Act I:
“Smoke on the Water”
Chapter Five:
“The Wheel in the Sky Keeps On Turning”
Applejack blinked, still trying to wrap her head around what the strange, obviously eccentric griffin had just said. She swallowed slightly, before repeating the question she had just asked, this time a little more clearly.
“Um, Professor, what didja just say?”
The Professor cast a brief glance over his shoulder, already packing what was apparently his briefcase. “I said that I welcome you to Project Rebirth, Frau Apfel,” he answered, “And as such, I feel that is worthy moment of celebrating, no?” he continued, reaching into his briefcase and pulling out a candy bar. “Care for a chocolate, Frauline?” the good doctor asked, already pulling off the metallic silver of the wrapper and taking a bite the shape Applejack Apple was not accustomed to seeing. He held out the candy towards Applejack, who simply looked down at it for a moment in confusion. “Try it! Ist gut!”
“Um….I guess?” she murmured, hesitating but still taking a bite, creating a fairly large dent in it herself. AJ’s eyes instantly widened at the enveloping wave of creamy warmth and sweetness that exploded across her tongue, coating it in a glowing, almost erotic feeling of bliss.
“Ist gut, is it not?” The Professor chuckled, obviously noticing Applejack’s rapturous enjoyment of the confectionery delight. She nodded slowly, relishing the taste for a few more seconds before she remembered where she was. She opened her eyes, shaking off her euphoria.
“Um, yeah it was,” she said, self-consciously running a hoof through her mane. She probably looked like a total idiot sitting there, eating a simple piece of chocolate like a cow would its cud. “Sorry fer zoning out on ya there, Doc. That chocolate was just…” she let out a breath, not realizing that she’d been holding one.”That was just some darn good chocolate ya had, there, Doc.”
Applejack balanced what was left of the candy bar in the palm of her hoof and tried to return it to Schultz, but the griffin gently pushed her hoof back, chuckling lightly.
“No worries, Mien Frauline! You can keep that,” the funny, feathered doctor said as he patted his coat pocket. “I have several more where that one came from.”
Applejack nodded slightly, subconsciously bringing the candy bar back to her mouth and taking another bite, although this time with a great deal less zeal. It was then that something popped into the mind of the thin young mare, though feeling as if she should tread lightly, the thought in question being, really, none of her business to begin with.
“Um, Doc?….can I ask ya somethin?” she began as she moved her father’s hat back to her blonde head.
The Professor, who was also seeming enjoying the wondrous rapture of the mighty chocolate, raised an eyebrow slightly. “Yes?” he asked in turn, tilting his head and raising an eyebrow as he mimicked his younger, more equine counterpart. “What is it, Frau Apfel?”
Applejack swallowed reflexively, ignoring the exotic twist on her last name and not wishing to come off as intrusive, but doing so anyway.
“Well, how’d ya’ll get this?” the young recruit asked. “The chocolate, I mean. They don’t sell stuff like this at Sugarcube Corner, that’s fer darn sure.”
To make her point clearer, she raised the remains of her candybar to the good doctor, which was now just a corner. Shultz instantly looked down and his expression grew visibly nostalgic.
“Oh, these little things?” he laughed it off like it was nothing major. “I, Frau Apfel, these? These are from my home country of Southern Griffinheim. I brought them with me, as I…”
His voice trailed off and his eyes wettened as he twiddled the candy bar in his claws for a moment, looking down at it as if it were an heirloom from a dead family member.
It was then that Applejack felt as if sudden and strange cocktail of different emotions go down her throat, totally negating the excellence of the chocolate she'd just a moment ago been enjoying. The young farm girl knew full well that the northern part of Griffinheim was friendly to Equestria, at least in any official sense of the term ‘friendly’, but the southern part? That was a different story entirely. Applejack could still remember, in very vivid detail, bringing home newspapers that told of the news of the countless atrocities that had been done against Equestria. She couldn’t help but now feel wary of whatever the supposedly ‘good doctor’ had planned for her with whatever this ‘Project Rebirth’ was.
Professor Schultz took a depressed breath and seemed to be lost in his own world. Applejack was still apprehensive of him though, and when he looked up, he spotted her uneasiness easily and his pensive expression broke into a warm smile.
“If you worry about where my loyalties lay, Frau Apfel, I assure you,” his voice became very stoic and resolved, as if he’d taken her expression as a personal insult, “I have nothing but love for Equestria.”
