The next morning, Apple Bloom tossed and turned back and forth in her bed. She tried her hardest to stay asleep, even though she was used to having school on a Monday and therefore waking up early in the morning. But she didn't want to have to face anything else for now...
She must have known what she was going to do, as the curtains were closed shut to the window. The room was almost pitch black as a result, and she felt safe in the darkness somehow. But it wouldn't be much longer until her body gave up and forced her to be awake.
And then, a lot of loud noises came from downstairs. A bunch of hooves clamped on the floor, and most of the ponies they belonged to had conversations with each other. Occasionally, one would even be crying, followed by blowing his or her nose into a tissue.
It only seemed to get louder and louder. She covered her ears with the pillow, but she heard enough to understand that more ponies were coming inside.
Then, she remembered. Today was the funeral. And they were expecting the extended family to come over.
The next thing she knew, she was watching herself in the mirror, brushing her teeth and flossing in an attempt to look presentable. There were so many voices she could hear that she estimated that at least twenty of them were here. And she was low balling.
She rushed into the living room, and sure enough she was right. A ton of mares and stallions were walking around in the house, all she recognized as part of the family. They were either talking with one another or breaking down over their fallen loved one.
Most of them weren't wearing any clothes, but those that did were dressed in stark black dresses associated with mourning. The mares in particular had veils over their face, and some of them had gathered together to the mantle above the fireplace.
At that mantle was a picture of Applejack enclosed to a glass frame. She was posed in her trademark move, with her left hooves crossing her right. The Acres were behind her in the picture, and she smiled at the camera for her best side.
Those that were looking at the picture were all the ones with two pieces of tissue. One for blowing their nose, and another for wiping away the tears.
"Applejack, poor Applejack," one cried in public.
"She was a good farmer. I can't let her memory fade from my head, ever. She meant too much for that," another thought out loud.
"I'm happy for her, believe it or not. She's with her parents in heaven. Hasn't seen them for so long. What do you think they're doing up there right now?" a stallion asked.
"Watching us from above. That's what I would want."
Apple Bloom couldn't take the sight any longer, even though it meant she wasn't the only one having a really hard time with this. She looked for anywhere to escape to breathe, looking into the study room. But that was even more packed with mourners than the living space.
So she tried the kitchen next. While there were other ponies here with her, they weren't part of the family at all. Instead, they were Applejack's friends in that room, the surviving Elements of Harmony.
She caught them in a middle of a conversation, but they dropped it when they saw their fallen friend's sister come in here. They all turned to her, each with saddened faces. Fluttershy seemed to be taking it the worst, with her face fur all dampened.
When Apple Bloom saw them all, she didn't know what to say. Nothing came to mind. No apologies, no hoping this funeral wouldn't be too depressing, no words. Her mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out.
"See? I told you she's not taking it well," Rarity whispered to Fluttershy. "Even just thinking about her little nightmare caused me to believe trees kill more ponies than they really do. And that was just a dream."
Fluttershy said no more, and brought Apple Bloom into an embrace. The filly started to whimper, but not from discomfort. It was being around her friends that got to her, and the whole reasoning why they were here.
As her whimpers continued, she felt some strange go around her frame, and looked up to see that Rarity had gotten into the hug as well. And then Pinkie Pie. So did Twilight Sparkle.
Rainbow Dash almost resisted, seeing the act as a little sappy. But all it took was one whimper to come out of Fluttershy's mouth to get her into the hug as well.
They found themselves hugging one another, trying to help not only each other, but specifically Apple Bloom as well. She never had this many ponies doing this around her, but she did not try to do anything about it. Instead, she felt a warm feeling in her chest, as she began to accept that there were in fact friends looking out for her.
And then she looked behind herself, to see that while her eyes were closed, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had arrived, and joined in the hugging as well. They managed to get deep enough to nuzzle Apple Bloom on the cheeks, adding to the feeling of love and support she was getting.
"Thank you all," she said. "Ah know it's been a tough time for all of us, but it meant so much that you came and did this for me anyways. Ah think she would be happy with you all. Ah really do."
Twilight smiled, and began to break up the pile around the filly. Once everypony had managed to get off of her, the unicorn pulled out a bag that had been on the table. She levitated it right into Apple Bloom's hooves, and waited to see what would happen next.
