//------------------------------//
// As Told By Applebloom 
// Story: The Hearth's Warming Horseshoes 
// by Arkybrony 
//------------------------------//

It all started when winter came around. Granny Smith fell ill. Around the beginning of winter, it was just coughin', then there came sneezin', then there came a sore throat. Before we knew it, Granny caught Ebola! Well, actually it wasn't Ebola. That's just what the other ponies at school said, but AJ says they're just paranoid. Applejack told me that her body was just wearing out since she's old, and that's what happens to old ponies. Death.

Hearth's Warming Eve came around. Granny was sicker than ever. AJ said there wasn't much time left for Granny. I knew what I had to do. I had to take all the money I had and buy something nice for Granny before she met her demise.

I told Applejack I was going over to Scootaloo's house, but that was a lie. I was really headin' down to the new Wal*Mare supermarket to buy Granny some brand new horseshoes. 

I got to the Wal*Mare and searched the store. It was the biggest store I'd ever been in, and it was hard to navigate, but I managed to do it and find the perfect red horseshoes, just her size.

When I found them, I went straight to the checkout. It was a really long line and only one checkout lane was open, which I don't really understand since there were like 50 of 'em, but they only had ONE open. What's up with that? There was about 40 ponies in line, so why couldn't they just open a few more? Didn't they even think about some ponies being in a rush, like me? My Granny could be dead by the time this line is through!

I was stressed when I was in line. I thought Granny might be dead by the time I get back to the hospital to give her these horseshoes. Then came to mind a random tune. I had a stroke of genius, I frantically paced around in line, thinking about my Granny, thinking about these horseshoes, and thinking about how I could use this tune in my head to get money to pay for the shoes, instead of using my own.

I came up with a plan. I would act all cute and innocent and give the horseshoes to the clerk. Before he even gets the chance to scan it, I break out into the song I created. It'll soften him up with emotion. After the first verse, I'll intentionally put up less than enough bits to pay for it. The clerk will feel compassion for me and let me have the horseshoes for free or for the price I paid. If the clerk shows no compassion, I'll turn straight to the pony behind me and sing the next verse. Surely my sad song will get him to pay for it and I get out of Wal*Mare with the horseshoes and without having spent any money.

It was finally my turn. I struggled to put the box up on the scanner thingy that the clerk uses since it was taller than me. The clerk helped me out and took it. Before he even got the chance to scan it, I began to go through with my plan.

"Sir I wanna buy these horseshoes for my Granny please. It's Hearth's Warming Eve and these horseshoes are just her size." The clerk and the pony gave me looks of shock at the fact that I randomly broke out singing and disgust at the song. I thought it was good, but apparently they didn't. "Could you hurry, sir, AJ says there's not much time, you see, she's been sick for quite a while, and I know these horseshoes will make her smile, and I want her to look beautiful if Granny meets her creator tonight."

I intentionally put down only half my bits. The clerk counted it and said,

"Kid there's not enough here."

So the clerk didn't take the bait. I resorted to plan B, turned to the pony behind me and sang again,

"Granny made Hearth's Warming good at our house, though most yea-" the stallion behind me cut me off.

"KID STOP! THIS SONG IS TERRIBLE!" He said. I began to fake cry and guilt trip him into buying Granny's horseshoes. He spoke again.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you. If I pay for your Granny's horseshoes, will you PLEASE stop with this terrible song?"

"Why yes!" I said. He laid down 50 bits and paid for the horseshoes, with some change (which I took). To add the icing to the top of the cake, I looked at the guy and said,

"Granny's gonna look so great!"

I took the horseshoes and left, humming my guilt-trip song. I successfully conned this guy to buy these shoes, and saved the 50 bits I had. I walked with pride toward the hospital, tossing the bits I saved in my hoof. I walked into Granny Smith's hospital room. It was too late. 

I saw Applejack cry for the first time in ages. Big Mac uttered a somber "nope", and I just stood in shock at what happened. I looked in AJ's eyes, but she cried and looked away. I looked at the cold, dead body of my Granny. I SCREAMED and threw the horseshoes at the wall. I got down on my knees and cried, regretting how I conned the guy and how I couldn't get here in time to give these shoes to Granny Smith. 

I looked back at the horseshoes, but noticed something on my own body. Something appeared on my flank. My cutie mark. It was bittersweet. What I had been waiting for for a long time had finally appeared, but my Granny was dead. I couldn't tell what it was though. I looked back at Granny. Suddenly, she sat up! It was a miracle!

"I died and met Lauren Faust, but as soon as you got your cutie mark, she let me return to see it!"

"Granny, that's great!" AJ said.

"Now let me see your cutie mark, Apple Bloom!" Granny said.

Granny looked at my flank.

"Well, that's disappointing," Granny said, "back to Hasbro Studios! Love you all!" Granny died again. I wondered why she said it was disappointing. I went straight to the bathroom to look in the mirror. When I got in there, I saw why she said that.

My cutie mark is a pony stealing from another pony. My special talent is being a con-pony.