Author's Note
While everyone reads their fiction different, if you have ever seen Forrest Gump that was my intention with the writing style. It's quite different, and quite frankly might drive some of you nutty with all the drawl and odd spelling, but it was all intentional.
Bloomberg
Mama always told me I were a special tree.
Not just ‘cause I were an apple tree neither. No sir. There were many other apple trees ‘round me when I grew up. But Mama kept tellin’ me that one day I’d be special. I liked it when she told me that. There were only one other thing I liked more than Mama’s nice words: her stories. All about trees before me that grew up like I would, and how they got big and strong and made her family proud.
That was a lot to take in when I were little, ‘cause I didn’t think I could be all that. I don’t ‘member much from when I were little, but I do ‘member I was a small, skinny little apple tree. I wasn’t even big enough to be in the ground when Mama found me. There were some sort of tradition she had ta do, somethin’ ‘bout pickin’ a tree to perform some special Apple family tradition. I weren’t real keen on the details, but I didn’t much care back then. When Mama picked me, I thought I were goin’ to heaven itself.
Well, I didn’t really know what heaven was until Mama told me ‘bout it. I didn’t really understand at first, but she told me about her mama and papa and how they were up in heaven with the angel ponies, and how much she missed them a lot but her granny told her they were in a better place. She cried that first night I were with her. I couldn’t do nuthin’ for her, so I just sat there, in my little pot, keepin’ her company.
After a few days she stopped cryin’ when she sat with me, and that’s when she started to talk to me. I guess most ponies found it weird, talkin’ to a tree, but even so I were there listenin’. I’m real good at that, since I can’t talk or move, I just listen. Mama would come see me every mornin’ before school, water my pot, gimme a kiss, and tell me to wait for her after school. Being able to do nothing else than just sit there, that’s what I did. I waited.
She’d always smile when she saw me. I liked it when Mama smiled. She had the prettiest teeth and how her freckles would move with her cheeks, if I could smile back it couldn’t have been as pretty as hers. Most days she’d come tell me about her day at school. She’d show me her crayon drawins, even though I didn’t know what a crayon was. She’d read to me a lot, mostly her homework. She were suppose ta read a’loud to ponies, but she said that she were slower than most so it made her scared ta read in front of ‘em. So she’d read to me.
I didn’t always understand them, but I didn’t mind, so long as it made Mama happy I could be fine with not gettin’ them. Some days though, she were sad after school. She’d talk ‘bout how she didn’t got any friends, besides uncle Red and myself. Uncle Red would have made a good apple tree, ‘cause he almost never spoke. Plus he were big ‘n strong like the tree in Mama’s story.
After a while, Mama got less scared of the other ponies in school. That was good, ‘cause she’d bring one over to meet me every so often. The first pony I met was a pretty white one with somethin’ stickin’ outta her head. I guessed it was a branch, but Mama explained later that she were a unicorn, and that she could do magic with it. I’d never heard of magic before, so I didn’t know what it were until she used it on me.
She picked me up, scarin’ me real good. I realized then I were ‘scared of heights. I think Mama knew, ‘cause she asked her to put me down. But she put me down too hard, cause it cracked my little pot. It was actually nice, ‘cause for some time my roots had been bumpin’ into the sides and needed to stretch. When that side cracked, my roots took the opportunity to stretch out and be free. When my roots touched the grass, it were like nothin’ else I had experienced before. It was soft, ‘n felt real good. I’d never touched the ground before, and boy had I been missin’ out!
It startled Mama and her friend right quick, with my pot shatterin’ into a bunch of pieces. But Mama soon smiled big and bright, like when she’d see me in the mornin’. It were time for me to be rightfully planted, and that’s just what Mama and uncle Red did. I were worried at first, ‘cause they took me away from Mama’s house. I liked their house, it was pretty and warm inside. Some cold nights, Mama would even sneak me into her room so that her granny would tell us both stories. I liked her stories almost as much as Mama’s. Almost.
While they wheeled me in a little red wagon to my new “rootin’ grounds”, as Mama put it, I got to see all the other apple trees up close, and just how big they were. I didn’t know if I’d get that big, or ever have apples like them. I weren’t real sure if I wanted to grow that big. They was so high up I worried I’d never come back down.
