The old oak on the hill (Patreon)

Fortunately the rest of the Annual Ponyville Summer Barn Dance passed without any drama for Applebloom and Stone Mane in my Equestria dreamscape, and by the time the Apple family headed back to Sweet Apple Acres the filly's spirits had lifted a bit. Still Applebloom was quieter than normal on the way back home.

Next morning Applejack was cleaning up the dishes from breakfast and Applebloom was helping with drying. The filly had been fairly quiet since she'd woken up. As AJ put away the last stack dishes the filly spoke up.

"Sis. Um, Once Stone and I have finished r chores I wanna take him up ta the old oak on the hill. If ya don't mind?"

AJ paused closing the cupboard door and looked back down at her little sister with a quizzical look. "I don't mind, but I am curious sugar cube why ya suddenly wanna take him up there? Ya mind saying why?"

Applebloom sighed and sat down in one of the dining room chair and AJ sat down next to her. The filly took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Last night at the dance. Stone Mane had a run in with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and they tried ta kick dirt on r family name... again. They said that...."

Over the next few minutes the filly told her older sister everything she'd heard the 2 fillies say about her and her family, and Stone Mane's response to them. Link AJ snorted, scowled and firmly stomped a back hoof on the wooden floor."

"Sun and Moon! Their parents should wash their filthy mouths out with soap!" AJ took a deep breath and then let it out slowly then nodded her head. "Okay. If ya wanna take Stone Mane up to it then I reckon he more than anypony will git it."

Stone Mane followed behind Applebloom as the filly lead him up a hill to a part of the farm he'd never been to before. The filly had been very quiet the whole time only responding to his questions with the briefest of replies. At the top of this hill was a giant oak tree. The tree's massive canopy covered much of the hilltop in deep shade.

Applebloom's pace slowed and eventually came to stop about 12ft in front of the tree's trunk. Sunk into the ground at the base of trunk was 2 simply hewn granite slabs about chest high. Slowly the colt came up alongside the filly and stopped. He immediately recognized what they were. There was 2 very similar stones to these back at the Baltimare Veterans Cemetery. 2 stones that Stone Mane was very, very familiar with. The colt felt a lump form in his throat. For about a minute both foals were silent. The only sound was soft hissing of the leaves in the tree and distant sounds of the barnyard animals. Finally Stone Mane coughed.

"So. Is, this where your...."

The Filly spoke up "Yeah. This is my Ma and Pa's final resting place. At. At least they're tagether." The buttercream yellow closed her eyes and then lowered her head.

The nutmeg brown colt looked over at the filly. "May, may I please introduce myself?" Applebloom said nothing but gave the tiniest nod of acknowledgement. The colt took a deep breath, stood up as straight as he could. Then he stepped forward until he was just a couple of feet away from the stones. Coming to attention he sharply stomped his right front hoof on the ground. For several seconds he just stood their silently. Stone Mane had no clear idea what he should really do, so he just started speaking as if he introducing himself to them. He didn't know why but it just felt like the right thing to do.

"Hello. Sir. Ma'am. Uh, my name is Stone Mane. I'm, from Baltimare, and earlier this year I was lucky enough to meet your daughter Applebloom, and..."

He paused looked back at filly who was now silently looking at him. He nodded his head and then looked back at the stones. He took a deep breath and continued to speak. "And although I never got a chance to meet you, you must've been a couple of amazing ponies. Because, I have met Applebloom's brother and her big sister and all of them are some of the nicest, most amazing ponies I've ever met."

Applebloom slowly walked up and silently stood alongside the colt. He turned his head and look at her as he continued to speak.  "I, I don't know how that would be possible unless there had been a couple of amazing ponies to teach and raise them to be like this."

Applebloom moved over and pressed her head against his against his neck. The colt could feel the filly shivering. His voice began quake and his eyes own beginning to water but he pressed on. "And , and I, I, know she loves you very much. As, ah, ah as much as you must've loved her. And I, I uuunderstand how much she misses you because..."

Stone Mane could feel tears trickling down his cheeks and was aware that Applebloom was now sobbing uncontrollably. His mane was growing wet from the filly's tears. "B, b, because. I, I, I lost my parents recently as,as well, and, and I know how much it still hurts for her, but, but still she's willing to help me with, with my loss. And, and for that I love her so much!"

The colt sat down on his haunches and hugged the filly tightly against the barrel of his chest. The filly threw her front legs around him and squeezed the colt in a vise-like embrace. They sat under the shade of the great oak and comforted each other in their loss.

Hidden behind a nearby shrub Applejack and Big Macintosh watched the 2 foals. When Applebloom starting crying AJ started to move forward but her brother placed a front hoof on her back and stopped her. Leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Stay here sis. I reckon we should leave them be. They need this time fer each other. They each have a burden, but now there helping each other carry their's. Fer now let's give them their room. They've earned it."

Slowly the mare and the stallion backed away and quietly trotted away. Leaving the 2 foals alone next to the tombstones under shade of the great oak tree.

To be continued.