Tales From The Omniverse

Twilight and the Apple Blooms reached the exit of the Everfree Forest in the darkness of the night. Apple Bloom made sure to remain close to Twilight so her light could keep her normal.

They then took the path to Sweet Apple Acres, arriving after many long minutes of silence.

Apple Bloom really wasn’t looking forward to what will happen next.

As they arrived before the house, Apple Death and the others remained a bit behind to let Twilight speak first.

Twilight knocked on the door, and Applejack opened it.

“Twi? Oh! There ya are, Apple Bloom! Dinner's been over since a while! Ah was starting ta get worried! Where were ya?”

Instead of answering, Apple Bloom remained silent, looking down, before she suddenly hugged Applejack.

Seeing Apple Bloom’s distress, Applejack hugged her back and looked back at Twilight.

“What happened?”

Twilight sighed.

“A long story… But first, let me present to you some guests.” At that, the unicorn signed at the three other fillies behind her. “Applejack, I present to you Apple Blooms from three other universes.”

“What?”

Apple Death advanced to get beside Twilight. “Howdy. How about we enter so we can explain everything to Big Mac and Granny Smith too?”

“Did Ah hear that right? Other Apple Blooms?” an old voice said before an old mare, Granny Smith, appeared behind Applejack. “Mmh. ya look different from our Apple Bloom, but if ya’re really Apple Blooms, then enter. Ah can warm up the dinner again. Ya can enter too, Twilight, of course. Thank ya for bringing Apple Bloom.”

“Thank ya, Granny,” the three fillies said.

“Thank you,” Twilight said.

As everypony entered, Timber Bloom stopped before the old mare and said, “Uh… Ah’m sorry, but Ah only eat meat.”

All the adults present and also Apple Bloom stared at her, making her look down and play with her bow.

“It’s mah timberwolf side…” she explained. “Ah can’t help it.”

Granny Smith got angry. “Consarnit! We never thought of what we’d do if we had a carnivorous guest! Where will we find meat?”

“Fluttershy has some,” they heard Big Mac say from elsewhere in the house.

“Wait, really? Fluttershy?” Applejack asked.

“How do you think she feeds her carnivorous animals, like Harry?” Big Mac replied.

“Uh. Good point. Ah guess Ah’m going ta her home then. Hopefully, she isn’t asleep.”

At that, Applejack left the house.

Next to approach was Black Apple. “As for me, Ah don’t need ta eat. Ah just need sunlight and good soil. With water, of course.”

Granny Smith nodded. “Ah, of course. Ya’re a tree, so ya feed like a tree. Very well.” She then looked at the third filly, Apple Death. “What about ya?”

Apple Death shrugged. “Ah eat normally.”

The old mare then looked questioningly at Twilight who answered, “I haven’t eaten yet, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course Ah don’t mind. Ya’d know by now that an Apple won’t leave somepony hungry!” Granny Smith exclaimed before she looked back at Timber Bloom. “As for ya, while ya wait for AJ ta return with meat, go take a shower. Ya stink worse than a dead rat left ta rot in a corner for months.”

Behind, Winona came only to smell Timber Bloom’s odor. She immediately left, whining.

Timber Bloom sighed. “It’s my natural scent. Again, timberwolf. But alright. But Ah can already tell ya it’s no use. Trust me, Ah tried.”

And so, the timberfilly went to take a shower while Granny Smith went to the kitchen to heat food and the others went to the living room where they found Big Mac sitting reading a book beside a candle.

“Oh, you have almost finished it,” Twilight said.

“Eeyup.”

Then I will prepare the second tome. Ah don’t think anypony else will want to take it by the time you come.”

“Thank ya,” Big Mac said before he looked at Apple Bloom who still looked down. “Are ya alright, Apple Bloom? Something wrong?”

Apple Bloom sighed. “Not really and yes… Ah’ll tell ya everything once AJ comes back.”

Big Mac nodded and resumed reading his book. Meanwhile, everypony went to sit somewhere to wait for Applejack to return and for Granny Smith to finish with the food.

“Dinner’s ready!” the old mare eventually shouted.

As everypony except Big Mac went to the dining room, Timber Bloom finished her shower and arrived.

As she said, the shower didn't help at all.

As Apple Bloom sat on a chair beside Twilight, not sure if the candles would be enough to keep her normal, Granny Smith gave her a portion of mashed potatoes with a piece of apple pie. The filly looked down at the food silently.

