//------------------------------// // Running Wild // Story: Tangled Roots // by Bad_Seed_72 //------------------------------// Running Wild “Well, Citrus, are ya jus' gonna stand there, o' are ya gonna let us in?” Citrus Blossom shook her muzzle, snapping herself back into the trickster hooves of reality. No, this had not been a strange dream brought about by one too many gossip columns and a severe case of boredom. Yes, Applejack and Apple Bloom were here, on their Manehatten doorstep, unannounced. “Er, um, yes, please come in,” Citrus mumbled, holding the door for the two to enter, watching as the taxi-pony snapped himself back in and his checkered carriage began to pull away at last. Nervously closing the door behind her, Citrus called, “Allspice! We have company! Could you please start supper a little early?” Allspice rounded the corner into the hallway. “But o’ course, Madame Orange. Now who is—“ “Hiya! Ah’m Apple Bloom, Babs’ cousin!” the foal said excitedly, striding up to the chef. “Aww, well aren’t youze the talkative one, little filly?” Allspice chuckled. “It’s always nice ta have guests. Do youze like quinoa an' lentils, Apple Bloom?” Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Kee-what?” “Nevermind her, ma’am, Apple Bloom’s jus' a right ol’ disposal when it comes down ta it. That’ll be fine,” Applejack said, trotting up to the culture clash. “Right, lil’ sis?” “You betcha!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, offering Allspice a smile as she headed back to the kitchen, due diligence calling. “Hey, wait a minute! Where’s Babs? Isn’t school out already?” she asked, looking around. Citrus Blossom smiled and replied, “She should be home any minute now, Apple Bloom. She was at her club meeting. She’s made a CMC here, just like you, you know,” she added proudly. Apple Bloom gasped, clapping her hooves together in delight. “Oh Ah know, an' Ah'm so, so happy fer her! Ah can’t wait ta hear all 'bout it!” Rustling her sibling’s mane with a gentle hoof, Applejack laughed, “Good gravy, Apple Bloom, aren’t ya excited! Why don’t ya wait outside on the porch until she gets here? Citrus an' Ah have some things ta discuss.” Two pairs of eyes, one fiery-orange and the other green, met in a mix of confusion and concern. Apple Bloom nodded and obliged, practically barreling down the front door in her haste. ~ Autumn had not come without a price. As Babs ascended the summit of the Manehatten Hill, she met a wall of resistance, wind throwing up its hooves in battle against her. Crimson cape open and flying proud, Babs dug her hindhooves into the cobblestones, bracing against all opposition. With careful hoof-steps, she climbed in spite of the face of the wind, one hoof after the other. As she rounded down the most familiar street of all, a taxi-carriage whipped past her, driver galloping with the glee of bits jingling in his saddlebags. The vehicle’s black-and-white-checkered decals and matching flag caught her eye as it sped away. “Checkered flags.” Madness turning into method, Babs Seed felt a new wave of strength wash over her heart, waves breaking through the powerful call of the wind. Adrenaline released and proliferated in her veins, sped on by excitement, aggravated with a drop of fear. Could dis be it? Could dis be what she meant? An' iffa so, what will we… Her cheeks burned hot, brushing away such thoughts. The space between the end of the sidewalk and the Orange Family Mansion iron gates became the greatest distance in all of Equestria, the bane of marathoners and sprinters alike. Each step felt as if it might be her last, could she be wrong and cardiac arrest in the stress of her error. Babs caught her hooves in time, her muzzle landing inches away from the iron bars. Cautiously, she pushed the gates open, and had no sooner trotted inside the property line when a blur of yellow and crimson darted towards her like a javelin. “Babs!” “Apple Bloom!” In a rush and tangle of hooves, cape, and mane, orange, yellow, and red clashed and met in the middle, the apple leaping upon the orange, sending them crashing to the grass below. Like flames they wrestled and rolled, gripping