//------------------------------// // Episode 4 [Part 2] - Stubborn Apple // Story: Heart of the Cards // by AspirantWriter //------------------------------// Dusk stayed with Rainbow Dash until she woken up after chasing into the library’s balcony. When the stallion asked what happened back then, the pegasus explained she set up a catapult which Applejack would drop down on the other end and launch her into the air. Dash hoped that the extra boost in speed would allow her to do a number of awesome tricks. However, Applejack apparently missed the other end of the catapult a number of times and hit the ground instead. She tried to launch Dash by pushing down the other end with her hooves, which the pegasus didn’t find amusing. Just as Applejack let go of the other end though, Dash hit her head on the catapult and became disorientated. It has to come at a worse time as Applejack finally hit the other end and unprepared, Dash couldn’t use her wings when she was launched into the air. After hearing her explanation and seeing that she has mostly recovered from the experience, Dusk led Dash out of the library but not without receiving a thank you from the pegasus. ‘I hope Twilight was about to get Applejack to see reason.’ Dusk thought as he watched Dash walk away. He stayed in the library until Twilight came back and passed the time by reading some books. It was then the library’s door opened. “Dusk, you are still here?” Dusk move his head and saw it was Twilight. “Twilight, how did it go?” He asked the unicorn, but she shook her head in disappointment. “Applejack is still refusing help. She knows she’s tired, but she refuses to stop working.” “I see.” Dusk frowned upon hearing the news. “Any signs she is getting worse?” “Well, she misheard me several times and bumped her head on a branch.” Twilight stated. “She just left to help Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner.” “Uh…” Dusk murmured upon remember that Pinkie was going to get Applejack to help her in Sugarcube Corner this week. “What’s wrong Dusk?” Twilight asked the stallion. “I don’t think Applejack should do any baking in the state she is in.” Dusk said in worry. “Don’t worry.” Twilight shared his concern. “But I’m sure that Pinkie could keep an eye on her.” “I hope so…” Dusk imagined the mishaps that an Applejack could do while baking. The worse case scenario he thought of was the tired pony causing a fire by accident. While, there is no doubt the Pinkie and Applejack could escape if it happens, but the entire building will likely be gutted by the fire. He couldn’t imagine the owners’ reaction upon learning that their business has literally go up in smoke. After putting the books back in the right spots, Dusk returned back to his room and begun to look through the Duel Monsters cards in storage. Knowing that Twilight wanted to surprise her friends by dueling him with her new deck, Dusk was think what would the mares’ reaction be. While unsure if they have any interest in Duel Monsters, the stallion decided to make plans if they do indeed want a deck of their own. Dusk then took a pen from his backpack and grabbed a piece of paper. He has a few in his disposal, but has no way to restock if he used in the ink up. ‘I think I’ll need to ask Twilight to teach me how to use a quill in the future.’ Dusk thought as he begun to think of the possible decks that the rest of his friends could make use of base on their personalities. “Let’s see…” Dusk muttered as he begun to write down his thoughts. Spike would obviously enjoy using a Dragon-Type deck, a Wyrm-Type deck or even hybrid deck of both. Dusk felt that since the baby dragon was still growing, he could also add in Dragon-Type LV cards to represent possible growth along with their effects. Applejack was definitely devoted to farm work, so Dusk had a feeling she could make use of an EARTH deck with defensive effects. However, he isn’t sure if he should make the deck consist of Beast-Type monsters or Plant-Type monsters. Rainbow Dash is energetic and loves to go fast, so a WIND deck with aggressive effects might suit her. One archetype that came into mind were the Mecha Phantom Beast, but he could also give the Blackwing deck that he obtained from defeating the possessed Lyra. Rarity was a lover of fashion and from his previous visits to Carousel Boutique, Dusk saw she also add gems to her line of clothing. While he wasn’t sure