//------------------------------//
// 19. Like purple death? 
// Story: The Tale of Lord Barleycorn 
// by Blue Cultist 
//------------------------------//

The Tale of Lord Barleycorn
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Chapter 19: Like purple death?
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For Carrot Top, the trip back to the farm was much more pleasant. The dirt road had dried just enough  that she could travel quickly without having to worry about her hooves sinking up to her fetlocks. 

The sight of the shabby homestead gave the carrot farmer a moment to reflect on what she had seen in Hollow Shades. If anything the house was just as bad as the buildings in town, standing with its wood siding naked to the sun and rain. Carrot Top was no carpenter, but she knew the reason anypony paints their house wasn't to make it look pretty, but to protect it against the elements. The mere fact that the boards weren't already warped was a miracle, but it heralded yet another problem for her relatives.

If the family didn't start turning a profit, one big enough to start repairing their home, the whole house could begin to fall apart.

Extending this worrying thought to the rest of Hollow Shades, Carrot Top shivered as she estimated the whole town had a life span of three years. At most. 

All of this because one pony decided to close down that lumber mill.

"The lumber mill... is that why Jack was so interested in it? Did he already figure all of that out? He did say he was working on a plan to help the town. Reopening the lumber mill would definitely help the town, and if there's more money in town there's more ponies wanting to live here... more ponies more bits... Carrot Top began to grin, "He did say he wanted to get the lumber mill running again. I'd bet my mane that he already figured all of this out."

Now brimming with positivity, Carrot Top cantered away from the road when a large shadow passed over her head. Carrot Top had to twist her head around in time to see an all too familiar pegasus soaring over the corn, her hooves touching the corn tassels as Derpy wobbled about in mid flight. 

Carrot Top shook her head, "Derpy's a sweet mare but really, what pea-brain decided to give her a job as sensitive as carrying mail?"

Looking back at the house, Carrot Top wasn't too surprised to see Leadfoot on the front porch. The stallion was passively flipping through the small stack of letters he had received and didn't look up until Carrot Top was standing at the foot of the steps.

"Anything interesting?" Carrot Top asked, showing her cousin a smile.

"Aside from bills, I got a few responses from other members of the family." Using his hoof, Leadfoot pushed the letters into a wide arc so he could see the multitude of hoof-written addresses. "Cousin Wheat Chaff, Uncle Maple Leaf, wow even cousin Clockwork answered."

Carrot Top looked from envelope to envelope. She couldn't exactly read them while they were turned away from her, but somehow knowing these were penned by relatives she hadn't seen in years made her feel even more hopeful.

"I didn't know you sent out more requests for help." Carrot Top looked up, "Was I just the first to respond?"

"You're the closest to Hollow Shades, and we knew you still farmed so you were our best choice." Leadfoot stated before ripping open one of the envelopes with his teeth. "But I didn't send any other letters."

After unfolding the letter on the porch floor, Leadfoot cleared his throat before reading:

"Dear Harvest Moon,
First let me say that it is wonderful to hear from you. I am well and so is my husband. Our farm in Appleloosa is doing well despite the main export of this town being what it is. A pony can't just live off apples afterall.

I had no idea things were so bad back east. I wish we could just drop everything and come but our own harvest time is approaching and we're strapped for help as it is. I might not be able to come but I'll send some bits your way. If Summer goes on about how he doesn't like charity, let me state very clearly this is not charity. I expect you to put the money toward getting your ducks in a row so you can host another Harvest family reunion on the old family farm. I haven't been to Hollow Shades in over a decade and I can barely recall what it was like except for all the trees. I do miss seeing tress that didn't have apples hanging from them six months out of the year.

With love,
Wheat Chaff and family."

Leadfoot blinked, "Mom sent letters? She never told anypony."

"I guess she was just doing what she could." Carrot Top said, "Your dad is pretty thick-headed sometimes."

"Tell me about it." Leadfoot snorted as he folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope.

Gathering the letters into a stack, Leadfoot carefully picked them all up in his mouth. That's when the overpowering scent of maple syrup tickled his nose. After spitting the letters back onto the porch, Leadfoot leaned in for a more investigative sniff.

