//------------------------------// // Applejack // Story: What if the Rainboom Never Happened? // by Cameron Nightshade //------------------------------// “You know, maybe I will find my cutie mark if I go to Manehatten with my Aunt and Uncle Orange,” Applejack said with a sigh. She didn’t particularly like the country life, so maybe she will like the city life a little better. The next morning, Applejack had sent a letter to her Aunt and Uncle saying that she would be staying there to learn the life of a city filly. Once they found out, they were delighted to be able to see their niece again. Once Applejack got a letter back saying that she can stay there, she packed her bag, and left to Manehatten on the next train. When she arrived in Manehatten, she got off the train, and grabbed her small bag. Luckily, she had been to her Aunt and Uncle’s place a few times before, so she knew where to go. As she walked through the huge city, she was amazed by the tall buildings, and the amount of ponies that were in the streets. Soon, she had made it to the apartment, and knocked on the door. After a few seconds of waiting, Aunt Orange opened the door. “Hello, Applejack. It’s fantastic to see you again. Please, come in and make yourself home. There is a spare bedroom down the hall and to the left. I will be in there in about 10 minutes to see how you are doing,” Aunt Orange said to Applejack. Applejack took her bag down to her room. She opened the door and looked around. The walls were a pale orange with darker orange swirls painted on them. The bed in the middle of the room has an orange blanket covering it with white pillows. “I think I am going to like it here,” Applejack said to herself as she unpacked her small bag. Aunt Orange pushed open the door and made her way over to Applejack. “How is it going, honey? Do you like it here?” Applejack looked up at her Aunt. “Yes I do! It’s so much better than the farm!” she squealed. Aunt Orange laughed. “Good,” she said. “Tomorrow, we are going to a dinner party with a few of my friends. I expect you to be on your best behaviour, look and talk your best.” Applejack nodded and closed her blinds to go to bed. When she woke up the next morning, she woke to the sweet smells of hay waffles. The smell woke her up easily, and she was down the hall in just a matter of a minute, while at home, it would take her sometimes 7 minutes to get herself out of bed, and 4 just to get down the short hallway. She took a seat at the table, and a stack of warm waffles was placed before her. “Eat up, honey. Today is going to be a long day. Once you are done, go upstairs and get ready to go. We are going to go to a small party before, then dinner, then the after party. I want to do your mane and teach you to speak in the proper Manehatten Equestrian,” Aunt Orange explained. Applejack nodded, and practically dove into her waffles. She quickly finished, and rushed to her room. She was so ready to learn how to be a proper city pony, instead of a small farm pony. Aunt Orange soon came down the hall, and began to work on Applejack’s mane. After a half an hour of teasing the mane, and slowly working it above her head, the work was finally finished. “May I please see it now, Aunt Orange?” Applejack asked. just the way she was taught during that fast 30 minute-or-so lesson. “Yes, Applejack, you may,” Aunt Orange showed Applejack to a mirror, and Applejack gasped. “It’s so pretty! I love it!” Applejack squealed in delight. “I mean, it is very beautiful. Thank you very much for your work, Aunt Orange. I am quite pleased with the work you have done.” Aunt Orange laughed. “You’re welcome. Now, come along. We must get going,” Aunt Orange stated. Applejack, Aunt Orange, and Uncle Orange caught a cab and made their way downtown. They sat down at the table. “So how are you finding good old Manehatten?” William Wright asked Applejack. She look up at him. “Oh, it’s simply divine,” she said sweetly. Aunt Orange nudged Applejack. “Very well said, my dear,” Aunt Orange looked back at William Wright. Applejack grinned. “Although, I must admit the city noise took some getting used to. Where I'm from, nights are so quiet you seldom hear a peep until the roosters wake you.” Applejack caught herself. She didn’t mean to say that, but there was no taking it back now. “The… what?” Dainty Dove muttered. “I say, my dear, what in the world is a rooster?” William Wright asked. Applejack looked worried. “.....uhhhh..” she started. “Dinner is served,” a pony said as he put down plates. “Thank goodness. Being