//------------------------------// // The Sweetest of Apples and Acres // Story: Appledashery Vol. Two // by Just Essay //------------------------------// Th-Thwack! Whump! Thump! Wh-Wham! More fruit were bucked clear of the trees in an hour than Applejack had managed in an entire day. Despite the amazing progress, there was no... stresfful sense of urgency among the group helping the Apple Family out. In fact, the atmosphere was positively merry, with ponyfolk pausing to chat amicably about past memories while in the midst of apple bucking. Within a span of hours, a good half of Applejack's remaining task had been completely tackled. Applejack couldn't help but seize the moment. She sat back on the crest of a hill, catching her breath and allowing the darkening hours of the day to cool her aching body to rest. It wasn't long after that a pink hoof stretched into view, cradling a tray of bottled red goodness. "How 'bout a cool, refreshing Hawhinny Punch?" The fluffy mane'd teenager winked. "I promise I won't hit you. Heehee." Applejack glanced at her, then took one look at the drink. All inhibitions had vanished, and she gladly took the bottle... slurping liberally from the straw. Her body relaxed as sweet, cold nectar rolled down her throat. "I know it's nothing like Sweet Apple Cider!" the earth pony said, hugging the empty tray to her chest. "Altough I've yet to drink any of the world-famous Sweet Apple Cider, but Mr. and Mrs. Cake tell me that it's super duper tasty! Ponies from far and wide gather along the road to this farm to have a single sip of the stuff! That must be really really neat!" Applejack reluctantly broke from sipping to smile and say. "This is pretty dang nice. Thanks a bunch." "Don't mention it!" The mare smiled, beaming. "There's plenty more where that came from! All you gotta do is ask!" "Uhm..." Applejack squinted. "What's yer name again?" "Pinkie Pie!" Applejack snorted. "Heheh... of course it is." "And believe me!" Pinkie Pie stuck her tongue out before falling into helpless giggles. "I can bake a pie like nopony's business! I hear you're pretty good at making apple pies! One of these days, you and I should have a Pie-Off! For funsies, of course. Hehehe!" "Heh... reckon so..." "Only when you feel like it, of course," Pinkie added in a remarkably sober tone. Applejack gulped. She looked delicately at the other teenager. "Look, Pinkie Pie... about the way I treated you and the Cake folks the other day—" "Ehhhhhhh..." Pinkie Pie waved a hoof. "Water off Holder's Boulder's back!" "But really..." Applejack's ears folded. "It was mighty rude of me. I'm awful sorry for bein' so short with y'all." Pinkie Pie smiled at her. "I think... when it feels like life doesn't reward us for being nice... it's only natural to try being rude." Applejack blinked. "Some of us switch faces. Me? I'm switching places. And you know what? I'm absolutely loving it here!" She giggled. "This is a very sweet town, Applejack. I think you of all ponies knows how it got that way." Applejack sighed, her eyes misting slightly. "Reckon I know who's responsible." "Hmmmmm... and they'll be super glad you're keeping it that way." Applejack bit her lip. Humming, Pinkie Pie leaned forward and pointed up the hill. "Don't look nowwwwww..." Applejack turned to see Granny Smith trotting into view with Apple Bloom draped in a soft, velvety saddlebag. She finished exchanging words with Cup Cake, then glanced over to see Applejack looking at her. Applejack finished the last of the fruit punch, then hoofed it to Pinkie Pie. She marched up the hill. Cup Cake cleared her throat and made herself scarced. Soon it was Applejack and Granny Smith standing face to face with Apple Bloom gurgling innocently in the background. "How... uh... how is Apple Bloom holdin' up?" Applejack asked. "Oh... y'know..." Granny Smith waved a wrinkled hoof. "She could bounce back from anythang... not that I'm in the habit of droppin' the little dickens, of course." "Right..." Applejack nodded awkwardly. "Of course not." Granny Smith squinted. "You got rid of yer pigtails." "What? Oh... uhm..." Applejack fidgeted, avoiding Granny's gaze. "Sorry for... uhm... breakin' with tradition." "Ain't no thang, darlin'," Granny said with a slight smirk. "They always got in the way of work for me as well." "Yeah..." "Mmmhmmm..." Silence... at least until Applejack sniffled. "Granny..." "Yes, sugarcube?" Applejack's muzzle grimaced as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "I sure am sorry for yellin' at you the way I did." "Now now, Applejack..." "I mean it..." Applejack gulped. "You've given everythang to this family... to this land. I've no right to say the things I did. This is yer farm in the end." Granny Smith stepped closer, eyes narrow and firm. "This land belongs to ponies who earn it. And since yer Ma and Pa d-died..." She weathered a heavy breath. "...I've sure let it fall to ruin. Or... at least... I almost would have... hadn't ya woken us up the way you did." Applejack glanced at Big Macintosh in the distance, then back at Granny Smith. "Did... did you...?" "Didn't take much to talk some sense into him." Granny Smith bore a wrinkled smirk. "Granted, I wasn't quite as hard about it as you was. But... seems that Big Mac has always been a softy at heart... and now that's all on the surface. It's just high time we all accepted it." She sighed. "It's high-time we accepted a lot of thangs. But... y'know..." She reached forward and caressed Applejack's muzzle. "...I'm rather proud of how it's all turnin' out. Really, I am." Applejack smiled tearfully. With grace, she grasped Granny's fetlock with two strong hooves. "I'm so... so sorry for yellin' at ya, Granny," she spoke sincerely. "I promise I'll never holler at you again." "And I promise to never give you a reason to." Granny winked. Apple Bloom cooed, and she pivoted aside. Applejack leaned down to rub noses with the infant. "That's right, ya little rascal." She ruffled the filly's tuft of red hair. "The drama's over. Sorry to let you down, Apple Bloom, but things around here are downright borin'." "Hah hah hah!" Granny Smith slapped her knee, nearly jostling Apple Bloom out of the saddlebag. "At least give the little'un some hope, AJ!" "Heh... reckon that'll come natural by the time she can listen and read." "Now that's the spirit," Granny Smith said. And the two ponies leaned in to nuzzle each other while Apple Bloom made sweet melodic noises.