Leadfoot's odd behavior didn't go unnoticed by Carrot Top. "Did some mare send you a perfumed letter?"

"I've never given any mare the impression that I'm some maple syrup junkie." Leadfoot slid the offending letter out of the stack, "Why would uncle Maple Leaf send us a letter that smelled like-"

Leadfoot paused as he examined the envelope closely. It looked thicker than a normal envelope should be. Using his hoof to stand it on edge, Leadfoot saw that it wasn't one envelope, but two.

"There's another letter stuck to the back." Leadfoot explained, carefully using his hooves to pry them apart. 

The sound of paper ripping made Leadfoot flinch. "Dangit, Maple Leaf must've spilled syrup on the back of the envelope."

"Who's the other letter from?" Carrot Top asked.

Leadfoot responded by lifting the second envelope up, showing off the hole that spread from the return address to the stamp.

"Well, since it's open... kinda, you might as well pop it open and read it." Carrot Top shrugged, "I got Ja- I mean our guest some ice for his foot in my bags."

Leadfoot blinked in surprise, "You've seen him today?"

"Just for a little while before I left for town. He was grateful for those clothes." Carrot Top smiled, "Must be terrible not to have a fur coat."

That got a smile on Leadfoot's face. "Alright, here's hoping this letter's meant for us or we might be intruding on somepony's personal business."

Carrot Top watched Leadfoot's eyes dance across the opened letter. She figured he was probably checking to make sure it wasn't anything too saucy before reading it aloud. But instead of blushing and stuffing the letter back in the envelope like Carrot Top half expected, the stallion grew pale.

Concerned, Carrot Top took a step closer. "Leadfoot? Something wrong?" 

Leadfoot's voice was a whisper as he spoke; "It's from cousin Applejack."

That name might as well have been a blow from a hammer. Carrot Top's body tensed, and she began to imagine what would transpire if Applejack discovered their connection. Applejack wouldn't understand the damage she'd do and would announce it to everypony in Ponyville. From there on Carrot Top would never hear the end of it...

"Well... don't just leave me in the dark. Slide it over." Carrot Top swallowed, trying desperately to sound confident.

Doing as requested, Leadfoot slid the letter to his cousin.

"Dear cousin Leadfoot,

Ah hope yer well, it's been so long since Ah've heard from ya or any of the family in Hollow Shades and Ah thought Ah'd check in on ya. None of ya have been coming to the Apple Family reunions, and we're all startin' ta worry about ya'll."

Carrot Top shook her head, Applejack even wrote in that southern twang of hers. Nevertheless, Carrot Top continued with the letter:

"Me and some friends are thinkin' about takin' a trip out to yer neck of the woods. Ah don't know the area myself, but Ah shouldn't be too much trouble findin' yer farmstead. I remember Hollow Shades being pretty nice myself, but that was real long ago. Ah'm sure it's still a nice place. Mah friend Rainbow says some real weird things about yer town but Ah'm sure she's just makin' excuses so she doesn't have ta go. Dunno why though, it's not like a trip to Hollow Shades will take as long as a train ride to Appleloosa. Our kin back west are doin' great if you haven't heard.

Hay, Ah'll be able to tell ya that in person. 'Course, ya'll have a chance ta meet all mah friends. Fluttershy loves rabbits, 'n I hear rabbits're plentiful 'round those parts. Twilight Sparkle's been goin' on about Everfree myths, so yer granpappy'll have plenny'a chance to tell all those tales. Maybe he'll also show her all his scarecrows, not that there's nothin' strange about 'em.

We don't have any plans for leavin' right now, we all got our schedules to work around. It'd also be wrong of me ta come before ya can respond to this letter. Let me know if ya got room for us to stay, or if we gotta get a place in town to stay at.

Tell yer folks hi for me, Ah can't wait ta see'em again!

Much love, 
yer cousin Applejack."

Carrot Top hadn't realized it right away, but the more she read the tighter she had clenched her jaw. In the past she had worried about Rose, Lily, or Daisy accidentally telling somepony back home about her family's ties to the Apples. Ultimately, Carrot Top had decided her friends were trustworthy with such vital information. Roseluck was sometimes a bit of a motormouth, but even she wouldn't knowingly hurt Carrot Top's reputation. 

