Applejack lay on her bed, staring out the window at her golden apple trees. It had been a good harvest, though she hadn’t been able to help for most of it. No, that honor had gone to Apple Bloom, Cinnamon Stick and Apple Blossom. Applejack had known she was getting old when Winnona was able to buck more apples off a tree than she could. Still, she had kept working the fields, up until her back finally gave out. Apple Bloom had carried her back to the barn, where Cinnamon Stick had called a doctor. All while they were waiting, her sister and son kept her comfortable. It had been a devastating blow to the family when it was pronounced that Applejack would never be able to work the fields again, but they worked through it. Macintosh and Cheerilee’s daughter had been able to come and help, though Big Mac had been unable to come himself. Together the three cleared the trees just before the Running of the Leaves.
Applejack sighed and turned away from the window. She didn’t get out of bed much anymore. She knew in the long run, it wouldn’t do her any good health-wise, but she was too depressed to care. All she wanted to do was work the fields once more before death claimed her, but Apple Bloom insisted that she wasn’t allowed too.
“For all we know, you could hurt your back even more than it already is.” Applejack mimicked her sister before crawling out of bed. She could at least make a healthy Apple family dinner for her kin. As she walked down the stairs, she could hear talking in the family room.
“Darn it, those kids finished their chores early. Their stomachs are probably raging, though of course they won’t say anything. Don’t wanna trouble me after all.” Applejack thought harshly, coming to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.
“Ah’m not sure ya’ll should bother her.” Apple Bloom said from the other room. “She’s still plenty depressed and may not want to hear what ya have ta say.”
Applejack straightened up, then stalked boldly into the next room. “Now hear this ya Flim Flam lunatics!” She shouted. “I don’t care what kinda insurance ya’ll be sellin’, the Apple family don’t need none of yer…” Applejack trailed off, caught off guard by the majestic white alicorn sitting on her couch. “Ah, your majesty. Ah’m dreadfully sorry, Ah’ thought you were somepony else.”
“It’s quite alright Applejack. I know those brothers have given you more than your fair share of trouble in the past.” Celestia soothed, standing up and walking over to the old mare. “Though I’m afraid I do have to bother you about something.”
“Oh it’ll be no bother at all, though…” Applejack looked at the three exhausted workers in her living room. “Though Ah’ hope ya’ll don’t mind if Ah’ make dinner for these three while we talk.”
“Not at all Applejack, though this matter is rather private. I hope you understand if I have to cast a silencing spell on the kitchen once we enter.”
“Not at all Princess. Cast away. Me casa, su casa.” The two trotted into the kitchen, where Applejack began pulling out supplies for some peach cobbler.
Noticing this, Celestia finished casting the spell and questioned the orange mare. “I thought Apples hated the competition?”
“Oh we do, with a fiery vengeance” Applejack smiled, pouring the peaches in. “but sometimes, ya just get sick of apples, and after working a field of them all day, Ah’ doubt the kin are in any mood fer more apples.” Shoving the cobbler into the oven, she turned to the princess. “Now what’d ya’ll wanna talk about?”
“Well, having lived for a few millennia, I’ve grown to understand just how lonely it can be to never age, to watch all the friends I’ve ever made to pass away before my eyes. And I know I’ve had Luna to be there with me, but…” Celestia sighed and sat down on the floor. “I know this, Luna knows this and Cadence has learned it, but Twilight…” The regent of the sun rubbed her eyes with a hoof. “Twilight has yet to lose any of her friends. Yes she presided over Granny Smith’s funeral, but it wasn’t like losing one of you. She wasn’t close to your grandmother in the same way you were.”
Applejack sighed. “Ah’ know, and she’ll have to go through that someday, being an immortal alicorn and all that jazz.”
“Exactly why I’m here. I think you are going to leave this world soon, and I know Twilight isn’t ready for that. She’s not ready to lose one of you.”
“Ah’ woulda thought ya’ll would’ve been visit Rainbow ‘fore me. She’s a lot more likely to end up dead than me.”
“Now that’s not true and you know it. Rainbow Dash has the Wonderbolts looking after her, even if she’s retired. And she has several more years before she’ll be ready to go. No offense, but you’re past your prime and aging fast.”
