//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: All We Have // by canonkiller //------------------------------// Characters: Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity,Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Celestia, Luna, Spike Tags: Sad Epilogue Applejack dipped her head, once again paying her respect to her best friend. This time, Mac was nowhere to be seen. Applejack was happy for that. She lifted the rim of her hat, making one last check for any spying ponies. Still alone. "Well, Winnie... it's been a long time, hasn't it? Since we met." She paused. "Do you remember that day?" "It was stormy, and I couldn't have been more than three weeks old. Mind, neither could you! You were just a little ball of fluff... with paws. And the biggest eyes... it feels like just yesterday..." Applejack wiped her eyes with a hoof. "Only yesterday... I was carrying you." She grunted and muttered to herself, "not right now, Applejack." "Well... there were times when we would just play. I remember when you just shuffled along by my side, letting me lean on you, keeping my balance while I learned the ways of the ground. Through it all... when Mom and Dad died... when I learned to buck with Mac... when Bloom tried to climb to the top of the silo..." she stopped, letting out a short giggle, "y'know, everything. You helped me through everything." "You were a good girl." "You always were a good girl." ----- After five days of silent mourning, Applejack finally set hoof back in Ponyville. And was immediately trapped by a five-pony hug. "Darling, what's taken you so long to come out?" The ginger pony bit her lip, averting her gaze from the white unicorn. "Applejack? Are you okay?" Twilight nudged her friend's shoulder with her hoof. "Fine." Applejack choked out. Pinkie broke away from the hug, bouncing in front of the group. With something between brute force and gentle sympathy, Pinkie's hoof forced Applejack's chin up, staring straight into her eyes. "Twilight, I think we should go to the library." Pinkie advised, dropping her fellow Earth Pony's chin and beginning to trot away. The ponies exchanged glances before Twilight shrugged and lead the group after Pinkie. ----- "...and that's why I've been gone." Applejack muttered, trying to ignore her fuzzy vision. Fluttershy, the first to start crying, launched forward and wrapped Applejack in a butter-furred hug. Pinkie's eyes were shimmering, and when Fluttershy hugged Applejack, she went for the nearest pony, which happened to be Twilight. The unicorn lifted one eyebrow and hugged the pony back, withholding tears. Rarity received a hug from Spike, who had woken up halfway through the story. Rainbow Dash, noticing there was nopony left to comfort, sat down and folded her front hooves. "You could have told us sooner. We'd have been happy to come over." Fluttershy whispered. "I'm fine-" "Remember what happened last time you were fine?" Rainbow sighed. "You almost sent me into orbit." "And you made the worst baked bads ever!" Rarity gently pried Spike off. He landed on his feet and turned to Applejack. "I thought they were good!" "You... weren't that good with the rabbits." The cream pegasus muttered. "Anyway," Twilight cut them all off with a glare, "we'll always be here for you. No matter what happens. Okay?" Applejack nodded, receiving the group hug and smiling, for real, for the first time in a week. ----- The earth pony fiddled the quill around in her mouth, somehow writing legibly. Dear Princess Celestia, Today, well, all week, I learned that it's hard to lose a trusted friend, one that you've known since forever. But, when you are ready to accept the loss, your friends will help you... through anything. Your honest subject, Applejack ----- Celestia scanned the letter quickly, aware of her sister trying to read over her shoulder. Folding it up quickly and levitating it away, she sat for a few moments, rereading the paper in her head. "Sis?" Luna asked, trotting out from behind her sister. "You okay?" Celestia lifted her sister easily, hugging the smaller Alicorn tightly. The navy Princess looked surprised, before returning the hug. "Don't ever leave me again, Luna." The Mare of the Moon smiled. "I wasn't going to, sis." "I had nopony when you were gone." "I know." "I missed you." Luna squeezed harder. "I know, sis. I know." -----END-----