Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

47 - Family Reunion

Moon hid behind Twilight. "There are so many..." The Apple family was many things, but small was not one of them. The farm/orchard was stacked high with generations of smiling Apples. They were talking. They were dancing. they were cooking and eating and living with jovial expressions.

They were all having fun, except her, it felt like. "So many..." Moon began counting them. One, two, three, four... It was much more relaxing to count them than to face them. Unfortunately, the number was getting high, and that just drove in the fact that she was facing a lot of ponies. "I have to face them all?"

Twilight turned towards her tense girlfriend. "It's alright, breathe." She couldn't know there'd be a lot of ponies telling her that, a universe away. "They're on your side, and happy to see us both." She leaned in. "And they don't even have a quiz." Some things didn't change.

"No quiz, good... But they will want to engage in social activities. Will they wait in a line?" She looked around at the groups of ponies chattering happilly. "I doubt it..."

"Twilight! Moon!" Applejack was coming in with a big smile. "Glad you two could make it." She threw an arm around either's neck, squeezing and seemingly unaware of Moon's discomfort. "Yer mom got here, and a pony ah wasn't expectin' came with her."

Twilight pricked up, ears perking. "Oh, who's that?"

"It's me." A unicorn with light tan fur, purple eyes, and red mane and tail was there, smiling. "Hello, sister."

Moon looked up sharply. "Morning Brew?!" The unicorn had a mug of coffee on her rump. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I." Morning closed in with her equally bushy-browed sister, the two sharing a little hug. "But Twilight's mother saw me on her way out of the city and insisted I come along. 'Your sister's being welcomed to a family, you should be involved,' she said, and I was powerless to fight her."

"She is a skilled social warrior," agreed Moon with a slow nod. "I apologize if this has interrupted your plans. I didn't intend it."

"Relax." Morning gently patted at Moon. "This is fun. Are you going to say hi?" She waved at the many other Apples. "I'm only distantly involved if you think about it. 'My sister is marrying into the family by somepony else who's the daughter of someone who's becoming sisters because they wanted to be? That's really shaky!"

Moon's teeth set. "I'm only one step better... Will they see me as an imposter?!"

Applejack shook the nervous unicorn. "Now ya just stop that! It was my idea ya come here, and they ain't bein' angry at me none, so get in there and just let 'em see ya." With a mighty shove, Applejack sent Moon flying haphazardly into one group of ponies.

"Howdy," greeted Apple Fritter. "So, yer an' Apple now, ah hear!"

"On the way," shyly allowed Moon, backing up a step, her breathing forced. Keep it cool... Keep it cool... "Um, so you're an Apple?"

"'Course!" She waved at herself. "Name's Apple Fritter! What it says right on the tin there. What's yer name?"

"Name's Breaburn," introduced a stallion. "Pleased to meetcha!"

Each was happy to give their name, each with a big smile. They were all happy to see Moon Dancer, pressing in close for questions and jovial welcoming.

A pity Moon was unprepared for it. "Um... Twilight's my girlfriend!" she spouted, as if that random fact would put it all to rest.

One of the mares raised a hoof. "I have a girlfriend."

Breaburn blinked at that. "Ya do? What happened to Apple Cinnamon?"

The mare waved that away. "We weren't a good match. Got on each other's nerves all the time! Now, my new girl... we get alon' just fine." She batted her lashes with a love-smitten look. She refocused on Moon Dancer. "Good on you!"

Moon recoiled faintly. "Good on me? What did I do?"

"You didn't let nopony else tell you who you love." The mare tapped Moon on her stiff chest. "Only you can know that!"

Breaburn rubbed behind his head. "Ain't gonna make many new Apples like that."

The mare swatted at him. "Shows what you know! Look, there's a new Apple right there." She pointed at Moon with a victorious smirk on her face. "In fact, we're here because a big batch of new Apples done fell off the tree without any mares and stallions doin' what they do."

They were arguing, and Moon was the focus. She could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest. If she could just... vanish, that'd be a nice option. "Y-yeah..." She was messing up, she was sure of it. Why was this so difficult? Stop.

She ordered herself and did it, simply stopping, going still as a statue. They loved her. Maybe not the same way Twilight did, but the same kinda way... "It's... Um, nice to meet you all. I am not good at meeting a lot of new ponies at once. I hope you will... work with me."

The group backed away, but they were still smiling. The mare made a patting motion, but didn't actually touch Moon. "You should have said so to start, but this is a fine second best time. Not every pony's great at walkin' up to a buncha strangers and strikin' up a conversation."

Breaburn nodded with an easy expression, smiling. "Ain't no big thang. I get that way when ah ain't wit' mah family. Now, wit' em? All different. Ah could talk for days!" He was already working towards that. "And yer family, so I figured ah'd just treat ya like one, which ya are. Shoot, ah'm goin' off again." He blushed with the shame of it. "Sorry."

Moon watched him intently, but felt... better? There was a clearly more skilled socializer, stumbling over himself. She wasn't alone... "It's alright." It was her rare chance to show acceptance of another pony's social mistakes. "I feel comfortable speaking around my family." She pointed off to Spike, in a chat elsewhere, and then Twilight, doing the same, but in another spot.

"Don't forget me." Morning Brew slid up next to her. "Hello."

"Howdy." Breaburn tipped his hat. "Ya related to her?" He nodded to Moon Dancer.

