I didn't go there straight away, though. I went back to Sugarcube Corner to drop off my bags and exchange greetings with a lanky stallion that turned out to be Mr. Cake. He seemed nice enough, if a bit higher strung than his wife. Following the map leads me through increasingly sparsely settled neighborhoods. Fewer Threadbare, more dull ponies, and I start to see ponies with makeshift armor, some with spears, the pegasi festooned with pouches. Sure enough, I reach a high cobblestone wall and barely follow it for a few minutes before I come across two ponies in red vests with shovels. The amber mare comes to a stop, her violet partner with piercing green eyes soon after. I raise a hand in greeting.

"Hi, I'm Anon. Lady Rarity wanted me to check on Applejack for her."

The amber mare raises an eyebrow.

"Do you have any proof?"

I draw the calling card out of my pocket.

"Will this do?"

The violet mare takes a few steps forward and sniffs. She turns and nods to her partner. The amber mare relaxes.

"Alright, come along. I'm Poached Pear and this is Dye Hard."

Dye nods towards me.

"Pleasure."

I smile politely.

"Likewise."

I follow them a short way along the wall and to an iron gate. A second pair of ponies take one look at Dye Hard, lift the crossbeam, and pull the gate open. As I proceed through and down a dirt road, I ask,

"So, what does the Apple Core do, exactly?"

Poached looks over her shoulder at me.

"I take it you're new? Ah, well, mostly it's guarding and harvesting apple trees, as well as making sure the ways between stay stable. As the saying goes, an apple on the way keeps the Doctor at bay."

That's not ominous at all.

"Yeah, just got here earlier to...day? Tonight?"

Dye grunts out, "Night."

Poached rolls her eyes.

"Just in case you didn't get the warning, don't eat the apples or else you'll end up like Dye here, trying to pretend to be a strong and silent mare to match her eerie eyes."

"Hey! I'm strong and silent! ...Most of the time...."

I make sure to keep a straight face.

"For what it's worth, you seemed very mysterious and reliable."

Dye smiles at me.

"Thanks! I keep trying to work out some hoof signs with Poached, but she keeps on saying it's a waste of time."

Poached Pear snorts.

"That's because it is."

I chuckle.

"I dunno, what if you're sneaking up on an apple thief or something, and you don't want to alert them while you plan your attack?"

Poached frowns.

"It's not the apple thieves we're worried about...."

I look at her inquisitively.

"Oh? What are you worried about?"

She sighs.

"It's the drifts-damned wood raiders. We're losing too many trees, just because applewood is the only thing Sundance doesn't burn right through."

I tilt my head.

"What is Sundance? And shouldn't wood burn?"

Poached shrugs.

"Sundance is when balls of light come boiling out of the Drifts or even town, sometimes. Burn right through anything but applewood, not sure how or why, that's just how it is. Even being near it wears on you."

I’m not sure what to make of that.

"Huh. Well, I can see why you would want applewood to protect you. I'm just not sure why someone would steal it, a new construction project would be pretty obvious."

Dye turns and trots backwards facing vaguely in my direction with a grin.

"I bet it's the black company, for wherever they take ponies! Or, or somepony is trying to make a sun to eclipse the moon! That's what I would do."

Poached shakes her head good naturedly.

"It's probably just some hunters trying to make a lasting Drift camp. And when the anchoring apples get eaten while they are away, they have to start over."

The conversation brings me to a plantation house. The oldest mare I've seen sits in a rocking chair on the veranda, staring blankly forward. She isn't one of the dull ponies, but she doesn't react to my arrival and my guides merely nod to her. They open the front door and lead me through a plainly decorated foyer, the wall lamps glowing that same soft white as the streetlamps. Poached slips through a set of double doors at the far end of the foyer.

I don't have to wait long before she reappears and beckons me in. The next room is spacious, but cluttered with tables covered in papers, while two ponies stand by a dining table covered with a large map. The mare has an orange coat, a cowboy hat, wooden front legs attached to her barrel with a harness, and those piercing green eyes. The stallion is about as tall as me, his coat a deep red from where his wooden plate armor doesn't cover it. The mare turns her head in my general direction.

"Ah'm sorry you had to come all this way but go ahead and tell Rarity Ah ain't going to whatever frou frou tea party or whatever she has in mind."

I raise my hands in surrender.

"It's not about that. She just wants to check on you and find out what's wrong. I assume it's the wood raiders?"

Applejack scrunches.

"Pretty much. Only there's been a lot more of them lately, and there's only so many in the Apple Core to watch over them. If Ah pull back the way patrols, then we might just lose our path to Canterlot. If Ah don't, we'll lose an entire orchard's worth of trees every couple months, and we only have five to begin with."

