bittersweet

“Ah can’t believe ya’d lie ta me Big Mac!!” Applebloom shouted fiercely, tears streaming down from her eyes.

“Now Applebloom,” Big Macintosh said slowly. “It’s not that ah wanted ta lie to ya, but—”

“Ah see how it is Bic Mac!” Applebloom cut off. “Ya’ll think ah’m too much of a li’l filly to handle the truth! Well ah’ll show ya Big Mac! Ah’ll show ya that ah’m a big pony! Ah’ll show all o’ ya’ll!” Applebloom turned tail and sprinted away, leaving the red stallion by himself, wondering what to do.

Big Mac sighed. “That Applebloom… don’t wanna be treated like a filly yet not ol’ enough to be treated like a full grown pony… guess I should let her alone for a bit for her to cool off.” He turned around to head back to the field, when he bumped into a certain purple unicorn.

“Eyaa!” Twilight Sparkle let off a startled yell before she fell over.  “Oww…”

“Oh, well if it ain’t Twilight Sparkle.” Big Mac said, shifting over the hay in his mouth to the other side. “Sorry ‘bout that, didn’t see ya there.”

“No, no, it’s quite alright.” Twilight picked herself back up and brushed some of the dirt off her mane. “It’s my fault for not calling out to you right away.”

“Oh… ah guess you saw the whole thing then?”

Twilight kicked around a hoof sheepishly. “Well… uh… just a bit. I didn’t catch the whole thing… is something wrong with Applebloom?”

The large stallion sighed again as he started chewing on a new piece of hay. “She’s jus’ a li’l sore that ah hid from her the fact that Pinkie Pie… ah, well, you know. Didn’t think she could take it, being the li’l filly she is. But ah guess it’s my fault for treat’n her that way. Now that her friends gone and tol’ her ‘bout the whole thing, ah guess ah’m bein’ punished for tryin’ to shelter her too much.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Big Mac.” Twilight said, “You just did what anypony would do to protect their kin. But you do have to realize that Applebloom can’t be your little filly sister forever you know, she’s going to grow up someday.”

“Ah guess… but ah’m pretty sure you didn’t come here to Sweet Apple Acres to talk to this here stallion, Twilight Sparkle.” Big Mac pointed out. “Ah can handle mah own problems, Twilight, so why don’t ya go ahead and tell me what’s brought ya here today.”

“Oh… well, I’m looking for Applejack. Do you know where she is?”

Big Mac hesitated. “Well… ah know where she is, but ah’m not sure if ya wanna talk ta her right now though.”

Twilight Sparkle tilted her head. “Why not?”

“Well… AJ’s been a bit on the edge lately since the funeral.” Big Mac explained, “And she prob’ly ain’t cooled down enough yet ta talk prop’ly.”

“I’m sure it can’t be that bad.” Twilight said.

“Ah guess you’ll see for yerself then, Twilight.” Big Mac pointed her hoof towards the apple fields. “AJ should be somewhere in that direction, you’ll know yer close when ya hear her gruntin’.” The stallion turned his back on Twilight. “Now if ya’ll excuse me, it’s a slow day on the job, so I s’pose I should talk ta li’l Applebloom right ‘bout now.”

“Yeah, okay, see you later Big Macintosh!” Twilight waved the red stallion goodbye and headed into the apple grove to find Applejack.

As the season mandated, the apple trees were blooming beautifully, with lush apples of every color growing from the branches of every tree. The tart scent of apples filled the air, and Twilight Sparkle could almost taste the apples from their scent. She couldn’t see how anypony could be cross when surrounded by such serene beauty.

Twilight heard a hollow clopping sound out in the distance. That must’ve been Applejack bucking apples off the apple trees. Twilight Sparkle quickly started trotting towards the sound, hearing the sound grow louder and clearer with each hoof she put forward. As the unicorn finally entered the clearing, she spotted Applejack bucking trees just a couple of meters in front of her.

