Chapters New Arrivals And Tearful Goodbyes.
Applejack stirred as the sound of the rooster's crow entered her bedroom's window. With a yawn, she sat up and rubbed her eyes as she looked to see the figure of her big brother standing at the foot of her bed.
*Yawn* "Morning Big Mac, What are y'all doing in mah room?" She asked puzzled.
"Pa told me to come and get ya.” He answered. "Said we're having a family meeting in the Nursery."
"Family meeting? What about?"
"Pa said Something about it having to do with the shooting star that crashed into the orchard last night."
In an instant Applejack wiped the remaining sleep out of her eyes and threw off her sheets following her older brother to nursery next to her parent's room.
"Ma what's going on?" Applejack asked as entered the nursery. To her surprise, her parents are standing over the crib in the center of the room while her Grandmother sat in a rocking chair in the corner.
"Good to see your finally up.” Pear Butter replied. "Now the reason Ye'r Pa and A'h called this family meeting is on the count of something landed in the orchard last night."
Applejack's eyes lit up with excitement at the mention of the fallen star. "Where is it Ma can we see it?"
Lying in the crib was a small white colt with a snow white coat and a tuft of a steel gray mane on his forehead. The little filly could hardly believe her ears. "What are y'all talking about? A'h thought you said it was a shooting star?" Bright Mac smiled and set her down on the floor.
"Bright Mac, please take a seat we've got much to discuss." Pear Butter said as she ushered her daughter over to the couch. She took a deep breath as Applejack sat next to her brother.
"Y'all know how some foals are found in baskets hun? Well after yer pa and A'h sent you both to bed we went out to the orchard to see what the damage was. When we got there we found well... It's hard to describe." Pear Butter ran a hoof thru her mane as she tried to think of the right word to say. "Ah guess there's no other way to say it, it looked like some kind of rocket ship or something."
Applejack's eyes widened with excitement at the mention of a rocket ship. She was a pretty good teller if somepony was lying for her age. And it wasn't like her parents to go around telling tall tales. A glance around the living room showed that the rest of the family echoed her astonishment. Big Mac was left even more speechless than usual, Not even able to let out a gasp while Granny's lower jaw fell so low that Applejack thought her dentures might fall out.
Finally, Applejack found the will to speak again. "Where's the rocket now Pa?"
"It's out in the barn right now and that's where it's gonna stay.” He answered. "A'h think it's best for now that we keep this a family secret until we decide what to do with it. In the meantime, Ah think we should get back on subject." Applejack's gaze drew back to the colt quietly napping in the crib. "Ye'r Mother and A'h talked it over last night and we decided that in light of these strange circumstances we're going to adopt him.”
" Mac are Y'all sure about this?" Granny said climbing out of her rocker. "Pear is already eight months along. You really think yer capable of taking on two youngins at the same time?"
Bright Mac scratched his head with his hoof. "It wasn't mah idea Ma honest A'h tried talking her out of it, But you know how stubborn she gets Ow!" Bright Mac winced as Pear Butter flicked his wrist with her hoof
"Ah'm grateful that your thinking of me in Ma'h time of great need." She said with a smile. "Really Ah am, But mah mind's made up and there ain't nothing either of you can say or do to convince me otherwise."
Granny Smith cracked a smile. "Sounds she's got you whipped pretty good."
Bright Mac could only look up at her and scratch his neck. "Yeah looks like it." He said.
"So what are we gonna call him?" The Apples looked over to their daughter, peering over the bars of the crib. In all the excitement they'd never given it really given it much thought. Bright Mac looked down at his daughter who was gazing up at him.
"A'h guess we haven't figured that out yet Sugarcube.” Bright Mac grunted as he took off his hat. "There wasn't any letter or name tag when we found him." He turned his hat upside down and a small golden diamond shaped pendant fell into his hoof. "All he was wearing was this when we found him."
"Comet."
"Excuse me, dear?" Pear Butter asked looking down at her.
"Ah was just thinking that might be his name on the count ah there's one on this pendant." Applejack said as she held up to her Mother's face.
"Comet? whoever heard of an Apple named Comet?" Granny Smith suddenly spoke out. Applejack's ears perked up as a bright idea passed thru her head.
"Well, what about Apple Comet Granny?" She suggested. "It's got Apple in it and it sort of suits him since he's from space or something."
"Applejack," she said. "Ah don't think that's a good name for him." Applejack's ears drooped down as she looked down at the floor. Suddenly a wide smile crossed Granny Smith's face. "A'h think it's GREAT Name for him!" She exclaimed. Applejack smiled and grabbed her Grandmother's foreleg, While Bright Mac, Pear Butter and Big Mac, looked on proudly.
"Apple Comet huh? A'h like it." Bright Mac said. "It's a little unusual but A'h gotta admit A'h like how it rolls off the tongue."
"A'h think it's just perfect for him darling." Pear Butter said. Applejack turned to her older brother who was leaning over the arm of the couch to get a better look over the rest of the family.
"What do you think Big Mac?" She asked him.
"E'yup." He answered simply.
"Well, then it's all settled.” Pear Butter Exclaimed. "Welcome to the Family AppleComet." A yawn escaped from the young foal's muzzle as he stretched his legs out to stand up.
"Hi, there little fella!" Pear Butter cooed. AppleComet looked up at her puzzled. "Ah'm yer Mother and this is your Pa and your big siblings Big Macintosh and Applejack."
"Hi, there pardner nice to meet ya." Applejack said as she reached down to rub his cheek with her hoof.
“And this here is gonna be your baby sister real soon.” Pear Butter said pointing to her large round barrel. “She's sleeping right now but Ah promise you'll be seeing her in a few more months. A'h bet yer as hungry as a billy goat after all you've been thru." She gently leaned down into the crib and picked AppleComet up by the scruff of his neck. "Let's git Y'all changed up and fed and after breakfast, I'll give y'all a good burping."
"Can we see the rocket now Pa?" Applejack asked turning back to her father.
"We'll talk about it after breakfast Sugarcube. If y'all both get yer chores done this morning then maybe Ah'll let cha take a peek at it."
"Race ya to breakfast!" Applejack called out as she dashed for the kitchen Her brother fast in hot pursuit.
Bright Mac looked down at his wife who barely came up to his shoulder as she set the newest addition to their family on the floor to change him. She was positively radiant with the beauty of budding motherhood. "E'yup They sure are darling, They sure are."
"There all done." Pear Butter smiled as she set the dirty diaper next to her husband. "Ya'll mind getting rid of that fe'r me? Ah think someone's a little hungry.” She lay down on the floor and nudged AppleComet next to her teats. Bright Mac watched as the tiny colt sniffed at the sweet scent of her milk and slowly began to drink.
"Sure thing dear." He said before picking up the dirty diaper and tossing it into the bin. He wasn't ashamed to admit it, He'd been wrong. The boy was going to make a fine addition to the Apple Family and a great sibling for the rest of the youngins.
Four Months Later
“ARRRRRRRRRGH!!!!” Pear Butter let out a shriek as she felt another contraction.
"Move aside this is an emergency!" Nurses and Orderlies stood aside as the doctors rushed Pear Butter into the operating room. Her worst nightmare was coming true. Fifteen minutes had passed since her contractions began and her cervix had only dilated by 7cm.
Downstairs In the waiting area, the rest of the Apple family sat and waited for the inevitable news. Big Macintosh and Applejack huddled close to their father as they wondered if their mother was going to be okay.
"It's going to be okay isn't it Pa?" Applejack asked her father. Her eyes were moist with tears as she looked up at him.
The towering stallion could only sigh and look down the hall where his wife had just been taken. "Ah don't know Sugarcube.” He answered. "A'h just don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know Pa? Is the doctor supposed to make ponies better ain't he? He's gonna make Ma all better and the baby too! Please, Pa Tell me Ma's gonna be okay."
"Sugarcube Y'all just need to calm down now, It ain't gonna ya any good to get worked up." Applejack sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I need you to listen to me alright, Are ya listening?" The Orange Filly took a deep breath and nodded. "Good Girl, Now listen I want you to promise me that no what happens with yer Ma and yer sister that Y'all be strong for us okay Sugarcube?"
Applejack sniffled and swallowed as she looked up at her father. A swipe of her hoof and the sadness was wiped away from her eyes, replaced by a stoic look of determination. "Ah promise Pa!"
Bright Mac looked down at his daughter's face, The worried, scared filly was gone and in her place was a strong confident mare. “She get's that from her mother no doubt." He thought as he looked back down the hall to the operating room. "A'h just wish A'h could share even one ounce of her innocence right now.”
The doctors had warned Pear Butter after she found out she was pregnant that her last two births had left her at a high risk for complications. Big Mac especially as well as Applejack had both been born larger than normal foals and the doctor had advised her against giving birth to this one. She'd refused to abort but had agreed to a caesarian in the event something went wrong. Bright Mac could only blame himself. "They get it from my side of the family after all." He thought as remembering how his Mother had to have him delivered by a caesarian. She'd swallowed her pride after that and decided one foal was enough after him.
He looked over at his mother who was holding AppleComet in her arms while Big Mac lay his head in her lap. The tiny foal was content to squirm and wriggle in Granny Smith's arms, While the young colt just lay there, his eyes filled with dread and uncertainty. It was as if he knew what was wrong with his mother and what was likely going to happen to her, It was a feeling his father shared.
Beep beep beep beep beep.
Pear Butter's heartbeat echoed from the EKG monitor, the rhythm increasing steadily slower as the analgesic spell began to take effect. Her coat was coated in sweat from hours of attempting to deliver but with no success.
"You're doing great Pear Butter, I just need you to stay calm and let us do the rest." A nurse said to her. Pear Butter's vision began to blur from the painkiller spell as the surgeons gathered around her.
"Is everything ready?" The Head Surgeon, a Unicorn with a scalpel for a cutie mark asked.
"Yes, Doctor Scalpel." His Assistant answered. "She's been sedated but we don't have much time.”
Pear Butter watched as Dr. Scalpel made the first incision into her stomach. The analgesic spell meant she couldn't feel anything, She could only look on as the doctor cut her stomach open like a side of beef.
"I see the head!" One of the surgeons cried out as Dr. Scalpel reached inside of her and slowly pulled out a tiny figure of a little filly. A soft wailing filled the room as the newborn filly took her first breaths.
"Congratulations Mrs. Apple it's a filly, a beautiful healthy Filly."
A wave of relief washed over Pear Butter as Doctor Scalpel cut the umbilical cord and handed off the newborn to her.
"Have you decided on a name for her yet?" One of the doctors asked her.
"Apple Bloom." She stated. "Her name shall be Apple Bloom.” Suddenly Pear Butter heard the EKG beating faster. She looked down and let out a horrified scream as she saw the sheets of her gurney turning a deep red.
"Oh no she's hemorrhaging! Get me an IV of blood stat and a hemostat potion stat!" Doctor Scalpel cried out. Pear Butter felt a shiver of cold rush down her spine. Her worst fear was coming true. The sudden drama was too much for her newborn who began wailing loudly as the surgeons fought valiantly to save Pear Butter's life.
"Nurse get the foal to postnatal care for clean up immediately!"
"Right away Doctor!" The nurse gently took Apple Bloom from her mother's arms and wrapped her in a blanket.
"Her heart rate is dropping where's that hemostat potion?" Pear Butter's vision began to blur as she felt the life draining out of her. It was getting so cold!
"Here it is Doctor Scalpel." One of the surgeons handed the potion to him. He wasted no time removing the sealant cap. "I need you to drink this okay?" He held her mouth open with his hoof and poured the potion quickly down. She swallowed the first few gulps of it no problem, however, she began to gag as the last third of it ran down her throat.
"She's gagging tilt her head back." Doctor Scalpel called out to one of his assistants. The assistant surgeon did as instructed holding Pear Butter's head back as the Doctor poured the last of the hemostat down her throat. "Stay with us, Mrs Butter! I need you to stay with us."
Pear Butter's breathing began to slow as another shiver ran thru her body. "B-B-Bright M-Mac P-P-promise you'll t-tell him. T-Tell him I-I-I'm S-S-S-Sorry.” The words choked out of her mouth in heavy labored gasps of air as she gripped the doctor's hoof tightly.
"She's going into shock!" Doctor Scalpel cried. “Find Dr Nimbus tell him to get a thunder cloud in here post haste!”
Applejack held onto her father's foreleg tightly, It was nightfall long past time for ponies her age to be in bed. But Applejack could not sleep, Not when her Mother and Baby Sister were both sick. She wanted to believe that they would be okay, that the doctors would make her better and they could all go home as one big happy family. However when Doctor Scalpel finally did walk out into the waiting hall he wore a grim expression on his face.
"Mr Mac I'm afraid we have some bad news." He said, Applejack felt her heart drop like a stone into the pit of her stomach. "There were complications during the caesarian. Your daughter is going to be alright...but I'm afraid we couldn't save your wife."
And just like that Applejack fell apart, Every dam, every wall, every fiber of her being shattered like porcelain as she collapsed into a heap against her father's barrel. Bright Mac looked down at his daughter who was sobbing so hard that part of him thought she might have a panic attack. He looked over at his mother, Granny Smith had set AppleComet down in his bassinet and was holding Big Macintosh's head on her shoulder as the large colt cried his eyes out. Tears flowed down her wrinkled cheeks as she patted Big Macintosh on the back with her hoof.
"I'm terribly sorry for your loss, We did everything we could under the circumstances. Your Daughter is waiting in the maternity ward if you want to go see her."
Bright Mac looked up at the doctor with a heavy hurt in his eyes. Despite that, he still held onto his composure. "Thank you, Doctor." He replied simply before turning down to his children. "AJ, Mac!" His children looked up at him with red eyes. "Do ya two want to go see yer new sister?" Neither one of them said a word.
"Look A'h know yer hurtin' right now, I'm hurtin' and Y'all can be sure yer Granny's hurtin' too. But Yer Ma wouldn't want ya to break down on her like this. She'd want ya to be strong, Fe'r her, Fe'r me, Fe'r yer Granny, Fe'r Apple Comet, for yer baby sister, But most importantly for each other. Now the Apples are a family and what does family do?"
Applejack sniffled and wiped eyes. "Family sticks...Together no matt'ah...what...happens." The words choked out of her mouth. "E...yup." Big Mac said as he climbed slowly down from his Grandmother's lap. Bright Mac smiled softly as the Apple Clan proceeded to pull itself together. "That's the spirit, now come on let' not keep yer new sister waiting.”
"Which one is she Pa?" Applejack asked as she and Big Mac peered thru the window into the nursery. Foals of all different races and colors lay in their bassinets, Some slept peacefully while fussed and cried.
"She's over there Sugar Cube." Bright Mac said as pointed over to a light yellow filly with a red mane. "That's yer new baby sister, Apple Bloom."
Applejack looked in awe at the little foal as she tossed and yawned in her crib. Apple Bloom, Her baby sister's name was Apple Bloom. Applejack felt a feeling of warmth rush thru her, stifling the pain in her heart. She still fought to hold back her tears, but this time she felt different besides grief. It was joy. Joy for the new life Pear Butter had brought into this world. It didn't erase the sense of loss, But maybe just maybe it might just make that burden a little easier to bear. "When can we take her home Pa?"
"Tomorrow morning." He simply said. There was still much to be done, In addition to filling out the necessary paperwork, there was the task of making Pear Butter's funeral preparations as well notifying the rest of the family. Bright Mac felt his heart sink deep into his chest. He was a stallion of few words and even fewer emotions. But the thought of having to bury the love of his life along with the blame he placed on himself for her weighed heavy on his heart. He'd done a good job keeping a straight face for his family's sake but deep down he felt like bawling like a foal.
"Son, A'h know you're hurt'in right now, Ya might be able to hide it from the kids but ya can't hide it from me." Bright Mac looked down to see his mother standing by him bassinet in hoof.
"A'h just can’t believe she's gone." He said.
"Ah'm gonna miss her too son. we all will. A mare like Pear Butter comes bout maybe once in a lifetime.”
"Ah guess Ah've just been keeping up a strong front for the kid's sake."
"You can't blame yer self for what happened. She knew the risk but she wanted to bring that foal into the world out of love for you and us. In the end, it was her decision." Bright Mac sighed and slowly removed his hat. Slowly he reached into his hat and pulled out a letter. To my loving husband and wonderful children. Bright Mac placed the hat back on his head as he looked at the words gracing the envelope.
"Ah'm not gonna lie these next few months are going to be hard for us all. But you need to be strong fer all of our sakes. That's what Pear Butter would have wanted." Granny Smith placed her hoof across her son's back and rubbed it gently.
"She wrote it the night before we left for the hospital." He said softly "Told me if something happened to her to open it. Then she smiled and said to keep it under mah hat."
"Well aren't ya gonna open it?" Bright Mac looked down at his mother's face and the white foal in her arms. He thought back to Pear Butter's threat to move back to Vanhoover if he sent Apple Comet to an orphanage. She was eight months pregnant and she insisted on taking in a stray in the middle of the night. It was just like Granny had said, She had him whipped good.
"Applejack! Big Macintosh!" The Apple siblings turned around to face their father. To their amazement, they actually saw tears fall down his snout. "There's something I want to share with you."
To my loving husband and wonderful children.
By the time you read this letter, I will no longer be with you. It saddens me greatly that I must leave you behind but know that you were the best family a mare could ask for.
To my loving husband Bright Mac. You have been the love of my life since we first met, The years we have spent together have been the best years of my life. You were a gentle husband and a loving father and I'll know you'll continue to be. Do not blame yourself for what's happened to me. It was my choice to have foals and I'll never regret it. Being your wife and mother to our children is something I would never trade for anything. Do not mourn me forever but lay me to rest and move on for our children's sake.
To my mother in law Gertrude.
To my Son Big Macintosh. You are the spitting image of your father. Strong, reliable, humble and gentle. Keep up your mathematics studies and help your father run things around the farm. I know you'll make somepony special very happy one day. Oh and keep those stallions away from your sisters. When you're not keeping the mares away from you. Know that I'll always love you.
To my Daughter Applejack. My heart breaks that will I not get to watch you grow up. But I know you'll make a fine young mare someday. You are honest, dependable, understanding if not a bit stubborn work on that. I know you'll go on to great things, but never forget an Apple mare is always humble. Take good care of your siblings and know I'll always love you.
To my newborn Daughter. By the time you read this letter, I will have been gone for many years. Though I could only hold you in my arms a short time. Know that you've made proud to be your mother. No matter where your path takes you in life, know that I will be with you in spirit. Listen to your Pa and siblings they know what's best.
Finally to my son Apple Comet. Though you were not a child of my womb. I loved you as my own flesh and kin. By the time you come of age, you might notice many differences from other ponies like you or maybe none at all. Regardless of who you are or wherever you came from know that I love you and this family loves you and you'll always have a home on this farm.
It is with great sadness that must leave you all behind. I shall miss you and no doubt will miss me. But just remember the good times we had together and the love and the good times we shared together. And someday we shall meet again.
Author's note. This chapter takes place when Apple Comet is about 5 years old. Since he's about 7 months older than AppleBloom I'd say it's about 6 years after the Sonic Rainboom.
My name is Apple Comet. I am five years old and I live in Ponyville with my Pa, My Grandmother, My older siblings Big Macintosh and Applejack and my baby sister Apple Bloom. I guess you can say that I'm just an average colt, at least I was until today. It started off just like any other morning. I was in the bathroom combing my mane when.....
"Apple Comet! Are ya almost done in there? Granny says breakfast is ready!" My Big Sister Applejack called out. She helps my Pa and brother with bucking apples out in the orchard. Now if I just get this one hair in front to not curl...there perfect.
"Oh Come on!"
Hrrm... I could never get that one hair to not curl. Oh well, Granny was serving eggs and hay! I knew I'd better hurry! I made it about halfway down the stairs before I realized I was staring straight thru the floor. I could see and hear and even smell everything as if I was in there with them! To be honest this isn't the first time something like this had happened. I was playing hide and seek with Apple Bloom the other day and I found her in the barn hiding in a haystack. It's not that I found her randomly that was strange. I was the fact that I heard her breathing in there from outside the barn. And just last week when Apple Bloom lost her doll, Ms. Apple Worth. I found it in Big Mac's room under his bed without having to look under it. I still don't have a cutie mark yet so maybe I'm supposed to be really good at finding things. I wonder what a cutie mark like that would look like.
"Is yer brother still up there?"
"Ah'll go check on him." Applejack said.
"I'm coming I'm coming.....WHOA!!!! Oof ow oomph!"
"Apple Comet! Are Y'all okay?"
"What happened?" I heard Pa say followed by the sound of hoof steps and a cane coming from the kitchen.
"Apple Comet fell down the stairs Pa!" Applejack said.
I shook the cobwebs out of my head and looked up to see the whole family looking over me.
"Big Mac get the first aid kit."
"What happened, son?"
"I don't know Pa I felt kinda dizzy for a moment and I tripped on my hoof."
"You say ya felt dizzy are ya feeling alright this morning? Where are you hurting?"
"I'm okay really Pa I feel fine.."
I know it doesn't sound right a colt falls down a flight of stairs and doesn't get hurt. But as Applejack finished checking me over and Big Mac returned with the first aid kit she realized I wasn't fibbing. Her eyes went wide with surprise.
"Ah can't explain it but I think he's right Pa. Ah've looked him over from head to hoof and A'h can't find one cut, scratch, bump, bruise or scrape."
"Guess I was just lucky or something," I said looking up to see looks of astonishment on their faces. Finally, Granny Smith reached over to feel my forehead.
"Huh, ya don't feel warm to me. Have you been getting enough rest? Maybe something you ate?"
"No, it's not that Granny," I told her. "I feel fine now." I slowly stood back up making sure not to trip on my hooves again.
"You sure you don't want to stay home from school for the day? A'h can whip you up a home remedy for dizzy spells."
"I'll be fine," I reassured her.
"Well, you be careful going up and down the stairs from now on." She told me. "Next time ya might not be so lucky."
"Thanks, Granny," I said as I rubbed my head. "I'll try to remember that."
I've had a lot of accidents around the house. Usually, it's something I've broken or knocked over. but I've never gotten hurt from it, not even a scratch. Guess I'm just lucky I suppose. Anyway, there was more important things to think about. Like Granny's hay and eggs.
Since Ponyville Elementary only has one classroom the teachers from each grade took turns using it throughout the day. Apple Bloom and I got to go early in the morning while Applejack and Big Mac went much later in the day. Pa usually sent them out to start their morning chores while we got getting ready for school.
"Goodbye Apple Comet. Goodbye Apple Bloom."
Granny gave each of us a goodbye kiss and sent us out the door. I didn't know it at the time but this day would be one that changed my life forever.
The ride to school started off like any other morning. Apple Bloom and I took our usual seats in the middle of the cart. She looked over at me with doubt
"Ya sure, you're feeling alright Apple Comet? That was a bad fall Y'all had this morning."
"Yeah I'm fine" I reassured her but she didn't look convinced.
"Y'all have been acting kinda funny lately."
I raised my eyebrow in surprise. "Funny how?"
"Well, Y'all haven't been paying much attention in class or when it's time to do chores. Pa says you've got yer head in the clouds or something like that."
"Well to tell you the truth I've been feeling kind of different lately," I said.
"Different...how?" She asked me.
I looked over the hills into town. Even from this distance, I could see the towns ponies were starting their daily routines getting the town ready for another day.
"Well, I can see Mr. Rich is just opening up Barnyard Bargains."
I turned my gaze over to the clock store.
Apple Bloom gave me a look of confusion. "Y'all can hear what they're talking about all the way over here?" She asked.
"I know it sounds strange but I can hear them. I can even see their cutie marks from here."
"Yeah right, Apple you're just making stuff up."
I looked over next to Apple Bloom to see one of our classmates. It was Diamond Tiara her father Filthy Rich was one of Sweet Apple Acres biggest business partners. Sometimes Mr. Rich dropped her off to play whenever he came by to do business.
"There's no way you can see that far away!"
"How do you know he's making it up Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom said coming to my defense.
Diamond Tiara smirked smugly and said, "Because nopony can see that far away so clearly." I looked back up at the clouds to see that the pegasi were gone. "They're gone now."
"I don't know what you're doing Apple Comet but it's really weird WHOA!!!!!"
"Aiiiiiiieeeeee!!!"
"What happened, what's going on?" He rushed over to check on us. For the next few seconds, there wasn't a sound, everyone just stood still their eyes fixed on the shaken pink filly and the white colt in front of her. Finally, Apple Bloom spoke.
"Wow Apple Comet that was incredible! How did you do that?" The other children quickly joined in.
"It was amazing!" Twist said.
"How'd you move so fast?" PipSqueak asked.
I didn't know what to say, everything had happened so fast. I just sat there with my mouth agape as my classmates bombarded me with questions. Finally, the driver managed to silence everypony and get them back in their seats. The rest of the ride to school went on without incident although my ears could pick up what my classmates were whispering to each other. Figures my day had only started and I was already the topic on everypony's lips.
"Good Morning class." Our teacher said with a warm smile. She was nothing like I'd imagined her to be on my first day, A crotchety, uptight olf mare with no tolerance for horseplay. Ms. Cheerilee was kind, helpful, and I don't mind saying it pretty, She didn't mind horseplay as long as it wasn't in class. Woe to any foals who did not heed that dire warning, Ooooooo!
"Good Morning Miss Cheerilee."
"Now today I thought we'd pick up where we left off yesterday on the subject of vowels and consonants."
I sat in the middle with Apple Bloom not really paying attention to any of it. I couldn't think about anything else except what had happened this morning. The events kept playing back in my head in clear detail. Maybe I was coming down with something? Except what kind of illness makes you see and hear thru walls and move that fast?
"Apple Comet? Apple Comet?"
I looked up to see the entire class staring at me and Ms. Cheerilee looking at me with concern.
"Are you alright?"
"He doesn't look so good." I heard a brown colt whisper from the front of the class.
"He's been acting funny all morning." Silver Spoon said. Diamond didn't say anything, she only looked at me with puzzlement.
"He looks like he's going to barf." Snips whispered to Snails
"Apple Comet are Y'all okay?"
I looked down to see Apple Bloom's hoof bone on top of mine...wait.....WHAT!! I pulled my hoof away as I looked up at my little sister or rather her skeleton. A shriek escaped my lips as I looked around the room. There were skeletons seated at every desk in the classroom, their eyeballs stared at me through their bony sockets their organs moving around inside their barrels.
I looked up to see Ms. Cheerilee's bony face looking down at me. I dived out of my desk and bolted straight for closet door slamming it so hard I heard the wood splinter.
"Apple Comet?"
I looked thru the door to see Skeleton Cheerilee reaching for the knob. I grabbed onto it for dear life determined not to let them get me.
"I promise I'm not mad at you, I just want to know what's wrong with you."
"You can't-fool me you Monster!" I screamed out as I held onto the door. "I'm not gonna let you turn me into one of you!"
"What's wrong Ms. Cheerilee?" Twist asked The rest of the class had gathered around her. I could see their little skeletons laughing and giggling behind her at this predicament.
"Students please take your seats and let me handle this." Most of them went back to their desks, A few tried to stay behind to watch but Ms. Cheerilee quickly shooed them back to their seats with the rest of the class.
"Ms. Cheerilee can I please try talking to my brother?" I saw Apple Bloom had raised her hoof.
I blinked my eyes when I thought I saw she was back to normal. No Skeleton no eyes sticking out of the sockets. Just normal regular everyday Apple Bloom. I felt my heartbeat begin to calm down, I let go of the knob and rubbed eyes as she approached Ms. Cheerilee.
"If you think you can reach him then you may. Just don't touch the doorknob okay? It might still be hot.” The teacher replied.
"Apple Comet it's me."
I could see Apple Bloom standing on the other side of the door. Her voice was choked with sadness.
I looked up to see the doorknob had turned red hot and was beginning to melt under the intense heat. I had done that, I don't know but I knew I had that. I felt overcome by so many emotions. Embarrassment, fear, guilt, regret. It was just too much for me to take. I finally sat back against the door, buried my face in my hind legs and cried.
"Thanks for coming on such short notice Bright Mac," Cheerilee said as she sat down at her desk. The classroom had emptied out save for Pa, Apple Bloom and myself. the rest of the class had been given recess early so we could have a bit of privacy. Apple Bloom sat next to me while Pa was content to stand up. Given his stature there just wasn't any seats big enough for him.
"Well it's the strangest thing," Cheerilee explained. "The whole morning he seems distracted like his mind was on something else. When I asked him if anything was wrong He just screamed and started looking around like he was seeing things. Then he ran to the closet door and held it shut."
I looked over to the door. The doorknob had finally cooled down enough to be used again, Well at least the inside one had. Still, don't know I did that or why I didn't get burned by it.
"Is all of this true son?"
Pa looked down at me with a stern look in his eye. I knew that look, there was no lying to it.
"Yes, Pa that's the truth." I sighed and sunk deeper into my chair wishing this would all be over soon. I felt something on my shoulder, I looked up to see Pa's hoof on my shoulder.
"It's okay A'h understand, Y'all had a rough day It happens to everypony sometimes."
"But Pa!" Apple Bloom interrupted. "How does that explain what happened to the doorknob?"
"That doesn’t concern you, Apple Bloom," Pa said.
He turned back to me. "Although Ah am mighty curious about that mah self."
"I don't understand how it happened Pa? When I heard Miss Cheerilee sounded angry something just happened."
Cheerilee's face softened. "That's alright Apple Comet, I'll call a repair pony this afternoon. You've had a pretty hectic experience. Why don't you go home for the rest of the day? I'm sure you'll feel much better tomorrow."
"Thanks, Miss Cheerilee," I whispered back. My gaze went down to the bandages covering her burnt hoof.
"I'm not mad at you Apple Comet." She said with a warm smile. "Really It's my fault for not remembering about doorknobs in fire safety." She said with a chuckle. I found myself grinning a little at her response.
"Don't you worry Miss Cheerilee," Pa said as he headed for the door. "Ah'm gonna have a talk with him as soon as we get home."
The walk home was uneventful for the most part. I managed to keep my weird spells to myself by keeping my head low to the ground and just following the sound of Pa's hoofsteps.
‘Just keep my head down and don't look around’ I thought to myself not wanting to see any more skeleton ponies or see thru walls.
"Y'all have been as quiet as a dormouse since we left school. You sure you're not coming down with something?"
"I'm fine Pa honest I am," I said as I shook my head to clear out the surrounding noise. To the average pony trotting up the road to Sweet Apple Acres that day they probably would have only heard the faint of cartwheels on the cobblestone streets mixed with the distant sounds of the birds singing. For me, the sound of Ponyville's sleepy hustle and bustle was like it was being echoed thru a wide cave.
"Ah can tell when yer lying to me." His voice boomed. "Whatever's going on Y'all can tell me."
"Well I've just been feeling kind of strange lately," I said.
Pa raised an eyebrow, his curiosity intrigued.
"Apple Comet says he's been seeing things!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
Pa looked down at her crossly. "What did I just get thru telling ya earlier bout interrupting others when they're talking?" He said in a stern tone. Apple Bloom turned her head away, Her ears drooping low.
"Sorry Pa," she said. Satisfied he turned his attention back to me.
"So ya say Y'all have been feeling strange but when we offer to let ya stay home from school suddenly Y'all say yer are fine. What gives?"
"I guess it's like Apple Bloom said. I've been seeing thru things and hearing thru things too."
"Ya say Y'all been seeing and hearing thru things huh?" Pa stroked his chin with his hoof. "Ya mean like an X-ray or something?"
"How long has this been going on for?" He asked.
"About a month or so," I replied
Pa burst out laughing. "So Y'all are saying you've been seeing and hearing thru walls for over a month and Y'all didn't tell no one?"
"Sorry Pa, I figured I was seeing things that weren't there at first and I just thought it would go away or something."
"Well if it comes back ya let us know right away."
"Apple Comet? Can just ask y'all something?" Apple Bloom asked softly.
"Sure I guess," I replied with a shrug.
"What about what happened with Diamond Tiara on the cart today?"
"Something else your not telling me?" Pa asked suspiciously. "You didn't cause any trouble did ya?
"No, it's not like at all.” I raised my hooves in defense. "We hit a bump in the road and I caught her before she could fall out. That's all."
"What are y'all mean that's all?" Apple Bloom said. "The whole class saw ya snatch Diamond Tiara out of the air like a bolt of lightning!" She looked at me like I just set a world record for fastest filly catch or something.
"I don't know how I did that Sis?” I responded. "When we hit that bump it was like everything around me just slowed down."
"Skrrrack!"
"SOMEPONY HELP!!"
Even from the bottom of the hill, I recognized that voice!
"Granny!" I cried out bursting into a full sprint!
"Apple Comet?!!! Apple Comet?!! Where are ya going?"
"Come on where are you Granny?" I cried out as I frantically searched for her. My X-Ray vision was going into overdrive as I looked thru the farmhouse, the barn, the silos, the orchard and the well but there was no sign of her.
"HELP SOMEPONY!! IM TRAPPED DOWN HERE AND I CAN'T GET OUT!!!"
"The Cider Cellar!" I exclaimed.
"Apple Comet? I-Is th-that you?"
"It's me Granny I came to save you."
"I-It's no use child." She said gloomily. "It's to-too heavy f-for somepony yer age t-tah lift. G-Go f-find ye'r Pa and siblings h-hurry!"
"What are you doing?! Apple Comet?!"
I drew my hoof back and bucked it straight into the head of the barrel. The wood splintered instantly on impact drenching me in a torrent of apple cider. It was working I could feel the barrel getting light enough to move without hurting her.
"Rrrgh! Granny I've al-most Grrgh got...it RAAARGH!!!"
"Celestia...be praised." She said as she looked at her eyes wide in wonder. I slowly set the barrel down. Without all the cider it felt like it weighed almost nothing. I quickly rushed over to Granny's side.
"Are you alright Granny?" Faster than even I thought I could move she embraced me, Tears of relief flowing down her cheeks.
"Apple Comet...*pant* *pant*...you saved my life. A'h was afraid Ah'd be trapped down here fer days until somepony found me if anypony did at that. How did ya know where A'h was?"
"A'h heard ya from the bottom of the hill," I told her. Her eyes went wide with surprise.
"F-From the b-bottom of the h-hill ya say?” She Stammered. “But t-that's impossible!"
"I can't really explain it myself, I'm just glad you’re okay," I said as I hugged her, being gentle so as not to break her in half.
"I'm glad too young'in, Tonight Y'all are getting an extra big helping of pie fer this."
I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in the back of my flank. I turned around to see a bright light glowing from it. The light faded as quickly as it came. In its place was a fiery red comet streaking across the night sky set in a red diamond shield.
"Well, would you look at that," Granny said to me. “Y'all have gotten yer cutie mark."
My cutie mark, every colt, and filly ask their parents about them as soon as they learn to talk. Whenever a pony figures who they are and what they're good at a cutie mark appears on their flank. Some ponies get theirs early, For others, it can take years to get. Guess I was an early bloomer, But what did it mean? My thoughts were interrupted as my ears picked up the sound of voices coming from outside.
"What is it?" Granny asked.
"Apple Comet? Apple Comet?!"
"ApppplllleeeeCccooommmeeettttt!!!!?"
"Pa, Apple Bloom what's going on?" I heard Applejack shout. Having sort of gotten the hang of it by now I put my super awesome vision into action. Within moments I could see Pa and Apple Bloom trotting up to Applejack and Big Mac. Pa looked exhausted, His coat was matted with sweat. Apple Bloom lay sprawled out on her stomach having run out of strength to stand. I felt sort of bad for her. I hadn't planned on her running after me.
"Did....either....you two see... yer brother run past here?" Pa asked as he took off his hat and wiped the sweat off his brow.
"No... Ah didn't saw anypony run past here." Applejack answered.
"Are Y'all alright Pa? Ya, look mighty winded." Big Mac asked.
"....Ah'll....be fine Son...A'h just need to find yer brother." Pa said as he placed his hat back on his head.
"Sounds like Apple Comet gave ya both a run for yer money." Applejack said.
"It's Pa and the others!" I exclaimed to Granny. "I kinda forget I left them behind."
"Well let's not keep everypony waiting shall we?" Granny said with a smile. “I'm certain they're going to they're gonna mighty impressed when they find out what'cha did for yer little o'l Granny."
I felt proud of myself for the first time that day. After all, everything that'd happened it felt nice to end on a high note.
Homeworld Sweet Homeworld
Homeworld Sweet Homeworld (Retconned.)
The sun setting gracefully over the orchard signaled the end of a very long very interesting day. Pa was overcome with hysterical relief when He'd learned about how I'd saved Granny Smith. I'd never seen a grown stallion cry so hard before. Granny eventually managed to calm him down but not before He apologized profusely for not safety proofing the cellar for her. Applejack and Big Mac congratulated me for saving the day and complimented me on getting my cutie mark, even though they were understandably skeptical about my powers. Apple Bloom on the other hoof was quick to come to my defense, going into great detail about everything I did at school today. They just rolled their eyes at her.
After all that drama, I needed to lie down. There's only so much a five-year-old colt can take in one day. As I looked up at my bedroom ceiling my mind began to race back to everything that happened today. I was faster, stronger and more perceptive than any colt my age ought to be and I was the first in my class to earn my cutie mark on top of that. Wasn't exactly what I thought I'd be when I grew up let alone at five years old. I wasn't that complicated of a kid to figure out. I played with my siblings and the other kids in town whenever I got a chance. Played most of the usual games other colts and fillies did, Tag, Hide and Seek, Catch those sort of things. I always figured I'd get my cutie mark for something to do with apples and become a farmer like Pa. Now....well, to be honest, I didn't know what was going to happen now. I always felt different from my siblings since I was adopted, I didn't remember Ma very well. She died when I was still a foal. But the Apples already treated me as one of the family. I looked back at my cutie mark. A red shooting star emblazoned inside a diamond shield. It was about as far away from apple farming as you could imagine. A kid who didn't do what I could think they were destined to be an astronomer or an equestranaut. But a colt who could probably outrun a train and rip a heavy cellar door off its hinges like me would be understandably confused.
"Apple Comet! Dinner's ready!" Applejack hollered from downstairs. Granny did promise me an extra large helping of pie as thanks. Maybe this whole strange powers thing could wait a little longer.
Dinner was pretty average, for the most part, an apple and hay casserole with carrots and peas and apple pie for dessert. Pa led the family in the blessing to Princess Celestia as usual and then we dug in. After a hectic day like today, it was a chance to return to a semblance of normalcy. CLANK!!! Patooie!! Until I bit the tines off my stainless steel fork. The entire room went quiet, everypony just looked the stainless steel fork I'd bitten in half. Applejack Finally broke the silence.
"So Apple Bloom... what did you say happened at school again today?"
"Oh, now Y'all believe me!" Apple Bloom replied with an eye roll and snark.
"Uh sorry?" I said sheepishly. So much for a normal family dinner.
"It's okay Ah'll git cha another fork," Granny Smith said as she got up from the table.
"Ma?" Pa said turning to face Granny. "A'h think it's time we show him."
"Show what Pa?" I asked puzzled.
He turned over to face me and said. "Ah'll show ya after dinner."
Night had fallen by the time dinner was finished. I'd managed to clean my plate with breaking any more forks although it took longer than usual since I had to be careful not to put too much strength into it. After the table was cleared and the dishes cleaned Pa led us out to the barn. I watched silently as he lifted the bar off the front door and slowly slid it open. His face looked weary as if expected this day to come for a long time. Finally, Pa slid the door aside and ushered us into the barn.
"A'h was hoping to wait till Y'all was a little older to show you this.” He said as he led us to his workshop in the back left corner of the barn. "But after what happened today... A'h think Y'all deserve to know the truth."
"The truth about what Pa?" I asked puzzled. Pa sighed as he reached for the light cord. With the room illuminated I could a better view of the workshop. At first glance, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. Racks covered in tools lined the walls, the workbench was coated with a thin layer of sawdust and a shelf filled with paint cans and brushes next to the door. The one thing that was the faded blue tarp laying on something on the back corner of the room.
"Ya know how some foals are found on doorsteps in baskets?" Pa said as he walked over to the tarp. "Well, yer Ma and A'h found ya inside this."
"What is it Pa?" I asked "Some kind of silo or something?"
He looked down at me and said. "Ah'm not much of poet so Ah'll make this story quick. About five years ago during a big meteor shower, we had one stray off course and crash into the orchard.” As he told his story he reached over to a lever on the hatch. "When yer Ma and A'h went out to see what had landed, We found you inside this." With a click, the hatch on the silo opened. The inside looked like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. A small seat obviously sat in the center with various panels and instruments displays surrounding it."
"T-This.....This can't be right, A-Are you t-trying to tell me I-I'm f-from outer space or something?" I stammered out. This couldn't be happening this had to be either a bad dream I was having or an elaborate prank. Pa just smiled at me and walked over to his workbench. He reached into one of the top drawers and took a small wooden box.
"Well Ah'm not jumping to any conclusions, but I think you'd better take a look at this." He said as he handed me the box. I opened the lid and my jaw dropped. Lying there was a silver chain and pendant of a comet inside of a shield. It was exactly like my cutie mark.
