Harmony's Warriors Longbox Anthology, Vol. 1

by Avenging-Hobbits

Captain Equestria Prologue - 02 - Daddy, What'd You Leave Behind for Me?

Captain Equestria Prologue:

Chapter Two:
“Daddy, What’d You Leave Behind For Me?”

Apple Buck took a deep breath, looking at himself in the mirror. The sun was just beginning to peek over the eastern fields and the room was bathed in a gentle pink light. He fiddled with his old brown jacket and vest, doing his to best make himself presentable. Today was the first day of his new job. He had shaved, combed his hair and made sure he looked as clean as possible. Though a part of him was laughing on the inside since he knew that it would mean absolutely nothing once he started working, but he also knew that the Apples were still a proud family, even if the times demanded their submission.

Apple Buck tweaked his vest before reaching for his prized hat. His hooves gently pressed on the hat’s rim, and he stopped to glance down at the simple, black and white photograph that sat tucked in the mirror frame. It showed him and his wife, with their three beloved daughters. He smiled slightly to stave the burden of anxiousness crushing his heart. He wasn’t going to let them down, he couldn’t. Everything depended on him and this job and to fail would bring an end to everything his forefathers built, and break his family.

His smile faded and he quickly put his hat on, trying to swallow his nerves, but his eyes refused to leave the photo.

“Dear…” his wife’s voice diverted his attention away from the photo and towards the bedroom’s doorway. His wife stood there, her beautiful features looking somewhat worried. The two stared at each other awkwardly for a moment before Apple Blossom walked up to him and nuzzled him lovingly, stopping only to look into his worried eyes. “Buck, just remember, don’t let them employers push ya’ll around okay?”

Apple Buck forced himself to smile. “You know I won’t.”

A flicker of a smile crosses Apple Blossom’s face. “Liar.”

She then kissed him on the cheek, and he returned the favor by planting a soft, loving kiss on her lips. Their lips stayed locked for a few moments before they reluctantly pulled away from each other. Now Apple Blossom’s eyes were shimmering in the morning light as she stared at her husband.

“Stay safe, ya here?” she said, her voice cracking.

“Of course, Blossom. Don’t you worry none. Once I gets me a job, everythin’ will sort itself out. I promise.”

And with that, he quietly made his way down the hallway with his wife trailing him, begging with her eyes for him not to go.

Apple Buck briefly paused to glance into his daughter’s room. Applejack’s blonde mane could be seen peeking out from under the covers as the sound of her snoring quietly reached Apple Buck’s ears. He smiled again before continuing down the stairs, trotting out onto the front porch. He paused, scanning the land surrounding the house for a sign of his eldest daughter, who he finally saw walking towards the house, apparently just finished feeding the chickens. The light green mare saw him and smiled, trotting up to him and giving him a hug.

“Hope it goes well Pa, I really do,” she said as she squeezed him tight.

“Me too, Purity, me too,” said Apple Buck in a gentle whisper as he returned the hug, straining his will to keep the worry out of his tone.

With that, they released each other from the hug and Apple Buck continued down the dirt road that led into town. He paused at the old white picket fence, taking in the view. The sunrise was reflecting off the thousands of droplets of dew, making the sea of the distant wheat fields to look as if it was shimmering. A thick bank of morning fog covered the path ahead of him and the farmland around the home, with the tops of the apple trees poking out of the fog. He glanced back towards the house when he heard a familiar young voice calling to him. He felt his heart warm at the sight that greeted him. The tiny orange frame of Applejack could be seen running towards him as fast as her spindly legs could carry her. She was still in her nightgown, having apparently just woken up, the white gown now having picked up its fair share of dirt and mud along the way. She ran up to him and hugged his leg tightly.

“Let me come wit ya daddy,” she said, the hug tightening by the second. “I wants ta come wit ya ta Canterlot.”

Her green eyes looked up at him longingly, looking somewhat damp. He sighed and pulled her up into a gentle hug. The filly immediately cuddled against him, trying to put her arms around his stocky neck.

“I’ma sorry AJ, but ya can’t come with me. It’s a long ride ta Canterlot and ya gotta stay here tah take care of yer ma, kay?” he gently spoke into her ear.

“But daddy I’ll miss ya,” she cried, tears running down her cheeks. “What if’in ya’ll don’t come back?”

