Shimmy Shorts

by Ausbrony

We're like Apple Pie

“This is bad… this is real, real bad!” Fiddlesticks paced around the kitchen, her hooves scuffing the tiles as she fretted and panicked.

Apple Bloom had wandered in about five minutes ago, but so far had failed to capture the mare’s attentions. She glanced upwards as Big Macintosh stepped up beside her.

“She’s frettin’?” he said in a low rumbling tone.

“Eeyup,” Apple Bloom said with a nod.

“Can’t get her attention?”

“Eeyup.”

“Want me to do it?” he asked, his littlest sister nodding her head. With a roll of his eyes, he stepped forwards and placed himself in the mare’s circular path. A moment later, Fiddlestick’s pacing stopped as she ran right into the large stallions barrel.

“Oof! Whuzzat?” she looked up and frowned. “Big Mac? Watch where yer goin’.”

The stallion just sighed and headed for the backdoor, ready to start his chores. In the meantime, Apple Bloom finally confronted her cousin.

“Fiddlesticks,” she said and tapped her leg. “Now look here, whut’s got you all wound up tighter than a rattlesnake on a bicycle wheel?”

The earth mare sighed and her head drooped, pointing at a piece of paper on the table. Apple Bloom trotted over and looked at it.

‘Dear Fiddlesticks.

I’ll be paying a visit two days from now. It’s been a while and I’d like to catch up, especially since I heard that you were involved in that Nightmare Moon nonsense. (I was very worried when I heard you know (>x<)

Sis has just said she wants to come along to, oh and Mom, so I guess the three of us will be travelling there. /\*o*/\

It’ll be good to see the others as well, haven’t done so since the last reunion so we’re looking forward to it.

And I hope your cooking skills have gotten better. I remember when your speciality was ‘Flambe la Charcoal’ ^w^ So we’re lookin’ forward to a some good vittles kay~?

With loads of love, your favouritest cousin ever!

~Apple Fritter~

“Whoa, cousin Fritter’s comin’?” Apple Bloom blinked. “We haven’t seen her in ages. Since she never came to th’ last Reunion.”

“Yeah, and Cousin Apple Cider and Aunt Apple Leaves,” Fiddlesticks groaned and fell to the floor, channelling her Inner Rarity. “This is the absolute worst!”

“Whoa now,” Apple Bloom frowned and hopped down from the table. “They ain’t that bad. Whut’s got yer hat in a tizzy over their visit?”

“That cooking comment, that’s what!” Fiddlesticks moaned. “You know ah can’t cook worth a lick o’ beans. At least nowhere near the level that Fritter can. Her cookin’ is like… legendary!”

“Well, ah know that much,” Apple Bloom drooled slightly, her mouth watering at the mere thought of Apple Fritter’s delicious baked goods. Not even SugarCube Corner could compare to a Fritter Feast. “But, is it really that big a deal?”

“YES!” Fiddlesticks cried and flopped to the floor again. “If I don’t prove ah kin cook sumthin’ Fritter’s gunna tease me forever! Ah’ll bring shame to the Apple Family name! Y’all will cast me out into the cold! Ah’ll have nowhere to go, and wind up being a bandit! Hittin’ the dusty trail and makin’ a livin’ robbin’ travellin’ folk.”

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow, the only motion in her otherwise flat stare. “Yer imaginin’ things Fiddles. But honestly, don’t y’all have a friend that’s good at bakin’ n’ stuff?”

Fiddlestick’s eyes widened in realization. She was right. Pizzelle could help!

“Yer a lifesaver AB,” Fiddlesticks picked the filly up and snuggled her before zipping away, leaving a comical dust trail in her wake.

“Ah feel like ah jus’ sicced a monster on poor Pizzelle,” Apple Bloom gulped.

---

Pizzelle hummed a small tune as she carried a tray on each wing, laden with small lumps of chocolate chip dough. She tapped the oven door with a rear hoof, knocking it open as she slid the trays inside in a single fluid motion. She was looking forward to seeing how this new recipe would come out. Maybe she should give some to Coco, the poor dear seemed to have quite a bit of excitement in Manehattan the other day.

