Another Year Without You (Applejack)
Aftermath of A Fallen Star
By Rated Ponystar
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
Another Year Without You (Applejack’s POV)
***
It’s been five years.
Hard to believe so much time has passed since then. I still can’t sometimes help but wish that I’ll wake up one morning and it will be the one thousandth Summer Sun Celebration. I’ll be bucking apples and preparing the food with all my relatives until a unicorn from Canterlot, with a baby dragon by her side, comes to me and introduces herself. Yet, everyday is a new day where she doesn’t come over. She’s just sleeps in that fancy glass casket.
It was on the third anniversary of Twilight’s death that we decided to do this little new tradition of ours. It was hard at first since we were all still dealing with our loss, not to mention Spike running away. I still can’t help but blame myself for that, and I’m sure we all do. If there was any individual on this planet who missed her more than any of us it was the one she called “son”. Someday I hope to see him again and apologize, but until then I just gotta hope Princess Celestia can find him.
I held the picnic basket in my mouth as me and the girls crossed over that magical barrier that Princess Celestia made. We can’t go into the other apprentices resting place, but we have no need to do so. We just need the one. The waterworks were already starting to appear in Fluttershy’s and Pinkie’s eyes, but the rest of us still kept strong. Chances are we would all be crying at some point, but I hope there comes a day when we can come here and not cry at all.
At least not openly.
We made it to the entrance where we saw her. One of the best friends I ever had and the only mare I would ever love in my life: Princess Twilight Sparkle. Nothing had changed here. Not the flowers, not the casket, nor the smile she held in her eternal sleep. It was like there was no time in this small section of the world where the greatest mare we ever met was laid to rest.
We all went forward, small smiles on our lips as we greeted her, asking if she was happy up there in Elysium with all our other relatives and friends who passed away. Dash always joked that first thing Twilight would do when she went up there was find Starswirl the Bearded fella and spent eternity asking questions. True the told, I believed it as well. I also always hope Ma, Pa, and Granny Smith were right there beside Twi along with her lover, Flash Sentry. Before you ask, no, I don’t hate him. I knew Twilight and I would never work out despite my feelings for her, but that doesn’t mean I still couldn’t love her like I still do.
After we talked, some of us even said prayers, we sat down and ate like we always used to in the past. Fluttershy told us how she and Discord were doing, apparently they had started holding hooves and were working their way up. Always made me wonder if there was something between those two, and a few months ago they announced they were dating. But very slowly might I add. Fluttershy wasn’t the type to rush and Discord, surprisingly, was following through with it. I think the fact that Shy was smiling again is what keeps him going.
Pinkie Pie told us how her nephew, Shale, was doing. Apparently, he was getting strength training from Maud and learning how to work the rock farm at a basic level. Marble was very proud of her son, and we were happy they were doing well. We still didn’t know who the father was, and all Pinkie said was that he was gone and never coming back. We didn’t know what to make of that, but we didn’t pry. Pinkie never really talked about her home life that often and we never saw what it was like.
Rainbow Dash, naturally, couldn’t help but brag about how now that she was a full member of the Wonderbolts, she could go on top secret missions to defend Equestria from any threat. Especially one that she was going to be taking in the Changeling lands. Apparently, there were some resistance fighters who were against the new Republic that Twilight and Cadance helped make and they requested help in dealing with them. We warned her to not get herself killed and she just joked saying that she already did once. She may have sounded like she was joking, but I know deep down she’s still as scared as we were when she almost drank herself to death.
Things went quiet after that until Rarity dropped a bomb on us that made Rainbow Dash spit out her water. She was going into politics. That’s right. Politics. Ever since she closed her shop, she’s been learning the trade with Fancy Pants and his wife, Fleur. She’s already found like minded individuals like her and proper funding to start her own political group known as “The Progressors”.. She said the group would be dedicated to working on opening ponies eyes and see the benefits of the changes that Twilight promised and that Princess Celestia was working to make a reality. She ultimate goal was to kick every, and I quote, “disgraceful, racist, heartless and money grumbling noble” out of the Council of Lords and replace them with those who would be for the benefit of Equestria and not themselves.
