What else is up There?

Chapter Four

And the pursuit of Happiness

March 21st, 2553
Equestrian star system
Twilight Sparkle of the Unicorn race
Town of Ponyville

Twilight was running, to where she did not know. All she did know was that she needed to run, to gallop, to get the heck out of dodge.

She ran as fast as her hooves could carry her.

Suddenly a terrible noise filled the air, assaulting the Unicorn's ears as an incredibly loud horn trumpeted its mighty blast.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Twilight made it over the crest of a hill and the town of Ponyville came into view, the large hamlet terrified of what was coming over the horizon.

In addition to the trumpeting horn a strange energy-based sound began to build just behind and above Twilight.

The energy sound reached crescendo and a green laser beam rocketed out above the lavender Unicorn, streaking out for Ponyville. The laser struck along the edges of Ponyville and destroyed several houses, causing several explosions to rock the earth below the Unicorn.

Just then gallons of green liquid landed in front of Twilight, forcing her to dive to the left to avoid the mysterious stuff.

When Twilight got back to her feet she saw that where the green liquid landed steam was rising out and dirt and grass had actually been melted.

Twilight heard a mechanical whirring and the horn trumpeting again, prompting her to look up and see that a massive leg had risen high into the air, blotting out the Unicorn's view of the sun before it came back down on top of her.

*-*-*

Twilight awoke with a start, gasping in shock and shooting up right in her bed, sitting in it the same way Lyra used to sit on park benches.

She was covered in a cold sweat and her heart was pounding, threatening to burst out of her chest with the rate it was going.

Sparkle lowered herself to the floor and slowly made her way to the bathroom, the clock inside saying it was 3:43 in the morning.

What was that all about? And what was that massive leg even attached to?Twilight wondered as her body slowly adjusted to waking so quickly.

The Unicorn went downstairs and made herself a pot of coffee, shakily pouring it into a cup and bringing it to her mouth, cringing at the bitter taste.

Applejack should be back today, maybe I'll go pay her a visit Twilight mused, taking another sip of the coffee.

Sparkle ventured out into the main foyer of the library and pulled down a few books, looking to get some reading done before she went to go see Applejack.

*-*-*

Twilight Sparkle closed the door to the library and began her walk to Applejack's home; the time was around one in the afternoon. The sun was brightly shining, the air was clean and crisp, and the temperature was a comfortable eighty degrees.

It was a beautiful day, and it did nothing to make Twilight happy.

The Unicorn's mind wandered off as she slowly trotted along through Ponyville, making her way to Applejack's home at Sweet Apple Acres, a large apple farm that Applejack and her family owned.

When Twilight finally reached the farm she knocked on the door to the farmhouse and stepped back, waiting for one of the apple-family members to open it.

While she waited Twilight looked around Sweet Apple Acres; she had seen the farm plenty of times before but she was merely looking at it to pass the time.

Just then the door opened revealing Applejack's older brother, Big Macintosh, who was a red stallion earth pony sporting an orange mane and tail. His cutie mark was a green McIntosh apple cut in half showing off the inner workings of the apple. He was a large fellow who got through life with honest hard work and Twilight had always found his dedication to his family to be very sweet.

"Oh, hello, Big Mac. Is Applejack home?" Twilight asked.

"Eeyup" Macintosh replied, using the only word he ever seemed to use.

"May I come in to see her?" Sparkle inquired, being as courteous as possible with the stallion.

"Eeyup" Big Mac answered, stepping to the side to allow the Unicorn access.

"Applejack's up in her room, Miss Sparkle" Macintosh stated, trotting away from Twilight towards the kitchen.

Twilight travelled up the stairs and headed down the hall to the end where Applejack's room was, knocking lightly on the door when she reached it.

"What y'all want?" a female cowgirl voice replied from beyond the door.

"Applejack, it's me, Twilight" the lavender Unicorn responded, hearing a few hoofsteps coming from inside the room.

"Well come on in, partner" the cowgirl said, prompting Twilight to open the door and step into the room.

"Howdy, Twilight. What brings y'all here?" Applejack replied, her signature Stetson cowgirl hat perched on her head. Her orange coat was shining in the light and her mane and tail were flowing like silk, implying that they had been recently cleaned. Her cutie mark of three red apples shined along with her coat.

