Poorly is an understatement

The Reunion

“Babs!”

“Bloom!”

The two teen mares cried out their names as they ran to each other, coming together in a strong hug. Babs gave Apple Bloom a brief noogie, which got her a light jab in the stomach to get her to let go. They laughed as they separated.

“Great to see you again, Babs. I’ve missed ya.”

“Same here, cuz” Babs replies. “I’ve been looking forward to the next Apple family reunion for a year.”

“So since the day after the last one?” Applejack said with a smirk as she caught up to greet her younger cousin.

“What can I say? You guys know how to throw the best ones. What’s up, AJ?” Babs said as she gave her older cousin a hug. “You find yourself a nice stallion to help expand the family orchard yet? Or did that Rainbow chick finally mare up and ask you out? You gotta ask her how she feels about foals.”

“First of all, that’s none of your business, young lady. And second, tell your mama to stop sending you to your relatives to dig for gossip. Speaking of, where is she?”

“Take a guess” Babs replied as she jabbed a thumb in the direction of the barn.

“Damn it, I tell her every year, the hard cider is for later” Applejack muttered angrily as she stormed off to the barn.

“I swear she’s gonna hog tie your mom one of these reunions” Apple Bloom said with a chuckle.

“If AJ were a random stallion, she’d probably enjoy it.”

“Babs! TMI!” she exclaimed as she covered her ears.

“Oh relax, it was just a joke. We’re teenagers, Bloom. We’re supposed to talk about naughty things adults say we shouldn’t be talking about.”

“Well I agree with them if it’s something like what you said” she replied, making Babs roll her eyes. “How about I show you something you can tell your mom about? Something I think you’ll enjoy.”

“What’s that?” Babs asked with a raised brow of interest.

“Did ya hear anyone mention Cousin Turnover?”

“Yeah, she brought her boyfriend, right? Isn’t it Apple tradition to only bring your partner to a reunion if it’s serious?”

“Oh it’s serious. About four months serious, if you catch my meaning” Apple Bloom explained as she made a downward curving motion over her stomach.

“Oh. Oh! Oh ho ho” Babs reacted humorously. “I don’t care if mom knows about it, I gotta see this. Lead the way, cuz.”

“This way. Just look for the crowd of mares who are gonna be gushing over Turnover. And the nearby crowd of stallions grillin the poor boy” Apple Bloom said as she ran off, Babs following close behind.

After Apple Bloom fawned over Turnover and her bump, and Babs gave her boyfriend a jab in the arm and some foreboding words, they proceeded to indulge in the various reunion activities together. Some of their fellow relatives of similar age joined and left, but they always stuck with each other. Quite a few Apples didn’t fail to notice this. Their shared activities eventually led to one big event that many Apples were participating in.

Mud wrestling.

Once Babs was allowed into the ring, she went undefeated, embarrassing and terrifying quite a few of the Apple boys in her age range, and traumatizing the girls foolish enough to enter thinking it was all fun and games. Most of the spectators cheered her on, none more so than Apple Bloom.

“Whoo! Go Babs!”

“Psh. Flash her why don’t ya?” a female Apple teen from Appleoosa Valley muttered under her breath to her sister.

“Seriously. Way to avoid the country stereotype. You know when they were bobbing for apples one of them took a bite from one the other was still holding in her teeth?”

“Like no way.”

“Totally.”

“Yeah, that’s right! I’ve been waiting to put you all in your place in this ring!” Babs exclaimed, urging them on as she soaked in the praise. “Who’s next?!”

“I am!”

Everypony was surprised by Apple Bloom’s proclomation, including Babs. While no one considered her weak, she was still more on the thinner side than Babs. Lean was more accurate. Babs was more obviously muscular.

Apple Bloom hopped over the short wood fence that made the perimeter. She rolled up her sleeves and tied her shirt into a knot, practically making it into a bra, just like Babs and the other Apple mares that had entered the mud ring. She also tied her hair into a bun.

“You sure, cuz? I even beat Braeburn, and he hogties in the Appleoosa rodeo” Babs said with crossed arms as she jabbed a thumb in said stallion’s direction.

“The hogs are smaller and can’t fight back as well!” Braeburn insisted with burning cheeks, eliciting chuckles from the crowd.

“Don’t tell me you’re scared your younger cousin might beatcha?” Apple Bloom teased as she punched her palm.

“Oh ho, you’re bringing out fightin words. Suit yourself, cuz. Ring the bell!”

The bell was rung and the two cousins almost immediately charged at each other, their hands joining in a struggle. Soon, one jabbed at the other’s hoof with her own, sending both of them into the mud. The crowd of relatives cheered as the two of them struggled, sliding around, shoving each others faces in the mud, trying to pin each other.

At one point Apple Bloom managed to trap Babs in a hold, her legs being very helpful.

“How the hell are your legs this freakin strong?!” Babs exclaimed in shock as she struggled to get free.

“I’m an apple bucker, Babs.” That statement gave a handful of Apples, including the Appleoosa Valley teens, a moment of pause. “I may have started later than my siblings, but I’ve still been kicking these trees for years.” The paused Apples sighed in relief, realizing they’d misheard when she said bucker.

