Sadfic! Mortality is one of those funny things, also discussions on what a fanfic should be. Without going into detail the makers of MLP:FiM have already stated that death isn't a subject they will touch, which makes sense as it's a kids show, but we all know that death is still a part of life, for a myriad of reasons so obviously this is Teen for Mortality(Teenagers should be able to handle this) themes... no one dies, or is injured just conjecture on what could be and what may be. OH and somepony may have already done this kind of FF if so, well cool! Point me to it after... and I don't own MLP:FiM HTTYD fan should note that there will be updates to all my stories... possible deletions(FH: needs work should have held off starting another story) and general tomfollery
This is based after the end of season 4... so if you haven't watch up till then
!SPOILERS!
It was a sunny day on Sweet Apple Acres, in fact Ponyville looked wonderful. While the loss of the library was regrettable, the addition of Princess Twilight Sparkles castle had lifted many ponies spirits. The only pony that truly lamented the loss of the library was the princess herself, but she had her new duties and the comfort of her many friends.
However on this day, Applebloom was on a mission, it was a simple one in her mind. She had thought about it after the last Apple family reunion, but had been too busy, either running her sisters insane "Fun Run" or helping to raise the barn that was destroyed in the ensuing calamity.
Now she knew her parents had been gone for awhile, and Applejack, Granny Smith, and Big Mac had never really explained why they left, where they went, or why they had not returned. It hadn't bothered her much, for the longest time it had always been the four of them. Recent events; the destruction of the library, and the revelation of Pinkies family relations with the Apples had stirred a yearning to know. Also, Sweetie bells relationship with her parents had further cemented her want, no, her need to know.
Finding Applejack wasn't hard, she was working the Southern fields; clearing broken limbs, applying salves to various damaged trees, and checking for vermin that may cause further damage. With a puff Applebloom made her presence known.
"Applejack!," She called, and her big sister turned and gave her a big smile.
"Howdy Applebloom, all done with school?" She asked her little sister, before turning back to her work. Applebloom made her way over to sit beside her sister.
"Applejack," She said in a serious voice. "Can I ask you a question?." Applebloom asked, Applejack looked over to see the expression on Appleblooms face and stopped.
"Well you did just ask a question." Applejack smiled, hopping to get a reaction out of her little sister, with no reaction she nodded. "Of course you can, but I might not know the answer, some thing's are even out of my league." She jested but still received nothing, it was a bit off for a filly like Applebloom not to have a smile on her face.
"What happened..." Applebloom tried to ask before she was interrupted by a flutter of wings and a happy shout.
"There you are Applejack." Twilight Sparkle called out as she came in for a rather wobbly landing. Trotting over to the two ponies she smiled warmly at them. "And hello Applebloom." both Apples smiled and greeted their friend Twilight who turned to Applejack. "I was looking all over for you, Pinkie Pie wants to throw a "Rebuild the library party" and was hopping the Apples might lend their knowledge and hooves to the cause." Twilight finished with a big smile, which slowly waned as Applebloom gave her a flat look, Applejack nodded and returned the smile.
"Of course I'll help, but first Applebloom was just going to ask me a question." She turns to Applebloom. "There we go, if I don't know the answer Twilight surely will." She smiled but Appleblooms eyes widened in fright and she started to stammer.
"Nah, nah that's..." She tried to say, but Twilight smiled.
"It's okay Applebloom you know you can ask," she gestured to Applejack, herself, and the general direction of Ponyville. "Any of us, anything." Even with their assurances Applebloom was still nervous, but Twilight was right and if Applejack didn't want Twilight to know she would understand.
"Whathappenedtomomanddad." She blurted, and the whole world stood still, it was like Discord had frozen everything in place.
Applejack's warm eyes turned to shock, while Twilight glanced away obviously uncomfortable. Seeing this, Applebloom became afraid, she wanted to know so bad, so she took a breath. "It's just that they've been gone so long, and you and Big Mac have never told me, and I don't even really remember them, all I have are these faint memories." She glanced at her hooves. "Some smells make me think of them, and there are other times that I think I remember something and then its gone, and I really really want to know." She looked up at her sister to see a single tear fall from her eye.
Fearing she had hurt her sister she rushed forward. "Don't cry Applejack, I didn't mean to upset you." She crashed into her sister and gave her a big hug. "Please don't cry..." She heard her big sister sniffle and then huff as she sucked it in.
"Oh Applebloom," Applejack hugged her little sister. "It's not something we like to talk about," She let her sister go and nuzzled her face. "But I think you're big enough to understand." At this time Twilight cleared your throat.
