Chapters CHAPTER ONE
Prologue
With the arrival of Vinyl Scratch, the coronation party was in full swing. From my seat in the corner I could watch my friends dancing — though I was highly doubtful that Twilight could even refer to what she was doing as such. Geo was no better, and the two of them were making an example of themselves.
Not that anypony would ever dare to complain, of course, because the two of them were the newly crowned Prince and Princess of Equestria after all. Even Celestia, Luna and Cadence were fighting the urge to facehoof as they watched the spectacle before them.
I chuckled and rolled my eyes, watching as the rest of my friends got down with the beat. Pinkie was on stage with Vinyl, bobbing her head to the music. Rainbow Dash and Spark Plug were both in the middle of the floor, making various shapes with their bodies and not giving a shit about the looks they were getting. Even Fluttershy and Doctor Haywick were busting a move, though the former was doing so with her mane hanging over her eyes.
"Hey, John," a voice asked, "are ya not gonna dance? Ah'm sure everypony would love ta see yer moves."
I turned to face the owner of the voice and smiled. Applejack came up and laid her head against my chest, to which I responded by kissing the top of it and running my fingers through her mane. She joined me in watching our friends, stifling a laugh at Geo and Twilight's attempts, and the minutes ticked by.
Eventually though, I let out a sigh and tilted Applejack's head so that she was looking at me.
"You do realise," I said to her, "that we need to tell everypony about... well, you know what."
Applejack nodded.
"Ah know we do." she replied, "Let's get everypony together an' tell 'em now, while they're still sober."
I stood up and we walked through the dance floor, getting the attention of each of our friends and telling them that we had something to talk about. They responded with varying degrees of confusion and worry, although I could tell that Twilight and Geo seemed to have worked it out already.
With our friends gathered, we led them into a storage closet. Not the best place for a conversation, but at least it was private. They gathered around Applejack and I in a half-circle. I cleared my throat to get their attention and spoke quietly.
"The reason we have gathered you here," I said, "is to share with you some news. You may have noticed a slight change in AJ's demeanour over the last few weeks. There's a perfectly good reason for that, as she will now explain."
Applejack took a few steps forward, a sombre expression on her face. She was looking at the ground and trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. But just as our friends were getting worried, she turned her expression around and developed a mile-wide grin.
"Ah'm pregnant!" she exclaimed cheerfully, "We just wanted ta have a little fun 'fore we told y'all first."
Silence greeted her announcement as everyone processed what had just been said. Pinkie, of course, was the first to recover — and squealed the one thing that anyone would say in that situation.
"BABY SHOWER!"
This was followed by everyone crushing us in a group hug, although Geo opted to give me a manly pat on the back instead.
"I become a Prince," he said, "and you announce that you're going to be a dad. What's next, are Luna and Celestia going to get married to their respective partners?"
"That's not a bad idea, Geo." Celestia's calm voice said from behind us, "But I think we'll wait a while. Congratulations, Applejack, we couldn't help but overhear the conversation."
"Yes," Luna added from somewhere behind her sister, "many congratulations are in order. How long before the foal is due?"
"We've only known for a few days," I replied, "so we've got the full eleven months to wait."
"Be sure to come and see me for a scan then," Haywick interjected, "but I can tell you right now that you're not carrying a hybrid."
He nodded towards Twilight and Geo as he said this. The two of them stuck their tongues out at him cheekily.
"Ah knew that," Applejack said, "but Ah wouldn't care if'n Ah was. All that matters is that Ah'm gonna be a mother."
I picked her up and hugged her.
"And I'm going to be a father." I muttered, "I can't wait."
Applejack nuzzled me and we all returned to the party because, as Luna put it, the cause for celebration had been doubled.
***
Hours later and I was carrying my wife through the door of our house at Sweet Apple Acres. She was half-asleep and muttering about who was going to help Big Macintosh with the bucking when she started showing.
