The copper earth pony walked up across the wet grass in the orchard she owns, heading directly for a clearing she knows so well. She walked through the early spring air, going slowly because she was carrying extra weight, to a place that has much meaning to her. As she reached the clearing she walked to the center, and stopped in front of three headstones. When she stopped in front of them, she took off her hat and placed it on the grass below her.
On the gravestone farthest to the right, the name Clementine was written. On the stone in the middle, right next to the grave to the right as it should be, was the name Earligold. And finally, on the grave farthest to the right, the name Smith Apple was written, and that was the name the copper earth pony was most familiar with, only she knew it better as Granny Smith.
“Hey y’all,” Applejack said as she sat in the wet grass in front of the graves. She had a sad look on her face and attempted to avoid crying as much as she could. “Ah guess it’s time ta give y’all a bit of an update on what’s happenin.”
Applejack looked at the flowers that surrounded the area. “Ah think Apple Bloom’s gonna do fine now. It was a bit of a shock ta hear exactly what happened ta you two, Mah and Pah, but Ah think she’s recovered. It was a bit hard on her but thanks ta her friends she’s managed. Well, her friends and Twi’s assistant Spike. She’s also been hangin around him a lot lately. Ah don’t know whether Ah should be worried or not, but for now Ah think she’s just lookin for another friend ta help her.”
Applejack then looked to the sky. “Ah think she, and pretty much the rest of us have all forgivin Soarin’. That poor stallion still sort of blamed himself for you guys being…gone and all but when Apple Bloom told him she forgave him, Ah think Soarin’ got the biggest smile on his face. And it was even bigger when that same day he learned that Rainbow Dash was pregnant with their second foal. Now Soarin’ has Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Cool Breeze, and another foal coming soon. Ah reckin’ he’s got a pretty nice family started.”
Applejack noticed a few butterflies flying to her right. “Granny Smith, y’all will be happy ta know that Big Macintosh is also gettin a nice family started. He and Fluttershy both had their twins, and they were both nice and healthy. They were fillies, one a pegasus and the other an earth pony. And even though it ain’t Apple Family tradition, they named the pegasus filly Clementine after you Mah. The other one they named Fallawater Apple. Ah gotta say, seein those two whenever Big Mac and Fluttershy bring them over is great. Ah just love seein those two.”
“Speakin of seeing foals, Ah also get ta see Pinkie Pie and Braeburn’s new colt every once in a while, their little Apple Cobbler. Boy is that colt ‘bout high energy as his mother is. Ah swear he’s only ‘bout a few months old and already Pinkie and Braeburn can hardly keep an eye on the little foal. But his mother definitely enjoys him and whenever Ah’m at their house Ah can always hear the sound of laughter.”
Applejack, about done with what she was going to say, got up from her spot and put her hat back on. “Ah guess I’ve been rambilin on for a bit longer then Ah should,” Applejack said. “Ah should head back ta doin my work. But Ah’ve got one more thing Ah need ta say before Ah’m off. Rainbow Dash ain’t the only one who’s expectin right about now.”
Applejack walked over towards a small pond to the right of the gravestones. She looked into the water to take in her reflection. It took a bit of leaning for her to see what she wanted to see, and she nearly fell into the water to do so, but she managed. She managed to get just close enough to the lake to look at the reflection of her elongated stomach because she is carrying a foal inside that stomach.
“Ah learned this just a few days after we brought Soarin’ over here, and it’s about time Ah told y’all this,” Applejack said. “Ah’m…pregnant myself. Ah’m gonna have my own foal sometime soon. And after talkin about it with Caramel, Ah bet you guys know exactly what Ah’m gonna name him or her when they’re born.”
Applejack walked back over to the three graves one more time. “If Ah happen ta have a colt, Ah’m gonna name him Eraligold, and hope that the colt is gonna be as selfless as Pah was. And if Ah happen ta have a filly, Ah’m gonna name her Smith Apple, after the mare that raised me after you were gone, Mah and Pah, and Ah hope she’s gonna be as kind as you were Granny Smith.”
Applejack looked up at the skies and saw the sun getting close to the center of the sky. “Well Ah guess that’s all Ah’ve got ta say ta you guys for now. But Ah’ll be back later. And someday, when my foal is old enough ta understand, Ah’ll bring him here. And Ah’ll tell him all about what y’all did for me, for us, for Ponyville, and for Equestria.”
And with that, the farmpony tipped her hat in the direction of her family’s grave before walking off to where her husband, sister, brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew were all waiting for her. As she walked off she passed a small tear down her face. That tear was one of great sadness for the three ponies who are lost to this world. But it was also one of great happiness as she knew that their family was growing much larger, and she knew wherever those three were, they were smiling down on all of them.