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// 4 - A New Day 
// Story: The Apple Falls Far from the Tree 
// by David Silver 
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When the group awoke almost as one, they peeked at the still-sleeping Applejack. Sweetie smiled, "She looks comfortable."

Scootaloo nodded, "Well, that's good, but we're still stranded in a strange city and all."

Apple Bloom moved beside her sister and plopped down, "Why don't y'all check if there's food t'get?"

Sweetie hopped to her hooves, "I got it!" And she dashed off into the main room. She saw there were two cats seated at a table, playing some card game or another. "Hey misters! Excuse me, where can we get food?"

One of them, a female, looked down at her, "Good morning, little pony. The cook could get something, but the prices here are ridiculous."

A shout came from where Sweetie guessed was the kitchen, "You're not complaining when you're stuffing your face!"

Sweetie smiled nervously, "What if we don't have any money?"

The male playing cards with the female snorted, "Then you get money, or you starve. At least you get two options." He put down a card, producing a sour look from his game partner.

Sweetie took a slow breath before putting on the most pitiful expression she could muster. "How do we get money?" she asked in a meek tone.

The male looked down at her and her beseeching expression, "You would fetch a decent price, I imagine."

The female kicked the male under the table with a scowl. "She is too young to suggest that casually!" she hissed before looking down at Sweetie Belle herself, "What are you good at doing? Share it, for a price."

Sweetie tapped her chin thoughtfully a moment before she suggested, "I've been practicing how to sing. If I sing a nice song for you two will you get me and my friends some breakfast?"

The male hid a chuckle poorly, "Are you sure selling her wouldn't be the best way?"

His actions only seemed to stir up the protective urges of the female, whose claws extended against the table, gripping against the wood with a low scraping noise. "Little one, sing us your best. If I like it, I will part with a few coins."

Sweetie Belle looked between the two a moment before deciding to give it her all. She reared up onto her hind legs and took a soft breath before she began to sing her song. She sang a song of springtime in Ponyville, of all the smiling faces and the start of a new year. She sang of green plants, fresh baked goods, and friends waiting to play in the good weather. It was a simple song, but had a pleasing beat and her voice carried it well. She noticed her voice seemed to be more stable in this world, doing as she asked of it without squeaking, at least in song.

The female clapped her paws together when it was completed, "She clearly has talent, does she not?"

The male snorted, "She can carry a note well enough. Does she expect to be paid for that?"

The female frowned, "Yes, yes she does. She earned it." She fished out a golden coin and held it out to Sweetie, "Enough for one day's meal for three people, or ten if you go cheap."

Sweetie advanced to accept the coin, "Thanks, miss!"

The female nodded to Sweetie, then looked across at the male. With a sudden sly grin she shrugged, "It looks like Longwhisker's gone poor. He can't even afford to pay for his entertainment."

Longwhisker thumped the table, "Who's poor? Not I! I have plenty of coin."

The female shrugged, "You say that, but I don't see any of it. A cat who speaks of coin but never uses it may as well be poor."

Longwhisker scowled at her, then reached into a pouch and shoved a silvery coin into Sweetie's reach, "Here!"

The female whistled softly, "I take it back. You are clearly a wealthy and generous soul."

Longwhisker nodded, "And don't you forget it."

Sweetie tilted her head, peering at the silver coin, though it looked off and little too grey to be silver. "Excuse me, miss, how much is this one worth?"

The she-cat looked down at Sweetie and the coin, "That one, my dear, is platinum, worth ten of the gold one. The Sun King has smiled on you today."

Sweetie grinned widely as she grabbed both coins in her magic, "Thanks!" She scurried off back to the room with her haul, displaying the coins proudly to the other girls, "Look look! Enough for... uh..." She looked to Apple Bloom, "You're good at math. If this one," she displayed the gold coin, "Is worth three ponies' worth of food, and this one," she displayed the platinum one, "Is worth ten times as much, how many days of food do we have?"

Apple Bloom frowned, "Less than ya think. We have ta pay fer a room too, remember? Still, good job!"

Scootaloo bobbed her head, "I heard your singing from here! It was amazing! Have you been practicing that much?"

Sweetie Belle flushed darkly, "Sorta... You can't use song magic without being good at songs."

Scootaloo pointed at where she had been struck with a bolt the day before, "Can you do that trick again? It's still sore."

Sweetie had no reservation with helping Scootaloo and soon pressed a healing hoof against the hurt, banishing it with the song magic. "You were very brave," said Sweetie. "When I gave the hoofsign for duck and cover, I was worried you might not do it. I... would have been scared."

