Kiss of Death

You shouldn't have left her. You should have said something. Should have convinced her to come with you, even if she was being so stubborn about it! Or you could have stayed at Sweet Apple Acres with her. Could have done something, anything, differently. Did you really have to go on the delivery run? "Family tradition," she had said. If you wanted to hang around, you were going to pull your weight.

Despite everything, you felt your lips curl up at the memory. For as long as you'd been visiting, she'd been putting you to work. Of course, both of you were just dancing around the real reason you stuck around, and it wasn't the money. Idly, you glanced at the sign proclaim that you'd arrived at the orchard. It was fully intact but for the few brownish stains covering the poles. Something seemed to have brushed past it. Something that was bleeding.

That was enough to turn your smile bitter. Her last words to you had been to get to work.

"Go on, sugarcube, ya gotta get going. When the chores're done, then we can talk or anythin' ya want, alright?"

You had grinned at her. Asked her to repeat that "anything." The way she glared at you then was burned into your memory.

"Ya want one o' them Pinkie Promises, do ya," she had said. "Well, I ain't got any cupcakes, but tell ya what. I'll have a dozen ready by the time ya'll get back." She had waved her hoof at you. "Now shoo. There's work to be done."

That moment was when you made your mistake. You left. You walked right out and left her alone. And because of that that, you weren't there when...

You shook your head clear. Enough with the drama, she would've hated that. Get back to work. With an exhaled sigh, you continued on through the orchard. There wasn't much different about it, though a great deal of the apples had already been bucked off their branches. It wasn't long before you reached the barn, or what was left of it.

The barn was definitely not how you left it, the most obvious change being the large hole left in one side. As you crept closer, more became apparent. There were splinters and shards of wood laying outside the hole, making you think something made a hasty escape. The doors of the barn were shut tight, the door bar holding them still. You could see nails poking out from some of the thinner sections, where boards had been nailed in place. Taking peek inside the hole, you recognized the stench of rot immediately.

A pony you didn't recognize lay on the ground several feet inside. It looked as if someone had taken to its head with a sledgehammer, even before the maggots got to it. Dried blood stained the pony's coat a blackish brown color, and a festering mass of maggots busied themselves on any opening they could find, most of them converging on the spot where the pony's throat had been ripped out. You couldn't help but think there was something off about it, but you weren't sure you wanted to get any closer. Not after the stories you heard.

Still, those wounds were bothering you, and you could see well enough from where you were. You noticed that several of the wounds had no bloodstains around them, and there was not nearly enough pooling, or pulp for that matter, from the pony's crushed skull. You figured those wounds probably happened after the pony died. Not good, but it it didn't mean enough by itself. Though there was that worrying lack of blood from the neck wound, too. It meant the body was probably moved. Yeah, someone moved it, and crushed its skull into the dirt. Maybe if you said it enough you'd start to believe it.

There was a sudden sound. You jumped, staring at the corpse before you. It hadn't moved. The noise sounded like an impact on a hard surface. Then, you heard it again. It was definitely coming from outside.

Looking outside, you saw the trees. Then, you heard the sound as one tree shook violently.

And all of its apples fell.

Your heart started beating hard enough to revive the pony behind you, and you dashed from the barn. Caution completely forgotten, you ran as hard as you could to the orchard, not knowing what to think but just needing to be there. You passed into the trees and jumped between them, your feet pounding the dirt. But when you passed the final tree, everything stopped. Your breath caught in your throat, and you felt cold despite the sun. There was nothing else you could do.

There she was. Applejack. The pony you'd dropped everything for, ignored every warning for, and rushed back to Ponyville just to find. Well, you found her. Something else found her first. The massive, unbleeding gashes that covered her body left no doubt in your mind.

Applejack was dead.

