Apples: Immortal Tree

by Julia

Part I, Chapter 1: The Apple Falls Not Far From The Tree

APPLES: Immortal Tree

By Eris H Discordia

---

Given enough time to dip her head in the water, Applejack contemplated suicide.

She just could not handle anymore changes at all. In this world, however, she really cherished her new friendships and her place as the current Equestrian blessed with being the representative of the Element of Honesty. She jumped into the lake and fought the water as she sunk down to the bottom, but she could not drown, as her time was not up yet. She told herself over and over to die, for good. She wanted for nothing more than to disappear.

After nearly over sixty thousand years of jumping from different generations in her multiversed lives, she came to realize that it was starting to rip her apart from thousands of inter-tangled dimensional threads. If she had not kept her consciousness during the transfer to another realm, much like her friends had done, except for Twilight, who was closer to death than she was due to the agonizing pain, she would not be experiencing this great strain. And by Twilight, one would not think of Sparkle, but of Twilight Velvet, the mother of Twilight Sparkle.

Being from the first generation to perform the generation jump, she was going through a massive amount of pain, and Applejack was in a very similar pain. Most of the others who tried to do the same had died along the way, including hundreds that were being born in the space between the third and fourth generation planes, but Applejack did not like to speak of those horrific times. She thought of her lives, and did not regret anything besides living. The pain was too much, and Faust-knew how much longer she would have to endure before she finally died. Again. This would go on again and again and again.

All of the pain, whether it be mental or physical, all of it piled up with each life, and surely they did not jump generations in the hope of pain, but as a means to gain immortality. They never knew what they were getting themselves into. Under the impression that their friendship would last forever, Applejack vowed to Velvet she would protect her daughter. As Twilight would now be alive for quite some time after her friends died, Applejack too would remain, as if she willed it, she could live in a generation for as long as she wanted, though keeping her pain to a minimum for millennia on end with nothing but home remedy painkillers would backfire sooner or later. Surely, Twilight would also be the only one to find out, and possibly Discord and the other alicorn princesses.

Applejack rose to the surface and floated upon the water on her back. She coughed up the water which she had swallowed during her time under, and looked up at the sky. She immediately spotted Rainbow Dash gathering clouds alongside Scootaloo, who was 15 now, and able to fly. She even got her cutie mark, which was a sun framed by two clouds with a rainbow crowning the star. So much time had passed already, and she could see the bags gathering under the eyes of her friends.

Rainbow had given up her dream to become a Wonderbolt, as she had a terrible accident during the Equestria Games one year. She wounded her wings, dealing permanent damage that left her unable to fly for three years. During that time, she grew closer and closer to Scootaloo, who finally managed to get herself off of the ground and fly for herself. Rainbow herself also worked her way back up to flying like she used to, and initially with the hopes of becoming a member of the Wonderbolts. Of course, after realizing how much she really made an impact of Scootaloo's life, she found that all she really wanted to do was fly. Fly with her, that is. During this time she managed to become way more than a sisterly figure and stepped up to be a motherly figure to the now 15 year old filly. The two now both share time flying together, a home, and a life.

Twilight issued that Ponyville should become more industrialized, bringing in tall buildings, but not skyscrapers. She felt the ponies were not ready for that yet. The buildings became more suburban and with more life joining in with the ponies, not just earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi, but zebras, and other species of creatures with the ability to speak as well. This brought in business, and with new businesses sprouting like weeds, the offered a massive opportunity for Rarity, who put alot of work into making uniforms and clothing for small businesses and clothing stores. Making enough money, the unicorn started her own fashion mall, which was castle-like but was still dwarfed by Twilight's modified castle. The unicorn began a monopoly that spread like wildfire, and after learning the secret of silk from the far east land of bears, she managed to topple over all of her competition effortlessly. Now a milliomare, Rarity enjoyed her fame but still kept true to her generous self, giving money and clothing and food and shelter to the less fortunate around the world in Equestria and outside of Equestria.

