The Apple's Desire

by ZStrike37

Chapter 5

Chrysalis merely glared at the spot where her enemies had stood mere moments ago. The wind swirled around her in a frenzy of frustration. She had been so close to complete victory only to have Celestia intervene. A glimmer of gold caught her eye in the rolling dust of the earth. A necklace with an orange gem shaped like an apple. It was not a magic she tried to understand; it was beyond her and she hated it. She took her eyes away to gaze down at the orange mare, shaking on the ground next to her. The situation had changed, although it was still in her favor.

Applejack uncovered her ears slowly, though she kept her eyes fiercely closed. “Are they gone, momma?” she quietly spoke, stuttering with each word.

With a hint of uncertainty in her words, Chrysalis responded, “Yes. They are gone for now.” She was unsure what to do at the moment. Her charm spell had definitely been broken and Applejack certainly saw her true form as a changeling.

Applejack got to her hooves and opened her eyes. A smile formed on her face as she saw the mare next to her. That crimson coat, blonde mane, and those deep green eyes greeted Applejack. Her mother was still there, right next to her, alive and well. Nothing else mattered. The recent happenings played through her mind over and over, yet she paid them no heed. She felt a certain warmth within her heart, a feeling that had long been buried. The trees may wither, her friends may vanish, and even Equestria might fall. But it didn't matter. She was finally happy.

Chrysalis met her stare. Each pair of eyes seemed to peer deeply into the other. One pair shined with fondness; the other glinted with curiosity. The enchantment she had placed was gone. However, something else was there in its place. Whatever magic this was, it was unfamiliar to Chrysalis. What she did know, is that Applejack chose her and so her advantage had not changed. As long as she Applejack, the Elements were of no concern. Only Celestia was left to challenge her now and that would soon change. Chrysalis closed her eyes in contemplation as Applejack leaned over and rested against her side. She pondered the various locations Celestia could have run off to with those five other ponies. Celestia would take them away from Ponyville, away from her. It would be somewhere Celestia would feel safe—well, as safe as possible. Canterlot was the obvious choice and most likely. A sly smirk curled onto Chrysalis' face, brimming with the irony of where the end would begin for Celestia and the rest of the land. “Applejack, dear. Go inside and get some sleep. Your mother has some work to do.”

Applejack gave a smile and a nod at her mother before slowly walking towards the Apple homestead. Chrysalis pondered what to do with her. She could just leave Applejack here, but one of those other ponies might come back to try something. That was unacceptable. She needed to keep a close eye on her. Applejack would just have to come with her to Canterlot. That's where everything would become complete. Celestia would not let Canterlot fall; she'd have to stay and defend the capital city as long as she could. The other five ponies would surely be with their beloved princess. Celestia would know she would need all the help she could get. And with those nuisances out of the way, Canterlot would be hers, followed shortly by Equestria. Finally, she would regain what she had lost... a kingdom and subjects to rule.

---

The wind cracked with a shattering explosion as a group of ponies blinked onto a rocky outcropping near the gate entrance to the capitol. The princess did not look down at the other ponies around her as she simply walked to the edge and sat down, peering into the endless sky above with a stoic mask. Twilight, Rarity, Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie looked around to their new surroundings as they all registered what had happened.

Rainbow Dash was the first to find her words. She launched a few feet into the air with agitation covering her entire face. “That no-good, rotten, stinking changeling! She's in for a world of hurt! I'm going to buck a new hole right in her face!”

“Please do calm down, Rainbow. Letting our feelings interfere with our judgement is not going to help anypony,” Rarity said as she ran a hoof through her mane to make sure it was still in perfect condition. “Now that we know more about the situation, we'll need some time to come up with our next move.”

Dash landed in front of Rarity with a cocky grin that was all too familiar to everypony who knew the athletic pegasus. “Next move? I already got our next move figured out. We need to get Applejack away from Chrysalis. Simple.”

“And what makes you think it shall be so easy, hm? Applejack did not seem too willing to cooperate with us a few minutes ago.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “That's why we need to get her away from that changeling trickster. Obviously, Chrysalis is messing with AJ's head.”

Twilight was not as sure as Dash seemed to be. A thought had crossed her mind, but it was not a pleasant one. There was a question she needed to ask the princess, but was afraid of the answer. She took a few steps towards Celestia who became like stone, save for her flowing mane and tail. “Excuse me, Princess. I wanted to ask...”

