//------------------------------//
// The Highest Branch 
// Story: Appledashery Vol. Two 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	"Hey there, Applejack!"  Golden Harvest's voice rolled over the market stalls.

Applejack glanced over while pulling the wagon.  With a belated smile, she waved from a distance.

"'Morning, Applejack!"  Cup Cake's voice said from a window of Sugarcube Corner.  Applejack looked in time to see the mare smiling at her.  Carrot Cake also poked his head out and waved.

"Uhhhh... howdy!"

"Nice work at the farm you did this week!" Cup Cake said.

"Heh... mighty thanks."  Applejack brushed her bangs back and continued trotting.  "I do try."

"Oh!  Applejack!"  The Mayor whistled and called from a distance.  "Did you get the harvest in on time?"

Applejack had to reply over the heads of other wandering villagers.  "Oh!  You betcha!"

"Oh!  That's good news!  Good news indeed!  Well..."  The Mayor waved before returning to the City Hall building.  "Our love to Granny Smith and Big Macintosh!"

"Sure thang!"

"Oh!  And to Little Apple Bloom too!"

"Eheh... sure thang, Miss Mayor!"  Applejack turned to face the west edge of town.

A pink muzzle beamed upside down in her face.  "Hiya!"

"Whoa!"  Applejack reared her hooves, nearly colliding with the front of the cart.  By the time she was done flailing, a certain fluffy-maned mare was somehow standing upright before her.  "How did... where...?"

"I know that you're probaby super duper busy with all that sweaty gritty farmwork, but still, I just wanted to say..."  Pinkie Pie smiled pleasantly.  "If ever you just want to relax and sip some sudsy sarasparilla or a smoothe sundae... you can always stop by Sugarcube Corner and have a squat!"

"Why... thank ya kindly, Pinkie Pie."  Applejack cleared her throat.  "But I'm afraid my brother and I have our work cut out for us with the livestock this week."

"Well!"  Pinkie giggle-snorted.  "If you ever want to sip some sudsy sarasparilla while tending to the hogs, lemme know!  I'm pink!  I can reason with the piggies so you can get your refreshment time in!"

"Heheh... well alright..."

"Have fun on the farm!"  Pinkie Pie waved as Applejack trotted on.  "And if you need any help with anything, all you gotta do is whistle!  My Pinkie sense will do the rest!"

"I hear ya!  And it's mighty appreciated, Pinkie!"

"Anytime!"  And the bright mare bounce-bounce-bounced away.

Applejack sighed.  She stared down the country road with a soft smile.  As the pleasant voices of the townsfolk echoed in her ears... the smile remained firmer and firmer.





At last, Applejack's wagon wheels rattled to a stop.

She paused on the crest of a hill, standing in place.

Her smile remained, although it was a great deal softer and more contemplative now.

From a distance, she could see Big Macintosh fixing the fence to the farm's pig pen.  A frail green shape rocked in a chair on the house's front porch.  Cows grazed in the distance and the gentle clucks of hens could be heard in the foreground.

Applejack closed her eyes.  She waited until a warm wind blew over the landscape, carrying the scent of hay, sawdust, and grass.

When the teenager reopened her eyes, she had to dab them a bit.  Then—with renewed vigor—she tugged at the weight of the wagon and continued her stroll downhill.





Granny Smith hummed a gentle tune—nearly putting herself to sleep as she cradled Apple Bloom in her withered hooves.

The infant gazed bright-eyed at the porch, the sky, and finally at a mess of freckles moving her way.  She let loose a melodic gurgle.

"Hmmm...?  Whaa...?"  Granny Smith looked up, her eyelids lifting.  She smiled.  "Why... ain't you lookin' nice and bright?"

"Mmmmhmmm..."  Applejack trotted to a stop, sniffing.  "And ain't this place smellin' clean and crisp?"

"Heheheh..."  Granny Smith playfully patted Apple Bloom's diapered flank.  "Ain't unicorn science, AJ.  Besides, she's as regular as yer ol' pappy.  Ohhhhh..."  She winced slightly.  "You dun need to be hearin' that."

Applejack chuckled.  "It's alright, Granny."  Applejack reached forward.  "It's a good thing that you can say things like that."

Granny Smith gently passed Apple Bloom to the young mare.  "Mmmm... reckon so."  She sighed.  "Celestia helps us when she gets to trottin' age."

"S'all good."  Applejack leaned against a beam of the porch and hugged Apple Bloom to her fuzzy chest.  "I'll have knotted me plenty of lassos by then."  She booped Apple Bloom's nose, causing the infant to giggle.  "That's right!  Gonna hog-tie the dickens out of you!"  She blinked, raising an eyebrow.  "Land's sakes... not a freckle to be found!"

"Heh..."  Granny Smith leaned forward in her rocking chair.  "She's got a lot of Orange in her."

"Mmmm... I reckon."

Granny Smith exhaled.  She stared at the teenager.  "You... you do know how proud I am of you... right?"

Applejack stared through the floor.

"They was too.  Both of 'em," Granny quietly said.  "It's not pride that kept them from sayin' it—"

"I get it, Granny.  We Apples have always been doers and not sayers.  But they showed me.  They showed Big Mac and me proper."  Applejack looked up.  "And so have you."

Granny Smith nodded.  "Reckon we can't afford to pass up the whole 'sayin' part no more."

Applejack shook her head.  "I think we can handle the change."  She smiled.

Granny smiled back.

Apple Bloom's giggles broke up the moment.

Granny cleared her throat.  "Say... uhm... I hope ya dun mind..."  She reached behind her.  "But I did a bit of rummagin' about upstairs..."

"Oh no, Granny..."  Applejack sighed.  The teenager slumped back with Apple Bloom in her grasp.  "You didn't go snoopin' around in my room again, didja?"

"Oh hush."  Granny lifted a brown stetson.  "About this here..."

"Oh... uh..."  Applejack fidgeted.  "Filthy Rich.  He fixed it up all good and proper.  He gave it to me at the funeral."

"Well and good that he did."  Granny Smith plopped it over Applejack's head.  "I think it suits ya just fine, darlin'."

The hat covered the young mare's brow.  Blushing, the mare raised the brim with a quirky grin.  "Physics seem to tell a different tale, Granny."

"T'ain't what I meant.  Sure, it could stand some growin' into, but that's to be expected."

Applejack blinked.  "But... but Big Mac...?"

"We both know who it belongs to."  Granny Smith took a deep breath.  "Only once in a lifetime does the apple make its way back to the branches."

Applejack stared at her.  She rocked Apple Bloom gently as she breathed the scent still clinging to the hat.  "Would be a shame to let such fruit go sour."