My BDF: Best Dog Friend
A little orange filly with blonde pigtails jumped happily next to her mother and father, who were talking to the clerk. This filly was no older than 7. The name of this filly was Applejack. She was awaiting for her very special birthday present. "Momma!" Applejack tugged on her mother’s mane. “When do ah'get to shee her??" "In just a minute," her mother responded.
After what seemed like forever to Applejack, the clerk said "Would you like to see her??" The excited filly look up to her mother to await her approval. Her mother nodded yes, and Applejack went in another room to see her new friend.
That’s when she saw her. A bright playful puppy. The fur of the puppy was brown the white splotches. The puppy excitedly ran up to Applejack and jumped up on her, causing Applejack to fall to the floor. She giggled as the puppy licked her happily. "Ah love her!" Applejack exclaimed, "love, love, love her!" She snuggled up against the puppy's warm fur. "What are ya' going to name her?" Her father asked. In the background a song from her favorite singer played. She knew what she was going to name her puppy, her favorite singer.
“Winona. That’s what ah'll name her"
Many years later...
"Girls! Get back here and pick up your make-over mess!"
Applejack's triplets walked back up to their room in shame. "Ya'll know the rules around here. You are not to go outside and play until your other messes are cleaned up." Applejack said sternly. "Yes, Momma" The girls responded in shame. Applejack watched as each girl picked up the mess with their own ways. Jazzy picked up things with her magic, Suzie picked things up and flew to the top shelves, and Bucky picked up the things the old fashioned way. Her three daughters were special, not only that they were triplets, but they are all different. Jazzy was a unicorn, Suzie was a Pegasus, and Bucky was an earth pony. Just like her mother and her father. It all seemed too weird when they were first born. But, Applejack and her husband Caramel were earth ponies. Applejack remembered that they argued about it, Caramel assumed that she was cheating on
him. She assumed that Caramel was cheating on her. The bickered like an old married couple. Soon they got tired of it and concluded that it was just one of those silly genetic things.
Her memories were interrupted by her daughter tugging on her and asking "can we go outside now?" She took a look at the room.
Spotless. The mare sighed heavily, "Alright." The girls squealed happily and ran out the door of their bedroom and ran down the stairs. "Don't get yourselves in any trouble, ah' don't want Twilight or Rainbow Dash at mah' door with you guys." She called down the stairs. "We won't" the girls called out in unison and left.
Applejack smiled and walked down the stairs and was greeted by Winona, her lifetime friend. She was a little old, but at least she was alive. Lately, Winona hasn't been like herself. She would walk very slowly and hardly eat. Winona couldn't even go upstairs to snuggle up with the girls anymore. She only went outside to go to the bathroom.
But she, Caramel, or one of the girls had to help her out there. "Hi girl" Applejack said smoothly. She stroked Winona's fur. That’s when she heard the door slam shut.
"Anyone home?" somepony asked. She knew it was her husband Caramel. She went to greet him. "Hi honey" Caramel said and planted a kiss on his wife’s lips. "Where are the girls?" "Out playing" She replied. " Ah've seem to notice that Winona hasn't been herself lately, Do you think we should take her to the vet?" Caramel went to over to the old dog that was lying by the stairs. He started to pet her. "I think you should go to Big Mac and Applebloom." he said, "Winona's their pet too." He was right. She was her sibling's pet as
much as she was Applejack's.
She headed towards Sweet Apple Acres, her old home. She now owns a home of her own with Caramel. But she still works there with Big Mac and Applebloom, who is old enough to work now. "Big Mac has to be working yet" She thought. Today was her day off. She noticed Applebloom bring a basket full of apples in the barn. She ran towards her
"Applebloom!" She said "Where’s ah' brother?" "He went home" Applebloom replied " He got off work early" "Dammit" Applejack cursed under her breath. She ran towards Big Macintosh’s house
Once she got to his house she knocked on the door, she awaited for an answer. She didn't get one until Cheerilee answered the door. "Brother....where...is.....he?" Applejack said through her panting from running from Sweet Apple Acres to her brother’s house. Cheerilee walked back inside like she knew what Applejack had just said, even though she was hardly heard through her panting. Big Mac appeared in the doorway. "What’s the matter?" He asked, quite worried by the look on his sisters face. "Winona might be sick, should we take her to the vet???" Applejack said. Her brother didn't take his eyes off of her, after awhile Applejack was getting uncomfortable. She was about to tell him to say something, but the look on his face stopped her. It was worried, maybe even sad. She doesn’t see her brother sad much.
