Heart of the Forest

by Krickis

7 – Honesty

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Chapter Seven
Honesty
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There was no mistaking it. Although Applejack had never seen the city the way she was seeing it now, there was no doubt about where she was.

Sungrove stood not as Applejack had found it, but in its full glory. The woods had tried to show her glimpses of the city whenever she closed her eyes within its walls, but that could not compare to seeing it with her eyes open. It was a glorious sight to behold, and Applejack knew she was blessed with the chance to walk through it.

She just didn’t know why. The last thing she remembered was stopping the Shadow before collapsing into Fluttershy’s forelegs. By extension, she knew that this was most likely a dream. But everything just felt too real; the grass under her hooves was soft and crunched slightly as she walked, a gentle breeze ruffled her fur and was refreshingly cool, and she could even smell the lilies and goldenrod that grew along the path.

And yet, there was something about it that didn’t feel quite right either. A sort of otherness permeated the city, and Applejack couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more complicated than simply being asleep or awake. Along with her senses, she still retained full clarity of mind, allowing her to consider her situation far more carefully than she could have in a normal dream.

So as she walked, she took note of her surroundings. There was birdsong in the air, but no animals in the trees. The houses stood in immaculate condition, but there was no activity inside them. Everywhere she looked, the world around her sent one very clear message. Sungrove stood all around her exactly as it had been, but with one exception. There was no life aside from the forest itself. No deer, no animals. A wondrous city stretched out as far as her eyes could see, and she was the sole inhabitant.

Only one explanation came to mind, and it was not one she was prepared for.

Applejack could not recall when she had first started walking through the city. She had full memory of arriving with Discord at the city’s ruins, but when had she found herself in the city’s memory? One moment she was falling asleep as Fluttershy held her, and the next moment, as near as she could tell, she had already been walking the path along the city’s floor for some time.

She hadn’t changed course since she became aware of her situation. Although she didn’t recognize any city landmarks, she had an idea of where she would be headed. And sure enough, it wasn’t long before she could see the palace in the distance. From there, it was just a matter of putting one hoof in front of another to get her closer to it.

It wasn’t that she was drawn to it, or that the rest of the city was in any way closed off to her. Applejack knew she could go anywhere at all that she wanted to. But there was just nowhere else she could think to go. Sure, she could try to find where they had fought the roc, which was the last place she could remember being. But she had no idea where that was, just that it was somewhere in the woods near a river.

If nothing else, the palace would serve as a good place to start looking for somewhere else to go. The high vantage point might allow her to see something she’d otherwise miss, and she could figure out what to do from there.

All along the way, one thought kept playing through her mind. The city felt so lonely. It felt lonely as she walked beneath its houses, and it felt lonely as she walked up the ramp to the palace. There was a certain serenity that came from the stillness of everything, and it kept her calm even in the face of the unknown, but that did nothing to appease the loneliness that she felt.

Once she reached the top, she took a good look at the city from above. There was no sign of their battle, or of anything else. But she was at least able to enjoy the view. It didn’t seem so bad from above; she could almost imagine that there were deer down below, just in houses and obscured by trees.

Like the rest of the city, the palace had hardly changed. Of course, the parts that hadn’t been damaged looked identical, as the whole place seemed to have been untouched by time. But the missing half of the building was now in place, and there were none of the holes that had been scattered about the walls and floor.

Unsure of what else to do, Applejack remained in the entry hall. She didn’t expect to find anything in the palace, so exploring it wouldn’t be necessary. Besides, if she was right about what was going on, she knew she’d be able to take her time.

And so, instead of exploring, she took in her surroundings more fully. The building was much like the palace in Thicket, but one thing in particular caught her eye – a large painting on the wall opposite the door. She wasn’t sure if she simply hadn’t noticed it before, or if it had been lost when the building was damaged.

The painting was of three deer, two of whom she had seen before, although never quite like this. The one she hadn’t seen was a stag, but she knew who he must have been. He may not have been a king himself, but he looked every bit as regal as one. Even in the painting, Applejack could tell his age; he had been far older than the queen when they had found love in one another, and he had passed many years before the deer had left Sungrove.

Standing beside him was a doe whose light coat stood in contrast to her partner’s dark one. Applejack had never seen her in life, and even if she looked exactly as she had when Applejack found her the day before, the difference was vast. From her smile to the friendly look in her eyes, Queen Hawthorn radiated warmth.

And finally, between them was a fawn that had now grown into a stag. Prince Aspen, as he would have been in this picture, was unmistakable for his white coat and the distinctive markings under his eyes, but he looked so unlike the king that Applejack knew. It wasn’t as if he was never happy these days – King Aspen loved the deer and cherished his son, and he did not hesitate to show his joy in either – but the young prince in the portrait still had an innocence that Applejack had never seen in her king.

“Oh.”

Applejack hadn’t noticed anything until she heard the voice, which abruptly took her out of her thoughts. She turned to find another doe staring at her with just as much confusion as Applejack felt. The fear that Applejack had felt of the body rising in the night came back to her.

But then Queen Hawthorn smiled, and Applejack could no longer feel afraid. When the older deer spoke of their queen from ages past, they made her sound like the most beautiful doe to have ever lived. Applejack now saw that their memories were exaggerating the truth, or else they were embellishing things as some sort of sign of respect for the dead.

It seemed that they did her a disservice now. She was pretty, but it was a normal sort of attractiveness, and Applejack had known many deer who were easily more beautiful. But in the place of the gorgeous doe that anyone would want for a lover, Applejack saw something she thought to be much more becoming of a queen.

When Queen Hawthorn smiled, she looked pure and honest, and it reminded Applejack of her own mother. What was a queen but the mother to hundreds of deer?

She approached Applejack slowly, although her expression seemed eager. “Hello there. I’m sorry for not greeting you sooner, but I’m afraid that I’m a bit out of practice at welcoming guests.”

Applejack had been so caught up in what was happening that she had forgotten herself. Remembering suddenly, she dropped into a bow. “Queen Hawthorn. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that,” Queen Hawthorn said as she held back a laugh. “Please, rise. Might I ask your name?”

“Applejack.” As she rose from the bow, the queen continued to step closer. She was at a loss for what else to say, but thankfully Queen Hawthorn wasn’t.

“Hello, Applejack.” She stood right in front of Applejack. “I’m so happy you’ve finally arrived, although I am a bit surprised. I hate to say it, but I don’t recognize you at all. Is my memory failing me, or has it really been so long? In any event, I’m glad to see it’s another deer this time.”

Applejack had no idea what she was talking about, and she almost seemed to be talking to herself more than anything. “Er… come again?”

