//------------------------------// // An Oddity To The Core // Story: A Pear and Apple Through and Through // by SweetCookie //------------------------------// It had been a bright morning on the Apple Farm, and it had been rather warm for Autumn. Sweet Apple Acres was vibrant with Apple Earth ponies working on the Apple trees, collecting the harvest to store up for consuming in the Winter and to stock up on enough apples to use in their products so that they can continue to sell apples during the colder months of the year. Each age group of the Apple Family did their daily tasks as usual. The young foals in the family spent their time playing in the fields or helping to sort out certain products in the sheds or going to school, the more stronger and older mares and colts helped with work in the fields through plowing the fields or bucking apples from their trees, and more senior mares and colts spent time watching over the young for the parents or helping out with making the produce from the apples. A young mare with a green-coloured fur colour, no older than at least 13 years old, galloped into the gleaming Autumn sun, putting on her great-grandauntie's hat on her head. Her bright red mane had been in a messy-yet-neat twin braids that are tied together halfway through in a ponytail that lies on the right side of her shoulder, and her tail was curly and untamed. Her eyes, ones that shined orange and the other that shined blue, galloped through the Apple Fields, almost galloping away when she was spotted by her mother, who was 10 months pregnant. "Apple Pear? Seedling, where are you galloping off to in such a hurry?" "Afternoon mom! Don't tire yourself out too much." "Now hold on there little mare. What's the rush?" "I'm meeting Droopy and Nova for a study session and some tea this afternoon." "I thought you were supposed to be helping the foals with making Apple Jam?" "Sorry mom, I promise I'll do double-time tomorrow." "Did you help them already?" "Yup, taught them the basics, I'll teach them the rest tomorrow." "Be back by sunset sugarcube." "Yes mom." Hugging her pregnant mother, Apple Pear galloped through the gate and raced into Ponyville, the home and birthplace of the Sweet Apple Acres, the town where she spent her entire life growing up and learning the trades of the Apple business. "My name is Apple Pear, but my friends call me Le or Pe and my family nicknames me Seedling. I'm an Earth Pony and descendent of the grand Granny Smith herself, and I work on the Apple Farm with the Apple Family, which is really big. Why I'm called Apple Pear? It was a name my great grandmother Apple Bloom chose for me, though she doesn't remember why anymore. Then again, she is around 105 years old, and her memory isn't exactly what it used to be. She isn't much of a talker, but it's still fun and relaxing to talk to somepony else when your entire family is busy running the farm." "Nowadays, she forgets even her own son Tapple Apple, and every now and then she forgets her dead husband Tender Taps is, well, dead. She also goes on about this thing about Pears for some odd reason she's not able to disclose anymore, but whenever I ask my grandmother Slippin' Seed, she doesn't really answer my question at all. Most times I've had to try and ask my other relatives, like my great-grandauntie's son Toffee Core (my grand cousin) or my great-granduncle's daughter Candy Apple (my other grand cousin), and they themselves would tell me 'when your older, we'll tell ya Seedling'. Heck, I've even tried to ask great-grandcousin Pinkie Pie's great-granddaughter Polka Dott about pears having a part in my family history, and she doesn't seem to have a clue either. Most of the time, I actually even wonder if it was just a random name great grandmother Apple Bloom gave me, or if it had something to do with the actual Pear Family that resides in Vanhoover." "My grandfather acts as the head of the entire farm, when in reality it's Apple Bloom, and he's really strict when it comes to not only business relations with the Pears, but ACTUAL relations with the Pears. He makes sure that the younger foals stay clear from any of the grown-up Pears so they won't 'influence them away from apples', and vice versa for the Apple foals. You can say that both families aren't on good terms with each other like before." "Like before you ask? Well, my mother and father tells me that the Pears and Apples had once been in a feud with each other, all starting with Granny Smith and the Pear's grand ancestor they call 'Grand Pear'. I've heard that the feud lasted for years, ever since the youthful days of Grand Pear and Granny Smith, and how it only ever really stopped when the Pears moved to Vanhoover. Whenever I hear that story, Apple Bloom starts calling for her parents, who were never disclosed in our family's history tree, and no matter who I asked no one would tell me anything. The only thing I've ever really known about them was that their names were Bright McIntosh and Buttercup, and