Applejack, Applebloom, and I arrive at their new farm at the base of the mountain after about an hour's walk. I see Granny Smith on a rocking chair in front of their house with Big Macintosh sorting a few different kinds of apples in barrels.

"We're home, Granny! Big Mac!" Applebloom yells to her family.

Granny's startled awake and looks around. "Huh? Wha? Oh Applebloom. What's with all the yellin'?" she asks and then looks at me. "Oh! Yer Majesty! Welcome ta Sweet Apple Acres... well, at least what's left of it," Granny tells me cheerfully.

"Thank you, Granny. I'm just here to help grow a few more trees for you," I reply and smile.

"Well that's mighty kind'o ya, sonny. To be honest, fifty tree's just ain't enough ta get by on. If'n it weren't fer the stipend ya'll give us, we would be plum broke," she says and sighs.

"It's alright, so where would you like the new trees to be grown?" I ask her.

Applejack grabs my left arm and starts pulling me towards the trees. "We need ta go further west, then we'll expand to the south later," she tells me. I chuckle as I follow along behind her.

Applebloom tags along as we make it to the area Applejack mentioned. "Alright then, have you planted the seeds already?" I ask her.

"Eyup, they're all planted and growing," she replies.

I take a deep breath and activate my life's magic form. The vines spread over my body and the white flowers bloom over them. Once done, I stand in the middle of the planted area and place both of my hands on the grass.

"Stand back, I don't want the trees to hit you when they grow," I tell them and watch as they move out of the area but still close enough to watch.

'Remember how it felt in Orgrim when you healed the land. I'll let you know if you are making a mistake or not,' Gaia tells me.

I nodded in reply and look back to the ground and close my eyes, I feel for the life force of the seeds and find them after a couple of minutes. I then start pouring life energy into the ground specifically targeting the seeds.

I can feel the saplings start to sprout slowly as they feed on the energy, after about an hour, thirty saplings have reached around one metre in height. I continue to pour life energy into the ground making the saplings continue their growth, though Gaia has told me to slow down as I was overdoing it a couple of times. Once they reach three metres and I'm down to a third of my mana, I stop to take a break.

Applejack and Applebloom then both make their way over to me while looking at the young trees.

"Ooowee! They're looking mighty fine, Adrian," the orange mare says and smiles.

"Well, they still need another boost, but I need a break first to recover my mana," I reply and stand up as my aspect form deactivates.

"Then how about some tasty vittles back at the house?" Applejack offers.

"I could go for a snack right now, sure," I reply and follow her back to the farmhouse.

Once we enter, Applejack directs me to the table where I sit down with Applebloom next to me.

"Ah wish ah could grow trees like that!" she says with a smile.

"It would make growing things a lot simpler for everyone wouldn't it?" I comment and chuckle.

She then sighs with a sad frown. "It's just not the same since the changelings attacked... ah miss the farm, mah friends, the clubhouse... crusadin' for our marks," she tells me, her eyes starting to tear up.

I'm not sure what to say to cheer her up.

Applejack and Granny Smith start making some pies and other types of food. After a good ten minutes or more, the table is covered in food.

Big Macintosh enters while patting his forehead with a cloth and sighing.

"Big Mac, ya'll stored the apples in the barn?" Applejack asks him while setting down a jug of what I assume is apple juice.

"Eeeyup," he simply replies.

"And the vegetable seeds are ready fer plantin'?" she then asks him.

"Eeeyup," he again replies.

"And the apples for the first batch of cider is ready?"

"Eee... Nnnope," he says and facepalms.

"Well ya better get it done after eatin' sumthin'," she tells him and sits down across from me.

Big Macintosh nodded and sits beside her while Granny sits at the head of the table.

"Ah'm just worried, great grandma and pa didn't even have so little to start with when first setting up Sweet Apple Acres... will we be able ta recover from this?" Big Macintosh asks his family with a sad frown.

"Now don't ya worry none, with the king's help, we’ll be back up and running in no time," Applejack says with a barely forced smile. It's clear to anyone that they all miss their old farm.

"I'll do as best as I can, but it will take a while to grow the orchard back to what it once was, and I also have to continue with my training as well," I tell her.

She sighs and looks down. "Ah know, but we're still grateful for the help nonetheless. It's just, we're all still coming to terms that Ponyville is gone," she replies and shakes her head lightly.

"I'm sure that one day it'll be rebuilt, but until then, at least you still have each other," I tell her and take a bite out of the piece of pie on my plate.

"Ain't that the truth," Granny says with a smile. "Ponyville may be gone, but home is where yer family is."

I smile as well. Equestria is my home, where my family and friends live. I'll be damned if I allow the gryphons or Grogar to do whatever they damn well please anymore. Once I've learnt how to use five elements, I'll teach this Sphinx God not to mess with us.

After the food and drinks are consumed, I head back out with Applejack and Applebloom to continue growing the section of the orchard earlier. I retake my life aspect's magic form and place my hands on the ground. I pour life energy once again into the soil, helping the saplings to grow taller.

The process takes a couple of hours and a few breaks to recover, but thirty new apple trees have fully grown and are ready to bare fruit.

"That's all I can do for today I'm afraid," I tell Applejack and sigh as the sun is making its way towards the horizon.

"It's alright. We still have plenty of time to grow more, we'll just have ta make due with what we have fer now," she replies and tips her hat at me.

"I'll try to come by at least once a week to grow more as this is also good practice," I say and cancel my aspect form.

She smiles and nodded. "It's all we can ask fer."

We head back to the farmhouse where I get a quick drink of water before leaving. I stand outside the front door and turn back to look at the family.

"I'll try to come back in six or seven days to grow some more for you, but right now I need to get back to my family. Thank you for the delicious food as well," I say and smile.

"Aw shucks, think nothin' of it, yer majesty. With all yer doing fer us it's the least we can do," Granny Smith replies with her own smile.

"Thank you. Now then, I must be off. Goodbye and I'll see you next week," I tell them and start walking off.

"Thank you fer helpin' us! Tell Sweetie and Scootaloo I said hi!" I hear Applebloom yell out to me making me chuckle.

I look out towards the small orchard as I make my way along the path. 'It may be small now, but someday, Sweet Apple Acres will rise again.'

I turn back to the path and make my way up the mountain back to Canterlot. Now that I’ve recovered a fair amount of my mana, I cast my air wings spell and just enjoy a slow flight back home.

A bit of a short Chapter by my standards, but it's mostly just a filler chapter.