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// the Problem With Apples... 
// Story: Hard Cider 
// by Jubilancy 
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	“Twilight, hold still! Do you want to look presentable or do you want to look as if you’ve just stepped out of a tornado?”
“Sorry, Rarity.” I guess I’m just nervous about today.”
Rarity rolled her eyes as she stepped back to look at the newly dressed Twilight, whose dress had been a bit of a challenge to make. Her wings were bigger than that of an average Pegasus and she was taller than the measurement Rarity had already memorized for her when she was a Unicorn. The dress had come out perfect nevertheless. It was sleek and jet-black. It fit perfectly to her body, but considering how business-like Twilight was, Rarity had been sure to keep decent. Her own dress a bit short in the back, but it showed nothing more than what would be allowed at a funeral. 
Rarity stepped forward again to smooth a wrinkle that had formed at Twilight’s hip. “Did you sleep well last night, dear? You seem a lot more refreshed than you have been lately.” Rarity smiled at Twilight, whose eyes looked brighter and she looked a lot happier.
“I slept a lot better than I thought I would.”
Rarity bit her lip. “And Applejack?”
Twilight gave a small smile. “Actually, she’s looking a lot better. She took a long shower this morning and agreed to meet us here. I put Rainbow Dash in charge of her to make sure she doesn’t sneak off to a bar or something.”
Rarity smiled. Sounded like things were looking up. “Good, good! They both need to hurry up so I can get them fitted into their dresses.”
“They’ll be here soo—“ She was cut off by the door opening. Fluttershy, rainbow Dash, and Applejack entered, all smiling for once. Rarity smiled when she saw Applejack. Her emerald eyes were back to their shining normality. 
“Applejack, darling!” Rarity hopped forward and wrapped the Earth Pony in a hug, and squealed in delight when she felt her hug back. She leaned back and looked at her. “I’m glad you’re back to normal.”
Applejack grinned hesitantly. “Not normal, but… better.”
“Well, that’s a start. Let’s get you fitted now!” Twilight stepped off the platform and Applejack took her place. She stood tall and confident; maybe not as she normally was, but it lifted Rarity’s spirits all the same.
Rarity lit up horn and levitated Applejack’s dress over to where she stood. “Now, Applejack, just step in here… There you go, now put your left hoof there. Move your mane a bit please? Thank you. Now I’ll just zip it up and—done! Voila! Now for your mane.”
She reached for the ribbons in Applejack’s mane, but was stopped by an orange hoof. “I got it, Rarity.” Rarity dropped her hoof and stood back as Applejack stepped off the platform. Applejack removed the ribbons in her mane and let it fall around her shoulders. She flipped her head down, to where her hair was reaching down towards the floor. Before Rarity could ask what she was doing, she flipped her head back up quickly and tilted it to the left a bit. Rarity gasped and smiled at how it looked., It fell in beautiful golden rivers around her shoulders. Her bangs looked as if they’d been sprayed with hairspray, they stood up gracefully before falling into a long ribbon that covered the corner of her left eye. The rest of her mane spilled out her back and shoulder blades.
Applejack blushed a bit as the mares gaped at her. “Do I look nice?”
Rainbow was the first to speak. “Nice? You look awesome!”
“Very pretty.” Fluttershy murmured and smiled.
Rarity stood back and admired her work. The long black dress was sleek and it seemed to cling to every curve of the mare’s body. It dipped low in the back, and while looking at the hem, Rarity noticed that the ribbon was still in Applejack’s tail. She pulled it out gently and let the hair fall freely around the orange pony’s hooves. “You look lovely, Applejack.”
“Hellloooo, Rarityyy!” Pinkie Pie bounced in, announcing her arrival with a high-pitched call. “I didn’t curl my mane like you asked!”
Rarity looked at Pinkie and grinned. Pinkie’s mane was still a bit curly, but it fell in glossy waves around her shoulders instead of going into tight spirals. Her bangs were down and off to the side, held back by a small bobby pin.
“Hey, Rares? Can I just grab my dress and head off? I gotta check the weather. Fluttershy can fit me for you.”
Rarity nodded. “Go ahead, Rainbow Dash. “
“I gotta go too, Rarity.” Applejack said. “I need to make sure Applebloom’s ready.” She looked at Rarity’s uncertain gaze and sighed. “I ain’t gonna be sneakin’ off to no bars.”
“Either way, I want Fluttershy to go with you. She’s been fitted already, so she might as well.”
Fluttershy nodded and lead Applejack out of the room. “Come on, Applejack. If Applebloom has any trouble with her dress, I can help her out.”
Their voices faded away as they exited. Twilight spoke up. “I should go too, Rarity. I need to stop by the Acres and make sure everything’s set up.” She waved goodbye to the Unicorn before departing.
Pinkie fidgeted from where she stood on the platform. “Pinkie, dear. Calm down.” Rarity smiled up at her as she got her into the black dress.
Pinkie blew a stray piece of hair out of her eyes and sighed. “Sorry, Rarity! I’m just super super excited about the party!”
Rarity blinked and paused in what she was doing. “Party? Pinkie, dear. This isn’t a party. This a funeral. Today is a sad day.”
Pinkie tilted her head in confusion. “Why sad? Today should be a happy day!”
Rarity gasped. “What! Somepony had died, Pinkie Pie. This is not a happy day.”
Pinkie rolled her eyes. “I know somepony died, silly! Today should be a happy day because we’re celebrating Big Mac’s life!” She smiled. “I mean, if a funeral isn’t for celebrating their life, you might as well be celebrating their death, right? I mean, if you don’t wanna celebrate their life then don’t have funeral!”
Rrity blinked. “Y-you’re right.” She looked up at Pinkie, now fully dressed, and looked back down. “Funerals really are a way of celebrating one’s life, isn’t it?”
Pinkie sighed. “Exactly! That’s what I’ve been trying to say!”