When asked Rarity why she said she felt like she couldn’t sit around and let Twilight’s dream take forever to come forward. She wanted to be part of the progress and take action. I never held more respect for Rarity then I did then. I would have joined her, but I had the farm to take care of. With Apple Bloom now focusing on her cutie mark in wood-crafting, Big Macintosh and I were now hiring additional help with the farm. A lot of them changelings who wanted a new life here. I’m not afraid of those shapeshifting bugs anymore, some of them I’ve even become friends with.
Pretty soon we all finished eating and turned our attention back to Twilight. I don’t know if she can hear us up there or is with us in spirit, but I like to think that somehow she’s there. We all said our final goodbyes, but I told the girls to head on without me as I started to pack things up.
Just before I left, I looked at Twilight one more time and couldn’t help but wonder if things were different. What if she had lived and not died. What if she never became a princess. What if I told her my feelings before she passed on.
I held a hoof to the glass, wishing I could just touch her one last time. Slowly, I pressed my lips above the top where her forehead was and kissed it. “See ya next year, Twi.” I whispered as I took the basket and left.
Just as I left, I felt a couple of waterworks dripping down my face.
I guess there was always next year.
***
The Honest Apple went every year, as did her friends
Even as they got older and found love
Even as the war came and torn their home apart
They never stopped coming
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Okay, the Tirek one is gonna be interesting, but personally I'm looking forward to the Luna one the most.
Whoa... Even Tirek?
Nice little small chapter. Looks like the end is coming closer for this story. I just have one question, didn't an early blog post say that Twilight's dad, Night Light, would have a chapter? I don't see him in the remaining characters. Did you change your mind about him or something? Either way, I look forward to more updates.
6849145
Yeah, I changed my mind with him
This story is painful to read, especially after losing a loved one.
You pull at my heartstrings too much.
Tirek?
Oh yes, this will be an interesting ride indeed.
Jesus Christ, man! I couldn't even make it though the chapter list without getting the feels.
How do you write this stuff? I'm sure if I tried to read it, I'd suffer some sort of existential crisis.
Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be a sad tag on either this story, nor the prequel.
Woah, Tirek?
Well, sure, we had a changeling chapter so why not? Personally, I'm looking forward to that one.
Tore.
Loving the story.
What about Twilight's Father? I haven't seen a chapter for him
Please reconsider about Night Light, perhaps with Twilight Velvet instead? I think we would all like to get his input too. Plus, I just wanted to mention, in case you didn't know, that there's still two other characters who haven't been brough up yet; Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. What are they going through in all of this?
Also, once this is done, howsabout two more stories:
1. A prequel, to show what precisely was going on in the minds of the conspiracy group, and how exactly Gallant Heart was found out.
2. A midquel/parallel to this story and the original that follows the spirit of Twilight as she sees and follows everyone and everything since she was killed.
Not trying to disrupt the story or anything, just wanted to give my $1.50 in change worth of opinons and ideas. Otherwise, have loved the story so far.
Glad to see Marble had a sort of happy outcome with Shale.
This looks weird. Do you mean "When we asked Rarity why,"?
spend
__________________
Her
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6849115
I think everyone is interested in Luna the most.
Honestly, I hope she get's a multi-parted chapter. She not only had to deal with and see Celestia fall into despair, not only did she have to take up the reigns of governement while Celestia was mourning [and she was as well], not only did she loose her first and dearest of friends since her return, a friend who helped her there when she had noone except for her sister, but she's been doing all of this in the background so far. In a way, her story would be as far reaching, and encompassing as Celestia's.
Not to mention the help she's done via the dreamscape for the Mane 6. Her story while not the main focus of this one, is still a rather profound story that needs to be told. And I'm very much looking to see how it goes.
