Applejack gave the ropes another hard pull as he secured the last of the shipment to his wagon. He wiped the sweat off his brow and nodded, pleased with his work.
"Alright! Now to get to business! Um, y'all didn't have to come out here with me, y'know."
He turned to see his friends standing by, ready to board the gallopy and accompany him the his deliveries.
"What're you talkin' about? Of course we have to!"
"Rainbow!", Fluttershy chastised her fellow Pegasus.
"Ahem! What Rainbow Dash means is, in you're current state it'd be neglectful of us as friends to allow you to be by yourself!"
"Ah was doin' just fine before all this. It ain't like Ah'm a young'un, y'know!"
"What the girls mean is, since you went and got turned into a hunky hunk we have to be stuck to you like glue! That way, we can rescue you if something happens! *squee*"
Applejack looked from a smiling Pinkie to everyone else.
"This true?"
Heads hanging, the girls nodded without making eye contact. Applejack rubbed the bridge of his nose and breathed out through his nose. Twilight had stayed behind in Ponyville so that her and Zecora could work on the cure while Applejack got his deliveries underway. Trouble was, his deliveries had to be done in Manehatten! An awkward train ride later, here they were.
'Can't get mad at 'em, girl. Er...boy? They're just lookin' out for you. They're you're friends!'
"Alright, but try not to distract me please. Ah have to deliver these barrels to several stores and a couple of restaurants. Once we're done though, lunch'll be my treat! Sound good?"
Everyone nodded happily at the offer. And with that, everyone piled into the jalopy and Applejack lead them to their first destination.
Applejack reached into his front shirt pocket and pulled out a map of Manehatten, trying to pinpoint where they were. From the backseat, Rarity tugged politely at his shirt and asked where it was they were supposed to head to first.
"You hang a right at this next turn, go down three blocks then turn left, dear."
Applejack looked between Rarity and the map in his hand, shrugged and put the map away. He then did as he always did and drawled out an appreciative "Thanks, sugarcube!", completing the gesture by tipping his hat towards his friend and turning his eyes back to the road. The girls shuddered as they saw the fashionista swoon and giggle giddily at the farmer.
"Yo! Quit your droolin'! It's weird enough as it is!", an agitated Rainbow Dash grumbled.
Rarity shook her head, making her hair sway with the movements, and turned around in her seat.
"O-Oh, my! I don't know what's wrong with me!"
The pale skinned fashionista fanned herself as she tried to compose herself. Here it was that they were accompanying their friend Applejack during a very trying time, and here was Rarity acting like a hormonal high school girl. No! She was determined to help her friend through this and help she shall!
...
...
...
...
Ohh, but that five'o'clock shadow! It was faint due to the blonde hair color, but her keen eyes could make out how it lined Applejack's chin and cheekbones nicely. And that thousand watt smile! It was the farmer's usual smile, it was clear in the way her-his eyes always seemed to gleam with a genuine rustic charm that all but screamed "Howdy!", however, it was much more alluring then any wry grin she had received from most young men vying for her attention.
"We're losin' her! Pinkie Pie! Now!"
With a stern hand salute, the pink haired party planner rummaged through her back pack and brought out her lovable toothless pet, Gummy! Giving Gummy a quick hug, Pinkie put his snout in front of a mesmerized Rarity and muttered a tiny "Sorry!" before giving Gummy a firm squeeze to his tummy. Gummy opened his long mouth and let out a loud "BURP!" right in Rarity's face, making her cough and gag from the crude stench! Pinkie made sure to feed Gummy some black licorice and boiled eggs before their trip to make the trick more effective.
Fluttershy then handed Rarity a bottle of water to fight off the rising need to hurl. Catching the noise going on behind him Applejack called out "Everything alright back there?"
"Yes! Yes, we're fine here, Applejack!", said Fluttershy.
"Yup-Yup! Totally nothing going on back here! Not a thingy-dingy!"
"Mm, if you say so."
He then returned his eyes to the road.
"Ulggh! What in Equestria was THAT?!", a now recovered Rarity rasped out as Fluttershy patted her back.
"I figured something like this would happen, either to one of us or someone else. So me and Pinkie Pie came up with a way to snap 'em out of it!"
Rainbow Dash pointed to a cheery Pinkie Pie as Gummy rested atop her hair, dozing. An oblivious Applejack stopped the jalopy as they came to their first stop.
A subdued Twilight slumped forward on the wooden table belonging to Zecora, not touching her cup of now luke warm tea. Zecora sat across from her, closing the book she had been skimming through and sighing out loud. A hollow silence hung in the air as the two sat their in thought.
"So there's a time limit?"
The wizened shaman nodded her head dismally.
"This andradite is a tricky breed, once used on those overtaken by greed. We have but a fort night, to set everything wrong right!"
Twilight groaned at Zecora's words and let her head fall against the surface of the table, letting out a muffled "ow" from doing so.