Applejack was late. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept in past sunrise, but there was no denying she had, not with Celestia's orb blazing its first rays through her bedroom window. Grumbling slightly to herself, Applejack got out of bed and reached for her hat, which was hanging from one of the bed posts.
A sudden clang of noise from downstairs caught her attention. Applejack usually was the first one awake, so she wondered if Big Mac might have already started breakfast. If so, it meant Applejack was in for some good-natured ribbing at her "laziness", as her big brother would put it. She trotted down the stairs and headed for the kitchen.
As she rounded the bottom of the stairs and peeked inside, her jaw dropped in a bit of surprise. Apple Bloom was standing on a stool by the sink, filling the coffee pot with water. Applejack shook her head side to side quickly to make sure she wasn't seeing things, her little sister never was up at the crack of dawn.
Apple Bloom finished filling the pot and climbed down off the stool to carry it over to the stove to percolate. As she turned, she saw her big sister standing in the hallway and waved a hoof at her, being careful not to spill any water. Setting the pot over the burner, Apple Bloom turned on the stove and called out cheerily, "G'mornin', Sis!"
Applejack finally got over her surprise and walked into the kitchen and over to Apple Bloom and the sisters shared a brief hug. "Mornin', sugarcube," Applejack greeted in return. "What in tarnation has you up so early?"
Apple Bloom gave a little shrug and went to set three plates out at the table. "I ain't sure," she admitted. "Somethin' just woke me up 'bout the time the rooster crowed an' I was all eager to start the day."
Applejack tilted her head slightly and a playful grin split her features. "You sure you ain't one of them changelings? What have you done with my lil' sister?"
Apple Bloom giggled and got out three mugs, which she put down by the plates. As she did, both ponies heard the stairs creak and they glanced up as Big Macintosh walked down and into the kitchen. "Mornin', AJ, Apple Bloom," he said with a little yawn. "Coffee smells good, thanks AJ."
Applejack shook her head, "Nnope, wasn't me this mornin'. Apple Bloom got up and done all this herself." Apple Bloom beamed proudly at her brother at Applejack's admission.
Big Mac blinked in surprise and said, "This early?" He peered down at Apple Bloom. "You sure she ain't one of them changelings?"
Apple Bloom groaned and rolled her eyes."Y'all need new material," she huffed and went to fetch the coffee off the stove. Her two older siblings just chuckled and went about helping getting the rest of breakfast ready. The morning meal together was especially pleasant and filled with conversation. Usually, Big Mac and Applejack just ate in relative silence before heading out to start the day's chores.
Apple Bloom was the first to finish and started clearing the dishes to the sink. "I'm ready to help with chores today, can I help? Pleeease?" she asked eagerly, a cute smile covering her face.
Applejack and Big Mac shared a look of mild alarm, remembering what had happened the last time Apple Bloom had "helped". Finally, Big Mac just shrugged and Applejack said, "Errr...sure, 'course you can." Applejack thought for a moment, then offered, "Why don't you start with cleanin' up the barn? I reckon it's been a spell." Applejack gave a comforting grin back, thinking that would at least limit the amount of mess they would have to clean up afterwards.
Apple Bloom's face fell a bit, but she quickly recovered. "OK, Sis, if that's what you want." Apple Bloom paused a moment, then said, "You know, it'll be Applebuck season soon, an' I want to get in shape to help with that."
Big Mac excused himself from the table and headed for the front door. "See you at the south field later!" Applejack called after him. "Eeyup," came the reply and the burly stallion went outside to start his work.
Applejack got up and started to clear her plate, but Apple Bloom stopped her. "I got it, sis," she said. "I'll clean up in here then head over to the barn."
Applejack smiled and thanked her little sister then said, "I'll see you later, Apple Bloom. Was right nice getting to share breakfast this mornin'." With that, Applejack settled her hat over her blond mane and went outside to attend to the livestock.
