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// Chapter 4: Stories and hobbies 
// Story: Applejack and what else 
// by owocowy 
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“Why yer so gloom, sweetie?” Granny Smith asked Applejack. The whole evening so far was spoiled for her by that Wonderbolt’s ‘tomfoolery’.
“Ah hate them famous ponies. They think they’re better than others, but they do nothin’ they can be proud of. Ah’m glad our family is free of such ones.” She didn’t answered the question directly, as she didn’t want to go into details.
“Famous ponies? Why, yes, we’ve had one of them alright.” Granny Smith put down the newspaper she was reading.
“What?” Applejack was slightly astonished. “A famous Apple? Ah never heard of one.”
“Oh, ye’r just too young to remember. Equestria-known travelling magician. And mah uncle, too.” Now Applejack was fully astonished.
“But Granny, you’ve never spoke of him before!”
“Well, that’s a long story...”
“Go on” she encouraged, sitting down on a couch in front of her grandmother.
“It was long time ago... Ah was just a little filly back then. Maybe even younger than Applebloom. Mah mother often told me the story of mah grandparents, great-great-grandparents fer ya youngin’. Back at these times, it was badly perceived for a unicorn to bound with a plain earth pony. But you can say their love was beyond the rules. And that’s how mah mother and her brother showed up on this world. And that’s where the story begins. Ya see, mah mother was an earth pony, but her brother was like his father. When they grew older, she established a family, and he was earning his livin’ as a travellin’ show-pony. Heard he was good at magic and stuff, but ah never seen him performin’. Actually, ah only seen him once or twice on our family reunions, but mah mum was exchangin’ letters with him. Then the crisis came. It was hard to find a proper job, and times were hard. Ponies couldn’t spare their money for his performances, so he started to help ‘em with his magic, still travellin’ around, searching for troubles to fix.” Granny Smith stopped for a while, obviously straining her memory. “Ah guess there’s a newspaper with an article ‘bout him in the attic. Anyway, then we moved to Ponyville. Actually, it wasn’t Ponyville yet, just a few houses by the road. Our farm enlivened the place, and it grew big enough to show up on the maps. And that’s how Ponyville was created and why it has older traditions. Hope that answers yer question” Upon finishing, she gave Applejack a wide smile. “Good to know you youngin’s ‘re interested in our city’s history”
“Yeah... thanks for your time, Granny.”Applejack replied. Her grandmother was at the point in life where she was easily loosing the topic.
Wanting to know a bit more, she ascended the attic. After some time of rummaging through the boxes labelled ‘mementos’, she found the newspaper. Nothing much, just a black and white picture of a unicorn stallion and a short note how he helped to put up a new rooftop in some village.
Felling like she has a lot to think of, she decided to have a night out. She took a few golden bits and quietly went out. It was already dark, Luna’s moon shining majestatically in the sky.




Ponyville never had bars or liquor stores of any kind, as alcohol usually brought troubles. But if somepony needed to unwind, there was a kind of motel, where you could rent a room and have a drink overnight at the bar. It was just outside the town borders, and that’s where Applejack headed. She was there only once or twice, but she felt that cutting off her mind for one evening would do her good.
Applejack entered the bar and sat at the counter. There were a few visitors, some talking quietly and some just hanging their heads over their drinks. She ordered her first beer, and went into thoughts. She was thinking about how she had nothing to do and about finding a hobby. She thought how she was devoided of her work and how that Wonderbolt treated her.
“He thinks he’s impressive... Ah’ll have a hobb-ey to be impressive!” She slurred to herself, putting down her third glass of beer. She had lost any faith in ponies.
Then the doors to the bar opened and all ponies looked at the new guests. They were three unicorns, wearing a traveller’s outfits. They came over to the bar and looked around. There were only two seats free at the counter, both by the sides of Applejack. The stallion at the head of the group said to her:
“Move, please.”
“Ah’m going nowhere!” She snapped at him. She wasn’t in mood of doing anypony’s requests anymore.
“I said” the stallion stood by her side. “Move!” With that, he pushed Applejack with his flank, sending her off the stool. The three laughed and took the places. The farm pony stood up shakily.
“Ah’ll show ya!” she swinged her hoof at him, but he dodged it without trouble and Applejack was at the floor again. The three laughed even harder.
“You dirty little...” She tried to charge at him again, but she felt the ground leaving her hooves. “What the hay?! Put me down!” She swinged her hooves in the air, as she was floating in a cloud of magic coming out of the unicorn’s horn. “Don’t you hide behind yer magic!”
“You want to fight with me?” The unicorn asked, as the laughs died out.
“Put me down and stand up wit’ yer hooves!” Applejack cried angrily. The unicorn was calm.
“Why would I? Unlike you earthies, I don’t need to get my hooves dirty. Nor my face.” With that, he launched her through the doors, face-first into the ground. Laughs could be heard again.
Applejack stood up again, and wanted to go inside, but the doors slammed in front of her face and locked itself. Laughs could still be heard. She looked through the window.
The bar-keeping pony went over to the newcomers.
“Be calm and don’t treat my customers like that, or you’ll be forced to leave.”
“Shut up, barkep, and do your job!” the unicorn replied him, tossing a few bits on the counter.
Applejack sighed heavily with anger and went back home. Trying not to wake up anypony, she headed straight to her bed.