She wasn’t feeling hungry at all.

Still, as Granny Smith asked Twilight why she was keeping the light on her horn, Apple Bloom grabbed a fork, took some potatoes, and said, “Thank ya for the food, Granny,” before she put it into her mouth.

She immediately choked, dropping the fork, and the potatoes she ate ended up everywhere before her on the table and on her plate.

The food tasted like… she didn’t know. Very bad. Probably what it would taste like after months left without being touched.

“Uh.” Granny Smith tasted the potatoes. “Ah don’t see what’s the problem.”

Apple Bloom coughed before she said, “It’s not yer potatoes the problem.” Then, she looked at the food in sadness, understanding that she will never be able to eat again. “It’s me…”

All the others around the table looked at her with pity, understanding what was going on.

“Ah… Ah think that Ah’ll pass the food tonight. Ah’m not hungry anyway…”

“Are ya sick?” Granny Smith asked in worry before she put a hoof on the filly’s forehead.

“If only…”

At this moment, Applejack arrived.

“Ah’m back! Ah have the meat!” She entered the kitchen, seeing the mood. “What’s going on?”

“There’s a problem with Apple Bloom. She can’t keep her food down,” Granny Smith answered. “And she doesn’t seem sick.”

Applejack quickly placed the meat on Timber Bloom’s plate, still raw, and went beside Apple Bloom, placing a hoof on her mane and looking at her in worry. At the same time, Big Mac entered the room to see what was going on, also looking at the filly in worry. He heard everything from the living room.

“What’s going on Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked.

Apple Bloom looked at her, then at everypony else around the table.

“Ah guess it’s time ta tell them,” she said hesitantly.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, now that everypony is gathered.” She looked at the Apples still up. “You should sit. It’s a long story.”

Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith nodded and sat down around the table. There was just one chair left that Applejack and Big Mac left for Granny Smith. Twilight offered to sit on the floor, but the Apples refused.

Once everypony was ready, Apple Death began.

“It starts with the three of us,” she said. “Ah’m Apple Death, and this is Timber Bloom and Black Apple. We use nicknames ta differentiate each other. Our friend, Sweetie Void, found this universe and decided that it’d be a good occasion for all of us ta guide our past selves here and help them in their quest ta get their Cutie Marks. Like, by giving advice. As fellow CMC who got their Marks.”

“That’s very kind of y’all,” Granny Smith said. “Celestia knows that filly really wants ta get her Cutie Mark.”

Apple Bloom winced, causing the rest of her family to look at her questioningly.

“So, the Sweetie Belles and Scootaloos went ta their homes, leaving us Apple Blooms alone on the path ta Sweet Apple Acres. That’s when we encountered Twilight,” Black Apple continued.

“I was on my way to Zecora to give her some books,” Twilight said. “Of course, as soon as I told Apple Bloom that, she insisted to come. Of course, I couldn’t say no.”

Applejack glared at Twilight. “That late?”

The unicorn laughed sheepishly.

“We didn’t help,” Timber Bloom said as she was eating her raw meat. “We said that we could protect Apple Bloom if anything happened.”

“Not that we expected anything ta happen. Nothing ever happens in the path ta Zecora,” Apple Death said. “Beside the Poison Joke.”

“And of course, as long as we remained on the path and near Twilight, everything’d be okay,“ Black Apple said.

“And everything was going well,” Apple Bloom said. “We reached Zecora without problem. It was calm, and the others gave me some great advice about how ta get mah Cutie Mark. But then, she warned that something’d happen tonight, and she told us ta leave as quickly as possible, so we hurried up on the way back.

“Only to find trees blocking the path,” Twilight almost growled, glaring at nothing. “I don’t know how these trees fell, but clearly, something worked against us to ensure that we wouldn’t leave the forest.”

“And then Ah saw a filly,” Apple Bloom said.

“A filly?” Applejack and Granny Smith questioned.

“Yeah, behind us, leaving the path. Ah immediately called Twilight, but she was too focused on removing the trees.”

Twilight looked away guiltily.

“So………… We went after the filly.”

A long moment of silence followed.

“Ya…” Applejack slowly began. “Ya left Twilight… and the path… by yerselves?”

The fillies exchanged glances. “Well, we didn’t want to leave a filly alone in the Everfree,” Black Apple said. “So close ta night.”

