The Brighter Future
Excerpts from the Trans Equestrian Chronicle
1690-1702 AD
1690 AD
…Several violent revolutions across the Zebrican continent has lead to the formation of Zebrica, the first unified country of Zebras on the continent since the fall of South Zebrica, descending into anarchy 200 years ago…
1691 AD
… A strain of the Yiiku virus, originating from Zebrica, has caused the inability to have offspring in 99% of the changeling population. The disease ravaged the entire species in a record six months and eight days…
1692 AD
… Spike the Dragon has become the first non-pony elected to the Equestrian Parliament in over 200 years. He won with 82% of the vote.
He has been advocating a strictly pacifist policy, urging Equestria not to take part in the violence abroad. Unfortunately, due to the gross sentient life rights violation perpetrated by the fledgling nation of Zebrica, Equestria may get involved sooner than we think…
1700 AD
… Recent studies have confirmed that the “Blue Flu,” a new disease affecting only the elderly, is 100% fatal. Ponies over the age of eighty are to remain cautious and observe themselves for any of the following symptoms…
… Initial symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, discoloration of mane, skin, and coat, usually a shade of blue, but occasionally green. Coughing and sneezing occurs intermittently. After two weeks, the patient begins growing crystalline growths resembling blue quartz…
… Tumors progress quickly, spreading across multiple organ systems, resulting in multiple organ failure. Death is guaranteed. Research into curing the disease halted as the Solar Party rescinds all funding, putting it towards curing “Diseases belonging to a more urgent population”.
Many ponies have protested such a decision, including Spike the Dragon, the representative of Boeshane province. Attempts to negotiate have reached a deadlock…
--0o0--
1702 AD
Faster.
I have to go faster.
One more.
Just one more.
Rainbow “Danger Scar Miriam” Dash soared across the sky, building up momentum as she approached the speed of sound. Her joints flared in pain as her bones began to crack. She blinked the tears from her eyes, ignoring the pain.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Dash, but Scootaloo passed away last night. The tumors spread to her heart and… we couldn’t remove them. We let her die in her sleep, she didn’t even feel it.”
Rainbow Dash flapped her wings again, her heart raced at increasingly dangerous speeds. Her aged and wrinkled face scrunched up, deflecting the mental warnings to stop. The old scar over her right eyelid pulsed as blood began to engorge the area.
The air pummeled her face, whipping her grayscale mane back. Her tail flapped with air stream, almost straight as the speed continued to rise.
Almost there.
“This is incredible, Ms. Dash! Almost all of your tumors are gone, their crystalline structures appeared to have shattered when you broke the sound barrier. They are returning, but theoretically, if you can perform a sonic rainboom every week, you could stave off the infection indefinitely.”
I can feel it.
Rainbow Dash’s wings tucked in as a white cone surrounded her, her lips pushed back as the wind entered her lungs, pushing her past the limit. The cone changed color, showing the colors of the entire visible light spectrum.
And then she blacked out.
“Thank Celestia, she’s breathing.”
“Are kidding me!? How could a 100 year old pegasus survive that impact? I know she’s tough, but this is ridiculous.”
“Lieutenant, carry her back to base, she probably won’t be conscious for days.”
“Broke both wings, fractured both front legs and a back hoof. She burned off half of her mane. She hit that mountain at ten times the speed of sound, unprotected, and she’s still alive. That hit would have killed most pegasi in their prime, but her? Still with us.”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes fluttered open, the bright light blinding her temporarily. As she focused, she noticed that she was in a full body cast, and lying in a hospital bed. She called over a nurse using grunts and a vague “Nurth!”
Soon, one arrived. A young mare in her late twenties came up to the bed, “It’s alright, you’re okay now. We’ll have the cast off by tomorrow, and you should be able to walk by the day after. Unfortunately, your wings were damaged beyond repair. They… can no longer fly. You can’t, not anymore.”
The nurse adjusted the bags connected to Rainbow Dash, increasing the medication. Rainbow sighed as the pain medication put her to sleep…
I have to go faster.
Faster.
Scootaloo.
