"If Ganny were alive, this never would'a happened!"
Applejack found herself fidgeting with the loose knot of her grandma's old shawl tired around her neck as her breathing evened out. The thought kept repeating itself as the envelope rested in her hooves, bearing her printed name and a stylized five pointed star cutie mark of a royal postage stamp in the top corner. The broken golden wax seal that had once kept the fold close bore the mark of another, less commercial, hint of what had lay within. A mark similar to that of a gentle flicker of a candle's flame that cast a warm light in the dim shadow that had just fallen over Applejack. The imprinted initials in the same splotch of dried wax 'R.E.P.S' in tiny markings under the puff like fire confirmed its authenticity. This was no cruel joke by her partner this time. What she had just read was very real.
Over and over again, Applejack tied to shift blame to anywhere that wasn't the inevitable as the events she dreaded came to their conclusion. An argument she had with herself time and again that lost all its meaning as the long years slowly ticked away. What would have happened differently if this? Or, what if I did that? So many different ways she played out today's events in her head, yet, like the farm around her now, none bore fruit. They were all pointless questions in the end. A mere grasping at dry strands of hay succumbing to the fire now embedded in soft wax. By the mailbox, Applejack sat with it still after having read it. A heavy comprehension rested on her acing back and forced out a shaky breath, making her aging hips, worn from a life of apple bucking, hurt. The lowering evening sun tried to cast its usual glow under her wide brimmed hat, anything to warm her sunken cheeks. Yet she evaded it steadily as she forced herself to gather her thoughts. There were none. Only those of her mistake came to be as the floral shawl itched around her shoulders.
There were no more routs to take. She had to walk the path she chose.
She let the sun's rays in for but a moment to gaze solemnly around her, hoping to catch a glance at things she once remembered. To give her the strength she needed. Something to convince her that she had made the right choice. But all around her those things were not the same as they were when they she was young and fit. It was no longer the perfect postcard picture that had once been the idyllic center of country living. An acre of apple trees stretched up and over a hill beside her, forever cherished and guarded by the once strong beauty of the crowning Apple-Pear tree that continued to flourish atop it, if for not a couple of drooping wilted branches. Down below, a weathered old barn, leaning slightly and fading red paint, had once captured just the right image of what her filly-hood looked like... had it been drawn by discord. A few ponies rustled slowly in front of the open barn doors. Big McIntosh and his wife, Sugar Belle, were milling around the front, loading furniture and boxes onto a half full wagon that had seen its fair share of long journeys. Their teenage son, Apple Slice, was helping arrange and stack the numerous things the family owned hefted up to him. No face held joy for the undertaking shift. Least of all Apple Slice. His whole life had been here. With the exception of Sugar Belle, they all had precious memories of foal-hoods here.
Another figure caught her attention for but a second as they flapped lazily up the main path to the gate towards her. A rainbow mane drifted carefree in her wake. A thick unbuttoned Wonderbolt commander's jacket draped over her shoulders. And despite wearing the same glum expression as those she flew away from, those deep magenta eyes found their mare by the mail box, then sparkled against the setting sun as a single corner of her mouth curled upward. Applejack was not ready to bring the news as it was, yet it seemed she was going to be forced to give it nonetheless. And though her chest always lifted when she saw her, the ever-sinking pit in her gut stopped her from smiling back. Rainbow Dash had been their when things got tough to be the one who acted tougher. To always be the crutch she needed as a devoted best friend. It was ironic then when they realized just what their relationship would evolve into once other heroes of Equestria began sharing the load of protecting the lands, and they at last had time to be their for each other rather than the world.
However, here and now, no amount of heroism or good faith, nor interment affection or companionship, would stop the overarching world wide progression of that was prosperity.
