Chapter #4A mare in a cowboy hat by: Unknown It's a mare with a bright orange hide and VERY strong looking muscles. Running or trying to resist would be useless against her physique. Freckles dot the area below her green eyes which stare at you expectantly. Her straw yellow mane has been tied back and a dusty cowboy hat shades her entire face, adding a hint of malice to her annoyed expression.
"Ah said: What do you think you're doing, missy?"
You step back and apologize profusely. "I didn't mean to steal the apple. I just wasn't thinking! Please, please forgive me."
The mare crosses her forelegs impatiently and taps her hoof. "The apple, sugar?. Sweet Apple Acres don't pay for itself."
You feel yourself blush, and you face down to keep her from seeing. "Okay, I just... Let me get my bits. I'm sorry, I'm from out of town." You turn to your saddlebags. "My name is Orange Cream by the way."
"And I'm Applejack. Shame we started out on this hoof." Applejack becomes quiet as you dig through your bags, searching for your bag of bits. You put it right next to the large 'package' you keep secret from everypony. A smile crosses your face as you think about your good times you've had with other ponies using it. Wait a minute, the wallet's gone! It's just missing! You feel fear rise in your throat and you hurriedly shuffle through the rest of your possessions for any hint of your wallet. A thought strikes you; you must've left it by Carrot Top's stand!
You slowly withdraw your head and give Applejack your best innocent smile even as your heart keeps racing. Applejack is staring at you, flicking her eyes between your cutie mark and your face. A hoof was raised, almost as if in response to something you said. Her expression is moving somewhere between confused and concentrating, jaw opening and shutting. Just as you're about to break the awkward silence, she blurts out, "You related to an Orange Sherbet by any chance? A real fancy filly? Mane rightly like an orange?"
You might never have heard of her, but Applejack has. If this 'Sherbet' mare is on her bad side and you claim to be related... But this is too good a chance to give up. Ingratiating yourself with Applejack has too many perks. She's a business filly, a native, and seems to be quite the fighter. And her body looks... fun to work with.
You try and sound calm as you say, "Oh, yes! That's my, um, aunt."
A grin spreads itself across Applejack's face and her face brightens up. "Well, by Celestia's throne, same for me! You don't worry about paying now! We Apple folks take care of each other, no matter how thin the blood." A wave of relief washes over you, but you're still a bit worried. If she presses for information, you'd be at a loss, and she'd see through you in an instant! You can't blow this now!
You turn away and say, "Well, this has been nice and all, but I really need to get going. No accommodations and all." It's true; you've been forced from town to town, and haven't had a chance to find a cover for this one yet. It's one of the reasons you never take one name. Applejack seems to be perfect for this.
Applejack give you a sideways stare. "You don't have a place to stay? I thought Auntie and Uncle woulda sent you to be at Sweet Apple Acres. We'd be more'n happy to have you."
This just gets better and better. Even so, you instinctively flinch and rush to think of a comeback. "Well, uh, they don't know I'm here. And let me tell you that that is a GOOD thing." You throw in a few conspiratorial winks. "And I'd be happy to stay with you, Applejack." A trusting contact, an unsuspecting population, AND a base of operations? You've hit the jackpot with Ponyville.
Applejack kicks at the cobblestone and looks you over with a concerned expression. "Well now that's a sad, twisty sort of fate. We'll cover for ya. Sweet Apple Acres is in the hills off that-a-way." She gestures to your right. "You can go up and meet Big Mac and lil' Applebloom now, but I'd really like to hear about how Auntie Orange is doin' in Manehattan."
This is almost too perfect. What should you do now?   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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