The Cryssaling pt 2

by storm the castle

Apples and trees and chairs, oh my!

Ch 2 Apple’s and trees and chairs, oh my!

Spike stood at the gates to Sweet Apple Acres, the local farm that was owned by one of his best friends, Applejack, and was prepared to meet his destiny. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out; unfortunately, he had not yet gotten used to how sensitive his fire breath was now, so he ended up setting the fence on fire.

So it was that when Applejack herself came to the gate to greet the dragon, she found him swatting at a smoldering post of her fence. “Sugar-cube, everythin’ all right?” she asked in her usual drawl.

Spike grinned cheesily at her, having finally managed to put the fire out. “Yep! Everything’s fine.” She gave him a hard, flat stare until he finally broke down and said. “I’ll pay for it, I promise.”

She nodded at the promise and her smile returned. “Well, ah’m sure y’all didn’t come all the way here to burn down mah property,” (she wouldn’t actually hold it against him, it was just funny how fidgety he was right now) “so what can I do for yah?”

Spike stared at her incredulity, asking at length “Apple Bloom didn’t tell you I was comin’ by?”

“Can’t say she did.” Aj told him. “Why, what’s up?”

“Uh,” he began, unsure of himself. He hadn’t known there would be an interview! “W-well, I decided that since I’m old enough now, that I could use a job. She said Mac was sick and that you might have some work for me?” it ended as sort of a question. However, Applejack didn’t respond immediately, and instead her eyes had gone wide and she began muttering about ‘the dragon code’ and ‘never again.’ “Aj?” he asked, waving his claw in front of her face, snapping to try and get her attention. “You in there?”

She shook her head to relieve herself of the memories, and said “Ah don’t know, sugar-cube.” She lowered her head, as if to apologize and said in a slightly quieter tone. “You an’ the farm don’t exactly have the best track record, if’n ya catch mah drift.”

Spike could understand her trepidation, remembering himself the minor havoc he had caused last time, and set out to ease her worries. “It’ll be fine this time!” he said. “I won’t be worried about pleasing you so much, and I’ll only do what you ask me to. Please Aj, just give me a chance.”

Still, Applejack couldn’t get the worries from her mind. “Ah don’t know, maybe ya’ll might start with somethin’ a bit more yer speed?”

“Ee-Nope” Said a deep voice behind Aj, a hoarse tone to it now. When they looked to its owner, the pale ghost of what might’ve been Big Mac greeted them. Spike jumped a bit, and skittered away. Mac had his chin practically in the dirt, and he wasn’t wearing his trademark yoke.

“Big Macintosh, what do you think your doin’ outta bed?” demanded his sister with a stomp of her hoof. Big Mac gestured to Spike. Aj sighed and began one of the apple siblings’ famous one-sided conversations. “Applebloom?”

“Eeyup.”

“Told you he was comin’?”

“Eeyup.”

“Needin’ the help?”

“Eeyup.”

“Can’t turn away trustworthy labor?”

“Ee-nope.”

“Willin’ ta give him a shot?”

“Eeyup.”

Applejack sighed, somehow conceding to Mac despite having apparently dominated the conversation. (Teach me your ways, oh mighty Big Mac!) “All right Spike, we’re friends, and ah trust ya. Let’s just give it a try fer now.”

***************************

“All right, Spike, this here’s ‘bout the easiest job on the farm.” Applejack and Apple Bloom stood before Spike in front of the pig pen. Resisting the urge to ask what the pigs were even for in a town of herbivores, he listened intently as they explained his first chore. “All ya gotta do is get them buckets of slop from over there,” she pointed to what could have easily been a pile of garbage, “and pour it into the trough. Simple as pie.” Seeing no way he could screw this up, Spike made his way over to the pile, picked up one of the pales nearby, and filled it with the slop. He could see ‘slop’ consisted of over-ripe fruits and vegetables, as well as a few unidentifiable fluids which nearly made him retch to look at. A few trips back and forth to the pig trough, and he was done.

He watched the pigs chow down on the gross stuff and asked “ugh, how can you eat that stuff?”

One of the older sows looked up from her meal and rolled her eyes. “This coming from the boy who ate muffins filled with worms?” The whole group of pigs began to laugh heartily at his expense, while Spike grumbled about there being nothing wrong with a couple of worms in your diet.

Applejack chuckled a bit, some at the exchange and some in relief that nothing had gone wrong. “Yeah, Spike, ah wouldn’t suggest gettin’ into it with them.” She told him. “Those girls can be right mean when they wanna be.”

“Hey!” said the same sow from before indignantly. “He started it!”

Laughing, the two apples and a dragon left the pig pen behind for his next chore.
***************************

The next thing for them to do was to milk the cows in the barn. (with their permission of course. It was just plain rude to lean under a big girl like that without askin’ first.) This was normally a highlight chore for the Apple family, as the Dairy Fair- as they liked to be called- was usually great for a bit of conversation on a rough day. However, none had counted on the idea that a fanged, flying, fire breathing lizard might not be well received.