which deck would appeal to her, but the best he got was the Gem-Knight archetype and its versatility. Fluttershy would be a difficult case since she rather timid and would get nervous if she had scary-looking Monster cards. After some thought, Dusk believed that the Naturia archetype would suit her due to their cute appearance and useful effects. Pinkie Pie could make use of the Performapal archetype since it relates to her love for parties despite Pendulum Summons being recently new back on Earth. Dusk knew about her love for sweets as well, so the Madolche archtype also came into mind; both are equally effective. “Very optimistic of you Dusk.” The stallion said to himself as he looked at his notes. “Too optimistic…” Dusk knew in the end, creating such decks for his friends was close to nothing. He doesn’t have such cards in his disposal; the only cards he has were those given by Shining Armor back at Canterlot and the decks he gained from defeating Numbers. Unless the same event that first brought Duel Monsters cards to Equestria occurs again, the stallion was essentially out of luck. He was broken from his thoughts when he knocking on his door, which he knew who it was. Upon opening the door, he saw that Twilight had a worried expression. “What is wrong?” Dusk asked. “I heard from a pony that several ponies have gotten sick at Sugarcube Corner.” Twilight stated. “Do you mind if you come with me?.” “Lead the way.” The stallion nodded his head in agreement and the two ponies left the library with Spike in tow. They rushed to Sugarcube Corner and saw that near the building was something like a medical tent. As they got closer, they could hear pained moans and groans coming from behind the cloth walls. Upon reaching the entrance, the curtains opened up and revealed a pony with a white coat and a pink mane. Her cutie mark was a medical cross with hearts, which was also the symbol on the front of her nurse’s hat. "We came as soon as we heard." Twilight said to the nurse. “Thank you, you two. We need all the help we can get.” She then gestured to the ponies in the tent, their faces were green from sickness. Some were on groaning on their beds while the others were squirming on the ground with their hooves over their bellies. A few of them were even threw up into buckets before their eyes. "Oh no! What happened?" Twilight worriedly asked as Dusk watched Spike pick up a bitten muffin from the ground. Dusk flinched when he saw a worm pop out from it and got the feeling it didn’t merely burrow into the muffin when it was on the ground. "It was a mishap with some of the baked goods.” The nurse explained, which Dusk quickly surmised that the ponies ended up getting food poisoning. He heard a familiar groan and turned to see it was Pinkie Pie lying on a bed, who was as just sick as rest of the ponies in the tent. "No, not baked goods, baked bads...” She moaned out before she was forced to hurl into a bucket beside her bed. “I fear Applejack may have gotten the instructions mixed up.” Dusk said to Twilight. “We need to stop her.” “Yes.” The unicorn sternly replied. “She is going too far.” “Hmm.” The two ponies turned to Spike, who was shocking eating the muffins which the ponies have gotten sick from. “Want one?” He presented one of the half-eaten muffins to them, which the two ponies politely decline by saying they were not hungry. ‘What is with that dragon’s stomach?’ Dusk thought as he watched Spike continue munching on the muffins. Nevertheless, he and Twilight made their way to Sweet Apple Acres again, hoping that Applejack would see reason this time. Upon entering the farm, they found Applejack back up a cart of filled with apples into a wooden tub, which in something like a grassy ditch. However, she was so tired that she failed to react in time when the cart leaned on its back and right on to the top of the tub. Applejack apparently didn’t care as she merely dozed off while hanging in the air upside due to the cart’s harness. As she snored away, Dusk and Twilight approached her. “Applejack, we need to talk.” Twilight said as Dusk tapped the sleeping pony’s forehead, waking her up. “Wha, huh? Oh, it's you Twilight, Dusk.” She yawned out. “I know what you two are gonna say, but the answer is still no.” “Not to upset your applecart, but you need help.” The unicorn stated to Applejack, who remained stubborn. “Hardy har.” She groans out as she flails