Applejack at the Edge of the World

by MagicS

The Long Way Home

“Your leg is broken in three places, you tore several ligaments and tendons in it in addition to the broken bones, two of your ribs are also cracked, and to top it all off you have a bruised liver,” Daylight Gleam said as she read off of Applejack’s chart. “Pretty impressive I must say.”

“All in a day’s work when it comes to saving the world. I’d say all the broken stuff is worth it,” Applejack said, her head resting on her pillow.

“And I’d say the painkillers rushing through your veins right now are probably doing a lot to help that,” Daylight snorted. “You going to be able to keep up that sentiment later on?”

“It’s not the pain that’s going to bother me, it’s the time I’m going to need to recuperate before I can leave,” Applejack sighed.

“Yeahhh… the doctors say at least a week in bed… then physical therapy… then maybe they can get you out on crutches or loan a wheelchair… and then maybe-” Daylight rubbed the back of her head.

“A week in bed and then I start to head home,” Applejack said.

“I don’t exactly think that’s a good idea.”

“Daylight—I’ve been out here for a long, long, time. I need to get home,” Applejack frowned at her. “I’m not staying in Spruce City for a whole month just waiting for my leg to get better. I can manage.”

Together the two of them had made it back to Spruce City two days ago—Applejack being unconscious for most of it until now. A lot of work had to be done to repair her front left leg and now it was in a full cast while a few other bandages and wrappings were around her midsection. Neither of them had gone into detail about how this had happened or about how one of the old mines in the mountains had collapsed. They agreed it was probably better to keep quiet. Applejack had at one point been worried about how they were going to pay for all this but Daylight had assured her she would handle it. Having no other reason, and not enough energy, to argue, Applejack let the issue end there. She didn’t have any of the money given to her by Mayor Rooter remaining anyways.

Now all she could really do for the next week was stare up at the white ceiling tiles of her hospital room while a series of nurses and doctors came in and out. Each one of them she knew would do their hardest to keep her here when they learned she planned to leave in just a week.

Daylight sighed and rubbed her eyes, herself having barely gotten any sleep since making it back here. “Well I know better than to try and stop you. I’ll help you get home as best I can.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. “All the way?”

“All the way,” Daylight nodded. “I’m pretty sure you offered to come see your home the last time we met anyways. And you’re clearly going to need a pony to rely on if you want to make it all the way back to where you live in one piece. It would be a long trip even without a broken leg.”

Applejack smiled. “You’ve got that right… and thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Daylight shrugged. She looked around the hospital room absentmindedly before taking a glance out the window at the city beyond. Spruce City was a big place with a lot to offer—and it was a good thing their medical care was at a modern level. “I’m going to find my own place to stay for the next week then, but I’ll still come by every day to keep you company and get you anything you need.”

“Thanks,” Applejack nodded. And for the first time since they had met back up she really took a closer look at the mare. She didn’t exactly have the time for chit-chat earlier but now they could catch up, and she already noticed a couple of things. “You’re a little different you know? I remember when I first met you you weren’t exactly the most selfless of ponies, you were a grouch, and you barely smiled. What’s it been like since we parted ways back at Greed Volcano? That scar and bow are new too, aren’t they?”

Daylight smirked, the words from Applejack actually making her feel better. “Well you changed me, you know? After meeting a pony like you—seeing what you would do for others—I just couldn’t be my same old selfish self again. And you’re right, the bow is a gift from another good friend I made and the scar… that’s from a particularly nasty griffon I ran across a little while back. I’ve been traveling all over, just kind of going wherever the wind takes me, helping out where I can. I think a few of the friends I’ve made would still consider me a grouch though...”

“Well I’m glad to hear that you’ve been doing good—both ways. It’s nice to see any old friend again and hear that. Speaking of—what about your two friends? It was uh… Star Blaze and Sugar Spirit, right?” Applejack asked.

Daylight rolled her eyes and snorted in annoyance. “Yes. I haven’t seen them in a while actually. You see, shortly after we parted ways with you the two of them got married. And I accidentally got left behind while they went on their honeymoon. Haven’t seen them since but I’m sure we’ll run into each other at some point eventually.”

“Heh,” Applejack chuckled despite the rough feeling it brought through her chest, amused by the story.

“But anyways… everything I’ve been up to since I last saw you would take a little too long to tell,” Daylight said.

“Mmm...” Applejack nodded but then remembered something else. “Hold on first. What about that letter? Who was it from and how long have you been looking for me?”

