//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Apples to the Core // by Neon-Nights-Library //------------------------------// Early-morning sunlight peeked its way through the pale pink curtains of Apple Bloom's bedroom. As the mare shifted in her bed, a stray beam of light hit her closed eyes, lighting up her eye lids in a pale red glow. She groaned in frustration at this, turning again in her sheets, purposefully this time. With the beam of light gone, Apple Blooms mind began melting back into its deep slumber. And she would've fallen back into a deep sleep if it want for a noise that made itself known at that moment. A stern rapping of hoofs tapped against her door, ripping Apple Bloom away from the pull of sleep once more. She groaned, and lifted her head only high enough to carry her voice across her room, and to whoever was knocking. "Mmm.. What?" From the other side of the door came her older sister's voice, which was clearly awake, and partially frustrated. "C'mon now, it's time you got up, we've got a busy day today, an' I can't have you sleepin' it away!" Apple Blooms head fell to her pillow, finally giving in to the waking day, and opening her eyes. She stretched and started to crawl out of the comforting sheets when another, this time slightly louder knock was made. "WHAT?!" She called again, annoyed that AJ was still lingering at her door. She heard a frustrated huff, and Applejack spoke again. "What do you mean 'what'- I told you it's time to get up, that means you give an answer, Celestia-Dangit!" Apple Bloom could tell that AJ was getting more upset by the minute, and decided that maybe, it wouldn't be the best way to start the day. "Sorry," the teen replied, stepping out of bed and heading towards a small wooden vanity that held a brush and her hair ribbon. "I'll be ready in a minute." She heard AJ mumble something to herself, and then give a final reply. "Fine. Just don't take too long, or you'll miss out on breakfast." With that, she heard the receding hoof-steps of Applejack as she headed downstairs. Apple Bloom quickly brushed her mane and tied a neat bow, fussing for only a moment with it, as the ribbon tugged on her mane. Once she was satisfied she rushed downstairs to meet her family. She first noticed the voice of Granny Smith, who was happily chatting with Sugar Belle at the table. She seemed chattier, and happier than usual. For a moment Apple Bloom wanted to question why, before she remembered the revelations that had taken place the night before. She also remembered that her grandmother had been happily, and heavily asleep upstairs when they had first learned of the great news. Apple Bloom took a seat at the table, and was passed a bowl of oats, milk and a small pile of fresh apple slices. Applejack promptly sat down next to her, and nodded as she spoke up. "Eat up and meet me at the sheds out back." She lifted a spoonful of oats up and brushed her tied-up golden mane out of the way as she ate. "Why?" Apple Bloom asked crunching down the sweet apple slices. Applejack wiped a hoof across her mouth before she responded. "Cause we need to see what all Ma and Pa had stored from when you were still a baby. Big Mac and Sugar Bell wanted to see what they could use for their little one." "Eeyup." Big Mac vocalized, nodded in agreement from across the table. Apple Bloom stirred her hoofs nervously on the table-top as she ate. She had been hoping to spend the day with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. She was excited to share the news with them, and they only had a few weeks left before they started their first semester at the School of Friendship. They were all excited about it, but they still wanted to enjoy as much of their summer as they could. She wondered if she should voice her want, but decided to save it for later. She was sure that if she worked fast enough, that she and AJ would finish with enough time left in the day to spend with her friends. Deciding that would be the best alternative, she quickly finished her breakfast and dashed the dishes over to the sink. She looked over to AJ, who had just finished her own breakfast, but was making small-talk with Sugar Belle. Apple Bloom groaned as she pranced back to the table, swiftly grabbing her sisters' dishes, and placed them in the sink. Applejack gave a quick, mildly confused glance to her younger sister, but quickly returned her attention back to her sister-in-law. After what seemed like ages to Apple Bloom, though in reality was only a minute or two, Applejack and Sugarbelle finally finished their conversation. Applejack brushed back her mane and placed her hat back on, signaling to Apple Bloom to follow after