each other tightly, laughing until they were soaring high above the clouds from their dizziness. They came to a stop, Ponyville above Manehatten, both foals breathing deep. With hooves pressing against her cousin’s shoulders, Apple Bloom taunted, whispering into her ear, “Heh heh, pinned ya.” Chucking softly, feeling steam rising from her hooves at the absence of her distance, Babs Seed said, “So… I guess youze missed me, huh?” “Missed ya?! Aw, ya think Ah missed you, silly filly?” her attacker giggled back, releasing her grip and helping the other foal to her hooves. “Ah wasn’t the one writin’ love letters!” Sputtering nonsense, Babs Seed began to turn a shade closer to her cape, all eloquence and vocabulary gone with the relentless autumn wind. “I! Youze! I told youze! Ta keep dat quiet!” Giggling, Apple Bloom said, “Aw, yer pretty easy ta rile up, ain’t ya, Babs? Ah'll hafta keep that in mind. C’mon now, let’s go inside. It’s lookin’ like it may start ta rain.” Muttering to herself, shaking her head, Babs Seed led Apple Bloom up the path to the Orange Family Mansion, clouds beginning to cast their judgment upon Manehatten. ~ “… An’ that’s why we’re here. We had some extra cider left from the harvest this year, an' it’d be a cryin’ shame if it went bad,” Applejack finished, sipping at a mug of pure caffeine, warming her blood. “Lots o' it, too. That driver out there, why, Ah sure as sugar tipped him good fer all the haulin’ he did. But now there’ll be lots o' cider out in the shops fer y'all ta drink!” She beamed, pleased at the results of this year’s harvest. Cider sales had been stronger than ever, Sweet Apple Acres taking its encounter with the Flim Flam Brothers to heart. In exchange for a share of the cider, the other Elements had assisted the Apples with their harvest this year, increasing their yield and production tenfold. For the first time Applejack could remember, they'd had enough product left to extend their business beyond Ponyville’s borders. There was no better place to start than the commerce center of Earth ponydom itself, Manehatten. “Well, dat’s good ta hear, Madame Applejack,” Allspice said, busying herself over the stovetop and a hot pot of green lentils. “It’ll be good ta have some non-alcoholic cider fo' once.” Stetson shaking on her head as she laughed, Applejack spat back, “Oh, ya know we make an alcoholic version, right?” “Applejack Daniel’s, correct?” Citrus guessed. “Ya got it, cousin. But, naw, this weren’t the heavy stuff. That’s been long sold out, usually is first ta go once the apples are fermented an' ready wit' the summer bumper crop.” Citrus Blossom remembered the overflowing refuse can and how many bottles of that whiskey stuck out from under the lid. She shuddered. “Well, I’m glad to see you, Applejack,” she said, smiling. “It’s been far too long.” “Same here,” Applejack replied. “An' Apple Bloom really wanted ta see Babs 'gain, so Ah figured she could come along, too. Oh, that reminds me… Ah've got the bits fer a hotel, but Ah was wonderin’ if—“ “Oh, of course not! No relatives of mine are going to be risking their hooves at some seedy hotel!” Citrus interrupted. “Do you know what kinds of activity go on in Manehatten hotels, Applejack?!” The honest pony had quite a few wild assumptions, but voiced none of them, muttering, “Ah, well, heh heh, Ah guess Ah didn’t think o’ that.” “Nonsense,” Citrus chided. “We have many guest rooms here. You and Apple Bloom are more than welcome to stay. I presume you’ll be returning to Ponyville first thing in the morning?” Taking the weathered hat into her hooves, rotating it in her grip, Applejack considered a lie, tossed and turned it within the confines of her mind. Her conscience would have none of it. Settling on a half-truth, she answered, “Well, not exactly, but we’ll talk 'bout that later. Fer now… where’s Aunt an' Uncle Orange?” Not missing a beat, Citrus Blossom explained, “Oh, well, Father is away at an important business conference, and Mother is upstairs working on some sales reports.” Appleajck sighed, mumbling, “Why am Ah not surprised?” “What’s that, Applejack?” “Oh! Um, er, nothin’,” Applejack