Anton followed Applejack's gaze over the rows upon rows of trees. Though a section of the trees had already been cleared over the past week, the main orchard was now ready for picking. Hundreds, if not thousands of the fruit-laden trees stood in rows as if on parade, perfectly regimented and unmoving in the early morning chill. "Boy howdy", she said. "We really got our work cut out fer us this year, eh?"
"Sure do", Bright Mac said. The older stallion stood in between him and Big Mac. The latter shifted his weight between his front hooves, trying not to put pressure on his wounded chest and hind legs.
"We go left to right?", Anton suggested. "Mr. Bright Macintosh takes back the baskets, and we meet in the middle?"
"Pa, ya really don't need ta worry yerself", Applejack said. "Get some rest. Ya know the cold don't do the wound any good. Me an Aquila can do this."
"Just the two'a ya?", Big Mac asked, looking at the two of them.
Applejack said, "Wah not? What? Ya insinuatin' mah mouth is makin' promises mah legs can't keep?"
"I believe that is what he's saying", Anton provided.
Bright Mac said, "Ah'll be frank, Applejack. This is a lotta trees. Ya can't be serious in tryin' ta clear them all."
"Pa, ah can handle it", Applejack said. "Plus, Aquila'll be helpin' me. It ain't like ah'd clear this whole thing by mahself. We'll get it done. Both of ya should rest."
The two other stallions looked at one another. Big Mac sighed, before saying, "Ah'm already in no condition ta be buckin'. And a bit more rest might do ya some good, Pa."
"Ah suppose so", Bright Mac said, his voice a low grumble. "Alright then. But if ya two need any help, come an' get me. Heck, bring in some of yer friends; that Twilight filly was quite helpful last week."
"Don't you worry 'bout a thing, Pa", Applejack said with a smile. "We'll take care of it."
As the two stallions began to head back towards the house, Anton turned to Applejack, "Exactly why did you want your father not to help? He's done it for as long as I've worked for you."
"Is it a crime ta want Pa ta not work too hard?", Applejack said. "He's been... Well, ya know. Sides, wit'... the anniversary comin' up, ah think it'd be best if he don't work so hard now."
"Isn't that a bit dismissive?", he asked. "'The m-The one who has nothing can still have faith.' Just because he isn't the happiest or most stable places in this region, that doesn't mean he can't help. By the Throne, it might do him some good."
"Ah guess", Applejack said. "Still, it ain't like we can't take care of it. Come on, let's get started."
Anton passed several baskets to the Applejack, who began setting them around the base of the nearby trees. As she did so, the ground suddenly started to shake. "What the-", Anton began, turning towards Ponyville.
Applejack followed his gaze to the massive cloud of dust and the dark, moving shape within it, heading straight for Ponyville. "Oh no", she said. The two of them watched as the dust cloud grew higher over the rear of the mass, allowing for them to see the front of the forms kicking up the dust cloud. "The Cows! They're stampeding! Come on!"
Anton broke into a spring behind Applejack, quickly adjusting his field cap tighter around his head. As she ran, Applejack gave a loud whistle, repeating it several times. Out of seemingly nowhere, the brown and white dog lept out of the orchard, joining the two of them in the dead spring down the hill along the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, racing on an intercept coarse towards the stampede.
"I'll go left, you two right", Anton yelled, earning a nod from Applejack. The two of them split off, each picking up speed around the side of the stampeding hoard. Stealing a look at the cows, they were wide-eyed and panicked, racing ahead out of instinct. Anton drew his sword, igniting the blade and swinging it back and forth. The whirring, crackling blade caused those directly next to him to jerk away, pressing against those next to them.
He looked up, watching as the bridge leading into town quickly grew closer and closer. He put on a burst of speed, trying to reach the front of the pack. As he did, he watched Applejack beat him to the punch, leaping up on the back of one of the lead cows. A lasso held in her mouth (Where did she get that?), she whipped it around and flung the loop over the neck of the head cow. She disappeared out of sight as she leaped off the side of the cow.
He tried to race to the front, continuing to swing his sword to try and force the cows away from the bridge. As he got towards the front, the Cows began to shift towards the right, heading away from the bridge. As the formation moved to the right, he saw Applejack and Winona, yanking the lead cow in that direction. Like the Degenerate and the Mutant around a nexus of Chaos, the Cows followed along with that lead cow, turning into a field outside of the Ponyville and away from the bridge.
Anton began to slow, panting. His heart pounded, while his lungs and limbs seemed to burn. He saw Applejack grind the Cows to a halt, tossing her lasso aside. He worked his way around the clump of the larger creatures, trading his Power Sword in his aura for his canteen. Opening the lid with a quick twist, he took a massive swig of the cool liquid, approaching Applejack as she turned to one of the cows. "Now, what was that all about?", she asked.
One of the cows gave a loud 'Moo', before coughing and clearing its throat. "Oh, Sorry, Applejack. But Mooriella here saw one of those nasty snakes." The cows around her shifted and grunted nervously, with the speaker waiting for them to quiet down before continuing. "It just gave us all the willies, don'tcha know."
"Just keep away from the town", Anton said, taking another swig of water before passing the canteen to Applejack.
"We'll certainly try to, Aquila. So long, Applejack! Winona!", she said, giving them a quick wave as the Cows all cleared out. Winona gave them a playful bark as they made their way towards the town, Applejack handing the nearly empty canteen back to Aquila.
"Ya did good, Aquila", Applejack said. "Fer yer first time."
"It's not really something you can be trained for", Anton said. "Or plan for." Applejack ranged ahead of him, giving the assembled ponies below a wide flourish. "Or expect to be involved in", he muttered, putting away his canteen.
