> Grave core > by DannyPager > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Grave Core Part 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1 AppleJack had just finished work for the day and was extremely tired. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed. She must have kicked two or three hundred trees that day alone. When she did go to sleep, AppleJack had a dream. -----------------------------------------------------------------------Sleeping------------------------------ AppleJack had been excitedly in the sitting room of the hospital. She was anxious for her brother to call her into the room so that she could see her new baby filly or colt . She saw Big Macintosh coming down the hall. He motioned for her to follow him. When AppleJack trotted over and could see Big Macintosh’s face, she saw immediately that he was crying. He didn't say anything and kept trotting down the hall, going unusually fast. When they got to the room, she immediately noticed the state her parents were in. Her dad was looking at her mom, his back facing AppleJack. The doctor was a unicorn who looked very exhausted. Then she looked at her mother. She looked like she was in a lot of pain, her hooves ran slowly across the bed, trying to grasp or do something to let out the pain. One of her hooves went to her orange and reddish mane and pulled, her coat was pale orange and unkept, making her look like an afflicted and possessed foal. AppleJack was confused, “Are you okay mommy?” Her dad turned around and looked at AppleJack. AppleJack noticed the little baby her dad was holding. If the baby was okay, then why was no one celebrating? She looked up at her dad, it was clear that he had been crying just as Big Macintosh was. “What’s wrong?” AppleJack asked. Her dad spoke ,”Your mom had…she has a...a birth problem, and...and she’s not gonna to make it.” her dad was crying and barely was able to talk with the painful lump in his throat that held back his voice. Applejack's eyes met that of the new filly. She had a yellow coat and a red mane with small, cute, golden orange eyes. “I can’t keep her alive for much longer, maybe two or three minutes.” The unicorn doctor said in an exhausted voice. Then her dad suddenly looked scared,”Why. Why can’t you heal her?” He said giving the unicorn a desperate look. He was desperate and sincerely hoped this was not real. He held back tears. “I have already told you, I did not study this magic specifically, I can only keep her alive for but a few more minutes, if that!” He said, truly feeling a strong weight on his back from both the constant magic usage as well as the pressure of keeping a pony alive. Her dad sighed, calming down and looking deeply into his wife's eyes that were as shiny as the stars that had been bathed in tears and then sunk into her eyes. She looked at him, scared that her life was coming to an end. Though she just wasn't the same, she was looking more and more out of it, it was only a matter of time. Her dad looked back to her mom,”Do you remember what the priest said when we got married? He said ‘till death do you part’. Well he was wrong. I will not stop loving you even after you have gone. Death does not mean the end of our marriage or the end of life. It simply means that you will go to another plane of existence. I love you, and love never fades with age, with pain, or even death.” His voice wobbled and cracked, he thought he definitely had something in his throat, though all it really was was hope being rejected by his body. He sobbed and sat down next to her, holding her hoof, he looked down, hiding his emotional face. Big Macintosh made his way over to where his mother lay. He was not much for words, but that didn’t stop him now. He bent over and gave her a kiss on the cheek,”I love you ma, I will miss ya.” He wrapped her into a hug. AppleJack finally understood. She understood pain. She understood heartache. And was beginning to understand death. She was shaking and could not come to grip with what was happening. Applejack's mom forced her way into a sitting position and outstretched her fore legs. Applejack's dad went to her and met her in a hug and gave her a kiss. They shared another moment before AppleJack went up to her mother, “Ah love you mom. Ah promise that ah will look after my new baby sister, and continue to work on our farm for as long as ah live.” Applejack's mom teared up a gave a weak smile. “Take care of little Apple bloom.” Everyone came in for a hug which they shared for a moment, enjoying the closeness and quiet tranquility. Then they heard a thump a second later. They turned to see the unicorn doctor collapsed on the floor, unconscious. They quickly looked back but were too late, her forelegs had slid down their backs and fell to the side of the hospital bed. She gave her last breath, and died. The Apple family waited in silence for another few minutes. The unicorn nurse awoke stood and lowered his head solemnly, then covered a blanket over his patient. He went and put a kind hoof on Applejack's fathers shoulder. Then left without a word. ------------------------------------------------------------------Waking world----------------------------------------------------------- AppleJack