//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Cake and stampede 
// Story: Applejack and what else 
// by owocowy 
//------------------------------//

The next day Applejack woke up much later than usually. There was just no point in waking up early if there was nothing to do for her.
She still felt a bit angry about her task being taken from her. She felt like she had lost the reason to even get out of the bed. But she still had friends... She knew that Twilight wanted the best, but seemingly didn't realized how important work was for Applejack. The young mare decided that she is going to apologize Twilight for her outburst. She didn't wanted to yell at her. It was just... Well, she was the Element of Honesty. She was bad at lying, but also she was often saying just what she was thinking. Thus, she was a bit hot-headed at times, times like yesterday.
She descended from her room to the kitchen. She put out some flour, milk and apples and started baking. 
After nearly an hour, she opened the oven and took out a hot, steaming apple pie.
"Now I'm ready to go!" Doing the cake cheered her up a bit, and she went out to make it to the library before the cake turns cold.

Knock-knock-knock.
"Come in!" Spike yelled. The doors opened and Applejack once again was in the library. 
"Hey, Spike."
"Applejack?"
"Why so surprised?"
"It's just... Twilight have been a bit upset... Ugh, never mind, she's upstairs."
"Thanks." Applejack went straight for the stairs. Once she entered the room, she saw the unicorn with her nose buried deep in a book. She hadn't even noticed her arrival.
"Twilight..." Applejack started. When it comes to it, apologizing is never easy.
"Hm?" Twilight still wasn't looking.
Ah could just walk away now... The earth pony thought, but quickly pushed this thought away. Ah am not a coward!
"Ah wanted to apologize." She said loud and fast. This time the unicorn looked up.
"Applejack? What are you doing here? Uh, I mean..." she stumbled over her words. "I wasn't expecting to see you... Ekhm, soon."
"Ah know... Sorry ah was so harsh on you. Ah'm mighty, mighty sorry. Ah know all you wanted to do was help me out."
"And I'm sorry that I was messing around on your farm without your knowledge."
"It's okay... My fault ah've bursted out, should've keep my reins down. Also, ah've brought you this Apology Cake" She said, pulling it out.
"So we're good?" Twilight inquired, looking at Applejack.
"We're good." She answered. The unicorn let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Great! I really don't like to be at odds with my friends! But that's what friends do - they forgive, right? Looks like I have a letter to write to Princess Celestia!" Applejack couldn't believe that a few simple words made Twilight so happy. Looks like she really cares a lot for their friendship. She already started walking around the room, magically putting the books around on shelves and holding a quill and paper.
"Then ah guess ah'll be gone now?" Applejack backed out, putting the pie on a nearest shelf.
“See ya ‘round” She said, leaving already busy Twilight to write her letter. Although settling things right with Twilight let down heavy weight from her heart, she didn't share her friend's enjoyment. 
When she stepped outside the library, something struck her and sent rolling on the ground. When she opened her eyes she saw Rainbow Dash on top of her.
"Guess what!" the pegasus straightened herself, holding a golden cup in her hoof.
"You won! Congratulations, RD!" Applejack answered, getting up. "But ah've thought the competition was yesterday?"
"It was! I was just a bit busy for the rest of the day. You know, interviews, autographs and all that fame stuff..."
"Ah see." she could rather see Raibow staring at her prize in her room for the rest of the day. 
"Anyway, now you are talking with OFFICIALLY the fastest pony in this part of Equestria!"
"The fastest... Ohh, it calls for a party!" both mares turned their heads to Pinkie Pie, who just, literally, bounced into their conversation. "With balloons! And streamers! And huge cake! This is going to be the best party ever!"
Rainbow Dash wasn't being given details. She was being assaulted with details. Applejack took her chance and walked away. She didn't felt like partying. She would rather be alone now.