Typically and usually declining offers of industrialization, the Apple Family had to make a hard decision after Granny Smith passed. With Big McIntosh the new head of the family, he wanted the family to step up their game and get with the times. Now bringing in machines and contraptions, Big McIntosh brung in tons of bits and business opportunities, soon owning a monopoly of smaller businesses like Rarity. The family still bucked the trees and gathered apples, but the machines did most of the other work. Applejack took a lot of time off now that Applebloom was older and not in serious pain like Applejack was, taking over for her sister and even gaining her cutie mark, which was surprisingly a heart shaped fruit that was an apple. It came in a trio, much like Applejack's. However, Applebloom felt something off about her sister ever since Granny Smith's death, and noticed her cringing during work sessions, and initially thinking it was merely grief of losing a loved one, Applebloom volunteered to take over for her sister. Her cutie mark symbolized more of a love for her family than a love for the work of her family.

At this same time, Sweetie Belle was in the shadow of her older sister, who she noticed was putting on weight as well as becoming quite pregnant. With who? Sweetie Belle did not know. Perhaps Rarity had too much cider at a party one day and ended up having a one night stand with a stallion who was likely too drunk to remember who he slept with as well. It bothered Rarity if her little Clarity (either a colt or a filly, its name would be Clarity), would grow up without a father, but Rarity at least already had a foalsitter, and that was Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle realized she had quite a talent with watching foals. She knew what they liked, and knew how to get them to listen. Her magic only made this easier, so as Rarity would be fitting a foal in a costume for a certain event, Sweetie Belle would be right next to her, making sure the foal listened and stayed calm and entertained. This talent manifested in a cutie mark which was a large white circle surrounded by three lavender circles which were smaller in size. When she was not foalsitting, however, she learned magic under Twilight's tutelage.

She worked with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, who both had become no less than extra support for Spike at first, as if the staff of Twilight's castle became a hierarchy. Twilight was the ruler, Mayor Mare was more of a treasurer, Spike was still Twilight's right hoof dragon, and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were maids who looked after Spike and Twilight.

No longer bitter to the Crusaders, Diamond Tiara settled down and made it her number one priority to make sure the Princess of Ponyville stayed safe, and Silver Spoon followed her up on that. The two effectively became the first true knights of Ponyville, which was now Equinopolis, and were granted full access to any meeting of the Princess which she allowed them to. They truly became devoted to protecting her, and redeemed themselves as ponies of Equinopolis. They were no longer the "bitch fillies" of Ponyville, but now the Knights of Equinopolis, protectors of Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Spike himself had grown quite a bit, and was as tall as Twilight, taking the form of a serpentine dragon rather than his original western dragon form. He took up a lot from Discord, who became like a father figure to him, and was a school teacher (since Cheerilee was pregnant with the next member of the Apple Family), and supposed his snake-like shape was due to spending so much time around him.

Pinkie Pie was still a party pony, and was currently raising a daughter with Cheese Sandwich. They threw parties while simultaneously taking part in a fastfood and party having business called Pink E. Cheeses. Multiple Pink E. Cheeses opened around Equinopolis, and the one that started it all was the one which Pinkie and Cheese and Pizza A. Pie, their six year old daughter, lived in and racked up the most business. No doubt in anypony's mind that this would happen.

In fact, one of the last things Granny Smith said was to Cheese Sandwich that he made her possible Pie cousin a happy mare. Surely the late Granny Smith threw a going away party, she wanted not a solemn departure, and made sure she went away with a smile after blowing out her heart of candles on a cake she never got to taste. The smile was divine, and Cheese Sandwich admired that, proposing to Pinkie then and there. Well, not then and there, but an immediate proposal it was. Maud and the other Pies came to visit more and were warmly welcomed by the citizens of Equinopolis, even having a party at the Pink E. Cheeses occasionally during their stay.

