It was the Best of Trips, it was the Worst of Trips...
A few months ago, Babs Seed travelled to Canterlot for the season. Now, Apple Bloom returns the favour with a journey to the Big Apple, to got on her own journey of self-discovery and excitement, all the while getting use to standing 'on line' and going up 'stoops'.
Based on a trip I took to NYC many years ago. Cover art drawn by the immensely talented ThomasZoey3000.
Update: Good Heavens! This was in the Popular Stories section!
It was very dark that morning. The snow still pooled on the ground as trains thundered up and down the coast, steam, diesel, and electric effortlessly intermingling with one another on the crowded rails. As was normal, one of these trains had originated from Canterlot. This train had departed from that city at five that very morning, and roared through Crystal City at around 100 miles an hour.
Steam poured from the stack as the engine roared up the track, a veteran New York Central Railroad J3-a with full Dreyfuss streamlining. It thundered through the Narrows, and onto the long, fast stretch to San Fernando station, arriving on time after a barnstormer of a passenger run.
After an uneventful taxi ride, Apple Bloom and Pear Butter gathered in the lobby of the airport.
“Sorry the others weren’t here ta see ya off,” Pear said.
“It’s only a few days,” Apple Bloom replied. “So Ah ought ta be OK. Besides, it’s mah cuz’! Of course, Ah’ll be OK!”
Pear smiled. “Ah’ll just miss ya, that’s all.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Ah’ll call home each day. See ya!” With that, she turned around and dragged her case with her, vanishing into the distance as she did so.
Pear stood there and watched until her daughter had vanished through the departure gate, and then turned around in order to head back home.
Apple Bloom sat down in one of the cafés at the airport and helped herself to a burger. She knew, despite some of the things that mass catering did in order to meet demand, one thing that they never ruined was burgers.
A beep from her phone distracted her attention, and she opened it up to see an update from MyStable. But who had sent her a message?
She opened the app, to see a message from Diamond Tiara.
Diamond Tiara: You’re going to New York, and getting to see the sights! So jealous.
Apple Bloom sighed, and typed a reply.
Apple Bloom: I’m just going to see my cousin, that’s all. It’s not as if I’d go shopping for fancy clothes anyway.
Another message entered the chat.
Scootaloo: Are you going to see any sports games?
Just as suddenly, another appeared.
Sweetie Belle: My sister asks you check out some of the major fashion outlets in the city.
Apple Bloom sighed.
Apple Bloom: No, I am not seeing any sports games, or checking out fancy clothes or any of those things.
Another speaker entered.
Silver Spoon: What a shame. You’d look great in a dress.
Apple Bloom cursed silently under her breath, and typed back.
Apple Bloom: Neither me nor my cousin will be seen wearing those things, let alone shopping for them!
There was a brief silence in all the communication traffic, before one last message appeared.
Cozy Glow: Have fun!
Apple Bloom smiled at this, and sent her last reply.
Apple Bloom: Thanks, Cozy, but I’ve gotta go. They’ve just called the flight.
Then, a mountain of messages appeared wishing her good luck.
Apple Bloom sent one last reply, then put her phone back into her pocket to finish her food.
Apple Bloom had done many things up to this point, but flying was not one of them. The sensation of being pushed back into her seat was one you never forget, or even wish to experience in the first place, but it was not possible to travel from end of the States to the other by train without getting held behind at least 8 goods trains.
That, and there was no direct way of travelling from one end of America to the other (in this case, California to New York State) in one go. The California Coast Railroad’s track did not connect to that of the Union Pacific, so a continuous journey would have been impossible in that regard. And even if the track did link up, the Super Chief had been canned years ago due to poor ridership and operating costs, so that wasn’t an option.
It would have meant changing at several different cities, first catching a train from LA up to Omaha, Nebraska, the Union Pacific rail terminal. Then she would have got on a train bound for Greensboro, North Carolina. This would have required yet another change for a service to Washington DC, and finally another change for New York City.
That, and the trains often ran horribly late. Apple Bloom didn’t get it. If the California Coast Railroad could run an intense timetable with express and stopping passenger services interweaving with heavy and fast freight, why couldn’t AMTRAK? The national passenger train operator was, put simply, a joke, unless you lived in the Northeast Corridor.
Bloom pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as the flight attendant came around to hand out headphones for the in-flight entertainment, and the captain’s voice was suddenly audible though the cabin.
“Hello ladies and gentlemen,” the voice of the captain said. "This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard Delta Airlines flight 40. We have just lifted off from Los Angeles International Airport, and are due into John F. Kennedy International Airport at 5:58 PM local time. Current time at destination is 12:30PM local time, so please reset your watches. We are also switching on the backseat entertainment system, and will be serving hot and cold beverages as the flight progresses. We will also be serving a hot meal on the way. Thank you.” The internal flight messaging system switched off.
