The Royal Apple

by Mister E-Nonymous


Chapter 10: A Casual Royal Meeting and Secrets Revealed

Chapter 10: A Casual Royal Meeting and Secrets Revealed


Sweet Apple Acres... August 1st, 10:00 AM...

(Third Person Point of View)

Sweet Apple Acres was getting set up for the visit of Princess Celestia. Applejack, Granny Smith and Pinkie Pie had some sweets set up, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Big Mac were setting up picnic tables, and Twilight and the Crusaders setting up decorations around the area.

"Thanks fer helpin' us out, girls," Applejack said.

"Of course, Applejack!" Pinkie said, hugging her. "It's not everyday that the princess comes to town."

"Indeed," said Twilight. "It's nice to see Princess Celestia." She then looked around. "Where are Rarity and Apple Shine?"

"Rarity's preparing Apple Shine," said Applejack. "Apple Shine and Ah tried tellin' Rarity that this was casual. But she insisted that Apple Shine comes out fancy."

"Oh, Rarity," Twilight said. "Well, it's not her fault. I remembered the last time I prepared a fancy meeting with the princess when it was supposed to be a casual visit. There was that one time with the parasprites and let's not forget when Fluttershy accidentally stole Philomena."

Applejack chuckled and said, "Well, in her defense, Philomena was bein' a drama queen."

Twilight rolled her eyes and nodded. She then said, "I just hope that Rarity and Apple Shine come down soon. Princess Celestia could show up any minute."


Apple Shine's Room... 10:05 AM...

(Apple Shine's Point of View)

Rarity was putting me into that outfit she made for me last week. I was really hoping not to get into this outfit again. I tried hiding the outfit last night, but Big Mac brought it back right before I went to bed. I was so embarrassed by this.

"Hold still, darling," Rarity told me. "I'm almost done."

"Rarity..." I said to her. "I keep telling you, this is a casual visit from her. It's not a fancy ball or something."

"I know," Rarity said, bringing out some cream. "But this is Princess Celestia we're talking about. Now, hold still so I can put this moisturizer on you. You must be prepared."

Rarity rubbed the cream all over my face. It's cold. I was trying to move my head away, but Rarity kept her magic on me to prevent me from even moving it.

"It's cold!" I said.

"It always is," Rarity told me. "Now, you're ready." She looked out the window, and saw something. "And just in the nick of time. Here comes the Princess's royal chariot. Put on those boots and let's head on out."

I was embarrassed. I really didn't want to wear this, but I guess I had no choice. I then put on the boots, then followed Rarity out of there.


Outside... 10:10 AM...

I followed Rarity outside. It seemed that Princess Celestia didn't come alone. She had her sister, Princess Luna, with her. The two of them saw me and Rarity coming out of the house. I was really embarrassed coming out of the house like this.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked up to us. Princess Celestia then said to me, "It's nice to see you again, Apple Shine. But, I'm pretty sure that I told Twilight to tell Applejack that this was meant to be a casual visit."

I looked up at Rarity and said, "Told you!"

"I was hoping that you would be expecting more divine," Rarity said.

"You thought wrong, Rarity," Princess Luna told her. "But, that outfit does look good on you."

"Let us start this picnic," said Princess Celestia. We then started walking over to the picnic tables.

I sat between Applejack and Apple Bloom near the end of one table, and Princess Celestia was sitting right next to Applejack at the end. Princess Luna was sitting right across from Applejack next to her sister. Twilight sat next to her. To Twilight's right was Spike, then Rarity, then Sweetie Belle, then Fluttershy, then Rainbow Dash, then Scootaloo at the end of the table, then Pinkie Pie, then Granny Smith, and Big Mac to the left of Apple Bloom.

"This is simply a beautiful day," Princess Celestia said. "I think that the temperature is perfect."

"You can thank me and the weather team for that," Rainbow Dash said. "I told them that we were going to have royal company, and we planned for today to have a perfect 88 degree day."

