The Only Chapter
It was a day she had been dreading for some months now, after the euforic high of young love had worn off and cold reality started creeping back in she knew it was inevitable. It had been weighing on her mind, every time they swapped secret kisses in public, stole nuzzles and acted slightly too friendly with one another. Rainbow had noticed, felt her pull away and hide her true self and if there was anything that frustrated her secret marefriend it was doing things by half measure.
They had been careless as she knew they eventually would be, Rainbow sick of being held back had been brazen and demanding, but she wasn't angry, word would of made it back to the farm one way or another anyway. Applejack loved her family and some of that was because they were so firmly rooted in tradition and the past, as solid and immutable as the self evident truth itself. It was her back bone, knowing that no matter where she roamed her home would be waiting for her, same as it ever was, gave her something dependable to lean on in the face of dragons, mad gods and would be tyrants.
However she knew her preference was not traditional by any stretch of the imagination and deeply frowned at by more 'classic’ families, from the high of canterlot nobility to outback clans of Appleloosa. However, she could not deny that part of herself anymore than the sky above but she knew that her two loves would eventually force her to make a choice, a choice with only one true, heartbreaking option.
She had been summoned by the apple matriarch who sat in judgement upon her wicker throne, rocking back and forth like the pendulum of fate itself against a licorice green and apple wood paneled backdrop. Ancient and wise; over her shoulder peered the faces of the ancestors in muted colors from faded frames. Her sagging face was drawn taught in petulant annoyance, wiry arms crossed and hair gathered in a severe bun.
“Applejack, Ah’ am deeply, deeply disappointed in ya’” Granny Smith slowly shook her head before snapping open her eyes, bristling with anger “Do ya’ think we're some bunch of small town hicks with nuthin’ better to do than window twich!? Ya’ think we gots the luxy of running off good farm hands!? We're frontier ponies gods dammit!” The old apple huffed settling herself back into the chair.
Applejack remained in mute silence glaring at the thread bear burgundy rug and the oakwood boards below, like a tortoise she used her hat to fend off the waves of aggression in Granny Smith's stare.
“Applejack?”
“Yes Granny?”
“Where are we?”
“Er...Sweet Apple…”
“Wrong!”
A wrinkled green arm gesticulated wildly out the window towards the foreboding shadow that clung to the edges of their cheerful orchard of lollipop shaped trees.
“We're we are is the doorstep of the Everfree Forrest, why ya'll think Princess Celestia just up and gave my pappy this land? Cos’ it was worthless, you'd have to be out of your mind to live here, what with the monsters, an’ killer plants, an’ ghosts, an’ black magic!”
Granny Smith rubbed her eyes, and gently grasping her shamefaced granddaughters chin guided her tear filled eyes to meet hers.
“When 'e was a lookin’ for folks to build this settlement we couldn't be picky; we had ex-cons, deserters, dis-graced nobles, sexual deviants, freaks, weirdos an’ loners. Old man rich took one look at 'em and asked pappy if these were really the folks he wanted to build a town whit.”
Releasing her grip Granny Smiths eyes lit with pride as her vision focused beyond the farmhouse walls to the distant past as if she could see it happening from afar.
“My pappy looked ‘im straight in the eyes anna tol’ ‘im that when the darkness is closin’ in and the timber wolves are a howling it don't matter where you came from, who you are or whut you did.
There are only two questions that matter when you're out on the frontier, the same two questions he asked each one of 'em.”
Snapping back to the present she searched Applejack's eyes for the truth, her exterior becoming taciturn and appraising.
“This mare o’ yours, can she buck an apple?”
Applejack allowed a small smile dance round the edges of her lips as memories fired behind her eyes, exhaling softly as she nodded.
“With the best of 'em Granny”
The old matriarch creaked forward in her rocking chair, fixing Applejack with a harsh glare pressed right up against her face.
“Can she fight for 'er life?”
The orange mares resolve instantly hardened in kind as she glared back with absolute assurity.
“Like Tirek himself.”
Granny Smith creaked back nodding as she mulled over the information before a devious smile flickered across her face, she gave Applejack a stiff formal nod before relaxing into a warm motherly grin.
“Fine then, we'll take 'er.”
Applejack leapt forward grasping her grandmother round the neck, her breathing hitching with suppressed tears before she whispered a 'thank you’, Granny Smith just chuckled and patted her back till her granddaughter silently broke the hug and tried to shuffle out the door.
“Oh and Applejack, if you want tah’ snuggle up with some mare, that's your business, but these here apples ain't gonna buck themselves. Your givin’ me Great Gran’ Kids.”
Apple spluttered and spun on the spot.
“But we can't! It's imp…”
Granny Smith crooked an eyebrow in warning.
“Ah’ seen ya’ sneakin’ off to have lunch with tha’ God's, don't you give me impossible. That rainbow dash is a dab hand with the weather and she comes from good racin’ stock too, we could with some ‘er that in the apple family. Get 'er done that's an order!”
Applejack laughed softly as she back out passed the wood frame bay window “O’ course Granny”, pulling the door to the drawing room shut as she retreated with a firm click.
Granny Smith sighed happily as her chair creaked back as she looked over her shoulder at a picture frame, a golden mare and a beige stallion smiled back at her.
Applejack galloped between the gnarled brown pillars of Sweet Apple Acres, the velvet green grass and leaf obscured sky flew passed as she moved the land beneath her. She felt lighter than air and her peaceful contentment radiated into leaf and bow at her passing.
With a barely audible whistle a cobalt shadow descended from the heavens and effortlessly took up the charge beside her.
“So how'd it go AJ!?” Hollarard Rainbow Dash over the sound of rushing air.
“Well...your in, but you ain't gonna believe the price tag” called back Applejack, who gave a snigger and upped the pace. The two figures vanished over a hill into the sunset as the peaceful evening settled in.
“She wants me to do WHAT!?”
Well, almost peaceful.