//------------------------------// // 3. There Were No Apples, There Were Never Any Apples // Story: The Witless // by Reviewfilly //------------------------------// Applejack had never been to prison before. The way her hoofsteps clacked against the floor and echoed off the dim stone walls sounded unnatural to her, while the tightness of the corridors along with the lack of sky above and grass below felt almost suffocating. Trotting between two guards, she passed cell after cell filled with ponies of varying age and destitution. Finally the guard at the front came to a halt and turned towards one of the heavy metal gates. “Here,” he stated flatly, opening it with a big key. Applejack trotted inside the dark cell, her head still spinning a little from the change. The door slammed behind her with a deafening thud. “Oh my! Look brother, a familiar face!” a voice as memorable as it was angering cut through the ringing of her ears. “Well, stick wings on me and call me an alicorn, if it isn’t Applejack!” another replied, sounding just as loathsome. As Applejack’s eyes slowly adapted to the gloom inside, she noticed the two lanky unicorns standing next to the cell’s double-bunk bed. Even without their trademark outfits Applejack immediately recognized them by their pale cream coats and audacious white-red manes—not to mention those loathsome smirks plastered on their faces. Small rings, adorned with angry-red gemstones, were attached to the bases of their horns, sapping their magic away. Without saying a word she stormed closer to the two, who suddenly lost their joviality. They backed towards the wall, until their backs bumped against it. “Flim an’ Flam, how mighty nice to see you again!” Applejack stated in grim delight. She took off her hat and slowly traced a long, mostly-healed scar at the base of her right ear. “You see this scar right here? Or would ya rather take a closer look?” “T-that won’t be necessary,” Flim balked, holding up his hooves. “It healed very nicely!” doubled down Flam, his voice wavering from fear. “D-did we cause this?” the two asked together innocently. “You can bet your sweetest apples, you did,” came the calm answer. “Don’tcha play cute with me, I know full well you two had your eyes on my farm an’ that ya tipped off those Solars about our stockpiles back then. They took all our food an’ left me this mark, sugarcubes, so I really hope y’all don’t mind if I start collectin’ some debts.” With that she planted her hooves to the floor, ready to turn around and buck a few teeth out. “Wait, dear Applejack!”, “Let’s not get too hasty, please!”, “Isn’t it punishment enough that we’re stuck here for years?”, “How are we supposed to make a decent living without teeth?” The brothers collapsed to the floor as they spoke over each other. “Hmph, how many years exactly?” Applejack asked, her body still primed to kick. “Six, both of us!” Flim and Flam stared at her with begging eyes, cowering under their hooves. Applejack contemplated their words for a moment, then stood up and stepped back a little. “Fine, I’m in no hurry. But once those six years are up, you two immediately report to me. Maybe y’all will learn some decency workin’ the orchard.” The two stallions immediately regained their spring. Like one pony they slipped out and sat down on the bed. They put their hooves behind their heads and leaned back. “Equestria really isn’t like in the good old days,” Flim mused. “Yeah, what’s the world supposed to do without entrepreneurs like us?” his brother agreed. Applejack scoffed. “The world does just fine without you two goodponies,” she replied. “Just look at me. Yesterday I illegally harvested an apple tree, today I’m here. Express work, I tell ya. These Lunar cops aren’t half-bad.” Before the brothers could reply, the cell door opened again and a cream mare was led inside. Applejack noticed the mark of a sunflower on her flank and the fact that the mare seemed to be in surprisingly high spirits despite her situation. “So, Blind, confessed to the wrongness of your ways yet?” Flam asked the new arrival with a smirk. She shook her head, still smiling, completely unaffected by his heckling. Then she noticed Applejack and turned towards her. “Oh Radiance, a new face! Greetings, Sister,” she said, bowing a little. Her voice was solemn yet chipper. “I am Blind Devotion, follower of the Unconquered Sun.” The two stallions giggled at the word “unconquered”, but Blind paid them no heed. Instead she continued, “What are you in