"I appreciate that, Rainbow Dash," said Princess Celestia. She then looked over at me and asked me, "So, Twilight has told me that you've been practicing magic and flight."

"I've been doing fine," I told her. "But, I don't see the point on me learning all of this. It's not like I'm gonna be using those skills when I go back to my world." Princess Celestia looked at me confused. I then asked, "What?"

Princess Celestia leaned over towards Applejack and whispered something. I couldn't hear what they were saying. Applejack then sighed then turned back to me.

"What's wrong, Applejack?" I asked her.

She then put her left forehoof on my right shoulder and said, "Apple Shine. Ah've been wanting to tell ya this. Heck, me, Granny Smith, Apple Bloom and Big Mac have been trying to tell ya, but we kept getting interrupted by somepony every time."

I looked over at Apple Bloom, Big Mac and Granny Smith. They nodded towards me with sad faces.

"W-w-what do you mean?" I asked.

"It's just... there... there ain't no way to send ya back ta yer world," Applejack told me when I turned back to face her.

"What?!" I asked. "You mean there isn't any spell to send me back? You didn't find any?"

"Actually..." Applejack said, but then felt sad. "That's the thing. The way ya arrived here... ya... ya actually..." she then sighed. "...died..."

I went wide eyed at that. "W-what?" I asked.

"I searched your memories, young one," Princess Luna told me. "It seems that your old body was bitten by a venomous snake, known as a copperhead."

"A copperhead?!" I asked.

"Yes," said Princess Luna. "That woman who runs the foster home, Regina, took you to the nearest medical clinic in your world, but the receptionist was too lazy to even notice. She was fired for not getting you to immediate medical attention."

"So... so you all knew?" I asked, starting to get angry. "You all knew that I couldn't go back home?!"

"Apple Shine, please," Applejack said, putting both of her hooves on my shoulders. "Please listen ta me. Ah wanted ta..."

I swatted both of her hooves off of me and said, "Don't touch me! You're not my mom!" That made Applejack shocked, and she put a hoof to her chest. I then threw off the hat and boots, and ran back inside. I was crying when I was heading back to the room I was staying at. I pulled off the saddle on the outfit, and tried getting off the rest of the dress, but it was stuck. I gave up on trying to take it off, and just plopped my face into the pillow, and wailed. This wasn't fair! I can never go back to my world! No wonder they were treating me like I would be here forever! Because I will be! This isn't fair! This isn't fair!


(Third Person Point of View)

Applejack still had her right hoof to her chest, and she started shedding tears. Her friends walked up to her, and comforted her.

"We're so sorry about that, Applejack," said Twilight.

"Guess we shoulda let you explain it to her," said Rainbow Dash. "Why is it that when we you or your family tried telling her, something or somepony interrupts you every time."

"I doubt even a party is gonna get you through this," Pinkie said before her hair deflated.

"We're so sorry, Applejack," Fluttershy said.

"Guess we all have a fault to accept," Rarity said.

Applejack then looked over at the hat that Apple Shine was wearing. She then reached over for it and said, "This is all mah fault. Ah shoulda just told her before we left the hospital." She then got out of the hug and walked towards the house and said, "Ah'm gonna go talk to her." Applejack then walked inside.

Upstairs Hallway... 10:20 AM...

Applejack walked towards Apple Shine's room. She leaned her head on the door to listen inside before entering. She could hear Apple Shine crying on the other side of the door.

Applejack knocked on the door and asked, "Apple Shine? May Ah come in?"

"GO AWAY!!" came Apple Shine's voice boomed on the other side of the door. Applejack put her hoof to her chest, feeling her heart clench.

"Apple Shine, Ah'm sorry!" Applejack said. "Ah really did want ta tell ya! Honestly! But, we all kept gettin' interrupted!"

"SHUT UP!!" Apple Shine boomed again.

Applejack sighed. She then walked in to see Apple Shine on her bed, face down in the pillow, and still crying. She was still wearing her dress, but without the saddle. Applejack walked over to her and patted her back.

