//------------------------------// // Chapter 5. Applejack's Self Reproach // Story: Celestia's Pride And Regret // by MellowBrook //------------------------------// The apples fell into the barrel surrounding the trees with a parade of tiny thuds. Applejack looked around her and saw that all of the trees in the orchard had been cleared of the delectable fruit that Sweet Apple Acres was renowned for. It was about time too, she thought, noticing that the sun had gone down and it was rapidly getting darker in the orchard. She sighed as she realized that she still had to haul all of those apples back to the barn. She proceeded to hoist the barrels of apples up into the wagon that she took with her whenever she came out to buck apples. After that task had been completed, Applejack put on the harness attached to the cart, and took off in the general direction of the barn. As she followed the path that would lead her back, she was trying to think about what she was gonna do tomorrow. This was the last orchard that had needed bucking, and she had just finished. All she had been doing lately was work. She rose at the crack of dawn and worked until the sun went down, after which she ate a quick meal and went off to bed. Shortly after these thoughts had entered her mind, she saw the familiar sights of home. There was the new barn that they had built when Pinkie went crazy, cloning herself more than a few times. Those were good times. Back when her and the rest of the girls still talked and hung out together. Ever since what happened to Twilight, things had not been the same. For a while, they still got together and talked, but had slowly drifted apart. The first one to go was poor Rainbow. Rainbow was the one that had taken Twilight’s death the hardest, out of the group. Being the element of loyalty and watching, as that very same element joined with the rest to kill her friend had torn her up inside. As far as AppleJack could tell, Rainbow blamed herself as much as she blamed herself. This was the one downside of wanting time on her own to be able to think. Every night her thoughts inevitably turned to Twilight. Applejack was still not sure what she thought of her role in Twilight’s death. Was she responsible for the death of her friend? The reason she struggled with this was that, though she had been wearing one of the elements at the time, she hadn't felt the familiar glow inside of her when it went off like she had when banishing discord. In fact, she hadn’t felt anything when the elements went off. She had been wondering lately if it wasn’t in fact the elements that had killed Twilight, but instead it might have been the spell that Twilight fixed causing an unknown reaction to the elements... If that was indeed the case, then it would be Celestia’s fault that her friend had died. Gah! What did she know? She was just a dumb workhorse who couldn't even save her friend’s life when she had needed her the most. The thoughts all melted away, when she reached the entrance to the barn. Thinking time was over. Now it was time to work. She began unloading the wagons, and stacking the barrels of apples over in the corner with the rest of them. This was why she loved working so much. It did not give her the time to think, which meant she would not be dwelling on her friend’s passing. After she finished her task, she got ready to go on inside the house. Standing outside the door, she wiped herself down, as to not muck of the rest of the house. Big Mac watched his younger sister, as she went about cleaning up, before going up to her room. He couldn't help but feel worried about her. Ever since the passing of Twilight, she had been working nonstop, never stopping to think about herself. Big Mac was worried that one day she was going to over-exert herself, and get herself hurt. He was thinking that maybe he should go out and find a way to cheer her up, or at least get her away from work. A new hobby perhaps, something else to keep her mind off of Twilight. Big Mac just shrugged to himself, decided to follow suit, and get going upstairs. He was never very good at talking to others. His size tended to intimidate most folk, so he never got much of a chance to socialize outside of the family. He arrived at the door to his room, when he heard Applejack sobbing in the room next to his. He just shook his head and went into his room. • • • • The Next Morning • • • • Applejack woke to the sound of birds chirping outside of her window. She shook her head a few times to clear the sleep from her eyes, before she went about getting up. She was still not sure what she was going to do today, but he sure as hay did not want to be left to her thoughts. She decided that she could work out what she was doing over a nice large breakfast. As she went about going downstairs, she thought about what all needs to be done around the farm. Gutters check, orchards clear check, gah, what needed done? As she racked her brain, she could not think of anything that still had to be done. “I guess I could always go to town and try and sell some apples.” she said to herself out loud. First breakfast. She settled with eating a few apple tarts and some applesauce. As she worked on finishing up her meal, she was making a mental list of what she needed to do to get ready. First, she was gonna have to get the wagon all hooked up and ready to go. Then she was gonna have to load some of the apples up, so she could take them to the market with her. Then it hit her. Why haven't the family tried selling applesauce before? She hurried up eating her meal, then she went about collecting applesauce from the family stores. After she had it all gathered, she went and loaded the applesauce up on the wagon beside the apples. After everything was all set, she threw on the harness and set out for town. As she was trotting down the road to town, it hit her. Where was her brother? Normally Big Mac would have gotten up around the same time as her and shared breakfast with her. She wondered if perhaps he went to town to do a bit of shopping, since there was no work to be done today. It didn't really matter right now; all she had to worry about when she got to town was selling apples. After walking a little while more, she finally got into town and started to make her way into the market area. On her way, she saw a rather peculiar sight, she had found Big Mac. What was odd, though, was that he appeared to be arguing about something with Spike. She wanted to go and check it out, but did not want to have to talk to Spike. She was worried that he hated her for her being part of what happened to Twilight. This thought made her turn around and continue on to the market. She had apples to sell. • • • • Later That Evening • • • • Applejack arrived back at the farm, exhausted. The applesauce sold like crazy; she ran out within two hours of the opening of her stall. She was going to have to relay that information to Big Mac and Granny Smith. The Apple Family could make a fortune off the stuff, if they were to produce it in larger amounts. Anyways, she had better get to putting the wagon and what was left of her stores away. After she had done all of this, she started the trek to the front of the house, where she saw her brother waiting for her. “What were you up to today?” Applejack asked with barely veiled curiosity. “Just enjoying the nice day off we have,” Big Mac replied, nonchalantly. “I don’t know what ya mean by a 'day off,' I have been working in town all day today. By the way, we gotta start making more applesauce. It sold like crazy down at the market,” “Actually, that is what I was hear to talk to you about AJ. I have talked with Granny 'bout this and we both agree it is for your own good. You need to take a break, and will not lift a hoof when it comes time to make more applesauce, or go into town." “Why in the hay should I not be allowed to work?” Applejack heatedly replied. “We are both worried bout you, sis. Ever since what happened to Twilight, you have been working nonstop, and we are worried that you are gonna get yourself hurt.” he said, with worry evident in his voice. “Don’t you dare bring her into this! You don't know what is is like to lose somepony you are close to. You have no right to talk like that.” Applejack hollered at her brother. She was startled when Big Mac erupted and started yelling at her. She had never seen him angry in all her life, as he had kept such a tight reign on his emotions. “I don't know what is is like to lose somepony I care about?” He exploded. “You were too young to remember Ma and Pa dying. Granny Smith kept ya here while I went with them to the hospital. I watched our parents die, AJ. Don’t you ever say I do not know what it is like to lose somepony I care about,” With that he stormed off into the house. Applejack was left standing on the porch, wondering what she was supposed to do. Never had she felt more miserable in her life.