Applejack averted her gaze to beyond that rustic barn full of memories, hoping to find an answer where memories weren't before Dash got to her. Things were never going to be the same as the world around her family home thrived under her princess friend. Twilight's perfect rule had done the impossible and brought the world together. With that came prosperity. It was a remarkable feat that everyone celebrated continuously, adding yet another holiday to the calendar for it. Races and faraway tribes were mingling with no trepidation, speaking, and enjoying each others company without ever noticing what skin they wore. So with this much unity, marriages increased. Which of course lead to more couples having more young. Whether conceived or adopted, it didn't matter. Equestria's population exploded!
And with all these new creatures entering Equestria, they had to live somewhere. While the need for races outside of pony lands to stick to their homelands for heritage sake and to retain pride and friendship within familiar surroundings, the appeal of the humble little village of Ponyville got from the past had spread, turning it into the place to be. Becoming the unofficial second capital of Equestria, the old town center became a small city, and previously unclaimed outer fringes sprouted into dense suburbs. Because, after all, who wouldn't want to live where the defenders of Equestria lived?
AppleJack cringed behind a mask of contempt as a sick looking white posted fence stood as a last set of bittersweet boundaries that desperately halted a modern advance of innovation and expansion. Brand new eight foot high solid prefabricated boards stood not a few feet from the original fence, yet it hardly obscured the view of hundreds, possibly thousands of humble identical dwellings, bearing the same precise new-age architectural spectacle that only mass production could accomplish. All packed tightly together with identical geometrical shaped roofs. Each with countless families now calling the outskirts of Ponyville home, it tried to give the warm feel of growth and community, but the lifelessness of the sight seemed to sap all joy the once open countryside held. The very means of living in the outer suburbs diminished with each sterile home built. Indeed all around the farm, once beautiful virgin land made famous for the unique zap-apples grown here, much the same was happening. With the last acre willingly sold a year before, total development was nearing its completion.
Save for this one last acre, that was held onto with every breath.
Wide paved roads replaced dirt in all directions. Even where Applejack sat, holding back the burning well behind her eyes, small steam powered wagons carting more families to their new homes rolled past her; the latest invention born from Flim-Flam industries that allowed the world to change even quicker. As drifting vapor made her already frazzled mane bristle, she followed its wake across the sky, wanting to blow it away from the last few surviving apple trees able to give healthy fruit. Once the farms source of income, now those apples needed to remain shiny and juicy for tourism. With the amount of trees left, and competitors producing far more stock than she could ever bring forth, creatures from around the world had to look at these and be reminded of the perfect quality this farm once had, with apples taken not for lunches, or made for seasonal cider, but as souvenirs of what was. Never to be enjoyed for what they were.
Applejack sighed. Perhaps it was best Granny Smith had passed before any of this happened with her to witness it. The very integrity of her farm collapsing around her would have killed her, had old age not have. But Granny sure would have put up a fight. Being one of the original founders of Ponyville, the old mare would have breathed fire if it meant protecting her home. But once the protection of her title was gone, time ebbed the farm's defenses away until the family succumbed. Perhaps it was best to let the farm go the same way Granny Smith had; little by little until it was cruel to keep it alive. There was nothing left to hold onto now. All notions of this being a special place stopped being important when Applejack was forced to sell the first acre just to save the rest of the farm. Stop clinging on to desperate measures to keep a memory alive and start her own golden years anew with what treasures she had somewhere else with Rainbow Dash.
With this letter sealing the farms fate though-
"Yoink!"
In a cyan blur, the letter vanished from Applejack's hooves. Normally these antics of Rainbow Dash would be accompanied my a short annoyed 'hey!'. Rainbow would then stick her tongue out, followed by a despondent sigh and a role of the eyes with a 'what would I do without you' smile from Applejack. However, this time the earth pony's first instinct was to lash out by all means and claim back that letter. She alone was not ready to explain her mistake, let alone let others gaze at it. Yet there was no will to pluck her long term partner from the sky this time. So instead she set her eyes on the compacted path ahead of her and attempted to lift off a loose paving stone with the hoof that once held the letter.
