The Apple Falls.
Fanfic by Englishwitch.
Applejack trotted down the lane, deep into the orchard. In her mouth she gripped a large plate which carried a glass of apple cider and two apple fritters.
She turned off the beaten path to a quiet clearing. The house was far behind her now and night was coming on. The light of Luna’s full moon lit the way for her. Applejack’s pace slowed as she entered the clearing. She walked with reverence toward two tall stones
With slow movements she set the plate on the ground between the two stones. Equally slowly Applejack took off her hat and placed it on the head of the left stone. “Hi pop, hi ma,” she bowed her head to each stone in turn before finally sitting down, “y’all woulda loved the reunion, the biggest and the best yet.” she sighed and put on a brave smile, “Everypony in the fam’ly was there, ‘cept you.” she bowed her head, a lump grew in her throat. Even after all this time, she still missed them.
There was a noise behind her. Applejack flinched in time to see a shape vanish into the shadows. “C’mon out Apple Bloom, I know you’re there.”
Slowly the little filly emerged from behind one of the trees. She trotted up to her sister with an embarrassed silence. “I’m sorry Applejack, I jus’...” she trailed off and shuffled her hooves against the ground.
Applejack smiled and nodded, “I know sugar cube, I know, c’mere.” she held out her hooves and Apple Bloom rushed into the gratefully. The siblings embraced in a tight hug for several minutes. When they broke apart they turned to stare at the two graves.
On the left the stone wearing Applejack’s hat read: Apple Brandy
On the right the stone read: Orange Blossom
Apple Bloom looked nervous, “I never know what to say.”
Applejack get her foreleg around her little sisters haunches. “Yer don’t hafta say anythin’. They can hear you even if you stay quiet. They can hear yer heart.”
Apple Bloom managed a weak smile, “I know,” she looked at the graves again, “mom, pop...” she sighed and shook her head. She wasn’t good at this, not like Applejack, or Granny Smith. Even Big Mac was known to talk up a storm when he visited the memorials to their departed parents. But she, she just wasn’t very good at it. It wasn’t easy for her, she didn’t know them like the others did. AJ, Big Mac and Granny had actually known her parents, but Apple Bloom had just been a baby when they’d passed. The only memories she had were pictures, stories told by her family and these grave stones.
“How did they die?” she asked suddenly, Applejack started and stared at her. The question had come out of the blue and had actually shocked her.
“How...? I never told you that story?” Apple Bloom shook her head, Applejack’s eyes looked back to the grave stones for a few seconds before she looked to the ground and back to Apple Bloom’s waiting eyes. She sighed, “it ain’t easy,” she admitted to the filly. “ah, still find it painful ta think about.”
Apple Bloom shied away, “I’m sorry Applejack, yer don’t hafta-” the arm around her tightened,
“S’alright sugarcube,” Applejack said solemnly, “maybe...maybe it’s about time you knew.” If Apple Bloom was old enough to ask the question, maybe she was old enough to receive the answer.
“Our Pa -Granny Smith’s son- Apple Brandy, met Aunt Orange’s sister; Orange Blossom. They fell in love, they got married and had a family. Yer know ‘bout that part. You know they had Big Mac, then me, then you. Then...” she trailed off for a minute. Memories as painful as the day they’d been made played in her mind.
“You was only a month old at the time. You don’t remember the big storm. It was terrible. It was s’posed to be a light rain, but some wild magic or sumthin’ from the Everfree forest got into it. It wouldn’t stop growin’. The weather team couldn’t handle it, the winds were so strong they were blown outta the sky. The lightnin’, the rain, it....” she wiped the back of her hoof against her eyes, “remember the big storm that happened, when ah slept over at Twilight’s? Ah told you that a tree crashed through the window,” Apple Bloom nodded, “that was nothin’ compared to that storm.” the filly stared in shock and awe.
“The mayor called a big emergency, we evacuated everywhere, even the farm. Everypony in Ponyville was gathered together in the town hall. Safest place I reckon’, ‘leastwise it was the biggest place that could hold everypony...
...***...
Apple Brandy rushed his family; wife, children and aging mother, into large circular room of Ponyville town hall. The place was packed already with the residents of Ponyville. Children were crying, adults were worried and doing their best to console their families and friends.
Lightning crashed overhead, little Apple Bloom started to cry. Orange Blossom held the foal close and made shushing noises.
Water dripped off Apple Brandy’s stetson hat, hitting the rain that had already soaked his body. The trip from the farm had been made longer by the wild winds, each of the Apple clan was dripping wet and covered in mud.
