Applejack, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, Grand Pear, and Granny Smith were all walking toward the entangled heart tree planted by Buttercup (Pear Butter) and Bright Mac. Granny Smith and Grand Pear were behind the siblings. “Applejack, why do you think Twilight wanted us to come to our parents’ tree?”
“Don’t rightly know Sugarcube. We’ll just have to wait and see.” Applejack said. She couldn’t imagine what Twilight was up to. Twilight ran off right after she was told the story about Bright Mac and Buttercup. The five were just about there when Twilight stopped them. “Twilight, what’s going on?”
“I have a surprise for you but it needs to be slow. I realize, well it’s complicated. I can’t say anything without giving away the surprise. With that in mind, I only want the siblings out there first. I have put up a sound barrier around the area so the surprise won’t be ruined for Granny Smith and Grand Pear. You three, go over to your parents’ tree. Grand Pear and Granny Smith, stay here until I come get you.” Twilight waited for the siblings to reach the tree. “You two stay here behind the bush and do not come in for any reason until I come get you.” Grand Pear and Granny Smith nodded. Twilight ran over to the apple siblings and took a breath. “Ok you three, prepare yourselves.”
“What exactly are we preparing ourselves for?” Applejack asked.
“You’ll see, I’ve been practicing for weeks.” Twilight lit her horn and aimed at the tree. The tree lit up with a bright light glow and the heart in the middle began to swirl and flash. Twilight sweat as the spell formed in the heart. The spell finished and the siblings rubbed their eyes. When their vision cleared, their jaws dropped. In the heart of the two trees were Buttercup and Bright Mac. “I’ll just sit to the side.” Twilight slowly walked to the side and sat down tired from using the spell.
Inside the heart, Buttercup and Bright Mac looked to each other in confusion and then to the three in front of them. Neither knew what to say as what was happening shouldn’t be possible. “Applejack, Big Macintosh, my little Apple Bloom? How is this possible? What’s going on?” The three siblings stood shocked with tears in their eyes.
Bright Mac sighed. “One of you answer your mother because we’re both a little freaked out and having our children just standing there isn’t helping.”
“Mom, Dad, it’s really you?” Apple Bloom spoke but didn’t move.
“Hello kids, it’s so good to see you. You remember the last time we or I saw them Bright Mac?”
“Of course I do, Apple Bloom was still a foal and throwing food everywhere. She was like that for another year at least.” Bright Mac chuckled as he wrapped a hoof around Buttercup who did the same to him.
“Mom, dad, it’s so good to see you.” Big Mac said with tears in his eyes.
“Mom, dad, how did you two; um, die?” Apple Bloom asked. “No pony ever told me how it happened. They always went silent and didn’t want to talk about it. I eventually gave up trying to find the answer.”
Bright Mac and Buttercup stared at the two older kids and tapped their hooves. Applejack and Big Mac shrunk and turned away. “I’m sorry Apple Bloom.” Applejack said.
“Well you two, Apple Bloom deserves to know what happened. I’m kind of happy that I get to say it.” Buttercup inhaled and smiled. “Apple Bloom, before I tell you how I left, you need to know that it wasn’t your fault.” Apple Bloom looked worried and confused. “It’s not a long story, it’s very simple actually. There were some complications giving birth to you. I was kept alive for a day before I died. I promise you sweetheart, it wasn’t your fault. It’s just something that happened. There was no control over it.” Buttercup looked to Bright Mac and nodded.
“It was only a year later when you were still too young to remember. We were out as a family for a walk. For whatever reason, the Timberwolves were run out of the forest. I told mother to get you three to the house. You were crying your little eyes out Apple Bloom. Those wolves really scared you but I stayed back. I had to in order to keep you all safe. If I had stayed with you, we all would have died. I fought the wolves to keep them from you while you retreated to the house. I did my job and in keeping you safe, I rejoined Buttercup.”
Apple Bloom was tearing up but Applejack and Big Mac were crying. “I know it’s hard to hear it but it has to be said. Apple Bloom needed to know what happened to us. Now, are you ok Apple Bloom?”
“Yeah, it’s just that, I wish I had been old enough to remember. It wouldn’t have been so painful for them.” Apple Bloom said pointing to her siblings.
“Sorry to interrupt but with what Apple Bloom just said, I think it’s time to bring in the other two.” Twilight said and left leaving Buttercup and Bright Mac confused. It wasn’t until Granny Smith and Grand Pear came by that they understood. “You all have some catching up to do.” Twilight then left in a flash.
