Chapter 2 - The Apple Family
"Wake up."
...
...
"Ah said wake up ya varmit!"
...
"That's it," announces the voice as whoever it is smacks me in the head, startling me awake.
My eyes opened quickly, a little too quickly, blinding me momentarily. Okay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but Celestia's sun is freaking bright. I quickly look around to get my surroundings. In front of me, I see an orange earth pony wearing a cowpony hat. Aren't those called Stetsons? Either way, it was a cool looking hat. Looking around me, I see trees in every which direction, and a clear blue sky above me. All around me on the ground are apple cores, some of them only half eaten.
"Wh... What? Where...?" I stammer out, now looking at the earth pony who glares at me.
"Ah, so it is alive," says the pony in an odd southern accent similar to Applebloom's...
Applebloom.
Oh no. What time is it? Have I missed school?
"Where am I?" I ask, rubbing my head lightly from the dull pain. "And why did you hit me?"
"Aha, sorry about that." says the mare, backing up a bit and adopting a slightly nicer tone as I get up. "Yer at Sweet Apple Acres, mah family's farm. Now maybe yah can answer a few questions for me, like why in the hay I found you slumped against a tree, covered in apples!"
It takes me a moment to register what she just said. "Uh, sorry about that. I was uh, really hungry and the apples looked so good.." I stammer, attempting to come up for a good reason why I ate these apples from her farm. Wait, did I even eat these? Well, I mean they are half eaten and surrounding me, so I guess that makes sense. Good job, brain. "Listen, I'm really sorry and it won't happen again, alright?"
"Not so fast there," she stops me. "Yer gonna need tah come with me to the farm. You an' Granny Smith need to have a talk about what yer gonna do to repay us for the loss of profit. Ah'll assume yah don't have any bits on yah considerin' you could've bought somethin' from the market."
She was right. I haven't got any bits on me at all. "Alright, I suppose that's fair. Lead the way, miss..."
"Just Applejack is fine," replies the orange cowpony. "Who might you be?" she asks as we begin to walk down a dirt path.
"I'm Shadow Flicker, but Shadow is well enough," I reply a bit too quickly. Probably should have though of a fake name, considering the trouble I may be in. Wait, Applejack? I wonder...
Applejack lets out a little laugh. "Shadow Flicker hmm?"
"Yeah, what's so funny?"
"Hehe, nothing. Jus' that someone has told me about yah already," says Applejack with a smirk. Maybe I'm not in as much trouble as I thought.
"Who told you about m-"
"SHADOW!" yells out a voice that I instantly recognize as Applebloom. I look over to her, just in time to see her set down a bucket of apples she had been carrying on her head and run over to me.
"Oh, hey Applebloom. What are you doing here?" I ask, genuinely confused.
"I live here silly!" replies Applebloom with a beaming smile. Great, now I feel like an idiot.
"Applebloom, was this the one ye were tellin' me about?" asks Applejack with a confused look. "He's not as great as you made him ou-"
"Ahaha, funny, sis," Applebloom cuts off her sister hurriedly, earning her a funny look from "Hey, Shadow, have yah thought 'bout our lil' proposal yesterday? Yah wanna become a cutie mark crusader with us?" she continues happily.
Aw man, I completely forgot about that. Well, I guess there's no harm in trying. "Sure," I reply after another moment of thought.
"YAY!" she yells out, making me wince.
"Now wait a darn minute-" says Applejack , only to be interrupted by Applebloom grabbing my hoof and running away with me.
"Sorry sis gotta go! Crusader business!" she roughly explains. Thank you Applebloom my savior.
"Thanks, Applebloom," I say, finally getting my hoof back and running next to her. I would fly if I knew where to go, and if Applebloom had wings. "So where are we heading?"
"The Cutie Mark Crusader's clubhouse! Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are already there waitin' fer us," answers the ever-happy Applebloom.
As we run, I look around at my surroundings. A lot of apple trees, as I suspected. After we gey simt a good amount away from Applejack, our run slows to a quick trot. "Hey Big Mac!" yells out Applebloom, waving to the pony, who seems to have a large cart of apples strapped to him. "Big load today?"
"Eeeyup," answers Big Mac very simply with a smile. He seems pretty content with his work, so we continue to wander off to the clubhouse.
As the clubhouse comes into view, I notice how amazing the whole place looks. I should make a mental note to praise whoever built this place. Getting closer, I hear some drums beating in an odd pace, along with a bit of bickering coming from the clubhouse. Applebloom gives me an embarrassed sort of smile, then quickly runs up the steps. I follow behind and open the door.
"Did you remember to skip the intro this time, Scoot?" whispers Sweetie Belle hurriedly as she looks through a really long looking scroll. This is going to be interesting.
"Yeah yeah I crossed most of that out," replies Scootaloo behind the drums. Applebloom stands on the opposite end of the clubhouse, now wearing a strange cape bearing what I guess is the Cutie Mark Crusader's insignia?
"We, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect Shadow Flicker to join us as a.. err, brother-"
"Friend," corrects Applebloom.
"Right, friend," continues Sweetie Belle. "Anyway, to join us as a... friend, and fellow cutie mark crusader. Sheesh Scoot, could you scribble any more on this?" Sweetie Belle turns to Scootaloo and gives her a look, then continues. "Anyway, you are solemnly sworn in, here this day, in witness of your fellow friends, wait Scoot you only crossed out the first parts!"
"Hurray, you're a Cutie Mark Crusader now!" yells out Applebloom, preventing an argument. She throws a cape over me while the other two throw some confetti seemingly out of nowhere.
"Uh, thanks," I smile. Wow I'm really bland.
"Ready for a grand day of crusading? I love Saturdays!"
Saturday? Oh thank Celestia I didn't miss school. "I guess so. What's first for our plans?"
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MARKETING CUTIE MARKS! YAY!" yells all three of the fillys in the room.
My ears. Ow. Forever ow, my ears, ow. Are they bleeding? It would be rude to check, there's another mental note for later. Does Applejack have to deal with that kind of thing all the time too? Suddenly, dealing with whoever Granny Smith is doesn't seem so bad. Oh well, I've already been solemnly sworn in-apparently-so I might as well join them. "Marketing?"
"Yeah! We're goin' tah the market!" announces Applebloom. "Applejack is busy workin' the farm with Big Mac, so it's up tah us to sell some apples! Hopefully we can get our cutie marks while we're at it."
"Well, let's get going then!" I reply enthusiastically. Applebloom gives me a smile, and I stay behind as the group walks out to the market. "Be right with you, just going to admire the place a bit longer."
"Shoot, we forgot to give 'em a tour, y'all," grumbles Applebloom as they walk away.
Well then, quite the morning this has been. Wake up leaning against an apple tree, get smacked in the head, find out it's Saturday, meet Applebloom, become a crusader officially. What have I gotten myself into?
I guess it's time for a day at the market.