It was a pleasant day for Sweet apple acres; the sun was bright but not overwhelming and the sound of the birds flapping their wings and singing would have made almost anybody in a bad mood cheer up. Applejack was as busy as always, bucking apple trees with her powerful back legs and watching as the buckets below slowly filled with brightly coloured apples ready to pursuit in whatever their profession would be.
Applejack was a rather pleasant pony, if you knew her personally you would know why, she was generous and was always there to help anybody in need she also had a real no nonsense attitude and didn’t stand for any rudeness towards her, her family and especially not her friends.
After an entire morning of seemingly endless apple bucking in the field of infinite apple trees, all standing tall and proud across the land, Applejack came across something bizarre, a tree, not that a tree amongst many other trees would be a bizarre thing to see, in fact it’s quite a common thing to see, but this particular tree was different then all the others, it certainly wasn’t an apple tree.
It was a different kind of tree, a tree Applejack had never seen before, it was covered in patterns of blue and grey and was misshaped in a rather unsettling swirly kind of way, but the strangest thing about the tree was what was growing off of its branches, dangling from each of its branches was a strange looking fruit, none the same shape or size as each other, but all different, they all resembled different kinds of normal fruit like strawberries or bananas, but were made odd by their patterns and miscoloured skin.
Applejack, curious, walked towards the tree and stared at it for a few seconds trying to figure out what it was doing there, and then went to buck the tree lightly with one of her back legs causing one of the fruits stem to snap and the fruit to fall onto the ground. Applejack picked the strange looking fruit up and examined it with her big eyes “It certainly ain't no apple!” she thought to herself pulling a confused face.
Ponyville town centre was quite lively, which was perfectly normal with it being such a pleasant day, ponies were in their stalls selling their merchandise and busy chatting away with their customers, and others were walking (or flying) along minding their own business and getting on with what they were currently doing, it was a pleasant atmosphere that was one of the many things that made it worth living in Ponyville.
“But you said it would be ok!” cried Pinkie trotting across the town square with her five friends, Pinkie pie was in a small group of six consisting of two Pegasus’s (Rainbowdash and Fluttershy), two unicorns(Twilight Sparkle and Rarity), herself and a rather small purple dragon (Spike) struggling with a large amount of baggage strolling behind them.
“When I said it would be ok” said one of the unicorns “I was being sarcastic!” she snapped, furiously. Earlier on that day, the friends had gathered at Rarity’s carousel boutique, where she had been working all morning on a magnificent dress made up of many bright colours and gem stones studded across the sleeves, Pinkie pie had commented saying that it looked like candy, which Rarity then answered ‘it is dear’ sarcastically, which then lead to Pinkie pie attempting to chew through the dresses sleeves.
“Sarcastic or not that didn’t taste ANYTHING like candy!” replied Pinkie pie, followed by her hacking up a blue gem stone.
Just then the five heard a voice coming from behind them, it was Applejacks. “Hey Twilight!” The five turned around to see Applejack running towards them with a bag strapped around her neck, and for some reason unknown to them, a worried look on her face.
“What seems to be the problem?” Twilight asked smiling
Applejack, who at this moment was panting heavily and sweating, looked up at the four ponies and dragon. (Who for some reason STILL had a hold of the heavy pile of baggage)
“I have a BIG problem back at Sweet apple acres!” she said, now full of breathe. The five looked at her puzzled. “What kind of problem?” asked Rainbowdash curiously. “Well” Applejack continued “A was busy applebuckin when a came across some kind of tree in ma orchard!” “Hee hee of COURSE you saw a tree there!” said Pinkie giggling “There are a bajilion trees at Sweet apple acres!” “A know that!” said Applejack reaching into her bag “But not ONE of them has something like THIS growing on it!” Applejack pulled a surreal looking fruit out of her bag. The five stood there starring at the fruit, it was like no fruit they’d ever seen before, it was round and violet with strange looking marking all over it that resembled swirly s’s. The five couldn’t stop looking at it; Spike had even put down the baggage he had been holding to get a closer look at the mysterious fruit.
“My my it certainly IS a strange fruit isn’t it?” said Rarity hoof under chin, studying it. “It most certainly IS!” cried Twilight “I’ve never seen THIS kind of fruit before! this is entirely new to me” “Really?” asked Applejack rather down like. “A was hopin ya’ll know what it WAS bein how smart ya’ll are” “Oh you don’t have to be so kind Applejack!” Twilight replied smiling. “But whatever this things origin is” she continued as she examined the fruit closer. “I’m sure we’ll find out sooner or later” she shrugged
Suddenly there was a huge echoing growl, it was Pinkie. “What was THAT?” asked Fluttershy rather worryingly “My tummy!” cried Pinkie “I haven’t eaten for all day! Or has it only been for a few minutes? Or hours? Or DAYS!? Nah hee hee that would be silly! Can I eat that please?” She said pointing at the fruit now in Twilights hoof. “Pinkie pie” said Twilight raising an eye brow at her “We have no idea what this fruit is! It could be poison” “Aw I wanted to taste it! It looks so yummy! Like sherbet, or candy canes, or lollipops!” “Calm down sugar” said Applejack laughing “We need ta- CHOMP! Applejack and the others stared in shock; Pinkie pie had took a huge bite out of the fruit and swallowed it . “PINKIE WE TOLD YOU NOT TO EAT IT!” cried Twilight, attracting the attention of a few ponies around them. Pinkie pie coughed up a few bits of the fruit out of her mouth. “PTOO! PTOO! It doesn’t taste ANYTHING like candy!” Without hesitation, Applejack grabbed Pinkie by the back, in an attempt to give her the Heimlich maneuver. “Spit it out!” cried Applejack panicking. Even more ponies had now gathered around the seen of them, to see what had been going on, when suddenly, after a hard smack to the back, Pinkie pie’s neck stretched and her head went flying into a wall, everypony stared in complete silence.
“WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR NECK!??” cried Twilight. Pinkie pie peeled her face from the wall and looked at her friends. “What going on?” she asked, not in the slightest way worried. Rainbowdash stopped gawking and spoke up. “Your neck! Look at it!” she replied pointing her hoof towards Pinkie pies long floppy neck. (Which was now partly lying across the ground like an unwanted piece of taffy) Pinkie looked around, taking in the faces of the many confused and scared looking ponies and filly’s, then at her own neck.
“Oooooo! Look at my neck!” said Pinkie. Pinkie began to poke it. “It’s so stretchy and rubbery! Like bubblegum!” she cried excitedly. Suddenly Pinkies neck shrank back to its original length causing a few of the ponies to shudder and gasp in fright.
Fluttershy (who was at that moment cowering behind Applejack) slowly poked her head out from behind her friend. “Um, I think it may have something to do with that fruit you just ate!” she said quietly. “I agree!” said Rarity, who couldn’t stop staring at Pinkies neck awkwardly. “Whatever that thing was, it did something to you!” Pinkie pie began twisting her head round and around and let go, causing her head to spin out of control.
“Pinkie pie we need to be serious about this!” said Twilight Pinkie pressed her hooves against her head stopping the spinning, making her pupils bounce around like yarn balls in a tumble dryer.
“First of I think I should take a look at that tree” continued Twilight. “Ah agree with ya’ll” replied Applejack as Pinkie pie attempted to stretch her nose over her head.
As soon as the seven got to sweet apple acres (after a quick stop to Rarity’s to drop of her things) the questions instantly began.
“Is THAT the tree?” asked Rainbowdash “It looks like some kind of strange enormous weed!” cried Rarity in shock and disappointed, she had always loved amazing beautiful things.... but this tree was well....strange.
“Has anyone else eaten any more of the fruit?” asked Twilight studying the tree “Not that a know of” said Applejack “But it’ll be best to make sure it’s kept somewhere safe” “That’s a goo- er.... where’s Pinkie pie? “Ooooo! Is THIS the tree?” cried Pinkie pie appearing out of nowhere “It’s so silly!” “Er....ye...” replied Applejack “Anyway...” continued Twilight “Have you told your family yet?” “A haven’t seen Apple bloom and big Mac all mornin, an Granny Smith’s inside” “So you’re sure NOPONYS touched the tree?” asked twilight “I can’t promise anything Twie” Applejack stared at the tree, it didn’t SEEM to have changed since she last saw it, but something still worried her about its presence, where did it come from? Why was it here?
“Do you think I could have it?” asked Applejack broke out of her trance. “Huh?” “If you don’t mind I’d like to study it, if I take it to the library maybe I can figure out what this tree and it’s fruit can do” “Sure a guess” replied Applejack “A guess it’d be best ta- “PINKIE PIE!” Applejack and Twilight turned in shock, to find Pinkie Pie on the floor unconscious.
The hospital bed squeaked as Pinkie fidgeted below her bed sheets. After finding Pinkie on the floor, there had been a bit of a commotion over what had happened, after calming down and getting her to Ponyville hospital, Fluttershy told them the full story, it turned out that while they were talking, Pinkie had wondered off and had started to test out her new body, after managing to get on to the roof of sweet apple acres barn using her now elastic like arms she’d fell into a barrel of water below.
“So she didn’t even come up?” asked Rainbowdash starring at Pinkie pie. “Yes!” said Fluttershy “She’s usually a good swimmer to” “Pinkie why didn’t you get out of the barrel?” asked Rarity “I tried to” replied Pinkie coughing up water “But I couldn’t move! It was like a rock!” Just at that moment a young looking unicorn walked into the room wearing a green pair of scrubs with a black spiked Maine and stethoscope cutie mark. “Doctor Sugardew!” said Twilight “Is she going to be ok?” A small clipboard floated in front of him surrounded by a magical blue glow. “She’s fine, she gave us quite a shock at first, the poor thing was shivering and crying” The five looked at Pinkie Pie, the poor girl, she was so scared, she had NO idea what to do in a situation like that. “But while we were giving her a check up we discovered something VERY strange about her condition!” the dr. Sugardew continued. “Really?” asked Twilight “What?” “Well” continued the unicorn, flipping through the clipboard with his magic. “Her entire body, hair, even her insides are all rubber!” “WHAT!?” the ponies and dragon cried “Rubber?” said Pinkie “Yes rubber” replied the doctor Pinkie Pie stretched her nose an extreme length then let go, causing it to splat against the rest of her face, there was a long pause. “Anyway...” continued the doctor “I’ve never seen anything like this before! This has me completely baffled!”