And she let out a filly-like shriek when her door burst open, Fiddlesticks running in like Nightmare Moon herself was on her tail. “Crumbling Cookies!” the pegasi’s wings floofed up in shock as she jumped back. “Fiddlesticks! What the hay?”

“Pizzelle!” she shouted. “Y’all gotta help me!”

Pizzelle paused to calm her racing heart and exhaled slowly. “Okay dear. Just calm down and tell me what’s wrong. Is it an Element’s of Harmony thing? Oh dear, I’ll have to find a foalsitter for Hikaru, and I just put some cookies in the oven, they might burn. Oh, do you think Bon Bon could do it? No, she’s likely still upset right now. Hmm, maybe Mrs. Cake wouldn’t might watching the store-mmph?”

Fiddlesticks had plugged her mouth with a hoof. “Pizzelle, calm down. It ain’t an Element thing. Ah jus’ need yer help in particular okay?”

Pizzelle nodded and Fiddlesticks removed her hoof. “So?” the pegasus smiled. “What can I help you with?”

“I ah…” Fiddlesticks’ resolve faltered. What if Pizzelle made fun of her for not being able to bake? Would she do that? No, that’d be silly, right?

“Well?” Pizzelle hummed and prodded Fiddlesticks with a hoof. “If you came to hear some gossip. Well I should tell you what I saw the other day. You know Lyra yes? Well I saw her with the most curious purple unicorn. They did look rather inebriated however. So I said to myself—”

Hoof met mouth again and Fiddlesticks shook her head. “No… that’s not it. I uh… I need yer help with… bakin’.”

Pizzelle blinked and then her expression softened, petting Fiddlesticks on the head. “Why didn’t you just say so dear. I’d love to give you a few pointers.”

“Ah reckon it’ll take more than a few pointers,” Fiddlesticks sighed. “Alright, so where do we start?”

“That’s easy,” Pizzelle smiled and opened the large ceramic jar that held her flour. Only it didn’t hold her flour… it now held her son as he poked his head out and pulled a face.

“EEEEK!” Pizzelle scrambled back, promptly sitting on Fiddlesticks as the pair fell into a tangled mess. Hikaru cackled as he climbed out of the jar.

“Aaaahahaha, oh wow, you should have seen your face,” the kitsune snorted. “You were all like, ‘eeeek’ and fell on your butt. Good thing Miss Fiddles was there to act as a landing pad!”

“Ohhhh, you little scamp!” Pizzelle growled as she tried to disentangle herself from her friend. “I’ll get you for that one.”

“You can’t catch meee~” Hikaru laughed as he ran from the room before she could recover. Pizzelle sighed as she finally got up, stretching her wings and fluffed them to realign a few tangled feathers.

“Ohh, what a tricky little ruffian he is,” she chuckled. “But he’s right, it’s very hard to one-up a Kitsune.”

Fiddlesticks shook her head, trying to clear it after Pizzelle sat on it. She weighed more than she looked. “Yahuh…” she replied woozily. “Ah’ll git him back fer that one. Nopony outpranks Fiddlesticks!”

“Perhaps I’ll take you up on that,” the pegasus smiled. “Now, let me get the ingredients and we’ll start.”

Pizzelle showed her how to mix a smooth dough to create the base. Mixing sugar, a pinch of salt, butter and egg. And after rolling it into two balls, one slightly larger than the other, she wrapped them in plastic wrap and placed them in the fridge.

“Huh, why do that?” Pizzelle asked.

“We need to dough to chill for thirty minutes,” Pizzelle explained. “Now, do you happen to have any apples on you—” Fiddlesticks took a pile of green apples from her hat and put them on the counter. “—Silly question?”

“Eeyup,” the earth mare giggled. “Ah always got a few dozen on me. Ya know, in case of apple-related emergencies.”