"Ah know," said Applejack. "Ah know how it feels..."

"Don't give me that!" Apple Shine shouted, turning her head towards Applejack. "You don't know how I feel! I was waiting for my parents to come and get me at the foster home! How are they going to take it when they find out I'm dead back there?! You don't even know what that's like!"

Applejack sighed and said, "That's where ya're wrong. Mah parents went missing when Apple Bloom was just one year old. Ah was devastated when Ma 'n' Pa never came back. Ev'rypony thought that they died. Ah did, too after Apple Bloom started talkin'."

Apple Shine looked up at Applejack. She had eyes of curiosity, but still had tears in them. She then said, "I... I didn't know."

"Ya know," Applejack said, "ya remind me of both of them in that current body o' yers. Besides the white parts, ya actually have the same color coat as mah Ma. And them red streaks in yer mane are the same color as Pa's mane."

"But, what about my real parents?" asked Apple Shine. "They should be sad to know that I'm dead back in my world."

"About that," Applejack said, sitting on the bed. "Princess Luna looked into yer earliest memories. Turns out yer parents... they didn't give ya up because of money." That made Apple Shine raise an eyebrow, still with tears in her eyes. "They... they never wanted children. They abandoned ya."

"W-what?!" Apple Shine asked. Applejack then flipped her over so she could unzip the dress.

"Yer parents thought that it would be best for all of ya if they let some other family take care of ya..." said Applejack, trying to unzip the dress, but it wasn't moving. "Wow. This zipper is stuck. Ah'm gonna have ta get Rarity to fix it."

"So... nothing I was expecting back there was going to happen?" she asked.

"Sadly, no." She then stopped pulling on the zipper.

Apple Shine then started sobbing lightly. Then she opened her eyes and then asked, "Wait. If I died back there, how am I alive here? It doesn't make any sense."

Applejack sighed, then said, "That's another thing. Remember how ya said that Ah wasn't yer ma? The day ya arrived, it was... unexpected... for mah friends and Ah."

"What happened?" Apple Shine asked.

"Ya see. Earlier than Ah usually woke up, Ah was awoken by this loud shriek. When Ah came outside, Ah saw a dark cloud over the Everfree Forest. It seems that Ah wasn't the only one awoken by that shriek. After we got Fluttershy outta her cottage, we headed into the forest. When we reached the bottom of a cliff, we were ambushed by an evil spirit. The ghost of Nightmare Moon, Luna's dark side. She intended on making a new body fer her ta use and take over Equestria in an eternal night."

"How was she going to do that?" Apple Shine asked.

"She intended on using a spell ta make one o' us pregnant. But instead o' waitin' 11 months, it went by in a minute. She fired that spell, and it was headin' towards Twilight. But Ah pushed her out o' the way, havin' me take the hit. It was extremely painful when it was happenin'. Ah became bloated in seconds 'til mah water broke. The foal had no color, nor soul. It was intended ta be a vessel for Nightmare Moon. But before she could get inta the body, the soul of somethin' else entered it. Yer spirit."

"M-me?"

"Yeah. Nightmare Moon tried getting another shot in, but she was hit by sunlight. Her soul blew up, making it so we wouldn't have ta see her again. It aged to the age ya were when ya were alive. So, technically, Ah am yer mother now." Applejack sighed. "Hopefully, Ah can be a better parent than those last two who just abandoned ya when ya were a baby."


(Apple Shine's Point of View)

My parents abandoned me when I was a baby. I died in my world. And my spirit entered the vessel of a magically born pony that had no soul until one entered it. And Applejack gave birth to that foal which I now am. I guess she is my mom, now.

I could feel tears coming out of the corner of my eyes. I then felt tears coming out of my eyes. I then jumped onto Applejack, and I wrapped my forelegs around her body as best as I could.

"I'm sorry!" I cried into her chest. "I'm sorry for yelling at you!"

"It's okay," she told me, rubbing the back of my head. "Ah'm sorry fer not tellin' ya sooner. Ya had ev'ry right ta know. Ah'll do mah best ta take care o' ya."

