Chapter 1 pt.1: What in Tarnation!
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"Wow!" Applejack sighed deeply.
Laying in a wide open field outside the barn, the orange coated mare and her brother, Big Macintosh stared up into the night sky basking in the memories of their great loss.
"Would ya look at that!" Applejack said as she pointed up at the stars above. Her large eyes lighting up as they reflected the splatter of little white dots in the air.
This night had been a very special one for the siblings, for it was the night of their parents passing. With the years of tears and heartache, the two siblings were finally able to move on from their heart wrenching loss. Coming to the open field as a reminder of their parents, they would sit for hours basking in the memories that were their parents.
Applebloom always wanted to come with them each year. She hadn't the slightest clue why they would always go out, and at such an hour, but denying her presents only feed her curiosity. They reckoned that she was to young to understand, for she was only a filly when her parents had passed, so they had no choice but to keep it a secret until they felt the time was right. Besides, Applebloom had been raised by the three previous owners of the farm for as long as she could remember, so they didn't expect her to show the same amount of sympathy.
"Do y'all think Ma and Pa are up there? Ya know, up in the stars, look'n down on us right now?" The orange mare asked as she smiled warmly.
Without breaking his gaze from the painted sky, Big Macintosh gave a quiet "E'yup" and wen't back to his silence.
Turning to her brother, Applejack gave a smirk and nudge him gently in the ribs, gaining a surprised gasp from him. "Oh come on, I'm sure y'all got something more to say than just e'yup?" The farmpony said, gently twisted her elbow further into her brothers coat.
Now chuckling, the large red stallion tried to speak as clear as possible. "Alright, Alright AJ...J-ust stop...that!" Big Mac said between small gasps.
Removing her elbow from her brothers ticklish spot, the mare got on her haunches and stared back up at the sky, her wide green eyes staring deeply into magnificent view as they began to well. "Well, what do ya think?" She asked calmly.
Still lying on his back, Macintosh closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, then released it all in a long sigh. Without hesitating on his sister question, the stallion slowly opened his eyes, looked to the open sky above, and spoke with all the sincerity in his heart.
"Well you see sis, we all share a bond with each other, a bond that can never be broken no matter how far apart we may be. That bond is our memories. As long as they stay within our hearts, we can share our lives with them from wherever we are. As well as they can with us. So no Applejack, I don't think they'er look'n down at us from up there, because I know...I know that they'er right here with us. They look up at the beauty of the sky with us, and they always will." With a warm smile and another sigh, Big Macintosh sealed his eyes shut once again. This time, a single tear from the slit of his closed eye rolled down his cheek. But even through the sadness, he managed to keep a smile.
As she watched the tear slide painfully down his cheek, Applejack let her brothers word seep deep into her chest and into her heart.
"You'er right, they are here with us. Not just tonight, but always." The mare said, taking off her hat, putting it to her chest, and looked up with watery eyes. "I'll never forget y'all... Ma, Pa. I love you." She wept.
As if giving a sign, two starbursts of light suddenly streamed across the night sky. The siblings to deep in thought, sorrow, and happiness to realize it, It didn't matter, they were at peace.
"Wow! did y'all just see that?!" A cute little voice squeaked. "I've never seen a shooting star before, better yet, two of em! This must be my lucky day!... Or night! Yeah, Night!"
As if on cue, both Applejack and Big Macintosh shot up, and shouted in unison.
"APPLEBLOOM?!"
"Hey y'all!" Applebloom shouted back in excitement, but soon floundered at the realization that she wasn't supposed to be there and had gotten herself caught.
"Oops." The filly said, ears drooping to the sides of her face as her little yellow cheeks turned a rose color.
As the older ponies looked sternly to their youngest sibling, she knew that they wanted an explanation, pronto. Without an objection, the young Applebloom sighed heavily and began to explain herself.
"Well you see, since you and Big Mac always go out in the middle of the night each year without inviting me, I felt left out of something. And you know, families are always supposed to stick together." Applebloom said as she made puppy-dog eyes and pouty lips.
Seemingly un-phased by her sisters little act of adorableness, Applejack gave as straight forward of an answer that she could. Which proved to be difficult on the fact that she isn't exactly the best liar.
"You see Alpplebloom, we need y'all to watch over granny smith while were out and about this time of year." Applejack said with complete honesty.
"Why don't you just get Big Mac to watch over her? Then me and you could go out!"
"Because you just can't okay Applebloom! You'er to young to understand and-" Before she could finish, a large hoof gently placed itself onto the mares shoulder. No sooner, she turned around only to meet the calm, loving smile of her brother. His eyes fixated on hers as he nodded in approval.
"Are you sure?" Applejack asked with questionable eyes.
"E'yup." He responded.
