Applejack at the Edge of the World

by MagicS

End of the Line

The following morning came quickly, thanks in part to Applejack always being an early riser. Even when she didn’t have something to do she liked to be up and out of bed before the sun came up. That gave her plenty of time to get her things together, wash her face, have breakfast, and psych herself up before walking over from Sweet Apple Acres to the Ponyville train station. She wasn’t remotely surprised to see Twilight Sparkle already there waiting for her up on the platform.

“Hey there, Twilight!” Applejack smiled and waved hello.

“Hi, Applejack!” Twilight smiled and gave her a quick hug. She looked at the full saddlebag Applejack was wearing. “Everything in there?”

“Didn’t forget nothing,” Applejack shook her head from side to side.

Twilight fought back the urge—the frequently occurring urge—to correct her friend’s grammar and just smiled. “Great! The train will get here in just under an hour, is your family coming to say goodbye too?”

Applejack nodded. “Mhm, told them they didn’t have to if they were busy and all but, well, you know the Apple family. Made sure not to wake them up when I was getting ready earlier this morning but they’ll be here soon enough.”

“Good, Spike and Starlight will be here soon too, and I’m sure everypony else will be as well—unless Rainbow Dash accidentally sleeps in.”

“Naw, that mare’ll be here for sure. A big trip like this? She wouldn’t miss saying goodbye to a friend who’s about to leave for who knows how long.”

“Hopefully not too long, I’m gonna miss you so much!”

“GAH!” Both Applejack and Twilight yelped and jumped as Pinkie Pie appeared right next to Applejack.

Before either of them could calm down, Pinkie Pie plopped a party hat down on Applejack’s head (over her other hat) and pulled out a party horn before blowing into it and tickling Applejack’s nose. She then threw it away with a big grin on her face and took a deep breath.

“HAPPY GOING AWAY PARTY!” She hugged Applejack tightly enough to make the other mare gasp before letting her go and jamming an excruciatingly sweet cupcake into her mouth. “Sorry—that’s all I could do on short notice. Next party’ll be bigger.”

“Pinkie Pie, it’s too early for this...” Twilight rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

“It’s never too early for a party, silly,” Pinkie Pie faux-gasped and chided her friend.

Applejack meanwhile chewed and finally managed to swallow down the whole cupcake. “Well, I sure appreciate it, Pinkie. Just uh, a little warning next time, maybe.” She took the party hat off too. “And don’t worry, I promise to be back before any other big parties you throw.”

“You mean it?!” Pinkie started hopping up and down.

“Sure do,” Applejack nodded.

“Yippee!” Pinkie screamed in joy and threw hooffuls of confetti everywhere. Where she had suddenly gotten that confetti, neither of the other ponies here knew.

“Didn’t know we were having a going away party.”

The three ponies looked over to see Starlight trotting up along with Spike.

“Hi Applejack, Twilight and Spike told me that the map is sending you pretty far away. Looking forward to it?” Starlight asked.

“In a manner of speaking...” Applejack rubbed the back of her neck.

Starlight wryly grinned. “Well, I kind of know what you mean. But good luck out there.”

The sound of something shooting through the air reached their ears and the ponies and dragon looked up just in time to see Rainbow Dash flying right towards them. She came to a screeching halt over the train station and hit them with a blast of wind. “Whew—not last!”

“Ugh—Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said as she fixed her mane. “That wasn’t necessary!”

“I had to make sure I wasn’t the last pony here,” the pegasus shrugged.

“Why?” Starlight raised an eyebrow at her.

“What do you mean why? Because. That’s why.”

“Sorry! I’m not late am I?” A hurried but still sophisticated voice came running towards them.

Applejack turned her head and gave Rarity a smile. “I’m still here aren’t I? That means you aren’t late.”

“I got here before you though and you live the closest,” Rainbow Dash teased the dressmaker.

Rarity glared at her airborne friend. “Well I’m sorry, I lost track of the time, I’ve been busy working on a new line lately.” She then gave a much more appreciative smile towards Applejack. “Glad we could all catch you like this though, have fun on your trip, and please, please, tell me if you see any interesting clothes or fashion where you’re going. I would die to learn more about the fashion in the far west.”

