//------------------------------// // The Isle of Pony // Story: Applejack Through the Ages // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// The Isle of Pony "Wow! Mom, you gotta see this!" Honeyberry exclaimed, standing out on the deck and pointing a hoof at the shore. "the island looks so amazing from here!" As the rocking ship pulled closer to the island, Apple Pie trotted up to the deck, and gazed at the gentle waves crashing against the rocky coast. It had been hive days since the two had finished up thier affairs in the republic, and they were quickly on their way to this northern, rainy isle. She had been unhappy leaving behind the only home her little girl had ever known, but it had been the only way she knew how to keep Honeyberry a new life, far away from the problems that had plagued her back in Coltonville. "It's incredible, dear! The isle of Pony is looks even more beautiful that the brochures said it would be!" The older mare replied, as the boat came in towards the dock. "I really think we're going to have a good time here!" The two ponies disembarked, and made their way up from the docks towards the neighboring village. There, Celtic ponies milled about the cobblestone streets, bringing in and selling their catches of the day, and buying and selling and trading their wares at the open air markets. It reminded the baking mare of the quaint tourist postcards she used to see souvenir shops sell of old medieval Equestria... post cards that were in no way a semblance of the truth. "This is so cool, like something out of one of my history classes!" Sweetberry declared, staring at all of the villagers as if there were living museum oddities. "Ohh, I can't wait to try some of their local cuisines!" "Excuse me, but are you Miss Pie?" A yellow mare with a blue mane and umbrella cutie mark asked, trotting up to the two new arrivals. "I apologize if I am in error, but you appear to resemble the picture I was given." "Why yes... and this is my daughter, Honeyberry." Apple replied, unnerved by this new mare's blunt forwardness. "And who might you be, if I may ask?" "My name's Sunglory, royal servant to Princess Rosie." The extremely stiff mare declared, bowing before the two new arrivals just off the boat. "I am here, as per my mistresses' orders, to take you to the royal palace at once to meet with her." "Wow mom, a royal visit! Can you believe it?!" Honeyberry exclaimed excitedly, not believing the fairy tale come true unfolding right before her very eyes. "How did you manage to pull something as awesome as this?!?" "It was your pull with the two royal princesses' that got you a meeting with the isle of pony royals, wasn't it mom?" Well, a request from one of the ex-harmony bearers to a pony kingdom's royalty as something that would hardly be ignored, now would it? Anyway, after my surprising identity had been confirmed by the equestrian royals, we soon found ourselves meeting, and rubbing hooves, with the upper crust of royalty... "I am so glad you and our daughter could join us, Miss Pie." The white mare with the white rose cutie mark and pink mane declared, trotting up to the two ponies sitting in comfortable chairs in the castle's drawing room. "We don't get many visitors on our island outside of the tourist season, so it's always good to see a new face around here." The two ponies could only nod their heads silently in response. Royal Castle was clearly the largest structure on the small island, it's pink exterior and two elaborately designed turrets standing out amongst the gray and drab little fishing village surrounding it. But the interior... washed pink walls, fine oak and cedar furniture, luxurious chandeliers and light fixtures...the inside of the royal family's home was decorated with a look of opulence and luxury Honeyberry had never seen before in her young life. Apple Pie had seen such regalness in her younger days, and to see it again brought back a flood of memories to the older mare. "Wow, this is sooo amazing your majesty!" The teen filly told the older girl, bowing to her respectfully. "Bon Bon and her friends told me all about how you left Ponyville orphanage, and became a princess! It's like some kind of fairy tale come true!" "And it's so good to meet you, Miss Honeyberry!" The young princess exclaimed, her tiara and mane glowing with an unearthly radiance. "Tell me though, how are things going back in Coltonville?" As the two fillies began to converse together, Sunglory trotted up behind the older mare, who was watching her daughter and Rosy with concern. "She's appears to get along with our princess quite well, it seems." The other mare told her in a quiet tone. "You have a lot of nerve coming here, Miss Applejack. You're either very brave, or very stupid." "I am very well aware of the risk of my real identity being discovered, that's why I've been working hard to keep a low profile all these years. I am sorry if my arrival... complicates things for you and your kingdom." Apple Pie looked over at the royal servant apologetically. "Tell me, does Princess Rosy have any idea whom I really am?" "No, the king and queen of the island believed it best to keep their daughter in the dark about your identity." Sunglory replied, in her usual dry and blunt tone. "Just as you choose to keep your own 'daughter' in the dark about the true nature of your visit here." "Don't you dare try to lecture me on how I'm raising my little girl!" Apple Pie snapped angrily, scowling at the other pony. "Those two shady stallions had been making too much trouble for me back in the republic, and I had no choice but to sell the bakery!" The blue mare looked away. "A mother has to make sacrifices for her children, and until you are one yourself, don't presume to tell me how to raise my own foal!" "I hope you are right, Miss Pie." The royal servant replied coldly, speaking in what sounded like a warning tone. "I just hope you work up the courage to tell her the truth, before somepony else actually does..." Uh oh, I'm guessing somebody else told her before you, didn't they? Yeah apple blossom, they did. While I was to busy being indecisive, someone had come from the mainland to see my little girl... Honeyberry and Rosy were going through the village, looking around at the various trinkets and jewelry the pony merchants had for sale. "Ohhh, that necklace is sooo pretty!" The teen filly exclaimed, a big grin spreading across her face as she picked it up. "Your island ponies really make all this stuff by hoof?" "Why yes, it's one of our islands specialties, besides, catching fish and all!" Rosy replied with a giggle. "Here, why don't you try these earrings on, I'm sure they'll really suit you!" As the two fillies were talking, a young colt who had been searching around the marketplace finally spotted them, and galloped across the street towards them. Before either girl had time to react, the young colt rushed up, and grabbed Honeyberry in a tight embrace. "Yahhhhhh! What the -!?" The filly yelped in surprise. "You jerk, what do you think you're doing!?" "Honeyberry, I'm so glad to see you again!" The colt exclaimed excitedly. "My dad didn't think I'd be able to find you when he sent me here!" "Friend of yours, Honeyberry?" Princess Rosy asked in an amused tone. Her eyes wide, Honeyberry could only stare on in shock. "Logan, is that you?" The filly asked in shock. "What the hay are you doing here!?"