//------------------------------// // Episode 23: "Equestrian Pie" // Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 10 // by twilightsparkle3562 //------------------------------// ... "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" Season 10, Episode 23 "Equestrian Pie" By Jeff Snyder (TwilightSparkle3562) Edited By SuperPinkBrony12 … For the Apple Family, the past few weeks had been a life changing experience for all of them. The passing of Granny Smith had left them all shaken and rattled, though all attempted to make the best of their situation. One morning, Applejack was having a hard time trying to buck some apple trees. While she was physically working, emotionally she wasn't. "Ugh!" She groaned as several apples missed the bucket and ended up on the ground next to it. "Why is this so difficult all of a sudden? I don't get it! Granny's gone, but that doesn't mean…" Sighing deeply, Applejack left the tree and made her way over to Granny Smith's grave. Sitting down, Applejack lowered her head and absorbed the latest flow of sadness to engulf her mind. "I miss you, Granny," She said, looking right at the tombstone. "Not a day goes by that we don't miss you, and Ma and Pa." Just then, Big Mac saw his younger sister at the grave and walked over to her. Lately, he had become concerned with his younger sister's well-being. "I miss her too, Applejack," Big Mac sighed, sitting next to her. "We all do." "Big…Big Mac, I don't understand," Applejack tried not to whimper while looking over at her older brother. "Granny isn't sufferin' anymore, but her death seems like it hasn't left us, has it?" "Eenope," Big Mac shook his head. "It'll take time, AJ. And I think maybe takin' a break from here might do you some good," And then he proposed. "You know, I don't think you've heard from your friend Ra-Ra in a while. Why don't you go visit her?" Hearing about her friend from Camp Friendship couldn't help but brighten Applejack's spirits a little bit. A visit with Coloratura would definitely be a distraction. "Big Mac, it's a good suggestion, but…" "But what?" Big Macintosh asked his sister. "Ra-Ra does a lot of travel bein' a music star and all," Applejack protested. "I wouldn't want to be gettin' in the way of anythin' on her schedule." "AJ," Big Mac replied, draping a leg around his sister's shoulder. "I'm sure Ra-Ra wouldn't mind if her best friend from camp visited for a few days. Didn't Twilight's hospitalization teach you anythin' about mental health and peace of mind?" "Sure did," Applejack sighed. "But are you sure that you won't mind the extra…?" "-I ain't takin' no for an answer," Big Macintosh firmly protested. "In fact, why don't you have one of your friends go with you? Uh, how about…Rarity?" "If her schedule ain't overloaded, Big Mac," Applejack nervously answered. "I'm sure she would like a visit with Ra-Ra as much as the next pony." More and more, the thought of taking a short getaway to Manehattan seemed like the perfect idea. Applejack needed to escape, to get away from the sadness that was engulfing Sweet Apple Acres. And that was just what she'd do, though neither she or Rarity could imagine what would lie in store for them there. … … Aboard the Friendship Express, Applejack settled in for the ride to Manehattan, thinking of how good it would be to see her music friend again. "Applejack, I can't help but revel in the fact that you would invite me along to visit Countess Coloratura." Rarity remarked, looking down at the pink glitter boots she last wore when she and Rainbow Dash had embarked on that staged artifact hunt from Twilight. "Well, technically, she ain't a countess anymore," Applejack pointed out. "She got rid of the title after the Helpin' Hoof Music Festival and went back to her roots." Suddenly, the two friends and co-princesses heard a record player performing the sounds of rock and roll music: That'll be the day when you say goodbye, That'll be the day when you make me cry, You say you're gonna leave, but I know that's a lie cause Because that'll be the day….when I die! The two of them looked over towards a male pony with a record player sitting next to him. Walking over, the pony immediately bowed to Applejack, much to her surprise. "Princess Applejack!" He cried, immediately rising to his feet. "I'm sorry if my music is disturbing you!" "It's all right, sugarcube," Applejack replied, brushing off the display of affection. "What's this here music you're listenin' to?" "Have you ever heard of Chirping Crickets?" The pony asked as Applejack picked up the record and studied it. "He's only the most popular rock and roll singer in Equestria." "So he is," Applejack whispered. "I haven't really gotten into rock and roll as much as some ponies have, but I'm bettin' he's really good." "Oh really?" A yellow coated unicorn pony wearing a periwinkle dress replied, sitting towards the back of the car. "He literally is no match for…" And the pony played another song