On the halls of the School of friendship an orange farm pony headed to the Headmare’s office, she knocked at the door and let herself in “Twilight you in there?” asked Applejack “we need to talk ‘bout my classes,” Twilight was on her desk, eyes closed and headphones on her ears “Twilight?” she nudged her a bit with her hoof, making Twilight lose balance falling face first on her desk.
“What? Oh hi Applejack,” she looked around making sure they were the only ones in there “you surprised me, I wasn’t expecting anypony right now, I was listening to the song from our last session.” she put away the headphones and notes about the song “So how can I help you today?”
“It’s ‘bout my classes, Ah reckon Ah agreed taking Rainbow’s classes when she’s out with the Wonderbolts, but Ah wasn’t aware that dem classes included the history of the war with the griffins, Ah don’t think Ahm the right pony to teach dem students this stuff.” Applejack put the files and notes on the desk.
“But Applejack, with Rainbow gone in a tour with the Wonderbolts and Rarity with Spike on a fashion show in Manehattan, we barely have staff to cover the existing classes for the next week, besides there isn’t anypony better for this lesson, wasn’t your grandfather a Colonel during the last battle?” Twilight asked with pleading eyes.
Applejack let a loud sigh “For starters, how you know ‘bout my grandpappy? second you know Ah don’t like wars Twilight, they are awfully violent and nothin’ good comes from folk fighting each other… and third, Ah didn’t even know my grandpappy, he died on that last battle, long before Ah was born and Granny Smith always looks mighty sad when looking at his picture so Ah never wanted to ask her about him.” she said while rubbing her left foreleg with her right hoof.
“Oh Applejack, I didn’t know… the Chancellor has been pushing hard for lessons on History, Math, Science, etc. and he is right, just because our school focuses on friendship, it doesn’t mean we can let the students miss out on everything they can learn... listen,” Twilight stood and approached Applejack hugging her with a wing “I won’t force you to give that lesson, but if you could please reconsider it, I really need the help of one of the most reliable ponies in Equestria.”
“Aw shucks, Twilight” Applejack just covered her face with her hat “you know Ah do just what Ah need to do, fine lemme sleep on it and I’ll get back at ya on Monday.”
“Great, thanks Applejack and I promise I’ll accept your decision no matter what… Oh right, are you still coming tomorrow to the castle? The music box charged up and is ready to play again.”
“Sure thing Twilight! See ya tomorrow,” Applejack left, leaving Twilight to plan out in case she decides not to teach the lesson.
Just outside of Twilight’s office, Applejack was worried about the lesson, she didn’t want to let Twilight down but she wasn’t sure she would be the right pony for the job, her knowledge on the event was pretty basic: After losing the Idol of Boreas to Arimaspi, King Guto blamed the ponies and, in his desperation, attacked all pony settlements near the borders, it wasn’t a long war but many lives were lost on both sides, Applejack’s grandfather among them, she never knew him and she never dared to ask Granny Smith about him to avoid making her sad, or at least that’s what she said to herself, but the true reason was that she just disliked the mere idea of war, ponies fighting? There is no friendship in that! She didn’t care much about his grandfather either, the Colonel that abandoned Granny Smith while she was with child, to fight on a pointless battle that ultimately killed him.
~♥~♦~♣~♠~
The next day at Twilight's castle, most of the girls were chatting, waiting for Pinkie to arrive with the snacks when Fluttershy said “I really liked the song last week, even if the message wasn’t that good to begin with.”
“Yeah, not really my cup of tea, I rather listen to Wild Stallions or Spears N’ Daisies,” Starlight responded “what about you Twilight? What genre you like?”
“I really like classical, it helps studying… and maybe a little bit of pop” She answered, but if Spike were there he would laugh at Twilight's response, he knew about all the vinyls, posters and other boy band paraphernalia she had hidden from the world on her room, she even had several body pillows of her favorite singers “how about you Applejack?”
“Well Ahm sorry to sound like a stereotypical farm pony, but Ah reckon country music is my favorite, what about you, sugarcube?” she directed her question to Fluttershy.
“Oh, I don’t really have a favorite genre, I like listening to a lot of things, including my birds singing.”