I chuckled and carried her upstairs to bed, making sure to cover her up so she was warm. I had no intention of joining her, as I suddenly had the urge to think. Heading back downstairs I poured myself a glass of brandy and sat in an armchair.
I was going to be a father. Only now did the gravity of the situation dawn on me. I found myself thinking about my brother, Derek, and how much I would love for him to be a part of this.
I wasn't the best brother where Derek was concerned. Like most siblings I opted to make his life hell. Unfortunately this, among other things, caused him to fall in with a gang as a teenager.
While robbing a shop one day, one of Derek's friends was shot dead by the owner. Witnessing this gave Derek nightmares for weeks. One night, when I went into his room to see if he was okay, he attacked me. He actually believed I was the shopkeeper who killed his friend. He then attacked our father and fled the house.
He was found three days later in that same shop, standing over the bloodied corpse of the man who killed his friend. When the police arrive, Derek said that 'Tom told me to do it'. They took this as a sign of schizophrenia, and so Derek was sectioned. He spent many years in a mental institution, but when he was released he found himself unable to fit back in with society. And so he fell back into his old ways. He found some new friends and started causing trouble. When I announced that I was joining MI6, he denounced me as a brother, saying that I was a 'disgrace'.
I forgot all about him and instead threw myself into my work with MI6. I was assigned to a team keeping tabs on a scientist by the name of Ace Sorou, who had applied for planning permission to build a nuclear reactor. This made the British government suspect he was up to no good, and so had him marked as a threat.
It turned out that Ace had been conducting experiments into portals which would allow travel between different universes. At first his results were messy, as portals would open in various areas around the city where we lived.
One night I was watching an area with my partner, Mick. Higher than usual energy readings had been reported, which implied that Ace's work was having an effect there.
After hours of waiting, we were just about to give up and go back to base when a man approached. This man was none other than Geo. We assumed he was an assistant of Ace's, sent to check on the results of the experiment, so we watched him.
Next thing we know, he's been beaten to a pulp and shot. We couldn't make out his assailants due to the shoddy lighting, but even if we could we weren't allowed to intervene as we were undercover. All we could do was watch as they left.
Suddenly, a flash of light appeared under Geo's body and he vanished. Mick and I stared dumbfounded at the area for a few minutes before there was another flash of light and Geo reappeared. We called an ambulance for him and left to report on what we had seen.
My superiors were convinced that Geo was the key to getting a result in the Sorou case, so I was assigned to become his friend, gain his trust, and find out what he knew. Geo told me all about his time in Equestria, but figured it was a dream until he got an item in the mail — an item given to him by one of the ponies in Equestria.
He vowed to return and so we set off to gather clues at the place where he was shot. We found nothing important, so Geo gave up there and then.
To cut an exceedingly long story short we saw an advertisement, placed by none other than Doctor Sorou himself, asking for labourers to work in his lab. I suggested that we give him a call, so we did. The next day we started work at his lab.
As luck would have it, Ace was trying to build a stabiliser so that his portals wouldn't open in random places all the time. Geo and I helped him to build it, and we went to Equestria using data Ace had from the night Geo was shot.
After Geo was reunited with his lover, Twilight Sparkle, I found myself in the company of Applejack. She gave me a room at the farm, which I was happy to take.
Suffice to say my ruse wouldn't go unnoticed for long. I reported back to my superiors, who informed the Prime Minister of my findings. He shit himself with panic and deployed the Army to the area, seizing the portal and making sure nothing got through.
This was when I revealed myself to Geo. He wasn't happy and neither were the rest of my friends. In my time there I had come to see them as more than mere tools to help me do my job. I apologised to them all and they accepted, but I was still keen to show Geo that I cared a lot about our friendship.
I got my chance a few months later. I had just told Geo about my feelings for AJ when another human stepped out from behind the trees. It was Derek. I was shocked to discover that he was the one responsible for sending Geo – and by extension, me – to Equestria.
