//------------------------------// // Revelations and conversations // Story: App-El Of Krypton // by Spider-Mane Noir //------------------------------// “Whaddya mean Ah came from this?” asked Applejack. “Yah expect me tah believe that Ah just… just fell out of the sky in some kind of… what the hay is this thing anyway?” Granny Smith sat down a crate to rest her knees. “Well,” she began “Ah don’t rightly know. When Bright Mac found yah, there was only two other things inside.” She motioned for Applejack to open a hatch in the side of the container. Inside was a crystal sitting on a folded red cloth. “We weren’t exactly sure what this was.” Granny continued as she picked up the contents of the container, “but we figured it was probably important.” She handed the bundle to her granddaughter. Applejack reached out a hand and picked up the glowing rock. In an instant she found herself in a white room lit by an unknown source. To her right was a large window. Applejack walked over and saw that it overlooked a massive city. Ships like she’d only seen in science fiction soared across the sky. On the horizon a massive red sun sank out of sight. “What… Where am Ah?” “You have grown so much my dear.” A British-sounding voice came from behind her. Applejack spun around, raising her hands to defend herself. Before her stood two figures, a man and a woman, in robes emblazoned with an “S” symbol. “Who are yah!? Where am Ah!?” the girl demanded. The woman stepped forward, smiling. “You are still where you were a moment ago, this is only a mental projection contained inside the crystal you hold. As for who we are, we are your parents. I am Lara and this is your father Jor-El” Applejack wanted to respond. She should have retorted, but somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. The man, Jor-El, began to speak. “This is Krypton,” he said, gesturing out the window, “the planet where you were born.” “No, no, no, no” Applejack waiving her hands in denial, “What the hay are yah talking about? Why am Ah here? Ah’m from Earth, not… Krypton or wherever the hay this is!” “Perhaps this will help.” Jor-El raised his hand and the scene around them changed. They were now in some sort of laboratory. “What is this?” Another Lara and Jor-El were walking toward a capsule of some sort. “This is a recording from the day it happened.” Replied Jor El, “I had discovered that our planet’s core had become unstable and would soon result in the entire world’s destruction. The Kryptonian high council refused to authorize an evacuation, and I did not have time to build a full-sized ship.” Behind them, the other Lara was holding a small bundle close to her chest. “Tell me again it’s the only way” She said. “It is the only way” replied the other Jor-El. “All we had was my prototype, large enough only for one person.” “And we decided that if we could only save one person, it would be our daughter.” Lara lowered her head “Goodbye App-El, all our hopes and dreams go with you” The recording faded, and Applejack found herself again in the white room. “No.” Applejack stepped back. “No! You’re lyin’. You’re Lyin’!” “Applejack!” a voice called out to her. Applejack dropped the crystal and the world of Krypton flashed out of existence as she found herself back in the barn. The wall before her had a massive hole through which her fist now protruded. She turned and faced her family. All four of them stood in silence for a moment. “Applejack,” Applebloom said quietly, “What happened? Yah’ve been standin’ there for hours.” “I… I…” instead of continuing, Applejack pushed her way past and began to run. She closed her eyes and charged blindly out of the barn. It didn’t matter where she went, she just needed to get away. Finally, atop a hill at the edge of the Apple’s property she stopped. The hours passed, and the sun moved across the sky. Applejack sat and stared out at the horizon in silence. At least, it began as silence gradually she became aware of minor noises. Insects, birds, cows, cars, someone talking in the distance: all growing louder and louder until it all overwhelmed her. “Shut Up!” she cried, holding her hands over her ears and crouching over. “Just shut up.” A familiar set of footsteps approached and stood down next to her. Without even looking, she knew who it was. “Go away Big Mac.” Instead her brother sat down beside her. “Do yah remember that time Mom and Dad took us campin’ an’ yah got scared cuz a the storm?” He asked. Applejack’s mouth remained shut. “Do yah remember what they said?” Applejack looked up as Big Mac continued. “They said it don’t matter what’s wrong, yer family’s always gonna be there tah help yah through it.” He reached over and mussed up his sister’s hair. “What did yah see?” “Big Mac, I think Ah might be,” she hesitated for a moment, “an alien... with superpowers.” “Huh. What else?” Applejack stared for a moment and her mouth dropped open. “Seriously ‘what else?’ that’s it? Yer not surprised at all? Yah don’t think that’s weird at all?” “Enope.” Macintosh said with a shrug, “Magic exists. We’ve both seen it. So why not aliens?” Applejack coulnd’t help but chuckle at the frankness of his response. “Ah guess yah got a point there. But, Ah just found out that mah whole life’s been a lie.” “Really? Granny, Applebloom, n’ me? Yer friends, an’ everythin’ yah’ve ever done?” None a’ that was real?” Applejack sat in silence once more and then began. She told Big Mac everything she’d been told by the Kryptonian recording. “So, yah gonna tell yer friends about all this?” “I dunno. *heh* I can see Twilight’s face now. She’d go completely nuts.” “Eeyup.” It was getting late now. Applejack had spent nearly the entire day out here, too shaken to return home. Her brother rose to his feet. “Ah know this is weird for yah. But no matter where yah came from, remember we’re your family and we all love yah, no matter what.” With that he began to head back towards the house. Applejack got up to follow him but tripped walking down the hill. Her eyes snapped shut as the ground rose to meet her, but nothing happened. Applejack opened her eyes a crack to find herself floating about 3 feet off the ground. “Well, that’s new.”