Monday

"Mail call!" Spike shouted in the main lobby of the Library.

Dusk, Trixie, and Rune walked out of wherever they were before. Spike handed each of them mail, a couple envelops for Dusk and a large stack of wrapped up letters for Trixie.

"So what's with the stack?" Rune asked.

"Just some letters from home but mostly fan mail." Trixie answered. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has many fans after all."

"Here you go Rune." Spike said, handing Rune a letter wiht the word 'Urgent' on it.

"I get mail this time?" Rune said, looking over the letter before opening it.

"I wonder what's it says." Spike inquired.

"Probably some letter on how I owe somepony something or I pissed somepony off again." Rune said , opening the letter. "I'm sure it's not that-eeeehhh!" The was the last thing Rune said as he dropped the letter to the ground.

"Rune? Rune?!" Spike waved his claw in front of the petrified Rune's face to no response. Spike then picked up the letter. "What could it have said?"

Mr. Dawn Rune,

It appears that you accumulated a large sum of unpaid debt over the past year. You have approximately one week to pay your debt in full, interest need not apply, or we will have to take appropriate, legal actions.

The Equestrian Revenue Service.

"You have the ERS after you??!!" Spike said in shock. "How much could you even owe?"

Rune, still in shock, was able to point at the section of the letter that had the sum. Spike took one look and was just in as much shock as Rune.

"Is that even a real number?" Dusk said aloud, looking at the letter but not going into shock. "I didn't think a number could get that high!"

Rune, regaining his senses, took a quill and scroll, and wrote a quick letter than poofed it away.

"What was that?" Dusk asked.

"I sent a letter to Luna asking for help." Rune answered, then a scroll poofed in front of him. "That was fast." Rune quickly unraveled the scroll:

To Dawn Rune,

I am writing a response to you as Luna is unable to. Luna is currently resting. She read your letter and quickly fainted. I have read your letter and I am sorry for your situation but neither myself nor Luna can offer any financial aid. Such an amount of bits could bankrupt all of Canterlot. I will do what I can to negotiate with the ERS on your behalf but that is all I can offer.

I am sorry,

Princess Celestia

"And I'm screwed." Rune said aloud.

"There has to be some way to make that much money?" Dusk said.

"Unless I win the lottery....eleven times...in a week..." Rune was feeling depressed, then ran to the door.

"Where are you going?" Dusk asked.

"To get some money." Rune said, and rushed out the door.

'Okay no need to panic Rune.' Rune thought as he trotted down the street, not wanting to look like he was worried. 'There has to be somepony in this town who can help.'

Rune then spent the rest of the day going from door to door, only to be rejected and given a crap apology. Disappointed, Rune returned to the library in defeat.

"Any luck?" Dusk asked, worrying about his friend.

"No such luck." Rune explained. "Applejack and Rarity were too busy to hear me out. Pinkie was locked in her room crying; according to Mrs. Cake, Pinkie's favorite story has been canceled and she's feeling sad about it. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are in Cloudsdale for the next two weeks. So I've come to the conclusion that I'll have to make the money some way."

"So you're going to work it off?" Dusk asked. "Is that even possible?"

"Look." Rune said in his rare, stern tone. "I have a week to pay a ridiculous amount of debt. I may be crazy enough to break into the Palace, steal a weapon of mass destruction to carve a commandment on the Moon, drug my best friend to get him laid, and even try and sneak into Luna's bed....but going against the ERS oh no no no!"

"So that's your plan?" Dusk was skeptical. "Will that even work?"

"I don't know." Rune said, heading to his room. "But it doesn't hurt to try."

Rune laid down on his bed and tried to sleep but all he could think about was 'I'm so screwed!'

Tuesday

Rune awoke before Dusk, or even before the Sun rose.

"Time to start my first day." Rune said greeting the morning.

Quietly, Rune sneaked out of the library, and quickly dashed over to his new job: Sweet Apple Acres. By the time he arrived, the Sun was only a few minutes from rising and, like always, Applejack was watching the Sun, ready to get to work.

"Almost time." Applejack said to herself, her body prepping for action. "Almost-"

"APPLEJACK!!!" Rune shouted, running closer to Applejack as she fell over from the sudden surprise of Rune.

"What the hay Rune?!" Applejack said getting up. "What are you doing here?"

