Hearts Strong as Horses

THREE

  The better part of the afternoon was spent browsing the shops around Ponyville. After a visit to Harlequin’s Joke Shop, Pinkie taught Roxie what she called 'The Ancient and Most Noble Art of Pranking.' The two fillies found much joy in trolling various citizens, laughing and fleeing when their hiding spot was discovered.

  In return for the lesson, Roxie showed Pinkie how to barter with a vendor for a good deal. As it turned out, the eccentric filly was a very fast learner. She wandered away for a few minutes, returning with a loaded bag of fruits and vegetables around her neck.

  Roxie was impressed. “You could give my Ma a run for her Bits” she said, “Why, she could part a cow from her spots if she wanted to.” A shadow fell over the farm filly. Behind her sat the family covered wagon, pulled by Mac and Bismarck. Valencia stuck her head out of the back, between her son and husband.

  “I appreciate the compliment sugarcube, but what would I do with the spots?” Valencia replied, giving her daughter a warm smile, “we’re heading back to the farm if you want a ride. Or would you rather walk all the way home?”

  “I’ll take the ride” Roxie replied. She climbed up into the wagon to sit in the front. “Say Pinkie, how would you like to stay the night and enjoy some Smith clan hospitality?” she offered, “we can wait here if you need to gather anything.”

  Pinkie almost seemed to explode with joy. “Oh I would love to have a sleepover! Besides, I gotta get my saddlebag and cannon and stuff. I’ll be right back with my sleeping bag. Pinkie Promise!” She pulled a sign out of the bag of vegetables and stuck it in the ground, then zoomed off in the direction of her home.

  The Smith family turned to the youngest with questioning looks.

  “Yes, Pinkie Pie is crazier than a two-sided bucket and yes, she has a cannon which fires streamers and other party decoration stuff, not cannonballs” Roxie explained, “I’m proud to call her my friend.”

Curious as to to the nature of the sign, Bismarck and Mac leaned in for a closer look at the white metal sign, with the former reading out loud:

Back in five unless something comes up, then back in five

plus whatever extra amount of time it takes me to get

done with whatever came up, and then back to you. If

I’m not back by tomorrow, then I am so sorry for making

you stand around for a whole day! I’ll make it up to you

somehow, ‘cause that’s what friends do: they forgive each

other! I learned that from this really chatty donkey!

Are you really still reading this?

Not sure what else to say, I mean write, here. Ummm...

I like candy, my friends and family, baking, making rock candy

necklaces with my big sis Maud, and cheering other ponies up!

That’s all I got, so see you when I return.

-Ever your friend, Pinkie Pie-

  Pinkie kept her promise, returning ten minutes later with a rolled up sleeping bag and pillow strapped to her back. Roxie helped her friend into the wagon, and the two took seats on cushions kept inside for just such an occasion.

  Mac and Bismarck turned the cart and set off down the road to Sweet Apple Acres. To pass the time, the family started singing the official family song: Apples to the Core. Pinkie happily joined in, Roxie providing music with her new harmonica.

ΩΩΩ

  Fifteen minutes later, the arched gate of Sweet Apple Acres rose into view over as the cart crested a small hill. Granny was sitting on the porch steps, wearing Pokey Oak's old combat helmet. What nopony expected, however, was for her to be armed. She held Bismarck’s Whinnychester Model 876 musket-carbine at the ready, looking for all the world like a soldier awaiting the enemy to march onto the battlefield. Seeing the family arriving, the elder mare stood and set the weapon and helmet aside.

  “Thank Harmony y’all made it back safe and sound” she said wearily, trotting over to her son and pulling him into her embrace, “pair o’ fancy city ponies showed up and offered to buy Sweet Apple Acres. ‘Course I refused flat-out, told ‘em they would have to pry the deed from my cold dead hooves. Then the varmints had the brass to try and hustle me into signin’ over ownership of the farm! This old mare gave ‘em what-for though. I gave ‘em a buck in the snout, turned ‘em both over my knee, and tanned their hides!”