Scootaloo bobbed her head as she flopped back onto her haunches, "I was scared! But I couldn't let you all get hurt."

Apple Bloom smiled, "Well, let's enjoy what we got while we got it! 'Sides, we need to feed and water Applejack until she wakes up."

Scootaloo tilted her head, "How do you feed a sleeping pony?"

Sweetie raised a hoof, "Very carefully?"

All three sighed before Apple Bloom spoke up, "At least water. We're all thirsty. Scootaloo, yer turn, go see if there's a well or somethin'."

Scootaloo gave a sharp salute before flapping her wings. They felt... funny. They didn't want to buzz quite as quickly as she had been doing the day before, and grabbed a lot more air by her estimation. She rose up to all fours and hunkered in place, flapping her wings as hard as she could.

"Scootaloo!" squeaked out Sweetie Belle, eyes wide as she looked up at Scoots, who had gained half a foot of altitude and was holding it in a dangerous wobble.

The surprise of the exclamation ruined the moment, and Scootaloo flopped to the ground gracelessly. Despite that, a goofy grin was spread on her small snout. "My wings! They work!"

Her friends gathered around her with congratulations and hugs as Scootaloo began to cry on the spot, overwhelmed by the idea that her disability might have been banished. When they saw her emotions, the comforting intensified, and they spend some time just being together, thoughts of food or water forgotten.

When she recovered, Scootaloo wiped her face clean with a fetlock, "I still don't know how to fly, but I feel like I can!"

Sweetie reached up to poke at her horn, "I have to practice my horn magic all the time. Now it's your turn! We'll be there for you."

Apple Bloom bobbed her head, "You'll be flying like Rainbow Dash in no time atall!"

Morale boosted and feeling energized, Scootaloo left the room on her quest. She spotted the same two purrsians playing cards and wandered towards them "Excuse me, where do ponies get water?"

Longwhisker raised a brow, "More little ponies? If you're looking for free, which I assume you are, there's a fountain two blocks that way." He hiked a thumb, "Now stop bothering us. Our shift starts soon and I plan to win this game."

The female cautioned, "Bring your own jar. The ones others leave behind are often... undesirable."

Scootaloo had no jars, but she did have an idea. She rushed back to the room and looked to Apple Bloom, "Give me the biggest thing you have to hold water."

Apple Bloom blinked before she produced a large beaker from her saddlebag. It still wasn't that large, relatively speaking to a jug. Scootaloo took it anyway, and quickly fled the building. She flapped her wings as she ran, getting giddy every time her hooves left the ground for a moment. She ducked and wove around the building morning crowd. There were a lot of cat people in the way, with about half of them on all fours and the other half on two. They had wings too, except where clothing covered them up.

Scootaloo found the square with the fountain. It was quite busy, with cats all over, eating, shouting, doing business, getting water, and all kinds of things. Scootaloo pressed through it all, trying to duck under where possible to make her way steadily to her goal. Just as she reached the fountainside, a strong hand grabbed her at the back of the neck and lifted her up.

"You don't look like a native," spoke a deep female rumble. "Visitors have to buy a water pass."

Scootaloo dropped her vial. It thankfully landed on a little sand and didn't break. "Uh, hi," she said as she saw the large female cat holding her up. "How... much is that? Where do I get it? My friends really need water."

"One silver gets you a week pass," said the female without much compassion. "If you have that, I'll take you to the water office now."

Scootaloo pointed back in the direction she came, "My friends have all my money."

The cat frowned, "A copperless beggar in our streets? And she admits it without shame?" She shook Scootaloo a bit, "Your parents have taught you nothing!"

Scootaloo suddenly began to struggle, wings flapping wildly as she wriggled around. The cat released her and she took off running. Scared and confused, she returned to the others with nothing to show for it, not even the vial she had started with.

"Is that a silver?" asked Apple Bloom, pointing at the grey-silver coin they had.

Sweetie shook her head, "She said that one was 'plat eye numb?' or something. I think I heard Rarity using that before... Oh yeah! Princess Platinum!"

Scootaloo scuffed the ground with a hoof, "Well we still don't have a drink! Or a silver. All we got is this bit." She nudged the gold coin, then the grey-silver  one, "And this platinum."

A sudden soft groan caught all their attentions and their heads snapped to the bed. Applejack slowly sat up, a hoof to her temple, "Who hit me with a train?" she grumbled, eyes scrunched closed.

The Crusaders rushed to the bedside with broad grins and hopeful expressions. If anypony could figure out a way to defuse the situation, surely Applejack could come through for them and save the day.