with a different flair: Para bailar la bamba Para bailar la bamba se necesita una poca de gracia Una poca de gracia pa' mi pa' ti y arriba y arriba Ah y arriba y arriba por ti seré, por ti seré, por ti seré "Lilly Lace," Rarity remarked upon recognizing the mare. "Since when do you…?" "Since I, like, started getting involved with his music," The unicorn retorted in her usual fashion. "He is so dreamy, I can picture myself marrying him." "Ya can't marry somepony you don't know unless you know who they are," Applejack advised with a roll of her eyes. "What's his name?" "La Bamba," Lilly Lace sighed. "Literally the most famous singer in Equestria." Both Applejack and Rarity were deeply surprised by this sudden interest in music. In their minds, they realized that there was something that they were missing about. Just then, they heard another set of music playing on yet another phonograph: Hello, Baby! Yeah this is the Big Booper speaking! Ha Ha Ha! Oh, you sweet thing! Do I what? Do I what? Oh baby, you know what I like Chantilly lace and a pretty face And a pony tail a-hangin' down That wiggle in the walk And giggle in the talk Makes the world go 'round There ain't nothin' in the world Like a big-eyed girl That makes me act so funny Make me spend my money Make me feel real loose, like a long necked goose Like a girl, oh baby, that's what I like "Only the most intriguing out of all the performers in the Starswirl Music festival," A female earth pony wearing a tee-shirt with a pony holding a guitar on the front cried. "I love you, Big Booper!" Feeling slightly confused and misled, both Applejack and Rarity went about trying to figure out just what was going on. … A little while later, the train arrived in Manehattan and both Applejack and Rarity stepped off the train trying to hail down a pony drawn cab. "Taxi! Taxi!" Applejack called while waving her forelegs wildly. "I'm not sure why the cabs won't stop." "It's Manehattan, after all. You're bound to have cabs coming and going at such a high rate of speed." Rarity explained. "But a…Starswirl Music Festival?" Applejack wondered upon spotting a flyer. "Since when did we know that there was goin' to be a festival?" Still, she eventually managed to flag down a cab, allowing both herself and Rarity inside. "Well, at least I can stop by Rarity for You at some point," Rarity commented. "If Manehattan is having a music festival, then the coutures must be selling." They soon arrived at their destination: a small penthouse not far from Rarity for You. Tossing a bit to the pony pulling the cab, both Applejack and Rarity got off and headed up the stairs. "Hope Ra-Ra wouldn't mind if we visited for a little bit," Applejack called as the faint sounds of music were heard from inside the penthouse. "Wait, that sounds like the songs we heard on the train, Rarity!" "Well, don't just stand there! Go on in, Applejack!" Rarity urged, pushing Applejack to the door! Knocking on the door, the two princesses waited for whoever would be answering it. A few moments later, the door opened to reveal a green colored earth pony stallion with round black chic glasses and a mane that was a little messed up. "Uh, can I help you?" He asked. "Um, look Mister," Applejack nervously replied. "I was just wonderin' if…" Before Applejack could finish her sentence though, the pony hastily bowed. "Are ponies goin' to be bowin' to us like that every time?" Applejack muttered to Rarity. "Chirping, what's going on?" A female voice called, and a light gray pony entered the doorway, promptly stopping dead in her tracks. Applejack couldn't help but smile warmly at the pony standing in front of her. "Oh, AJ!" Immediately, the two friends ran to each other for an embrace! "Hey, Ra-Ra!" Applejack cried. "It's good to see you again!" "I heard about Granny Smith, I'm so sorry." Coloratura apologized. "That's okay, I needed the distraction. Big Mac thinks it'll do me some good," Applejack explained. "I hope you didn't mind me bringin' Rarity along." "Of course," Coloratura replied. "And I hope you didn't mind my friends here practicing with me." At that moment, a yellow coated pegasus and a red coated unicorn came to the doorway. "Hey, Ra-Ra, what's going on here?" The yellow pegasus inquired in a noticeable accent. "We've still got to practice some more before the…" Much like the green coated earth pony before, the two of them immediately bowed down to Applejack and Rarity. "Oh, for Celestia's sake!" Applejack groaned in frustration. "That just ain't necessary, y'all! Just because we're princesses now, it don't mean you gotta treat us like such." "Sorry," The red coated unicorn remarked. "We've just never had a private audience with…er princesses before. Name's Big Booper." "Name's La Bamba," The yellow coated pegasus answered. "Equestria's premier foreign singer." "And my name's Chirping Crickets," The green coated earth pony declared. "Sorry for the mane. It's always a little messed up." "Don't