> Applejack and Moneybags > by firebirdabirdoffire > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > "Well luckily for you and the rest of this town, bridges are my specialty." > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's a beautiful day to go shopping on the market today. Applejack wasn't in charge of the Apple family stand, so was doing some groceries with a whole big bag of bit, go to Rarity's to fix her hat, and maybe buy something for herself. Applejack noticed a strange sight behind a stand, It's a bear wearing a suit and a monocle. Barely visible was his moneybag. His stand had a lot of scrolls. The banner read 'Moneybags' secret techniques' (No refunds). Out of curiosity, Applejack walked up to his stand. "Wha' kinda secret techniques do ye sell?" "Everything you need." "Do ye have something for applebuckin'?" "That means kicking apples out of trees, correct." "Yup." "I'd might've something here." Moneybags pulled out a scroll. "I can let this one go for a small price. (40 bits)" "Kinda pricey for my taste, but I'll bite." Applejack hooved over the bits. "Thank you. Your money will be taken great care of." The bear kissed a coin. "Let's do business again in the future." Applejack opened the scroll. Advanced attack #5: Cartwheel Press and hold while running to do a cartwheel. If you hit something with the cartwheel you easily let out a powerful punch, kick or an uppercut. To do those just press . "What do those symbols mean?!" Applejack complained. "It has some otherworldly meaning. For a few gem- bits I can translate it for you." (30 bits.) "No thank you. I want mah money back." "Uh-uh-uh. No refunds." Moneybags said smugly. "Fine, Ah'll ask somepony else." Applejack said After having done her necessary groceries, went back home. Too bad for her that the wooden bridge on the way was broken. "Dangit, now ah need to walk around." "Or you can have someone fix the bridge. Well luckily for you and the rest of this town, bridges are my specialty." Moneybags said behind her. "You again!?" "Well yes, I do my best to expend my businesses. So what do you say? It only will cost a few bits." "Why don'tcha just say how much it costs?" "200 bits." Applejack scowled, luckily Apple had tons of bits with her. And this would help Ponyville in the long run if this bear fixed the bridge. "Here!" Applejack handed the bits over. "You won't regret it." He pressed a button on a remote and a new bridge extended . As Applejack crossed the bridge, several negative thoughts entered her mind concerning the greedy bear. 'It's like the Flim Flam Brother's standards got lower.' A while later, Applejack was on her way to Twilight's, she was her one of her best chances to make sense of this scroll. But when Golden Oaks was in sight, the whole tree was surrounded in a red glowing cage. A whole bunch of ponies were staring at it. Applejack made a mad dash. She had the walk around the cage for the entrance. There, unfortunately, was a familiar mug guarding the door. "You again!?!" Applejack shouted. "Well, hello there, seems like it's a small world after all." Moneybags said. "Somehow Ah think this ain't a coincidence. What did you do to the the tree?" Applejack said angry. "Why I did nothing. But some fellow named Bowser, now that guy held this princess hostage. All I'm doing is making sure she's locked in this magic proof cage." "Yer're not much better than that Wowzer fella..." "That's not true, I can let her go, but for a small fee." Moneybags said flatly. "HOW MU-!!" "One thousand bits." "Grrr. Once Ah scrape up enough bits, you'll better not show yer face again in this town." "See you soon." Moneybags said smugly. Ponyville Border "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Said the bear said next to a switch which of the two only Moneybags was heavy enough to activate. "Wait, yer're were just-" "Well the cage isn't open if that's what you're implying." Several levels later, Golden Oaks Library. "Here's yer money." Applejack said with a lot of malice behind her voice. "Now the princess can be set free. A cage is no place for a princess to be. Now my key has to be somewhere in my pockets." Moneybags is digging deep in his pocket. "Ye better haven't lost it." Applejack threatened. "Ah! Here it is, and for a small-" "Ya gimme that key now or open the cage, or Ah'll buck you so hard, my back hooves will replace yer memory of yer mother's face." "I'll open it." Moneybags said intimidated as he unlocked the lock. Twilight noticed the cage opening, she ran for the opening and hugged Applejack. "Thank you Applejack. I felt really sick in there." "No problem, sugahcube." Applejack returned the hug. "I will repay you." "What a sweet touching moment, I'll leave you two alone." Moneybags slowly walked away backward. "Oh no, you don't!" Twilight levitated the bear a threw him across Ponyville. "Ah've been waitin' that for a long time. Say Twilight, can ye possibly decrypt some of the symbols on this scroll that bear sold to me?" Hours later... Applejack was going home, she was thinking how exactly explain how she wasted a lot of their bits. At least she may can use the technique to earn it back slightly faster. But on the way home she saw an ugly sight slowly shlumping towards the farm. A bear in fact, he kinda looked beat up. Scratch that, he totally looked beat up. Even his monocle is broken. Applejack caught up to the bear. "Oh no, not you again." He said like he was done for today. "What're you still doing here?" Applejack said irritated. "I'm on my way to buy that farm. It will make a fine mall." That was Applejack's last straw. She did a cartwheel, combo-ing Moneybags, and she did a uppercut. Sending the bear flying. Moneybags, for the first known time, dropped his moneybag. Applejack took back what she lost, and donated the rest. Back in the Dragon Realms... "Come on, Sparx, it's just across that bridge." "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" *Crash* The unconscious Moneybags is blocking the long thin bridge, but the right amount of gems will wake him up. Will you wake Moneybags for a 1000 Gems? *I don't have much choice... *Let him stay in a coma.