“Oh, Celestia! It’s the end of days!”

“I’m too young to die!”

“Ah beg ya, take mah sister first! She’s the fat one on the end!”

“Ya like milk?”

Some were taking it better than others, but the overall consensus was that Spike would not be going inside for the foreseeable future. This general tizzy had poor Spike sitting on his tail, wallowing in his own sadness. Applebloom had scooted up next to him to offer reassurance and friendship, but it did little to improve his mood.

“Oh, shut up, ya durned fillies!” Applejack called into the barn, fed up with trying to calm the Dairy Fair down. She turned apologetically to Spike, even pressing her Stetson to her chest, to say “Ahm right sorry Spike. Looks like some might take a bit more ta’ warm to yer new ‘pearence than others.”

“’S’okay” Said Spike, though it was clearly not. Being treated that way had always been a sore spot for the little whelp, and nothing had changed now that he was a drago.

Applejack sighed, deciding there was nothing for it but to move on. “All right, Spike, if ya say so, Ah won’t press the Issue. Let’s just go to the next job for ya, shall we?” she led him out to the orchard itself, and stopped in front of a tree filled with apples. “Now, this is the part that we really need ya for Spike. With Big Mac outta commission n’ such, we’re short a pair o’ buckin’ legs. Lemme show ya, then you can give it a try with yer new dragon strength n’ all.” With that she promptly turned and lifted her rear legs, and with a short kick to the trunk knocked down all the apples. “Apple Bloom’ll be collectin’ the apple behind us, so you just worry ‘bout hittin’ the tree as hard as ya can.” Spike nodded, and himself turned his hind end to the tree. “Uh, Spike?” Applejack called his attention. “That one’s done. Next one down, if ya don’t mind.”

‘Great,’ thought Spike irritably, ‘that is the perfect way to start.’ He shimmied his way down to the next tree, and when in position, he raised one leg in preparation. He then gave it all the strength he could muster, and kicked out. Unfortunately he had misjudged his position, and ended up hitting nothing but air, ending up flat on his face. Hearing the giggling next to him, he looked up to the siblings, and blushed crimson when he saw both trying to stifle their giggles. “H-hey! Just gimme a bit, alright?” he demanded of them through his embarrassment. “This is my first day, you know!”

“Ah know, Spike, Ah know.” Applejack stifled her laughter. “But seein’ as you’re not a pony, maybe usin’ yer legs aint the way to go?” she suggested.

Spike thought about it for a little bit, and with a nod repositioned himself. He raised his tail this time, getting down on all fours to use all of his strength in the hit. However, he was stopped by Apple Bloom exclaiming “Spike, Yer tail!” unsure of what she was talking about, he looked back, and to his surprise saw something different. His tail appeared to have grown by at least six inches, and the spade like end was now longer and thinner.

“Huh,” he said after it, “musta happened last night, after you girls joined my friend-hoard.” He moved it a bit, and found it more dexterous than it had ever been. “Guess I was too excited about today to notice.” They all shrugged, Applejack not sure what ‘added to the friend-hoard’ meant, but ready to ask about it later.

So, for the fourth time, Spike took position near the tree, closer this time, and again arched his tail for the task at hand. With all of his strength, he swung his tail at the tree, connecting solidly. With a sound not unlike lightning, his tail passing right through the tree in a shower of splinters, its relatively thin trunk no match for the draconic power now leveled at it. Unfortunately, his dragon strength went a tad farther than any-pony had considered, and instead of simply knocking down the apples in the tree, he had knocked down the tree entirely.

Spike skittered away from the remains of the tree in fear, while Applejack and her sister went to examine the damage. “I’m sorry, Aj!” he exclaimed, fearing her retribution. She had challenged an entire herd of buffalo for the tree Bloomberg after all. “It was an accident! I didn’t mean to, I promise!”

She looked to him in shock. “Spike, ah think maybe apple buckin’ might not be yer strong suit.” A nod from Apple Bloom confirmed the statement. “How about you just help her with haulin’ them, kay?”

Spike nodded, somewhat defeated. “Can I at least help you get rid of this?” he gestured to the fallen tree.

Applejack gave a small smile, the shock of watching one of her trees get snapped in half by what had been a baby not too long ago wearing off. “That’d be fine, sugarcube. Ah’ll get the axe, an’ we can cut it up n’ use it fer firewood.”

Spike, however, waved his claws at them. “No, no, I bet I can do it.” He grinned sheepishly. “I did knock it down in the first place right?” the two backed away from the tree, and Spike promptly hopped atop it. Deciding his best course of action was to remove the limbs first, Spike readied his sharpened claws and began to hack away at the downed timber. The wood chips flew as he worked, and soon enough, his new strength and sharpened claws had the tree left bare of its branches. Spike turned to grin at Applejack and Apple Bloom, expecting some sort of awe or praise at his ability.