worry about it," Applejack replied while trying to keep Rarity from getting any ideas on how to "fix" it. "I'm sorry we didn't know there was a festival of some sort goin' on here." "Well, this is only the first of a ten-stop tour," Coloratura confirmed with a smile. "Chirping, La Bamba and Booper are staying here with me just for their show in Manehattan. I'm doing my own gigs, I'm just here to help them out with room and board." As Coloratura spoke, Applejack couldn't help but notice a troubled look on her friend's face. "Um...Coloratura," Rarity spoke up, struggling to ignore the countess title. "Would your three friends here happen to need any help with their costumes for their performances?" This made Chirping Cricket step forward. "I've got a jacket that needs to have a button sewn in," He declared. "But are you sure it won't be a problem, Princess Rarity?" "Not at all, darling," Rarity declared, holding out her hoof to him. "Anypony else need anything altered for tonight?" "My guitar is missing a string, senorita." La Bamba replied, holding up his guitar and showing Rarity the missing strong. "Why don't I help you out with that, partner?" Applejack suggested, taking the guitar from him and inspecting it. "I can fix this guitar easily, I learned how to tune a guitar from my ma. What about you, Big Booper?" But Big Booper didn't have anything that needed to be repaired. Still, Applejack couldn't shake the feeling that her childhood friend was in more trouble than she let on. … Later, while working on La Bamba's guitar, Applejack found the perfect time to ask her friend what was wrong with her. "They all seem like nice guys, Ra-Ra," She commented as both she and Coloratura sat in the musician's little studio. "Too bad we never had a chance to listen to their music." "Well, they're always looking for new fans, AJ," Coloratura sighed while sitting at her piano. "We artists thrive on the love and support of our fans." "Forgive me for asking, Ra-Ra," Applejack spoke up. "But is somethin' botherin' you? I mean, you seem a lot more…reserved since we've been here. Did we interrupt your friends' preparations?" "Oh, no, no, no, AJ," Coloratura stammered in protested. "It's just that…I don't like the pony they've hired as their general manager. They're all part of a group, you see. They record separately but they perform together." Right away, Applejack began to get a suspicion that she knew exactly what Ra-Ra was talking about. "It's not…" "Yes, it is, AJ. It's Svengallop!" Coloratura reluctantly confirmed. A disgusted look befell Applejack's face upon hearing what her friend had just said! "Svengallop?!" She cried in disdain. "That pony who used your fame to get what he wanted? How did he end up workin' his way into those three's good books." "I didn't ask him to come back, AJ," Coloratura unhappily answered with a frown. "He must have realized that somepony would give him a second chance to be a manager. I tried to warn these guys about the kind of pony Svengallop is, but unfortunately it's my word against his. When he says I fired him more ponies believe him. I only wish I'd gotten the privilege to do it, might have knocked some sense into him." Applejack could remember all too well how Svengallop treated Pinkie Pie when Coloratura returned for the Helping Hooves Music Festival. "Well, he probably can't just accept the fact that fame doesn't get you everything you want," She commented. "Who or what would even give him a second chance to work for somepony famous?" Just then, they heard a knock at the door and immediately, both Coloratura and Applejack came down the stairs while Chirping Crickets answered the door. There, standing in the doorway was a familiar earth pony stallion in a blue suit with an orange colored mane all curled up. "Well, aren't you going to the stadium or not?" He barked. "We don't have a lot of time to prepare for tonight's show, you know! And need I remind you that it's a sold out crowd?!" "L-Look, Svengallop," Chirping Crickets stammered. "We were going to meet you at the stadium, but…" "I don't want to hear another word out of you!" Svengallop barked again. "Get yourself and the others down to the stadium right now!" The tone in his manager's voice immediately made Chirping Crickets very nervous and he fell to the floor. Meanwhile, looking up at Coloratura and Applejack, Svengallop sneered and left with a loud slam on the door. "Chirping Crickets, I warned you that Svengallop is trouble." Coloratura cried as she helped him to his hooves along with Applejack. "He's…probably just in a bad mood tonight." Chirping Crickets protested. "Well, if either of us know Svengallop…" Applejack began just as La Bamba and Big Booper came onto the scene, followed by Rarity (who was holding up Chirping Crickets' jacket). "Rarity, you'll never guess who's the manager for these guys." "Yes, I could hear it all from the kitchen, Applejack." Rarity replied in a concerned tone while