Clarabelle

by Billy G Gruff

Clarabelle

There were pros and cons to living on a farm. One great aspect of it is that you have so much land to play on and enough space to make things like the crusaders clubhouse without getting in the way of anything. Downside is the chores that never seem to end for a young filly whom already has to allocate part of her day to doing her homework. Still, Applejack was pretty fair when it came to making sure she had time for her friends and having a social life outside of the family business. That didn't stop Applebloom from getting kind of huffy about it sometimes, but it measured her frustration none the less.

Sweet apple acres wasn't just an Apple farm, although that is where the bulk of their money came from. They also raised "critters" as Applejack referred to them. Appleboom had asked why they kept critters in gated fences and barns, but her sister said things like it was for their safety, since they weren't "capable enough" to take care of their own. It seemed like a reasonable enough answer, and she didn't really feel the need to question it much beyond that when she was younger. Her sister was literally the element of Honesty, how could a little sister NOT trust her at her word.

An then she met Clarabelle

"Uh...Hi!" Applebloom had been cleaning some apples for a sale when the new voice came behind her, making her jump a bit. She turned in surprise to see a cute calf about her size with a brown and white spotted coat and adorable floppy ears. Applebloom smiled warmly and greeted her new visitor.

"Well hello critter, how are you doing?"

The calf's face fell a bit "Clarabelle"

Applebloom raised her eyebrow "What?"

"My names Clarabelle Ms..." She looked like she was hurt about something.

"Well its nice to meet you Clarabelle! I'm Applebloom, I haven't seen critters your age walking about the farm before."

There was a mix of awkwardness and forced pleasantry in the little cows face as she started to back away from the filly. Something was making her really uncomfortable.
"You...you're right, I...I should be heading back"

"wait!" Applebloom said, confusion etched on her face "Ya'll don't need to run off nowheres, I'm happy to have the company. Cleanin Apples can get borin as Hay"

"O...okay Ms Applebloom ma'am" Clarabelle said with some hesitation in her voice, sitting down next to the filly. Applebloom started stifling laughter at being talked to so formally. It felt kind of nice but really weird at the same time.

"Ms Applebloom ma'am? Yer making me sound like am all grown up or somethin, Just call me Applebloom Clarabelle"

"S...sure thing Ms... I mean Applebloom"

"So what brings you out here?" Applebloom asked as she got back to working on her apples. She picked up the pace a bit since she had been interrupted and wanted to be done for supper at least. The Calf was quiet for a long moment before saying almost too quiet to hear.

"I was looking for my Momma"

"Lookin fer your Momma?" Applebloom felt a lump in the back of her throat for some reason, she didn't like the way the little cow had said that "did...did you check the barn or the fields? I've seen Critters around there a few times. Ah even helped Mah sis round up some sheep the other day with Winona...hey whats wrong?"

She had stopped her train of thought when she had heard sniffling and saw the little calf had been tearing up. She looked up at Applebloom, watery blue eyes meeting the Filly's own. The red maned filly dropped the apple she was working on and gave the young cow a hug. She didn't know why she was hugging the calf a hug, but it just felt like the right thing to do.

"Hey, whoa there, whats got you so upset? I'm sure your momma is around here somewhere"

The calf was shaking, trembling, she seemed scared for some reason.

"Hey what are you doin out of your barn critter? you know you shouldn't be straying from the herd like that" called out Applejack as she trotted over with Winona. The small dog started jumping about and barking at the young cow. Clarabelle backed away from Appleblooms hug, looking at the dog with nervous and bloodshot eyes. Without much protest she moved at a quick pace with Winona behind her to the barn where the cows were kept.

"Why were you hugging that Critter Applebloom?" Her big sister didn't sound mad, more perplexed than anything.

"Clarabelle said she was lookin fer her momma and she was all teary eyed n'stuff. It just felt like the right thing to do"

Applejack gave a sigh and sat down, taking her sister in a on leg hug "Ah wouldn't worry about it sugar cube."

"But she said her momma is missing?"

"Ah don't think so sugarcube, we had a shipment of them critters head out yesterday while ya'll were off at school"

Applebloom blinked and backed away from her sister to look her in the eyes "What do ya'll mean by shipment?"