  “I take it that’s why you got out my boomstick?” Bismarck questioned, “Ma, were you really gonna blow the varmints away if they came back?” He knew his mother would fight to her last breath to protect the homestead, and could display a raging temper when sufficiently provoked. Mess with the bull, and you got the horns, his Pa would say. "If those two snakes-in-the-grass were from the big city, that probably means they have big-city friends. I can only protect you, not fight a war."

  “We’ll talk about this later, Bis. Y’all look about ready to fall asleep standin’ up” Granny said, waving a hoof dismissively, “let's mosey on inside, and I’ll rustle us up some grub. Nopony should ever go to bed with an empty belly, especially growing colts and fillies.” She trotted off back into the farmhouse. Bismarck slung his rifle over his neck and followed her inside. Once his mother's mind was made up, little to nothing could sway her.

  Roxie felt an even greater sense of respect for her grandmother. Despite her age, Granny Smith fought off and even spanked two ponies who were younger, stronger, and meaner than a bag of shaken hornets. Only somepony truly evil would dare harm the elderly, especially the co-founder of Ponyville. If the thugs showed up again and she herself was present, Granny was not going to be fighting alone. Roxie was fast, and could quickly alert the townsfolk that one of their most beloved residents was under attack. The city varmints would be chased out of town right quick. Pinkie Promise on that!

  While the adults migrated to the kitchen, Roxie gave Pinkie a tour of the farmhouse, which the poofy-maned prankster spent asking questions about one thing or another, such as who a certain pony in a framed photo was. The brief tour ended at Roxie's room. The farm filly entered and switched on the light. Hanging up her saddlebags, she wearily flopped onto her bed, letting out a sigh as she sank into the comfortable mattress.

  Pinkie placed her saddlebags by the door and unrolled her sleeping bag at the foot of the bed. She reclined against her pillow, looking around the room and taking in all the nice apple patterned objects. Her own room was similar, but with balloon wallpaper and streamers hung up along the wall.

  “What a day, huh Pinkie?” Roxie rolled over, pulling herself over to the edge of the bed, “so, how long have you lived in Ponyville? I don’t remember seeing you around before the school year began.”

  Pinkie looked up at her friend and smiled. “I came to Ponyville in August, about two weeks before school began. My dad is a miner and my mom studies rocks. I lived with my family on a farm near Fillydelphia, not far from the Foal Mountains. I wanted to find some friends, ‘cause there were none other than my sisters in Weaubleau, my hometown. I left a note, packed up my stuff, and boarded the first train to Ponyville. My cousin Carrot lives here with his parents, and they were nice enough to let me stay with them as long as I like.”

  “I’ve lived here on the farm my whole life” Roxie explained, “Canter Valley was given to Grampy Oaks and a bunch of other farmers by Princess Celestia. Pokey and Sue Oaks, my Granny’s Pa and Ma, set up Sweet Apple Acres sixty years ago. After some hard years due to a vampire fruitbat infestation, Granny discovered the zap apples and made a deal with a businesspony named Avery ‘Stinkin’ Rich. Ponies started coming for miles around just to have some of the jam, and Ponyville grew to be what it is now.”

  Pinkie listened to the history lesson, eager to soak up all the info she could on the village she called home. Equestria sure was a fascinating place. The filly stood and walked over to her saddlebag. Rummaging around inside, she pulled out a large green book entitled ‘The Wide, Wide World of Equestria.’

  “You want to read the atlas together, Pinkie?” Roxie asked, sitting up, “I don’t look at maps too often, but I’m interested. I’ve only left Ponyville twice, both times to visit my Aunt and Uncle Orange in New Yoke.”

  Pinkie tossed the atlas onto the bed and climbed up after it. “There are so many places I want to see when I’m old enough to travel” she said with a cheerful grin, “New Yoke, Fillydelphia, Haywaii, Foalida, Coltifornia.”

  “Sure sounds fun. I’ll go with you if my Ma and Pa will let me” Roxie replied, “I’m all for a cross-country road trip. We could visit some of my family even! There are a lot of us, many with farms all over Equestria.” She opened the atlas and studied the first page, which showed a map of Canterlot as it was at the time of the book's publishing.