“The answer is yes, Twilight.” There was no movement from the princess as she spoke. “I did, indeed, break the chains enclosing Applejack's mind. She acted freely.”

This response garnered the attention of the others, surprise being shared equally among them. Dash grimaced and threw a glare at the back of Celestia's head. “No way! I don't believe that for a second. If she wasn't hypnotized or whatever, she wouldn't have done what she did back there.”

“Rainbow... I think the princess is right.” Fluttershy was staring intently at the ground as she uttered words that her pegasus friend most certainly did not want to hear.

Dash threw her hooves up to the sky in frustration, agitation seeping from her voice. “Fluttershy, listen to what you're saying. It doesn't make any sense. Why in Equestria would you think Applejack would willingly betray us? She still thinks that ugly changeling is her mother. Isn't that proof enough that she's not right in the head?” Dash could not believe that the others did not see her point. Wasn't it so obvious?

Fluttershy seemed to sink further into her mane than should have been possible. “I'm sorry, but... I saw it. She didn't have the same look like Twilight's brother did. It was really her. I don't know why, but she–ˮ

“She abandoned us...” trailed a soft, cracked voice. Eyes turned to a mare covered in a lifeless pink. Her mane and tail had gone completely limp and hung around a face that silently screamed in sadness. Drop after drop fell from her cheeks. Pinkie had felt sad on her family's rock farm. She felt lonely and scared when she thought her friends didn't want her around anymore. Now was a feeling of abandonment that struck her to her soul. She had known Applejack for a long time, longer than the others. It was more than painful. As two friends grow closer and closer, the more hurtful it is when that tie is severed.

“Pinkie...” Twilight said as she put her hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. “We'll find a way to bring Applejack back.” She put on her best reassuring smile. “I Pinkie-pr–ˮ

“Don't say it, Twilight,” Pinkie barely whispered. “Please don't say it.” Never had Twilight seen one of her friends so torn, so defeated. Pinkie laid down on her side, letting Twilight's hoof slip away. “You shouldn't make promises you can't keep.” Lost eyes looked on into nothingness.

Silence hung in the air. Nopony knew what to do or say. Only the soft rhythm of Dash's wings could be heard among the group.

Hoofsteps echoed as Twilight walked over and sat next to Celestia. “Princess, what do we do?” It was the question on everypony's mind. When Celestia had arrived at the farm with the Elements, everything seemed like it was going to turn out just fine. Minutes had passed since then and now there was no more feeling of imminent victory.

Celestia looked down from the bleak sky to her pupil. She held her mask. “I do not know, Twilight. I truly do not know what to do.”

Twilight's fears found new heights. Spending years with Celestia, Twilight understood her quite well, maybe even more than Celestia wished. She saw the smallest hint of fear flicker within her teacher's gaze. Everything fell into place. Now, more than before, Twilight felt afraid for what trials lie ahead.

Rainbow was lost in the light breeze she made with her wings. She kept seeing Applejack turning her back to her friends over and over. At the same time, it was unbelievable. Dash wasn't even sure herself if it had really happened. But it kept playing in her head on a loop. Applejack wouldn't forsake her Element of Harmony, but she did. Applejack wouldn't betray her friends, but she did. Nothing made sense. As she floated around aimlessly, she couldn't keep the terrible feeling of betrayal out of her head or her heart.

Rarity would not work herself up like the others. One, it was not good to worry too much because the stress would cause wrinkles. And two, it would serve little purpose. Perhaps easier than the others, Rarity had accepted what happened. It was true that all of Applejack's friends knew about her parents, but Rarity did more than just know it. She understood it. Being raised with such a family-focused lifestyle must have made the prospect of once again having a mother more than enticing. If only Applejack could settle her feelings and think things through. She let out a sigh laced with pity.

Fluttershy's mind raced as to what she could do to ease the pain of her friends. Nothing came to mind. Her eyes rested on Pinkie. Seeing one of her friends like this was unbearable. She looked up to see Dash drifting idly around, eyes closed and head hung low. Is loyalty hit harder by betrayal? She found Rarity simply sitting still, her gaze transfixed on the horizon towards Ponyville. Fluttershy could only guess Rarity's thoughts; she had never been easy to figure out, not often letting her true feelings show. There were no comforting words the yellow pegasus could think of, no method of returning everything back to normal. Could Applejack feel the misery that plagued them? She hoped so.

