//------------------------------// // 22. Look out, incoming zompony. // Story: The Tale of Lord Barleycorn // by Blue Cultist //------------------------------// The Tale of Lord Barleycorn - - - - - - Chapter 22: Look out, incoming zompony. --- === Three days later === Summer Harvest laid flat on his back in bed as he stared at the ceiling. The pinkish tint the morning sun beckoned to him, signaling that today was the start of another day of honest labor on his family's land. He knew he had to get up, to go out and make himself useful for his family's prosperity but today he felt something he hadn't before. Hesitation. His wife grumbled as she turned in the bed next to him, still existing in some happy dream. A heavy frown formed on Summer's face as he remembered how his wife had been prancing about the past week or so, leaving food out for those ridiculous forest offerings. She had told him late one night that she had a conversation with one of the local spooks, but although he had told her he believed her, he had done so just to make her happy. What was he supposed to say to the stallions in the bar, that his wife had a conversation with some royal specter? They would all say his dear Harvest Moon had cracked under the weight of their financial burden. Their steadfast reputation was all his family had at the moment. Not that it mattered, he hadn't been out to the pub or anywhere else in nearly a week. Still, Corn Crib had begun to speak of seeing them too. Summer merely believed it was a case of his daughter believing anything Harvest Moon told her, but when Leadfoot admitted to having seen them too Summer felt a little disappointed that his son would buy into them too. All of this Summer Harvest could have patiently ignored until this foalish fascination with those old stories were forgotten. "All would be well if they worked hard," he kept telling himself. He stopped saying that three nights ago. Supper had just been cleared when Golden Harvest had called everypony to come to the living room window. Until that moment, Summer had never even considered the possibility that any of the his family's stories about this scarecrow spirit were true. Even as Summer laid on his back he felt he had to ponder if what he had seen that first night was real. He wanted to deny it, but everypony else had seen it too. The clouds had cut off the light of Luna's moon, leaving only the dark, vague outlines of the crops and the impenetrable blackness of the forest beyond. It was a sight that Summer had seen a thousand times on a thousand separate nights, but the glowing face that looked back from the fields that had made the farmer's blood run cold. The face appeared to be little more than wide eyes and an even wider grin, both burning as if a candle was inside the... thing's head. Then there was the unnatural orange light that it seemed to give off. Without any visible means of locomotion, this floating, round head had slowly floated over the beans and into the cornfield before the otherworldly radiance that bled through its mouth and eyes abruptly vanished. The spherical nature of this apparition caused his wife to name it as a Willow-the-Wisp, and for the rest of the night she spoke of how it was some sort of omen that the farm was under the protection of the appeased spirits. That night, much like this one, Summer had an uneasy sleep, it didn't seem real. He had wondered if his wife and daughter had been right all this time. Instead, he resolved that there was some rational explanation. Perhaps it was just some lost pegasus practicing some stunt for Nightmare Night. He finally managed to get some sleep and was ready to believe that everything would be back to normal in the morning. Summer was wrong. The following morning he and his family discovered the carts lined in front of the porch as if for inspection. Each of the carts was filled with corn picked from their field, ready to be sold. This he could have attributed to his neighbors perhaps, slinking about at night in his fields performing unwanted charity. It was the only explanation, but it didn't explain the mysterious, carved pumpkin that sat on the ground beside the center cart. The wide, round holes for eyes, the wide toothy grin... it was the same as the face they had all seen the night before. Summer had never heard of anypony carving a face into a pumpkin, and he couldn't fathom why he had been afraid of something so... goofy. Even more perplexing was when little Corn Crib walked up and asked the empty pumpkin if it was named 'Carlos.' When he