Author's Note

Hello there and welcome back once more to yet another new chapter of Ocular Spectral Therapy, the one story out of many from my craft to go above and beyond the oneshots I have given you since the inception of my very presence; suffice to say, the past chapters from before were by far a strong note for you all which had given a taste of what had came earlier on and yet I have a small confession to make: this chapter is the penultimate installment of this saga for after this will be the very end of it all.

Aside from disclaimers long ago, I want to take the time to say thank you as always for never pulling out too early since we're now already in the the new year and a new month with a new hope to have and holding onto with tender loving care rather than yet a totally lost cause and the strength to continue onward in staying tuned for the future that is the now; in addition, I would also like to apologize for not doing so in time as usual since this chapter here was hard enough to write down given the whole turn of events I had made but I'll say this: it has been a pleasure writing this story, let alone the chapter and for good reason.

Lastly, let me also say that I hope you can find some joy in this chapter now more than in the others before it enough to have the strength in finishing the whole thing at once because another special guest is going to be joining our fateful protagonist in it below; henceforth, I will leave you with much to say significantly: thank you all very much and I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting.

Analepsis

There was now an absolute absence of light in the almost colorless environment; of course, that didn’t mean that it was lonely or without some semblance of substance or sound whatsoever. Even so, there was almost no way that it was either a solid vision of terrain or even of earthly ground to say the very least; not helping matters was a gentle breeze whispering taboo noises. Most importantly of all, there was also a possibility that whatever being resided in there wasn’t as scary as it could’ve been easily perceived all so long ago; besides, looks can still be deceiving.

“Ah should’ve died a long time ago…” a soft and pained cry had echoed within the darkness originating from a tall dark skinned blonde. Dressed upon her tearstained face were a cluster of freckles and a set of bruises intermingling together across where her own jade orbs had resided. Upon the tanned blonde’s left arm was a wet and lanky scar where blood oozed out at once and started to leave behind a trail that diffused onto the watery surface. She was donned a simplistic lightly shade gown stained with her own blood as well, the fabric becoming both wet and dry at the same time. The tanned blonde was barefoot, her heels quickly sensing the unfamiliar terrain that she was already in with little care whatsoever while lying upon the back.

She remained silent for so long while remaining in the same position without any signs of resistance; then, it had started, coming slowly at first before restarting: the pained sobs became loud as it filled the dead air around. The tanned blonde soon quickly buried her face with the right hand, a rather sensible attempt to wipe away the overflowing tears that were now pouring out from the corner of the owner’s eyes already. She then closed her own eyes away from the encroaching darkness around her and reopened them back up at once to find that it was still lurking about from all directions and angles.

The tanned blonde wept as her tears besieged the skin before becoming absorbed by the surface beneath in due time; at this moment in time, a voice unlike hers started to speak slowly, “Applejack…”

“Who is it; who’s there…?” the eponymous listener replied with careless whispering which brew only absolute trepidation, “who are you; have ya come to put me out of mah misery already…?”

“Nay, not at all; as a matter of fact, I hath come to ease thy sorrow instead, dear child…” the mysterious voice slowly answered with a little more tenderness; of course, its identity started to remove such aspects within seconds as a female figure emerged from the liquid. Unlike the tanned blonde, the woman’s skin that was about fifty shades darker but with enough color to avoid matching what was around the two. Glimmering in the distance was a pair of cyan irises glowing about alongside with the rest of the owner’s own two eyes, illuminating the area where Applejack was lying about upon the dirtied and stagnant water. The elongated hair that was flowing into the soft wind was sparkling about, giving off a bluish tint in both the lightest and darkest hues in such texture as the woman was dressed with a small obsidian tiara matching the wide white crescent necklace. A long shimmering dark pink dress was draped over the slender figure with a hemline that barely touched the owner’s shins as a pair of glass slippers were within the tanned blonde’s sight all at once.

Applejack attempted to sit upward and watched the woman hovering near the former’s place in the water while stuttering, “P–P–Princess Luna… is that you…?”