“And we know how ta fight. We participated in a war,” Timber Bloom said, earning some shocked stares from the locals. “A story for another time. But yeah, we could totally protect Apple Bloom.”

“And so, following the filly, we found this secret path in the forest,” Apple Death continued. “And then, we found a town.”

“A town?!” the three adult Apples exclaimed.

“A town in the Everfree?!” Applajack asked.

“Eeyup,” the four fillies answered.

But then, they recounted what they discovered this town was, and the adults were appropriately horrified.

They told everything. Meeting Gray Hoof, then Mitta, the skeleton of the filly in the fireplace, the curse, the fact that the filly they saw, Ruby, was a ghost, and how they escaped the town, then how Apple Bloom found the hoofprints and followed them to find Ruby.

“The ghouls quickly caught up ta us, so Ah started trying ta convince Ruby ta stop, but she wouldn’t listen,” Apple Bloom said.

“Having no other choice, we fought the ghouls while Apple Bloom talked ta Ruby,” Apple Death said. “We really did everything we could ta protect her.”

“Then I found them while they were fighting, and I was able to open a path for them to escape,” Twilight said.

“But Ah didn’t want ta leave. Ah wanted the curse ta stop, and Ruby ta rest in peace, and ta get a Cutie Mark. But then…” Apple Bloom fell silent at this moment, looking down and shaking. “Gr-Gray Hoof… He… He came out of the ground just behind me… and touched mah hoof…”

Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith gasped, Applejack saying, “No…”

“.....”

Apple Bloom looked at Twilight and nodded. Understanding, the mare turned her light off, plunging the room in near darkness beside some candles.

Immediately, before her family’s eyes, Apple Bloom transformed, horrifying them so much that, no doubt, if they had been up, they would have dropped on their butts.

Apple Bloom didn’t dare looking toward them.

“I-ironically, this is what convinced Ruby ta stop the curse and rest in peace. Once she was gone, the others were able ta kill the ghouls. Gray Hoof killed Mitta and Ah… Ah killed him… It was over… But now, Ah’m…” She curled into a ball on her chair, eyes closed, tears not coming. “Ah’m a monster.”

Applejack, despite her horror, immediately got up and went to hug Apple Bloom.

“Ya aren’t a monster!”

Apple Bloom looked up at her in hope. “Ya… Ya aren’t scared of me?”

“Of course not! Ya’re mah little sister! Ah could never be scared of ya, no matter what ya’re!”

Apple Bloom snuggled up against Applejack. “Ah’m so sorry! Ah shouldn’t have entered that town! Ah shouldn’t have followed these hoofprints! Ah should have listened ta the others!”

Applejack rubbed the filly’s mane. “Shhh. Shhh. Yes, ya’re right. And Twilight shouldn’t have taken ya ta the Everfree. And ya shouldn’t have left her and the path. And the others should have forced ya out of there instead of following ya or following that mare.”

Granny Smith nodded. “Everypony made errors tonight, but it’s clear that the real responsible is this Gray Hoof fella.”

Applejack growled. “Gray Hoof…”

Because of him, her little sister… Her sweet, kind, brave little sister… Death was too nice for that monster. If she could have gotten her hooves on him… And now her sister… And she could do nothing to help her.

Tears of frustration appeared in her eyes, and then…

“Raaahhhh!!!” She punched the table, breaking it. “Damn it!”

Big Mac got up and hugged Applejack.

“Why us? Why her?” she asked.

“Because the world can be cruel AJ…” Big Mac said. “Ya know it well…”

“After Ma and Pa… Didn’t we already have enough?”

“...”

Meanwhile, Granny Smith looked down, silently crying.

Twilight was crying too before she got up and approached her friend, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

“Listen, Applejack… Sometimes, things just go wrong, again and again. But remember, we are here for you. Me, our friends, and even Princess Celestia. We… We will do everything to help Apple Bloom. And... I’m really sorry.”

Applejack looked at Twilight, sniffling, totally miserable. “Th-thank ya, Twi…”

She was then hugged from all sides by the three other fillies.

“We’re here too,” Apple Death said. “And behind us, we have many ponies ready ta help too. And other beings.”

Applejack looked down at the alternate versions of her little sister, then silently rubbed their manes (or equivalent) as a thank you.

With that, Twilight thought that she should leave to let the Apples comfort each other, and the Apples agreed. It was getting late anyway, and now, everypony was tired.

It was decided that the fillies will sleep together in Apple Bloom’s room.