levitating over Chirping Crickets' jacket. "He wants us down at the stadium?" La Bamba asked in concern. "Now, that was the message," Chirping Crickets sighed, taking his jacket and putting it on him. "He wants us to do one more practice run before the concert tonight. Might as well get going. See you, Rara." With their manager already impatient as he was, all three singers left Coloratura's penthouse and proceeded immediately to the stadium. … At the stadium, La Bamba and Big Booper watched as Chirping Crickets practiced his upcoming performance. "Stop, stop, stop!" Svengallop cried, waving his forelegs from side to side. "What is that?! You're flatter than a stack of pancakes! I know you can do better than that!" "Svengallop, I'm trying my best, okay?!" Chirping Crickets protested. "I just don't sing well when I'm nervous." "Well get over what anxieties you have, or else!" Svengallop demanded in a threatening voice. "Because I can always pull you out if I see fit! And that goes for you two as well! Don't forget, you three owe your success to me!" Both La Bamba and Big Booper cowered in fear of Svengallop's rage. "So, try again, but without the anxiety! Go!" Svengallop directed! And so Chirping Crickets tried again only for sweat to pour down his face. "Cut, cut, cut!" Svengallop yelled. "I can see you sweating! And if I can see it, so will your fans!" "Svengallop, can't you see that he doesn't look well?!" Big Booper cried. "Look at him! He looks like he's worried sick!" But Svengallop didn't buy it. "I know what you're thinking," He snorted. "You're thinking about that snowstorm the pegasi are supposed to put together between here and our next stop in the Crystal Empire. Well, we carry on whether we like it or not! A little snow never hurt anypony." "Svengallop, it's not 'a little snow'! That storm is supposed to be dangerous and possibly life threatening! They're urging ponies not to travel if they don't have to!" La Bamba tried to proteste. "I may be young, but…" "They only say it's life threatening because that's what they want you to think," Svengallop rolled his eyes. "Those pegasi always make the weather sound more dramatic than it actually is. They wouldn't let such a storm actually exist. Besides, I'm not going to let a little weather slow us down. Now play me some more of your music, and make it good!" Once again, Svengallop ordered the very nervous Chirping Crickets to perform. At that moment, Applejack and Coloratura arrived at the stadium and saw Chirping Crickets struggling to perform. "Cut! Cut!" Svengallop screamed, throwing a tomato at his client! "What is that junk?! That's not Chirping Crickets! That's just a plain old nopony on stage! I'm going to keep throwing tomatoes until you give me the music you're famous for!" Svengallop replied in a bitter tone. "I'm only being hard on you because you're being hard on me. Cooperate and we can both get what we want out of this." "Svengallop never did any of this to me," Coloratura whispered as she observed the scene. "We've got to stop him, AJ! He's out of control! If this keeps up he's going to work them until they're too sick to perform, or worse!" Nodding in reply, Applejack followed her friend into the stadium as Svengallop continued to fire tomatoes at Chirping Crickets. The more Chirping Crickets tried to sing, the more Svengallop's tomato assault continued. But then Svengallop suddenly felt a rope be tied around his foreleg. "Hey, what the…? Who dares interrupt my rehearsal?" He cried, immediately turning around to see Applejack and Coloratura standing behind him with Applejack holding the rope. "Svengallop, that's enough!" Coloratura cried, glaring at her former manager. "What you're doing is wrong! It's not help, it's torture!" "No it isn't, though I doubt a delicate flower like you would understand, Ex-Countess," Svengallop grunted, removing the rope from around his foreleg. "It's simply a method I use to get performers to sing better. Right, fellas?" Both La Bamba and Big Booper wanted to say that the method was bad, but fearing for their own safety as well as their own careers, they both agreed with him. "You see? Even they agree with me," Svengallop laughed, gloating at Applejack and Coloratura. "After all, they are giving me something that you never gave me, Countess Coloratura…obedience. I never used my toughest methods on you because you were too delicate, I couldn't risk breaking you. These big guys can take it." "You won't get away with this, Svengallop!" Coloratura growled. "You'll be lucky to even have a job when this is all over! Ponies will hear about this!" "I already survived your best efforts to undermine me," Svengallop sneered. "And as long as these stallions work for me, they'll do as I tell them, even if it means traveling in that snowstorm up near the Crystal Empire! Snow or no snow, the show will go on!" … … Back at Coloratura's penthouse, the three singers and their friends were recouping from