Mama had personally chosen my new spot. It was on a small hill, and all around me were other small apple trees like me. I was nervous at first, feelin’ like Mama had told me when she were in school. But soon I discovered that none o’ them talked either. So I guess I were alone after all.
Mama didn’t visit me as often as she used ta. I guess she were gettin’ bigger, like me, and started gettin’ her own chores around the farm. She had told me she’d been real excited ‘bout it, and so was I. But it took away her time with me, and as happy as I were for Mama, it still made me pretty sad. One day though, she came to me real excited. She’d decided she didn’t wanna be no apple farmer no more, so was goin’ to some big city to become a orange farmer. I didn’t think they had farms in the city.
That didn’t last long though, ‘cause a few weeks later she came back home. And, a’top of that, she’d done got herself a cutie mark. She was so happy and excited, sayin’ how she’d be spending all her time with me and the other apple trees. It made me real happy too. As she sat next to me, uncle Red joined us with a present for Mama. He said somethin’ ‘bout when the time was right, she were to get it. Inside a box were a brown cowpony hat. I didn’t see anythin’ special about it, but Mama must’a, ‘cause she started to cry.
I guess it done brought up somethin’ sad, but luckily uncle Red were there to cheer her up some. The three of us just sat there until the sun were just about gone, and even when the moon came out and uncle Red gone ta bed, Mama continued to sit with me. As much as I liked the day, I also liked the night. It were always real pretty, with all them stars up there, twinklin’ away. I swore I could even see pictures in them, like how the clouds in the day sometimes shaped themselves up like little bunny rabbits or chickens. Mama told me that somewhere up there, two of them stars were her mama and papa, watchin’ over her, uncle Red, and little Apple.
At first I wondered how ponies became stars, but then if heaven were up where the stars be, it made sense I reckon. So, from that night on, when the stars came out I’d do my best to find the two brightest ones, figurin’ they had ta be Nana and Grampa. I’d tell them how Mama was doin’, the excitin’ things she and uncle Red and Granny were up to. Then I’d talk about some of the things I’d seen, like one day maybe there were more bunnies than usual or I saw a new color of butterfly.
It were funny, not ever movin’ around and just sittin’ still, I never really noticed how big I started to get. Soon, it seemed Mama were gettin’ smaller than bigger! Mama looked up to me real proud like, sayin’ I was gettin’ close to harvestin’ time. Her hat was beginnin’ to even fit her head, so I knew she were still growin’, I was just growin’ faster.
Within the next few days, however, somethin’ bad happened. A bunch of the other young trees in my orchard started gettin’ sick. Their leaves were witherin’ and turnin’ brown. Their bark was fallin’ off. Some sort of sickness done got to them, and Mama worried I’d get it. Lemme tell ya, I were worried too, but nothin’ ever happened. And you know what else? Apparently I were the only tree in that entire spot to not get sick and be cut down.
Mama had first called it “Protection” for the trees not yet sick. They hoped that by cuttin’ them down and burnin’ them it may stop the illness from spreadin’. But, every day another tree were sick, until it be only me left. Mama hadn’t called me a special tree in a great while, and when she looked around at the stumps of my brothers and sisters, she said that I really was a special tree. I did feel bad though, bein’ the only one to not get sick, but also grateful ‘cause I’d have missed Mama a lot.
It were also around this time when Mama made another friend. I never did learn her name, except Mama just called her R-D. I guessed it stood for Real Dozy, cause all she’d do is sleep in my branches, which I didn't mind. It helped keep the birds away. She was a real pretty pony, with all different colors in her hair. Mama once told me that some of the other apple trees had apples like that, all different colors. I hoped I were one, cause I liked them pretty colors.
But, a few months later, it turned out I weren’t one of them Zap Apple trees. One mornin’ Mama came to visit before she worked the fields, and she gasped in excitement. I didn’t know what happened, if maybe R-D had left somethin’ in my branches I couldn’t feel, or maybe some fruit bats had taken home in me. Luckily, it weren’t neither of those, for I bared my very first apple.
