//------------------------------// // Ch.4 Home Coming // Story: The Apple Doesn't Fall Far // by Regis-Th3-Lesser //------------------------------// It was the end of the week, finally time for Applejack to return home. She sat in a wheelchair staring out of the window. “Finally ah can get out of this depressing room, and feel the wind through my mane, and the soft grass under my hooves,” she looked down at her wheel chair “maybe not yet but soon,” she thought blissfully.She sat up and rolled over to the door. “Now, who is gonna come and get me?” she said to no one. Applejack waited, and waited, and waited. She soon fell asleep in the chair before her room door opened. “I don’t know if she’s up ye-” her doctor stopped, seeing her slumped over asleep. “You can take her now if you want,” he whispered. “That’s fine, but I’d rather her be awake,” Rarity declared. She put a hoof to Applejack’s shoulder and began to shake her gently. “Applejack wake up, it’s time for us to go.” Applejack mumbled while slightly lifting her head. Rarity chuckled and continued to shake her. “Applejack come on, wake up.” “Darn varmints,” she groaned. “Alright then,” Rarity took a deep breath and shouted “Applejack!” “Aahhh huh wha?” Applejack shot up, whipping her head around. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. “Rarity, what’re you doin’ here?” “I am here to take you home,” Rarity dignifiedly responded. “Really?” she asked tiredly. “What’s the matter, don't you want to return home?” “Ah do, but ah didn’t expect you of all ponies to come and get me,” she looked behind Rarity. “Where is everypony else?” “They were all….preoccupied at the moment.” Applejack hung her head down. “So they forgot about me then,” she thought drearily. “Don’t be so sad Applejack. I’m sure you will have a pleasant surprise when you get home,” Rarity said cheerfully. She walked behind Applejack and proceeded to push her out of the room. As they walked through the sparse halls of the hospital a wave of relief washed over Applejack, but it was soon followed by the jagged shores of uncertainty. She was now headed home, the only place she had been longing for the entire week. She should be absolutely ecstatic, but all she felt was some hollow feeling that she had never experienced. It felt like longing, a different type of longing. Something that made her feel empty the more she thought about it. Rarity pushed Applejack out of the hospital into the waiting afternoon air. “Ah can take it from here.” “Are you sure Applejack?” “Well ain't nothing wrong with my arms.” “But Sweet Apple acres is all the way across town.” “Ah know. It ain't that far,” Applejack protested. “Applejack, you have just left the hospital. I think that you should-” “I'm fine Rarity! Ah ain't no helpless little filly!” Applejack spat. Rarity stumbled backwards at Applejack's outburst. Seeing her shocked expression made her feel instant regret “I...I'm so sorry…” Rarity gave her an apologetic smile. “That's all right dear. You've been through a lot these last two years.” Applejacks looked up at Rarity in confusion. “What do ya mean?” “Fluttershy told us everything, from Granny Smith's passing to Applebloom leaving for School,” she nuzzled her forehead. “You need your friends now more than ever,” she took a step backwards. “Now are we going to continue this pointless quarrel?” “Not at all Rarity,” Applejack agreed with a toothy smile. “Excellent, now we must be going.” “Why are you in shucha hurry anyway?” “I have to get you home.” Applejack sighed and looked around. “Ah don't wanna go home, at least not yet.” “And why would that be?” Rarity asked in slight annoyance. “Because it's a beautiful day out here. All the birds chirpin’, sun shinin’. Ah don't wanna go home at all. All I'm gonna do is work.” “I doubt that anypony would make you work in your current condition.” Applejack dismissively snorted with a shrug. “The moment I'm better it's back to apple buckin’.” Rarity sighed and began to push Applejack. “Hey, ah said that ah didn't wanna go home yet!” “I'll walk slow, if that's okay with you of course.” Applejack crossed her arms with a child-like huff. “Aright, but don't go any faster.” “You have my word. Now, why can't Big Macintosh take your workload?” “Everything in his life is ‘Cheerilee’ now. He comes back for an afternoon then just like that he's gone again...” Rarity pondered for a moment. “Have you asked anypony in town for any help?” Applejack looked up to Rarity with a raised brow. “Oh yes, of course. You're Mrs. Solo. You don't need anything from anyone. Now as for me, I wouldn't be able to do anything if it weren't for all of the help I received. You can always count on somepony to help.” “Ah know what yer doin' Rarity. It ain't workin'.” “You are the epitome of a hard working mare, but you're too stubborn to know when you're overwhelmed. Everypony needs help even the strongest of us. I know that there are plenty of ponies who would love to help out,” she adopted a sly grin. “Maybe even a dragon.” Applejack's expression instantly lit up at the mention of him. “No, he's busy in the library. Ah just can't take him away from his work.” “Yes yes, I suppose, but what about when he is off.” Applejack considered the possibility. “He is slightly bigger than Big Mac, and he looks mighty strong now. Ah bet he could knock a whole tree down without even trying. And he could probably carry