The Apple Doesn't Fall Far

by KholdstareV


14. Good-Bye and Hello

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Chapter 14: Good-Bye and Hello

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*BONG!... BONG!... BONG!...BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!*

The distant sound of the Ponyville clock tower bell rippled through the air, dutifully delivering its message of "It's 10 o' clock!" all across the town and the surrounding fields. To the few guests and vendors still roaming the Parents' Day Festival grounds, eagerly trying to glean the rest of what they could from the experience, the sound carried an additional message: that it was time to go home. All the ads and promos leading up to the festival had said that it would last "until 10," and so, with the chime of the final bell, all remaining attractions began to be folded down, and all remaining families began to clear out. Within minutes, they knew, all the activity would fade into the night, and the only remnants of the Parents' Day Festival left would be ten acres of garbage to clean up and hundreds of memories to cherish.

While the life at the fairgrounds was dwindling down, however, there remained an air of excitement and energy around the barn. Apple Bloom, who knew 10 o' clock to be her usual bedtime, could simply not be made to sleep right then. She sat on a milk crate outside the barn's entrance with her elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her hooves, observing. Four Ponyville police stallions – the only ones currently on duty – had been dispatched to investigate the crime scene at the barn and the nearby tool shed. Caution tape was stretched across the entrance to both structures, and all ponies had been questioned about the events that had transpired over the course of the past few hours. The only members of the Equestrian Royal Guard still present were Shining Armor, and two other Pegasi guards bound to a caged chariot. These were the two that had originally been sent to cart Applejack to her holding cell in Canterlot while she awaited trial at Royal Court. Recent developments being what they were, though, it was now Brawn Bones who was locked in that cage, and destined for that fate. He sat on his rump inside the dark, claustrophobic box with his head hung down, facing away from everyone. As satisfying as it was to see that vicious animal locked up, Apple Bloom couldn't help but wonder to herself what his story might be. Strangely, she found herself curious even about her own curiosity.

Fluttershy and Softheart were standing near the caged transport, speaking with Shining Armor and one of the police stallions. Apple Bloom could only make out snippets of their conversation, but from what she gathered, Brawn Bones was to be put on trial for repeated domestic violence, aggravated assault against two of the wielders of the Elements of Harmony, and mail tampering, among countless other things. She didn't know what a lot of these terms meant, but just based on the horrors she saw, she knew for certain that he was a stallion that deserved to be put away for a very long time.

It shocked her greatly when she first learned that he was none other than Fluttershy's father. "How in tarnation does a scary lunatic like that have such a shy, sweet-as-sugar daughter?" she asked herself. She watched as Fluttershy calmly approached the carriage and peered through the bars at Brawn Bones, his back still turned to her. She said something inaudible. It was impossible for Apple Bloom to tell whether or not he replied. Regardless, Fluttershy placed a gentle hoof on the barrier of bars, and gave one more earnest message to him. She then turned, walked to her stepmother's side, and looked back. Then, with a whistle and a command from Shining Armor, the two Pegasi spread their wings and began to take off, trailing the caged transport and its prisoner behind them. Brawn Bones did nothing but stare through the bars and out across the plains as the chariot travelled away, growing smaller and smaller beyond the horizon until it completely vanished into the night sky. As it did, Fluttershy and Softheart watched while embracing one another tightly, the latter stroking the former's mane in a motherly manner. If one didn't know better, Apple Bloom thought, it would have been easy to assume Softheart WAS Fluttershy's mother, seeing them as they were now. "Maybe Fluttershy's kinda lucky in a way," she figured. "After all, she may have an awful daddy, but she's practically got the love of TWO moms to balance things out!"

When Fluttershy and Softheart went back to speaking with Shining Armor, Apple Bloom shifted her focus, and spotted Twilight, her parents, and Spike nearby. They were still studying one of the Apple Family star charts, this time with the chart spread out on the grass, and with Twilight providing illumination from her horn so they could see in the dark of the night. At one point, Starlight pointed to an unknown constellation in the western sky. She began to explain something when, all of a sudden, a quick breeze flew by, sweeping the large, unwieldy chart off the grass and into the air. All four of them, in a frenzied panic, leapt up and attempted to grab at the chart to pin it back down with their limbs and teeth. It didn't take long, though, for Moonlight to see the foolishness of this – he quickly cast a levitation spell and captured the chart in its hold, then lowered it back down on the grass. The two ladies looked at one another, and then laughed, embarrassed by their spazziness. Moonlight and Spike chuckled along with them.

Domicilia and Hoppin Barley, who happened to be nearby, saw the silly display of the Sparkle family, and joined in on the laughter, too. Starlight and Moonlight did not look the slightest bit on edge, and in fact exchanged a few friendly words with their fellow married couple. Within minutes, though, the Sparkles and Spike were right back to their intense studies, and Rarity's parents began to head off in another direction.

Apple Bloom traced the trajectory of Rarity's parents, and saw that they were heading toward a fallen log that Rarity and Orange Julius were sitting on. Orange Julius sat on the log leaning forward, arching his back up, while Rarity applied a rather rough-looking massage to his left shoulder blade. Sweetie Belle stood beside her older sister, carrying a bag of what appeared to be various lotions and oils that Rarity swapped between frequently. As Rarity pressed her slicked hooves on Orange Julius's shoulder, he would constantly flip between wincing in pain and sighing in euphoria. Apple Bloom stuck out her tongue, wondering why one of her favorite cousins was letting Rarity massage him like that, and why one of her best friends was helping. But then it suddenly struck her: she remembered how, during the confrontation against Brawn Bones, Sweetie Belle had attempted to flee in order to warn Shining Armor. When Brawn Bones attempted to stop her, Orange Julius had been the one to shove him out of the way, thus allowing Hopping Barley to get her to safety. Apple Bloom surmised that Orange Julius had been hurt in the encounter, and Rarity and Sweetie Belle were helping to ease the pain as an expression of gratitude. Satisfied with this explanation, Apple Bloom nodded, and quietly thanked Orange Julius for saving her friend, as well.

Rarity greeted her parents as they approached, all the while continuing to apply her massage. They greeted her back. Then, after Domicilia whispered some seemingly demanding words into Hoppin Barley's ear, he slowly trotted around to the other side of the log and faced Orange Julius. The two nodded wordlessly to one another. After a brief hesitation, Hoppin Barley rummaged through his saddle bag and withdrew two bottles of his home-brewed beer, pried the caps off with his teeth, and handed one to Orange Julius before plopping his rear end on the log himself. The two spoke briefly, and then, with nods of approval to one another, tinked their bottles together and drank. This elicited many smiles and expressions of glee from the three ladies present, even as Orange Julius gagged and discreetly spit out the disgusting brew. It appeared to Apple Bloom that Hoppin Barley was also grateful to Orange Julius for his daring rescue, and wished only to say that he had earned his respect.

Two paramedic ponies passing by with a patient on a stretcher stole Apple Bloom's attention. She recognized the patient right away – it was Aeroswift, Rainbow Dash's mother. According to bits and pieces she had heard from scattered conversations, Aeroswift's back was injured when Brawn Bones had thrown her off of his body, causing her to smack into a wooden post. The injury wasn't serious, apparently, but it had the potential to become so if left untreated, so she was to be carted to the hospital right away. Apple Bloom followed the paramedics and Aeroswift with her eyes as they hurried to their ambulance wagon parked in the clearing. Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac stood by the wagon, the former leaning against her father's body, worry written across her features. The concern in her expression, however, did not seem to equal even a fraction of that in his. Even from the distance she was at, Apple Bloom could see the glisten of tears in Sweetgood Mac's eyes as he watched his aching wife pass by him on the stretcher.

