The Last Apple
The mournful wind passed southbound, breaking through a swirling gloom born by Sombra. The gust's wheeling cry tore down Sweet Apple Acres, past the fields of apples, and further on until it reached a solitary tree. The lonesome wind sighed as it bent around the hardened bark, protecting the angels asleep in the cold, cold ground. But what wind cries and sighs and moans? Could it be the slumbering roots that beckoned for the warmth of newest passing?
But to Applejack, it was just an outspoken wind which did force remembrance of names once famed, but were now dubious and forgotten beside the moniker of Mister and Mistress. The wind blew coldly, but Applejack did not shiver, for her hardened spirit had already been touched by the frost of loss, which killed the seed of sorrow before it could sprout on this, another anniversary of her parents' passing.
The headstones towered over Applejack, imposing upon her their weathered Coat of Arms, apples. But, through sad sight, the years could be spelled out of parents past. Twelve years. Twelve years with parental bereavement. Twelve years where mourning tears had dried up, leaving a dispassion for authority. But in all respects, because Applejack was the only one that returned to her parents' cradle, she cared most for their memory. Apple Bloom was too young to remember. Big Mac was too masculine to show emotion. And Granny Smith was too decrepit to make the four mile march.
The wind, now a placid titan, once again sailed passed Applejack, whispering her name. She flinched and believed to hear the sound of something purring at her hooves. She dared not look behind her, but felt to indulge in fond name-calling.
"Hello, Death."
To her rear stood it: Death. The Grave, corporeal; a dreaded and tall and ghastly apparition that made ponies shiver when named and appalled nature. Its cloak was dark as the space between stars, and sucked life and light from the comparatively infant Sun. It was a supernumerary horror, mostly served in dead night as rotten legend. It was a cheerless, unsocial creature, if skeleton underhood could glimmer through its low-browed and shadowed cloak.
"Waiting for me as usual, Applejack. But that never surprises. Your honesty holds you to your word," murmured Death. As it trailed on in its monotonous tone, the wind became silent and sharp. Applejack's hair stood on end, and her body began to lightly shiver.
"But you're late. Busy?" asked Applejack through her clattering teeth. Her lips curled into a frown. She gulped. Death may be busy, but he's never been late for our appointments.
"I am always busy, Applejack. But I am never late for an appointment," answered Death.
"Then why are you late?" questioned Applejack. Her countenance continued to wrinkle in worry.
"Because this is not an appointment, Applejack. There were others close to you that required my attention," responded Death.
Others close to you that required my attention. Disbelief roiled inside Applejack. Her entire body turned hot, then cold, then hot again. Anger rose within her, so great it seared the breath from her lungs. She turned to Death screaming, "Who did you take th—" That's when she saw it.
Sweet Apple Acres was on fire.
The burning barn drew her attention from Death. The red paint had taken a life of its own, shredding the foundations on its host with wicked, crimson claws. The squeals of collapsing timber slowly saturated the air. The column of black smoke eventually built up into a signature of Applejack's companion, so thick and black that the flashing red and blue lights of the fire brigade were drowned. Listless, she crawled towards the alight structure, but stopped and swaggered, her jaw unhinged and open as her blank eyes stared.
If Death has declared it so, there's no hope to stop it.
"That is why I was late," whispered Death in her ear.
Applejack's body twisted to the side. There stood Death, its approach silent like the grave. The impenetrable shadow within the hood was faced towards her, but it was impossible to tell whether Death stared at her, or at Sweet Apple Acres. But such thoughts were far from Applejack's mind.
She once again peered into the distance. There, as Death had implied, Sweet Apple Acres burned to the ground. The wind blew in her direction, and soon the screams of her cremated family, along with the fragrance of Apples and charred wood, rushed past her. Applejack closed her eyes. Bursts of sorrow gushed from either eye, fast-falling down her cheek.
She was the last Apple.
"Why? Why us? What quarrel do you have with our family?" questioned Applejack. Without the apple trees or her family, without any divine purpose to shape her life, she was nothing but a hapless victim. The anger inside surged through her once more, so dark and overwhelming that it could contest the darkness of Death's cloak.
"I have no quarrel with anypony, honest Applejack. I am Death. I only follow destiny. And today, the rest of your family has met their fate." There may have been no partial condolence in its tone, but Applejack could sense a horrible grin forming over his skull.
"And you shouldn't repress your emotions. It's not very honest."
She turned to Death. Her lips were parted, and her teeth cracked as they gritted against each other. Her brow knotted, and her eyes focused on Death, the burning barn reflected in her stare. "But why not take me?" she screamed. "I am an Element of Harmony. Is my soul not worth three to you?"
"No, Applejack. A soul is a soul. You're still needed in the grand scheme of things because you are an Element of Harmony." Death's tone shifted to one that patronized. "It is why you get to live just a bit longer."
"You bastard! I — I'll kill you!" Applejack leapt for Death, her hooves aimed at his seemingly fragile form. But she passed right through it. Death was nothing more than a mist. But Applejack turned and attacked anew. Her hooves wafted through the spirit, only temporarily dissipating Death's form. But soon she tired, and collapsed on the ground, panting heavily as sweat dripped down her brow.
Death's neck craned down to her level. "I am Death, Applejack. You are no more a threat to me than a termite. There is no way you can beat me."