“So I see,” Pizzelle smiled as she looked them over. “My my my, your apples are simply perfect. We’ll make a tasty pie from this.” Together, they peeled and cored eight apples, cutting each into eight pieces. Pizzelle tossed them into a bowl of lemon juice to prevent them from discolouring.

“Now we add the butter and sugar to a frying pan,” Pizzelle explained as she turned on the heat. “And once that’s melted, we add the apples and spices, like that cinnamon over there.”

“Ahh,” Fiddlesticks nodded and reached for the spice. “Ah had no idea that you put cinnamon in apple pie.”

“It’s one of the main ingredients,” Pizzelle nodded. She melted the butter and added the apples and spices. “Now we cook for… about ten minutes or until the apples get soft.”

“Okay,” Fiddlesticks nodded. She never knew pie-making was so… involved. She thought she just tossed stuff in a pan and threw it in the oven. Is this why her pies didn’t work?

Or maybe apples and barbeque sauce didn’t mix?

“And now… we get that dough back out,” Pizzelle explained and demonstrated as she went through the process of rolling it out and layering a pan with it. Once the apples she’d cooker earlier had cooled, she brushed the dough-filled pan with some eggwash and filled it, placing the cover over the pie and setting it back in the fridge.

“Now we chill for thirty minutes and once it is, we can cook it,” Pizzelle explained. She reached up to a shelf and pulled down a book. “Here, this has some recipes that my grandmother showed me. If these can’t make you a great pastry chef, nothing will.”

“Are… are ya sure?” Fiddlesticks asked, unsure if she should take something so important. “Ah mean, this is only fer family…”

Pizzelle smiled and used a wing to pull the mare close, nuzzling her head. “And you aren’t? We’ve been through a heck of a lot. You, me, Red, Quick, Coco and Sunny… we’re all family. You’re all like the sisters I never had, so yes, I am sure.”

“Y’all are gonna make me blush,” the earth pony mumbled, blushing anyway. “Alright… ah promise ah’ll take good care of it.”

“See that you do,” Pizzelle smiled. “Now, how about a nice cup of tea while we wait for the pie to chill. You can tell me about yourself a little more.”

“Ah guess ah could do that,” Fiddlesticks nodded…

---

The mare groaned as she slumped over the table. Pizzelle had pretty much wanted her life story and now the earth pony was utterly spent. How was talking with one pony more exhausting than bucking a whole orchard of trees?

“Wow, I can’t believe you knew somepony as famous as Miss Octavia,” Pizzelle hummed as she sipped her tea. “And… you really don’t like being called Fiddly Faddle?”

“Call me that again and I’ll never throw you a single party ever!” Fiddlesticks growled, her eyes narrowing into an uncharacteristic frown. That foalhood nickname was the bane of her existence, and yet Pizzelle had somehow gotten her to tell it.

“Okay, never again. Got it,” Pizzelle nodded hastily. Having Fiddlesticks not throw you a party showed that she was really mad at you.

“Glad ta hear it,” Fiddlesticks nodded and let out a soft sigh. “Look, ah want ta thank you fer helpin’ me out Pizzelle. Yer a good friend.”

“Of course, I’m happy to help however I can,” Pizzelle smiled and leaned over to pull her into a wing hug. “Like I said, you and the other girls are like sisters to me.”

“Yeah, thanks a bunch Pizzelle,” Fiddlesticks nodded. “Ah dunno if ah can bake one as good as y’all… but ah guess ah kin give it a try.”

“Well, did you want me to come over and help?” Pizzelle asked. “I certainly don’t mind assisting a friend.”

“Nah, I gotta do this mahself,” Fiddlesticks said with a shake of her head. “‘Sides, Fritter would tease me forever if she knew ah had help.” She cocked her head and smiled. “And could th’ Element of Truth really do that?”

“Well… darn,” Pizzelle sighed and shook her head. “Well, I can always play a supervising role.”

“Maybe…” Fiddlesticks sighed. “Well, thanks fer th’ lesson, and the cookbook Pizzelle.”

