“Radio what’s new? Radio, someone still loves you.”
The sun had long since set over Sweet Apple Acres. Shadows cast by the light of the moon stretched from the trees that filled the orchard. The barns were quiet, the day’s work having been finished. The only sign of life was a young, yellow filly gazing wistfully out her bedroom window at the near-empty night sky.
Apple Bloom’s door creaked open and light streamed in from the hallway. “Now what in Sam’s hay are you still doing out of bed, little missy?”
Clambering down from the window sill, Apple Bloom groaned and hopped into bed. “Just lookin’ out at the sky.”
Applejack sighed as she moved to tuck her sister into bed. “Now why would you go and do a thing like that? A little filly like yourself has no business starring up at the sky like some moonstruck hound dog. And it won’t get no work down neither.” Gripping the blanket between her teeth, the Earth Pony pulled the blanket up to Apple Bloom’s chin. “Now you leave the skies to the Pegasus Ponies, you hear?”
Apple Bloom nodded solemnly and pondered for a moment before speaking up softly. “Applejack, what happened to the stars?”
The older pony stopped at the door and gave a tired glance back at her sister. “And what brought this about?”
“I heard Pinkie Pie talking about the stars today,” the little filly began. “She said that the stars used to watch us all the time, like what we was doing and stuff. Didn’t say why, but she was all sad about it. But then Twilight started goin’ on about how that was all just some old mare’s tale. Do you think… do you think any of it might be true? Did the stars really use to watch us?”
Smiling to herself, Applejack left the door open and sat down beside Apple Bloom’s bed. “Here now, little sister. Let me let you in on a little secret.” She paused to allow Apple Bloom to lean in eagerly. “Pinkie Pie was right. They did watch us.”
Apple Bloom settled back in her bed again, a confused look spreading on her face. “But why would they want to watch us?”
Applejack shrugged. “Nopony knows for sure, but they’ve watched us for a long time. Maybe they watched us to learn something, maybe it was because they thought we were entertaining. Ah hey, maybe some of them even took a fancy to us. But whatever the reason, they watched us and they loved us.”
Shuddering, Apple Bloom pulled the covers up further. “Ah’m not sure I like the idea of somepony I’ve never met loving me.”
Applejack chuckled and laid a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “It ain’t at all like that, you silly filly. Oh sure they loved us, but not like that. Or at least ah hope it wasn’t like that. And they didn’t watch us all the time, neither. But every time something big was going down in Equestria, they were there to see it. They were watching when Snips and Snails brought that Ursa Minor to town. They were watching when Nightmare Moon was defeated. They might have even been watching for that little talent show you and your friends put on.”
Apple Bloom blushed at the memory. “Now I don’t know why anypony would want to see that. Nothing good came of it, and it turns out our true calling wasn’t comedy anyhow.”
“Like I said, nopony knows why they watched they just did. They would watch us as we lived, talk about our lives and sometimes even make up stories to fill in the blanks they didn’t see. Every once in a while, a little bit of what they say makes it back to us. It didn’t happen often, but whenever it did everypony would talk about it.”
“Did they say anything about me?”
Applejack smirked. “Apparently they think you and Spike go… nice together.”
“Me and…” Apple Bloom’s snout twisted in puzzlement, “Spike? But he’s not even a pony? Why would they think that?”
“We don’t know anything about them other than what we hear every once in a while,” Applejack said, “and even that can be confusing at times.”
“What else did they say?”
Applejack sighed and reached back through her memory. “Well they thought Luna’s punishment for what happened a thousand years ago was a bit harsh, for one thing. Another thing that turned up a few times was remarks about that odd little pony that works with the moving company.”
“You mean Ditzy Doo?”
The orange Earth Pony nodded. “That’s the one, but they had a few other names for her. Some of them were a might bit rude. They were also talking about how Rarity has something called ODC or something like that. None of us had any clue what they were talkin’ about though. And for some reason they had the strange notion that me and Rainbow Dash—“ she broke off and blushed furiously.
Apple Bloom rose slightly back out of the covers. “What about you and Rainbow Dash?”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it,” Applejack laughed weakly in an attempt to change the subject. “There’s stuff you’re not meant to know yet, maybe when you’re older.”
Frowning, Apple Bloom decided not to press the issue. It was getting late, she was tired and she was already pretty sure arguing was not her special talent. Instead, she returned to the question she had been wondering about the most. “So if they like watching us so much, then why did they leave?”
Shrugging, Applejack stood and stretched her legs. “Who knows? Maybe they found something more interesting to look at. Maybe they weren’t able to watch us anymore. They may have even grown tired of us or, even more likely, tired of each other. By the bits and pieces we put together, they could be a pretty odd bunch and in every group there is bound to be somepony who doesn’t get along.”
“Do you think they will ever come back?”
Appljack smiled down at her sister and gave her a soft kiss on the head. “Maybe, sugar cube. Maybe.” Careful to close the door behind her, Applejack wished her sister a good night and left her to sleep.
Laying in her bed, Apple Bloom continued to gaze out the window. She wondered about the mysterious folk her sister had told her about. I hope they come back, she thought to herself as her eyes drifted shut. The young pony was fast asleep, visions of cutie marks and strange beings that walked on two legs and stared at light boxes danced through her mind.
Soon nothing on the farm stirred but the few critters who revealed in Luna’s gaze. The chirps of crickets and the calls of owl’s sang the world into a slumber as it waited for Celestia’s rising sun. The moon itself sat in the night sky, a silent guardian protecting those who slept from nightmares.
All was still and, in the distance, a single star twinkled to life in the night sky.
