Ch. 1: Applejack's back
Applejack lay on her bed, staring out the window at her golden apple trees. It had been a good harvest, though she hadn’t been able to help for most of it. No, that honor had gone to Apple Bloom, Cinnamon Stick and Apple Blossom. Applejack had known she was getting old when Winnona was able to buck more apples off a tree than she could. Still, she had kept working the fields, up until her back finally gave out. Apple Bloom had carried her back to the barn, where Cinnamon Stick had called a doctor. All while they were waiting, her sister and son kept her comfortable. It had been a devastating blow to the family when it was pronounced that Applejack would never be able to work the fields again, but they worked through it. Macintosh and Cheerilee’s daughter had been able to come and help, though Big Mac had been unable to come himself. Together the three cleared the trees just before the Running of the Leaves.
Applejack sighed and turned away from the window. She didn’t get out of bed much anymore. She knew in the long run, it wouldn’t do her any good health-wise, but she was too depressed to care. All she wanted to do was work the fields once more before death claimed her, but Apple Bloom insisted that she wasn’t allowed too.
“For all we know, you could hurt your back even more than it already is.” Applejack mimicked her sister before crawling out of bed. She could at least make a healthy Apple family dinner for her kin. As she walked down the stairs, she could hear talking in the family room.
“Darn it, those kids finished their chores early. Their stomachs are probably raging, though of course they won’t say anything. Don’t wanna trouble me after all.” Applejack thought harshly, coming to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.
“Ah’m not sure ya’ll should bother her.” Apple Bloom said from the other room. “She’s still plenty depressed and may not want to hear what ya have ta say.”
Applejack straightened up, then stalked boldly into the next room. “Now hear this ya Flim Flam lunatics!” She shouted. “I don’t care what kinda insurance ya’ll be sellin’, the Apple family don’t need none of yer…” Applejack trailed off, caught off guard by the majestic white alicorn sitting on her couch. “Ah, your majesty. Ah’m dreadfully sorry, Ah’ thought you were somepony else.”
“It’s quite alright Applejack. I know those brothers have given you more than your fair share of trouble in the past.” Celestia soothed, standing up and walking over to the old mare. “Though I’m afraid I do have to bother you about something.”
“Oh it’ll be no bother at all, though…” Applejack looked at the three exhausted workers in her living room. “Though Ah’ hope ya’ll don’t mind if Ah’ make dinner for these three while we talk.”
“Not at all Applejack, though this matter is rather private. I hope you understand if I have to cast a silencing spell on the kitchen once we enter.”
“Not at all Princess. Cast away. Me casa, su casa.” The two trotted into the kitchen, where Applejack began pulling out supplies for some peach cobbler.
Noticing this, Celestia finished casting the spell and questioned the orange mare. “I thought Apples hated the competition?”
“Oh we do, with a fiery vengeance” Applejack smiled, pouring the peaches in. “but sometimes, ya just get sick of apples, and after working a field of them all day, Ah’ doubt the kin are in any mood fer more apples.” Shoving the cobbler into the oven, she turned to the princess. “Now what’d ya’ll wanna talk about?”
“Well, having lived for a few millennia, I’ve grown to understand just how lonely it can be to never age, to watch all the friends I’ve ever made to pass away before my eyes. And I know I’ve had Luna to be there with me, but…” Celestia sighed and sat down on the floor. “I know this, Luna knows this and Cadence has learned it, but Twilight…” The regent of the sun rubbed her eyes with a hoof. “Twilight has yet to lose any of her friends. Yes she presided over Granny Smith’s funeral, but it wasn’t like losing one of you. She wasn’t close to your grandmother in the same way you were.”
Applejack sighed. “Ah’ know, and she’ll have to go through that someday, being an immortal alicorn and all that jazz.”
“Exactly why I’m here. I think you are going to leave this world soon, and I know Twilight isn’t ready for that. She’s not ready to lose one of you.”
“Ah’ woulda thought ya’ll would’ve been visit Rainbow ‘fore me. She’s a lot more likely to end up dead than me.”
“Now that’s not true and you know it. Rainbow Dash has the Wonderbolts looking after her, even if she’s retired. And she has several more years before she’ll be ready to go. No offense, but you’re past your prime and aging fast.”
“Now how would you know that?” Applejack shouted.
“For one, you’ve already forgotten about your cobbler, and the Applejack I knew could multitask like no other.”
“Aw, crab apples.” The orange mare muttered as she rushed to the oven and grabbed the cobbler with her mouth. “AH!” She screamed, dropping the pan with her burned lips. Celestia quickly grabbed the pan in her magic, catching it before it hit the ground. She then cast a healing spell on Applejack’s lips, releasing her from the pain’s embrace.
“Thank ya kindly, princess.” Applejack worked her mouth, running her tongue along her lips. “Ya’ll saved the young un’s dinner.”
