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- +---------------------------------------------------------------+
- | Applejack One-shots |
- | |
- | A series of unrelated greens featuring the bestest pone |
- | in the series -- Appulhors. |
- +---------------------------------------------------------------+
- -----------------===]| Table of Contents |[===-----------------
- Maximum Onions - Stranded ............................ AJ01
- Maximum Onions - Time Flies .......................... AJ02
- ---------------------------===={@}====---------------------------
- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~{( AJ01 )}~-~-~-
- Maximum Onions - Stranded
- Prompt:
- You can be with Applejack forever but the downside is shes human and
- will be stuck in this world with you. Is it worth it?
- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
- >>"No, no, no, no, NO, NO—"
- >The panicked farmer sprinted towards the statue, clawing at her beautiful golden hair in ugly tufts.
- >Her well-worn stetson fell out of her head and plopped sadly on the concrete floor.
- >She paid no mind.
- >She was too busy palming at the base of the statue, groping at the magic that wasn't there anymore.
- >>"Consarn it, why ain'tcha workin' no more??!"
- >The panic in her emerald green eyes were absolutely palpable.
- >If only anyone from Ponyville could see her now.
- >They'd remark at how this was all very much unlike her.
- >Sure, she got a little too emotional every now and then — even shed some tears when the occasion called for it.
- >But wanton panic was something the Element of Honesty was simply not known for.
- >That'd be scandalous, indeed.
- >Rarity would never let Applejack live it down. Maybe even spread the gossip to other ponies around Ponyville.
- >Applejack desperately wanted to see ponies gossip again.
- >Seconds became minutes. Minutes piled on high enough to reach an hour.
- >Clouds began gathering about, losing a drop of rain here and there.
- >Applejack continued to palm at the portal.
- >Tapping. Brushing. Punching. Begging. Kicking. Screaming.
- >The portal, if it ever had been one, stood unresponsive.
- >It was another round of kicks and screams before the damsel in distress broke down into tears.
- >Her howls devolved into sad moans, then to wracking sobs.
- >The husky-folky rasp of her voice rang out as the skies began pouring.
- >Soon, Applejack was soaked through and through.
- >Her stetson lay about behind her, waterlogged and crumpled.
- >Her cherished gift from Rarity, and the only reminder of her now-lost homeworld.
- >She didn't mind that one bit.
- >She just wanted to see ponies gossip one more time.
- >Clik-clok of heels on wet concrete, soft drumming of raindrops on an umbrella.
- >Something blocked the rain above her head, forcing her to look up.
- >One crimson-gold haired girl greeted her, wondering just what in the world her friend was doing out in the rain next to the portal.
- >Much to Applejack's confusion, the unwelcome stranger knew her by her name.
- >Without a word, Applejack pointed at the portal.
- >The stranger darted her piercing teal eyes between Applejack and the portal, mentally clicking pieces together.
- >She approached the dais of the statue, terrified sadness crumpling the corners of her mouth.
- >Her shaky hand met where the portal had been with a cold slap.
- >The stranger closed her eyes and sighed, finally understanding.
- >She knelt next to Applejack.
- >Applejack was shivering, having spent all of her strength weeping.
- >Her moans became muffled as the crimson-gold stranger pulled her into a tight hug.
- >>"I am so sorry, Applejack. I don't know how you ended up here, but I swear to Celestia I'll find a way to open the portal again."
- >Applejack sniffled, finding some comfort in the embrace.
- >>"Wh-who are you...?"
- >The stranger tightened her hug.
- >>"I'm Sunset Shimmer. Twilight may have mentioned my name in passing."
- >Hours turned into days. Days into months.
- >Despite all the surprises along the way, Applejack made an effort to adjust to her new life.
- >The biggest surprise came when Sunset introduced her to the... human counterpart of Applejack.
- >She felt a surreal amusement in watching her doppelganger go about her life, surprisingly similar to her own in Ponyville.
- >But soon, amusement gave way to jealousy.
- >Watching the "other" Applejack enjoying her life was a constant reminder of the life she herself will never have again.
- >The farm, Winona, Granny Smith, Big Mac.
- >Applebloom.
- >Applejack began avoiding her human counterpart. Then her friends. Then Sunset.
- >The latter part was hard, what with her being the only one with the means to reopen the portal.
- >And Sunset tried her damnedest, sparing no resources. It was as though she had devoted her entire life to the endeavor.
- >She too was a pony, after all.
- >Months turned into years in the blink of an eye, and years had consumed Applejack raw.
- >She lashed out at the slightest provocation, her usual unperturbable demeanor all but gone.
