“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?
Yay, new rewritten chapter! Full of feels! And plot progression! :D
Nooooooo! Not the farm!
I can see Ponyville larger and maybe more modernized. but Apple Acres gone. BULL CRAP! I don't think Ponyville would change that much in 80 years. a couple centuries yes but 80? NO.
You know, I was literally just thinking about this story today, wondering if it'd be updated any time soon. Nice to see it was.
5933830
Yup, gotta agree with this sentiment. Of all the things the revision kept, that one still doesn't work for me.
That is so sad about Ponyville. Why did it have to come to this? WHY?!?!?!?
[Sorry Remmy can get a bit dramatic sometimes.......]
I'm liking this. Have a +1 and a follow
5933870 exactly in my Nightmare, Nightmare the world my main character lives in is about 50 years from post season 4. Ponyville is a tad bigger but many houses and landmarks remain. Sweet Apple Acres would be one. remember it MADE the town. I can by less farmers but that one would stay no matter what. Same for the landmarks we all know and love. the Element Bearers are still a big deal so anything tied to them would likely be preserved some where. Also think of Winter Wrap Up It's tradition to not use magic in it even though many modern cities do. So likely Ponyville by it's nature will be against drastic change to it's image. Again why I'm still against Green Village existing as a separate town. It should be a part of Ponyville.
Wow... just... wow. Amazing. I eagerly await the revision of the rest of the chapters.
Gosh Applejack where did ya go?
I'm a great great great grand mother
An Im A grand mother
And I'm still a single nerdy pony!
eat more cake!
5933931 I think it became a mini Canterlot because the Elements lived there, so people were like "I wanna live there!", then it ended up expanding so large it became a city, and a new mayor was like "we don't need no farm" and got rid of it to make space.
That's what I think would happen over 80 years. It's possible.
5934104 I can see it growing quicker because of the elements living there but not Apple Acres. it's still a mane food source and with the zap apples and cider. it can't be gone. the town still has it's image. 80 years is just too small of a time for such a radical change.
5934130 I think the problem is that once the city expanded, Apple Aches couldn't produce enough food for everyone, so the town imported from other places, and the farm just became obsolete. It's not really that much of a drastic change. I mean, it goes from a town to a city in 80 years is entirely possible, and the removal of a farm is possible as well. Magic haha
5934142 you still forget the inherent character of the town. They are very traditional. They wouldn't willy nilly destroy something like Sweet Apple Acres. Also they aren't too far from Canterlot so the need for it to be a big city just isn't there.
5934190 That's the problem though, if the town expanded, the original ponies of Ponyville would be in the minority, and if it came down to a vote, they would be much smaller than the rest.
5934211 de3pends on all the new ponies. some may be like Twilight. loving the feel of the town. Will this eventually happen to Ponyville. most likely but this soon doubt it.
5934216 Mmmm
80 years is a bit of a stretch I guess. 100 is more likely
5934220 200 minium
5934227 Awww come on that's a bit much don't you think?
That is more believable but it's still within reason for 100 years. I mean, look at some countries and what happened to them within 100 years.
5934227 I'm basing a majority of time changes to America in the late 1800s to early to mid 1900s. If you look at how much cities grew and overtook farmland, you'd see how fast it can happen. It can be quicker than 80 years in the most busy spots. 200 years before the early 1900s, America was barely even settled by anyone but natives.
5934229 but Equestria is slow to change in stuff like this. Look at the Crystal Empire. Not too much different from a typical Equestrian city minus the crystal theme. so that shows that in this regard Equestria is very slow to change in development. I'm assuming Twilight did become an alicorn in this story and that would bring more ponies to Ponyville but enough to change it's attitude and natuire in a short timer? No.
5934246 but human's and pony's are different. I don't see the urge of all places developing as quickly as possible. Heck Twilight, the most driven pony to advance things doesn't want Ponyville to ever change. And with immortal rulers I just do see them going as fast as us because of the lack of drive.
5934251 We just disagree on how this game if what-ifs would play out. There's really nothing to say except that we see this differently. I'm keeping the story's timeline as is because I believe that that's how it could go.
