Just One Wish

by shysage

Ch. 3

I woke up at sun-up like I usually do, but started cryin' ag'in right away... I don't cry much usually, but... An' I noticed pretty quick that my mane, well it wasn't tied up no more, and wasn't since I got here as I realized. Well, it was in my face, guess it got there while I slept. But me cryin', it was makin' my mane wet. I put my nose up and shook my head to get my mane back ag'in, but that just got my tears in my ear, which itched horrible, so I put my nose back down, shook, but that just dumped my mane in my face again... Ya that felt about like... I left my mane in my face an' just cried... Well, I had no ideas. I... There was no way for me to even find that Portal thing, since Princess Twilight's castle wasn't even here yet. Twilight Sparkle wasn't even here yet... And nopony here even knew me... all my friends... I felt... I have never felt so alone... abandoned...

Maybe my cryin', it...

"Land sakes child, there, there now, lemme help you..." I looked up through tears to find an older mare lookin' so lovingly at me... Almost in wonder, I got slowly up, shook my mane away, and she hugged me tightly right away. Shimmering "yellow delicious" coat... she reminded me immediately of Applebloom, but that would put me, what, in the future? Aww, past, future, shux... I didn't know nuthin'... She hugged me for a little while as I worked on not crying.

This older mare eased me away gently. "Young-un, what's y'ur name?"

Tryin' to shake my mane back ag'in... "Name's AJ and I just got here... But I just don't know where..." This was absolutely all I could say...

The mare hugged me a bit more, as I cried a bit more, then I tried to quit ag'in. As she eased me away a second time "A'm Granny Bloom, and you're welcome to come stay with us for a spell. We just finished ar' guest-room, and you can try it out for us, let us know how it fits!" Granny Bloom laughed after saying this much, then her whole tone softened. "Seriously child, you are welcome to stay with us. There will probably be chores involved, but --"

I was grinnin' by then. Maybe she didn't know I loved chores...

"Well then, git to it filly! See yonder bucket? Fill it with nice apples, so we can have some breakfast!"

Well, that didn't take me long, and I brought the full bucket over to Granny Bloom. She sighed right away. "Mercy, I wish I had your gittyup, child..."

We walked slowly back towards the farmhouse as I carried the bucket (rope around my neck of course). Little was said, but I did remember, without warning, almost like a lightning bolt... Summer had said once that when in the past, they had to be SO CAREFUL about what they said for some reason. Well, I didn't remember the reason, but I realized I probably had to do that... That thought made me sigh...

Granny Bloom... she sighed too. "It's ok child. The past is sometimes best left alone..." I don't know where that came from, what she meant even. I carried the apple bucket into the kitchen, put it on the table, then Granny Bloom got to work. I just watched; she clearly didn't need any help for this part. Wow, she was good at cookin'.

After some amazing smells filled the kitchen, a larger stallion walked into the kitchen. "Wow that smells good, Granny!"

Granny Bloom smiled at the stallion "Just like you like it, son." There was a brief pause, then Granny Bloom volunteered "Jack meet AJ, AJ meet Jack." Granny Bloom chuckled, then said "Found 'er in the field crying this mornin'."

Jack said calmly "Life on the farm will cure your turmoil, young lady! That's what my Mare told me when she brought me here!"

Almost on cue, another mare walked out into the kitchen, and was briefly nose to nose with her Stallion. Afterwards, Jack said calmly "April, this is AJ. Granny found her in the field, crying. I told her farm life would solve everything!"

Both laughed, then April walked over and hugged me. "We will do what we can to help you, dear. Just let us know."

It was very hard for me to even stand there. I think my jaw was on the floor, and, for some reason, I felt like... a foal... all over ag'in... We were soon eatin' breakfast though, and I was hungry, an' the food was very good.

When the stallion was done, he turned to go, then nosed his Mare briefly. "Jack Apple, you be careful at work today, please" his Mare, April said so lovingly to him, then he turned and walked out the door, probably heading into town.

It was quiet briefly in the kitchen. I didn't know what to say, and just wanted to go cry hard somewhere, or somethin'... I tried this. "I think I'm goin' for a walk in the fields a bit, maybe clear my head."

April and Granny both smiled.

Granny said right away "The fresh air will help you feel better."

An' April added "And let us know if... you need to talk, or if we can help in any way."

I was soon out, past the small orchard, and into the endless oats. It looked the same really... But I... Granny Bloom looked just like Applebloom, well much older... And that stallion Jack looked just like Big Mac... What... Oh my goodness... Jack Apple... and April Bloom... my momma an'... Right there, right then, I fell to the ground, and just cried loudly. I scolded myself for not realizin' earlier, but... I was so young when I lost 'em, an' it hurt so bad... But now... I knew where I was... I knew who they were... But I... shouldn't, couldn't say... anything? What a twisted joke this was... I cried pretty hard for a while...

---

---