her hooves around, trying to get her cart back on the ground. “And no, I don't.” “Applejack…” Dusk said as he watched the pony struggle to get down. “When you helping Pinkie Pie, what do you put into those muffins.” “Well…” Applejack begun to recall her time at Sugarcube Corner. “Pinkie told me to put in tater chips, soda, a cup of sour which I used lemons and wheat worms, a fancy way of saying earthworms.” Dusk and Twilight flinched upon hearing what Applejack put into the muffins. “I may not be a baker Applejack, but I think she meant chocolate chips, baking soda, a cup of flour and wheat germs.” The stallion explained to the tired pony. “Which shows that you are too tired to do anything properly. Please take a nap while me and Twilight handle everything from here.” “He is right. We were just at Sugarcube Corner and…” Twilight followed up, but Applejack still refuse to give in. “Help? No thanks Dusk. And I don’t need a lecture from you Twilight.” After some effort, Applejack was able to get her cart back on the ground. Taking off her harness, she then approached a tree. “I'll prove that this apple can handle these apples.” Despite kicking the tree several times, no apples fell and Applejack begun to feel frustrated. “Come on apples… Fall off!” However, Dusk and Twilight knew the truth why no apples were falling from that particular tree. “Uh Applejack…” “You are beating a dead tree.” They both said respectively as Applejack looked up the tree and saw it was indeed the case. “I knew that.” Applejack said as begun to walk away. “Applejack, this can’t go on any longer. Let us help.” Dusk said. “I told you already that I don’t need help.” “But if you let us help…” Twilight pleaded. “Ugh. No, no, NO!” Applejack raised her voice. “How many times do I gotta say it? I don't need no help from nopony!” Dusk sighed in disappointment as Applejack march away from him and Twilight. “Ugh. That pony is stubborn as a mule.” Twilight groaned out. A moment later, a mule neighed behind them. The two ponies turned to see it was an actual mule, which Dusk found awkward since he feared the unicorn may have accidentally insulted him. “No offense.” Twilight apologized. “None taken.” The mule replied. “I’m worried about Applejack. She is going to really hurt herself or another pony sooner or later.” Dusk shared his worries with Twilight; the two ponies were back in the library after failing to convince the stubborn pony to accept help back at Sweet Apple Acres. “I know, but I am sure we can get through to her. We just need to think of a plan.” The unicorn said, but as she tried to think of something, nothing came into her head. “Got anything?” She asked the stallion, who shook his head in response. “I’m afraid not.” After couple of minutes, they both sighed as the only option they could think of was to use force to convince Applejack, which could end badly. “Maybe a walk will jog our heads?” Dusk suggested. “That sounds like a good idea.” Twilight agreed. Leaving the library, the two ponies then walked through for some time; Twilight hummed to herself while Dusk merely kept quiet. However, they were startled when they saw a trio of ponies down on the ground. The first pony had a pale-yellow coat and raspberry-coloured mane, the second pony had a pinkish coat and her mane was light amber and the third pony had a magenta coat and a lime mane. Their cutie marks were a rose, three lily flowers and two daisies respectively, but they all share the same horrified expression. “The horror, the horror!” “It was awful!” “A disaster! A horrible, horrible disaster!” The three respectively cried out as Dusk and Twilight scanned the town. There are no signs of damage to buildings, road and even windows. From what they could tell, nothing horrible happened in Ponyville. The two looked at each other in confusion before turning back to the three ponies. “We don’t get it.” Twilight stated, which the pinkish pony ran off to a ruined garden, the pale-yellow pony bolted to a trio of pots with pedal-less flowers while the magenta pony remained still on the ground. "Our gardens, destroyed!" "Every last flower, devoured!" “By... by... THEM!” Turning to where the third pony was pointing, Dusk and Twilight were surprised to see a large group of baby bunnies, who were eating any vegetation in sight. “Was Applejack supposed to help Fluttershy with that census…” Dusk muttered before he realized