//------------------------------// // 2: Applebloom's Reunion // Story: The Key // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// Applebloom woke up in the light of a sunrise. It took a while to blink the blur away to just to see, but when things became clear, she was staring out a window that overlooked the deserts of Appaloosa... Wait! “Scootaloo? Sweetie Bell?” She sat up. Finding herself in a gorgeously carved bed that was made out of apple wood, the same kind of wood that made up Sweet Apple Acres. She found herself in a room where there were pictures of every family member she knew and many, many folks that she never had seen before. But what caught most of her attention was what was right in front of her. Or rather, who. Sitting her back from the fireplace in a rocking chair was her sister. Even as a tall alicorn, it was no doubt her sister. From her orange coat to even her trademark hat that now has a golden apple that was added to it. Applebloom saw her eyes. She had seen her like this before when she had to do graveyard shifts to make up lost time. And those tired eyes were staring straight at her. “I just don't know what to do with you,” she said. “I don't know if I should be shocked. Or thankful. Or sad. Or even glad that my own sister; long thought to have either been foalnapped or ran away; searched for decades only later to presumed dead, and I have wept for you for centuries; only to find out that you as well as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to come right back a thousand years later. The only thing that's on my mind right now is asking you – why?” Here, Applebloom saw something in her sister's eyes that she hadn't seen since the day their parents died. Although she tried her best to look serious, her tears betrayed her. “Why did you leave? Was it, something I've said? Or somepony else said or did? Did you left with somepony without leave us a little hit, not even a note? Ju-Just why?” Applebloom, ignoring her hunger pains, got out of the bed and went over to her sister. “Sis. You did nothin' wrong. I didn't know I even left, I swear! Please, don't cry Applejack, I'm here. There ain't nothin' to cry about no more.” She was caught off guard when her sister went up and hugged her in a death grip. Applebloom struggled to say something. “What's that Applebloom?” Applejack asked loosening her grip a little. “Oxygen!” “Oh!” she let go of her little sister. “So sorry about that. Just couldn't help it.” she laugh uneasily but returned her stern look. “But in all seriousness. Just where on this planet have the three have you been? We've been looking the entire world for you.” Applebloom's ears folded back, she looked down as she pawed at the ground. “I'm sorry sis. It was just yesterday that we went all over Ponyville to see what this key unlocks. We spend all day lookin' until we found a blue box on Trotting Lane.” “A blue box?” “Yeah, and, I know I might sound a little crazy, but we found it was somehow bigger on the inside, and there was this machine in there, and then there was this stallion with Ditzy Do. Then Sweetie Bell set the machine runnin', we tried to get out, and when we did we found everythin' has changed and Pinkie's an alico-” “I think I get the picture.” Applejack put a hoof in her sister's mouth. “Just so I know that you didn't run away on purpose, right?” “Why would I?” “And that this stallion didn't foalnap ya, right?” “Well, no.” Applejack hugged her sister again, this time more gently. “That's all I wanna hear. And the important thing now is your back, and that's all that matters.” “But, what about Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, where they?” Applejack smiled. “Sweetie is in Prance with Rarity. And Scoot's is in Cloudtro- Cloudsdale with Rainbow.” It was here that Applebloom's stomach growled loudly. “Why look at that! I didn't realize you'll be that hungry. Come on, let's get ya breakfast.” “Oh good, I'm starvin'. And by-the-way, what's breakfast?” “Whatever you want.” -*- Not even in all of her memories of Applebloom has Applejack has ever seen her sister this hungry. She already went though flapjacks that stacked as high as her head and was drenched in melted butter and maple syrup; half an apple pie; three glasses of apple juice and at least a dozen cinnamon buns. But when she wasn't eating, she asked about what happened to her, the family, the farm and why she's in Appaloosa. Her sister explained that after she had disappeared, she had transcended from earth pony to alicorn when she unlocked a new kind of the magic of honesty. Over time, the family that Applebloom knew died off one by one. First Granny Smith, then Prince Big Mac with his wife Cheerilee. Until all of