“Applejack!” Twilight howled, as if she were in pain. She broke into a sprint, nearing her friend.
Applejack turned tiredly, her face twisting in confusion. “Twilight?” she asked. “What're you doin' here?”
“We were looking for you, but we got here too late,” Twilight said mournfully.
“'We'?” Applejack asked. In the dark, all she saw was Twilight.
Twilight pulled her into a hug. “I'm so sorry,” she whispered.
“Sorry for what?” Applejack asked, confused even further. She was so confused she didn't even return the hug.
She looked up at the sound of hooves, and backed up as she saw Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy enter the clearing.
And finally, Rainbow Dash. She entered looking just like a puppy, one hoof raised as if uncertain, trying to seem as little a threat as possible.
“Hey,” she said.
Twilight turned back, head bowed. “She won't recognize you,” she said sadly.
“Oh, I recognize you,” Applejack growled, spinning around to keep her out of sight. “Unfortunately.”
Twilight nearly collapsed with relief. “Oh, Applejack. I thought you'd drunk from the lake.”
“Hmm?” Applejack looked over at the goblet, noticing for the first time its position. “Nah, I just set it down. I just wanted to relive those memories one last time before I make my decision.” She glared at Rainbow Dash. “And seein' you here, it really doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.”
Her friends all spoke at once, trying to convince her otherwise.
“You mustn't!”
“It gets better…”
“It's nothing a good party can't fix-”
But all fell silent when Twilight shouted. “Hey!”
Everypony looked at her, but she was only looking at Applejack.
“Applejack, may I speak to you, in private? Please?”
Normally, Applejack wouldn't have accepted. But Twilight seemed so earnest that she found herself accepting.
The two ponies began to walk around the lake in silence. Neither spoke; the only noises were the quiet breeze and their hooves padding against the thick lakeside grass.
When they had walked far enough that the rest of their friends had faded from sight, Twilight finally broke the silence. “Mother was a good spellcaster, but she did like to experiment, you know?”
Applejack's only experience with experiments were when new recipes were being tested. Most of these were tasty results, so honestly, she did not.
Luckily, Twilight didn't seem to need an answer. “One of the things she liked to do was combining spells to see what would happen. One of these experiments backfired, and… well… all they found were a few scraps of her mane and the melted strap of her goggles.”
“That must’ve been hard,” Applejack said.
Twilight nodded. “Being young and headstrong, I looked for something, anything that could ease my pain. Being the princess's student, I had access to any book I wanted in the library. As you probably know, I soon found out about the Lake of Tranquility—you know how much I like research.”
Applejack may have cracked a smile.
“Anyway, I came here, and Celestia didn't make it in time to stop me.” She nodded in response to Applejack's unspoken question. “I drank of the lake.”
“Did it work?”
“Perfectly.” Twilight's voice turned distant. “I can't remember much of anything before I was taken into Princess Celestia's care. I've tried every memory spell and potion I can get my horn on, and it's no use.” She sighed. “That's my biggest regret, drinking from the lake. It doesn't just take the pain; it takes the good parts, too. It's like cutting off your arm because you broke a bone. Do you know how I got Smarty Pants?”
That name only sounded vaguely familiar. “No…?”
“Neither do I. I don’t remember any of my birthday parties, I don’t remember my first memory of Shining Armor, I don’t remember meeting Cadence, I don’t remember anything. It's just an empty numbness, and I hate it. Hate it, Applejack. I hate it so much I went back and ripped all the pages about the Lake out of the book so nopony else could find it; my first and last act of library vandalism.” She paused, and a slight look of terror came into her eyes. “I don't think they've found out yet; please don't tell anypony?”
Applejack chuckled. “Secret's safe with me.”
Twilight smiled and continued. “Every single important memory I had, my mother was there; and I can't remember her or anything else. I don't even remember what she looked like; Shining had to pull out a family album before I could believe I even had a mother, and even then it still seemed so unreal, like I was looking at something that didn't really exist. And I just…” She sighed. “I don't want any of my friends to have that same regret.”
“Regret? Me?”
Twilight nodded. “Everything from defeating Nightmare Moon to the invasion of Canterlot to your time at Cherry Jubilee's ranch to the first time the Flim Flam Brothers showed up to every one of the Running of the Leaves, Rainbow Dash was there. Apple Bloom's plays and school performances? Rainbow was there. Your birthdays, your celebrations, your rodeos. Rainbow was there. And those are just the ones I've been here for; you knew each other long before I arrived. How did you meet her?”
Applejack grinned. “Found her in a tree one afternoon, just sleepin' the day away. Bucked her right out of the tree.” She laughed. “She looked so adorable there, dazed, upside-down, and covered in leaves and apples... She was mad, but she ended up staying for dinner when we learned she didn't have a place to eat that night.” She paused. “That's the first time she'd ever tried cider. If I'd've known how much she would like it... I'd nearly forgotten about that.”
“There's more, aren't there?” Twilight prompted. “Think. All of your memories, all of your times together, gone. For what?”
Applejack didn't have a good answer.
All her reasons for drinking of the lake seemed insignificant now. Better memories flashed through her head. Rainbow in the cider line, her excitement and joyous expressions. Rainbow helping with the harvest, without asking for payment. Winter Wrap-ups and their teams clashing but always getting along in the end. She let out a nervous giggle. Had she really considered throwing away their friendship? Had she really been so blinded by her pain? How could she have been so foolish? I must be dumber than a sack of hammers, she thought to herself.
“Please, Applejack,” Twilight pleaded. “Please. Don't do it.”
Applejack nodded wordlessly. She turned away, setting her back towards the lake forever.
Luna was right. She couldn't do it alone.
But maybe she didn't have to.
* * *
High up in the observational tower, Luna sat back from her telescope and exhaled, relieved. Applejack had done it. She'd stayed strong. She'd made the right choice.