Derek was furious that Geo had him sent to jail and threatened to kill him. I stepped forward and told Derek that if anyone was to blame for how he felt, it was me. After all, I had been such a jackass to him all his life.
He agreed, and he attacked me. The fight was brutal, and it only ended when Geo killed Derek. I had lost a brother, which hurt, but at the same time I had kept a friend — as well as my new life.
Fast forward to the present. I had been visiting Derek's grave every day since his burial, in the hope it would go some way to alleviating the intense guilt I was feeling. As I finished the last of the brandy I remembered a conversation I had had with AJ about the afterlife.
She had told me that, in Equestria, an afterlife does indeed exist — and that she had been taken there by Princess Luna, who was responsible for the souls there. AJ had asked to see her parents, and Luna had obliged.
With this in mind I ran back upstairs with an idea forming in my mind. I needed to know once and for all how my brother felt, and there was only one pony who could help me...
Author's Note
I've had this idea for a while and finally got round to doing it.
I felt that explaining the backstory between John and Derek here was better than making you read through a few other stories... although reading the rest of them will be required to understand future references.
CHAPTER TWO
Into The Hereafter
I entered the bedroom to find Applejack still sleeping soundly. I hated to wake her up, so I climbed in next to her. My plan could wait until morning, so I promptly let sleep claim me.
It wasn't long before I felt Applejack prodding me in the side, the morning sunlight already streaming through the window. I grunted in response and batted a hand at her. She responded to this by prodding me harder and forcibly removing the covers from the bed. I felt like I had only been asleep for a few minutes.
"Come on, sugarcube," Applejack said cheerfully, "up an' at 'em! There's work needin' done that ain't gonna do itself!"
I opened my eyes and looked at her. She took one look at my face and drew away in shock.
"Whoa, John," she said, "y'all look like somepony who's been all the way to Tartarus and back. Didn't ya sleep well?"
"No," I croaked, "I spent a lot of time last night thinking about something, and it gave me an idea. But I'll need your help."
Applejack looked worried, but she smiled nonetheless.
"Of course Ah'll help ya, darlin'," she replied, "because ya are mah husband after all. What do ya need?"
"I want to come with you on your next trip to see your parents." I said, "Any chance you could clear it with Luna?"
"Ah was actually gonna visit mah folks tonight," Applejack patted herself where the foal would be, "so Ah could tell 'em the good news about Junior here. It's about time ya met 'em, so Ah don't see why ya can't come along fer the ride."
I coughed nervously.
"As much as I would love to meet your folks, AJ," I murmured, "there's another reason why I want to visit the afterlife."
Applejack raised an eyebrow at me in confusion, but even she could see that the reason I was referring to was plastered all over my face. She lowered her eyebrow and looked at me.
"Derek..." she mused, "Ya want to see him, don't you?"
"I do," I replied, "because I need to know from the source if everything I've been doing since he died was worth it. I paid for his funeral and I've been visiting his grave every day to apologise for being such a cunt."
Applejack winced at my swearing before she laid a forehoof on my shoulder in a comforting gesture.
"Ya deserve ta know," she said gently, "so Ah'll be sure ta ask the Princess if ya can tag along. We can visit mah folks first, an' then we can find yer brother... though ya have ta be ready to accept that he might not be there."
I had heard of the Equestrian version of Hell, Tartarus, and hearing Applejack talk made me realise that there was a possibility that Derek had been sent there. I could only hope that the powers-that-be had been lenient with him.
"I'll accept it," I said, "when I can't find him. Thanks, AJ, for agreeing to help me. I don't know what I'd do without you. Hell, there are times when I can't believe you've stuck with me."
"Me neither," Applejack snorted, "but Ah'm glad Ah have. Now come on, let's get today done and then we can see about findin' yer brother and gettin' you the closure ya want."
