//------------------------------// // The Apple Family Way Part 1. // Story: Comet The Colt of Steel // by Stallion of Steel //------------------------------// The next morning didn't start for me with the rooster's usual crow, Instead, I woke up to a much more unpleasant noise. "Rise and shine Lazy Hooves! We've got a whole lot of work today." Shuffling off the covers and shaking my head I opened my eyes to find Granny Smith standing over the side of my bed. "Granny?" I asked, "What are you doing up this late?" "Why Ah'm getting yer lazy bones out of bed for one thing." I glanced over at my alarm clock, It was 6:00 in the morning. "It's only 6 O clock!" I moaned into my pillow. "A'h decided A'h'd be generous since yer still a growing foal." Was her answer. "Come on get up now, We've got a lot of work to get done before ya go to school." With that, she turned around and went back downstairs. I yawned and stretched my hooves out, This was going to be a long day. Granny was in the kitchen washing dishes in the sink when I got downstairs, She'd set out a bowl of oatmeal on the table along with a glass of milk. The rest of the spots lay empty. "Where's everyone else?" I asked curiously. "Still asleep." She replied to me. "This morning it's just you and me." "Why's that?" "Because today Y'all are gonna start learning the Apple Family Way." She answered. "The Apple Family Way? What's that?" "It's what makes an Apple an Apple, We usually wait till yer a little older but Ah've decided to make a special case for ya considering yer unique circumstances." "Yay me." I dipped my spoon into my oatmeal and blew on it. "When you're done with yer oatmeal don't forget to wash yer bowl in the sink." Stars still shimmered in the early morning sky as I stepped outside. The morning air invigorated my senses as Granny led me over to the orchard. "Now before we get started, How much do you know about Applebucking?" She asked me. I scratched my head in confusion. "Only what I've seen from you and Pa. You just hit the tree with your hoof and the apples fall out." Granny looked at me and then shook her head. "There's a lot more to it than that, young' in." She said to me. Had I disappointed her so soon? "Applebucking is a skill that takes lots of practice commitment and determination. Let me show you" Setting a bucket down under the tree Granny circled the tree, examining it up and down, Eventually after finding a spot she liked she leaned back coiled her hind leg muscles in like a spring, and with a spryness that belied her age kicked the tree with both legs sending a single apple toppling into the bucket. *Pant* Pant* "A'h still got it, baby." She said reaching for her rag to wipe her brow. "I don't understand Granny," I said looking at the lone Apple she had knocked from the tree. "You only got one apple with that kick. I don't think you did it right." She turned and glared at me. "Didn't do it right?" She growled "Weren't ya paying attention at all to what Ah was saying? There's more to it than just knocking apples into a bucket! Anypony can do that! It's not about how many apples ya can knockdown it's about concentration, focus, self-control things yer going to learn a lot about Ah can assure you." Stepping aside she gestured to the tree. "Here you give it a try." Nervously I gulped and took in a deep breath. "Okay, I can do this." Everything would be okay as long as I remembered what Granny said, Concentration, Focus & Self Control. Trotting over to the tree I looked it over up and down like I saw Granny do it. I didn't know what I was looking for, but it was an apple tree, its branches were full of apples and all I had to do was knock them down. Turning my hind to the tree I closed my eyes and wound up my hind legs. “Alright Here goes nothing.” CRAAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKK!!!!!! I opened my eyes just in time to watch the tree sailing over the orchard straight past Ponyville. "You see this is what A'h was talking about," Granny said somehow managing to keep her lower jaw from hitting the ground. (Third Person POV) Twilight Sparkle slumbered quietly in her room, her best friend Smarty Pants tucked under her hooves as she slept quietly. Being the personal student of Princess Celestia wasn't easy but for an eager beaver like Twilight, it was a dream come true. As she slept Twilight dreamed about what the coming day would bring for her, Would it be new spells to learn? New topics to study? She certainly wasn't expecting a full-grown Apple Tree to come crashing through her ceiling like a guided missile in flight! CRAAAAAAASSSSSH!!!!!! “AAAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” The early morning Canterlot calm was shattered by an ear-splitting shriek of terror and an eruption of magical energy so powerful it shattered every window in the castle as well as a three-block radius. *Poof* Princess Celestia teleported into the room, Her normally majestic mane was tangled up in split ends and her eyes were bloodshot from having been woken so suddenly. “Twilight What's wrong?! I heard you screaming and.....Oh, my.” She said taking a look around what was left of Twilight's room. The tree had entered