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I frown.

"That's pretty serious. Is there anyone you can call on for reinforcements?"

She snorts.

"Any as could have motive to be a raider. Ah ain't putting a fox to guard this here henhouse."

I feel something move near my pocket and look down to see Charlotte pulling out Rarity's business card.

I take it from the spider, and-

I look up at Applejack.

"What if Rarity has her spiders spin webs over your orchards? Even if they can't catch the raiders, they could at least alert the core, and they could catch the trespasser."

She rocks back on her hind legs, considering it. She looks at Charlotte.

"Can your kind do that? Make enough webs to cover acres of trees?"

Charlotte crawls up onto my shoulder and raises her leg in a salute. Applejack makes a rueful chuckle.

"If this works out, Ah may have to go to a frou frou whatever after all. Alright, Mr. uh..."

"Anon."

"Mr. Anon, you've got the longest legs here, get to Rarity as fast as you can and tell her your idea. Sooner we get started, the more trees we save. We can talk compensation after, you have my word."

I nod and head back the way I came at a jog. Once I get out of the house, I start running, and what an odd feeling that is. I know I should be panting, but it doesn't feel like I am exerting myself at all. The gate comes up before I know it, and I slow down to a walk.

"Uh, hi, can you let me through?"

The apple guards glance at each other.

"Where are-"

Dye comes skidding to a halt, just barely missing me.

"It's fine, the boss gave him a priority mission."

The guards raise their eyebrows at me, but pull the gate open nevertheless. I take off again, yelling "Thanks!" to Dye as she falls further behind me. The streets aren't particularly crowded, but I do have to weave around some ponies and jump over a particularly short mare. Okay, I didn't have to jump over her, but I am enjoying the feeling of sprinting without tiring entirely too much. I also get more than a few wolf whistles my way, which is...nice? If somewhat confusing. Of course, I have to slow down when I get to the carousel. This time, a cream mare with a light blue mane in store uniform meets me as I emerge from the aisles.

"Right this way, sir."

She trots ahead and unlocks the stairwell door for me. I climb the stairs quickly, and find Rarity waiting expectantly in her workshop.

"You were in such a hurry, Darling. What seems to be the matter?"

I take a breath, more out of habit than need.

"Wood raiders are cutting down a lot of Applejack's trees. She wants your spiders to web over the orchard to catch them."

She raises her eyebrows.

"Truly? Then I shan't waste anymore time. Lovelies, to Sweet Apple Acres!"

The swarm of spiders reacts instantly, surging out of the windows and along the glimmering strands into town.

Rarity looks to the mare beside me.

"Coco, while I'm gone, show him around the scrap repository. Happy shopping, Anonymous!"

And then she pops out of existence.

"What."

Coco bumps her shoulder against my leg.

"If you'll follow me, sir?"

I shrug.

"Might as well."

She leads me to the second floor landing and unlocks the door. I had seen the shelves of cloth before, but stepping into the room, it stretches much further than I thought was possible. I shake my head in wonder.

"That's a lot of cloth."

Coco smiles with pride.

"It is the product of over 40 years of dedication to fashion. There is no wider selection in Equestria."

I scratch my cheek.

"That's good, but it's kind of overwhelming when I want to narrow it down to one or two for an outfit."

She nods.

"Then I shall assist you. What sort of outfit would you like made? Something daring, or modest? Practical or elaborate? Protective, nondescript, or flamboyant?"

I look down at my t-shirt and shorts. They're pretty comfortable, but that's about it. The question is, am I going to need armor or formal clothes more in the near future? Or do I even have to make a choice?

"Can I get armor-plated formalwear?"

Coco raises her eyebrows.

"Are you in danger?"

I smile sheepishly.

"I don't think so? It's just, you know, better safe than sorry."

She gives me a dubious look, then starts trotting along the shelves.

"In that case, you'll want diamond cloth with silk lining. Ah, here."

She grabs a bundle of white cloth and holds it up for me.

I take it and give it a squeeze.

It bends about as easily as a paperclip, if I had to guess.

"Uh, isn't diamond incredibly valuable?"

Coco nods.

"Especially since the only gems we can find in the ground are quiescent quartz."

I frown.

"Then wouldn't I just get mugged for my clothes pretty quickly?"

She smiles.

"There's no need to worry. We enchant all our clothing to return to their rightful owners if it is removed against their will."

I look down at the diamond bundle in my hand.

"Then I think I will go with this. And you said something about silk?"

Coco nods.

