When Twilight Sparkle finally got around to reviewing the memory crystals she recorded from Sweetie Belle, she immediately regretted the way she treated the distraught filly. Most of the time foals came to her house asking her for something or to put on a magic show or some crap like that. But here was a filly who really needed help, and Twilight pretty much shunned her, and coldly turned her away, until Sweetie threw that horn cap in her face.

She didn't believe the things Sweetie was saying until she threw the horn cap at her. Twilight rubbed her cheek, still remembering the pain from when it hit her. That filly could throw hard. She watched the memories again on the white screen. She, like all ponies, knew Applejack was not right since Granny Smith was killed in that cart during the autumn storms.

On the outside, when she was in public, Applejack had always been the friendly, cordial, and jolly pony everypony knew her to be. She was like a celebrity in this town. Thought to be completely harmless, but from these new findings in Sweetie Belle’s memories, that was anything but truth. Applejack had become something of a dictator at Sweet Apple Acres. She worked poor Applebloom and Sweetie Belle to the bone for at least ten hours a day when they weren't at school. And it was evident Applejack held paranoid religious prejudice against unicorns.

Applejack never showed any problems with the unicorns in town, nor with Twilight and Rarity. She had always been a great part of their Mane Six team. Twilight had always been curious as to what went on behind the scenes at Sweet Apple Acres, but the Apple ponies were very territorial, and selective of who they welcomed on their property. They were almost secretive of their affairs, and all things "Apple family business." In the four years she had lived in Ponyville, Twilight had only been to Sweet Apple Acres about eight times.

Then there was the lie Applejack told Sweetie Belle, about Rarity dying after the fire. In reality, Rarity was sent to the hospital in Canterlot, and recovered under the superior magical medical care of the unicorns there. The reason she didn't come back to Ponyville was that a bag full of opportunities opened itself up for her. Her high class friends helped her buy and start up a boutique in town, and her line of clothes became popular, hence, her business boomed.

Rarity and Twilight exchanged letters and telepathic messages frequently. Rarity had wanted to fully establish herself before having Sweetie Belle sent to her. She was content with Sweetie Belle being under Applejack’s care, and planned to have her come to their new home in Canterlot when the school year ended. Then Rarity had written back with concern as to why all her letters and packages to Sweet Apple Acres went unanswered, give a few letters from Applejack assuring her that Sweetie Belle was 'well behaved, disciplined, and 'workin' hard and giving back for once.'

Applejack even turned down Rarity's request to send Sweetie Belle to stay with her at Canterlot during Hearth's Warming.

Over the last few months, had Twilight not been so busy with her other projects, and weeks she spent in Canterlot undergoing special training, she would have noticed and been concerned a long time ago.

And Applejack trying to suppress Sweetie’s magic growth and even have her dehorned was very worrying. She wanted to confront Applejack and speak to her, but as stubborn as she was, Applejack would not easily spill her beans and allow herself to be easily manipulated or even reasoned with. And she didn’t want to jeopardize her friendship, or at least not yet.

So Twilight took the matter to the town guard.

An hour later, she sat in the office with the town guard chief, Acorn Tibbs, or Tibbs for short. She showed him the magic crystals and they viewed the memories in private.

“Twilight,” Tibbs grunted, “As you can see, I regrettably can’t send in the troops, break out Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and any other foals on that farm, and arrest Applejack.”

“Why not?” Twilight asked, perplexed.

“Sweet Apple Acres is not our jurisdiction. We have no legal right to go in and intervene in their affairs.”

“But- but Chief, Sweet Apple Acres is right outside of town; less than a thousand trots away,” Twilight protested.

“And there is a reason behind that, you should know, you've worked with us for years, Twi,” Tibbs reminded her. “As per the town charter, the Ponyville town guard may not interfere with affairs that occur at Sweet Apple Acres. The Sweet Apple ponies are responsible for enforcing the law on their own turf. If we go in, arrest Applejack, and charge her, the county judge will throw the case out.”

Twilight grunted in frustration. “But Applejack is abusing a foal! No, two of them! Isn't there something we can do to stop this?”

Tibbs shrugged. “Well, the problem is, this county’s guard is few and far between. Investigations are sluggish, especially if more than one town guard’s involved. I can put out a letter asking for intervention and put it to a vote by the town council, which does handle county affairs. Just don’t expect any immediate results.”

Twilight still grunted. She did not like bureaucracy in any form. Canterlot was full of it. She had to go through so many ponies just to get a permit just to get a bloody spellbook.

“What you can do,” Chief Tibbs cut into her thoughts, “is talk to Applejack yourself. You two are good friends, right? And you’re both part of the Mane Six. You’re a very well respected unicorn in this town, I’m sure Applejack will listen to reason.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that-”

“But I must warn you, there’s a lot of concerning activity going on at Sweet Apple Acres and the area around it.”

“What kind of activity?” Twilight asked, perplexed.

“Applejack’s looking to expand the farm, and she’s bringing in a lot of ponies to do that. I assigned a few officers to lay low and keep an eye on the farm. We've actually been watching these Sweet Apple ponies for a while. In the last year, more and more of them have been showing up and moving in at Sweet Apple Acres, ever since Granny Smith died. Here in town, a few ponies sent in notes and complaints regarding Applejack’s demeanor and behavior when her two fillies were with her.

“I also have a complaint from schoolteacher Cheerilee where she explains Applejack’s interference in her romantic life, and her treatment of Sweetie Belle, and she also wrote up some of the things Sweetie Belle said to her.”

Tibbs passed Twilight a stack of papers. They were the complaints ponies wrote and sent in.

“There are also a mountain of applications filed by these new Apple ponies for town guard duty. Applejack was actually in here the other day, arguing about how Apples made up over half the town guard when Ponyville was founded. We hired a few of them already based on their qualifications and experience, but AJ was demanding that I hire all of them.

“Why does Applejack want so many of her relatives in the town guard all of a sudden?” Twilight didn’t understand.

“Beats me, and I don’t like sudden drastic changes to our roster. I met with Mayor Mare last week, and she told me that there have been quite a few Apple applications to join the town council. None of them qualify as they must have lived in Ponyville for two years at least. But these memory crystals have made this no less than disturbing to me, Twilight.”

Screenshots of Nimbuscait as seen by Sweetie Belle flashed onto the white wall across the room from them. The video played out from the magic powered crystal-scope device, and Twilight had to watch the grueling dehorning ordeal. She puked the first time she watched that Twinkle Leaf foal burn. They reviewed the crystals, and got a good look at some of the Nimbuscait Apples.

“Do we have to watch all of this? I already did...” Twilight said, trying to remain collected.

“Stop the rock,” Tibbs ordered. Ponyspeak for ‘stop the tape.’

Twilight did so with her magic, and the screen went blank. They had already watched the things Applejack said and did. She even watched the recording from when Sweetie Belle asked for help, and threw the horn cap at her. Below the screen were colored bars indicating emotions. She was stunned to find Sweetie was terrified of her. She felt horrible.

