Twilight Sparkle sat on the balcony of her new home. Her muzzle was in a fresh book manifested by the box that she and her friends had opened. She was content with her new role as the Princess of Friendship. She stretched her wings and draped them over her sleeping dragon friend.
Since they had first moved to Ponyville, both she and Spike had grown a lot. Not just in size, but in heart. Twilight grew a little since becoming an alicorn. Spike had grown a little, since he was now a teenager.
The new library, now the size of a small castle, glistened in the sunlight. Down below the balcony, a small crowd of ponies stood, awaiting an audience with Princess Twilight.
The purple mare stood up gently, careful not to awake Spike. She walked silently into the hallway. She became confused, for she was still getting used to her new home. The twists and turns of the hallways and doors were hard for her to memorize.
She stumbled upon door, hoping it was the reference section of the library. She kept all of her precious books in there, especially all of the ones that have made her who she is. She now kept this title-less book in the reference section.
This book was encrusted with gold and contained the cutie marks of the other princesses as well as her and her friends’ cutie marks on the cover. It even had Discord’s symbol on it, which was different textures from different creatures all in a ring of chaos.
Within the book were empty pages. A fact that left Twilight baffled.
The alicorn continued down the hallway searching for the door with a scroll on it. She found it as the last door on the left in this hallway.
Once inside, she found the display case and placed the book on it gently.
She heard a loud knock on the door three floors below. She galloped to the nearest staircase, one of many, and arrived at the throne room. The door was just behind hers.
She opened the door to a frantic Applejack. Applejack was drenched in sweat and tears. Her ever-present hat sat askew on her head. Her blond mane fell about her shoulders, rather than in her signature red mane band.
“Twi, you gotta help me! It’s Granny Smith, she ain’t doin’ too good.”
“What’s wrong, AJ?”
“She’s into coughin’ fits and she can’ breathe. Oh, Twi, Ah can’ loose ‘er,” Applejack sobbed.
“Okay, I’m coming.”
Twilight shut the door behind her and she and Applejack ran as fast as their legs could carry them to Sweet Apple Acres.
...
Upon arriving the farm, Twilight noticed Applebloom crying in the arms of the other crusaders. Big Mac sat by himself on the porch.
Applejack led Twilight into the main part of the farm home. The living room was small, but it’s openness was welcoming.
Applejack took Twilight upstairs into Granny’s bedroom. The room was embraced in darkness. The only hint of light was from a small candle on Granny’s bedside table.
“She says the darkness is healin’,” Applejack explained as she took her hat off in respect.
Granny started to make these awful raspy, groaning sounds as she tried to take a deep breath.
“What can ya do, Twilight?”
“I don’t know, AJ. I have a few healing spells, but those are mostly for wounds and broken bones. No, offense, but she is an aging mare, whose lungs are failing. Those spells are difficult, even for Celestia. I don’t know if I can heal her.”
“Ya gotta try, Twilight, please!” Applejack fell to her haunches and began to sob harder.
“For you, Applejack, of course.”
Twilight positioned herself next to Granny’s head and touched her horn to the ailing mare’s forehead. She arched her wings in a ready position.
Twilight recited, carefully, “From one to another, health to one, a spark of life cannot be undone. A life force stripped of one some years, to spare loved ones of the tears.”
An orb of green light emitted from the alicorn’s horn and a beam hit the green mare and enveloped her in a ribbon of magic. The light wrapped around the mare tightly.
Twilight fell backward into the window as the magic shot throughout the room. Applejack stumbled back into the hallway.
The light slowly subsided and soon the room returned to a faint darkness.
“What happened? Sugarcube, ya alright?” Applejack raced back into the room and offered Twilight a hoof up.
“I’m okay. I think. Best if I just stay sitting. I just rid myself of ten years of my life,” Twilight explained, “Hopefully that helped.”
“Oh, Twi, ya didn’t need ta do that,” Applejack said.
“Yes I did. I couldn’t bear to see you lose someone so dear to you. Besides ten years won’t be noticed. I am an alicorn, you know.”
“Ah appreciate it, sugarcube,” Applejack said, touched by her friend’s generosity. Applejack pulled Twilight toward her. Twilight’s muzzle buried deep in Applejack’s messy, tear-stained mane.
“You’re more than welcome.”
…
The next day the sun rose high over the valley. The brisk breeze of Sweet Apple Acres’ wind blew through Applejacks long mane. Today, Applejack left her bedraggled mane hang about her shoulders. Her Stetson rested in its usual spot on her head. With a powerful kick of her strong back legs, she knocked down the ripe apples from the tree.
Her mind wondered in fantasies of Caramel and herself on the highest hill in Ponyville. The sun was about to set. Applejack rested her head on Caramel’s neck as they watched the sunset. Their first date was one that neither of them forgot.