If Applejack knew, she wouldn't extend Carrot Top the same courtesy. She'd insist on making a huge deal of it and Carrot Top's whole reputation in Ponyville would vanish like water down a drain.

When Carrot Top finally tore her attention away from the letter, she saw that her cousin was looking just as shellshocked as she was. Leadfoot was rubbing his forehead with his hoof and taking long controlled breaths. Carrot Top understood her own worries, but would Applejack's arrival really be as bad for him as it was for her?

"Hey, you alright?" Carrot Top asked.

"I-" Leadfoot let out a slow, heavy breath, "-will be. If she shows up... I know dad will flip out."

"Right, but we can't do anything." Carrot Top relaxed her jaw after feeling it clench again. "Hide that letter for now, and we'll talk about it later."

Leadfoot's eyes glanced to the letter, then to Carrot Top. "Wouldn't it be better if I just burned it or ripped it up?"

Carrot Top shrugged, finally starting to reclaim some of her former calm. "You could, but you'll have to answer it sooner or later."

Leadfoot seemed disheartened, but after a few moments of thoughtful silence, a hopeful smile appeared. "Right, I'll write about how rough things are and we're much too busy to have her and her friends underhoof."

Carrot Top responded with a sigh, "You don't know Applejack like I do. The second she hears her 'family' is in trouble she'll drop everything to hurry over here to make things all better... and probably with as many members of the Apple family as she can gather right behind her."

Leadfoot hung his head, "Applejack on her own would get dad mad, the whole Apple clan showing up? That... would get ugly fast."

"Right, but her letter says her friends will be coming too. That might be just as bad as the Apple clan." Carrot Top said coolly, now looking at the letter with more determined eyes.

Leadfoot watched his cousin as she studied the letter. The mare was calm, almost detached where before she had been clearly unsettled. He had to wonder, what other skills had Carrot Top picked up while living in Ponyville? "What do you mean?"

"Applejack's friends have a nose for trouble." Carrot Top muttered, "Trouble always either finds them or they find it. If those mares start sniffing around the barn they'll find Lord Barleycorn for sure."

Leadfoot grimaced, "You really think so?"

Carrot Top looked down at the letter, scanning its contents again. "Yeah, and I think they already know something about him. Applejack's a terrible liar, a bad haggler too." Carrot Top tapped her hoof at the word 'scarecrow.'  "She let too much slip in this letter, afterall why would anypony even bother mentioning scarecrows? And Applejack asking your grandpa, rest his soul, about Everfree myths? Please. Granny Smith can go on for hours about Everfree spirit stories if you let her, so why would she think your grandpa would know more than her? Ergo, Applejack, and by extension the rest of her friends, probably know something about our two-legged friend."

"You don't think they know something we don't, like that he could be, y'know, bad?" Leadfoot frowned.

Carrot Top looked her cousin square in the eye and raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think that?"

Leadfoot wilted, instantly shamed by his own words. "No, he's... I dunno. I don't think he's dangerous but I'd feel better if I knew anything about him."

"His name is Jack." Carrot Top said with a smile.

Leadfoot blinked, "Jack?"

"Yeah, just 'Jack.' It's weird sure, but we never name ourselves, right?" Carrot Top looked over her shoulder, seemingly satisfied when she saw nopony on the approach. "Just don't tell Corn Crib. Let's not spoil the illusion for her."

"Fair enough." The thin crack of a smile began to appear on Leadfoot's face.

"Anyway, forget about the letter for today. We're going to reply to it, but we're going to drag this out as long as we can. If we don't send a reply at all Applejack will get curious and just show up unannounced." Carrot Top's ears folded back as she glanced back at the road. "And once Applejack arrives... I'll want to disappear."

"Why not just say you're here as a friend of the family?" Leadfoot asked, "It's not like you have to announce you're a Harvest."

Carrot Top shook her head. "That might work, but there's one problem. Applejack can't lie to save her life but she knows when you're not telling her the truth. I'd rather not have Applejack get suspicious at all if I can help it. The minute she finds out we're related it's no longer 'Carrot Top's carrot field,' it becomes 'the Apple family's carrot field.' All of my work to build my own reputation? Out the window."

