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// Prologue 
// Story: I Forgot to Remeber to Forget  
// by TheNewOne 
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A hobo. Maybe the hobo, you had never seen another one on equestrian roads. Equestria is a big place, maybe, but then again no one else has a bindle stick for a cutie mark, those things are unique after all.  You sighed, you met a lot of ponies and had made friends, but ultimately you were truly alone.

                 You wished that others could live like you somepony to share a set of rules with, your most treasured piece of writing. Long ago when ponies with your lifestyle were common, they had written a code. A code you took to heart, it was your policy if you ever met another hobo, you would share the code; it works wonders. That code had gotten you respected, you take it to heart and you follow it, because of that ponies respect you and what you do. On the roads back in the north west you were known, ponies wanted to hear your stories. Unfortunately by now you had exhausted all  the towns in that region at least once, you started to feel as if the northwest, the whole area, was your home, that wasn't right because you don't have a home. It's not that you wouldn't want one, but you could never settle down, your cutie mark is a bindle stick after all.

                So now you were moving on, where to ? You didn't know, such is the life of a hobo, a rider of the rails, a knight of the road. You knew one thing though, you had to stay away from Manehatten, you block the thought that follows after, you made yourself forget. Manehatten was off limits, you don't  know why, because you forget. The last time you forgot to remember to forget you were- you don't know, you forget. 

                You made your way to the train yard, the ponies there knew you, and knew you never caused problems (Article 12 of the code), as such they greeted you like another worker, saying hello and making idle chit chat. You saw a train that was about to leave for the south, it was just starting to pick up speed, you jogged alongside it and hopped onto the back of the caboose.

                You figure you'll learn where you're going soon enough, you sit back and relax. The door to the inside of the train opens, you sit up and give the visitor your full attention. You don't take personal chances or get in the way of any of the crew, you just act like an extra  crew member (Article 11 of the code). Turns out that this stallion was on break. When he walked out with his cigarette he looked mildly surprised. More amused than anything.

                "Hello, Sir. I'm not causing trouble are I." You ask respectfully. Giving respect earns respect.

                "No, no, you can sit back down son. So you're the famous Equestrian hobo?" He seemed genuinely curious, a quality you like in people.

                "Right you are sir, been all over the northern half of Equestria, I'm hoping to get a little farther south this time." Your tone has gone more from one addressing a superior to talking with a friend.

                "Well you picked the right train this one's going all the down to appleloosa, they need coal from the mines up north."

                Appleloosa you muse, perhaps, you will visit there someday you know, but maybe you could get off a little earlier, you weren't really in the mood for a desert.  You reply asking him if it stops at any smaller towns before Appleloosa, he tells you it will make a stop in Ponyville. You are aware of the famous  Sweet Apple Acres, and you have been a farmhand before. You've made your decision Ponyville it is.

                You talk for a bit with the stallion when he mentions where he's from. "All the way up in Manehattan, wanted to see all of Equestria so I decided to work on trains, kinda like you I suppose, although at the end of the week I need a wife and home and I can go back to."

                It wasn't a feeling you knew, but you could empathize all the same "Well home is never really a feeling I've had, but I can see where you a coming from. Needing a place that you know will always be there, gives you a sense of certainty."                

                The stallion gave a longing nod, clearly thinking of that home he had. You wonder if he's near the end of his rotation and will get to see it soon. "Manehatten's a pretty place, you ever been there sunny?"

Your mind blanks for a minute or two, of course you had, you knew you had. You knew that they're tall sky scrapers and sophisticated ponies, but the whole experience is a blur. You must've forgotten most of it, it was after all, so long ago. The stallion notes your silence and gives you a concerned look, taking notice you quickly reply. "I was there, a long time ago, but I was there."

                He doesn't press you further, instead he bids you a farewell, his break is over. He says if you wanted to go to sleep he would be sure to wake you when they stop in Ponyville. You thank him and let him know you will in fact go to sleep, he offers you a bunk inside the train, but you decline, wouldn't want to get in the way. After giving you a curt nod, he walks back into the train.