"Y'all were wearing that when we found you. Figured we'd hold onto it until you were ready to know the truth." Pa told me as he straightened his hat. "There's something else for ya too." Pa reached down and opened up a drawer on the bottom of the workbench. He pulled out a small thin cylinder shaped crystal. "Ah've never been much fer geology but A'h knew there was something special about this the moment A'h saw it. Could never figure out what it was though, Even took it to a friend of mine who owns a rock farm.
He said He'd never seen anything like it.” He handed it over to me. It felt strangely warm in my hoof almost if it were alive. As if by my touch, lines of light began to dance across the surface of the crystal slowly coming together to form the shape of a comet's tail. Suddenly the comet flew from the surface of the jewel straight for me. I shielded my face with my foreleg as the comet erupted in a blinding flash of light.
As the light faded, I felt my vision slowly returning to me. As I looked around I realized I was no longer in the barn with Pa and the others. Instead, I was in a room I had never seen before. From what I could gather it appeared to be a living room of sorts but the style and the furniture were like nothing I'd ever seen before.
"Pa! Granny!? Mac!? Applejack!? Apple Bloom!? Is anypony here?" No answer, that wasn't good.
Okay, I just needed to calm down, I was alone in a strange house, I don't know how I'd gotten here or how to get home. "Wait a minute there was something I could do though. Nothing a little X-Ray vision wouldn't fix. All I had to do was focus on the nearest door and....nothing happened.” Huh, that's strange. While I'd been seeing thru walls for at least a month it wasn't until today that I realized I was the one doing it. I quickly checked the walls and ceiling, nothing just a wall. I tried the floor same thing, something was wrong. I took a look around the room and spotted a strange sculpture sitting on the glass table in the center of the room. Strangely the table didn't seem to make contact with the floor but rather floated a few inches off the floor. I picked up the sculpture and tried to pull it apart. Nothing, I tried harder pulling with more force this time but the sculpture stood firm. I gave it one last go using as much force as my five-year body could exert. But instead of pulling it apart like I'd done with the cellar door the sculpture remained intact. In frustration, I threw it against the nearby window where it struck with a satisfying clunk but it wasn't even scratched. Whatever that was made of I couldn't break it. I decided it was best to put it back before someone found it this way. I went over to the window and was awestruck by what I saw. A massive Acadian city of towering marble and glass spires and gigantic skyways stretched out before me. Behind them, I could make out a range of jeweled mountains and lush green forests. And shining high above the sky was an enormous red sun many times the size of Celestia's. Wherever I was one thing was certain. I wasn't in Ponyville anymore.
"Hello is anypony here? Where am I?"
"You are on Kolton my son." A voice answered. I turned around to see two ponies a stallion and a mare standing behind me. The Stallion was an earth pony, His coat was platinum grey and his mane was a bright sheen of silver. He wore in a strange blue and red costume with a red cape and a golden headband. Emblazoned on his chest was the symbol of a red and gold comet. The same symbol as my cutie mark. The Mare was also an earth pony. Her coat was snowy white and her mane was a deep dark blue. Her eyes were the same color as mine. She wore a long flowing Blue dress with a vibrant golden cape that flowed behind and around her neck she wore the same pendant of a shooting star.
"W-Who are y-you?" I asked taking several steps back. I didn't know them and I didn't trust them.
"Greetings Kom-El, I am Loran." The Mare answered.
"And I am Jav-El." The Stallion said. "We are your parents."
And now my mind was completely blown.
"Y-Your my Parents? W-Where did you come from? How did I get here?"
"This was your Home Kom-El," Loran said as she gestured over to the window. "And this was Kolton, Our homeworld."
"Kom-El? Kolton?" I asked her puzzled "Look, I have no idea in Equestria what you're talking about! My name is Apple Comet! I live on a farm outside Ponyville on Planet Equis where I am probably still in bed and this is a crazy dream I'm having." I said as I bolted for the door to my right. I stopped in my tracks when I realized the door had no knob, no handle to speak of.
"A'h young master Kom-El. So good to finally see you at last." A strange golden machine levitated out from behind the counter. Its body resembled that of a metal pony that was missing its hind legs. Instead, its lower barrel seemed to float above the floor. Its forelegs were long and skinny Its head was devoid of any facial features save for a single glowing screen resembling a pair of swim goggles and a filter where its mouth should have been. "My you've certainly grown." It said a line dancing across its eyes as it spoke.
"AHHHHHHHH!" I immediately turned tail and ran for the door, only to crash face first into Loran.
"I see you've met Kerax." Loran giggled as she helped me up off the floor. "Don't worry he doesn't bite."
" Quite right Lady Loran my design renders me incapable of any mastication what so ever. I exist only to serve or at least I did. If any of this was real young master I would have been glad to have made something you if you were hungry."
"What a minute. What do you mean if this was real?" I said. My suspicion was piqued, I wanted some answers and I wanted them right now.
"What Kerax is trying to say is that none of what you see here this is real," Jav-El answered as he walked in. "Only a memory being played back into your mind."
"I'll just be going now." The robot said as the kitchen began to slowly fade away replaced by the vastness of space. I found myself overtaken by weightlessness, drifting past stars, comets, meteors toward a glowing green planet.
"Everything you've seen here including your Mother, Kerax and I was destroyed long ago in a great cataclysm." The planet began to glow brighter and brighter. Gigantic eruptions of bright green ash shot high into the clouds and enormous tremors shook the planet to its core. I held my hoof over my eyes as the planet's aura grew brighter and brighter until it finally exploded in a tremendous green nova! When the light faded only a bright green asteroid belt remained. My heart was pounding like I'd just run a marathon as I felt my stomach sink like a stone. I wanted to keep telling myself this was all a crazy dream. Hell, I wanted to shout it from the roof of the barn at this point. But the rush of adrenaline flowing thru me told me I was wide awake.
"We sent you to Equis in a rocket to save your life. As of this recording you are the sole survivor of Kolton.” I felt my blood run cold as he said those last words. Slowly remains of Kolton faded away. I was back in the living room again.
"From your activation of this recording Am I to assume correctly that your powers are beginning to manifest."
"H-How do you know about that?" I stammered.
"I'm a scientist son, it's my business to know things." He said with a grin. "Even though you were raised by Equestrian's you are not one of them. Your Koltonian body allows you to absorb energy from a star. The light of Equis's yellow sun will grant you abilities more powerful than any Equestrian has ever had."
Loran knelt down next to me and ran her hoof thru my mane. "Listen to me Kom-El, promise us that you will never use your powers to harm. The road ahead for you will not be easy. There will be those who fear you, those that want to destroy you. But there will also be those will come to believe in you."
"Wait who wants to destroy me? I haven't done anything wrong, I'm just a colt?" Before I could ask anymore Loran pulled me into a hug.
"Hush now my son.” She reassured me. “I understand this is all very sudden for you. But do not despair. We will be right here whenever you need us."
"How?" I asked her. "You're not real!" Loran smiled and released me, holding her hoof out as she stood up to reveal the memory crystal thing whatever she called it.
"Contained within this memory crystal is the collected memories of both your Father and me along with all of Kolton's knowledge, history and culture." She spoke. "All you need to do is hold this crystal and clear your mind."
"Now go my son remember the heritage you carry and make us proud," Jav-El said as he slowly began to fade away.
"Apple Comet!!!” I heard a distorted voice call out. "Apple Comet?"
"Apppppllllleeeeecooooommmmmeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttt!!!!!!!!"
"It's hurt'in him Pa!"
"It's got him under some kinda spell?"
"Hush now he seems to be coming out of it."
The smell of fresh hay hit my nostrils as the light faded away from my vision. I looked around to see Apple Bloom's face look up at me with concern. I was back in the barn with the rocket, the crystal, and my family all looking at me like I'd fallen off a roof or something. "Uhh." My head felt like I'd been picked up and thrown by a tornado.
"Lil Big Brother, Are Y'all alright?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Stand back now give him some space." Pa's voice boomed. "Just relax now son, Y'all went into some kinda trance when you picked up that rock. Had us all mighty worried ya did.
"It's not true it can't be true. ." I said shaking my head furiously. "It's not true !! IT'S NOT TRUE!!!"
"Apple Comet calm down!" Applejack pleaded. “What's wrong? What isn't true?"
"IM NOT A FREAK!!! I'M NOT SOME KIND OF ALIEN FREAK!!!!" I Shouted at the top of my voice as I lashed my hoof out at the first thing I saw which I'm grateful to say was only a beam. With an explosive CRAAAAACK!!! the beam exploded into a shower of splinters. My heart raced as I drew my hoof back. The beam was obliterated only the very top which had anchored it to the loft was left lying on the floor next to my hoof.
The barn went silent. The Apples were understandably shocked. Pa's face was twisted in an expression of shock. Granny looked like she was going to have a heart attack, Applejack and Big Mac just stared with their jaws hanging halfway to the floor. Apple Bloom just stood there cowering behind her sister's hind legs, I drew my hoof back to examine the damage. There wasn't so much as a scratch on it. I'd just splintered a wooden beam with a single punch and I didn't feel any pain. I stood there looking down at my own hoof work for what felt like an eternity until finally, Pa spoke up.
"It's alright son just calm down like yer sister said." The rest of the family stood behind him, looking at me with fearful eyes. Not that I couldn't blame them.
"S-STAY AWAY FROM M-ME!!! YOU'RE NOT SAFE NEAR ME!!! NOPONY IS!!!" Tears choked my words as they ran down my muzzle.
"Consarnit Mac !" Granny Smith shouted in between breaths. "A'h told ya leaving that...doodad in his hooves...was a bad idea!"
"Now now settle down Ma!" Pa replied raising his hooves in defense. "Getting all flustered about it ain't gonna make this situation any better." He placed his hoof on my shoulder. Without thinking I swatted it off and bolted thru the barn doors quickly picking up top speed. In a split second, I ran past the front with such speed that my wake tore the gate off its hinges. I couldn't stay there anymore, I was a monster, an alien freak from some long dead world. Every synapse in my brain was screaming to wake up from this nightmare. But even as I shut my eyes and shook my head frantically in an attempt to wake up. I could still feel the wind racing thru my coat reminding me that this wasn't a dream. I opened my eyes just in time to see the river getting closer and closer. With a single leap, I not only cleared the river but I broke the world record for the highest jump by an Earth Pony by at least 200 feet.
"Whooooaaaaaaaa!!!!"
My entire body felt lighter than air, I looked behind me to see if I'd suddenly grown wings. After everything that's happened today, I wouldn't rule it out as impossible. What I wasn't expecting to see was my back still bare. My pupils shrunk when I looked down to see how far I'd jumped. I'd not only managed to clear the river but I was sailing over the treetops of the Everfree Forest. Suddenly I felt myself beginning to drop. I flailed my legs wildly in a desperate attempt to stay airborne but gravity wasn't having any of it. I screamed at the top of my lungs as I dropped like a stone. Tree branch after tree branch snapped under me as I crashed thru the thick forest canopy before finally landing face first in a puddle of mud.
Author's Note
(Important notice). Last Week on the 20th of November I Introduced Kerax in the latest chapter of this story. He is based on Kelex, Jor-El's robot assistant in the comics. In order to avoid the appearance that I just pulled him out of nowhere. I will be retconning several chapters set inside the memory crystal to include him. Hopefully, it won't turn out like Jabba the Hutt in the re-release of Star Wars. but if it does it will still be better than Man of Steel. That's all.)
The Everfree forest, A strange hostile environment forged from the banishment of Nightmare Moon. A place where nature runs untouched by Equestrian magic, a harsh wilderness home to numerous beasts and monsters. A place most ponies avoid at all costs. Pa had told us up and down that, under no circumstances, we were to go in there.
What in Equestria was I thinking? I thought to myself as I picked myself up out of the mud. I was scared I wasn't afraid to admit it. I'd panicked under the stress. What pony wouldn't panic after learning that they were an alien from outer space with freaky alien powers? I'd run away in haste and managed to leap over a mile in distance into the most dangerous forest in all of Equestria!!!
I shook the mud from my coat, my super speed sending globules of mud flying in every direction. In no time at all, I was completely spotless except for the mud sticking to the bottom of my hooves. Now, what was I to do? Did I go back to Sweet Apple Acres and apologize for running away? What if they didn't take me back? What then? Did I just keep running as long as I could and try to forget about them? I wasn't Pa's real child, Wait what am I saying? That never stopped him from loving me as if I were? Did I wait around here for somepony to find me? The hooting of an owl drew me out of my thoughts. Looking around with my X-Ray vision I spotted the owl sitting on the branch of a tree. Wait a minute, That's right! I have X-Ray vision! Finding my way out of this forest was going to be a snap!
SNAP! "YAH!!!" With an echoing yelp, I leaped backward into a nearby tree.
CRACK!!!
CRASH!!!!
THUD!!! The tree came toppling down in a shower of splinters.
"AROOOOOOOOOO!!!" My ears picked up the distinctive howl. I didn't need my super hearing to tell me it was a Timberwolf. Granny had told us stories about them. She'd told us about her first encounter with one when she was very young and how she'd just barely escaped being eaten.
"Oh no, this is bad this very very very bad," I said aloud as I scanned the surrounding trees with my X-Ray vision. "Come on, where are you coming from?" My snout soon picked up the tell-tale smell of mossy bark, the well-known smell of a Timberwolf's breath. My ears picked up the clatter of wood prowling thru leaves. They were preparing to surround me. I wasn't going to stick around. Quick as a flash, I took off.
"Sounds like they know I'm running! Well, let them try to catch me!" I said with a sudden burst of confidence. I was fast enough to leave Pa in the dust without breaking a sweat. A pack of timberwolves would surely be no match for me. "Come on slowpokes! Is that all you got!" I hollered back with a smile as I rushed thru the forest, My heightened senses guiding me all the way. Looking behind me I could see the pack far behind me struggling to keep up. These were supposed to be the most relentless predators in the Everfree Forest. Able to chase down a grown stallion with ease. But here I was making them look pathetic. Finally, after several minutes I heard the pack leader howl and the rest of them dispersed back into the forest. "Looks like I'm just too fast for ya!" I said confidently as I slowed to a stop. "Well, that was actually kinda fun. But I still need to figure out where I am."
My super hearing picked up the sound of running water in the distance. "Sounds like a stream," I said as I looked in the direction the sound was coming come. My X-Ray vision pierced the through the foliage of trees to reveal a small stream running thru the forest. I'll just stop for a quick drink and then I'll be on my way. I thought to myself as I made my way over to the stream.
"APPLE COMET!! APPLE COMET!!
Instinctively I looked behind me, I knew that deep voice anywhere. "Pa?" I said as I listened for the voice again.
It was Pa! He was out looking for me! With my sensitive ears, I had no trouble picking up where his voice was coming from. My X-Ray vision quickly did the rest. Pa was alone carrying a lantern in his hoof and a lasso at his side. Cupping his muzzle with his lantern hoof he called out my name. "APPLE COMET CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME?!"
An uneasy feeling of guilt crept into my stomach. Pa was out here in the Everfree Forest one of the most dangerous places in Equestria looking for me. It didn't matter to him where I'd come from or who I was. He still cared about me. My relief was cut short when I saw several pairs of yellow eyes piercing thru the darkness. Something else had found Pa!
"NO!"
I felt an overwhelming rage rush thru me as I reached the sight of the ambush. The Pack Alpha had Pa turned on his back while the rest of the pack circled waiting for the inevitable kill. I felt the same burning sensation in my eyes I'd felt earlier today. Before the Alpha could finish the job It suddenly burst into flames. In a blind panic, Pa was able to throw it off while the rest of the pack turned to me. With a shout, I dove straight into the closest wolf. It's wooden body shattered down the middle as I crashed thru it. Before the rest of the pack could react my burning vision washed over them reducing them to nothing but ashes. The surrounding forest erupted into a fiery inferno as my vision cut a swath thru the brush. In an instant, we were surrounded by flames. Acting on unknown instinct I inhaled deeply and unleash a mighty blow. It was as if I'd swallowed and blown out a hurricane. Gale force winds passed thru my lips, trees tumbled and fell as they were uprooted. In no time at all most of the fire was extinguished and the charred remains were covered in a thin coating of ice. Feeling safe for the moment I rushed over to check on Pa.
"Pa! Pa!" I cried as I rushed to his side. His face winced in pain as he looked up at me.
"Apple...Comet Ugh." He hissed painfully. "Have Y'all any idea how worried ya made us?” He said with a forced smile.
"I'm sorry Pa!" I sobbed as I looked down on him. “I'm sorry I ran away from home like that! I promise I'll never do it again!"
"It's...okay...son." He winced as he slowly stood up shifting his weight off his sprained foot.
"Are you going to be alright?” I asked concerned.
Pa looked at me with a soft smile and said. "A'h'll live. That was mighty impressive the way you handled those Timberwolves. Ah guess I know better than to ask y'all how ya did that.” I scratched the back of my head bashfully.
"To tell you the truth Pa I don't know how I did that either," I said. "When I saw that Timberwolf jump at you, It just came out." Pa chuckled and smiled at me.
'Well, we can talk more about when we get home along with yer punishment for running away."
"AROOOOOOOOOOOO!!! ARRR ARRR ARRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" A familiar howl suddenly pierced my ears. Pa and I turned around to see the front half of the splintered Timberwolf howling into the air.
"Pa?" His eyes looked at me with deep fear.
"Long two short long! It's calling the rest of the pack! We've got to get out of here! C'mon!" He hollered as he picked up the lantern in his teeth before breaking into a full gallop. I followed quickly behind doing my best not to outrun him. In the distance, I could hear the rest of the pack responding to the call. Thirty-Three, Thirty-Three distinct howls. Thirty-Three very angry Timberwolves that were getting closer every second.
"Don't stop!" He cried thru clenched teeth. "The river is not too far now!" I looked forward with my telescopic vision. I could clearly see trees of the orchard lying just beyond the river. We were almost there just a little further.
"AROOOOOOOOOO!!!" My blood ran cold at the sound of the howl. Pa and I looked behind to see the Timberwolf pack not even thirty feet from us.
"Apple Comet listen to me." He said solemnly as he took the lantern in his hoof. “A'h need ya to use yer speed. Run back to the homestead!"
"Ah'll only slow ya down! FORGET ABOUT ME RUN!!!!" He shouted as he stopped and turned to face the pack. With a flick of his hoof tossed the lantern toward the lead. It shattered against the beast's head in a shower of glass and an eruption of flame. In an instant, the Timberwolf was engulfed in flames. Howls of agony came from its maw before the fire burned off it's lower jaw. The rest of the pack slowly backed away from the burning body of their comrade. For a moment I thought they were going to run away. Instead, they just looked at Pa with vengeful expressions carved across their faces. I stood transfixed at the sight before me, My hooves feeling anchored to the forest floor. The entire pack stood before us, their crooked jaws growling and snarling at us.
Suddenly out of the corner of my eye one of the pack charged at me! Everything seemed to slow down in that instance. As the Timberwolf leaped toward me I felt the familiar burning sensation in my eyes. I smiled as the heat from my eyes burned my attacker to a pile of ashes. My victory was short lived as the rest of the pack descended on us. A horde of sharp claws, gnarled teeth, and sickly yellow eyes with only one purpose. To rip Pa and I limb from limb and feast on the remains.
I let loose blast after blast of my heat vision incinerating them one after another. but there was just too many of them to stop. As I turned to my left prepared to fry another I was suddenly knocked to the ground. I looked up in time to see a Timberwolf clamp its jaws around my throat. It snarled as it tried to sink it's teeth into my jugular but I was no ordinary prey that was going to lie down and die. I kicked my hind legs into its neck with such force that its head went sailing off into the distance. I threw it's headless corpse off of me like a hoofball straight into the two timberwolves standing behind it.
"WHAT ARE Y'ALL STILL DOING HERE?!!!"
"I told you I'm not leaving you behind Pa!" I shouted back to him as another Timberwolf tried to jump him from behind. A quick blast of my heat vision and Pa's attacker was engulfed in flames. The remaining members of the pack quickly took him to the ground but before they could deliver a killing blow I took a deep breath into my lungs and let loose another gust of wind from my lips. One by one the Timberwolves blew apart like piles of sticks caught in a tornado scattering into the woods.
"You guys really need to chill out!" I said with a satisfied smirk as the last one blew away. "Are you alright Pa?" I asked as I rushed over to check on him. I had taken extra care to target each of the Timberwolves individually or in pairs rather than the entire pack at once so as to hopefully not hurt Pa.
"Ah'll live." He groaned as he got back to his feet. "Your pretty handy with that breath of yours ain't ya?"
"Yeah, Did you see when that one Timberwolf tried to jump you from behind and I just blasted him like Pew Pew and he just turned to dust? Oh man, that was awesome!"
"Alright alright," Pa said his raised hoof signaling it was time to settle down. "Hold yer horses we've still got to get out of here first and when we get back home we're gonna have a long talk about these powers."
"Yeah Yeah I get the message, Don't worry about it Pa! With my awesome X-Ray vision I'll find our way home in no time and if anything else tries to tangle with us I'll make him regret messing with me."
"THOOM!!"
"What was that?" A sudden tremor shook the ground. Pa's eyes widened with horror.
"We need to get outta here now!" He shouted at me.
"THOOM!! THOOM!!"
I laughed at his worried sentiment. "Ha let me handle this Pa, I'll make him sorry he crossed into this neck of the woods." I wasn't scared anymore, I didn't need to be scared of anything with my powers. Whatever this thing was it was going down.
"THOOM THOOM THOOM THOOM!! The thundering footsteps were getting closer and closer. The trees shook and swayed as the beast drew closer.
"This ain't up for discussion son now come on!" He said reaching with his teeth for my tail. I kicked up a burst of speed before he could nab me dashing headlong thru the trees in search of this new challenge. It was not a very long search.
"ARRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" A familiar howl echoed thru the woods, More Timberwolves? Bring it on I didn't care if it was a hundred! a thousand! ten thousand! ten thousand and one! No pile of bark was a match for me!"
Okay, so the Timberwolf was a bit bigger than what I was expecting, Okay it was a WHOLE LOT BIGGER!!! as in the size of our barn bigger! But it didn't matter I still had my powers and it was going down. Right after I got over my shock.
"You want a piece of me Bark Breath!" I shouted up at it, The monster looked down at me with burning hatred in its eyes. "Now since I'm so nice I'm gonna count to three and give you one chance to walk away! One!...Two!
THWACK!!!!
CRASH!!!
CRRRRAAAACK!!!
SLAM!!!
THUD!!!
OOF!!!
UGH!!!
OW!!!
Okay, I'll be the first to admit going up to Timberwolf King's face and boasting about how bad you were going to kick its butt might not have been the best strategy. But I was still determined to show it that'd just signed its death warrant.
"Alright, no more Mr. Nice Guy!" I cried as I leaped toward it my hind hoof extended like I'd seen in those martial arts movies. My flying kick caught the Timberwolf King on top of the head snapping off one of its antlers in half. The beast howled in pain grabbing where it's missing antler had snapped off while I landed less gracefully in a tumble not too far off. One nil to The Colt of Steel!
"Aw, what's the matter?" I teased. "Is this little colt too tough for the big bad puppy?" Its eyes turned red with rage as it glared down on me. With a bellowing roar, I charged.
With the speed of a bolt of lightning, I was off, my hooves thundering against the ground with the Timberwolf King in pursuit. Trees crumbling as we raced thru the forest. As I expected I was too fast for it to keep up with me. Effortlessly darting left and right with each swipe of the claws.
"Come on slowpoke!" I shouted as the beast attempted to squash me under claw only for me to dive clear just in time. "Is that all you got?" My excitement was at an all-time high. Unfortunately, it was all about to come crashing down.
"APPLE COMET!!! APPLE COMET!!!" Came a cry of worry from behind me. I turned around to see Pa galloping as fast as he could towards me. His heartbeat was racing rapidly, his eyes white with fear.
"PA!" That proved to be the opening the Timberwolf needed. Before I could dodge out of the way the behemoth snatched me up in its jaws and shook me like a chew toy.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" I heard Pa cry out as the monster shook his head back and forth and attempt to rip me apart. Its teeth were sharp stakes trying to impale me, fortunately, my skin proved impenetrable. Steadying myself on my hind legs I pressed my forelegs against the King's upper jaw and pushed with all my might. Slowly but surely I was able to push its jaws apart enough to see Pa pick up a large rock to hurl at the King's face. The stone struck the Timberwolf King below its right eye with a resounding KRACK!!! The beast howled with pain and thrashed its head from side to side sending me tumbling off my hooves and out of its mouth. Instinctively I grabbed one of the King's canines to hang onto.
SNAP!!!
It snapped in my hooves like a toothpick sending me plummeting thirty feet to the ground.
"AHHHHHHH!!!
Ugh!!!” I hit the ground with a thud but felt no worse for wear. I looked up in time to see the Timberwolf King's claw swipe at me with enough force to send me flying thru the trees for at least 800 feet. I dusted myself off and prepared to finish the fight once and for all. My blood ran cold at the sight I saw thru my X-Ray vision next. The Timberwolf King advanced to toward Pa. Its mouth was salivating with looked like tree sap. Pa was slowly being backed into a corner and then it happened. His sprained leg became caught in a gnarled vine sending him tumbling to the ground with a sickening crack. He looked up in time to see the Timberwolf King bring its heavy claws across his stomach!
Pa screams were cut short by agonizing pain as the claw tore thru his barrel. I felt the burning rage inside me erupt once again, This time with more power than ever before.
"PAAAAAAA!!!!"
With a loud war cry, I raced headlong toward the King with such speed that I felt my hooves slowly begin to leave the ground. My entire body felt lighter than the air around it until my hooves were no longer touching the ground. Time seemed to slow down. The wind rushed against my mane as I flew headlong toward the beast. With a resounding KRACK!!! my hoof connected with the monster's front leg with such force that it exploded in a shower of bark. The Timberwolf toppled onto it's back clutching it's stump and howling in pain. Landing roughly in a patch of soft grass I turned and leaped into the air once more.
“YOU LEAVE MY PA ALONE YOU MONSTER!!!!” I shouted as I drove my hind legs into the King's chest. Whelps of agony echoed through the forest as I felt it's its chest cavity collapse under me. It wasn't enough. The monster had to suffer it deserved to suffer! And I was going to make sure it did. Again and again, my hooves pounded against its chest eliciting whelps of pain. With each blow came satisfaction. Finally, I leaped into the air ready to strike the killing blow.
"After I finish you I'll make sure none of you monsters hurt never anypony else again." I hissed in a low voice. As I dove toward my target at full force my front hooves ready to strike the killing blow my eyes burning red with rage when I suddenly heard a voice cry out from below.
"Pa!" I felt the fire in my eyes fading away. My momentum and speed evaporated instantly as I felt myself gently floating to the ground. Below me, I could see the Timberwolf King's broken form. Whelps of pain winced from its mouth where it lay. I saw deep impacts and gaping holes where my hooves had made their impact and in its eyes ran thin sap like tears. I looked down at my hooves now covered in dirt and sawdust. My heart sank as the reality of what I'd done sank in. Tears filled my eyes as I looked down at the fallen King. This wasn't me defending Pa or myself, this was me inflicting harm on a creature for revenge. To make it feel the pain I felt.
"I'm sorry...” I whispered softly as my hooves touched the ground. My throat choked with sobs as the beast looked at with fearful eyes. "F-Forgive me," Slowly trotting up to him I saw up close the damage I'd done. jagged edges jutted out of the stump of its leg. Was this what I'd become? Somepony who hurts others to feel satisfied? Someone who uses their powers to beat down others? I fell to my haunches and shut my eyes in a pathetic attempt to stop the tears from flowing.
"I-I'm here Pa. Don't worry I'm gonna run and get some help. We'll get you to a hospital.” Pa's expression said it all. He knew what was going to happen.
"No Son....*cough* It...won't do...me...any good." He rasped.
"Don't say that Pa! Don't say I'm not gonna save you!" I argued. I refused to believe it but it soon began to sink that It was already too late.
"Apple Comet....listen to me. *cough* *cough* These last *cough* five years...Ah've ...watched you grow from... that tiny foal...in that rocket *cough* into a fine young colt. A-A'h w-want you... *cough* to promise me something."
"W-What is it? W-Whatever it is I-I'll keep it Pa you have my word.”
"My Son *wheeze* Y'all have been given...a powerful gift... *cough* A'h don't know where you came from. *cough* Just know that Y'all have made me so proud to be yer Pa. *cough* *cough* A'h want ya to promise me...that Y'all never do *cough* what ya did tonight. *cough.* Promise *wheeze* me that Y'all never use ye'r powers to hurt others. *cough* *cough*”
"I-I-I promise Pa!" He smiled warmly at me as I buried his face in my neck. "Oh Celestia Pa, I-I'm so sorry! I should have never run away!" Pa's blood stained my coat from my neck all the way to my legs.
"Don't go on blaming yerself *wheeze* fer what happened to me. *cough* It ain't ye'r fault."
"B-But Pa!" I protested. “I-If I h-hadn't run off l-like I did n-none of this w-would've happened and y-you w-wouldn't be h-here.....” I felt whatever composure I had left leave my body as I collapsed on top of him like a newborn foal. Slowly I felt Pa's hoof run across my back.
"Shhh, It's okay Apple Comet. *cough*” He said softly. Slowly I looked up at him. There were no tears in his eyes, Instead, I saw something else, Acceptance. "Everything happens for a reason. *cough* *cough.* Even death. *wheeze* I-I can f-finally see y-ye'r Ma again. *cough cough* I-I can only imagine the tongue lashing she's gonna give me fer *wheeze* making her wait so long." He chuckled heartily to himself before reaching up to take off his hat. "Here give this to em." He said before handing it to me. "Tell em A'h love them and Ah'll be watching over em." His eyelids began to sink, his heartbeat was quickly reaching a climax. "A-A-A'H...l-l-love..ya..s-s-son."
"Pa....Pa..... PAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
The rest of that night I felt nothing. I don't know how long how I laid there in the forest crying my eyes out. Eventually, I just ran out of tears to cry. Bright Mac was gone and it was all my fault. If I'd just listened to him and gone back to the orchard instead of running off to fight that Timberwolf He'd still be here. But I hadn't listened and now he was dead. Once I managed to pull myself together, I realized I couldn't leave him here to be picked apart by the beasts of the forest. Only problem was he was too big for me to carry on my back, And I couldn't bring myself to just drag him thru the woods by his tail or mane. After much thought, I found a way. Taking a deep breath I covered him in a thick layer of ice. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep him safe until I came back.
I took my time heading back to the orchard, I was in no mood to run. I didn't want to think about running for the rest of my life. What was I going to tell Granny and my siblings? My hooves felt heavier with each step I took back to the farm. The moon shone brightly in the night sky as I walked up the trail. The stars shimmering brightly in a tapestry of light. I thought back to what Jav-El and Loran had said. That I was not a pony of this world, The last known survivor of a planet long gone. As I looked over my shoulder, I saw the town of Ponyville below. Its lights in the houses had long since dimmed. Everything seemed so peaceful, so tranquil. Tomorrow would be just another day for them, With kids headed off to school and grown-ups going to work. I was pretty certain those other kids didn't have to deal with being an alien. What was I supposed to do on this world? Could I go back to school tomorrow with everything that'd happened? What If they thought I was a freak? What if I hurt someone? Would they run me out of town like a monster? To be honest I kind of felt like one right then.
The sign that traditionally hung over the gateway lay face down in the road in front of me. It'd been torn from its screws by my wake when I ran out of the barn.
"Are Pa and Apple Comet going to be okay Granny?"
The voice was distant but I instantly recognized it as Apple Bloom. Looking thru the walls I saw the rest of the family sitting in the living room. Granny was in her usual rocking chair with Apple Bloom sitting worriedly in her lap. Applejack and Big Mac sat on the sofa staring at the clock on the wall.
"A'h'm sure they'll be fine Apple Bloom. Ye'r Pa is as strong as an oak tree and from what A'h saw today yer brother might even be stronger than that."
Granny's tone was reassuring but shaky. From the clock on the wall, I could see it was more than two hours after I'd left.
Instantly I felt my stomach sink, I'd thought about what Granny and Applejack would say when they found out, But Apple Bloom. How was I supposed to tell her that Pa was never coming home and that it all thanks to my recklessness? I looked down at the broken sign in my hooves. I sighed deeply, I was going to have to do this sooner or later. I set the sign down by the fence and walked up to the front door.
*Knock *Knock* Knock.*
"That must be them now." Applejack said as she got up to answer the door. Big Mac and Apple Bloom were right behind her with Granny trailing behind.
The door swung open and I was greeted with a group hug from my siblings.
"Apple Comet!" Applejack exclaimed as she pulled me into a hug. "Thank Celestia yer alright! Y'all had us worried sick about you." Tears of relief ran down her muzzle onto my back.
"Where's Pa?" Apple Bloom asked looking up at me with concern in her eyes. "He went out looking fer ya!"
What little self-composure I'd gathered on my long walk home shattered on the floor. I collapsed into Applejack's arms, My eyes having found fresh tears to cry.
The next morning I led the family as well as the local undertakers to the spot where Pa lay. To say they were baffled as to how he became frozen solid would be an understatement. I kept the part about my powers a secret, I didn't want anyone outside the family to know, not really sure they would have believed me anyway.
It took 6 work ponies armed with hammers and chisels to free him from the ice and bring him back to town.
The funeral took place a few days later. Members of the Apple Family and even The Pear Family showed up from every corner of Equestria in order to pay their respects along with friends and neighbors. The service was held under a lone oak tree sitting on a hill overlooking the orchard. It was home to a private plot where the Apple family buried their loved ones after death. In its shade lay several simple stone markers inscribed with the names of dead going all the way back to the founding of Ponyville.
"We are gathered here to say our final farewells to Bright MAc." The town's priest Last Rites said as the casket was placed under the tree. It was a great deal larger than an average casket, having taken 12 pallbearers to carry it up the hill.
"He was a simple stallion, honest, loving, hardworking, A farmer like many in his family before him. He worked hard to provide an honest living for his family."
"To many who knew him myself included he was a close friend." The preacher continued. "But to those closest to him He was a loving son and a devoted father and he will be missed. He leaves behind a mother and four children, grieving relatives and many, many friends.
We sat in the front row next to the casket. I was supposed to sit next to Apple Bloom but she had been too distressed to go so after the wake the night before, so Applejack decided to stay home with her. She'd offered to take me too but I'd refused. Something inside me told me I had to be there.
"To many, it seems he left us too soon. But I ask that as we gather here to pay our last respects to not dwell on the unfortunate circumstances of his passing, But to remember the joy and happiness he brought into each of our lives."
The Priest's eulogy cut thru me like a knife, the familiar feeling of guilt began to bubble up inside of me. I didn't notice I was gripping my chair so tight that my hoof was denting the wood. How could I be so stupid? So stubborn? I only had to listen to his warning and all of this could have been prevented. But now I hadn't and the stallion who'd raised me my whole life was gone.
The priest continued on for a few more minutes before inviting the family to say a few words on Pa's behalf. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Bakin Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp, Cousin Braeburn, Even Great Grand Pear. One by one they told everyone how Pa had impacted their lives in a significant way. Finally, It was our turn, I sat up and followed Granny Smith and Big Mac to the front of the casket.
"Ma'h son was a simple pony. He got up for chores every day at five in the morning and worked from sunup to sundown like his Pa and his Pa before him."
Granny's tone was stoic in the face of the loss of Pa betraying no hint of sadness or grief. Instead, she seemed tired in a way. Her eyes were those of a mare who seen many loved ones enter and leave this world.
"He was an honest gentle soul who loved his family and would anything to please us. He was kind and generous to everyone he met, Always there to cheer up friends and neighbors with a joke or warm smile. He brought many joys into our lives from the day he was born. He was a bright colt, never once tardy for school, His teachers spoke very highly of him whenever we talked."
"Ah'll always remember the day A'h first met Pear Butter, Ah ain't ashamed to admit that A'h was angry as a wasp's nest that she and my son were seeing each other. But over the years A'h saw just how deep their love fe'r each other went. She gave us four wonderful grandchildren and a lifetime of wonderful memories before she passed on. Her death was hard on all of us, but Bright Mac took it the hardest. He did his best to keep going but A'h knew in my heart her passing had hurt him deeply. Ah like to think he's up there with her now."
Pa's last words echoed in my head. "Tell em I love them and Ah'll be watching over them." I felt tears begin to well up in my eyes.
"Apple Comet?"
I looked up to see Granny looking over at me. Her expression softened as she knelt down to my level and embraced me. "Sshhhh It's okay to cry here. She said. "Look at me Ah'm just barely hold'in it together myself." I looked up to see two thin tears roll down her wrinkled cheeks. "Y'all can head on back to the house anytime."
I dried my eyes and shook my head. "No Granny, I'm not leaving until I've had a chance to say goodbye." I stood up as tall as I could and wiped my eyes. Granny smiled and handed me a handkerchief from her saddlebag.
"I think yer Pa would mighty proud of that answer." She said gesturing to the casket.
I wiped my eyes off and placed the handkerchief in my jacket pocket before trotting up to the casket. I ran my hoof over the surface, The polished oak felt smooth to the touch.
"Pa," I said. "I just...I just want to say thank you for taking me in when I had nowhere else to go. I'm sorry...I ran away like I did. I know you told me not to blame myself but I can't help it. If I h-hadn't run back into the forest you'd probably still be here. But I gave you my word and I intend to keep it. I'm not gonna run away from who I am anymore, I may have let you down once but I swear I'll never let you down again. I'm gonna become a stallion you can be proud of I promise. Goodbye Pa....I'm gonna miss you, Say Hi to Ma for me when you get to Elysium."
"That was very good young Colt, I'm sure your father, wherever he is, would be very proud of you for standing up like that." The Preacher said to me with a warm smile. Once the rest of the family had finished paying their last respects it was time to lower the casket.
"And as we lay this pony to rest we ask that the Three Judges in their wisdom look kindly upon him and judge him fairly." The preacher proclaimed as the casket was lowered into the earth. "We ask that they grant him passage to the fields where there is no snow nor heavy storms nor rain but where life is free of toil, sorrow, and pain. May the Goddess Faust bless him on his journey to everlasting peace." And just like that, it was over Ashes to ashes Dust to dust.
I stayed up on the hill for a while after the mourners had left. I told Mac and Granny that I needed to be alone for a while. They hadn't said anything, They just nodded and went back to the house.
Bright Mac
Beloved Son, Husband, and Father.
b 955anm d 995anm
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you Pa, But I promise I'll never let anypony down again."
I spent the next half hour looking over the names on the grave markers, The names went all the way back to the founding of Ponyville.
One stone, in particular, caught my eye, The one laying right next to Pa's grave.
Pear Butter
Beloved Wife, Daughter, and Mother of Four.
b 959anm d 990anm.
A single tear ran down my cheek and landed on the headstone. I was only a few months old when she died but Pa told me she loved as if I were her natural born foal. She and Pa were finally reunited for what it was worth.
"Hey Ma it's me Apple Comet, I know we didn't get to spend much time together but I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened to Pa. I didn't listen to him when I should have and now....well now he's with you. I guess...I can be happy that you can see each other again, but it still hurts inside."
As I stood there it felt like a great weight was being lifted off of my shoulders. I guess there was some merit to what Granny said about the truth setting you free.
"I've been going thru some changes lately, I'm guessing Pa's told you all about that. At first, I thought I was some kind of monster, Somepony who didn't belong. But Pa told something before he died. He said that it was a gift and asked me to make a promise to never use it to hurt others. I'm going to keep that promise Ma!" I promise I'm going to use my powers to help those in need. I'm gonna make you both proud of me just you wait and see."
When I got back to the house the mood was mostly silent, The family had crowded into the living room for snacks and conversation. Granny Smith sat on the couch next to Aunt and Uncle Orange.
"Gertrude dear I can't imagine what you're going thru right now." Aunt Orange said as placed her hoof on Granny's shoulder. Her voice was lacking it's usual high society tone. "If there's anything Mosely or I can do for you please do not hesitate to ask."
Granny took a sip of tea then set her cup on the table. "Thank you Valencia," She said softly. "Ah'll be sure to keep that in mind." She looked up when she heard me shut the door. "Well look who's finally back, Are feeling any better? " She asked.
I smiled and said. "I am sure Granny, I'm feeling a lot better than I was this morning."
She smiled back at me and said. "Ah'm sure glad to hear that. There are apple fritters in the kitchen feel free to help yerself."
"Thanks Granny I could sure go for one right now." I said as I trotted towards the kitchen.
"Oh, could ya do me a favor and take one up to yer sister's room?" She asked me. "Poor filly's been feeling down all day. A'h invited her to come down and sit with the rest of the family earlier, But she wasn't feeling up to it."
"Sure Granny, I can do that." I said before I heading back into the kitchen.
The dining room table was set up like a buffet. Apple dishes of every variety sat out in pans, trays, and plates. Every Apple had brought something to the wake to save Granny the trouble of cooking for everypony there.
"Okay Let's Apple Pies, Apple cakes, Apple Tarts, Apple Strudel, Apple Cobbler, Apple Turnover, Apple Dumplings, Apple Crisps, Apple Cider, Apple Jam, What's this?" I picked up what I later found out to be an orange meringue.
"Whatever it is it looks fancy, Thanks, Aunt and Uncle Orange. Now, where is the Apple frit...Bingo!"
There they were, The batter fried cinnamon coated golden deliciousness that was the Apple Families homemade fritters. This was surely just what I needed to cheer my sister up. I picked up a plate with my teeth, taking extra care not to break Granny's good china and placed two apple fritters on them.
