“Talk not of genius baffled. Genius is master of man;

Genius does what it must, talent does what it can.”

Owen Meredith, last words

A clear night sky twinkled over Sweet Apple Acres. The moon cast cool light over the fields, and the river rippled brightly. The water level was twice its usual height and the banks had been shored up with concrete reinforcements. There was no current. The water was perfectly still.

A slight ripple broke the surface, and Twilight lifted her head out of the water. She was wearing sealed goggles and a snorkel. She swam over to the docks and into a boat house. She climbed out, and her midnight-blue wetsuit glistened in the night air. Four other ponies emerged from the water behind her, all similarly dressed.

Twilight pulled off her flippers and lifted her goggles up. “If my calculations are correct, our destination is only sixty meters from the dock.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Remind me again why we couldn’t have just barged in?”

Twilight shook her head. “Applejack has deployed water blasters all over her property. This place is too well defended for a frontal assault... our top priority is to get to that barn as quietly as possible.”

“I still don’t see why,” Dash said. “We don’t even know what’s in there.”

“Exactly!” Pinkie Pie said. “Big Mac and Apple Bloom told us the layout of the whole farm, and that’s the only barn they didn’t know about. It’s the only place left to search!”

“All right already,” Dash shook herself dry and walked towards the boathouse’s front exit. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“No, wait!” Twilight grabbed Dash’s tail and yanked her back inside. “If anyone sees us, they’ll send up an alarm!”

“See us?” Dash pointed out at the abandoned clearing. “Applejack fired her whole family. She’s the only one left. How’s she—”

The sound of whirring fans echoed from outside. Twilight motioned for them to back away, and then peeked out the door herself. A trio of small aircraft skimmed past: small metal gliders with a pair of fans that could rotate in any direction. They were each piloted by a pair of chickens: one to operate the rotors, and one to operate a rear-facing bullseye lantern. The gyrocopters swiveled their fans downward and hovered in place.

The girls held their breath as the chicken swept the ground with tight-beam searchlights. After a moment, they moved on.

Fluttershy peered out the door. “She must be using her farm animals as a security force. It’s not their fault: She’s taken such good care of them for so long, they’ll do anything they’re told.”

“Chickens,” Dash said through clenched teeth. “Smart enough to pilot a gyrocopter, but not smart enough to question orders.”

“We never expected her to have air support,” Rarity said. “This changes things. Should we reconsider the operation?”

“No time for that,” Twilight said. “We’ll just have to be extra careful.”

“About that plan of yours,” Dash said. “Would you mind sharing it with the rest of us?”

“I already told you. First, we infiltrate the barn and find out Applejack’s secrets. Second, we neutralize Applejack’s economic influence to prevent further action on her part. Third, we capture Applejack and take her back to the library, where we can reverse the spell once and for all.”

“I’m down with that plan,” Dash said, “But how are we supposed to capture Applejack? She could probably hoof-wrestle all five of us at the same time.”

Twilight tapped her head. “Don’t worry. It’s all up here.”

“I sure hope so,” Dash peered out the door. “There’s another squadron of chicken-choppers incoming. Wait for my mark, and follow my lead.”

The sound of whirring turbines drew near, then faded out. Dash waved her hoof and bolted out the door. The others followed behind her, staying as close together as possible.

They reached the side of the barn unseen, and pressed against the wall. The wooden structure had been fortified like a prison: a second story metal catwalk ran along all four walls, with search lanterns at every corner. Chubby pigs in blue vests and mirrored ray bans patrolled back and forth, directly above them.

Rainbow Dash waved at her friends and pointed forward. They followed her to the back of the barn, moving as quietly as they could. At last, they came to a side door.

“There’s a lock!” Dash whispered. “How’re we supposed to get through this?”

“Let me take a look!” Pinkie Pie said and stepped over to the door. “Ah, yes... I’m familiar with this sort of device. It’ll only take a minute to bypass.”