It was all you could do to stay standing, your eyes growing wet while your dry throat cracked, unable to make the slightest sound. You ducked behind the tree you just passed as a pair of glassy, unblinking green eyes turned your way. Applejack was dead, but she wasn't still. Her bloodstained hooves still carried her forward, the exposed muscle and frayed skin of her half-eaten legs apparently posing no difficulty. You could hear her shifting her weight on the grass as she took a step towards your hiding place. You sighed in relief, thankful she hadn't seen you. So it was true, the dead really were coming back. And now, the one you'd come back here for was one of them.

What now? What would you tell her family? Behind you, the sound of a tree being bucked resounded, breaking you from your reverie. Though, that in itself was strange. Weren't zombies supposed to be mindless eating machines? You decided to take another look, just to make sure. As you watched, Applejack approached one of the trees, and took her standard stance. Her hind hooves lifted up and slammed into the tree, just like every other time you'd seen her do it, save for the tooth marks and gashes that covered her legs.

Apples fell into the baskets that she always prepared under the trees as she bucked them. You never knew how she managed to do it, but every time, no apple ever missed. Right before your eyes, every single apple fell true, landing perfectly. Just like every other time you'd seen this. It was almost enough to make you laugh. The world may very well be ending, the dead were walking Equestria, and Applejack was still bucking apples. There's work to be done.

You'd watched Applejack like this before. Not usually hiding, but you always found the time between chores just relaxing as you watched her work. Her muscles would flex and ripple, visible under her fur as she moved or walked. You loved to watch her walk, her shoulder muscles working, shifting her weight between her legs, letting her subtle strength support it. Her hooves would hit the ground, sending that tiny shock of movement through her entire body.

Watching her corpse go through the same motions made it seem as if nothing had changed. You couldn't help but notice every little detail of her form, her surprisingly clean wounds giving an internal look at her beautiful machinery in motion. You could see her tendons extending and contracting, pulling her body forward. Again, Applejack lifted her hind legs, the fibers within tightened as she pulled back, before springing outward. She even tensed her legs just before impact. Just like every other time.

As soon as the apples fell into their baskets, Applejack's glassy stare turned to face them. Her head lowered, grabbing one of the baskets in her mouth and hoisting it onto her back. You noticed as she did, that her hat came loose, falling from her head before getting caught in the wind. Where it had been, you saw another grievous wound, a carving taken from the back of her skull. It was just enough to prevent the hat from fitting as tightly as usual. An unblinking stare followed the hat. A hoof moved to begin chase.

You decided you'd seen enough.

You stepped out from behind the tree, into the wind, and in the perfect position to catch the windswept hat. With one hand you managed to grab it out of the air and gave your best grin to the mare galloping towards you. "Lose something?" You asked her playfully.

Applejack stopped just short of you, and gave you an unblinking stare. Somehow, you got the feeling that even were she alive, she'd have been unimpressed with your stylish catch. Even so, you let out a massive sigh, thanking the stars that you were right. A gurgling growl froze your blood and forced you to hastily reconsider your assessment. Before you could move Applejack shot forward, her powerful legs propelling her like a spring.

You turned to run, but weren't even able to manage that before Applejack slammed into your side and brought you to the ground in a tangle of limbs. You briefly thought back to the splintered hole in the barn, and the pony whose skull was crushed by what at this point was highly unlikely to have been a sledgehammer. Your head falls back and you close your eyes, wondering if she'll try to eat you or just shatter your shkeleton. Seconds passed. You could still feel some of Applejack's weight on your, one hoof pressed to your chest and another holding your arm down. More seconds passed without you feeling the sweet embrace of death. You risked opening your eyes, and came eye to eye with a dead mare.

Applejack continued to stare blankly, keeping you pinned. After what felt like an eternity, Applejack's mouth dropped open, and a hole in her throat became apparent from this close. Finally, Applejack bared her teeth and began to lower her head, slowly moving closer. You knew you'd never get free from her, so you just decided to accept this and tilt your head back to expose your neck to her. Maybe you'd bleed out before the worst. Yet, again seconds passed with your body still painfully uncrusherized.

Looking back up, you saw Applejack holding her hat in her mouth.