--0o0--
Excerpts from the Trans Equestrian Chronicle
1702- 1749 AD
1702 AD
… Rainbow Dash, the last living bearer of the Elements of Harmony, died yesterday peacefully in her sleep, aged 104. There is to be a funeral next week, to be attended by Spike, the current representative of Boeshane province.
This represents the first time in over eighty years Equestria has gone without a mega rainbow death laser as a last line of defense. Princess Celestia has gone on the record that obtaining new bearers for the Elements is of the utmost priority…
1706 AD
… MOON COLONY ESTABLISHED!!!
Equestria is celebrating today, as the first extraplanetary settlement has touch down on the lunar soil. Princess Luna herself is on the front lines, setting a quota for the next year. Eager ponies may be able to vacation on the moon by the end of the decade for a measly payment of…
… Princess Celestia announced earlier this morning that the search for determining the so called “Harmony Markers” has begun. This new project aims to determine whether or not a pony is compatible with the Elements of Harmony. Dubbed “the Star Searcher Project” by its head researcher, it plans on utilizing the natural resonance from within a pony’s…
1720 AD
… The Moon is officially its own province of Equestria, with over one thousand current citizens and at least five thousand more potentials…
1722 AD
… The Crystal Empire, a city lost over two thousand years ago in a battle that cost thousands of lives, has returned, bringing back a lost culture of over fifteen thousand ponies. The city was trapped by an evil enchantment that locked the city a frozen state for millennia, was returned after its maniacal ruler, King Sombra, was defeated by Spike the dragon. The current representative of Boeshane, he is to be commemorated the following month for his bravery in defeating a tyrant and freeing an oppressed nation…
1742 AD
… Research in the Star Searcher Project reaches completion by the end of the year, as new development in magical resonance technology has allowed scientists to overcome the largest hurdle in engineering history…
1749 AD
… Just yesterday, Prime Minister Spike announced his engagement to Queen Meta, ruler of the nation of Chitindia. The couple are also happy to decree that they will be wed by Princess Luna herself. Princess Celestia has declined to make any comments...
--0o0--
1750 AD
(132 years after Nightmare Moon returns)
A spiraling figure of purple and green reptilian might soared across the night sky, its webbed wings flapping with grace. It circled around Canterlot mountain several times, occasionally spewing molten green flames across the heavens. And nobody in the entire city really noticed. After five minutes of flying, he flew head first into his home carved into the cliffside.
For the past fifty years, the purple dragon was a common sight around Canterlot. He was after all, a key figure in Equestrian politics.
Spike the aforementioned dragon rested in his cave after another stressful day in parliament. By that, he meant another day of endless bickering, arguing, and verbal sparring. He was amazed that he was able to somehow garner almost sixty percent of the voting members to support his bill to adopt a neutral stance on the Zebrican continent.
It was like a day taking care of foals, each one asking for something different. But that never deterred Spike, he was, after all, the senior member of the legislative branch of the most powerful nation on the planet.
He was born to the most powerful unicorn mage since Starswirl the Bearded and was raised by Princess Celestia herself. He saved a frozen empire lost in time by punching an evil foggy unicorn king. He got his favorite winter cloak stained, but felt it was totally worth it, after he got his own stained glass window and action figure franchise. It was hard, but he finally remembered that he was 142 years old, fifty feet long, considered diamonds a “soft food”, and is literally the most badass citizen in Equestria.
But today, he just felt tired. He felt beaten, bruised, and just wanted to take a decade-long nap. And yet, he persevered, waking up two extra hours early just so he could carefully enter the chamber of legislation without accidentally crushing any of the seats around him. He lead three committees, four interest groups, and a political party, and did all of his own non-constituent paperwork.
And it was worth it.
By the time Spike entered his home in the side of Canterlot mountain, it was already past two in the morning. He quickly munched on some old sapphires and got ready to sleep, for he was due back in for a vote in less than five hours. He took off his top hat and monocle, as is the required uniform of a parliamentary government, and placed them off to the side.
Curling up towards the east, he laid down and began to slumber. At least he would have, if he hadn’t heard a gust of wind and the sound of a charged horn near the entrance of his cavern.
Spike opened his eyes and calmly asked, with a deep baritone voice, “Who goes there? I am quite busy now, please send any petitions to my mailbox in Westmanester… Oh, it’s you.”