“It had better,” Dash said. “And no humming spy music to yourself while you work.”

“Awww!”

“No. That’s final.” Dash shuffled back along the wall and whispered to Twilight. “So, what about Applejack’s plan? Do we actually know what she’s trying to do?”

“Not sure yet,” Twilight said. “The train. The clover. The letters. The coal. They’re all connected somehow. It’s not about the money, either. It’s all just a means to an end.”

“I hope so,” Rarity said. “Because she’s about to control a truly silly amount of money. That much power could change anypony.”

Twilight shook her head. “Honestly? I’m more worried about this pen-pal of hers. As soon as we’re done here, we have to find out who she’s been collaborating with.”

“I bet this is all their fault,” Dash said. “Some rich city pony is probably messing with Applejack’s head and giving her all these crazy ideas.”

“What if she’s being tricked?” Fluttershy said. “Or what if Applejack truly thinks she’s doing something important?”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” Dash said. “Hey, Pinkie Pie. How’s that door comin’ along?”

“Aha!” Pinkie Pie said. “I’ve figured it out. This door... is not locked!”

“What!?” Dash hissed. “Whaddya mean? It’s got a huge deadbolt!”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t locked.” Pinkie Pie pushed the door, and it drifted open with the slightest squeak. “Really, Dash. You’ve got a real blind spot for doors, don’t you?”

Rarity walked past. “There’s a reason I’m on a first name basis with all three of Ponyville’s best carpenters.”

Dash stared in shock as her friends filed into the barn.

Maybe I do have a problem after all.

Twilight crept into the barn, peering through the pitch black shadow. “What is this place? What is she keeping here?”

“Dunno, but we better find out quick. Can somepony light a lamp or something?”

“Can’t risk it. Somepony might see.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said, “somepony like us. I wouldn’t mind seeing.”

“Alright, fine. But just a slight glow.”

Twilight concentrated, and her horn cast a faint purple light. The floor was made of recently poured concrete and the walls were bare metal sheets bolted onto iron girders. A sheet of wire mesh stretched above them, separating them from the ceiling rafters. There weren’t any tables or furnishings. No bales of hay or crates of fruit. There weren’t even any stalls.

“It’s empty!” Dash said. “We came all this way for an empty barn!?”

The door slammed shut behind them and a grid of floodlights illuminated the interior.

“Took y’all long enough.”

They looked up and saw Applejack in her black business suit. She was standing on top of the wire mesh above, looking down at them.

“What are you doing here?” Twilight called up. “Answer me!”

“Ah suppose it’s not quite so obvious to you as it was to me.” Applejack came inside, walking on jingling metal fence. “Y’see, I knew you’d talk with my family. I knew they’d tell you everything they could about the recent changes ’round here. And there was only one thing I never told them about... one building I never explained to them. This one.”

“That’s right,” Twilight said, “But we found out anyway! And now that we’re here, we’re going to stop you!”

“Doubtful.” Applejack stamped a hoof and jangled the metal fencing. “This here barn was the only mystery left for ya. The only missing clue. I knew that if you decided to interfere, this was the first place you’d go.”

“Well we made it here!” Twilight said. “Whatever you’re doing in this barn, we’ll put a stop to it!”

Rainbow Dash tapped her shoulder. “Uh, Twilight? I think she meant for us to come here.”

Twilight pushed Dash’s hoof away. “It’s over, Applejack. Now tell us what you’re doing!”

“You’re right,” Applejack said, “it is over. For you, that is. But Sweet Apple Acres is just the beginning. You see—”

“Don’t try to distract us, Applejack!” Twilight shouted. “Tell us what you’re doing!”

“Oh, I’ll tell you. Equestria is on the verge of a catastrophe! The writing’s on the wall, and I’m the only pony who sees it! The fate of all Equestria is in my hooves, and I intend—”

Twilight pointed up at her. “You think you can distract us with your speeches? I demand to know what’s going on! And especially what you’re using this barn for!”

