AppleJack always cared about her friends, family and her apples. Her life seems perfect, but why does she feel empty?
Applejack has everything she needs. Her friends, family and her apples. She has to feel complete, right? Wrong... although she thinks she feels perfectly fine, she feels empty. Her work distracted her from this feeling but now, she can't help it anymore. Rarity suggest to take a break, and go on holidays, far away from Ponyville. Sounds fun, right?
I laid down on my back on the wet grass, and stared at the rising sun. The weather team, moved the clouds, and let the soft orange light trough. I took a deep breath and focused on the whole scenery. The birds flying over, the butterflies flattering in front of my muzzle end the rabbits jumping around. It was nice to be here. Away from the crowded market, away from other ponies, just me and the peaceful grass field. I grabbed my Stetson hat and pulled it over my green eyes and smiled. I had time to take a little nap before I had to work. Not much later, I heard a crackly old voice, yelling my name. “Applejack! What are ya doing out here?” it scared me awake, and I almost rolled of the little hill I laid on.
“Granny?” I asked. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and put my hat back on my head. “What’s wrong?”
Granny Smith walked over and looked at me. “What are you doing here? There is a lot to do, and you’re laying here.” She gave me a concerned look.
I stretched my hind legs and rolled with my neck “I woke up to early, so I thought I could take a little nap before we got started. And there is not so much to do…”
Granny shook her head “Applejack,” she said. “We’ve been looking for you for two hours. We were really worried about you.”
“Two hours?” I asked surprised, and I looked around. The clouds were all gone, and Celestia raised the sun high in the sky, the soft orange light was bright yellow. “Darn,” I cursed. “I’m sorry Granny, I lost track of time.” I adjusted my hat one last time and trotted away “I’ll immediately start my chores.”
Granny tried to stop me but I already passed her and headed to Sweet Apple Acres. She sighed and shook her head “Ya need to have breakfast first!” but I was too far away to hear her.
“Sorry I’m late,” I apologized. Big Macintosh pulled an overloaded car with apples. I ran to the door of the barn to open it, so Big Mac could enter with the chariot. He looked slightly annoyed, but I understood that. I promised I’d move the apples to the barn and I slept through it. Unbelievable it happened to me.
Big Mac stopped and pushed the chariot backwards inside a stall. Later on, we would sort them, and put them in smaller boxes to sell. He turned to me with an anger face “Where were you?”
“I… I” I stuttered. “I slept in the grass field” I looked away. I’m sure Big Mac would be mad at me now. And he had the right to be. I let him down. “I’m so sorry, it was an accident.”
Big Mac shook his head “It’s okay. But never let that happen again.”
“Of course not!” I said, and sighed in relief. Seems that he’s not really mad after all. “So, are there some apples left I have to move?” “Nope” he said and turned away. “Everything’s done now.”
Now I felt even worse. But, I can make it up tomorrow by doing Big Mac’s chores too. I got distracted by a roaring sound in my stomach, and realized I haven’t eaten something today. I said sorry for the last time and walked away. I opened the door of the barn again, but just before I could leave, I felt a heavy hoof on my shoulder.
“Applejack”, Big Mac said.
I turned around and looked at my brother “Yes?”
“Is there something that’s bothering you?” he asked.
“What? No… why do you ask?” I gave him a confused look.
He sighed and let me go. “Just asking,” he said.
I smiled quickly and turned around.
“What’s wrong with everypony?” I asked myself. “I’m perfectly fine!” I opened a drawer in the kitchen and looked for something to eat. I found a box with cereal, so I grabbed myself a bowl and prepared my lunch. Well… lunch... It was more breakfast since it’s my first meal of the day. I sat down behind the table, and just as I wanted to dig in, my little sister Applebloom entered the room.
“Oh, hey AppleJack,” she smiled. Her light pink bow wobbled on her bold red mane as she spoke. She threw her saddlebags in the corner and jumped on a chair. “Is there any cereal left? I’m starvin’.”
“Of course,” I smiled “Here. Take my bowl. I’ll get a new one for myself.”