“Sorry. Again.” Queen Hawthorn turned away for the first time since she had first seen Applejack. “As I said, I am not very good with guests anymore.”

“Er, Queen Hawthorn?”

She turned back to Applejack and smiled again. “You really don’t need to worry about titles, I haven’t been a queen for some time now.”

It was Applejack’s turn to look away, embarrassed by the directness of the question she needed to ask. “I beg your pardon if this question is rude, but… you are dead, right? I know you’re right in front of me, but I also know what I saw…”

“I can understand your confusion. The answer is perhaps a bit complicated, but it would be best to say that yes, I am dead.”

Applejack nodded. As much as she wanted to ask about those complications, there was another question that would weigh her down until she had it answered. “So then… is that what happened? I died and came here too?”

“Ah, I should have known. Of course you’d think that, but do not fret, young one. You’re still very much alive in every sense of the word.”

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. Somehow she knew she could trust Queen Hawthorn to give her an honest answer no matter the question. “So then, how are we talking?”

“And so we come to the complicated part.” Rather than answer, Queen Hawthorn turned towards the door she had come in from. “We’ll be talking for a long time, I should think. Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.”

Although Applejack was too awestruck to care where they were, she followed the queen all the same. She led them to a room in the half of the palace that had been lost when the Shadow first attacked Sungrove. It was a private library, with an uncountable number of books on its high shelves.

“I spend most of my time here these days,” Queen Hawthorn said as she took a seat. She sat on the side of a large cushion, leaving enough room for Applejack to sit beside her.

Despite the obvious invitation, Applejack hesitated. Even if Queen Hawthorn made her feel much more comfortable than she could have imagined herself being in these circumstances, she was still a queen. True, Applejack was acquainted with King Aspen, as were all the deer to some extent, but any familiarity they had was mostly due to Fluttershy. Apple farmers did not normally sit beside queens.

Applejack bowed her head. “Beg your pardon, my queen, but I’m okay standing. I, uh, I think I’m a little too anxious to sit down right now.”

Queen Hawthorn’s smile fell, and Applejack worried that she had offended the queen by denying her hospitality. “I can understand, but… I wonder if I might ask a favor before we discuss anything further.”

Applejack nodded, happy for a chance to make up for her rudeness. “Of course.”

“There are actually two things. First, I wonder if you could tell me how long it’s been since I died?”

Right, she’d want to know about the world as it was now, and about what her sacrifice had bought for her deer. Applejack gave her the simple answer. “Eight hundred years.”

Queen Hawthorn closed her eyes. “Eight hundred years… I would not have thought it. But then, the date does fit… And I don’t believe time works the same for me as it does for you.” She opened her eyes again and looked back to Applejack. “I am thankful to say that I have not been left alone here for nearly so long as eight hundred years by my perception of time. But still, I have been alone here for a long time. Would you like to know something that might surprise you?”

Applejack nervously shifted her weight as she tried to figure out how to safely answer that question. “What, uh, what might that be, your majesty?”

“I have not missed being queen. Not one single day.” She smiled at the surprised look on Applejack’s face. “Don’t get me wrong. I miss my deer more than I could ever express. I miss being out in the city, seeing their faces and hearing their stories. But it’s them I miss, not my role as their queen.”

Applejack nodded, realizing what point Queen Hawthorne was making. She wanted to know more about her deer, but she didn’t want to ask directly. “And they miss you. The elder deer tell stories about your bravery and compassion.”

That gave Queen Hawthorn her biggest smile yet, which made Applejack smile as well. “I am happy to hear that. It is good to know my friends have not forgotten me, even after so long. But, well, it has been an awful long time since I’ve had a friend around to talk to, and that’s what I truly miss. I knew you would be coming, and I had hoped, well… I would prefer if you would think of me not as the Queen of Sungrove, but instead as someone you might call a friend.”

“Oh…” Applejack thought about the walk over to the palace and how lonely everything had felt. She couldn’t imagine what living like that for so long must have been like. Although she felt a little embarrassed, Applejack ignored it as she took a seat beside the other doe. “So… just Hawthorn then?”

Hawthorn beamed at the simple name. “I would like that very much. Thank you, Applejack.”

Once she put the concerns about Hawthorn being a queen behind her, Applejack found she was filled with so many questions that it was hard to pick which one to ask. “So then, Hawthorn, what were you saying about us being able to meet like this? And how did you know I was coming?”

Hawthorn didn’t seem to mind. “Where to begin… Well, the reason we’re meeting is because you’ve awakened. You see, Applejack, you and I are more alike than you realize.”

“What do you mean?” Even if they were friends, Applejack could hardly see how they could be more different.

In answer, Hawthorn lightly tapped a hoof against Applejack’s neck. There was a glow where her hoof had touched which spread around in a circle. It lasted for a second, and once it stopped, the Emblem of Anqa rested on Applejack’s neck. “When I died, a part of me lived on in this. It was called the Emblem of Anqa while I was alive, but I feel that name will no longer be very fitting.”

Applejack chuckled. “Actually, it’s still called that. The Emblem of Anqa is part of the whole legend surrounding everything that happened in Sungrove.”

Hawthorn examined it closely, and Applejack got the impression she was looking at something that Applejack couldn’t see. “You’ll see what I mean soon enough. But more importantly, this is more than a simple necklace or royal heirloom. It’s an invaluable magical artifact, part of a set of six. I was its bearer for a time, and when I died, I was preserved to pass along the information that you’ll need as its next bearer.”

Applejack placed her hoof on the necklace. “What? But… why me? I’m not a queen or anything impressive like that, I’m just…”

Hawthorn placed her hoof on Applejack’s and gently pulled it away from the necklace. “The elements don’t pick their bearers based on how they are viewed by their peers. You were chosen because you’re what was needed. The fact that you’re here talking to me now proves to me that you’re perfect for this.”

It was hard to feel confident about that. For all her life, Applejack had just worked in her family’s apple orchard. Even aside from titles, she had done nothing to make herself stand out from the other deer.

“I know it’s not easy.” Hawthorn frowned slightly and looked off to the side. “I wasn’t prepared for this any more than you are. But it’ll be okay, Applejack. You wouldn’t be here if you couldn’t handle this.”

Slowly, Hawthorn eased Applejack’s concerns, but it wasn’t because of her reassurances. As they talked and Applejack got over Hawthorn being a queen, her initial thought seemed to be proven right. Hawthorn undoubtedly had many admirable traits, but she was very different than Applejack had always imagined from the legends of the martyr queen. The real Hawthorn was a deer, like so many others. Just like Applejack.

“So, uh…” Applejack tried her best not to look nervous, but she suspected that she wasn’t quite managing to pull it off. “I guess that’s why I was able to do all that stuff. The element or whatever was helping me out earlier.”