“Would ya just let me finish one sentence?” Applejack said. “Sweet Apple Acres is the only thing standing between Equestria and total disaster! I’m tryin’ to change the inevitable, here! I’m tryin’ to change the future!”

“And we’ll stop you!”

“Actually, I was hopin’ you’d see things my way. I could do this all by myself, but I’d sure appreciate some help. With the six of us working together, we could—”

“We’ll never join you!” Twilight said. “We’ll fight to the last breath to stop you!”

Applejack scrunched her eyes shut. “Would you shut yer mouth for just one second!? I’m tryin’ to explain everything to you!”

“That may be,” Twilight said, “but there’s one thing I want to know first.”

Applejack peered down at her. “Finally. And that is?”

Twilight stamped a hoof on the concrete. “Just what the heck is this barn for? Huh? explain that!”

Applejack stared down at her for a moment.

“Ah jes’ want you to know that it physically hurts me to listen to you right now.” Applejack looked at the others. “Was I ever this clueless? Be honest.”

Rarity stepped forward. “She may be out of sorts, but at least she can still recognize her friends.”

“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash said. “At least she isn’t totally selling out! At least she isn’t being selfish and greedy!”

“Greedy!?” Applejack shouted. “What has Twilight ever used her magical gifts for? How has she changed Equestria for the better? Now that I have her talent, I can’t ignore what needs doing! I’ve seen the signs. There’s a revolution comin’ down the pipe!”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “...War!?”

“Not a military revolution, ya goof. An industrial one! Iron and steel! Coal and soot! engines and furnaces! Factories and refineries, as far as the eye can see!” Applejack walked in circles above them. “Manufacturing technology is about to grow by leaps and bounds. Cities will spring up overnight! Mines will dig into the ground! Airships will cut the clouds! Progress, mah little ponies... progress like you’ve never dreamt possible is waiting just over the horizon!”

“But that’s a good thing!” said Twilight. She glanced at the others. “Isn’t it?”

“Equestria’s population is about to explode,” Applejack said. “Industry will advance, but agriculture will still be mired in the traditions of the past. We still use pony drawn ploughs and carts. It takes months to clear wild forest, when it should take days. We lose a quarter of our crops to parasites and disease. A quarter of what’s left is spoiled because of faulty transportation and storage. If we are to survive the industrial revolution, we’ll need to kick off an agricultural revolution first.”

“There’s got to be a better way!”

“It’s the only way, Twi. Sorry. Time is more precious than you know. I’ve only got a few more hours to change the next few centuries for the better.” Applejack began walking away. “My goals haven’t changed in the slightest. I’ve simply set my sights further afield. Food enough for all of Equestria, ten times over. Cotton fields for warm winter clothes. Rare plants and herbs for salves and medicines. Homes and jobs for everypony... forever.”

“Like your own family?” Dash said. “They don’t even have a home anymore. You kicked them out.”

“I bought a country mansion for them to live in. No strings, no debts. Granny Smith said she’d rather live in a ditch than abandon her roots.” Applejack shrugged. “It’s her decision.”

Twilight stamped her hoof. “You’re wrong about this, Applejack. You can’t fix everything. It won’t work the way you expect it to.”

“Give me one good reason why not?” Applejack said. “No, really. I’m listenin’. If you’ve got an argument, I’d be all too happy to hear it.”

“Because... it’s...” Twilight shook her head. “It just won’t work! You’ve gotta trust me, Applejack! You can’t just change the world this way!”

“Just listen to your rambling!” said Applejack. “You had such genius, and you squandered it all on pointless research. I’ve had it for less than seventy-two hours, and I’ve already saved us all from a dark age of famine and upheaval. You don’t even deserve your gift!”

Twilight stared up at her in shock. “You knew!”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Of course ah did!”

“Knew?” Rarity said. “Knew what?”

“She knew exactly what the ‘mind-switcher’ spell did! She knew all along, and she never told us!”

