Ol' Granny Smith used to always get up in the morning right before the roosters crow, even when she was so old she couldn't stay awake during the day. This morning, Granny Smith sleeps in past the roosters and the rest of the Apple family.
Big Mac's the one to check on her, and he's the one who delivers the bad news to the rest of them. Granny Smith isn't going to wake up again.
They knew the time would come eventually and they know what they have to do now. There's really only one thing that can be done when a member of the Apple family leaves the farm for good. Applejack helps Big Mac carry Ol' Granny Smith's body to the kitchen. They both set her body down on the big breakfast table before she goes to fetch Applebloom.
"Now, this is the first time you ever had to join in," Applejack tells her, opening the knife drawer with one hoof. "But I reckon you gotta do it someday and you're old enough now."
"What are we doing?" Applebloom asks with wide eyes, looking between the knife Applejack has in her mouth and Granny Smith's body on the table.
Applejack hands the knife to her and Applebloom hesitates before taking it. Once her mouth is free, she explains. "Ol' Granny Smith passed away last night, so we hafta make sure she stays with the family on the farm." She pauses, watching her sister quiver. She still remembers the first time she had to do this for Uncle Applebottom. It's frightening the first time, especially when you're a filly at Applebloom's age.
She smiles for Applebloom. "Don't worry though. Big Mac and I'll walk you through it. Just follow our lead."
Applejacks leads her to the table and begins to show her how. She shows her how to peel the skin off from the muscles without leaving any tears or cuts in the meat. Big Mac shows her how to strip the flesh from the bones. Together, they pull out organs and intestines, cleaning them and preparing them for later. Slowly, Applebloom follows the motions that Applejack and Big Mac make. The fear on her face begins to fade away, now that Granny Smith's no longer recognizable as the pony she used to be.
Next, Big Mac shows her how to take the bone and grind it into flour. Applebloom is takes the stone and grinds Granny Smith's bones into fine powder, focusing hard.
"You're doin' real good," Big Mac compliments her. "Granny would be proud."
"Thanks," Applebloom chirps, no longer even the slightest bit afraid.
Big Mac takes the flour and begins to work on the next step, leaving Applebloom to her older sister. Applejack shows her how to cut the meat into tiny cubes and season them properly. Applebloom furrows her brow, trying to perfectly imitate her sister's cuts.
Applejack laughs. "They don't hafta be perfect."
Applebloom makes a face, eyeing the meat as she presses the knife down. "I don't want Granny to go to waste."
Applejack shakes her head and makes a few uneven cuts. "Don't worry, we'll be usin' all of Granny, see?"
Applebloom relaxes after that and they work much faster. Together, they manage to fill up five of Big Mac's pie shells with Granny's meat.
When the pies are in the oven, both of her older siblings show Applebloom how to ball the intestines and skin together. Next they help her run each ball through a machine, making long sausages. They work fast, gathering intestines, grinding them and shaping them into sausages. By the time they're finished, Applejack and Big Mac hooves and forelegs are covered in blood with Applebloom being entirely covered. They all laugh at the sight.
"Go get cleaned up, Applebloom," Applejack says as she gathers the sausages. "Big Mac'll set up the table and I'll finish cookin' these sausages up." Big Mac washes his hooves off in the sink, staining it red before trotting to the kitchen without a word.
Applebloom starts to whine. "Aww, but-"
"No buts. You know how Granny is about cleanin' up before dinner." To top it off, Applejack gives her the look.
Applebloom knows better to argue against the look, even if she grumbles something about how Applejack never cleans up before dinner, and she trots to the bathroom.
When she's gone, Applejack sets up the grill outside safely out of sight of the barn and the pigsty - the pigs and cows always get a bit nervous when there's a grill going. She lays each sausage down just right before slamming the lid shut. Though she never was big into pre-dinner clean up, she takes the hose and sprays herself down. It would be cruel to Granny if she showed up filthy at their last family dinner together.
The sausages finish cooking, coming off the grill fat and juicy with only a little char. She brings them inside to the dining room where Big Mac and Applebloom are waiting by the table. One of the meat pie's sits at the center, and there's already a slice on each of their plates.
Applejack grins and sets the plate on the table. "Good work you two," she says as Big Mac starts to pass the sausage's around. Applebloom looks at the spread hungrily, licking her lips. "This is the first time you had a true Apple Family dinner, Applebloom, so you have to eat as much as you can."
Once everyone has a pie slice and a sausage, she stomps her hoof on the ground. "Now, dig in!"
And they dig in, taking big bites of juicy Granny Smith sausages and delicious Apple Family Pie.
-
The next day, Pippi comes over to their house with a small basket of flowers. "I heard what happened to Granny Smith, Applejack," she says, not looking either Applejack or Applebloom in the eye. "I don't know what they do for these things in Ponyville but..." She scoots the basket through the door with her magic. "You have my most sincere sympathies."
Applejack shakes her head. "Don't worry about it, Pippi. Granny hasn't left us."
Pippi actually meets her eyes, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Family will never leave you." She nudges Applebloom with a hoof. "Show her your cutie mark, Applebloom."
Applebloom beams with pride as she turns around, giving Pippi a clear view of her flank. There's a mark of a steamy pie, similar to Granny Smith's cutie mark. "See?" she chrips.
Pippi nods, thinking it over. "So you inherited your grandmother's cutie mark? Is that what you mean?"
"Close enough." Applebloom turns back around. "Applejack and Big Mac say that Granny Smith will be with us forever now."
"Oh, of course." Pippi smiles at them both. "I'll have to tell Tommy and Annika."
"Go right on ahead, Pippi." Applejack smiles. "But before you go, would you like some pie?"