Applejack lifted one of her hooves and placed her hat in it, then transferred it to her head. After that, she moved her hooves, which freed your arm and allowed you to scramble to your feet. The entire time, a pair of glassy eyes watched your every move. Once you were fully up, Applejack turned away from you and began to gather the apples that spilled when she tackled you. Not knowing what else to do, you helped her gather the apples and hefted a basket. If Applejack noticed, she gave no sign, but began to trot towards the Apple family's house. You followed her, unsure what was even going on.

It didn't take long to reach to reach the house, though it had certainly seen better days. It was boarded up similarly to the barn, with windows covered and obstructions placed behind them. However, one of the boarded windows, as well as the front door, were unbarred. While the window appeared to have broken inward, it looked like the front door had its boards pried off. Several were still lying scattered in front of the door.

Applejack gave no heed to anything as she opened the door and shambled inside. You followed her inside, unable to stop yourself from glancing around nervously. You couldn't see much in the dark of the boarded house, but you knew the house pretty well by now. Applejack made her way to a firefly lantern and uncovered it, lighting up the room. Now able to see, the room actually looked different. Some of the furniture had been rearranged, some to block the windows, but there had been another purpose to it.

Several tables had been moved together, covered by a colorful tablecloth. Extra seats had been brought out, and streamers and balloons were everywhere. Plates and bowls had been set up, though they were empty now. In the corner sat a record player. The room looked exactly like one of Pinkie Pie's parties.

"Applejack," you started, something catching in your throat. Despite the situation, things were starting to make sense.

Applejack turned to face you, her face locked in an expressionless position. Even so, you thought you could see something behind those glassy eyes. Applejack turned again, breaking the contact, and trotted into the kitchen. You moved to follow her, trying to choke the words out.

"Applejack," you started again. "Is this why? Is this why I had to make the delivery?"

There was no response from the kitchen. You knew you were practically talking to yourself, but you didn't know why. What was Applejack? A zombie? Was she unable to speak because her throat was damaged, or was there another reason? You stumbled into the kitchen, your head spinning. Applejack was busy gathering things from various cupboards. You nearly tripped over another corpse, but it barely registered to you.

"You just needed me out of the house,' you gasp in Applejack's direction. "So you could set up a surprise party. But why? You couldn't have known..." You trailed off, your mind in a fog, but slowly putting pieces together. Applejack did not respond, still gathering things and putting them on the counter.

"It took me days to get back here," you stated. "Long enough to send invitations to far off relatives, right?" You started to laugh. "There's not another reunion for a while, so there's only one reason to do that," you started to calm yourself. "You knew."

Applejack finished mixing things. She made her way over to the stove and pressed on the bellow to stoke the flames. The heat built up, warming the room. Applejack didn't seem to feel it.

"You knew I was going to propose," you stated flatly.

Applejack looked up. Her eyes remained as still and glassy as they had been, but you swore you saw something. Seemingly satisfied that the stove was preheated enough, Applejack walked out of the kitchen and down the hall. You followed closely behind her, your mind clearheaded enough to start noticing thing again. Past the kitchen, there was a lot of blood on the floor.

Not just the floor, and not just blood, either. You began to notice maggots crawling around. There were places the walls had been cracked, with bits of viscera still on them. As you passed a room, you saw pony corpses through the slightly open door. It was just a moment, but one of them was tied by rope and hung by its neck. It was still moving.

The blood on the floor seemed to be increasing, as well. There were a large amount of droplets, with small spatter and fairly circular stains. You figured this blood came from a slowly moving pony with some big wounds. It appeared to be a trail, and Applejack appeared to be following it.

It didn't take long for Applejack to reach her destination. A doorway spattered with blood, while the door itself was broken off its hinges and sitting in a corner. You knew this room. You'd been in it a few times. This was Applejack's room. Inside, you could see a lot of dead ponies, their heads crushed just like the one in the barn. Many of them had severe wounds, bloodless just like the other zombies you'd seen. But then, there was a massive bloodstain on the floor beneath them. A pool of that size meant a living pony had died here.

