Apples & Lucky Horseshoes

by DaringBraeburn

Appleloosa

The pleasant glow of Celestia's sun warmed my back as I waited for the train to take me to Appleloosa. Granny Smith and Applejack had left the train station early because they couldn't take the sight of me leaving. The only pony there to see me go was my brother, Big Mac.

The saddlebags that AJ had packed and given me were slung across my back, while the old horseshoes that Big Mac had grown out of clinked against the wooden floor. My mane and tail had been tied up in new pink bows that Granny had made for me. I felt very special but I wasn't exactly sure if I was supposed to feel that way.

I was clearly hurting my family but still I continued on the 'delusional' quest to find what made me special. Was it because I was just being selfish...or did I actually believe I was going to get my cutiemark? At the time I wasn't really sure but I knew one thing.

I was getting my cutiemark.

"Big Mac? Do you think I'll get mah cutiemark?" I asked quietly while looking up to the large buck. He gave a slight shrug and a sigh before giving me a one armed hug.

"Ah don't rightly know." he drawled "It's entirely up to you. But whatever happens, you'll still be mah lil' sis."

Before I could say anything the train pulled up with a loud 'WHOOSH' and I swallowed as Big Macintosh handed me my ticket. This was it. This was my way out. Was I actually going to do it?

I stepped into the train car and into a new life. I may have still been blank flank Applebloom, but I was striding into an entirely new story. A new beginning. I took a window seat and looked for my brother who was supposed to be watching me leave.

All I saw as we pulled away was an empty platform and my wistful amber eyes reflecting into the glass.

* * * *

The train ride was just as I had suspected it would be...boring. There was practically nopony on it, not to mention they all seemed pretty intimidating. One young mare actually had a gun strapped to her waist. I didn't how she got it on the train and I certainly didn't want to see her use it either.

For the longest time I just sat there with my head resting up against the cool glass of the window. I watched as the land changed in front of my eyes until I gave into the almost hypnotic feeling of drowsiness. I was going to Appleloosa.

* * * *

"Excuse me miss? It's time ta go." a soft yet rich voice drawled. I murmured, but was eventually drawn out of my peaceful sleep. I yawned and squinted at the light filtering through the windows before I noticed the green eyes watching me intently.

I swallowed hard but gave a small nod in response before gingerly sitting up. My back and bottom ached from the hard wooden bench I had fallen asleep on, but I got up anyway. I looked at the earthpony mare that the voice had belonged to.

She had emerald green eyes that had reminded me so much of Applejack it was more than a little alarming. Her coat was a dusty brown color that reminded me of dark sand and her mane was blonde with multiple highlights of brown, tan, and other earthy colors. There were slight bags under her eyes and she was wearing an oddly feminine duster with a small stetson placed neatly atop her head.

I had never seen a mare as intimidating as her (except for Applejack) and it was certainly a new experience for me. I reluctantly turned to grab my saddlebags and reeled back to find the mare had disappeared. I looked around the train car to find it was almost empty, just like she had said.

The mysterious mare who had awoken me was gone and I felt on edge, almost if she was going pop out of no where. I walked over to where she had been standing and looked around for any signs that she had actually been there. I jumped back as my hoof nudged a large, rusty old horseshoe that had probably seen better days.

Was it hers? More than likely, but I still wasn't sure. I certainly didn't want to take any chances either, seeing as how cold and dangerous she looked. I absentmindedly looked out one of the windows and saw her standing there. She was looking at her hooves as if she were missing something from them.

"MISS?! MISS!!" I cried out as I hopped off the train to give her the old horseshoe. When I got to the little section she had been standing at it was deserted. I looked every where hoping I would get some kind of clue of where she went. Once again...she was simply gone.

With a defeated sigh I put the old thing into my saddlebags and began to look for Braeburn. The always chipper earthpony buck was no where in sight which made me feel a bit uneasy about the whole trip. Maybe Applejack was right about him being 'beat up' about his daddy.

No. Braeburn would be fine. He could take care of himself right? I began to walk into town and was surprised at how many ponies there were. Last time I had visited there had only been a few roaming the streets, but now it was even more crowded than Ponyville. I continued to trot my way down Appleloosa's main street to look for my cousin.

Ponies seemed to pay no attention to the teenage filly walking aimlessly around the town square. Sadly, I was partially grateful for that. My chipper mood was replaced with shock as I tripped and fell straight on my muzzle. There was something cool and hard wrapped around my forehoof that I couldn't reach or see.

"Miss? Are you alright? That was certainly a tumble you took there." a feminine voice chuckled. I felt a strong hoof wrap around my own and pull me out of the street before I was trampled by the towns ponies.

"Ah think I'll be alright but...who are you?" I asked, getting a good look at the pretty unicorn mare that the voice belonged to.

She had a light cyan coat that was somehow even lighter than Rainbow Dash's, and had a dark cerulean mane to match. Her mane was done up in a tight bun and she was also wearing a doctor's coat dingy with dust. Her cutiemark was a red heart with a pink band-aid on it, and she was wearing purple cat eye glasses like the ones I had seen Rarity wear on occasion.

She looked out of place in the bustling town and I suddenly felt the same. Was I actually supposed to be there or was I actually better off at home? No...I was better of there...and I had to find Braeburn before sundown. How hard could that be?

"My name is Tendercare and I am a travel nurse who was assigned to work here in Appleloosa. It's a pleasure to meet you miss...?" she trailed off before looking at me expectanly to give her my name.

"Oh uh...mah name is Applebloom and it's nice ta meetcha too. You wouldn't happen ta know where Braeburn's farm is, would ya?" I asked with a smile. Maybe he would be at home sick, or something. The young mare just snorted and looked at me with astonishment.

