2 DAYS PRIOR

Waiting can be soooooooooooo boring!

I had been sitting in my bed for the last couple of hours, Applejack hadn’t bothered to show up, if I was going to be grounded, why wasn’t she here yet?

…

Just listen to me, wanting to be grounded, Scootaloo would probably laugh her flank off if she heard me, but she was probably being grounded at this point too. I looked to the side of my bed, finding my drawer half-open, I had left it open in my rush to leave the house, we had planned to get our cutie marks in “archology” or whatever and we were pretty excited! At least until we found Ms. Lyra.

I got out of my thoughts when I heard the door open downstairs, I’d recon it’s my sis, since I had learned how to identify the way their hooves hit against the door, so I recognized it instantly as my sis coming back from Twilight’s place, hopefully having forgotten about what happened earli-

“Applebloom!”

Or maybe not…

“A-Ah’m here sis!” I had learned better than to not reply, otherwise she would have thought I was ignoring her, or even that I was asleep, I tried that once, but that just had ended up with me being pushed off, mattress and all.

What kind of sister does that!?

She finally made her way upstairs, and without knocking, made her way inside the room, I would have thought it had been rude, but I was used to it by now.

“You have some explaining to do, young lady,” she says in a kept tone, holding back any emotion to keep me off guard, it wouldn’t be the first time. Still, I hated it.

“Ah’ know, and Ah’m sorry Applejack…” I replied, showing her one of my many practiced puppy faces. I really didn’t mean it, but it usually helped keep me away from any big punishment, we hadn‘t really done anything bad, it was a library for Faust‘s sake! What could I steal from a library? Books! That‘s the funniest thing I’ve thought all day!

“Ah’ don’t think you really understand, you broke into my friend’s house! That’s no simple thing for me, if you really wanted to meet that odd creature you could have waited too, you know?” she had a point, but my own ‘being a library’ point was just as good! “Ah’m sorry to do this, but you are grounded for the week,” she let out a sigh, making it seem as if she was the one suffering, I was the one who’d been grounded! Not her!

“That’s not fair!” I couldn’t accept this, that was far too long!

“Well, too bad, you should have thought about it before you did it,” with this, she turned around and made to leave, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

“Who do you think you are! You ain’t my mom!” she stopped and turned suddenly, the look on her face caught me off guard and I fell back on the bed.

“Well, Ah’m all you got! Mom isn’t here nomore, so you better deal wit- Oh my Faust, what am Ah’ saying,” I didn't let her continue, I pushed her out of the room, she had crossed the line, buck her, buck her to Tartarus!

“No, Applebloom, wa-” I didn’t let her finish, I kicked her out, I hate her, I hate her! I want her to die!

“Applebloom!” she calls through the closed door, knocking hard.

“Go away! I hate you! Ah’ wish you weren’t mah sister!” at this, she stopped knocking on the door, and I heard her hoof steps going away, I just couldn’t take it anymore and I cried into my pillow, this had just turned into the worst day of my life!

~~~~~

“Why? Why do you have to go!?”

“I-I’m sorry… But I have to… It’s the only way to further my talent…”

“But why didn‘t you tell me!? You waited until the last minute! How could you…!”

“Applebloom, I…”

“Fine, go! Ah’ don’t need you! Ah’ have new friends anyway!”

“Bu-”

“I don‘t want to hear it!”

“Applebloom!”
~~~~~

I woke up feeling just as tired as I had been the day before, I look outside my window and a smile fills my face, it was Sunday, and I had crusading to d- Oh, wait…

“Ah’m grounded…” I slammed my hoof on the mattress, angry and frustrated, the rage I had felt towards Applejack coming back… Along with the dream I’d just woken up from.

“Ah’ already had a terrible day, why do Ah’ have to remember another…” with drooped hunches, I made my bed and headed downstairs, ready to get some breakfast, at least that can’t go wrong, right?

…

I didn’t say it out loud, so it doesn’t count.

I made my way to the table where Applejack had already served breakfast; Apple pie with sweet glaze on top… My favorite, I looked towards Big Mac and Granny Smith who already sat on their respective chairs, looking at each other nervously.

I’m young, not stupid.

“Good morning, Applebloom! Here you go!” she greeted me, leaving a slice of the pie by me, I grabbed the plate, and headed upstairs to eat, I wasn’t going to eat with that horrible ‘sister’ around.

I heard a groan and Applejack’s voice before I made it to my room.

“Buck this, gimme that cart, Ah’m gonna go make some bits. Ah’ll see you all later!” and I heard the door slam shut, I would be lying if I said I didn’t get some sort of satisfaction out of it.

I spend the rest of the day locked up in my room, I looked at the roof, each time thinking of both ma and pa… I miss them… I miss them a lot. At the same time, I thought of her, I missed her, but I also hated her—it was conflicting for sure. She had left me, and if it hadn’t been for Scoots and Sweetie, I would have probably been alone for the rest of my life.

A knock interrupted my lone thoughts, and I wiped what I knew were tears from my face, didn’t need to show myself to her like that. I looked outside, realizing I’d just wasted an entire day in my room, as the sun was now setting. What a waste.

