After a hard day's apple bucking in the unseasonable heat, Apple Jack slowly cantered up the orchard alongside Twilight Sparkle. Having been out twice as long as usual, the farm pony was beyond exhausted... but hid it well.

In the distance, the barn doors creaked open. The two ponies turned and watched as Apple Bloom and Babs peeled out on Scootaloo's newly fixed scooter. The sound of their laughter echoed through the orchard as they picked up speed, going along the dirt stretch at a blistering 8 miles per hour. It seemed so fast to the fillies... but Apple Jack and Twilight could see otherwise.

Apple Jack looked over at her friend and chuckled weakly:

"Least they're having fun, right?"

The Unicorn smiled back, nodding compassionately as they walked towards the farm house. The sun was beginning to set behind them, the sky turning a deep shade of purple. Apple Jack shook her head:

"Ah frankly don't know what to do, Twi... the bills keep piling up on account of Scootaloo, much more than they originally thought. I can take care of those just fine, but these charges are gunna ruin me. Two months isn't long enough to get those kind of Bits together..."

Again, Twilight nodded:

"I wish I could get Princess Celestia involved. AJ, I've tried..."

"You keep tellin' me she can't play favorites and I'm fine with that, Twilight. No need to go begging 'er on ma account."

"What're you going to do if... you can't pay?"

Apple Jack put on her usual smug grin, stopping in her tracks:

"Deal with everything as it comes. Live each day as if it were the last, like the fillies."

Twilight looked hard at her friend for a moment... both sighed, then continued on their way.

"That's not going to work, AJ. You need a plan..."

"I know that, Twilight. It's nice to think that way sometimes, though..."

The Unicorn put a hoof on her friends shoulder as they finished climbing up the hill towards the house.

Apple Jack thought to herself as she opened the door:

I do have a plan, Twilight... it just ain't pretty.

Twilight was oblivious to Apple Jack's thoughts. She was there for support, and to help the family go over the books... see what they could cut or change to increase profits. Every little bit would help, even if it were just a matter of saving face. The few donations from the town and the distant kin helped, but they weren't nearly enough.

The farm pony let Twilight in knowing it did not look good and there probably wasn't much either of them could do to turn this ugly situation around. Much like Rainbow Dash, though... Apple Jack didn't believe in giving up. She would fight to the end, and all her friends knew that... her plan was solid, too:

Apple Jack hadn't told anypony that she was thinking about going to jail... and it was looking more and more appealing to her as time went on. They wanted her and only her, after all, and it would certainly solve a lot of her family's problems. Granny Smith had forbidden her from even considering that as option... they'd be angry for sure, but at least they could keep the farm, and she'd be out before her little sister was older than 15. Apple Bloom would have her own place to grow up in and her own business to grow into... not some other family member's. It was Apple Jack's dream to see that, even it meant losing a little time to do it.

"Why are you smiling, Apple Jack?" Asked Twilight, as they headed into the den.

"Oh, it's nothing, Twilight...," replied the farm pony. "Just imaginin' happier times for the family."