“Don’t actually know who it’s from—I literally woke up one morning and it was on the pillow next to me,” Daylight shrugged. “It said it was from “H.B.” but for the life of me I can’t think of who that is… sounded a little familiar at first for some reason but I just can’t place it. And that was quite a while ago actually. A few weeks?”

“You got your letter a few weeks ago? I just got mine three days before we met!” Applejack groaned and laid her head back against her pillow. “Stupid cryptic world-saving letters… none of this makes a darn lick of sense.” She frowned. “And—hold on—but how far have you had to travel to find me?”

“Pretty dang far to be honest. By the way, I saw your hoofiwork at the Citadel of Al-Karamaretel. Got the story from the mares in charge there. Nice job,” Daylight said.

“Wasn’t just me,” Applejack insisted.

“I don’t just mean opening the Citadel back up. Those mares, Amethyst and her friends, I knew them from before when they were trying to take over Diminuendo. But you seemed to have changed them even more than you changed me. I was… surprised and more than a little apprehensive at first but we smoothed things out. They’re running the Citadel well, you’ll be happy to hear,” Daylight explained.

Applejack sighed in relief. “I am. Really am.”

“It’s gotten back to normal, ponies are freely going from one side of the canyon to the other, and a lot of aid has been given to ponies that were struggling there, I heard even more should be coming courtesy of Diminuendo,” Daylight said.

“If my other friend Valentine pulls through, which I’m sure she will,” Applejack smiled.

“She will,” Daylight smirked. “I know her actually—met her earlier back in Diminuendo—and ran into her on my way to the Citadel. We didn’t talk for long since we were both busy but thanks to her I already had an idea of what was going on. And the Prince of Diminuendo is a good pony too, when he gets the full picture on what’s happened at the Citadel he’s sure to help. Things will get a lot better shortly in my opinion.”

“Good… I’ve been to too many places recently that need help,” Applejack relaxed back in her bed and looked up at the ceiling, thinking of Fire Vent, Roc’s Nest, and everywhere else that was feeling the ripples of the Citadel.

“Me too since I’ve been following in your hoofsteps.”

Applejack blinked. “If that’s the case… then right after the bridge you would’ve...”

Daylight nodded, a mirthless grin on her face. “Yep. Right into the swamp. Went blind for a little while.”

“Sorry...”

“Eh. Met a grumpy mare right after getting out who set me on the right path through the Kingdom of Diamonds,” Daylight shrugged.

“Marzipan doing alright?”

“She didn’t kick me out without feeding me first at least.”

“You didn’t also happen to see any centaurs in that swamp either did you?” Applejack asked, a more serious expression on her face.

But Daylight only tilted her head in confusion. “What’s a centaur?”

“Nevermind,” Applejack shook her head. “Apparently it’s not important.” She yawned, the painkillers and who knew what else in her system making her a little tired. “So you had to walk through the entire Kingdom of Diamonds and then Equinestan too? You must’ve been doing that when I was in Elysium’s View.”

“Mhm. By the way, why were you even out here anyways? From what I’ve heard your home is really far east of here,” Daylight asked.

“Just got the call, it’s complicated,” Applejack snorted. “Don’t worry about it though—everything I came out here to do is taken care of. Didn’t even know I’d be saving the world when this all started either...”

“Yeah that was a weird letter to wake up to too in my case...” Daylight nodded.

“By the way, how did the Kingdom of Diamonds look to you?” Applejack asked.

“Uhh… empty. There was one town that looked pretty nice and I met some other travelers but the place was still really empty for how big it was,” Daylight answered.

“Probably can’t expect it to get back to normal anytime soon...” Applejack murmured.

“Thanks to you though I’m sure it’ll get back to something good. Eventually,” Daylight said.

Applejack smiled. “I guess that aint so bad.”

Daylight glanced out the window once more and saw that it was getting late. “Do you want to get some rest now? You probably should.”

“Yeah… guess I’ve been up long enough. If I want to only spend a week here I should probably get some sleep. And I will only be spending a week here,” Applejack resolutely stated. She raised an eyebrow at Daylight. “You’ll be back tomorrow?”

“Early. I promise,” Daylight winked.

“Then I guess we’ve both got a long and boring week to look forward to,” Applejack lied back and closed her eyes.

---

Applejack was indeed a mare of her word. In just one week she was out of the Spruce City Hospital.

