//------------------------------//
// Unsure 
// Story: Change 
// by Just A Random Pegasus 
//------------------------------//

"See ya!" Applebloom called, swinging her saddlebag onto her back. Applejack squeezed another apple into cider and waved.

"See ya! Good luck on your test!"

Applebloom nodded. "Thanks!" She replied before shutting the door, making her way to school. Applejack tossed the squeezed apple to the trash, looking at the inside of the barrel. "Wow... Ah thought for sure Ah had squeezed more cider than that..." She commented, lowering her head inside. 

Big Mac squeezed as much cider as he could out of an apple before tossing it aside. "Yeah, Ah get what ya mean. Maybe we just grabbed some bad apples."

Applejack shrugged. "Maybe. Ah'm a bit worried, Mac."

Big Mac finished squeezing another apple. "Don't be. We already have a lot of barrels in the barn. Ah wouldn't worry a bit."

Applejack's shoulders sagged. "Sure, we have a lot, but not enough. If we don't have anymore good apples in the orchard... we're gonna disappoint a lot of ponies, Mac. Y'all know how long that line gets."

Big Mac sighed. "Applejack, don't think like that. Try ta stay positive. Ah'm sure we'll be fine. If not, it's not our fault. We can't control bats, especially vampire fruit bats."

Applejack nodded. "Alright. Ah'll go out and buck some more apples."

Mac nodded. "Alright, ya do that. Also, is Granny still nappin' or do ya think she can help me?"

"Huh?" Granny called from the other room. Applejack chuckled.

"She's awake. Ah'll be back in a few with a whole new batch of apples."

"Eeyup. Good luck, it's hot out there today."





Applejack poured her strength into thrusting out her legs, causing the many apples in the tree to fall into the bucket. As she watched them fall, she wiped the sweat off of her brow. 

"Whoo! It is mighty hot!" She said to herself, carrying the apples on her back. She brought the now full baskets inside, placing them by Mac and Granny.

"Ah'll help with these as well," she said, walking to the third cider squeezer. She quickly grabbed an apple and put it on, waiting for rivers of cider to pour into the barrel...

To her dismay, only a few drops came out. 

"Huh?" She exclaimed, throwing the apple to the side. She picked up the next one in the basket, feeling it. It seemed to be very soft. She tried to squeeze it, once again only getting a few drops out. 

"Are y'all seein' what I'm seein'?"

Granny nodded, throwing a soft apple away. "Yeah. Ah say ya stay away from whatever area of the farm ya got these from."

Applejack nodded. "Yeah. Ah'm all tuckered out now, but Ah'll get some more apples later today."

Big Mac looked over. "Ah can go buck some."

"Alright. Now, Ah'll make some lunch and am gonna eat outside somewhere." 

Granny looked over. "Why outside? Ah'm plannin' on stayin' in the air conditioning all day!" 

Applejack's eyes darted as she started making zap apple sandwiches. "Well... Ah'm stressed, and spending time in the shade will help with that."

Granny nodded. "Ah, okay. Ya youngsters still surprise me, wanting to go out in that heat."

Applejack giggled. "Yes, Granny," she replied, making her way to the door. "Ah'll be back soon!"

"Bye!" The two chorused, Applejack closing the door and trotting away. She quickly made her way towards the woods, smiling as she walked into the shade from the trees. As she entered the clearing, she saw Flim sitting there, fiddling with his hooves. He looked up and smiled.

"Ah, look who's finally here!" He said, levitating the lunch sack over to him. Applejack rolled her eyes as she sat down. 

"Well, somepony's impatient."

Flim's ears flicked as he levitated a sandwich to his muzzle. "What? This is basically all I eat! Well, except for the few berries around here, but that's not much."

Applejack blinked. "Ah, right. Sorry."

Flim waved a hoof. "It's okay. I'm quite used to it by now, actually." He then scanned her face. "You don't look so good."

Applejack snorted. "Thanks fer pointin' that out, Mr. Obvious."

Flim raised a brow. "Is there something wrong? I mean, I'm not the best with giving advice or anything, but I should at least listen."

