Apple Family Adventures: A big surprise

by Writagon

Chapter 2

Applejack and Pinkie Pie sat across from each other on the train with their saddlebags under the table between them.

Applejack turned her head to look out the window, watching the scenery go by with a thoughtful expression on her face before she spoke, "I wonder what Manehattan looks like. I haven't seen it so long. I remember leaving the farm when I was a filly and making my way to Manehattan. It was a long walk, you know. I left in the morning in Ponyville and didn't get to Manehattan until it was night!" She turned back to where Pinkie Pie had been sitting previously. Noticing she was gone, Applejack looked down one end of the train car. "Pinkie Pie? Where did you go?" said Applejack

Shortly after asking the question she heard Pinkie Pie behind her. She turned around to look towards the other end of the train car. She spotted Pinkie Pie wearing the conductor’s hat and blowing bubbles out of the pipe clenched between her teeth. Pinkie Pie shuffled her hooves across the train floor and made her way from one side of the car to the other, saying "Chugga chugga chugga chugga choo choo, choo choo!"

Applejack giggled loudly at the sight of the train conductor chasing after Pinkie Pie saying, "Miss Pie! Please give me my hat back. That is not to be played with!" Pinkie Pie finally gave the hat back to the conductor before returning to sit across from Applejack. She said, "I was listening to your story, you know! But I left because it seemed like you needed to smile!" Pinkie Pie smiled at Applejack who, in return, smiled back.

"Thanks, sugarcube. It's difficult sometimes being a hard working pony. I never really thought of takin' time off and having fun or visiting places. My pa used to go on all sorts of adventures; Granny Smith used to tell me about them when I was a filly," said Applejack.

Pinkie Pie looked curiously at Applejack. "Well, how come you don't go on your own adventures, AJ?" said Pinkie Pie.

Applejack shook her head before replying, "I just can't sugarcube. I can't leave my responsibilities to Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom is still a filly after all, but I reckon when she gets older maybe I can try it."

Pinkie Pie nodded and smiled, then replied, "You should! There are a lot of neat places around, but you can't see them if you’re working on a farm all the time, silly filly!"

Applejack nodded in agreement to Pinkie Pie while smiling at her. "I reckon you’re right about that Pinkie, I think it would be nice to get out and explore Equestria when I can," said Applejack.

"That's the spirit, AJ! You can have all of your own super fun and dangerous adventures like Daring Do!" said Pinkie Pie, beaming.

Applejack giggled slightly and shook her head, replying, "I don't know about all that, sugarcube, but I hope to see some mighty interesting places anyway."

Pinkie Pie smiled at Applejack before the two of them turned their attention to the approaching pony with a cart of food and beverages. Looking at the two of them, he smiled and said, "Pardon me, madams. Would either of you care for something to eat or drink?"

Applejack smiled and said "I’ll just have some water and an apple, sugarcube."

"Oh! Oh! Can I have a cupcake? And some milk?!" said Pinkie Pie, having spotted a pink cupcake while looking at all the different foods on the little cart.

The waiter nodded, smiling in response to the two of them and placing glasses in front of each of them. He filled the glass in front of Applejack with water, and the one in front of Pinkie Pie with milk. Then he grabbed the apple and the cupcake, each set on a small plate so he didn't touch the food with his mouth. He set the plates down on the table. "Enjoy, madams. I will return later when the train stops at Manehattan so please leave your dishes on the table." The waiter pushed at the cart to continue down the train.

"Mm, cupcake!" said Pinkie Pie, excitedly digging into the small dessert. She got pink frosting on her muzzle, then licked it off with her tongue. Pinkie picked up the glass of milk she had been given and gulped it down. "Ah, delicious!" said Pinkie Pie with a satisfied look.

Applejack, still having her water and apple in front of her, giggled at Pinkie Pie before saying, "You know, you really should enjoy your food rather than gobbling it down in one bite, sugarcube." She leaned down to take a bite out of the apple on her plate. She chewed it up before she swallowed it and took a drink from her glass of water.

"But I did enjoy it! Cupcakes aren't any good when they're dry and moldy! You have to gobble them up as soon as you can!" said Pinkie Pie, still smiling at Applejack, who was taking another bite from her apple.

"Well I reckon you know more about that stuff than I do, Pinkie. Same goes for apples really, but I still take my time and enjoy them," said Applejack, finishing her apple and water then looking out the window as the train slowed down in its approach to Manehattan.

The conductor shouted out, "Manehattan station! All those getting off please exit the train car in an orderly fashion!"

"We're here!" said Pinkie Pie excitedly, grabbing her saddlebag and putting it on quickly.