“What do you mean?”

Right, of course. Applejack had been thinking Hawthorn had been with her in the necklace, but that didn’t mean she actually saw everything that happened. “Well, after I found the necklace, my friends and I had to fight this thing. We call it the Shadow, but uh…”

Hawthorn closed her eyes and frowned. “You mean the roc.”

Applejack nodded and resolved to try and avoid that topic as much as possible. “Yeah. The thing is, I’ve never been great with magic and stuff. But during the fight, I was able to do so much more. I know that at the end I felt something from the element, but it was going on even before that.”

Hawthorn smiled and shook her head. “I’m sorry to say that I don’t have an answer for you. It could have been the element, but I’m not sure. Truth be told, I wasn’t the best with magic with or without the element.” She let out a small laugh. “Well, I was always pretty good with flowers.”

Several ideas of what had happened had occurred to Applejack already. At the time, it had felt like the forest was protecting itself. Then there was the possibility that the danger had heightened her senses and her abilities with them. And, of course, the Emblem of Anqa was a powerful magical artifact.

There was no way to be sure, and Applejack could accept that. With everything that was happening, she was happy to get any answers at all. Although that did bring to mind a similar question she had. “Suppose you don’t know why most of Sungrove is still standing, then. I thought it might be the element, since the palace was preserved better than anywhere else. And even…”

It felt too awkward to bring up Hawthorn’s body, but she seemed to understand well enough. “That would be the element. They’re selfish little things, always doing anything they can to preserve themselves.”

“Heh, I knew it.” Applejack smirked, remembering how Discord had been unable to detect the magic from the necklace. But it seemed that it was just like he said – even he couldn’t always understand things when magic was involved.

“Applejack…” Hawthorn’s tone caught Applejack off guard; she seemed to be concerned about something. “You haven’t asked me what you’re supposed to do as an Element Bearer.”

Applejack looked at the ground and her ears folded down. She had almost been hoping they could avoid that topic, too.

“It’s okay.” Hawthorn placed a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be scared. I was. But you won’t be alone. Like I said, the Emblem of Anqa is one of six, and the other bearers will be with you through any challenges you face.”

Realizing there was no avoiding it and she wasn’t doing herself any favors by trying, Applejack took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right, Hawthorn. So, uh… what challenges am I going to face?”

Hawthorn smiled, although it wasn’t exactly a happy smile. “It’s a long story, but allow me to tell you what an Element Bearer is first. You see, there were once two sisters that watched over all of all of Equestria.”

“You mean Celestia and Luna?”

That brought a much more genuine smile to Hawthorn’s face. “Oh no, although it is interesting that you should bring them up, for they’re part of this story as well. No, the sisters I’m referring to lived long before their time, before ponies had even settled in these lands. We don’t know much about them, even what species they were when they were alive, but we know they were called Harmony and Nightmare.”

Applejack couldn’t help but smirk. “With a name like that…”

Hawthorn found it amusing as well. “I don’t think Nightmare was her true name. Perhaps Harmony went by another name while she was alive as well. But these are the names they came to be known as, whether by their design or others’.

“At some point, they disagreed on how best to rule the land. A war broke out, and in the end, Nightmare was slain. But her story did not end with her death. The land was peaceful for a time, but Nightmare’s influence lingered. Everyone felt it, but few suspected the truth. It was only when an attempt was made on Harmony’s life that she made the horrible realization. You see, the would-be-assassin had been someone very close to Harmony, but who had been possessed by Nightmare’s spirit.

“Nightmare seemed to be unstoppable. She would spread terror and corruption whenever she took a new host, and there was nothing to be done but to kill the host’s body. Then the spirit would move on and find someone else, while the families were left with nothing but grief.

“Harmony found herself with few options. Unwilling to allow her subjects to suffer, she took inspiration from her sister and gave up her physical body. But rather than become another spirit, she imbued herself into six different elements. One of which is now yours.”

Applejack brought her hoof back up to the element. Was it heavier now, or was she just imagining that? “And was Nightmare stopped?”

Hawthorn sighed, and Applejack knew the answer already. “Nightmare was… removed, for a time. Six of Harmony’s closest friends became the first Element Bearers, and they were able to banish Nightmare from the land. She returned again in time, but she was stopped when six new bearers were chosen. The cycle is never ending.”

“So she’s coming back again? And I’m supposed to help stop her?”

“Yes. The last time Nightmare came, it fell to me and my friends to stop her, and now, it must fall to you and yours.”

Applejack took a deep breath. The thought of fighting off some ancient evil that couldn’t be killed terrified her, but there was some comfort in knowing that it had been done time and again already.

“I… fear there is something else.” Hawthorn’s tone was not comforting. “When we faced off against Nightmare, we stumbled in our mission. She had taken Luna as her host, which was not easy on us. Luna was one of my closest friends before everything happened, and I was not the only one in our group to have difficulties. I wanted so desperately to save her, but we could not. She got the better of us, and one of our number was killed. Without the full power of the Elements of Harmony, we were only able to banish Nightmare by banishing Luna alongside her.”

Applejack shook her head. “So… what’s going to happen?”

Hawthorn looked at Applejack apologetically. “I’m afraid I don’t know. But she’s had nearly a thousand years to bond with her host body in a way that she never has before. I believe the risk is now higher than it has ever been.”

That was precisely what Applejack didn’t want to know. But at the same time, she realized that it was important she was well aware of what she was getting into before it happened. “Thank you for being honest with me, Hawthorn.”

“I owe you that much, at least.”

She seemed so disheartened by her own story that Applejack couldn’t help but to try and cheer her up. She forced a grin that she had trouble feeling and adopted a cocky tone. “Don’t you worry about a thing. I don’t know who the rest of these Element Bearers will be, but I’m sure the six of us can handle things.”

Hawthorn smiled optimistically. “I have no doubts. And you’ve already done well facing her influence.”

Applejack blinked in confusion. “I have?”

“The Shadow, as you call it.” While Applejack tensed up out of concern for the awkward subject, Hawthorn didn’t seem to mind. “It’s okay. I have had a lot of time to come to terms with the fact that I’ve died. It has been… harder to come to terms with the circumstances around it.”

Even with her assurance that it was okay, Applejack still shifted uncomfortably. Talking with someone about their own death was certainly well outside the range of things she was used to. “I was with my friends and I still thought we were all done for. I can’t imagine facing that thing by yourself.”

Hawthorn shook her head. “That was scary, but the fear didn’t stick with me after death. No, what’s stayed on my mind was the suffering Anqa must have endured, and the injustice that he was forced to become something so cruel.”

