//------------------------------//
// Get Strawbe-Wrecked 
// Story: Get Strawbe-Wrecked 
// by GeodesicDragon 
//------------------------------//

Applejack smirked as her hoof made contact with the tree, sending a cascade of apples falling upon Rainbow Dash's head, her cry of shock being replaced with a frustrated groan. As she poked her head out of the top of the fruity pile, she caught sight of Applejack standing in front of her and extracted herself from her prison. Dusting herself off, she began putting the apples into one of the many tubs that had been placed under the trees in the orchard.

"Very funny, Applejack," she said, tossing aside a particularly nasty looking apple. "You're lucky I'm such a good sport, or I'd be bouncing these apples off your big head right now."

Applejack chuckled and moved to another tree. "A 'good sport,' huh?" she asked, slamming her hind legs into her target. "Need I remind you about all the stunts you went and pulled durin' the Running of the Leaves that one time?"

"And need I remind you that it wasn't just me doing that?" Rainbow Dash retorted. "Besides, we've matured a lot since then and moved on; I'm a Wonderbolt, and you're a successful business pony."

"You ain't that mature, RD," Applejack replied. "Ya still like yer pranks; remember last Nightmare Night, when you rigged up those tar and feather machines in the town square?"

"Yeah, I do." Rainbow Dash sighed. "Though I've gotta say that Princess Luna was such a good sport about it..." She stifled a chuckle. "I heard it took her three weeks to wash all the tar out."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Ya just got lucky, that's all," she said. "Why, if'n it had been me who got caught up in that machine, I'd have been madder than a bag of rattlesnakes."

Dash waved a forehoof dismissively. "Puh-leeze, AJ," she scoffed. "I hate to say it, but you're not exactly the angry type. I mean, sure, you might raise your voice, but you don't get 'angry' angry."

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "And what is that supposed to mean exactly?" she demanded. "Are you saying I'm a pushover?"

"No, I'm not," Dash replied. "Think about it, AJ; when was the last time you got so mad, you felt like punching somepony in the face?"

Applejack looked shocked. "Well... you..." she paused for a moment to take a deep breath and regain her composure. "I would never want to hurt somepony like that!" She stomped a hoof into the dirt.

"Then you've never been angry angry." Dash's expression darkened. "Me, on the other hoof? Well, when Lightning Dust put Scootaloo in danger for the sake of her own image, I wanted to beat her so bad her descendants would feel it. It was only because Scootaloo was with me that I kept my anger in check."

Applejack put a hoof to her chin in thought. "Well, I can remember one time when I was really mad," she said "It was when Rarity had me as a judge fer that there fashion show she was doing, and tried to make me realise that I was being mean by takin' me ta see a friend of hers called Strawberry Sunrise."

"I've heard of her." Dash nodded. "Let me guess, Rarity asked her to tell you her thoughts about apples, you didn't like what she had to say, and that's when you realised you'd been a plothead?"

Applejack nodded. "I was furious, but as soon as I realised Rarity was right, I cooled off and we got the show back on track," she replied. "But, the thing is... that was weeks ago, and I've seen Strawberry Sunrise a lot since then; she's been comin' to my stall at the market and insultin' my product." She sighed. "I just ignore her fer the sake of mah customers, but there's a part of me that wants to say somethin', or she's just gonna keep doin' it!"

"Well, you know what to do, right?" Dash asked. "The next time she visits your stall, you're gonna get angry angry." She grinned mischievously. "Make it seem as though you're gonna hit her and I guarantee that she'll never try to bother you again."

"I guess." Applejack nodded. "But what about my reputation?"

Dash shrugged. "Ponies get mad, it happens," she replied. "Besides, she's been riling you up so much, nopony will blame you for finally snapping and giving her a mouthful right back."

"All right then," Applejack said. "I'll do it." She looked around the orchard. "In the meantime, these apples ain't gonna harvest themselves, so let's get back ta work." Dash groaned and she chuckled heartily. "Ya ain't got anypony ta blame but yerself, RD; shoot, maybe next time we play horseshoes, you'll gamble with actual money, and not yer days off?"

The only response she got was a rotten apple to the back of the head, which was followed by Rainbow Dash blowing a raspberry.





A few days later, Appejack was at her stall in Ponyville's market square; the prime location gave her the lion's share of customers, as well as shelter from the sun beating down on them. As she served her customer, a female donkey with an abundance of fur, she kept a wary eye out for the arrival of Strawberry Sunrise.

"That'll be ten bits, please." she said, wrapping up some apples and placing the money in a box which sat on the ground next to the stool she was sitting on. "Thank ya kindly fer yer custom, Jenniefur; here's hopin' that mah apples will help ya win that baking contest."

Jenniefur giggled. "I have no doubt that they will, Applejack," she replied. "I'll be sure to save you some of my winning entries." She put the apples in her saddlebags. "Speaking of which, I'd better go if I want to make it to my train." She set off, waving to Applejack as she did so. "See you in a few days, Applejack!"

Applejack waved back. "Good luck, Jenniefur!" she said jovially. "Not that yer gonna need it, of course!"

"Ew, somepony is actually going to cook with those things?" the voice was tinged with disgust. "There's no way she's going to win."

Applejack's mood evaporated in an instant as Strawberry Sunrise walked in front of her stall with a malevolent grin on her face, eating from a punnet of strawberries; each one was placed on her tongue and swallowed with an audible "Mmm!"

"Strawberry Sunrise." Applejack looked at the clock on the front of Town Hall. "Right on time, as per usual."

Strawberry Sunrise smiled sweetly and ate another strawberry. "I'm just being a friendly neighbour," she replied. "I'm always interested in learning how many gullible ponies you duped into purchasing your disgusting, mealy, worm-filled monstrosities."

Applejack grit her teeth and shut her eyes; in her head, she could hear Rainbow Dash's voice repeating "The next time she visits your stall, you're gonna get angry angry." over and over again.

"Closing your eyes won't make me go away, you know," Strawberry Sunrise said. "Mind you, whenever I close my eyes, I often find myself wishing that you would go away."

Applejack opened her eyes and snarled, her nostrils flaring with each breath she took. "Now you listen here, you Celestia-damned bag of manure!" she said. "I swear by all that is sacred, if you don't quit flappin' yer gums, I'm gonna—" Her attention was drawn to the stool she was sitting on; she looked at it, then at Strawberry Sunrise, then at the stool, then at Strawberry Sunrise again.

"You're gonna what?" Strawberry Sunrise seemed amused by Applejack's sudden outburst. "Do tell me, Applesmack."

Applejack shrugged. "Ah, to Tartarus with it." She got off the stool, picked it up, and slammed it into the side of Strawberry Sunrise's head, sending her crashing to the ground. Discarding the broken stool, she turned her attention to the horrified ponies in front of the stall, dusted herself off, and cleared her throat. "Next!"