Black Apple, however, couldn’t sleep inside the house. She got out and planted herself in the ground before closing her eyes. If it wasn’t for her pony form, she would really look like a small tree.

Timber Bloom curled up like a dog at the foot of Apple Bloom’s bed.

Apple Death was the only one sleeping alongside her younger undead self.

“Tomorrow, at the first light of the sun, we’ll gather with the other CMC ta have a talk all together before school, alright?”

Apple Bloom nodded.

With that, Apple Death blew the candle, plunging the room into total darkness.

Apple Bloom closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep. After a few minutes, she turned, then turned again, then opened her eyes.

She couldn’t sleep.

She wasn’t tired at all.

Sighing, she sat up, not sure what to do.

“Can’t sleep?” a voice whispered, and the ghoul looked at Apple Death who revealed to be awake too.

“No…” she whispered back.

“As Ah feared.” Apple Death sat up too. “What do ya want ta do then?”

“Ah… Ah don’t know… Ya can go ta sleep. Ah don’t want ta bother ya. Ya need ta sleep.”

Apple Death grinned, then turned into her ghost form. “Remember that? Now, Ah don’t need ta sleep either.”

Apple Bloom stared in shock, then chuckled. “Right.”

Apple Death began to tap her chin. “So… How ta pass the night? Oh, Ah know! How about Ah tell ya how Ah got mah Mark?”

This got Apple Bloom excited, and she nodded. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Apple Death giggled, then she began her tale. “Alright. Well then, it starts about one thousand years ago, with a jealous stallion named Pyrite…”

About one hour later.

“And when Ah looked at mah flank, Ah had mah Cutie Mark. Or, at least, the first version.”

“First version?”

“Yeah. That purple skull? Ah got it much later, when Ah became Spirit of Death.”

“What about Pyrite? Did ya capture him after he escaped?”

“Yeah… But not before he found a terrible ally. But Ah’m not sure if Ah should tell ya. That’s spoiler territory.”

“Well… Ya can tell me, and Ah won’t tell anypony else?”

Apple Death looked at Apple Bloom, then shrugged. “Eh. alright. So, ya see, there’s this being, Discord, the Spirit of Chaos. He is so powerful that he can do pretty much everything he wants just by snapping his fingers. Sometimes, he doesn’t even need to snap them ta do stuff. He can turn clouds into cotton candy clouds, make them rain chocolate milk, turn the roads into butter, make houses float, and so many other things. Even the princesses can’t do anything against him without the help of the Elements of Harmony.”

“Woah… Something so powerful exists?”

“There’s even more powerful out there. Sweetie Void can totally defeat him without problem. And then there are all kinds of Gods and eldritch abominations and other creatures ya can’t fathom the power. Well, in mah universe, this Discord has a little brother named Thanatos, the Spirit of Death. This is who Pyrite found ta get his revenge on me.”

Apple Bloom had wide eyes. “How did ya manage ta defeat him?”

Apple Death grinned. “With lots of help.” Then, she lost her grin. “And not before he and his minions killed ponies Ah love.”

Apple Bloom gasped, then looked thoughtful. “Wait… Sweetie Ghoul? Scootabot?”

Apple Death nodded. “And mah Applejack too. And mah Fluttershy. And even Smart Spirit.”

Apple Bloom looked at her counterpart sadly. “Ah’m sorry…”

“Hey, it’s alright, Ah got lucky. Everypony who died’s still with me, as ghosts.” She then looked down. “Not everypony got that lucky…”

Silence followed.

“So… What happened?”

At that, Apple Death restarted her tale, starting from when Eternal Rest told her about the Evershade Valley to when she defeated Thanatos, avoiding to tell about Twilight becoming an alicorn.

“Weakened, Thanatos was at mah mercy. So Ah took the Absorber and absorbed all his energy, making it mine. And so Ah became the new Spirit of Death. Victorious, we returned home where Ah discovered mah new appearance and Cutie Mark.”

“With your skeleton through your skin and your glowing purple eyes?”

“Uhuh. Then Thanatos and all the bad ghosts were turned into portraits which Ah keep in mah museum in Evershade Valley.”

Apple Bloom was looking at Apple Death like Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash. “Can… Can Ah become as great one day?”

“No idea. The chances are very low. But ya never know, ya may find a way ta gain a lot of power and become a super undead. Ya have a lot of time before ya, so everything is possible.”

