//------------------------------// // Applejack // Story: Kerfuffle's Lower Left Limb Kerfuffles // by BronyWriter //------------------------------// Applejack smiled at the sight of the newly repaired hot air balloon. Thanks to Torque Wrench's skill, it looked even better than before. She'd have to ask her for a few tips before they left, if she managed to run into her. She doubtlessly knew some tricks that could help her a lot on the farm. Her ear flicked at the sound of somepony behind her, and she turned to see Kerfuffle walking up to her with a bag on her back. Applejack smiled and tipped her had. "Howdy there, Kerfuffle. You enjoyin' the Rainbow Festival?" Kerfuffle giggled and nodded. "Oh yah, you betcha! I just wanted ta drop off a few things for Rarity before you took off in case I couldn't find her before ya all left." She shifted the bag off of her back and tossed it into the hot air balloon. "Hope that won't be too heavy for ya." "Shouldn't be," Applejack said. "Unless you're givin' her your brick collection. Torque Wrench did a real good job on this." "Yah, she's the best!" Kerfuffle said. "She's even done a little work on my leg every now and again." "Yeah, it looks pretty good," Applejack replied, looking down at the leg in question. "So, uh..." "What happened?" Applejack blushed and nodded. "Oh, it's quite the story. It shows why you should always be prepared..." * * * * Kerfuffle adjusted her saddlebag as she continued walking through the jagged terrain of the Death Desert. She made sure to watch her step, as one wrong move could have her falling through one of the crevices for a very long time. Still, she had to do it. She wasn't here to die. She was here to live, and only a small hoofful of ponies could say that they'd successfully traversed the Death Desert. Her friends back home would be so jealous when she came back successful. None of them had dared come with her. Kerfuffle stopped for a moment to take a quick drink from the canteen strapped to her side. She only took a few gulps before screwing the cap back on. If she drank too much, she'd run out fast, and being without water in the Death Desert was a death sentence. She could have just flown over it, but that would be cheating. No, she had to do this by hoof. She put her hoof back down once she'd placed her canteen back by her side. Just as she did, the ground beneath her gave way, and she fell through the earth with a cry of surprise. She instantly hit her head on a rock, disorienting her enough that she didn't have the wherewithal to spread her wings and fly out of her predicament. She flailed around, hoping that she could find something to slow her fall. Her hoof hit a rock, but the force of her fall caused it to come free the moment she put any pressure on it. The fall felt to her like it lasted for minutes, but in reality, it was only a few seconds before she hit the ground. She could only try to register her situation for a mere second before her left leg exploded in pain. It was enough to knock her out of her dizziness. She sat up and squeaked when she saw the rock she had jarred loose had landed right on her leg. Not good. She groaned and did her best to scrunch forward. She put her right hoof on the rock and began pushing it as hard as she could. It didn't budge an inch. Her eye twitched as the reality of the situation sunk in. "Oh dear." * * * * The day turned into night, which turned into day again. No amount of pushing had moved the rock in the slightest. The stone ground underneath her leg meant that she couldn't dig under it, even if she was at an angle to do so. The best she could do was sit up enough to touch just below her knee, and even that was a bit of a stretch. She grimaced at the slow realization that the leg had stopped hurting hours ago. Not good. If she could just get out from under the rock then she could just fly to civilization. Kerfuffle groaned and tapped at the ground around the rock with her hind leg. Maybe, just maybe, there was a spot where the ground was softer. She didn't need to get through much. Just enough to slide her doubtlessly mangled leg through. Just one spot. * * * * Day turned into night and into day once again. Nothing had happened. No progress had been made, and Kerfuffle was starting to run out of water. If she completely ran out, she wouldn't have anything left for her fly back to civilization. She groaned and thunked her head against the ground. Nopony was coming to save her. Nopony even knew that she was there. She was starting to run out of options, though it wasn't as if she had many to begin with. Painful hunger had long since set in, and the water wouldn't last much longer. The more she thought about it, the less she could actually deny the only remaining solution. She took a deep breath and opened up one of the flaps on her saddlebag. Inside was a simple pocketknife. She stared at the knife, then at her leg, then back to the knife. There was only one choice. * * * * "Won't bore ya with the details after that," Kerfuffle said with a wave of her hoof. "Made it out okay, though." "Holy Celestia," Applejack whispered. "Wow. Ah can't even imagine what that must have been like." Kerfuffle shrugged. "Like I said: I won't bore ya with the details. I'm much better about when I go out into the wilderness now, though." Kerfuffle giggled and waved her hoof again. "Anyhoo, ya should be all set with everything. Let me know how the trip back goes and if ya like the stuff I've made ya." "Oh, uh, thanks, Kerfuffle," Applejack said, forcing a smile on her face. "Ah'm sure everything is great."