If ah pass, lay mah old bones by the riverside
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If ah pass, lay mah old bones by the riverside
It was pitch black outside as Applejack sat under the porch light. Surrounding her was the reassuring sounds of nature: the crickets and their nightly ballads. The fireflies and their beautiful displays.
She was old, an old mare who had lived a long life. Watched her friends grow old, live their dreams, and eventually reach the road where all paths end.
She sat chewing a stalk of hay, gazing at the night. It yawned before her, spewing outwards and onwards like a vast monster ready to devour her if she let her guard down.
"Oh hush now you." She chided to the pitch black, rocking back and forth on her rocking chair. Next to her sat a little foal. He was an earth pony by descent, like Applejack's momma and her momma: the old matron Granny smith.
She sat, just thinking when suddenly the front porch door swung open.
"Still up sis?" Asked Applebloom, now a full grown mare with her own family in Trottingham. She had left after marrying Pipsqueak and setting out for the town with the prospect of starting a hardware company. In 2 years, her little store had become a massive enterprise. But Applebloom, she had retired as soon as she had enough money. She said she wanted to be a stay at home mom.
"Yeah, couldn't sleep." Applejack heard mewling as the baby too awoke to the sound of his mothers voice. He started reaching up and babbling happily.
"Oh come here you." Applebloom picked up the little one and sat in the empty rocking chair next to Applejack.
The two sat in silence for a little, admiring nature.
"Ya know? You look just like Granny Smith when you sit like that." Applejack turned and cocked an eyebrow at Applebloom.
"What! It's uncanny!" At this, Applejack let out a roaring hearty laugh. Unfortunately, the baby started crying as well.
"Jack! Dagumit ya made em' cranky! Great, now it's gonna take forever to calm him down!" Applebloom had come to visit Ponyville with her son; Hardwood. Applejack merely assumed it was to check up on her, not that she was complaining.
"Hey, lemme see him for a sec, you go get some sleep." She took the foal from Applebloom's hooves. Applebloom eyed her curiously for a moment.
"You sure bout that Jack? I mean he's a hoof-full when he really get's goin'-"
"Ah'll be fine Bloom! C'mon! Me 'n Granny raised you didn't we? And you weren't exactly a saint neither." At this, the two had to share a laugh, remembering all the times the older mares had to scold their younger for her constant crusading.
"Ah whatever, I'll be inside if ya need me. G'night Jack." Applebloom yawned once and headed inside.
The baby strained in Applejack's hoofs, he wanted his mother.
"Sorry kiddo, it's just you 'n me. Momma's too tired right 'bout now." Applejack said rocking back and forth steadily, still chewing her stalk like Big Mac.
The baby however, was reaching a crisis point, his little face was scrunched up and Applejack could tell he was right about to start screaming.
"Ah hush up now you. Tell ya what, if you stay quiet, ah'll tell you a story alright?" The baby instantly stopped and stared up at the mare who cradled him in wonderment.
"That settled? Good. Now's the time I tell you 'bout how me 'n Mac lost our parents." The baby continued to stare. Applejack had to stop for a minute and take a deep breath. This was a story she hadn't even shared with her closest friends. But then again, you know what they say; trust family.
"...Ah was jus' a litte pony, like you. Aw shoot, mah memory's not what it used to be. Now if Mac was here, he'd tell you lickety-split." She stomped her back hooves in mock annoyance. The baby squealed with glee and Applejack continued.
"Well, Granny told me that our family was comin' back from some big Hoedown out near Dodge Junction." She continued to chew, and continued to stare into the darkness.
"Well, the train we was supposed to be boarnin' left us on the platform. It wadn't a pretty time back then. See, earth ponies were looked down on cuz we didn't have no magic or wings or nuthin. 'Just our own 4 hooves. See, then snobs back in Canterlot decided this was good enough to start hatin' on us, so we were never welcome anywhere. Well, mah momma, poppa, and ol' Granny Smith was sittin' there on that platform with their jaws to their hooves." She stopped, her memory slipping back to the time Granny Smith had done this to her, sit out late at night on the front porch, cradling her young self and telling that story.
