Trying to Forget You... (REVISED)

Today, I’m going to the Canterlot marketplace.Hopefully, I’ll find something there to distract myself from thinking of you.

The mare hastily drops the quill by releasing her magical grip, the quill settling on the cold, wooden tabletop once more.

“Time to go scour the marketplace!” Princess Twilight Sparkle exclaims, leaving the room quickly.

The big wooden doors echo loudly through the halls as they close behind her.

She sighs, before beginning her walk to the exit. As she does this, she begins to collect her thoughts.

Today, I’m supposed to check up on the vendors to make sure they are well stocked for today's business and to buy some snacks for tonight's reading session…

The mare stops her train of thought, her mind setting her on a different path, one of which she would like to disregard at this moment.

What would Applejack want in this cas—

With a grimace, the alicorn mare shakes her head, the thoughts causing incessant pounding within her brain.

Going to need to go to the doctors after this…

As she walks towards the exit through the main doors, one of the brolic guards looks up at her and says, “Need some help today, Princess?”

Twilight kindly responds, “Not today, I have to meet up with Applej—”

The alicorn mare suddenly stops speaking, startling the guard in front of her.

“Princess, are you okay?” The guard asks, now worried about her well-being. “You look a little pale.”

Unfortunately, the Princess won’t be responding quickly enough, her mind at war with itself.

Why am I thinking like this?

Because you like Applej—

No, I’m not supposed to be thinking like this…

Get yourself together, Twilight.

The alicorn mare sighs, the sudden sweat cascading in the form of droplets from her head.

Am I sweating?

Shaking her head a bit, she looks back at the guard. “I’m sorry, I meant to say was that I may need a guard or two to accompany me on this journey.”

The guard raises his eyebrow, confused by the sudden change of heart. “If you say so, Princess.”

“Corporal!” the guard shouts to the air. The corporal mentioned stands in the direction of his partner, staring blankly at him. The big, stocky guard then turns to his comrade and says, “Get those two slackers from the barracks out here, we need to go guard the Princess on her journey.”

I wonder if I should get some hay sandwiches, or some apples...

His comrade nods, scurrying off to find the “slackers” in the barracks.

Maybe some green apples would be good.

The concerned guard turns back to Twilight, his eyes gazing at her. “Sorry, our only reserves are sitting in the barracks.” He then turns towards the main entrance. “It’ll only be a few minutes for them to get here.”

That sounds like a perfect snack to share with Appleja—

“Princess?”

“Huh? Wha-what?” Twilight looks away from where she was looking at, bringing her gaze to the guardspony.

“Are you okay?” The guard asks, puzzled by her reaction. He raises a hoof in the direction the Princess was formerly looking at. “You were staring at that painting of apples over there.”

Twilight’s eyes widen. “Did you say… apples?”

The guard raises his eyebrow. “Yes?” He pauses and waves a hoof in front of the Princess’ face. “Are you sure you’re well enough?”

Twilight nods. “Yes, I’m doing well.”

I think...

As the guard retracts his hoof, his comrade rushes around the corner, the two “slackers” running a few seconds behind him.

“Sir, here they are,” his comrade says.

The guardspony nods at his comrade and turns to the two other guards. “Privates!” he shouts, the two standing upright.

“Yes sir!” they shout in response.

“You are ordered to stay here in order to protect the royal castle from any invaders,” He bellows, moving to and fro as he walks in front of them. As he finishes his sentence, he stops and turns back at them, glaring at both of them in eyes. “Do you understand?”

The two still remain upright, their position unwavering. “Sir, yes sir!” they shout.

“Good,” the guard replies calmly. “Now let’s move, Corporal.”

The corporal nods, leaving the two privates to their door duty.

“Are you ready to depart, Princess?” The corporal asks.

Twilight, who is still in her own little world, replies softly, “Yes.”

She begins to exit, her two guards accompanying her on her journey.

I hope I can make it...

____________________

The Canterlot streets, so busy, so lively…

And we’re only a few steps away from snack heaven…

The Canterlot Marketplace, so crowded, so noisy…

I’m so close to the snack vendor, I can…

The apple vendor, so orange, so beau—

Wait, what?