Mama was jumpin’ around, all happy, which made me happy too. Soon, I had more and more apples hangin’ from my branches. As it turned out, not only had it been a special day for me, but Mama too, for on that very same day as my first apple, Mama had her birthday, and Granny had surprised her with a special present: the farm.
Mama told me all about it, how Granny and uncle Red decided that it was rightful for Mama to have the farm, bein’ she were almost runnin’ it on her own. And indeed she did; I saw her out every day, kickin’ apple trees and gatherin’ them fresh apples. I never saw what they did with’em, but I’m sure they found new homes somewhere. Maybe even grew up to be apple trees themselves.
Then, finally, the day came. It were my turn for harvestin’.
I had to admit, my branches were feelin’ heavy for a while, and I knew what was gonna happen. Mama reassured me that it wouldn’t hurt none, and that it were natural. So, with a swift kick to my trunk, I shook all my apples right out of my branches. As much as I were glad for all that weight to be gone, I still didn’t like the kickin’ much. But, after a couple seasons, I got used to it.
There were one season though, that somethin’ weird happened. I remember wakin’ up, expectin’ to see the big ol’ sun come up and make me feel warm inside, only it didn’t. In fact, the moon were still up in the sky! Even that picture of that pony was gone from it. I was sad to see that go. I always imagined that during its travel across the sky, that pony stopped by each of them star groups and said hello, keepin’ a watchful eye on ‘em so nothin’ bad happened. With it gone, who were gonna watch ‘em?
But, after some time, the moon finally went down and the sun came back up like it were suppose ta. Later Mama told me about how she’d met some strange purple pony, and how they became friends and discovered they were some special group of ponies with magic powers. Mama didn’t have one of them horns on her head, so I didn’t really understand how she did magic, but Mama were real excited so it had to be good.
Sure enough though, that bucking season I met that purple pony. Mama had been workin’ real hard by herself, ‘cause uncle Red done hurt himself, so she did everythin’ by herself, and I mean everythin’! She didn’t visit me much, but I understood. That were a lotta work for one pony. Luckily, that purple mare, R-D, and even the white pony helped out with harvestin’. Plus some others, who I figured were her other new friends.
What I didn’t realize, though, was this would be my last buckin’ season with Mama.
Ya see, I knew somethin’ were wrong cause Mama stopped talkin’ to me so much. She’d just sit there, lookin’ at me all sad like. She didn’t cry, but her face told me somethin’ were wrong. I didn’t know what to expect, but I sure didn’t expect Mama to tell me it were time for me to fulfill my destiny. Truth were, I didn’t even know what that meant. And like Mama, she musta’ figured that cause she explained to me just what she meant.
It went back to that ol’ tradition from when I were still in my pot. I were part of a long runnin’ Apple family tradition where when a new town be built an honorary member of the family bestow a tree as a symbol of good luck. Well, I couldn’t deny I weren’t lucky, but it didn’t make me wanna go any more so. Not that I had a say either way myself, and from Mama’s expression she didn’t either.
So, a few days later it became time for me to go. Uncle Red got the biggest rope he could find, tied it around my trunk, and with some help from some other earth ponies they pulled me right out of the ground! This were the first time in a long time I wasn’t rooted, not since my little pot. The whole time Mama were there, tellin’ me everythin’ were okay. They were real quick to wrap my roots in some sorta bag and put some fresh dirt into it. It weren’t no ground, that was for sure, but it was better than havin’ my roots just danglin’ about for everypony to see.
It had been a number of years since I'd moved anywhere. None of the other apple trees looked any different. The house were the same, except now I were too big to fit inside like I use'ta. I weren't sure where I was goin', but Mama just stayed beside me, pettin' my trunk to let me know she were there. If Mama wouldn't have been there with me, I'd have been a lot more scared than I was. Soon though, she said we were almost to our destination. Just a train ride and then I'd be in my new home. I'd never rode in a train before. Or even seen one, but I now knew what that whistle I'd hear every day was from.
Mama had arranged a special room for me to ride in. It were real nice. She even brought me a bed to lay in! Boy, it had been so long since I'd slept in a bed, back when I was still in my little pot. It was so comfy, I didn't even feel when the train started to move. Apparently Mama had invited her friends, too. Durin' my favorite story, the white pony came in and got all huffy with Mama about how I got my own room to sleep in. Heh, I didn't wanna brag or nothing, so Mama did it for me. After all, this was all for me.