Apple Bloom shook her head. Her cousin had told her that the food was often awful, and now she flicked (or should I say punched) the screen, given how badly de-calibrated it was. She settled on watching something about...something or other.
Apple Bloom was not surprised at the taste of the food. Most of it had been buried in cooking oils and special salts to recreate the taste of food on the ground, and on that ground it had failed miserably. She wished she’d brought her own food. It would’ve been so much easier.
The flight touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport 40 minutes late, and Apple Bloom trudged through the departure halls, a dwarf lost in a sea of giants lugging massive cases about. Suddenly, her phone buzzed loudly as she reached baggage reclaim, and she took it out.
“Hello?”
“Lovely to hear from ya! I’m Mrs Orange.”
“Mrs Who?”
“Mrs Orange, yer aunt. I take it you know which way to travel to get to Edison?”
“Yup. Get mah stuff, catch the subway to Grand Central, get a commuter train to Edison, then Ah believe y’all be there ta pick me up.”
“That’s pretty much it,” Mrs Orange replied. "We look forward to meetin’ ya, I’m havin’ ta keep yercuz’ on a leash here!”
Apple Bloom laughed. “Sounds good ta me. Well, see ya there.”
After recovering her case, which was a considerable ordeal, Apple Bloom boarded the subway, passing through Grand Central a few minutes later. She stepped into the departure hall on her way to the mainline platforms, and her jaw dropped.
The station had a massive, vaulting roof, reminiscent of the one at San Fernando, and great glass architecture that made the light shine down and illuminate the departure hall (which still had a scrolling departure board). She consulted the diagram, and headed for Track 29 (no, not that Track 29).
The train for Edison was being worked by a Metro-North GE P32AC-DM, or Genesis unit. The train itself consisted of 10 stainless steel carriages, and Bloom boarded coach C, as indicated in her ticket. She must have dozed off, as next thing she remembered, she was standing on the platform at Edison looking for somebody who resembled Mrs Orange’s description.
She eventually found a woman with yellow skin and orange hair, who recognised her almost immediately. “Oh, you must be Apple Bloom!” she exclaimed.
“Erm, have we met?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I last saw you a long time ago, but not a day has passed without you being mentioned. I know you talk to my daughter as much as you can.”
Bloom laughed. “Yeah, that.”
After an uneventful car ride to the Orange’s home, Apple Bloom got out, wrapped up warm in her winter coat, and knocked on the door. Three times, as specified.
The door opened momentarily, and the person Apple Bloom had wanted to see for so long was right behind it. “Cuz’!”
Bloom stepped through the door, and took Babs Seed in a tackle hug. “Babs! It’s been so long!”
“I know, right?” Babs laughed. “But I’ve got so much planned for us. I want ta get ya involved with as much stuff that goes on this city as takes yer fancy.”
There was a loud cough, and the two girls broke their embrace to see Mosely Orange standing there. “Babs, can you help your mother take Apple Bloom’s stuff to your room?”
Apple Bloom looked confused. “Ah’m stayin’ in Babs’ room? That ain’t fair on her!”
Babs laughed. “Don’t be silly, yer goin’ on a spare bed. The spare bedroom is currently bein’ redecorated as it was in rather poor shape.” Off the girl went, to try and get things in order, leaving Apple Bloom with Mosely Orange and another, older girl. She looked to be about Applejack’s age, and was currently fiddling with a cell phone.
“Sunflower!” Mosely barked.
The girl looked up from her phone, quickly said, “hi,” and then looked back down again.
Mosely sighed. “Good grief.”
Babs trekked back downstairs, and sat down on the couch. “So, how’s life been in Canterlot?”
“So much has happened!” Apple Bloom cried, as she hung her coat up. She was then greeted with a look of confusion from Babs. “What?”
“Hey, are those the new threads I bought ya for Christmas?”
“Yup!” Given the colder weather, Apple Bloom thought it would be appropriate to bring some new and warmer clothing. She was wearing a pair of winter boots, to avoid slipping on ice, thermal socks, a pair of blue jeans more appropriate for the cold, and an orange long sleeved shirt with a collar. “I thought they were perfect fer the cold.”
Babs laughed. “When I was over in Canterlot that November, I coulda sworn you wore nothin’ but that green shirt, jeans, and trainers!”
“Ah like them!” Bloom retorted. And that fact alone was true. “It also reduces the amount of washin’ we have ta do.”
“Well, that all sounds fun,” Mrs Orange said, “but it’s now time for dinner. Let’s go folks, and remember to wait on line!”
