An Old Friend's Tavern
Morning had finally given way to late afternoon.
The light rain from earlier had long since passed, though the blanket of clouds had yet to dissipate. As the Vardo neared its next destination, the scenery had changed from rolling green hills to a wide open pasture with tall snowcapped mountains that could be seen off to either side of the road in the far distance.
Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo had both woken up a couple of hours ago. They had decided to fill the last of the trip to the tavern with idle banter about the old days as they stood out on the platform.
Fia and Corona were still engrossed in their studies -- having finally tackled them in earnest rather than as just a distraction. Blue Moon on the other hoof, desperately wanted a distraction from her own thoughts and had joined Rouge in the kitchen where she was making a small lunch for everyone.
Somehow, a simple question of when the food would be ready turned into an impromptu cooking lesson for the light blue filly. It was as all of them finished their meals a little later that Ancient Scroll announced their arrival to the tavern.
The Vardo slowed to a stop in front of the large wooden two story building and with no small amount of eagerness, the group hopped out of the caravan and made their way to the entrance.
"Well here it is folks!" Yojimbo grandly gestured with a wave of his paw, "the finest tavern ever established by any living creature this side of Equestria! I present to you... The Sour Apple!"
When the fillies first heard the name of the next place they were stopping, they hadn't expected much. Now, as they stood in front of the tavern, they could only gape in amazement at the large structure before them.
The building itself seemed to be made of some kind of dark wood, not unlike that of the Vardo. it had a large second story balcony, several elongated windows on either side of the front door, and a wide wooden sign just above the entrance that had the words 'The Sour Apple' carved right into it.
The sign showcased a stylized apple that replaced the 'O' in 'Sour'. Overall, it was an impressive piece of architecture and the fillies' open stares made Ancient Scroll chuckle as he trotted forward.
"Come on, girls, let's get a move on," he said, motioning for them to follow, "you keep standing around with those mouths hanging open and you're going to catch flies."
They all snapped their mouths shut and Blue Moon grimaced in disgust at the thought of what the old stallion had just said. Nevertheless, she and the other two fillies followed after Ancient Scroll and the other two adults.
Yojimbo pushed the door open, stepping into the tavern with a bright toothy smile.
"Apple Core, you withered old stallion!" he called out, "where the devil are ya?"
As the others stepped in behind the loud husky, Fia 'eep'd' in surprise and took a startled step back. While there weren't a lot of patrons sitting at the many tables scattered about, the few ponies, griffons, and diamond dogs that were there all stared at the group with varying looks of confusion, irritation, or amusement.
"Wassat?" came a grizzled voice from further inside, "who's callin' me now?"
Ancient Scroll and the others turned their attention to a tall rust colored earth pony stallion behind the bar near the back of the tavern. The stallion in question turned to the newcomers with a bemused and somewhat grouchy looking frown.
He adjusted the dark brown stetson he wore over his short cut, deep red mane and squinted his cobalt eyes, trying to get a better look from where he stood.
"Who the buck -- wait just a darn minute..." his eyes widened in surprise and a welcoming grin made its way onto his wizened old face, "well damn me ta Tartarus! If it ain't the pooch an' the scholar!" he gave a hearty laugh, "well don't just stand there cloggin' up mah doorway, come in, come in!"
At his words, the group walked or trotted the rest of the way inside, the other patrons returning their attention to whatever it was they were doing -- much to the fillies' relief.
"It's been far too long, Apple Core," Ancient Scroll greeted as he and Yojimbo made their way to the bar.
"Shoot, yer tellin' me!" the rust coated pony replied with a chuckle as he leaned over the counter, "how long's it been now? Nineteen, twenty years since ah last saw yer faces around here?"
"Sounds about right," the husky replied as he pulled up a stool, "haven't done too much since then -- that is, until this coot decided he'd had enough of the hermit life and dragged me along for a roadtrip."
"No kiddin'?" Apple Core replied, directing a curious raise of his eyebrow towards Ancient Scroll who had just taken his own seat, "ah thought ya'll were done with livin' life on the road?"
"First of all," Ancient Scroll answered, rolling his eyes, "Yoji was the one that practically forced me to take him along, and second, this isn't a Journey like last time," he frowned slightly, "at least, it's not supposed to be anyway..."
"Interestin'," Apple Core replied with an intrigued nod. His eyes briefly scanned the area around the two and he raised another eyebrow, "an' when did ya plan on introducin' me ta the rest of yer travelin' companions?"
"I believe the old one and the mutt may have been to caught up in their reunion with you to introduce the rest of us properly."
Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo started slightly and snapped their gazes to their immediate left where Rouge had taken a seat at some point. Rouge smirked as she continued -- her tail flitting back and forth playfully as it hung over the edge of the stool.
