My friends and I were walking through the streets, and we felt something off about today. Nopony said a word to state that, even Pinkie Pie fell silent, but you could see it. There was only one pony missing from our regular group, Applejack, and we were heading to the Apple family's stand. Unfortunately, Big Macintosh was running the stand. Pinkie came up and greeted, "Hi, Big Mac! Where's AJ?"

"She's taking care of Granny Smith at the hospital," the red stallion explained. I had never personally met Granny Smith, but from what I'd heard from Applebloom, she was one of the founders of Ponyville. Granny Smith was dreadfully ill, and it was good to see AJ willing to take care of her. We all headed to Ponyville's hospital, only to see the orange earth pony walking out, tears in her eyes. I was the first to come up to her and ask, "Hey, AJ. What's wrong?"

She was sobbing so hard, she had to sputter out an answer, "Gr-granny…sh-she…h-hit...the dust…." We all gasped at her words, even Pinkie Pie understanding what she meant. "I…have decided to give 'er a proper funeral…can y'all attend?" We all nodded, even me. We then followed her around as she told Big Mac, who even though strong, was holding back tears. We watched as she told Applebloom, who actually looked confused. I thought as I saw her expression, She knows what death is, right?

The funeral was only two days later. Everypony was so sad, not even Pinkie could put the "fun" back in "funeral". Some ponies came up to where Granny Smith lay in her coffin and said a few words. AJ, of course, was the first. She announced, "I never thought this day would come…where I would have to say good-bye to Granny. She was one of the ponies that founded this town, and I don't know if the Zap Apple harvest could happen without her," most of the ponies in the crowd gasped at this, "but I do know one thing: she would've wanted something like this to go out on, some time where everypony she knew and loved could come together and be there for her."

Many more ponies came up onto the front and had a speech prepared. Some friends and acquaintances of the old mare that had survived the years told how well Granny Smith had kept in touch with all of them. Caramel, a farm-hand of Sweet Apple Acres, shared how he accepted to help Granny Smith out on the farm one day got him his cutie mark. Even Big Mac, who was usually soft-spoken came up and said a few short words. The only member of the Apple family who didn't come up when the ceremony was over was Applebloom.

"Hey, are you gonna go up there?" I asked her, since she was sitting right next to me. The teenage mare asked me back, "What am I supposed to say?"

"Just…tell how much you miss Granny Smith, and that you're sure she'll have a happy afterlife, that sort of thing," I tried to explain. She still looked at me confused. There was a bit of bitter silence until Applebloom broke it by saying, "DD?"

"Yes?" I immediately responded.

"….What's this thing called death?" Her words hit me like a brick wall. Never before had I met somepony her age that didn't know what death was. I had learned hard and at a young age, my grandmother only dying at the age of five. How the Apple family had hidden what death was from her for this long was anypony's best guess. And it would have to wait even longer, as I just scruffed up her mane and answered, "Maybe when you're older, 'Bloom."

"But that's what everypony says!" she whined. "AJ won't tell me! Big Mac won't tell me! And my parents…well, AJ told me they left a long time ago." Well, that was as close I was going to get to an answer why. I guessed the Apple siblings wanted Applebloom's parents to tell her about this. Come to think of it, I'd never seen AJ's parents around Sweet Apple Acres.

The days after the ceremony passed slowly. There was no sign of the Apple family members around town, and this worried me. Besides Twilight, Applejack was my other closest friend. I appreciated her honesty and hard work, which contrasted my laid-back look on life.

I came to Sweet Apple Acres a few nights afterwards, only to find Applejack watching the stars. I hopped over the fence, and silently joined her. I then said, "Whatcha thinking about, AJ?" which startled the orange earth pony. She stared at me for the longest while, then, realizing my intentions of being here, sighed, "I'm just thinking about my parents…who they were."

"Yeah, Applebloom mentioned them, and said they left a long time ago. What happened?"