Babs managed to get out of the hold, but was trapped again a few more times. She just managed to slip out and pin Apple Bloom right before the bell was rung.

“Ha haaaa! Yes!” Babs cried triumphantly with her fists in the air. Some Apples grumbled and some smirked as handfuls of bits were exchanged.

“I would’ve had ya if weren’t for this dang slippery mud” Apple Bloom jovially argued as she lifted herself and sat down.

“In your dreams, cuz” Babs replied. “But I gotta admit, that was a pretty good round” she said as she leaned down, offering a hand.

“Thanks” Apple Bloom replied as she took Babs’s hand and allowed herself some help being pulled up.

“Alright, show’s over everypony” Applejack announced. “Food’s ready, so head on over to the tables. Cept you two. Go hose yourselves off behind the barn. Don’t need you muddying up the table and bench.”

“I was gonna!” Apple Bloom protested as she hopped out and started walking to the barn.

“A little mud never hurt anyone, AJ” Babs said as she followed Apple Bloom.

“You’re lucky Rarity wasn’t here to hear you say that. She’d’ve given you an earful. Now get!”

The cousins chuckled before they took off in a light jog. They went behind the barn to the spigot, where a single hose was attached.

“Guess we’ll have to take turns. Get me first” Babs requested.

“You want me to hose you off?”

“You’ll be able to see places I can’t. I’ll do you too.”

“Oh, that makes sense. Okay, here goes” Apple Bloom warned before turning on the hose.

“Damn! The water’s cold!”

“Good thing it’s nice and sunny out.”

“Get my hair too. Heh, with my delinquent behavior I thought my first time being hosed down would be in juvie.”

“I doubt they hose you down in juvie, Babs.”

“Some of my friends got stories for you. Hey! Watch the face!”

“I gotta be thorough” Apple Bloom jokingly insisted.

“Ha ha. Well as long as your being thorough, get my girls too.” Before Apple Bloom could question what she meant, Babs tilted her head back, undid the knot in her shirt and lifted it, exposing her breasts, which had two very clear indicators that the water was indeed cold.

Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide as the world seemed to slow down, her cousin’s breasts lightly bouncing in slow motion after being released. She had seen breasts that weren’t her own before, but they had never caught her attention like these, especially with the water cascading down them. Her cheeks burned as a hand wiped at and between the two mounds.

“Thanks, now my back please” Babs said as she turned around and put her shirt back down.

Apple Bloom shook her head and blinked away her daze. She had no idea how much time had passed. I hope I wasn’t out of it for too long. And that she didn’t notice me staring……why was I staring? “Y-Yeah. Sure thing.”

Apple Bloom found herself in the same position when she directed the water from her cousin’s back to her lower back and legs. Whoa. She’s no apple bucker, but she’s got legs that look enough like she is. Why am I staring again?!

“Your turn” Babs said once Apple Bloom was finished and she shook off some water. Apple Bloom was grateful for the mud on her face hiding her blush. Once the initial coat of mud was washed off her hair, she removed her bow to shake her mane out.

Babs’s eyebrows raised in surprise as her cousin seemed to be in slow motion, seeing the droplets of water from her hair being swung about. Straight out of a romcom this one. “Alright, lift up your shirt.”

“I think you can get enough with my shirt on.”

“You didn’t when I had mine on. Trust me, you don’t want that stuff trailing down later, or drying up. Come on, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Hmm. Alright then.”

“That’s the spirit! And you’re gonna get a nice Mare’s Gone Wild t-shirt afterward.”

“Shut up!” Apple Bloom cried with a smile, holding back laughter. “Just promise you won’t laugh.”

“What, are they gonna tell me joooooooooookes?” Babs’s eyes bugged out as Apple Bloom tilted her head back and lifted her shirt. Where the hell did those come from?! They’re bigger than mine! What kinda shirt is she wearing to hide those?!

Babs absentmindedly hosed Apple Bloom’s breasts with one hand, and started to slowly reach the other one out, compelled to feel them to verify they were real. Her hand snapped back and she composed herself when Apple Bloom’s shirt came back down.

“You were right. Some of that mud wasn’t coming out with my shirt on.”

“S-See? Told ya” Babs replied before briefly shifting confused eyes to the hand that had started to inch forward.

“Now my back, please. Back of my hair too” Apple Bloom said as she turned around.

“You got it.” What the heck is going in with me? I wasn’t just ogling and trying to feel up my cousin’s big and beautiful rack, was I? Wait, big and beautiful?! Why am I thinking like tha-? Hot damn, those legs!

Babs’s jaw dropped as she noticed, really noticed for the first time, just how muscular her cousin’s legs were. Is that what years of bucking trees does to your legs?! No wonder she got me with them so many times. They could be used like a nutcracker! She could crush a melon with them! She could squeeze my head wit-!

“Pfft! Puh! Puh!” Babs sputtered after her hand instinctually turned the hose to her own face.

“Babs? Why’d you stop and spray yourself in the face?” Apple Bloom asked in confusion.

“Uh…well, you’re all clean now, and you had a point with how sunny it is. I was feeling a little warm. Sometimes when I feel all warmed up I just need a good squirt in the face WE should probably get to the table! Before all our favorites get eaten up.”

