Mother Knows Best

You were nearing the end of your little journey now.

After this last stop, you’d be back on your way to the first place you’d wanted to visit all along. Funny how that works. Initially, you’d felt so invigorated by Windy and Bo, you were already on the train to Canterlot by the time you remembered you were going to visit your own mother. You laugh at the thought, but the noise dies quickly on the wind, finding it to be ill-fitting for your locale.

But…

You give another look about.

A long way from the Rock Farm now, and actually, on Applejack’s property. Right on its border. You didn’t… you didn’t rightly know where Applejack’s parents were buried. The idea of finding out, let alone showing up there, seemed ghoulish enough itself. What you did know though– was the existence of this tree.

Applejack had shown it to you and the rest of the girls some time back, after a night of drinking had overstayed its welcome, yet nopony wanted it to end. You and the others didn’t talk much during that time; had just hung back by the edge of the clearing and let Applejack get out of earshot while she did what she needed to for a little while. That night, despite AJ’s mumbling and your own inebriation, you’d heard the names of what must’ve been her parents.

You didn’t think you’d need to say anything here.

A great physical concoction stands tall before you: Two fruit trees spiraling about one another in a mutual embrace the likes of which you’d never seen in nature otherwise. Their trunks are sturdy, and their many branches abound with life even still. You take a few more tentative steps into the clearing with the two trees that had become one, even as your mind begins to tell you again that this was a silly, disrespectful idea.

That is to say, you didn’t have much of an idea coming here at all.

Perhaps doing so takes away from your entire premise as a whole, as though this was simply just the next box to check off your list, rather than a legitimate attempt to gain insight.

... Well, you’d feel even sillier if you took this detour only to turn back the moment you arrived.

So you approach the tree, up to it’s thick conjoined trunks, and lay yourself back against it. You’d been on the move for nearly three days now, wrestling with your mind all the while too. For a pony so “driven,” as Cloudy and Cadence had pointed out, you sure kept your reservations at the forefront of your mind. You still weren’t sure if you believed them anyhow– what with being some crazy pony showing up at their doors, more often than not already on the verge of tears…Seems about right that most ponies would just say whatever it is she probably most wants to hear to diffuse the tension, or maybe just make her go away.

’You’re strong. There’s something more to you. Just try a new approach, show him the real you.’

Sweet nothings.

You look up to the sky, the many leaves above shielding your eyes from the bright sun that’d be beating down on you otherwise as a breeze begins to rustle through your mane.

Though, that’s you doing it again, isn’t it?

Pushing away the words of ponies who love you.

It’s easier to just shrug off their advice as simple lip service when you don’t want to put in any effort to apply them. Any more effort than you’ve already applied, at least. You’ve applied yourself so much already; even if a lot of that ended up only building your own walls of self-doubt up stronger.

Rest from these woes has only two paths from this point:

Either you get what you wanted all along–

Or you give up on Anon.

...

Just as your eyes begin to flutter shut, lounging on your back against the Applepear tree, a familiar voice wrenches you from rest.

”... Now who in tarnation could–”

You keep your eyes closed, but you know sleep isn’t coming now. The Fluttershy of a few days ago would stand and grant Granny Smith with the proper politeness an elder, especially one of her wisdom, deserves. You weren’t feeling like that Fluttershy at the moment.

Her rickety hooves eventually make their way over to where you lounged. ”Ehh… Fluttershy? Yous takin’ a snooze? Figured yall pegasi preferred to go a’nappin in the clouds and such.”

Thankfully, she seems moreso confused than anything else. The last thing you wanted right now was to stumble through an awkward apology for falling asleep on what might be considered to the Apples as hallowed ground. Your eyes bloom open and come face to face with the Apple family matriarch looming overhead, scratching her mane at the sight below.

“Good, um, morning Granny Smith.”

”Euhh… it’s two past noon, youngin’.”

... You’re not helping your case here any.

“S-sorry. I’ve just gotten back from Southern Equestria. It was a long trip and, well, I had a lot on my mind.”

Granny’s voice gives off an illusion of a mare slowed by time, but that certainly wasn’t the case for her at all. Time had granted her wisdom and that alone, and it read as such on her face as she quickly caught on to how you’d been feeling. Gingerly, she takes the spot next to you, looking out at the thin stretch of land that once separated the Apple family property from the Pears, flanked on both sides by strong orchards. ”Southern Equestria’s a mighty long ways of travelin’ all on yer own. Unlikely ov’ya too. Now what’s gone and given you tha wanderin’ bug?”

You’ve heard this rare measured tone from Granny only a few times; probably something most often reserved for private moments with her family. Blessed are you to be its focus now.

“It’s about a colt.”

No sense really in beating around the bush anymore.

”Aaah. Still kickin’ for that Anonemoose fella.”

She knew, but it’s nice of her to act surprised. The whole town had long since known you’d never given up.

”Still don’t rightly see how that equates to ya’s rollin out to the frontier lands. Mind givin’ this ol’timer the story?”