After a while, she had made her way to the Sweet Apple Acres. When she passed along the orchards, she looked at the now empty trees. A cold feeling stung her heart again. It was noon, and she had no work to do. Normally, she would started bucking apples, but now... She needed something to occupy her mind. Not that there was anything wrong about thinking, but when she had nothing to do her thoughts sometimes trailed off in directions she didn't like. She needed a task. A challenge. She looked around. The trees were empty, and hadn't started losing leaves yet. Apples in the barn, everything in the right order. Nothing to do at the farm. Suddenly, she felt a slight vibrations in the ground. She looked around. She noticed a cloud of dust in the distance.
"Oh no..." she made a few steps forward. Straining her eyes, she was able to see contours of running cows.
Stampede! Applejack knew a stampede wasn't anything strange, but this one was clearly moving towards Ponyville. And that was dangerous. She let out a loud whistle. Barking could be heard and a dog showed up.
"Let's go, Wynona!" Applejack ran off to meet with the cows. If somepony could stop them, it was her. Ponyville needed her.




Fluttershy just met Carrot Top this morning. She bought a stack of carrots for Angel, and was going home, the bunny jumping by her side. She just crossed the bridge, humming to herself, a basket full of fresh carrots hanging from her mouth.
It is such a nice day. She tought. Then a blue butterfly flew by her side. She smiled, unfolded her wings and tried to catch up with it. But then an abrupt movement in a corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked back and was surprised to see Angel running frantically away.
"Oh, Angel bunny, what scared you so much?" but the bunny didn't even look back. Fluttershy landed on the ground. As she did, she felt that it was violently shaking. The basket fell out of her mouth as she turned to her left. There, right in front of her, was a running pack of cows, and it was closing really fast.
*squeak*
Her legs refused to move and she found herself sitting flatly on the ground, her pupils narrowing of the oncoming doom.
*squeak*
Fluttershy made another sound full of scare and panic and closed her eyes, awaiting for the worst to happen. But then there was a noise of scratched ground, like a dozens of hooves were ripping the dirt. After a moment nothing happened, so she slowly opened her eyes. Right in front of her were about thirty heavy breathing cows. First one of them spoke:
"Oh my, I'm so sorry darling. We didn't mean to scare you. Good thing I've spotted you in the last moment, tough..."
"But Mooriela" asked another one, breathing heavily. "Why we were running?"
"I'm not sure, something muuust have scared Dorothy."
Fluttershy was still sitting on the ground, scared to her bones herself, but was listening to the conversation. She chuckled nervously.
"... heh... probably just a snake or something... right?" She asked in her typical, unsure way.
"A snake?!" Mooriela looked at her surprised. Behind her, rumblings grew louder.
"A snake?" "What snake?" "Snake?" "Snake!" "A snake!"
And then one of the cows cried "A snake! Everyone run for your lives!" and the stampede began once again, but in an opposite direction. 
In that moment, Applejack ran to her friend, panting heavily.
"Sorry... ah was too slow... Fluttershy, you alright... What happened?"
The pegasus' eyes were still wide.
"I-I... don't know" she stammered. Then, an earthpony showed up at the bridge.
"I saw what happened! She saved Ponyville!" Behind him, more ponies were appearing. Ponyville's Mayor stand out of the cheering crowd. 
"That was amazing, dear Fluttershy! You're a true hero of ours! Such an outstanding thing doesn't happen too often - I think it requires a celebration!" With that, the crowd literally picked up Fluttershy from the ground and carried in the direction of the city centre.
Huh. That was... Unexpected. Hay, ah wouldn't say Fluttershy could scare off a fly, not to mention a pack of cows. Applejack was the only one left. She caught her breath and followed to Ponyville's square.

