Bittersweet Apples by BackgroundNoise
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Granny Smith didn't normally walk the eastern edge of the fields anymore, her family, bless their hearts, worried about her constantly, and as much as she liked to pretend that she was just indulging them in their over-protectiveness, lately her hip had been giving her a worrying amount trouble; to say nothing of how tired she's been lately. "Feh, there's still some life left in this ole' gal yet."
Her body might not be what it used to be, but she still had her memories, back when this was her farm, back before it had even been a farm. It helped sometimes, walking along the borders of the old farm she used to remember, back when it had just been a simple orchard... back when she still had her herd. Suddenly a noise interrupts her bittersweet reverie, a pained groan coming from the border separating the old orchard from the Everfree Forest. "''m I hearing things again?" She wonders as she carefully trots towards the source of the noise.
It was a strange critter, that's for sure; all banged up and covered in scratches and burs like it'd just run pellmell through one of the nastier parts of the Everfree. The oddest thing about it wasn't how big and hairless it was (though that certainly threw her off), but the way it was covered in clothes like some kind of big-shot, but what sorta big-wig would be running around the Everfree? Broken from her train of thought once again by the strange creature's pain (her heart melts a bit when she recognizes it as stallion) "C'mon now big fella, I'll take care of ya.", despite her soft words and gentle actions she can't help but let out a pained hiss, the weight of the odd stallion is much less than she'd thought it'd be (and wasn't that a scary thought, just how long was he trapped in that thrice damned forest?), but it's still enough to make her hip positively throb with pain. Despair fills her as she realizes just how far she is from the homestead, in spite of this she grits her false teeth, a spark of determination in her eyes "'m not useless! I can still do this much!"; it was a long walk back...
"Granny, landsakes, what happened to ya? And what in the name of Celestia is that thing?!" Granny Smith huffs tiredly, legs shaking and coat covered in perspiration, her dentures having long since fallen on the perilous trip back, "AppleJack!" she snapped tiredly "I taught ya better than that. This here stallion just got outta the Everfree and he needs our help!" AppleJack looks taken aback for a moment, not expecting to be cajoled in such a way, but her expression quickly softens when she gets a look at the aforementioned "stallion"; "C'mon now, lets get ya inside... Big Macintosh get out here and help Granny!". Granny Smith collapses tiredly, the trek having taken everything she had left until even her determination had been snuffed out. She barely notices her grandson gently lifting her "I did it Zelda, I saved him..." she mutters tiredly, consciousness slowly draining from her as she falls into a peaceful slumber. She would dream of her strange, beautiful herd that night, and for the first time in long time it wouldn't hurt at all.
Am I missing something with the Zelda thing? Swear the first place my mind went was LoZ for some reason...
Already read one Granny Smith funeral ... Not sure i could handle another one especially from the Leroverse
My personal feelings aside. Good read
2933642 Probably the name of one of her herdmates.
Altarnative version to who and how found Lero. I like it. Can we assume that Zelda was fellow herd mate of Smith in past?
Wow, she carried him all by herself. Go granny.
2933758
...or as Granny's full name has occasionally been given as Griselda 'Granny' Smith she could have been talking to herself.
You used my prompt! Yay! Thank you so much. I was great by the way. But you should start a new paragraph whenever the person speaking changes. Makes it easier to read.
Needs work. Present tense mixed with some past and start a new paragraph evertime a different character starts speaking. Other then that, I like how Granny was all concerned about the 'stallion' and equating it to her old herd.
2937316
Thank you for the honest critique, I find that formatting and mixing past and present tense are problems that I have when it comes to writing. I assure you I am working on it.
2934581
Your very welcome, the idea was interesting and I was curious to see where my muse took me; as it turned out it took me to strange places indeed, though I admit I'm somewhat used to that.
2933830>>2933758>>2933642
Twas indeed a fellow herdmate, I'll give you a hint, it's not a pony name. And yes, I don't think I could have handled all the feels had she died saving Lero, though such an action would have been both poetic and soul-crushingly beautiful considering the back-story I imagined for this snippet.
2933774
Yup, she's a tough old girl, I guess I just wanted to write her as a determinator doing something suitably heroic.
2941631
Yep, that would be a heroic effort for an old broad.
And other than the grammar and formatting: Good.
oh an alternate to where the apples find him instead of flutters? o.0
2933642>>2941631 Yeah, Zelda just screams zebra... course this leaves us all pondering just what all was in Granny Smith's herd.