Ace in The Hoof

A couple hours later into the day and noon had nearly arrived. During that time, Crimson had prepared to leave for Zable’s home and talk with him for a while as usual. Topics included their general lives, the condition of his scar, a nice lunch, and of course, the concern over a certain changeling. The two of them discussed their own experiences with him, but nothing added up to Crimson’s past claims about his previous suspicions about him.

When everything else was said and done, Crimson parted ways with his distant neighbor with some more treatments for his wound stowed in his saddlebag. It would take another while on the walk back home, though during his trek, he took this time to contemplate on what Zable had told him about the stranger in specific.

He had been told everything the zebras knew about him. His origins, how he was exiled from his home, how he was found nearly dead from his eviction, and even his name. Learning all of this, Crimson felt increasingly guilty over his actions towards Dirge the past day. He vowed to himself that he would make a more profuse apology to him when he returned home.

Arriving back in town, Crimson remembered he also had to pick up a few extra groceries for his mother. He immediately made his way to the nearest market to stock up, but before he could get there, a crowd of towns ponies blocked his way. A noisy commotion had been underway and their conversations were too scrambled for him to make sense of any of it. Just then, a loud authoritative voice grabbed all of their attention, dispersing their chatter when it spoke up.

“Residents of Appleton! Remain calm! If you would all please cooperate with us during this urgent matter, we’ll better handle this situation under proper control!”

Making his way through the crowd after pushing through here and there, Crimson got a better look at the one in the center of the attention. Upon further inspection from the front view, it was a white armored pegasus accompanied by a grey unicorn with similar attire. Both of them wearing golden armor. He had seen these types of royal looking ponies once before in his life a long time ago, but as to why they would be visiting his hometown was a surprising mystery.

“If any pony here has any information regarding the whereabouts of any changelings in the area, I advise all of you to disclose any and such details to us immediately!”

With a light gasp, Crimson became instantly worried as he bit his lip. Wondering as to why the guards would also be looking for changelings and if they would capture them for the same purposes as those thugs from earlier. He was about to get his answer when another unicorn guard passed by and gave him and several ponies alongside a scroll. As soon as he opened up the paper, his eyes widened slightly with concern. It contained a crude sketch of a vicious changeling drawn in the top center along with a written message below it:

BEWARE OF CHANGELINGS!

Wanted for the attempted invasion on the capital of Equestria and the assault on the populace during the royal wedding event.

Report any suspicious behavior and sightings to the royal guard or your local authorities!

Dangerous if confronted!

“This… this can’t be right…” Crimson said as he took one last look at the poster. Shaking his head in denial with his lips quivering, he looked around him to see that the crowd was also making their own voices and expressions of worry and shock. Dropping the paper to the ground, he retreated back through the masses of ponies quickly but carefully. Soon after, rushing his way back on the road leading to his home.

His heart raced almost as fast he galloped with each step of the way. Running onward with great haste to tell the news to his changeling acquaintance, whom hopefully was still lodging in his room. Crimson looked behind him as he ran just to make sure he wasn’t being followed by any of the guards or any pony who might suspect him of anything. Though due to the lack of attention towards the road in front of him, he unexpectedly bumped into yet another pegasus guard. Falling to his rump and rubbing the side of his head from the pain.

“Watch where you tread, citizen!”

“Uh… sorry, sir! I’m in a real hurry and I can’t afford to make any stops right now!”

“Crimson, darlin?” A familiar voice said from his right. Recognizing the spoken pony, whom was a yellow coated and green maned mare. “Are you alright? How’s that scar?”

“Ms. Fritter? Y-yeah, I’m good. I just gotta be headin’ on back home quick-like!”

“Oh?” Fritter said in curiosity. Smiling in relief of hearing of his well being. “Runnin’ another errand? Sorry for holdin’ you up. I was just tellin’ this nice stallion here about that odd fella your mother saw yesterday. You wouldn’t happen to have run across ‘em, did ya?”

Crimson’s pupils shrunk. Almost sweating from anxiety now, his thoughts scrambled to find the right words while his eyes kept darting left and right repeatedly. “Well-- it-- guh-- I, uh-- GAAAAHH!!” And in that instant, he took off running away again.

“Huh.” Fritter arched her brow in bewilderment. “Can’t say I didn’t expect that.” She was nearly left nervous after her friend’s rather abnormal son had retreated rather hastily without much warning. “Eh heh. He’s, uh… rather a spirited young fella, so that was nothin’ new there.”

