mathematics book you can use later.”

Apple Bloom reluctantly followed Cheerilee out the door, but as soon as they were outside, Apple Bloom ducked into a nearby bush, hoping to remain unseen by her friends, the teacher, or anypony else. She just felt like being alone right now.

“Where are you going, Blank Flank?”

Apple Bloom winced. That voice could only belong to one filly. A nasty, mean, obnoxious, pain-in-the-flank filly.

“Where are your Cutie Mark Goof-sader friends?” Diamond Tiara chortled. “Aren’t you all usually attached at your unmarked hips?”

“Good one, Diamond Tiara!” Silver Spoon giggled.

Apple Bloom continued to walk away from them, scowling as she heard the pair bump hooves.

“Leave me alone.”

Diamond Tiara trotted in front of Apple Bloom, blocking the filly from moving any further. “What’s the matter? They finally kick you out of their goofy club?”

“Ah said leave me alone,” Apple Bloom growled, as she tried to sidestep the pink filly.

“Maybe they got sick of her stupid accent,” Silver Spoon added as she circled.

“Maybe they got sick of being friends with a country hick,” Diamond Tiara sneered, as she too began to circle Apple Bloom.

“Leave me alone!” Apple Bloom hissed, as she tried to escape the pair.

“I bet—”

“AH SAID LEAVE ME THE BUCK ALONE!”

Apple Bloom reared up and brought her forehooves down right on Diamond Tiara’s side. The pink filly fell to the ground, while Silver Spoon backed away nervously.

“APPLE BLOOM!” Cheerilee yelled as she stormed over.

Silver Spoon helped Diamond Tiara back up to her hooves, helping the filly adjust her tiara so it sat right on her head again. Diamond Tiara started sniffling; Apple Bloom was certain they were crocodile tears.

“Miss Cheerilee, Miss Cheerilee!” Diamond Tiara sobbed. “Apple Bloom pushed me over!”

“Yeah, and she said a bad word!” Silver Spoon added.

Cheerilee glared at all three fillies.

“Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, go back into the play yard. I do not want to hear you have caused any more trouble, am I clear?”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee.” A frown crossed Diamond Tiara’s face, and her water works stopped immediately. She turned away from Apple Bloom, and she and Silver Spoon walked back to the play yard main.

Cheerilee turned her eyes towards Apple Bloom. “Apple Bloom, we do not tolerate that kind of language in this school. I know what those two are like, but it does not give you an excuse for bad language or violence.

“Follow me,” the teacher barked as she turned towards the classroom.

Miss Cheerilee had sent one of the playground monitors out to Sweet Apple Acres, informing them that she needed to see one of Apple Bloom’s guardians.

Apple Bloom sat nervously at her desk, praying to Celestia that perhaps one of her cousins, or maybe an aunt or uncle, were visiting. Anypony, just so long as she didn’t have to see—

“Hi, Miss Cheerilee,” Applejack said quietly, as she trotted through the door. “Ah got a note sayin’ Apple Bloom’s in trouble?”

Apple Bloom hid behind the stack of books on Cheerilee’s desk; Applejack was the absolute very last pony she wanted to see at this moment.

“Good afternoon, Applejack,” Cheerilee greeted. “I’m sorry to call you away from your very busy schedule; I know how it can be out at the farm.”

“S’okay,” Applejack mumbled.

“Yes… well, please have a seat.” Cheerilee waited for Applejack to pull up a chair next to Apple Bloom’s. “Apple Bloom was in the yard today, and had an altercation with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Apple Bloom pushed Diamond Tiara to the ground. She also shouted words inappropriate for a school setting.”

Apple Bloom avoided the gaze her sister gave her.

“Is that true, Bloom?”

The filly refused to respond.

“Ah’m really sorry ‘bout this, Miss Cheerilee.” Applejack pushed away from the desk. “Granny Smith, Big Mac an’ Ah will talk to her about her behaviour tonight.”

“Thank you, Applejack.”

“Apple Bloom, are you comin’?” Applejack stood, staring at Apple Bloom with intensity.

“No…”

“W-What?” Applejack stammered.