What greeted him though was a wide-eyed farmer holding her shivering baby sister behind her. Realizing just what had them so scared, Spike sullenly jumped down from the bare tree. “You know what? Maybe you oughta handle it.” He padded a short distance away to wait for instruction.
***************************

After the shock of seeing Spike wail on a tree till it was wood chips had worn off, Applejack once again resumed work mode. She started bucking the apples out of the trees, while Bloom and Spike hauled them away to the barn for storage. But, Spike had not grown accustomed to his new proportions enough to start heavy lifting again, and so while he could easily carry the baskets, he didn’t have the coordination or balance to stay upright, resulting in his tripping often. After a bit, though, he figured out that he could raise his tail or flare his wings in order to gain equilibrium, and so the issue was passed.

After a good two hours of bucking and hauling though, a new problem presented itself. Applejack and Apple Bloom were headed back to the house for a cup or two of iced tea, when a wrinkled green hoof wrapped around their necks and yanked them inside.

Taking a moment to locate the culprit, Applejack noticed Big Mac too had been hauled from bed, but he had been taped to a bench to ensure he wouldn’t escape. “Granny Smith!” Applejack chided. “What in the hayseed has gotten into-” she was cut off, though, by Granny shoving her hoof in Aj’s mouth and using the other to harshly whisper ‘shhhh!’

“Ya’ll need ta keep it down!” she said in fear. “There’s a dragon hangin’ bout the farm!”

Applejack rolled her eyes and removed her grandmother’s hoof from her mouth. “Granny! That’s Spike!” she got a confused look. “Spike! Twilight’s little helper? He’s been here dozens o’ times!”

“What,” asked Granny, “You mean that cute little feller? No way, no how!” she declared. “This one here may be small, ah’ll give ya that, but he’s got wings and he’s been stealin’ apples for hours now!”

Apple Bloom wriggled out from her grandmother’s grasp. “But it is Spike! That’s what he looks like now that he’s done with his cootie attack!”

It took Applejack a moment to remember they had decided to call his chryssaling a bad case of cooties instead of trying to explain puberty to the children. Once she did, though, Applejack nodded her affirmation. “That’s right, and he ain’t stole nuthin’, he’s just helpin round the farm to get a few bits! Spike just grew up, is all, Granny!”

Still, though, the ever stubborn Granny Smith stuck to her guns. “Not into that, he didn’t! I tell ya, this’n looks downright evil!” she gestured to the window, and through it one could see spike hauling in the last basket of apples, his wings out wide. Contrary to Granny Smith’s declaration, however, Spike’s mood hadn’t changed a lick from his previous self, and he was simply waddling along with his tongue out in concentration, a goofy grin forming around it.

“Yep Granny, ah can’t fault ya there.” Applejack told her sarcastically. “That dragon looks downright viscous!” Aj rolled her eyes at the resulting sour look she got from her Grandmother, and then simply walked outside to the porch. “Hey Spike!” she called. “Y’all wanna come here for a tick?”

“Filly have you lost your mind?!” whispered Granny harshly. “Y’all wanna get burned ta death?!”

Woe was Granny, though, as Spike had heard and was cheerily making his way to the house. Once inside he immediately noticed the harsh atmosphere and found it to be radiating from a very ticked looking Granny Smith. He waved at her and smiled, saying “Hello, Granny. Haven’t seen you in a while, huh?”

Granny was having none of it though, since her immediate response was to grab a chair and aim it at Spike like one would while taming a lion, yelling “Back, ya infernal devil lizard! Back!” This was more than Spike could take, apparently, for he immediately slumped over and let his wings and tail fall limp, the very picture of defeat.

Applejack scowled at her grandmother, but to no avail. Seeing a lost cause for what it was, she addressed Spike. “Ahm sorry, sugar-cube; ya gave it yer best, but it doesn’t look like things’re gonna work out for ya here. Not right now at least.”

Spike gave a half-hearted shrug in response, barely looking at the farmer when he told her “’S’okay. It was my first job, so I couldn’t have expected it to work out right off the bat.”

Aj frowned, knowing full well that while he had caused some issues himself, others had been entirely the fault of others. “Ah can give ya a few bits fer the trouble, I s’pose.”

“Ye won’t be gettin’ none o’ mah bits, ya thievin’ devil!” hollered Granny from behind her wooden shield.

Instead of getting offended, Spike only took it in stride and ignored her completely. “Nah, I owe you for the fence and the tree, so we’ll call it even.” He trudged out the door, waving back as he went. “See ya round, Aj.” She could only sigh in disappointment at her predicament.

Comments

[Ignaltus]

- Oh, yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

- But, poor Spike.

[Smurf]

poor Spike

[Butterwings]

What the fuck, Granny?

[DX-1118 C]

4362180 She's from the south.
I know how stubborn we can be.