said, darting her eyes away from Citrus’s accusatory pupils as the mare’s eyes narrowed. Being the Element of Honesty had few drawbacks in Ponyville, a town with few secrets and many open hooves; in Manehatten, Applejack knew, she would have had to go gray to succeed—maybe even to survive. Applejack's quick excursion into the realms of Discord was cut short by the hammering of hooves at the door. “That must be Babs Seed,” Citrus said, rising from her stool. Allspice turned away from the stove, motioning towards the door, but Citrus dismissed her with a hoof. “I’ve got it, dear, pish-posh.” “As youze say,” Allspice said, returning to the pot on the stove, which had begun to boil over. “Horseapples!” Seizing the opportunity that presented itself before her, Applejack rose from the table and climbed the stairs, watching as two little foals burst through the door, wind churning the atmosphere behind them. Once reaching the second story, Applejack turned about the scene, confused. There appeared to be eight rooms on this level for four residents—several more if one counted the chef and probable other servants that called the mansion home. The Apple Family farmhouse held four ponies as well within its walls, but bore only one bedroom for each resident. There were no guest rooms, only one bathroom, and one tiny kitchen to boast of back in the West. The difference between Apples and Oranges could not be disregarded in even the simplest of matters. Applejack strode to each door, listening for the clink of hooves on typewriter or calculator or the tapping of telegrams. Five rooms bore naught but silence, but in the sixth, she heard gentle weeping. Concerned, Applejack rapped her hooves on the oak. ~ Serving platters heaping full of quinoa, lentils, and curry onto the dining room table, Allspice’s simple, everyday gestures were met with a thundering of thanks from the littlest guest. “Wow, Babs, Citrus! Ya have a great cook here, Ah tell you what!” Apple Bloom squealed, rubbing her forehooves together in anticipation of simply devouring the plate before her. Laughing, Allspice replied, “Youze hasn’t even tasted a bite o’ dat, kiddo. Nothin’ like youze prolly had befo'. Jus' try it, first, befo' youze praise me.” “Youze’ll like it, Bloom. It’s… interestin',” Babs Seed said cautiously, never one for unusual foods. Her culinary palate was much more simplistic. Though the house chef had many marvelous recipes hiding under her mane, nothing would beat a strawberry milkshake, at least to her. “Babs, dear, be nice,” hissed Citrus, scolding her sibling. “Allspice works her hooves off for youze.” Blushing irritation, Babs spat back, “Yes, I know! I wasn’t sayin’ it was bad.” “That’s what you were impl—“ “No, I wasn’t!” Dammit, Citrus, o’ course youze gonna make me look bad in front o'… in front o'… Citrus and Babs Seed's impending argument was interrupted by a series of uncouth sounds. Their guest gobbled down the entirety of a serving plate to the point of licking the last remaining smears of curry clean off it. In the age of washing and drying dishes by hoof, Apple Bloom would someday find gainful employment. “Ah, heh, heh… thank ya ma’am, can Ah have some more?” she asked, turning to Allspice, blushing as both her cousins merely blinked at her. ~ Knock, knock. Libra Scales swallowed her tears, rubbing her eyes quickly to wipe away the trails that remained. She had sought sanctuary here under the presumption of business, warning Allspice before she’d retreated that she’d have no appetite tonight. Caught between the vicegrip of cold, harsh, cynical reality and the whispered pleas of optimism, Libra's mind had raced, leaving no stone unturned in its wake. Was Bernie Madhoof really a changed stallion, or was this merely another one of his theatrics? Would he see the world with sober eyes at last, even if it meant alcohol had to be forbidden in the entire mansion—Libra Scales had never been much for anything but fine wine, and she could forego that—or were there bottles of whiskey and cider hidden among the desk drawers of the downtown office? Did she have any reason to trust him? Had she ever? The time for introspection had passed. “Come in,” she weakly called, running a forehoof through her mane to straighten out all its frazzled patches. To her surprise, her niece strode through the door, gently closing it with a hindhoof and greeting, “Well, howdy, there, Aunt Orange!” “Applejack!” Libra exclaimed, making the bound from the stool at her vanity to the threshold of the door, meeting her sister’s filly. “Oh, darling, it’s been far too long!” The two embraced, Stetson nearly tumbling to the carpet in the process, almost a decade of lost time shattered between them. “Oh, Applejack, tell me what brings you here,” Libra Scales said at last as they separated. “Tell me… is Apple Bloom here, too?” Beyond the day of her birth and a few select birthdays of foalhood, the mare had rarely seen her younger niece. Time was bits, and she was often impoverished. Applejack nodded. “Eeyup. She’s down at dinner wit’ Babs an' Citrus. Right excited ta come here, Ah might say,” she added, winking. Clapping her forehooves together in delight, Libra said, “You don’t know how happy that makes me, Applejack. I know Babs has been all sorts of excited since she’s come back home from Ponyville. Why… she’s a completely different foal now. So happy. So full of… life.” Applejack could hear the wind beginning to die down outside the bay window, judgment of Celestia fading as the alicorn began to lower her star. The night would not last forever, but it seemed it might delay the storm that brewed in the heavens, the Most High withholding judgment—at least for now. However, Applejack found little solace in those thoughts, knowing that she’d brought a tempest of her own beneath her pleasant demeanor. Taking a seat on the master bedroom’s king-sized bed, Applejack asked, “Could… could ya send fo’ Citrus, Auntie? There is somethin’ we all need ta discuss.” “Don’t you want any supper, dearie? There’s plenty to go around.” “No,” Applejack answered, feeling her innards begin to shake at the mere thought of digestion. “No, Ah’m not hungry. Can ya call Citrus up here, please?” Nodding, Libra Scales said, “Of course,” and opened the door, calling out her daughter’s name. ~ Babs Seed and her guest assisted Allspice with the after-dinner chores as Citrus Blossom answered her mother’s summons. Together, the two caped Crusaders helped a very gracious Allspice, who seemed to age faster with each passing day. After their chores, Apple Bloom asked her cousin, “So! Whatcha wanna do now? It’s the weekend, after all!” Digging at the floorboards beneath her with a hindhoof, Babs Seed averted her eyes and muttered, “Um, ah, I dunno… what do youze want ta do, Apple Bloom?” “Hmm.” Apple Bloom tapped her chin with a forehoof. “Hmm… wanna go be Cutie Mark Crusader Explorers?” “Sure,” Babs said. “I don’t think youze ever seen the gardens out back.” “That would be great!” Apple Bloom grinned. Her host chuckled and led her guest out the back door, struggling to maintain neutrality and avoid the temptation of skipping all the way to the gardens. Watching the two little fillies slip beyond the shadowy corridors and out the door into the majestic rows of vines, trees, bushes and shrubs under the Manehatten skies, Allspice caught herself sighing like a bellows, icy heart melting. “Now, those two… are adorable.” ~ Applejack had fought against powerful foes more than once, from the goddess of the night herself to a Changeling Queen in far-off Canterlot. Through it all, she’d saddled up in spite of her fear, knowing the meaning of courage as well as truth. Courage, of course, does not mean that a pony is never scared; it means that he marches on, in spite of his fear. Courage was not arrogance or brashness—Applejack, unfortunately, had to teach the Element of Loyalty that more than once. Yes, Applejack knew courage, but knowing and doing are not the same action. Fidgeting with her father’s Stetson in her hooves while both her cousin and aunt sat beside her on the luxurious bed, Applejack realized that she had already completed the saddling up portion of being brave… it was just the marching on anyway part that was difficult. “This is gonna be hard fer me ta say,” she began, four eyes watching her with calm expectation. “Ah’ve been strugglin’ all day wit’ how ta say all that needs ta be said. Why, sometimes Ah wish Ah woulda brought Twilight wit’ me here, she would know best how ta put this—” “Twilight?” Citrus asked, confused. “Never mind that,” Applejack said. “Look… let me start off by askin’… how much do y'all know 'bout Babs Seed? 