"I think I should give you some time, Just come to the castle wh..." She was cut off by a shake and a stare.
"No Twilight, I'm mighty proud to consider you family," Applejack gave her a sad smile. "I would be happy to introduce you and tell you what I know." She turned to Applebloom. "I'm sorry but even I don't know much, I was just lucky enough to have had some good memories with them." Applebloom looked at her sister quizzically, had?
Applejack started walking towards eastern fields and Applebloom and Twilight followed. The air was heavy, even though the weather was nice and Applebloom couldn't understand why everypony had gotten so sad, or so quiet. Where were they going? To see her parents? If they were here all the time why didn't they ever come to the farm house. They took a path she had never walked before, the apple trees thinned and were soon replaced by a variety of ferns and other trees.
"How come I've never seen this place?" Her question broke the silence, startling the older ponies. Applejack glanced back at her sister and smiled. "Oh you and I have ran past this place dozens of times, just I've never made a big deal about it." She points her muzzle in the direction of their travel. "And you've probably tripped over the stones at some point." Which only added to Appleblooms confusion, soon they entered a clearing ringed by verdant plant life, in the center was a beautiful apple tree, and sitting in the shade were two stone markers. In fact Applebloom had seen these stones before, but never wondered what they meant.
Applejack made her way to the two stones, and Applebloom felt a slight nudge as a somber looking Twilight pushed her to follow. When Applejack made it to the stones, she sat down and removed her hat.
"Hello Mama," she nodded to the stone on the right, Applebloom could just make out what looked to be apple crepes. Nodding to the stone on her left, Applejack smiles "Papa," But Applebloom can't make out the mark on the stone on the left and an awkward silence fills the glade. "I know it's been awhile since I've been here." She croaks, "A lots been happening here in Ponyville, The library was destroyed when this monster came about." A sob escapes her. "But its not all bad we got a mighty fine new castle and our very own Princess right here in Ponyville." She smiles at Twilight who silently stands by her friend. "You would have loved to meet her," Applejack puts her arm around Twilight. "This is Princess Twilight Sparkle, she's one of my best friends, shoot," She hugs Twilight tighter and smiles. "She's more like a sister then anything,"
Applejack turns to Applebloom. "Speaking of Sisters, Mama, Papa I would like you to meet Applebloom." She gestures to Applebloom to join her, and reluctantly she does. Applebloom is very confused, where are her parents? Why can Applejack see them and not her? "Just look at her Mama, all grown up," Applejack wraps her other arm around Applebloom and smiles down at her before looking back at the two stones. "And Papa she is a feisty one, just like you said she would be." A sniffle escapes her big sister, but Applebloom is still very lost, and simply has to know where they are!
"But, Applejack, where are they?" She looks at her big sister and then back to the stones. "Is this a joke!?" She growled and Applejack sobs.
"Applebloom," Twilight looks at her in sympathy, while patting Applejack's back. "This is where your parents rest." She explains, but this just causes more confusion.
"What do you mean rest?" She looks around the glade. "There are no ponies resting here, just two stones!" This is just mean, how dare Applejack play a prank on her. Twilight again tries to explain, with a very sad look on her face.
"No Applebloom, their not sleeping like you and I do, they've moved on, they can't come back." And Applebloom's eyes became pinholes.
"What do you mean they can't come back," She screeches, "Where did they move? Applejack!" She turns to her sister, who is fighting back sobs.
"Applebloom, they're..." Applejack visibly deflates, her efforts to stop herself from crying fail her as she covers her head with her hooves. Something in Applebloom breaks a little; her big sister, the one that has always protected her, been there for her, and would do anything for her was hiding her head and sobbing into the ground. She threw herself on her sister, hugging her as hard as she could, she didn't know if it would help, but she just wanted her sister to stop crying. The sobs slowed, and the became heaves before simply dying into sniffles. Applejack slowly rose and looked her little sister in the eye.
"I'm so sorry Applebloom," she said before nuzzling her face. "Mama and Papa are..." With a sigh and a croak. "...dead." Dead? What does dead mean, how can they be dead.
"But what does that mean?" She wanted to understand so badly. Applejack sobbed again and Twilight patted them both warmly.
"It's hard to explain Applebloom." Twilight started, and Applebloom turned her sad eyes and looked at Twilight. "We all live in a kind of circle, first we're born and then we start to grow up, and after a long life we die." She gestures at the two stones. "It's like a long nap, where you don't feel any pain, and you never wake up." Twilight finishes sadly, and Applebloom looks to the stones.