"If Yojimbo's outburst was anything to go by, you must be Apple Core," Rouge said with a nod towards the old bartender, "it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise," Apple Core replied with a grin and a tip of his hat, "don't get too many Abyssinians around these parts so this is a bit of a treat."
Rouge's eyes widened in surprise, but before she could make any sort of comment, Apple Core turned his attention to the three uncomfortable looking fillies standing nearby and frowned. It was clear the fillies didn't know what to do with themselves in such an adult oriented environment.
"Say, Scroll," Apple Core muttered, "when did ya become a parent?" he turned to the beige stallion with a small smirk, "and who's the lucky mare?"
Ancient Scroll gave a small groan of annoyance and shook his head.
"It's like I told Yoji," he answered, "the fillies aren't mine by blood, and I don't have a special somepony," he turned to address the three, "alright girls, come over here so I can introduce all of you."
They all made their way over to where Ancient Scroll sat and looked up at the tall rust colored earth pony nervously.
"Come on now," Ancient Scroll coaxed, "he may be a bit gruff, but he's got a soft spot for foals. He won't hurt any of you," he looked back to an amused Apple Core, "this here's Fia, Blue Moon, and Corona," he said, gesturing to each filly in turn, "somehow, they all managed to find their way to my little cottage in the middle of nowhere."
"An' you bein' you," Apple Core guessed, "ya couldn't turn em' away, could ya?"
"Not a chance," Ancient Scroll replied firmly, "they had nowhere else to go, and the nearest town to where I live doesn't have any kind of orphanage."
"Fair enough," Apple Core replied with a hearty laugh, "Ah suppose if they were gonna wind up anywhere, it was probably fer the best they wound up at your doorstep."
He then turned a kind smile towards the three fillies who had yet to speak at all.
"It's like Scroll here says," he said reassuringly, "ah ain't gonna bite or nothin', and I don't want ya'll thinkin' we ain't got nothin' fer foals to do. In fact..."
He frowned and tapped his chin thoughtfully. After a moment he smiled and disappeared behind the counter, causing Fia, Blue Moon, and Corona to look at each other in confusion. Apple Core came back a moment later with three mugs that he placed on the counter.
The mugs frothed over with a drink none of the fillies recognized. They each pointed a questioning gaze to the rust coated pony who only grinned at them in turn.
"Go on an' take em'," he pushed holding out two of the mugs to the fillies, "on the house fer the three of ya."
The girls looked at each other once more before Blue Moon and Corona took the mugs in their magic. Fia took the third one from the counter and they all took a moment to stare at the frothy amber liquid within.
"What is this?" Blue Moon asked, eyeing her mug warily, "It's not alcoholic... is it?"
"What? No!" Apple Core replied. letting out a surprised bark of laughter, "don't tell me ya'll never had apple cider before?"
All three of them shook their heads.
"I've had apple juice," Fia replied as she sniffed the contents curiously.
"Well this is kinda like that," Apple Core replied with a shrug, "except about a hundred times better."
"That good, huh?" Corona muttered, "well I do like apples, so it can't be all that bad."
With a shrug, she raised the mug to her muzzle -- the other two fillies following her example a moment later. Tentative sips soon turned to eager gulps and before any of them knew it, the cider was gone.
Ancient Scroll and the others looked on with varying levels of amusement as each of the fillies finished their cider.
"Blue Moon demands more!" the light blue filly cried, shoving the now empty mug in Apple Core's face.
"Blue Moon, don't be rude," Fia chided before turning to the old bartender with an apologetic look, "but, um... I'd also like some more if that's okay."
"Yeah," Corona added with an enthusiastic nod, "this stuff is amazing!"
Apple Core chuckled and took the mugs before heading back behind the counter.
"Alright, alright, but this is the last free round," he relented, "after this, it's comin' outta Scroll's pocket, got it?"
The fillies nodded eagerly, completely oblivious to the flat look Ancient Scroll was giving the rust coated stallion.
As he came back with the refilled mugs, Apple Core looked past the group and his face lit up.
"Ah, just the girls I wanted to see," he said, to the groups' confusion, "Apple Seed! Apple Stem! Come on over here a moment!" he called out, "I want ya ta meet some ponies!"
Ancient Scroll and the rest looked over to where Apple Core was facing and spotted two earth pony foals making their way over to the bar. One was a tan coated filly with a short black mane and tail, and cyan eyes. The other was a slightly older looking peach coated filly with a longer sandy blonde mane and tail, and amber eyes.
The two fillies wore bright red neckerchiefs emblazoned with the same stylized apple that was on the sign above the entrance. They each had large platters balanced on their backs and seemed to have no problems keeping the mugs atop the platters without them spilling over.
"Ya said ya wanted us ta--"
The tan filly stopped short as she noticed the other three fillies. She blinked and turned to Apple Core with a raised eyebrow.
