Just One Wish

by shysage

Ch. 6

When I started seein' stuff ag'in, well, I didn't have a clue where, or even when I was... I was surrounded by these huge trees, looked like a ring of 'em. They were all taller than I cared to look up at. But it looked about noon too, wherever I was. It didn't matter, I didn't care, I just fell into the oats. As soon as everything, my momma and daddy began to fade away, I cried hard. I was still cryin' hard, chokin', an' raspin... I didn't want... Every so often, well, pretty regular, I would cry, really cry out "No... no... no... I wanna' go back..." Guess that was how I felt.

I cried for a spell, then heard other ponies; it was Summer and Shysage. Summer told me later, they felt some urgency to get to me so they actually flew tight circles on the inside o' that ring of huge trees, then landed as carefully as they could. Well, that sounded dangerous to me. But just like her sister Fluttershy, Summer felt probably a bunch of what, how I felt, and she was quickly in her belly next to me, cryin' with me. I felt so tore up inside, but it really helped to not feel that way alone. An' I thought about sayin' "oh, momma..." but that just made me wanna cry more... Still, I kep' sayin', really cryin' out what I was before, "No... no... no... I wanna' go back..."

A bit later, I heard, felt a bunch of other ponies, well all my... Princess Twilight and her girls... Fluttershy on one side, guess her sister moved for her. An' Rainbow next to me... She was even cryin' with me! They was all... I so appreciated everypony around me right then. I cried a while more, still sayin' the same thing pretty regular... Well, I don't know, maybe at some point, somethin' just clicked in my head. I couldn't go back. I shouldn't go back... I probably left when I had to, in order to not mess up the future, so I didn't ruin the right now. My cryin' changed right then. Cryin' softer, I was just so thankful that I could even... That one wish, them three amazin' weeks with momma an' daddy... Yup... I was so thankful for even that.

My cryin' wound down after realizin' that, and it was quiet when all I had left were some sniffless. Rarity said hesitantly "Applejack dear, I brought your hat and the straps I put in last week..." Guess me gettin' sent back, they dropped to the floor at the Portal.

Well, I know she was tryin' to help, and that didn't bother me. But I just stared far beyond everypony, savored some memories, then slowly, quietly said this, soundin' sorta' amazed, I'm sure. "My daddy put this hat on me... An' daddy an' momma tended to my straps ever' mornin' I was there. I'm not takin' 'em off... ever." Think that brought sniffles to everypony else. But, after thinkin' a bit, I added this. "Rare, we can get those to the farm. These ones won't last forever, but for now..." Well, I couldn't say anything more for a bit. An' I used that special name for Rarity that Summer came up with, just so Rarity knew I wasn't upset or nuthin'. After that it was quiet for a while. I was just glad all my friends were here with me. Havin' to leave my one wish felt really harsh. My friends, havin' 'em all around me, that made for an easier landin' I reckon.

It was quiet for a while ag'in, then Princess tried this. "Summer told us where... after you left, and..." Princess started bawlin', barely got out "Oh, Applejack, I just can't imagine..." My friends all cried a bit more at that; guess I did too.

After we settled down ag'in... from behind us somewhere, well guess it was Shysage. "I could put together a record, or something..."

Well, everypony loved that idea. I think my friends wanted to know what it was that I done, how everything went... I said quietly "Ok, ok..." after a bit of quiet... "Just not today, please."

After that, I was wonderin' how I could even handle going back to the farm. That guest room was where I sleep, well now. And with all those memories from just 3 weeks crowdin' in... Pinkie fixed all that. "Sleep-over party at Applejacks tonight!" she yelled, then laughed as only she can. "I'll bring the cup-cakes!" Well, that is what we did. We all walked back from that circle of huge trees. I was amazed at how close it was to Ponyville (an hours brisk walk), and even to the farm. An' Rainbow said she didn't even know about it until Summer showed her. Well, there was plenty of food, plenty of goodies at the farm. Havin' all my friends close, that made that first night ok -- well, it was a lot of fun.

Still, the first thing I done before the sun went down that night... As everypony watched, probably wonderin' if I'd lost my mind... I kicked apples outta' trees in the orchard I helped plant a few weeks ago. Then I sighed, deep and long. "Guess I don't have any wishes left... for now anyways." We all laughed a bit at that, then went in and had that party.

---

---