But when he was sad, she was sad. He finally said "Go get Winona."
Applejack and Big Mac sat in the waiting room of the veterinarian clinic. They waited for the news on Winona. "You don't have to wait with me" Applejack said, even though how badly she wanted her brother to be there. She just felt bad that he had to cancel his plans. "No." Big Mac said sternly. "Ah' ain't leavin'." "But, you had to cancel your date" Applejack exclaimed. "Trust me, girls don't like when their dates are canceled." Applejack knew from past experience. "She understood." Big Mac said flatly. "Applejack" Applebloom tugged on her. Applejack turned around to see
Applebloom golden eyes looking up at her. She looked as if she were to burst into tears, her eyes filled with sadness. "What’s going to happen to Winona?" That question hit Applejack hard. Another feeling came up to mix up with the sadness and worry. That feeling was fear. "I don't know" Applejack croaked out. Nobody said a thing after that. After awhile, a veterinarian walked in.Applebloom ran up to her. "What’s wrong with her??" she asked.
"Well...We don't know yet, we're going to keep overnight. You all go home now."
When Applejack got home she was greeted by a mound-full of questions asked by her daughters. All about Winona. Applejack gave Caramel a distressed look, she didn't feel like talking about this right now. "Com'on girls, time to eat dinner" he said pushing the girls towards the dinner table. Applejack wasn't in the mood for eating. She went straight for her bedroom and lied down on the bed. She pulled one of the pillows close to her chest and buried her face into it. It was the pillow Caramel used, she could tell because of the way it smelled like molasses cookies. The ones that Applejack herself would make. Applejack fought the urge to cry. She didn't want Winona to die, she was her very first, and very best friend. It hurt too much to think about that stuff, so she pushed the thoughts away from her mind. She just sat there, breathing into the pillow. She could hear her family's conversation they were having at the dinner table.
"What’s wrong with mamma?"
"Yeah, why isn't she eating with us?"
"Can we go get her?"
"No, let her be."
Applejack listened to Jazzy's adventure to the Everfree forest with Twilight's son Jinx, Bucky’s story about Pinkie's daughter Eris talking behind Posey's back, and Suzie's story about almost falling out of a tree and breaking a leg. Applejack listened to each story as dinner concluded to an end. She listened as the dishes were clanking in the sink and the girls went up the stairs to play in their room. The door creaked open and a small slit
of light flooded into the room. Then somepony laid next to her. "Applejack?" a voice whispered into her ear. That voice belonged to Caramel.
"Yeah"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah"
"Is Winona okay?"
"They ain't sure yet, we have to come back tomorrow"
Caramel hugged his wife; he hated to see her so upset. She rested her head on him and they listened to each other breath.
Applejack was tired; she just wanted to end the day. Soon in the comfort of her lover's hooves, she fell asleep.
The apple siblings sat in the veterinarian clinic to hear the news on Winona's health. A vet walked in. "Are you the apple siblings?" she asked. "Yes, we ah'" Big Mac answered. "It seems that your dog has cancer" The vet began. "We'll have to put her down"
This news alarmed Applejack. "Put her down?! Ah' ain't letting you put her down!” Applejack said angrily. "Now sis," Applebloom started but an angry Applejack cut her off. "No! Were taking Winona home!" "Applejack" her brother said sternly "This is best for Winona" Applejack shoved Big Mac out of the way grabbed Winona, slung her across her back and ran out of the clinic. She ran towards home, leaving everyone at
the clinic behind. Tears stared to spill from her eyes. She slammed into a few trees and almost got lost because she was crying so hard. When she got home, she went into her room and locked the door. She laid Winona on the bed and she fell to the floor and cried out the tears she had left. When she ran out of tears, she sat on the floor and just sobbed. Once she calmed down, everyone came knocking on her door. She heard the calls of her name from her brother, sister, and husband. "Go away!" She cried. But somepony had figured how to unlock the lock. As the door swung open, Applejack ran over to Winona to protect her. She saw the angry faces of her brother, sister, and husband and the worried faces of her daughters trying to find out what’s happening. Big Macintosh walked into
the room, his face glued to angry. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" his lecture went on," Acting like a seven year old, not getting what she wants." Applejack now felt stupid for what she just did, but she wasn't going to let them take Winona away. "We know you’re sad and you don't want Winona to leave, but its best for her" Applebloom reassured, not trying to make Applejack angry, but it did. "Ah' don't care if it’s the best for her or not!" She screamed "Just leave us alone!" The two siblings looked at each other and huddled whispering about something as Applejack recollected herself. They turned back to Applejack.
