EoH Evolution: Season 4

by Bahamut0

Episode 27: Be Honest with Yourself

"I'd say you had a good plan for today lass." Magnet North said with a smile as he walked alongside Applejack and her family. "With how hot it is, heading to the pool is a good way to beat the heat."

"I'll say." Applejack said with a chuckle. "I think all of us were getting tired of the heat. No sense getting any work done if we collapse from overheating. Plus, let's just say I learned mah lesson about working myself to exhaustion long before you came along North."

"You youngins better pick up your pace!" Granny Smith called out! "Ah'll show you my-Ack! Mah hip!" North, and all of the gathered Apple Family instantly rushed to Granny Smith to help the matriarch of the family up. "Dangnabbit! So much fer showin ya'll a REAL dive. . . "

As if by clockwork, North and Applejack noticed a stand selling a cure-all tonic. Hesitantly, the two approached the stand. They immediately regretted their decision upon seeing who the people manning it were. Flim and Flam.

"Great. Those two conmen again." North said with a frown. "I thought that last stunt I pulled on those blokes would've scared them straight. But it looks like some people just can't learn their lesson! Come on lass. No sense in staying here and falling for their nonsense." Magnet North was about to leave, but Applejack stopped him. "Applejack?"

"Hold on a minute North." Applejack said with a firm edge present in her voice. "Let's see just how well their tonic really works." Applejack brought Granny Smith up, and gave her a bottle of tonic. Much to her and North's disbelief, the Apple Family' matriarch was jumping about like the hip hadn't broke in the first place! "Well, Ah guess the tonic really works."

"You heard it hear folks!" Flim announced proudly as he slung an arm around Applejack! "Our tonic is approved by the Element of Honesty herself! Don't hesitate to purchase as many bottles as you can carry!"

As soon as Applejack wriggled her way out of the crowd, she marched right over to Magnet North. "Ah still think something's rotten about this whole cure-all tonic business. Care to help me take a little peek at how the tonic's made North?"

"As if you had to ask me lass." Magnet North said with a grin. "Believe me. This isn't the first time I've snuck into a place. Considering who we're looking into, I don't think we'll have much difficulty getting access. Tonight seems like as good a time as any to give the place a little inspection."

It wasn't before night fell over Unityville. Making sure that they weren't followed, Magnet North and Applejack snuck into the tent Flim and Flam had set up as the production center for their tonic. And sure enough, the pair of element members found out that the tonic was fake!

"Ah knew it was too good to be true." Applejack growled as she set the bottle of tonic down hard! "C'mon North! There's no way we're gonna keep quiet about this!"

"Are you really sure that's the best idea?" Flam said as he and his brother stepped forward. "Before you do something rash, let's discuss the pros and cons of disclosing the truth of our creation process."

"You saw how happy your dear old granny was after drinking our tonic, didn't you?" Flim asked with a smirk. "Then imagine her reaction when she finds out that it wall a ruse? Just what do you think that might do to the old lady's heart? And she seemed so much more lively didn't she brother?"

"Indeed Flam." Flim said with a nod. "It certainly would be a shame if Applejack's dear granny found out that her newfound vitality was all a big sham. My brother and I have no intention of preventing you from letting the truth out. But we really do hope you consider the information we've brought to your attention."

"Have a nice evening." The conmen duo said with mocking smiles as they stepped aside to let the couple exit their production tent and head for home. Applejack was still as she looked down at the ground deep in thought. Contemplating just what she should do next. She wasn't allowed to contemplate for very long.

"Come on lass!" Magnet North said as he grabbed Applejack by the hand, and immediately started marching off towards Sweet Apple Acres! "We're not wasting another moment before we let loose those two's dirty little secret!"

"North!" Applejack cried out! "STOP! AH'M NOT TELLING GRANNY THE TRUTH!"

"What?!" Magnet North asked in total disbelief! "You're joking. Aren't you? Please, for Celestia's sake, PLEASE tell me that you didn't just say you're not going to let the truth out?!"

"You lied to me when we first met." Applejack said with a glare. "Ah don't see how now is any different since it's in my family's interest."

"No it isn't!" Magnet North countered! "What you're thinking of doing, it isn't right! Lying to your grandmother about this tonic is only going to spiral out of control later on! You know that this tonic is phony! Can you imagine all the accidents that people would get into if they didn't know the truth?!"

