//------------------------------//
// Peddle to the Mettle 
// Story: Appledashery Vol. Two 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

The afternoon after that...

"Thanks for yer purchase!"  Applejack tipped her hat and curtsied slightly in an apron.  "Have a nice day!  Y'all come back now!"  She pivoted back towards the location of her apple stand in the Ponyville marketplace.  "For the last time—Stu—how many times do I have to tell ya?  Keep a lid on the whole 'Element of Honesty' thang!"

"Why, though?"  He grinned wide, wearing a matching apron.  He polished several specimens of fruit with his feathers and layed them out on a wooden stand facing the crowd of milling villagers.  "The whole town knows about it!  It's how I found out!  Besides..."  He winked at her.  "It's a selling point!"

"Well, I beg to differ!"

Stu Leaves blinked.  "Uhhhhh... being the 'Element of Honesty' is not a good selling point...?"

"Dang it!"  She stomped her hoof.  "I ain't aimin' to be a braggart!  I do a lot of hard work to make sure my apples are the most scrumptious in the land!  I want my produce to speak for itself!"

"Well, nothing wrong with that, but—"

"But nothin'!"  Applejack frowned.  "Believe it or not, vanquishin' Nightmare Moon ain't got nothin' to do with bein' a good farmer or harvestin' good fruit so I dun see why I gotsta—"  She suddenly paled.  "What in tarnation are ya doin'?"

"Sh-shining the apples all nice and pretty for the st-stand—!"

"Yer doin' too much shinin'!"  Applejack practically leapt for the fruit, shoving him aside.  "Rub 'em anymore and you'll smoosh what's under the skin!"

"I was only using my feathers—"

"But you ain't usin' yer noggin'!  At least what's left inside that hollow skull of yers!"  Applejack stifled a groan.  "Honestly, yer harder to work with than Apple Bloom!"

"A thousand apologies, AJ."  Stu bowed nervously.  "Mental note:  No bragging, no shining, no Apple Blooming—"

"Dun be sarcastic!"

"But I wasn't—"

"All you stallions are all alike!  Ya gotta charge at things hard-headed and prideful!  Big Mac used to be just the same—before he closed his trap.  Unlike a certain pegasus feller I know."

"Uhhhh..."  Stu Leaves winced.  "...my bad?"

"Rnnngh..."  Applejack rubbed her muzzle.  "It's no biggie.  You've just... you've just gotta find some middle-ground, ya feel me?"

He smiled crookedly.  "Guess it takes earth pony gumption to find any ground."

"No, it takes experience and learnin'."  Applejack cleared her throat, relaxing slightly.  "For what it's worth, I appreciate all the help you've been givin' as of late, Stu.  I really do."

"Hey!  I'm benefiting from it!"  He smiled.  "Believe it or not, it's had a positive impact on my other jobs!"

"Other jobs?  They're yer only jobs.  I'm not payin' you for this, remember?"

"Heh... if you say so."

"Besides.  I'm a busy mare."  Applejack tilted her freckled chin up.  "We've had ourselves a lil' learnin' streak, but I'm afraid I'm gonna be too busy tomorrow to afford showin' you any ropes."

"Awwwwwww... you sure of that?"

"Positively..."