This story is a sequel to Sweet Apple Anthology

Far in the West, out in the frontier, Babs Seed and Apple Bloom have found an adventurous, satisfying life. Business at their bar is booming and supporting Sweet Apple Acres, ending Applejack's economic woes (for the time being). Babs has reunited with her father and the savior of her foalhood, Turner. North of no-pony's land, Citrus, Libra, and Braeburn are thriving in Appleloosa, though tensions between the locals and an influx of emigrants threaten to shatter peace in the tiny town.

Far in the East, in the belly of the beast, the once-glorious city of Manehatten has collapsed into a haze of unimaginable chaos and depravity at the hooves of its King. A King whose chessboard is rapidly expanding and whose Knights march to conquer and annex in the name of their Master.

When East and West clash at last, who will be left standing?

Third installment in the alternate universe timeline started by Tangled Roots. Preceded by Sweet Apple Anthology and beginning from the first story's Epilogue.

Coverart by the awesome artist Lulubell.

Now with a TVTropes page! Thanks to vren55 for putting it up!

Rated Teen for strong violence, language, and darker elements. Sex tag is for implied sexual situations.

This story is a sequel to Tangled Roots

After Babs Seed moves in with her cousins and grandmother at Sweet Apple Acres, seven years and twenty-eight seasons of lessons about friendship, love, and the true meaning of family shape her into the mare she ultimately becomes.

What became of Babs Seed's mother and sister? Will the bobtailed foal ever see the ones she left behind again? How will the other Ponyville Cutie Mark Crusaders react to their fourth member earning her cutiemark before the rest? Is family what we are born into, or is it what we choose to create? And, ultimately, can a city-pony truly adapt to country life?

This is the second installment in the Tangled Roots timeline. "Sweet Apple Anthology" is a collection of sequential side-stories spanning across seven years after the end of the first story's final chapter and continuing to its Epilogue.

The story continues in the third installment, Severed Roots.

A big thanks to Lulubell for the awesome cover image.

Now with a TVTropes page! Thanks to vren55 for putting it up!

Rated Teen for some language, violence, and darker elements.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders know that Babs Seed was bullied back in Manehatten, but how bad could things really have been? And how does Babs feel about returning to the city and the ponies who have hurt her the most?

(Note: to avoid confusion, the first few chapters of this story deal with past events that occurred before "One Bad Apple". I will add an Author's Note to the chapter that begins the "present" state of events and continues forward from there.)

Followed by Sweet Apple Anthology and Severed Roots.

Now with a TVTropes page! Thanks to vren55 for putting it up!

Rated Teen for some violence, language, and darker elements.