//------------------------------// // Applejack // Story: My little Evil tales // by Yuna Honey //------------------------------// Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Hasbro. My Little Evil Tales III Applejack: A matter of business -0- Strong Plow was a big, grey coated stallion, the leader of the Plow family of farmer ponies, which was not really a big family as it consisted only of him and his only son, but he liked to consider it a large clan in the making... Anyway, Strong Plow did have many farms and all of them were very productive. The only places he didn’t own farms yet were Appleloosa and Ponyville. He was determined to change that. By any means necessary. And so, Strong Plow had many apple trees brought and planted on the land he had bought not so far away from Ponyville just after the Winter Wrap Up celebration ended. He was also quite aware that at the other end of the town there was a farm, Apple Acres, which was owned by the Apple family. That would not be a problem, of course. Strong Plow had faced competition before and he had crushed it effectively. It did worry him a little bit that the Apple family had refused to sell him their farm, but it didn’t matter now; the trees he’d brought were of great quality, and the unicorns he had hired were using their magic to make sure their roots grew strong, which meant he would be ready to harvest his product by the time of the season. He and his son would soon see how the Apple family liked some real competition around these parts. -0- Applejack was not pleased when she found a new apple stand right across hers. She also didn’t like the look on the face of that cinnamon coated pony with the black plow mark who sold the apples. Who did he think he was? Ponyville was her town and the ponies here her family’s customers! Applejack watched as many ponies went and bought apples from that invader, those traitors! She did sell some of her fruits but she sold just half of what she normally did! The only consolation the farm pony had was that by the end of the day her competition had also sold about half his merchandise for what she could see. Still, she had to make things clear with that… pony! “Hey, you!” Applejack called, leaving Applebloom behind her to close shop. “Who’d you think you are comin’ here and sellin’ those apples? I have you know this here’s my town!” “Hello, sweet thing! Ah’ve been hopin’ you gorgeous girl came here all day!” the other pony greeted with a sly wink and whistle that made Applejack shudder. “The name’s Iron Plow! Me n’ my dad’ll be startin’ sellin’ our fruits here. I hope you don’t mind some healthy competition?” “Healthy competition?” Applejack was fuming at his words. “Listen you, the Apple family produces the finest apples in Equestria n’ we’ve sold ‘em here in Ponyville since before my granny was born; you're no competition!” “If you say so, then how’s it that yer so angry?” Iron Plow asked while closing his stand for the day. “Methinks if yer so sure of yer product, then another pony sellin’ apples around these parts shouldn’t be a trouble, right?” “Of course not, our apples are better!” “Then how come I sold more n’ you?” He sneered. “I estimate you only sold half yer apples? I sold three quarts of my stock.” Applejack peeked behind his stand's counter and confirmed what Iron Plow had just told her. He had indeed sold more. “So that means my apples are better'n yours,” he stated. “Well, I gotta go! See ya tomorrow, sweet thing.” “I’m not your sweet thing!” Applejack screamed. -0- “Sales are down again,” Big Macintosh observed gravely, his disappointment almost palpable. “Now we have a barn full of perfectly fine apples goin’ to waste.” “I can see that,” Applejack replied, hoping her older brother would try to do something to cheer her up. He didn’t. She couldn't blame him though, as she knew Big Macintosh felt just as sad as she did. “We have to do something.” “I know!” Applejack hissed. “Those Plow invaders’ve been takin’ away all our business!” “I still think we did right by not selling them the farm, though,” The red stallion stated. “The problem here’s that all them ponies in Ponyville are traitors!” Applejack complained sourly. “Buyin’ from the Plows and not buyin’ from us!” “Well, the Plow family does sell them vegetables cheaper,” Big Macintosh recalled. “So even if our apples’re better you can’t blame other ponies from what they do.” “I understand that, and that's why I’m just so frustrated!” “Seems to me it’s time we fix things like in the old days, children,” a voice called. When the young farm ponies turned they found Granny Smith standing in front of them, her face showing she meant… well, business. “But somethin’ tells me ye children ain’t got what it takes for it. Why, old grandpa would’ve fixed this mess already if he hadn't passed a few years ago!” “We have what it takes, grandma,” Big Macintosh assured. “Just tell us what to do.” “He’s right!” Applejack