AppleDash Group Collab

by DbzOrDie

Tree - BronyNeumo

It was an old tree. Of course, it always had been. For as long as anypony could remember, the tree had stood watch, guarding over Sweet Apple Acres from its perch atop the tallest hill, where it commanded a view of the orchard for miles around.

The tree might as well have gone back to before the day the farm was founded - it was certainly strong enough and sturdy enough. After all, the tree had seen the day the plows had first tilled the black earth of innumerable adjacent fields, and a family began their struggle to squeeze their livelihood from the cruel ground.

The tree had seen floods, droughts, and harvest seasons both boons and busts.

The tree had seen the arrival of three siblings, a new generation of the family.

The tree had seen the departure, so sudden and undeserved, of the generation previous.

The tree had seen the weight of a farm thrust onto the backs of two young ponies, barely out of school.

The tree had seen their struggle, their sacrifice, and their success.

The tree had heard the chime of wedding bells, ringing out to an orchard ceremony that bound Earth with Sky forever.

The tree had seen countless Apple Family Reunions before, and countless more after.

The tree had seen a couple spend their years together. Sometimes they fought, sometimes they kissed beneath its branches, but always they loved.

The tree had seen one half of the whole, Earth, the day she was carried up the hill one last time; her name carved out of the sky and transfixed in a stone beneath unwavering branches.

And the tree had seen the day, only a few years later, when Sky had finally returned to the ground.

~~~~*~~~*~~*~*~~*~~~*~~~~

Slowly, wearily, Apple Bloom ascended the sloping face of the hill. An old, strong, resolute apple tree towered over her, it's uppermost leaves just barely tickling the late autumn sky.

She came to a halt at the hill's crest and bowed her head before the roots of the tree. A wry grin crossed her lips. "Ya know, you two. Ah'm gettin' a bit too old fer this. My bones ain't gonna make this climb many more times."

She shook her head, receiving no response from the pair. "The farm's been fine. Got Big Mac's eldest daughter runnin' th' place now, and Ah can't remember seein' a better harvest than what we got this year."

Brittle bones creaking, she brought a hoof to wipe her eye before reaching even further upward to remove an old, gnarled cowpony's hat form atop her faded pink mane. She brought the Stetson down and held it against her chest. "Ah remember how much ya always loved Applebuck season, Big Sis'. It sure don't feel the same without ya."

She turned to the second stone, and a bit of her smile returned. "Ain't been much the same without you either, Rainbow. Ah'll be sure ta tell Scoots ya said hi. She's comin' ta visit from Manehattan next week. Maybe she'll want ta come see ya, too. Ah bet she'll tell ya all about her big Wonderbolt career."

A breeze picked up, rustling the elder pony's mane. She turned to look out over her orchard. "Well, looks like the sun's goin' down now, so Ah'll leave ya both in peace. Ah know how much ya loved watchin' the sun set from this hill together." She set the hat firmly back atop her head and winked, grinning. "And don't worry, Ah won't tell a soul."

She left the couple to enjoy yet another of infinite sunsets together.

And the tree stood watch over them, and will do so for longer than anypony will remember.

Comments

[Themaskedferret]

I wish I wasn't so tired so UI could leave a comment deserving of the beauty of this piece.

Hopefully the thought still counts.

[Tchernobog]

Definitely one of my favorites of the bunch. Though it needs a small spelling correction:

"An old, strong, resolute apple tee". Tee? XD

[JetstreamGW]

2505835 yes. Obviously. It's a shirt. What'd you think it was, some dumb old plant?

[BronyNeumo]

2505835

I actually noticed that one after the fact and edited the comment containing my story.

However, Dbz copy/pasted it before I caught that mistake.

It should also read "and transfixed in stone" rather than "and transfixed in a stone", but that's just me being nit-picky.

[One Trick Pony]

This is just... so beautiful it could be that I get emotional too quickly but this brought me to a weird mix between happiness and sadness, beautiful!

[Fury of the Tempest]

Very poetic... a kind of, happy sadness.

[Brandon Sky]

...Fluttershy must be jealous, they get to be a tree.

On another note, d'aww.

[survivor]

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