'Bout what she’s gone through?” Libra and Citrus exchanged quizzical looks. “What do you mean… ’what she’s gone through’?” asked Libra Scales. “We’ve always loved Babs. She’s gotten everything she could ever want, Applejack… toys, books, games, clothes—though she doesn’t appear to be much interested in those, I’ll add. She’s never known hunger, or poverty, or illness.” “Well, what 'bout… other things?” challenged Applejack. “What 'bout… safety? Inclusion? Belongin'? Togetherness? Family? Has she known those, o' does she know ‘em now?” Libra Scales felt something begin to stir in the depths of her soul, a spark struck upon a flint at her niece’s implications. “We love Babs Seed, Applejack. I despise favoritism. She is just as much my pride and joy as is Citrus. Are you suggesting that we don’t love her?” Sighing, Applejack replied, “See… Ah knew this was gonna be hard. No, Ah ain’t sayin’ that y’all don’t love her. Ah believe y’all, alright? … Okay, good. It’s jus'… there’s some things that’ve happened, that Ah don’t think y’all are aware o'—" “Applejack, just spit it out,” Citrus snapped, beginning to tire of this. “What are youze talking about?” Emerald-green eyes rising from her Stetson at last, Applejack answered, “Do y'all really know why her tail is that short?” ~ By the light of the moon, the two foals wandered throughout the garden, night beginning to obscure their colors in the darkness. Crimson capes followed them like comet-trails blazing across the skies. Together, the Apple and the Orange made their way from plant to plant, tree to tree, tasting their yields and filling in the gap between their last meeting and their present time. “So, Diamond Tiara an' Silver Spoon have been leavin’ youze alone, right?” Babs Seed asked, offering a strawberry to her cousin as they rounded the bush. Accepting the gift, Apple Bloom nodded in the affirmative. “Ya sure scared ‘em, Babs! They haven’t as much as even looked at me o' the gals the wrong way since ya told ‘em off at the train station!” Good! Somepony takes me seriously at last! Puffing out her chest with pride, Babs said, “Great! Iffa anypony forgets their lesson, jus' send me a letter, Bloom, an' I’ll be back!” Apple Bloom nuzzled her neck, making her countenance steam. Red-orange eyes met green and whispered, sultry, “Ya jus' tryin’ ta protect me, ain’t ya? Silly filly.” “Heh, heh, heh… um… hey! Wanna see our orange tree?” Babs deflected, bobtail swishing as she cantered away, past the rows of shrubs and towards the hill overlooking the city below. “Race ya!” “Hey!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, taking to her own hooves after Babs Seed. ~ Pounding a shot of pure balsamic vinegar, the colt retched over the garbage can, groaning as the last of his binge expelled from his esophagus into the liner. He coughed and sputtered, firewater stinging his throat as it sought vengeance. The last remains of his digestive system emptied, Card Slinger rose to his hooves, shaking his head in an effort to calm the hammer pounding at his brain. He’d had too much, as always, but the hangover couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. “Aw, buck it,” he said, trotting over to the table where the weapon lay. “Buck it all, afta ta-night.” Knowing that the end of his days was most likely near—at least, his days of freedom—Slinger enjoyed the hours he’d passed in gleeful intoxication. Now, the night of his reckoning had come at last. There would be no more turning back. He studied the dagger in his hooves, seeing how it sparkled in the moonlight. The blade itself was about six inches long from tip to pommel, the hilt adding another few more. He grabbed Switch’s sharpening stone, forgotten in the haze of her buzz, caressing the stone to the steel. It