through the roof roots first leaving a large hole in the ceiling. Smashed apples lay scattered across the floor and bed, lying in the corner in a small basket was a shaking trembling pumpkin with two green eyes. "P-Princess Celestia! T-T-This tree j-just crashed thru the roof o-out of n-nowhere a-and I got scared so I screamed and I'm really really really sorry for waking you up!" The little filly got down on her knees and begged. *Sigh* "It's alright Twilight." Celestia said calmly her horn lighting up as she changed the pumpkin back into a shaken purple baby dragon. "I'll send the royal carpenter in right away. You and Spike can sleep in my bed tonight." Carefully picking up Spike in her magic, The Princess of Sun gently rocked him back and forth. "Shush it's alright little one." "Is...Is he going to be okay Princess?" Twilight asked her mentor. Her eyes were filled with worry. Celestia looked down at her student and smiled. "He's just a little shaken up is all." She whispered. "A bottle of warm Drakaina's milk, a little burping, and he should be fine. Now come on there's still half an hour before I have to raise the sun and I think we could both use a little more sleep before then." Celestia chuckled as she opened the door for Twilight who rushed over to her mentor's side. (Comet's POV again.) "Okay It seems you need to work on controlling your strength," Granny said as we stood in front of a bare field. "Until then A'h think it might be better to put you to work on plowing." I raised my hoof. "Yes, what is it Apple Comet?" "Isn't plowing the fields Big Mac's job Granny?" I asked. "Besides we don't have a yoke in my size." "Well, Y'all be happy to know that ya won't be using the yoke and plow for this exercise." She answered. "But how am I supposed to plow the field with no plow?" Granny smiled and raised her hoof. "With your hooves of course. I want ya to dig nice straight over the hill and down the other side." She answered pointing to the top of the hill. "Here let me show how it's done." Cracking her bony ankles Granny Smith thrust her hooves into the dirt and began to dig. Moving with a speed that belied her age she dug and dug sweat pouring from her brow, her heart racing faster as she reached the top and proceeded down the other side without missing a beat. In no time at all Granny had dug a straight line over the hill. "Wow Granny that was amazing!" I exclaimed. I'd never seen this side of Granny Smith before, She was always the kindly Grandmother who kept the farmhouse tidy and cooked for us. *Huff Huff* "That was nothing!" She said wearily as she reached for her sweat rag. "In mah prime, Ah could've dug ten rows in that time. Still, Ah've gotcha started, now the rest is up to you. Remember nice straight rows." "Nice straight rows got it." I nodded. Taking a deep breath I dug my right hoof into the ground, followed up with my left and I was off. Quickly reaching super speed levels I dug my way to the top of the hill in under three seconds. Time began to slow down as I made my way down to the bottom, Hoofuls of dirt flying past my face in slow motion as I reached the end of the line. Turning around I began digging my way back up the hill and down the other side. All in all, I managed to plow the entire hill in under 40 seconds. "Well, Granny," I asked beaming with pride at my hoof work. "How did I do?" She rubbed her chin looking up and down at the job I'd done. Finally, she said. "Ah'm afraid it's no good." "No good? I asked confused. "But I did what you said? I dug over the hill and down the bottom.” "That ya did." She answered pointing directly at the hill. "However ya dug the rows too deep." I turned around to see that the rows I'd dug resembled trenches leaving what was left of the hill surrounded by massive piles of dirt, clay, and even bedrock "Whoops! Uhm...err sorry about that, I can fix it I promise." "Just remember bedrock, substratum, subsoil, surface, and organic in that order, and take yer time with it," Granny said as she sat down. The sun had risen over the peak of Canterlot by the time I finished putting the last of the dirt back into place. The hill finally looked somewhat normal. My normally white coat was covered in dirt spots and my mane was streaked with mud. Despite this, I didn't break a single sweat. "Okay, Granny I put the hill back together, What now?" Granny opened her pocket watch to check the time. "7:30 Well A'h must say you certainly did yer time and ya certainly got yer hooves dirty." She said looking at the state of my coat and mane. "It's okay I can grab a shower before school." Before I headed for the house I was stopped by a wooden cane swinging in front of me. "Oh no, yer not tracking dirt in mah house young colt." She hollered out as she held the end of her cane to my muzzle. "Well, then how am I supposed to get clean." I quickly learned that was the wrong thing to say. I ended up having to sit in a metal tub behind the barn while Granny bathed me with a garden hose. "Hold still will ya?" She said as she combed and shampooed my mane. "Y'all still got some clumps of dirt in here. "Ow easy Granny! That hurts." I cried out. "What's taking so long?" "It's yer