An Apple to the Core
It was a beautiful, bright and sunny day on Sweet Apple Acres.
By the rustic scarlet barn, a young filly kicked at the dust in frustration.
"Pleeaase Ma?" Applejack begged, "you let Big Mackintosh at my age!"
A lithe pony with a thick, golden mane stared down at her daughter, friendly green eyes furrowed. She'd been having this conversation all day.
"You know full well Big Mac is stronger than you AJ, and this trip to get sand to combat the upcoming bad weather ain't no trite matter." She spoke in a thick accent, not dissimilar to her daughter.
"Ma's right," Mac interjected in his baritone, "it's only because the Pegasi are having problems curtailing this storm we need my strength to pull some extra weight, otherwise, Ma and Pa would get along just fine. Besides, who else is going to hold the fort whilst we're gone?"
"Ain't Granny Smith comin' over to babysit? I reckon she can hold the fort just fine." Her stubborn streak starting to kick in, Applejack's voice had taken a very staunch tone.
"Ah said no and that's my final verdict."
Applejack hadn't counted on her mother being the single pony more obstinate than she was. Still, the mare softened at the dejected look her daughter gave her.
"Listen Applejack, sugarcube, you really are growing up into a big girl; when that apple-shaped cutie mark appears on your flank, I'll know you're an apple to the core and ready for anything life throws your way."
Despite herself, Applejack let a smile peek through her scowl at an old family joke. Her mother placed a hoof on her cheek.
"But for now AJ, I need you be a big girl in more ways than one. Chores need to be done here, Granny needs to be kept company."
Applejack groaned "I'd much rather go on an adventure with you three than sit at home listenin' to Granny's longfangled stories. Who needs to hear the tale of Ponyville's first and only pig fair for the fortieth time?"
"Applejack that's no way to speak about Granny Smith - she's family," Big Mac barked.
"Really? 'Cause the way you are all treating me, I could swear that I'm just some outsider. It's always 'don't do this' or 'you're not old enough' that - why don't you understand I just want to help?
"By staying at home, you are helping. It's hardly my fault somepony is too stubborn to realize it," Big Mac retorted through gritted teeth.
"Sure as sugar don't feel that way. Maybe I just want to be treated like a part of this family instead of being left behind all the time!"
"Well maybe you should start by not behavin' like a little kid!"
"Well maybe you should start by not behavin' like a... a..." At this point, Applejack's face contorted, red at trying to think of a word to say.
"A well-meaning older brother?"
"A big meanie hooves!"
"Eeeyup."
"What exactly is the problem here?" A voice interjected. A handsomely rugged red pony with sun-beaten hair frowned at the scene before him.
"Pa," Applejack drew in a deep breath, "I want to go with you to get the sand but Ma and Mac say that I'm not old enough, which is nonsense because yesterday I bucked five whole trees in a row without a break. Anyhow, I'm tired of being left out of all these fun family road trips where you do fun family stuff together. I love this farm, I love this family - can't you see I'd give my left hoof just to help you?"
The father looked at the mother, breath paused in hesitation.
"Well, I don't see why not."
The mother passed a quizzical look to the father.
"You mean apart from the fact we have to pass through Rockfall Gorge, along the Rapid River?" She pushed her head closer to the father and lowered her voice. "Also, I don't like the way this storm is turning out - word is from the Pegasi it's coming in earlier and nastier than before. I don't even want to take Mac with us, if we needn't the extra horsepower..."
"Honeybloom, you worry too much. It's a trip we've made tens of times before - besides, as Applejack says, what's the harm in having her help?" He ruffled his daughter's hair affectionately. "I reckon with her on board, we'll get the trip done in double time."
"Well..."
"Pleeeaaasee?" Applejack looked up at her mother, friendly green eyes wide and pleading.
"...alright. But listen here AJ, you stick close to me and stay there. If you so much as place one hoof out of line, me and you are going straight back to Sweet Apple Acres, sand or no sand."
Applejack's face lit up, "yes Ma, anything you say."
"I need you to promise me AJ."
"Ah promise!"
"I mean really promise me AJ, cross your hear-"
"Sweetie, again, you're worrying too much," Autumn Gold interrupted, picking Applejack up and placing her on his back. "You know how honest our little AJ is: If she says she'll behave, she'll behave."
Applejack wrapped her arms around her father's neck, nuzzling her face into his mane.
"Alright then, but we leave now. We don't dillydally, we don't stop to chat. We get the sand and then we leave. The sooner we're back here the better, I say."
And so together they went on their way, ready to help the farm as a family.
A raincloud formed as a cool breeze began to set in.
Two hours into the trip and Honeybloom was regretting her decision.
"One-hundred-and-twenty-eight-bottles-of-juice-on-the-wall, one-hundred-and-twenty-eight-bottles-of-juice!" Applejack happily chorused. "You-take-one-down-pass-it-around-one-hundred-and-twenty-seven-bottles-of-juice-on-the-wall!" Applejack nudged her father, mane wet with rain.
"One-hundred-and-twenty-seven-bottles-of-juice-on-the-wall, one-hundred-and-twenty-seven-bottles of juice." He chorused back "You-take-one-down-pass-it-around..."