AppleJack sighed and adjusted her hat. The filly could see Applejack trying to figure out how to say this in her expression alone. The filly never got good news when Applejack had to mull over how to say things like that. "Applebloom, ah was going to wait a little longer to break this to you. Ah know it messed me up bad when Granny and our folks told me about it, but its just the way things have to be. Ah'll tell ya the truth, ah didn't even want to be on the farm after they explained it ta me. Ah wanted to run away and be somepony else entirely."

She rubbed Appleblooms head 'but ah came back cause its mah responsibility to look after this farm and mah family, even if I don't like everythin about mah job."

That lump in Appleblooms throat was growing by the second and her eyes were watering now. Something in her head was putting the pieces together but she didn't want to believe it.

"What do you mean by Shipment Applejack?"

"The Critters... they can't quite do the things we do Applebloom. Their hooves can't pick up things and they aren't blessed with magic like we are. They think and talk, but they can't look after themselves like us ponies can. That's why we made a deal with them hundreds of years before either of us were born. They would give us what they can in exchange for shelter and food and protection from the feral creatures that would want to wipe them all out for a snack. That's why we get things like Wool and milk from the critters, ya see?"

the filly nodded, feeling a tear falling off her face, the pieces were falling into place "Where's Clarabelles momma Applejack?"

Applejack Looked away and continued "Its not a cheap thing to take care of critters Applebloom. In order for it to be worthwhile, they need to pull their own weight and produce things for us to sell. That is what we give them food, protection and shelter for"

"WHERE IS CLARABELLE'S MOMMA APPLEJACK!?" Applebloom's voice cracked as she yelled it

"When their milk dries up, or their wool isn't like it used to be, they have to give their last payment for the long and productive life they wouldn't of had on their own. We don't usually have critters young'ns miss them too bad cause they are grown before their last corral, this critter must of had a calf pretty late in life"

"Last Corral? What are you sayin Applejack?"

the farm pony looked down at her sister and gave a sad smile "SugarCube... Ah think you know what ah'm sayin now"

"But... but ya'll can't take Clarabelle's Momma away Applejack, she's feel all hurt and lonely fer a long time, ya'll know that better than anyone."

Applejack took her sister in an embrace, and the gates holding back her emotions in her little body broke as she started crying.

"Shh... Ah know... its just the way of the agreement between the critters and Ponies. They live a good and safe life with us, and then they go on the last Corral. Its...not fair...ah get that...but its the way things gotta be..."

They hugged, and Applejack started to mumble a tune she remembered her own Daddy singing when she was a filly. She held her sister there until applebloom had tuckered herself out with her own tears

"as ah was walking one mornin for pleasure
ah spied a cow puncher roamin along
his hat was thrown back and his spurs were a jangling
and as he approached he was singin this song

woopie ti yay yo, get along little doggies
its ya'll misfortune and none of my own
woopie ti yay yo, get along little doggies
you know that Wyoming will be your new home"

Author's Note:

I didn't want to make Applejack or the apple family out to be villains in this story, but I did want to highlight how wrong keeping sentient, self aware creatures kept as farm animals was. There is something to be said about how Applejack refers to them as critters, especially in that one scene where they rounded up sheep and closed the door of their fence without even saying a word to them. The idea that less capable individuals needing to sell themselves to the more capable ones, even if it means they end up being destined for an untimely end is a terrible prospect to think about.

That's why that song "get along little doggies" works so well with this story. because its a song that acknowledges the misfortune of the cattle while saying that its just the way things are. That 'their misfortune' isn't the ponies to bare, as much as they can empathize with the loss of loved ones.

There aren't any right answers in this fic, but that's kind of the point.

Also I had no idea how to ponify Wyoming, so there's that XD

Comments

[Phoenix Quill]

Rather good, but sad. Yet, I wonder if Applebloom will do something about it?

[Silver Reader]

Also I had no idea how to ponify Wyoming, so there's that XD

Whinnyoming, maybe?
Loved the story, by the way. five out of five yays.

[Billy G Gruff]

7025233 it wouldn't fit with the tempo of the song though, it needs a three syllable word that fits in that context :/
Thank you for the rating!

[Billy G Gruff]

7025231 That's a good question! she certainly isn't happy about it that's for sure

[Wroth]

Not like she could do much, it reminds me of that issue hippies tend to have with farm raised animals and their desire to "Free all the animals to the wild".

It would cause far more problems, it's obvious that if Applebloom tries to free them they likely wouldn't last, either magical critters like Timberwolves or Manticores would get them, or the fact that they don't know how to farm and keep themselves fed would starve them all off... Or they might cause problems for neighboring ponies overall.

