Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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“Ya’ll have a good day now,” Applejack called after Lemon Hearts as she walked away with her purchase. Once the unicorn had moved far enough away, the farm mare sighed, letting her ears and expression droop.
She still felt horrible about what happened with Applebuck. The poor filly was just trying to keep things together until she could go home, and she’d gone and made her feel betrayed.
Not only that, she worried just how much of Applebuck’s words in regards to Apple Bloom were true. Had she really been ignoring serious issues Bloom was struggling with and passing them off as just her little sister over exaggerating things, since fillies and colts tend to do that?
“Is everything alright, darling?” the farm mare glanced up to see Rarity standing before her, a concerned looking her eyes.
Applejack sighed. “Guessin’ not, Rares.”
The unicorn gave a comforting smile. “Well, care to talk about it? I couldn’t call myself your good friend if I see something is troubling you and ignored it.”
Applejack couldn’t help the tiniest of smiles at that, before glancing down, thinking. Was she allowed to just tell anypony about Applebuck? Then again, Rarity wasn’t just anypony. She was her friend and a fellow Element of Harmony. If she could confide this in anypony, despite said pony being known for gossip, it was her.
“Well, Ah’m kinda caring’ fer a... distant relative, ya could say,” she began. She felt she didn’t have to tell Rarity everything, just enough that it wasn’t hiding it from her. “Thing’s... ain’t goin’ so well.”
Rarity’s expression saddened a little. “Oh, what’s wrong?”
Applejack looked away. “Well, she wants t’ go home, but t’might be a while til she can. Plus Ah... I kinda did sumthing stupid. Now she don’t trust me.”
Rarity put a reassuring hoof on her friends shoulder.
___________________________________________________________
“Told ya t’weren’t easy,” Big Mac chuckles.
I glare at him. My mane is plastered to my head, my body covered in sweat and I’m panting heavily.
It’s been about two hours since I came out to help Mac with the apple bucking and I’ve been putting my all into it. I’m going to show him that, just because I’ve got a filly’s body, doesn’t mean I’m a pushover.
I’ve been at least a hundred trees by now. Or, at least I think I have. I lost count after tree eighty-four.
Mac just chuckles again as I stand on shaky legs, getting ready to buck the tree behind me.
“Ah... Ah can do this,” I pant, determined. I... I won’t let him get the better of me. I’ll show him and the two hims either side.
I rear back, only to topple forward, faceplanting into the dirt.
Another chuckle draws my gaze over to the red stallion walking towards me. “Sure ya can keep goin’?”
“Ah sure... can,” I say, feeling dizzy. When did the apple trees learn to dance?
Big Mac shakes his head and lifting me up onto his back. I want to protest, I’ve still got to finish bucking all the apple trees I can to prove I’m no light-weight, but the moment I’m resting on his back my body betrays me and goes limp.
I must’ve zoned out at some point, because next thing I know, we’re walking inside and into the kitchen, where Granny’s set up some lunch; hay sandwiches, apples and water.
“So, how’d she do?” Granny asks as Mac lowers me into a seat and I slump down in it.
He laughs heartily.
“Reminded ya o’ when Apple Bloom first tried her hoof at bucking, eh? Little one kept going all out, not even pacin’ herself?”
“Eeyup,” Mac laughs again, sitting down next to me, despite my giving him a death glare. Well, a weary one, but a death glare is still a death glare.
“Well, after lunch Ah think ya’ll should get yerself some rest, Applebuck,” Granny says as she pour me a drink.
“Ah... Ah can keep going,” I say, before having to hold my head. Why is the room spinning so much?
Granny keeps smiling, but her voice suddenly holds a hidden firmness that causes me to straighten up a bit. “Now, listen, missy. If’n when we send ya home, Ah don’t want yer parents thinkin’ we went an’ let ya wear yerself out while we let ya stay. Once ya’ve finished lunch, ya goin’ up t’ Bloom’s room and havin’ a rest. Ya got it?”
“Yes, Granny Smith,” I grumble. Jeez, she’s not even my grandmother, yet her firm tone works just as well on me. I’ll blame it on my DNA being so similar to Apple Bloom’s. Must be some subconscious, ingrained thing going on here.
When lunch is over, Mac guides (carries) me upstairs to Apple Bloom’s room and settles me down on her bed, pulling the covers over me.
