//------------------------------// // Edge of the World II // Story: Applejack at the Edge of the World // by MagicS //------------------------------// “This your first time seeing it?” The sudden voice nearly startled Applejack, she still blinked and took her hooves off the railing, settling back on the ground. She had almost forgotten that old-timer was here with her. Applejack had to actively pull her eyes away from the bed of clouds that stretched far west, the sun now mostly below them and the sky darkening in turn. The stars were starting to appear above her head as Elysium’s View began to go to bed. Applejack took a deep breath and put her hat back on her head, offering a smile to the old pony. “Yep. It’s… well it’s quite the view. I guess that explains the name.” “You must be from out of town then,” the old stallion smiled. “From very far away, yeah, that’s putting it lightly,” Applejack nodded. The old stallion nodded a few times himself, clutching his cane in his hooves. “Come to Elysium’s View just to see it?” Applejack shook her head. “No, not just for that. I… well… it’s kind of complicated. I don’t rightly know why I’m here.” “Don’t know?” He raised an eyebrow at her. Applejack could only sigh. “Yep, like I said it’s a little complicated. This cliff though? I wasn’t expecting it to be so crazy. I heard about this being the edge of the world but I didn’t know it would look like this. The clouds are incredible… just how high up is this cliff? And what’s down at the bottom of it?” “The cliffs are about three-thousand feet tall, give or take. If you went below the clouds you’d see the ocean that smashes up right against the cliffs. It stretches just as far as the clouds do—no other land in sight. You can imagine why this place got the name it did,” the stallion said. “I certainly can… three-thousand feet?” The thought of cliffs that high and being so far up was almost scary to Applejack. She wasn’t sure she wanted to look out over it again. Even though the sight was truly beautiful at the same time. Instead Applejack stepped away from the railing and looked up at the now much darker sky and back towards the town she had walked through. Past the trees she could see the white pillars and the arch showing where the town began again. It was probably well past time that she should start looking for a place to stay while she was here in Elysium’s View. The problem is she really had no idea where to start. It wasn’t a lie to say that she was feeling a little overwhelmed right now—and more than a little clueless on just what the map had sent her here for. She turned her gaze over to the old-timer once more. “Do you know where I can find a place to stay? Maybe even for a week if need be? I’m a little lost here.” “Well I live up in the Highgrounds but those are a bit far from here… and a bit more expensive,” the stallion mused, rubbing his chin. “There are plenty of hotels back the way you came if you keep your eyes open. Since that’s where most new ponies pour into Elysium’s View from.” Applejack tipped her hat to him. “Figured as much, guess I’ll stay on the lookout a little better. Thanks for letting me know, have a nice evening.” “And you have a nice stay here at Elysium’s View,” he smiled and nodded to her once more. Applejack took the quick walk back up the dirt road and through the forest, right back into town so she could find a hotel. By the time she had started walking along the marble stone ground instead of dirt the sun had gone down completely and the stars and moon shined down upon her now. Elysium’s View didn’t need them though, not really, there were plenty of lampposts and lights set up along the streets. Applejack didn’t know if the lights would be kept on all night but for the early evening at least there was absolutely no problem getting around. Once she was back into the main town too it didn’t take her long to reach the four-way intersection she had briefly stopped at earlier. This time Applejack took a bit of a longer stop there, gazing up at the sign. “Farms” to the south, she noticed again. For obvious reasons that sign was calling to her. What sort of farming went on out here and how much space did they have with the cliffs so close? Applejack wanted to find out—and there still had to be hotels down this way so she was killing two birds with one stone. At least that’s what she was telling herself. So instead of continuing straight back east Applejack decided to start walking south through the town of Elysium’s View, seeing more of the crowded white buildings and the ponies now enjoying an evening stroll. She walked over a canal bridge and entered a street where most of the buildings around it were shops that were in the middle of closing up for the night. Applejack saw ponies carrying boxes into the interiors of the buildings, closing up shutters and windows, and turning off their outside lights. Most ponies probably didn’t wait until the evening to buy groceries after