A/N: Hello, everyone! This is one of my many stories that I'll be writing. It's a part of my Family Series, and I do hope that you all enjoy it. I'll be experimenting with Applejack and an Oc of mine for the most part in this little ficlet, so I would really like some input on it. c:

"Trust me, I don't want her here any more than you do," grumbled Applejack, ears flattening against her skull.

"Then tell Granny Smith that she has to go elsewhere! You're older then I am, she'll listen to you more!" cried Apple Bloom, prancing about so that she was once more standing in front of her older sister.

Applejack snorted and shook her head. "Not fer this, she won't. Family's family, Applejack, that's what she'll say to me. Family's family and we can't turn down family."

And then Granny Smitth would look at her, eyes narrowed and so disappointed, because that was something Applejack should already know. Did already know. Had heard it far, far too often when she was growing up, until each word, each lilt, it was all memorized.

Now she could even hear Granny Smith's voice in her mind, echoing those exact words.

Wait. No, that wasn't in her mind.

Applejack blinked, turning around and watching in confusion as Granny Smith hobbled down the steps of the old farmhouse, cane in hand and that familiar look in her eyes. "That's right, you heard me. Family is family and we can't turn down family, Apple Bloom."

Beside Applejack, the young mare all but wilted. Ears drooped and tail suddenly dragging the ground, unable to withstand the elderly mare's dissapointment. "But Granny - "

"No butts! No tails, either! Apple Burst is a'comin' and that's all there is to it," countered Granny Smith, cutting off her youngest grand-daughter. "Didn't I just tell you why?"

Apple Bloom nodded quickly, before Granny Smith could repeat herself for a third time. "Yes, yes! You did! I just...Oh, never mind."

Clucking her tongue, Granny Smith slowly made her way over to the two younger mares. "It ain't all bad, my dearies. Maybe you'll learn something new about the family while she's here."

Trying hard not to roll her eyes, because that is disrespectful and she hated the look Granny Smith gave her when she was disrespectful, Applejack nodded. "Course we will, Granny. Ya always learn somethin' new from family."

"Yeah, even if it is that you still hate them," grumbled Apple Bloom, sullenly dropping onto her haunches.

Applejack snorted, kicking a cloud of dust at her sister with a hind-hoof. "See? Even Apple Bloom gets that part! You know she just don't wanna share her room with nopony again."

It was a good thing that her hearing was going, and going fast, all too fast, because Granny Smith just nodded along as though Apple Bloom had said something great and inspiring. "A young mare needs to learn to share."

"Yup, yup, course they do. What did ya come out here for again, Granny?" questioned Applejack, already trying to steer the elderly mare back towards the farm house. The heat wasn't good for her, after all.

They were almost to the steps when Granny Smith stopped, lips smacking together in amusement. "That's it! I wanted to tell you that your cousin's train'll be here tonight. Would you be a dearie and pick her up for me? This old bones won't make it that far today, I don't think."

"Of course I will," agreed Applejack, without missing a beat. She used her nose to gently guide her grandmother up the first step and the second, until she was walking into the house on her own.

Which was a good thing, because the clouds were all starting to clear up and Applejack still had a lot of work to do out in the fields, if she was going to make a stop at the trainstation that evening. Shaking her head, the mare pulled a face and turned around, to start back towards their fields.

Apple Bloom had to jog to keep up with her sister. "Hey! No, that's not fair! You could have told her no!"

"Jus' drop it, Apple Bloom. Our cousin'll be here this evenin', and there ain't no stoppin' it." grumbled Applejack, making an abrupt stop by one of the many apple trees that littered their orchard and kicking out with her hind hooves, as hard as she could.

"But-"

Apples fell from the now shaking branches and Applejack dropped back onto all fours. "Drop it, Apple Bloom. Jus'...Jus' let it be."

-x-x-x-x-x-

The Ponyville train station was never a crowded thing, because most ponies just stayed in the small town and no one often came in to visit. Not much to be seen in Applejack's home town, after all, and on that day, she stood waiting on her own.

Whistle Stop stood off to the side, giving the young mare a slight smile every now and then but mostly just watching the tracks. And then when the single beam of light appeared in the distance, he pursed his lips together and whistled, loud and long and hard.

"Make way for leavin' passengers," he called, voice low and heavy. Whistle Stop gave Applejack a meaningful glance, staring at her until the mare took a few steps backwards, and then nodding.

