The Samurai's End

by Onomonopia

Old

The sun was just beginning to set over the horizon, dipping down below the mountains at the command of Twilight. It has been a long time since Twilight had taken over Celestia and Luna's position, gaining complete control over the sun and the moon in the process. A lot had changed in the past fifty years. Except for him. Jack had yet to age at all. Still the same twenty some year old man...stallion...that he had been when he was first sent to the future.

The same could not be said for the mare that sat next to him. Applejack, his wife, sat beside him, her head rested against his shoulder. Her silver colored mane was in a braid that went halfway down her back, similar to what Granny Smith had worn when she was young. The smile on her face caused her wrinkles to show, wrinkles which covered her entire face. Her muscular body was now frail and thin, with her barely able to climb the stairs without his help. She still tried. She had grown old. And Jack didn't care. To him, she was just as beautiful as the day they had met. A look into her eyes showed thee same emerald fire that she had held in them all her life.

"Yah think that after seventy five years of looking at those mountains that ah would get tired of watching the sun set behind them. You'd be wrong," Applejack said. Her voice was soft, but not weak. Jack had never once heard her sound weak, even in her old age. "They're just as beautiful as the first time ah laid eyes on them."

"You would think that after fifty years I would be able to look at you without having my breath being taken away. But you are still just as beautiful as the day we met," Jack whispered to her.

"Still flirting like that in your old age? Haven't you grown out of yer sappy compliments yet?" Applejack asked, but she still leaned in closer to Jack.

"I am simply speaking the truth. You are beautiful."

"Ha. Mah beauty left me and went into mah daughter and granddaughter years ago. Glad ah was able to pass something on to them because that black mane of yers will not go away. Ah swear it's going to be our family mane for generations to come," AJ said with a chuckle. "Still can't believe our daughter married a plumber. Ah'm happy fer her, but ah never would have seen it coming."

"Would past you ever believe that you would end up marrying a samurai from another world?" Jack asked.

"Ha. Yah got me there. Ah guess ah wouldn't," she said. "And you've given me a wonderful life. An amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, three grandfoals to call mah own...ah know that you were brought her because of tragedy and suffering, but ah'm glad ya came to our world...ah'm glad ah met you. Ya helped give me a life that ah never would of thought ah would have."

"As you have given me a life that I never would have dreamed of ever having. My only regret is that I could not spend more of it with you," Jack whispered. "I could have spent my entire eternity on this farm with you."

"Yeah...ah'm still sad that we have to sell the old farm, though. But it's fer the best. None of Applebloom's foals or grandfoals want to take it over and there's no way our daughter is going to take the farm...this is fer the best," she repeated. "Ah like the family that's buying it, though. Seem like a nice bunch. Hope they treat this place as well as it treated us."

"I'm sure they will."

"They'd better. Or I'll send mah immortal samurai down here and have him whip all their flanks. Heh heh," AJ said, before she let out a tired sigh. "Always thought our family would live her forever. Mah entire line. But life doesn't work like that. So many surprises and changes, but ah always thought no matter what our family would live here."

"Life is full of surprises. My entire story is proof of that."

"Yup. So many surprises...ah guess another one is me living the longest out of mah friends, aside from Twilight of course," AJ said. "Always thought that ah would work mahself to death first before any of them, but here ah am. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and Fluttershy...all gone...ah miss them. Ah miss hanging out with them, the talks, the friendship lessons: ah even miss the life threatening danger and saving the world together."

"I miss them too. They were good friends, but more importantly, they made you happy. You were...not yourself for a long time after they passed."

"Hmm, perhaps ah was never mahself again. If there's one thing ah've learned in this life, it's that everything changes. Me, the world...even you. Yer not the same loner samurai that ya were all those years ago...Did ya hear that Sakura passed your blade down to her daughter now? What was her name again?"

"White Lotus."

"That's right...little Lotus. She was always so energetic that ah couldn't keep up with her. Heh, ah always did warn Sakura that her foals would one day run her ragged like she did to me...guess she should have taken mah warnings a little more seriously," Applejack said with a laugh. "When was the last time they visited us again?"

"A few months ago. Sakura brought her whole family here to visit and so that I could test White Lotus' skill in battle. She was even stronger than her mother, though her technique left a little to be desired. You were even the ones to point on the flaws in her stance."

"Ah yes, ah did do that. How could ah forget that?" AJ asked. Her eyes then set on the horizon again and a smile crossed her face. "Yah think that after seventy five years of looking at that mountain that ah would get tired of watching the sun set behind them. You'd be wrong. They're just as beautiful as the first time ah laid eyes on them."

"Indeed they are. Just like you," Jack said softly. "Come, it is getting late and you should be getting to bed. We do not want you getting too tired, do we?"

"Tired? Ah'm an ambassador of harmony and one of the guardians of Equestria who can still take ya in a fight, even if yeer still yer young, handsome self," Applejack replied.

"I know you could. I would never doubt your strength."

And ya shouldn't. Yer like little...little..."

"Lotus."

"That's right, little Lotus, who thought just because her grandmare was old that ah couldn't keep up with her. Wasn't she surprised when ah beat her in that race."

"Yes. When you beat her, not when you tripped and nearly fell into a river."

"That's right...yeah, ah think it's time ah get to bed. Ah feel tired...ah think ah need to sleep."

"That is a good idea."

"Of course it is. Ah had it."

Applejack stood up and started to head towards the house. Jack walked up to try to support her, but she shook her head and forced herself forward. Jack knew she was struggling, but he also didn't want to make her angry. She got a lot angrier lately. If he had to guess, he would guess that she was mad at her body's failing her. At her old age. But he would never say that.

As Applejack entered into their home, Jack turned and looked back at the mountains, watching as the sun finally dipped down behind them and cast the land in darkness. The air instantly began to get colder, to the point that even Jack shivered slightly. With one last look at the place he had called home for so long, he turned and followed his wife inside.

Comments

[Scholarly-Cimmerian]

Poor Jack.

[FleetlordAvatar]

Right. in. the. feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeels!

[Starlight Nova]

I'm surprised there isn't a tragedy tag.

[Dirty Bit]

Was almost expecting Applejack to die at the end of the chapter, dark as it sounds.

Meanwhile, Jack's newfound troubles have only just begun...

[AMuffinlover]

I really wonder who's the lucky stallion who married Sakura. Maybe someone from Japan? As much as I wish for Jack to have this happy ending forever, I have a bad feeling that the main conflict is coming back up.

[Arxsys]

Welcome to hell, Jackie Boy! Forever stuck the same while everyone you love and everything you know withers and dies around you, until you’re alone on a planet as the sun burns it away.

What better punishment than to turn our Lord Aku’s greatest enemy’s triumph into his deepest, most painful defeat?

[Booster Spice]

Farewell Applejack.