"Well, Granny told me that mah momma n' poppa used an old push kart to come back home, pullin' and a pushin' till they were there. Ya here me?" She joked shaking the baby a bit, it had started dozing, a little spot of drool dripping from his chin.
"Well, after we'd gotten back, Granny told me they'd walked back home, and get this; kept on Applebuckin'! As soon as they'd gotten back they'd gone right on back to work! Well, Granny said they'd eventually collapsed of exhaustion and died like that."
She sighed with melancholia, by now the little baby had dozed and was sleeping. While Applejack was a bit peeved, she had to smile. "Well, looks like I got Granny's knack fer puttin' ponies to sleep." She barked a soft laugh.
"Enjoyin' yerself?" An all too familiar voice came from her right.
"Ah nelly! Granny! That you?" Applejack asked incredulously. Turning right, she had to smile, there, sitting on her old rocking chair just like Applejack, was the old matron Granny Smith.
"Sure as spit sugarcube." Granny wasn't chewing a stalk, but she was knitting.
"Heaven knows how she snuck up on me." Applejack snorted with amusement.
"So! What brings you to mah neck of the woods?" Started Applejack still rocking, but now she eyed the old mare intensely.
"Ah nothin' just came to check up on mah old younglin'." She snorted and laughed throatily. "And checkin up on her younglin's younglin."
The two mares laughed softly. Applejack stopped to remove her stalk of wheat and spit some remaining tobacco into a nearby pot, it made a dinging noise without waking the baby.
"Ah thought you kicked that habit years ago!" Granny eyed Applejack wearily. "Thought you promised you'd quit after Twilight's death!" Granny kept eyeing Applejack in her patented 'I know you dun did it missy, now fess up.' Stare that had cracked Applejack's alibi on many occasion like an egg.
"Aw leave an old mare some of her vices." Applejack replied, the two shared another laughter.
"Ya know, I really miss those girls." Granny cut in, a silence had overtaken the two as they sat admiring the now not so dark night. They both knew the sun would come up in a bit.
"Me too, but you how it goes. We all gotta kick the bucket some day." Applejack continued chewing methodically on her stalk. A silence interluded with the cries of crickets cut in as the two just sat.
"Ya know, when I left, I still wasn't ready." Applejack turned and stared in awe at Granny Smith.
"Ah still wanted ta see you grow up, marry, gimme some grandkids of mah own. Well, y'all didn't do that, ya left that up to Applebloom. But, I still wanted to cradle a little one in mah hooves, just like I'd cradled you. I still wanted to keep them younglings on the right way." Granny Smith sighed.
"Well, we all gotta go Granny. When Luna calls our names, we gotta head on up. Ya did a fine job. Even better than fine, ya did a damn good job Granny. And don't worry 'bout Bloom, she's a smart mare, she knows what she's doing. Ah mean, have you seen her company? In only 2 years! That mare is savvy. More than we'll ever be." Applejack reached out and touched Granny's shoulders.
"Ah know, and that's what scares me. What if she loses the old Apple way? What if she ends up like them old snooty richies? That's what scares me Jack." Granny smith sighed.
Applejack spoke as the sky turned a shade of dark violet.
"Applebloom'll never do that. All that time spent crusadin', all that time spent workin'. I knew she'd fly the coop at some point. All of them do. But I know in mah heart she's different. I know she's got the fear of Celestia in her hearts and I know she knows what is good and what is bad. Granny, ya gotta have faith in Bloom. Don't you remember all those times you spent together baking and making Zap Apple Jam?"
"She was young back then Jack!" Said Granny.
"So? Being young doesn't mean being stupid! Ah've spent all my time with Applebloom and I can guarantee you. You'll never mind a harder workin' young mare! Granny! Ah've seen Bloom and her three friends back when they were younglings. Ah've seen her whip em' into line more times than I care to count! Ya gotta have faith Granny."
The two mares sighed.