Spike looked forward at the glimmering white alicorn who had just touched down in the entrance to his home. In front of him was what he considered a cross between his mentor and grandmother, or at the very least, his oldest friend. Recent events have resulted in some tweaking of his opinion of her, but he hoped some of it could be smoothed over.
“Good evening, Princess. What can I do to be of service?” he began with a polite demeanor.
Princess Celestia did not smile back at him. Her face remained impassive and neutral, as if something was not quite right. In reply to his question, she merely said, “I have one simple request, Spike.”
“Oh? What is it, I’m sure I can help you quickly before I lose anymore sleep,” Spike began to stretch his body outwards as he neared his ten-times-larger-than-normal-dragon-sized typewriter with fireproof paper.
“No, it has nothing that needs dictation,” Celestia replied.
Spike reached for his desk of immense proportions, “Oh? Well, what is it? I’m sure it’s easy enough to do before I can get some-”
“Stop the vote tomorrow.”
Spike stopped moving and turned around to face the alicorn, “Ah, I see now. And what, pray tell, brought this up?”
“I think you know why,” Celestia answered.
“You know they’re going to die, right? Project Dark Horse was a failure. In fact, the only way for such a thing to work would be to rewrite what it means to be a pony. What it means to be a zebra, a donkey, or a griffon. What it means to be.
“You’re changing a fundamental aspect of nature. You already control one. What makes you think it will work? Maybe in a century, but not now. A war with Zebrica is pointless,” Spike crouched onto a metal chair as he rubbed his eyes.
“Let’s just say… I found some willing donors,” Celestia admitted.
“Ah, yes. I remember. The changeling DNA sequence, extracted from twenty thousand willing donors in exchange for love. Of course, the result of that was sterility in 99% of the population, reducing their population by half within a decade. In fact, it was discovered that the only ones immune to the Yiiku virus were the queens,” Spike glared at the princess.
“Yes, I was also surprised by the alarming buildup in members of the army, as well as the recent stockpile in ammunition. Princess, do you take me for blind? I can see plain as day what you are planning, and this vote you so kindly wish for me to stop is my only thing stopping you from declaring war.”
Princess Celestia looked at Spike with apathy, as if it wasn’t bothering her at all, “So that’s a no then? How about some… encouragement?” she levitated a scroll hidden in her mane out, unrolling it to reveal a photograph before placing in front of the reptilian prime minister.
“You didn’t,” Spike snarled as he glanced at the picture.
“I did,” Celestia’s face remained impassive, “Your fiancee is dead.”
“No. There’s more. You just let me rant. Nopony ever lets me rant. My voice is too deep and throaty for ranting. But you just did. Not only that, but you’re not even responding normally to a dragon with a huge amount of connections to the press that knows of your plan to invade a sovereign nation.”
He looked at the princess before seeing a slight smile appear on her muzzle, “Hmm, I will say your reasoning has improved over the years. It’s a shame you decided to go against me.”
“I could fight,” Spike answered, “I am powerful. The entirety of Boeshane is domain, and thus, my horde. I could greed grow to the size of Canterlot mountain and fight you.”
Celestia smirked as her horn began to glow, “And what? Kill everypony in the vicinity? This is a city of six million, most of which are still sleeping. And besides, what is the press going to say about the pacifist prime minister going Gojira? After that, any talk of neutrality and pacifism will balk.”
“So you’ve checkmated me. Well done, princess,” Spike looked at the white mare and smiled, “Go ahead, I won’t fight.”
“Your life ends here. They will find your body tomorrow, scan it, only to discover traces of zebra magic. That group of zebras will have ties to the Zebrican government. You know what follows. The bill fails, and war is declared instead.
“Your foolish pacifism ends as your party crumbles. War will destroy the world, and when the dust has settled after decades of war, well… ” Celestia released two bolts of magic directly into Spike’s body. The first caused hit his heart, the second froze his organs solid.
“It’s a shame, and here I thought you were the One, you know, the one in the prophecy. But this has ended in disappointment, I defeated you too easily. It is the end for the prophecy, another one failed. No descendants for you, Spike. It is definitely… a shame,” Celestia sighed.
