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Description
Prince Blueblood looked down bashfully, then remembered that princes were supposed to be confident.

"Yes, fair lady, I quested long and hard to find you and now, at last, our reunion has occurred!" He took a few steps towards her, but Applejack backed away.

"You were th'one lookin' fer me? Horse feathers, if I'da' known that I'da' told Pinkie Pie not t'bother with a party." She glared at the Prince, who looked hurt, emotionally and physically, covered in dirt and briars, and a total mess. He was still wearing the collar he'd had on at the gala, though it was considerably worse for wear, like it hadn't been taken off in the week since. His horn was no longer bleeding but had formed a rather unattractive scab over its tip. Applejack felt a twinge of sympathy for the stallion. He seemed genuinely lost and confused, and he needed medical attention from all the cuts on his body… could a unicorn's horn even regrow? She would have to ask Twilight. She stood up a bit straighter.

"Look here, Ah don't like you all that much an' Ah reckon yer hoity-toitiness means y'won't like me, but we gotta take care of them there injuries a'fore they get infected. C'mon, Ah'll take ya back t'the house." She set off, and to her surprise he followed her docilely, not taking his eyes off of her for even a second. Applejack found it rather unnerving, but his eyes didn't seem to be arrogant or angry, but quietly mystified and a little… adoring? Applejack shook her head slightly. She must be imagining it.

They reached the house and Applejack pushed the door open for him. The Prince seemed stunned. "But… Lady Applejack, it's not proper for a woman to have to hold the door for a man! Allow me!" He held onto the door as well. Both stared at each other, waiting for one of them to go inside, and finally Applejack relinquished. Prince Blueblood trotted in after her, seeing pleased with himself. His pleasure, like the rest of his demeanor, wasn't snobby, but rather like a colt who had been praised by his teacher for doing something right. Had it been anypony else, Applejack might have found it adorable.

"Y'stay here. Ah'll go get th'bandages and some water t'clean out them cuts." She fetched the first aid supplies and returned to find Blueblood standing exactly where she'd left him. "Sit down already. Yer exhausted." The Prince sat gingerly on the floor, making Applejack sigh. "Y'can sit on th'couch. It's what it's there fer." He stood, sheepishly, and settled onto the couch instead.

"I didn't want to… get it dirty and cause you trouble…"

Applejack snorted. "It gets dirty a fer piece more than that. We put a cover on it so we can jist wash it when we can't see the pattern no more. Now, hold out yer left hoof."

The Prince looked at his front legs in confusion, then lifted one. His right one.

"No, yer left hoof. Don't y'know left from right?"

He looked away, ashamed.

"Uh, no big deal. I'll jist take care o'this one first…" She began carefully washing out the cuts. "So, uhm… ya… ya got hit pretty hard on the head at that party, didn't ya?"
Blueblood looked at her with genuine bafflement. "I have no recollection of a party… what is a party?"

Applejack thought a moment. "It's a… a time when friends get t'gether and have a good time." Blueblood got quiet, thinking about this. "So… what do ya remember?"

"I remember you saving me from some awful loud things that were hurting me," he said at length.

"And a'fore that?"

"N-nothing…" Blueblood's ears sank sadly.

Applejack tied the first bandage carefully. "That's alright; Ah mean, now y'can start yer life all over. T'ain't many ponies who get a chance like that." The Prince seemed encouraged by this, and bore with her doctoring patiently. Just as she was finishing Big Macintosh came in from the orchard and seemed mildly surprised to see a stallion sitting in his living room.

"Applejack, who is this here gentlepony?"

"Big Macintosh, this here is uh… Blueblood. He's not from 'round these parts and he was mighty battered so Ah figgered Ah'd patch him up a bit. Blueblood, this here's mah big brother, Big Macintosh."

Blueblood bowed to Big Macintosh. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Sir Big Macintosh."

Big Mac seemed uncomfortable. "Jist Big Macintosh, please." He looked at Applejack. "Does Mr. Blueblood got anyplace to stay while he's in Ponyville?"

"Uh, no… but…"

"Then yer more than welcome to stay here. We got an extra room ye can stay in till ye find a place o'yer own."

Applejack had to resist stamping her hooves in frustration. "Don't ya think that…"

"I would be honored."

"Applejack, be a dear and show 'im to th'room." Macintosh trotted past them to the kitchen. "Ah'll tell Granny Smith t'make some extra apple fritter fer our houseguest." He left the two alone, Applejack spluttering after him. She hadn't wanted to leave the apparently amnesiac prince out while he was injured, but letting him stay at Sweet Apple Acres was a completely different barrel of apples.

