Equescape: Tale of the six

by EMango

Chapter 2: 'Not enough pie!'

Author's Note:

As always, PM ME of anything that needs changing or fixing.

Equescape Chapter 2: 'Not enough pie!'

After a generous serving of potato and cabbage soup for dinner, the mares hit the hay.

The next morning, they are awakened by the little filly Applebloom shouting;
“Sis, get up, its harvest time!”

When the words click with Applejack, she rushes out to the fields to help with the busy workload ahead, while Twilight stirs from her slumber and sluggishly exits the house to see the rich fields of green brimming with potatoes and cabbages, as well as the occasional oaken apple tree dotted around the fence line.

Oblivious to the concentration Applejack took to her work, Twilight says “So this is your farm, sure looks like you have your work cut out for you”.

“Well, Staldos didn't let me pass them exams and make me strong and honest like him for nouthin’ Twi’, if these crops don’t get harvested, our family would be out of pocket ‘gain and nopony ‘round here sells any good seeds, “said Applejack, “But we get by with what farmer Jeff sells or what the birds leave in the trees we chop” Applejack explains as she swiftly uproots potatoes into a crude wooden wheelbarrow.

Twilight frowns hearing their financial standing and comments “Well AJ, you should go to VaRoche sometime, they buy and sell lots of things, somepony is bound to have some good seeds to sell you”.

“Varro-what? I don’t have time to be travelin’ ‘cross the place Twi. Can’t you see all the work that needs doin’?”Applejack grunts as she bucks the apples from the trees.

As the Apple family work away, a bright pink pony skips toward the Applenor pond and stops to exclaim “Wwwoooa, it’s YOU GUYS! I haven’t seen you two silly fillies since Sleighville!”

Twilight and Applejack turn and say “Pinkie Pie?!”, as if they shared the same mind.

Pinkie Pie spots the fresh produce and licks her lips. “MMMMmmm, they look yummy! I bet I can make something scrumptua-licious-ific with those and some of the stuff I find in the wet stuff” she explains. “I've been cooking for the Cake family for weeks now and I've saved some gold thingies and..and..”

“Here Pinkie, take a bushel of each. Better you take it than it being sold to those weirdos who normally buy it all” Applejack offers.

Pinkie’s eyes light up in delight “Aww, thank you Jackie, I’ll go make something yummy and bring you some back soon.”, and before any other words could be exchanged, Pinkie dashes off to Stalador with the bushels of produce.

With work do be done, everypony at the farm was working on something or another, Twilight even offered to help store the crops using her magic.

As the sun started to lower, they heard a joyful squeal coming toward them. A dot of pink, laden with a basket saddle was fast approaching them continuously yelling “Yum!” until they again came face-to-face with Pinkie Pie.

“See? Told ya I’d be back with some goodies” Pinkie says before whispering “I made a Pinkie-Promise, I never break a Pinkie Promise!”.

They sit inside and eat the meal that Pinkie kindly offered. Aside from the expertly prepared potato and cabbage sealed in a pie shell, she had adorned the filling with salt and seaweed she had gathered from the waters.

“Why, this here is good tucker there Pinkie” Applebloom compliments in delight, soon followed by pleased remarks from everypony at the table.

“Thanks for trying it everypony, I'm glad I can make you smile” Pinkie says in delight.
“Applejack, I want you and your family to have this. It’s the least I can do for these yummy food things you gave me”. Pinkie Pie places a sack of bits on the table.

The Apple family gasp at the gleaming pile of bits in front of them. Pinkie refuses to have any of it returned to her as they accept the offer in disbelief.

Twilight then announces to the table “Thank you for letting me stay everypony, but I think its best I stay in Stalador tonight” she suggests, withholding the fact that Applenor has terrible Comorb reception as few unicorns live there.

Night falls and after Twilight again thanks Applejack and the Apple family for letting her stay, Pinkie Pie says the Cakes might let her bunk for the night and Twilight accepts the offer.
She and Pinkie leave for Stalador, a well-founded neighbouring city north-west of Applenor where the White Knights call home.

As they catch-up more on the way, Twilight feels saddened that Applejack and the other is not with them.
When she thought about it, she felt that the six of them really got along well during the days they were practising for the Sleighville exams.

Twilight is amazed at the city, she had only seen pictures and read books of the place. Her brother Shining Armor sometimes told of his endeavours as a member of the White Knights, but this was the first time she had seen the city in her own eyes.

They enter Sugarcube-Corner, the Cakes’ local bakery, and Pinkie pulls a straw bed from her cupboard and places it next to her bed.

After Twilight creeps into the make-shift bed, she falls asleep after the exhausting day and has a vision of a strange figure grinning widely and projecting a wicked, consuming laugh. Twilight wakes in a cold sweat from the dream, confused about what had just happened and remains drowsily awake till the sun rose the next day.