"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"She didn't answer. Should I leave a message?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Okay. Hey AJ, it's Dash."
"And Pinkie!"
"Yeah, and Pinkie. And Sunset."
"Hi Applejack!"
"Okay, quiet guys! The message is gonna get too long! Anyways, we're headed to the beach and we were wondering if you wanted to come. We already called Twi, Fluttershy and Rarity but they're all busy. Maybe you are too and that's why you didn't answer."
"Please come Applejack! It'll be sooo fun!"
"Pinkie, she might be busy. Anyways AJ, let us know, and Sunset can come pick you up. See ya!"
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"Hey, it's Rainbow again."
"And Pinkie!"
"Yeah, Pinkie and Sunset are here to."
"Hi again!"
"Guys!"
"Oops, sorry Dashie."
"Anyways, as soon as we got to the beach it started raining, and it doesn't look like it's gonna let up. We're gonna head over to Sugarcube Corner to chill. I think Twi and Rarity are meeting us there later, but Fluttershy still can't make it."
"Ooo, I really hope you can come!"
"Let us know. See ya!"
"Bye!"
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"Wow, still not answering your phone? Someone must have a busy night. Oh, it's Dash again, in case you didn't know."
"An-"
"Yeah, and Pinkie. And Sunset."
"Hello again. Ouch, Pinkie!"
"Sorry!"
"Ok, well Pinkie just kicked Sunset in the face. From the back seat."
"It was an accident!"
"We're stuck in traffic right now, and Pinkie wanted to try calling you again to see if you'd answer. Which you didn't."
"Answer us! Answer us! Answer us!"
"Pinkie, chanting won't do anything."
"Yeah, listen to Sunset. She knows what she's talking about."
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"Pinkie Pie, what are you doing with my phone?"
"Calm down Dashie, I'm just calling Applejack!"
"Again? We're gonna fill up her entire inbox."
"That's okay, I just like listening to her voicemail message!"
"Pinkie, what just hit my foot?"
"Oops! It was my phone! I dropped it and it slid under your seat."
"Hold on, I think I can reach it."
"Wait till I stop at this red light, okay Dash?"
"Yeah Sunset, I will."
"Get it Dash, get it!"
"Pinkie, we want to make sure she's safe! Ok, now go ahead."
"Almost.... Ah! Got it!"
"Good, now the lights green, put your seatbelt back on-"
CRASH
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"Applejack, um... S-something happened. I-it's Rainbow and S-Sunset. There was an accident, and w-we crashed and now they're not moving an-and I don't know what to do. I-I need help, please answer your phone... I just, I don't know what to do an-and... Oh god, there's blood. There's a lot of blood, an-and and I think it's... Oh god, it's coming from her h-head and please help me, I-I'm all by myself and I just don't know what to do.
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"It's me, P-Pinkie Pie. The p-police and ambulance came... I'm in t-the back of the truck right now, with S-Sunset and Rainbow D-Dash and I tried to ask if they were gonna be okay and the p-paramedics just looked at me and they said they couldn't tell me and oh god, Applejack I just... I just need you to answer your phone and tell me it's gonna be ok because I just don't know w-what to do and I'm not sure why I called you, my fingers just did and I just n-need you to tell me it's going to be ok, please... just answer me...
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"Hi Applejack, it's Twilight. Pinkie told us a while ago that she, Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer were going to meet Rarity and I at Sugarcube Corner. She said that you would be here to, and we were just wondering where everyone was? Do you think the others forgot? It's just the two of us so far. Nobody's answering their phones either, which is weird. Anyways, we'll hang out for a while longer and see if the others show up. Bye!"
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"Oh my god, oh god, Applejack, p-please answer your phone, please please, I n-need you. We got to the hospital and they r-rushed them away, S-Sunset and Rainbow and I don't know where they went and I don't know where to go... Sunset, t-they said she would be alright... But R-rainbow, she was bleeding so much, R-Rainbow was, because her head went right through the windshield, cause she took her s-seatbelt off to pick s-something up... and there was glass in h-her hair and they wouldn't let me near her... and oh god, Applejack.... she just... I-I couldn't see her eyes because they were closed, and, oh god, what if I never see them open again? I just need you to come down here and h-help me because I n-need you."