“Mhm, anytime,” Pizzelle nuzzled her as the earth mare got up. “I’ll bring that pie over when it’s done baking okay?”

“Sure,” Fiddlesticks nodded as she headed for the door. “Later!”

---

On her way home, the mare had her head down, repeating the lesson over and over again in her head. She couldn’t afford to get scatterbrained and forget it all now.

And that was why she didn’t see the pony she bumped into, sending them sprawling across the ground. Well… the latter did anyway. The sturdy earth pony barely budged.

“Huh?” Fiddlesticks looked up to see Sunset groaning and rubbing her head. “Oh, heya Sunnybuns!” She beamed and helped her up. “Odd place to take a nap though. Too bad ya can’t nap on clouds like Dusty.”

“I wasn’t napping, I ran into a wall,” the princess muttered and brushed the dirt from her coat.

“A wall?” Fiddlesticks looked around at the open street. Sunset was such a silly pony sometimes. “Well, ah was just on my way home. I have to learn to bake a pie for mah cousin befer she show’s up.”

“Learn?’ Sunset paused as that caught her off guard. “But… what about all those cakes and treats at your parties?”

“Sugarcube or Pizzelle,” Fiddlesticks sighed as she told her the truth. “It’s plum embarrassin’ to admit. But ah can’t cook at all. Unless y’all eat charcoal.”

Sunset blinked. She had something in common with Fiddlesticks? Hm, this might make for a good letter to her mother. This Friendship thing was a cakewalk.

“Well, best of luck then,” Sunset waved.

“Oh, y’all should come over tomorrow,” Fiddlesticks smiled. “Ah’d love to introduce mah family to all mah new friends.”

“I ah… tomorrow tomorrow?” Sunset planned to reread her now signed Daring Do novels. Sure, she had to see that infuriating stallion again, but she got to meet A. K. Yearling! So it was definitely worth it.

Best. Day. Ever!

Fiddlesticks paused as she watched Sunset prance happily in place. Wow, she really wanted to meet her family that bad? Well that was just better than a room full of apples!

“Great to see ya so enthused,” she beamed. “See ya tomorrow Princess!” She pat her on the head and galloped off.

“ …Waitwhat?” Sunset blinked.

---

Fiddlesticks paced around the kitchen, a pile of blackened pie tins showed last nights efforts to make a pie worthy of Fritter’s tastebuds. But nothing had gone right. She didn’t cool the dough enough. The oven was too hot. The apples were too mushy. She mixed up cinnamon powder with the paprika.

And it had resulted in no less than two dozen ruined dishes. Some could be given to the pigs at least. Most wasn’t fit for consumption for another living being. Actually, she was pretty sure the undead would die from them.

Great, her cooking was so bad it could be weaponized.

“Whut am ah supposed to do?” Fiddlesticks moaned, sinking to the floor. The sun was gonna be up soon. She was running out of time… and ingredients. “Ah’m never gonna be able to do this.”

“Fiddle?” she heard a sleepy voice ask and turned to see Apple Bloom in the doorway, a teddy bear clutched under her arm, still wearing her apple-themed onesie. She rubbed one of her eyes as she looked at the cooking carnage. “Whut… happened in here?”

“It’s called, ‘Fiddlesticks failed and is gonna let down the whole family’!” the mare sighed and flopped down onto the floor. “Ah can’t do this Bloomy. Ah can’t cook ta save a life, let alone impress Fritter.”

“Why is that so important?” Apple Bloom asked as she weaved past the tower of pie tins. “Ah mean, is it really that big a deal t’impress Cousin Fritter?”

“Cause, mah pride as a member of the Apple Family depends on it!” Fiddlesticks declared. “Ah mean, any member of the clan can cook a basic fritter or candied apple. Ah can’t even peel one without startin’a barn fire!”

“Oh come on, now yer jus’ being silly,” Apple Bloom said.

“Ever wonder what happened to the barn a few years back?” Fiddlesticks deadpanned.