That wasn’t to say she was one-hundred percent healthy though. She still had a cast around her broken leg, she still had a bit of pain from her ribs, and the only reason she was able to walk at all was because of the splint the doctors had made for her. A rod of wood had been secured to her cast to keep it straight and keep her weight off her leg as well. Thanks to that, Applejack was able to hobble along. Her doctors and nurses were incredibly unhappy with their decision and were pleading with her to stay in the hospital right up until the end but Applejack couldn’t be swayed. This time she was listening to herself—homesickness was proving to be stronger than anything else right now.

And so she and Daylight Gleam got ready to make the trip from Spruce City to Maple Town. Even though it wasn’t the most direct way through Equinestan at this point, Applejack had to say goodbye to the ponies of Maple Town and inform them of what happened with Blast Miner. It only felt right. There was another promise she had to keep as well and Maple Town seemed like one of the best places to go to keep it.

It was going to be a slow trip at first, that was certain. Daylight would be there to help Applejack along if she ever tripped, stumbled, or got a little tired, but their pace would be nothing like how Applejack rushed north from Maple Town a week ago. The entire trip home might be slow. Unfortunately that was something Applejack couldn’t really do anything about. She could push herself to keep a steady schedule but unless a train had magically gotten built in the Far West since she had traveled through it she could only walk.

Daylight had also attempted a few times to get Applejack to settle down and rest for a while longer but Applejack was adamant.

It had taken them a little while just to get to Sycamore Grove—Applejack needing to get used to the cast and splint first—and then they were out of there after just a day and on the road again to Maple Town. Since she was walking slower though, and eating plenty to keep her health up, Applejack was able to at least appreciate the place and the ponies who lived in it a little more than the last time she had been through. Since she couldn’t sleep on the side of the road in her condition they had to stay there the entire previous night.

Once they were out of Sycamore Grove though the both of them relaxed a little bit. Applejack was a fairly quick learner when it came to her cast, not being the first time she had broken something, and knowing Maple Town was their next stop put her mind at ease. They saw a few other ponies out on the road while they traveled south, a family or two out for a day trip, a pony pulling a wagon of goods from one city-state to the next, an old stallion just taking a walk for fun. It was nice. It was a reminder of what the both of them had saved. It was a reminder that the world was still moving. As homesick as Applejack was, as much as she wanted to get back to her friends and families to tell them she was okay, it still felt really darn good right now to know that the bad was behind her.

The familiar walls of Maple Town appeared to them shortly and Applejack’s hobbling may have sped up a little bit as a smile grew on her face. It was weird to envision walls as “welcoming” but the walls of Maple Town surely felt that way to her.

They’d be here for another whole day—staying the night before leaving tomorrow morning after their business was done.

It didn’t take too long before they passed the walls and made it back to the actual town that-

“Good heavens, Applejack! What happened to your leg?!” Melody Jewel yelled upon first seeing her.

“Hey there, Melody. Don’t worry about it too much, it’s… well, I just had a bit of a tussle with another pony,” Applejack awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. “Um… could you maybe get Mayor Rooter, and probably Sure Suture, together and tell em I need to talk to them? Any place private will do.”

“I’m very confused right now but alright, I’ll find them,” Melody Jewel agreed.

“Thank you, you’re being a real big help right now,” Applejack said.

“You and your friend can rest somewhere I suppose. Good thing Maple Town isn’t very big…” Melody Jewel’s gaze lingered on Applejack’s broken leg for a moment before she left to find Mayor Rooter and Sure Suture.

In under fifteen minutes, all five of them were inside a seldom used office in city hall. That was the benefit of being in the sort of small town that Applejack loved. Applejack was offered a seat of course but chose to stand anyways, while Daylight stood back against the door, feeling more like a third wheel at the moment than anything. This was Applejack’s business, Daylight was just here because she was helping Applejack out. She didn’t have anything to add to the conversation that Applejack couldn’t say herself.

And after another fifteen minutes, Applejack had fully told them the truth about Blast Miner. It was not a pleasant story to tell but they had to hear it. By the end the three of them were looking on in a mixture of horror, disbelief, and outright nausea. Who could blame them for any of that when they had just learned that a stallion they thought of as a friend was not just behind the sudden attacks and threats on their town but secretly was planning to destroy the whole dang world? Applejack hesitated to tell them about his full plans at first—and the fact she had kind of been responsible for collapsing an entire mountain—but wanted to trust them when it came to telling the rest of Equinestan or any others about it. It was their right and she had the responsibility to tell them as such. But it made it even more difficult for them to take it all in than if she had just been vague with the details.