Description
Prince Blueblood looked down bashfully, then remembered that princes were supposed to be confident.

"Yes, fair lady, I quested long and hard to find you and now, at last, our reunion has occurred!" He took a few steps towards her, but Applejack backed away.

"You were th'one lookin' fer me? Horse feathers, if I'da' known that I'da' told Pinkie Pie not t'bother with a party." She glared at the Prince, who looked hurt, emotionally and physically, covered in dirt and briars, and a total mess. He was still wearing the collar he'd had on at the gala, though it was considerably worse for wear, like it hadn't been taken off in the week since. His horn was no longer bleeding but had formed a rather unattractive scab over its tip. Applejack felt a twinge of sympathy for the stallion. He seemed genuinely lost and confused, and he needed medical attention from all the cuts on his body… could a unicorn's horn even regrow? She would have to ask Twilight. She stood up a bit straighter.

"Look here, Ah don't like you all that much an' Ah reckon yer hoity-toitiness means y'won't like me, but we gotta take care of them there injuries a'fore they get infected. C'mon, Ah'll take ya back t'the house." She set off, and to her surprise he followed her docilely, not taking his eyes off of her for even a second. Applejack found it rather unnerving, but his eyes didn't seem to be arrogant or angry, but quietly mystified and a little… adoring? Applejack shook her head slightly. She must be imagining it.

They reached the house and Applejack pushed the door open for him. The Prince seemed stunned. "But… Lady Applejack, it's not proper for a woman to have to hold the door for a man! Allow me!" He held onto the door as well. Both stared at each other, waiting for one of them to go inside, and finally Applejack relinquished. Prince Blueblood trotted in after her, seeing pleased with himself. His pleasure, like the rest of his demeanor, wasn't snobby, but rather like a colt who had been praised by his teacher for doing something right. Had it been anypony else, Applejack might have found it adorable.

"Y'stay here. Ah'll go get th'bandages and some water t'clean out them cuts." She fetched the first aid supplies and returned to find Blueblood standing exactly where she'd left him. "Sit down already. Yer exhausted." The Prince sat gingerly on the floor, making Applejack sigh. "Y'can sit on th'couch. It's what it's there fer." He stood, sheepishly, and settled onto the couch instead.

"I didn't want to… get it dirty and cause you trouble…"

Applejack snorted. "It gets dirty a fer piece more than that. We put a cover on it so we can jist wash it when we can't see the pattern no more. Now, hold out yer left hoof."

The Prince looked at his front legs in confusion, then lifted one. His right one.

"No, yer left hoof. Don't y'know left from right?"

He looked away, ashamed.

"Uh, no big deal. I'll jist take care o'this one first…" She began carefully washing out the cuts. "So, uhm… ya… ya got hit pretty hard on the head at that party, didn't ya?"
Blueblood looked at her with genuine bafflement. "I have no recollection of a party… what is a party?"

Applejack thought a moment. "It's a… a time when friends get t'gether and have a good time." Blueblood got quiet, thinking about this. "So… what do ya remember?"

"I remember you saving me from some awful loud things that were hurting me," he said at length.

"And a'fore that?"

"N-nothing…" Blueblood's ears sank sadly.

Applejack tied the first bandage carefully. "That's alright; Ah mean, now y'can start yer life all over. T'ain't many ponies who get a chance like that." The Prince seemed encouraged by this, and bore with her doctoring patiently. Just as she was finishing Big Macintosh came in from the orchard and seemed mildly surprised to see a stallion sitting in his living room.

"Applejack, who is this here gentlepony?"

"Big Macintosh, this here is uh… Blueblood. He's not from 'round these parts and he was mighty battered so Ah figgered Ah'd patch him up a bit. Blueblood, this here's mah big brother, Big Macintosh."

Blueblood bowed to Big Macintosh. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Sir Big Macintosh."

Big Mac seemed uncomfortable. "Jist Big Macintosh, please." He looked at Applejack. "Does Mr. Blueblood got anyplace to stay while he's in Ponyville?"

"Uh, no… but…"

"Then yer more than welcome to stay here. We got an extra room ye can stay in till ye find a place o'yer own."

Applejack had to resist stamping her hooves in frustration. "Don't ya think that…"

"I would be honored."

"Applejack, be a dear and show 'im to th'room." Macintosh trotted past them to the kitchen. "Ah'll tell Granny Smith t'make some extra apple fritter fer our houseguest." He left the two alone, Applejack spluttering after him. She hadn't wanted to leave the apparently amnesiac prince out while he was injured, but letting him stay at Sweet Apple Acres was a completely different barrel of apples.