Applejack Through the Ages

by Paradise Oasis

Misery in the mines

Misery in the mines

"All right, you miserable Mare!" One of the guards yelled at her, pushing the heartbroken earth pony along. "Get a move on, we don't have all day!"

As the goblin guards led Green Apple down through the maze of tunnels, she could see the forms of sever other miserable ponies toiling away in the mines. Earth ponies chipped at the cave walls with pickaxes in their mouths, while unicorns used gem-finding spells to locate gemstones within the rock. As she sullenly trotted past all of the captive mares and stallions with neck and hoof shackles, Green happened to notice something all of the prisoners had in common.

"Their eyes..." The beleaguered mare asked, looking around at her fellow prisoners. "What happened to their eyes?"

"Hah! they've long since gone blind, from workin' in these caves!" One guard replied gleefully. "Besides, they don't need their eyesight ta work!"

"Don't worry... after a few years down here, I'm sure you'll be just as blind as they are!" The other guard chortled in agreement. The two brutes finally brought her to a large rock, attaching her chain to a neaby bolt secured in the ground.

"'Ere's your new home, missy! I suggest ya get used to it!" One of the guards went over and smacked a strange looking little gnome, chained up to the rocks and working like the ponies, on the back. "Hey Edgar! Got a new friend down 'ere for ya, we did! And she's a mighty lovely pony, too!"

"Be sure an' show her what to do, an' keep er' out of any trouble!" The other guard growled, poking the mare with a spear. "We don't need another escape attempt... like last time!"

"You barbarians wouldn't know lovely if it came up and smacked you on the face." The diminutive figure replied, looking up from where he was working. "Now I suggest you get out of my face, so that I may return to my work."

The two goblin brutes went off chatting, leaving the gnome to look over the newly arrived pony. "Are you all right, my dear?"

The gnome was a small fellow.... dressed all in green, with a slightly off-shade tunic and cap. Bending over to examine the still-shaken mare, he ran his hands across her roughed-up coat.

"Well, no bad bruises or broken bones." The gnome....Edgar... said softly, a look of concern in his eyes. "Did they harm you very badly?"

"N-no, I'm okay...." The mare merely mumbled, clearly still in shock. "H-he betrayed me... how could he betray me?"

"Look, I know this must be a terrible time for you, but you need to pull yourself together and start working!" The young gnome advised, gently stroking the pony's mane. "My uncle will not stand for a pony slave who won't do their share of the work!"

"O-okay..." Green Apple muttered without thinking, taking the pickaxe in her mouth. "W-what am I supposed to do down here?"

"It's very simple. See, as a Gnome, I am very in tune with the earth and the minerals inside of it." The blonde-haired and blue eyed youth told her. "I shall locate the gemstones in the rock face, and you chip them out with your pickaxe! Here, let's give it a try!"

Edgar put his hand against the rock face, and closed his eyes. Suddenly, small spots inside the cave wall began to glow, and the gnome pointed towards them.

"There, dig in those places." The young gnome exclaimed. "That's where you'll find the gems!"

Green nodded, and quickly went to work on several places in the wall. Soon, she had knocked several of the gems free, and she and Edgar soon had a cart overflowing with them.

"Very well done! That's the way to do it!" Edgar told her with a smile. "Seems like we make a pretty good team, huh?"

...

It went on like that for many, many days... Edgar searching out and finding the gems, and Green Apple chipping them out of the cave walls. Green learned the harshness of this underground life -between the sting of the goblin captain's whip and the constant dangers of a cave in- but for a mare who had already survived so much, Green was still able to endure. The guards were pleased with the massive load of riches Green and Edgar had managed to find, and even gave them and extra five minutes on their rest breaks.

For Edgar, the harsh and brutal treatment was simply life as usual. But for Green, the sting of recent events were still far to fresh in her memory. The shock of Chocolate's betrayal had given way to anger, and a red-hot thirst for vengeance burned in the mare's mind. Edgar was this, however, and really wanted to do something to help the poor pony. Partnered together for most of their work shifts, the two digging partners had little time to talk. But in those brief periods when they could exchange words, the pair did manage to find out a bit about each other.

"So you came from an apple farm, huh? Sounds very nice and cozy." Edgar told her with a sigh, as he illuminated a wall full of gems with a touch.. "I'd love to live in the country myself sometime, maybe get a nice little Mushromp outside of Dream Valley."

"How did you and the Jewel Wizard get to Equestia anyway, Edgar?" Green asked, cipping away to get one of the diamonds. "And why did he throw his own nephew in with the slaves?"

"Oh, Grogar invited us to come here from our homeland, to help him, in his takeover of Equestria." Edgar explained, wiping some of the sweat from his brow. "He put my uncle in charge of these mines, but when the Jewel Wizard started using captured ponies slave labor, I just couldn't stand by and let him do it!"

"And your complaining got you thrown down here with the slaves... I understand." Green snorted, shaking her head. "You have a good heart, Edgar... at least one better than the pony who left me to rot in this pit! Ohhhh, I'm going to bust him up real good when I get out of here!"

"Ohhhh, my my my! Green, you shouldn't let your anger and desire for revenge take you over!" The young gnome sighed, shaking his head. "It could come back to bite you in the end!"

So you made friends with Edgar! Did the two of you start planning an escape?

Well, not right away, appleblossom, but the idea did start to creep into our minds. And boy, when we did start ta plot our getaway, it turned out to be far bigger than anything we had ever imagined...

Comments

[keam]

*applause*
All yes I can give is now yours.

[TheFanficFanPony]

Moochick, is that you?

[Northgalus2002]

I've been following this story on Fanfiction.net, but this is the first comment I'm making on this story in FiMFiction.net. I hope that this story will soon be updated and we find out how AJ and Edgar escape from the mines and make their way to Dream Valley. Also, I'd like to know how Grogar is defeated and how Ponyland recovers.

I admit that I don't know that much about G1 MLP, are the Jewel Wizard and/or Edgar Gen 1 characters or OC's?

Also, I would like to see Chocolate Delight get what he deserves for betraying AJ!

[Paradise Oasis]

5932138

The jewel wizard and Edgar are indeed cannon characters.

[Leave a Whisper]

The young Mr. Moochick!