Threads of destiny

“Meh... Whadowedonow...? Ponyville... gone. And Canterlot. Blazing thunder all over the land. Hmm... Hats...”

Hats?

“Yargh! Ha-ha!”

“No! stop it Rainbow!”

“Ergh! ...What did I do???”

What?! You just leapt at me! Smile on your face much?!

“Stop it, awright?”

“Applejack, why does it matter so much anyway?”

“Just don’t touch it, ‘kay? This... This...”

This hat was pa’s.

_______________________________13 years ago____________________________________

“It’s another gooday, Pa!”

“Yep! I should get tuh work, Apple tart! Burning daylight raht now.”

“Hee hee hee. Apple tart! Hey, didja eat breakfast yet?”

“I know what I would like to eat... Apple tarts!”

Pa runs towards me and takes me in for a hug. Then he starts tickling me. I can’t stop laughing.

“Haha! got you!”

“Heeheehee!!! That tickles!”

“Hey, Whadya say that we spend a little time at the sugarcube corner after I work?”

“Alright!”

“Oh-kay then! Off you go then! Don’t cause trouble!”

I run off towards the woods. Pa starts walking to the fields.

Sugarcube corner! Sugarcube corner! I’m going with Pa! He works hard. He needs a treat too.

Sugar! Cube! Corner! With!

“Pa!”

I run at Pa.

“Yes mah dear?”

“I love you pa.”

“Aw, shucks, sweet tart. I love ya too.”

______________________________________________________________________________

I wish I didn’t remember, Dash. Sometimes, I think it would have been better to never know.

“I bet that I’d look good in that hat. Now... If-- If only you’d let me...... Take it!”

“Ah! Ah! No, stop it!”

“You didn’t tell me why I shouldn’t take it yet!”

“Just let GO!”

“Hmmph. You- you... tell me why.”

“Dash... I would tell you... But...”

“But what?”

But...

______________________________________________________________________________

“Sugarcube! Sugarcube! Sugarcube Corner!”

“Alright, settle down. We’re here!”

“Mmm. Can I have ice cream?”

“Ice cream? Okay. Which flavor do you want?”

“Hmm... I think I want apple.”

“Well okay then.”

Pa pays for the ice cream and find a place to eat. I think for a little bit before eating.

“Hmm? You haven’t started on your ice cream yet.”

“Oh... Well... It’s just that I have ice cream and you don’t. That’s not fair.”

“Oh... well, I’m full. I had a lot of sweet things today.”

“You did? Where did you get them from?”

“I got them from you. You’re my own sugarcube.”

Pa takes off his, hat, brushes it a little, then puts it on me, and smiles as I start on my ice cream.

“I love you, sugarcube.”

“I love you too, pa.”

______________________________________________________________________________

“A-... Applejack?”

“What?”

“Applejack... You- you’re crying.”

I am? I am...

“Rainbow- I’ll tell you.”

“Tell... me?”

“Tell you... This hat.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Hi, pa!”

“Oh! Hi there, sugarcube.”

“Watcha doin???”

“Erm. No- not much.”

“Really? You’re getting the cattle ready to travel, right?”

“I- cattle- the dri- ergh... hmm, shouldn’t say... Well the cattle are go- going to be... looked ov- looked over... on...? Um. Inspected!

“Um...? By the way. When’s the cattle drive? I want to go with you.”

“Ca- ca- cah... Ergh! Um well we- we might not go this year...”

“Hmm? Not going? Oh... well... I wanted to...”

Pa’s hat flies off in the wind.

“Oh! Sugarcube, couldja get that for me? Oh and after that, you probably should get to sleep. sundown already.”

“Mmm? Oh okay. Good night pa.”

I race towards his hat. It landed in a tree. I give a good kick and it falls down. I put it on and walk to the house.

    ***

I flop down on the bed.

Mmm... Sugarcube corner with pa. He never gets any time off. He doesn’t let himself. We should have more fun. Running in the fields... Eating apples... His hat flies off... We race to get it! I can beat him! I’ll get his- Oh! his hat!

I take Pa’s hat off the drawer and slowly trod down the stairs.

“-angerous. How will she be safe?”

“It would be nice to bring her along on the cattle drive...”

“There are many things that could hurt her. Snakes, bandits, sandstorms, the whole trip is chaotic and evil. We can’t risk little sugarcube getting hurt.”

“Um... Pa?”

“It’s not safe if -agh- a- a- a- applejack?”

“Cattle drive?”

“Umm... well- I...”

Pa sighs, a defeated look on his face.

“Applejack, we are doing the cattle drive, but... even now, when you’re old enough...”

“Pa... You- you-...!”

“I’m sorry... it’s really dangerous...”

“You- I’m old enough! I can take care of myself!”

“Applejack...”

“You- you-... How could you lie to me!?”

“Applejack... I knew that you’d want to go...”

“You lied so that you could stop me from- you- argh! Why would you do that?!”

“It was to protect you...”

“Protect me!? Prote- You- you... I-”

Dad lie- He---... He... lied to me.

“-I hate you.”

***

I retreat to my room, hoping that I would just forget everything while sleeping. I throw pa’s hat into the corner. Pa walks into the room.

“I- I’m sorry...”

“S- You’re sorry!?”

“Erm...”

“You- Why? Why would you lie? When did we ever keep secrets from each other? We would always tell what’s botherin’ us and then help each other.”

“I know... but-”

“But what?! What is it that would make you do this? You lied! In spite of our trust, in spite of our days, in spite of... me. D- ...do you still care for me?”

I turn away, rage building up. But something else is there. A small... a trembling... a new, sensation that rushes a searing warmth to my eyes.