awoke in a cold sweat. Only it wasn't just sweat, it was also tears. So many tears. She got up and changed her sheets, then went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. She looked in the mirror and saw bags under her bloodshot eyes, her mane in an utter state of chaos. She looked back at the mirror for but a few seconds, long enough to see herself in the mirror quickly decaying, watching as her eyes slid out of her sockets like egg yolk, spilling into the sink. Then her skin began oozing and falling apart in chunks, mane growing whiter and whiter, than falling out. AppleJack couldn't help but stare, completely transfixed on her doomed self. She watched until only bones remained, than another skeleton appeared next to her, this one having eyes. The same color eyes as her mother. AppleJack galloped away as fast as she could, hearing her mother call, ”AppleJack dearest, why are you running from mother?” The voice asked, voice sounding sick and pained. Applejack slammed the door closed, the first thing she did upon getting back into bed was looking at her hooves to find that her flesh was still most definitely on her body. She sighed heavily and tried to calm down, getting up and looking out the door. The hallway was empty, though a breeze was passing through, even though the only window in the hallway was closed. She did another check just to be certain, but found no one. AppleJack slowly crept through the hallway to the window, sometimes hearing creaks in the floor boards. She looked out the window and saw nothing out of the ordinary. She turned around to see the hallway was much longer than it was previously. The moonlight shined through the window, and AppleJack saw two shadows of ponies on the wall, swinging back and forth on a swing. Then, all of a sudden, the swings disappeared. In that very second, now attached to the ponies shadows neck, was a noose. They were hanging, and still swinging. She ran back into her room. ‘It couldn't be real.’ AppleJack thought. ‘I just need some sleep. It’s all in my head.’ AppleJack went to bed and drifted off into sleep. ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sleeping----------------------------------------------------------- Big Macintosh, AppleJack, their dad, and their newest addition to the family were heading home from the hospital. Still shaky and out of it, they walked slowly, not paying attention to the crisp fragile breaking of the leaves under their wandering and seemingly lost hooves. The trees were mostly bare but a few could be seen with its vibrant colors and wonderful shades. But the Apples did not feel so high on the tree. In fact, they felt helpless like the brittle leaves that always got walked over and crushed. The clouds loomed overhead, lightly sprinkling its sorrowful tears that upon hitting the damp ground let out simple repetitive taps that threw through the Apple family's ears. A drop landed on the forehead of little Apple bloom, making her squirm. Then she yawned and fell asleep. They got home and ate dinner in relative silence and then went right to bed. AppleJack set the sleeping foal in her crib. Then pulled a blanket over her. AppleJack went to bed, hoping things would be better in the morning. They weren't. And it only got worse for them. They awoke still hurting from the earlier loss, but AppleJack had to pick up some food at the market for her family. She got up and out of the barn to go into town. But when she got to the wagon she found a note attached to it. She read the note. Dearest Family I have made a shocking discovery. The trees… all these years we have not been just hitting trees. What I found yesterday was that some trees have a soul. Our relatives and ancestors that have died… they go into the trees! I have heard their whispers, I have heard their pleas, they won’t stop calling for me. Whats worse is their anger and rage. Not just from us always kicking them and stealing their apples, but also because they think I truly do not care for my dear Apple Dumpling. They say she is in a tree as well, but that the tree is in a lost village in the everfree forest. So I am leaving, and I may not come back. I love you all, please take care of Granny Smith. I will find your mother. Goodbye. --Apple Cobbler The letter was in bad condition after AppleJack was frantic and tears blurred her vision. She immediately ran back to the barn to show Big Macintosh the letter. “Big Macintosh”! AppleJack yelled rushing into the barn. "Right here" Big Macintosh said, finishing his breakfast. AppleJack tried to talk but her voice faltered. She just passed him the letter. Big Macintosh read and his expression changed from concern into surprise and horror. He left immediately, presumably to find granny smith. -------------Apple Cobblers perspective----------Last night-------------------------------- I just could not get myself to sleep. I turn to see an empty spot in the bed next to me. I waited, imagining that she was simply late to bed and was just heading up. The door creaked open and I thought things might finally get better. What a fool I am. But then I see nothing greeted me but another wave suffering loneliness. I sighed and got up, deciding to take a walk to clear my head. It was a very nice night out. No clouds were blocking the view of thousands of stars that glistened in wonderful earnest so the moon beamed and guided my sorrowful walk. A few moments in I heard something. As if someone were gently tapping, gently rapping on an apple core. I could not take it any more. I called,¨Is someone there? Hiding away from the moon's gilded stare?