Apple Bloom shook it with her arms, and she could feel something bouncing inside. It didn't feel heavy with its weight, but it didn't feel light as a feather either. Instead...wait, was it some kind of necklace? She glanced at Twilight for understanding about this thing.
"Go ahead and look inside," Twilight encouraged. "I want you to have it."
Sighing, the filly opened the lid onto the bag and peered inside. She gasped when she recognized the necklace for what it was.
The necklace was made from a band of gold that curved perfectly to Applejack's neck, with a design that almost looked like wings. And then, in the center of the piece, was a diamond shaped like an orange apple. It was the necklace Applejack wore when she was part of the Elements of Harmony.
Apple Bloom looked up at Twilight with watery eyes. "Ah...Ah don't understand. This was something special to her."
"I know," Twilight stated. "It's one of the most valuable assets of her lifetime. But when I heard about what happened, I figured you would want it. This way, she'll still be with you in spirit."
It was almost too much for the little filly. How could she accept something this valuable, something that had been a part in saving Equestria twice now? It was an honor she didn't dare think was something she deserved...
...but then again, she always did want to be like Applejack. Maybe this would help her out.
She took the Element out from the bag, and looked over it closely. It might be too big for her, but it probably wouldn't be that loose on her. So she went ahead and put it around her neck, and to her surprise, it wasn't as loose as she had feared. In fact, it felt pretty good on her.
Big Mac was watching from the doorway, as Applejack's friends clapped when they found out that the necklace worked perfectly on Apple Bloom.
"So what do you all think?" she asked around. "Does this help me look like her a little bit?"
"No, you still have a lot of her mannerisms to learn if you ever hope to do that," Rarity commented. "But it's a good start. I dare say, do you think she's old enough to go on adventures with us, in case Celestia needs us to save Equestria again?"
"I'm pretty sure I was around her age when I did my first Sonic Rainboom," Rainbow Dash answered. "So it's not that much of a stretch."
Big Mac shook his head from the idea, confirming his theory about Apple Bloom's development. He shrunk away from the kitchen, and returned to his job of greeting any newcomers into his house.
The door opened again, and Big Mac came forward to greet him. But this man wasn't part of the family at all. He had a priest's black outfit on his chest, and there was a saddlebag stuffed with only one book on his back. His cutie mark was an image of many ponies following one man.
He shook hooves with Big Mac to greet him. "I understand you're the head of the house. Big Macintosh, of the Apple family."
"Eeyup," said Big Mac. "Thanks for coming on such short notice, Ah thought you were busier than our group during a harvest."
"You can say that. Arranging a Hearth's Warming Eve play, no matter how small, is a big deal in Equestria. Before I begin, those are Applejack's graves you're burying her next to, right?"
"That's the plan. Ah think that's how she would like things."
"Then everything is set. The chairs are set, her coffin is in place, all we need to do is listen for a bell to signal they're ready. I came to tell you that it could be any minute."
Not even a breath after he finished, the funeral's bell rang from the top of a hill. Everypony stopped what they were doing when they heard it, and mumbled to each other about what was going on.
"Right on time," said the minister. "I'll let them in the know."
He stepped in the middle of the living room, and took his stand.
"That's the signal that the funeral is ready to begin. If you'll excuse me, I would like you all to exit the house and go the funeral spot at this time."
Apple Bloom's eyes glistened again while the bell continued to ring. All of her friends went with her outdoors, as the funeral was getting started.
Applejack's parents were both buried within one of the many valleys of the Acres. The gravestones stood out from the green, fresh grass, but they remained there nevertheless.
Meanwhile, the place that would be Applejack's grave was placed to the next spot on the right side of her parents. Her coffin was raised over the hole in the ground, suspended with a suspension system. The coffin was simplistic, with a apple emblem on the lid itself.
One hundred folding seats were laid out in front of the place, split into two sections of fifty. Yet that would not be enough, as a little over twenty ponies would end up standing.
A larger portrait of Applejack was placed next to the coffin on a stand, and a little podium was there on a slightly raised platform.
Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, Big Mac, and both her friends and the Elements of Harmony were seated on the first row. The filly looked around and saw that there was not a dry eye within her family, as expected.
The day could not have conflicted any more with the mood than it was here. A completely clear day was in order by the weather team, with a moderate wind sweeping through Ponyville. But with all the hills of the Acres, most of them would be blocked from entering the valley.
