D e a r f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y,
F o r g i v e m e.
I a p o l o g i z e f o r
. . . S o r r y. I l o v e y o u a l l. I ‘ l l b e b a c k.
Applejack folded up her note and left it in the in the crook of the apple tree in the far corner of her family’s orchard. She looked up at the sky to help herself hold back tears. In the distance, she could hear the laughter of other mares approaching her. Applejack took one last look at the apple tree and galloped full speed out of the orchard.
Her hooves dug into the earth, screeching herself to a halt when she realized she had left her satchel bag and hat in the barn. It would be too risky to go back and retrieve them, but Applejack assumed it would be even riskier to leave without them. She moaned anxiously under her breath and cut through the Apple orchard, cautiously avoiding any wandering eyes.
It took about a minute to reach the barn, where it would normally take her five. She controlled her breathing so it would be quieter, cautiously opening the barn door. To avoid the obnoxious ‘squeak’ the barn door created when opened too slowly, she wiped it open, catching it skillfully in her other hoof.
Once inside the barn, she spotted her satchel bag and her hat. She was almost angry at the inanimate objects for not following her. She kicked her bag onto her back flipped her hat onto her head. Her eyes were fixated onto the floor, so as to not make eye contact with anything in the barn that could provoke nostalgia.
She exited the barn and quickly shut the door, catching it before it slammed itself in place. The she took off again, knowing she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Hiya, Applejack!” a familiar voice choked Applejack’s spirit.
“consarnit…” Applejack grumbled, freezing in her tracks.
“Hey.” The voice said again. The source of the voice had trotted up to Applejack, and it looked up at her.
“Have you seen Applebloom?” the voice asked. It was Sweetie Bell.
Applejack lowered her hat and tried to spit out an answer between a suppressed sob. “no..”
The word only made it harder to hold tears back.
“Do you know where she is?” Sweetie Bell asked, a bit more concerned.
Being inclined to tell the truth, Applejack simply answered:
“No...but I’m… gonna find her.”
Applejack began to tremble and sniffle, like a steam powered washing machine or something.
“I’m gonna find her. I promise.”
____________________________________________________________________
“Applebloom, why can’t you jus’ listen to me?!”
“You ain’t listenin’ to me, Aj!”
“Cause you don’t know what you’re talkin’ bout. I’m proud that you got your cutie mark!”
“No you ain’t! It ain’t got nothin’ to do wit apples!”
“Now there’s where you’re wrong, sis. I don’t care if your special talent was pickin’ manure. Least it could still help the farm-”
“Now there’s where you’re wrong, Aj. I don’t wanna work on the farm!”
“Now hold on right there. That’s something that’s been done since Granny Smith’s maw and paw lived on this farm. That ain’t gonna change ‘cause some little filly don’t want to do it! You have a great talent a fixin’ things. Why don’t you fix up the barn or,”
“NO! That’s a waste of my talent”
“What did you just say?! A waste to help out your family?”
“I wanna work on big projects, like fixin’ up town hall, or building a museum, or-”
“You can do that junk after you’ve helped your family!”
“I don’t’ wa-”
“I’m gonna get Big Mac up here. You want that?”
“to hell wit big mac…”
“Wha…WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!”
“What’s he gonna do? Sit there and NOPE me to death? Hellava lot better than me listening to you yell!”
“That’s enough.” Applejack grumbled, leaping over her little sister’s bed. Applebloom cartwheeled out of the way, bumping her head on the bedpost, but escaping, none the less. Applejack tried everything she could to catch her sister, and since she was the best wrangler in Ponyville, there was no pony she couldn’t catch.
She tackled her sister onto the ground and raised her hoof in the air, reluctant to hit her sister. Applebloom wriggled a hoof free and socked her sister in the eye, causing her to double over in pain. Sensing the new escape opportunity, Applebloom broke free and leapt out the window.
“Aw no, no, no” Applejack pleaded, scrambling over to the window. She peered out to catch her sister crawling out of a haystack and running off into the horizon.
“Aw hell no.” Applejack growled, her expression changing quickly.
-Three days later.-
“Applebloom’ll be back soon, AJ.” Bic Macintosh assured his younger sister. “These things take time.”
“Big Mac is right, Sweetums.” Granny Smith agreed. “Why, I’ll bet she’s on ‘er way to apologize right naow.”
“Yeah, I sure do hope so. Tomorrow’s the day my friends an’ I have our weekly picnic by that old tree at the edge of the orchard. I’d hate to feel all depressed over grub. Celestia knows how fast my appetite disappears when I’m gloomy-like.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was a mailmare. She stood in the doorway searching her bag desperately for the letter that was addressed to Sweet Apple Acres.
“I’m sorry.” The mailmare apologized. “I usually don’t take this long.” She blushed and continued searching.
Applejack wore a confusing look on her face and contemplated shutting the door when the mailmare produced a letter.
“Here it is! It’s for Applejack’s eyes only. Says so right there on the letter…..’kay bye now!” Then the mailmare flew off.
“Jeez. She seemed screwier then than a jackrabbit in a hawk’s nest.” Applejack scoffed playfully.
“What was that all ‘bout?” Granny Smith asked.
“I got a letter.” Applejack said casually, walking to her room.