“OOoooh I like all kinds of music too, music is REALLY important in parties!” Pinkie said out of nowhere scaring Fluttershy who gasped and fell on her back.
“Oh Pinkie, you startled me” Fluttershy said while being helped by Pinkie.
“You need to stop doing that, sugarcube, you will scare the cutiemark out of me one of these days”
“Doing what?” Pinkie asked while putting the most innocent face she could.
Applejack sighed “Nevermind, so what didya bring today?”
“I brought muffins, hayburgers, hayfries, cider and a huge cake…” Pinkie proudly showed the booty.
“So that’s yours, what about the rest of us?” Starlight said with a smug on her face that would make Rainbow Dash proud.
“Ooooh good one, Shy-Shy remind me I need to get Starlight for this later,” Pinkie responded with a smug on her own.
“Ok, enough of it you two, now that we are all here let us begin,” Twilight approached the Music Box but stopped just before pressing the button “hey why don’t we take turns on turning the music box on?” everypony agreed and were discussing who will be the one to turn it on this time, it was decided that since Twilight and Pinkie already pressed the button once, they won’t count until everypony else had a turn, finally it was decided that Applejack would be the one to press the button today.
“Are you sure about this Twilight? Ah reckon Ah don’t want to break this thingy”
“It’s ok Applejack, you just need to press the button and let the music box do the rest" Twilight assured her, Applejack just shrugged and pressed the button, a soft piano started playing.
“This sounds beautiful,” said Fluttershy “is that a river that sounds?”
"Seems that way, this will probably be something about the nature... so they have seasons like our planet, or at least winter” Twilight kept writing on her notepad all the details she found on the song.
“It sounds like they are telling a story,” Fluttershy mentioned enjoying the tune.
“Yeah now the question is: is it a real story or just fictitious one?” replied Starlight.
“There is no way to know unless we had any information on their history, for the time being we can only speculate that this was real unless they say anything way over the top” Twilight suggested.
“Oh boy, a warrior bitter cry? this ain’t a story about birds and rainbows, ain’t it?” Applejack let out a loud sigh, “is that gadget tauntin’ me? Is it because I don’t want to give that lesson on the battle of The Hot Gates?”
“I’m sure is just a coincidence Applejack, besides is not like they are talking about the battle itself, I think they are just commenting on the before and after the battle” Starlight replied trying to calm Applejack “why don’t we just keep listening, I’m liking this tune.” Applejack nodded and paid attention to the lyrics.
“I see, so I believe this song is describing the sensations of warriors before and after the battle, I remember once my BBBFF used to describe a similar feeling on his tours.”
“Oh they have eagles I love eagles, so powerful so regal, one of the best built birds of prey,” Fluttershy commented on the song “but I don’t understand, earth bleeding? And if it was blood, why it was dark and cold? Shouldn’t blood be warm?”
“That’s probably figurative speaking, unless on their planet the earth actually bleeds,” Starlight replied to her friend giggling at the idea of earth bleeding “in any way, it sounds like the story is about this 7 kings going to battle, but what is that word that hey keep using ‘men’ is it?”
“Sounds like what Mr. Letrowski from the bowling alley always says” Fluttershy responded.
“Oh you mean the Dude, yeah now that I think he does say that quite a lot...” Starlight added making a double take “wait, you don’t even like bowling, how do you know the Dude?”
“Um… well… he has a… um… common friend with Treehugger and me… that uh…”
“Say no more, I get it, he introduced me to Green Blaze too.” Starlight gave Fluttershy a knowingly wink which she just responded with a nervous smile and a blush, while the rest of her friends except Pinkie looked at them confused.
"For the records, men is actually the plural of man, it's a noun usually used to describe a male adult of the order of 'Erectum Mammalia', there are not that many in Equestria, as the name indicates they walk straight and usually have hands with fingers, for example minotaurs like Iron Will, centaurs like Tirek, fauns and I believe even ogres use it as well," Twilight added "this is really interesting, I suppose is safe to assume that these aliens are also mammals and walk in an upright manner."
When the song ended and the music box once again turned itself off, the five friends starting discussing what the song meant, “The song narrates the last battle of this 7 kings protecting their kingdoms,” argued Twilight.