5934281 IF Sweet Apples is truly gone then you have lost me on this.
(I haven't read the old version of the story, so maybe my thoughts/comments have already been answered)
5933830
Perhaps the farm collapsed after Applejack's disappearance? I could imagine a scenario where Apple Bloom goes off to do her own thing (probably an Apothecary, considering her knack for alchemy in the show), and Big Mac settles down with Cheerilee, and over the next few generations the farm just sorta gets sold off. A little unrealistic, but still within the realm of possibility.
Also as 5934246 mentioned, it seems like Equestria is undergoing an industrial (magical) revolution here, with rapid technological development and presumably a population boom to go along with it.
I wonder, is Twilight immortal in this setting?
5934289 In that case, I can only direct you to the door.
5934312 I'm truly sad to hear that. A good story concept wasted.
5934330 Exactly where I got the title.
5934314 Wasted? Considering so many people like the story, I wouldn't say so. You just personally disliked some aspects of it.
Nonetheless, until next time.
I don't understand how Sweet Apple Acres would just be gone in less then 80 years. Especially sense it was the reason Ponyvill was founded in the first place. You would think with all of the Apple Family that's across Equestria, they would petition for the farm to be deemed a historical landmark.
I for one enjoy the major setting change and think the people saying it hurts the story are just being whiny, if you have to take some liberties and wipe Sweet Apple Acres out a bit sooner then it would logically be gone is fine. It adds to Applejack's culture shock which is the central theme of the story. That everything Applejack knew and loved is gone. If the farm was still there it would undermine the concept of the story.
I'm loving it so far. I haven't read the older version but this is looking really good.
5934348 it goes to this. Yes most of the ponies she knew would be gone. What could bring that more to home is the fact the Sweet Apple is still there but not as she remembers it. TO quote the Movie Flight of the Navigator. "That's my family but not my home." This can easily apply to Sweet Apple. It's the place where she grew up but not the home she knew. i just don't see any real reason for it to be completely gone. Heck the nearest analog in the universe is the Equestria Girls town. It is a modern city yet it still has Sweet Apple. I love the idea of Applejack stoned for 80 years and dealing with that. It's just the changes you made to Ponyville are just too much within the time frame.
5934378 As I said, we just disagree on how it goes. Nothing more to it.
5933830
No 80 years isn't too little at all. take my home town of Wheeling, WV. . In 1850, we were a tiny, tiny backwater. We had a river, and eventually got a bridge, but it was a pretty irrelevant, quite little town of 11,000. 80 years later, we had paved all the roads, had 4 bridges, a tunnel, two major roadways, and factories galor, our population having increased sixfold to 60,000. That is probably about what happened to ponyville, at least given my limited knowledge of what the author is imagining.
The city of Houston underwent an even more drastic change over 80 years, from a nothing of 2,000 to a massive metropolis of 300,000.
I think your just projecting assumptions about equestria which have no reason to be true, and simply underestimating what can change in 80 years. Heck, even if Equestria had a fairly averagish population growth rate of 1%, equestria's population would have increased by some 120% since Applejacks time. That can result in much more than doubling of various urban centers populations, as the need for labor on farms either doesn't increase or goes down, so that population growth gets concentrated in a few select cities and towns boom.
May be even more likely to see medium sized ones grow immensely in Equestria, do to the unique situation of the capital: normally a capital's population increases disproportionately to the rest of a state, but Canterlot is so limited in space, that the chance for growth is probably very limited.
Manehattan might also have limited expansion potential, due to already being big and maybe also being islandish.
Meanwhile, Ponyville is close to Canterlot, Cloudsdale, and maybe Manehattan, since Applejack walked there without too much issue, and seems to be at a good rail line position in general. With all that, on top of being one of the princesses favorite places, which also opens up many growth possibilities catering to her growing needs and desires, Ponyville is well set up to be one of those cities that exist and prosper simply because they are between a whole bunch of other important things, maybe acting as something of a suburb, support, or get away for a bigger city.
Wow, this story is amazing! I can't wait to see what'll happen once Celestia or Luna see Applejack again. Have a like and a favorite my friend.
5934414 again Human and ponies are still different. I don't doubt that Ponyville would grow. heck I firmly believe that Green Village should be a part of Ponyville. but to have all major landmarks gone, including the farm that started the town. NO. Ponyville would likely be among the last to make major changes and even then not to mess with certain places. Heck in the story Rebirth which takes place over 350 years from season 4 Sugarcube Corner is still there. Should this ponyville have paved streets and the start of sky scrapprs? sure but the big town landmarks should not be gone.
