She’d gone to Manehatten to find herself, her true self, and to earn a cutie mark that would firmly place her in the upper crust of the world. She dreamed about diamonds, silk dresses, hobnobbing with the elite, and endless spa days. She’d imagined coming back to Ponyville as a refined mare of considerable talents and expensive tastes. She’d craved it. She had wanted out of the dirt on the farm, out of backwater Ponyville, out of her country family and their silly ways. Applejack had even decided that once she got her cutie mark and had been fully integrated she’d change her name to Orange Blossom.
“Oh who is that delightful filly? So witty, so beautiful!” They would exclaim.
“My darling, that is of course Orange Blossom, she’s up and coming in this world!” Others would explain.
Applejack wasn’t completely sure what ‘up and coming’ ponies really were or did, but it seemed all the important, beautiful, and well liked ones were. Since those were three things she wanted to be as a Manehatten socialite Applejack knew that she somehow needed to be up and coming.
Her first step had been to look the part. Of course the young filly had tried that in Ponyville but you can’t exactly emulate the greats when wearing a hand me down from either your mother or your older brother. But she’d tried anyways having also heard that you need to dress the part. ‘Dress what part’ had initially been a stumbling block for her; after all didn’t you want to dress all your parts to look good?
The second step was to sound like the rich, but Applejack had struggled in Ponyville with her thick accent. With no one to help correct her she’d simply tried to learn on her own. Of course this also led right into step three which was act the part. Stage three of her plan had earned her a cuff to the ear and a heap of extra chores and work on the farm.
Not that stages one or two had worked either. If anything they’d made her school life rather miserable. The truth was that the one girl whose support and friendship would’ve made Applejack feel accomplished in her goals found it all laughable. And this same girl who she’d wanted to impress and call a friend had instead become a bully. Applejack was undeterred, she was going to be that unicorn's friend and they would both live in Manehatten. All she needed to do was prove herself to the filly. So she went to Manehatten.
It was the one of the worst years of her life.
Her aunt and uncle were kind in their own way, but nopony else was. And later on in life Applejack would realize that some of their comments were half hidden insults.
“My dear you are a bit, how should I word this? Rough around the edges, all that time in a quaint town like Ponyville can do it. But never you fear darling, here among the civilized denizens of the world we will make a proper lady out of you.”
“I know you are still hungry dear, but I’m afraid you are a bit large. We want you to grow up into a beautiful butterfly dear, not remain a rounded caterpillar. Just drink some water and fret not you’ll get used to it and someday you’ll wonder how you ever managed to consume so much!”
“Have you been attending school in Ponyville? I see, well, while you’re here we’ll enroll you in a nice private school. I don’t know what those ghastly public schools are teaching these days but it’s obviously not enough.”
As a filly she didn’t know better. After all the adults were always supposed to look out for you and be right. So even though she didn’t always agree with them, she nodded her head and tackled her new life with pure determination. But her methods were a bit too brutish for the system. Applejack was kicked out of the first school after she’d bucked a fellow student for making fun of her. She was nearly suspended at the second one when her assignments were consistently graded poorly. Eventually the Oranges had pulled her out and had her home schooled by a private tutor with the promise that when she was more prepared they’d send her right back to a nice private school. Her tutor had been a kind old unicorn, he was a dusty brown flecked with grey patches. His mane had practically fallen all out although he sported an impressive brown beard. Applejack never quite learned his name as he insisted on being called Doctor. He snuck her little sweets and frequently took her on field trips to Manehatten’s parks and waterfronts.
While her schooling effectively tanked and she had no friends to speak of, her home life also became increasingly difficult. Her aunt and uncle began to teach her enunciation and etiquette, with some early success. She learned enough for them to start introducing her to their friends, but also knew so little that her contact was often cut short as she slipped into her own accent or would forget some rule. Eventually to keep their own schedules and still help her, the Oranges had hired a nanny of sorts. Applejack would never be able to forget miss Daisy; unfortunately. Daisy was initially very calm and understanding but much like before Applejack ground to a halt very quickly. The next several months were spent in a near constant state of tears and dread.
Why had nopony warned her about how hard it would be? It had all looked so easy from afar.
