“Hey Applejack, can I ask you something?”
The orange pony tilted up her hat to glance over at her little sister. They had just finished the last of their chores by picking apples in the orchard. The pair of sisters decided to relax, sitting or lying in Applejack’s case, under a tree that gave them a great view of the orchard as the sun was beginning to touch the treetops in the west. There was still plenty of time to take a short nap before going back to get supper started, Applejack thought when she lay down against the tree. Now Apple Bloom was preventing that but she didn’t really mind since she always had time for her.
“Shoot, Sugar Cube. What is it?”
“I wanted to ask you about the future?”
Applejack cocked an eyebrow. What a strange question she thought. Plus it was really vague.
“The Future?”
“Yeah. I mean, will we always be like this?” Her crimson maned sister asked.
Applejack continued to be perplexed by Apple Bloom’s questions.
“Like this?”
“I mean like we are now?”
Again the question seemed vague but Applejack’s eyes fell on her sister’s bare, yellow flank. She put two and two together and assumed this was another of those ‘When is my cutie mark gonna come’ questions. With her younger sister’s back to her, she rolled her eyes and let out a very quiet sigh.
“Apple Bloom, I know it’s hard but like I keep tellin’ you, your cutie mark is gonna take time-,” She was cut off.
“That’s not what I was talking about.”
Applejack was surprised.
“Ok, what were you gettin’ at then?”
“I mean, will we always be sisters? Being this close?”
The older sister looked at the filly with a confused expression.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well...I mean time keeps moving and changing. Like I’m getting older and I wonder about you and Big Mac getting older. The two of you are at the age were you might find some special somepony and settle down.”
Applejack blushed and scratched the back of her head with her hoof. She was never really the type to settle down or even consider the idea of finding some stallion to get hitched, too. Big Mac might have been more likely to find a marefriend. Heck, she knew quite a few mares in Ponyville who were very clearly interested in him. He could have the pick of the litter if he weren't so shy. Then again, such thoughts weren’t helped by Granny Smith’s occasionally ribbing about bringing home a stallion or mare so she could have some great grandbabies before she had to leave this world.
“And then there’s me. I still haven’t figured out what I’m gonna do with my life, especially since I don’t have my cutie mark. What happens if I get my cutie mark and it relates to something, something where I have to move away? And I may find somepony to marry and such and well...”
Applejack was sitting up now, facing Apple Bloom, and listening to her sister vent her worries. This was how she was. Applejack kind of dreamed about the possibility of seeing her sister off; becoming a mare and finding a special somepony, though she and Big Mac would be sure the stallion would treat her right or he would get bucked straight across Equestria.
“Well, the time will come and I wonder if we’ll still be close?”
“What are you talking about, you silly filly? We’re sisters,” Applejack tried to say, “Even if you do move away, I’ll always be right here at Sweet Apple Acres when you need me.”
Apple Bloom looked at her sister with wide eyes and then turned her head down. It was quiet for a moment before Apple Bloom spoke again.
“But what about when you’re not?”
Applejack tilted her head.
“I know that Ma and Pa passed and Granny Smith ain’t gonna be around forever. Time will come when Big Mac and you will be old and well... maybe you catch the flu...or have an accident and...,” Apple Bloom rambled with her head down and her body trembling.
Applejack put her hoof on her sister’s shoulder and Apple Bloom looked up with tears welling in her eyes ready to pour down her cheeks. The older orange pony looked at her with shock. It broke AJ’s heart to see her saddened.
“I don’t want to see you go,” Apple Bloom said coming up to her sister and resting her head on her chest.
Applejack stayed still and quiet for a few minutes as Apple Bloom started to sob. She then held her sister tightly for a long minute. She started stroking her sister’s red mane and Apple Bloom hugged her back just as tightly before moving her head up to face her older sister’s face. To her surprise, Applejack was smiling; a soft knowing smile with her freckled cheeks subtly dimpling.
“You silly filly. Always getting so worked up over the smallest things,” Applejack said softly as she ruffled her sister’s hair, “You ain’t gonna lose me...and I'm gonna tell you why. Do you remember anything about Ma and Pa?”
Apple Bloom thought about their parents and two memories came to mind, “I remember Mama singing a lullaby to me and...I remember Daddy making funny faces to get me to laugh and him teaching ‘em to Big Mac.”
The little yellow filly let out a giggle.
“Then they’re not gone.”
Apple Bloom stopped laughing and looked at Applejack confused. What did she mean by that?
“You’re right. Things will change, the world will keep going, and time will move along. Ponies will come and ponies will go, but they’re not really gone...as long as we remember them. As long as we remember them, They continue to live,” Applejack explained, “Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Me will still be with you. If you go to start a farm somewhere else, even If you go to some big city like Manehattan or Fillydelphia to make it big as some kind of showpony, I’ll be with you in here.”
Saying this, Applejack pressed her hoof to her little sister’s chest meaning her heart.
“As long as you remember me, I’ll always be your big sister. Always and Forever,” Applejack comforted, nuzzling her head against her little sister, who nuzzled back.
The redheaded filly hugged her sister as Applejack lay back against the tree. Apple Bloom rested on top of her big sister still hugging her and crying but this time, tears of happiness and comfort. AJ smiled and stroked her little sister’s mane. She then started to softly sing.
“We’re Apples forever, Apples Together,
We’re family but so much more~
No matter what comes we will face the weather,
We’re Apples to the Core.”