Deputy Mayor Mare and Student Nurse Redheart rushed over to them. “Come over here Brandy,” the Deputy Mayer put a hoof around him and led the group over to a free corner. Student Nurse , Redheart passed out thick blankets to the children and the family matriarch; Granny Smith.
“We have hot drinks and warm food,” the deputy mayor continued, “blankets and sleeping cots too, as soon as we’ve unpacked them.”
Apple Brandy allowed a blanket to be draped over his back. He sat down by the side of his wife and new foal. Apple Bloom was still fussing, but she had stopped crying now that she wasn’t out in the rain and thunder. “How is she?” he placed a hoof on the baby’s chest and gave her a tickle, Bloom pushed his leg away, her small face was scrunched up in annoyance.
Orange Blossom hugged the foal tighter to her chest, “a little damp, but she’s okay.”
“Pa,” McIntosh approached, young Applejack by his side, Apple Brandy held out his hooves and his children rushed up to his embrace. “we wanna go home pa,”
Applejack nuzzled her father’s chest, “ah don’t like it here pa, it’s scary.”
Apple Brandy smiled and kissed his daughter on the forehead. He then lifted his stetson off his head and placed upon Applejack’s. She always liked wearing it, the little comfort would mean a lot for her right now, “I know Applejack, I’d like us to be home too, but this is the safest place for us right now.” He looked around the room until he spotted a small group of young ponies, “why don’t y’all go and see your friends, I’ll bet they’re ascared as y’all are. You think you can be brave for them?”
McIntosh and Applejack nodded their heads before trotting over to their school-pony friends. The fillies and colts were soon looking less scared as Applejack started talking to them.
“Yur always know what to say,” the elderly voice of Granny Smith said. She was wrapped in a thick blanket and someone had given her a large mug of hot chocolate.
Apple Brandy smiled and nodded proudly, “are you okay ma?”
Granny just waved a hoof dismissively, “Oh, I’m fine young ‘un. I been through worse than this, why in the big blizzard of 38-”
“We know Ma,” Orange Blossom interrupted, a light hearted smile played on her face. “hard times, neighbours pulling together, all working out in the end. All your stories are the same.”
Granny laughed heartily, “I ‘spose,” she admitted, “but jus think, someday you’ll be telling the story of the big storm to yur granchil’drin.”
Orange Blossom looked down at the filly in her arms, Apple Bloom had just about drifted off to sleep, “I hope that’s not for a long time yet.”
Granny continued to smile, “sooner than ya’ think,” she said to her daughter in law, a tone of nostalgia in her voice, “time’s funny like that. It has a way of running away from ya iffn you ain’t careful.”
Orange Blossom glance over at her two eldest children, Applejack seemed to have organised the group of school-age ponies into two groups, one was helping the deputy mayor by handing out hot drinks and blankets, the second group, under supervision of McIntosh, were attempting to assemble the sleeping cots.
Apple Brandy leaned in and nuzzled his wife’s cheek, she smiled and nuzzled back.
The peace was shattered by the loudest thunder crack yet. The whole room shook, dust fell from the rafters and the windows rattled in their fames. Ponies clung tighter to each other as the lamps flickered.
Brandy looked to his wife, “that sounded like more than thunder,”
As if on cue, the doors of the town hall burst open, a bedraggled young mare with blue fur, pink hair and three cupcaks for a cutie mark ran inside. Her wet hooves skidded across the polished wooden floor of the townhall, leaving muddy streaks in her wake, “A TREE!” she screamed it as she skidded and crashed into the Deputy Mayor and Student Nurse Redheart. Even as the three ponies tried to untangle themselves she continued to scream, “A tree! Magnum and Pearl! A Tree fell on their house!”
Apple Brandy was on his hooves in a second. He knew Magnum, a good friend and fishing buddy, he and Pearl had a filly of their own named Rarity. She was no older than Applejack. Pearl was heavily pregnant, just a month away from giving birth to the family’s second filly. So pregnant she struggled to move, could it be that they hadn’t made it to the town hall? His eyes darted left and right, looking for the two ponies but they were nowhere in sight.
He looked to his wife, “watch the little ‘uns.”
She nodded at him, “be safe,”
Apple Brandy, and several others, raced out of the door and into the ferocious storm.
The rain was so heavy it was like standing under a waterfall, so thick he could hardly see past his muzzle. The ground underhoof was no better than trying to run on water. Brandy skidded along the streets, almost falling over several times. The howling wind chilled him to his bones but he ran on, his friends at his side, toward the house.