As they broke the long moment that they shared, the older siblings shifted their gaze to the little Applebloom. First they had looked at her with sadness, but the longer they looked back into her eyes, a smile began to form on their lips.
"Do you understand now?" Applejack said as she stoked her little sisters mane. Her large bow bouncing about as she did so. "That's why we come out here every year."
"To pay our respects to the ones we miss the most." Big Mac added.
Looking to Applebloom, they realized that she had been crying. A smile planted on her face as the tears trickled down her cheeks. The sorrow she felt was unbearable, But she felt happy all at the same time. "Is that really how Ma and Pa were?" She asked looking up at the sky.
"That's exactly how they were sugarcube. I just wish y'all could have shared the memories that we had when they were here." The orange mare said with sympathy.
"Well it's like you told me. As long as there are memories to be shared, I can be a part of all the laughs and good times that y'all had with them. I'm not gonna be left out of anything!" Applebloom said as she wiped her face and tackled her sister into a hug.
"I'm glad you'er taking things lightly." Applejack responded as she embraced her sister, soon joined by Big Macintosh.
Breaking the affectionate hug, the family looked up into the air. Smiles across all of their faces as they took in every drop of harmony.
"Well it's get'n real late. I think it's about time we head on back to the barn. I'm sure Granny Smith is worried about you Applebloom." The orange farmpony said as she got to her hooves and arched her back to stretch.
Bouncing up, Applebloom rolled her eyes at her sisters statement "Na'w, I'm sure shes sleep'n like a bear during hibernation."
"Well that doesn't excuse you from leaving without permission." The larger red stallion added, gaining a apologetic look from the filly.
Ears flopping to the sides of her face, Applebloom turned away in embarrassment. "Okay." She said with a quiet tone.
Getting to his hooves as well, the larger red stallion started back to the barn. Applejack and Applebloom following after.
"Can I come back to talk to Ma and Pa next year?" Applebloom asked as she hopped onto her brothers back, burying her muzzle into his orange mane.
Nodding his head in response, Big Macintosh gave a quiet "E'yup."
"I can't...wait." The filly yawned as she dozed off to sleep.
Making their way back to the barn, Applejack took one last glance at the sky. "Thanks for everything y'all done for us. Even though we only come here once every year, we never stop miss'n y'all. Not even little o'l Applebloom." The mare said as she watched the stars.
Suddenly, two beads of light flew across the sky and faded off as they shot into the distance. The short event, gained a smile from Applejack.
Before she could shift her gaze, something else in the sky caught her eye. Squinting, the mare tried to get a better view of what exactly it was.
"Is the sky...cracked?" Applejack thought aloud, gaining the attention of her brother who was ahead of her in the distance. Without moving her eyes for a single second, Applejack motioned her hoof to Big Macintosh, telling him to come over. Without hesitation, the stallion obliged and slowly trotted back to his sister. As he approached her side, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had been wrong. As if to answer his curiosity, Applejack raised a hoof in the air, the red stallion followed after.
"The s-sky. It's cracked!" Applejack revealed.
"E'yup." Big Macintosh said jadedly.
Looking up in surprise, a strange event was transpiring. The sky itself was indeed cracked! A hue of emerald emitting from it. The light pulsating brightly, then dimming down and blending in with the dark sky as if breathing.
"What in tarnation is goin on?!" AJ asked, staring at her brother, hoping that he might have an answer.
Without giving the chance at a response, a sudden alien booming noise screeched across the sky, causing them to jump.
Looking back up at the cracks, the emerald light shown brighter than before. The intensity of the flare forcing them to cover their eyes with their hooves. Big Macintosh, taking the little Applebloom from his back and covering her with his muscular body.
As the defining sound of the explosive boom subsided, so did the light. Being the first to move their hooves, Applejack stared back up at the sky only to be met by a devastating sight.
Up above in the darkness, was a single emerald ball in the sky with a trail of green mist following after it, rocketing strait for Sweet Apple Acres.
"Big Mac look!" Applejack shouted as she watch the projectile close in on the farm.
Raising his head, the stallion watched as the ball of destruction headed towards home.
As if everything was moving in slow motion, they watched in fear, hopping that the projectile wouldn't hit connect.
With a grumble, the light struck the ground in the distance, the ground shaking violently as it collided with the earth.
With a heavy sigh, Applejack wiped her brow in relief once aware that the object didn't connect to the barn, but it did look dangerously close.
"Come on Big Mac. We've gotta go see if Granny Smith is okay! I'm sure that would have startled her like groundhog that's seen it's own shadow." The orange farmpony said as she raced through the field and back to the farm.
"E'yup." Big Macintosh said, taking Applebloom onto his back, and galloping after his sister.
