Chapter 8: More Work?
Rainbow Dash awoke with a spinning head, the head rush making her go dizzy. She had tried to hide away from Pinkie all day long and her efforts seemed to be successful, which was a great achievement for her since Pinkie would appear on the most unexpected places and find you in seconds. She turned lazily and covered herself from the sun as she tried to go back to sleep. She stayed like that for half an hour until she slowly awakened herself. She stretched her back and fluttered her wings before going out to work.
___
The weight was killing her back, but she needed to go forward. She pulled harder as the yoke she carried advanced further and plowed the earth beneath her. Applejack was beginning to get tired and flashes of the nightmare filled her mind as she began to fall asleep. She shook her head and focused on the task upon her. The cloudy sky was threatening to make a drizzle, but she needed to plow at least three more rows before her work was finished. In a way, her switch of chores with Big Mac meant she had fewer work to do, but she being a mare and a younger pony than McIntosh meant her work had become harder than what she was used to do. She shook her head again both to keep herself focused and to shake away the drops of sweat off her coat and mane.
“*Whew* Just… A few… More… Rows… Hah!” —muttered AJ to herself as she kept pulling.
She was now up to one and a half rows before her work was done when all of a sudden a strange wind caught her off guard. She turned around and found out her Stetson was no longer on her head and for a small instant she caught a glimpse of a palette of colors.
“Rainbow Dash!” —yelled in annoyance the orange earth pony as she glanced up at the sky.
Her answer came in a matter of seconds as the cyan pegasus showed herself with AJ’s hat in one hoof.
—“Bwahaha! You should see the look on your face!”
—“Rainbow Dash, ah’m in no mood fer silly games.”
—“Chillax Applejack, it was just a little prank. Besides, it looks like it’s about to rain. I just got off work today seeing as how everything is done for today.”
—“Well it ain’t funny, ah tell ya. Ah just need ta finish plowin’ this field ‘fore ah can even think ‘bout restin’, so jus’ leamme alone fer now an’ don’t bother me.”
—“Sheesh, AJ. You really are worked up today. Can I come back later?”
—“An hour.”
—“An hour?!”
The cold look on Applejack’s green eyes made the cyan mare not question her friend’s actions as she flew off towards the sky to take a quick nap.
___
Applejack finished plowing the field and went to a barrel of water to freshen herself. The cold water against her coat felt relaxing as she cooled down her body and mind. She went to the barn just in time to meet McIntosh coming out. He didn’t even look at her nor did he direct any word at her. As calm as he usually seemed he sure felt furious towards his sister. Months of extra work loaded on your back will do that to anypony. The orange mare felt the anger inside her rise up, but before she could say or do anything (stupid) she saw a rainbow streak against the gray sky land on the roof of the barn just as McIntosh walked calmly away.
—“Rainbow! Down here, sugarcube!”
Rainbow peeked through the roof and fluttered down towards the ground.
—“Down? Why?”
—“Ah’m in the mood fer a walk.”
—“Seems fine to me.”
The two mares turned and walked down to the other end of the farm into another orchard where trees grew thicker. Rainbow’s eyes widened at the landscape she was witnessing.
“Whoa! I never saw these trees before. It may as well be a forest on its own.”
—“These are another brand of trees we planted. Apples grow bigger in these.”
—“That’s alright. I guess… Anyway, why did you decide to go for a walk?”
—“’Cause ah’m still worked up an’ I want my muscles ta relax a bit ‘till ah can rest.”
—“You looked really frustrated back there, AJ. It’s roughly 5:30 in the afternoon and you look wasted. How many trees did you buck?”
—“None.”
—“None?! Then how— Why—” —stammered Rainbow as she tried to understand the situation.
—“Mac an’ I got into a fight yesterday in the mornin’.”
—“And?”
—“And we switched chores ‘till a week after the Summer Sun Celebration.”
—“Whoa, AJ. Some fight you must’ve had.”
—“Nah, it was nuthin’. ‘sides, ah got a lot less work.”
—“You still look tired.”
—“Ah… Ya see, it’s jus’ ah’ve been tryin’ ta make mah work faster.”
—“Applejack, you’re a terrible liar. You know that?”
—“Alright, alright. It’s Big McIntosh’s work.”
—“No way” —came Rainbow’s snarky answer.
—“An’ it’s mighty exhaustin’.”
—“No. Really?”
—“It’s just that ah’m a younger mare an’ he’s a full grown stallion. That’s why ah’m exhausted.”
—“Wow. Thanks for the lesson, genius.”
—“Stop it” —said Applejack as she lightly smacked Rainbow’s head.
—“So this is it? You’re repaying your debt by making your brother’s work while he does yours?”
—“Well, according to him he can make mah work faster.”
—“So is this like a challenge?”
—“Not quite. There’s no winner or loser here. Just work.”
—“Sheesh that sure sounds boring.”
—“Tell me ‘bout it.”
The two friends continued to walk along the road until the sky looked threatening enough for rain to pour. With that on cue, the mares bid each other farewell and parted home. Applejack arrived on her room just as the rain started to pound her home. Tired, she fell like a log and slept for the remainder of the day.