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Post by applecider on Oct 24, 2011 7:08:22 GMT -5
"Hmm...," Apple Cider said deep in thought, "I don't know why some pony would want ta steal apples unless they're tryin to ruin the livlihood of a farm or somethin.' I can't think of any farm or business that is feudin' to the point of stealing apples. That would be...unheard of." There was an unwritten rule in Appleoosa to never disrupt the livlihood of the apple farmers as that was the lifeblood of the town. Without farmers, Apploosa would become a ghost town.
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Post by danielalaverne on Oct 24, 2011 7:55:40 GMT -5
Morrow Rose shrugged, looking a bit helpless without any other explanation. It was just the only one that made sense to her, other than a customer of an apple farm who was really in a hurry, because their aunt and uncle were about to visit and they forgot to buy apples and get clothes from the dry cleaners. Seriously, the delivery Pegasus was out of ideas.
"I know!" Morrow placed her now empty tea glass back on the table and started running in circles, about at the same spot, as it were really small circles. She kept tapping against her chin with a hoof every now and then, pausing her circles for that.
"We sure got the one or other pick-pocket in Manehattan and ages ago there was this Black M- No. Brown? Nah... Oh, right, Grey Menace, who robbed in big style, but that's just an old pony's tale, right?"
She re-arranged her paperpony-hat and waved with a wing to Singasong to fly over to her, "Either way, I will feel much safer once I know it were not your cider apples. Imagine the idea alone! Besides, didn't you want to show me the cider mill?" She smiled, a bit excited now, "Also, if there's no apple missing, we can celebrate with a nice sip of cider, how about that, old friend?"
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Post by applecider on Oct 24, 2011 10:48:59 GMT -5
Apple Cider's expression changed from happiness to worry. What if they were her cider apples? What if more than apples were being stolen right when she was looking. No, she couldn't think the worst case issue, but this did give her the opportuinty to show morrow her place and to check on her business.
"that sounds like a great idea, Morrow! I can check on the cider mill, and I can show you around. It's only down the road a little. Do ya want ta go see it now?"
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Post by danielalaverne on Nov 1, 2011 19:47:42 GMT -5
Morrow could see concern showing on her friend's face and she didn't feel too much better, with the mystery of probably stolen apples in the room. Maybe probably stolen apples, they had no clue yet what happened at all. It was just so worrisome to be left without any facts. Still, the delivery Pegasus tried her best to keep optimism up.
"Sure, AC, let's do that now! The sooner we go there, the less we can make each other craaazy about what might have happened." She laughed friendly, yet a bit nervous and curious as she got up, Singasong back on her usual spot on her paperpony-hat.
She lead her old friend back to outside her shop and home, just to spot another apparently dropped apple on the dusty road, she must have missed earlier. It was quite a mystery. "You lead the way, AC; I can't wait to see that cider mill of yours!"
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Post by applecider on Nov 2, 2011 7:07:18 GMT -5
"Alright then. Let's go to mah place. At least you'll get ta see mah cider mill an house." Apple Cider led the way down the main street towards her cider mill which was at the end of town where the rest of the apple orchards were. Along the way she noticed a trail of cider apples leading towards the mill. "This doesn't look right," she said to herself.
Finally they came to the property which consisted of a large white building, a farm house next door, and a few shed like buildings. Standing in front of the mill were several farmhands that AC worked with, each looking worried. "Hey y'all. What's goin on?"
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Post by danielalaverne on Nov 10, 2011 15:15:12 GMT -5
"I tally look forward to that, old friend! I'm sure it's quite a sight-", was how Morrow Rose, accompanied, as usual, by her pet bird Singasong, thought as they started to follow AC back to her home and work place in one. Kinda just like the Pegasus used to have shop and home at the same place, too.
The trail of apples leading all the way to the mill though clearly spoke a language destroying that little hope in AC's place being unaffected by the mysterious apple effects. Here and there they were, as if lost in a hurry. A hurry that have lead somepony right over Appleloosa, before disappearing.
