//------------------------------//
// The Apple Farmer Girl at the Gates of the Sleeping Magic City 
// Story: A Fistful of Apples: True Grit is Magic 
// by Alsvid 
//------------------------------//

Applejack shot up off the couch.  

"Where am I?  What's going on here, y'all?  This ain't funny!"

She rounded on the red-haired youth sitting next to her on a worn wooden chair, hands clasped together under his stubbly chin, a dark frown on his lips.  

The door banged open.

"HEWWO!!!!!" shouted a chipper blonde girl, wearing the same blue military officer's uniform the youth wore, her visored cap askew, jacket nearly bursting under the weight of her bosoms.  She stared at Applejack intently, screwing up her face and licking her lips as she gave Applejack a studiously disapproving glare.    Launching herself belly-first at Applejack, she jumped on the unfortunate apple farmer as hard as humanly possible.

"OOOOOOF!"  Applejack felt like the blonde girl was squeezing the life out of her.  Something hit her on her temple really hard, hard enough to make her scream and curl up instinctively.  Another blow hit, and another.  "STOP! STOP IT!  PLEASE!" Applejack screamed, trying to cover her head with her hands, all the while the cross-eyed blonde-eyed girl hollered "STOP MOVING!  STOP MOVING!"

"No, wait-!" the boy screamed, dashing over to the blonde girl and taking her away from the shaken, surprised, and very upset Applejack.  "Ditzy Doo!  Stop!"

Applejack sprang up on her booted feet and snarled, hands clenched into gloved fists.  She was burning with rage, every muscle in her body like a coiled spring.   "What's the blazing idea 'round here, you sorry sons of haysacks!?  Can't you-"

"Hewwo!" a motherly lady said, sweetly.  

The youth dropped Ditzy Doo to the ground, where she sat and giggled very proudly to herself, smacking the floor with a rubber baton.  He paled visibly, but saluted.

Applejack gaped at the motherly lady.  She goggled.  She stared.  She yawped.  Her jaw moved up and down but she couldn't muster words.

Same cross eyes!
Same messy blonde hair!  Same squishy little pointed nose and expressive mouth with rosy lips!

It was none other than Derpy!  She had changed so much Applejack was in shock.  She'd gotten a lot rounder and plumper than Applejack could remember.  There were tiny wrinkles around Derpy's eyes, and they seemed a bit more sunken in than usual.  Her ruddy white complexion was visibly sunburned and a bit sallow, and she was breathing a little louder and heavier than Applejack had ever known her to be.  She could barely fit into her blue army officer's uniform, her trousers looking fit to burst around her pillowy thighs and chubby belly.

She was eating donuts.  Ditzy bounced up and began eating them as well.

"Derpy?"  Applejack scrunched up her face and leaned closer to Derpy anxiously.  "Izzat you?"

"Yes!  My goodness, Applejack, you sure haven't changed a day!  You look just like last time!"

"I....always did?" Applejack said, weakly.  "Look, doncha want to sit down?"  She took Derpy's flabby arm nervously, but it was her own knees that turned to jelly, and she stumbled. 

"Oh, you should put on your mask, Applejack, you've been wandering about outside in that sun and dust for way too long."

Derpy put down the donut box on the table next to her and produced a iron mask from her leather satchel.  She secured it to Applejack's face. 

Instantly her lungs felt clear and weightless.  Applejack sucked in a long breath and sighed in satisfaction, leaning back against the wall and breathing happily.  Never had she really appreciated just BREATHING, until now.  All her anxiety, her fear, her terror, swept away from her shoulders with each Celestia-blessed heaven-sent deep breath she took.

"You don't think she has Black Lung, do you?" the youth fretted.

Derpy looked as if she was going to cry, her eyes large and liquid as she stared at the boy.  "Oh, that awful Black Lung!  It's so awful, I always worry when you go outside, Mister Meer."

Mister Meer coughed and looked downwards.

"Meer!" Derpy cried.

"No, it's just-some saliva got caught in my throat.  I was clearing my throat.  Seriously.  Jeez."  Meer grimaced, and took out a pack of cigarettes, striking a match and placing one in his mouth.  "Look, I'm stressed out enough as it is without one stray cough making everyone panic.  This is absolutely awful."