“Good idea. Don’t wanna miss out on the fritters. They go so fast. Thanks for hosing me down.”

“No problem. Whenever you want, just say the word and I’ll get you good and we- Oh crap, I should find my mom and make sure she hasn’t had too much of that hard cider. Meet you at the table!” Babs exclaimed hurriedly before bolting off, her cheeks burning red.

Apple Bloom’s own cheeks started to burn again when she realized she had stared at Babs’s ass as she took off.

“There you two are, and just in time” Applejack said as her sister and cousin arrived at the grouping of three tables, the former not too far behind the latter. “What kept ya so long that you were almost late for the reunion feast?”

“Well we did have the longest mud fight, Applejack, so we got a lot on us. Had to be thorough with the hosing” Apple Bloom reasoned.

“Yup. We had to get good and we- clean. Good and clean” Babs caught herself.

“Good point. Well, let’s dig in y’all!”

Babs and Apple Bloom sat beside each other, and even with three tables, all the visitors made it a bit of a tight fit. Their thighs were pressed against each other, and at some point their hooves accidentally touched, causing Apple Bloom to instinctually push the other away.

Interpreting this as being playful, Babs gave Apple Bloom’s hoof a shove back. Apple Bloom interpreted this the same way, resulting in an unintentional game of hoofsies. A minute in and they turned to look at each other with narrowed eyes and competitive smirks. Their expressions changed when one of them went too early and accidentally stroked the top of the other’s hoof.

A pregnant pause later, the other did a stroke as well. Then the other, and the other, until they were just rubbing ankles together. Neither said a word or broke eye contact, their faces neutral, until the corner of Apple Bloom’s mouth curled the slightest bit, followed by Babs. Their cheeks grew warm, turning pink.

“Apple Bloom!”

“Huh?!” said young mare exclaimed as both her and Babs jerked their heads to look at Applejack with wide eyes, their hooves pulling away from each other.

“Sorry to interrupt your staring contest, but I called ya twice. Fritters. You want some or not? They’ll be gone soon” Applejack warned as she held out a plateful of the pastries.

“Oh. Yeah. Course I do. Thanks” Apple Bloom said rather curtly and a bit nervously as she grabbed two. “I almost had ya for beatin me in the mud, Babs. But I’ll be the bigger pony. Peace offering?” she asked as she offered one of the fritters.

“Thanks, cuz. I accept” Babs replied as she took the fritter. “Don’t worry, we can do it again soon. By which I mean the staring contest.”

“Right. I’d like that. Just for fun.”

“For sure.”

They resumed eating silently, occasionally sneaking glances at each other and looking away just as quickly. Apple Bloom slowly moved her hoof and made contact with Babs’s, giving it a gentle rub. Babs shifted her eyes to see her cousin looking at her from the corner of her own. She looked back down at her meal and reciprocated the strokes.

After the meal and lots of time to digest, the visiting relatives started to gradually depart, many of them living quite a distance away. Much to Apple Bloom’s disappointment, Babs had to leave with her mom to the train station before the sun started to set. The latter was still tipsy from the hard cider and Babs didn’t want to risk helping her get home during the night.

“Another great one, no surprise” Babs complimented her relatives. “I already can’t wait for next year.”

“And we can’t wait to have ya back” Applejack said as she gave Babs a hug.

“Eeyup” Big Mac agreed, giving her a hug and a noogie, which earned him a playful punch in the stomach.

“Don’t be afraid to visit for any other occasion. One year is too long” Apple Bloom said with a hint of sadness before hugging Babs tightly.

“Of course I will, cuz. You can’t keep me away that long” Babs replied as she returned the hug more tightly.

“I’m gonna miss you no matter how long before you come back, Babs.”

“Same here, Bloom.”

They pulled back but still held each other’s arms, putting their foreheads together.

“Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

They had said that to each other plenty of times before, as one would with family. But this time felt different somehow. For one, it gave both of them a fluttery feeling in their stomachs.

“Awwww, thash so sweeeeeet” Babs’s mom, Cindy, slurred as she half stumbled to the group. “Thank you all sho much for the food and the fffun and the cider. Shpecially the cider! Good batch thish year.”

“Yeah, sure thing, Cind” Applejack replied, very unamused. “Y’all should probably be headin to the station. Don’t wanna miss your train.”

“Yup. Definitely. Come on, honey. Lesh be on our way.”

“Hold it!” Granny Smith suddenly cried out as she approached, holding a to go cup. “Thought ya might like a cup of my own specially brewed coffee, Cindy. Fair warning, it’s strong.”

“Oh, no thanksh, Granny. I’m not in the mood for cof-“ she was cut off as the cup was practically shoved in her hands.

“I don’t make it often. I insist” Granny said with a smirk and narrowed eyes.

“Well…if you insist. Whoa! You weren’t kidding!” Cindy exclaimed after taking a sip. “And pretty good. Thanks.”

“You’re very welcome” Granny replied before shooting Babs a wink, getting a thumbs up and a mouthed thanks in response.

Cindy and Babs said goodbye again and departed, Applejack sneaking her hand into Cindy’s purse to pull out the two bottles of cider she had snuck. Apple Bloom sighed as she watched Babs leave.