There was a hole in the ceiling through which sunlight was leaking in. You noticed wings, and figured what must have happened. A zombie pegasus must have smashed through, and that let others in. It looked like quite a fight took place after that. You turned to Applejack, trying to find your voice.

"This is where you died," was all you could manage. Applejack gave no indication that she heard you, rifling through a chest at the foot of her bed. After a moment, her head popped back up. There was a small box in her mouth, one you thought you recognized. Applejack set the box on her hoof and nudged it open.

There, on a tiny cushion, sat a human sized wedding ring.

You couldn't help but laugh. It was insane. You didn't know what to think. So you just settled for the fact that you were wrong.

"You didn't know," said, a grin plastered across your face. "You needed the time to get a custom ring made for a human finger. Because YOU were going to propose to ME."

This was it, you were sure. Your mind had finally snapped, and now you were just a laughing maniac in a room full of corpses, while one of the ones that got back up proposed to you.

What now? What would you tell her family? This time, a hoof to your knee broke you out of your thoughts. Applejack stood, still holding the ring. It was bare. It only lasted for a moment. But you saw it again. The one thing you could always inspire in her. She was waiting for you to get back to work. She wanted an answer. Just like every other time.

You had to laugh again. "What can I even say?"

Applejack made a noise, and your mind filled in the words. "Say yes."

You weren't sure if your smile could get any wider, but you won't say it didn't try. You reached into your pocket, grasping the weight that had been tugging at you since you first heard about the incident. It was the only thing you grabbed when you rushed back to Ponyville. You lifted the ring, and pointed at the one she held. "Trade?"

You reached out to pick up the ring, but Applejack pulled it out of your reach. Your confusion lasted only long enough for Applejack to pick up the ring with her mouth and hold it between her teeth. You held out your hand again, this time extending your fingers. Applejack leaned forward and slipped the ring onto your finger. It fit perfectly. If Applejack minded you running your finger inside of her mouth, she didn't show it. Now that it was your turn, Applejack presented her tail to you. It was frayed, and looked like something had tried to eat it, but that wasn't a problem. You deftly tied the cloth band around her tail, weaving it into golden band that formed the actual ring.

With that,finished, Applejack made her way out of the room, with you following close behind. Once she got back to the kitchen, Applejack immediately went back to work gathering ingredients. You didn't really notice before, but it looked like she had prepared some batter for something.

"I never did ask what you were doing in here," you reflected aloud. Applejack raised a hoof and made an X shape over her chest, before proceeding to shove the hoof into her own eye. It took you a moment.

"Oh," you realized. "The cupcakes. You didn't really have to do that. I think you have a pretty good excuse, personally."

Applejack didn't respond much to that, but she did finish putting the cupcakes in the oven. She glanced at a clock on the wall. Then, she began to walk out the door. You stepped out after her, calling for her to wait. "Where are you going?"

Applejack stopped for a moment, simply letting the direction she was looking explain her route. She was heading straight for the orchard. More specifically, it looked the exact spot she was bucking in when you found her.

"You're really going back to work?" you asked incredulously. "I'll be dark in less than an hour, why don't you just relax?"

Applejack reached her head back, grasping one of the empty baskets she had brought. With one movement, the basket was sent flying in your direction. You managed to catch it, but barely. This right here. This is why you love her.

"As you wish," you said, running after her with basket in hand.

You always did enjoy working with Applejack. If for no other reason than you were working in close proximity to Applejack. Now that you were back here, working with her again, it truly felt as if nothing had changed. Everything she did, she did just like every time you'd seen it. The way she walked, the way she kicked, even the way she used her tail to swat at the flies near her. On reflection, that was probably why she seemed so well preserved. If the flies couldn't lay their eggs on her, there wouldn't be any maggots to accelerate decomposition. She wasn't immune to rot, but that could certainly slow it for a while.