and Leadfoot examined the pumpkin more closely, they found nothing remarkable about the empty rind. The seeds and pulp had been cleanly removed, and the top was cut into a neat lid with the stem serving as a handle. It was scarred from hail, marking it as one from their own pumpkin patch as nopony else in Hollow Shades was growing this kind of pumpkin this year. Summer brought a breath in and let it out as he pulled himself out of bed. The warmth that had existed under the covers quickly bled out of his coat, leaving him to shiver as he trudged toward the bathroom. He heard his wife shift in their bed, no doubt disturbed by his absence. He wasn't eager to go downstairs, he knew what was waiting outside the front door. The events of that first night had repeated the night before last, and once again last night. Even without looking out the upstairs window Summer knew the carts would be full again and set out for his family and guests to inspect, with another pumpkin sitting out like some sort of calling card. Summer's stomach rumbled, finally awake as he finished washing his face. Before heading down the stairs he peeked back in on on his wife to find her fixing her mane. He knew she liked to make the attempt to look decent in case company showed up, and doubly so now since they had house guests. Downstairs he was pleased to discover Golden Harvest, or Carrot Top as her friends called her, fixing pancakes while the other visiting mares set the table. He didn't care that the pancakes Carrot Top was making obviously came from a box, he was just pleased to see a real bottle of strawberry syrup sitting on the table for once. Even better was the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the pot. He showed them a smile, but his eyes were fixed on claiming his favorite coffee mug. "Glad to see you're all up bright and early." "Good morning Summer," Carrot Top beamed as she flipped the cakes over, "Since we were already up, we thought we'd cook you all breakfast." Summer chuckled as he poured himself a cup of black coffee, "You won't hear me complain about pancakes. Everypony slept well?" "Uh-huh..." Roseluck mumbled from the table. A cup of coffee sat in front of the rose-vendor, who looked like she had been pried from her bed with a crowbar. Her eyes drooped, and she yawned deeply before she sucked on her coffee. "You didn't see anything else last night, did you?" Daisy giggled, sounding like she knew the answer. "Not a thing. I thought I heard the carts moving outside but I didn't see anything." Roseluck stretched her forehooves before she lapsed into another yawn, "I think this is the last time I stay up past midnight, for a chance to see a spirit or anything else." "You could always go outside and try to meet one of them." Daisy smirked, "Y'know, outside, in the dark, spitting distance of the Everfree..." Roseluck shuddered, or maybe it was a shiver; as tired as she looked it could have been either. "How about no? I'll just wait for that thing coming up tonight." Summer looked up from his beloved caffeine, what 'thing' was happening tonight? The screen door creaked, then slammed shut before Leadfoot appeared, his fetlocks damp from the morning dew. "Was there another pumpkin with a face?" Lily Valley asked. "Yeah, this time it was sitting on the railing." Leadfoot yawned, "The carts were all full of carrots this time. I left them out for mom to look over for the festival, since we can't put them in the silo. With this much picked we might be able to start selling them in town." "Good!" Harvest Moon said as she arrived in the kitchen, looking especially pleased by what she saw, "And I don't have to cook? Are you sure you girls have to go back to Ponyville?" "Sorry, we're just on loan until the harvest is over." Lily chuckled, "So enjoy us while we're here." "Maybe, but you are guests and I do feel bad about making you work in the kitchen like this." Harvest Moon reluctantly walked past the stove to take a seat at the table, "And store bought syrup? Girls you didn't have to splurge on us." "Please, we're hardly struggling and we all weren't feeling comfortable eating up all your food." Carrot Top flipped the last of the pancakes onto a waiting serving plate, "And I'm not exactly breaking my back to cook these, so don't worry." "Hey, I'm not complaining." Leadfoot grinned as he made his way across the kitchen to sit as close as he could to the syrup, "I'm seeing this as a treat for all the hard work we've been putting in." "It's been an experience, I'll say." Said Lily Valley, "Yesterday