//------------------------------//
// Chapter One: Horner 
// Story: Flipped Around and Torn Apart 
// by Normal 
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	The air in Ponyville was always a breath of fresh air in the morning, crisp with the subtle smell of apples interlaced in. Of course one could say this was a breath of fresh air in both the literal and figurative sense, and being the type of pony Twilight was, this was quite often how she thought of it.

Nevertheless no matter how she viewed it in the morning, literal or figurative, Twilight loved this particular aspect of moving to the quaint little town. Waking up after a long night of studying, hoof still holding her place in her latest study, and taking a deep gulp of that air always seemed to rejuvenate her. The air in Canterlot had nothing on it. Twilight still remembered, often with shudders, how the very same type of mornings would be spent with thrown pillows, bellowing yells tearing open her throat, and then the begrudging walk down to Pony Joe’s to get the tallest coffee they served. One that became known as the Sparkle Special while she lived there.

But now the only manner pillows were thrown was in jovial manner, thrown from friends and at friends. Twilight no longer had need for coffee most mornings, not to say she didn’t have the occasional cup. But this was not to be one of those mornings, as spoke the spring in Twilight’s step as she smoothed out the blankets on her bed and prepared to get ready for the day. It was the first Sunday since the summer season had begun and for Twilight that meant a day free from librarian duties and time spent instead with her friends. The two years since Twilight first got assigned to Ponyville gave her a real appreciation for that seventh day of the week.

Satisfied with the tidiness of both her room and her own self Twilights hooves rattled down the flight of stairs, down to the small kitchen that serviced her needs. Horn alight to guide her to the light switch Twilight fumbled for both her saddle bags and the light switch at the same time. In response to her magical calling the light switch jerked towards her, almost pulled clean off the wall, while her saddle bags hovered in the air, moving up and down in a swift fashion. Soon remedied Twilight stood in the well lit kitchen, sides covered by the pale blue fabric and hovering shiny red apples over to her bag, snacks for later as she planned this day to be arranged so as not to allow her to come back to the library until dusk at the earliest. 

Nothing yet struck Twilight odd about this particular morning.

Bags bugling with enough apples for herself and extras in case of emergency the lavender mare trotted over the front door, pausing only to straighten her bags and to call out a good bye to the presumably still sleeping drake. And with that her magic grasped ahold of the door,  a pleasant smile plastered across her muzzle and let the bright light of summer into the library’s lobby.

Or at least that is what she expected. What happened instead could be described as a weak trickle of light, tainted and strained through a curtain of fog. Only mildly surprised Twilight’s smile flickered slightly but none the less set her hooves forward. Hove hooves sinking slightly into the dew covered grass Twilight made a mental note to remind Spike that the grass needed to be trimmed, and soon. Twilight had not recalled the grass being overgrown as it was now when she last left her home and she pawed at the soft dirt. 

Again Twilight’s smile flickered, staying longer as a frown and not completely returning as she felt the mud beneath her hoof. Close to the base of the tree Twilight noticed there were actually weeds, grown so closely together that dandelions were fighting for dominance, choking the life out of the competitors. 

“How long has it been since Spike last trimmed the yard? He knows that an orderly appearance leads to an orderly mind…” She murmured under her breathe, “I’ll have to ask Applejack if I could borrow some weed killer…”

Muddied brown hooves set out at a brisk pace, paying no mind to surroundings the raced by in a timely fashion. The only place Twilight had mind for now was the arched entrance to Sweet Apply Acres. Smile returned, Twilight hummed happily, pleased with the efficiency of the practicality and social aspect of visiting Applejack this morning.  Nothing could make an anal retentive unicorn happier that efficiency after all.

By the time that Twilight reached the time worn fence that surrounded the family's farm the sun was already grasping for its right, rays of light blasting through the fog and landing on the Equestrian soil. Twilight however, her mind set with only one goal in mind, did not notice the beauty as the light sparkled in the still heavy fog. He mind instead was focused on the tan colored flank, a flank sparkling already with the sweat of labor. 

"Applejack! Hey, Applejack!"

That flank turned slowly, the expression on her muzzle that of neutrality until her eyes laid sight on who was calling out her name so early. Then the expression changed, swift like a pegasus wings, to something Twilight never saw on her friend's face.   

"Uh...Applejack? Is there something wrong?"

Twilight glanced around, wondering what could incur such fire in her friend's eyes, such anger written clear all over her face. The way Applejack's nostrils flared made Twilight wonder if her friend was about to charge and nervously she took the slightest step forward.

"Applejack, did something happen? You look like you're about to take on -"

"You get off my family's farm, ya filthy horner! I will not have the good earth pony land sullied by your kind!"

Applejack's interruption did more than stun Twilight, they cut her to the core, a wedge of ice that went straight to her heart.

"...Applejack, it's me, Twilight? Applejack..."

Twilight's eyes widen as Applejack took no heed of her friends words and instead lowered her head, ready it seemed to charge at whatever offense it was that Twilight committed. Twilight wasted no time, reacting merely out of reflex and teleported further down the road, out of sight from the orchards of the Apple family.