The Long Winter

by Sonicsuns

Rating: teen
Tags: Troubleshoes, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Death, Romance, Drama
Length: 2117

Years later, Applejack's grief still lingers.

Years later, Applejack's grief still lingers.

Written for MasterThief for the Quills and Sofas Secret Santa Story Exchange 2024.

Published 2024-12-31 20:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-12-31 20:50:00 UTC

Chapter 4

Three years later...

He was right, of course. They both were. Dad and Troubleshoes. They were right all along.

Rarity couldn't seem to decide whether to fuss or cry, but she seemed able enough to do both at once. She kept looking at the dress from all angles, making sure it was perfect.

"Darling, I...I can't believe how radiant you look. I'm so happy for you."

I smiled. "Thanks, Rarity. Though we should probably head on out there if we don't want to miss the ceremony."

"Miss it?! Well, darling, of course not! How could we possibly-"

I chuckled and opened the door. The summer sun shone down from above. Every leaf seemed to sing.

I walked the whole way from the homestead to the grove. A few leaves and a bit of dirt got onto the dress that way, but that (as I'd told Rarity three times) was the point. My parents had loved this land before me, and the land had its own blessings to give. It was only right to give it a chance.

Soon enough I arrived at a very special place. Rows of chairs had been set up on either side of an aisle. It seemed like the whole town was there. My friends, my family...

..and my soon-to-be husband.

I walked down the aisle, gazing at the pear tree entwined with an apple tree. Mom and Dad had overcome so much to find happiness. At long last, I'd decided to follow in their footsteps.

I arrived at the front and turned to face Troubleshoes. He had changed so much since I'd first met him. The sadness was gone. And because of him, I'd changed too.

He leaned in and whispered "Meeting you was the luckiest day of my life. I love you, Applejack."

"I love you, too."

There are some things we just can't change.

No matter how dark the winter, someday, somehow...life finds a way.

Chapter 1

There are some things we just can’t change.

Every farmer worth her salt knows that the seasons come on their own time. Oh sure, we have a few ways of helping them along. We run the leaves down in the fall, and we wrap up winter when it’s time for spring. But the truth is, winter was wrapping itself up long before anypony set hoof in Equestria. There’s a kind of magic in the land, far deeper than any of the spells they teach the unicorns. It’s something that only earth ponies know, farmers in particular.

I first felt it when I was a filly. I'd wake up before dawn and just listen for awhile, like a seed waiting to sprout. Soon enough Mom or Dad would knock at my bedroom door, and I'd be up doing chores with my brother. I remember the scent of the fields back then, the feel of the dirt under my hooves. I remember looking out at the farm with my eyes wide as the sun came up, realizing just how magical it all was, and how every part of it fit together. Everything just...made sense to me.

In the spring it felt like trees were fixin’ to dance. It may not look like much if you’re a city pony, but in the eyes of a farmer, watching them buds every passing day, every blossom is its own little firework. In the summer the land feels strong, like it’s beaming with pride, the crops all showing off how much they’ve grown already. In the fall the trees start getting tired, but it’s a good kind of tired, the kind you get from a year of hard work. I learned to make my rounds through every orchard then, showing ‘em all how grateful I was. Don’t worry, I say to them, your work’s done. You can take it easy now. Applejack’s here. In the winter, the trees sleep. My daddy chuckled once when he heard somepony mention “the dead of winter.” Nothing’s dead in winter, he told him; it’s just asleep! Wait till spring and it’ll be right as rain again.

I remember looking up at him as he said that. He looked down at me and smiled. And right then, I honestly believed that nothing would ever really change. There was so much I didn't understand.

Seasons come and go. But when ponies leave, they leave forever.

Chapter 2

There was a time when I couldn't visit them.

I couldn't explain it. Every so often Granny Smith and Big Mac would take a walk to the grave together. Granny would always invite me, but I always had an excuse. Sometimes I said that I wanted to keep an eye on Apple Bloom, even though she had a sitter already. Other times there were seeds to plant or trees to harvest, or chicken feed to buy or a screw loose on the barn door. Granny would always say "Oh, that's right. Well, you go ahead and get that done. You're a hard worker, Applejack."

Then she'd pause for a moment, like she wanted to say "Your ma and pa would be proud of you." But she didn't say that, because I didn't want to hear it. I never liked it when ponies talked about them like they weren't around anymore. I guess I had some foal's idea that it was all a mistake.

They'd been on a trip when it happened, aiming to visit a county fair about a hundred miles away. Then came the landslide and...well...can you blame me, for thinking they might still be alive? I knew it wasn't true of course, but...it was so easy to imagine that it was all a mistake, they'd gotten lost maybe, maybe they weren't there in that canyon, maybe it was somepony else, and maybe one of these days they'd walk right back onto the farm, wondering what all the fuss was about.

It was years before I visited them properly.

