Pinkie Pie cartwheeled in front of Redblood as he finally arrived at Sweet Apple Acres and stood before the orange earth pony with a yellow mane, she was also wearing a brown cowpony hat. Pinkie Pie sang a little song in front of them. All of a sudden, music started playing out of nowhere.

"Welcome welcome welcome to Sweet Apple Acres and I would like to

welcome welcome welcome you to Applejack and I would like to

welcome welcome welcome Applejack to youuuuu! Whew.”

Pinkie Pie slumped onto the ground exhausted, it seemed this pony did have a limit to her energy after all. Redblood wanted to get this over with and immediately made a demand more out of annoyance of Pinkie Pie than an intention to be rude.

"Lemons, give me some lemons" Demanded Redblood. He realised he sounded angry and rude, he took a deep breath. Applejack stared at him for a moment, at first surprised that he wanted lemons from her Apple farm and then surprised at how he seemed so desperate for them.

"Whoa there!" Applejack exclaimed "What ya'll be wantin' my lemons for, mah lemons are just for mah own family, if ya'll want good quality lemons, ya'll should get them from". Redblood interrupted Applejack getting increasingly frustrated.

"Hoofington, I know but my dead grandmother likes your lemons!"

Applejack looked towards him and Pinkie Pie, with an inquisitive look on her face. Pinkie Pie shrugged and explained the situation from her perspective.

"Poor mister sad pony here wants to put his grandmother's favourite food on his dead grandmother's grave, urgently.”

Applejack looked confused; she was trying to make sense of the situation.

"Alrighty then, ah got some lemons back at tha farmhouse, how bout y'all join us for lunch". Redblood mentally seethed for a bit, but then realised it was visibly showing on his face. He needed to calm down, before he had to explain his way out of another lie, with another lie. It got harder each time.

Redblood nodded and decided he may as well go along with it. He had the whole day to get Fluttershy lemons for tomorrow, so he may as well enjoy lunch. Redblood and Pinkie Pie followed Applejack to the house; Pinkie seemed to have regained her energy and was bouncing again. Applejack decided to make idle conversation on the way.

"Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres, this ere' is the best apple farm in all of Equestria, or so they say. So what brings ya to Ponyville? What’s ya name?" Was there anything this pony could ask him, without having to respond with a lie.

"I'm just here to enjoy the peace and quiet of the country, my name is Redblood". It was the best and simplest false pretence he could think of. Surely that couldn't be unravelled. Applejack bought it.

"Many ponies prefer livin' here to the hustle and noise of tha city, I for one found city life unbearable. What’s ya special talent?" She asked looking at his cutie mark.

Redblood smiled, happy to answer the simple question.

"Oh I’m a haematologist; I study the blood of ponies.” Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked surprised.

"Whoa... blood?" Applejack stated. "Why would a pony need ta study blood?" Why was she more sceptical when he was telling the truth? Redblood wondered to himself. Oh well at this rate it will be easy to get away with the lies.

"Where I come from, ponies sometimes get murdered, it's not a pleasant place, I help to figure out who.” Redblood explained before getting interrupted by Pinkie Pie.

"Murdered? Why would anypony want to murder another pony, I've never heard of something so horrible.” Pinkie Pie looked absolutely shocked and Redblood immediately knew what Applejack was going to ask next. He was going to have to tell another lie.

"Where ya come from, it dun sound too pleasant?" Despite Redblood knowing the question was coming, he was still thinking about how he should answer and was silent for a bit too long.

"....I.... um.... come from a long long way away.” He answered. He impressed himself that he managed to technically tell the truth, but he knew it was going to lead to more questions. Applejack was not satisfied by his answer so she pushed on wanting to find out the truth about this mysterious pony.

"Oh so ya live in Zebrica then.” Applejack asked.

"Uh.... yes.” He replied hoping that would be a satisfactory enough explanation for the nosy pony. But then Pinkie Pie started shouting excitedly.