“Yes. Quite.” The armored pegasus spoke. “Now, as to what you were referring to earlier, madam?”

“Oh, right! I haven’t seen it myself, but from what I’ve heard…” Fritter stared at the sky, tapping a hoof to her chin, recalling the rumors she overheard lately.

All the while, Crimson had already made serious headway back to the barn. Upon reaching the front door, he opened it and instantly afterwards, slammed it closed. Panting for breath as he leaned on the door as if trying to keep intruders out.

“Crimson, hon? Back from your trip already?” Apple Betty greeted him back, though a little stunned from his sudden entrance. “Did ya get the extra ingredients I asked ya to fetch?”

“Nevermind that, ma!” Crimson responded with hurried breath as he ran upstairs.

“Crimson! What in the world… !?” Betty said as she tried to grab her son’s attention. But as he left her sight, she shook her head disappointingly and sighed, though not surprised by her son’s behavior. “That boy…”

Though unaware of the presence of the Equestrian authority in town, Dirge remained in his room, laying wide awake on his back in bed. After a dreamless night followed by an unpleasant morning, he felt he had overstayed his welcome past this point now. Staring at the ceiling whilst rationalizing his plans to move onward once after he leaves his current location. Having no further business here, he steadily rose from his bed and donned his fur blanket onto his back. As well as adjusting his pendant over his neck, although he couldn’t get to the last part of his apparel including his hat, a panicking stallion came barging through the door. Making his way in the same way he entered through the front entrance.

A little confused over another unexpected visit, Dirge couldn’t help but wonder why this pony was acting up in hooves yet again, save for yesterday’s shenanigans. “Why the intrusion this time?”

“You… ! They’re lookin’ for ya! It’s the… the… !” Crimson tried to speak through his shortness of breaths, but it was difficult for him do so while forming a sentence at the same time.

“Haven’t those two been taken care of by now?”

“No! It ain’t them this time!” Crimson shook his head before running towards the window and looked outside. Checking back and forth between the barn’s territory and the front gate. “It’s them guards in shiny lookin’ armor! They says they’re searchin’ for ya!”

Dirge looked slightly surprised for a moment, though his expression faded with a groaned sigh. “Tsk. I shouldn’t have prolonged my stay here...”

“They said somethin’ about a wedding and maybe you… or your folk messin’ it up or whatever.” He finished by closing the window and covering it with the drapes. Crimson looked to the stranger in front of him more calmingly though more worried this time. “You… you wouldn’t do somethin’ like that, would ya? I mean… you don’t really go around hurtin’ ponies like ya did with me… do ya?”

Dirge did not answer right away. He couldn’t give a simple response without bringing more suspicion onto him and let alone, more paranoia into this youth and the rest of his family. He blinked once before moving his eyes away from Crimson, signifying that there indeed wasn’t an easy answer to his question. However much the silence was working against him.

But they were interrupted from nearby voices heard from outside of the barn. Which all sounded familiar to Crimson, who gasped upon hearing them.

“Spread out! Search the area with utmost caution! Alert any troops should you catch sight of any changelings!”

Peeking outside the window through the drapes, Crimson and Dirge saw several royal guard ponies approaching the barn. Two of them made their way separately onto different sections of the residence while the other two made their way to the front door.

“Oh no... oh no! What do we do? What do we do!?” Crimson tapped his hooves in a show of panic. Desperately trying to think of how to repel the guards away from getting any closer. His first thought was not the brightest solution, but for their own sake, it was better than not trying anything at all. “I’ll go an’ see if I can distract ‘em! You go and hide somewheres!” He said, reopening the door almost as quickly as he ran out of the room.

Apple Betty though, had other things to preoccupy herself with besides concerning herself over more of her son’s spontaneous behavior. She, along with her niece Apple Bumpkin, were keeping themselves busy getting ready for their upcoming sale in baked goods for their stall. But before they could get started with their first batches, a loud knock came from the other side of the front door.

Not liking the interruption very much, Betty walked away from her current task of organizing apples and ingredients on the kitchen table to go and answer the call. “Huh. Now who the hay would come and knock on the door like that?” She sighed before rolling her eyes. “If it’s them crooks again, I’m gonna be havin’ a word with--”

She opened the door to reveal two unicorn guards wearing golden, shining armor. Looking stern yet composed in their stances.

“... the royal guards?” Betty said curiously with a raised brow.