“Yea, ‘tis I, dear Applejack… the one and only hath appeared before thine eyes…” the visitor answered calmly as a faint smile appeared in the visage already, “do not be alarmed, dear child; what thou hath just witnessed was a part of thy dreams that thou makest in such a slumber…”

“Your Majesty, Ah am honored that you had arrived…” the tanned blonde said as blood leaked out into the water, a stark contrast to the princess whose attire had remained clean and serene.

Luna looked upon Applejack and asked calmly, “I hath sensed that thou art troubled: what is it that drivest thee to experience such a vexation…?”

“It’s everything and nothing, Princess…” the tanned blonde answered the visitor at once, “the nightmares are the least of mah worries and Ah could see why: they’re a reflection of mah past troubles from the time the war came to our home. Ever since then, Ah had thought about how alone Ah was with Granny Smith dead and all; it got me thinking about all the horrible things that could’ve happened to Apple Bloom and how Ah could’ve prevented them instead of trying to kill her. What Ah had nearly done to her was selfish and stupid so Ah couldn’t even find the strength to truly look her in the eye and say that Ah am sorry; you could say that this is mah biggest crime that Ah have committed. Anytime Ah end up going to sleep at all, the sights and sounds of mah sister’s cries playing over and over nonstop; even so, Ah can’t even get the memories of the whole ordeal outta mah head. For what it was worth, as soon as Ah saw her again, it reminded me of what this war had turned me into: an angry brutal maniac ready to kill for mah family, the opposite of something that she would’ve been into if Ah hadn’t survive all this. Even though that Apple Bloom has already forgiven me for what Ah had almost done to her, Ah can’t even find the strength to just forgive myself for trying to go through with it at all; after all, Ah swore to kill anyone who caused her such harm.”

“I already understand what thou art enduring: I hast been watching thou ever since the conflict reached an end along with many others likest thyself; suffice it to sayest, thy art not lonely as believed…” Luna said while hovering over to Applejack’s side slowly.

The tanned blonde turned to find the princess onto the left side wearing a sad gaze and replied, “what do you mean by that, Your Majesty…?”

“First off, thou needst not to refer to me as such, dear maiden…” Luna started to speak at once, “there art many subjects such as thyself being forced to experience the aftereffects what hast been unleashed long ago; thine homestead along with the memories madest in the comforts of our homes art proof of such. While ye had been alone, there were few who hast strangers talketh them into death and ridicule them for their willingness to end the predicament permanently; the wounds that they hast giveth thou art reminiscent of mine own upon the right eye from long ago.”

“What do you mean by your right eye, Luna; how can it be having a scar…?” Applejack asked in confusion.

Steadily, the princess began to kneel near the tanned blonde’s bleeding arm and continued to answer, “all beings such as ourselves for example have the ability to conjure up what goeth on in nightmares and daydreams, be if for good or for ill; therefore, it’s wherefore I can let the healing care taketh place much faster than normal through memorization. Although, ‘tis due to the fact that mine power is to only observe the host minds, such as thine, conjuring up their thoughts in a phantasm during their collective nocturnal slumber; nevertheless, unlike the dreamlands, mine eye has fallen victim to a foul villain’s blade no less.”

“Yeah, Ah can see that what you’re trying to say is that mah body is actually okay in the real world; after all, Ah am aware of it but there’s that bothers me: how did it come down to this…?” Applejack said, the weary eyes now wincing at once, “aren’t you supposed to be invulnerable like Princess Celestia here…?”

“Perhaps, thou hast nearly forgotten what mine sister hast spoken of since her visit: while that I’ve lived long enough to survive mine banishment thanks to the astral environment, it has nonetheless reminded me of mistakes from days of yore that hast leadeth to mine abannation…” Luna slowly gasped while holding a right hand over her respective eye.

A slow sigh escapes from the tanned blonde’s lips as she said to the princess with a faint frown, “compared to you, Ah am surprised that Ah haven’t been put to death for what had been done; then again, after all that has happened to me in the passing months, why should Ah even be surprised? Ah can see it now: Apple Bloom would keep being reminded of how we lost the farm and everything else as well in that war; last time Ah had checked, they were going to turn what was left of it into a cemetery.”

