My little Short Stories

by Paradise Oasis

The Lifetimes They Have Led

The Lifetimes They Have Led

This account came to me from Petal, a colleague of mine who runs the Applejack historical Museum in Fort Rainbow Dash; it comes originally from her now-deceased mother, a hard working mare named Floral, and is a very thought-provoking piece of material.

Tornado Firehooves, Dream Castle historian

Fort Rainbow Dash, 50 years ago...

Applejack... there is no pony in the world I know better. Coming from a farming family, I was taught to have a deep respect for the patron pony of all agriculture, and when I got into school I could see no other pony I could admire more. Oh, let the bookworms worship Twilight Sparkle, and the fashion ponies idolize Rarity. But for this yellow earth filly with a read mane, the practical mare with her folksy wisdom was the ideal to strive for.

And so, When I found my special talent took me into the history of Agriculture, I devoured everything in the libraries and historical archives about this harmony bearer, who seemed to get the least love out of the six. I wrote my thesis paper on the Apple family's contributions to agricultural innovation in old Equestria through the introduction of zap apples, an eventually worked my way into the leading historical institution regarding the farm mare.

During all my years of working at the Applejack and Apple family historical museum, I've seen all types come through here. Tourist families from Bright Valley, with three screaming foals and the dad with six cameras hanging around his neck and wearing a Hawaiian shirt. School groups, who seemed more interested in causing trouble than actually listening to my speeches on my tours. But perhaps the oddest tourist I've ever dealt with, came in only two weeks ago...

It was a day like any other. I was seated at the receptionist’s desk, going over my notes for a lecture on how Applebloom earned her cutie mark that I was giving to the 'Daughters of the Harmony Bearers' society tomorrow, when I suddenly heard a loud crash coming from the atrium. Galloping out to see what had occurred, I found that a clumsy, shabby looking mare had pulled an apple out of the bottom of a bushel display we had standing at the entrance.

"Ooops, my bad." Seeing me, the mare took a step forward, only to trip on the apples rolling everywhere, and stumble to the floor. "Whooaaaah!" The mare went down with a loud SPLAT, leaving a mashed apple mess everywhere.

"Applesauce, anyone?" The collapsed mare asked in a nasally voice, as I trotted up to her in annoyance.

"What happened?" I asked her with a sigh, as I set the basket upright, and start stacking the apples back inside with my mouth.

"I-I just wanted that big shiny apple on the bottom." The mare sighed in dismay, helping me stack the apples back in the bin. "I didn't think they'd all fall out like that."

"The sign says free take one, not free take the biggest one that will bring the whole bushel down." I snorted, as the mare greedily licked her lips, and downed the shiny apple she had been eyeing. Looking this mare over, I was not surprised by her appearance. An orange coat with a blonde mane, big blue tailbow, and a five apple cutie mark. Clearly, a mare from a Harmony bearer clan- we get a lot of them though here. Being Ponyland's foremost expert on Applejack, the Apple family even invited me to be a guest at their family reunion. I don't recall seeing this rube hayseed there, however.

"Have you come here to look around the museum?" I ask the country rube with the annoying voice. "My name's Floral, and I'd be happy to give you a tour!"

"Thanks! I'd just love ta learn about a family member!" The mare tells me in a bucklin accent- clearly, a farm migrant worker from the east, with very little education. Putting on a smile, I go to lead her through our various exhibits.

"Coming from the leading agricultural family in Ponyville, Applejack was the harmony bearer whose no-nonsense attitude and practical know-how made her the voice of wisdom amongst the other harmony fillies..."

We trot though the galleries, and the mare listens to my lecture intently. I could swear I saw a twinge of sadness pass over her face as I discuss Applejack's siblings and Granny Smith, but it quickly changed to a smile when I talked about the Apple farm and it's accomplishments.

"What about the Apple family, are they still around? Do they still exist?" The mare asked me, stumbling over a fence in our Apple family barn recreation, then quickly pulling herself back up. "I mean, I really don't keep up much with that side of the family."

"Why, yes! Applebloom and Big Macintosh's descendants still meet in Canterlot Valley every hundred moons." I told her. "There were descendants of Applejack herself on record, but I believe that line died out a century ago."

"Wait a sec, there were descendants of AJ herself?" The mare asked, giving me a look of utter disbelief.