“I think I need to sit down…” Sure Suture said, holding a hoof to his forehead.

Melody Jewel’s jaw had dropped open in shock early on and hadn’t changed position at all since.

And Mayor Rooter almost seemed at a loss for words. Though not completely. “I… I can’t believe it. Blast Miner is Karza? And he wanted to do that? I-I’ve known the stallion for years! I never would’ve thought...”

Neither Applejack or Daylight thought it was appropriate to correct him that it should be “was” Karza.

“Goes to show that you can’t always say you know a pony,” Sure Suture sighed.

“But it’s just so absurd! That Karza—that puppet as you explained-” Mayor Rooter nodded to Applejack. “To think he and Blast Miner are the same? Were the same. I never would’ve thought… the magical powers… everything that had happened. And for such a dumb reason!”

Both Sure Suture and Melody Jewel nodded in agreement to that.

“I’m really sorry you all had to go through this,” Applejack said, grimacing. In part she felt kind of responsible. Even though she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help but feel that the oddity of her own life and how she kept finding herself in situations like this somehow had something to do with it all. Like fate itself. Or chaos. If Applejack never got called out here would things have been different? It felt kind of crazy to even entertain such a silly idea but she couldn’t completely ignore it. That was kind of selfish though too wasn’t it? Thinking the world revolved around her like that. That was more of a Rainbow Dash way of thinking.

“Well you still saved us. In several different ways,” Mayor Rooter shrugged before sighing and collapsing over his desk, shaking his head in total exasperation.

“I never thought I’d ever be a part of something so crazy,” Melody Jewel muttered.

“Also—should you be traveling so much with your leg the way it is?” Sure Suture asked.

Daylight couldn’t help but smirk as Applejack awkwardly grinned.

“Well, no. But I’ve gotta get back home,” Applejack answered. “I’ve been through worse anyways and the doctors at Spruce City did a good job.”

“Mind me at least giving you a check up before you leave tomorrow?” Sure Suture asked again.

“I suppose I can’t exactly say no to that...” Applejack said while Daylight silently nodded behind her.

“At least it sounds like everything is over,” Mayor Rooter said, momentarily composing himself. “Now we can finally get back to normal… nothing to worry about anymore. Not sure I should tell everypony else about Blast Miner but… I’ll have to think about it. Maybe I’ll take a vacation for the next week first.”

“Maybe all of us should,” Melody Jewel agreed.

Applejack smiled. “Elysium’s View was a really nice place. Seems they’re always happy to have visitors.”

Mayor Rooter nodded. “I guess we’re done here then? If you want to stay in the same place you did last time you stopped here, Applejack, I think that can be easily arranged. We’ll all be sure to see you and your friend off tomorrow morning.”

“That’s what I was planning. And Daylight can get a room too?” Applejack glanced to the unicorn.

“Of course,” Mayor Rooter said.

“Great,” Applejack sighed deeply, most of the weight of her journey finally off her shoulders. There was that other piece of business she had to take care of now that she was here though. Something that the map in her bag she had received from Mayor Rooter last week helped remind her of. “Before we rest for the night and leave though, I’ve got something else I need to ask you. Actually—something I need to ask you for that I can take back with me to my home.”

The Maple Town locals and Daylight Gleam both regarded her with curiosity.

“What is it?” Mayor Rooter asked.

“A book.”

Despite the surprise of the others, they quickly filed out of the office and went down into the library inside city hall that Applejack had first seen when she came to Maple Town. While it wasn’t a big library it looked like it still had a good selection. When Applejack told Mayor Rooter specifically what she was looking for he said he was pretty certain they’d have plenty of books like that.

Now she was seated at a desk, looking over an atlas of the Far West.

It covered absolutely everything east of the chasm that divided the west in two. Multiple maps showing just geography, while others showed the borders of the various kingdoms, and others had every city and point of interest labeled. Between the maps were paragraphs and essays about the history of the land and the various kingdoms and groups of ponies living in the Far West. The lands immediately west of the chasm, the Kingdom of Diamonds, Equinestan, Elysium’s View, and every place Applejack didn’t visit were explained in detail. A huge history listen with even a few historical maps to show how things developed. Some maps were even just of individual lakes, mountains and forests that existed in the Far West. It had practically everything.

Applejack smiled as she closed the book back up and looked to Mayor Rooter. “You’re sure I can take this with me?”

Mayor Rooter shrugged. “Of course, we can get another edition from Birch Hall anytime.”

