"But why can't we see Applebloom? We haven't seen her at all these last two days." Sweetie Belle asked.
Granny Smith stood at the doorway looking down at the two fillies that had been begging to see Applebloom the entire day. She sorrowfully shook her head. "Ah'm sorry little ones, but ah don't think it is the best time ta see her. She ain't feelin' well."
"But... we want to make sure she is alright." Scootaloo pleaded, "If you could just let us go in for just a little, we would be so happy."
"Look, ah know how much ya care fer Applebloom, and ah know ya want her to be better soon. Ah just have ta say no, though. she needs her rest. As soon as she is better, ah will make sure y'all are here when she gets up."
Sweetie Belle ran forward up to Granny's legs. "Oh please let us see her. I heard from Rarity that she was really sick." she then put on the biggest puppy dog face to try to reach the elders soft spot. While this would work on the average pony, Granny gave a small chuckle at the attempt.
"Heh heh, ah have had that face used on me fer as long as ah can remember. it don't phase me." granny reached down and patted the two of them on their heads. "You are really good friends to Applebloom. Now go on home, its getting dark."
Scootaloo grunted in defeat. "Fine. If we can't see her, can you give this to her at least?" She she turned around and grabbed the small bag she had set on the ground. Opening it up, she pulled out the blue cape and handed it up to the older mare. "It would make us feel better if she at least had her cutie mark crusader cape with her. Let her know that with that, we will always be with her."
Smiling, Granny grabbed the cape from her. "Ah will be sure ta tell her. Now go home, ah don't want yer family ta worry where ya are."
Turning around the two cutie mark crusaders walked away together from the farm house back towards Ponyville, leaving Sweet Apple Acres to sit quietly in the evening sky. Closing the door, she walked into the living room where Big Mac was once again changing the rags on top of her grandfillies forehead. "How is she feeling?" She asked.
Giving a loud sigh, Big Mac turned to his Granny. "The same as always. Just really warm. Ah don't think these rags really help much."
"Just make sure they stay on her. Any little bit helps." Granny looked down to the sleeping filly on the couch wrapped up tight in blankets. Applebloom's mane was in shambles, sticking up in several directions from being bed ridden. 'Oh Applebloom, ah hope ya get better soon.' she thought to herself.
She turned back to Macintosh and noticed his droopy eyes. "Mac, y'all been watchin' Applebloom all day. She will be fine till mornin'. Why don't ya go get some rest now, alright?"
Yawning, he stood up and stretched his legs out. "Eeyup. g'night granny."
Watching him walk upstairs, Granny Smith laid the cape down across Applebloom. "Here. Ah know ya probably can't hear me, but yer friends gave ya this. Keep it close."
Applebloom remained quiet, her chest slowly rising and falling. Granny leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before heading up stairs herself. Before she got to her room, however, she stopped when she came upon her other granddaughters bedroom, empty as it had been for the last two days.
Ever since she heard from Zecora what Applejack had chosen to go with her to retrieve the ingredients for the medicine, Granny had felt a horrible pain deep inside of her chest. Knowing the direction where they were going, she had wanted to go to Applejack and order her not to partake, but she had chosen to hold back her tongue. Even if she had, she knew that it wouldn't have made a difference; she would have gone either way, with or without approval to go and get those ingredients needed.
walking on into her bedroom, she trotted to her closet and moved passed the many boxes stacked in the back. She stopped and looked over her shoulder to make sure she was alone in the room. Once she was certain, she moved past the pile of books, and came upon the small chest she had stowed back there. taking a deep breath, she pulled it out for the first time in six years and opened up the lid.
Inside sat a sapphire necklace, a dagger enscribed with tribal markings, and a single picture of five ponies; A large tan stallion in a stetson hat standing next to an orange mare with shining green eyes. sitting below them were two fillies; a red colt and a little orange filly. All were smiling together as they sat around a crib which contained a tiny newborn yellow filly.
A tear dripped down Granny's face as she sat quietly in her closet. "Is it fate this happens? Applejack is going to the same place they went back then?"