//------------------------------//
// Family Talk 
// Story: Apple Family Ritual 
// by Ashen Heart 
//------------------------------//

The rooster crows as the sun begins to slowly creep over the orchard. Mornings in the Apple family were always rough, especially for AppleJack. Being the self-proclaimed head of household, she had to make sure everypony else woke up and that everything started off on the right hoof. She just wasn’t a morning person. After shrugging her way out of the apple printed comforter, she grunted as she tried to get the room around her to focus again. As the room righted itself, AppleJack headed for the door to start breakfast. 
Grabbing the eggs and flour for flapjacks, AppleJack starts to hear hooves coming down the steps. Looking through the old wood door she sees a big red stallion coming down the stairs. 
“Mornin, Big Mac,” she says as she starts mixing the ingredients.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac responds grabbing the plates to set the table. It was the same routine as every morning. Any minute now we’d hear AppleBloom stumble down the stairs as she smells the flapjacks. Granny will probably be the last to come down the stairs going on about some dream she had. Funny how the moment before things change forever can be just like any other day. AJ was interrupted from her thoughts as she heard a thump at the bottom of the stairs. Knowing it was AppleBloom, she continued on with the flapjacks starting to fling them over to her brother as they finished. AppleBloom sat down at the table grunting, as she grabbed the flapjacks piling them on her plate.
“AppleBloom, don’t eat all those flapjacks again. We all gotta eat too, and yah can’t afford a stomach ache again.” I say trying to take away the stack. AppleBloom grunted as she said, “I’m hungry though, can’t I have a couple more at least?” Looking down at her plate I sighed and put a couple more on her plate. AppleBloom quickly devoured the flapjacks on her plate. Tilting my ears to the side, AJ heard Granny coming down the stairs as they lightly creaked under her. 
“Good Morning, Granny,” AJ says trying to be cheerful.
“Mornin,” Granny responds, sitting down at her usual spot. I flip the final flapjack onto the plate as I sit down to start eating. Big Mac grabs the syrup dumping it all over his flapjacks as Granny starts chewing. AppleBloom was already nearly done. This would probably be the best time to ask AJ reasoned, as she started to sweat lightly from nerves.
“So y’all know ah’ve been dating Rainbow Dash for awhile,” I start seeing them all nod, continuing to eat. “Well ah’ve been thinking about having her do the Apple Ritual,” AJ says quickly. Everypony stopped eating to look up at AJ, Granny talking first. “What in tarnation are you thinking AJ?” 
“We’ve been dating now for 3 years, and ah feel it’s time to move forward in our relationship,” AJ tries to defend herself.
“And yah think that’s enough for an Apple Ritual?” Granny asks.
“Granny, ah think that we should let AJ decide that for herself,” Big Mac says putting a hoof on Granny. Big Mac rarely talked anymore so when he did everypony tended to listen to what he had to say. Granny sighed, but didn’t say anything else deciding to go back to her flapjacks. Deciding that was that everypony went back to finishing their food so they could start on the morning chores. 
Going out to the barn, AppleJack grabbed a crateful of baskets and headed out to the orchard. Stepping outside the barn she felt the soft breeze blowing past as it carried the scent of perfectly ripe apples. Around her the trees were just starting to turn to the yellow and reds of fall. Applebuck season was here and there was a whole orchard worth of trees to harvest. Getting a move on Applejack quickly made her way to the eastern field. Big Mac was working on the north field and they were going to work the usual in out pattern. Rearing up to the first tree of the field she quickly bucked down the apples from the tree moving on to the next one. She continued this for awhile til the sun was midway through the sky. 
Sighing she looked up at the sun deciding to take a little break. Resting against a tree she covered her face with her hat to relax for a couple of minutes. Sadly though, the apple pony was not allowed her break for as soon as she settled in, a cyan pony poked out from behind the tree.
“Boo!” Rainbow Dash shouted, as she grabbed hold of AppleJack.
“Rainbow! That’s not funny, yah darn near give me a heart attack!” AppleJack whirled around to face the offending pony. She was greeted with a smirk as Rainbow shrugged lightly. 
“I didn’t scare ya that bad,” Rainbow said as she laid a kiss on AJ’s cheek. Said farm pony blushed a little as she gave one back. 
“So what are you doing here?” AJ asked, as she got up and went to the next tree starting to buck apples again. 
“I thought we could go out for some lunch today,” RD responded as she followed AJ through the trees. AppleJack looked up at the trees left in the orchard before nodding her head. 
“Sure ah suppose we can grab a bite to eat. Where were yah thinkin?” AppleJack asked as she loaded up the baskets of apples she already harvested so far.
“There’s a new cafe that just opened up last week, figured we could go there,” Rainbow said before helping AJ hitch up the crate to her back, walking towards the barn. Nodding, AJ and Rainbow walked through all the trees as the cool breeze sways them closer together. Getting to the barn AJ quickly unhitched and unloaded the cart. Putting the apples in the storage area, she quickly washed off any hay or sweat from the days work so far. Shaking off she heads out and meets with Rainbow outside the barn. 
“Ready?” Rainbow asks.
“Eeyup,” AJ responds as they head towards town.