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"Hey, it's Twilight."
"And Rarity."
"We're just gonna head home now, because the others haven't shown up, and neither have you, and it's been two hours. Why don't we all hang out together tomorrow? I'll text the other girls later."
"See you tomorrow, darling!"
"Bye Applejack, and have a good night!"
"End of message."
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"She's gone. Oh god, she's gone... They couldn't save her, they tried but they just couldn't save her... Sunset's gonna be okay, but... But Rainbow is gone, and it's my fault and oh god, Applejack please just answer your phone! I need someone to just be here, and the doctors were asking for her information, they have to tell her family, and I... I just need to get out of here. I don't know where to go or how I'll get there but I just need to go. Because Dashie is dead and I lived and it should have been me! She had so much to live for, and she had so many plans for what she was gonna do and now she can't. Did you know she just got a scholarship for university? She j-just told me today. She was gonna graduate, and go live her dream, and now she can't... And it should have been me! Why did it have to be R-Rainbow, none of this was her fault! I've gotta get out of here. Applejack, why aren't you answering your phone, I need you to answer your phone. I don't know what-"
"End of message."
Applebloom paused, her clenched fist mere inches away from the wooden door. She pressed her ear to the worn surface, listening intently. The young girl heard nothing, so she turned around, about to walk away. As she took a step, she spotted her older brother leaning against his doorframe with crossed arms.
"Mac, what's wrong? What happened?" Applebloom whispered, a sense of dread filling her entire body. "Something had to have happened." Mac shook his head.
"Don't know." He grunted. "Granny wouldn't tell me. But I do know that Applejack needs someone to be there for her." Applebloom nodded, approaching the oldest Apple sibling.
"Well, tell me what happens later, ok?" She slowly walked towards her own room before she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"Little Bloom," she turned, surprised by Mac's voice. The last time he had called her by that old nickname was at their dad's funeral, six years ago. He gripped her shoulders, bending down so he was at her height.
"Mac?" She whispered.
"You've gotta do it." He broke their eye contact. "I'm no good at talking about feelings and stuff. I reckon she needs you more than she needs me right now." Applebloom bit her lip.
"Ok." She nodded. "Ok, I will." Mac smiled sadly.
"I'll be waiting, right out here." He sat on the floor across from Applejack's bedroom door. Applebloom approached the door again and raised her fist. Glancing at her brother one last time, she knocked three times. There was no answer, but she slowly turned the doorknob.
"Applejack?" She cracked the door and slipped inside. "It's me, Bloom." She was met by a loud sniff.
"H-heya Bloom." Applejack's voice cracked slightly. Applebloom stepped further into the room, catching sight of her sister. She was sitting in the space between her bed and the wall, clutching her phone in her hand. Applebloom couldn't see her face, as it was hidden behind her long, blond hair.
"Applejack?" Applebloom cautiously approached her sister, unsure of what to say. "Can I sit with you?" The girl huddled on the floor didn't answer. Applebloom slid down next to her, hugging her knees. The sisters sat in silence for a moment, one with tears streaming down her face, the other with a tight throat and a heavy chest.
"Do... Do you wanna tell me what happened?" The redhead scooted closer, so their shoulders were touching. Applejack shook her head.
"Nope." She clenched her fist tighter around her phone, which had been dead until about an hour prior. "You can listen for yourself." She dropped the phone in Applebloom's lap. The young girl glanced at the screen, seeing the inbox full of voicemails. She tapped the first one, dated for earlier that day, and held it up to her ear. She felt Applejack's hand grip her own, her tears flowing faster.
"Howdy, it's Applejack. Sorry I missed your call, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
BEEP
"She didn't answer. Should I leave a message?"