Remember Me
Ah placed one of the last empty barrels from off my back on ta the ground. Big Mac did the same as ah wiped my brow, fer it was a mighty hard workin' day of sellin' our latest zap apple harvest, an' Big mac an' ah was glad that it was all done by the end of the day.
"Hooie. Those zap apples sure sold big this year in the market today. Huh, Big Mac?"
"Eeyup." Big Mac said.
There was a familiar growling sound that came from me, an' from Big Mac soon after. We both gave a laugh, fer it was the sign that we were as hungry as a worked-up plow horse. "Well, looks like we're starved. Granny Smith said she was makin' zap apple casserole fer dinner, with zap apple pie fer dessert."
Big Mac licked his lips. "Mmm! Eeyup."
With that said, both Big Mac an' ah began ta make our way towards the barn. We were just about ta enter the front door until somethin' caught our attention. A very faint, but audible sound could be heard. A sound that was a mix of sniffling, and quite whimpering, an' it was comin' from inside the main barn. Both my big brother an' ah knew that it was the sound of cryin', so we went ta go an' see who it was.
The barn door was opened slightly, wide enough fer a child ta get through, so we both looked through it, an' peered into the barn. Sittin' there with her back turned was a yellow filly with light red bow tied in her red mane. Our little sister, Apple Bloom, an' that cryin' was comin' from her.
"Apple Bloom?"
Apple Bloom jumped up with a gasp from the sound of me sayin' her name, an' quickly tried ta wiped her eyes quickly as ah pushed the barn door open, making a creak noise, an' allowin' more sunlight ta fill the barn. Big Mac an' ah came over ta her, while she was still tryin' ta vainly wipe more tears away.
"Apple Bloom?" Ah asked. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothin'! Ah'm fine!"
Big Mac an' ah each placed a sympathetic hoof on each of her shoulders to comfit her. Apple Bloom looked up at the both of us, tears were still in her eyes, as we gave her an understandin', carin' look. She then turned her head away, an' dropped it in guilt.
"Sugarcube, ya know ya can talk ta us about anythin'." Ah said.
Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup."
Apple Bloom sighed. "Alright." All three of us sat down together ta hear what her problem was. "It happened yesterday after Family Apprectiation Day at school..."
Ah raised an eyebrow. "Ah thought ya said everthin' went well?"
"Yer friends loved granny's presentation, didn't they?" Big Mac asked.
Apple Bloom hesitated, trying ta think of the right words ta say. "Well..."
"Were those two rich filly's pickin' on ya again!? If so, me an' Big Mac'll be more than happy ta gallop right over ta their parents house an'-"
"No-no," Apple Bloom said. "It's not that... Granny was amazin'. Better than ah ever imagined. Ah'm glad she was there fer me. It's just..."
Big Mac tilted his head. "Just what?"
"Well... Diamond Tiara brought her dad, Pipsqueak brought his mom, Sweetie Belle, her mom. Twist, Button Mash, Featherweight, Dinky... T-they all brought their parents... They seemed so happy together. It just seemed... right. Then ah got thinkin' about mom an' dad..." More tears seeped out of Apple Bloom's eyes. "A-ah can't remember their faces. The only thing ah've got of'em is their picture on my dresser. Ah never knew them before they passed. An' ah know... Ah-ah-... -Ah'll never get the chance."
Big Mac an' ah put our hooves around our little sister as she continued ta cry. Seein' our little sister so sad was a sad sight fer both of us. A tear came out of Big Mac's eye, an' soon in mine.
Apple Bloom sniffled. "...Ah'm sorry."
Ah stroked her mane. "Shhh... It's okay, Apple Bloom."
"Ah know ah shouldn't be cryin'," Apple Bloom said. "Ya've always said ah should be thankful fer what ah've got, but... ah wish mom an' dad were here. Ah miss'em."
"We know, sugarcube. We miss'em too."
"Eeyup."
"But at least y'all remember'em. Y'all got ta know'em... But not me." Apple Bloom sniffled. "Is it wrong ta cry an' miss somepony ya don't remember or even knew?"
"Of course not, sugarcube." Ah said.
Apple Bloom wiped her eyes with her hoof. "Ah remember y'all tellin' me that mom an' dad died about a week after ah was born from a horrible accident. But there's somethin' ah need ta know that non of y'all have told me. What was the last thing they said an' did before they left?"
Both Big Mac an' ah pondered over what my sister had just asked us, until ah spoke out. "Well, ah guess ya're old enough ta know, an' understand. Ah tell ya."
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Eight years ago...
It was a normal day like any other on the farm. Ah was fifteen years old, an' Big mac was about twenty. It was about a week after ya was born, an' Ma and Pa had brought ya home from the hospital a few days after. They were gettin' ready ta deliver a few large creates of Granny Smith's zap apple jam ta our cousin Cripps Pink, fer her local grosser store in Sydneigh.