I smiled and buried my head into her chest without piercing her with my horn and said, "Thank you."

"Fer what?" she asked.

"For saving me. I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you." I felt Applejack wrap her forelegs around me. Then we heard a knocking at the door. Standing there were Apple Bloom, Big Mac and Granny Smith.

"Well, ain't that the sweetest," Granny Smith said.

"Basically, everypony in Equestria knows that yer Applejack's daughter, Apple Shine," Apple Bloom told me. "Ah'm sure Ma and Pa would love ta meet ya if they were still here."

"Eeyup," said Big Mac.

"We haven't said this ta ya before, Apple Shine," Applejack said, "but we are honored ta officially welcome ya ta the Apple Family."

"Can't wait for the next Apple Family Reunion!" Apple Bloom said coming in before her hoof kicked the saddle from my dress. She picked it up, then looked over at me and said, "Wow. Ah woulda expected fer ya ta take that dress all the way off."

I then remembered. Looking down at the dress, I forgot that it was still on me. Applejack then said, "Apple Bloom, ya mind bringin' Rarity up here? The zipper on Apple Shine's dress is stuck."

"Okay," Apple Bloom said, running down the hall.


Outside... 4:00 PM...

After we all apologized to each other, we all went back outside to enjoy the picnic. I still felt sad for my old friends. Seeing me die must've been so sad for them. But I'm sure that they'll remember me in their hearts. Rarity got that dress off of me. She said that she'll fix the zipper so I won't get stuck in it again.

I was basically showing off my flying skills to the princesses at the moment. Rainbow Dash and Twilight were flying with me. We eventually landed back on the ground.

"I see that you've adjusted very well," said Princess Celestia.

"I have," I told her. I then sighed. "Wish I could've been told about what happened to me sooner. If it weren't for some interruptions."

"We can just count that up ta poor timin'," Applejack said.

"Agreed," said Applejack's friends.

"So, Apple Shine," Twilight said to me, "school will be starting soon. Perhaps we should get you registered."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"It's probably the best," said Princess Celestia. "Besides. Fillies and colts your age should already be in school."

"I... guess I should," I told her. "I mean, I just finished the 1st grade back in my world. Guess I should prepare for a new school."

Applejack then pulled me into a hug and said, "Ah'm sure ya'll love bein' in school. Yer aunt Apple Bloom shall show ya the ropes."

I looked over towards Apple Bloom, who nodded at me. I smiled and then I looked up at Applejack and said, "Perhaps we should get some school supplies before school starts."

"Good call, sugarcube," Applejack said.

Princess Luna walked up to me with that hat that Rarity made for me. But it seemed that the crown on the hat looked more shiny. I then asked, "What are you doing?"

"I actually thought that you looked good in that hat with the crown. So, I decided to make an adjustment. The crown is now real, and the apple is actually a ruby, the apple step is a topaz, and the leaf on the apple is an emerald."

"Ooooh!" said Applejack.

I then sighed and said, "Guess I'm gonna have to get used to it." She then put the hat on my head. It felt a bit more heavier, but I guess I can get use to it.

"Welcome, Princess Apple Shine," said Princess Celestia. She then bowed, followed by Princess Luna, then Twilight, then the rest of Applejack's friends, Spike, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

"But that, I'll never get used to," I said.

Twilight teleported over to me, and whispered into my ear, "I know the feeling. I'm still getting used to being referred to as a princess."

Princess Celestia then walked up to me and said, "It's your choice whether you want a coronation or not."

"Nah," I said. "I think I'll do fine without a coronation."

"In that case," Princess Celestia said, levitating a piece of paper. "With this, you are officially a princess of Equestria. Make sure you live your life proud and truthfully."

"I will," I told her. Princess Celestia smiled at me, and then Applejack, Apple Bloom, Granny Smith and Big Mac gave me a group hug. At least now, I have a real family. This is better than knowing that my human parents had no interest in having me. What matters is that I'm now with a loving family.