Desserters

by The Iguana Man

Chapter Five: Unwrapped

“Oh! Hey, guys!” Apple Bloom called out as she saw Twist and Truffle approaching. She raised a hoof for a moment, causing the empty crate on her back to tip a little before she straightened herself again to correct it. Shaking her head, she walked carefully over to a partially-packed cart and tossed the crate easily on top of it. That done, she finally raised a hoof to wave properly, even though it was a little late since, by then, they were just reaching her. “What can I do ya for? Oh, if you're lookin' for surplus, 'fraid we got no full ones left. Had a few pies left over, but some pegasus swooped in right before closin' an' bought the lot.” As she spoke, she retrieved another empty crate and dragged it around the stall to the cart. “Think he mighta been famous or somethin' – lotta folks were lookin' an' talkin' when he came, but I dunno. Anyway, nothin' full but I did manage to save a few slices for y'all.”

Truffle let out a happy hum at the thought. “Well, thank you, I definitely appreciate it, but... well, that's not why we're here.” He put one of his forelegs around Twist's and held her hoof tight, silently supporting her even without knowing why she wanted to talk to Apple Bloom himself.

“Oh?” Apple Bloom raised herself on her hindlegs for a moment before swinging the crate on top of the rest. “Can I help you with somethin' else?”

Twist forced a swallow through her shaking throat. “Um, well, hopefully, but... well, are you okay to talk for a bit?”

“Sure thing! AJ won't be back from the Admin tent for a while,” Apple Bloom said, dusting off her hooves before returning them to the ground. That done, the three made their way between the stall and the cart – almost all the stalls had closed and were packing up, so the event wasn't nearly as crowded as it had been, but it still wasn't exactly sparse. As such, that little space was the closest they were going to get to privacy.

That established, Apple Bloom sat down and nodded. “So, what's up?”

“Well, um...” Twist let out a small series of hums as she sat down and felt Truffle's leg wrap around her shoulders. “It'th jutht, er...” She shuffled her hooves awkwardly, her face heating up as she stammered and strained. It had been so easy a few hours ago to make a firm decision to talk about this, but actually being here was a whole different level. And even that was less of a factor than the fact that, despite having thought long and hard about what she wanted to talk about and what she wanted to ask and say... she hadn't really given any thought to how she wanted to ask and say it – the specific words she would use. And now, being on the spot, she found practically her entire vocabulary vanishing before it could even approach her tongue. After what could have been, to her perceptions, anywhere from twenty seconds to five minutes of fumbling indecision, she just slammed her eyes shut and blurted out the first sentence she found herself forming:

“Do you hate me?”

Her eyes opened wide the moment the last word left her lips, going into a gasp as she shocked herself with that question. And it seemed she wasn't the only one, as Apple Bloom had jumped so much she had to flail her arms around to keep from overbalancing even while sitting and, though she couldn't see it, Twist could feel Truffle looking at her with astonishment and concern.

It took a moment for everypony to recover from the conversational bomb she'd just unthinkingly dropped, but eventually, Apple Bloom sputtered into a reply. “Wha... I... No, I don't hate you! The heck did that come from? Course I don't... who in their right mind could hate you, Twist?”

“Absolutely nobody I can think of,” Truffle said, squeezing her shoulders gently but firmly and sillently daring anyone to disagree.

Twist sighed, glancing between the two apologetically. “Okay, well, maybe hate'th a little strong... or a lot too thtrong, but I jutht wanted to know if you had any kind of... well, problem with me, I gueth?”

Apple Bloom thought for a moment, her confused frown not reducing one bit. “I... can't say I can think of one. I mean, you're my friend. Leastways, I thought we were friends. Why, didja think I might not like you or somethin'?”

“Well, um... maybe kinda? It'th jutht... well, you thay we're thtill friendth and I'm happy to hear you think tho, but... well... we haven't really hung out in...” she thought over the time involved, which had definitely included multiple years, but not enough to just say 'years', “...a long time. Ever thinthe... well, ever thinthe I got my cutie mark.”

“Oh... Oh!” Apple Bloom mouth hung in that 'o' shape for a few seconds as the full weight of implication and memory crashed down onto her. Eventually, she looked away, rubbing the back of her neck. “Yeah, that... that whole thing kinda happened, didn't it?”

“It'th okay!” Twist blurted out, panicking a little at Apple Bloom's discomfort. “I totally underthtand not wanting to... I mean, I totally get it if you, what'th the word...? Rethented? Yeah, rethented me about it, but...”