It took another few minutes until the train finally slowed to a stop, wheels screeching as they locked into place. The door whining as it opened, revealing a young mare with bright eyes and dark hair, sheared short in the back and bangs hanging far into her face.

Applejack offered her a smile, trying hard not to sound strained or forced. "Apple Burst! Was the train ride okay?"

"It was fine," muttered the new comer, stepping off the train. She bumped her shoulder into Whistle Stop's, casting the stallion a sour look when she did. "Hot as the desert. You all not have air conditioning out here?"

Smile wilting some, Applejack gave a short bark of laughter. "Course we do. We just don't use it in the fall."

-x-x-x-x-

And that was how it went, picking up Apple Burst. All that was said between the two cousins, before they started the long trek through town and back to Sweet Apple Acres. Just a few words and still, Applejack already wished that the week was over.

-x-x-x-x-

"There you are!" cried Granny Smith, letting her rocker creak to a stop when the two younger mares appeared on the path. "Oh my, you have grown so much!"

"I haven't grown at all since the last time you saw me," grumbled Apple Burst, but she plodded up the steps and over to the old mare all the same. Let Granny Smith throw hooves around her in a hug and just stood there, lips pulled into a frown.

"Nonsense, nonsense, you've gotten much bigger!" insisted Granny Smith, when she finally pulled away. The green mare looked from Apple Burst to Applejack, and her grin widened that much more, revealing toothless gums. "Isn't that right, Applejack?"

"Uh, yeah, Granny. She's a grown mare now, I'd say." confirmed Applejack, casting her cousin a knowing look. The type that said she understood how awkward this was but that she needed to be quiet anyway, and Apple Burst just rolled her eyes and shook her head and didn't care at all.

The dark red pony moved away from her family, until she was standing just outside the front door. "I ain't grown at all. Now ya'll got a room for me or don't you?"

-x-x-x-

They stared each other down from opposite sides of the room, Apple Bloom and Apple Burst. Both still standing, both scowling, ears flattened against their heads and eyes narrowed, because they never had gotten along, even when they were younger.

Now, they're both almost full grown and neither have their Cutie Marks and they still hate each other because they are just

so

very

different.

"I ain't givin' ya my bed," snarled Apple Bloom.

Apple Burst snorted, pawing the ground with one front hoof. "I wouldn't want to sleep in your bed. Who knows what all you've gotten in it?"

-x-x-x-

Applejack dropped down onto the chair next to her friend, letting her head sink down onto the table.

Fluttershy gave her a soft smile, pulling her mug of tea closer to her. "You look tired. Is everything okay?"

The orange coated mare just groaned, closing her eyes.

"Oh, that doesn't sound very good at all. Troubles at home?" questioned Fluttershy, taking a sip out of her tea. It was mint and honey, warm in the chill fall air.

Another groan.

Fluttershy nodded. "That must be very hard. Maybe you would want to tell me with more words as to what's going on?"

Opening her eyes, Applejack peered up at her pegasus friend. "It's mah cousin, Fluttershy. Apple Burst is in town, and Granny Smith says I have ta show her around tomorrow."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad." Using her free hand, Fluttershy pushed the second cup of tea over to the Earth pony.

"But it is, Fluttershy! Ya don't know her. Apple Burst is a menace! She's mean and nasty and a liar too, always breakin' things and fibbin' and throwin' these hissy fits," complained Applejack. She sat up but didn't touch the tea, instead throwing her hooves up into the air as she spoke.

It wasn't an exaggeration, as far as she was concerned. The way that Apple Burst pulled those faces, the way she snorted and stomped the ground and acted as though everything should be all about her. It was nothing less then a temper tantrum, and Applejack just didn't want to deal with it, not at all, not at all, not at all.

Letting herself drop back down on the table, Applejack gave another loud sigh. "I just wish that she'd go back home."

Fluttershy frowned, and there was disapprovale barely hidden in her gaze. "That isn't a very nice thing to say, Applejack. Maybe she acts that way because no one's giving her a chance? The two of you should come by my house tomorrow, I'd love to meet her."

"You say that now, but you'll regret it in the morning," grumbled Applejack.

Fluttershy just frowned at her.

"Fine, fine! I'll bring her over to your house tomorrow," agreed Applejack, unhappily.