her. To Applejack's surprise, Applebloom was already up and ready, and rushed to the kitchen's back door. As the pale green door clanked shut behind the mares, Applejack shot a confused, but amused look to her younger sister. "What in Celestia's name has got you so impatient? I could hardly get you outta bed, an' now you're runnin around like fox let loose in a hen house!" Apple Bloom gave a sheepish grin in response, and started making her way to the family's storage sheds located on the back property. "I just... want to get a head start on everything!" She squeaked, dodging her sister's accusatory eyes. "I figure, if we get the work done sooner... that I can, uh... have time to do other things... later." A single, suspicious eyebrow raised itself on Applejack's forehead, though the mare did no more to interrogate her sister. She decided that if the teen truly wanted to get her share of the work done sooner, it'd be best not to question it... for now. Reaching under her hat, Applejack quickly pulled out the keys for the storage and swiftly unlocked the first units' doors. Each sister shoved open a door, the creaky hinges screeching as the rustic wood was moved, and the doors were forced open. Applejack waved a hoof around at the dust that puffed up from the storage unit floor, particles of dirt twirling and spinning around in the fresh air. She took a moment to survey the scene before them, pondering on where might be the best part to start searching. There were two whole other storage units, after all. Though Applejack was sure that she'd opened the right one. Stacks of wooden crates, cardboard boxes and miscellaneous containers filled the small unit, stacked up high along the back walls. Leaving just enough room in between piles for a pony to make their way through to the back. Apple Bloom recoiled at the sight, realizing her plan to rush through her work might not be such an easy task. Applejack huffed a sigh, and began making her way to the closest pile of crates. "Well," she breathed, "Let's start in the front, an' work our way back..." Apple Bloom briskly followed after, coming to another smaller pile of boxes and carefully lifting up the first small cardboard box. It didn't help any that seemingly, none of the crates, boxes or containers were labeled. Sure, the Apples weren't usually ones for such methodical organizing, but it seemed now that, with so much history to go through, at least a few labels would've been helpful. Apple Bloom opened the cardboard box and glanced at what it contained. Buttons, thread wheels and bundles of miscellaneous cloth... surely not what they needed. She sighed, placed the lid back on and set it to her side. The mare then lifted up another box, opened it's lid and took a gander at its objects. Again, nothing like what her and AJ where there to find. She took a look around at the many, many piles of old, probably useless junk, and felt her stomach drop. At this rate, she'd probably be stuck in that storage unit until nightfall. She began work again, lifting the lid of another box and peering inside. Box after box, crate after crate... and still no closer to finding what was needed for a baby. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as she moved on from one pile, to another one, this one bigger and probably filled with even more useless inventory. She glanced at Applejack, who had somehow already worked her way through several more piles than Apple Bloom, and had put the boxes all back in place afterwards. Apple Bloom kicked herself mentally, it hadn't even occurred to her to put the boxes back into place. She realized that this searching was going to take even longer, and she was sure it was already noon by now. She glowered in annoyance at the new pile, sifting through the boxes at a faster rate, glancing over smaller boxes, sure that nothing important was inside. "I don't get it!" She grumbled, "Why can't we just buy new things for the baby? S'not like we can't afford it!" Applejack looked up from sorting through a large crate to her sister, immediately noticing Apple Bloom's growing frustration. Applejack shook her head in annoyance, and continued looking through her own pile as she responded. "Because, sugar cube," Applejack replied, emphasizing the "because", "It's important to see what we already have, so we ain't spendin' money where we don't need to. Anythin' we have from when you were a foal is also stuff that you got from me, an' Big Mac." Applejack shut the crate she was looking through and began re-stacking her pile. "And that means that it's also stuff that came from Pa and Granny." "It's important that we keep what we can in our family as long as we can." Applejack