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Myriad Thoughts

by Tale Swapper

Chapter 2: Trust in Family

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The road to Sweet Apple Acres was pitted and worn. Generations of Apples had brought bushels of apples into the city to be sold. Many times, the road had seen tired members of the Apple clan coming home.

Today, one Apple brought a new family member home.

Sunset opened her eyes as they neared the farmhouse, then bolted upright in her seat. After Applejack's apology, she'd nearly collapsed, sobbing out every few seconds that she was grateful, that she was sorry, that she hadn't done anything... All the old guilt, fresh pain, and buried fears brought out by the offered hand.

Exhausted, she must have dozed off. She remembered Applejack hugging her, and her friend shifting her into the passenger's seat. She looked around, glancing at the girl in the driver's seat.

"Why are we here? I need to go..."

"Back to school?" Applejack looked back at Sunset, brow furrowed, lips tight. "Sunset, I said the truth- I'm not certain you're Anon-A-Miss or not, and I was wrong to accuse you like that." She turned her key in the ignition, and slumped back in her seat. "But I don't have proof that you're innocent, and the whole school's turned on you. I don't know if I can convince any of the others you're innocent, but I know Granny and Mac ain't gonna judge ya."

Sunset blinked. "Why not?"

Applejack snorted. "Mac's been real quiet whenever I talked about it earlier this week. He thinks the whole thing's stupid- both the secret telling, and the secret keeping." She grinned. You may have noticed he don't talk much. He don't hold with keeping secrets, though- says it's always better to get stuff out there. And Granny? She's... well, she's gonna have words with you and me both about what's going on."

Sunset looked confused. "But why are we here. I mean, I was heading..."

"Home?" Sunset looked startled at the sarcastic drawl Applejack had twisted into the single word. "Do ya really think ah haven't noticed? I don't know if the others have, but..."

"Noticed what? I mean it I really need to get..." Sunset started then trailed off at Applejack's glare.

"Yah never talk about parents, or foster families, or your apartment. Ah've never seen your house, or seen you wear much more than one or two outfits- more since Rarity started making stuff for ya, but not much more." Applejack looked forward at the house. "Once I heard from Twi where you were from, I got to thinking. I asked Granny to talk to the principal."

"Where's home, Sunset?" She shook her head. "I've known you- the real you- long enough to tell when you're dodging the truth. You just were about to say "home then you stopped. You're hiding something." She suddenly looked stricken. "Shoulda seen you weren't hiding nothin' when we confronted you..."

Sunset shoook her head. "You were angry, and you say really stupid things when you're angry." She looked down at her feet. "I should know..."

"Doesn't excuse what Ah said, Sunset." Applejack glared at her. "We can talk about that later. Ah say again; where's home, Sunset?"

Sunset looked down.

"You don't have one, do ya?" Applejack asked.

"No."

Applejack shook her head. "Well, ya do now." Sunset's head shot up, but Applejack kept talking. "Where's your stuff, anyway?"

Sunset hesitated, then softly said "An old factory, downtown. Close enough to get to school, far enough no one would bother following me." She squeezed her eyes shut. "I used to get food and money from the students, enough to keep myself in good shape, but since I've stopped bullying..." Tears she tried to hold back beaded in the corners of her eyes. "Do you mean it? I can stay here?"

Applejack nodded. "Granny found out from Celestia that you didn't have any real paperwork. She wasn't gonna come after you herself- you've been real good at avoiding attention outsida school-but she's been saying that we needed to bring you home."

Applejack's door swung open, and a weathered voice entered from outside. "Ah also said that if she was this "Anon-A-Miss" gal, it was cause she needed a real family to keep her out of trouble." Granny Smith leaned into the van, glaring at first, Sunset, then Applejack. "And if she wan't we needed to support her. Considein' Bloom called and said we wouldn't be seeing her around again, Ah assume you did something stupid?"

Applejack gupled. "Yes ma'am."

"Then started usin' that brain of yours? Went back and tried to fix it?"

Applejack nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good." She turned her glare back to Sunset. "So. You been gossiping again?"

Sunset gulped. "No, Ms. Smith."

Granny's glare deepened, and seemed to catch what she was looking for, then relaxed. "Good. I'm glad my granddaughter came to her senses. Ya don't abandon someone who needs help 'less they've done something unforgivable, and nothin' on that web page was." She glared at Sunset again, giving her a once over. "Land's sakes, girl, what do you eat? You're lean as a stray cat!" She shook her head. "You come in, now- Apple Bloom also told me she's got somethin' going on with her little pals tonight, and that gives us time to talk."

Applejack pulled her stuff out of the back and started walking up tot he house. Sunset followed, looking shell-shocked. "Wait, what? you're just gonna believe me?"

Granny looked back at Sunset. "Of course. Jackie fergot the first rule about trust- ya gotta give it to get it. You gave her yours, and now I'm giving you mine, and I hope you've given yours to her." She snorted. "Yah gotta put your trust in family- and don't forget it." She turned back to Applejack as she ascended the porch steps. "Ain't the fist time this family's taken in someone with a checkered past, yah know."

