Princess Celestia's sun peered over the horizon and into Applejack's bloodshot eyes. She had been crying all night. Last night's revelation was a massive blow to the mare’s ego. She couldn't understand it all, but she did come to one very simple conclusion:
Somepony had changed the date on her parents’ grave.
This desecration of her parent’s grave to perpetuate a lie was beyond comprehension or forgiveness. No words could describe Applejack's emotional state of mind, other than a seething rage that bore into her heart, and an unequivocal determination to seek justice and to prove the conspirators wrong.
She would set the record straight about Apple Bloom’s true parentage and their relationship. Wasting no time, she marched to Ponyville town hall where a lone mare sat in her office.
"Applejack," greeted a little surprised Mayor Mare. "What brings you here so early?"
"I wish to make a complaint," Applejack quietly said as she was barely able to keep her emotions in check.
"Oh," replied Mayor Mare cautiously. "There isn't any pony here who can help at the moment. They are busy making preparations for the Prince's arrival. Maybe I can help?"
"I want to know who did it?" Applejack asked.
"I'm sorry," Mayor Mare said earnestly. "I didn't quite hear..."
"I want to know who did it?" Applejack repeated, her anger beginning to spill over.
“Do what, dear?" Mayor Mare asked with a trained calm.
“Who changed my parents’ graves?!” Applejack roared.
“What?” stammered the confused mayor.
“I said: who changed my parent’s grave?” Applejack growled.
“Applejack, please calm down,” Mayor Mare pleaded as she raised both forelegs in a defensive position. The mayor remained in that position until Applejack had taken two or three long deep soothing breaths.
“Now, slowly tell me what happened,” Mayor Mare instructed as she gave Applejack a reassuring smile.
“Some pony changed the dates on my parents’ graves!” Applejack growled before she slammed a hoof into Mayor Mare’s desk. “And, I want justice!”
“OK, I’ll get a guard to look into it,” Mayor Mare offered as she tried to remain calm despite Applejack’s fury.
“So, let me write the guard a small report,” Mayor Mare explained as she took out some paper and a quill.
“Now, what did they write on the grave?” Mayor Mare asked as she carefully dipped the point of the quill into her inkwell.
“First, they changed the year on my parent’s graves from 992 ANM to 989 ANM,” Applejack explained as she watched Mayor Mare write down that small bit of information… However, Applejack’s wrathful expression quickly gave way to confusion as she watched Mayor Mare slowly lower her quill, and look at Applejack as if the farm mare had just grown a second head.
“I’m sorry, did you say that they changed the date from 992 to 989?” Mayor Mare enunciated with extreme caution.
“Yeah. Don’t you recall that Bloom was born in 992?” Applejack huffed.
“But, 989 was when they died,” Mayor Mare hesitantly disputed. Carefully the mare kept a cautious eye on Applejack, just in case the angry mare did something she would regret.
“I remember because I officiated both their wedding and their funeral,” Mayor Mare slowly responded.
“You gotta be wrong,” Applejack insisted.
“‘Cause I remember Apple Bloom being born before my parents died!” Applejack added with a slight shudder.
“Applejack, are you sure you still want to talk about this? Don’t forget about your headaches,” Mayor Mare cautioned, earning a sour look from Applejack.
“Of course I want to talk about it. Give me a copy of Apple Bloom’s birth certificate. I’m not gonna stand here and let you speak nonsense about Apple Bloom,” Applejack demanded.
Mayor Mare looked back at Applejack with a look of both sympathy, and concern. “Applejack, are you sure -- really sure -- you want to know the answer to this?” Mayor Mare cautioned.
“Dag nabbit, YES!” Applejack growled as she glared at Mayor Mare.
Mayor Mare closed her eyes and gave a long defeated sigh. “OK, come with me,” she ordered as she led Applejack to another room. Once there, she sorted through a filing cabinet, until she produced a cream colored piece of paper. Applejack carefully lifted the paper so that she could get a better look at it.
“W-what?” Applejack stuttered as she looked at the offending letter like it had been written by Tirek himself in the pits of Tartarus, and contained every form of blasphemy before Faust that had ever been written.
“I-is this some kind of joke?” Applejack continued to stutter. She suddenly felt extremely light headed. The world was spinning, and she was having trouble keeping her footing. Her head was pounding like a jackhammer. Applejack hadn’t had a headache this bad since she slammed her head into a tree trunk.
“Are you ok?” Mayor Mare said with complete concern as she reached out a foreleg to help steady Applejack.