looked towards Apple Bloom as she spoke, hoping that her words were getting through to her. "Cause when our family's gone..." Applejack hesitated on the words she just said, pausing only for a moment to consider whether she wanted to go so heavy in her words. She decided it was worth it, if only to emphasize a point. "Parts of em'... they stay with us, in the things they made and cared for. And... we don't want to lose those too, especially if it was somethin' important to them." With that, Applejack moved onto another pile, letting her words hang in the air and permeate the mood. Apple Bloom's ears fell as her sister's words sunk in. They were heavy-handed, though Applejack did always find a way to bring a scolding or lesson back to family. Apple Bloom turned back to AJ, and lowered her head shamefully as she replied. "...I'm sorry." She lamented. "I was just gettin' frustrated... but I didn't mean nothin' like that." She insisted, desperately hoping that Applejack wouldn't harbor any resentment. Applejack, of course didn't and shot back a warm smile from her side of the unit. "Course not sugar cube, I know it's hard work, but it's work worth doin'." Apple Bloom smiled back and quickly began her work again, this time searching at a slower pace. Just as she was placing the final small box back into it's place, Apple Bloom caught sight of a large, dark brown crate, hidden behind other containers. The lack of light in that corner, and being hidden behind other boxes made the crate nearly invisible. But, Apple Bloom had managed to spot it, so she promptly shoved the other boxes out of the way, her curiosity peaked about this hidden box. At the very least, it wouldn't hurt to check and make sure it didn't hold anything important. Her hooves gripped a small ridge on the crates lid, and she dragged it out of it's nook, grunting in frustration at it's weight. It scrapped along the unit floor, and finally came to a rest at her hooves. She unlatched the small lock on the front and opened the crate. She was already ready to put it back in place, sure that this one would be like all the others. To her utter delight, however, Apple Bloom saw before her; neatly bundled blankets, toys, books, and many other baby supplies she wasn't entirely sure the purpose of, but knew it was meant for a foal. A wide grin spread across her face, and Apple Bloom quickly lifted up one of the blankets, reeling around to where Applejack stood, across the way. "I found it!" She called out, lifting up the bundled baby blanket like a prized trophy. "It's all here, in this big ol' crate!" She yelped, overjoyed that not only had she found the baby stuff, but, admittedly, that she'd been the one to do it. She wouldn't have been upset if AJ had found it, but it did add a little boost to her ego, knowing she was the one to look at the hidden crate in the corner. Applejack smiled and promptly set down the box she had just been looking through. The orange mare rapidly made her way over, and peered down in delight at the open crate. "Good work, Apple Bloom!" She praised, patting her sister's head affectionately. Apple Bloom grinned wider at this, happily accepting her victory over that darn storage unit. "An' here I was thinkin' we'd have to look through those other two sheds, nice work youngin'!" Applejack promptly sat next to her sister and began using a single hoof to dig through the crate. She gently lifted the many objects, looking them over to make sure that nothing had disturbed them this whole time. Everything seemed in good condition, and she knew that Big Mac would wash nearly everything in there anyway, just as a precaution. Applejack was smiling proud, until something stuck to the bottom of the box caught her eye, and her smile promptly dropped. Apple Bloom noticed her sister's change in demeanor and lifted a hoof to Applejack's shoulder. "Sis... what's wrong?" Slowly, and oh so carefully, Applejack lifted a paper up from the crate's bottom. Apple Bloom peered at it confusingly, and quickly realized her sister wasn't holding a paper. In her hoofs, she held a small photograph, it's color still vibrant, as it hadn't seen the sun in many, many years. Applejack gulped, pushing down tears she could feel welling in her throat. She handed the picture to Apple Bloom, who took it confusingly, unsure why AJ was acting the way that she did... until she too noticed the contents of the scene. Displayed in still vibrant colors, was a picture of her parents, and her as a newborn. Her mother's hooves held her gently, her beautiful curly orange mane cascading down her shoulders. Her eyes were glued to her foal in her arms, a tiny yellow foal, her red mane barely peeking