The leaves gently sway overhead, providing much shade from the afternoon sun.

“Oh… There really isn’t much to it, ma’am. I was just… acting silly.”

Granny smacks her lips, unconvinced. ”Hm. Colts can certainly have that effect on a filly. Know the feelin’ well meself.” You feel Granny shift at your side, pressing herself into what must be a more comfortable position as she readies herself for a story. ”Ah’d been younger than you, by a fair bit I believe, but bit by tha lovebug just as hard. Worse yet, the farm wasn’t about ta wait on me to court that fine hunk o’ stallion either, just how ah’m sure yer animals don’t rightly understand yer woes either.”

You giggle, hiding your face in your hooves at Granny’s reminiscing. “They actually can be a lot more supportive than you’d think, but I certainly understand where you’re coming from. Admittedly, their advice is always quite, um, biased?”

Granny hoots, looking down at you. ”Oho, Ah bet! Theys got tha right ideas though! Dang colts can’t see what’s right in front ‘ovem. A bunny on tha other hoof will just hop on his lover’s back an’ cut to tha gist!”

The shared laughter fades, your hooves slowly drag down your face before flopping at your sides.

“Never worked when I did it, no.”

”No no, never does. But that’s mah point: You can’t be waitin’ on no farm to up an give yuh the time, and you can’t expect no critters to go understandin’ the intricacies of pony courtship. Us big critters like to complicate things a’plenty.”

“So what’d you do?”

”Fought em’. Thought I could be stronger than mah feelins’, stronger than mah urges.”

Granny looks away, her aged eyes scanning the pillars of treetrunks dotting the range. ”Thought Ah couldn’t lose if Ah stopped playin’ that courtship game. Tried convincin’ mahself it was only a crush, and that Ah’d been gettin’ lazy with mah chores to where my mind started wanderin’ off about silly things. Truth is, wantin’ love ain't no silly thing, and choosin’ to not play is nothin’ more than given’ away valuable time.”

A breeze picks up, sending a few scant leaves flittering away from each of the great many trees surrounding the two of you.

”Valuable time to still have a chance?”

”Valuable time fer everything, Fluttershy. Ya can say you ain’t playin’ no more, but that doesn’t mean the game stops. You just ain’t gettin’ closer to winnin’, while everypony else is. When yer feelins’ get the better of ya, and believe me, your stubbornness ain’t ever gonna outlast yer feelins’, you gotta work that much harder now to catch up.”

She casts her sight back down at you, her eyelids heavy.

You’ve never seen Granny Smith so concerned– heard such a shake in her voice. ”And then, what of all that time? Time that could’a put you so much closer to winnin’ his heart. Time that could’a been spent sittin’ by his side, talkin’ and sharin’ kisses. Time spent on silly, stubborn sufferin’...”

A hoof finds it’s way to your mane and gently caresses. Granny must’ve noticed her words were sending you into a reflective spiral. She reigns back her own emotions, measuring her tone once more. ”Sometimes, we foolish ponies need that sorta thing. It’s the stars above guidin’ us into our proper penance for actin’ the way we do. What’s important, and, what it is them stars are tryin’ to teach– is that we ain’t ready yet. There’s lessons in those miserable times, and you’ll accept ‘em when yer ready to. Then you can get back into chasin’ hearts.”

“So… I should take a break away from Anon?”

Knowingly, Granny shakes her head. ”Filly, how long have ya been travelin’ across Equestria?”

“Um, a little over two days now.”

”And why’d you go an’ do all that?”

“... T-to try to win Anon’s heart?”

”So why in Celestia’s name would ya go an’ do all that just to stop goin’ after Anon?”

”When Ah was in yer spot, I closed myself up. Ah said ‘nope, not doin’ this no more’ and tried goin’ back to how things were before Ah’d fallen in love. You on the other hoof went visitin’ distant kinfolks fer advice. An, from how you was lookin’ when I stumbled onto ya, it ain’t been too fun trottin’ down memory lane, huh.”

You shake your head, feeling more than a bit embarrassed now.

”Well then, Ah reckon you’re about done with your sorrows. Yer lucky, two days ain’t no time at all. Some folks ain’t so proper-witted.”

”Tell me, who’s left on your adventure, hm? Or did ya save the best fer last, visitin’ me and these two lovebugs?”

Granny knocks a hoof against the sturdy applepear tree, winking at you.

“... My own mother and father, to tell you the truth.”

The smile damn near flees Granny’s face as her bawking turns to chiding. ”Yo– filly! You dun git yer beehind off mah property and go see yer momma pronto! She shoulda been yer first stop!”

A cold spike shoots through you, and in moments you’re scrambling into the sky. You thought Granny was actually mad– up until you heard her screaming out from below you. ”And don’t you be comin’ back this way until Anoonemoose gets you a ring, missy!”

Breathing a sigh of relief, you turn in the sky, giving the Applefamily matriarch a salute.

“Y-yes ma’am!”

With that, you’re off toward Cloudsdale once more.