//------------------------------// // Introductions // Story: Under the Apple Orchard // by Artie Downer //------------------------------// That first night at Sweet Apple Acres was the most peaceful I had in weeks. Between my travels and arriving in Ponyville, I usually had to find some kind of hotel or even resort to sleeping on the streets. Some adventurer I was. But that first night, the comfy feather bed, soft pillow, and just right warm blanket, it felt like I saw sleeping in the finest beds of Canterlot. All that was interrupted when somepony threw open the door to my room and yelled, "Rise n' shine, everypony!" The combined forces of the yell and the door slamming made fall out of the bed with a groan. "Uuuuuuuugh... what time is it?" Somepony walked up to me. It was Applejack. "Good mornin' partner!" I looked outside the window. It was still dark out. And for some reason, this seemed to make her happy. "It's crack o' dawn, Wanderer! Time to work." I finally got on my hooves with a groan. Outside the barn, me, Applejack, and Big Macintosh were looking the entire apple orchard. It was miles and miles of trees as far as the eye can see. It sure looked intimidating for a pony like me. The sun started to rise above the horizon as the sky changed from blue to a shade of orange and yellow. I looked over to Applejack and asked, "So, is Applebloom going to be helping us pick all these apple trees?" She looked over to me and laughed like it was the funniest thing she ever heard. "Oh, come now, Wanderer! Applebloom's just a little filly. It's just gonna be you, me, and Big Mac! Ain't that right, Big Mac?" "Eeyup." At that's point, I felt like that was the only thing ever Big Macintosh ever said. Applejack then stood on her hind legs and yelled "Yee-haw! C'mon, slowpokes! Betcha can't beat me!" Big Macintosh ran right behind her while I just walked and followed. After a few hours of applebucking, I started to get really tired. I had never worked that hard before in all my life, and I had certainly hadn't done any manual labor as well. There was this one tree where no matter how much I kicked or how hard, I could only get a few apples out of the tree. I felt bad since I wasn't being a good worker for this family that just took me in. Applejack walked over to where I was and asked, "How's the applebuckin', Wanderer?" At that point, I did a really stupid thing. I lied. I didn't want to be embarrassed over the fact that I was having trouble with this one tree while she and Big Macintosh were being really professionals about it. "Oh, everything's fine, Applejack. I just finished getting all these apples from this tree." All of a sudden, Applejack started staring with a suspicious look on her face. She walks closer to my tree, looks at the bushel and up at the tree. She then said, "Wanderer, this here bushel hardly has an apples in it." Oh, no. I made her mad, I thought. Applejack then stood right in front of me and said, "Y'know, Wanderer, if there's one thing Ah can't stand, it's lyin'." Oh, no. I forgot she's also the Element of Honesty, I thought again. How could I have been so stupid? I hung my head in shame and said, "I'm sorry, Applejack. I just didn't want to be embarrassed by how bad a worker I am." I looked up and there she was, looking down at me with a sincere smile of forgiveness and understanding. She put her hoof around my shoulders and said, "Oh, it's all right, partner. Ah forgive ya. And Ah understand why ya did what ya did. Just don't do it again, OK?" I smiled back and said, "Yeah. Thanks." "Well, c'mon, now! We got work to do!" I smiled and went back to work. And this time, I tried my hardest to get all the apples in the bushel. After a couple hours of applebucking and planting seeds to grow crops and whatnot, Applejack announced that the work day was over and that it was time for lunch. Me and Big Mac, as he prefers to be called, hurried up back to the farm. Already at the table was Granny Smith and Applebloom preparing the food. Big Mac sat down and they all started eating, save for me and Applejack. As I made my way towards the table, Applejack pulled me aside and said, "Oh, not yet, Wanderer. Ah got some ponies Ah'd like ya to meet. We'll have ourselves a good lunch there." I smiled nervously at her and said, "Oh, OK." The reason for this is because I was tired and very hungry after all that work, and the thought of me having