Applejack's Final Run (Updated)
The war was sudden. The conflict escalated almost before either side knew what was truly going on. Claims of betrayal and treason destroyed the unity of Equestria, as sister turned against sister. Lines were clearly drawn, support Celestia or Luna. The Sun or the Moon. Day or Night. But like all lines, they were not nearly so easy to see in practice. Princess Twilight stayed with her long term friend and mentor in Canterlot. The rest of the Elements of Harmony stayed with their friend, or withdrew from the war completely. Applejack stayed on her farm, Fluttershy retreated to her cottage. Rarity moved to Canterlot, designing her dresses while avoiding the conflict. Pinkie... Pinkie just disappeared one day, leaving nothing but an untouched cake in her room. The war was bitter, and dragged on, neither side able to seize a decisive advantage on the other. Celestia ruled from Canterlot, Luna from the resurrected ruins of the old royal castle. Princess Celestia weary of the endless conflict, asked Twilight to gather the Elements of Harmony again, perhaps they could use their power to heal the rift that was created between them. And if the rift could not be healed, perhaps their presence would upset the balance of power, allowing her forces to triumph. Rainbow Dash, always loyal, was the first one that Twilight recruited from Cloudsdale. “Did you even have to ask?” was the cyan mare's response to Twilight's request, her ever present cocky grin giving hope that maybe, just maybe things would indeed turn out alright.
~~~~~~~~~~
The quiet clacking of hooves on hard dirt. How many times had Twilight made this trip before... in better times, of course. Ever since things started happening, she just never seemed to find the time any more. She looks around at the trees, the fences... things almost seem normal, lifting her spirits slightly at the memories. The sign ahead was well worn and comforting. “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres...” Twilight mused to herself, remembering the old times, the good times. Still, it would be good to see Applejack again. The stubborn mare hadn't said much to Twilight since the rift, and her royal duties had kept Twilight's attention for too long. Then she noticed what was bothering her about the farm... it was silent. No calls, no whooping, no bucking, nothing save the rustling of dry leaves in the wind. With a worried mind, she starts galloping towards the barn, leaving her escort behind despite their protests. She’s a princess, and therefore also a target, but hopefully nopony besides Celestia and her closest advisors knew about this trip. The sight that greets her sends her running forward as fast as she can, not in panic, but in relief this time. Applejack stands there, tall and proud as always, chewing a strand of hay as she looked towards Canterlot. The sun starts to set behind the earth mare, legs crossed as she leans against her well beloved barn. Though... she wasn’t wearing her hat, something that took Twilight back a bit.
Despite her misgivings, Twilight ran over to give her friend a long missed hug, clinging to her friend with desperate relief. “Oh Applejack, I'm so glad to see you. It's been so long, I've really missed you.”
The orange mare doesn't move much, doesn't turn to face the princess. “Ah've been expectin' you, Twilight... Ah guess Ah knew this day would come... though Ah really hoped it wouldn't.” She looks over as Twilight's entourage starts arriving on the farm. “Twilight, Ah trust you, but Ah need to talk to you without all these others. Can you do somethin' about them?” She goes into her house as Twilight orders her guards to stay outside over their protests. Rank does have its privileges.
Entering the house, she sees several painful reminders of the past, the most recent being Big Macintosh's harness on the table. Twilight goes over to it even as Applejack moves to one of the chairs at the table. “I'm so sorry about Big Mac, Applejack... he's...”
Applejack nods. “Missin'. Ah know... presumed dead or captured. Ah've read that letter more times than Ah care to know.” The earth mare looks over at Twilight. “Applebloom still doesn't want to believe it, you know...” She sighs. “Ah know the truth hurts.” Applejack closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “Ah want to hear it from you first, before Ah commit to anythin' you got planned, and Ah expect you to be honest with me...” She looks up at Twilight, the pain still in her eyes, as deep and raw as ever despite the years. “Is this worth it? Is all this... right?”
