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// Final Moments (mostly unedited) 
// Story: My Sugar Cube 
// by DragonassasslnGR 
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Big Mac fell back on his plot in shock and mumbled to himself, "Applejack."

Applejack stood there silently and only watched the two stallions stare back in complete shock. Lurking took a step closer with his mouth hung open before entering a full gallop. When he reached her, the grey pegasus embraced Applejack in a loving hug and began to break down in tears of joy at his lovers return. The orange mare hesitated for a few moments before quickly returning the gesture as a faint smile grew on her muzzle. To Big Mac and Lurking, this was a very odd but welcomed reunion.

Suddenly the realization of what he had just done struck the grey pony, Lurking held tighter, "I'm sorry Applejack, I didn't know it was you behind that mask. I promise I will never do that to you again. Can you ever forgive me?"

Big Mac watched as his sister started to cry as she whispered her words, "I do Sugar Cube."

"I missed my Sugar Cube so much, you were gone for two years." Lurking looked her in the eyes "I was at your funeral, we all saw you get buried. How did you survive? Where have you been?"

The smile left the orange mares muzzle, "I-I can't say."

"What do ya mean ya can't say?" Big Mac said in an annoyed tone.

"I just can't Big Mac."

"That's a load of horse apples." the large red earth pony snorted and got to his hooves. "Ah found ya book in ya desk AJ. For six years ya lived this second life and never told anypony. It wound up  killin ya in the end. Do ya know how much it killed me to see them puttin ya in the ground? I felt like Ah failed as ya big brother. Then ya show up after two years without even a word ta anypony. Where have you been? Ah don't care how, just where have ya been all this time?"

Applejack let go of Lurking and stepped closer to her brother, "I was dead. I... I still am. I have been going all over Equestria and the world. The things I've seen big brother, the ponies I've..."

The orange mare's mind drifted for a moment before Lurking called her name, bringing her back to reality.

"I'm sorry for everything that I put you through."

Big Mac razed and eye brow and spoke with anger in his voice, "What do ya mean ya sorry AJ? Ya left us and never came back or told anyone! Ya abandoned the family!"

Applejack looked her brother in the eyes and walked up to him. Without another word she removed the rob, allowing them to  see a massive scare and a glowing enchantment over it.

After she thought enough time had passed for them to take in the sight, Applejack spoke softly, "I died big brother, I was put in the ground. I was brought back thanks to Twilight and a deal that was struck with Mother Mare. I have only been back for a few months and as part of the deal, I have to..." The orange mare paused for a moment that put the rob back on. "Never mind that, the point is, I just got a chance to see you again and I took it."

Lurking walked behind her and placed a wing over Applejack, "Sugar Cube, What is that glyph for on your chest?"

She leaned into him and lowered her head, "It keeps me alive. Without it i would go back to the herd... or that place."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I passed, I thought I was still alive because I saw Rainbow trying to fly into the battle in bad shape. If she would have fought, Rainbow would have died for sure. I stopped her from trying too, then she faded in front of me. I was sitting in darkness, alone. I started to feel a pain in my chest as the wound that ended my life started to open and burn. I tried to call for help but the pain was so great that I collapsed. I don't know how long i was like this until I heard a voice. It was Mother mare herself. She told me that I had done what I was meant to and that as a reward..." Applejack looked to Lurking. "Our foul would get a chance at life. She sent me back and undid most of the damage to my body."

Both Lurking and Big Mac's eyes widened and the black pegasus spoke, "Sugar Cube, a-are you saying?"

She nodded to him, "We are the parents of a healthy pegasus filly. The official story is that she is one of Twilight and Shadowheart's twin daughters. Princess Hope is your daughter Lurking, and she is in the best of care possible."

For only a moment Lurking stood motionless before quickly wrapping his forelegs around Applejack, "You don't know how happy i am to hear that." 

Big Mac looked on as his sister never broke eye contact, blood dripping from her face when they broke the mask on her head. It had him feel uneasy to look into her eye and only be met by a hollow gaze as she looked back to him.
Applejack let Lurking go and walked over to Big Mac.

Tilting her head slightly she asked, "Are you alright Big Mac?"

The large red earth pony took a step back, "Somethin ain't right here. Who are ya? Ya can't be my sister? AJ IS DEAD!"

Applejack stopped in her tracks, a bloody tear rolled down her cheek. "Big Mac... I am Applejack... I'm your sister..."

Big Mac Stomped a hoof in anger as tears fell from his eyes and to the ground, "Stop sayin that ya are AJ! Ya ain't my sister! My sister died two years ago! All ya are is a monster in her body! NOW GO AWAY AND STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!"

Applejack looked on is a mixture of betrayal and sorrow as her blood mixed tears feel to the ground, "B-Big Mac.... you can't..."

The red pony charged and slammed into her, ramming her body into a tree, cracking the bark. A loud sound of the snapping of bone filled Lurking ears. 

The black pegasus tackled the angry earth pony, "What the hell is wrong with you Big Mac!? That's Applejack... My Sugar Cube and your sister "

The large Red earth pony looked over to the now unconscious pony, "That an't AJ, not anymore."

Big Mac pushed Lurking off of himself and walked over to Applejack. She lied on here side with her mane over her face, only the tip of the muzzle was exposed. He lifted her onto his back and started in the direction of Ponyville. 

