Author's Note

Thank you for reading this story of mine. This story is a work in progress and any pieces of constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

[1] 26th June (Part 1) - The Proposition

Ared, a strong and proud resident of Equestria's more agrarian orientated parts of society - Ponyville - yawned quietly. It was a typical Ponyville summer morning. Too early in the morning for the sun to break through the misty condensation that was present in the air to be able to evaporate the dew that had been built upon the town's lusciously green grass. The same grass that licked and tugged at each of the four wooden wheels of the cart that he was strapped to.

Ared Terra, Ared to most, was a reserved Earth pony and was a relatively quiet equine. 'Compared to some of this town's residents', the Stallion snorted. He wasn't shy, to be honest Ared was far from it, but with his reserved nature he was regularly found unwilling to participate in these rambunctious excursions - usually forced upon him by his younger sister. Needless to say, he was glad that at the end of night it wasn't him requiring the bathroom to vacate his stomach of any and all intoxicating substances.

'Serves her right', Ared thought, rolling his eyes at the recent memory of his sisters pained expression as she struggled to keep down her breakfast after a weekend of intense partying. 'Although, she's not the mug who managed to get roped into being the Greengrocer's resident chauffer!'.

Ared, a light-brown coloured stallion, sported a well-built physique and a lightly toned upper body. Atop his large frame his coat was thick, although well-kempt, accompanied by ochre coloured mane and tail. While his mane was cut to a medium sized length and his fringe was combed back for the hair to not impede upon his line of sight, his tail was intentionally cut-short to avoid it getting tangled in the cart that he pulled.

Striding through Ponyville, he walked through the town's major high street. Not a pony in sight; stalls that teemed with life around lunch time lay lifeless as well as quite eerie as the light grey hue of moisture flowed through the air.

The Stallion was an employee of the town's local Greengrocer. His position in the business? Glorified gofer and dogsbody . Although not official, this was the 'working title' that best suited his current occupation. His job at the Greengrocer's was to make sure that freshly picked produce, produced and processed by the Apple family at 'Sweet Apple Acres, was picked up and delivered to the Greengrocer's every morning. That's only half the job.

After his morning rounds, Ared would then spend the rest of the working day as the store's 'Assistant Manager'. The work was hard, although the Stallion fount it somewhat enjoyable. The thought of being able to contribute to something bigger than himself resonated with him quite deeply. The pay wasn't bad either...

'Sweet Apple Acres', his early morning destination. Three kilometres, in distance, from his home to the farm. The walk could actually be labelled "Pleasant" to the majority of regular ponies upon this fine day. That is, if you weren't strapped to a heavy wooden cart. An experience that could only be made worse by having to take unnecessary detours around the town.

Struggling to think of an excuse of how to get out of this morning 'chore', Ared slowed the cart he was tugging down as he approached a fork in the road. Making sure that he was aware of his surroundings as well , he looked around his immediate vicinity before turning left off the town's major market street onto a more narrow, residential street.

"Please, do come in Ared", sounded Blooming Kiwi - Ared's boss and owner of the Town's Greengrocer. "Take a seat if you would?"

Ared had been about to leave the Grocer's for the night, while it was his, 'obligatory duty' to open the store in the morning and set out the price boards for onlookers that walked past, the job of closing the store lay Kiwi. Stepping into the newly refurbished office, the wood varnish and smell of paint was still thick throughout the air, he took his time to take in his surroundings. Sat behind a rectangle shaped table that sat in the middle of the room, Kiwi could be seen holding a document up with her magic.

'This can't be good', the brown Stallion though to himself. Ared had been put on edge by the abruptness of being called into the 'bosses' office just as he was preparing to leave the shop for the day. 'I am so sacked. I am socked going to be sacked', he chanted inside his mind, 'Oh god! Why am I not part of a Union?'.

"So, Ared", Kiwi started, lowering the paper she was grasping within her magic's aura staring thoughtfully at her employee. "As you know, there have been a few casualties lately. Ponies who were not respectful of the stores hierarchy amongst other things and are in dire need of being replaced"

'Other things', Ared gulped, 'I'd say that's an understatement of the year, if you factor in a female shelf-stacker getting rather physical in the Cucumber and courgette isle'

"What a waste of fruit...", shaking her head Kiwi leaned in towards her subordinate. "There is a close friend of mine who has a daughter that has recently moved to Ponyville"

Ared nodded in recognition, although growing impatient. "And where do I come in with this, Ms. Kiwi?"