It didn't take long for night to fall, and with the two of you working you bagged quite a few apples in that short time. You had a feeling Applejack usually just worked through the night now that she could, but she still came back to the house with you once night fell. Probably why the house was still full of bodies, since she was never there to clean it.

Once inside, the cupcakes were ready and waiting. You knew Applejack was only eating for your benefit, but you still appreciate the the gesture. She wasn't very good at hiding the crumbs that fell through her esophagus. You might have poked it once or twice to tease her. You might have also ended up on the floor once or twice, but a little peck on the muzzle cleared that right up. In the end, your evening alone with Applejack was one of the best times you've ever had, even if she was dead during it. But even that didn't really matter anymore. She was Applejack.

After the meal, Applejack took off for the hallway again, clearing corpses from the path as she went. Naturally, you went after her, and followed her to the guest room you stayed in while you were at the Apple family house. Applejack gingerly climbed up on bed and then turned to face you, her green eyes bright in the dim room. There was a gurgle, and Applejack pressed a hoof to her ruined throat. Then, she spoke.

"Anythin' "

You climbed up on the bed next to her, clothes discarded, pressing your face close to hers. You drifted closer, matching her mouth with yours. Your tongue was going to explore every inch of her beautiful mouth,and you weren't going to stop it. Applejack returned the favor, diving deep into you in return. Her throat had long since dried, but yours had not, and soon your tongue brushed soft flesh, her entire mouth accepting your gift and returning your enthusiasm with all she could offer.

With one hand, you traced a finger along her body, caressing all you could find. You crept along her front legs, taking special care to comfort her exposed muscle. At your touch, the muscles twitched. Perhaps there was a little life in her after all. Just enough energy for a twitch reaction, even if the rest is dead. That would work just fine. You continued to caress her muscles, eliciting minor reactions. Maybe her nerves didn't work. Maybe her brain was dead. But each stroke of the muscle, each contraction and twitching fiber, skipped the brain entirely. Applejack twitched and shivered at your every touch, her legs shifting themselves open. Everything there was perfectly preserved, at least as well as her every twitching muscle. Just as before, your mouth gave her the gift of soft flesh. Looking the mare you loved in her perfect eyes, you entered deep into her, sinking within her body. Each thrust of your hips was matched by one of hers in a rhythmic pulse. Bodies entwined, your chest met hers, and the pulse grew. For just an instant, the room held two beating hearts.

You reached up, behind Applejack's head even as you drew your mouth closer. Your hand pressed against the back of her head, where her skull opened, and you felt her more than ready. Your hand moved, and Applejack reacted, her entire body tensing and relaxing. Her legs squeezed yours, and and a vice closed between your legs, squeezing out all you could give.

What's so bad about the kiss of death?

--

Slowly, you opened your eyes. Met with only darkness, you waited for your eyes to adjust as you sat up in the bed and stretched. You were no stranger to early mornings at Sweet Apple Acres, regularly waking up before the sun rose. However, you weren't quite used to the total darkness that surrounded you thanks to the covered windows. Without even starlight to see by, you weren't sure just waiting would be enough.

Idly, you extended a hand to the other side of the bed hoping to feel your partner's cold embrace once again. You felt nothing beside you. Applejack was gone. You had figured she'd try something like that, the way she was now. Still, you sighed as you climbed out of the bed. Was a morning cuddle so much to ask? A smile crept up on you. You knew she would've stayed if you'd asked her to.

It was a slight hassle to get dressed in complete darkness, but you eventually managed to stumble out of the room. Immediately, you realized something was different. A sweet scent assault you the moment you opened the door, and you found you could see by the dim light of a lantern left on the wall. A light that revealed the new state of the house. It was clean.

Somehow, the bloodstains that spattered the walls and floor were gone, as were the chunks of pony that had been smashed into the walls. The bodies, too, had disappeared from every room you checked. Several of the boards had been reinforced or repaired. You'd gotten used to the scent of rot early on, but now a new smell graced you. Once you reached the kitchen, you found it.. A fresh apple pie sat on the counter, one slice on a separate plate. You had to shake your head at that one.

