Only Got 100 Years To Live

by Madd the Sane

Applejack

Applejack lived far longer than Twilight thought she would. At her 125th birthday, she was invited to Sweet Apple Acres to visit with her old friend. She was greeted at the door by an orange pony with a red mane and a cowboy hat. Probably one of her grandchildren, Twilight thought. After introducing herself, she was led inside to an old orange pony with a blond mane dozing fitfully in her sleep. She had wrinkles all over her face with a bonnet on her head. Just like Granny Smith. It was a sight that made Twilight Sparkle's heart ache. She couldn't imagine what being confined to a rocking chair had meant for her active friend. The red-maned mare gently prodded the old pony, causing her to stir awake.

After taking some time to take in her surroundings she looked at her old friend, smiling warmly. "Hi there sugarcube," she creaked out. "Long time since you came to visit."

Twilight tried to return her smile but couldn't keep her sadness out of it. "Yes, it has been a long time Applejack."

Applejack chuckled, shaking her head. "Now why the sad face? Ah've lived a long, full life, have raised my kids properly and they've raised their kids and so on, had many great friends who stood by me, had a husband that was kind and treated me with respect. Now enough about me, how're you doing? Still teaching young unicorns magic?" Twilight nodded her head. "Still as youthful as ever, Ah see." Twilight rolled her eyes, causing Applejack to chuckle. "Still no family, Ah reckon." This got a flat look from her friend. "Now don't be givin' me that look, missy. Some of my happier moments have been with mah family. Ah sure will miss them when I go."

"Applejack!" Twilight gasped. "Don't say such things! You have many years-"

Applejack chuckled. "In case yew haven't noticed, Ah'm gettin' long in mah years. I have to think ahead, and that means when Ah'm gone." Twilight teared up, shaking her head. "Ah don't like it neither, but that's the way it is. But Ah'm not sad. My grandkids will look after the farm when Ah'm gone. And they got each other to lean on.

"But Ah'm more worried about yew," Applejack stated leaning forward in her chair. Twilight looked astonished at the statement. "Who're yew goin' to lean on when Ah'm gone?" Twilight shut her eyes, fighting back the tears that were forming there. After a few seconds, she felt forelegs encircling her neck and opened her eyes, only to see a pair of green eyes that had tears in them. She's just worried about me, was the last coherent thought that went through her mind before she hugged Applejack back and opened the floodgates.

---

The party lasted way into the night, with stories being told. Although Applejack told most of the stories, Twilight did manage to eke out a few of her own to the little ones, but she didn't captivate her audience quite as well as her friend. As she watched how everyone held onto her friend's every word, she started to feel sad. She looked at most of the ponies in the room and could see Applejack in most of them. All of her descendants, Twilight realized.

It was at that point she felt a pit in her stomach: everyone here would support her friend, but who did she have? What family could she play with, tell stores and teach lessons? She now knew what Rainbow Dash had talked about when she said she ached. Bowing her head, she left the farm with a heavy heart, unable to even look at her old friend. Her friend who had the gift of a family.

---

It was around two years later that she got a surprise visit from an orange, red-maned guest that wore a familiar cowboy hat arriving at her home.

"Well howdy there," she was greeted when she opened the door.

"Hello, may I help you?" Twilight asked.

"Mah great-grandma AJ wanted me to give yew this:" she said, offering a sealed envelope to the purple unicorn. Taking the letter into her magic, she quickly opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

To my best friend Twilight Sparkle:
If you are reading this, it means I have passed on-

Her magical grip on the letter faltered and it fell to the floor. Her forelegs following soon after. No! Her friend couldn't be dead! She just couldn't! She shakily got back up on her four hooves before looking at the messenger of woe. "Who… who are you?" she managed to choke out through gritted teeth.

The orange mare took a step back, perplexed by the cold demeanor. "A-Apple Blossom, ma'am," was the curt reply.

Twilight glared at the mare's flank, noticing an apple cutie mark. Glancing back at her face, she all but yelled "What sort of prank is this?"

"P-prank? If there's a prank, it's Grandma Applejack's. That there letter has been sittin' on her dresser fer as long as Ah can remember," Apple Blossom said, taking another step back.

"No! Applejack can't be dead! She just can't…" Twilight slid back onto the floor and started sobbing.

Apple Blossom, at a loss of what to do, walked into the house and put a comforting hoof on Twilight's back. At first Twilight didn't react, but then she leaped up and hugged the apple farmer, surprising her. She cried for about fifteen minutes before she could find her voice. "Ho-how did sh-she… how did she d-d-die?"

After a second of hesitation, Apple Blossom smiled weakly and picked up the letter and offered it back to Twilight. "Why don't ya read the whole letter?"

After a gloomy glance to the other pony, she grabbed the letter again with her magic and continued to read it.

To my best friend Twilight Sparkle:
If you are reading this, it means I have passed on. Do not worry. It means I've gone to a better place. I want you to know that it was your letters that I have received have made me remember and long for the times with our friends. They also make me worry about you. You seem to be burying yourself with teaching and not even interacting with anypony else. Have you even spoken to Celestia recently?
I'm not telling you this to make you angry. I want what's best for you, and what's best for you is meeting new ponies. I feel that you have left socializing in the dust for other things, things that aren't as rewarding when all is said and done.
If you need anypony to lean on, don't hesitate to visit Sweet Apple Acres. My family is your family, and I'll have nopony turn you away. It would put me at ease if you took comfort in my family. I don't want you to just bottle it up or lean on ponies you don't know or trust and I know you can trust the Apple Family.

Your friend,

Applejack

Twilight folded the letter back up and turned back to Apple Blossom. "How did she die?" she asked, her voice hollow.

"Grandma Applejack passed away in her sleep. Funny thing, though: the night she passed away, I swear I could hear her talkin' to somepony. Ah did hear your name brought up many times, too," Apple Blossom noted.

Twilight just nodded her head as she got up. "Well, time to say goodbye to my last friend," Twilight stated as cheerfully as she could. Already she knew it would be torture to see her old friend's body, but she needed to do this.

Comments

[negima twilight]

all i can say is damn you you nearly made me cry again. but good fic and chapter keep up the work and have a cupcake

[mrhappyface]

Ah well, at least Apple Jack sucked. Now the only one left is Ywilight...Or is it?

*Cough Celestia Cough*

[Meta Knight]

wear is spike?

[Madd the Sane]

237419 I really don't know. I just… didn't think of him. Maybe he's off being a dragon?

[Meta Knight]

237654well she still has him so not all her friends are dead

[Cursed Ship]

Interesting story so far. A little slow in places, perhaps, but it does feel like it's leading up to something...

Of course, that means that the next bit is going to be critical. Your readers are expecting it to be awsome!

[Raindrop Glitz]

Damn you to Hades! You made me feel so many sad feels Also AJ is mah' favourite pony and I don't ever cry since then. You Sir or Ma'am have earned a applecry!

[tokyooranges]

Damn you, I was not prepared for these feels

[Magical Trevor]

... I was wondering about Spike, tbh, but at this point he's Prolly taking a nice, long nap... ; ;

[Aurora Dimmet]

1503763

Seems the most likely. Spike's probably off in his first Long Sleep, reaching his final maturity into a full-fledged adult dragon. Think that lasts about a century?

[Phoenix Nebula]

...Natural Causes...