...Must Come To An End.
As Applejack continued to try and wake her sister, her firm grasp on staying awake got weaker. Even though she knew this is probably going to be her last night on Equestria, Applejack had her doubts.
But it didn't matter really, if she was going to wake up the next morning, she wouldn't have long to go, as no muscle in her weak body was prepared to move, and refused to. To her, a sign of the inevitable. She continued her efforts to wake her sister.
A feeling became apparent. A strange feeling like a weight of some sort had engulfed her body. It wasn't painful, or uncomfortable, or at all distressing, but...soothing, and relaxing. With the feeling tempting her already tired mind into sleep, she closed her eyes.
Strangely, her emotions seems to just slip away with every second that she had her eyes shut. Like she was forgetting it all. She didn't feel bad about leaving her family, or friends, or anypony. She didn't know why she should be sad, or why they should be sad.
The weight got heavier, as she continued to think. The feeling of the blanket covering her waist and lower had been diminished. She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't. She couldn't move at all, not even her eyes would move behind her eyelids. Something was happening. Applejack wasn't afraid, but she was very intrigued. She had never felt so...strange.
The weight had got considerably heavy, it felt like she was floating. The springy mattress underneath her had gone. Applejack couldn't think anymore thoughts. Something was stopping her. As the seconds ticked by, a warm aura engulfed Applejack, and she was ever so suddenly brought upward. Thought had returned to her so quickly, it was shocking. Going from not being able to think, to being bombarded with strange happenings, provoking thoughts. Although her thoughts returned, what she was thinking beforehand didn't.
Whatever was going on, she was finding joy in it. It felt so amazing! Her legs were no longer stuck in there positions, they floated along waves of space. At least that is what she thought it was.
Applejack had never felt this awe-struck in her life. And then, she opened her eyes. Quickly glancing behind her, Applejack became confused. She was hovering above...herself. And Apple Bloom too. What was going on? Was Applejack dreaming? She glanced at her hooves after such a long time of them being dormant at her sides. They were somewhat transparent, and glowing. Like a Crystal Pony, but without the crystal.
She looked at her younger sister, curled up on a chair sleeping. Observing all the details she could, Applejack saw that she had been crying. Why was completely beyond AJ at this point in time.
She pieced together all she could remember before whatever was going on started. She wanted to talk to Apple Bloom about something, but she was sleeping, and is still sleeping. Applejack delved deeper into her mind with relative ease, and then it all became clear.
"I'm...dead...?" She asks.
A blinding light emitted from the ceiling, making Applejack jump a bit. Beside taking a short look over her shoulder, Applejack didn't pay much attention to it, as sadness was replacing the awe she had felt. Another feeling of being pulled upward took Applejacks attention away from her sister, as she struggled against it.
She didn't want to go. She wanted to stay in Equestria. After giving in to the force pulling her up, shining blue tears fell from her eyes, glowing as they descended through the ground.
Applejack ascended further, surpassing the light that had pierced through the ceiling. Briefly looking around, there wasn't much to see. Everything was very bright, but there were clouds beneath her. Her tears continued to fall, she could still see her sleeping sister underneath her. Clouds began to cover the room up, to Applejacks sadness. One by one, little clouds patched up the gap in the ceiling, and the last covering up the view of Apple Bloom. She could do nothing to stop it, but she tried. Descending to the ground, she expected to fall through the clouds, as Earth Ponys do, but she stood firm. These clouds didn't look like ordinary ones though, they ever so slightly tinted with gold.
Applejack stared at the ground. The amazing feeling she had was completely crushed. Even though she had only been gone for a few minutes, she missed everypony more than ever.
"...the element of honesty..." Says a mares ghostly voice from behind her.
Applejack didn't look for the origin of the voice, but she listened in.
"...I can understand this is a hard time you are going through, young one-"
"And how would you know?"
"I see it every day. Let me introduce myself."
The speaker was now standing in front of Applejack, who looked up to see a tall Alicorn surrounded by a glow looking upon her.
"I am Lost Geode, more formally, Princess Geode. Princess of the afterlife."
'I am dead...' Applejack thought.
"Why have I never heard of you?" The sadness in her voice was obvious.
"I am kept a secret, for if you knew of my existence, the mortal Princesses would have no place on their thrones."
"Mortal?"
"Correct. We are in the afterlife, Applejack. We are immortal. They are not."
Applejack finally started to take in her surroundings. Huge clouds lined with silver and gold crafted a platform beneath them, blue skies filled every gap, and a tall gate standing on the far side of it all.
"...if I am...dead...what happens now?" Asks AJ.
"Now? Only you can answer that. I am merely here to guide."
That didn't answer her question. Applejacks head sunk back to the ground.
"...why did I have to leave my family? It makes me feel so...terrible..."
"It was your time to go, Applejack. Everypony feels the way your feeling when they arrive. It's just a matter of acceptance."
"Acceptance...how can I accept this, when everyone I love is..." She couldn't continue, the tears fell once again.
"As hard as may seem to conclude, it will happen. The feeling of sadness will soon be replaced with excitement for when your friends and family arrive. In fact, you see that gate?"
"...y-yeah?"
"Take a closer look."
Applejack did, to see two ponies standing on the opposite side.
"...are...are they..."
"Your parents, Applejack. They have been waiting for this day a long time, and they are so exited. You may go."
With a pause to comprehend the sudden change of emotion, AJ runs over to the gate screaming her parents names. The gates open, as they all run for each other. They all take a hug, it had been too long since they had seen each other last.
"I have missed you two so much!"
"I can't believe you are finally here! We have missed you too, sugar!" Says her mother.
They take a gaze into each others eyes.
"I have so much to tell you!" Applejacks voice was broken, but nopony cared.
They all smiled, then continued there grasp on one another. Applejacks father leans in to whisper the words he had strived to say since he arrived.
"Welcome home Applejack."
