//------------------------------// // Shockingly delicious // Story: The Potion Shop // by Ashfur //------------------------------// "What do you mean, it's late, AJ?!  You know I was looking forward to this!" Applejack sighed, her ears drooping in sadness from her side of the Apple family apple stall.  On the other side of it hovered one of the contenders for most colorful pony, Rainbow Dash, who looked rather confused and disappointed.  "Sugarcube, Ah don't know why it is, but it is.  The zap apple harvest just didn't come this year.  If'n Ah knew why, do ya really think Ah'd be here sellin’ apples instead of fixin' it?" "I mean, duh!  But that still doesn't solve the problem!  I was so looking forward to— HEY!"  Rainbow let out an almost birdlike squawk in surprise as she felt her lower hoof graze the mane of a pony below her, who had walked right beneath her like she hadn't been there at all!  "Watch where you're going, science boy!  Ever heard of personal space?" "No?" replied Arca, sparing a glance at Rainbow.  "I thought space was Luna's domain.  Or was it just the moon?  Eh, whatever."  He turned back towards Applejack.  "Hello, orange hat-wearing pony!  I would like an apple, please." Applejack raised an eyebrow at the sudden appearance of what she would only describe as a mad scientist.  "Do y'all not have any manners, or did ya not realize Ah was in the middle of a conversation?" "Oh!  I, uh, sorry."  Arca stepped backwards sheepishly, standing directly under Rainbow Dash again.  She didn't look pleased by this, and moved a bit to the right.  "I'm really bad at that kinda stuff." Applejack let out a sigh.  She could tell this stallion was telling the truth, but it still rubbed her the wrong way to be interrupted like this.  Years of dealing with Pinkie had taught her to just deal with the issue at times like these and move on, though, so she tipped her hat in greeting.  "Well, if yer lookin for zap apples, we're out.  They just didn't show up this year fer some reason." Arca tilted his head to the side, perplexed.  "Zap apples?  You mean the funny-looking rainbow apples, right?  Technically they're not apples, they're a distinct breed of fruit called—" "Zap. Apples."  AJ's reply was stern and dared anypony to defy her. "...R-right, 'zap apples'.  Anyway, why don't you just force the growing season?" A look of pure befuddlement overtook Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s faces.  Arca may as well have suggested they try moving the sun without help from Celestia.  Rainbow broke the silence first.  "Did… did you bonk your head on a door before you came over here?  Because that's the craziest thing I've heard all year." "Of course it sounds crazy!"  Arca reached up and yanked Rainbow out of the sky for a hug.  She didn't seem to approve.  "You have to be crazy to stay sane in this world, and nopony ever made any progress without taking chances!  Now come on, both of you!"  He let Rainbow go and motioned for them both to follow him towards the orchard.  "My intuition is telling me I'm gonna need you both for this.  But we'll be snacking on zap apples by sunset!" "Now hang on just a second there, partner."  At Applejack’s words, Arca indeed stopped for a moment, waiting for her to continue.  "Even if ya could make the zap apples grow, which Ah'm not sure is even possible, there's no way Ah'm leavin mah stand here.  Somepony's gotta sell these apples, and—" "Well, bust my bumpers!  I haven't seen that getup in sixty years!  Yer the spittin' image of yer grandpappy in that coat and goggles, Sonny!" AJ spun around on a dime to face the new voice.  "Granny?!" Arca, meanwhile, actually seemed genuinely surprised.  "...Mrs. Smith?  Goodness, I didn't expect you to still be around.  Then again, I suppose octogenarians are getting more common with modern medicine…" Rainbow turned towards Granny Smith, who had pushed her walker over to the apple stall.  "Granny, you know this stallion?" "Darn tootin’, Dash!  He looks just like this stallion the princess sent ta help us Apples out when we were settling Ponyville!  What was his name again… Archibald Cahoosit?" "Arcane Catalyst, Mrs. Smith.  