"I came...to..get...a job.." Rune said gasping for breath.

"Why would you?" Applejack asked before Rune pulled out the ERS paper, and like those before, Applejack made the "eehh" face of shock. "Well that explains a lot." Applejack accepted the offer. "It's always good to see a pony willing to earn an honest day's work to pay off a debt." She then gestured at the trees in front of her. "When the sun rises, I need all the apples in the east side bucked, put in barrels and brought to storage. Then we take some of the apples from our work and turn them into cider, pies, and other wares."

"All that in one day?" Rune asked.

Applejack couldn't help but laugh a little. "Even with your help, I doubt we could even buck all the apples by the end of the morning, let alone store it away and make goods."

"The how about a bet?" Rune said, putting his hoof around Applejack's shoulder. "If we are able to buck, store, bake, and sell these apples and make a decent profit, I get 25%. How's that sound?"

Applejack laughed again. "If we could do all that by today, I'll give you 50%."

"You have a deal." Rune said in an excited tone, shaking Applejack's hoof. "And if we don't make a profit, I get nothing. Sounds fair?"

"It's your lose." Applejack said, looking at the nearing sunrise. "Less than ten minutes to go, I'll take the left side and you-"

"Go for them all at once." Rune said, with a confident grin.

"Don't be cocky." Applejack stated. "That imposs-"

Applejack was interrupted by Rune's horn glowing a deep blue and within seconds, every apple in the trees they were to buck were glowing blue. Each apple was plucked from their trees at once and were lifted into the air. They were like glowing, blue orbs as they floated away from the trees and towards Rune and Applejack. Right as the Sun came over the horizon, each apple were placed in each of the barrels behind Rune and Applejack.

"And..there.." Rune said, a bit short of breath as his magic powered down.

Applejack was shocked, amazed, and thankful all at once over what just happened. "How did you do that?"

"Well.." Rune explained. "Since it was still night, I was able to channel with the Moon, before the Sun rose, to enhance my magic and thus was able to get them all at once."

"Well color me impressed." Applejack thanked. "You managed to do half a day's work in less than ten minutes. SO now we need to store theses apples."

"Yep." Rune said, putting a barrel on his back. "Let's get to work."

Rune and Applejack spent the next five or so hours bringing the barrels into a storage cellar under the barn. If it weren't for Big Mac, who happened to of woken up and offered to help, it would of taken seven or so hours. After all but a few barrels were brought down, Apple Bloom came along the three workers with some nice, refreshing apple juice.

"So whatcha doing here Rune?" Apple Bloom asked.

Rune's response was simply showing his debt and Apple Bloom was out like all others.

"That is a mighty big debt." Granny Smith noted, coming out of no where.

"How'd you do that?" Rune asked in some surprise.

"Do what?" Granny asked.

"Never mind." Rune answered. "Now all we need to do is bake and sell these apples."

"Well you can count on us." Granny said.

"I'll help too." Apple Bloom said all excited.

"Eeyup." was all Big Mac said.

Rune and the Apple family spent the next couple hours baking apples and crushing others into cider. Rune and Big Mac loaded up the cart with the wares and Applejack and Rune were on their way. It was around midday when Applejack and Rune set up shop in the town market. There were plenty of ponies but after a few hours of market, Applejack and Rune sold nothing.

"This is ridiculous." Rune said. "I haven't sold crap yet."

"That is strange." Applejack added. "At this rate, we'll be losing money."

"I have an idea." Rune thought of a plan.

"No, we are not tricking anypony or forcing them to buy." Applejack already knew her answer.

"Oh come on." Rune objected. "Can't I get one pony to buy one thing, I promise only one, so our day hasn't been a waste?"

Applejack stayed true to her honest morale but Rune did have a point, she didn't want to come home with no bits.

"Fine." Applejack reluctantly agreed. "But only one pony."

"Deal." Rune nodded and pointed his horn at a passing stallion.

With a unseen blast of magic, the stallion had the urge to buy an apple product. He ordered an apple tart and enjoyed his treat. But there was something about this tart. The pony's eyes glowed a faint blue and then faded.

