Seeking Safety

The first thing Lilac was aware of the next morning was the acute pain in her stomach. Groaning, she rolled out of the bed and stumbled over to the dresser and mirror.

"Oh...mother of Faust!" she grumbled. "I ate too much cake."

Groggily, she poured water from the jug on the dresser into the bowl kept for washing. She splashed her face a few times, taking care to wet her mane before drying her face with a towel. Feeling considerably better, she began to brush the tangles out of her hair and tail, before carefully taking her comb in her hoof and grooming her coat. When she was satisfied with her appearance, she went over to where her bag lay on the ground. She extracted a silk purple scarf, wrapping it around her neck as she exited the small room.
She made her way down the hall, turning at the end and descending a set of stairs. When the pony sitting at the front desk saw her, she beamed and waved to Lilac as she exited the inn.
The morning was warm and bright as Lilac strode briskly through the town. Now and then a gust of wind moved through the streets, bringing far off scents of flowers. Now and again Lilac would pause to inhale the fresh air, letting the warm sunlight soak into her fur.

"Hi, Violet!"

Violet's eyes opened, and she smiled when she saw Pinkie Pie bouncing towards her.

"Oh, hey Pinkie."

"So where are you headed today?" Pinkie asked as she bounced alongside the trotting mare.

"I'm on my way to Sweet Apple Acres," Lilac answered. She paused and looked around, realizing she couldn't quite remember Apple Jack's directions. "Um, I'm sorry but could you help me find it? I don't want to be late."

Pinkie Pie grinned. "Sure! It's this way!"

She turned and began bouncing away. Lilac trotted after her.

.....

Fifteen minutes later, they had arrived at the outskirts of the farm. As they drew nearer, Lilac found herself in awe of the farm's sheer size. Rolling hills and apple trees stretched as far as the eye could see, and in the distance Lilac could hear the peaceful mooing of cows that lived in the pastures down the way. And at the forefront of it all stood the old barn and the Apple Family home.
When she looked at it, Lilac couldn't help feeling impressed. Although the house was not new by any means, the old beams and wooden planks stood strong, a testament of the dedication shown by the many generations of Earth ponies that lived there. The storage barn was just as worn, but its paint was bright and cheerful. Like the house itself, the structure was old but in good repair, carefully maintained by the Apple Family through the years.
And there was more. The air here wasn't just fresh with the smell of apples. Lilac shut her eyes, digging her hooves into the ground a bit. This soil...the atmosphere, the trees themselves...they felt vibrant, filling her with a sort of happiness she hadn't known in a long time.
Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie had bounced over to the barn. As she neared the double doors they swung open, and Applejack emerged, pulling an apple cart. Behind her was her brother Big Mac, strong and quiet as always.

"Oh, hey Pinkie Pie!" AJ said. She seemed surprised she was there. "What brings you here today?"

"Just helping Violet find her way here. Well, I gotta get going! The Cakes said they need my help with a super big project! See ya!"

She trotted away. Once she had gone, Big Macintosh turned to his sister with a raised eyebrow.

"Are ya sure it was a good idea asking a city filly to help out?" he said.

Apple Jack managed not to roll her eyes. "She needs this as much as we do, Mac. Trust me."

Big Mac looked skeptical. "Ya barely know 'er, sis. How do you know she ain't one of them cons?"

Apple Jack narrowed her eyes. "How do ya know she is? I think I can tell a liar when I see one," she said flatly. "On another note, I think you've been listening to Granny too much. Not all the folks in Manehatten are bad, Mac."

Big Macintosh made no reply. Apple Jack shook her head, and as she went back into the barn she stopped and turned around when she heard hoofsteps approaching. When she saw Violet, she smiled and trotted over, extending a hoof in a friendly hoofshake.

"Hey Violet, glad ya made it."

Lilac smiled, and looked past Apple Jack. When she caught sight of the larger red stallion a few feet away, she froze. Both mare and stallion stared at each other, both taking in details of the other's appearance.
Like most ponies, the first thing Lilac noticed about Big Macintosh was his size. The fact he was taller that most stallions Lilac had seen, coupled with the sheer power in his thick muscles, meant that Lilac was left feeling considerably shy and even a bit fearful. However, upon looking into his green eyes she felt calmer, for Big Mac's face showed no sign of hostility.
Big Macintosh was equally surprised by the filly in front of him, for he could now see what his sister had meant. There was a large bruise on the mare's face, and he knew in a split second that it was not from an accident. It was a deliberate injury, inflicted by another pony. Possibly even a stallion. Looking at her eyes, he could see there were bags under them. She clearly hadn't slept well in weeks. Not only that, but she was thin, and her brown coat seemed just a little too pale to him. And unless Big Macintosh was imagining it, she seemed a little afraid of him.
Deciding it would be best if he spoke first, Big Macintosh stepped forward. Apple Jack raised an eyebrow curiously but said nothing. She wanted to see how things would go.

"Hello," Big Mac said, a little awkwardly.

"Hi," Lilac answered shyly. "Um..." she blinked, and scuffed her hoof on the ground. "My name's Violet. I'm here to help with the Applebuck Season?"

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Violet. My name's Big Mac." He paused, trying to think of what to say next. "We appreciate the help, ma'am."

This made Lilac smile. Big Mac smiled back, a bit sheepishly this time. Apple Jack grinned. This was going much better than she'd anticipated. But that was enough for now. She cleared her throat.

"Well, we'd best get a move on," she said. "These apples ain't gonna harvest themselves, ya know."

As the three exited the bar a few minutes later with baskets on their backs, Apple Jack winked at her brother and nudged him in the ribs.

"Told ya she wasn't so bad," she whispered in his ear.

Big Mac blushed.