¨. Yes someone was there. I looked behind the tree with care, but no one here. Must have disappeared, in fear maybe, of fear of me. Then out of the blue, the tree spoke free and talked with me. It spoke with wisdom and age, telling me that he felt caged. We talked us two, and he told me what to do. I had to pack and leave on that chilling eve with nary a wave nor goodbye. I needed to try. If she was out there as proclaimed, than I must find her, for I was never vain. So I fled, in the now pouring rain, I found a long river that rushed like a train. I scrambled together a makeshift boat, set it in the river to see if it could float. I sailed upon the water and hoped it led through the town. The ship kept sailing and never ever went down. ---------------------------------------------Applejack's perspective----------------------------------------------- AppleJack had some time to think, it had been only yesterday that her father had run away, leaving them scared and worried, feeling abandoned. Was granny smith next? How long would it be till they were all alone? She thought back to the birth and how her mom had died. She could not believe it. The only reason things had gone as they did was because of a birth effect. Correction. It was because Applebloom was born. If she were not born, then she would still be alive, and dad would not have run away, and everything would be perfect. A sister would have been great, if only it had not come with a such a cost. -------------------------------Waking world----------------------------------------------- AppleJack yawned and stretched, getting up and starting the day's routine. It was this day 8 years ago that their mom had died and then their father ran off. Their family was hosting a gathering at the barn with all their relatives and friends to commemorate their loss. Family was permitted to read the note their dad left if they so chose, though many were shocked and confused at the message. Though to the Apples surprise some of their cousins have also heard something coming from the trees, but chose to ignore what they were trying to say. Often times they would take that as a sign that they were either drunk or needed a rest, as all Apples at some point worked too hard or drank too much and therefore often heard things. Apple Strudel said that his grandfather chose to stay away from the trees after he thought he heard them screaming and crying during the bucking as if in pain. She told her brother about the dreams she was having, but Big Macintosh had no clue how to help her, aside from giving a hug. She went back to bed, feeling queasy and nauseous. She had a little more hard cider than would have been recommended, but she had not cared, she needed to drown away her sorrows. She stumbled around and looked through her blurry half lidded eyes to find the bed. She spent an unknown amount of time sobbing before she fell asleep. ---------------------------------------------------Sleeping-------------------------------------------- AppleJack was in a small dark room, standing in a puddle. The rooms walls felt concrete, dry, and rough. She tried walking around the room but found a large… thing in the way. She slipped on it and fell down, breaking one of her front legs in a disturbing crack. AppleJack howled in pain, the sound echoing throughout the small chamber. She heard a slick noise and then a pair of yellow eyes stared at her. The creature got up and rushed towards AppleJack. ¨You did this to me! All i wanted to do was live mah life, but then society gets a awful one like you and brings out the worst in everyone else! LOOK AT ME.¨ The lights went on and illuminated the room and its inhabitants. There in the middle of the room stood a beast of a creature with one large eye that looked reptile like, and the other just a normal pony eye but three times bigger with gray color instead of the blood red the other one had. It was of a pony shape, yellow for the most part, but with gray veins clearly visible under the skin. The creature opened its mouth again just to cough up what resembled a foal embryo. The creature glared down at the baby and turned the baby to a piece of coal. Then used its massive teeth to rip it apart. AppleJack then noticed a pink bow with a bloodstain on it on top of the puddle. The puddle itself was black, but several pieces of almost completely unrecognizable ponies were also thrown about. A purple horn pierced a white flank that had three diamonds on it, right next to a yellow wing. In the corner of the room was a pair of blue wings stuck to the wall with the black goop, as if it were some kind of glue. The creature suddenly coughed again and out came a pink ear sizzling away due to the creatures acidic saliva. The creature began to cry and scream, wavering in between the screams of her sister to that of a monsters. The smaller eye was looking scared and panicked while the other eye seemed to have gotten even more bloodshot and terrifying. The creature continued through and through, and pulled itself back. But that was not nearly enough. ¨Help me!