what they were seeing was the consequences of Applejack’s stubbornness and tired state. He caught sight of Fluttershy, who was trying to get the bunnies to go back home, but without success. “Oh my. Oh, please stop little bunnies. Oh no! Please, let's go home. Oh my goodness!” “All right. Enough is enough.” Twilight said with an agitated expression. “Right with you.” Dusk agreed with the unicorn. They are going to stop Applejack one way or another. When they returned back to Sweet Apple Arces, they searched for the stubborn pony until they found her tiredly kicking a tree, which had little impact in knocking down the apples. “Must… keep… buckin'... just… a few… more.” Applejack mumbled in her exhausted state. “Must… finish harvestin'…” Twilight and Dusk then approached her with serious expressions. “All right, Applejack. Your applebucking hasn't just caused you problems, it's over-propelled Pegasus', practically poisoned plenty of ponies, and terrorized bushels of brand new bouncing baby bunnies. I don't care what you say. You. Need. Help!” “And you are going to deal with it! We are going to help you no matter what you say!” Applejack merely deliver another kick to the tree, which finally knock down the apples and into her baskets. “Ha! No, I don't!” She said triumphantly as she gestured to her left. “Look, I did it. I harvested the entire Sweet Apple Acres without help from either you two.” Dusk would be amazed seeing so many trees all harvested of their apple, but he had a feeling something was off. “How d'ya like them apples?” Applejack declared to the two ponies. Yet it was then Big McIntosh appeared and walked to her side. “Um, how do you like them apples?” Gesturing to his right, he showed Applejack the rest of the acres and the trees that have yet to be harvested. Upon seeing, Dusk saw his feeling was indeed right. “Sorry Applejack, but it appears you only halfway through the harvest.” He didn’t get a reply though as the pony was already in utter disbelief. “Where'd all the apple...?” Applejack managed to mumble out before her words became gibberish. Worried, Dusk approached the pony just before she made a gasp and then fainted. Luckily, he was able to grab hold of her before the fell to the ground. “That was close.” Dusk sighed as he gently laid the fainted Applejack on the ground. Big McIntosh soon left the scene, but not before thanking the stallion for his quick reaction. Dusk and Twilight stayed by Applejack’s side, letting her rest for a few minutes before waking her up. “Applejack. Applejack.” Twilight called out to her as Dusk gently shook her. “Huh?” She moaned as she looked up and saw the two. “Oh, good, you're okay.” Twilight said in relief before her expression became serious. “Now Applejack, I completely respect the Apple family ways. You're always there to help anypony in need, so maybe you can put a little of your stubborn pride aside and allow your friends to help you.” Dusk kept quiet, but was prepared to lecture Applejack in case she once again refuses to accept the notion she needed help. Luckily for him, that wasn’t the case as she finally caved in. “Okay, Twilight.” Applejack sighed. “You are being serious now, are you?” Dusk questioned. “Yes, I am being serious. Yes. Please Dusk, Twilight, I could really use both of your help.” Upon hearing Applejack’s plea, Dusk and Twilight both made a friendly chuckle before sighing in relief after all they had been through today. Later on, Dusk and Twilight gathered their friends from town; Dash, Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy. Together, they were able to help Applejack with the harvest. With their talents and teamwork, they were able to harvest the other half of Sweet Apple Acres in record time. “How about y'all take a little break?” Applejack called her friends to a table near the barn. “I got some fine apple juice waitin' for ya.” Everypony gathered at the table and then drank their apple juice, which was refreshing after doing much work in the farm. “Guys, I can't thank you enough for this help. I was acting a bit stubborn.” Applejack said. “A bit?” Twilight quickly noted. “That is an understatement if I heard one.” Dusk followed up. “Okay. A mite stubborn, and I'm awful sorry. Now, I know the town gave me the Prized Pony award, but the real award is having you six as my friends.” As everypony smiled at Applejack, Twilight decided it was the best