Halfway Home and Fully Drained
Halfway home and fully drained, the Apple family trudged home. The new wagon provided a spacious area with plenty of room for activities. Except, no one wanted to do any. The trip had been a long and tiring one, and all anypony wanted to do was rest in their own beds. Everypony except Pinkie Pie, who continuously took pictures for her scrap book and rambled over her surroundings. It was beginning to become annoying to Applejack. The constant noise when she was trying to rest agitated her to the point of maybe telling Pinkie to cut it out, but then, Pinkie did just that.
The pink mare calmed down and focused on a specific trail intersecting their own. No pictures. No talking or singing. Just reflection like she was trying to remember. Being a good friend, Applejack decided to figure out the problem. After maneuvering around the unmovable Granny Smith, and not waking the usually energetic Applebloom, Apple reached Pinkie.
“Ah noticed you aren’t as lively as you usually are.” Applejack said with concern, “I wanted to know if I could do anything to help.”
Pinkie Pie didn’t make eye contact. “No,Applejack.”
“Well uh…what’s the problem? Ya know I won’t stop till you tell me, so just do it.”
“You see that road?” Pinkie sighed, “It leads to my old home: The Rock farm. All the family time I got to spend with you guys got me thinking about the family I grew up with. I haven’t seen them in about… 20 party moons.”
“Party moon?”
“I just feel as if maybe I’m neglecting them. What happened to the farm? Ma or Pa? Inkie And Blinkie. I don’t know. I just left and forgot all about them.” Pinkie slumped down in the wagon, “What if they forgot all about me?”
Applejack wrapped a leg around her maybe cousin. She honestly didn’t know what to say. She only knew a way to provide comfort except Pinkie didn’t notice it. She only kept looking at the perpendicular path. Something needed to be said, so Applejack took lead.
“They didn’t forget about you. Family doesn’t do that,” Applejack consoled, “Why don’t you plan a visit sometimes.”
“I can’t, Applejack. The shop is always so busy…I practically had to beg Mr. and Mrs. Cake to let me off today, so we could figure out the genealogy. They won’t do it again anytime soon.”
“That’s a shame, really.” Big Machintosh interjected. He had a light step as he pulled the cart. “You coulda asked your parents if they had a record of our relation. Then we could really know if we’re related.”
Mac went back to absentmindedly pulling the cart as Applejack and Pinkie Pie glared at him in amazement. Big Mac had just said the most ingenious idea to solve everpony’s problem. Pinkie not seeing her family. Solved. The problem of relation. Solved. Without hesitation, Pinkie launched herself twenty feet into the sky. Applejack looked up, yet Pinkie wasn’t there. Confused, she looked around the wagon. In the spot where Pinkie used to be was Big Mac and pulling the wagon there was Pinkie strapping on the yoke.
“You guys better hold on…” suggested Pinkie. As soon as she finished her statement, she turned down the path and began to gallop. At first, wagon didn’t move, but began to pick up speed. Soon, she matched then surpassed Big Mac’s speed. She showed no signs of strain she pulled her family and the traveling supplies. The family, on the other hoof, was dumbfounded by Pinkie’s raw strength. Then it settled in. She’s Pinkie Pie. So, the Apple Family, especially Big Mac, rested and waited until they reached their new destination.
)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(
The sun’s rays all seemed to be focused on a wagon and its occupants. Everypony seemed to be melting like snow, except Pinkie. She was content with pulling the cart, and breathing steadily. Applejack didn’t know how, but Pinkie was stronger and more determined than she looked. Perhaps she was an Apple.
After awhile, the rode turned from its usual dirty into something bumpy and covered in rocks. The cart rattled, waking the passengers. They all rubbed their eyes, and looked around. Fields upon fields of gray rocks, all ranging in size and shape, were on either side of the travelers. They somehow managed to drain the area of life, leaving behind an atmosphere of boring dullness. The air even felt somewhat stale.
“Uh…Pinkie, where are we?” asked Applejack. She noticed her voice becoming more monotonous by the second.
“Silly, we’re at my old home,” Replied Pinkie, “Welcome to the Pie Rock Farm!”
Pinkie continuously pulled the cart until they all arrived to a simple, two-story wooden house. To its left was a silo, which Applejack guessed held rocks. As Pinkie pulled in front of the house, a stallion, who had a stern look, walked outside the house. He was followed by mare, his wife, who looked at Pinkie and smiled. She walked slowly up to the pink pony and hugged her.
“Hello, daughter,” The mare spoke. Her voice dull, yet full of warmth, “Haven’t seen you around her in ages…Oh! Your mane is in shambles. Igneous, would you look at her?! Most unbecoming of a mare!”
“Mhmmm…” replied the stallion.
“It’s okay, mom. My mane is most becoming, “Pinkie Pie said as she unhooked herself, and hugged her mother, “Hey, I’d like you guys to meet my friends…erm…my cousins.”
“Cousins…” both older ponies said in unison.
As Pinkie spoke, the Apple family made their way out of the wagon. Each stretched in their own way, yet Applebloom finished earlier. She ran around the area excitedly, taking the sights. Applejack immediately chased after her while Big Mac and Granny Smith went to meet Pinkie’s parents.
“Why hello! We’re the Apple family. Ah’m Granny Smith.” Granny pointed toward Mac, “This Is Big Macintosh.”
“Eeyup…” replied Mac. He shook the hoof of Igneous.
“Ah’m Applejack, and this here…” Applejack turned to show Applebloom tied on her back, “…is Applebloom.”
They all shared pleasantries, went into the home, and sat around a table with tea. Mac and Igneous sat in another room and talked about something, but the occasional “Eeyup” or “Mhmmm” could be heard. The mares sat and talked. Mostly about each other until the conversation went dry.
“…Pinkie, why did you come here and why did you say cousins, earlier?” Pinkie’s mother asked.
“...mom…I was looking through genealogy records, and came across something interesting. Auntie Applesauce of the Apple family is a removed member of ours. Unfortunately, a bit of it was smudged…twice! So we’re not really sure. We were hoping the copy you and Pa have holds the answers we seek.”
Her mother rubbed her chin in thought. She left out the room to get her husband, and when she returned, Mac was carrying a huge book, and Igneous a scroll. Mac strained as he walked into the room. When he reached the table, Pinkie’s mother easily lifted the book onto the table. “Auntie Applesauce…” she whispered. She opened the book, flipped some pages, and scrunched her face,
“Appalachian…no….hmm here!”
They looked in the book only to be met with disappointment Most of the patch had severe water damage, leaving most of the page unreadable. From what they could salvage, a small, incomplete name could be seen. Not even the picture was able to be salvaged. They all sighed as Pinkie’s mother closed the book.
“So much for that…”Applejack said disappointedly.
“Eeyup…”
Pinkie’s hair deflated a little. “Now, we’ll never know.”
“Pinkie, you don’t need no piece of paper to say whether you are family or not. “ Pinkie’s mother said,” Family is who you feel the most happy and safe around, and it seems to me that you feel happy and safe around these kind folks.”
“Really,mom?”
“Yes. Now get along. You’re burning daylight just sitting her, and I bet ponies in Ponyville are missing you.” Pinkie’s mother hugged each of the guests, “Don’t be shy. You can come back whenever you want. Right, Igneous?”
“Mhmmm.”
With that, The Apple Family, including Pinkie Pie, made way for home. Mac connected his yoke, Applejack helped Granny Smith in the wagon, and Applebloom slept on a pile of hay. Pinkie…Pinkie sat near the front taking pictures of her family. All of them in order to never forget the memories they made together.
