Dust on the Bottle

The train ride dragged on forever; Twilight paced across the carpeted floor, only sparing a slight glance outside at the passing countryside on occasion.

“I must say, darling,” Rarity began, looking over the paper she was currently engrossed in. “You'll ruin the carpet if you keep walking like that.”

“How are you keeping calm?” Twilight asked, gesturing with her hooves. “For all we know, Applejack could be really hurt!”

Rarity rolled her eyes and returned back to the paper. “If you don't know by now, she's like a cockroach—the good qualities, I mean. Out of all of us, do you really think she's going to have trouble 'roughing it out,' if you will?”

“Yeah,” Dash agreed, shaking her back leg up and down as she sat on a chair. “You ever been on a camping trip with her? Didn't even bring a blanket.”

“Hardcore,” Pinkie nodded solemnly from behind Dash's seat, leaning over the back.

“Totally.”

“That doesn't change the fact that she's out there, somewhere, and we don't know where,” Twilight replied.

Discord rolled his eyes, leaning against the rear of the train. “Oh relax. We've already said that she's alive and no worse for wear—how hard can it be turning this into a hunt?”

“It's not a matter of how hard it is, rather, it's a matter of how long it will take.” Twilight shook her head. “Even with assistance, I have no rough estimate on how long it will take to figure out where Applejack currently is, let alone extract her...”

“We at least should talk to Princess Celestia about it first, before we give up,” Fluttershy said in a half-mumble, pawing with her hoof at the floor.

“I won't give up,” Twilight adamantly said.

“That's the spirit!” Discord exclaimed, clapping. He glanced at the others. “That's how you do the whole 'encourage assertive thinking bit,' right?”

000

AJ had just finished clearing out the weeds in the greenhouse when she heard the loud chime of a triangle go off from near the house. A voice called out from across the fields: “Soup's on, everyone!”

Cherry. Or, rather, Sherri.

Applejack felt a stinging pain in her gut at the words—that should be her granny saying that, calling her and Macintosh in from the fields, not...

“'Everyone' sounds stupid too,” she grumbled, kicking the cold, snow-coated ground and heading towards the house. She entered through the front doors, rubbing at her digits to shake off the cold.

These front hooves really need more insulation or somethin'.

AJ heard the sound of dozens of voices laughing and chatting away inside the kitchen. Taking in a breath, the former farmpony entered. Everyone was surrounding a long table, where two large pots containing sort of thick, brown stew loaded with, rice, celery and a bits of a brown, crumbly thing that bobbed to the surface, alongside a large bowl of potato salad. She sniffed the air and immediately began salivating, her stomach growling in near agony at the aroma of bell-peppers and a thick, savory odor similar to what she had smelled earlier in the morning.

“You gonna keep staring, or are you gonna pull up a seat, Applejack?” Sherri asked from the head of the table, smiling kindly at the girl. She tapped an empty chair next to her; a younger man rolled his eyes at the action and impatiently tapped his spoon against his empty bowl.

AJ quickly moved to the seat and sat down. “Smells great,” she commented.

“I'd hope so,” Sherri chuckled. “Took a while to get the gumbo just right—the roux seemed a bit elusive today.”

“'Roux?'” Jack pondered. “That some kinda mushroom?”

The woman laughed heartily. “No, hon. It just helps thicken soups and the like.”

“Huh. Alright.” She leaned forward, filling up her bowl from the pot as others did the same. She dipped her spoon carefully into the bowl, clutching it tightly in her hand. After a moment, she got a spoonful and brought it to her mouth, her clenched fist holding the spoon in a deathgrip.

Her eyes widened at the taste—she nearly gasped at its powerful, overwhelming flavor. Applejack chewed thoughtfully at the crumbly textured items in the food—her jaw tingled and she held back a gasp, nearly buckling at the flavor of the food, full of spices and aromas and texture. She had one brief moment of control when she took the spoon out of her mouth and carefully put it to the side, then lifted the bowl with her new digits, nearly oblivious to the heat, and tilted the thing back, downing the food and having her tongue whip wildly in her mouth, trying to absorb every drop of the new taste she discovered, tried to run her tongue over every new feel of the ingredients entering her mouth and down her stomach. She paused only when she ate her entire serving and took a breath, heat radiating throughout her entire body from the stew. She glanced around at the others. Sherri stared back at her, her eyes wide. The younger man next to her was frozen, his spoon midway to his mouth and dribbling back into the bowl. The rest of the farmhands stared on. Finally, Sherri offered a small smile.

