Appledashery

by Just Essay

Elements of Garlic

Stu Leaves paused in digging through mashed potatoes and gravy to look up, smiling. "Mrmmmf... Now what I want to know... mrmmmff..." He took a sip of water and gulped his food down before continuing. "...is what exactly does the Equestrian Government require of you girls."

"Ain't nothin' to do with the government," Applejack said between bites of collard greens. "Well... at least I dun think so." She blinked awkwardly. "I mean, we live in a representational monarchy n'all, dun we?"

"Right." Stu smirked. "Although I don't see Princess Celestia ordering any beheadings."

"Still, she's in charge. And she's the one who's been tasked with holdin' the Elements all these years."

"But that changed with the return of Nightmare Moon, right?"

"You betcha."

"So... uh... do any responsibilities come with being an Element Bearer?"

"Uhhhh..." Applejack adjusted her hat. "Stayin' alive, I reckon." She glanced aside at Rainbow Dash and the two mares nodded at the table. "Yup. Heh. Stayin' alive."

"You're not on reserve or nothing?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well... you drove away Nightmare Moon, right?"

"Relatively speakin'."

"So, what if another big bad mother hubbard shows up to rock the boat of harmony in the land, eh?" Stu smiled. "Wouldn't Celestia and the rest of the executive haunchos in Canterlot be expecting you to show up at any minute and give evil the big zap?"

"Uhm... Maybe? I dunno." Applejack shrugged. "I never thought about it much. I figured that if somethin' nasty happened, we'd all ask Twilight what to do. I mean, she's the one who got us to cross paths with the Elements to begin with, so it stands to reason."

"So if Twilight tells you to go and zap somethin'..."

"Right." Applejack nodded. "But she hasn't. So we haven't."

"Nothing crazy bad has happened since Nightmare Moon, huh?"

"Nope." Applejack shook her head. "I mean, Ponyville has seen its fair shair of crazy shenanigans. Heh. Too bad you didn't come here before the Ursa Minor attack or the parasprite infestation."

"Oh dear... why's that?"

"Well, most of our buildings looked different. Eheheh."

"Wow." Stu Leaves blinked across the table. "Maybe I did show up too late."

"All'n'all, things have been pretty quiet as of late. You've caught Ponyville in the dry season."

"But do you ever think about it? I mean... what you'd have to do if the Elements were needed again?"

"The way I figure it, so long as we're just livin' our lives and befriendin' each other all natural-like, then we're playin' whatever part we need to. I mean, the Elements found us, in a manner of speakin'. I can't imagine they'd want us to be any different than who we are naturally. Does that make any sense?"

"Sure, I suppose."

"I dun suppose you're some chaotic harmony-eater in secret who's tryin' to get the drop on us by lowerin' our guard, huh?" Applejack smirked.

Stu Leaves chuckled. "Nah. I hope I'm not that evil."

"Heheheh."

"I'm just so intrigued by it. Y'know, you never really think about it much, do you?"

"Celestia knows I don't."

"Like... do you own the Elements of Honesty and Generosity or are you the Elements?"

"Erm... reckon they're on a shelf somewhere in a royal vault." Applejack nevertheless squinted at him. "What do you mean by Honesty and Generosity."

Stu blinked. "But I thought that—"

"I'm Honesty for sure." Applejack smirked. "But Rainbow Dash? She's Loyalty."

"No kidding?" Stu winced. "I-I mean, not to say that she isn't Loyal... or Honest... or Friendly or Sneezy or Sleepy or any of the other Elements—"

"Heheh... relax, Stu. It's quite alright. Sometimes I get it mixed up myself, on account that we're all just good friends periods, whatever virtue. But, truth be told, when it comes to Loyalty—Rainbow Dash is just about the best there is." She turned and smirked aside at the mare. "Ain't that right, Rainbow?"

"These..." The mare was nibbling through another doughy stick. "Are... the best breadsticks... the best."

Applejack and Stu Leaves chuckled merrily.

Rainbow's eyes watered. "Mrmmfff... seriously, you guys. Guys..."

Comments

[Sharp Quill]

Stu Leaves chuckled. "Nah. I hope I'm not that evil."

If you say so...

[RoboRed]

The Element of Garlic is totally better than any other Element.

...Unless it's the Element of Cheese.

[Lord Dragon]

You my friend, need to lay off the TF2 and the Snow White (I'm pretty sure). However, I will make an exception for the engineer.

[Sharp Quill]

Ha! Silly me. That's why Stu was so interested in the Elements. He really is that evil, and he's worried the Elements will be used against him!

[Shipmun]

Stu's asking too many questions.

"I dun suppose you're some chaotic harmony-eater in secret who's tryin' to get the drop on us by lowerin' our guard, huh?" Applejack smirked.

AJ I think you're on to something. RD what do you think? Is Stu acting suspicious?

"These..." The mare was nibbling through another doughy stick. "Are... the best breadsticks... the best."

Yeah you're probably right.

[Sam the Anti-Ninja]

I'm calling it now: He's a changeling spy.

[zaponator]

i.imgur.com/PJAzFJy.png

[RoboRed]

5392286
Welp, there she is, ladies and gentlemen.

[Fishberry]

For some reason I'm craving bread sticks.

But I'm cool with it...

I've got cinny buns.

[Lightning Bearer]

Sometimes I forget that this story takes place in a season one time-frame.

[RoboRed]

5392329
Same.

[Leftover of Saikano]

"You're right, I do believe the worst is behind us now."
I suppose I would be craving breadsticks right now if I didn't just had a good breakfast.

[TwilightUCrazy]

'Kay, we're starting to stall out a bit on this scene, here. Not that Rainbow Dash being breadstick-obsessed isn't entertaining, but it's starting to get a little stale...

...pun very much intended.

[RainbowJack2000]

"I dun suppose you're some chaotic harmony-eater in secret who's tryin' to get the drop on us by lowerin' our guard, huh?" Applejack smirked.

Lancie, that's your cue.

[Elsaack]

AJ stop telling state secrets to the random Pegasus who just showed up in your town and got to know everyone after it was revealed that your instrumental in the defense of Equestria. You don't actually have magic truth powers because it's likely that Gary Stu (or whatever his name is) is FIS.

Which stands for Foreign Intelligence Service, which in common vernacular means:

HE'S A SPY!

One of his shoes is a radio!

He's hiding cameras in the clouds!

There's LSD in the Bread-sticks!

[RoboRed]

5393253
I wouldn't argue against that last point.

[Jay_Baker]

5392082

I'm with you on this one because it looks too suspicious what if he is a changling spy!

[BabySkittleMonster]

5392329
5392338
Yep. I was just about to yell at AJ all about Discord and Queen Chrysalis and Tirek and... Well, pretty much everypony who doesn't like them. Then I remembered. My face must have been entertaining to watch, I guess.

[Gammahoof]

I maintain my Stu-is-a-changeling theory
(Although, making predictions when I'm 200 chapters behind is kinda pointless isn't it?

[Snowdrifter]

Maybe RD is hallucinating, and the breadsticks are actually cardboard...

[arancaytar]

"So, what if another big bad mother hubbard shows up to rock the boat of harmony in the land, eh?" Stu smiled. "Wouldn't Celestia and the rest of the executive haunchos in Canterlot be expecting you to show up at any minute and give evil the big zap ?"

Actually, isn't it just about Chryssie-time? Dashie has averted Discord, but...

[arancaytar]

"No kidding?" Stu winced. "I-I mean, not to say that she isn't Loyal ... or Honest ... or Friendly or Sneezy or Sleepy or any of the other Elements—"

https://xkcd.com/1417/