I took a break to sat on the porch and watch the clouds move. It was calming in a weird sorta way." Roseluck grunted before she swallowed a large gulp of coffee. "The clouds have always been one of my favorite things about Hollow Shades," Harvest Moon said, "Since the weather team can't perform any sort of cloud sculpting or manufacture, you could see anything up in the sky. It'll only be there for a little while before it becomes something else entirely." Lily nodded, "And it wasn't as random as I thought it might be." Roseluck blinked her eyes, then shook her head, trying to shake the weariness from her eyes. "Told ya." "It's just part of the fun of living out here." Leadfoot chuckled, eyes now resting on the small mountain of pancakes Carrot Top was bringing to the table. Corn Crib was the last to arrive in the kitchen, smacking her lips as though half of her was still in bed. "'Mornin'..." The filly droned, trudging her way to the table. "Look out, incoming zompony." Leadfoot teased, but he still pulled a chair out for his sister. Corn Crib grumbled a little, but nevertheless pulled herself up to the table. "Did you stay up last night too?" Daisy asked. Corn Crib shook her head, "No, I couldn't sleep." Harvest Moon reached over to feel her daughter's forehead, "You aren't coming down with something are you?" An embarrassed grimace shot across Corn Crib's face before she pulled her head away from her mother's hoof. "No, I was just too excited to sleep last night..." "Ah, excited for the show." Roseluck smirked, finally started to show some life. There was that word again, was there some sort of entertainer coming in for the festival that Summer hadn't heard about? He had been so busy on the farm that he hadn't been able to socialize with Bean Sprout or anypony else in town. All his neighbors were busy and had no time to gossip, even those that didn't have fields were probably all hard at work setting up decorations for the festival. "What show?" Summer asked. "All the foals in town are saying the King of Autumn, a forest spirit is going to appear tonight." Carrot Top said as she set the pancakes on the table, "We're all going to head out to see it later tonight." "We?" Summer cocked an eyebrow. "Well, me, Daisy, Lily, Roseluck, I know Corn Crib and Harvest Moon want to go..." Carrot Top admitted, "I can't speak for you and Leadfoot." "Actually, I'd like to see it, whatever it is." Leadfoot grinned, "Could be fun." Summer filled his plate, then passed the plate down, "How late are we talking?" Leadfoot shrugged, "I guess about, what, nine or ten? That's long past when we usually stop." "You can go, but I think I'll stay here and do a little more picking. Plenty more barley needs to be taken in." Summer looked to his daughter, who was busy drenching her breakfast in red, sugary goodness. "Corn Crib..." The yellow filly shot her father a sheepish grin before passing the abused syrup bottle down to her brother. "You should go, with all the extra help we've been getting we're further along that we've ever been for the festival." Harvest Moon yawned, "You could work in the fields after seeing the show." "And I could do more if I didn't." Summer stated flatly, nipping off a piece of dry pancake to chew on. "You did believe me when I said I saw a forest spirit, didn't you?" Summer felt like he had brought his hoof down in a bear trap that didn't go off, but could if he he didn't take his hoof off in just the right way. "I, er... I did, but we need to get everything in by tomorrow to hope to have enough to sell..." "And I know you're worried," Harvest Moon reached over to place her hoof on her husband's withers, "But you've been going full tilt for weeks now. I don't think an extra cart or two of barley is really going to make a difference." Summer sighed, already sensing that he wasn't getting out of this. "You really want me to go with you, don't you?" Harvest Moon nodded, "You've been pushing yourself too hard, you could do with a little diversion." Summer rolled his eyes at his wife's unfounded worrying, he felt fine. "Alright, but if it's as bad as that traveling magician that came into town a few months ago I'm heading back to the house." A victorious grin sprouted on Harvest Moon's face. "I won't blame you if it comes to that." Breakfast soon devolved into more mundane chatter, mostly how nice the syrup was. Talk of the show was mentioned, but when Summer pressed for what this entertainer was promising nopony was able to give an answer. Apparently whoever this pony was he was keeping everything