"Hurry up Apple Bloom!" cries Applejack, her forehead wet with sweat as she bucks another tree. Her little sister comes galloping across the orchard, carrying a trailer, which is strapped to her middle.
"Calm down, sis, what's the hurry?" replies Apple Bloom as Applejack places some buckets filled with apples into the trailer.
"The hurry is.. Well, Potatoes!" she huffs, putting in some more. And some more. And some more.
"Stop AJ! I can't pull that many buckets!" Apple Bloom cries, feeling the cart pull her back. They're on top of a hill and it's a huge effort to keep the trailer from rolling back down with her attached.
"Go on then, and Big Mac, hurry up, we got more filled buckets to go into the barn!" barked Applejack, waving her hooves about. Apple Bloom trotted off to unload her buckets at the barn, where Granny Smith was frantically sorting through them.
Big Mac, calm as ever, wanders over to Applejack, a larger trailer strapped onto him so she could pack it full of buckets.
"Applejack, your little sister's got a point." he says, as she gallops about.
"Whatddya mean, bro?" she replies, confused.
"You're overworking, both us and yourself - you should see Granny Smith."
Curious, Applejack trots up to the barn with her honest brother, and pushes open the doors to reveal the odd sight inside.
There are three piles of apples; bad, good, and what Applejack assumes to be in sorted. It seemed perfectly normal - many empty buckets in a pile in the corner - when suddenly, out of the unsorted mound, pops a rather bedraggled Granny Smith. "Ooh my... This here's a lotta apples."
Big Mac gives his sister a look.
"Uhh, well, but- but we can't stop now! There's way more apples to buck! And then we need to make cider, and pie, and salad, and-" Applejack is interrupted by her little sister. "No, AJ! You're getting way too competitive! Poor Granny Smith!"
"She's right you know," Big Mac confirms.
After a moment's thought, the orange mare has an idea. "I've got a way that we can all relax a bit more, but still manage to do all the apple sorting and pie making!"
"What?" asks Apple Bloom pessimistically.
All the way across Ponyville lives a kind and caring young mare, who is quietly humming to her songbirds a new tune. By her side sits her pet bunny who is enjoying the beautiful music.
"La, la laaaa." Fluttershy sings.
"La, la laaa." tweet the colourful animal singers.
"Um, excuse me, but I think you need to make the first note higher... From the start?" Fluttershy asks quietly.
"La, la-"
BANG BANG BANG!
"FLUTTERSHY, OPEN UP!" yells Applejack, smacking her hooves against the door with such force its starts to wobble. The bunny conductor looks at his owner, who had such a fright she flew across the room and crashed into the wall behind her sofa. He sighs and pulls the door open for her. The mare outside bolts inside, eyes darting around madly.
"Applejack? You scared away my birds..." whispers a shaking Fluttershy, crawling from behind the couch.
"Sorry Fluttershy, are ya doin' much?" asks Applejack.
"Oh, well I was actually just teaching the songbirds a new tune..."
"Great, cos I need your help!"
"Huh? I said I was-"
Before Fluttershy could object, she was grabbed by the foreleg and led out of the house.
"Where are we going?" asks Fluttershy, as she was marched through Ponyville by her friend.
"Twi's house." Applejack responds brusquely.
They reach Twilight's library, but there's no reply when they knock.
"Ahh, we can manage without her - she's probably just out finding ingredients for another experiment." shrugs the orange mare.
But they're not heading back to Fluttershy's house, so she asks again, "Where are we going now?"
"Sugar Cube Corner! I'm sure Pinkie will love to help." says Applejack, careering around the corner toward the sweetest sweet shop in Ponyville.
Applejack bursts through into the cafe, searching for her magenta pal. "Howdy Mrs Cake, where's Pinkie Pie?"
"Oh, I think she's upstairs, why-"
"Thanks!" she cries, zooming up the stairs.