He reached over to pat Applejack on the shoulder. She still eyed the talons warily though, still feeling more than a little uneasy. However, her caution did nothing to faze his smile, and Applejack didn’t know if Schultz's look of understanding was fake or genuine.
“Look, I can tell you’re a little skeptical about all of this, Frau Apfel, and you are not the first, trust me," he said, zipping his briefcase shut. "Therefore, I courteously extend to you the invitation of joining me for lunch today, where, hopefully, I can help quell some of your fears, Frau,” he raised his glasses as they began to slide down his beak "Would you like that?"
Applejack nibbled her lip ever so slightly, her stomach deciding that now was a good time to voice its approval of a lunch on the town.
"Uh...yeah, that…” she hesitated as she began to accept the offer of a griffin that could very well be her end. Then again, she thought to herself. If’n he wanted ta off me, he could’a done by now, I reckon. So she swallowed her fear and finished her sentence. “That sounds nice, I guess" she replied, her stomach's rumblings reminding her that she hadn't had a bite to eat since breakfast that morning, and, if the clock on the wall was accurate, it was almost five in the evening.
"Excellent!" The Professor chirped, clasping his well groomed talons together and swinging his bag over his shoulder in one fluid motion and standing up out of his chair. He popped his hat on his head and motioned for Applejack to follow, and, with her previous trepidation fading at the thought of the great rarity of a nice, warm and full meal. When confronted by such an enticing offer, Applejack could do nothing else, save standing up and following after the eccentric griffin that had claimed her as his protege.
///////////////////////////////
“How about here?” Professor Schultz asked, rubbing his fine mustache and motioning towards the refined and classy looking restaurant, adorned in candles and brass trimmings, on the street corner.
Applejack grimaced slightly, remembering the last time she tried to eat there, saving up all of her money for so long at a chance to eat like royalty. “Can’t we pick somewhere else?” she asked, looking at Schultz with apprehension. Schultz arched an eyebrow slightly.
“Why? What is wrong with zis place ?" He asked, and Applejack looked down at the ground in embarrassment.
"Just don't wanna run into any unnecessary trouble, is all, Doc" she replied. "Most earth ponies like me aren't welcome in a place like that."
Professor Schultz' expression soured noticeably. "I see," he said simply, glancing back towards the restaurant, where a small crowd of unicorns were all sitting in the outdoor cafe area. "Do you know of someplace else, Mien Frauline? Somewhere less…” he couldn’t help but let out a very visible sneer as he sought an apt term to describe the eating establishment before them. “Detestable?"
Applejack looked around, spotting a small, humble looking establishment with a sign that read "Berry's Punch Bowl"
“How ‘bout there? That’s where I usually go, if I can srping fer it,” she said plainly.
“Well, I am the foreigner," The Professor nodded with a laugh, though raising an eyebrow all the while at the rather… rustic looking tavern. “And you the native, Mein Frau, so lead on,” he chuckled, in a way that strangely made Applejack remember her father in a warm, gentle way.
She smiled slightly, before leading him towards the bar. The walk over was a quiet one, with the Professor looking around, looking more like a geeky tourist then a proper scientist.
“I did not know you could see Canterlot from here, Frau,” he said idly, and Applejack followed his gaze towards the tall, narrow mountain top that loomed in the horizon. Perched on the west side, glimmering in the light of the steadily setting sun, was the city itself, looking like a jewel carved into the mountainside.
“Uh?” Applejack responded, only barely registering what he’d said. “Oh yeah. Yeah, it is,” she agreed. “Yeah, Mount Canter’s got one of the prettiest views all over Equestria,” as they both began to admire the sheer and unrivaled majesty of the mountainscape. “Legend’s got it that it was a gift from Siegfried to Celestia as a-”
“As a wedding gift,” he cut her off, his griffin accent thick and his mind wandering to some place far away. “She is… magnificent,” she could tell that his own mind continued to travel to places much further than Applejack could fathom. “Reminds me of Hoch Spitze before the war,” Schultz added, his voice carrying a feeling of nostalgia, but snapping his own mind out of his mental sojourn.
“‘Hot Spits’?” Applejack asked clumsily, butchering the Griffin language, raising an eyebrow and turning back towards Schultz. “What kinda name is ‘Hot Spits’?”
Schultz chuckled, “No, no, Frau Apfel. It is spelt H-O-C-H, S-P-I-T-Z-E. It’s Griffin for ‘Great Hight’. It’s the capital city of South Griffinhiem…” his chuckle faded. “It was very, quite beautiful, before…” a touch of sadness and regret entered his voice. “Before everything went south.”