"Faith huh? Never did have too much of that durin' the dark times." Said Granny. Applejack pipped up at this.
"What? You never told me bout that."
"It was right on after your momma n' poppa got back. They worked themselves to the bone cuz they'd missed out on the harvest prior. Jack, they died tryin' to make the rent on the farm." Granny sighed deeply.
Applejack put a hoof to her shoulder.
"Granny, it don't matter how we die. It matters how we live. And you've lived a good life. Mah momma n' poppa've lived a good life. If ya live a good life, there's no need to fear the end. You know that." Applejack said.
All of a sudden, she felt wind, and warmth coming from her right.
Granny was glowing.
"Aw shoot, guess yer words got ta me. I was still so sore over the whole thing. Guess it takes an Apple to get to an Apple huh?" Remarked Granny, she started fading.
Applejack turned back to the nearly brightened sky. Day was close.
"Ah guess so, hey Granny? Will I ever see you again?" She asked.
Granny gave her a wry smile.
"Girl, Celestia wouldn't be lettin' me visit if ya had long."
Applejack stifled a chuckle as Granny finished fading out.
"Guess it's mah time huh?" She leaned back into her rocking chair. "Well, ah'm mighty tired. Guess a bit of shut eye would be nice before I talk to Bloom." And with that she slept.
"Jack! Jack!" Applebloom called throughout the old house, it was early in the morning and she had awaken to the sounds of the birds and the trees whistling in the wind. The first few times she'd called Applejack hadn't replied like she usually did. Applebloom was beginning to worry.
"Fer land's sake! She's a hundred n' three! Where could she have hobbled off too?" She turned the kitchen upside down before heading into the living room and doing the same.
"Huh!" She exclaimed opening the front porch door and stepping outside, seeing Applejack and foal sleeping.
Bloom smiled wry, picking up the baby and placing it on her back.
"C'mon Jack, rise n' shine." She said shaking the mare.
Applejack didn't move.
"Jack?" Asked Applebloom, she saw a thin trail of drool running down her mouth. Putting a hoof to it, she tested the temperature.
It was cold.
Sighing deeply with sadness, Applebloom reached for Jack's hooves when suddenly, something fell out. Reaching down, she picked it up. Upon closer inspection, it was a letter.
Dear Applebloom,
If yer readin' this, then that means I left. Now don't you fret none, I had it comin. Well, last night Granny came to visit me, said my time was close. I figured if I was gonna pass, might as well give my last regards and will now.
Ah still have Big Mac's old harness. You know, the one he used to wear all the time? If ya can find him, give it to Spike. He was his closest friend. Ya'll can keep the land. It belongs to the Apple family.
You can give my old Stetson to yer foal after he grows up. Let'm know what it means to be an Apple.
And one last thing Bloom. When I was talkin' to Granny. She was awfully worried about you losing yer values. I kept sayin' you wouldn't. And I know ya won't.
But Bloom?
Never forget, yer an Apple. And Apples are as Apples do. We are proud, but we are soft, we are kind as we are hard, and we are as sturdy as we are vulnerable. Bloom, never forget where ye came from. And never forget who brought you there.
As for mah body, lay mah old bones on the riverside. Ah never did like none of does fancy schmancy graves. We were all made from the good earth, might as well give back to it. Ah've been given to the good earth mah whole life, might as well give my last gift as well. So If I die, lay mah old bones by the riverside."
Lovingly, Applejack
Applebloom sighed deeply, tears at the corner of her eyes. "Alright Applejack." She said in a choked voice.
"Alright." She repeated before heading inside.
This is the home we built
My inspiration
*Yawn*"Good morning Rainbow Da-" Applejack started, only to stop and smile sadly for a moment.
"Silly me. Fergettin' n' all." Her voice was hoarse with age and hard labor.
Sitting in bed, she stared at the ceiling. The room was painted a warm green. Tapestries hanging by the walls were painted in golden glory as the godrays peeked through the curtains.
The window was open. Had it been open before?