Just as the medics were about to load Aeroswift into the back of the wagon, Sweetgood Mac halted them. He and Rainbow Dash then proceeded to hover by her bedside, praising her for her heroics and wishing for her to get well soon. At the end of it all, Sweetgood Mac placed a caring hoof on her shoulder and, through a faint smile, mouthed what looked to be the words, "Thank you." Aeroswift looked him in the eyes, and although she did not smile back, she placed her hoof on top of his, and very clearly responded, "You're welcome." With that, the medics calmly explained that they could not delay any longer, to which Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac nodded in understanding. Aeroswift was then quickly brought into the back of the wagon, but not before giving an enthusiastic wink and hoofpump to her daughter. Rainbow Dash returned the gestures with gusto. The ambulance wagon then shut its doors and began to roll away, leaving Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac to converse about whatever it was they conversed about.

The sound of voices to her immediate right made Apple Bloom turn her head that way. There she saw two police stallions exit the barn's main doors by crouching under the caution tape, talking as they did.

"We definitely found traces of the stuff on the floor," explained one. "No idea what it is, though. We'll need to send a sample to the lab to have it analyzed."

"Well, judging by the smell, it's gotta be SUPER potent. Possibly lethal in high enough doses. But who knows? Whoever injected it into that crazy pegasus cop might have actually helped things out a great deal. The royal guards said they might not have been able to restrain him if he hadn't been sedated by that stuff first…"

"You're sure he was injected with it?"

"There was a syringe hole on his left buttock. It seems to add up."

"Ah, OK. But still no idea who actually did it?"

"It happened during the whole scuffle, so no one's really sure. But we're asking around…"

As the two cops carried on with their talk, Apple Bloom happened to notice Pinkie Pie, Rock Candy, and Stone Muffin all huddled in a tight bunch just a few yards behind the cops' backs, snickering mischievously. All three of them looked at Apple Bloom. Then, Rock Candy, with a goofy grin, held up a syringe and wiggled it in the air. This led the three family members to chuckle to themselves even more, and they clearly wanted Apple Bloom to chuckle along with them. Although she did not fully understand the situation, their infectious smiles managed to bring one out of her as well.

"…So if this sedative stuff turns out to be illegal, do you think whoever injected it might be able to get off easy? Ya know, for helping the guards to take that maniac down?"

"I don't know about the ethics of the whole thing, but I'll bet you all the bits in the bank that the stuff is DEFINITELY illegal, and whoever owned it could face some charges, no matter how much good it happened to do…"

The eyes of all the members of Pinkie Pie's family went wide. Rock Candy slowly tucked the syringe away into Stone Muffin's saddlebag. Then, looking Apple Bloom's way again, they all put their hooves to their lips, urging her to remain quiet. She nodded in agreement. With that settled, the silly trio all embraced one another and, as a unit, tip-toed Looney-Tunes style around to the other side of the barn, and out of sight.

As Apple Bloom studied the families all around her, it began to make her think about the state of her own, and, by extension, her relationship with her older sister. "Ugh, Applejack…" she muttered to herself. "How could you do this to us…?"

"Well, Applejack ain't at the house…" sounded Big Macintosh's deep voice from the left. He ambled over and took a seat on the grass beside her.

Apple Bloom acknowledged him with a frown. "Hmph, so did she just go a-runnin' off in shame, then?"

Big Macintosh didn't know whether to answer with a "Ee-yup," or a "Nnn-ope". And so, he simply shrugged, clearly concerned.

Apple Bloom, however, displayed nothing but scorn. "Well she oughtta have, after what she pulled tonight! I mean, can you believe it? She said she missed out on visitin' Ma and Pa on Parents' Day cuz she needed to help all her friends to enjoy theirs first. Hogwash! I'm lookin' round right now, and everypony looks to be just fine n' dandy to me! Fluttershy n' her stepmom, Twilight n' her folks, Rarity n' hers, Rainbows Dash n' her daddy, Pinkie's family… I'm seein' nothin' but smiles n' sunshine all around!" She crossed her forelegs across her chest and pouted her lips. "If there's any family here that needs help, it's ours! And she's a PART of it! How could she just abandon it like that?!"

Big Macintosh, again, did not know whether to reply positively or negatively. He stood silent and still, observing the other families. He could see that Twilight and her kin were now engaged in talks with Fluttershy and Softheart. Their speech was inaudible, but their faces implied that the subject matter was very serious.

"…And to think, on top o' all that, she went on to ruin ma's old favorite dress, too… Ma loved that dress. I loved that dress! Applejack promised she'd hand it down to me someday. Well, looks like I can toss that dream in the compost heap. Now that that dress is all marked n' ripped n' bloodied up…"

"It only got ruined cuz Fluttershy's pa attacked her, ya know," Big Macintosh calmly explained. "Ain't her fault…"

"Well, what was she doin' gettin' involved in all that nonsense in the FIRST place?!" Apple Bloom argued. "What did she think to gain by standin' up to a big ol' stallion like that by herself? I mean, Big Mac, even YOU couldn't hold him down by yourself in there. I saw you try!"

Big Macintosh nodded in agreement. "Ee-yup..."

"I just don't see how her doin' that coulda helped her, or Fluttershy, or ANYpony. Just seems like plain ol' tomfoolery to me. Boy howdy, when she shows her face 'round here again, I'm gonna let her have it!"

Big Macintosh sighed and shook his head. He then turned to address the Sparkle family, Fluttershy, and Softheart, as he saw them all approaching.

"So, Big Mac," Twilight said, leading the group, "was Applejack at home?"

Big Macintosh shook his head again. "Nnn-ope."

Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged worried glances. The latter spoke up right away. "She's not home? Oh my… Where could she have gone?"

"What does it matter?!" Apple Bloom blurted out. "For all I care, she shoulda been carted off to jail right along with that other brute!"

Twilight's jaw dropped upon hearing Apple Bloom's comment. It was as heated and sharp as a tempered blade. "Apple Bloom! How could you say that?! She's your big sister! She's family!"

"Coulda fooled me," the filly snapped back. "You oughtta be remindin' HER what the word 'family' means! I'm serious – she should be thrown right in jail! It oughtta be a CRIME to not see your own parents on Parents' Day!"

"I beg your pardon?" Softheart asked, stepping up next to Fluttershy. "Did… you just say Applejack didn't see her parents tonight?"

Apple Bloom closed her eyes and turned away. "Wish it wasn't so… but it's true."

"What?!" Twilight gasped. "That's unbelievable! She has to have seen them! How could she not?"

"I'm afraid Applejack told me the same, Twily," Shining Armor chimed in. "She mentioned something about 9:00 pm being her 'deadline' as far as being able to see her parents, but by then, it was already well past that hour."

"But… But why? What could possibly possess her to forsake her own parents on a night like this?!"

"Well, apparently," Apple Bloom explained, giving Twilight, Fluttershy, and their respective relations a rather cold eye, "she was tryin' to help all of YOU."

"Huh?" Fluttershy queried, looking to Softheart, "But… That doesn't make any sense. I mean, yeah, Applejack DID help us tonight. A lot. More than we could have ever asked for. But… Still, it's not like it took her all night. She should have still had time to go see her own mom and dad…"

"Indeed," Softheart continued, "there were very long stretches of time where we didn't see or hear from her. I assumed that, during one of those stretches, she had found the time to go."

"Now, hold on," Starlight said inquisitively, "Applejack was trying to help us? Do what, exactly? I mean, she told us about her family's harvest-predicting star charts, but that's about it…"

Twilight, ever since hearing Apple Bloom's claim, had been deep in thought. She tried to remember every moment she had seen Applejack that night, and everything that Applejack had said and done. Trying to 'help'? Could that have meant…? "Mom, I think what Apple Bloom means to say is… Applejack was trying to help mend everypony's familial problems so that we could all enjoy the holiday..."

