All These Years (Set in Stone)

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1 Here She Lay
Chapter 2 Long Away
Chapter 3 Doctor's Say
Chapter 4 Princess' Way
Chapter 5, Part 1 Homeward Way

Prologue

“Wow… What is that?” Skylight gasped, fluttering her wings in excitement.

Running a crimson-coated hoof through her darker crimson mane, she danced her eyes upward for a moment, half-expecting an answer from the murky forest greenery spread around her. Getting none, she glanced back down at the upturned dirt around her, still damp and muddy from last week’s storm.

Darning a grin, the pegasus bounded into muddy ditch, paying no mind to the splash of gunk that jumped up to greet her as she landed. On a normal instance it would’ve been a slight annoyance to her, but she was far away from a normality at the moment. Trudging through the mud and flapping her wings to move quicker, Skylight couldn’t help but grin as the word “discovery” floated in her vision.

She reached out with her hoof, cautious at first as if expecting the oddity to suddenly spring to life and run away, but closed the distance just as quickly, wiping the grime off of the gray face turned away from her. “Woah!” she exclaimed, eyes widening at the sight of the statue before her. She wasn’t taken back by the statue itself—she already saw that it was statue from above; that was what attracted her to it in the first place—but she was instead caught by the sheer realism portrayed by the sculpture. It was made perfect by its imperfection, that is to say, the smooth beauty found in works of art was void in this statue, instead having all the ruggedness and messiness a real pony would have. Skylight may not have been an artist, but she could recognize when something radiated a sense of value.

The surprise of the almost unnatural realism loosening its grasp on her, the mare took a moment to get a good look at statue, only to end up raising her eyebrows once again as she leaned in closer. Aside from the level of detail in it, the stone form had a… bizarre look plastered across its face, being somewhere between surprise and fear, while also being on the skydive to panic. Only regarding it a moment longer, she shrugged and traced her eyes along the rest of the statue, or at least what wasn’t buried in the mud. Only half of it was sticking up, its left side, but it was entirely visible aside from that.

A dozen observations coming into her mind at once, she had to back up to collect her thoughts lest her eyes bombard her with more. First and foremost, she’d made a discovery. An actual discovery! A few bubbly giggles slipped from her lips, but she forced herself to think straight. What to do? she asked herself. Glancing back down at the statue, she put a hoof to her chin, then promptly whisked it away at realizing it was covered in filthy mud. Anyways… “What would Daring do?” she wondered aloud, completely oblivious to what she’d just said. “…Record data.”

Skylight didn’t have any paper on her, much less anything at all, but she figured just looking would be good enough until she could record things properly. “Let’s see,” she said, eyes darting across the show of a statue, “Earth pony. Mare. Messy mane in a ponytail. Messy pony tail… in a ponytail.” She chuckled. “Average-ish height. Picture of fitness. And… no mark?” Cocking her head at the, indeed, blank flank, she glanced back at her own mark picturing a sun rising high over the clouds. Shrugging, she figured it must be because the statue was monotone, not leaving any color for a mark to be made up from. Shifting to looking at the condition of the statue as a whole, she saw it was in surprisingly good condition for being buried in the mud for Luna knows how long, scratches not included. Simply put, it was whole and unscathed.

Step one down, Skylight drew closer once again, brushing some grass shreds off the face off the statue with the edge of her hoof. A sense of satisfaction welled up inside of the pegasus. She’d always loved the thrill of discovering new things, though, not in a boring school-teachy kind of way. No, she loved being in the field like this and, as she always put it, “adventuring for the sake of adventuring.” Like now, for instance. She’d discovered a statue in the middle of the forest just by wandering aimlessly until she made sure she’d gotten herself lost.

A burst of excitement shot through her veins at the thoughts of what this statue could actually be. Maybe a lost artifact from the Pony Sisters’ castle. Or maybe even better! Perhaps an ancient totem from before Equestria’s beginning. Or maybe… it was actually sent from the future like in those science-fiction stories! …Okay, she doubted that last one, but it was still fun to think. Of course, there was always the possibility that it was nothing at all, like… just some colt’s long-lost school project, but Skylight still hoped for the best. Besides, it was just too much fun to imagine all that it could hold.

Dwelling on where to go next, she only needed a moment to decide; landing outside of the ditch with a few flaps of her wings, she looked off toward the beaten path she’d come from. I’m bringing it home, she declared. But first, she’d need a way to actually do that. Taking one last look at the statue, she estimated it had to weigh too much to carry for a mile, and flying wasn’t even worth considering. So… wagon it is!

Leaving behind a cloud of dust in her takeoff, she rotated herself in midair once above the tree tops, finding Celestia’s sun. “East,” she said aloud before taking off just due south of the direction.

Soaring toward home, she was unable to stop the spreading grin on her features.

Chapter 1 Here She Lay

Applejack’s consciousness burst into being, her eyes fluttering as they tried to clear her blurred vision, only to be sent reeling back as the blinding light seared her sight.

She recoiled back, only to wince as a spike of pain shot through her sore body. Applejack didn’t need her body to tell her she was in bad condition; she could feel it herself. Through the frazzled state of her still-waking mind, she could feel the poor signals her body was shoving into her head... can’t see past these dry eyes, nasty ringings in her ears, and not a single spot on her body that wasn’t aching. Careful not to move again lest she invite more pain, she let herself lay unmoving on her side. Taking in a breath of air, she—

“Ack!” her voice rasped as her lungs spiraled into a fit of coughing and hacking. Needles of pain pricked at her chest, stabbing in with each convulsion. The mare could only grimace at each blow to her, every single one bringing much more than air and saliva spitting out of her. She could feel… well, she didn’t know what she felt. From her body came rough somethings that scratched at her throat on their wayward escape.

After what seemed like decades, her choking subsided into a measly cough, still arduous but tolerable on her worn body. Blinking away a few stinging tears, she saw that her vision had adapted to the light, but it was still far too blurry to be of any use to her; her ears’ ringing had also died down into a constant buzz. At the very least, the episode had awakened her senses. Attempting to look about, the most Applejack could manage was vague splotches of color—lump over there, clump here, all on top of a brownish backdrop. Oh, and the crimson-colored bump that was getting larger.

“Wha—” she tried to say, only to be cut off by another fit of hacking. Still can’t talk, she thought, annoyed. Recovering herself, she focused back onto the blob of crimson, getting a small start at seeing it having moved right next to her head. Becoming a tad bit clearer at the closer proximity, she saw that it was not only that deep shape of red, but also had two white orbs set in the middle. A pony! Applejack realized, though not feeling too reassured. Waking up in terrible condition next to a stranger was never a good sign.

The pony—she couldn’t even make out its gender—paused next to her, seemingly content to observe. Applejack tried raising her hoof up to the newcomer, but only managed to lift just above her head before falling flat with an unsteady shakiness. No, she realized, Can’t move at all... Which meant all she could do was watch.

Leaning down closer to her, the pony’s mouth, or where she estimated it was, shifted up and down a few times. It didn’t take a genius to determine that he or she was trying to speak, but Applejack could only make out a distant whisper of sound—certainly not enough to know what was said. Figuring she was being waited on for a response, the mare nodded her head as much as it would allow, which is to say, almost motionless. Almost.

The figure’s head leaned back out of her personal space again. Darting its head left then right it turned away from her, moving away for a moment before returning, this time with a shapeless white... thing in tow. Applejack could only offer a weak, confused gasp as she felt her head lifted, sending an angry signal of pain from her neck. What are ya doin’?! she wanted to yell, but she her irritation shifted to surprise as she was gingerly set back down, feeling a new softness supporting her. A pillow, she realized. Glancing back up at the pony with a newfound interest, she saw it leaving and returning again, this time with a blanket that it draped over Applejack.

The pony leaned down to her once more and, after mouthing a few lost words, left out of her sight completely, leaving Applejack to wonder just what exactly had happened. But first, she took a moment to nestle into the blanket and pillow. Her aching body had no complaints.

Able to think clearly with no distractions, Applejack had only one sentiment… What in the hay is goin’ on? Her body might as well have run through Tartarus and back before dropping her off with a stranger in Celestia knows where. Although she was vaguely aware of it earlier, only now did she really digest the fact that she didn’t know how she’d gotten into this mess. No memory came to her of anything that could remotely lead to this… Actually, no memory at all came to her of recent events. Frowning, she recalled everything clearly up until about a week ago. Everything after was fuzzy at best, erased at worst.

A grumble of annoyance emitted from her throat, the hoarseness of her vocal chords morphing it into a growl. Just another problem to nag her, and there was nothing she could do about it in her condition.

Wrapped up warmer than Ponyville at the end of winter, Applejack let out yawn that had been hiding at the back of her throat, only to be warped into a cringe as her sore muscles became irritated by the movement. Well... at least I’m not dead.

That crimson pony, though… She didn’t know what to make of him or her. They seemed to care enough to make sure she wouldn’t go freezing up, but that alone wasn’t enough to reassure the farmer. Though, Applejack saw that she didn’t have much of a choice except to count on the stranger’s hospitality. Still… she did appreciate it.

As her head sunk into the fluff of the pillow, her consciousness followed shortly behind. Despite just waking up, she was exhausted. Huh, she thought, That only happens when ya don’t get a good sleep. Even with her questions unanswered, Applejack couldn’t fight the allure of drowsiness. Besides, she knew would get no closer to learning of what was happening if she couldn’t even spit out a word, and time spent resting to get on back on her hooves was time well spent by her book. Her eyelids’ heaviness forcing themselves shut, she drifted into a heavy slumber.

This time, Applejack was roused from her sleeping at a gentle nudging on her shoulder.

Lip curling into a distasteful frown, she let herself lay dormant for a moment longer. She could at least be afforded that with how she was feeling. Applejack noted with a bit of enthusiasm that she was indeed feeling better, but it was clear to her that she hadn’t made a miraculous, sudden recovery. Her body still ached, but it had diminished into a backdrop on her awareness, and her senses in general were much better. And thank Celestia, she could breathe clearly!

At another nudge, this one more forcible than the last, she decided she’d kept whoever waiting long enough—wait, just who was so insistent on waking her up? That pony? Remembering the situation she was in, Applejack cracked open her vision and was greeted by a smiling face of crimson.

“You’re awake! Great! First time that’s worked,” it exclaimed, beaming at her.

“Great” was not the word Applejack would’ve used to describe waking up to a pony violating her personal space. On the bright side, her sight had gone from foggy to cloudy. “Who…?” She winced at the sandpaper roughness of her own voice.

“Ooh, that doesn’t sound good,” the crimson-coated mare said. Reaching for a mug on the bed’s side table, she offered it forward. “Here, have some water. I’d bet you’re pretty thirsty.”

Not bothering to voice her agreement, not that she wanted to, Applejack grasped for the mug, only to nearly send it plummeting to the ground because of her shaking hoof. She winced as she glanced back up at the mare, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“Let me help,” she said, putting her own hoof under the mug to steady it. Nudging it to the farmer’s lips, Applejack didn't waste a moment in gulping down the liquid, emptying it before she even realized it. Clearing her throat, she said, “Thanks,” her voice still hoarse but bearable.

The mare nodded, appearing satisfied with herself. “You’re very welcome.”