Applebloom smiled bright and without any questions, she took my bowl and dug in. I couldn’t resist a giggle. Applebloom was always hungry when she came back from school during lunch break. I made myself another bowl and sat next to Applebloom.
“Somethin’ wrong sis?” I heard her asking.
“What? No. I’m perfectly fine. Why would you think that?” I asked, confused.
“Well” she started “you made yourself a meal, but you’re just sitting there, playing with your food for at least ten minutes!”
“What?” I looked at my hoofs and found myself mixing my cereals with a spoon. “Oh… that…” I blinked with my eyes a couple of times and looked back at my little sister “I’m still sleeping a bit.”
“I can see that,” Applebloom said. “No offense,” she smiled sheepishly.
I rolled my eyes and started to eat. I put a big scoop of cereals in my mouth and start chewing, then I caught my reflection in the spoon and looked surprised. “My goodness!” I shove my bowl aside and ran out the kitchen, leaving my sister alone and confused.
With a lot of noise, I ran up the stairs, into the bathroom. I took a good look in the mirror. “My goodness,” I mumbled. “No wonder everypony was concerned about me. I look terrible.” I had giant bags under my eyes, although I slept well. My mane was a bit messy and my ears hung a bit flat. I took a deep breath and leaned on the sink. I couldn't deny it anymore... There is something…
The longer I thought about it, the worse I felt. “What’s wrong with me?” The past weeks were no different than usual. But I felt … different. Like I felt empty. I didn’t pay any attention to it, but now, it kept getting worse. I took a deep breath and shook it off. “It’s probably nothing. Maybe I just feel a bit guilty or tired. Nothing helps more than a good old nap,” I told myself. But then again, I just woke up. “Or, I’ll just go out for a walk. Maybe my friends need some help. That’d distract me from this.” I smiled and walked out the bathroom.
I opened the door of the Carousel Boutique. I hoped I’d see Rarity around here, because lately, she traveled around a lot for business expansion. I heard some mumbling about crystals and deadlines behind a clothes rack. “Euhm… Rarity?” I asked.
A white coated unicorn with a purple mane looked around and caught me. “Oh, darling, you look terrible!” Rarity cried out. “No offense of course.”
I looked uncomfortable around “Well, sorry. I hoped I could help you with something.”
“Why do you ask?” she pondered. “Is something bothering you?”
“No. I guess,” I placed my hoof on my chin. “Not that I’m aware of.”
“You guess?” Rarity cocked an eyebrow and trotted a bit closer. “Darling, if something’s bothering you, you can tell me.”
“Well,” I started. “I do feel a bit… off”
Rarity gestured me to take a seat at the table. I sat down, and she sat down across me. “Off?” she asked.
“Yeah, like… a bit empty,” I said. “I don’t feel bad or anything. Nothing special happened just … I feel empty.”
“I see,” Rarity said. “For how long, if I may ask?”
“I don’t know. I realized it this morning after breakfast. Well, it was more lunch since I fell asleep again.” I placed my hoof on my chin again and started thinking a little more.
Rarity started to think a little too. “And do you miss something?”
I thought a little bit “No. I have everything. Friends, family, my apples, but still, I feel like I...” I thought a little more. “Now you say it, it DOES feel like I miss something.”
Rarity grinned a little bit. “Maybe you miss somePONY”
“What?” I asked. “Who would I miss?” I rolled my eyes. Rarity was being mysterious again. It’s probably nothing.
“I think you NEED somepony. Somepony to love,” Rarity smiled.
I almost fell from my chair. “W-What?” I asked her “That’s ridiculous. You can’t say I need a special somepony.”
Rarity smiled genially. “I do think you need somepony. You said you feel empty. And probably lonely. I think you want LOVE.”
“And how come you know this so sure?” I asked her.
“I read a lot of romance,” she smiled “And I thought this moment would come.”
“You… what?” Now I was completely confused.
“Applejack,” she said. “You’ve been working so much. You’ve spent a lot time with your family. I think that the one thing you miss is love and affection.”
I blushed slightly and started to think.
“But after all, it’s your choice,” she told me. She stood up and walked to the door of the kitchen. “You want some tea?”