“Hungry, hon?” Sherri asked in a teasing tone. She rose from her chair and trotted to Applejack, reaching over the farmpony's shoulder. AJ briefly glanced at the woman as she reached forward, getting a ladle and swirling it around in the pot of stew, before bringing it to the blonde's bowl, refilling it. The farmpony's eyes gazed at the two udders on Sherri's chest—a small voice compared hers to the older woman's larger set. An even smaller voice told her to stop staring and get back to her meal.

“T-thanks,” AJ stammered out, looking down at her bowl.

“You're a guest, only right for the host to get up and serve her.”

Applejack wasted no time downing the second bowl—she lifted it once more to her lips and drank its sweet nectarine, chewing only when required as her host stood next to her, unmoved from her spot.

Good! A primal, instinctive voice in her head shouted, drumming away her thoughts. Good! She brought her bowl down once again and ran a hand over her mouth. Sherri blinked at the food's vanishing act.

“Gracious. I can't say I've ever seen the boys eat with this kind of vigor,” she commented, the ladle still in her hands.

“This is the best thing I've ever ate,” AJ earnestly said as Sherri gave her another portion.

“It's just sausage gumbo—I'm glad you like it, though. Odds are we'll be having the leftovers for dinner.”

“Yeah,” the younger boy said, resting his head in an arm and casually eating at the gumbo. “As long as our 'guest' doesn't eat us out of house and home...”

“Come on, Marty,” Sherri scolded. “I bet it's been ages since this girl's ate a good home cooked meal.” She glanced over at AJ. “Ain't that right?”

“It sure feels like it, anyway,” she agreed, wolfing down another bowl in seconds. AJ paused, taking a moment to catch her breath.

“Want more before I sit back down?”

“No, ma'am. There's no way I could ta—“ Applejack paused, an embarrassed flush on her cheeks. “Alright, jus' one more bowl, 'tho.”

Like clockwork, Sherri filled up AJ's bowl; Applejack wolfed it down without a seconds thought. Marty ran a hand through his short curly hair.

“Where does it all go?!”

000

“...And that's why, with your permission, Princess, we'd like to request full authorization to use the astrology room,” Twilight concluded, shifting on her hooves a bit as she stared up at the Goddess of the sun. Celestia offered a small glance from her throne Twilight's way, her pastel-colored mane dancing gently in an unfelt breeze.

“And are you sure Discord's actions were a mistake?” she asked. Discord stepped forward from the rest of the group, waving his hands dismissively.

“I've been a good boy, Celestia. Not even a bit of trouble after Fluttershy took me in.”

“He's right,” Twilight agreed, nodding. He's shown remarkable restraint in his actions.”

“I trust you, my student,” the Princess nodded. She gestured with her hoof towards one of the large windows inside the throne room. “You have my express permission to use the observatory as you see fit. When Luna wakes up, I'll have her meet you there—her area of expertise, after all.”

“Thank you, Princess.” Twilight deeply bowed, as did the rest of her friends. Discord crossed his arms and tilted his head.

“You really need all these formalities?” he dryly questioned. Celestia offered a sly smile in response, before returning her attention to the young alicorn before her.

“Twilight Sparkle, my student, find your friend. Bring Applejack back to us.”

“We're on the case, Princess,” Rainbow Dash stated, flapping up a few feet into the air and giving a smart salute her way. ”That girl better enjoy her vacation, 'cause she's got work to do when she gets back.”

“Totally!” Pinkie agreed. She put a hoof to her chin. “I hope she got sent to an ice-cream planet—a vacation without ice cream isn't a vacation at all.” Pinkie gave a pleading look over towards Twilight. “Can we get some ice cream delivered to the observatory?!”

“Pinkie, this is serious!” Twilight replied.

“Serious enough for ice cream?” she asked, grinning and blinking innocently.

Discord walked over to the pink party pony and reached behind her ear. After a few muttered complaints, he pulled out an ice cream cone with a hearty scoop of vanilla on top. Pinkie stared at it, then at him. He stuck the cone into a pocket that briefly appeared at his side and reached once more behind her ear, producing an ice cream cone with two scoops, one chocolate, one vanilla.

“Thanks!” She giggled, taking the cone, throwing it into her mouth and swallowing it in one fluid motion.

“Come on, girls!” Twilight commanded, standing proud with her wings spread out. “Let's rescue Applejack!”

They quickly trotted off though the two grand doors of the throne room, leaving Discord staring awkwardly at Celestia.