Applejack stayed in bed for a little bit, relishing in the comfort of the sheets. The bliss of it warmed her heart as she moaned in content.
Taking a deep breath, she sighed through her nose. Getting up and making her way downstairs.
"Can't catch me!"
"Put yer money where yer mouth is n' we'll see."
Memories. Sitting at the top of the stairwell she saw her blue companion flying.
A soft breeze ruffled the curtains. And for a minute, she swore she saw a blue feather around the corner. Followed by fading laughter.
"Ah shoot. Guess mah hearin's not what it used ta be." She muttered, hobbling on down the stairs and taking a seat at the coffee table.
"Wow....I'm really glad we moved out to the ocean."
"Me too Rainbow Dash."
"I'm sorry for...making you move with me Applejack. I...I know you loved Applebloom. And I know you miss the country. I'm so- "
"Aw hush up now Sugarcube. For you, I'd give up the world."
Making her way over to the kitchen, Applejack fetched herself some coffee, placing the freshly ground beans in the filter.
As she waited, she gazed out the open French Window near her right.
Stretching out before her was the great blue. As far as the eye could see was blue and white. Lapping breakers splashed onto the shores.
Of the beach.
Of the house.
Of the home.
The trickling of the coffee into the pot notified her of it's progress. Though she paid it little mind as she sat in an old woven bottom wooden chair. Staring at the ocean.
"Hmm. No wonder why Dash wanted ta move here." She lazily stated, only half awake.
"Isn't it beautiful Applejack?"
"It sure is sugarcube. It sure is."
In her half-awake state, she saw a glimpse of a memory. The two of them sat nuzzling on the old couch as they gazed at the rising sun together.
For a moment, she could almost feel the warmth of her body.
With a jerk of her neck and a violent shake of her head, Applejack fully woke up.
"Was ah dazin'? Huh." Scratching her head, she fetched the pot of coffee. Making her way back to the seat and staring back at the ocean as it lapped a the sands.
".....Aw what the hay. Why not." With that, placing the cooled pot on her back, she opened the window and walked out ont the sands.
The feeling of the shifting beneath her awoke new memories.
"Rainbow Dash! Get out of there! Yer gonna get sand in the house! Ah don't wanna have to clean that up again!"
"Oh? Make me!"
Now she couldn't mistake them for half-waking random thoughts. She saw the memories playing out before her eyes as Dash pulled her younger self into the sands. Protesting of course. She saw her own mane as the two tussled in the sands.
Not that she minded really. Shaking her head, she took a seat on her sun-chair. One she'd dug into the sand years ago.
Taking a sip of coffee, she smacked her lips.
"Mmm. Black roast." She muttered.
"Aww c'mon AJ! Stop it!"
"Nuh uh. Not 'till ya say uncle little missy!"
"Oh yeah?! Let's see you say it first!"
She saw the splashing and giggling as the two frolicked in the water's edge. That had been when they'd first moved to the ocean.
Old Applejack stifled a giggle a this particular memory.
"Now If ah remember correctly. Didn't she get a cold 'cuz of that?" Muttering to herself, she basked in the morning sunlight as they played out all around her.
All the times they'd sat in the sand talking, eating, playing, kissing, crying, breathing.
Living. Being. Alone. Away from civilization. Away from all the bad things. Away from the heartache. Away from the pain. Away from the self-doubt and the troubles.
Yawning, Applejack took another sip.
The day wore on as she sat, the sun making it's way across the sky as it did everyday for the past 60 years. And it would continue to do so 80 years in the future.
"Funny how little things change in tha grand scheme o' things." She mused to herself, the sea hadn't changed at all. Neither had the sand, nor the miles of un-discovered beach flanking her and the modest house for miles and miles in every direction.
Yes, funny how little things changed.
"I'm...sorry Ms. Rainbow Dash. But I'm afraid I have bad news"
"Wha? How? Why? I thought I was fine!"
" The results for the genetic testing and bone scanning came in. And I'm afraid you have Osteogenesis Imperfecta."