*knock knock knock* I tapped on Apple Bloom's bedroom door with the tip of my hoof.
"Who is it?" Applejack's voice said from behind the door. I gently set the plate down on the floor.
"It's me AJ," I answered. "I brought you some apple fritters from downstairs, I figured you might be hungry. Can I come in?"
"Sure thing door's already open." She replied. I picked the plate back up and opened the door.
The room was pitch dark the only light was sunlight shining through the window. Applejack sat on the edge of the bed next to a large mound in the sheets.
" Who is it Applejack? a muffled voice asked thru the bedsheets.
"It's Apple Comet." Applejack replied to her sister. "He's brought ya up some Apple Fritter's to cheer you up!"
"Go away! A'h never want to see you again!" My little sister's sudden shriek was followed by a pillow flying towards my head. Immediately I ducked and darted away from the puffy projectile which missed me by a country mile.
With my X-Ray Vision, I saw Apple Bloom laying with her forelegs crossed holding a teddy bear in vice grip Her mane was disheveled and unkempt, her eyes were puffy from crying and a deep scowl crossed her face.
"Apple Bloom! "Applejack scowled angrily. Ah, know Y'all are upset but that's no way to treat to yer brother when he's just trying to be nice to ya!"
"He's not my brother!" Apple Bloom snapped back. "He's a monster! He's an alien freak!"
Apple Bloom's words stabbed me like a knife thru the heart. My jaw went slack sending the plate crashing to the floor.
*CRASH!*
"Now that wasn't a very nice thing to say Applebloom! " Applejack said getting up off the bed. "Ah'm so very sorry about her, She's been like this all day."
My ears drooped as looked up at her. "No it's fine I understand," I said turning towards the door. I'll go get a broom and dustpan and sweep this up."
"Apple Comet wait!" Applejack called out. "Ah'll get it, A'h think you and Bloom need to have a little talk." And with that she turned and walked out of the room.
*Sigh* "Hey Apple Bloom how's it going?" It was a stupid question but I had to start somewhere. She shuffled and turned over to the other side, X-Ray Vision remember. "Look I don't know what else I can say about Pa."
"Well then don't say anything!" She snapped "It's all yer fault he's dead! You and yer freaky alien powers! It should've been you that ended up as Timberwolf food instead of Pa!"
My heart sank at her words, I wanted to tell her she wrong, that she only being a poop head, But deep down I sort of felt the same. What if it had been me who'd been killed? What would Pa be doing if he were in my shoes right now?
"Do...Do you really believe that Bloom?" I asked, "Would the rest of the family really be better off if I'd never arrived?"
Apple Bloom's heart rate began to speed up, she was breathing harder and faster. "A-Ah'm n-not saying that." She said hesitantly. "Ah'm just saying why you couldn't save him with all yer amazing powers like Y'all did with Granny?"
It was a question I'd been asking myself for the last couple days. I doubted that I would ever find the answer. "I was too foalish I guess." I finally said. "Pa tried to warn me but I wouldn't listen. I thought I could handle them on my own, I could smash them like they were made of glass, I could turn them to ash just by looking at them or freeze them solid with my breath. I forgot that Pa wasn't as powerful as I was and.... Apple Bloom believe me when I say I would give up my powers if it could bring Pa back."
For a moment the room fell silent, then my ear picked up the faint sound of whimpering coming from the sheets. My heart sank as I trotted up to the bed and lifted the sheets off of her. In an instant, Apple Bloom wrapped her forelegs around my neck and buried her face into my mane. She didn't say anything to me, She just sobbed and trembled against me like a newborn foal. I shut my eyes and patted her gently on the back. Her insults no longer mattered, The fact that I was adopted no longer mattered, My powers no longer mattered. What mattered in this instance was my little sister needed a shoulder to cry on and that I was there for her.
"Ah'm sorry." She whispered to me in trembling voice. "I didn't mean what A'h said! Please don't go away!"
A gentle smile crossed my face as I looked down at her. "It's okay Bloom I forgive you."
The atmosphere at the dinner table that evening was as silent as a church at night. As the family filed into the dining room everypony sat in the seats they'd been given. Apple Bloom and I sat with Applejack and Big Mac next to the other kids while Granny sat in her usual spot. Pa's usual space was left empty marked by an old photograph sitting in his chair at the head of the table. One by one the family joined hooves and bowed their heads as Granny began the blessing of grace.
"Faust Mother of Harmony, We thank you for this bounty of food and for all the blessings bestowed upon this family which we are all grateful for."
At once the rest of the family joined in.
"We thank you for our health and wellbeing and for our bountiful harvest. In this difficult time as we mourn the passing of Bright Mac we humbly ask that you take his soul into your Elysian Fields that he may find everlasting peace. Give us the strength to heal and the guidance to move on, that thru this dark time we may see the light. For thou is thy mother thy mentor and thy friend Amen."
"Let us eat," Granny said as the rest of the family raised their heads and picked up their utensils to begin eating.
After breakfast, the rest of the family packed up the wagons and headed off for home. We said our usual goodbyes and exchanged shows of affection, which unfortunately for me and Apple Bloom meant lots of wet kisses and cheek pinches from elderly relatives. I suppose I should consider myself lucky that my skin was indestructible. Anyway, after we'd said our goodbyes to everyone and the household had been given time to settle down, I decided to it was time to talk to the family about what I saw in the crystal that night.
I walked into the living room to find Granny sitting on the couch looking thru an old photo album with a cup of tea in her hoof. It was now or never. I couldn't let my guilt hold me back anymore. She had to know, they all did.
"Granny?" She looked up at me, her face looked more worn and haggard than yesterday.
"What is it, dear?" She asked me.
"I'd like to call a family meeting if I could. There's something I've got to tell you all." For a moment she just looked me with her tired weary eyes. Then she closed the album and set it gently on the coffee table.
"Alright then." She said quietly before reaching into the nearby nightstand and pulling a small triangle out of the drawer.
CLANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG ALANG!!!!
"FAMILY MEETING!!!"
The volume of her voice was so loud it managed to drown out the clanging of the triangle. Needless to say, it was not a good time to have super hearing. Much to my misfortune, the insufferable clanging was soon joined by a cacophony of stampeding hooves. I could already tell who they belonged to.
"Hurry up, Applejack!"
"Ah'm coming Ah'm coming!"
Apple Bloom came bounding down the stairs with AJ hot on her heels. Granny ceased ringing the infernal triangle and set it down on the nightstand.
"Where's yer brother?" Granny asked. Applejack and Apple Bloom looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
"Ah don't know Granny?" Applejack responded.
Flush!
"He's in the upstairs bathroom," I answered.
"You saw upstairs again huh?" Applejack asked me, I recoiled as the image of Big Mac sitting down to do his business ran thru my head.
"Ugh, no gross! I just heard the toilet flushing that's it!" Applejack chuckled and sat down on the couch.
"Ah don't get it Applejack?" Apple Bloom asked her sister. "What's so funny?"
Applejack waved a hoof and snorted. "Oh, nothing just yer brother seeing things he probably shouldn't."
"Sorry A'h was late Granny, A'h was in the washroom when A'h heard ya!"
"WE KNOW!!!" I shouted in frustration, My voice shaking the window frames and shelves. "Sorry."
"Umm...So Granny what'd ya call a family meeting for'?" Applejack finally asked.
"Ah didn't call it, Ye'r brother did," Granny explained to her. "Go ahead Apple Comet."
"I took in a deep breath and sighed. "Thanks, Granny, Everyone I've got something to tell you. The night Pa showed me the rocket, I found a message inside the crystal he showed me.”
"You mean the funny looking one that was glowing all funny like?" Applejack gave me a look of confusion.
"Yeah, that one," I answered.
"Well, Ya started to act mighty strange when ya looked into it. What did the message say?" Granny asked getting right to the point.
"I told me the truth Granny," I answered. "About who I am, Where I come from, Why I'm different."
"Well don't leave us in suspense!" Apple Bloom exclaimed as she stood up on the couch in excitement. "Come on tell us.?"
"As soon as it lit up everything just vanished, I found myself in a strange house that I'd never seen before, And I met these two ponies who said they were my parents.”
Their eyes went wide, pupils shrunk in surprise. Granny Smith spat her tea out.
"Yer parents?" They all cried out in shock.
"As in yer birth parents?" Granny asked reaching for her handkerchief.
"That's what they told me." I answered, "They told me their names were Jav-El and Loran and that I was on another planet called Kolton. They said it was where I was born."
The room went dead quiet, No one dared say a thing. They just stared in awe at me like a deer caught in a locomotive's headlight.
"Granny?"
"Yes Applejack?"
"Could Y'all give me a pinch right about now? A'h wanna be sure A'h ain't dreaming this."
"Of course Dear."
*PINCH*
"Yeowch!" Applejack jumped up landing on her flank in an undignified fashion. "Thank you."
"Uh'm Granny?" Big Mac raised his hoof. "A-A'h think A'h might need a pinch too."
"Y-Yeah me too." Apple Bloom added.
"Wait!" I interjected "I know this sounds crazy, But I can prove to you it's real. I just need to find some way to make it play the memory for all of us?"
"A'h really don't know what to say about all this alien whatchamacallit." She said looking me in the eye. "After the way it made you acted last time Ah'm not sure it would be a good idea."
"It didn't make me act that way Granny I swear it didn't." I protested. "I-I was scared, They told me that Kolton had exploded a long time ago and I was the only survivor. They said they put me in that rocket and sent me here to save me. And they said that I was going to become stronger than I am now. They said that ponies might fear me that they might try to destroy me."
"Alright Ah've heard enough." Granny declared. "Ma'h mind is made up. Until you get a little older A'h don't want you fooling around with that thing. It's putting all sorts of kooky ideas in yer head.” She turned over to the couch. "And that goes for you three as well. Ah, don't want nopony fooling around in that barn when Ah'm not around, ya got me?"
"Yes, Granny." The three of them nodded.
"Alright then." She said as she turned back over to me and placed her hooves on my shoulders "A'h want cha to understand something. Ah, ain't doing this to be mean or cause Ah want to. A'h just want you to be safe because alien or not you're a part of this family and we love you. You've been through a lot these last few days, We all have. Right now you shouldn't be thinking about where Y'all came from or what's going to happen to you. Y'all should be out there being a colt, going to school, making friends. Not spending yer whole childhood cooped up in a barn looking at crystals all day.”
"But what about my powers?" I asked her. "Jav-El and Loran said I'm only going to get stronger as I grow. How am I supposed to go to school, make friends and all that stuff without hurting someone?"
Granny rubbed her hoof against her chin, pondering how best to deal with the problem at hand.
"Well yes, A'h suppose that is quite a query of a quandary isn't it?" She pondered. "Although...
"Although what Granny?" Big Mac asked.
"A'h think A'h might have an idea about that." She answered slyly as she reached under the couch and pulled out a large gong and mallet.
"You young'uns are free to go, I've got some thinking to do.”
GONG!
"Family meeting adjourned."
"How many instruments does she have under there anyway?" I asked, To which my siblings only shrugged. I didn't know it at the time but tomorrow was going to be one of the craziest days of my life. And considering the last few days, that's saying a lot.
The Apple Family Way Part 1.
The next morning didn't start for me with the rooster's usual crow, Instead, I woke up to a much more unpleasant noise.
"Rise and shine Lazy Hooves! We've got a whole lot of work today."
Shuffling off the covers and shaking my head I opened my eyes to find Granny Smith standing over the side of my bed.
"Granny?" I asked, "What are you doing up this late?"
"Why Ah'm getting yer lazy bones out of bed for one thing."
I glanced over at my alarm clock, It was 6:00 in the morning. "It's only 6 O clock!" I moaned into my pillow.
"A'h decided A'h'd be generous since yer still a growing foal." Was her answer. "Come on get up now, We've got a lot of work to get done before ya go to school." With that she turned around and went back downstairs.
Granny was in the kitchen washing dishes in the sink when I got downstairs, She'd set out a bowl of oatmeal on the table along with a glass of milk. The rest of the spots lay empty.
"Where's everyone else?" I asked curiously.
"Still asleep." She replied to me. "This morning it's just you and me."
"Why's that?"
"Because today Y'all are gonna start learning the Apple Family Way." She answered.
"The Apple Family Way? What's that?"
"It's what makes an Apple an Apple, We usually wait till yer a little older but Ah've decided to make a special case for ya considering yer unique circumstances."
"Yay me." I dipped my spoon into my oatmeal and blew on it.
"When yer done with yer oatmeal don't forget to wash yer bowl in the sink."
Stars still shimmered in the early morning sky as I stepped outside. The morning air invigorating my senses as Granny led me over to the orchard.
"Now before we get started, How much do you know about Applebuck'in?" She asked me.
I scratched my head in confusion. "Only what I've seen from you and Pa. You just hit the tree with your hoof and the apples fall down."
Granny looked at me then shook her head. "There's a lot more to it than that, young'in." She said to me. Had I disappointed her so soon? "Applebuck'in a skill that takes lots of practice commitment and determination. Let me show you" Setting a bucket down under the tree Granny circled around the tree, examining it up and down, Eventually after finding a spot she liked she leaned back coiled her hind leg muscles in like a spring and with spryness that belied her age kicked the tree with both legs sending a single apple toppling into the bucket.
"I don't understand Granny," I said looking at the lone Apple she had knocked from the tree. "You only got one apple with that kick. I don't think you did it right." She turned and glared at me.
"Didn't do it right?" She growled "Weren't ya paying attention at all to what Ah was saying? There's more to it than just knocking apples into a bucket! Anypony can do that! It's not about how many apples ya can knock down it's about concentration, focus, self-control things yer going to learn a lot about Ah can assure you." Stepping aside she gestured to the tree. "Here you give it a try." Nervously I gulped and took in a deep breath.
"Okay I can do this." Everything would be okay as long as I remembered what Granny said, Concentration, Focus & Self Control. Trotting over to the tree I looked it over up and down like I saw Granny do it. I didn't know what I was looking for, but it was an apple tree, its branches were full of apples and all I had to do was knock them down. Turning my hind to the tree I closed my eyes and wound up my hind legs. “Alright Here goes nothing.”
CRAAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKK!!!!!!
I opened my eyes just in time to watch the tree sailing over the orchard straight past Ponyville.
(Third Person POV)
Twilight Sparkle slumbered quietly in her room, her best friend Smarty Pants tucked under her hooves as she slept quietly. Being the personal student of Princess Celestia wasn't easy but for an eager beaver like Twilight, it was a dream come true. As she slept Twilight dreamed about what the coming day would bring for her, Would it be new spells to learn? New topics to study? She certainly wasn't expecting a full-grown Apple Tree to come crashing thru her ceiling like a guided missile in flight!
CRAAAAAAASSSSSH!!!!!!
“AAAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!”
The early morning Canterlot calm was shattered by an ear-splitting shriek of terror and an eruption of magical energy so powerful it shattered every window in the castle as well as three block radius.
*Poof*
Princess Celestia teleported into the room, Her normally majestic mane was tangled up in split ends and her eyes were bloodshot from having been woken so suddenly.
“Twilight What's wrong?! I heard you screaming and.....Oh, my.” She said taking a look around what was left of Twilight's room. The tree had entered thru the roof roots first leaving a large hole in the ceiling. Smashed apples lay scattered across the floor and bed, lying in the corner in a small basket was a shaking trembling pumpkin with two green eyes.
*Sigh* "It's alright Twilight." Celestia said calmly her horn lighting up as she changed the pumpkin back into a shaken purple baby dragon. "I'll send the royal carpenter in right away. You and Spike can sleep in my bed tonight." Carefully picking up Spike in her magic, The Princess of Sun gently rocked him back and forth. "Shush it's alright little one."
"Is...Is he going to be okay Princess?" Twilight asked her mentor. Her eyes were filled with worry. Celestia looked down at her student and smiled.
"He's just a little shaken up is all." She whispered softly. "A bottle of warm Drakaina's milk, a little burping and he should be fine. Now come on there's still half an hour before I have to raise the sun and I think we could both use a little more sleep before then." Celestia chuckled as she opened the opened the door for Twilight who rushed over to her mentor's side.
(Comet's POV again.)
I raised my hoof up. "Yes, what is it Apple Comet?"
"Isn't plowing the fields Big Mac's job Granny?" I asked. "Besides we don't have a yoke in my size."
"Well, Y'all be happy to know that ya won't be using the yoke and plow for this exercise." She answered.
"But how am I supposed to plow the field with no plow?" Granny smiled and raised up her hoof.
"With yer hooves of course. I want ya to dig nice straight over the hill and down the other side." She answered pointing to the top of the hill.
"Wow Granny that was amazing!" I exclaimed. I'd never seen this side of Granny Smith before, She was always the kindly Grandmother who kept the farmhouse tidy and cooked for us.
*Huff huff* "That was nothing!" She said wearily as she reached for her sweat rag. "In mah prime, Ah could've dug ten rows in that time. Still, Ah've gotcha started, now the rest is up to you. Remember nice straight rows."
"Nice straight rows got it." I nodded. Taking a deep breath I dug my right hoof into the ground, followed up with my left and I was off. Quickly reaching super speed levels I dug my way to the top of the hill in under three seconds. Time began to slow down as I made my way down to the bottom, Hoofuls of dirt flying past face in slow motion as I reached the end of the line. Turning around I began digging my way back up the hill and down the other side. All in all, I managed to plow the entire hill in under 40 seconds.
"Well, Granny," I asked beaming with pride at my hoof work. "How did I do?"
"No good? I asked confused. "But I did what you said? I dug over the hill and down the bottom.”
"That ya did." She answered pointing directly at the hill. "However ya dug the rows too deep." I turned around to see that the rows I'd dug resembled trenches leaving what was left of the hill surrounded by massive piles of dirt, clay and even bedrock
"Whoops! Uhm...err sorry about that, I can fix it I promise."
"Just remember bedrock, substratum, subsoil, surface, and organic in that order and take yer time with it," Granny said as she sat down.
The sun had risen over the peak of Canterlot by the time I finished putting the last of the dirt back into place. The hill finally looked somewhat normal. My normally white coat was covered in dirt spots and my mane streaked with mud. In spite of this, I didn't break a single sweat.
"Okay, Granny I put the hill back together, What now?"
Granny opened her pocket watch to check the time. "7:30 Well A'h must say you certainly did yer time and ya certainly got yer hooves dirty." She said looking at the state of my coat and mane.
"It's okay I can grab a shower before a school." Before I head for the house I was stopped by a wooden cane swinging in front of me.
"Oh no, yer not tracking dirt in mah house young colt." She hollered out as she held the end of her cane to my muzzle.
"Well then how am I supposed to get clean." I quickly learned that was the wrong thing to say.
I ended up having to sit in a metal tub behind the barn while Granny bathed me with a garden hose.
"Hold still will ya?" She said as she combed and shampooed my mane. "Y'all still got some clumps of dirt in here.
"Ow easy Granny! that hurts." I cried out. "What's taking so long?"
"It's yer mane, It's like trying to untangle chicken wire."
Great my mane was indestructible but it still hurt when somepony pulled my hair go figure. This was certainly going to make my next manecut very awkward.
CRAAAAACCCCKKK! ....And there goes the comb...great.
"Sweet Celestia!" Granny exclaimed her mouth dropped in shock. "What am I gonna do?"
"Actually Granny could I borrow a small mirror?" I asked. "I might have an idea.”
Granny sat and watched with amazement as my heat vision bounced off the mirror's surface and into my mane. By focusing the intensity of my beams heat I was able to gently burn out the dirt clods in my mane with laser precision. Now the more inquisitive of you are probably asking HOW IN EQUESTRIA DID A FIVE-YEAR-OLD COLT COME UP WITH THE IDEA TO USE THEIR HEAT VISION TO CLEAN THEIR MANE?!!! Followed shortly by WHERE AND HOW DID THAT COLT GET HEAT VISION AND WHAT KIND OF PARENTAL GUARDIAN LETS HIM PLAY AROUND WITH IT?!!! Well, it should blatantly obvious to anypony who's been paying attention that I was no ordinary colt.
"Sweet Celestia's Mane" Granny muttered under her breath as I looked at my hoof err I mean eye work in the mirror. As amazing as seeing thru walls and shooting beams of heat wasn't enough, I could also see at a microscopic level. It seemed there was no limit to the incredible things I could do. But I wasn't about to go about showing off my powers to everypony in town. I'd learned the hard way with Pa about being reckless with my powers.
"I think I got them all Granny," I said proudly setting the mirror down as I stepped out of the tub.
"It seems everyday Y'all find another way to astonish us Apple Comet." Granny Smith admonished. "Yer faster than a bolt of lightning, stronger than a locomotive, heck A'h would be surprised if one day ya leaped to the moon. Yer certainly a very special colt my boy."
"Thanks, Granny," I said stepping out of the tub. I opted to dry myself off the good old-fashioned way. I didn't know how I was going to dry off every angle of my body with just a tiny mirror. "So what's next?"
"What's next? School of course!" She answered nonchalantly. "Better get a move on, Between moving all that dirt and taking a bath yer running way behind."
I was out of the barn so fast that my coat was completely dry when I reached the front door.
Ok teeth brushed? Check.
Coat dried? Check.
Mane combed? Check,
Hooves cleaned? Check.
Lunch packed? Well, it's just an apple, some carrot sticks and an ear of corn but check.
Backpack packed? Check.
Okay, that was everything, there was nothing left to do now but...
"Apple Bloom! Apple Comet! Carts here!"
Catch the school cart before it left without me. My X-ray vision quickly spotted my little sister climbing aboard. Fast as I could run without using my super speed I darted out the door. Already the cart driver had begun pulling away from the front gate. “Wait! hold up! Hey, Stop! Wait for me!” I shouted but I was too far away for the driver to hear me. By the time I reached the gate the cart was already halfway down the road. "Awe Ponyfeathers," I said kicking the dirt in frustration. As I grumbled over how I was going to get to school on time my super hearing picked up a sharp whistle in the distance. A smile crept across my muzzle as I took off for the West Orchard. If I hurried I not only could I get to school on time I could probably beat the cart there.
(Third Pony Pov)
Sue Hoof Sue sighed as looked longingly out the window, It had been a long boring trip for the little filly from Dodge Junction, Most of it spent sleeping on her mother's lap. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye she spotted an earth pony about her age racing alongside the train.
"Mommy Mommy!" Sue cried shaking her Mother back and forth.
"Hmm What is it, Sue?" Her Mother asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"I just saw a colt outside running faster than the train." She said her face beaming with excitement.
"What's going on?" Her Father asked setting down his newspaper.
"Daddy I was looking outside and there was this Colt and he was running as fast as the train, Faster Even!" Sue exclaimed.
"Oh Sue you've got quite the imagination I'll say that for you." Her Mother replied.
"But It's true Mommy just look outside!" Sue's parents peered out the window but there was no sign of any colt running.
"Alright Sue that's enough we'll be pulling into the station so get your things together." Her father said folding up his newspaper
Sue Hoof Sue crossed her forelegs and pouted. "Nopony ever believes me."
Whistleblower could hardly believe his eyes. That colt was not only keeping pace with the train but seemed to be set to overtake it. Running past car after car the young earth pony was rapidly closing the distance to the cab. As he pulled up to the locomotive. The young colt gestured with his hoof for him to blow his whistle. After taking a moment to shake his head Whistleblower realized he wasn't seeing things and reluctantly obliged. He even clanged the bell for him, Satisfied the colt picked up speed and quickly overtook the locomotive quickly becoming a white blur.
"Sweet Celestia I must be seeing things." He muttered as he wiped his brow with his bandana.
(Apple Comet's Pov.)
By the time I got to school the cart wasn't even at the front gate. As expected I'd beaten it by a country mile. I decided to hang out behind a tree and wait for it to catch up while I thought up an excuse for how I got to school on time after missing the cart. Soon enough I had it figured out. I would wait out here after class started, Just long enough that no one would notice how fast I'd really got here then knock on the door and explain that I had to trot to school. I could still participate thanks to my super hearing and x-ray vision, hopefully without any skeletons this time so technically I wouldn't be cutting class. Ah, superpowers they might take some serious getting used to but they've got some benefits you just can't beat.
Sure enough within a few minutes the school cart pulled up and the kids got off. The door swung open and Ms Cheerilee stepped out to greet them.
"Good Morning Students, I hope everypony is ready to learn today because we have a lot of topics to cover."
One by the students filed thru the door, All except for my sister who trotted over to Ms. Cheerilee.
"Ms. Cheerilee?"
"Yes, Apple Bloom?"
"Ma'h brother missed the cart this morning, can y'all please not mark him tardy?"
"How did that happen?"
"Ah don't know." Apple Bloom said. "When I got up I found a note from Granny saying she'd taken him out to do some chores and that he'd be finished in time for school. I tried to tell the driver but everypony was being too loud."
"Alright Apple Bloom I won't mark him tardy till lunchtime but if he's not here by then I'll have no choice."
"Thanks, Ms. Cheerilee!" Apple Bloom exclaimed pulling Cheerilee's leg into a big hug. Cheerilee smiled and wrapped her neck around Apple Bloom.
"Good Morning Class." Ms. Cheerilee said as she sat at her desk.
"Good Morning Ms. Cheerilee!" The class echoed. Cheerilee smiled warmly as she picked up a clipboard off her desk.
"Now before we get started let's all take roll call okay? Apple Bloom?"
"Here!"
"Okay then." Ms. Cheerilee said as she checked her off the list. "Apple Comet is running a little late today so I won't mark him tardy for now.
"Probably too busy having a freak out somewhere!" Diamond Tiara sneered before chuckling with Silver Spoon.
"Leave my brother alone Diamond Tiara!" Applebloom stood up from her desk. "He's been going thru a lot lately!"
"I'll bet." Silver Spoon giggled. "Did he melt another doorknob?" While two fillies busted into a laughter Applebloom's heart rate began to rise. I could tell she was seriously considering giving those two a good bucking. Fortunately, before things could escalate Ms Cheerilee stepped in.
"Diamond Tiara! Silver Spoon! That's enough! I don't hear another word from either you unless I call on you, understand?"
"Good now if there are no more distractions we can back to roll call. Archer?"
"Here" The little blue colt raised his hoof.
Meanwhile while Ms. Cheerilee was busy taking roll call I was busy formulating how long It would take an average colt to get to school on hoof. If I ran full gallop without using my super speed I'd probably get halfway past the west orchard before running out of breath. How long would I have to stop for to catch it? And I'd have to go thru town, Somepony would have to have seen me, other than that little filly and the engineer. These are the kind of things extraterrestrial little colts have to deal with every day. Guess it would teach me not to race speeding trains on the way to school without thinking up an alibi first. To save time I'm just going to skip all that and cut ahead to when I decided to "Arrive late.”
I knocked gently on the door of the schoolhouse making sure not to dent the wood or knock it off its hinges.
"Coming." Ms. Cheerilee sang from behind the door as she opened. "Why goodness Apple Comet!"
"Good *pant* morning Ms. *pant* Cheerilee." I panted acting like I was out of breath. "Sorry I'm *pant* late, I sort of *pant* missed the cart."
"I know, your sister told me what happened at the cart stop." She explained as she looked at me with concern on her face. “Good heavens did you run here all by yourself?"
"Yeah *Pant* I *Pant* I did," I said simply.
"You sound exhausted. Do you need me to call Nurse Redheart?" She asked.
"No I think *Pant pant* I think I'll be fine. I-I'm just a little *pant* thirsty."
"Well feel free to use the water fountain then take your seat," Cheerilee said the worry in her voice giving way to a stern tone. "Next time something like this happens, find a grownup you trust to help."
"Yes Ms. Cheerilee," I replied walking up to the fountain. I pressed the button and put my lips up to the water. It was cool and refreshing even though I really didn't feel so refreshed. When I was done I put my backpack under my desk took out my math book and took my seat.
"Alright Class let's get back subject shall we? Now who can tell me the answer to the third problem on page seventeen? Anyone?"
It was my first day back at school so I still was still a little uneasy about anything weird happening I certainly didn't want to see all your classmates skeletons again. Luckily nothing out of the ordinary happened until recess. I was sitting on the swing set. I didn't want to accidentally break something or hurt somepony so I sat by myself watching the rest of the class run around and play games.
"Tag your it!"
"17 18 19 20 Ready or not here I come!"
"Peppermints peppermints in a dish. How many pieces do you wish?"
"Red Rover Red Rover send Aura right over!"
"Hey, Apple Comet!" I looked to my right and saw Apple Bloom standing by the swing next to me. "Can A'h swing here?"
"Sure," I said. I could already tell something was on her mind.
"So how come Y'all missed the cart this morning?" She asked me.
"I was up pretty early helping Granny Smith with some chores," I explained. Apple Bloom looked at me with curiosity.
"How early are we talking?" She asked me with eyebrows raised.
"About 6 am," I answered. Apple Bloom's eyes went wide with shock.
"6 am? That's way too early to get up!” She exclaimed. "You must be tired."
"Actually I don't feel tired at all."
"Does all this have to do with ya being an alien? Wait a minute. Were y'all even really late?" My little sister was smarter than most ponies give credit for.
"Well to be honest." I leaned and whispered in her ear. "I actually beat the cart here by about ten minutes," I smirked struggling not to laugh as Apple Bloom's jaw dropped.
"B-But....." Unable to stutter out a coherent response Apple Bloom simply sighed and said "Oh that's right superpowers. By the way, Ah've been meaning to ask ya what's it like having those?" And now it was my turn to have my jaw drop.
"Umm.....well......actually....you see....." I was tongue-tied. The truth was I'd been trying to find an answer to that for the past week. I was six years old, I'd grown up on an apple orchard and suddenly I was faster and more powerful than a locomotive. I was learning faster than my peers and had already memorized the contents of all my textbooks. I could see thru walls, hear long distances, breath ice and melt things just by looking at them. Oh, and it was all because I was an alien. The only thing I couldn't do at this moment was figure out how I felt about it.
"Apple Comet? Are Y'all okay?" Apple Bloom asked as she leaned over to look me in the eyes.
"I really don't know how I feel right now Bloom."
"Hey, Apple Comet!" I looked up to see Rumble looking at me. "We need another pony for soccer you in?"
Immediately I was hesitant. The whole reason I'd stayed by the swings was because I didn't want to break something or hurt somepony. I'd seen other foals play it before. It involved a lot of running and kicking which were two things that with me went hoof in hoof with property damage. Before I could decline Apple Bloom spoke first.
"Go on ahead. Y'all have done nothing but sit on this swing all recess anyway." I sighed and looked over at Rumble was looking at me with a puzzled expression.
"Sure Rumble I'm in."
"Great!” The Pegasus Colt exclaimed. “It's you, me Archer and Button Mash against Snips, Snails, Teddy and Truffle. We're gonna destroy them!"
I felt a rock drop in my stomach as he said those last words. Still, I did my best to remain composed.
"I'm sure we will," I told Rumble.
Now I just had to make it through the rest of recess without turning the soccer field into a war zone.
Author's Note
Sorry for keeping you all waiting. My Part time job and duties as an Uncle have been getting in the way for a while now. As you might have guessed by the title this is part one of a two part chapter where under AppleComet will attempt to master the use of his powers. Will he succeed or will more accidental destruction follow? I don't really know yet but think of it as Superman meets My Little Pony FIM meets The Karate Kid. Which doesn't sound like it should make any sense or belong together but bear with me on it. I'll start the next chapter on Tuesday seeing as I've got work tomorrow and I'm never in the mood to write after working in a greenhouse for seven hours. Actually I might be able to get a little started before work if I get to bed early and wake up around 6:00 6:30ish.
Anyway hope you're enjoying the story and I'll see you next time.
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The Apple Family Way Part 2 The Goal Seen Around the World.
The mood on the soccer field was calm. On one side Button Mash was talking to Archer about some new game he'd just gotten called The Legend of Marelda Journey to the Sky. On the other Snips and Snails were in the middle of a game of rock paper scissors while Teddy and Truffle sat next to the goal looking bored.
"I can't believe I got stuck with you babies on my team." The blue Earth Pony muttered as Rumble and I stepped onto the field.
"I'm back guys," Rumble said. "And I got Apple Comet to play for our team." Teddy snorted trying to hold back a laugh.
"Apple Comet? You got that crybaby to play for your side." Teddy burst into a peal of laughter. "Wow, you losers must be really desperate." He turned his attention and walked over to me, a Cheshire grin crossing his face. "You scared little baby?" He said looking me in the eyes. "I promise I'll try my best not to kick the big bad ball too hard at your face." I imagined myself kicking the ball with such force that it collided with Teddy's head with a sickening smack. I saw his eyes rolling back in his head as the ball catapulted him headfirst into the schoolhouse wall. I swallowed hard.
"Aw, are you gonna cry again crybaby." He teased thinking his cheap taunts were getting to me. He didn't know how bad he was asking for it.
"Alright lay off Teddy!" Rumble shouted, "Did you come here to play or not?"
"Alright, you want to play? We'll play," he said still cocky as ever as he walked back over to his team.
"Don't listen to him," Rumble said to me placing his hoof on my shoulder. "Between us, Teddy may act big and scary but I heard he still sleeps with a nightlight. Come on let's cream these guys." I took a deep breath and put on my best game face.
"Yeah let's do it." I wish I was as confident as I sounded. I was sure we were going to win. I just wasn't sure we were going to do it without me accidentally smearing that loud mouth against the wall.
The game got off to a pretty good start. Thanks to my increased awareness It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. It felt more like I taking a trot rather than playing a team sport. Teddy gained possession of the ball early and with Snips and Snails in the midfield made a drive for our goal. At this speed, I could've easily intercepted him but I wanted to get thru this game without using my powers so I simply matched their pace. Luckily Snips and Snails didn't make for the best midfielders making it easy for Button Mash and Rumble to get around them and close in on Teddy.
"Snips Snails! What are you morons doing?" He shouted. "Get over here and watch my back." Snails quickly caught up to Rumble and tried to pass him but Rumble wasn't giving him an opening. Snips tried to pass Button Mash. Neither one of those two were in particularly great shape judging from their heart rate. I quickly closed in next to Snips to stop him from blocking Button Mash.
"Hey get outta my way!" The grey unicorn complained as Button was able to catch up to Teddy. Meanwhile, Rumble had managed to outflank Snails and was closing in on Teddy. Unfortunately, before he could intercept the ball Teddy kicked it straight at Archer's head. My instincts kicking in I charged headlong ignoring the ball and tackled Archer to the ground moments before it struck him leaving Teddy's team with the first goal of the game.
"Nice moves loser! You just gave us a free goal!" Teddy laughed heartily as I picked Archer up off the ground.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He said brushing the grass out of his coat. "I just sort of froze up back there. If you hadn't pushed me out of the way when you did."
"Hey we're teammates gotta watch each other's back," I said with a gentle pat on the back. "Now let's get out there and show those guys what we're made of.” Archer looked at me sternly and nodded.
The game got back underway with Rumble gaining possession of the ball. Teddy's team moved quickly to stop us from advancing but Snips and Snails weren't any better at defense than they were on midfield. As for Truffle he wasn't exactly made goalie for being fast on his hooves. We scored three goals in the span of just a few minutes And Teddy was not happy.
"What is wrong with you guys?!” He shouted at his teammates. "You're stumbling around out there like you have two left front hooves!"
"Sorry, Teddy." Snails said sheepishly. "We're trying our best out there."
"Yeah." Snips added. "It's not our fault. Apple Comet keeps getting in the way."
"Well try harder you idiots!" Teddy berated. "They're ahead of us by two goals! Do you want to lose to those babies?!" Snips, Snails shook their heads. "That's what I thought. And as for you." He said turning his frustration onto Truffle. "The next time you see the ball coming I expect you to block it with something other than your fat flank Understand?!" Truffle didn't say a word only sniffing and nodding his head.
The game was quickly beginning to attract an audience. Other children stopped what they were doing and began walking towards the field to see the match. I could definitely tell Teddy's team was taking this game a little too seriously for a simple playground match. They were definitely putting in more effort than they had before, but not enough to make a difference against my brain's processing speed. I could tell every move they would make before they made it. Still, I held back only kicking the ball with gentle taps and giving myself a wide berth from the others. Teddy's team rebounded with an interception by Teddy from Button Mash followed by another goal shot at Archer's head that he thankfully managed to dodge in time.
"Time out!" Rumble called out. The Team captain's trotted up to the center spot.
"What are you babies crying about now?" Teddy sneered. "Come to forfeit?"
"You tried to hit Archer again!" Rumble shouted at him.
"I did not!" Teddy said. "It's not my fault your goalie can't block!"
"I saw you!" Rumble said. "You aiming right at him!"
"I was not!" Teddy argued getting into Rumble's face. "It was an accident!" The two of them were muzzle to muzzle, looking at each other like two timberwolves fighting over a kill. Right then I decided to step in before a fight broke out.
"Okay, everypony just calm down," I said stepping in between to push them apart. "There's no need to start a fight."
"Apple Comet what are you talking about?" Rumble said. "He was aiming right for Archer."
"I saw it, Rumble," I said. "He says it was an accident."
"Yeah, it was," Teddy interjected. I could see his heart beating faster, his pulse speeding up. His voice sounded hesitant. Teddy might have been a convincing playground bully but his lying skills left something to be desired.
"And you're going to take his side?!" Rumble said.
"No, I'm not," I argued turning my gaze over to Teddy. "I'm just saying that if it was really an accident like Teddy says it was then he should make sure it doesn't happen again." I'd been nose to nose with a Timberwolf King, some big kid on the playground wasn't going to scare me. If he tried something like that again I'd show him what he was messing with. I'd.....I stopped myself there. The image of Teddy broken and beaten, sobbing on the ground passed thru my head. In his eyes, I saw myself standing over him hooves raised, a satisfied grin on my face. This wasn't me, I was raised better than this.
"Come on Rumble we've got a game to finish," I said ushering him back to starting line.
"Apple Comet! Heads up!” He cried as he kicked the ball toward me. This was it, It was all on me to score the goal. In slow motion, I could see Teddy breaking away from Rumble to pursue the ball. My eyes turned to their goalie. Truffle was standing on his hind legs, his forelegs held up to block any shots. He didn't realize he'd left an opening to the left the size of Trottingham. All it needed was a gentle tap. I dashed for the ball my hind leg swung back carefully and .......
"Go Apple Comet!"
"PPPPOOOOOOOOWWWWWWHHHOOOOSSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!"
My Sister's cheer threw off my concentration for just a fraction of a second. But that fraction was all I needed to kick the ball with enough force to send it flying off into the distance to the shock and undying memory of my classmates.
(Third Pony POV)
The stands were packed in the Cloudsdale Colosseum for the big soccer match between the home team Cloudsdale Cloudbuckers and the visiting Las Pegasus Pioneers. In the stands, a young cyan filly of about ten years old sat on her father's shoulders. Next to them sat a yellow lanky filly and a dark green colt alongside a dark green stallion and a yellow mare.
"When's the game gonna start already?" Rainbow Dash complained. "We already sang the Cloudsdale National Anthem!"
"Settle down Dashie." Windy Whistles said with a smile. "They still need to clear the field and make sure everything is ready." Windy loved her daughter with all her heart, even if she could be more than a hooful sometimes.
"You kids having fun?" Mr. Shy asked his two children.
"I-I guess so," Fluttershy whispered softly with a smile.
"Eh, I'll be more excited when the game starts." Zephyr Breeze replied with bored interest, as he rested his head with his hoofs on the rails.
His Mother sighed and said. "Zephyr please we're here to have a nice family outing."
"Ugh... that's easy for you to say." He moaned. "I think my butt's starting to fall asleep."
Suddenly, the speakers in the stadium blared to life, with the sounds of a horn section.
"Mares and Stallions, Colts and Fillies!!!” The announcer's voice echoed thru the seats. The crowd erupted with a roaring ovation. “Give it up for your home team The Cloudbuckers!!!!!" The stands erupted into a chorus of cheers, as the Cloudbuckers flew out onto the field, smiling and waving at the stands.
"Kick some butt, you guys!!!" Dash cheered.
"She really is your daughter isn't she?" Windy smirked
"That's right she's Daddy's little cheer partner aren't cha Dashie!" Bow said, looking up at his daughter.
"Dad!" Rainbow whined. "You're embarrassing me in front of Fluttershy."
"Oh relax Dashie." Windy cooed. "He's just playing with you because he loves you."
And their opponents for this match The Las Pegasus Pioneers. The fanfare and adoration gave way to boos and hissing as the Pioneers made their entrance.
"Boo, you stink!" Rainbow Dash jeered.
"Sweetie, what did we talk about good sportsmareship?" Windy scolded.
"That there's no point in winning if you're a bad sport." Rainbow finished.
"That's right and no filly is a better sport than you." Bow said as he smiled and pinched Dash's cheeks.
"Alright, the players are lining up at the center field." The announcer said. "The Referee is meeting with the Captains for the bit toss. Looks like it's going to be an exciting day for......Holy Celestia what's that up in the sky?!!!"
Everypony in the stadium looked up to see an unidentified object flying over the stadium at high speed.
"It's a bird!" Cried Bow.
"It's a shooting star!" Shouted Windy.