As Twilight jabbed the metal pins into the fruits soft core and adjusted her goggles, the machines around her buzzed and hummed creating a rather unpleasant sounding melody throughout the basement of the library. It had been several days since the incident at sweet apple acres, and by this time, Twilight had managed (with the help of Apple jack and the others) to transfer the mysterious tree to a comically oversized plant pot and into her basements lab.
Twilight had been working for a ridiculous amount of time for the last few days in the lab, she hadn’t left once apart from the times she needed to get books from the library or for her other needs, but she couldn’t stop, this tree was amazing, the way it acted, the way it grew, just EVERYTHING about it fascinated her.
Twilight had been through many experiments on the tree and its fruit; she had dared not to eat any though.
“Twilight?” called Spike from upstairs “How’s it going? Can I come in?” “YES come in” she replied in a rather cranky tired voice.
Spike opened the door to the basement, letting the smell several days of hard work and insomnia make its way into his nostrils
“You’ve been at this for DAYS, aren’t you gonna take a break?” Twilight continued her work completely oblivious to what Spike was saying, examining a slice of the fruit with a magnifying glass. This was a recurring thing with twilight, when she studied, she studied HARD, spending hours, sometimes even DAYS on what she was busy with (this being the case).
“A BREAK?” boasted twilight “I can’t take a break NOW, these fruits are incredible! Do you have any idea what I’ve discovered?” “Hopefully athing called REST....” Spike said to himself
Twilight went towards a filing cabinet crammed full of paper and files and flicked through them eagerly, she picked out a sheet of paper with writing on it.
“Using a number of spells and going through experiments, I’ve managed to discover all kinds of things about this tree and its fruit!” she said excitedly
“If a fruit is destroyed it’ll grow back on the tree in a matter of days!” Spike stared at her; he was getting kind of scared of Twilight.... “All except the one Pinkie ate, but my theory is that once a pony’s eaten one, it can’t grow back! And another thing!” she said as her ear twitched uncontrollably. “They’re all different from one another!”
For the last few days Twilight hadn’t been the ONLY busy pony, Pinkiepie had also been busy experimenting with her newly found abilities, she had learned many things about herself since the accident involving the fruit, not to say she HATED her new gift, far from it, yes whenever she fell into water (which had been more than once in the last few days, which usually ended with Rainbowdash having to fish her out) she would sink like a stone, but Pinkie couldn’t help but see the POSITIVE part of being pink rubber ball of hyperactivity.
“Ok, now watch THIS!” Pinkiepie cried swinging her front leg towards a pumpkin on top of a barrel. Rainbowdash stood and watched as Pinkipies front leg shot towards the pumpkin like a bullet, reducing it to a pile of orange mush and seeds. The two had spent the entire morning in the park, experimenting with a box of vegetables using Pinkies powers.
“That was awesome!” cried Rainbowdash “What should we do next?” “Oooo! Well there was SOMETHING I wanted to try!” Pinkiepie walked over to the box now containing another pumpkin, a tomato and a couple of eggplants, Pinkiepie reached for the tomato. “I was thinking maybe I could get between two trees, and launch this tomato into the air!” “What you mean like.... use you as a catapult?” said Rainbowdash eagerly “Ye!” cried Pinkiepie Pinkie pie got between two trees in the park and wrapped her legs around each tree, after which Rainbowdash pulled her back and placed the tomato in the middle of Pinkiepie. “Ready?” asked Rainbowdash “Ready!” cried Pinkie pie Rainbowdash released Pinkie pie and the tomato went flying high into the sky, the two watching as it flew away, eventually becoming nothing.
“That was awesome!” cried Rainbowdash as the two walked through Ponyville towards the library. “Next time we gotta try it with a watermelon- WAIT....TWO watermelons!” The two giggled and continued onwards.
The two eventually reached the library. “So why did Twilight want us to come here again?” asked Pinkipie stretching her nose. “She wanted us to come over to see if she could sort something out about your whole rubber thing, I don’t remember fully” Rainbowdash knocked on the door.....no answer; she tried again...... once again, no answer. Rainbowdash was about to knock a third time when the door creaked open and out popped Twilight looking like something from a horror novel.
“Whoa Twie what happened to YOU? Are you ok?” asked Rainbowdash “You seem to be re- “I’ve done something I REALLLLLLLY shouldn’t have” Twilight interrupted Rainbowdash stopped; her and Pinkiepie stared at Twilight with panicked looks on their faces. (Well not Pinkiepie, she was still busy stretching her nose and letting it snap back) “What?” asked Rainbowdash.
Twilight sighed and raised a hoof into the air, and at the same time, so did another hoof the same colour as hers, but this was not attached to Twilight, it was sticking out of the ground flopping left to right like some kind of freakishly mutated weed.
