The stars, the moon, they've all been blown out, you left me in the dark ...
Her life had become a routine.
Wake up in the morning, brush mane, clean teeth and place her trusty Stetson on her head. Go downstairs. Eat breakfast.
And then wait.
She didn't know what she was waiting for.
Ponyville almost fell apart after Discord returned to power and killed hundreds- starting with Fluttershy, who had treated him with right for all those years. Discord never knew kindness, never knew someone could love without an ulterior motive.
By then Twilight Sparkle had already moved to Canterlot and the palace went under siege as Discord's magic raged chaos all over it.
The princesses resisted but with the elements of harmony dead, they eventually gave in. Luna was killed straight away, followed by Twilight Sparkle going into hiding. Rumours say that Celestia is still locked away and being tortured in the dungeons of the castle, but Applejack doubts she could survive six years down there,
The mysterious torturer of Canterlot was well-known for her outlandish and drawn-out torture sessions.
She is none other than Pinkie Pie. Once Discord returned to Ponyville he killed many. Rarity ran off to join Twilight Sparkle's resistance movement along with Big MacIntosh and a heavily pregnant Cheerilee. Applejack became a loyalist to Discord for the sake of Apple Bloom- she couldn't lose her little sister after losing Granny Smith and Big MacIntosh. Eventually, though, Apple Bloom succumbed to the consumption epidemic that swept Equestria three years ago. Now she continues to fake being loyal- she's the element of honesty, but sometimes the lies are easier to take in.
Discord enslaved Pinkie Pie like he did on his first return, but this time it was much more permanent- and devastating. She no longer recognized anyone from her past life and was let loose on Ponyville- renamed Discordia. Pinkie killed Scootaloo, Mayor Mare and Lyra, among many others.
Rainbow Dash had been on tour with the Wonderbolts in Prance for a year. When they returned Discord transformed her, Spitfire and the rest of them into the Blackhawks, greyscale copies of their former selves who spied on other and who would follow Discord's orders to the grave.
There was one, though, who escaped transformation.
Soarin.
He escaped to Discordia and crash-landed into one of the shrivelled-up apple trees and then introduced himself as Blitz Order, a runaway Pegasus from the recently-captured Cloudsdale.
Being the element of honesty and having known Rainbow Dash for years she saw straight through him and invited him in.
This was four years ago, before the Crystal Empire was taken and Shining Armour and Cadence enslaved; Cadence to cause love chaos and Shining Armour to create a force field around Discord's empire.
Soarin told her he was sent here by Twilight Sparkle and the resistance movement to report on the decreasing chance of them starting a rebellion. Big MacIntosh sent a letter saying he and Cheerilee were well and she now had a new niece named Apple Salad. Rarity did not write.
Soarin was to pose as Blitz Order while she would house and feed him, as arranged by Rarity and Twilight Sparkle.
A few days later she received a letter through 'Blitz' from Big MacIntosh.
Appleloosa had been taken, the buffalos enslaved and Little Strongheart killed in the struggle that resulted in the capture of Braeburn.
She wept in the kitchen that evening.
Soarin- he was always Soarin at night, when he took off his fedora and placed it next to her Stetson- wrapped his wing around her.
It felt weird.
It felt good.
A few months later he came home with a bottle of smuggled apple cider from what Rarity and Big MacIntosh could salvage from the remains of Appleloosa. Applejack didn't make apple cider anymore- all her apple trees died along with her family when she just gave up.
He took off his fedora and suddenly Blitz Order became Soarin again, and it was a relief.
There was no voice asking for apple pie, just him placing the bottle of cider on the table gently and her getting two glasses out the cupboard.
It was only when she took her first sip that she realised it was alcoholic, but unlike other nights she relished the added fizz and tang. She needed something to drown her sorrows in.
After two or three glasses she was ready to retire, and went upstairs to her bedroom after tipping her hat to Soarin. She placed on her bedside table, turned around and realised he'd followed her into her bedroom and was standing in the open doorway like a phantom, swaying slightly due to the alcohol.
He came towards her and brushed a wing over her body, causing her to shiver and blush. Apples always had a tendency to blush in these situations, something her mother taught her long ago.
He kissed her forcefully; there was no love like there would be later, only grief and lost hope, their regrets mingling together in the form of his tongue raking around her mouth.
He left her to be alone and sleep off the alcohol- though she did no sleeping that night. The ache she felt without him kissing her then was only half of what she felt now.
He left a few days later. Blitz Order was going on a trip to look for new materials for his work- he was a very reliable constructor, but she knew Soarin was going to visit Rarity and the resistance movement, and she brooded for a few days, thinking of the snow-white unicorn and her beauty, and how easily Soarin could fall under her spell.
When he returned she ran out to meet him, and they walked inside together. As he took off his fedora she buried her head in his chest. He froze, then wrapped a wing around her and she felt what would become a familiar series of chills raking down her spine.
She knew now that not all her family was lost.
One pegasus still remained.
A year later they married. Marriage was not official these days, but Sweetie Belle said some words, they said their vows then Twilight Sparkle performed some magic and it was official enough for them. That was three years ago.
One day, a few months ago, a workman with a distinct greyscale colour scheme came to the door of her farm to tell her that they were very sorry ma'am but your husband passed away in an accident and could you please sign here ma'am-
She longed for his voice asking her for a slice of apple pie as he took of his fedora and smiled cheekily at her. She ached without the feeling of his tongue trailing across her neck looking for her pulse point. She wished more than anything in the world for his musky scent to fill her nostrils at night again as she buried her head in his chest and he wrapped a wing around her like that night four years ago where she first felt something towards him.
Instead, all she did was sit down at the kitchen table wasting away, waiting for the past to be rewritten.
Waiting for her Soarin.
Waiting.
Crying.