"No it's a soccer ball kicked by an Earth Pony who's not really an Earth Pony because he's the last survivor of a distant planet that's long since been destroyed because his parents shot him here in a space rocket where he was found and adopted by somepony and he possesses strange powers far beyond those that any mortal pony has ever seen before!!!!" A Pink Filly with a balloon shaped cutie mark looking thru a telescope on a rock farm miles away said rapidly nonstop.
"Pinkie!" Her Mother hollered from downstairs. "Whats going on up there?"
"I was coming inside, for a long tall glass of lemonade, after getting my chores done, when all of a sudden, my athletes hoof started acting up like it always does when something unusual flies across the sky, So I grabbed my telescope and came up here, and sure enough a soccer ball came soaring thru the skies over Cloudsdale so fast it broke the sound barrier and It's contrail led right back to Ponyville, Therefore I concluded there's an alien among us who's really good at soccer Mom!!!" Pinkie's chest panted rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Well, when you're done I need ya to give me a hand with making dinner." Cloudy Quartz replied deciding not to question her daughter's eccentricities further.
"What are we having expecting the answer to be something rock related?" Pinkie asked.
"Rock soup," Quartz answered, Pinkie's mane deflated on the spot.
"Sigh...yep, called it." Pinkie sighed. "Okay, I'll be right down!"
Silence hung over the soccer field, as my classmates stared into the distance with eyes wide open. Their jaws hung to the ground in shock not daring to say a word. In the distance, I watched as the ball soared over Cloudsdale without slowing down. At the rate it was flying it'd probably be in Yakyakistan by late afternoon. I just hoped nopony err noyak got hurt.
"Whoa." Snips whispered finally breaking the silence. "That was awesome." That was enough to snap Teddy out of his trance, He frowned and stomped over in my direction like an angry buffalo.
"Alright Spaz what did you do to the ball?" He hissed thru teeth. I could tell his blood pressure was beginning to boil, I only had one shot at diffusing this mess.
"I-I don't what happened Teddy?" I answered with the best innocent expression I could muster. "I got the ball went for a goal and It just took off." Teddy grabbed me by the neck and looked me dead in the eye.
"So the ball just took off by itself huh? Do I look like a sucker Apple? I know you babies did something to it and I want to know what?" He was getting colder good, If I could just steer him a little farther away, my secret would be safe.
"We didn't mess with the ball honest, we didn't," I said raising my hooves in front of my face. Teddy seemed to be buying my scared victim act, a smug grin spread across his face revealing a row of crooked teeth.
"I didn't ask if you messed with it." He said looking at me like a cat that had cornered a mouse. "Sounds to me like you've got a guilty conscience."
"That's enough Teddy, let him go!" Rumble cried out. We both looked over to see my teammates coming to my aid.
"Oh so it was you then, was it?" Teddy said as dropped me like a sack of potatoes and turned to face Rumble. "Thought you'd use your pegasus magic to cheat?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Rumble said. "Pegasus magic doesn't work like that, Besides we don't need to cheat to beat you guys."
"Oooh, Shots fired!" Button Mash cried. Teddy's face turned red as a tomato, a remarkable feat considering his dark blue coat.
"That's enough guys," I said pushing them apart. "Teddy I'm sorry about the ball, I don't know what happened but it's gone and you need to accept that." Teddy glared at me and tried to shove my foreleg aside but I wasn't going to budge. "And Rumble fighting Teddy isn't going to get us anywhere but in trouble, Just let it go."
Rumble sighed "You know what, your right Apple Comet. This isn't worth it." He said, turning and walking away. I smiled as I felt a surge of pride flow thru me. Not only had I kept a fight from breaking out, but by a miracle, I'd managed to keep my powers a secret. My satisfaction was short lived as I heard Apple Bloom cry out.
"Apple Comet, Look out!" I turned around just in time to see Teddy's hoof collide with the side of my jaw, the sounds of keratin splintering echoed thru my ears. Teddy's sadistic grin vanished instantly as he fell to the ground crying out in pain. His teammates gathered around trying to help as best as they could.
"Are you alright Teddy?" Snips asked.
"You don't look too good." Snails added. Teddy sniffed and held his hoof in pain, tears flowing from his eyes. My X-ray vision showed he'd chipped his toe pretty bad. Several fractures ran up and down the pedal bone. It didn't matter that this happened because he tried to sucker punch me, right now he needed my help, and I'd promised on Pa's grave that I would use my power to help others no matter who they were.
"Snips, Snails, you two stay with Teddy, I'm gonna go get Ms.Cheerilee," I said.
"You're not gonna tell on us are you?" Snails asked.
"I'm gonna tell her the truth," I answered.
"But what if we get in trouble?" Snips asked.
"Right now Teddy's hurt and needs help," I said. "That's more important than any trouble any of us can get into right now." I turned and trotted off towards the front door. I wasn't sure how I was going to explain that Teddy managed to fracture his hoof, trying to buck me in the face.
The rest of the school day proceeded as normal, Ms. Cheerilee called in Nurse Redheart, to treat Teddy's fractured hoof. Nurse Redheart was baffled, to say the least when she examined my jaw and didn't find so much as a bruise, while Teddy's hoof looked like he'd tried to buck a brick wall. I played it dumb and told her I didn't understand it either. When I asked if Teddy would be okay, She told me he'd have to go to the hospital to get a cast put on it. She said I was okay to go back to class, but advised me to have Granny Smith schedule an appointment, to have my jaw x-rayed. She never would've have guessed I could X-ray myself in the mirror when I got home. After Teddy's parents were called, Teddy was loaded onto the ambulance wagon and taken to the hospital, and our class got back on track after only two reprimands from Ms. Cheerilee, for talking about the fight.
After school was let out, I rode the cart home this time. Outrunning speeding trains may be fun, but it wasn't worth being consistently tardy. The only downside was that my "fight" with Teddy was all the other kids were talking about.
"Way to stick it to Teddy, Apple Comet!" Button Mash said.
"Yeah, you really showed him!" Cotton Cloudy said.
"I always knew he was a big crybaby." Namby Pamby said. "How'd you do it?"
"What's wrong Apple Comet?" Apple Bloom asked me.
"Ugh, it's nothing Bloom," I told her. "I've just got a big headache." She looked at me in astonishment, then leaned and whispered in my ear.
"Y'all mean Teddy actually hit cha hard enough to hurt cha?"
"No." I groaned "He didn't hit me hard enough to hurt me."
"So then what is it if y'all don't mind me asking?" Apple Bloom looked concerned at me.
"I'll tell ya when we get home," I answered. I manage to kick a soccer ball to the ends of the earth, probably breaking every world record known to ponykind, and the second I get into a fight, everypony conveniently forgets about it.
"Granny we're home!" Apple Bloom called out as we walked thru the front door. The farmhouse was quiet, the only sound being the tick-tock of the clock on the wall. "Granny are ya there?"
"Hold on Bloom, I'll find her," I said, My X-Ray vision would make this child's play.
"Ya know A'h never got an answer from ya about what it's like having powers?" Applebloom asked me.
*Flush!*
“Ahhh!!!!" With a blood-curdling scream I shut my eyes and covered my face with my foreleg.
"What is it?" Apple Bloom asked looking concerned. "Is Granny in trouble?"
"Mac...upstairs...bathroom...must look down... must not look up...cannot unsee," I answered shaking my head back and forth in futile attempt to wipe the image from my head.
Apple Bloom snickered "Did Y'all see Mac making horse apples again?" I face hoofed and shook my head harder.
"Hey, Mac." Apple Bloom greeted him while trying to keep from bursting with laughter.
"Hello, John... I mean Poop... I mean how was your day pooping Mac?" I said to him. Apple Bloom exploded into hysterical laughter. Smooth Apple Comet, real smooth. Why don't ya just tell him, you saw him flush his feces down the pipes while you were at it. Mac looked at me puzzled for a minute before putting two and two together.
"Sorry, Y'all saw that." He said.
"It's okay," I replied. "If anything it'll teach me not to go pooping err I mean peeping on other ponies privacy." Apple Bloom fell off the couch and began rolling on the floor. Weren't fillies supposed to think this stuff was gross or something?
"So how was your day at school?" Mac asked attempting to change the subject.
"I'd like to say it was uneventful, But I'd be lying," I answered.
"Am A'h correct in guessing that this has to do with that UFO that was spotted flying over Cloudsdale earlier?" Mac inquired.
"If you mean the class's soccer ball, It was an accident," I said. "I also sort of got into a fight."
Big Mac's interest was piqued. "What happened?” He asked looking at me with suspicion.
"Seems to me this colt Teddy was itching for a fight." He said when I was finished. "A'hm proud of y'all for standing up to him and not fighting, Y'all did the right thing."
"So does this mean I'm not in trouble?" I asked.
Big Mac sighed and said. "Well that's up to Granny Smith, not me, But Ah think she'll understand when ya tell her what happened."
"Where is Granny now?" I asked.
"Last time I saw her she mentioned something about setting up the obstacle course," Mac answered pointing his hoof out the window.
"What were they doing out there?" Apple Bloom asked curiously.
"Ah don't know." Mac Shrugged. She just said it had to be ready by the time you got home from school." A lightbulb lit up in my head. This had the Apple Family Way written all over it.
"Thanks, Mac, We're gonna go see what this is all about."
"S'what Ah'm here for." He smiled and said. "And Apple Comet?"
"Yeah?" I said turning around.
"If y'all don't see her there, Don't go looking thru the outhouse." He said with a smirk. Apple Bloom fell to the floor, laughing herself into a fresh fit of hysterics.
"Thanks, Mac," I said irritably. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
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The Apple Family Way Part 3 Strength and Speed.
The Apple Family Way Part 3. Strength and Speed.
The walk thru the orchard was tranquil, Princess Celestia's sun bathed the afternoon sky in warmth. The sounds of birds singing soothed my nerves after the hectic day I'd had.
"What do y'all suppose Granny and Applejack are up to?" Apple Bloom asked me as soon as we were out the door. After laughing herself stupid for about two minutes straight, she'd finally managed to pull herself together.
"I think I already know," I answered. "It's got to be like the chores Granny had me doing this morning."
"Why's Granny so interested in Y'all doing chores all of a sudden? All she ever asks me to do is clean up my room and make mah bed."
"She told me It was part of learning the Apple Family Way." I said shrugging my shoulders. "Next thing I know I'm bucking trees into the sky and turning hills into dirt piles." I was in no rush to find out, I felt content to close my eyes and let my uncertainties wash away.
"Ah'm still not sure about this Granny." I heard Applejack say. "A'h know he ain't exactly like other colts his age, But is all this really necessary? Ah mean Ah didn't start learning how to buck trees until I was eight."
Wait a minute?" I thought as I opened my eyes and looked around, Sure enough, there was no sign of Applejack around, I closed my eyes again and listened.
"Well Applejack you also weren't running faster than a speeding arrow or breaking cider barrels with yer bare hooves at his age either," Granny replied. "Your little brother may not look it, but we both know he's made of strong stuff."
"What is it?" Apple Bloom asked. I quickly shushed her. Realization spread across her face.
"Well....A'h guess Y'all have a point there." Applejack conceded. "It's just A'h can't help but wonder if this training is really gonna work for him."
"Y'all are hearing something aren't cha? Is it AJ and Granny?"
"Yeah," I said preparing to break into a run. "Come on let's go find them."
Using my super hearing like a bat in the darkness, It didn't take long for us to find Granny Smith and Applejack. We found them setting up the athletic field where the town often held athletic events. Apple Jack was placing poles and tying wind chimes to them for some reason, while Granny was busy rolling barrels into a zig-zag formation. Since Ponyville regularly scheduled these events weeks in advance I knew there wasn't any coming up soon.
"And that's the last one." Applejack said as she set the last hurdle on the ground.
"Hey, Sis!" Apple Bloom called out as we stepped into the clearing. "What're Y'all doing?"
"Oh howdy, Apple Bloom. AJ said as she walked over to us. "We're just setting the obstacle course up."
"I'm guessing it's for me right?" I said.
Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes. "Shoot lil brother, Y'all must be a mind reader on top of everything else."
That got a laugh out of me. "I don't know if I can do that yet," I answered. "But my hearing is pretty good."
"Granny! He's here and so's Apple Bloom!" Applejack hollered out. Granny set aside the barrel she was setting up and turned to acknowledge us.
"So are Y'all ready for yer next task?" She asked as walked up to me.
"I guess." I answered. Granny nodded then turned her attention to Applejack.
"Applejack Ah'm gonna need ya to stick around a while for when something breaks."
"Y'all mean "if" something breaks right?" Applejack asked confused.
"Not if, when." Granny corrected her. "Y'all need to pay more attention to what Ah'm telling ya."
"Alright, Apple Comet for yer first task A'h want to see how well ya control yer kicking," Granny said leading us up to the test of strength. "I want cha to aim for right here." She pointed to the line at the bottom that read Baby Hooves.
"But Granny, Isn't the goal of the game to try to hit the bell?" I asked. My question got a hearty helping of stink eye from Granny.
"I said yer goal is to get it up to Baby Hooves." Her stink eye bored into my own eyes. "Once Y'all can do that 'we'll talk about going a little higher. Now go one and remember Baby Hooves."
*sigh* "Baby Hooves." I muttered as I stepped up to the target "Baby Hooves, Baby Hooves, Baby Hooves." I took in a deep breath, closed my eyes and gently tapped the button as softly as possible.
Tink!!
Clank!
"Did I get it?" I opened my eyes to find Granny shaking her head in disappointment, while Applejack and Apple Bloom looked up in astonishment.
"I'm afraid not," Granny said. I looked up to see that the puck had not only hit the bell but had struck with enough force to lodge it in the dent it made. "This test was about controlling that strength of yer's, not using it. We'll have to work on that later. Applejack, find the ladder and the toolbox and get that bell fixed would ya?"
"Sure no problem." Applejack nodded.
"As for you two come with me."
So I didn't pass the first test, At least I didn't kick the bell into Canterlot this time.
"Alright, this next challenge is going to test yer running abilities. 3 laps around the track as fast as ya can. Jump the hurdles, weave thru the barrels without knocking them over, leap across the baskets of grapes without breaking a single one, weave thru the poles without ringing the chimes, leap thru the hoops without falling into the mud and cross the finish line. Granny said putting extra emphasis on the specifics of each task. This test is about controlling yer speed, not seeing how fast you can run, so take your time and remember if mess up a task It'll cost ya a three second time penalty. Ya got all that?"
"I think so," I answered enthusiastically but a little confused. I admit at the time I didn't fully grasp what this had to do with learning the Apple Family Way, But I a chance to let loose some excess energy without worrying about ponies seeing what I could do did sound like fun.
"Can I run too?" Apple Bloom asked Granny Smith.
"Ah’m afraid a course like this is a little out of your league Apple Bloom. Heck, most grown stallions would have trouble completing it.” Apple Bloom’s eyes sunk.
“Ah Understand Granny.” She whimpered softly as she turned and began to walk away.”
“ Tell ya what, Whenever yer brother isn’t practicing, I’ll let you and Applejack come out and run together. How’s that sound?” Apple Bloom turned around, her eyes full of excitement and leaped onto Granny wrapping her little hooves around her neck
“Oh thank you, thank you so much Granny!” She cheered.
Granny smiled and wrapped her forelegs around Apple Bloom’s barrel before setting her down.
“Easy there, Ah’m not as young and spry as ah used to be.” She chuckled. "Come on let's go so yer brother can get started.
“On Ye’r Mark...Get Set...GO!!!!”
In an instant, I was off like a rocket, the wind whipping thru my mane. Time seemed to slow down as I reached the first hurdle. My leg muscles coiled tightly like steel springs. With a single leap, I cleared the hurdle by at least couple hundred feet........in height and distance.
“WHOOOOAAAAA!!!!!”
“What in Tarnation!!!!” Applejack exclaimed as she watched me take to the sky like a hay bale in a tornado. Apple Bloom just stared up with her jaw dropped in awe.
“GRANNY!” I shouted up into the air. “I THINK I JUMPED TOOOOO FAAAARRRRR!!!!”
Pow!!!
“Ow!”
I wound up landing in a briar patch. All in all, not a good first run. Fortunately after half an hour of getting briars pulled out of my coat, Granny let me try again without the hurdles. Which went about as well my first run. Which is to say not well at all.
I started off pretty good, Without the hurdles to jump, I was able to stay on the track. Unfortunately, I messed up at the barrel weave. I cleared the course without touching a single barrel. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for the wind I was whipping up behind me. One by one the barrels blew over spilling dirt and flowers onto the track.
The next obstacle was where things got sticky for me. I had to jump on and off of several baskets of grapes without breaking a single one. I didn't want a repeat of last time so instead of jumping mid-run I came to halt in front of the first basket, hopped onto the grapes and hopped off the instant I felt them under my foot. Unfortunately, I was still having problems with height and sticking the landing. I ended up leaping over 100 feet into the air and ended up face first in the very last basket. To add insult to nonexisting injury the impact of my fall knocked over the other baskets.
"Apple Comet are Y'all okay?" Apple Bloom cried from the sidelines. I stood up and brushed the smeared grapes off of my face.
"Ugh gross." My view was obscured by a wall of sticky mane that clung to my face like glue but I could feel it sinking into every fiber of my coat. Great, I was probably gonna need three more baths after this. But that could wait until later. I still had two more obstacles to pass and I wasn't going to let a little grape juice stop me.
"Look at that, He's still going for it!" Applejack exclaimed.
"Course he is." I heard Granny say. "He's an Apple thru an thru."
With my X-Ray vision guiding me along the way I was soon back in the race. My coat was covered in grape juice and dirt but I didn't care. One way or another I was going to finish this race. Up ahead I could see the poles with their chimes dancing from the wind I'd whipped up earlier. Remembering my lesson from the barrels I slowed down just enough to hopefully avoid knocking them over. Left right, right left right left left left right, right, I dashed from pole to pole to like a streak of light. just one more to go and I would be done.
"GO APPLE COMET!!!"
For the second time, that day Apple Bloom's cheer caught me off guard. Instinctively I turn my head for a split second in her direction and "WHAM!" . I had x-ray vision, telescopic vision, super hearing and reflexes...and still, I managed to crash head first into the last pole like an idiot. The impact of my skull not only uprooted the pole but also sent it flying into the distance. And of all the places for it to land, It would end up being the worst possible place.
***
(Third Pony POV)
”97, 98, 99, 100 Rarity said as she finished combing her mane. “Oh, it looks simply ravishing .” Setting her comb down on her vanity, she proceeded to admire her new do from every angle.
“Rarity you’ve outdone yourself again. Why I don’t see how any colt could keep his eyes off you.”
Little did she know at that moment that her vanity was about to be shattered both figuratively and literally, For at that very moment Rarity saw in her reflection a high-speed projectile heading toward her window.
“AAAAIIIIEEEEHHHH!!!!” She shrieked, diving from her vanity just as the pole smashed thru the window and into her vanity mirror with such force that it not only shattered the mirror but penetrated on thru the wall behind it. The force of the impact sent makeup and beauty supplies airborne. Compacts and curlers crashed to the floor. Cream jars and lotion bottles spilled their contents into the carpet. Rarity ducked for cover under her bed as the chorus of shattered glass and scattered makeup filled the room.
“My Vanity.” She whispered in shock as she slowly emerged from the safety of her bed frame. The room fell silent. Rarity stared at the empty frame of her mirror listening to the ringing of the chimes hanging from the pole. Her shock was instantly replaced by burning rage. Split ends popped out of her mane one after another as pulsating veins appeared on her forehead. Her left eye began to twitching until finally, the rage burst forth.
“MY VANIIIIITTTTTY!!!!!!!” The mirror exploded in a shower of glass at the volume of Rarity’s voice before falling on top of her dresser with a crash scattering cosmetics and fragrances across the floor. With the wrath of a teenage mare scorned Rarity stomped over to the window, The floor shaking with every step. Slamming the window open, She shouted to the heavens.
“I DON’T KNOW WHO ARE OR WHY YOU DID THIS! BUT WHOEVER YOU ARE NO MATTER WHERE YOU HIDE I WILL FIND YOU AND WHEN I DO I SWEAR VENGEANCE WILL BE MIIIIINNNNNEEEEE!!!!!!!”
Thankfully for Apple Comet, Rarity's rage was distracted by the timely arrival of her Mother.
"Rarity what's going on in here? Cookie Crumbles asked opening the door. "I heard screaming and thought.....Oh, my!"
"Mother!" Rarity exclaimed suddenly. "I-I didn't hear you come in."
Cookie Crumbles surveyed the devastation of her daughter's room. "Rarity I know you like to think of yourself as an artist but I think you might be going a little too far with this organized chaos of yours? That Vanity cost your father and I quite a bit. Although I must admit those wind chimes do add a sense of tranquility to the room."
"I-I can explain, it's actually a very funny story." Rarity mumbled nervously. "You see I was in here seated here at my vanity doing my usual afternoon beauty treatment. Not that I'm not beautiful all day, I get that from you after all. When all of a sudden out of nowhere this pole comes flying thru my window and Crash!" She exclaimed pounding her hooves together. "Right into my vanity. After that, I sort of almost lost my composure for just a second. Rarity smiled embarrassingly.
"You're not hurt are you dear?" Cookie Crumbles asked noticing all of the shards of glass scattered over the floor.
"No I'm fine Mother, Just a little shaken is all. Think I'll go lie down for a while." Rarity answered raising her hoof to her forehead in her usual dramatic way.
"Well as long as your okay." Cookie Crumbles sighed as she began to levitate the broken glass into a dustbin. "I would like to know how it got there. Poles just don't fall out of the sky for no reason."
( Apple Comet's POV)
The shrill screech of Granny's whistle echoed thru my ears as I picked myself up off the ground.
"Alright, that's enough!" Granny cried. "Obviously there's a lot of improvement that needs doing."
"I'm really sorry Granny," I said my head hung low. "I tried my best." She placed a hoof on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes.
"Ah know ya did." She said softly. "Nopony get's it on the first try. Course Nopony ever jumps that high either."
"Well, at least nopony got hurt," I said attempting to lift my spirits. My confidence was instantly shattered by the distant sound of breaking glass and a shriek of terror. I froze in horror as I realized what was probably responsible. My super hearing soon confirmed my worst fears as I picked up the voice of a very upset, very angry and very vengeful mare.
“I DON’T KNOW WHO ARE OR WHY YOU DID THIS! BUT WHOEVER YOU ARE NO MATTER WHERE YOU HIDE I WILL FIND YOU AND WHEN I DO I SWEAR VENGEANCE WILL BE MIIIIINNNNNEEEEE!!!!!!!”
I was faster than a speeding arrow, more powerful than a Timberwolf King, virtually indestructible and yet in that moment that instant I tasted true terror. And though I didn't know it at the time, Its name was Rarity.
"Ugh, Apple Comet are Y'all feeling alright?" Applejack asked me. I didn't respond, I just stood there like a statue with an expression of fear spread across my face. "Okay, seriously Y'all are starting to scare me."
"Applejack please allow me." Granny gently nudged her aside and pulled out her trusty triangle.
CLANG A LANG A LANG A LANG A LANG A LANG A LANG A LANG!!!!!!!!
Instantly I snapped out of my trance. "Huh what where is she? Don't let her find me!"
"Whoa calm down their little brother, Don't let who find ya? Granny do have any idea what he's talking about?"
Granny just shrugged her shoulders.
"Easy there just take a couple deep breaths and calm down." Applejack's voice seemed to soothe my anxiety. I took in a deep breath and exhaled. "That's it just keep breathing." I took a few more deep breathes for good measure then looked up at my sister's face.
"Thank you," I said softly.
"Twern't nothing." She replied. "Now Y'all mind telling us what Y'all were going on about?"
"It sounded like I broke somepony's window when I hit my head on that pole. The mare that owned it sounded really upset." To my surprise, none of them seemed shocked at what I said.
"So ya heard that huh?" Granny said. I nodded and knelt my head.
"She said she was gonna find me and that vengeance would be hers. I said, "I don't know what that means but it sounds really really scary." Granny reached down and lifted my head up.
"It's okay." She whispered. "Y'all didn't mean to do it, It was just an accident. Nopony's gonna hurt you." Not like anypony really could but I didn't want to have a repeat of Teddy twice in the same day.
"It's mah fault." Apple Bloom spoke up. "If A'h hadn't distracted cha when A'h did you wouldn't've hit the pole." Her ears drooped down as looked me in the eyes. I couldn't stay mad at that face.
"I forgive you, Bloom, I said pulling her into a hug.
"Ow!" She suddenly yelped. "Watch it will ya?" I immediately released her.
"Sorry, guess I forgot my own strength for a second." Just to be safe I took a quick look over with my x-ray vision. To my relief, she didn't show any broken bones or injuries.
"Did ya recognize the voice?" Applejack asked me.
"No, I didn't," I answered. "But I know what direction it came from. I pointed over in the direction of Ponyville."
Granny and Applejack looked at each other. "As an honest mare A'h don't know how we're gonna explain this to whoever owns that window." Applejack said.
"E'yup," Granny replied. "Looks like we got ourselves a bale of explaining to do."
"Am I in trouble?" I asked nervously?
"No yer not in trouble," Granny said. "Y'all just don't know yer own strength is all. Now come let's go getcha cleaned up for dinner.
The walk back to the house was awkward, to say the least. Not for the grape juice and dirt sticking to me but for everything I'd done today. I felt like a cross-eyed one pony wrecking crew with four left hooves living in a world made of cardboard out there.
"That was pretty amazing what Y'all did back there." Apple Bloom said as we reached the top of a hill. Ah never seen anypony run as fast or jump as high as you."
"Thanks." I replied a small smile spread gently across my muzzle. "Need to work on my landings though." Apple Bloom giggled at that comment.
"Heck with jumps like that we oughta send ya to Cloudsdale for the Best Young Fliers Competition." Applejack chuckled.
Apple Bloom and Granny Smith burst into a fit of laughter, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But I joined in too. After everything that happened today, I needed a good laugh. Still a flying Earth Pony? Whoever heard of that?
"Hey, Apple Comet?" Apple Bloom tapped a hoof on my shoulder. "Ah been wondering what it would be like to have powers like you do?"
"Tah be honest Ah've been thinking about that mahself." Applejack said. "Just imagine how many apple trees A'h could buck if ah was as fast and strong as you are." In my head imagined one apple tree after another crashing into the ground while a bright yellow blur crashed thru anything in its path.
"Trust me it's not as easy....as...you'd....think," I said as I came to a sudden stop towards the farm. "Umm Granny?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Were we expecting a delivery today?"
"No not today, Closest A'h can think of is this Thursday. Why do ya ask?"
"Because I see an apple tree sitting outside the front gate with a note attached it." I chose not to mention the two small hoof prints embedded deep into the splintered trunk just yet.
"Where do Y'all suppose it came from?" Apple Bloom asked
I felt something drop inside me as Applejack moved in to take a closer look at the hoof prints I'd made earlier that day.
"A'h'd say whoever did this gave it a pretty good bucking for such small hooves. Hold up there's familiar about these prints."
"There ya are." Applejack's amateur gumshoeing was by a deep voice behind us, that nearly scared me into the air again. I turned around to discover Big Macintosh was the culprit.
"Mac, didn't A'h talk to ya bout sneaking up on us like that?" Applejack scolded. "Y'all nearly scared us half to death."
"Sorry." Mac said rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Mac, did ya see who dropped it off?" Granny asked.
"E'yup."
"Well don't keep us in suspense, who was it?"
"He said he was a royal messenger from Canterlot," Mac said pointing the parchment tied to the tree's trunk.
Granny Smith adjusted her glasses as she examined the seal holding up the parchment.
"It's the royal seal alright. She said carefully removing it, The scroll unfurled revealing a lengthy letter written in exquisite penmanship.
Dear Apple Family.
This morning I awoke to find this embedded in the roof of my castle.
Based on the angle and estimated trajectory, I believe it belongs to you.
Thankfully the damage was minimal and I'm happy to report nopony was hurt.
However, the cause of this phenomenon is still unknown.
If any of you know anything about what happened, I ask that you share that information with me as soon as you possibly can.
Signed Princess Celestia.
The orchard fell deathly silent. Applejack and Big Mac stood frozen in shock. With a sigh, Granny Smith rolled the scroll back up.
"Not a word of this gets out, Ya understand?" She said her with a look of determination on her face.
Applejack protested. "But Granny this is Princess Celestia we're talking about! We can't lie to her?"
"Yes, Applejack A'h understand that."Granny Smith replied, making it clear that her mind was made up. But right now A'h need you to understand that Ah'm doing this for our own good."
"How is lying to the Princess for our own good?!" Applejack's hissed thru her clenched teeth.
"Because it ain't lying if you don't say anything !" Granny shouted. "If ponies find out about yer brother, they're gonna start asking questions we aren't prepared to answer!
"What does where he came from have to do with this? " Applejack said getting in close with Granny's face.
"It has everything to do with it!" Granny rebutted pressing her muzzle to Applejack's. "If word gets out about him, Somepony might come and try to take him from us!"
"Are you saying Princess Celestia might try to kidnap him?" Applejack said accusingly.
"A'h was talking bout somepony much much worse," Granny said, her voice becoming lower. Applejack loosened her stance, it seemed she had conceded to Granny on that point. Still, her face said she wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet.
I stood transfixed at the argument unfolding in front of me. An argument I was the subject of. I felt disgust begin to rise inside of me, Why did they have to fight over me? Was I just some terrible secret that needed to be kept from the rest of the world? Applejack and Granny continued to argue with Applejack putting emphasis on not comprising your moral character. Granny hit back with the importance of making sacrifices when it came to family.
Big Mac had seen enough, With a stomp of his hoof he shouted out, "THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Applejack and Granny Smith fell silent as they both looked at Big Macintosh. The Teenage Colt's brow was furrowed with frustration, Despite this, he still managed to hold on to his calm temperament.
"Look at ya both!" He said. "Yer both act'in like stubborn mules!"
"Well I never!" came a voice of outrage from across the fence. The entire family turned around to see a mule mare standing in front of the fence with a look of disgust and outrage etched across her face. "Young Colt come here." She instructed pointing down to the ground in front of her. Hesitantly Big Mac did as instructed.
"A-A'h didn't mean to...Slap! Big Mac was cut off by a stinging slap across his muzzle. Big Mac winced bringing his hoof up to his jaw.
"We Mules might seem stubborn to you, but we have feelings too you know." With a sneer of disgust, she turned and walked off with her head held up straight.
"W-Wait A'h-A'h didn't mean it like that, A'h just...Aw shoot." Big Mac said stomping the dirt in frustration. "Sigh, anyway as A'h was saying, the two of you are being so stubborn with your own views that you haven't stopped to think about how Apple Comet feels about this.
Applejack and Granny Smith both turned and looked at me. With a sigh, Applejack reached around to rub her neck.
"Aw shucks, Mac's right. Apple Comet Ahm sorry, A'h guess we got so caught up in what we thought was right that we didn't stop to consider what you wanted. "A'h still don't think it's right keeping secrets from the Princess. But A'h forgot it's not mah secret to tell."
"It's okay Applejack, I forgive you. I don't think I'm ready to share who I am with anypony else right now.
Applejack smiled and said. "A'h understand it's yer secret and Y'all don't have to tell anypony you don't want to."
"A'h suppose A'h owe ya an apology too." Granny Smith said rubbing her hoof against her wrist. "A'h guess It's still a little early for ya to be learning the family way. But if ya still feeling like getting out there and practicing sometime, Ah'll be more than happy to coach ya!"
"Thanks Granny, I'll remember that the next time I feel like practicing controlling my powers. Now we please go inside? I think this grape juice is starting to dry."
"Oh no you don't, I just scrubbed the floor two days ago." In an instant, her tone shifted from apologetic to stern as she pointed to the barn.
"Sigh, Yes Granny right away." With my head hung low, I marched off to my second bath of the day. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only pony in Equestria with this kind of luck. Aw who am I kidding, Who else in Equestria could cause as many freak accidents in one day as I can?
Third Pony POV.
"Achoo!"
Twilight Sparkle turned and sneezed at the just right second to avoid getting any on the book she was reading. Reaching over with her magic the young mare pulled a tissue out and proceeded to wipe her nose. Satisfied she tossed it into a nearby basket. "Huh weird." She said before returning to her book.
Author's Note
So for those of you following this story, You've probably noticed that I've removed and reposted this chapter about three times now. Well for the last month and a half I've been stuck in a creative quagmire, trying to figure out what direction I wanted the story to go. First I wanted to make a part four with Apple Comet learning how to control his heat vision and ice breath. That didn't go anywhere so I rewrote that chapter to have Apple Comet imagining Princess Celestia punishing him in front of Ponyville's town square. Again getting off focus with the plot. I decided to have her visit Sweet Apple Acres and meet him, Titling the next chapter A Royal Visit. After I realized I couldn't write my way out of there without revealing Apple Comet's secret, I rewrote the end to this chapter once again to have the Princess ship the tree back to Sweet Apple Acres with a summons to Canterlot. The next chapter A Trip to Canterlot, would have had the Apple Family visiting Canterlot and Twilight becoming suspicious of Apple Comet. When I couldn't find a place to start that satisfied me I decided to rewrite the ending of this chapter yet again to make it a friendly letter slash troll from Celestia. the argument between Applejack and Granny along with the mule joke was made up on the spot today. And so hopefully for the last time, I submit to you once again Chapter Ten of Comet The Stallion of Steel. Hope you enjoy and hopefully the next chapter won't take as long.
My Name is Apple Comet, I am ten years old and I live in Ponyville with my Grandmother, my older siblings Big Macintosh and Applejack and my little sister Apple Bloom. I like studying astronomy and astrology and reading about stars and planets.
At first glance, I probably seem like just a normal ten-year-old earth colt. But looks can be deceiving, I'm actually an extraterrestrial from the planet Kolton. I'm serious, my birth Mother and Father put me in a rocket ship and sent me to Equis when I just a foal to escape the destruction of Kolton.
My ship crashed at Sweet Apple Acres where I was found by Ma and Pa. Even though they already had two children and a third on the way, they took me in and raised me as on of their own. They've both passed on since then, now it's just me, Granny, Mac, AppleJack and Apple Bloom.
But it gets even crazier because I'm a Koltonian my body absorbs mana from Equis's sun. What does this mean? you ask? It means I'm faster than a bolt of lightning, more Powerful than a Timberwolf King, and I can leap tall buildings in a single bound. I can see thru walls and over vast distances, hear sounds that are miles away. I can exhale with the force of a hurricane or even freeze things solid. I can fire solar mana from my eyes and even fly.
Okay, that last one might be a bit of a stretch. During a jump two years ago, I discovered I could telekinetically alter my mono-directional gravity field. My only problem was controlling it so that I didn't crash into something. Which needless to say I had a bit of trouble doing. Thankfully I'm impervious to injury, however, the same couldn't be said for the outhouse I crashed into. Since then I've decided to leave the flying to the Pegasi.
Now at this point, you're probably wondering if you can really do all these things, Then why aren't you the most famous colt in all of Equestria? Well, the answer is simple, outside of my immediate family, nopony knows I'm an alien and I plan to keep it that way.
"Apple Comet!" Speaking of which, turning around I saw my big sister Applejack standing in the bathroom door way. "y'all still aren't ready? The rest of the family will be here any minute!"
"I'm almost done," I said. "Just having trouble with this one bang that won't uncurl."
"Y'all been having trouble with the one kiss curl since y'all had hair." She chuckled. "Leave it, it looks cute on you."
I sigh and set my comb down in defeat. "Someday I'll win," I muttered to my reflection as I stepped down from the bathroom stool.
It was a very important day in Ponyville, The Summer Sun Celebration. Every year all of Equestria celebrates how Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon with the Elements of Harmony a thousand years ago and saved the Kingdom from eternal night. This year the celebration was being held in Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres had been tasked with catering the event. Members of the Apple Family from Appleloosa, Dodge City and even Aunt and Uncle Orange from Manehatten had come to Sweet Apple Acres to pitch in.
One by one, family members pulled up to the farmhouse with carts full of food and drink, ready to be served. We shared our hellos and hugs before pointing them over to the picnic tables. So far so good, that was until...
"Where are those two adorable little ones of yer's Gerty?"
Great Auntie Applesauce and Apple Rose showed up.
"There they are!" Apple Rose said as she pointed us out. Apple Bloom and I both froze in horror as the two elderly mares trotted up to us.
"Oh my goodness gracious, let me take a look at you two." Auntie Applesauce said before she proceeded to squish my face together like a constipated foal. "Oh Apple Comet, You've gotten so big since A'h last saw ya." I cringed as her wrinkly lips pressed against my cheek. It's probably important to mention that Great Auntie Applesauce used to go by another name before half her teeth fell out. I don't want to sound mean because she is family and I love her, but when she kissed me I could feel her dentures shifting back in forth inside her mouth.
"It's nice to see you too Auntie Applesauce." I winced, I could already feel the lipstick she'd left sinking into my coat. Looking over I could Apple Bloom futilely trying to squirm her way out of Aunt Apple Rose's cheek pinches. But there was no escape to be found. All we could do was wait until they decided to let us go. Then we could spend the rest of the day stuffing our faces with dessert to try and forget the horror we'd been thru.
"Oops, sorry about that dear." She said noticing the lipstick mark she'd left on my cheek. "Let me git that fe'r ya." To my horror, she proceeded to lick her hoof and rub it into my chin. I shuddered as the smell of dentures wafted thru my nostrils.
"Ugh...thanks, Auntie Applesauce," I said in as a nice a tone as I could. I thought it was finally over, I was wrong."
"Let me see this handsome young colt." Aunt Apple Rose said pinching Apple Bloom's cheek one more time for good measure before turning her full attention over to me. My mouth stretched into a nervous smile as the realization that I was next began to sink in.
"My oh my, yah'll seem ta'h get more and more handsome each time A'h see ya'h." She said pinching both cheeks tightly in her hooves.
"Thanks, Aunt Apple Rose." Of course, since she was stretching my cheeks out, it came out sounding more like I said "Tanks Ant Appa Wose." This, of course, elicited a coo of "Awww" from all three mares. Thankfully at that moment, Granny decided to step in and put a stop to the torture.
"Well now that cha gals are here, A'h was thinking we have some tea and catch up."
"That sounds lovely Gertie." Aunt Apple Rose said releasing her grip on my cheeks. Auntie Applesauce planted a quick kiss on Apple Bloom's forehead before the three of them went inside. Apple Bloom and I breathed a sigh of relief, The nightmare was over. Looking back on everything that would happen that night, it was a poor choice of thought.
The adults wasted no time getting ready for the summer sun celebration. As soon as the first wagon was unpacked, they got to work. In just minutes they transformed the kitchen into a baking assembly line. Everypony had a part to play. The Stallions were put in charge of bringing in ingredients and loading the wagons with as much dessert as they could carry. Meanwhile, the mares split into two teams. One worked in the kitchen rolling, kneading and baking while another led by Applejack gathered apples from the orchard.
While all this was going on the foals were given free reign to play outside, on the condition that we stayed in the backyard. There were games set up to make sure we didn't get bored. I wasn't in any hurry though, there'd be plenty of time to play before the day was thru.
"That's funny," I said to myself noticing for the first time that the sky over Ponyville was covered with clouds. Whoever was in charge of the weather today was certainly taking their time.
"What's funny?" a voice from behind said startling me.
"Gah! Babs!"
"Well hello to you too cousin." She said letting out a snort as she laughed. "What are ya doing just standing here?"
"I was just watching the clouds go by," I answered Babs looked at me like she thought I was crazy or something.
"Are you serious?" She said. "Look around us, we've got the whole day to ourselves to play and you're looking at clouds? Come on let's go toss some horseshoes." She grabbed my hoof before I could protest.
"What color d'ya want to be, red or blue?"
"Uh, I'll be blue."
"Fine by me," Babs said handing over the blue ones.
"You wanna go first?" I asked her.
"Sure." She accepted. Her first toss landed about 9.75 inches from the stake.
"Nice toss," I said. "Gonna be hard to beat that." Not really, with my super intellect, I could calculate the trajectory, distance, and power needed to score a ringer in almost any circumstances. But the game wouldn't be much fun then. 8.97 inches from the stake would suffice. With the strength a normal pony might use to lift a teacup, I made my toss.
"Looks like yours is closer than mine cuz." Babs conceded. Looked like Granny's practice was still paying off.
"Guess I'm going first," I said as we headed over to retrieve the shoes. I still had to concentrate a lot, but I'd gotten much better at controlling my strength.
Still, there was the occasional accident every now and then. A plate would get scrubbed too hard or a door knob would get yanked out of its socket. It felt like living in a world made of cardboard. Always having to be constantly careful not to break something or somepony. But like they say, practice makes perfect.
"Alright, here it goes," I said winding up for my first toss, making sure to use only the minimum of my strength. It landed about 8.03 inches from the stake. My second landed about 7.56 inches to it.
"Not bad Cuz not bad, Ya might wanna put more into your throws. ." Babs said stepping up to toss. Her first landed 8.75 inches behind the stake, while her second nearly got a ringer. "Darn I almost had it that time."
"Looks like you need to control how much strength you're using." I chuckled as I headed out to retrieve the shoes again.
"Apple Comet can I ask ya somethin' personal?" Her request sounded somewhat hesitant.
"Sure what is it?"
"You got your cutie mark when you younger right?" She avoided direct eye contact with me instead choosing to glare at her own flank. "Do you remember what you got it for?"
