//------------------------------//
// Epilogue - A Trip to the Spa 
// Story: Forbidden Fruit 
// by Vargras 
//------------------------------//

"So how's Granny Smith doing?"

"Much better, sugarcube. Took her a few days ta get back up ta one-hundred percent, but that fruit worked wonders. Nurse Redheart said she ain't ever seen anythin' like it. Some of th' fruit was still leftover, so she took some of it with her - figures maybe she can make a vaccine or somethin' out of it."

It had indeed taken a few days for Granny Smith to get back to her old self, but her health had returned. Within only a few hours after Nurse Redheart initially administered the fruit, the old mare's temperature had already dropped back to normal levels. Over the next few days, as her strength gradually returned and her other symptoms began to disappear, the rest of the family slowly shifted back to normal. Big Macintosh finally got caught up on his sleep and lessened his coffee-intake, though he never kicked the habit entirely. Apple Bloom went back to school with much of her work already completed, and her classmates were somewhat envious of her 'break'. Applejack herself had lived up to her earlier promise and slept until noon on her first day back, an especially late day for her. She had already returned to the orchards however, and Sweet Apple Acres was essentially back to the way it used to be.

Applejack sighed as she reclined in her seat while one of the spa ponies tended to the earth pony's hooves, while Twilight herself held a magazine while she received a horn filing. Both mares had decided to treat themselves, and had already enjoyed many of the spa's services - they had already had a massage and a mud bath, and now this. All that was left was to spend some time in one of the hot baths. With the filing complete, they both made their way to an open bath and hopped into the warm waters. Applejack would have been hesitant to admit it, but this was kinda nice.

"Hey AJ?"

The orange mare blinked and leaned against one of the walls of the bath. "Huh? Wha?" 

"I keep having these really weird dreams. Like... about me almost drowning. And then losing control." Twilight was absentmindedly tapping her hooves together, staring down at the water as she did.

"Well shucks, Twi. Ya can tell me about 'em if it'll make ya feel better. Do you wanna?"

"I guess. I mean, in a way, both dreams are kinda the same - you always end up saving me. With the drowning, I almost died, and when I lost control, I don't know if I could have ever gone back to just... me." The lavender mare sighed and looked up at Applejack, staring her in the eye. "But both times, you saved me. It didn't matter if it was from death or myself, you saved me."

Applejack waded over towards Twilight, sitting in the waters beside her. "Twi, it don' mean nothin'. I did it 'cause that's what friends do - we watch out fer each other. Don' ferget, ya saved me a few times too. Like when I fell into that crypt, or when I got stuck in mah own dream, or-"

Twilight giggled and placed a hoof on the earth pony's mouth, silencing her. "I get your point, Applejack. You don't have to keep giving examples."

"Twi, there was somethin' else I wanted ta say too." Applejack sighed and turned to look Twilight in the eye. "I jus' wanted ta thank ya for everythin'. I mean, you didn' even ask for anythin' in return! Ya heard about Granny's health, an' ya offered to help. No hesitation, no backwards glances. Ya jus'... were there fer me."

"Because that's what friends do. We watch out for each other." 

"Wait... Twilight. Did ya jus' use mah own words on me?"

The unicorn stifled a giggle and grinned. "Maaaaaaybe?"

"...c'mere you." Applejack slid through the waters towards Twilight Sparkle and gave the lavender mare a hug, though the unicorn certainly wasn't about to resist such a thing. Even with her forelegs still wrapped around her friend, the earth pony still had one last thing to say. "Hey Twi... think we should write Princess Celestia a friendship report?"

Twilight pondered it for a moment but then slowly shook her head. "Somehow, AJ... I think she already knows."

Elsewhere within Equestria, the Daughter of Sol nodded knowingly.

And she smiled.