Her jabbering was brought to an abrupt halt when Apple Bloom held up a hoof and caught her eye intently. That done, she lowered her hoof and narrowed her eyes, thinking hard before looking up. “Okay, so I'm gonna say somethin', but I want you to promise me you won't say anythin' or interrupt before I get the chance to say two things about it afterwards, got it?” She looked intently at Twist until she received a nod. “Okay, so thing is, when that first happened, if I'm honest... yeah, I think I kinda resented you a little bit but,” she held up a hoof, emphasizing her previous demand, “first off, that's all on me! Fault's all mine – I was bein' a baby about the whole thing. Ain't nothin' you did wrong...”

“Well, I could maybe have been a bit more thenthitive about how I told you,” Twist muttered before Apple Bloom gave a reproachful ahem.

“No interruptin', remember?” she asked with a sardonic smile. After a moment, though, it faded. “Fact is, you getting' your Cutie Mark was probably the best thing thing that coulda happened to you and you were right to be happy an' proud of it. And, lookin' back, I wish I'da been happy and proud of you too, but I was too caught up in my own problems. That was my bad and I ain't gonna hear any argument.

“But, if it helps, the second thing I wanna say is that... well, it was only a little bit. Felt like a lot at the time, sure, but, honestly, I don't think for a moment it woulda lasted even if things hadn't changed. Sure, I was pretty steamed, but it weren't anythin' deep and nowhere near hate. Sometimes, that kinda thing happens with a friend. Don't make 'em an enemy, just means it's somethin' you gotta work past. Sure don't mean the friendship's over.” She smiled for a moment before remembering all of what happened next. “Though, I guess it kinda seemed like it, huh? Don't think I've been a real good friend, have I?”

Twist gulped guiltily at the self-effacement. “I mean, it'th not that bad. I mean... to be honetht, I didn't... I didn't really think you didn't like me, jutht wondered... Really, I jutht thought you... didn't really want to hang out any more... which ithn't really a problem.”

“Maybe, maybe not, but it don't matter - it ain't like that!” Apple Bloom said firmly before letting out a nervous chuckle. “It's just... well, thing is, I... after I met Sweetie and Scoots and we got talkin' and plannin' and crusadin', I just... kinda got swept up in the whole thing. Like I got all caught up and carried away with the crusade, I didn't really think about... well, much of anythin' else most o' the time, to be honest.” She gave an embarrassed shrug. “Was so busy thinkin' about all the stuff we were doin' I didn't really have time to think about what I wasn't doin', you know?”

Twist nodded with a sympathetic half-smile. “Yeah... yeah, I definitely know what it'th like to get carried away like that. And, well... it'th not like I ever minded you doing your own thtuff. Like, even if you did hate me... well, with how important getting your Cutie Mark ith to you and how much fun you're having trying to find it... well, I could never hate you for that. You're tho happy with the cruthaderth that I... well, I gueth I jutht can't help being happy for you too. Tho... well, I'm really glad we could clear thingth up, but, well... if we never thpoke again after thith, I wouldn't have a problem with it.” She sighed in relief at saying her piece, relaxing into Truffle's soft embrace but not willing to look into his probably-uneasy face.

Fortunately, she was saved from having to by Apple Bloom stamping a hoof down. “Well, maybe you wouldn't, but I sure as Sun would! Like I said, I've been a real awful friend and I ain't lettin' that continue one second more. So, first off, I'm sorry!” She looked Twist, her eyebrows lowered in contrition while the eyes beneath it became intense and firm, getting across just how sincerely she meant what she was saying. “I'm sorry I resented you gettin' your mark, I'm sorry I lost touch with you and I'm sorry I let you think I might not like you anymore. And second, if you're okay with it, I wanna make it up to you. Ain't sure how, but I'm not willin' to let our friendship go a second time if I can help it. Besides,” she smirked a little, her gaze softening even as her eyebrows quirked up, “now I think about it, I do really miss those peppermint sticks 'o yours?”

Twist felt her smile rise higher than she could remember all day. She nodded, for a moment unsure about speaking while held tight to Truffle's laughing belly, before another thought occurred and made her mouth dip slightly. “Well, I would really like that but... well, are you thure I wouldn't be a bother. I mean, like you said, being part of the Cruthaderth ith a big part of your life and I wouldn't want you to give that up for my thake.”

Apple Bloom snorted and waved the notion off. “Don't be silly! Ain't no way you'd ever be a bother. And it's not like I don't have room in my life for both. I mean, plenty of other stuff I got goin' on, and it ain't like the others got nothin' else in their life, you know? Though...” she thought for a moment, “maybe you don't. Now I think of it, don't reckon you know Sweetie or Scoots that well, do you, Twist?”