Then it happened, the fateful night of the dinner party. The Doctor had been dismissed earlier in the day for teaching Applejack about people and plants instead of history and science. Daisy had earned unparalleled praise for dealing with ‘a lost cause’ and turning it around into a respectable young lady. A big dinner party was planned for Applejack to debut her new skills at, and while she should have felt excitement for finally getting to the whole socializing part of being a socialite…Applejack was terrified. Her Uncle made no secret that this was a sort of make or break event for her, and them. She couldn’t fail them; it would be disastrous if she did. Despite her Aunt’s gentle reassurances and coos as she’d done up the young filly’s hair, Applejack felt ill at ease. She slipped up once, only once the whole evening. It burned into her heart and all she wanted was a hug and some kind words to let it go, instead she got a small nod and distant smile as she was told to go up to bed.
She didn’t sleep. She just stayed up and cried the whole night away. Her fur matted under the tears and her body shook as she let it out. In her heart of hearts Applejack knew that she had to make a decision. She could give up and go home, back to the dirt, tradition, and backwater farm. Or she could stay here with the cruel, cold, and distant elitists. Both options seemed bad to her and as she looked out her window that morning Applejack could see Canterlot in the distance. Her eyes drifted from the spires of their capital to the south where she knew Ponyville was. As the sun began to rise she thought about her family. Mac would just be getting up, mom and pop would already be making breakfast. Granny Smith was probably sewing something or making Mac’s lunch. They would all soon be sitting down at the breakfast table, after giving each other little nuzzles and hugs. They’d talk about their plans for the day, and tease each other for various reasons. And before they split up they’d share a big family hug.
Ironically it was the Apple in her that made her want to go home and made her feel she had to see this Manehatten thing out. She felt trapped and needed help, she needed guidance. Looking back towards the distant towers of Canterlot she made a wish. A prayer. They say that Princess Celestia can hear all who call to her in need, and Applejack needed her badly.
The rainbow started in the middle of the sky, a cacophony of colors and sound. A few windows shattered or cracked under the assault, the ponies on the street cowered in fear. Ponies screamed in terror and uncertainty, unable to see the sky thanks to their skyscrapers. Applejack stood her body half outside, with eyes wide open in wonder as the rainbow went straight to Ponyville.
Her breathing was ragged and her heart was racing. Then in slow motion Applejack turned and began to run. Thank you Princess! She barely paused to say bye to her aunt and uncle, she purposefully bowled Daisy over, she didn’t even pack up her things. She didn’t wait for an adult to escort her to the train station; she didn’t even wait to get a map or direction. She was going home. She needed to go home.
The day was a blur as all Applejack really remembered was the smear of colors around her as her eyes focused onto the sky, using the rainbow to guide herself home. Even after it must have disappeared she would swear she could see its residue in the purpled night sky, twinkling multicolored amongst the stars. She didn’t feel tired, she didn’t feel scared, Applejack was just ready. As she ran all the sorrow and pain seemed to fall off of her, the horribleness of Manehatten melted away leaving nothing behind. When she crested the final hills to Sweet Apple Acres the next morning it gave her the last push she needed to run to her family, gathered in a traditional morning hug.
As soon as she’d flung herself onto Mac it was another explosion. Just as earth shaking as the rainbow, just as powerful as that sonic boom. An explosion of love that covered her up and took her tired, sweating, crying body in. They didn’t care that she wasn’t being a proper lady. They didn’t care that she looked a mess. They didn’t care that she was being loud. They were just happy to have her home. They were genuinely happy to see her. It was another blur of hugs, nuzzles, kisses, laughter, and warmth. She knew right there and then that she was meant to be there. Sweet Apple Acres was her home, Ponyville was her home, and this is where her family was. She didn’t need to lie about who or what she was; she just needed to be honest. Honest with herself and honest with others, that was the key to being happy.
She didn’t even know she’d earned her cutie mark until the next day. Running was a tiring thing, and for a filly to get from Manehatten all the way to Ponyville in a day was quite a feat. Mac told her that in the middle of all the laughter and tears she’d apparently just passed right on out. Despite his desire to stay behind in case she woke up, he got sent to school. After an hour her parents went into the fields with loud instructions for Granny to call them if she stirred.
Instead she slept peacefully surrounded by what she needed.
Author's Note
Thanks for reading, please feel free to leave me any comments, critiques, or questions in the comments section!