Apple Bloom became thoughtful. Then, she put her hooves on her head and pulled, tearing her head off rather easily. She did remember that the ghouls were pretty fragile. “Ah can do that. Will this help?”

“Uh…” Apple Death hesitated. “Maybe?”

Apple Bloom put her head back in place. “What about the others? How did they get their Cutie Marks?”

“Black Apple got hers when she began ta grow her black apples, before she even became a dryad. Timber Bloom…”

“Ah got mine when Ah simply did some carpentry,” the filly made of wood suddenly said as she got up. “Ah know, not as interesting as the others, but not everypony gets a Cutie Mark by doing special stuff.”

“How long were you awake?”

“Since ya began yer tale. Hard ta sleep with ya two talking.

“Sorry.”

Timber Bloom waved them off. “That’s alright, Ah can always take a nap later. So, anyway, mah Sweetie Belle, Siren Belle, got her Cutie Mark by singing.”

“Which is also the case with Sweetie Ghoul before she got killed. And Scootabot got hers by doing stunts.”

“Shadow Speedster got hers by winning a racing competition in a futuristic world, not by flying, but by driving a vehicle going at the speed of sound."

“Phantom is special… Ah think that Ah’ll let her tell ya her story if she wants.”

“And Sweetie Void got hers by ascending while fighting her greatest rival.”

“Who’s also her coltfriend,” Apple Death whispered before she and Timber Bloom snickered.

“So… It’s fifty-fifty whether we get a Cutie Mark by doing something incredible or not?”

“Pretty much.”

Apple Bloom sighed. “Not that it’ll matter for me now that Ah’m an eternal blank flank ghoul…”

Apple Death and Timber Bloom looked at each other before the ghost said, “Ya may never get a Cutie Mark, but it doesn’t mean that ya can’t continue searching for yer talent, or talents.”

Timber Bloom nodded. “We already gave ya some leads in the forest.”

“And someday, ya may find something ya’re unexpectedly good at, like Ah found out with ghost hunting.”

Apple Bloom smiled at them gratefully. “Thank ya.” She then looked out the window, seeing that it was still night. “What do we do now? It’s still night.”

The others thought for a bit.

“Well…”

“Oh! Ah know! Ya said that Ah’m normally good at carpentry, so Ah could try that! Ah can look around at the farm ta see if something needs repair!”

Apple Death pointed a hoof at her. “There ya go, girl!”

Timber Bloom yawned. “Yeah, ya go do that. Meanwhile, Ah’ll try ta get some shut eye before morning comes.” She then curled up again and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

The other two left the house right away, Apple Bloom trying to remain silent to not wake up her family.

Once outside, however, they could find nothing that needed repair. Apple Bloom developed a very good night vision, so she was seeing very well, but everything she saw was in good enough condition.

“Darn it…”

“Don’t worry. there’ll be many occasion ta find out if ya’re good at carpentry. Instead, how about we discover more about yer new undead self?”

“How so?”

“Well, ya already showed that ya can detach parts of yer body, so why not see if ya can do other stuff?”

“Like what?”

“Mmh… Oh! How about that? The ghouls could burrow. Ah’m sure that ya can do that too.”

“Oh right! Uh… How do Ah do that?”

“Good question. And only ya can answer, Ah suppose.”

At that, Apple Bloom looked down at the ground, thinking. Seeing if it would work, she began to push her hooves into it, which didn’t work.

“Maybe ya need to put some magic into it? Like when we take care of plants?”

“Good point. One moment… Oh!”

Apple Bloom’s hooves began to disappear into the ground, as if it was water displacing to let her sink. More and more of her body disappeared into the ground until she was entirely covered. Since she did not need to breathe, she didn’t risk suffocating. And while she could see nothing, she could feel the slightest vibrations. Thanks to that, she could identify every single bug present in and on the ground in a very large radius. She could even “see” the plants. And… was that magic? Her family’s magic? When she tried to move, she discovered that it was like swimming, the ground parting before her to allow her to advance.

Then she moved up and came out of the ground a little further away from where she started.

“Woah… That was… special.”

She then repeated returning underground and coming out elsewhere to get used to that new power, trying to identify where she would come out before her head could even poke out.

When she was underground, it felt… It felt like she was one with the planet. Not ALL the planet, of course, but still part of it. It was quite the unique feeling.

And she loved it.

She came out and looked at Apple Death.