Applejack furrowed her brow. “Anqa?”

“I must say, it troubles me to hear he has become nothing but a monster in my story. The Shadow, as you know him, was an old friend of mine.”

“You mean that was Anqa? As in, the bird from the emblem was the roc we had to fight?”

Hawthorne smiled a little at Applejack’s realization. “That’s right. Of course, he wasn’t always as he was when you saw him. He used to be so peaceful. But when we failed in our mission to hold back Nightmare, it affected much of the lands and its inhabitants. Ponies stopped visiting Sungrove, and, foolishly, I allowed us to further along our own isolation. Meanwhile, Anqa changed. He grew more reserved and, eventually, wicked. He claimed the woods as his own, and threatened any who would not leave. I did not heed his warning, so sure I was that my friend would never harm us.”

Applejack frowned. It was just like in the story – Nightmare had first taken possession of someone close to Harmony. “But he didn’t, did he? That was really Nightmare’s doing.”

“You’re right. It was not Anqa that I faced, not really. I suppose your name is the most fitting after all, for he was nothing but a shadow.”

It was clear that even if Hawthorn knew that was true, it was hard for her to accept. Applejack decided to take a risk with her next question. “What was he like? Before all the bad stuff, I mean.”

It seemed that it had been the right thing to ask, as Hawthorn’s expression softened. “He was truly magnificent, although I did not always think that. I never knew why he came to our woods, as rocs do not live so far south. But he was old and dying when he first arrived. We were frightened of him at first, but then my mother braved the beast and cared for him as best she could. I was a young fawn at the time, so I did not understand when she told me it was simply the right thing to do. So terrified I was of something unknown to me. And yet, he never harmed her, nor anyone else. Soon I accompanied her, and Anqa and I came to trust one another.”

“I think a lot of full grown deer are plenty afraid of what they don’t know,” Applejack said, embarrassed by how much that applied to herself as well. “So your mom nursed him back to health?”

“No. He died.” Hawthorn saw Applejack’s expression and laughed. “And yes, I’m completely serious. But then something curious happened, something I didn’t understand for a long time. After he died, his body burst into flame, and he was reborn.”

It was strange to think of how different their reactions must have been to the same sight. That had been the most soul crushing sight Applejack had ever seen, but for Hawthorn, it would have been another chance to be with a friend. “Yeah, I saw that as well. Darn near gave me a heart attack.”

“I can understand why. But Anqa is a roc, not a phoenix. When rocs die, they don’t come back. And yet, he did.”

“So… what’d you come to find out about it?”

Hawthorn took a moment to answer, seemingly collecting her thoughts before speaking. “Magic is strange. Sometimes it collects in one place, and once there’s enough of it, that place gains a sort of will of its own. I do not know if Anqa was chosen or if he was the one who chose to fill this role, but he became the Heart of the Woods.”

“The Heart of the Woods?”

Hawthorn looked puzzled. “Tell me, where are the deer now? Everfree, I suspect?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.”

“And yet there is no Heart of the Forest?”

In truth, there was a Heart of the Forest, and Applejack had been wondering how to bring him up during their entire conversation. “Uh, I think that might mean something different now. The Heart of the Forest is, well, that’s one of King Aspen’s titles.”

“Oh.” Hawthorn turned her head away and seemed to be staring at nothing in particular. “Oh my poor child… He has not taken this well, then…”

Unsure what was going on, Applejack made best efforts to quell Hawthorn’s concerns. “Er, he’s actually doing a great job!”

Hawthorn took a deep breath. “A Heart is the guardian of a place with deep magic. They have a strong connection to the place they watch over, being born from the magic gathered. When Anqa died, he was brought back by White Tail Woods itself and became its Heart. Aspen taking the title himself shows that not only did he not understand the importance of that connection, he believes himself to be the one who will watch over your forest.”

That sounded exactly like the Aspen that Applejack knew, although she had always thought it was because of his role as king. “And you think that has something to do with what happened here?”

“Yes. Aspen was too young to do anything, yet old enough to blame himself for it. And I fear that’s exactly what happened.”

Applejack frowned at Hawthorn’s sad expression, wondering why she had to go and say something that upset her new friend. “I’m sorry, I –”

“Could you…” Hawthorn shook her head. “This is selfish of me. I’m supposed to be the one explaining things to you, but… I’m afraid I can’t help but make another request of you. Could you tell me more about the stag he’s grown into?”

Applejack realized how silly she was being. Hawthorn was Aspen’s mother; she deserved nothing less than the truth about her son. “I’m afraid I don’t know him too well, but he’s a good king. He can be stubborn and maybe a bit too serious, but everyone knows he’s only got our best interests at heart. He’s fair when he needs to rule on something and has been friendly on the occasions that we’ve met.”

Even though she was smiling, Hawthorn seemed to be on the verge of tears. “My little boy grew up, and I wasn’t there to see any of it.”

“There’s, uh, there’s something else you should know.” Applejack knew that if Hawthorn was already feeling like she had missed out on Aspen’s life, this wasn’t going to make that any better. But there was no way Hawthorn wouldn’t want to know this. “He has a son.”

Hawthorn’s eyes went wide as she sat straight up. “He… he does?”

“Yup. Congratulations, you’re a grandmother!”

At that, Hawthorn did start crying. “I can’t believe it! Please, what’s my grandson’s name?”

“Prince Bramble.”

“Bramble!” Hawthorn wiped her eyes, but it seemed that she might start crying again at any moment.

“Everyone who knew King Aspen when he was younger says the young prince is a lot like he was as a fawn. He’s got the light royal coat, but it seems to take after yours more than his dad’s. He also likes working with flowers like you, and he’s got a gentle soul. I think… I think you’d really like him.”

Hawthorn laughed and a few more tears came out. “Oh, Applejack… I already do.”

After so many years alone, Applejack was grateful that she was able to deliver news of Bramble to his grandmother. “Is there anything you want me to tell them?”

Hawthorn inhaled a breath, then she sat oddly still. It took a moment before she answered, and when she did, it was with clear hesitation. “I… I would like that very much. But… I wouldn’t know what to say.”

Applejack thought for a moment. She couldn’t possibly know what it was like to be in Hawthorn’s position, so there was no way she could guess what Hawthorn might want to say.

She could, however, imagine being on the other side. “Well, why not start with reminding them that you love them?”

Hawthorn nodded. “Yes, of course. Tell Bramble that even if we’ve never met, I’ll always be watching over him. Tell him to behave, and that I’m looking forward to seeing who he grows up to be. Tell him… tell him about Sungrove, as you’ve seen it here.”

Applejack nodded. “I will. And Aspen?”