Schultz looked down at the ground pensively, and Applejack wondered whether or not to pursue any further questions when Schultz shrugged his soldiers.
“Oh well, no use being nostalgic over something I can’t regain, I think,” he said, smoothing out his suit jacket. “At least I’m in a place where I’m free to help others.”
He stepped up to the doorway of the bar and opened it up for Applejack right as his sentence ended. Applejack gave him a grateful nod accompanied by a smile, noticing this was the first time she’d had a door opened on her behalf, as if she were equal to any unicorn. He followed behind and Applejack waived towards the bartender, a vaguely sullen looking purple earth pony, who was busied with wiping the counter.
“Howdy there, Berry Punch,” Applejack said, waving a hoof towards the bartender, who looked up and waved back, her sullen expression lightning.
“Hey, Applejack. Didn’t expect you here at this hour,” Berry Punch said, returning her focus to wiping the counter. She motioned up towards the clock on the wall. “I close in half-an-hour, AJ” she added.
Applejack nodded. “Yeah, I know, Berry. Mah friend here wanted ta get a taste of the local food, though.”
Berry Punch arched an eyebrow, still wiping the counter. “Oh? Is that who that griffin is?” A bit of irritation entering her voice. “The one who smells like expensive chocolate?” she asked bluntly.
Applejack glanced over at Schultz, who simply had an amused expression on his face.
“Is it that obvious?” he asked, laughing all the while, “I can’t help that I enjoy the finer things in life.”
Berry Punch shrugged. “Well, then you probably wouldn’t like it here, Fancy Beak” she answered, finally setting the cloth asides and looking up at Schultz with a cocked eyebrow. “Cause this is probably the smallest bar in Ponyville. We don’t serve your fancy chocolate here.”
Schultz smiled, “Oh, that’s quite alright, Frau Saft. I am quite willing to experience something a little more rustic than what I am accustomed too. One cannot feed oneself exclusively on chocolate, after all.”
Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. The Professor was probably the nicest griffin she had ever seen, so wildly different from the horror fuel that made up most Equestrian propaganda.
“Well, what would you like to drink?” Berry Punch asked, once more glancing up at the clock. “Like I said, I’m going to be closing in close to thirty minutes...not to be rude or anything.”
Both Applejack and the Professor nodded. “Yes, of course, I totally understand,” The Professor said, waving a claw. “Frau Apfel, do you wish to order?” he asked, turning to Applejack expectantly. Applejack ran her tongue along her lower lip ever so slightly, glancing up at the menu before turning to Berry Punch.
“I guess some Apple Cider will be nice," she said, hearing her stomach then made it’s own order. “With a BLT club” it shouted once more. “With somm’a dem kettle cooked chips?”
Berry Punch nodded, diving under the counter and pulling out a bottle labeled "Sweet Apple Acres Cider", along with two shot glasses. She swiftly poured the golden liquid into the two glasses, sliding them over to Applejack and the Professor.
"There you go, AJ. One for you,” she shot a look at the griffin to the right as she handed her long time friend her sandwich and chips, along with her drink. “And for your feathered friend, here." Berry Punch said. "If you need anything else, I'll be busy closing down alright, Applejack?"
Applejack and the Professor both nodded, taking a seat, and each took a sip of their ciders.
"My, my, my!" The Professor said, his eyes widening slightly. “Some of the best cider I’ve ever had.”
Applejack smiled, feeling a little more comfortable. "Yeah. That’s ‘cause it’s Sweet Apple Acres cider. We make it the good old fashioned way.”
Professor Schultz raised an eyebrow. “Ya? Your family are brewers?”
Applejack shrugged as she took a large bite from her sandwich. “I guess you could say that. If it has somethin' ta do wit' apples, we Apples probably know how to do it..." She trailed off, her pride fading somewhat when she remembered how sharply her wire thin frame contrasted with everyone else in her family's larger and generally stocky frames. "...'cept fer me I guess."
The Professor raised an eyebrow. "Really? How so? You seem like an intelligent mare."
Applejack gave a sighing shrug. "Brains don't get ya that far on a farm," she replied, gulping down her drink bitterly, trying to wash down her chips. "I mean, mah sister can buck a whole orchards worth of apple trees. Me? I can't even buck a saplin'."