Taking a moment, Applejack darted her eyes around, observing what she couldn’t see earlier. The vague shapes she saw earlier turned into what one would expect from a bedroom. A bed here that she was currently occupying, a dresser nearby, a window on the wall, and various other knick-knacks scattered about, some of which too far or small or both for her imperfect vision to make out clearly. She looked back to the pegasus. “Who...?”

“Well… let’s start with introductions.” Jumping back a step, she put a hoof to her chest. “I’m Skylight Crimson! But you can call me Skylight, Sky, or anything you like!”

She’s a perky one. Drawing another breath in, she replied, “I’m Appleja—” She coughed. “…Applejack. Nice to meet ya.”

“Nice to meet you too, Applejack. How’re you feeling?”

“Like Ah took a fall at the rodeo.”

“Is that bad?”

“Eeyup.”

Skylight let out a few chuckles. “Well, the doctor did say you need bed rest above all else, as well as to stay hydrated.”

“A-am I in a hospital?” Applejack asked, looking around the room again. It looked too homey to be one.

She shook her head. “No. I just had the doctor come here. I didn’t know if it was alright to move you.”

Applejack’s brow furrowed. The pegasus seemed nice enough, but she still had questions. First and second: where and what? “Skylight?” she started, getting her attention, “Where am I?”

The pegasus waved her hoof around the room. “You’re in my bed in my room in my house. I asked if it was okay that you stay here while you get better.” Skylight chuckled. “‘Make sure she’s still alive,’ I said.”

“While I got better?” Applejack repeated, her eyes widening, “How long was Ah out?”

The pegasus beat her hooves against the floor a few times, before smiling back at her. “One and a half days.”

“One and a…” Her breath caught in her throat. What in the name of Celestia happened to me?! “Skylight,” Applejack rasped, “How in tarnation did I get here? Why am I in such bad shape?!”

“Whoa now, Applejack. Everything’s fine, I assure you. I’ll answer to the best that I can!” She shot out her hoof just to punctuate the point. “But… before we do that, can I ask how you’re feeling? Making sure you’re okay is most important right now.”

The farm mare wanted answers more than a checkup, but, as stubborn as she was, Applejack had long since learned when she needed to put that aside for her own good. “Fine,” she ceded, heaving an impatient sigh.

“Great! So you fell down at a rodeo, but how is everything else feeling? You could barely move when I saw you earlier, much less talk.”

Getting the implied question, Applejack answered, “I haven’t tried getting’ up, and you had to help me with that there mug. So, no, I’m not feeling very energetic at the moment.” Pausing a moment to think, she said, “I take it you know my voice ain’t doin’ so well.”

“Heh, yeah,” she chuckled, “At least your sense of humor is intact.”

Applejack managed to return the smile, but returned to seriousness in a moment. “As for everythin’ else… I can hear alright, but my sight’s blurry.”

“How bad?”

“I can see just fine, but everythin’ is fuzzy. Small things I can’t make out…” Glancing down at her own hoof, she said, “Gets a bit clearer when what I’m lookin’ at is close.”

“Like near-sighted?”

“I… guess? I’m not near-sighted though. Never have been,” she replied, not liking the sound of her vision being impaired.

Seeing her reaction, Skylight said, “I wouldn’t worry about it. If everything else is getting better, then I don’t see why that wouldn’t.”

Applejack nodded, hoping the pegasus’ optimism wasn’t misplaced.

Propping her up foreleg to lean against the bedside, she added, “Anything else?”

The farm mare shook her head. She had a few aches here and there but nothing worth noting. Though… “Ah’m pretty thirsty,” she said, just in time for her stomach to make its presence known, “…And hungry.”

“Heh, I can take care of that. I happen to be the best and only chef in this household.”

“Can’t argue with that logic.” Clearing her throat, Applejack continued, “Though, can ya put that on hold for a few minutes? I’d like to know what’s goin’ on.”

The crimson-coated mare ran her hoof through her mane as she kept an uneasy smile. “Yeah, sure… Okay, I know… but don’t know. I mean I know some stuff… I can tell you how you got here, but I don’t know how you got like that… Well, not entirely.”

Mouth slightly agape, Applejack shook her head. “Girl, you ain’t makin’ a lick of sense. Just tell me—” she said, but was cut off as a fit of coughing took control of her breath for a moment. Rolling onto her side to look at the pegasus, Applejack forced herself to steady her tone. “Skylight? I’m in a place I don’t recognize next to a pony I don’t recognize, and my body’s actin’ like I put it through applebuck season without sleepin’. Trust me, I know what that's like. I’m mighty confused right now and want to know what’s goin’ on.”

Skylight stared blankly for a moment before shaking her head, putting on a sympathetic face. “Right, sorry. Sometimes I get antsy when... Anyway, what do you want to know?”

“First… how did I get here? Why am I under your care?”

“Okay,” Skylight said, “Um, this is going to sound weird, but... I found you in the forest.”

“The forest?”

“The Everfree forest.”

“I figured that, but whaddya mean ya found me?”

Flashing a weak grin, Skylight said, “Here’s the weird part. You were a statue.” Seeing Applejack’s incomprehension, she added, “Petrified. Lawn ornament. Set in stone. Whichever sounds best.”

Applejack considered her words for a moment before twisting her lips into a frown. “Then… No, that don’t make no sense. How could I have been a statue?”

“I’m not one-hundred percent sure, but I think it was some chicken monster thing.”

“Say what now?”

“I know! That’s how I reacted. But really, that’s probably what happened. You see, when I wheeled you back to town on my wagon, I brought you to one of those archaeologist-types to see if they knew just what the heck you were. But then he went off on ‘sensing magic emanating from within' or something like that, and—”

“Sky, that story’s nice and all, but can ya get to the point?”

“Right! So some fancy unicorn magicks happened and surprise! You’re actually a pony. After looking through some books, he said that there’s a chicken-like monster capable of turning ponies to stone just by looking at them.”

“Chicken monster?” Applejack muttered, brow furrowing as she looking into her thoughts. It didn’t take an expert to know that chickens can’t terrorize ponies like that. Hay, Applejack was an expert! She dealt with animals all the time back on the farm. The mare didn’t think that Skylight was making up some silly story, but a chicken monster sounded flat out whimsical. Though, as she thought about it, she did feet a hint of recognition at the critter’s description as if she had heard of it before. As if… if…

Cockatrice.

Applejack’s eyes expanded to saucers as words from her sister filled her head, telling of one particular slumber party. “It had a reptile’s body,” her sister had told her, “But a chicken’s head and dark, beady eyes! And they could turn a pony to stone just by looking at them, hooves up!”

The farm mare’s mouth floundered emptily as the connection shocked her into realization. All of a sudden, the pegasus’ story was so much more viable. Her voice humbled into a whisper, she said, “Skylight? Did they call it a cockatrice?”

The mare looked off a ways as she recalled, but every second dragged into hours to Applejack. Finally, she answered, her tone hesitant like a jury not wanting to give the verdict. “Yeah. That would be it. You’ve heard of it?”

She nodded, but Applejack was at a loss for words. A cold feeling creeping up her spine, images of herself petrified and lost in the Everfree flashed across her vision. She never noticed herself shudder. “I…” she began, but was silenced as the full implications of what such an incident would mean hit her like a train.

She could see her family seated at the dinner table, just taking their seats, only to cock their heads in confusion as one spot was left unfilled. “Where was Applejack?” her younger sister would ask, only to be answered by a shrug from her brother. He would excuse himself with a nod from their granny, offering to go out and see if Applejack was still in the fields, overworking herself as usual as she poured her heart into the family business. They would patiently wait… and wait… and wait and—

“Skylight,” Applejack hissed, eyes contracted to pinpricks, “Tell me you’re jokin’. Tell me I had just been unconscious in the forest or somethin’.”

In a moment, she shook her head with a genuine glint of concern appearing in her eyes.

Applejack dropped her head to the sheets, squeezing her eyes tighter than possible. For once, she wished she wasn’t the Element of Honesty. She may not be a lie detector, but she had a knack for spotting falsities, and Skylight had none.

But Applejack was not one to give up. She looked back up to the sympathy of the mare, her eyes a desperate yet sturdy plea. “Skylight,” she said, “Ya really are tellin’ the truth, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Then… how long?”

“What?”

“H-how long was I sittin’ in the forest like that?” Applejack asked, her voice rising on every word.

She shook her head, answering, “I don’t know. For starters, I have no idea who you are.”

Applejack forced herself to take a deep breath; though, it came out in a rush. She found herself cursing the fact that she and her friends had never made a deal of being the Elements of Harmony to the public. “Alright,” she said, “If’n ya don’t know who I am, then I’ll tell ya. Ya know Princess Luna?”

Skylight nodded immediately, lighting a spark of optimism in the farm mare. “Then ya remember her return as Nightmare Moon?”

She glanced away in thought for a moment. “Mm, yeah. I’ve heard about that. But what does that have to do with now?”

“Everythin’. I’m one of them Elements of Harmony, Honesty. I helped restore the princess back to her kind self instead of that night-obsessed monster.” Applejack finished with a firm nod, confidence ringing in her voice.

The pegasus, however, didn’t share in the assuredness. Her brow furrowed as she stared at Applejack—now it was her turn to be confused. “But that… doesn’t make sense,” she said.

“What? Why not?”

Skylight shook her head. “Because Luna came back a while ago. Like, a long while ago.”

Applejack’s heart skipped a beat. Her mouth hung open without a word for a few seconds too long before she shook herself out of her stupor. “Whaddya mean by that?!” she rasped, “I couldn’t have been a statue for very long! There’s… there’s no way that’s possible.”

“For very long…?” Her eyes widened. “Oh. Uh…”

Applejack stared at her, never blinking.

“Okay, listen. I bet I just made you all panicky, but I don’t want you to worry. I’m no history buff, so I could be dead wrong.” Applejack opened her mouth to respond, but Skylight held up her hoof. “Let me finish. All I’m doing is stressing you out. I’m going to go… check a few things real quick that should clear up this fog. Alright?”

Applejack stared into her crimson eyes, not knowing what she was searching for. Anything really, but the only thing she found was a mine of sympathy, something that gave her no answers. “…Alright,” she ceded.

“Good.” She took a few steps back, turning toward the door. Glancing back, she added, “Everything’s going to be fine.”

Applejack watched her depart, but she called out to her just before she disappeared from sight. “Ya promise?”

“Promise,” Skylight said, mustering up a surprisingly honest smile. Then she left out the door.

Alone, Applejack looked around the blurred view of the room, but she focused on nothing. Instead, her mind dwelled on the vile what-ifs springing into the forefront of her mind; in her worry, hope was the only thing pushing back against the onslaught. Hope that a nightmare of an accident had not stricken her. She forced reassurance into her mind as she replayed Skylight’s words over in her head. Though, one word kept sticking out to her.

“History…?”

Chapter 2 Long Away

Applejack thought herself to be a levelheaded pony, especially considering the amount of oddities that she’d been through in the span of a few years. Dealing with monsters, tyrants, and party ponies on a regular basis would do that. Though, she also knew that everypony had their limit.

“Everythin’s fine…” she repeated to herself, “Everythin’s fine.”

Having forced herself into an upright position, her pillow sandwiched between her back and the bed’s frame, she clung to her mantra, stuck in a repetition with no clear end. Each time she uttered the phrase, a part of her hoped it would suddenly come true, despite how irrational she knew the wish was; though, sometimes it was better to dream than not at all.