The tall tree had been uprooted by the storm and had fallen in to the small cottage, the trunk of the tree had blocked the door, its vast weight had all but destroyed the second floor, thatch was blowing around in the wind, one of the supporting beams had come clean away and was lying in the middle of the street. The weight of the tree was pushing down on the house, threatening to fall through and bring the rest of the building down.
Brandy turned to two ponies that had followed him into the rain, a large, muscular white pegasus, with surprisingly small wings, and a caramel coloured unicorn; Doctor Stable. “Doc, Snowflake, try an’ move the tree from the door, I’ll find ‘nother way in.”
Doctor Stable nodded, Snowkflake answered with his usual enthusiasm, “YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHH!”
The Doctor’s horn lit up, a pale golden light enveloped the tree, he knew he couldn’t move anything that large, but he hoped he could lighten the load enough for Snowflake to shift it.
Apple Brandy ran up to the window and looked inside, the living room of the cottage was trashed. All the plaster had come off the ceiling, covering everything like a blanket of first winter snow, several of the supporting beams in the ceiling had broken, two had fallen away lying crosswise in the room. Movement caught his eye and he spotted Magnum, his back legs had been pinned by one of the falling beams, he had a pained look on his face but he was conscious and looking at Brandy.
Then, Brandy spotted the little filly Rarity, she was sitting under a table with the heavily pregnant Pearl. The little filly was hugging her mother and obviously trying not to cry, Pearl was panting and sweating and had a pained look on her face. Brandy recognised those expressions, Orange Blossom had looked just like that when she had gone into labour.
“We gotta get in there now!” he yelled to Doc and Snowflake. The huge Pegasus was pushing against the glowing tree trunk with all his might, the thing was shifting but far too slowly.
There was a sudden crunch and snap, “Lookout!”
Brandy curled into a ball, the doc and Snowflake leapt back as a branch broke off the tree and crashed down in front of them. Brandy felt a sting on his cheek as the sharp edge of a twig caught him.
Strong hooves gripped his own. Orange Blossom pulled him free of the fallen foliage.
“Where are the kids?” he asked,
“Ma’s got’em.” she called at him over the roar of the wind, “They’s safe.”
“Shoun’t you be lookin’ out fer ‘em?”
Before Orange could respond there was another loud, splintering, crack of wood breaking apart.
Doctor Stable ran up to Brandy and Blossom, “We can’t move it,” he yelled, “it’ll bring the whole house down.”
Brandy glanced up at the tree, “look’s like it’s commin’ down all the same,” he called. His eyes darted left and right, “’kay, Doc, Open the window.”
Doctor Stable’s horn glowed again, opening the latch and pulling the window as wide as it could go. Apple Brandy backed up several paces before taking a running leap through the gap into the ruined living room of the cottage.
A pale yellow shape followed him, Orange Blossom. “Yer get Magnum, I’ll help Pearl and the young’un,”
Splinters of wood rained down on them, the ceiling and floorboard above were giving way under the tree. Plaster dust hung heavy in the air, catching in the backs of their throats. Pearl an across the small room to the table. Rarity shied away from her, hugging her mother tightly, was panting heavily, sweat glistening off her coat. Blossom knew she was close to delivering the foal.
“Don’ worry none, We’ll get y’all outta here faster than you can say apple cider.”
Rarity clung to her mother tighter, “I wanna stay with mother,”
Blossom smiled and nodded, “I know darlin’, but it’s okay, we’ll get yer both outta here an- DOC CATCH!” She grabbed Rarity and tore the filly away from her mother, tossing her like a hoofball, the screaming Rarity flew across the room and out the window. Blossom caught the silhouette of the Doctor flying by as he jumped up and grabbed the filly in his hooves.
Pearl looked shocked, “You di....didn’t....have to....do....that...” she said between rapid breaths, her face screwed up in a cringe as a violent contraction ran through her.
Blossom put Pearls foreleg across her shoulders and helped the mare to her hooves, “time’sa factor here Pearl,” she grunted as she tok the brunt of the mare’s weight. Pearl was barely able to stand on her own anymore, her waters had broken and the foal was on the way. “Ain;t no time to be negotiatin’ wi’ scared fillies.” Half carrying, half dragging Pearl, Blossom made her way across the room toward the window.
Outside, Rarity was hiding under Snowflake, the largest thing available to keep her out of the rain.
Pearl shook her head, “Ican’tfitthroghthatwindow!” she cried out in one violent burst, the most painful contraction yet rocked through her body.
