Whispers in the Cliffs

by DitzyDash

Chapter 3

Applejack and Big Mac returned to the barn. Granny Smith and Twilight Sparkle were sitting down together. Twilight was comforting the old pony, who looked like she couldn't take any more of this.

“I heard lots of noises and I was wondering what was happening.” Twilight said, breaking the silence. “Granny Smith was in a right state when I came.” she sighed. Then the unicorn looked up at Applejack.
“I was just wondering if anypony was hurt.” Applejack eyes filled with tears. Twilight flattened her ears against her head and said softly,

“Applejack… Where is Apple Bloom?” Her tone was sad, like she already knew the answer.

“Apple Bloom is… She’s… SHE’S DEAD!” Applejack screamed at the purple pony. “She’s gone! My little sister is gone!” Applejack bawled, now crying buckets.
“I’m so sorry Applejack.” She knew that there was no way she could comfort her miserable friend, so Twilight silently left the room and walked through the hole in the door.
“I’m so sorry.”

…………………………

Applejack woke up screaming. Nopony came to comfort her. Apple Bloom was gone. All of
Equestria was gone without her little sister. All the happiness she had held onto when her parents died was gone without her sweet yellow face. All was lost. Now there was nothing to do but weep.

…………………………

The faded pictures on the wall were talking to him. They said many things. How he could’ve saved her. How he could’ve run faster. How he could’ve…

…………………………

Applejack went down for breakfast. Granny Smith and Big Mac sat lifelessly at the table. As the family was eating the doorbell rang. Applejack went to open it. It was Diamond Tiara and Filthy Rich.

“Where’s Apple Bloom! We need to work on our project for school!” Diamond Tiara wailed.

“Apple Bloom is,” Applejack said, her face flushing. “Not here right now.” Diamond Tiara paused for a minute and asked,

“Well then, where is she? I need to talk to her!” she pouted. Applejack started breathing rather fast, and then stumbled. She wobbled uncertainly, her face paper-white, then collapsed upon the porch. The pink filly’s eyes widened. Filthy Rich ran towards her.

“Applejack?” she lifted her head. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she had been crying. How had the two ponies not realized that?

“Applejack?” the stallion called again, shaking her shoulder. “Applejack, are you alright?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “I- I’m fine… just… tired.” Diamond Tiara frowned.

“I don’t GET IT! Just tell me where Apple Bloom is! I NEED TO SEE THAT BLANK FLANK!” Applejack bared her teeth at the filly, making her back off, and snarled,

“You will find that BLANK FLANK at the bottom of Crevasse Cliff.” She growled. “NOW GO AWAY!” Diamond Tiara backed away quickly and then rushed off to the cliff. Filthy Rich shrugged and ran off too. Applejack collapsed again, howling in agony.

“DON’T THEY GET IT!?” She screamed to the sky. “DON’T THEY!?” she thumped her hooves into the dirt. “CELESTIA, BRING BACK MY SISTER!” No reply. “LUNA!? … Luna? Celestia…” The mare saw a regal blue body just before her vision went dark.

………………

Applejack woke up in complete darkness. She screamed and flailed around, kicking and punching at the air.

“Hush now child. Thou art completely safe.” a soft voice called in the dark. Applejack’s eyes widened.

“Princess Luna? Is that you?” she gasped.

“Yes Applejack. Art thou okay?”

“Um… Yes. Is there a light in here somewhere your Majesty?” Luna chuckled somewhere in the room.

“Yes Applejack.” the room was illuminated by four floating bulbs. The earth pony realized that the room was not a room, and that it was just a floor made out of clouds.

“Uh… Princess… am I uh… safe up here? You know, because of… uh… I’m an earth pony?” Applejack asked. Then she seemed to realize that that was a rather dumb question, as she probably would have plummeted to wherever was below the clouds already.

“You uh… don’t need to answer that…” she said sheepishly. The princess smiled. Her smile faded as she thought.

“But we must get on to more serious matters.” Applejack nodded.

“I am so very, very sorry about your loss. I thought that you would like to know that Apple Bloom is beyond my reach, but that she is perfectly safe and having a good time.” Applejack frowned, looking confused, and asked,

“Huh? I mean, your majesty, how do you know this? I thought you could only control ponies’ dreams?” Princess Luna’s brow furrowed.

“Yes, but there is a small realm in which I can control in death also.” Applejack’s eyes widened even more.

“Does that mean you can talk to my sister!?” she asked, eyes popping. The princess sighed.

“I am afraid that that is not that simple child.” she said. “I can only talk to spirits that are still traveling to the afterlife, or are hanging on, waiting.” and glancing at the look on the orange mare’s face, she also added, “I am sorry Applejack. Your sister was quite eager to get to the afterlife it seemed,” Tears filled Applejack’s green eyes.

“B… but…WHY!? I thought she would’ve at… at least…” the earth pony exclaimed, even doubting herself as she said it.

“Child, I know. I do. She seemed extremely interested in going on to afterlife. I did manage to hear her shouting as she rushed into the doors of the afterlife.” Princess Luna paused, chuckling. “She made quite a ruckus, I do say, shouting about ‘parents’.” Applejack gasped.

“It said in her letter that she was going to find our parents, but she doesn’t even know what they look like!” said Applejack, confused. “She knows their names, but she was too little to remember them.”

“Didn’t thou ever put pictures of them around the house?” Luna asked.

“Never.” sighed the orange pony. “We were all tryin’ to forget them, put it behind us. That never did work out. We loved them too much for us to just forget about them like that.” The princess smiled sympathetically.

“I am sure she will find them. Apple Bloom is a strong and stubborn pony, if I do say so myself,” Applejack managed a watery smile. “I do think that she will triumph in her search.”

“Tha...thanks Princess. It means a lot to me to hear that. And, I’m just wonderin’, where are we? I mean, are we in just a cloud, or in an imaginary land, or am I dreaming?”

“No child.” Luna replied. “This is the dream realm of Agtaguclat. No time has passed since you have fainted on your front porch back at Sweet Apple Acres.” the earth pony nodded.

“Uh… it’s been lovely an’ all, but can I go back home? This place is kinda startin’ to freak me out.” She shuddered as one of the lights flickered, went out, and came back on again. Luna chuckled.

“Of course. I shall send you home now. Remember what I’ve told you!” Then the cloud and princess disappeared into swirling blackness.

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Chapter 4 on it's merry way!