As her mind hurdled through a course of thoughts, the images of her own family fought to overtake her focus, and she winced whenever it did. She couldn’t bear the idea that her own kin had been left alone and grieving for the apple that had fallen too far from the tree. Picturing her brother and granny were harsh enough, but picturing dear Applebloom was suffering to the mare. Applejack knew far too well what it was like to grow up without parents. Hers had passed when she was barely into her teenage years. The loss tore had torn at her, driving her young mind into a spiral she sometimes felt she still hadn’t entirely moved on from. Her and her family had tried their best at raising Applebloom, trying to fill the shoes that had been left empty. If there was one thing she was grateful for, though, it was that her sister hadn’t had to know the loss of her parents. She was too young to understand at the time. But now, if Applejack had been gone for a time too long, her blissful ignorance would be shattered. She couldn’t allow that. She couldn’t!

“Everythin’s… Ugh.” She needed a distraction.

Tossing her blurry vision to her surroundings, she tilted her head as the nearby window came into her view. “…I am in Ponyville, right?” she wondered aloud. The window’s curtains were drawn, but it was just a few steps away.

Applejack hesitated. On one hoof, she could barely hold the mug, but on the other hoof, she’d never actually tried getting up. Taking one longing glance at the window frame, she made her decision. She needed to see her town.

She threw off the bed covers and, after giving an experimental stretch of her foreleg, was pleased to find that she could move it around with only the smallest bit of soreness. See? she thought, Just needed to wake up. With a breath, she slid her hind legs off the bed and dropped the short distance to the floor only to let out a shriek of surprise as they buckled underneath her. Rear end landing on the wooden floor and the rest of her still hanging off the edge, she sent a glare down at her traitorous legs. “If ya’ll can buck a trees for five hours with no breaks, then ya’ll can hold your own weight…” she grumbled. Steadying herself, her front two hooves made a slow crawl as she touched them to the floor, one after the other. She glanced to the window suspended above her, pleased to find it was quite close to her already.

Standin’s a good place to start, she decided. As she leaned forward into a crouched position, she was made all too aware of her body’s unwillingness to continue. Her muscles shot flares of protest at each movement they made, trembling as if they were soaking wet in a snowstorm. Applejack gasped from the resistance, but she bit it back along with her lip. Steeling her irritated limbs as best she could, she pushed against the floor, sending her front hooves into the air and landing down onto the window sill with an audible thud.

Applejack was forced to pause for a breather, and her body had no complaints for it. Nonetheless, she let out a few hacking chuckles at her victory. Success on her mind, she pushed aside curtain, spilling the evening, shady sunlight into the room.

Squinting for only a moment as her eyes adjusted to the glare, she looked through with the added benefit of being on the house’s second story to be greeted by the sight of wooden homes sprawled across a town square, drowsy in the setting sun atmosphere as a few pastel ponies meandered on by. Applejack couldn’t see the scenery clearly, but she was quick to realize one rather important detail: this was not Ponyville.

Whereas Ponyville was admittedly simple in its buildings, an effective opposite of the concrete jungle of Manehattan, this was a notch lower on the totem pole. The houses were built with simplicity as the corner stone. The streets were a stream of gravel laid over the dirt, flowers and other greenery unceremoniously scattered about as if on their own uncoordinated choices for residence.

Applejack stood stock-still as her eyes weaved through the sights the window could provide. She could feel her heart’s beating increase in succession, trying to break free of the confines of her chest. With each moment she spent looking out, the assuredness in her heart only grew that this was not her home. Just look at those houses! Their style was something you’d never see in her tone what with their lack of consistency between them. And the forest was scraping the outskirts of town, practically jutting into the town and splitting a street in two at some points. As if that wasn’t enough, Ponyville certainly didn’t have a castle just a few blocks down the road.

She blinked, shortly followed by her eyes expanding to saucers.

“Wha…?” she uttered as she made out the unmistakable form of a castle jutting over the line of trees and houses. It was no Canterlot Castle, but it held its own as it brandished its own regality. High towers loomed over the town as the stone walls stood sentinel, ready to protect the royalty it may have housed. Applejack may not have recognized the town, but she recognized the palace, and because of that, her mind faltered. No amount of argue or debate with herself would deny the fact that this was the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters in all its glory.

She dropped to the floor, her eyes still wide awake. “There’s a town around the castle…” she murmured, “But there ain’t never been a town around the castle.” The town didn’t look like something that could spring up in a week. Despite its roughness around the edges, it was an honest to goodness town in its youth. But it couldn’t be! Where’d it come from? How did it get built in the Everfree? When?

“When…” she realized, her voice a whisper that overshadowed the silence of the room, “…How long was I—”

“Applejack?”

The mare’s ears perked. She whipped her head around, taking only a moment to recognize the form of Skylight trotting through.

“Everything alright up… You’re out of bed? Is that what the noise was?”
She moved to approach but stopped in her tracks at seeing the mask the farm mare wore on her face. Applejack’s eyes spelled out a wild, fearful desperation.

“Skylight,” she called, nearly pleading, “Where am I?”

The mare hesitated for a moment, frozen mid-step, but shook herself into focus. “I already told—”

“No. The town, Skylight, the town. Where am I?”

“Village Green.”

“Village Green?” she repeated, her voice jumping a note, “What about that castle? That’s the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters?”

“Uh, yeah. It is. What’s wrong?”

The mare gaped, no sound except for a strangled squeak escaping her throat. With a swelling terror weighing down her heart, her gaze pierced the helpless pegasus. “There’s not supposed to be a town around the castle. Hay, there’s not supposed to be a town in the forest at all!”

Skylight’s demeanor shifted into anxiousness for a few fleeting moments, but she steeled herself. “Right,” she said with a sharp nod of her head. Shifting her wings around, she set down a thick textbook she’d been carrying.

“What’s that?”

“Gift from a friend. It’s what I was looking for when I left,” she answered, throwing open the cover. Applejack caught sight of “Equestria, a History” emblazoned across the title page. It sent mixed feeling through her system. Skylight said, “Okay, um… Here’s the plan: tell me about yourself, and I’ll see if I find you in here. You said you were an Element right? I think that’s big enough to make it into a history book. Even recent ones.”

“Is that a recent one?”

“Mm, it has recent events but goes… back some time.”

Applejack stared for a moment, no words coming forward. “…Alright then.”

With a grin, Skylight gave her a playful punch on the foreleg to which Applejack cringed at. “Read my lips: everything’s going to be fine. Now tell me about yourself.”

Applejack watched her race through the book, a dread making her not to keen on answering right away. To her, it was crystal clear that the upbeat pegasus truly did want to help, and Applejack knew she would have to thank her properly once this had all blown over, but for now, she wanted nothing more than to move forward despite the fear of what may lay ahead. “As I mentioned earlier, I was given the Element of Honesty when Nightmare Moon returned. Me and my friends restored her back to Princess Luna.”

Her page flipping gradually slowed until stopping entirely; her eyes skimmed through pages before looking back up at. “…Thanks… Could you tell me something else? Something more… recent?”

“Uh, sure. As I said, I’m Honesty, but I gave up the fancy gem that came packaged with it when the Elements were given to the Tree of Harmony.”

“Okay,” she said, her muzzle scrunching up in thought, “Can I ask you a few things?”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by the sudden shift, but she nodded anyway.

“Lovely! Now, were those ponies who were also the Elements named Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy—”

“Pinkie Pie and Rarity. Yeah, that’s them,” Applejack finished, a mix of excitement and anxiousness creeping into her voice.

“And… do you happen to have a sister named Applebloom?”

“Yeah! I do!”

Skylight rotated the book around for her to see. “That’s you in this picture, huh? Unless you happen have an identical twin.”

The mare caught a glimpse of columns of text, but she was instantly drawn to the single picture displayed on the page. It was a simple yet joyful picture of her and her friends posing for the camera in Ponyville’s town square. She could see herself on the side bearing a modest smile but still enjoying herself. “It is!” she exclaimed. She knows who I am! she rejoiced, She found me in the history book!

Her smile faltered. She was found in a history book… A book about history… Realization struck her.

She was history.

“Skylight…?” she said, all traces of her giddiness leeched away, “How long ago was this?”

The pegasus’ eyes glanced down to the page once more. In a moment, a flash of… surprise? Anxiety? Concern? Whichever it was, it broke through her face of optimism for a second, but it was a second too long.

To Applejack, it said a mountain’s worth more. “Skylight?!” she rasped, panic striking her words.

“Uh, I…”

“What?!” she cried, taken aback, “Just tell me, consarnit!”

For the last time, she gave the book back to Applejack, pointing out a line. In a blend of worry, frustration, and terror, she read it over. “Shortly thereafter, former Element bearer, Applejack, went missing. Despite numerous searches over the next few… decades…” Everything about her—her mouth, her body, her mind—froze as the simple word registered. This wasn’t a matter of weeks or months.

“I… don’t know what to say,” Skylight said, not daring herself to look away from the displaced mare, “But you’ve been gone a long time. Years. Applejack, it has been eighty years.”

Applejack was as still as she was silent as the next few seconds turned minutes. …Eighty years… For eighty years she’d been gone, missing without a word of explanation. Nothing to excuse her absence to everyone she loved. Then it hit her.

Her lungs stole a sharp gasp from the air. “N-no…” she said, her voice cracking, “I… that can’t…”

One glance into the mare’s conflicted eyes preached everything she feared. There would be no use in asking—no, accusing her of playing a sick, sadistic game with her. She was honest, truthful… and for once in her life, the former bearer never wanted a lie so badly.

A sniffle marked the crumbling of the dam of tears, letting sour drops cascade from her eyes, down her cheeks, and onto the floor. “No!” she shrieked, “T-t-that! I-I…” She had no words, only the strangled sound of her own grievances as she was broken down. What struck at her, however, wasn’t the turmoil of years. No, it was the images of her family waiting as an incomplete quartet for a sister that wouldn’t return. Those were what seared her vision and planted themselves in her tears.

She felt the hesitant touch of Skylight next to her. “I’m sorry…” she heard her say, but she had no words to answer. Even if she could speak a response, she had nothing to say.

Instead, she wept, sobbing on the floor like a filly. She barely registered the sound of leaving hoofsteps and the door closing, but she wouldn’t care either way. She’d let them down, her mind hissed. She was supposed to be there for her family. How would they manage the farm without her? How would they sell…? Oh, forget the farm! What about Applebloom?

As her sobs twisted into a grotesque mixture with her hacking throat, Applejack wiped her foreleg across her face but only succeeded in matting her fur and dampening it.

She was supposed to be there for her sister when her parents couldn’t! She was supposed to be there! And now she’d failed.

Her head thudded against the floor as she threw her hooves against it, slamming the wooden surface with a weak, trembling force. Catching a glint of the thick volume of history still situated near her, she lashed out at it, but the crash against the wall brought her everything but satisfaction. Tears streaming, body exhausted, and mind frazzled, Applejack had nothing but herself and her dreadful thoughts as she laid across the floor.

“Oh, Applebloom…” she sobbed, “I’m so sorry! I’d do anything t-to fix this. Anything! I-I’m sorry!”

She could only weep.

Applejack’s eyes fluttered open as a new day’s light flittered in through cracks in the window curtains, landing across her face.