“If I had, you woulda stopped me. I even know how to change us both back to normal, and I fully intend to... but not yet. I need it for just a little longer. You’ll just have to stay here until then.” Applejack pulled a lever, and slots opened up in the walls around them. “This oughta keep you busy.”

They watched as Applejack left, locking the door behind her. The walls rumbled with the sound of hidden machinery.

“Wait a second,” Twilight said. “I think I’ve figured something out.”

The others leaned close in anticipation.

“I think... this barn... was a trap!”

“We know!!” All four of her friends yelled at once.

The slots in the walls opened wide and a series of crates and barrels tumbled out onto the concrete floor. The slots closed and the sound of machinery faded.

“Yay! Presents!” Pinkie Pie went to the nearest barrel and opened the top.

“No, don’t!” Rainbow Dash said. “It could be full of poison gas or something!”

“Nope!” Pinkie Pie said. “It’s full of apples! I was getting hungry, too!”

Dash arched an eyebrow. “Are they poison apples?”

Fluttershy opened a second crate. “This one has pillows and sleeping bags.”

Rarity opened a third crate. “Parchisi? This one is full of party games.”

Dash arched her other eyebrow. “Is it... poison Parchisi?”

“Wow!” Pinkie Pie said, “This is the best inescapable-trap-of-impending-doom ever!”

“We’ve got to find a way out!” Twilight said. “Didn’t you hear Applejack's plans? We have to stop her before she ends all world hunger!”

The others looked at her for a moment.

“Twilight, dear?” Rarity said. “Did you actually think about that before you said it?”

“Of course I didn’t!” Twilight yanked at her own mane, infuriated. “That’s the entire problem or haven’t you been paying attention!?”

Rarity sighed. “I suppose we should try to think of an escape plan. For posterity’s sake, at least.”

“We don’t have time for plans!” Twilight said. “No matter what we come up with, Applejack will just be ten steps ahead of us! We have to do this with absolutely no plan whatsoever. That way, she can’t predict us!”

“I meant a plan to get us out of this barn.”

“No! No time!” Twilight ran to the side door they’d came in through. She opened it up and rushed outside. “Come on, girls! Let’s just wing it from here!”

Fluttershy pointed at the now open door. “Did she just...?”

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “I guess somepony had to check if it was locked.”

Twilight poked her head back in. “What are you waiting for? Hurry!”

“But the door!” Rarity said. “How did you know?”

“No time!” Twilight said. “We’ll figure out how to open it later, and come back when we have more time!”

So many things to take care of. So little time. Applejack marched along the west road, scribbling frantically. So much of this depends on her... I just hope I’m not putting too much weight on her back.

She came to the boathouse, but paused to look back at the farmhouses in the distance. She watched the narrow searchlights sweeping over the roads and the water cannon turrets slowly turning back and forth.

It’ll all be over soon. Just a few more hours, and it’ll all be up to her. The one pony who can’t be stopped is the only pony I can’t possibly predict.

A splintery explosion broke the silence. Applejack spun around and watched as one of the larger grain silos began to tilt over. A second explosion echoed out, and a rainbow trail cut through the wooden supports of a second silo. The towers crashed to the ground and sent up a huge cloud of dust.

“What!?”

“How did you like them apples!”

“You!” Applejack spun around and squinted at Twilight. “Don’t you know what’s best for ya?”

“Not even remotely!” Twilight said, triumphant. The rest of her friends rallied beside her. “It’s over, Applejack! We’ve destroyed your entire supply of clover seed!”

“So?” Applejack said. “I already planted all the clover I need.”

“Oh,” Twilight said. “Well, we also broke out of your trap!”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “I can plainly see that, Twi.”

“And now, you’re going to tell us how to end this spell. You’re going to tell us how to set everything back the way it was... the way it’s supposed to be.”

“Or else what?” Applejack said. “You can’t stop my plan. Nopony can. In a few more hours, even I won’t be able to stop it. It’ll be out of my hooves for good.”