“Twilight,” Tibbs spoke, “When Ponyville was officially founded, the town council passed a resolution calling for the collective cooperation between the three pony races, and to resist and defend against the never ending conflict that looms just outside the Breadbasket region. You know, the pegasi vs. the unicorns vs. the earth ponies. Ponyfolk in Roundbottom aren’t so bad, but Nimbuscait has always been a concern. They’re constantly fighting skirmishes with the town guards along the Arod River, the border between Nimbuscait and Abille counties. Turns out Applejack is from a town that got destroyed up there. Who would have thunk it, eh?”

Twilight just nodded. The chief resumed his speech.

“And of course, if it weren’t for this data you extracted from that filly, nopony would have known or even had an idea that Applejack consorts with these Nimbuscait freaks.”

“Turns out there’s an Apple clan up there.”

“Big one at that, Twi. And this evidence confirms absolutely that these Nimbuscait ponies haven’t changed one bit. Burning a foal to death after chopping its horn off. That atrocity only hints at the long list of things these ponies have done, still do, and plan to do in the future. And it turns out some of these ponies have re-located to Sweet Apple Acres. They’re just lyin’ low. And I got all these other Apple ponies from Luna-knows-where in Equestria. Thorn Valley. Have you heard of it, Twilight?”

“...yes, I did actually. it’s where those explosive blood apples grow.”

Chief Tibbs looked at her. “Is that right? How do you know?”

Twilight sighed. “It’s in the forbidden history. Highly classified. I need a permit to even talk about it.”

“Twilight,” Tibbs said impatiently, “I need to know as much as I can about what to expect from all these Apple ponies. I don’t know much about all these other ponies from Nightmare Moon-knows-where in Equestria. I got over a hundred applications from a bunch of Apple-Pommes, Applewoods, Appletons, Applegroves, Applehills, Applerocks, Applebarks, Appleshines, Sunshine Apples, Applestones, Appleyards, Applegroves, Apple Saints, how about that? And of course...Blood Apple ponies. The lot of them come from areas saturated in the blood of ponies or unicorns or pegasi over hundreds or thousands of years. Tell me something, like...where the hell did these Blood Apple ponies come from? I can’t imagine them not being a bunch of freaks!”

Twilight stared down at the desk, thought a prayer, pleading Celestia for forgiveness, then spoke. “I read about them before in the Apple Family Compendium, Year 975 edition. Blood Apple ponies named themselves so after the name of the fruit they discovered and farmed, the fruit being called blood apples. According to the forbidden history, blood apples were created by the Pegasi during the Second Era. Exactly how they were deployed against the unicorns, I don’t know. They adapted to the environment of the valleys and made it their native home, and the remaining unicorns were forced out, and these Blood Apple ponies took it over. The trees are thorny, hence the region the plants took over was re-named the Thorn Valley.”

“Well,” Tibbs grunted. “the Thorn Valleys, or Thorn Valley or whatever the hay it’s called, can't be home to normal ponies. According to the boys whom I've posted on 'watch' duty outside Sweet Apple Acres, and on those new Apple ponies lurking in Ponyville, these Blood Apples have talked about planting their signature fruit in our back yard. I don't know much about these blood apples, but I already don't like the prospects. I want you to get me some more information on the blood apple, and whether these ponies can legally plant them or not. Afterall, there’s plenty of local stuff the Sweet Apples can grow right here. Am I right?”

Twilight shrugged. “Yes, sir. I guess we’ll find out very soon. Applejack hasn't been altogether in the brain since she lost Granny Smith or was exposed to the influence of the Nimbuscaits. Speaking of which, how many are there here?”

Tibbs looked over the papers. “Just one actually. A mare named Applegem Frost Apple. She's been visiting here quite a few times actually. Never caused a problem, but I'll bet she seeded Applejack with her religious crap. They said in the video of the memories they disowned the Sweet Apples after Granny Smith’s heroic deed. Didn’t see that one coming.”

Twilight cleared her throat. “They disowned them in exchange for their lives. Apparently there is a protocol among Apple ponies to protect one another. No doubt if any Sweet Apple shows his or her face in Nimbuscait again, they’ll be burned,” Twilight added. “I should go. I need to speak to Applejack.”

“Be careful, Twilight. Until we know for sure about all these new ponies, assume they are unfriendly at best. If anything else goes down, get the hell outta there, and report back to me, got it?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, Chief.” And she left the office and exited the town guard house.

“By the light of Princess Celestia and all that is holy, righteous, and pure, Applejack, you damn near killed her! It amazes me that she is still alive.”

Applejack spat. “She damn well deserved every bit of it, Doc. That’s what Apple Belle, or any other foal on my farm gets for disobeyin’ mah rules, and mah orders against magic. She skipped behind mah flank and went to some hocus pocus magic club at school in town. Ah specifically told her no, and she went and did it anyway.”

Apple Aid, a member of the Apple Saint clan, was the family doctor. His arrival spared Applejack the burden of taking Sweetie Belle to a doctor in town, and making up something to explain to every meddlesome pony around. Apple Aid was middle aged, olive colored stallion, with a shining copper mane. On his flank, he bore a cutie mark of an apple, with a red cross over it. His wife, Apple Mend, had a similar cutie mark. The Apple Saints hailed from a region where many of them became masters in nursing injured and sick earth ponies back to health during war times. Applejack simply referred to them as Doc, and Heal.

She had Doc and Heal come in and inspect Sweetie Belle, who was bruised, lumped, and swollen beyond recognition. Doc and Heal both checked Sweetie Belle for broken bones, but they concluded with astonishment that nothing was actually broken.

“Perhaps everything is just really fractured.” Doc said. Sweetie Belle cried out in muffled weeps and squeaks when they padded her body gently, checking for broken bones. “Give her lots and lots of milk. She is going to need it to repair the bone fractures,” Doc instructed.

“Awright, she’ll get her milk,” Applejack agreed.

“And for Celestia’s sake, I beg you, leave her horn alone. That thing’s about to come right off. what the hell did you do to it?”

“Ah tried to rip it off. Then that big lout Mac had to interfere. Would've solved all her magic problems,” Applejack spat bitterly.

“Of course, then she’d be dead,” Doc said, “Look, Applejack, Mend and I are very grateful to come join you. Very grateful, and if you don’t want this filly doin’ magic, I won’t say nothin about it, but for her sake, leave the horn alone. Whip or slap her if you need to keep her in line, but please, I beg you, on her behalf, let her horn alone.”

"Fine," Applejack replied grudgingly. Another pony entered the room. Apple Tarty. She had brought a cup of soup and a straw for Sweetie Belle. Applejack had beat the filly so bad that she was unable to move her jaw (Surprisingly, her jaws weren't broken or dislocated, just the muscles and tendons were badly bruised). As a result, Sweetie Belle was drinking her meals through a straw.

Apple Tarty held the cup close to Sweetie Belle and extended the long end of the straw into Sweetie's mouth. Sweetie Belle was barely able to suck on the straw to get the soup. Then Applebloom showed up with a book. Applejack made her spend a lot of time reading books for Sweetie Belle.

"So, Doc, how long y'think she's gonna sit in that bed bein' all useless for?"

