"It´s been a long long long time
How could I ever have lost you
When I loved you
It took a long long long time
Now I´m so happy I found you
How I love you"

George Harrison, The Beatles.

The train whistle screamed in the night as the steel wheels shrieked metal to metal on the tracks of a steep banked turn. The locomotive had been chewing up the miles, smoke, sparks and fire blasting from the smokestack as the engineer fought to make back the twenty minutes he’d lost waiting in Canterlot.

Ahead, in the blackness of the night he spotted an orange glow reflecting off the trees. Shadows moved and he squinted. Fire, deliberately set on the tracks. It was a signal fire - a sign that there was damage to the rail up ahead. He could see a pony in a vest and blue striped hat waving him to a spur off the main line. The signal flag the worker was waving told him there was some kind of block - maybe a tree down over the tracks up ahead and they would have to divert and wait it out. They were an hour from Canterlot, out in the deep country with no sign of a town or village around them. The train pulled into the spur and with a loud HSSSSS the engineer released the steam into the cold night air.

“Pardon me,” Applejack asked as she jumped down from the train, following the conductor, “But what’s the matter?”

The conductors eyes squinted as he tried to read his watch by the moonlight, “Tree down ahead,” he said, not looking up.

“Is that a fact? Any idea how long we’re gonna be here?”

The conductor looked back toward the engineer who was speaking with the signal pony. With an exasperated sigh he reached into his vest and pulled out a dog eared schedule and examined it closely, “No ma’am, I do not, but I’m sure they’ll tell us once the track is cleared,” he said, still reading.

“Are there any villages nearby?”

The conductor brushed past her toward the rear of the train, “The next town up the line is about seven or eight miles. There’s a train station there we’ll be stopping at if you decide you want to hoof it. I think there might be a tavern along the road on the way. It may be an Inn, I don’t recall. Anyway I don’t think we’ll be moving for at least 3 hours. Once they remove the rest of the tree, they’ll have to repair it.”

“Okay, well thank you kindly.”

“You’re not thinking’ of going alone, are you?”

“Sure. Why wouldn’t I?”

“You do realize ma’am that it’s the middle of the night and there are wild animals out there You might run into some timberwolves or bandits or who knows what. No offense,” he said, finally turning and looking at her, “but a cute little filly like yourself coul….” His jaw hung open.

“That’s might nice of you, but I reckon I can take care of myself…”

“Wait, ar-are you Applejack? THE Applejack of the Mane Six? I-I just got on two stops ago - nopony told me you were aboard!. I love you guys! My little boy, why he just worships the ground you walk on!”

“That’s a might kind of you to say. My friends are pretty special ponies. I’m a lucky girl.”

“No, I mean you! He has been in love with you since he was 8. He’s almost 11 now. Let me tell you Miss Applejack,-”

“Applejack’s just fine, or AJ”

“Well okay, uh, AJ. You are just as nice as everypony says. And if you don’t mind me sayin, much more beautiful. Or is it cute? I don’t know, but I think I know why my boy is head over hooves in love with you.”

Applejack blushed, “That’s real kind of you to say, but I’m just a regular old farm girl.”

Suddenly he looked around nervously, “Oh, I’m so sorry, I’ve been so rude to you, and now you probably think I’m flirting. It’s just that I really want to get home to my family. I didn’t mean to embarrass you, I’m happily married. Not that I wouldn’t flirt with you, but you’re so beautiful and famous and all, it just kind of came out.”

“Oh that’s alright. I know you was just bein nice.”

“Listen AJ, I know you’re one incredible pony and can surely take care of herself, but there are things along that path at night that are a might dangerous.”

“Thanks for your concern, but I don’t do well settin around, I tend to get a little stir crazy. I reckon I’ll be okay.”

“I sure would feel better if I could come with you, but I need to see to the other passengers.”

“That’s awful kind of you to say, but I’ll be careful. And don’t y’all fret, I’ll see you in the next town.”

“Well, if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

“Okay.” he answered, smiling.

“RAIL HEAD!!” the engineer and the pony with the signal flag had come up alongside them, “What are you doin out here talkin to some passenger?! Get in the train and make sure nopony is sneaking aboard!”

“Yes sir!”

Applejack scowled at the engineer who was reading from a clipboard. The other pony, covered in smoke and grease looked at her for several moments then turned and walked away. He was followed by the engineer moments later.

“I’m real sorry Rail, I didn’t know…”

“Oh that’s alright. He can be a might grumpy at times.”

“Well I’m sorry just the same.”

“Would you do me a favor?”

“You name it.”

“Would you sign something for my boy? Something I could bring to him?”

“I’d be honored,” Applejack said rummaged around in her saddlebag, “Let me see, what I got… Here! I got about 12 of these neck scarves. I’ll sign one…”

“I couldn’t let you do that.”

“Well you can’t stop me neither,” she chuckled as she wrote. “What’s his name?”

“Spring Switch.”