"Oh wow I've never heard of a pony from that far away, I mean it’s Zebrica, normally only zebras live there." Redblood was getting overwhelmed with this story, he was having to speed up and just wanted to abandon the lemons and go back to his slave, but that would be too suspicious. Redblood just continued weaving his tale; Hoping that he could get off the subject.

"I have no memory of my early life, somehow I ended up in Zebrica and the Zebras raised me".

"Oh wow that's so nice.” Pinkie Pie squealed, "Normally Zebras don't like ponies."

"Indeed.” Applejack agreed. "But that may jus' be cus' until recently, we didn't like em either.”

"Oh yes, Zecora is a great, kind zebra, she turned out not to be an evil enchantress after all.” Pinkie Pie nodded.

Redblood had dodged the incessant pony again and they had arrived at the farm house. But he was not happy about what was awaiting him inside the house. There was a little yellow filly with a pink bow in her red hair and a large stallion sitting at the dining room table.

"Sis!" screeched a young voice "ya finally back, I'm so hungry". The filly pouted, and then looked inquisitively at the new pony she saw with the farm pony. Applejack pointed a hoof at him and introduced him.

"Howdy sis, this here pony is Redblood, he be joinin' us for lunch, Redblood this is mah little sis Applebloom.”

"Oh really! I love meetin' new ponies, maybe I can be good at it, Cutie mark Crusader Welcomer Yay!" Applebloom shouted in his face and made him feel intimidated. An inquisitive and energetic child, this couldn’t end well. How could it get any worse he wondered.

Applejack got Applebloom to help her set the table and started getting lunch ready. She got out some lemons and squeezed them onto the salad she was preparing. She then handed two lemons to Redblood at the table.

"Here ya go, there free, consider them a welcomin' gift". Redblood nodded in thanks. He got what he needed and considered running out right there and then. But he would have to do it without looking suspicious; he hardly spent a few seconds thinking, before Applebloom started.

"Howdy Redblood welcome to Ponyville, would ya like ta buy some apples.” Applejack glared at her.

"Applebloom, wha'd I tell ya bout’ sellin' apples? Y'all need to make ya customers feel comfortable first". Applejack grabbed the salad in her hoof and tipped it into bowls in front of each of the ponies at the table. Applejack continued scolding Applebloom.

"Besides, he’s just a guest, we dun try an make guests buy apples, leave it for market day". Applejack turned to Redblood and apologised. "Sorry bout' her, she jus' gets passionate". Redblood nodded and tried to eat his salad as quickly as he could in an attempt to look like he really enjoyed it and so that he could leave as soon as possible before the questions started, but he was too late. Applejack brought up the topic he dreaded.

"A pony went missing here in Ponyville, we ave' all bin worried.” Applejack stated calmly in an attempt to start conversation. But Redblood's face went white.

"Oh um.... that's unfortunate". Redblood replied, shoving more salad into his mouth, so he could think while he pretended to have his mouth too full to speak.

"Eeyup" the large stallion nodded. Applejack suddenly noticed she forgot to introduce her shy brother.

"Oh this is Big Macintosh, he helps me run the farm, he doesn't speak much".

"Nope” Big Mac agreed. Applejack turned back towards Redblood and continued.

"Ya, she ain’t been seen or heard from for a few days now. It's unusual cuz she normally tells one of us if she goes somewhere, or gets us ta come along, cus she’s scared of jus bout’ everythin'.” Redblood just chomped on his food, hoping for an excuse to leave.

"Ah think she may hav' bin ponynapped." Applebloom stated. Redblood's heart sank. Applejack replied confidently.

"Now dun ya be talkin' like that Applebloom, no pony has ever been ponynapped in Ponyville, has anypony ever been ponynapped where you come from Redblood?" Redblood started perspiring and spoke before he thought.

"Um... no... Never".

Applejack and Pinkie Pie stared at him for a moment. Then Applejack asked, with a look of curiosity.

"Why ya lyin'?".

"Um...." Redblood gobbled down the last of his food and backed away towards the door, holding a lemon in each hoof. He then stated very quickly.

"I'm not lying, I need to go, I uh... need... to... go make those pancakes.”