“Tell Aspen that… that I’m sorry I had to leave him, but that it was my choice and that he shouldn’t blame himself for something that happened when he was practically a fawn.” Hawthorn broke into something that was half laugh and half cry. “Tell him to lighten up and enjoy life for what it is. That there’s no need to be the king all the time. More than anything, I want him to know that I’m so proud of him, and that I love him… and… and…”

Hawthorn could no longer continue through her tears, but that was okay. Applejack knew there could never be enough words to fill the years spent apart, and that anything at all would mean the world to someone in Aspen’s position.

“I think that’s perfect,” Applejack said. “I think it’s just what he wants to hear.”

As Hawthorn dried her eyes, she seemed to notice something in Applejack’s expression. “Applejack, your parents… Are they…?”

Applejack’s head drooped and she scratched at the back of her neck. “Yeah, they are.”

Although it had been a long time since Applejack had grieved her loss, when Hawthorn pulled her into a hug, she nevertheless found herself blinking back tears of her own.

“I’m so sorry. I… I should have thought…”

Applejack shook her head and dried her eyes. “No, it’s okay. I’m glad I can pass along your message for you.”

Hawthorn pulled away from the hug but kept a foreleg on Applejack’s shoulder. “Well, I think it’s only fair that I return the favor. Once we leave here, I’ll be sure to tell them all about the wonderful doe their daughter has grown into.”

Applejack could not find any words that could say what she wanted, nor did she really trust herself to speak. Instead, she simply nodded her thanks as she tried not to cry.

“I… I think our time is coming to an end,” Hawthorn said after a moment. “I’ve become so accustomed to this place, it’s strange to think I’ll be leaving it.”

“You’ll be with your friends again,” Applejack reminded her.

Hawthorn smiled. “Thank you, Applejack. I’m glad we were able to meet one another.”

Applejack nodded. “Me too. I just wish I could do something more for you.”

Hawthorn laughed then held out her foreleg for another hug, which Applejack accepted. “Nonsense. You’ve done more than you could possibly imagine. Trust me, this is much easier with a friend here to see me off this time.”

There were hundreds of things that they might’ve said but didn’t. She could feel everything fading, as if she was falling asleep, and she knew Hawthorn would not be there when she woke up. But she wasn’t worried. In only a short time, they had formed a friendship that would stay with Applejack for all of her days. The rest would just have to be filled in the next time they met.

---

Nothing that Applejack immediately became aware of was good. She had a dull ache throughout her body, while her head was throbbing. Her left foreleg was extremely uncomfortable, but she couldn’t move it and attempting to do so intensified her pain. Her mouth and throat felt dry and the light was blinding when she tried to open her eyes.

By all accounts, waking up seemed to bring her into a significantly more miserable existence. But, she realized, at least that meant she was truly back in the world she knew this time.

Slowly, good things faded into her perception. She was lying on a soft bed, with plenty of pillows around for her comfort. Although her left foreleg seemed to be bound up to her shoulder, everything else was movable. The blinding light turned out to be much dimmer when her eyes finally adjusted, as it was only sunlight creeping in through closed curtains that were not heavy enough to keep it out completely.

And, above all else, there was Fluttershy. She was sitting in a nearby chair, but her head lay on the bed. She was sleeping, and Applejack wondered if she had fallen asleep without meaning to. Being spread out from chair to bed couldn’t be very comfortable.

Applejack used her good foreleg to gently stroke Fluttershy’s mane. The sleeping draconequus slowly opened her eyes and then shot straight up. “Applejack!”

“Morning, beautiful.”

Fluttershy looked excited, but resigned herself to carefully stroking Applejack’s cheek. “Oh, Applejack! No one knew what was wrong with you, I was so worried, I thought…”

“Hey now.” Applejack’s voice came out raspy and it irritated her throat to talk, but she smiled anyway. “I’m okay. Everything’s okay.”

Too overwhelmed with emotion to talk, Fluttershy just nodded. Applejack tried to shift position and grunted from the effort. Fluttershy gently pushed her back onto the bed. “You need to rest, you’ve been through so much…”

Rest sounded like the last thing Applejack needed, but she didn’t want to see Fluttershy worry. “Water?”

“Oh! Of course, wait right there!”

Applejack probably would’ve pointed out that she didn’t have much choice, but she wanted to minimize her talking until she got something to drink. Fluttershy disappeared from Applejack’s field of vision for just a moment, then she returned with a canteen.

Without the use of both of her hooves, Fluttershy had to help her, but the water eased the irritation in her throat and relieved the dryness in her mouth. She emptied the full canteen easily.

“That,” she said after a sigh of relief, “feels much better.”

Fluttershy smiled, although she still looked like she was afraid she might damage Applejack if she touched her. “Do you hurt?”

Applejack smiled and shifted her position. Her muscles were stiff, but she ignored the ache. “A little, but not so much that you shouldn’t join me in bed.”

Although she looked apprehensive, Fluttershy couldn’t hold out for long. She moved very cautiously as she climbed into the bed, barely putting any pressure at all on Applejack while lying next to her.

“So then, strawberry,” Applejack said as she savored the chance to finally relax with her lover, “mind filling me in on what happened?”

“I was kind of hoping you could tell me. You just started glowing, and then you floated into the air. Then you stopped the roc just by talking to it!”

“That was…” Applejack reached a hoof up to her neck only to find it was bare. “What happened to the necklace I was wearing?”

“I still have it. Do you want me to get it?”

Applejack thought for a moment but decided against it. This moment was too good to cut short. “Maybe in a bit, but it’s fine as long as it’s safe. That’s what let me do all that stuff, but it’s a long story. Would it be alright if that waited until my head stopped hurting?”

“Of course.” Fluttershy nuzzled a bit closer. “I’m just glad to have you back.”

“And I’m glad to be back, strawberry.” Applejack smiled and looked around the room. “Although I’m not sure where I’m back to, exactly.”

“We’re back in Thicket. After that magic surge, you fell unconscious. Most of your injuries were gone and you were breathing normally, but you just wouldn’t wake up no matter what I did. I brought us to the palace in Thicket, and Aspen had the best doctors come to see you. Discord and even Zecora tried to figure it out too, just in case it was something that the deer weren’t familiar with. But no one was able to figure out what was wrong or when you’d wake up.”

Even now that Applejack was safe, Fluttershy still sounded like she might start crying. “I’m sorry I worried you. How long have I been asleep for?”

“Two days.”

Applejack sighed, suspecting the answer to her next question before she even asked it. “And how much have you slept in those two days?”

