//------------------------------//
// Sadness and sorrow 
// Story: One less Apple 
// by dumbficwriterisdumb 
//------------------------------//

	It had been two weeks since the doctor's initial diagnosis, and Granny Smith had gotten a lot worse. There were multiple IV drips in her veins to keep her hydrated as she became too nauseas to eat or drink. Applebloom, Applejack, and Big Mac came over to visit her. Though Granny resented having to rest in a bed all day, she was very happy to see them.
"Well, lookie here," Granny Smith said happily. "How are my favorite ponies doing?"
Applejack tried to muster a smile, but Applebloom and Big Mac were visibly upset to see Granny in her current condition. Applebloom walked besides Granny's bed.
"It's not fair Granny!" Applebloom said as she tried to hold back her tears, "You said you'd come home from the doctor's as soon as possible!"
"I know what I said, Applebloom," Granny Smith said sadly, "But it appears that we've had a change of plans. I hate not being able to see you every day. It just breaks my heart."
"And you said that we were going to have cider together," Applebloom cried, "You promise that you'll come home, won't you?"
"That's enough, Applebloom!" Applejack said firmly. "You know we can't change the way things are." 
Applebloom glared at Applejack. "You jinxed it!" Applebloom said angrily to Applejack. "You said that nothing would go wrong at harvest, and now look!" Applejack wanted to make a comeback, but Big Mac motioned her not to do it. Applejack and Big Mac just watched sadly as Applebloom ran out of the hospital room in tears. They turned soberly to Granny Smith, who was watching everything. Despite their obvious sadness, Granny smiled at them.
"Don't mind her, Applejack," Granny said gently. "She'll come around eventually. This is hard for all of us, especially for a little filly. Poor Applebloom." 
"Eeyup," Big Mac replied.
"I'm so glad to see you're doing well, um, despite everything," Applejack said as she mustered little enthusiasm. Granny simply smiled back at her, too tired to talk. Shortly after, one of the nurses came in and told them that visiting hours were over. Big Mac and Applejack said their goodbyes tentatively, not sure if they would see her again. 
Meanwhile in the waiting room, Applebloom was crying. Even though she logically knew that Applejack couldn't have really jinxed the situation, it was the only plausible explanation that she could come up with in her mind. It had seemed that the minute Applejack had commented about the harvest, everything started to go downhill. Applebloom tried to think about a logical explanation for Granny's sudden sickness, but in her warped emotional state, she couldn't think of anything. The more she tried to think about it, the only conclusion she could come up with was that there was nothing logical about Granny's illness. Granny Smith had been just fine for the past five days, so why was she dying now?
When Applejack and Big Mac finally left the hospital room, they found Applebloom crying in the waiting room.
"It's not fair. You jinxed it," she kept repeating to herself. Applejack looked at her sister sadly as she eventually cried herself to sleep. Big Mac picked her up and put her on his back, and they walked home, unsure of what to do next.
The call from the doctor came two days later. He had told Applejack that Granny had died peacefully in her sleep. Applejack and Big Mac were besides themselves with grief. Granny had raised the three of them ever since their parents were gone, and it was a fresh blow to hear that their most prominent mother figure in their family was gone. 
"How are we going to tell Applebloom? She's a wreck as it is," Big Mac said worriedly to Applejack. Applejack paused for a moment as she tried to think of ways to break the bad news as gently as possible. In the end, Applejack couldn't find any good solutions.
"We're just going to have to tell it to her in a matter of fact manner," Applejack replied. "There's just no getting around it."
When Applebloom had gotten home from school, Applejack and Big Mac were there to greet her. Applebloom looked puzzled for a moment.	
"Applejack, aren't we supposed to go visit Granny?" Applebloom asked. Applejack and Big Mac hugged her tightly.
"I'm so sorry Applebloom," Applejack said as she tried holding back tears, "But she's gone."
"Gone?!" Applebloom exclaimed. "No! She can't be gone! We were supposed to visit her today!" Big Mac looked at her sadly as tears started to stream down her face.
"I know," Big Mac said solemnly, "But she's not suffering anymore." Applejack tried to say something, but couldn't think of anything as she watched Applebloom cry. All she could do was listen sadly as she continued to sob, and soon both Applejack and Big Mac found themselves crying together as well.
The funeral was held two days after Granny had died. There was a viewing, but Applejack didn't want Applebloom to go. She thought that seeing her in the coffin would trigger an emotional roller coaster in Applebloom, so Applejack stayed with her as Big Mac and other members of the Apple family paid their respects. Applejack treated Applebloom to ice cream down at Sugar Cube Corner while the viewing was going on shortly before the funeral. Even though Applejack got Applebloom her favorite flavors, she still pouted; not even the best ice cream or sugary treats in all of Equestria could get her out of the dumps. Applejack didn't order anything; she was too sad to be hungry. Applebloom had also hardly touched her ice cream before throwing it away.
"I'm sorry for the way things have been, sugar cube," Applejack said gently. "But I'm positive that Granny Smith is in a better place."
"But what place is better than Sweet Apple Acres, or even better than Ponyville?" Applebloom asked sadly. Applejack looked at her with kind eyes.
"You'll understand when you're older, Applebloom," Applejack said gently. Applebloom looked up at her sister.
"But I don't want to understand when I'm older," Applebloom whined. "I want to understand now."
"The truth is, Applebloom, is that nopony can really understand it. We just have to learn to accept it and move on." 
Applebloom pouted. She was very accustomed to Applejack's honesty, but not even the clearest truth could clear the confusion building up in her head. 
"Come on, Applebloom," Applejack said solemnly. "The service will be starting soon." Applebloom followed her sister, and more and more questions started building up in her head. Why didn't anypony notice Granny was sick? Why couldn't the doctor make her better? How could Granny seem perfectly fine one day, and then be dead the next? These questions rolled around Applebloom's head like heavy rocks banging in her brain, and it only grew more painful as they continued to walk. When they finally arrived for the service in the park, neither Applebloom nor Applejack could hold back their tears anymore. Big Mac just zoned out the entire service, seemingly unaware of what was going on. At the end of the service, Granny Smith was buried next to the oldest tree in Sweet Apple Acres in her honor. The three siblings sadly walked back to the barn and tried to continue on with the harvest.