Our family never spoke with others about what I had done that day, even to relatives. Granny wasn't sure how they'd react to us telling them it was the family crest of an alien species. So to my big sister's consternation, we came up with a cover story.
"Oh, I was stargazing one night when I happened to spot a comet in my telescope. Next thing I knew, I felt a tingly feeling on my flank. I looked down and there was the comet I'd seen. I showed it to Granny Smith and she told me about how her Ma and Pa would watch the stars to determine how to plan their harvest."
"I've heard that story before." Babs said, "So then your special talent is stargazing?"
"Well, the correct term is Astronomy but close enough." I corrected her.
"You use a lotta funny words when you talk, y'know that?"
"Heh so everyone tells me." I laughed. Why do you ask?" Babs turned and looked away.
"Oh no reason, I was just curious thats all." She said quickly changing the subject. " Jus forget it let's get back to the game."
'Well, she certainly seemed eager to change the topic of conversation.' I thought to myself. Deciding to ask her about it later, I lined up my next shot in preparation for my next swing. It was still too early in the game to score a ringer, so I settled on 6.21 inches from the stake. One...two...three...
Clang a lang a lang a lang "SOUPS ON EVERYPONY!" Applejack's holler threw off my concentration for just the fraction of a second needed for me to screw up. I looked up long enough to see the horseshoe leave my hoof, soaring majestically before landing perfectly around the stake. A perfect ringer. My disappointment was cut short by the sound of stampeding hooves behind me. I turned around just in time to witness the entire family come charging out of the house, carrying plates, baskets, even whole tables of food.
Before I could ask, Apple Mint shouted "LUNCH TIME!!! and the rest of my cousins burst out of the gate leaving me in a cloud of dust, which flooded every orifice on my face. Thinking quickly I burned it from my eyes with my heat vision, then took in a deep breath. But luck decided it was not going to be on my side that day as I felt a sudden sneeze coming on.
"Ah....Ahh.....Ahhh..CHOOOOOOOO!!!"
Third Pony POV.
"Howdy there Ah'm Applejack." Twilight Sparkle stared uncomfortably as the orange farm pony stood next to her and Spike
"Why don't A'h introduce Y'all to the Apple Family?" All eyes were on her, a feeling the unicorn wasn't used to.
"Thanks but I really need to hurry......
"Ahh.....CHOOOOOOOO!!!"
Twilight Sparkle was suddenly cut off by a sneeze that was as loud as a full-grown dragon in allergy season. Everyone looked up to see the clouds suddenly disappear into puffs of fluff. The weather vane on the roof of the house continued to spin violently, swaying back and forth as it turned. For a moment the orchard fell silent. The Apples began to whisper amongst themselves. Finally, Spike asked the question that was on everypony's mind.
"What was that?"
Applejack smiled sheepishly. "Oh, just...just the wind is all?" She said but Twilight wasn't buying it.
"Are you okay? The unicorn asked. "You sound a little a nervous."
"Me nervous? Pshaw." The Applejack scoffed with a wave of her hoof. "Ah was just startled was all, on the count of how sudden it was."
The orchard fell awkwardly silent. Twilight noticed a bead of sweat running down the side of her host's head."Um, are you sure? She asked as delicately as possible. "Don't take this the wrong way or nothing but you acting a little funny?"
"Funny? Funny?" Applejack said before erupting into a fit of giggles. "Oh, of course, Sugarcube, If there's one thing we Apples enjoy it's a hearty helping o' good humor. A real funny farm that's us, yes indeedy. Which reminds me Ah said Ah was gonna introduce ya' to the family and A'h haven't done that yet. Ah, am so sorry. Why am Ah still rambling? Stop Rambling AJ and introduce her to the family!"
Comet's POV.
"Phew."
That had almost been too close a call. At the last second, I managed to tilt my head upwards so my sneeze would hopefully disperse in the clouds. Not that there were many clouds left, but it seemed to have done the trick. Unfortunately, it had not gone unnoticed. My hearing picked up the sound of voices coming from the orchard. A whole crowds worth. A quick glance with my X-Ray vision revealed the rest of the family lined up in the orchard in front of a single table. Seated at the table were two ponies I didn't recognize. One of them was a light purple unicorn with a six-pointed star on her flank. Her mane and tail were indigo with a magenta purple streak running thru them. Her eyes were two gorgeous pools of the most beautiful violet that I'd ever seen. The other wasn't even a pony at all. Based on what I was able to study at the library without arousing suspicion, I deduced he or she was a dragon. We didn't get a lot of non-ponies around Ponyville, so they kind of stuck out like a sore thumb.
The Unicorn asked Applejack if she was feeling okay. Applejack replied as only a pony who was trying to cover up a murder could. Before immediately going about and introducing the two of them to the family.
At this point, I decided it might be best to rejoin the family before anything else happened. Be it Applejack acting stranger or yours truly causing another weather anomaly.
"Apple Comet, Over here." I looked over to see Apple Bloom at the back of the line. Waving to me while balancing a platter of cake on her butt. Okay, then
"What's going on?" I asked trying to avoid staring at the cake on her butt. "Why is their a cake on your butt?"
"Wheres, yours?" She asked me.
"My butt cake?" I giggled as she rolled her eyes at me.
"Just grab the plate with yer mouth and help me carry this."
"You want me to grab the plate sitting on your butt with my mouth?"
"Hurry up and grab it." She snapped. "Applejack's almost to the end of the line!"
"Okay okay keep your bow on."
I decided it was better to grab hold of it from the side. Gently as I could, I locked my jaw around the plate and lifted. As soon as it was free Apple Bloom stepped up from under and grabbed hold of the other side. The dishes were piling up on the table. It was practically a small mountain by the time we got up there.
"Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp." Applejack paused a moment to catch her breath. "Big Macintosh, Apple Comet, Apple Bloom...AND....the wisest of all the family Granny Smith."
My heart beat faster as we set the cake down in front of them. She was even more breathtaking up close.
How the scent of her mane wafted in the breeze. The way her eyes sparkled like two shimmering stars when she looked at me. The way she gagged after swallowing an entire slice of pie whole.
"Well, Ah'd say yer already part of the family. Applejack complemented as she put her hoof on the Unicorn's shoulder.
"Well I can see the food situation is handled, so we'll be on our way."
"WHAT!? BUT I NEVER EVEN GOT YOUR NAME!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Everypony stopped what they were doing and stared at me. "Err...I mean you only just got here heh heh."
"My name is Twilight Sparkle and this is my assistant Spike." She said gesturing to the dragon next to her.
"My name's Apple Comet, I know my sister already introduced me, but you seemed a little confused.
Twilight smiled at me. "Well, it's very nice to meet you Apple Comet." She said my name, She actually said my name. Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to stay and talk to you, I've got a lot of work I need to do today so we'll just be going now. Come on Spike."
A collective aww of disappointment fell upon the orchard.
"Aren't cha least gonna stay for brunch?" I looked to see Apple Bloom pulling out her sad face. Bingo.
Twilight sighed "Fine." The family erupted into a chorus of cheers.
I turned to Apple Bloom. "How do you do that?" I asked.
She closed her eyes, smiled at me and said: "It's all in the delivery."
"So yer a dragon, what's that like?" Spike looked at Apple Bloom with a smug grin on his face.
"Meh it's pretty cool I guess." He said closing his eyes and throwing his claws up as if to say yeah whatever. "What's it like living on a farm?" Oh, brother if he only knew.
"E'h it's nice but it gets boring from time to time, having to do the same old chores over and over." Apple Bloom replied not knowing how lucky she had it, what with getting to do chores all the time and not having to worry about keeping her powers in check.
Much to my disappointment, I ended up having to sit at the foals table with Spike and my cousins while Twilight sat next to Applejack and Big Mac. I was frustrated not knowing why I felt this way, Twilight Sparkle was a complete stranger. Why did it matter that I couldn't sit next to her or talk to her? Why did the idea of talking to her feel so..good? I thought as I took several nibbles from my croissant. Why couldn't I get her out of my mind? This feeling, I'd never felt this way about Granny or my sisters or anypony at school? What was it and why was it driving me up the wall.
"You okay?" Spike asked me. "You've been staring at the grown-ups table for fifteen minutes." I sighed and set my croissant down.
"Yeah..I'm fine, Just overwhelmed with excitement is all."
"Y'all look like something's bugging ya?" Apple Bloom said.
"It's nothing Bloom honest."
"Doesn't seem like nothing?" She said raising her eyebrow in suspicion. Spike took another glimpse at the adult's table where Twilight was rubbing her stomach which had noticeably become distended.
"Oooohhhh." She moaned holding up her hooves as Applejack offered her some apple turnover. "No more, I couldn't eat another bite, Oooohhhh, Somepony get me a bucket, I think I'm gonna throw up."
"No problemo new friend." Applejack said dashing off to retrieve a bucket.
"Wait a minute..." He pondered for a few seconds before turning back to me. His cheeks were puffy and his lips shrunk into a puckered grin before he fell out of his seat laughing. Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing and looked at the dragon rolling around the floor holding his sides.
"What's so darn funny?" Apple Bloom asked. Spike sat up and wiped a tear from his eye.
"Your brother likes Twilight!" He said pointing at me as he burst into fresh peals of laughter.
A collective "Oooooooooooo!" spread across the table.
"What's not to like?" I said sounding like a clueless idiot. "She seems like a nice pony.
"No no no no no," Spike said shaking his head back and forth. "Not like you just like her, like you like her, like her." He winked in my direction.
"That sentence makes no grammatical sense." I shot back.
"No no your still not getting it." Spike said. He was really starting to annoy me. "Look you like Twilight right? I saw you reacted when she said we were leaving."
"Everypony saw that." Apple Bloom said with a mouthful of apple chips, causing the table to erupt with laughter.
"Yes." I groaned placing my hoof to my face.
"And you've been staring at her since we sat down here right?" I watched as Applejack returned with a bucket for Twilight, who promptly buried her face in it before proceeding to loudly empty the contents of her stomach.
"Yeah, so what?" I noticed Spike's face change from smug to disgust.
"So I'm gonna just go check and see how she's feeling right now." He said getting up from the table. A sly expression crossed his mouth. "Of course your more than welcome to come with me if you're concerned about her."
I shot the dragon a glare so sharp if it was a sword it would've impaled him before turning my gaze back to Twilight. Applejack was holding by her mane while the Unicorn continued to expel her brunch into the bucket.
"Feeling better?" Applejack asked, to which Twilight lifted her head, burped, and said "A little." Applejack gazed down at the puke bucket in front of them.
"Looks like ya need to cut on back on the... Eww! Mac, did ya see who brought apple corn chutney to the banquet?" She hollered out.
"Eenope!" Mac replied reaching down for the bucket.
"She seems fine, probably just ate too much," I said Spike raised his eyebrows in confusion.
"How do you know that?" he asked me.
I smiled smugly and said. "Let's just say I've seen this before."
"And you can tell from all the way over here? Yeah, I'm not buying it."
"Apple Comet's really good at noticing things." Apple Bloom pointed out.
"Oh, what can he see thru walls or something?" Spike chuckled I almost choked my croissant
"Don't be ridiculous," I said smiling nervously. "I'm just very observant is all."
Spike squinted at me. "You're starting to remind me of Twilight and it's creeping me out." With that, the Baby Dragon got up from the table and walked over to where the grown-ups were.
"You don't really have a crush on Twilight do ya?" Apple Bloom asked me. Immediately a course of giggles broke out at the table.
"Don't be silly Bloom, of course not," I answered placing my hoof to my chest confidently.
"Yer not scared are ya?" Red June teased.
"Of course not, I just think she seems very nice," I said taking another bite of my croissant.
"If that's so why don't you go talk to her?" Apple Squash asked me.
I swallowed my croissant hard and looked down at my now empty plate. I looked over at the grown-ups table where Spike was talking to Twilight. I felt my heart race as I gazed into her nauseous eyes. Even looking like a balloon stuffed with pie, she was still beautiful.
"Well, are ya gonna do it or not?" Apple Mint asked.
"Why are y'all being so pushy for?" Apple Bloom asked indignantly. "What's it to you if Ma'h brother likes somepony?"
"Come on Apple Bloom." Red June said. "We're just having a little fun."
I decided I'd heard enough. I grabbed my plate and got up from the table.
"I'm gonna go get myself some apple tart before it's all gone."
"Apple Comet wait!" Apple Bloom called out to me.
"Don't worry I'll be right back," I reassured her. As soon as I got some one on one time with our guest. Okay, Supersenses time to go to work.
"You try these apple cider cookies Twi? They're delicious." Spike said munching on an apple cider cookie.
Twilight's face turned a pale shade of green. "Ooooh For the love of...Celestia Spike,...Don't...mention...ulp...apples."
"She's fine." Applejack assured him. "Just needs to learn to pace herself is all."
Twilight opened her mouth as if to say it was you who was force feeding me but only managed to let out a "BRRRUUUUHHHAAAAAHHHHHHUUUURRRRRRRP!!! Ooooh! I think my heart just stopped."
"Whoo Wee!" Applejack complemented Twilight even as she tried to waft away the smell with her hat. That could peel paint off the side of a barn! Looks like we might have a new contender for the belching contest later Don'tch'a think Mac?"
Big Mac took out a small scorecard that read 9.3."
"I-I think she's trying to say we've really enjoyed the food but that we've really got to get going. Spike said taking Twilight by the hoof. "We'll see you at the celebration tonight.
"Well Twilight, it was sure nice to meet cha Hope Y'all are feeling better soon." Applejack said giving Twilight a hearty pat on the back that elicited a yelp from the Unicorn.
"Let's get out of here Spike." She hissed thru her teeth.
She was leaving, this was it, it was now or never.
"TWILIGHT WAIT!" Twilight let out a moan as she turned around to face me. "Oh, it's you." She said. I felt a lump form in my throat as I looked into her eyes.
"I-I just wanted to say..." I swallowed hard and took several deep breaths. My throat dried up, my leg tensed up "I-I just wanted to say that....I-I t-think your mane is pretty?"
What little self-esteem I had left at that moment boiled away. I hung my head low folded my ears and turned to walk away. "I just wanted to tell you that," I whispered softly. I blew it, my last chance to tell Twilight how I felt and I blew it. I should've known it would end this way. What did I have of telling her something I didn't understand myself. This feeling, When I first saw Twilight I felt happy like really really happy. Like my heart was flying around inside my ribcage. But I when I got the chance to talk to her, I suddenly felt nervous and now that I'd blew what might be my last chance to talk to her, I felt sad.
What was wrong with me? I'd never felt this way about anypony before. I'd never really bought into the whole fillies are gross talk the other colts at school spouted. They didn't seem any different from us. So why was I suddenly feeling like about a mare who was at least five years older than me?
"Thank you." I turned around to find Twilight smiling at me. "I appreciate the compliment." She said. "Yours is pretty cute too with that kiss curl in the front."
"My face turned flush as her words entered my ears. My lips contorting into a dopey grin. I probably looked like a sick mule, no offense to any sick mules out there. She walked up to me and took my kiss curl into her magical aura. I swore to myself I would never cut it off.
"You like Astronomy or something?" She asked noticing my cutie mark.
"Umm...Yeah I-I have a telescope in my room."
"Really? What's your favorite topic?"
"That's easy Comets."
"Which ones can you name?"
"Let's see there's Mareley's Comet, Comet Hackney Bopp, Comet McDraught, Comet Lusitanjoy, Calabrese's Comet. Those are the ones I name off the top of my head."
"What four parts make up a comet?"
"Come on Twilight, there's no need to....." Spike tried to object before I cut him off with...
"The Nucleus, the Coma, the Tail and the Jets."
"How often does Mareley's Comet pass by Equis?"
"Every 74 to 79 years."
Twilight smiled and clapped. "Very good, It seems like you really know your stuff. I bet you get really good grades in school."
I blushed when she complimented me on my grades. The truth was I was top of my class. But I wasn't about to brag.
"Well heh heh yeah."
"Well I'd really like to stay and chat, but I really must be going. It was very nice meeting you and your family."
"The pleasure is all ours." Applejack said offering Twilight another hoofshake, which She hesitantly accepted. Fortunately for her, it was much more gentle than the last one. "Feel Free to drop by anytime."
"Oh I will." Twilight said nervously before motioning to Spike with her head to leave.
"Wait! before you go, Will I see you at the celebration tonight?" I asked her.
"We'll see." She said sounding strangely sad for some reason "I've still got a lot of things left to check on before the festivities." My stomach went hollow at the thought of never seeing Twilight again.
"Well...If I don't see you again, Then I want you to know I really enjoyed having you over."
"Heck we all did," Applejack added. "In fact," Applejack took off her hat, reached deep inside and pulled a fresh hot apple pie. "Take some pie with ya for the road."
The smell of fresh pie wafted into Twilight's nostrils, her eyes rolled back, her face turning green as her legs gave way before she proceeded to faint on that very spot.
"Huh guess she couldn't handle her pie." Applejack noted.
"Eeyup." Big Mac Concurred.
Comet's sentence (Deleted scene)
Author's Note
So this scene was originally supposed to be in the next upcoming chapter. I found it kept me distracted from moving the plot forward so it was cut. Only the first few paragraphs detailing Comet's meeting with Princess Celestia remains in the story. However I felt a certain connection to so I decided to make it a deleted scene. In it Comet has a horrifying fantasy of what will happen to his family when Celestia learns his secret.
Comet's sentence (Deleted scene)
By the time we got back to the farmhouse, the inevitable was upon us. Princess Celestia's Chariot sat parked outside the front gate. This was the first time I'd seen her up close and personal since The Summer Sun Celebration occurred past my bedtime. But I'd seen pictures of her in school books and newspapers. Pictures that did not properly do her justice. She was a tall slender pony with legs longer than any I'd ever seen and horn as long as a regular pony's foreleg. Her mane and tail shimmered in an aurora of colors. Her wings and slender neck gave off the grace of a beautiful swan. She wore elegant golden shoes on her feet, a large golden necklace with a large purple stone set in the center and a magnificent golden tiara with a matching stone.
My Predicament momentarily forgotten, I gazed in wonder at the enchanting mare in front of me. I felt....warm in a good kind of way. Actually not just warm but....energized? It was like every fiber of my being was being bathed in raw power. I could feel it flowing thru my skin all the way down to my bones.
"Here they are Princess." One of her Royal Guards said as He pointed us out to her. She smiled warmly as she turned to face us.
"Greetings My Little Ponies." She spoke softly with the voice of an angel. At once we all knelt down before her. "Arise." Everypony sprang to their hooves like jackrabbits.
"Yer' Highness this is so unexpected." Granny Smith began. "May I ask what brings Y'all to our humble orchard?"
Celestia smiled softly as her horn lit up bringing forward the tall oak projectile of discussion.
" Well, it seems this apple tree crashed thru the roof of my castle this morning."
"THAT APPLE TREE CRASHED INTO THE CASTLE!!!" I screamed internally as my blood ran cold, this was way-way way-way way-way-way-way beyond bad. It was a level so far beyond bad, worse, horrible, terribly awful, or the worst possible thing! It was breaking your neighbor's window with buckball on a monumental scale! I had vandalized Princess Celestia's Castle. My pulse began to rise, sweat began to drip down my forehead.
In my mind, I saw a horrifying vision. We were being herded thru a crowd in the town square. Our legs and neck were bound in shackles. Ponies jeered and hurled insults and rotten fruit at us as we walked past them.
"Freak!"
"Monster!"
"Traitors!"
I looked up to the podium to see Princess Celestia standing before us in all her glory. My stomach sank as I saw her face was scowled in anger and disgust. Her eyes pierced thru me like two daggers.
"Bring forth the defendants!" Her tone was emotionless and authoritative. The guards nudged us with their spears.
"Kneel!" One of them commanded. None of us resisted, From this position Princess Celestia seemed to tower even higher before us!
"You four stand accused of harboring a dangerous alien being." She stood at her full height and glared down at me. "And you, You have harmed many of my little ponies with your reckless and destructive behavior!"
"Y-Y-Your Highness!" I pleaded "I-I-I...."
"ALIEN YOU SHALL ADDRESS ME BY PROPER TITLE OF YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS CELESTIA WHILE IN MY PRESENCE!!!" She roared at me her voiced echoing like a sonic boom.
"Y-Y-Yes your R-Royal Highness Princess Celestia." I groveled meekly. My dignity meant nothing to me, My life meant nothing to me. All that mattered was my family's safety.
"Very well how do you plead? She asked me seemingly satisfied with my pleading.
"Y-Your Royal Highness Princess Celestia, I never meant to hurt anypony. I was sent here by my birth parents to save my life. I'm the last of my kind. My power draws from your magnificent sun! I can't control how strong I am, But if spare my family's lives I shall devote my life to serving you." I looked up to see Celestia scratching her chin with her hoof pondering my decision. Every second I was in her presence I could feel my power building up inside me. It felt like I was being force fed a bucket of raw power.
"Very well then." She coldly said. "I will spare the Apple Family the torment of rotting away in a dungeon. I felt my hopes rise deep inside of me. "On the condition that they banished from Equestria never to return." Only to feel it plummet into the pit of my stomach and shatter. I looked behind me, Applejack and Big Mac's faces were frozen in horror, while Apple Bloom proceeded to break down in tears. But the worst of all of them was Granny Smith. Sweat was pouring down her forehead as she suddenly fell short of breath and collapsed to the ground clutching her chest with her right hoof.
"Granny!" I heard Applejack shouted as she and Big Mac rushed to her side. One glance of my x-ray confirmed it she was having a heart attack.
Turning to face Celestia I entreated"Princess you've got to help her! She's having a heart attack!"
Princess Celestia turned her head and scoffed. "I don't need to help that traitor!" Her voice was a tone of disgust.
"But she'll die without help." Her heart rate was falling fast, Time was running out. A flash of pain flooded my head as I felt of rush of energy flood thru body.
"ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!" I screamed as the power surged thru every cell in my body.
Snap! Effortlessly I snapped my chains as though they were made of paper.
"Look out he's loose!" a stallion screamed, The crowds erupted into a full-blown panic. Ponies were galloping every which way frantically desperate to escape. But that didn't matter to me, all that mattered was getting Granny Smith's side.
Guards seize him! Princess Celestia boomed.
"Granny! I cried as I rushed to her side. Her face was contorted with agonizing pain and her heart rate was dropping rapidly.
"Apple...Comet." She winced as she looked up at me. "Don't...blame...yerself." her hoof brushed against my cheek before her eyes closed.
"Put your hooves up!" I was suddenly picked up and hurled into the air, landing on the ground with a thud. I looked up to see one of the guards standings over me his spear at my throat. "Don't Move!" He barked at me.
"Alien that attempt to escape will cost your family dearly." Celestia spat venomously. "Guards! Take the Apple Family to the dungeons and lock them up for life! As for you Alien Menace I believe I will have to destroy you myself!
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!" All of a sudden the energy building up inside me exploded outward. My entire body erupted into a white-hot ball of flame so bright it blinded me. In an instant, my hearing was filled with the sounds of ponies crying out in terror before they were silenced forever.
The Nightmare Rises. (Updated)
The rest of the afternoon was pretty uneventful. Okay mostly uneventful. A few minutes after Twilight left, Pinkie Pie dropped by to deliver a party invite to Applejack. And by dropped in I mean she literally dropped in via parachute, played Charge on a kazoo handed Applejack the invitation before heading off back into town parachute in tow. All without my somehow noticing until she landed. Someday I'll figure out how she does it.
Anyway after that everypony's focus shifted back to prepping for the Summer Sun Celebration. By the evening the last cart had returned from making it's delivery to town and the family sat down for dinner. Well except for Applejack No matter how I tried I couldn't get the thought of that invitation out of my head. Why was I so interested in that party anyway? Just because Twilight would be there. I didn't even notice the food on my plate until Granny asked me if I was feeling well. I told her I was fine, that I was just excited about the festival later tonight. I managed to polish off about half of my apple casserole. Applejack could have the rest when she got back.
For dessert, we had apple pie with vanilla ice cream. I was the only kid at the table whose got a chance to melt. I didn't care Applejack would still eat it anyway.
As soon as the after-dinner cleanup was done, the foals and the elders went upstairs for bed. Since my cousins were staying over, Apple Bloom and I had share beds with them, which unfortunately meant a sharing a bathroom. It's bad enough having to share a bathroom with nineteen other ponies. But when you have X-ray vision and super hearing it's enough to make your stomach churn. Since I didn't want to see my relative's bathroom habits up close I decided to wait in my room.
"A little quality time with my telescope should help take my mind off things," I said removing it from my closet. Ever since I found out I was an alien, I had a fascination with astronomy and astrology. Truth be told I didn't really need a telescope to stargaze. My eyesight was good enough that I could see distant stars and planets at night. Granny thought it might something cool for me to have though, and it is. According to her, it belonged to Pa, He used it to watch the stars in anticipation of the coming harvest.
"Okay, lens are focused, angle is just about right. Time to see what stars are out tonight." I didn't have to look far.
"Huh? That's strange." I said taking notice of the moon.
"What's strange?" I turned around to see Babs Seed standing in the doorway.
"There's a weird shadow on the surface of the moon," I said stepping away so she could take a look.
"Wow." She whispered. "What do you think it is?"
"Well If my lunar calendar is accurate, it should be a full moon tonight," I explained. "And seeing how it doesn't corroborate with any known lunar phase, my logical hypothesis would be that it's merely an optical illusion caused by the moon's magic radiating from its surface.
Babs's eyes twitched like she was trying to communicate in Morse code that she was confused.
"Okay, I did not understand a word you just said." She said
"Ever heard the Legend of the Mare in the Moon?" I asked
"Yeah, when I was in kindergarten," Babs answered. "Don't tell me you believe in that baby stuff?"
"No no of course not," I assured her with a wave of my hoof. "I'm nine years old, well past believing in old mare's tales. I mean who grows up believing those stories are real?" Babs let out a chuckle at the thought of a grown up believing in made up stories.
Third Pony POV.
"Achoo!" Twilight Sparkle shot up in her bed. "Ugh, I hope I'm not catching something from being here." She groaned before throwing her pillow back on her head. Meanwhile, the party downstairs continued to rave on,
Comet's POV
"Bathroom's available now if Y'all want it." Apple Squash announced as she led Cinnamon Sugar Liberty Belle and Red June into my room. They were carrying their sleeping bags along with pillows, board games, and several pony dolls.
Great I thought as rolled my eyes. My room was about to be filly slumber party central. I suppose it could have been worse. At least there wasn't any make-up or hoof polish or anything like that.
"Thanks," I said plainly as I walked to the door. I wondered if anypony would mind if I slept in the bathtub tonight. Sometimes it's hard being the only colt in the family.
The sounds of family young and old alike getting ready for bed echoed thru the halls as I walked to the bathroom. Our rooms were all in the same hall so we all shared a bathroom.
Since I first discovered my powers, I'd often use this opportunity in the morning or at night to practice honing my senses. I'd focus on one particular sound or sight and tune out everything else. I had two rules about it though. One listens before you look. And two don't close your eyes. I could imagine seeing what I heard with frightening accuracy.
The bathroom sink was cluttered with foals toothbrushes and discarded tubes of toothpaste. Sighing I gathered them up giving each of them a once over with my heat vision to make sure they were sterile.
Most ponies will tell you that all you need is a rinse of water. But I've always found that ultraviolet light works best. Once I was done. I checked the medicine cupboard to make sure my toothbrush was still clean. "Well, at least they didn't use that," I whispered as I shut the cupboard door.
Some kids at school call me a neat freak because I wash my hooves thoroughly and I make sure my mane is tidy. I doubt they would if they could see germs the way I could.
I brushed and flossed like I did every night before taking a swig of mouthwash that I got from my last dental visit. Right as I was in the middle of gargling, I heard the sound of somepony opening my nightstand drawer.
"Huh? What's this?" Said a voice I recognized as Red June.
"What'd'ya find?" Cinnamon Sugar asked her.
"Some kind of pendant." Was Red June's answer.
I spat my mouthwash against the mirror in shock before racing out the door. My x-ray vision confirmed what I feared. Red June was wearing my Mother's pendant.
"Looks cool huh?" She bragged as the others oohed and awed at it like it.
"Is that real silver?" Liberty Belle asked.
"You know what A'h bet it is." Red June smirked before proceeding to strut around like a fashion model on a runway.
I felt a sudden anger rising within me. I could tolerate sharing my telescope or my books and most of my other possessions. But that pendant was a gift from my Mother, and that was off limits to anypony except myself and my immediate family.
I rushed back to my bedroom. My reflexes being all that kept me from ripping the door off its hinges.
"Put that back where you found it!" I said bursting into the room. The girls gasped and jumped back at my sudden appearance. I must have been quite a terrifying sight. For a moment none of them said or did anything. They just looked at me with their mouths wide open. Then Red June scoffed at me and turned her head.
"Relax will ya, Ah wasn't gonna steal it or nothing. Hey, wait a second how did ya know what we were doing in here if Y'all were in the bathroom?"
Road apples she had me there. My anger quickly faded as I tried to think up an excuse.
"Alright, you caught me," I said kicking my hoof forward. "I didn't really go to the bathroom. I was spying on you outside the door." Which was true from a certain point of view. Naturally, my cousins didn't take too kindly to this.
"What!" Liberty Belle gasped.
"You Creep!" Red June said pointing accusingly at me.
"Why would ya do that cuz?" Babs asked sounding clearly upset.
"I just wanted to make sure my stuff was safe."
"Oh, so that a bunch of big clumsy fillies didn't break your precious things?" Cinnamon Sugar huffed.
"That and to make sure you didn't take anything," I added. "Like my pendant for example. Speaking of which hoof it over."
"Why's it so important to ya?" Red June asked.
"Because I was wearing it when Ma and Pa found me," I answered.
Red June's anger instantly vanished. She held the pendant up to her face and gazed at the silver comet on it. Without saying anything she undid the clasp and hoofed it to me.
"Ah'm sorry, A'h didn't know." She whispered.
"It's okay," I said putting my hoof on her shoulder. "Just ask me next time okay?"
"Y-yeah sure," she muttered as she trotted over to her sleeping bag.
I went over to my nightstand and put the pendant back in my drawer.
"How come it looks like yer Cutie Mark?" Cinnamon Sugar asked.
I turned around and looked at my flank. "I don't know," I answered. "I got it while stargazing one night.
"Maybe yer parents were stargazers or something?" Liberty Belle said.
Would they believe me if I told them the truth? I pondered as I shut my drawer.
"Kom-El? Wake up. Wake up Kom-El."
"Huh, wha?" My eyes squinted as I slowly opened them. Was it time to go to the festival already? A large yawn escaped my lips as I rose from my bed. Wait a second, Kom-El? Did she just call me Kom-El?" Only two ponies I knew ever called me that and neither of them sounded like that. Come to think of it, I'd never heard this voice in my life. My eyes shot open as I looked around. My bedroom was completely empty. There was no sign of my cousins anywhere. No sleeping bags, no pillows, no toys scattered across the floor. I rushed to my window and that's when I noticed something was very off. Sweet Apple Acres had completely vanished. In its place was a vast barren surface of craters and dry seas resting the shadow of something enormous. My jaw dropped as I looked up
"It's impossible!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my hooves in my eyes. I looked up to find the image hadn't changed. I was standing in the shadow of the Equis.
"Tis not impossible little one." Did she just call me little one? Her voice was at a higher pitch than mine.
"Who are you?" I called out. "Show yourself.
A bright blue light materialized in front of me.
"Here we are!"
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." I face hoofed.
The little filly in front of me couldn't have been more than three years old. Her coat was a dark shade of blue with her mane being just a shade lighter. She was dressed in very elegant regalia including a dark blue tiara and matching shoes. But the biggest shock of all was she was an alicorn. I'm not kidding, She was a little blue alicorn.
"Greetings Kom-El. Tis good to finally make thy acquaintance, We hath much to discuss with thee."
Okay her voice did not fit with the vernacular she was using. She sounded like a kindergartener trying to give a fifth-grade performance.
"Okay, then why don't we start with who you are and where am I?"
"Certainly." She said raising her right hoof rather dramatically. "We are Princess Luna, Princess of the Night, Raiser of the Moon and Guardian of the Dream Realm."
Pffff, Okay that right there might have just been the funniest thing I'd ever heard in my life. Was this what I sounded like to others when I talked about grown-up matters?
"Aren't you a little young to be an alicorn princess?" I chuckled.
"Silence thy tongue subject!" She pouted. "We art many thousands of years old!"
It finally dawned on me that she was speaking a dialect of old equish, circa 5th century I think. It was kind of hard to tell because of her pronunciation was that of a young foal.
"Okay settle down I was just making sure is all," I assured her.
"Thou must understand we hath not always been like this." She said as she hung her head low. "In thy current state, thy magic be but a fraction of thy power. Hence." She gestured her hooves around her body.
"I see, so where I am I?"
"Thou art in the realm of dreams." She answered.
"I'm asleep?"
"Thou art correct." She nodded. "We hath observed thy dreams ever since thy fell from the stars. But we could not speak to thee because we were not strong enough to escape her."
"Her?" I asked.
"The Mare in the Moon." The little filly said her eyes trembling with dread. "She who doth turned us against thy sister to seize thy kingdom. Nightmare Moon!"
"But's that's just an old mare's tale, a story in a book," I argued.
"Tis not just a mere story." She countered. "Equestria's future doth depend on thee Kom-El."
"And that's another thing, I don't know where you heard that name but it's not mine alright? My name is Apple Comet and it's always been that." It was pretty safe to assume the horse was out of the barn, but I wasn't about to let my tongue slip just yet.
"We think Loran and Jav-El would disagree with thee." She smirked at me with a twinkle in her eye that said 'gotcha'."
"Sigh fine you want my help you got it. So how do you suggest I defeat Nightmare Moon?"
"The Elements of Harmony." She explained waving her hoof over her head. "Though not strong enough to defeat her before, Nightmare Moon's power hath waned greatly over the last thousand years. Thou shall have a short opportunity to free thee from her power."
"THERE YOU ARE YOU NAUGHTY LITTLE FILLY!!!!" A booming voice echoed around us. Luna froze in terror, her little legs trembling with fright. A black miasma smothered the sky in total darkness.
"Oh no! She's found us!" Luna whimpered curling herself into a ball behind. I took her by the hoof and gently pulled her into my arms.
"Don't worry," I assured her. "I won't let anything happen to you." The alicorn filly sobbed and hiccuped onto my shoulder.
A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the darkness revealing the massive shadow of a demonic face. I grit my teeth as my eyes lit up red with the fury of somepony who'd lost a loved one to a monster like this. I no longer cared if this was a dream or not. No way in Tartarus was I going to let this monster take Luna away.
"Where are you?" I shouted as loud as my lungs would allow. "Whoever you are, you don't scare me."
A sinister laugh echoed out from every direction. Luna wrapped her hooves around my barrel in a vise grip. Her heartbeat was so frantic I was afraid she might go into shock.
"AW HOW BRAVE OF YOU, IT SEEMS OUR RUNAWAY PRINCESS HAS FOUND A GALLANT KNIGHT TO PROTECT HER. A PITY HE CANNOT SAVE YOU LITTLE LUNA! AHA HA HA HA HA HAH!"
Out of the darkness came a murky blue fog. It rose higher and higher billowing like the smoke of an enormous blaze. Slowly the fog began to take shape. First, a pair of cat-like eyes appeared, they glared at me like a beast that had found its prey. Next four legs as tall and thick as the town hall sprouted lifting the mist even higher. A barrel formed, followed by a neck, then, head, a snout, ears, a mouth of shark-like teeth. Dark blue flames erupted from the head and flank as the mist began to fade Another flash of lightning and the colossal figure of Nightmare Moon stood towering above us.
"AH HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Her laughter rippled across the sky like thunder.
"My how pathetic you two look down here. Like two flies in a spider's web." Her eyes spilled into even fours as she licked her fangs. "I could just eat you both up."
"EAT THIS!" With Luna tightly wrapped in my arms, I leaped into the air. My hoof found Nightmare Moon's lower jaw with a satisfying THWACK!!!! Stunned the titanic mare fell to her side with an earth-shattering impact. THOOM!!!
"YOU IMPUDENT FOAL!!!" She howled at me, "YOU"LL PAY FOR THAT!!!"
"Oh, you read Power Ponies too?" I replied smugly as I watched her staggered to her hooves.
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF THE POWER YOU ARE MESSING WITH!!!"
"While I'm pretty sure you do after that haymaker." I said landing behind her." My pithy comeback was disrupted by the sound of whelping from between my legs. I looked down to see Luna clutching her jaw in pain. "Luna, what's wrong?"
"DO YOU WANT TO TELL HIM LULU OR SSSHALL I?" Nightmare Moon asked wincing in pain.
"We have ssshared thy sssame body and mind with Nightmare Moon for the lassst millennium." Luna hissed thru her hurt jaw. "Whatever pain ssshe feelsss, We feel."
"Wait if this is a dream how can either of you feel pain?"
"Becaussse thou art the one who isss dreaming. She explained. We are but a mere visssitor."
"NOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD THAT WILL YOU SSSTRIKE ME DOWN AND BEAT ME WITHIN AN INCH OF MY LIFE?" The behemoth smiled a serpent-like grin.
"I WONDER HOW MUCH PUNISSSHMENT SSSHE CAN TAKE?."
I paid her no mind. Luna's jaw was two inches to the left of where it should be. Blood was slowly trickling out of the right side. It would have to be reset and a healing potion applied.
"Can you heal yourself if I reset it?" I asked. Luna simply nodded and closed her eyes. "Okay here goes."
I was no Dougie Haflinger even if I did come with my own built-in set of x-ray goggles. But between the two of us, I think we did alright.
"Crriiicckk!"
"Okay, it's set."
The alicorn filly's horn lit up, sending a soft blue light washing over her lower jaw.
"Better?"
"Better." She smiled at me.
"HMM A WARRIOR AND A HEALER, HOW TOUCHING BUT ALAS POINTLESS."
Nightmare Moon raised her hoof high into the air with a satisfied smirk.
"Farewell little insect." She said as she brought it down on top of us. Luna closed her eyes and curled up as the shadow of a shoe the size of our barn drew in closer. Then suddenly as quickly as she brought it down it stopped.
"WHAT IS THIS?" The Colossal Mare cried in disbelief as she felt something pushing against her hoof. With my hind legs squatted down and the muscles of my back and arms coiled like bands of steel. I slowly stood up.
"HOW ARE YOU STILL RESISTING?" She attempted to apply more pressure but try as she might her hoof continued to rise higher and higher.
"URARGH!! With one last cry, I leaped into the air with such force that it threw the astonished giantess onto her back a distance of several hundred feet. With the immediate danger dealt with I turned my attention back to Luna gently kneeling down to her level.
"Wait here while I handle her and sorry in advance for any pain you might feel. I'll try to pull my punches where I can."
She smiled at me before planting a kiss on my cheek.
"Our hero." She giggled as she watched my cheeks turn red from embarrassment.
"THERE IS NOWHERE IN THIS REALM FOR TO HIDE YOU INSOLENT BRATS!!!"
Nightmare Moon had gotten to her hooves with a look of menace in her eyes.
"WHEN THIS WORLD IS MINE, I SHALL SEE TO IT PERSONALLY THAT YOUR DREAMS CONSIST OF NOTHING BUT NIGHTMARES!!!"
"Sounds great, Granny won't let me see any horror movies by myself" I said sarcastically as I leaped into the air. Suddenly I was caught in a bright cyan aura. I couldn't feel my body couldn't even move my eyes. Nightmare Moon had caught me in her aura.
"SO STRONG FOR SUCH AN ANNOYING LITTLE FLY, ESPECIALLY ONE WITHOUT WING! BUT LIKE SO MANY INSECTS YOU EVENTUALLY FALL IN MY TRAP! DID YOU REALLY THINK THE SAME TRICK WOULD WORK ON ME TWICE?"
A-HA HA HA HA HA!!!!"
"Tell me little fly," She whispered icily in my face. "What do you fear more than anything else hmm?" She lowered me next to her muzzle and opened wide revealing two rows of razor-like teeth topped with serpentine fangs and a thin forked tongue. "Oooh I can almost taste it." She hissed lowering me toward her mouth. Her tongue slithering and dancing around me.
"You know there was a Timberwolf King who tried this once with me!" I snarked. "Let's just say it didn't end too well for him!"
Her tongue drew back as she brought us back to eye level.
"Yes I suppose you have proven yourself rather tough to swallow." She concurred. "Fortunately I have other methods to find out what you fear." I suddenly felt a feeling of weightless as Nightmare Moon levitated me high into the air. She gently drew in a deep breath and exhaled a thick plume of purple mist that swiftly enveloped my entire field of vision.
"Is that...all you got?" I hacked as the mist slowly began to circle around me or was I circling around it? I tried to see thru it with my X-Ray vision but the mist only grew thicker the deeper my sight went.
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Her laughter echoed in every direction as the mists began to pick up speed.
"LITTLE KNIGHT, HEART OF MIGHT...
LET'S SEE WHAT GIVES YOU A FRIGHT...
RESIST YOU MAY, PLEAD YOU MIGHT...
YOUR DEEPEST FEARS SHALL COME TO LIGHT!!!"
As quickly as it had come, the mist parted slowly, my body ceased to spinning as I felt sensation returning to my legs. I instantly recognized where I was.
