To Turn on a Light

AppleJack bucked. It was apathetic. She watched as the apples thumped into the barrel. She sighed as she reached up with her arm to readjust her hairnet. She'd never gotten used to wearing the things. Applejack walked over and put the apple barrel into the cart. She sighed again as she hitched it to herself and started walking towards the barn.

"Big Mac!" she shouted as she walked in, "I've got the apples! you got the- oh." she rounded a corner. Big mac was there with a dozen ready barrels of canned apples."

"Eeyup" he replied with satisfaction.

"oh," how does he always do that, so... optomistic all the time. Especially after applebloom... "well uh, they're outside."

They walked out and slowly moved the fresh apples off the cart and into the canning room, and the canned apples outside and into the cart. She got hitched up again and ready for her journey.

"Be careful." he said. Applejack got the message, the journey would only take the afternoon but in this broken kingdom, it could still be dangerous. She set off.

AppleJack arrived at the marketplace, or the sorry excuse for a marketplace, of Dodge City a few hours later. She made her way over to where she usually sold her apples and a blue stallion with a tremendous under-bight stepped out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" She inquired. "Where are the usual guys?"

"They hired me. Also said a pony would be around soon to sell me some canned apples. That you?" He sounded excited. And he was... smiling? Dun' know how anypony can smile nowadays. There was a time when AppleJack could get excited and smile. She couldn't remember it very well.

"Yah, that's me. Got a dozen barrels ready to be shipped out. I'll give 1 a barrel for the usual price of 50 bits." AppleJack could tell by the look on his face that he didn't like the price. She rolled her eyes and sighed. He's gonna try an' haggle.

"50 bits? Come on ma'am. This is going to soldiers that are risking their lives... for the good of our kingdom. Can't you lower the price a little?" Ah knew it.

"Sir," She leaned forward a little "umm what's yer name?"

"Silver Shill"

"Silver Shill," she leaned back, "this price has been lowered severely as it is. Ah know you can afford it cuz Ah've sold mah apples here countless times before, If Ah go any lower, I won't be able to afford teh can any more. Which Ah need teh can more fer, as you said, the good of the kingdom." She looked him in the eye. He seemed annoyed, but eventually agreed.

They made the transaction and AppleJack prepared to leave. But stopped. "Silver?"

He looked up from the barrel he was looking through."What?"

"Don't sell that for twice the price yeh bought it." He looked ready to object. "Don' bother, Ah know you ponies do it. Tha's how yeh can always afford all mah barrels an' never seem to have a slow week. Don' sell em fer more money than you need, The ponies on the front need as many resources as possible. Cheat'n em could lose us the war."

He looked frustrated, but reluctantly agreed. AppleJack smiled. Then started on her way

AppleJack Bucked. It had passion. He probably won't even do what yah said, but at least he heard it, and maybe he'll think about it, She thought. She had forgotten how she earned the 3 appled cutie mark that she did, but she remembered now.

A fair trade is much better than a few extra bits.