Rarity getting into politics? I bet she plays a pretty big role when the war breaks out then.
I've only read a little bit of this, but I must say I have no idea why people write stuff like this. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is this wonderful little bit of goodness and joy in our crapsack world, and there's such a big world they've made to write stories of, stories of ponies enjoying life or going on adventures or facing down evil with the power of friendship.
And then you go ahead and write a story about Twilight Sparkle being murdered.
I know I'm going to get thumbs down for this comment, of course. It's not my place to tell anyone what to write or what to read, but still, I simply can't understand how people can look at this beautiful little show and write stuff like this about it. I feel like a story such as this misses the entire point of My Little Pony.
Granted, what I have read of this story is very well written, it's just also very depressing.
6849406
Try one of my happier stories. Like Gift of the Mash or
Crap. I guess that comes soon, huh? I thought Majesty would've spent a while to get more powerful before she tried anything. Speaking of Majesty, I thought of a possible confrontation between her and Spike. Spoiler tags for those who haven't read:
Majesty: Disgusting vermin. You dare to challenge me? A pathetic creature like yourself would dare challenge a Goddess such as I?
Spike: You call me pathetic? Where I'm standing from, that's pretty funny.
Majesty: "Funny?' You mock me? I am the first natural-born aileron in millennia. I am the culmination of the efforts of the House of Blueblood, the ultimate in power and royal blood. What are you?
Spike: I was someone's child. Which is more than I can say for you.
Majesty: Pardon?
Spike: You might be an ailcorn, you might be a noble, but so what? You don't have something I always had, something that made me more than a tool.
Majesty: "Tool?" You dare call me such a thing?
Spike: What else can I call you? You've never been your own pony. You've never had a choice in what you did. You've never been anything except a tool to fulfill someone else's ambition.
Majesty: Wh-What?
Spike: Face it. For all your posturing, all of your royal purity, all of your power, you're just a tool, even to the ponies who raised you. You're not a pony, you're just a thing. That's all you've ever been.
6849406
It's FanFiction.
Things are bound to happen, anyways.
Plus, there's been a tag for this sort of stuff since forever, basically.
You have impressed me, and I salute you for it...
6849406 I agree with your feelings here, but the counterpoint i have to it is that without an 'in setting' coutnerpoint, the sweetness and joy of it starts to get dull and lose it's vibrancy. Some folks read the sad and serious stuff to 'cleanse' the pallet so to speak without turning to our reality for it.
6849406 I'll be honest, I don't get the downvotes. It's just your opinion. In response though, part of why I read fics like these, and part of why I think people read them is this: yes, MLP is a light in the darkness of the world, but even then, sometimes the light can be blinding. There are those who see pure happiness and get sad because they can't experience it, and so having something bittersweet helps them digest it. In my case, also, I see it as following the spirit of the show. It's about friendship, and we all know there are bad things that happen, and instead of giving up, we follow the show and continue living and loving even in the dark.
You're entitled to your opinion, but I hope you can at least understand why some people want or even need stories like this now.
Tirek? You're doing one for Tirek? Now that is one I'm looking forward too.
hmm tirek intersting
Shale? Well, I guess no alicorn against Majesty XD
Stories like this, that are well done and tug at my heartstrings, are a reason I just want to enter the story, curb-stomp the bad guys, and cuddle the lead characters like Applejack here.
Also the reason I wrote The Last Ride.
shouldn't it be money grubbing noble?
get cracking!
6849528
Downvotes aren't just used on trolls. Hell, around here a lot of trolls get voted up...
Downvotes are also used to express extreme distaste or disagreement for a post, including (usually especially) opinions.
If they were just based on trolling or being objectively wrong I could count my downvotes on one hand instead of the couple hundred I've accrued.
Great big pointless war of being pointless and stupid coming up.
6849447 Way to go into detail there, hope Rated Ponystar uses it in the future
Definitely looking forward to the Luna and Tirek Chapters!