That's not counting that they might actually enjoy this system. I mean they don't really need to work, they are protected by ponies and gain all the benefits of their society without actually needing to deal with all societies issues like taxes. Applejack is quite friendly with the cows and it doesn't seem like she mistreats anyone, and all they really need to do is eat and produce things naturally and in some cases beneficial (Overgrown wool is a pain for sheep). Though it may be that the Sheep tends to be lower intelligence animals compared to cows which is why she didn't speak with them.

It's not really untimely if one knows of it ahead of time though.

[Billy G Gruff]

7025486 Exactly. This isn't a simple answer like "ponies are evil and the critters are held against their will" , its a mutual agreement between the ponies and the critters that has its pros and its very sad cons. The Cows and sheep have the short end of the stick on this deal, but that's because they can't very well defend themselves from a world filled with Hydra and dragons and timberwolves.

I see it like a feudal system; The "critters" are the serfs, the ones who produce goods and services to live on the land and receive protection from the Apple Family, whom would be their proverbial 'Lords' in this case. It's going to cause heartache like in this story, but there really isn't a better answer for cows and sheep. They aren't magic, they can't manipulate things with their hooves, they can't defend themselves like the Ponies can; It sucks, its not fair, but its the reality they are given.

[Wroth]

7025515 I wouldn't make that comparison at all, Serfs had alot more problems then they do as they were forced to grow food both for themselves and the lord with them getting the choicest bits along with needing to fight for them in wars, and of course being targetted first by other rival lords all the while only getting the "Right" to live on Lord lands and they weren't even guaranteed safety from their own Lords.

Honestly, aside from dying when they are no longer productive they have no other problems that could be shown. They don't need to fight in pony wars, the ponies actively defend them, the ponies grow food and feed them, they benefit from pony society advances in medicine and healthcare, the ponies provide them shelter... Yeah sure they don't live in huge homes or such, but at the same time it doesn't seem like they would desire them, they provide one good each and that's it, they don't deal with anything else.

Heck, the benefits provided to ponies aren't even fully required, Milk is nice and all, but one can of course get various types of milk from vegetation and Wool can be replaced by many other fabrics and Clothing is more of a fashion choice rather then a necessity in Pony Society and yet the Ponies still do what they can for them as well.

Heck, they might not even need to end up leaving in the end anyways, Pony Magic may eventually get to the point where they may never dry up and would end up living out their full lives.

[Billy G Gruff]

7025550 That doesn't negate the comparison though, it just means that the ponies are infinitely better at being "feudal lords" than humans have had a history of being. A system is only as corrupt as the people who run it, and you wont find much corruption with the literal element of honesty.

[Wroth]

7025559 Pretty sure considering the Kingdom as a whole if Celestia discovered that sort of corruption you'd see some painful penalties punishing problematic ponies, afterall one could make the comparison to Sombra if you treated living creatures like slaves.

[Draco Dei]

My fanon is that the sheep are a race of the disabled and cared for as such. Cows basically work "desk jobs" because that allows them the extra income from milk, and the Bulls do the same out of herding instinct.

Of course, I ALSO say that all of the races have a VERY pragmatic view of "mortal remains" when natural or accidental death comes. Griffon restaurants are close, but not too close to major hospitals, and Granny Smith's rocking chair is held together with glue made from the hooves of her late husband. Actually Taxidermies professors seated in meeting rooms is apparently something that can be found IRL in at least one country. England maybe?

[Krazyfan1]

are we sure that Cow's can't hold stuff? Donkey's can...
anyway,
http://www.kevinandkell.com/2013/strips/kk20130118.jpg (doesn't fit)
kevinandkell.com/2000/strips/kk20000705.jpg

[SSparkle]

I really like this fanfic, it just needs some more work on the grammar and punctuation.

[Billy G Gruff]

7025811 That has been a weakness of mine for awhile. If I may ask, is there anything in the fic that particularly stood out as grammatically incorrect so I can take note of it in the future?

[SSparkle]

7026082
Mostly just missing full stops and capitals.

[Billy G Gruff]

7026085 Sounds about right. Usually if I do some proof reading I can catch most of it, but the idea popped into my head and i just wanted to get it out there.

[i_am_the_jam]

Interesting premise, but you seriously need an editor.

[Billy G Gruff]

7026112 No argument there lol.