Nearly arriving downstairs, Crimson stopped halfway when he gasped as he caught sight of the guards. Then slowly backing away upstairs.

“Good day, madam.” The guard spoke with an introductory bow. “We’re here investigating the reports of a changeling that has recently been sighted. We’ve inquired information that it may have wandered somewhere within the area. For your safety, we’re conducting a search to clear it out and any threats it may have brought with it.”

“Uhh… threats? Whaddya mean by that?” Betty asked.

“Imposing danger to civilians, miss.” The second guard said with a slight serious tone. “If there’s any more information you may have regarding this changeling, I would recommend you briefing us with as much now.”

Betty looked up in thought. Thinking back to that moment when those two crooks also mentioned the changeling and then what Apple Fritter said to her earlier about the same. “W… why are ya’ll lookin’ for this changelin’ anyway? I mean, what’d it do to cause such a ruckus?”

The two guards looked at each other in confusion, then returning the same expression back to the mare. “Are you not keeping up with current events, miss?”

“Ah, well…” She chuckled nervously before continuing. “We usually keep to our own business around here. Ain’t much for us out there when it comes to higher society and all.”

Although not surprised by her answer and the expected, typical response from a country pony, the guard sighed in disappointment. “Regardless, there are perils that may concern your well being.” He said as he magically levitated a scroll from his saddlebag and gave it over to Betty.

Immediately after unrolling it and reading over the same poster that was spread out amongst the townsfolk, she gasped in shock. Not just from the details she had just gone over, but from her realization that she may have just unknowingly taken in a dangerous suspect. Though her disbelief was causing her to deny such facts since the stranger she had met couldn’t possibly resemble the creature’s description that was described on that paper, despite how aggressively he acted this morning.

“If you don’t mind, we must conduct a search throughout your property and obtain any evidence of its whereabouts. Surely you’ll comply with your cooperation and allow us entry?” The inquisitive guard pony asked.

“Eh, err… I-I haven’t really seen any ‘dangerous’ lookin’ changelings either, so I don’t really see the need why y’all need to trouble yourselves bein’ here.” Betty said with an anxious smile, biting her lip from the rising tension.

“This will only take but a brief moment of your time.” The guard said, letting himself inside past Betty. He looked back to other guard behind him and gave a nod. “Stay posted.” His partner responded with a salute and stood by outside the front door.

With her aunt looking too stiff from her meeting with the guard to do much of anything, Apple Bumpkin curiously wandered over to her. “Auntie? What’s goin’ on?” She asked as she stopped by her side to take a peek at the paper she held in her hoof. What she saw made her jaw drop with raised eyes. “Wait… is that really… !?”

“I… don’t want to believe it either, sweetie…” Both mares shared their feelings of disbelief.

The first location the authoritative unicorn went to search were the downstairs rooms just below the balcony from which Crimson oversaw out of view from the others. With shaky hooves, he trotted back to the guest room where Dirge remained on the lookout for more guards.

Peaking out towards the view of the outer barn from the window’s curtains, he saw at least three more of them moving about steadily throughout the area. Even a couple pegasi flying in the distance patrolling the town from above. As much as Dirge was tempted to just fight his way through them to break free from this predicament, he thought otherwise as that would only alert the rest of them to his position and thus, slim his chances of escape. He frustratingly sighed from the stress this was causing him, though not long after, Crimson re-entered the room with his unsurprising reaction yet again.

“O-okay! So’s I can’t distract ‘em right now!” Crimson said with wary smile of confidence slowly fading. “And... they’re already inside diggin’ the place…” Scratching the back of his head, he chuckled nervously. “I say… Plan B?”

The thought of his fate being held in the hooves of just ordinary ponies, let alone a lesser one, made Dirge shake his head in displeasure. Nobody would believe him if he were to tell this tale to his comrades, assuming he would ever meet them again were he to survive this ordeal.

“What’re they gonna do if they catch ya!?” Crimson said. “Throw ya in a dungeon somewheres? Maybe even hang ya upside the head!?”

“Perhaps.” Dirge replied.

“Aww, no. We gotta do somethin’! We’re sittin’ ducks here!” The young stallion panicking once again. ”M-maybe I can go an’ tell ‘em yer not all bad! Maybe we can convince ‘em! It’s worth a try!”

But Dirge disapproved the idea with a shake of his head. “Not likely.”

“Come on now! We gotta try somethin’! Otherwise, they’re gonna drag ya off and do who-knows-what to ya!”