"Ain't you going to join in singing Big Mac?" Applejack asked.
"Nope."
"Okay, what about a game of eye spy?"
"Nope."
"Is it apples?"
"Nope."
"Is it rain?"
"Nope."
"Is it the big cart of sand you're pulling behind you?"
"Nope."
Applejack gasped "Is it my cutie mark?"
"...Eeeyup."
Immediately, Applejack looked at her flank. It was blank. Big Mac gave a hearty chuckle.
"Ma, Mac's teasing me again."
"Mmhmmm." Her mother was clearly pre-occupied in her thoughts.
Up above, the sky rumbled.
"We're almost at the rapid river, and you know what that means," Autumn Gold turned to face his family, "we follow it along through this gorge and we'll be back in Ponyville in no time."
He looked at Honeybloom pointedly. "We'll be back home."
"Now Big Mac and me will stand ahead of the pack pulling the carts, whilst you and AJ stay back." He lowered himself to Applejack's level. "And you'll stay close to your Ma, you hear me? These rivers are rough enough on a calm day, we don't need you
getting yourself in trouble. Remember your promise AJ."
"I promised I'd behave so I'll behave," Applejack rested her head against her mother's leg, "don't worry Ma, I'll stick by you."
"I know you sweetie, but I've been thinking, maybe we should leave some of this sand behind." Honeybloom looked at her husband "This storm is getting worse by the minute; we need to get moving fast."
Autumn Gold frowned at his wife "I don't know... even with two carts full and the stock at home, I don't think we'll have enough to fortify the farm."
"Listen sugar, the way I see it, this storms approaching too fast for us to do much. I know we've already protected our house - what's important - against any flood, but I just don't think we can do much for the rest of the farm. I say we just take the bare minimum and make the best of it once we're back."
"You're right. The crooked way the trees are growing, I was planning to use the south field for pig feed and kindling anyway - it's silly to catch our death out here for the sake of some sick trees. Mac leave your cart behind and we'll both pull this one."
"Eeeyup. I'll leave the cart by this here rock so we can come back and find it later."
"Good work Mac, now let's get moving on the double."
Lightning flashed across the sky.
It happened so quickly. Too quickly.
Strong winds whipped the Apple's manes as they raced forwards along the river. The second cart had long since been abandoned in a place unknown. The ground rumbled beneath them, rocks rained down from the sky.
It was an earthquake.
It happened before they even knew what hit them. One second they were all singing along to 100-bottles-of-juice, the next the floor suddenly fell out from beneath them; when that happened, there was nothing left to do but to run.
Applejack was struggling to keep up with her mother's pace, yet she was determined to keep her promise, no matter what. She had never run so fast before in her life. Yet, strangely enough, time seemed to slow down as she tripped over her tail, bashed her muzzle against the muddy ground, looked up to see a massive boulder hailing down from above...
In a stunning display of athleticism, Honeybloom grabbed her daughter by the nape of her neck, and darted gracefully in-between falling debris, her flank sashaying this way and that. It was only when a particularly large rock fell by her left flank was she forced to leap onto a fallen tree placed haphazardly against the raging river: Her only choice, it was still an incredibly stupid thing to do.
As Honeybloom's hoof splashed into the mud on the other side of the river, the shaking gave way. The wind was still screeching louder than ever, rain still pelted them, but at least the rocks had stopped falling. They were both safe.
"The log Ma! We have to go back! Mac and Pa are on the other side of the river!"
"No Applejack, we keep running."
"But... we can't leave them! We're family, and family sticks together, no matter what!"
"AJ, they're only meters away." Sure enough, Autumn Gold and Mac were running in parallel to them. "If we follow this river to where it's calmer, I'm sure we'll find a bridge, and then-"
"But what about the fork?!"
"Fork? What in the hay are you talking abou... oh."
Sure enough, the river forked ahead of them. Somewhere behind them, an errant rock fell.
All four ponies stopped.
"Now... what...?" Honeybloom asked, panting to get her breath.
"I know these parts like the back of my hand," Autumn Gold yelled over the wind. "If you follow the river along your side, there is a path which'll take you out of this gorge and out of the way of the water. At the top, there should be a cave - you'll be safest if you wait there."
"But what about you?" Applejack's eyes were brimming with frightened tears.
Autumn grimaced. "Me and Mac will just have to take our chances with the storm and head directly back to the farm."
"But what about the fallen tree?" Applejack sobbed, terrified at the prospect of being separated, "we can go back, find it, you can cross and we'll all wait in the cave together. As family."
"Applejack, the log's gone. It broke when I jumped on it. Besides, it's too dangerous - there's no way I'm letting your father and Mac risk their lives."
"But-"
"Ma and Pa are right Applejack." Big Mac scolded his sister. The water of the river swelled to greater heights.
"Do you remember your promise to me Applejack? To stick by no matter what? We'll I'm making you honor that promise. I need you to be the brave girl that you are AJ," Honeybloom's voice softened as she sang a familiar song, barely audible over the wind.
"We're apples together, apples forever, we're family but so much more. No matter what comes we will face the weather..."
