Twilight sits in the library of her castle sorting through the latest shipment of books. "Let’s see what we have here." She says as she grabs a book with her magic. "Estrus and You. That's biology."
She shelves the book then grabs another. "My Little Sapien: War is Everything." She sighs, "I don't get these fictional works." She shelves that book and picks up another.
"Farming 101; that's horticulture." She goes to shelve the book when she notices the author. "Doctor Apple?" She asks herself as she flips the book open and reads the author biography. "Doctor Apple has a PhD in Horticulture from the University of Canterlot and is the Equestria renowned authority on farming."
Twilight looks at the book for a minute in thought. “I wonder if this Doctor Apple is related to Applejack, she did say that almost all her family was in farming in some way or another." Twilight gets up and then puts the book in her saddlebags before levitating the bags up and carefully placing them on her back.
Once the bags are firmly on her back she opens her wings then flies out the library window and heads straight for Sweet Apple Acres. Not trusting herself not to hit a tree, she lands outside the farm and folds her wings up to her sides before walking the rest of the way.
As she walks onto the farm proper she sees Apple Bloom. "Hey Twilight." Bloom says. "Whatcha doin' here?"
"I need to talk to Applejack." Twilight answers. "You know where I can find her?"
"She's in the south field. Is everythin’ okay?" Bloom asks.
"Oh yes, everything is fine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, ya seem to only come around when there's trouble brewin’ somewhere."
Twilight pauses for a minute before responding. “I suppose trouble does have a way of following me around huh?”
“Ya sure ya don’t go lookin’ for trouble?”
“That’s not very fair with how much trouble you and the other crusaders have caused.”
“I suppose ya do have a point there.” Bloom admits. “Well, I gots chores to do, so I best let ya be on your way.”
“Thank you Apple Bloom.” Twilight says as she starts to walk toward the south field. “Stay out of trouble, okay?”
“Don’tcha worry none, mah chores will keep me busy the rest of that day.”
Twilight nods, “Very well.” She continues down the path to the south field and soon hears the familiar sound of trees being bucked. She follows the sound of hooves on bark until she sees Applejack rear up her hind legs and kick a tree; knocking all the apples into the preplaced baskets at the bottom of the tree.
“Howdy there Twilight.” Applejack says as she notices her friend. “What can I do ya for?”
“Got a few minutes Applejack?” Twilight asks.
“I reckon it’s time for mah break, so sure.” Applejack answers. Then she takes off her hat and wipes the sweat from her forehead.
“I was shelving a new delivery of books today when I came across a book that caught my attention.”
“No offense Twilight, but that don’t take much.”
Twilight blushes slightly and nods. “What I mean is that the author of the book caught my attention.”
“Whatcha find another book my Starswirl ya just had to tell me about?”
“No.” Twilight says defensively. “I know you don’t care for that kind of thing.” Twilight carefully opens up her saddlebags with her magic and pulls the book out showing it to Applejack. “It’s a book on horticulture, more specifically farming, written by a pony named Doctor Apple. I was wondering if this Doctor Apple might be related to you.”
“What makes ya think that this Doctor Apple might be related to me?”
“The fact that they have Apple in their name and the book is on farming. Also you told me that almost every Apple has a farming related cutie mark.”
“That’s right sugarcube, only one’s who’s not is Apple Polish. She’s the off-hoof of the family.”
“Apple Polish, why does that name sound familiar?”
“She’s a unicorn, does something regarding magic in Canterlot, I can’t right remember.”
Twilight gasps. “I remember her, she’s an administrator for the CSFGU, isn’t she?”
“Yeah. that’s right.”
“She was there when I took my magic exam.”
“That don’t surprise me much.” Applejack says. “Look here Twilight, I’m already getting behind and well, there’s a bit more of a story behind Doctor Apple then I’d care to go into right now. Why don’tcha come by the farmhouse tonight for dinner? I’ll explain then.”
Twilight nods. “Oh of course,sorry to slow you down.” Twilight places the book back in her bag then leaves the farm more confused then when she came there. Not sure what else to do Twilight returns to her castle and the library within and goes back to placing the books where they belong on the shelves.
“Twilight?” Spike asks breaking Twilight from her work.
“Huh?” Twilight asks.
“You okay?” Spike asks. “You finished shelving the last shipment of books a while ago.”
“Sorry, I’m just lost in thought.” Twilight says.
“I was just about to cook dinner, any requests?”
Twilight shakes her head. “Actually Applejack invited me to the farmhouse for dinner tonight. Why don’t you go out and get something for yourself?”
