//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: The Sign and The Beginning // Story: The dark past of AppleJack // by BlearyROBIN //------------------------------// (Mortars falling from the sky and explodes on impact) Applejack and Bigmac was running on an open field towards the hospital. Exhausted and out of breath, Applejack looked back and stopped as she saw a mortar heading straight towards them. "Bigmac!!! WATCH OUT!!!!" she yelled. A mortar explodes infront of Applejack, making her fly backwards into some mud. Applejack tried to get some air in as she was laying in the dirt, coughing. She deeply inhales and calls for her brother: "MacIntosh?! Are you okay?!" She did`nt get a reply, the air was too dusty from the explosion to be able to see anything infront of her. "Big mac?" she called again. She still did`nt get a response. She started to assume the worst. Her eyes started to watering up and she tried to call for her brother one more time. "Big...mac...?" 'Then she heard something. (coughs) "I`m allright. That was close...." It was her brother, he survived the explosion and was limping towards Applejack. Applejack ran towards her brother and hugged him. "I thought I lost you. Come on, we need to get to ma and pa." They heard another mortar whistle. "Ya hear that?" Big mac asked his sister as he looked at her with worried eyes. "It`s another mortar strike! Run!!" Applejack yelled and they started to run towards the town on the other side of the field. The mortars explodes behind them as they run, the mortars were getting closer and closer to Applejack and Big mac. Big mac grabbed Applejacks arm and jumps into a huge mortar crater to their right while keeping his arm over her head to protect her from dirt, rocks and projectiles from the explosions. "Keep your head down!!" He yelled as the mortars were exploding around them. Applejack screamed as the mortars exploded around them. The mortar strike stopped and they were laying on the ground for a while wondering if they were still alive. "Are you okay, MacIntosh?" Applejack asked her brother with a shaky voice. "Yeah, I think so. You?" He replied as he was getting up from the ground. "Still breathing.... Hey, i can see the hospital from here! We`re almost there!" Applejack said and pointed at the hospital their parents are supposed to be in. Big mac looked at the tall building that was not far from them. "You`re right! Let`s just get away from this field first before we start cheering." He said to his shaking sister. They ran across the field hoping the mortars would`nt start falling again. They reached the city in one piece and started to walk towards the hospital. "We made it! I can see Pa through the window!" Applejack said with a reliefed voice. They both started to run towards the hospital. But as they was running towards the hospital they heard another mortar whistle, they looked up and saw a lot of mortar shells heading straight towards the hospital. "It`s gonna hit the hospital!" Big mac yelled. Applejack could feel her heart start breaking. "No! NO!" She yelled! The mortars hits the hospital and pounds it to the ground. It`s completely ruined and there`s no-way anyone could have survived. "NOOOOOOO!!!!!" Applejack fell to her knees and started to cry "MA!! PA!!" Mortars whistle as they are falling towards Applejack and Big mac. Applejack looked up and then she looked down to the ground "I can`t.... They`re dead.... They`re..." The mortars were just about to hit Applejack and Big mac, but then she wakes up. Applejack started to look around just find out she was in her bed. "It was just a dream.... Strange, I never have dreams like that." She said and yawned. "What time is it?" She asked herself as she was looking to her right seeing the clock on her desk: "7:40? Allrighty then, I need a shower. That dream really had me sweating." Applejack got up from the bed and started to wipe the tears from her chin. She grabbed a towel and proceeded towards the bathroom, but before she opened the door she heard the radio was on downstairs. She walked down to listen to a good country song that was playing on the radio, but then the song got cut off... Radio: "We interrupt this song to brief some urgent news. Earlier this morning the Princess got attacked by assassins from the Northern Empire, the conflict between Equestria and the Northern Empire has been going on for years now. Princess Celestia thinks it`s time to take action. The Northern Empire has been harrasing Equestria for too long. Here`s the princess`s speech from earlier. Applejack walked into the living room where the radio is. When she got inside