Starlight and Moonlight both returned quizzical stares. "I don't understand," the former stated. "What issues? And what do you mean she was trying to 'mend' them?"

"Mom, don't tell me you've never noticed," Twilight said, taking a step towards her. "Ever since you and dad gave up on astronomy so long ago, you've been pushing Shining Armor and I down career paths that we didn't necessarily choose for ourselves. It's like what we wanted didn't matter; it's like you didn't want us to pursue our true dreams because you yourself didn't get to realize yours. You just seemed so… empty, and unfulfilled. When you gave up what you loved, you gave up love itself…" Twilight turned her gaze from her mother and towards the distant farmhouse. "Applejack recognized that. And it pained her to see my relationship with my parents be so broken. She wanted to fix it. And she knew the only way to do so was to remind you and dad of your long-lost passion, and to help you realize that it was a passion that I possessed, too… That it was something we could share together." She pulled the blue telescope from her saddlebag and held it out for both her parents to see. "Do you remember how she convinced us to ride the Ferris wheel? She gave this to me just before we boarded, and told me that when we reached the top, I would know what to do. Don't you see? She wanted us to witness the Violet Veneer together. She wanted to revive that passion in all of us, not just for astronomy, but for each other…"

"But Twilight, sweetie," Starlight argued, "we only got to see the Violet Veneer so clearly because the Ferris wheel just happened to malfunction as we were at the top of it. Surely, you're not implying that Applejack is responsible for that, too."

"You underestimate her resourcefulness, mom. I fact, I KNOW she's responsible for that. And the marketing idea she told us about when we got down? I'm positive that, when she was pitching the idea, she wasn't thinking about how much it would benefit the farm. No, she was thinking about how much it would benefit US. Our family. She did all that planning, went through all that trouble… just because she couldn't stand to see us unhappy on Parents' Day."

Starlight stared with upturned eyebrows and a sad twinkle in her eye. He looked to her husband. "Moonlight, dear… You're good at reading ponies. Is what Twilight is saying true? Does Applejack seem the type to do such things?"

Moonlight closed his eyes and thought for a minute. When he reopened them, his curt reply was, "I believe so."

Starlight looked at the ground, a rare hint of humility in her features. "Oh my…" She removed her glasses and turned away from the group. Moonlight and Shining Armor walked up to her sides to tend to her.

Apple Bloom was ready to make another remark, but was surprised to see Rainbow Dash, Sweetgood Mac, the entirety of Rarity's family, and Orange Julius approaching as a group. Rarity and Orange Julius noticed Apple Bloom's pouty demeanor, and walked up to her. "Apple Bloom, darling, you look positively dreadful!"

"Yeah. What's the matter, cousin Bloomie?"

Apple Bloom didn't look at either one. "Applejack. That's the matter," was all she said.

"What about her?" Rainbow Dash asked. "And where'd she go, anyway?"

"We don't know," Twilight replied. "She's nowhere around the crime scene, and she's not at home. But wherever she is, we all owe her a humungous thanks. Rainbow Dash, Rarity… She sacrificed her visit with her parents tonight in order to help all of us!"

"WHAT?!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "No way! How could she do that?!"

"She's certainly a compassionate one," Sweetgood Mac mused. "And she did spend a good amount of time with our family trying to help, err, get us out of the rut we were in… But, I would never have expected her to leave her OWN family behind just to help ours. That… almost transcends nice. That's the type of self-sacrifice reserved only for the holiest of saints. If what you're saying is true, that girl deserves a halo and angel's wings!"

"Oh, our poor, sweet Applejack!" Rarity cried, raising a calf theatrically to her forehead, "Why, the only way this could be more dramatic is if it turned out that she just secretly set me up with her cousin in order to somehow ease the tensions within MY family!"

Orange Julius and Domicilia exchanged glances. "Uh, Rarity," said the former, slightly embarrassed, "that's… actually EXACTLY what happened."

Rarity's mouth went agape. "WHAT?! How could that-!?" She whipped around to face her parents. "Mother, father, is this true?!"

Hoppin Barley simply shrugged. "Accordin' to your mother, yeah. Not that I have anything against it. Orange Julius has proven himself to be A-OK in my book!"

"I agree wholeheartedly," Domicilia answered, "and that is exactly what Applejack wanted - to introduce you to a suitor that both you AND us would like! And beyond that, she imparted to me some wonderful advice that I won't soon forget. Clearly, she is a pony wise beyond her years. So don't be upset at her for keeping the set-up a secret, dearie. She was only trying to make us all happy."

"Upset?! Oh, heavens, no!" Rarity exclaimed gleefully, brushing up close to the beaming Orange Julius. "Applejack has just orchestrated a fantasy-come-true for me. How could I be upset? I've never been more thrilled in my LIFE!" From her dramatically cheery stance, she suddenly drooped down, feeling a small hole be punched into her breast. "Why, if there's anything UNpleasant about the whole thing, it's that I just feel absolutely AWFUL for Applejack. Why, it's as if she just tore out a great, big chunk of her own happiness and handed it right to us. And without asking for anything in return... Oh, how could any of us EVER repay her?"

"APPLEJACK TORE OUT A CHUNK OF HERSELF?!" sounded a surprised voice from the left. Everyone swiveled their heads to see Pinkie Pie, Rock Candy, and Stone Muffin, all having appeared out of nowhere in typical fashion. The one who had just hollered was Rock Candy.

Stone Muffin clocked him on the back of the head with her hoof. "No, you dumb brandy-for-blood!" she scolded. "She was talking about a metaphor! Saying that Applejack sacrificed all her time and fun on Parents' Day just so everypony else could enjoy theirs!"

"Oooooh!" Rock Candy replied drolly. A few seconds later, his eyes went dim and his lip sagged. "Uhh… Who's Applejack again?"

"My super-duper great friend, daddy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "The one who gave you guys the beer on the top of the barn! The one who spun around and around and around with us IN the barn! The one who was responsible for bringing you and mom here in the first place!"

Rock Candy just blinked a few times.

Stone Muffin rolled her eyes and groaned. "The chick with the gnarly wound on her flank who almost got arrested."

"Oh YEEEAH!" Rock Candy yelled with excited eyes. "She was cool!"

"Seriously, she was," Stone Muffin said glumly. "Almost TOO cool. Too cool for us anyway. I mean, did she really blow off her own parents just so WE could have a good time? Man… I feel so lousy now. Why would she give up so much just to help a bunch of aimless, party-hardy losers like us?"

"Because Applejack wouldn't care about that, mommy," Pinkie Pie replied sincerely. "When she saw me, sad that you two weren't here with me on Parents' Day, she did what it took to make sure you DID come. Because rich or poor, smart or dumb, serious or silly… None of those distinctions matter to her. She sees only what we all have in common: in need of love, and compassion, and family. She wanted that for us, mom and dad…" She did a sweep of the whole group, making eye contact with every pony as she did. "She wanted that for ALL of us."

Some of the ponies in the group looked morosely at the ground. Others looked up into the sky, as though searching for an answer among the stars. Others looked at one another, with visages that ranged from apologetic, to blissful, to deeply understanding. Regardless of their manners of expressing it, however, they all shared the same heavy, collective sentiment in their hearts: That all the joy they had experienced, and all the wisdom they had gained that night, was all thanks to Applejack, and her unbelievably selfless efforts. The fact that she was not even there for them to express their gratitude to made the situation all the more somber.

