It would be nice to write a letter. Pa was out for market day and staying the night, and Ma was around but neither of them were really company to talk to. The air smelled of lightning and green things, and Smith wanted somepony to share it with. She wanted to run around and show Apple Rose the trees, the fences, the barn they’d thrown up last year, explain the proper way of harvesting Zapp Apples, all the secret places she liked and wanted to know what other ponies thought of, too.
She knew that Pearly would have loved it.
and augh, loneliness! Apple Rose being "out tonight. Again." two chapters ago hinted that she and Smith's interests were diverging, but Smith misses her here (guessing that is who she wanted to write to?). and augh, the mention of Pearly at the end. her leaving Smith's life young means she is forever frozen in that context of being two fillies excited to explore the world. as the distance grows, the "would have"s weaken, augh