As her drowsiness wore off, her heart skipped a beat as her eyes refused to focus, but it quickly fell into a heavy reminded her of the situation she was in. At the thought, a ball of emotions welled up inside of her, but she pushed it back, trying to distract herself. “Ah won’t cry. No more,” she declared, “…It’s too early to be cryin’.” She’d already done enough the night earlier until sleep had caught up to her. Applejack scarcely remembered anything other than the torrent of crying, but she figured she must have cried herself into exhaustion at some point. To say she was feeling better was only a half-truth. Her emotions were tamed at the moment, but that was like saying a dam had been repaired with duct tape.

A familiar sensation telling her to find the nearest restroom, she fell out of bed and forced herself onto four hooves. Slightly wobbly in her joints but bearable, she crept across the room and nudged the door open, stepping aside as it pivoted.

She realized that this was her first time actually leaving the room, but she didn’t dwell on it for more than a second. Glancing around the wooden innards of the house, she found herself in a small hallway, four doors surrounding a staircase with two on each side. Taking a wild guess, she figured those lead to the other bedrooms; though, as far as she knew, there was only one pony living under this roof. Leaning against the staircase’s railing, she couldn’t help but notice the gentle silence hanging in the air. That was fine by her. She wasn’t too keen on having a conversation for the time being. So… where’s that bathroom?

Applejack shrugged as she pushed open each of the doors one at a time. Other than her own and the door opposite it, the rooms were void of anything apart from dust. The one other room that was furnished must have been Skylight’s if the messy, lived-in atmosphere said anything.

“Least I know what’s around here,” she muttered. Options exhausted, she turned to look down the stairs, not quite sure if she was up to the task. However, she wasn’t one to give up so easily. One hoof at a time, she made a crawl down the flight of steps, only stumbling a few times. The mare was breathing deep by the time she made it to the bottom, but she felt a hint of satisfaction at her success. Finding herself on the border between a kitchen and a living room, she spotted one familiar pegasus lying down with her forelegs dangling off the couch.

“You’re up!” Skylight called as they made eye contact. She hopped onto all fours before scrambling over and snatching Applejack into a surprise hug, forcing a gasp from the farm mare.

“Uh, Skylight?” With one last squeeze, the pegasus broke away. Applejack opened her mouth to say something, but any words she had were cut off as she saw the concern flowing from Skylight’s eyes. “Are you okay? Ya look… Have ya been cryin’?”

She shook her head, saying, “No, I’m fine. Being the silly filly I am, I just get emotional, and that can make my eyes all puffy. Really! But yourn’t the one who should be asking who’s alright.”

Applejack didn’t bother questioning “yourn’t.” Her mind was miles away. “Uh, yeah…” she said, still staring into Skylight’s sympathetic face, “I’m okay.”

“Okay?”

The farm mare sighed. “As okay as I can be.”

“…Right then. Let me just say that I’m here. I’m not going to pretend to know what you’re going through, but if you ever need something, I’ll be glad to help.”

“Thanks.” Glancing around, she said, “Uh… Would there happen to be a bathroom ‘round here?

Skylight laughed as she pointed her hoof toward a nearby door. “That one there.”

“Thanks,” she said, waiting not a moment more. Stumbling into the bathroom tucked beneath the staircase, she found herself taken aback by the face that greeted her from the mirror. Widening her eyes and seeing her reflection do the same, her own haggard appearance entranced her. Her orange coat had lost all of its luster, her eyes were bagged and weary, and her mane was a tangled, uncombed bird’s nest. Not only were her hair bands missing, but she didn’t even have her classic stetson! …Not that it made sense that she would have had it. Sighing, forced her vision elsewhere.

Applejack emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, fanning a stray few droplets of water on her fetlocks. “Want some breakfast?” Skylight spoke up, gaining her attention, “Or brunch, considering it’s almost noon.”

“Uh, sure. Yes please.”

“Coming right up! I think you’ll find I can prepare some of this and that.”

Seeing nothing else to do, Applejack turned to look over the living room. It preached function over fashion as only the typical features of a living room were present—a couch there, an armchair here, a table and bookshelves tucked away, along with a few other crystalline thingamajigs in sight. She raised an eyebrow at them, seeing the cube-shaped crystals scattered here and there, but she wasn’t in a curious mood to ask about it. Beyond the room, she noticed what she presumed was the front door. Only needing a moment to make up her mind she said, “I’m gonna go out.”

“Out?” Skylight called, poking her head back around the corner, “Out where?”

“Outside.”

“You’re in no shape to go exploring, Applejack.”

The mare almost rolled her eyes. “I just need to get some fresh air. I’ll be right past the door. Good enough for ya?”

“Heh, fine. How about I bring breakfast out there once it’s ready? Feel free to take a seat at the patio table.”

“Sounds fine by me.” She walked her creaky legs to the door and pushed against it only for it to not budge an inch. She tried again to no avail, but was stopped as she heard Skylight snicker.

“Try pulling,” she suggested, failing to hide the laugh in her voice.

“I-I knew that.” Grumbling, she pulled open the door.

Glad to be taking a breath of fresh air, Applejack walked out onto the porch, floorboards creaked beneath her weight. Looking about, she got her first real look at the wooden town sprawling all around her and down the streets. It gave her a small-town vibe, not unlike Ponyville’s own, as she saw the color palette of ponies going about their daily lives, but that didn’t serve to make her any more comfortable. Just a reminder of where she wasn’t.

Applejack pulled up a seat at the table, keeping her gaze pointed at the town. As a few minutes went by in silence, she once again found herself trying not to think about the white elephant, as impossible as that was, but the thought of her home had already led into memories. All gone, her mind hissed, brutal and honest. She didn’t want it to be true. She wanted to cling to the notion that everyone she knew was still alive and well, but Applejack was a sensible mare. It only took simple, unbiased addition to know that the odds were not in their favor.

“And here’s… breakfast?” she heard Skylight say as the door opened, trailing off as she came closer.

Applejack wondered for a moment what had caused her change in mood, but then she felt the dampness creeping down her face. “Ugh…” she sighed. Using the tablecloth, she dabbed at her face and forced herself to steady her emotion. “I’m alright,” she said, trying to sound firm.

Skylight was silent for a few seconds. “…You want to talk about it?”

“I’m… Ugh, I just was thinkin’ of my friends.”

“Your friends?”

“Eeyup. I-I hadn’t thought of them before since my family is more important to me, but… they might as well be family too…” She glanced at the pegasus, seeing the expression across her features. “Skylight, I really can’t believe this is happenin’. I know I must seem calmer now, and maybe that’s just because I can’t believe it, but this is tearin’ me up inside like a nest of termites to a barn. Just… I want nothin’ more than to wake up and find out this was all a horrible, horrible dream.”

The mare opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out right away. Applejack just nodded. “Don’t worry none about it,” she dismissed, her tone a whisper, “I ain’t expectin’ ya to know how to respond.”

Skylight only looked away, peering at nothing in particular.

“So… breakfast?”

“Oh, of course!” Taking the seat opposite her, Skylight set out plates of food for both of them. She wasted not a second as she dug into her own. Applejack took a few bites of her fruity cereal, trying to pinpoint what flavor it was.

After swallowing back a spoonful, Skylight spoke up. “So, really, how’re you feeling?”

“Better. But still sore.”

She nodded, her gaze not leaving Applejack’s face. “That’s a relief to hear. How about your vision?”

“Still blurry.”

“Mmhm. If you don’t mind, I’m going to be inviting the doctor I mentioned yesterday over. She said to call her as soon as you’re up.”

“Alright.”

“Okay.”

Letting out a huff of air, Applejack crossed her hooves and rested her head on top. Still save for the gentle rise and fall of her breathing, the displaced mare stared out at the new town, the scenery painting a backdrop for her state of mind. She didn’t want to think about anything. Not the town, not her town, and certainly not her life. That would only serve to lead her down a painful path. However, she knew she couldn’t just ignore it even if she would love to.

She glanced toward Skylight. She needed a distraction.

“How about ya?” she started, “I don’t think we’ve gotten a real chance to know each other.”

“No, we haven’t. It’s been a bit hectic since you woke up, heh. What do you want to know?”

She shrugged. “Just talk to me. How about this here town? Live here long?”

Skylight grinned, appearing to have been brought to some good memories. “Not too long—just a year or two—but I still love it as the home it is.”

“Where’d ya move from?”

“I started in Canterlot but then moved around a bit with some friends. Eventually I settled out here on my own because I fell in love the town. The atmosphere, the scenery, the ponies.” She sighed. “Lovely.”

“I know what that’s like,” Applejack said, nodding along, “When I was a filly, I left the farm to live in Manehattan for a bit. I liked the city, but I knew it wasn’t the place for me soon enough.”

“Yeah, I’ve tried Manehattan too. It’s grand and all that, but it’s too loud and businessy, huh?”

“My thoughts exactly,” Applejack agreed, “I came back to the farm, and have been there ever…” She paused, her tone dropping. “…Since…”

Quick to speak up again, Skylight said, “So yeah. Discovered this town a few years back and knew it was the spot.”

“You mentioned some friends, but now you’re living alone?”

“Right! We went separate ways, but we keep in touch. They may be elsewhere, but they’re still close to me.”

“Mmhm...” Applejack looked over the pegasus for a moment before cocking her head. “Not tryin’ to say somethin’, but aren’t ya a tad bit young to be on your own?”

“Young? How young do you think I am?”

“Erm… still quite young?” she answered, memories floating into her head of how one certain friend would get offended if you called her a year over her age.

Skylight giggled. “I’m twenty-five.”

“Shoot, girl! You don’t look a day over nineteen.”

“Aw, thanks! You make me blush,” she replied, waving modesty with her hoof. Applejack, however, couldn’t quite make out a blush considering the natural color of Skylight’s coat.

The farm mare sent a small smile her way before she glanced down the road, away from the castle. Based on its position, she figured Ponyville was in that direction. “Ah wonder how Ponyville’s doin’.”

Skylight followed Applejack’s gaze before turning back to the farm mare. “Oh, is that where your farm was?”

Applejack frowned. “It’s where it is.”

“Oh! Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean it like that! It just came out, I swear… Ugh.”

“It’s fine,” she replied, waving her hoof dismissively, “Don’t worry none about it.”

As their conversation died down, Applejack’s thoughts only grew in proportion. I bet everythin’s so different, she thought, I bet there’s a new group of mares stirrin’ up trouble every week. I wonder how the farm’s doin’… if it’s really still there.

She flinched at her own mind, appalled that she could ever think such a thing. Of course it’s still there! Why wouldn’t it be…? The earth pony shook herself out of the train wreck of thoughts, cursing herself for letting Skylight’s little word get to her. No way in tartarus the farm was gone…

…Right?

“Ponyville…” Skylight said, tapping her hoof against her chin, “I’d say it’s doing alright. Just what you’d expect from a town like that. Oh, I know! Applejack, can you walk well?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just answer.”

“I can walk, but I don’t know how well.”

“Hm… Well, I had an idea. I was thinking we could go to Ponyville.”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.”

“But…”

“But what?”

Skylight chuckled. “You should probably see that doctor first.”

“Probably.” Rising from her seat, she took a moment to stretch out her limbs. “Sooner the better, I always say.”