“Isn’t that atlas already going to be a little out of date thanks to what’s happened with the Kingdom of Diamonds though?” Sure Suture said.

“It’s more than good enough, believe me,” Applejack said. She gladly put the book in her bag and closed it up. “Twilight’s going to love this.”

She felt even more elated now. Ever since she had lost the old journal in the swamp she had needed to do something like this and now she was going to be able to bring something back far better than anything Applejack could’ve made herself. She had been thinking about it back in Elysium’s View and almost forgot thanks to what happened with Blast Miner, but luckily with plenty of time to think back in Spruce City she remembered the promise she had made. Twilight really was going to love this gift. Not only was it an actual new book but it contained the sort of brand new knowledge that Twilight craved. Applejack could picture how ecstatic that mare was gonna be when she presented this gift to her. Just the thought of the smile on her face was enough to invigorate Applejack for the rest of the trip home.

Daylight put a hoof on her shoulder. “We should probably go soon so you can get your check up and then get to bed early. If we want to leave as early as possible tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah,” Applejack agreed and stood up. “This is all I needed here—we can go.”

“Follow me to my office, you know the place,” Sure Suture smiled to her.

“I think it’s a little unnecessary but fine, I know I’ll be able to rest well tonight at least,” Applejack said.

Daylight looked over to Mayor Rooter. “Do you mind showing me where we’ll be staying while the two of them are busy?”

“Not at all,” Mayor Rooter said and nodded to Applejack. “And I’ll see you early tomorrow morning.”

The two pairs left the library and city hall while Melody Jewel stayed behind, knowing they’d all see each other and get to say a proper goodbye tomorrow morning. And things in Maple Town stayed just as nice as always.

---

It was barely dawn when Applejack and Daylight Gleam were both out of bed, out of the small inn, and ready to leave Maple Town. Though Daylight wasn’t in quite as much of a rush as Applejack she wasn’t going to slow her friend down either. They were now at the eastern side of the city-state where the walls ended, standing right before the road that would take them through the rest of Equinestan. And of course they had an entourage of a few ponies who had come to see them off, waiting to say goodbye. Mostly just for Applejack.

“Sorry I couldn’t stay any longer but it’s a long way back home for me,” Applejack said to the ponies of Maple Town. Mayor Rooter, Sure Suture, Melody Jewel were there, along with Mr. and Mrs. Gust and Peach Pit. All the ponies who personally knew Applejack more than just as a face.

“We understand, I hope the rest of your trip is nice,” Melody Jewel said.

“And I hope you take it easy on that leg of yours,” Sure Suture said.

“Such bad luck that something like that happened when you need to travel so far,” Mrs. Gust said—she along with her husband and Peach Pit not yet in on what really happened.

“She’s a tough pony though, I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Mr. Gust put a hoof on his wife’s back and winked at Applejack.

Applejack grinned back at him. “Sure am.”

“And the two of you oughta eat those peaches I gave you as soon as you can! You want them fresh as can be!” Peach Pit said, waving at the two of them.

Daylight patted the burlap sack she had been gifted that contained a water bottle, some other food, and the aforementioned peaches. “We will.”

Applejack cracked her neck and stretched as best she could while the cast was still on her one leg. Glancing up at the sky, clear and blue, she wanted to get a start on east quickly. “Well then I think we’re gonna be going. Just let me tell y’all first, but you’re welcome to come to Ponyville and visit me at Sweet Apple Acres anytime! I’ll repay all your hospitality in full.”

“Sounds excellent. I promise I’ll come someday,” Melody Jewel said and waved.

“Me too. Goodbye now, Applejack. And thank you for everything!” Mayor Rooter waved as well.

“Goodbye!” The others said and joined in on the waving.

“Bye!” Applejack said and gave a single salute. Together she turned with Daylight and the two of them left Maple Town behind—now truly beginning the long journey home.

Comments

[RoboRed]

Satisfying to hear the results of Applejack's work from Daylight. The West has become a better place.

“Isn’t that atlas already going to be a little out of date thanks to what’s happened with the Kingdom of Diamonds though?” Sure Suture said.

“It’s more than good enough, believe me,” Applejack said. She gladly put the book in her bag and closed it up. “Twilight’s going to love this.”

Glad she's able to come back to Twilight with something, barring any unforseen mishaps on the way back.
Can't wait to see everyone else meet Daylight for the first time in Ponyville.

[redmar]

It will be long journey home for Applejack but at least she's finished with her work in the Far West.