It was a nice sunny summer day and young Applejack sat in the living room, watching her favorite show: Dummy and Flommy. Applejack was unaware that her granddad walked into the room with a plate of Grannys chocolate cookies and a bottle of milk.
“Here ya go Sugarcube,” the old man said with a smile.
“Oh thanks Poppa. Hey, didn't Granny say that those cookies were for when Ma and Pa got home from aunt Orange,” Applejack asked as she turned her head to her granddad.
“She said so I'd believe, but I saw how many there were/are and thought that I might know a lil girl who could eat a few,” the old man said with laughter in his voice so his big white beard did a little dance.
“Ya darn right I can eat 'em all,” the young girl giggled as she was handed a glass of ice cold milk.
Applejack noticed that the old man chuckled when he saw the two characters on the television fall. Applejack thought to herself that she liked it like this, knowing that Ma and Pa would soon pick up Apple Bloom, Mac and her. After a little while the old man get up and told the young girl that he would be back in a second as it seemed like he had forgotten his pipe upstairs. Applejack watched her granddad walk through the door and heard the wooden steps creak. For an unknown reason she pulled her eyes from the show to look out through the big window, which she never had done before. She sat there like something called to her and then she noticed a dust cloud .
“Granny's home,” Applejack said with a higher tone so she knew the old man would hear her.
As Applejack heard the stairs creak again as her granddad came down she saw the car was close and it didn't look like the old car her Granny and Mac had left in. Applejack saw the old man walked past her towards the window where he muttered something she couldn't hear. As the car pulled into the open space at the house Applejack saw it was a police car. She asked herself why the police would come by. All her and Poppa had done was watch a cartoon and eat cookies and that wasn't against the law, was it? The young girl watched as to policemen stepped out the car and she noticed that Poppa had went out to meet them. She went over to the window and peeked out behind a curtain so she was harder to see. Applejack heard her granddads old but still powerful voice greet the two officers but as they stood in front she saw them take of their hats. She thought that was a weird thing to do but she saw that Poppa seemed to be angry as he pointed on the two men, at the car and then at the road out. But the two men stayed where they were and after a few seconds the tall granddad sank towards the ground but were quickly caught by the closest of the officers. Applejack ran out on the porch where the two officers noticed her with sorrow in their eyes.
“Not now Applejack,” Poppa said with tears in his voice.
Shocked over that Poppa used her name and not a nickname she hurried inside, slamming the door as she ran back to the window. She could see him and hear that Poppa cried but why? She watched as the two policemen entered their car and left Poppa to stand alone like he was lost in the large apple field behind the barn. After what had felt like a life time Poppa turned around and walked slowly towards the house, while he was looking towards the ground. As Poppa entered the house he went right past Applejack and entered the living room.
“Poppa, what's wrong,” Applejack asked as she peeked into the room that now felt cold.
The old man said he just needed a moment and told Applejack to go outside. AJ, as she was called by many of her friends, did as her granddad had said even though she wasn't sure if it was the best thing to do. She sat in the apple tree which had the best apples, after all had she found it and carved her name into to it. She bit into a big apple which was so juicy that the juice ran down her chin. As she sat there wondering about what had made her grandfather so upset she heard a car pull up the driveway and swung back so she hang upside down and saw it was Granny and Mac. She jumped down and ran towards house to meet Granny and Mac, but as she came into view of Granny she heard her beloved voice.
“Oh hey there Applejack, could be a dear and help Mac with the groceries, as I take ya lil' sister indoors” she asked waving her hand.
As Applejack went to Granny, she saw that Granny notice that Poppa stood in the doorway.
“Ya'll stay here and I'll be right back,” Granny Smith said with a worried face.
As Granny went to her husband, Mac asked what happened and Applejack told him that she didn't have any idea. As the two siblings watched their grandparents they heard Granny cry out a loud no and fell into the old man in front of her.
“What ya think that was about,” Mac asked looking at Granny Smith being led in doors.
“Again I don't know but Poppa have been acting weird ever since the police were here,” Applejack said as she had turned to her brother.
“What? The police,” Mac asked and was about to say something more but was cut off by Poppa's.
“Macintosh, Applejack get in here, we need to talk,” Poppa said from the doorway in a dull tone.