Twist shrugged. “Only what I've heard around thchool... and what Truffle's told me about Thcootaloo.”

Apple Bloom nodded, but she didn't look like she was fully listening, instead thinking hard as she tapped a hoof against her chin. After a few moments, though, a slow smile started to form.

“Okay, tell you what: me an' the girls have got an appointment next week to try out abseilin' down in Ghastly Gorge... er, the safe part. And there'll be professionals there – got a like one-in-five chance o' goin' wrong, tops,” she clarified quickly in response to Twist's widening eyes. “D'you feel up to joinin' us?” She gave a hopeful smile before her eyes fell on the colt still hugging Twist tight. “Oh, er, you can come if you like too, Truffle, if you want. I know if Twist comes, she'd love to have you, but...”

“Oh, not to worry – I'm... ninety-percent sure professionals'll have ropes strong enough to hold all this up!” Truffle took a hoof from around Twist for just long enough to proudly pull up his stomach before returning to the hug with full force. “And if not, well, I'll still be happy to be there to cheer you on. I certainly think you'll be able to hear me from up on the cliff.”

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Reckon we'd hear you cheering from up on the moon. Just try not to get too carried away – that area ain't prone to rockslides, but no sense riskin' it, right?”

Twist hummed, noticing as she was moving how she was curling up into Truffle's embrace, hesitant to argue or agree. After a moment, though, she let out a slow breath, feeling like she was drawing strength from the hoof around her shoulders as she spoke. “I mean, that doeth thound... but I already have my cutie mark...”

“So?” Apple Bloom shrugged. “Don't mean y'can't enjoy other stuff. I mean, look at AJ – most o' the stuff she does in her off-hours ain't got nothin' to do with her talent – fiddle, rodeo, roughhousin', world-savin'... She's still all kinds a'mazin' at it and loves doin' most of it to boot. I mean, a Cutie Mark's a big part of a pony, no question, but it ain't gotta be all there is to you – that's one thing me an' the girls have learned.”

Twist nodded for a moment, before blinking – for a moment, she could have sworn she'd seen something out of the corner of her eye. However, when she looked, there was nothing but Apple Bloom, turning to glance at her flank.

After a moment, though, her friend continued. “I mean, who knows – tryin' it out, y'might find somethin' you love. And if you don't, well, least you tried somethin' new. I mean, that's most o' the fun o' crusadin' – tryin' stuff out, thinkin' up new things to try, seein' if anythin' takes... heck, half the stuff we try's stuff I'd never'a thought to on my own and even when it don't work out, it's usually fun to do it with friends.”

“Even if you don't get a Mark out of it?” Truffle asked, prompting Twist to look around at him, not disapproving of the question but a little unsure about it.

Still, Apple Bloom didn't seem to mind. “Oh, yeah. I mean, I definitely want to, but it ain't like I'd take back any o' the stuff we've done. Fact is, I'm kinda hopin' even after we find our marks, we can keep doin' somethin' like that. Maybe it ain't too realistic, but I reckon if I had a mark and crusadin' in my life, I'd be pretty happy.”

Twist looked back at Truffle, this time with a smile, when another odd bit of sparkling registered in her peripheral vision. However, the moment she turned around and Apple Bloom started speaking again, it was gone.

“Course, no idea if Sweetie and Scoots feel the same, but I like to think so. And, well, I'll probably have to ask them if you can come, but they ain't likely to refuse, I reckon. So, whaddaya say?”

Twist thought hard, snuggling deep into Truffle's broad body as she did. Out in Ghastly Gorge, a long walk from Ponyville, scaling a sheer cliff face for a massive distance held up by only a rope, a harness and whatever she could get from the cliffside... with Apple Bloom, Truffle and the Crusaders alongside her...

“Yeah, that thoundth great!” Twist chirped, grinnning at the prospect. “I'll look forward to it!”

“Awesome!” Apple Bloom bent her elbow and swung her hoof in a 'let's go' gesture. “Glad we could sort all that out. Although,” her smile dipped a little as she looked at Twist, “if you don't mind me askin', what brought all this up, anyway? I mean, seems like you been feelin' like this for a while, but... somethin' change?”

“Yes, I'd like to know that, too,” Truffle added, a hint of concern in his voice.

Twist shuffled awkwardly in the hug. “Well, it'th jutht... let'th jutht thay I've theen a lot of thingth today that helped... put thingth in perthpective. About how thilly it ith to put thingth off jutht cauthe there'th other thingth to do... how eathy it ith to athume thtuff about a pony and thee everything they do ath proving it... and how bad it can be when you let thith thort of thing... fethter and feed.”

