Life of an Apple

     Later, Big Mac headed into a barn to check on Applejack.

     What he saw was his sister and a familiar white unicorn with a dark violet mane. Big Mac had to stop himself from gaping.

     Rarity didn't seem sinister, though. She looked up at Big Mac with sorrow in her blue eyes. "I'm s-sorry," she stammered, a tear escaping one.

     "Rarity's sister died," Applejack explained, sadness in her voice as well. "She just came to tell me, and to apologize."

     Big Mac stared at both fillies.

     Just then, Apple Drops returned, Redstreak behind her. She nodded. "I'm havin' a filly," she announced.

     Despite the sad atmosphere, Rarity and Applejack smiled up at the mare.

     Apple Drops noticed Rarity. "Is this one of your friends, Applejack?"

     Applejack and Rarity exchanged glances. "Kinda," Applejack replied. She looked at Rarity. "I have a bedroom. You wanna go in it?"

     "Alright," Rarity replied, and the fillies headed to Applejack's room.

     Redstreak glanced outside. "Seems the apple-buckin's goin' well."

     "Apple Fritter met Applejack," Big Mac told him. "She had to leave, though. I forget why."

     Apple Drops smiled at her husband. "Redstreak, you can go on and help them out. I can manage. I've been pregnant twice before this."

     Applejack entered Big Mac's room. The colt looked up at her.

     "Do we have relatives in Manehattan?" she asked.

     Big Mac nodded. "Aunt and Uncle Orange live there. Why?"

     "I want to live there."

     Big Mac's green eyes widened. He stared at his sister. "What?"

     "I want to live in Manehattan," Applejack repeated. "Rarity's family's so sophist'cated and formal and stuff. She said there's more ponies like that in Manehattan."

     Big Mac still had trouble proccessing this. "You--you want to move away from us?"

     "I like y'all," Applejack reassured her brother. "It's just I don't like being an uncouth farmer. I wanna be refined and sophist'cated like Rarity. An' she said there's ponies like that in Manehattan."

     Big Mac sighed and looked away. "You should talk to Momma and Poppa and Granny Smith." Their grandmother had been living with them since Grandpa Smith passed away.

     Applejack nodded. "I love you," she told her brother. "I'll write letters."