Spike stumbled, clutching his chest with one claw, and gasped for air, “Y-you w-won’t get… away-yargh!” he roared, spewing emerald fire.
“I already did,” Celestia smirked as she dodged the flames via sidestepping, “It’s over, Spike.”
“N-not yet. I s-still have m-my my,” he wheezed, collapsing onto the floor.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening. What was that?” Celestia sneered as she unfolded her wings, and began to flap.
“My egg! And you know w-what comes next!”
Celestia stopped flapping before glaring at Spike, “I see. Then we shall continue this battle in another life. Your child will be dead before she ever meets me.”
Spike closed his eyes, his wings drooped down over his sides. His heart slowed down, its beat becoming erratic, “Not if she’s anything like her mom… ”
Princess Celestia took flight, leaving the cave at blinding speeds before teleporting back to her chambers for the rest of the night.
--0o0--
Excerpts from the Trans Equestrian Chronicle
1750-1801 AD
1750 AD
… In a startling development, Spike the Dragon, the senior member of the Equestrian Parliament, was found dead earlier this morning. His body was discovered by his maid doing her morning visits. Information from a source in the investigative unit has determined that he was killed by Zebrican magic of some sort. This came in shortly before the vote to declare neutrality in all Zebrican affairs failed by exactly one vote…
… Princesses Celestia and Luna, Queen Meta of the Changelings, and ambassador Gabriel Garver of the Griffon Empire will be attending the funeral, to be held next week in Ponyville. Spike is intended to be buried two plots down from Twilight Sparkle, the deceased Archmagus Supreme and former bearer of the Element of Magic.
Many members of the legislature, as well as those in the other branches have begun voicing their hostility after the assassination…
1751 AD
… Last night, the third attack on Equestrian cultural memorials have succeeded in destroying the statue of harmony, most notable for depicting the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony, whose adventures are remembered dearly. The attack resulted in the deaths of 371, who were attending the yearly memorial, including Chromatic Punch, grandson of Rainbow Dash, of the aforementioned bearers.
Ponies across Equestria are calling for vengeance over the deaths of the countless stallions and mares over the last six months in sporadic attacks from the Stripes of Freedom, an extremist group against Equestrian intervention in Zebrican affairs…
… Recent evidence has uncovered that the Stripes of Freedom, the terrorist organization responsible for the recent attacks on Equestrian soil, were funded directly by the Zebrican government…
… Parliament has finished the final voting, and the results are in. Equestria has officially declared war on Zebrica…
1752 AD
… Princess Luna, a strong opponent of the war against Zebrica, has renounced her title as diarch of Equestria. She was quoted with saying “The Equestria I returned to after a thousand years is gone. It has been changed into a country of war hungry savages. Those who are with me may join my pilgrimage.”
The former princess has immigrated to the moon colonies, which have recently renamed themselves the New Lunar Republic, and have seceded from Equestria. Six other provinces have attempted to secede, the most vocal being Boeshane Province, former home of the deceased Spike the Dragon. Princess Celestia was unavailable for comment…
… Three of the six provinces attempting to secede have been recaptured by the Civil Guard and put on martial law. Boeshane has begun rioting in attempt to join the New Lunar Republic…
1753 AD
… The three provinces have been stabilized, all protesters have been captured and insurgents are being rounded up. The remaining three regions have been under siege for almost ten months as of today…
… Equestria has been renamed “The Solar Empire” to reflect its newfound victories in Zebrica, claiming four cities on the western border…
… We here at the Trans Equestrian Chronicle have decided to rebrand ourselves as the “Solar Equestrian Empire Daily” to reflect the change in times and conditions. Those of us here at SEED would like to thank you for 500 years of service, as well as 160 years as the number one newspaper in Equestria the Solar Empire…
1754 AD
… The National Guard, redubbed “The Solar Army”, has made staggering progress in the last year, having captured the entire western half of Zebrica. The notion of a ceasefire has been waved off as an absurdity…
Entering its second year, the three province siege has yet to end, with supplies being teleported into the regions by unknown means…
1755 AD
… In the largest offensive in Zebrican history, the Solar Army has captured the remaining nine major cities of Zebrica, including the capital. General Zephaniah of the 3rd Stripe Soldier Regiment, surrendered outside of Zaddis Zababa. The conditions of surrender include the Solar Empire’s right to assimilate the entire country of Zebrica, broken up into eight military provinces, as well as 10 trillion bits in war reparations…
1756 AD
… The siege of three provinces have finally stopped, with newly elected President Luna of the New Lunar Republic heading the peace talks. It is still unknown whether these talks will renew relations with the separatist provinces…
… Today the war of three provinces, renamed the Third Equestrian Civil War, ends with the three provinces officially named part of the NLR. They have been named Trottingham, Canterbury, and Seaddle. Empress Celestia is unavailable for comment…
1801 AD
… The creation of a new branch of the military today, dubbed Division 6, has been met with unanimous approval and thunderous applause. A new academy has been founded, intending to train the newest recruits for Supra-Planetary missions…
--0o0--
1803 AD
“Today I stand before you as a bearer of bad news and as a bringer of hope.”