Leadfoot rolled his eyes, "You're starting to sound like dad."

"Maybe, but I don't blame all my problems on Applejack. She's a nice mare, she'd would give you the hat off her head if you really needed it." Said Carrot Top, "But her family's reputation swallows up everything. As much as I like her, I'd rather be known as a Harvest than just another bud on the massive Apple Family Tree."

Leadfoot smiled, it had been a while since he felt a genuine surge of family pride. "And that's why you're here."

"Darn tootin." Carrot Top smirked, then squeaked in surprised as she felt something run down her leg. Following the sensation with her eyes, she found a small trickle of cold water running down from her saddle bag. "Darnit... the ice I bought is starting to melt. I gotta run this in to Jack, then I'll be out to the field where I should be."

"If dad asks where you were... what should I say?" Leadfoot asked.

Carrot Top shrugged, "Just like I said in the note I left in the house. I noticed you didn't have any cold medicine so I went to go get some."

Leadfoot nodded, but before Carrot Top had turned to head to the barn Leadfoot cleared his throat.

"Um... Cousin Golden, I gotta admit you're probably smarter than I am." Leadfoot said as he rubbed the back of his head, "When we get something figured out, you'll help me write that letter to Applejack, right?"

"Pretty big of him to admit that, even though I'm not sure if that's true or not." Carrot Top thought, "Of course I will, but I'm not smarter than you Leadfoot. I've... just had to be on the tips of my hooves for a long time."

Leadfoot's ears twisted back, "You aren't that way here, are you?"

"Not at all." Carrot Top shook her head, "It's been so long since anypony called me 'Golden Harvest' I'd almost forgotten what it sounded like. Hearing you call me by that name is... it's just great, really."

After seeing her cousin's smile return, Carrot Top turned away from the house. "See you in the fields!"

Every step toward the barn caused a cold wave down Carrot Top's leg. Carrot Top was never averse to water, but the cold air made it feel as if somepony was running a icy blade down her leg. If a little ice water was this bad, Carrot Top couldn't imagine how Daisy and Lily Valley survived being caught out in the chilly rain. Back home they bolted for home the second the pegasi let the first few drops of water fall.

The barn was as quiet as the past few times Carrot Top had ventured inside. Rather than allowing the ice to continue dripping down her leg, Carrot Top emptied the ice into the ice pack and screwed the lid on tight before climbing the stairs.

Jack was still in the hay, wrapped tightly in the blanket. If it wasn't for the slight motion of his breathing she could have believed it was just a rolled up blanket... with lumps. His mask was still hanging on a nail, just beside his hat. Neither looked especially dry from hanging in the cold, stillness of the barn.

"Hey, are you awake?" Carrot Top announced.

A light cough was heard under the blanket before its occupant stirred and sat up. Jack's head emerged, looking very groggy and a little pale. However, for as much as Carrot Top knew that could be how he normally looked.

"I am now." Jack rubbed his eye with his hand, "How was the trip?"

"Enlightening." Carrot Top said, "But I got you some cough syrup. The doctor I met in town said it sounded like a cold."

"Very likely. I haven't noticed any other symptoms." Jack raised his arms over his head for a good stretch, "And if it is just a cold I just need rest and lots of fluids."

Carrot Top's ears bent back, "It's a shame I can't just bring you inside. "

"A dry, warm bed would be the best thing for me..." Jack shielded his mouth as he began to cough, "But I can't risk being seen by Summer Harvest, or Corn Crib if I didn't have my mask on. You couldn't even hide me in the attic with this cough."

"I suppose not." Carrot Top sat and fished the cough syrup out of her bag and set it in front of Jack.

Jack reached out and took the bottle, sneering at the bottle and its contents. "Ugh, grape-flavored."

"You don't like grapes?" Carrot Top asked.

"No, I don't mind them. It's just I've never had cough syrup that actually tasted like grape." Jack smirked, "Have you?"

Carrot Top thought back to her foalhood, "No, I can't say I have. Every cough syrup I ever tasted like..."