"The Everfree Forest? What am I doing here?" Was I still dreaming or had I got up in the middle night and sleepwalked off the farm and was just now waking up? Deciding I was wasn't going to get answers standing here I leaped into the air. My eyes widened in horror at what I saw.
"It can't be!" I whispered in shock, The forest stretched out every direction as far as my eyes could see. There was no sign of Ponyville, Canterlot, or anywhere else for that matter. Even the mountain on which Canterlot sat was gone. Every direction was just more trees as if the Everfree Forest went on forever. The sky above was pitch black without a star to be seen. The only light to be seen came from the misty bluish aura of the moon.
"I'm still asleep!" I exclaimed as I settled on the ground. "Well of course ya are!" I heard a familiar voice say. I felt a chill run down my back as I turned around. Out of the foggy mist that drifted thru the trees came an enormous translucent blue stallion. My heart froze in terror as I looked into the empty sockets where his eyes should have been.
"P-P-Pa?"
"A'h told ya not to go back into the forest, but Y'all didn't listen to me." His tone was cold and unfeeling not all the way Pa talked. I tried to stammer out a coherent response but I could not get the words to come out. All I could do was back away as the Ghost closed in.
"Whats the matter? Timberwolf got yer tongue? He got a lot more of me thanks to you." He pointed his hoof at me and scowled.
"I-I I-I'm s-s-sorry Pa!" He looked at me with anger and worse disappointment in his eyes.
"That's all ya got to say for running away from home? For getting me killed? for putting yer Granny and yer brother and yer sisters through Tartarus for all that time? A'h knew it was a mistake taking ya in. In a way Ah'm sorta glad Pear passed on when she did so she didn't have to see what a failure you've become. A'h don't know what she saw in you. yer, not an Apple heck yer not even a real pony yer just some alien freak with no parents, no place to call home and nopony who loves ya."
At that moment I just wanted to curl up and die. My stomach turned inside out as his words passed thru my ears. Tears stung my eyes as the memories of that night came flooding back to haunt me.
"NOOOOOOO!!!! THAT'S NOT TRUE!!!! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!! I screamed as I fell to my hind knees. The spectral stallion paused as I looked him in the dead vacant eyes.
"Well would you look at that, It seems our valiant little prince has a weakness after all." He said with the voice of Nightmare Moon before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The smoke cleared revealing the now normal sized alicorn.
"It seems you have regrets about your past, about your father...sorry your 'adopted' father." She said gazing at me like a cobra that had cornered a rat." It hurts, doesn't it? Bright Mac took you into his home raised you as his own and you repaid him by leading him to his death. Her words stabbed thru me like a knife to her heart. Every syllable hissed thru her fangs sent shivers up my spine.
"Do you see now that you are helpless before me alien? This realm is mine just as the world will soon be. But I'll more than happy to share it with you. Her horn lit up as she cast an explosion of what felt like dust into my eyes.
"Ugh, what did you do to me?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha." Nightmare Moon cackled. "The Sands of Hypponos, anypony who's eyes it touches shall sleep forevermore. Welcome to your new home my Little Prince, or should I should say, Sleeping Prince. I suggest you take the time to make yourself comfortable for you shall never wake again!"
Author's Note
You may commence playing of the John Williams Superman theme at the last sentence of the second line of paragraph 121.
The tune to Nightmare Moon's nursery rhyme is Star Light Star Bright albeit a bit darker.
Nightmare Moon stood before me laughing triumphantly. As I looked into her eyes I felt my fear turn to anger, but it was not toward the monstrous Alicorn in front of me. I was angry at myself. I'd let everypony down, Granny, Mac, AJ, Bloom, Luna and the one that cut deepest of all, Pa. Now I'd be trapped here leaving Nightmare Moon free to terrorize Equestria.
"Oh, whats the matter Little Prince?" She cooed at me mockingly. "Did my voice frighten you just now? Aha ha ha haw. I'm sorry, Why don't I make it up to you?" She walked over and whispered into my ear. Her breath was as cold as the air on a still night.
"How about this? I'll undo the curse set upon you if you agree to forever serve me?" I winced as She placed her hooves on my shoulder. Her shoes felt cold to the touch. You'd be my Dark Knight second only to me, You could have anything you want. Power, wealth, acceptance, even true love." Luna's words echoed in my memory as Nightmare Moon nuzzled her cheek against mine.
"She who doth turned us against thy sister to seize thy kingdom."
"I would love you like you were my own foal." Nightmare whispered tenderly. Hmm, a mother who torments and traumatizes me by making me relive my worst memory. They sure have a crazy way of expressing love on the moon, don't they? I wasn't buying it.
"Like you told Luna you loved her?" I asked her. She seemed to shrug but I could tell deep down I'd just struck a nerve there.
"You didn't know her before she met me." She began to explain. "Forced to live in the shadow of her sister, Her long nights slept thru unappreciatively by her subjects. She didn't have a friend in the world until I came along.
"You mean until you turned her against her sister!" I reminded her. In an instant, her mood changed from calm to fury as she turned to face me.
"I showed her the truth about Celestia!" She snarled baring her fangs at me, "I helped her see through all the lies and deceit."
"The only lies and deceit I see are your own!" I said stomping my hoof on the ground. "I saw how you tried to take her back from me. That didn't strike me as something a good friend would do."
I thought for sure she was going to attack me for that. But instead, she simply turned around and sighed. She looked up gazing into the shadowy mists as if she was contemplating what I'd just said. Then she opened her eyes looked at me and calmly asked me. "Is that your final answer?"
"It is," I answered. She sighed looking at me dejectedly as if I'd disappointed her with my answer.
"So be it, If you will not join me then you shall sleep forever more. Pleasant Nightmares my little Prince." Her horn gave off a blinding flash before she vanished in a cloud of smoke. Her insidious laugh echoed around as the smoke began to clear. I felt a chill in the air as the forest seemed to grow steadily darker.
"ARRROOOOOOOOO!"
The familiar howl left every hair on my coat standing on its end as my nostrils breathed in the foul odor of wet mossy bark. Behind me, I could hear the rustling of leaves, the splashing of feet in shallow puddles and the blocky click-clack of wooden limbs sprinting. It was alone? They never hunted alone, always in a pack.
At that moment I understood what Nightmare Moon meant. I was to be imprisoned here, forced to face my most painful memories again and again. A sentence that was most logically designed to break the will and spirit of even the bravest of ponies. So why didn't feel scared at that moment? If I died assuming the Timberwolf could kill me in this dream what would it matter? I would return at some point and relive it all over again. It was getting closer, in my head, I could picture it step by step like the shadow of death the predator inched closer to the unsuspecting foal who had foolishly ignored his parents and wandered into the forest. I could destroy it? It would be as easy as snapping a twig. Or I could burn it or freeze it or just grab it and smash it into the ground repeatedly until it was nothing but a pile of splinters? What would happen if I did? Would more come? Or maybe Nightmare Moon would throw some other horror at me? Or maybe she'd gotten bored with me and decided to leave me here alone for all eternity, wandering in a forest that seemed to stretch into infinity? At least until I died. Then what? The telltale snarl of the beast told me It was almost on top of me. Deciding it best to not keep it waiting I turned to face it.
Third Pony POV
The still calm of the upstairs hallway was broken by the sudden chorus of ringing alarm clocks. Babs Seed's eyes slowly stirred as she wrapped her pillow over her ears wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. Groaning She reached out toward the offending timepiece. A twist of the key and the infernal racket around her became slightly more bearable. Babs was hesitant to separate herself from her snug comfortable sleeping bag to deal with her cousins' alarm clocks. Why couldn't Apple Bloom's family have digital clocks like her's did? She pondered. The accompaniment of more moans from her cousins came as a welcome relief. Sprawled out across the room they slowly shuffled and crawled out of their sleeping bags like zomponies in a horror movie rising from the grave.
"Uhh..." Cinnamon Sugar moaned.
"Ughh..." Liberty Belle groaned.
"Five more minutes." Red June muttered sleepily.
One by one the clocks ceased their incessant ringing until only one remained.
"Hey, Apple Comet! Feel like shutting that off for us?" Red June hollered at her cousin who was somehow sleeping like a log thru all that ringing.
"How can anypony sleep thru that?!" Liberty Belle shouted over the sound of the alarm clock. Red June had enough and stomped over to his bedside.
"Hey can't cha hear that!?" She asked impatiently pointing at the clock. "It means it's time to get up. When she got no response Red June picked up the clock and held it to his ear in hopes of getting his attention. Nothing, not even a smug turnover to say Ehhh I don't really feel like it.
"URAGH!" Red June raised the clock into the air as if to smash it against the floor.
"There's probably a key on the back!" Cinnamon Sugar pointed out
"A'h know!" Red June shouted as she turned it. A tranquil silence fell upon the bedroom as Red June casually tossed the alarm clock on the floor before grabbing hold of the blanket with her teeth. "C'mon up and at em" She muttered yanking it off the bed. To her mounting frustration, the sleeping colt did not budge.
"Boy He sure is a heavy sleeper." Cinnamon Sugar noted scratching her head.
"Aw right, mister Ah've had enough of yer games." Red June threw her hooves up and walked over to the door. "If y'all wanna sleep thru the festival fine by me."
SLAM!
The other fillies stood there unsure of what to make of this.
"Wow, I take it back." Said Cinnamon Sugar. "He's a really heavy sleeper. Babs began to feel worried, She could sense something didn't feel right.
"Um, Apple Comet are you okay?" She asked as slowly walked up the bed. Apple Comet lay on his side his back facing them not moving. Gently Babs placed her hoof on his shoulder and turned him over.
"AIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" She let out a shriek of terror that got the attention of everyone in the house. Moments later door slammed open as several Apples rushed into the room armed with whatever they could grab at such short notice.
"Who's in here?" She asked as her eyes scanned the room for signs of a possible intruder.
Immediately the three fillies rushed to Granny's side. Their faces were white with fear as if they'd seen a ghost.
"Granny Smith thank Celestia yer here!" Babs said wrapping her forelegs around her neck. Cinnamon Sugar and Liberty Belle quickly joined in."
"Good heavens, you three look like Y'all'd seen a ghost or something. What happened?"
"BWAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Big Macintosh's cry brought the family's attention to the bed.
"Oh, my land." Granny Smith whispered in shock when she saw what had frightened him. Apple Comet lay motionless, only the rising and falling of his barrel indicated he was breathing. His eyes were covered with a thick layer of black shimmering sand.
Carefully Granny Smith ran her hoof over Apple Comet's eyes to collect a sample. The Apples watch as more began to trickle out of his eyes.
"W-W-What's wrong with him?" A stallion in the crowd nervously asked.
Granny stared at her hoof watching as the sand slowly faded away into a wispy mist. It felt fine yet cold to the touch Next she checked his temperature, heartbeat, and pulse, all seemed normal in spite of the sand's temperature.
"In all mah years Ah've never seen anything like this." She sighed sitting down next to him.
"Is...He?" Big Macintosh asked.
"He's breathing, His pulse and heartbeat seem normal. And he's not running a fever. Whatever he's got it's nothing Ah've ever seen."
Granny felt a surge of anxiety rush down her spine. Her stomach turned as all sorts of different possibilities ran thru her head. What if this was some kind of alien sickness? What if he suddenly got worse? What if it was contagious? What if he...... "WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE MAC! HE NEEDS A DOCTOR!"
Mac momentarily startled by Granny's outburst shrunk back. But he quickly realized She was right, this was definitely a job for a certified medical professional. "COMING THRU!!!" The other Apples sensing what was coming gladly got out of the way as Mac galloped down the hall like a speeding locomotive.
Granny sighed as she turned her attention back to still form of her adopted Grandchild. He'd never had so much as a cut or scrape for as long as she had known him. For him to just come down with something like this out of nowhere was unheard of. She spotted his blanket lying on the floor. It wouldn't do him any good to leave him exposed like this. She thought as she reached down to pick it up.
"Apple Comet's gonna be okay right?" Granny Smith stopped and turned to see Apple Bloom walking into the room. Her eyes shook with uncertainty as she looked at her. It was a feeling that she shared with her youngest grandfoal.
"We'll know when the doctor gets here." She said picking the blanket up off the floor.
"What if the doctor doesn't know what's wrong with him?"
Granny Smith stopped for a moment, She hadn't considered the possibility that it might come to that. "Then we'll have to take him to the hospital." She said laying the blanket over top of Apple Comet.
"What if they can't help him?"
At that moment Granny wanted to tell her to not be ridiculous and that that wasn't going to happen. But she stopped and looked down at the still form of Apple Comet. She'd seen her fair share of illnesses and ailments over the years. She'd lost her fair share of friends and loved ones that way. No, she couldn't think about right now.
"Apple Bloom I want cha to listen to me." Granny stood stoically over Apple Comet's bed her back facing her youngest grandfoal.
Apple Bloom nodded. "A-Ah'm listening."
"Good to hear that." Granny Smith took a moment to gather her courage before slowly turning to face Apple Bloom. "Now Ah don't know what's wrong with Apple Comet and we might not know until the doctor gets here. It might be a spell or a hex or something he touched or ate. To be honest it's like nothing Ah've ever seen before. Right now all we can do is wait for the doctor and hope for the best."
Apple Bloom felt a spiny lump in her throat as Granny Smith explained everything to her. Her eyes were becoming red and puffy, she felt tears begin to form as fears of what this meant for Apple Comet formed in her head. What if the doctor really couldn't do anything? What if he stayed that way forever? What if he...he....he.
"Now now," Granny said sitting up forelegs outstretched. The little yellow filly threw herself into her embrace burying her head in her shoulder.
"It's okay to be upset, trust me Ah'm upset too," Granny whispered as she felt a single tear race down her cheek.
Comet's POV
Sensing that it's cover had been blown the monster stepped out of the shadows and faced me in the light. At first glance, it didn't look too different than any other Timberwolf. Its bark was smooth dark ebony its eyes shone with pale silver light Almost as if it were merely the shadow of a Timberwolf instead of the real thing. The beast circled me a moment its eyes staring back into me. I stared back determined to show it I was not afraid.
"Well are you gonna do something?" I snapped at it. "Or are you just gonna circle and growl at me?" The Timberwolf stopped, turned to face me, a scowl formed across its face. Then in the blink of an eye, it lunged ...right into my hind legs!
"WHAM!!!" An explosion of shattered lumber echoed thru the forest as the Timberwolf's head separated from it's body sailing off into the distance while it's body tumbled to the ground before erupting into a cloud of blue smoke. For a moment I imagined the head flying so far as to land on top of Nightmare Moon's. My sense of triumph was to be short-lived however as the smoke cleared two figures stepped forth. Somehow out of the remains of the first Timberwolf emerged two more, their cold silver eyes staring lifelessly back at me.
WHAM!!!
BAM!!!
You know those moments where you feel so frustrated that you just want to hit something to relieve your stress? But you can't bring yourself to do it because you're afraid of accidentally hurting somepony? Just replace those moments with every minute of every day and make it strong enough to knock down buildings and you'd get how my life is.
And that was on days when I wasn't imprisoned in my own dreams and tormented by my most painful memory by an evil Alicorn bent on ruling Equestria. So you might understand why I wasn't too upset when I saw the Timberwolves I'd just smashed up spawn four more or eight or sixteen or thirty-two. What I had here was an opportunity to forget about my problems and just cut loose for once and I was determined to take it.
Third Pony POV
"My he certainly is a tenacious one isn't he?" Nightmare Moon said with an air of reluctant admiration as she watched the battle play out in the dark waters of a small reflecting pool. The young colt was putting up a ferocious fight cutting down her Timberwolves one after another without showing any signs of slowing down. "By now you should've realized that for each of my little pets you destroy two more shall take their place. Or is your hatred of them so great that you do not care? Either way, it matters not, sooner or later you will have to accept the inevitability that there is no escape from the night."
"It seems thou hath underestimated him, Nightmare Moon." A defiant voice said from behind her. Nightmare gave a smug grin as she turned and looked at the ragged form of Luna trapped in a crystal orb on the table behind her. The Filly wore shackles her hooves and neck and had a ring of moon rock placed over her horn to nullify her magic.
"I must admit I was a teensy bit careless," Nightmare admitted as she picked the filly's prison up in her aura. Her enormous face looming in front of her captive as she grinned. "But as you're about to see he is quite out of the way."
With a flick of her hoof, the image in the pool dispelled. "Show me his physical state." At her command, the water in the shimmered and rippled showing her what she commanded.
Luna gasped in horror as she looked upon the face of the sleeping colt. Her face slowly turned white as she watched the sands of Hypponos continue to pour from his eyes like a cascading waterfall."
"No, it can't be." She whispered softly as she felt her stomach begin to turn inside out. She felt hot tears running down her face but her throat felt like it was gripped in a vice.
"What did you think would happen by getting him involved?" Nightmare asked a devious smirk stretched across her face. "That somehow he would be able to bear the elements of harmony all on his own? That he would just singlehoofidly defeat me? Ha ha ha ha ha." Luna's ears drooped as she hung her head low. She could feel the last little thread of hope she had left slowly unraveling leaving her stomach feeling hollow and empty. "All you accomplished was condemning him to a fate worse than death."
What was left of Luna's fortitude crumbled as the little filly sank down to her stomach and buried her face into her hooves. All the while Nightmare grinning triumphantly in satisfaction knowing she had broken the captive Princess's will. "There there my dear." She cooed putting on a show of false sympathy. Just close your eyes and let your future Queen make it all better." Nightmare tapped the tip of horn against the surface of the orb, releasing a starry blue mist that began to wrap itself around sobbing filly like a python smothering its prey. Luna felt her body rapidly fading away as Nightmare's magic began to reabsorb her.
"Forgive Me Sister, Forgive me Kom-El..."
Applejack couldn't grasp what she'd just witnessed. Only minutes before she and several of her friends had gathered inside the town to witness the arrival of Princess Celestia. What they'd gotten instead was something straight out of those old mare's tales Granny used to tell her. She remembered biting on Rainbow Dash's tail, Twilight confronting Nightmare Moon as she called her, and the mayor siccing the royal guards on her to no effect as the dark alicorn made her escape. It made her wonder if this was all some sort of crazy dream she was having. The festive fervor had vanished from the room. Nightmare Moon's escape had left several ponies sprawled unconscious across the floor. Those that were still awake huddled together in fear at what they had just witnessed. Some muttered anxiously to those around them, while others remained frozen where they stood.
In the midst of all this, she noticed Twilight galloping out the door with her little dragon slumped across her back. "She seems to be in an awful hurry." Applejack thought as the unicorn ran past her. She then noticed a familiar blue pegasus trailing behind her from above.
"Applejack!" Applejack turned around in time to see a pink blur rush past her face, skid into a 180-degree turn and come to a complete stop
"Bwah!" Applejack leaped back in surprise as Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared in front of her.
"Where're ya going?" She asked Applejack casually.
Applejack exhaled and held a hoof to her chest. "Land sake Pinkie Pie, Y'all startled me." The pink mare smiled sheepishly and blushed.
"Oops sorry about that, it's just I saw you running off after Rainbow Dash flew off and Twilight ran off and Nightmare Moon turned into soot and I was wondering where was everypony going? Because the party was just getting started but I guess it's over now on account of what Nightmare Moon said about the night lasting forever and all that..."
"Okay okay, A'h git the message Sugarcube." Applejack said as she placed her hoof over Pinkie Pie's mouth. "Look Ah'm head back over to the library, figure that's probably where Twilight's headed. You go find the girls and meet me there, okay?" Pinkie said nothing but simply nodded twice. Applejack slowly took her hoof off of Pinkie's mouth and the party pony happily pranced back over to the town hall leaving Applejack shrugging her shoulders. "Jus Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie." She thought as she started to gallop off.
Apple Bloom stared up solemnly at the canopy of her bed. She had declined to go to the Summer Sun Celebration with the rest of the family, instead opting to stay home with Granny Smith. Thru her bedroom door, she could hear the faint voices of Doctor Horse and Nurse Redheart talking in Apple Comet's room, though she couldn't hear what they were saying. She hoped with all her heart that Doctor Horse would know how to make him all better after all isn't that what doctors were for? But what if he couldn't? What if he never woke up? What if this was some kind of weird alien sickness or something?
"Ugh, A'h can't take this anymore!" She finally cried out as she rolled off her bed. "A'h have to know whats going on in there." Checking to make sure the hall was clear, Apple Bloom slowly tiptoed out into the hallway. The floorboards creaked and groaned under her hoof steps as she made her way to her brother's room. As she did she the voices coming from behind the door slowly became clearer.
"This is like nothing I've ever seen before." She heard Doctor Horse say from behind the door. "He's not running a fever, his heart rate and pulse are excellent and his blood pressure is the best I've ever seen in a colt his age. Any luck with that blood sample?"
Apple Bloom stood on her hind legs and peered thru the keyhole as Nurse Redheart held up a shot with a broken needle.
"None, I've gone thru every syringe I've got. His skin's as tough as dragon's hide."
Doctor Horse sighed. "Alright, I'll send for an ambulance and get this shipped to the lab. Hopefully, they'll be able to provide some answers."
Nurse Redheart nodded and wrote something down on her clipboard. When she was finished she tore it off and handed it to Doctor Horse. The good doctor rolled it into a scroll, tied the vial of sand he'd taken from Apple Comet's eyes to it, then teleported it presumably to the hospital.
"Well, we've done all we can do for him here, nothing to do now but wait. Keep an eye on him, I'm gonna go talk to Granny Smith."
Apple Bloom froze up as she saw the doctor's aura wrap around the doorknob. Before she could react the door swung outward sending her flying onto her back with a loud thud.
"Ow."
"What was that?" Asked Nurse Redheart.
Doctor Horse looked down to see Apple Bloom rubbing her hoof against the back of her head.
"Are you alright?" He asked kneeling down to check on her."
"Uhh....hi?" Apple Bloom's ability to form a coherent response evaporated as she realized she'd just blown her cover.
"Sorry about that, are you okay?"
The little filly sat frozen on the spot, an awkward grin stretched from ear to ear.
"Here let me help you up." The Doctor said offering his hoof. Apple Bloom accepting she had been caught took it.
"May I ask what you were doing behind the door?"
"Umm...A'h was jus...going to the bathroom?" A nervous grin stretched across Apple Bloom's face.
"You mean that one over there." He asked pointing behind her. Apple Bloom's pupils shrunk in panic as she laid eyes on the door he was pointing at. it was the one with the hoof painted sign on it that said Wash Yer Hooves.
"Uhh...Did A'h say going? What I A'h meant to say was A'h was coming from the bathroom." Apple Bloom said shrinking into a sitting position, her shoulders flinched up to her face. She was sweating profusely and her facial muscles were straining to keep smiling.
"I didn't hear a flush or a door open or close?"
The yellow filly's ears drooped as she bowed her head. " Sigh...Alright, ya caught me." She answered simply.
"Is everything alright out here Doctor?" Nurse Redheart asked poking her head out into the hallway.
Doctor Horse smiled. "Well, I think Apple Bloom was about to say something she wants to get off her barrel."
Apple Bloom took a breath and said. "Ah'm sorry for eavesdropping on you."
" You were eavesdropping on us?" Nurse Redheart asked confused.
"A'h heard what Y'all were saying about Apple Comet. Does he really have to go to the hospital?"
Doctor Horse took off his glasses with his magic, placing them in his coat pocket.
"I know this must be pretty scary, with what you've been thru in the past." He said kneeling down to Apple Bloom's level. "But I promise we'll do everything we can to make him better."
"What if you can't? *Sniff* What if he stays like this forever?"
"Ssh...try not to think about that." Nurse Redheart said placing her hoof on Apple Bloom's shoulder. "Right now your brother needs you to be brave for him. Can you do that?"
Brave? The very thought of it was almost laughable. She could never hope to be able to run as fast or jump as high or do any of the things Apple Comet could. No, she was just an ordinary filly from Ponyville.
"A-A'h don't know if A'h can Nurse Redheart." She whimpered pitifully.
"Well, what do you think Apple Comet would do if he were in your hooves."
What would Apple Comet do? More like what wouldn't he do. He'd run to the very ends of Equis, even thru Tartarus itself, letting nothing stand in his way of saving her. What could she do that he wouldn't make look feeble by comparison? Nothing, that's what.
And yet in spite of all his power, the only reason he ever seemed to use them was to practice not using them. He always kept pace with her when doing chores, despite the fact that he could probably finish an entire days work in a flash. He never used them in public either, although that was probably because he didn't want other ponies to find out he's was alien.
Now that Apple Bloom thought of it, she realized that except for his powers, she never really saw him as an alien. The word brought to mind, weird creatures with big heads, slimy tentacles and green-skinned bipeds with blank faces. None of those described Apple Comet. He had two eyes, two ears, four legs, a muzzle, a nose, a mane. and a tail, just like everypony else. Albeit, faster, stronger, smarter and the whole being from outer space thing, but deep down underneath all that he was just another member of the family. A little bit different perhaps, but could not the same be said about Applejack's appetite? Or Big Mac's love for philosophy? Or Granny Smith's habit of sometimes putting on mismatched horseshoes?
'A'h guess everypony is different in their own way, even ponies from other planets.'
And it suddenly dawned on her that for an alien from outer space, Apple Comet was kinda average for a colt. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that she'd the spaceship and the crystal.....Wait, the crystal!
"That's it!" With a sudden burst of speed, Apple Bloom took off racing down the stairs.
"What's it?" Doctor Horse asked looking confused. Nurse Redheart could only shrug her shoulders and shake her head.
"Granny!"
Granny Smith looked up from the stove as Apple Bloom came galloping thru the kitchen doorway like a champion derby runner crossing the finish line.
"Where's the crystal?" She asked her wasting no time cutting to the chase.
"Crystal? What crystal?" Granny asked looking quite confused.
"The one that belongs to Apple Comet!"
Granny's spatula fell to the floor with a clank.
"Granny are you alright?" Apple Bloom asked her looking a bit concerned.
"Huh? Oh uh..yes, just fine dear." She answered in a slightly frazzled tone. "What exactly did Y'all want it for?"
"So then A'h got to thinking if what Apple Comet said about the crystal was true, then maybe his parents might know whats wrong with him." Apple Bloom explained as Granny opened the door to her room.
"Ah'm still not sure about this Bloom." Granny said with uncertainty as she closed the door.
"Well, A'h am." Apple Bloom retorted. "If A'h were in Apple Comet's hooves right now, A'h know he wouldn't rest until he found a way to help me.
"You sure know how to humble yer stubborn o'l Granny don't cha?" Granny stated warmly as she led Apple Bloom over to the side of her bed. With a grunt, she lifted up the side of her mattress revealing a medium sized wooden oblong box.
"A'h had hoped that yer brother would be a little older before we had to get this out again," Granny stated as she opened the box.
Apple Bloom's eyes shone with wonder, as she gazed upon its radiant brilliance and the strange symbols that that shone along its smooth surface.
"It's incredible!" She whispered in awe.
"It sure is something ain't it?" Granny concurred. Their awe was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Granny Smith?"
"Aw shoot it's the Doctor." Apple Bloom whispered. "We gotta hide the crystal."
"Well let's not just stand here with bees under our bonnets." Granny concurred "Just one second!" She closed the box and slid it back under the bed then walked over to the door while Apple Bloom sat down on the bed. "Oh hello, Doctor!"
"Hello Mrs. Smith, is everything ok in here?" Granny noticed he sounded wearier than before.
"Just fine thanks." She answered. "Apple Bloom and A'h were just having a talk about Apple Comet's little condition."
"I see, well the reason I found you is I just got a letter back from the hospital. Apparently there's been some kind of emergency at the Town Hall and they aren't any ambulances available right now."
"Oh no!" Apple Bloom cried out.
"What happened?" Granny asked worryingly.
"They aren't exactly sure at the moment." Dr. Horse raised his hoof up to calm them down. "All they said was they need every available medical pony they can get.
Granny sighed and said, "We understand Doctor."
"In the meantime, Nurse Redheart is going to stay here with you, if anything happens she knows how to reach me. I'll try to get back here as soon as I can." A flash of light from his horn and he was gone. An ominous silence fell over the room. Apple Bloom glanced at the picture on Granny's dresser. It was a picture of the family at the last reunion. She was up front next to Apple Comet and Babs.
"Everypony else was there..." She whispered trying her best not to cry. "Do y'all think they're okay?"
Granny Smith hunched her shoulders and walked back over to the bed. "Now isn't the time to go assuming the worst." She said retrieving the box from under the bed. "Our family's been through more than enough heartache tonight."
Nurse Redheart heard a knocking at the door. She sighed as she went to answer it. It had been a long night for her. Apple Comet's condition hadn't changed, There'd been an emergency at town hall and there was no telling when an ambulance would become available. 'A nurse's work is never done.' She thought as she reached for the doorknob. She opened to find Granny Smith and Apple Bloom standing in front of her. The young filly was holding an oblong wooden box under her foreleg, looking at her like a puppy that was left out in the rain.
"We're really sorry to disturb ya." Granny Smith said to her. "But Apple Bloom was wondering if she could just have a moment alone with Apple Comet?"
"It would be really quick." Apple Bloom begged as she Nurse Redheart the saddest most pitiful face she'd ever seen.
At any other point in her day, Nurse Redheart would be intrigued to know what Apple Bloom had inside the box. But after being on call since around sunset of yesterday, she was running on fumes and really couldn't care less. 'Just take a short break and let the kid have some time with her brother. She told herself. 'What harm could it do.
"Oh, why not?" She said sounding almost relieved in a way. "I could use a cup of coffee anyway. Just be careful and don't touch near his eyes, okay?"
"Oh, A'h won't, A'h promise." Apple Bloom ambled past her anxiously.
"C'mon Ah'll put the kettle on and get us a couple of mugs."
Nurse Redheart gave a tired smile and said. "That actually sounds wonderful right about now.
The instant the door shut behind them, Apple Bloom tore the lid off the box and picked up the crystal in her hoof. She stared with wonder at the rows and columns of strange symbols carved across its surface. What did they mean? Was it some kind of secret message or a code. Her thoughts turned to memories of that night four years ago. Memories that she had tried her best to put behind her. For a long time, Apple Bloom had tried her best to move on from what happened that night. And yet looking at the crystal, she could feel the memories of her brother returning to the farm alone flooding into her mind.
"Go away! A'h never want to see you again!"
"He's not my brother!"
"He's a monster! He's an alien freak!"
It's all yer fault he's dead! You and yer freaky alien powers! It should've been you that ended up as Timberwolf food instead of Pa!"
She'd hated him, despised him, told him she wished he'd been the one who got killed. And how had he responded?
"Apple Bloom believe me when I say I would gladly give up my powers if it could bring Pa back."
A drop of water splashed against the surface of the crystal. Apple Bloom saw a single tear streaking down her reflection's cheek. She wiped it off with her hoof and steeled herself. This was no time for tears, Apple Comet was counting on her. She couldn't...wouldn't let him down.
"Hey, Apple Comet." She whispered as she walked up to his bed. "Ah don't know if y'all can hear me? But I've brought the crystal from yer rocket ship. Thought maybe it might hold the answer to what's wrong with you? A'h mean A'h don't know how it works since you were the only one who could make it work."
Apple Bloom sighed and sat down on the corner of the bed facing him.
"Ya know Ah've always wondered, can ya read my mind? Can ya tell what A'h'm thinking about right now? It seems so strange, having a brother who fell from a star. Meanwhile, Ah'm just a normal kid, A'h can't run as fast or jump as high or see thru walls or do any of wonderful things Y'all can do."
"Sometimes....sometimes A'h lie awake at night, wondering would it would be like to be like you? How it would feel to outrun a speeding train or lift a tractor over mah head or leap a mountain in a single bound. How do y'all do it? How can somepony so powerful be so gentle, so kind, so selfless? Your somepony A'h could never be."
She laid the crystal in his hoof.
"If you can read mah mind....A'h just want to say...where ever you came from.... you will always be my brother."
Slowly a strange light illuminated the room.
...Just Before...(Updated) (Retconned)
(Comet's POV)
When I was younger, whenever I would have bad dreams, Granny would tell me the things I saw were like pictures in an old book. They might look real and scary, but they couldn't so much as touch you. But with Nightmare Moon it felt different. It was like she could take what was in your dreams and somehow make them real.
Darkness surrounded me from all sides. Endless waves of the beasts came from every direction at once, snarling and growling with a hunger that could not be sated. What had started off as just one Timberwolf had multiplied to become thousands? An unstoppable horde that multiplied every time I destroyed one.
At first, they didn't seem like much of a threat. I had destroyed the first...two hundred, give or take a few, without breaking a metaphorical sweat. But as their numbers grew, so did their aggression. I quickly found myself bucking, kicking and throwing around what felt to me like a pile of falling lumber that was determined to bury me alive. Eventually, their numbers grew so great that I was forced to use my heat vision and super breath just to get some breathing room.
The entire thing happened so fast that a normal pony watching wouldn't be able to process what was happening in front of them. The sonic booms generated by my speed alone were enough to shatter them to pieces. For me it was like everything around me was moving in slow motion.
By the time I destroyed my thousandth Timberwolf I realized this was a fight even I could not win. And so I did the only thing that seemed logical, I took to the skies. In the blink of an eye, my leg muscles propelled me high into the air. The wind rushed thru my mane as I ascended higher and higher. From up here the Timberwolves I'd been fighting looked like a swarm of ants.
I landed in a thicket of trees about three miles from where I'd jumped. The boughs and branches of the tree line did little to slow my landing.
"Crash!"
"Snap!"
"Crack!"
"Thud!"
"Oof!"
Picking myself up, I shook the cobwebs from my head, dusted myself off and took a moment to catch my breath. Had I lost them? A quick sweep of the forest with my x-ray and telescopic vision revealed no hide nor bark of any Timberwolves. For a moment it looked like I was in the clear. Then suddenly I saw a cloud of smoke billow up from the ground, followed by another, then another and another and then about several thousand more.
"Of course they can teleport." I should've known it wouldn't be that easy to get away from them. No, they were here to make sure I stayed out of their mistress's way. Well, I wasn't about to make it easy for them.
"Think you can keep up with me huh? alright then...."
WHOOSH!
"DON'T FALL BEHIND!"
In an instant I was off again, leaping and bounding my way across the sky with the pack in hot pursuit. As I expected they weren't fast enough to catch me, but they weren't about to let that stop them. I just had to stay in the air as much as possible, and hope they didn't spontaneously grow wings. The forest stretched out far into the infinite, repeating itself in every direction. Every landing spot was a potential ambush point. I wasn't sure how long I could keep this up. My mind was racing at a thousand thoughts a second trying desperately to find a way out of this place. Then suddenly in the middle of a jump, a fiery red comet emerged from behind the moon and I heard a familiar voice in my head.
"If you can read mah mind....A'h just wanted to say...where ever you came from.... you will always be my brother."
That voice...it almost sounded like..."Apple Bloom!"
"Wha? who said that?"
"I did."
"Apple Comet? How're Y'all talking inside my head?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"Sweet Celestia Y'all can read minds!" She exclaimed.
"Where are you?"
"In yer bedroom, I brought you the crystal that was in yer rocket ship." Well, that explained a lot.
"That's it!"
"What's it?"
"Apple Bloom, listen to me, I need you to keep your hoof on the crystal, can you do that?"
"A'h guess so. "
"Good, now I want you to close your eyes and clear your mind."
"How am I suppose to do that?"
I facehoofed, of course teaching my sister how to use an alien artifact wouldn't be that simple. Looking down at the forest below, I could see I had reached the apex of my leap and was starting to descend. I had to think fast.
"First close your eyes," I said closing my mine own.
"Okay, they're closed." She replied. "Now what?"
"Alright good, I can sense you, now hold onto the crystal and don't let go."
In the next fraction of a second, our consciousnesses raced toward each other from opposite ends before merging in a brilliant flash of light.
"Wha in tarnation jus happened!" Apple Bloom cried as she struggled to catch her breath.
"My guess is that when our hooves both touched the crystal, it created some kind of telepathic tether between our minds." It was then that we both noticed we standing beside each other.
"Apple Comet!" Apple Bloom's eyes twinkled with joy as she promptly tackled me to the floor.
"A'h was afraid Y'all were never gonna wake up!" She exclaimed wrapping her forelegs around my neck. At that moment I swear it felt like my heart was going to burst. Her tears of joy ran down the side of my neck, I gently wrapped my forearms around her barrel and held her close.
"I was afraid I would never see you, Applejack, Granny, Mac or Sweet Apple Acres again."
For a moment the two of us laughed and hugged each other, happy just to be together again. Finally, we both stood up looked out into the distance, at the towering skyline of an ancient city, resting on the shores of a vast lake. In the distance jeweled mountains shimmered under the light of a giant red sun, creating a dazzling span of rainbows that spanned from peak to peak.
"Wow."
"Sis," I said placing my hoof on her shoulder. "Welcome to Kolton." To say she was awestruck would be a massive understatement.
"It's incredible." She whispered turning to me. "but didn't Y'all say it was destroyed?"
"That is correct." A bold voice behind us said. We turned around to see two figures materializing out of thin air. "Kolton is no more, only dust in the cosmos, along with all of its inhabitants."
Jav-El and Loran stood in front of us, Their posture as poised and stoic as the night I first saw them.
"Hello, again Kom-El." Loran smiled warmly upon seeing me. "You've grown so much since I last saw you. And greetings to you as well Apple Bloom."
"Well, this explains the other conscience we sensed with yours," Jav-El said looking at Apple Bloom who by this point was hiding behind me the way Winona did when she knew she'd done something bad.
"W-Who are you? H-How do Y'all know mah name?" She asked nervously as she peeked out from behind me.
"Do not be afraid, we mean you no harm, I am Loran."
"And I am Jav-El. We are Kom-El's parents, or at least a copy of them, Their conscience, their memories..."
Loran knelt down and kissed me on the cheek. "...And their love." She said finishing Jav-El's sentence. "Oh, my little shooting star, how I've missed you."
I felt a tear fall from her cheek onto my back as she embraced me. It was strange, here I was hugging a mare who'd I'd only met once before and both times it wasn't really her. But I didn't feel like I was embracing a shadow. I could feel her love for me flowing from her body to mine.
"I missed you too...Mom." Also, it felt weird calling that, As long as I could remember I'd never really had a mother figure in my life. That's not to say Granny didn't do a good job raising me, it's just, I always saw her as my Grandmother. And I never really got a chance to know Pear Butter. As I said, it felt weird, but it felt weird in a good way.
"You don't know how happy I am to hear you call me that." She said wiping a tear from her eye.
"Group hug!" I heard Apple Bloom cry out. Before I could get a word in edgewise I was sandwiched between two walls of fur.
"Oof."
"Oh, goodness!" Loran chuckled as she wrapped her leg around Apple Bloom. " Well, you certainly got over your shyness quickly."
"What's there to be shy about?" Apple Bloom said excitedly. "It's not every day A'h get to meet ponies from outer space."
Jav-El let out a hearty laugh. "High praise indeed." He said.
"Hey!" I protested. "What am I, a bag of oats?"
"No yer mah brother silly billy." She replied with a cheeky grin on her face that said 'gotcha'. And as much as I hated to admit it, she had. Plus it was kind of sweet to hear her say she saw me as one of the family, instead of just an alien. Not that I ever doubted she did. Loran chuckled as she pulled both of in for one more hug, before finally releasing us.
"So what brings you two here?" Jav-El asked. Apple Bloom and I looked at each other. I could tell she felt the same as I did.
"It's kind of a long story," I answered. "Can we come inside and sit down?"
"Certainly," Jav-El replied. "This is as much your home as it is ours." He closed his eyes and stood perfectly still. As if by mental command, the door behind him silently slid open by itself. As he opened his eyes once more, Apple Bloom asked.
"How'd Y'all do that?"
He smiled at her, pointed at his head and winked.
I'll say one thing about Koltonian architecture, It's certainly different. The first floor of my parent's house was set in a circle, around a large cylinder with a spiral staircase. All of the rooms seemed to revolve around the cylinder, like the numbers on the face of a clock. As we stepped into the living room, I felt a familiar sense of remorse come over me. This was where I met my parents the night I'd...no I couldn't think about that right now. Nightmare Moon was out there somewhere, and I was the only pony who stood a chance of stopping her.
"Sweet Celestia!" Apple Bloom could hardly contain her excitement. "This room is bigger than our farmhouse!" Her voice echoed against the high domed ceiling.
"I take it that means your impressed." Jav-El smiled. "Being one of Kolton's foremost scientists has its benefits, although personally I always thought it was bit excessive."
"Welcome back young master Kom-El, It's so good to see you." a familiar electronic voice chimed from the ceiling. From the staircase, a legless golden shell silently descended.
"EEEEEEEKKKK!!!!" Apple Bloom predictably shrieked in terror, ducking back behind me as the robot approached. To be honest I couldn't blame her. I imagine the sight of a metal ponnequin front half with a screen for a face moving by itself would scare anypony stiff.
"Do not be afraid youngling," Loran said. Kerax means no harm."
"I most certainly do not," The robot replied."Why the very idea goes against the first law of my programming." He moved in closer towards us.
"Why he's practically family," Jav-El stated.
"Most kind of you to say, sir." Kerax turned his mechanical head and nodded briefly. "I was not aware the young master would be bringing a guest." He turned over to Apple Bloom. "May I ask what your name is youngling?"
"A-Apple...Bloom M-Mr Alien...Robot...Sir." My sister stuttered nervously as she gazed into the wavy line on his face screen.