“Ah yes… I hast heard of the tragic fate that hath befallen upon Sweet Apple Acres and thy dear kinsfolk much too recently; even the survivors hast starting to grow distrusted of the new state of affairs…” Luna commented as she then placed the same hand on over to Applejack’s bruised eye gently at once, “we art after all indeed showing obvious signs of such vexation with past transgressions such as this…”

“Ah can agree with that but still it has left me worried about what will become of her future as well as his too…” the tanned blonde groaned with a sniffle.

The princess still found sadness in the other naked eye and asked, “art thou referring to the latter whom was born in the vestry?”

“Ah am afraid so: the doctors have said that because of the infection, Ah had died giving birth to him in the process; in addition, they all found out that it has spread to mah womb and left the baby all blind and such…” Applejack answered Luna within earshot, a streak of blood now pouring from underneath the latter’s hand, “Ah think that this is mah punishment for what Ah had tried to do to Apple Bloom in the past: Ah kept thinking about trying to save her from these monsters and found her eyes all closed up from the trauma that she had endured while Ah was out of the way; it had reminded me so much of what Ah gone through, it was as if the whole world had gone black. Last thing Ah remembered, mah hands were tightly around her neck and we were both crying, me having been around such trouble and her being confused and scared of what was happening; soon, Ah saw something in her eyes when Ah looked: a happy memory from her days of as a yearling when she smiled for the first time. Ah ought to have felt so ashamed of what had happened and broken down in front of Apple Bloom so Ah released mah grip and started to hug her instead; ever since then, Ah think how these hands of mine that planted seeds and picked apples became the hands that took and ruined such lives. Ah had never thought that Ah would allow them to go off and do such a terrible thing to a poor defenseless girl one day, especially mah own sister no less; Ah bet that Granny would have disowned me for doing it, not that it would make much of a difference anymore now that she’s gone too.”

“Contrary to what thou may thinkest, it would hath mattered more greatly than on the surface: mine rebellion against dearest sister was even the most heinous transgression: it would hath leadeth the land into unforeseen consequences had I not see the errors of mine ways…” the princess stated a bit loudly as the cyan eyes radiated with snow white as the blood ceased to leak from the tanned blonde’s eye.

Applejack felt her eyelids widen in shock as they then looked into Luna’s visage, watched the blackness of the deep dark void around them both became replaced with the illuminating whiteness instead. Within only seconds, the two found the blank slate of the scenery burst to life with color: midnight blue skies painted with stars, green grassy knolls and hills have eyes alive through the sound of music, flora wilting and succumbing to the cold frost all around, fauna snarling and whimpering with running speed, and the screaming coughs of fear and pain fill the air. Suffice it to say, the tanned blonde also happened to gasp at what was being shown up in front while the princess looked on with a somber look upon the gaze.

The sounds were resonating about as Applejack shut her eyes and ears away from the whole moving pictures while crying out, “WHAT IN TARNATION IS GOING ON HERE, LUNA?!”

“Tis a possible universe out of many others showing what would have happened hath I succeeded against Celestia…” Luna had quickly but calmly answered the observer, placing a left hand around a nearby shoulder gently, “mine cravings for attention from the populace would nearly cometh close towards the total destruction of all beings.”

“AH HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS WITH MAH OWN EYES, LUNA; PLEASE TAKE ME OUT OF THERE!!!” the tanned blonde had screamed quickly at once while shaking her head furiously before the environment around them dissolved back into the white; the princess let go of the shoulder slowly at once.

Applejack shed some tears as she slowly opened her eyes back up to find Luna wiping some away who said, “forgive me if this possibility exacerbated thy distress; the purpose of the ordeal was a way of reminding myself of how fortunate we are that such can be forgiven.”

“You oughta suggest that Ah should forgive the monsters that took everything away from us?!” the tanned blonde suddenly snapped at the princess with little warning in sight whatsoever, “perhaps, Ah oughta ask Zecora to bring Granny Smith and Big Mac back from the dead as well.”

“Actually, what we mean is that thou should be able to findeth the strength within to forgive thyself and move on…” Luna replied as she started to hold both of Applejack’s hands within their grip.

A flood of tears escaping from the corner of the tanned blonde’s eyes started to slow down, something that made the princess concentrate as the former asked, “how do Ah even do that; Ah have done so much wrong and for what, to go after a sister whom Ah end up nearly killing?”