We exchanged a kiss before she trotted out of the room and I got out of bed, feeling positive about the day which lay head.
***
The day passed by slowly, as any working person can agree, and I soon found myself crawling into bed again as the light of the moon crept through the cracks in the curtains, casting an ominous shadow onto the wall.
Applejack climbed into bed with me and kissed my forehead, her green eyes locking with my brown. No words were said as we both smiled and drifted off to sleep.
After a few seconds I found myself opening my eyes. But instead of our bedroom, I found myself standing with Applejack in an area devoid of light and sound. I looked around nervously, only stopping when Applejack grabbed my hand with a forehoof.
"Relax, sugarcube," she said softly, "this is Luna's doin'. She'll be along shortly ta see us."
As she spoke, a swirling black mist worked its way around my ankles before coalescing into the form of Princess Luna. Applejack and I both bowed to her. Luna tutted and rolled her eyes.
"There's no need for formalities here," she said, "so please rise. Now, Applejack, am I right in assuming that you wish to see your parents again?"
Applejack nodded. Luna then turned to face me.
"And you wish to go with her?" she asked, "Why?"
"Well," I replied, "I figured I'd like to meet AJ's folks and get to know them. But... there is another reason."
Luna walked in circles around me for a moment as she looked me up and down. Without warning she touched her horn to the top of my head.
"You wish to find your brother," she said, "and seek his forgiveness for your past actions."
She paused in thought for a moment before continuing.
"I have no objection to you doing this," she said, "but please make sure that you're aware of the fact that—"
"— he might not be there." I interrupted, "Sorry, Luna, but AJ has already mentioned this to me. And I'm ready to accept it."
Luna nodded curtly and charged her horn. Applejack and I stepped back as a doorway materialised in front of us. On the other side I could make out a massive city. Ponies of all kinds were going to and fro between monumental structures which stretched for miles into the sky above. But what struck me was the fact that they all seemed... happy.
"Welcome to the afterlife," Luna said, "where the souls of Equestria's departed spend eternity in peace."
"It's..." I trailed off, "I don't know what to say."
"Say nothin' then," Applejack said coyly, "at least until ya meet mah folks. Thanks again, Princess, fer doin' this."
Luna waved a hoof dismissively.
"Anything for a friend," she said, "especially one who will perhaps make me an honorary auntie?"
Applejack let out a loud guffaw and nodded, to which Luna responded with a squee. How ponies made that noise I'm still unsure, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't cute.
Luna composed herself and we said our goodbyes before entering the doorway into the afterlife.
Now, at last, my search could begin properly.
***
I was surprised to find that AJ's parents didn't live in the big city we had seen earlier, choosing instead to live on a farm. I was even more surprised when this farm turned out to be an exact double of Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack saw me gaping as we approached the farmhouse and chuckled.
"They missed the old place so much," she said, "that not even death could take 'em away from it."
I nodded in understanding as the door to the farmhouse opened. A mare and a stallion both stepped out and smiled as they saw us approaching. They didn't react to my presence in the way I expected them to, which told me that AJ had already told them about who, and what, I was.
"There's our darlin' daughter!" Applejack's mother squealed, "It's so good to see ya again!"
"Hey, Ma. Hey, Pa." Applejack replied, "Ah brought someone ta meet ya. This here's mah husband, John."
I held out a hand in greeting.
"It's a pleasure meet you both." I said, "Applejack has told me so much about the two of you."
Applejack's father shook my outstretched hand.
"The pleasure is all mine." he said in a Manehatten accent, "I am Temple Orange and this is my wife, Ariane Apple."
"Howdy." Ariane said as she shook my hand vigorously, "So y'all are the fancy human feller who swept our daughter off her hooves? It's a pleasure ta make yer acquaintance."
She let go of my hand and the two of them invited us inside. We went in and took a seat in the living room. The room, while exactly the same as the one back in the living world, was decorated with bits and pieces I didn't recognise. They were obviously decorations from when they lived on the farm themselves.