for? Are you one of us?” Before Applejack could have answered, Flim interjected. “Don’t get your hopes up, she’s just here for a mundane offence. Apple harvesting.” “Nothing is mundane these days, Brother,” Blind replied with slight coldness in her voice, before turning back to Applejack wearing her usual smile. She took a good look at her from head to hoof. “Nothing’s mundane at all. I’ll pray for our Radiant Princess’s aid on you.” Days passed and Applejack was finally allowed to talk to her family. She was led to the small meeting room, which was separated into two halves in the middle by reinforced bars. A small uncomfortable-looking seat was placed next to the bars. Applejack clambered onto it and began to wait. Minutes passed in silence, broken only by the monotonous ticking of the clock on the wall. Applejack was about to turn and ask the guard what was going on, when the lock of the door on the opposite end of the room rattled and two new arrivals were let inside. Apple Bloom and Big Mac stared back at their sister with pity mixed with relief. Nopony said a word for a while. Finally Applejack broke the uneasy quiet. “So, uh, how are things at home?” “Things are fine, Sis,” Apple Bloom replied quickly. “What about the trees? Are they well?” Applejack’s question rang with great concern. “Yup,” insightfully explained Big Mac, with a small smile and nod. Applejack leaned closer to the bars as she whispered, “And Bloomberg?” “Don’t worry, Sis. They let us keep him. We just aren’t allowed to keep him a secret anymore. Or eat his apples.” Apple Bloom’s voice was tinted with sadness. Applejack nodded grimly. As she took a better look of the filly, she noticed various light bruises and scrapes on her. She furrowed her brows. “Bloomie, I think you’re spending time away from the farm again with those other fillies.” The accusation didn’t hold too much edge, it came almost matter-of-factly. “Naw, I don’t,” Apple Bloom answered looking everywhere but her sister’s eyes. Applejack smiled a little and rolled her eyes. “Fine, if you say so. Just don’t get too bruised out there, please.” “Don’t worry, Sis. I’ll be careful,” came the reassuring answer. The heartwarming moment didn’t last long and the smile wilted from Applejack’s face. “Right. Did you two talk to those no-good lawponies? How much am I gonna get?” Both Apple Bloom and Big Mac tensed up at the question a little. They looked at each other, then back at her, their eyes voting who would share the news. Big Mac lost the battle of stares and so he was the one who spoke. “Guess what Applejack, Miss Sparkle sent us some extra bits to make do while you’re here and she promised herself to visit you once she finds the time. Yup,” he added with an unnaturally wide smile. “How darn nice of her. See folks, she really is a true friend.” Applejack nodded. Then she raised an eyebrow and repeated the question, this time with a bit more emphasis. “An’ the lawponies?” In the span of a few moments Big Mac collapsed into himself. His ears flopped down and he stared at the floor. He awkwardly pawed the stones. “He, uhm, he said he’ll do everything in his power.” “How. Much.” Despite Applejack’s best attempts, the irritation shone through her voice. “It depends…” Mac stammered. “Maybe we’ll just get a fine,” chimed in Apple Bloom. Mac looked at her disapprovingly before taking a deep breath and forcing himself to look into his sister’s eyes. “But more likely the court will go for the harshest option. That is, um—” he paused for a second, unwilling to say the word “—exile. It all comes down to whether they want to make an example of you.” Applejack felt herself stumble backwards, as she fell off the chair and landed on her haunches. For a few seconds she just focused on herself breathing in, then breathing out. “E-Exile?” This time she was the one who stammered, only she did so from the floor. Slowly, she clambered to her hooves and pressed them against the bars. “Ya can’t be serious, Mac. For a few rotten apples they’re goin’ to send me away?” “It’s all about making an example.” Big Mac’s attempts at reassurance failed to convince even himself. Applejack felt nauseous, but she knew she had to get the full picture. “Uh-huh,” she finally pushed out. “And what else did he say?” “That you shouldn’t be surprised if he himself asks for the harshest punishment possible.” Applejack’s stomach, which until now was making sommersaults, finally dropped like dead weight. “My own defender?” she asked in complete outraged