"Sister." Morning leaned against Moon gently. "And now Apple!" She cantered in place. "It's exciting, really. Our family was always kinda small." She raised two hooves close together. "One generation most of the time, but now..." She looked over the crowd. "Hard to count! I'm alright with that." She refocused on Breaburn. "You're... Brea...."

"--Burn," he finished. "Almost had it." He offered a hoof and they met with a solid clop. "Welcome to the family! Now, ya ain't been welcomed properly without fillin' yerself with every apple imaginable." He pointed to the buffet table and off he and Morning went to sample the offerings.

The mare laughed softly. "I think he's hoping to get lucky..." She shrugged. "Well, if they get along, why not? One advantage of ponies joining the family this way, you already know they're safe to court."

Another mare darkened swiftly. "Hey!"

"Hey yourself." The first rolled her eyes. "We're not inbred savages, but that's partially because we keep track of things! We know who's related to who, which tells you who's safe or not." She pointed at Moon Dancer. "You have no blood relation. If you weren't already in a relationship, the stallions would be lining up."

Moon darkened swiftly. "I'm not pretty." She felt certain that was true. "Passably average?"

The first mare made the patting motion, but didn't touch Moon. "Trust me on this. You might be shy, but a lot of them ain't."

Big Mac approached, carrying a horseshoe in his mouth. "We're gettin' set up to to some tossin'. Anypony want in?" That got a small gathering of ponies to follow him off to the games.

That left Moon with that first mare. "Oh, what was your name?"

She directed at herself. "Me? Apple Honey. But you can just call me Honey, honey." Honey winked at Moon Dancer. "Now you stop downtalkin' yerself. Yer just fine!" She raised a hoof to the center of her face, where her eye brows didn't reach. "I'd trim these a little, but it's your thin'! It's a choice. Could change it, or not. It's you."

Moon Dancer peeked up, not able to see her eyebrows, but she knew of them. She didn't have a unibrow, but they were thick and bushy. "Hm..." Would that make Twilight happier? She considered ways to ask without making everything awkward... "Yours are nice."

"Aw, thanks!" Honey did make contact, swatting Moon on the shoulder. "Takes a lot of effort to keep 'em lookin' the way I like. Ain't natural, I'll admit it. So don't even worry! You look how you want to look, and don't let nopony tell you for you what you should look like, or love." She winked. "Only a mare can say that for herself."

Moon dared a little smile. Honey, she decided, was a pony it was safe to like. "It's nice to meet you, um, really."

Honey nodded. "I can hear the difference." She took a step closer. "I'm not so scary now?"

"Um, hm..." Moon dared to take a step herself. "No..." She didn't feel things getting tenser. Honey was, officially, a safe pony. "Thank you."

"Done made my day!" Honey laughed gayly, daring to offer an arm, and soon had Moon held gently. "I made a friend that wasn't easy to make. That has to count for something! Now maybe we'll try some of these games? I'll keep you safe."

So it was Moon had a caretaker willing to introduce her to Apple entertainment that never pushed her too hard, and stepped in when things got too noisy and overwhelming.

---

Dear Princess Celestia,

I was invited to a family meeting of the Apples. You have spoken of them before. I am now one of them, though only tengentially. They were willing to overlook this fact, welcoming me as if I had always been a part of their clan. It was flattering and scary. Fortunately, some of them seem aware of ponies like me and she slowed down to guide me and, dare I write it, protect me. Twilight was having a lot of fun, and I'm glad for her. Spike made some new friends as well. It was a good day for all of us.

Since I am now an Apple, if there are things you wanted me to discover for you, please inform me and I will begin information gathering immediately. This may be off-topic, but do you think I should trim my eyebrows? Nevermind that.

If I had to encapsulate this letter's lesson, it would be thus: Even when you are terrified, speaking the truth is often the best option. If the ponies you are dealing with can't deal with the truth, they may not be ponies you wish to be around in the first place. I am glad to report that the Apples are ponies I wish to be around. I will do my best to return the favor, should it come up in the future.

Oh! If you wish, I will ask Twilight and Spike for their overview of the day. Would you care for that? They are both loyal citizens of yours and would gladly do so if you want it. Please let me know.

Eagerly Learning,
Moon Dancer

Author's Note:

I enjoyed this chapter. It was... wholesome, really. But that offer is real. Do you want this day gone over from Spike and/or Twilight's view?

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Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Wholesome is always a good time, glad Moon enjoyed herself.

I certainly wouldn't be adverse to Twilight and Twilight's perspective, been a while since we checked in with Pear Butter and Twilight Velvet, wot?

[Booster Spice]

Malleus Rosecaria has a genetic function that makes them extremely resistant to inbreeding, forcing non parent mutations with each offspring?

[SpikeSmolder fan]

I wouldn't mind seeing it from Spike's POV to be honest! 😉

[David Silver]

11496440
You? Want Spike? This is very out of character.

[Jmunoz13]

I say yes on Twilight and Spikes view.

[TheGJ90]

Ain't no pony better at easin' a pony's worries than an Apple, Ah reckon!

Seriously though, this was a sweet look at some of the Apples as they engaged with a shy Moon.

[raven618]

Yeah, I think I'd like Spike and Twilight's perspectives of the reunion. This is a story about them just as much as it is about Moondancer.

[Lord_01010000]

I bet Spike picked up a bunch more contacts for his and Diamond's future financial endeavors

[howard035]

Man is Moondancer an adorable cinnamon roll!

[redandready45]

Glad Moon had a good time.