Withered and Blooming: Prologue

It was a late spring afternoon in Sweet Apple Acres. Having finished their work for the day, the workers went about their usual business. For the copper colored mare, this meant going inside the farmhouse and resting up. She was tired from the self-inflicted day of hard work, which she was using to take her mind off of a few things.

The mare was just at the steps of the red farmhouse when she heard a familiar boom from her right. She looked and she saw a large circle of rainbow colors on the horizon over the green apple trees and a cyan spot of color topped with a rainbow quickly growing larger and larger.

“Applejack!” a voice called out. The cyan and rainbow blot eventually got close enough to be identified as a familiar cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane coming in fast toward Applejack. She was wearing her Wonderbolt uniform, complete with a blue flight suit and goggles. She eventually slowed down and stopped in the air right in front of Applejack.

“Rainbow Dash, what are y’all doin' here?” Applejack asked.

“Scootaloo has homework that she needs help with,” Rainbow Dash said. “What should I do?”

“Uhh…help her with it,” Applejack pointed out as if it should be obvious.

“Yeah, but she needs help with her math homework and I’m no good at math,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Well don’t look at me either,” Applejack said. “Ah’m no good any of that fancy mathematics that they teach over at that school.”

“Well then who always helps Apple Bloom out with her…?”

“Granny Smith used to,” Applejack said, her head lowered and her Stetson hat covering her eyes.

“Oh uhh…sorry,” Rainbow Dash said. “I’ll…ask around the Wonderbolt headquarters and see if anypony there can help me. Besides, it’s not due ‘till next week anyways according to Scootaloo.”

“Alright,” Applejack said before once again turning to walk into the farmhouse.

“Hay Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said before taking off, “if you need me…I’m finally off season next week. I’ll be back in Ponyville then. If you want me to, I can help out with anything you need. I'll be here.”

“Nah, Ah…Ah’m good,” Applejack said without turning back.

“If you say so,” Rainbow Dash said, “but I’m bringing Twilight back to Ponyville next week anyways. That way if you need it, you’ll have me, Twilight, and Soarin’ all here for you.”

Applejack still had her head turned toward the door and she didn’t say anything at all. All she did was stand there with her head down. Knowingly, Rainbow Dash decided to continue help comfort her.

“Listen I uhh…I’m sorry for your loss,” Rainbow Dash said. Saying something like that is awkward because of how corny she thinks it sounds. “Just uhh…remember if you need somepony to talk to you’ve…got your friends.”

“Ah…know Rainbow Dash,” Applejack said. “Thanks.”

“No prob,” Rainbow Dash said before taking off into the sky.

Applejack sighed before going in. “Ah’m glad for ya help, Rainbow Dash, but…this is somethin' I need to go through with mah family.” She walked inside the farmhouse to meet with her family.

Sitting at the table was a cream colored earth pony filly with a red mane who was holding a pencil and writing on some paper. Next to her was a large red earth pony stallion that was watching her as she did her work. She would, every once in a while, ask a question and the red stallion would answer in as few words as possible.

“Does this look right?” Apple Bloom asked after holding up her paper for Big Macintosh to see.

Big Mac answered with his typical reply. “Eeyup,”

“Well if there were one good thing you got from when y’all used to date Cheerile, then learnin' math was it,” Applejack said. “It’s mighty helpful right about now.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said once again.

“Ya both make sure to keep at it now,” Applejack said. “Ah’m goin' to hit the hay for the day. 'Night everypony.”

Apple Bloom's and Big Macintosh’s eyes followed Applejack as she went upstairs. Once she was gone, Apple Bloom asked “This is the third day in a row. Why is Applejack goin' to bed so early lately? Ah hardly get to see her nowadays because of it.”

“Your sister is workin' herself too hard,” Big Mac explained. “Ever since Granny Smith moved on, Applejack thinks she needs to work harder in order to do everything that Granny Smith used to do when she was alive. We’ve all had to work on different jobs but Applejack feels she needs to do the most. All of the extra work probably helps keep her mind off of Granny Smith's passing.”

“Ah know,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah miss Granny Smith as well.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said for the third time.

“But Ah also miss Applejack,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah hardly get to see her because you bring me to school each day and Applejack is always in bed in the afternoons.”

“Don’t worry, Ah have a plan,” Big Mac. “If Ah can, Ah’ll get your sister back soon, Apple Bloom.”

“Alright, Big Mac,” Apple Bloom said.

Big Macintosh left the table and started up the stairs. Instead of going to his room, he stopped by Applejack's room and let himself in. Applejack was lying in bed with her Stetson hat placed on the wooden desk next to her bed. Applejack thought she was crying in privacy. Of course, as soon as Big Mac let himself in and Applejack noticed, she wiped away her tears and tried acting like nothing was wrong which, for the Element of Honesty, was futile.

“Hay Big Mac,” Applejack said. “What ya doin' in here? Ah want ta get some shut eye before headin' back to work tomorrow.”

“Applejack, you’ve been workin' too hard lately,” Big Mac said. “You’re gonna wear yourself out soon and you’re not spendin' any time with any of your family. It’s just work and sleep for you nowadays.”

“I’ll be fine,” Applejack said.

Big Mac sighed, "Don’t ya remember that one Applebuck Season years back? The one where ya were working yourself half to death because I had that injury and ya refused to get any help? Did ya already forget about that day?”

“Yeah, well Ah’m not applebuckin' right now am Ah?” Applejack asked.

“Ah’m bringing in some help tomorrow,” Big Mac said, without giving Applejack any choice. “Ah’ve sent a letter to Caramel in Manehatten, Breaburn in Appleoosa, and Ah’m bringin' in Fluttershy.”

“Ha! Ah knew it!” Applejack announced. “Ah should have guessed that’s what you’re playin'!”

Big Macintosh backed up a bit, surprised by Applejack’s sudden outburst. “What are ya talkin about?”

“Ya are just gettin' your marefriend on the farm aren’t you?” Applejack asked. “Ya think by throwing me a bone and bringing Caramel here, Ah’m goin to let you bring Fluttershy into this.”

Big Macintosh was silent. While his feelings for Fluttershy was not the main reason for wanting to bring her on the farm, that was the exact reason why he was bringing in Caramel. Applejack knows that Big Macintosh does not like that Sweet Apple Acres Farmhoof at all, which is why when he isn’t helping out at the farm Big Mac wants him as far away from his sister as possible. However, Applejack did not trust Big Mac and Fluttershy in the same place alone because of various misunderstandings.

“Ah’m concerned about your health,” Big Macintosh said. “Ah’m bringin' them in whether you want me to or not.”

“And Ah ain’t gonna get much of a choice now am Ah?” Applejack asked.

“Eenope,” Big Macintosh said turning around to leave. “Ah’m gonna have Fluttershy help with the animals, Breaburn work on cookin' all the pastries Granny Smith used to, and Caramel can help with all of the odd jobs as usual. Y’all can continue doin' your usual apple bucking and Ah’ll work in the fields as usual.”

“Ah’m just gonna let you know, if Ah catch ya messing around with Fluttershy you’re gonna get it from me,” Applejack said.

“Ah’ll make sure to pass the same message to Caramel when he gets over here,” Big Mac said. “Get some rest for tomorrow. Y’all need it.”

“Alright,” Applejack said.

Big Macintosh walked back downstairs to see Apple Bloom crying while hugging the Apple Family Dog, Winona. Winona didn’t mind and was licking Apple Bloom's face, trying to help comfort her. Big Macintosh sighed and walked up to put a hoof over his youngest sister.

“It’ll be alright Apple Bloom,” Big Macintosh said. “We will all get through things, eventually.”