mane, It's like trying to untangle chicken wire." Great my mane was indestructible but it still hurt when somepony pulled my hair go figure. This was certainly going to make my next mane cut very awkward. CRAAAAACCCCKKK! ....And there goes the comb...great. "Sweet Celestia!" Granny exclaimed her mouth dropped in shock. "What am I gonna do?" "Granny, could I borrow a small mirror?" I asked. "I might have an idea.” Granny sat and watched with amazement as my heat vision bounced off the mirror's surface and into my mane. By focusing the intensity of my beam's heat I was able to gently burn out the dirt clods in my mane with laser precision. Now the more inquisitive of you are probably asking HOW IN EQUESTRIA DID A FIVE-YEAR-OLD COLT COME UP WITH THE IDEA TO USE THEIR HEAT VISION TO CLEAN THEIR MANE?!!! Followed shortly by WHERE AND HOW DID THAT COLT GET HEAT VISION AND WHAT KIND OF PARENTAL GUARDIAN LETS HIM PLAY AROUND WITH IT?!!! Well, it should be blatantly obvious to anypony who's been paying attention that I was no ordinary colt. "Sweet Celestia's Mane" Granny muttered under her breath as I looked at my hoof err I mean eye work in the mirror. As amazing as seeing through walls and shooting beams of heat wasn't enough, I could also see at a microscopic level. It seemed there was no limit to the incredible things I could do. But I wasn't about to go about showing off my powers to everypony in town. I'd learned the hard way with Pa about being reckless with my powers. "I think I got them all Granny," I said proudly setting the mirror down as I stepped out of the tub. "It seems every day Y'all find another way to astonish us Apple Comet." Granny Smith admonished. "Yer faster than a bolt of lightning, stronger than a locomotive, heck A'h would be surprised if one day ya leaped to the moon. Yer certainly a very special colt my boy." "Thanks, Granny," I said stepping out of the tub. I opted to dry myself off the good old-fashioned way. I didn't know how I was going to dry off every angle of my body with just a tiny mirror. "So what's next?" "What's next? School of course!" She answered nonchalantly. "Better get a move on, Between moving all that dirt and taking a bath yer running way behind." I was out of the barn so fast that my coat was completely dry when I reached the front door. Ok, teeth brushed? Check. Coat dried? Check. Mane combed? Check, Hooves cleaned? Check. Lunch packed? Well, it's just an apple, some carrot sticks, and an ear of corn, but check. Backpack packed? Check. Okay, that was everything, there was nothing left to do now but... "Apple Bloom! Apple Comet! Carts here!" Catch the school cart before it leaves without me. My X-ray vision quickly spotted my little sister climbing aboard. As fast as I could run without using my super speed I darted out the door. Already the cart driver had begun pulling away from the front gate. “Wait! hold up! Hey, Stop! Wait for me!” I shouted but I was too far away for the driver to hear me. By the time I reached the gate, the cart was already halfway down the road. "Awe Ponyfeathers," I said kicking the dirt in frustration. As I grumbled over how I was going to get to school on time my super-hearing picked up a sharp whistle in the distance. A smile crept across my muzzle as I took off for the West Orchard. If I hurried not only could I get to school on time I could probably beat the cart there. (Third Pony Pov) The 7:45 Friendship Express from Dodge Junction began its pull into the outskirts of Ponyville. It was a trip that Whistleblower had made many times in his eleven-year tenure as an engineer. He thought he'd seen it all until his fire stoker tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to something behind the train. Poking his head out the side window Whistle Blower was stunned to see a young white colt racing alongside the train. His eyes went wide with shock as the boy seemed to be rapidly catching up with the train's speed, passing the caboose and the passenger cars rapidly. Sue Hoof Sue sighed as looked longingly out the window, It had been a long boring trip for the little filly from Dodge Junction, Most of it spent sleeping on her mother's lap. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye, she spotted an earth pony about her age racing alongside the train. "Whoa." She whispered in astonishment as he caught up to the window she was sitting at. She knocked on the window and gave him a friendly wave. The colt turned and gave a friendly wave back before sprinting onto the next car. "Mommy Mommy!" Sue cried shaking her Mother back and forth. "Hmm, What is it, Sue?" Her Mother asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I just saw a colt outside running faster than the train." She said her face beaming with excitement. "What's going on?" Her Father asked setting down his newspaper. "Daddy I was looking outside and there was this Colt and he was running as fast as the train, Faster Even!" Sue exclaimed. "Oh Sue you've got quite the imagination I'll say that for you." Her mother replied. "But It's true Mommy just look outside!" Sue's parents peered out the window but there was no sign of any colt running. "Alright Sue that's enough