chorused. “We’ll do it all for our farm!” “Good, because what we’ll have to do won’t be pretty. Applejack, take Applebloom to spend the night with one of her friends and then come to the barn. I'll have to see if you two indeed have what it takes to protect our territory before we hatch a plan just like in old times.” -0- Applejack and Big Macintosh stood at the edge of the Plow family farm; behind them in a cart the red stallion had pulled sat Granny Smith. It had been three days since the Apple family traced their plan, and they were ready to set it in motion. "I still don't like this much," Applejack said while they walked towards Strong Plow's house. "I'm the one who's gonna be risking her neck here!" "It can't be helped, my child," Granny Smith sighed. "That Iron Plow kid fancies you a whole lot; it's the only reason why his father agreed to meet us." "Don't worry, I'll be around. Just scream if something happens n' I'll be there ready to bust that pervert's head open," Big Mac promised. "Now kids, keep quiet and let granny do the talking," the old pony ordered as she climbed down the cart and knocked on the door. Strong Plow opened the door quickly and led his guests to his large living room. As he listened to the old green pony, the Plow patriarch couldn't help but feel very satisfied. Just as he had expected, the Apple family had decided to yield against his might; they were even offering their young mare, this Applejack, as a wife to his son. It was a good thing Iron Plow was head over hooves in love with her, because Strong Plow didn't like her much. The girl seemed too proud and independent for her own good, nothing like his late wife, who had been submissive and quiet. Strong Plow nodded to himself, he would have to teach this girl some manners to make her worthy of his family. "And so, since you've accepted to our families joining, Applejack will live here starting tonight, to become familiar with your son until the wedding next month," Granny Smith finished. "All we ask for is a week to sell our excess of apples without any competition and two days a week when we're the only ones selling in town. Agreed?" "Agreed," Strong Plow smiled with a nod, already making plans on how to use his son's marriage to take over the Apple family's farm once and for all. -0- It was midnight already and Applejack knew everypony in the house except for her slept. She stared out of the window and smiled when she saw the red shadow moving about the fence. Her big brother was out there; ready to protect her honor and also doing other... things. That reminded Applejack that Iron Plow did try to get frisky with her and she had almost kicked him into next week; luckily, his father was an old fashioned pony and had kept his son's advances at bay. Still, that detail wasn't enough for Applejack to change her mind; she would do her part to complete her granny's plan. Big Mac was already doing his, after all. Opening the box she had brought and kept locked until that moment, Applejack picked up what she needed and left the guest's room as silently as she could. -0- She reached the front door and waited for a moment before leaving the house. Her job was almost done and all she had to do was to finish it and she would be able to go home. Without remorse, Applejack lighted the match she kept in her mouth and tossed it into a puddle of oil which immediately ignited. She had smeared the highly flammable liquid all over the floor and walls and of course, she had also locked the bedrooms of her two hosts. Sparing one last glance at the rapidly spreading fire, Applejack galloped out of the Plow farm and joined her brother, who was already waiting for her at the edge of the property. "By the time somepony comes to help it'll be too late," She announced, turning and staring at the flames engulfing the house. "Eeyup," Big Mac replied, just then, the barn where the Plows kept their apples blew up with a loud explosion. "Granny didn't lie when she said her old dynamite still had some punch in it." "Seems so," Applejack grinned then. "Is that screaming I hear coming from inside the house, brother?" "It is," Macintosh confirmed. The screaming, however, didn't last long, as the house crumbled into a fiery inferno. "Bet no pony can survive that." "I guess now we saved our territory we're the best in the business again, huh?" "Eeyup, the best and the only," Big Mac smiled at his sister. Applejack smiled at him as well. Having nothing else to do there, both Apple siblings galloped away, taking a secluded path in the forest to avoid being seen. The next day, they would hear from others in Ponyville that no pony had survived the fire that consumed Strong Plow's farm. As she set up her shop to sell her shiny and fresh fruits, Applejack had to admit to herself that fixing the family's business problems like they did in the old times had not been such a bad idea at all. -END- Next: Twilight Sparkle.