"Well, one week is absolutely important, and I'd say she be in bed for the next two weeks."

"Dang it, y' tellin' me that she can't do nothin' at all? Ah want her back to work the minute she's outta bed walkin' around. Ah believe makin' any brat work while still sore from her punishment will drive the lesson home real good, dont'cha think?"

Doc sighed. "Well, just so she doesn't fall back across the line where she'll suffer permanent damage, it could interfere with her abilities to work."

"That's just hooey talk," Applejack replied, "We have to do is pray to Celestia, beg fer' forgiveness fer' our failures, and ask that Apple Belle be properly healed and put back to work. Ah also think any of this permanent damage nonsense is rightful punishment, and she'll work around it, jus' like the rest of us."

Applemend showed up with some wet cloths for Sweetie Belle. She thought the poor filly ran up a fever earlier today. She placed one of the wet cloths on Sweetie Belle's forehead.

"Applebloom," AJ barked, "When Doc, Heal and yer aunt Tarty are done, Ah want you readin' the whole chapter o' that book, ya hear?"

"Yes," Applebloom said fearfully. She was terrified of Applejack now. She got beat herself but not nearly this bad. She was afraid about Sweetie dying.

"Anyhoot," Applejack added, "Ah gots to get out there. New arrivals and such."

"You're freaking useless!" Rainbow Dash shouted in Scootaloo's face. "When the hell are you even going to start doing it right for once?!"

For the last several minutes, Rainbow Dash, the new head coach of the flying program for local young pegasi, had been shouting at and berating poor Scootaloo after she failed to fly off a ledge and landed in a thorny bush. Now the poor filly was covered in scratch marks after Rainbow Dash pulled her out. Now she was chewing her head off and breathing down her neck over it.

They had been flying all day (School day off), and ended their class back at the obstacle course on the east side of Dawn Hill.

"Look at you, you're pathetic! No wonder everypony here calls you a damn chicken. You have been in this flying class for over a year- no, make that two years. Two bucking years. And what do you have to show for it? Absolutely nothing! I expected way better from you, Scoots. Way better."

Rainbow Dash paced back and fourth and around in circles around Scootaloo as she ranted.

"Look at those wings, they're pathetic! How the hell can you expect to fly, when you never even bothered to do your exercises, so that your wings would grow? All you do is flap your little wings like a little parasprite, hell, you cant even keep yourself three measly hooves off the ground. Most of everypony else can over a few trots in the air already! Look at Cotton Cloudy over here."

Rainbow Dash reached out with her left wing, and pushed the filly, Cotton Cloudy forward. The scared filly's hooves scraped the dirt as Rainbow Dash pulled her out infront of the class.

"Wings out!"

Cotton Cloudy sat up straight, sucked in a breath, and extended her wings. It was much harder to do on the ground sitting in one spot, than in the air.

"Cotton Cloudy has been training for less than a year, now look at her. She can hover in the air. You! Gimme two trots, 30 seconds!"

Cotton Cloudy jumped, and started flapping her wings like crazy. She rose into the air and while flapping and struggling to keep herself two trots (15 feet) in the air, she looked anything but graceful. She was panting and grunting in frustration. But she was hovering with stability, although she looked like a flapping headless chicken.

"Down!" Rainbow ordered, "Hover, and land properly!"

Cotton Cloudy lowered herself and gently touched down again on all hooves. The exercise left her sweating, and gasping for air. She just needed more muscle in her now aching wings.

"Good work, Cloudy, now fall back."

Cotton Cloudy quickly skipped back to where the rest of the pegasi foals stood.

"Wait, How old are you?" Rainbow asked her.

"I'm eight years old, my birthday is on the 14th day of Summer."

"That's not far off. About two and a half moons from now." Then Rainbow Dash turned back to Scootaloo. "You hear that, Scoots? She is almost two years younger than you. TWO YEARS! And look at her wings- Cloudy! Open them up!"

Cotton Cloudy did so, and her face grimaced as doing did so make her aching wings hurt alot. Her wings weren't fully grown yet, but they were big enough with enough feathers to keep her aloft as long as she could flap them.

"All of you! Open your wings. Show this failure of a pegasus (she pointed at Scootaloo), what wings are supposed to look like. And Scoots, your whiny sob story about your wings being deformed or not developed is pure duckshit!"

Rainbow Dash was almost screaming now.

"B-but Rainb-"

"Shut the hell up!" Rainbow Dash reached back and swiftly bitch slapped Scootaloo with her right wing, so hard she knocked her back. Scootaloo fell back and hit the mud.

"I am talking, you keep your shit caked muzzle shut! On your hooves!"

Now poor Scootaloo was covered in dirt and mud.

"Look at you, You're dirtier than a stinking mud pony. Is that all you're gonna be in life, Scoots? Some stupid mud pony with little mud flaps for wings? Huh? Toil in the mud shoveling manure and pig slop? Answer me!"

"N-no sir, Rainbow Dash sir..." Scootaloo tried not to cry.

"Pigshit, Scoots." Rainbow Dash sighed, " I am so ashamed and disappointed in you. Your wings are all shriveled up, and 'deformed' because you never exercised them! And don't you dare try and tell me something different.

"You, infact all of you better be thankful you were born and raised here on the ground. All you little pups who are learning slow and taking your sweet time, be thankful you have all the time you'll take to learn to fly properly. Because if we were in Cloudsdale or any other cloud city, A lot of you, especially the chicken* here, would have been taken away and disposed of. Where I come from, there is absolutely no room for failure. A bunch of you wouldn't even make it to the first flight test under our standards.

"I do know that you'll be great flyers someday, and you'll work the weather around here no problem, but you, Scoots, how the bucking hay do you expect to get up there and work the clouds and the air if you can't fly?"

Scootaloo said nothing and just stared at the dirt. She couldn't take Rainbow Dash's verbal abuse much more. Nothing like the pegasus she looked up to, obsessed, and even worshiped in secret shunning, and berating her like this. Right now she felt completely worthless.

"I...I-tried..."

"There is no try!" Rainbow Dash shouted in her face. "You simply do! Same for every pegasus everywhere! So what if somepony bucks up, they get back up, open their wings, and do again, and again until they get it right! Look at your classmates! They do and they get shit done! And what do you do? Nothing! And those pathetic sprouts on your back you call wings are proof that you did nothing to make them grow and strengthen!

"Look at Cotton Cloudy over there! She can already fly for over fifty trots, she can hover in one spot, and she just figured out how to land properly. Can you do any of those things? NO. You're not even worthy of wings. You're a disgrace to all pegasi. Somepony ought to cut those 'wings' off so that you can live as a filthy mud pony!"

Another pause as Rainbow Dash, worked up with rage, panted and caught her breath.

"...........Sorry-"

"You know what, Scoots? I'm done with you. All you did in this class was waste my time and everypony else's. Cotton Cloudy has only been with us since fall, and look at her now. She's dedicated, she's committed, she's got more wingpower than half the fillies who just joined us last moon, and one day she will be a magnificent flying pegasus. You've got nothing on her. So here's the deal: I am suspending you from flight class for the summer. You can forget all about camping and going to the Breadbasket Young Flyers' Competition. Until you have proven you will give it your all, don't you dare show up here again, or I'll rip those wings right out of you!