the room she saw her father and her brother sitting infront of the radio listening. She walked up behind them to listen to the speech. Princess Celestia: "Dear inhabitants of Equestria. Earlier this morning, I almost got murdered by assassins from the Northern Empire. They had direct orders from Lord Derrick to dispose of me. This will NOT be tolerated, I want all men of Equestria to sign up to the Royal army. We`re going to war. If they want war then we will answer their call. I will not lie to you, the Northern Empire won`t go down without a fight. God bless Equestria and.... Applejacks father turned off the radio. "Those darn Northern Empire scums. How dare they try to murder our beloved Princess?" He said with a frustrated voice. Applejack looked at her father with a worried look on her face "Pa, does this mean that you have to go back into the army?" She asked her father. Her father sighs "I don`t know. I don`t think so, my leg got hurt last time i was in the army. They want healthy battle worthy men. I don`t think I will be qualified for battle." he said and looked at Applejack. "Good, we need you here. Especially now when we will have a new family member soon." Applejack said with a pleased smile. Her father smiled and gave her a pat on the head "I know. Let`s eat some breakfast and then visit Ma at the hospital." He said as he started to walk towards the kitchen. "Breakfast sounds good. I am starving." Said Big mac as he grabbed his stomach. "I think I will skip the breakfast, I ain`t hungry anyway. I`m gonna hop into the shower instead." said Applejack and started walking towards the stairs. "You sure?" Her father asked and looked at Applejack with a raised eyebrow. Applejack never skips breakfast, so this worried him a little bit. "Yupp. I`m sure." Applejack replied. "Allrighty then. Just don`t take too long." He replied and walked into the kitchen. Applejack started to walk up the stairs, "Don`t worry. I won`t." she said as she focused on the stairs. Applejack started to go upstairs and headed towards the bathroom. She stopped infront of the bathroom door. She looked to her right and saw the door to her sisters future room. She walked towards it and opened the door. She stepped in and looked at the baby bed and all the toys that was stacked up nicely, she picked up a Teddybear that was sitting on her sisters bed, She looked at the Teddybear and was smiling, "I can`t wait to finally have you here sis`, i`m gonna make a real farmer out of you. This is a dream coming true." She said with a huge smile. She looked at an colorful little ball that was sitting on the shelf. "I can`t wait to be kicking ball with you on the huge grass field behind the house." She put back the Teddybear in the bed and walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. "Right, shower and then visit Ma." She stepped into the shower and turned on the water. As the hot water was covering her body she started to think about her dream and about the coming war. She was thinking to herself if her dream was a sign or if it was just a coincidence. She`s worried about the war, She knows that the Northern Empire does`nt show any mercy in their wars. They don`t care if you`re a soldier, civilian or a small child. They will kill you anyway just because you`re not a part of their Empire. She don`t want her sister to grow up in war. But she promise to do anything to keep her sister safe. She will not let anyone hurt her. Her thoughts was running back and forth and she completely forgot about the time. Then someone started knocking on the bathroom door, it was her father. "Applejack? Are you okay? You`ve been showering for 30 minutes now. We need to go soon." He said with a stressed voice. Applejack was shocked about what he said, "30 minutes??? Shoot! Yeah i`m almost finished. You two can go ahead and i`ll catch up with Y`all." She said. "It`s okay Applejack, we`ll wait for you outside." He replied and started to walk downstairs. "Okay. Thanks." Applejack was so lost in her thoughts so she had forgot to put Shampoo on her hair and body. She grabbed a bottle real quick and started to put shampoo on her hair. It smelled like apple. She washed out the shampoo turned of the shower and put on her towel and started to dry herself. She rushed down the stairs and walked out towards Big mac and her father. Big mac looked at her with a taunt smile, "Took ya sweet time did`nt ya?" Applejack looked down to the ground, "I`m sorry ya`ll, I got caught up in my thoughts." Her father put his hoof on her shoulder and looked at her, "Don`t worry about the war Applejack, we will be alright." He said and put