“Don’t worry, sis, you’ll see her again soon” Applejack comforted Apple Bloom, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “How’s about you start helping us put things away. That should distract you from your sadness.”

“Oh, well I’m not that sad about it. I’m more optimistic about her next visit. So I don’t need any distraction. Hey were there any fritters le-“ she was halted in her tracks as her sister grabbed the back of her shirt.

“Nice try, missy. Since you’re so interested in checking for leftovers, you can start taking the dishes to the sink and start washing.”

“Yes, ma’am” Apple Bloom replied with playful exasperation.

Ironically, Apple Bloom actually started thinking more about Babs as she tended to the dishes. Meanwhile Babs was also thinking about Apple Bloom on the train ride home. Thinking about what they witnessed of each other, their mud wrestle, the spontaneous hoofsies, and the fluttering in their stomachs, which returned as they thought about these things.

The Connection

Princess Luna groggily floated through the dreamscape after a long night’s work tending to her subject’s dreams, too tired even for her astral form to walk. She came to two doors on each side of the metaphysical hall they occupied. They faced each other and were both pulsating a familiar shade of pink.

She had seen this too many times to count. Two ponies unknowingly had mutual romantic feelings for each other and were having a dream about each other. Her niece and fellow princess had taught her a fun and special way of aiding this situation.

She produced a small ball of white light from her horn that floated between the doors before stretching out to them. Once the light tendrils made contact with the doors, the dreams merged and were now being shared by both ponies at the same time. With their real feelings occupying the same dream, it would give the dreamers an encouraging nudge to admit their feelings to each other.

Luna smiled, happy to help two of her subjects with this matter. She only gave the cutie marks that adorned each door a cursory glance.

“Yeah! That’s right! Run away! And don’t let me catch you talking that way to my cousin again!” Babs yelled at the girl she had punched for calling Apple Bloom a hayseed hick. “I’m sorry about that, cuz.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it” Apple Bloom replied. “She had it coming. I’m just upset you hit her before I did. Don’t tell Applejack or Granny I said that” she muttered to her, making them both laugh.

“Well hey, if you’re looking for a little rough and tumble, how about a rematch for that mud wrestle?”

“Oh you’re on!”

They both ran to the fenced off mud puddle on the Apple farm, not questioning how they got there from Manehattan so quickly, or how they changed from their usual clothes to the shorts and knotted shirts they wore for their last match.

They engaged in a mud fight that was more like a Pony Wrestling Entertainment match, complete with a large crowd and Scootalooo and Sweetie Belle commentating.

“Can it be?! Yes! Apple Bloom’s gonna hit her with the pile driver, Sweetie Belle! The pile driver! Can you believe it?!”

“It’s driving me and the crowd wild, Scootaloo!”

Apple Bloom claimed victory with her patented leg lock, releasing her cousin, stepping back and falling onto her rump from her tiredness. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and the crowd faded away around them as they laughed joyously.

“You finally won. Here, the winner deserves some help getting up” Babs said as she offered a hand after standing up herself. Apple Bloom took her hand and started to stand, but they miscalculated how slippery the mud was. She slipped back, pulling her cousin with her. “Whoa!”

Babs landed on top of Apple Bloom, causing both of them to snort and laugh uproariously. As their laughter died down, Babs moved her hands on the ground to push herself up, and accidentally pressed them against Apple Bloom’s. They looked at their joined hands before looking back at each other, staring into their eyes.

It suddenly registered to Luna that there was something similar about the cutie marks on the doors. They both had an apple to them. Her eyes widened in alarm, realizing she may have made a mistake, and turned around to jet back to the doors.

Babs and Apple Bloom’s fingers intertwined as their eyes softened and their faces slowly started getting closer.

Luna could see she was fast approaching the connected doors, hoping that the merged dream hadn’t progressed too far, since dream time passes quicker than real time.

They closed their eyes and puckered their lips.

The shade of pink had stopped pulsating on the doors, becoming a consistent glow, which was now spreading along the connective light tendril from both ends, and was nearing the middle. She had to sever the connection before both ends met. She manifested a pair of scissors, sweat forming on her forehead as she could see the ends getting very close.

Their lips connected for a split second.

SNIP

“HAH!” Luna released a heavy exhale after cutting the connection, panting as each part of the severed tendril retreated to its respective door. Said doors disappeared, as this action also abruptly ended the dream.

She had gotten it just in time, having cut it on the sliver of white that remained. “That…could’ve been a problematic predicament. Next time…I’ll check the marks before deciding whether to help.”

Luna, exhausted and needing rest, sent out a wave of soothing magic to give her subjects a pleasant end to their dreams. She could actually do this from the start rather than help any individuals that needed it, but that felt cheap and disconnected. She went to sleep content, knowing she had fulfilled her duty once more, and corrected her little slip up.

However, if she could’ve frozen the progress of the glow and looked at the sliver of white with a microscope before cutting it, she would’ve seen some hazy particles of pink that had managed to make contact from both ends.

Apple Bloom and Babs woke up suddenly and simultaneously, their eyes wide. They realized they were hugging their pillows, and had been kissing them. And they both remembered the dream they’d had. They put their pillows aside and stared up at the ceiling for a minute before uttering the same thing.