Blossom helped Pearl lay down on the floor once again, “sure ya’ can.” she spun araound and bucked the centre piece of the window frame, knocking it clean out, “Doc, pick ‘er up.”
Doctor Stable’s horn glowed, wrapping Pearl in his pale golden magic, he was more used to lifting pieces of equipment than patients but he knew he had to try.
Rarity saw the doctor trying to lift her mother and screwed up her own eyes, sending all the magic she could into her horn. It sparked and glittered but didn’t come to life with magic. Still she continued, concentrating as hard as she could and hoping that even her small and inexperienced magic was helping in some way.
Pearl was lifting up off the ground, the doctor was carrying her through the window in his magic.
“Honey, little help?” came a grunted yell from behind. Apple Brand was trying to carry Magnum, who’s back legs were limply dragging behind him. Magnum himself had fallen unconscious and the dead weight of his limp body was making him hard to carry.
The ceiling gave another threatening crack, twigs and branches broken through the gaps in the floorboards, any second now the tree would break through.
Orange Blossom raced to her husband’s side and took half of Magnum’s weight. “Move yer caboose!” she screamed as she took off at full gallop, Brandy raced with her across the short space of the living room, both of them dragging Magnum like a rag doll.
CRACK!
The ceiling gave way, planks of wood, thick supporting beams and a whole tree rained down upon them.
...***...
Applejack wiped away the tears from her eyes and hugged Apple Bloom all the tighter. “Everypony in Ponyville came out to help,” she continued, her voice hoarse from talking and crying, “little Sweetie Belle was born there in the street, with her big sister watchin’ her mom and everypony tryin’ to rescue her pop.” she paused long enough to take a sip of the cider, her parents wouldn’t have minded.
Apple Blooom broke the silence, “then what happened?”
AJ sighed and dryed her face with the back of her hoof, “they found all three of ‘em, curled in a ball, mom and pop had wrapped themselves ‘round Magnum. He was pretty busted up but he was still alive ‘cause mom and pop had protected him. They’d saved his life, they was heroes.”
Heroes, Apple Bloom thought about that, her parents were heroes. That was a nice thought, but still, Rarity and Sweetie Belle had both their parents and she didn’t have either, “why did they hafta go inta that house Applejack?” she asked, “they shoulda stayed safe, they had you, me an’ Big Mac to look after, why’d they go an’ put themselves in danger like that?”
Applejack nodded, “I di’nt understand for a long time sugarcube. Sometimes I even got angry at ‘em for doin’ it,” she bowed her head shamefully, “but I’ll tell yer what Granny said ‘ta me. They di’nt go inta that house thinkin’ they could die, they went in there thinking they had to help their friends. They don’t worry for themselves when somepony needs ‘em. No matter the risk, the danger, the fear, no matter what, they’d always be there to do everythin’ they can ‘cause that’s the ponies they were, the best kind.”
AJ took the hat that had once been her fathers off the grave and returned it to her head. “An’ that’s the kinda pony I’ve always tried to be, honest, loyal, dependable. Always there for a pony, no matter what. Sure it mighta gotten me in trouble a coupla times, but it also led to lotsa excitement and adventures too, and it gave some of the best friends a pony could ask for. Sure I’m sad they’re gone but that’s okay, it’s okay to be sad sometimes. It’s not the kinda sad that hurts, because I know, wherever they are, mom and pop is lookin’ down on us and they’re mighty proud, of all of us. Of who we are, and the ponies we’ll grow up to be.”
She glanced down at Apple Bloom, who managed a nervous smile. Then the smile vanished and was replaced with a yawn.
Applejack laughed lightly, “okay sugar cube, ah reckon, it’s time for growin’ ponies to be in bed.” she picked up the sleepy filly and placed her on her back before trotting at a gentle pacetoward the Apple family home.
Apple Bloom’s view was of the slowly vanishing gravestones to her parents, “bye, mom and dad,” she whispered sleepily, “I’ll visit again soon.”
Author's Note
Many different ideas came to be when trying to write the story, mostly how the parents would pass. the big idea had originally been for the parents to be injured in some way trying to get Orange Blossom to the hospital because she was giving birth to Apple Bloom. I changed the idea to something a little more heroic because I just didn't want that guilt on the cute fillies shoulders.
The names for the parents are, of course, totally original. I decided to make the mother's name Orange Blossom and make her the sister of Aunt Orange. Making Aunt and Uncle Orange part of the family by marriage. it's the only way I could get them to be part of the clan in my head-canon. those two manehattonites fit in with the rest of the family like.....well like Apple's and Oranges. A pun was not intended when I started that sentence.
