Fluttershy and Applejack stood staring at the hole in the ground. It was about four feet long and six feet deep. There was a small, beautiful black coffin in it. The coffin was covered in plump apples that had been thrown in an old Apple Family tradition.

Big Macintosh had a front leg wrapped around Granny Smith, who was sobbing for all she was worth. Scootaloo sat on the big red pony's back with her forelegs wrapped around his neck, weeping. In the next row of mourners stood Rainbow Dash, who was crying gently, cradling a sobbing Pinkie Pie. Twilight Sparkle was crying by herself.

And Rarity?

Rarity was mourning for a different reason. Of course she was sad about Apple Bloom. The filly had been spunky and kind, if not a big messy and destructive. She didn't deserve to die. But Rarity was mourning for the loss of her thirteen-year-old sister. Sweetie Belle was still alive and well, all body parts intact. But she had ridden a train far away somewhere, never to return to Ponyville. That much was obvious. She had left a second letter to Rarity and Rarity alone. In the letter there was apology upon apology; along with the promise that while Scootaloo would never return to Ponyville, Rarity could come visit her sometime.

Not that Rarity knew where she was.

The preacher finished his words about lambs and Celestia and heaven and ushered the family away so that the gravedigger could fill in the hole.

Rarity sighed and wiped her eyes with an expensive kerchief. She trotted off alone and hung her head. "I suppose I must come to terms with this," she murmured to herself. "Sweetie Belle is gone. She'll give me the address of where she is when she's good and ready. I must accept that this is partly my fault." I just don't want you to feel guilty, she thought. It wasn't your fault.

XXX

In a different part of the cemetery, two mares stood at the grave of somepony named Apple Seed. The inscription on the grave read "Apple Seed. May 1st – July 1st. Though you passed on soon, you will always be in our hearts."

"That's very sad," Fluttershy said softly. "Little Apple Seed was only three months old."

Applejack nodded. "That little filly was a relative 'a mine. Ah 'member when she died. Ah was only five, though, so ah don't 'member much. Just a lotta cryin' folks."

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy apologized quietly.

"It's fine, sugar cube," Applejack sighed. "Ah'm just gonna miss 'er."

Fluttershy knew Applejack wasn't talking about Apple Seed. She was talking about Apple Bloom. "I'm sorry," Fluttershy repeated meekly. "I'm sure you hear that a lot. I really do mean it, though."

Applejack looked into the big blue eyes of her friend. "Ah know ya do, darlin'. That's why ah love ya." She hugged the mare close.

XXX

In the next part of the cemetery, Big Macintosh left Granny Smith to her own devices and lifted Scootaloo gently off of his back. "She was yer best friend." It wasn't a question the way he said it. It was more of a statement.

Scootaloo nodded.

"Mah family just lost a filly," Big Macintosh went on, "and yer family doesn't exist. Ah'd like to per-pose a deal with ya."

Scootaloo looked up with hopeful eyes.

"How'd ya like to have me fer a big brother? Ah mean… how'd ya like fer our family t' adopt you?"

Scootaloo nodded and hugged her new big brother.

XXX

And in a grand city called Canterlot, in the castle of a Princess called Celestia, a filly called Sweetie Belle sat on a large bed. Celestia had agreed to let her stay in the castle for one year; if in that time she was ready to go back, she could. But Sweetie knew she would never return to Ponyville.

And that was just the way it would have to be.

XXX

Epilogue: Applejack and Fluttershy stayed together until the end of their days. Fluttershy eventually moved into the Apple Family's house, using the barn as residence for all of her animals. She and Applejack treated Scootaloo like a daughter, which Scootaloo liked fine.

Big Macintosh stayed working at the Apple Family's farm until he was old and his pelt has turned gray. After Granny Smith died, he had a large statue of the mare made right in the middle of the apple orchard. He never forgot his little sister, but eventually moved on.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie and Twilight became an inseparable threesome as Rarity drifted away and Fluttershy and Applejack spent most of their time together. The three friends eventually spit off from Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack completely, becoming nicknamed "The Troublesome Threesome."

Rarity became depressed for many months, but hid it well. She eventually moved away from Ponyville and moved into the Canterlot Castle, starting an award-winning fashion line called Where has the Sweet Gone? Nopony ever got the title, but it was close to Rarity's heart. She eventually married Fancypants.

And Sweetie Belle? She stayed her year in the Canterlot Castle, and then moved to Doge Junction, working in the cherry factory for a now-aged Ms. Cherry Jubilee. She only kept that job for a year because she didn't find it fun. She then moved to Manehattan for five years, living a happy existence. Now aged twenty, she traveled back to Canterlot for a year, and then visited Appaloosa and Baltimare over the course of another two years. She eventually married a young colt from Trottingham named Jack. She never went back to Ponyville, and she never saw her sister again, but the small town always stayed in her bittersweet heart.

The End.