The Rotten Pear

by Catrina37

How It Began

Chapter 4: How it Began

As Apple Bloom and the Pears trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres, the pink-bowed filly was telling her two newly found Pear relatives about Applejack, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and their adventures. The two Pear gals were impressed to the point of where their eyes were wide with awe.

“And just when Chrysalis had her hold on Equestria, Starlight, Trixie, Thorax, and Discord infiltrated the changeling hive to save the day. Chrysalis’s army reformed in the end, both physically and in character.” she said.

“Sounds like you and your sister have been through a lot with your adventures,” Posy said.

“And who’d have thought Applejack would have so much stubbornness and pride,” Pear Blossom said, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the pear tree, Daddy.”

“N’ah! Unlike me, Applejack learned her lesson right away.” Grand Pear said with melancholy.

“Grand Pear. You got to stop beating yourself up about the past,” Posy said, “You still have a family with our foals and grand-foals.”

But instead of feeling encouraged or cheered up, Grand Pear’s head goes down with shame.

“Try tellin’ that to Big Bosc.” Grand Pear said.

Apple Bloom showed a look of concern toward Grand Pear as they walked, while Pear Blossom uses her own muzzle to lovingly pull his head back up.

****

At Sweet Apple Acres...

Apple Bloom and the Pears finally made it.

“The place hasn’t changed a bit,” Posy said.

As the group of four continued on, they catch sight of Granny Smith, attending to some barrels full of apple cider and rolling them into a wagon.

After rolling a barrel up and while standing on the incline of the wagon, Granny Smith sees Apple Bloom with Grand Pear and his family.

“Apple Bloom, we were wonderin’ where you went,” Granny said.

“Sorry, Granny,” Apple Bloom said, “But Grand Pear and I brought some relatives over.”

Granny gazed in awe when she saw Posy and Pear Blossom.

“Posy Springs! Long time no see!” Granny said.

“How are you, Granny?” Posy said.

“Doin’ fine,” she tells her, before turning her attention to Pear Blossom, “And is this L’il Pear Blossom? I haven’t seen you since you were as itty-bitty as Apple Bloom.”

Pear Blossom giggles after Granny Smith told her that.

“It’s me, alright.” she confirms, “Where are Applejack and Big Mac?”

“Oh, they’re in the house. Don’t worry, I’ll call them out for ya,” Granny says to her, “Applejack! Big Mac!”

Within a second, Applejack and Big Mac slammed the door to the farmhouse open and ran straight to Granny Smith. They ran so fast, they never noticed the other ponies that were with her.

They stop in front of Granny, catching their breath from all the rush they put themselves in.

“You called Granny?” Applejack asks.

With one last inhale, she and Big Mac suddenly take notice of the two new mares in front of them.

“Applejack. Big Mac. This here’s yer Nana Posy and Aunt Pear Blossom.” Granny says.

“Hi.” the two mares greet.

“Howdy.” Applejack and Big Mac greet in return.

Posy Springs walks right over to Applejack, deciding to get a closer look at her.

“My, oh my! Applejack, I can’t believe how much you’ve grown since the last time I saw you!”

“Uh...” Applejack says with confusion, “When was that?”

“Why, that was when you were a newborn, really!”

Applejack blinks with shock in response to that.

“And Big Mac,” Pear Blossom speaks, “I see you’ve got your father’s eyes.”

Big Mac giggles in nervousness with a slight pink blush on his face.

“Thanks.” he responds.

“So...you’re the rest of Grand Pear’s family?” Applejack asked.

Upon hearing that question, Pear Blossom and Posy Springs couldn’t hold back from keeping their smiles from turning to looks of sadness.

“Well… yes and no.” Posy said.

“Pardon?” Granny and Applejack said.

“We’ll explain everything inside.” Grand Pear said.

****

A few minutes later...

Grand Pear, Posy, and Pear Blossom told Granny, Megan, the Mane 6, Spike, Flim and Flam, and the Apple Sibs about the divorce of the Pears. It completely shocked everyone.

“You and Grand Pear have been divorced for years?” Granny Smith said, “Since when?”

“About two years since Grand Pear moved us to Vanhoover.” Posy sighed.

“What happened that caused you two to break up?” Apple Bloom asked.

“It was my fault, Apple Bloom,” Grand Pear said.

“How?” Granny said.

Grand Pear sits himself down on a chair that was behind him.

“It all started shortly after our move to Vanhoover…” Grand Pear narrated.

****

“We got settled in a warehouse outside of town...”

The Pear family was standing in front of a warehouse that a proprietor had sold them, watching the business pony take down a sign that said sale and replace with a sign that said sold.

****

“...There was vast land to replant our pear trees in, and the warehouse had the space we need to make my pear jam. At the same time, I was angry over your mom’s choice to stay with the Apples...”

