Appledashery

by Just Essay

You Can Lead a Zebra To Water...

“Oh, yes, this should do just nicely,” Cheerilee said, hoisting the basket of apples over her shoulder. “Now, I know it's an old tradition to bring teachers the apple, but I think things should be different.” She smiled as she fiddled a hoof around the inside of her saddlebag. “All that my students need to bring me is a smile. In the meantime, these sweets of Mother Nature will be my gift to them for being diligent and thorough. You have no idea what this means to me.”

Big Macintosh shrugged. “Eenope.”

“Here you go.” Cheerilee hoofed several coins over and smiled. “And a little bit extra for your trouble. Thanks as always for being so polite and kind, Big Mac. You're the reason I only buy from Sweet Apple Acres' bounties.” She trotted away, waving.

He waved back with a slight chuckle. “Eee-yup.”

A deep voice cleared from behind the stallion.

He blinked with a blank expression, glancing left and right.

“Big Macintosh, goodly gentlecolt....”

He shuffled around and tilted his head down to meet the zebra's eyes.

Zecora almost flinched. Her ears drooped slightly as she fought her way through a liquid smile. “I-I have a proposition, if I may be so bold.”

He raised an eyebrow and smiled awkwardly. “Eeyup...?”

“You are, as I understand, enjoying a bountiful harvest at hand.”

“Heheh... eeyup.”

“Far be it from me to assume that your storage supplies are running out of room.” She cocked her head to the side. “But with the excessive amounts of produce, I suspect that your available working hooves have been reduced.”

“Uhhhh...”

Zecora winced slightly. “Wh-what I mean to say is that your familial workload is consistently divided by four, so perhaps it would benefit you to be assisted by... a little b-bit more?”

“Erm...” He squirmed, his face still wrought with confusion. “...eeyup?”

“Perhaps, then, if it is alright with you, I can arrive at Sweet Apple Acres and see what I can do.” She gulped and blurted: “...to help.”

He stared at her blankly.

Clearing her throat, she swiftly spoke. “I mean with the farm chores and labor, so that it will make harvesting apples an easier endeavor.” She smiled. “Despite coming from a desert home, through several fertile landscapes have I since roamed. I am well versed in tilling the land, be it dirt or mud or snow or sand. It would be my pleasure to assist Sweet Apple Acres in growing crops healthy, and while I'm at it I'll be glad to share what tricks I have learned from Everfree.”

Big Macintosh rubbed his chin with a distant look in his eyes. Eventually he shrugged, then nodded with a slight smirk.

Zecora grinned from ear to ear, her tail swishing. “Then... y-you agree? You would be willing to work with me?”

---

From afar, Rainbow Dash hovered with the shopping bag in her grasp. Her eyes darted back and forth between the zebra and the hulking stallion beside the fruit vendor. As her lips moved and his barely did, the pegasus muttered to herself:

“'Hello there, Big Mac. Might we make our lips smack?' 'Eenope.' 'Wait, you mean you don't want to go on a date?' 'Eenope.' 'But, I'm afraid that I don't understand, that stupid blue pegasus over there made me think that we can.' 'Eenope.' 'So you mean to say she's full of crud and all my romantic daydreams are a dud?' 'Eeyup.' 'Well, would you care to join me in kicking her ass for filling my head with so much sass?' 'Eeeeeeeeyup.'”

At the end of all that, the winged mare gulped.

Big Mac said something. Then Zecora said a long something. Big Mac said a short something. Zecora veritably hopped in place, smiling. Big Mac nodded. Swiveling about, Zecora came back Rainbow's way with a spring in her step.

“Oh jeez!” Rainbow hid behind the shopping bag. “Oh jeez oh jeez oh jeez! Here it comes—”

Zecora yanked the bag out of the pegasus' grasp.

Rainbow winced mightily in mid-air.

The bag spun three times and landed neatly atop the zebra's flank. She caught it effortlessly and trotted off, humming to herself.

Rainbow blinked... then blinked again. Her limbs relaxed as she turned to gawk at the shaman. “Uhhhh... Zecora?”

“Yes, friend?”

“What... that... I mean...” Rainbow jerked towards her, hovering in a low glide. “What happened?”

“Hmmmm...” Zecora smiled warmly. “It has been cordially arranged that in two days I will arrive at the Apple Family range.”

“Uhhhhhh...” Rainbow binked. “What?”

“We have taken great care to schedule a day as a pair!”

“You... y-you have?” Rainbow glanced back at the distant marketplace, then at her giddily bouncing frined. “Wow. Uhm. For real?” She scratched her mane. “To do what? Go for a walk? Hold hooves? Dance? Drink... c-cider?”

“Mmm-mmm...” Zecora shook her smiling head. “Farmwork!”

Rainbow squinted at her. “Farmwork.”