As the two kids entered the living room they saw and heard Granny crying in the chair. Poppa told Applejack and her brother to sit down and so they did but it wasn't without feeling uneasy.
“I have to tell you something kids,” Poppa began but stopped as his eyes teared up. Ya Ma and Pa ain't coming home. As they was on the way back they got into an accident.”
“What ya mean Poppa, are they alright,” Applejack asked and looked at her brother who had frozen since he had realized what had happened.
Before Poppa could say anything Granny cleared her throat.
“No Applejack, they ain't. They're,” Granny paused for a second. “They're dead!”
Applejack felt time freeze as Granny spoke those words. This couldn't be true, Ma and Pa was coming home to Apple Bloom, Mac and her. All she could see was the picture of her mom and dad waving as they had entered the car a few before days ago and the only thing to break through was the sounds of Macintosh and Granny crying and Poppa trying to comfort Mac. When Applejack came back to the real world she fought to hold back as her eyes began to water up.
“No, it ain't true. It ain't true, it can't be,” she yelled with tear now running down from her eyes as she blasted out of the room and out the door.
Granny Smith stood up as she had tried to stop Applejack but Poppa told her that he would go after her. The old man had left the living room and stood now in the doorway where he sighed and took his beloved hat on and began to walk towards the apple field. He slowly wandered between the large and old apple trees where he stopped now and then to look around to see if he could find clues of Applejack's whereabouts. As he couldn't see or hear his grandchild he went towards the one places she normally was when she wanted to be alone. As he stood near the tree house which he and his son-in-law had build for her a few years ago he found out he was right.
Applejack sat alone in her tree house and even though the sun was at its peak it felt cooler than a blizzard. Her throat was raw, her eyes dry and her chest hurt when she heard a knocking on the door and Poppa's voice.
“No go away! Leave me alone,” the crushed girl cried but to no use.
“Oh Sugarcube, I know how ya feel, I'm crushed too,” he said as he docked not to hit his head on the top frame of the door.
“No ya not, ya lying,” Applejack cried as she tried to push the large man out before she gave up and fell into his chest. “Why Poppa? Why did they do it?”
“Oh sweet sweet child, no parent would do this on purpose,” the old man said as he placed his hat on her head. “I may not know fully how ya feel right now but I promises I'll always be here for ya.”
Applejack hugged her granddad the best she could as she cried loudly and didn't noticed that tears rushed from his eyes, hardly knowing what broke his heart the most, the lost of his only daughter or seeing his granddaughter so heartbroken.
Soon the day came where Applejack had to say goodbye to her parents and it was a grim one. The else so friendly church now looked like a monster that would forever take away all Applejack held dear. It didn't last long before the first of those who had been invited showed up. Ironically it was a classmate to Applejack, a young girl named Rarity and her parents. Applejack never really cared much for Rarity before since she always seem to a snob, so why she came was to Applejack a mystery.
As the two coffins was lowered into the ground the sky darkened and the rain began to pour down hiding the tears of those left behind.
As the years went by and Applejack ended her last year of school, she began to work on the farm to help out Poppa and Granny Smith. Applejack mostly helped looking after Apple Bloom and helped Granny with cooking and such. Big Mac as he now was known as, helped Poppa. Applejack sat in Granny's rocking chair and instead of looking after Apple Bloom, she was staring out the window into the apple fields. As she sat there and watched, she saw her large brother come driving towards the house on the field tractor, which she didn't bother about. With the hot summer sun heating up the house she heard Granny Smith say something.
“Eh, what'd ya say Granny?” Applejack asked a little confused as she saw Granny stand in the doorway, after all Applejack had been daydreaming.
“I asked if ya would be a dear and open one of them windows, I'm sure I could roast a chicken in here,” Granny Smith said while mixing something, properly some batter.
“We're having chick,” Apple Bloom asked with a hopeful voice since her interest had been caught by that one word.
“No Sugarcube, we ain't. We're having beef with my special sauce,” Granny said smiling looking that the young ginger girl.
“That's even better, only you know how to make it,” Apple Bloom said leaning to her side trying to look at the stove.
“Of cause hun, it's Granny's own secret recipe,” Applejack told her younger sister as Granny Smith went back into the kitchen.