Fluttershy had not changed too much, and was still caring for animals like always. Taking pleasure however in visits from Applejack, who had a lot more leisure time than the others in the Mane Six. Twilight with her Kingdom, Pinkie with her family, Rainbow and Scootaloo spending so much time together, and Rarity running multimillion bit business monopoly. Fluttershy and Applejack were enjoying their time alone as well, sitting and talking about stories they had and sharing their experiences since the last time they all acted as one as the Mane Six. Fluttershy had the most bags under her eyes of Applejack's friends, and began to sound windier than usual. Her physique, like Rarity was getting quite sexily plump, she was now wearing glasses, and her hair was pulled into a ponytail. She took notice of the approaching Applejack, waving as she sat in her rocking bench and supervised the old Angel Bunny as he ate a carrot. He grew fairly fat as well, and was still as spoiled as ever.

---

"Hey Applejack," Fluttershy said lightly to her incoming friend, who sat upon the bench with her with a long sigh.

The earth pony removed her hat and wiped her forming sweat with it, setting the hat down on the ground and looking up to the partially cloudy sky and to the sun which was in the four o' clock position. She came to visit Fluttershy after her dip in the pool and enjoyed her walk through the trees leading her down the road to Fluttershy's home, now about to enjoy the company of the pegasus herself. Really, the Mane Six were barely in one another's presence, and the only two to see one another were Applejack and Fluttershy. The others were so busy and occupied with their lives and dealing with their own situations to even visit, but they did write one another. The city of Equinopolis had expanded to the point where the Mane Six were barely within walking distance of each other, all except Fluttershy and Applejack. This was why at least those two shared so much time with one another. At least they were fully caught up.

"Hey Sugarcube," Applejack said solemnly, now with her eyes gazing upon the countless birds and butterflies gathered around them. "How's it been goin' with ya since last time we met?"

Fluttershy squeed and giggled. "I suppose a lot can happen in a month... Discord and I decided to have a baby."

Applejack looked to her pegasus friend with a fairly suprised look in her eyes. She smiled and hugged her tightly, causing Fluttershy to blush. "I'm so proud of ya! Have y'all started tryin' yet, er...?" Applejack retracted from the hug and blushed rather heavily as well. She scratched at the back of her head and rubbed her hoof down her mane, bringing it to the front of her shoulder in front of her pony chest. "I mean...--"

"Oh, it's not like it bothers me you'd ask, Applejack," Fluttershy replied with a warm smile. "It flatters me that you did, we are best friends forever, aren't we?"

Forever made Applejack cringe lightly, and she began to feel the pain building up again. She shook her head and ignored it. "Yep," she replied, with a fake smile. "But... do you know?"

"Yes," Fluttershy said, "I am pregnant, Applejack! Isn't it wonderful?"

Something happened that she had not experienced since Applebloom got her cutie mark; Applejack began crying tears of joy. And for that entire duration, it's like the pain never existed to begin with. For once today, and if she were being honest with herself, in an entire eon, Applejack felt mortal.

She proceeded to wipe her tears with her hoof as Fluttershy placed her's upon Applejack's. "That is wonderful, Sugarcube," she told her, hugging her again. "Well, I wonder how exactly this will work, with Discord being a draconequus and all..."

Fluttershy laughed rather enthusiastically. "Discord told me he rearranged his DNA to match my pegasus DNA, so we will have a child who'll be a pegasus and take up after the both of us ability-wise. A kind, chaos controlling pegasus who's good with animals... I'll name her Discordia."

"How do you know it'll be a girl?"

"Discord told me that my imagination would determine the basic look and gender of our Discordia, so I made her a girl." Fluttershy smiled. "Confusing, isn't it? That's kinda my honey's specialty."

Applejack looked to Fluttershy, then again to the sky. "We've come such a long way, haven't we?"

Fluttershy nodded, and finally managed to notice Applejack's returning demeanor of solemnity. "Applejack? Are you okay?"

Applejack also noticed her solemnity, and forced herself to smile brightly for the sake of her friend. "Why yes, Sugarcube!" she replied. "It's nothing... I was just thinking that everypony is occupied with work and family and so many things.... and I'm just layin' 'round watchin' the clouds stroll on pass... bucking the apples outta trees and makin' use of our new machines and what not..."

