New Life in Equestria

by jkreader

Chapter 18 - Applejack Tells a Story (Rewritten)

Author's Note:

The episode Bats! has not occurred yet. There's a subtle hint in this chapter that it will occur soon, but it will not be appearing as a bonus chapter.

Chapter 18 - Applejack Tells a Story

*Joshua’s P.O.V.*

I walked through Ponyville, still feeling a sad about my changed ears. I began to wonder if I would get a pony’s tail next if my pony transformation kept going. While walking along, some of the ponies in town looked at me, but their looks were not stares as I passed them. They had gotten used to seeing me by now, and I was happy with that. I even saw a few of the ponies I knew, like Lyra and Sparkler.

I kept walking still feeling a little sad, but I didn’t look where I was walking. When I looked up, I saw I was in a field in Applejack’s farm. All the apple trees still had apples on them. I kept walking when I suddenly stepped on something squishy. I looked down and saw that it was an apple, but it was all wrinkly. What made that happen? I wondered.

After leaving the wrinkly apple, I walked over to an apple tree and sat down under it with my back against it. I then tucked my knees in and just sat there. A little bit later, I heard somepony.

“Joshua? Is that you?”

I looked over and saw Applejack.

“Hi Applejack,” I said sadly.

“Somethin’ wrong sugarcube?” she asked me. I lifted my head off the tree I was on, and pulled my hood off my head showing her my changed ears. Applejack gasped. “Land sakes! Y’all got pony ears now too?!” she asked surprised. I nodded sadly. “When did that happen?”

“Last night while I was asleep,” I said, putting the hood back on, “I don’t remember going to sleep with them.” I then wrapped my arms back around my legs and sighed sadly. I then heard hoofsteps coming up to me. I turned and saw Applejack sitting next to me. She put a hoof around my shoulders and pulled me against her.

“Y’know hun,” she said to me, “I can understand how hard things are gettin’ fer ya. Twilight told me about how ya lost yer parents.” I looked back down and closed my eyes. I felt a couple tears fall down my cheeks. “I know how it feels, because I lost mine too.”

I looked up at her surprised. “You did?” I asked.

“Yep,” she said with a sad sigh, “When they were still alive, Ma an’ Pa were always travellin’ around Equestria going on business trips. They were always busy, but every now an’ then, they made time for me and mah big brother, Big Macintosh. They loved us, an’ we loved them.” She then looked at me and pointed at her hat. “This stetson Ah always wear, it was Pa’s. Once Ah got old enough, he always gave it ta me before he and Ma left on a trip.

“One day though, when Apple Bloom was about a year and a half old, they were about to head out to Las Pegasus. It was rainin’ hard all day that day. Once again, like always, Pa gave me his hat. After we all said our goodbyes, they left in a taxi carriage. The storm got worse that night. The wind was howlin’ loudly, there was thunder and lightnin’, and the downpour got really heavy. The wind blew so hard, it threatened to blow the barn right off its foundation. The storm passed by midnight, and the only real damage the barn received were roof tiles blown off.

“That morning while we were all surveyin’ the damage, we received the bad news,” Applejack said with a tear falling down her cheek. I sat up, reached my hand up, and wiped it away.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me Applejack,” I said to her.

“Ah’m fine sugar,” she said smiling at me, “I appreciate the gesture. Anyway, a pegasus came by that mornin’ and he told me that the taxi carriage that mah parents had taken to Las Pegasus, it fell off a cliff, driver, passengers, and all. Now with me bein’ the Element of Honesty, I can tell when somepony is lyin’ or not, so even before I became the Element of Honesty, I still had a tendency to tell a lie from the truth, and I could tell that the pegasus was givin’ me the honest, but heart breakin’ truth.

“We all never cried harder than we did that day, me, Big Mac, and Granny Smith, we were plum heartbroken.”

“Who’s Granny Smith?” I asked her.

“She’s mah grandma,” she said.

“What about Apple Bloom?” I asked again.

“She was too young to understand at the time,” Applejack replied, “but we eventually told her what had happened. She took it harder than we all did that day. Anyhow, I was the one who took it the hardest. Big Mac an’ Ah were left to deal with the more hard labor around the farm since Granny couldn’t do it anymore. It took all of us a long time to recover from the incident, but we never forgot ‘em.”

“I know I’ll never forget my Mommy and Daddy,” I said.

“Y’know, the reason Ah wear this Stetson every day is ta remind me how much Ah loved them, and how much they loved me,” Applejack said taking it off her head and looking at it. She then looked at me, smiled playfully, and put her hat on my head. It stayed on for a little bit, but then it slid over my eyes. Applejack chuckled.

“It’s too big, Applejack,” I said taking it off my head and giving it back.

“Yeah,” she said taking it and putting it back on her head, “I just wanted to see how it looked on ya. So anyway sugarcube, I know how ya feel with losin’ your folks, but always remember, as long as you remember how much you loved them, they’ll never leave ya. And keepsakes are always great reminders too, just like mah hat reminds me of mah pa.”

“I have something to remember my mommy and daddy,” I said to her showing her my locket with the picture in it.

“Aww, you sure do look cute in that picture,” she said making me blush, “And yer parents sure do look like great folks.”

“Thanks for the help Applejack,” I said hugging her, “I feel a lot better now.”

“Anytime sugarcube,” she said bringing her other hoof around me. Just then my tummy growled.

“Oops,” I said, “I forgot to have breakfast.”

“Well, how would ya like ta join me for brunch?” Applejack asked.

“What’s brunch?” I said confused.

“It’s breakfast and lunch in one meal,” she said.

“Okay, that sounds nice,” I said, “Is your family here?”

“Nope,” she said picking me and putting me on her back, “Granny, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom are all down in Appleloosa checkin’ out competition we’re enterin’ that big boy over there in.” She pointed behind her at a tree bent down with a cloth covering something big. She walked over to it and lifted the cloth up a little bit. I was surprised at what I saw. It was an apple as big as Applejack! I had never seen an apple that big before!

“Wow!” I said amazed, “That’s huge!”

“A lot of TLC went into making this apple grow big,” Applejack said rubbing it. She then put the cloth back over the apple and started walking to her house.

“Oh yeah, one other thing Joshua,” she said before we went inside, “When you introduce yerself to Granny, best not talk about Nyx around her.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“She still don’t think too kindly of her after what happened. She’s a stubborn mule on that matter,” Applejack said. Suddenly I heard what sounded like a mule. Applejack and I looked behind us and saw a gray mule standing there. “No offense,” Applejack said to the mule.

“None taken,” the mule said. I was confused at how he showed up. But then Applejack led me inside where she started making food for brunch.

Music:

Lazy Afternoons - Kingdom Hearts II

Reminiscing ~ True Pain - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice for All

The Loyalest and Most Dependable - AcousticBrony

Comments

[Angel Star]

[ShadowCloud]

Parents:

Mule:

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

I love the mule running gag!

[Luckyfanisaac]

still feeling a bit sad about my changed ears.