“We know all about your pen-pal,” Twilight said. “You’ve been sending a lot of letters to somepony in Manehattan. And once we find your conspirator, we’ll put a stop to this for good.”

“Conspirator?” Applejack said with a chuckle. “I guess you could call ’em that. But it won’t do you any good. You’ll never be able to stop ’em.”

“We’ll see.”

“Well that’s just yer problem, innit? You will see, eventually. But I already see. I can read y’all like a book. A predictable book. And I gotta tell ya, girls...” Applejack glared at them, menacingly. “...This story won’t end well for none of ya.”

Rarity leaned closer to Twilight and whispered. “You said you had a plan to capture her, didn’t you?”

Twilight nodded. “I still do.”

“Well then!” Applejack said. “Let’s see this plan of yours. Let’s see what the high-and-mighty Twilight Sparkle can do without her great genius.”

Twilight lifted her head and took a deep breath.

“Get her!!”

The five ponies charged at their former friend in a disorganized stampede, yelling at the top of their lungs. Their hooves thundered against the wooden dock of the boat house.

Applejack’s eyes flicked between each of them in an instant. She reared up and stamped her hoof down on the dock platform, breaking one of the wooden planks in half: One half flipped into the air and slammed into Rainbow Dash’s nose as she flew close. Applejack grabbed her tail in her mouth and spun her around full circle, sending her straight into Fluttershy and knocking them both out of the air.

Pinkie Pie whipped a giant tubular cannon out of nowhere and fired a barrage of cotton-candy blobs at her. Applejack did a backflip and kicked her hind legs against the wall of the boathouse behind her. She vaulted over the sticky missiles and landed next to Pinkie Pie. The wooden plank she landed on spun under the impact like a see-saw and catapulted Pinkie Pie up and into the lake. Applejack caught the discarded cotton candy cannon before it hit the ground and fired it at Rarity, slamming her against the trunk of a nearby tree.

“Ya daft fools!” She cried, firing the cannon at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. “I saw a disaster comin’ centuries in advance! You think I wouldn’t be able to deal with a bunch of—hurk!!”

Applejack lurched back as Twilight slammed into her with a flying tackle. They both tumbled to the ground, wrestling back and forth. Applejack’s strength was far superior, but the assault kept her busy for several precious seconds. Rainbow Dash scooped Pinkie Pie out of the river and dropped her on Applejack, then joined the fray herself. Rarity’s magic pulled the cotton candy away and she and Fluttershy leapt into the fight with a pair of high-pitched cries.

The six ponies tumbled along in a cloud of dust, biting and kicking and shoving. After a minute or so, Applejack was flat on her back and trussed up with chains. The others gasped for breath as they got to their feet. Rarity took a moment to tidy her mane, and Pinkie Pie shook the water out of her hair.

“That was your plan all along?” Rainbow Dash said. “Get her?”

“I think it was a great idea!” said Pinkie Pie. “If your enemy knows all your plans before you do, then the best plan is no plan at all!”

“It does sort of make sense,” Fluttershy said, “in a Pinkie sort of way.”

Twilight smiled, tentatively. “I guess it did!”

Dash pointed at Applejack. “And what about her?”

Twilight walked over to her. “Tell me how to reverse the spell. Tell me how to change us both back.”

Applejack gazed at her, silently.

Dash shook her head. “She’s not going to talk.”

“Then let’s take her back to the library,” Twilight said. “At least she can’t do any more harm.”

“Harm?” Applejack said. “I’ve been tryin’ to save Equestria! I still can, if you’d just let me write a few more letters!”

“She might have a point,” said Rarity. “She’s done some dreadful things, but what if she’s right? What if there’s a good reason for all this?”

“But at what cost?” Fluttershy said. “Think of all the animals who lost their homes. Think of Granny Smith, and Big Mac, and poor little Applebloom.”

Applejack shook her head. “It hurt me more than any of you know, but you have to let me finish this. We’re so close to a solution... I just need to write a few more letters.”