“No problem Applejack, however, I think I’ve proved my point.”
“Yeah, Ah’ guess you have.”
“So what I wanted to know was…” Celestia paused, searching for the right words. “What… what do you think Twilight would do if she wanted to get you back?”
Applejack thought, rubbing her chin as she cut the cobbler with a knife. “Why, Ah’ don’t rightly know. I suspect somethin’ close to necromancy, if not more.”
“That’s what I thought as well, though I’ve already been down that path.”
“What?”
“Nothing. My point is, I think we should try to stop it before it happens.”
“Ah’ get ya’ll on that, but how?”
“I have been devising a spell, that, when used, will bring back the friends we have lost over time. However, I have not used it for myself for two reasons. One is purely physical. It would require me to turn my wings back into the magic my mother used to bestow them upon me, but the second reason…” Applejack saw tears appear in the regent’s eyes. “It requires a sample of biology from the friend that you are trying to bring back; however, it must come from a living host. For that reason, I am unable to bring back anyone I knew and loved, simply because I am missing one strand of hair.” Applejack watched as one stray tear slipped past her Goddess’s attention.
“So… Why can’t ya’ll share this knowledge with all ponykind?” Applejack questioned.
“Because then we would be dealing with overpopulation and an extreme lack of unicorns, being that magic must be present for the spell and something must be given in exchange for the lives of friends lost.”
Celestia and Applejack sat in silence for a few minutes, both thinking about the close and distant future. Finally, Applejack spoke up. “Ah’ll do it.”
“What?” Celestia looked up in shock.
“Ah’ said, Ah’ll do it.”
“But, when you return, the only ponies you’ll recognize are Twilight, any of your friends who also chose this and...”
“And you princesses.” Applejack placed one hoof on Celestia’s. “Ah’ don’t mind in the least. If it’ll stop Twi from goin’ psycho, then Ah’ll do it.”
“Oh thank you!” Celestia shouted, lunging forward and wrapping Applejack in her embrace. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Um, princess?” Applejack croaked.
“Yes, Applejack?”
“Ah’m not ready to die quite yet, could ya’ll please…”
“Oh! Of course.” Celestia quickly released Applejack, who started taking deep breaths immediately.
“Oh-kay.” Applejack said with a final deep breath. “Ah’ should probably get you that hair sample now. Never know when Ah’ might kick the can and all.” She reached for some scissors and cut off a strand. “Here ya’ll go. Don’t go losin’ it, ya hear.”
Celestia laughed. “Oh, of course not.” She glanced at the cooling cobbler sitting on three plates. “Say… what would you think of a little prank?”
“They’ve been in there an awful long time.” Apple Blossom said, staring at the door in worry. “Ya’ll don’t suppose somethin’ happened, do ya’ll?”
“Don’t you worry none.” Cinnamon Stick replied. “Celestia’s got nothing on Ma. She could whip ‘er twice around the barn and straight to the moon.”
“Now it’s ta hear ya’ll think of me so highly.” Applejack said, trotting out of the kitchen. “Now move yer caboose, it’s dinner time.”
The three ponies piled through the kitchen door and scrambled for their seats. “What’s for dinner, Big Sis?” Apple Bloom asked, drooling on the table. “Ah’m plum starved. Her niblings murmured in agreement.
“Now hold your horses, it’s on the way.” Applejack leaned back and shouted, “Bring em’ in!”
Celestia trotted into the room, pushing a cart filled to the brim with all sorts of delicacies, all wearing nothing but a white apron reading, “Kiss the cook” and some reading glasses.
“Alright everypony.” Celestia said, shifting her glasses and pulling out a notebook. “I’ll be your server for today. What can I get you?”
Applejack stifled a laugh as her kin stared slack-jawed at Celestia.
Celestia cleared her throat, holding a straight face. “You know Applejack, I don’t think they’re very hungry.”
“Eeeenope.” Applejack grinned.
“I think we’re just going to have to take all this and throw it in the garbage.”
“Eeeeyup.”
Apple Bloom broke first. “No, wait!”
Celestia and Applejack looked at her expectantly before breaking out into laughter.
“Oh ho ho ho ho. Ya’ll shoulda seen the looks on yer faces. Priceless.” Applejack hoofbumped Celestia. “Good one, yer majesty.”
“Thank you Applejack. I haven’t had a laugh like that since Discord’s first Gala.” She glanced out the window, and then jumped in shock. “Is it that time already? I’m sorry Applejack, but I must get back to Canterlot. There’s a royal summit occurring one hour after the sun sets and, unfortunately, I’ve forgotten all about doing so. I really must get going.”
“No problem, Princess. Have a safe trip.” The four farm ponies watched as Celestia charged up her teleportation spell and disappeared.
“Now then, what’ll ya’ll have ta eat?”