A Thanksgiving to Remember

by The Blue EM2

My Old Canterlot Home

The early morning sun rose over Sweet Apple Acres, bathing the world below in glorious light. And slowly did the farm come to life, the sun invigorating the land and causing light to reflect off the snow.

Inside, the inhabitants of the house slowly awoke from their slumber and set about their day. Apple Bloom jumped out of her bed and entered the hallway, wandering across the corridor and entering the guest room. In the bed, her cousin was still fast asleep, facing the wall and sleeping on her side.

Bloom tiptoed over to the bed, the floorboards audibly creaking as she walked over.

“Go away Sunflower,” Babs murmured.

Apple Bloom grinned. She stepped closer, put her mouth right next to her ear, and shouted “RISE AND SHINE, SLEEYPHEAD!”

Babs yelled in fright and fell onto the floor. Landing on top of Bloom’s feet.

“Hey! What was that for?” Babs shouted.

“Just getting' you up,” Apple Bloom smirked. “Life here starts early.”

“Whatever,” Babs grunted, as she got to her feet. “So, where’s the shower?”

Bloom pointed to the door next to the closet. “It’s through there. Thought you wanted some privacy.”

“An ensuite? That rocks!”

Bloom looked confused. “What’s an...onsweete?”

“That’s when you don’t have ta share a bathroom,” Babs explained. “It’s quite common in New York. Not at my house though, I have to share.”

Bloom sighed. “That must be awful.”

“I usually go in after Sunflower, which means it stinks.”

“Wha?”

“She has loads of perfume in there,” Babs replied. “It smells awful and makes me wanna puke.”

“OK, then.” Apple Bloom skipped over to the door. “Well, enjoy yerself. Breakfast is ready soon!”

Truth be told, the shower wasn’t too hard to use. Pulling the lever forward made the water appear, and turning the lever to the left heated the water up. Unfortunately, nobody told her the window was open, and the hot water reacting with the cold air produced a lot of chlorinated steam.

Babs started to cough loudly, finished her shower as fast as she could, and emerged from the bathroom coughing like a smoker.

Apple Bloom pocked her head in a few minutes later, when Babs had got dressed. “How was it?” she asked.

“Like a steam depot!” Babs gasped. “Only with loads of chlorine!”

“That don’t sound good.”

“It really isn’t,” Babs replied, pulling on her shoes. “So, where are we getting' breakfast?”

Bloom looked confused. “Scuse me?”

“My folks usually grab somethin’ to eat on the way into work, so I usually do the same. Often it’s really greasy.”

“Nope!” the younger Apple girl smiled. “Ma cooks it all, from scratch, every day!”

“Girls!” shouted Pear Butter. “Breakfast’s ready!”

“Comin’ ma!” Bloom called back. “Whatcha waitin’ for? Let’s go!”

The family gathered around the table much like yesterday, to be presented with a hearty meal of pancakes, bacon, maple syrup, and butter. Babs was overwhelmed by it all. How did they have enough time to prepare all this food?

After grace was said, Pear distributed food to the members of the family. The sun shone outside, reflecting off of the snow and giving a sense of warmth in spite of the cold.

"I never did get to ask you,” Bright Mac asked. “How are things in New York?”

“I live in a place just outside the city,” Babs explained. “I travel into school by train every day, and come back by train.”

“What’s it like in the city?” Bloom asked. “Ah’ve never been to New York.”

“Oh, it’s amazin’!” Babs exclaimed. “There’s light and sound everywhere, smells of food wherever you go, and people everywhere. But things do move very fast, so ya gotta have your wits about ya.”

“How’s Broadway?” asked Applejack. “Ah’ve always wanted to see a show on Broadway.”

“It’s a lot better than it used to be,” Babs told her. “It was once a dump, but so was the whole city when Dad was growing up.”

“How is your Dad?” asked Pear. “It’s been years since Ah last saw him.”

Before we go any further, and to minimise any further confusion, I shall take the opportunity to explain who is related to who. As you probably already know, Bright Mac and Pear Butter are the parents of Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Mac. Bright Mac is the son of Granny Smith and Great Apple (RIP). However, Pear Butter is the daughter of Grand Pear and his wife (RIP).

This is where the Oranges come in. Mr Orange is the son of the brother of Grand Pear, and Sunflower and Babs Seed are his children. Hence, through the Pears, the Oranges are the cousins of Pear Butter. This is how Babs and Apple Bloom are related.

Anyway, we shall now resume the story.

Babs shrugged her shoulders. “I see very little of him. I have to admit he spends most of his time in the city.”

“What does he do?” Big Mac asked.

“Advertisin’,” Babs replied sadly. She picked at her pancakes again.

“Let’s not worry about any of that now,” Bright Mac said. “I know that Apple Bloom and the others have a lot of fun stuff lined up for you.”

After breakfast was concluded, the family went their separate ways. Apple Bloom and Babs Seed went over to the barn, as apparently there was something that she wanted to show her.

Apple Bloom threw open the doors, and there it was, waiting for them.

One of the locomotives from the Everfree Forest Railway, lined up and ready for running.

“This is the pride of our collection!” said Apple Bloom. “Its name is Gaia Everfree. We named the engine after a local legend, and it’s quite the puller too!”

