//------------------------------// // The Beginning // Story: Her Brown Stetson // by Disc Jockey Draco //------------------------------// It was like any other late summer day in Sweet Apple Acres; you could hear the rustling of leaves from small gusts, and blades of deep green grass rippled with the breeze. One could say you could smell the soft, sweet fragrance of apples drifting the open air. The serenity was interrupted with a slight "Thump!" "Thump!" of applebucking coming from deep within the south fields of the orchard. Applejack reached up and took hold of her brown Stetson cowboy hat and wiped away the sweat from her brow. "We sure have had a lot of memories haven't we?" Applejack said, staring at the hat. "Who ya talkin to sis?" Applebloom asked her sister, obviously startling her. "Wha? Oh it's just you Applebloom; I was just recalling old memories." Applejack said as she fixed her hat into place. "Well Granny Smith and Big Mac wanted to see ya." "Tell em' that I'll be up there in a lil' while, I just have to finish up with a few more trees." Applejack said as her younger sister trotted towards the barn. After Applejack finished up in the field she picked up a full basket of apples and hoisted them onto her back, then headed off to the barn to see what Granny Smith and Big Mac needed to see her about. As she walked she began to think about her past and all the things she's been through, like the time where she ran off to Manehatten to become a city pony, only to return home. And the time her and her friends braved the Everfree Forest and saved Equestria from Nightmare moon. One thing that she refused to remember is that eventful night where she lost the ones who cared for and loved her. After she snapped back to reality it was beginning to grow dark and she hurried to the barn. "Well there ya are youngin', we were beginnin' to wonder if ya had forgot, ya know ya shouldn't work so hard." "Aw shucks, sorry Granny Ah' got a little sidetracked on my way here. Applebloom said you an' Big Mac wanted to talk to me about somthin'?" "Dang nabbit, I'd forget my mane if it wasn't attached to my head. I'll remember in the mornin'. Now ya should hit the hay, big day tomorrow." And with that Applejack trudged up stairs, exhausted from a hard days work. She laid down in her bed and began to drift into slumber, but she couldn't help to think about the last night she ever saw her parents. ________________________________________________________________________________ "Where am Ah'? How'd Ah' get here?" Applejack asked as she looked at her surroundings. "What in tarnation?" Applejack said to herself, noticing she was standing in a void of some kind. "Hey! Anypony out there? Applejack asked, but there was no reply. The only thing she could hear was the sound of a slight wind blowing past her ears. "Wind?" She thought to herself. "How can there be wind? There ain't anything around!" Just then the scenery around her began to change. At first the darkness changed to to a brilliant color of green and then slowly darkened. Next blues began to show, appearing above her. Browns and tans began working to their way into the scene beneath her feet. "What the hay is goin' on here? Applejack uttered still confused at her current situation Slowly, one by on, more colors appeared and took shape. Applejack marveled at all the hues that seemed to materialized right before her. Soon she began to see what the the colors were forming. She knew something was wrong, as if her instincts were yelling at her to get away, but she stayed and continued to watch what was unfolding. After everything settled down she took a deep breath and looked around. "Hm, Where am Ah' now? Applejack questioned after seeing she was on the edge of a forest. Applejack! Come back! A male voice called from behind. Applejack turned to face the pony calling her name, but she could've never prepared for what she saw. "No that just can't be possible! It just can't be!" "Applejack where are you? Please Applejack!"The male voice called again. "No! no! no! This isn't real! I have to get away from here!" And with that Applejack turned and ran into the forest as fast as she could. After running for several minutes Applejack stopped to see where she was. She looked around for any sign of home, but when she found none she became worried. After wondering around for about an a hour Applejack found a cave and since it was late she decided to take shelter for the night and maybe just maybe she could sleep and not think about what she just saw. ________________________________________________________________________________ When she awoke she was not in a cave or in the forest for that matter, but still at home in her bed, which was now soaked with sweat. "Oh thank Celestia, it was just a dream." Applejack said relieved, still shaken up from her nightmare. Applejack climbed out of bed and slowly walked over to her mirror. "Heh, I my mane looks like a rooster's flank. Applejack joked to herself as she reached for her brush. "everythin' okay in here sis? Applebloom asked. I heard some bumpin' comin' from your room and got worried. "Yeah Ah'm fine, no need to worry your pretty little head off. On her way downstairs she could smell breakfast cooking. A few moments later Applejack arrived in the kitchen to see Big Mac cooking Some bacon and eggs on the stove. "Mornin' Big Mac. "Mornin." Big Mac said with his typical one word response. "Is Granny outside on her rockin' chair?" Applejack asked. "Eeyup." Big Mac replied, again with his one word response. Applejack quickly ate her breakfast consisting of, one egg over easy, three strips of bacon, and a tall glass of cold Orange Juice. Afterwards she headed out the front door to go and speak with Granny about what happened the day before.