The orange earth pony looked worn out. Her mane was all frazzled and her saddlebags were already overflowing with apples. Next to Applejack was a wagon containing a bunch of the same saddlebags filled to the brim with apples. It looked like Applejack already did enough work for the entire week, yet the earth pony was still working as if harvest season was just around the corner.

“Uhh, Applejack?”

The earth pony continued bucking the tree she was working on.

“Applejack?” Twilight Sparkle repeated.

She still paid no heed to Twilight.

“APPLEJACK!!”

“I GON’ HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!” Applejack bellowed. “Can’t somepony see when another pony is workin’?! Honestly!” She turned around and saw Twilight with a hurt expression on her face. “Oh… Twilight, didn’t know it was you sugarcube. Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Um… no worries… you okay Applejack? You seem kinda… worn out.”

“Worn out? Naw, ah’m as energetic as a parasprite at an all-you-can-eat buffet!” Applejack reassured Twilight. “So ya find Rainbow Dash yet, sugarcube?”

“Uh… sorry, Fluttershy didn’t know where she was. It seems nopony has even seen her since the funeral either.”

“Shucks… guess ah should call up Cloudkicker and get that pony up on cloud duty.” Applejack went back to bucking the apple tree she was working on. “Well thanks anyway, sugarcube, sorry ta take up yer time.”

“Oh… it’s no trouble at all Applejack.” Twilight Sparkle stood around, hoofing awkwardly at the ground.

“You still here, sugarcube? Somethin’ botherin’ ya?”

“Well… not me per se but,” Twilight hesitated. “Is something  bothering you, Applejack?”

“Didn’t we go over this?” Applejack asked. “Ah’m totally fine, jus’ got a huge order ah gotta fill up. Now if you’ll let me alone sugarcube, ah gotta git back ta work!”

“Okay Applejack, I guess I’ll go now…” Twilight said dejectedly. However, before she even took two steps, a thought suddenly surfaced in her mind. “Wait a minute… Big Mac said that it was a slow day today!”

Applejack’s kick missed her target, causing the pony to lose her balance and fall over. She quickly picked herself back up and brushed back her mane. “O-oh! Ah guess ah forgot to let Big Mac know ‘bout the order! Guess ah’ll have ta let him know earlier, t-thanks for remindin’ me Twilight!”

“… Applejack, don’t all the orders for Sweet Apple Acres go through Big Macintosh?”

“I-Is that so?!” Applejack stammered, her voice noticeably going up a pitch. “W-well, Big Mac’s been letting me handle the las’ couple orders, jus’ so ah know what ta do in case somethin’ happens to him!”

“Who ordered all these apples?”

Applejack was thrown off by the sudden question. “Well, ah, uh… the apple bakery down at… Coltsdale?”

“Uh-huh. Right Applejack.”

“What’s it to ya anyways, Twilight Sparkle?!” Applejack huffed. “What ah do is mah business, and ponies like you should keep their hooves outta it!”

Twilight flinched at Applejack’s harsh words. “Applejack, if you have a problem, you can just come out and say so.”

“Mah problem is that somepony can’t figure out when she ain’t wanted here!” Applejack fiercely bucked at the apple trees.

“Applejack, it’s not like you to be so tense.” Twilight worriedly put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “You sure you’re fine?”

“Gosh darn’it Twilight Sparkle,” The orange earth pony shook Twilight’s hoof off her shoulder. “Ah already told ya that there ain’t NOTHIN’ wrong with me!”

“You’re a horrible liar Applejack.” Twilight pointed out, her eyes tearing up. “You’ve been spending all your time at the farm for the past week! It’s nowhere near harvest season, and I’m pretty sure no major order just happened to come in right after Pinkie Pie’s funeral—”

Applejack stomped her hoof down, causing the unicorn to meekly shut her mouth. “Now you listen here Twilight Sparkle, what in the name of Celestia have you been doing the past week? Wastin’ the time of everypony in Ponyville, spendin’ all day in that library of yers while everypony else was doin’ their jobs! And you got the nerve ta call me out!?”

“Applejack, I-I—” Twilight choked on her words, trying to fight back the stream of tears.

