Echoes in the Stone

***Three months two days after Cadence’s Death***

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac sat on top of a hill on Sweet Apple Acres, looking at three gravestones. Applejack wanted to cry, but wouldn't because she was too stubborn to let them fall. She and Big Mac had agreed that the three of them would visit their parents' graves, as well as their grandmother's, on their birthdays and the anniversary of their deaths.

“Hello Ma, Pa, and Granny,” Applejack greeted, looking at them.

“I wish I could remember you two,” Apple Bloom said, “You would have loved my cutie mark and been proud of me.”

She then looked at Granny Smith's grave. Granny Smith had died in her sleep. It was a big loss for the Apple family and Ponyville. Everyone, including all the princesses and the Apple family members, had gone to her funeral. Applejack had never seen her younger sister cry so much, not since she was a newborn. She had been depressed herself for about three weeks, and the one thing that had gotten her out of that depression was Apple Bloom getting her cutie mark.

“You would be too,” Apple Bloom added, looking at Granny Smith’s grave for a moment longer before looking down at the ground sadly, “I miss her.”

Applejack wrapped her hoof around the youngest of them all and held her tight. “Me too,” she agreed, shedding her the first tear over it since her parents had died.

“We all do,” Big Mac said, wrapping them both in a sibling's embrace.

They went to Sugar Cube Corner a short time later. Since Granny Smith's death, Pinkie and AJ had arranged that day they could get a free tub of ice cream or free ice cream in general.  Applejack was eating some and saw Twilight hanging around the town with Mayor Mare.

On this depressing day, she thought, at least Twilight is out of the castle

Once they were done eating, Big Mac and Apple Bloom had deliveries to make to other cities. Applejack stayed for a little while longer and thought about her life, in general, running the Apple family. Her work consisted of managing and running affairs of the extended family. That was formerly Granny’s job, but since her death, it had become AJ's burden. It was hard at first, but thanks to Twilight, Rarity, and some help from the Cakes she got a hold of it. She was pretty fortunate that she wasn't running the Apple family alone. Each city has their family member in charge of their extended branch: The Oranges in Manehattan, the Fritters in Fillydelphia, and so on. The main trouble is that there was no Apple family member in Canterlot, and the ponies there didn't like AJ's family because apparently they were “second rate.” Applejack and her family had gotten mad, to say the least when they'd heard that; that was until Prime Minister Sand Swirl offered to be the head of the Apple family a couple of years ago in Canterlot. That had been good for business since it allowed the Apples to advertise themselves in Equestria's capital, but business hadn't been the best. Over the years, Sliver Swirl had become good friends with AJ and better friends after Granny died.

Applejack decided to head back to the farm and saw a couple of royal guards – one lunar royal guard, bat pony by the looks of it, and one royal unicorn guard. She was curious about what was going on and ventured over to the gathering where she saw Sliver looking at an Apple tree.

“Mind if I have one?” he asked when he took notice of the orange earth mare.

“I see no problem,” she replied with a shrug.

Sand Swirl then bucked the tree to get an apple down and started eating one of the red ones that had fallen.

“I take it this visit isn't social?” Applejack asked to break a silence that fell around them all.

“No,” he replied between bites.

They went inside the barn, and that's when she saw it: A scale model of a redesign of Ponyville – the houses now fit the design of the castle. All of them made from crystals of varying shades – some purple, some were blue, others orange, some a variation of pink, some yellow, and some being other colors from the rainbow no doubt.  In the middle where the events and Mayor Mare's office were, it was replaced with statutes of AJ and her friends. Twilight and Mare decided on the fact it would get torn down since it had no further use since the castle replaced it.

“This again,” Applejack said, “I missed it.”

Applejack has seen this design of town about five years after they had defeated Tirek. It was Twilight’s idea not making the castle stick out like a sore hoof. She was all for this idea, but part of the design required some new housing near Sweet Apple Acres. It up a six-way vote for Spike and the others. Rarity and Mayor Mare said yes. While Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Granny Smith, and herself said no. It was revised again a year later, and most of them had said yes, but it was a tied vote, and it was up to Applejack and Granny to decide, and both said no.  Now with Granny gone, she knew there was only one outcome.

“I missed the voting, apologizes,” she said putting her hat down, “I guess it passed?”

“Yes,” Sand Swirl revealed. Applejack lowered her head more, and he rested a hoof around her shoulder. “Its okay AJ, everyone understood why you weren’t there. Even if you had been, it would have still passed.”

“I see,” Applejack responded before turning to leave.

“I didn't come to deliver bad news,” Sand said.

Sand’s statement caught Applejack's attention, and she stopped to look back at the Prime Minister. “What do ya mean?” she asked.

“The farm will remain untouched altogether,” Sand Swirl announced.

“Why do I hear a 'but' incoming?” she asked incredulously.

“There is none,” he assured, “Sweet Apple Acres will  remain untouched until you pass and the next of kin will decide.”

Applejack remained motionless for a short time to the point one might have though a cockatrice had frozen her with its stony gaze. A moment later, however, the mare hugged the prime minster. “Thank you, Sliver. You are a true Apple.”

“Yes, I am. Oh, and I want to let you know next week the mayor is retiring and moving to Fillydelphia,” Sliver Swirl told her with some regret in his voice.

“So it's now her time,” AJ said, “Thank you for letting me know.”

Sand was about to leave the Apple farm just as Twilight was arriving.

“Twilight, I haven't talked to you properly since the funeral,” he said with a sympathetic smile, “How are you holding up?”

“I'm doing much better,” she replied with a smile of her own, “I admit I will miss them, a lot, but  Cadence and my niece will always be   alive in my memories and heart.”

“Touching,” he said. He then looked both Applejack and Twilight. “It was nice talking, but I have urgent matters to attend to in Canterlot. I think you know what I mean Twilight.” After speaking, Sliver looking at her and leaving with his guards

“What was that about?” AJ asked with a confused look on her face.

“Well that was what I want to talk to you about,” she said with a serious look, “Can we talk about inside the barn?”

“Sure.”

Once they got the barn, Twilight got a look of nervous glee on her face. “Princess Celestia and Sliver Swirl are talking about getting me my very own guard.”

“That's good news Twilight,” AJ replied.

“But how am I going to lead them? Who am I going to choose to be the head guard--”, she panicked, flying upwards into a nervous frenzy.

“Twilight!” Applejack yelled after her.

Twilight looked at earth pony mare before descending back toward the ground. “Yes?”

“First, clam up, and secondly, I'm sure either Luna, Celestia, and your brother will be willing to help,” Applejack pointed out.

“That's going to be a problem,” she said.

Applejack looked confused.

“Well you see,” Twilight explained, “Celestia may be willing to help, but she’s busy will a whole lot of things including running Equestria. Luna has gone completely silent since Cadence’s death and didn't talk anyone except the guards; paranoid if you ask me. My BBBFF has not answered any my letters in weeks, now has cut off all contact with Equestria and I quote ‘Not allowing anyone in or out of the Empire.’”

Applejack was in shock for a couple of minutes, looking for words to say before they finally came and she put a hoof around her friend. “You have every reason to be nervous Twi, but don't. Go into a frenzy about it. Can I ask what your plan is?”

“Well Celestia has sent me books to confiscate for her being busy,” Twilight said with a sigh, “I guess will just study up on it.”

Applejack looked down on the ground. “Well good luck Twi; ya’ll need it,” she with a hopeful look on her eye

“Thank you, Applejack,” Twilight said.

Moments later Twilight left the barn and took off toward her castle, but couldn’t shake a feeling of foreboding from her mind. It was a feeling that everything was going to change, but not in her favor.