“Come in.”

“Hmm, hey, Apple Bloom,” I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit happy when I saw Big Mac coming in.

“Oh, hey Big Mac!”

“Can we talk?” I sighed, I knew where this was going, but I agreed, he was Big Mac after all, the most talkative of ponies! Heh heh, I made a joke.

“Look, I’m not really good at this, but you should know that Appleja-”

“She didn’t mean it, Ah’ know that’s what you are gonna say, but she went too far!” I crossed my hooves, showing him how mad I still am.

“That‘s because she didn‘t, she hasn‘t had a lot of fun with this, you know?,” I look at him with confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“She’s tried to do her best to raise you, Granny Smith hasn’t been able to due to her age and usually frail nature, and Ah’m not really the most talkative of them at times, she is still dealing with their death too, you know?” he says, a sad tone in his words.

“Well… Ah’ guess…”

“Did you know that she never finished school?” I look at him with shock.

“It couldn't have been that bad...?” he only stares as calmly as Big Macintosh always does.

"Remember why she was never good at mathematics?"

"You can't mean..."

"Eeyup."

"But, why?" I ask, wondering why she'd leave her education like that.

“Because she began working on the farm as soon as they died, helping me. Ah' tried to tell her otherwise, but she never listened to me, you know how stubborn your sis is,” despite the mood of our conversation, we both smiled, thinking how hotheaded sis can be. “She has gone through some rough patches, Apple Bloom, she lost her childhood too, you know?” I look at him and sigh, understanding. "And she has tried to give you the one she never got."

“Yeah… Ah’ know.”

“Ah’ hope you can see how this can be hard for her, and now, I think Ah’ll be heading off, need to get up in the morning," he looks at me, scratching his neck and talks again. "And since there is no school tomorrow, maybe I can take you for some ice cream, what do you say?”

I smile excitedly. “What do you think Ah’ think! Oh, wait, but Ah‘m grounded,” I say with a hint of sadness.

“Don’t you worry about that,” I only smile and nod, while he face hoofs out of nowhere.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah’ nearly forgot, here, this letter came for you,” he hoofs me a letter and kisses me on the forehead, then he wishes me goodnight and leaves my room, leaving me staring at the letter confused.

“Trottingham, huh… Wonder wh-?” I turn the letter and find myself looking at the seal, which made me gasp instantly; a candy cane.

“… Twist?” despite the anger boiling inside, I allow myself to open the letter and read its contents.

“Dear Applebloom,

It’s me, Twist! I know you might still be angry-

“You can say that again…”

-but please, read me out!

I’m sorry for not warning you that I was leaving in time, I kept pushing it back because I was too nervous of your reaction, and honestly, it was even worse when I did tell you, as you remember. Trust me, I WANTED to stay, but aunt Bon Bon kept telling me that this place was the best to better my talents on, and my mom was so happy and… well, I’m here, learning all about sweets. It’s strange! I didn’t know so much thought was given to candy making, now I appreciate every piece I eat myself… But I’m rambling now.

“You did always enjoy it…” I sigh melancholi-... What was the word again? Dang it, that's going to bother me now.

I just wanted to tell you that I think of you everyday. I miss you, and I wish we could be together again, but I don’t know how long I’ll be here, and so, after forcing myself to write this, I decided that being pen pals was the best way to do so… If you reply, I would take it as a yes, but…. Well, if not, it was nice being your friend.

Your friend whatever your decision may be, Twist.”

I reread the letter, absorbing every word until I had learned it by heart, I was still a bit angry, but… I was also relieved by it, she really was sorry.

“It’s like a weight lifting from my withers…” I got off the bed and headed for the drawer, I grabbed my pen and some paper, and set myself to work.

~~~~~

“Where did sis go?”

“She left in a hurry, she said needed to go see Twilight, saves me the trouble of creating an excuse,” he says, looking relieved, to which I chuckle a bit.

“Ah’ wanted to talk to her,” I said honestly.

"Going to apologize?"

"Maybe..." I say trying to cover up.

"You are just as bad at lying as she is," he laughs, but I don't find it too funny.

"Oh hush..."

“Well, Ah’m not sure how long she’ll be gone for, but you can do it when she comes back,” I sigh, maybe I can hold this one weight a little bit longer. “Ready for that ice cream?”

“Sure! But can we make a stop at the post office first?” he looks at me with interest.

“Is it about that letter from last night? Who was it?” I only smile and look at him.

“Just… A good friend.”

Author's Notes:

Yeah... These little chapters are going to be a bi-weekly occurrence.

If you don't like them, I could just focus on the main narrative, but that would take just as long actually, since these are just minor things that may or may not actually tie into future chapters (not spoiling),and these aren't nearly as difficult to pull off.

Anyway, chapter should be done by this Sunday, (I hope) Look forward to that!

Notes 18 – 5/2/18

Faults aside, I like that I wrote this. I had forgotten how I linked part of a previous chapter with this.

Also, I really wanna write a short story about Twist. That poor pony.