Pinkie is inside the twins' bedroom, looking lovingly into their cot and talking happily. "PINKIE, WE NEED YOU!" yells the pony.
"Oh, AJ, you woke them up!"
Pinkie's statement is confirmed with a cacophony of wailing. Applejack dives in to rescue Pinkie, then grabs her hoof and flies her out. They gallop down the stairs and out of the sweet shop, heading in the direction of the boutique. Rarity isn't there, so the last pony Applejack can think of is a certain Pegasus who's speed would be very useful.
"RAINBOW DAAASH!" hollers Applejack at the clouds.
A rainbow mane is dangling over the edge of the cloud, but there's no reply.
"DASH, I KNOW YOU'RE UP THERE!" she calls. The cloud shifts, almost uncomfortably, but there's still no reply.
"Rai-"
"Do you MIND, AJ? Some ponies are trying to nap!" Dash's voice yells back.
"We need your-"
"How many times? NO, Applejack! I was up all last night practising my new trick, and I need to be all rested because I'm meeting up with Golden today to do some racing! Have you seen that girl running? I'm pretty sure she can keep up with me!"
It feels like a thorn being shoved in Applejack's side, hearing that Rainbow Dash is choosing her own best friend over her! Determined to show that she isn't a pushover, Applejack decides to storm up the hill to tell Golden to back off. Rainbow Dash is HER friend, and she won't be meeting up with Golden today.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Applejack?" asks Fluttershy, unsure.
"I don't know, why would I know? Let's make this quick - we need to get right to work on the farm." Applejack says, knocking on the door of the Potato family's home.
After a moment the door opens, and stood in the doorway is Maris Piper.
"Why hello Applejack, what brings you to our humble house?"
"Is Golden Wonder in?" asks Applejack, poking her head in.
"Ah, yes, she's just upstairs, come on in."
In her head, Applejack is writing her speech that she's going to say to her best friend, when something stops her in her tracks. Stood in the lounge is Large Fries, and beside him is Rarity. Why on Earth is she here? She's needed on the farm! Huffing, Applejack decides to deal with her in a minute. First she wants to find Golden Wonder to sort out the whole Dash situation.
She knows exactly where her bedroom is, and pushes the door open without a word. As she sees what's inside, she lets out a horrified gasp.
Sat beside piles of dusty books is her old best friend, and next to her is Twilight Sparkle. They're grinning and chatting and having endless fun. Anger is bubbling inside her and all she wants to do is scream, but she just slams the door and gallops down the stairs.
Before she can leave, Golden Wonder has followed her down and held her still. "Applejack, calm down! What's up with you?"
"What's up with me?! What's UP WITH ME? I'll tell ya what's up! You've strutted into MY town, you've stolen MY customers, but you DO NOT steal my friends!" yelled Applejack, before shaking her Golden's hooves off and stomping out the door, followed closely by Pinkie and Fluttershy.
"Did you see Fries? Rarity's right, he IS pretty cool!" Pinkie chirps.
"Uhuh!" smiles Fluttershy, blushing a little.
"Right, well, Fluttershy, go to the barn, Granny Smith will tell yer what to do. And Pinkie, you can help make the jam. It's really simple, I'm sure Apple Bloom can teach ya the basics."
"But what are you gonna do, AJ?" asks Pinkie.
"I, well, the house needs cleaning..." Applejack's lie is very obvious, but after sharing a meaningful look, Pinkie and Fluttershy decide not to object.
They get straight to work in the orchard, while Applejack dashes up the stairs. She flings herself onto the bed, sniffling into her pillow. Her tears are uncomfortably damp and she can't stop sobbing. "Stupid Golden! Stupid Potato-Heads!"
Pinkie and Fluttershy stand in the doorway, unnoticed by the crying pony. They look at each other, a worried gaze.
Pinkie gestured for them to leave, and once they make it out of the house, Fluttershy says, "We've got to help her!"
"And I've got a plan." Pinkie smiles.