"Please don't..." Scootaloo sobbed.

"Shut up. I'd be doing you a favor. If you can't fly, and all you have is useless mudflaps for wings, what is to keep any pegasus from the Cloudlands from swooping down and killing your ass? We hate pegasi that can't fly, and we make sure they don't become a waste of air, water, and food; and cause their own infestation. It's the least I could do so that you could live, even as a mud pony."

The others seemed quite unsettled about Rainbow Dash's harsh words. Being born and raised on the ground in Ponyville, these foals had never been to the clouds. They never knew pegasi from the clouds would be so harsh. Rainbow Dash gleefully enjoyed telling them scary campfire stories about her homeland. One such tale she told them during a camping trip during spring break was about the notorious rainbow factory where useless pegasi were disposed of. That set straight any foal who had little desire for training.

"In the mean time," Rainbow Dash continued, "you will be at Applejack's farm helping her out with all the work that's going on over there. And she will decide and inform me if she deems you to have worked hard enough and properly adjusted your attitude. And Applejack can keep you there as long as she wants until she decides to send you back. Now get the hell out of my sight. Move it!

Rainbow Dash raised her wings in a show of intimidation.

Fighting back tears, Scootaloo slowly started walking. Still covered in dried mud, she sauntered off with her head and tail down.

"That counts for all of you!" Rainbow shouted to the 28 foal-class.
"I see any less from any of you, you will join her at Applejack's farm, got it?"

"Yes, Captain Dash!" they all shouted as they saluted.

"Good. Next class: Saturday morning, be here 88° sharp! Training class is now over. Dismissed!"

The young pegasi foals saluted and began making their way back to town from the field they had landed in ans ended their class.

"Thunderlane!" Rainbow Dash shouted as the blackish pegasus stallion flew by. He landed next to her.

"Yes, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow pointed at Scootaloo in the distance.
"That filly is banned from flight training. Take her out of here, get her out of my sight."

"Where to?" Thunderlane asked.
"Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack's expecting her. Move out!"

Thunderlane jumped into the air, flew over to the road where Scootaloo was walking, swooped down on her, and snatched her up by the wings his teeth. Scootaloo squealed out like an animal caught in the razor sharp talons of a hawk, and Thunderlane flew off.

Good riddance. Rainbow Dash thought. She hated Scootaloo for being so weak. Scootaloo had formed an excessive bond with her, well so did Rainbow Dash in return. Her love for Scootaloo demanded that she be extremely harsh in pushing the filly to succeed, including shaming and punishing her for falling short of her high expectations.

What Rainbow Dash obviously did not mention was the 200 bit kickback she received from Applejack for hoofing Scootaloo over to her.

The conversation she had with Applejack last night at the town tavern took that turn when Applejack responded to her constant complaining about Scoots.

"I swear AJ, that she'll never learn to fly. For all I know, Scoot's wings probably shrank since she started flight school. I was really hoping I could take her under my wing and show her how to be a super amazing flyer like me."

"Ah'm awful sorry to *hic* hear that, RD. Nothin’ more disappointin' than yer own foals, or pupils or whatever lettin' y' down real hard. Ah got the same problems with mah two, Applebloom, and Apple Belle."

"Who is Apple Belle?" Rainbow Dash asked. She had been out of town lots working on weather projects for the Pegasi up above. Totally oblivious to Sweetie Belle's predicament.

"Just some filly Ah took in. Her mother died in a horrible accident, Ah don't got much fer' details, but Ah took her filly in. She ain't workin hard like she' s'posed to, an' she's got this obsession with magic. Ah don't mind magic but we Apples are under Princess Celestia's highest expectations to work the land and our families purely, without the magic. Too many times we been cursed and plagued for usin' magic or hirin' unicorns."

"Earth pony wants to do magic, huh? That's a laugh," Rainbow chuckled as she took a swig of cider from her cup.

"You said it, RD," Applejack agreed.

"W-w-wait a second, what happened to Sweetie Belle? Didn't she go to Canterlot with Rarity?" Rainbow Dash already hit her limit on the booze, and her memory was hazy. She had a high tolerance of the rainbow spirits and lightning vodka they served up in Cloudsdale, but the apple cider, proudly brewed up at Sweet Apple Acres, got her good and tipsy. A few mugs and she was drunk. Applejack beat her in a cider drinking contest that left flying around, crashing into walls and puking everywhere last year. Something RD never wanted to hear about again.

"Naw. Poor thing died in the fire. Rarity, bein' the selfish bitch that she is, just left her in there."

"What a shitty tragedy *hic*"

"Yup. Now, about Scootaloo. Ah propose this. If y're sick of her bein’ a failure and all, how about y' hoof her to me. Ah need all the help Ah can get back home, and Ah'll make that brat work her hooves real hard to the bone. She'll be disciplined and useful fer once. How's about it?

"Sure, why not?" Rainbow agreed, taking another chug of her cider. "How long for?"

"Why the whole summer, of course, why would you want her back if she's no good to you?" Applejack inquired.

"Y-you make a good point, AJ. B-but, how about for like two weeks or something?*hic* Say if she changes her mind and wants to come back to flight class and give flying her all?"

Applejack's ears lowered with a small tinge of disappointment. "Well, in that case, y' can haver back. No sense in makin' her work like an earth pony if she gets that zeal to fly. But Ah need her fer the summer, how's about that? Till the foals and fillies go back to school in late Summer? An' here, Ah'll give you a little kicker to help with yer decision."

Applejack took out a pouch from her sidebags on the floor and placed it on the table.

"That there's 200 bits fer the summer. An' Ah'll send her back at the end when she smartens up. On the other hoof, she'll have plenty o' playtime with Applebloom."

Rainbow Dash really wanted Scootaloo back sooner, but she had debts to pay up in Cloudsdale. Gambling debts she racked up when defeated by rival aces.

"Fine, she's yours," Rainbow Dash said, "But if she smartens up sooner, could we split the days with her, like I get her two or three days and you keep her the rest of the week. I really want to train Scoots and make her an ace flyer."

"Ah completely understand, RD, and if she smartens up, we'll start with one day a week an' see if she keeps it up. Ah know when a filly is lyin' just to get off mah farm. So, do we got a deal, RD?"

"Deal."
The two mares hoof bumped. A few seats away some ponies began arguing.

"Lyra, you have to face it, humans just aren't real. They never were. They are just some mythical creature made up for somepony's entertainment, I mean, come on, a hairless half-trot monkey walking on its hind hooves?"

"But-"
"Go home, Lyra, you're drunk!" some colt hollered.

"Ugh' I'd like to stomp that dumbass unicorn," Rainbow Dash said in annoyance.

"Y' n' me both, sister," Applejack said as she finished her cider and got up. "Ah'd like to rip that horn off her head, that'll snuff them human fetish fantasies outta her. Ah don't even know what the hay a human is."