“Maybe I should go with Applejack then,” Spike not so subtly suggested.

“Nice try,” Twilight smirked at her assistant and gave him a pat on the head.

“We’re just waiting for Fluttershy now?” Starlight said as she looked around.

“I’m here,” Fluttershy said as she came walking by from behind the station and onto the platform. “I just didn’t want to interrupt.” She demurely joined everyone and gave a small smile to Applejack. “I know you’ll be able to solve any friendship problem out there, Applejack.”

“Too bad it couldn’t be the both of us going again together,” Applejack sighed and smiled at her as well.

“As, um, nervous as I would be about traveling where you’re going I do wish I could keep you company,” Fluttershy said, brushing a hoof down her long mane.

“It’s alright. Sometimes a pony has to go alone I suppose,” Applejack shrugged.

“Oh I’m sure you’ll have a fabulous time,” Rarity reassured her. “After all, most of the times the map has called us have just been for resolving little old spats. Look on the bright side and think about all the good things that could come of this.”

“And think of all the new friends you can make on the way!” Pinkie said.

“Indeed, and you can always take the opportunity to spread the word about the lovely apples from Sweet Apple Acres,” Rarity said.

“That’s a good point,” Applejack nodded along.

“And think about all the awesome adventuring that could be waiting for you out there!” Rainbow Dash added.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “No thank you on that. I’d like a normal friendship problem to resolve, please.”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash, stop being silly. There’s no reason to think this isn’t an everyday friendship problem,” Twilight said.

“Uh—there’s at least two or three reasons to think that,” Rainbow Dash defiantly folded her hooves.

“Be that as it may-” Twilight was beginning to respond when something else caught her eye. She craned her neck to look over the heads of her friends and down the street in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. “Oh, your family’s coming, Applejack.”

It sure was easy to see Big Mac. That was something Applejack always knew ever since she was a filly. Her brother would’ve been easy to find even if Ponyville was the most crowded it had ever been. Walking down a near empty street and he stuck out even more. Apple bloom was bounding along beside him and there was Granny Smith too, as spry as ever.

“Thanks for coming out here so early!” Applejack said with a smile as they got near.

“Bah! Don’t make nothing of it, course we had to see ya off!” Granny Smith dismissively swatted her hoof through the air.

“Tell me all about the trip once you get back, Applejack!” Apple Bloom said and jumped forward to hug her big sister.

“I sure will, don’t worry none about that,” Applejack hugged her back. She then glanced up at her brother. “You’ll be fine with the farm while I’m gone?”

“Eyup.”

“And you won’t be distracted by your wife?”

“Ehhh—nope...”

Applejack rolled her eyes and looked over at Twilight. “You’ll make sure things run fine?”

“Promise,” Twilight grinned.

Applejack sighed and looked up at the early morning sky. “Well… train should be here pretty soon. Guess this is goodbye, everypony.”

From there it was a solid 15 minutes of casual conversation and shooting the breeze, everypony taking the time to enjoy themselves and Applejack’s presence before the train finally arrived and she had to leave. Who knew when they’d all be back together again after that. And of course, soon the tracks and the platform rumbled and that familiar train came rolling into Ponyville. Applejack wasn’t sure if anypony was even on it aside from the conductor and anypony else who worked it. And it was definitely certain that she was going to be the only pony getting on it from here. She might have a near empty train on the entire trip. Would be very different from the times she had taken it to Canterlot or the Crystal Empire.

Pinkie Pie unsurprisingly deflated the moment the train had come into view—not wanting the fun to end and not wanting to say goodbye just yet. Her family were the same, though less… exaggerated in their mannerisms.

“There’s my ride,” Applejack said, stepping forward as the train came to a stop at the station. “Sorry y’all, but that looks like it’s it until I get back.”

“Come back soon!” Apple Bloom said.

Applejack chuckled. “I will, faster than a jack rabbit running from a timberwolf.”

“Make sure to extensively go over all the notes I wrote down for you about traveling through the Undiscovered West!” Twilight said.

Applejack grinned at her friend. “Sure thing, sugarcube. I’ll have plenty of time on the train ride.” She hopped up into the train and stood there in the doorway before moving into the car itself. “Bye, bye! Take care! Don’t celebrate too much while I’m gone cause I’ll be back before you know it!”