"Who're they?" she asked pointedly, "are these the ponies ya wanted us ta meet, Pa?"
"That's right," Apple Core replied with a nod, "why don't ya'll introduce yerselves to the new fillies?"
The tan filly turned a calculating gaze back to the three fillies. Fia nervously pawed at the ground, Corona merely raised an eyebrow, and Blue Moon gave the tan filly a calculating look of her own.
After a moment the tan filly smiled and nodded in satisfaction.
"It's mighty nice ta meetcha," she finally said, "mah name's Apple Stem," she gestured to the quiet peach coated filly next to her, "this here's mah older sister, Apple Seed. She don't talk too much normally, but if ya can manage ta get her goin', she never shuts up."
Apple Seed blushed and gave her younger sister a glare, but didn't say anything. Apple Stem ignored her and continued talking.
"So... who're ya'll supposed ta be?" she asked tilting her head slightly.
"It's nice to meet you too, Apple Stem," Corona answered with a pleasant smile of her own, "my name's Corona."
"I'm... my name is Fia. Fia Starshine," Fia replied hesitantly.
"And I am the Amazing and Talented Blue Moon!" Blue Moon announced with a dramatic flourish, "future showpony extraordinaire!"
Fia facehoofed and Corona rolled her eyes. Apple Seed let out a small giggle at the display while Apple Stem just raised an eyebrow in bemusement.
"Okay then..." Apple Stem replied uncertainly, "well it was nice meetin' ya an' all, but we got ourselves a job ta do, so we'd best get back to it."
She made to trot back towards the table when she was nudged in the side by her sister. Apple Stem turned to the peach colored filly with an annoyed frown and Apple Seed in return, jerked her head towards Apple Core.
Apple Stem looked to the tall stallion and her eyed widened in realization.
"Oh," she muttered before clearing her throat, and giving the expectant stallion a sheepish grin, "was... was there somethin' else ya needed, Pa?"
"Actually there was," he replied with a nod, "ya'll know where yer Ma got to?"
"Um... ah think she's upstairs right now feedin' Apple Slice," Apple Stem replied, "why? Did ya want us ta go get her?"
"Nah, ah got somethin' else fer you two ta do," Apple Core answered with a shake of his head, "I want ya'll ta take these fillies an' find somethin' fun ta do upstairs while I talk to the adults," he gave Ancient Scroll a significant look -- one the beige stallion returned with a solemn nod, "we got a lot ta catch up on."
"What?"
Blue Moon and Apple Stem glanced at each other, surprised at having spoken simultaneously. Apple Stem turned back to her father with a bewildered expression.
"But..." she started, "but what about the--"
"Don't you worry none about the customers, Apple Stem," the rust coated stallion interjected, "Ah can take care of em' fer awhile. You an' Apple Seed just focus on keepin' our guests entertained fer the time bein', alright?"
"Yes, Pa," Apple Stem replied with a sigh. She turned to the other fillies and nodded towards the staircase to their left, "come on, ya'll, ah'm sure we can find somethin' ta do."
Fia, Blue Moon, and Corona glanced at each other and shrugged before polishing off the rest of their apple cider and placing the mugs back on the counter where Apple Core collected them. With that done, they followed the sisters up the stairs.
The adults watched them go for a moment before Apple Core's voice brought their attention back to the bar.
"Well it looks like we all have quite a bit ta talk about," he announced as he trotted further back to where the tap and bottles were, "and from the look ya were givin' me, ah suspect not all of it is good news."
"Ya don't know the half of it, Core," Yojimbo replied with a chuckled and a shake of his head.
"Indeed," Rouge added, "just in the past few days we've been through a lot."
"Well then..."
Apple Core eyed the various alcoholic beverages on the shelves near the back wall before turning back to the others with a smirk.
"How strong do ya want yer drinks?"
Pffft... and to think, I was struggling to get the word count up to par when I first started the chapter... 
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A question always worth asking before dramatic exposition.
Come on Scroll, be a responsible adult and don't get too drunk... You have fillies to protect!!!
8906354
A question always worth asking in most any situation
Pretty sure it's 'passed'. 'Long since past' means something different IIRC.
its
gape
Missing apostrophe and 'stares' not 'stared'
you're
Missing apostrophe
Missing 'the'
coated
Missing apostrophe
nudged
What a list. Were you in a rush writing this chapter?
8906671
I actually fixed a number of these during my initial proofreading, but apparently I forgot to hit save. On another note, were you interested in becoming a prereader?
8906679
Sure, I could do that.
8906692
Neat, but first I'd have to find out how to go about setting that up.
I regularly edit chapters in the 10k-15k range, occasionally I'll have a 20k chapter to edit. The last chapter I edited exceeded 30k words.
That fic is over two million words in length so far.
9130825
I have a story that has chapters in the upper 20k word range. I haven't updated that story in a while...