The Apple siblings recall what they remember of their parents for a school assignment.
As a school assignment, Applebloom has to write down a story of what was her fondest memories of her mom and dad, the problem of that is that Applebloom doesn't remember her parents. She doesn't remember anything about them.
So, she decides to consult with the ponies who does remember.
The school bell rang inside of the Ponyville Schoolhouse. The young fillies and colts all clammored and giggled about their daily activities.
Sitting in the middle of the classroom, Applebloom was talking to her friends Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle about what to do after school.
“So, you guys got any plans?” Applebloom asked as she adjusted her bow with her hooves. “I’m up for pretty much anything.”
“Oh I can’t, my aunts Lofty and Holiday are taking me out to dinner and movies after school.” Scootaloo said. “I kinda don’t wanna miss that.”
“Okay, Sweetiebelle, what about you? We can try to make that dress design for yours again.” Applebloom suggested.
“Yeah I can’t, Applebloom. Ever since Mom had her accident and hurt her leg, I have to help out more until she gets better.” Sweetiebelle said.
“Is your dad helping?” Applebloom asked.
She nodded. “Yeah he’s been helping. However he’s not the best when it comes to the kitchen.”
“He can’t cook?”
“He turns hay bacon into soup, how does that happen??” Sweetiebelle waved her hooves in the air in emphasis.
Scoots and Bloom looked at each other for a moment before one of them asked, “So you got your cooking skills from him?” the two teased.
“Oh shush you two!” Sweetiebelle squeaked.
“Alright class, settle down, settle down now.” Miss. Cheerilee spoke once she trotted inside the classroom. “Good afternoon class.”
“Good afternoon, Miss. Cheerilee!” the class said in unison.
“Now, as you all know, Parent's Day is tomorrow. And in honor of that, I would like for you all to write me a memory. A memory of the most important two ponies of anypony’s life. Tell me what you can remember of your parents and present that to the class.”
Applebloom’s ears pinned down to her head when the teacher announced that.
“Um, Miss. Cheerilee?” The sound of a familiar rich pony’s voice made Applebloom’s skin crawl. She turned her head with the others to see Diamond Tiara raising her hoof up.
“Uh, yes, Diamond?” the teacher asked.
“Should Applebloom here be exempt from this assignment? It’s obvious she might fail it and it would be better if she skips this all together?” Diamond Tiara asked in a taunting tone.
“Why on earth would I exempt her on this assignment?”
“Because she doesn’t have parents so she can’t do the assignment.” Silver Spoon responded and the two girls laughed, high-hooving each other.
Applebloom frowned, lowering her head at that.
Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo console their friend before Scoots whips her head around and growls at her. “Hey! She does have parents. At least hers doesn’t wear a costume way past Nightmare Night.” She points a hoof over at Diamond Tiara.
“What are you talking about? My mom and dad don't wear costumes.” Diamond Tiara grunted.
“Yeah your mom does! With her rotten personality and jacked up nose, she’s a green paint away from becoming the Wicked Witch. With a spawn like you, you’re headed that way.”
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon gasped out loud.
“Well at least my parents didn’t abandon me.” DT Stuck her tongue out at the orange pegasi.
“I begged them to let me stay. My aunts are my moms and they are better than yours. At least they don't shrivel everytime water is spilt on them.” Scootaloo spat at them.
“Well at least ours are alive!” Silver Spoon snapped.
“Girls, girls that's enough, all of you.” Miss. Cheerilee stomped her hooves on the ground hard enough to break up the bickering. "Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, that was uncalled for, stop picking at Applebloom."
"Uh.. it's okay, Miss. Cheerilee. It's fine… " Applebloom muttered, giving her a reassured smile but the emotion didn't match her eyes.
Eventually the school day ended and all the colts and fillies ran out of the building, Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle were walking down the dirt road to the Apple Orchard.
"Don't listen to those two." Sweetiebelle said to her friend. "Spoiled rich brats are what they are."
"Those two make me so mad I just wanna sling mud at them." Scoots grunted.
"They ain't worth it" Applebloom said. "But I have a problem with this assignment. I don't remember anything about ma and pa. They died when I was really young. I don't have a single memory of them."
Sweetiebelle hummed. "Well, you can ask Big Mac and Applejack. They must have some memories of you and your parents. Granny Smith too." She suggested.
Applebloom nodded. "I don't really have a choice, I can't make something up. They have to have something about what I did with ma and pa."
Applebloom came home not long after that. Just in time to see Big Mac and Sugar Belle in the kitchen. Applebloom stopped moving and watched the two.
Sugar Belle was a few months pregnant and Big Mac was ecstatic to be a pa of his own. Sugarbelle was sitting in her chair while Mac was rubbing and nuzzling against her pregnant belly.