“Ah said no!” Apple Bloom screamed. “Ah ain’t goin’ home with no liar!”

The filly pushed away from the teacher’s desk and trotted over to her saddlebags. They spilled as she tried to sling them over her croup, so she left them there as she stormed out the door, ignoring both the expression of shock on Miss Cheerilee’s face, and the saddened look on Applejack’s.

Apple Bloom sat shaking under the slide. It didn’t feel right, to be sitting under the slide like this. The way she felt, it should have been a rainy day, the slide being the only refuge from the downpour. In complete indifference to her mood, the weather was lovely— the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze blew with the faint scent of cut grass.

She hadn’t known where to go. She couldn’t go to the clubhouse, as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were likely there… and they’d just push to find out what was going on. She couldn’t go home, because that place was filled with liars, and she didn’t want anything to do with them! She just wanted to be alone, so Apple Bloom had hidden under the slide of the school playground, hoping that Applejack wouldn’t notice her when she passed by.

It’s not fair. Ah just wanted t’ be alone. But no, everypony’s just gotta lie ta me, or push me around.

Tears sprang unbeckoned from her eyes. She drew in ragged breaths as she pulled her legs to her chest.

It’s not fair. Why are they doin’ this t’ me?

“Apple Bloom?”

Ah just don’t understand. Why would they say that t’ me?

“Apple Bloom?”

The filly rocked gently, her eyes closed, trying to shut out the world.

“Apple Bloom?” A gentle hoof on her shoulder roused Apple Bloom from her thoughts. She turned to find Miss Cheerilee looking down at her. “Why don’t you come back into the classroom?”

When Apple Bloom made no movement, Cheerilee added, “Applejack has already left, so it’ll be just you and me.”

“Come over here, Apple Bloom.”

Cheerilee led Apple Bloom towards the reading corner, encouraging her to lay on one of the pillows. She trotted to her desk and grabbed a box of tissues. Bringing them back to the filly, Cheerilee then settled down on a pillow herself.

“You’ve been very upset today, Apple Bloom… I’m sorry that I didn’t notice it earlier.” Cheerilee sighed.

Apple Bloom pulled a tissue out of the box and dried her cheeks.

“You seemed very upset with Applejack before… is everything okay at home?”

The mention of Applejack… and home… caused the tears to start again. Apple Bloom began sobbing, burying her muzzle beneath her hooves. Cheerilee scooted her pillow a little closer, directly facing the filly. Pulling out another tissue, she lifted Apple Bloom’s chin and dried her cheeks.

“Now, now… it’s okay,” Cheerilee said in a soothing voice. “I might be your teacher, Apple Bloom, but if you need somepony to talk to, I am here for you.”

Apple Bloom blew her nose loudly into a tissue, then set the soggy mess on the ground.

“Ah j—j—jus’ don’t want to g—g—go back there,” Apple Bloom hiccoughed.

“Did something happen over the weekend?” Cheerilee asked, putting a gentle hoof on Apple Bloom’s shoulder.

Apple Bloom sat quietly for a moment, before nodding.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

Apple Bloom hesitated. She didn’t want to talk about it, she just wanted it to be over! The filly sighed.

“M-Mah s-s-sister— mah whole family is playin’ a mean joke on me.

“Ah was crusadin’ with th’ girls yesterday… we were gonna get our skydiving cutie marks…” Apple Bloom thought she felt a slight spasm in the hoof on her shoulder, but wasn’t sure why Miss Cheerilee had tensed. “But Rainbow Dash didn’t want to help us. W-W-When Scoots and Ah got back to the clubhouse, Sweetie Belle was there. She said she overheard mah sister talkin’ about a filly she had.”

Apple Bloom was certain she had felt Cheerilee tense again, but when she looked up to her teacher, Cheerilee motioned for her to go on.

“A-Ah was so excited; Ah was an auntie and Ah didn’t even know. But then when Ah got home and asked mah sister about it, they said Ah don’t have a niece…

“Th-Th-They said Applejack was mah Mom!” Tears fell from Apple Bloom’s eyes again, and a wracked sob tore from her lips. “B-B-But it’s not true! It can’t be! They’re lyin’ to me, and Ah don’t know why!”