Apple Buck was unsure how to respond in order to calm the crying filly, and simply squeezed her protectively in an attempt to put her fears to rest.

“Don’t worry I’ll be fine,” he said simply.

He paused, a thought in his mind and a smile crossed his face. He gently set the scrawny filly down, pulled off his Stetson hat and placed it atop Applejack’s head. His smile widened when Applejack looked at the hat with wonder, grinning from ear to ear. That is until it slid down and covered half of her head, then her smile turned into a disappointed frown. Apple Buck chuckled lightly and fixed it for her so it would stay on her head. She giggled and thanked him vocally and with another hug, which he returned without hesitation.

“Here, ya’ll keep this safe got it?” he whispered into her ear, causing the little filly to nod rapidly. He caught sight of his wife trotting up to them, a concerned smile on her face.

“Oh don’t ya worry none,” Apple Blossom said as she trotted up and gently took Applejack from the large stallion. “Daddy will be back tonight, you’ll see.” She then tucked Applejack onto her back securely. “And everythin’ will be all right.”

As she said those confident words she looked towards Apple Buck and smiled gently. Apple Buck walked back towards his wife and hugged her again, being sure to spare a hoof to rub Applejack’s head, which pushed the hat over her face again. Applejack giggled and fixed the hat so that it is nestled securely on her blonde mane.

“I’ll be back AJ, I promise,” said Apple Buck softly, but with confidence.

And with that, he gently rubbed her head and started down the dirt road, and vanished into the morning fog.

//////////////////////

The screeching brakes woke Apple Buck from his slumber, and the jerking motion of the train nearly knocked him out of his seat and brought him back to reality. He gulped slightly as he stared out the window, observing the dark land down below. The mountainside was poked with holes and looked as if it was bleeding full tracks. Steel carts pushed and pulled by colossal earth ponies crawled in and out of the bowels of the mountain. The ones going in were devoid of anything and speeding compared to the overfilled ones leaving.

Apple Buck was ushered out with a crowd of other earth ponies into the drizzling weather by a group of unicorns wearing simple suits that had the Belle Family crest pinned to them. The apple farmer flinched when an explosion shook the land, and when he turned his ears drooped at the sight of a thick, dark cloud of dust staining the already murky sky.

“Welcome to the Belle Family Coal Mine, gentlecolts,” snickered the lead unicorn.

A few hours later, Apple Buck was finished being processed and was now wearing a thick gray jumpsuit that had the all too familiar Belle symbol stitched to the chest. He was also wearing a hard hat that had a small light on it, though the light seemed to do next to nothing since it was dim, just like the other hats and string of lamps snaking along the chipped wall.

Apple Buck was following a bulky unicorn, and admittedly the farmer had trouble keeping up. He kept tripping over nitpicky obstacles and bumping into others, which was instantly met with profanity and snarls, whereas the unicorn was practically gliding over the tracks. He only spoke to Apple Buck to tell him to keep up, watch his step or call him an idiot with a derogatory remark attached.

Once the unicorn made a sudden stop, Apple Buck unintentionally bumped into his backside and shrunk back when the unicorn whirled around, glaring poisoned blades at him.

“How many times do I have to tell you to watch where you’re going, ya Faust-damn digger!” yelled the unicorn.

“Sorry, sir,” stammered Apple Buck.

The unicorn snorted, muttering more colorful phrases under his breath and then pointed towards the wall behind him. It was where the tracks and tunnel ended, and a team of earth ponies hacked away at the wall with desperate swings, grunting and reeking of sweat.

“You’re gonna be working this end of the mine, got it?” said the unicorn.

Apple Buck nodded rapidly and the unicorn pointed towards the team of miners hacking at the walls with pickaxes. Every so often, one would stop, sweep up the rocky chunks into a device that looked like two metallic dustpans connected by a rod and they would slide underneath and carry it to the waiting car. Once there, they dumped their payload and the mine car would be carted off out of the mine by other earth ponies, one pushing and the other pulling.

“It’s pretty easy. Something like you should be able to do it without a problem. Just chip, collect and dump. Simple. Now take this and get to work.” He levitated a pickaxe from his saddle, which Apple Buck honestly didn’t see, and dropped it in front of the farmer. Then he left Apple Buck standing awkwardly while shouting down the tunnel. “He’s all yours, Pickaxe!”

