Yes. A thousand times, yes.

@Background Pony #B328  
In a good way.

@Background Pony
 
This guy needs a cigar or a non-smoking prize of equal value.

@Background Pony  
Give this BP a cigar.

As much as I love this piece of art, I disagree with some casting roles.
 
Scootaloo as Ellie is perfect.
 
Rainbow Dash as Joel is not.
 
I’m not saying it’s bad, it can work but I feel as if Applejack is more suited for the role. Before anyone attacks me, yes I know that it’s mainly RD and Scoots ‘cause of their relationship. But that’s just it.
 
It took a long time for Joel to warm up to Ellie. I’d say Rainbow Dash would warm up to Scootaloo pretty quick if they were together in an apocalypse, especially seeing how Rainbow Dash doesn’t seem to think less about Scootaloo acting scared (evidenced in Sleepless in Ponyville) and would comfort her about it.
 
Another point being that I see Dash as more of Tess. Funny enough, this is where RD’s relationship with Scoots can come in. Tess was much more patient with Ellie at the beginning then Joel ever was. All Joel wanted was the job to be done and Tess actually conversed with Ellie on a number of occasions. Plus Scootaloo idolizes RD and I’m certain that Ellie rarely did something like to Joel asides from maybe shock/some creepy awe at seeing him murder someone.
 
Tess is also somewhat of the decision maker of her and Joel. She pretty much leads his decision. I can’t see RD as the not leading type myself.
 
Now Applejack being Joel. I’ll start off by making the basic choice of this;
 
Applejack: Joel.
 
Big Macintosh: Tommy.
 
Applebloom: Sarah.
 
I’ll start with Applejack and why I think she could easily be Joel.
 
Joel has a country drawl. Not an actual stomach-stabbing point but it’s pretty clear that Joel lived in Texas. Just a point because Applejack has as we all know- a country accent.
 
Another thing is Applejack is loyally dedicated to her family and I could see her doing whatever it took to make them survive anything. Joel grew over-protective of Tommy and also made him see some scaring things. I think somepony as gentle and quiet as Big Macintosh would be more effected by the likes of this instead of AJ, making him perfect for Tommy.
 
Joel makes a complete 180’ turn from the personality we see before the outbreak to the present time of the game. He abandons many morals to survive. If something like this were to happen I could see AJ leaving behind her honest upbringing and good morals through the many horrid things she’s done to survive.
 
She would become ruthless after a while, killing anypony who seemed a reasonable threat outside the Quarantine Zone.
 
The relationship between her and Scootaloo would immediately be strained. Which is exactly what should happen. Scoots as Ellie would definitely get on AJ as Joel’s nerves half the time but eventually warm up to her, tell tales of the past, simple nights on the farm as the two grow closer.
 
I have some other reasons but I wish to continue onto the other members of the cast I have stated.
 
Big Macintosh: Tommy.
 
Big Macintosh is quiet, gentle and respectful. It’s heavily implied in the game that Tommy had to kill many people to survive and it effected him through nightmares and strained his relationship with Joel who ‘just did what needed to be done to survive’.
 
I could definitely see something like this happening with Big Mac. He wouldn’t be as emotionally struck as Applejack over his sisters death, affected badly but dealt with it silently to help his sister cope. However, over time I could see it getting to him. Murdering ponies like himself just trying to survive wouldn’t be right for somepony like him. His attempts to convince AJ to try and settle in an area would fail and he would try to change everything.
 
Big Mac I see to join the Fireflies to ‘try and change’ everything and make it for the good. Applejack would get mad at this decision and a very bad spat would come between the two with Mac finally giving into all his hidden pain. He would probably accidentally say something about Applebloom not wanting AJ to act like this which would set her off even more, so far to state that she never wanted to see his face again.
 
And she never did after that.
 
Tommy is a man of patience and respect to be helping keeping the settlement up. Big Macintosh could help something like that with a quiet, but determined mind.
 
And now my final part;
 
Applebloom: Sarah.
 
Do I really need to explain? Well, of course, but still.
 
In this universe, I will only say that ‘Sugarcube’ is a nickname AJ crafted for Bloom only. To help with the whole ‘Baby Girl’ prospect of Joel and Ellie/Sarah.
 