about his act a complete mystery. The saving grace of this anonymous street performer was at least there would be no charge to see him do... whatever he did. It would be a first, but Summer was hoping he would be taking his family to a complete flop. Then he could see who was really trespassing on his land every night. --- === Later that afternoon === "I still don't know what I'm supposed to do..." Corn Crib grumbled as she crumpled up another drawing and sent it flying across the hayloft. "Have you ever considered you're trying to hard?" Lord Barleycorn asked as he reclined in the hay beside the filly. "You've been at it for an hour or so and you're just getting upset." "But if I don't get this done in time for the festival I'll get an F." Corn Crib fumed as she started to doodle on a fresh piece of paper. It had been Lord Barleycorn's idea for her to put a first draft on paper before committing it to canvas, seeing how she only had the one. Getting her to sit down and try to paint anything over the past few days had been difficult, most of her free time had been wasted trying to get information about Lord Barleycorn's show for the crowd tonight or listening to his secret rehearsals with Daisy and Lily Valley. Lord Barleycorn shook his head as another wad of paper went sailing. It was clear the filly was frustrated but he couldn't do the project for her. Maybe he could give her a tip to help her clear her mind... "You're supposed to paint something that's relevant to the Fall Harvest Festival, right?" Lord Barleycorn continued when he got a nod from Corn Crib, "Then perhaps you would benefit from a walk around the fields, it'll clear your head." "If you say so, I'll try anything at this point." Corn Crib plopped her brush the can of water beside her paint, but before she turned away she asked, "Soooo... will that rag pony be there tonight?" Lord Barleycorn shrugged, "It was hard enough coaxing her to come up out of the field to bring me to the school. If she comes, it'll have to be by her own choice." "Can't you order her to come?" Corn Crib asked as she popped the lids on her paint cans, "Aren't you a king?" "I am, but just because I can give an order doesn't mean I should." Lord Barleycorn stretched his arms high above his head then yawned, "If she really doesn't want to come, then I won't force her. I won't make her uncomfortable just for my sake." Corn Crib gave a nod as set her hoof down on the top of the stairs, "I understand, maybe later you can help me with my project again?" "Not like I have a lot to do until tonight..." Jack thought, "Later, maybe. I have much to do to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Pumpkins to talk to, spirits to rouse..." All four of Corn Crib's hooves thumped the hay-covered floor as she squealed in excitement. "I can't wait to see what you do!" "Patience little princess, patience..." Lord Barleycorn tutted, "I'll still be here when you get back, and I'll be here after the show as well." "Okay, see you later!" Corn Crib called out before thundering down the wooden steps. Lord Barleycorn let out a sigh as he was once again left alone to the quiet gloom of the hayloft. Under the mask, Jack felt his eyes close as he reveled in the soft, ambient sounds outside the barn. A cricket was still chirping in the ground floor of the barn, perhaps mislead by the dim light into thinking it was still dusk. Cicadas made their shrill calls from secluded places in the trees, seeking a mate before they died with the frost a few weeks. Songbirds still lingered in those same trees, hesitating to make that long, southerly expedition. "That is, if the birds here fly south at all." Jack muttered, "They could fly west for winter for all I know... magic, talking ponies... and here I am trying to be Bigfoot and Santa all in one." Jack grimaced, "I can't dwell, it'll effect my performance. A nap'll set my mind straight..." The heavy sounds of hooves coming up the stairs ended that train of thought, and Jack slumped back in the hay for another round of playing dead, just in case it was anyone he didn't recognize. His first guess was that it was Corn Crib, coming back to collect her paint and brushes and put them back in the house where they belonged. The pony that appeared at the top of the stairs was yellow, but there was no way that Jack was able to confuse Carrot Top for Corn Crib. Jack sat up to greet her with a curt nod, deciding his nap would have to wait. Carrot Top smiled as Jack straightened and gave her a silent but polite wave, "So, excited for tonight?" Jack