Applejack stood just outside, her head tilted upwards, simply staring into the sky. Plate in hand, you stepped up next to her, following her gaze. Above you, the early morning sky shone brightly, a tapestry of stubborn stars that didn't know when to let someone else take the shift and rest, even if they didn't need it.

"They're beautiful," you said through a mouthful of sweet dessert and/or breakfast as the the two of you gazed at the stars. "Remind me of you." Since you didn't expect much of a response, you continued , taking bites between breaths. "I would've helped you with the house. You know that, right?" You gave Applejack a sidelong glance, watching her perfectly still form. "And these rings do still mean we made a promise to each other, don't they?"

Applejack's head turned at your words, staring right through you. Her tail flicked over beside her, dangling the band where it was easily visible. Then, she made the gesture of a familiar promise. Cross her heart. Hope to fly. And there was the hoof, the cupcake going directly into her eye.

"Exactly," you nod. "I know there wasn't a ceremony, and we might have some trouble with one or two vows, but who cares?." You put down the empty plate, and look at your ring. "This is my promise to help you. You've never been shy about telling me to get off my lazy butt, so what's wrong?"

Applejack's stare seemed to intensify. Perfect and unchanging as they were, those eyes of hers never could hide very much. If there was ever a pony who couldn't take a secret to the grave, it was Applejack. You saw broken gears turn behind those eyes, a dead mind that still knew the struggles of life. Applejack had reached a decision. Her lips peeled back, baring teeth as a low noise escaped her torn throat. You thought you you'd heard most of Applejack's vocal options, but this one sounded sad.

She began to walk, leading you behind the repaired barn. There, several patches of broken, raised earth were visible, a large pile of dirt dumped nearby. Each area had a large rock placed at one end. You didn't know how she found the time, but Applejack dug a graveyard.

A shovel fell next to your feet, Applejack mouthing her own. You grabbed yours and gave a questioning look. In response, she lead you to an empty patch and sank the shovel in.

Applejack dug slowly, lifting and dumping each clump of dirt in a series of practiced motions. She began a second pile for the new grave, depositing soft earth carefully so as not to allow any to fall back into the ever deepening hole. After a minute or two of digging, Applejack paused in her work. She had noticed that you hadn't yet joined in the work. That you weren't helping her. Her head shifted in your direction, and then she stepped out of the small pit. She must have noticed what had begun to stream down you face. The mare took another step closer to you, her perfect muscles visibly contracting as she reared up on her hind legs.

Decaying legs wrapped around your chest, cold fur and colder bone chilling you through your clothing. You welcomed the the hug, allowing the comforting chill to spread through your body. Your own arms returned your partner's affection, her head resting on your chest. After a moment, you felt hooves on the back of your head, pushing it down to Applejack's waiting mouth. A single, deep kiss met you eagerly, one that lasted for you don't know how long. You didn't want it to end. You knew what would happen once it did. When Applejack broke the embrace, your throat was dry.

"I never thought I'd be digging your grave," you whispered to her. You hugged her tightly once more, then let her go. When she touched down, you saw her muscles spring. It forced a small smile to your face. "I can't understand why."

Applejack raised her hoof, crossing an X over her chest. You both knew the rest and she didn't bother to continue it. Instead, she pointed towards the orchard, sweeping her hoof to guide your eyes over every tree.

"A promise?" you thought aloud. You looked at the trees curiously, and then it hit you. "We finished harvesting yesterday," you breathed.

You began to speak faster, your mouth working almost as fast as your mind. "The cupcakes, too. You promised to have them ready. The chores were done, so we could do anything. But we couldn't really, could we? You set up the party. You even got to propose, was that a promise you made to yourself?"

Applejack stood still for a moment as she simply listened to you speak. She made a move to pick up the shovel, but dropped it as she turned her head back to you.

"All you've done since I got here," you continued, "is work. You fulfilled every obligation you had. You cleaned the house, repaired everything on the farm, and even buried the dead. And you left your husband alone in bed to do it."