“That’s what ah thought.” Applejack turned her back on the sobbing purple unicorn. “Now go git and let me do mah job, jus’ like everypony who’s name ain’t Twilight Sparkle!”

“A-Applejack… I…*hic*… I… I’m sorry!” Twilight Sparkle turned tail and ran off crying, leaving the orange earth pony by herself.

Applejack went back to bucking the apple tree she was working on. She bucked once, twice, three times, apples falling with every buck. The earth pony kept bucking and bucking, trying to get the very last of the apples from the tree. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. She spent several minutes driving her hooves in the bark of the tree, when suddenly, her aim slipped, throwing her to the ground beside the apple tree.

The earth pony slowly picked herself back up and glanced at the tree she was working so hard on. The apples were already long gone, and have been for the past while. Applejack stared blankly at the apples that lie on the ground, and saw her distorted reflection on the apple.

Drops of water fell onto the apple. Soon enough, rain started showering all over the grove.

“Ha… haha… ha…” Applejack laughed bitterly. She tilted her head up to look at the sky, and saw a pegasus pony push the last of the rainclouds over Sweet Apple Acres. “Guess Cloudkicker went ‘n did Rainbow Dash’s job for her…”

Applejack collapsed back to the ground and buried her head in her hooves. “Ah guess… now that it’s rainin’… ah don’t hafta worry ‘bout anypony seeing me cry… ha… haha… *sob*… ha…”

Under the cover of the clouds and rain, the earth pony openly let her tears flow. This moment was the only time she allowed herself to show her weaknesses, away from anypony who might see.

Her tears contained every emotion she tried to hide the past week. The sadness from Pinkie Pie’s departure. The anger from not being able to do anything to prevent it. And most of all…

The regret from hurting one of the best friends anypony could ever hope to have.

--

Fluttershy and Rarity were venturing through the Everfree Forest towards Zecora’s place. The yellow pegasus pony had absolutely no idea how she even got roped into following Rarity, she just knew she couldn’t get in a single word to object to Rarity’s proposal to venture into the Everfree Forest. Everything just happened so fast that she didn’t even know what Rarity was proposing!

“Come on, darling, Zecora’s house is only a few more minutes away!” Rarity said cheerfully, trotting at a brisk pace in front of Fluttershy.

“Um… R-Rarity…? I, uh, um—”

“Hush hush hush, darling!” Rarity exclaimed, holding a hoof out in front of Fluttershy. “You wouldn’t want to alert any of the nasty creatures that might be lurking around here!”

“… you’re the one who’d probably alert them.” Fluttershy muttered.

“Hmm, what was that darling?” Rarity inquired.

“N-nothing…” the pegasus pony squeaked. “W-why do you need me anyways…?”

“Because, you silly filly, what if I get attacked?” Rarity dramatically put a hoof to her forehead. “Oh, just think if one of these creatures got a hold of little old me! They’d tear me apart in a heartbeat! Oh no no no, we can’t have that, can we?”

“B-but… I don’t think I could protect you Rarity…”

“But darling you have the Stare!”

“B-but…”

“Not another word! See,” The unicorn pushed back a bush, revealing Zecora’s hut. “We’re already here!”

The Rarity took the lead and burst through Zecora’s door, Fluttershy gingerly following behind. They were greeted with Zecora mixing up another strange brew, and the two already learned not to question the strange things Zecora did.

“Oh if it isn’t my two little ponies, what compels you come here on this journey?”

“Oh Zecora, it’s been too long, darling.” Rarity flipped back her mane, aiming her sight directly at the zebra. “Now tell me, how’s life been for you in this forest?”

“I can tell you want something from the look on your face, so why not skip the greetings and cut to the chase?” Zecora clopped her hooves and gave her full attention to Rarity.

“Oh that’s what I like about you, Zecora, getting straight down to business!” Rarity cleared her throat. “Now, I’m sure you’ve heard of the trouble Ponyville has been going through for the past week, with everypony being all doom and gloom all the time. I was sifting through some fabrics the other day and thought to myself ‘oh, whatever shall I do to rid this town of its gloominess.’ And then, the perfect idea came to me to elegantly resolve all of Ponyville’s problems!