Applejack gave her mother a feeble smile.
"...we're apples to the core."
Separated, they went on their way.
Applejack and her mother had not been running for ten minutes when a crash echoed through the landscape, followed by the bellow of her father. There was no time for heroics; it was over as quickly as it began. Silence poured through the rain.
Tired from running so hard, neither Applejack or her mother had time to even register what had happened.
"Pa always makes a big fuss over nothing, idiot probably just stubbed his hoof or something." Applejack repeated to herself in her head. "We'll get back to the farm and he'll be waiting for us, you'll see."
It was only when they came up to the blockade in the path did they stop. Above the pile of rocks and debris, the path out of the gorge towered.
"See Applejack! There's that path your father talked about! All we have to do is get through this pile of stones and twigs and we'll be safe!"
Honeybloom bucked her legs against the wall. Nothing happened.
She bucked again, still to no avail.
The water from the river swelled higher.
"I grew up on a honey farm - I never was any good at bucking trees." She smiled ruefully and smashed her legs against a particularly large rock. She knew what she had to do.
Whilst her daughter lay exhausted on the ground, she spied a particularly feeble mesh of twigs near the ground. With one leg, she kicked at it until a small, filly-sized hole formed.
Still, the water rose higher.
"Applejack, listen to me."
Tired, sad, and hopeless. All of these emotions pulsed through Applejack's head. She didn't care anymore, she just wanted to lie there until it all went away.
"Applejack! I need you to go through this hole and up that path. Find the cave and wait there until the storm as passed."
Suddenly alert, Applejack lifted her head. "But... what about you?"
"Ma just needs to work a slightly bigger hole, then she can join you. I promise. But what's really important is that you go through and find the cave."
"What about my promise?"
"Applejack..."
"No! I promised that I would stay by you, no matter what. So that means that I have to stay here with you. I can't go through that hole by myself because I keep my promises."
"Applejack, please..."
"I don't know why you're so upset at me - you made me make the stupid thing!"
"Applejack, I need you to break this promise, just this once."
"I..."
"Please Applejack, break this promise. For me."
"I'm scared. Please don't make me go on without you."
"No you aren't scared AJ. You're a beautiful, brave and willful child. You're my daughter: An apple to the core." She pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "No matter what happens, I'll always be immensely proud of you. I love you more than words can say."
Blinded by tears, Applejack couldn't pull herself away from the beat of her mother's heart.
"...If I go, you'll be right behind me, right? Do you promise?"
"With all of my heart."
The final moments in which mother and daughter clung onto one another seemed to last an eternity. It took almost everything each of them had to wrought themselves apart.
Through the hole and up the hill young Applejack went. Alone.
It had been an hour and her mother still hadn't kept the promise.
"Ten bottles of juice on the wall, ten bottles of juice..." Applejack sang in a faulty tone. She was shivering violently. "You take one down, pass it around, nine bottles of juice on the wall..."
She finished her song. No, that couldn't be right. If she sang the song counting down from one-thousand bottles, her mother would most certainly appear by the end. She had to.
She promised.
Wait a second? Didn't she mess up around the six-hundred-and-eighty-four mark? Say six-hundred-and-forty-eight instead? Of course, that's why her mother hadn't arrived yet! Isn't it only fair that she start again from that point?
"Six-hundred-and-eighty-four bottles of juice on the wall, six-hundred-and-eighty-four bottles of juice. You take one down, pass it around..."
When Applejack awoke a few hours later, the storm had passed. Sleepily, she got up and left the cave.
From her vantage point, she could see the barricade was gone.
As was her mother.
To sore, tired and dejected to do anything else, she wandered upstream. Towards Ponyville.
A track of tears followed her hoofprints. Her mother had lied to her - how could she do that? She promised she wouldn't leave her alone, yet she did it anyway; when she got back to the farm, Applejack was going to tell her exactly how hurt and betrayed she felt. When she got back to the farm where her parents were waiting...
Through a haze of tears, she saw a red pony sitting on the grass alone. Pa!
Big Mac sat alone, staring at the ground.
"Big Mac! We have to hurry, we went off wandering together and must of lost track of time - why, our parents must be worried sick after us!"
"Nope."
"Big Mac, where's Pa?"
"Nope."
"He was right there! He stubbed his hoof on this rock, then he had to go get someone to look at it! He said he'd be waiting for us back at the farm!"
"Nope."
"I said he stubbed his hoof, don't you even care?"
"Nope."
Applejack's eyes welled up.
"He stubbed his hoof, just like that time at the big family reunion. Said it was Ma's fault for leaving her horseshoes lying around... they had that big fight after everyone left, but they soon made up like they always do. Then we had a big, family hug..."
The tears cascaded freely down Applejack's face.
"...don't you want to have another big family hug?"
"Eeyup."
A lone tear fell down the stallion's cheek.
It was a beautiful, bright and sunny day on Sweet Apple Acres, the last it would see in years to come.
Fin.
Author's Note
This is my first foray into fanfiction in over three years. I can't compose music, draw, or animate; all I really have are my words to make a contribution to a fandom I hold so dearly. Let me know in the comments what you think.
