//------------------------------//
// Breaking up is hard to do 
// Story: Applejack Through the Ages 
// by Paradise Oasis 
//------------------------------//

Breaking up is hard to do

The crowd roared with thunderous hoof applause at Maneison Square Garden, with photographers lights flashing all over the arena, and the rabid fans screaming in the aisles. Standing at the top of the large ramp the stunt ponies had set up, he looked down at the obstacles below him; two large flaming hoops, with a hark tank between them, and the second ramp for him to land on the opposite side. 

"Okay Skater, this is it... stay focused on the stunt." The stallion thought to himself, looking straight ahead, and trying to put everything else out of his mind. "One mistake , and you're shark food- well, if the unicorn emergency team doesn’t get you in a magic net, that is."

With a nervous sigh, the extreme sports pony's eyes scanned the crowd around him. In the royal box far above, the two Alicorn sister watched, flanked on either side by their royal guards. When that failed to take some of the pressure off of the stallion's mind, he looked down o the seats he had set aside in the front row, where his sister Glittery sat, cheering him on. 

"Yaaaay Skater! Whoo hoo!" The mare called out, enthusiastically cheering him on. "You can do it!" 

But when he looked at the empty seat next to her, he saw the other mare he's really hope would show up to cheer him on wasn't anywhere in sight.

"I-it's okay, she's probably just sleeping in late, that's all." He told himself, stifling the hurt and disappointment that was creeping up inside of him. "We were up horsing around really late last night, after all."

Taking a deep breath, the earth stallion pushed himself down the ramp, picking up speed before his forward momentum sent him flying off the edge. Soaring forward, Skater went deftly flying through the first hoop, gracefully soared over the shark tank, and shot through the second hoop with only a mild singe to his well-groomed coat. The crowd suddenly exploded into cheers the second he landed, and two nods of approval came from the two alicorns in the royal booth above him.

But no matter how great his success was, the stallion just couldn't get that empty seat out of his mind.

I had gone on to my photo shoot, nervously trying to avoid running into the two princesses I hadn't seen in over a century. What was I going to say to them? How would I explain where I'd been and what I'd been doing over the past century? But I was about to pay for my mistake dearly...

"Hey Skater, welcome back!" AJ called out to him from the shower, as she heard the door open and close. "How did your tryouts go? Did you qualify for the Equestria games?"

The only sound Jewel heard in response was his slamming his skates down on the table, and his hooves angrily stomping his way back to the bedroom. Turning the water off, the orange mare quickly dried herself, and came out to see what was the matter. 

"Babe, what's wrong?" She asked, trotting over to nuzzle him. But the stallion only pulled away in anger, scowling at me with a betrayed look in his eyes. "Did something happen?"

"My sister told me she found out you went to the photo shoot." He snorted accusingly. "Even after you promised me you'd be there when I needed your support most, you weren't there for me!"

"Of course I wasn't there! I had my career to think about!" AJ lied, trying to cover her own apprehension. "I'm only trying to help your sister with her dresses, that's the reason she hired me on in the first place, remember?"

"You've could have made some time for me, AJ!" He scowled, glaring at me with a look of betrayal and hurt. "I was always there for you when you needed me!" 

 He broke up with you, didn't he?

Yes, apple blossom, he did. Not right  then, of course, but that was kind of the beginning of the end right there. I continued my modeling career for several months with Glittery, having moved back into the apartment above her shop, but things were never the same. But it wasn't long before I received a visit from two old friends, ones that would be the killing blow to this first lifetime I had lived.

"All right, Apple Jewel... let's see you work it!" The photographer pony declared, snapping pictures of the mare. "Show of that pizzazz and style like only you can!"

AJ was sitting on a swing perched above a swimming pool, wearing a blue ruffled one piece bathing suit, and smiling for the camera. As the photographer finished his work and they went for a break, Berry Bright and Glittery Heart totted up to the mare, who was drinking some fluid out of her water bottle.

"Wonderful job as always, AJ!" Glittery congratulated her, giving her a hoof pat on the back. "This is just the thing we need to promote my new line of swimsuits to the public!"

"And it's simply marvelous that it'll be my stores that'll carry the new line exclusively!" Berry whinnied gleefully. Then, adding almost as an afterthought; "So sorry to hear about you and Skater though, I thought you two were such a cute couple!"

"Oh, don’t worry about him, my brother's already bouncing back from it." Glittery interrupted, before Jewel even had a chance to respond. "Why, he's set to perform in the Equestria games next week, and I'm sure he'll bring home a medal!" The dressmaker looked back towards AJ. "What our dear model here needs to concentrate on is making my newest creations look good, isn't that right?"

AJ could believe how distant Glittery heart had become since she had split up with the dressmaker's brother. It was as if they had never been friends, and the mare was simply a tool to promote her work. It saddened the former farm pony that a friendship had fractured so easily, and she was almost right back where she started when she had first come to Manehatten two years ago.

It was at that point, that a pale Ivy League came galloping into the shop, running up to AJ with wide eyes. The mare seemed overly exited, almost gasping for breath as she tried to talk to the pony model.

"Jewel! You're never going to believe who's come to town, just to meet you!" The earth mare gasped out, looking up at AJ. "They're big, big admirers of your work, and wanted to talk to you in person!"

"Seriously Ivy, it can't really be anypony that exciting!" Berry Bright sighed, shaking her mane. "I mean, Apple Jewel meets celebrities all the time! Who could possibly-!"

It was then that two tall, regal-looking alicorns in crowns came trotting into the room. Everypony present, even the two rich and influential mares, bowed to the two monarchs. Leaving only the stunned AJ still standing there in shock.

"Hello, fair Apple Jewel." A familiar voice called out, one that the earth mare had not heard in ages. "It hath been many years since we hath seenest thou last." 

 Princess Luna!

That's right, my little Apple Blossom. And it was right then that, as the humans say, I knew 'my goose was cooked'