“Uh oh.”

Next Year’s Reunion

“Who’s bright idea was it to have the three legged race include going up this hill?!” Babs complained as she and Apple Bloom ran up the steep formation.

“That’s what happens when we decide to have the reunion be picnic themed and out in the fields instead of at the farm. Now quit your belly achin, we’re almost at the top and we still need to get ahead of the other two pairs!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“I’m not…used…to hills…Bloom!” Babs panted.

“Whoo! Made it!”

“Give me…give me a minute…to catch my breath” Babs requested as she wrapped an arm around Apple Bloom’s shoulders for support, the latter of whom didn’t object.

“Fine. We’re ahead of everypony else anyway. And I can see first and second resting at the bottom.”

“Okay. I think I’m good gah! Cramp!” Babs exclaimed before raising her free leg and starting to hop. Doing this while her other leg was tied to Apple Bloom’s, and hugging her shoulder, threw off their collective balance.

“Babs wait! You’re gonna make us-! Wha!” Apple Bloom cried as she and Babs fell.

“Ohshit!”

“AhhhAhhhAhhAhhh” the two of them yelled simultaneously as they went rolling down the left side of the hill toward a flower bed at the bottom. Since they were tied together, they ended up clutching each other out of instinct.

“Oof,” they landed in the flowers, Babs on top of Apple Bloom, with the air being forced out of their lungs, some flowers being sent into the air and landing on them.

Once they caught their breath they started laughing. “Heh, sorry about that, cuz” Babs apologized as she pushed herself up, though not getting off of Apple Bloom.

“That’s alright. You didn’t mean to.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just a little banged up. Maybe a scratch or two. I’ll live.

“Snrk” Apple Bloom snorted as she got a good look at her cousin covered in stray flowers.

“What?”

“You look like a hippie that went for a roll in this flower bed” she said before giggling.

Babs pouted before looking up at a flower hanging over her forehead. She blew it off before swiping the others away. “Oh yeah? Well you look like a…like a…lovesick mare in some sappy romcom. Looking all…pretty…laying in these flowers.”

Apple Bloom looked at her with an amused smile and a questioning brow.

“Damn it, you don’t look ridiculous enough for me to come up with a good come back. You’re too cute looking like this.”

“Thanks” Apple Bloom chuckled at her pouty cousin. “If it makes you feel any better, you look pretty cute with these flowers too.”

“Oh, so now you’re looking for trouble” Babs replied with a threatening smirk.

“No really, I mean it. Not like you were a second ago, but…here” she said as she grabbed one of the loose flowers and slid it onto Babs’s ear that wasn’t covered by her hair. “There. Certified cute.”

Babs’s eyes went wide from her cousin’s action, and her cheeks and ears grew warm feeling her fingers making contact. The warmth only increased as she looked down at her cousin looking up at her with a small smile and gentle eyes. “Th- Thanks, Bloom” she said as she looked away bashfully.

“Applejack’s always telling me to tell the truth. Especially if it’s a compliment.”

Babs shifted her eyes to look at Apple Bloom and could see her still smiling. She turned her head, and they just laid there, staring at each other in peaceful silence.

For about a minute.

“Come on! Let’s go!”

“What happened to Apple Bloom and Babs?”

“Who cares? You snooze you lose!”

The pair looked up to see their other relatives of similar and younger age running over the hill, going too fast to notice them at the lefthand bottom.

“Whelp, I think it’s safe to say we’re pretty much out of the race” Babs said as she rolled off Apple Bloom and untied their legs, who she didn’t notice suddenly looking disappointed.

“Yeah. Too bad.”

“Wanna head back to the picnic area and beat those punks to the fresh pastries?”

“Sure!” Apple Bloom said before they started to stand. “Ow!”

“What’s wrong?!” Babs asked as she turned to see her cousin clutching her ankle. She realized that she had sounded a bit more concerned than she meant to.

“I stand…er, sit corrected. I twisted my ankle in that little tumble.”

“Can you stand up?”

“Here, let me see” she replied while stretching out a hand. She successfully stood with Babs’s help, but walking was another story. “Ow! Dagnabbit” she grumbled as she grabbed Babs’s shoulder for support. “Mind helping me on the way?”

“Sure thing, Bloom.”

“Thanks. So I guess I’ll just put my arm around- whoa!” Apple Bloom exclaimed as she found herself swept off her hooves into a bridal carry.

“Yeah, you probably should hang on. That way if I drop you, you’ll catch yourself.”

Apple Bloom blinked wide eyes as she looked up at her cousin. “Y-Yeah. Just what I was thinking.” Her heart was racing as Babs carried her all the way back to the picnic area. She rested her head against Babs’s breasts, which made the latter blush profusely.

“Here she is, everypony! Princess Apple Bloom!” Babs announced as they arrived. “Poor thing twisted her ankle and insisted she be carried back.”

“Applejack! Granny! Aunt Cindy! Whoever! You should tan her hide for telling such a lie!” Apple Bloom playfully protested to her amused relatives. “I did twist my ankle, but the honorable and chivalrous Princess Babs politely offered to carry me back and I didn’t want to be rude.”