I still weren't too sure about all this commotion just for me. Mama had told me before how important it was, but I still felt uneasy. Even after that little purple lizard climbed into my bed with me for company I couldn't sleep. Of course, his snorin' didn't help either. I just couldn't sleep. I didn't know what to expect when we got to our destination. Would there be lots of ponies there to see me? What would I do? I can't talk or nothin'.
At some point I did fall asleep, cause I woke up to my room being thrown about. The bed were sliding from one side to the other. When that little purple thing finally woken up and realized something were wrong, he panicked. I didn't know what were happenin', but he was screamin' something about us being kidnapped by giant brown cows. Well, as we soon found out there were buffalos! They felt pretty bad for takin' the little purple lizard. Not so much for me though. They just threw me up against a rock.
I didn't like it one bit. I missed Mama, even her friends. Though later two of them showed up. R-D and that pink one that can't stop talking. It got real cold that night, but I could see more stars than I could ever at Mama's farm. It were real pretty. It took me a while to find Nana and Papa, but I guess having moved such a long way they stayed in the same place. I asked them if they saw Mama they could tell her where I was and take me back home. I didn't like being out in the desert.
Things were different the next day though! The buffalo's loaded me into a cart and took me close to a small town. At one end of it I saw a bunch of trees! I figured that musta been where I was suppose ta go. I guess they were in a real hurry to return me though, ‘cause suddenly they started to run towards the town, almost running over the pink pony. By the time I finally got down into the town, it was a real mess! They musta been havin' some sorta party and got carried away. With Mama's pink friend there, it didn't surprise me none.
Well, after some sharin' of apple pies with the buffalo's, Mama and another pony she called cousin Braeburn took me to this small hill and put me in a big ol' hole they'd already dug. The ground there sure felt different, nothin' like Mama's dirt. I didn't like it none, but hopefully I weren't gonna be there too long.
Or so I had thought.
I guess I hadn't fully understood Mama's tradition she had ta do. After Braeburn 'n Mama got me good and planted, she asked to be alone with me. I liked bein' alone with Mama, just us two sittin' together, watchin' the sunset. But somethin' were wrong, cause Mama were cryin'. She sat next to me, resting her head against my trunk, and cried. The entire time she didn't say nothin' to me, so I didn't know what were the matter.
Then, Mama's purple friend came about sayin' they were ready to go. Well, I were still in the ground, how could I be ready to go? And that's when I saw Mama's eyes, how hurt she looked. That entire night, the only thing Mama said was right then as she got up and followed the purple one.
“Make Mama proud, Bloomberg.”
And just like that, she were gone.
That first night were the loneliest and coldest night I ever had. I sat there, lookin' for Nana and Papa up in the sky, but their stars weren't there! In fact, I didn't recognize many of the star patterns up in the sky. I sat there alone, watchin' as all the lights in the town went out.
The next day weren't real eventful. Some pony came up to me to buck apples, but lookin' at me called over cousin Braeburn. I weren't feelin' too good, and I think he he knew it. He told the other pony to go onto the next tree, and leave me be. I didn't know what were happenin', but Braeburn looked up to me and smiled. He had a nice smile, but it still weren't Mama's smile. I dunno how long it went on, each day I weren't givin' good apples. One day I even heard somepony sayin' somethin' about digging out the axe.
Every night were just as cold and lonely as the one before it. I couldn't help it none, I missed Mama, uncle Red, Little Apple. Even Granny. One particular night, since I didn't recognize any of the stars I chose to watch the small town instead. Before long all of the lights were out, except for one house, which was this farm's house.
Cousin Braeburn came out real late, when the moon were already half way across the sky. He walked real slow like, lookin' at each apple tree as he passed. But when he finally stopped it were at my trunk. He looked real tired, and just sat there for a few lookin' up into the sky. Earlier he were real happy and chatty like Mama's pink friend. Now, he reminded me of uncle Red: quiet 'n blank.
“Moving a tree is real hard on it.” His words startled me from my thoughts. I were thinkin' about Mama again. “Applejack says you're a real tough tree, big and strong as she put it. She also told me you like having company, so I'll make you a deal.” Then he looked up at me. “If I come and visit you every night, can you promise to give us ripened apples?”