to wait a little longer for lunch made me anxious. Applejack and I walked over towards Ponyville. There were all sorts of ponies there that I didn't see the first time I arrived. All ponies of many different shapes and sizes and colors. They all had these smiles on their faces, which really showed how prosperous and happy these townsfolk were. Perhaps it had been a smart idea for me to settle here. After walking around Ponyville, Applejack lead me to this giant tree. What I found unusual about this tree was that it a door and windows sticking out of it. How they were able to hollow a tree, I will never know. Applejack knocked on the door and said, "Twilight! It's Applejack. Y'all ready?" Suddenly, a fast, hyper voice came from inside and said, "OH YES WE'RE TOTALLY READY AND I'M SO EXCITED ARE YOU EXCITED I'VE NEVER BEEN SO EXCITED-" A brash, rough voice interrupted the the hyper, squeaky voice with a "Pinkie Pie, be quiet!" Applejack looked at me with a "Well, there goes the surprise"-look on her face. The door opened, and a lavender unicorn greeted us. "Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle. You must be Wanderer. Please, come in." It was dark in the hollow tree as I entered inside with Applejack and Twilight. All of a sudden, the lights went on and the pink mare from before jumped in front of my face and yelled, "SURPRISE!!" The only thing that actually surprised me was the pink pony jamming her nose right into mine with that same huge grin on her face. I looked around to see all sorts of decorations. And then I noticed all the books on shelves, which made me assume I was in a library. A library in a tree. Clever. Then I noticed all the other ponies, and one little dragon, that were in the room. Of course, there was that pink pony, but also a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail, a pure-white unicorn with the most combed and styled violet mane I had ever seen in my life, and the yellow pegasus with the pink mane that I first saw when coming to Ponyville. The difference was that the yellow pegasus kept looking at the corner, barely making any eye-contact with me. And then there was that green and purple little dragon that I saw putting food on a table as well as other assortments. After taking in all that was around me, I smiled and said, "I'm sorry if I don't seem really surprised, but I may have heard what the pink one said." To no one's surprise, including my own, the pink pony started laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. "Oh my gosh, you are soooooo~ funny! We're gonna be BEST FRIENDS FOREVER! I just know it! And my it's not my Pinkie sense that's telling or maybe it is I don't know I don't feel anything but-" her sentence, or rather, never-ending sentence was silenced by the lavender unicorn placing a hoof in her mouth. "All right, Pinkie Pie, that's enough." Pinkie Pie nodded and sped off, apparently into the kitchen. Celestia knows what that crazy pink pony would do in there. "Now, that that's out of the way," began Twilight, "I'd like to introduce you to some of Applejack's friends since you've been such a great help to hers on her farm. Am I correct, AJ?" "Eeyup." I guess the one word response was in the family. Applejack took me by the hoof and we started the introductions. She led me over to the white unicorn first and said, "This here's Rarity. Careful now, she's a bit of a snooty." "Applejack!" gasped the white unicorn, "how could you introduce me to your new friend in such an uncouth way?!" Applejack snorted. Hey, I wasn't going to argue with the Element of Honesty. Rarity took my hoof and shook it in a very lady-like way, not like Applejack had done when I first met her. By her voice, I could also tell she was the really lady in this group. "Charmed," she began. "It's a wonder to meet you, Wanderer! I hear you quite stallion!" Not really sure how to respond, I did what I thought she find appropriate in her sophisticated way of greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you too." Then I leaned my head down and kissed her hoof. I was really afraid Rarity would be disgusted by my actions, but instead I heard a pompous but somehow adorable laugh from her. "Oh, Applejack, you never told me how much of a gentleacolt your friend is!" At this point, Rarity was beaming at me. I smiled back, rather nervously, as I saw the green and purple dragon from before staring