My Time With the Farmer: Three Years Later

Applejack looked at him stunned with tears streams down her cheeks.

"Three days." She kept mumbling to herself. "No, there must be something that you can do to stop the cancer, slow it down at least." She said to the nurse and then Celestia. They both just hung their heads in defeat. Applejack wailed and I sat her down on her bed where she buried her head into the pillow and cried. Everyone exited the room and went back into the hallway. Most of each pony just looked at me funny or proudly, like it was an honor to know me. Which it was but that's beside the point. I was going to die in three days. But applejack would be able to live the rest of her life. It was worth it. Luna looked over to her sister who nodded and approached Joe.

"Umm Joe," she said tapping him on the shoulder. "Can we talk to you for a moment, in private." Celestia added. They walked into his room and Joe followed. They shut the door behind him.

"Now girls, if this is about finding another pony's heart for me to take, then I don't want to hear it." Joe said.

"Joe, there is a way to survive this and no pony has to die. The only problem is, you wouldn't be you anymore." Luna said her midnight blue mane blowing in her sister's face making Celestia sneeze.

"What are you talking about." Joe said cocking his head to the right and massaging his chest.

"We could make you a pony." Celestia said. "It would slow the process of the cancer down to the point that it wouldn't be a threat until you were already dead." Luna added.

"I have to think about it. Being a pony would be strange and I would never name able to go back home. But if I was a pony then I would live and I would get to stay with applejack. Then again if I stay human then I'll still die before I get to go home anyway. Wait a sec, how in the hell does that work. How would making me a horse make me live longer." I asked.

"Do you remember the wolf attack. Well those wolves were possessed by the magic of a pony named nebula. He's a follower of darkness. When darkness was destroyed by Matthew 30 years ago nebula was one of his followers. He vowed to hunt down the descendants of Matthew and kill everyone in their family. He may have appeared in you dreams. But anyway, the cancer is magical and can be slowed by changing the species of the carrier." Luna said matter of factly.

"I-I-I, yes, yes I want to be a pony. If it means living with applejack then yes, I do." Joe said.

"Good, very good. We will do the spell tonight at sunset." Said Celestia exiting the room.

Sunset was fast approaching and to pass the time joe was drawing. When the door opened he looked up to see Celestia standing there with her sister Luna and twilight. Joe sat up straight and looked out the window to see the sun begging to set. He looked back to Celestia and handed her the drawing. Unspoken words passed between them and Celestia nodded on agreement. And took her place at the end of the bed with Luna to her right and twilight to her left. Their horns started to glow and Joe felt himself begin to float. He closed his eyes and let what was about to happen, happen.

Outside the door stood many ponies. Not only his friends but the entire hospital staff that wasn't busy, the patients at the hospital that were almost fine and applejack's family which he had yet to meet. All there to see the first human they had met since Matthew, be turned into a pony. A bright white light shine under the door and lit up the whole corridor. The light began to subside and there was a thud from inside the room and clopping of hooves to the door. The door opened revealing three ponies, the ones that had gone in. Some ponies looked at the ponies that came from inside confused when another pony joined them and walked out of the room. It was a tall, muscular brown Pegasus with a blond mane and piercing green gaze. A confident and slightly defiant smile creased his face.

"Joe, is that, is that you." Applejack said her voice cracking.

"The one and only." Said the familiar voice. Applejack squeaked and tackled him to the ground and covered his face with kisses. The crowd cheered for the former human. When applejack got off of him and allowed him to stand he looked over to Celestia.

"Could I leave this place, the hospital I mean. It's getting real real boring here." He said to Celestia.

"You should be fine now, just take it easy." She said. One of the doctors looked like he was about to protest but closed his mouth. When the highest authority in equestria approved something, it was approved. Joe proceeded to turn around and start trotting out of the hospital, with applejack and her friends on his tail along with the nurse and the princesses.

"Wait, nurse redheart! You still have two hours left on your shift." One of the doctors yelled out.

"I quit!" Nurse redheart said without turning around.

"So your names nurse Redheart." Joes said casting a sideways glance to the cream colored pony with a red mane.

"Amber Redheart, but you can call me Amber." She said smiling. As they cropped down the cobblestone streets of ponyville Joe spread his wings and took off. Feeling the wind in his mane was wonderful, nut not as wonderful as being with applejack. Nothing came close to that.