I weren't real sure about that, but he smiled at me like he had earlier.
“Did Applejack ever tell you I grew up in Ponyville? Before moving out into the middle of nowhere, me and her went to school together...”
He kept talkin' to me for hours. I was sure the sun would come up before he'd stop. I couldn't complain though, it were nice to have a pony tellin' me stories like Mama had. Especially if they were about Mama. It were getting' real early when he finally stopped. I could see the orange of the sun tryin' to peak over the mountains.
He watched it a moment, then got up and walked away, sayin' somethin' about takin' care of the farm animals. Hearin' stories about Mama did cheer me up a lot, and I guess it showed, for when they came to buck apples that day I guess my apples had finally ripened. All the ponies were shocked, except for Braeburn. He just smiled. His smile were a close second to Mama's.
So from then on, cousin Braeburn would come visit me real late in the night. It were a different time than when Mama would visit me, before bed, but I didn't mind none. I think Braeburn went to bed real early and woke up in the middle of the night, kinda like what uncle Red would do, only he would go right out and start workin'.
After some time, cousin Braeburn started bringin' me letters from other family members. Even some from Mama! She'd tell him about her adventures, and so he'd tell me. I think Mama knew he were readin' them to me ‘cause of how she seemed ta explain the things I didn't understand.
For instance, for a short while everything were wrong. Like the buffalo from before were now dancin' in funny pink dresses, Braeburn wouldn't stop shouting “Appleloosa!”, and some of the other apple trees had oranges on them instead of apples! Accordin' to Mama, someone called “Discord” came and were messin' things up for everyone. Luckily her purple friend was able to help them, and then save all of Equestria. I dunno, but I found the entire thing funny to watch.
In another letter she talked about how Little Apple got this thing called the “cutie pox”, and she were doin' all sorta weird things and getting' cutie marks all over her body! I guess she could do a whole lotta things, so long as one of them weren't usin' a saw I wouldn't have minded seein' it.
Another time Mama done gone and goofed up, thinkin' R-D and her other friends would be upset with her for not winnin' some fancy ribbon. I'm sure Mama knew I wouldn't care none, so long as she tried her best. Winnin' ain't everythin', as I remember when she and R-D ran that Runnin' of the Leaves before I got moved.
Apparently Mama's pink friend is related to her! They went on some long journey to see another apple family member to discover whether it were true or not. I guess they couldn't tell for sure, but it didn't matter to 'em. They all had a good time bondin', and it didn't matter if they were really related or not, for they were family all the same regardless. I sure hope that don't mean I gotta listen to the pink one talk. I love hearin' stories, but her stories never make no sense.
The biggest surprise I heard in one of her letters were when her purple friend became a princess! I didn't even know a pony could do that. If I'd known, I would have wished for Mama to be a princess. She worked so hard she'd deserve it.
Before I knew it, several years had gone by. With Braeburn tellin' me stories, and readin' Mama's letters, I had grown used to my new home and rather enjoyed it. The nights were colder than back at Mama's farm, but I got used to it. I soon realized the reason why it were hard to find Nana and Papa were cause the sky were so clear, I could see more stars than I could back on Mama's farm.
One day though, I got a pleasant surprise. Mama came ta visit me. It had been such a long time, and I could tell too cause she looked older. I wouldn't go off and say it were a bad older, but she looked less a workin' filly and more a mare in charge. She helped cousin Braeburn with some things in the orchard, and when he had left to go work she came to see me. The first thing she did was smile at me.
I wish I coulda smiled back. It had been so long since I saw Mama's pretty smile, it felt as though this were a new experience for me, and I wanted more of it. She had apologized for not writin' as often as she used ta, but things at the farm were pickin' up. I guess uncle Red had gone and married, 'n moved to start a new Apple Family farm somewhere else. So that only left she 'n Little Apple. She avoided sayin' anythin' about Granny, but I knew already. Nana 'n Papa had gotten another star with 'em several nights ago.