“Now how would you know that?” Applejack shouted.
“For one, you’ve already forgotten about your cobbler, and the Applejack I knew could multitask like no other.”
“Aw, crab apples.” The orange mare muttered as she rushed to the oven and grabbed the cobbler with her mouth. “AH!” She screamed, dropping the pan with her burned lips. Celestia quickly grabbed the pan in her magic, catching it before it hit the ground. She then cast a healing spell on Applejack’s lips, releasing her from the pain’s embrace.
“Thank ya kindly, princess.” Applejack worked her mouth, running her tongue along her lips. “Ya’ll saved the young un’s dinner.”
“No problem Applejack, however, I think I’ve proved my point.”
“Yeah, Ah’ guess you have.”
“So what I wanted to know was…” Celestia paused, searching for the right words. “What… what do you think Twilight would do if she wanted to get you back?”
Applejack thought, rubbing her chin as she cut the cobbler with a knife. “Why, Ah’ don’t rightly know. I suspect somethin’ close to necromancy, if not more.”
“That’s what I thought as well, though I’ve already been down that path.”
“What?”
“Nothing. My point is, I think we should try to stop it before it happens.”
“Ah’ get ya’ll on that, but how?”
“I have been devising a spell, that, when used, will bring back the friends we have lost over time. However, I have not used it for myself for two reasons. One is purely physical. It would require me to turn my wings back into the magic my mother used to bestow them upon me, but the second reason…” Applejack saw tears appear in the regent’s eyes. “It requires a sample of biology from the friend that you are trying to bring back; however, it must come from a living host. For that reason, I am unable to bring back anyone I knew and loved, simply because I am missing one strand of hair.” Applejack watched as one stray tear slipped past her Goddess’s attention.
“So… Why can’t ya’ll share this knowledge with all ponykind?” Applejack questioned.
“Because then we would be dealing with overpopulation and an extreme lack of unicorns, being that magic must be present for the spell and something must be given in exchange for the lives of friends lost.”
Celestia and Applejack sat in silence for a few minutes, both thinking about the close and distant future. Finally, Applejack spoke up. “Ah’ll do it.”
“What?” Celestia looked up in shock.
“Ah’ said, Ah’ll do it.”
“But, when you return, the only ponies you’ll recognize are Twilight, any of your friends who also chose this and...”
“And you princesses.” Applejack placed one hoof on Celestia’s. “Ah’ don’t mind in the least. If it’ll stop Twi from goin’ psycho, then Ah’ll do it.”
“Oh thank you!” Celestia shouted, lunging forward and wrapping Applejack in her embrace. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Um, princess?” Applejack croaked.
“Yes, Applejack?”
“Ah’m not ready to die quite yet, could ya’ll please…”
“Oh! Of course.” Celestia quickly released Applejack, who started taking deep breaths immediately.
“Oh-kay.” Applejack said with a final deep breath. “Ah’ should probably get you that hair sample now. Never know when Ah’ might kick the can and all.” She reached for some scissors and cut off a strand. “Here ya’ll go. Don’t go losin’ it, ya hear.”
Celestia laughed. “Oh, of course not.” She glanced at the cooling cobbler sitting on three plates. “Say… what would you think of a little prank?”
“They’ve been in there an awful long time.” Apple Blossom said, staring at the door in worry. “Ya’ll don’t suppose somethin’ happened, do ya’ll?”
“Don’t you worry none.” Cinnamon Stick replied. “Celestia’s got nothing on Ma. She could whip ‘er twice around the barn and straight to the moon.”
“Now it’s ta hear ya’ll think of me so highly.” Applejack said, trotting out of the kitchen. “Now move yer caboose, it’s dinner time.”
The three ponies piled through the kitchen door and scrambled for their seats. “What’s for dinner, Big Sis?” Apple Bloom asked, drooling on the table. “Ah’m plum starved. Her niblings murmured in agreement.
“Now hold your horses, it’s on the way.” Applejack leaned back and shouted, “Bring em’ in!”
Celestia trotted into the room, pushing a cart filled to the brim with all sorts of delicacies, all wearing nothing but a white apron reading, “Kiss the cook” and some reading glasses.