She let her shoulders sag as she stared at the bottom of her now empty glass of cider.
"I see,” Schultz answered, seemingly digesting her plight as he stroked his mustache once more. “You want to provide for your family, but fear you lack the physical strength to do so?" the Professor asked, looking towards Applejack with sympathy.
Applejack nodded slightly. "Yeah...I don't even know why yer considering me fer this whole ‘Project Rebirth’ thingy in the first place. I mean, look at me..." She motioned towards her frail and scarecrow like body and all of its pencil-like glory, showing him exactly the type of pony he chose to bring along for his little experiments. "I'm the last pony you'd ask ta go an' fight a war."
She turned the empty mug in her hooves and her thoughts about all that she could not do emerged to crush her, like the toothpick she was, but such thoughts dissipated when she felt a gentle talon on her back. She tensed at first, but relaxed and turned to give the Professor a look.
"One thing I've learned, Frau Apfel, and you may be surprised to learn this, is that power is nothing without a good, pure heart to guide it,” said Schultz softly, the look in his eyes telling her that it had been a hard learned lesson, indeed. “I have faith in you, Mien Frauline, but what is really, truly important is that you have faith in yourself. Remember the mare that is putting her life on the line to save her family, and this," a single, dull talon made contact with her center of her chest. “Remember this above all else, and you will be more than worth my time.”
The griffins words reminded Applejack of her father's own words of support that he would give whenever a much younger Applejack would feel left out. It made Applejack feel somewhat more confident to know that at least someone believed in her in someway.
“What exactly do ya do, Professor?” Applejack asked, raising a confused eyebrow and surprised that inquiry was not plied sooner. If anything, the question was driven by a sense of curiosity to know what this griffin did when he wasn't sharing drinks and offering words of encouragement.
Professor Schultz paused, set his drink down and sighed.
“Well, I do, or have done, many things in my life. I’ve been a writer, wrote a few books in my younger days, an artist, which I was never really that gut at, just between you and me,” he shot a wink at her. “I have been a doctor, which is a job I have adored above all else, and now? I am currently employed as a geneticist for your government, Frau. But, the one thing I have been, through all of this, is a simple griffin, simply doing what he thought was the best thing to help the world.”
He finished by taking another sip of his cider and Applejack looked at her mug again, not really sure what to ask next. “Except the artist?” She shot a wry grin at him.
Dr. Schultz could only return the favor. “Sadly, no. That one did more harm than gut, I think,” they both let out a chuckle as he said that, relieving some of the tension between them.
"Hey, guys," came Berry Punch's voice, and both the Professor and Applejack looked up to see the purple bartender leaning on the counter, already donning a large, black overcoat to keep herself warm during the night. "Sorry I have to interrupt your conversation, but it's closing time."
Applejack looked her over. “Where you headed, Berry?”
She popped her knuckles at that question, then her neck. “Graveyard shift at my other job.”
“So…” The kindly old griffin began. “Why are you wearing your sunglasses?”
“I always wear my sunglasses at night,” Berry responded, her tone very matter of fact and blunt. “So I can, so I can…” However, she trailed off, her brow furrowing, seemingly unsure of how to follow up on her explanation. She instead pointed up at the clock on the wall, seemingly wanting to end the conversation.
Applejack looked and widened her eyes. As it turned out, it was now almost seven o'clock, and most likely, Purity was wondering what was keeping her.
"Dang it, I gotta go," muttered Applejack, placing some bits on the table. "Professor?"
The Professor nodded. "Yes, of course. We must not keep this nice mare waiting, ja?"
He grabbed his overcoat, which had been slung over a barstool, and slipped it back on. The trio headed outside, with Berry locking the bars doors behind them.
"G’night, Berry." Applejack said with a rushed wave.
"Good night, Applejack. Stay safe now." Berry replied, tipping her head in acknowledgement and walking off, leaving Applejack and Schultz alone.
"Well Miss Apple, will you be accepting my offer?" asked Schultz, raising his eyebrow slightly and sporting a grin as he put on his hat and tipped it towards the farmer.
Applejack shrugged. "'Bout the program? I’m guess’n I'll have ta sleep on it fer a bit. Not that I'm tryin' ta be rude or nuthin'."
"Oh, I perfectly understand your apprehension, Mein Frauline! This is a major decision for anyone, and its best that you don't rush into things. But here,” he jotted something down on a small notepad, before handing her a sheet of paper with a phone number on it. “Whatever your decision, call me at this number.” he said, before tipping his hat again. “Goodnight, Frau Apfel," and then, like she’d been his niece or his grand daughter or something akin to a close relation, he pecked her with a small kiss on the forehead.
