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// Closing Time Part3 
// Story: 30 Days/ 30 Stories 
// by Fenton 
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At first, life was simple.

I lived in Appleloosa with my folks. I got up early, I grew apples, I sold them, baked them, and I went to sleep late. The rest of my time was spent with my two cousins, McCug and Muleway. I was nothing more and nothing less than a simple farmer.

Then life became wonderful.

Her name was Mary, Mary O’ Neighfee.

You said that the Apples are farmers. You need to know that for most of the Apples, there comes a time in life where you want something else. It usually happens between foalhood and stallionhood: you dream about big cities, wild parties and all the bustle you’ve only heard about.

So me and my cousins, we took some days off and went to Manehattan to celebrate Hearth’s Warming Eve with a distant relative. My half, or quarter uncle — I’ve honestly never been able to figure that out — was hosting the party in his restaurant.

That’s where I met her.

We had just entered the room our eyes locked. She smiled, and suddenly, the rest of Equestria didn’t matter anymore.

Have you ever fell in love? I wish you to.

Anyway, I had to look very stupid because my cousins were laughing out loud. So I left them here and went straight to her.

Thanks Celestia she didn’t stop at the first impression, because I swear all the courage I had gathered to go talk to her vanished the moment I opened my mouth.

“You don’t seem to be a really good speaker,” she teased. “ But are you a better dancer?”

So we danced.

With each dance step, I was feeling lighter and lighter I thought I was sprouting wings. And every time the dance put us nuzzle to nuzzle, she batted her eyelashes, and she had this cute little smile at the corner of her mouth. Heh, she later told me she was doing that on purpose because of all the funny faces I was making.

“And what and handsome stallion like you is doing here, Mr Core?” she asked once the dance had ended.

I introduced my two cousins and told her we were dreaming of living the city’s life.

“You should go see my dad tomorrow. He may have something for you.”

We met her dad the next morning, Trinket “Daddy” O’ Neighfee. He was the owner of a small hardware store on Celestia Avenue downtown. His business was running smoothly, and he was thinking about opening new stores.

The moment he heard our names, he immediately hired the three of us. When he saw my surprise, he said something I was about to hear plenty of times.

“You Apples are as reliable as an underground shelter during a storm,” he said with a laugh.





“Wait a minute,” said Steel Grip. “You said you were an Apple, but your names is Core, right?”

“Yes,” sighed Sturdy Core. “Apple’s members aren’t all named Apple. There are the Cores, the Pies, the Oranges, and many more.”

“That’s odd. I thought most of the Apples lived in Ponyville.”

“That’s true for the main branch of the family, but we are historically pioneers. In fact, the newer a city is, the higher are the chances to find some Apples having taken part in the foundation.”

“I see… Sorry, I interrupted your story.”

“No problem. Where was I?” Sturdy scratched his chin before speaking again. “So, each of us had a store to run. And it seemed “Daddy” had made the right choice, because his business thrived.  It also turned out “Daddy” didn’t have only jobs and stores to offer. He had two other daughters he cherished as much as their elder.”

Sturdy gazed at the night sky. “Two years later, what had to happen happened: we celebrated our three weddings.”

“The three knights marrying the three daughters of their suzerain,” said Steel with a smile. “It sounds like a fairy tale.”

“Maybe. Except fairy tales ends well.”





One year and a half later, another wonder came into my life. Mary brought our little filly into the world.

I was leaving a dream. I had a job, I had a wife, I had a daughter. Every sunday, we met around “Mom”’s famous stew.

But then life became a tragedy.

One day, an old stallion came to “Daddy”’s office with two bodyguards.

“I am Don Gallop. Surely you’ve heard of me?” he said.

Of course “Daddy” had heard of him. You don’t live in Manehattan for years without knowing the name of the local mafia’s boss. And he knew why he came. Don Gallop was here to offer protection to his stores in exchange of a “small fee”.

“Daddy” refused, and the answer came quickly: shattered shop windows, beaten employees, and burned warehouses.

We didn’t let ourselves be pushed around. We gathered a little “task force” and gave them a good hiding.

It was escalating and could only come to a tragic conclusion.

One night, they burnt “Mom” and “Daddy”’s main store. Their home was upstairs. We couldn’t do anything. My-my daughter and my wife were sleeping upstairs that night too.

It took me a month to eat. Two to walk again.

After three months, I finally woke up and went to Don Gallop’s restaurant. The place was full of ponies, but I didn’t care. I went straight to his table.

He looked up from his plate and dared look at me in the eyes. I couldn’t see anything but disdain. It quickly switched to fear when I took his head between my hooves. I gave him one last glance before breaking his neck.





Steel Grip looked at his prisoner for the first time. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Because there is nothing to say,” replied Sturdy Core. “I’ll be in a Canterlot cell by tomorrow. I heard the place isn’t that bad and they treat their prisoners well.”

“I’m sorry for you… I’m not sure about this job anymore. Maybe —”

Steel Grip stopped when he felt his senses screaming danger. He tried to go for his spear but it was too late, a spearhead was already poking at his back.

“I would stay where I am if were you,” said a deep voice from behind.

A mare with a brown hat came into the light. “Where are the keys?”

Steel Grip pointed to his saddlebag with his eyes. The mare grabbed the key and freed the stallion.

“You guys came,” said Sturdy Core.

“Of course, there is no way we would let an Apple rot in a cell, right?” said the mare.

“Eeeyup.”

Still paralyzed, Steel grip saw the mare coming closer. “I’m sorry but you can’t live,” she said. “I’ll make this as quick as possible.”

He closed his eyes.

“Wait!”

When he reopened them, Sturdy Core was between the mare and him.

“He’s just a tool paid by the Gallops. He has nothing to do with them.”

The mare frowned. “ Alright, I’ll trust you on this one.” She then put her face two inches from his. “Got it, pal? You’ve never seen us and you might be able to see your family again.”

“Y-yes.”

They quickly disappeared in the shadows, but before leaving, Sturdy Core glanced at him. “Her name was Eachna.”