---

Applejack was slumping as she moved, her head bobbing with each step she took as she tried to hold up the lead weights that were her eyelids. She bid her mother goodnight and walked into her house, heading to her room. The thought of the house without Big Mac, Applebloom, or Granny Smith blinked in her mind. She paid it no heed and shut it out. She reached the top of the stairs. Another thought of throwing away that golden necklace popped into her head. Once more, she shut it out. She was at the door to her room. A third thought wormed its way into her mind of turning away from her friends. All she did was choose to be happy with her mother... that was all. She shook her head to rid herself of that last thought. Her bed was before her, offering comforting sleep that would take away her troubles. As she closed her eyes and prepared to plop down and let sweet dreams come, a quick sting shot through her causing her to wince, with a crashing sound like a door being shattered. A plethora of feelings swirled inside her stabbing her heart thousands of times. She felt them all: fear, betrayal, loathing, pity, and abandonment. These feelings were not so easily brushed aside.

Laying down on the bed took longer and more effort than it should have. The simple motion to lay down took more out of her than the Running of the Leaves. She needed sleep. Her mother had told her she would take care of everything and Applejack believed her. Soon, she and her mother would be happy again, just like when Applejack was a small filly. Her breathing became less erratic and her eyes closed. A strange feeling encompassed her. It felt like voices were arguing in her head now...

---

“Is it really worth it? You can't honestly think that what yer doin' is right, can ya?” Applejack heard this voice and found she was staring at herself through an open doorway that led out to a shining orchard. A broken chain link dragged in the dirt on one end with the other end attached to an iron ring that adorned this other Applejack's neck. “Well? Answer me!”

This didn't faze Applejack in the least. “Ah'm done with hurting. All Ah want is a chance to be happy with my momma again!” She glared at her other self. “It's not fair what happened. You jus' don't understand.” Despite it being bright outside the doorway, the windows inside let in a somber gleam, the rays of a setting sun strewn about the living room which held the remains of a broken door.

Her other self just stood there in disbelief, in that too-bright outside. “You can't be serious! Ya think Ah don't hurt, too? Ya think Ah don't wish every night and day that she was still here? Don't be tellin' me Ah don't understand, little missy.”

Applejack shrank back slightly under the scrutiny of her other self. She backed up into a set of hooves. A smile formed on her face when she looked up at the loving mother that was now with her. “See? See?!” she shouted wildly at the other her. “She's here, right here. Finally, Ah have a momma again. She'll take care of me. Ah don't have to be alone anymore.” She nestled up next to her mother, nuzzling her mother's side.

The other Applejack wore a nasty snarl with a deadly stare aimed right at Chrysalis inside the house. “Leave that filly alone. Get outa here. Yer not welcome.” If Chrysalis had heard the other Applejack, she gave no sign. Chrysalis merely stood there, meeting her gaze with a menacing smile. The other Applejack extended her front-right hoof to the doorway which was met with a solid, shimmering veil of transparent water.

Applejack became more than upset at her other self. She leapt in front of her mother as if to defend her. “No! She's not leavin' me. Ah won't let her go again!”

A sad look crossed the other Applejack as she looked down at the misguided filly, setting her hoof back on the ground. “Jus' let me in there and Ah promise everythin' will be back to normal. We can't just abandon our friends or everypony else.” An idea crossed the other Applejack's mind. She remembered something that might help. “Remember where to look? In yer heart." The other Applejack pointed a hoof at Chrysalis. "Ya know she's not–”

“Ah said no! Ya jus' want to take my momma away from me. Like everypony else. My momma makes me happy. But nopony wants my momma to stay. So that means nopony wants me to be happy,” Applejack spoke between sobs as she began to cry. “Ah don't understand. Why can't Ah be happy? Is that really so wrong? If my friends want me to be sad, then they're no friends of mine. The same goes for all the other ponies, too. It's all my fault she went away in the first place! Ah'm not gonna let you ruin this!”

A thunderous boom stopped the other Applejack from responding as a new door exploded into existence, separating the orchard from the inside of the house. Tears were falling from her face as Applejack raced upstairs to her room in a heat of anger and sadness as fast as her little filly legs could carry her.