  “Thanks a bunch Roxie” Pinkie said gratefully, giving her friend a nuzzle, “travelling alone on the train to Ponyville was kind of scary.” Coming to live in Ponyville was the best decision she ever made. She could not imagine growing up in dreary old Weaubleau, even if her family lived there. One day she planned to go back and visit, when she was officially an adult and her parents could not force her to stay.

  Roxie closed her eyes and held up a hoof in the way her mother did when stating something important, and recided the Smith clan's favorite motto: 'a good pony treats well their kin, through stormy weather, thick or thin.' The aesop was something every Earth Pony learned from an early age.

  Roxie and Pinkie heard a knock on the door. Both looked up to see Valencia stick her head in. “Howdy you two” the city mare greeted, “I figured I would let you know that dinner is done. Granny needed to rest, so I did the cooking tonight. I made breadsticks and a couple of New Yoke-style pizzas.” She left to go back downstairs.

  Realizing how hungry they were, the two fillies washed their hooves and raced each other downstairs, following the heavenly scents that just served to make their stomachs growl louder. Taking seats at the table, family (minus Granny) and guest tucked into a delicious dinner.

  “Ever had a New Yoke pizza before, Pinkie?” Valencia asked, “its a signature dish from my home city. My family, the Oranges, were never stuck up or picky about our food like most wealthy families. My parents often took my sisters and I to Lombarding’s Pizzeria on weekends. Best place to eat - and meet your very special somepony.” She gave Bismarck a nuzzle, which he returned.

  Pinkie smiled around her pizza slice, glad to see that the Smiths truly loved each other. Her own parents were rather prudish, and neither showed any significant amount of affection for each other or their daughters. Heck, the only time Pinkie remembered seeing anypony besides Maud smile, was when the pink filly got fed up with the stony (ha ha) atmosphere that permeated every corner of the farm, and spent most of her saved-up bits on party decorations and food. Setting up in the empty grain silo, she succeeded in getting her family to finally lighten up and enjoy themselves. That was when one Pinkamena Diane Pie, age five, received her cutie mark: three balloons. Two blue, one yellow.

  After dinner, Roxie bid her parents goodnight and returned to her room for a good night's sleep. She hung up her stetson on one of her bedposts and climbed into bed. Stretching out under her blanket, she wondered what sort of fun she was going to have tomorrow. “Goodnight Pinkie” she said sleepily.

  “Goodnight” Pinkie replied, “sweet dreams.” She closed her eyes and shifted a bit to get comfortable. A question rose to the surface of her mind, and the pink filly just had to ask before it faded away. "Hey, Roxie, can I ask you something?"

  "Sure Pinkie" Roxie replied sleepily, "what do you want to know?" She propped herself up on her forelegs to look over the foot of the bed. While she really wanted to sleep, she was willing to hear her friend out if something was on her mind.

  Pinkie sat up, looking like whatever she had in mind was one that been at the forefront of her thoughts many times. "When we grow up, there's one place in particular that I want to see, more than any other. I want to go and find the Big Rock Candy Mountains. You see, the legend goes that when Discord was still in charge of everything, he turned a whole mountain into rock candy and filled the crags with all kinds of odd things, like lemonade springs and a lake of veggie stew. A travelling musician, Harry McClintrot, claimed to have found the BRCM. He even wrote a hit song about it. Nopony believed him though, and Princess Celestia had no knowledge of such a place."

While Roxie listened to the, admittedly interesting, story, she did not particularly believe that such a mountain made out of rock candy existed. Her mother had instilled in her a judicious mind not prone to superstition. History recorded that all the damage caused by Discord, was fixed by Celestia and Luna shortly after he was turned into a pigeon outhouse by the Elements of Harmony. Still, she was certainly not going to be a big jerk and crush Pinkie's hopes and dreams.

"Will you please go with me to find the BRCM?" Pinkie asked, eyes shining brightly in the moonlight streaming through the window, "I know its sounds like a wild goose chase, but I just know its out there. I feel it in my very soul." She solemnly held a hoof over her heart.

Roxie could not bring herself to turn down her, and she did want to see new places. "You have my word as a Smith that I will go with you to find the Big Rock Candy Mountains."

The two fillies laid back down to sleep, dreaming of what wonders would come with the rising of the sun.