“Alright everypony.” Celestia said, shifting her glasses and pulling out a notebook. “I’ll be your server for today. What can I get you?”
Applejack stifled a laugh as her kin stared slack-jawed at Celestia.
Celestia cleared her throat, holding a straight face. “You know Applejack, I don’t think they’re very hungry.”
“Eeeenope.” Applejack grinned.
“I think we’re just going to have to take all this and throw it in the garbage.”
“Eeeeyup.”
Apple Bloom broke first. “No, wait!”
Celestia and Applejack looked at her expectantly before breaking out into laughter.
“Oh ho ho ho ho. Ya’ll shoulda seen the looks on yer faces. Priceless.” Applejack hoofbumped Celestia. “Good one, yer majesty.”
“Thank you Applejack. I haven’t had a laugh like that since Discord’s first Gala.” She glanced out the window, and then jumped in shock. “Is it that time already? I’m sorry Applejack, but I must get back to Canterlot. There’s a royal summit occurring one hour after the sun sets and, unfortunately, I’ve forgotten all about doing so. I really must get going.”
“No problem, Princess. Have a safe trip.” The four farm ponies watched as Celestia charged up her teleportation spell and disappeared.
“Now then, what’ll ya’ll have ta eat?”
Author's Note
This was a fun little chapter to write. I don't plan on giving each character a chapter, but there will be one more chapter after this one.
I hope you enjoyed and I would love to hear any critiques you have about my story 
Celestia sat in her throne room. Court had been cancelled for today, and the reason why would be released to the press soon, if it hadn’t already been leaked. Celestia slumped, thinking back to that day over three thousand years ago, when Applejack had taken her up on her offer. It had been a joyous day for her, one of few she had experienced in a long time. Each of Twilight’s friends had contributed a piece of themselves, though Spike had no need to do so. Even so, he had been glad to hear that something could be done to help his adoptive mother. She had been in mourning for an entire year after Applejack died, not leaving her castle except to go on friendship missions. But slowly, she began to rise out of her slum, only to come crashing down when she read the morning paper.
Rainbow Dash, Leader of the Wonderbolts, killed in fatal crash.
Twilight once again hid in her castle, though for not as long as before. No, she had begun to grow jaded to the deaths of her friends, and when the final funeral rolled around, Fluttershy’s, she said a few words, left the podium, and was seen the next day smiling as she walked through the market.
Celestia sighed. It was time to tell her. Princess Starlight was the only one Twilight ever talked to anymore, and since she was away making sure the essence of Nightmare Moon could never be used again, Twilight often wondered around the castle, lost in thought.
“You summoned me Celestia?” The white alicorn jumped, startled out of her thoughts by that very mare.
“Yes, I did Twilight.” Celestia stood, walking towards the back of the room. “It is time I showed you something…” She pushed a door open, breaking the magic seal with one hoof. “Something I should have shown you a long time ago.”
As they walked down the halls, Celestia saw Twilight tear up at the old, fragile stained glass windows. The few automaton guards stationed inside the hallway stood at attention as the two princesses passed. Celestia watched as the younger princess got a far-away look in her eyes, the same one that always appeared whenever she was thinking about her friends. Finally, they reached a door. Celestia looked at Twilight. “Do you know what is in here?”
Twilight shook her head, too choked up to speak.
“A long time ago, many, many years before you were born, I had three friends. A unicorn, a pegasus and an earth pony. Even though I was an alicorn, they never treated me as any different. We had many great adventures together.” Celestia paused for a moment, catching her breath. “But eventually, they grew old. Each one of them died, one by one, taken by the cruel creature that we know as time. But it would never take me, or my sister. So we watched as our friends left us again and again and again.”
Celestia’s lower lip began to quiver. “One day, I had grown sick of the death. All I wanted was to see my friends again.” She looked down, her eyes darkening. “So I created a spell. I became the world’s first necromancer and I brought back the dead.” Twilight stared, waiting for Celestia to continue. Finally, she did. “Catastrophe. The dead rose, and I ran towards my friends. Then I heard the moan, smelled the stinking scent of rot and decay and saw…”
Celestia stopped her tale, shaking. Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder, comforting her.