"Well, I always thought that you enjoyed your extra time alone..." Fluttershy replied. "You've been working so hard since you were little, and you worked yourself so hard after Granny Smith passed away and even with the following couple years as Big McIntosh grew into his role as the head of the Apple Family Farm! You seemed so eager to take a rest, I thought you'd enjoy your time alone and off."

"Y-yeah," Applejack replied rather nervously. "But Flutters... I was thinkin'... Can't we all meet up again, just like the old days?"

Fluttershy looked quite surprised. She felt the sudden wind blow, and the birds and butterflies flew off to their wind-proof homes in the backyard. "Well, you know I'm up for that as much as the next pony.... but everypony's so busy you know?"

"Listen Flutters, we can assume all we want, and we've been doing that for years now... but I have to be sure this time. If you won't do it, then I'll send letters to all of 'em for ya. I'm sure they'll trust and understand my reasons... We all are friends after all. Ain't we?"

Fluttershy gasped, and smiled as she began to tear up as well. She remembered the times over a decade ago, and she laughed. "I'll send too, to everypony," she and Applejack hugged again, and sat looking around at the nature around them and talking, reminiscing about the days before. The days before Twilight's battle with Tirek. Laughing and enjoying the build up to reliving yet another six way hoofbump and a meeting of the Mane Six.

---

After going back home and easing her way into bed early, of course after emailing her friends, Applejack took another half a pound of painkillers and downed it with a mug of fresh cider she had made earlier and had been saving for the night. She got monstrously exhausted after taking just a single painkiller, and the cider only complemented that. After all, she did take a half of a pound of painkillers and would be in for a seventeen hour sleep, if she was not disturbed by any outside forces.

She lay in her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. She heard Applebloom laughing in the next room, and her sister's happiness of whatever was soothing to her. Looking into a mirror, she found that it was truly her with the most bags under her eyes, and soon Applejack found herself in a deep sleep. This sleep was different, no longer the usual paranoid schizophrenic hallucinating madness she usually dealt with, but now a clear conscience. Thank Faust for painkillers.

---

In Twilight's castle, the entirety of the Mane Six had met up with one another after so long of being apart. A week had passed since the letters were sent, and the ponies were more than happy to come back together and see some old faces. Applejack took a good look at all of her friends and wiped her eyes to make sure she was not still dreaming, and she also began crying softly.

"Whoa, Applejack!" Rainbow exclaimed with a laugh, giving the earth pony a slight noggie. The earth pony was still high as Everest from the painkillers, as she took so many in the day and so many at night every single day, so she did not even as much as feel Rainbow's hoof on her head. "So, in the time we were separated, did you go all soft?"

"Oh you," Applejack replied rather nervously, with an even weary giggle. "It's just that it feels so nostalgic... y'know? We're all in the throne room, just like back in the day."

"It's only been a decade! It feels like it was just yesterday really," Twilight replied with a reassuring smile and giggle. "You're acting like it was a million years ago!"

Rarity scoffed playfully. "Easy for you to say. You're an Alicorn, darling! You'll be in the same league as Celestia and Luna soon!"

"Whoa! Rarity! You got pregnant? Or just got fat?!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. "You too, Fluttershy?"

"Yes, Discord and I are having a baby," Fluttershy replied gently, "but I guess with all of the watching nature I've done, I have gained a bit of weight."

The Mane Six clopped their hooves and congratulated Fluttershy on the news.

"What about you, Rarity?" Pinkie began, jumping to Rarity and smiling as wide as the sky. "Who's your baby-daddy?"

And Rarity, "I'll only tell you this because you all are such close friends of mine... I can't really say who the father is... I don't know."

The others gasped in surprise and deep disappointment. This seemed quite out of character for Rarity, and her sudden telling of them of what she did know scared them nearly out of their coats. Twilight was the first to speak, "Rarity, you weren't... sleeping around,...uhm... were you?"

And Rarity, "Oh Celestia, no! I would think my very best friends have much more faith in me! I have only made a mistake, once, and only once. I'm keeping it and naming it Clarity. I'll make sure that my little Clarity has the best life a mother can give! I may have made a mistake, but by no means will it get rid of my generosity."