“Hi Applebloom.” Fluttershy smiled at the filly. Applebloom’s eyes were wet and Fluttershy could see trails of dried tears on her cheeks.
“H-hi, Fluttershy.” She sniffed.
“Oh, Applebloom.” Fluttershy stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. Applebloom gripped her tightly and pressed her nose into the crick of Fluttershy neck. 
“W-why did he have to die, Fluttershy? Why my brother, why now?”
Fluttershy frowned and held the filly closer. She kissed her cheek and pushed her back so she could look at her face. “I… don’t know—“
“Did he wanna die?” Applebloom choked out
Fluttershy frowned. “No, sweetie.”
“’Cause last week I- I made him really mad by sneakin’ out at night.” Applebloom’s eyes, so usually bright and cheerful, were now dull and lifeless.
“No, no, no, no.” Fluttershy insisted, pulling Applebloom into her again. “Applebloom, Big Macintosh loved you. Nothing you ever could have done would have made him mad enough to… to…” Fluttershy paused, not sure how to console the grieving filly in the appropriate manner.
Applebloom sniffed and wriggled out of her grasp. She stood a few feet away next to her bed, just staring at the crinkled sheets. “You can say it, Fluttershy, I ain’t a baby.” She took a deep breath before looking at Fluttershy again. “—to kill himself. That’s what you were gonna say right?”
Fluttershy swallowed before nodding slowly. Applebloom sighed and walked toward her. “I guess you’re right.” She put a small smile on her face before hugging Fluttershy. “Thanks for helping me see that.”
Fluttershy tilted her head and pulled away. “Haven’t Granny Smith and Applejack tried telling you this?”
Applebloom looked at her hooves. “Granny Smith hasn’t really been payin’ attention to anything since… you know. And Applejack…” She frowned and gave Fluttershy a knowing look.
Fluttershy said nothing instead just nodded in understanding. Clearing her throat, she stood up and walked to Applebloom’s closet. “Now, let’s look at your dress, hm?”


Applejack listened intently outside Applebloom’s door, her heart plummeting with every word.
“Did he wanna die?”
“No, sweetie.”
Applejack sighed and placed her forehead to the door. “No, Sugarcube. He didn’t wanna die.” She whispered as quietly as she could. She was sober for the first time in a while, and the reality was finally hitting her. Her brother was dead, and it was hurting Applebloom just as much as it was her.
“Haven’t Granny Smith and Applejack tried telling you this?” Fluttershy’s voice drifted through the wood.
Applejack held her breath as she waited for her sister to answer.
“Granny Smith hasn’t really been payin’ attention to anything since… you know. And Applejack…”
What, I what?!
Nothing else was said for a while before Fluttershy cleared her throat.  “Now, let’s look at your dress, hm?”

“Oh, wow! That dress looks very nice on you, Applebloom!” Fluttershy exclaimed jovially.
Applebloom, now in a flowing black gown, beamed at the older mare. “Really? Ya like it?”
Fluttershy nodded and walked around to the back of the filly. “Now just let me do your mane.” She reached for the bow, but was stopped by a pair of yellow hooves. 
“Er, Fluttershy. Can I keep my mane how it is? Big Mac always said it looked nice.” Applebloom blushed as she neared the last words of her request.
Fluttershy smiled and stepped back. “Of course.” She glanced at the clock above the door. “Come now, the funeral is going to start soon.” She made her way towards the door and opened it up. She stayed back to let Applebloom go first before walking out into the hallway. She slowly followed Applebloom down the stairs and paused mid-way to look at Granny Smith, who sat in a recliner. She donned a pretty black gown with a velvet black hat with a net. The expression on the elderly mare’s face was unreadable to Fluttershy. It looked a mixture of sadness, shock, and anger. Fluttershy blinked before unfurling her wings and lifting herself over the hoof-rail. She slowly made her way to Granny Smith and cleared her throat.
“G-Granny Smith?” the Earth Pony turned slowly to look at her. “How are you feeling?”
Granny Smith blinked before answering. “And who’re you?”
Fluttershy swallowed and smiled. “I’m Fluttershy, we’ve met before.”
Granny Smith didn’t reply, instead just turned toward the kitchen. “Applejack.”
The mare in question peeked her head around the corner. “What?”
“When’s the funeral?”
“Um,” Applejack looked to Fluttershy.
“I-It’ll start soon.”
Applejack’s eyes widened. “Come on, Granny. We gotta go. Applebloom!”
Applebloom rolled her from where she sat on the couch. “Right here, sis.”
Applejack bit her lip and looked away. “Come on, ya’ll.” She walked towards the door and flung it open. She stared outside for a moment before taking a deep breath and walking outside. “I need a drink.” She murmured quietly.
Fluttershy, having heard the remark, narrowed her eyes at Applejack before turning back to Granny Smith. “Come on, Granny Smith.” She gently nosed her out of the chair and stood up straight as the older mare stood and walked together towards the door. Fluttershy opened it for her and waited for Granny to walk through before following and closing the door behind them.