“I think they wanted you to go too,” Celestia said.

“Then she'd say 'everyone,'” he curtly replied back. “I'd even settle for 'everypony' at this point.”

Twilight Sparkle poked her head through the doorway. “Come on, you too.”

“Told you she'd come back for me,” Discord promptly said to Celestia. “And you said she wasn't gonna come back.”

Celestia tilted her head. “Discord, I never sai—“

“Ta-ta my dear! Duty calls!” He blew a kiss towards the Princess and waved a handkerchief in her direction as he walked out the front. Celestia gave a good natured huff at the chaos-god's antics and trotted to the window.

“Twilight, I only hope you can find her,” she concluded.

000

After the meal, Applejack sprung back outside, following after Hans as he made his way towards the farm's back acres. AJ whistled, glancing at the area around them.

“You seem to have a spring in your step,” he commented.

The former farmpony shook her head. “I ain't sure what it is, Hans, but I feel like I got jus' this burst of energy in me.” She patted her stomach. “Felt it right after that meal—I tell ya, that was some good grub.”

“I'd hope so,” he replied, laughing. “Eating six bowls of subpar stuff just wouldn't sit right.”

She paused, then let out a small chuckle. “I got that joke.”

It took them some time to get to the far back lots, where a massive concrete structure with a flat top loomed over dozens of broken fenceposts sitting in the fields. Jack stared up at the structure, listening to the odd, foreign noise coming from the top of it. A kind of hum some of the machinery she had seen being introduced to Equestria in the last few years, is what it reminded her of. On occasion, something similar to a carriage would blaze by at an impossible speed—one far faster than she had ever seen a pony pull a wagon.

“Do you see something on the overpass?”

Overpass? She questioned in her thoughts. “Uh, well...”

“Was hoping it might of jogged your memory a bit.”

AJ shrugged. “Like I told Sherri, I jus' remember wakin' up in a bed.” More or less...

Hans nodded. “Alright, alright. I understand.” He gestured to a nearby pile of steel fenceposts. “Now, help me move these, we gotta repair this fence line.”

Jack nodded, grabbing one and throwing it on her shoulder as Hans took two, one in each hand.

The farmpony frowned, confused. The thing was light. She felt stronger than she ever had as a pony right now. With that in mind she grabbed another, and another, eventually holding a good dozen on her shoulders. AJ took them over as Hans reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of bolt cutters and knelt down by the fence.

“I guess we'll start here. I got another pair of cutters in a bucket with some scrap wire. We'll get those other posts pulled then—“ he paused, glancing away from his work. “Ms. Jack, are you—“ His mouth dropped.

Applejack tossed the posts next to the two by Hans' feet, the bunch landing to the ground with a loud, metallic clang.

On seeing Hans' expression she cocked her head. “What? We need more or somethin'?”

“Ms. Do you realize how much... That is, I mean,” he stammered out.

“Ya mean what?”

“That was quite a handful for a lady such as yourself, is all.”

“I ain't much of a lady, Hans,” she replied, looking over the ruined fence. “Now I reckon we should get ta workin' on here.” She looked around, spotting a large red bucket next to his feet. She grabbed some wire from it and stuffed it into her shirt's breast pocket.

The plus 'bout wearin' clothes, I guess.

In addition, she also grabbed the bolt cutters and moved back to the opposite end of the fence. Out of habit she took the cutters and moved them towards her mouth, pausing when her jaw wouldn't accommodate the tool's rubber handles.

Hands, ya dummy.

She took her hands against the tool and flexed it, opening and shutting it experimentally. Once she made it a habit, she quickly ran over the bent and twisted fence posts, snapping the wire securing the line in place.

“What the hay happened here anyway?” Jack asked.

“Tractor ran 'em over.” Hans stood and moved over to another fence post.

She wasn't sure if she had met this 'Tractor.' The name didn't ring any bells. But, gosh, he must have been a big fella for that to happen.

“Why didn't ya ask him ta stop?” she continued, clearing the wire off the fourth set of fence posts as Hans finished his second.

He glanced over to her. “One of the gears slipped when Marty was driving. Didn't have much of a choice.”

Gears? Jack thought, the word foreign until a thought dawned on her. Gears! Like a pocketwatch or somethin'! Her thoughts turned farther down the sentence. As fer drivin'... some sorta carriage—maybe like those Flamey Flim brothers had that one time.