Fluttershy blushed and nuzzled her head against Applejack’s neck, where she wouldn’t have to make eye contact. “A bit…”

Applejack frowned. “I’m glad to see you, but you didn’t have to stay here the whole time. You could’ve gone home and had someone else tell you when I woke up.”

Fluttershy pulled away. “Applejack, I didn’t want to leave you! Ever since I found out that you left the forest, I’ve been nothing but terrified! I’ve never been so afraid in my life, and then even when I found you, I was still afraid I’d lose you! So yes, I’ve been sitting here worrying myself sick because I needed to be by your side for my sake just as much as yours. Why would you think that I’d rather be anywhere else if you’re not there?”

“I’m sorry.” Applejack turned away and rested her face against a pillow.

“It’s alright. I’m sorry I snapped at you.” Fluttershy returned to snuggling against Applejack. “But why did you leave? Why couldn’t you just talk to me about what was bothering you?”

That was a good question, and one Applejack had been wondering herself. “I… I don’t know. I didn’t even realize it was bothering me so much until you were already gone. Then I just kept thinking to myself that maybe if I were more interesting you wouldn’t have wanted to leave.”

“Oh, Applejack…” Fluttershy gently caressed her lover’s cheek. “That wasn’t ever true at all. I did want to see things outside the forest, but the whole time I was thinking of you. I wish you had been there to experience everything with me.”

“Heh, I think that might’ve been a better trip after all. I sure made a mess for everyone.”

“It’s okay. Everyone made it back safely, and they’ll all just be glad to know you’re safe.” Fluttershy giggled. “I have such a silly little doe. How can you be so worried that you’re not enough when so many love you?”

Applejack’s instinct was to just agree, but that wouldn’t be fair. Fluttershy had just got done telling her off for not opening up about what was bothering her, so it was only right that she be honest about this as well. “But, well… that’s just because I’m your doe. Yeah, I do have a lot of friends and I’m not saying that they don’t like me or anything. But the biggest reason that everyone respects me or would ever do anything like that for me isn’t for me at all. It’s you. Everyone loves you, Fluttershy. You’re the guardian, and I’m your doe. Of course they came to help. All you had to do was ask.”

Fluttershy stroked the crest of hair along Applejack’s head and gave a small laugh. “Such a silly doe… When I found out you were missing, of course I went to Aspen to have him form a search party. He, uhm… he refused…” Fluttershy still sounded upset, but Applejack could immediately see why. So many deer could have died just for the chance at saving one. It must have been a difficult call for him to make.

“I went to look for you with Pinkie and Rainbow, who both insisted on coming without me needing to ask them because they were worried about you. I thought that was all the help we were going to get, but while we were gone, Big Mac and Blackthorne started rounding up volunteers to look in Everfree in case we were wrong about you going to White Tail Woods.

“But when they heard what happened, none of them wanted to just look in Everfree. Over sixty deer banded together and demanded to speak to Aspen. They appealed his decision and forced him to allow a proper search party. As they were marching out of the forest, Rarity found them. She insisted on coming too, and carried as many deer as she could to the woods. Once she was there, she turned around and swam all the way back to bring more. She made trips back and forth all night long, and she would have kept at it if Rainbow didn’t find their group just when we needed them the most. In the end, she had managed to bring thirty-seven of the deer to help us. And you know what? Every single one of them was there for you.”

Applejack didn’t know what to say. Part of her felt awful; so many of her friends and neighbors had risked their lives just for her! If even one of them had died, Applejack wasn’t sure how she could’ve ever forgiven herself. But another part of her felt overjoyed to know she meant that much to them. Maybe she really had been being a silly doe after all.

In any case, all of her knew that she had spent too long in this bed. “What do you say to helping me get out of this room, strawberry? I think I’ve kept everyone waiting long enough.”

“Oh, are you sure you’re ready for that?” Fluttershy asked, but Applejack was already sitting up.

Applejack’s muscles were stiff from lack of use, but aside from her shoulder, the pain wasn’t too bad. Looking at it properly, she saw that her left foreleg was bound in a sling. “It’s broken?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy answered. “But the doctors are sure you’ll be able to use it again soon.”

Applejack shrugged with her good shoulder. “I don’t think I got off too bad, all things considered. I won’t say no to taking it easy for a while. Can you get that necklace?”

“Oh, sure.” Fluttershy walked across the room while Applejack worked on standing herself up. It was a bit strange to have to balance on three legs, but she felt steady enough.

By the time she managed to get fully upright, Fluttershy was back. She held the necklace in her paws, but Applejack couldn’t get a good look at it. “It, uhm… Well, I don’t know what happened to it. After you fainted, it, well, look.”

Fluttershy held the necklace out for Applejack, who immediately saw what she meant. The Emblem of Anqa was a gold necklace with a wind pattern engraved on the band. That part remained unchanged. But while it had once held a pendant in the shape of a bird, there was now something very different as the centerpiece.

An orange gemstone in the shape of an apple now adorned the necklace, with two small green gems for leaves sticking out of the top. Applejack thought back to what Hawthorn had said and realized she was right.

“I guess it’s not really the Emblem of Anqa anymore,” Applejack said.

“That’s the Emblem of Anqa?” Fluttershy asked. “No wonder it helped you stop the Shadow.”

“Well, it was. But that was when Hawthorn owned it. Now that it’s mine, I guess it’s something else.”

Fluttershy helped Applejack put the necklace on. “Something else?”

Applejack hobbled over to a mirror across the room and examined herself and her element. What would it be, now that it was Applejack’s? She barely had to ask for the answer to come from somewhere deep inside her.

“Honesty.”

“What? You know, you really could explain what’s going on, deer.”

Applejack laughed. “Yeah, I know. But, uh, there’s someone else who really needs to hear everything. Let’s go find Aspen.”

Although she looked confused that seeing the king was their destination, Fluttershy didn’t question it. She walked on Applejack’s weak side, keeping her steady as they left the room.

It wasn’t long at all before they were spotted. A member of the palace staff noticed them and rushed over to check on Applejack and give her best wishes. Soon after, there was another, and then another. Before long, deer were seeking them out after having heard from others that Applejack had woken.

They really did care about her, and not just because of Fluttershy. It was a great feeling, and Applejack couldn’t understand why she had been so blind to it for so long. But as much as she enjoyed greeting everyone, there was one voice in particular that lifted her more than any others.

“Applejack!” Apple Bloom ran over and crashed into her leg at full speed, with Big Mac trailing along behind. Thankfully, with Fluttershy walking on her left side, it was her good leg that became the target of her little sister’s hug.

“Hey there, AB. It’s good to see you, too.”

Unfortunately, Big Mac was a lot larger than Apple Bloom, and his hug reached over to her bad shoulder. “Welcome back, AJ.”

