Applejack breathed with relief.
The wagon she was pulling was now empty, and it made the trek back home a thousand times easier.
Nevertheless, with less muscles tightening to support a heavy load, it gave Applejack's stomach room to gurgle. And gurgle it did.
The mare winced, scuffling to a stop. She stood, hitched to the wagon, in the heart of Ponyville.
Her stomach gurgled again.
Sighing, the mare glanced around. She spotted a bright pink building in the corner of her vision. The architecture looked promising.
With a defeated sigh, she pivoted the wagon and went trotting towards the structure.
D-Ding!
Cup Cake trotted pleasantly out of the kitchen and towards Sugarcube Corner's front counter. "Good morniiiiiiing!" She sing-songed. "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! What can I getcha—" She froze in place, blinking.
A teenage Applejack strutted up to the counter. She had a bandaged hoof, several bruises on her muzzle, and countless flakes of bark and tree-leaves stuck in her single ponytail.
"Oh... uh... hi there!" Cup Cake held a timid smile. "Applejack... was it?" Carrot Cake stuck his head out of the kitchen upon hearing that.
Applejack didn't answer. She stared at all of the glazed desserts beneath the glass display. Her freckles disappeared beneath a scrunching muzzle. At last, she looked up.
"Got anythang that's less sweet and... more filling?"
"Filling?" Cup Cake nervously glanced over her shoulder. "Uhhhh..."
"Uhhhh..." Carrot brightened. "Banana bread! I've got a fresh loaf just this morning! Of course... it goes great with plenty of butter—"
"Just the loaf, please." Applejack reached into a bit bag. "How much will that be?"
"Ohhhhhh dearie..." Cup Cake smiled warmly. "Let's j-just say it's on the house."
"Nonsense. It's good hard work bakin' bread," Applejack murmured. "You deserve an honest payment and an honest payment is what you'll get."
"Uhhhhhh..." Cup Cake shifted about nervously.
"A loaf of banana bread?!" A bright little figure bounced into frame. "That's three bits, Mrs. Cake, isn't it?"
Cup Cake sighed. "Pinkie..."
"Four bits it is, then." Applejack dropped the coins. "And if you could wrap that up in some paper. Thank ya kindly."
"Wow!" A fluffy-mane'd teenager leaned in, bright eyes blinking. "You must be part monkey!"
Applejack blinked tiredly. "I beg yer pardon?"
"Cuz you're absolutely bananas for banana bread!" The earth pony giggle-snorted. "Hehehe! Saaaaaaaay..." She leaned in, pink nostrils flaring. "You smell like hay and cider! Are you from an apple farm?"
"Yes." Applejack slurred. "Reckon I am."
Cup Cake cleared her throat. "Pinkie, dearie, why don't you make yourself useful and go sweep up the—"
"I came from a farm too! Only... we harvested rocks! Which are slightly less chewy than apples! Just don't tell my sister Maud." Another giggle-snort, and the fluffy mare extended her forelimb. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! And I just came in from Dredgemane!"
Applejack adjusted her ponytail and did a tiny, tired curtsey. "Pleased to meet ya." She looked past the counter, waiting for Carrot to return with the banana bread.
"Gettin' in an honest day's work?" Pinkie asked. "Those apples aren't gonna buck themselves off the trees!"
"No. They sure won't."
"Bet you've got the whole farm goin' at it! That's how the Pies do it back home!"
"Nope." Applejack stifled a yawn. "Just me."
Pinkie's blue eyes widened. "Just you?!"
"Eeyup."
Carrot Cake returned with the bundled banana bread. "Say... uh... Miss Applejack..." He shared his wife's look of concern as he hoofed the teenager the loaf. "...I don't suppose you ponies might be wanting... some help with the apple harvesting?"
"We're fine." Applejack took the wrapped-up loaf. "Thank y'all kindly for the bread." She turned to leave.
"Don't be like that, silly!" Pinkie Pie bounced after her. "We're earth ponies! And if there's anything I've learned about Ponvyille—it's that earth ponies look out for one another!"
"I'm sure we do." Applejack marched towards the exit. She felt the eyes of patrons on her and the bouncing figure to her rear. She started sweating. "And if I need y'all's help, I'm sure I'll ask for it."
"How about asking for it now?" Pinkie Pie grinned wide. "Doesn't hurt to get an extra set of helping hooves! Why, I may be used to shoving rocks around, but it can't be all that different from apples! How 'bout I come to the farm with you? I'll pull the wagon at least!"
"I'm fine—"
"Come onnnn! It's the least we can do after what happened to your Mommy and D—"
"I said I'm fine!" Applejack turned, teeth gnashing. "We're fine! Did I come in here askin' for more than some morning vittles?!" Her voice echoed, and she saw how far back Pinkie Pie was leaning away from her. A dull sigh escaped her lips as she calmed. "Look... it's very kind of you to offer. But t'ain't nopony's commitment but my own."
"But..." Pinkie Pie blinked, lips pouting. She whimpered, "Isn't anyone helping you? Anypony at all?"
Applejack's nostrils flared. "It's like I said. It's my commitment." Glaring, she turned and marched out the door. "And if I can't live up to that, then I can't live up to nothin'."
Pinkie Pie watched lonesomely, her bright ears drooping. Cup and Carrot strolled up and gently patted her shoulder, gazing after the blonde farm mare.
Applejack sat on the side of a hill in Sweet Apple Acres, gazing at all of the work that still needed to be done.
Sighing, she took another deep bite of the banana bread. She paused, gazing down at the food that had been generously provided her. A sad sigh escaped her muzzle, and she resumed eating.
Soon, the entire loaf was gone. Applejack brushed off her hooves, stood up, returned the neckerchief to her throat...
...and continued with the day's heavy labor.