"This is amazing.." The pony said, almost singing. "I've got to tell somepony!" He then went into the nearby crowd of townponies. "Hey all you ponies. Hey all you ponies. Hey all you ponies, won't you listen to meee! I just had an apple, no ordinary apple, an apple that made me feel so happy! Hey you got to try these apples, they're no ordinary apples...they're the tastiest apples in Ponyville!!!!"

Everypony who heard rushed to Applejack's cart and were throwing bits to get some treats and they were feeling just as happy and started singing and dancing too.

"Rune!" Applejack demanded. "What did you do?!"

"I don't know." Rune honestly answered. "I had no clue he would start singing."

By mid-afternoon, the rush was over and the cart was empty. Applejack was sitting by massive sacks of bits, counting the profit.

"So how'd we do?" Rune asked.

"We made..." Applejack was shocked and awing over the amount. "I don't know how you did it, but we made over half a million bits."

"So that's good?" Rune asked.

"Good? Good?!" Applejack was amazed. "I haven't turned a profit like that since Zap Apple season!"

Rune finished loading the last of the sacks of bits on the cart and the two went on their way.

"What I don't understand is why the apples sold so well." Applejack stated. "And you swear you didn't do some weird magic?"

"I swear I have no idea." Rune swore blind.

"Hey! Applejack! Rune!" Shouted a voice from ahead of the two ponies.

Both ponies looked up and saw a grinning Big Mac waving at them from the front fence of the farm.

"Big Mac?" Applejack asked her brother as she approached him.

"Well of course it's me." Big Mac said. "How  did you do? Did you sell well? Oh it looks like you sold a lot of apples! Do you need help carrying them in?"

"And now I'm scared." Rune said bluntly. "Big Mac, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay." Big Mac stated with his grin.

The suddenly, a small flash zoomed by Big Mac and shoved a cork in his mouth.

"Sorry about that." The flash who was really a serious looking Apple Bloom.

"Apple Bloom?" Applejack said. "What in the sam hay is going on?"

"Let me explain." Apple Bloom said, as Big Mac keep talking with the cork in his mouth. "After you left, we were a tad hungry ans decided to use some of the extra apples to make our own food. After eating them, Granny, Big Mac and myself felt this surge of emotion and happiness. But then something was different, Big Mac became a blabber mouth, Granny began writing on the history of Equestria and I became infinity more intelligent."

"But how did this happen?" Applejack asked.

"I took the liberty of breaking down one of the apples to a liquid state." Apple Bloom explained. "An I have concluded that when Rune used his magic to pluck the apples, a portion of his magic stayed in it, so now anypony who eats these apples is given the power to be who they want to be."

"So it's a good thing?" Rune didn't want to find out he screwed.

"It would depend on the pony." Apple Bloom answered. "I have also theorized that the effects are temporary. Granny only had a few bites and became her old self again. Big Mac and I ate more than a few slices of pie so the effects will last longer but will still fade with some time. Most likely before tomorrow."

"Well I guess that's fine." Applejack said. "And we did make a lot of bits. So I guess no harm done."

"So you won't beat me for accidentally drugging Ponyville with my magic?" Rune asked, taking a couple steps back.

"No. Just take your half and you can go home." Applejack pointed towards one of the sacks.

"Thank you!" Rune hugged Applejack. "If you need help again, let me know."

"I'm sure I will." Applejack let out a relaxed sigh.

Rune lifted the sack and trotted home, and just in time; the Sun was beginning to set.

"Apple Bloom." Applejack requested, with curiosity in her tone. "Those apples really made everypony happy."

"Yes." Apple Bloom assured her sister. "You know, Rune isn't as bad as he seems." She then handed a small apple cupcake. "Why don't you try one."

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Back at the Library, Dusk was settling down for an all-nighter of studying. Rune casually opened the door and dragged the large sack of bits.

"Rune?" Dusk said. "I can tell you did well today. How'd you make so much money? In one day no less."

"Accidentally drugged Ponyville with enchanted apples." Rune answered bluntly. "And yes the effects are temporary."

"And you say it was an accident." Dusk said skeptically.

"Yes." Rune answered. "Apple Bloom ate one and turned all scientist genius and gave us a long winded explanation."

"Well at least there's no long term damage." Dusk said. "So are you going to eat or="

"I've had a long day. I'm going to bed." Rune interrupted. "I need to wake up early tomorrow. I still have a long way to go."