As the sun shined through window on her face, Applejack grumbled. She wasn’t in shape for waking up yet. But the sun was relentless. The window along with the curtains that could possibly stop it were on the other side of the room, so Applejack grumbled again. Eventually she got up, still feeling a bit dizzy from the day before. Her eyes were bloodshot and her breath... Well, it was breath taking.
The first thing she did was visit the bathroom and put herself to proper shape. After about half an hour, she came downstairs for breakfast. Big Macintosh was at the table finishing his food, and Granny Smith was bustling around the kitchen.
“Good mornin’, everypony!” AJ greeted them, as cheerfully as she could. She hoped that her absence yesterday went unnoticed.
Granny responded obliviously, and Big Macintosh gave her one of his looks. Like if he knew everything what happened and understood... Or didn’t care at all. It was hard to tell.
Anyway, after a proper breakfast she went out for a small jog around the orchards. During it, she planned her activities for the day. And so her hobby hunting began.

Swimming was for starters. Although it freshened her up, she got bored after some time. Next came wood carving. She had many ideas for it until she almost loose her teeth on a nasty knag. Not letting her spirits down, she also tried kite flying, painting, sculpting and even got Roseluck to bring her into arcana of flower caring. Too bad she was already too tired to care whether the leaves of a flower were in right order or not.
After a few eventful hours, Applejack was glad to go back home. Trying everything sure was exhausting. Ah wonder how them Crusader manage it every day...to talk of the devil. She thought to herself, as Applebloom ran over upon seeing her arrive.
“Applejack! Ah need help with somethin’! Let’s go!” The little filly said vigorously, pulling her sister behind the corner of a barn.
“What’s up, Applebloom?” Applejack asked anxiously, seeing her sister so exited. Although she got easily exited, something was clearly on.
The filly stopped by the barn. “Look what ah’ve got!” she said pulling the object of interest from the barn.
“Landsnakes, what ya’ve got it for?” Applejack was a bit scared of the answer, as she eyed the object.
“Ya kiddin’ me? A monocycle cutie mark! Totally awesome!” Applebloom wasn’t dejected at all. “Too bad ah don’t know how to ride it. Do you?” she asked expectantly.
“Now wait a minute, sugarcube. Where in tarnation did ya get a monocycle?”
“Ah saw it comin’ back from school, and ah borrowed it. So we’ve got only today to figure out how to ride it!” she was widely smiling at Applejack.
“You actually borrowed it?” AJ asked the filly.
“Well... Yes...”She answered hesitantly, clearly uneasy.
“And the owner knows that you borrowed his monocycle?” came the next question.
“’f course he knows! He was chasing me!” Applebloom light up again.
“Wha... CHASIN’?! Didn’t ya thought that maybe he didn’t wanted to lend you it?” The last thing Applejack needed was Applebloom being a theft. The filly was carefree, tough.
“Ah did, but he gave up when ah screamed that he will have it back tomorrow mornin’. So ah figured out he agreed.”
“Eh. Really, Applebloom.” AJ sighed.
“Don’t be mad, sis. And please, don’t tell me ah got to give it back just yet!” Her sister pleaded.
“Fine... But no, ah’ve never rode anythin’ like this before.”She will let it pass this time. Maybe if Applebloom will face the angry pony tomorrow, she will learn something.
“Great! Now let’s get to it! And ah think ya’ll hav’ta put me up. Ah can’t even get on the darn thing!”
“Watch yer tongue, AB.” After a few trials, Applebloom failed to even keep the balance for more than few seconds. Applejack observed carefully, and came up with a method.
“You should try to counter the gravity with pedals” Despite of the hint, Applebloom couldn’t manage. As she grew annoyed of constant failing, she gave way to her sister.
Applejack picked the monocycle cautiously, and mounted it. Applebloom held her side, until she was seated.
“Okay, now let me go. Slowly” She directed. The filly slowly let go and backed off. Applejack wobbled a little, but managed to keep her balance. Pressing her hoofs on the pedals, she countered the force of gravity pulling her to the ground. Applebloom clapped her hooves.
“You’re doing great, sis!”
Applejack, more confident due to her success,  tried to move herself forward a little. After a few wobbly inches, she stopped again to regain balance. Applebloom was still cheering her up. Eh, what the hay. Ah’ve got only one life. She thought to herself, as she pressed harder on the pedals. With greater velocity, the balance was easier to keep. She even managed to make a small arch around Applebloom.
“Wooo-hooo! You rule, AJ!” the filly screamed.
Applejack smiled widely. However, her smile faded very soon. Ah should have checked the ground first she thought regretfully, as the monocycle jumped up on a stone hidden in the grass. The bounce deprived her of any control, and now she was falling to the ground. Instinctively, she tried to abandon the monocycle by jumping off of it. She went flying... The ‘flight’ was short tough, as it was abruptly interrupted by a branch from a nearby tree. With a loud ‘THUD’ Applejack slammed her face at the branch and fell to the ground.
Applebloom panicked.
“Sis? Sis! Are you allright?” She leapt over to her sister.
“Uhh... Ah’m alive...” Applejack replied slowly, as she tried to get on her hooves. Massive pain stroke through her skull, so she withdrawn her trials and decided to stay on the ground.
“Ah... Ah’ll get Big Mac!” Unsure what to do, Applebloom ran off for her brother.
Soon, the two appeared walking quickly past the barn. Big Macintosh was pulling an empty apple cart.
“Ah’ve got ya, sister,” he reassured her, as he picked her up and placed into the cart.
“Ah’m fine, mah head is just killin’ me...” Applejack groaned. Big Macintosh looked at the nasty bruise on her forehead.
“No wonder... Applebloom, you stay here. I going to get Applejack to hospital. And don’t worry, everything will be fine.” He reassured both of them, and himself either. With that, he trotted off pulling the cart towards the Ponyville hospital.