Applejack winced and pulled away, keeping her shoulder out of reach of his hooves. “Careful, Mac, I’m a little banged up already if you hadn’t noticed.”

Big Mac just laughed. “Hey, I thought you were an Apple. You gotta be tougher than that!”

“I know I taught both of you better manners than that!” a creaky voice called after them as an elderly deer hobbled over. But despite her words, Granny Smith was smiling just as wide as any of her grandchildren.

Big Mac and Apple Bloom stepped aside so that Granny Smith could hug Applejack, and for one moment, Applejack relished simply being with her family.

And then in the next moment, Granny pulled away and fixed Applejack with a harsh glare. “Of all the places you could go, you pick White Tail Woods!? No wonder it took fifty deer to bring you back! You’re lucky you even made it back in one piece!”

Even with the lecture, Applejack couldn’t help but smile. She could already imagine that the next time Granny told the story, it would probably become sixty deer. “I know, it was really dumb. And I’m sorry I worried all of you.”

“And another thing!” It seemed Granny Smith wouldn’t be placated so easily. While everyone chipped in to try and get her to calm down, Applejack noticed someone else who was patiently waiting beside the family.

“Hello, Bramble,” Applejack said, happy to seize the opportunity to focus on something other than her foolishness.

“Hello, Applejack,” Bramble said. “It’s good to see you’re okay.”

“Hmph.” Granny Smith frowned. “The young prince here is better behaved than any of my grandchildren. He doesn’t interrupt an old doe when she’s talking.”

Bramble smiled at the praise. “Papa asked me to help your family with anything they need while they’re staying with us.”

Big Mac laughed. “Mostly that’s meant keeping Apple Bloom from being underhoof.”

Apple Bloom shot her brother a dirty look, but Applejack spoke before she had the chance to. “You all were staying in the palace?”

“Of course we were,” Granny Smith said. “We wanted to be nearby whenever you woke up.”

Applejack smiled at her family. But as much as she wanted to catch up with them, she had somewhere else to be. “You all are the best. But right now, I need to find King Aspen.”

“Well, let’s go then,” Big Mac said, and everyone seemed to take it as a given that they’d go together, which turned out to be exactly what Applejack wanted.

They had to keep pace with Granny Smith, but Applejack wasn’t up for walking too fast, anyway. Besides, Big Mac kept them from going too slow by firmly yet good-naturedly telling everyone else that approached that they would be able to talk to Applejack more personally later.

They made their way to the throne room, where Aspen was waiting for them. It seemed someone had already gotten word to him that Applejack was awake and on her way to see him. He sat on his throne in his full regalia – along with the gold that permanently adorned his antlers, he wore golden boots and a gold necklace. The necklace caught Applejack’s eye. She had seen it before, but only now was she realizing the significance of the ruby heart pendant.

“Greetings, everyone,” Aspen said as they approached. Everyone except for Fluttershy, Applejack, and Bramble bowed, although Applejack still inclined her head. “It is good to see you’re up and about, Applejack.”

“Thank you, sir,” Applejack said. She looked around the room and took note of the other deer that were gathered. Blackthorne stood at Aspen’s side, so she addressed him first. “And thank you too, Blackthorne. Without you and Mac getting everyone together, well… I’d rather not think about it.”

Blackthorne inclined his head. “I was happy to be of assistance.”

Applejack took a deep breath. She knew she was about to disappoint a lot of curious ears. “I know everyone here probably wants to hear what happened from me, but right now, it’d be best if Fluttershy and I can have a word with the king in private.”

It was highly unusual among the deer to dismiss company. There were awkward looks and murmurs before anyone moved, and they might have complained if Blackthorne hadn’t acted first.

“As you wish, Applejack.” He rose from his seat next to Aspen and made for the exit, and it was a clear message to everyone else gathered. If even Blackthorne was going to leave them to their privacy, then no one else had any reason to object.

The Apples were the last to leave, but in the end, they left as well. Aspen waited until the room was empty to speak again. “Well then, Applejack? What is it that you’d like to speak to me in confidence about?”

Applejack took a deep breath and walked closer to him. “A lot happened while I was gone. I found this.” Applejack indicated her necklace. “It was the Emblem of Anqa until a few days ago.”

Aspen stood up and walked over to her, then squinted his eyes as he examined the necklace. “That is not the Emblem of Anqa.”

Applejack chuckled. “I know that, but I did say ‘was’. Now it’s the Element of Honesty, and it marks me as an Element Bearer.”

It seemed Hawthorn hadn’t told her son about her time as an Element Bearer, as he showed no reaction to the terms. “And what is that, exactly?”

“It means I have an important job to do. There’s something coming. An ancient spirit called Nightmare, and I’m one of six Element Bearers charged with stopping it.”

Aspen eyed her skeptically. “And the Emblem of Anqa transformed into this Element of Honesty? The Emblem is a relic from Sungrove. What does it have to do with this Nightmare?”

“I know it’s strange, but the Emblem was always an element. And before me, Hawthorn was its Bearer.”

“My mother?” Although he didn’t outright say it, Applejack suspected that he took offense to her failure to use Hawthorn’s title when addressing her.

“Yes. That’s actually why I asked everyone else to leave. I spoke with her.”

Anger flashed on Aspen’s face for a moment, then was replaced by detachment. “Your experiences have left you unwell. My mother died eight hundred years ago, as you well know. You dreamt these things.”

“Applejack knows what she saw,” Fluttershy said.

“She was… not like the older deer describe her.” Applejack had known all along that he’d need to be convinced. She’d just have to make him realize that the Hawthorn she’d met couldn’t have come from her own imagination. “She was shorter than me, which was a little surprising. She looked a lot like Bramble, actually. Said she likes flowers, just like him, but she wasn’t very good with other kinds of magic, so I guess you must take after your dad there. She spoke softly and laughed a lot, with a smile that could make anyone smile back. She wasn’t tall or elegant, fierce or regal. But she was so much more wonderful than all that.”

Aspen stared at her for a few long moments, not saying a word. He seemed to be studying her, looking for any sign that she might be lying. When he spoke, his voice was softer than Applejack had ever heard it. “When I was very young, my mother left Sungrove with five others.”

“Those must have been the other Element Bearers of her time,” Applejack said. “She said there were six of them.”

Aspen frowned a little at his memory. “Never have I seen such an entourage. In those days, the deer would occasionally interact with ponies, but this was unusual even for then. None of the other five were deer. Two ponies, a yak, a griffon, and even a shapeshifter.”

Surprisingly, a small smile worked onto Aspen’s face. “And yet, my mother called them all her friends. I met them only briefly and do not remember their names, but I liked them. The yak, especially, made me laugh. But then she told me she had something important to do, and she left without another word. It was shortly after she returned that the world seemed to grow darker.”