three while bushels without even breaking a sweat. That would look very nice,”she shook her head in horror. “Why am ah even thinkin’ like that. Somethin’s wrong with me. He's Applebloom’s age right? Wait how old is Spike really? No, no, no, stop it Applejack! You are not considering this at all!” “Applejack?” Rarity asked, waving a hoof in her face. “Hello, Equestria to Ms. Applejack.” “Huh, what now? Oh, heh sorry ah was thinking.” “About what?” “Somethin’ scary.” Applejack smiled nervously hoping that Rarity would leave the situation be. “No more delay, let's get you home.” “Yaaay...” Applejack enthusiastically groaned. They reached the barn at two hours before sunset. Applejack looked up with dread. “Home sweet home,” she mumbled. Rarity pulled her up to the front door. “Alright Applejack, here we are. Can you get in or do you need some help?” “Ah can… fine I need your help...” Rarity proudly smiled and opened the door revealing the dark empty house. “Why the hay is it so dark in here? Rarity can you get the light?” there was no response. “Rarity?” once again silence. “This ain't funny ya hear!”she shouted into the darkness. She looked around rapidly darting her eyes back and forth. “Rarity!” she shouted. “Come back.” she whispered in a sob. “Surprise!” “What in tarnation?!” The lights turned on revealing all of her friends with their forelegs outstretched. “Hey Applejack, what took you so long!” Pinkie energetically asked. “What took me? What the hay are y'all doin’! Darn near scared me half to death!” she yelled with hoof to her chest. “Hehe, sorry. I wanted this to be the best surprise ever!” “I'm most definitely surprised!” “Come on and say ‘hi’ to everypony,” she pushed Applejack over to the small crowd. “Hey li'l sis.” Big Mac smiled. “Hey.... brother. So this is where everypony was today,” she said, waving her hoof at all of the attendees.” “Eeyup,” he replied with a big smile. “And nopony bothered to tell me anything.” “Eeyup….” he replied with a little uncertainty. “So yer tellin' me that instead of coming to the hospital and surprising me there you wait until I'm all the way across town, and scare the stuffin' outta me?” “Well when ya put it like that,” he looked down at a scowling Applejack. “E..e..yup,” she continued to frown, eyeing all of the guests furiously. She wanted to berate each and every last one of them to the highest degree, but they all looked upon her with the innocence of a foal.   “Y'all really know how to surprise a girl.” she chucked with her fore-legs crossed. Soon everyone began to relax and join in. “I'm glad ya liked it!” Big Mac grinned. Applejack smiled back at her big brother. “Almost everypony is here.” “What do ya mean ‘almost’ everypony is here?” “Spike, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Zooey aren't here yet.” “Were behind you actually.” Spike added. “What the... how long have you been there?” “Not too long, we just wanted to see AJ.” Applejack rolled over to Spike and tried to lift herself out of the chair. “What are you doing?” “I-I'm tryin' ta,” she groaned. “Give ya a h-hug!” “Oh,” he lowered his head slightly. “Thanks,” she reluctantly let go and turned to Fluttershy and Zooey. “Hey y'all two, how are ya?” “We're okay even though Zooey was bit by a squirrel.” “Yeah, the little bugger got me right on the flank,” the peach colored stallion answered in his light Australian accent. Spike held his claw to his mouth in an attempt to stifle his growing laughter. “What's so funny mate?” he asked with a frown. “I'm...I..I'm sorry,” he held back a couple of large jests. “Come off it now, it wasn't that funny.” Zooey defended. “Are you kidding me! AJ you should've seen it. We we're here setting everything up. Fluttershy and Zooey we're trying to get a family of squirrels out of one of the ceiling supports in the barn. Now Fluttershy is trying to talk to them and get them to come out while Zooey tried sneaking up on him. I don't know what happened after that, other than what Fluttershy told me. The next thing I see is our Zoologist running around with a squirrel on his butt screaming ‘get this demon rodent off me ’!” They all shared in a good laugh while Zooey stood in a puddle of embarrassment. “It's okay, we all have one of those moments,” Fluttershy reassured with a laugh. Zooey slowly began to smile and laugh. “ Okay I'll admit, that was a riot,” he said sharing in the humor. “Wait, what were y'all doin’ in the barn?” Applejack asked while calming down. The all shared glances. “How about we go and see,” Big Mac motioned in the direction of the barn.  He took hold of her wheelchair's handles and strolled her outside. “You're gonna love this,” Pinkie Pie said in a sing-song tone. She threw the doors open revealing the interior that was decorated with a banner that read ‘Welcome home Applejack” with a picture of her, and tables stocked with her favorite apple treats. “Oh my goodness...” she whispered with her hooves to her mouth. “See, I told you that she'd love it!” Pinkie Pie whispered to Big Mac. “Y'all did this for me?” her voice broke. “Why are you so surprised?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We wanted your first day out of the hospital to be the best day ever!” she landed next to Applejack. “Enough dialogue, let's partay!” Pinkie Pie squealed loudly. They all piled in the barn and partied the night away. “Aaaah, the little demon is back!”