shock. “Yup.” Big Mac became more and more flustered as he spoke. “Because if you were a Solar rebel or something, there’s a lot of those right now, but because you’re a Lunar and he had some old accusations on his head… It all comes down to Lunar law—” Before he could continue his rambling, Applejack held up a hoof to silence him. “What’s with the law? Just think this through, Mac. I really need to know what’s goin’ on.” Big Mac spent the next few seconds in quiet contemplation. “The point is making an example,” he finally declared. “And that you should try to relax.” “Try to relax?” Applejack whimpered as she reached her breaking point. She felt the blood leave her face. Suddenly the room shrunk to a tenth its size and she felt like she was being pressed from all directions. She began to hear her own heartbeat, hammering faster and faster. Images from her life began to flash before her eyes. The pride she felt upon harvesting the first apple in her life and understanding her calling. The comfort of the tales Granny told her while she was snuggled up in bed as a filly. The fear she felt for her family’s safety when the first news of the Lunars reached the Acres. The relief of Big Mac being too young for the draft. The desperation of those hot and dry years during the war, that her family only survived through sheer tenacity and stubbornness. The slow realisation that the Sun Princess didn’t seem to truly have their best interest at heart and perhaps these “Moon-fanatics” weren’t as crazy as she was told. The confusing whirlwind in her heart when she first laid eyes upon Twilight and realised she was one of the “enemy”. The hot tears of the arguments she had with Granny over helping Twilight and her friends. How the pain of the beatings she received from the Solar patrol while they tried to force her to give up the Lunars she hid was dwarfed by her own grandmother’s betrayal when she left with those same marauders. The outrage of the new Lunar government demanding nearly all fruits produced at the Acres. The anxiety of stashing Bloomberg below the kitchen. That same whirlwind of finding and losing Twilight again. And now, after remaining loyal despite all this pain and hurt, she was to be made into an example? It was too much. It was far too much. Her vision began to darken. “How are things in there, by the way?” Apple Bloom’s voice suddenly cut through her panic. Close your eyes. Breathe in. Hold it. Breathe out… Just like Granny taught you. Good… Now eyes open. It took a truly gargantuan amount of effort not to crumple into a pile on the floor, but, with legs wobbling and heart pounding, Applejack remained standing. “Things are just fine, sugarcube.” She forced herself to smile for Bloom’s sake, as her breath almost hitched. “Don’tcha worry about me.” She cleared her throat, buying herself a few seconds to fight off the darkness that once again tried to collapse on her. It was clear to her that it was a losing battle and she was merely prolonging the inevitable. She had to leave. “I think I should go,” she muttered, deaf to the faint pleas of her siblings. She began trotting towards the guard, but still something was pushing on her conscience harder than even her failing constitution. She stopped in place and turned around. “Make sure the trees are healthy and the harvest happens in time. I… probably won’t be around to do so,” she heard herself say. With that, she stumbled back to her cell. She hardly even stepped inside, when she was immediately received by Flim and Flam. “So, Applejack, is the Lunar system still in its place?” Flim asked with a gleeful smile. “Are you two really itching that hard to lose all of your teeth this worm-stricken moment?” she growled, roughly shoving the two swindlers to the side. With heavy steps she plopped down on the bed. The two didn’t take the less than subtle hint and immediately sat at her sides. “Come now, Applejack. We’re all Equestrians here, we should cherish each other,” Flim cooed. “Indeed! Believe us, we aren’t your enemies, nor Her Majesty’s,” Flam continued, leaning closer to the mare. “We know well you have some good friends up high. Wouldn’t you put in a few good words for us?” Applejack had enough of their sweet-talk. “If you don’t shut your traps this instant, I’ll make sure y’all won’t talk to anypony for a long time myself.” She pushed herself off the bed and walked to the other side of the room, where Blind Devotion was lying on the floor with her eyes closed in deep