“Ah’m going ta the Everfree Forest. Ah’ll be back once the sun’s up.”

Before Apple Death could say anything in return, she returned underground and moved in the direction she knew the forest was. She expertly avoided the roots of the apple trees, and made sure to avoid the burrowing bugs and worms. She could feel them from far enough that she could plot her path to avoid them.

Eventually, she could feel herself leaving the orchard, passing the fence, and entering the outskirts of the forest.

It was as if nature awakened. The magic. The trees. The animals. She could even feel the animals on the trees. A million different sensations that formed a 3D map of the forest all around her.

The ponies saw the Everfree as a cursed place.

She could see the forest for what it really was: nature at its purest.

It was beautiful. Deadly, but beautiful.

Maybe it wasn’t so bad, being a ghoul.

She still regularly came out to have a look around, finding many beautiful places in the forest. Hidden gems that no ponies will certainly ever see.

Thanks to that, she saw the sun rise, and she immediately returned home as fast as she could.

As soon as the sun rose and the rooster chanted, Apple Death, who was waiting beside the entrance, outside of the Apple house, took out her phone from her mane.

Apple Death:
Girls, wake up. Emergency meeting at the clubhouse. Bring the local CMC.

Sweetie Ghoul:
What happened?

Shadow Speedster:
You know it means that we will have to drag me out of the bed screaming and kicking, right?

Apple Death:
Not sorry. 😛

Apple Death:
But something bad happened last night. This timeline isn’t as vanilla as we thought. Apple Bloom needs our help.

Sweetie Ghoul:
Oh no!

Scootabot:
Is she okay?

Sweetie Void:
I’m awake. What happened to her, is she alright?

Apple Death:
We had a close encounter with immortal ghouls and… Well, you will see. Come to the clubhouse ASAP.

Sweetie Void:
Ok. Waking up Siren Belle and Sweetie Belle.

Phantom:
And I’m kicking Scootaloo out of bed.

Apple Death:
See you quickly. Don’t forget to bring some meat for Timber Bloom.

At that, Apple Death put her phone back in her mane and went to wake up Timber Bloom, passing through the wall to Apple Bloom’s room. At the same time, Black Apple was waking up.

As they exited Apple Bloom’s room, they found the rest of the family who was also waking up, Granny Smith preparing breakfast.

“Where’s Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked.

“She couldn’t sleep, so we spent the night together talking,” Apple Death answered. “Then we got out and tested stuff about her new undead nature. She now knows how ta burrow. For some reason, she decided ta return ta the Everfree. Ah couldn’t stop her.”

“She’s in the Everfree?!”

“Relax. As an undead, she doesn’t have much ta fear in the forest. Not many predators that like rotten flesh. She should be back soon.”

She didn’t tell that she hoped she hadn’t gotten beak to muzzle with a cockatrice. They would never find her statue.

As if on cue, the door opened, and Black Apple, followed by a now normal-looking and positively grinning Apple Bloom, entered the house.

“Look who Ah found digging herself out of the ground,” Black Apple said.

Apple Bloom bounced toward her sister.

“AJ! Ya won’t believe it! There was so much! And it was so beautiful! And…”

“Woah there, sugarcube! Slow down! First of, why did ya go ta the Everfree Forest? After last time, Ah hoped ya wouldn’t go there ever again.”

“Ah thought so too, but then, when Ah was underground, Ah could feel the trees and the animals and even the magic in the ground and Ah wanted ta see what it was like in the forest! And it was… It… Ah can’t think of a word ta describe what it was like! The trees! The animals! The magic! Oh, the magic! Ah wish ya could feel what Ah felt!”

Applejack stared at Apple Bloom, then at Big Mac, then at the other Apple Blooms. “Uh… Ah’m happy ya could find something nice about… what ya’re.”

“Yeah! Ah’m so returning there from time ta time!”

Applejack smiled, then hugged her sister.

“Breakfast ready!” Granny Smith shouted.

Apple Bloom sighed. “Still can’t eat.”

“Uh…”

“How about ya go play outside with Black Apple and Timber Bloom?” Apple Death proposed.

At that, Black Apple grinned and touched Apple Bloom. “Tag, ya’re it!” She and Timber Bloom then ran out the door.

“Hey!” Apple Bloom shouted before she ran after them, laughing.

Apple Death smiled as she looked at where they disappeared. “Maybe that emergency meeting wasn’t that emergency finally.”