"Applejack, we’ve decided to let Winona to stay."
"Really?"
"But ONLY for the weekend."
"The weekend? But-"
"Don't fight with me!"
"Fine."
"See you monday morning."
Monday came waay to fast. The weekend was spent playing with Winona although there wasn't much she could do. It was time to take Winona to the vet. Applebloom knocked on the door and Bucky answered. "Hi, Is Applejack home?" Applebloom asked.
"Sure Aunt Applebloom, you can come in. I think she's in her room sleeping yet."
Applebloom went up to the door and slightly knocked. "Applejack" she whispered. No answer. She knocked again saying her name in a louder voice. Still no answer.
She knocked a few other times but there was no luck. "I’m commin' in" she said and opened the door. Applejack wasn't there, neither was Winona. Applejack and Winona
were missing. Applebloom's heart jumped into her throat. "What if they are hurt??" she thought "Its pretty cloudy today, what if it rains??" She had to find Caramel.
Caramel was doing his duty planting the apple seeds when Applebloom who was running at full speed, came to a halting stop next to him. She was panting fiercely. Once she regained her breath she told Caramel the news.
"Applejack and Winona are missin'."
"What?"
"I said Applejack and Wi-"
"I know what you said, but, how? she was in bed when I left. Said something about not feelin' good.”
"Maybe my brother knows."
"I reckon you might be right."
They went to Big Macintosh and told him the horrible news. He wasn't happy.
"Dammit Applejack. I bet this is about that damn dog."
"We've got to find her."
"Maybe she's at the vet?"
'We'll look there first."
Applejack leaned against a tree; she was deep into the Everfree forest. She had taken Winona and ran; she still didn't want them to take Winona. The weekend was not enough. Winona was always there for her. She was always there when she had a hard day of work, or when her friends got into fights. Winona's cute smile always cheered Applejack up. When she ran away from home to Manehattan. When she came home Winona was super happy to see her. When Applejack was upset, or when she got into fights with her
family, and didn't want to see their faces. She'd take Winona to play fetch in the fields. Or they'd sit there and watch they sun set. Sometimes, when her and Caramel would get into fights about money or whatever, Winona would sit on the porch, all ready for her. When her parents died, she cried into Winona's fur for hours on end. She was the best pet ever, and still is. Winona knew when she was sad. She could tell feelings. She was the most important thing to her in the world. Now, they have to kill her, Winona won't be able to cheer up Applejack when she was sad. Will they shoot her like old yeller? Or will they stab her?? Either way, they were still going to kill her. Applejack felt hopeless; there wasn't anything she could do to stop them. They were going to take away her best friend. Rain fell from the sky, pelting the mare and her dog. She pulled her dog under a tree and laid next to the dog.
"I won't let them kill ya, I bet you don't wanna die right?"
Applejack looked into Winona's tired, sick eyes. She really did look sick and old. "Is putting her down really the best thing for her??" Applejack thought. But she pushed
that thought away. She stroked Winona as she stared straight ahead, trying to find out what to do next.
'Its starting to rain!" Applebloom cried. "Were going to find her even if it kills us." Big Mac said angrily. They had looked everywhere for Applejack. Sugarcube Corner, the fields, every one of her friends houses, she wasn't at any of those places. "Maybe we should ask somepony if they have seen her" Caramel suggested. The spotted a familiar stallion and mare. Derpy and Doctor Whooves. "Hey Derpy and Doctor" Caramel said as friendly as he could. "Hi!" Depry said, being her bubbly self.
"I don't reckon you've seen Applejack anywhere have you?" he asked.
"Oh yeah, we've seen her" Derpy said. "Where??" Caramel said excitedly. "Well...um....uh..." Derpy said, her face filled with confusion. "She ran towards the Everfree Forest" Doctor finished.
"The Everfree Forest??"
"That place is dangerous!"
"Applejack could be hurt!"
"Let’s get going before Applejack dose get hurt."