One angry voice, however, soon broke the silence. It was that of Apple Bloom, who jumped up on all fours onto her crate and yelled with moist eyes. "Great Gallopin' Gotlands, I can't believe what I'm hearin'! How can ya'll go on n' on about how GREAT and WONDERFUL and HIGH-FALUTIN'LY AWESOME Applejack is?! She abandoned US to help YA'LL, when WE needed her the most! I dunno 'bout the lot of you, but that's pretty much the opposite of great to me!" She leapt off her crate and began to trot away in haste, her lips quivering. "If ya'll wanna keep up your Applejack praise party, go on ahead. I'm outta here. Can't take another minute…"

Big Macintosh put a hoof to his mouth in worry. "Whoa nelly, not good," he mouthed. With a quick nod of the head to all the present families, he trotted ahead to catch up with his troubled sister, leaving them all to discuss the ponderous events of the night and what it meant for all of their futures…

~~~

The night was dark, still, and silent as the grave. Apple Bloom lay on her back atop her bed, staring at the ceiling through dry, bloodshot eyes, completely unable to close them. She studied the star-themed decorations that adorned the ceiling, the highlight of which being a single shooting star that stretched long and wide from one corner of the room to the other. Normally these images, which conjured up fantasies of her floating weightlessly through space, brought her peace and ease of mind. That night, however, she felt grounded as a stone. Granny Smith and Big Macintosh, she figured, were already fast asleep. She envied them. She feared nothing would be bringing her peace anytime soon.

She heard the distant sound of the Ponyville clock tower chime once again. This time, she heard eleven distinct bongs. 11 pm… and as far as she knew, Applejack had still not returned home. She turned onto her side and moaned to herself. "I hope she never comes home…" the bitter part of her thought aloud.

A mysterious sound then reached her ears. It was very faint at first, but as it grew ever-louder, she thought it to be the sound of wooden carriage wheels, as though someone was making a late-night delivery to their front door. The sound stopped, causing the air to hold its breath for a good full minute, before starting up again. This time, it grew further away, becoming fainter and fainter until the silence of the night swallowed it up. Immediately after, she heard the sounds of the front door opening and closing slowly, then soft and delicate hoofsteps ascending the stairs, concluding with the door to the bedroom next to hers – Applejack's – opening and closing as well.

"She came home…" Apple Bloom breathed to herself, at once subtly relieved and bone-wrenchingly furious. The latter emotion quickly took hold of her, and without a second's thought, she leapt up and out of bed. "Who does that pony think she is?!" she asked internally. "Thinks she can just pull a vanishing act like that to avoid gettin' a scoldin'? Well, I'll show 'er! I'll show 'er right NOW!" She stepped into the hallway and trotted over to her sister's bedroom door. As she quietly put her hoof on the knob, turned it, and opened it a crack, she took in a deep breath, ready to unleash the acidic torrent of heated emotion that for too long had been brewing inside her tiny body…

When Apple Bloom peaked in through the door crack, however, what she saw and heard caused that torrent to go rushing right back in the opposite direction, choking her, and stopping her dead in her tracks.

If there was one thing Applejack had always prided herself on not being, it was a crier. If there was one thing their mother and father had always taught all their children to strive not to be, it was a crier. Applejack had always followed that principle religiously, and Apple Bloom well knew it. She swore she would see the heavens fall to the earth before ever seeing her big sister weep. And yet, at that moment, she saw what her mind could never fully conceive. The way Applejack slouched on her knees, with her head buried in her forelegs atop her bed, crying her soul out… Every muffled sob made Apple Bloom's heart sink further into the abyss of her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, perhaps some words of sympathy, but another sudden wail from Applejack clamped her lips shut. Unable to look or listen anymore, she stepped back, and quietly closed the door. She shuddered and swallowed heavily. The heavens had fallen.

Apple Bloom slowly, dizzily, made her way back into her own room and climbed into her own bed. She could still faintly hear the sound of her sister's choking cries as she pulled the covers up to her chin. She stared at the ceiling through dry, bloodshot eyes, completely unable to close them. No peace would be coming to her that night, she knew. This time, though, she was certain that the cause was not anger…

~~~

"C'mon darlin', you know the fastest way to Appleloosa is through Crackety Canyon! If we just hike by hoof, we can get there a whole day before the train ever could."

"You're nuttier than a silo o' cashews! You expect us each to haul two-hundred pound carriages o' apples over all them rocks n' ridges? The hassle alone would cost us more time AND energy! Assuming we even made it through that death terrain ALIVE!"

"But it'd save us money, too! Think 'bout it – the railroad would charge us for a whole boxcar just to store these apples. We ain't got the budget for that right now. So c'mon, let's just rough it n' hike. That'll mean a hundred percent profit!"

"I don't see the profit in exhausting ourselves right into a coma. There was a time when we used to do be able to do that kinda thing, baby, but we ain't so young anymore. Heck, that ankle injury you got when you was a teen is startin' to bother you all over again! Face it – we ain't the delivery ponies we used to be. And we DO have enough money nowadays to afford a boxcar. Let's just take it easy on ourselves for once."

"I can't be bothered with all that. This is too big n' important a delivery to be lazy about. We oughtta make it as speedy and punctual as possible."

"Yes, it IS a big n' important delivery. All the more reason why would should be more careful, with the cargo AND our own bodies, to make sure it and we all get there in one piece!"

"I ain't arguin' about this no more…"

"Neither am I."

"Good."

"Good indeed. So let's go – we're catchin' the next train."

"What?! Whoa now, darlin', you listen here…!"

"Ma! Pa! Are you leavin' already?!"

"Applejack! Goodness, girly, what're you doin' up so early?"

"Oh, I was just practicin' my applebuckin'. I just knocked down EIGHT apples with one kick! I already done beat my record from last night!"

"Is that right? Well shoot, wrap me in bacon n' call me sassafras. You're dynamite!"

"Hehe, thanks pa! Wanna come see?"

"Aww… I'd love to, baby doll, but I'm afraid we gotta be hittin' the road… Just as soon as I can convince your ma to take the FASTER delivery route."

"Yeah, but first I'll need to convince your PA to take the SAFER one…"

"Hmm… Say, baby doll, what do YOU think? Which route should your ma and I take?"

"Umm…. Uhhh… Well, if ya'll take the faster route, does that mean you'll get home sooner?"

"Why yes, we certainly would! An EXCELLENT point! Wouldn't ya say, darlin'?"

"Hmph, sure, but it's not like there's some big ol' occasion we need to rush home in time for…"

"But ma, there is! Parents' Day is next week!"

"Oh, a-NOTHER excellent point our baby's just made! C'mon darlin', would you miss Parents' Day just to be able to play this delivery more safe?"

"Oh, come off it, now! YOU'RE the one who promised our client that we could have this delivery there next week in the first place! …Besides, sugar dimple, Parents' Day is nice n' all, but I really don't see it as such a grand occasion. I mean, what's the point in settin' aside just a single day to say 'thank you' to your own folks? In my opinion, everypony should be doin' that EVERY day…"

"But ma, Parents' Day's always a heap o' fun!"

"Yeah, darlin'! BUCKETS o' fun! And c'mon, we all know it ain't about the sentiment, it's about the PARTY! And my ma's got a big one planned this year. C'mon, let's take the quick route so we can be home in time for it. I promise, we'll make it through OK."

"Please, can ya go the faster way, ma? Pleeease?"

"Oooooh, why do you two always gotta gang up on me like this? *Sigh*… Alright, ya'll got me on my knees. I'll do it. But Applejack, sweetie, ya gotta understand – the fast route is very difficult, so there's a chance your pa and I might not be able to make it back on time anyway."

"Really? You're gonna miss Parents' Day no matter what?"

"Your pa and I will do our best, but we can't guarantee anythin', I'm afraid."

"But that's not fair! How can we not see you on Parents' Day?! Everypony else is seein' theirs! Pa, you promise you can make it back, right?"

"Hate to admit it, baby doll, but your ma has a point… I'd like to be able to make that promise, but we can't see the future. We only try as hard as we can."