“Well whatever the case, you two are lucky to have gotten here before the other youngins . So come on and fill up your tanks.”

“Your banquet, m’lady” Babs said with a wave of her arms after setting Apple Bloom down at one of the chairs at the picnic tables.

“Thank you kindly, m’lady” Apple Bloom replied with a bow of her head before they snorted and started guffawing.

Applejack shook her head with a smile. “Those two. Practically sisters.”

“Or like marefriends” one of their Appleoosa Valley cousins snidely remarked to her sister.

“Like totally.”

“Say something, you two?” Babs asked accusingly.

“Just that you look super cute with that flower, cuz!”

“Seriously, I’m like totes jealous.”

“Thanks. Bloom gave it to me.”

“Shocker.”

“I seriously want a barrette like that though.”

“Samesies.”

The Reunion After That

“Alright, y’all!” Applejack called out to her relatives in various seats behind the barn, the back of which had a large white tarp nailed to it. “I hope you’ve got your snacks and drinks ready for our first ever Apple Family Reunion Movie Night! As suggested by my little sis, Apple Bloom! Hold the youngins close, because we’re doing a scaaaaaary movie tonight. Ooooooooh.”

Apple Bloom covered her face and shook her head in embarrassment.

“Yeah. Great” Babs grumbled next to Apple Bloom. They were sharing a rather large bean bag chair, as well as a large bowl of popcorn.

“Oh mare up, Babs. I can’t believe you of all ponies is scared of scary movies.”

“I’m not scared!” Babs replied angrily. “Th-They’re just lame. The jump scares are cheap, the story always sucks, the characters are idiots, and the monster always looks fake. Or the murderer either has no character or a stupid motivation.”

“Uh huh” Apple Bloom replied, not believing a word. “Well if it’s really bad, we can always make fun of it. But if it’s actually scary, then I’ll hold your hand for you if you want” she teased with a smirk.

“Shut up, Bloom” Babs replied grumpily. “…I might.”

“Ooh! It’s starting” Apple Bloom said excitedly as the old projector they had set up began playing the movie. It was an older black and white movie about a vampire. Tame enough to show to the kids.

Though Babs wouldn’t have agreed.

“Stop it. Stop staring like that. His eyes are peering into my soul” she said at a low enough volume to not annoy anyone else. “Don’t let him bite your neck! He’ll suck you dry! Not in the good way!”

Apple Bloom had to cover her mouth to keep herself from bursting into laughter at Babs’s comments.

“Where is he? Where is he?! It’s too dark. Too dark! GAH! Hell no! Hate it! I hate it!” Babs cried when the vampire attacked someone out of the dark while in a monstrous form. She turned away, huddling close to Apple Bloom, burying her face in her arm.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. It’s okay” Apple Bloom said soothingly as she reached her arm over to hold Babs, stroking her back. “It’s just a movie. It’s just a movie.” Her other hand searched for and grabbed Babs’s when she found it. “I’ve got you.”

Babs could actually feel her rapid heartbeat start to die down as Apple Bloom comforted her. Normally she’d be mortified to have shown such fear, and in front of family, younger family and her favorite cousin no less. But the way she was comforting her, not making fun of her, her statement, it just felt too nice.

She looked up at her cousin, who was looking at her with the most caring smile she had ever seen.

“I’ve got you.”

She couldn’t help herself. Babs moved forward to kiss Apple Bloom’s chin, doing it too fast to realize she missed and got her lips instead. “Thanks, Bloom” she said with a smile before snuggling in and turning her attention back to the movie with new confidence.

Apple Bloom was left wide eyed and red faced. Her heartbeat quickened, and not because of the movie. She turned back to the movie as the biggest, goofiest smile she’d ever had formed on her face.

By the climax of the movie, with the protagonists fighting the vampire, Babs’s attitude had completely turned around.

“Yeah! Get his ass! Splash him with that holy water! The power of the sun compels you, bitch!” Various Apple parents covered their children’s ears and shot disapproving looks at Babs from behind. Not that she saw or would’ve cared. “Ooh! Staked in the heart! And burned by the sun! Double whammy! Thank you, Celestia!

“Whoo! Got him! Hell yeah! Give me some, Bloom!” she said as she presented her hand for a high five, which Apple Bloom gave happily.

Afterward, it was time for everyone to go to sleep, and quite a few Apples were staying the night since they had stuck around for the movie and didn’t want to travel so late in the night.

Many slept in the barn or outside under the moon and stars. Thankfully it was the tail end of summer, so they actually didn’t mind staying out in the fresh night. Apple Bloom offered to have Babs sleep in her room on an inflatable matress, which Applejack and Granny agreed to.

“Hey, Bloom” Babs said bashfully as she rubbed her arm. “So, you were right about me being scared of scary movies. And part of that is that they give me nightmares after. My mom lays in bed with me to hold me when I do. And well…I haven’t watched one in years and she’s down in the living room.

“Do you think maybe we could…um, share your bed?” She asked hopefully.

Apple Bloom’s response was to scoot over to one side and uncover the other, gesturing to it. Babs beamed with delight as she climbed in, and was surprised when Apple Bloom held her right away, her mom only doing so when she saw her having a nightmare.