All were quiet as the minister walked up to the podium. He placed his book on the cover by its backside, and cleared his throat to begin.
"Welcome, fillies and gentlecolts. Today is a day we come together as one big family under Equestria, not to lament what has occurred in the past, but to cherish the good memories that our dear Applejack has left behind with her life.
"Although her stay in our world may have been shorter than expected, she did not use excuses to waste her life away. Instead, she used it to help her friends and family with each waking moment, leaving a legacy many would love to call their own.
"While we may not have all the answers, like why did this happen, or how we move on just yet, we do know this: Applejack worked well and hard when she was living, and she is resting well in heaven now."
Many more tears were shed during that speech, and a lot of ponies present nodded with its message. They were all looking at her portrait, filled with more "what if" questions than the kind the minister had suggested.
Apple Bloom shuffled a little in her seat, as she took one look at the Elements. All of them had their own tissue box, which was getting worked overtime. She adjusted the necklace a bit as the minister continued.
"Now, I understand that many of her friends and family are here with us today. At this point, you are hereby permitted to share your final thoughts with her. Do not be afraid to share anything that comes to mind."
With an uncharacteristic lack of insecurity, Fluttershy was the first to come up. She flew to the podium, and the stallion moved out of the way to make room for her.
Her tissue box was on the platform with her, and she didn't stop crying even with all eyes on her. She gulped and straightened her posture out, along with the podium.
"I'm really sorry if somepony wanted to come up first, but I needed to say something first. Is that OK?"
They nodded their heads for a "yes".
"Thank you. Applejack was one of my earliest friends in Ponyville, the first I made in the town when I moved here. I was so worried that earth ponies were rowdy and unfriendly to pegasi like me, and I stayed home with my creature friends for a while.
"One day, somepony was knocking on my front door when I was having lunch. It frightened me because it sounded so loud, and I thought it was a really strong pony. So I didn't do anything for a while, but it never left. This went for five whole minutes, so I put on a lot of football armor my dad wore in high school to protect me, and answered the door.
"That's when I first met Applejack. I think she had her cutie mark by then, but it was before she was wearing her hat everywhere too. She went up to me and said, 'Why are you wearing that weird getup? Ah know you're not on the Ponyville High School football team, so what's the deal?'
"So I explained why I was so afraid of earth ponies, and she laughed at me. 'That's the silliest thing Ah ever heard. We're not rowdy like that. We can be real friendly once we get to know you.' Then she handed me one of her apples, and it was one of the most delicious things I ever tasted, even to this day.
"So I would like to thank Applejack, for teaching me that I could learn about friendship from anypony, with wings or not."
She took her tissue box with her back to the seat. The pegasus cowered around in her seat, worried if her former trait would get to her.
"That was a great story, Fluttershy," Twilight whispered over to her.
She sighed in relief and wipe away the sweat on her forehead.
The next to go up on the podium was the fashionista herself, Rarity. She calmly went up the steps to the platform with grace. At the same time, she knew it was not the right moment to show off, so she avoided dressing in anything at all.
Instead of clearing her throat, she adjusted the material on the stand to give her hooves as much room as possible.
"I know the kind of reputation I have in Equestria by now. You're asking yourselves, how could a pony like me be friends with somepony like Applejack?
"It's quite obvious, really. She had a character that spoke to me directly to the soul. Whenever she found out that one of her friends or family were in trouble or needed help, most of the time she would drop what she was doing to go assist them. How could I not respect somepony who would do that time and time again?
"Yes, we had our differences at times, I will not deny there were issues. But in the end, we worked them out, and I can gladly say she was my friend after it was all said and done. And given everything she was able to accomplish, I'm proud to know that she would have called me a friend too."
She turned to the coffin and openly wept. Her perfect demeanor gave way as she had to take out a tissue to use.
"I hope you can still call me a friend. I'll be working the rest of my life to ensure that."
The white unicorn took her seat next to Fluttershy's. Her tissue box was empty within the next minute, and she would still end up crying her heart out after the fact.
Fluttershy wrapped an arm around Rarity's shoulders. Neither one of them were handling it well, but the pegasus would do whatever she could.