+++++~+++++
A week had passed since the stampede, and the start of Applebuck season. Anton had spent all day out in the Orchards, harvesting the apples. The only times that Anton hadn't been working was when he was walking to and from his bunker.
Anton had expected to bring in some help at some point; even if it was just her father to bring the apples back to the cellar. However, she had maintained her position that the two of them could take care of it. He wasn't one to complain; the Imperium was built by those who labored long and hard in the Emperor's name. Though, this was far from the Emperor's service...
He trudged along, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Despite his relatively isolated position meaning he had to move a ways in order to get to the Orchard, he had still been worn to the bone. While he had the advantage of his horn as opposed to Applejack, who had to bring down the apples using her legs, that didn't mean he wasn't tired and in pain. His legs and back ached from constant walking and carrying of baskets full of apples. His horn especially throbbed and pulsed with phantom pain, worked relentlessly removing apple after apple from tree after tree. "Only the Machine and the Emperor are tireless", he muttered, giving himself a humorless chuckle.
As he moved through the Orchard, he listlessly took in the trees immediately around the main compound. They had been scoured clean of apples, all tucked away carefully in the cellar of the barn or on their way to market. As one moved further away from buildings, the more apples one could see; either fully within the trees or ones that had not been shaken loose. Anton sighed, grabbing a basket nearby and yanking a few of them free and pulling them into the basket.
Each tug of his aura gave a sharp stab of pain into the base of his skull. It had first started after the second day, starting as a numb itch and slowly overwhelming his senses with a continuous pounding, supplemented by harsh injections of agony whenever he was actively using his aura. Of course, pain was nothing new to him; in fact, this new agony was just another way to show how much he wished to atone to his Emperor. "Grant me the opportunity, O Glorious One", he muttered, bringing one hoof up to the Aquila hanging around his neck. "And I shall show you my devotion fully and without hesitation. I need only a sign, and the chance to smite your enemies."
As he moved through the rows of trees, picking any stragglers off of their branches, he heard talking. The voices sent small needles dancing across the back of his skull, but he drew closer to them. As he moved through a slightly disorderly cluster of trees, he saw Applejack and Twilight, standing at the base of a long-dead husk of a tree.
Applejack looked even worse than she had yesterday. The bags around her eyes were larger, almost growing to the size of ogryn nostrils. What parts of her eyes that weren't shielded by bags were almost completely obscured by her eyelids, which fluttered and twitched with effort in an attempt to remain open. Her posture was slackened, and she shifted and half-buckled on her hoofs. "You know, ah'm a little busy ta get lectured right now, Twilight!", she said, heading down the line to retrieve more baskets.
"But if you just let me help-", Twilight began, following closely behind her.
Applejack replied, "No. No. NO! Me an' Aquila can do this! Ah don't need no help!"
As Applejack continued to walk off, Twilight stamped a hoof and groaned. Aquila came up behind her, asking, "What is it?"
She jumped, before taking a breath. "Oh, it's you, Aquila." As she turned to fully face him, her somewhat startled face finally gave way to concern. "Are you ok?", she asked.
"Just a bit of a sore horn", he said, waving a hoof.
She frowned, before lighting up her own horn and bring it in closer. Aquila tried to take a step back, but only preceded to slip and fall forward. As he stood, she had apparently gotten what she wanted and dissipated her aura. "Your horn is more than a bit sore; you've got magic exhaustion. It's not debilitating, but you shouldn't be using magic."
Anton breathed a deep sigh. "Applejack is insistent we keep at it."
"She's wearing both of you ragged!", Twilight said.
Anton nodded. "'If a job's worth doing, it's worth dying for'", he said, before biting his tongue.
"Over apples!?", Twilight half-shrieked, before giving her own sigh. "I get you and Applejack are committed to this, but she needs help."
"You won't convince her", Anton said. "But I know who can."
"Who?", she asked. "I just want to help her."
Anton offered her the half-filled basket of apples. "Carry these, and I'll take you to him."
She took them in her aura without a second glance, following him as he trudged along. He kept moving, head low to the ground and horn leveled forward as if it were a bayonet. As they walked, Twilight glanced at him, studying his form and his gait as if he were one of her books.
The two of them reached the main house, and he climbed the stairs up front, Twilight right behind him. He gave a quick knock on the door, which was swiftly answered with a call of "Coming!" A few moments later, the door opened, revealing Bright Mac, who smiled as he stepped out onto the porch. "Hello Aquila. Miss Twilight. What can I do for you?"
"It's about Applejack", Twilight said, giving Anton a sidelong glance. When he said nothing, she continued. "She's... Well, to be frank, she needs some help."
"Ah've been tryin' ta tell her, but she took on her mother's stubbornness", he said, giving a sad exhale.
Twilight said, "This isn't just about her. She sent Rainbow Dash flying halfway across town on a catapult, and hospitalized almost a dozen ponies!"
"Ya serious?", Bright Mac said.
Anton chimed in, "She's pretty coordinated. How-"
"Normally yes", Twilight said. "But she's been doing those favors for others while also working in the fields. She just can't keep up with everything. Again, she needs help."
"Yer right", Bright Mac said. "Ah was a fool fer lettin' it go this far." He shut the door behind him, heading down the stairs in one fluid motion afterward. "Aquila, ya can go home. Yer worn as thin as she is."
"Yes sir", he said, giving a weak salute and practically dragging himself back towards the Everfree. As he went, he heard Bright Mac tell Twilight, "Come on. Mah daughter may be stubborn as a rock, this is goin' too far."