all. That was fine—the business she was looking for was one that had to stay open all night. Or at least later than this to accommodate any travelers arriving late. While she was walking though and looking around her stomach grumbled. Applejack frowned and lifted a hoof up to her gut. How long had it been since she last ate? She had been so busy with… everything that had happened today she might’ve forgotten. Now walking through a market like this and her body was trying to remind her to stuff something in her mouth before she went to sleep. Were there any places to eat? Any cafes or restaurants instead of just places where food was being sold as groceries? Applejack had to walk over another canal before she saw a place that might fit the bill. Just a little outdoors spot, a coffee shop at most, that was attending to ponies sitting out at tables on the side of the street. They had a space cordoned off by a black metal fence that rose up to pony height but that was about it, it didn’t look like a place that was really trying to keep any ponies out. If Applejack could get just a small bite to eat there and maybe some real directions on where she could find a place to stay that was all she needed. “How much can I spare though?” Applejack asked herself as she patted her bag. The coins in there, what if Elysium’s View was a more expensive place than she thought and they didn’t really cover it? Well if she figured out what just a cup of water and some bread cost she figured that would tell her what other expenses here might be like. A second later and Applejack was sitting at a table with a complimentary glass of water along with some bread and butter. “Didn’t exactly end up how I expected but I guess it would be silly to complain,” Applejack said as she sipped some water down. At least she wasn’t going to be hungry anymore. And it boded well that the ponies here were nice enough where just sitting down at their cafe got her free food and drink, even if it was just water and bread. She’d have to leave a tip at the very least but this was still just about the cheapest meal one could ask for when traveling. Applejack sighed and dragged a hoof down her face, momentarily taking off her hat and resting it on the table. She stretched and sat back in her seat, taking a look at the other ponies around her who were all too caught up in their own thoughts or their own conversations to give her a second glance. After she finished her meal she’d ask the waitress where the nearest hotel was and that would be that. If she needed to find a different place to stay later because of her mission then so be it. It could all come later after she actually found out what she was here for. She might be going the right direction by heading to the farms or the complete wrong direction. Who knows? But since she had no clues she might as well let her curiosity dictate where she was going for now. Elysium’s View was an interesting place and it wouldn’t hurt to explore it. Though she knew if she just wandered around for a couple more days she’d start getting annoyed with the lack of progress. Applejack didn’t exactly consider herself a patient mare when there was work to be done. “But maybe everything about this is wrong? Maybe the problem was somewhere else? The Map’s gone on the fritz before and Discord is probably pranking me…” Applejack muttered. Still, it’s not like she could leave until her Cutie Mark started blinking. No way would Applejack leave a job undone either. All that wondering about if this was the right or wrong place, or if Discord had something to do with it, was all wistful thinking. She knew that. It just annoyed her that the problem she needed to fix wasn’t more obvious. Why couldn’t it be right here in front of her? If something confusing or complex needed to be fixed then the dang Map should’ve called Twilight out here! Now Applejack didn’t think she was as boneheaded as Rainbow Dash but she still would’ve preferred having the problem sat right down in front of her. Then she could tackle it head on. Maybe literally. Applejack shrugged and went back to her water and bread, finishing them up and looking around for the waitress. Then she could get on her way unless something else came up first. Something else came up first. “A-Applejack? Is that really you?” A small voice came from behind her. Surprised, Applejack turned around in her chair—and then had to look down at the ground to see the filly that had spoken up. She was a young filly no older than Apple Bloom’s age, with a deep green and messy mane and tail and a bright red coat. She currently looked up at Applejack with bright, golden eyes, that were wide open in wonder. But most striking and familiar of all was the hat she wore. It was like looking at a copy of the very Stetson Applejack usually had on her head, the only difference was the lack of roses. Applejack blinked and gasped lightly in remembrance as she recognized the little pony. “Wild Strawberry?”