“Thanks, cuz. I appreciate it. A lot.”

Apple Bloom surprised her cousin further by moving forward and intentionally kissing her on the lips. And not quickly. “I’ve got you” she whispered before nuzzling her head.

Babs’s heart rate skyrocketed and her face was so red one would think she was Big Mac’s somehow younger female twin. Once her heart calmed down, she drifted off to sleep with the biggest, goofiest smile that ever adorned her face.

It was the first time she’d ever watched a horror movie and not been plagued by a nightmare afterward. Princess Luna’s assistance wasn’t even needed to ensure that.

The Hearth’s Warming After

“Bloom, why would my present be all the way out in the barn? And why can’t you give it to me in the house during present time?” Babs asked as Apple Bloom led her to the barn.

“Because this one’s extra special, and I wanted to give it to you personally.”

“Wow, how is it so warm in here?” Babs asked after they entered the barn.

“Heat lamps for the cows when it’s cold” Apple Bloom explained as she took off her beanie and jacket and hung them on a nearby hook.

“So where’s this gift of mine?” Babs asked as she did the same, shaking out her mane.

“Right here” Apple Bloom said without gesturing to anything.

“…Where?”

“Right here. Look for it.”

“Okayyyy” Babs replied, confused as she started looking around the floor.

“Wrong direction, Babs” Apple Bloom clarified before pointing up.

Babs gave her a questioning look before following her finger. She scanned the ceiling, finding it hard to believe her present would be so high up. Then she saw there was something tied above the door. She squinted her eyes and lifted herself on the tips of her hooves.

“Is that it? Why would my present be some mistleto-?” she began to ask as she looked back at Apple Bloom, and was met with a clearly flirtatious look. She blinked in surprise before looking back at the mistletoe, and back to Apple Bloom. “Oh. Oh! Ohhhh.”

“So…do you want your present now? Or later?” Apple Bloom asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Now! Ahem. Now, please” Babs requested, trying and failing to stay and look cool.

“Okay” Apple Bloom replied before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Babs’s neck. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Babs.” She closed the small amount of distance between them, tenderly pressing her lips to Babs’s.

Babs placed a hand on Apple Bloom’s waist, and the other behind her head, deepening the kiss. Apple Bloom’s leg raised in the air. Time and their environment seemed to fade away around them. They could’ve been there for an eternity and not minded one bit.

Only a few minutes later, they slowly broke away from the kiss, but not from each others hold. “So how’d you like it?”

“Best Hearth’s Warming Gift I’ve ever gotten” Babs replied dreamily.

“Aw shucks” Apple Bloom said with faux bashfulness and a tilt of her head.

The barn door suddenly closed and opened again, startling them both. “Must’ve been the wind.”

“How long do you think before someone starts looking for us?”

“Five minutes maybe?”

“Sounds like plenty of time for me to get some more presents, don’t you think?” Babs asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Babs, you’re a greedy mare, aren’t you?” Apple Bloom replied with a faux scandalized tone. “Usually special presents are given only once. Or once per occasion. I wouldn’t wanna spoil you” she said slyly while looking away. Only for Babs to turn her head back with a finger on her chin.

“In that case, I’ll give you your special Hearth’s Warming Present. Which should last about five minutes. Want it now, or la-?”

“Now! Now please!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, her cheeks red and ears twitching in excitement.

“Sure thing. Happy Hearth’s Warming, cuz” Babs said before smashing her lips on Apple Bloom’s, picking her up, and walking backwards until she reached a bed of hay. She tipped herself back, bringing them down onto the hay. They laughed after landing on the soft material.

“Hey, Bloom? I love you.”

Apple Bloom looked at her cousin in surprise, knowing full well she didn’t mean it in the familial sense. She blinked for a moment before returning her cousin’s smile. “I love you too, Babs.” They resumed their kiss, Babs hugging Apple Bloom, and their tails wrapping around each other.

The Reunion After That. Their Eighteenth Year.

Apple Bloom took deep breaths as her and Babs walked out of the barn, hand in hand, heading towards their relatives who were all gathered at the tables.

“You absolutely, one hundred percent sure you wanna do this, Bloom?” Babs asked, making them both stop for a moment.

“Yes. I don’t want us to be a secret, to have to hide. I’m just a little nervous about how they’ll respond. Especially AJ and Mac and Granny. And your mom of course.”

“However they respond, I’ll be here for you if you need me. I’ve got you” Babs assured her, using her thumb to stroke Apple Bloom’s hand.

“That’s my line” Apple Bloom replied with a light giggle.

“Yeah, but I’ve always wanted to say it back. And it’s true.”

“Thanks, Babs. Okay. Let’s do this” she said confidently as they resumed approaching their collective family. “Excuse me! Everypony, me and Babs have something to tell all of you! Something very important!” she announced loudly, catching everyone’s attention. She looked at Babs one last time to see if maybe she had any reservations. All she got was a determined nod.

“Me and Bloom” Babs began as she took a confident stepped forward.

“Are in love!” Apple Bloom finished, taking a step forward herself to be right beside Babs.

“We know” literally everyone said at the same time.