Whilst Crimson went on, Dirge edged closer to the door and held an ear up to listen in on any activity. There were faint sounds coming from downstairs, but a little afterwards, the sounds seemed to grow slightly louder.

“Look, maybe we could-- mmph! Hmm!?” Crimson was cut off when a dark hoof was placed onto his mouth.

“Quiet.” Dirge whispered.

Just as they went silent, the sounds of heavy hoofsteps came near. Though they were indeed moving toward upstairs, they grew distant again. Indicating that they were moving down the other rooms down the opposite side of the hall. Dirge had to make sure his assumption was correct and took a risk by cautiously turning the doorknob and opening the door. Taking a peak down the hall, it seemed that the guard went to investigate another set of rooms. But knowing there wasn’t much time left until he was inevitably discovered, he was again considering engaging the guard in combat and make his best attempt at a getaway. Until Crimson popped his head out as well and looked the other way down another door.

“Wait. Wait! I got an idea!” Crimson said while leaving the room with his hooves on their tips. Slowly but steadily, he sneaked his way down the hall opposite of where the guard headed towards another door and entered inside, leaving the door ajar.

Dirge, however, did not follow as he was left befuddled to the pony’s movements. Unsure of where he was going nor what his intents were. But just as he was about to make a second thought about pursuing him inside, the guard exited the current room and Dirge quickly retreated back. The sounds of closing and opening doors with all the shuffling noises being made, the guard was making another round of searching into another nearby bedroom. Thankfully, there was still time to make one last move and the chance had to be taken now without a moment’s hesitation.

Checking to see if the coast was clear, Crimson took one last look at the hallway for any more activity from the guard still lingering in the other room. Feeling it was safe enough from the temporary lack of his presence, he signaled Dirge with his hoof to proceed closer to his location. Complying almost immediately, his changeling friend rushed over as quietly as possible with careful steps along the way.

Though not all went unnoticed. As the guard exited from the room he just finished searching, he noticed the door at the end of the hall closing immediately with the click of the lock.

“Hmm?” With a suspicious glance towards the end ahead, he marched over to see just who managed to escape his line of sight.

The two managed to get inside, with Dirge’s dissatisfaction, the bathroom. Crimson locked the door behind him and whispered to avoid the guard’s attention.

“If we can wait him out in here, he’ll probably leave sometime!” Crimson said.

“This is your plan? A moment’s reprieve?” Dirge complained with a discontent sigh. “We’re doing nothing more than delaying the inevitable.”

“Ya gotta be so negative? We’ll be fine in here so long’s he don’t come this way…”

Much to their chagrin, any hope that remained of that idea quickly died when a stern knock on the door interrupted their short chat.

“Official guard! Open this door!” A dominant voice spoke from the other side.

“Oh, horse apples…” Crimson said.

With another impatient knock, the guard insisted with his search. Twisting the knob once more though it’s locked position hindered him from entry.

Crimson tapped his lips with the tip of his forehoof to his friend, telling him to keep quiet. Dirge, however, did not need to be reminded as he remained motionless with a prepared stance. Ready to take action should the guard threaten to break in.

“Uh… it’s occupied! I can’t answer the door right now!” Crimson yelled. Trying to persuade the other to leave.

His efforts were not very effective as the guard continued with his own attempts at gaining entry.

“Sir! Please exit immediately! Your residence is currently under a search and I will exercise my authority to exert proper force should I find any evidence of illegal conduct!”

The young, red stallion gulped in suspense. Here he was, cornered like a rat with nowhere left to run. His companion, moreover, took one step back. Teeth grit and his fangs bared, unnerved from the incoming threat, but did his best to compress his agitated state to prevent himself from giving away his position.

Apple Betty walked upstairs looking concerned that his son may still be hanging around with that stranger, whom she has now been warned about. Coming to the middle of the hallway, she called out, “Crimson, darlin’? Can I have a word with ya for a moment?” When no reply came after the first few seconds, she looked around and instantly spotted the armored unicorn standing by the bathroom door. Curious, she walked towards him and asked, “Mister guard, sir? What’s goin’ on now?”

“Stand back, madam!” He said with a hoof raised to stop her from nearing any closer. “I must persist that you not impede any guards from carrying out with their jobs!”