Twilight returns back to reality, her mind set on the apple vendor in front of her. She looked almost like a mare she knows far too well.

Applejack.

She shakes her head, trying to get the impending thoughts away from her. Unfortunately, her thoughts were inevitably going to happen.

She looks like her!

The alicorn mare stares at her, eyeing the vendor’s facial features.

Her eyes are just like hers! They’re like emerald pools I could stare at fo-

“Ma’am?” the vendor asks, causing the alicorn to leave her stupor behind.

“Yes?”

The vendor grumbles, her eyebrows appearing slanted. “Are you here to order, or are you here to observe the products?”

What a grumpy pony.

Although anger begins to boil in Twilight’s mind, she decides to cool off and reply with a calm tone of voice, “I’ll have a dozen of your finest green apples, please.”

The vendor smiles, carefully picking out the fruits for her and placing them in a bag. “Will that be all for you today, Princess?”

The mare sighs, viewing over the rest of the contents. Unfortunately, nothing else appealed to her. “No, that seems to be it.”

The vendor smiles fades for a brief moment, before returning back to a full blown grin.

Weird…

“Well I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Why in the hay did she decide to use my full name?

Because you’re a moron and held up half the line.

Huh, I did no-

In her mind, she thought she was only there for five measly minutes.

Instead, she was there for forty grueling minutes, making a line that twisted in ways that even an ordinary snake couldn’t do without becoming a mess of knots.

I guess I did.

Focus the mind, Princess, like a laser pointer.

I’m not a pet, mind.

As the rat in her mind leaves her be, she focuses on paying the vendor, slapping a generous amount of bits on the counter. “Sorry about making you wait, I had my head in some other place…”

The vendor simply smiles back, making Twilight feel a bit abusive of her power. “It’s okay, Princess.”

“Well, thank you for the apples,” Twilight announces clearly to the vendor, her eyes moving away from the Applejack look alike.

“You're welcome!” the vendor shouts back. She’s probably happy that I left.

While Twilight walks to the next stall, the two guards see her moving and approach from each side. The corporal, who appears to be lower rank than the first guard, sighs and says, “You were there for quite a while, Princess.” The young guard pauses to wipe his forehead of sweat. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

The Princess sighs. I thought I told you that I was okay…

“Yes. I'm fine, Corporal?” she asks inquisitively, wondering what the corporal's name was.

“Corporal Apple Turnover, Ma’am.”

Apple what?

The now flustered Princess looks at the guard, stopping her walk to focus her full attention on him. “Could you repeat that?”

“Corporal Plum Jack, Ma’am.”

Didn’t he just say he was Apple Tur-

Wait.

I’m thinking about Applejack again aren’t I?

The Princess brings her attention back to her guard, who is looking tense at this very moment. He probably thinks I’m punishing him.

“Well, Corporal App-I mean, Plum Turnover, thank you for being concerned for me. However, I’m doing well, so don’t worry too much about me,” she announces to her guard sternly.

Almost slipped up.

The guard nods and says, “Alright, Princess Twilight.” He turns his attention to his commanding officer, who is facing in the opposite direction.

“Sir, are you ready to proceed?”

The stoic and brolic guard faces him, his eyes beaming at the young guard. He says to the corporal, “Yes.”

This word caused a switch to flip in the young guard. The guard moves into position while maintaining a stonewall appearance, his eyes set forth and ready. His facial expression, however; is still soft. His gaze shifts back to the Princess. “Are you ready to depart once again, Princess?”

So far so good, no sign of Applejack anywhere.

Twilight looks down at the guard who is staring back at her. “Oh!” she shouts, not realizing she was being spoken to. “Yes, let us go. I still have to visit a couple of vendors!”

And so, the Princess and the two castle guards walk through the maze of what is known as Canterlot’s Marketplace.

____________________

We’re almost done…

The alicorn wipes off her forehead with a purple rag she bought at Rags For Tags.

So far, no Applejack.

The purple alicorn mare sighs once again.