While her friends and family waved to her, Applejack walked into the train car and found an empty seat. It was easy, there were a lot. She sat right by the window so she could look out it and see her friends right up until the train left. They were all still smiling and waving like crazy to her—almost like she was leaving for some months long trip or something. When the train did start moving, Applejack stuck her head out the window and took her hat off, waving goodbye to them as the train left Ponyville.

“Goodbye! See ya soon! Don’t forget that!” Applejack shouted to them.

They crowded the edge of the platform to watch her go for as long as possible. Her family and all her closest friends.

“Bye!”

“Take care!”

“Have a nice trip, darling!”

“Do something awesome!”

“Have fun!”

“Stay safe!”

“Make lots of friends!”

“Ya keep your head on straight out there, ya hear?!”

“Bye, Applejack!”

Applejack stayed hanging halfway out the window for as long as she could until her green eyes could no longer see not just the ponies she left behind, but the entire town of Ponyville too. There she was. Gone. Already on the first part of what was going to be a long trip alone into the unknown. Already with Ponyville behind her. A somewhat somber expression came over her face and Applejack sat back down on the seat. Not sighing or nothing, but deeper in thought than she usually found herself. Back soon is what she said. But even she wasn’t sure if she was being honest about that or not.

---

Two hours of riding the train later and she was already further to the edge of Equestria than the middle. She hadn’t touched the note-filled journal Twilight had given her, just not in the mood right now even though she knew it was a good idea to get started on it well before she reached the end of the line and had to get off the train. The train was still completely empty, it would be peaceful if it wasn’t so eerie given the already lonely situation she found herself in. Why’d that map have to only choose her? She was used to doing things like this with her friends. Hay, after dealing with her stubbornness more times than once, she was used to doing just about anything with her friends or anypony willing to lend a hoof.

Now it was just her and she didn’t even have any company for the ride.

Applejack took a gander out the window and decided to watch Equestria as it rolled by for a moment. Right now the train was taking her on the side of a mountain and she could look out and see the forest spreading below it. Up ahead was a tunnel dug right through the mountain so pretty soon she would lose her view, might as well savor it while it lasted. She couldn’t find much joy in it though and she normally loved just looking at nature like this. Her chin rested on one of her hooves as she blankly stared and blinked at the landscape of Equestria.

The evergreen forest soon disappeared behind a wall of rock and the train car became a little bit darker. Applejack didn’t bother shrugging or sighing, instead she kept looking out the window even though she saw nothing but darkness right now.

“I hope that Citadel place is as far as I need to go,” she said.

“Oh no, I can assure you you’re going much further than that.”

“Gyah!” Applejack jumped up in shock for the second time that day and swung her head around to see Discord sitting on the seat right beside her. “D-Discord?!”

He raised an amused eyebrow at her. “Is there anyone else who looks like me?”

“Ya scared me half to death! And what in tarnation are you doing here anyways?” Applejack frowned at him.

“Applejack, you’re so suspicious, it doesn’t suit you,” Discord tut-tutted. “I merely came to give you a little help with this new friendship quest you find yourself on.”

“Help… you know where I’m going?” She immediately narrowed her eyes. “Did you mess with the map and that’s why I’m being sent out here?”

“Me? Celestia forbid, I would never!” Discord said, shocked and pointing to himself.

Applejack flatly stared back.

Discord snorted and started chuckling. “Alright, well not never. But no—this isn’t my work. This is all the work of that lovely little map of yours, it’s a real friendship problem you need to solve out there. But since it didn’t come with a sign over your Cutie Mark saying “Stop Here” or anything I figured I could help you out in that manner. And really, when’s the last time the two of us ever talked one on one? I think it might’ve been back when I was brainwashing you when we first met. Quite amusing, isn’t it? We’re friends but how little time we’ve spent together just like this.”

Applejack exhaled through her nose and sat back. “Well to be honest I could use some company right now anyways. It’s nice to have you, Discord.”

“Why thank you, though I’m afraid I can’t stay with you for too long, Lords of Chaos are pretty busy,” he shrugged. “So would you like to know the name of the place you need to find? It’s quite far away I’m afraid and those notes Miss Bookworm left aren’t going to help you for—oh—half your trip there or so.”