Svengallop's outlandish behavior. "I knew that Svengallop was a low pony," Applejack bitterly complained. "But what he's tryin' to do to y'all is just plain wrong! Have any of you ever even traveled through the Crystal Empire mountain ranges?" "Everypony knows that the mountains are dangerous to travel through in the winter," La Bamba remarked. "Pegasi can't fly in those dangerous winds. In fact, no pony can travel safely in those conditions." "And yet, Svengallop thinks he's the one who's always right," Rarity sighed while trying to get the tomato stains out of Chirping Crickets' jacket. "Hasn't he learned anything from the last time he was in Ponyville?" "Apparently not, he must think it was all a setup. And the fact is that we need to get Svengallop to see the error of his ways, or at least expose him," Applejack pointed out. "Rara, aren't you supposed to open for them at the concert tonight?" "Yes, AJ." Coloratura nodded. "Then, I have an idea on how we can expose Svengallop once more…" And Applejack huddled the ponies together while she revealed her plan. … Later that night, the stadium in Manehattan was filled with excited fans eager to get the events of the night started. Coloratura stood at her piano, preparing to sing her opening number and wearing her signature black sleeveless dress. "Okay," Coloratura whispered, looking back to Applejack and Rarity, who had the three singers at their side at the back of the stage. "Just like we agreed upon, right?" "Got it," Applejack whispered. "Do you number and then we make our move!" Heeding her instructions, Coloratura got onto the stage as the curtain opened and performed her signature song: I'm here to show you who I am Throw off the veil, it's finally time There's more to me than glitz and glam, oh-whoa And now I feel my stars align For I had believed what I was sold I did all the things that I was told But all that has changed, and now I'm bold 'Cause I know That I am just a pony I make mistakes from time to time But now I know the real me And put my heart out on the line And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa Just like the magic inside of you And now I see those colors Right before my eyes I hear my voice so clearly And I know that it is right They thought I was weak, but I am strong They sold me the world, but they were wrong And now that I'm back, I still belong 'Cause I know That I am just a pony I make mistakes from time to time But now I know the real me And put my heart out on the line And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa Just like the magic inside of you Just like the magic inside of you... From another part of the stage, Svengallop watched as his former protégé performed and could only sneer in jealousy. "Boring little Rara," He whispered. "Well, my three meal tickets will make you second best." But Svengallop wasn't prepared for what happened next for at that moment for at that moment, he saw what appeared to be a screen come down onto the stage. "What? What's going on?" Svengallop wondered and rushed out onto the stage. "What is the meaning of this?! Coloratura, where are the three other singers!?" The audience was just as confused as Svengallop at what was happening, but Coloratura remained steadfast. "Everypony!" She called out. "Tonight, three great singers were supposed to be on stage. Instead, they're at home, resting because of what their manager has done to them! He worked them to the point where they were too weak to continue performing. They've had to call off their tour so they can recover. Had they not, they would've turned in the worst performance of their lives and likely had them ended in a snowstorm their manager was going to force them to go through." "No, No!" Svengallop cried, shocked and appalled by what he was seeing before him as the crowd reacted with gasps and boos directed at him. "This…this is not possible!" "It is entirely possible, Svengallop!" Coloratura cried, glaring at her former manager with tear filled eyes. "If you get your way, they're going to die for you and for the entertainment of Equestria! This is what happens when we push talent to the brink, Svengallop! You did it to me by brainwashing me into becoming a pony who merely takes orders from you for the sake of frivolities! Your demands and rash behavior have now endangered the life of three of Equestria's greatest musicians! Musicians with a promising future ahead of them! You weren't even going to be with them in that snowstorm, you were going to take an alternate route and meet them there the next day!" Falling to his hooves, Svengallop felt defeated and humiliated once again. Then, suddenly, the screen went black and a spotlight shone down on the disgraced manager! "That's right, Svengallop!" A voice called out. Svengallop looked up and saw an all too familiar sight standing above him. It was Applejack! "There's somethings your payin' audience should understand! And I think three certain ponies