//------------------------------//
// Applespice and Bolt's Storytime- Unbalanced Harmony 
// Story: What the Future May Hold 
// by DougtheLoremaster 
//------------------------------//


Meanwhile in Cloudsdale


Luna's horn glowed a steady blue as the moon sank back into slumber. She stood before Claire and Skyflare, having just made her peace with Rainbow's passing. Glancing at the strangely blacker night that hung in the sky, she realized something. This isn't right, the night should have ended by now, what is my sister doing? The moon is down, where is her blasted sun?
"Princess Luna, are you okay?"
Claire had approached her and asked her with concern in her eyes. Luna placed a smile on her face and said, "who wants to finish that story?"
That's right, Luna thought. I'll just distract them, no need to cause a panic. Besides, I am rather enjoying this time together. My sister should be able to handle this, maybe she just slept in. She had been looking a little worse for wear lately. Maybe some extra rest would fix it. The sun can wait.  Upon raising the moon back into position, Luna opened the book once more and began to read to the two pegasi, as the night continued to drone on.

 Back in the desolate plateau

Celestia was in a mental panic. Why wasn't it working? The sun had always heeded her summons. Even as a filly the sun did as she bade. Yet try as she might the sun would not show. Upon hearing her daughter ask where the sun was, Celestia turned to face her replying, "I don't know Starshine."
However, her daughter wasn't there. Standing in her place wings flared and disappointment stamped upon her features was none other than Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Why are you still here, Celestia?"
"I - the sun, why won't it rise? What is going on?"
Twilight shook her head slowly side to side and lowered her wings. In a soft voice, one almost wracked with pain, she replied: "I told you, Princess, your despair, it has consumed you."
Celestia sounded confused as she responded, "My despair? This is bigger than my pain. This is important Twilight! Why isn't the sun rising?"
Twilight's wings flared full spread, as she spoke with the one and only Canterlot Voice, "LISTEN TO ME!"
Celestia cowered and fell to her knees as Twilight's voice returned to normal. Folding her wings once more she said, "Sorry for the yelling princess, but there simply no other way to reach you in that state. Your despair has brought this upon you, upon Equestria. The magic that you, Luna, Cadence and even that which I once wielded all are gifted by the Elements of Harmony. No, not the tree or the symbols of stone we wielded, but rather the different aspects of harmony itself. The pegasi are gifted with the ability to direct and control the weather. The unicorns are gifted with the magic of discovery, engineering new and improved ways of life. Earth ponies are connected to the land itself allowing nature and life to thrive even in most inhospitable of locales as they grow food and tend the woods. However, we are something more. Our magic was gifted to us, with a higher purpose than most ponies. "
Celestia listened intently as Twilight continued. "We, the alicorns, guard the balance between chaos and nature of Equestria. Princess Luna, with her abilities to call forth the night and raise the moon as well as guard the dreams of those in Equestria. Cadence with her ability to understand the very essence of love and help others realize the magic of hope, though that gift, has been passed onto her daughter. Myself with what was the power to unite and lead as true friends, though now my gift has been received by another as well. "
Twilight paused and seeing she had the princess's undivided attention continued. "Then we have you, Celestia. The power of the heavens themselves, to raise the sun and see the truth of what must be as well as what can be. Together these four gifts, four unique powers, control the balance of light and dark in Equestria. Unfortunately, this magic only reacts to the balance within our hearts, when you are in balance with yourself Celestia. What you see in the sky currently is the reflection of your heart as it currently is. Your current state of mind is so oblivious to all the things going on around you that you have lost touch with Equestria, and as a result, of the magic that you embody. Until you regain balance within your own heart, your magic will not work."
Celestia was wide-eyed in horror after hearing this. For countless eons, she had wielded this power, yet had never realized the truth behind it. Trembling on her knees before Twilight, she stammered. "W-what should I do?" 
Twilight leaned down and gently gave a comforting nuzzle. "The answer," she whispered gently, "can be found in Sweet Apple Acres."
Upon whispering these words, Twilight stood up and as Celestia lifted her head to gaze in awe, her horn glowed a bright magenta. The glow from her horn enshrouded her body. Her wings flared open and from her lips came just two words. "Now go."
Then in a brilliant flash of light, she was gone. In her place was Starshine once more. Starshine was looking rather concerned. From Starshine's perspective, her mom had been frozen in place stiff as a statue this entire time after answering her question. "Mom, are you alright?"
Starshine breathed a sigh of relief as her mom after five minutes finally moved. Turning her head once more to glance up at the darkest night she personally had ever witnessed, Celestia spoke to the young unicorn before her. In a strangely resolute voice full of determination, Celestia stated: "Starshine, we need to go back to Ponyville, or rather we need to visit some old friends of mine."

An hour later

Celestia pointed a hoof at a small pair of grey rocks under the only known Appear tree in Equestria.She and Starshine stood before them in the backwoods of the rundown, once a thriving orchard, of Sweet Apple Acres. On the stones, Starshine could make out the following words:
"Here lies Applejack, A proud sister, an amazing Applebucker, my hero"
"Here lies Applebloom. An amazing pony, A proud mother, A loving wife, An inspiration to ponies everywhere."
Starshine turned to ask her mom who they were, only to be stopped by a single tear falling down Celestia's muzzle. Looking at her daughter, she said softly, "I knew them Starshine, I was here when they were sent to that final Apple Family Reunion on the other side. I remember when Applebloom carved this inscription. Then sixty years later, she fell ill and went to join her big sis. I'll never forget that smile on her face or her last words."
"Do ya think mah sis will need help bucking those apples up there, princess?"
Starshine opened her mouth to respond when suddenly a voice behind them sounded. "Beg yer pardon marm, but this hill is off-limits to non-family."
At once another more feminine voice sounded, "Oh, Dar-ling what is going on?"
Celestia stiffened, it couldn't be! Those voices were unmistakable, though. It had to be them. As she turned to face them, she shouted, "Applejack, Rarity how-."
The ponies before her may have sounded like Applejack and Rarity. A single glance at them, however, made it clear they were not. One was a mare and the other a stallion. Celestia took a moment to look at them. On the stallion's head sat a rather coifed, blonde mane. He stood roughly one half her own height,. Though aside having a what looked like a bolt of cloth for a cutie mark, was the exact spitting image of the famous family oriented pony. Even his freckles on that orange colored face were the same. 
Turning her attention to the alabaster-colored mare, she noticed a spice bottle on top of a half apple as her cutiemark. on her head sat none other than the Apple family hat. Passed down from generation to generation, ever since Applejack gave it to Applebloom, it was considered one of their most treasured family heirlooms. 
The white mare spoke again, "Ah'll be a pig's auntie, it's Princess Celestia!"
Taking the hat off her head, she revealed her messy purple mane and a unicorn's horn. As she held the hat to her chest, she spoke softly, as her eyes watered. "Mah ma always told me you would come to visit us here."
Beside her the stallion was looking at the princess as well, but for a different reason. In fact, he appeared to be analyzing her armor.  "Oh, Dar-ling that design is not befitting of such a regal such as yourself, come! I shall have to fix you up proper!"
The mare laughed suddenly, noticing the shocked look on Celestia's face. "Oh, where are mah manners? Fergot to introduce mahself, ma woulda tanned mah hide fer sure. Mah name is Applespice, an this is mah husband, Bolt. Ah got dinner on th' table but there is always enough fer more!"
Starshine looked to her mom and back to the two ponies before her as her mom spoke in a warm voice."You know who I am, and this is my daughter, Starshine. We would be honored to join you for dinner."