“D-Discord!” Applejack hissed as she mashed the piece of paper back into Mayor Mare’s chest.
“T-t-that snake! D-Discord did something! An’ I’m gonna teach him a thing or two!” Applejack growled as she teetered in place, but, after a heroic effort, managed to regain her footing.
“That varmints gonna pay for this here prank!” Applejack shouted as she ignored her splitting headache, and she stormed out of the room, town hall, and down the road back to Twilight Sparkle’s library.
Twilight Sparkle stared and stared at the offending book. But, no matter how much she looked at it, she still couldn’t believe what she saw. For the fifth time in the last thirty seconds, Twilight Sparkle rubbed her eyes with her hooves. But, no matter what she did, the picture in the yearbook didn’t change.
“Twilight! Discord’s at it again!” Applejack screamed as she burst through Twilight’s bedroom door, practically knocking the door off its hinges.
“Get the rest of the girls. We gotta reign in that monster!” Applejack demanded with a completely red face.
“What did he do?” Twilight groaned as she rubbed her muzzle, and tried not to think too hard about what inappropriate, or childish thing Discord had probably done.
“He made everypony think that I gave birth to Apple Bloom. It’s ridiculous. I mean, I think I’d remember if’n I went through the miracle of birth,” Applejack shouted through her red face.
“OK, we’re going to need to get Fluttershy in order to talk to him,” Twilight considered with a sagely nod.
“That’s gonna be hard. She’s still out of town at that animal cartoon convention in Manehatten,” Applejack admitted.
“What? But, you said: Discord did something,” Twilight puzzled with a few blinks of her eyes.
“Therefore, he and Fluttershy must have come back from the convention,” Twilight pointed out as she rubbed her muzzle with a hoof.
“Then, he came home without her?” Applejack insisted.
“Something isn’t adding up,” Twilight pondered as she lit up her horn. The lavender appendage blinked purple a few times but ultimately didn’t do anything.
“He’s not even within fifty miles of town,” Twilight considered with a few more blinks of her eyes.
“According to the tracking spell, he hasn’t been in town for the last week,” Twilight continued to explain.
“B-but that’s impossible. It don’t add up,” Applejack sputtered as her mind struggled to wrap itself around this new information. Her headache was returning now with a vengeance. Applejack reached her hoof down to steady herself, only to slide the St. Wind Whistler’s School For Prestigious Foals yearbook that Twilight had been looking at down the table a little.
“S-sorry,” Applejack apologized as she noticed that she’d moved the book. Carefully she slid it back in place, only to notice her hoof sitting next to a specific picture of an orange filly… An orange filly with a blond mane, and green eyes. It was a picture of her.
Applejack jumped back and pointed at the page like it was on fire. Applejack’s head was spinning, which only added to her overall discomfort. Still, despite the fact that the world had gone mad, Applejack could still hold to the faint memory she had of Apple Bloom’s first moments in this world.
Yes. Her memories were all the proof she needed. So without a moment of hesitation, she drew the memory to herself. This time she chose to focus on it. She needed to remember it as clearly as possible. Every detail she could, she needed it right now. She had to. It was the only way to make the world make sense again.
The memory was a fuzzy one, but Applejack could remember some of the details.
This part of her memories was always fuzzy, and she never really thought much of it. But this time, she found that she could start to retrieve some substance to it by focusing on some sensations that she could feel.
That being said, there wasn’t much she could really see or feel. What she could tell was that she was laying on her back on something soft. Furthermore, whatever she was laying on seemed to be moving. Is this a bed? Applejack considered.
With that realization a bit more became clear. Above her head, Applejack could see lights moving backwards, and then be replaced with more backwards moving lights. Furthermore, she was in pain. She felt herself clench her stomach.
“Are you scared?” asked a baritone voice.
Is that Big Mac? Applejack pondered.
Was I sick with something? Applejack fretted as she tried to sort out what pain she was feeling.
And with that, Applejack’s focus broke, and the memory ended before it had really begun. Come on, I need the rest, Applejack insisted as she tried to focus on what happened next. Unfortunately, all she could get was the sound of a foal making a very loud noise.
Is that a baby crying? Applejack asked herself as she tried to sort out this new memory. But, the harder she tried to remember, the more the flighty memory slipped through her hooves.
Applejack shook her head. She didn’t need to worry about this memory, anyway. It wasn’t the one she wanted. It was just fluff. Instead, she tried to focus on the memory she had been looking for from the start.
Let’s see: Apple Bloom was just born, Applejack reminded herself as she carefully pulled the desired memory to herself.
