//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5 
// Story: Their Last Christmas Together 
// by Creativa-Artly01 
//------------------------------//

It's Christmas time, several years later, when Apple Bloom walks in and sees Applejack and Big Mack decorating the tree. "I've been looking through the family Christmas photo album, sis, and I saw a picture of us, all of us, you, me, brother, mom, dad, granny, enjoying Christmas together. Please tell me about it." 

"That picture was from the last Christmas we had together before mom and dad died," responds AJ with a frown appearing on her face, "you were just a little bitty filly then." 

"So, we all did share a Christmas together once?" responds Apple Bloom.

"Yes, but not one you'd remember," responds Applejack. "You and Babs both wouldn't remember. You were both newborns at the time." 

"Can you tell me more?" asks Apple Bloom. 

"Sure," nods AJ as she climbs down the ladder, grabs Apple Bloom, pulls Big Mack over by the ear, and sits everypony down on the couch. "It was Christmas several years ago. Mom and dad had just had you and we were all celebrating Christmas together, every Apple and two pears. Your aunt Candied Pear was there as well. We all had a blast together that Christmas from decorating the tree and singing songs. You and Babs had a blast just playing in the empty boxes." Applejack just giggles. She then hands an ornament to Apple Bloom. "This was the ornament from your first Christmas."

"Wow, it's so beautiful Applejack," responds Apple Bloom, "I just wish I could remember Maw and Paw." 

"I know, sugar cube," responds Applejack. She embraces her little sister in a hug then continues the story. A few hours later, the story comes to an end and Applejack helps Apple Bloom hang her ornament on the tree. She and Big Mack then finish hanging up the rest of the ornaments. Applejack then goes into the closet and pulls down an old box and opens it, pulls out a few things and blows the dust off of them and shows them to Apple Bloom. "This is Maw's old pressed buttercup flower necklace that dad gave her for Christmas," says Applejack as she puts it into Apple Bloom's hoof. She then pulls out another item from the box and blows the dust off of it. "And this is a gold-crested yoke that mom gave dad for Christmas." She places it down in front of Apple Bloom for her to look at. 

"Wow! These are cool!" says Apple Bloom as she looks at the items before handing them back to Applejack, who puts them back in the box and puts them back in the closet. She then looks at Apple Bloom who has begun to cry. She then goes over and embraces her sister in a hug as Apple Bloom mutters. "I just miss them so much," she cries, "I never even knew them. Not well at least." 

"Shhh," says Applejack. "They loved you. They loved all of us. That's what matters most. Their memories live on in us, in their stories, in these mementos, they live on in you." 

"Thanks, Applejack," says Apple Bloom in a sniffle. "At least,  I now know that they'd be proud of me. To me, that means the world."

The three siblings then turn around and look out the barn window and see snow falling. They then embrace each other in a hug as they wipe the tears from their eyes. "You can hear their voices in the snow if you listen carefully," whispers AJ to her siblings. She then hugs them close to her. "I'm so glad I get to share this Christmas with you and I'm also glad to know that no matter what, mom and dad live on in our memories and in us."