Applejack peered into Death's hood. For the first time in twelve years, she saw his eyes. They weren't empty as she believed. Instead, she saw the souls of Big Mac, Apple Bloom, her parents, and Granny Smith buried in the lake which burned with fire and brimstone: a second death. As there screams died from the barn fire, they were born anew in Death's eyes. But being so close, they were deafening and inspiring.
Applejack smiled. "I know of one way to beat you." She stood up and walked towards Ponyville, her head held high.
Death chuckled. "I can read your thoughts. Your plan will be in vain, Applejack." But despite his warning, she continued on to Ponyville.
"Raze this barn. Raze this barn. One, two, three, four," sang Death, until Applejack had disappeared down the road. It encroached on the lonely apple tree, defying gravity as he walked along the bark until her hung from one of its branches. The mist that composed Death folded in on itself. It compacted to the size of a caterpillar, and took the shape of a chrysalis. The cocoon wiggled crazily for a few short moments, and shed. What remained was a butterfly, young, with vibrant wings of delicate lace. Such grace, such poise as it fluttered towards the burning barn.
***
An hour later, Applejack returned to her parent's resting place with a rope and stool. The towering guarding, the tree, was old. The green leaves which once abounded on its branches had all disappeared, and only a single apple remained on its strongest branch. Applejack plucked the apple, and watched it closely. The apple was a marvel; on even so old tree, the red fruit had prospered. But in its rosy flesh, Applejack saw her reflection, the same reflection of a pony unable to cheat Death. She yelled, and dashed the apple against the ground. She began to stomp on it, and mashed it into raw applesauce. But despite her efforts, the apple, while battered into juice, was still an apple. It was still a part of her failed legacy.
She wrapped the rope around the branch. The left over part wasn't close enough for her to reach. Perfect. She placed the stool beneath it, climbed atop it, and tied the end into a noose. She placed it around her neck, tightening it until it hurt to breath. Ready, she once again peered off towards Sweet Apple Acres. The fire had been put out, leaving the stench of burnt Apples heavy on the wind. She exhaled one last time, and mustered up past endearments of warmer hours spent with family.
She kicked the stool out beneath her, and dropped. The rope, with a sharp crack, caught her and swung her lazily in the dying wind.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
***
Other than an absent Applejack, the remainder of the Elements of Harmony worked hard to extinguish the flames. Rainbow Dash organized the Weather Patrol to douse the burning barn in water. Twilight and Rarity used their magic to try and suffocate the flames. And finally, Fluttershy gathered her animal friends to help in any way possible.
However, Pinkie Pie stood off on the sidelines, tears flooding down her cheeks as she was forced to listen to the deafening screams of the Apple family being cremated in the barn. She curled into a ball, holding her hooves to her ears as the screams continued to barrage her sanity. But oddly, she felt something on her ear. Peering at the disturber, she found a butterfly. Seemingly delicate, its wings of cold, sharp steel caught Pinkie's gaze.
The butterfly hypnotized the helpless pony with its unsurpassed beauty. There was no resisting its call. The butterfly fluttered off, whispering cold nothings as Pinkie Pie followed clumsily.
***
The butterfly fluttered into the cemetery, drawing the hypnotized pony in. Fluttering over the graves of Applejack's parents, the butterfly drew Pinkie in. The pony mashed the entombing earth with her hoof, lighthearted laughter emanating from her lips. The butterfly lead her around and around the headstones, and Pinkie continued to mash the buried graves further asunder. Eventually, the butterfly dipped beneath the headstone on the opposite side of Pinkie. With sight of it lost, Pinkie was free from its misleading spell. Rubbing her groggy eyes, she peered towards the lonesome apple tree, the now unclouded Sun shining in her direction.
She saw a shadow.
It was Applejack.
She screamed.
***
Applejack awoke, brilliant light immediately blinding her. She felt as if lying on a vast plane of flowers, the euphoric scent of lavender swirling around her. Such smells should have birthed hunger, but Applejack felt content; full. Warmth radiated over her body, but never became too much as a slight, cooling breeze brushed past her. But surprisingly, there was no feeling, there was no pain. The sorrow of loved ones past was absent from Applejack's mind. She smiled as her outstretched body settled into the luxurious bed.
"Applejack," whispered somepony. Applejack turned to look, but her neck could only crane so much. She sat up, but was stopped. Her limbs would not follow, as if bound by some invisible force.
"Applejack." The same voice called her again. She rocked against whatever bounded her. Cold hooves fell on her chest, and pushed her down. She snarled, and struggled more vigorously. Her brow knotted in strain, and her eyes closed as she focused all her energy to escape.
"Applejack. Settle down!" The voice called to her again. This time it was a yell.
Applejack opened her eyes. The light receded, and she was blind no more. Before her were the other Elements of Harmony and Nurse Redheart. She settled into the mattress, slightly agitated by the uproar of air conditioning and the sun which burned her eyes. She turned to her appendages, which were each bound to the railing of her hospital bed by straps, one of which had an IV needle inserted below her skin. Tracing the needle's cord, she found a bag of fluids slowly dripping nutrients into her well-fed body. Abruptly, the fluid stopped flowing. But oddly, there was a single drop suspended between the bag and the IV cord.
Applejack turned back to her companions. They too were frozen. Death misted in amongst them, his hood off, revealing a smiling skeleton. "There are two things you need to understand, Applejack. One, you cannot defeat me at my own occupation. And two, while I have no quarrel with you..." Death moved in beside Applejack's ear, "...I will not tolerate those who try to foil destiny, last Apple."
Death's gainsays spouted blunt truth which acquainted Applejack with what she was.
She was the last Apple.