This was it. Crimson knew he had to do something before the authorities would eventually punish him and his friend. Putting all his brainpower into a new idea, he came upon one last resort. Putting both his forehooves together onto his muzzle, he blew a loud raspberry noise and tried to imitate the gross sound of what any would judge as flatulence.

“Oooooh!” Crimson yelled in a pained, yet mocking manner. “I knew I shouldn’ta eaten all them fritters last night! Uuuuugh! Y-ya don’t wanna come in here right now!” Finishing his moaning with the flush of the toilet.

This left the guard a little perplexed. The mare still next to him, he questioned her, “Are you… certain you haven’t seen any changeling activity within your vicinity, Miss… ?”

“Ugh.” Betty grumbled from the sound of her son and his latest condition. “That ain’t no changelin’. It’s just my airhead of a son. Ain’t nopony like him can eat my desserts and then complain about it the next day.” She said, knocking on the bathroom door upsettingly. “Crimson! I told ya, no dessert last night! I thought I heard ya snoopin’ around downstairs late in the mornin’! You are grounded, mister! Ya hear me!?”

“B-but maaaa… !” Her son replied, keeping his ‘pain’ sustained. Another raspberry blow and flush of the toilet later, he continued. “Ya I know I can’t resist yer cookin’! They was just… oooooh!” Moaning again while quickly going through a roll of toilet paper. Dropping most of the tissue on the floor carelessly.

The guardspony, whom had grown impatient already from their little squabble, rolled his eyes from the result of the occasion and simply moved on with his search. His next stop was the guest room, which unbeknown to his knowledge, was the room’s type and recent occupant. It appeared just as ordinary like the rest of the bedrooms that have been inspected so far. Although when he sweeped the area shortly after, he couldn’t find anything of significance until he stumbled upon a straw hat beside the bed. Picking it up with his magic and levitating it closer to him, he rotated it from one side to the other, examining it closely until he deemed it a likely piece of evidence, if what he had been told to be true.

In order to confirm his beliefs, he returned to the mare who had been scolding her son from his recent misbehavior. Much to his annoyance, the two were still going at it.

“Don’t you ‘But ma!’ me! You know gosh darn well what ya did!”

“Can we not talk about this right now!? I’m kinda… uuuugh!”

“And don’t think I’m buyin’ your sickly act for one second just so’s you can get out of doin’ chores! I know a faker when I hear ‘em!”

The guardspony intervened in their trivial family matter, trotting by to her and grabbed the mare’s attention by sounding off with his usual authoritative voice.

“Madam! A word!”

The guard’s loud and unexpected reacquaintance startled Betty from her spot. She looked toward him with worry, feeling nervous from the way he grabbed her attention. “Yessir, Mister Guard?”

“Answer me...” he asked, presenting the straw hat in front of her. “Does this hat belong to you?”

Betty bit her lip. As she was being put on the spot from the question itself, she pondered first, “Uh… why are ya askin’ about that old thing?”

“We’ve gathered witness reports of a changeling wearing odd apparel and this piece matched the description of one of it’s garments. Would you happen to know anything about that?”

Betty strained an innocent smile, although it waned with the guard standing before her, his serious expression staring her down making her all the more uneasy. “O-of course not! In fact, plenty of ponies would wear somethin’ like that on a summer’s day! Eh heh… right?”

Listening in through the door, Dirge eavesdropped on their conversation. Remaining quiet and still, while Crimson had already been ordered to do the same. Both of them feeling the tension from the moment and the possible outcome should something go wrong. Although he was apprehensive about Betty spilling the slightest bit of detail and giving away his position to the guard, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of compunction for these ponies helping him to hide away from the vengeful guard.

The guard himself, however, was not impressed by Betty’s rather hasty and poorly constructed reply, which did not sway him into believing her words. In response with a serious glare, he warned, “May I remind you, Miss? That aiding and abetting known criminals is a punishable offense. I hope you realize the weight of the situation.”

Betty dully nodded. Gulping before replying, “Y-yessir, Mister Guard.”

“Now I’ll ask again,” He said, presenting the hat in front of her again. “Does this belong to you?”

“Eh, um… now that ya mention it…” She paused for a second in though.

That short moment made Dirge tighten his muscles, gritting his teeth in his mouth. Should she reveal anything incriminating, he would have no choice but to take matters into his own and take action. But what came next startled even Crimson, a quiet gasp escaping him.

“That there belongs to our good friend, Zable!” Betty exclaimed, grabbing the hat and expressing relief. “He must’ve forgotten about it when he came over the other night and left it here by mistake!”