On that note, Applejack walked out of the tavern, leaving Rainbow Dash with her quarter-pint of cider left, 200 bits on table, and no intention of ever letting Scootaloo return to flight class, or her. Not that RD knew. She trusted Applejack, and was too drunk to really think it over. Next day (today), when she banished Scootaloo and had Thunderlane take her away, she really didn't give a hoot.

Applejack was busy showing the group of Applehill and Blood Apple ponies around Sweet Apple Acres.
“That there’s the barn where we keep n’milk’ n’ shear the cows and sheep. An’ if y’all look over y’onder, y’can see all them apple trees. Problem is, a lot of them are diseased and startin’ to rot, so we gotta pull ‘em all out...”

After she finished the tour and helped the new arrival set up camp, Applejack joyfully made her way back to the house when she saw a black pegasus flying in.

“Who the hay...”

The hulking pegasus, almost all black, with white and pale blue hair, had an orange filly by the wings in his teeth. He flew over Applejack, and dropped the his cargo.

Scootaloo screamed as she fell four trots (32 feet) and hit the roof of the well house, tumbled and slid down the metal roof and landed hard on a stack of buckets and wash basins, spilling random objects and previously paled water everywhere. She groaned and squirmed in agony until she balled up in fetal position and whimpered.

“Thunderlane! You come down here an’ explain yerself at once!” Applejack shouted.

Thunderlane paused and hovered in the air. “Yeah? What?” he asked, completely uninterested in talking to earth ponies.

“What the hay you droppin a foal down from that high up? Them fillies ain’t like plushies made of cotton an’ stuffed with hay. They’s a bit fragile! Show some care, whyn’cha!”

“Meh.” And Thunderlane flew off.

Scootaloo struggled to her hooves. Her wings hurt like hell from being hung by them, and the tooth marks bled a little. Her back really hurt from landing on the roof, and her head ached. She was stunned and felt a little dizzy. She staggered away from the wellhouse.

“An’ you,” Applejack addressed her. The filly sat on her bottom. “What’s this Ah’m hearin’ about you not doin’ good in yer’ flyin’ school?”

“I.....I tried, I-”

“Don’t gimme that rubbish, young missy! Rainbow Dash was tellin’ me all last night long about how you ain’t been doin worth a damn in her classes.”

Scootaloo didn’t even respond. She still felt really hurt, not only from being dropped from the sky onto a roof, but of all the things Rainbow Dash said to her, and from RD wing-smacking her in the face and knocking her into mud.

“Well, guess what,” Applejack said sternly, “RD and I talked, and we decided that while yer suspended from yer flyin’ class, yer’ gonna be workin hard right here. Every afternoon you’d have flyin’ class, and every during the summer. Everyday, all day. An’ Ah’ll be talkin’ to yer’ parents about keepin you here till you got some discipline and smarten up that sour attitude o’ yers. You will also be respectful to everypony you meet an’ work with. Ah also expect you to address me as ‘Auntie Applejack,’ just like Apple Belle and the rest of them new foals movin’ in do. An don’t worry, y’finally get to spend some quality time with yer’ two best friends, workin’ n’ all. Applebloom was talkin jus’ the other day about how she misses you. Now, first thing’s first, are ya hurt from that fall?”

Scootaloo seemed to be able to move just fine, even though her wins and her back hurt, and so did the headache. Before she could reply-

“No? Good. Then y’ can get started. Ah want a big pit dug out over that way fer a pool, down by the river. Ah want ten hooves o’ dirt outta there by sundown. See that roped off area? That’s where its gonna be. So you go on to that shed up the hill, put on some hoof shoes, git a shovel, and start digging. Ah want all the dugout dirt carted over to the fields over by the river hills. Them Applehill folks will need it for their new dogen* houses. An’ don’t worry about them parents o’ yours fussin over ya, I sent them a letter tellin’ them what yer’ up to. Applebloom, and a bunch of other ponies will join you shortly Now hop to it!”

Applejack marched off and Scootaloo just stood there for a few minutes. Her head thumped with pain. She was in no mood to dig dirt, and thought about sneaking off and going home-

“Scootaloo! Y’need a written invitation or what? Get to work!” Applejack shouted. The filly sauntered up to the shed to get the hoof shoes, the shovel, and the cart. She quickly figured out she wouldn’t be getting out of here very easily. There were a lot of Apple ponies walking around, and many kept an eye on her. No doubt she’d get stomped if she tried to leave. Scootaloo didn’t forget about the last few times she was put to hard labor here.
+

Applejack, pleased that Rainbow Dash came around by sending Scootaloo to her, trotted around, and checking on everypony. Those who weren’t setting up camp and establishing sites to build their new homes were working on assigned projects, mostly pulling the diseased trees out and disposing the rotten apples.

Over the southern hills and fields, Applejack could make out the starkly different treeline of the Everfree Forest, which was the southern border of Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville, and the county.

She hummed joyfully to herself as she trotted southward, inspecting the work. Soon she came right up to the Everfree border, which was concealed by a very tall thick hedgebush, which concealed the giant metal mesh fence, live with magic and electricity. Flags flew from the granite posts. Flags mainly of Applejack’s cutie mark. She had them put up along the perimeter of Sweet Apple Acres over the last few months.

The wall erected to barricade off Everfree was built hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. By law, nopony was permitted to enter Everfree. It was an alien and extremely dangerous place. The ten trot (80 foot) fence, shrouded by bush, stretched all along the border, to keep anything from crossing it. Where the fence crossed rivers, such as the Bucephalus Brook that streamed out of Everfee, along the border, all the way up to the huge lake to the north, huge magical-electric filters made up the portion that ran underwater, essentially, filtering it, making the water safe for pony use.

The Sweet Apples ignored a 20 trot stretch of land bordering the hedge, and allowed it to grow over. Applejack had the fence along her property assessed for a whopping 7000 bits, and deemed all land up to the hedge was safe to occupy and use, so she planned to have more ponies clearing the forests to make room for houses and orchards. She wasn’t concerned with contamination of any sort from Everfree, as the limestone base of the fence was built underground, all the way to the bedrock. Until she had the fence assessed, and repaired, there were broken sections sneaky ponies used to sneak into Everfree and back. A year ago, somepony caught Pinkie Pie returning from her trip into the forbidden unknown, loaded with magic mushrooms.

Near where the border met the Bucephalus Brook, were some hills overlooking the water. The land was bought out by the Applehills, and they went to work constructing their new homes. A breakwater fence extended out from where the border between Sweet Apple Acres and Ponyville began, almost up to the fence itself. More of her flags were posted to alert any would-be adventurous pony who would dare cross the river onto her turf.

The perimeter of Sweet Apple Acres was also marked by thick bushy overgrowth along the Ponyville border, and where Ponyville’s border diverted north, the bushy overgrowth continued for a few thousand trots (18’000 feet or over 3 miles), then the rest of the line was marked by wooden fences and stone ledges. Just behind the perimeter, tall trees grew to better mark the border.

Satisfied, Applejack trotted back to the farm house. On the way back, she saw Scootaloo shoveling away. “Good work, Scoots. Y’ keep that up, Celestia bless ya.”