Howdy Spring - Now you best come by Sweet Apple Acres in the early spring for the first day of cider season, We could use a pair of strong hooves and I can’t wait to meet you! With Love, your pal, Applejack.

“That’s awful nice of you AJ.”

“That goes for you too - and your wife.”

“Oh, I don’t know if I’ll bring her…”

Applejack raised an eyebrow suspiciously, “And why would that be?”

“She is secretly in love with your big brother. I don’t think I could compete with him.”

Applejack laughed aloud, “Well between Miss Cheerilee at the school and Fluttershy, he has more mare than he can handle at the moment, so you have nothing to worry about.” she laughed. “And with those eyes of yours, I think he better hang on to Miss Cheerilee and Fluttershy!”

Rail turned bright red and looked away.

“Well I best be on my way. See you in town.”

“Yep - I’ll see you there AJ,” he gave her a hug which she returned. He turned and leapt up into the train.

Applejack made sure her saddlebags were secure as she walked along the side of the train and toward the road that led off to the left. The engineer and work pony were busy discussing their options and how to deal with the track problem. Applejack reached up and touched the brim of her hat as she walked by. They nodded in return and went back to their work. After a brief moment, the train pony looked down the road, watching as she disappeared from sight.

He spoke softly, “Didn’t know she’d be so pretty. You sure that’s her?”

The engineer looked in the direction she’d taken, his mouth grim, “Oh that’s her alright, just like they said she’d be. Signal fire cleared from the track?”

“Yeah…” he muttered before turning back to the engineer, “Do we really gotta do this?”

The engineer fixed him with an expression. It made him look away.

He looked back in her direction and sighed sadly. “Such a shame...:”

After a about an hour of walking, Applejack stepped over to the grass on the side of the road and sat down. She felt the dew on her rump. "Well ain't that just great," she muttered. Pulling out her canteen, she tipped it up and and took a couple of swallows. The cool water felt good going down her throat. As she wiped her mouth with the back of her hoof she thought she heard a sound coming from the darkness behind her.

“That you Rail?” she called out. No answer. She looked up as clouds began to cover the moon. “Reckon I best be movin' on. I wonder where that Inn is? Can't be too much further.” She stood and shook her rump. slapping it with her tail, trying to dry it. After securing her canteen she checked her saddlebags. They were set. Up in the night sky the moon was almost visible behind a thin cloud. She watched as it ducked behind a darker cloud and all became dark again. She turned and began to make her way down the road.

The night air had grown colder and stiller and the night seemed very quiet. The sound of her hooves on the road suddenly struck her as terribly lonely. She forced herself to focus elsewhere.

Twilight...this is just plum crazy...but something inside me feels strange. It feels so sad and so alone. Is that the pony that was with Twi? Is she the one who… I think I can feel a little of her...oh I feel awful...those things I said about her...that poor thing is in so much pain...how much of that is me? Now it’s gone, but that love...could I love anything as much as I felt just now? The love that pony has for Twilight...how could she ever walk away from it?

Applejack had to stop as uncontrolled emotion washed over her like the wake catching up with a boat. She threw her head back and a sob of pure agony escaped her. Then the pain and sound faded like an echo.

She blinked and looked around. The tightness in her throat was sudden and she was surprised to find tears falling from her eyes. What the hay? I gotta find Twi.

Once again, from the dark road behind her... this time she was sure she heard something. She turned around, spreading her legs and planting her four hooves in the road, steeling herself. It was somewhere back there in the darkness. She cursed her body as it reacted to fear, as if it somehow made this a real threat. The pit of her stomach knotted up and a chill run up her spine. She fought the urge to run, telling herself it could be anything - something nocturnal- a raccoon or a opossum.

Then another noise…

Closer.

And another.

Whatever it was, it had stepped from the woods onto the road. She looked back but the darkness revealed nothing. It had stopped. Frozen to the spot there was no way of knowing if it was fifteen feet away or five. She thought she could hear it breathing, slowly, deep and raspy. It sounded big.

Very slowly she stepped backwards. She listened. After a moment the gravel crunched. It had taken a step closer.

“Show yourself you coward!!” she called out, her voice shaking with fear.

Slowly the moon came out from behind the clouds. it's light lifting the darkness in a cold winter blue. She thought she could see its outline, not ten feet away.

She turned to run, then froze.

It was directly in front of her, something hideous, crouched and seething grotesque, something horrible in the pale light of the moon.

As she opened her mouth, it leapt straight at her, its wild eyes having long since lost any sense of reason, its jaws stretched wide in anticipation, finally its rotten dagger teeth sinking deep.

Far away a train whistle screamed in the night

Author's Note

I was going to end book four here. But I suddenly realized I hadn't gotten to the scene with Twilight and the sword. So onward we go.
I just became aware of the whole Gen 5 thing. I am seriously upset. It's like finding out that some of your best friends are going to move away and you'll probably never see them again. I've been trying to deal with it all day. I really do love these Ponies. I know you all think I'm crazy but I truly do care about them and their world. And their fans.