"So, Applejack," Temple said, "what brings you two here? We weren't expecting you for a few more days yet."
Applejack took my hand and let out a deep breath. She looked her parents straight in the eyes. But before she could talk, her mother had already worked it out.
"Y'all are gonna have a foal!" she squealed in a way that made her sound like Pinkie Pie, "Ah'm right, aren't I?"
Applejack and I exchanged a shocked glance before nodding.
"How did you work it out?" I asked.
Temple and Ariane copied Applejack and I, each of them taking the other's forehooves in their own.
"Because that's exactly what we did when we told our families that Ariane was pregnant with Macintosh." Temple replied, "That reminds me, Applejack, we'd really like to see him and little Apple Bloom at some point."
Applejack bit her lip.
"Ah can't promise anythin'," she said, "given that Ah don't like ta impose on Princess Luna, but I'll see what I can do."
Temple and Ariane nodded.
"Thank you," Ariane said, "but in the meantime Ah reckon we have some celebratin' ta do! Get the cider, Temple, and make sure that it's alcohol-free!"
Temple chuckled and went into the kitchen. He came out a few moments later with a keg over his back. He set it down and then went back in for some glasses.
Within minutes, I was telling my in-laws my life story. They reacted with expected shock and disgust at the revelation regarding my job, but they soon relaxed when I said I had put it all behind me. But eventually the conversation turned towards Derek, and the other reason for me being in the afterlife.
"Ah can't say that Ah've seen any other humans around." Ariane said, "So he's either keepin' to himself, or he was sent ta the fiery pits o' Tartarus instead."
"I'm hoping that it's the former," I said, "but if I have to go to Tartarus itself to get what I want, then I will. I owe him that much."
Temple and Ariane both looked shocked, but Applejack patted my leg in a show of support.
"Well," Temple said, "if you want to go look for him then I suggest you do so now, as the spell which brought you here will be cancelled at sunrise."
I stood up and looked at the clock. There were just two hours before the sun came up.
"I'd better hurry then." I replied, "Thank you for your hospitality, Temple and Ariane. I hope we can meet again sometime."
"Oh we will," Ariane said with a sly grin, "don't you worry 'bout that. Now go on and find yer brother. AJ can stay here with us."
Applejack and I both nodded. I gave her a quick peck on the lips and left, full of hope that I would find my brother...
... no matter what.
Author's Note
The names of Applejack's parents were the result of a reply I got to a post I made on the Applejack group forum, in which I asked what the widely-accepted names for them were. I got a reply from this chap , who made the following suggestion:
So, with this in mind, I consulted a list of apple varieties , and a list of orange varieties . A few minutes later and I had the names I was looking for.
CHAPTER THREE
Out Of The Frying Pan...
As I left the farm, I took a good look around at my surroundings. I could see the colossal city to my left and a forest, which looked like the Everfree, to my right.
If Derek was around, then my guess would put him in the forest, as he wouldn't want to be seen. With this logic in mind, I entered the forest. At first I was a bit nervous, but I kept reminding myself that this was the afterlife and that nothing could hurt me. I walked for a few minutes, listening to the sounds of the birds which dotted the sky, before I came across a forest clearing.
"Seriously?" I said to myself. "Another clearing? The last time I was in a place like this I was reunited with my brother."
"And then," another voice said, "you watched him die."
I froze.
"Who said that?" I demanded. "Show yourself!"
I heard the sound of snapping twigs and turned around, only to find myself looking at... myself. My double walked over with a grin on his face and looked me up and down.
"If you're looking for Derek," he said, "then you're wasting your time because he's not here. He never has been, and he never will be. So you might as well leave."
"Who are you?" I said. "What are you? And how the hell do you know all of this?"
"Luna may be the guardian of the afterlife," my doppelgänger replied, "but that doesn't mean she's the only one who can visit it as and when she pleases. There are two others who have the same ability she does. One, of course, is Celestia."