- >Now it was her friends that began avoiding Applejack.
- >One by one, they stopped visiting, no longer willing to put up with her barbed words.
- >The particularly nasty estrangement happened on Sunset's last visit.
- >>"What the hay's takin' so long, Sunny?"
- >The extra hoarse tone betrayed her age more than the crow's feet around her eyes did.
- >>"Excuse me?"
- >>"Ah said, what the hay's takin' so long?"
- >Instead of her usual apology, Sunset exploded.
- >She had dedicated years of hard work trying to reopen the portal, almost setting aside her own life for the endeavor.
- >Applejack knew that, and she felt deathly guilty for lashing out.
- >But the steady easygoing farmgirl wasn't a girl anymore, and years of frustration kept her in a stranglehold.
- >Apple Bloom must be a full-grown mare by now.
- >>"I am sorry, I didn't realize that I OWED it to you to reopen the wretched hole in the universe. Do you have ANY idea about the career opportunities I've passed up to work on this damn thing? I have friends and families in Ponyville too, you know—"
- >At her birthday soiree, Applejack argued with her only guest.
- ————————————
- Dear Applejack,
- Happy 30th birthday!
- I know the times are hard for you, but don't lose your hope just yet.
- Remember the promise we made? That we'd go to Sugarcube Corner for a box of your favorite donuts when this is all over?
- We'll make it to Ponyville someday, somehow. I can feel it.
- So don't lose that element-of-honesty calm of yours!
- Your friend,
- Sunset Shimmer
- ————————————
- >The seaside wind slapped at the birthday card, shaking loose some of the decorative glitter.
- >Applejack loosened her grip on it, letting it go.
- >She smiled weakly as it fluttered away into the crimson-yellow sunset.
- >A smile.
- >She hadn't felt that grace her lips in a long time.
- >She took a step forward, crunching dirt and dead grass underfoot.
- >The icy blue waves crashed into the sheer cliff far beneath her feet, filling the air with water vapor and sounds.
- >Applejack's golden hair whipped about in the salty wind, reminding her of one of the family trips to the beach.
- >Granny Smith napping. Big Mac building a sandcastle with Apple Bloom.
- >Apple Bloom must be a full-grown mare by now.
- >The sun hid itself further behind the horizon, staining the clouds red.
- >Applejack's emerald-green eyes glittered in the light, scattering droplets of tears into the wind.
- >If only she could see her loved ones again.
- >She took one last step forward, towards the sunset.
- -- fin --
- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~{( AJ02 )}~-~-~-
- Maximum Onions - Time Flies
- (No prompt -- S5E20 one-shot)
- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
- >Little sister got her cutie mark.
- >She wants to "help other ponies rediscover their cutie marks," she says.
- >She's so happy and full of purpose, so you're happy too. You fully support her destiny because darn it, she's an Apple too.
- >Even though it means she probably won't be helping out with the farm anytime soon.
- >Granny Smith is getting older by the day.
- >She used to be able to help out with some farmwork here and there, but now that her arthritis has gotten worse, she can't even lift an apple without pain.
- >She double-checks her own ledger now. Her mind isn't what it used to be.
- >Big Mac isn't in his prime anymore, either.
- >Every year it takes him a little longer to plow the fields than the previous year.
- >The same wagon load that he used to tow without effort worries him a little.
- >He tries not to show it, but you can see it in his eyes. Sunken and lined with crow's feet.
- >Celebrating Hearthswarming Eve with the Pies.
- >Maybe trying out something different will help you forget your mounting worries.
- >It's surprisingly rock-themed, even for a family that runs a rock farm.
- >Some hiccups here and there, but the two families finally manage to get along nicely.
- >Big Mac's been eyeing Marble Pie all weekend.
- >And apparently she's been eyeing him right back.
- >You encourage him. He isn't getting any younger and she's a nice girl.
- >They sit next to each other by the fireplace, probably whispering sweet-nothings.
- >And that's when it hits you all at once.
- >Where has all the time gone?
- >How many more years until you aren't in your prime anymore?
- >Caring for Granny Smith, looking after Applebloom, bucking apples...
- >Big Mac has been a huge help, but he won't be around forever. He has his needs, too.
- >When he's too busy raising his own family, who's going to help you with the farm?
- >Your friends are busy mares with their own careers to worry about. And you aren't exactly making enough to hire anyone.
- >Will you ever get the chance to raise a family of your own?
- >You're surrounded by family, but you're so lonely.
- >It feels like you were a strapping young lass only yesterday.
- >Where has all the time gone?
- -- The end --
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