it's way through her fur. Next to them was her father, the striking resemblance between daughter and father unmistakable. His eyes were also glued to the tiny foal, a warm, kind smile spread across his face. Apple Bloom felt the same, joyous sadness working it's way through her. Ever since she'd learned about her mother and father's past all those years ago, she'd done everything she could to learn all about them. And she had, she'd read about them, and looked over the few pictures of them over a million times. There existed a version of her parents in her mind, ones that were partially true, and partially the pieces she'd filled in herself. Now, she had another piece of them, one that was all hers. Tears poked their way from her eyes, falling silently down her face as she stared at the picture, a small smile making itself known. "I'd forgotten all about that one..." Applejack vocalized, wrapping a hoof around her sister as she spoke "Y'know me and Mac have ones just like it... Granny wanted to save our first moments with Ma and Pa." Apple Bloom sniffled and wiped the tears from her face, nodding as she remembered her brother and sister's own pictures, in a similar fashion to her own. Applejack patted her sisters' back and promptly stood up, carefully shutting the lid of the crate. "Well, we'd best get this inside so Mac and Sugar Belle can look through it." Apple Bloom nodded in agreement, carefully taking the photograph and placing it just behind her mane, pressed against her mane and ribbon for safe-keeping. Carefully, the two sisters lifted the crate off the ground, and onto their backs. Applejack stood up fully, despite the weight of the crate. Apple Bloom grunted and she felt her hooves shake from the pressure. Applejack chuckled at this, "You sure you've got it sugar cube, I can carry it myself if it's too much trouble." Apple Bloom gave another involuntary grunt as she finally stood up fully. "No! I got this!" She huffed, finding every word she spoke required a level of effort. Applejack rolled her eyes, but let her sister try. "Fine, if ya say so." The two made their way out of the storage shed, and back towards the house. Apple Bloom noted, as she walked along with AJ that the sun didn't seem that much further than when they started, it might only just now be noon. She felt slightly embarrassed at this, realizing that maybe her sense of time could be off when she really wanted something, or really didn't want to do something. They arrived at the door and Applejack maneuvered to slide the crate off their backs, carefully placing it on the ground as she propped open the back door. Using her hidden strength, Applejack pushed the large crate into the house and across the kitchen floor. Coming to a rest in the living room, where Sugar Belle greeted her. Apple Bloom followed inside, carefully shutting the back door and following her sister into the living room. Sugar Belle began happily looking through the crate, and thanked Applejack and Apple Bloom for looking for it. "Thank you, really." She insisted, "I'm sure that we can use everything in here for the little one- oh I'm so excited to tell Big Mac!" Applejack chuckled and smiled to Apple Bloom, who smiled back. It did feel good, she realized, to do that work for her sister-in-law and brother. It was important to them, and very much needed. Apple Bloom pulled the picture out again, looking it over with care and comfort. Applejack noticing and gestured to the bookshelf full of albums and photos. "Do you wanna put it next to mine and Mac's?" She asked. Apple Bloom looked to her sister, then back to the photo. "No... if it's okay with y'all... I think I'd like to keep this one in my room." She replied, unsure of her sister's response. Applejack smiled again, that same warm, kind smile. "A'course sugar cube." Apple Bloom smiled back and quickly rushed to her room. She didn't have a frame at the moment, but was sure she'd be able to find one somewhere in their house. For now, she propped the picture up on her vanity table's mirror, where she'd be able to see it every night she fell asleep, and every morning she woke up. Apple Bloom gazed out the window of her room, beyond the glass and farm, a small portion of town could be seen. She wondered if Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would miss her for the day... it was only one day after all. She'd initially hoped to spend the day with them, but now, after spending all that time around her family's memories, she wanted to keep that mood going. She was sure that Sugar Belle would appreciate some help sorting through that crate, and she'd be more than happy to help her do that. She was her family, after all.