shrugged, "Nervous, yeah, but that's what everyone feels before they perform in front of a crowd." "Oh?" Carrot Top chimed, "You didn't seem too nervous when you got up in front of those foals." "That was easy, I'm used to working with children." Jack yawned, "But how are things in the farm house? Summer Harvest starting to crack?" "He's been acting a little fidgety lately." A mischievous smirk appeared on Carrot Top's muzzle, "I think seeing those pumpkin lanterns for the past three nights was a bit much for him." "I didn't really set out to scare him specifically, but I gotta make 'em believe somehow." Jack sighed, "I just hope he and the rest of the town take what they see as the real deal without any panic. ... or think that I'm a puppet like your friends do." Carrot Top shook her head, "Don't count on it. Harvest Moon's nearly got me convinced there's Willow-the-Wisps floating about at night, picking beans because she's been feeding them." "Well, she's partly right." Lord Barleycorn chuckled, "The food she leaves is greatly appreciated. But then again, I wouldn't have been able to get all that stuff done if you and Leadfoot hadn't helped me." "Pfft, he and I just got you a few things and left the carts out for you to use." Carrot Top nodded towards Jack's foot, "How's your leg?" Jack lifted the foot in question, shifting it a little to show his ankle's range of motion. "A little sore but it's no trouble at all. The ice helped a lot, and my cough's cleared up." "Awesome!" Carrot Top grinned, "Nothing else you need from me until show time?" "Not a thing; I should be able to make it to my mark without anyone seeing me." Jack patted the violin case at his side, "I can't think of anything the rag pony could do, besides, you'd be better off in the crowd making sure they think I'm a forest spirit." "But you'd make such a cute puppet..." Carrot Top teased. "I just play strings, I don't wear 'em." Jack leaned back into the hay, "'Course, maybe you could do one thing for me. I left the knife you brought me under the front porch. I would have given it to you last night, but I didn't want Harvest Moon catching on that I'd been using it to carve pumpkins." "She's been so giddy I don't think she's noticed that it was gone." Carrot Top reared up and excitedly kicked her forelegs, "Hee, I haven't had this much fun in ages! Jack tilted his head, "Fun?" "Yeah, all this sneaking about, it's like something out of a mystery story!" Carrot Top beamed, "And it's all to help out an entire town! I always did want to save the day like Princess Twilight and her friends, but, y'know, without all the danger..." "It has been fun, I guess, but I'll be glad to sleep in a bed and eat prepared food again." Jack hung his head, "If I never eat dandelions ever again I'll die a happy man." "I can relate." Carrot Top's shuddered, "Maybe on our way to Canterlot I can treat you to something better." "I'll hold you to that, but until then, I've got to get some rest. I've been up all night and I haven't had a chance to get much shut eye. I gotta be ready for the show." Jack smacked his lips, "Was there anything you wanted?" Carrot Top's smile faded a little, "No, well... kinda. Have you thought about what to do if things don't turn out, you know, not so good?" Jack pulled the brim of his hat down over his eyes, "My contingency plan is 'run into the woods and hide until the heat dies down' but I don't think it'll come to that. If these ponies are desperate enough they'll listen to what I have to offer. If the foals did their jobs I should be playing for a full house." "They should, when foals want something from their parents they tend to get it." Carrot said, "Um, before I forget, how did you make those pumpkins look like it was floating? Reaching into the hay that he was leaning against, Jack pulled out a wound length of twine. "Summer's got plenty of twine laying around the barn. All I had to do was fix a little to a hoe, then tie some around the pumpkin in a kind of harness. We're just lucky we've had cloudy nights or else somepony might have noticed the strings." "Clever, I never would have thought about that." Carrot Top snickered, "Then again, I would never have thought of carving a pumpkin and putting a candle in it. That is why you wanted the candle, right?" Jack tipped the brim of his hat up, "Right, but I can't take credit for the pumpkin. Every year my family would carve jack o'lanterns, it's part of the tradition for Halloween." "Jack o'lanterns?" Carrot Top laughed, "There's a silly name." "Says the magic pony