//------------------------------//
// Stu Is as Stu Does 
// Story: Appledashery Vol. Two 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

"Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..."  Stu Leaves lay flat on his back between two apple trees, surrounded by a sea of fallen fruit.  His limbs were limp and his muzzle contorted in a sore, pained expression.  "Owwww-wow-wow-wow-wow-wow!"

Meanwhile, a freckled apple mare trotted calmly up the nearby hillside from the farmhouse, carrying a tray with a tall pitcher full of ice-cold lemonade.  She placed it down before the stallion's stinging red fetlocks.  Sighing through a tired smile, she turned around three times before reclining on the grass beside him.  Applejack gave Stu a long, thoughtful, knowing gaze.

"Sooooooo..."  She leaned her chin against her fetlock.  "...what did we learn today?"

"We learned..."  Stu wheezed.  His lower hooves shifted and he instantly whimpered in pain.  "...that my tree-bucking method totally sucks!"

"Mmmmhmmmmm."  She calmly poured a glass of lemonade.  "And just why is that?"

"Kicking... a tree... a trunk of wood that rapidly is... is..."  Stu whimpered again, his forelimbs curling up to his chest.  "...m-m-murder on my hoofsies."

"Hah!  Listen to you!  Talkin' like a little colt who's taken his first shot at the doctor's office."

"I feel like I've galloped over broken glassssssss."

"Maybe now you'll understand why the earth pony method is tried and true!"  She finished pouring the glass and held it up in the afternoon light.  "It's not just about learnin' to buck the tree right... but to find a manner of kickin' that you can pace yerself with... not go flyin' around and screamin' like a moron while strikin' every dang branch and bark of wood in sight!"

"But... b-but I got so much done in so little time!" Stu wheezed.  He lifted a sore red hoof just long enough to point at the fallen apples around him.  "I mean... look at that!"

"Stu, you dun bucked only three trees."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."  He whimpered, curling his forelimbs to his chest again.

"And look at you!  You look like you've done fought both the Unicornia and Pegasopolus armies with yer teeth and lost!"

"Isn't it... t-too early in the year for Hearth's Warming m-metaphors?"

"T'ain't the point, ya varmint.  You gotsta learn to buck trees right!  Or else you'll never click with the local farmers of this here earth pony town.  Ya hear?"

"Yes, Miss AJ.  I hear."

"Just AJ, darn it!  Now here..." Applejack held the glass out to him.  "Have yer dang refreshment already."

Stu Leaves reached for it.  He grasped the cold glass in his sore fetlocks for a full three seconds before the ice-cold thing slipped through and spilled its contents all over his belly.  "... ... ..."

"Snrkkkkkkkkk!"  Applejack rolled over, nearly knocking into the pitcher.  "Hahahahahahah!"

"Unnnngh..."  Stu moaned, rolling his eyes at the blue sky overhead.  "Isn't there an ancient Equestrian tradition about shooting a winged horse once it's become lame?"

"Whoahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh nelly...!"  Applejack sat up, adjusting her hat with a red-faced smirk.  "You really are hopeless, ain't ya?"

"Please..."  Stu Leaves wheezed.  "Dun rub it in."

"Here, darlin'."  Applejack picked the glass back up, shook its moisture loose, and brought it back to the pitcher.  "I'll pour you another.'

"I don't deserve another," Stu muttered.

"Now dun get all mopey!"  Applejack briefly stuck her tongue out.  "Yer just a bit clumsy, is all."

"A bit?"

"But yer persistent.  And I know for a fact that you eventually do learn from your mistakes."  She cleared her throat.  "Be it a hill of mistakes... or a dag-blame'd mountain."

"You..."  Stu tilted his head up from the grass.  "...really think there's hope for me?"

"Ain't about hope.  It's about an honest effort to improve."  She looked at him.  "You really wanna learn how to buck trees proper, don'tcha?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She squinted.

"Erm..."  He smiled nervously.  "Yes, AJ."

"Then follow my example and no more messin' with the formula.  Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good."  She hoofed him the glass of lemonade again.

He reached for it... winced... then reached for it some more.

"Here."  She scooted over in the grass and tilted the glass towards his muzzle.  "Allow me."

He gave a humble nod, then opened his lips as she poured the drink lightly into his muzzle.

She studied his expressions—his features—making sure not to pour too much.  There was something familiar about the gesture she was performing.  Something sisterly... motherly.  She couldn't help but smile.  "There..."  She held the glass back.  "Think you can get back on yer hooves?"

"I do now."  He sat up with renewed strength.  After a breath, he used his buzzing wings to lift himself upright.  "Thanks, AJ.  Very friendly of you."

Applejack blinked, her smile fading.  "Well, of course!"

He trotted limply towards the treeline to get back to work.

She fumbled after the stallion.  "I mean... why wouldn't it be friendly?"  He didn't respond right away, and for the first time in an hour, Applejack was sweating more than him.