Applejack was patrolling the tree that Winona was under so she wouldn't get hurt by an creature that might be in this forest. Even though she was drenched, she didn't want anything to happen to Winona. She heard voices. She gulped hard and stood closer to the tree. "Ah' ain't afraid of any voices. They might not even be real" She said aloud. Although, she knew deep down she was afraid. They voices grew louder, but Applejack still stood tall. "Ah' might as well look tough" she thought. As they voices got louder, she could make out what they were saying. The voices were calling out her name. The voices sounded all too familiar. Then, like a pie in the face, it hit her. She knew who those voices belonged to. Applebloom, Big Mac, and Caramel. Before she could make an escape the came crashing through, wet, muddy, and angry. "Don't try to run" Big Mac growled. She had never seen her brother this angry. "You better get your flank back home, and were taking Winona ourselves" "No!" Applejack said angrily.
"Applejack, you are soo stubborn!" Caramel sputtered. "You are soo wrapped up in your stubbornness, you don't know that this is actually hurting Winona. All this time, you've been worrying about your problems. It hurts more than you. When you're done with acting like a baby, come find us. Were done." They all turned around and walked away. Applejack sat there, her mouth wide open. She couldn't believe what Caramel had said to her. She let the things sink in to her head.
Applejack stared down at her hooves as she tried to get everything straight. Maybe it was hurting Winona. Maybe she was acting like a baby. She turned to look at Winona. Winona look up back at her. She did look sick and hurt.
They were right. This was better for her.
"Com'on Winona, its time to go"
The three ponies were trudging through the Everfree forest, trying to get out and go home when Applejack and running through the bushes. "Guys, I’m sorry! Ah' guess I was so selfish ah' didn't realize that it was hurting Winona.
We can take her to the vet now. Can yall' forgive me?" They all gave out a small smile. "Sure we can sis." Applebloom said happily; glad to have her sister normal again. "What do you says guys?" Applejack turned to Caramel and Big Macintosh and gave them the best "Im Sawwry" face she could manage. They look at each other and laughed. "Of course" Caramel said. Relief flooded Applejack's body. They started to walk again, finding the exit of the forest.
"Would you like to say goodbyes before I start?" the vet asked. They all looked at Applejack. "Do you want to say good-bye one more time Applejack?" Applebloom asked. Everyone else had said good-bye earlier. Applejack nodded.
Everyone left the room, leaving Applejack and Winona alone. Applejack stroked Winona's head. " Im so sorry, what ah' put you through all this. I hope you can forgive me" It was silent for a minute, Applejack continued.” Remember when you chewed up my doll when I was 7?" Applejack asked. She let out a giggle. "Or remember when I first bought our house and you chewed on the shower curtain? Or when you chewed on the girl's crib?" Applejack laughed harder, as tears spilled down her cheeks. She hugged Winona hard. Winona licked her tears. Applejack looked down at Winona, who looked right back at her, her dark eyes telling her that she'd miss Applejack. Those made her cry even more.
"Say hi to mom, dad, and Granny Smith okay? Tell them that im okay. Since you get to see them." Applejack hated good-bye. This wasn't the first death she encountered, but she hopes this will be the last for a loong time. "You've had a great time here, playing with all of us, being fed well. I wish I had your life." Applejack let out a small laugh again, she couldn't help it. "I love you Winona, I’m gonna miss you, I'm not gonna replace you either."
She snuggled into her fur and whispered "Don't forget me okay?" She left the room and Caramel held her in his hooves as she cried. Her siblings had tears running down their cheeks as the stroked Applejack's muddy and wet hair.
The vet walked into the room. Everyone turned to her, tears running down their cheeks. "I’m sorry." She whispered.
A few months later.......
Applejack had just finished her work; it had been a tough day. Stressed and tired, Applejack went to the wheat fields. She sat down in the wheat and watched Celestia’s beautiful sun. It made her think of Winona. Applejack couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't help but to remember the good times. It wasn't worth to cry. It felt better to laugh than cry. She could hear Winona's bark and Applejack’s laugh. Applejack never forgot Winona. She still thought about her everyday. Winona was special. She was the best dog she could ever have.
There were so many memories with her. Applejack sat there and remembered everything her and Winona did together. Her best dog friend, infinity plus one. It started to get dark. Applejack got up and whispered to the Luna's gleaming stars.
"Best dog friend, infinity plus one."
“A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not." -John Grogan
