Story Notes: 16 (Honeybuzz) · 1:49am May 24th, 2020
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/1963074
There's no broken quite like Hasbroken. Early in the days of G4, they released the below brushable, Honeybuzz:
Source: From the collection of AlwaysDressesInStyle
They also released this blind bag, Bumblesweet:
Source: From the collection of AlwaysDressesInStyle
Notice anything? Like, for example, that they're the exact same pony down to their cutie marks? *Facepalm*
But it gets better. Bumblesweet was also a G3 pony (reference: http://strawberryreef.com/Index/Name/bumblesweet.html ) with a completely different cutie mark. So for the purposes of this story, I've made them identical twins, and given Bumblesweet her G3 cutie mark to differentiate them.
So that's the backstory on why Honeybuzz & Bumblesweet are twins, and why Bumblesweet is always replacing Honeybuzz (once the name Bumblesweet returned, they never used Honeybuzz ever again). But with Bumblesweet being a G3, which one is truly the replacement?
It reminds me of the Volkswagen Golf. I think it's pretty obvious I'm a car enthusiast, and I often think in car analogies, so bear with me with me here. At least the Golf is a very popular car with global distribution, so even if you don't know a lot about cars, there's a good chance you're aware of this particular make & model.
In the '70s, Volkswagen developed the MK I Golf as a replacement for the beloved (but outdated) Beetle. The thing is (and props to anyone who realizes that VW Thing is also an intentional pun), VW never sold the Beetle as the Beetle. Officially, it was the "Type 1", "Sedan", or a series of numbers related to engine displacement. So when the Golf debuted, they wanted to officially give it a cutesy name. In America, the first generation Golf was sold as the Volkswagen Rabbit. When it was replaced by the second generation, VW decided they'd just use the Golf name across all markets. And that should be the end of the story... but it isn't.
When the fifth generation Golf debuted in America, it was the second generation Rabbit. That's right, they threw two decades of brand equity in the garbage and brought back the Rabbit name. I was happy, since I still prefer the name Rabbit to Golf, but from a business perspective, it was a major blunder. One that was rectified when the sixth generation Golf debuted, once more wearing the Golf name.
Volkswagen never should've changed the name from Rabbit to Golf. But once they did, they never should've changed it back to Rabbit. So, for those keeping track at home:
MK I: VW Rabbit
MK II: VW Golf
MK III: VW Golf
MK IV: VW Golf
MK V: VW Rabbit
MK VI: VW Golf
MK VII: VW Golf
MK VII: VW Golf
That's the end of the saga... right?
Hahahahaha. Nope.
The final year for the 7th generation (2019) had a special (limited to 3,000) "Rabbit Edition" available. Volkswagen's keeping the trademark alive...
That makes the Bumblesweet/Honeybuzz name fiasco look absolutely mundane in comparison, doesn't it?
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/391179
Looks like someone had the same idea as me (giving Bumblesweet her G3 cutie mark). I'm not sure why it's tagged with "OC" though, since it should be "G3" if anything.
Bees typically communicate via pheromones, not buzzing, but we're dealing with a pony named Honeybuzz. She buzzes when she harvests honey and it placates the bees. Let's file this under 'earth pony magic' and move on.
Bumblesweet isn't very sweet to Honeybuzz. She's remarkably sweet to her parents and friends, though.
Sadly, we have a very broken family dynamic on display here. Considering that last chapter we saw that Flitterheart had a great relationship with her own sister, CozyGlowheart, that's an epic fail on Bumblesweet's part.
While it's not explicitly stated in the text of the chapter, once Honeybuzz arrived at the School of Friendship she never returned home, not even once. Once she graduated, she lived with Bifröst in Ponyville until it was time to leave for Earth. Will she ever see her family again? Only time will tell.
The back of Honeybuzz' packaging states Honeybuzz is often so busy that she forgets to take a break, but she always stops to smell the flowers. I'm not sure I kept her as busy as a bee, nor did she stop to smell any flowers.
Fail.
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/1272936
This chapter has probably required more research than anything else I've written previously. Everything from bees and beekeeping to Colony Collapse Disorder, to varieties of apples, which are not self-pollinating plants, and hence require bees to reproduce. I hadn't even realized that the Gala had overtaken the Red Delicious as America's most purchased apple. Honeycrisp is in the top five these days also. I was going to name the orchard's Apple family member Honeycrisp, but since this is Honeybuzz's chapter I decided not to create any confusion with the similar names.