"Nice", was all the delivery Pegasus got to say before a few of Apple Cider's employees stormed at her. The was a scarlet Earth pony mare, with an amber and sapphire striped mane. The look of her deep dark eyes wandered nervously from Morrow to AC, then back to the cider pony.
"It's a disasta', ma'am, a most terr'ble and horr'ble cat'strophe! They awe gone!" Morrow felt like that pony, a badge gave her name away as Blossom Tree, was about to break down any moment, but to her surprise then she was stable at that level.
Quickly she was joined my an elder stallion with some gray already in his short orange mane. His narrow, red eyes spoke a more calm language, but there was as well some nervousness showing from the reddish gray pony. "Someone's been stealin' from tha apples, Ms Cider, I swears we got no clues what's been happenin' an' who did it, but them apples are gone..."
Morrow gulped nervous as her worst fears apparently came true and to life, that was really bad news, "Sorry to hear that bad news, AC; seems like we go to chase down some no good thieves then? You know you can count on me..."
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Post by applecider on Nov 11, 2011 8:05:36 GMT -5
Apple Cider looked liked she was ready to break down hearing the news. "All of them? There were at least four wagons full of apples! Those apple came from orchards around Appleoosa ta be turned into cider. Whoever stole them ain't just affectin' our livlihood, they're affectin' much of Appleoosa!"
Luckily her friend, Morrow, was there to comfort her. "You're right, Morrow. Somethin' has ta be done. Come on, let's check fer clues around here an then we'll go find this varmit stealin those apples."
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Post by danielalaverne on Nov 13, 2011 17:32:48 GMT -5
The farm-hooves had been quite nervous already, and her old friend had been before they arrived here, but it were AC's words now that reminded Morrow of what great consequences that theft had for all of Appleloosa; and more than that, who knew where the mysterious thieves would strike again? It could be anywhere, as apples were the major source of both income and nutrition around here.
She was about to give her old friend a reassuring hug, but AC had just the healthy will and strength of the Apples, never feeling down for too long, but doing something about it. Whatever it was. The delivery Pegasus thought of that as a good character trait about her friend. She'd never let you down.
"Clues, right! Singasong and me could fly around and see what we can spot. I suggest you send some of the other ponies here to look for clues, too, it wouldn't help much if they harvest all again now and then it goes bye-bye again-"
The mare and stallion working here, which just had reported them the bad news, quickly agreed in offering their help in searching for clues and hints.
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Post by applecider on Nov 13, 2011 18:12:56 GMT -5
"All right Morrow. I'll be checkin' the barn an the mill area ta see what I can find," Apple Cider said, How about we meet at the mill an' see what we both found?" The earth pony had a plan. Now all she had to do was to put it into action. One thing the ponies always said in Appleoosa was that Apple Cider had a quick wit and was able to solve problems with little or no effort.
"All right ya two," Apple Cider said to the assistant ponies, "I know this looks bleak, but we'll get through this just like we've battled drought, cold, diseased plants, and other problems that could've shut us down. But we're still here. So I need ya two ta help me look fer some clues as to who did this. We're gonna start in the mill, then work our way to the rest of the farm buildings. So lets get going!" With that she headed towards the mill, eager to solve the mystery of the missing apple carts.
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Post by danielalaverne on Nov 16, 2011 12:23:07 GMT -5
"Sounds like a plan, AC! Singasong and me will look what we can see from bird-view and- The mill-", Morrow wasn't too familiar with the construction of an apple cider farm, but she quickly spotted what must be the mill. Of course, it has a mill stone, realization came to her that moment. "Sure thing!"
Both Pegasus and black bird took off and started circling over the buildings and apple trees around. Sometimes a pony would just miss something right in front of their muzzle, but maybe from above- Wait-
Now the farm-hooves were at it to get their instructions from Apple Cider. Blossom Tree was just as excited as she had been nervous before, apparently she just expressed her emotions always that drastically, "A'course, ma'am, Ms boss-lady, we can do tha', we done quite some other thing befo'!"