“It all depends on what thou must resolve to perform in the now that matters: thy sister’s optimism shows that she hasn’t given up on thee in spite of the horrors that we hath endureth…” Luna answered Applejack with a small smile forming across the visage, “the best course of action is to survive and move on away from the wretched past; after all, 'tis best to remember that there are those that still loveth thee more than thou is leadeth to be alongside others, dear Applejack.”

“What do you mean by that…?” the tanned blonde sniffled as she returned back to a somber tone.

The princess turned to her side and guided attention to what was once a pale white void, “come, let me show thou what we mean…”

Applejack still held onto Luna’s hand and watched the scenery bursting with life once more, this time with a more benign change of pace than before. Instead of wild flora and fauna succumbing to the ills of before, there were now a small group of people circling around as the sounds of crying were resonating from where they stood. The entire background became solid with a ligneous texture, drenched in differing shades of brown and green as the curvilinear work were automatically inscribed. Out of the two females whom were nearby the sights and sounds provided by them, only the tanned blonde noticed how translucent their bodies were, compared to the other up in front.

“Where are we, Luna; please tell me so, what is this place…?” Applejack asked at once after surveying the new environment around them both, “as a matter of fact, who are these people…?”

“Sweet Apple Acres, dear child, before its destruction and after your arrival; your relatives were there expressing their elation of such parturition…” Luna answered as a hand pointed towards the circle of people within the distance.

As this moment in time, their ears perked up to the sounds of intensifying cries before subsiding into a tender babble as a nearby voice cooed, “oh mah dear sweet grandchild, you gonna be a giant soon, just like your brother…”

“Ah remember that voice now: it’s Granny Smith and that must be Big Macintosh nearby her side and mah parents too…!” the tanned blonde exclaimed as she found a small infant being gently raised up by a pair of hands, “how could Ah have forgotten mah own birth so easily…?”

“So few people can remember what their infancy was like throughout their course of existence overall…” the princess sighed sadly as she focused onto the party of five in front of her.

The two females watched as the small child giggled happily in the grasp of the matriarch who said at once, “Ah see a promising life ahead of you, little bushel: in a few years from now, you will be able to help bring the Apple Clan into greater prosperity alongside with the town as well.”

“Yeah, Ah could have been a lot of things if it weren’t for the war and all…” Applejack sniffed as she noticed the resemblance being shared along with the happy infant in record time before looking away from the others, including Luna as well, “oh, who am Ah kidding? Ah should have been stronger enough to protect Apple Bloom like Ah had promised them, let alone faster enough to save her from these monsters.”

“Please understand Applejack, there was little that thou could have done to prevent any of this, let alone mitigate the impairments that had ensued from the grave conflict overall…” the princess responded to the tanned blonde while placing a hand onto the latter’s chin at once.

Applejack struggled to face Luna once again while asking calmly, “then what must Ah do about it for the now, forget about the war and mah promise altogether…?”

“Nay, mine child: thou would prefer to find the means to remember who you are and what you wish to do in the now…” the princess answered the tanned blonde before the scenery around them started to fizzle out at once, “even so, one must remember to use the benign memories from the past as a measure to look towards the future and move onward; so then, pray tell: who art thou and what does thou wish to do for thyself…?”

“Ah… Ah… am… Applejack and Ah… Ah… want to… help Apple Bloom…” the eponymous speaker stuttered in the process as she found herself in the white void once again, this time alone.

Applejack looked around to find that Luna was nowhere in sight for the former to converse with; however, the latter started to speak once again, “just be sure not to let the transgressions of thy fellow peers leadeth astray of what is truly important in the present; after all, thou hast the lovingkindness of friends and family to help thee be shown the right of way.”

“Ah do what Ah can Luna… for Apple Bloom and for the others as well…” the tanned blonde responded to the princess’ voice in due time no less, “Ah will try to remember that from now on…”

“And that’s all that’s important at this time… fare thee well, dear Applejack… fare thee well…” Luna echoed before dissipating at once; needless to say, Applejack took a deep breath before slowly giving off a faint grin.