Immorality Conundrum

by Rammy

First published March 31st, 2015 18:20

Applejack is 135 years old and is dying.

For Twilight it is especially hard as she is the last of her friends as the rest have already gone on to the Pasturelands. She's now feeling the full affects of being immortal: the continual loss of friends and love ones. To her immortality seems like a curse.

But a pony from their share past comes to visit and tests her resolve on whether immortality really is a curse.

Chapters

The blessing/curse

The blessing/curse
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Immorality Conundrum

The blessing/curse

Beep

The sounds of the heart monitor echoed into her very soul. A slow cadence of breathes crashed like waves in her ears. The meaning of it all was like a crushing vice.

A few tears fell.

"Life is but a vapor..." A male voice mused.

Twilight eyes shot up. She looked around to find the source of the sudden intrusion. There, standing at in the threshold of the door, was a cloaked figure.

"What are you doing here?" She knew exactly who it was even though the figure was hiding within an enchanted cloak. She was not happy to see him as a part of her blamed him for her predicament.

The figure trotted into the room and sat down next to Applejack bed opposite of Twilight. "Doing what I have always done. Keep an eye on you and the girls."

"Pfffff." Twilight scoffed. "Yeah, right. Its been nearly ninety years since you last visited and fifty years from your last letter. "

"Twilight..."

"Oh, so now you decide to use names instead of titles."

He sighed heavily before responding, "It would not be appropriate to use them right now."

"That still doesn't explain why you only show up now." She countered, her voice beginning to rise along with her deep seeded anger. She needed him much sooner then now... Like when Rainbow died... Or Rarity... Or Fluttershy... Or Pinkie Pie...

"I only show up when I'm needed. I wasn't needed before now."

"Not needed!?" Her voice rose even higher until she noticed that Applejack was stirring a bit. She stopped as watched as Applejack settled back into a deep slumber. She breathed a sigh of relief before she continued her rant in a harsh whisper, "Not needed?! That is a bunch of..."

The figure interrupted. His voice showed signs of irritation, "It is our way, and you know it. Especially now as we no longer are needed to actively interfere."

"Hypocrite."

The figure did not respond. Twilight smirked. That got him. As she sat there she suddenly realized that he was not being silent because of the hypocrite remark but for a different reason. He was silent only because he really had nothing to say other then to remind her of his Order's way. Her anger and rage soared and like a dam burst she blasted out, "SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING!"

"Can y'all keep tha noise down." Though she was clearly annoyed at being rudely awaken Applejack couldn't help but to smile weekly at her oldest friend.

"Applejack!" Twilight exclaimed, only barely dropping her volume. She felt guilty for waking her as she needed to rest.

Applejack turned a bit get a better look at the other pony in the room. She frown a bit as she found that she couldn't tell who the pony was. At least she thought it was a pony. Her eyes may not be as sharp as they once were, but still she was sure it was a pony. Her eyebrows rose a bit as she realized that the pony was hiding behind an enchantment. An old memory floated to the surface of her consciousness. It was from long ago faded from time and age, and it told her who it was. "I see tha' yah have returned."

"Yes, Applejack, but I think you know why."

"Twi..." Applejack eyes slightly shifted back to Twilight.

The cloaked figure chuckled a bit before admitting, "As always, the Bearer of Honesty is on top of things."

"Hmph." Twilight turned her head away and up in indignation just like Rarity would.

"Now, Twi, don't be tha' way with him." Applejack hated to see her friend angry... She knew it was because Twilight was hurting and felt alone. She tried to hide that from her but she knew better. It was hard to hide things like that from the Bearer of the Element of Honesty. Twilight had always at least another friend to have a shoulder to cry on when the one of her lifelong friends passed. Now she was down to just one: her. That is why he had showed up now. She needed a friend right now and he was one even if Twilight would only admit it he was begrudgingly.

"Sorry Applejack, it's just... I..." Twilight burst into tears, unable to continue.

"Sugarcube, plesah don' cry."

It was too much for Twilight at that moment. She quickly scrambled up and walk other to the window to gaze outward. She just couldn't stand looking at her dieing friend any longer. Tears continued to fall like rivers as she watch a loving couple outside on a bench. The mare stomach was swelled in the late stages of pregnant. A pair of foals run by laughing.

"Twi..." Applejack whispered reaching out weakly to her hurting friend.

"Applejack," The figure lowered her forearm, "Give her some time. Watching a friend fade is never easy.

"Ah jus' wish I..."

"You are already doing that..."

Time went on as the sun lowered in the sky and the shadows in the room lengthen. No one moved or said anything. The only sound that could be heard was the steady beep coming from the heart monitor.

"It's a curse..." Twilight muttered finally ending the silence.

"Immortality is neither a blessing nor a curse. How you treat the gift will dictate which one it will be. Just remember; it all depends on you."

"That is so..." Twilight turned to finish her sarcastic remark but she found that again she was alone with Applejack, "...and he's gone."

Beep

The sounds of the heart monitor echoed into her very soul. A slow cadence of breathes crashed like waves in her ears. The meaning of it all was like a crushing vice.

A few tears fell.