"Right this way. Do you have a preference for the color?"

I don't even have to think about it .

"Green."

It turns out, there is a trap door behind the first-floor staircase. A handful of unicorns sit at their worktables, lined with baskets of scraps with what I guess is an order form on top. They levitate clothing in front of themselves, adding square after square of scraps and trimming the piece down to spec. Coco leads me to a chartreuse mare with a long, straight teal mane. She's slumped at her table, idly paging through the order forms. Coco clears her throat.

"Fasten, I have a custom job for you."

The unicorn mare sighs and starts to sit up straight.

"If this is another veil, Stars help me, I-"

Fasten perks up as she sees me.

"Well, hello hello hello, what do we have here?"

The cream mare is unimpressed.

"Fasten Furious, let me introduce to you Mr. Anonymous, who has done at least one personal favor to Lady Rarity herself today. Mr. Anonymous, this is Fasten Furious, who would have been fired long ago if she wasn't actually good at tailoring."

I nod in greeting.

"Nice to meet you."

She eyes me up and down.

"You too, handsome. I'm going to enjoy taking your... measurements."

Coco grabs the bundle of diamond cloth and chucks it at Fasten's face with a good 'thwap'.

"Behave or else I'll have you on scarf and veil detail until the sun rises!"

The unicorn shudders.

"I'll be good, I'll be good! Please, no more rectangles!"

I set the bundle of meme-arrow green silk in front of her.

"Technically, squares are rectangles."

Fasten scowls at me.

"I'm going to pretend you never said that. Now,"

She focuses on me with a peculiar intensity.

"What are we making?"

The results are far more impressive than I anticipated. The white suit practically glows, with subtle variations in the diamond cloth to give a pinstriped effect to the pants.

"It's like a wonderful ice cream suit!"

Except, you know, with a green silk tie. Fasten barks out a laugh.

"Tried that once. Not even spinners kept it from melting."

I grab the hangers and look around.

"Is there somewhere I can change?"

Coco nods towards a door.

"The supply room there."

I waste no time in putting on my new threads. When I come back out, the rest of the tailors have joined Coco and Fasten. I grin and swagger up to them, doing a quick 360 and spreading my arms.

"What do you think?"

"I love my job!"

"It's like an arrow pointing straight at his-"

"I know!"

"Mmm, strut for mama."

Coco gives the rest of the mares a weak glare, then turns back to me.

"You look quite handsome in it, Mr. Anonymous."

I feel my face warm at all the praise.

"Thank you, I love it. And thank you too, Fasten, it fits perfectly."

Fasten bites her lip.

"You bet your sweet tush it does."

Coco just sighs. A spider drops down from the ceiling carrying a note. Coco gives it a quick glance, then nods her thanks. She turns to me as the spider crawls back up.

"Lady Rarity wishes to speak with you."

I smooth my tie down.

"Sounds good. Let's go."

It turns out not to be just Rarity waiting for me. Applejack tips her hat to me.

"The Apple clan owes you a debt of gratitude, Anon. If ever you need help or a place to stay, do not hesitate to call on us."

I nod with a serious expression.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Rarity gives me a smug smile.

"I am quite grateful to you too, Anon. It's been far too long since I got Applejack into a dress."

The orange mare makes an unamused grunt. I try for a diplomatic smile.

"Glad to help. Especially since I got this really nice suit out of the bargain."

Rarity nods in approval.

"It is quite nice, Fasten does good work. Speaking of which, do you have any idea of what you want to do?"

I scratch my cheek.

"Well, I do like running, so-"

The mares smirk at that. Not sure why, but whatever.

"I was thinking maybe I could be a courier?"

Applejack looks at me dubiously.

"No offense, but you ain't blending in at all by yourself, let alone in that fancy getup."

I raise an eyebrow, but Rarity jumps in before I can say anything.

"He might not be a good fit for clandestine courier work, but I am quite sure there are high society mares who would love to have a remarkable messenger to let everypony know to whom they are sending a letter."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Would I still be able to run for that? Seems like it would violate decorum or something."

Rarity smirks.

"Trust me, Darling. Having you run their letter would be a perk they would pay dearly for."

I raise my eyebrows.

"Really. Well, then that sounds great. When can I start?"

The white mare holds up a hoof.

"It will take some time to advertise your services to my contacts. In the meantime, I'll be teaching you the little etiquette to be expected of you, and you should take the opportunity to explore the town and get an idea of what it's like."

I nod.

"Sounds sensible. I'll be in your care."

I had thought regular courier work would get me around town and give me insight into the more secret goings on. This promises to be even more fruitful on that front. I can hardly wait.