• Published 10th Feb 2014
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Applejack Through the Ages - Paradise Oasis



The lifetimes an immortal Applejack has led, as we see the ages of the pony world through her eyes.

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The Shining Applejewel

The Shining Applejewel

And so, I got a job as Glittery Heart's assistant, fitting her dresses, and practicing and prepping for Manehatten's Fashion week. The plan was I would strut across the stage in Heart's finest gowns, and promote her dresses for all the stores in Canterlot. We had spent a whole month practicing and going over my routine and presentation, while her brother took me out to eat at the hay burger every night after we were finished. We talked, we laughed, and had a lot of fun. And I really enjoyed spending that much time with such a fun and friendly stallion, even if he was a 'skater colt'. And so for a month I lived in the spare apartment above Glitter heart's shop, until one particular day Skater had a surprise for me...

"All right, Jewel! Let's see you come down that runway!" Heart tapped her hoof against the floor. "Put some passion into your walk, let's see you work it, girl!"

The orange earth mare came strutting down the catwalk in the back of Glittery Heart's dress shop, the tight glimmering golden ball gown pulled tightly against her flank. Applejack put a firm determination in her trot, swaying her hips to and fro as she sauntered down to where the dressmaker stood. It was a walk that came to her naturally, just as it had when she had been showing Rarity how foolish she was being all those decades ago. It was something she remembered from a fillyhood in Manehatten, a past she had rejected in order to be her own pony. But now, it all seemed to be coming back to her very naturally.

"This dress was made bah Miss Glittery Heart, the fanciest dressmaker in all o' Manehatten!" The mare patted her mane with her hoof, winking at the crowd. "Y'all should buy her dresses, ta stock in yer shops!"

"Apple Jewel, sweetie... your accent is very quaint and rustic. But if you go up on that runway and open your mouth like that, and everypony is going to laugh you off the stage as some country rube straight off the farm." Heart rubbed her hooves against her temples. "Now, try and say it again, like we practiced."

"Oh, all raight." Apple Jewel groaned, rolling her eyes. Reaching back to what her aunt and uncle had taught her, Jewel spoke in a voice she had not used in a very long time.

"I say, ladies and gentlecolts, you simply must consider this rather stunning ensemble for your fine boutiques and establishments." The orange earth mare declared, batting her eyelashes. "And remember, this splendid gown is one of the many fine works in Miss Glittery Heart, whose extravagant fall lineup is available for your consideration."

"Wonderful, simply wonderful!" Heart smiled, clapping her hooves together. "Why, I simply can't believe how well you're taking to your formal training, it's like you've done this all before!"

"Oh you have no idea." Jewel rolled her eyes. "So do ya'll know- sorry, I meant do you know when your brother will be coming by the shop today?"


"Oh he's supposed to be stopping by any moment." The bell above the shop door rang, and a stallion walked in. "Speak of Tartarus, look who just trotted in the door!"

"Hey sis, wassup?" Skater trotted in, a smile on his face. "I'm just here to pick up Apple Jewel, and I'll be on my way."

"Give me a few minutes, Skater." Glittery replied, pulling out a camera, and began snapping several pictures of Apple Jewel. "All right, give me your hottest poses!"

Jewel struck a pose, with one hoof in front of the other.

*snap*

Jewel put her hooves behind her head, standing upright and staring saucily into the camera.

*snap*

Jewel blew the camera a kiss, winking alluringly.

*snap*

"All right, Skater. That's all I need for the pictures I'm sending to the advertising ponies" Heart replied, putting the lens cap back on the camera. "She's all yours now."

"I hope you built up an appetite, Jewel." The stallion told her with a smile. "'Cause I have big plans for supper."

"Sure, I'll be happy to join you." AJ replied, trotting towards the back. "Just let me change out of this stuffy gown, and I'll be right with you."

"Oh no no, this is exactly how I want you for our date." Skater replied, extending hoof to her. "I'm taking you someplace nicer to the hay burger tonight."

"Oh?" A surprised Jewel cocked an eyebrow, wondering what the stallion was up to. "...this should be interesting."

...

The Black Beauty was one of the finest establishments in Manehatten, a small castle-like structure sitting across from horsehyde park. Brownstone walls and a roaring fireplace, it was the most romantic setting a stallion could take a mare to. The waiter had put the couple near the fish tank, and Apple Jewel was staring at all of the exotic, multicolored fish swimming around.

"I must say, I never expected a professional roller blader to be able to get a reservation at a place like this." AJ said with a smile. "Let alone how one could afford it."