Applejack looked at the letter studiously. She saw that the letter came from Baltimare. She opened the letter and read in silence.
A pp le Ja ck, We H A v E A p P le Blo O.M
Brin G The L I st. ED Su pp Lies Or We ‘ LL Send H Er back IN a CaskE.T.
Applejack shivered uncontrollably and dropped the paper to the floor. To make sure she wasn’t just acting crazy, she picked it back up and read it aloud.
“A-Applejack, we have….Applebloom.” She couldn’t form words after that was said. She simply re-scanned the letter. It was difficult to read since it was ransom note style.
She didn’t know what to do, or who to tell.
So she read the list of supplies that were stapled onto the back of the note. She read it three times then she retrieved her satchel bag.
________________________________________________________________________
The next day, Applejack was running. She had arrived at the train station, which was oddly empty. This was a good thing for Applejack, because she wasn't in the mood to talk to anypony. She just wanted to head to Baltimare and get her sister back. The train wasn't at the station, so Applejack decided to check the time it would be. Applejack was displeased to find that the train wouldn't be back for another two hours.
"Pfff. Best get on up to Baltimare my damn self."
So Applejack did a 10 second stretch routine and took off like the train itself. She ran down the tracks towards Baltimare, not wanting to go another minute without her sister. Being as athletic as she was, Applejack had made it to the next station in 15 minutes, only five minutes slower than the train. Applejack actually spotted the train at this station. It was being held up for an unknown reason.
Applejack brought herself up to the platform to investigate. When she saw no pony, she helped herself to a drink at a fountain.
"Alright, miss, step into the train, very slowly and no one gets hurt." Applejack Turned around slowly to see a griffon holding a crossbow at Applejack.
"Easy now, miss." Applejack asked calmly. "No need for n a those."
"Just get in the train!"
Applejack obeyed. She walked into the train to see mares and stallions huddled on the floor.
"Why do you griffons have to bully us for things?" A young Pegusus mare with a wild blue mane asked.
"Cloudchaser," a seemingly identical pony pleaded, "they told us not to talk-"
WHOOSH
An arrow flew across the train and found its way into Cloudchaser's mane. She was unharmed, however.
"You should listen to your friend." A griffon jeered, reloading her crossbow.
"The mare's gotta point." Applejack blurted out. "Why can't we jus' be peaceful neighbors and such?"
A griffon walked quickly towards Applejack and got in real close to her face.
"Your... princess has been taking things from us, we want a little collateral, like your well being. You don't know what we have to go through, so I suggest you sit there and plead that your princess doesn't take more from us."
Applejack grinned a bit. The griffons had been doing this before Celestia took their citizens to work in her military. This was actually the reason why Celestia did it. Applejack swayed her head little bit before she said something.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head 'bout a thing, miss. I've got it under control."
With that, Applejack headbutted the griffon onto the ground. Applejack anticipated another griffon to come to her aid, so she quickly got to the floor, spinning herself with her fore legs, and bucked that griffon in the chest, knocking her out of the window.
Applejack dive-rolled towards a crossbow and grabbed it. Before her was a griffon with a crossbow of her own, running at Applejack, poised to shoot. Applejack shot the crossbow at a bolt on one of the overhead storage cabinets. All of it's contents fell onto the griffon.
Applejack dropped the weapon and turned around to see the last three griffons standing. She jumped at them, scaring them off. All the other griffons followed.
Proud of herself, Applejack gave a curtsy to the crowd of cheering ponies on the train. Applejack favored the praise, but she hadn't forgotten what she was meant to do. The conductor of the train, who was tied up, bounced over to Applejack. She looked at him and took the tape off of his mouth.
"How can I repay you, Miss?" He asked.
"I need to get to Baltimare, If you'd be so kind."
Applejack untied the conductor and he yelled, "Next stop, Baltimare!"
"Drats." A pony dressed in winter clothing grumbled. She looked like she was heading elsewhere.
____________________________________________________________________________________
The train had arrived at Baltimare and Applejack waved back at the train before it departed. She turned around and produced the note from her pocket.
"I'll find her here." Applejack sighed, searching the train station. Her eye caught a tail wandering into a gift shop. Instinctively, she followed it.
"Hey!" Applejack yelled at the small figure before her.
"You bring the supplies?" The figure asked.
"Of course I did."
Applejack walked up to the figure and kissed it on the forehead.
"I'm sorry, Applebloom." Applejack said.
"Me too."
Applejack hugged Applebloom tight, looking at the list of supplies she needed to bring.
- An apology.
- A hug from my big sister
- A kiss on the fore head.
"I'm sorry I ran off like that." Apple Bloom squealed.
"It's alright. I mighta done the same."
"What's in your bag, Applejack?"
Applejack looked at her bag, then back at Apple Bloom.
"C'mere an' I'll show ya." Applejack requested.
Applejack had taken Applebloom to a meadow outside of town and opened her bag. From it, she pulled out a blue piece of paper.
"Is that..."
"It's a blue print. You can build this wherever you feel." Applejack said, smiling.
Applebloom looked at the blue print in awe, then she shoved it in her sister's bag.
"I'll build it," she started. "After I fix that squeaky ol' barn."