Everypony looked at Twilight.

“No,” Twilight said. “The problem you want to solve has no economic solution. It’s not about agriculture or industry. In fact, increasing the productivity of Equestria’s farmlands would only exacerbate the problem: a population always expands to meet the confines of its living space and food supply. Our population would increase exponentially. Mass manufacturing would put countless ponies out of jobs, and only a tiny number of wealthy ponies would reap the profits.”

Applejack’s lower lip trembled. “W-what?”

“Overpopulation and distribution of wealth is a social problem. More food, more money and more houses won’t help. Ponies don’t need more stuff... they need to learn to be more responsible with the resources they already have. They need to live in harmony with the world.”

“But I don’t understand!” Applejack said. “I thought I was helping!”

“Give a pony an apple, and she’ll only eat for a day. But teach a pony to farm...” Twilight gave her a gentle smile. “A social problem requires a social solution. It requires a community. Family. Friendship.”

Applejack’s lower lip trembled.

“I’m sorry, y’all... I’m so... so sorry.”

Rarity looked into Twilight’s eyes, bright and sharp for the first time all day. “It’s good to have you back, Twilight.”

Pinkie Pie stepped closer. “Does that mean old Applejack is back again?”

“It won’t be long now,” Applejack said with a sniffle.

Twilight’s eyes widened. “You knew it would wear off all by itself. You even knew how much time you had left.”

Applejack scrunched her eyes shut. “I only had two days. Two days to save the world.”

“Wrong, Applejack.” Twilight unlocked her chains and gave her a hug. “You’ve got a whole lifetime.”

Applejack hugged her in return, still sniffling. “Dunno if one lifetime is enough.”

Rarity stepped out of the two-pony carriage and into the bustling, brightly-lit streets of Manehattan. She looked up at the towering skyscraper above. “Pretty impressive sight, isn’t it?”

Applejack climbed out next to her, dressed in her black business suit. She stared up in awe as she walked next to Rarity. “Land sakes, but it’s been awhile since I’ve been here.”

“You must have been a little filly back then,” Rarity said. “Does it seem smaller, now?”

Applejack shook her head. “Quite the opposite.”

“Come on. We don’t want to keep anypony waiting.”

Applejack followed her in, staring at the grand foyer’s amazing architecture. She fidgeted with her suit and tried not to stare at the other ponies. They went up several flights of stairs and came at last to a large waiting room. Rarity went to the receptionist and shared a few quiet words. After only a moment, she nodded them through.

“Hope I don’t look a fool,” Applejack said. “I feel as out of place as a three legged mule in a kickin’ contest.”

“You’ll be fine, dear!” Rarity said. “Just stop fussing with your outfit.”

“Can’t hardly help it. This blasted monkey-suit itches all over.”

Rarity led her into an office, and the two of them sat down in front of a gargantuan mahogany desk. A handsome, middle-aged stallion turned in his chair and fixed them with an appraising eye.

“Miss Applejack. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Well, y’see, there’s been a terrible mix up recently.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “I’ve made a whole buncha mistakes and I’m tryin’ my darndest to set everything back the way it was.”

“Mistakes?” The stallion said. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with your recent purchases, would it?”

“Ah... it just might.”

“And the six-month early crop report that has the stock exchange all abuzz?”

“Some, maybe.”

“And the seventy-eight trademarks you submitted to the Equestria Intellectual Property Registry?”

“Mighta done that, too.”

“The trust fund, the invention patents, the bulk cargo contracts, the commodities investments—”

“Look, it’s all very complicated and I wasn’t in a right state of mind for most of it. I was hopin’ to call it all off and just... call it squaresey.”

“I see.” The stallion leaned forward. “That may be difficult.”

Applejack swallowed. “How difficult?”

“If you can provide us with a medical statement that certifies you as having suffered impaired judgment, we can arrange to have the majority of your decisions overturned.”