named after a bad comedian." Jack shrugged, "I'll tell you the story behind them sometime, it's about a thief named Jack who tricks the king of evil spirits." Carrot Top smirked, "Neat, but this thief wouldn't be you, would it?" "I've been lucky, but I've hardly outsmarted the devil." said Jack, "Besides, that Jack ended up roaming the world forever as a lost soul." Carrot Top frowned, "Doesn't sound like a happy story." "I know happier ones if that's what you prefer." Jack put his had back down, "But that'll have to come another night. Right now I need some sleep, but if you see Corn Crib out there, try to point out a few suggestions for her to paint. Poor girl's in need of some inspiration." "Alright, then I'll get out of your mane." Carrot Top said quietly as she started to walk down the stairs, but before she disappeared completely she uttered, "Sweet dreams." "Thanks." Jack said, although he wasn't sure if Carrot Top heard him over the sound of her tromping down the stairs. Once again alone, Jack stretched out to get comfortable. He'd need every moment of sleep before the show tonight... --- === Ponyville, Later that day === It was the middle of the day and the sun was shining brightly over Sweet Apple Acres. The slight chill in the air kept Applejack from working up a sweat as she pulled her third full cart of the day toward the barn. A smile graced Applejack's face at the thought of showing these fine apples at the Fall Harvest Festival. Predictably there would be plenty of other booths selling all manner of wonderful produce, but nopony else in Ponyville grew apples. Of course, Applejack's favorite part of the festival came after the celebration were over. The market would open for just a few hours, and she and her family could sell their best apples at a high price. Last year Bon Bon and the Cakes had pooled their money to walk away with nearly everything at Applejack's stall, but they made their money back and more with the sweets they made a week later on Nightmare Night. The process of sorting the apples came to the most scrutinizing eyes on Sweet Apple Acres. While Applejack had grown up on an apple farm, she fell short when it came to discerning a good apple from one that was worthy of the festival. That's why Granny Smith was seated under a tree by the farm house, surrounded by tubs of apples her grandchildren had brought her. All the Apple matriarch needed was a quick glance at each individual fruit before she sorted them into the proper buckets. When Applejack turned her head to watch her beloved elder sort, she was a little surprised to find Fluttershy seated next to her. The pair were chatting quietly together under the apple tree, oblivious to Applejack and the cart she was presently hauling behind her. Applejack quickly noticed that Fluttershy was wearing the same saddlebags that she wore when she went shopping. It wasn't a major detail, but Applejack thought that Fluttershy was going to have a hard time finding any deals in the market at this time of day. Many of the stalls would be closed by now, and Fluttershy's bags didn't look to be particularly full. "Howdy Fluttershy," Applejack announced as she pulled the cart up and began to unhitch herself, "ya here ta help with the harvest?" Fluttershy gently shook her head, "No, sorry, I just came to see if I could maybe buy some apples. With all the new little bunnies I have at home, I've been needing much more food than normal." "An' I agreed to sell her some, wholesale." Granny grinned, tossing another apple into the 'bad' bucket to be given to the pigs, "It's the least we cin do fer keepin' those varmints from eatin' everythin' in sight!" "Sounds fair 'nuff." Applejack admitted, "'cept now you got all them critters eatin' ya outta house n' home." "Oh they're actually very polite little bunnies, now that they're in a place they feel safe and have full tummies." Fluttershy's smile dipped, "But... yes I do have a lot of mouths to feed. I had to give them almost all the carrots I had, even the ones that I usually reserve for Angel's treats." Applejack rolled her eyes at the mention of Angel, "He'll survive, there's plenny of carrots at the market this time of year." Fluttershy nibbled on the inside of her cheek, then glanced back in the direction of her cottage, "Yes, but Carrot Top's out of town at the moment so I have to get them from other vendors... and Angel really likes her carrots best of all." "Just like he likes my apples..." Applejack cleared her throat, "I didn't know Carrot Top was out of town, it would explain why