"…Well shucks, this stinks worse than a fertilized bean field…"

"Aww, we're sorry, sweetheart. Your pa and I both are. But like I said, at the end of it all, Parents' Day is really only an arbitrary holiday; just like any other day, except with a special name slapped on it. Applejack, you love your pa and I just as much on ANY day of the year, don't ya?"

"Of course I do, ma! I guess I never thought of that…"

"That's a good girl… But ya know what? I'm feelin' kinda gracious today, so I'll tell ya what: just in case we come back a lil' tardy, I got a special pre-Parents' Day present, just for you."

"Really? What is it?! What are you diggin' for in your suitcase there?"

"It's a surprise! Just close your eyes for a spell. And no peekin'!"

"OK, not peekin', ma!"

"Good. Alright, let's see, uhh… I thought it was… somewhere around… Ah, here we are! OK sweetheart, on the count o' three, go ahead n' open your eyes. Ya ready?"

"Hehehe, yep!"

"Alrighty, here we go. One… Two… Three!"

"Oh! WOOOOW! Ma, it's your pretty white dress!"

"Darn tootin'! And it's all YOURS now, sweetie."

"But ma, this is your favorite dress! You used to wear it all the time!"

"Yeah, USED TO is right. I thought about takin' it with me on this trip, but who am I kiddin'? I ain't worn it in over a year, and I'll bet a million smackers I don't even fit in it no more... I spent a lot of pleasant evenings with your pa in this dress, including our wedding night. But I reckon it's about time I handed it down. Go on, Applejack. It's your turn to spend your OWN pleasant evenings in it."

"Oh, ma! This is the most wonderfullest pre-Parents' Day present EVER! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!"

"A thousand times welcome, sugar pie. I'll bet you're still too small to fit in it, but I reckon until you're big enough, you can play dress-up with it in your room or somethin'. Just be careful not to rip or dirty it up TOO much, OK? You'll want it to look nice n' pretty for when you can actually wear it out!"

"Hehehe, alrighty, ma. I promise I'll take good care of it forever and ever!"

"Glad to hear it, sweetie… Anyhoo, the day's growin' old. Your pa n' I better be on our way, now. Gotta put some road behind us."

"Really? But… I don't want ya'll to leave yet…"

"Awfully sorry, baby doll, but remember: the sooner your ma n' I head out, the more likely we'll be able to make it back in time for Parents' Day! And I'm sure you want that, don't ya?"

"Oh, more than anything, pa! I want ya'll to come back so you can see me at Granny Smith's party wearin' ma's purty white dress!"

"We would absolutely love that! Just as long as you only wear that dress indoors, ya hear?"

"Loud n' clear, pa!"

"Hahaha! Alrighty… Well, I reckon this is good-bye for now, baby doll. We'll see you next week – hopefully by Parents' Day, but if not, definitely the day after. OK?"

"OK… I'm gonna miss you…"

"Oooh, uh-oh, uh-oh, looks like someone's 'bout to turn on the waterworks! C'mon now, baby cakes, don't you cry. Tell me, what are daddy's rules about cryin'?"

"Umm… *sniffle*… number one: It's OK to cry for other ponies, but never cry for yourself."

"That's right. And rule number 2?"

"…Number 2: If somethin' happens that pushes rule number one, it's OK to shed one or two tears, just to remind everypony that you have a soul, but then ya gotta dry 'em up and move along."

"Right again. So hey, looks like you've just shed one tear there. You shed another, and you gotta promise that it'll be your last one, OK?"

"…*Gulp*… It's OK, pa. I ain't gonna cry no more. I'm fine. Don't worry."

"That's my tough lil' lady!"

"I'm still gonna miss you, though…"

"Awww, we're gonna miss you too, cutie. But you remember what to do when you miss mommy n' daddy, right?"

"Yup! I sing the lullaby!"

"Ding ding! That's correct! So hey, can you sing it for your ma n' I once real quick, just so we know you ain't forgotten the words?"

"Sure thing, pa! *Ahem*… Far and away in the night sky; A shooting star brightly flies by; Although we had to say good-bye; Look up above and remember; Though we are far in the background; We're bound eternally somehow; Watching the same star fly by now; Spirits and hearts together!"

"Yee-haw! That was beautiful! Bravo! Encore!"

"Goodness, sweetie pie, when did your voice become so gorgeous!?"

"Aw shucks, ma n' pa, you're makin' me redder n' a ripe Ambrosia!"

"Glad we could leave ya on a happy note, baby doll. Now come on, give your ma n' pa a big ol' hug before we head off, OK?"

"OK! Here I come! BIG HUG!"

"Hahaha, awww, we're gonna miss you, sweetie. But we'll be back as soon as we can. You be good for Granny Smith and Big Mac until then, OK?"

"OK, ma!"

"And keep practicin' your applebuckin'. And your wonderful singin'! OK?"

"OK, pa!"

"Alrighty, off we go. Love you, Applejack."