It was near sunset in Jaeger Meadow. Nine dragons circled around an elderly red one, who was speaking with a clear voice. The dragons were of many different colors, sizes, and shapes. Nearly all of them were over 200 years old and at least fifty feet tall.
“Six months ago, the Solar Empire invaded Prance. Nine weeks ago, Prance fell. Neightaly, Hofstria, and Germaney are under siege. Warclaw has been captured. Foaland will be overtaken in less than a week. The other Draconic flocks have been captured or killed. We are now the last of the Stirrupean dragons,” the red dragon sighed before continuing.
“For the last 2000 years, we have lived in peace and community with the Griffons. We allied ourselves with the ponies in the region, and have scavenged some of the largest hoards in history. We were keepers of lore, protectors of the world history, and defenders of the weak.
“Now the Solar Empire has invaded our lands, enslaved our friends and family, killed so many of the peoples we knew. And we are all that remains of last ten generations.
“We may be the last of our kind, but today we shall bring forth a new one with this spell,” he held out a scroll with the symbol of the moon stamped on it, “given to me by the Mistress of the Moon herself, we may save the rest of our kind. Separated, we are killed with ease. But united, we can achieve anything.
“This spell was crafted by the greatest sorceress of her generation. She was the empress’s personal student, and with her final spell, we shall reclaim our land. Twilight Sparkle, adoptive brother of Spike the Brave and Glorious, most faithful student of Empress Celestia, Archmagus Supreme, had saved dragonkind 200 years before it needed saving.
“This spell will combine our mights and abilities. We shall once again become the apex predator. Powerful and unmatched, we will become unstoppable. But to do so would require sacrificing our lives and identities, destroying our distinctiveness forever. Any of you who do not wish to suffer such fate may step out now.”
After a whole minute, all ten dragons stood their ground. They all looked up to the centered dragon, whose face bent into a lizardy smile.
“Very well then, let us begin. I, Garble the Wise, accept your sacrifice!” he raised his claws into the air and began channeling energy from his surroundings, “I summon the magic of the skies and declare: Hexa Fusion Ultimatus!”
And then there was light.