How to tell a grieving pony that the sacrifice is worth it? How to tell her that it needs to be done? Twilight Sparkle looks her friend in the eye, the conviction in her mind matching the conviction in her voice. “Yes, Applejack... I do believe it’s worth it. I grieve for all the losses as much as you do, but we need Harmony again... if we don't try...” She trails off, hanging her head. “We have to try.” Applejack chews on her piece of straw, and Twilight feels her friend's stare, looking past the trappings of royalty, looking at her friend. With a slow nod, she turns to get up. Twilight's heart stops slightly... is Applejack about to refuse? The pain Applejack was bearing was still quite obvious, and she still had to be here for Applebloom. “I... understand, Applejack...”
Applejack keeps walking slowly towards the back. “Ah'll get mah hat, Twi.” The pain was still there in her voice, but had a harder edge to it. “This has gone on fer long enough, Ah reckon... we need to try to set things right.”
An awkward silence hung over the group like a cloud, one that a Pegasus couldn’t buck off, as the guards start to secure the area. Night was approaching soon, and it was dangerous to be out while the moon held sway. Her guards had found what seems to have been an old roadside inn near the forest. Twilight kept shooting nervous glances at her friend. With Applejack’s hat back on, she looked more like her old self... just without the joy and enthusiasm that infused her life before. “Um... Applejack? Do you need to talk? I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to make it out before now... it’s just...”
The orange mare chews on her strand of hay for a second before nodding her head. “It’s alright, sugarcube. Ah understand... with you bein’ busy helpin’ with this war and all...” She shakes her head sadly as her voice trails off, pain lacing her words.
Twilight’s heart seems to break inside of her as she looks out the window at the cold and storming night. What can she say to her to make things better? To make things right? There’s no book for this... and maybe things are already too broken to be made right. No... she couldn’t believe that. If she did, then everything would be meaningless... all the pain, the loss, the sacrifice. She had to maintain hope... hope for today, and a brighter tomorrow. Closing the curtain, she looks over again at Applejack. “Applebloom isn’t here right now, Applejack... you can cry now if you want to.”
Applejack gives Twilight a smile full of all the pain in the world, a sad, controlled smile with absolutely no mirth in it. “Sugarcube... Ah ran out of tears a long time ago... Ah ain’t got none to shed now...”
~~~~~~~~~~
The door to the inn bursts open as one of the Royal Guard ponies slams into it. “Princess! Princess!”
Twilight snaps awake immediately, her horn lighting up defensively. “W-what is it?” Lightning flashes brighten the dark night as the wind starts to pick up, ominous thunder rolling in the background.
A solid series of thunks as Applejack comes down the stairs, her lasso and hat already in place. “It’s trouble, sugarcube... Ah think that they know y'all here...”
Opening her wings and taking a wider stance, Twilight growls slightly, more out of bravado than anything else. “Well... I um... should be able to handle some of Luna’s soldiers...”
A mocking laugh rings out over the sudden battlefield, paralyzing some of the guards in fear. Applejack sighs. “What about Luna, or Nightmare Moon, as some of you are callin’ her again?” The three look out the door as the Princess of the Night drops from the sky like a bolt of lightning, sending more of the guards fleeing from her presence. “Hate to say this, sugarcube, but Ah’m not sure you can take on Luna and her guards...”
Twilight gulps. Princess Luna herself... she does the only thing she can do in a situation like this. “RUN!”
~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight hears the thunder of hooves as she flees with Applejack and a few remaining guard ponies. Fiddlesticks, Luna wasn’t supposed to know about this! Wasn’t supposed to know that Twilight had left the safety of Canterlot. Wasn’t supposed to know that Celestia had let the young Princess leave to try to gather the Elements of Harmony... In terms of raw magical power, Twilight thought she might have the edge on Luna... but in terms of experience, she was grossly outclassed, especially at night, Luna’s domain. Fleeing into the forest was the only option left to them, the oppressive gloom worse at night, even as a steady rain keeps falling. Thankfully, the rain should help obscure their tracks from their pursuers... hopefully.
“Go on... we’ll slow her down, Princess... you must get to safety...” Captain Ironheart looks at the young princess, the grizzled veteran struck by how young she looks... how innocent. “You’re more important Princess, and we can buy you some time...”