Applejack smiled and grabbed her own saddlebag. "Well alright, sugarcube, let’s go!" The two of them trotted off of the train car into the train station. They both headed out past the exit into the city. Applejack stopped to look at the impressive city of Manehattan, with its tall buildings, fancy looking signs, and well-dressed ponies talking and drinking coffee. Some ponies were even riding in a wagon pulled by another pony. "Wow, this place is even fancier than I remember!" said Applejack.

"Of course it is silly! Now come on, there's something I want to show you!" said Pinkie Pie, rushing off down the street.

"Wait up there, Pinkie!" said Applejack, chasing after her. Pinkie Pie rushed into a big building with a sign reading "Manehattan Hotel" on it. Applejack opened up the door into darkness and looked around. "Pinkie?"

Suddenly the lights switched on and a crowd of ponies, including Pinkie Pie, were there wearing birthday hats with noisemakers in their mouths. They shouted out "Surprise! Happy birthday Applejack!" Ponies blew their noisemakers and cheered as Applejack smiled.

Pinkie Pie smiled and looked to the side where DJ pon-3 was stationed at her custom booth and said, "Hit it!" DJ pon-3 smiled and placed a disk on the turntable that started to play upbeat music. Pinkie Pie bobbed her head back and forth before she started to sing, "Hey there AJ I'm here to say, that we're going to wish you a happy birthday! It’s your big day, and everypony is here to say!"

Pinkie pauses briefly as the crowd of ponies shout, "Happy birthday, AJ!"

Then Pinkie returned to singing, "It’s your big day AJ! Come on and have some fun and play all day! Just don't forget that it’s your big day!"

The crowd of ponies shouted, "It’s your big day, AJ!"

Pinkie Pie returned to singing, "We're all here to say happy birthday! Yes, we'll show you how to oogie woogie boogie on your big day!"

Pinkie Pie and the crowd of ponies all broke out in a dance briefly before all coming together and shouting, "Happy birthday, AJ!" The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves on the floor in applause as streamers and balloons rained down over the lobby of the hotel.

Applejack was smiling so much that she looked a bit misty eyed as she trotted up to hug Pinkie Pie. "Thank you so much, sugarcube. You really are the best friend a pony could ask for."

Pinkie Pie smiled at Applejack and hugged her back. "That's what friends are for, you know! Now come on, let’s go put our stuff away and have some fun!" said Pinkie Pie. The two ponies headed to the front desk of the hotel to get their room keys then went to the elevator to find their room.

After putting their saddlebags in their room, the two of them went back down the elevator and exited the hotel. "So where are we going Pinkie?" asked Applejack curiously.

Pinkie Pie pointed down the street towards a carnival going on. "The carnival is right over there, let’s go ride some roller coasters!" said Pinkie Pie, who was already rushing down the sidewalk towards it.

Applejack followed after her, "Wait up, Pinkie! I haven't been on a roller coaster before!"

Pinkie Pie came to a sudden stop and looked at Applejack and gasped. "You've never been on a roller coaster before?! Then you have to go! You simply must! Its super fun! You get on the ride and it holds you in while the ride goes whoosh! Zoom! Loop-de-loop and wheeee!" said Pinkie, making gestures with her hooves for emphasis as she smiled widely.

Applejack giggled at Pinkie. "Well alright, sugarcube, let’s go then!" said Applejack. Pinkie Pie smiled and lead the two of them to the ticket booth.

"Two tickets, please!" said Pinkie Pie, looking at the pony in the ticket booth.

"Ten bits please," the pony responded, holding out a hoof from the small window of the booth. Pinkie Pie handed over a small bag of bits to him and received two tickets in exchange. She turned to Applejack and gave one of the tickets to her.

"Here, AJ, now we can ride all the rides and play the games and do everything in the carnival!" said Pinkie Pie.

"Thank you, Pinkie, let’s go ride some of them roller coasters you were talking about," said Applejack. Pinkie Pie smiled and motioned for Applejack to follow her.

"Let’s go!" said Pinkie Pie, leading Applejack through the carnival. They passed all sorts of booths for games, food, and different roller coasters until they got to the other end of the carnival where the biggest roller coaster was located, it had the name "The Manehattan Plummet”.

Applejack could see why it was called that. The roller coaster track went up high in the air with a sudden drop, it then lead to assorted loops and turns afterwards. Applejack looked rather nervous. "Uh, are you sure about that one, Pinkie? This is my first time on one, you know, and it looks mighty big," said Applejack.

"Trust me, AJ that one is the most fun! Once you get on top it’s a quick ride down and the excitement rushes through you like whoosh!" said Pinkie Pie, using her hoof to try to show how fast the roller coaster plummeted down from the top.