--0o0--
Excerpts from the Solar Equestrian Empire Daily
1803- 1839 AD
1803 AD
… Baltimare was completely destroyed this morning after an enormous ten headed dragon landed. It rampaged throughout the city, causing widespread destruction. Ten brigades were sent in, only two of which survived after defeating the monster. The evacuation of the city was halted after several bridges collapsed…
… Eighty thousand casualties directly resulting from the invasion of Baltimare. The monster that caused the attack has been dubbed a “Hydragon” by survivors…
1805 AD
… Since the first attack in 1803, no less than twelve attacks by Hydragons have occurred. With their numbers swelling, the Empress has begun the retooling of the Supra-Planetary academy specifically designed to combat the Hydragon menace…
… Parliament declared war on the Griffon United Empire, following an investigation proving that the GUE was directly funding the last two Hydragon attacks…
1806 AD
MARTIAL LAW HAS BEEN DECLARED
ALL CITIZENS MUST CARRY IDENTIFICATION AT ALL TIMES
ALL BAGS AND DEVICES ARE TO BE CHECKED AT REGULAR INTERVALS
CURFEW IS IN EFFECT FROM DUSK TO DAWN
ALL SUPPORTERS OF THE ENEMY WILL EXECUTED
1808 AD
… Today is the opening ceremony for the new school for gifted wartime individuals, dubbed Six-Point Academy. Testing for the academy is going to be made mandatory for all foals aged 8 to 13…
1826 AD
… Rationing of class 8 goods is in effect immediately. 60% fresh produce is to be funneled directly towards military operations. Furthermore, all carriages are to be dismantled and processed at the nearest available military base…
1837 AD
… Griffon United Empire has surrendered after Captain Firewall and his army surrounded the capital. The events leading up to the surrender are currently classified…
1839 AD
… Hydragon attacks have reached an all-time low, following an increase in supra-planetary missions, removing the majority from the exosphere…
--0o0--
1840 AD
(222 years after Nightmare Moon returns)
As the clock tower rang 6 o’clock, Black Smith, Ponyville’s best blacksmith, trotted back to his home. He held a rag over his muzzle attempting to block out the dust, but he merely succeeded in coughing. He quickened his pace as he turned a corner, passing by an electronics store.
The neighborhood was old, built during the early 17th century out of concrete, unlike the modern day glass-infused steel. His eyes darted to his left as he read the sign: “APPLE COMPUTING EQUIPMENT”. Looking at the empty street in front of him, he decided to gallop the rest of the way home, hoping to get there before it was dark.
His ink black mane contrasted with his light tan body, his stature loomed over most other ponies. Gargantuan in size, he had a body tempered by years of farm labor, and scars that ran across his hooves as a result of working with molten iron. His cutie mark was of a hammer striking an anvil, superimposed over a red apple. Black Smith appeared to be your normal earth pony farmer.
Because he was.
He couldn’t be part of any anti-sun rebellion, he had a family. He had a life. He decided that if he wanted to help the insurgence, he would have to do it from the sidelines. He was the support, the help. The go-to-guy, the dependable one. The guy you ask for loans because he would never charge you interest.
He wasn’t action oriented like his sister-in-law, or a genius inventor like his brother. Black Smith was an ordinary stallion. Occasionally he helped, but not with the important roles. He bucked trees for a living and crafted tools with iron and steel for extra bits on the side. He was average. Eeyup.
Golden Apple Brightness, his beloved wife, was different. She was a lively mare, full of ideas and plans, never compromising her morals and was occasionally known to accidently set things on fire. Totally not her fault. No way. That mail truck had it coming.
Brutally honest, Golden Apple considered life to be one story after another, waiting to be written. Life was like that, according to her. One day after another, each one with a different story told. Sometimes they were good stories, other times the stories had sad endings. You can’t avoid them all, but if you tried, you could get the good endings to outnumber the bad ones.
Black Smith was almost home. He was just returning from town hall, carrying several papers inside his saddlebags.
He ran with the speed of a surprisingly trained athlete, worn down by years of applebucking and metalworking. He smiled wide, for he had a newborn daughter.
--0o0--
Black Smith opened the door to his family’s farm estate, Sweet Apple Acres, revealing to him the wondrous world of childbirth. He saw his wife laying on her back, surrounded by a dark blue unicorn midwife named Vice Hame and an elderly earth pony mare in a rocking chair.
Golden Apple was a an earth pony mare in her late twenties, with a golden blond mane and a pale red coat. Her cutie mark was of a yellow flash, similar to a four point star. In her hooves was her daughter, a small orange filly with a golden colored mane.
Black smiled when he saw his wife clutching their newborn daughter. He cleared his throat and said, “I got the papers back. Her name’s been registered at town hall.”
The old mare on the rocking chair coughed loudly before asking, “Did the Whitecoats bother ya?”
“Eenope, just the normal checkpoints today,” Black pulled out a small folder from his saddlebags, “Here it is. May I present you… Applejack Darkness!”
He opened up the folder to reveal a birth certificate, complete with the parents’ names, the name of the midwife, and the old mare who was sitting through the entire birthing process.