She buried her face in her pillow. Nopony understood. It was all her fault her mother went away. And now her mother was back. No more would she have to feel alone or feel the burden of all her responsibilities that weighed so heavily on her since she was young. Her foalhood was cut short because she had to become an adult sooner than others. Big Mac only knew how to work the farm. That left Applejack with being not only a worker with her brother, but big sis/mother to Applebloom, caretaker of Granny Smith, not to mention manager of all the business of Sweet Apple Acres. They all depended on her, needed her strength so much that she had none left for herself. All that didn't matter anymore. She could finally go back to the days when she was happy, when she had a mother to take care of her and tell her everything was going to be alright.

Amidst her sobbing, she felt a hoof brush through her mane in a gentle manner, trying to brush out her worries. Applejack looked up and saw her mother with a caring smile on her face. For a moment much shorter than a second, her mother's form twisted into something sinister-looking, but before Applejack could register it, her mother was back to normal. Applejack met her mother's loving eyes with a smile of her own and sat up. “Ah love you, momma”

“I love you too, Applejack.” Applejack reeled back slightly in shock and confusion. These words were not spoken by her mother. She followed her mother's stern gaze behind her and saw... her mother?

“Wha-what? Who...how...” she stuttered, looking back and forth between the two mares who were both her mother.

The second mother spoke up again. “It's OK, Applejack. Let's talk somewhere else, hm? Remember where I told you to look?” She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at Applejack expectantly.

Applejack set confusion to the side for just a second as she remembered. She glanced at the first mother who remained quiet, shooting an icy look to the other. Looking down her bed in thought, she answered, “My heart, right?”

She didn't notice the room dissolving around her. It happened much too quickly. When she did look up, rolling green hills surrounded her. All around, apple-trees big and small littered the landscape. A great sun above shined down wrapping the grove in which she rested in its warm embrace. Around the sun was a small ring of clear, blue sky. Beyond the ring, a sea of gray clouds swirled, casting shadows in the vast orchard that encircled this sunlit clearing. Applejack was half covered in cool shade from the swaying branches above. Her eyes no longer covered in tears, she was in awe of everything she saw. She found herself laying on her stomach as if she'd been laying there forever, the green grass tickling her legs as each blade danced in the wild wind. Next to her was the mare she had been reunited with recently. Only this time, she looked more... real.

Applejack was more than puzzled. “What's goin' on?”

Her mother smiled softly, enjoying the scene as she turned to face Applejack. She spoke calmly with a small trace of disappointment. “I was afraid that you had forgotten, Applejack. But that's OK. Remember the song I used to sing to you when you had trouble sleeping? I think it will help you.”

The sun seemed to shine even brighter as her mother began to sing. Applejack had completely forgotten the loveliness of her mother's voice. As she sung, the words floated along the wind currents and spread throughout the clearing and even into the sky.

Our sun has passed over the sky
The soft, glowing moon hangs above
Peace, serenity, and harmony
Are what dreams are made of

They will watch over you
The stars in the night sky
Close your weary eyes my dear
And hear my sweet lullaby

Let the calm rest take you away
To a magical, far-off land
Where troubles are few
And beauty shines so grand

When you awake in the morn
Worry not, I will be right here
So take heart my young child
Know there is nothing to fear

Always keep in mind
In times both dark and bleak
That feeling deep in your heart
Is what you must seek

It is there that you will find
The warmth of my smile
You will remember that I have
Been with you all the while

Do not believe it is
Love that you lack
For mine is eternal
Dear sweet Applejack

The ring of sky glowed in brilliant light as it grew outward, vanquishing the dark clouds. All around Applejack, sunlight rained down further and further. She looked in all directions as the hills glowed a more captivating green. The earth beneath her hooves felt warm and damp with her cascading tears of happiness. The world brightened as new-found light washed over the fields, the trees, and even Applejack, driving away all the shadows as the song came to an end. Her mother's love truly made her heart a beautiful place.

Comments

[ZStrike37]

Holy hay! It's about time I got this chapter done! Geeze, it took waaay longer than I would have liked. Sorry about that!

[Lucas]

Now, I feel confused, but I will definitely clear my mind soon. Hope to see more soon, and think about the next ones. I must begin preparing for the headaches