Applejack smiled nervously. "Well alright Pinkie, I reckon I can give it a go," said Applejack. Pinkie Pie lead the way to the roller coaster with Applejack in tow and waited in line until finally it was their turn to go on the roller coaster. The two got into a cart and were locked in place by a bar to keep them seated in the cart.

Pinkie Pie raised her hooves in the air, waving them excitedly. "Come on come on, push the button push the button!" she exclaimed, waiting for the pony controlling the roller coaster to start the ride. The pony smirked and pushed the button. The ride jerked forward as it started down the track, making its way slowly but steadily up the incline to the peak of the track.

Applejack watched nervously as they drew closer and closer to the top. She turned her head to look to the side, and saw how high they were. The ponies down below at the carnival seemed like ants, making her clutch the bar as tightly as she could, shaking slightly. The ride reached the top and stopped briefly above the drop, making Pinkie Pie even more excited than before.

"Here we go!" she cried happily. The ride started again; this time gravity was in control as the ride plummeted down, Applejack screaming in terror and Pinkie Pie screaming in excitement with her hooves in the air. The ride whooshed down to the bottom then darted up and around the loops, distorting their combined screaming. The ride rocketed the two of them along the track, making sharp turns and twists after the loops before making a final big loop and coming back to the station where they had started.

Pinkie Pie was smiling and cheering, "Again! Again!" She clapped her hooves together and squeed then turned to look at Applejack, whose face seemed to be stuck in place with her hooves glued to the bar. "AJ? Are you ok?" said Pinkie Pie.

Applejack snapped out of her frozen terror, looking around "Huh, what? Is it over?" Pinkie Pie nodded, looking at her. Applejack smiled and sighed, "Phew that sure was something Pinkie. That would turn a black cat white! Yeehaw!" shouted Applejack, waving a hoof in the air.

Pinkie Pie giggled some and smiled. "That's great, AJ! For a second there I thought you didn't like it!" Applejack smiled back at Pinkie Pie as the two of them exited the cart.

"It sure was scary at first, but after that it was a lot of fun! Think we can ride some more roller coasters?" said Applejack.

Pinkie Pie smiled. "Of course! We can probably ride a few more coasters before the carnival closes for the day," said Pinkie Pie. The two of them left the ride and made their way through the carnival, stopping to get funnel cake and cotton candy to enjoy before trying out some of the smaller rides and carnival games.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack took turns throwing a ball at a stack of cans using their mouths. Pinkie Pie skillfully knocked over the cans and won a large, stuffed Ursa Minor that she gave to Applejack. As the sun set, the carnival came to a close; the two friends left and made their way back to the hotel.

"Thanks for the prize, Pinkie. You didn't have to give it to me, you know. You did win it after all," said Applejack, looking at Pinkie Pie.

"Of course I did, AJ! It is your birthday after all. Besides, I'm super good at games and have all sorts of stuffed toys already!" said Pinkie Pie. Applejack smiled in response, trotting alongside Pinkie Pie, her ear twitching slightly as she heard a faint voice. She turned her head and looked down a dark alley. Pinkie Pie stopped and looked back. "What’s the matter, AJ?" asked Pinkie.

"Nothing, sugarcube. Thought I heard something," said Applejack, shaking her head as they made their way past the alley. Little did Applejack know that she did hear something. Glowing red and green eyes appeared in the alley. A purple aura coming from the corners of them, a glowing black and red horn above them.

"Slaves..." said a deep evil voice.

Comments

[CrowMagnon]

Well, this seems like a good fic so far. Well-written, and I definitely don't see a lot of Applejack and Pinkie Pie hanging out together without the others, so kudos for filling that niche.

All in all, looks like it's going to be a nice, cute friendshipping story, and-- *gets to the end of chapter 2* Wha... HIM?!?! What?!

Just kidding. I'm certainly tracking this to see where it goes.

[Writagon]

3493074
Yes him, I have a thing for giving character to those that haven't been given much love, specifically in this fix to Applejack, Pinkie Pie (sorta anyway, main character is actually AJ) and you know who. I'm sure it will be interesting panning it out all out when its only two earth ponies he's dealing with.

[CrowMagnon]

3493133 Yeah, I agree with you there. Ironically, the fact that he was given so little direct characterization in the show gives us a lot of leeway as writers. One of the reasons why I made him a magnificent bastard crimelord in my Cutie Honey fusion fic.

[keam]

Loos like it is going to be a funny and pretty normall fanfic, come to end og chapter 2 , WHAT!?

Chapter 3: *don't excist yet*

[keam]

I DEEMAND MORE!

[Writagon]

3496553
Have no fear for there will be more to come soon, I'm still debating on how many chapters I want to make this go for really.

[keam]

3496579
Thank you kindest!