“The one that burned…” Apple Bloom’s eyes widened and she facehooved. “Now tha’s jus’ ridiculous.”

“Hehe, gotcha,” Fiddlesticks chuckled. “Look Bloomy, ah jus’ need to do this ya know.”

“But, ya look terrible,” Apple Bloom said and looked her over. “Didja even sleep?”

“SLEEP IS FER TH’ WEAK!” Fiddlesticks declared. “And that traitorous Muffin Queen. She’ll pay fer thinkin’ muffins are better n’cupcakes and fritters….”

“Oooohkay,” Apple Bloom backed up. Time for Code Nighty Naps. She slowly edged out of the room as Fiddlesticks brandished her whisk and fought off evil muffin monsters…

Only to return a few moments later, and opened the lid on a small music box. A soft… almost hauntingly beautiful melody started to play.

Fiddlesticks paused, about to make the decisive blow as she turned to the new sounds, her ears folding back as she frowned. “Bloomy… what the hay are you doin’?”

The filly didn’t answer as she just set the box down and stood there. Fiddlesticks started to walk over, her steps somewhat slow though.

“Ah know whut yer tryin’ to do,” she said… well more like murmured. “Ain’t gunna work. Ah gots a… a will of steel. You… you can’t *yawn* break me…”

Apple Bloom remained a silent vigil, her music box continuing.

“Ah gotta… make the pies…” Fiddlesticks yawned again, her movement slowing. “Turn… that darn music *yaaaaawn!* off…”

Apple Bloom walked from the room, returning a moment later with a pillow and blanket. Fiddlesticks had moved all of about three inches in that minute. Now she just wobbled in place as the filly placed the pillow on the floor.

“Darn… cheatin’...” That was all she got out, falling face first into the pillow and snoring as Apple Bloom sighed and put the blanket over her. Now that that was sorted, time to clean up then enlist some recruits.

---

“So… why the hay are we up at the crack of Celestia’s dawn?” Diamond Tiara mumbled irritably. “I need my eight hours of uninterrupted beauty sleep. It’s not easy looking this good you know.”

“You look fine,’ Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “As beautiful as always. Now woulda jus’ relax. Ah need all the help ah kin get right now.”

“Well, I guess…” Rumble said as he pulled the wagon the two fillies were in. “But remember our deal AB.”

“Yeah yeah,” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Ah treat ya both to Sugarcube treats fer a week. Ah know.”

“Mmmmm~” Rumble’s mouth watered at the thought. “It’s gonna be sooo gooood~”

“Colts,” Diamond rolled her eyes. “So, what exactly are we doing again?”

“Ah need these letters delivered to mah sister’s friends,” Apple Bloom said as she handed them two each. “Rumble, ya get to go see Redheart and Lightnin’ Dust.” She turned to the filly. “Diamond? Ya get Miss Pizzelle and Miss Coco. Ah’ll get Miss Quickfix and Princess Sunset.”

“Okay, but you haven’t told us what for,” Diamond said as she took the letters.

“Jus’ trust me,” Apple Bloom said. “Who knows, maybe we’ll get a Cutie Mark fer mail delivery.”

“Who in Equestria would want a mail delivery Cutie Mark?” Diamond snorted as a grey pegasus mare flew by.

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” Ditzy stopped to comment, giggling as she flew past.

“See?” Apple Bloom pointed out. “An’ Miss Ditzy is awesome. She makes the best muffins~”

“Fine fine,” Diamond groaned. And thinking about muffins made her hungry now. She hadn’t even had breakfast yet, and was expected to run across town? She turned and saw three muffins sitting in the cart, her favourite raspberry, an Apple and a blueberry.

“Wait… how did she…?” Diamond looked at the retreating pegasus. Eh, who cares. Free muffin!

After the trio ate, it was time for the mission.

“Okay, y’all got yer targets,” Apple Bloom said, the pair of Crusaders saluting in response. They parted ways as the sun started to rise above the horizon.

---

“…And that’s the gist of it,” Rumble said to the pony nurse.

