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Apple Bloom lay comfortably beneath the covers of her bed, eyes open with contemplation as she stared blankly at the ceiling. In such short time, she'd learned so much about her parents -- a story of two lovers whose bond was so strong that it became powerful enough to challenge a multi-generational feud. Or at least to withstand it.
A warm smile grew on her face as she dreamed about their lives. Letting out a contented sigh, closing her eyes and slowly beginning to drift asleep, she imagined them outside amidst the warm summer fields on a breezy afternoon; their homestead, sitting on the front porch holding hooves, enjoying the sunset together. She imagined them going to the market to buy ingredients for baking a pie, pulling weeds in their yard as their kids played nearby. As her thoughts became less distinct and eyes grew heavy though, she realized that she wasn't actually in any of these imaginary scenarios. She was, after all, very young at the time of their passing.
A sudden realization dawned on her in that moment and her eyes opened once more, staring blankly at the ceiling. How old was I when my parents were still alive? She thought to herself, wondering how in Equestria she'd never truly given it thought. When hearing about her siblings' stories, she'd always imagined herself there, despite not really knowing those memories herself. Though, she supposed that's just what being the youngest in a family was like.
Throughout the last day she had learned so much, but somehow now something felt missing. A part of her parents' story that for whatever reason, seemed to have gone untold. Granny Smith's previous hesitance to talk about the Pear family probably played a crucial role, she reckoned. But as Apple Bloom grew older, it became more readily apparent that, despite how close her family really was, there were still dark secrets in their past. Bits of mystery hidden away for reasons unknown.
Suddenly, those calm and uplifting thoughts about her parents had shifted towards confusion and uncertainty, buzzing around in her head relentlessly until she couldn't lay still any longer. Tossing and turning beneath the covers, she focused on piecing together those mysterious fragments of her earliest memories. After little success, however, she realized she wouldn't be able to sleep until she got an actual answer from somepony who could actually tell her what she was missing.
Unfurling herself from beneath a mound of blankets, Apple Bloom shifted off the bed and onto the wooden floor, feeling it creak softly beneath her hooves as she headed towards Applejack's room. The lights were off and Applejack was asleep, her golden ponytail draped over the side of the bed as she snored softly.
Apple Bloom cracked the door open as quietly as possible."...AJ? You awake?"
Applejack stirred for a moment and opened her eyes lazily. "I am now," she replied softly, rubbing her eyes with her hooves. "What's got you troubled, sugar cube?"
Apple Bloom entered through the doorway. "Well," she sighed, "I was thinkin' about mom and dad."
A warm smile grew on Applejack's face. "Me too. Can ya believe it? All these years and we never knew their story."
Apple Bloom tried to smile in response, but she was too focused to mask her true feelings.
Applejack took notice and sat herself up on top of the bed, signaling Apple Bloom to come over. "What's wrong? Ain't you happy about learning their story?"
Apple Bloom sat down next to her sister, feeling her warmth against her side. "Yeah, but...well, I was thinking about what all happened after they got married."
"Well, I'd imagine they took over the homestead after a while, had us kids and..."
Applejack stopped talking. Apple Bloom looked up at her. "And then what?"
Applejack opened her mouth to speak, only to quickly face away and hide the sharp pang of emotion that had suddenly overcome her. She wasn't accustomed to talking about her early childhood, and just as Granny Smith refused to talk about anything involving the Pear family before the events that transpired earlier, she had evidently repressed those memories.
"And what?" Apple Bloom repeated herself, placing a hoof on her sister's leg, prodding her expectantly. She eased back when she saw the tears on her sister's cheek, however.
Tears dripped down and soaked into the fabric of the pillow beside her. "I can't. Not right now, sis...I'm real sorry."
"AJ, come on, this isn't you. Please tell me? I just can't stop thinkin' about them."
The air was silent for a few moments, filled only with the faint sniffling of her sister. Apple Bloom was surprised at her sudden emotionality, considering she was often considered the more stoic pony in the family.
"Go to Granny," Applejack replied. "She'll be able to tell us better'n I can anyway..."
Together, they trotted down the stairs and onto the main floor of the house. Outside on the porch, Granny Smith and Big Macintosh were chatting and listening to the crickets in the fields nearby.
"Granny Smith?" said Apple Bloom.
She stopped rocking in her chair. "Isn't it past yer bedtime?" She said with a soft smile.
"Yeah, but...I couldn't sleep. I kept thinkin' about mom and dad, and what their lives were like before well, you know..."
