//------------------------------//
// The Tree Of Memories 
// Story: The Lifespan of a Princess 
// by Henyoki 
//------------------------------//

          As Twilight and Applejack make their way towards the Everfree forest, Applejack heaves a small sigh. 
"Applejack? What's wrong?"
"It's just that, I won't be with ya very much longer. Us apples are real resilient, but even we have our time to go. I miss all the fun times we had together, us six. We were quite the group."
"I wish there was some way I could stop this."
"It's alright, Sugarcube. I ain't blamin' ya. You tried your best, but I can't live forever."
"I know..." Twilight was a bit down after this conversation, wondering what she'll do, once Applejack is gone.
Twilight and Applejack make it to a large cave, the Tree of Harmony sitting in the middle of it, the Elements of Harmony happily sitting in its branches. Twilight stops pushing Applejack's wheelchair when they stand closely in front of 4 marble graves. The graves each have a different cutie mark carved into them. From left to right, they have Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and to the far right, Fluttershy. Twilight used her magic to set the bucket filled with flowers in front of Applejack. Twilight begins to lay the flowers in front of the graves. 
Blue Evolvulus flowers for Rainbow Dash, peachy pink roses for Pinkie Pie, White Calla lilies for Rarity, and Woodland Poppies for Fluttershy. Twilight looks at the two remaining groups of flowers. 
"What do I do with the Asiatic lilies and the Purple Glories?" Twilight asks, a bit confused.
"Well, the Purple Glories are for you, Twilight. The Asiatic Lilies are to bring back to Sweet Apple Acres. For me."
Twilight smiles and plucks a single Purple Glory from the bunch, tucking in into her tiara. Applejack smiles at Twilight.
"That looks a might lovely on you, Twilight." 
"Thank you Applejack", Twilight flashes a smile, and puts her hoof atop Applejack's. "It was very kind of you. Shall we head back now?"
"Yeah, It would be best." Twilight and Applejack begin walking back to Sweet Apple Acres.  Once Twilight and Applejack make it to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack starts to cough roughly, making Twilight worried. She hurriedly brings Applejack back to her room. 
"Hang in there Applejack, it'll be okay." Twilight begins to tear up a bit. Once Applejack is in her bed, Twilight sits by her, crying into the bed, the sheets becoming warm with her tears. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle stand by Applejack's bed. Applebloom holds Applejack's right hoof gently, crying while telling her over and over, "It's gonna be okay." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stand silently by, Scootaloo holding her tears, trying to make a straight face, and Sweetie Belle quietly humming while tears flow down her cheeks. 
Applejack turns to Applebloom, and takes her hat off with her left hoof. 
"Applebloom.", Applebloom turns to Applejack, tears in her eyes.
"Yes, Applejack?" Applebloom says in a quivering voice, trying her best to speak through a volley of tears.
"I want you to have this." Applejack hands Applebloom her hat, and smiles at her.
"Y-your hat, Applejack, are you sure?"
"Yes. You deserve it, fer bein' my best sister ever."
"I swear to always cherish it." Applebloom puts on the hat, giving a big smile, while a continuous stream of tears flows down her face.
"Twilight", Applejack turns to Twilight, smiling, "Could'ya hand me those Asiatic lilies now?" Twilight smiles at her, a wet spot left on the bed from her tears. 
"Of course." Twilight uses her magic to grab the bouquet of Asiatic lilies from the bucket, illuminating them with a soft purple glow, and places them gently on Applejack's chest.
"Thank you kindly", Applejack places her hoof on Twilight's, "You've been an amazing friend over the years, don't you ever forget that. You've got a great heart. You're a truly dependable friend." Twilight smiles, and grabs Applejack's hoof, bringing it close to her face, smiling while crying softly.
"I'll never forget you, Applejack..."
Applejack smiles, before closing her eyes, her hoof going limp, and falling onto the bed once more. Her breathing ceases, and her face, peaceful.All present at Applejack's last moments cry at her bedside, weeping for the loss of the most dependable pony in Ponyville. Scootaloo finally lets her emotion take over, and she too begins to weep.
A week passes, as Twilight finally comes out of her castle to attend the burial service for Applejack, at the Tree of Harmony. Twilight and the others stand at Applejack's grave, watching her casket being lowered into the ground. Sweetie Belle sings a sweet, melodic song after the burial service ponies finish covering her grave, neatly packing the dirt onto it it to keep it from being dug up by wild animals.  Twilight places a bouquet of Asiatic lilies at Applejack's grave, and thanks her for all the good times they've had.  After the burial service is finished, and all the other ponies have gone home, Twilight lingers for a few hours, before going home and shutting herself in, reading book upon book.