This certificate certifies that:
Applejack HarknessWas born on this day of Her Royal Highness, the Thirty-First of March, year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty, at Seven Fifty-three in the morning.
Birthplace: Ponyville, Boeshane Province, Solar Empire
Mother: Golden Apple Brightness Father: Arkansas Black Smith
Maiden name: Golden Brightness Age: 30
Age: 29Grandmother (Father’s side): Apple Bloom XII Sibling (Male): Ginger Gold
Age: 70 Age: 5Midwife: Vice Hame
Physician Attending: Vice Hame
ID No. 5000000053
Golden Apple stared at the paper, switching between a happy grin and a befuddled frown. She looked back at her husband who was grinning obliviously. She took a deep breath, handed over Applejack to Vice Hame, and asked in an eerily calm voice, “Why is our daughter’s name misspelled?”
“Wha?” Black Smith frowned, looking at the name on the birth certificate. He paled when he saw his daughter’s last name, “W-wait a minute! Honey, please-”
“You misspelled your own daughter's name!?” Golden Apple screamed into her husband’s ear, causing him to stumble to the ground.
Black Smith moved side to side, dodging his somewhat hysterical wife’s attempt to buck him in the face, “Whoa! Calm down-”
“CALM DOWN?! We only get one chance to name our daughter, and you misspelled it! How in the name of Luna do you spell darkness wrong? I’m surprised you didn’t spell her first name with two k’s!” Golden Apple fumed, her face turning even redder than her current colors.
“If you could just let me explain! I can-”
“Explain? Explain!? How could you possibly explain the stupidest mistake you’ve made since elementary school! It’s like sixth grade all over again!” obviously, Golden Apple’s body does not react well to post-birth hormones.
“QUIET!”
Everyone in the room looked to the side at the old mare. She had a gray mane, peppered with the occasional red hair, and was a light yellow. Her cutie mark was of an apple superimposed over a wheel. Her gaze was stern, her wrinkles barely moved across her ancient form. As she rocked in her chair, she held up her cane and proceeded to stand up. After sixty seconds of tense silence, the old mare named Apple Bloom finally opened her mouth full of dentures.
“Ah cannot believe that this family kin go ta tartarus over a simple change in somepony’s name,” Apple Bloom stared at Golden Apple dead center in the eyes, “Ah did it. Ah changed her name.”
“You what?!” the married couple looked at Apple Bloom in surprise. Vice Hame tried her best to keep Applejack asleep while everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs.
“What? Ya wanted yer daughter ta be dark? That’s just askin’ fer trouble. Ah know fer a fact that yer daughter does not deserve ta become involved in any of that business,” Apple Bloom reached for a gray metal flask on the table next to her.
“Ma, please don’t tell me this has to do with those stupid Celestia forsaken prophecies of yours,” Black Smith grimaced at the thought.
“Don’t ya dare call those prophecies shams! Ah knew three seers back in mah day, and they were never wrong! They always steered us Boeshanes right. And ah am tellin’ ya, ah am never lettin’ another pony ah love ta be forced into a destiny,” Apple Bloom’s face darkened, “Not again. Never again.”
Black Smith and Golden Apple grumbled, both muttering under their breaths, at least until Vice Hame spoke up, “We can’t really change her name anyways. It’s set forever, nopony’s been able to change their name since ‘06.”
Apple Bloom cocked her head slightly, “Eighteen-oh-six or the one before?”
Vice Hame gave the old mare a look, “This century, you couldn’t have been alive back then.”
Apple Bloom shifted her eyes as she drank from the flask, “Rrrright. Forgot about that.”
“Well then, I guess I should head off. It’s getting late, almost sunset,” Vice Hame gave back Applejack to Golden Apple. The gray midwife picked up her bag and ID, and proceeded to to the doorway.
The door opened as a little colt came in, “Mommy, daddy! Is mah little sister done leavin’ mommy’s tummy yet?”
He sprinted up to Golden Apple and looked at his newborn sister’s body, “Wow, she’s so small! Can ah hold her?”
Golden Apple chuckled, “Not yet, I still want to for a little bit longer. How about after the sun sets, okay?”
“Okay mommy!” Ginger Gold, a little earth pony colt with a brown mane and yellow coat smiled as he bounced away to the kitchen.