Applejack nodded. “They set out to stop Nightmare, but things didn’t go so well. Now she might be stronger than ever.”

A few more moments of silence hung over them, then Aspen nodded. “If my mother placed her trust in you, then so will I.”

It was good that he believed her, because things were about to get more delicate. “You should know that her body’s still there. It was preserved by the Emblem, but now…”

“Now you have the Emblem,” Aspen said. He was not accusatory as Applejack had feared he’d be; he merely stated it as a simple fact.

“Yes. I don’t pretend to know more than I’m told about all this magic stuff, but it seems to me that if she’s just left there, well…”

Although Applejack trailed off, Aspen clearly understood. “It seems we’ll have to make one more trip to Sungrove after all. She deserves a proper burial in the city she tried to protect.”

Applejack nodded. “You know, it doesn’t have to be one more time, though. The Shadow was Anqa, the roc that watched over the woods. He was corrupted by Nightmare, but I was able to send his spirit on. He’s not a threat anymore, so the woods are safe again.”

Aspen considered it for a moment. “I will decide after I visit the city myself. But… I think that you may be right.”

Applejack chuckled. “She wanted me to tell Bramble about Sungrove, but I think it would be even better to be able to show him someday.”

“I agree.” Aspen regarded Applejack strangely, and she suspected what might be on his mind. “Did she… say anything else to you?”

Exactly as she thought. “Yeah, she said a few things…” Applejack doubted he would appreciate being corrected about his own responsibilities, but it would be better to get that out of the way first.

“Hawthorn told me that you’re not really the Heart of the Forest. Fluttershy is.” Both Fluttershy and Aspen gave her surprised looks, but neither interrupted her. “The Heart of the Forest is the one who’s supposed to watch over it, right? Well, that’s not you. You can’t be responsible for all that, and that’s not bad. She told me to tell you that you need to slow down and forget that you’re a king sometimes.”

She suspected backlash, but it didn’t come. Instead, against all odds, he laughed. “Forget that I’m a king? You really must have been talking with her.”

Applejack grinned. “Well, I think what she meant is that being a king doesn’t mean you have to bear the weight of everything all the time. She said… she said it wasn’t your fault that she died.”

Aspen stopped smiling. He looked torn, and Applejack could understand why. He didn’t want to discuss something so personal with Applejack, but he also wanted to know whatever else his mother might’ve said.

Well, there was no decision for Applejack. She’d made a promise to a friend, and besides, she knew that deep down Aspen would give anything to hear the words Applejack had been given to pass on.

“She told me that you taking the title Heart of the Forest meant you took her death too hard. She says she’s sorry for leaving you alone, but it was the choice she had to make. There wasn’t anything you could do for her. And… well, she didn’t say this, but I will. The best thing you could do for her now is to honor her memory. Not by being the strongest king we’ve ever had like you think she would’ve wanted, but by living the life she’d really want for you if she were still here.”

Aspen slowly walked back towards his throne. “I will think on what you’ve said.”

It was clear that the meeting had come to an end, but there was still one final thing to say. “And Aspen? She wanted you to know more than anything that she loves you, and she’s proud of who you’ve grown into.”

Aspen stopped in his paces for a second, and he did not turn to face them when he replied. “Thank you, Applejack.”

With nothing else, Applejack turned to leave. Fluttershy followed along wordlessly, but was stopped before they could get through the door.

“Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked back. “Yes, Aspen?”

“I was wrong when we last spoke. You were right to go after her.”

Fluttershy smiled at Applejack. “She certainly does keep things interesting around here.”

Applejack laughed as they left the throne room and wondered how long it would be before they were swarmed again.

“So where to now?” Fluttershy asked.

Where to? Applejack had to tell Bramble everything that Hawthorn had asked her to tell him, and then she still owed an explanation to her family. Not to mention the dozens of deer she’d have to find and thank.

“How about Ponyville?” Applejack asked with a grin.

Fluttershy laughed. “Ponyville? You’re not really my doe at all, are you?”

“What? Just because I decided that maybe the whole world out there isn’t so bad doesn’t mean that I’ve been replaced.”

Fluttershy pretended to consider Applejack carefully. “Well, alright… But I’ve got my eye on you.”

They both laughed and Applejack tried to nuzzle against Fluttershy. She lost her balance and fell into her instead. Fluttershy just laughed again and maneuvered herself under Applejack, lifting the deer up onto her back to carry her. “Maybe we should make that trip after you’ve got all four hooves back again.”

“Fair enough,” Applejack said. “I do need to talk to Bramble anyway.”

“Okay. Then how about after that we go out for a bit? Not to Ponyville, but somewhere nearby.”

“I suppose my family can wait until dinner, since we saw them for a bit at least. Got something in mind?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Rainbow, Pinkie, and Discord are all still in Thicket. They wanted to stick around until you got better.”

Applejack smiled, then started laughing again. “I bet some of the deer have been pretty panicky.”

Fluttershy giggled. “A little. What do you say we get them and then go find Rarity? She doesn’t know that you’re awake yet either.”

“Sounds good to me, strawberry.” Really, anything sounded fine to Applejack, so long as they were together.

It had been the most exciting few days Applejack had ever had, and from the sound of it, she had more exciting times ahead of her. For a deer like her, that could be a bit overwhelming. But she wasn’t worried anymore. She had come face to face with legends, only to find that they were just like her.

But for now? For now she would take the days as they came. It was a perfect day – a gentle breeze was blowing through the open windows, friendly faces passed them as they walked along, she was with Fluttershy, and, if she listened closely, she could just barely make out someone yelling something about a giant pink bird.

Life in the forest wasn’t all there was, and sure, maybe it would even be fun to see what else there was. But it was where Applejack had been born, where her family lived, and it was where she shared her home with the love of her life. And as long as she could hold onto that no matter where she roamed, then there was nothing she needed to worry about.

---

Comments

[Nitro Indigo]

Aww! I like the ending paragraph.
I assume this is based on that thing from the comics where Nightmare Moon is a separate entity that possessed Luna? Also, I'm guessing that the structure of this series will be the other Mane 6 finding their elements.

[Krickis]

11407946
I'll have to honestly say that I'm going to have to reread this story to remember what my Nightmare Moon idea was, but Nightmare Rarity did influence me a ton so that's likely the way I went on it.

You guess right on the structure of the series. The idea was that Pasu was doing post-NMM stuff so I would handle the earlier parts of the series. Now I've more or less inherited the AU because Pasu mostly left the fandom, but I'd like to fulfill my original elements plans.