"Thankfully I don't know the way there. Why would a filly like you be going there anyway. That drunkard has caused me to have so many patients I'm working my horn to the nub! I burned out my magic trying to fix up my friend who just visited him yesterday! There is NO way I'm going to let a defenseless little filly like yourself walk straight into a deathtrap." she huffed with anger. There was no way Braeburn could be dangerous...he was a humble apple farmer like Applejack. Then again, Applejack could be dangerous if you pushed her the right way.

"Ahm his cousin Miss Tendercare, and ah came all the way from Ponyville ta come and visit him. Ahm also not defenseless and weak. If ah wanted ta, I could buck ya straight in ta next week." I drawled with a straight face which only seemed to make her discomfort grow.

"Well...If you really want directions," the mare sighed, probably accepting I would be another corpse on her table. She grabbed a map in he teeth and handed it to me with surprising ease. "Go here. My friend works at this shop and he's very friendly so I'm sure you'd like him."

"Er...thank ya Miss Tendercare but ah really outta be getting to the farm now." I said with a fake smile. I wasn't exactly sure if I liked her or not, but I learned how to fake respect because that's what Applejack taught me to do. 'If ya don't like a pony, give em respect until they try stabbin' you straight in the back!' I grabbed the map in my teeth, gave another fake smile and began to trot down the main road again.

"Hey!? You've also got a horseshoe around your leg!" Tendercare called as she disappeared into the crowd of ponies. I looked down to see that she was actually correct. A large, rusty old horseshoe that had probably seen better days, was wrapped around my hoof like a bracelet. I swallowed as I pulled the metal from my leg and examined it.

It was about the same size as the other one but it looked a little bit less rusty and worn. Could it be the mysterious mare's horseshoe? I took the beat up one out of my bag and compared them. Maybe it was some sort of coincidence but they were exactly the same size. Oh well, next time I saw her I would return the, both.

* * * *

The map Nurse Tendercare gave me proved to be virtually worthless. I had been wandering the town for what seemed like hours trying to follow the confusing map. There were no labels, numbers, or even signs to tell any of them apart. Not to mention sundown would arrive in a couple of hours.

I thought I was totally screwed.

* * * *

The smell of something sweet filled the air as I walked by a warm almost welcoming shop. I wanted to go in and buy something to eat but I had to find my way to the farm. I swallowed as the dryness in my throat seemed to turn into a desert.

That's when something gold, tan and earthy colored ran right by me at an impossibly fast pace. I knew it was the mare I had seen earlier and started to run after her. The world seemed to turn into a blur as I locked onto her swooshing tail.

While I had been pretty much distracted, I didn't realize that a horseshoe was flying in the air right towards my face. I stopped dead in my tracks as the metal flew straight at my eyes. I could have easily nocked the item away but braced for the impact.

For what seemed like the longest time I just sat there waiting for it to hit me. After a few baffling moments I opened one eye to see that the shoe was enveloped in a sparkly green glow. Who...what...magic?

"Miss? Are you alright? That would have left a nasty mark if I hadn't caught it." a smooth masculine voice bragged. I stood up to see a unicorn buck with startling green eyes holding the metal in his magic. I swallowed as he handed it to me and gave me a welcoming grin. Another welcoming pony in Appleloosa.

"Hi. My name is Steel Blade and it's a pleasure to meet you." he chattered amiably holding out a hoof in greeting. I found myself taken aback by the green eyes that reminded me of my determined sister. His seemed to be happier and more full of bouncy life energy like Pinkie's, instead of the cold seriousness my sister always seemed to have.

I swallowed hard and took a nervous step back to get a look at the chipper unicorn buck. He was average height, size, and build when it came to unicorns but he was at least half a head taller than me. His coat was a light chartreuse green that matched perfectly with his gray almost silver mane. His cutiemark was something that resembled a piece of metal being measured.

"You're not from around here are you?" he said with a small frown and dropped his hoof. I gave a small nod and looked at the stallion. He had to be about my age but could have easily been a few years older. There were large purple bags under his eyes that could I could have easily mistaken as a couple of shiners. Maybe they were?

"Hmmm..." the buck grunted under his breath. "I'm sure Kickstar wouldn't mind if I showed a newbie around the town." he said looking behind him at a shop that looked very much vacant. I was supposed to be getting to the farm...not messing around with random strangers. Especially not with a buck.

"Er...thank ya but ah really gotta- AHH!" I squeaked as he grabbed my hoof and pulled me into a small street that seemed almost deserted. I gulped as multiple situations played out through my mind...none of them were good.

"Why are you looking at me like that? C'mon! It's this way." he said with a reassuring smile that could have certainly rivaled Pinkie Pie. I shook my head slowly before pulling away from the buck. He wasn't scary, I just didn't trust him at all when it came to being on an empty street.

"What's wrong? Don't you wanna have some fun while you're here? It's this way." he smiled gently while pointing down the street with a hoof. "It'll be lots and lots of fun I promise! Just trust me, okay?"

Was I really going to trust a stranger that I had just met? None of it sat right in my head but...what if I took a chance? Would I get my cutiemark if this place was really as fun as he said it was? CUTIEMARK CRUSADER RISK TAKER!

"Er...alright but...any funny business and I'll buck ya in ta next week! Ah can promise ya that!" I said with a defeated snort. I really hoped he was telling me the straight truth because I didn't want to have any trouble on my first day in Appleloosa.

"Awesome! C'mon, it's this way! I promise ya won't be disappointed!" he smiled again, grabbing my hoof and practically pulling me down the deserted street.

I really hoped he was right.