“On line?” Apple Bloom asked.
“New York English,” Babs explained. “Same as ‘in line’.”
After a most satisfying meal, Apple Bloom expressed a desire to sleep. Nobody blamed her, as she’d had a very long day. And so came to an end Apple Bloom’s first day in the Big Apple.
The next morning arrived in New York, with the sound of city slowly waking up. Apple Bloom pulled herself of bed, looking around her.
“Well, here Ah am, in the city that never sleeps,” she smiled.
“Well, you slept pretty solidly,” Babs commented, who was just sitting up. “Applejack tells me that ya talk in ya sleep.”
“That ain’t true!” Apple Bloom replied.
“I’m part-Apple, remember,” Babs commented. “And that means I can tell yer a terrible liar.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Yeah.”
Babs yawned. “Still, I get that number quoted to me an awful lot.”
Apple Bloom laughed. “Ah suppose ya don’t need ta go ta New York, or want to wake up there, as ya do that every day.”
“I’m not exactly top of the heap though,” Babs admitted.
“Do ya need ta be, when ya have family?”
Babs couldn’t deny her cousin’s logic. “C’mon, let’s get in the shower. Mom’s probably gonna cook us somethin’.”
“Ain’t there somethin’ a bit wron’ about two cousins bein’ in the shower at the same time?”
Babs facepalmed. “Not at the same time cuz’!”
After clearing up that embarrassment, it was time for breakfast. And Mrs Orange had rather laid it on, considering the piles of bacon, sausage, and cheese.
“You’ve cooked enough to feed an army on campaign!” Mr Orange joked, as Babs and Apple Bloom appeared.
“An Army, yes,” Mrs Orange nodded. “But two growing girls? I’m not too sure.”
“I don’t eat that much!” Babs protested, her face going red.
“Same here!” Apple Bloom added.
“Well, Bright Mac tells me they call you the Hoover,” Mr Orange countered. “Speakin’ of which, where is Sunflower?”
Babs snickered, and motioned to Apple Bloom. Both of them vanished back upstairs and went into Sunflower’s bedroom, to see the older Orange girl lying asleep in her bed, looking an utterly unkempt mess. Both of them snuck across the floorboards and positioned themselves next to the other girl.
“Buzz off Babs,” Sunflower murmured.
At which point, both of the pre-teens shouted at once, “RISE AND SHINE SUNFLOWER!”
Sunflower shrieked and fell out of her bed, hitting the floor with a loud thud. “Seriously Babs, what the fuck?” She got up, looking utterly furious.
Meanwhile, Babs and Apple Bloom were laughing incredibly hard. “Well, ya needed ta get up!” Apple Bloom pointed out.
“I don’t understand how you get up so early,” Sunflower groaned, as she headed for the shower.
“I don’t understand how you go to bed so late,” Babs answered. They went back downstairs and stayed in the sitting room whilst they waited for Sunflower.
Apple Bloom looked over. “Does she always get up this late?”
Babs nodded. “Yeah. We’re polar opposites in that regard. She gets up and goes to bed late, I rise and retire early.”
“That’s not the only way in which you two are different,” Mr Orange added. “Besides, Babs is sorta the boy I never got. She likes machines and stuff like that, which Sunflower wouldn’t go anywhere near.”
“Yeah!” Apple Bloom said. “Seein’ as she and her friends restored a GG1 to workin’ order, Ah doubt there’s anythin’ mechanical she can’t do.”
“We did get a lot of help,” Babs murmured.
Mrs Orange came over and looked up the stairs. “Sunflower, hurry up!” she shouted. “The food is going cold!”
“Almost done!” her eldest daughter replied.
Mrs Orange shook her head. “Heaven knows how many different types of conditioner she puts in her hair,” she said. “That’s another way in which she and Babs are Polar Opposites,” she explained. “Sunflower is keen on fashion and makeup, whereas Babs is not. No matter what I tried, I simply couldn’t persuade Babs to wear a dress for a school formal event.”
Babs had gone even redder. “I wouldn’t be seen dead in one!” she answered, just as Sunflower appeared, looking utterly unkempt. “His sis, applyin’ 50 different types of shampoo this time?”
Sunflower shook her head. “Your hair is half an inch long and dries out in seconds. Mine needs careful monitoring and conditioning to stay as good as possible. I don’t want it going all greasy!”
After that, they sat down at the table for breakfast. Once everyone had had their fill, Mr Orange addressed Babs.
“Where were ya plannin’ on takin’ Apple Bloom today?” he asked.
“Down to 42nd Street and back up via Times Square,” came the reply.