Applejack could feel Apple Bloom in her warm embrace. “She’s beautiful, ain’t she,” Applejack said as she looked at her proudly.
“She sure is,” Granny Smith agreed as the green mare slowly came into focus. “Just like her mother,” Granny Smith finished as she gave Apple Bloom a big smile.
“I just wish her dad were here,” Applejack muttered in disappointment as her heart cringed in pain.
“Fiddlesticks, Apple Bloom doesn’t need some flippit colt in her life. This here foal only needs a strong mare to look after her. You just need to stay strong.”
“Yeah, you’re right granny. I just … got to stay strong,” she repeated. She tried. But, the loss of her parents and everything that had happened this past year… it was just getting too much for her. She fell into a deep state of depression. Her legs began to feel numb whilst her throat was dry. The room began to spin, and she suddenly started to feel very faint.
“And don’t you worry, no nothing young’un. Big Mac and I will -,” said Granny Smith reassuringly but stopped when she heard a loud thud behind her - “ Applejack. APPLEJACK!”
The voice was loud with worry, but it soon began to soften until it finally faded away into the darkness along with the memory.
Applejack shook her head. She could feel a hint of fear building. Even her memories had shifted. She was remembering things that didn’t click with what she remembered remembering. For example, where had Bright Mac been? Why had he missed the birth of his youngest daughter? Something was wrong with the world itself, Applejack decided.
Her whole world was spiraling out of control, and out of reason. Applejack found herself struggling to keep from losing the last semblance of reason. All logical explanations were gone, and that left only illogical explanations…
Still, Applejack considered herself a closet follower of Fetlock Holmes, and so she allowed herself to pursue the answer, no matter how illogical. “Twilight, maybe… Maybe I’m in the wrong Equestria… Help me get home to my home Twilight,” Applejack tried as she sat on her butt, and looked up at Twilight with pleading eyes, and cupped hooves.
“Applejack, maybe you need to lay down?” Twilight offered as she offered a consoling hoof over Applejack’s withers.
“I ain’t crazy! I know Apple Bloom is my sister!” Applejack shouted as she jumped to her hooves, broke free from Twilight’s consoling grip, and began to stumble towards the door. Applejack’s eyes were now blinded by tears, and her world seemed to be as shaken as her balance.
The world faded away as Applejack’s feet took her somewhere… she didn’t know where. She couldn’t even hear anything in her fear filled haze. She could vaguely hear some kind of shouting, but she wasn’t sure what they were saying… Until, her run was suddenly interrupted as she felt herself run straight into something big, sturdy, warm, and furry.
“AJ is that you?” asked the silent plea of a soft voice.
Applejack rubbed her aching muzzle and blinked a few times as the world slowly came back into focus. “I’m sorry I bumped into you, mister… I wasn’t looking where I was goin’” Applejack apologized profusely.
“It, It is you!” cheered the large white stallion that was kneeled next to Applejack. His white foreleg was reached out in a kind offer to help her stand up.
“Oh, I’ve been searching all over Equestria for you,” he continued to cheer as Applejack took his offer, and reached a hoof out so that the stallion could help her up.
“Do I know you?” Applejack asked as she rubbed her eyes, and tried to make out more of the stallion’s features.
“It’s me, Blue. Don’t you recognize me?” the stallion pleaded as his previously joyous tone gave way to a definite pleading.
Applejack’s mind spent a moment or two more as she tried to recognize what unicorn stallion had a white coat, blue eyes, and blond mane.
“Prince Blueblood?” Applejack asked as her mind managed to place where she had seen the stallion before.
“It’s me AJ,” the stallion confirmed slowly as Applejack slowly got to her feet. “Have you been well? I hope you have. I’m sorry that I didn’t help you before.”
Applejack could see years of guilt and regret written on his face. “But, I wanted to help you. I honestly did,” the stallion continued to explain. Applejack was uncertain what he was talking about. But, she could tell that the stallion believed he owed her something.
“I… I’m not sure I follow you feller,” Applejack apologized, with a faint hint of regret.
“O-oh… Would you like to talk about it somewhere else? M-maybe somewhere less public? I’m terribly sorry if I just put you on the spot… It’s just like me to speak without thinking first!” Blueblood considered as he gave Applejack another apologetic look.
“No. I really don’t know what you are talking about,” Applejack explained as she rubbed her head. She wanted off this crazy train, and the sudden appearance of the prince had only added to her confusion.
“I see...” the prince mumbled as he looked down in disappointment, and perhaps a look of shame.
