“STOP, THIEF!” yelled Carrot Top across the Ponyville marketplace, as she galloped after a grey unicorn with a dull blue and extremely untidy mane.
Which way, which way... maybe into a house. But I don’t want to do another bad thing today.
Just keep going. I thought.
My stomach growled loudly as I dove into an alleyway.
Carrot Top and the town guards, who had followed her cry, ran straight past the alleyway and around the corner without a second glance.
I sat on the floor and breathed a sigh of relief as I used my magic to bring the single carrot I had taken towards me.
My stomach growled again, although this time it was more of a roar.
I have to make this meal last as I don’t know when I’ll get another, I can’t go back to the market for a while either.
Just as I'm about to take the tiniest nibble…
“DON’T YOU DARE!”
Carrot Top was at the mouth of the alley again, flanked by two of the ponyville guards.
“Don’t you take one bite, thief. Return what you stole!”
I admitted defeat and levitated the carrot out of her own hooves and into those of Carrot Top’.
Carrot Top turned to the guards.
“The matter is settled now! I won’t press charges.”
She turned back to the filthy unicorn.
“If I EVER catch you near my stall again, I’ll make sure you’re put away for a very long time. Be thankful I’m feeling generous today.”
Carrot Top trotted away back to her stall, guards in tow.
My stomach grumbled as I fell against the trash can,
and began to cry.
Back at the market Carrot Top arrived with a smug grin on her face.
“One carrot! That’s what all the ruckus was about?”
Carrot turned to see who was addressing her in such a manner. She was face to face with an Orange mare with a blonde mane, wearing a Stetson.
“Oh, it’s you Applejack and no, it wasn’t over a single carrot. It was about principles.”
“Ah know that, but it’s still just one carrot.”
“I worked hard to grow these carrots, so I deserve to receive trade from them. that MARE is horribly filthy, sleeps in alleys, and is a thief. She deserves to be locked up.”
“Wait a darn second, Are you tellin’ me y’all just chased a homeless pony for takin’ ONE carrot?”
“I chased a pony who stole from me.”
“Where is she now?”
“Just along there down some side alley, why? You’re not seriously considering helping the disgusting thing.”
“I sure as hay am. Poor gal is probably starved.”
Before Carrot could say anything, Applejack briefly mumbled to Big Macintosh at the apple stall, before marching off down the alley with a basket in her jaw.
What Applejack saw down that alley was almost enough to bring her to tears.
Lying there was a grown mare, curled up like a filly, against a trash can, crying like there was no tomorrow.
This made Applejack think. How did she end up like this nopony should have to live like this?
“Excuse me, miss?”
“I’m sorry, I won’t take anything again, I-“
“Ah’m not here about the carrot sugarcube. Ah heard there was a mare who needed somethin’ in her belly.”
“You’re, what, huh?”
“Ah think ah’m speakin’ clear equestrian sugarcube. Some ponies don’t understand my countryisms, but this here ain’t one o’ those times.”
I just stared blurrily at Applejack with confusion, trying to clear the tears out of her eyes with her hooves so as not to look weak in front of this bizarre pony.
“Anyhoo, ah came to give you this.”
Applejack placed a large basket in front of me and lifted up the blanket covering the contents.
Inside the basket was several apples, a couple of apple fritters, and a pie, which she assumed was also apple, still radiating with a slight heat.
“Th-this. This is for me?” I asked staring hungrily into the basket.
“Sure is Sugarcu-“
Applejack never got to finish her sentence before she was enveloped in a bone-crushing hug.
“Woah there nelly, you’ve got some muscles on ya but don’t think nothin’ of it. Us Apples have plenty to get by and are glad to help a pony in need.”
“Thank you... oh... uh...”
“Applejack! The name’s Applejack.”
“ Thank you Applejack. I’m Pride.”
“Okay Pride, ah will ask one thing of you for that food and that’s that you come by sweet apple acres tomorrow, around noon time and bring back the basket. We’re runnin’ a might low because a certain Pegasus keeps using them as flight hoops. Ah best be going now, Big Mac can sell apples but he’s not much of the social type”
“Okay. Thank you again Applejack, I’ll repay you. Somehow.”
With that Applejack took off back into the square with a smile on her face and a skip in her step.
Meanwhile I began hungrily devouring that pie while it was still warm.
Within the hour, the food was gone.
For the first time in months I felt full but that didn't stop me doing what I do best.
I quickly gathered up all the garbage and crumbs with my magic and threw it in the trash can I had previously used for support and cleaned up the excess juice from the ground with a flick of my horn.
Nopony could say that I was an untidy mare, keeping everything clean and tidy is my special talent after all.
It’s still early evening, I wonder if I should give Applejack her basket back now. She told me to wait until tomorrow but I don’t think she considered how much a starving mare could eat in such a short time.
“I think I will take it back today, the sooner I give it back the sooner I’ll be out of her mane”
I tossed the now empty basket onto my back with my magic and made my way to sweet apple acres, ducking in between side streets and alleys as much as I could to avoid any more confrontations made it to be an uneventful journey.
Why is there no cover here, someponies going to see me for sure. I don’t like ponies staring. At least nopony seems to come this way.
“well howdy there Pride, didn’t ‘spect to see you again today.”
“erm, I’m sorry, well I finished that food, it was very nice, I bought your basket back”
I was about to turn tail and sprint away from the awkward situation but a sudden scream broke the air.
“Applejack darling, I know you can be dirty but that’s to be expected from your work. But you!”
A unicorn with a coat as white as ivory and a bouncy, yet curly mane of deep purple walked emerged behind Applejack, making no effort to hide the magic barrier she was putting between her hooves and the muddy ground and was now pointing an accusing hoof at me.
“Now Rarity, ah know but with what this poor mare’s been through, cleanliness is the least of her worries”
“erm, Miss Applejack, can I leave now?”
“oh horseapples, I’m sorry pride, thank y’all for the basket. In future if you need somethin’ just come find me, no more stealin’ carrots"
Rarity gasped at that and my ears drooped as I quickly dashed away from the farm.
“Rarity, we need to talk.”
Applejack and Rarity walked back into the farmhouse, Rarity still had a barrier beneath her hooves.