//------------------------------// // Sweet Apple Acres // Story: Higher // by sentinel28a //------------------------------// It was no surprise for Twilight Sparkle when Big Mac told her that Applejack was working in the orchard. The harvest had just started and there was really no reason to be out working yet—there were only a few apple trees that were ripe—but it was just like Applejack to throw herself into her work. Twilight had to fly to find her: Applejack was out on the fringes of Sweet Apple Acres. For a moment, Twilight considered leaving her friend alone; it seemed rather obvious that it was what Applejack wanted. Nonetheless, Twilight glided to a landing near the earth pony. “Good morning, Applejack.” “Mornin’.” Applejack gave her a brief nod, turned and smacked a tree with her rear hooves. Apples poured down into the waiting baskets. “Would you like something to eat? I brought you some apple fritters from Sugarcube Corner.” “Mighty neighborly of ya. Just leave ‘em over by mah basket.” Twilight paused. Applejack kicked another tree. The silence became uncomfortable. “Um, Applejack…” Applejack reared up to kick another tree, stopped, and dropped back to all fours. “Ah don’t wanna talk about it, Twi. Not right now.” “But it might help—“ “You read that in one of yer books?” Applejack gave the tree an angry kick. Wood splintered. “Ah deal with this in mah own way, Twilight!” For some reason, that angered Twilight. “By working dawn until dusk, until you drop from exhaustion?” “If ah have to. Tain’t none of yer beeswax what ah do, Twi. Just leave me alone, 'kay?” “Applejack, you—we—shouldn’t go through this alone,” Twilight insisted. “I know it’s tough, but for one thing, we need to start talking about funeral arrangements. I don’t really know what Dash wanted, and I figured that maybe she told you, since you were her closest friend—“ Applejack glared at her. “Ah ain’t gonna tell you twice, Twilight. Leave. Me. Alone.” “But you shouldn’t be alone—“ “Dammit, Twilight!” Applejack shouted. “Ah don’t know how it works in Canterlot, but the Apple family sticks together when we’re hurtin’. Ya ain’t part of this family, ya don’t understand, so get the hay outta here! Ah don’t wanna see ya, ah don’t wanna see anyone!” The anger in Applejack’s voice took Twilight aback. None of the Apple family were afraid to express themselves—well, perhaps Big Macintosh—and certainly Applejack was capable of losing her temper. Twilight had never had that temper turned on her, however. “Fine,” Twilight said. She used her magic to unstrap her saddle pack, set the apple fritters near Applejack’s basket, and flew off without another word. Applejack did eventually eat the fritters, though they were cold by the time she did so. She did not, however, work until dusk—mainly because she ran out of apples to buck. It was just after noon when she headed for the farm, resolving to find something to do, anything. Anything to keep her mind off of what had happened. Finding Granny Smith waiting for her at the door was nothing new; Granny usually took up position in her rocking chair and wouldn’t leave until Applejack and Big Mac returned from the fields, except to fix lunch and dinner and entertain Apple Bloom, if the latter felt the need. Finding Granny Smith waiting with a look of pure rage on her face was something different. Uh oh, Applejack thought, ah’m in for it now. Ah know that look. She began to run through the day’s activity to figure out what had set her grandmare off. “Uh, hi, Grams. What’s—“ That was as far as she got before Granny Smith gave her a right forehoof across the face. Granny belonged to an earlier generation where corporal punishment was not only accepted, but encouraged, and despite her age, still packed a mean punch. Applejack nearly fell, as much from surprise as pain. “Grams, what the hay—“ “How dare ya!” Granny shouted. “How dare ya say them things ta Twilight!” “What? What did ah—“ “Don’t you give me none o’ that!” Granny hooked a foreleg around Applejack’s throat and hobbled into the farmhouse, half dragging, half strangling her granddaughter. Twilight sat in the living room next to Big Mac, looking as shocked as Applejack was. “Now ya apologize, or by Celestia, ah will beat the tarnation outta ya! Ya ain’t too old for me ta haul out the switches!” “Um, Granny Smith?” Twilight said. “It’s all right. I mean, I know ponies have different reactions and it’s perfectly okay for Applejack—“ “Ya be quiet, Twi.” Granny increased the pressure. “Ah don’t hear any ‘Ah’m sorries,’ Applejack!” “Ah…” Applejack finally got Granny Smith’s hoof off her windpipe. “Ah’m sorry, Twilight.” “Huh. That don’t sound much like no apology ta me—“ “Granny Smith!” Twilight exclaimed. “Really, um, that’s good enough.” “Hmpf.” Granny let go of Applejack. “Now then. Ya never say that Twilight ain’t part o’ this family. She’s as much a part of it as Pinkie, or Rarity, or Spike, or—yeah—Rainbow Dash!” “Granny, ah said ah didn’t want ta hear—“ “Shut it!” Granny yelled at her. “Ya don’t wanna hear the name o’ yer best friend? That's what ya said this mornin'. Well, ah’ll tell ya, Applejack, ah was damn proud to see ya two be friends. Ya never try ta forget Dashie, or ah will kick yer flank over the mountains back to Manehattan!” Applejack’s temper blew. She grabbed her hat and threw it on the floor with such violence that it bounced. “Now that’s enough!” she shouted. “Ah don’t wanna hear about Dashie because…because it hurts so damn much, that’s why!” Applejack looked around the room. “By Celestia, Dashie ain’t been cold more’n half a day and everypony’s askin’ me ta ‘get over it.’ Well, ah ain’t never gettin’ over it! She was mah best friend, long before the rest o’ ya started showin’ up—“ Twilight saw that she needed to step in. The light of battle was in Granny Smith’s eyes, enough that Big Mac had taken a pace backwards. “Applejack, listen to me. Nopony’s saying you need to get over this. All I want to do is just be with you. You’re my friend!” Applejack rounded on her, but saw the expression on her friend’s face and bit back her retort. “Twi…ah know ah’m yer friend, and ah’m yers. And ah’m really sorry ‘bout what ah said earlier, really. Granny’s right, ah never should’ve said that. It’s just…ah…” She shook her head, her face working. “Ah’m sorry, y’all. Ah just can’t…” She turned and ran out the door. “I’m sorry,” Twilight said quietly. “I never should’ve pushed this. I just…I don’t know what to do either.” Granny Smith walked over to her and put a hoof on her withers. “Now, now, Twilight…ah’ve been through this plenty o’ times. This old pony’s seen quite a bit in her time. Death’s just a part of it. Ain’t nothin’ to be afraid of, now.” Twilight wasn’t sure if Granny meant that death wasn’t to be feared at any time, or just for her; she had, after all, reached that age where death was the last thing a pony need fear. “Applejack…she’s just goin’ through some tough times. Dashie and her been friends since they was fillies. It's gonna be hard on all o' ya. Me'n Big Mac, 'n' Apple Bloom and the whole damn Apple family will be here for ya!" “What do I do?” Twilight asked. “It seems like anything I do just blows up in my face.” “Ah’ll handle it,” Big Mac rumbled. He motioned with his head for her to follow. They found Applejack next to the stream that flowed through Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight half expected her to be crying, but the earth pony was just staring at her reflection. She glanced up when they came up to her, but said nothing. “Ah ain’t leavin’ you alone,” Big Mac said. “Ah know, Mac.” Applejack sighed. “Ah know.” She kicked a rock into the water. “It’s just…” She turned to Twilight. “Twi, why? Why did Dashie do that?” “I don’t know. She’d flown that trick a hundred times, Applejack. It was just…bad luck, I guess.” Twilight stared at the grass. She wished she had a better explanation. “Yeah, well…she damn well deserved it.” Twilight’s head snapped up. Applejack’s eyes narrowed at her reflection in the water. “Ah told her. Ah always told her that she was pushin’ it. She needed to back it up some. Not take so many damn chances. Like that Sonic Rainboom business. She was lucky that didn’t kill her! But oh no, ya can’t tell Dashie a blessed thing. She knows everything. Stupid, dumbass filly.” Suddenly Applejack brought both forehooves down in the water, splashing them all and destroying her reflection. “YOU STUPID DUMBASS FILLY! AH HOPE YER HAPPY NOW, RAINBOW DASH!” Her voice echoed around the glen. Twilight gasped in shock. “But…Applejack…she’s—was—our friend!” “Yeah! Mah friend!” Applejack yelled. “An’ she was a selfish friend! How dare she, Twi! How dare she…do somethin’ like that and leave us all alone!” Now the tears were starting, Twilight saw, in great heaving sobs that racked Applejack’s body with their force. “She…she left us, Twi! Ah hate her! Ah hate her!” Big Mac took a step forward and put his big arm around his sister. Applejack put her face in his mane. “Ah, Mac…she left us, just like Mama and Papa did…ah can’t lose anymore ponies, Mac, ah just can’t…” Mac soothed his sister, nuzzling her mane, saying nothing and yet saying everything. Mac was good at that, Twilight reflected. Wanting to leave the Apples in peace, Twilight turned and began to walk towards Ponyville. Then she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She turned and saw it was Applejack, holding onto her brother with one hoof and Twilight with the other. Her eyes were puffy and red, her mane disheveled, muzzle wet with tears. “Ah, Twi, ah’m so sorry. Ah don’t mean it. Ah don’t hate Dashie. Ah don’t hate ya. Ah could never hate none of ya. C’mere.” Twilight allowed herself to be pulled into her friend’s embrace. “Ah just don’t know what we’re gonna do now…” “It’ll be okay, Applejack. Really. We’ll figure it out…we’ll talk it over. Rainbow would want that…” Twilight fairly babbled, knowing she was saying nonsense. She kept her voice measured and easy. It wasn’t what she said that mattered, only that it made Applejack feel better. Twilight wished she could joke around like Pinkie Pie did, but she simply was not good at that sort of thing. She resolved to write a letter to Princess Celestia; maybe the princess would know what to do. And maybe Princess Celestia would know why Twilight Sparkle still couldn't cry for her friend. The three of them stayed like that quite awhile. Applejack stopped crying, dried her eyes, and smiled at Twilight. “You’d better get on home, Twi. It's gettin' late. Ah’ll be okay. Mac here will make sure o’ that.” “Eeyup.” Mac’s smile was the most reassuring thing Twilight had seen all afternoon. “Okay, Applejack. If you’re sure.” “Ah’m sure. Thanks, Twi.” She motioned towards Ponyville. “You’d better check up on Rarity. Ah honestly don’t know how she’s gonna take all this.” “I sent Spike—“ All of them turned at the sound of fast-running hooves. Apple Bloom slid to a halt in front of them. “There ya are!” she exclaimed. “Ah’ve been lookin’ all over for ya—all three of ya!” “What is it?” Applejack asked. “It’s Scootaloo—she’s gone!” Oh my Celestia, Twilight thought in alarm. She’d forgotten who else had been Rainbow Dash’s best friend.