She moved back to the previous fence posts she had stripped and stood between them. With a small grunt, she hoisted them free of the frozen earth, one in each hand. She tossed them to the side and did the same for the other pair as Hans finished stripping his third. He spared a glance her way and paused yet again.

“You're already that far along?”

“Eyup.”

Hans let out a small chuckle. “Maybe I should have ate more lunch, it might of given me the same sort of energy you have.”

“No kiddin'. I ain't had this sorta strength in me since—

—Ever—

—Fer a long time.” She grabbed the new fence post and put it nearby the hole she had made with the other. After aligning it up with the fence, AJ glanced over to Hans, who rose from his own work to look at her.

“Oh, I forgot the driver back at the house. Let me go get it.” He brushed off his knees and slowly ambled towards the house.

“I got it,” AJ replied, grasping the fence post in both her hands and thrusting it down deep into the frozen earth. She gave it a small experimental wiggle and nodded at its stiffness.

“How in the...?” Hans trailed off, glancing at the post, then at Applejack. “Ms. Applejack, how are you punching through the ground that easy?”

She frowned, looking down at her arms. “That not normal, Hans?”

“Well, I wouldn't call it 'freakish,' by any means. You're just stronger than you look.”

Applejack turned back to her work without a word, ramming another fence post into the ground as a cold wind blew across the dead fields.

000

The astronomer's tower was an elegant creature, tall and rounded, standing proudly nearby the castle. Its pure-white design sang to the group of ponies and to a lesser extent, a draconequus.

“...I'm just saying it could be spruced up with a plant or something,” he offered as they climbed up the stairs leading to the main door. Pinkie Pie hummed, giving a long, deliberating tap of a hoof to her chin.

“Weeeelllll....” she considered. “Maybe some brown leaves at the top.”

“Brown?” Rarity replied from the front, jerking her head towards the two. Her eyes widened. “Do you have any idea of how ungraceful it would make these stairs appear?” Color mixing like that would be the worst. Possible—“

“—Alright, alright. Enough of that,” Twilight dismissed. “We're going to need to concentrate to save Applejack, so let's not burst into dramatics.”

“Can we burst into song instead?!” Pinkie chirped, zipping forward to Twilight and pressing her wide, grinning face against the unicorn's.

“No, Pinkie.”

“Fooey,” she spat, crossing her forelegs under her shoulders and pouting.

The group entered, nodding in acknowledgment at the few workers reading over clipboards and star-charts. They went further into the room, going through a door and up another small flight of stairs before standing before a massive telescope pointing up through a hole in the ceiling. Luna stood before it, yawning.

“Hail to thee, Twilight Sparkle, her companions.” Her expression hardened slightly. “Discord.”

“And a 'Hail Mary' to you too, sweet thing,” Discord replied, blowing a kiss towards her. A small levitating heart slowly approached her, she glared, snapping it away with a brush of her wings. It hit the wall with a small splat.

“I'm surprised you're up this early,” Twilight quickly said before anything could escalate.

“'Tis not a time for slumber during a crisis. The righteous Element of Harmony, Applejack of the Apple clan, has been taken away by a creature with malicious intent!”

“For the last time, it was an accident!” Discord said, irritation in his voice.

“We are aware of thine tricks and lies, god of mischief. 'Tis folly to led mine guard down.”

“Guys!” Twilight called out, placing herself between the two. “Please. Applejack's out there and she needs our help! If you both are going to bicker like this, I'll search for her myself!”

“...Very well,” Luna replied, trotting towards the telescope. Her horn briefly lit up, and the massive telescope beside her became enveloped in her magic.

“The bewitching I cast upon the scope shall provide us with alacrity in regards to thine friends whereabouts.”

“How so?” Twilight asked, tilting her head as she gave an in-depth study of the machine, running a hoof over the metal shaft, then moving towards the eyepiece, looking through it as Luna talked.

“Mine domain watches over the dreams of everypony in our kingdom, young Twilight,” she said. Despite the sunny sky overhead, Twilight observed a sea of stars washed in a nearly translucent orange aura that rolled off the distant stars laconically, as if a hoof was raised in a slow waving greeting.

“As such, We are able to detect the more subtle feelings and emotions coming from ponies. 'Tis indeed a powerful gift, one we can use now.” She gazed up at the still bright sky. “Or, depending, We can use the gift when Celestia's sun receives its respite.” Luna announced.

“Anyone understand what she's saying?” Rarity asked through a forced grin.

“N-no...” Fluttershy whispered back, scraping a hoof against the tiled floor. “I was hoping to just ask Twilight after she was done...”

