Impossible Numbers' Flashfic Anthology, Volume Three

by Impossible Numbers

The Technicalities of a Child's Excuses

Apple Bloom gulped. “Nopony did it! It could’ve fallen out accidentally!”

Applejack snorted. “Right. The cookie jar jumped out the cupboard. From the back. Behind stuff. And smashed on the floor over there.” She turned to Sweetie Belle. “You?”

“No… I mean, I thought about taking cookies, but I never got there in time.”

Anyone that stupidly honest had to be innocent.

“But… I… watched it happen.”

Applejack pouted. “So, seen who done it?”

Outside, Winona barked. Sweetie Belle’s eyes darted nervously to Scootaloo.

“Not me!” said Scootaloo. “I just took the apple tarts. And the fritters. But not the cookies!”

“So who took them!?” insisted Applejack.

Winona rushed indoors, her coat trailing crumbs.

All three hung their heads. “We trained Winona to fetch them,” mumbled Apple Bloom.

Applejack sighed. “'Plausible deniability', huh? Tried sneaking around your conscience? Never works. Least you’re lucky: Granny never caught you trying that trick…”