When she got back to where the house and barns were, it turned out somepony was looking for her.

“Applejack,” Applegem called, with fright...or revulsion. “There’s a unicorn here and she wants to talk to you.”
“Who is it?” AJ replied.
“It said its’ name was...Twilight Sparkle, something like that. Please, get of her, I don’t trust her one bit.”

“Calm yerself, Gemmie, Ah’ll deal with her. Now whyn’cha go fer a trot around the farm, and go meet some of yer new neighbors,”

Applegem nodded, and left.

When she asked for Applejack, Twilight Sparkle was escorted up the gravel road to the farm house by a bunch of the new Apple ponies. They hardly said a word to her other than to follow, then wait.

“Ey, Twi, what brings you out here?” Applejack greeted her like she always did.
“Good afternoon, AJ,” Twilight said with a smile, trying to hide her nerves, “How are things? I see you’ve got a lot going on,”

“Ah sure do. Ah got a lot of family members comin’ in from all over Equestria to help me replace the rotten apple trees and expand Sweet Apple Acres.”

“I see that,” Twilight said nervously. “What’s the sudden push for?”

“Ah don’t want this farm havin’ any sort of agricultural meltdown that could wipe me out fer good, and that’s what them damn tree bugs did by diseasin' and rottin' out over two hunnard trees. Can y’ believe it?”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Twilight said cautiously.

“Ah don’t worry nuttin’ about it, Twi,” Applejack replied joyfully, “Them rotten apples is outta here, and so are the trees. We’ve been burnin’ it all in a separate field. Hell of a bonfire. And we’re doin it to celebrate the new arrivals, the expansion of the farm, and all of Princess Celestia’s wonderful blessings.”

“R-right,”

“Alright, Twi, what you need? Ah know you wanna ask me somethin.’ What is it?”

“Well...I was speaking to the town guard chief on an entirely separate matter when he asked me to come up and pay you a visit.”

“What for? We ain’t breakin’ no law. An Chief Tibbs’ ain’t got no right to go orderin’ ponies to go snoopin around this here farm. You go and tell him that we’re all fine and dandy.”

“Right,” Twilight replied, feeling like an idiot. Her instincts screamed danger and she wanted to leave, but she couldn’t just do so without asking about Sweetie Belle.

“Applejack.”

“Yes, hon’?”

“Sweetie Belle came to me for help a week or so ago. I didn’t believe her complaints, and she refused to leave until I took a memory crystal recording. What I found...that’s what I want-

Applejack silenced her with a wave of a hoof. “Y’ come with me right now. Ah don’t want anypony else hearin what y’plan on tellin me next!”
Applejack led Twilight back to the house, where almost none of the new ponies were milling around. Now she was pissed.

“So,” Applejack began with a harsh voice, “That little brat thinks she can go cryin’ to other ponies about her problems in mah family?!” Applejack snarled. “Just what the rotten hay is this all about Twilight?”

Twilight sighed, and frustrated with being scared of Applejack, of all ponies and monsters she had to face off against, she laid down her case:

“Why are you trying to keep Sweetie Belle-”

“It’s Apple Belle, get it right if yer gonna talk about her or anypony in mah family!” Applejack snapped back, startling Twilight. “Have some respect fer once!”

“Yeah, that to,” Twilight continued nervously. She totally didn’t expect to involuntarily make like Fluttershy right now. “You forbid her from using magic, you changed her name, you work her to the bone, you blocked all of Rarity’s letters and packages for her, and of all things, she was taken to Nimbuscait where she was nearly dehorned. I ran those memory crystal checks to make sure she was lying, and if she was, I wouldn’t be here, telling you about it, AJ. I- I just want to find out-”

“What? Find out what already? Yer’ in way over yer head snoopin around mah farm, tryin’ to talk down to me about mah business; family business that don’t concern you in the least. As far as Ah know, them fancy schmancy memory crystals yer’ talkin about is nothing more than another lump of yer unicorn witchcraft and hooey! So what the hell do you want to know that you don’t already?”

Sweetie Belle slipped in and out of consciousness. When she was awake, she felt nothing but pain. The blankets piled over her threaten to crush her body, which felt like it was about to implode on itself. Her head thumped and pulsed with brain-smashing pain. Her horn and the part of her head around it felt like it was on fire. Her eyes were still swollen shut, blinding her, her throat was lumped up and sore, making breathing a chore. It hurt to move, and when she coughed, her whole body siezed up and burned when she did.

Her ears tuned in and out Applebloom’s constant blabbering of words she couldn’t make out. When she did try to open her eyes just a bit, the light that came in blinded her. She felt like crying, but was too busted up to do so, so tears simple streamed out of the blood clotted ducts around her eyes and down her cheeks. She felt dizzy and the world around her spun.

Then when she passed out, she was haunted by an endless stream of dreams and nightmares. Dreams of the Carousel Boutique burning down, and her running toward the burning building screaming Rarity’s name, begging her to come out. Another dream, she was back in the kitchen of the Boutique with Rarity before the fire. Rarity was cooking up an elegant breakfast for the two of them, and she was desperately trying to tell her that a fire would break out and kill her.

”Please Rarity, can we go a few days sooner? This place is gonna burn down, and we’re gonna die!”

“Oh pish-posh, Sweetie Belle, what makes you think there’s going to be a fire. Look, I shut off the stove and the oven if that’s what you’re so worried about, and there’s nothing in the fireplace.”
“But...but...”

“Come now, Sweetie Belle, eat your breakfast. We’ll be off to Canterlot in no time dear,”

Another dream she was somehow at Rarity’s new shop in Canterlot. She was working at the sewing machines like crazy, making elegant clothing by the piles, and tossing out the products for the eager customers who were showering her with money. That magazine from the general store littered the floor.
”Rarity, I have to tell you something!”

“Can’t it wait, Sweetie Belle? Can’t you see how busy I am, darling?”
“I don’t want to live at Applejack’s anymore! She hates me, she tried to dehorn me and she wants to kill me, you gotta help! Please!”
Rarity continued working away and singing to herself as she somehow made an entire new dress and tossed it at some squealing high society mare.
”Look at my new fans, they adore me! I can’t stop working, darling, they’ll leave me and I’ll lose my new business. Just make do at Applejack’s. You belong to her now, not me. Come back when you’re a full grown mare.”
Then somehow a super pissed off Applejack bashed her way in through a back wall, and growled at Sweetie Belle, then she lunged at her...

That scene quickly faded out, and memories of her and Rarity arguing and fighting played out over and over again. And so did the memories in Sea Spray’s magic class, and the beat down she got from those unicorns in the alley afterschool.

She was lying on the soaked ground, and it tried to swallow her whole, her screaming and trying to get out, then the world went dark. Sweetie Belle drifted from scene to scene, then a world she could only call hell began to materialize around her, a hell etched into her mind from a book she was forced to read while in Nimbuscait. Father Grimes’ voice rang out with hell-trumping speeches and religious verses. Sweetie screamed out Celestia’s name non-stop, and she tried to run, fleeing through her mind’s incarnation of Numbuscait and the hell around it.
”Celestia! Celestia! I’m sorry! I don’t wanna burn in hell! Please save me!”