"Indeed there were." I trotted into the portrait hallway, the rustic eastern mare in tow. "Take this mare, Applejack the second- better known as Applejewel." I pointed to the painting of an orange mare, her blonde mane up in a bun, and a golden choker around her neck. "She moved to Manehatten a century after the original Applejack's death, and was the darling of the city's earth pony elite. She was even courted by Pressed Pants, the millionaire great grandson of Fancy Pants, until she dropped the snob because of his arrogance."

"He probably had bad breath, too." The mare chuckled, and I just rolled my eyes at her ignorance.

"And this here is Applejack the third." I pointed to the picture of a mare in a saloon girl's dress, with fishnet stockings on her hooves. "She lived two centuries later, in the lawless western town of Dodge Junction. She helped the sheriff fight the frontier's ornery lawbreakers by gathering information." I gave a chuckle. "Sometimes, she'd use her looks to get information in ways that would have been considered immoral."

"Ewww, how gross for her!" She stuck her tongue out, and again I was annoyed. Did this stupid clumsy pony have any idea what it was to sacrifice one's own happiness for the greater good?

Finally, I turned my attention towards a red mare with an apple and tablecloth cutie mark. "And this was Applejack the fifth, a mare from the Ponyville theme park. She took the apple's her cousin Apple Spice grew, and sliced them up into picnic lunches for the other ponies of Ponyville. She was a silly and playful goofball like all of the other theme park ponies." I looked back at the orange mare. "Rumor has it her red coat was a dye job."

The mare looked at all of the portraits in the hallway, cocking her head to the side. "Ya know, as much as these mares all look alike, somebody might think they were all one mare, all pretending to be different ponies over the years."

"That's... and unusual idea." I humored her, trying not to laugh. "And why would she take on all of these identities of her own descendants?"

"Well, maybe she wanted to learn what it was like to be other ponies, like her." She pointed down to the portrait of Applejack the fourth- the famous, super-feminine dressmaker of Fillydelphia. "Maybe she wanted to explore the road not taken?"

"Riiiiight." I look to the portraits, and look back at the mare. Suddenly, I heard Fort Dash's clock tower outside chiming the hour. "Listen, it's been wonderful giving you a tour of our museum, but it's time for us to close now."

"Hey, thanks fer showin me around." She replied, nearly stumbling down the stairs. "Over the long life I've lead, I often forget what the name Applejack means, and sometimes I have ta come back here ta be reminded."

"Come back here?" I thought to myself. I had been working here for six years, and I had never seen her before. She would have had to come to the museum as a filly to be here before me. And the long life she's lead? She barely looked more than twenty. Clearly, this mixed up mare way either really crazy or really dumb.

"Say, I know a little bit about the ponies called Applejack." The mare offered. "If you were ever need any info-"

"With all do respect, kid, I have been studying the element of honesty's life for half of my life." I told her, as I shooed the young mare out the door. "Even if you are from her family, what could you possibly tell me?"

Though the glass, I see the earth pony stare at me for a moment, shake her mane, and trot on down the sidewalk.

Locking the door, I trotted back into the museum, and looked up and the grand portrait of Applejack. The mare I so admired- oh how I wished I had had a chance to meet her- not only to ask her questions, but to just thank her for being such an inspiration in my life. But alas, the greatest of the Harmony Bearers is a part of the past. And I must be content to read about her, and look at the relics of the past only. If only I could have met her face to face...

Comments

[La Vallett1]

And she unknowingly did.

[mbpony 512]

DANG....

That was....I mean, it was....just wow.

Now I wonder if AJ does meet up with her descendants whenever she can...

I mean she's almost like Hasbro's version of Barbie if this is how you imagine her.

I mean just WOW....

[Paradise Oasis]

2837373

MBPony, her only descendants are her two kids in the present. The point of that story was all of those 'descendants' down though the ages were all actually AJ herself jumping from one identidy to the next, living several diffrent lifetimes.

[mbpony 512]

2837384

What I meant was the descendants of her siblings Apple bloom and Big Mac, what I wanted to learn is whether or not AJ tried to contact them as they're her kin in a way ?

Maybe, it's an Apple family secret that only a few know of AJ's long history.

[RavynKarasu]

LOL fail trombone on Floral