Babs simply nodded. They had steam engines here? “They must be well off if they can afford to maintain steam locos!”

Suddenly, two more individuals walked in through the door. “Hello there, Apple Bloom!” said the first.

Babs swung around, to look at them. One had pink skin and hair, the other light grey skin and dark grey hair with glasses. They both looked quite well off, from how they were dressed.

“Howdy Diamond! Howdy Silver!” Apple Bloom ran over. “This is Babs Seed. She’s mah cousin, and she’s stayin’ here for a few days!”

‘Diamond’ smiled. “I’m Diamond Tiara, pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She extended her hand. Babs shook it hesitantly.

“Where are the others?” Bloom asked.

“I don’t know!” said Silver Spoon. “Perhaps they were waylaid.”

Babs stepped backward, not quite knowing what to think. Unfortunately, she wasn’t looking where she was going, and stepped in a bucket.

She slipped back, slamming into a rake and sending it flying through the air. It slammed into the engine, scratching the paintwork.

Babs gasped in horror when she saw the damage. “Oh shit,” she gasped.

Bloom looked over. “Babs, are ya-?”

“I’m so sorry!” Babs cried, tears in her eyes and her neutral composure gone. “I’ll help ya fix it!”

Silver Spoon looked at the damage. “It’ll only take a quick application of paint to fix that,” she said.

Babs grabbed a green pot of paint. “OK, where do I apply the colours?”

Within half an hour, the engine was looking spotless once again.

“You’ve got a good eye for it!” Diamond complimented.

“How ‘bout we take her for a spin?” Bloom suggested. “There’s been no more snow, so the track should be clear.”

“We could take a carriage out and test the plush seats!” Silver added.

Diamond smiled. “Hey, maybe we should let our special guest drive?”

Babs mastered it in next to no time. With Apple Bloom carefully nursing the fire, Babs made good headway on the track very easily and got the engine up to a good speed.

Back in the carriage, Silver and Diamond started singing Jingle Bells loudly.

“Why are they singin’?” Babs asked.

“Most folks don’t know the song is actually about Thanksgivin’,” Bloom explained. “It was later exported to Christmas. Speakin’ of which, what are yer Christmas plans?”

Babs laughed. “Me and my family are actually goin’ to Disneyworld for the Christmas season.”

“That sounds fun!” Bloom smiled. “I’ve only ever been to Disneyland, and that was when Ah was tiny.”

Babs whooped with joy as the engine sped along. It bounced along the rails and rumbled around bends. The driver had a smile a mile wide, and the loco was responsive on the track.

After the run was completed, the engine pulled up outside the house. Babs got off to allow for Apple Bloom to put the train away.

Suddenly, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Cozy Glow appeared.

“Hello!” called Babs.

“Sorry we’re late!” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Miss Rarity insisted we try some of her new items on.”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Cozy, this isn’t Gone with the Wind.”

Cozy laughed. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

Scootaloo growled in frustration. “It wasted about an hour of our time.”

Sweetie Belle laughed in response. “You’re just annoyed that she put you in a dress.”

“I hate dresses! I don’t like the thought of guys trying to look up one!” She paused. “Besides, how on Earth could you wear a skirt in this weather?”

Cozy looked concerned. “I cope fine,” she said.

Scootaloo nodded. “Fact remains, I don’t like wearing them.”

Apple Bloom ran outside. “Howdy ya’ll!” she called.

“So, is it all set up?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“It’s all ready!”

“Is what ready?” asked Babs.

“The music room!” Bloom replied. “Seein’ as you play guitar, we were gonna invite ya to our band!”

Babs simply nodded.

“What we waitin’ for?” called Cozy. “Let’s go!”

Author's Note:

And here's a new chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Comments

[Arthor2017]

9247960
No worries about the comments. They'll come at their time.

In a note apart, I'm looking foward to ser where this plot is going.

[The Blue EM2]

9249186
You'll enjoy it. Two more updates coming today, so stay tuned!

[The Blue EM2]

9249186
As I believe I've commented, I've always found Babs Seed a fascinating character. I felt that it rewarded a proper character study of her personality. I've noticed most authors tend to focus on her having either a tough girl attitude, or one of complete indiferrence. So I wanted to show her softer, more vulnerable side, similar to this story here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/157504/consequences-a-bad-apple-comedy-of-justice.

[goddamnAnimal]

What's with the video? If you are worried about the lyrics of jingle bells getting you in trouble. I wouldn't worry too much since the song is in the public domain.

[The Blue EM2]

9327607
I wasn't aware at the time.

[The Blue EM2]

9327607
What do you think of the story?

[JimmyHook19]

-sees the Oranges in the chapter-

Heh, one thing to note is that I'm currently working my way through reading a AU Series in which Aunt Orange is an Element Bearer =3

[The Blue EM2]

9328729
I see. Well, they sit in the background here. I'd suggest reading Railway Adventure, or else some of the references in this chapter wouldn't make much sense.

What did you think of me sticking Welsh Narrow Gauge into the story?

[Wolfman]

So this version of Babs Seed doesn’t turn out to be a bully in her own right in this universe? I think I like that idea!