"WHY DO YOU CARE?!" Applejack shouted right at Magnet North's face! "MAH FAMLY AIN'T YOUR OWN! SO WHY DOES MAH FAMILY MATTER SO MUCH TO YOU WHEN YOU AREN'T PART OF IT?!" The second Applejack finally calmed down from her outburst, she saw the hurt and betrayed look on Magnet North's face. It looked like he was about to fall to pieces any second. And seeing North's face in such a state made Applejack feel absolutely terrible. "North. . . Ah'm sorry. I-"

"No need to apologize Applejack." Magnet North said as he rose his hand for silence and took a deep breath. "You were just telling me the truth. I'm not a part of your family, and your family isn't my own. I don't have any family to call my own. I've been my own since I was a boy. You said you wanted to know more about me. Now seems like a good time to let out all that I've not said. I'm a thief Applejack. It's the only way I was able to survive my childhood. And with my talent being magnetism magic, I was able to keep myself quite well-fed. I only ever stole from nobles or upper-class folks. I took only what wouldn't be missed."

"But despite my chosen path, I never stole for just myself. Whatever I had, I always used what money I could get from it to help others who were either in my same condition or worse off than me. I grew to have quite the reputation as a noble thief. Much like the story of Robin Hood." Magnet North had a sad smile on his face as he continued telling his past to Applejack. "Then everything changed when I heard the call sent out from Burst Stream. I thought I was doing enough good where I was, but something inside me told me that joining the Elements of Heroism would let me do more. So, I answered the call. I really woke up when I saw Flim and Flam troubling you and your family. I'll admit, part of me was a bit guilty in accepting you and your family giving me a place to stay and feeding me in exchange for helping you with the work. But that last condition helped rescind any guilt I had in me because I was paying you back for your kindness. Eating with you, living with you? That was the first time I'd ever felt what it was like to be part of a family. And ever since I joined the other lads in the Elements of Heroism, that feeling extends to them too."

"And now?" Magnet North's eyes began to tear up. "I'm so scared to lose that feeling Applejack. I'm afraid of being alone again! Be honest with yourself Applejack! Can you really live with yourself knowing that not telling the truth about this could-"

Magnet North didn't even need to finish his sentence as Applejack marched over to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. The hug only tightening the more Magnet North wept. Tears were flowing from Applejack's eyes as she held onto North.

"I'm sorry." Applejack sobbed. "You're right North. I shouldn't have thought for a moment that keeping the truth from Granny Smith would do any good. But above all, I'm sorry for what I said. I had no right to go that far."

". . . I'm the one who should be sorry." Magnet North said with a weak smile. "I had the stupid idea to tell your family in the dead of night." The two of them shared a brief laugh. "But in all seriousness, the truth about the tonic can wait until morning. I don't know about you, but I feel pretty drained."

"Pouring your heart out does tend to do that." Applejack said as she dried her tears. "C'mon. Let's head back home. My bed's got our names on it."

"I'm sorry, what now?" Magnet North asked. "Applejack, I must've heard wrong. For a second there it sounded like I'd be sleeping with-"

"You heard right sugarcube." Applejack said as she put an arm around Magnet North! "After all that you let out tonight, I figured that you'd appreciate having someone to hold onto. I just make sure you don't feel alone. Especially after tonight. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

". . . Not at all, my lovely amazon." Magnet North said with a tired smile as he rested his head against Applejack's shoulder. And he soon fell asleep as Applejack helped carry him back to Sweet Apple Acres and setting him on her bed. Applejack couldn't help but smile at North's sleeping form.

"G'night sugar cube." Applejack said as she kissed Magnet North's forehead before wrapping her arms around her. "Tomorrow's going to be a better day. Ah know it." And true to her words, it was. Applejack told the truth about the tonic to the gathered crowd the next morning, and exposed Flim and Flam's con. Her telling the truth also convinced a young man to earn some honest money for a change, and he handed her his first bit to her before setting out to get an honest job. "Come on North. We're off to Sugar Cube Corner."

"Not that I'm complaining, but why?" North asked.

"Well it's pretty simple sugar cube." Applejack said with a flirty smile. "I owe you a date from our little stay in Manehattan."

Comments

[ArcticAce01]

Great chapter! And with that Applejack gets her key

[MasterPhoenix93]

Applejack got her key and a lesson...if it's too good to be true...it probably is