Applejack looked down at the ground. Her tail whipped around, swatting the flies gathering around her. Every so often, she would catch sight of shining metal and jewel, and just stop to stare at her ring.

"I think," you sigh, beginning to slow down. "I think I finally understand why. It's because you're not like them, right? I heard the stories, even if I ignored them. I saw the evidence. You're smarter than they are. Stronger. Better preserved."

You knelt down next to Applejack's prone form, and reached a hand under her head. She allowed you to guide her head up, and you faced each other for what felt like an eternity.

"Applejack," you locked your eyes with hers. "You're not a zombie, are you?"

Applejack stood, slowly and shakily forcing herself upwards. Her muscles contracted and relaxed rapidly, as if her legs were holding a weight that they could only barely withstand. As soon as her front legs moved, fur and skin slipped off of them, leaving only frayed muscle and bone. She took a step forward and her body heaved, one hoof landing roughly. There was a popping sound as brittle bone snapped. You immediately jumped to your feet and cried out in surprise. Panic flooded every pore of your body, locking you in place.

Still breaking under the stress of her own body, the dead mare trudged forward. Her head lowered, trying again to grab the shovel. The moment she bit down, several teeth fell to the ground. You blinked, and found you could move again. A step closer and you could touch, but your hand stopped short. If just moving was enough to peel skin off, you were not going to touch her.

It took several more teeth, but Applejack had grabbed the shovel and thrust it into the dirt of her grave. Something in her neck snapped, but she didn't stop. She stood to her full height, the convulsions that rocked her earlier slowing to a stop.

Something clicked in your head, and you felt like an idiot. You snatched the shovel and ran, plunging it in the dirt as fast as you could. With both of you digging, the pile grew and the hole deepened. All the while, Applejack had been regaining her strength. The skin and teeth she lost stayed gone, but she worked as if her leg wasn't broken. Soon enough, the grave was complete.

"I'm sorry," you managed, shaking your head. "If I helped, we finished faster. That's why. You did it to stay with me. You're not like the others because you had rules, right?"

Applejack stepped into her grave, turned to face you and laid down. She waved the ring on her tail and then, as her final act, she tried to take you with her.

"Naw," Applejack laughed, a smile on her face. "Just had a promise ta keep."

--

EPILOGUE

"Revenant?" you asked, shifting in the provided seat uncomfortably.

"Yes," Twilight Sparkle nodded. "A Revenant is a type of undead that is created when a living creature dies with unfinished business. The body reanimates and seeks to accomplish a specific goal. Once the Revenant completes that goal, it dies. They're typically harmless, if you don't interfere with the task."

She said it so mechanically, you had to wonder just how long Twilight could keep it up. It was difficult to tell how well she was handling the situation. She was throwing herself into studies, shutting out everything, just to keep from thinking about her friends.

"I don't know," you reply. "Applejack was fine as long as she kept working on anything, and she accomplished quite a few goals."

Twilight winced at the mention of Applejack's name. "Yes," she intoned, a bitter crack forming in her voice. "Such as marrying you, or so the story goes."

Ouch. At least the Apple family had your back. They were the reason you weren't banished for Applejack's murder, after all.

"However," Twilight conceded, "it is possible for a Revenant to have more than one goal. Rather, they may have multiple small tasks as part of a larger one. If they owed several favors to a single person, a Revenant could rise to repay any or all of them."

"Alright," you start. "Can one of these Revenants make new goals after rising?"

"That's never been documented," Twilight said quickly.

"I see. Thanks," you stand up, nodding to Twilight. "I know Applejack would love to see you again. She and I have a lot to talk about."

"What?" Surprise, hope, and fear shattered the facade of Twilight's voice. She recovered, and anger joined. "Applejack," she spat, "died in the outbreak."

"Yeah," you agreed. "Next time she rises, she'll head your way. That's another goal on the list. Thanks again."

"That's," Twilight choked. "I'd...like that."

You raised your hand, showing the ring. "It's a promise."

END