on his old cowboy hat. "Yeah don`t ya worry. It ain`t nothing, we will be safe here at our farm." Said Big mac with a calm and confident voice. They started to walk away from the house towards the old dirt road. "I hope so..." Applejack whispered to herself. Her father turned his head and looked at Applejack, "You said something sugar?" He asked. "I was just thinking out loud." She replied. Her Father smiled and started to look forwards again. "Allrighty then. Let`s go to the hospital." The hospital was in the city a couple of miles away. They were walking through the old dirt road that lead towards the main road. It was cold and grey outside. When they got into the city the streets were full of people signing up for the army, the military was moving equipment on the roads so traffic was cut off. The soldiers was dealing out papers to all males on the streets, but they did`nt notice Applejacks father luckily enough. When they got into the hospital it was quiet, it was almost empty because the doctors was heading towards the Royal Army sign up office to sign up as field medics. They started to walk towards the baby sector of the hospital. They walked towards the room where her mom was. Applejack knocked on the door. "Come in." Applejack was the first one heading in. Applejack was looking at her mom with a big smile. "Howdy Ma!" she said and walked towards her mom and gave her a hug. "Hey there sugar-cube, gosh i`ve missed seeing you. The days are really long in here." Her mom said and was hugging Applejack as if they have`nt seen each-other for years. "I`ve missed you too, the farm is so empty without you." Applejack replied. Her mom started to giggle. "Soon it will be fuller than ever" she said and put her hoof on her stomach, petting it. "Did you come here all by yourself?" She asked Applejack. Before Applejack could answer, Big mac stepped in. "Hey Ma." He said and hugged her. And soon after her husband came in with some flowers. "Here you go darlin`." He said and gave her the flowers. Her mom looked almost shocked about the flowers. "Are those for me? Darling you`re too sweet." She said and gave him a kiss. "How are you feeling Ma? Is the baby close?" Big mac asked curiously. Their mom started to smile. "I`m feeling great. I think the baby will arrive before the end of this week. She`s really close now." She proudly said. Applejack started to smile bigger than ever before. Their Father looked at his wife with big eyes. "Before the end of the week?" "In 2 days to be exact" she said with a very pleased smile. "2 days?! That`s wonderful news! Soon i will finally be able to hold my new daughter!" He said with a huge smile and then kissed his wife again. Applejack and Bigmac hugged their mom and was happier than ever. Then Big mac got a serious face. "Ma, I`m sorry to break the vibe, but have you heard the news today?" He asked. Their mom started to sigh a little. "Yes, I have. I`m sure everything will go fine. It`s not much to worry about. The Princess knows what she is doing. Besides we got the Pegasus's, Unicorns and Ali corns on our side, so we`re overpowering them." "Ain`t that he truth. Now stop talking about this darn war. Let`s just enjoy this moment." Their father said with a slightly annoyed voice. They were at the hospital for a couple of hours before the Nurse stepped in and said that they had to leave. The nurse stepped in, she had a very kind look about her, she was smiling. "Sorry to say this, but the visit time is over. She needs to rest and we`re gonna check so the baby is healthy and developed properly." The nurse said. "Okay, we understand." Said the father and turned to his wife. "See you tomorrow darlin`". He said to his wife and gave her a kiss. "Bye mom. Take care. I love you." Said Applejack and hugged her mom. Her mom smiled. "I love you too, sugar-cube" she said and accepted the hug. "See ya tomorrow Ma." Said Big mac and hugged her. "Bye ya´ll. Have a great day." She said with a big smile as they walked out. They proceeded out the door and out of the hospital. Applejack was super excited about the news of the baby. "2 days. 2 days left until I can finally meet and hold my sister! I can`t wait!" She said when they got out of the hospital. Big mac started to laugh a little. "I`m excited as well. Just remember to let me hold her too haha" he said. Applejack started to giggle and looked at her brother. "I`ll try to remember that." she said with a smile. Their father started to laugh as well. "Allright, let`s find a restaurant an`get somethin` to eat, let`s go that fancy restaurant that all of them city folks here are talking about and celebrate."