Apple Buck stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He looked around for a moment, trying to locate the mysterious ‘Pickaxe’. The seconds ticked like minutes, and after what seemed like half an hour of waiting, rather lanky and thin looking unicorn with what looked like a chunk of coal on his flank walked into view. To Apple Buck, the unicorn looked like Pestilence; thin, pale and in desperate need of sleep. However, that didn’t make the miner any less imposing. He actually looked more imposing with his sickly state.

“You one of the new diggers?” he spat, eying Apple Buck with a look that could best be described as pure distain.

Apple Buck nodded, subconsciously making himself lower to the ground. “Yes sir I am…”

The unicorn eyed him for a few more seconds before his dark blue eyes drifted towards Apple Buck’s mane. He raised an eyebrow and his chapped lips curled to a frown.

“Didn’t that foreman tell you ya gotta cut that? Or are you too dumb to figure that out?”

Apple Buck wanted to answer, but his tongue stopped working and Pickaxe didn’t wait for him. The sickly pony whipped out a pair of seemingly razor sharp scissors from his pocket and proceeded to cut away the excess hair that hung around Apple Buck’s head, all the while muttering about how this was supposedly “not his job” and “work for diggers”. Once Apple Buck’s mane were trimmed, he pointed towards the other workers. “Now get to work”. Once he finished, there was hair all over Apple Buck's shoudlers and Pickaxe stood back to look at his work with the pride of a pegasus.

“That’s more like it,” he said to no one in particular, then to Apple Buck: “Well, what are you standing around for? Let’s see some chipping!”

Apple Buck nodded meekly walked up to the conveyer belt and paused, unsure of what to do next. All he had to go on where the other workers, who were obviously veterans of the dirty job. He was way out of his depth. He was an apple farmer, not a coal miner.

After a minute of standing around, feeling stupid, he caught on at what he was supposed to do and began working. Minutes turned to hours, and the already stale air became thicker with the cloud of unknown origin, causing his throat to burn. The other earth ponies around him seemed used it, but he could still hear coughing over the constant echoing sound of the pickaxes striking the rock, along with the vague creaking sounds of the wood supports preventing the mountain from crashing down on them all. He felt his heart sink a little, but quickly reminded himself of the reason he was hear in the first place.

Straightening himself out and swung his pickaxe as hard as his arms would allow, chipping off head sized chunks with each swing. A couple of the workers stopped to watch him swing, then looked at each other and shrugged and resumed chipping off half headed pieces with four times the swings.

“Hey,” said a nasally pony near Apple Buck. The farmer stopped and looked at a large, dark earth pony with a piece of coal as his cutie mark. “Don’t swing too hard or you’ll hurt yourself.”

Apple Buck nodded and the miner also nodded, then they proceeded to chip away at the mountain side by side.

//////////////////////

The work day dragged onward in a relentlessly slow pace. The job of mining coal was an exhausting one, with his arms and neck groaning in pain at the constant repetitive motion. His eyes and throat also burned from the massive, poisonous clouds of coal dust being stirred up.

The only thing that kept Apple Buck going was the hope that at least, once he got a paycheck at the end of the week, he'd be able to finally pay the month’s rent. Then he'd be free for the month, and able once more to focus on work at the farm. He’d finally be back in the fresh open air of the farm, working the land he loved, basking in the sunlight and enjoying his family’s company.

As he thought about the dirt under his feet and the smell of fresh rain, a low rumbling sound caught his attention. At first, he ignored it, dismissing it as either a simple figment of his imagination or something normal in a mine. The other miners seemed to tense up a bit, but still they worked with resolve. He chipped away more of the mountain, and when he busted off a piece that was nearly the size of two heads, the mountain rumbled again.

He froze and the workers froze, and all eyes went up to the ceiling, dropping their pickaxes and slowly backing away as thundering cracks echoed down the hall.

“THE TUNNEL IS COLLAPSING!” screamed the coal cutie mark stallion.

Everyone swore and stampeded down the tunnel, ruthlessly trampling each other to pulp while repeating the coal pony’s alarm and shouting at everyone to get out. Apple Buck ran with the crowd, heart racing and lungs burning, and while his legs felt like jelly he pushed them to stay up. He fell behind, but he was determined to get out and right as he rounded the corner, the screams became silent and the lights disappeared like a candle being blown out. Before he could blink, all the lights disappeared and the very last thing he heard was the split second of the deafening sound of rocks crashing around him.

