(The prompt: What’s an angel?)
Applejack took the blanket between her teeth, and pulled it up over Apple Bloom as the little filly snuggled down into her bed. Applejack let a few of the fireflies out of the small lantern, dimming the light in the room until it was just enough to see her way around. "Goodnight Apple Bloom. I reckon you'll sleep well tonight, seein' as how you finally started applebuckin' with me and Macintosh. You did good work today, little sis."
Apple Bloom stretched out her forelegs lazily, and yawned wide. "It's harder 'n than I thought it'd be."
"Well don't you worry, you'll get a lot a' practice now that you're helpin' out. Now get some rest, I'll see you bright an' early."
Applejack turned to leave, and made it most of the way to the door before she heard Apple Bloom speak, a little quieter and more subdued than normal. "Applejack, can I ask you a question?"
No little filly ever asked if they could ask something unless it was important, so Applejack put aside any thoughts of settling down into her own bed for now, and turned right around. "'Course you can, Sugarcube. What is it?"
Apple Bloom's hesitation spoke volumes before she even opened her mouth. "... Uh, I know we don't talk about 'em much, but... where's Ma and Pa?"
Applejack hesitated, and then reached out and ran her hoof over Apple Bloom's mane. "Come on now, Apple Bloom. We both know they... ain't livin' anymore."
"I know that, but uh... where'd they go after that?"
Giving up on the idea of this being just a quick question, Applejack sat down next to her sister's bed. "I'm bettin' if you asked ten ponies that question, you'd get ten different answers. Truth is I don't think anypony knows what happens after that, 'cept maybe Princess Celestia. But I could tell you what Granny Smith always told me."
Apple Bloom nodded, and snuggled down into her blankets. Applejack smiled and tucked the covers in around her sister. "Now she heard it from her parents too, goin' on back a ways, so there might be somethin' to it. But Granny Smith says that when a pony uh, stops livin', part a' her goes up past where pegasus ponies can fly, way on up in a beautiful place in the sky. They turn into angels up there, an' they get to see all their family and friends that passed on before they did."
"An' what's an angel?" Apple Bloom spoke quietly, sounding a bit unsure of the appropriateness of asking.
Applejack thought for a moment. "An angel's a kind of magic pony with wings, I'm guessin'. Seeing as how they live way on up there in the sky and all."
Apple Bloom's eyes widened. "So Ma an' Pa are princesses?"
Applejack chuckled. "What I remember a' Pa is he wouldn' want to be called a princess, but maybe it's somethin' like that. It's always sunny and warm up there, and there's food to eat and work if you want it, and you never get hurt or lonely. Least that's how I always heard it."
Her sister closed her eyes and smiled as she shuffled around a bit to get comfortable. "It sounds real nice. Can they see me from up there? I want Ma an' Pa to see my cutie mark if I ever get it."
Applejack hesitated a moment, looking off to the side, before she responded. "Sure they can, Sugarcube. S'why we always try to act our best an' make 'em proud. But don't you be in any hurry to go an' join them, you hear?"
Apple Bloom waved one hoof. "Nah, I know they'll be waitin' up there whenever I get 'round to it." Her voice lowered, and she spoke quietly as though somepony might overhear. "Besides, I don't really remember 'em anyway. You been kinda like my mom as long as I can remember."
Applejack closed her eyes and took a deep breath, doing her best to stop from tearing up. She wasn't sure what was making her get misty-eyed, her little sister not remembering her parents, or her sister saying she was as much a mom as anything, but she didn't want to look sad and upset the little filly. She tried to keep her voice even. "Don't you worry, little sis. I'm sure they remember you, and we'll have a big old reunion one of these days. Now scoot over."
Apple Bloom opened her eyes, and then moved over to the side of her bed, and Applejack crawled in under the covers and pulled the little filly close. She spoke quietly to her little sister. "Now I know I don't make a habit of sleepin' in here, but after talkin' about all this stuff I just don't want to let you go just now."
"That's alright Applejack, I don't want ya goin' away either."
It had been a long day with a lot of hard work, and it wasn't another few minutes before Apple Bloom fell fast asleep. Applejack looked down at her little sister, and carefully pulled her mane back out of her face as she slept. She spoke quietly, only barely loud enough to hear it herself. "Ma? Pa? I don't know if you can hear me way up there, but y'all have one real special little filly. I hope you're just as proud a' her as I am. We all miss you down here."
There was no answer, of course, but Applejack didn't mind that much. She held her little sister close, and tried to get comfortable in the undersized bed. In only a couple more minutes, she joined Apple Bloom in dreaming about flying through warm, sunny skies, and meeting two ponies she hadn't seen in far too long.