"Now I'm thanking Fluttershy personally, but I will do it officially the day after tomorrow on a party in our hero's honour!" the Mayor said. 
"Hooray for Fluttershy!" everypony cheered. Applejack just got on the place. She spotted Pinkie Pie standing nearby.
"Hey there, Pinkie! What is Mayor talkin' bout?"
"Ohh, Fluttershy will have a big party in two days! Since, you know, she saved the city from being trampled!"
"Those're good news alright." the announcement was done, and ponies were slowly going back to their daily chores.
"Oh yeah! It looks like we will have a double party then!"
“What d’ya mean, a double party?”
"Silly pony! For Rainbow of course!" the pink pony started to bounce around Applejack, causing her to spin. “But this mean we will need more supplies. Can you visit Rarity to see if she has any spare serpentines?”
“Sure thing, sugarcube.” Hearing the agreement, Pinkie bounced off in the direction of Sugar Cube Corner.
More streamers! Applejack chuckled to herself. For some odd reason, Pinkie just loved streamers. She decided to visit Rarity right away for any scraps of material.

"Hello, Rarity" she greeted the unicorn as she entered the Caroseul Botique. "Do you have some leftover material maybe? Ya ‘now, for streamers and serpentines"
"Hello, Appl- DEAR Celestia! What has happened to your mane?!" the fashionista was clearly terrified by the look of her friend.
"Umm... Nuthin'?" Applejack answered unsurely, trying to look on the top of her head. "What about it?"
"What about? It's all sweaty and every hair goes in other direction! It's a mess!"
"That's nothing. Ah was just running today."
"Let me take care of this." Rarity said, leaving no space for denial. She levitated a comb and started to put her friend's mane into shape. "So what brings you here, Applejack?"
"Pinkie’s makin’ a party for our six tomorrow. Ah came here to ask if you have any scraps of material for the decoration."
"Of course, darling, there's a whole basket of leftovers at the back. You can have it all. There, now you look like a mare" Rarity finished combing and put the comb away. "You have such a wonderful hair. You should appreciate it and take care of your mane more often."
"Ah don't have time for those fru-fru platitudes."
"I'm not talking about hair designing, but at least a nice combing every morning."
"Every mornin’?! Ya know how hard it is to comb yourself? It's a terror to even put mah scrunchie on with these two" She looked at her hooves.
"I see... Well then, you could always come to me every now and then."
"Ah think ah'll pass... Ah'll just take those materials."
"As you wish." Rarity said and disappeared at the back of the boutiqe for a moment. She came back levitating a basket full of cut parts of various materials.
"Thanks Rarity." Applejack observed the basket for a second, and having no other way of taking the basket, she took its edge in her mouth and started pulling. 
"Maybe you would like some help with-"
"Nah, ah'm fihne. Thankhs ahnd seeh yah shoon" the earth pony said with her teeth clenched on the basket.
Rarity closed the doors behind her friend and observed her through the window for a moment, as she was staggering with the basket. She could really use some help, that stubborn pony. Rarity thought to herself.

It took her a longer while, but Applejack finally made it to the Corner. She left the pink pony rummaging through the basket and went back to the farm. Once she got there, she entered the kitchen and was surprised to see Big Macintosh home.
“Big Macintosh! Ah’ve thought ya’ll be away for another week or so!” She welcomed him happily, giving him a hug.
“Yup. A united dozen of workin’ ponies can do miracles.” Her big brother answered. “And I see you’re done here, too. How did you manage? Applebloom said she woke up one day and the orchards were harvested.”
“Actually” Applejack started “Ah didn’t. And ah probably wouldn’t have it done by now. Twilight came over ‘n’ magicked all them apples into the barn.”
Big Macintosh picked up one apple from the table and eyed it suspiciously. Its tail wasn’t ripped, as it usually happens for apples shaken from the tree. Instead, it looked like it was neatly cut.
“That explains a lot, I suppose.” He hasn’t said anything else. For a while Applejack wondered if her brother is disappointed of her, but he quickly explained the reason of his troubled face. “Looks like we will have’ta make more jam this year. And quickly.”
That was another reason for taking down the apples gradually. Their freshness. Applejack knew that now they will have to process most of the apples, so they won’t spoil.
“Don’t ya worry yer head ‘bout that, big brother. It’s good to have you back home.” She reassured the stallion and went to mind her business. She felt she needed a good bath after running all the way to Ponyville. Looks like it was for nothin’. With that thought, she went to sleep.