Applejack Through the Ages

by Paradise Oasis

Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers

Oh come on, mom! You can't just drop into the middle of the story like that! How did you first meet Chocolate?

Huh? Oh all right, apple blossom! See, it goes something like this...

A gray sky hung overhead, as the weary old mare trotted her way along the road between Manehatten and Filldelphia. She could have taken a train- or even rented an automobile!- in order to reach her destination. But no, this old mare preferred doing things the old fashioned way. As she walked along the paved roads, pulling the cart carrying all her worldly possessions inside of it, the cars passed her going this way and that. On either side of the highway, she could see housing developments and factories rising on either side of the road, cutting into the natural landscape and helping to bring about a 'Modern' Equestria. Turning her head away from all of the 'progress', the mare soon discovered she had suddenly gained a companion on her trek.

"Hello there, stranger! Looks like you could use some company." A voice called out from behind her, as a pony trotted up from one of the few remaining pockets of actual woods. "The name's pinwheel. Mind if I join you along the road for a time?"

AJ looked over at the owner of the voice, and saw a pink unicorn mare, with a six-pinwheel cutie mark. None of that was unusual, of course. But what caught the ancient mare's eye, was her fellow pony's flowing rainbow colored mane, that seemed to move as if it was alive. Shocked at first, AJ thought for a moment that she was in the presence of Princess Celestia, returned somehow, but then the pony remembered a rumor she had heard about the horsemasterist ponies, and their mysterious and mystical clergy.

"You're a Rainbow Pony monk." The earth mare snorted, looking her new companion over indignantly. "Well, you're more than welcome ta tag along with me for a spell, preacher mare, just as long as you save yer preaching for the pulpit."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that, my little pony." The mare assured her, nodding her head back towards the pack on her back. "I am no preacher. Merely a pilgrim to the road, following the horsemaster's will, wherever it takes me."

The orange earth pony nodded, and the two trotted along in silence together for nearly a half an hour, until the older mare finally spoke up.

"So, Pinwheel, where are y'all from?" Applejack asked, trying to break the silence. "From the sound of your accent, I reckon you're from Baltemare. What got y'all to become a pony of the cloth?"

"Yes, I was once from that great and noble town, though the whole world is my home now." The mare replied with a smile. "I was once a business mare, my head filled with facts, and figures, and profits... didn't do much to make me happy, ya know?"

"So you instead decided to renounce everything, and live by going from place to place, and bumming off your believers." The mare grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Sounds to me like a pony who stuck a crown on her head, declared herself a princess, and got everypony to worship her just because she thinks she is a goddess."

"Ahhh, a disgruntled and disillusioned alicornist, now are we?" The rainbow pony commented, smiling at her traveling companion. "This is the last thing I thought would be coming from the last of the harmony bearers, fair Applejack."

"Well now, I don't- HEY, HOW THE FLANK DID YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" The orange mare yelled in shock, turning on the other pony. "Are you one of Luna's agents?!"

"My dear A.J., if Luna's agents knew where I was at the moment, I would find myself being barbecued on a stick for blasphemy against an alicorn." The mare shook her head. "No, your condition is well known to those of us in tune with the spiritual world... and you also pretty much look exactly like all the statues of her in the museums. Do not worry though, I have no wish to make your secret public."

"Well, I'm mighty grateful for that, Reverend Pinwheel, but I'm still thinkin' yer wasting yer time if y'all thank I'm gonna convert and follow yer 'Horsemaster'." The orange mare looked downward. "Ah've been betrayed by religion altogether."

"So much anger and rage, from one who has been forced to live so many lifetimes." The unicorn sighed, shaking her head and shifting her constantly moving mane. "All of your experiences all the ponies and places you've loved... are you not pleased with all of the gifts that providence has given you?"

"Yeah, ponies and places that your 'providence' has also taken away from me. I can't even trust the alicorns My Granny Smith always taught me would look out for a pony and her family." The angry mare looked away, trying to hide her tears. "The one thing I've always believed in was home and family. Now, I don't even have those."

"Ahhh, so it is the longings of attachment that torment you." Pinwheel replied knowingly, nodding her head at the other mare's words. "The pain of passing has piled up far too much for a caring and loving heart... even one as strong as yours, noble Applejack."

"Is that what your going to feed me? That 'you need to cut all earthly attachments' bull?"The other mare snapped at her. "My attachments are what are important to me, preacher mare! They anchor me, and make me who I am!"

"I'm not telling you to forget the ponies you've lost, Applejack. They with always be with you in your heart and mind." The rainbow-maned monk told her truthfully. "It is your inability to move on of the pain of their passing, that is causing you such utter grief." She stopped, and up her hoof on the other mare. "We all lose those we care about, my little pony."

"But so many friends and family? Over the generations, over and over and over again?" Applejack pushed her hoof away, yelling right in her face. "Why... why do other ponies keep dying, and I keep living out my life, right on through the pony generations? Does your horsemaster have a reason for cursing me so?"

"Almighty B'zekre works in mysterious ways, Applejack." The monk replied simply. "The horsemaster has a path set out for you, it's just you haven't yet found that path."

"That may be so, preacher mare, but this is the point in the path that you and I part ways." The old earth mare snorted, turning off on the road at the Manehatten exit. "I'm thinking about staring up a new life here in Manehatten again... who knows, maybe I could be a business mare this time."

"Applejack, wait... is this what you really want? Jumping from lifetime to lifetime, never facing your pain and your past and overcoming your demons?" The rainbow maned mare quickly teleported in front of the other pony. "Come with me, good Applejack, and I will assist you with the answers you seek."

"I told y'all, Pinwheel!" The irritated mare snapped. "Ah have no interest in convertin' ta-"

"I'm not talking about converting to anything, A.J.. I'm talking about going somewhere to help you clear your anger, and decide upon your path." The mare nodded towards the road the road ahead. "My brother, Chocolate, owns a chalet just outside Baltimare. I'm sure you could get some rest and rejuvenation there."

The older orange mare though for a moment, then trotted back to follow the rainbow monk along her journey. Little did the last Harmony bearer realize, how this fateful decision would change her life, forever....

Comments

[keam]

Thus just keep getting better and better...

[Aatxe360]

Spelling error in the title chapter. A few capitalizations errors in the chapter itself.

This "changing her life" phrase makes me worried because it's tagged onto Chocolate and her retelling of Tirek's return.

The new artwork is d'awdorable.

[TheFanficFanPony]

5670166

Thank you!