“Sounds good to me. Just let me take care of these dishes…”

As Applejack watched the eager pegasus reenter the house, she turned her head, her eyes drawing a panorama from the high towers of the castle to the road leading home.

“…I’m comin’,” she said, “…I’m comin’ home.”

Chapter 3 Doctor's Say

“Applejack? The doctor will see you now.”

With a nod to the nurse, Applejack pulled herself up from her seat and, after working out a creak in her legs, set off down the hall.

“As I said earlier, she already met you when you were asleep,” Skylight said, trailing at her side, “She wanted to see you as soon as you awakened to make sure everything’s alright.”

“I think we’re a bit late if that’s the case.”

“Hehe. I’m sure she won’t mind us being a day late. In the end, we got here, eh?”

“Can’t argue with that,” Applejack said as the nurse ushered them into a room and shut the door behind them. Now this is a hospital room, she thought as she looked about, remembering when she woke up in Skylight’s guest room. Although bare, the essential cabinets and bed that lived in every hospital room were present along with a few other knick-knacks Applejack wouldn’t even try to name.

Across the medical room, a white coated unicorn turned to greet them with a smile drawn on her lips. “You must be Applejack. Pleasure to meet you,” she said, offering out her hoof. Applejack tentatively grasped it.

“Glad to meet you. You’re the doc that looked over me earlier?”

“One and the same.”

“Then let me just say thanks for that. I appreciate it, Miss…?”

“Serenity. And you’re very welcome, Applejack. I’m just doing my job.” With a flick of her mane, she glanced to Skylight. “Good to see you again, Skylight. Everything is well?”

She nodded. “Everything’s hunky-dory if I do say so myself.”

“Mmhm. I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to see Applejack for myself. Is that okay with you two?”

“Sure thing, doc.”

“Indeed,” Skylight added.

The doctor raised an eyebrow. “Erm, I mean just between Applejack and me.”

“Oh! Right! I’ll just be in the waiting room. Sound fine, dear?” she said, glancing toward her friend. At the nod in return, she excused herself, careful to shut the door behind her.

“So…” Serenity heaved a sigh, the contrast from her pleasantness just moments before catching Applejack off guard. “It’s true, then?” she asked.

Applejack didn’t need more than a moment to know what she was referring to. “…Eeyup.”

Serenity stood still, mouth pursed as if waiting for words that had caught in her throat, before putting on a sad, resolute frown. “I’m sorry, Applejack. I know this must be hard…”

Applejack held up her hoof, causing the doctor to trail off. “I know. Trust me, I know. Thanks, but you don’t need to be sorry…” She sighed.

“…No one should have to go through that. But I want you to know that everything will turn out alright. Everything happens for a reason –I’m sure of it. No matter what.”

Applejack didn’t respond right away, instead, looking away. “You’re the second pony to tell me everythin’s gonna be alright.”

“And I believe that’s not a coincidence. All for a reason, see?” She cracked a smile, but it faded just as quick. “Stay optimistic, Applejack. No medicine will make you heal faster than a positive outlook.” Clearing her throat, she added, “Would you mind if we get started now? A doctor can’t have their patient running about if they’re not well.” Applejack only nodded.

A short while later, Applejack had recounted what she’d told Skylight when they’d first met, more or less word for word. Serenity had nodded, occasionally nodding or asking for more details, but Applejack noticed that she seemed pleased. “A shot of drowsiness is the best thing I can administer,” Serenity had joked. Though, the doctor did take some amount of interest in Applejack’s blurred vision.

Serenity trotted by her counter scattered with odd, cubic crystals. After taking a moment to look over them, she gave one a flick of her hoof. The winning crystal glowed a faint, pinkish hue before sending off a flash of light, leaving a lengthy, rolled up poster next to it. “Now, I’m no optometrist, but I’ve covered a general scope of… Something wrong?”

“What is that?” she said, wide-eyed and hoof jabbed out toward the cube.

“You’ve never seen a... Never mind. This is, simply put, a storage container that’s bigger on the inside. I’m sure there’s a million magical terms to explain how it works, but damnit I’m a doctor, not a mage. It’s a fairly recent invention.”

“…Oh,” was all Applejack had to say. She was no expert in magic, and a newfangled device like this was beyond lost on her.

“As I was saying, I want you to tell me what letters you see on the chart.” Fully unrolled, she plastered the poster against the wall opposite Applejack with her magic. “Alright?”

“Uh, yeah,” she answered, already parsing through the lines.

“Great. Can you tell me what the… third line reads?”

“F-L-D-E,” she recited.

Serenity flashed an encouraging smile. “Perfect. Can you try the fifth line?”

Applejack hesitated before having to squint her eyes. “Um… S-D… A-R… I.”

“Close,” she said, “One more time, can you try the line below it?”

“Mm…” She squinted and opened her eyes a few times in succession, trying to bring the letters into clarity. The knowledge that she’d usually be able to make them out nagged at her, but she pushed the nuisance aside. “E… That’s either an L or an I… Same with the next one… A… and N?”

The doctor nodded. “Not bad. It’s not perfect, but it’s not bad. I’d recommend seeing a specialist if it doesn’t get any better the next few days.” Rolling up the poster, she set it back down onto her storage cube, causing it to disappear in a flash of light. “Well, Applejack, I believe you’re going to be just fine. As I’ve said, what you need is to lie down and rest. Oh! And make sure to eat and drink well, especially water.”

Applejack nodded. “Yes, Doc… but what happens if my vision don’t get better?”

“In that case… You’d probably need glasses. The fact that squinting your eyes during the test helped you means that it’s a focusing problem more than anything else.”

“…Okay.”

Letting the word hang in the air for a moment, Serenity set the cube back into place. “Thank you for your time. I’ve covered everything I’ve planned to, so… that’s just about it. I’ll be writing up an official report, but I deem you free to leave. Unless you have any questions?”

“Uh, none that I can think of. Thanks, doc.”

“Just doing my job. I’ll send everything to Skylight once I have it sorted, all right? She is the one you’re staying with, right?”

“That she is, that she is… Uh, does that mean she’s payin’ for this checkup?”

“Mmhm.”

Applejack frowned. “Shoot. I don’t wanna make her pay for my problems. I’ll have to make it up to her. Pay her back even.”

The doctor chuckled. “She probably doesn’t mind. Seems like she already considers you a friend. I hear she has quite a bit stored up anyhow.”

“Uh-huh? Well, it still wouldn’t sit right with me to expect her to pay for me.” She shrugged. “I’ll figure something out. Thanks again, Serenity.”

“You’re welcome again. Take care!”

With a final nod, Applejack trotted her way out and back to an eager pegasus. After a few minutes of getting Skylight up to speed and finalizing the checkup at the front desk, their hooves met the dirt.

“Glad to hear you’ll be fine!” Skylight chirped, “I had a feeling that you’d be fine, but still good to hear it.”

“Thanks. Can’t say I disagree with you. The quicker I’m back on my hooves the better.”

“But you’re on your hooves right now.”

Applejack rolled her eyes before taking a moment to glance around the surrounding town. Her gaze stop to rest on the sight of the old castle looming over nearby rooftops. “It’s so strange seeing a town around here…” she muttered.

“What was that?”

She shook her head. “Just thinkin’ aloud. Said that it’s strange seeing a town around the castle there. Nopony with a sense of self-worth ventures out here.”

Skylight shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. The town’s been here for as long as I’ve known it. Not that that’s very long, heh.”

The two set off, making time and small talk down the gravel roads of town. As they passed by the ponies going about their daily routines, more than once they had to slow down when a passerby stopped for a “Hello!” to Skylight and her “new friend.” By the time they reached a salespony, Applejack had a dozen new faces running through her head. Though, she didn’t really mind. “Real nice neighbors you got here,” she commented, throwing back her head for a laugh.

“It happens,” Skylight shrugged with a not-so-innocent smile.

“Better later than sooner,” Skylight said, thinking of how she’d get the medical documents when they were ready. “I hate all that fancy paperwork. Too many words, too many!”

Applejack flashed a shy grin at the words. “Heh, can’t say I’m much better. I usually just let my brother do it.”

“I do the same thing! Except now that I live alone, I have to deal with it myself. Hehe.”

The farm mare watched as an archway passed overhead, signifying the town’s last boundary line. The words “Village Green” were chiseled and painted into the wooden gate. Stopping a moment, Applejack glanced back at the quaint town. “...For being here for such a short time, the place sure reminds of Ponyville. Almost sad to say goodbye.” She turned away, setting a pace on the gravel road once again. “Let’s get a move on.”

With a flap of her wings, Skylight bounded up next to Applejack. “Sure thing. But… can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“What do you mean by the town reminding you of Ponyville?”

“Mm, it’s just got that… down-to-earth feel, you know? Everypony plays their part in keepin’ it fresh and alive.”

“Uh-huh.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Somethin’ botherin’ you?”

“Huh? Oh, no! It’s just that… I wouldn’t describe Ponyville as similar to Village Green.”

“…No?”

Skylight pursed her lips as she glanced at her friend. “Say, Applejack? I know I was the one to suggest going to Ponyville, but why do you want to go there?”

“Simple question, simple answer. That’s where I live.”

“You live…” Skylight repeated, drawing a suspicious glance from Applejack. The pegasus cleared her throat before saying, “Do you mean you’re just planning on going home?”

“Well, I reckon it ain’t gonna to be… as simple as that, but yes. I’m goin’ home,” she replied with a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

Skylight, however, didn’t share the gesture. She cocked her head. “Applejack, I’ll be the first to admit I’m an optimist, but I can be a realist if I have to. Are you really expecting to return just like that?”

“I’m not expectin’ that,” she said, “I just said it, didn’t I? But I know that Ponyville is and always will be my home even if…”

“Even if what?”

Applejack broke her gaze away to peer at nothing in particular. Her voice a whisper, she spoke, “…Even if there’s a new bushel of apples on the farm…” She stomped her hoof as she shot her eyes back up. “But I’m goin’ back. Simple as that.”

Skylight only stared, conflict storming in her eyes for a few long seconds. “Did… you say farm?”

“Ee…yup? Why?” Applejack responded, a note too high. What’s she gettin’ at?”

“Well… there’s not any farms around Ponyville. Not that I know of.”

What? “What?!” Applejack retorted, “What are you talkin’ about? There’s miles worth of farmland around Ponyville… right?” Despite the strength in her voice, she couldn’t hold back the cold feelings creeping up her spine.

Skylight sighed. “Applejack… how much have you thought about your situation?”

“Don’t you know?”

“No, I mean like really thought about it. I’m sure you’ve realized that a lot has changed and that a lot of ponies have… moved on… but do you really know what you’re stuck in?”

Applejack gulped. “I-I…”

Skylight sighed again as she put her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, each of them still keeping up the pace. “I don’t want to tell you this… but no one else will. You have to realize what’s happening. You have to expect everything to change and nothing to be the same.”

“I…” She shook her head, a solid glint appearing in her eye. “I know that.”

“But are you prepared for it?”

“…”

“Applejack…” Skylight said, “I don’t want to put you down, but I don’t want you to cling to… any false hopes.”

The two of them went silent as they walked the dirt road, the telltale signs of civilization being pushed back by the trees of the forest. Even though Skylight was probably leading her toward Ponyville, Applejack didn’t need the help. She knew this path. She’d walked it eighty years ago.