“Indeed!”

“Well, that certainly sounds... festive.”

“I offered to share my alchemic skills in planting seed!” Zecora fought the urge to squeal. “And Big Mac has whole-heartedly agreed!”

“Wow... uhm...” Rainbow fidgeted in midair. “At least he's on board for you helping around the farm...”

“And to think that I was afraid that he would refuse my aid!”

“That's all well and good, Zecchy. But, you sure she's thrilled about you and not just the voodoo you do?”

“Every positive affirmation is a stepping stone,” Zecora said with a wink. “And in two days' time, I will not be alone!”

Rainbow tried to smile, but it came out as a wince. “I'm... really jazzed for you. But, uh... Zecora...”

“By the shadows, I am filled with glee!” Zecora broke into a gallop, her shopping bag flouncing. “Quick, back to the hut to enjoy some tea!”

“Zecora!” Rainbow waved after her. She slumped in midair, sighing. “It's okay. It's all okay. Right?” She gulped. “Horseapples, maybe Big Mac likes tea too.” She smirked at herself, but promptly grimaced. “Then again, so does Fluttershy.”

“Rainbow, are you coming? The light of day is diminishing!”

“Eeeehhuuughhhuuuuyeahhhhhh?” Rainbow flew limply after the zebra with drooping wingfeathers.

Comments

[RoboRed]

“Perhaps, then, if it is alright with you, I can arrive at Sweet Apple Acres and see what I can do.” She gulped and blurted: “...to help.”

*gasp* No rhyme?

“'Hello there, Big Mac. Might we make our lips smack?' 'Eenope.' 'Wait, you mean you don't want to go on a date?' 'Eenope.' 'But, I'm afraid that I don't understand, that stupid blue pegasus over there made me think that we can.' 'Eenope.' 'So you mean to say she's full of crud and all my romantic daydreams are a dud?' 'Eeyup.' 'Well, would you care to join me in kicking her ass for filling my head with so much sass?' 'Eeeeeeeeyup.'”

That's priceless.

Well, that certainly went a lot better than expected.

[BabySkittleMonster]

Oh man I needed that. Nothing like a good old AppleDash (this one in particular) to cheer you up. Thanks once again for making my day! I don't know how you do it, I really don't. I'm seriously hoping this fanfiction never ends. Looks like you're going to be writing for a whole to satisfy all these hungry readers eager for a juicy Dash of Apple! Sorry, bad pun.

[Lightning Bearer]

Well, that went better than I thought it would. Still, I foresee awkwardness aplenty, especially with the two quietest ponies in the world and a rhyming zebra having a hormone-incensed tea party.

4561592

“Perhaps, then, if it is alright with you, I can arrive at Sweet Apple Acres and see what I can do.” She gulped and blurted: “...to help.”

She just cheated a little.

[Aatxe360]

4562163

She's allowed to.

[RoboRed]

4562163
I caught that, and indeed she did.

I'm not 100% certain, but given how she explained her rhyming shamanistic ways earlier, I think this drop might be even more indicative about how she feels for Big Mac.

[Jay_Baker]

Ohhh farmwork sounds seriouse :) lol

[zaponator]

Well that was just adorable. And here I was expecting painful awkwardness.
Looks like that'll come later.

[HyperMonica]

I FEEL SO BAD FOR POOR ZECCHY OMG!! Btw, LOVED Dashie's littke rhyme up there. Couldn't be more adorable.

[Metal Aura]

I offered to share my alchemic skills in planting seed!

No Zecora... As a mare you will not be the one planting seed.
Although I like where your head's at.

[Seraphimus]

7082999 That's dirty

[arancaytar]

“Here you go.” Cheerilee hoofed several coins over and smiled. “And a little bit extra for your trouble. Thanks as always for being so polite and kind, Big Mac. You're the reason I only buy from Sweet Apple Acres' bounties.” She trotted away, waving.

Reiterating: All the mares in this town are either into mares or into Mac.

“Perhaps, then, if it is alright with you, I can arrive at Sweet Apple Acres and see what I can do.” She gulped and blurted: “...to help .”

She's getting so flustered she's losing track of her rhymes.

“'Hello there, Big Mac. Might we make our lips smack?' 'Eenope. ' 'Wait, you mean you don't want to go on a date?' 'Eenope.' 'But, I'm afraid that I don't understand, that stupid blue pegasus over there made me think that we can.' 'Eenope.' 'So you mean to say she's full of crud and all my romantic daydreams are a dud? ' 'Eeyup.' 'Well, would you care to join me in kicking her ass for filling my head with so much sass? ' 'Eeeeeeeeyup. '”

This is the best

However, the "date" line is unrhymed. BLASPHEMY.

[True Edge]

8460055
Yeah it is. “Wait” rhymes with “date”.