“Ah, the Great White Way,” Mr Orange smiled. “Course, it used to be a dump. Did I mention that I met Hondo Flanks there in the 1980s?”
Suddenly, a bell went in Apple Bloom’s head. “That’s Sweetie Belle’s dad!” she exclaimed. When the others looked at her flatly, she added, “Sweetie Belle is one of mah friends.”
“I hope you enjoy yourselves,” Mrs Orange added. “What did you have planned for the afternoon?”
Babs looked over to Apple Bloom. “Did ya bring yer fiddle?”
“Yup!” Apple Bloom added. “Ah was wonderin’ if Ah could participate in one of yer band rehearsals?”
“One of the original Crusaders playin’ alongside us? We’d be honoured!” Babs replied.
“Rehearsing here?” asked Sunflower. “You make such a racket.”
Babs laughed. “Babs Seed, Babs Seed-”
“NO!” Sunflower screamed. “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO!”
We shall leave the rest of the meal to charity, and Babs and Apple Bloom pulled their coats on, ready to head out. “Yer boots better have good grip,” Babs mentioned. “We don’t want to end up crashin’ inta stoops.”
“Stoops?” Apple Bloom asked.
“The stairs that run down from the front of a property to the street level,” Babs explained. “From the Dutch ‘stoep’, meaning step.”
They trudged over to the station, where Babs showed her season pass and Apple Bloom bought a ticket, then boarded a waiting train to take them to Grand Central.
Once there, they travelled onto the subway, where they got off at 42nd Street. Babs looked back to her cousin and smiled as they ascended the steps.
“Come and meet those dancin’ feet,” she laughed. As they reached the surface, she continued. “To the avenue I’m takin’ ya to.”
As the street became visible, they finished together. “42nd Street!”
The place was unbelievably busy, thronged with people. The cold wind blew through the streets, and Apple Bloom shivered. “It’s very cold!” she said.
“The streets are incredibly long here,” Babs explained. “That, combined with the cold weather comin’ off Hudson Bay, makes the winds whip down here at incredible speed, which makes them in turn very cold.”
As they walked along the street, the bright lights of the buildings threatened to overwhelm Apple Bloom’s eyes. At Sweet Apple Acres, it was entirely possible to see the stars, such was the lack of artificial light. Only having been briefly into a city of comparable size, Los Angeles, for a girl raised on a farm, it was rather overwhelming.
After a walk round, they arrived in Times Square, which was full of billboards and bright lights (oddly, most of them were owned by Disney). After a stop for lunch, it was time to return to Edison.
The two girls were walking back to the Orange family house when they suddenly saw four individuals stood outside the house. Babs waved to them.
“Hey guys!” she called. “How are ya?”
“Hi!” replied one of them, a boy with orange skin and purple hair. Apple Bloom did a double take.
“Scootaloo?” she asked.
“Who’s Scootaloo?” he asked. “I’m Tender Taps, and this is Raindrops, Silverstream, and Featherweight. We’re the East Coast Crusaders!”
Babs looked back. “We named them in honour of your group,” she replied. As they went indoors, they went into the music room on the far side of the house, which was soundproofed so as to avoid annoying the other family members. Featherweight sat down at the piano whilst Babs, Raindrops ad Tender Taps plugged in their guitars. Elsewhere, Silverstream set up her drumkit, calibrating the instrument to sound best.
“So, what we gonna rehearse?” Featherweight asked.
“Somethin’ by a local band, maybe?” Silverstream suggested.
“Any suggestions, Apple Bloom?” prompted Raindrops.
“Nothin’ from me.”
Then Tender Taps had an idea. “Perfect!” he cried, and whispered in Babs’ ear.
“Sounds good.” Babs then looked pale. “But let’s do the clean version, OK?”
“Sure,” Tender nodded. “I’ve got lead on this, from memory. Let’s have some Fun!”
The sound was truly stunning, given how small the group was. Apple Bloom clapped when they finished.
“Ya’ll sound great!” she said.
“Thanks, cuz’,” Babs replied. “Of course, we can’t perform the original.”
“You mean the one where they ask who the f-”
“Don’t say it!” Silverstream shouted.
Featherweight looked sheepish. “Apple Bloom, we were wondering if you wanted to join us for one of them. We here you have the fastest fingers in the West.”
“Ah wouldn’t say that,” Apple Bloom admitted. “Ah play mostly fer fun.”
“As do we!” Raindrops noted. “So, you ready to Rock All Over the World?”
We're goin' crazy, and we're goin' today, here we go-oh!
Rockin' all over the world!
Well I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it
I la-la-like it, la-la-like, here we go-oh! Rockin' all over the world!
Yeah! Yeah!