"She's my adoptive sister," I explained hesitantly, "From Equis."
"Ah, I see, Well if there's anything I can do please don't hesitate to call." With that, he turned and floated off presumably to do whatever alien robots do all day. For a moment the room was quiet. My parents looked at us and we them.
Finally, I said, "We don't have robots on Equis."
"Oh." Jav-El acknowledged.
We sat down on a long couch in the middle of the room. My parents sat down opposite us.
"So," Loran started. "What do you wish to speak to us about?" I slowly took in a deep breath and exhaled.
"Tonight I was visited in my dreams by Nightmare Moon. She's a wicked mare who wants to take over Equis so that the night will last forever. When I tried to stop her, She put a curse on me that trapped me in a deep sleep. Then she cast into an endless looping nightmare."
Loran gasped in horror and thrust herself from the couch, her body phasing thru the table in front of us as she wrapped her forelegs around my neck. Jav-El stood up, doing his best to maintain his composure. Still, I could sense he was concerned for my wellbeing.
"Oh thank Rao you're safe." She said wrapping her legs around me tightly.
"Thank who now?" I asked confusedly.
"Rao is the creator of all light and life," Jav-El explained. "He who ignited the sun with his essence, so that our people might bathe in his power. He who raises it every morning to signal the coming dawn, and lowers it every evening to herald Luda's night."
"So he's like Princess Celestia, except he's a stallion?" Apple Bloom asked having been listening in on our conversation with what I could imagine was piqued interest. It was a question none of us had an answer for.
"Honestly if you should be thanking anypony it should be Apple Bloom," I said pointing in her direction. "If she hadn't brought the memory crystal to me, I might never have escaped. That's how we ended up here." Loran released me from her hold and trotted over to Apple Bloom who sat blushing bashfully against the arm of the couch.
"Well shucks, A-A'h couldn't just leave Y'all like that." She said. Before she could say more Loran pulled into a tight hug.
"Apple Bloom of Equis, No words can express my gratitude to you." She held my sister in front of her. "You have saved my only son from a fate worse than death. For this, I would like to make you an honorary member of the Stable of El." Apple Bloom's eyes lit up like Hearths Warming lights.
"Wow, what does that mean?" She asked. Loran smiled at her and said.
"It means you can call us Mother and Father if you like." Apple Bloom's face sank as she turned her head away from them. "What's wrong?"
"A'h appreciate what Y'all are trying to do but..." She said gloomily as she clambered down from the couch. Loran turned to Jav-El.
"Did we offend her in some way?" She whispered to him. I felt that familiar sense of guilt rising in my heart.
"It's nothing you two did," I told them solemnly. "It was me." Both of them looked at me with bewilderment.
"What do you mean?" Loran asked, the concern evident in her voice. The familiar sense of guilt began to rise in my stomach. Even thou the Apple family held no ill will for what happened to Bright Mac, the memories of that night cast long shadows deep in the back of my mind. A penance I could never atone for. I glanced across the room at the form of Apple Bloom dejectedly walking away. She didn't acknowledge our conversation, but the way she walked like she was carrying a heavy load on her shoulders said it all.
"I'd rather not talk about in front of her. " I replied grimly.
Loran started to raise her hoof to protest but stopped when Jav-El placed his on her shoulder
"Loran, he doesn't want to talk about it right now." She sighed and looked over at the yellow filly slowly climbing the stairs, then turned back to me as if to say "What did you do to her?"
Author's Note
Sorry about the long wait, my seasonal job kept me busy. Made me realize how much I was taking my sleep time for granted. But now I'm off the leash until next year and I'm ready get back into it. Next chapter is the long awaited finale to Comet's Nightmare Moon story arc. What will happen next? To be honest I don't really know. I've been off the ball so long, I didn't have time to think it up. Should it be action-packed, or perhaps something deeper, more insightful? Maybe I'll find a way to do both? Anyway thank you for your patience and I'll see you all soon.
( Important Update. So last week I introduced Kerax as an Equestrian version of Jor-El's robot servant Kelex. If there are any Arrowverse watchers on this site then you know who I'm talking about. He'll be appearing in a few new scenes in order to tie the continuity together. Hopefully, you won't all go Star Wars fans v George Lucas on me for this. but if you do I will naturally ignore you.)
A still silence hung over the house, save for the sounds of my hoofsteps as I ascended the spiral staircase. It had been...a surreal evening, to say the least. I'd fought a figure from an old mare's tale, been trapped in an endless nightmare, had my mind melded with my sister's and reunited with my parents inside a memory of my long destroyed home planet. School-age foals just aren't cut out for this kind of stuff.
"Okay get a grip," I told myself mentally. 'First I need to find Apple Bloom and straighten out this misunderstanding. Second, I need to find a way to break the curse. And lastly, I need to stop Nightmare Moon and save all of Equestria from eternal darkness. Easy-peasy right?'
The second floor of my parent's house was certainly...unique. The staircase exited to a circular hall ringed by a series of colorful circular doors.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
"Consarnit, why won't any of these stupid doors open!?" I looked over my shoulder to find Apple Bloom bucking her hooves frustratingly against a door.
"Ahem." Apple Bloom stopped and smiled embarrassingly at me.
"Need some help?" I called out to her. She sighed and sat down on her haunches as I walked up to her.
"I had some trouble with doors the first time I was here too," I explained standing on my hind legs to press the panel next to the door. It slid silently open revealing a simple but elegant bedroom with a princess sized bed. I quickly deduced it was my parent's room. "Looks comfy, and there's a spectacular view."
"Yeah spectacular." Apple Bloom mumbled sounding unsure as she slowly stood up.
"Look, Apple Bloom, about what my Mom said, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding. There was no way she could've known." She looked down at the carpet, her eyes tracing the lines running thru it. "All I'm saying is please don't be mad at them."
Apple Bloom raised her neck and looked up at me. "A'h ain't mad at 'em." She said.
"You aren't?" I asked her. She shook her head.
"No A'h ain't," She answered simply. Not realizing I should probably just let it go, I kept going.
"Then why did you walk away from them?"
Apple Bloom sighed and climbed up onto the bed. She lay down on her back and looked up at the ceiling. "A'h just didn't want to upset them."
"Is this about them letting you call them Mom and Dad?" I asked. To which Apple Bloom replied.
"What was A'h supposed to say to them?" I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders.
"Eh, you got a point there," I said as I sat down at the end of the bed. "Still, I gotta hoof it to you, your taking this a lot better than I thought you would."
Apple Bloom sat up and sighed. "Yeah, well A'h guess Ah've just sorta gotten used to weird alien stuff happening."
"I don't think I'll ever get used to it," I said with a smirk. Apple Bloom fell back laughing.
"Tah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha huh, Are Y'all serious?" She let out a snort as she rolled onto her side.
I couldn't help but chuckle a little myself. What can I say? My sister's laughter is infectious.
"Applejack as my witness it's true," I said as I placed my hoof over my heart. This sent Apple Bloom into a fresh peel of hysterics.
"Is that what you call seeing your parents for the first time in five of your Equis years?" A familiar disembodied voice said. We both looked up to see the figure of Loran materializing in the doorway.
"EYAAAAAAHHH!!!" Apple Bloom sprang up like a startled cat, and proceeded to wrap her hooves around my neck like a loa constrictor, sending both of us tumbling off the bed. Flailing desperately I grabbed ahold of the bedspread in a last-ditch effort to pull us back up. That...is not what happened. Instead, we ended up tangled in a rolling heap of legs and tails sprawled across the floor.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that." Loran apologized as Apple Bloom and I rose to our hooves.
"I think its the suddenly appearing out of nowhere that gets to her," I said rubbing the side of my head reflectively. Neither of us was actually hurt since we weren't in our physical bodies.
"A'h wasn't scared of her." Apple Bloom said in her defense. "A-A'h just ain't used to ponies appearing outta thin air like that is all." Loran tried her best to hold back her laughter.
"Well, I'll try my best to use the door in the future." She said mirthfully as she turned her attention to me. "Kom-El your father wants to see you downstairs."
The way she said that was...weird. Not weird as in how she said it or pronounced it, but weird in how normal it sounded. Almost like she could be just another mare from Ponyville instead of a four-dimensional sentient memory of a mare from another planet.
"What for?" I asked.
We descended the staircase, only to find the living room empty.
"He's not here," I said stating the obvious. "I thought you said he would be downstairs."
"You thought correctly." Loran calmly said as she walked over to the large column in the center of the room.
"So where is he?"
Loran placed her hoof on a panel on the column. Instantly a section of the floor to her left slid back revealing an illuminated spiral staircase leading down.
"Downstairs in his basement laboratory of course." She answered. "Well get a move on, let's not keep your father waiting."
Apple Bloom took one look at me and said. "Y'all go first."
At the bottom of the stairs stood a silver metallic door with a panel next to it. Loran offered to let one of us push it. I decided to let Apple Bloom do the honors. Give her a chance to redeem herself for what happened upstairs. The door slid open with a soft hum revealing a large octogonal room that certainly didn't look like any alchemy lab on Equis. The walls floor and ceiling were covered in a silver metallic sheen. Strange floating screens displaying strange symbols resembling hieroglyphics covered the walls in a display of different colored lights. In the center of the room sat an imposing half moon shaped console with a large floating screen showing what looked like a model of an equine brain.
Both of us were struck speechless, the technology in this place had to be at the very least, centuries ahead of anything on Equis.
"A'h there you are," The voice of Jav-El echoed from the ceiling. The empty chair in front of the console suddenly turned around by itself. The sight shook Apple Bloom out of her silence as she let out an ear-splitting shriek and reached out to grab me as a familiar shimmer of lights signaled the arrival of the Koltonian scientist.
"So Kom-El, Apple Bloom, what do you think of my...laboratory?"
Apple Bloom clung to my back petrified with fear, her forelegs frozen in a death grip around my neck, and her hind legs wrapped trembling around my barrel. Meanwhile, I was lying splayed out on all fours like somepony who had a wagon full of pianos dropped on him.
"It's...incredible, " I groaned. Jav-El just stared at both of us dumbfounded.
"I think you came on a little too strongly there Sir." I heard Kerax say. I couldn't see where he was though.
"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." He apologized,
Apple Bloom hesitantly released her grip on me as I rose to my hooves.
"Ah'm sorry Ah'm so sorry, please please please don't be mad at me." She apologized profusely.
"It's fine," I hissed, "just promise me next time you get scared you'll only hold my hoof?"
"You got it li'l big brother!" She exclaimed happily shaking my hoof harder than she ever had.
"So...Dad," Still felt weird calling him that, "Mom said you wanted to see me?"
He looked at Loran and nodded approvingly. "After our little chat in the living room, I decided to take a closer look at a hunch I'd gotten when you arrived. But I couldn't get a complete picture of what it was thru melding alone. So I had Kerax take a neural telepathic scan of your brain.
"Well, where is he?"
"Right in front of you." The robot's voice answered from the holo-screen behind Jav-El."
"A'h thought he was a robot?" Apple Bloom said.
"When we spoke earlier, you were speaking to one of my robotic shells." He explained.
"So you're like a turtle?"
"I do not know what this turtle is you speak of young Apple Bloom. Is it what your species refers to artificial intelligence cores as?"
"Umm...no."
"Why don't we continue this discussion at another time Kerax." Jav-El interrupted. I think right now Kom-El is more interested in the scan results.
"Wait," I protested. "When did this happen?" Jav-El reached over and picked up the image of the brain in his hoof and held it out to show us.
"When your mind first melded with the crystal, I sensed it was giving off abnormal neural oscillation patterns so I had Kerax take a neural telepathic scan of your brain." He rotated the brain around to show the brainstem, around which pulsated a dark sandlike blob, it's essence racing thru my synapses like venom turning the image a murky dark blue. "Go ahead, touch it."
I hesitantly reached out with one hoof. It felt cold to the touch, I quickly drew my hoof back.
"That looks like the sand Nightmare Moon used on me," I said "only it feels like it's..."
"Alive." Kerax finished.
"I was gonna say moving, but now that you mention it... wait! how did you even reach that conclusion?" Jav-El calmly flicked his hoof, sending the hologram floating back to the screen like a bird set free before turning his chair back over to the console.
"It spoke to me," Kerax said resuming his typing.
"It spoke to ya?" Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow as the image of my brain disappeared, replaced by a graph of a wavy blue line covered in a black ghostly aether.
"Kerax playback the audio sample," Jav-El commanded. The line suddenly began moving erratically.
"Apple BLOOM!...WHAt IS GoING On heRE?" The voice was deeply distorted, with seemingly no control over its speed and pitch. It was almost like somepony was trying to control what I was saying.
"Where are you?... HoW DiD YOu maNAGE to PENetRate My...That's it!" The static grew steadily louder, sending the waveform into a frenzy of spikes.
"...WhaT EVer IT iS Your dOing... Apple BLOOm lisTEN to ME, I Need you...CanNOT EsCape Me...Can you do that? Good, now I want you to...SuRRenDER tO the NIGHT...Just close your eyes and...WHat Is tHis..." The computer sent out a high pitched crackling before it finally faded to silence.
"O-Okay...A-A'h believe ya." Apple Bloom stammered, her legs shaking like a foal trying to walk for the first time.
"Whatever this thing is, it's consciousness has somehow become neurally entangled with yours," Kerax said as Jav-El tapped the line on the screen with his hoof. The line disintegrated at his touch into hundreds of tiny dots. Some light blue, some pitch black, it wasn't hard to figure out which were mine.
"Now watch what happens, when I separate the two brainwaves into their individual neurons and reform them inside separate fields." The dots scattered in opposite directions, following the motions of Jav-El's hooves. It quickly became clear what he was doing.
"It's like some kind of puzzle." Apple Bloom said as she watched him tap the two separated groups. Like metal particles to a magnet, the dots were drawn to each other merging into two separate lines. With one final tap, the dark line spoke again.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHO IS WITH YOU? HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO PENETRATE MY SPELL? WHATEVER IT IS YOUR DOING WON'T WORK! GIVE UP AND SURRENDER TO THE NIGHT. WAIT WHAT IS THIS STRANGE MAGIC I'M SENSING? DO NOT THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME, LITTLE PRINCE! WHEREVER YOU GO I WILL FOLLOW!" The voice faded back into static before Jav-El switched it off.
"I'm sorry Kom-El," He said regrettably as he knelt his head. "I tried to stop her, tried to fight back." He stood up from his chair and looked at us. His eyes were no longer the familiar blue I shared but instead glowed with a bright cyan aura. "But she was just too strong." I was so startled I stumbled backward, almost tripping over my hind legs. This couldn't be happening, I-I had to get Apple Bloom and Loran out of here. I grabbed Apple Bloom's hoof and made for the entrance, only to run smack into my Mother. To my horror, her eyes were the same as Jav-El's
"Forgive me my precious shooting star!" She sobbed, tears running down her cheeks as she wrapped her forelegs around my body. "It will all be over soon." I wriggled and thrashed and thrashed about. But Loran's grip was like a vise. My 'body' in this place was only a construct of my subconscious, deprived of its usual superequine strength.
"MOM LET GO OF ME!" I shouted. Loran howled with laughter, A very familiar laughter.
"Mommy's not here anymore little prince," She said mockingly in Nightmare Moon's voice. "It's just you, your sister and me now. But do not despair both of you will be seeing them again very soon. In fact, you'll be so happy you'll never want to leave again. A dark portal appeared below us and a pair of dark tendrils emerged from it.
"APPLE BLOOM RUN GET OUT OF HERE!" I shouted. But Apple Bloom remained still, her legs frozen in fear as one of the tendrils wrapped around her barrel like the body of a hungry snake. The sensation shook her out of her shock, She let an ear-splitting scream as the tendril dragged her toward the portal.
"HEEELLLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEE!"
"NO APPLE BLOOM!" I struggled with all of my strength but to no avail. I was only as strong as I would've been on Kolton. I could watch as Apple Bloom disappeared into the dark swirling abyss. And suddenly I felt Loran's grip release me. I fell to the cold sterile floor like a sack of potatoes.
"Let this be a lesson to you Little Prince," Nightmare crowed. "You can try to run, You can try to hide, But you never escape me. For I am Terror, I am Fright, I am Nightmare Moon!" Jav-El silently walked up next her, His eyes gazing at me with the same hunger as Loran's. "Still, I feel as though I should thank you for showing me the secrets inside this crystal, Never in all my years could I have imagined the wonders I have seen. When Equestria is mine, I'll be sure to put it to good use."
Nightmare Moon's sickening laughter filled my ears as I rose to my hooves. I had no idea how I was going to fight her, or what good it would do. Luna was gone, Apple Bloom was gone, my Parents were gone. All because I couldn't save them, It felt like Pa all over again. I felt a sudden rage erupt deep inside me. Without thinking I charged at the laughing form of Loran and jumped into the air. My hoof struck her muzzle with a satisfying smack, sending her crashing to the floor with a shriek.
"I-It's okay my l-little shooting star." She cried her voice no longer that of the evil sorceress who controlled her. "I do not blame you." My anger and better judgment melted away as I rushed to comfort her.
"THWACK!" I got backhoofed across the muzzle for it.
"Is that any way to treat your mother Little Prince?" Nightmare scolded condescendingly as she rose to her hooves. "I think you need a time out." Before I could react she pivoted on her front hooves and bucked me in the face. I felt no pain as I tumbled and rolled across the floor over the portal's edge. Only the tearing of my heartstrings as I pulled myself up to see my parents walking silently towards me.
"Goodnight Little Prince." Jav-El hissed as he kicked my left hoof off.
"Sleep tight remember you've got school tomorrow," Loran added as she did the same to my right. The last thing I heard before the darkness consumed me was the sound of Nightmare Moon's laughter doubled by the two of them.
Author's Note
Hey, guys I know it's been a long time, since I updated, like all summer, let's just say I was very busy. My nephews came up to visit for twelve days in June, and then I went down to my Dad's in Georgia in July and August, I found myself trapped in a creative maze trying to figure out where to go from here. Then in September, I celebrated my 29th birthday and in between all that I was caught up in the news and lately that has really been stressing me out. But it is finally done and I hope you all enjoy it. I'll try to have the next one finished by January. Don't forget to comment, the comment space is the writer's tip jar.
For the Colt and Filly...
"Apple Comet, it's time to wake up."
A'h groaned pulling the blanket over my head, ignoring the sounds of hoofsteps against the hardwood floor.
"Ugh, five more minutes,"
"A'h see you're going to be difficult this morning." Before A'h could protest the covers were pulled away and my pillow yanked out from under me Seeing this was a battle A'h wasn't going to win, A'h tepidly opened my eyes.
"Who turned on the sun?" A'h muttered as A'h rubbed my eyes.
"Good morning to you too." My Ma Pearan said standing next to my bed with a smug grin on her face. "It's past time for you to get up. Hurry up your breakfast is already on the table." She turned and walked out the door. Well, too late to go back to sleep now. A'h thought as A'h sat up and stretched. Why does school have to start so early anyway? On top of that, A'h hadn't gotten much sleep last night on the count of this crazy dream Ah'd had. Something to do with Timberwolves and sand and brains and my twin sister. Maybe that second piece of apple pie A'h ate yesterday wasn't such a good idea.
The sun was shining brightly over the town of Ponyville this morning. Early to bed, early to rise, that was the farmer's way of life. 'What A'h wouldn't give to buck the pony that coined that term.' A'h thought as A'h trudged over to my wardrobe.
A'h never really wore clothes much, except for during winter or on special occasions like family get-togethers. A'h opened the middle drawer inside of my wardrobe like A'h did every morning and pulled out my lucky red bandana. It wasn't anything fancy, just a red bandana with a shooting star pattern no different from any other bandana, but A'h never went anywhere without it tied around my neck.
There that almost looked acceptable, now just needed to do something about my bedhead and my full bladder.
'A'h much better,' A'h thought as A'h stepped out of the bathroom. Mane combed, hooves washed, bodily needs addressed, what was A'h forgetting?"
Oh right, A'h forgot to introduce myself. My name is Apple Comet, Ah'm ten years old and A'h live with my Ma Pearan, my Pa Jav Mac, my big siblings Big Mcintosh and Applejack, my twin sister Apple Bloom, and my Granny Smith. We own Sweet Apple Acres, the largest orchard in Ponyville. Actually, it's the only orchard in Ponyville. Pa says it's been in the family since my great-grandparents first settled here over a hundred years ago.
Well, that's enough introductions, it was time for breakfast. The smell of eggs, hay and toast wafted thru my nostrils as A'h trotted into the dining room. Pa sat at the end of the table sipping his morning cup of coffee. Ma and Granny Smith sat on opposite sides of him. Big Mac and Applejack sat to the left of Ma leaving Apple Bloom sitting at the end of the table next to the only empty seat left.
"Well look who's finally up," Pa said acknowledging my presence as A'h walked in.
"Morning everyone," A'h said.
"Looks like your last to the breakfast table this morning." Apple Bloom said teasingly as A'h trotted over to my chair." A'h paid her no mind choosing instead to turn my attention to the plate of scrambled eggs, hay, and toast set in front of me.
"So what's on the agenda for today Pa?" Applejack asked before taking a bite of toast.
"Well as soon as you girls are done cleaning up the kitchen, You and your Ma can start with the trees on the southeast hill. They looked about ready for harvest when I checked them this morning. While you're doing that your brother and A'h are gonna head into town to pick up some nails and shingles from Hay's hardware to finish fixing up the barn roof, which we should be able to finish by this afternoon. And as for you two?" He said turning his attention to us. "As soon as you get home from school A'h need one of you to feed the pigs and the other the chickens and when you're done with that you can help your Granny pull carrots in the vegetable garden."
"Y'all can count on us Pa. We'll have those chores done faster than Applejack's breakfast." A'h said pointing over to my big sister who was tearing thru her eggs and haycon like a twister thru a cornfield. She stopped when she realized everyone at the table was looking at her.
"Uhh...Ah'm done now," She said blushing awkwardly as she stood up. "Ah'm, just gonna wash my plate before heading outside." An uneasy smile stretched across her face as she picked up her now empty plate and walked into the kitchen.
"Yeah what he said." Apple Bloom added.
Bloom-El's POV.
"Bloom-El it's time to get up. The current time is 7:05 am and you have a full day of school ahead of you."
"Ugh, five more minutes," I grumbled folding my pillow around my head.
"Opening Bloom-El bedroom window." The mechanical voice said as the automatic shutters slid up bathing my room in sunlight. Instantly A'h felt the rays of Celestia's sun flowing into my body.
"Alright, you got me. I'm up now." I said admitting defeat as I threw off my covers. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night on account of a crazy dream I had about memory crystals, brains, and my twin brother. Maybe eating that second slice of rainbow cake topped with the dessert of a hundred flavors wasn't such a good idea. I stretched my forelegs and let out a long yawn. Looking down at my nightstand I saw the clothes my Mom had set out the night before.
A bio-fiber matrix generator. A complete outfit storage small enough to fit in the sole of my hoof. It even had our family's crest on it. I placed it against my chest and clicked it. Instantly a bright blue bodysuit expanded out of it, covering my body like a living cloth. A red cape billowed out from behind my neck followed by a matching red skirt with a golden belt and matching cuffs for the sleeves on my forelegs. A pair of red boots for my hind legs provided the finishing touch. I walked over to my wall mirror and gave myself a once over.
"Huh, not bad," I said admiring myself. The generator had fused itself into the fibers of the suit becoming the emblem now emblazoned upon my chest. Now I just needed to do something about my mane before heading downstairs. This looked like a job for...my vanity.
Fortunately, my mane wasn't the curly kind like my brother's was. He's always got this one kiss curl in the front that he can't seem to comb away no matter how much he tries. Heh heh. Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Bloom-El. I live here in Ponyville with my Mom Pear-El, my Dad, Bright-El, my big brother Mac-El, my big sister Jack-El, my twin brother Kom-El, my grandmother Gran-El and our service AI Kerax. We came to Equis a long time ago after our home planet Kolton exploded, of course, that all happened before I was born. There, much better. Now that I looked presentable, it was time to see what Kerax was cooking for breakfast.
"Good Morning Everypony."
The kitchen was abuzz with the usual symphony of whistling, ticking and whirring of its many appliances working in synchronicity.
"Well look who finally decided to get up." My Mom said from "How long did it take Kerax to wake you this morning?"
"Approximately 25.18 seconds Mistress." One of Kerax's shells answered looking up from the stove. "She's been making a rather impressive improvement these last two weeks."
"Sounds like that new alarm Dad set up is working wonders," Jack-El said with a snort.
"Uh-hmm," Mac-El added.
"What's for breakfast?" I asked Kerax.
"Oh, I think you're going to be very excited with what I have for you today. ." The robot answered reaching for something behind the counter. "Tah Da! Apple Cinnamon pancakes topped with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and freshly sliced cinnamon apples.
"Well, what do you say to Kerax?" Dad asked.
"Wow, thanks Kerax!" I exclaimed happily grinning from ear to ear.
"You're most certainly welcome young Bloom-El," He nodded as he floated over to the breakfast table. "Bon appetite"
I wasted no time digging in. The first bite of warm pancake moistened with sweet maple syrup and cooked cinnamon apple melted inside my mouth. My hindlegs legs felt weak as the mush slid down my throat.
"Mmmmm." I moaned softly in bliss.
"Uh, Sis you're doing that moaning thing again?" Kom-El said looking up from his own plate. I said nothing to him, I simply cut off the next piece and took another bite. The shivers running down my spine as the maple syrup hit my tongue once again. That moaning thing? He could never understand how I felt about pancakes. After staring at me for a few more seconds he shrugged and went back to his own breakfast.
Apple Comet's POV.
After breakfast, Apple Bloom and A'h finished our morning routine by washing our hooves, brushing our teeth and combing our manes and tails. The school cart arrived at its usual time and we took our usual seats on it. All in all, it seemed like it was going to be a perfect day in Ponyville. Princess Celestia's sun was shining, the birds were singing and the mood on board was one of horseplay and mischief.
"What do you think we're gonna learn about in school today?" A'h asked Apple Bloom.
"Whatever Ms. Cheerilee decides A'h guess." She answered as A'h let out another yawn.
"Y'all seem mighty tired this morning?"
"A'h didn't get much sleep last night."
"How come?"
"A'h had this crazy dream in the middle of the night."
"What was it about."
"A'h can't remember the whole thing. Just bits and pieces, but A'h think it was about ...Urgh." My head suddenly felt like its inside was on fire.
"Apple Comet? Apple Comet are you okay?" A'h heard Apple Bloom cry out in concern as I reached instinctively for my forehead. Then as it came the pain was gone. And suddenly Ah'd forgotten what A'h was just thinking about.
"Yeah, i-it's gone now," A'h said looking at her. "What were we talking about again?"
"A'h think you ought to see the nurse when we get to school?"
"Yeah maybe."
"LOOK UP IN THE SKY!" Somepony hollered out. Everypony stopped what they were doing and moved over to the other side of the cart.
"What is it?"
"Is it a bird?"
"Is it a balloon?"
"What's going on?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Only one way to find out," A'h said getting up from my seat. The crowd of foals was thick, with colts and fillies pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of what was in the sky. Apple Bloom and I carefully peered thru the rows of heads. What we saw left me awestruck. A'h couldn't believe what A'h was seeing. Ponies, earth ponies flying thru the air without wings. A'h had to pinch my neck to make sure A'h wasn't dreaming or seeing things. As quickly as they appeared the moment passed as they disappeared over the rows of rooftops. My mind was swarming with questions. Who were they? Where did they come from, how did they do that? And what did they want?
"Argh!" Without warning the flashing pain returned rushing thru my temples like a fire through a hayloft. My hind legs gave out sending me tumbling back toward the floor.
"Apple Comet!" I heard Apple Bloom cry out as the pain slowly faded away giving way to unconsciousness.
Bloom-El's POV.
I love many things about living on Equis. The green grass, the blue skies, the pancakes. But none of that compares to the feeling when I first step outside and feel the rays of Princess Celestia's sun supercharge my body. On Kolton, I would've been just an ordinary filly with an ordinary family. But on Equus, the light of the royal sun grants us powers and abilities, unlike anypony else. Invulnerability, super strength, super speed, flight, okay Kom-El and I haven't quite got the hang of that one just yet. But in the meantime, we can still jump really high. We can also see thru walls, hear really far away, shoot sunlight from our eyes and even breathe ice.
It's not all fun and games though. We have to be careful around other ponies so that we don't accidentally hurt them. And doing even the simplest things like opening doors or picking things up takes lots of practice and concentration. Fortunately, Dad arranged with Princess Celestia to let us use the Everfree Forest as a practice area since nopony ever goes in there. In exchange, we have to promise to use our powers to help other ponies in need. So if there's anypony out there with a stuck pickle jar I'm your Superfilly.
From up here, Ponyville looked like a bunch of dollhouses put together to make a little toy town. Yet thanks to my telescopic vision and super hearing I could clearly see the looks of astonishment on ponies faces as they looked up at us, and hear what they were saying.
"Holy Celestia it's them! The Koltonians!"
" Wow look at them go!"
"How do they fly without wings?"
"It's incredible!"
"Looks like we've got an audience!" Kom-El laughed as we soared over the town hall. Everypony in town had stopped what they had been doing to look up at us. Some smiled, some waved, a few even cheered at us.
"They really seem to love us," I said.
"Well of course," Kom-El replied waving to the crowd below. "We only save Ponyville from danger like three to four times a week. It sure feels good to be loved, doesn't it?"
I looked down and saw a group of young fillies that couldn't have been more than seven years old, dressed in red capes like my own.
"You're our hero Bloom-El." One of them shouted up at me.
I smiled and waved down at them. "Yeah, it does." My eyes drifted for just second toward a school cart stopped in the middle of Saddle Street. Like everypony else, it seemed to have stopped in hopes of catching a glimpse of us. But what I saw next made me double take. My X-Ray vision showed me the foals had crowded together on one side of the bus to see us. And among them, tucked away in the back of the throng was us. Or at least some ponies who looked almost exactly like us.
The resemblance was uncanny. They had the same coat, the same mane and the same eye color as Kom-El and I. Their mane styles were a bit different. The other me wearing a bow in her mane, while the other Kom-El wore a red bandana around his neck.
"Get ready we're starting to come down." I heard Kom-El say.
"Oh right." Suddenly the other Kom-El collapsed clutching his head in pain.
"That colt's in trouble." I gasped. "We have to...AIIIIIIEEEE!" I screamed out in pain as I felt what seemed like thousands of knives stabbing into my frontal lobe.
"Bloom-El!" I heard Kom-El cry out as I felt my body suddenly go limp. The stabbing pain faded away replaced by the feeling of my body hurtling toward the ground.
Author's Note
As you can probably tell from the first paragraph, Something is not right. Kom-El and Apple Comet in the same place as separate ponies? Apple Bloom and Bloom-El too? Two Apple Families? Two sets of parents still alive? Something is suspicious in Ponyville as Pinkie Pie would say.
I spent two months trying to figure out how these two stories would tie together. I watched the BTAS episode Perchance to Dream and the Justice League Unlimited episode For The Man Who Has Everything for inspiration. As you can guess from the title this is going to be another two-parter.
As for Kerax, I originally thought about putting a service robot in as a character but decided against it because I thought the memories of Kom-El's parents should have any third parties involved. What made me change my mind? I wasn't able to finish the breakfast scene at the El's stable until I added him.
I will be going back and adding him retroactively to earlier chapters as soon as I get a chance. Hopefully, that won't take too long.
Apple Comet's POV.
"Apple Comet, wake up, we're here!" Apple Bloom's hoof shook me by the shoulder. Ugh, My head felt like that one time we rode the Tilt-a-Whirl at the fair. My hoof instinctively reached for my forehead as A'h squinted my eyes open. This wasn't the first time A'h dozed off on the school hack. But from the way my head felt, it must've been going downhill at breakneck speed.
"Come on we're gonna be late." Well whatever happened, Apple Bloom seemed no worse for wear.
"Ugh...hold yer horses, Ah'm coming." A'h groaned rubbing the sleep from my eyes as A'h stood up and stretched my legs. A'h wasn't fully awake yet, but close enough. My head still felt like a tree trunk at the end of Applebuck season, but somehow A'h was able to get to class without stumbling all over myself.
"Good Morning Class." Ms. Cheerilee greeted us in her usual cheery way.
"Good Morning Ms. Cheerilee!" The class chorused in their usual response. Without missing a beat Ms. Cheerilee picked up her chalk and began writing the day's lesson on the board.
"Now I'd like everyone to take out last night's homework and leave it on their desk. I'll be around to collect it in just a minute. While I'm busy with that I want you all to put on your learning faces and your thinking caps because we're gonna start today off with an assignment." Everypony in the class did exactly as instructed Apple Bloom and myself included. All in all, it looked like It was gonna just another normal school day. But even as my headache started to go away, something in the back of my head kept bugging me.
While A'h was asleep on the cart, Ah'd had a strange daydream. Apple Bloom and A'h had been sitting on the hack when somepony hollered out and pointed up at the sky. When A'h looked up to see what it was, A'h saw me and Apple Bloom flying thru the air like Pegasi. Only we didn't have any wings. But we were both dressed in these strange red and blue costumes with red capes. And A'h remembered both of us had a diamond on our chests with a letter inside. But then Apple Bloom woke me up before A'h could see what letter it was.
"Buck up Apple Comet, it was just a dream," A'h told myself. "Y'all should've listened to Ma bout eating pie before bed." But a part of me just weren't buying it. A'h wasn't into comic books or superhero movies like some of the other colts in my class. So why in the middle of the cart ride had A'h dreamed about my sister and A'h as superheroes?
"Apple Comet?" A'h looked up to see Ms. Cheerilee standing next to my desk. "May I please see your homework?"
"Huh? Oh sure of course." I said handing it over to her. She looked at me for a second before saying "Thank you" before moving on to the next desk.
Bloom-El's POV.
"Bloom-El? Wake up! Wake up Bloom-El!"
I opened my eyes to the feeling of fresh grass in my mane and the sight of Kom-El standing over me. My head pounded as I tried to get to my hooves? What just happened? The last thing I remembered was leaping to school beside Kom-El, Then nothing.
" Ugh...wha-what just happened?" I hissed. Kom-El simply shook his head and shrugged.
"I don't know, we landed here and then you just fell asleep. Are you feeling okay?"
"I-I did?" My head felt like I'd just dropped out of the sky like a rock. But that couldn't be right. Kom-El and I had been leaping to school for years and neither one of us ever had any problems. The closest was that one-time Kom-El misjudged his jump and got his cape tangled up in the weathervane. Looking up I could see we'd landed on the front lawn just outside the school. Ms. Cheerilee was already outside greeting our classmates as they filed thru the front door. She looked up at us and smiled.
"A'h Good morning, Kom-El, good morning, Bloom-El," She greeted us in her usual warm friendly tone. "right on time as usual I see. Are you ready for another full day of learning?" Kom-El nodded and smiled her way.
"I sure am Ms. Cheerilee." He said confidently strolling up to her. My brother was such a teacher's pet. I don't mean he's a suck-up or a tattletale or anything like that. I mean that h was always courteous and polite and did whatever task Ms. Cheerilee asked of him without question.
"That's good to hear." She grinned. "And what about you Bloom-El?"
I rolled my eyes and said, "Yeah I guess." The lightheadedness was starting to fade away. Probably just stress from rushing to get ready this morning. A little time in the sunshine and I'd be back to my usual super self by recess.
"That's the spirit, get in there and seize the day!" Ms. Cheerilee exclaimed excitedly heading inside, humming a delighted tune to herself as she went with Kom-El right behind her.
'Just another school day' I thought to myself. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling that something just seemed off about it. 'Come on get a grip,' I told myself. 'You do not have off days, its all in your head. A little schoolwork and you'll forget all about it.' The only problem with that logic was Koltonians never forget.
"Bloom-El!" I looked up to see my best friends waving over to me. I smiled back as I walked over to my desk between them. We'd been the best of friends for as long as I could remember.
"Hey Diamond Tiara, hey Silver Spoon."
"Are we still on for swimming together after school?" Diamond asked me.
"Sure," I said eagerly hoping to get my mind on anything else before class started.
"Will your brother be coming along?" Silver Spoon asked.
"That depends on whether any old mares need help crossing the street." I joked eliciting giggles from both of them.
"Alright, class settle down," Everypony stopped what they were doing and sat up straight. "Take out your homework from last night and place in on your desk. I'll be coming around to collect it momentarily."
I sighed and did as instructed reaching into my saddlebag. That was the one thing I didn't get about going to school Everything was so easy for us. Of course when you have a super genius IQ and can memorize the contents of entire books in seconds. What could really challenge you? I got my answer when I opened my book.
eAMe tOhZ7etS QjV696 j3z 9f23 slK
"Wha...What is this? I gasped loudly in shock. The pages were covered with jumbled distorted letters and numbers Some big some small, some upside down, some even spilling over to the other page.
XpOtS GR1mE4 ZoTz
I tried again but page after page was just garbled letters and numbers in no sensical order covering the page like one of them fancy hidden pictures you're supposed to stare at. Wait? Why was A'h thinking like that? It ain't like me.
"Bloom-El what's wrong?" I heard Silver Spoon ask worriedly as I reached down for my math book.
fAN3e M8tH+m@tZ
Throwing it open I flipped through the pages at lightning speed.
!+1=Moo
$x%-7t&_2#
What's going on here? None of it makes any sense.
"Bloom-El are you okay?" I looked around to see everypony in class was looking at me. I looked at the blackboard to see, T0DazaZz1gm&ntYhy Ge n3zUcKe D
"This Ain't right, None of this ain't right? Aaaeeeeegh!" I screamed as I felt the familiar feeling of shooting pain come rushing into my skull. my eyes went white with pain as I felt my legs give out from under me.
"Bloom-El! Bloom-El!"
Apple Comet's POV.
"Ugh, what just happened?" A'h remembered sitting in class getting ready to write down today's assignment, And then nothing.
"Apple Comet? Apple Comet?" A'h felt a familiar nudge of my shoulder. A'h looked up to see a blurry two-headed yellow pony in front of me. A'h let out a loud scream and fell backward off my seat onto the grass? A'h could hear the echo of laughter around me as the two-headed eight-legged eight-eyed monster stood over me.
"What are y'all doing sleeping during lunch?" Its heads spoke to me in unison my sister's voice. "Are Y'all really that tired?"
"What what are you?" A'h asked it.
"What are ya talking about? It's me, Apple Bloom." The creature said holding a pair of black U-shaped thing-a-jigs in both it's left front hooves. "Now quit fooling around and put your glasses back on. You're as blind as a bat pony without them."
"M-My glasses?" Hesitantly A'h reached out with my two right front hooves at the same time. Realizing that was one more than A'h was s'posed to have. I let out another scream. The two-headed Spider-Bloom rolled her eight eyes and lowered the glasses onto my face.
"Here allow me." Instantly everything became clearer. A'h was lying down on the playground grass. Apple Bloom no longer sporting no more extra body parts standing over me. "There, better?" She asked offering her hoof up.
"Y-Yeah A'h guess," A'h said sheepishly accepting it. Now that A'h knew where A'h was, the only questions A'h had were where did these come from and why were they the goofy looking horn-rimmed kind?
"How long have A'h had these?" Apple Bloom looked at me like Ah was a few apples short of a bushel.
"What're you talking about? Y'all have had them since 1st grade."
"1st Grade? No that can't be right, A'h didn't need them this morning!" A'h took them to prove her wrong but to my surprise, the blurred vision instantly returned.
"Are you feeling alright? Your talking kind of funny."
"A'h ain't talking funny, A'h swear something is seriously wrong. A'h keep getting these headaches that make me pass out. And when A'h wake up things are different than they were before."
"Different how?"
"Like these glasses, A'h didn't have them when A'h woke up this morning, They just appeared out of nowhere!"
"A'h think Y'all need to see the school counselor, this ain't funny talk anymore, its crazy talk."
"Are you saying I'm crazy?" A'h lashed back angrily pounding the lunch table with my hoof. Apple Bloom flinched back nervously covering her face with her forelegs like A'h was gonna hit her. My hooves trembled uncontrollably as A'h looked down to see a dent in the wood. Ah, 'd hit the table so hard it had left a mark. This wasn't like me at all. What if...maybe Apple Bloom was right, maybe A'h did need to talk to somepony.
"Apple Bloom, Ah',m sorry, Ah'm so so sorry." A'h scooted out of my seat and made my way over to her. "Your right, A-A'h n-need help. Ah'll..." Before A'h could finish, a roar louder than any Ah'd ever heard before echoed thru the air. Even with my hooves held over my ears, A'h could still hear it. Then as quickly as it came it was gone, replaced by the wailing of a distant siren. The playground had fallen silent, everypony sitting frozen in shock. Students that had dove under the lunch tables were trembling like flies trapped in a spider's web. Some were crying while others huddled close together in fear.
"W-Wha-What w-wa-was th-th-that?" Apple Bloom stammered slowly rising out from under the table. As the shock slowly began to fade Ms. Cheerilee, quickly took charge.
"Everypony stay calm! everything's going to be fine" Even raised her voice was calm and controlled as she gathered us up. We're gonna play the follow the teacher as we rehearsed. Everypony line up single file and head for the basement. Stay close together, we don't want to lose anyone." Another roar, loud enough to rattle the schoolhouse's windows cut her off. But Ms. Cheerilee kept her calm.
