"I just don't trust her," Applejack said.

Twilight looked at the celadon-green earth pony in front of them. Her poofy mane was tied up with a ribbon, and she was still harnessed to a cart full of piping-hot pastries. She also looked like she was ready to burst into tears.

"Applejack," Twilight said firmly. "You let [i]everyone[/i] into the Apple Family Reunion."

"Nuh-uh," she said, "just family. It's right there in the name, ain't it?"

"What about Pinkie?"

"Shoot, she's family. We had a whole adventure 'bout it and everything."

"What about me?"

"Honorary family."

Cranky and Matilda walked up. Applejack gave them a friendly wave as they walked past and headed for the pie-tasting pavilion.

Applejack saw the look Twilight was giving her. "Cranky and Matilda can be honorary family too. Don't be racist, Twi."

"Half of Ponyville is here!" Twilight exclaimed. "I'm not the racist one. You're being… you're being… [i]fruitist[/i]."

Applejack gasped, clutching her hat to her chest as she reeled backwards. "Those are fighting words!"

"The only reason you won't let this poor mare in is because she's a [i]Pear[/i]."

"Really, um, I'm sorry," Pear Fritter said, her voice little more than a squeak. "Maybe I should just go."

"No!" Twilight said, right as Applejack said, "Yes!"

They glared at one another.

"I'm on perfectly good terms with Grand Pear and the rest of," Applejack sneered, "[i]that[/i] side of the family. I just don't trust her."

"What could she possibly do?"

"Maybe she's a changeling. Here to eat all our love or whatever they do."

"They all got redeemed! Or something. I don't remember exactly."

"See, exactly. Maybe there's a bunch of evil changelings out there who eat [i]apples[/i] instead of love. The [i]monsters[/i]."

Twilight's horn glowed. A pale violet aura surrounded Pear Fritter, who let out an "Eep!"

"There," Twilight said. "Totally not a changeling. Magic: 1, Rural Suspicion and Hostility: 0."

Applejack squinted her eyes at Pear Fritter. "How do we know she's a real Pear though?"

Twilight groaned.

"No, maybe I have a compromise." Applejack grinned. "I will try one of your fritters, suspicious cousin, and if I am satisfied, then and only then can you be admitted to the Family Reunion."

Pear Fritter looked petrified, but she gave a watery smile anyways.

[hr]

They had the tasting inside Apple Bloom's bedroom, since the kitchen was full of pies and the living room was full of Pies—Pinkie had brought her whole family too.

Applejack closed the door, dragging a chair to the center of the room. "Sit," she commanded, and Pear Fritter clumsily sat down.

"Doesn't [i]sit[/i] like an Apple," she whispered to Twilight.

Twilight rolled her eyes.

Applejack took the plate with the proffered pastry and eyed it suspiciously. She gave it three sniffs. "Seems… okay," she said.

"What exactly do you expect? Poison?"

Applejack jabbed a hoof at her. "Fritters are the Trottish claymore of fried-dough-based pastry. If we were talking just a turnover, then sure, maybe I let little Miss Fancyfruits spread her treats all willy-nilly. But I'm in charge and I can't let anyone get hurt."

"No, really, I can go home," Pear Fritter muttered.

"Not so fast." Applejack sniffed the pastry one final time. Then the took the tiniest of nibbles. "Okay, the flakiness is fine. But I think it doesn't quite fit the flavor profile of a good sharp fruit. I'm not sure about pears, but… hm."

Then she took a slightly larger bite.

"Oh, I see. A lot less sweet, but a little more filling. More soft than crisp, but texture is a personal thing. It just… hmmm."

She then she took two more huge bites and the fritter was gone.

"Well I'll be darned," Applejack said. "I guess you [i]are[/i] family."

Pear Fritter let out a sigh of relief.

Then Apple Bloom burst in the room. "Applejack! I know I'm gonna get in trouble for this but uh. I stole one of the fritters outta that cart and ate it."

"What am I gonna do with you?" Applejack said, frowning. "I told you that'd ruin your dinner!"

"But— but—"

"You're s'posed to set a good example for Babs and the other kids!"

"But! It turns out all the fritters are actually tiny changelings but they're evil and now they're flying around eating all the apples!"

Applejack froze. Then her head turned to stare at Twilight. A grin broke across her face.

"Told you!"