"Ooh I can't wait to meet you." Mac cooked, listening to the movement inside. When he felt something pressed against his face, he shook in excitement. "A kick! I think that was a kick! A strong one too!"
Since Sugar Belle announced the news, a switch was flipped in Big Mac, seeing how he exploded in joy to have a foal of their own and has literally been on baby duty, getting ready for their bundle of joy to come to this world.
Sugar Belle giggled. "Uh Mac, I think that was gas. It's too early to feel the baby kick."
Applebloom smirked. "Hey y'all." she announced herself as she entered the kitchen.
The couple looked up to see Applebloom coming in and chuckled. “Howdy sweetie, how was school?” Sugarbelle asked her young sister-in-law.
“It was fine, got an assignment,” Applebloom trotted over to the table, tossed her bag and hopped onto the chair. “How are you feeling, Sugarbelle?”
The pink unicorn glanced over at Big Mac who was still nuzzling their unborn kid. “I feel good, if I can have your big brother make me something to eat, that’s the reason why we're here in the first place.” She brushed Mac’s orange mane out of his face.
Big Mac kissed her belly, getting the hint and stood up, giving Sugar a peck on the cheek before going over to the stove.
“Think he’s a little too excited to be a pa?” Applebloom giggled.
“Eeyup!” Big Mac beamed in response as he began lighting up the stove, placed a pan on it and began whipping up some pancakes.
Applebloom nodded, opening her bag before pulling out her pencil and paper. “Hey, speaking of Pa, can I ask you something, Big Mac?”
“Eeyup?” Mac called out as he poured some batter into the pan and watched it sizzling.
“Well, I have a school assignment about parents. I don’t have any memories with ma and pa, I was wondering if you know of any memories of me with them?” Applebloom asked.
Big Mac froze when she asked. His ears fell flat when their parents were mentioned. “O-Oh?”
“Eeyup! You see, I don’t have much of a memory of them, just the stories I’ve heard but none of me spending time with them.
When Sugar Belle smelt the burnt pancakes, she used her magic to take the spatula out of her hubby’s hooves. “Go with your sister, I got this.” she said as she got off the chair and stood next to Mac.
“You sure?” Big Mac asked. Sugar Belle nodded before using her magic to dump the blackened pancakes in the garbage and proceeded to make a fresh batch.
“Run along now, help your sister.” She pats a Big Mac on the head and stands at the stove.
Big Mac nodded before silently walking over back to the table and sat next to Applebloom. “Okay sissy, whadda want to know?”
“Like I said, I want to know if you have any memories of ma and pa with me in them.” Applebloom said, getting ready to jot down anything. “Since you knew them the longest, I mean.”
Big Mac adjusted the harness on his neck as he tried to think of any memory of them.
“Any memory?” He asked.
“Any would do.” Applebloom said with a smile.
Big Mac hummed, scratching his chin as he dug through his mind. “Well, there is one memory I can recall about all of us, you included, went to the lake.” He let out a laugh as he was remembering that day. “That was a heck of a doozy day.”
“What happened at the lake?” Applebloom asked intrigued.
“Hold on every pony, we’re almost there!” Bright Mac called out to his family as he pulled the cart down the road.
Young Big Mac and Young AppleJack were swaying by the movement, trying to make sure their stuff didn’t fall off.
Buttercup was holding baby Applebloom in her hooves, the baby was in a pink swaddle, having her signature large pink bow in her very messy red mane. Applebloom was crying as she was not used to all this movement.
“Oh it’s okay sugarcube, it's going to be okay.” Buttercup said in a soothing voice, rocking the tiny foal. “We’re going to have so much fun, you’ll see.”
“Is my little princess upset? Should we stop?” Bright Mac turned his head to see she was crying. ~
“Hold up!” Applebloom stopped the story. “Pa called me his little princess?” She asked.
Big Mac giggled and nodded. “Eeyup! If I recall correctly, the second you were born, you were the twinkle in dad’s eyes. Yeah he loved all of us equally, but something about you that made him go to a little stir crazy. Drove Applejack nuts." He chuckled in memory.
"Whaddya mean ‘drove her nuts’?" Applebloom asked, confused.
Big Mac smirked, "Aj was a tad bit jealous of you back in the day. She used to get the attention but when you were born, the attention was turned on you. Since she didn't like frilly dresses, ma dressed you up and you loved it. Dad was extra protective over you so if you were to make any cries, he was on you lickety split. Now, can I continue the story?"
Applebloom nodded as Sugar Belle finished her stack, decided to split it with the other two and placed plates of the flat jacks in front of them.
