Rays of sunshine flooded into Apple Bloom’s room, reaching her eyes as she slept. She groaned and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her heavy eyes. Apple Bloom threw the blanket off and trotted out of her room, just as Applejack was walking by.
“Granny Smith wants ya. She’s down in the livin’ room. Somethin’ ‘bout nature.” Applejack told Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom had a look of concern on her face while trotting over to the living room. Granny Smith was sitting on the couch, looking up to see a nervous filly approaching.
“Applejack said you wanted to talk to me?” she whispered, glancing up to meet Granny Smith’s brilliant light orange eyes. The old mare nodded and patted a hoof on the seat next to her, gesturing Apple Bloom to have a seat.
“Now, Apple Bloom…you know how nature can be beautiful an’ enchantin’?” The filly in question nodded. “Well, she can be a cruel mistress at times, an’ I want you to understand this; no matter what natures does to anypony or anything, whether it be a drought that’ll cause food to be scarce, a disease carried by animals that’ll threaten everypony’s lives or even…” she paused for a moment. “…death. I want you to be strong fer me an’ never give up hope. Ah’ll always be right…here.” she said as she placed a hoof over Apple Bloom’s heart. “If you can do that, ah’ll live on fer eternity. If you give up, ah’ll die out like a candle’s flame on a rainy day. Can ya do that fer me?”
Apple Bloom looked up at Granny Smith’s shining eyes, still radiant after all these years. “Ah promise.” she smiled and brought Granny into a warm embrace that seemed to last an eternity. An eternity she never wanted to lose.
Apple Bloom awoke later that afternoon with Granny Smith’s arms around her. She gently lifted Granny’s arms off, slipping off the couch. She decided to make lunch for Granny Smith.
As she walked into the kitchen, she recalled the ingredients and the method of how to make delicious apple fritters. She had seen Applejack making some a countless amount of times, so she thought she could pull it off.
After making a huge mess in the kitchen, Apple Bloom finally finished a tray of apple fritters. She bit into one of them and almost coughed it back up. It wasn’t as good as Applejack’s, but Granny wouldn’t mind. After all, this was her first time making some. She could almost imagine the look on Granny’s face.
Apple Bloom was quite proud of the apple fritters and walked over to where Granny Smith lay. A look of confusion crossed her face as she couldn’t see Granny’s chest rising and falling, but it was probably the heat from cooking causing her eyes to go weird.
Apple Bloom gently shook Granny Smith, whispering, “Granny? Wake up, ah made you some apple fritters.” Granny Smith didn’t respond, so Apple Bloom shook her harder, increasing the volume of her voice. “Granny?” Then Applejack walked in, sweating from a hard day’s work. That’s when she noticed Apple Bloom frantically shaking Granny Smith and calling for her.
“What’s wrong, Apple Bloom?” she ran to her side. “Granny Smith…she ain’t respondin’!” Apple Bloom sniffed and held onto Applejack. Applejack’s eyes went wide and she stood up to get Big Mac. “Apple Bloom, stay here. I want you to call the ambulance. You know what to say, right?” Apple Bloom nodded and ran to the phone.
“Big Mac! Come quick, Granny’s not respondin’!” Applejack yelled out. As soon as she said that, Big Mac ran towards the house close to the speeds of Rainbow Dash in a race. He whooshed past Applejack, blowing her mane around wildly. The ambulance was already there, unicorns carefully placing Granny Smith into a stretcher. Big Mac stared at the scene, watching Granny Smith before they took her away to the hospital.
Apple Bloom walked up to Big Mac, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes as she hugged Big Mac. “W-will she be al-alright?” she sniffed, holding Big Mac tight. Big Mac held her close, responding with a barely audible, “Eeyup.”
It was heart-breaking for Apple Bloom to see Granny Smith lying in the hospital bed, the heart monitor slowly beeping. She rested her head over Granny’s heart, Applejack draping an arm around Apple Bloom’s shoulders. Big Mac sat there, silently staring at Granny Smith. ‘Please Celestia, let her be okay…’ Apple Bloom begged in her mind, tears running down her cheeks.
Suddenly, the unicorn doctor walked in, clipboard in tow. Applejack stood up and brought the doctor into a corner, away from Apple Bloom and Big Mac’s hearing. “Will she be alright?” she whispered, looking back at Apple Bloom’s big, watery eyes. The doctor looked at his clipboard. “She seems to be fading fast. There’s a one in a million chance she’ll recover, but only time will tell, ma’am.” he looked into Applejack’s sorrow filled eyes, her ears drooping as she walked back to Granny Smith.
The doctor’s seen many ponies die and many families mourning over their loss. Every family had a strong connection with the deceased member and he always managed to get them to move on, but something about this family’s connection felt stronger than any other.
Apple Bloom’s eyes shot open when she heard a raspy groan. She looked over and saw Granny Smith slowly opening her eyes. She looked so weak.
“Granny!” Apple Bloom cried out, wrapping her arms around Granny Smith’s neck. “Apple…Bloom…” Granny Smith managed to say, coughing. Big Mac’s eyes welled up. Applejack perked up and hugged Granny Smith. They didn’t notice the heart rate monitor slowing down incredibly.
Applejack and Big Mac glanced over at the monitor and gasped. Apple Bloom didn’t notice until Granny Smith managed to choke out, “Stay…strong……”
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP…