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// Chapter 26: Apple Buckin' 
// Story: The Elements of Honor 
// by Flanagan 
//------------------------------//

“Ya’ll don’t know how much it means ta have a few friends come ‘round an help out with the harvest,” Applejack said patting Warhammer on the shoulder. “Sometimes it’s just me and Big Macintosh out here, especially given that Apple Bloom’s busy with her school work.”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac added twirling a piece of straw in his lips.
“I’m more than happy to help. You’ve been very hospitable to all of us, just think of it as returning the favor.”
“Don’t forget the rest of us.” Battleaxe said pointing to himself, Greatsword and the others, “He’s not the only one who came.”
“We just need something to do for a week or two so everypony could get a chance see the flyers we put out.” Lug Nut said rolling his eyes.
“Well I’m sure with all this help. We’ll get the entire south field done in just a day or two.” Applejack looked to the hill and saw several other figures in the light, “Then again…” she said smiling, “Shucks… we might get the south field done in a few hours.”
The 1025th turned their attention to where Applejack was looking to see Twilight and her other friends standing on the hill, large barrels at the ready.
“Why are they here?” Battleaxe asked.
“Well, I always ask for help from good friends Battleaxe.” Applejack replied, “Just figured the more the merrier.”
“I’m glad you see us as friends,” Greatsword said turning his attention back to her. “But we’re here to train a defense force make sure that if your town is attacked you could at least have time to evacuate… when we’re done here, it’s back to Canterlot for the lot of us.”
“But that don’t mean ya can’t make friends while yer here.” Applejack said with a smile. “Shoot I remember when I became friends with Twilight, we saved all of Equestria from Nightmare Moon.”
“The fate of Equestria doesn’t rely on me making friends…” Greatsword replied. “But the fate of your town DOES rely on able-bodied ponies signing up to defend it.”
Applejack forced a smile for Greatsword, she was trying her best to relate to him somehow, but he wasn’t letting her have one opening. Battleaxe noticed what she was trying to do, and knowing his brother, he quickly stepped in to avoid any negative outcome.
“So… Applejack…” he began stepping between the two, “What exactly will we be doing?”
“Well Twilight’s got the organizin’ and stuff takin’ care of.” Applejack said remembering the task at hand. “Me an Big Macintosh were gonna show ya’ll how ta buck apples outta the trees.”
“Eeyup…” Big Mac said walking to one of the apple laden trees.
“Now just watch…” Applejack said, walking towards the nearest tree. “It’s all in the technique.”
“We’re just hitting trees with our hind legs…” Battleaxe said. “It can’t be that complicated.” He walked up to the tree Big Mac was about to buck, looking back he saw that Twilight was watching with the rest of her friends. “Oh this is perfect…” he said under his breath “I got this one Big Mac… take five.” 
“But AJ hasn’t even-“
“I think I got it… wait… did you just ‘talk’ talk?”
“Eeyup.”
“Never mind…” Battleaxe looked up to the tree and smiled. “Time to show you what I’m made of, tree.”
“Did he just talk to the tree?” Lug Nut asked.
“I try not to understand him anymore.” Patches answered to the hushed snickers of those around to hear her.
He faced away from the tree, smiling confidently before shooting a quick wink at Twilight. Her friends shot quick glances at her, but all she could do was smile as her face became a shade of red. He turned his attention back to the tree and readied his hind legs. 
“And now… for the finish…” He slammed his hind legs into the tree, hearing the satisfying snap of the trees bark. “No need to think me everypony.” He said confidently “I’ll be here-“
“Uh… Battleaxe…” Patches said doing her best to cover up her smile. “I think you should see how ‘well’ you did.”
She pointed to behind him, confused Battleaxe turned around, only to be greeted by shock. Not a single apple had fallen from the tree, his face went red as nearly everypony began to erupt in laughter. Even his brothers couldn’t help but let out a little smirk at his predicament.
“Now back ta what I was sayin’” Applejack said doing her best to stop laughing. “It’s all in the technique… Big Macintosh, if you’d be so kind.”
“Eeyup.” He said walking past the dumbfounded unicorn with a large grin.
“Ya’ll gotta twist yer body at the last second…” Applejack said while Big Mac sent a single hoof into the apple tree, filling the barrels at its base full of shiny red and green fruit. “Any questions?”
“Could we see that again?” Lug Nut asked. “Battleaxe might need some extra help.”
“I hate you…” Battleaxe growled under the sound of roaring laughter. 
“Nah…” Applejack said containing he laughter yet again, “How ‘bout one of ya’ll try it?” she looked around the group her hoof pointing to every one of them until it stopped at the largest of them. “How ‘bout it Warhammer? Wanna have a go?”
He looked to her with surprise. He didn’t expect to be chosen so quickly. He rose his hoof to decline, much to the surprise of his peers.
“What’s the matter little bro?” Battleaxe asked. “Scared the tree’ll bite you?”
“The last time I saw you act so confidently around a tree you embarrassed yourself…” Warhammer answered quickly, giving all within earshot the giggles. “I don’t want to break anything, that’s all.”
“Aw ya won’t do that Warhammer,” Applejack said reassuringly, “I promise ya that.”
Warhammer looked back to his compatriots. All of them were doing their best to convince him to give it a go. Taking a deep breath he reluctantly took a step forward, to the small cheers and applauding of his counterparts. He took his place at the tree’s base this one was nearly twice the size of the one Battleaxe failed miserably to knock of just minutes earlier. He turned around and rose his hind legs.
“That’s a good start Warhammer!” Applejack said encouragingly. “Use both legs and buck as hard as ya can!”
“As hard as I can?”
“As hard as ya can.”
“If you insist…” Warhammer said pulling his legs into him.
SNAP! The apple tree was sent into the air, with no signs of stopping. Applejack, Big Mac and the others jaws hit the ground looking to Warhammer in disbelief.
“You said hit it as-“ CRASH! The tree landed nearly one hundred feet away, about thirty seconds after he’d hit it, “As hard as I can…”
“I think I know who’ll be helping the Apples clearing boulders and dead trees from now on…” Twilight said baffled at such a feat of strength.
“Ya’ll see what just happened?!” Apple Bloom exclaimed running out of their house. “I coulda sworn I saw onea our biggest apple trees shoot up inta the air!”
“We saw Apple Bloom…” Applejack replied awe struck. “Warhammer even knocked its roots clean outta the ground…”
Apple Blooms eyes widened when they were cast to Warhammer, the up rooted tree and broken top half some thirty feet away were still cascading leaves from the surrornding air. 
“I’m truly sorry Applejack…” he began. “I didn’t mean to-“
“Now why would ya be sorry fer somethin’ so amazin’?!” Apple Bloom said sprinting in front of him, placing her hooves on his chest so she could try to see eye to eye with him. “You’ve gotta be the strongest pony in all Equestria if ya can do something like that an not even look the littlest bit tired!” her pupils doubled in size as her grin became deviant, “Maybe ya could help me at school with a few ponies that’ve been givin’ me trouble fer years.”
“Apple Bloom…” Applejack said sternly. “How many times do I have ta tell ya violence ain’t the way to deal with Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara?”
“Who said anything ‘bout violence?” Apple Bloom replied, “I was gonna have him as a sheer presence, ya know, like say he’s my body guard an all.”
“That’s not much better young one…” Warhammer said getting her attention again. “Saying something like that STILL is a threat of violence, the best way to stop others from accosting you is to confront them in a verbal manner, and if that fails, you could always go to your teacher or another pony of authority.”
Apple Bloom stared at Warhammer with great confusion before speaking, “Accosta-what now?” she asked.
“Being bullied.” Applejack explained. “Like what I’ve been tryin’ ta tell ya but fancier.”
“Oh…” Apple Bloom said. “I knew that…”
“Of corse ya did…” Applejack replied with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, now that everypony knows how to buck apple trees.” Twilight said to gain their attention. “Let’s get started…” she reached into her saddle bags and pulled out a titanic to-do list, it sprawled out across the ground, leaving those that saw it in almost as much disbelief as when Warhammer sent the tree flying. “Let’s see…” she began, looking the list up and down, “If we want to get the south field done today we should-“
“On second thought Twilight…” Applejack said with an awkward smile. “I think we’ll just wing it from here.”
“I can dig winging it.” Rainbow said flying into the air. “So long as you stay outta my way.”
Though she wasn’t looking at anypony in particular, Greatsword knew that the comment was directed towards him. He just looked up to her and took a deep breath while Applejack began to designate teams. Patches noticed that Greatsword was acting differently and came to his side.
“What is it Greatsword?” she asked
“Do you really have to ask?” he replied pointing to the proud pony in the sky.
“Oh… never mind…” she said, “don’t worry I don’t think-“
“How ‘bout Greatsword and RD?” Applejack said, “Those two gotta be the toughest and strongest pegasi I ever seen.”
Greatsword and Rainbow both looked to Applejack in utter disbelief, granted she didn’t know about their ‘history’ it was still quite a shock to them. “Applejack.” They said in unison “I don’t think that.”
“An how ‘bout Battleaxe and Twilight?” Applejack said not paying the slightest bit of attention, now the disbelief was on the two unicorns standing next to one another. They looked to one another briefly only to look away just as fast. “I’ll put Fluttershy with Greatsword and RD and Lug Nut with Twi and Battleaxe.” She walked off to Big Mac and Apple Bloom, “Ya’ll know yer teams, now let’s get out there, buck some apples and most of all, have fun.”
“I can see this ending well…” Rainbow said rolling her eyes while her partners asended to her side. Before she could speed away Greatsword turned her around so she would face him.
“Look Rainbow…” he began, “I know that you’re not happy about this but-“
“Just stay outta my way.” She growled pushing his hoof off her shoulder, “Don’t even try to keep up.” and just like that she was gone, leaving only a cloud in Greatsword’s face
“Um… what was all that about?” Fluttershy asked fluttering to his side. “Do you two know each other?”
“Not exactly…” he sighed, “but we knew the same pony.”
“Oh, well who did the two of you know?” Fluttershy asked “was it-
“Fluttershy…” Greatsword said somberly flying in the direction Rainbow flew of in. “It’s probably best you don’t know, all I can really tell you is that something happened to somepony important to both of us.”
He left Fluttershy behind for a few seconds, but quickly went back so she would have some company for when they caught up with Rainbow Dash. Back on the ground, Battleaxe, Lug Nut and Twilight were filling barrel after barrel with delicious apples.
“Why did they teach us to buck these things when we can do this?” Battleaxe asked using his magic to grab every apple off a single tree.
“They’re traditionalist, Battleaxe.” Twilight answered, filling yet another barrel, “They would at least want you to try the earth pony way before you used your magic.”
“I guess that makes since…” Lug Nut said, “but I think-“
SLAM! A massive tree trunk landed just feet in front of him. Nearly scaring his breakfast from two days ago out of him. Battleaxe and Twilight turned around to see Warhammer and Big Mac standing near a crater where an apple tree used to be. Big Mac looked away, as if he didn’t see or have anything to do what just happened.
“ARE YOU TWO SERIOUS?!” Lug Nut roared. “You could’ve killed-“
“Don’t get your tail in a tussle Lug Nut…” Battleaxe said patting his counterpart on the head. “I’ll move this.” 
He stepped to the broken tree and cracked his hooves, making sure Twilight was watching he did his best to wrap his hooves around its trunk. With great strain and powerful grunts, the trunk slowly rose to his shoulder. Straining greatly he looked over to Twilight and gave her a charming smile.
“I-impressed?” he asked struggling to keep the tree balanced on his shoulders.
“I guess so…” Twilight said raising her eye brow. “But…” her horn began to glow and the once massive weight on Battleaxe’s shoulders suddenly became nothing. 
Then he realized that he was nearly ten feet off the ground, Twilight was using her magic to lift the trunk like a small tooth pick. He tried to cling to the tree as tightly as he could, but in the end he landed on his flank not two feet in front of Twilight. She looked at him with a small smirk.
“I could’ve done that to begin with.” She said trotting past him in triumph.
“Wow, Battleaxe…” Lug Nut said with a huge grin. “You’ve been made a fool not just once but twice… trying to impress the same mare I might add.”
“I didn’t ask for a count Lug Nut…” Battleaxe said watching Twilight continue to walk away.
“I just wanted to make sure you could count that high.” Lug Nut laughed. “Your ego must be-“
Lug Nut’s insult was interrupted buy three apples being shoved into his mouth at once. Battleaxe stood up and placed a barrel full of apples on his back.
“If you’re done talking…” he began with a smile. “Which I think you are now, may I suggest you assist Twilight with filling more barrels while I get this one back to the barn.” Battleaxe left Lug Nut with his mouth full of apples and headed back to the barn.
“Wow…” Apple Bloom said looking over the dozens of barrels, “We’ve never gotten the whole south field in only a day… ya’ll are amazing.”
“No need to thank me.” Battleaxe said laying his barrel down, “I-“
“It’s a team effort, Battleaxe.” Applejack said, “but thank ya’ll fer what ya done.”
“We do what we can…” Battleaxe said rolling his eyes. “And hopefully after this week or so of waiting we’ll have a few more ponies willing to do the same for Ponyville.”