//------------------------------//
// 10 - A Measure of Friendship 
// Story: The Apple Falls Far from the Tree 
// by David Silver 
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Applejack strode with the others back towards the dark hole. "Ya reckon they'll be happy ta hear tha good news?"

Scootaloo bobbed her head as she went. "I bet they'll be blown away at how fast we were."

The butler paused as they reached the edge of where the damage begin. "Pardon my forwardness, but I can't say I look forward to servicing the needs of rats. Still, I will obey the Lady's desires."

Apple Bloom waved a hoof up at the human. "Don't think of it none too hard. I betcha they'll be nice enough folk once ya get ta know 'em."

The butler didn't approach any further, but the girls could find the rest of the way on their own. Applejack looked down at Sweetie. "Ya sure yer ready for this? Ya don't have to. We're just bringing good news after all, and ya did mighty fine already."

Sweetie shrank back a little. "If it's OK, I'll stay in the back."

Applejack nodded at Sweetie, reaching to give her a soft pat. "It's just fine. Ah'll take care of it."

They approached the dark hole. Scootaloo suddenly took off, zipping up and tagging Applejack's hat with a quick spell. The stetson began to glow softly, dispelling the darkness.

"Huh," said Applejack. "It's better'n a torch. Thanks kindly." She advanced on the hole. "Hey, got some goo--" Applejack broke off, hearing strange noises from the hole.  Lowering her head a little, she could hear the rats were in a tizzy. "Hey, what's going on in there?"

One of the rats turned to Applejack. "Blimey! We're under attack, yew under-sized 'orse! Either 'elp us awer go away. Nuff said, yeah?"

Applejack started to respond, but the Crusaders rushed past her--at least Apple Bloom and Scootaloo did.  Sweetie Belle stopped behind Applejack, unwilling to move past her.

"Ya can stay here.... Should be safe," Applejack said to the filly before crouching down and following the other girls.

The tunnels were just the right size for the ratfolk, making them a little tight--but reasonable--for the Crusaders and an awkward squeeze for Applejack as they followed the sounds of shouting and fighting.  In a wider cavern, the rats were engaged in a pitched battle with some small, scaly bipeds that reminded the ponies of Spike.

Apple Bloom quickly drew out one of her bomb packets and sent it flying into a dense group of lizard people, where it exploded in a bright flash and accompanied by hisses of pain. Scootaloo drew her little blade, but hesitated to advance with it. "None of my spells are good right now!" The hilt of her sword muffled her voice a little, but her meaning was clear to her companions.

Applejack summoned the protective disc as she brought down a hoof on a nearby lizard. "Ah'll keep it clear around us, girls. Don't move away from me, ya hear?" They both nodded, keeping close to Applejack as they watched the battle. Apple Bloom tossed a second bomb when the timing felt right, catching several more lizards in the explosion. Applejack had launched a full offensive, pounding any lizard thing that came too close to the ponies into the dirt. The fight wasn't going as well as they would have liked, with the rats being pushed back. 

Suddenly, Sweetie's voice pierced the din of combat, rising above it. It was a soft song of hope and summer, with an undercurrent of struggle. The rats were affected by it as surely as Sweetie's friends, and the tide began to change. Fighting with a renewed sense of purpose, the rats began to win over their reptilian enemies. Thomas emerged from the fray, covered in a variety of cuts and bruises. "Awright geeezzaa! So yew came back after all? I didn't expect yew ter show up in da middle ov a raid, but I'm not angry at da timing. Sorted mate." He lifted his crossbow and let loose a bolt, catching one of the scaled attackers before they could plunge a spear into a rat. "Very appreciated."

Scootaloo shoved her sword away and rushed to Sweetie Belle with a broad smile. "I'm glad to see you! You feeling OK?"

Apple Bloom let loose her last bomb before joining Scootaloo. "Keep doin' what yer doin'! It's working ah think."

With the Crusaders tucked away in the entrance, Applejack felt emboldened to advance further into the cavern. She was proving too much for any of the scaled creatures to handle in single combat, and they were starting to realize it. Soon she had two, then three of them trying to overwhelm her, but she was an engine of determined pain. The exposed backs of those brave, or foolish, enough to challenge Applejack were soon set upon by rats, and together they were clearing the cavern. The sounds of battle began to die away, and soon only the quieter sounds of the injured were left.

Scootaloo moved to join Applejack in a fit of renewed bravery. She shied back, but charged in with her blade whenever the opportunity to get a quick jab in presented itself. The rats could find no fault in her strategy.

Thomas looked over the remaining Crusaders. "Can any of ya lil' 'orses do sum 'ealin' magic? we 'ave sum casualties over 'ere we might save."

They followed Thomas over to a row of terribly wounded rats and almost in unison made faces at the grotesque nature of life-or-death battle. Sweetie rushed up and sang her song of renewal, bringing peace to two of the rats. They didn't awaken, but they sagged and relaxed while still breathing. "That's... all I have..." Sweetie was panting and tired, having dug deep into her song magic.