"This.. is so... awesome!" Completely overlooking her partner's usual reactions to her overblown behavior, Rainbow Dash pumped her hooves to the air with elation before landing beside her, draping a casual wing over the earth pony's back and pulled her close. "They took long enough. It's been what... nearly a year? Well worry no more, babe! YAHOO!" Rainbow Dash calmed herself to nudge Applejack with her elbow. "Honestly, your worrying was about to make me worry."
So encapsulated in her own joy that the rainbow pegasus only noticed Applejack's downcast eyes when she thrust her excited hoof out for a hoofbump, only not to have it meet with hers halfway. Slowly, finally seeing something was dreadfully wrong, Rainbow lowered her hoof and stepped cautiously to be in front of her, silently begging Applejack to look her in the eyes. "AJ...?"
Applejack covered a wiping away of a stray tear by adjusting her hat before looking up in those beautiful, now concerned, magenta eyes. The loyalty she treasured so much emanating through hotter than any hearth. "I'm just..." Over the years her honesty was put to countless tests. Yet her own heart couldn't bear explain why she felt so guilty at having made this tragic choice. At the time of sending her letter was her last desperate call for help, knowing the ramifications of it's success. But now, seeing it come forward with what she saw now, all she experienced was a sinking hole of sick apple trees and discarded fence posts in her heart. "...somethin..."
"... It certainly is..." Rainbow said quietly, absent of any joy. She reached a wing out and tenderly let another tear role onto her feather tip from Applejack's cheek. "C'mon. You have to let Big Mac and Sugar Belle know before they head off." Before she carefully said with coddling smile, "They'll be thrilled!"
Rainbow gently placed the letter back in Applejack's hooves as she spread her wings and bent her knees, normally done with well honed energy, now only out of reflex as her genuinely worried eyes stayed fixed on Applejack. Her mare's usual stout and proud attitude lying dormant still. Rainbow Dash relaxed her stance. "It's alright now AJ. You saved the farm again!" With no response, Rainbow Dash slowly lifted the sorrowful looking mare's chin up and softly kissed the damp line on her cheek. "We'll talk about it later... if you want." With nothing more she could say, Rainbow remained on the ground down the path at a less enthusiastic pace to where Sugar Belle was helping Big Mac strap into the wagon's harness.
Like a faded white leaf, the letter rested exactly where Rainbow Dash had plucked it from, now out of its envelope. Applejack forced her eyes to follow Rainbow Dash down to her brother's family, ready to leave the rickety barn for the last time for whatever else there might be. Some of it's leaning red planks of lumber forced her again to see the crushing advance of the suburbs on the land behind and along. To the last remaining acre of apple trees that bore fruit with no luster. Up to the top of the lonely hill on her land with the sacred Apple-Pear tree. Its branches now more slumped and exhausted than before. Along to the heavily packed down main road along the broken and weeping fence line of saggy dirty white beams. Each one that remained to count down towards her as she sat at the final boundary of her home that now stood to be her prison. The crooked mail box. Her hooves next to it. The letter that rested in them. Before her, now laid bear again, were the first words of many that had doomed everything the farm had stood for.
To Mrs Applejack,
All of your requests have been evaluated by our board and have passed successfully. It is with great delight that I announce to you that Sweet Apple Acres is hereby an official part of the Royal Equestrian Preservation Society. Under the "Historical Significance Act", passed by Her Royal Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle (along with her own personal recommendation), as of the 3rd of April, the year 1029 AC, all structures and boarders will be protected by royal decree, to be maintained, preserved, and admired for future generations. Please find attached additional information regarding your land and its placement among Equestria's rich history. Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Firelight, Chairpony for the Royal Equestrian Preservation Society (R.E.P.S)
Applejack lightly touched her grandma's shawl again before squeezing it tight. "If Granny where alive, this never would'a happened..."
