Applejack wakes up slowly, the first rays of the rising Sun filling her bedroom with a soft light. A few seconds later, the rooster crow can be heard everywhere on the farm. Normally, Applejack would get out of bed eager to start the day by doing her morning chores and have breakfast with her family before heading to school and hang out with her friends.
But today ain’t a normal day, she thinks with a sad sigh before slowly getting out of her bed. For once, she wishes she could just stay home and not do anything.
She removes her one-pieced pyjamas and puts on her work clothes. She walks out of her bedroom and sees her older brother standing in the doorstep of his own bedroom just in front of hers. Applebloom then runs past them, heading toward the stairs leading to the ground floor where Granny Smith certainly is preparing breakfast.
“Mornin’ Applejack. Mornin’ Big Mac,” she says disappearing into the stairs.
“Howdy and no runnin’ inside the house,” Applejack responds. Big Mac answers with a simple, ‘Heya’.
Seeing her younger sister like this bring a small smile to Applejack’s face. She was so young. It’s not surprising that it doesn’t affect her as much as it affects them. One look at her brother’s eyes, however, shows he is in the same mind state as her. Being a man of (very) few words, he simply smiles at her and she returns the gesture, it’s their way to reassure and support each other. They know Granny Smith also feels the same way although she has a better time dealing with it. Speaking of their grandmother, they can hear her calling them, so they head to the kitchen. This is going to be a long day.
…
Applejack stands in front of her open locker, putting the books and notebooks she will need for the day in her backpack. She can’t stop a sigh from escaping her lips, the feeling of sadness and pain still ever present since she woke up. Like each year.
“Yo AJ. What’s up?” A voice suddenly startles her, making the farm girl almost drop her backpack but she manages to catch it just in time. She then turns around to glare at the girl responsible for this. “Woopsie, sorry,” Rainbow Dash apologises chuckling nervously. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Not this time anyway.”
Applejack pinches her nose. She is not in the mood for that, but she forces herself to stay polite.
“It’s fine Rainbow. Guess Ah should have paid more attention.”
Rainbow Dash stares at her friend, bewildered. She hadn’t expected that kind of reaction. Normally, Applejack would be annoyed or would throw a comeback at her. Rainbow Dash then notices the farm girl shoulders and head are down which is not like her.
“Riiiiiiight,” the athlete says. “Is everything alright AJ? You seem a little…euh…”
Applejack doesn’t respond. In fact, she is avoiding her friend gaze, looking everywhere but at her friend’s eyes. Something Rainbow Dash know she does when she is hiding something.
Driiiiing
Before Rainbow Dash can say anything, the sound of the school bell announcing the first class of the day resonates through the building, soon followed by the sound of all the students rushing toward their classes before the second bell rings.
“Ah gotta go. See ya next time,” Applejack says quickly closing her locker and putting back the padlock before quickly walking away with her backpack in her hand.
“Okay, that was weird.” Rainbow Dash stays where she is, trying to understand what just happened when...
Driiiiing
“Shoot!”
…
It is now lunch time. The students who don’t have classes on this hour are gathering inside the cafeteria to eat. On one table, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are already seated with food on their tray.
“…And that’s how magic was created,” Pinkie Pie finishes eating a big part of her pasta sprinkled with white sugar.
“Um…Sorry Pinkie but I doubt magic comes from a giant winged unicorn pony made of cloud who burped rainbow sparkles each time he ate too much dessert,” Fluttershy says before turning to Sunset Shimmer with wide eyes. “Does it?”
“Come on, you can’t seriously be asking that,” Twilight Sparkle intervenes. “This is completely ridiculous. The answer is certainly more logical and scientific. Right Sunset?”
Sunset Shimmer looks at them with an annoyed expression. “I prefer to avoid that question. There have been many theories and debates about the origins of magic in Equestria. No one…er ponies know for sure and it always bugged me.”
“But it could be that,” Pinkie Pie insists. “I mean our magic transformed into that giant and cute horse with wings and a horn and a looooooooong mane during the Battle of the bands.”
“I hardly see the link between that moment who happened only once and the origin of an ancient power who seems to have always existed,” Rarity confesses. She then notices Applejack passing by not far from them with her own tray of food. “Applejack!”
Hearing her name, Applejack turn around and when she sees her friends, walks toward their table. Rainbow Dash looks at her, remembering what happened earlier.
“There you are, I was beginning to wonder where you were. You will never believe what our dear Pinkie just came up with,” Rarity tells the farm girl.
“Ah’m sure it’s somethin’ no one else would have thought of,” Applejack responds with a small and not really happy smile. “Sorry but Ah can’t stay. Big Mac and Applebloom are waiting fer me. Ah’ll see y’all later.”
Applejack leaves under the surprised looks of the group except Rarity who wears a look of sympathy and sadness.
“You all saw that,” Rainbow Dash speaks. “Now I’m sure, there’s something wrong with Applejack.”
Twilight Sparkle looks at the athlete with a puzzled expression. “Why do you think that?”
“She can eat with her family if she wants. There is nothing wrong here,” Fluttershy adds.