“I saw the faces of my friends, deformed and void of life. I froze in terror, and then foolishly tried to reason with them. If not for Luna… Equestria knows of zombies because I brought them into existence.” Celestia swung her head to face her former student, tears in her eyes. “I created monsters out of my best friends, and I knew then, that I would do anything to keep anyone else from doing the same.”
Twilight leaned forward. “What makes you think I would do something like that?”
“I’ve had spells placed on the books in the private section of our personal library, and every book on the subject of Necromancy has been checked out by one pony.”
Celestia looked straight into Twilight’s eyes. “You.”
Twilight held her gaze, not wavering in the slightest. “I’m only doing exactly what you did; only I know I can do it better.”
“That’s what I thought the second time around. And the third. And the fourth. But it wasn’t until the fifth that I went too far, and that was when I swore that none would ever do anything like this again. I outlawed necromancy, even though most ponies had no clue it was.”
“But-“
“Butts are for sitting. I knew you would try this, and so I knew I had to create a way for you to do so without turning Equestria into a ruin. So I did. Every hour I had free, for five years, I worked on this.” She gestured at the door. “But finally, I completed it.”
“So how did you…”
“I still don’t know absolutely if it works, but all the data has been consistent. I have the spell written down right here.” Twilight immediately moved for the book. “But.” Warned Celestia, freezing Twilight in her tracks. “Every spell requires equivalent exchange. Something given for something taken. With normal magic, we just deplete our energy reserves until they recharge or we have no more to give. But with this spell, it requires more powerful magic.”
“What kind of magic would be needed?” Twilight asked greedily.
“Unnatural magic. The kind that gave normal horses wings, horns or strength. The kind I gave to you the night of your transformation.”
“So what you’re saying is…”
“You have to choose. Friends, or forever.” She stared at Twilight’s tear-stained cheeks. “Which will you decide?”
The princess of the sun had provided Twilight with the book and the knowledge needed to complete the spell. She now sat on her throne, waiting to see what Twilight would choose. In her heart, she knew the answer. After all, she would do the exact same for her friends. As she closed her eyes, she thought of Luna, stuck on the moon for one thousand years, Cadence, her parents killed in the Crystal war and of herself, unable to save the life of even one of her friends.
Then and there, the regent of the sun decided that from this day forth, no more Alicorns were to be created. Those who were already such were to live out their lives, and dream of the day when they could finally be released from alicornhood. All who pursued the alicorn status would be warned, but not kept from it. They would soon gain their punishment.
The doors creaked behind her throne. Celestia could hear the bubbling laughter of Pinkie Pie, the boastful claims of Rainbow Dash and the whiny complaints of a mare stuck for three millennia without a trip to the spa. She watched as the six trotted from behind the fateful doors, and sat tall as they approached the front of her throne.
“Princess.” The purple unicorn bowed before her, and when she looked up, Celestia could see how truly grateful Twilight really was. “Thank you.”
“You are very welcome.” Celestia said, the pain she felt hidden from their eyes. “But just because you have given up your status as an alicorn does not mean you are no longer a princess. You have proven yourself time and time again to be worthy of that status and I will not steal it from you now. Indeed, you and your friends have many years of friendship to come, and I am sure that, in the end, you will all have lived peacefully and will be able to be with each other in eternity.” Celestia held steady, refusing to let them see what she truly felt at that moment. “Good luck, my little ponies. May your friendship last for eternity.”
All six ponies bowed before her, then left the room, but not before Pinkie Pie bounced up to Celestia, gave her a giant hug and a “Thank you”.
As the doors closed, Celestia slumped. She knew in her heart that she needed to get up and perform her royal duties as a Princess of Equestria, but she couldn’t. The day had been taxing to say the least, and all she wanted to do was sit on her throne and cry. She summoned a container of ice cream, a habit she had picked up before Rarity had passed away, and cried herself to sleep.
Author's Note
I suppose I probably could've made this longer, but I'm kinda lazy. I have other stories planned, but don't expect anything too soon. I don't get much time to write. Still, I hope you guys enjoyed this story, I know I enjoyed writing it.
Tell me what you think in the comments below
