-Aj-

I kept to myself as I walked back home. People steered clear of me when they saw my sadness. I hated being sad. It made me slow. Sluggish. Made me look mean. Being an Apple, I'm genetically predispositioned to be tall and muscular. So with my face being sad, almost angry, I looked scary. At least people learned to stay away when I'm sad.

I finally made it to Apple Acres. The large red house stood in a clearing, surrounded by Apple trees. In the fields, Apples sidekicks trees to jolt the branches free of apples. Skillful kicks, echoed all over. The precession of kicks slowed as I approached the main house.

Looking back out at the field, I saw my family, one-by-one, stopping to watch me. I look forward, then down, and enters the house. The main floor has really changed over the years. No longer Western themed, now digital. Had to make the house more efficient and up to date with all the new tech coming out.

One thing that made me stop, was a picture hanging on a hall wall. It was a picture of Applebloom and I ten years ago. It was her sixteenth birthday. We had one arm slung around the other's shoulders. Our free hand, we made the peace sign as we smiled into the camera. I place a hand on the picture and my heart sinks even more. I missed my sister. I missed her dearly.

"Only if she would listen," I hear the soft voice of Fluttershy. I had almost forgotten that I left her behind to counsel the other animals that were good friends of Cinnamon.

I let out a heavy sigh, "But she didn't," I say with more anger in my voice than I wanted, "Now she's halfway around the world with Him. And she somehow convinced Mac to follow."

"Don't dwell on it too much, Aj. You know that you shouldn't be caught up in what she's doing now."

"I do know, but it's hard not to. I lost a sister and a brother. I'm already this sad, I don't know what I'd do if something actually happened to them."

"Look," I feel a slim hand take mine and pull me away from the picture. I now looked down at the green haired woman. We both blushed a little when I had stepped too close to her. She paused to allow time for her to get her thoughts back in order, "You two love each other, and nothing will ever stop that. She'll come around."

"But it's been six years. Not even a phone call," I look down and tears well in my eyes, "From either of them. You became the mother of both of them, that they needed. You've done all you could for them. Know that you've done your part. Bloom just needs more time to realize that."

"But what if she never does?" I sniffle.

"Then she never does," Fluttershy hugs me tight. I blush harder. Fluttershy had become a part time Apple Animal Healer. So her and I had gotten really close over the past few years. Made me form a crush on her. I just hope that I don't blow things with her.

I hug her back and smiles a little, "Thanks Fluttershy," I actually did feel a little better, but not much.

"Now let's get something to eat. A little bird told me that she didn't see you eat anything this morning," Fluttershy said after she pulled away from me.

"I'll be okay, Flutters. I'm really not that hungry today," I wave her off.

"Oh, come on now. Just eat something small. With your size, breakfast is important," she takes my hand and pulls me into the kitchen.

As she does, I say, "Well," *shrugs*, "I guess I could eat a little something," I said it so she could be happy a little. And I was a tad hungry actually.

In the kitchen stood a few children surrounding Gaia. She was another tall muscular Apple like me. But her hair was long and red. She was mute, so the kids around her learned how to do sign language. They were asking her to make a pie and other Apple based sweet treats. Gaia looked up at me and waved. I smiled and waved back.

"Here," Fluttershy tossed me an apple, "Eat that. You need to eat something," I smile and takes a bite out of the apple. It's sweet taste hit my tongue. It's juices splurted out and oozed down the corner of my mouth. Just when I was about to wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, Fluttershy stopped me with a, "I don't think so," she grabs a paper towel from the roll and comes up to me. She wipes the apple juice from my mouth. We both blush hard when her hand hesitates to leave my mouth. She looks into my eyes before slowly lowering her hand, "There we go. Just use a paper towel or napkin instead of your hand," she places the towel in my hand.

She takes a step back and looks down. Her once bashful demeanor coming out a little, "Come on, Aj. The barn animals would like to see you. I think it would be good for all of you to talk things out. Cinammon was important to the family."

"Then let's go," I give a weak smile and takes her hand into mine. I lead her out to the barn, but what we saw stopped us in our tracks. The barn was ablaze. Cries of animals came from inside, "What...?!" I couldn't finish my thought due to my instincts kicking in.

I move fast towards the door I now see as locked, "Aj, Wait!" Fluttershy called out after me. I didn't respond. I go to the door and rips it off it's hinges. When I dropped the door, a wall of flames was pushed out. It hit me hard and sent me back. An explosion rung my ears.

I didn't know what hurt more. The fire or the sound. I just laid back on the ground writhing slowly in pain. I tried to shake my mind into correction, but I was only met with drowsiness. My eyes slowly shut, despite me not wanting them too. I knew I needed to get up, but my mind just went dark instead.

As I drifted off, I saw th blurry face of Fluttershy. She was saying something to me, but I couldn't understand her distored voice. I felt her hands on my shoulders shake me. It didn't help any. I went into the darkness. Letting it consume me. In the darkness, I heard my name ecjoed all around me.