Vice Hame smiled, “Cute kid. Bye, everypony.”
As the midwife left, Applejack yawned before continuing to sleep. The three adults in the room sighed as the newborn foal radiated cuteness. Black Smith spoke first, “Ma? Whatever happened to keeping a low profile?”
“Ah can never remember which century it is, alright? Ah’ve lived in three, and it gets mighty confusin’ with mah old geezer brain,” Apple Bloom stepped closer to Applejack, “Besides, now that her name’s doesn’t mean nothin’, she can have whatever destiny she wants.”
“As long as it relates to apples,” Black Smith added.
Apple Bloom looked at her son, “Yer darn tootin’. ‘Course, there are a lot of things ya can do with apples. Look at yer brother, computers have everythin’ ta do with apples, ever since he named his company after them.”
“So basically, anything remotely related to apples can be any family member’s talent?” Golden Apple raised an eyebrow at that.
“Sure, we’ve had three physicists, two electricians, eight magicians, two supermodels, four musicians, two knights, an archer, a mortician, and a painter in this family. All their cutie marks were apple related,” Apple Bloom sighed as she took another swig from her flask.
“I’ve never met anypony like that at the reunions,” Golden Apple frowned.
“It’s been a while, haven’t been any out-of-farm cutie marks in over four decades other than mah sons,” Apple Bloom looked away as she hobbled back to her rocking chair.
Black Smith smiled at his wife, “Well, here’s hoping our daughter does something special.”
Golden Apple smiled back, rocking Applejack back and forth as the newborn slept.
--0o0--
Tuesday June 6
Dear diary
Hello! My name is Applejack Harkness and you are my brand new diary! I am 7 and ½ years old and I live here in Ponyville, which is in Boeshane Province. I live with my mom and dad and grandma two brothers, Ginger Gold and Gravenstein (I call him Gray). We farm apples for a living, all kinds like the Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, and Ambrosia. I can’t list them all because there are so many.
Today I went to school and learned about the history of the Solar Empire. Every time they teach us about it, grandma always takes everything and tells me whats right and whats wrong. A lot of the stuff they teach in school is wrong.
After school I played tag with my friends. We then tried looking for our cutie marks but it didn’t work today. After that I went home where I ate dinner and then played with Windy, our pet dog. She always barks whenever I play fetch. She sometimes chases autos outside but she never catches them. She’s really funny.
Now I’m writing in my diary before going to bed. I want to play outside at night but we can’t because of the curfew. I think it’s weird that we can’t go out at night but my friends don’t seem to mind so I guess it’s not important.
I’m tired now so I’m going to bed, good night diary
Signed, Applejack
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Is that really AB or AJ in disguise? I thought she was immortal. Maybe I need to reread this all again?
4946430
Not a spoiler, so... AB positive (Apple Bloom)
4946469
...
Applejack mde AB immortal too somehow didn't she?
Well.
Shit, that's gonna look bad on her college application. Making her aunt/grandma/ancestor/whatever immortal....
My main thought is, what did AJ in the distant past do to make the Crystal Empire return late?
Huh. A very interesting world you've made here.
There are spots where I really get the feel of where things diverged from the show's timeline. I'm guessing it was Discord coming back that prevented this, with some help and all.
I really love Spike's story! He totally deserved to be that badass dragon, and it was so sad to see him go. And Rainbow Dash too, that stuff was just Tragic. Especially Scootaloo dying before her.
While your take on how Lunar Republic and Solar Empire came around isn't that innovative, the way you present it, with the newspaper excerpts is a fantastic way of telling the long stretches of time, especially when you start seeing the censorship and bias start creeping in.
Also, the whole thing about name's determining fate was really great at the end. Someone named Darkness would defiantly grow up to be evil (or ironically good, I don't know).
Glad to have a new chapter!
Hopefully I'll be able to put out one of my own soon.
5274131
DEFCON 2-4: Where are they going to deploy to? Ponyville? Black Ness (according to them) is a terrorist organization. They don't know where to deploy or mobilize. They just got a creepy threat that only the Princess understands, so they won't go into full on panic mode yet. Panic is a really bad thing in this situation.