that was all they ever said." Apple Pear galloped through Ponyville, through the various streets and corners. She stopped by the Cake's Bakery, which is now run by the twins Pound and Pumpkin Cake and their grandchildren Cup Cake and Sprinkles Cake. Inside, she found Droopy and Nova sitting at a table with their other friends Boltzing Blitz, Toffee Core, Candy Apple, Polka Dott, Tipsy Fly and Gemstone. After sitting with them for a while eating a few of Droopy's muffins, Apple Pear greeted her friends a short bye and galloped away to one of the shops along the street. "At school, I'm considered an oddity due to my family's mysterious past, but it's not too bad. I'm good friends with Droopy Dipper (great-grandson to Derpy) who inherited Derpy's Wall Eyes, Nova Crystal (great-granddaughter to Twilight Sparkle) a Pegasus with larger than normal Pegasus Wings who's the descendant of Princess Twilight Sparkle (REALLY cool mind you), Tipsy Fly who is 1/3 draconequus, 1/3 earth pony and 1/3 changeling, who looks my age but is really young, and we usually see him with Discord, Fluttershy, or his parents who are still alive (REALLY cool too), Polka Dott (great-granddaughter of PinkiePie and Cheese Sandwich) with her missing right hoof, Boltzing Blitz with his smaller Pegasus Wings, Gemstone (daughter of Spike and Rarity who's passed years ago) with her half dragon-half unicorn appearance, and of course my cousins Toffee Core and Candy Apple." Galloping towards a shop a few streets away, Apple went inside and rushed behind the counter of the store, grabbing on a delivery bag and was met with a colt by the name of Grazing Pear, his features seeing better days. The elder colt looked at the young mare with eyes that meant that she was late once again, and cleared his throat. "You're late again Miss Pear." "I'm sorry, I lost track of time on my family's farm sir." "Don't make it too much of a habit like last time young one." "How's your cold sir?" "Been better than yesterday that's for sure. Must've scared off half of the customers yesterday mornin'." "You sure gave me a fright with that sneeze o' yours yesterday." "I may be old, but I've still got my own voice. I'll have to give you double-time to make up for the times you've been late this month. Until about sunset I reckon." "I'm supposed to be home by sunset." "I'm sure you'll be able to find an excuse as always Miss Pear. Get on galloping otherwise I'll have to give you more overtime." With Apple nodding quickly, the Earth Pony helped load the mare's satchel with various Pear products, and as soon as she arrived, she galloped away to get started on work if she wanted to not get her family worried about her again. Apple's faced turned to a frown when she remembered the last time she came home after curfew, getting confined to the Apple Barn for an entire week with no form of social interactions from not only her friends but from the kids in her work group. It wasn't pleasant, but it ensured that any young Apple Farmer was kept in line with the rules of the Farm. "I also recently got part-time work as a delivery mare for a Pear Store. Yeah, my family doesn't know that about me yet. They just think I'm hanging out with my friends after school. I fear that if they find out, they might start the Apple and Pear feud all over again. Sometimes I get to work pretty late, while other times I get to finish early. One time when I was late so often 2 months ago, I had to work way past sunset, and my grandfather grounded me for it! I guess if it means I can keep in line to become a good Apple Farmer, I can get my cutie mark to help carry on the family line of Apple Farmers." "...and that's kind of my story I guess..." "Miss Pear, I asked for 3 jars of Pear Juice and your name, not your entire backstory." "Oh! I'm sorry, I kind of got carried away." "Don't make it a habit Missy. Have a good evening." "Wait! Before you leave, can I ask for your help on how to find my cutie mark?" "Your cutie mark? Still haven't gotten it yet?" "No. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to earn it on the Apple Farm, even after doing everything I can." "Cutie marks are earned when you know what it is you're meant to do. Tell me, do you know what it is you want to do?" "Not exactly." "I suggest going to the Cutie Mark Crusaders for this. You know who they are, right?" "Yeah, my great-greatgrandmother was apart of the original group." "Then I'm sure you'll fit right in. You know where they meet up, right?" "Not exactly." "They're just beyond that hill in an old-looking tree house. You can't miss it." "And I have just enough time to get back home afterwards! Thank you ma'am, have a good night!" "And to you too Miss Pear." Galloping back to the pear shop, Apple got her pay and after wishing a good evening to Grazing Pear and galloped in the direction of the old-looking tree house. The young mare hoped that the Cutie Mark Crusaders could help her solve her cutie mark dilemma before her family starts worrying about it.