“Why not just bring back Pinkie Pie?” Rarity exclaimed.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened at the sound of Rarity’s idea. “U-um, excuse me, um, I think I, um, are you sure that, um, uh, well—”

“Oh Fluttershy, I’m quite sure of my brilliant idea!”

“B-but, um, I—”

“Shush now, darling.” Rarity brushed off Fluttershy’s frantic stuttering. “Now I tried asking Twilight Sparkle for some assistance, but the little darling didn’t know of any spell to bring Pinkie Pie back! So that’s why I come here, to ask you if you know of any spell or incantation to bring laughter back into Ponyville!”

Zecora put a hoof to her chin, pondering over Rarity’s request. “You do know in your unicorn head, that the spell that you seek is to bring back the dead?”

“Yesyesyes, I already know that. But there’s always been a spell for everything else, so why not a spell to bring loved ones back to life?” Rarity smiled awkwardly. “There is such a spell, right darling?”

The zebra was silent, deep in thought. She carefully surveyed Rarity’s expression, debating over whether or not to answer the unicorn’s question.

“U-um, I guess there is no spell then.” Fluttershy awkwardly cut in. “I’m so sorry to have wasted your time Zecora, come on Rarity, let’s go. She, um, doesn’t have an answer so—”

“No!” Rarity stomped her hoof. “I am not leaving until Zecora gives me a definitive answer!” She firmly looked Zecora in the eye. “Is there a way?”

Zecora sighed. “There is a way to get what you seek, but the method to obtain it is not for the weak.”

Rarity’s eyes gleamed at the new information. “So there is a way! Tell me what it is, darling, quickly!”

“I myself do not hold the solution, but by taking a detour you will reach your conclusion.” Zecora pointed towards the west. “You must pass through all that hinders, and arrive at the Ruins of the Ancient Pony Sisters.”

“Why?” Rarity asked excitedly. “Is there a book there? A secret artifact? What’s there, darling?!”

Zecora shook her head. “All I can do is point you the direction, everything else is up to your discretion.”

“Well I suppose I just have to settle for that then!” Rarity turned on her heel and headed out the door. “Come on, Fluttershy, let’s head over to the Ruins!”

“U-um, w-wait!” Fluttershy followed Rarity outside of Zecora’s hut. “I-I don’t think this is a good idea Rarity!”

As soon as the door shut behind the two ponies, the zebra sighed went back to brewing her stew. “That little pony is going in over her head; I do dearly hope she doesn’t fall in with the dead!”

--

Outside Zecora’s hut, the two ponies could be seen heading deeper into the forest, the yellow pegasus pony failing to get her words through Rarity. However, unbeknownst to the both of them, a sinister presence was watching their every step…

“Is that the pony? The one right there?” A gruff voice asked.

A shadowy figure responded to him. “Yeah, that’s the pony, the one with the purple mane.”

The gruff voice cackled. “Lucky for us she ventured in the forest herself. That makes our job much easier!” The gruff voiced one attempted to move out of the clump of bushes he was hiding in, but paused. “What should we do with the yellow one? Tear her apart? Have her as a snack?”

The shadow shook his head. “No, this isn’t our territory. If we kill anyone in Equestria that Princess will know we’re here… We signed a treaty, no wolves allowed in Equestria.” The shadow bared its fangs. “Knock the yellow one out and take the purple one. We’ll then take as many jewels as we can and hightail it back to our homeland.”

“Won’t taking that purple pony over the border break the treaty?”

The shadow smirked. “Not if nopony knows she was taken over the border… A lot of scary things live in the Everfree Forest, it wouldn’t be surprising if one of those things came up and spirited that pony away…”

“Kehehe, you’re great boss!” The gruff voiced wolf exclaimed. “So should I go get her now?”

The shadow paused, and then nodded his head. “Make it clean though, I don’t want that yellow pony harmed too badly.”

“I’m on it boss!” The other wolf jumped from the trees, and descended on the two unsuspecting ponies…