He took several steps forwards before coming to a pause and turning to Applejack with a comedic twirl.
"Which way to the fair again?" he asked, his talon raised and waggling in different directions.
Applejack pointed towards the center of town and let out a much needed chuckle at the crazy old griffin. "Just follow that there road fer about three blocks, then take a left. That’d be the path I took, at any rate."
The Professor nodded. "Danke schon, Frau Apfel."
And with that, he started down the road, idly whistling a small tune of his far away home, simply enjoying the smallest things he could find in life. As for Applejack, she herself turned in the direction of her home, her mind flooded with trying to sort out the events of the shockingly busy day it had been today.
///////////////////////////////
"So whats the benefit?" Purity asked, her face pensive after her sister had told her everything she’s learned about signing up for the military..
Applejack shrugged, taking a large bite out of her salad. "Well, I get paid fer it," she answered back, her mouth still full from all the greenery in her maw. "Hopin' we can use tha money ta pay fer that tax, right?"
"Applejack, I really don't think it’s a good idea is all," said Purity bluntly, barely giving Applejack time to finish her sentence. "Ya can't just fly willy nilly inta tha army an' expect money ta come flutterin' down from tha sky like snow!"
Applejack opened her mouth to make a rebuttal, but instead went back to chewing her food. It had been about an hour since she got back from her unexpectedly extended day trip, and Purity had been quick to remind Applejack that she had missed a day’s work. Applejack knew deep down that Purity was right, since, if she hadn't been there, that left the already hardworking Purity alone to manage the farm entirely by herself. Sure, the cows could be trusted to mostly handle themselves, everything else required lots of work to keep running effectively, and therefore, Purity was justified in being rather terse at the moment.
Not like I could’a been much help anyway, she thought to herself. Bein’ the toothpick I am.
"Where's ‘Bloom?" She asked, taking notice that she was suspiciously absent from the dinner table. Purity glanced towards the chair Apple Bloom usually occupied.
"Well, that unicorn stallion dropped her off. Told us 'bout yer ashma attack too." Purity said, her voice shifting from bluntness to worry. "I got awful worried fer ya, AJ, so I sent ‘Bloom up ta bed early. Ya shoulda come right back instead of talkin' to that griffin ya mentioned. Who knows what he might be plannin'."
Applejack shifted her weight in her chair. "He looked honest ta me Purity,” she said, half heartedly defending the gentlegriffin that had bought her dinner, knowing what her sister had been saying wasn’t true, but being too tired to argue with any real zeal. “Whatja want me ta do? Ignore 'im?"
Purity shook her head. "No, I don’t think you should’a just ignored, ‘im,” she took a deep breath as she placed one of her hooves upon her face. “I just thank ya shouldn't be so gosh darn trustin'. I mean,” she began to wave her forelegs around dramatically, like South Griffinheim had already taken over Equestria or something. “Who’s ta say this whole 'Rebirth' doohickey isn't just some slick way ta hide some sorta trap? Someway to get away with doin’ some freaky mathematics on ya er some such?"
Applejack exhaled corsley. "Purity, yer soundin' awful paranoid right now, ya know that right?" She let out an exhausted laugh. “Mathematics never hurt no pony, least’n I wouldn’t say so.”
Purity shrugged. "I’d rather be safe then sorry, Applejack. Just tryin' ta keep my brain on the ground, like yers ought’a be right now.”
"Well, what 'bout tha taxes an' tha rent?” Applejack began to try to push her own argument now. “Iffin I sign up, ya'll won't have ta pay as much on that gosh derned tax!"
Purity sighed. "Its too dangerous, Applejack. I don't want to risk you getting shipped to some dirty trench somewhere and ending up dead just because ya'll gotta be such a big damn hero. I'll take 'nother job ta pay tha tax. Rather pay it honestly an' keep mah dignity than piggy back off ya with the extra risk of ya dyin'."
“Well,” AJ began, her voice much more defiant now. “Pardon me if’n I didn’t wantcha to go out to get yerself killed the same way ma and pa did.”
She finished by gulping down her water rather tersely, before setting the empty glass down and exhaling through her nose sharply. However, Applejack’s frustration evaporated when she saw Purity’s expression. She could have sworn that her older sister's eyes were watering, a theory that only gained credence when Purity dabbed a cloth to her eyes and sniffed.