“Emergency meeting?” Applejack asked.

“Ah called the other CMC ta gather in the clubhouse so we could help Apple Bloom. Actually, they must already be waiting for us, so Ah should hurry up eating.”

“Don’t go too fast, or ya’ll get a tummy ache.”

“Don’t worry, Ah’m used ta it. Ah often had ta hurry eating ta go ghost hunting.”

“Ya go ghost hunting?!”

The Apple fillies finally arrived in the clubhouse where, as Apple Death thought, the others were already present waiting, with Scootaloo being very grumpy.

“Hello girls,” Apple Death said.

“Took your time,” Scootaloo grumbled.

“Sorry. Had ta take breakfast.”

“Let’s go straight to the point,” Phantom said. “You encountered ghouls last night?”

“What?!” both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shouted.

The Apple fillies nodded and recounted the events of last night.

When they were finished, Sweetie Void immediately made it dark inside the clubhouse so she could see Apple Bloom’s ghoul form.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, as planned, were horrified while the others sighed and looked sadly at Apple Bloom, or just frowned in Phantom’s case.

Immediately, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo rushed to give their friend a hug.

“That’s so horrible!” Sweetie Belle shouted, crying.

“You’ll never get a Cutie Mark!”

Phantom hit Scootaloo on the back of the head. “Priority.”

“Hey!”

“Anyway,” Phantom said before she got on her knees to be more at Apple Bloom’s level. She then gave her a gentle look and asked, “How do you feel?”

Apple Bloom looked down and shrugged.

“Ah’m going ta outlive mah family… and mah friends… and everypony Ah know… Ah can’t eat and sleep anymore… Ah always feel cold… Ah look monstrous… And Ah’ll never get a Cutie Mark… So… Not that great. But last night, Ah learned a power that allowed me ta discover the most beautiful thing Ah ever saw, so there’s at least an upside.”

Silence followed.

“Well then,” Sweetie Void eventually began. “Here’s my advice! Enjoy your limited time with your loved ones as much as possible. Make sure to engrave all the memories you make with them so they become your biggest treasure. Moments to think back with fondness, to laugh, to smile, and to remember that they will always be with you.”

The local CMC stared at Sweetie Void. Then Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked back at Apple Bloom and resumed hugging her. Apple Bloom smiled and hugged them back.

“Secondly,” Phantom continued while she began rubbing Apple Bloom’s mane. “Eternity may be scary, but remember that as long as you are not alone, you won’t see the years pass. Already, in your universe, there are Celestia and Luna, and a couple other beings you have met and haven’t met yet. To them, you can add us. While we aren’t sure if all of us are immortal, we will be at your side until we can’t be anymore for one reason or another. And if Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle also somehow become immortal, then good for you. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens.”

“I don’t intend to kick the bucket anytime soon, so count on me,” Shadow Speedster said. “I don’t even know if I can be killed as I am now.”

“And we are already dead, so death certainly won’t separate us,” Sweetie Ghoul said for herself and Scootabot.

Apple Bloom giggled.

“Thirdly,” Apple Death continued. “Don’t stop making new friends, even if ya know ya’ll lose them. This is what allowed Celestia ta continue despite spending one thousand years without her sister. New friends are new experiences and more fond memories ta make.”

“We have lots of friends to present to you,” Siren Belle said. “And not just alternate versions of ponies you know.”

“And if this timeline continues as planned despite what happened, ya’ll make lots of new friends even in yer world,” Black Apple said.

“Including some that are actually your enemies,” Sweetie Void said. “So, what do you say?”

“Ah… Ah say… How about we spend some time, all together?”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle grinned and shouted, “Let’s go crusading!”

Everyone grinned, and even Phantom sighed with fondness while she asked, “Alright, but what?”

“Well… What do ya propose, Apple Bloom?” Timber Bloom asked.

Apple Bloom thought for a bit, then got an idea. She signed for everypony to approach, then whispered something to them.

They all grinned, formed a circle, then slapped their hooves/hands together.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, MONSTER TAMER, YAY!!!”

It wasn’t long before Ponyville was invaded by monsters from the Everfree.

Who went to hide into the buildings.

No, the town hall wasn’t big enough to hide a hydra.

And the timberwolves and manticores learned that ponies could make good teddy bears to snuggle while cowering in fear inside their houses.

“Uhhh…” Sweetie Void said. “I think that we may have released Discord in advance.”