“Honestly, that moron,” Redheart sighed and shook her head. “Very well, thank you for letting me know Rumble. Oh.. and before you go. Tell that fool brother of yours he’s been skipping his medicals. I don’t care if he’s afraid of needles. As a member of the guard, regular medicals are required.”

“He’s afraid of what?” Rumble snorted, then fell sideways. “Bwaahahahaha!”

---

“…And so he said that—”

Diamond groaned and thunked her head against the table. MIss Pizzelle had been gossiping her ear off the second she knocked on her door. When would this chattish nightmare end.

“…And then she said that he could—”

Diamond just sighed, this was gonna be a looong morning.

---

“Huh?” Sunset looked at the letter and then down at Apple Bloom. “So? What do you want me to do about it?”

“Well, ah was hopin’ her friends could come and help her out,” Apple Bloom said with a small nod.

“Well I’m no cook, so no,” Sunset yawned. She couldn’t believe she’d been woken up early for this. She was having a great dream too, exploring ancient ruins with Miss Yearling, studying their secrets and even getting a character based off of her in the next book.

“Aw come on Princess,” Apple Bloom pouted as her eyes widened and her bottom lip poked out. Sunset froze, trying to avert her gaze before it was too late.

It was already too late. The cute, wide puppy eyes of the filly had already melted her heart and she found her mouth turning traitor against her brain.

“Oh fine… let’s go already,” she muttered.

“Woo!” Apple Bloom cheered, Sunset wondering if that filly knew exactly how cute she was and used it. “Ah’ll head back and get things ready. See you soon Princess Shimmer.”

Sunset watched her go and facehooved. Using The Cute on her… that was just plain unfair.

---

Fiddlesticks groaned as she put a hoof to her head. She could feel one heck of a headache coming on, and while she loved mornings, this one could go suck a pear right now. She slowly sat up and looked around, noticing a glass of water on her bedside table, which she drank eagerly.

It was also around then that she heard noises from downstairs. With a small frown, she headed down to see what all the ruckus was about. Her eyes widened when she saw her six friends in the kitchen, all helping in some way or another.

“What the what?” Fiddlesticks blinked. “What the hay are y’all doing here?”

“Well that’s a fine hello,” Sunset said with a sort as she finished cleaning the last of last nights chaos. It took a group vote for her not to just incinerate the entire kitchen. Thankfully, democracy won in the end and the Apple Family kept their kitchen.

“We decided to give you a helping hoof,” Pizzelle said with a warm smile. “Didn’t I tell you Fiddle? If you needed help, I was more than happy to do so.”

“But… but ah didn’t…”

“Nopony can be good at everything,” Redheart said as she took a tray from the oven. “For instance, Quickfix can’t get a date to save her life.”

“HEY!” the loud unicorn protested.

“Look, the point is that we’re here to give out friend a hoof eh?” Lightning said as she cooled the pies off with a flap of her wings. “Even if baking like a bunch of housewives is totally uncool.”

“Ooh, I should have brought my cute frilly aprons,” Pizzelle sighed. “Though… they might not fit some of you.”

“That’s your fault for being so friggen huge,” Lightning chuckled. “I mean, you’re built like an Earther, while Coco, an actual Earth pony is smaller than the nerdiest of unicorns.”

“That’s mean!” Coco pouted and huffed indignantly. It was very cute.

Fiddlesticks laughed and she hugged Coco. “It’s good, cause yer absolutely adorable,” she giggled.

“M’not adorable,” Coco pouted more, blushing under her coat. And that just got a giggle from all the mares present.

“Well… ah guess,” Fiddlesticks sighed. “Fine, whut can ah do to help then?”

“Hmm?” Pizzelle looked around before she heard noises from outside. “Go and see your family?”

Fiddlesticks’ eyes widened as she her ears fell back. “Oh horseapples… they’re here.”

---

Apple Fritter stretched after the long trip, her emerald mane flowing in the gently morning breeze as she looked at the farmhouse, her cousin Fiddlesticks coming out through the front door, though she looked slightly nervous about something. Given that hilarious bedmane she had going on, she must have overslept.