                The stars are out tonight, you think they're pretty. While your eyes stare at the sky your mind begins to wander into forbidden territory. What the stallion said about Manehatten has had a bit of an effect on you. You try to remember why you can't remember. Your start to cross a very fine line in your mind and the alarm bells go off. Once again you came close to forgetting to remember to forget. A force that feels like a wall flies through your mind shoving back any intrusive thoughts that have made their way to the forbidden zone. Now relaxed you begin to slowly fall asleep, when you reach a lucid state where you're not thinking clearly you mutter a name, you forget it instantly and shrug it off. You finally arrive at the dark reaches of sleep.

---

                You are gently shaken awake, you look over and see the stallion you had shared a few words with earlier. He seems to have taken a liking to you. "If your ever in Manehatten here's my address, stop by and we can share a dinner if I'm home. If I'm not tell my wife you know me,  she'll make you a lovely dinner," He says as he hands you a slip of paper. You give him your thanks, and let him know you should be off now. You never said anything about the address, Manehattan if off limits, you know you won't ever take him up on his offer.

 Ponyville. It looked like a nice town, small not too big. While you don't mind big towns you prefer small ones better, it gives it a more personal feel. With a bindle stick exactly like the one of your flank you march onward towards to distant smell of apples. It's early in the morning, the first rays of light are just seeping through the light cloud co- scratch that, no cloud cover. You swear a Rainbow just cleared the skies, you were an earth pony but you were pretty sure rainbows can't clear skies. You think you might ask somepony about it later, but until then you would just wonder about what it could of been. Still following the smell of apples you make your way onto a road, on the horizon you see green balls with red dots on them, the apple orchard was close by.  Perfect you thought, by the time you got the farm they would just be starting work for the day, you could even get paid for today; assuming you got the job.

                Making  your way past the orchard gate. You see a little yellow filly with a backpack being scolded by what looked like brother and sister, at first you mistook them for husband and wife, but upon further inspection they were clearly not.  One red stallion and one orange mare. As you got near you picked up the last bit of their conversation.

                "But what if ma Cutie mark is for faking sick! Ever think of that!" The filly might get a cutie mark in drama you silently joked.

                "No buts lil' lady, time for school now get going." The big red stallion was... Really big. He also had a deep soothing voice. You could tell the filly had no reply to that, the battle was lost. She stormed of muttering something about cutie marks and you never know.

                With the filly gone the other two siblings turn their attention the you, before they can ask, you tell them who you are. "Hello miss, and mister. Your farm is rather renowned for their apples, even up north by vanhoover. I come as the traveller who has no home, and I seek work." You might of made a mistake, you always make everything proper and official for first time meetings, not knowing the kind of ponies you were dealing with. Of course these two didn't look like they cared much for being proper and polite.

                "That's all great mister, the name's Applejack. Here on the farm though we don't care much for fancy words, it's more for hard work. We could take you on board for the harvesting season, but are you sure you're up for it." You heard the orange mare talk for the first time, like her other two siblings she had a southern accent.

                Your drop the proper and polite act and talk freely. "I've worked some farms before, I've travelled all over Equestria as well, It does tend to keep me in shape."

                "That's all fine and dandy then, but if ah think you can't handle it after the first day then you're done and gone. That clear?"

                "Yes ma'am. Now what shall my pay be?"

                You work out what your wages will be with the mare. She tries to pay you a generous sum of bits per hour, but you refuse. Instead you counter offer with a meager amount of bits, but three meals a day and if possible, lodging.

"I don't know if ah can agree to that, it seems like I'm not paying you enough." Applejack was actually trying to lose money, or so it seemed.  

" You generosity is appreciated, but I don't work for luxuries, I work for food and emergency cash." You reply sincerely.

"Hmm, well ah s'pose I can, but you'll have to give me a little while to find you lodging. A tornado known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders has literally removed our guest room." She said this while pointing at what looked like a giant hole in the house. You didn't press the subject, Applejack looked cross.

"No problem, can I sleep in the barn?"

Applejack now looked insulted. "You will not sleep in the barn. Ah am not paying you enough as is, by the end of the day Ah will have you a proper room to sleep in. No. Arguing. "

You decided that was fine. "One last question. Can I start Today?"