Raising her hoof to stop him, she realizes that the captain of her bodyguard would ignore her this time, along with the rest of his men. Turning to flee again with Applejack, she whispers a prayer for their safety. They gallop away as the sounds of fighting behind them diminish. As her remaining bodyguards throw themselves against Luna’s soldiers. “Be safe, Captain... be safe.” Screwing her eyes shut, she feels her heart breaking again. How could it have come to this? How could things have gotten so bad?
Despair claims her as she drops to the ground. Tired of running, tired of the fighting. She feels a nudge as Applejack drops a hoof on her shoulder. “We have to keep movin’, or their sacrifice will be fer nothin’.” Twilight nods at her friend’s words. “Now come along, sugarcube, there’s still a lot of ground to cover tonight.”
They trot along in silence, weaving their way through the trees. Twilight looks over at Applejack. Proud, strong, honest. “Applejack... do you... hate me?”
The earth mare keeps plowing a trail for Twilight through the undergrowth. “Hate you? Why would Ah hate you Twi? We had some disagreements when this whole thing started up, but Ah know you had yer reasons fer doin’ what you did.” She turns back to look at Twilight. “And Ah had plenty of time to think about what Ah didn’t do as well...”
The young alicorn looks her friend over sheepishly. “It’s just... with everything... and... Big Macintosh...” Her voice trails off knowing that the pain stabbing her heart was nothing compared to what her friend had been feeling all this time.
Applejack turns and grabs Twilight by the shoulders. “Now, you listen to me good and hard now, Twi. Ah dun hold you responsible fer what happened to mah big brother, and from what Ah’ve heard, you shouldn’t either. Besides, that’s sour apples at this point... no reason to rehash old wounds... we’re gonna set this right...” She nods her head to Twilight. “We’re almost out of tha forest, then its really close to Canterlot, where you are gonna be safe.”
Twilight looks at her friend in panic. “You’re coming with me, right? I mean... that’s...”
She’s cut off as Applejack places her stetson on Twilight’s head. The smell of apples and hay filling Twilight’s nostrils. “Wish Ah could, sugarcube, but...” She stares off past Twilight into the forest. “Ah dun think that’s an option right now.”
Twilight turns her head and sees Luna approaching them, the Princess of the Night in all of her dark majesty. “We need to run, AJ, we’re almost there, right?”
Applejack shakes her head and pushes Twilight behind her. “Not close enough, but... Ah’ll protect you... Ah couldn’t protect mah brother but Ah’m gonna protect you now, Twi.” The mare looks at Twilight, tears welling up in her eyes. “Because... Ah have ta believe in somethin’... and to believe that it’s all worth it...”
Twilight screams her friends name in desperation and despair, even as Applejack barrels towards the waiting Princess Luna. Tears filling her eyes, Princess Twilight Sparkle turns to keep running, Applejack’s treasured hat on her head. Not able to stop crying. Not able to stop her heart from breaking. Not able to watch Applejack’s last run.
~~~~~~~~~~
Princess Twilight Sparkle looked at the simple stone marker overlooking the farm. She was older now, hopefully wiser. The years had not been kind to her, and the war raged on unabated. She raises her voice, a sad note running through. Sadness and despair. "I'm sorry, Applejack... we tried, we really did." She paces in front of the maker. "It's been so long... I've missed you." She gives a sad smile. "I still miss you." She sighs. "I don't visit nearly as much as I should these days, though I still hope to tell you that yes, it was worth it." Twilight levitates something from her saddlebag onto the marker before turning away, tears running down her face. "Some day. Maybe. It will be worth it." The alicorn heads back to her entourage, another battle to fight, another thread torn from the fabric of harmony. The well worn stetson lies on top of the grave marker, the strap blowing in front of the words engraved upon it, on the top of a bare and lonely hill.
Applejack. Element of Honesty. Dear Friend. You will always be remembered.
Author's Note
A short piece that I enjoyed working on while writing parts of My Little Heart-Shaped Void. I hope you enjoyed it.
Edit: After a wonderful critique, I modified it a bit. I'm sure there's still plenty of work that can go into it, but I'm feeling happy about it.