“Of course not, but normally she would have told us since we always spend lunch time together. Had Rarity not called her, she wouldn’t have even stopped at our table. Also, she was acting…different this morning when I saw her.”
"What do you mean by different," Twilight asks with a worried tone.
"Well...She barely reacted when I accidently scared her and when I asked if she was alright, she couldn't look at me directly."
“I agree with Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie Pie admits. “There was definitely something wrong with that smile she gave us and believe me, I’m an accredited smile specialist.” She produces a small card similar to a driver’s permit except on it is written ‘Smile Specialist’ next to the official symbol of the country they live in. “Now that I think about it. Granny Smith seemed less smiley at the cafeteria counter too.”
“Wait, where and who…” Sunset Shimmer begins before stopping herself. “Never mind, I don’t want to know. Concerning Applejack, we should just ask her. We’re her friends. If she has a problem, she’ll tell us.”
Sunset begins to stand up but is stopped by Rarity who grabs her arm. “Wait a second darling. This is not necessary.”
It is now the fashionista turn to be the target of the surprised looks of the five other girls.
“Why,” Sunset asks confused. “Do you know something we don’t?”
Rarity looks away, biting her lips, and her friends immediately knows she does. They all keep looking at her, waiting for an explanation. After a long silence, Rarity sighs.
“Sorry darlings, but I’m not sure I have the right to talk about this without her consent. Just give her time and I assure you she will feel better.”
This answer doesn’t satisfy them, but if Rarity says their friend will be fine, they are willing to let it go. For now. They bring their attention back to their dinner and resume their previous conversation, without forgetting what just happened.
…
Driiiiing
That is the last bell of the day. All the students happily run out of their classes and out of the school after passing by their lockers except for those who have extracurricular activities or detention.
Applejack slowly heads to her locker, head low and ignoring the other people around her. She couldn’t concentrate on anything the teachers said and she had trouble doing the assigned work. She’ll have to ask Twilight or Sunset for their notes or help to catch up.
Her friends looks at her when she enters the corridor where her locker is. They all have their lockers in the same hallway. Since lunch time, they watched her when they had common classes and surely enough, Rainbow Dash was right. They now all are sure something is bothering her and, considering what Rarity said, it must be something important. The only thing making them hesitate to talk to her is Rarity’s demand to leave her be for now. Still, maybe a friendly hand, or ear, could help Applejack feel better. With that thought in mind, Fluttershy walks toward her to try and talk to her.
However, just as she is about to open her mouth, Applejack opens her locker and a funny sound comes out of it followed by a bunch of streamers.
“What in tarnation,” Applejack screams as she takes a few steps back completely taken by surprise.
“SURPRISE!” Pinkie Pie yells appearing from behind the farm girl. “You didn’t expect that, did you. That’s why I did it. So, you’ll be surprised. You were frowning during the whole day without a true smile on your face, but now you’re smiling because surprises are fun and fun makes people smiles.”
Pinkie Pie looks at Applejack with a big innocent smile on her face and her arms up in ther air. Applejack, however, isn’t smiling. She knows Pinkie is just, well, being Pinkie, but it is hard for her to appreciate it today. She takes a big breath to calm herself down.
“Thank you Pinkie, but now is not really a good time fer that.”
Pinkie Pie smile slowly turn upside down and her arms fall back to her sides, sad that her surprise didn’t help her friend. Fluttershy gently puts her hand on Applejack’s shoulder.
“I think what Pinkie meant to say is we know something is bothering you and, whatever it is, we want to help you perhaps in a quieter way if you prefer it that way.”
Applejack turns back toward her lockers and begins to put back what she doesn’t need anymore. They are now almost alone in the hallway.
“Don’t take this the wrong way sugarcube, but nothin’ can be done about it, so drop it,” Applejack tells Fluttershy with a somber tone. As much as she loves her best friends, today she just wants to be left alone.
“Aw, that can’t be true. There is always a way to help somebody,” Pinkie Pie says while Applejack finishes taking what she needs from her locker. The other girls join them as Pinkie continue talking. “I know. Let’s go party at Sugarcube Corner. Whatever the problem is, we’ll find a solution. I mean, it’s not like someone’s dead or something like that.”
Applejack completely freezes, eyes wide as a ball as tears threaten to fall from her eyes as Pinkie Pie's words strike her like a bullet while Rarity gasps in a long over-dramatic but also serious way. Two reactions that doesn’t go unnoticed by the other girls except Pinkie Pie. A heavy silence falls upon the group.
“Pinkamena Diane Pie,” Rarity hisses hoping the girl would get the hint and apologise, but Pinkie Pie just looks back at her, blinking as she wonders if she did something bad.
“Wait, someone died? Who?” Twilight asks, her brilliant mind easily understanding what Rarity and Applejack reactions to Pinkie Pie last sentence means.
“MAH PARENTS,” Applejack suddenly screams shutting off her locker with a loud Thud, startling her friends. Two tears are falling from her eyes as she looks at them. A new silence settles in, none of the girls knowing how to react or what to say. “Mah parents died. Ten years ago, on this very same day. Ah was there. Ah saw everythin’.”