“Ya thinking about me?” A low, sweet voice whispered in Applejack’s ear.
Applejack jumped and an apple fell atop her head.
“Ow,” Applejack rubbed the top of her head, “As a matter fact, Ah was, sugarcube.” Applejack turned to face her coltfriend and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Ah was walking by and I saw the most beautiful sight,” Caramel nuzzled Applejack gently, “So I thought, why not give the hottest mare a hoof?”
“Aww shucks, but Ah ain’t that pretty. Not today. Ah’m a sweaty mess,” Applejack tried to shove loose pieces of her mane out of her face.
“You’re always pretty sweetheart.”
“D’aww,” Applejack smiled.
Caramel’s eyes sparkled with passion, but soon filled with tears.
“What’s wrong?” Applejack placed a comforting hoof on Caramel’s shoulder.
“I’m just gonna miss ya so much, sweetheart,” Caramel sighed and let a tear fall to the grass.
Applejack’s eyes widened.
“Why?” She asked.
“Well you see, I have been called to Apploosa. Your cousin, Braeburn, asked me to go over there and build some more carts and farming materials. He said he wants me there for three months.”
“If ya have ta,” Applejack said as she frowned at the ground, for she wasn't one to persuade someone to stay. She understood the meaning of duty and dedication to hard work.
Caramel lifted Applejack’s chin with a hoof so she was looking at him.
“When are ya leaving?” Applejack asked as she began to cry.
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, let’s not think about that. So how is Granny Smith?” Caramel asked to change the subject.
“She seems fine now. She was in pretty bad shape last night. Twilight gave Granny ten years of her own alicorn life. She really is the best friend a pony could ever ask fer. Three months, huh?”
“Yes. I’m glad Granny’s fine. Do you want to go out tonight?”
“Yep. Last date for awhile.”
“Yep.”
The two ponies bucked apples together in silence until nightfall.
…
Twilight lie down in her bed and looked up at her sparkling ceiling.
“I don’t think I helped, Spike,” Twilight said as tears crept down her cheeks and onto the pillow.
“What do you mean?” Spike answered as he sat up in his basket.
“With Granny Smith. I thought the spell worked. I mean, I felt something. Like a part of me was ripped away, but it returned a moment later.”
“Then why did you tell AJ that it worked?”
“Because I felt bad. If I told her I wasn’t able to help Granny and on top of that, the fact that Caramel was leaving for three months, then she would be a wreck.”
Spike grunted, having trouble figuring out what to do as well.
“Well, Twilight, you should tell her after Caramel leaves. He’s taking her on a picnic tonight, so you should let them have their night before you tell her about how you weren’t able to help.”
“Thanks, Spike. I think I will.”
Poor Applejack. How long does Granny have? I better be with her everyday so she doesn’t feel alone.
…
The sun rose over the hills as Twilight’s quill scratched on parchment. She was practicing what she was going to say to Applejack about Granny.
In the background she heard the sleeping dragon burp and then Owlicious perched on a desk lamp, holding a letter. Twilight took the letter with the aura of magic. She searched it over:
Dearest Twilight,
I must inform you that Luna and I will be heading out of town for a few days to visit the delegates of Saddle Arabia. Until our return next week, I would like for you to watch over Canterlot. I have a meeting scheduled on Tuesday, which I cannot attend. I wish for you to represent me. The meeting is just a routine meeting about the laws in Equestria. Good luck, Princess!
From the desk of,
Celestia
Princess Celestia
“How am I supposed to help Applejack, too?” Twilight asked Owlicious.
“Who.”
“AJ.”
“Who.”
“You know, Applejack? Oh…” Twilight giggled.
Spike stumbled in sleepily and asked, “What are you doing up so early?”
“Stuff,” Twilight replied, unsure of how to explain everything.
...
Applejack lie next to Caramel on a soft picnic blanket. Her head rested on his neck and they watched Luna’s stars twinkle. They overlooked the valley of Sweet Apple Acres on the top of their hill. The valley glowed under the eerie light of a full moon.
Applejack placed a hoof on Caramel’s. Her Stetson hung on Granny’s first apple tree on the lowest branch. The tree hovered over the two of them.
“It’s best if Ah go now, sweetheart,” Caramel said as he shifted his weight to get up.
Applejack felt tears sting her eyes and quickly wiped them away with a hoof.
“Love you,” Applejack said as she stood to kiss him.
Caramel leaned in and swept Applejack up in his forelegs. He kissed her long and hard. His hoof pushed Applejack’s loose hair behind her ear and rubbed her neck as he pulled her closer to him.
Applejack began to cry as Caramel broke the kiss.
“Ah love you,” Applejack sobbed.
“Right back at ya, sweetheart,” Caramel replied as he turned and trotted down the hill. Trying to get away before his marefriend could see the tears glisten in his eyes.