“Sugarcube... It was to-”

“Hmm? It was to? Oh, don't answer. I know that. You want to protect me. Protect? I think I know where this comes from. It’s fine if- if ah can’t go to Prairieville... but- but- but you thought you had to lie to protect me? Do you still know me? I haven’t changed from your little mare. That- lying will build up to another. And more. And... all of the lies ahead of us, but I hope there isn’t any more. I don't care what you lied about, I-i-i- it's not that big of a deal... But- lying? Why in Equestria would you be- Lying this once... It shows that we broke our trust. Pa, we cared for each other, right? It's not fake. We love each other. B- b- but now... How can I know if it's still real? How can it be? How-... How can there still be trust? A- A- And if I can’t trust you... Then... Oh Pa, Then how can I still love you?”

My voice is cracking. I'm not shouting anymore. I might have calmed down... or... There it is again. The hot sensation, right behind my face, I can tell it wants to come out. It reminds me of apples. A sweet scent, comforting. But A hint of sadness lies within. I'm holding back everything but just a little bit, and it will come flooding out. I- I think I know what I am holding back.

“Sugarcube... Ah- ...Ah still love you... and I always will...”

I duck into bed and pull the covers up. I didn’t care. I didn’t care what anyone had to say. I wanted to forget it all. I wanted to wash it out of my mind. I wanted to curl up into a ball and hug my tail, forever and ever and ever and make it all go away. It’s better to not know. Ignorance is bliss. Nothing matt-

I hear water. Soft drops dripping onto the floor. Pa is crying softly.

And- and for the first time... I am too.

***

When I wake up, I decide that I would forget it all, then notice that I already messed that up by thinking about it. I jump back in bed, then jump out. Fresh start. Clean slate. Brand-new. I look outside the window, and see that the cattle are gone. I assume Pa and Ma have gone off for Prairieville already. No matter. I take the hat, put it on, then trot down the stairs.

Mac is waiting for me in the kitchen. He seems to be reading a note.

“Pa ‘n Ma say tuh take care of granny and ‘bloom.”

“Hmm.”

“Dad’s hat?”

“Yeah. He didn’t bring it.”

“Oh. Well we’ll be gettin’ to work soon. Pa says not to miss apple bucking season.”

“Then let’s get to it.”

After eating, me and Mac go to the trees. The apples are still a little green, but look ready to pick. I stand, facing away from the trees, and give a test kick. None of the apples fall.

“You’ll hafta do better than that!”

Mac shouts over to me while cracking half of his tree’s trunk.

I stand still, then, give a good smash into the tree. Apples fall down into the basket.

I do this with each tree, and dozens of apples fall out. It’s hard work. But... Pa does it all for us. He collects the apples, grows them, bakes them... He does it all. For us.

An apple falls to the ground in front of me. Red, ripe, shining in perfection. I take a bite. I know. I would tell pa when he gets home, that I’m sorry and that I love him, and then I’d hug him and we could go to the sugarcube corner, and never get angry at each other again. It was alright to lie. He thought he was doing good. He was. He was being pa. I love pa.

I finish today’s work and head on back with Mac. But before that, I get a string, and tie up his hat to the post. It’ll be waiting for him. I miss him so much. He’s the wall to support me, the pony to lean on. I’ll be waiting for him, right where he belongs.

***

The days bunch up to just a few obstacles. Their only days, and only more things to keep me away from Pa. And then one day, I hear the doors open, and hoofsteps outside. I rise out of bed and trot down the stairs. I can’t wait. Pa is home. I walk out the door. It’s Mac. He wants to see them too...--? Mac, and a pegasi. She has handed him a letter and Mac takes it. It’s a sunny day. The pegasus flies off. Mac opens the letter, smiling. He starts reading as I bound over. He then seems suddenly occupied by reading the letter as I say good morning. I try leaning to see the letter, though Mac’s a bit tall.

“Mornin’ sis’.”

“Mmm. so... letter...?”

“Wai- wait a second...”

Mac seems overly preoccupied.

“Mac...”

He blinks, then looks at me.

“Mac, did Pa and Ma’s trip get delayed.”

“I- guess you could say that.”

“So they’re coming home on...?”

“It- it doesn’t say.”

“Doesn’t say-...?”

He turns away a somber face that I haven’t seen before.

Then he opens his mouth to drop the letter. I give him a questioning look as he walks away. I turn the letter around.

My eyes instantly zone in on “regret to inform”.

I give a further scan, and notice “money will be delivered”.

My mind instantly throbs.

What?

“Applejack...”

Looking down, I see “rustlers”-

No no no oh no

-and “ambush”.

What what is this I don’t

“Little sis...”

I smash the paper into the ground.

It’ll be dangerous. I did it to protect you.

I give another crumple.

I love ya sweet tart.

I yell in frustration and tear the paper back into the air. I rip it up with my teeth, then spit it out.

“Sis’, Pa and Ma are-”

A small section of the paper lands in front of me. the worst section.

no no no stop it Gah just just just-

I love ya sugarcube, and ah always will.

“-gone.”

I give a violent twist away from the paper and from Mac. How could this be? There are so many things that they did and it takes only a group of- of- of stupid morons to lose it all! They- they can’t be gone. They can’t. I have to tell pa that I love him, that I’m sorry. And the last thing I did to him was be angry-

No. Not the last thing. It can’t be. It just- It can’t-

Mac unties the hat on the post and puts it on me, and I know, there are no lies ahead of me and pa. Not a single one.

“PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

______________________________________________________________________________

“So that hat- is-...”

I nod.

“This hat is... my pa’s.”

Rainbow Dash looks away. Then she looks back at my hat, and lets it all go. She leans on me and I am there to hold her.

I tip my hat forward as Rainbow sobs. Hello, old friend. I remember all of the time I spent with you.

My good friend, crying.

I've missed you. I've missed you so much.