//////////////////////

The sun was setting, and Applejack had scooted her chair next to the window and was staring intently towards the front gates that lead towards town.

Daddy should be here by now, she thought, biting her lip slightly. He promised.

Applejack all of a sudden felt a hoof rest on her shoulder. She looked up to see her mother smiling gently.

"Now Applejack, y'all know a watched pot never boils. Daddy'll be home soon." she said, her voice warm. Applejack frowned slightly.

"But mama, it's been so long.” She said, shifting in her chair in order to get more comfortable. The last rays of the sun peered through the window, flooding the room with orange light. The sky in the west had become a beautiful shade of orange. Applejack continued to gaze towards the gate when her eyes caught a closed in carriage coming towards them.

“Momma, look,” she said, pointing out the window towards the rapidly growing carriage. Her mother, who had been hunched over the stove top, concentrated on the soup cooking there, turned and looked out the window, motioning for Purity to keep stirring. Applejack could see her mother’s expression morph into concern.

“You stay here okay hon?” she said as she started for the door and trotted out to meet the carriage.

//////////////////////

Apple Blossom trotted up to the carriage, a uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn’t quite peg it, but something was off.

The carriage was jet black and polished so that it reflected the fading light. The large diamond and unicorn logo on the door identified it as the property of Mr. Belle. The door opened to reveal Mr. Belle, who stepped out. As he stepped out, another unicorn was revealed to be seen sitting next to him. She was a pale gray unicorn with a snow white mane with purple streaks.

The instant Mr. Belle faced her, Apple Blossom could tell something was amiss. He looked as if he was about to tell her something horrible. Taking a deep breath, Apple Blossom contained herself. She was an adult mare, and could probably handle whatever it was that happened. A thought for Apple Buck’s safety, however, was at the forefront of her mind.

“Good evenin’ Mr. Belle, is there anythin’ I can help ya with?” she asked, making sure not to let her voice betray her worry. Mr. Belle slowly took his hat off his head.

“Mrs. Apple, it greatly burdens me to tell you this, but...” he trailed off, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

Apple Blossom’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What is it Mr. Belle, what happened?” she pressed, fear for her husband creeping into her tone as the pit in her stomach grew, making her feel slightly queasy. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

Mr. Belle shifted his weight slightly, obviously distressed. “Mrs. Apple,” he took another deep breath, seemingly trying to calm himself. “There seems to have been an incident at the mines in Canterlot-”

Apple Blossom felt as if her heart turned to stone and fell out of her chest at that point. “No...” she whispered. “Please no...”

Mr. Belle simply shook his head. “I’m afraid so, Mrs. Apple...it seems there was a collapse in the north tunnel...”

Apple Blossom didn’t bother to hear the rest, as she fell to her knees, sobbing. She instantly knew the truth. Her husband was dead. Why else would they come in that black carriage? She could hear Mr. Belle say something she couldn’t make out over her sobs and she felt a hoof rest on her shoulder.

“Mrs. Apple,” a voice said. Apple Blossom looked up to see the pale gray unicorn that had been standing next to Mr. Belle looking at her with sympathy. “I’m Twilight Velvet, I’m Mr. Belle’s assistant. I know that what you’re going through right now is probably unfathomable to someone like me, but I assure you, you needn’t worry, you no longer need to pay that outstanding rent.”

Apple Blossom stood up right almost immediately. She looked at the rather bookish looking unicorn for a moment. Did these two seriously believe that simply saying they could simply wave away his death by saying she no longer had to pay money? Was his life that disposable to them? That all it took to calm her was a simple piece of paper with a dollar sign on it? Not in her book.

“Mrs. Velvet, as much as I would love to accept yer charity, we Apple’s are ponies of our word. I assure you, we always pay our debts. I’ll find a way tah pay ya, that I swear to ya.” Apple Blossom said, her voice tight with the sickening mix of anger and grief she was feeling. The unicorn simply looked at Apple Blossom with a vague look of confusion before she nodded slowly and headed back to Mr. Belle’s side. Mr. Belle meanwhile, looked noticeably concerned.