" Thank you, Darlin', " Big Mac said. "Now, where were we… Oh yeah! "
“Is my little princess upset? Should we stop?” Bright Mac turned his head to see she was crying.
Buttercup giggled, shaking her head. "She's just a little fussy, big daddy. It's okay." She assured him as she continued to bounce the baby Applebloom.
Applejack watched them before calling out, "Are we there yet?"
"Almost there, sugar cube." Bright Mac responded.
Soon enough, the Apple Family arrived at Ponyville Lake. There were a couple of other families at the lake basking in the mid-Summer day.
"Alrighty, Apples, up and at'em Big Mac, could you help me unload while the fillies here find us a spot? " Bright Mac asked as he unhooked himself from the wagon.
"Sure, pa!" Young Big Mac said as he hopped down alongside Applejack and her mom.
"You sure you don't need my help too, hon?" Buttercup asked.
"I'm sure." Bright Mac gave his wife a sweet kiss before sending the fillies out.
The girls walked along the sand bank, Applejack looked at the families already in the lake playing.
“Think this is the right spot.” Buttercup announced, finding a good spot with a bench that was in a clearing, the view of the lake was ten steps next to it on the left. “What do you think, Applebloom?” She looked at the infant.
Applebloom babbled, her eyes not fully developed and most of everything was blurry, she could just make out blobs of green of the leaves and grass, big blue bath tub - in her mind it was tub with other moving blobs. The clearest she could see was her mother.
“I think this is it.”
Applejack squinted her eyes at the two and huffed before looking up at the skies. She noticed two large eagles were flying around in the sky.
Eventually the colts appeared coming towards them, carrying items with a wagon and on their backs and helped set things up for the day.
“Can we go swimmin’ now pa?” Applejack asked as Brightmac slid an umbrella into the whole on the center of the bench.
He pushed the umbrella open before nodding. “Yeah go ahead, just keep where we can see ya two.” Bright mac responded to his eldest daughter and smiled before motioning his head to Big Mac to get. “Thanks for the help, son.”
“Eeyup, no problems.” Big Mac smiled before walking over to his mother. He gave her a quick hug before looking at Applebloom. “Will she be able to swim with us?”
Buttercup giggled. “She’s a little too young to swim at the moment. I do have a floaty for her to use though. We did bring it, right Bright Mac?” The wife asked her hubby.
“I believe so. I’ll check it out.” Bright said, adjusting his hat as he went back over to the wagon to dig through the stuff.
“Go along and play with your other sister, we’ll join you shortly.” Buttercup said before kissing Big Mac’s head.
Big Mac nodded before ruffling Apple Bloom’s head, causing her to giggle and hug his hoof.
“Ah need my hoof there, sis.” Big Mac laughs, gently freeing his hoof from his baby sister before running into the lake with Apple Jack.
As the Apple children were jumping and splashing in the water, the parents were up on dry land.
“How’s it going, Dear?” Buttercup asked Bright Mac.
“Having a little trouble finding it. I could’ve sworn we packed it.” The stallion muttered as he dug out various things as beach balls, water noodles, super soakers, goggles, sunscreen, two floaties that were for big ponies and not infants, cooler with things to grill later on. But no infant floaty.
Bright Mac grunted when he couldn’t find it, sworn that he packed it before lifting his head up. A serene smile spread across his lips when he longly gazed at his beautiful wife. Even after all these years, he still views her as the most beautiful mare in all of existence. Trying to contemplate how she had gotten even more gorgeous after having three of his kids.
If possibly even more?
Buttercup set Applebloom down on the bench, booping her child’s nose with her nose. “Ooh you are so precious, yes you are.” She cooed, nuzzling against her head.
“Looking good there, pretty mama.” Bright Mac called out.
Buttercup blushed before giggled, looking at him with the same expression on her face. “Thank you, you’re not so bad yourself.” She winks at him. “Did you find it, Bright Mac?”
Bright Mac sighed, shaking his head. “Naw, I think it was left behind. Could’ve sworn it was packed.”
Buttercup frowned for a moment before pulling her thick curly orange mane up into a ponytail. “I’m sure we’ll figure out something. Or otherwise we have to keep at least one pony watching Applebloom while the rest of us swim. She’s too young to start swimming yet.”
“I can take the first shift. I wanna get stuff going on the grill first. I’ll swim after lunch.” Bright Mac volunteered.
“Are you sure, love?” Buttercup asked, keeping a hoof on the baby.
Bright Mac walked up to them, blew his tongue at Apple Bloom, who in turn blew her tongue back and laughed. Bright Mac picks her up with one hoof before kissing Buttercup. “We got this, you go join up. Ain’t that right?” He then messed with one of his child’s hoofs and shook it yes.