Ah slowly climbed up the stairs, bein' mighty careful as ta not make a sound, or not much at the very least, fer ah could hear ya cryin'. As ah reached the top of the stairs, the cryin' softened down, an' turned into cooin' by the time ah reached the door of yer room. Peerin' into the room, ah could see Ma an' Pa holding ya, and placin' into yer cradle.
Ma an' Pa noticed me at the door, an' encouraged me ta come on in. Ah accepted their request, an' entered into the room quietly. An' there ya were, a cooin', new born baby. Pa sat down with his hoof on the cradle, while Ma picked up her guitar, an' sat down on the other side. Ah knew what they were doin'. They were gonna sing ya the special lullaby they played an' sang ta us every night ta put us ta sleep. Pa started ta gently rock yer cradle, as Ma began ta play her guitar softly, along with both of'em singin' the song ta put ya ta sleep. Ah sung along too.
An' just like that, ya were asleep, out like a light, sleepin' peacefully in that little cradle.
A few hours ticked by, an' Pa an' Big Mac had just finished loading the wagon with the crates of zap apple jam ta take ta the station, an' ta deliver them personally ta cousin Cripps Pink in Sydneigh. Pa an' ah came upstairs, an' found Ma standing there, watching over ya while ya were still sleeping.
"Time ta go, darlin'." Pa said.
Ma turned ta Pa. "Honey, ah just can't leave her. Not so soon. She just so new, small, an' helpless."
"She'll be alright, darlin'. Now come on. If she wakes up, we'll never get away."
Ma nodded. "Okay. Ah guess ya're right."
Ma quietly walked out of the room, an' we quietly made our way downstairs, an' out the door where Granny Smith an' Big Mac stood.
"Y'all ready ta go?" Granny Smith asked.
Pa nodded. "Sure are, Ma. We'll give ya love ta cousin Cripps Pink."
Ah came up ta Ma an' Pa. "Do ya really have ta go, Ma, Pa? Leaving Apple Bloom so soon."
"Of course, Applejack." Pa patted my mane. "But don't worry, sugarcube. We'll be back in a few days."
"An' ah know y'all be here ta look after Apple Bloom while we're gone," Ma said. "Ah know yer baby sister is in the best of hooves."
"So until we get back, Applejack, Apple Bloom is yer responsibility."
Ah nodded. "Yes, Ma, pa. Y'all can count on me."
Ah gave Ma an' Pa one big hug goodbye before they walked on over ta the wagon, an' Pa attached the wagon ta himself. They then began ta start their journey, while we all waved goodbye ta them.
Big Mac waved. "Bye Ma, bye Pa!"
"Y'all come back safely, ya hear?!" Granny Smith said.
Ah waved. "Say hi ta cousin Cripps Pink fer me!"
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Back in the present...
"An' that was that last time we saw them." Ah said.
Apple Bloom sniffled an' smiled. "So mom an' dad sung that song ta me before they left. An ya sang that ta me afterwards?"
Ah nodded. "That's right. They really loved ya very much."
"Eeyup."
Apple Bloom sighed. "Ah still wish there was a way ta give my love an' respects ta them both."
Ah thought fer a moment, until an idea struck my mind. "Maybe there is."
"What's that?" Apple Bloom asked.
Night time came as all three of us walked an' sat down on a hill that gave us a mighty beautiful view of the farm, an' the nearby town of Ponyville. The moon shined brightly in the sky, a perfect harvest moon.
"So this was really where mom an' dad first sang the song?" Apple Bloom asked.
Ah nodded. "That's right. It's the perfect place for us all ta sing the song ta them." Ah turned to Big Mac. "Ya still have ma an' Pa's guitar, Big Mac?"
Big Mac presented the guitar ta me. "Eeyup."
Ah took the guitar, sat down, an' began ta adjust it ta the right tune ta get ready. After a few more adjustments, ah was ready ta play. It was a good thing my Ma an' Pa taught me how ta play when ah was a little filly, an' this song was the first one they taught me how ta play. Apple Bloom an' Big Mac then sat down with me.
"Y'all ready?" Ah asked.
Apple Bloom an' Big Mac nodded. "Ready."
We all looked up at the stary night sky as ah began ta play the test notes on the guitar, then we began ta sing the special song.
Just as we finished singin' the song, two shootin' stars flew across the sky. We looked at them all touched, thinkin' it was our parents, that it was their way of sayin' thank ya, an' that they're watchin' an' hearin' us from above. If Twilight was here, she would be thinkin' otherwise.
"We love ya, mom an' dad."
"We miss ya. An' we'll always remember ya."
"Eeyup."