As Applejack began to stare out the window again she saw her grandfather came walking between the large trees using his cane to shove away fallen apples from his path. The old man lifted his head and locked eyes with Applejack and as always he lifted his hat swung it to his chest and made a bow towards her. She laughed and bowed in a lady like fashion towards the crazy old man but her attention was caught by a loud 'klonk' from the kitchen. The two sisters jumped to the kitchen only to find a bowel without batter and a batter soaked Granny Smith.
“Gosh darn it,” Granny Smith proclaim rather loud and annoyed. “Now I got batter all over the floor!”
“I'll get a towel Granny,” Apple Bloom said with her head in a drawer.
Applejack saw the chance to return to the rocking chair which she had grown rather fond of now that she thought about it. Just as she was about to reach the chair she glanced out on the field and of cause she stepped on one of Apple Blooms dumb plastic cows. As Applejack stood there swearing to herself she looked out the window again but something was wrong, terrible wrong. Out in the open part of the walk path towards the house there lay a body, Poppa's body. She stood there for a brief moment before calling out but nothing happened.
“Poppa what in tarnation are ya doing on the ground,” Applejack nervously asked before she realized what had happened.”Poppa!”
As she jumped out the window she yelled someone to call for help. Applejack ran as fast as she could while she began to tear up while she screamed for Big Macintosh who soon came speeding on the field tractor. Applejack sat with old Poppa when Mac arrived and asked what had happened. While Applejack only got halfway through the first sentence Big Mac had already lifted the old man from the ground and sat on the tractor with their granddad on his lap, speeding towards the house.
The gray swing doors swung open, hitting the walls hard and made a loud noise as the stretcher came through with a high speed while several doctors and nurses around the man who laid upon it and just behind the many staff members the rest of the Apple family ran as fast as they could to keep up. As the man was rushed into the surgery area the four members sat in a waiting room with Granny trying to comfort and making sure Apple Bloom didn't get scared, Big Mac sat with his hands behind his head, staring at the floor and Applejack herself sat there lost time, looking out the window. People came and went in the waiting room but Applejack didn't really notice anything since she just sat there looking over at the forest until she heard her name being called by Granny Smith.
“Applejack... Ya grandpa wants to see ya,” Granny said with a rough voice.
Applejack slowly opened the gray hospital door and entered the gray dull room where a single bed stood with Poppa in it hooked up on hospital gear, which she only had seen in shows.
“Poppa? Ya alright,” Applejack ask while tearing up as she sat beside the old man.
“No my dear AJ, far from,” Poppa paused as he turned his head from the window and glazed upon Applejack, “I fear that this might be ma end. Ya know Granny and I have known for a long time that my health were deteriorating but we didn't wanna say anything to worry you kids.
Applejack eyes widened as the words reached her. Applejack broke down in tears and denied her grandpa words. She stood yelled that it wasn't true and couldn't be true.
“Sugarcube, calm down,” Poppa said in a serious voice, “It's gonna be alright. But ya need to stay strong for Apple Bloom, she doesn't remember your parents.”
Applejack ensured her grandpa that he was gonna come home again so he didn't have to say that kind of stuff. Soon she would realize that her world would come crashing down like a bomb had hit it. After a minute of silence, where only the heart rate monitor said something, old Poppa ask his grandchild to come closer and as she did, the old man took his hat from his lap and planted it on her head.
“But Poppa this is your hat. I can't wear it, you're gonna wear it back home,” the young adult said as she held the old man's hand in a tight grip as she couldn't hold back the tears anymore, “I don't wanna lose ya just like I did with Ma and Pa!
“Oh my sweet child ya'll never lose me, I'll always be in your heart,” the pale Poppa said with a voice that made Applejack look at the heart rate monitor.
As the heart rate monitor beeping noise had more time in between. Applejack cried out for Granny Smith that soon came, almost blasting in, quickly realized her beloved husband neared his end. Big Mac came in with Apple Bloom in the hand slowly walking up to Applejack and Granny Smith.
“Granny what's going on,” the young Apple Bloom ask.
“I'm going to sleep one final time ma dear Apple Bloom,” the old man said trying to make it comfortable so the young girl wouldn't get scared.
“Rest now my dear, we're all here,” Granny said as the two oldest grandchildren broke down.
“Thank you my dear, I'm sorry that I couldn't help more,” Poppa said while looking upon his wife as beeping slowly but surely slowed down.