cried high notes as he gave it an even sharper killing edge, almost sparking flame in his haste. One side of the knife was serrated with menacing teeth, like a saw; the other angled off to a point that he’d sharpened to a painful puncturing capability. Whether it would be used to slash, stab, or saw, the dagger would get the job done. A gift from his late father, Slinger had protected the weapon through more than one move, hiding it between his box-spring and mattress. His neglectful uncle, though ridiculously absent throughout most of his substitute-guardianship, would have been right to confiscate such a blade. Nopony would argue that it was a fishing or cooking knife, or even one for whittling wood. It was a killing weapon. Card Slinger smiled to his dark gods and sheathed the blade, strapping it to his left shoulder where it would be easy to draw. He took one last deep look at his hideout, drinking in all of its details, before he trotted slowly to the door. If things went right, the next thing he’d probably see in his young life would be the inside of a jail cell. If things went wrong, he would be lucky to watch the coffin lid close, and nopony would mourn his failure. ~ Babs Seed sat with Apple Bloom as they gazed up at the skeletal tree, its branches reaching up in pleas for mercy towards the Most High. Babs Seed knew very little about the tree, other than the fact that it was old and dead. She had often wondered why it had been planted to begin with; this was no place for an orange tree, far too cold and dark. “How long has it been like that?” Apple Bloom asked, leaning into the other foal they sat silently, counting branches and stars. “As long as I can rememba,” Babs said quietly, captivated by the constellations above. “Ma an' Da’ say it’s at least twenty years old. I can’t believe it’s stayed heeya through dat long.” “It’s strong,” explained Apple Bloom, looking up into those emerald eyes that she’d begun to adore so much. “Like you. Yer strong.” Me? Strong? “No, Apple Bloom, I’m really not…” Babs said, voice trailing off into the night. “Iffa I was strong, I would’ve stood up ta dem bullies in Ponyville the first time I saw their smug little faces.” Her eyes began to sparkle with regret, but she said nothing, searching for Cassiopeia and Draco above. “Yer much stronger than me,” Apple Bloom whispered. “Ya've been through so much, Ah—“ “Stop it,” Babs said, turning her gaze from the blanket of night above them at last. “Stop feelin’ sorry fo' me, will youze?” Hurt, her cousin’s face fell to the grass. “Babs, Ah, Ah didn’t mean—“ “Does anypony eva?!” Babs shrieked taking a step backwards and breaking their connection. “Does anypony eva mean ta hurt me, Apple Bloom? Because dey all say dey don’t, an; yet, dey do. Don’t youze think I get tired o' dis crap?!” Apple Bloom's eyes filled with confusion. What could she possibly be referring to? “Babs, Ah, Ah’m sorry, can we jus'—“ “No! I don’t wanna mope out heeya wit' youze talkin’ 'bout how shitty ma life is, iffa dat’s what youze wanna do!” A surge of rage tunneled through Babs Seed's veins, shooting straight to her pounding heart as she stepped back. This was not how things were supposed to go. This was not how things were supposed to be. Eyes filling with tears, Babs Seed asked of her comforter, “Is dat why youze like me? Because youze feel sorry fo' me?” Apple Bloom panicked, springing to all her fours, taking a gentle step towards her cousin. “No, Babs, Ah never… Ah liked you befo'—” “So, then, youze thought it would be okay ta try ta humiliate a pony youze liked in front o' the entire town?!” Babs could not contain her anger, questions that she had pushed to the back of her mind rising and stirring and roaring with a vengeance. The details of their budding relationship—if it could be even called that—had for the most part been left alone in the crevices of her consciousness, questioning if she would even see Apple Bloom again. If she hadn’t, there would be nothing to worry and wonder about; no use brewing up a storm if the pegasi wouldn’t be working that day. But, she had returned, and with her arrival, all of Babs's doubt and