Granny Smith's smile vanished, and she signaled for all three of them to sit together, gathering onto a wooden bench beside her old rocking chair. She then got up and left, entering the house without muttering another word, leaving the three of them sitting idly on the porch for a few moments.
Applejack looked into her sister's eyes, her cheeks still wet, and said something to her.
"Apple Bloom...when Granny Smith tells the story, I just want you to know...you don't have to feel responsible."
"Responsible? For what?"
Granny Smith returned from the house with a dusty book and sat into her rocking chair. It creaked loudly for a few moments, then she took a breath and blew the dust off the book. The wind carried it away from the porch and into the blackness of the night surrounding them as crickets continued to chirp. On the cover were the words Apple Family History. Volume 138.
"Is that--" Apple Bloom said surprised, "I thought Goldie Delicious had that."
"She did." Granny Smith wiped off the rest of the dust on the cover. "I asked to borrow it for awhile, figuring this would happen eventually...when the time was right." She sighed. "To tell the truth, I should have told you a long time ago..."
She opened the book to a specific page and began reading. "After Pear Butter and Bright Mac got married, they moved into the Apple family's homestead and continued the family business. Shortly after, however, they had their first child, Big Macintosh, whom was named for being quite large for a newly-born foal. Later was Applejack, who was born with a golden-yellow mane and a pair of white freckles. For several years, the Apple Family continued their honest work on the homestead, until..."
Granny Smith stopped talking for a moment and bit her lip.
"What does the book have to say about me?" said Apple Bloom, a hint of worry in her voice.
"Are you sure you want t'know 'bout this now?" Granny asked Apple Bloom. "Maybe sometime n'the morning would be best."
"No," she said sternly. "I want to know now...please."
"Well...alright then," Granny Smith replied, taking a long sigh as she prepared to read the next several passages.
Bright Mac sat impatiently in the hospital waiting room, his hooves tapping incessantly against its cold tiled floors.
An annoyed mare opposite him shot him a glare, but he hadn't noticed. All he could think about was seeing their new foal. They had already gone through this two times before with Big Macintosh and Applejack, but the whole process never failed to make him nervous. He just wanted to hold them in his hooves, teach them how to work on the farm, play with them in the fields, tell them stories about how he and their mother first met -- so many things he couldn't wait to do all over again like he did with Big Macintosh and Applejack. His heart raced with anticipation.
While he waited, the doctors had been performing tests to make sure Buttercup was ready to begin the birthing process. Business as usual, of course, but a tired-looking nurse came up to him earlier than expected. "Excuse me, Bright Mac? The doctor wants to see you for a moment."
Something about the tone of her voice startled him, but he quickly got up and followed the nurse. This wasn't the usual procedure, and the inflection of the nurse's voice echoed in his mind as he hastily entered the room. Buttercup was lying stoically in bed, but a faint smile grew across her face when he entered. The doctor looked worried, but kept their professional demeanor as they looked over a clipboard.
"Bright Mac," said the doctor as he placed down the clipboard, "I have some news for you. Please sit down."
His heart racing, he sat down on the bed next to Buttercup and held her outstretched hoof.
"As you may know, there are always small risks involved with the birthing process. We do all we can to minimize them, but unfortunately, there are some times when not everything can be prevented." The doctor took a short breath and sighed. "There may be a complication with the birth of your foal, and your wife is at risk."
Bright Mac's eyes widened as he turned to look into Buttercup's. She simply looked back, gazing longingly into his. He looked back to the doctor. "What risk?"
"There is a small, but above-average risk she may not survive the birthing process. We've taken every precaution to ensure everything goes alright, of course, but we thought you should know there is a risk involved."
His mind went blank, and his head felt heavy upon hearing those words. For several moments, he couldn't process anything until Buttercup's presence next to him brought him back to reality. "H-h-how much of a risk?" He replied shakily. He looked into Buttercup's eyes again and was taken aback to how calm she seemed.
"It's hard to say," continued the doctor. "Scenarios like these are not entirely uncommon, but every case is different."
He looked back into Buttercup's eyes, trying to search for the right words to say to her, but all he did was drip tears onto her blanket. She smiled calmly, holding his hoof tightly. "No matter what happens, you'll have our beautiful baby foal."