Much to everypony's surprise, Pinkie Pie was the next pony to come up for a speech. She did not make one attempt to make this a party or to joke. Instead, she simply took her spot, and went on with business.
"I didn't know Applejack's family was this big," she started. "OK. My name is Pinkie Pie, and I was one of her friends. We didn't talk that much for a while, she found my party canon really annoying. I transformed her entire house into one big Pinkie party with just one press of the button, and we weren't on speaking terms for a few weeks.
"But I kept trying to be friends with her. She was a hard worker almost every day, and I thought she needed something as a reward when she was finished using her hoe or whatever she was doing for that day. So I asked Big Mac and Granny Smith if I could do something for her inside the house while she was working, and they agreed.
"She would be upset if she saw me in pony, so I made sure to leave after I was finished, so she would see what I would want to do for her. When she came home one day, she found this big surprise party waiting for her. There were cakes, punch, and plenty of things for games.
"Later, she asked Big Mac what in tarnation this was all about, and he told her that I was doing this all for her as a 'Congratulations on being such a good worker!' party. So she went to Sugar Cube Corner and told me that nopony had never been so nice to her before, and we were good friends since then."
She went back to her chair, trying her best to let the good memory wash away the bad one. It seemed to be working, as everypony was smiling from what happened.
So Pinkie Pie could make everypony smile, without telling a silly joke or throwing a party, after all. It felt good she did something to help around here.
Twilight decided to come up next after her. She didn't seem to be doing well either, even with the pleasant story Pinkie gave. But nevertheless, she went up to speak anyways.
She did clear her throat this time, since it wasn't often she got to speak in front of this many ponies.
"Thank you all for coming here. Out of all her friends, I knew Applejack for the least amount of time. But that didn't stop her from making an impression.
"I can't remember all the times she gave me the advice I needed at that moment, all those occasions when she helped us save Equestria as we know it, and how often she would help in general.
"To be honest, I didn't see her death coming. When I thought of her, she was the kind of pony I'd imagine would be here forever. That's because I knew she wouldn't desert any of us, and it's the reason why it's hard to look forward into the future at times. It's hard to believe she's gone, but she will never be forgotten. That much I know."
Apple Bloom shifted her hooves as Twilight returned to her chair. The filly had thought exactly that at times. It was hard to believe that Element around her neck didn't belong to Applejack anymore.
She found herself dreading what she knew everypony was expecting: Her turn to talk. There was only one Element left to go, and Big Mac and Granny Smith were only two ponies. She had to speak sooner or later.
Thankfully, she was delayed a little longer. As expected, Rainbow Dash came up to speak next. Out of all the Elements to come forward, she was the most calm to date. There was none of her confidence, but she was keeping it together nevertheless.
"Wow. Where do I begin. I agree with Twilight here, it's hard to believe she's gone. But...I don't know what to say. OK, I might not be the best pony at talking in front of an audience, but bear with me.
"Out of all the ponies in this town, she was the only one that ever rivaled me in...well, anything I'm good at. We had an Iron Pony competition a while ago, and it was neck and neck all the way to the end. Pretty sure it was a tie.
"What I'm saying is, she must have been doing something right to keep up with me. World class athletes like us don't come around that often, and that she got it all from farming is amazing. Not that it's a bad thing, but I worked out specifically like it, while she was good from something else.
"Before she's gone and buried, I wanted to say how awesome she was. She was a hundred and twenty-one percent cooler than most, and I value that all the time. Thank you."
Rainbow Dash thanked Celestia nopony was throwing tomatoes at her for that speech. And she didn't even feel all that bad about what she had to say when she took her seat.
With that, all of the Elements had come up to talk. The minister waited patiently for anypony else to come up, secretly thinking that was it. He knew Ponyville enough to know Big Mac was a man of few words, and Granny Smith was a master at cutting through the crap and getting straight to business.
Much to his surprise, Big Mac did come out of his chair and came forward. His trademark yoke had been removed, which was a strange sight even for the family. But everypony hushed when they knew he was getting started.
"Ah...Ah'm no good at long speeches either. But Ah'm going to do my best today, and...Ah think Ah need to, given the occasion.
"There's so many things you can say about her. She was a loving sister, and there's one thing Ah know all about, and that's the day she was born. Ah remember every little detail of that day.