Applejack got up slowly, walking over to her sister, who was now obviously trying to hold back tears. She spread her forelegs and pulled her into the tightest hug she could muster.
“I’m so sorry, Purity, I…” she said quietly, still feeling no less than awful for what she’d said to her own sister. Knowing that work had been the death of both of their parents was one thing, but using it to win an argument? That was uncalled for. “It’s okay Purity...it’s okay...ya’ll know I’d try ta be as safe as possible,” said Applejack in a comforting tone.
Purity nodded. “I know, I know...it’s just...are ya sure there isn’t some other way?”
Applejack shrugged. “I don’t know Purity...this just feels like tha right thin’ ta do is all.” She looked across the room, her eyes focusing on the bottles of her medication, which were always sitting on the countertop, at the ready in case they were needed. “At least this way, ya don’t hafta worry ‘bout spendin’ any extra money on me an’ mah meds. I mean, tha army’s gonna pay fer mine while I’m there, right?”
Purity nodded slightly. “Yeah, I suppose so…” she trailed off, sniffing again. “When are ya shippin’ out?”
Applejack ended the hug and sat down next to Purity and they just held each other in a way that only two siblings could, consoling each other in what would be one of the last moments that they’d ever see.
“Well, I don’t hafta leave till tomorrah mornin’...figured I’d sleep it over, ya know?” Applejack staring off into nothing in particular, knowing that if she went over tomorrow morning, then the life of her, and of her family, would never be the same.
Purity nodded, before gently putting a hoof on Applejack’s shoudler. “Looky here, AJ, I know ya better’n most. If'n this is what ya really want, and if it’s what ya think is the absolute best way ta solve our problems, well then I can’t really stop ya,” she pulled her sisters head closer to her, not wanting to let go of her baby sister. Even after all the fights and all the arguments about what they should and should not say, they were still blood above all else. “Yer a grown mare ready ta make her own decisions, as weird as it feels ta say out loud. I also know that nuthin’ I say is gunna make ya change yer mind. Just remember...stay safe okay?” Purity said slowly and sniffling with tears rolling down her cheeks. “Fer ‘Bloom’s sake, just don’t go gettin’ yerself shot in some Celestia forsaken trench somewhere, alright,” she pleaded as she ruffled her sister’s mane. “After all, somepony’s gotta come back home and help me out with the zap apple trees.”
Applejack nodded slowly, her expression equally emotional. “I will, Purity,” she then spread her forelegs and pulled her older sister into a hug. “And you can take that all the way to the bank."
///////////////////////////////
Applejack stood by the phone attached to the wall of the kitchen, looking down at the piece of paper with the Professor’s number on it. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, tinting the room a light, lavender shade of purple.
Applejack hadn’t gotten much sleep that night, instead spending most of it sitting in the kitchen, pondering her next course of action. She already knew that Purity was going to support her, if only in spirit, but Applejack still felt as if she were standing on the edge of a massive cliff, looking into an endless, unexplored void ahead. She swallowed, biting her lip before she quietly lifted the phone off the hook and put it to her ear.
Here goes nuthin’, she thought, carefully dialing the number she had been given. There was a brief sound of the busy signal, before it was interrupted by the click of someone picking up the phone. Here goes everythin’
“Hello?” A voice that was neither too deep nor to high pitched answered the line. “This is the illustrious Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Equestrian Military, to whom am I speaking with?”
She gulped as she heard his voice. Applejack Apple knew that this phone call would change her life, and she knew even before she let her hoof on the dialing ring that this would quite literally be the first day of the rest of her life, but upon hearing his voice, her anxiety shot up to a level approaching something she’d never seen before. If mah trepidation before was a solid seven on a scale of one to ten, then this must have been was a thirteen felt like, she thought to herself. Plain and simple.
“Hello? Who is this?” Shining asked again, his voice sounding a little bit impatient.
Applejack shook her head slightly, shaking away her awkwardness and loosening her jaw as if she’d just been kicked in the face by a mule.
“Um, yeah this is, I…” a little sweat began to form on her brow. C’mon, girl! Get a hold’a yerself! Yer joinin’ the army, for Celestia’s sake! “This’d be Miss Applejack Apple, an’ I’mma callin’ ta talk ta the good doc, Professor Schultz…is he... is he there?”