Tears immediately welled up in his eyes and fell onto the blanket as he leaned in to hug her on the hospital bed. "We'll have our beautiful baby foal," he said as tears continued streaming down his cheeks. Her embrace wrapped around him as she nuzzled into him, letting out her emotions and crying softly for a few moments before gazing up, tears beading in her eyes too.
"We'll never be far apart, no matter what happens."
"Nothing will happen," he tried consoling her, but in that moment those words were more for himself. "I just...I don't know what I'd do without you."
She sighed, wiping a tear from her face. Then his, their eyes locking together. "We're on a prickly path, Mac."
A small smile grew on his face. Even now, she had the strength to console him with their song. "But it's worth it just to see you smile," he continued the verse, stifling another sob.
She smiled in return and they gazed at each other for several more moments. "What should we name her?"
"Apple Butter, after you?"
She smiled, but put a hoof on his and gave another suggestion. "How about Apple Bloom? After our tree. That way, when it blooms, we can always think of her."
"That's perfect." He rubbed another tear from his eye. "It's a beautiful name."
The doctor interrupted them with a courteous cough. "We should...induce the birth soon, as waiting longer may pose a greater risk. Would you like to be present?"
His eyes locked once more with hers as he replied. "Absolutely."
"I'll call in the nurses."
"...unfortunately, due to a complication in the birthing process, Pear Butter did not survive giving birth to her third foal, Apple Bloom," Granny Smith sighed, "...a beautiful and bright young filly with a crimson red mane."
Big Mac and Applejack had been crying softly as the memories from their early childhood came back to them.
Apple Bloom stared down at the floorboards of the porch, tears falling downwards, seeping into the cracks between them.
"I don't know what to say," she muttered softly.
"You don't have to say nothin'," said Big Mac, filling the silence. He sniffled once and continued, "Sometimes things are just easier that way."
Applejack consoled him with a gentle embrace. Apple Bloom understood now what her sister meant by saying she shouldn't feel responsible, and part of her wasn't sure if letting go of that thought would ever be possible. So much more made sense about her siblings to her now, and it was no wonder none of them had ever had the courage to tell her after going through something so terrible.
"But wait," said Apple Bloom. "What happened to Bright Mac?"
"Well, I can tell you that," said Granny Smith. "Your dad came home alone with you in his arms. He didn't say much af'er tellin' me the news, his face as solid as a stone...In the comin' days, he started gettin' sick and had to be admitted to the hospital. Nothing helped. I don't know all that happened while he was there, since I was busy takin' care a' you three, but during my brief visits...he just kept gettin' worse and worse. The doctors couldn't understand what was wrong, and well..."
Apple Bloom sighed. Another tear welled up in her eye and rolled down her cheek.
"But he was plum crazy about you," Granny Smith added to lighten the mood, forcing herself to smile just a little bit. "You shoulda' seen 'im, holdin' you in his arms all day. Couldn't get enough of ya."
The sounds of the night permeated the air during the lull of conversation. Crickets chirped and a cool breeze rustled the leaves on the trees surrounding them. The air was getting colder as the hours of the night continued to go by, and Apple Bloom was starting to feel cold.
Applejack broke the silence. "...is there anymore in the book, Granny Smith?"
She rubbed a tear away from her eye and turned the page. "Some photos is all."
In the last few pages of the book were several pictures. The first two were pictures of Bright Mac and Buttercup holding Big Macintosh and Applejack on the days of their births. The third was a picture all of them smiling on the porch, years before Apple Bloom was born. The fourth, however, was a picture of Apple Bloom being held by Bright Mac while laying in his hospital bed.
Apple Bloom took the picture out and looked at it for several seconds before turning it over to find a note written on the back side. She read it silently.
Dear Apple Bloom,
I'm sorry you never got to meet your mother, and I'm sorry you never got to truly get to know me. I'm holding you in my arms in this very moment, watching you play and marvel at all of the things in this hospital room. You are a beautiful young filly, and I know you will grow up to be just like your mother. I can see it in your eyes right now as they're filled with wonder. I wish I could tell you this now, but the doctors have told me I don't have long to live, so I hope you'll read this whenever the time is right.
Your mother once wrote a song for me, and in these days after her passing the lyrics have been on repeat in my mind. But every time I recall them, I can't help but think of you and my other two foals. Your mother never never wrote them down, but I am now, and I hope that they'll live on through you.
We're far apart in every way, but you're the best part of my day. And sure as I breathe the air, I know we are the perfect pair.
On a prickly path that goes on for miles, but it's worth it just to see you smile.