Well, I'm gonna tell your Mama what I'm gonna do
We're goin' out tonight with our dancin' shoes
Here we go-oh! Rockin' all over the world!
And I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it
I la-la-like it, la-la-like, here we go-oh! Rockin' all over the world!
And I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it
I la-la-like it, la-la-like, here we go-oh! Rockin' all over the world!
And I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it
I la-la-like it, la-la-like, here we go-oh! Rockin' all over the world!
And I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it
I la-la-like it, la-la-like, here we go-oh! Rockin' all over the world!”
“Truly stunnin’!” Babs said, with a smile on her face.
As the band members put their instruments away, Tender turned to speak to Apple Bloom. “Hey, we were gonna go out tonight ta do somethin’ fun together. You wanna tag along? We’ve got room for one more.”
Babs’ voice echoed down the corridor as the Marines sprinted for their lives. The Xenos had been ready for them, and had thoroughly mauled their forces. Now they were running for their lives, sprinting through tunnels and past doorways as they tried to reach a defensive position. They took a left into a room and Tender Taps pulled the door open, the mechanism sliding open with a hiss. They stepped inside, and took a look around.
Inside the room were a pair of boxes, which were sealed and had the text UA-571-C marked on them.
“Open those boxes!” Babs commanded.
“Yes ma’am!” Featherweight replied, flipping the catches open and removing the contents.
“Sentry guns,” Raindrops noted. “Perfect.”
“What’s the plan?” asked Apple Bloom, adjusting her M56 Smartgun.
Silverstream raised her opinion. “Try and stay alive? I don’t fancy being eaten by bugs!”
“That’s the best course of action,” Babs observed. “We have four of these guns, is that right Taps?”
“Yes ma’am, it is.”
“Good. Set up two in that corridor there, and two in the other corridor.”
“Yes ma’am!”
“Taps, I want you to operate the turrets from here. They auto track targets, yes?”
“That’s correct ma’am, but I’ll want to check the calibration first.”
Babs looked around her. “Why are you all just standing around? Get those guns set up!”
Silverstream and Apple Bloom put the first two turrets into place. They were easy enough to set up; just unfold the tripod and put the gun on top. They then mounted the magazines on the side and ensured the barrels were pointing the right way.
“So, how do these things work?” Bloom asked.
“Like your Smartgun,” Silverstream answered. “It follows motion of targets and sends out an IFF signal to establish if you are friendly or not. If the system gets an IFF return, it does not fire. If the system does not get an IFF return, it opens fire.”
“Must make one heckuva mess,” Bloom noted.
“Are the turrets set up, over? Raindrops and Featherweight have already finished setting up their turrets.”
“Taps, they are ready,” Silverstream radioed back.
“Prepare to test calibration,” Taps radioed in return.
Apple Bloom picked up a bottle and threw it in front of the guns, which then sprayed a water jet to indicate they were tracking correctly.
“I got those results, over. Now get back in here, we’ve got hostiles approaching.”
The two soldiers needed no encouragement to retreat to safety, and when they got inside, they found Featherweight welding one of the doors shut. They quickly chose to do the same on their end.
Babs stepped forward. “Any further reports?”
“Hostiles have stopped. We are detecting a massive build-up of enemy troops.”
“How many?”
Tender Taps paused before speaking again. “Several hundred, at the very least.”
Apple Bloom cursed quietly. “How many of the darn things are there?”
Featherweight sighed. “We’re about to find out.”
Just then, the loud, percussive roar of automatic gunfire could be heard outside.
“A and B are tracking targets, mostly far end. Turrets have engaged.”
Indeed, they had. Explosive .50 calibre bullets tore down the tunnel and slammed into the approaching xenomorphs, tearing them to shreds and spraying acid blood everywhere.
“Ammo?”
Tender looked at his display and began to sweat nervously. “B is down 50% from 500, A is on 260.” The loud noise and furious thunder continued outdoors as the guns burned through ammo.
“Watch those ammo counters fly,” Raindrops said in shock.
A few more seconds of fire continued, followed by a loud explosion.
“A is down to 40 rounds, B is on 50.” Taps found his readouts were out of date as soon as he was quoting them. “30. 20. 10. 0. A is dry, B is on 20. 10. 5.” There was loud sustained beeping.
“Guns are dry,” Babs said finally.
“Shit, we are so screwed!” Silverstream panicked.
“Get your shit together!” Babs bellowed. “We are makin’ it out the other side! We’ve still got the other guns.”
“On that note,” Taps continued. “Targets are closing on C and D. Guns are engaging.”
More loud percussive roars sounded in the other corridor, the thunderous reports of the guns ripping more xenos to bloody chunks.
“We are running low on ammo. C is on 250, D is on 275. Ammo count dropping.”