“Hey, uh, Luna?” Rainbow Dash asked, glancing at everypony else. “Care to dumb it down for the jocks?”

Luna scoffed. “The warrior needs to be armed in both body and mind, Rainbow Dash. Thine mind should be as strong as any vestment, as sharp as any mouth-blade.”

“Come on, kid,” Discord said. “Humor her.”

“I am no child, mad-god,” Luna snapped back with a scowl. She frowned, speaking to the group. “We, of this world, stand in the middle of mayhaps billions of worlds. Their gates are all open to us, and if we were to apply the correct amount of magic, any of their doors would open to you.”

“But even with chaos magic, there's only so much you guys can handle,” Discord continued. “As of right now, only about one or two percent of the worlds are explorable, as a pony's body can't adapt to the changes it puts them through.” Discord cocked a smile Twilight's way, pointing at her with his claws. “You know what I'm meaning here. You've been to our closest gate. Remember how your body altered?”

“It was an experience,” the scholarly pony agreed, looking up from her work. “I'll let you know when I decided if it was a good or bad one.”

“Well, that's because that planet had two things. Two requirements for you to even enter a portal:” he stuck out his fingers, gesturing toward Twilight yet again. “One: a dominating species on the planet with sentience. Two, the habitat has to be at least hospitable for ponies. Surprisingly hard to find both.”

“Dude,” Dash said. “How do you know all of this?”

“His punishment was akin to mine,” Luna said quietly, gazing at her hooves. “Conscious. Aware. Physically in bondage, but mentally free.”

“The plus about having magic in that scenario.” Discord smirked. “After I counted every star in the sky, I was able to mentally travel away from my prison. Got to see a few of those portals firsthand.”

“Astral projection?” Twilight hypothesized, making her way back to the group. On seeing Luna's nod she shook her head. “But how? You shouldn't have—“

“We sat atoning in a prison for well beyond your lifetime, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna interrupted. “A prisoner in such a state would bound to become crafty.”

“Fascinating,” she said.

“We're getting off track here!” Pinkie exclaimed. “And not a good way, like being 'off da railz' is either.”

“I cry your pardon, Pinkimena Diane Pie. We shall continue this conversation mayhaps another time.” She turned, putting a hoof on the telescope. “We shall use this to search for thine comrade at once!”

Fluttershy glanced to the opening in the ceiling. “It's awfully bright to be looking for stars,” she commented.

“'Tis an enchantment inside the lens. One I personally crafted.” She began a lecture. “As I mentioned, we stand in the center of the other doors to the worlds. You may consider us an island awash in a sea of stars. Myself find it easier to envision us as upon a boat. To starboard lay worlds that are as we are: daylight. To port are the lands currently in my domain.”

“That's some delightful imagery darling, but perhaps you could explain where, exactly this is heading?” Rarity asked.

“To sum it up succinctly, the spell sorts the worlds in half, the kind currently embracing the day, and the half currently in slumber. With this, we can trace Applejack's aura to one of the two hemispheres and shorten the time it takes individually checking the doors.”

Twilight moved forward, peeking once more into the eye slot. “So. This orange aura I see surrounding the stars. Is that...?”

“Indeed. Thine companion.” She gave a sagely nod. “With this we can deduce that your friend is in-tune with our own system. Meaning our hunts shall take place when she is the closest to the source of mine power: When she embraces her dreams.”

“Guess I'd better get some coffee ready,” Dash grumbled, turning to leave. Rarity quickly took hold of the pegasus' tail with a hoof.

“Cream in mine, dear,” she stated.

“Oh! And a lot of sugar for meee!” Pinkie sang out.

“Instead of coffee, can I have a frappuccino? Helps me focus,” Twilight added, only barely glancing away from the scope.

“We shall consume ours as black as the night sky! Marshmallows shall be our stars!” Luna proclaimed, raising a hoof above her head.

“J-just black's fine Dash, thank you.” Fluttershy smiled.

“I meant I was gonna just get a pot for me...” Dash said, putting a wing to her forehead and rubbing at her temple.

000

Applejack finished fixing up the fence, then took to walking the property line. After patching up another rough point she soon found herself back by the farmhouse just as Sherri came out to the porch. She waved at AJ as she moved to the triangle hanging off the porches ceiling. She took a small metal rod and clanged it against the interior, bringing forth dozens of chimes before she sat it down again and leaned forward on the guard rail.