Truffle hummed, recognizing the phrasing. “Well, if... I mean, you're not technically wrong and I'm glad it helped you figure things out, but... I promise you, Gumdrop, you are nothing like that screw-up wannabe assassin.”

“Oh, you mean the mare who tried to...” Apple Bloom trailed off as Twist felt Truffle nod. “Ah, well, wasn't really around for that stuff – too busy helpin' with the stall most o' the day and hadn't got there when it all went down. Still, heard some folks talkin' 'bout it and they didn't seem none too impressed. An' if it was even half like it sounds, I gotta agree – you ain't nothin' like that.”

Twist nodded. “I know, I didn't think I wath. But, well... if thingth had gone a little different or I'd been a little different... I think I definitely could have been.” She sighed, leaning back into Truffle's hug. “Bethideth, even if her reathonth for it weren't the betht... that doesn't mean her anger and thuffering weren't bad. And... well, I jutht hope thhe can get the help the needth to get patht it.” She winced, hoping she didn't sound like she was justifying or diminishing what the mare had done.

Before she could think more about it, though, she felt Truffle laughing quietly through her back. He squeezed her gently and rested his chin atop her head, enveloping her in a wonderful warmth. “That's my filly – so much love in her heart, she can't help spilling it out onto everyone she sees.”

Twist smiled, burrowing a little into his chest. “Ath long ath you know you've got the biggetht part of it.”

Truffle nodded, the movement making her hair tickle her slightly. “I know and I'll never stop thanking the stars for it.”

Apple Bloom chuckled, drawing Twist's attention back to her. “Well, I'm just glad I didn't lose what I had of it... even if it's only cause you got so much. Huh, you know, thinkin' about it, maybe there's more to your Cutie Mark than we thought – could be the shape those two canes make ain't just a coincidence.”

“Never thought it was,” Truffle responded, but Twist wasn't really focusing on that. Instead, now that she was looking at Apple Bloom, she was seeing an odd, almost-imperceptible sparkle to her flank. Was that...?

“Huh, neat thought – have to tell the others about that,” Apple Bloom said with a shrug, shifting her body enough that the sparkle disappeared as Twist saw what was going on – there was still a fair bit of sweat in Apple Bloom's coat and it had just happened to catch the fading sunlight just right. Nothing magical, but it did make Twist smile at the thought.

She was soon distracted, however, when a slight gurgle was heard from just below the area she'd been looking at. Apple Bloom blushed and gave an awkward laugh as she looked down at her stomach.

“Apple Bloom,” Twist said, her eyes narrowing and a sly smile coming onto her face, “did you get tho caught up helping your thithter, you forgot to eat?”

The suddenly-silent filly's face told Twist the answer.

With a tiny giggle, Twist thought for a moment. “Hmm... thay, Apple Bloom? How many thlitheth... pietheth... bitth... how much pie did you save for us?”

Apple Bloom sighed. “Only four slices, but... wait, no, I couldn't...”

“That it'th thettled!” Twist declared, happy that she was able ignore someone else's polite offer of refusal for once. “Two for Truffle, one for me, one for you. We'll thhare!”

---

And so they did, sharing the last remnants of the Apple family stall's stocks and talking. Well, mostly it was Apple Bloom and Truffle doing the talking, catching up on the many adventures that had been had over the past few years. That was okay, though – Twist was happy just listening to them and, when she did tell them about her far more mundane life, they never looked disinterested. Even when Applejack returned and Apple Bloom had to get back to work packing up, they didn't stop. Instead, Twist and Truffle decided to pitch in so they could keep talking. It wasn't massively strenuous work, of course, but it was work.

However, through it all, Twist had the biggest smile she could remember for a long time on her face. How could she not, after all? She was with her coltfriend and had just made up with her oldest friend. She couldn't do anything but thank the heavens for all the things in her life that were small, simple and sweet.

Author's Note:

You know, before writing this, I didn't really get why more writers didn't use Twist in their stories.

Now I kind of get why: her lisp is a pain to write.

I mean, she's far too adorable for that to stop me, but still...

Comments

[Ri2]

Congrats on somehow managing to write a story of this length with Twist as the protagonist. That lisp is NOT easy.

[Elric of Melnipony]

It's always nice to see Twist getting more love -- both within the fandom, and from other characters.

[hawthornbunny]

Using italics to highlight Twist's lisped sibilants is such a brilliant idea, it makes her dialogue easy to read while still retaining the cuteness of her voice.

[The Iguana Man]

11600100

Well, to be fair, I can't claim to have come up with it - can't recall off the top of my head where I saw it, but I'm pretty sure it was another story I read. Still, happy to hear it worked as intended.