And I'm afraid you are slightly mistaken, that wasn't my grandfather 60 years ago, that was—" "You watch yer mouth when yer elders are talkin’, Sonny!  Didn't yer mother teach you any manners?" Arca looked away and grumbled to himself quietly.  "Not my biological one, at least…" "Anyway, Applejack.  Rainbow!  We Apples owe this colt's family a favor for helping settle Ponyville.  If he says he can bring out the zap apples, and he's half as good as his grandpappy,"  Arcane rolled his eyes and let out a sigh as he heard that, not willing to correct Granny Smith again.  "...then there's no doubt in my mind he can.  I'll mind the stall.  Now get going, the lot of you!" "Alright, Granny, if ya say so…"  Applejack still looked uncomfortable, and Rainbow Dash seemed skeptical.  However, neither was willing to take a lecture from Granny Smith, so they moved to follow Arca. "Thank you, Mrs. Smith.  If you'd like, maybe later I can brew some memory recovery potions so-" "Mah memory is fine the way it is!  Now GIT!" "...Yes, Ma'am…" "I still think this is a waste of time.  I could be practicing flying right now." The afternoon sun shone down on the orchard as AJ, Rainbow, and Arca headed towards the zap apple trees.  Having been found in the everfree, the trees were situated fairly close to the edge of the forest so they could grow better. Arca glanced up at Rainbow.  "I never really liked flying, too many angry mobs." "What?" "Nothing." "So… your grandpa was that funny science pony Granny talks about sometimes?"  Applejack asked, hoping to fill the sudden awkward silence. "Eh, it's the easiest way to explain it, so sure, go with that theory.  I- er, he left his apprentice in charge of his shop in Rainbow Falls for a year and a half to serve as the town alchemist until most of the place was settled.  That was a fun year… and after that, his apprentice took over and he went home!"  Arca fondly remembered seeing his old apprentice off with a smile as she became Ponyville's first official alchemist.  He'd really only gone there to study the Everfree forest, and had just gotten roped into a few dozen adventures, but it was a great time. "So ya know what the signs of the zap apple season are, then, right?  Because without them, we ain't gettin any zap apples." "Of course!"  Arca smiled and reached into his lab coat as they finally approached the zap apple trees.  "The first sign of the harvest is timberwolves howling, and that's an easy one!  I left my leash at home, but I think your lasso will do.  Can I see it for a second?" Rainbow cut into the conversation, very clearly done with all the nonsense Arca was seemingly spouting.  "What, are you gonna whip the trees into growing?  That'd be a trick." "Nonsense!"  Arca replied as he took AJ's lasso in his magic, holding up high.  He took a deep breath, and… "WHO WANTS TO GO FOR WALKIES?!" Rainbow and AJ had only a half second to jump back as Arca was immediately tackled to the ground by the largest, meanest looking timberwolf they'd ever seen.  It let out a bellowing howl as it pinned Arca under its paw, causing the zap apple trees to shudder to life as they entered the next stage of growth.  Then, glaring down with menacing eyes and razor-sharp teeth, the timberwolf leaned into Arca's face… "Oh sweet Celestia!"  "I can't watch!" ...and promptly licked Arca with its leafy tongue before rolling over for bellyrubs, which Arca was more than happy to provide. "Mister Splinters!  I missed youuuu!  Who's a good boy?  WHOSAGOODBOY?  You are!  Yes you are!" "Rrrrwarf!" Rainbow and Applejack had only one thing to say. "...What?" "C'mere, ya big lug."  Arca wrapped the lasso around Mister Splinters' neck like a leash, smiling happily.  "How's your pack?"  Upon seeing the monster's ears droop, he frowned.  "...Not around anymore, huh?  I guess Tia was wrong about reintegrating you into the wild.  I'll just have to take you back home to Rainbow Falls.  Would you like that?" "Rrrrwarf!"  Tail wagging, the timberwolf sat down obediently. "Well, that's step one!  You there, blue pegasus.  The second growth phase is a strong windstorm.  Can you fly fast enough to knock the leaves off these trees?" Rainbow immediately perked up, taking to the air.  "Ha!  Are you kidding?  Watch this!" With acceleration that even Arca was impressed by, Rainbow Dash shot straight up in the air and looped backwards.  Gaining speed from gravity, she blew past the ponies and timberwolf at high speed while corkscrewing like a drill.  Arca and AJ had to hold tight to their lab coat and stetson hat respectively to avoid losing them in the gale.  The trees, meanwhile, did not actually lose their leaves; instead, all the leaves turned a dark purple and crackled with sparks. "Brilliant!  Now, we need a flock of crows!  Does anypony have a flock of crows?" Applejack nodded quickly.  She couldn't believe it, but this seemed to be working!  "Ah don't, but ah know somepony who does!  Wait here!" As Applejack galloped off towards that certain somepony's cottage, Arca pulled out a parchment and began writing.  Dear Luna, remember that bet you lost 1,008 years ago?  I'm cashing in that favor… It wasn't long before the loud caws of a flock of crows echoed through the orchard.  Approaching as a large mass, the birds quickly dispersed to reveal a yellow pegasus flying in the center of the group. Fluttershy gingerly touched down while the crows soared up and formed an apple-shaped formation above the zap apple trees, a strange energy causing the trees to grow sparkling blue flowers across their branches. "Oh!"  Fluttershy gasped at the sight of the massive timberwolf.  "So that's where you ran off to, Mister Splinters!  And Mr. Catalyst, too!" "Fluttershy!  I should have known you'd be around.  How are you feeling?  Any resurgences of Swamp Fever?  Side effects?  You seem fine, but I refuse to take chances against that vile sickness." "Um… I'm fine."  Fluttershy trotted over and nuzzled the timberwolf, who happily nuzzled her back. Rainbow and AJ, who had recovered from their high speed flight and sprint to Fluttershy respectively, both were startled by this new revelation.  "You two know each other?" Arca smiled.  "Of course!  Us trees have to stick together."  Upon receiving questioning looks, he continued.  "Swamp Fever survivors," he clarified. "Ah." "Mage Meadowbrook introduced me to Mr. Arca a while ago since we both had Swamp Fever, but we knew each other for a while.  He asked me to try and help his timberwolf reintegrate into the wild when Celestia introduced us at Cadence's wedding." "Oh yeah, that was the best wedding ever!  Do you know how rare it is to be allowed to deliberately cause explosions and not get yelled at afterwards?  Celestia even bought me victory ice cream!" Arca's remark was mostly ignored as everypony's attention was more focused on the scroll that appeared in midair.  We still think thou were counting cards that match.  -Luna The ponies felt the sudden urge to look up, and bore witness to the first meteor shower happening in the daytime.  The flowers on the zap apple trees bore fruit, gray apples awaiting the final step. "Perfect.  Now, the hard part.  The rainbow aurora storm only happens once a year, so we need another source of rainbow energy.  I use the rainbow liquid at Rainbow Falls for the tree in my secret garden, but without that the only thing I can think of is a sonic rainboom…" "Did you say you need a sonic rainboom?!" "Yeah."  Arca pulled out a potion and held it out to Rainbow.  "If you wanna try, this should enhance your speed so you can—" "I don't need that!  Watch and learn, Science Boy!" "To a good harvest!" "And how!" Glasses of cider clinked together as Arca, Rainbow, AJ and Fluttershy celebrated a successful zap apple harvest in the Apple Family kitchen. "Gotta admit, Miss Dash, I'm impressed you can pull off a sonic rainboom.  But, we got the zap apples, so that's what counts!"  Arca held up one of the rainbow-colored fruits, examining it.  "Looks just like they used to.  Bottoms up!"  He tossed the zap apple in the air, and chomped it in one bite. Applejack tried to intervene.  "Wait, don't-" Arca was immediately hit with a magical lightning strike, as without proper preparation, zap apples carried quite the electrical charge. Even Rainbow Dash was concerned.  "Dude, are you alright?!" "WOW!  Just as much of a kick to them as they used to have!"