She rounded a corner and came face to face with Father Grimes, his already crimson robe slick wet with blood. She tried to run then was yanked and locked into the restraint device from the stage where she was almost dehorned. She watched Twinkle Leaf burn all over again, his screams looping and looping over and over again, making the hairs on her back stand on end. Then she was set free, and Granny Smith was there.
”This dehorning is hereby cancelled!
But the mob of angry townsponies all swarmed them, and she watched them rip Granny Smith apart. Out of nowhere, termites appeared and began eating her alive. Then something hit her, and the dream cut out, returning her to the black void of her subconscious.

She found herself standing at the door of the sheep barn where Applejack nearly killed her. Applejack’s screams, rants, and everything else Sweetie Belle quoted her saying began playing over and over in loops, getting louder and louder. She tried keeping the spellbook tucked safely away in her side bag, but some invisible hoof kept trying to take it out.
”Apple Belle! What in tarnation-” and she’d get beat

Sweetie Belle next found herself sitting in Twilight Sparkle’s treehouse, amidst a vast mess of books.
”Just sit there, and don’t touch a thing!”
Sweetie Belle caught herself in this dream and called out. ”Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, I’m really really really sorry for what I said to Rarity and the mean things I said about her. I don’t want to live with Applejack no more!”

”Ah told you fer’ the last time, Rarity is DEAD!”

Then she heard shouting. Shouting between two mares, and she quickly made the jump from floating in a soup of nightmares to being crushed under her own weight and the weight of the blankets. Applebloom was gone, and she heard the gentle late spring breeze. The shouting between two mares continued outside. At first she didn’t know who they were, then her ears tuned in and began to hear Applejack. Applejack was raging mad, and just letting the other pony have it.

The other mare began shouting back, and it took a few minutes for Sweetie Belle’s ears and mind to figure out the voice print. With a rush of excitement in her system, she confirmed to herself that it was Twilight Sparkle. More than about time she gave a damn and came over here. She desperately hoped Twilight Sparkle would come into the house, into this bedroom, take her and get her out of here.

She would have gotten up, trotted to the window, and waved and holler at Twilight for help, but she was too busted, sore and stiff to even move. Help was literally a rock’s throw away. All she could do was tune into their shouting match...

“Ah told you for the last time, this is Apple family business and therefore does not concern YOU!” Applejack shouted at the top of her lungs. “Apple Belle is mine, and what Ah do to her to set her straight is none of your concern! How dare you arrogant unicorns trot onto mah property and start talkin’ down at me like Ah’m some dumb mud pony! Ah am so sick of all yer shit, Twi! Apple Belle is none of yer concern, now get lost!”

“Yes, she is my concern,” Twilight Sparkle shouted back. She was too enraged to be scared, at least for now, “She’s the concern of all unicorns! What you did to her is despicable, Applejack, and you know it. Stop trying to cover yourself up with your irrational religious fodder. You just want to justify killing her, so you can feel powerful, is that it? Huh?”

“She ain’t gonna be no unicorn no more! How dare you count Apple Belle as one of yer kind!” Applejack shouted, “She’s gonna be a hard working earth pony, horn or no horn! Ah ain’t gonna let her burn in hell just to cater to yer demands.”

Twilight began to feel upset with all of Applejack’s deep cutting insults. She was not the Applejack she used to know. “Applejack, what in Equestria has happened to you? Why are we fighting like this? We’re supposed to be friends-”

“Friends? Friends? Don’tcha dare talk to me about yer hokey friendship. Ah ain’t no friend of yers. We’re only teamed up under Celestia’s command. Ah do my best fer the Mane Six and Princess Celestia, but don’t you dare count me as yer friend when we’re not on duty! Ah’m minding mah own business, so you buck off and mind her own, got it?”

As Applejack continued her verbal assault, she began stepping forward, causing Twilight to instinctively step back, like an intimidated cat. She suddenly backed onto a mud slick, and slipped and fell back, and landed in manure.

“Oh, sorry about that,” some big Appleyard lug grunted, as he pulled away the cart from which the manure spilled.

“Look at you,” Applejack shouted as she stood over her, “All covered in shit. You ain’t shit without yer’ magic and you know it, unicorn witch! If we weren’t the Mane Six, Ah’d tie you to a post, and have you burned right here for steppin’ in on mah farm uninvited, tryin’ to tell me how to deal with mah fillies.”

Twilight jumped up, began to use her magic to clean herself off-

Applejack reached out, and violently struck her across the face with a forceful hoof, nearly knocking the lavender unicorn student on her flank again. The steel of the hoof shoe she was wearing hurt and left Twilight’s cheek throbbing after Applejack bashed her with it.

“Don’t you dare even think about using yer’ magic here, you cursed witch! Ah ain’t havin Celestia hexin us, not even fer you! Try that shit again, Ah dare you! Next time you’ll get it right on the horn!”

Twilight broke down in tears. “Why, Applejack? Why are you doing this? Why all this hateful rage?” It hurt so much that supposed ‘best’ friend and Mane Six partner just physically assaulted her. She felt a bruise forming on her cheek.

“Ah’m done talkin’ to ya. Next time you show up here uninvited like, an Ah’ll burn yer’ flank! We’ll throw you over the fence right into Everfree! Apple Belle is mine, end of discussion. You and that gold digging bitch Rarity got nuttin’ to do with her, ya hear me? Our little ‘chat’ is now over, so quit yer snivelin, and get the hell off mah farm!”

“Y-you have no idea, the kind of heat you’ll bring down on yourself if you keep abusing Sweetie Belle,” Twilight snapped back. “I’ll be forced to report it, not to the town guard, but a higher authority, the Unicorn Justice Bureau. You really don’t want those unicorns on your flank, AJ. Think about Celestia. We’ve met her. You’ve met her before. You know what she’s like. She does not punish ponies for-”

“Shut up, shut up, just shut yer mouth, you heathen. Ah know what Celestia’s like, okay. She expects me to work alongside unicorns like you, then rains death and destruction on mah family as punishment fer doin’ so. Ah’d...Ah would rather die than see mah family, mah farm, mah Applebloom suffer a million plights just because Ah gotta work with you even in Mane Six matters. We gotta sell our apples to unicorns, we gotta buy things from the, Ah have no ahdea why, but Ah know deep down that Celestia has ordained that Apple ponies are forbidden to consort with unicorns, and over the generations we have paid for it dearly. Ah lost Granny Smith this past winter for rescuin’ a unicorn from its selfish stuck up mother, and tryin ‘ta bring deliver her to salvation and she’s been hexin us! Ah won’t give up on Apple Belle, ah WILL make sure she becomes the hard workin’ earth pony Celestia ordered her to be. As for you, Ah- Ah don’t care what happens to me. Let Celestia take me fer what Ah did. Ah’d rather take all the blame, an’ all the punishment to spare mah family so that they can get on the right path!”