“How many?” asked Apple Bloom, prepping her Smartgun.
“Too many to count. Hundreds, I’m guessing.”
Babs looked around. “Ready your weapons.”
“A is down to 20 rounds, B is on 15.”
The beeping filled the room, as the sentry guns ran out of ammunition.
They took up defensive positions. Babs, Silverstream (who had a flamethrower) and Tender Taps covered the left side of the room, whilst Apple Bloom, Raindrops and Featherweight took up the right. They were almost prepped when the doors burst open, and a horde of aliens rushed them.
The Marines opened fire, the gunfire deafening. Hundreds of caseless rounds were expended as the enemy charged forward, and Silverstream incinerated several of them. But this proved to be a mistake, as one charged forward and suddenly exploded, hurling them through the air. Apple Bloom looked over and saw Featherweight and Raindrops gets taken down, and a creature jumped onto her, held her down, and prepared to slash.
The display went red.
GAME OVER
YOUR TIME: 25 MINUTES 37 SECONDS
NEW HIGH SCORE
“So, how did you find that?” Babs asked Apple Bloom, as they headed for the lobby to grab a bite to eat.
“That was fun actually, even if Ah haven’t seen the movie it’s based on,” Bloom replied.
They were at a lasertag arena just outside Edison, which specialised in recreating the movies. They had just done one based loosely on Aliens, and were preparing to try another one, this time being an original scenario and much closer to traditional lasertag games.
“Well, we do this sort of thing all the time,” Featherweight told her. “If you ever bring your friends here, they should try it out.”
Bloom laughed. “Yeah, Ah’d love ta see how Diamond Tiara would react ta that.”
Babs looked at her. “Was she one of the girls who was ridin’ with us on the narrow-gauge line you have?”
“Yup, that’s her.”
And so, the day ended. The next day, Apple Bloom and Babs Seed went to visit Ellis Island, and not only went up to the top of the Statue of Liberty, but toured the immigration halls as well, where they even found Forgetful Furgerson!
However, the return trip proved to be most eventful. For a bit of contrast, Babs took Apple Bloom on the bus to Grand Central. However, this went wrong when the bus broke down and they had to seek alternate transport home. It took them a while, but they certainly got to see the sights while they were at it!
That night, Apple Bloom lay awake in bed.
“So you can’t sleep too, huh?” asked the distinctive Bronx voice of her cousin.
Apple Bloom sighed. “No,” she said. “And Ah’m pretty certain it ain’t the Philly cheese steak either.”
Babs sighed in response. “I know. I just worry about stuff sometimes, like the future. And besides, I feel a little lonely when yer not around.”
“But you’ve got such great friends!” Apple Bloom told her. “They’ll rally by yer side if ya need them to.”
“True,” came the reply. “But you showed me that life was worth livin’. If that hadn’t happened, I’d still be stuck in a shithole with no escape.”
Apple Bloom wanted to chastise Babs for language, but let it go. “Ya know, Ah miss ya too. Ah was so happy when ya came over fer Christmas, but now we are here, Ah don’t know when Ah’ll see ya again.”
“There’s some talk of a reunion or somethin’ like that,” Babs answered. “I don’t know when though. Or where.”
Alas, that was that, and they headed off into the land of dreams.
Morning came once again, and the sun opened his dim eye upon a rising world. And so, with the radiant beams of the sun, the city of New York and the surrounding communities slowly came to vibrant life, the Big Apple demonstrating why it was, in the words of Frank Sinatra, ‘the city that never sleeps’.
In Edison, Apple Bloom and Babs Seed pulled themselves out of bed and went to shower, finally having figured out that you don’t both go in once. Upon having done so, and having got dressed for another day, headed downstairs to get breakfast. To their astonishment, they saw that Sunflower was already seated at the table.
“Yer up early!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“I didn’t fancy having you two shoutin’ in my ear again,” Sunflower replied.
“But it clearly worked,” Babs retorted, “as your up.”
Sunflower groaned. “Yes I am. And it’s the holidays. And I’m meant to be seeing my boyfriend today, but I’m an absolute mess!”
Apple Bloom nudged Babs. “She reminds me of Rarity. Ya know, Sweetie Belle’s sister?”
Babs sighed. “Now that you mention it, I do see the resemblance.”
Breakfast concluded, it was time to go and do something a little different. Babs and Apple Bloom travelled out of the city, toward a place close to the heart of any New Yorker.
Apple Bloom looked in amazement when they emerged into the light and saw where she was. “Coney Island!” she said. “Ya brought me ta Coney Island!”
Babs laughed. “No trip to NYC is complete without it.” As they went toward the district, Babs began giving a historical brief.