In short order the kitchen was spotless and to her surprise, Apple Bloom hadn't even noticed how fast she had cleaned it. Even more unusual was it hadn't felt like work. Normally, even the prospect of just washing dishes would have been enough to make her groan. But today, she felt like a brand new filly and it had been foal's play to wash dishes, wipe down the table, mop the floor and clean off the counters.
With the indoor chore complete, Apple Bloom cantered outside and headed to the barn. Swinging the door open wide enough to squirm inside, Apple Bloom squeezed past into the barn and started to take a long look around, making notes on just what needed to be done.
Big Mac's yoke for the plow was leaning in one corner. There was loose hay scattered across the ground where some of the bales had frayed. Various other tools were laying about, some of which Apple Bloom remembered using herself when the Crusaders had been building their Summer Harvest Parade float. She blushed, realizing they had never fully cleaned up after themselves.
"I guess I'll start with the tools, the other stuff's gonna be too heavy to move on my own." Apple Bloom thought out loud. Her plan in place, the little filly set about gathering up the loose tools and taking them over to their respective pegs and hangers on the wall. Once all the tools had been put away, Apple Bloom started to rake up the loose straw and smoothed out the dirt of the barn floor, tamping it down with the blade of a hoe.
Soon, all that remained were the heavy things. Bracing herself, Apple Bloom put her head down to try and budge the yoke. If she couldn't lift it up onto the peg where it hung, she could at least hopefully push it up against the beam.
Setting her hind legs firm against the ground, Apple Bloom gathered up her strength and pushed with her head against the yoke. To her amazement, it didn't just budge, it scooted with relative ease causing Apple Bloom to lose her balance and flop flat onto her chest in the dirt. "Huh!" she said, picking herself up and dusting off her coat.
More curiously than anything, Apple Bloom walked over and put her forehooves over the yoke and lifted, using her legs for power. Before she knew it, she had lifted it off the ground and slid the yoke onto the peg that was driven into the beam. Pausing to wipe the sweat from above her eyes, Apple Bloom puffed out her chest proudly, still amazed at her unexpected strength.
Without a second thought, she galloped over to the hay bales and started to push them into a neat pile, stacking them two bales high, using her legs for lifting power. When it was all done, Apple Bloom sat down and admired her efforts. Beaming widely from ear to ear, Apple Bloom was sure that Applejack would be pleased with the job she had done. Apple Bloom couldn't wait for Applejack to get done with her morning chores so she could show her.
"Hey, wait a minute," Apple Bloom told herself. "Why should I wait? I'll jus' run down to the south field an' get her!" With that, she scooted out of the barn and took off at a full run towards the southern part of the orchard.
When she arrived, there was no sign of Applejack to be seen, but there was a cart nearby with several baskets piled inside. "She musta brought them out here to buck the Red Delicious," Apple Bloom decided. Reaching up into the cart, Apple Bloom took down one of the baskets and carried it to the nearest apple tree. She glanced up and lined up the basket underneath the largest apple she could see on one of the outlying branches. If she were lucky she might get that one to fall, Apple Bloom reasoned.
With a little gulp of uncertainty, Apple Bloom backed herself up close to the trunk of the tree, just as she had seen Applejack do so many times. She lifted one of her hind legs, and reached back to touch the trunk with it, making sure her distance was close enough to connect, yet not too close so she would jam her legs when she bucked. Gathering up all her courage, Apple Bloom closed her eyes, reared up on her forelegs, and bucked her hind legs as strongly as she could into the trunk of the tree.
Hoping to hear the sound of the one apple landing in the basket, Apple Bloom was suddenly pelted with a series of little thuds, as if she was standing in a hailstorm. She squeaked in surprise and dashed forward, taking shelter under the nearby cart. When she glanced out from under her shelter, she realized the day was as sunny as ever, there was no hail. With a puzzled expression, Apple Bloom crawled out from under the cart and walked back to the tree. Scattered all around the base was a score of apples.