“We are here today to remember,” Rarity began. She glanced at Pinkie before continuing. “and celebrate the life of Big “Apple” Macintosh. An admirably hard worker, an excellent provider, a splendid soul, and above all these things, a spectacular family member and friend. I, for one, am truly sad that he’s gone.” She paused, looking out at the sea of ponies in black attire. The entire town had attended, and it was only made bigger by the entire Apple Family coming as well. She cleared her throat. “Anypony  who would like to come and say something – a story, a poem, a complement, your condolences—anything about Big Macintosh may come and do so.” She smiled before stepping down. “Thank you.”
Rarity went back to her seat beside Twilight, who gave her a grateful nod. “That was beautiful, Rarity.”
Rarity smiled at her, but said nothing when she noticed that Braeburn was going up to speak.
“Howdy, ya’ll.” He said before continuing. “We all have our favorite family members, right? Now I’ll admit that though Mac wasn’t my favorite cousin, he was still one of the most dependable stallions you could ever meet. We had our share of fights, every cousin does. I remember he came up to Appleloosa when we were younger, Fiddlesticks couldn’t stand him.” He glanced at Fiddlesticks, who was blushing furiously and scowling at her brother.  “She pulled so many pranks on Big Mac while he was stayin’ with us. She tried puttin’ spicy Appleloosian salasa in all his food.” The crowd rippled with laughter.
“She got him pretty good once by rubbin’ his tooth brush with a jalapeño. You’d think the poor stallion’s mouth was on fire the way he was pantin’ and drinkin’ whatever liquid he could find!” He paused to let the gathered ponies finish laughing before smiling sadly. “Rest in peace, Mac.”
Rarity smiled as Braeburn stepped down from the podium. She saw Fluttershy,who sat on the outside of the row, reach out a hoof to his shoulder as he passed. She murmured something to him, too quiet for Rarity to hear. He smiled gratefully at her and muttered something back before returning to his seat.

A few more ponies took to the podium. Fiddlesticks apologized for her behavior as foals, Carrot Top came up to express her sorrow at Big Mac’s passing. Granny Smith said a few words about her grandson. 
Rarity held her breath when she saw Applejack stand up from where she sat. She felt Pinkie Pie and Twilight tense on each side of her. The Earth Pony made her way slowly to the podium and took a deep breath.
“When Mac had the accident with the combine, I was in Canterlot. When Celestia gave me the message that Big Mac had been hurt, a million thought came to my mind. What had happened? Is he okay? Is anypony with him?” She paused and looked at her hooves before she continued talking. “I didn’t wanna believe it. When I got to Ponyville, I thought by ‘accident’ it meant he’d just been injured. Not… mangled. My whole life, Big Macintosh has been the one to look after me. After our parents died, Big Mac consoled me because he was the only one close enough to my age to understand. He’s protected me since day one, as big brothers have since the dawn of time.”
“To say I miss Mac would be an enormous understatement. To say I wish he hadn’t died would be an even bigger one. I’ve never felt so vulnerable, not since the day my parents died. Honestly, not even then. I was too young to have really met ‘em, so…” Her voice faltered as she neared the finale of her speech.
“All I can say for sure is that Mac shouldn’t have gone this soon with so much to leave behind and that I miss him more than words can possibly say” With tears flowing freely from her eyes, Applejack took a shuddering breath before running from the podium, nearly knocking over the table. She ignored the murmurs and the sounds of her friends calling her as she ran as fast as she could from the ceremony. Her lungs burned from the running and the sobbing she was doing, but she pushed herself harder. She didn’t know where she was going, nor did she care. She just wanted to get away from reality. 
Finally, she skidded to a halt. She looked around to see that she was in the south orchard. She collapsed under the shade of a large apple tree and sighed. “I’m sorry, Mac.”