“Skylight… Can I ask ya somethin’?”

“Sure.”

“Whaddya mean by the town not reminding you of Ponyville?”

The pegasus hesitated one moment. “It’s… different. Village Green is like what you described—rustic, dirty. The closest Ponyville comes to that is by having parks. The streets are paved and lined with sidewalks. Instead of wooden buildings and log cabins, everything’s built with brick and cement. And it’s busy. Real busy. Like a miniature version of Canterlot.” Skylight stared ahead as if searching for the town through the tree lining. “It’s the concrete portion of the Everfree.”

She glanced at her friend. “Applejack, are you—Applejack?” she said, seeing that the earth pony had fallen behind. Trotting back to her, she froze as she saw her face. Applejack’s face. “Are-are you…?”

Looking through blurry eyes, though not because of her vision this time, the farm mare heaved a choked breath. “I-it’s all gone, isn’t it?”

“Wha—”

“Everythin’!” Applejack spat, “I-It’s all gone! I knew I’d been gone for so long, but now I get it. Everythin’, everyone, everypony… they’re all… all dead, aren’t they?!”

Skylight gasped. “Applejack! Don’t think like that!”

“You said it yourself. Expect everythin’ to be different and nothin’ to be the same. Well, I’ve realized what I’m in now, and no, I’m not prepared for it. I-I don’t think I’ll e-e-ever…” Her voice broke as did her sorrow, letting the tears stream down her cheeks for the second time that day.

“Oh no, Applejack, don’t cry. Then I’ll start crying and we’ll both be sad and… Oh, Applejack…” Skylight moaned, snatching the sobbing mare into a hug. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! I’m sorry I had to tell you all that, and I’m sorry you’re feeling so bad, and I’m so, so sorry that this happened to you!”

Through her hoarse, strained voice, Applejack managed out a single reply. “D-don’t be. S’not your f-fault.”

Skylight didn’t respond; instead, she gave a last squeeze before breaking away. With a gentle nudge, she pushed up Applejack’s chin to look into her eyes. “And after all this, I want you to know something. Everything will turn out alright.”

“…”

The pegasus only nodded. “…Do you still want to go to…”

“…N-no. I don’t wanna see none of it. I wanna go back.”

“Alright then.”

With a steady hoof, the pegasus pulled her friend to her hooves and lead a slow pace back to the town that was so much like home.

Applejack found herself in a familiar position—in bed, on her side, curled up, and sniffling more than the common cold. The only difference between today and yesterday was that today felt… empty? Hollow? She didn’t know, nor did she care.

Not wishing to hear her own voice crack and falter should she try to talk, she confined her words to her thoughts. This… this is happenin’. It really is. A choke escaped her ragged breath. Applejack had lost count of how many times the single phrase had repeated itself in her mind, a broken record with no one bothering to remove it, but it jolted her every time.

N-no more distractions… she thought, thinking of how she’d managed to function so well all day. Seeing and truly knowing what you’re looking at are two very different things, she knew. Now full, unbridled realization had taken her.

“…Applejack?” she heard Skylight say, followed by the door creaking open. As per request, the pegasus had left her in solitude with only the slightest hesitation. “I’m not going to bother asking you if you’re okay, but I need to know something…”

“…Mm?”

At the touch of a hoof on her back, Applejack craned her neck around to regard Skylight. Even through her blurred eyes, she could make out the sorrow etched into the pegasus’ face. Her eyes even had tinges of puffiness in them, but that only made Applejack cringe inside. She didn’t need anyone else taking her burden for her.

“Is there anything, anything I can do to help?”

Applejack could only stare. “How… how are you supposed to help?” she rasped before cringing at the bite that had slipped into her words.

Skylight, however, didn’t bite back. “In any way you need. You say it, I’ll do it.”

The displaced mare glanced away. She didn’t doubt a word that had come out of the pegasus’ mouth, but the real question really was, What could she do? Applejack shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t. I… I just wanna go home.”

“To your family?”

Applejack flinched. “Eeyup.”

“Have you considered that some might be still be around?”

“You said it yourself. No false hope.”

She felt Skylight’s hoof set down on her shoulder, giving a light rub. “Some hope is still better than none.”

“…” Inside her head, Applejack’s thoughts ran amuck. Gone, she thought, How could any of them be around after so long?

What about Apple Blo—

No. She buried the thought before it could fester further. I won’t even think about her. Applejack glanced back to Skylight, still ever-patiently waiting for an answer. There’s… only a few ponies I know that will still be here…

“The princesses,” she said, “They’re still here, aren’t they?”

“You mean Luna and Celestia?”

She nodded.

“Then I’ll get at least one of them,” Skylight stated.

Applejack’s eyes widened. “Huh? Just like that? I haven’t even…”

The pegasus shook her head. “As I said, anything you need.” With a grin poking up at the corners of her lips, she added, “You’re an Element of Harmony, right? I may not be a historian, but that seems important. I’ll be back before sundown.”

“You’re goin’ all the way to Canterlot?”

Ruffling her wings, Skylight flashed confidence in her eyes. “It’s not far. I promise you, Applejack, I’ll fix this as best as I am able. I promised you yesterday that everything would be fine, and I intend to stay true to my word.”

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Applejack said, mouth slightly agape, “But thanks. If it means anything, thanks.”

“Trust me, it does. Now before I go, is there anything you need?”

She shook her head.

“Right!” she said, turning to leave, “If you get hungry, feel free to raid the kitchen. Fairly well, Applejack!”

“Goodbye… But Sky? Can I ask why you’re so willing to help me? None of this is your fault, but you’re goin’ out of your way to help.”

Skylight shrugged. “Isn’t it just what friends do?”

Then she left, leaving Applejack to wander her own thoughts. But above all, one thing nagged at her.

How in the hay is she goin’ to be back by sundown?

Chapter 4 Princess' Way

Applejack sat at the windowsill, hoof propped beneath her chin, and watching nothing in particular as the sun began to hide behind the castle towers.

She whisked her gaze around the living portrait of Village Green every so often when a new bit of movement caught her attention. The villagers went about their evening routines, some closing up shop while others were opening theirs, and the rest trotting on home. Even with the unfamiliar faces dotting the streets, Applejack felt that feeling of longing rising in her gut—that longing one gets when they’re so close yet so far from their destination.

“Uh…” she sighed, letting all her breath ride out on the sound. “Something’s happened…”

Skylight’s words pecked at her every second, a constant reminder of where she was. “The concrete portion of the Everfree,” she’d said. Any other year, she’d have laughed at the description of her town. Little ol’ Ponyville made of concrete? Like Manehatten? That’s a keeper. But now, laughter was far from her mind.

For now, she knew Skylight had set off to meet with the princess. Applejack didn’t even know which one she had in mind—maybe both—but any at all was fine by her. She needed a face she knew.

And one she could bear to think about.

Applejack lifted her head from her hoof to stand up straight. After peering through the window for a few last moments, she turned tail and headed for the door. She worked out a crick in her foreleg as she walked past the door and set a slow pace down the stair case. Physically, she felt a mile better than she did yesterday; her vision was still a tad blurry when she looked at things from a distance, but it was bearable. As Doctor Serenity had said, with a little luck, it would get better.

Touching down on the ground floor, she glanced from the kitchen to the living room before settling on the latter. “Not like I’ve got anywhere to go,” she said as she plopped down across the couch. Satisfied with her journey from the bed upstairs to the couch downstairs, she lowered her eyes until they were half lidded then simply went silent. Nothing to do, nothing to say, something to think.

Ponyville’s gone. The farm’s gone. And everyone I know… is gone. She sighed, grateful that she’d run out of tears an hour or so ago. As horrible a feeling as realization was, you could only go through it once. Except the princesses, I guess… And whoever else could live that long. Who would that be? Spike? Her pupils shifted to the corners of her eyes as she thought. I guess he would still be here just all grown up. Hopefully this time cause of age and not greed, she mused, shuddering at the memory of the bad dragon. And… yeah, I don’t wanna think about her. I can’t stand the thought of her at all even if she is still… Oh, Apple Bloom…

Applejack’s ears perked at the sound of the door creaking open. Pushing herself into a sitting position, her eyes stared with intent as it pushed open to allow one pegasus to prance through. “Hi, Applejack!”

“Skylight! You’re back!” she replied. “You weren’t joking when you said you’d be back before sundown.”

“Not at all.” Skylight glanced behind her as she stood in the doorway, peering outside.

“Just how did you get to Canterlot and back so fast? Don’t tell me you can do a Sonic Rainboom.”

“Sonic Rainboom? Oh no, I could never do that.” With a toothy grin, she added, “I just got a little help from the train.”

Applejack’s brow furrowed. “The train? Ah, never mind that. So did you meet…?”

“The princess? You bet,” she said, turning her head toward outside once again.

“So where is she? Is she coming?”

“Indeed! She just arrived behind me. Should be here in a moment. I think she said something about needing to park her chariot.”

Applejack hopped to her hooves. “She is?! Oh, thanks. Really, Skylight, thanks.”

“You’re very welcome.”

Despite the news, Applejack couldn’t place the emotions welling up in her. She expected to be happy, delighted, at the news, yet she instead felt… Anxious? She shook her head. There’s no reason to fret. Turning to Skylight, she said, “Is there anything I should know? How did you get her to come down here on short notice?”

“Right! Well I arrived in Canterlot, flew to the castle, cut through the line of ponies waiting to see her, and yelled that I found you stoned in the forest. That got her attention.”

Applejack blinked. Skylight didn’t notice.

“After she ordered the guards to uncuff me, we talked a bit, and then she agreed to come down here to Village Green.”

“…Alright then… Wait a minute! You didn’t even tell me which princess is coming. Who just arrived?”

“Luna.”

Applejack nodded, but the corners of her lips threatened to spill into a frown. “Nothing against Princess Luna, but why her? Did you ask for Princess Celestia at all?” Thinking back, the farmer knew she never had much interaction with their Princess of the Night. Even though she’d played a part in her restoration, her sister had always been the more active of the two. Hay, she wasn’t sure she’d even sat down and had a conversation with Princess Luna. Guess that’ll change tonight.

“I tried asking about her, but she wasn’t in. Busy with something or whatever and not taking visitors. Hmm, now that I think about it, she’s been like that for a while, huh?”

“I wouldn’t know. Anyway…” She put her hoof on Skylight’s shoulder. “Sky? Thanks a ton. Not just for this, but for going out of your way to help me just because you wanted to. I couldn’t repay you if I tried.”

Skylight shrugged. “Just what friends are for.”

“But I will repay that hospital bill. Just watch.”

“Hey! You don’t have to do that.” She giggled. “It was only a few hundred bits.”

Applejack made a sound akin to a squeak. “Few hundred bits?! Whaddya mean—”

“Miss Skylight Crimson? Are you in here? Shoot, I got the address mixed up, didn’t I?”

“Right in here. Come in!” Skylight called. “She’s here, Applejack.”

“Eeyup. I recognize that voice,” was all she replied with. Hooves planted, body still, and eyes staring, Applejack radiated anticipation. As she took in a breath, her hoof took a step back, but she set it back in place. She couldn’t place where her anxiety came from, but she elected to push it away.

Then the door pushed open, allowing a midnight blue mare to step in.

