//------------------------------// // Part Four // Story: Spider Quest // by Dilos1 //------------------------------// Within the past year, Applejack had both witnessed and been involved in a number of odd occurrences and events. A fair number of those events were such that she could confidently claim that most any other pony in Equestria would be hard pressed to match. Between facing off against a dragon, confronting an omnipotent spirit of chaos and stopping eternal night from descending upon the lands, Applejack felt there were few things left in the world that could actually faze her. However, the moment that Applejack realized there was six-foot tall bipedal spider. . . monster. . . thing standing not ten feet away from her, the farm pony was quickly reminded of a saying that her Granny Smith would tell her: Just because one apple is ripe doesn’t mean the rest of the tree is. The saying didn’t hold much meaning to ponies outside of her family, and it was mostly a cautionary bit of advice to keep from harvesting too early, but it had another meaning as well, that being the moment you thought you'd seen everything in life, it will always find a way to surprise you. The point was proved yet again when the monster raised one of its many thin arms, gave her a little wave and greeted shyly, “Hey there.” Staring at the creature in wide-eyed alarm, Applejack’s thoughts soon turned to the question of whether or not she was in any imminent danger, and her eyes darted around in search of anything she could use to defend herself should it, or rather she judging from the tone of her voice, decide to attack. Realizing that she should probably answer, Applejack let out a wary, “H-hey.” The monster stepped a bit closer, and Applejack felt her entire body tense up. The only reason she hadn’t either bolted or made a preemptive move to defend herself was that she could tell the creature appeared to be just as wary of her, which planted a seed of doubt in Applejack’s mind and stayed her hoof as the creature seemed to inspect her hoofwork, looking oddly confused. “If you don't mind me asking, what are doing?” she asked, to which Applejack responded with a raised eyebrow, unsure what the newcomer was getting at. Guessing that the question was in reference to the baskets of cherries, she answered with a gesture towards the tree she had just finished kicking, “Bucking a cherry tree. Ain’t it obvious?” “Okay. . . why?” The followup question caught her completely off guard, and Applejack couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at the monster. Was she playing dumb to get her to lower her guard, or was she really that clueless to what she was doing? Whatever the case, Applejack shook her head, deciding that it didn’t really matter as she cleared away some of her befuddled thoughts and proceeded to list off her own questions. “H-hold on, wait a sec’,” she exclaimed. “I’m sorry, but am I missin’ somethin’? Who’re you, and what’re you doin’ here?” Rather than react in anger, the monster instead appeared rather bashful, and for a moment Applejack felt slightly guilty for being a bit rough in her wording. She stowed the feeling to hear what the monster had to say. “Oh, s-sorry,” she apologized timorously, holding up her multitude of arms in a defensive manner. “I didn’t mean to scare you, really. I was just coming to see what all the noise was about.” Applejack looked the creature up and down, trying to decide if she was telling the truth or not, and the more she thought about it, the more she doubted that her fears had any merit to them. Everything, from the creatures’ mannerisms to her fancy looking attire, highlighted to the mare a lack of any sort of malice. “That so?” she said, then shrugged and let out a sigh as most of the tension welling up within her seemed to disappear. Not completely though, Applejack was not stupid enough to completely let her guard down with this. . . stranger hanging around her. “Alright fine. If you say so.” With that she went back to work, hauling the filled baskets of cherries over to the wagon, keeping a close watch of the stranger through the corner of her eye. ‘Guess I gave an audience now,’ she thought when the creature made no move to leave, seemingly content to stand and watch as she worked. She seemed especially intrigued when Applejack moved to the next tree, setting out empty baskets and relinquishing it of its cherries with a few well placed kicks. “So, um, quick question,” the creature stated. “What are you doing?” Hefting a basket up into the wagon, Applejack's impatience was beginning to mount. “I just said, buckin’ cherry trees. Jubilee wanted this section done and sorted by evenin’, and the workers she had were havin’ some trouble. Figured I ought to help with the buckin’ part. I’m better at that than I am sortin’.” Another basket went in. “Why do ya ask?” The creature opened her mouth, apparently having trouble explaining as she glanced incredulously between the mare and the tree, all while Applejack regarded her with a raised eyebrow and a growing sense of confusion until she said at last, “It’s just. . . how? How are doing that?” “Ya mean buckin’?" the mare said, gesturing to the tree she just finished. “Eh, it’s not exactly anything special really. Been doing this kinda thing my whole life, and cherry trees ain’t that much different from apple trees. It just takes a bit of effort and technique. That answer yer question?” The creature did not immediately reply, instead fixing her with a look that the mare could only guess was a