Then Rainbow spoke up as well, "Well, I guess everypony has a kid, well... I got Scootaloo, and that young mare is showing some serious promise. She's nearly as good as I was when I was her age! I'm really impressed with her!"

"She learned from the best!" Pinkie shouted, laughing loudly. "Just like my little girl, Pizza A. Pie! Just a couple months ago she planned and prepared her own sixth birthday, and it knocked me and Cheesie off of our hooves! I'm so proud of our lil' Pizza Pie!"

"That's right, you and Cheese Sandwich do have a little filly together..." Twilight said, looking down, then at all of her friends once again. She instantly saw what once was and what they were now. She too began to tear up. "I can't believe that I have missed so much because of how busy I've been. It's that empty feeling that time leaves when you realized how much it's passed... I guess I have spent so much time being a Princess when I forgot what made me a Princess in the first place. My knowledge of friendship, my friendship with you five is what got me here... and I've completely forgotten about you guys... I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Twilight, really," Fluttershy said, "we understand how busy you are and how much being a princess can take out of you. But we all are in the same position too: with my Discordia on the way, Rarity's business, your kingdom, Rainbow Dash taking care of Scootaloo, Pinkie's family business, and Applejack taking joy in her well-deserved leisure time, we barely have time to meet with one another anymore. I mean, Applejack and I do have alot of times together now since we live so close, but that's pretty much it. You do have your kingdom, and as long as we're part of it, we're still together, looking out for one another, right?"

"Fluttershy is right, but really, I just wanted to catch up with everypony," Applejack added. "I've been doin' some deep thinkin', and I wanted to make sure y'all know I love ya. Really... all the times we had together, I cherish 'em, and they are times I'll hold dear to me for as long as I live."

Everypony d'awwed, and soon, they all had come in for a hug. After that, the ponies began to talk about the details of their lives and everyday adventures of independent mares from the Mane Six: Rarity finding a jewel mine and an underground cave of glistening silk worms on stalagmites; Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich throwing a party that actually managed to surprise Maud and nearly get her to smile; Scootaloo nearly achieving the Sonic Rainboom, just nearly; Angel trying to be as quick, nimble, and sassy as he used to, much to Fluttershy's amusement; Spike running a fair with Discord for the foals of Equinopolis, though quite small, still managing to benefit from some business; Twilight's new chocolate craving.

All of these stories, and all Applejack could do was listen.

...Then, it suddenly hit her.

"What about you, Applejack?" Twilight asked her earth pony friend. "Surely, you've done some exciting things as well?"

The question hit her like a bullet, and hurt like a thorn in her side. Applejack knew she could not lie about her recent attempts of suicide for long, as the guilt ate away at her ferociously. "Well, I've been swimming a lot lately, deep in thought."

"She's right!" Fluttershy exclaimed clopping her hooves together and giggling. "I came across her doing some of the most beautiful swimming I have ever seen! You must have been practicing a bunch over the years."

Applejack nervously agreed. "Yeah... I guess I have been swimming a lot lately."

"You know what they say, you can only make a plant grow with water, sun, and soot," Twilight said, "Applejack has stayed true to herself, don't you guys think?"

"Yeah, you're so lucky to have so much free time," Rainbow began, "I guess you really did make a great use of talents early so you can have more time in the future, right?"

Applejack sighed deeply, and a spike of pain throbbed into her body and forced her to wince and groan. "Th-that's enough about me, really! You guys just keep talkin', and I'll listen..."

"But Applejack, you brought us together, so you must have wanted to share stories too..." Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Aww shucks no... I have nothing interesting to tell," Applejack replied. "Big McIntosh is running the family now, and we've modernized quite a bit, and I don't have nothing else like a upcoming baby or anything... I'm just here to catch up what's been happening with you all."

There was a moment of silence for a time, until Rainbow broke the silence. "So, this is what your life is like without us?"

A roomwide gasp filled the air, and all attention turned to Rainbow, who reeled back quite scardily. "I was just saying, it seems that only when we're around we can spice up Applejack's life... But, she's done so much daring stuff in the past, I'd assume she had... I don't know,... flown a dragon and fought off a black knight bat pony or something!"