I nodded and thought a little more. Is she right? Do I need somepony special? My whole life was about friends, family and apples. But… a coltfriend…
A little bit later, Rarity returned with two teacups and a teapot. She poured me a cup and handed it over to me. I took a sip and thanked her.
“You alight dear?” Rarity asked me, and she looked with a concerned face.
“Y-Yeah” I said. “I was just... thinkin’.” I took another sip of my tea and sighed.
“Or maybe you’re just overworked, and you need a break,” Rarity said. She pulled out a book from a drawer behind her and levitated it with her magic. She flipped a few pages and looked at me. “No, you need love,” and she closed her book.
I rolled my eyes and gave a good look at my friend. “And you think that because you read it in a book.” I
sighed “You sure you just don’t want to see a love story happening in front of your eyes?”
“Well...” Rarity started “I wouldn’t mind it.” she smiled sheepishly, and looked back at her book.
I finished my tea and stood up. “I’ll just stick to the ‘I’m overworked’ theory. It makes a lot more sense.”
“Fine,” Rarity said. “if you don’t want any romance in your life, that’s your problem.” She pulled up her nose, but immediately smiled again. “Maybe you should leave Ponyville for a couple of days. To relax a bit more?”
“Leavin’ Ponyville?” I asked. I placed a hoof on my chin yet again. “I’ve never thought of leavin’ Ponyville on my own.” I looked up to my friend “And where should I go then? Appleoosa?”
Rarity smiled “No, you’d only work there too” she took another little book from the same drawer “Maybe somewhere you’ve never been before. Like Applewood, Las Pegasus, or Fillidelphia.”
“But those are all fancy smish smosh cities,” I complained. “With all the chic galas and such.”
“I know, isn’t it marvelous?” Rarity cried out, clapping her hoofs in joy. “Think about all the things you could do.”
“You know that’s nothing for me, right?” I cocked an eyebrow.
Rarity sat down behind the table, and beckoned to me to sit down too. She opened the book and placed the whole map at the table as I sat down next to her, and looked at the map of Equestria. “Darling, there is so much you can see. I think you should really go to a place you’d normally never go. To be sure you’re alone and have your rest. It’ll be exciting and new. Absolutely perfect when you feel down.”
“I guess that makes sense but it’s nothing for me, you know that.” I sighed and leaned back in my chair.
“Maybe,” Rarity smirked as she looked at her map. “We’ll see.”
I closed the small curtain of the window and leaned back into my seat. I pulled my Stetson hat over my eyes and sighed. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” I looked under the rim of my hat and scanned the rest of the waggon. I saw three other ponies and one filly, snuggling close to her mom. The soft seats and the shaking of the train lulled me to sleep.
Yesterday, I told Granny I’d go on a holiday. She agreed and said they could handle a couple of days without me. Twilight and Rainbow Dash were so kind when they offered to help at the orchard while I was gone. "Better safe than sorry", they probably thought.
Fluttershy and Rarity insisted on helping me pack, but I told them I could do it on my own. Now I know why they wanted to help... Even though i refused their help, Rarity packed my dress from the Grand Galloping Gala. It was a ‘must’ in her eyes.
Pinkie Pie threw a party for me and insisted that i write her letters. I suppose i should keep them to a daily minimum... I don’t want her to go nuts like back then when Rainbow Dash went to the Wonderbold Academy. Pinkie was practically married to her mailbox!
The girls and i trotted over to the train station. We waved each other goodbye while the train took off. I still can’t believe Rarity convinced me to go... "Next stop, Phillydelphia!” the conductor yelled. He turned around and left towards the next wagon. I heard him yelling again.
I woke up with a shock and looked around, slightly confused. I pushed my hat back on my head and stretched my hoofs. “Finally” I mumbled. I stood up and looked around again. There were a few more ponies in here than there were when I fell asleep. I checked if my luggage was still in the rack above me, and found my big brown suitcase and green saddle bags. I hung my saddlebags on my back and grabbed the suitcase in my mouth, as the other ponies did the same.