Applejack turned, her eyes widening. "Granny? Who? Ah mean, I don't know..."

Granny looked at Applejack- then burst out laughing. "Jackie, did I never tell you about how I came into the family? On the run from a nasty man, hid out in the barn, got found by your grandpappa?" She shook her head. "Past don't matter unless it keeps being repeated- and Ah haven't seen any sign of the old Sunset for a while."

Applejack stared at her grandmother then a look of dawning comprehension crossed her face. "Is that how you know how to work the still?" Granny turned and entered the house. "Granny, wait!"

Sunset watched as Applejack followed Granny inside. She turned and looked over the snow-covered orchards. It was so peaceful here. Maybe she could really find a family...

"Where was your place again?"

Sunset jumped, then looked behind her at the towering, sandy haired man who'd somehow snuck up on her. "Big Mac? how'd you.."

He shrugged. "I heard ya'll talkin'. Now, what was the address?"

Sunset hesitated, then rattled off the location. As he started down towards the truck, a rucksack over his back, she spoke up "Why do you ask?"

"You gotta talk with Granny. Applejack needs to talk with her too. So I gotta get your stuff." He shrugged.

Sunset looked him over, then said "Okay... and how are you gonna get in? I climb in through a window, and I don't think you'd fit."

He raised an eyebrow, then reached into his sack and pulled out a pair of bolt cutters and a crowbar.

Sunset coughed. "You do know that's breaking and entering, right?"

He nodded. "Granny taught me some tricks." He got in the van, then leaned out he window. "Yah trust me with your stuff?"

She paused. Did she? Then she thought back over Granny's words, and knew the answer.

"You have to trust family right? Then I'll trust you." she replied, only a crack in her voice showing the emotions within.

Big Mac grinned, then nodded once, starting the engine. "See yah when Ah get back... sis."

As the truck roared away, Sunset heard footsteps from inside. Granny came out to stand behind her. "Ah got the full story from Applejack. If she'd come home after that stunt without you..." She shook her head. "I wouldn't have said nothin' to her. She nearly made a mistake Ah made a long time ago. Least she learned it faster than Ah did. Now come, in; we've gotta talk about what's gonna happen the next few days."

Sunset followed her inside. Maybe things would get better soon, but at least one friend was willing to give her a chance.


Rustling could be heard behind locked doors as a young fashionista rifled through her scrapbook. Many of the photos which clunked into a nearby trashcan had only one person in them- a particular red-and-gold haired girl.

Fuming under her breath, Rarity removed another photo from her collection. This one showed Sunset and Pinkie pie at a bakery, frosting a cupcake. Rarity scowled at the obviously false smile upon Sunset's face. Lying to us this whole time! I won't be humiliated a third time. This time, no second chances. She angly deposited the photo into the trash can. Here was another one of Sunset helping train Rainbow Dash, a third of her giving Fluttershy some help at the animal shelter, several more helping Rarity model clothes.

But as further photos clunked into the trash can, Rarity's scowl waned. She stopped removing photos, and started flipping through the collection, picking up a separate book as she finished the first. At last she stopped leafing through photos, and removed her day planner for the year from her satchel.

The scowl vanished, replaced by a thoughtful frown. When was the last time Sunset asked me to do something for her? Asked any of us?

Rarity was no stranger to manipulation. She had been tricked by Sunset a year ago- which had cost her the Sophomore Fall Formal- but Sunset hadn't been the first to fool her, nor was she the most recent. Every time, they wanted something.

What has Sunset gained from all this? Why would she fake our friendship- and then throw it away?

She'd asked for nothing from any of them- even the clothes Rarity had given her were items Rarity had had to push to get Sunset to take.

And if she wasn't using us to get something... What if she hadn't used us at all?


Apple Bloom frowned as she looked down at her phone. The plan seemed to have worked, but Applejack had left class early. So had Sunset, but that was understandable, considering the whole school had turned on her.

Serve her right, for stealin' mah sister...

But as she looked over the new material that had been submitted to Anon-A-Miss by the other students, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. Behind her, her friends looked over the material, choosing stuff to post. Sweetie Bell wanted to get more attention, and Scootaloo thought of this as a big prank, but Apple Bloom was having second thoughts. What was too far to go?

And why did she feel guilty about giving Sunset what she deserved?

Author's Notes:

I know the early section might be... suggestive, but I have no plans to make this a ship-fic between Applejack and Sunset (Sunjack?). Or SunMac, for that matter.

I've always imagined that Granny Smith has a really interesting past she never talks about. In Equestria, her counterpart somehow won land from Celestia, survived the Everfree forest, and managed to keep Ponyville from going under some stupid noble's hooves. I don't know what she did before settling down, but I imagine it involved firearms, smuggling, and hard likker. Never mess with Granny.

Apple Bloom's reactions and actions are going to be twisted in a far different direction by the nature of this fic. She's going to have what she did painted differently long before the old reveal.

Next Chapter: The Truth in the Past Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 14 Minutes
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