A spiraling horn atop her head and a pair of feathery wings on her back, the alicorn’s eyes flew throughout the room before locking onto Applejack. With a take of her breath, she locked onto the displaced mare. “Applejack?” she said, taking a hesitant step closer.

The farm mare nodded as she mustered up a meager smile. She couldn’t help it, for she finally met a face she knew. A real, familiar pony in the flesh. No chicken monsters could stop her now. “Howdy, Princess Luna.”

As soon as the words came out, Luna’s demeanor jumped to excitement as she practically pranced across the living room to Applejack. “There’s only one family in Equestria with an accent like that! It is you, isn’t it?”

“Eeyup.”

“But there’s more. You look just like her, talk like her, and—if I’m remembering right—sound like her. You really are Applejack, aren’t you?”

“Uh, eeyup—whoa nelly!”

Applejack felt the wind get squeezed out of her as the lunar goddess swept her up into a bear hug. “Ech! A bit tight, princess!” she cried, gagging as strands of Luna’s starry mane hit her mouth.

Luna released her, smiling in her guiltiness. “Sorry, but I cannot believe it’s you after all this time. I’ll admit I was as skeptical as ever when your friend came barging into my court, but… how can this not be you? You two even passed my spell!”

“Well, it’s me… ow,” Applejack said, rubbing the shoulder that Luna had sandwiched. “What spell are you going on about?”

“Oh, right. A few spells, most of them designed to detect dishonesty. When your friend passed them initially, I figured I had to see what was really happening. Speaking of which…” Luna glanced toward the other pony in the room, seeing her watching the reunion with a smile painted on her face. “I would like to thank you,” she said, “for bringing Applejack home and then taking her in out of sheer goodwill. I do apologize for my earlier skepticism, but I promise you that this is an act that I will not forget, Miss Skylight Crimson.”

“You’re very welcome!” Skylight chirped. “And please, just call me Skylight or Sky or whatever else you like.”

The princess nodded before glancing back to Applejack, face morphing into mild concern. “I believe Skylight wrote that you were not feeling well? Your voice sounds a bit raspy.”

Applejack shrugged. “It was a lot worse yesterday. Hay, everything was a lot worse yesterday. Trust me, I’ll be fine.”

Luna smiled in a satisfied kind of way. With a sigh, she whispered, “It is so very great to see you again, and I mean that from the bottom of my immortal soul.”

“I could say the same thing. Minus the immortal part.”

Skylight grinned at their words before saying, “May I ask what you two are going to do next?” Seeing the confused glance she received, she added, “I mean, are you two going to go somewhere? Like Canterlot? Or… I dunno, do something?”

Luna held back a giggle as she answered. “I would rather speak with Applejack personally before we decide any course of action. Is that alright with you?”

“Oh! That’s quite alright. How’s that sound to you, Applejack?”

“Sounds mighty fine.”

“Very good,” Luna said. “Now, are you up for a walk?” With a last glance around, Luna gestured for Applejack to follow as she headed for the front door. The farm mare held no qualms as she trailed behind; nothing was going to prevent her from talking to the one pony she knew.

Stepping onto the porch, Applejack gasped as she was pulled into another surprise hug but quite glad that it wasn’t nearly as crushing as the last one.

“Sorry,” Luna said. “But I can hardly believe it’s you.”

“Heh, it’s me alright.”

Luna let a few laughs fly. “Thankfully. Now, let’s walk, yes? I take it you haven’t seen much of Village Green yet?”

“Nope,” she said, shaking her head. “Skylight and I walked around earlier on our way to the doctor’s office.” She gasped. “Oh, shoot! I almost forgot!”

“What is it?”

“The doc bill. She said it cost a few hundred bits! Oh Celestia, I need to find a way to pay her… back?” She trailed off at seeing the look on Luna’s face. It bordered somewhere between mischievous and sympathetic. An odd combination, Applejack noted.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” she said with a wink of the eye.

“But it’s hundreds of bits. I can’t just leave her with that.”

Luna only smirked. “Come along, Applejack. I think you’ll find something interesting.”

Without a word more, Luna set a pace down the dirt road that trailed through the village, heading for the direction of the old Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. As Applejack walked by the princess’s side, her ears perked up at the sound of hushed whispers following them. Tossing her gaze to the colorful blurs of the ponies around them, she realized all attention was on them—or rather, the princess. She wasn’t taken aback by the villagers’ interest, having seen Ponyville’s own residents react to Celestia’s occasional visits. What got her, however, was the fact that they were acting like this to Luna.

Er, nothing against her of course. The last time Applejack had seen the princess interacting with her subjects, they’d been running in fright. Now they were acting much like how they would to Celestia—respectfully reserved but interested all the same. I wonder how Princess Celestia’s doing anyhow, she thought. Cause her sister’s doing quite fine.

“Here we are,” Luna said as she stopped in front of a vendor’s stand. “Are you still open?”

Back turned to them, the salespony didn’t bother turning around as she said, “We’re closing. Sorry.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. Sometimes a princess just has to feed her sweet tooth, you know?”

“Princess? What are you…?” She craned her neck around to see and promptly jolted up straight. “Princess! What are you…?! I mean, um… what would you like?”

“Mm… Two cake pops, please.”

“Right away! Er, your majesty!”

“Cake pops?” Applejack said. “What in tarnation is that? Sounds like something Pinkie would come up with.”

Luna’s face scrunched up in thought. “...I think she did. Her or somepony from Sugercube Corner. In any case, it’s a ball of cake on a lollipop stick held together with cream. I daresay it’s the best innovation to ever come out of a kitchen.”

“…Well, alright then. And here I thought your sister was the one with the sweet tooth.”

“It runs in the family.”

“Here you are, princess!” the salespony said, magicking their order to them.

Taking it with her own magic, Luna thanked the mare. “How much will this be?”

“Oh, please don’t worry about that! For you, princess, it’s free.”

Luna shook her head. “Nonsense. I bought it, and I’ll pay for it. How much are these?”

“Erm… thirteen bits each?” she said, her voice just shy of a squeak.

After paying the vendor, Luna passed one to Applejack and set off once more. “What do you think?”

“Thirteen bith for thith?” she said, desert filling her mouth.

“Indeed. But I was asking about how it tasted.”

“Oh. Ith good.” She finished off the rest of it in a single bite, causing Luna to chuckle as she did the same to her own.

She shook her head. “Anyway… Yes, thirteen bits. Why? Same reason the hospital bill seemed high. Yearly inflation.”

Applejack blinked. Then it hit her like a freight train. “Dangnabit! Why didn’t I think of that? Of course bits are going to be valued differently! Ugh, now I feel like Granny Smith when she talks about how much cheaper everything used to be… Oh, don’t laugh at me, princess!”

“Sorry, sorry,” she said, laughing the entire time.

Applejack rolled her eyes as a smirk danced across her lips, but she turned away. “Eeyup, just another thing to learn… heh.”

Luna cocked her head. “How are you feeling, Applejack?”

“Like I said earlier, legs are a bit sore and eye sight’s a bit blurry, but the doc says I’ll be alright.”

“That’s good to hear…” Giving a sidelong glance, she said, “But that’s not quite what I meant.”

The farm mare’s head drooped. “I… I’m fine.”

Luna sighed. “Applejack, you were Honesty for a reason. The last pony you should lie to is yourself. I know you are far from fine.”

Applejack was silent for a few long seconds before she mustered up the strength to look up again. “I know, princess, I know… I just don’t wanna have to think about it ‘cause if I do, I know I’ll start tearing up again, and we’re in the middle of town and… Consarnit, there I go,” she said, bringing her hoof up to wipe away an escaping tear. “…This is really happening. I’ve been a statue for the past eighty years. It all feels like a big nightmare, b-but I know I won’t be waking up from it.”

Sympathy played on Luna’s face as she responded. “Sugarcoating is the worst thing I could do for you. Yes, this is happening. I wish it weren’t, but it is.”

Applejack sniffled. Even if she had already known the answer, the blow didn’t lessen in the slightest. Hearing it from a pony she knew, one that had been there before and after being a statue, was more than enough.

“Oh, why is happening?” she moaned. “I-I was supposed to be there for everyone—for my friends, for my family. Especially Applebloom. I just can’t stand the thought of her wondering and hoping that her big sister will come back!” Her voice choked, cutting off her sorrowful speech. All thoughts of pushing her mind into something else—anything else—were sent flying as her flurry of emotion flooded her awareness with no distractions to dam it back up.

But there would be no more tears save the one. She’d already run dry.

Luna grimaced at the sight of the broken mare. Knowing they were assured to cause a scene if they stayed any longer, she lit her horn with a blue glow.

Applejack jumped at the sudden flash of light. Blinking away the daze in her eyes, she gasped as she took in the change of scenery. Gone were the houses and ponies of Village Green. In their place was a regal hall lined with stone, carpets on the floor and torches burning on the wall. Glancing toward the end of the hall, she saw all she needed to recognize where she was.

“That’s… I know that throne. This is the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters’ throne room… You teleported us?” she said.

“I did. Perhaps going for a walk was not a wise choice.”

“Mmhm…”

Lowering her face to Applejack’s eye level, Luna let out a sigh before speaking. “Applejack…?”

“…What?” she rasped, the hoarseness of her voice made worse by her misery.

“There is… nothing I can say to make this any better,” the princess began. “I cannot and will not lie to you by saying that everything is alright. Nothing that you are being subjected to is alright in the slightest.”

The mare’s only response was a sniffling silence as she stared into the alicorn’s cyan eyes.

“However, I can tell you this. Everything will be alright if you allow it to be. It may take months, it may take a lifetime, but you can persevere. Of that, I am sure.”

“…H-how? How can any of this get better? Everyone… everyone I know is dead! I’ve gone through that so many times in my head already. They died not knowing what happened to me, and now that I’m back, it’s too late to make it up to them…”

Luna remained wordless for a moment as the out-of-place pony heaved a few shuddering breaths, needing to recollect what remained of herself.

“Applejack? Believe me, I know that this is difficult. I—”

“How do you know?” Applejack said, cutting her off. Any other day, she would’ve been appalled at the razor’s edge in her own voice. “Were you a statue for years and years while everyone you knew went on aging?”

After a second to recover from the outburst, Luna straightened back up to look down at Applejack. Simply, she replied “Yes.”

Applejack’s brow furrowed. “Wha…?”

Turning to glance through the castle hall, Luna took on a thoughtful expression. “Although it technically wasn’t being a statue… It was the same in essence.” She returned to Applejack’s curious, answer-searching face. “I was banished to the moon, remember?”

A garbled, guilty sound pushed out of Applejack’s throat. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s alright. I know you meant no harm. Quite frankly, I don’t blame you.”

She just nodded in response, still berating herself for snapping.

“Applejack, when I say that everything can be made right, I truly mean that. I was imprisoned for a thousand years, taken away from everyone I know and love. True, I was blinded by my envy in the time leading up to my exile, but my true self was buried under the Nightmare’s influence. I knew that when I returned, everything would be… different. New ponies, new places… The things I knew before would be mere relics of an older time.”

Applejack remained silent and motionless, eyes locked onto Luna with fierce attention. She didn’t bother speaking a reply, her answer being the comprehension shining upon her face.