She talked about her friends, the only one I really remember bein' R-D ‘cause they were together so much. I guess havin' saved Equestria so much, they finally were getting' a break from it all to live their lives. R-D got into somethin' called the “Wonderbolts Reserves” which mean she got to fly and do a bunch of fancy tricks for other ponies to watch.
Her first friend I had met, Rarity, I guess had gone and gotten herself married! She had moved to Canterlot to expand her business, leavin' another pony with a name that sounded like chocolate to run her business back home. Her purple friend, Twilight, I guess now helps the princesses with ruling Equestria. I still say Mama shoulda been a princess.
The yellow one that never liked to talk, Fluttershy, well I guess nothin' special had happened with her yet. She's still takin' care of them animals. I had seen her a few times, back when I were at home with Mama, helpin' little birds that fell outta their nest. She were always such a nice, kind pony.
Finally, her crazy pink friend had the weirdest thing happen: She disappeared. Nopony knows what happened or why, accordin' to Mama one day she had some sorta sense thingy happen 'n she just left. No one's seen her since.
But the biggest surprise was when Mama told me she had a coltfriend. I didn't really get why that was such a special surprise at first, but Mama told me he was her special somepony, 'n were hopin' soon they be gettin' married. I didn’t know how to feel ‘bout that, but from Mama’s smile she were real happy ‘bout it. So long as she were happy, so was I.
Just as quick as she arrived, she left again. I had gotten used to my new home, to cousin Braeburn, but seein' Mama made me homesick all over again. I wanted to go with her.
I hated bein' an apple tree. I couldn't go with Mama, I couldn't ask her to stay. I couldn't do anythin', besides sit here in the ground 'n grow apples. I wished I hadn't grown big and strong like Mama wanted me to. I wish I had just stayed in my little pot, with Mama 'n uncle Red 'n Little Apple 'n Granny.
I missed my home.
I didn't know how long it had been since I saw Mama last. I used to count the days, then the weeks, then the months. Eventually everythin' kinda just mushed together, like the rotten apples cousin Braeburn would give to the pigs. Not much had really happened that were too excitin' either. Except for when that big ol' monster came 'n did somethin' bad to cousin Braeburn. All he did was sit around under me 'n do nothin' for days.
Everything righted itself though, 'n he went back to normal. I think Mama had somethin' ta do with it, 'cause I saw a big ol' rainbow shoot across the sky, just like when R-D did that exploding rainbow years ago. I think that was several years ago, but it's hard to tell. I don't feel much older, or none too different than when I had come here to live with cousin Braeburn. But everyone else sure does.
Cousin Braeburn ain't movin' as fast as he used ta. In fact, it's been a while since he last bucked any apples. He still came by to visit me 'n talk, 'n read me letters from Mama, though I noticed some of the letters he had read me before. Were he mixin’ them up, or had Mama stopped sendin’ me new ones?
One night, he came out earlier than normal to talk ta me. Sayin' how he was happy with what he’d done, helpin' the town grow and having a family. He sounded at peace. So much in fact, he didn't wake up from his nap when the sun came up.
I think it were one of cousin Braeburn's colts that found 'em later that day. Braeburn had such a peaceful smile when all of his family came about, some cryin', others payin' their respects. I did too, that night. I saw a new star, figurin' it had ta be him. To my surprise, the next day uncle Red came by. Boy did he look old. He were still big 'n red, but he reminded me of Granny with the wrinklin' skin and slower movements.
I don't know why Mama didn't come to cousin Braeburn's funeral, but along with Uncle Red a yellow mare with bright red mane and tail followed him. When she spoke, if I coulda smacked myself with a root in surprise I woulda, cause it were Little Apple! Only she weren't little no more. She reminded me of Mama when I were still on her farm.
After cousin Braeburn's funeral, Little Apple 'n uncle Red sat under me 'n talked. It were nice, I hadn't heard either of their voices in a long while. They went on about cousin Braeburn, 'n talked about Little Apple's new work wherever she lived now. I guess she didn't stay on the farm. Then they started talkin' about Mama.
Mama were sick. Real sick. They didn't know what ta do for her, how to make her feel better. Mama loved to help on the farm 'n work, but now she couldn't. Little Apple tried not to cry, so uncle Red hugged her. It didn’t seem ta help, ‘n she cried into uncle Red’s shoulder anyway. I knew only one way ta make Mama feel better, back on the farm.