"Now where'd all them come from?" Apple Bloom muttered to herself, then looked up into the branches. Not one apple remained suspended.
"But...I...I couldn't have." Apple Bloom pondered. Still unsure of what had just happened, Apple Bloom gathered up all of the apples from the ground and put them into the basket, then carried it over to the cart. Eyeing the supply of empty baskets, Apple Bloom reached up to put a hoof under her muzzle as she thought it over.
Finally she made up her mind and grabbed three baskets from the cart, dragging them over to another tall tree that was filled with ripe, juicy apples. Apple Bloom arranged the baskets in what felt like the right places and then turned around and backed up to the tree. This time, she wasn't going to be scared to watch.
With a deep breath, Apple Bloom rared up and bucked the tree firmly and watched in awe as the apples came falling down, landing neatly in the baskets she had arranged. The shock of it lasted only a moment, then with a little whoop of glee, Apple Bloom dashed back to the cart to grab more baskets.
The sun was creeping towards midday when Applejack came walking up the road towards the south field. The first thing she noticed was the cart, nearly filled with baskets full of apples. "Darn that Big Macintosh! I told him I was comin' down here, ain't no reason for him doin' all this on his own!" Applejack fumed. Her ears heard the distinctive *thunk* of a tree being bucked and Applejack trotted over to give over brother a piece of her mind.
When she got close enough, to her surprise, Big Mac was nowhere to be seen but Apple Bloom was standing next to a tree with two baskets of apples on the ground. Apple Bloom's face broke into a huge smile when she saw her sister and she called out, "Hey Applejack! Looky what I can do!" As Applejack looked on, Apple Bloom walked over to the next tree where she had arranged two more baskets on the ground and without a moment's pause, whipped her tail around and bucked her hind legs against the trunk, causing apples to rain down into the baskets below.
"Wha...what in th' name of Celestia..." Applejack stammered, clearly stunned by what she had seen.
Applejack didn't even notice Big Mac walk up beside her until he poked her with a hoof and said, "AJ? You alright?" Looking around at all of the empty trees and full baskets, Big Mac raised one eyebrow and looked at Applejack askance. "You're gonna hurt yerself, doin' all this without anypony's help."
"It wasn't her, it was me!" Apple Bloom gushed excitedly. Before Big Mac could start to chuckle, she walked over to another tree and bucked it, filling up three more baskets. Big Mac blinked in surprise, not sure he could believe what he'd just seen.
Seeing that there weren't any more trees close that needed bucking, Apple Bloom walked over to Applejack and Big Mac, a proud smile on her face. Big Mac looked down at his littlest sister, and said "Are you sayin' you did all this yourself?"
"Eeyup!!" Apple Bloom replied proudly.
Big Mac looked at Apple Bloom, then at the trees, then back at Apple Bloom, then back over to the trees, then finally back to Apple Bloom. Something caught his attention and he took a closer look. "Looks like you bruised yerself, maybe even pulled a leg muscle."
Applejack had recovered her wits finally and pulled Apple Bloom closer to take a look. Her concerned look quickly changed to surprise and she said, "Those aren't bruises! That's...that's a cutie mark!"
Apple Bloom's eyes grew extra wide and she jumped up with a "Yeeee haaaa!!" She bounced around joyfully, saying "I got my cutie mark!! I got my cutie mark!!" over and over. After the initial frenzy had passed, she finally thrust her flank towards her sister and asked "What is it?!?"
Applejack looked close and gasped, "Why...it's...it's the same as mine! Three apples!" Her voice nearly broke as she scooped Apple Bloom up into a hug. "My lil' sis is finally blooming!" Applejack said with a voice full of emotion.
Big Mac leaned in and wrapped his forelegs around both his sisters, hugging both of them tightly, a huge smile on his face. The three Apples clung to each other, sharing Apple Bloom's happiest moment, the three apples on her flank shining in the midday sun.