//------------------------------//
// Dedication 
// Story: The Elements of Unity 
// by Wolfe and WindSilver 
//------------------------------//

Dear Cousin Braeburn,
I talked with the everyone, and we’re downright pleased to have you come live with us. We’ve got a couple of spare rooms that haven’t been used since the last reunion. And we could always use some more apple buckers. Big Mac'll never admit it, but he could use some help.
Sorry to hear that they let you go, but I say that their loss is our gain. Send us a holler when you’re on your way. See you soon.
With love, Applejack

I read the letter for the tenth time while I waited for the train that would take me to Ponyville. I still couldn't believe it. Fired. No wait, “laid off.” That was the polite term for it. But still, a job I’d had nearly my whole life, a town my family had helped to found. I had to leave them both.

I understood why, travelers had started to settle down in Appleloosa. And a lot of them decided to help work on the apple farm; all types of ponies, and that was the real problem. While earth ponies may be stronger, pegasi just fly into the trees, and drop apples into waiting buckets. And unicorns, while rarer in these parts, had plenty of ways to get apples from trees, and cook ‘em into almost anything. With the giant spike in travelers, the town finally grew. And we had a lot more food to trade with the bison.

But there was a downside; some workers got laid off, there wasn't enough demand or enough wages. There had been a plan to expand the apple orchard, but they had to discuss what this would mean for the bison.

In the meantime, I’d written to my cousins in Ponyville, being that they were the only ones close enough for me to travel to by train. And they were the only ones with an apple farm. Lucky for me, they had a few empty rooms.

Suddenly, I heard the final call for boarding, and hurried to get my bags. I thrust my ticket at the conductor just before he closed the doors; sighing in relief when he allowed me on the train and showed me to my seat. The train pulled off and I turned to the window facing the platform, and the apple orchard that I was leaving behind. My parents had come with me to the station with the idea to see me off. We said our goodbyes in the station when the train had first arrived. I told them I’d be boarding the train early, using the excuse to get some time alone.

Maybe I should’ve actually boarded the train on the first call, and read the letter in my car, I thought to myself. I guess hindsight really is 20/20.

Ponyville was at least a day away. So I had plenty of time. To do nothing that is. In situations like these, I pull out one of my Daring-Do books. As I flipped to chapter sixteen, Strongheart’s picture slid from between the pages to the ground. I quickly reached for it, falling on my face when the train bounced. The picture flew away as I chased after it. I dodged around passengers, their suitcases, and food servers; but it was always just out of my reach. Just as it was about to float out of an open window, a yellow glow surrounded it, pulled it away, and placed it in my hoof.

“She dies at the end.”

I turned towards the unicorn who spoke. He had a blue coat, and a purple and orange mane that was styled off to the side, curling just around his ear. His tail looked like it had never seen a brush or comb, but in a good way. I noticed a cutie mark that looked like one salt, and one pepper, shaker on his rump.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“The book,” he replied, pointing at the book I’d somehow managed to keep hold of during my frantic chase. “Trisca BonBon dies at the end.”

I groaned. If there was one thing I hated, it was spoilers. And more than that, the ponies who told them.

“Thanks for the help,” I grumbled, marching past the stallion.

“Hey, I was joking.” He sped to catch up with me. “I haven’t read that series yet.”

I wanted to ignore him, but I did owe him. I reached my hoof out to the unicorn. He grinned and bumped hooves. “Name’s, Phil Le’Fish. Spice salesman, and part time cook.”

“Ah’m Braeburn Apple, apple bucker,” I replied.

“Wait, are you part of that famous Apple family?” He asked excitedly.

"Ah wouldn't call us famous."

"Dude, you are legendary!" He exclaimed. Heads turned toward us and some of the more snooty passengers glared at us.

He ignored them and bombarded me with questions. From recipes, to names, to cider, and back.

This is gonna be a long trip.





Something about this guy was, off. He wasn’t bad, in fact, he was pretty cool. We sat in my car for a while, talking about our lives up until now. He seemed sorry to hear about the break I had to take from work, and told me he was taking a break from the wandering salespony life and was going to visit family in Canterlot.

Meanwhile, I learned that train rides apparently made me sleepy. My entire body felt heavy. Like the life had been sucked from it. And the cold air didn’t help. I turned in much earlier than I usually do; telling Phil that I was feeling tired. He understood and left me to sleep.

The train whistle woke me up the next day. My eyes flung open and I gasped. Some nightmare had been with me the entire night, but I couldn’t remember it now. I shrugged, deciding that any nightmare I couldn't remember weren’t worth remembering.

I got out of bed and stretched, glancing out the window as I walked to the dining car. I expected to get a good seat, being this early in the… morning? I raced back to the window, finding the sun high in the sky. I’d slept right through the morning, and late into the afternoon. Back home this would have made me miss the day’s pay even if I still came. For the first time in a while I felt well rested. And it sucked. 

"How does anypony live like this?" I asked the sun.

Without seeing the sun rise each morning, without seeing the sky go from twilight to =dawn. Why would anypony would choose to get up with it already out?

I realized that I'd never gotten Phil's room number. But he had to have been awake. I started looking for him.

“Anypony seen a unicorn named Phil?” I asked a couple sitting at a window in the dining car. They shook their heads. The same with everyone else on the train. It was like the guy had vanished. We were almost at Ponyville, and I at least wanted to say goodbye before he continued on to Canterlot. But if no one knew where he was it couldn’t be helped.

Weird that he would just up and leave, I thought.  Not even a “see ya”. Who does that? I sighed as I decided to give up the search. I went back to my room and got my bags ready to leave the train.





I scanned the crowd. She said she'd meet me here. Where is she?

“Braeburn!”

I turned, scanning the crowd for the pony who spoke. I saw her Mama’s hat before I spotted her.

"Cousin Applejack," I called as I waved her over. Giving her a hug when she was close enough.

“Hey cuz, welcome to Pooooonyville.” She yelled, rearing up on her back legs.

I could feel my face turning red. “You’re never gonna let me live that down are ya?” I groaned.

She chuckled and shoved me lightly. Then she took of in the direction of her orchard. I grabbed my saddlebag and took off after her.