The Princess and The Milk Maid

"Rarity!"

The white unicorn looked up from her work, as she poured her eighteenth pail of milk into the vat. She had managed to squeeze that cow dry of all the milk it had, knowing that meant more meat would be sold to the griffon kingdom this month. She almost felt a little bad about it, but that was nature, and after a while you get used to it. Just like how you get used to ponies disappearing after they get promoted, doesn't faze you after a while.

She turned, seeing Suri Polomare at the entrance, holding a clipboard to her chest. Swallowing the lump growing in her throat, she trotted over. "W-What can I do for you, Mrs. Polomare?" She asked, bowing lightly before the pink mare.

"I need you to send these jugs of milk to the market, Carrot Top's grocery just ran out, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake ran out of dairy for their sweets,"  Suri said, motioning to the cart stacked with milk cartons practically a mile high.

"O-Of course, ma'am, I'll get on it," She bowed her head once again before hooking herself up to the cart.

"Good girl, now run along before I take away your bathroom privileges again," She said, recalling many a time Rarity had such a wonderful thing as the outhouse banned from her, all because she delivered two orders of soy milk fifteen minutes late. Then again, many of these ponies were waddling in their own filth in there like cows, it was rather normal for them to be slow and filthy. But Suri knew Rarity, she may look like a hag, but she had her issues with cleanliness like any other mare.

Rarity nodded, and started her way down the dirt road, but stopped in her tracks. Looking over her shoulder, she called out. "Mrs. Polomare?"

Suri didn't even look over, busy writing on her clipboard, "What is it Rarity?"

"What happened to Berry Bunch and Derpy, don't they usually do deliveries?" She asked.

She chuckled, as she looked up from her clipboard and to said grey mare at the way back of the barn, still young and average looking aside from her lazy eye. Derpy hummed merrily, as she scrubbed a particular magenta cow down with soap, the heifer mooing and groaning sadly. "Oh, they've been promoted, don't worry about them," Suri assured Rarity, her grin widening as she heard the rickety wheels of the cart start squeaking, slowly getting fainter till they were barely audible. Finally, she was gone.

Running a hoof through her mane, she cleared her throat as she approached the rest of the mares, each pausing from milking to look at their master. "Bon Bon, Cloudkicker, would you come over please?"

Two large mares waddled over, both looking surprised to be called over by their master.

"Congratulations, you two have each earned a promotion," Suri smiled sweetly, taking in the gleeful looks on their faces that wouldn't last for long.

-

Applejack grumbled softly, her head resting on a stack of documents she was using as a pillow, her drool smudging up the ink. Her face was stained with coffee, many mugs of joe laying around the desk. She opened her eyes, seeing Sweetie Belle zip and zoom around the file cabinets, looking through every piece of paper and information there was. It warmed her heart seeing the little filly so determined on finding her family, but AJ knew that all that hard work would eventually turn up nothing.

She heard a set of heavy hoofsteps coming from behind her, slowly turning her head to see who it was.

"Macintosh!" Sweetie Belle grinned, bouncing over and onto his back, hugging him tightly.

He smiled and petted her on the head, "What're you doing up so early, Sweetie?" He asked.

"Me and Applejack are looking for my family," She smiled, motioning the the ocean of papers and coffee that covered the floor. Big Mac chuckled softly, walking up to Applejack, "AJ hasn't been that much help though, she's been sleeping the whole time," Sweetie pouted, watching the orange mare close her eyes once again, starting to snore loudly.

"Well it is only five in the morning," Bic Mac said, sitting next to his sister. Taking a half empty mug, he took a long swig of coffee.

"That's no excuse for being a lazy butt!" Sweetie whined, going through more papers. So far I've only found info on my great great grandpa  and my great aunt, and that just led to more info on my sixth cousins and eight cousins," She explained, "I mean, it's nice knowing I have cousins, but I want to find my immediate family - a sister, brother, parent, anyone!"

"I'm sure you will, Sweetie, you keep looking," The red stallion smiled, letting her go back to looking through the countless amount of documents the kingdom had to offer. He turned to Applejack and frowned, lightly shaking her shoulder. "AJ wake up," He said softly.

She yawned loudly, looking up at him. "What is it Mac? I'm tired..." She whined.

"Applejack, are you really okay with letting Sweetie Belle do this? She's gonna be so sad if she finds nothing on her family," Macintosh whispered.

"We at least have to let her try, figure it out on her own," Applejack sighed, "Besides, what's the chance she finds her family in Appleton?"

"I found something!" The two earth ponies turned, seeing Sweetie Belle hold up a picture of a white unicorn with a diamond cutie mark, grinning triumphantly.