Quince nodded agreeing in his rather calm way, "Ah fully agree, 'sides ma'am, with your quick wit ya been solving quite some otha' problems jus' like tha'". Both ponies followed their boss, eager to find out who or what had been taking away the fruits - literally - of their hard work.
Meanwhile Morrow meant to have spotted something - here and there were tracks of wheels buried into the ground below, as if somepony would have pulled heavy carts, but the tracks ended like cut off. What a mystery!
Both Pegasus and her pet bird got lower to inspect what they had found. Why would the track just suddenly end as if it took off- "As if it took off, of course, just like me and my delivery wagon... And the apples looked like dropped from some height, so, maybe, perhaps, Pegasi? I have to tell AC what- What is it, dear?"
Morrow's train of thoughts was interrupted by Singasong's chirping, and it sounded quite excited or alarmed, or both? The black bird held a piece of a fruit, likely an apple in her beak and passed it over to Morrow, who smelled at it, "That's one funny app- wait, a pear? Here?"
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Post by applecider on Nov 16, 2011 15:47:05 GMT -5
Apple Cider went into the cider mill with the other two ponies following right behind. The place was eerily quiet as the mill was shut down rather than grinding away. It was a two story building with an upper floor where the apples were cleaned, washed, and deposited into the grinder, the main floor where the apples were ground into the cider and distributed into contaoners. The lower part was the cider cellar where cider was storedin massive barrels to keep cool. Luckily the mill wasn't vandalized to which Apple Cider breathed a sigh of relief. "All right then. This mill's a big area, so we should split up and search. Blossom Tree, you can check the cider cellar. Quince, you can check the upper floor. I'll check the main floor. If ya find anythin' let me know." She then began looking around the mill area first, checking to see if there was anything out of the ordinary.
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Post by danielalaverne on Nov 22, 2011 20:57:54 GMT -5
Blossom Tree was looking quite relieved to spot no vandalism inside the mill building. Then again, it really took some skills not to be able to see her current mood on her face she she always let it out quite directly and concentrated. Showing another reaction, she made some noises every now and then, like whistling or clicking with her tongue, as the spooky silence wasn't really her thing.
"Su'a thing, ms ma'am boss lady, and don'tcha worry, I'll not stay down dere witha cider for too long", her voice echoed up as she trotted down toward the cellar. Unfortunate, all she could see where the giant barrels and so much dim light. It was quite cold as well. It took her a while to eventually find something, a candy wrapper, whatever clue that was! Now a quick check of the barrels, she softly pushed against them, did show that they were still not movable heavy and thus full. The pony continued searching.
"Yes'ma'am", Quince had always been a pony of few words. He let actions speak and right now searching for clues was such. Now, there were not too much hints or clues to be found in the upper level of the mill building, as it was all echoing empty... aside of the work equipment and a few piles of apples, yet there had been more.
Interested, Quince looked over some hoof prints and sanding marks on the dusty ground. Of course the mill was kept clean, but in a town as Appleloosa there were two things everywhere and that were apples and sand. Some of the hoof prints looked a bit off...
Meanwhile Morrow Rose, accompanied by her pet bird, Singasong, did yet another patrol over the apple cider mill area, and the surrounding trees. Still, aside of cut off cart trails and that one mysterious piece of pear she had not found any clue yet. Probably the other ponies could sort this in better.
Landing elegantly - that is she stopped neatly right in front of the door and not on it - the Pegasus decided to look for the other ponies, and not to do overly fast landing maneuvers, again. ... at least not for now. "AC? Uhm, any of you other ponies? Anypony? I'm not sure of this is anything at all, but-", Morrow presented the piece of not-apple fruit.
Her instincts must have been pretty good, as the farm-hooves just got back, the mare with a candy wrapper in her mouth, while the stallion apparently looked intensely at all the hoof prints on the way upstairs. Both presented her findings as well, and hay, wasn't that AC over there? Yes, it was Morrow's old friend, wonder what she had found or what rhyme she could make on the other clues.