5934098
And I'm still a single nerdy DEAD pony!
:v
5934439 The key thing to remember is that this is only how you view the world. Your personal view on how the world works won't necessarily match that of anyone else.
Well this is certainly interesting. I wonder what the Princesses will say. Also, is it only me who wonders if Discord is still around? There's also the possibility of her friends children or such being alive.
5934227 200 Years ago my home city Perth didn't even exist, 100 years ago around 100 000 people lived in Perth, now it's home to nearly 2 million people, 100 years is a long time.
Great story so far! Though I am wondering can Applejack get contacts instead of glasses if she needs them? Also I can defiantly see the farm collapsing after Applejack's disappearance. She was the master link holding it all together. And even after the first few years of her missing I feel the Apple family would devote more time searching for her than worrying about the crops. Then there's the despair of not finding her, then depression. Also we have Granny Smith eventually passing on adding to the pile. Applebloom would mostlikely move on getting away from such hard memories, and I could see Big Mac settling down with Cheerliee to start a family. It just feels right. The farm by then would have fallen into disrepair and it Mac being the eldest would have probably sold off the land for bits to get a home for his family he was taking care of. Applebloom moving on to her career and eventual family of her own.
80 years ago the Santa Clara valley was known as the Valley of Heart's Delight. Until the 1960s it was the largest fruit production and packing region in the world with 39 canneries. Now it's the Silicon Valley, and all the orchards are gone.
i'm lost how is this the third chapter when there are so many chapters before this? and I thought AJ had already been checked out by a doctor?
5934355 Maybe part of it is one of the parks.
5935291
That could be true, but the Apples have had their reunions there sense they first settled on that land, taking a picture in front of the barn at the end in commemoration. At the very least, a majority of them would protest the destruction or removal of it completely. And I think it would be well known that one of the most influential farming families in Equestria had a beef with something just a town away. Of course, sense Skylight is fairly new to the area, it stands to reason that she wouldn't know anything about it. I hope this gets resolved sooner rather then later.
5935206 This is a re-write. The Author did not like how the story was going, especially trying to tell both Applejack's story, and that of the OC's that were in the original version.
5934439
Well, for all we know many of the famous landmarks (if they are famous in setting, which is a big question) might still be there, or there might be some mark of them, mentioning that it was there at some point in the past.
We don't know. The characters haven't made it to there yet, it was too much for Applejack to see what had changed.
Even if they were almost all gone however, it also wouldn't be that surprising. After all, most of the landmarks we think of really aren't that significant, in the grand scheme of things, and certainly aren't impressive to look at. Most towns have a founding farm, if you look for it. I know from vague recollection that one particular family really got our area going, and the town got its beginning to support that large farm. Everything related to that farm however is long gone.
Same would happen to the Apple farm if it stopped being an operational farm. Even if nothing else happened, most of the farm would be gone in 40 years just from lack of maintenance (rain alone will destroy a building fairly quickly if not looked after, especially if its mostly wood). Unless someone actually puts resources into maintaining the farm, it would go away, to be swallowed by either the forest or development.
And there's no real reason to maintain it: it's honestly not that significant to the apple clan, since most of them don't actually live there: there's dozens of other farms in the family that could substitute. There's nothing particularly interesting for tourists interested in the elements either: its far away from all the other sights of interest to the elements, and in the end is just a barn, a very generic farm.
Much better to put the museum to the elements in Twilights tree house once she moves out: a much more interesting structure, and its centrally located.
Now, there may still be an apple farm somewhere, maybe moved outward to make way for the expanding town, maybe still in its same place, just reduced a bit. We don't know. However, there is no reason the farm must still be there.
Poor AJ. She lost everything. I hope the princesses can help.
5936630
Yet every reunion is held at Sweet Apples and specifically by the barn and considering how big the Apple Family is I would never die. Even if it wasn't the main source of food in Ponyville anymore it still has great quality food. It's the Wrigley Field of Equestria.
5937101
BECAUSE IT'S THE SETTING OF THE SHOW! That's like saying Hogwarts is an overused setting for Harry Potter fanfics.
NOHOHOHOHO!!!!! WHY MUST YOU TAUNT ME THIS WAY! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!! HOW CLOSE ARE YOU FROM FINISHING THE NEXT CHAPTER!!?