//------------------------------// // Day of Remembrance // Story: Earthbound Journey 2: Reign of the Magic Queen // by ShadeJak //------------------------------// "We're heeeeeeere!" Rarity sang as she and Sweetie Belle arrived at the orchard. "Howdy, girls!" Applejack replied, tipping her hat as she carried a basket of apples over to the stables. "Y'all ready for that trip to Twilight's?" "Honestly, Applejack, you need to take some time off and just come with us! You know she's not seen you in quite some time, now!" Rarity said. "No can do, Rarity. Ah got my hooves full harvestin' apples. Besides, Big Mac'll be with ya, you'll be fine." "Ah still don't agree with this," Big Macintosh said, walking out from behind the stables carrying a wagon with few suitcases. "Ah don't mind coverin' for ya." "Don'cha start again, Big Mac!" Applejack replied. "Ah had ya pullin' double when ah got sick two weeks ago, ain't no reason ya need ta do that again." "Honestly, big sis, you're too stubborn, sometimes!" Apple Bloom said as she came out of the farm house. "It's what gotcha sick back then in the first place!" "Woncha reconsider?" Big Macintosh asked. "Twilight's your friend, you been plannin' this fer a month, now." "She'll understand, Big Mac. If anypony deserves a weekend off, it's you," Applejack said. "Now go on. Y'all don't wanna be keepin' her waitin'!" Rarity sighed a little. "Whatever you say, Applejack. But you really need to give yourself some time to take it easy with friends." "We'll see, Rarity. For now, ah got a lot more trees to deal with 'fore it gets dark. Say hi to Twilight for me when ya get there, alright?" "We will," Rarity replied. "Come along girls!" she told the two fillies, who were already caught up in a conversation on what kinds of crusading they'd be doing for cutie marks while they were up in the mountains. "Seeya later, little sis," Big Mac said, a small but sad smile on his face as he turned and left. Applejack shook her head as they left. "Welp, these apples ain't gonna harvest themselves!" she said to herself as she headed back to the orchards. Tears flowed from Applejack's eyes as she watched her memories play out before her. "...It's all my fault..." ~ "Applejack?" The farmpony's eyes fluttered open as she found herself in a small cell surrounded by bars. Thunderlane stood outside, looking down at her. "It's time to get up. What you did last night was completely uncalled-for... but we all understand," he explained, a look of sympathy in his eyes as he turned and headed towards the door. "I don't know what could have attacked them, but your brother and Rarity are being given the highest honors at the Green Pastures Cemetary. You'll be free to visit them when you've calmed down a bit." Applejack sighed as Thunderlane left, staring down at the wood floor. "Gotta face it now... He's gone. They're both gone," she muttered softly. A moment later she heard the sound of small hooves approaching. "Hey big sis. It's me. Apple Bloom. Ah just came to give ya a snack," Applejack turned and saw her little sister standing there, nudging an apple through the bars for her. "Thought ya might me hungry, ah mean... ya probably haven't eaten all night." Applejack turned away, the shame of her outburst from the previous night returning she couldn't even look at Apple Bloom right now. The young filly frowned and looked down at the apple for a moment. "...Just... make sure ya eat it all... It might get kinda hard, but be sure to eat the whole thing, okay?" she asked. "Applejack... ah'm gonna make this better, okay?" Applejack hung her head, her eyes snapping open when she heard her little sister sniffling and running off. "A-Apple Bloom, wait...!" When she turned, however, Apple Bloom was already gone. "She deserves an apology, too..." Applejack got up and approached the apple her sister had left, her stomach immediately growling. "May as well," she said with a sigh, picking the apple up in her hoof and taking a big bite out of it. Her teeth stopped on something tough and she immediately pulled back, taking a chunk of the apple with her and finding a small metal object embedded inside it. "My hoof file?" she asked, "Why would she...?" Applejack noticed the flimsy, rusted old lock that had been used to keep the jail door shut and all the pieces came together. Finishing her apple and taking the file in her teeth, the farmpony set to work. ~ "Hey, Applejack," Daring said, a sad smile on her face as she greeted the farmpony that emerged from the town jail. "Thunderlane asked if I could come by and wait for you. You know, in case you got out on your own." "Just be glad ah didn't buck the door down," Applejack replied, "Where is everypony?" she asked, noticing the town looked rather empty. "Probably still at the cemetary," the pegasus replied. "Twilight's come by to visit as well soon as she heard. Your brother and Rarity's burial went without incident but... Sweetie Belle's been grieving ever since. I can't imagine what she's going through, but then again Rarity was the only family she had..." Applejack hung her head dejectedly. "If ah'd just gone with 'em, instead'a stayin' home, maybe she'd still have a sister," she muttered. "That's not gonna change anything, now, Applejack," Daring replied. "For now, just go visit your brother and your friends. It might do you some good," "Maybe you're right..." the farmpony sighed and headed down the path leading to the cemetery, pausing for a moment when she saw Diamond Tiara talking to a pony she'd never seen before. Curious, she drew closer to get a better look at the strange visitor. "Really? The whole bush? I mean, we usually just give