Applejack's ears flicked. "Oh. Well... Ah'll start out by saying you're really learning good friendship values."

Flim rolled his eyes. "AJ, I didn't just now learn this. I had to help my brother through a lot. He had a lot of problems, let me tell you." 

"Well... alright. But that's still a good quality ta have." Applejack sighed. "Anyway... Ah'm just nervous, is all."

"And why is that?"

Applejack's glance wandered. "Well... Every year, Ah... wait a second, y'all already know about cider season."

Flim snorted. "Yes, yes, we do."

"Anyways... Ah feel like we're gonna have a shortage this year. And not like normal, since there's never been a year we've had extra cider. Vampire fruit bats attacked the farm, and we just got 'em out. The apples are barely showin' any drops. Flim, if we don't make a good amount of cider... we're gonna lose customers. We're gonna lose trust. Ah don't... Ah don't want to disappoint any more ponies than I normally do."

Flim blinked. "...Oh. Well, you can't control that, so certainly they'll understand?"

"Ah dunno. We don't have too much time, either."

"When is it?"

"Next week."

Flim thought. "Well, if the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6,000 hadn't been destroyed, I would totally let you use that."

Applejack chuckled. "Yeah, no thank you. We're known for getting apples the traditional earth pony way."

Flim waved a hoof. "Whatever. Anyways, I don't know what to do. I'm sorry, but it's kinda hard to grow more good apples in the span of a week."

Applejack nodded. "Ah know. Ah'm just... stressed, is all."

"Do you still think you'll be able to teach me?" He asked. Applejack blinked.

"Well... Ah'm pretty sure. But... can we talk for a few minutes before? Sorry, Ah need ta get my mind off this."

Flim nodded. "Sure thing. What about?"

"I dunno. Whatever, really."

Flim thought. "Well, besides being hungry and napping in here, I have nothing." He smiled. "Wait, I do, actually."

"What is it?"

Flim chuckled. "Well, earlier today, there were these colts that were walking through the woods. I hid, not wanting to see anyone. They walked further down and ran right into some spider webs. In an instant, they started screaming and ran away, hitting themselves and running into trees and bushes. It was one of the funniest things I've seen in a while, actually."

Applejack chuckled. "Oh, man! Y'all should see Big Mac around spiders! He will not do his work if there's one on his plow." She started to laugh again. "Oh, one time, we had to call Fluttershy over to help shoo a family of spiders away! Mac was just hidin' in a corner and Ah was laughing my flank off!"

Flim chuckled. "I would not expect that, honestly." He smiled and looked down to her. "So... to keep the conversation going, why don't you tell me a little about your farm?"

Applejack smiled. "Well... it's mah pride and joy. Ah've worked there since Ah was a filly, and... oh, first, Ah should tell ya how Ah got my cutie mark..."





Applejack arrived home a few hours later, the hot sun still on her back. Big Mac saw her approaching, glaring at her. Applejack smiled.

"Hey, Mac!"

Big Mac grunted. "Where were ya? Y'all said ya were just eatin' lunch."

Applejack's eyes widened. "Well, Ah did eat lunch! Ah hung out with some friends, too. Ah just lost track of time."

Mac's glare didn't leave his eyes. "Alright. Next time, be back promptly. Ah had to do extra work today because y'all weren't here." He grabbed a basket of apples and started to walk inside. Applejack caught up to him.

"Ah'm sorry, Mac. Ah will. Anyways, have y'all found any good apples?"

Mac grunted again. "Not many. Ah'm startin' to get a bit concerned."

Applejack's ears flicked. "Did ya get them from the side of the orchard we didn't find the fruit bats?"

Mac nodded. "Yeah. That's why Ah'm concerned."

Applejack blinked. "Yeah. That is concerning."





Applejack crawled into bed after doing Mac's share of the barnyard chores to make up for her absence earlier. Now, she was undoubtedly tired, and started to shut her eyes. As she was, she couldn't help but think of Flim. He seemed like such a good friend, and she knew he was going to do well when getting a job. That thought filled her with pride; her pupil will succeed!

She soon drifted off to sleep, a smile on her face. I'm gonna have to teach ponies friendship more often... She thought to herself.