"Love you both, too! Hope to see you on Parents' Day…!"

~~~

The moon and stars still hung in the sky overhead as the containment spell around the iron white gates dissipated, allowing the gateway to slowly and majestically swing open. Applejack gave a quick and thankful good-bye wave to Mort and Diggs, who waved back before pulling their cart through the gates and heading toward an open field to begin their work day. Applejack yawned, for she was operating only on a few hours of sleep, but her determination drove her to trot through the gateway, and make a start towards the Avalon Fields Hospice.

It was only a few minutes past 5:00 am, and visitors normally weren't allowed in the facility for another hour. However, even though the gates only opened at 5:00 for employees, Mort and Diggs had agreed to let Applejack in at the same time as them, as a way of making amends for what had happened the previous night. She was truly grateful to them, for while an extra hour may not have seemed like much of a difference to anyone on the outside, she knew that, given her circumstances, every last minute was crucial.

Applejack made haste along the curvy dirt path that wove through the beautifully tended lily and rose gardens. It was not long before she approached the facility itself; a modestly-sized, but incredibly pristine white building with a peaceful little fountain in the courtyard and a silver sign above the main entry doors displaying the name. She trotted through the doors, ignored the receptionist at the front desk, headed up two flights of stairs, and immediately spotted the room she was aiming for: Room 308.

A nurse that Applejack recognized was just exiting the room. She walked up to her silently and greeted her. "Mornin', Aloe Vera."

Aloe Vera looked shocked to see her. "Oh! Good morning, Applejack. How are you?"

"Well, good as I can be, all things considered. Yourself?"

"Umm… A little surprised, to be honest. I beg your pardon. Visitors usually aren't allowed in here this early."

"I got special permission," Applejack lied, "on account o' my not bein' able to see my ma n' pa last night…" She gestured with her head towards the door to the room. "…So how's he doin'?"

Aloe Vera nodded with a blank face. "Stable. For now. He's actually asleep at the moment." She gazed at Applejack curiously. "Your grandmother and siblings all came by last night. But you didn't? Why not?"

"I wanted to, but I was a mite busy hostin' the Parents' Day Festival at the farm."

"I see… But why come so early today? You couldn't wait until 6:00 am when visiting hours actually begin? You could get kicked out if you're caught here right now."

"Again, I woulda waited, but I've got a full work day ahead o' me cleanin' up the farm now that the festival's all wrapped up. I won't get another chance today, plain n' simple. And you and I both know how precious little time he has left. I can't waste a single minute no more. Please, let me stay…"

Aloe Vera darted her eyes up and down the hallway nervously. She then leaned in close. "OK, go on in. Just keep a low profile until 6 o'clock. I'll cover for you."

"I'll be outta here by then, but thank you. Thank you kindly."

"Certainly."

With that, Applejack gave a curt nod. Aloe Vera did so in return, then turned and walked away to attend to her other duties.

Applejack proceeded to slowly open the door to Room 308. The air was silent, save for the humming of the air conditioner, and the lights were off, the only source of illumination being the beam of light leaking in from the brightly-lit hallway. The more she opened the door, the wider the beam became, and the more she could see. It first revealed nothing but tiled floor and blue wallpaper, but soon grew to encompass the foot of a singular bed with lime green covers, which barely covered a set of familiar red hooves.

Another slight push on the door, and the light now illuminated the full bed, revealing a red stallion with a shaggy brown mane lying under the blanket, breathing quick and rapid breaths in his slumber. His body showed signs of having been very muscular at one time, but those muscles had all atrophied away as a result of being bedridden for months, leaving behind a physique of nothing but bone, skin, and a bit of fat around the belly. He bore a handsome face, with many wrinkles that would imply a lifetime of smiles and laughs, but that now seemed to express nothing but pain and exhaustion. Even in his sleep, the basic bodily functions of breathing and pumping blood appeared to take great effort. Applejack swallowed deeply upon seeing him. "Good gravy, he looks a heap worse than when I last saw him…" she thought to herself. She stepped into the room, and closed the door behind her just enough so that there was still some light with which to see. She tip-toed up to the bedside, and when she stood over him, looked down upon his ragged, sleeping face. With a struggled smile, she spoke softly. "Mornin' pa."

Her attention then shifted to a nearby corner of the room, which was obscured by a layer of darkness due to it not being within the hallway's light beam. In the corner was a small nightstand, atop which stood a decorative red urn adorned with golden apples. Sitting at the foot of the urn was a single framed photograph. Applejack addressed it hoarsely. "Mornin', ma…"

The photograph depicted the beautiful, joyful face of a yellow-hided mare wearing a ten gallon hat over a hairstyle identical to Applejack's own, save for her mane having the color and purity of fresh, dew-coated oranges. Her whole expression, from her toothy grin, to her crinkled nose, to her shining eyes, radiated with life, lighting up the dim corner of the room, and eliciting a small but genuine smile from Applejack.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, sliding her gaze back and forth between the two. "I reckon I owe ya'll an explanation… I mean, I'm sure Apple Bloom already gave you her own last night, but trust me, she don't know the half of it…" She hesitated a moment while she gathered her thoughts. "Ya see, as I'm sure everypony else already mentioned, we hosted the first ever annual Parents' Day Festival right on our very own Sweet Apple Acres, and I was the main hostess. Oh, it was mighty grand, I tell ya! There was a whole gaggle o' food, shops, games, rides, entertainment… More n' you could shake a stick at! And so many happy faces, to boot. I couldn't tell ya how much it warmed my lil' heart to see so many ponies of all ages, from all walks o' life, enjoyin' the company of their mommies n' daddies. After all, like you always told us, ma, 'You may run into a mare or stallion one day that seems different from you in every way, but guaranteed, just like you, they've got somepony in their life that they call mama. They fear her, and they love her.' Right on the money, as usual, ma!"

The mare in the photograph smiled back.

Applejack raised her hoof and gently caressed her sleeping father's shoulder. "…But my excuse ain't just limited to havin' to overlook the festival. The truth's quite a bit more personal… Do ya'll remember Parents' Day last year? When we stopped at that one party real quick in the afternoon?"

Her father shifted and made a soft moan. Applejack took this a positive response, even though she knew better. "I introduced you to my friends that day. My five best friends. It's a cryin' shame we didn't get to spend more time with 'em that day, on account of you havin' to go make a delivery n' all, but believe me when I say, behind the two o' you and the rest of the Apples, they've been the most important ponies I've met in my entire life. They are my personal extended family, and I'd wager dollars to donuts that, if only you'd gotten to know 'em better, you'd have welcomed right into the family, too. And that's exactly why I so desperately wanted to help them last night…"

Another long hesitation. Both her mother and father waited patiently for her to continue.

"…I couldn't tell ya how ecstatic I was to finally get the chance to meet all their parents last night. The fantasy in my head was all six of us, surrounded by our smilin', proud, lovin' mothers n' fathers, eatin' the good food, havin' the good fun, and makin' good friends with each other, thereby creatin' some kinda huge, super-extending MEGA family, ya know? Hahaha!" Her brief smile quickly went flat. "Oh… But my oh my, how my expectations were crushed to dust when I finally met them all… Twilight's parents were overly critical and judgmental; Rainbow Dash's would never stop fightin' over her; Rarity's kept smotherin' her with icky suitors; Pinkie Pie's were neglectful druggies; and Fluttershy – Gosh golly! – her daddy was a maniacal, abusive monster that kept her and her stepma crushed under his iron hoof! Needless to say, I could see all these problems, and the sadness and pain that they brought to each of my best friends. To see 'em havin' to deal with such deep, far-reaching parental conflicts, on Parents' Day… I felt like if there was any greater justice in the universe, it would right this wrong. Then, somehow or another, I decided to take the role of that greater justice m'self, and set out to help 'em all out. It was a brutal night, in more ways than one… As a matter of fact, ma, you're prolly wonderin' what happened to your dress. Yep, that there is blood on it, and that THERE is a part of it wrapped 'round the wound on my flank. I took that blow from Fluttershy's daddy to achieve my goals. I'm so sorry, ma… I know you loved this dress. I did too. But it was the price that had to be paid. I hope you can forgive me…"

The photographed mare's smile indicated that, yes, all was understood, and forgiven.

"At the end of it all, though, I sure like to believe I made some difference. I ain't claimin' to be no Messiah, but I think that through my efforts, everypony closed out the day just… a little bit wiser. A bit more compassionate. A bit more ready to examine their parent-child relationships, face their flaws, and promise to work on 'em in the future. It's a lofty dream, I know, but sometimes, all that it takes is a single night to change one's life. Maybe, for my friends and their folks, last night may have been the one. That, in a nutshell, is why I couldn't make it here last night…"

Her father's breathing had, over the course of the past couple minutes, become much slower and more relaxed. Examining his face, she thought she could see the slits of his eyes cracking open ever so slightly.

"…But even if the experience did little to change any of their perspectives, I can positively say, ma n' pa, that my OWN did. Throughout the night, as I was runnin' round, solvin' troubles left n' right, there was only one I thing I ever had to consult; my memories of you. Both of you. All the advice you shared, all the encouragement you gave, all the… love, support, and spanks." She chuckled to herself before continuing. "All I needed to help, to put smiles on all their faces, was already inside me - and you two planted it in there. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit that it took me so long to realize that. I'm ashamed to think that I, for all the years that you were in my life, took all the wonderful things you gave me and did for me for granted. It was only after seeing my friends' problems with their moms n' dads that it really sank in just how many ways parenting can go so horribly WRONG… And how grateful I am that you two managed to get it so RIGHT…"

She hoisted her whole upper body up onto her father's bed, and carefully wrapped her forelegs around and underneath his back, pressing her head to his chest in a tight embrace. "You never stopped loving. That was it. Plain n' simple. You didn't pick n' choose the days that you did, or set no conditions for earning it… You just did. With me, you created a vessel full of all the love n' wisdom you could, and set it out into the world, to spread to others. I'm so happy to be the result of that. Thank you. Thank you so much. You were right all those years ago, ma. There ain't no point in just reserving one day outta the year to say those words to one's folks. I could say them every day. I will say them every day. Because they will always be true. Thank you, ma n' pa. Thank you for making me…" She paused, uncertain how to finish that thought. One look at her mother's beaming face, however, sparked the correct word in her mind right away. "…me."

She hugged her father for a long time, her face buried in his chest as it rose and fell with each calm breath. Although she could not see his face, she knew, somehow, that the pain in his expression had vanished.

"…When you both had your accident," Applejack said, with wet eyes and a lump in her throat, "I was crushed. I wished it had been me. I wanted to be in that casket right along with you, ma. I wanted to curl up in there with you, just fall asleep, n' never wake up. I wanted you with us too, pa. I didn't want to see you suffer. All them broken bones, blood clots, brain damage… It killed me knowing you had to live with that. That's no life. And much less so havin' to spend it in this here hospice. I wanted to convince Granny Smith to let you spend your final days at home. I wanted to scream, to riot, n' to cry…" She gripped him tighter. "But then I remembered what you taught me about cryin', pa. That it's OK to shed one or two tears, just to remind myself that I have a soul, but that after that, I gotta dry 'em up n' move on. And I'm proud to say, that's what I'm rarin' to do. I promise I won't cry no more. I'll dry my tears, and march on forward. I'll continue to be the vessel of love n' wisdom that you always wanted me to be. On this post-Parents' Day, and forever after, that's my way of honoring you."

At long last, Applejack loosened her grasp on her father's body. She slowly raised her head, and looked at his face. As she had known, it was no longer scrunched in ache, but rather was surprisingly serene, his brow unwrinkled and the corners of his lips turned ever-so-slightly upward. Her expression matched his.

"Ya know somethin', pa… earlier tonight, just as I was rarin' to set my grand plan into motion, I saw a single shooting star in the sky. And I knew, right then and there, that it was ma, guiding me, inspiring me, wishing me the best of luck." She looked to the photograph of her mother. "…But that shooting star looked lonely. She needed her companion. Her husband…" She placed her hoof over her father's heart. "I want you to be with her now, pa. And I want you to get up there soon. You go ahead and do that, OK? I'll stay here and live the best I can. I promise to meet ya'll later, after the final bell tolls. But for now, I'm ready to say good-bye, when you are…"

With her hoof still on her father's chest, she inhaled deeply. When she opened her mouth next, she let her singing voice fill the silence of the room, loud enough for both her parents to hear:

"Far and away in the night sky;
A shooting star brightly flies by;
Although we had to say good-bye;
Look up above and remember;
Though we are far in the background;
We're bound eternally somehow;
Watching the same star fly by now;
Spirits and hearts together."

As Applejack recited the final words of the song, she swore she saw her father's eyes open the tiniest amount more. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, clearly more comfortable than he had felt in a very long time.

And her mother grinned her jovial, bright-and-shining grin evermore.

Applejack knew now that it was time to leave. She removed her hoof from her father's chest, then knelt down to give him a kiss on the cheek. She then carefully trotted around the bed, towards the photograph sitting at the foot of the urn, and kissed it as well. With a nod, and a profound feeling of satisfaction, she started for the door. She turned the knob and stepped out, then took one last look into the room, before imparting her final message:

"Love you, ma. Love you, pa."

With that, she walked away, letting the door shut softly behind her.