“So you didn’t get to keep him, or her… If I’d found you sooner, maybe you could have kept our foal?” Blueblood somberly considered as some small tears rolled down his cheek.
“AJ, I’m so sorry… I’m sorry for everything,” the normally clueless prince openly wept, causing Applejack’s heart to practically stop.
“Foal?! We need to talk,” Applejack sternly commanded.
“I’ve spent the last day and a half being told all my memories were lies, and my sister is my foal. And, I’m sick of this nonsense. I just want some answers!” Applejack ordered as she took a moment to collect her bearings.
“Something is wrong with your memories?” Blueblood asked with a few blinks of his eyes. The confused look slowly morphed on his face to a look of horror as something occurred to him.
“Oh no...” he whispered as his mind got a complete grasp of what was going on.
“That way,” Applejack commanded as she pointed in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres.
“We’re going back to Sweet Apple Acres, and we’re gonna have a long talk,” Applejack continued as she motioned for Blueblood to follow her.
I know I said this seemed unlikely to me... but I was sort of still right. Out of all the scenarios I had envisioned possible, this was not one of them.
Something is rotten in the State of Henmark.
YES!!! Let the story continue!
so in this story blueblood isnt a complete dick haza
8817620
Yup. What he did to Rarity at the Gala was pretty rude, but he's not actually a jerk in person (at least not in this story)...
8817629
thats good I like the fan theory that he uses the rudeness as a persona to help keep gold diggers away
8817631
That's exactly what I had in mind, to be honest.
8817634
awesome
8817643
Thank you, and I'm glad you like it.
We have a breach in security....
Where is he?
He is safe, A mater of national security
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Hooey ! How do I know that isn't another trick?
cake?
I like this...
Wow what a powerful chapter. Can't believe AJ's level of self denial ... Or maybe it really is something far more sinister? Gosh I need something to calm me down. I can't wait to read that final chapter.
And then I just read the authors notes.
Awww shucks
8817733
8817765
great story
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8817877
Thank you.
8817920
Thank you.
I'm planning to release the next -- and final -- chapter tomorrow.
8817928
Wait, there's only one more chapter?
8817951
8817954
First, I'm very pleased that you like where the story has gone so far, and have enjoyed it enough to ask for more.
Second: Fair points. And, it was an issue I've struggled with as I wrote the story (especially the conclusion). My usual writing style emphasizes a lot of exposition, and usually branches off into many many many tangents....
When I wrote this story: I kept wanting to make specific timelines, and do a copious amount of world building... I spent pages having Twilight lecture Applejack on the nature of memory erasing spells... I named everyponies' age (That did include all of Applejack, and Apple Bloom's friends ).... Needless to say a lot of material hit the editing room floor.
So, in an attempt to keep on topic, I tried to keep the story focused on Applejack's quandary. And, we are nearly at her answer. This, however, does leave a lot of room for things unsaid, and story's unwritten.
So, I want to write an sequel to add more (or an epilogue if it feels natural)... I just haven't been able to come up with an outline yet (without a clear one, I'll never get a clear story... Poor "Rebuilding A Crusade" has been stalled for months because my outline is pretty vague.)
I really hope that not everyone knows her secret.
I guess I expected to much, Not sure why but I didn't thought something similar like with what happens to Derpy in most stories would be the chase here.
It must be a different universe or the gala hasn't happened yet, because they appareantly are good friends but he hasn'T seen her till now.
aaaahhh yes one of the possibilities I wasn'T directly fond of, but I try to see where this is going.
I really don'T wanted a Stallion being tossed into the mix that soon in the story.
I mean Blueblood being the father if I understood it right is a good enough idea, but it doesn't feels exactly right to me at this time of the story.
8817629
Still I think a good reason why he has done something like this or an evil Cadance or Celestia would help with the fact that's him who appareantly left her and everything. With evil I mean, that they have some idioting reason to pull of such a jerk move like the other one said and that they maybe get a little punishment in a way.
I try to forgot the wild ideas I got before you revealed Blueblood as the father because the idea itself is nice enough, I think I just let my hopes for all the possibilities go up to much and now I'm slightly dissapointed.
Since she lost her memories I would like it if you let them start a bit more slowly again, maybe let them have a date or two and sliwly get closer to each other till someone helps Applejack with her memories and they continue at whatever pace if you need that to happen sooner than later.
8818205
Well, Twilight is a princess in this story already, so if it's the same universe the gala already happened. Though maybe blueblood lost his memories too so didn't recognize her at the gala.