“I wish I was wrong…” Luna sighed, peering off in a reminiscent gaze. “But of course, I was not. As you may recall, I was withdrawn from government as well as social gatherings for a few years after my return. Well, that was because I had to relearn history and societal norms that had changed from my time, and to… come to terms with what no longer was.” She paused, silence ringing off the castle walls before Luna’s attention snapped back onto the farm mare. Her words carrying a burning determination, she spoke, “Applejack. I am the only pony who can truly and honestly relate to what has befallen you. Knowing this, I want you to know that you can overcome what fate has thrown you in.”

“…But... Princess? I’m not you.” She shook her head. “Y-you may have gone and adapted, but I don’t know if I can go and do that too. It… it hurts so much thinking about it! I can’t just pretend everything’s alright all the time! I-I… I don’t know, princess, I just don’t know…”

Applejack paid no mind to the supportive hoof that came to rest on her shoulder, nor to the gentle touch of its owner. However, she listened for the words that would come with them. She knew when she needed help.

“I hope you do not take this the wrong way,” Luna began, her voice the loudest whisper Applejack had heard. “But I had come to hoping you would not turn up after all these years.” Before Applejack could question her, she continued. “This is precisely why. I didn’t want you to have to go through what I have. No pony should ever have to share my pain. I would much rather have you be resting peacefully. But you are here, and you are now forced to take my burden, so now I have no choice but to offer what support I can… Applejack, I did not tell you about my own banishment in order to say that your situation could be worse. I told you because I believe that if I can come to terms, then you can as well.”

“I’m not you…”

“No, you are stronger.”

Applejack’s eyes widened as the words hit her. “Princess?”

“You’ve done so much for not only Equestria, but everyone you care about, whether that be stopping a threat to the kingdom or just offering a shoulder to lean against—all in just a few short years, too! Where I failed in my role as an Element bearer, you went beyond what was expected of you in your responsibilities.”

“Princess, don’t go putting me up on a pedestal. I just did what was right.”

“Exactly. You acted on what was right instead of what you wanted whereas I let my own jealousy overcome me and dictate my actions… I would dare to say that I had even more responsibility placed on me than you did, and I still let my own interests control me. An eternal night would have razed the landscapes, killing off the trees and fields and crops that we needed to survive. You, however, persevered and remained strong through every peril. That is why I believe in you, Applejack. You of all ponies have the strength to carry on.”

Under Luna’s words, Applejack could only stare ahead like a foal on a ghost hunt. Conflict bubbled up inside her—or rather, it already had and now threatened to spill over. In some ways, it did. The displaced mare had been shocked into a teary-eyed mess by the crash of realization, but her princess had come to her side when she needed it the most, constantly nudging her forward with a gentle grace. Although Applejack was far too modest to accept the praise she received, she couldn’t deny the subtle truths in them. Maybe, just maybe, she’d give Luna a chance.

“Princess?” she said. “I-I think I needed to hear that.”

Luna returned with a faint yet knowing smile, not needing to say a word.

“Now, I’m not sure how everything is going to turn out, but I think I can give it the good ol’ Apple try. I want things to be set right—if they really can be by now—and I’ll be an orange farmer if I give up now. So… thanks, Princess. Thank you.”

“…You’re very welcome.”

Silence had a final encore as a quiet hush draped over the room, neither pony having any words to say. At least one wasn’t looking for any as she was busy thinking ahead, a seed of hope sprouting out of her frazzled head.

The lunar alicorn worked out a crick in her neck before flashing a grin. “If you don’t mind, I would prefer it if we get back to walking. It’s far too… musty in here.”

“Sure thing, but can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What happens now? Where do I go from here? I’m… a tad bit lost.”

“Actually, I was hoping we would get to that. Come. Let’s walk and talk.”

Voicing her agreement, Applejack set off beside the alicorn, leaving behind the empty throne room with a hint of a smile.

“And Applejack?” Luna said, casting a guilty look at her. “I just want to say that I really am overjoyed to see you, but I must admit something. Part of that is out of selfish reasons.”

“Huh?”

“When I returned, I rarely ventured out as you know. I never made many friends. Never thought to pay thanks to the ones who restored me.”

Realizing what Luna was getting at, Applejack shook her head at the princess. “Don’t go fretting over that. I don’t blame you.”

“But I do. When you went missing, it didn’t take long for me to realize that. I thought, ‘I never got to know her, not even thank her. She’s missing and I may never get my chance.’ …I hope you’ll let me help you and, if I’m lucky, let me be your friend.”

“Nope,” she replied, “Don’t be thinking like that. You know why?” At the curious look she received, Applejack added, “‘Cause you’re already my friend, princess.”

Luna opened her mouth but closed it in a moment. The single nod she gave told Applejack all she needed. With a swish of her flowing, starry mane, Luna returned to her pace, an extra skip in her step. “Please, call me Luna.”

As she walked the roads of Village Green, Applejack couldn’t help but notice that homey feel the town radiated. It wasn’t unlike Ponyville, albeit with a bit more dirt than she was used to feeling under her hooves. Even though she’d noticed this on more than one occasion prior, it felt like only now did she really see it for what it was.

As the two passed another group of gasping onlookers, Applejack trotted up next to the princess. “So, uh, what are we gonna do next?”

“Ah, yes. I was planning on getting you situated.”

“Situated? How?”

“In every way,” she answered as if it was the simplest thing in town. “Where you are to stay being first on the list.”

One particular farm popped into Applejack’s mind, but she bit her tongue. What am I doing? she thought. Sky already told me about… it. She glanced to Luna, but her mind blanked. “What about Sweet Apple Acres?”

Luna didn’t answer right away, sending a shock of nervousness through Applejack’s system. “...You don’t know?”

“…No, I do.”

“Alright then.” Luna appeared to think for a moment before saying, “I suppose you have a lot of questions about what is and what isn’t.

“Uh, yes,” she sighed. “I do. But can we wait until we get back to Skylight’s? Like you said, I don’t wanna... make a scene.”

“Of course.”

Their conversation ceased for a minute before Luna took charge again. “In any case... There is also the matter of catching you up on what’s changed in a societal sense. The new value of the bit is just one example. Fortunately, you weren’t absent for as long as I was, so you’ll find that nothing is too far from what you know. Take how we’re talking, for instance. The common accent as well as speech patterns are still very much the same, save for a few cases.”

“Like fairly well?”

“Oh? That would be one. Did somepony say that to you?”

“Skylight said it to me before she left.”

“Yes, fairly well is a common way of saying bye nowadays. If I recall correctly, there was a mishearing of ‘farewell’ during a radio broadcast, and it caught on from there.”

“Alright… but what’s a radio broadcast?”

Luna gave a few chuckles. “For the sake of getting anywhere, I’ll save those specific questions for later, alright? Every time I answer one question, two more will take its place. I think I could lend you a book or two that would help.”

She nodded. Storage cubes, pens, radio broadcasts, she thought, storing the information away to ask about later.

As the two left behind the late night activity of town and Skylight’s house came into view, the alicorn’s smile drooped away, telling Applejack a more serious discussion was on the horizon. “Applejack? As you said earlier, there is another issue we need to address, and I know this one will be far harder than trying to fit in society.”

Eeyup. I know.

She sent the displaced mare a sad, sorrowful look. “You’re going to have to come to terms with what’s not here anymore. More specifically, who’s not here.”

“…Uh-huh.”

“I know you’re a strong pony, but you should never hold in your emotions, especially the ones I just saw in the castle. It’ll tear you apart from the inside, and you won’t understand why.”

Applejack didn’t respond right away, seeming content to stare ahead as they walked toward the house. Casting away her façade with a heaving sigh, she replied, “I know… I know. I figured as much on my own… Haven’t been getting any false hopes up. At least, not trying to.”

“Uh-huh. Do you want to know anything?” Luna none-too-vaguely hinted.

She’s asking if I want to know who’s alive. Applejack glanced around them before answering, seeing the wooden, non-uniform houses sprinkled along the sides of the road. Of course, she got no answers from them.

For the second or third or whichever time that day, the farm mare found herself running through a list of the ponies she knew, ticking off the names she knew she wouldn’t be seeing again. Part of her saw the pure morbidity of the action, but she flew through her list too fast to think about it. No, no, no… she thought. She wasn’t sure whether she was referring to ponies or what she was doing.

“Is… Twilight around? She’s an alicorn and all, but I never was sure if that meant she…”

Applejack trailed off, heart skipping a beat as she saw Luna shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “She passed away over a decade ago.”

“But she’s an alicorn. She’s not immortal?” Applejack said, her voice a note too high.

“Being an alicorn does not grant immortality, being a goddess does. Like my niece, Cadence, she ascended from one of the three common races instead of being born with wings and a horn.” Putting a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, she said, “She was my good friend as well. I’m sorry.”

“Mmhm.” Applejack took a deep breath, letting the exhale flow out. It’s alright, she thought to herself. I was expecting this. Her logic didn’t lessen the blow by much.

“Uh-huh... Spike’s around,” Luna added with a sudden upbeatness.

Applejack raised an interested eyebrow. “Really? Well, I figured he would be since he’s a dragon and all.”

“Well, he’s a bit bigger than you remember, but he’s still the same dragon. If you can catch him when he’s not sleeping, that is.”

“Eeyup,” Applejack replied with a single, sharp chuckle. Then she just stared forward again, not making a sound.

“…Nothing else?” Luna asked.

She means no one else. No one else I’m gonna ask about. Applejack shook her head.

Luna shot her a suspicious look, but changed subject. “As I was saying earlier, we have to get you situated, and I also have my own plans to carry out.”

“Is that right?”

“It is. For now, we’ll decide where to go once we get inside. I think Skylight would appreciate being brought up to speed.”

“Sure thing.”

“Excellent…”

As she hopped onto the porch, Applejack hesitated before knocking on the door, hoof still hanging in midair. “Luna?”

“Yes, Applejack?”

“I... I think I know what we should do first.”

She cocked her head. “What’s that?”

Turning around to face her friend, she continued. “It’s like you said. I need to see what’s not here anymore. I need to know what’s gone. That’s what we should do first. I wanna go to Ponyville and wherever else to make this right.”

Luna smiled a kind of warm, proud smile like a parent would give to their foal. “I think that’s wise of you.” She moved for the door, but Applejack held out her hoof, shaking her head.

“But,” she began, “I may not be a betting gal, but I’d wager I’ll never be prepared for what I’m asking for. Part of me still wants to curl up on that bed and wait for this to be over even though I know that’ll never work. Luna, just tell me… Do you really believe this can turn out alright?”

“I’ll do more than tell you. I’ll promise you. I promise that I believe this can turn out alright.”

Applejack’s face remained an eerie calm. “…Pinkie Promise?”

“Pinkie Promise?” Luna repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Shoot, you're telling me Pinkie never showed you that?”

She shook her head, prompting Applejack to facehoof, but she couldn’t help but grin at the thought. “Well I’ll tell you. It’s a promise she came up with. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She giggled just having to recite it. “That girl always said that breaking a Pinkie Promise is the quickest way to lose a friend…”

She trailed off, leaving emphasis on the last word as if expecting someone else to finish it. In a second, her cheeriness sunk as she turned away. “You know what? I’ll take your word for it.”

“If you say so,” Luna said, caution ringing in her tone.

Applejack paid her no mind. Let’s just keep moving forward.

Chapter 5, Part 1 Homeward Way

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