“Now children would you three be so kind to wait outside,” Granny asked since she was the only one who seemed to have noticed.
The three siblings went out the door but just before it closed Applejack turned around and watched how Granny Smith broken down in tears and collapsed over her husband. After some 15-20 minutes Granny Smith came out the room with her head hanging low but as she neared her grandchildren she lifted it.
“He's gone,” Granny said with a low monotone voice as a tear found its way down her chin.
Soon the day came where the church once again had become the evil monster, which she remembered from that day so many years ago where she had to say goodbye to her parents. As people came and said their condolences, Applejack noticed something, Rarity, her parents and her younger sister came. Applejack looked down and it was first now that she began to question her view of Rarity. Then she looked up again she saw that Rarity came her way.
“I know we never really talked that much but I'm truly sorry for your loss,” Rarity said as she lowered her head.
“Thank you Rarity,” AJ said and made a sign that they should get back to the others.
Time went on and Applejack kept working on the farm, went with the family members, she had left, to Apple family gatherings here and there. She began to go over to Rarity now and then for a cup of tea or coffee. Applejack sometimes met some special people in her personal opinion, like a young baker who was one or two years younger than Rarity and herself, called Pinkie Pie or something but she seemed nice enough even though she seemed to always be high on sugar.
It was a sunny day, the birds where singing and the apples were just beginning to grow. She knew all the kinds and could say where each one was in her sleep. She looked at the blue sky and smiled lightly as she took a bite of an apple and lowered her eyes upon the large apple field. Her mind wandered off. She could see all the past memories of Granny, Big Mac, Apple Bloom but the most important; Ma, Pa and Poppa. A small tear broke free but it wasn't a tear of sadness, as so many others had been, but a tear of joy and happy days. The harmonic picture was only broken then she heard her own name being called over and over again.
“Uh, eh pardon?” she asked slightly confused over why her named had almost been yelled.
“One more time, how did you get your hat if I may ask,” Twilight asked with a bit of annoyance in her voice.
Applejack sat there still a bit confused before it made sense to her.
“Eh... Well ya see, I eh,” Applejack said before she was cut off.
“She won it at a rodeo many years ago, isn't it right my dear,” Rarity said as she had her head turned towards Applejack and winked.
“Oh yeah that's right I won it a long time ago,” she said making a faked smile.
The rest of the picnic went by like a breeze and nothing more of the hat were spoken off. As they all left Applejack had told her friends that she would clean up so there was no need for them to stay. As Applejack was cleaning up she noticed that Rarity had forgotten her sunglasses and said to herself that she needed to return them the next day.
“No need dear, I realized it myself just as I were about to get on my bike,” Rarity said with a smile on her lips as her sunglasses was handed over.
“Ya know there was no reason ya to cut me off earlier to save ma story, I mean I've never really told it to anyone really, besides you,” Applejack said as she took off the hat to look at it.
“I know dear, I thought it would be best for you to tell it when you want to and not when asked,” Rarity said with a soft and calming voice as she put the hat back on Applejack's head, “You know I'm still here for you just like I've been in the past, but I must go, I need to pick up Sweetie Bell, so take care dear.”
Applejack stood there smiling to herself as she could see Rarity get on her bike, which was parked at the main house and waved as Rarity rode away.
Applejack cleaned the last few things up and headed home thinking about what Rarity had said. As she entered the house, she saw that Granny had gone upstairs, Apple Bloom had fallen asleep on the couch, while Big Mac was still awake and watching some movie until he heard his sister come into the room. Applejack looked upon her brother, then up on her hat and as she looked back at her big brother he nodded. Then she went into the kitchen she could hear Mac giving a ugh as he lifted the youngest sister and went upstairs to put her to bed. Soon Applejack found herself outside with her brother.
“Ya know, it's easy to see ya been thinking about Poppa again,” Big Mac said as he opened two beers and handed one to Applejack.
“Well yeah, I kinda lost ma train of thought at the picnic,” she said before taking a sip.
Big Mac nodded and gazed out on the many apple trees. Applejack looked at her brother when he said he blamed himself for not being there fast enough back then.
“Big Mac? How about a cheer of for Ma, Pa and Poppa,” Applejack asked her brother who quickly looked at her.
Big Mac smiled and brought his bottle to his sisters so they could give a cheer of their old folk