the farmer's market has been a little quiet as of late." "She's not the only one," Fluttershy continued, "Roseluck, Daisy, and Lily Valley are gone too. All three of their flower shops are closed until they get back." Applejack's nostrils flared, "That doesn't make a lick of sense. Half of Ponyville's flower providers out during the height of the harvest time, and Carrot Top leavin her crops high n' dry like that?" "Well, Berry Punch is looking after her land but Carrot Top told her not to sell anything until she got back." Fluttershy explained, "Berry said she didn't know when Carrot Top would be back." "Sounds like we won't be havin' much competition at the festival this year. 'Course, if they packed up their best n' headed out to 'nother town they might fetch more bits than we do." Granny shrugged, "Ah'd rather sell local, but it don't hurt ta have a change of scenery once in a while." Applejack hadn't thought of that, it was possible those four had taken a road trip together to sell their best flowers and carrots someplace else where there wasn't much competition... or richer ponies. "I'm sure it's nothin, nun'of our business afterall." Applejack shrugged, "Still, if y'want some carrots we might have some ready. Not that we grow that many, 'course. If ya need some, go ahead n' take a what ya need." Again, Fluttershy shook her head, "That's really generous of you Applejack, but I couldn't. I'll pay you something." "Now Fluttershy, you got all them critters off our-" Applejack's was cut off by the sound of something heavy crashing into the dirt road outside Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy and Applejack sprang to their hooves, ready to see if anypony needed help. The cloud of dust that had been thrown up quickly dissipated in the light breeze, revealing a dirty but otherwise unharmed Derpy Hooves. The mailmare coughed a little, then pulled herself up from another one of her hard landings. She shook some of the dry soil from her mane and coat before stuffing her whole head into her mail bag. Granny simply shook her head at the spectacle and went back to sorting, "That filly's gotta be made of iron." Regardless of Derpy's seeming invulnerability, Applejack walked out to the road. The newly formed crater spoke of how hard Derpy had hit the ground, but beside from being dirty enough to make Rarity scream, Derpy didn't have so much as a feather out of place. Still, Applejack felt she had to know for sure, "Derpy, are'ya okay?" Derpy pulled her head back out of her mailbag, a letter gripped firmly in her teeth. "Uh-huh! Why wouldn't I be?" Applejack smiled back at the gray mare, "Nuthin, nevermind." "Only one letter today," Derpy chirped happily as she placed it in the mailbox and flipped the flag up, "Have a nice day Applejack!" "You too Derpy!" Applejack called out as she watched the mailmare take flight back to Ponyville. Applejack took another look at the crater, then to the retreating mailmare, "An' ta think she doesn't even work out..." The letter was soon in Applejack's hooves, and as she read the return address she felt her grin widen inch by inch. With the letter securely held between her teeth, Applejack walked back to the apple tree where her grandmother and friend were sitting. Granny Smith lifted her eyes from the apples to stare at the letter in Applejack's teeth, "Whatcha got there, 'nother bill?" Applejack set the letter on the ground in front of Granny Smith, "Nope, Ah got that letter from Cousin Leadfoot I was tellin' ya about." "Leadfoot? Summer Harvest's colt?" Granny pushed the tub of apples aside to straighten up, an excited smile on her wizened face, "I ain't seen him since he was small 'nuff to step over. Heh, he's prolly big as Big Mac by now." Granny then muttered, "An' hopefully he's got a better head on his shoulders than his great grand-pappy." Applejack's ear twitched as she stared at her grandmother; a little surprised to hear her speak so negatively about a family member. "What do ya mean?" Fluttershy said nothing, but it was obvious to Applejack that that she was just as curious as she was. "Ah suppose Ah never told ya but Ah knew Summer Harvest's great-grandpappy, Apple Harvest. He was real handsome in his day, but he always was a real ornery cuss." Granny tilted her head skyward, looking a little lost in her memories, "Always was the kinda pony who was never happy doin' things the traditional Apple family way. He 'ventually settled in Hollow Shades when it was still a good loggin' town, but as the years went on he started gettin' real