at me. Applejack took me aside, apparently she looked upset by me kissing Rarity's hoof too, and led me to the rainbow-maned pegasus. "Wanderer, Ah'd like ya to meet mah best friend, Rainbow Dash!" I had to l look up to come in eye contact with Rainbow Dash, as it seemed she preferred to fly than keep her hooves on the ground. "Nice to meet ya, Wanderer!" By her voice, I could tell she was the one who told Pinkie Pie to be quiet when I was outside. "Nice to meet you, too." I actually remember Rainbow Dash from the news I heard of her and asked, "By the way, is it true you were the one who did that Sonic Rainboom at the Young Flyer's competition and at the Wedding in Canterlot?" Rainbow Dash smiled, flew up straight, and crossed her arms in an over-confident manner. "Yup! That was me! Rainbow Dash, the best flyer in all of Equestria!" I had an initial thought that this pegasus was cocky and that I didn't really like her, but then she said, "But you know, Wanderer, I could never have done anything without my friends. I mean, I know that sounds corny and all, but for all they've done for me, I'll always be loyal to my friends!" At that point, I realized that Rainbow Dash wasn't a shallow pony and smiled at her. Applejack took me over to where the yellow pegasus, who was somewhat cowering in the corner, she introduced us. "Wanderer, this here's Fluttershy. Say hi, girl." The yellow pegasus, named Fluttershy, looked through her long, pink mane, almost hesitant to acknowledge my existence as it would somehow affect hers. A small hum came from Fluttershy's voice, and it seemed like she was talking to me, but I sure as hay couldn't get any of it. Applejack slightly nudged Fluttershy's shoulders and demanded, "C'mon, Fluttershy! Speak up!" Finally, Fluttershy pulled her mane out of her face and looked at me directly. "...Hi... Mr. Wanderer..." I don't why, but she seemed incredibly cute. Although, I still liked Applejack more. Did I say Applejack? I meant... paste. I responded to Fluttershy. "Hi, it's very nice to meet you." I didn't try and shake her hand because she seemed nervous enough as it was. But before I could say anything else, she was gone. She must have hurried to the kitchen or something. Applejack turned to me and said, "Well, now that you've met all mah friends, I think we can do some partyi-" "DID SOMEPONY SAY PARTYING!?!?!" Pinkie Pie yelled as she rolled in this GIANT cake on a sliding table. It sure was some party after that moment. Applejack and I walked back to Sweet Apple Acres that night after hours and hours of partying. Dancing, singing, telling jokes, generally having fun. And the whole thing was for me become friends with Applejack. It was funnest night of my life. "Whoo-wee! That sure was some party!" I chucked at her statement. "Let me ask you something, Applejack. Are all of Pinkie Pie's party's like that?" I was in a particularly good mood so I just kept on smiling. She replied, "Ooh, let me tell ya, partner. There's no party like a Pinkie Pie party! And you just got treated first-class Pinkie partying!" "And I can certainly tell that it was fun." Then I started rubbing my stomach as I stopped walking. "But that cake was a bit too much. I mean, it was delicious. Heck, it was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted ever!" "Well, she certainly is a master baker! Pinkie works at Sugar Cube Corner, you know. She makes all sorts of yummy sweets for the town ponies, so she and Ah are a bit alike." I looked at Applejack puzzled. She laughed nervously. "He he.. only in that regard." Applejack and I both said good night to one another and I headed towards my room. Right next to my bed was a parchment with a quill and ink. I thought about the past couple of days I had and remembered, my parents. Real adventurers, they are. I sat down and started writing. Dear Mom and Dad, Today, I discovered a completely deserted civilization filled with statues and traps. I couldn't believe what I saw until a green and purple dragon, a big one at that, lunged out at me to keep me from taking the treasure from the hidden tomb of the civilization's ruler. As he lunged towards me, I brought out my sword and- My writing was interrupted by the sound of my door opening. I looked over to see who it was. It was Applejack. "Hey, Wanderer. Ah'm mighty sorry about coming in at this hour, but Ah need... hey, what's that ya got there?" "Uhh..."