“And whom would this ‘Zable’ character be?” The guard asked.

“Why, he’s our friendly neighborhood zebra! ‘Course, he don’t actually live in town since he lives off ways from here. Helps us out in a pinch with all the complicated stuff.” Betty said, this time with complete confidence in her reply.

The armored unicorn’s doubtful frown did not leave him. Still unsatisfied from the results of his searching and questioning, though he decided not to press the issue further and instead, leave these ponies to their own devices. “I’ve little time to waste pursuing my efforts here for much longer, so I must depart for now and give my assistance elsewhere.” He said, taking his leave and going downstairs with Betty following behind. Before exiting through the front door, he gave one last statement. “But should any other implications arise and any other signs of danger, we will return, post haste. And you or anypony else will be held accountable for risking the lives of others. Is that understood, Miss?”

“Uh… y-yes… I understand.” Betty said. A hint of guilt and sadness in her voice.

“I urge you to contact us immediately should anything else of significance presents itself. And with that, I bid you a good day.” He said. Taking a bow before leaving with his pegasus unit. The other guards rallying back with them as well and returning to the town ahead.

Bushel came in a moment later with Candy Apples in tow, looking confused from the armored ponies having unexpectedly visiting his family farm. “Betty, darlin’? What’s goin’ on? Just what’s all this about?” He asked, only for Apple Bumpkin to arrive to his side presenting the poster that has already been spread quickly to public awareness. Seeing this put him on the same level of skepticism as the rest of his family, if not more so. Stunned at the information before him, he felt strongly inclined to inquire questions from that certain stranger about these ‘changelings’ and his possible involvement with them. With a heavy sigh, he said, “Honey, I’m gonna be havin’ a word with our guest.” and afterwards, trotting upstairs for the guest room.

With the lack of the guard’s presence, Crimson opened the door to check for anymore signs from down the narrow hall or sounds from downstairs. Only muffled voices came to his ears from the bottom floor, and with no more need to hide away, he felt safe enough to leave the bathroom. “Okay… I think he’s gone. Ya can come out now.” He whispered to his changeling friend behind him. Though not immediately sure from Crimson’s claim, Dirge peaked outside before completely exiting the room.

Heading back downstairs, their paths crossed with Bushel when he came up and looked towards the both of them with worry. Though that worry turned into firmness when he gazed upon the changeling trailing behind his son. “If both of ya could come down for a moment, I’d like to have a discussion with this… changelin’.” He said as he then focused on said individual, who also returned the same expression. “You mind?”

Dirge stiffened slightly from the pony’s words, but kept his awareness for anything he might try. Although it was not fear of apprehension that turned him rigid in that moment, but his concern that he may have let his guard down for too long amongst ponies.

Hearing this, Crimson’s anxiety roused up again when he began to meekly reply, “Wait… don’t tell me them guards are still here!”

“I just want to talk.” Bushel calmly said. “Come on now. I promise nothin’ll have to get ugly so long as everypony stays civil. Right then?”

Not left without much choice again, Dirge decided to comply with his request, sighing lightly in response. He walked past Crimson, who was still inflicted with concern if he should obey his father and receive another scolding from him as well. Going against that thought, he steeled himself for whatever came next. There were still more questions that had gone unasked and this may well be another chance at quenching their interest.

Arriving into the living room area, one changeling, whom was relieved from the lack of guardsponies now, and the rest of the Apple Family ponies gathered around for what could only be a chain of unpleasant discoveries. Bushel took the initiative of being the only one to begin his line of questioning. Taking the poster from his niece and presenting it to the one in suspicion, he began to voice the thought that was already on every other pony’s minds. “Now let me be brief about this and get on straight to the point. Would ya know anything about this at all?”

Dirge took the piece of paper and read through it carefully. Finding the drawing on the front of it nearly insulting, but yet at the same time, almost amusing. From the descriptive details it read, it had referred to the assault his hive had conducted from the month’s past. He understood straight away why he was being sought out for reasons he already knew. However, this didn’t seem enough to give his answers immediately to others, let alone ponies, who he felt were not able to comprehend the full story.

“Well?” Bushel asked, awaiting from the lack of a response. “Got anythin’ to say about that? Or are ya one of them vandals who goes around lookin’ for trouble too?”