“Coney Island was first settled in the 1700s, but really began to take off in the tears following the American Civil War. Before then, it was so remote that Herman Melville went there to avoid distraction whilst writing Moby Dick!”
They went further in, Babs continuing her history talk. “It really boomed when it became a seaside resort, complete with roller coasters. It went downhill a bit from 1950 onwards, but the city revived it in 2003, and now it’s booming again. Well, the glory days are long gone, but the feel of the place is still there.”
So, they spent a day on the amusements and generally having fun, as cousins should. It took a little bit of persuading Apple Bloom to go on Cyclone, but safe to say, she enjoyed the experience of riding on America’s oldest rollercoaster. Sadly, the Thunderbolt was unfinished, but that wasn’t so much of a problem.
On their way back, Babs leaned in. “So, Bloom, whatta ya think of New York?”
Bloom smiled. “Well, it’s a wonderful town!”
Babs groaned. “I knew you were gonna reference that at some point.”
Apple Bloom went on the defensive. “What? It’s a good musical. How many other times do ya get that combination like Sinatra, Kelly, and Munshin?”
“Who’s the last one?”
Apple Bloom shrugged. “Ah don’t know. His name’s in the Wikipedia cast list.”
There was a moment’s silence. “So, why haven’t we gone up the Empire State Building?”
Babs shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not that great a view, not to mention the queues are always very long. But you can get near-identical views by going up the Rockefeller Tower. Ya wanna do that?”
After a long, long day, the girls came home, to find their friends waiting for them once again.
“Howdy!” Apple Bloom called over to them.
“Did you two enjoy your day?” Silverstream asked. “IT SOUNDED AMAZING!”
“Wait, how do you know what they did?” Featherweight asked, visibly confused.
“Oh, Sunflower told us,” Raindrops answered. “She’s inside, by the way.”
Babs shook her head. “Can’t she keep her mouth shut?”
Stepping back indoors, they went into the music room, to find Sunflower in there.
“Oh, you’re back already?” she said, sounding mildly disinterested. “I thought you’d be out for a while longer.”
“Well, it was a long day,” Babs told her, “and Bloom and I weren’t so keen on freezin’ our tits off until sundown.”
Sunflower shrugged. “I take it you and your noisemakers will disturb us from now? The only thing you lot are good at is making a racket, after all.”
If Sunflower thought this was a good thing to say, she was very quickly proven wrong. “Hey!” Babs barked. “That’s not how you talk ta my friends!”
Sunflower looked up in shock, a very clear look of surprise on her face. “Well, you do make a massive noise. Can’t you just play the piano quietly for a bit instead?”
Babs sighed. “This isn’t a jazz lounge, but fine.” She took her seat at the keyboard, and started playing. She started by playing Fur Elise fairly normally, then abruptly launched into a ragtime infused version that had a lot more energy and vibe to it than most performances.
“And that is what I am referring to,” Sunflower remarked sarcastically. “You always have to take a classic and change it.”
“There is no one way of playing a piece, Sunflower,” Babs answered. “If anything, you stick too slavishly to what is written on the page.”
Sunflower shook her head. “You lot are utterly unbelievable. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to adjust my makeup, as Mark will be here any minute now and I cannot afford to look awful.” She walked out of the door, and then stopped. “I’ll see you later, my little brother.” She then resumed her exit, keen to avoid Babs’ annoyance.
Babs shook her head. “Asshole,” she muttered. She got up, and let Featherweight take his place at the keyboard. “So, what shall we practice for this evenin’s concert?”
“Springsteen, maybe?” Tender suggested. “That usually gets people up on their feet, and gets them joining in, even if they do lose the meaning of the original lyrics.”
“Why not Born in the USA?” Silverstream added. “That is a good one to get everyone joining in and participating.”
Babs picked her guitar up, and the others set up their instruments. They then began to play.
The lights came up on the stage and the audience began to cheer, as Babs Seed, Featherweight, Tender Taps, Silverstream, and Raindrops all stepped forward.
“Hello everybody!” called Babs, eliciting a response cheer of “Hello Crusaders!”
“Nice ta hear yer all in such chipper spirits!” Babs responded in kind. “Tonight, we have a special guest. On our team, from all the way in the Sunshine State, is someone who has travelled a long, long way to be here. She is unmatched in her field, truly one of the greatest ever known, the daughter of the son of a logger!”
The crowd seemed confused, but went along with it anyway.
“May I present, the fastest fingers in the Wild West-Apple Bloom!”
Apple Bloom stepped forward, dressed same as ever and waving, the crowd cheering loudly in response. “This must be what a Rainbooms concert is like,” she said to herself.
