• Published 15th Nov 2013
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An Earthbound Honeymoon - drnkntst



After Rick marries his four loves, they all get to go on a honeymoon nopony will ever forget.

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A Day in Rememberance

Chapter 18

It was still dark out when Rick roused himself from bed. They were going to need to head out early if they were going to make the five hour drive to Ohio, reach their destination and return without burning the entire day in the truck. Normally, he would be happy to let his brides sleep in, but they needed to be awake too. He woke them and told them to take care of their morning rituals quickly, eat and go one more time before they left.

He had suggested they all try to stay up late so that they would simply sleep through the trip, but they all wanted to see as much of this word as they could since they only had this and one more day left before they returned home. At least, that’s what they told him. In reality, they were concerned about him and didn’t want to leave him alone in his time of need.

With tummies full and… other things empty, they climbed into the truck and prepared for the long trek ahead of them. Each of the girls remembered to bring their cameras and Twilight brought a few books. Applejack and Fluttershy both had an activity book featuring themselves. True, they were meant for children, but they saw no reason why they couldn’t enjoy them too. Rarity brought a small stack of fashion magazines. Rick, brought four beautiful women.

The hours were passed pleasantly and swiftly. Rick would point out any points of interest they came across. Admittedly, between Tennessee and Ohio, there’s not a whole lot to be seen. He did manage to get Twilight to put the books down long enough to play the alphabet game with everyone else. She won.

After five and a half hours of driving, they finally arrived in Rick’s home town. Now, the girls couldn’t pay enough attention.

“What’s that over there!?” Twilight called out.

“That, is a playground, Twilight. Swings, see-saws, swings and a spiral slide. What, did you want to stop and play a while?” Rick teased.

The girls all giggled at that. “No, thank you. I was trying to ask if it was someplace special to you.”

“Not particularly. I mean, I went to playgrounds as a kid and even took Annie to a few, but-”

“I think, Darling, what Twilight is trying to say, is that we now very little about your life before you came to Ponyville and we would like to fix that,” Rarity explained.

“Aww, Sweetie, you only had to ask.” Rick patted Twi’s knee. “If you all want to see the places I frequented when I lived here, I guess we have enough time.”

They drove along the main road of the little town to see where Rick had spent his days before Ponyville. Besides, their destination was on the other end of town anyway.

“That’s the school I went to right there.” They were driving by the local high school. It had only one floor but a very well kept football field. “I faced down a few bullies in my time in that parking lot.”

“Ya’ll were picked on? Ah woulda thought ya’ll’d wipe the floor with enyone that tried ta come after ya.”

“Believe it or not, Applejack, I was not always the perfect specimen of man you see before you. And no, they didn’t come after me, they went after the smaller guys in class, but you know me, I couldn’t let that stand.”

He could feel Fluttershy try her best to wrap her arms around him from the back seat. She had been bullied as a filly and the fact that he stood up for those who were, like Rainbow had for her, struck a chord with her and made her love her husband just a little more. Though she didn’t say it, she didn’t need to.

“Over here is the park that was my favorite build,” when the cameras started going off, Rick started to feel like a guide on some safari.

“Why was this one your favorite?” Rarity asked.

Rick looked straight forward out the windshield, “because it was Annie’s favorite.”

“Oh, that’s a beautiful house,” Fluttershy pointed out, desperate to change the subject.

Rick pulled over and put the truck in park. “It had better be, I put a lot of work keeping it that way.”

All the girls looked at Rick as he stared at the house before they followed his lead. “Was this your house?” Twilight asked. Rick simply nodded.

It was a two-story house with a detached double-car garage, a wrap-around porch, a beautiful garden, a jungle gym and, of course, a tire swing in the tree out front. The girls were drinking in every detail they could.

“Can we go inside?” Fluttershy asked.

“No, we can’t.”

“But, why not?” Applejack practically whined.

“Because it’s not my house anymore.” He pointed to the top window. A shadow could be seen passing by the window. Then a little girl came running out of the house and leapt onto the tire swing, laughing the whole time. Shortly behind her, was a man they had to assume was her father, who started to push her on it.

Rick didn’t say anything. He simply put the truck in gear and pulled back onto the road. The girls didn’t say anything either. They knew the scene they just witnessed must have been like looking into the life he lost. They also knew, this was just the beginning for him.

After a few moments in silence, they reached their destination, the cemetery. Cemeteries are not a normal destination for a honeymoon, but this was a necessity. Rick had to say goodbye to his family for the last time before he left Earth forever.

The graves were well kept and clean. The grass neatly mowed and the flowers freshly watered. It had been made extremely apparent that those who would spend the rest of eternity within the walls of this cemetery, would not see the tiniest lack of respect any time soon.

First, they stopped at the site of his grandparents. A pair of headstones, side-by-side, that read Rhinestone. Rick had made peace with his grandparents before they died, so this was merely a visit and an introduction.

Next, was his mother’s grave. He was young, very young, when she was taken. Again, he had made peace with her loss. There wasn’t much to say to her, other than he was sorry he didn’t get to know her better. Though he did tell her he was happy with his new family and how much she would have loved them.

