//------------------------------//
// Fruit'n'words 
// Story: Appledashery Vol. Two 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

"Where do you want 'em?" Stu Leaves asked.  He was referring—of course—to the empty baskets in the back of the wagon... the wagon he was hitched to... for he was drawing the wagon over the hill and towards a row of orchards at Sweet Apple Acres.

"Just park it in the middle of the grassy lane," Applejack said, pointing along the row of trees.  "Then get the baskets out—one by one—and place them at the base of every third tree."

"Oh... alright!"  Stu Leaves trotted over, drawing the wagon.  He nevertheless raised an eyebrow.  "Why next to every third tree?  Aren't you trying to catch the fruit once they fall?"

"Sure thang!  But as full of apples as these trees are, them's some large baskets.  They can each hold up more than three trees' worth.  So the point is to place them at the trunk of one tree, kick it clean, then push the basket over to the next two while buckin'."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

"It's all very efficient-like," Applejack explained.  "Once you get into the swing of thangs, it makes sense."

"I bet it does!"  He smiled, bringing the wagon to a halt.  Unhitching himself, he reached into the back of the vehicle and grabbed the first of many baskets.  "Any particular side of the tree I should place them on?"

"Just wherever," Applejack said, pointing.  "If I need to, I'll move it to the appropriate position once the buckin' begins."

"Alrighty!"

"Aw come on, Stu!"  Applejack pouted.  "You can do more than that, can'tcha?"

"Huh?"

Applejack marched over and placed a stack of five baskets atop her flank.  "See?  Lug 'em in groups!  So long as they're empty, they should be a slice of pie!  You get to make less trips back and forth between the orchard and the wagon this way."

"Oh!  Oh sure!"  Stu nodded.  "That makes sense!"  Licking his lips, he faced the wagon again, then reached up and hoisted nine baskets onto his flank.  He immediately winced and groaned, sweating from all the weight.

"Ah shucks..."  Applejack grimaced.  "Dun take on too much now!"

"I... th-think I can handle it!"  Stu Leaves wheezed, stumbling over to the treeline and depositing them one at a time.  "The weight... isn't all that bad... ow!"  He coiled his wings tighter.  "Ow ow ow ow—"

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing!"  He smiled under a curtain of sweat.  "I'm good!"

Applejack glared.  "Dun be lyin' to me now..."

"Just brushed up against the bad wing.  But I-I can manage!  Live and learn!  Hahaha—ow."

"Oh... well... uhm..."  Applejack fidgeted.  "Just dun be messin' them feathers up, ya hear?  I wouldn't rightly live with myself if I ended up masturbatin' that injury of yours."

Stu Leaves laughed.

Applejack blinked.  "What?"

"I think the word you're looking for is 'exacerbating,'" Stu Leaves said.  "Besides."  He tossed her a coy wink.  "I don't think we're quite that close of friends yet."

"... ... ..."

"Uhhhh..."  Stu fidgeted slightly, leaning against the wagon under a curtain of sweat.  "You do know what the other word means, right, Miss Applejack—?"

"I know what I know!"  Applejack snarled, suddenly heaving ten baskets onto her backside.  "Now go about puttin' them barrels beneath the trees, ya hear?  We're already late into the afternoon and there are many apples to buck!"

"Oh!  Totally!"  Stu Leaves leapt into action.  "Wowee... I-I didn't know we were facing a schedule!"

"Uh huh..."  Applejack faced away from him... if only to hide her insanely reddening muzzle.

"Either way, I'm so very happy that you've given me this opportunity to learn first-hoof about harvesting apples!"

"Uh huh.  That's good and fine, Stu."

"After all, farming is life for the locals around here, and if I wanna gel with the Ponyvilleans, I need to know as much as I can about working with the nearby crops!"

"I hear ya—"

"I read up on the history of Equestrian Apple Farming since we last talked!  Did you know that Hoof McSeedicle was the first mule to start her own farm in the Fillydelphia province—?"

"Just shut yer trap and do the work, Stu!"  Applejack spat out the side of her blushing muzzle.  "Damnation!"

"Haha!  Whatever you say, Miss..."

Applejack huffed and puffed... although she smirked slightly to herself beneath all the sweat.