the fruits, but the bushes?" the pink filly said. "Give? Oh, you silly filly!" the pony replied with a laugh. It was a sky-blue mare, though her species was unclear to Applejack due to the sand-colored cloak and the matching turban she wore that sported a bright pink feather held in place by a red ruby gem. "I was planning to buy them, and I'll be more then generous with what I'll let you have for them!" she explained as she reached into her cloak and dropped a sack in front of the filly. Diamond Tiara's eyes widened in awe as she peered in on whatever the pony had offered her as though it were a surprise birthday gift. "Wow! They're so beautiful! A-and they're really mine?" The pony took out a bottle with an apple printed on it and chugged it down, tossing it over her shoulder after. "Oh, absolutely! I'll send somepony to pick up the bushes later... assuming we have a deal, right?" "Oh, yes! Thanks so much!" the pink filly said with an excited squeal of glee as she rushed over and gave the pony a big hug. From her vantage point, Applejack felt a bit of concern. Whatever Diamond Tiara had just given up Berry Punch's crop for hopefully would make up enough not to upset her too much. Still, she had other matters at hoof to deal with that prompted her to resume her delayed trip to where the others were. ~ A few minutes of walking later, Applejack found the townsponies gathered at a grassy hilltop to the east of the graveyard, with Twilight, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo at the front of the crowd, standing before two gravestones. "They were the first we've lost in this village," Twilight said, looking over at Applejack. "I came as soon as I heard the news..." she approached her friend, her eyes filled with grief but also worry. "Are you doing alright, Applejack?" "As well as ah can be," the farmpony replied, looking at the other townsponies. Thunderlane had his little brother Rumble with him, the pegasus colt nuzzling his brother's side as he looked sadly at the gravestones. Cloudchaser and Flitter held eachother silently as they looked over at Applejack. "Cloudchaser?" Applejack asked. "Ah'm... ah'm sorry about last night," she said, noticing the bandage on the pegasus' forehead. "I-it's fine, Applejack. You gotta know, it's not right to take your anger out on others, but... I understand why you did," she replied, glancing over at the gravestones again. "Losing them affected all of us, you're not alone, Applejack. We all loved them," Flitter said, looking over at Cheerilee, who'd not said a word but looked truly heartbroken as she held a lingering glance at Big Macintosh's grave before turning to leave, the other townsponies following. Applejack gave a quiet nod and noticed something missing. "Hey, girls?" she asked, getting Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle's attention. "Do ya know where Apple Bloom is? Ah haven't seen 'er since she visited me." Scootaloo gave a shrug. "I've been busy with Aunt Daring all day. Last time I saw her was around the same time you probably did." Sweetie Belle's ears drooped and she looked away nervously. "Sweetie Belle? Do you know where she is?" Twilight asked. "N-no..." Sweetie Belle muttered, not making eye contact with her or Applejack. "Sweetie Belle, it's no good to keep secrets like that," Applejack said with a hint of sternness. "She tell you where she went?" Cornered, Sweetie Belle backed away from the two older ponies. "N-no! She definitely didn't say she was taking Applejack's lucky slicing knife into the mountains to kill the monster to avenge Big Mac..." the filly 'eeped' and quickly covered her mouth with her hoof. Twilight's eyes widened in terror. "What!? By herself?! That's suicide! Please tell me you at least tried to stop her!" Before Sweetie Belle could reply, Applejack bit down on Twilight's tail and began to drag her away. "Twilight, we're leavin', right now!" "H-hey! No need to pull!" Twilight protested as she used her magic to free herself. "Every second we spend here is a second the last family ah got left could get killed!" Applejack snapped angrily. "Applejack, be reasonable! We have no idea what we're up against or where it even is!" Twilight said. "Ya reckon you're good on your Somemare Island creature knowledge?" Applejack asked. "'Cause ah got an idea where ta start! Now c'mon!" she ordered, leading the anxious unicorn down the hill and back into town. ~ "This is bad, Applejack. Really bad," Twilight said, examining the tooth as they left Thunderlane's home. "Tell me somethin' ah don't already know, Twi," Applejack replied. "This looks just like one of Spike's fangs, but a lot bigger," Twilight explained. Applejack froze, her eyes widened. "Ya mean ta tell me a full-grown dragon is runnin' loose on these here islands?!" "This island's really big, Applejack," Twilight explained, floating the large tooth into her saddlebag. "There's a lot of it ponies haven't fully explored. There's even supposed to be a volcano to the west, and with the gems hidden in the mountains, it doesn't rule out the possibility they live here, and one's come this close to civilization." Twilight stopped in her tracks. "Applejack..." The farmpony stopped and looked back at her friend. "Yeah, Twi?" "...I haven't seen Spike since yesterday. Like, before Big Mac and Rarity left with the foals..." "What was he doin' last you saw 'em?" Applejack asked. "Rarity had said he went off to go find some more gems, he was hungry," Twilight said. "Applejack... you don't think if there's an adult dragon in the area...?" "He could be in danger, too. If that thing was willin' to kill my brother an' Rarity, ah wouldn't