a city pony’s hard work. I’m so hungry I could eat a-” her words were cut off when the cover was taken off the plate. Only a little bit of food was on the plate. Applejack was devastated. She was so hungry, but there was almost nothing to eat. But it was better than nothing. She ate it slowly, trying to be graceful, and trying to fill herself up. When dinner was over, she said goodbye to all the ponies she met, and went back home with her Aunt and Uncle. They walked in the door, and Uncle Orange began to cook. Applejack looked at him. “Uncle Orange? Why are you cooking? We just ate,” she asked. Aunt Orange laughed from the living room. “We may be quaint, but that dinner is nothing! We always have a little extra to fill ourselves up afterwards. Not a lot, but enough,” Aunt Orange explained. Applejack nodded her head and went up to her room to take down her hair. It was hard work, but she pulled out as many pins as she could. She knew there were more in her hair, but she would just ask Aunt Orange to take the rest out. The smell of food drifted into her room, and Applejack followed the smell. She sat down at the table, and began to eat the extra food that was given to her. When she finished her food, she looked up at her Aunt. “Can you help me pull out all the pins and stuff from my hair, please?” she asked. Aunt Orange sat up from the table. “Of course, darling. Come along,” Aunt Orange went to Applejacks room. Applejack sat down in front of her Aunt. She moved a little as her hair was being pulled out of its pins. “Honey, are you feeling alright?” Aunt Orange asked as she pulled out the last of the pins. “Ah’m just feeling a little homesick, that’s all. Do you think Ah could come to your work tomorrow, to see what you do?” Aunt Orange looked at Applejack in the mirror. “Well, sure. If it makes you feel any better, you can come to my work any time that you want,” she assured Applejack. Applejack turned around, and hugged her Aunt. “Thanks!” Soon, Applejack was all set for bed, and ready to go to work with her Aunt the following day. Her Aunt and Uncle Orange tucked her into bed, and left the room. When Applejack awoke, she hopped out of bed, and got herself ready for the day. She met her Aunt Orange at the front door, and they made their way to her work. At her work, she helped her Aunt sort through the oranges. Which ones were ready, and which ones weren’t. She even had to peel some and help dry them. When she was done, her hooves smelled like oranges. The air did as well. “Do you ever get tired of doing the exact same thing every single day?” Applejack asked as she peeled yet another orange. Aunt Orange looked over at Applejack. “Sometimes, but I get over it. This is what I was born to do, so I love it either way. I’m sure you’ll learn to love it, too.” Applejack looked down at the newly peeled orange. To be honest, she wasn’t sure if she liked this or not. It was fun and all, but maybe her speciality wasn’t peeling, cutting, and drying oranges. Maybe it was running a company or something. A lightbulb went off in Applejack’s head. “Aunt Orange? Do you think I could set up a small shop around Manehatten selling these oranges? It could give you more business!” Applejack noted. Aunt Orange looked at Applejack. “Are you sure you could do that? Do you want some help?” Applejack exhaled deeply. “I can do it, Aunt Orange. Just trust me, I can do this,” she said. Aunt Orange nodded her head, and Applejack grinned. “Thank you sooo much!” she exclaimed as she ran out of the doors. In just a few weeks, oranges were selling like nothing before. Applejack had created the most popular orange selling place in all of Manehatten. The oranges were so good, people all around Equestria came to get a taste of the Oranges, well, oranges. Aunt Orange stopped by Applejack’s new shop. “Wow Applejack, you are doing very well,” she exclaimed. “And I think you got something there on your flank,” she said as she grinned. “What?” Applejack asked as she turned around. There it was. An orange. With a money symbol right in the middle of the orange. “My cutie mark! Ohmygosh! I finally got it!” Applejack bounced up and down. “I got my cutie mark everypony!” she yelled. Applejack cleared her throat. “Uhm, thank you, for pointing that out. I appreciate it.” Aunt Orange laughed. “You’re welcome, darling. Now let’s get home.” For the next few years, Applejack built her way up from a small street corner, to a full blown business. She became the CEO of Applejack’s Oranges, a subcompany of the Orange’s Oranges.