“Nah!” Spike says. “I’ll just make myself some nachos or something,”
Twilight nods. “Just remember to clean up after yourself.”
“I will.” Spike assures her.
“I better head off Spike.” Twilight says then stops and looks at the young dragon. “I don’t know when I’ll return, so don’t wait up for me.”
“All right.” Spike says.
With that Twilight once again returns the Sweet Apple Acres. Once there she knocks on the farmhouse door. Apple Bloom opens the door. “Howdy Twilight, Applejack said ya’d be buy.”
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Nah, we were just 'bout to sit down and have supper." Bloom replies. "Why don'tcha join us?"
"Alright." Twilight says as she enters the farmhouse, closing the door behind her.
"Come on, Twilight. Dig in." Applejack says as she serves up the food.
“Thank you.” Twilight says as she comes to the table and eats with them, afterwards the dishes are cleaned up and Apple Bloom has gone to her room to work on her homework.
“I reckon you’d like to hear that story now?” Applejack asks.
“I don’t really need the whole story, Applejack.” Twilight answers. “I just wanted to know if this Doctor Apple was related to you.”
“I know ya Sugarcube. You might be satisfied with knowing that for a while, but after awhile it’s gonna eat ya up until ya know the whole story.”
“I suppose that you have a point there.” Twilight admits.
“Alright.” Applejack says. “Let me start by answering your question. Doctor Apple is my kin.”
“I guessed that much when you said it was a bit of story".
“What would you say if I told ya you've already met Doctor Apple?”
“Given that I met a good chunk of your family when I first came here that isn’t all that surprising.”
“How about if I told ya that Doctor Apple is in this room?
Twilight can’t hide the look of surprise on her face as she stutters. “But… but…” She gathers her thoughts. “Which one of you is Doctor Apple?”
“Who do ya think?”
“Big Mac?” Twilight asks.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac answers.
“But how? When?”
“Want me ta tell it Mac?” Applejack asks.
“Nope.” Mac says. “I got it.” He sighs. “When I was a little colt I kept my nose buried in a book after my chores every night. I still enjoy a good book every now and again."
"Then why haven't I seen you come into the library and check out books to read?"
"I reckon taking over the farm has kept me busy."
"I understand.." Twilight says.
Mac nods and continues his story. "I graduated top of my class and applied for a scholarship at Canterlot University. I was easily accepted and given a scholarship to study botany. I wrote Ma and Pa every week, telling them all the interesting things I learned and giving advice on how to improve the farm."
"So part of the reason Sweet Apple Acres is doing so well is from what you learned?"
"Eeyup." Mac answers with a chuckle. “I was in my second year when I got the letter saying Pa was gone."
"What happened?"
"He was traveling trying to sell more apples; thanks to my advice the harvest was good that year." Mac looks sad. "He was caught in a mudslide."
Twilight gasps. "Oh no!"
Mac nods. “The semester had just ended so I told the school I was going to have to leave because of that. They understood but told me my scholarship was forfeit and I'd probably have to pay back what was already used. I got back just in time to help with the planting. Which was good as Applejack was just a little filly, and Ma was pregnant with Apple Bloom. Right before Ma foaled I wrote the university to see about correspondence courses. I was just starting back with classes when Ma passed."
"How did she die?"
"Having Apple Bloom was just too much for her. She managed to name her right before she passed."
"Does Apple Bloom know this?"
"Yeah." Applejack answers. "She asked about Ma and Pa and, you know I ain’t no good at lying. She took it pretty hard, but I told her not to blame herself none. Ma was happy she passed bringing another Apple into this world."
Twilight nods. “I think I understand."
"It's a mite tough to deal with at times." Applejack admits.
"Should I finish my story?" Mac asks.
“Please do."
"So it took me awhile and I had to take a loan out on the farm, but I finally got my doctorate." Mac says. "I immediately started writing that book. I'd already been using all our extra money just to pay the loan."
"And now?" Twilight asks.
Mac grins. “I'm hoping to write another book, the royalties on that one are good. If I get another published, heck we may end up with more money than Filthy Rich."
Twilight nods in understanding. “Thank you very much for telling me all this.”
“It’s been a pleasure.” Mac says.
Twilight leaves the farmhouse and returns to the castle, she goes up to her room and takes a piece of parchment and a quill in her magic and starts writing.
~Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that not everything is always as it appears and that sometimes you find knowledge where you least expect it. It’s true that should never judge a book by it’s cover, because if you do you never know what kind of knowledge you’ll miss.
~You’re Friend,
Princess Twilight Sparkle