"Land's sake man! Speak english why don'tcha?"
"Mrs. Apple. I'm sorry, but Rainbow Dash has a very acute brittle bone disease. I'm afraid she can't fly anymore."
Applejack awoke with a start. At some point in time she'd begun to doze. And only now did she find that she'd awoken during mid-afternoon. The coffee pot had dripped out at some point, dark spots in the sand painted dark brown told her of that story.
The tide lapped at her back hooves now as she struggled to get up. The black roast leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Of all the ones, ah just had ta remember that one huh?" She muttered indignantly, struggling through the sand. The once warm and blissful shifting turned to agonizing and torturous burning as the heated sand burned the keratin of her hooves.
"C'mon now Dashie. Just a little more."
"Uh! I don't think I can make it this time AJ."
"Aw now don't say that. Just a little further's all. Don't you want to sit at the water's edge?
"Nah. Not today AJ. I think I'll just sun-bathe for today."
Another memory, this one not so pleasant. Of a sickening and brittled Rainbow Dash simply sitting and staring at the sky. Her face gaunt and unhealthy with sunken eyeballs as she laid back in the sand.
Applejack had to stop and stare for a moment.
She looked so beautiful. Just sitting there bathed in the glow of the sun. With that little cocky smile on her face. Her eyes closed as she looked towards the heavens.
Even if she couldn't fly, she could still make Applejack's heart soar.
Making her way back into the house, Applejack took a quick shower to get rid of the accumulated sand. Sitting back down on the sofa and lighting the hearth fire.
"You know AJ? I kinda like this disease."
"Hmm? Now what in tarnation makes you say that?"
"Well, I dunno. I mean before I wouldn't have seen the ocean and the sands. Or hay, even the birds. All I woulda cared about was the speed. But you know? This thing slowing me down? Its not so bad."
"Well...good on ya I guess."
"Aww, come here you!"
"Hey! Careful now Dash! Ya might snap something-"
"Ah screw it. If it'll mean breaking all my bones ah'll still hug ya!"
Somewhere along the way, the sun had set. Applejack sighed deeply as the memories coursed through her.
The room began spinning. Everywhere she looked was another memory. On the table where Dash had broken her first vase. In the windowpane where she used to make her silly faces. On the stairs where the sun would illuminate her beautiful cerulean self. On the couch where they would snuggle in each other's hooves. At the table where the sun would cast it's brush upon the canvas that was her. Painting her solemn and elegant. She was everything Applejack wasn't and admired in other ponies. The ability to give up everything for others. The casual personality that told you 'hey, it'll be alright' even when it wasn't. The beautiful and elegant. The lovely.
Rainbow Dash had been her everything.
"Aw well, least she died in peace." She thought, the tears welling up.
And suddenly, the barrier holding back all the sadness burst. She threw her head to the ceiling, tears freely flowing down her cheeks.
"Aw who am I kidding? I was always a bad lier." She joked, laughing in a raspy voice.
"Well, even though yer gone. At least I have tha house. And that'll do fer now."
Speaking to the air, she began to reminisce.
"This is the home we built together.
Don't you remember?
Of course you do. You live here now.
You live here forever now. Here, and in my heart."
She had to really laugh at the corniness of it all.
"Ah hay, least I spoke true." She muttered, the tiredness tugging at soul willing her to sleep.
Yawning once she made her way back upstairs. A day well spent.
Back into the empty cold bed, Applejack's half unmade. Rainbow Dash's....perfectly fine. Applejack hadn't bothered to touch it. Ever since she passed.
Yawning and smacking her lips, she slid into bed, pulling the sheets over her form.
"Well, good news is ah only got a few days left in this ol' girl. Then, then maybe ah'll see ya 'gain." She muttered sleepily, turning and continuing her nightly ritual.
A kiss on Rainbow Dash's forehead before heading to sleep.
But this time she kissed empty air.
"Ah, darn it, keep forgettin'. Ah well, g'night." She laughed once, turing off the nightlight and falling asleep.