~~~

The dawn had not yet broken when Applejack arrived at the main entrance of Sweet Apple Acres once again. The "Love, Support, and Spanks" banner, which had been hung above the entrance sign last night, was laying on the ground in a dirty heap. She knew that once the sun showed itself, she could expect the rest of her family to rise, and begin to help her with cleaning up the massive mess that the Parents' Day festival had undoubtedly left in its wake. She did not look forward to the clean-up, and much less so to having to face Apple Bloom again. She knew it was inevitable, though, so she held her head high as she trotted onto the field, ready to get a head-start on the labor ahead of her.

Once Applejack got a good look at the field, however, she was surprised to not see the ocean of litter and trash that she had expected. Instead, right smack in the middle of where the fairgrounds had once been, stood an enormous pile of trash bags, completely full and tied up, ready to be taken away. Applejack stood stunned for a good minute. Someone had already taken the liberty of clearing the entire field of rubbish and consolidated it into one heap. She couldn't believe her eyes, nor her good fortune. But who had done this?

"It's a preliminary thank you. I hope you don't mind."

Applejack turned her ears to the friendly voice from behind, and then her head. She was delighted to see Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, all standing in a horizontal row. They looked dirty and sleep-deprived, but happy. Twilight, who had spoken, continued, "None of us were sure how to express our gratitude for everything you did for us last night. So this was just our first idea. You threw this great festival – it's not fair for you to have to clean up the aftermath, too. So we did it for you."

Applejack's mouth hung open, still in a slight state of shock. "Did you really? But… By Starswirl's beard, this musta taken you girls all night!"

"Eh, not quite," Rainbow Dash said coolly. "After all the stuff at the barn settled down and the cops left and stuff, we all went home. But we agreed to only sleep for a couple hours, and then meet up back here to clean up all the junk during early morning. All in all, it was probably about two, three hours' work, tops."

"Oh my… Thank you so much, girls," Applejack replied graciously. "But ya'll really didn't have to do this…"

"You didn't have to do what you did, either," Fluttershy stated confidentially. "Recognizing our problems with our parents, going out of your way to help us, missing the chance to visit your OWN parents… None of us would have EVER asked you to do so much. But you did anyway... So, what kind of friends would it make us to NOT want to pay you back somehow?"

"Even though there's really nothing we imagine could POSSIBLY come close to repaying you," Rarity claimed. "But, I suppose cleaning up after your festival is a pretty good start. I mean, do you realize how much this briller de l'or coat-shining cost me? I was willing to muck it all up this morning, just to prove how grateful I am. THAT should tell you something!"

"Yup-yup-yup!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, hopping on all fours. "But don't worry, we wanna do LOTS more stuff to say thank you! Me especially, starting off with baking you a big, fat, chocolate-and-raspberry MUFFIN STRUDEL CAKE! I really hope you like it! Cuz it's in the oven right now, and my mommy and daddy and I worked really really really really hard on it!"

Applejack shook her head, her brain wanting to answer all of her friends at once, but her mouth unable to. In her silence, she happened to spot the top of Twilight's large, violet air balloon, parked discreetly behind the barn. She tilted her head to the side. "Hold up a sec. Twilight, what's your balloon doin' back there? Is that how ya'll came here?"

"Well, yes," Twilight responded. She then turned to the eastern horizon, over which the sun would be rising any moment to cast out the star-studded night sky and bring on the day. "…And in fact, we're going to be leaving on it, too. Soon, actually. We're all going to Canterlot, and we wanted to start heading out before the sunrise. We just really hoped to be able to thank you in person before we did. Glad you came back just in the nick of time!" She then put on a questioning face. "By the way, where are you coming from just now?"

Applejack scraped at the grass with her hoof. "The hospice," she said frankly.

"Oh…" Twilight replied softly. She and the other four looked at one another in understanding. "So, you got to see them after all! Even if it IS a day late…"

Applejack returned a wordless nod.

"So…" Twilight continued hesitantly, "…how are they?"

"Well, ma's still smilin', as usual," Applejack replied, putting on a slight smile herself. "And pa, well… He's good. Good as he's gonna be for the rest of his life, anyway!" She chuckled a little bit, but then stopped when she saw that her friends all appeared somewhat uncomfortable. "Sorry. Too soon, I guess… In any case, everythin' with me n' my folks is A-OK, so don't ya'll worry none. And no hard feelin's about me visitin' a day late. Parents' Day… It's nice n' all, but in truth, it's just like any other day, just with a special name stuck on it. Really, we oughtta be respectin' our parents every day, wouldn't ya agree?"

"Hmm… I suppose you're right," Twilight said contemplatively. "In fact, speaking of parents, that's kind of why we all need to get going…"

"Is that so?" Applejack asked. "Why, what's happenin' with all ya'll n' your folks?"

