Applejack pushed back from the breakfast table with a groan. Normally she would have gone for a second helping of Granny’s egg-fried toast, but she didn’t want to start her trip feeling stuffed.
“Well,” she mused as she looked up at the hooks by the front door. “I recon I’ll get goin',” she said pulling down her hat and a saddle bag.
The announcement scattered the Apple family, the three other Apples getting up from the table and leaving the room. A moment later they all returned, each bearing a small package. Applebloom was the first, with a smile she held up a red handkerchief, tied up into a bundle with a letter pinned to it. “Here, there’s candy in the bag for you.”
“Thanks sugar,” Applejack said kissing her on the forehead. “And the notes for them?”
“Yep,” Applebloom chimed before moving out of the way for her brother.
Applejack tucked her little sister’s gift into her saddlebag with care. Once she had it stowed, Mac passed her two large bottles. “Here ya go sis, one's yours,” he said.
Applejack gave her brother a nod as she placed them too in the saddlebag. “Thanks Mac, I’ll be back by dinner.”
“And here’s your lunch,” Granny Smith added, hoofing over a large bundle. “And a little something to leave there too.”
Hefting the last item into her bags, Applejack traded hugs with everypony before leaving the house in silence.
Strolling down the orchard path into town, Applejack pondered the line of trees. Some she had planted, some planted by great-grand pa. Somewhere in there, one had even been planted by Applebloom. The line of continuity, the connection to the soil, it stirred her earth pony blood. A smile played across her face as she closed her eyes and breathed in the warm spring air.
“Hi, Applejack,” Twilight’s voice snapped her from her content daze. Applejack found herself in front of Fluttershy’s mailbox, Twilight and Fluttershy were walking up the road towards her.
“Hey girls, What you two up to this morning?” Applejack asked.
“Twilight’s helping me identify some new birds that just moved in. So I can know what I need to feed them,” Fluttershy said with a smile. “What’s your plans for the day?”
Applejack looked back at the bulging pack, “Oh, I’m heading out to the field.”
“Which fiel-” Twilight’s words ended in a cough as Fluttershy’s elbow hit her in the ribs. Looking for an explanation, she found Fluttershy with an expression just short of the stare. Wilting under the look, Twilight held her tongue.
Applejack let out a nervous chuckle, “Well, I best be going.”
Fluttershy turned to face her as she passed and smiled, “Lets have lunch tomorrow, all of us.”
“That sounds great,” she answered as she headed down the little road.
Ponyville bustled with business this morning. Making her way past carts and vendors Applejack let herself blend into the crowd. A flash of pink out of the corner of her eye was all the warning she got before Pinkie sprang from nowhere. “Hi ya, Applejack!” she cheered before giving Applejack a hug that took her off her hooves.
“Hi Pinkie,” Applejack groaned as the air was squeezed from her.
Letting go of her friend Pinkie took a step back. “What are you doing in town today?”
“I’m heading out to the field” Applejack answered. “Just cutting through town to get there.”
Pinkie’s bouncing stopped and her smile faded, yet somehow became even warmer. Again she pressed into a hug, though this one slow and tender. She held it for a moment before releasing. “If you need anything, just ask,” Pinkie said.
“I will.”
Leaving her friend in the market Applejack continued on her course, the noise of the market quickly faded. A few miles outside of town, she finally found the sign she had been looking for. ‘Elysium Field’. The wooden gate that it hung from was not unlike the gate to the Acers. Walking through it she found a vast field of tall grass stretching in all directions. The grass waved in the wind, dipping occasionally to show a grid work of stone markers. With a heavy sigh she waded into the grass.
With ritual movement Applejack counted the stones she passed, till she reached the prescribed marker. There she made a sharp turn and counted out another set. It was only then that she allowed herself to look down at one of the stones. ‘Honey Blossom’
Sliding her saddlebag off, she leaned it against the stone next to Honey Blossom’s “Here Dad, hold that,” she said aloud. Looking around she surveyed the area. It looked good this year. Nothing had blown in and the grass was healthy. Pulling a small sickle from her bag, she took to gathering and cutting the grass. When the two stones were free of the grass she continued down the line till a half dozen names from Apple history were also freed.
Placing the sickle back, she sat down between the first two stones and opened up the saddlebag. Placing her family's gifts out before her she looked them over. It had been a long walk and the mowing had been tedious.
Unwrapping Granny’s food she found a lunch bag with an apple, some cheese and a hunk of bread; a proper farmers lunch. Two more apples were packed in the bag, each carefully wrapped in paper. Pealing away the wrapper she found them beautifully kept. The skin shining red and without a blemish.
“For you,” she said as she placed an apple on each stone. “Granny’s still hanging in there. I don’t know what we’d do without her.” Taking out her own apple she bit into it and savored the tart juicy fruit..
Halfway into her lunch Applejack reached for the bottle Mac had given her. Pulling the stopper and drinking without looking, she reeled at the first taste. “Hard cider. Thanks Mac.”
With her meal complete and a mild buzz, she pulled the second bottle out and unstoppered it too. This one she poured out over the stones. First on her father’s, then on her mother’s. “That’s strong stuff, be careful with it,” she said putting the emptied bottle away. “Mac’s bigger than you now dad. Wish you could see him pull your old plow. He’s still shy around the mares though mom. But, don’t you worry he’s got plenty of admirers.”
Opening up the little red bundle Applejack pitched a piece of salt taffy in her mouth. The salty candy flooded her with foalhood memories; her mother used to buy salt taffy for her from the candy store. Leaning down she unpinned the letter from the bag and opened it. A tri-folded page with ‘To: Mom and Dad’ slid out.
Unfolding the letter she cleared her throat. “Applebloom’s got a letter she wrote ya. She’s already got better hoofwriting than me. You two’d be so proud of her.”
Holding the letter up she read aloud.
“Hi Mom and Dad. I hope you know I think about you. You know they say I was just a yearling when the accident happened. That I don’t remember you, but I do. I think I do anyway. It’s a fuzzy sort of memory, but I can remember your smiles and your warmth. I remember being held and feeling safe. Brother and sister keep me safe now. But it’s not the same. I know they love me, and I love them too. But, At night I close my eyes and try to feel your touch from when you were still here. It helps me sleep some night.
Granny tells me stories about you both. A lot of them are funny. I wish I had gotten to know you. I guess that’s what I regret the most. I never got to know you.
I haven’t got my cutie mark yet, but I think this will be the year. Maybe I can get sister or brother to bring my out to show you when I do-”
Applejacks voice hitched, she had to pause and wipe her eyes before she could finish the letter.
“-get my mark.
I love you and I hope that wherever you are you’re happy.
Love Applebloom.”
Folding the letter up she placed it back in its envelope and laid it between the stones.
Staring at the ground she felt her eyes burn. “I love you. I miss you every day.” Squeezing her eyes shut, hot tears rolled down her face for a long while.
Gathering her calm she picked up the lightened pack and threw it on her back. “Well, I best be going. I’ll be back next year. Maybe sooner.” Turning from the graves, Applejack made a straight line for the field’s gates.