Now, I may have had my occasional nap or two with our dog, Jack back home, but napping during the day isn’t something I’m used to. So, imagine my surprise when, moments after the stallion leaves, I feel sleep crawling into my mind, the world fading away around me as slumber takes its hold.
___________________________________________________________
Applejack entered her home later that day. Glancing around, she could see Granny was busy fixing dinner.
“Granny, where’re Bloom and Bucky?” she asked as she walked up to the elderly mare.
Granny Smith glanced at her, before returning her eyes to the food she was preparing. “Bloom’s upstairs doin’ her homework. Big Mac and Bucky are out in the field.”
Applejack blinked, before frowning. “Bucky’s apple bucking? Why?”
Granny paused, before sighing. “Frankly, Ah got her t’ do it t’ take her mind off things, especially after she woke up fr’m her nap.”
Applejack’s frown deepened with worry. “Wh... what d’ya mean?”
Granny sighed, and told Applejack what happened after Bucky had woken from the nap she’d taken after she exhausted herself apple bucking.
SEVERAL HOURS AGO
“Applebuck?” Granny called, knocking on the door to Apple Bloom’s room.
No sound came from within. Cautiously, the elderly mare slowly opened the door, peaking her head inside.
Moments later she hurried in, moving over to the form sitting in the corner. Applebuck was curled up, sobbing silently.
When the green mare reached out, the filly recoiled, looking up with wide eyes, before they softened and she hurried forward, latching onto the older pony’s barrel.
Granny was unsure what had happened, and the filly refused despite several minutes of trying to coax and explanation out of her, so Granny merely held her close, letting the young one cry her woes out.
NOW
Applejack glanced to the windows uneasily, watching Applebuck and Big Mac working together to buck trees from a fair distance.
“And... ya don’t know what did that to ’er?”
Granny Smith shook her head. “No idea. She was fine afore she went fer her nap. Must’a been one nasty nightmare, whatever it was.”
Applejack said nothing, lowering her head and ears in shame. Was she somehow in the nightmare? What was going through that young filly’s mind?
They’d barely known her for long, but Applejack was worried there was something they should know, something that happened to her that hurt the poor thing... more than Applejack’s betraying her trust had, anyway.
Talking with Rarity had really helped her clear her mind, though she'd made sure not to reveal too much until Twi gave the go ahead. She still felt horrible for how she made the filly feel and understood it was her fault... but there was something else she’d come to realize.
Applebuck might know about their world and things she’d seemed to miss and true Granny said it seemed the filly had gravitated to her as her comforting adult figure, but there was something more to it than that.
Applebuck’s reaction, upon further thinking, had been so sudden. Even with the feelings of betrayal she’d clearly put the poor thing through, that was still too strong a reaction for her to have.
There was something about Applebuck they didn’t know, something the filly hadn’t told them, something that was painful for her.
Applejack was certain she needed to know what was wrong. As Applebuck’s designated carer until the filly could return home, her emotional stability should be Applejack’s top priority and she couldn't help if she didn't know what was troubling the filly in her care.
She sighed, though, realizing it wouldn’t be that easy. Applebuck needed a reason to open up to them, and she’d not given her much reason to, not after leaving her with feelings of betrayal.
She frowned, thinking. She needed to find a way Applebuck to feel more at ease. From what Granny explained happening earlier, the filly still needed help emotionally.
She glanced up the stairs, to her sister’s bedroom. The two yellow fillies had gotten along well since Applebuck had arrived. Maybe she could get Apple Bloom to help bring her further out of her shell.
Applejack frowned, suddenly noticing a flaw in that plan. Apple Bloom would be at school five out of seven days each week, regardless of just how long it would be before Applebuck could go home.
Apple Bloom couldn’t stay with the filly if she had to leave her for school every day.
Applejack blinked, her frown becoming contemplative. Perhaps... if Applebuck went with Bloom to school, Bloom could keep close to help her more often.
Nodding to herself, Applejack made a mental note to speak with Miss Cheerilee about a sudden short-term transfer into the school tomorrow.
___________________________________________________________
I yawn as I walk downstairs the next morning. Apple Bloom had insisted sleeping with me like my first night. I didn’t mind. Being next to her was comforting. I felt a bit more at ease sleeping next to her. Though I’d woken up in bed on my own, having slept through Apple Bloom getting up.