With no acceptable answer at the ready, Dirge simply discarded the poster away. His gaze following the flow of the paper’s trail, which gently landed next to the farm pony’s hooves. Avoiding eye contact, he said with a dull tone, “Can’t say. My knowledge on that incident is limited. Unreliable from my perspective.”

“Now you look me in the eyes when I’m talkin’ to ya!” Bushel said as he formed serious face. “All I need is a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Were you responsible for anything that happened during that disaster?”

Dirge complied with his demand, although hesitant to do what the pony said. None eager to give his response, he did not feel the need to invest time in explaining his reasons to those his kind have wronged before as there was no worthy effort to prove whatever innocence he had. “I’ve done my fair share of… misdeeds against your kind in the past. But sabotaging ceremonial events were not part of them.”

A little put off by the changeling’s answer, Bushel pressed further. “I dunno why you would go and do such things, stranger. And how do you expect me to trust ya enough to know yer tellin’ me the good ‘n’ honest truth?”

“That depends on you.” Dirge said.

“Ya ain’t really leavin’ me with a good impression, son. I can’t have somepony like ya runnin’ around amongst us folks just tryin’ to make a livin’. ‘Specially not around my family here.”

“Bushel, hon?” Betty interjected. “Maybe they was just accidents or they wasn’t his fault? Who knows? Besides, we don’t know the whole story yet! That’s how it might’ve gone, right?” She asked as she looked towards the changeling, to which he only stared back silently. The mare, saddened by the sign, drooped her ears from the awkward disappointment and stepped back behind her husband again.

“We might’ve misplaced our faith in him and put us all in jeopardy this whole time!” Bushel continued, upsettingly disturbed by the realization. “I blame myself for lettin’ this happen and not seein’ it sooner. Shoot, how do we know he ain’t the one who put my boy in harm’s way!?”

“Wait! Hold on a sec, pa!” Crimson spoke up this time. “It was like ma said! I was really out of it that night and my head was pretty fuzzy from all I can remember. Plus, it was really dark out and-”

“That was my doing.” Dirge admitted.

From that confession alone, Crimson’s jaw dropped. “B-but! It wasn’t… !” The shock had made the rest of the other mares gasp from the horrific truth and imagery of the incident.

“I had the power to prevent matters from escalating too far and your son had unfortunately gotten involved. His injury was the result of my irresponsibility. That was my failure.” His admittance had not deterred the fatherly stallion from his stern stance towards the changeling, however. In penance for his actions, Dirge prepared himself for the inevitable outcome. “So? How do you wish to carry out your revenge? What a grand opportunity to summon the guards and haul me away to my demise, wouldn’t you say?”

“Woah there, stranger!” Bushel said as he held up a hoof in protest. “This ain’t about no revenge. That ain’t how we do things around here.” He continued with a dissatisfied sigh. “Now, I dunno what drove ya to do such unspeakable acts, but it took a lotta guts admittin’ what ya did. Ya don’t find that in a lot of common folks these days. I gotta respect that. But this don’t mean yer gettin’ outta this without no penalty either.”

“Then… what do you propose?” Dirge asked.

Bushel went and walked past him as he said, “If there’s anythin’ I’ve learned in life from discipline throughout my time, whether it was from my own grandad in my younger days, or keepin’ my son into shape…” heading towards the kitchen to fetch something from one of the many cabinets. “A little hard work goes a long way teachin’ some values into everypony. Perhaps offerin’ ya a second chance to make up for what ya did wouldn’t hurt since ya don’t really seem like too bad a pony, or… whatever the hay ya really are. And I learned that second chances can turn somepony around for the better. That’s a lesson Princess Celestia herself had taught us. A lesson most of us should be thankful for.” Straying back to the changeling, he held his hoof up, holding a small kitchen tool and giving it over to him.

Perplexed by this thin, metallic object, Dirge wondered the meaning of it. “And this is… ?”

“Ain’t ya never seen a peeler before?” Bushel chuckled, amused by the stranger’s bewildered expression from just laying eyes on that object as if he’d never seen it before in his life. “We got whole batches of apples that need to be skinned so’s we can get ‘em ready for sale at the market later. I’m expectin’ you’ll be up to the task?”

While this wasn’t as severe a punishment as Dirge had expected, it didn’t seem at all rehabilitating as the pony was implying it to possibly be. The idea of peeling apples, especially a whole number of them, was going to prove to be a lengthy chore. Sighing, he took the tool in his hoof and looked out the nearest window, which had already shown buckets of apples lined up by the barn.

This was going to be a long day.