A nice big, juicy apple bonked Little Apple on the head, causing uncle Red to chuckle. She looked like she were about ta cut me down, but then her face softened, just starin' at me. Uncle Red seemed to notice too, and after another moment he also smiled. They both sat there, lookin' at me like it were the first time they'd seen an apple tree.
I didn't know what they had planned, but I were quite surprised the next day to find 'em diggin' me up out of the ground. I wondered what had happen'd to that ol' family tradition. A few ponies didn't seem too happy about it, but they didn't fight it. I couldn't believe it; I were goin' home, finally. While I liked it at cousin Braeburn's, he were the only pony who paid me any mind, takin' time ta talk ta me 'n read me Mama's letters.
He were real nice. I knew why Mama trusted him ta tend ta me. Now, with him up with the angel ponies I didn't really have any reason to wanna stay. The train ride went a lot faster than I remembered from Mama bringin' me. The train was a lot smoother too, 'n didn't bellow smoke everywhere.
I weren't sure what I had expected when we got off the train. I had hoped Mama would be waitin' for me, but she weren't. Had I done somethin' ta make her mad? Did she not wanna see me? Then why would uncle Red 'n Little Apple bring me all the way back? As soon as I saw the farm come into view, seein' all my brothers 'n sisters after so long, all my worries went away. For a short while, that is.
I had hoped they were gonna put me right back where I were planted before, but as we passed on by I saw a buncha younger apple trees already planted. It weren't my spot no more, I reckon. Instead, they took me way out in the end of a field, atop of the biggest hill which had a couple of stones stickin' out of the ground. I had ta admit, the view was pretty. I swore I could see the entire farm. All of Mama's and Uncle Red's hard work. It were beautiful.
And then I saw her, bein' pushed by another pony I didn't recognize, though her freckles reminded me a lot of Mama’s when she were younger. She were in one of them wheelie chairs, her eyes closed 'n head lookin' down at the ground. If it weren't for her orange coat 'n hat, I wouldn't have recognized Mama. She looked so old, 'n so tired, like uncle Red. They stopped, 'n the pony pushin' Mama woke her up. Mama mumbled somethin', just lookin’ out at nothin’.
Her eyes looked so blank, like she were lost. The other ponies all looked rather sad at her reaction, ‘n talkin’ ‘bout how it was worth a try ‘n maybe one day she’ll come back to her senses.
Thwump
Everypony looked to the ground near my trunk, where the apple had fallen. They watched as it rolled a little down the hill, stoppin’ at Mama’s wheelie chair. It caught her attention, and for a brief moment the cloudiness in her eyes vanished. Mama’s pretty green eyes followed the flattened grass trail all the way to my trunk, ‘n she just stared at me.
She stared for a long while, 'n then I saw it. The one thing I longed for for so long.
Mama smiled at me. Her face were wrinkled, but I could never mistake her smile. All the other ponies gasped, apparently as happy with Mama’s smile as I were. She had the pony pushin' her bring her closer to me, 'n put a hoof on my trunk. Mama's hoof felt real cold, not warm like it used ta. Then she started to cry. I hated to see Mama cry, but she were still smilin’ the whole time. Mama spoke her first words ta me in a long while.
“Mama's so proud of you, Bloomberg.”
That were the last time I'd hear Mama's pretty voice, or see her pretty smile. They buried her beside them other two stones stickin' out of the ground. Mama's had a fancy sculpted apple on top. I wondered if Mama were happy, like cousin Braeburn were when he went to the angel ponies. I'd have ta imagine so. Her star were the biggest 'n brightest star I saw, 'n it were right between Nana 'n Papa.
I'd seen many ponies come and go throughout the years. New generations of Mama's family, uncle Red's, 'n even Little Apple had some littler apples of her own. 'N every year they'd all come up to visit Mama 'n the rest of 'em. 'N every time there would be more family. The little ones would always run around me, playin' 'n climbin' in my branches. They always had the biggest smiles, like Mama did.
They would always say how I were so big 'n strong, 'n had the tastiest apples of the entire orchard.
Mama always told me I were a special tree. I guess she were right.