“We can!” Rarity said. “A rather potent magical spell was affecting her mind. I have all the empirical proof with me, with a royal seal of authenticity. Princess Celestia’s prize student did the work herself.”

“Very well. You can leave it with my secretary on the way out. We’ll see to it as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you so much!” Applejack said. “I really can’t tell ya how much of a relief this is!”

“There is the matter of the lockbox, of course.”

“The what?”

“Over the last seventy two hours, Miss Applejack, you sent this bank over a hundred letters.”

Applejack’s eyes widened. “They all went here?”

“Indeed. They contained instructions regarding local business exchanges and stock investments. You opened an account with us, purchased several hundred shares of various companies, and sold them for a rather enormous profit. You then requested that the proceeds be placed in a trust fund for two hundred and fifty years. You also rented a lockbox in the long-term storage vault, also for two hundred and fifty years.”

Applejack stared at him, slack jawed. “Why would I do that!?”

“Not my place to say. But the lockbox does contain several unopened letters, written by you. I can only assume they contain further instructions on what to do with the trust fund.”

“All right, then. I’ve changed my mind. Let me see this lockbox.”

“Not possible. Your instructions explicitly stated that the box was not to be opened early, for any reason.”

“Don’t you give me the ring-around! That’s my property in there!”

“Your letters said you would say that. You left instructions that disassociate you from all ownership of the lockbox and its contents.”

Applejack glared at him. “You bring me that lockbox this instant, or I will take my business elsewhere!”

“Your letters also said you would say that. The last instructions we received were to close all accounts and use the remaining funds to pay off any outstanding debts and loans. You seem to have preemptively taken your business elsewhere.”

Applejack stared at him for a moment.

“Very good. You should know, sir, that this was a test. I’m glad to see that you stuck to your principles. I’m very proud of ya, and now that the test is over you can pass the box over. It’s served it’s purpose.”

The stallion nodded. “Your letters said you would definitely say that.”

Applejack leaned back in her chair. “Consarnit! I’m always ten steps ahead of myself!”

“What about royal fiat?” said Rarity. “Would you give us the lockbox if the Princess commanded it?”

“Firstly, the Princess would never issue such an illegal and unethical order. Secondly, if she did, we would immediately sue for unlawful abuse of royal power. And according to Celestia’s own laws, we would win that court case.” He shook his head. “This bank is utterly committed to maintaining its contracts.”

“But it’s not fair! I don’t even remember sending those letters. I don’t remember doing any of this. This was my last chance to figure out what the hay was going on.”

“I’m very sorry, Miss Applejack. But whatever your reasons were, you certainly seemed to think they were important.”

She slumped back in her seat. “And here I thought I was sending letters to a pony.”

The stallion leaned on his desk. “You truly don’t remember?”

“I don’t remember what I wrote, but I coulda sworn I was writin’ to a real, flesh’n blood pony. I figured if I found her, she would have some answers for me.” Applejack looked out of the bay window behind the stallion, at the cityscape beyond. “Ah guess we’ll never know for sure.”

Rarity set a hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t let it upset you, Applejack. What’s done is done.”

Applejack set a hoof on her hoof. “...Yeah.”

“Seed? Are you in there, seed?”

Appleseed leaned back against her bed and turned up the volume on her aPod. She went back to scribbling in her diary, doodling a picture of the awesome sports car she would never have. Gull wing doors, solid gold hubcaps, those cool neon lights that glowed along the underside. Her tiny horn glowed, and a box of crayons drifted over.

Red. Gotta be red.

The pounding on the door grew louder. “Sweetie? Open up, please!”

She rolled her eyes and continued scribbling.

“Sweetie? Are you in there? I’m coming in, now.”

She hurriedly sat on the edge of her bed. Her horn glowed, and a set of orange-and-red knee-length socks hovered close. She pulled one halfway onto her leg and waited.