“Hyea cuz!” Fritter waved as her mother, Apple Leaves, and her sister Apple Cider stepped out of the wagon as well. “You oversleep r’sumthin?”

“Huh?” Fiddle looked up and blushed somewhat. “Oh shush,” she murmured. “How was yer trip?”

“Long dear, very long,” Apple Leaves sighed. “I’m looking forward to seeing your Granny again after so long. I am sorry we couldn’t make the last reunion.”

“Yeah, we all missed ya,” Fritter said as they all offered a round of hugs. “Musta been serious fer ya to miss it.”

“Just a bit,” Cider sighed with a shake of her head. Unlike the rest of her kin, her Apple accent was rather subtle. “It’s my fault mostly. I had trouble with my brewery in Las Pegasus. So sis and mom came up to give me a hoof.”

“Eeyup, tha’s a story in and of itself,” Fritter nodded. “Was a lotta fun though. Ah’ll hafta drag ya along next time.”

“Maybe,” Fiddlesticks said as she helped them with their luggage. Well so far so good. As long as Fritter didn’t bring up—

“Ah’m also lookin’ forward to seein’ yer cookin’,” Apple Fritter spoke up with a giggle.

Ah crabapples!

---

Inside, Apple Leaves had gone off to talk with Granny Smith, two two older mares sitting on the front porch and exchanging stories. Meanwhile, Fiddlesticks helped Fritter and Cider into one of the guest rooms, and as they walked back down into the living room, fritter sniffed the air.

“Mmm, somethin’ sure smells good,” she hummed. “Fiddle, have y’all been holding out on me?”

“I uh…” Fiddlesticks froze. Crap, she forgot about the others in the kitchen. She zipped back inside and found the kitchen… empty? Puzzled, she looked around and saw a note on the table.

‘We’ve done all we can, don’t worry and treat your cousin to a good meal.

Love, Pizzelle.’

“You guys…” Fiddlesticks wiped her eyes as she looked at the buffet of treats they’d whipped up for her. She lifted a pie tin, taking a sniff and smiling at the delicious scent that wafted up from it. She heard Fritter and the others come inside, calling her name. Looking back at the kitchen, she made a decision and grabbed the closest item before walking out to the dining room.

“Sorry ta keep y’all waiting,” she said as she set the pie down on the table. Fritter’s eyes widened at it. It… wasn’t a bowl of charcoal?

“Well… ah’ll be durned,” Apple Fritter said as she looked at the pie with a scrutinizing gaze. The crust was glazed nicely, and the steam coming from it showed it was still nice and hot. She picked up a knife and slid it into the pie, the crust giving a nice crack to show it was flaky and crisp.

“This… looks really good,” the Apple mare said and cut out a slice. Well, it could look good and all. But the taste?

She bit down and her eyes widened. It was almost perfect. The textures, the taste… She couldn’t help but let out a small moan of satisfaction. “Thiff if gud!” she said, still chewing her pie. She swallowed and smiled. “Wow Fiddles. Yer cookin’ has gotten way better. Ah’m almost jealous on how good that was.”

“Well…” Fiddlesticks rubbed the back of her head. “That is…”

“See, ah knew ya could do it,” Fritter smiled. “Any real Apple can pick this stuff up no sweat.”

"S-Sure, it was easy to figure out…” Fiddlesticks said, tugging at her neckerchief.

“We should bake together before I go,” Fritter smiled. “It’ll be fun. You can show me some of the secrets of your tasty pies.”

"Well uh… ah mean to say…” Fiddlesticks wiped her brow. Her smiled widened a little too widely, showing her teeth. “Sure… sounds fun.”

Fritter raised an eyebrow. “Well, ah’m lookin’ forward to it then.”

She just… stared at Fiddlesticks, Apple Cider looking back and forth between the pair as Fiddlesticks appeared to be growing more and more uncomfortable.