6849447 Dam if something like that was said between them then she loses everything.
I think it would be best to end on Twilight Velvet, Spike preluding that. Family would likely take it the hardest.
6855863
Because he's Prince of the Crystal Empire
6849666
there's still one foal left that hasn't been explained yet, Twi and Shining's soon to be sibling. What if that baby comes out an Alicorn?
Interesting story, the remaining characters should all be interesting, Tirek especially.
6857354 Donut Joe's chapter mentioned her name: Mystic Sparkle, but nothing noteworthy like she being an alicorn though
6857354
Why would their new sister be an alicorn? Both their parents are unicorns and Twilight's ascension wouldn't have any affect on them. It's probably just another unicorn.
6857481
true though that doesn't mean she couldn't have the same potential Twilight did. Only thing is that Twilight Velvet would refuse to let Mystic learn magic the same way Twilight did. (mostly by not letting Mystic meet Princess Celestia)
6858183
True, though I think Mystic's gonna be the one to defeat Majesty.
Okay, this was... beautiful.. sad but beautiful :')
I'm happy to know Marble and BlueBloode's son name, Shale Pie... the shale it's a type of rock born from the mud, but it's the base to our energy (oil, natural gas, etc...). Is it wanted or a simple name random?
6858877 Actually..... you made a good point
Quite honestly, Tirek´s is the one I´m anticipating the most. Given that this takes place after the events of season 3, when Tirek was already free, and before the season 4 finale when he was recaptured, we can assume that the Tirek we will see here will be a free centaur who never got to meet Twilight. I am quite honestly thrilling with expectation.
And so I finally reach the latest chapter to this constant tug at my heartstrings and I gotta say. I'm glad I found this site. It's now come to the point where I can't even remember what directed me to this particular story and normally when I read at work like was before hand. Normally, I say again, I wait after I come back to my job again to pick back up. But after reading the prequel, then moving on to the as the hours ticked away and every distraction drove me insane because it tore me away from this interestingly weaved story. I knew the moment I got home I was going to crack this right back open. And low and behold I did, and I kept reading it till 4:30 AM because I wanted to make sure it was still going on.
And thank goodness it is. I need more things to track (that's a lie I'm tracking like 25 stories now dammit but this is too good and I refuse to fall behind now). Anyway, Reading through this story I always stopped down to take a look at the comments and see the little back and forth between others. The people who at this point I wonder why they keep coming back to complain more, the ones who help you edit and so on. I'm just glad you're not packing up due to it. And let me say, I'm so pumped for this third story, turning this into a Trilogy that I feel that's why I had to catch up. To see just how long it had been since the last one. I don't mind waiting, I never mind waiting, this is a big site with plenty to past the time.
As long as you don't stop. Of course you can take breaks, hell take a hiatus, but please don't ever stop. Because for every one out there that's throwing the downvote, there's a hell of a lot more of us that when we see that tracking column flash they get that flare of hope. And now you've got another. Have yourself a like, a follow and welcome to the Top Shelf.
(And this is coming from someone who HATES character death, and Twilight Sparkle is my favorite pony next to Rarity. So that says bucketloads)
6866383 Pretty much.
Suddenly, war is on the horizon. Go figure
Still a good story in the end. Although it trouble me, it shows how good it is. Thumbs up to the story.
Hope to read the next chapter soon.
6862267 I wonder how Tirek will react. I mean, considering his sthick in the finale, what will he think? My guess is, ¨One less Princess of oppose me.¨
Getting a bit worried, I mean yeah, take a break but don't take a really long break, especially since this awesome story is near its end...
If you need help on the next few chapters I'll be happy to help you. Granted, I'm nowhere near as good as you in writing stories ( hell I haven't even written one on this site yet )
but I still want to help so don't hesitate to message me.
(Great chapter btw)
6988853
I got commissions and trying to finish other stories plus a new part time job and plans to do a lets play so yeah been busy lol
6988855 Damn... Well take your time then, as long as you get it done.