Reaching the bottom, I turn into the kitchen to see Big Mac washing the dishes.
I frown, glancing around. “Where’s Granny?”
“Tending to the stall,” he replied, putting a clean dish on a rack to dry. “AJ’s meetin’ with Miss Cheerilee t’day, so Ah’m cleanin’ up breakfast. Left ya some waffles on the table.”
I nod, trying to ignore the sourness that entered my mood at the mention of the Bearer of Honesty, went to the table and began eating.
Once I’m done, I head outside and am quickly pounced upon by Winona, who has a bright blue ball in her mouth.
I laugh. “Ya’ll wanna play fetch?”
She drops the ball, whacking me in the snout, before leaping back and barking excitedly.
Grinning, I pick up the ball, pull back and toss it hard. However, I don’t just leave Winona to go running off after it. I run with her. Jack and I would do this a lot before stuff got serious back home. I’d throw the ball, then we’d race each other to see if I could get to it before him, at which point at throw I'd again, causing him to have to change his direction whilst I galloped ahead, so I do the same for her.
This goes on for several minutes, Winona and myself just having fun. I pause to stop when Big Mac comes out and offer to help with the apple bucking again, but tells me to just keep having fun with Winona.
I notice an odd look in his eyes when he says this though. Before I can ask why, however, my yet to even be spoken sentence is cut off when a rainbow blur shoots down from the sky and skids to a halt in front of me.
“Apple Bloom? What’re you doing here? Didn’t I just see you at school?”
Aw buck.
Not much in this chapter, i'm afraid.
Problem is i've had the next big impacting moment in the story planned for a while, but it happens when Applebuck and Apple Bloom are at school, so i needed to write something to fill in that time and this was the best i could come up with. Hope it doesn't suck.
That's all i can think of to say right now so, til next time, later everypony.
and if you have been things to say about this chapter, please don't hurl them to hard, or at least make sure their they won't bruise
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What? Are you saving the bruises for next chapter with a repeat of the changeling bit?
Well this oughta be interesting.
Kinda sorta hard to keep her presence secret with all those pegasi flying around, isn't it?
well buck the apple is out of the bag so to speak.
a good chapter and this story is vary good.
This chapter is proof that this story is in severe need for an editor. Not only are grammatical errors abundant, but there are several spots that need a bit of a touch-up to fix and improve the flow of the story.
that might go better as "at which point i'd throw it at him again" or "and if so i'd throw it again"
what would be interesting would be if you did a crossover with Sparknanator's Becoming Sweetie Belle.
Yep, AJ, you'll have a hard time getting Bucky to get to open to you again. Betrayal stings for a long time.
So, Rarity knows as well now, and Dash enters the scene obliviously. This is going to be fun
In my mind, THIS is a proper build up to another good chapter.
Can't wait for more!
Also, I'm waiting on an update to "Fluttershy Flutterguy", and I really want to know if anything unexpected comes up.
Till then!
This chapter needs a bit of editing. There are a fair amount of grammatical errors.
I like it!
*groans* Really Applejack? Really?
Well, this should prove entertaining. Train wrecks often are!
Don't worry, my negative notes cut with precision and are guaranteed to not leave a bruise...on account of a dead body being unable to create scar tissue
Nice.
Whelp, Rainbow's entrance will certainly make for some interesting entertainment. So now...how long before the rest of the mane six meet Bucky?
She was her friend and a fellow Element of Harmony. If she could confide this in anypony, despite said pony being known for gossip, it was her.
show him that, just because I’ve got a filly’s body,
What was going through that young filly’s mind?
They’d barely known her for long, but Applejack was worried there was something they should know, something that happened to her that hurt the poor thing... more than Applejack’s betraying her trust had, anyway.
Oh I think I have a theory either his family is mad at him for leaving them or they became haters them self.
Talking with Rarity had really helped her clear her mind, though she'd made sure not to reveal too much until Twi gave the go ahead.
at which point I'll throw it again
7287819 Ditto that, it never ends well for anyone...
YES YES YES
Don't do it aj!
Someone from the sky saw him playing with a dog.
Ask Bucky about going to school before you decided to send her there
Well, this probably won't end well