8818290
Well now he has it back at least it seems, but I would like that outcome and just for the fun I would like it if they slowly get to know each other again. I mean maybe even in this situation should they suddenly have their memories back they would still need to sort them out a bit in their head and it would maybe be weird for them to continue as if nothing ever happened.
I guess I just want my aditional bonus scene so to speak before we continue with the preset shipping. It is not your fault, but it often works slightly better for me when they just get together than if they are getting thrown at each other out of nowhere or.....ah maaan I forgot that nice example.....now it's difficult to really explain how I meant it.
I just see where this is going, but I just except something more than Applejack just accepting what Blueblood is telling her and continue cuddling with him. I want some sweet dating scenes or something like that.
I need to stop here, somehow I can't really concentrate right now and keep getting distracted wich makes me forget the sudden ideas I had for it.
I really want the next chapter. I don't say that often but in this case, I really want it. I shall await it's arrival.
8817402
8818205
First off, I wanted to thank you for the comments. I know I haven't been responding much to comments on this story (because I've been concerned about spoiling the story inadvertently... I tend to talk to much, and inadvertently say the wrong thing at the wrong time). But, all feedback has been appreciated, and they help me to know what I do right and wrong with this story (And, I hope to apply what I learn to other stories in the future).
8818650
Second, It sounds like I might still have a few pacing issues with the story (although some of the earlier drafts were even worse...). These have always been the hardest for me to fix, as I'm a bit inexperienced as a writer. I also suspect this might be the case, because I'm hearing a lot of people say that the next chapter being the last might make the story a bit too short...
It could also be a focus issue... But, I had believed that Applejack needed to be confronted at this point in order to maneuver her to confront this issue straight on, and not blanketly label all questions as jokes, pranks (or in the last case: some kind of Mandela Effect).
At this point in time, she isn't willing to question what she firmly believes is truth (although the missing chunk of memories helps her do this, as she can always lean on what she remembers over what she's confronted with), because to question it would not just put into question her family dynamics but her relationship to Apple Bloom (if she were Apple Bloom's mom the whole time, then she denied Apple Bloom a mom... and that would hurt a mare who values family as highly as Applejack does).
Finally, if it is any consolation: She has no memories of a relationship. So there isn't a relationship to pick back up. He's effectively a stranger to her... A stranger that didn't even look in her direction, or listen to a word she said while he was very rude to her friend, and snubbed her food... I suspect that: even an eloquent explanation and expert story telling will change this... Although they certainly might help her consider not hating him... He's gonna need to work at courting her to get to a relationship.
8819289
Definitly I guess, I would have never expected it to end there or that you had planned it at first.
8819289
If you are talking about the part where I was talking about Blueblood, then as far as I remember even without Blueblood happening it already looked like she would start to turn her thinking around and believed she would be in the wrong. I think Mayor Mare going to Twilight maybe or giving her a certain document and then a stern talking from Twilight if that wasn't enough would have done it and convinced her to listen to them.
8819289
I think I like it if you let him work for a relationship, but maybe you let him start as a friend and focus on Applebloom and mother Applejack at first. Then later or in a sequel the focus could change to Blueblood and Applejack, I think both has enough potential to fill the story without rushing anything.
long story short, yes I think I like that, but maybe hold of the "real" relationship till it feels right or something. Maybe at some point it would be even a nice difference to let Applejack gain a different relationship with someone else, maybe even a Mare. Not saying it can't happen, but I image it being a bit bittersweet or sad that Blueblood not getting a second chance but them getting to be even better friends, some sort of uhhhmmm.....soulmates?, not sure how you call it in that chase.
That was just another variation that could happen in a sequel. I still think that could maybe be a good idea, at least something I would probably enjoy if it focus on those two sepperate subject in two stories.
8819289
I don't know about too short. There are a couple issues with the pacing, I won't deny that; such as how we've reached what appears to be the climax as quickly as we did, but I will tell you this:
Better that your story be too short, and have people complain about the pacing, than be too long and have people lose interest.
8817643
Celestia and Cadence strike me as more of a "deal with the consequences of your young love" type than let's erase all the evidence. Especially Cadance who seems the type to try and make it work no matter what.
Looking at the way Blueblood acts at the gala: no recognition and major disdain for "common folk". The latter is a world view that a person gets raised into. By people with money for risky spells and a plan for the young Prince that most likely does not involve a child out of wedlock, or in it for that matter, with a pony of "lesser standing".
The most troubling part is when Applejack got mindzapped. Clearly after Apple Bloom is born. Feels like a loose end being tied up.
trippy as fuck man, excuse my language but still trippy as fuck!