Applejack blushed, as she had in fact done that before.

"But you're implying her life is boring without us," Twilight said, looking at Rainbow intensely, and could tell the hawk eyes were making the cyan pegasus quite uncomfortable.

"She's kinda right," Applejack said solemnly, "and y'all know I don't lie... Ever since I met you guys, I've been a fairly adventurous mare, and when you guys aren't around, I'm just workin'.... Farm, friends, family.... it don't change, and it won't. I'm only feelin' alive when my friends are too."

"But that's how we all are, Applejack," Fluttershy said in a cheerful tone, "I spend my time around animals all the time, and my quick excitement comes from the time I spend with you guys."

And Rarity, "Me too."

And Pinkie, "You betcha! What's a party without my real friends with me?"

And Twilight, "I bet you don't think I actually do get bored of reading and crave some wild adventure every now and then, do you?"

Rainbow sighed, and smiled quite triumphantly. "Well, I guess I do my best flying when my friends are watching... heh..."

"Oh, grow up, Rainbow," Twilight sighed with a smile.

"I was just kidding!" Rainbow shouted while she blushed.

Applejack began crying again, and she brung all of her friends together for a hug. They all soon shed tears of joy and sweet nostalgia as well.

to be continued...

Comments

[boombox89]

What is this a crossover with?

[Julia]

5304212 oh, sorry for adding that, i must have clicked it on accident

[boombox89]

Oh, ok!

[Grammar Nazi15]

Holy fuckmuffins this is amazing.

[Aatxe360]

I like the idea.

The formatting is terrible. Break up some of those paragraphs in the beginning. Break up some of the paragraphs in the middle.

Then the story becomes circular in some portions. Applejack knowing about Rarity but never trying to get her to socialize with the other girls. Even with the exposition, it seems really odd that in a smallish town they lost track of each other that much. Or maybe it isn't. I'm conflicted on that note.

I will still continue to read and give constructive criticism as I continue.

[Manaphy]

It's good, but it could be better. First, one thing that stood out to me was the length of some of the paragraphs. While long paragraphs aren't a bad thing, I noticed that some of them could benefit from being split into two paragraphs instead of being condensed into one. Aside from that, I didn't notice anything from the writing style that needed to be changed.

However, I feel like the story is a little too heavy on the exposition. Perhaps getting some more character interaction into the story would help, because while exposition can be useful in setting up the story, too much of it can be overwhelming. Anyway, I do like the idea you have here, and with some cleaning up, I think that you might have something here. I wish you the best of luck in your future writings.

[Sir Hat]

Here...take this before I start.

Formatting, formatting, formatting. Extremely long paragraphs ran through this entire chapter with minimal conflict or change. All I got was constant dumps of info on what had happened. I feel like you could really run with the premise, but it's bogged down immediately by the long info dumps and lack of immediate conflict.

We have AJ planning to kill herself, but that solves itself at the start. It's looming, but the immediate issue is solved almost instantly. From there it's just a massive "THIS HAPPENED, THEN THIS HAPPENED, THEN THIS HAPPENED" for the rest of the chapter.

Things pick up slightly towards the end where they start pushing AJ to talk more, but before that it's all just pfffffffffff exposition.

I do really like the generational jump idea, but it got bogged down in the telling. You could have simply shown Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo talking or hanging out and made slight mention to her busted up wing. You could have just mentioned the baby and showed how little Flutter had changed by staying in solid character. There's too much info that could be whittled down to "There's RD in the clouds with Scootaloo, her wing _____"

From there it can either hint at what happened or drop something like "The pair insuperable since RD's accident."

TOO MUCH TELL TOO MUCH INFO DUMP BAD TO THE EYE (constant long paragraphs that get lost in one another)

Also, late note: I have no idea where you're heading with the story.

I get that AJ is suicidal, but I have absolutely zero direction. Is she gonna actually do it? Is she gonna fix it? For either move, how? Right now you just kinda of dropped all this info and left the characters standing around talking and crying without any direction to fix or change things.