“Now I know you probably have some strong objections to this” she continued while Babs had wide eyes and a furrowed brow. “But it’s not gonna change how we…wait. Did they say…?” Apple Bloom trailed off and looked at Babs, who nodded. “Did you say-?”

“Yes. We know” everyone repeated.

“For a while now,” somepony said.

“But…how?!”

“Like, seriously?” One of the Appleoosa Valley sisters asked.

“You weren’t exactly doing the best job at hiding it, sis” Applejack chimed in. “Don’t tell me you thought we believed those were all actually staring contests. For one, you both blinked and still kept staring. And not to mention everything else. You looked mighty comfy when she carried you after you twisted your ankle, I could hear the clip clop of more than a few of your hoofsies games, the way you talk about her and sigh all love sick like while doing it, how you spend most of your time with her at the reunions in general…

“Okay, I get it!” Apple Bloom exclaimed with burning red cheeks.

“I saw you two kissing in the barn on Hearth’s Warming” one of their younger relatives said with a raised hand. “I heard you tell Babs her present was out there and thought everypony else’s was too, so I followed.”

“H…How much did you see?” Apple Bloom asked nervously.

“I ran away after seeing you kiss under the mistletoe. Because kissing is yucky.”

“Guess we found our gust of wind” Babs joked with a hint of embarrassment.

“That explains why you two suddenly had hay on ya” Applejack said.

“Don’t forget about how they were holding each other at the first movie night” Big Mac said.

“I was scared!” Babs defended herself. “I can’t believe I just admitted that.”

“Oh come off it, hun” Cindy replied. “We all saw how you were that night. It’s no more of a secret than how you two feel about each other. Speaking of, you couldn’t fool me during that one New Year’s party. You didn’t have nearly enough hard cider to be kissing ponies randomly without checking who they were.”

“Wha-? How could you know that?!”

“Because I kept an eye on you and the cider and there wasn’t enough for you to get that drunk. Because I’m the one who drank most of it.”

“I knew it!” Applejack exclaimed as she pointed an accusatory finger. “Wait, you let her have hard cider?”

“Like two small glasses. Relax you prude.”

“Okay hold on!” Apple Bloom exclaimed with wave of her hands. “So, you all knew, and didn’t say anything?”

“We wanted to let you tell us yourselves.”

“So does that mean you don’t have a problem with this?” Babs asked. The response was a jumble of ehs, not reallys, and other similar responses. “Why not??? Not that I’m complaining, but I’m curious.”

“Yeah, same question” Apple Bloom said as she pointed at Babs.

“Well for one, we Apples have a sense of when love is real. And with our past, we learned it’s pretty crappy to try and break it up. That and you two make the cutest dang couple” Applejack explained, making the pair bashfully blush. “And second, it’s not an uncommon occurrence in our family.”

“It’s not?!” Apple Bloom, Babs, and their Appleoosa Valley cousins exclaimed.

“You kidding?” Granny Smith chimed in. “Before I met yer grandpappy, me and Apple Rose had our own fling for a bit. I toldja she was my favorite cousin.”

“It’s true” Apple Rose confirmed. “Damn that cousin stealer.”

“Huh” Apple Bloom replied.

“Also your aunt and uncle from Appleoosa Valley” Applejack added.

“Wait what?!” said pair’s daughters exclaimed in shock.

“…I thought you told them already” Applejack said to their parents.

“We were actually going to in about a month for their eighteenth birthday” their father replied.

“Mom? Dad?”

“Well since the cat’s out of the bag, I guess we can say that you can call us aunt and uncle too, if you want” their mom said.

“We’re incest babies?!”

“Well when you say it like that it sounds bad.”

The only thing the sisters could do was faint dead away, eliciting a collective laugh from everyone present.

“Well…glad to know we’re not being disowned” Apple Bloom said in shocked relief. “Though everything else is…a lot to process.”

“Yeah. No kidding” Babs agreed. “But, how’s about we process later? For now, I say we get back to the reunion fun. And that we do something I’ve been dying to do without having to hide.”

“What’s that?” Apple Bloom asked, only for Babs to put her arms around her and put her in a dip.

“Take a guess” Babs replied with a smirk before giving Apple Bloom a deep, passionate kiss. Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide, but she soon closed them as she wrapped her arms around Babs for support and returned the kiss. They almost didn’t even notice the whistles and cheering from their relatives.

“I love my cousin!” Babs cried triumphantly with a fist in the air.

“I love my cousin!” Apple Bloom parroted.

“We know.” Everyone devolved into laughter, save the two unconscious sisters being attended to by their parents/aunt and uncle.

Soon after, every Apple was seated for the reunion feast, including the long familiar seat pairing of Apple Bloom and Babs. But this time there was two new details.

Their joined hands were on top of the table rather than under, and they were resting their heads against one another. And both of them wore the most peaceful, content smiles they had ever had and would continue to have for a long time.

Author's Note:

So I meant this to be Babs and Apple Bloom’s perspective of Mixing Apples and Oranges. Their story that was going on in the background. But then the prologue I decided to include showing how it all started got longer than I intended and I kept coming up with more ideas. And so we have this.

But I’ve actually wanted to do something like this for these two for a while.

I had to give Babs’s mom a name and I just used the first one that popped into my head.

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