baffled understanding of her succinct explanation. “No. No, not really,” she finally said. Applejack rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Just try not to get in the way,” Applejack stated, doing her best to ignore the newcomer in favor of getting as much work done as possible. She already had a lot on her mind, and didn’t need some weird spider monster distracting her. However, as she worked Applejack noticed the creature was now standing before the trunk of a tree, hands on her chin and hips and her myriad of black eyes narrowed in contemplation. After a minute she gave the trunk a light kick, whereupon a singular bright red cherry fell, bouncing off her noggin. It was all Applejack could do to contain her amusement while she watched the creature pluck the cherry off the ground, looking at it like it had just offended her and shaking her head. “Nothing makes sense anymore,” she muttered, tossing it over her shoulder before addressing Applejack again. “Um, you wouldn’t happen to have seen Jubilee, would you?” “Earlier this mornin’, yeah,” Applejack said, clearing her throat and continuing on with her work. “Haven’t seen her since though, I think she might be in town for business or somethin’.” The creature nodded slowly, still looking like she had something on her mind as she turned to walk the way she came. Applejack watched her for a second, wondering why she had asked for Jubilee before deciding it wasn’t important as she focused her attention on the task at hoof. She still had an entire wagon to fill, and she had already wasted enough time to think on it too much. Just as she was about to get back to work, hopefully without any further distractions, Applejack’s ears flicked as they picked up the sound of footsteps approaching, and she looked back to find that the creature had returned. “What do ya want?” she demanded, starting to become fed up to the point where she was seriously considering chasing the creature off if it meant even a moment of peace and quiet for her. The creature flinched at the harshness of her words, and for a moment Applejack felt a little guilty for being so forceful with her question. After all, it. . . she hadn’t done anything to warrant any hostility just yet, so the least she could was at least be courteous. It was at this moment Applejack realized she might be spending too much time around Rarity. Nervously wringing four of her hands, the stranger answered demurely, “Well, the thing is I’m kind of at a bit of a loss at what to do. I mean I could head into town and find Jubilee, but looking like this. . .” She glanced down at herself, and for brief second Applejack thought she saw an expression of dismay on her face. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that just yet, but I also don’t want to just sit around doing nothing either.” Looking at Applejack she added, “Is there anything I can do around here? Something to keep my mind off of. . . things?” Applejack was silent for a moment, her trepidation gradually fading as she considered the creatures’ words. She had only been working on Jubilee’s orchard for less than a day, and so wanted to err on the side of caution before doing anything she might regret, especially when it concerned somepony. . . someone as strange as the creature standing in front of her. Applejack knew she was probably already going to be in hot water for overriding her coworkers, and had no desire to add more fire if she could avoid it. She needed that money. And yet, Applejack could not bring herself to turn the stranger away on that reasoning alone as pangs of sympathy reverberated within her chest, reminding her of the last time she distrusted somepony based on their appearance. With a sigh of defeat, Applejack began considering what she could have the stranger do for her, and her eyes turned to the baskets still sitting beneath the tree. “Ya mind getting those for me then?” She suggested. “It would help things go faster.” “Yeah, yeah sure, no problem,” the creature said, wasting no time in coming over. She wrapped her hands around the handles of one the baskets, testing to see how heavy it was. “Be careful now,” Applejack cautioned. “Those things can be a pain if you don’t-“ The words died on her lips when Applejack saw the creature lift the basket with seemingly minimal effort. She then went on to grab two more, a pair of hands on each basket, her thin arms somehow not breaking in half from the load as she carried them over, depositing them into the wagon. “Like that?” she asked the farm mare. Applejack shook her head, then asked, “What’s yer name again?” The gentle rumble of the wooden wheels on the dirt lulled Cassy into a sort of trance-like wakefulness as she walked, accompanied by the orange mare, who had been kind enough to introduce herself as Applejack. However, even as they walked together, with Applejack pulling the wagon behind her, Cassy was not ignorant to the fact that she still regarded to woman with a sense of suspicion, keeping her distance. The observation was somewhat sobering for Cassy, but she supposed it would be too much to ask for her complete trust right now. She had followed Jubilee’s advice, and she was more than willing to be thankful that it didn’t end with her getting chased off. “So, if ya don’t mind me askin’,” Applejack piped up, “Where’re ya from anyways? ‘Cause I can’t really say that I’ve seen anythin’ quite like ya before in my life.” She stammered, her ears falling against her skull. “Er, no offense.” “None taken,” Cassy said, unsure how to answer the question without sounding like a lunatic. “You know, I’m not really sure myself anymore.” “How’s that?” Sighing, Cassy wracked her brain for a response, then proceeded to explain as best she could, “The thing is that I’m not really from around. . .” She paused, gesturing to their general surroundings.”