"Well," Twilight began, "Last night, my mother and father took your parents' old star charts home. They stayed up super late examining them, and working on a pitch for my dad to present to the board so we can get your marketing campaign off the ground. And guess what? They want me to join them in the presentation! The main focus is gonna be on the Violet Veneer: we found out, through our studies, that the appearance of that star formation tends to coincide with a rise in Golden Delicious tree populations. We're gonna pitch it as 'Violet Gold Season at Sweet Apple Acres'! Doesn't it sound great? I'm so excited, I can't even WAIT!"

"Nor can I, darling," Rarity chimed in. "But I'm going to Canterlot to see none other than Orange Julius. He and I plan to meet the Costume Supervisor of the film he's currently producing. We're going to show her some of my designs, and do whatever it takes to convince her to sign me onto the role of Chief Costume Designer! It's destiny, I tell you! DESTINY! Oh, and my mother and father want to come along too, to wish me luck. And also, I'm sure, to keep an eye on Orange Julius and I. Just for short while. I know they're only doing so because they love me and want the best for me, so I can't be too annoyed. It won't be long before they feel comfortable enough to trust us and leave us be. This, I know."

"My stepmom and I are going to Canterlot, too," Fluttershy announced. "That's where they're currently holding my father. He's set to appear before the judge in Royal Court today. We plan to testify against him, but instead of pushing for the ultimate penalty, we're going to also try to defend him as being a victim of circumstance. Regardless what everypony else may think, I know for a fact that he is only the way he is because he, himself, suffered such horrible abuse as a child from his own father's hooves. I insist on never allowing myself to become like him, so by showing this small mercy, I feel I'm maintaining my stance above him. And who knows? If Softheart and I show him compassion when he least expects it, it may move him to start down the path to some kind of change. I'm certain it's what my mother would advise that I do… Speaking of which; after the trial, I'm going to catch the first train to Thistledown to finally visit her after so many years. I'm not even sure what I'm going to say yet, but I guarantee, it will be nothing to put her down for being absent from my life for so long. All I want to focus on is how overjoyed I am to finally have her back in it. For the first time in forever, I'm actually looking forward to the future. So much so, in fact, that I think I feel a cheer coming on!" She took a deep, prolonged inhale, then followed up by letting out a very modest, "Yay!"

It was now Pinkie Pie's turn to share her plans. "Well MY mommy and daddy and I are going to Canterlot to see my two younger sisters! It's just kind of a funny coincidence that they both happen to be there right now. One's, like, some Costume lady for some movie they're making, and the other's some kind of judge about to preside over a big case regarding a crazy police stallion or something. Either way, we're gonna have so much FUN! My mommy and daddy REALLY wanna see my sisters cuz of Parents' Day, ya know? We know it's a day late, but hey, like you said Applejack, it's just a dumb holiday! EVERY day can be a celebration of parents! Which is what we're gonna make TODAY! WOOOO!"

"Heh, OK, yeah, these four are going to Canterlot," Rainbow Dash clarified. "Me? I'm hittin' up Cloudsdale General Hospital right now to see my mom. She's doing fine and all, but she says she wants to see me kind of often while she's there, cuz once I move out, she knows she won't be seeing me as much anymore. Also – and this is SUPER weird – she wants to see my dad, too. I don't really get it, but when we saw her in the hospital last night, I saw the two of them looking at each other in kind of a funny way. It was familiar, like I'd seen them look at each other like that a long time ago, back when the three of us were still tight… but I dunno. Maybe I'm just nuts. In any case, after I see them, I'm headin' home to pack up my stuff, and then to come back here to Sweet Apple Acres! That's right: Brace yourself, AJ! Your farm's about to get rocked by a new delivery mare AND a new roommate! Awww yeah!"

Applejack listened to all her friends' plans with the greatest glee imaginable. In the last few minutes, she was suddenly made certain that all of her toil and hardship from the previous night had paid off in a stunningly beautiful way. As brightly as she was grinning on the outside, she was doing so even brighter within. Her sacrifice had not been in vain. She felt so proud, and knew that her parents would have, too. Seeing her friends look forward to their bright futures with their own parents, she decided, was the pinnacle of bliss.

"…And we all have you to thank for all of this, Applejack," Twilight said earnestly. "So again, thank you. Thank you so much."

Applejack blushed, rubbing one hoof with the other. "Aww shucks, I'm just glad to have done some good for my best friends." She added an addendum in her own mind. "And if you wanna thank me, then you oughtta thank my folks, too, for makin' me the pony I am today!"

Twilight nodded appreciatively. She then turned to the horizon again, her expression serious. "Well, we'd better get going now. C'mon girls, let's get to Canterlot before the traffic hits!" She turned and began to trot in the direction of the balloon. The other four followed, and upon reaching it, all but Rainbow Dash hopped into the basket. Twilight then used her magic to cause the balloon to rise off the grass, over the barn, and majestically into the air. Rainbow Dash, in turn, flew up right alongside it. As the balloon changed course and began to hover in the direction of Canterlot, all those in the air waved down to Applejack and gave their sweet farewells, taking one last chance to shower her with friendship and gratitude. Applejack accepted it humbly and happily. She waved good-bye as the balloon flew far over the black horizon, eventually fading from sight altogether. Rainbow Dash sped off in the opposite direction, her rainbow streak, too, soon dissipating into nothing against the black background of the sky.

Applejack now found herself alone in the middle of the dark, silent field. The activity within her heart, however, was absolutely buzzing. She looked up at the sky and observed the stars. She stared for almost a full minute, just admiring their majesty, and contemplating the powerful mixture of emotions swirling within her breast. Then, just when she thought the sentiments might overwhelm her, something absolutely miraculous happened.

A duo of shooting stars, trailed by brilliant, heavenly light, streaked together across the night sky, clear from the western horizon all the way to the east.

Immediately after, the first rays of the sun began to peak up over the eastern hills, emerging from the very point where the shooting stars had disappeared. The darkness of the night began to give way to the rolling sapphire tapestry that was the morning sky. Applejack had to shield her eyes from the brightness, but out of the corner of her eye, she continued to focus on the spot where the shooting stars had vanished.

"See you later, ma n' pa…" she whispered to herself.

The emotion was now too much, overflowing. She felt the tears rise quickly from underneath her eyes. One managed to squeeze its way out of her left eye, and roll down her cheek.

"One…" she counted with a gulp.

Before she was even ready for it, a second tear escaped from her right eye, ending up in the grass before her hooves.

"Two…"

The third tear that sought to manifest did not get its chance. Applejack quickly wiped her foreleg across her eyes, drying them. She then took in a deep, cleansing breath, effectively sucking all the emotion straight down into her gut. Once it was suppressed, she began to replace those thoughts with those of the work day ahead. "Well, back to the daily grind…" she told herself. Her father had set rules for her, after all, and she intended to abide by them as long as she lived.

The light of the sun spread across the whole of Sweet Apple Acres, eventually reaching the distant farmhouse. Applejack looked in its direction, and was not too surprised to see Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and even Apple Bloom all standing on the porch, greeting the dawn as well. They all noticed her standing out in the field, which prompted a wave from the elder two ponies. Apple Bloom, however, just stood staring. It was hard to tell what the expression on her face was, but Applejack could sense from her posture that she did not bear the same ill will that she had the previous night. Why was that, she wondered? She couldn't be sure, but she knew she would get her chance to talk to her once the work day began. Applejack returned a wave to the three of them, beckoning them to come. They heeded her, and as a trio, began to descend the porch steps and make their way across the field towards her.

And so, Applejack looked around and smiled. Volunteering to host Ponyville's first annual Parents' Day Festival had been a bold move, one that she was skeptical whether or not she could pull off. However, when she contemplated the transformation that all of her friends, their parents, her kin, and even herself had undergone over the course the previous night, she couldn't help but swell up with pride. For she knew, from within the deepest reaches of her heart, that she certainly had.


THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR

by KholdstareV

THE END