Goodbye

Free write:

The different shades of gray clouded my vision like normal, before slowly draining themselves, revealing color. I looked around before trotting forwards, my hoof steps silent but screaming with a deadly silent echo. I saw a pony I used to know.

"Of course darling," Rarity spoke to her client, walking to her boutique. "Right away! So, you wanted the stunning sapphire dress with the ame

thyst embedded jewels, right?" The client nodded and trotted inside. I turned my head,

The Library was on the other side of Ponyville, but not Sugarcube Corner. I trotted for it, walking through the door.

"Pinkie," Mrs. Cake spoke softly to the pink mare who bounced over to her with glee. "Take these cupcakes to Apple Acres for me, will you?" Pinkie Pie stopped in her tracks, her face draining its color with ease. Mr.Cake stepped forward and nudged the confused Mrs. with barely a thought.

"I got it." He whispered, making a weak attempt at a reassuring smile. I looked from the couple to the silently brooding pink mare in front of me. She hadn't forgotten me after all. I trotted out of there and followed Mr.Cake to Apple Acres.

Home.

He smiled and greeted Big Mac, dropping off the sweets. Big Mac nodded,

"Eeyup."

I didn't understand, and my muscles were screaming at me to run, and I did. All the way to the Library, where I found Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle talking softly, Spike snoozing on a pile of books.

Twilight was talking about the newest Daring Do book, and Rainbow Dash was excitedly giving it reviews as well.

Fancy shmancy book talk.

I slid out of there, not wanting to be confused any longer, and ran to the Everfree Forest. The wind ran through my hair, whipping it back and forth as it slid out of it's usual pony tail, the pony tail plopping onto the ground without a second thought to it.

"Flutter Shy!" I screeched, bursting through the door. Flutter Shy, who was knitting a sweater for Angel, looked up.

"T-the wind must be strong today, wouldn't you say Angel Bunny?" She looked over at the bunny who acted as if she were his pet, and not the other way around. He squeaked before slamming the door in my face, the force of the wind barely moved my light mane, didn't rustle my tail.

I trotted backwards, before fully turning and running again. Back to the boutique, back to wherever I could go,

And be missed.

It was late, the darkness of Luna had settled like a fog over Equestria. I ran into the boutique, not wanting to find myself lost in the dark of Ponyville, but what I found was worse than the darkness.

Rarity was huddled over a fabric, she looked as if she were working, her shoulders heaved, but there was an awful noise coming from her throat. A guttural cry, frustration maybe?

Her muzzle lifted itself quickly, as if her mane was tugged back, and I saw her mascara was running. There were tears in her eyes, I looked over at the fabric she had been crying over.

It was my old Gala dress.

Did nopony want it, and she thought it was to horrid to keep? I inspected her a bit more, not wanting to speak. Not that it mattered, she couldn't hear me anyway.

"Why Apple Jack, why!?" She cried, her melodramatic voice was actually filled with sadness, not the feigned voice she usually uses. It surprised me, took away my guard and shattered it. This pony had hated me with a burning fire.

I galloped out of there as fast as I could. I knocked into a large pony, something that shouldn't have happened. I tore my gaze up to see Princess Luna, Queen of the night, looking down at me. Her gaze held a fiery softness that would have made anypony melt, it just made me sob, the heaves shaking my body.

She sat next to me, and waited.

"P-Princess..." I started, trying to regain my sanity. She interrupted lightly,

"Call me Luna."

"Luna, I don't understand. She seemed so happy b-before, earlier, why was she crying and screaming my name."

Luna sighed and nudged me.

"Come, I have something to show you."

We got up and she showed me around town. She showed my Twilight huddled over a book about apples, careful not to let her tears ruin the pages. Pinkie was sitting in the corner of her home, her lip quivering and her hair straight, not a curl to it.

Rainbow Dash was sleeping on a book, she muttered my name often, tears pooled at the edges of her peaceful eyes. Flutter Shy sat at my grave, sadly reading the heading over and over again,

Apple Jack

Friend, family, Harmony

Big Macintosh was comforting Apple Bloom, she whimpered,

"The pain is worse tonight for some reason. I feel like she's hear, but I can't see her." He smiled a rake smile, and kissed her forehead.

"I know Bloom, I know." She hadn't really ever hear him say anything other than 'Eeyup.' His yup was comfort enough, most times.

I looked to Luna, who prodded my forward. I looked closer at my sister, the one I had loved so much. I looked at Granny Smith, the one who took care of me since birth, or shortly after. Big Mac, the big red stallion who was all I ever really needed. Ever.

Something dawned on me and I turned to look at the Princess.

"Luna, how did you know where I was?"

She smiled and spoke loudly, but not loud enough to announce her presence to the grieving family.

"I didn't," I looked at her as she turned and whistled softly. A collie bounced happily to her side. "She did."

"Winona!" I gasped, before starting again. "I'm sorry for all this, but I don't understand." I silently cursed myself for interrupting a princess, but she just nodded and nosed the collie who barked happily.

"I found your pony tail."

I looked down. "I just want to be remembered."

"And you will be, I promise." She smiled. "Now, it's time for you to get back."

I nodded, sad that I had to. I took one last look at my family before looking back at the princess.

"Why were they so...Normal earlier?"

"Everypony wears a mask of grief, even Celestia. We hide beneath them, cowering. But sadness takes control of our hearts, and we have to throw down our masks sometimes, just let it out. For your friends and family, they stomp their masks on the ground at night, when no one can see them."

I looked at her, her words making sense finally, before her horn glowed. "Goodbye Apple Jack."

As I started to descend into the sky, I relaxed for the first time in a long while, and nodded my head lightly, my eyes closed.

"Goodbye."