"I just came to visit; it's been a while since we've 'hung out' as Dash always used to say" Twilight said.

"Well shoot, ah'm glad y'all came to visit. I was just plannin' to spend ma day lounging around indoors" Applejack declared.

The two mares sat down on Applejack's bed and began idly chatting, talking to each other about how their lives had been recently. Applejack talking the most about the time she recently spent in Appleloosa.

Eventually their chat turned to Rainbow Dash and their loss of the speedy blue Pegasus.

"I will never get over her death; and what's worse is that we should've known something was wrong. There were obvious signs that she was suffering a depression and we completely ignored them" Twilight said.

"Hey now, Sugarcube, don't think like that. There was no way we coulda known RD was going to do what she did. But tha past is tha past, dear. Ah'm sorry RD is gone too, and I sure as shoot miss her, but don't ya think you should move on at some point?" Applejack said, causing Twilight to look down in sorrow.

"It's just…I don't understand why somepony would take their own life! I don't get it! We all lost so many friends during the war and then Rainbow Dash kills herself! She took herself away from us! I just don't get it!" Sparkle yelled.

"Calm down, Sugarcube. Ah know you're upset but you've gotta move on. Maybe y'all should go see your therapist again" Applejack stated.

Twilight was about to take offense at what the farm mare was suggesting when she realized that she was looking out for the Unicorn, prompting Twilight to nod her head.

"Y-you're right, maybe I should" Twilight said.

"Ah mean just look at me, Sugarcube; I done lost ma darn rear legs but I don't let that bother me none! I got these fancy machine replacements and ah'm still alive, and both o' those facts make me wake up with a smile on ma face every morning" Applejack declared happily.

Twilight looked up at Applejack.

"You know what? You're right; I'm alive and living comfortably with a roof over my head and my wonderful friends who love and appreciate me! From now on I will wake up every morning with a smile on my face!" Sparkle exclaimed.

"That's tha spirit, Twi" Applejack stated, giving a confident swing of her hoof.

"Thanks, Applejack" Twilight replied, finally feeling truly happy for the first time in a few weeks.

"Speaking of friends, how is your search for more friends to be Element bearers comin'?" Applejack inquired, wiping Twilight's smile off her face.

"Not well; twenty years and I still haven't found friends fitful enough to be Element bearers. I'm amazed Equestria has survived this long without having to use the Elements of Harmony" Twilight said.

"Maybe we scared off any evil-doers when we defeated Discord" Applejack suggested, earning a shrug from the lavender Unicorn.

"Maybe. Anyway I should probably get going, Applejack. Spike's probably wondering when I'm gonna get back" Sparkle stated, noting that she'd been there for close to an hour.

"Sure thing, Sugarcube. Y'all take care, OK?" the orange farm mare said, earning a nod to the affirmative from Twilight.

"Thanks, Applejack. Goodbye, now" the lavender Unicorn responded, trotting out of Applejack's room and heading back downstairs.

"See y'all later, Twilight."

Sparkle stepped outside and began walking back to the library, going back the way she came to return to her place of residence.

Before she had arrived at Applejack's home the Pegasus weather ponies came out to assemble a cloud formation over Ponyville, preparing a rain storm to befall the peaceful town. Now on Twilight's way back the Pegasi came out to clear the clouds, pushing them away and bucking them to clear them from the skies.

Their jobs got so much harder after Rainbow Dash's death; I don't think the rest of the weather team was very good at their jobs and simply relied on Dash to do most of the work. Lazy jerks Twilight thought, feeling strangely bitter at the weather Pegasi that had nothing to do with Rainbow's death.

Sudden screams jarred Twilight's thoughts, prompting her to look up and watch as the weather Pegasi scattered from the clouds, flying off as fast as their wings would carry them.

Twilight was perplexed by this behavior until she looked up through a hole in the cloud layer, the thing she saw prompting her to begin galloping in terror back to the library.

Hovering high above the surface of Equestria, just inside the atmosphere, was the silhouette of a Covenant ship.

*-*-*

Author's Note: They're heeeeere.

There is nothing interesting beyond this point: Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro. Halo belongs to 343 Industries.

Let me know that people are actually reading this by leaving a review. I don't want to feel like I'm talking to a brick wall.