“Eugh...” Applejack dragged a hoof down her face. “Just lay it on me...”

Discord smirked. “You’re going to a lovely little place called ‘Elysium's View’. And… I think you’ll have a fun time when you get there.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I can’t spoil the surprise now can I? Where would the fun in that be?”

“Well how do I get there after getting to the Citadel?”

“You’ll find a way.”

Applejack frowned again. “That your idea of help? You know couldn’t you just snap some fingers and send me there right now?”

“Of course I could,” Discord smiled. “But then think of everything you’d miss out on.” He shook his head and tsk-tsk’d her in indignation. “Haven’t you ever heard the phrase: “It’s not the destination but the journey”? Well for you it’s about both. Besides, are you going to let Pinkie Pie down and not make any new friends? Or not let the walking library learn anything new?”

“Fine,” Applejack relented and huffed in annoyance. “Fine. I’ll make my own way. Thanks for at least telling me where the problem’s at so I can go and resolve it.”

Discord took out a nail file and started working on his claws. “You’re welcome. Besides, you never know when in the middle of your journey out there you’ll randomly stumble across some evil pony trying to destroy the world and you’re the only one around who can stop it.”

Applejack blinked. Applejack paled and turned her head to look up at him. “A-Aw nuts… that’s gonna happen now that you’ve said that, ain’t it?”

“Hm?” Discord glanced at her in mock confusion before going back to filing his claws. “Oh, don’t pay any attention to me, I’m just stringing random words together.”

“Discord, if you know something-”

“Well would you look at the time!” He pointed ahead at the back of the next seat and Applejack looked to see a calendar had materialized on it. “It’s half past the month! I’ve gotta be on my way now.” He patted Applejack on the head a few times. “Sure was fun catching up, wasn’t it? Ta-ta for now, Applejack!”

Before Applejack could say anything else at all, Discord snapped his fingers and vanished without a trace.

Applejack was left once more with only the sounds of the train for company. And quite a lot more on her mind. She sighed and tugged the brim of her hat down so it covered her face and slumped down in her seat. Closing her eyes she tried to get a little rest in.

“You didn’t need to trouble yourself none...” she muttered. Her right eye then opened up a peek. “Elysium’s View, huh? Weird name.”

Discord had said it was much farther away than the Citadel of Al-Karamaretel but that didn’t really tell her how long her trip would be. She didn’t know how long it would take her to get to the Citadel in the first place after all. Applejack didn’t understand how the hay Fluttershy put up with him sometimes. At least he had helped. Sort of. Though she still half suspected he had something to do with the weird map situation in the first place.

Applejack closed her eyes again, exhausted after the talk with Discord. Exhausted after pretty much everything. The train was going to take a fair while before she had to get off and get walking. Might as well sleep if she could. Twilight’s notes weren’t going anywhere…

---

Five seconds after Applejack’s train left Ponyville…

Pinkie Pie was the last one to stop waving and she only finished up when the caboose of the train finally disappeared from sight. She then deeply exhaled and glumly looked down at the boards of the platform while all her friends and Applejack’s family stood around her. And just as quickly she popped back up full of excitement and energy and with a gigantic smile splitting her face.

“Okay! Time to start planning her welcome back party!” She exclaimed and started hopping away back off to Sugarcube Corner while the rest watched her go. “I’ll send out invitations soon, you’re all invited!”

Comments

[redmar]

Discord certainly knows more than he reveals but then why would he play open card that's no fun.

[flashsentryxtwi]

“Good, Spike and Starlight will be here soon too, and I’m sure everyone else will be as well—unless Rainbow Dash accidentally sleeps in.”

EVERYONE??
Hmmm susss-
it's an error please fix it-

[Comma Typer]

Finally, the fresh start of something new after a long time with Rainbow Dash... and it's nice to technically do two revisits: Applejack as the focus, and Amethyst Star's locales (for a while). And it'd be neat to see what's the deal in Elysium's View... and unlike with Rainbow Dash, how Applejack will make the return trip.

Eager for this!

[MagicS]

11811615
In truth this story is kind of a stealth sequel to Amethyst Star's too.