I held on as the train stopped with a slight screech. I walked to the exit, together with all the other ponies on the wagon. The door opened slowly with the sound of a whistle sound. I got out first and looked around. On a shiny board against the wall, I read ‘Fillydelphia’ in graceful letters. I took a deep breath, smelling the dirty smell of coal and sweaty passengers, pushing to get out of the crowd.
I held my suitcase tight and tried to find my way out of the busy train station. After some pushes, bumps and apologies, I found myself standing next to the road. I looked up at the sky and saw the sun hanging pretty low, but it looked darker than it should be, seeing most of the sunlight was blocked behind all the tall buildings. I was hungry and tired from the trip, so I decided to get something to eat and check in to a hotel to get some sleep.
I looked around with confusion. I’ve never been in Phillydelphia before, so I took the little map Rarity gave me before I left. I scanned the whole paper and looked up again. “The hotel is just a few blocks away” I thought to myself. “I’m sure I’ll find a restaurant or something along the way.” I put the map away, took my suitcase and walked over the pavement.
As I walked, I saw a lot of well-dressed ponies, talking to each other. But their sound was overwhelmed by the noise of carriages and loud music, coming from the little shops along the way. “Well, I have to agree with Rarity. This is nothing like Ponyville.” I sighed.
After a short walk, I saw a quaint little eatery. As soon as i entered, i heard soft, swinging music all troughout it. There were a few wooden tables with checkered napkins and vintage plates. The whole place reminded me of a mix between a fancy restaurant and a saloon like in Appleloosa. I looked around and saw two couples at a table and three ponies, sitting at the bar. I went over to a table in the corner. I put my suitcase and saddlebags aside and sat down. I took a card and looked for something that sounds good to eat. After a little while, the waiter came to me with a little notebook. “May I have your order, please?” he asked me politely.
“I think I’ll take the, umm…” I glanced at the paper again. “The apple salad please.”
“And would you like something to drink?” he asked, as he wrote down my order in his notebook using magic.
“Sure,I’d like a glass of cider”, I said.
“Alright. It’ll be ready soon” the waiter smiled, as He levitated his pencil in his pocket and walked away.
I smiled back. “Thank you.” I looked around once more, after which I grabbed my saddlebag. “Almost forgot” I checked if I had enough bits in my bag. After that, I grabbed another paper Rarity gave me. It was a list ofevents that'll take place while I was here. She highlighted the events that I ‘simply must’ be a part of.
“Really?” I said to myself. “A gala?”, as I looked further down the list. “And a banquet? All on my own? How is this in any way relaxing?” Normally, I wouldn’t have a problem with it as long as I’m with friends, but here, I don’t know anypony... “Well, I gues I'll try and make the best of this...”
A little bit later, the waiter came back, levitating a plate and a mug. “Here you go miss.” He placed it on my table. “Have a nice meal” he said, smiling.
I smiled right back at him, putting my paper back in my saddlebag. I quietly ate my salad, all the while thinking about how i should spend my time here. There were some museums and theatres I could visit. I actually like that, so it should be fun. But I’m not exactly looking forward to the gala and the banquet. I wonder if I'll see someone I recognise. I hope I can behave between those fancy ponies, at least.
After a while, I finished my dinner and sipped the last bit of cider from my mug. I called the waiter over, asking for my bill. I grabbed my little pocket with bits and paid him. I also give him a little tip.
I got up, grabbing my suitcase and saddlebags. I was still thinking about the gala and the banquet. I left the eatery and stood on the pavement again. It was pretty dark now. The sun was deep orange and the streetlights were burning already. I sighed and went to my hotel. I should really get some sleep now.
The wooden door creaked eerily as I entered the hotel. The whole lobby had a vintage style to it. I gazed around to take in the room. Almost the entire floor was covered in a carmine coloured carpet with gold stitched patterns on it. A double wooden stairs filled the back wall with an over-sized dark-wooded counter in front of it. The walls were painted soft white and decorated with colourfull posters of nearby sights and events. From the ceiling hung an iron chandelier with lit candles, giving the room a warm flickering light in this evenings darkness.
I placed my suitcase near an old looking bench, which, oddly enough, reminded me of the train seats. I looked around and saw that I was the only pony in the room, except for the young mare behind the counter.
