Comet's Tale

Apple Family Reunion part 1

"A family reunion?" asked Thunderlane, pausing mid-swing with his hammer.

"Yep," Braeburn nodded, squinting as he tried to line up the nail just right. The late afternoon sun was streaming through the barn windows, casting long shadows across the wooden planks they'd been working on all day. It had been three weeks since Thunderlane and his brother had moved onto Sweet Apple Acres, and the adjustment period was finally starting to feel like settling in rather than just visiting. Braeburn had insisted on giving up half his room to Rumble, and now he and Thunderlane were deep in the process of building a proper dividing wall to give the young colt some privacy.

"Are you sure it's not better for me and Rumble to just... I don't know, disappear for that time?" Thunderlane set down his hammer and wiped the sweat from his brow. "We don't want to impose or anything. Family reunions are supposed to be for, well, family."

Braeburn looked at him flabbergasted. "What in tarnation are you talking about?" He gestured around the barn with his hammer. "You're living on this here farm, actively bringing in significant income with your weather work, and helping us out with every single chore from dawn to dusk. On top of that, you're AJ's special somepony." He grinned and gave Thunderlane a playful nudge with his elbow. "You're basically just one question away from becoming an official part of the family."

A subtle pink started creeping up Thunderlane's neck and across his cheeks. "L-let's not get ahead of ourselves here. "

Braeburn shrugged, clearly amused by the pegasus's flustered reaction. "Just throwing the thought out there. But mark my words, you and that little brother of yours aren't going anywhere during reunion time. AJ would have my hide if I even suggested such a thing."

Thunderlane picked up his hammer again, but his swings became more distracted. The truth was, he'd been thinking about this reunion ever since Applejack had mentioned it in passing last week. The idea of being surrounded by dozens of Apple family members made his wings feel uncomfortably tight against his sides.

Later that evening, after they'd finished their work and cleaned up for dinner, Granny Smith's voice echoed through the farmhouse with unusual excitement.

"Everypony! Come on down to the sitting room! I've got something special to show y'all!"

The family gathered around the old mare, who was sitting in her favorite rocking chair with a large, worn photo album balanced on her lap. Applejack settled onto the couch with Thunderlane beside her, while Apple Bloom plopped down on the floor.

Big Mac took his usual spot in the corner chair, and Braeburn leaned against the doorframe. Rumble came bounding down the stairs, his mane still damp from washing up, and squeezed in next to Apple Bloom.

Little Strongheart appeared from the kitchen, drying her hooves on a dish towel.

"Now then," Granny Smith began, her eyes twinkling with memories, "I thought it might be nice to look back at some of our previous family reunions, seeing as how this year's is going to be extra special." She opened the album with careful hooves, revealing the first page of sepia-toned photographs.

"Oh my stars," Applejack breathed, leaning forward. "Is that Great-Aunt Gala Apple?"

"Sure is, sugar cube. And there's your Great-Uncle Bramley, and Cousin Honeycrisp with her little ones." Granny Smith's hoof traced over the faces in the photograph. "This was taken, oh, must have been fifteen years ago now."

As they turned through the pages, the photographs became more recent and colorful. Thunderlane found himself studying each image carefully, noting how every single pony in every single photograph was an earth pony. There were Apples of every shade and size, from tiny foals to ancient elders, but not a single wing or horn to be seen among them.