//------------------------------// // Please, miss? Please? // Story: Applejack's Power // by Twilicorn //------------------------------// Applejack let out a tired sigh as she pulled her cart to the barn's gates, undoing the heavy padlock around it. She felt the familiar tingle of a magic shield washing over her. Looking out at the tents lining the dirty paths ahead of her, she sighed again, more in pity for those without homes than anything else. Reaching her mouth towards a ratty string, she clenched it tightly in her teeth and began shaking her head, bracing herself against the loud rings the bell sent through the air. The tolling of the bell was followed by gentle movements in the tents, or of those in the sleeping bags. Behind her, she heard the sound of a door slamming shut, followed by Apple Bloom's hooves against the ground as she charged towards her sister. Ignoring that, she stood patiently as ponies stumbled towards her, their eyes filled with sleep and despair. The first pony to approach was a regular, and Applejack smiled kindly at her. "G'morning, Miss Hooves," she said kindly, lifting three apples in her teeth by their rough brown stems and setting them on the smooth surface in front of her. "N-not three today," Derpy said with a soft shake of her head. "There's only two of us now. Sparkler's all I have left," she added, then burst into tears, letting them fall freely onto her face. "There, there, Miss Hooves," Applejack said while gently patting her on the shoulder. "It's going ta be all right, y'hear?" she comforted, then turned her head towards the young mare behind her. "Apple Bloom?" "Yes, sis?" "Go with Miss Hooves here, okay?" she commanded, and Apple Bloom nodded. "You take these," she told Derpy, lifting another apple onto the counter. "Ya deserve it today. Now git along," she reminded Apple Bloom, "and be back by supper or you don't get any. Understood?" "Yeah sis," replied Apple Bloom dutifully, then turned and ran off with Derpy Hooves towards a small, heavily used tent in the distance. Applejack watched her sister's blank flank run into the distance and let out yet another sigh, something overused in these times. The next pony approached, and Applejack lifted the proper number of apples for the stallion in front of her. "G'morning, Mista' Pierce," she said kindly, pushing an apple towards him. "Good morning yerself, Ms. Jack. Have a good day," he added as he trotted away towards a lone sleeping bag. Applejack nodded towards him, then smiled down at the two fillies below her. "Hello girls," she smiled to the two sisters, and they looked up at her with a sniffle as she lifted three apples towards them. "Th-thank you, Miss Jack," Diamond Tiara mumbled, and Applejack nodded. "Thank you," Silver Spoon added, and Applejack nodded again. "Now hurry on back to your pa, ya hear?" "Yes ma'am," they chorused, biting into their own apples eagerly as they ran, their dirty manes flying behind them. The next pony approached, and Applejack dutifully hoofed her the apples, exchanging small talk as she came and left. The rest of the ponies came by quickly, forming a scrambled line behind one another and taking their apples quickly so they could move along. As the line shortened, there were less adult ponies and more fillies and colts, shaking with nerves and hunger. Applejack always gave them an extra apple, for which they were eager to thank her for before running off. The final pony approached just as the sun reached it's eight o'clock mark, and Applejack smiled down at the small colt below her. "Howdy there, Pip! How're y'all doing today?" "I'm fine miss, I s'pose," he said, but Applejack saw through his bold face. "Now, Pip, how are ya really doin'?" Applejack insisted, walking around the sagging cart towards the colt. Squatting next to him, she looked him square in the eye, searching. And as she did, he burst into tears. "My ma... she was in Trottingham. A-and they got her!" he cried, burying his dirty muzzle in Applejack's coat. "An' they say she won' eva come back, an' I want my mum!" he bawled, ignoring the few stares he received. "There, there," said Applejack, a single tear sliding down her face and mingling with the ones already dying her coat. "It'll be a'right. She mi' come back. Y'never know," she lied, thankful her choked voice masked the obvious tone that proved she was lying. "D'ya have a place to stay?" "N-no," he whimpered. "My pa took off afta' her when we got the news. Took everythin'," he sniffed, wiping his eyes with a hoof. "How'd you like ta stay here?" offered Applejack, wiping her own eyes. "I couldn', miss. I jus' couldn' do that," he insisted, but Applejack shook her head. "Ah'm not lettin' a li'l colt like you out on yer own. You go on through that gate, and ah'll be righ' afta you. Gotta pack up," she added, pushing him gently towards the fence. He nodded slowly, then turned around. "Thank y', Miss Applejack," he said sincerely, and Applejack smiled. "No. Thank you," she said, and smiled. A true, real smile. As she turned back to her cart, she saw a mare standing there patiently, her creme coat covered in mud, grime, and fluids the nature of which Applejack could only guess at. "How can ah help ya?" asked Applejack, reaching down below her to lift a few paper towels. "Oh, please miss? Please?" she begged as she saw the paper towels, reaching for them feebly. "O-of course," replied Applejack, a bit shocked at the mare's behavior as she hoofed her the cloths. The mare set to cleaning herself off, and Applejack caught a glimpse of her cutie mark. "Roseluck?" she asked uncertainly, tilting her head to the side. "Applejack?" responded the mare with a small sniffle. "Oh, it is you!" she cried, reaching to hug Applejack before remembering the mud covering her body. "Why 'r' ya here?" asked Applejack, reaching for a hose. "I'm eating for two now," said Roseluck, and Applejack jumped, accidentally starting the hose in surprise. She dowsed the mare in front of her, getting all the grime off quickly before shutting off the water. "Tha's great!" exclaimed Applejack, hugging the mare excitedly. "Not of my own choice," Roseluck added, and Applejack stopped, stepping back a bit. "Who did this to you?" she scowled, lowering herself to an offensive position and glaring around the camp. "Nopony here," Roseluck said hurriedly, and Applejack's posture relaxed. "It... it was one of... of His guards," she said, accenting the word 'his'. "Why that low-down, no good, son of a..." Applejack started, stopping as Roseluck gently touched her. "It's okay. I was just wondering if you had any spare tents," she said hopefully, her eyes glimmering. "More 'en that," said Applejack kindly. "Y' can come stay up a' the barn with Apple Bloom, Pipsqueak, an' me," she said. "Pipsqueak? That little Trottingham colt? I thought his father was with him," asked Roseluck, countering herself. "He took off aft' his wife when they heard about her gettin' taken," explained Applejack, spitting the last two words. "Now come alon' with me and ah'll get you some food. Ya can't go hungry when eatin' for two!" she added jokingly, grabbing the cart behind her as she pulled it through the gate, locking it carefully behind her. "Thank you, Applejack," said Roseluck, and Applejack smiled again. Today was a good day.