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Post by applecider on Nov 22, 2011 21:22:36 GMT -5
As the other ponies left Apple Cider, she began to comb the main floor, especially around the giant cider press that dominated the room. Thankfully that wasn't damaged. She could survive apples disappearing, but a broken cider mill would spell doom for her.
There was not much of interest other than a few apples strewn about on the flooor, possibly from the wagons that had been hijacked. She could see the tracks on the floor leading out. Something did catch her attention, a torn piece of red cloth that looked like it was caught on a loose nail. She wasn't sure if it was from one of the two assistant ponies, a pony selling apples to her from another farm, a buyer of cider, or the kidnappers. Yet it still was a clue so she took it with her.
"Alright y'all. Did ya find anythin' interestin'?" Blossom Tree showed the candy wrapper and explained how the basement was intact. "Ah don't think the wrapper is any cause fer alarm as it looks like the cellar was undisturbed. Good job searchin' anyway." AC then heard from Quince about the strange hoofprints. "Hmm... I'm not sure about those as only staff is allowed on the upper floor. Did it look like any apples were taken from above?"
Finally Apple Cider met her friend Morrow again. The pegasus mentioned tracks leading to nowhere and a pear. "Hmm... so it was a pegasus that may have taken the wagon. It must've been a mighty strong pegasus ta take them into the air as those wagons completely full of apples are almost impossible to lift without being emptied out first. As fer the pear, that's a strange find. There aren't any pear growers in Appleoosa, although some grow them as a secondary crop. It could be an outsider who did this, yet I haven't the slightest idea why somepony would be upset enough ts steal apples."
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Post by danielalaverne on Dec 2, 2011 22:37:33 GMT -5
"Jus' doin' mah best for t'a cider mill farm, ma'am ms boss lady", Blossom Tree smiled sheepish as her clue turned out to be none, her search was still worth a compliment from the boss lady, Ms Cider herself, so that was good so far. She placed the candy wrapper aside and curiously looked over as Apple Cider asked Quince about his findings.
"There's been definitely more apples before there than now, ma'am", the stallion replied, calm, as it appeared, yet with a timbre of concern in his voice, "They been doing good work emptying there, too, only apples, nothin' else-" "Them stran'e hoof prints, how were them stran'e now?", Blossom Tree chirped in. The other pony nodded slowly in his own way and explained as best as he could, "Ah'm no sheriff-pony, nosiree, but t'looks to me like they ran off early, maybe heard a thing, thought it's us and went away early-"
Eventually Morrow Rose joined the group of ponies again, why, yes, ponies and a black bird, always local at her Pegasus' side, or more precisely, often enough on her paper pony hat. The mahogany delivery pony had the other ponies repeat their findings again, to combine the puzzle pieces with what she had found. It was not too much, but still.
"If they really ran off early, they might try to get back and complete their work... or try at another apple farm", she patted one front hoof against her chin a few times, just to walk up and down in the hall then, around the other ponies. "I don't know your work shifts here, but let's see when the robbery must have happened, then see if we can surprise them the next time- Also, send messages to other farms?"
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Post by applecider on Dec 3, 2011 12:36:58 GMT -5
Apple Cider listened to the replies of her two assistant ponies, especially about the fact that apples were being stolen on the upper floor. "So whoever has been doin' this seemed like they were after the apples and not wreckin' the mill. Or maybe they were plannin' on damagin' it and they scramed before they could do so."
Apple Cider then heard Morrow's thoughts on the findings and her asking about the shift schedules and alerting the other farms. "That sounds like good ideas, Morrow. With the Shift Schedules, ah usually get up early in the mornin' when the sun's comin' up and get ready at mah house. Then Quince and Blossom Tree here meet me about an hour later at the mill and we then start the day here. We basically work until the sun goes down, and we take a break fer lunch an a few other breaks. As fer gettin' the word out to the other farms, that sounds like a great idea! Can yer pet carry messages Morrow? If she can, maybe we can have her go around to the other farms and drop off letters."
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