. . . here. At this point I don’t even think I’m in the same general landmass as where I live, much less the right body.” “I ain’t followin’ ya,” Applejack said, fixing Cassy with an incredulous stare. Cassy couldn’t say she was surprised by the reaction, and decided to simply bite the bullet and explain her situation in full, regardless if it made her look crazy. Before she could utter so much as a word, they were both halted as the familiar voice of Cherry Jubilee called out to them, the mare approaching at brisk trot. “Miss Applejack, can I please have a word with ya,” she said, the tone of her voice, coupled with the disgruntled look plastered on her muzzle indicating that she was anything but pleased. “Oh boy,” Applejack mumbled, readjusting her stetson as her ears flat against her skull in a clear show of dismay. She turned to address Cassy. “Ehm, ya go on ahead. I’ll catch up with ya later.” “You sure?” Applejack nodded. “This ain’t your problem, trust me. Best if ya didn’t get caught in the crossfire.” Cassy considered arguing against the point, but she also had no desire to become caught up in whatever beef Cherry had with Applejack. It wasn’t her place, and she conceded the point that her intervention would likely only make things worse. As such, she gave Applejack a nod and walked ahead, being sure to stay well out of Cherry’s path as the mare trotted by, receiving a passing glance from the mare. Seconds later she could overhear the sound of a somewhat heated conversation taking place behind her, and did her best to ignore it as she headed for her microbus. Leaning against her microbus and taking a draw of a cigarette, Cassy wondered what she was supposed to do, as the assistance she lent to Applejack had not taken up nearly enough time as she was hoping. The only thing she could think of following Jubilee’s suggestion of going into town, but even after introducing herself to Applejack Cassy still had her doubts. She breathed out a puff of smoke, hoping it would take at least some of those uncertainties with it. With a deep inhale the cigarette was depleted, whereupon Cassy flicked it onto the ground, grinding it into the soil her heel. She did so just in time to notice none other than Applejack walking up, her countenance looking rather grim. “So. . . how’d it go?” Applejack raised a hoof, rubbing the back of her neck. After letting out a heavy sigh she replied, “Well, the good news is I ain’t fired, thank Celestia. But I ain’t allowed to work for the rest of the day, and tomorrow Cherry’s gonna be givin’ me instruction on how to ‘properly buck a cherry tree’, so I got that to look forward to.” “Sorry to hear that,” Cassy mentioned. Applejack deflected her sympathy with a wave of her hoof, coming to sit next to the woman. “Eh, don’t be. Serves me right for shootin’ above my station. I’m lucky to still have a job after that. I just don’t know what I’m gonna do for the rest of the day, I don’t like sittin’ on my hooves.” “Looks like we’re in the same boat then,” Cassy commented with a halfhearted grin. “Cherry’s letting me bum around her place while I figure things out. She said I should go into town to start, but. . .” She gestured down at herself, crossing her arms sourly. “I can see how that’d be complicated,” Applejack commented, and the only suitable reply Cassy could give a slow nod and a taut expression. Quiet ensued between the two, with only the distant chirp of insects, punctuated by the occasional crack of a pony bucking a tree. Another one of Cherry’s workers, Cassy assumed, still flummoxed by thought of picking fruit via kicking. She was reasonably certain that was not how physics worked, but she was a spider monster in a fancy dress. What did she know? Cassy exhaled, feeling both tired and restless at once and entirely uncertain what she was supposed to actually. . . do. Regardless of Cherry’s advice, Cassy was still felt lost and uncertain what to actually do with herself, a sensation that continued to build up within her being and threatening to drive her insane under its weight. “You know miss, um. . . Cassy” Applejack spoke up, saying her name like she tasted something bitter, and breaking Cassy out of her moment of increasingly panicked pensiveness. “Since I seem to have been forcibly given the day off, I was actually thinkin’ ‘bout headin’ over to the tavern. I. . . wouldn’t be too opposed if ya happen to want to tag along.” At this Cassy fixed the mare with a cockeyed expression, the effect doubled by her multiple eyes. “You sure?” Applejack shrugged. “Not really, but I ain’t got anythin’ better to do.” Cassy was silent for a moment, quietly contemplating Applejack’s generous, if a bit hesitant, offer, finding it difficult to see any notable downsides to it. If she had company, it would absolutely help to mitigate the potential panic she might cause the moment someone saw her, to say nothing of the usefulness of having a guide to pose questions to. As such it didn’t take long for Cassy to make up her mind, and she gave Applejack a nod. “Sure, why not. Lead the way.” Applejack obliged, started at a brisk trot with Cassy following close behind. Along the way she said, “So what was all that stuff you were sayin’ ‘bout that right body thing?”