would like to make their case." The ponies all murmured in confusion and suddenly the trapdoor below the stage opened as Chirping Crickets, La Bamba and Big Booper all emerged. "Listen to us!" Chirping Crickets cried, using his magic to amplify his voice. "We are indeed resting, we weren't going to risk our lives in that snowstorm. Everything you have seen tonight was a ploy to expose our manager for the fraud he is. We were warned about him and failed to heed those warnings until it was almost too late." Betrayed, Svengallop stormed in front of his three musicians in a fit of anger. "For you see, our manager never really cared for our talents. He never cared about giving you the best form of entertainment," La Bamba explained. "All he ever cared about was the perks of becoming a star!" "So what if I did?!" Svengallop thundered, throwing a massive temper tantrum. "Without me, you three are nothing short of pathetic musicians that will just be boring old ponies from wherever it is in Equestria you came from. All I've ever wanted was to make my clients famous, so that I too may become famous. Why shouldn't the manager be treated to the life of luxury his clients get? And as for you, Coloratura, was this all of a plan to get back at me for using you?!" He stormed over to Coloratura and grabbed the collar of her dress with his hoof, pulling her to his face. "Well, let me tell you," He whispered sinisterly, reaching into his coat pocket. "Nopony double crosses Svengallop and gets away with it. You may have humiliated me before, but you'll never get the chance to do it ever again!" Before Svengallop could pull whatever it was out of his coat pocket, however, Applejack jumped down onto the stage and pulled Svengallop down to the ground as several Manehattan police officers climbed onto the stage! "Get off of me!" Svengallop demanded in a furious rage as he was led away. "Get off of me! I'm the great Svengallop for Equestria's sake! You can't do this to me!" "You okay?" Applejack asked Coloratura as the two friends hugged, the young singer silently shedding tears of relief. "Your highness," A police officer asked Applejack. "Thank you for informing us about tonight. Do you wish to press charges against Svengallop for his acts of violence on stage?" "Yes, I would like to press charges," Applejack firmly replied. "I shudder to think what he would've done to Rara if I hadn't stopped him." "And don't forget," Chirping Crickets added as he produced a paper which he gave to the officer. "He was going to order us to travel to the Crystal Empire in dangerous weather conditions whether we wanted to or not. And he wasn't even going to travel with us, he was going to send us to our deaths!" Taking the paper, the officer acknowledged the group and left the stage. … The festival was cancelled as a result of what had transpired, but to Applejack and Rarity, that didn't matter in the slightest. "You gonna be okay, Ra-Ra?" Applejack asked as she and Rarity made their way to the train station a little later. "I'll be fine, AJ," Coloratura sighed even as she tried to sound confident. "Besides, we saved the lives of three musicians, didn't we?" Applejack turned towards the three musicians standing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the station. "Well, I think old Svengallop isn't going to be walking free anytime soon, Ra-Ra," Applejack reassured her friend. "Not if I have anythin' to say about it. I'll make sure to let Twilight know too, no chance of that dirty rat slippin' through the cracks this time." "Your highness," Chirping Crickets spoke up while trotting up the stairs. "My friends and I want to thank you for saving our lives. Thanks to you, we can live another day doing what we do best." "Granny Smith lived to a ripe old age," Applejack replied as she and Rarity made their way towards the door. "I want us all to live by her example." Hearing the train whistle behind them, Applejack and Rarity gave their final goodbyes and proceeded to the train that would take them both home to Ponyville. … Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack returned to the grave of Granny Smith and left a flower at the tombstone. "Thanks for lookin' over my friends and me, Granny," She softly spoke. "Hope you and everypony else are savin' seats for us up there." Just then, Applejack took one of her grandmother's neck scarves and placed it around her neck as the sun set over the orchards. "I know I'll be lookin' forward to the day when we're all together again…all of us." And as the last rays of sun disappeared over the orchard, Applejack kept her eyes on Granny Smith's monument till the last, knowing that Granny Smith had helped her from beyond the grave and would more than likely do it again one day. Had Applejack been looking in just the right place, she might have seen the silhouette of an elderly earth pony mare with a green coat looking at her. The pony spoke not a word, she just winked. …. ….