funny. Personally though, Ah always figured it was livin' in the Everfree that made him that way." Spurred on by her grandmother's unexpected and slightly unnerving history lesson, Applejack ripped the envelope open. After unfolding the letter, Applejack cleared her throat and began to read it aloud. "Dear Cousin Applejack, I'm very happy to hear everything is going well for you all in Ponyville. Please give Granny our best, and pass our hellos to the rest of your family. However, I'm a little surprised that you're thinking of coming here. The Fall Harvest Festival is this saturday, and we're all scrambling to get our fields in as it is. Aren't you gearing up for that yourself? I would have thought you'd be too busy to afford a day wasted here in Hollow Shades." Applejack's recitation came to a halt as she turned those words over in her head. The expansive orchards of Sweet Apple Acres were vast, but her immediate family could handle harvesting every tree in time for the festival. If by some tragedy Applejack or Big Macintosh couldn't work they could always hire a few strong backs in town to pick up the slack for a few bits. Her cousins shouldn't be struggling to reap their fields this close to the festival. Did Cousin Leadfoot not have enough help? "If you're looking for a vacation spot, you couldn't pick a worse spot than Hollow Shades. We're half inside the Everfree, the weather here is barely controlled by our weather team, and we don't have any attractions aside from small lake and a condemned lumber mill." "Barely controlled weather?" Fluttershy repeated with an audible gulp, "Would ponies really live in such a place?" "Live an' work, Ah've been there before." Granny showed the timid pegasus a reassuring smile, "'Course, tain't as bad as it sounds." Fluttershy shifted on the grass, not looking very convinced. Applejack shuddered, "I'm... pretty sure Leadfoot's just exaggerating. Nopony'd live in a place like that. It don't sound natural t'all." Applejack continued with the letter: "In anycase, our Festival's not going to be anything special. You're better off spending time with ponies you know instead of heading out here. As for forest spirits? They're a bunch of hooey. I've lived out here my whole life and never seen one. Nopony here has. Don't tell your Granny this but I never did believe in them. The only thing sillier is an interest in our scarecrows, they're the same as any other I've seen. As for rabbits, we have oodles of them. You can't walk three steps in the field without tripping over one. Please take care of yourself, your land, home, and family the best you can. Much love, your Cousin, Leadfoot." "Load of hooey?" Granny Smith sputtered, "The ol' loggers that cut down the trees to make that town used to spin all kinda yarns about the ghosts that lives in the Everfree, 'bout half mah stories came outta Hollow Shades! 'Never seen em at all' mah false teeth..." Applejack cast a suspicious eye at the letter, "Ya mean he's lyin' Granny?" The gray-maned mare rubbed her chin, "Well, Ah might've been a bit harsh with mah choice of words, he might just've never seen one himself. But Ah know fer a fact that Hollow Shades is one of the most haunted places in Equestria." Fluttershy whimpered as she attempted to hide behind her bangs when she heard the word 'haunted.' "Ya really mean that Granny?" Applejack asked, half-hoping that Granny was merely exaggerating for Fluttershy's sake. "'Course Ah do!" Granny smiled, "Ah've even met a few spirits in mah day." After she refolded the letter and placed it back in the envelope, Applejack set it on the ground, "Fluttershy, could you do me a favor?" Fluttershy nodded, but there was still a light tremble in the yellow pegasus' knees, "S-sure Applejack, what do you need?" Applejack pushed the envelope over to Fluttershy, "Could ya tell Twilight that Ah got the letter Ah was waiting fer? Leadfoot didn' say if we could stay with them or not, but it would be a real big inconvenience fer them if we just dropped in and asked to stay at their place. If Twi's alright with it, we could just pop over to Hollow Shades just for a looksee." "W-we're not really gonna go to a haunted town, are we?" Fluttershy gulped as she slipped the letter into her bag. "Come on," Applejack said, offering her friend a confident smile, "It ain't that far from Ponyville, and it's probably just some misunderstandin' like with what we dun with Zecora." "I dunno..." Fluttershy's ears bent back, "You didn't hear what the bunnies said about that scarecrow..." --- To be continued... ---