Appledashery Vol. Two

by Just Essay

Digestion

Sunset.

Amber shadows stretched over the southwest hilltop.

Grass and leaves crunched as a lone set of hooves scaled the incline.

Applejack arrived alone... trotting to a stop before the graves.

She stood there in silence, her blonde tail flicking in a summer breeze.

"... ... ..."

At last, she removed her hat and sighed into the hay-scented air.

"... ... ...rumor's spreadin' that... that this year's Summer Sun Celebration will be held in Ponyville. Can you imagine that? A lil' no-name town like ours. Wish you two had lived to see it."

Silence.

"And... uhm... we've got ponies movin' in from Cloudsdale. A brand new weather team. Guess that's a double-whammy, ya reckon? Suddenly, Ponyville's becomin' a real place on the map. And just to think—without Granny and Filthy's dad—this place would never have come into being..."

Wind.

Rustling leaves.

"I... I ain't got much else to say, really. In truth... I-I'm not sure why I even bothered comin' up here again so soon. Just that..."

She shifted on her haunches.

"... ... ...I feel like I should be tellin' you more... givin' y'all more than I have to answer to. I... I-I just can't quite put my hoof on it. I mean... everythang's fine. Honest! The farm's doin' well these last few harvests. Big Mac's helpin' out around the local farms. Granny's got her Red Saddle Society goin' swimmingly. Heh-Heh! It's mighty cute, in a way."

Her smile faded.

Green eyes met the ground.

"I... I dunno what it is. But... but it's been gettin' harder and harder to fall asleep lately. It's almost as if... as if..."

She clenched her teeth... then relaxed.

A sigh.

"Nothin'. Just... just somethin' I ain't digestin' right, I suppose..."

She put on a calm smile and plopped her hat back on her head.

"That's what I get for havin' Apple Bloom season the oats alfredo. Heheh. But dun y'all worry none. She'll be bakin' fritters and stirrin' grits well enough to support herself. Assumin'... of course... she ever decides to go out on her own. She does have an awful lot of Orange in her after all. But... uh..."

She breathed in deeply.

"But me? I ain't goin' nowhere. So..."

Ears twitched. A smile... or at least half of one.

"...y'all dun have to worry none. The farm's safe with me. It truly is. A promise is a promise."

Silence.

No more words were said... although the shadows against the granite hungered for them.

With a flick of her tail...

...Applejack turned around and trotted back downhill towards the farm.

She was inside before the last light of day went out.

Comments

[Lamplighter]

Maybe Applejack is feeling the Wanderlust of the heart. Is this before or after she met Rainbow Dash? For some reason I have this mental image of Belle from Beauty and the Beast singing I want so much more than this provincial life.

[Cotton Fluff]

"...y'all dun have to worry none. The farm's safe with me. It truly is. A promise is a promise."

Wonder if there's any regret behind these words. It does seem like Applejack is sticking to that promise quite readily.

Some nice, if a bit sad, chapters to see for the continuation of this neat daily story. Interesting to see AJ keeping her folks up to date and to see how Apple Bloom was when she was younger.

[zaponator]

And the existential depression begins. It is Appledashery, after all.

[arancaytar]

"... ... ...rumor's spreadin' that... that this year's Summer Sun Celebration will be held in Ponyville. Can you imagine that? A lil' no-name town like ours. Wish you two had lived to see it."

Oh my gosh, this is it! It's almost fuzzyblue time!

[SnowOriole]

Rustling leaves.

I couldn't help but grind my teeth at this... Reckon my hatred runs deep.