And I cannot be pulled apart from the hold you have on my heart.
The seasons change and leaves may fall, but I'll be with you through them all. And rain or shine, you'll always be mine.
On a prickly path that goes on for miles, you're the only one who makes it all worthwhile.
And you should not blame me too, if I can't help fall in love with you.
I've told the doctors to make sure I'm buried with Buttercup next to the tree we planted not that long ago. I would have hoped to see it grow large one day, but it's enough for me to know that one day you'll be able to see it bloom, just like you.
As long as that tree stands, we'll never be far apart.
Love,
Buttercup and Bright Mac.
The next day, the Apple and Pear family sat together beneath the tree her parents had planted long ago. Its twisting trunks clung closely to each other, spiraling high above them, leaves swaying gently amidst the breeze that meandered through the forest. The branches in the treetops above them rustled softly as birds chirped in the distance.
A small stone plaque was situated at the base of the tree, overgrown slightly with grass and roots. On it were the words: Here lies Buttercup and Bright Mac, two lovers whose time was short but full. May their love live on through the generations.
Talking to each other and sharing stories, the two families enjoyed each others' company while eating the tree's tasty fruits. Feeling like spending some time alone to herself though, Apple Bloom trotted off towards a grassy patch further away to lay down and think. Applejack noticed and followed shortly after.
"You alright, sugar cube?"
"Yeah," Apple Bloom replied. "I think so. I just...wish I could have gotten to know 'em is all."
Applejack stumbled for the right words as she laid down on the soft grass next to her as they gazed up at the tree. "I wish so too. Although my memories are already fadin', and I reckon Big Macintosh feels the same."
Apple Bloom looked up at her. "Doesn't that make you sad?"
"Well, yeah...but it's not like I've forgotten 'em."
Apple Bloom stared at the grass as a gentle breeze rolled through the meadow, lost in thought for a few moments. She looked up at her sister, her eyes watering. "Well then why did nopony ever tell me?"
Applejack sighed. "Well to be honest, sugarcube...I just wasn't ready. It's...somethin' I just sorta chose to forget. I wish I'd have been stronger for you...I feel just terrible about all of this."
"Even Big Macintosh and Granny?"
"Well, I can only speak for myself, but I think we both know Big Macintosh ain't the type for breakin' that kind of news. And Granny? Well, one can only speculate. It ain't easy losin' a member of the family. I reckon she chose to forget too..."
Her voice trailed a few moments. "It's not that I chose to forget, or Granny neither, it's just that it was easier to think about the good times and, well, avoid thinkin' about the rest."
Another breeze swept its way through the treetops, whose leaves were beginning to appear a shade of pink and orange from the setting sun. After a few moments, Applejack noticed her sister wanted to be alone. "I'll leave you to yourself for awhile."
She gently rustled up her sister's mane and left. Apple Bloom sighed and stared at the tree, watching its leaves sway gently in the breeze. She may not have ever been given the chance to know her parents, but she was glad to know what their lives were like when they were alive. Applejack's words echoed in her mind as she sat in pensive contemplation for several minutes.
Before today, she didn't understand how she could miss something she never had. But now, it all made sense. Her older sister and brother already went through those feelings long ago, but she had never had the chance to process them. As she continued to stare at the tree, tears steadily welled up in her eyes once more. But this time they were tears that needed to be shed. Tears that would allow her to move on from what had been taken from her: a mother and father.
Apple Bloom wiped the tears from her eyes, allowing her to see the tree more clearly again. From those tears she felt a new appreciation for what she did have: a loving brother and sister, and Granny Smith for having raised them all on her own. If there's anything they'd taught her, it was that families came in all shapes and sizes, and it didn't matter how big or small or what kind. Just that they're your family.
She admired the two twisting trunks of her parents' tree and its shimmering leaves with the setting sun in the background, imagining what their wedding ceremony must have looked like all those years ago. She imagined the story of their budding romance, and what their voices would have sounded like. She imagined her father's face as he held her in his hooves for the first and last time, all while staring at the beautiful tree that symbolized their bond with each other, and now with her as well.
Despite having never lived among them, she knew they would never be far apart. Pulling out the picture of herself being held in her father's arms, she rubbed the remaining tears from her eyes to see his smiling face. She wished she could go back and experience that moment again, but found comfort in knowing how much they would have been there for her if they hadn't passed.
After one last look at the photograph, she gazed back up at her parents' tree and could have sworn she saw their faces in the leaves.
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