Applejack walked out in the sunlight for the first time in a decade. She smiled as the sun's warm embrace enveloped her. The mine entrance overlooked the whole city of Canterlot. The vibrant colors of the Equestria's capital stuck out against the dark mountainside. Applejack could vaguely make out Twilight returning to the palace from the mines.

AJ took a deep breath and thought about her options. Twilight said something about public housing. Applejack could us a bath and some rest. Sleeping on the mine floor ain't very comfortable. With a determined expression she headed downtown.

It felt so good to be free of that blasted stink hole. Applejack had almost forgotten what it was like to feel the wind in her mane, smell the summer blossoms, and hear the calls of songbirds. Despite her argument with Twilight, AJ was hopeful that all that pain has past.

Applejack quickly found the Shelter. It was a low lying, featureless building with a large crowd of forlorn ponies loitering in front of it. Applejack approached a sleepy looking clerk stationed by the front door. "Howdy sir, might I ask y'all fer a bed?"

The clerk eyed her, "you and every other beggar out here. We don't have any more room. If ya want in you'll have to cough up the bits."

Applejack frowned, "I don't have any money, but I have a parole that entitles me to..."

"A Republican! out! Get out I say!"

"Can't I at least get a bite to eat?"

"Get out now!" the clerk yelled. A big stallion appeared from the doorway with a snarl. Applejack took the hint and skedaddled.

Down the block, Applejack stopped to catch her breath. " What the sam heck was that?" Applejack looked down to her growling stomach. She had not eaten since that dawn, or whenever the prison guards woke her that day. "I guess I'll have ta find grub somewhere else. I'm sure somepony round here is willin' to exchange a meal for some work."

Applejack looked around. Across the street a pegasus shopkeeper was painting her storefront. She was clearly inexperienced with a brush. She was getting more paint on the ground than the actual wall.

AJ called up, "Hey, y'all need help there sugar cube?"

The pegasus took one look at the grungy orange mare and fled back inside her shop, dropping the paint bucket on the ground. Applejack chased after her trying to find her though the storefront window. "I ain't goin' to hurt ya, I just want to help."

The terrified pony's face appeared in the window. "Go away. Don't hurt me. I don't have anything," she cried from within, screaming bloody murder.

"I told ya I won't hurt..." Applejack started, but she paused when she saw her reflection in the glass. What she saw was barely recognizable. Her mane and fur had become dirtier than an abandoned rat's nest. Her face had a few wrinkles not from age, but simple mileage. Her back bore scars from years of hauling diamond carts. Her teeth were caked in yellow plaque and hurt when she bit down. Her cutie mark was almost undistinguishable, her hoofs were cracked, and her tail was a tangled. Most unsettling of all was the glaring absence of a certain stetson. She had forgotten they took it before her trial. She felt naked and alone without her favorite hat, especially now.

Applejack knew she had to get help soon. Maybe if she gussied up a bit, ponies would be more willing to help. She remembered there was a pond somewhere near the castle. She headed up to the ritzier end of town. As she ascended the mountain the passerbys looked more and more apprehensive toward the convict.

One unicorn noble stopped momentarily to ask, "Do you come to the Cloud District very often? I'm kidding of course you don't."

Applejack raised a confused eyebrow, "What was that? I swear the thin air must get to these ponies' brains." From then on Applejack made sure to avoid the "Cloud District" residents as much as possible.

Finally Applejack found a pond in the extensive palace gardens. There was nopony around so she dipped right in. The cool water felt so good against her blistered skin. Using just her hooves, AJ tried to rub as much dirt out of her fur as possible. Suddenly a guard called out from the castle. In a panic, Applejack fled the garden as quick as her legs could carry her. This was way closer than the 100 yards permitted to her. The pegasus guards pursued her back out of the Cloud District. They were fast, but AJ used to run against Rainbow Dash. They didn't stand a chance.

Exhausted, Applejack once again started her search for aid, but everywhere she went, she was greeted with fearful glances, jeering insults, and sometimes stones. Hours went on without a single success. Some refused her immediately, others suddenly withdrew when they found she was a "Republican." None even bothered to hear her exclamations. By evening, the poor mare was starving, tired, and aching all over.

Her next stop was a doughnut shop with a hiring sign in the window. The answer was the same as the others. As AJ left dejected, she perked her ears to a sound from the back. She entered the alley to investigate. She found that the store just received a cart-full of fresh baked pastries. Better yet, the delivery pony went inside to finalize the delivery, leaving the cart unattended. All Applejack had to do was take one box and she could enjoy a dozen delicious donuts to stave her through the night.

"No," the starved mare said to herself, "I ain't goin'a stoop that low." However, it's been so long since I've had any baked goods and there was no other food available. There wasn't even grass up here outside of the ridiculously manicured lawns of the wealthy. What would it hurt to take just one box. After all, the shop owner missed the chance for a fair deal already. As they say, what goes around comes around. She was down the road with a box between her teeth before her thought was finished.

Applejack quickly ducked into an alley to eat her plunder. Her mouth watered when she found the box was filled with apple fritters, her favorite treat. She was about to gorge herself when she heard footsteps behind her. She whirled around to find a quartet of mean looking earth ponies.

The lead pony smiled evilly, "Lookie here pals. Looks like a tramp has scored us some dinner."

The pony next to him nodded, "maybe she'll give us a show too Brass Hoof."

Applejack gulped her dry throat, "I can share these with y'all but ain't giving ya no show."

Brass Hoof laughed, "She acts like she actually matters. We'll take what we want."

Applejack struggled as hard as she could, but she was too weak and they were too many of them. The first chance she got, she escaped and ran away. Desperately she looked for a place to hide. Tucked away in an alley AJ found a pig pen. The resident pig was chowing down on the slop in her trough. Applejack approached and the pig perked her head up.

"Ya don't mind if I share some with ya?" The pig snorted and continued eating. Applejack assumed that meant yes.

Applejack had risen enough pigs to know what slop is made of. Rotten apples we're the most appetizing ingredient. With her "meal" finished, Applejack tore down a Princess Promenade poster from a nearby wall and wrapped it around herself. AJ curled into a corner and looked up into the night sky. The Mare in the Moon stared back down at her, reminding her of the good times long ago. Finally letting all her pains and fears break out, Applejack started crying.

There was a time ponies were kind
When their voices were soft
N' their words invitin'
Once good deeds n' love were blind
The land a song
N' the song exitn'
There was a time
Then it all went wrong.

I dreamed a dream of a time better
When love was here
And friends worth havin'
I dreamed we'd always be together
I hoped they'd be forgiv'n
We were young and unafraid
The very best friends I could find
Oh, the memories we've made
No party not had, no mountain unclimbed

But came the princess of the night
With her voice that shook like thunder
She wanted to change the world
N' my friends were torn apart

Twilight kept at Celestia's side
Rainbow chose ta support the other
Our group was torn with a great divide
Things ave never been the same

I dreamed that they'd let me be
And not force me to choose
Betwin bein' safe or liv'n free
But I lost all I could lose

I'd dreamed my friends would be
Right here in my embrace
Instead I'm here all alone
Cuz my life has killed my dream

Author's Note

Wow I went dark in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I Dreamed a Dream had far more liberty for ponification. Feel free to comment and critique. Thank you for reading.