“Hans told me you did a number on my fence.”

Applejack ran a thumb across her mouth. “Well, I fixed it up, if that's what yer getting at.”

She smiled as AJ climbed up the steps to stand next to her. “He said you picked up what had to of been close to your weight in fence posts.”

“I wouldn't know,” Applejack admitted. “I'm used ta bein' lighter.” Sherri just barely held back a roll of her eyes at the woman's' words.

“Well, either way, you've done good today. Hope you don't mind leftovers.”

“That, uh, gumbo stuff you made?” she asked, her grin widening.

“The same. Land of mercy, I've never seen someone eat as much of that as you did.” Sherri rose, heading into the house as AJ followed suit.

“I wasn't kiddin' when I told ya that was some of the best food I'd ever ate,” Applejack said. “I could eat that jus' 'bout every day.”

“I could get you the recipe if you'd like.”

AJ beamed, her pearly whites a stark contrast to her dark brown skin. “Lay that on me, sugarcube.”

“Well, for about every pot I take about a third a pound of bacon,”

“Uh-huh,” Applejack nodded, the word faint and distant in her thoughts. There was something about that word she recognized. She just couldn't think of what.

Herb? Some kinda spice? Maybe somethin' that's more common over here, she thought.

“Three, four stalks of celery,” Sherri continued, counting on her fingers.

“Alright.”

“And half a pound of sausage. Then a good three, three and a half pounds of chicken—I'll just fill out a card for you.”

Applejack froze. That last ingredient echoing in her mind. That was something she knew instantly.

Sherri noticed her expression. “Gracious, you look like you just saw a ghost.”

“C-chicken,” AJ repeated.

Sherri tilted her head. “Something the matt—“ Jack shot past her, sprinting upstairs.

The woman stared up at the second floor walkway as Jack slammed the bathroom door behind her.

Movement came from the kitchen. Marty popped out the door, wiping his hands with a towel. “Hey, you about ready?”

Sherri shook her head. “Start without me.” Marty narrowed his brow but shrugged, turning and entering the kitchen again. Sherri climbed up the stairs, holding the hem of her dress and lifting it past her ankles to avoid tripping on the thing. She approached the upstairs bathroom and knocked.

“Applejack? You alright in there?”

There was no response. She glanced down at the gap between the door and the floor and noticed that a light wasn't on.

“Applejack?” she called out again, trying the door. It opened without a hitch, sending a streak of light across the darkness of the room. Applejack sat in the far corner, her knees to her chin and staring blankly at the toilet.

“I remembered,” she said. “Bacon's from a pig. Same as sausage. Griffons bought some pigs from us back when I was a tyke. Granny told me what they were used for.”

Sherri said nothing, clearly confused by the word 'griffon,' but not mentioning it, instead observing the woman.

“I, uh, tried ta puke. Didn't work.” She sniffed.

“What's all this about?” Sherri asked, moving over next to the woman. She slid down the wall, sitting next to her.

“”It's pretty taboo, eatin' meat where I'm from. I mean, there are still like griffons, an', uh, sometimes dragons, but not ponies. T-that's the kinda thing that makes you a social pariah...” She tilted her head back, resting it against the wall. “Know what the worst part is, Sherri?” AJ let a humorous chuckle pass through her. “I liked it. It was the best tastin' stuff I'd ever ate. An' don't get me started on the other side of it. After I ate that stuff, I felt stronger. Quicker. Like a... d-damn predator must feel like.” Applejack choked out a sob, but still managed to keep her composure.

Sherri stared across the room, wrapping her arm around AJ and bringing her head over to her own. Griffons, dragons. It was all so surreal and impossible, yet here the girl was, obviously upset.

“I'm sorry,” she apologized.

“Don't be,” Applejack replied. “I shoulda realized y'all wouldn't eat like a pony does.”

“I can learn some vegetarian meals.”

“Not much point now.” She sighed. “It's like a lot of pets. Once ya give 'em a taste-a blood, that's it. If I saw that gumbo in front of me now, I'd eat at it again, even knowin' what I know.”

“Is there anything I can do for you, hon?” Sherri asked.

She grimly ran a hand down her face. “Jus'... I'd like ta be alone fer a bit. That alright with ya?”

Sherri nodded, rising to a stand. She stared once more at AJ. “I'm sure your friend's gonna come and help you out soon, sug.” With that, she turned and left the room. Applejack listened to her fading footsteps before sighing, shutting her eyes and trying to clear her head.

“I hope so, Sherri.”