Buttercup giggled. “If you say so. Love you.”
“And I love you.” Bright Mac hummed, giving her another kiss before sending her on her way.
Now for the most part, the day at the lake was fun. The Apples had a sand castle contest, swam around in the waters, jumping off of rocks and creating huge splashes. But at least one pony had to stay and watch Apple Bloom and rotate at least once every thirty minutes so at least all could enjoy themselves.
When Big Mac and Applejack took a break from swimming, they were tasked with watching the baby. At the time, Applebloom was taking a nap in Big Mac’s arm as the two were under a tree near the family bench. While Applejack was doing a bit of exploring with a stick.
Big Mac loved holding his little sister in his hooves, making his heart flutter knowingly she was comfortable. After all, babies are just so precious.
However, when nature calls, one must answer.
He raised his head up to call out for Applejack. “Hey Applejack, c’mere.”
Applejack swung her stick on a rock before tossing it aside and galloped up to him. “What is it?”
“Ah need to go really, really bad. Could ya hold her for a sec?” Big Mac asked, holding the baby out in his hooves at his sister while crossing his hind legs. Bladder filling up.
AJ looked at Applebloom, seeing her napping before looking back up to Mac. “Yah serious?”
“Ah don’t know if ah can hold much longer, just hold her already.” Big Mac grunted.
AJ shook her head before reluctantly reaching out and grabbed her from their brother’s hold.
“Thanks.” He quickly murmured before going out to find the nearest restroom.
Now, no one really knows what happened in that short moment of time that Big Mac went to use the restroom, the parents were having their own fun, splashing about before Bright Mac hugged his wife from behind.
“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” He asked in her ear, causing her to squeal.
“Not right here, later you.” Buttercup giggled before looking up, expecting to see the children where they were supposed to be.
She didn’t see AJ nor Big Mac. “Uh Bright Mac? Where’s the children?”
“Huh?” Bright Mac looked up and he stiffened. He didn’t see his eldest kids. The parents swam up to the shores to find baby Apple Bloom was on the ground, trying to nap.
“Where in tarnations are Big Macintosh and Applejack??” Bright Mac asked before the two began their way back.
On their way back, the two hawks that were circling before suddenly swooped down. One took one of the grilled corn on the cob off of the table and the other grabbed Apple Bloom by the blanket and took her away!
“APPLE BLOOM!!” Buttercup screeched in panic and dashed forward.
She galloped to the cart, grabbing the rope that was used to keep the items in place and ran after the hawks.
She quickly fastened a lasso as she ran after them with Bright Mac following, bull dozing anything that got in his way besides his wife. It took a moment before Buttercup was able to toss the lasso up, seeing it fly and wrapped around the bird and baby.
Once she got them, she pulled and yanked the bird down.
The hawk lets go and Apple Bloom free falls.
Dad shot up, gallops past Buttercup before taking one massive leap, hooves out, he catches the infant and the two collide to the ground. Bright Mac was in a bit of a daze, but shook his head when he quickly checked on his baby girl.
Apple Bloom was laughing and giggling, clapping her hooves together, sitting on his chest all safe and sound. No ounce of fear in the baby’s eyes, babbling nonsense. “Oh sweet Celestia!” Bright Mac let out a huge sigh of relief and hugged the baby.
Buttercup ran to them, hugging them both. “Are you guys okay?” She asked before looking at both of them to check and see if they were fine.
“Seriously? I was carried away by hawks?” Apple Bloom asked Big Mac.
“Eeyup! Ah came out just in time to see you were free falling and dad caught ya.” Big Mac responded as he pushed his empty plate to the side. “Like Ah said, the lake was a bit of a doozy.”
“So you were using the restroom, what was AJ doing to leave me alone?”
Big Mac shrugged. “Ah have no clue, ah will say that it was the day she was served a big ol’ slice of humble pie for being irresponsible with you.” He reached over across the table and ruffled Apple Bloom’s mane, causing her to giggle.
“Thank you for telling me, Big Mac.” Apple Bloom said as she quickly jotted down what he said before looking back at him. “I’m gonna ask AJ now.”
“Want some more stories?” Big Mac asked.
Apple Bloom shook her head. “I only have a couple things I need to use for the project, I’m gonna ask AJ and Granny Smith for help, thanks for your input again.”
“Anytime, sugar cube.” He smiled.
Apple Bloom got up from her chair, walked over to her brother and hugged him. “Love you bro.”
He hugged her back before watching her leave and he let out a sigh.
Sugar Belle nuzzled him. “You did well.”
“Eeyup.” he said before rubbing her pregnant belly.