"Yes, of course", Kiwi leaned back in her chair as she levitated a secondary piece of paper towards her face. "I have decided to take her on as our newest employee. I have also been going through your daily route you take every morning"

'This doesn't sound good', he quipped silently. "What about it?"

"This daughter is unfortunately lame", Kiwi rose elegantly to her feet and slowly glided around the edges of the table that the two were originally sat at. "She suffers with an aggressive form of arthritis in one of her hind-legs and I feel that in under your care, she would be well cared for"

"So you want me to 'look after' her?", Ared questioned in suspicion, being very careful not to offend his boss in any way. "And, if you don't mind me asking - again - what does this have to do with my cart route?"

"I would like you to provide her with transport and make sure that she is able to safely travel to and from her house every morning and afternoon", Ared's employer announced. "As I see it, the route that you take everyday in the morning passes the area that her house is located in".

Just as Ared was about to object, Kiwi continued, "I am proposing that every morning you take this small detour that will allow you to pick up Miss Spring on your way to collect stock from 'Sweet Apple Acres'"

Ared didn't know what to say, he felt that he probably shouldn't say anything, but he had to say something! "But, Ms. Kiwi... That-"

Blooming Kiwi quickly silenced Ared, "I can understand your reservations Ared. I would share them if our roles were reversed". Standing beside the chair the Stallion was sat upon, Kiwi made eye contact with her employee. "However, as your employer I need to make sure that the survival of this Grocery store is prioritised above all else. Silver Spring..."

'I'm guessing that's her name?' Ared thought, turning his body to help soothe his now aching kneck from being in such an unnatural position.

"... Comes from quite a wealthy family in Manehatten and is incredibly smart and talented for her age. Once you pick her up along your, new, route she shall accompany you to 'Sweet Apple Acres' and oversee the picking up process first-hoof!"

Ared could only nod in submission. All attempts to derail his bosses master plan would be easily side swiped or shot down by Blooming Kiwi.

"Tell me, Ared", Kiwi smirked. "What's the worst that could happen?"

As the pony-cart duo trekked along the more narrow streets of the newly built and expensive buildings, a staple of Mayor Mare's time spent as Ponyville's governing body, Ared slowly recited the house numbers that he passed in the search for the correct address.

'14... 16... 18', he cited to himself, recalling the address Blooming Kiwi had told him, before continuing out loud. "20... 22... 24... 26!"

Double checking that he had arrived at the correct destination, Ared swiftly uncoupled himself from the cart, carefully setting down the various ropes and tack. Turning to face the house once more, he walked casually towards the new home.

The house was built of brick and followed the style of exposing the wooden support beams of the structure. Compared to the more traditional Ponyville homes, the more traditional thatched roof had been replaced with lead, cascading in a neat, closely knitted way, with the only obstruction being the chimney Brest which rudely jutted out of the roof.

Ared knocked upon the pristine oak door - Knock, knock, knock. Taking the moment to take in his surroundings, he was able to get a good look at the lifestyle ponies from this area were allowed to experience. Quipping to himself, "How the other half live, huh?"

"Coming! One Second!", a high pitched voice called from inside the house accompanied with varied muffled noises of thumps and bangs as the sound of faint hoof steps approached. The handle of the brown door was shrouded in a purple magical aura and was slowly pulled inside the house revealing a petite white mare emerging from the gap that was widening between the door and the frame.

The mare was a small pony, approximately a heads-length shorter than the male Stallion standing opposite her. With a slim physique and an undersized frame, the mare sported a cream-white coat rounded off with an azure mane and tail – both holding a well-kempt, curled aesthetic to them. Ared noted, to himself, that the mare was exquisitely presenting herself with no a hair out of place. The only disturbance in the neatness of the mare’s body was that of her horn, solitary protruding from the centre of her forehead.

"Oh, hello!" the petite mare beamed, "My name is Silver Spring, It’s a pleasure to meet you!"