put it past it to come after Spike if the little fella ran into it." "Then we need to find him!" Twilight pleaded, more frightened then ever, now. "There is the chance, but Spike ain't that reckless, ah doubt he got any reason ta go messin' with somethin' like that! Apple Bloom's off lookin' for it right now, so our first priority is findin' her before it does!" Applejack said sternly. "Hey, uh, Applejack..." Twilight looked down for a moment. "I don't exactly go looking for dragon's dens, so I can't say I'm an expert on where exactly to look and I'm sure Apple Bloom isn't, either..." "What're ya gettin' at, Twi?" Applejack asked impatiently. "She had to ask for directions if she wanted any hope of finding her way through the mountains! There's only one who knows this island well enough for her to ask if she didn't want anypony in the village to know what she was doing!" Twilight explained. "We need to go see him, he'll be able to tell us where Apple Bloom may have gone!" Applejack hung her head, a bitter scowl forming on her face as she realized who Twilight was implying they visit. "Ya better not be suggestin' who ah think you're suggestin'..." ~ "Well, well, Twilight and friend looking all down!" the grinning Discord said cheerfully as he looked over the two ponies that now stood before him, a bizarre, jazzy tune playing from a bright blue record player that hovered next to him. "I'm not going to lie, I normally I expect a certain other introverted equine companion to come looking after me!" he explained, taking a drag of an oversized pipe that appeared in his lion paw and puffing out a pink cloud that smelt of cotton candy that drifted above Applejack and Twilight's heads. "So, tell me ladies, what brings you two to Casa del Discord?" he asked, his neck stretching longer then it already was until his face leaned uncomfortably close to theirs'. "Ah can not believe ya talked me into this, Twilight." Applejack muttered, shooting a glare at her friend. "Oh, what's the matter, dear little Applejack? Are you implying I'm not someone you'd look forward to seeing more regularly?" Discord asked, trying his best at puppy-dog eyes. "Bear with him Applejack. He may have some information we need, and more importantly he may have seen Apple Bloom," Twilight said. The draconequus immediately perked up, stroking his beard for a moment. "Hmm? Apple Bloom?" he asked. "About, say yay high" he held his eagle claw at about average filly height. " ...Pink bow, yellow coat, red mane?" he asked, his black mohawk turning red with a bow and his coat turning bright yellow as he listed off his description. "YES!" both ponies replied instantly. "Nope, no one around here like that!" Discord said with a chuckle as he instantly resumed his original appearance in a flash of light and reclined in his polka-dotted beanbag couch. Applejack facehoofed in annoyance. "Wouldya stop toyin' around with us?! This is serious!" "For you, maybe! Me, on the other claw..." Discord replied with a laugh. "Honestly, how could you be so thoughtless?" Discord's voice asked from behind Twilight and Applejack, prompting them to turn and see a second Discord standing there, arms folded and scowling in disapproval at the one that was on the beanbag couch. "These two ponies need your help and this isn't the time for jokes!" The first Discord waved his lion paw in a dismissive manner. "Well, who asked you?" "Come on! What would she say if she found out you let her friend's sister run off to the mountains alone?" a third Discord asked as it appeared in another corner of the room leaning against the wall. "I personally don't see what the big deal is!" a fourth Discord remarked, standing upside-down on the ceiling. "SO many favors and what do we get? More of them!" "Why, Discord! You should be ashamed for thinking that way!" a fifth draconequus declared, sitting on a bright blue table. "You want to feel like you let this all happen?" "Pickles!" a sixth Discord declared as it materialized standing on the first one's head. "Ugh! Would you five go away!" the original Discord protested indignantly as he flung the one standing on his head into the wall on the opposite end of the room, the other four nodded and walked out the door single-file, muttering amongst themselves while the one that had been thrown slid down to the floor and followed. "Honestly, I can be such a pain sometimes!" "Ah never woulda guessed," Applejack deadpanned. "Now can ya at least tell us about a dragon?" Applejack asked, trying her hardest to keep calm. Discord's eyes immediately widened again. "Oh, you mean the big gray one that claimed the cave at the peak of the northern mountains that's easily accessable through the path just northeast of here that Apple Bloom may have taken?" "Yes!" Twilight replied immediately. "Nope, can't say I've heard of such a thing, either!" Discord replied, laughing out loud. "Now run along, I have a party of seven to attend to!" he explained as the five other Discords immediately reappeared, four of them wearing bright floral shirts while the sixth one donned a leather bikini as it danced on a pole that was now in the center of the room. "...Unless you'd like to stick around a little longer?" Discord asked with a grin. "Nah, we're a mite busyniceseeinyaagainbytheway!" Applejack said hurriedly as she pushed Twilight out the door as fast as she could, closing it behind her. "Alright, we got what we need," Applejack said, heading towards the path Discord had implied Apple Bloom had taken and going into full gallop, Twilight running after her as fast as she could manage. Applejack only hoped she'd find her sister before it was too late...