//------------------------------//
// Ch 22. A bag of bits. 
// Story: The Silent Guardian 
// by Not_available_now 
//------------------------------//

Ch 22. A bag of Bits
            
        I scrape the apple mush of my face and look into the room. I see Mac, Applebloom and Applejack sitting at the table, the table covered with various apple bases food. All of them stare at me for just a second before bursting out into laughter. Applebloom falls off her chair and continues laughing there. I just glare at them while I try to get the applesauce out of my mane.
            
        Applejack is the first one to recover from laughter. “S-Sorry, suga’cube, but that was funny.”
            
        “Yea, hilarious.” I say as I fling a bit of applesauce at her. “But what is the reason that I got applesauce thrown at me?”
            
        “Me an’ ma sis were havin’ a bit of an argument and ah threw sum applesauce at her, but ah missed her and ah hit you.” Applebloom says after she stopped laughing.
            
        I sigh and sit at the end of the table, opposite of Mac. I grab a napkin and wipe the rest of the applesauce of my face, but there is still some in my mane. I’ll take care of that later. Applebloom climbs back onto her chair and grabs a plate.
            
        “Can I go eat?” she asks as her hoof hovers above a plate of apple fritters.
            
        “Sure.” Applejack says as she grabs some of the applesauce that didn’t left the bowl or is sticking to the wall. “Would ya like sum?” she asked me as she shoves a plate in front of my face.
            
        “Sure,” I say as I look at the table and its apple filled contents. I choose a slice of apple pie. I grab one of the larger slices and put it on my plate. As always it tastes wonderful and the amount of food on the table slowly shrinks away as we eat.
            
        We clean up the table and return to our chores. Applejack, of course, gives me new orders. She orders me to go and clean the barn and collect all the loose hay that is lying around. It should be easy; the barn never really was a mess.
 
 


            
        It is horrible. It looked like a tornado blew through this place, or in other words: The Cutie Mark Crusaders.
            
        There is hay everywhere, even stuck to the ceiling. The only place where no hay is where the hay is supposed to be.
            
        Applejack followed me into the barn and is now standing behind me.
            
        “Good luck.” She says as she hoofs me a broom. She walks out of the barn as she giggles a bit.
            
        I sigh  and slowly start swiping all the hay to the center.
            
        This is boring! I can’t think of anything that is in any way less interesting than slowly swiping a lot of hay. I even have to come crawl to Applejack to ask for some steps to get to the roof.
            
        She makes some remarks over the fact that I need help and gives me the steps eventually.
            
        After a lot of boringness I finally finish up. I put the steps and broom in the corner and walk out into the open air, basking in the sun.
            
        Applejack walks up to me and I smile at her, happy that I am finally done.  “Hi, Applejack. I just finished cleaning up the barn. Is there anything that I need to do or can I go off?”
            
        “Did ya really clean up everythin’? ” Applejack ask as she takes a peak in the barn.
            
        “I did, why?” I ask as I stand next to her, looking into the barn and seeing that everything is cleaned up.
            
        “Ta barn always is dirty. Ya didn’t  need ta clean it all up.” She says as she closes the barn, shutting the door with a bang.
            
        “You mean that I just cleaned for hours for nothing. You couldn´t have said anything?” I say, getting a bit angry with the honest mare.
            
        “Uhm…” Applejack says as a sheepish smile covers her face and she starts to sweat a bit. “Yes… uhm… no.”
            
        “You are a bad liar, do you know that?” I say to her.
            
        “Uhm.. yes.” She breaths out. “Ah thought that it was a good joke ´cause ya were late. Ah’m sorry.”
            
        “No hard feelings. At least you have a nice clean barn now.” I say, feeling content that I got something done. A boring job like this isn’t something that I would’ve completed back at home.
            
        Applejack wipes the sweat from her brow.  “Ah’m glad that ya’re not angry. I´ll throw in sum extra pay fer that.”
            
        “So can I go or do I need to clean the orchard too?” I ask pointing to the loose leaves on the ground behind me.
            
        “Nah, ya can leave if ya want ta. Ah don´t need nothing done on the farm no more.” Applejack says as she starts to walk back to the barn.
            
        “Thanks, ´till tomorrow.” I say as I slowly flap and get airborne. I only hover a few feet above the ground, but, hey, at least I´m flying.
            
        “Sure, see ya.” Applejack waves at me as I slowly start to flap in the direction of Ponyville.
            
        I think of what I can do when I’m in Ponyville. Maybe visit Sugar Cube Corner or maybe lend a book from the library. Maybe I buy something of the market, taste a bit of the local food.
            
        I hear somepony yelling behind me and I slowly but surely turn around. If you want to turn around in the air you have to flap really weird. But when I have turned I around I see that it is Applejack who is galloping towards me.
            
        I close my wings and let myself fall to the ground. “Hi Applejack. What are you coming here for?”
            
        “Ah say that ya were goin´  ta Ponyville so ah though ´Why don´t ah give ya some bits.´ so that ya can get somethin´ fer yerself.” She says as she throws a small bag of bits to me.
            
        “Wow, thanks.” I say as I catch the bag.
            
        “Yer welcome.” She says as she tips her hat. She walks off towards her barn, leaving me to myself.
            
        I open the bag and my mouth fall open at the sight of the money. There are several thick golden coins in there.