"Ah was waiting with my pa in the waiting room in the hospital. He was so nervous in there, and he was prancing back and forth forever. Ah didn't know how big filly birth was back then, so Ah didn't know why he was so worried. Kept reading any magazine Ah could find, and he kept looking at that clock out there.
"We waited for an hour like that. A nurse came over and told him the good news. You should have seen the look on his face. He ran as fast as he could to the room Ma was in."
He stopped for a moment and wiped the tears away. Twilight levitated her tissue box over on the podium.
"Thank you, Twilight. Anyways, where was Ah. Oh, yes. Ah followed him in there, and there Ma was. She had that golden foal in her arms, wrapped around a little blanket. She was crying tears of joy, and Ah never seen her or Pa happier than they were then.
"That was the first moment Ah meant one of the best ponies Ah've ever had the pleasure to know."
The red stallion couldn't find it in his heart to continue, and pressed the tissue to his face. He walked down to his chair and tried not to lose it any further. His sounds seemed to fill the entire valley with an atmosphere of sheer depression.
There was a silence after that. Nopony really knew if they were going to be the next to go up. It was hard to beat the six ponies that had beaten them to the punch.
Even the minister was unsure what to do next. The feeling that was over the proceedings was so heavy, he felt like he might even offend somepony here if he went on.
The pressure was piling on Apple Bloom's shoulders fast. She was aware the minister was intentionally keeping the door open for others, and it was her turn inside her head. But what could she even say anymore?
Nevertheless, her heart was pacing with the idea begging for her to act on it. And eventually, she caved in to the thought.
Everypony was shocked when they saw her come up out of her chair. They knew by now that she was handling it terribly, and never expected her to speak. And there she was, doing the unthinkable.
The minister raced to grab a stool he brought in case this happened, and brought it right to the podium. He gave her a hoof as she climbed up to the top.
Applejack's family and friends watched her closely as she mentally prepared for this moment. She didn't seem to acknowledge the pressure she was receiving, and focused instead on honoring her dead sister.
"Hello," she said, her voice barely present. "Thank you all for coming. That means so much to all of us...but there's something Ah want to say too.
"Ever since Ah was old enough to know what was goin' on in the world, Applejack has always been one of my closest friends. That sounds weird, being friends with your sister, but it didn't matter.
"Whenever there was something bugging me, she was there to help me out. When Ah was sad when Ma and Pa died, she came and got me through that."
Her hooves were shaking a little, more and more as she continued.
"She meant so much to me. There were moments where she was my whole, wide world. And now she's gone...she's gone...why did she have to go?"
She buried her face in the podium surface. The wood was wet on it immediately, and almost everypony went out of their seat to get her out of there. But Big Mac ran forward and picked her up in his arms.
"Ah still don't understand. Why did she leave us?" she whimpered.
He did not answer, but instead carried her back to the stands. She never left those arms that kept her calm through these nightmarish days, but she didn't get any better either.
Rather, she held tight to that immortal necklace, hoping it would do something to end the bad dream she had been in for the last three days, and return to reality where Applejack was alive and well.
But it never woke her up. She was still here at this funeral, where she didn't belong. Maybe the Element was broken. Could Celestia fix something like that? Probably...
Everypony was looking at her again, while she was giving them one of the most heart breaking images they had since catching Applejack's coffin for the first time.
Now the minister saw it was time to continue. He put the stool back where he found it, and came back to his spot at the stage.
"I thank all of you for sharing your intimate thoughts with us. Those were some of the most heartfelt things I have ever heard in a long time. It's time to continue with the funeral at this time. Will the mechanical hands please take their place at the coffin at this time."
Two muscular ponies came up from behind the stage, and went from two separate parts of the suspended coffin. They stood next to mechanical wheels that would lower the ropes, and the body as a byproduct. They waved to gave the green light to continue.
"Is there something anypony would like to do before we lower her to her final resting place? Do as you like, we won't stop you."
Apple Bloom heard those words crystal clear, and bolted out of Big Mac's arms immediately. She rushed for the coffin and buried her head on the lid, her hooves all around the edges of the box.
It didn't matter what anypony would say, she wanted this final moment to last forever. The world did not exist around her, and the only thing that mattered was that she let Applejack know how much she loved her, before it was impossible to do it again.