Those were easy in comparison to his last stop. Three tombstones, two connected, a smaller one close by. The small one read:

ANNIE RHINESTONE

BELOVED DAUGHTER

TAKEN TOO SOON

The larger stones were a special couple set. One was Rick’s and had only his name and birthday on it. The other stated:

HANNA RHINESTONE

DEVOTED WIFE

AND

CARING MOTHER

Rick approached Annie and Hanna’s stones and kneeled down. He placed a bouquet on Hanna’s and a bag of gummy worms, Annie’s favorite, on the other. He placed a hand on both stones at the same time and spoke quietly.

“Hey there, girls, I’m back. I miss you both so very much. I wish I could just hold you both, one more time.” Tears were flowing and his throat was hurting. With his chest heaving and his breath hitching, he struggled through it. “I did what you asked though, I found happiness thanks to you. The world you sent me to is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I’ve made friends and even found love again.” He gestured to the four women standing behind him. “I know, I know, four wives is a bit much, but I love them all and I’m pretty sure they love me.”

He couldn’t hold it back anymore. He broke down and folded up. Tears were pouring down his face now, along with other less savory fluids. Even though he wasn’t he felt very alone. More so than he had in a year. Luckily, that feeling was quickly banished by a cute woman with long pink hair and an adorable book nerd who both wrapped their arms around him. He turned to Fluttershy, as he often did in these situations, and buried his face into her bosom and just let it all flow out. It wasn’t manly, but it was good for him, it would help to give him closure.

Applejack and Rarity wanted to rush in and comfort the man that meant so much to them and had done so much for them, but there was nothing more they could offer. Instead, they stood next to each other and, with nothing else they could do, wished that there was. Suddenly, they found themselves with company.

A woman all in white with a broad hat and a little girl, also in white, with her red hair tied back in a single ponytail. They didn’t make a sound as they approached, not even on the gravel walkway. The two of them stood silently next to the girls from Ponyville.

“I’m so sorry to intrude, but are you girls a friend of Rick’s?” the mysterious woman asked.

“Yes, we are,” Rarity said as cheerfully as she could, “in fact, we’re family.”

“Really? That’s good,” The woman said with a smile on her face. “You know, Rick always said that family had nothing to do with blood.”

“Do ya know him?” Applejack asked.

“Oh yes, he and I were very close. He practically raised my little girl here.”

“Did you wish to speak to him? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind…” Rarity started.

“No, no. In fact, we really must be going. Please, take good care of him, he deserves it you know.”

“Don’ca’ll worry ‘bout uh thing. We’ll make sure he’s happy ‘n’ cared fer.”

The little girl turned and looked up at AJ, “thanks, Applejack. Goodbye Rarity.”

Both mares in disguise smiled at them. They turned back to see Rick finally gather the strength to stand and return to them.

“Are you alright, Darling?” Rarity asked.

“I-I think so. I really think I needed this.”

“Okay. Say, there’s someone here… sez they…” Applejack couldn’t seem to finish her thought as she looked around the graveyard, Rarity joining in the search. “Where’d they go?”

“You know, I don’t know. They were just here.” Rarity gave up the search after a short look around. “I didn’t even hear them go.”

“Well, *sniff* I guess they were just in a hurry. C’mon, let’s get going. If we hurry, we can make it back before it gets dark.” Rick spread his arms around them both and drew them in for a hug.

It was at that moment that both Applejack and Rarity had the same thought, “how did they know our names?”

*****

They did indeed manage to make it back to the cabin before dark. After the day they had, Rick decided they were all in the need for something uplifting. So they decided to watch their show.

Rick had just about finished his sixth beer when an episode about the Crusaders working on a newspaper came on. It turned out to be just what he needed. He laughed hard enough to annoy the other viewers.

“Aww, c’mon, it’s funny.”

“There’s nothing funny about them saying I turned my nose up at Ponyville. I love that town,” Twilight angrily argued.

“Maybe not, but Spike belching in surprise and burning his paper is.” Rick chuckled again. “Almost as funny as the one where Rainbow and Pinkie gave him the hiccups and he kept accidently sending scrolls to Celestia.”

“Ya’ll only find it funny ‘cause ya’ll weren’t there.” Applejack crossed her arms in a huff. Though it was a little difficult to appear upset with someone after you had demanded it was your turn to sit on their lap again.

“True. It is always more entertaining to watch from the outside, but you can’t argue that there is some humor in it.”

“Yea, Ah guess, but you didn’t have ta laugh so hard,” AJ pouted.

Rick chuckled and kissed her pouty lips. “I’m sorry for laughing at your strife. Will you forgive me?”

Now she was just enjoying the game, “maybe if ya take meh upstairs and ask meh real nice like.”

“I think I can do that.”

“Hey, what about the rest of us?” Twilight demanded. She was still riding out the end of her heat.

Rick looked at Applejack who was in his arms with an unspoken question. She shrugged. Rick twitched his head toward the stairs then turned and started heading up. Twilight fidgeted a little, looked at Fluttershy and Rarity for confirmation, after receiving nothing more than a shrug from both, ran up the stairs after them.