¨Apple Bloom's voice came from the hunk of monster. Applejack's eyes widened, unable to comprehend everything happening around her. -----------------------Waking world-------------------------------------------------------------- AppleJack shot up in bed, a cool sweat evident on her adrenaline fueled body. She ran to Apple Bloom's room. She opened the door and found her peacefully sleeping. AppleJack sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her breathing. She opened her eyes again but Apple Bloom was not there. AppleJack went back to full panic mode and searched the whole bedroom. She looked in her closet, behind the dresser, behind the lamp, and finally decided to look under the bed. Under the bed she found several pieces of paper, each with a picture on it, along with words etched on. One had a picture of Apple Bloom, hanging from a tree by a long rope. In the corner of the paper were the words, ¨How it should be.¨ AppleJack was shaking as she picked up another. This one also said ¨How it should be.¨ It was a family picture, one without Apple Bloom in it. The next was of a big monster, one that resembled the creature AppleJack saw in her dreams exactly. Apple Bloom was shown bowing to the creature and pleading to it. The words on it said, ¨Take me instead of mommy¨ AppleJack stumbled back, unable to collect her thoughts. ¨Applejack!¨ Apple bloom yelled. ¨AppleJack snap out of it!¨ AppleJack shook her head, tears streaming down her face. Finally AppleJack saw Apple Bloom looking worried and scared, staring directly at her. ¨What happened, and where were you a second ago… and what in Equestria were all those papers?¨ AppleJack asked. Apple Bloom looked questionably at her sister,¨I was in bed and then you woke me up with your murmuring and loud noises. And what papers? Sis, are you okay?¨ AppleJack turned her head to where she had seen the papers, but they were nowhere to be found. AppleJack just sat there a moment. ´Am I okay?´ ´Probably not if I saw something that doesn't really exist.´ “Um, yea i´m fine, just… ah think ah was just sleepwalking.” Usually when AppleJack lies it is very easy to tell that she is, but in this case she used her bleariness and disorientation to mask the lie. Luckily Apple Bloom just slowly nodded and went back to bed, as it was only four in the morning. AppleJack went back to bed but was unable to sleep, and unable to think of anything besides from the hallucination from earlier. What if dad was still alive, and what if he was right about the trees talking to him? He could be out there somewhere still deep within the everfree forest. And what of mom? Did their dad really think that their mother was still out there somewhere? Will they come back? Because it was at this point their parents had been gone for 8 years. The apple harvest was soon ending, only a few dozen more trees. AppleJack walked out into the field, sleep deprived and miss stepping a few times, she attempted to kick trees, but zoned out while doing so. It worked mostly, until she over extended her legs because she missed a tree. “Oh dang it!” she said, teeth clenching in pain. She toppled forward and hit her head on a tree seemingly knocking her unconscious. --------------------------unconscious dream--------------------------------------------------------------- AppleJack was running through a large field of trees in the dark. She had no idea what it was she was running from, only knew she had to run. After she was much too tired to run, she climbed a tree. The tree was old and had no leaves, so she could not hide up there, but instead settled for the trees hole. She just barely managed to fit through and fell head first into the tree. Though she kept falling for what seemed like forever, seeing strange carvings on the inside of this incredibly tall tree. Some read: Get Out or Death lies ahead. She slowed herself down with her hooves and slid down much slower, slow enough to see a very long message. “Freedom and Chaos lies ahead, sewn through terror and thine blood bed, do not be shocked to see the dead, as nightmares grow into your head. The madness you will see is all that inhabit this rotting old tree.” Applejack's body fell slightly limp and continued to fall down the tree. She saw a light emitting from below. ---------------------------------------Waking world----------------------------------------------------- She shook her head and tried to stand up. She had no idea where she was. “Uh, did ah hit my head or something?” She knew she was not in the apple orchid like she knew she should have been in. She looked into the sky and found that it was night out. Not knowing how to get back she started to climb a tree to get a better view of where she was. She only got up two or three feet before the tree shook violently. AppleJack fell to the ground. “Who disturbs my tranquility?!” Two of the trees hollows