opportunity to show her friends what Dusk prepared for her. “Why don’t you all come to the library later. I have something I wanted to all of you something that Dusk gave me.” “Oh, what is it?” Pinkie said happily. “It is a surprise.” Dusk stated, which only made the party pony more excited. “Maybe after we all have something to eat.” Dash said. “That applebucking sure made me hungry after all.” “And I've got the perfect treat.” Spike walked with a plate of half-eaten muffins. “Eeew... Spike, I threw those all away. Where'd you get them?” Pinkie said with a disgusted look. “From the trash.” The baby dragon plainly said, which disgusted the rest of the ponies. “Spike…” Dusk said, realizing those are the same muffins that made many ponies sick. “We don’t eat anything in the trash.” “I think I may have lost my appetite…” Dash muttered out. “Let see what Twilight wants to show us.” Everypony agreed and begun to make their way to the library. Spike tried to convince them taste the muffins, but they were disgusted at the notion. “What the… I thought Dusk smashed it to save us from that Number after dealing with Nightmare Moon?” At the library, Twilight showed friends Dusk’s old duel disk, which Dash quickly noted and assumed it was beyond repair. “It was, but I manage to restore using a spell. It took a number of tries through. You be amazed how complex a duel disk could be.” Twilight said. “That is nice and all, but this is not what I expected.” Applejack however was expected something would leave them in awe. “Oh, this is not the surprise.” Twilight then levitated her deck from the table and showed them it. “This is the surprise.” “Wait...” Dash got a clue what the unicorn meant and turned her attention to Dusk. “Were you teaching her how to play your card game, Duel Monsters?” “It is not just that Rainbow.” The stallion then gestured to the deck in the duel disk. “What Twilight is showing all of you now a deck I personally made for her.” “I would like to show you the cards, but I decided that I would show them to you by dueling Dusk.” Twilight stated as the rest of the mares gasped in shock what they heard. “Now that is something I wasn’t expecting Twilight.” Dusk chuckled upon seeing their expressions. “We will be taking the duel outside with you all as the audience. Then again, we will be attracting a big crowd if we duel Twilight.” “I’m sure everything will be fine.” She said as she begun to re-examine her deck and see if every card is in order. “So, you made a deck for Twilight?” Rarity asked Dusk. “Why would you do that?” “Well, Twilight already know the rules how to play Duel Monsters back at Canterlot, so I thought she should have the means to defend herself in a Number appears before her.” “Ooo, what about us?” Pinkie said as she bounced in excitement. “Will you make a deck for each of us?” The stallion scratched the back of his head as he tried to find the right words to say. “Well, the thing is… Decks I create are usually customized it to match the user’s personality and likes. The problem is that I have a limited number of cards and they are pretty much mismatched.” “How did you make Twilight’s deck then?” Fluttershy asked. “Remarkably, I found a full archetype set when I was organizing my cards, which match Twilight’s personality as well.” Dusk replied as she notices the anticipation in the mare’s eyes, showing they were interested in having a deck of their own. Twilight notice this as well and smiled. “If you are interested learning about Duel Monsters, I sure Dusk would have no problem giving you lesson.” Dusk nodded in agreement. “Feel free to also give suggestions what you would want your decks to be like. I may be limited with what cards I have, but I’ll do what I can to make your decks. But that would have to be later though.” Dusk then raised his left hoof in front of his face as he narrowed his eyes. “Duel Disk on.” He muttered as he pictured the duel disk he gained from Number 39 in his head. Soon, it appeared on his left hoof. “How did you…” Applejack was surprised along with the others except for Twilight. “Apparently, Dusk can now summon his duel disk at will. He believed it was due to Number 39’s bonding with him.” Twilight said, recalling the events where the stallion dueled Number 40 over a week ago. “Enough about that though.” Dusk stated as he made his way to the door and the other ponies followed. “Its time for our duel.”