At first I could hardly tell you why I wrote to him. Somehow it just felt right. His name was Troubleshoes, and I'd met him at the Appleloosa rodeo. Once we'd sorted out all the misunderstandings (turns out he didn't fillynap my sister and her friends) and he'd had a chance to tell his story, well, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I'd said my goodbyes and taken the fillies back to Ponyville with me, but a week later I was still thinking about him, wondering why I was thinking about him. Finally I sent him a letter, thanking him again for how he'd helped my sister and inviting him up to Ponyville if he ever got the chance. I told myself I was just being polite.

Two weeks later Apple Bloom walked into the kitchen with a letter. "Big sis, this one's for you! It's from Troubleshoes."

"It's what?"

I nearly knocked the table over when I jumped up to snatch the letter from her. I tore it open and read it as quick as I could. My heart was pounding for some reason. "He says he'd...like to visit." I mumbled.

"All right! He can tell everypony in class how the Crusaders helped him with his cutie mark!"

I waved her off without even glancing at her. "That's fine, sugar cube. That's fine..."

When he finally arrived he was as gracious as any guest could be. We put him up in the spare bedroom, and I decided to give him a tour of the farm, just him and me.

It ended up being a very long tour.

He kept asking about everything we did here, and I kept giving him more than what he'd asked for. All the different kinds of apple trees, the different kinds of soil, the timber wolves, the zap apples, cider-making, fruit bats, family reunions...why we must've walked the length of the orchard a dozen times and more. And at some point I started asking him more about himself, about how he'd spent so many years with "bad luck" and a bad reputation to boot, until it all turned around one day.

"I wish I could have that."

I stopped. The words had tumbled out of my mouth before I could even think.

He noticed me staring. "Miss Applejack? Something on your mind?"

The wind gently blew my mane off to one side. I raised a hoof to steady my dad's hat upon my head. I took a breath.

"I don't mean to pry, Troubleshoes, but...are you doing alright now? What I mean is, you were so sad for so long, and I was just wondering..."

He nodded. "I was a sad, sad stallion for a long time. But I'm grateful to your family. I think I'm finding my way now. Learning to be a rodeo clown, making folks laugh, not being so hard on myself. Yes ma'am, I do think I'm changing for the better."

"Did you ever...did you think that maybe it would never happen? That there were some things you just couldn't change?"

He gave a wry smile. "I thought I'd been cursed to be unlucky all my life. But I was wrong."

I looked into the distance. "I'm sure you'll make a name for yourself in the rodeos. But I wouldn't mind...that is to say...do you suppose you'll visit us again?"

"Miss Applejack, there's nothing I'd like better."

His words stayed with me for a long time.

Chapter 3

We kept exchanging letters after that. And a few months later I had a great excuse to invite him back: He had to see Apple Bloom's new cutie mark.

And I did want him to see it, honest! I was so proud of her when she got it. I even said "Oh, sugarcube, if Mom and Dad were here, they'd be so proud of ya."

It had been a good twelve hours before I'd realized what I'd said. Not just what I'd said, but how I'd said it. It had felt so natural in the moment. And it was, of course, I mean...well, naturally when a filly gets her cutie mark, her parents are proud! So of course I would say that! But even so, the way I'd said it...

I was glad when Troubleshoes arrived. He spent the afternoon fussing over Apple Bloom and her friends, sometimes doing tricks or sharing silly stories from the rodeo circuit. He really was changing. I'd never seen him smile so much, so often.

The next day, we took another walk together.

I had something on my mind. It seemed a little crazy, to be honest. I hadn't really known him all that long, and he was a guest of ours and I didn't want to impose on him of course...but as the day wore by and we kept walking, my wanderings drew us closer and closer to a certain place.

He looked over at the hill, which was covered with grass and buttercups. "Miss Applejack? Was there something you were hoping to show me?"

I sighed. "I suppose there is."

We climbed the hill, and I found myself thinking of all the times I hadn't come. All the times Granny or Big Mac or even Apple Bloom had climbed this little hill without me. I'd only come a few times by myself, and I'd never stayed for long. Troubleshoes walked beside me with gentle strength, until finally we reached the tombstone.

Bright Mac and Buttercup - Together Forever

A tear came to my eye. I couldn't find the words. "Well, " I said, "here we are."

Slowly, gently, he placed a foreleg around my shoulders.

"I'm sure this grief has been weighing on your heart for a long time, Miss Applejack."

I nodded, and my tears started to fall. "I try to stay strong. I try to be so strong. I don't want to worry nopony. But it goes on and on, you know? Day after day they're still gone, they're not coming back, and it's like...it's like a winter without a spring."

He pulled me closer. I cried against his chest.

"If there's one thing I know," he said, "it's that life ain't as predictable as the seasons. It's full of accidents and happenstance, meetings and partings. Sometimes there's a sort of winter that goes on for years. Sometimes ponies freeze."

He shifted slightly, and I looked up at him while he gazed down at me. "But if there's anything I can do to help you find your spring, Applejack, please let me know. It hurts my heart to think of you suffering all alone."

I sniffled. "Can you hold me a little longer?"

"Till the snow melts and trees blossom."