Sarah seemed to be mature for a 12-year-old. I wasn’t cracking jokes about selling drugs when I was that age, that’s for sure. Whilst Applebloom isn’t the most mature pony, she’s easily the sanest of the CMC possibly due to her family upbringing.
 
Since the character of Sarah wasn’t developed that much, I can really only say the rest of Applebloom’s relation to her in her connection to her family and how her death would effect them, especially Applejack. And of course her big brother.
 
Joel states during the end of the game that ‘Sarah and Ellie would have been good friends’, and I think this would be a nice parallel to the CMC friendship.
 
And there you have it. Yikes I went overboard.

I just noticed.
 
Ellie can’t swim.  
Scootaloo can’t fly.
 
Perfect puzzle substitute.

@Mattatatta  
You’re right. Wow, when I really think about it, pinkie would be a terrible tess.

@Mattatatta  
I like this and approve. It’s not like people were suggesting Pinkie as Tess just because of stupid shipping right?

@kazeoni
 
Twilight kinda feels like Marlene. I know that may make me seem a little mean to Twi, but I think she would have a similar perspective as Marlene and would agree with her on a number of points. So it just makes sense to me to peg her for that role. Twi’s mentors are powerful leaders, and would’ve passed down a lesson or two down to her on hard decisions. One of which would be a lesson on utilitarianism.
 
Pinkie doesn’t deserve a world like this. Something would’ve got to her, be it death or a life-changing trauma. Either way, I don’t think there’s a character Pinkie truly fits. She could in fact be the Sarah to Dash’s Joel, which would do a lot to destroy Dash’s hope and loyalty for ponykind, and turn her into a hardened survivor.
 
Dash is a great choice for Joel. Especially if we play the angle that Dash gave up her Loyalty when she experienced loss at the hooves of the Canterlot Guard. Dash could eventually rediscover her sense of Loyalty, but instead focus it solely on those she cares about rather than on a set of ideals or organisations.
 
Fluttershy, oddly, could make a lot of sense playing a role similar to Bill: Willingly isolating herself from other ponies to increase her chances of survival, and so she won’t have to contend with the cruelty of ponykind at its worst. She could instead rely on animal friends, and make an effort to deter any ponies from where she lives. It would be kind of heartbreaking as a reader to see Fluttershy push Dash out of her home as quickly as she stumbled in, because we as readers would know their history - while Bill’s history is kept vague for the most part to the point that we don’t even know how he came to be in debt to Joel.
 
Rarity could be Tess. They’re both very independent and good at business, and they share a level of savvy that makes them the brains of their operations. I’d also expect Rarity to be willing to hold off a bunch of soldiers in a Bolivian Army Ending so that someone of even greater importance could escape.
 
+1 for Applejack being Tommy. Tommy shows that he’s a strong family figure, and even though he had a stint where he was blinded by ideals that could never be realised, he wised up and helped build a community. Applejack and her family would likely survive the apocalypse and create a close-knit community of their own.
 
And just for completion’s sake, Scootaloo can work as Ellie, in spite of her being a fangirl to Dash. One way it can work especially is if a writer focuses on making Scootaloo grow up and understand what survival takes - which would reflect the growth Ellie experienced throughout the game.
 
Welp, that was a lot more analysis than I intended.

Why would Pinkie Pie be Tess? They don’t share anything.

@Background Pony  
I bet pinkie is either Tess or part of the Fireflies or Bill. Applejack is most likely Tommy.

@Background Pony  
Pinkie is probably tess.

I wonder who’s all dead. Being my favorite I hope Pinkie so she wouldn’t have to suffer this nightmare.

@Background Pony  
Scootaloo as the last hope of ponykind? Yeah, they’re srewed.

I support this!

Win.

I knew it. Scootaloo is Ponykind’s last hope.

mlp and the last of us crossover? How awesome is that?! :D

But they’re pegasi they can just-
 
>Scootaloo
 
…never mind.

@Nightweaver20xx  
I am!

“Dash told me that on this journey you either hang on to your morals and die. Or, do whatever it takes to survive…”

@shyflutter  
The TBFP one? Watch that one!

I’m watching The Last of Us at the very moment!
 
I notice that AI in games is still ailing.

@Background Pony  
So edgy, are you one of the cool kids yet?

Now Scoots, remember to duck behind the OBVIOUS WAIST-HIGH COVER before taking aim.