meditation. As Applejack stormed next to her, Blind stirred from her trance. “Sister, you seem somewhat bothered,” she said, blinking heavily as she stared up at the fuming, dishevelled mare. “I might be a tad upset, yes,” Applejack admitted. “If you wish, I could introduce you to certain relief,” the other mare offered. “Look, I’m mighty grateful, but autumn is upon us an’ I fear my trees will fall sick. Meanwhile they are planning to exile me.” She hung her head. Blind frowned in sympathy, before placing a hoof on Applejack’s back. “I understand the crushing weight you bear, Sister. We all are tested time and time again. Just place your trust in our Radiant Princess.” Applejack gently removed it. “Oh, I trust in a Princess, just maybe not the Radiant one.” A heavy sigh left her lips and she tipped her hat straight. “Welp, no use giving the mice a drink.” She sniffed a little, then wiped her tears. “I might as well face things as they come. Not like I can do much else.” She turned towards Blind. “The only thing worse than getting bad news is getting bad news on an empty stomach, an’ all this mess made me hungrier than a pig after a two mile chase. Do ya know what’s for lunch?” “A moment, Sister.” Blind trotted to the far wall and gently tapped on it. Soon her taps were answered by quiet knocks from the other side. After a few moments of concentration, she turned towards the room with a sour expression. “Dry oats.” “Dry oats, again,” Applejack repeated bitterly. “If they at least mixed it with a bit of sweet water.” “See, back in the Solar days even the food was better!” Flam said triumphantly. His careless words merely evoked Applejack’s ire. “You two better be very quiet right now.” He yelped a little as the mare turned towards him, staring daggers. Applejack pointed towards her scar. “I’ve eaten your sort of food.” But before he could have faced her full wrath, a key turned in the cell’s door and a bat guard entered. “Prisoner Applejack,” he called. The addressed mare took a deep breath, her cheeks still a little red from anger, then stepped forward. “Present.” “You’re coming with me. Bring all your belongings.” “So… Exile?” she asked flatly, but the guard gave no answer. As she prepared herself, the others looked at her with genuine pity. Even the two brothers learned a bit of respectful silence. “I could still induct you into our Radiant Order, if you wish,” Blind offered eagerly. “It’d take just a minute!” “No, thank you,” Applejack replied sharply, then followed the guard outside. The two of them walked for quite some time, from one stone-paved corridor to the next, ascending one staircase, then descending another, but to Applejack’s complete surprise, she wasn’t led to a carriage that would forsake her forever, but rather to the forepony’s office. “Congratulations, Applejack. You’re free!” he greeted the mare. “Free?” Applejack repeated the word, completely nonplussed. She expected many things from this occurrence, but not this. “As a bird.” The forepony, a fat dirty-blue unicorn, eagerly shook her hoof. “Congratulations, again.” But the mare remained unconvinced. “But what of the apples?” “What apples?” he asked, tipping his head to the side in confusion. “You know, Bloomberg’s.” Applejack’s tone was unmistakable. “There were no apples,” he said quickly. “There were never any apples. It was all a clerical error. You’re as innocent as a newborn foal. All accusations were dropped.” “I really don’t get it.” The mare scratched her chin. “I really did harvest a bucketful of apples, an’ made them into pastries for my family. That’s why I’m here in the first place, ya see. Doesn’t that make me not innocent?” “No, you didn’t do any of that.” The smile on the forepony’s face slowly turned forced. “I won’t argue it! You’re free and that’s that.” He lowered his voice. “Higher orders, you see.” “Uh-huh. I get it… That is, I don’t get it at all. I’m really not good at these ideological things.” She blinked a few times, still dazed, but as she came to terms with the situation, she suddenly felt reinvigorated and continued in a far more chipper tone. “Either way, thank ya kindly for everything. Except for the food, that could be quite a bit better.” She leaned closer to his ears. “Do try to improve it a bit, please. Don’t let all them Solars keep laughin’ into their hooves about Her Majesty’s prison bein’ so poor that it serves dry oats all day. Sure, it’s not like food is that much better outside, but at least we’re aware of our shortcomings.”