//------------------------------// // Red Is The One That Travels The Farthest // Story: Displaced Timelines Book 1 The Hero Six // by Wingsofsilver //------------------------------// Elijah, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike had just arrived at Sweet Apple Acres as they got closer both Twilight and Spike look at with shock and confusion. It look vastly different then the Sweet Apple Acres in their present instead, of a large barn with plenty of apple trees are now replace with a large factory, with very few apple trees, and beside the factory is a small patch of corn. Twilight and Spike look at the now Apple Factory in distress this is not what they were hoping for; "Ohhh so this is were William works at. I never thought it to be a factory." Elijah spoked as he starts to look around with mild curiosity. " Y-yeah neither did I." Twilight says with less enuthiusim as they took a closer look at the factory. She used her hoove to wipe some of the dust of one of the windows and peered though the window, she gasped at what she saw. A large pot is bubbling, steaming as the apples are poured inside the pot cooking the apples inside preparing them into a liquid which is, being poured in by rows of cans with hammers pounding the lids keeping the liquid sealed in. There are two ponies working inside the factory but with limit vision, Twilight could bearly see who they are that is until a familar orange blond mare comeing outside of the Apple Factory rolling the barrels into the cart is when Twilight approch the mare with glee. "Applejack?!" She runs towards her then, she hugs Applejack glad to see one of friends is okay. It was shortlive as Applejack glances at her and remove Twilight off of her. "What can I do for you?" Applejack asked as she keeps rolling the barrel. " It's so good to see you we couldn't find Pinkie or Rarity or Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash." Twilight informed Applejack. " But I knew you'll still be here!" " Of course I am this is my home." Applejack replies as she places the barrel in the cart. "But who in tarnation is Pinkie Bow and Flutter Dash?" She gave a confuse look before looking back at Twilight." Or you for that matter." " You mean you don't remember me?" Twilight ask with sorrow in her voice. " Nope, honestly the only one name I reconized is Rarity but, she left to Manehatten years ago" She informed her as she then notice Elijah. "And you must be one of William's friends ." " Yep! I'm Elijah nice to meet you." He kindly offers a handshake. Applejack smiles softly and shakes his hand with one of her font hooves before, going back to her work. " Maybe Rarity become a famous fashion designer." Spike suggested. " Not that I know of last I heard, she went to help with the cause like everypony else." Applejack replied. " Do you know were William's location at least?" Elijah asked her. " He's helping me with my deliveries he's at one the stops at the Foal's Protection House." " I see. Okay! Then we'll go there first, thanks AJ! " He cheers happily. Applejack gave the red clothed hylain a small smile . " Your welcome." Twilight watches sadly as these two interact with each other, she knows it's a different present then the one she is used to, but she can't help but feel a ping of jealousy crawling within her. She frowned quickly dismissing those negative feelings away from her mind, she needs to focus on the main task here! Wait, she remebered what Applejack said early " The cause?" " The war with King Sombra and The Crystal Empire." Applejack answered. " What?!" Both Twilight and Spike shouted at the same time,Applejack look at them with shock but is quickly transform into suspiousion. " Where have you two been?" " Actually it's when." Spike corrected. " I know this hard to believe, but you and I and those other ponies I mention are friends." Twilight informed her. Applejack gave Twilight a look of disbelief not really buying the explain that is giving to her" Did you bump your head on a crate of cider or something." "I am telling you the truth! Come with me and I'll prove it." She insisted as she dragged both Applejack and Elijah with her magic. Elijah simpily shrugs his shoulders, not really minding the fact that he's been dragged along by the alicorn mare's magic. *** " Well I admit I've been these parts for my whole life and I've never seen this before." Applejack says as looks at the crystal map and the six ruined marble chairs. "There's aslo suppose to be a castle that goes with it." Spike added. " But I still don't see what this has to do with you and I being friends?" She says as she looks at Twilight with uncertainy. " Another pony named Starlight Glimmer use this map to travel though time and change things in the past." Twilight explains seriously." For some reason the map's here but everything else is different." She felt confuse about this how can such little chaange can cause a huge difference in the present. " Different how?" Applejack asked her. "Well; were we came from there's no war with King Sombra." she answered. Applejack look at map again as her ears lower and her eyes showing sadness. Twilight Sparkle gave her former friend a comfort smile."Maybe you can tell us how the war started then, we can figured out, what changed." she urged her gently, Spike looks at Applejack ready to listen what she has to say. Applejack sighs. " That sounds easy enough." As she explains how the war started Eljah hums in thought this whole scenario sounds familiar. 'What's was it called again?' he thought to himself. 'Butter effect? No no butterfly..? Ah wait, i know what is called now, the butterfly effect!' Elijah smiled to himself, happy he figured out the name of the theory that is very well known. Unfortunetly, his thoughts were brought to a halt when, he heard Twilight speaking again. " I just can't believe it, we stop King Sombra you, me, and all of our friends." " We aren't friends at least not here." Applejack says sombery. " Right..." Twilight sighs sadly. "Guys! I just thought of something!" Elijah's sudden outburst causes the two mares and the baby dragon jump in surpised. "Was that really completey necessary?" Twilight hissed giving him an annoyed look. " Sorry Twi-Twi." He apolopized as his face flushed in embassment. " Anyway, have any of you heard of the Butterfly effect?" He was rewarded with both of the mares look at him in confuision rasing thier eyebrows at him. " The what effect?" Twilight ask " Is this one of your fancy talks?" Applejack deadpanned Elijah shook his head "No, no it's uh... how should I explain this; ( sighs) Noah's is better at explaining things then I do..." " Remind me, Noah is one of you and William's friends searchin' right?" she asked. " Yes, but can you please let me finished my explanation as best as I can." he pleaded. Applejack nods letting him to contiune his explanantion. " As I was saying Noah told us about the Butterfly Effect theory a while ago, if I recalled correctly the theory states, that tiny changes in the past can cause great conesquences in the present." he explained " This Starlight Glimmer is causing this effect not knowing the conesquences she's causing to the present." Twilight eyes widen in fear knowing that this brief explanantion that is givin to her, can explain a lot of what's going on why the present changed so dramatictly. "We need to make things right!" " Yep, and I'm going to help you Twi." He reassured her. "Let"s go!" " Wait a moment Eljiah." Twilight says as she tugs him back with her magic as she then turns to Applejack. "Thank you." "I hope this helps now, I gotta go back to canning those apples." She replies as looks at Elijah " Can you tell William I said hi for me while, your there?' " Sure, AJ of course we will." He said Applejack smile at him as she heads back to her work at the factory. As they watch her leave Twilight releases Elijah out of her magic grasp. " So, we need to head to the Foal's Protection House?" She asked. " Yeah, but were's that Twilight and were do we go from here?" Spike asked back. Elijah hummed in thought as he too is puzzled until, he notice fainted trails from a cart that had just left. " Guys, I found trails we can follow if my guess is right it might lead to were William is." he concluded. " If that's the case; then that's what we will do come on everpony uh.. I mean everbody let's follow that trail!" She declared. Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Elijah all followed the trail that'll lead to thier next destination to thier quest of ending the war and perhaps stopping Starlight Glimmer's plan.