we'll be pulling into the station so get your things together." Her father said folding up his newspaper Sue Hoof Sue crossed her forelegs and pouted. "Nopony ever believes me." Whistle Blower could hardly believe his eyes. That colt was not only keeping pace with the train but seemed to be set to overtake it. Running past car after car the young earth pony was rapidly closing the distance to the cab. As he pulled up to the locomotive. The young colt gestured with his hoof for him to blow his whistle. After taking a moment to shake his head Whistleblower realized he wasn't seeing things and reluctantly obliged. He even clanged the bell for him, Satisfied the colt picked up speed and quickly overtook the locomotive becoming a white blur. "Sweet Celestia I must be seeing things." He muttered as he wiped his brow with his bandana. (Apple Comet's Pov.) Okay so maybe I did a little bit of showing off after I said I’ll be using my powers responsibly, but I made sure not to hurt anypony and I was running late for school so I sort of had a valid excuse. And I was sure the only ponies who'd seen me were the Engineer and that Little Filly with the pigtails. My x-ray vision and super hearing showed everypony else was either sleeping, eating, reading, or going to the bathroom. Hopefully, they'd pass it off as a figment of their imagination or something. By the time I got to school, the cart wasn't even at the front gate. As expected I'd beaten it by a country mile. I decided to hang out behind a tree and wait for it to catch up while I thought up an excuse for how I got to school on time after missing the cart. Soon enough I had it figured out. I would wait out here until after class started, Just long enough that no one would notice how fast I'd got here then knock on the door and explain that I had to trot to school. I could still participate thanks to my super hearing and x-ray vision, hopefully without any skeletons this time so technically I wouldn't be cutting class. Ah, superpowers they might take some serious getting used to but they've got some benefits you just can't beat. Sure enough within a few minutes, the school cart pulled up and the kids got off. The door swung open and Ms. Cheerilee stepped out to greet them. "Good Morning Students, I hope everypony is ready to learn today because we have a lot of topics to cover." One by the students filed through the door, All except for my sister who trotted over to Ms. Cheerilee. "Ms. Cheerilee?" "Yes, Apple Bloom?" "My brother missed the cart this morning, can y'all please not mark him tardy?" "How did that happen?" "Ah don't know." Apple Bloom said. "When I got up I found a note from Granny saying she'd taken him out to do some chores and that he'd be finished in time for school. I tried to tell the driver but everypony was being too loud." "Alright Apple Bloom I won't mark him tardy till lunchtime but if he's not here by then I'll have no choice." "Thanks, Ms. Cheerilee!" Apple Bloom exclaimed pulling Cheerilee's leg into a big hug. Cheerilee smiled and wrapped her neck around Apple Bloom. "You're welcome Apple Bloom, Now you better get to class right away. We're about ready to start." Apple Bloom nodded and trotted inside leaving Cheerilee behind to close the door. I noticed that the doorknob had been replaced after my little episode the other day. She takes the upkeep of the school very seriously I thought as I peered through the walls of the school. "Good Morning Class." Ms. Cheerilee said as she sat at her desk. "Good Morning Ms. Cheerilee!" The class echoed. Cheerilee smiled warmly as she picked up a clipboard off her desk. "Now before we get started let's all take roll call okay? Apple Bloom?" "Here!" "Okay then." Ms. Cheerilee said as she checked her off the list. "Apple Comet is running a little late today so I won't mark him tardy for now. "Probably too busy having a freak out somewhere!" Diamond Tiara sneered before chuckling with Silver Spoon. "Leave my brother alone Diamond Tiara!" Applebloom stood up from her desk. "He's been going through a lot lately!" "I'll bet." Silver Spoon giggled. "Did he melt another doorknob?" While two fillies busted into laughter Applebloom's heart rate began to rise. I could tell she was seriously considering giving those two a good bucking. Fortunately, before things could escalate Ms. Cheerilee stepped in. "Diamond Tiara! Silver Spoon! That's enough! I don't hear another word from either of you unless I call on you, understand?" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon sighed and said: "Yes Ms. Cheerilee." Applebloom smiled smugly and sat down. "Good now if there are no more distractions we can back to roll call. Archer?" "Here," The little blue colt raised his hoof. Meanwhile, while Ms. Cheerilee was busy taking roll call I was busy formulating how long It would take an average colt to get to school on hoof. If I ran full gallop without using my super speed I'd probably get halfway past the west orchard before running out of breath. How long would I have to stop to catch it? And I'd have to go through town, Somepony would have to have seen me, other than that little filly and the engineer. These are the kinds of things extraterrestrial little colts have to deal with every day. I guess that would teach me not to race speeding trains on the way to school without thinking up an alibi first. To save time I'm just going to skip all that and cut ahead to when I decided to "Arrive late.” I knocked gently on the door of the schoolhouse making sure not to dent the wood or knock it off its hinges. "Coming." Ms. Cheerilee sang from behind the door as she opened it. "Why goodness Apple Comet!" "Good *pant* morning Ms. *pant* Cheerilee." I panted acting like I was out of breath. "Sorry I'm *pant* late, I sort of *pant* missed the cart." "I know, your sister told me what happened at the cart stop." She explained as she looked at me with concern on her face. “Good heavens did you run here all by yourself?" "Yeah *Pant* I *Pant* I did," I said simply. "You sound exhausted. Do you need me to call Nurse Redheart?" She asked. "No, I think *Pant pant* I think I'll be fine. I-I'm just a little *pant* thirsty." "Well feel free to use the water fountain then take your seat," Cheerilee said the worry in her voice giving way to a stern tone. "Next time something like this happens, find a grownup you trust to help." "Yes Ms. Cheerilee," I replied walking up to the fountain. I pressed the button and put my lips up to the water. It was cool and refreshing even though I didn't feel so refreshed. When I was done I put my backpack under my desk took out my math book and took my seat. "Alright Class let's get back subject, shall we? Now, who can tell me the answer to the third problem on page seventeen? Anyone?" I opened up my textbook and turned to page seventeen. It was a basic addition and subtraction problem involving apples fittingly. This was going to be a piece of cake. It was my first day back at school so I was still a little uneasy about anything weird happening I certainly didn't want to see all your classmate's skeletons again. Luckily nothing out of the ordinary happened until recess. I was sitting on the swing set. I didn't want to accidentally break something or hurt somepony so I sat by myself watching the rest of the class run around and play games. "Tag your it!" "17 18 19 20 Ready or not here I come!" "Peppermints peppermints in a dish. How many pieces do you wish?" "Red Rover Red Rover send Aura right over!" "Hey, Apple Comet!" I looked to my right and saw Apple Bloom standing by the swing next to me. "Can A'h swing here?" "Sure," I said. I could already tell something was on her mind. "So how come Y'all missed the cart this morning?" She asked me. "I was up pretty early helping Granny Smith with some chores," I explained. Apple Bloom looked at me with curiosity. "How early are we talking?" She asked me with eyebrows raised. "About 6 am," I answered. Apple Bloom's eyes went wide with shock. "6 am? That's way too early to get up!” She exclaimed. "You must be tired." "I don't feel tired at all." "Does all this have to do with ya being an alien? Wait a minute. Were y'all even really late?" My little sister was smarter than most ponies give credit for. "Well to be honest." I leaned and whispered in her ear. "I beat the cart here by about ten minutes," I smirked struggling not to laugh as Apple Bloom's jaw dropped. "B-But....." Unable to stutter out a coherent response Apple Bloom simply sighed and said "Oh that's right superpowers. By the way, Ah've been meaning to ask ya what's it like having those?" And now it was my turn to have my jaw drop. "Umm.....well......actually....you see....." I was tongue-tied. The truth was I'd been trying to find an answer to that for the past week. I was six years old, I'd grown up on an apple orchard and suddenly I was faster and more powerful than a locomotive. I was learning faster than my peers and had already memorized the contents of all my textbooks. I could see through walls, hear long distances, breathe ice, and melt things just by looking at them. Oh, and it was all because I was an alien. The only thing I couldn't do at this moment was figure out how I felt about it. "Apple Comet? Are Y'all okay?" Apple Bloom asked as she leaned over to look me in the eyes. "I don't know how I feel right now Bloom." "Hey, Apple Comet!" I looked up to see Rumble looking at me. "We need another pony for soccer you in?" Immediately I was hesitant. The whole reason I'd stayed by the swings was that I didn't want to break something or hurt somepony. I'd seen other foals play it before. It involved a lot of running and kicking which were two things that with me went hoof in hoof with property damage. Before I could decline Apple Bloom spoke first. "Go on ahead. Y'all have done nothing but sit on this swing all recess anyway." I sighed and looked over at Rumble was looking at me with a puzzled expression. "Sure Rumble I'm in." "Great!” The Pegasus Colt exclaimed. “It's you, me Archer, and Button Mash against Snips, Snails, Teddy, and Truffle. We're gonna destroy them!" I felt a rock drop in my stomach as he said those last words. Still, I did my best to remain composed. "I'm sure we will," I told Rumble. Now I just had to make it through the rest of recess without turning the soccer field into a war zone.