moved to look at AppleJack. She instinctively backed away quickly but thought she should answer. “Ah… ah am AppleJack. ”She said quickly, swallowing her nerves and trying to call down. “...Who is your father?” The tree asked hesitantly and went slightly quieter. “Apple Cobbler. Why do you want to know?” AppleJack said gaining enough courage to ask her questions. The tree waited a second, “If I remember correctly, your father came by this way a long time ago, looking for his wife. I saw her soul shooting through the sky just a day before your father came this way. If he followed my directions, he went down a river half a mile or so that way. It should have led him through the village. He was following weak directions before and I set him on the right path. AppleJack was shocked. Not only was her father not crazy, but her dad could really be alive! Though she had to ask more questions. “Is it true that my mom’s still alive?” “Honestly, she might still be dead. There is a way to bring her back. The husband or bride or someone who is very close to the one in question who died can still bring them back. In my old age I have forgotten the ceremony, but if you travel to the village perhaps they are there. After all, the village has many residents who had died. AppleJack felt tears come to her eyes. She needed to go and find them. But then she looked around in slight confusion. “Where am I exactly?” “You're in the Everfree forest.” “I know that, but how did I get here? One moment I am kicking down apples, the next I wake up here.” The tree responded,”This forest acts in odd ways, a group of squirrels may have picked you up and moved you, you could have been temporarily possessed and been moved that way. A freak wind that sometimes goes by could have. Truly there are many ways to be drawn into this forest.” AppleJack nodded slowly, hoping she understood. Suddenly the tree began to shake violently,”A storm is coming! One that is going to be very dangerous. If you run you might be able to make it to an old cabin a mile or so east, near the river I mentioned earlier. My great great great grandchildren probably still live there. If they do, tell them that Apple Bark grants permission for you to stay in the house till the storm passes.” AppleJack nodded, but was concerned about how the apple family back home would worry. She hated to leave her family like this, especially when they had no idea where she was. “But wait, why are you still a tree if you can free-”. Applejack's sentence was cut short when Apple Bark said,”There is not enough time for more questions, the storm will begin at any moment!” AppleJack still had questions, but decided to save it and start running east,”Thank you!” AppleJack yelled behind her, waving her hoof. The tree gave a smile and disappeared into the heavy fog. AppleJack continued to go east. It began to pour three minutes into her gallop. She heard an angry Howell behind her. A timber wolf coming back from an unsuccessful hunting caught sight of AppleJack and decided to pursue her. AppleJack ran as fast as she could, but slipped on the wet ground. She tried to get up, but it was to late to run, the wolf pounced. AppleJack rolled herself to the left, narrowly dodging the creature. AppleJack got up quickly and looked around for anything she could use to fight the wolf. She spotted a thick branch that must have fallen down from the continuing storm. She ran towards it, but the wolf ran from behind her and gave a long deep claw mark on both her hind legs. She screamed in pain buck gave a buck to the wolf, throwing it back some. The wolf would have gone further and probably would have died had she used all her strength, but AppleJack knew that such a strong kick would have most likely ripped the scar further. She picked the stick up just as the wolf was about to come in contact with AppleJack. She swung the branch at the beast with all her might, hitting the target on the head. The force from the swing was enough to make her fall on a patch of wet mud. The pup was demolished, but AppleJack could not celebrate just yet, as she realized that she had fallen in quicksand. There was something very odd about the sinkhole though, it did not move quick at all. In fact not even the rain made it move quicker. AppleJack struggled, but noticing that it moved a bit faster when she moved, she began to look around for something to grab on to. She saw in complete surprise that the timber wolf was rebuilding itself very quickly. She did not see a way out that moment, but she needed to hide. The wolf was done rebuilding itself and looked around, but could not see AppleJack. It sighed in defeat and ran in the way he either thought AppleJack ran or the way his home was. AppleJack, who was still in the quicksand, removed her hat from in front of her face and wiped off the quicksand. The hat blocked the creatures vision of AppleJack and now she was safe. Though she did not know for how long. She looked around once more to see a wild vine. It had thorns but it was her only option. She gripped the vine and crying out in pain, lifted herself out. She was bleeding, but put that thought to the back of her head and began to run east again.