Applejack was panting. She hardly took a breath through all that. Twilight wiped some of the mud and manure off her face, chest, and hooves. “Really, Applejack? Would Celestia really put you in a position where you have to work with me and Rarity, then punish your entire family, even for selling unicorns apples?” She was shocked and upset at such an idea. “I just can’t believe that. You’ve lost it Applejack. You’ve lost your touch with reality. If Celestia’s looking to punish you, its for all the things you’re doing now. For hurting Sweetie Belle, hurting me, trying to control everypony around you with an iron hoof. She is way more forgiving and merciful than that, I can assure you-”

“Ah ain’t buyin’ yer lies, Twi, and so what if she does? Ah’ll take any punishment if it means mah family gets salvation. Ah’ll gladly go to hell mahself fer doin’ yer Mane Six dirty work if it means blessings for everypony on this here farm.

“We earth ponies are always bein' sorely tested by Celestia. Always. Ah know damn well she expects us to keep on the straight and narrow path, and not fall into magical sin and all the disrepair that comes along with it. Celestia falsely invites us to consort with her magic, then She burns a million earth ponies for doing so! It’s like a brutal training program, and it ain’t over yet! Y’have any idea how much that pisses me off, Twi? Huh? Do you?

“All them Apple ponies all over Equestria suffer punishment time and time again. Light knows what kind of terrible tragedies we Apples incurred after Ah had to help you break out Discord, help with an alicorn wedding, and what not. Can y’all believe that? It’s torture, and Ah don’t know why She does it. What Ah do know is that Celestia, or Nightmare Moon or King Sombra’s got you unicorns out to destroy the Apple ponies and our ways. You unicorns have always been out to get us, ever since the get-go.

“Them Pegasi had the right way to deal with yer kind. Them Pegasi up in the clouds don’t consort with us ponies on the ground, and look how well they’ve done for themselves. Even their land-born fellow pegasi have done very well for themselves what with all the blessing Celestia gives them an’ all.”

Twilight just looked at her long lost friend with tears in her eyes. She wondered if Applejack was cursed by Discord, whom was last seen leaving Ponyville as a friend, thanks to Fluttershy. She hurt, not over being hoof-smacked in the head, but for how Applejack’s trauma and mental illness has affected her. The real Applejack was a much healthier, and more honest pony, and so full of love and caring. This Applejack had become corrupted with hatred and power. She wanted to cast a spell, hack into Applejack, and fix all of her problems. But now she was surrounded by a mob of Apple ponies who gathered, lured here by their interest in the shouting.

The lot of them looked at Twilight with menacing, hostile glares. She gulped. Chief Tibbs was not joking around about them. She even contemplated the possibility of the imminent danger she was probably now in-

Applejack recovered from her desperate rant and was back to her typical hateful self. She glared at Twilight mean and hard. She approached, like an aggressive cat trying to drive out another from its turf. Her back was arched up, like she was about to lunge at her again. Then the other ponies, many of them big hulking stallions from the Applerock clan, began stepping forward. Twilight ran the next few seconds’ scenario in her brain: She had to start moving, for if they got too close, they might attack. She sure as hell couldn’t take on a mob of angry earth ponies.

“Ah think you better leave, Twi,” Applejack said in a calm, but deadly voice as she stared her down. “Before somepony gets hurt real bad.”

Big Mac finally showed up, and pushed his way past the mares and smaller stallions. He walked right up to Twilight, nearly startling her, as if he was about to jump up and thump her into the ground.

“She’s right Twi. Y’better leave now, yer just agitatin’ everypony by bein’ here. Ah’ll escort you to the gate. Stick by me.”

“What are you doin, Big Mac?” Applegem chided from where the others stood.
“Yeah buck off ya big red varmint.” Applejack snapped.

“Outta the way, AJ. This unicorn is leavin, as per yer orders,” Big Mac barked as he fearlessly stepped towards his sister, forcing her to step back. Their connection as brother and sister, Big Mac’s compassion, and Applejack’s fear of getting stomped by him caused her to back away. Some of the other earth ponies backed off, allowing for an escape route.

Applebloom watched the whole ordeal from hers’ and Sweetie Belle’s bedroom window. Scootaloo from the edge of the woods. Both fillies were terrified.

“Stay close, don’t fall back,” Big Mac said to Twilight, “And keep yer magic to yerself.”

Big Mac began trotting, his sheer size and determination scaring others away. Twilight picked up the trot behind. Without warning, the other Apple ponies began to give chase.

“Get her!” Applejack snapped, “Get her outta here!” But all they heard was ‘Get her.’

“Big Mac, they’re following us,”

Big Mac responded by speeding up to a half gallop, Twilight tucked in close behind on his right side, away from the horde.

One stallion got to close, some crazed magic hating nutjob from the Applestone clan. Big Mac stopped, and heaved his hind legs in the air, connecting his rock-solid hooves to the pony’s face, then leaped into a gallop again as the other went down in agony.

A few minutes later, the half-assed chase ended at the gate.
“Go!” Big Mac barked at Twilight as she galloped through the gate and off of Sweet Apple Acres down the dirt road. Big Mac trotted outside the gate, and the others stopped. They had no real inclination to harm Twilight and cause a serious problem, provided she was off their property. If they had caught her, and blindly followed a hasty, irrational order from Applejack, things could have gotten real hairy for the unicorn.

There was a loud snap and crackle that echoed, and Twilight Sparkle was gone. She had teleported to safety. Applejack, glad to be rid of of her, paid no attention to what she said about there being more pissed off unicorns coming her way. Perhaps it was just an empty threat. After all what the hay could one unicorn do?

Author's Notes:

1 hoof = 6"; 15.24cm
1 trot = 8 hooves. 7.5 feet (7'6"); 2.28m (an average human is roughly 1.6m or betwen 5 and 6 feet tall)
88° = 5:52 AM
Chicken = Scootaloo
Breadbasket Region: Unofficial name for the four counties (Arod, Abille, Corlett, and Ponyville Co.) in central Equestria, best known for its fertile soil, rich crops, and the four counties' shared policy of peaceful coexistence, trade, and friendship between members of the 3 races of ponykind: earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns.

Mud pony = A derogatory term for an earth pony. A racial slur. Used to insult earth ponies.

"Haver" = Applejack's slurred speech for "Have her"
"Yer" = Applejack's hick speech for "your"
"Y' " = Applejack's hick speech for "you"
"hunnard" = Applejack's hick speech for "hundred"

Town Guard= A local police / law enforcement / militia responsible for maintaining law and order in a local jurisdiction or town.

Town guards are also responsible for investigating crimes and prosecuting, and punishing offenders.

The TG is itself a self-operating branch of the town council and has its own base of operations and protocol.

Mane Six = A team of 6 ponies (2 of each race) appointed by Princess Celestia to resolve national security concerns. Each member of the M6 is assigned one of the six Elements of Harmony. By default, the Element of Magic is the leader of the group.

Rainbow Factory (sole creation of fimfic writer AuroraDawn): A mysterious heavily secured facility in Cloudsdale, known for manufacturing rainbows, and allegedly the slaughterplant where forsaken young pegasi are rumored to be disposed of. The process of rainbow manufacturing is top secret, and the Pegasi continue to deny the allegations.