Thomas nodded as he looked over them. "They'll bee 'ive. You've done in the bleedin' buff for wahn day. If we 'ad any bread and honey, it would be yours."

Apple Bloom huffed. "We did it cause it was the right thing to do."

"Your loss."

Applejack wandered over to the Crusaders. "Everything alright over here? Y'all OK?" All three heads bobbed at her and she sighed out in relief. "Alright, good. Thomas was it? We got some mighty good news fer ya."

Thomas put his crossbow face-first on the ground and leaned on it. "Oh? Wot kind of news is that? Daan't keep me waitin'."

Scootaloo spoke up quickly, clopping her hooves together. "You can all live in one of the houses up above. No more dirty tunnels or, uh, attacks from whatever those were."

Thomas frowned and threw up a paw. "'re ya kiddin' wif me? Sid ya kill the cats or summit?"

Apple Bloom's eyes widened. "No! We talked to her, and she said she'd ratha have you as tenants than hidin' in her walls."

Applejack nodded. "Ah heard her maself. If y'all will come out of the tunnels, there's a butler waiting to show you to your new home. Y'all have ta pa--"

Thomas held up a paw with a full scowl. "There it is. We daan't 'ave bread and honey! if she wants gold aahhht of us, she can wither up and die for aw that I care."

Other rats, apparently listening in on the conversation, shouted their agreement and irritation.

Apple Bloom held up her hooves. "Calm down. She's a really nice lady, cat, rat, pony, or whatever. Just give her a chance. If you don't have any money, fine, but ah bet if you're just civil she'll give y'all a chance ta make money."

Thomas let out a tired sigh and turned towards the gathering crowd. "Alwigh' boys. We can stay 'ere and slowly die, or we can give the this and that lydy a try. Let's give it a chance, alwigh'?"

The crowd rippled with opposing thoughts. Some advanced to stand by Thomas, while others remained resolute in standing in opposition. One of the opposition leveled a sword at Thomas. "Ya might be won over by the sweet dickie birds of sum this and that Doug McClure ya ain't even pearly queen yet, but we won't be! We're leavin'. I 'ope ya 'ave fan in your cage." The dissidents left in a grumbling mass. There were about six rats around Thomas, and as many wounded on the floor.

Applejack spoke arcane words of power, conjuring the floating disc. "Ya can put the injured up on here and we'll carry them to safety." The remaining rats were hesitant, but they soon had the disc loaded up and ready.

Thomas pointed at the fallen of the field. "Strip them daahhhn ter nuffin'. We'll not leef wif nuffin'!"

The rats quickly made a circuit across the field, stripping weapons and trinkets from the bodies with a determined efficiency. They amassed a pile in front of Thomas. Thomas began to poke through it, tossing aside what he deemed as worthless. Rusted and bent weapons were the first to go, then things like wooden rings and moldy food. The pile was soon whittled down to a small stack. Applejack, hit with sudden inspiration, nudged Scootaloo. "Can ya see if any o' that is magic?"

Scootaloo nodded quickly and cast the spell, looking over the pile, then turning her gaze over the junk pile and back again. "There's... something." She focused harder, then moved forward. She plucked the wooden ring out of the junk pile and held it up in her hooves, looking it over. "It... is a shielding ring! Cool!" Scootaloo turned and put it over Sweetie's horn. "You deserve it." Once the ring slid down as far as it could go, a faint skin of energy crackled into place around Sweetie Belle, then faded away.

Thomas nodded. "I'd normally 'rgue that, but considerin' the 'elp she's been today, I agree."

Apple Bloom grinned widely. "Our first treasure! Is there anything else, Scoots?"

Scootaloo turned her attention back to the collected assortment of things. She slowly nudged out a few vials, which Apple Bloom snatched up. "Ah can handle these." She shook them carefully, held them up to Applejack's hat, which was still glowing, and inspected each carefully. "Two of them are healing potions, tha other's some kinda magic ta make yer skin harder."

Thomas advanced and claimed the healing potions. He moved to the injured rats and fed them slowly to the unconscious ones. One of the two he could get to suddenly awoke with a groan of pain. The rat was quickly brought up to speed. The recovered rat approached the ponies, giving an appreciative bow, then backed away without a word.

Scootaloo shook her head. "Don't see any more magic."

Thomas shrugged softly. "Not a sorry and sad 'aul. We paid too 'igh a price for it, but we're beechams pill jack's, so that'll 'ave ter do for na. lead the bloody way."

They left the battlefield and emerged into the hallway of the manor house. The butler stood there patiently. The lights had been relit. "I decided to have confidence in you. I trust your negotiation went well?"

Applejack stretched out in the plentiful space of the hall. "Ah could use some rest, but we pulled through. There were some nasty scaled varmints in there. Ya best close up that tunnel right quick."

Thomas emerged with the Crusaders next. The butler raised a brow. "Our new guests?"

Applejack nodded. "About a dozen of 'em."

Scootaloo pointed at the butler. "You better be nice to them! They've been through a lot." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave strong agreements and all three nodded in unison.

The manor's tranquility would be broken. Perhaps it was for the best?