I have it bad for her, don’t I?

Twilight continues her trot, her two loyal guards walking beside her. The sun still beats down on them, however; Twilight isn’t having an issue with the heat.

It’s herself that’s the real issue.

“Can I ask you a question, Miss?”

“Well, ya’ just did, partner,” the mare says, turning around to see who was asking the question.

Wait a minute, that sounded like…

As if destiny was attempting to earn its place as the new spirit of disharmony, the mare who has been causing all of her problems, now stands before her, looking her straight in the eyes.

“Shoot, well how are ya’ doing today, Twilight?” Applejack says, her mild southern accent showing.

Applejack!

Twilight looks at her friend, those green apple colored irises staring at her. Her friend’s mane now flows freely, the normal restraints no longer keeping it in place.

Applejack sees where her friend is glaring and says, “Oh, Ah see you found my new hairdo?” She pauses to fix a long strand of her hair, which was dangling awkwardly alongside her cheek. “So, what do ya’ think?”

You’re beautiful.

You're amazing.

You look stunning.

“You look good, Applejack,” The Princess replies, masking her true feelings.

Applejack smiles brightly at Twilight. “Glad ya' like it, Twi’,” she says softly.

She said my nickname!

Twilight blushes at this, pawing at the ground with her hoof.

Stop pawing the ground, Twilight, you’re going to lose her.

Mind, mind your own business.

But you are my business, Twilight.

Oh be quiet!

Twilight asks, “So, what are you doing here, Applejack?”

No pressure, Princess.

Didn’t I tell you to stop?

The blonde cowpony cranes her neck and looks around the marketplace. “I’m actually here to find my cousin, Apple Snap.” With no luck in her search, the mare turns her attention to Twilight, who now looks a bit more antsy than usual. “She’s supposed to be runnin’ one of the stands here.”

Focus, Twilight…

Wait.

“Does she closely resemble you, Applejack?” Twilight asks.

Applejack smiles once again. “Yeppers, she’s got a bit of a temper and her cutie mark is um,” the mare pauses for a moment, her muzzle scrunched up in concentration. “Her cutie mark is an apple and a whip.”

That definitely sounds like her…

The alicorn smiles at her friend, attempting to keep her composure. “I-I may know where she is.”

Did I just stutter?

Applejack perks up at this. “You know where she is?”

The migraine comes back with a vengeance, causing the alicorn to grimace. With a facial expression similar to a constipated donkey, the alicorn says, “S-She’s near th-the middle of the marketplace.”

Why is this migraine coming back?

Applejack sees the pained expression on the Princess’ face. Concerned about her friend, she asks, “Are you alright, Twi’?”

Just need a book to read an—

Within seconds, the migraine increases it’s pace, the pounding in her brain becoming constant.

The alicorn, now confused by her surroundings, tries to show Applejack her bag of apples, but fails to keep ahold of them, her magic faltering. “See the apples, Jack?”

“Twi’?” Applejack says, approaching her friend. As she says this, Twilight suddenly collapses to the ground, her eyesight beginning to blur.

Unfortunately, the guards wouldn’t allow Applejack to approach any farther.

“Halt!” Corporal Plum Turnover yells, leaving the brolic guard to tend to the Princess.

“Are you alright, Princess?”

With a cough, the royal mare looks around, shaking her head wildly in search of Applejack.

“Applejack!” she shouts, her voice cracking, slurring, and wavering.

Applejack hears her call, pushing past the young guard with ease. She quickly bends down and nuzzles her friend’s cheek. “Twi’?”

“I…”

Wanted to say…

With another loud cough and her eyes closed, she mumbles out, “I love…”

“Twi’!” Applejack shouts, the brolic guard now pushing her away from Twilight.

As Twilight hears the cry, she turns her head to the voice and opens her eyes.

The last glimpse she sees is a concerned friend being carried away by her guard.

Before closing her eyes, Twilight weakly exhales the name of the pony that is her world.

“Applejack…”

With that, the alicorn lies still, the world fading into an array of colors as more ponies begin to swarm around her…