The door opened and her mother peeked inside. “Sweetie? Are you—”

“Mom!!” She whipped around and pulled the bed sheet over herself. “I’m getting dressed! What is wrong with you!?”

Her mother gasped and slammed the door shut. “Sorry! I didn’t—”

“You promised, mom! You promised you’d always knock! Why do you always lie to me!?”

“I’m very sorry, dear, but there’s somepony here to see you. It’s important. Now finish getting dressed and come downstairs.”

She stared at the door, perplexed. That always gets to her. What’s up?

She left her room, snatching up a portable gaming device along the way. She stared at the tiny screen as she walked through their cramped high-rise apartment. Ever since dad left, they couldn’t afford a real house. She was glad he was gone, really... but there were a lot of things they couldn’t afford now. She went into the kitchen and flopped down at the table.

“Miss Appleseed?”

She looked up and flinched as she saw the pony sitting across from her: a middle-aged mare in a sleek business suit.

“Um... yeah?”

“Good afternoon Miss Appleseed,” The mare said. “My name is Capital Gains. I’m here on behalf of the Royal Bank of Equestria.”

Appleseed eyed her. “Um... kay. Why?”

“I am here to act as your financial advisor.” She set out a long metal box. “We were given instructions to open this lockbox at a certain date. Inside, we found instructions to give you ownership of its contents.”

Appleseed frowned at her. “Why me?”

“The instructions don’t refer to you by name. The box was to remain in storage for two hundred and fifty years. It was to be given to the youngest living member of the Apple family over fourteen years of age. You and your mother are the only ponies left who can claim any direct ancestry.”

Appleseed stared at the box. “Two hundred years!?”

“Two hundred and fifty.” Capital Gains opened the box and laid several old letters and documents on the table. “These are all meant for you. There’s also a trust fund and a land deed, to be transferred to your name. It will only take a minute.”

Appleseed took up a few of the grainy black and white photographs she’d arranged on the table. They were all pictures of land and old wooden buildings.

“...What is this, anyway?”

“A farm, miss Appleseed.”

Appleseed looked up at her. “What’s that?”

Capital Gains pursed her lips. She looked concerned. “It’s for growing food.”

“Oh. Don’t we have ’ponics for that?”

“There are... concerns, shall we say, about the long term sustainability of Equestria’s hydroponics system. Parliament continues to insist there are no problems, but our bank isn’t quite so optimistic.”

Appleseed shuffled through a bunch of newer photos, all in colour. “This is all mine now? It looks like a bunch of junk.”

“It’s been abandoned for over a century. There’s still one large house in good repair, but the other buildings are dilapidated and the fields are completely overgrown. The trust fund totals a million and a quarter bits—owing to the magic of compound interest—but it’ll cost half of that to fix everything up.”

Appleseed paused as one of the photos caught her eye: a group of four ponies, all ages, gathered on the front porch of a large country house.

Gains pointed at the photo. “That’s your great, great, great, great, great grandmother, Applebloom, before she got her cutie mark. We were unable to identify the others.”

She looked up at her mother.

“It’s your decision, sweetie. You’re sixteen now. You can do as you like.”

She bit her lip, thinking about how many times they’d moved because of dad’s work. How many times she’d had to start over from nothing... how many friends she’d lost track of. Mother had promised they’d never move again.

“I dunno... maybe we should just sell the land or something.”

“If you did, the trust fund would default. But the land itself is still worth twenty or thirty thousand.” Gains tapped the photo of the country house. “You could simply live on the estate, and use the fund to pay your daily expenses. You don’t have to cultivate the land.”

Appleseed took up the family photo and looked at the smiling faces.

I wonder what apples taste like?

Applejack followed Rarity out of the foyer and into the street, where the carriage awaited them. She looked up at the towering skyscraper above.

Rarity opened the carriage door but paused to look back at her. “Don’t let it get to you too much, Applejack. Let’s just focus on the here and now.”

Applejack climbed into the carriage and stared out the window.

She’s probably right... we’ll never know for sure.

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