"So my parents are... dead? And these stones are there to mark their memory?" She asks unsure of the entire concept. Applejack shakes her head and sighs.
"They mark the place we buried them," She looked over to Applebloom. "Underneath us is what remains of our parents physical form," She paws the ground. "Not the memories we have of them, of who they were," She eyes the stones again. "That we carry with us, what we can." Applebloom sort of understood, she had seen funerals, but she never knew her parents had died, she always assumed they had moved and dying was for the really old.
"But why did they die?" She wanted to know more, everything, anything to fill the new hole in her heart. Applejack sighed and shook her head.
"I wish I knew, the only pony that knows the full story is Big Mac, and he won't share it." She smiles at Twilight and Applebloom. "There has always been a good reason why he is a pony of few words. It's just something he never got over." But it didn't all add up in her head, something was off.
"But how long do ponies live normally?" It was an innocent question and Twilights face filled with relief.
"That depends on the pony, but for the most part, ponies can live anywhere from one hundred to two hundred years." She answered happily, but her face fell when Applebloom frowned.
"How old were Mama and Papa?" She looked over to Applejack, who gave her a sad smile.
"No where near that old Sugarcube, they didn't die of old age." Applejack turned to the Everfree forest. "There are plenty of dangerous creatures out there, and some of them wont think twice about killing a pony, or causing it great pain." She looked back to Applebloom. "You remember the wedding don't you?" Applebloom shutters at the thought of the changeling's. But the Princess' were there to protect them...Princess'!
"But you said we all live a long life and then we... pass on." Applebloom pondered out loud. "But Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have been around for..." she squints her eyes trying to remember the legends. "... forever!" She can't think of anytime where they weren't in the stories, Twilight smiles warmly.
"Every pony passes on, but Alicorns are different, they can pass on but are immune to time." She explains and Applebloom tries to puzzle it out.
"So that means they won't grow up, but something like what happened to my parents could still happen to Princess Ceslestia, and Princess Luna?" She finishes and looks over to Applejack who is staring at Twilight as if she had seen a ghost.
"Oh sugarcube, that means you too." Applebloom turned to Twilight, who was looking away embarrassed. Why? She's an Alicorn now too, but that means time won't effect her... but all her friends, Spike, even the cutie mark crusaders would all grow up and... die... and Twilight would still be there... to stand over the stones of all best friends and... it was to much. She flung herself at Twilight, at the same time Applejack had worked threw everything as well. With a mighty thump the three went down to the ground, the two Apple's hugging, and sobbing into a very confused Twilight.
"All right girls, your going to get me soaking wet." She tried to wiggle out but the Apples held on tight. "What is wrong? Why all the tears?" She asked, not truly understanding what revelation the two had received. Through sobs each managed to work out what they had figured out.
"...If every pony dies..."
"...And Alicorns don't..."
"...Then you'll be forced to..."
"...Watch us all..."
"...Grow old and..." And in unison they both cried
"...DIE!" After which the two Apples broke down into sobbing, while Twilight could only smile sadly.
"AJ, Applebloom," She crooned softly and they both looked at her. "There is no point in dwelling on what will happen," She hugged them closer. "All I can do is make the best memories with the time we have together, and when your gone, I will proudly carry you with me." Twilight gestures to her heart. "Crying over what will be can only get in the way of what can be, and every pony has to say goodbye at some point." The two still sobbed but allowed the soggy Twilight to stand up again.
"To be honest, Fluttershy is by far the strongest pony around." Earning her a strange look, "The life span of a pony can be up to 200 years, but creatures don't last nearly as long," Again blank stares meet her, with a sigh she elaborates. "Fluttershy is friends with all of the creatures, she gets to see them born, help raise them, watch them grow up, grow old and then die all in the span of a few years." At this the two Apples make the connection and gasp. "And she still trudges on, lovingly doing her duty." Twilight smiles while looking towards the Everfree Forest.
"It was nice to meet your family, and I don't know about you but I really could use some cheering up." Applejack picks her hat up off the ground, dusts it off and replaces it on her head, with a nod back to the two stones she turns to Twilight and smiles.
"A party with Pinkie sounds mighty fine after this." She glances at Applebloom who is still looking at the stones. "I'm sorry you can't remember much of them." Applebloom smiles at her sister.
"We carry what we can." Applejack nods and nudges her little sister
"Now how about some fun?" She motions towards Ponyville.
"Eeyup." She grins and casts one last look to the stones that mark her parents graves with a pensive smile. "Can I visit them again?" And Applejack smiles at her.
"Of course you can just remember their always with you."
So What did you think? I'm just glad its out of my head, There will be one more chapter.