Buttercup and Bright Mac stared with tears in their eyes which reflected in the eyes of the two older ponies who were also crying. “Dad, you’re here?” Buttercup asked, her lip trembling.
“Pear Butter, I’m so sorry but I don’t understand how you’re here?” Grand Pear said.
“I’m wondering the same thing but I suppose it was the Ali…corn. Wait, what happened since we were gone?” Buttercup asked.
“New Princess but not the newest, anyway, you and Grandpa continue.” Applejack said.
“I’m glad you’re here dad but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask why? Why didn’t you ever come to see your grandchildren. After saying goodbye to my family, I wondered why you hated me so much. Why didn’t you come to see us? I wondered why my children weren’t good enough for you to even see. You forced me into a decision and I chose but did my children deserve your hatred. I hoped more than anything that when I invited you to be there for their births that you would come but you never did. I would have thought you would have come to see my funeral because from what Bright Mac told me, you didn’t even seem to care. Why didn’t I matter to you? I never even got to say that despite everything, I still love you.” Grand Pear shook and couldn’t look Buttercup in the eyes. “Even now you can’t stand to look at me. Am I that big of a disappointment to you?” Buttercup glared at her father.
Grand Pears eyes widened and his head shot up and stared at his daughter. “ No, oyu weren’t a disappointment, you never were. I’m so sorry Buttercup.” Buttercup was shocked at hearing the name given to her by Bright Mac. “I was angry and foolish. I should never have left and I’ve regretted it ever since I heard of your death. I did visit you and I did go to the funeral but I kept my distance. I couldn’t bring myself to show my face here. I’ve hated myself for so long. I never should have left you for choosing to be with the one you love. I never should have stood in your way nor had the feud at all. I let it stand in the way of my family and my pride didn’t help. Can you ever forgive this old fool who missed out on so much?”
Buttercup’s eyes softened and her mouth turned into a smile. “An apology is all I ever wanted from you. I love you daddy and I really do miss you.”
Bright Mac nodded and turned to his mother. “Mom, how are you?”
“In shock, I can’t believe the princess did this.”
“This new princess sounds like one heck of a friend. I’m glad to see you again mother. You’ve raised our children wonderfully.”
“Thank you my son.” Granny Smith said.
The group was up all night catching up with each other and having a lot laughs. Apple Bloom told her parents about her cutie mark and Buttercup and Bright Mac told the kids how proud of them they were. Big Mac told them about his marefriend and both parents smiled from ear to ear. It wasn’t until the sun rose that they realized how long they had been talking. “It’s morning, and your friend is back.” Buttercup said seeing Twilight walk up to them.
“Seriously, alright. I’ll just go back to bed until you’re ready to say goodbye. The spell really does need to be taken down soon though I’m sure.” Twilight yawned and started to walk away when Bright Mac stopped her.
“Wait, Princess.” Bright Mac and Buttercup turned to their family and smiled. “We do need to go every pony but I’m so glad we got to catch up.”
Buttercup nodded. “Yes, we should go. We’ll miss you all so much and we are so proud of the ponies you have become.”
“Goodbye sweetheart, I’m glad I got to see you one last time.” Grand Pear said.
“Goodbye you two, I’m sure the old prickly pear and I will see you two soon enough.” Granny Smith nudged Grand Pear and the others just chuckled.
“Goodbye mom, it was so good to see you.” Apple Bloom said with tears in her eyes.
“I wish you didn’t have to go.” Big Mac said.
“Granny, you better not leave too soon, we still need you. We’ll continue to make you two proud, I promise” Applejack said with a smile and some tears.
Bright Mac and Buttercup smiled. “We know you will, and just remember, we will always be with you.” The two parents turned to Twilight and nodded.
“Everypony said their goodbye’s then?” Every pony nodded and Twilight turned to Bright Mac and Buttercup. “It was good to meet you two.”
“Likewise Princess.” With that said and Twilight reversed the spell and the tree was back to normal.
“Twilight, thank you so much.” Applejack said and received a nod. “How did you do this anyway?”
“It was a rather difficult (yawn) spell. It can only stay up so long before the spirit world and the living world start to collide. I (yawn) had no idea how long that would be but there is a little time to reverse the spell as that happens. I would know when to hurry to reverse it. I set an alarm (yawn) connected to the spell so I would be able to know when I had to take it down.” With that, Twilight took a few steps but collapsed.
“It appears this took a toll on her. Come on yall, let’s get her to the house for some rest.” The group went over to Twilight and picked her up before turning to the tree and said goodbye one last time.