Then she cracked.

“OKAY!” she yelled. “Fine! Ah didn’t cook that pie. Or anythin’ else in that kitchen!”

Fritter went to reply, before Pizzelle came flying down the stairs, hugging Fiddlesticks and covering her mouth with a hoof. “She’s a little tired,” the pegasus said. “But I assure you that she made all those wonderful treats by hoof.”

“Hmmfllehrmmrrf!” Fiddlesticks struggled against the strong pegasus mare.

“And… you are?” Fritter’s eyebrow raised a bit higher.

“Oh? Did I not introduce myself? How very rude of me,” the mare giggled and nodded her head. “I am Pizzelle, local baker and friends with Fiddlesticks here.”

“A baker huh?” Fritter said and looked at Fiddlesticks.

“Oh yes, it’s a wonderful job,” Pizzelle smiled. “Why in fact, just the other day I…”

Her endless stream of words lasted a good few minutes before her mouth was clamped shut by a red magical aura, as Sunset Shimmer walked down the stairs.

“Sorry you had to suffer through that,” she said with a weary sigh. “Pizzelle loves her stories.”

“Mhm!” Pizzelle nodded through the magical muzzle.

Fritter looked at the mares, then to Fiddlesticks. “Cuz… y’all got some weird friends.”

“Mhm,” Fiddlesticks rolled her eyes and groaned. She eventually shook Pizzelle off and took a breath. “Look…” she finally said. “Ah don’t care whut they say. But ah didn’t cook any of that. They jus’ butted in and made all that delicious food, all so ah could impress you and… and not look like a failure again.”

Apple Fritter stared at the pie and nodded. “I knew that.”

Everypony paused and stared at her.

“W-Wh… how!?” Fiddlesticks gasped.

“Cause,” Fritter hummed. “Iffn’ ya’ll learned how to make and ‘Apple’ apple pie, it’d have our secret ingredient, Granny woulda showed ya. This here is good pie, but it ain’t ‘apple’ pie.”

“Drat,” Pizzelle snorted. "I will discover your secrets one day!”

“Not likely,” Fritter smiled. “But, all that hoohah about bein’a failure?” She walked up to Fiddlesticks and booped her nose. “Ya ain’t a failure Fiddle. Heck, yer a damn sight more of a mare than I am. Ya helped saved the whole buckin' world fer cryin’ out loud.” She smiled and pulled her into a hug. “Look Fiddles, it don’t matter none that ya can’t make a microwave dinner…”

“Heeey… yeah okay, that’s true,” Fiddlesticks sighed.

“But yer still an Apple, no matter whut okay?” Fritter nuzzled her. “Yer family. An’ family always sticks together. Ah’m sorry… that ah gave you a hard time. Ah’ll even stick around fer a few days and really drill some lessons into you.”

“Huh, didn’t think your family was that close Fiddles~” Lightning laughed, making the earth mare blush and throw an apple at her, beaning her right between the eyes.

“Nice shot,” Sunset and Fritter echoed and laughed.

“So,” Fritter looked back at her cousin. “Let’s bring out the rest of that tasty food, an’ ya can introduce yer friends to me and Cidey.”

“Ah kin do that,” Fiddlesticks nodded as she entered the kitchen. When her friends did, she pulled them all into a massive group hug.

“Are we seriously doing this?” Sunset glowered.

“Agreed,” Lightning said. “This is so uncool.”

“Shush,” Pizzelle scolded them. Poor Coco was buried under them somewhere.

“I have the best friends in th’ whole world,” Fiddlesticks said. “An’ the best family. I really am lucky.”

“Yeah, you’re our friend too,” Sunset rolled her eyes and returned the hug. “Now come on, I’m starving.”

“Agreed!” Quickfix and Lightning nodded, already licking their lips. Fiddlesticks chuckled as she loaded up the serving cart with food.

It was good to have a family.

Comments

[NobodieZ]

Great work, that was a cute little story.

[Ausbrony]

8296784 - Thanks! I worked hard on it~