"And the other?" I asked. "I don't know of any other alicorns besides Cadence and Twilight."
My double groaned and facepalmed with an audible smack, dragging his hand down his face.
"How many alicorns do you know who can change shape?" He snapped. "And anyway, who said I was even an alicorn?"
I mulled these words over for a moment before realisation hit me and I let out a groan of my own.
"Of course it would have to be you." I replied. "Because only you would want to fuck with my mind like this."
My double grinned and snapped his fingers. A second later I found myself looking up at a grinning Discord. He clapped his hands excitedly and conjured up a pair of sofas, one of which he lay on. I sat down on the other and sighed.
"So," I started, "are you going to tell me how you came to know that my brother isn't here? Also, how did you even know about him in general? It's not like I ever told you."
"As I said when I first met you," Discord replied, "I was still able to hear during my imprisonment in stone. I just so happened to be eavesdropping when your brother made his appearance."
"Okay..." I groaned. "But how do you know he isn't here?"
"Luna is in charge of the positive aspect of the Equestrian afterlife." Discord said. "I, on the other hand, happen to be in charge of the negative aspect of said afterlife."
I thought this over for a moment before my eyes widened, much to Discord's glee.
"So basically," I paused for a moment, "you sent my brother to the fiery depths of Tartarus?"
Discord nodded feverishly, to which I responded by standing up and flipping over his sofa. He landed on his back with a thud, still laughing like a madman.
"Fan-fucking-tastic!" I snarled. "How the hell, pun not intended, am I supposed to see him now?"
Discord stood up, wiping a stray tear from his eye, and laid a hand on my shoulder in a friendly manner.
"I can take you there." He said plainly. "If you are that keen to see your brother, I can send you to Tartarus so that you can get the closure you so desperately crave."
"Okay then." I snapped. "Do it. Send me to Hell."
Discord removed his hand from my shoulder, folded his arms and shook his head.
"My dear John," he said, "I'm afraid it's not that simple. I'm afraid the spell to send you there only works on one day of the year... Nightmare Night. Then, and only then, will you be able to get what you desire. But I suggest taking somepony with you, for the depths of Hell are not to be tread lightly."
"Fine." I nodded. "Nightmare Night can't be that far away. In fact, I think it's only a few weeks."
I looked to Discord for confirmation, only to narrow my eyes when he shrugged instead.
"You'll have to ask somepony who knows." He said. "In fact, I think I can hear her coming now. I shall take my leave, John, but I promise I will see you again."
He leaned in close to me and whispered.
"Because I will be showing you your worst nightmares."
With a final cackle he disappeared, just as Applejack came into the clearing. She came over to me and nuzzled my leg.
"There ya are, John." She said cheerfully. "Ah came ta tell ya that the sun is comin' up soon, so tha spell Luna cast will be wearin' off. Did ya have any luck findin' yer brother?"
I shook my head.
"No," I replied, "I didn't. Because he's not here. You were right, hon, he's been sent to Tartarus."
Applejack's face fell.
"Ah'm sorry, sugarcube." She said softly. "Ah knew ya had yer heart set on talkin' ta him."
"And I will." I said sternly. "Tell me, AJ, how long is it until Nightmare Night?"
"A month." Applejack raised an eyebrow at me. "Why, what do ya have planned? Nothin' strange, Ah hope."
I picked her up and hugged her tight. She gasped at the sudden display of affection but returned it nonetheless.
"I'll explain everything when we wake up." I whispered. "But know this: I won't think any less of you if you don't take me up on my offer, as it's not that much of a concern for you."
Before Applejack could reply, the world around us began to fade as Luna's spell wore off, catapulting us back into the waking world.
Author's Note
Apologies for the late update and the short chapter.
I've only recently got a few ideas for this story, so I'll be writing it a bit more often now.