How could she describe that moment in time, when no words were invented to do so? Nothing came remotely close, as her tears were poured out like a bowl of water onto the lid. She let the love in her heart pour out into the coffin, anything that could make it inside. And she felt free when she did all for Applejack.
The two ponies by the coffin looked at each other, not sure how to handle her. Most of the crowd were crying along with the filly, but only two other ponies came in to support her up there. They both placed a hoof on her shoulders, and one of them began to hum a song.
She turned back to see that those two ponies were Big Mac and Fluttershy. They weren't upset with her at all. Instead, they were legitimately concerned for her. She had cried so much that all of her tears had created a noticeable wet spot on the lid.
Nopony said a word, there was no need for one. They knew what needed to be done, and took a few steps away from the coffin, still standing but closer to the chairs than the burial site.
This was going down as the hardest funeral the minister ever had to oversee. He waited to see if somepony would also have a mental breakdown, but that was it. Many of them were staring at the group of three, but it seemed like it was the right moment to carry on.
He nodded to the workers on the coffin to begin. They put their hooves on the wheels and turned it slowly and carefully. The ropes lowered the coffin, more and more with every turn of the wheel.
The wooden box disappeared underneath the ground, exposing the tombstone that it was obscuring. It had a big picture of Applejack at the top, and gave her obituary right below it.
There was nothing but silence as the coffin was lowered all the way to the ground. They could all hear the slight bump when it hit the ground. The workers detached the ropes from it, and removed the suspension system away from the site. All that needed to be done was place a bunch of dirt there, and it would turn into another grave.
Apple Bloom's eyes were commanded to look at the tombstone. That picture of Applejack...and their parents right next to her...and then a twisted thought hit her head.
Will Ah be next?
She couldn't bear to think about it, and tried to pretend it never existed. She muffled something underneath her breath, and stumbled on the way back to her chair. She couldn't walk in a straight line, she couldn't think straight. But she was going to try.
Big Mac and Fluttershy carried her the rest of the way, as they awaited the final part of the funeral take place.
The minister took his spot for his final speech, finding himself lost at words at last.
"I...I don't know what else there is to say," he confessed. "This must have been a dear member of the family, and I'm sorry for your loss. But she's in a better place. That's all I can say anymore. May her soul rest in peace."
------------
A few hours later, most of the family were still there inside the house. They went to Ponyville to give Apple Bloom any gift idea they could come up with. Yet, they could not find her. Granny Smith said she wasn't feeling well, but they could drop off any gifts they brought over to the study room.
The sheer number of gifts was so massive, she wondered if some of them could fit inside the closet. Whenever she could, she would stuff them inside that small corner of the house, just so she wouldn't be buried underneath them all.
And she wasn't lying when she said that Apple Bloom wasn't feeling well. She had grown hysterical again, and remained in her room for all that time.
She was resting on the side of the bed, within Fluttershy's lap. The yellow pegasus refused to let her get out of her sights, and patted through the filly's head with a gentleness not unlike her mother.
It was what Apple Bloom needed. She couldn't stop herself from shaking any longer, trying to recover when that was impossible for today. Having Fluttershy here helped a little. A little.
The pegasus had never seen anything like this before. But she thought this was something she had to do. She kept brushing a hoof through the red hair repeatedly, keeping a good eye on her condition.
Big Mac opened the door to find it was just how it was when he last came in here. Fluttershy did not look up at him and kept her routine going. Apple Bloom continued to shiver, even though she was in the warmth of another pony's lap.
"It's almost six in the afternoon," he pointed out. "Do you need to be getting along for something?"
"It can wait," she said quietly. "I want to stay here with her, if that's not a problem."
"No, it's not. Ah was just making sure, you'd been here a while."
He shut the door all the way to block any more visitors from coming in.
The two girls remained wordless between each other, as the sunset wasn't far away now. But the world had run away from them here. Apple Bloom looked Fluttershy right in the eye, and the amount of love she saw from them was enough to tear down walls.
"Fluttershy, can Ah ask you something?"
"You can ask me anything. What is it?"
"Am Ah going to be like this for the rest of my life? Ah mean, shaking and having bad nightmares, always needing somepony to help me?"
Fluttershy gave her a weak smile, and shook her head. "No, you won't. You'll find a way to get out of this soon. Maybe not right now, but you will. I know you can."
She returned to patting through her mane a million times, all the way up until she was asleep at last.