Steady Pace (Private)

[Sethore]

Winter was enthralled by the great many apple trees covering the evening landscape, she had seen a lot of orchards in her time but none as grand as Ponyvilles 'Sweet apple acres'. The shear volume of crispy red apples put almost all other businesses to shame and the prospect of getting a job here seemed almost guaranteed, but maybe it wasn't the employment that drew her here. As she made her way down the dirt road towards the main building of the estate the lush, shining surface of every apple caught the light and drew her attention. The more apples she past the more hungry she got and slowly began braking her will bit by bit.

 

It was wrong to steal but no pony would miss one little apple and she'd find some way to make amends for her unlawfulness. She tried hard to fight her instinctual desire but battle had already been lost, she wiped her mouth of drool and toke a quick glance around to make sure no pony was in the immediate area and hoped into the tree closest to her using her wings. Like a filly she awed the crimson apple with her contrasting emerald eyes for a few seconds before ravenously snatching it from the branches grasp and sinking her vampiric teeth into its glossy skin, the taste was divine and the apple did not last as long as intended.

 

When the dried husk hit the ground she was already eying the next apple of the tree in the same manner "Maybe just one more..."

[Viridian]

With one hard hit of two hooves against the trunk, apples showered from the branches of the tree and into the basket below. Being specifically talented for his flying speed was fortunate for the stallion who had a paying job at Sweet Apple Acres. With enough force he could pummel apples right out of the trees like an earth pony would kick one.

Fog Sweeper flew past the trees and straight at another one, his hooves pointed forward and angled to handle force as his wings beat against the opposing air. The apples did as he had planned, shaking out of the leaves and into the wooden baskets for collecting. The pegasus had been doing this for a while now, zipping by from tree to tree in a fast rhythm to harvest the ripe fruit. His work was however interrupted when he spotted a dull red apple on the ground. It was rather easy to notice against the rich green grass, plus his own sharp sense of sight. The side of the orchard he was on didn't even have any apples harvested yet.

 

Fog slowed the pace of his wings to have a steady landing to look at the strange colored apple. He poked it lightly with a hoof, noticing the dry but mushy texture.

"Caterpillars, again?" He questioned the possibility, wiping his hoof against the grass to remove the smear of mush from it. The stallion investigated the area for any insect or other creature that he recognized to eat apples. Maybe there was another invasion of vampire fruit bats to come soon, and he should fly over the outskirts of the orchard to find out. But the sound of rustling up in the trees perked his ears up. He quickly turned his head to the tree leaves, but he couldn't see anything. Or was it another? Whatever it was, it had sent a cold chill down his spine. A feeling of dread was starting to show.

[Sethore]

Like the first, the second apple was ripped from the branches grasp and more ravenously transformed into a mushy mass as it plummeted to the ground. Hungry and unsatisfied with only two apples she went for a third without delay or intermission time only to be cut short by the quite mutter below. She froze like a statue, teeth bared and almost grazing the apples red skin as her eyes tried searching for the origin of the voice on this terrible angle. Moments like this is why she wishes she wasn't the greyish teal and more a brown or chestnut and while she was wishing, maybe eyes in the back of her head too.

 

What did it even say? It was too difficult to see what was below her in this position and in almost mechanical fashion turned her head slowly toward the Pegasus and lock her emerald gaze upon him. by no means was he bad on the eyes but her mind was buzzing, clearly she was in the wrong but getting caught was not on the agenda, Giving herself up was out of the question because this will create distrust and what orchard will hire a untrustworthy devourer of apples like her?

 

Her game face was on and avoiding this guys sight was number one priority. She leapt down on the other side of the tree as soon as he appeared like he was going look up but unfortunately a branch had been tangled in her hair and rustled, the dread feeling of defeat feel down on her. Other trees were to far away and escape was impossible, she could only wait for the judgement as she shuffled around the tree and half peered at him. Maybe a plea for forgiveness could save her now, with no bits or some other sort of compensation it will be difficult.

 

Her breathing was heavy, panic was settling in and she could not contain her voice "Why is it always apples!"

[Viridian]

First there was more rustling in the clearly wind-free air, and then a feminine voice. The sound was enough to make Fog jump from the ground and fly up for a sense of safety, hovering right above the tree he was standing under before.

"Who g- goes there?" Even with all effort of holding it back, a stutter found its way into his already shaken words. He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to hold himself together in a proper fashion. His curiosity was conflicting against this fright he felt, though. Giving him an eagerness to search the leaves for whoever spoke.

The pegasus could not manage to move anything to get closer aside from his feathered wings that kept him in the air. Now thinking about the identity of the apple burglar, maybe it was a bat pony! He never encountered one himself, but stories from other apple harvesters and field plowers were enough to give an idea.

[Sethore]

The Pegasus' terrified look tugged the guilty string in Winter and made her come to terms with the reprimand she would soon receive, scaring random ponies was the last thing in the world she would want to do and being thought of as a monster is probably the worst thing that could happen. She was already caught and still unsatisfied, he climbed the tree a little to steal one more apple as incriminating evidence and while with slight hesitation, she circled out from the tree and positioned herself in clear view and toke a surrendering stance, apple in mouth. While she was in the clear view, so was he and kinda cute in his own way.

 

"I'mmm vemmry sommy... fommgemme?" The apple was heavily muffling her words but she wasn't so concerned, draining the apple as slowly as possible was taking a bit of will power but it was satisfying as for the third time a apple converted to a mushy, dried fruit. Was it going to be indentured servitude? maybe community work? Death by apples? she wasn't quite sure what fate had in mind but the judgement wasn't going to be a positive. Maybe because she is a bat pony the punishment would be more severe. She was feeling the pressure of her impending doomed...

 

her mind was now thinking of some defense... maybe she was chewing the apples in self defense or something. But in the end she only had herself to blame for eating the apples, she shouldn't have given into temptation like that and now will most likely never be able to. Still, he looked kinda cute...