Among other topics, the ones I researched:
Bee
Honey bee
Bee sting
Beekeeping
Apiary
Africanized bee (killer bees)
Honey
Bee smoker
Honey extractor
Honey dipper
Colony Collapse Disorder
Various types of hives, including the top-bar hive
Royal jelly
Pollination
Pollination management
Blue orchard bee
Mason bee
Apples (including multiple varieties)
I've gone from knowing nothing about beekeeping to knowing just enough to be dangerous. If any experts out there are reading this, please let me know if I messed anything up (and how to fix it).
My use of Seaddle as Honeybuzz's hometown is because Washington is one of the heaviest producers of apples, though if I hadn't already used Whinnyapolis for Dewdrop & Snowcatcher, I'd have given the nod to Minnesota's biggest city since so many different varieties of apples have originated there thanks to the efforts of the University of Minnesota (Minnesota Landscape Arboretum).
Honeybuzz's family uses top-bar hives as they're the least intrusive to their bees.
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/16976
Bumblesweet/Honeybuzz demonstrates both a smoker and frame removal (please note that top-bar hives don't have frames, and hence are usually harvested the old-fashioned way as seen in story, instead of using a honey extractor) wearing nothing more than a hat, veil, and a smile. I guess she wants to test that legendary earth pony durability!
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/1665157
The only Air Supply reference on Derpibooru, and it's even the right song. At one point there was a PMV to this song but it was removed at some point. I have it saved, and while I requested it, I didn't make it (and even if I had a place to upload it I wouldn't feel right doing so).
Mare Supply has shown up in my stories previously: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/302460/here-i-am (also conveniently named after an Air Supply song)
Featuring the love songs of Tender Heart (Graham Russell) and Heart Song (Russell Hitchcock), they helped keep Coloratura's career on track after Svengallop's departure.
So far in this story I've referenced Hall & Oates, Poco, and Air Supply. My taste in music is dated. And that date is the '80s...
Source: screencap
Vice Headmare Sunburst. Shouldn't that be Vice Headstallion Sunburst? Probably, but that one's on DHX, not me. For what it's worth, my thought is that since Starlight is headmare, the vice position defaults to that regardless of the gender (or species) of the pony (or griffin, dragon, etc.) occupying the position. Under this scenario, if Sunburst were headstallion, then Starlight would be vice-headstallion.
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/243703
I always sleep best when it’s cool and I’m tucked under a mountain of blankets and a nice, thick comforter.
That's me in a nutshell. I keep my house pretty chilly most of the time: 62-64 degrees (~16-17 to my Celsius friends). The further the temperature increases past 70, the more difficulty I have sleeping.
Bumblesweet and I are identical twins, so most ponies can’t tell us apart. It’ll be easier once we get cutie marks. ‘Bumblebuzz’, ‘Honeybumble’, and ‘Honeysweet’ are all nicknames we’ve acquired from confused classmates and even a few teachers.
When I was in elementary school, I went to school with twins (Alan & Brian). Our teacher started calling them AlanBrian (pony names work so much better for combining, all three of the combinations I suggested could just as easily be a pony name). My own trick was to greet one of them early in the day, and see if I was corrected on the name. Then I made note of what he was wearing so I'd remember which twin was wearing what on a given day. Thank the stars they never dressed alike...
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/239944
From left to right Cupcake (the only pony seen here not appearing in this fic, since the name 'Cupcake' was later assigned to Mrs. Cake), Diamond Rose, Dewdrop Dazzle, Cherry Pie, Honeybuzz, and Lily Blossom.
Source: https://derpibooru.org/images/165219
And with Daisy Dreams!
A big thank you to Snowliasion for pre-reading!
Thanks as usual for the extra information. :)
If you like the U of M's Honeycrisp and Sweetango apples, try frontenac gris wine or Stinger Mead.
Bountiful northern cold-tolerant produce, done the good old fashioned way with mendelian cross-breeding and genetic inheritance. In your face, Trofim!
5268315
I recently tried honeycrisp for the first time and was very impressed with it. Thanks for the suggestions!
Neato on the information about bees. I never did like Red delicious apples, at least not the ones that were a staple of sack lunches in the 90's huge, blood-red skin and mealy white flesh that had about as much flavor as styrofoam. I could do a better job nowadays with eating my fruits and veggies. I am kind of like honey in that I am not what you would call competitive myself, and I don't like conflict, I don't blame her one bit for getting upset at her sister for being a stuck-up primadonna brat, hopefully, they will make up in the future, but only time will tell.