“Mrs. Apple,” he said, taking a step forward. “By no means should you burden yourself. It was my mine, and therefore my responsibility. I implore you, take this check,” he levitated a checkbook out of his suit pocket.

“No Mr. Belle, I don’t need it. As I said, we Apple’s keep our word. Mah husband promised ya that’d he’d pay and I as his wife feel obliged to fulfill his promise. Rest assured, I’ll pay up.” She said, her voice tight.

Mr. Belle simply nodded slowly, tucked the checkbook back in his pocket and turned back towards the carriage, followed by Twilight Velvet, looked back at Apple Blossom sadly.

“I truly am sorry,” Twilight Velvet said as she stepped inside the carriage. Mr. Belle simply nodded and looked at Apple Blossom.

“As am I. Farewell Mrs. Apple...” with those words, he gently tapped the side of carriage and the earth pony drivers started back around and started off into the rapidly growing twilight. Apple Blossom looked towards the summit of Canterlot Mountain, the stone in her heart becoming heavier as the setting sun’s light played off the face of it, causing it to turn a brilliant pinkish-orange.

“I won’t let the family down Bucky...” she whispered, “I swear.”

She let out a shuddering sigh and started back towards the house, her feet heavy.

//////////////////////

Applejack watched intently from the window as a familiar grey unicorn stepped out of the carriage. It was Mr. Belle. Along side him stood a unicorn Applejack didn’t recognize. She was an elegant mare with a grey coat and purple and white mane. She stood along side Mr. Belle with a concerned look on her face. She could tell the two unicorns and her mother were having a conversation of some kind. All of a sudden she saw her mother drop down onto her knees, apparently overcome with emotion.

She could see Mr. Belle standing over her, seemingly unsure of what to do next. The other unicorn simply leaned down next to her mother, and seemed to be saying something to her. After what seemed like an abnormally long time, the unicorn mare helped her mother stand back up slowly. After speaking what seemed to be parting words, the two unicorns turned slowly back towards the carriage and disappeared inside. Her mother stood stoically for a few moments, looking northeast towards the peak of Canterlot Mountain, which could be seen looming in the twilight. Then, head still held stoically upwards, she turned and trotted slowly into the house. Her hoofsteps however, seemed weighed down by something Applejack couldn’t quite pin down.

Apple Blossom walked into the house, not saying a word. She paused in the doorway, her green eyes looking somewhat puffy. Her face was dominated by a deeply worried expression. Applejack got to her feet and trotted over to her.

“Mama, what’s wrong? Why’d Mr. Belle visit?” Purity asked, looking at her mother with concern. Apple Blossom didn’t say a word in response, simply leaning down to pull Applejack into a tight hug.

“Mama? what’s wrong?” Applejack asked, looking into her mom’s eyes with concern. Her mother’s eyes instantly started to water and she pulled Applejack into a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry,” she said as the tears started to flow freely.

“Mama!” Purity all of a sudden said sharply, her voice sounding frightened. Apple Blossom turned to her, visibly trying to calm herself down. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

Biting her lip, she took a deep breath and started to talk, her voice choked with emotion. “There was a... a collapse at the mine,” she began. Purity immediately put a hoof to her mouth in horror. Applejack just gave her mother a confused look.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “Where’s daddy? He said he’d be back so where is he?” she asked, growing more concerned as her mother fumbled to find the words to explain.

Purity stepped in. “Applejack,” she said softly, resting a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “Daddy won’t be comin’ home,” she said, her voice emotional.

“Sweetheart,” her mother called,”Your father was in an accident,” she explained, starting to cry again. “He’s been sent to a better place,” she choked the last words out as if they caused her physical pain.

Applejack just looked to her sister in desperation as the full scope of what happened dawned on her. “B-but he promised,” she said pleadingly, tears welling in her eyes.

“He can’t keep that promise,” Apple Blossom said, pulling her daughter closer. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated, stroking Applejack’s mane gently. Applejack simply hugged her mother tighter, as the tears finally started to pour out of her eyes and her thin frame was wracked by her own crying.

She could hear her sister crying in the back as well, as the older mare joined the hug and started to cry into her mother’s mane.

The three sat there for what seemed like an eternity, seized in a wave of emotion and sorrow.