“But why would the actual kings of the kingdoms go to a battle on their own, I’m saying that this is not a narration of an actual event, but a description of a legend” retorted Starlight.
“I have no idea what you two are talking hehe” Pinkie just ate another muffin and stared at her friends.
At all this, Applejack remained silent, she wouldn’t want to admit but listening to the song and its lyrics, awoke something inside of her, something that she only felt twice before, once when the changelings attacked Canterlot and most recently when she fought the forces of the Storm King to save Equestria. She passed it like it was just an adrenaline rush, but it was something else, the feeling of battling along her friends to save everything she holds dear, risking their lives for what they believed, it felt invigorating and pure, like the feeling of seeing your entire orchard full of apples ready for the harvest, knowing that your efforts count for something, that your life has meaning "The warriors... no, the soldiers all gave their lives willingly because that is what it would protect what they loved… and I’m here, disrespecting their effort, when the only thing they wanted was to protect Equestria and their loved ones, just like me and my friends do… Ahm such a hypocrite" Applejack thought.
“I reckon it’s getting late and it’s my turn to make supper, Ah gotta go girls, see y’all on monday”
~♥~♦~♣~♠~
Later that night the Apple family plus Sugar Belle were having dinner, Applebloom was describing how the CMC helped another colt find his talent while Granny Smith just listened and Big Mac and Sugar Belle feed each other making 'googoo' eyes while doing so, Applejack was just eating looking on her plate the courage for what she was going to ask.
“Um... Granny Smith?” finally asked Applejack.
“What is it, sugarcute?”
“Can you tell me about our grandpappy?”
Silence filled the room until Big Mac started coughing, choking on his food, Sugar Belle and Apple Bloom just looked confused, all eyes were on Applejack and Granny Smith, so the die was cast and we could only hope that Granny Smith won't answer badly to the question.
“Well of course sugarcube, Ah always wondered when y’all gonna ask ‘bout him” Granny said smiling and her eyes full of happiness “let’s finish supper and go up in the attic, I’ve all his stuff in thar.”
“Are you sure Granny?” Big Mac asked the matriarch.
“Darn tootin’ so finish eatin’ already.”
Later that night the Apple Family and Big Mac’s girlfriend were on the attic watching how Granny pulled some boxes and other stuff.
“Do you think I should be here Big Mac? I don’t want to intrude on this, it looks quite personal for Granny Smith.” Sugar Belle shyly asked Big Mac.
“Come on sugarcube, you are pretty much part of the family by now” replied Granny carrying a chest on her back and putting it on the floor in front of the younger ponies “Now Iron Pauldron, may he trots on Faust’s fields, was a Colonel on Celestia’s army, but when Ah met him he was just a private stationed near here, to protect the recently formed Ponyville and boy he was a looker mmmMMMmmm," everypony just blushed of embarrasment looking at Granny looking at nothing, "he was a big stallion with a red mane, orange coat and his cutiemark was a buckler and a spear.”
That night Granny told them all manner of stories, like how Iron Pauldron saved her life and immediately fell in love with her, on how he told her stories of camaraderie and friendship within his fellow soldiers, she told them how they were wed and soon after they discovered she was with child and how proud her husband felt, she mentioned how he was willing to leave the royal army for that last battle since Granny was about to give birth to Bright Mac, but she insisted on him going and join his brethren in arms, since she knew it was also important and if he didn’t go to that battle, he would regret it for the rest of his life, finally she showed them some of his possessions like his helmet and the point of his spear and she was looking like she could glow talking about her long lost love.
Applejack spent all next day on Twilight’s library learning all she could about that war and it’s battles, learning even the single smallest detail and she found that learning about war is not about the battles themselves, but about the causes and aftermath of each battle, also about the personal stories about the ponies involved, like her grandfather, who by her surprise had an entire section on one of the history books.
Applejack was embarrassed by her ignorance on her own family history, but not anymore, from now on she will have an open mind and as her duty as a teacher on the school of friendship, she will make sure the students have the chance to learn about the good and the bad about war and doing it proud knowing that her family had a part in it.
To be continued