"Welcome to the Flying Chariot" she said with a smile. "How can I help you" she had a soft blue coat and yellow ocher manes, tied tightly in a ponytail.
"Oh, euhm. Yes miss" I mumbled. I walked up to the counter to greet her with a smile. "Ah was hopin' there was still a room available. My friend recommended me this place" I rubbed my left eye quickly and tried to fight back a yawn.
"I'm happy to hear that" she said. She opened up a book an gazed over it quickly. "For how long would you like to stay?" she asked me.
"I'm not entirely sure myself" I replied. "About a week?" I frankly didn't know how long I should stay. I started to think about the conversations I had with Rarity about my holiday. I want to stay just long enough to be not overworked anymore. But all the advice and tips made me even more worked up than my actual farm work.
"Euhm? Miss?" the lady behind the counter asked.
I snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh, yes? Sorry."
"A room for one?" she asked me.
"Yes" I sighed. "It's just me"
"Alright" the lobbyist took a quill in her hoof "What's your name miss?"
"Applejack"
"Okay Applejack" she wrote my name in that book. "I'll write in a week, but since it not high season yet, you can extend your stay as long as you'd like. Just let us know up front"
I nodded "sure thing miss"
"It'll be fifteen bits per night. You can join the breakfast buffet, in the restaurant" She pointed towards a closed double door. I suppose the restaurant is behind those doors. There was a nice sign which read Breakfast 6-11 "And because you stay here, it'll be cheaper and only five bits."
I nodded again. I Just want to get to my room already.
She grabbed a key from a rack behind her and placed it on the counter "Your room is on the first floor. Up the stairs and directly to your left. Room 104"
"Thanks miss" I replied. I grabbed the key and placed it in my saddlebags for a moment.
"You're welcome" she smiled. "If there are any questions, please come to the front desk and we'll do our best to help."
"Thank you" I said again. I turned around to grab my suitcase. Even tho I didn't do much, my body ached like I did an entire day of field work. Maybe I should have eased down on the cider.
"Have a nice evening" I heard her say.
"You too" I took my luggage in my nuzzle and trotted upstairs. Sweet sweet bedroom, here I come.
I entered my room and threw my saddlebags on the ground. "Well. this certainly is somethin alright" I mumbled to myself. The room wasn't anything special. but the bed itself was way bigger than what I anticipated. "This is for one pony?" I asked myself? "I wonder what a bed for two ponies looks like around here." without looking around, I swiftly jumped on the bed and sunk deep in the fluffy mattress. There was enough space to have my legs spread out and have my dog Winona next to me. Something I couldn't do in my own tiny bed.
I took a deep breath. "Might as well try enjoy my stay here" I sighed. I placed my stetson hat on the night stand, pulled up the blanket and tossed until I felt comfortable.
I closed my eyes, but my mind filled up with bits and pieces of the last few days. I didn't do anything out of ordinary. I didn't do extra chores. If anything, I did less. There is no reason to feel tired. Big Mac should be here instead. He's the one who deserves some rest.
I got out of bed and looked around. I opened a door, right next to the entrance and found a bathroom. It was rather small, but large enough to hold a bathtub and a proper sink with a cabinet underneath. I explored the cabinets and found myself a towel. The faucet of the sink creaked a little when I opened it. I held my head under the cold running water for a solid minute before turning it off. Leaving me standing there with my manes soaking wet.
"You still lookin pretty tired" I said to my refection in the mirror. "From what?" I sighed, knowing full well I wouldn't get a response. I dried my manes with the towel and walked back up to my bed.
It was then that I noticed that I didn't sleep well for the past few days. Maybe weeks. I let my thoughts run wild. Thinking about everyone and everything close to me. About its purpose. Would everything slip away if I didn't attend to it? Is it worth to give everything my complete focus? I always did my best, so why stop? Am I supposed to question everything now, even tho I accepted everything before? I suddenly felt bad for for leaving town on such a short notice.
I sighed. "I shouldn't have talked about it with Rarity." I turned around once more. I should have just stayed home.