fear and awkwardness bubbled to the surface, spouting off at the most inopportune time. Within a few seconds, Babs Seed wasn't the only one trying not to cry. “Babs… Ah… Ah was stupid, Ah’m sorry, Ah—“ “Ah, buck youze!” Babs Seed, the bully from the East, screamed, her voice a knife slashing through the clouds that had begun to threaten them from above. Without warning, she spun on a bit, hooves kicking up dew from the grass as she thundered towards the iron gates of the Orange Family Mansion, down the street and out of her mind. Cape soaring behind her, bow hanging on by its threads, Apple Bloom took to her hooves as the skies darkened, galloping after her. ~ Citrus Blossom and Libra Scales listened to Applejack’s tale, reciting the story exactly as she’d remembered Apple Bloom had told it to her. She spore no detail, leaving no unimaginable imagery out of the story, revealing the truth behind the foal’s lies. “She coulda damn near been raped, o' killed out in ‘em streets, y’all!” Applejack screamed, her hooves shaking at her poor attempt to hide her rage. “This city is dangerous! Downright dangerous! How can y’all be raisin’ an innocent filly in this Celestia-damned place?! Do y’all even sleep well at night?!” The mare of the house leapt from the bed, hooves landing with a deadpan WHAM! as gravity embraced them. “Dammit, Applejack, we had no idea!” Libra snapped. “Don’t you think we would’ve done something about something like that? Do you think we abuse Babs, for Celestia’s sake?!” Mimicking her aunt’s position, Applejack growled back, muzzle-to-muzzle with her aunt. “Ah don’t put it past y’all, way that poor filly screamed an' cried. Y’all think Ah'm deaf?! She had nightmares each night she was wit’ us! Ah could hear it from ma own bedroom wall!” “So, why didn’t youze do anything about it?” Citrus challenged, joining the other two mares on her hooves, taking her turn to cast judgment. “Because, unlike you, Apple Bloom was able ta comfort her, an' calm her down, befo' Ah needed ta bust in!” Applejack hissed, unfazed by the blame thrown her way. “Well, considering what ponies like you tend to do on farms, that concerns me!” Libra exclaimed, feeling old prejudices begin to rise to the surfaces. “I think you forget who I am, Applejack, or at least, who I used to be. I have farmer roots, ya know. I haven’t forgotten about how connected some families are in Appleloosa and Ponyville.” This time, Libra was the line, meeting Applejack’s sand. “Hold on jus' a damn minute, here!” Applejack felt her muscles flood with righteous anger. “Ah ain’t one ta judge, y’all should know that. If they end up bein’ kissin’ cousins, Ah have no problem wit' it! Befo' ya start makin’ jokes, Ah've got no eyes on you, Citrus, o' Braeburn for that matter, neither! But they’re foals, they’ve still got many years an' broken hearts ahead o’ ‘em, if they end up bein’…. like that… when they’re older, so what? ‘Specially when no foals wit' extra hooves’ll come o' it. But it takes two ta tango, Auntie, an' Ah will not have y’all insultin’ ma sister fer havin’ a heart!” Applejack began to breathe heavily, the amount of feeling behind her words depleting her of oxygen and sense. Libra Scales said nothing, but did not lower her gaze, both mares glaring deep into unrelenting pupils. Finally, Citrus Blossom was the one to break the silence with, “Mother, what does that even matter, if you are right or not? Aren’t there more important things to worry about than if Babs has a crush on anypony, cousin or not?” Unable to acknowledge defeat, Libra did not break her stare, merely conceding, “Yes, I suppose you are right. There are more important things… aren’t there, Applejack?” “Eeyup,” Applejack said, locking eyes with the mare that bore her relation in blood only, sharing none of her sense. “That reminds me. Ah have a proposal fer y’all.” ~ The parish lantern lit her path through the roads of Manehatten cobblestone, down the other side of the Manehatten Hill and all its sleepy real estate. Propelled by adrenaline and anger, Babs Seed sped through the night, her cousin hot on her hooves. Dammit, Apple Bloom, why won’t youze jus' go? she