"After…after 'Bloom was born, my parents were needed to help out at another Apple family farm in Hoofington, so they left us. I left for Manehattan a few days later, and when I got back, Granny gave me news that my parents wouldn't be able to make it back. G-Granny Smith was the only real parent figure I ever h-had…" She started to break into tears, and as she got up, continued, "th-that's why I'm gonna leave for Hoofington tomorrow."

"What?!" My friends screamed, gathered at Sugarcube Corner the next day as I explained what happened that night. We all immediately ran to Sweet Apple Acres, only to find Applejack coming out the door, saddlebags in tow. Twilight spoke against it first, "Applejack, this is insane!"

"Sorry, but I need to find my parents," she stated, walking away.

"But this is silly!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, only to add on seconds later, "Now, that's ironic…"

"But Pinkie, this is serious! I need to find my parents. You don't know how long they've been gone." She started to walk even further away. After a few minutes of following her, Fluttershy timidly asked, "Is there anything we can convince you to stay here?"

"Maybe if you can perform miracles, because I ain't staying unless you can bring Granny Smith back!" She started to run, and we all followed in hot pursuit. Rainbow Dash, the first one to catch up to her, explained, "Look, I think when Granny Smith told you your parents weren't coming back, it was like you telling us she hit the dust. Face it, they're dead." At those words, AJ snapped, and ran off crying. We all gave RD a stern look and she asked, "What? It's probably true!"

I decided to follow the distressed orange earth pony down the road farther, while my friends were busy scolding the rainbow-maned Pegasus. I had to race to catch up, but I found here down the road. I asked her, "Are you going to walk the way to Hoofington?" A bit surprised by my question, she asked, "What'd you say?"

"Are you going to take the train or walk all the way there?"

"I'll probably walk there, stop at Manehattan if my relatives are willing to let me stay after I haven't seen them in forever…"

"Well, are you sure you want to leave just so you can be with your parents?"

"Yes! After Granny Smith, the parents are the only figure I have left." There it was, I thought. There's AJ's stubbornness getting in the way of a conscious decision. I explained, "Well, you don't have to have somepony to look up to, to do what you do best."

"You have your art heroes, don't you?"

"But most of them are dead! But that doesn't mean they've left a legacy I can reflect on…didn't your granny have that?"

"Yes, she did. She was one of the founders of Ponyville, and tread through the land before it was even a town. She discovered Zap Apples, something that's only found in the EverfreeForest."

"And I bet you can only raise those apples properly, right?"

"Granny Smith told us that it would always be a team effort, and that means all of your family has to help out. Even if it means your extended one." Applejack, now finally making a rash decision, turned around and I followed her. We took the same path back, caught up with our friends, and all headed to Sweet Apple Acres to just hang out.

I was the last to leave, probably because I stayed behind to tell AJ about my experiences with the death of my relatives. I then noticed Applebloom sitting under the stars, much like her sister was last night. I excused myself from me and the orange earth pony's conversation to see what she was doing. Then, I had a brilliant idea, and as I came up to the teenage mare, asked, "So, do you want me to finally tell you what death is?"

"Sure do!" She exclaimed, ears perking up. She then noticed I had a serious expression on my face, and mirrored it as I explained, "Death is…sort of a passing into another world. It's a world where your granny doesn't have a busted, old hip…and she has the most beautiful white wings. But with this amazing new life comes a price: you can't come back to this world, and you must take on extraordinary pain to pass through."

"Do…I have a choice about this passing?"

"No, but once you reach your granny's age, it can strike at any time, and it's not something to be enjoyed. Remember, it brings great pain and destruction."

"I…think I understand," she said, getting up to head back to the house. I then headed home, since it was getting severely late. I then wrote another letter to my parents once I got there.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today, over the past few days, I've learned that huge changes can bring huge consequences, and can affect each pony differently. Some may get angry, some may feel depressed, and some may shrug it off, feeling indifference.

But changes mean that ponies should band together and help those friends out who have been affected. Some may not even understand the situation they're in, and may need to be told in a special way what's going on.

Your loving daughter,

Doodledraw