"It's gonna be okay, we'll get thru this as long as we stay calm and together." Slowly our classmates emerged from under the tables lining up as instructed. A few were hesitant at first until somepony shouted that Snips had peed himself. That flushed them out pretty fast. Once everypony was lined up Ms. Cheerilee made a quick headcount before herding us back inside. As we filed thru the storm doors, A'h caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. Two figures flying thru the air. At first, A'h thought they just pegasi until A'h noticed they didn't have any wings. They were clad in blue bodysuits with red capes streaming behind them. Before A'h could get a closer look, another roar rattled the schoolhouse. This time it was so loud it cracked my glasses. Before A'h could even get a word out, Apple Bloom grabbed me by the hoof.
"C'mon let's go!" She cried out pulling me inside.
Bloom-El's POV.
"Wake up Bloom-El wake-up!"
I opened my eyes to the sight of my brother and Mr. Rich standing over me. The fading pain in my head telling me I'd fallen unconscious again. That made what three times today? But that didn't explain why Mr. Rich was here.
"What are doing at our school, Mr. Rich?" I moaned rubbing my head. He raised an eyebrow and said.
"Um...You two are in my store, You crashed thru the window and knocked over several shelves of merchandise."
I turned around to see I'd been lying down on top of a row of shelves. Several rows behind me had toppled over like dominos spilling various knick-knacks and brick a brack everywhere. "Oops, sorry about that."
Mr. Rich turned his neck and huffed. "Well, I'm still gonna have a word with your parents about some form of compensation." A piercing roar filled the air causing Mr. Rich to let out a shriek that I'd never heard from a stallion before.
But of course, that can wait till later. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between the front of the store to the storeroom door. Quickly withdrawing his keys he flung open the door dashed inside slamming it behind him.
"What in tarnation is going on here?"
"Why are you talking like that?" Kom-El asked.
"Consarnit A'h don't know! Weird things just keep happening today."
"CARRIAGE!" An earth pony mare cried out in terror We looked up to see an airborne carriage heading right her with two ponies trapped inside.
"I got it!" Kom-El took off like a flash catching the wagon by the undercarriage before it hit the ground and gently set it down.
"Are you alright?" He asked tearing the door off the carriage.
The couple inside the carriage looked pretty shaken but otherwise fine.
"I-I think so," The mare in the carriage sighed with relief. "Thank so much."
"PIE WAGON!" The other mare suddenly screamed pointing her hoof up at a pie wagon headed right for her.
"I got it!" Quick as a flash, I was off, my mind already calculating where it was going to land. A quick glance of my X-Ray vision showed nopony was inside, only fresh baked pies. I caught it by the back end sending an avalanche of pies sliding toward me.
"Uh oh." Pie after pie piled on top of me, coating my fur in every flavor imaginable. Apple, blueberry, cherry, strawberry, blackberry, boysenberry and course banana cream. When it was over I was covered from head to toe.
"Pfffft looks like dessert is on you tonight Sis," Kom-El said trying desperately not to laugh. The ponies we had saved were also trying to stifle their laughter as they trotted away. That's it I was done playing games, whatever this varmint was, it was gonna pay. Using my super speed, I shook the pie off of me. The fruit filling flying off in every direction.
"Hey watch it!" Kom-El protested covering his face with one leg. I ignored him.
"C'mon let's go already." I cried taking down the street. I'd already figured out where the cart been thrown from. Now all I had to do was confront this pie wagon thrower and bring him to...justice?
Standing in front of me towering over the rooftops and market stands was an enormous starry blue lion, at least fifty hooves long and thirty hooves tall. Its mane shimmered like waves on a sea of stars and coat was as dark as a starry night. Its teeth were as long as a pony's leg and its eyes glowed like two bright stars.
For the moment the beast was distracted by a pair of red and blue blurs zipping around its head. A closer inspection with my telescopic vision revealed them to be Mom and Dad keeping him busy while Mac and Jack-El raced up and down the various streets leading ponies away from the scene to safety.
"What is that thing?"
"Now I know it didn't hit you that hard," Kom-El said coming up beside me. "It's a Nemean Lion now come on Mom and Dad need our help."
"What do we do?"
Kom-El winked at me and smiled "We do what we always do, save the day." He said with a smirk before leaping into headlong into the fray.
"Oh right, heh heh of course." A feeling of hesitation gripped my stomach. What was I so scared of? This wasn't anything new to me. "Come on Bloom-El, You've done this before. Just go out there, be a hero, save Ponyville and everyone in will love you for it." My pep talk did little to encourage confidence. In fact, it made me feel even more doubtful. Was my life really always this perfect? Did I deserve to have it? Did Ponyville really love us as much as they said? Or did they only love us when we saved them from danger? A crash of thunder brought my attention to the sky above. A sky that I swore was clear just a moment ago.
Apple Comet's POV.
"Okay that's everypony," Ms. Cheerilee sighed with relief as she closed the door behind her. Our class had taken shelter in the school basement. It was mostly used as an office by the school paper, But it also doubled as a shelter in case of an emergency. "Now I know some of you might be a little nervous or afraid. I just want you to know that we're all gonna perfectly safe down here. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Ms. Cheerilee?" a hoof shot up from the class.
"Yes, Twist?"
"How long do we have to stay down here?" The frizzy maned filly asked.
"Until we hear we hear the all-clear siren." Another hoof went up. "Yes, Featherweight?"
"What are we supposed to do until then?" He asked.
"Well, why don't we have some quiet reading time?" She gestured over to the trolley of books in the corner. The class groaned unenthusiastically.
"Aw, but that's so boring." Snips complained.
"Now now children," Cheerilee assured. "We've got lots of books, I'm sure there's something everyone can enjoy." She brought the trolley over and one by everypony grabbed a book. Finally, it was my turn, A'h knew which one wanted right away. I reached over to pull out the Astronomical Astronomers Almanac to All Things Astronomy when A'h suddenly stopped. Something was off about the lettering on the book's spine.
AOrgtEP aR0gOr
"What the?"
"The Astronomical Astronomers Almanac to All Things Astronomy. That seems right up your alley." Ms. Cheerilee smiled as A'h opened the book to the first page.
TOmec R e Tom & RoidasT
My face turned white as A'h looked at it. The pictures were as A'h remembered but the words were nothing but a jumbled mess. Checking to make sure my glasses were on straight, A'h turned to the next page.
hEtnusHETONOM & hEtTARs
"T-This is all wrong, it doesn't make any sense!"
"Is something wrong?" Ms. Cheerilee asked me.
"T-The w-words," I stammered. "They don't make any sense."
"Oh, Apple Comet, it's okay if you don't understand what some words mean. Why don't I help you?"
"But I've read this book before, I know every sentence on every page. It doesn't make any sense." A series of shocked gasps suddenly erupted from behind me.
"Y-Your voice...it ch-changed." Apple Bloom stammered nervously.
"What are you talking..." Celestia, she was right! My Apple family accent was gone. My eyes darted around the room frantically looking for some answer to what was happening.
"Alright class it's obvious we're all a little overexcited," Ms. Cheerilee said trying to reassert control of the situation. "Why don't we all sit down with our books and relax." My eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of a front page of the school paper.
WAKE UP! It said in bold letters. That didn't make any sense, I was already awake. Or was I? "Arrgh!" I felt the sudden familiar pain of lightning striking my brain.
"Apple Comet!" Cheerilee gasped as I went down on my hind knees. The view thru my glasses became blurred and distorted as I fought to remain conscious.
"Don't give in," I heard a faint distant voice say. "You're so close to the truth now, fight it, fight her!"
"Who's there?" I asked.
"Listen to me, none of this is real, You're trapped in a dream!
"What are you talking about? Who are you?"
"Umm who are you talking to Apple Comet?" I heard Snips ask.
"It's all a lie!" The voice continued. "You're not a simple farm colt! Neither your birth or adoptive parents are still alive, Your life is not this perfect!"
"No that's not true! That's impossible!"
"Search your feelings, you know it to be true."
"Noooooo! Noooo!" I cried out with denial.
"Think about it, the constant blackouts? The gaps in your memory? Your inability to read? Your accent? Not to mention those glasses you've suddenly always worn."
Suddenly it was as if all the missing pieces fell into my lap. As much as I didn't want to believe it, the voice in my head seemed to have all the answers.
"Listen to me, you're running out of time. You need to find the filly in the red cape and leave this place together."
"Filly in a red cape? What in Equestria are you talking about?"
"There's no time to explain she's at the other schoolhouse on the other side of town. You need to go there now!" The voice faded away.
"Apple Comet, can you hear me? Speak to me."
I opened my eyes to find I was still standing. Had I passed out again? Everything was blurry. I felt around for my glasses thinking I might've dropped them until I realized they were on my face. Slowly I took them off to find my vision was normal again.
"Are you alright?" Ms.Cheerilee stood by my side a look of great worry on her face. Apple Bloom stood next to her a first aid kit in her mouth.
"I'm fine now," I said folding up my glasses.
"Are you sure?" Apple Bloom asked. "Your voice is still different."
A reassuring smile stretched across my face. "Don't worry sis, A'h feels right as rain now," I said. Apple Bloom's face relaxed
"You gave us all quite a scare," Ms. Cheerilee sighed with relief. "What happened?"
"Ms. Cheerilee, can A'h ask you a question?"
She looked at me puzzled but said, "Sure."
"What do Y'all know about dreams?"
"That's a strange question, why do you ask?" Something about her tone seemed uneased.
"A'h had a really strange dream last night and A'h can't stop thinking about it." Her answer was not what I was expecting.
"Oh, well, I'm sure its nothing to worry about. After all, it was only a dream right?" It wasn't like Ms. Cheerilee to be evasive when answering a student's question. She seemed nervous trying to answer as fast as she could.
"But Granny Smith says that talking about your dreams can help you understand them?"
"That's funny, Granny Smith never said that to me?" It was now Apple Bloom's turn to seem suspicious.
"Really? A'h thought she did after that nightmare you had last week." I slinked over to her. "You know the one Y'all had about the giant pony-eating apples?"
Apple Bloom instantly seemed to recall the event. "Oh, that dream, A'h guess A'h forgot all about it." The trap was sprung.
"You didn't forget, you never had it." I bore my teeth like the lion of a chimera. "And if you did you wouldn't admit it out in the open for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to hear because you know they'd bully you."
"What are you talking about?" The Pink posh filly in question asked in shock.
"Yeah we're friends aren't we?" Silver Spoon added. "We'd never do anything mean like that."
"Alright, that's enough Apple Comet," Ms. Cheerilee interrupted with a stern expression on her face. It's obvious you've been under a lot of stress today for whatever reason." Why don't you lie down on the couch for a little bit? It'll help you take your mind off things."
"Couch what couch?" What was she talking about? There wasn't a couch in the school...basement? My eyes laid upon the sight of a dark blue almost black couch sitting where the editor's desk had been. I knew it hadn't been there a second ago. A feeling of unease filled my stomach as I remembered who it reminded me of. Something told me if I did as my teacher asked, I'd never wake up.
"No thanks, Ah'm feeling better now," I answered.
"Are you sure?" Ms. Cheerilee asked sounding a little disappointed. "It's really comfy."
"Yeah Ah'm sure." Something told me I was gonna have to run soon.
"Well then you leave me no choice," She said icily as her expression changed to irate. "Class seize him!" Like a switch had been flipped the other foals surrounded me like a pack of Timberwolves.
"Should've done what the teacher said Apple Vomit." Diamond Tiara sneered menacingly.
"Heh heh, Apple Vomit." Snails laughed goofily.
"Huh huh, gross." Snips added.
"Are you two done?" Diamond snapped at them. The two goofballs shut their mouths and motioned zipping their lips. "Now then," She said turning her attention back to me. "As I was saying, you should've done what you were told. It would've made this a whole lot easier. But you just had to keep sticking your snout where it didn't belong."
"So you're the one behind all this?"
Diamond Tiara let out a snort, "Ha as if, no I'm just playing my part just like everypony else, right Apple Bloom?" Suddenly I felt something leap onto my back. Without warning, Apple Bloom wrapped her forelegs under my elbows and crossed her hooves behind my head as she lifted me onto my hind legs.
"Apple Bloom! You too?" I cried in disbelief. Her eyes were brimming with tears as if she regretted being a part of this.
"Why couldn't you just be happy?" She asked barely choking back from sobbing. "You had everything your heart desired?"
"Because none of it is real," I answered trying desperately not to cry myself. "This isn't my life, it's not who I am, it's just a fantasy." Apple Bloom's face hardened with rejection. She realized that playing to my heart wasn't going to work.
"Then A'h suppose we're doing the hard way." She spat angrily.
"I suppose so," I concurred realizing what I was going to have to do. I carefully slid my hind leg around and behind hers. Then I bent down and grabbed her other leg. Before she could realize what happened I lifted her up and slammed her onto the floor. Quick as a flash, I bolted for the storm door, dodging and shoving past the angry swarms of my classmates.
"Get him!"
"Stop him!"
"Don't let him get away!"
"Grab his legs!"
"I've got him!"
"Silver get off me!"
"Look he's over there!"
"After him!"
"He's headed for the door!"
In the chaos, I somehow managed to reach the storm door only to find it covered with more padlocks and chains than a Hoofdini escape act.
"Looking for this?" Ms. Cheerilee asked smugly jingling a key in her hoof. She opened her mouth tossed it in and swallowed. "Buurrrp! No way out now! You're trapped! Now, why don't you quit struggling and accept your fate already?"
As much as I hated to admit it, this Cheerilee had a point. If whoever or whatever was keeping me trapped here could control what happened in my dreams...then why couldn't I?"
"Well shucks Ms. Cheerilee," I said turning to face her. "When Y'all put it that way? A'h guess A'h only got one choice... or two."
WHAM! With a single buck, the doors flew open sending padlocks and chainlinks flying into the air in an explosion of shattered metal. The doppelgangers of my class stood frozen in shock.
"Now if you'll excuse I think it's past time I woke up." With those words, I took off galloping as fast as only I could into the dark and stormy night.
Author's Note
Hey everypony Stallion of Steel here, Just wanted to say thanks for being so patient. I went down to Georgia in December to spend Christmas and New Years with relatives. Took me a little while to get back into the swing of things and get writing again. But here it is and hopefully, you all enjoy it.
I'd like to say the next chapter won't take as long but my seasonal job is coming up so I can't. Still, the routine does help the creative process so maybe it'll only be half as long.
Anyway if you like this story comment and let me know what you think.
Apple Comet's glasses (Deleted Scene.)
(This was supposed to be the opening scene to the next upcoming chapter. I was going to have the Black Sands give Comet a pair of thick-rimmed glasses and mess up his vision so that he would recognize Bloom-El and Kom-El on a count of they both attended the same school. The schoolhouse is also a two-story building in this scene. I was gonna have two classrooms and two Cheerilee's teaching both Apple Comet and Bloom-El in separate classes. Finally, I decided it was just easier and made more sense for the Black Sands to create two different schools in different locations instead of putting Apple Comet and Apple Bloom in the same school. So no more glasses in the finished chapter. I just wanted to get something out to you for being so patient with me. Enjoy.)
Apple Comet's POV. (Deleted scene.)
"Hey, Apple Comet? Wake up, we're here." A'h awoke to the feeling of Apple Bloom's hoof prodding at my shoulder. A'h must have dozed off in my seat on the ride over here. A'h opened my eyes to the sight of a yellow pony-sized blur in front of me.
"Gah!" A'h gasped shrinking back at what looked like a two-headed filly with eight legs and four eyes on each head.
"Quit fooling around and put your glasses back on, we're gonna be late." It's two heads said to me in unison in my sister's voice.
My glasses? What was this thing talking about? What was it? Why did it sound like Apple Bloom? Frozen in terror I could only close my eyes as the creature reached toward my face with its many arms. I could feel it rubbing its hooves on my face. The fur on its forelegs even smelled like Apple Bloom.
"There, Y'all ought to be more careful. These things are expensive." It said taking its hooves off of me. A'h tepidly opened one eye to see the two-headed creature was gone. In its place sat Apple Bloom looking rather unsettled.
"Apple Bloom? is that you?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"What do y'all mean? Of course, it's me. You feeling alright this morning?" A feeling of relief washed over me. A nightmare or an early morning mare A'h guess. A'h took it as a sign of no more desserts before bed.
"Y-Yeah, Ah'm fine now. Just a bad dream A'h guess." Bloom still seemed unsure but she rolled her eyes as she stood up.
"Well then let's go, if we hurry we can still make it to class on time. And try to keep your glasses on your muzzle, Y'all are blind as a fruit bat without 'em."
"My glasses?" A'h asked suddenly noticing for the first time the black rimmed lenses sitting on top of my muzzle. Where had these come from? A'h didn't remember having these earlier this morning. A'h was suddenly very confused. How long had A'h needed glasses? When did A'h get 'em? Before A'h could ask about it, A'h was suddenly pulled out of my seat by my hoof.
"Come on let's go!"
"W-Wait!" A'h staggered clumsily onto my three remaining legs as Apple Bloom led me to the door. The other students laughing and chuckling as she pulled me by the hoof. "Quit dragging your hooves, we're gonna be late!"
"U-Uh Y'all g-go on ahead, Ah'll catch up with you before..." The tolling of the bell cut me off before A'h could say, "class. Ugh...never mind." With a sigh, A'h shrugged and joined the herd of my fellow students heading for class.
It was the darndest thing, A'h could've sworn A'h didn't need glasses earlier this morning. And yet the evidence was literally right in front of me.
Dreams in Darkness. (Updated)
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Power Ponies and Chicken Coop, (Deleted Scene)
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Pinkamena Diane Pie's Perplexing Probability Predictions
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Can't this town be big enough for the both of us?
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The Foal That Fell From The Stars.
"Hurry up A'h don't wanna miss the big meteor shower!" Applejack called out from the loft of the house. Tonight was the night that astronomers had predicted a major meteor shower and the citizens of Ponyville had gathered on rooftops and hillsides with telescopes in hoof to witness the magnificent sight.
"Hold your horses Sugarcube." A gruff but gentle voice replied. “We're coming, remember your Mother is carrying for two right now.” One by one the rest of the family came up the stairs.
The first was a beautiful young mare with a light orange coat and poofy orange mane. She had the mark of a jar of Pear Butter on her flank hence her name and her distended barrel made it clear she was with foal. Right behind her was a middle-aged green mare with a cutie mark of an apple pie on her flank. Though her face showed several wrinkles she still trotted with a firm step as if to show she still had some strength in her aging bones.
Next came a young colt with a red coat and a cutie mark of a green apple carrying a picnic basket in his teeth. The last to come up was a mammoth yellow stallion with a cutie mark of a great green apple with a golden star. He stood taller than most stallions sitting down and could carry a full-grown apple tree over his shoulder during planting season. Everypony whoever met him described Bright Mac as a quiet gentle giant who worked hard to provide for his family.
Like every other colt and filly in town, Applejack had been waiting all week for the big meteor shower. It was a pretty big deal in Ponyville. In ancient times ponies saw falling stars as a sign of great change and would leave offerings in front of their homes in hopes of bringing themselves good fortune. However, since the banishment of Princess Luna, the festival had fallen out of favor as time wore on.
"Is everything ready Applejack?" Pear Butter asked slowly sitting down.
"You betcha!" Applejack replied trotting over to her mother. "I've been waiting all week for this."
"Alrighty just settle down AJ, everyone's here." Bright Mac said sitting down next to his wife.
"It's starting!" Applejack cried as the first comet shot across the sky. The sky lit up in a dazzling display of comet tails streaking over the tiny town.
"Look Ma, Pa!!” Applejack pointed as one of the comet's turned inward towards the farm. "One of them looks like it's breaking away from the rest!"
"One of the comets?" Bright Mac chuckled at his daughter's statement. "That’s not possible Sugarcube, comets just don't change course on a bit unless...Sweet Celestia!!! It's heading straight for the orchard!" He cried out as he spotted the comet plunging headlong toward the farm until it crashed into the distant tree line. For the next few moments, the house was dead quiet, Nopony making a sound. After a minute passed Applejack broke the silence.
"Wow." She whispered "That was amazing! A'h never thought A'hd see a shoot'in star land in our backyard!" She cried with excitement as she raced down the stairs. "Come on everypony let's go check it out?"
"Applejack wait!" Pear Butter called out as followed after her daughter. "Hold yer horses, little lady." Sweet Peach said as she finally caught the little filly by her tail. "Just where do you think you're going?"
"Aw... A'h wanna go see the shooting star!" Applejack pouted as her mother set her down.
"The only place you're going little filly is straight ta'h bed. It's much too dangerous for you ta'h go out there!
"No buts young lady." Pear Butter said with a stern look on her face. “Granny will be putt'in you young'in's to bed while yer Father and A'h go check things out."
"But that's not fair!" Applejack pouted and crossed her arms. "Why do grown-ups get to have all the fun?"
"Yer already getting to stay up past yer usual bedtime and yah ain't got no school in the morning. Sounds pretty fair to me." Pear Butter answered daughter. "A'h promise if you and yer brother behave yourselves ya can both have a look at whatever it is in the morning."
Applejack sighed and stood. "Alright but you better keep yer promise."
"A'h always do Sugarcube. Now Y'all head on upstairs and I'm sure Granny will be glad to read a story for you."
With that Applejack galloped up the stairs like a filly on Hearth's Warming Day in reverse.
"Whoa easy there Pumpkin!" Bright Mac said as his daughter rushed past him. "Slow down there." Applejack kept on running nearly bumping into a table as she turned the corner to her room. Leaving her poor o'l Pa scratching his head. "That Filly doesn't know her own stamina." He sighed and turned to his wife. "A'h found the lantern upstairs."
The farm was eerily calm as Bright Mac and Pear Butter stepped outside. Falling stars illuminating the sky as they went to see what had landed in the orchard.
"A'h think I saw it land somewhere around here." Bright Mac said to his wife as they searched the orchard for the falling star.
"No offense but that's like searching fer a needle in a haystack." Pear Butter exclaimed as she carried the worn brass lantern in her hoof.
"Do you even know what a falling star looks like when it stops falling?"
Bright Mac shrugged his shoulders. "Well, Ah'm sure we'll know it when we see it. Ah'd imagine it'd be pretty hard to miss.
"What if the orchard's caught fire!" Pear Butter exclaimed. "We can't afford to lose any trees this close to harvest!"
"A'h think we would've see smoke or smelled something burning by now if that were the case." Bright Mac reassured his wife. "Whatever it was it probably kicked up a bunch of soil when it impacted, smothered the flames. Anyway, it's getting late, A'h say we search for fifteen more minutes before we turn in....... What's that sound?"
"Waaaaah! Waaaaaah!!!"
Bright Mac looked at his wife. "Did Y'all just hear that?" he asked her.
"Waaaaaaah! Waaaaaaah!"
"Yeah, I think it's coming from over by the Jupiters." Pear Butter answered.
"Waaaaaaaah! Waaaaaaaaaah!"
"It almost sounds like a foal or something." Bright Mac said. "But who in Equestria would leave a foal out here at this hour? "
"OH NO!" Pear Butter cried her maternal instincts kicking into high gear. "Hold on there sweet baby, Ah'm coming!" She dashed as fast as she could closer and closer to the sound of the crying with her husband hot on her hooves. Despite her being eight months pregnant Sweet Peach kept on running. By now the cry wailing thru the night was unmistakable.
"By Princess Celestia's mane." Sweet Peach gasped in shock as they finally reached the source of the sound.
Sitting there in a trench of uprooted earth was a sleek arrowhead shaped craft with rocket engines and fins. A large hatch door lay open giving them a clear view inside of the ship. Lying inside wrapped in a red blanket adorned with a symbol of a golden comet and a pendant wrapped around his neck was a tiny white colt with a silver tuft of hair bawling his little lungs out.
"Oh, mah sweet land!" Pear Butter cried out. Ignoring the searing heat she put the lantern down and rushed in scooping the infant up her hooves. "Shh, it's okay now little one you're safe now." The softness of her voice seemed to sooth the child as he slowly began to cease crying and look up at her.
"Where in tarnation did you suppose he was doing in there?" Bright Mac asked as he looked over the craft that had landed on his farm.
"It doesn't matter why he was in there."Pear Butter answered, "What matters is that he's safe now." She nuzzled the top of his head with snout and smiled softly.
"Well, A'h think it does matter. If somepony put him in there then he's obviously somepony else's foal." Bright Mac looked over the interior of the cabin. "A'h'm sure there's something in here that'll explain all of this. A note or photo or something." The cockpit was mostly taken up by the seat. There wasn't any instrument panels or controls of any sort leaving Bright Mac scratching his head on how the darn thing was supposed to fly.
"Well, he's wearing a pendant of some sort." Pear Butter said as she carefully examined it in her hoof. It was a silver diamond shield emblazoned with a comet soaring thru the stars,
"Does it say anything about him?"
"No It doesn't, It's just an image of a shooting star."
"A shooting star?" Bright Mac's hoof found a switch that opened a hidden compartment. Inside was a long clear crystal covered in symbols that glowed with a strange light. "What in tarnation?" Bright Mac muttered as he removed the crystal from its compartment.
"Did you find something?" Pear Butter leaned in to get a closer look as Bright Mac turned and showed her the crystal he was holding with his hoof.
"Ah don't know." He said. "It was inside whatever this thing is. A secret compartment of some kind. All A'h know is it feels strange when A'h hold it."
"Well if ya don't know what it is then put it back." Pear Butter replied as she turned her attention back to the foal in her hooves. By now he was content to yawn and rest his head in her arms.
Bright Mac bent back down a carefully as he could slid the crystal back into its slot in the compartment. "Ow!" He cried as he bumped his head pulling it back out.
"You okay dear?" Pear Butter asked concerned.
"Ah'm fine just conked mah head is all." Bright Mac grumbled as he closed the door to the craft all the while rubbing the sore spot on his head.
Pear Butter giggled a little at her husband's clumsiness. "It's alright dear, Ah'll grab you an ice pack from the fridge after A'h put this little one to bed."
"Fair enough. A'h suppose A'h can pull this out of the ground tomorrow after we drop him off at the orphanage." Bright Mac grumbled as he started to walk back to the house.
"Actually dear." Pear Butter said. “Ah've been thinking."
"Oh no Pear, look A'h love with all mah heart and A'h love our children with all my heart." The words hurt for him to say but he knew if he didn't put his hoof down now he'd never get another chance. "But we can't afford another child right now. Y'all are already eight months along with our third. We just ain't got no more room right now."
"He's got nowhere else to go Mac. Look at him, Look at those little eyes and tell me you can say no to that face." She said holding the sleepy-eyed foal in front of him. She had resorted to fighting dirty.
"Look A'h know what yer trying to do Pear but mah mind is made up. We're dropping him off at the orphanage first thing tomorrow."
"So what we just drop on the doorstep and leave him to spend most of his foal-hood without a loving family?" At the flip of a switch Pear Butter's tone changed from a loving mother to a protective hen.
"It's a good establishment.” Bright Mac protested. "Ah'm sure they'll find a home fer him in no time." Bright Mac saw tears beginning to form in Pear Butter's eyes. "Oh, Pear please don't start bawling. I'm saying please."
"Ah don't want tah drop him off at no orphanage like some bad apple out of a bucket." Pear Butter's words were choked with tears. She cradled the foal tightly in her hooves as if fearing Bright Mac would take him away from her. "Bright Mac A'h swear on mah dear old Father's grave if you send this child to an orphanage Ah'll...Ah'll...Ah'll divorce you and move back to Vanhoover with the kids and Y'all will never see us again!" A fire burned thru her streams of tears pouring from her eyes.
Bright Mac took a deep breath. "Alright calm just down now. There's no need to get all worked up. We'll talk to the rest of the family tomorrow and see how everypony feels about it."
Pear Butter let out a sniffle as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh, Mac! Mac you wonderful wonderful stallion!” She exclaimed as she planted a kiss right on his lips. "You make me so happy you big o'l stud you."
Bright Mac could only shrug his shoulders and yawn. This was just too much to deal with this late at night. "A'h love you too dear but can we just go to bed now? Shooting stars and rambunctious youngins A'h can handle but foals coming from falling stars is just much to deal with in the middle of the night."
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Concentration and Condensation. (Deleted Scene)
Author's Note
So here is the deleted first draft of the upcoming chapter. I decided to rewrite it after the plot went off course. In it Apple Comet learns he has a telepathic link to the memory crystal. That might still be canon at some point, but it's too early to say for sure. The second part was about Apple Comet learning what happens when you blow on soup with freezing breath, and then try to thaw it with heat vision. Again both scenes are interesting but don't add anything to the ongoing story. Maybe someday It'll make a nice chapter for that spin off story idea I put in my last blog but for now it goes in the deleted scenes.
Concentration and Condensation. (Deleted Scene)
Okay so maybe I overreacted back there when I shouted that Princess was coming and ran off. But I had my reasons, chief among them keeping my secret a secret. Which by the way if your keeping score of everything that happened today you'd realize I wasn't doing the best job of that. Which is why I headed straight to the barn. After all, nothing says something is suspicious like hiding an alien spacecraft in your barn.
"Just get a hold of yourself." I told myself "It might just be a coincidence, What are the chances that the Princess visiting Ponyville has anything to do with me?" Which admittedly didn't help me at that moment. "Aw who am I kidding, Who in Equestria can cause as many freak accidents in one day as I can?"
*** Third Pony POV
"Achoo!"
Twilight Sparkle looked up from her book and pulled a tissue out with her magic. "Huh weird." She said pondering the strange sensation running down her spine before returning to her studying.
***Comet's POV
"Okay just calm down," I told myself If I started to panic I was going to start breaking things. If I started breaking things that just lead to those things breaking even more things and before I knew the whole farm would be broken. I had to find somepony I could trust that understood what I was going thru. But there was no one on Equis who could understand that. Suddenly a revelation crossed thru my mind. I pulled the tarp off of the rocket and opened the hatch. "This is what brought me here. I whispered as I examined the foal sized pod I had been placed in. My attention was drawn to the switch on the side of the pod. With a click I pressed it and a section of the wall slid open revealing a now empty slot to insert a crystal.
"That's right Pa kept it in his tool bench" I exclaimed. I felt a rush of melancholy as I trotted over to Pa's tools. I looked over at the beam next to it. Its fresh color stood in contrast to the worn and faded wood that made up the rest of the barn structure. It was the beam I'd smashed in a bout of anger yet in that instant I realized it was more than that. It was a reminder of what I was capable of, What I could become if I wasn't careful for just one instant. "Sigh I just need to grab the crystal and I can leave." I sighed as I walked over to the tool bench. carefully sliding the top drawer open, To my surprise it was empty.
"It's not here!" I exclaimed hastily checking the other drawers. Nothing, nada, zip, The crystal was gone and with it the only ponies that could help me. Suddenly a strange flash of light flooded the room. Instinctively I closed my eyes and felt a strange weightless sensation as if my body had disappeared and my soul was being pulled like a coin caught in a magnet. When the light faded I found myself in Granny Smith's bedroom.
"I'm in Granny's Smith's room?" My disembodied voice echoed thru the room. "How did I get here?" The strange sensation returned directing me to the top drawer of her dresser. I could sense the crystal was in there. I couldn't explain how I knew that. I could just feel it I guess. A flash of light flooded the room as I felt myself being pulled back into my body. As the light faded I was standing back in the barn.
"Ugh, okay that was weird," I muttered as I tried to process what had just happened. I could still "feel" the crystal tethered by some strange pull to my head that reminded me of Unicorn magic in some way. Or at least what I'd read about Unicorn magic. No one in our family was a unicorn so I didn't have a personal point of reference. Feeling overwhelmed I decided it best to try and put it out of my mind. "Focus Apple Comet focus, The Princess will be here any second. Need to hide the rocket.
***
I took my time getting back to the house. I wasn't in any rush to explain that something else weird had happened to me. When I got there I found the entire family waiting for me. They asked me the usual was I feeling alright, To which I responded by saying I needed to lie down.
After a less than relaxing outdoor bath, I was finally let back into the house. As soon as I got to my room I plopped down on my mattress and got comfortable. What I'd done today would have been enough to tire out an Equestria Games athlete. Not that my body or mind could get tired thanks to the power of Celestia's sun. But after a day like this, I was emotionally spent. Even SuperColt's need to lie down every now and then, If only to clear their heads if nothing else. I decided to make a checklist of everything I had done today and what I needed to do before either the Princess or someone from the Castle came knocking on our door. Ironically my train of thought was interrupted by a knock at my door. Peeking thru with my X-ray vision I saw Apple Bloom standing behind the door.
"Oh hey, Apple Bloom." I suppressed a giggle as I watched her jump back in surprise. Once you got the hang of it X-Ray vision was a lot of fun provided you didn't look into any bathrooms.
"How'd Y'all know it was me?" She asked as I opened the door.
"How do you think?" I answered smugly.
"Ha ha very funny." She said rolling her eyes. "Granny told me to come and find you. She wants us both in the kitchen."
"What for?" I asked She'd never asked me to help in the kitchen before.
"She said she wanted help setting the table."
"Setting the table?" I asked puzzled. I took a quick glance thru the floorboards, making sure to avoid the downstairs bathroom as I looked for the kitchen. Sure enough, there was Granny Smith stirring a pot on the stove. She was humming a tune as she took a sip from the broth.
"Hmm needs a pinch more cinnamon." She muttered as she reached for the spice rack. A glance over to the dining area revealed the dinner table was not set yet. I figured the least I could do was help her in the kitchen.
"What are you looking at now?" Apple Bloom asked sticking her nose close to mine.
"Just looking downstairs," I answered. "Come let's go."
***
The sweet-savory smell of apples boiling in broth wafted thru my nostrils as Apple Bloom and I stepped into the kitchen. I instantly recognized it as boiled apple soup. Not my favorite dish, that honor goes to Granny's cinnamon apple fritters. But hey anything Granny cooked I would eat.
"Ah, there you are," Granny said as she stepped away from the pot and turned towards us. "Yer both just in time to help set the table. Apple Bloom A'h want you to fetch the tablecloth, Apple Comet I want you to help me pour soup. There's a step stool for you over there." Deciding not to waste any more time I grabbed the step stool and joined Granny at the stove.
"You sure you want me doing this after today?" I asked.
"Or For land's sake, it's just a little soup, not a marathon. Just put the soup bowls on the tray as I hand 'em to ya." Her tone was reassuring as she poured the contents of the ladle into a bowl. "If it's too hot just blow on it gently."
I took the bowl from her hoof, the steam coming off of it permeated my senses. Closing my eyes in dread I took a deep breath and blew on it as gently as a kiss. As if by magic the soup suddenly didn't feel so hot. Actually, it felt kinda...cold? No, it wasn't cold it was...freezing? I opened my eyes to find I had frozen the soup solid.
"Oh...my," Granny muttered shockingly as she tapped the soup with her hoof. "YEOW Sweet Celestia that's cold!!!"
"Oops sorry, Granny," I said sheepishly. "Guess I still haven't gotten the hang of that one yet. If you want I can try melting it with my eyes.
"No no that's quite alright, Ah'll just make ya another bowl." She said reaching into the cupboard.
I decided to give it a try anyway. I took a deep breath and focused my sight on the frozen soup in front of me. Immediately volumes of steam rose from the icy surface as it began to crack and melt. I'd have this soup nice and hot in just moments.
CRRAAAACCKKKKOOOOM!!
Unfortunately, I didn't know how fragile porcelain becomes when exposed to sub-zero temperatures. The heat escaping from the bowl expanded until it shattered under pressure. I fell back and hit my head on the floor.
"What was that?" Granny Smith cried out as she turned around to see what happened. Once she saw the pieces of exploded china covered in boiling soup, She was able to put two and two together. "Apple Comet what did you do?" She asked gazing at me with her stink eye.
"I-I was trying to warm up my soup." I smiled sheepishly. She wasn't buying it.
***
"Next time A'h tell ya not to do something A'h expect ya to listen." Granny scolded me as she set a fresh bowl of soup down. "Just let this one cool on its own okay?"
"Sorry I broke your china Granny." I muttered.
"It's alright." She smiled at me. "A'h knows Y'all didn't mean to do what ya did." She reassured me as she took her seat. "Now everypony join hooves in prayer." I took Applejack and AppleBloom's hooves and knelt my head down like we did every meal.
"We give our thanks to the soil for giving us this bountiful harvest. We give our thanks to the Pegasi who brought forth the rain to nurture it. We give our thanks to Princess Celestia who raises and lowers the sun so our fruits may grow. We give our thanks to those Earth Ponies who came before us and taught us how to till the land. And finally, we give our thanks to Faust Mother of Harmony who endowed to us her wisdom and knowledge. May it guide us on the path to Harmony Amen.
"Amen." We said.
"Alright let's dig in!" Granny shouted.
***
The Apple Soup was delicious that evening. Made with just the right proportions of cinnamon and lack of subzero temperature. I'd forgotten how easy it was to lose sight of your worries when you're at the table among family.
"Apple Comet? If y'all don't mind me asking, What made ya shout out that Princess Celestia was coming?"
Until Applejack said that. Well, where did I begin? Did I tell her straight off the bat that I kicked a full grown apple tree into the castle of our Kingdom's ruler in full view of Granny Smith? Could Granny even tell how far I kicked it? She did squint whenever she was reading something. What am I saying? who else but me has vision that good.
"I-I-I overheard somepony talking about it while we were walking back to the house," I answered nervously. "Y-You know super hearing and all that." Applejack looked confused about what I was saying."
"Are ya sure?" Big Mac asked me. "Ah didn't hear nothing bout her visit while I was at the market today."
"Seems to me something like that would be pretty big news," Granny added.
Crap my story was unraveling fast. I had to think of something fast. I looked around the room for anything to take my eyes off the family.
"Ya feel'in alright" Oh no please Celestia no. I thought as I turned around to see Apple Bloom looking at me with those worried puppy dog eyes of hers. "Y'all sound nervous about it?" she said softly as she squeezed my hoof. I was no use, I was a condemned pony on the stand. I had to come clean.
"I...sigh...sort of kicked a tree into her castle this morning," I confessed. "I saw it crash into one of the towers."
The dining room went silent, None of them said a word. They just looked at me, The look in their eyes told me they were shocked by their ability to still be amazed by anything I did at this point.
"Y-You k-kicked a tree th-that far?" Applejack stammered.
"I didn't mean to," I responded in defense. "Granny was trying to show me how to buck apple trees and it just sort of happened.
"Is this true Granny?" Big Mac asked. Granny simply nodded her head.
"A'h figured learning how to buck apples would help him learn to put his strength to good use. She said. "Though A'h guess A'h underestimated how strong he really was." Applejack and Big Mac were dumbstruck. I guess I would be too if I were in their hooves right now. I suddenly I felt something grab my hoof. I looked over to see Apple Bloom holding it in hers.
"Ya didn't mean to do it on purpose, Apple Comet." She whispered softly. "A'h know You'd never harm anypony."
"Have you already forgotten about Pa?" I replied. She looked away from me sadly. My frustration quickly evaporated. "Sorry It's just, it's been a long day. I whispered.
"Have ya already forgotten about me?" Granny said. "A'h probably wouldn't be here if ya hadn't found me in the cellar that day." My heart skipped a beat as I looked down at the fiery comet on my flank.
"It's not that I've forgotten." I began. "It's just...I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard. Every time I try to help out on the farm or fit in at school I'm afraid of breaking something or hurting someone. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be just like everypony else.
Granny set her spoon down and looked at me. "But yer not like everypony else Apple Comet. She said. "Being different from others doesn't make you a bad pony, far from it actually. It's what makes ya unique. Maybe instead of running away from who you are, Y'all should be trying to figure that out."
(This is as far as the chapter goes.)
Lipstick Removal. (Deleted Scene.)
"You're doing great Bloom, just need you to hold still for a little longer." Apple Bloom winced eyes wide shut as my heat vision went to work on the kissy mark on her cheek. Thanks to years of practice, I could focus the heat and intensity to almost any level I wanted. Strong enough to disintegrate a grown timberwolf with one blast, or delicate enough to remove a kissy mark off my sister without hurting her.
"Ow!"
At least I could if she would just hold still.
"I told you not to move," I said as I examined the spot on her cheek. My microscopic vision soon found the spot I'd hit. It was no bigger than a pinhead.
"Hmph, Y'all try sitting still for a minute." She huffed crossing her arms. "Can't Y'all just use soap and a washcloth?"
"You're the one who said you wanted to do what I do." Was my reply. "Anyway it's so small you can't even see it."
"You can see it." Apple Bloom stated.
"Yes I can, now if you'll just hold still I can get this last little part."
"Sigh alright just make it quick will ya?"
"Sure thing Sis," I said focusing my sight on the last little spot of lipstick like a tiny magnifying glass. "Steady....steady....stead...
"Apple Bloom...Apple Comet!" I turned my head at the last split second before my heat vision bored a pencil sized hole in the bathroom wall.
"Applejack!" I exclaimed. My big sister did not look too happy to see what we'd been doing.
"What did Granny Smith say about using yer heat vision on other ponies?"
"That I'm not supposed to after what happened with Winona?" I'd rather not discuss that in detail.
"That's right, Now come on downstairs, That Emissary from Canterlot will be here any minute."
(The scene ends here.)
