"What in tarnation is she playin' at?" Applejack muttered as she and her older brother picked their way along the cliff top. "I mean seriously now, cryin' for two days straight? She's gotta dehydrate sometime, right?" She glanced up at Big McIntosh for validation.

"Yup," he said.

"What is there that's so sad you'd cry for days?" Applejack continued, "I mean, maybe if a family member, y'know... then I'd be real sad for ages... but there's grievin' and there's stuff to do. One don't mutually exclude the other."

"Nope."

"I mean, this is Rarity we're talkin' about. Chances are she chipped 'er hoof or broke 'er favourite doll or some such."

Big McIntosh raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh, hey, y'know I didn't mean nothin' by it," Applejack back-peddled. "Besides, you prove my point. You didn't cry for two days straight now, did ya?"

Big McIntosh snorted.

"There ya go. Then ya got Fluttershy not comin' to the door when we knocked. Ya think that's connected?"

Big McIntosh shrugged.

"Yeah I know, not enough of them - what does Twilight call 'em? - data points in our sample set. That's why we're up here, lookin' for more." Applejack crunched a Gorse flower under hoof and sniffed the coconut aroma, sighing. "If somethin's up with Fluttershy, nine times out of ten Discord'll know somethin' about it - and the tenth time he'll probably be lyin',"

"Yup," Big McIntosh nodded.

"So all we need to do is follow the trail of accidental chaos like followin' the ammonia smell back to a harvest mouse and it'll lead us right to 'im."

"Yup."

"Hullo! What's this?" Applejack pointed down to the beach, where a small boat laden with crates had just pulled ashore.

The crew of two jumped off and greeted a figure standing on the beach, surrounded by crows. Bits were exchanged and the crates were unloaded.

"Can ya make out who they are?" Applejack called, squinting.

"Nope."

"Well, either I'm drunk and there's two of Rarity's dad or... that's Flim and Flam down there!"

"Yup," grinned Big McIntosh.

"Hey!" Applejack cast a disapproving look at her big brother, "I ain't had any cider in ages." She looked back down to the beach. "Don't recognise that birdy fella though. Hey! What are they doin' now?"

The "birdy fellow" had gone a few paces into the woods and come back with a crate. He seemed to be struggling with it. The two from the boat came to assist and they hauled it on board.

"Oh no you don't!" The wind snatched Applejack's words as she broke into a gallop back down the cliff path toward the beach."

Big McIntosh soon drew parallel and they thundered along the track. The nefarious company of ponies must have seen them coming for, by the time they reached the sandy alcove, the boat was rowing steadily out to sea and the stranger was gone. One or two crows remained, tilting their heads curiously at the siblings.

"What was that about?" Applejack could feel trouble brewing if Flim and Flam were involved. She remembered how they had almost swindled her into lying for them. It had almost cost Granny Smith her life. She swished her tail angrily.

"Uh, sis?" Big McIntosh was pawing the ground by a small wooden crate that seemed to be rocking back and forth.

"Easy now," she trotted over and, between them, they managed to carefully pry the lid off.

Sitting at the bottom of the box, shaking and snivelling, was a little bear cub. It squinted up into the bright light of the opening, took one look at the two ponies and started bawling.

"Oh hey little fella, you tryin' to get me in trouble with your mommy?"

The bear's volume increased in response.

"Crumbs, where's Fluttershy when ya need 'er? I ain't cut out for this!" Applejack looked to her brother for suggestions, who shrugged. "Right, you wait here, I'm going to get help, ok?"

"Yup," Big McIntosh said, looking doubtful.

Hengst slowed to a trot and chanced a look behind him. Nobody was pursuing him. Could the big oaf and the hothead have given up so easily? He chuckled and slipped into a comfortable saunter. Rotten luck having to ditch half the merchandise but at least he'd already been paid for it. The real loss was being discovered. Oh well, the wheels were already in motion, he just had to move a little quicker than he would have liked. The hothead would have to be dealt with now of course. The big earth pony probably wasn't bright enough to be a problem.

It was at this moment that Hengst realised he wasn't alone: There, on the path ahead of him, stood a comely mare with long eyelashes. She fluttered them at him as he approached and flashed her fetlocks seductively.

"Hello big boy, want some fun?"

"Already having some thank you," he curtly replied and tried to trot past the stranger.

"Not like this. I could show you things you couldn't imagine," she crooned, circling him like a shark.

Hengst stopped, nostrils flaring. "Madame, you're beginning to irk me," he growled.

"That's nothing compared to what I'm prepared to do to you," Discord growled back, his form slipping back into its usual undulating shape.

"Chaos unmasked. Pleased to meet you," smiled Hengst, "I'm a big fan of your work."

Discord just glared. "Are we throwing down here or are you going to step out of my way?"

"Out of your... way," Discord's smile was unnerving. "Rest assured that I will be completely out of your 'way' from now on but don't worry, you're never going to be alone again. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, I'll be there. When you slip up - and you will slip up eventually - I'll be there and I'll land on you like a two-ton piano, understood?" Discord straightened an invisible tie around Hengst's neck (or was it a noose?). Hengst swallowed, blushing angrily. "Attaboy," Discord patted Hengst on the head and vanished.

From her hiding place a little way down the path, Applejack chewed the inside of her cheek. She hadn't heard much of the conversation but she'd made up her mind what the gist of it must be. "Discord!" She furrowed her brow and sneaked off while Hengst was still regaining his composure.

Author's Note

In part inspired by Tony Soprano running through the woods from the FBI take-down. In part an homage to Big McIntosh, who really needs more "lines". Enjoy,