Middle-aged Grand Pear was at his desk in his new office, looking over some bills and checks that had come in the mail.
But then...something caught his eye.

It was a pink envelope containing a letter from his daughter, Pear Butter. On the front of it, it said “To: My Dearest Daddy; From: Your Daughter”.

But the prideful pony wasn’t moved. Instead of reading it, he just put it in one of the drawers of his desk, which contained several other pink envelopes. He slams the drawer shut.

‘I’m no monster,’ he reminds himself, ‘I am angry, but whatever comes from Pear Butter can still be for keeps.’

****

“...I was so angry, I told the rest of the family, including my immediate one, that no pony was allowed to have contact with her in anyway. Most of my nieces and nephews who were with me during the feud were all for it, but Posy, Pear Blossom, and Big Bosc were a different story. They were angry over the fact that I chose the feud and my pear pride over my daughter’s feelings...”

It was a normal day for Grand Pear. He was supervising the work before him, and was taking note of everything happening so far. One of his nieces sees him passing by and waves a hoof in greeting, to which he happily greeted back.
While he passed by, he was unaware of the scowls that were given off by Posy Springs, Pear Blossom, and Big Bosc, who were nearby organizing some crates.

****

“...Over the next two years, production for my pear jam became a success. Everyone in Equestria wanted some, and I became the biggest business pony before Filthy Rich. Peary was a little colt at the time, and he idolized me. He even wanted to make the best pear butter in Equestria and follow in my hoofprints...”

Peary was in his bedroom, making his own pear jam. He was just about finished by closing up the jar, when he hears a knock on the door.

Directing his head in the direction of the knock, he yells, “Come in!”

The door opens to reveal his father.

“Hey, Son.” his father greets.

“Hey, Dad,” Peary greets in return, “How’s it going?”

“Oh pretty good,” Grand Pear responds, “What do you have there?”

“Just making some of my own pear jam,” he tells his dad, “Wanna try it?”

“Sure.”

Peary unscrews the lid with a spin, the lid flying off until it landed on his bed.

He runs right over to his father and holds out the jar of newly made pear jam to him.

With one dip of the hoof, Grand Pear takes a taste of the pear jam his son made. The taste of what he just had caused his eyes to go completely wide with astonishment.

“Peary! This is delicious!” he exclaims.

“Really?” Peary asks with hope.

“Yay!” Grand Pear assures him, “You should definitely make a career out of jam-making.”

When he heard those words, Peary became teary-eyed upon the positive feedback from his dad. He runs to hug him lovingly, with his father returning the embrace.

“Thanks, Dad.” Peary thanks.

“You’re welcome, Son,” Grand Pear replied, “Don’t back down from what you love and dream of doing, alright?”

“I won’t.”

****

“...However, I took notice of how unhappy Posy, Big Bosc, and Pear Blossom were. Even though they helped with the pear trees and my pear production, they kept giving me death glares every time they pass me. Other times, they just don’t look at me at all...”

Grand Pear was passing by the kitchen of his new house, catching a glance of Posy, Big Bosc, and Pear Blossom as he strolled by, and smiling as he did. He expected them to smile in return, but instead...they gave him death glares.
It causes him to flatten his ears and walk faster upon how they were looking at him.

****

“...One day, Posy called me to the living room…”

Middle-aged Grand Pear trotted in and saw his wife on the couch with her eyes leering and her front legs crossed.

“Pear Blossom told me you wanted to see me, Posy,” Grand Pear said, “Is everything alright?”

“No, Grand Pear! Everything is not alright! And it never will be thanks to you!” Posy yells.

“What do you mean?”

Posy took some pink-colored envelopes out of the drawer next to the couch and showed them to Grand Pear.

“I found these in your office while I was cleaning them! All of them are letters from Pear Butter to you, explaining why she chose the Apples over her family as she told every event that has happened in her life, including the birth of our two grand-foals, Big Macintosh and Applejack!” Posy tells him disappointingly.

“So what?” Grand Pear questions, “They‘re apples nonetheless!”

“That’s not the point! You have been choosing the feud and your pear production over the feelings of your daughter! You don’t even care about the rest of your family! Pear Blossom and I were planning to start our floral shop in Ponyville until you abruptly moved us to get away from the Apple Family!”

“You two can still start one in Vanhoover!”

“I tried, but there’s no space! You took our children and me away from our own dreams! Our friends in Ponyville! And especially Pear Butter and her children because you refuse to swallow your pride! Well no more!”

“Posy? W-what are you saying?”

“I’m saying…I want a divorce, Grand Pear.”

Middle-aged Grand Pear gasped and gave a look of shock upon what he heard.

****

The flashback is cut short because the Mane 6, Megan, and everyone else gasped as well.