"Like purple death?" Jack chuckled as he measured some of the medicine into the marked cap. "Speaking of..."

Carrot Top watched as Jack lifted the full cap to his mouth and downed it all in one gulp. For not having a snout, Jack managed to contort his face into such a sour display that caused Carrot Top to cover her face with her hoof to hide her smile.

"Guh, like purple death no matter where you go." Jack shuddered, smacking his lips as he screwed the lid back on.

"You know Jack, I never would have thought I'd ever hear somepony make jokes like that when they're sick." Carrot Top said, "On the whole way into town I thought you'd be miserable."

"Meh, if it's a cold, it's a minor one. Now if I was catching the flu I'd be cranky for sure, knock on wood." Jack chuckled nervously and knocked on the hay with his knuckles. Carrot Top didn't understand the gesture. "Thanks for getting this for me, by the way."

"It was nothing, really." Carrot Top beamed, her tail twitching a little as she dug into her bag again. "But that's not all."

The ice pack was tossed in front of Jack. "This is for your fetlock- I mean, your foot."

"Ankle specifically, but pony anatomy doesn't translate well to human anatomy, huh?" Jack shrugged as he placed the ice pack on his injured foot. "Ah... coldcoldcold..."

"Human? Is that what you're called?" Carrot Top tilted her head.

A sheepish grin appeared on Jack's face. "Yeah, kinda let that little tidbit slip out. Better not let Leadfoot know that either."

"Well, you have nopony to blame but yourself for letting it slip." Carrot Top teased.

Jack shot the mare a challenging smirk, "No, but I can blame you for being so easy to talk to."

Carrot Top smirked back, "Yeah, well your feet look funny."

"Yeah, well you're short."

"You only have two legs."

"You're covered in fuzz."

"Oh yeah well you have the world's smallest muzzle." Carrot Top pointed her hoof at Jack's face.

Jack's hands flew to his face, where he began to run his fingers over his lips and nose. When his hands fell to his lap he stuck out his lower lip in an over-dramatic pout. "... Nuh-uh."

Carrot Top couldn't help herself, their trading in schoolyard insults combined with the absurdity of his foalish pout caused Carrot Top to lose it. She flopped into the hay, letting each of her worries melt away with every laugh. When she finally finished Carrot Top wiped her tear-filled eyes and sighed.

"Okay... maybe not the smallest." Carrot Top acquiesced, "But top ten for sure."

"I'll settle for that." Jack coughed, although not as harshly as before. "Nice to see I can make anypony laugh."

"A laugh is what I really needed." Carrot Top said as she rolled back onto her hooves. "You really have a knack for cheering ponies up."

"Some people call it acting childish." Jack said, "But the second I see a smile or get a laugh I know I did the right thing."

"Before you go to Canterlot, you have to meet Pinkie Pie. She thinks the same way." Carrot Top's smile faltered upon mentioning Pinkie Pie. Jack might end up meeting her sooner than he wanted.

"Jack, I gotta be serious for a minute." Carrot Top took a breath to center herself again, "You... do know how serious things are around right? That the town only has until the wood in the buildings starts to rot, and then nopony can live here?"

Jack's shoulders slumped, "Doesn't take a genius to know that exposed wood warps. But yeah, I know."

That didn't sound like a 'yes' or a 'no,' so Carrot Top decided to fish for more information. "If you know, you must have thought about this..."

"Laying in the hay with nothing to do gives a guy a lot of time to think." Jack reclined back into the hay, folding his arms behind his head. "I did think up something, just the start of a plan really."

Now this sounded promising. "Care to share it with me?"

Jack glanced to the mare, then stared back up at the ceiling. "It's ambitious, and it runs counter to everything I've made you, Leadfoot, and Corn Crib swear by."

Carrot Top didn't like the sound of that, "What... do you mean?"

Jack tilted his head on its side, his eyes focusing on something over Carrot Top's shoulder. "Ponies around here still believe in spirits and other spooks, right? So why not let them see one?"

"What... are you suggesting?" Carrot Top turned her head to see what had gotten the human's attention.

"Once my leg is better," Jack said as he stared at his mask, "I'm getting dressed up so I can go into town."

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To be continued...
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