“And she’s my cuz’,” Babs answered. “Not to mention the First Crusader!”
She snapped her fingers, and Tender Taps stepped forward.
“Now then, are you ready to rock?”
The crowd roared.
“I can’t here ya!”
“WE ARE READY TO ROCK!!” the crowd boomed.
Apple Bloom brought her fiddle to her shoulder, and prepared to start playing. Tender began to strum.
“I am the entertainer And I know just where I stand Another serenader And another long haired band Today I am your champion I may have won your hearts But I know the game, you'll forget my name And I won't be here in another year If I don't stay on the charts
“I am the entertainer And I've had to pay my price The things I did not know at first I learned by doin' twice Ah, but still they come to haunt me Still they want their say So I've learned to dance with a hand in my pants I let 'em rub my neck and I write 'em a check And they go their merry way
“I am the entertainer Been all around the world I've played all kinds of palaces And laid all kinds of girls I can't remember faces I don't remember names Ah, but what the hell You know it's just as well 'Cause after a while and a thousand miles It all becomes the same
“I am the entertainer I bring to you my songs I'd like to spend a day or two I can't stay that long No, I've got to meet expenses I got to stay in line Gotta get those fees to the agencies And I'd love to stay but there's bills to pay So I just don't have the time
“I am the entertainer I come to do my show You've heard my latest record It's been on the radio Ah, it took me years to write it They were the best years of my life It was a beautiful song But it ran too long If you're gonna have a hit You gotta make it fit So they cut it down to 3:05
“I am the entertainer The idol of my age I make all kinds of money When I go on the stage Ah, you've seen me in the papers I've been in the magazines But if I go cold I won't get sold I'll get put in the back in the discount rack Like another can of beans
“I am the entertainer And I know just where I stand Another serenader And another long haired band Today I am your champion I may have won your hearts But I know the game, you'll forget my name I won't be here in another year If I don't stay on the charts!”
The crowd cheered, as the band launched into their next number.
“Born down in a dead man's town The first kick I took was when I hit the ground End up like a dog that's been beat too much Till you spend half your life just covering up
“Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A. I was born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
“Got in a little hometown jam So they put a rifle in my hand Sent me off to a foreign land To go and kill the yellow man
“Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
“Come back home to the refinery Hiring man said "son if it was up to me" Went down to see my V.A. man He said "son, don't you understand"
“I had a brother at Khe Sahn Fighting off the Viet Cong They're still there, he's all gone
“He had a woman he loved in Saigon I got a picture of him in her arms now
“Down in the shadow of the penitentiary Out by the gas fires of the refinery I'm ten years burning down the road Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go
“Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A., I'm a long gone daddy in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A., I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.”
Babs smiled as the crowd finished cheering. “Now then,” she said, “time for Featherweight here to take centre stage. As although he may be light, he punches well above his weight!”
The cheering continued. “Now then, did ya say the lights on 42nd Street were havin’ issues?”
Featherweight nodded, and then began to play.
“Seen the lights go out Broadway I saw the Empire State laid low And life went on beyond the Palisades They all bought Cadillacs And left there long ago
“They held a concert out in Brooklyn To watch the island bridges blow They turned our power down And drove us underground But we went right on with the show
“I've seen the lights go out on Broadway I saw the ruins at my feet You know we almost didn't notice it We'd seen it all the time on Forty second street
“They burned the churches down in Harlem Like in that Spanish civil war The flames were everywhere But no one really cared It always burned up there before
“I've seen the lights go out on Broadway I saw the mighty skyline fall The boats were waiting at the battery The union went on strike They never sailed at all
“They sent a carrier out from Norfolk And picked the Yankees up for free They said that Queens could stay And blew the Bronx away And sank Manhattan out at sea
“You know those lights were bright on Broadway That was so many years ago Before we all lived here in Florida Before the Mafia took over Mexico There are not many who remember They say a handful still survive To tell the world about The way the lights went out And keep the memory alive.”
Raindrops spoke last, to cue the last number. “And now, our friend from the West will show off her skills!”
Somehow, Rockin’ all over the World worked perfectly in that context, and Apple Bloom stunned the crowd with not only the power and precision of her playing, but indeed, the band kept it all together.
The next day, Babs went to see Apple Bloom off at JFK.
“Hey, I’ll miss ya, OK?” Babs said.
“Ah’ll miss ya too,” Apple Bloom replied. “Thanks fer lettin’ me stay with ya.”
“Forgetaboutit! Yer always welcome in the Big Apple, any time ya wanna come, let me know.”
Apple Bloom nodded, and gave her cousin one last hug, before heading into the departure gate, and back home to California.
But as she went to the gate, she got an urgent text.
