Applejack awoke to a light rumbling, not unlike the beginnings of a stampede. With some muttered curses (wouldn’t want ‘Bloom to get the wrong idea about her big sister), she scrambled out of bed, grabbed her lasso, and ran out the bedroom... to find at least a hundred slinkies making their merry way down the stairway and into the mudroom.
“What in tarnation?” she murmured, following the river of travelling toys in an attempt to see what they were about. She trotted cautiously onto the porch, looking around in the grey-washed predawn light for a sign of an intruder. With a loud rumbling, a muddy geyser of water shot up in the middle of the inroad. Applejack screamed and started backwards, her brow furrowed in confusion and concern before finally, cautiously, approaching the bubbling natural fountain. She dipped her head into the rush and gave the water a cursory taste. The distinctive fizz of mineral seltzer hit her tongue, and she found herself sipping at it some more, if only to settle her stomach against the adrenaline-fueled nausea currently sloshing around in her gut.
She turned back to the house and stepped up onto the porchstoop, determined to start breakfast. A metallic twang was her only warning before she went flying in a beautiful arc and crashed into one of the new Jonagold saplings, hard enough to knock the poor little thing off plumb. IF not for the great stake-job Mac had done, she might have uprooted the young tree entirely. She groaned in pain and regained her feet slowly, looking towards the porch in a bid to understand what in tartarus was going on. A large, coiled spring ran out from under the porch steps, in effect creating a catapult out of the boards she’d been standing on.
“Alright,” she bellowed. “If somepony doesn’t step out and tell me what in the High Hoof is going on, I’m gonna wind up quite a bit madder than I already am, and you do not want that this early in the morning!”
A snide chuckle sounded from the grove behind her. She remembered that laughter from the labyrinth, from the day the South Field flooded and froze. “Discord, do I need to get Fluttershy?” Applejack snapped.
“Oh, but Applejack,” he whined, giving her puppy-eyes (If a puppy were a depraved god of chaos) as he stepped out of a tree. Not from behind the tree like any sane, respectful creature would, but literally oozing from the bark with an innocent grin on his face. She scowled, and his smile faded a bit. Years of living with a holy terror of a little sister had given Applejack a glare second only to Fluttershy’s stare. Discord coughed and started again. “I’ve been reading the Almanac... Quite a good read, really. I can see why you farmers are so enamored of it.”
“Good for you, I guess,” Applejack snapped. “But what in the hay does the almanac have to do with this?” She jabbed her foot at the bubbling, flooding road, at the porch, and at the stampede of slinkies that was just now finishing its migration out of the house and into the muddy courtyard.
“Applejack, I thought you of all ponies would understand,” Discord said, pouting a bit. “According to the Almanac, today’s the first day of SPRING!” His Manure-eating grin slowly faded under her unamused gaze. “Oh, fine,” he conceded, snapping his fingers to undo all the damage. “Pinkie would have found it funny,” he shouted, turning and skulking back towards Ponyville. She caught a faint grumble of “...some ponies...” before he left earshot. Shaking her head, Applejack made her way back inside, testing each floorboard before moving on, feeling her way to the kitchen. She’d promised Apple Bloom fresh pancakes as a reward for her great report card, and it wouldn’t do to keep her little sis waiting.
Almanac: Oh, Discord, you're such a troll.
But hey, seltzer springs would be pretty handy to have around the farm. Mmm, seltzer.
Spring, eh?
images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130213005641/fallout/images/d/dd/Oh-you-93067263235.jpeg
2367676 eeeyup. That kinda week around here...
2368602... Is it, now?
Could be. I just decided Fluttershy's mom was a teacher and that's why she is the way she is. It might be Cheerilee, but that would make Cheerilee hella old, which in turn would make the Hearts and Hooves episode that much creepier. As with most of these stories, the details are up to the reader. So you're not slow in the least, promise.
And thanks for leaving comments everywhere. I always love reader feedback
2374154 It's moving along at a snail's pace, but it's happening. This was definitely one of the stories that shook me up, dragged me into a dark alley and demanded to be written and expanded upon...
or something like that.
2374187
You know, it just dawned on me that my spamming might be annoying. I apologize if that is the case. You just need to let me know, and I'll stop it. I just feel you need to know how much I'm enjoying each one. Your drabbles are making my breaks, in between packing and cleaning, worth wild. So thanks for that.
2374269 Eh, it's a welcome change to open up to shit-tons of notifications. I honestly don't mind in the least, and I'm glad that I'm making your packing-cleaning more enjoyable. I freakin' love feedback, and getting detailed comments on each chapter is kinda nice.
2374278
Yes, good. Now I don't feel guilty for it. Lol. Nobody likes to annoy people accidentally, when they meant the opposite. Now to continue with abandon!
You should really think about writting more for Discord. Not only because I love him waaaay too much, nor the idea of him just going around and trolling all the ponies...but also because you get his voice. It would be nice to see you explore it more.
Also I laughed way too hard at the bad pun. Lol.
2399305 Discord is what happens when the worst of my imagination teams up with my brother and dad's senses of humor and speaks like John DeLancie. From there it's just a matter of having no shame and writing the worst things to come to mind. I also enjoy the thought of Discord trolling Equestria. He's reformed, yes, but there's only so much Harmony can do towards pranksters. I figure as long as he's mostly harmless and cleans up his messes, the Princesses don't particularly care what he does to whom, since they've got better things to worry about.
And the awful pun spawned this whole story, so I'm glad it did its job.