her best friends became alicorns like her and Twilight, she worked on the farm until she found ponies worthy enough to take care of it. And promise to keep it in business as long as possible. The farm itself is long gone but it did leave a legacy behind of work ethics and help her relate to the ponies here in Appaloosa. She had helped, through trial and error, to straighten the relationships of the buffalo tribes and the ponies who work here. When Equestria became an Empire of Harmony, where Celestia is the Empress of the day and Luna the Empress of the night, Applejack wisely suggested that each part of the empire should have a leader of its own, that way, all who ruled these territories are kept in check to see they don't become corrupted. And because of relationships here in Appaloosa, she decided to stay here to rule. “Well, that makes sense, I guess,” Applebloom said. “But wait, if your princess here, does that make me royalty or somethin'?” “Well, since you’re really the only one who's really close to me by blood that I know... So yeah.” “Sweet!” She continued to devourer the palate of toast. After a while, Applejack spoke up. “Um, Applebloom, I need to tell ya somethin'.” “About what?” “Well, after you... left. We started searchen' for clues to try to figure out where you Y'all were. Well, for my part, the first thing I did... Was going through your diary.” Here, Applebloom nearly choked on her fourth cup of apple juice. “Y-you did what!?!” “I know. I know, I shouldn't have. But at the time, we were desperate to find Y'all. So I thought maybe if ya kept a diary like we had, maybe it might provide a clue as to where you'd have gone.” At this point, Applebloom turns a paler shade of yellow. “And while I went through it, I found somethin'. It was the part about Scootaloo.” Now Applebloom's face turned more and more red. “I...” She couldn't look at her sister in the eye. She was getting nervous and her sister knew it. “I-I don't know what your talkin' about.” “Applebloom.” “I-I mean. S-Scoot's a good f-friend and all.” “Applebloom.” “YouknowwhatIshouldgo.” She said quickly as she tried to just leave the room. Before she could even make halfway towards the door, she found herself in yellow light, being picked off the ground. Now she was terrified. She tried bucking and moving her limbs to fruitlessly try to free herself. “Applejack, no! Let me go!” “Applebloom! Look at me!” Reluctantly, she did. Applejack can see nothing but absolute fear in her little sister's eyes. “Applebloom. You don't have to be afraid of me no more.” “W-why not?” “The thing is... I get it.” She just stared at her, for what seemed to be a good solid minute until she asked: “Wha?” “Look, if it makes ya feel any better, remember Braeburn?” Applebloom tilt her head to the side, “You mean cousin Braeburn? The one who really likes it here and has that creepy than anything' you've ever seen smile whenever anypony get's off the train Braeburn?” Applejack nodded. “What about 'em?” “He got married.” Her eyes widen. “He did?” “Eeyep. But more surprising was who he married.” “Who?” “Believe it or not, it's Soarin.” Now Applebloom's jaw dropped. “Soarin! As in one of the Wonderbolts Soarin! So wait, does that mean that cousin Braeburn is-” “Was.” Applejack interrupted. “He passed away a very long time ago. But to answer your question, yes, cousin Braeburn was into stallions. Which in hindsight turns out to be really helpful when the Pegasi immigrated here. All because a famous Pegasus married someone who lives here.” “Oh.” “And if it helps any further... Applebloom, I'm married.” “Oh now, I can't believe that!” “And why not?” “No offense sis, but the last time I saw ya, you weren't the marrin' type.” “That was a thousand years ago.” Her older sister said rolling her eyes. “But when I got to start doin' these princess duties, well, it turns out that being a ruler is much more lonely then I thought. And Applebloom, I know, it's one of the worst feelings you could have. Fellin' alone at the top that is. And I know that as long as there's somepony beside me, I would want have a reason to feel that way.” “Well, okay. So what's his name?” “Her.” Applejack corrected her. Applebloom stared at her sister again, somehow, this time it seems longer. “Applejack... does that mean, that- your a-” “That I like mares? Yes Applebloom, you don't need to hide no more.” Even suspended in mid-air by her sister's magic, Applebloom did manage to give her sister a nuzzle. “Alright, so, who is it then?” Applebloom asked. “I'll give ya a hint. She has a very colorful mane and even after a thousand years, she's still very narcissistic.” “You mean?... Rainbow Dash!” Applejack smile and saying only one word: “Eeyup.”