"Eh, I have a friend at the stunt show I work at, who used to be one of the Wonderbolts. That kind of connection, can be a key to many high places." The stallion frowned. "Say, you don't have to act all classy around me, you know. You can go ahead and talk in your accent."

"No, thank you, but..." Apple Jewel closed her eyes, then shook her head. "if I'm going to be a Manehattenite, I need to be able to act- and talk- the part."

"It's sounds like a part you've played before, dudette. The way you took to my sis's coaching and all." The stallion replied, as they waiter brought their glasses of water, and took their orders. "But I have a feeling it's not a part you like playing, at all."

"Well, it's not that, it's just..." Jewel sighed, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "You know how I said I grew up on a farm, Skater? Well, that's the life I knew in my earliest years, doing chores and bailing hay. It was the life my pappy- I mean, my father- taught me when I was little. H-he and my mom taught us to buck apples, take care of the animals, and look after the farm."

"But they died when you were very young, you told me." Skater put a hoof on her hoof, nodding understandingly. "It must have been very hard, for you and your siblings."

"All I received from my father was his old hat- you know, the one you saw in my saddle bag?" The mare looked up at Skater. "But when I was small, I wanted to get away from the farm, away from anything that reminded me of theire passing. My aunt and uncle took me in, here in Manehatten, and were really nice to me. B-but it seemed like they were trying to turn me into somepony else, and it felt like they were trying to make me forget my parents-"

"So you rebelled against them, and followed the rainbow home." The stallion nodded. "You made the right choice, Jewel, your special talent and your heart lie back on that farm." Skater shook his head. "I can recall the same thing myself, when my own mom tried to stop me from rollerblading, I was miserable with the pony she wanted me to be. It's what's in my heart and mind- those daredevil stunts are a part of who I am."

"At least you were able to convince her not to be so overprotective, and were able to follow your dream." Apple Jewel frowned, and looked down. "But this fashion thing with your sister- with you- it's feels so right. I sometimes wonder if I ran so far and fast away from what my aunt and uncle were trying to give me, that I denied a part of who I was."

"You were afraid if you did anything 'fru fru', as you put it, that anytime you were the least bit girly, it was a betrayal of your parents." Skater replied understandingly. "If you actually let yourself enjoying anything feminine, then your family- your father- really would be gone."

Apple Jewel's shoulder's suddenly slumped, and she buried her face in her hooves in her face. The stallion leaned over the table, and pressed his forehead against hers.

"Jewel, listen to me... just because you are your own pony, doesn't mean you are forgetting who you are, or where you came from." She looked up into the stallions eyes, and saw his warm face smiling at her. "Your parents -your family- will always be in your heart, no matter what."

Staring back at the stallion, Apple Jewel suddenly leaned forward, and kissed him squarely on the lips. Suddenly pulling back, she noticed both of their faces had turned a deep red, and both of them were quiet for the rest of the meal.

Needless to say, things proceeded smoothly from there. Heart taught me stitching sewing, and all sorts of little fashoniesta tricks to trim up and work on dresses. She really reminded me of an old friend, and it made me sad that Rarity and I had never had the chance to bond like that because of my stubbornness. But I was grateful I was getting the opportunity to live a whole new life, now with such a wonderful new friend. Why I was getting to try all sorts of new things, stuff I had never gotten the chance to do with my old friends!

So what happened after that?

Well, as the date of her dress presentation loomed, we stepped up our game. I started staying over nights at the Glitter Twins place, in order to take more time with my training and rehearsal, both day and night. But on the morning before the fashion presentation, something really bad happened...

As the alarm clock went off, the orange mare lying in the bed stretched her hooves and yawned, before reaching over to turn the clock off.

"Uggh..." Apple Jewel groaned, throwing her covers off. "I need to lay off the late night apple snacks."

Blinking as the sunlight came into her eyes, she noticed vacant spot next to her with the covers already thrown off.

"Skater, where are you?" The mare said with a mischievous smile, calling out to the hallway. "It's still early, come back.."

When no response came, she trotted out to the kitchen. There, she saw Glittery Skater standing over his sister, who was laying on her couch and sneezing.

"Skater, what going on?" Apple Jewel asked, starting to worry. "What's wrong with Heart?"

"Bad news, AJ." The stallion looked up at her, a panicked look on his face. "My sis has come down with the flu, and there's no way she'll be able to go to the presentation today!"

"What?!?" Jewel suddenly went pale. "B-but I can't do the show all by myself!"

"I'm afraid, my dear Apple Jewel..." The mare coughed and gagged, putting a hankie up to her mouth. "That is exactly what you're going to have to do!"

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