screamed within the confines of her mind, lactic acid beginning to spread throughout her muscles in burning pain. Why don’t youze jus' leave me alone? Don’t youze get it? “Babs! Babs! BABS!” Apple Bloom called from several yards behind her, relentless in her pursuit. Meeting only with silence, the Apple pressed on, following the Orange's trail down, down, down, until the road became no more and turned to grass as they entered a park. The lake here was clear and pristine as glass, reflecting the moon and a galaxy of stars within its depths. Babs Seed pivoted, then turned, rushing towards a thicket of woods, unwilling to be captured by her latest tormentor. She wasn’t ready to talk. She wasn’t sure when she would be. Cape fluttering behind her, Babs Seed made her way through the brush, nearly crashing into several thick tree trunks as she continued. She could hear the panting of the filly behind her, and as the trees begun to get sparser and sparser, the side perimeter wall of the park coming into her vision, she knew there was nowhere to hide. “Dammit, Apple Bloom, jus' go away!” Babs shouted, reaching the clearing at last, almost falling to the Earth in exhaustion. Plopping down on her haunches, she attempted to catch her breath and pretended not to notice Apple Bloom join her. “You… can run… real fast…” Apple Bloom panted, searching for breath alongside her cousin. ”But… Ah… gotcha…” Surprised by her own violence, Babs grabbed Apple Bloom by her shoulders, bringing her muzzle to meet hers. “What the hell is wrong wit' youze?! Don’t youze listen?! Do youze realize how dangerous it is fo' youze ta be out heeya?” “Quite dangerous.” Two pairs of irises, one emerald and one fiery-ruby, turned in unison, searching for the source of the voice. They were no longer alone. With only a rustle of bushes and the clip-clop of iron hooves, Card Slinger emerged from the darkness into the clearing, eyes wild with hunger and fury. Shit. “Slinga!” Babs took a step in front of her cousin, shielding the smaller foal. “What do youze want, youze mook?!” With a satisfying clink! Card Slinger withdrew his weapon, jagged black dagger held tightly in his forehoof. For a moment, Babs Seed froze, all her darkest dreams coming true as he whispered, “Revenge.” “Revenge?!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, emerging from beyond Babs's crimson cape. “Revenge?! Fer what? Do ya even know us?” Card Slinger laughed, the sound sending chills both fillies’ spines. “Oh, no, I don’t know youze, little foal, though I am not surprised ta see our pal Babs Seed heeya wit' a filly in the middle o' the night, alone in dis clearin'. I’m sure youze are havin’… a gay ol’ time.” Blushing, feeling a fetid concoction of embarrassment, rage, and fear brew within her soul, Babs growled. “Leave her alone, Slinga. Dis is between youze an' me.” “Oh, no, no, Babs Seed, I’m afraid youze must be mistaken,” Slinger said, slashing his blade in the air with a few practice strokes, making his prey jump. “Dis isn’t 'bout dat night a few weeks ago, dat night we made youze look mo’ like the piece o’ shit youze are. No. I’ve got an old bone ta pick wit' youze… wit' all o' youze.” What? “What are youze talkin’ ‘bout, youze swine?” barked Babs Seed, as her cousin said nothing, frozen in fear beside her. “Heh, heh. I’m sure youze fatha never told youze, an' I’m not ‘bout ta recount the entire sad little story right heeya. Dat’s never fun.” A wicked smile spread across his countenance, rows and rows of soulless piano teeth glistening in the dark. “But, either way, youze an' youze friend heeya will be the first ta taste ma wrath, an' the rest o’ youze family afta dat.” … Celestia… Babs Seed turned to Apple Bloom, one eye on her antagonist. “Go, Apple Bloom. Git outta heeya.” “No!” Apple Bloom shouted, standing defiant. “No! If we leave, we’re leavin’, together!” Card Slinger threw back his mane and laughed, mocking the empty heavens above. “Oh, so youze want ta run, huh? Well, suit youzeself.” Time slowed to a grinding halt, and Card Slinger jumped towards Apple Bloom, raising his dagger high, Babs Seed’s eyes wide, watching him as he rose.