Lurking followed close behind, "Where are you taking her?"

Big Mac kept walking, "To Twilight, Ah won't hurt her anymore, but Ah don't want her here ever again. This isn't AJ, and Ah ain't puttin my family in any danger."

The large earth pony made his way to Ponyville, before he got to the Library however, He had told Lurking to go back home to watch after the others and to make sure Fluttershy was alright. The pegasus was very hesitant, but did as he was told with gritted teeth. It wasn't long before Big Mac was at the library door with an unconscious Applejack with her clock on, hiding her from the moon's tender light. With a few knows on the door, a groggy Spike answered.

"Hello?", Spike asked before his eyes fixed on the blood red wings that were drug on the ground.

"Spike, ah need to speak with Twilight. Can ya get her here for me?" Big Mac asked looking the small dragon in the eyes.

"um..yes I can, please come in. You can put the pegasus in Twilight's bed upstairs." 

Big Mac walked in, but instead of putting Applejack upstairs he laid her on the floor and pulled the hood over the part of her face that wasn't covered by her broken mask. He stat next to her with a hoof on her chest to keep her down if she tried to get up before Twilight arrived.

Spike was confused at first, but the little dragon hurried off to send a letter of Canterlot for Twilight's urgent return. It didn't take long before the flash of a teleportation spell flickered to life and she was standing in front of them.

"Where is the Pegasus Spike?" Twilight said as calmly as she could.

Spike pointed to the ground near Big Mac, "They are right there"

Twilight looked to the hooded Pegasus, when her eyes saw the large crimson red wings she turned her head to face Big Mac,"Where did you find her?"

The large earth pony sat down, his gaze never leaving Applejack, "That thing came to the farm and tried to tell me it was my sister. I want to know why it was there and why it looks like her"

Spike walked over to it in confusion and lifted  the hood, a long blond mane fell to the floor with bits of a mask and blood. The small dragon fell back when he say Applejack's face.

"Twilight, what is this and why is it stalkin around the farm?" Big Mac asked.

Twilight walked over and rested a hoof on AJ's side, "This is your sister, she was given a second chance as a guardian Angel. This is the doing of Princess Luna and her son Cassius."

Big Mac sat in disbelief of what Twilight was telling him, "This is not AJ, and Ah don't want it anywhere near my family. Can you keep get rid of it Twilight?"

The purple Alicorn looked to him in complete shock, "Big Mac... this is you sister!"

The large read earth pony shot up and stapled a hoof in rage, "MY SISTER IS DEAD! WHAT DON'T YA PONIES GET, AJ IS GONE!"

The library fell silent, Big Mac tried to calm his breathing. Twilight took a step back as Spike hid behind her.

"Ah'm sorry, but i dont want to see that thing ever again. So please get rid of it, Ah need to get back to Fluttershy, she could have the Foal any day now"

With that, He opened the door and left without another word. Leaving Twilight to oversee the fate of Applejack.

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It had been a few days since Big Mac had taken Applejack to Twilight, He was now in his room with everypony else lived with him in the farmhouse, a very angry Lurking sat behind him with Towels as Fluttershy went into labor. It was almost time to see their newest member to the Apple family. Hours passed as Fluttershy's contractions got more frequent and the pain of pushing took its toll on the delicate pegasus, But the pain and effort was worth it in Fluttershy's eye when she saw her beautiful son. He was a tiny pegasus with with her yellow coat and his fathers mane and tail. His eyes were a dazzling green as he looking into Fluttershy's tender gaze.

Big Mac nuzzled Fluttershy with a large smile before she asked, "Big Macintosh, what should we name him?"

It only took a moment for the new father to think of a name for his son, "How bout Clint?"

"That's perfect, hello Clint, I'm your mommy Fluttershy and this is your daddy Big Macintosh." She cooed to her child.

The two sat there in joy over their giggling son who batted his tiny hooves at them. Everypony in the room watched the newest member of the apple family with pure joy. A feeling of uneasiness fell over him as he looked out the window. Ashs danced in the moonlight, a feeling of lose entered his mind for only a second before the cries of his new son filled his ears. He looked to him with a smile as the feeling faded into the night as new life entered this world, letting one leave and rest from their long ordeal.

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Applejack looked through the window of her brothers bedroom. She has perched herself on a tree that was planted close to the house. Resting her back against it, she smiled at the sight of her brothers joy at seeing his son. The Apples have a new member, And Applejack was happy to see him.

A sharp pain rose from her chest as a searing chile filled her. She placed a hoof over her chest and felt a hole begin to form as she turned to ashes. With a deep sigh and a tear of sorrow she looked back to her family.

Applejack whispered to herself,  “My time is up…? Already?”

She pressed her hoof on her chest as pain filled her once again and the hole that ended her life that fateful day reopened, claiming her once again,”At least I got to see all of you.. one last time. I am sorry for leaving you, and I wish you only the best.”

As if hearing her, Big Mac looked out the window. His gaze only saw the ashes that drifted past the moon. As he looked back, AJ saw her nephew looking back at her. Hes crying seemed to stop as his first smile formed. This brought a smile of her own as the pain seemed to dull. Applejack knew he was in loving hooves, and she would be able to watch over him when she was back with the Eternal Herd. Applejack closed her eyes as she vanished from this world, visiting it  for the last time.