//------------------------------//
// Ripening 
// Story: Appledashery Vol. Two 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	Applejack's numb body shook with the latest tree-bucking.

She slumped forward, catching herself on the lid of a wooden basket.

Leaning against the container full of apples, she panted and panted—allowing the sweat to dry across her brow and forelimbs.

The teenager swallowed a lump down her throat.  Standing straight up, she turned about and peered at all of the work she had done.

Line after line of orchards had been bucked fully clean of apples.  It was as though a cyclone had swept over Sweet Apple Acres, swallowing up nothing but fruit before depositing them neatly into stacks of wooden baskets.

Applejack couldn't help it.  She smirked at her own hardwork.

And then...

...she took a glance at the eastern stretch of farmland.

Dozens upon dozens of lines of orchards lay in wait—full of fruit and completely unbucked.

Applejack's ears instantly drooped.  Nevertheless, with a determined scowl, she readjusted her ponytail, heaved the basket over her flank, and threw it neatly into the back of a cart.  With tight muscles—and combatting exhaustion—the able-bodied teenager grabbed another empty basket and shoved it towards the nearest row of trees.  Breath after deep breath, she approached the nearest trunk in her vision.

Th-Thwack!  A pair of scarlet red fetlocks struck the tree trunk.

Applejack stumbled to a stop, blinking.  Her green eyes darted up while her lips pursed.

As the entire tree's worth of apples fell cleanly into the basket below, Big Macintosh turned to look at his younger sibling.

A curious fidget rolled through Applejack's figure.  "Big Mac...?"

The stallion looked at her.  "... ... ..."  He smiled.

Applejack's brow furrowed.

Big Macintosh nudged the basket easily to the next tree, kicked it, and dropped all of the fruit in less than thirty seconds.  Once that was done, he tilted his snout skyward and whistled shrilly without wasting so much as a breath.

Hoofsteps broke through the afternoon air.

Curious, Applejack whirled around.

Equine figures trotted up the hillside in sudden droves.  She recognized a few faces:  Carrot Top and the Golden Harvest family from a few plots of land away.  Carrot Cake and Cup Cake.  The Apple Family's distant cousins from the next town over.  Even the Mayor.

"Come on, ponies!" the elder in question smiled as she drew a cart up the hill.  It was a challenging effort for the dainty pen-pusher, but she nevertheless braved the sweat while bringing the wagon full of baskets to the hilltop.  "We've got many trees to strip clean!"

"Sure thing, Miss Mayor!" Carrot Cake said jubilantly.  He caught a glance of Applejack and winked slyly.  A pink figure bounced past him, balancing a tray of refreshments on her teenage flank and giggling.

Applejack blinked.  She jerked at the sound of a familiar drawling voice.

"Dun go ahead of Big Mac, y'hear!"  Granny Smith said.  "This is still our fruit yer helpin' with!  Remember!"

"Granny...?"  Applejack frowned briefly, her legs locking beneath her sweatied muscles.  "For Celestia's sake!  I've got this!"

"I know, darlin'."  Granny Smith gazed gently at her.  She smiled.  "We know you do."

Applejack blinked.  "But... but why—?"

"Yer not the only one who needs to be out here," Granny said in a soft tone.  "You've had yer turn.  Now let us have a whack at it.  Okay, sugarcube?"

Applejack opened her mouth to say something.  She ended up standing dull and dormant.  She looked over her shoulder just in time to see Big Mac slamming the first of many remaining trees.  He motioned towards the other ponies, then gestured at the easternmost orchards.

"Dun over-exert yerself, Big Mac!" Granny Smith exclaimed.  "Hey, neighbors!  If y'all want directions..."  She reached over and slapped Applejack's shoulder.  "This here's the one to listen to!  After all, it's her farm, folks!"

Applejack exhaled in a shudder.  When her breaths returned, it was through a delicate smile.  Brushing her bangs back, she stepped boldly towards the group of gathered ponies and spoke loudly:  "Thank ya mighty kindly, y'all!  First thang's first!" She pointed.  "We gotta tackle that line of trees over yonder!  The soil's mighty saturated there, which means the fruit could spoil faster if we dun buck 'em first!  Y'hear?"

"Eeyup!" Big Mac let loose.

"Right away, Applejack!" The Mayor said, huffing and puffing through her meager attempts at assistance.  "You heard the pony, citizens!  Let's get to that fruit!"

A full line of workers surged towards the orchards.  Applejack joined them... full of renewed strength.