“Applejack?” His voice perked up at the recognition of the name. “You wouldn’t happen to be the same Applejack that nearly died of an asthma attack yesterday would you?” Shining asked, his voice losing it’s impatience and instead gaining a sense of comradery and familiarity.
Well, that’s just great there, AJ, Applejack felt her face flush slightly. First stallion that remembers your name, it’s just ‘cuz you go and nearly kill yerself. She swallowed again, running her hoof through her mane to tinker with her ponytail.
“Um...yeah...that’s me,” she answered hesitantly.
“Sorry, about that, Applejack,” she could have sworn she heard him rubbing the back of his neck as he said that. “But Doc Schultz kinda can’t come to the phone right now. He’s kind of busy.”
“Really? He can’t?” Applejack asked, feeling a mild sense of relief lacing her disappointment at knowing that she could theoretically hang up without much problems. “Well then nevermind...I’ll hang up,”
“No, wait,” Shining replied, causing Applejack to put the phone back to her ear. “You can leave a message and I’ll tell him what you said.”
Applejack nodded slightly, even though she knew he couldn’t see her nodding.
“Oh, alrighty then...ya can tell him I’m gonna go through with mah promise, there, Shinin’?” she said, looking towards the stairs as the sound of hoofsteps coming down them caught her ears. “Figured that doin’ this whole ‘rebirth’ thingy might be just as good a way as any to get mah life on track as much as anythin’ else, ya know?
“Alright then, Miss Apple,” she heard something like a pen jotting down notes. “Then will you be taking the train to Canterlot?” Shining asked. “Cause I can pick you up myself if you want.”
“No, no, train is fine. Don’t wanna be a burden,” Applejack replied with an unintentional nervous giggle thrown in as she wondered who was coming down the stairs.
“Alright then. I’ll tell him. Goodbye, Applejack,” said Shining. “Safe travels.”
Applejack nodded again. “mmbye.”
Applejack slammed the headpiece back on the phone and stepped away from it, and then she released a very long, deep breath and turned to the staircase.
“Who’s there?” she asked, and down stepped Apple Bloom, still dressed in her pajamas, a curious look on her face. Applejack gave her a smile. “‘Bloom whadda ya doin’ up so early? It’s barely 6:30.”
Apple Bloom rubbed her left foreleg slightly. “I heard ya and Purity talkin’ last night ‘bout ya leavin’, an’ then I heard ya talkin’ on tha phone ta somepony.” she said with a touch of solemnity, quietly walking over to the kitchen table and sitting down.
Applejack sat down next to her, and was greeted by Apple Bloom pulling her into a hug.
“What’s wrong, sugarcube?” Applejack asked, even though she already had a strong inkling as to what had the filly so sullen.
“I don’t want ya to go…” The filly nodded, nuzzling up against Applejack. “Yer mah sister, Applejack…” she said quietly, finding some warmth in her older sisters bony forelegs..
Applejack wrapped her forlegs around her. “Oh it’s alright ‘Bloom, I’ll stay safe, don’t ya worry ‘bout me.”
Apple Bloom nodded slightly. “It’s just...yer gonna be goin’ so far away...an’ fer so long,” AJ felt a warm water begin to trickle down her cheak. “...An’ I’m gonna be here alone without ya.”
“Oh nonsense, there, Bloomers,” she lifted her smaller sister’s head to look her in the eye and held her closer. “Yer gonna ‘ave Purity, right?
“Purity’s not fun like ya,” Apple Bloom whined as she held on to her sister harder and harder. “And she don’t tell the teachers at school what’s what like you do, AJ,” she gripped tighter. “I’ll be lonely without you, Applejack.”
“Apple Bloom,” the older sister began warmly, fighting her own lump in her throat as she tried to stay strong for the little bundle of red hair curled up on her lap. “Yer never alone when yer with family,” assured Applejack, “an’ don’t worry, I’ll probably be back before Hearth’s Warmin’ Eve! And even then, I’ll make sure ta send ya a letter every day.”
Apple Bloom looked up at Applejack, her lower lip quivering. “Ya promise?”
Applejack nodded, her green eyes fighting a floodgate while also doing the impossible of expressing strength and sincerity at the same time. “I promise.”
And then they just held each other in a way that they never had before in a moment that would carry Applejack through the darkest moments in her future. It was both heart warming and tragic, in it’s way, and as a green earth pony mare made her presence known from around the corner, Applejack knew it wouldn’t last forever.
“Applejack,” her voice rung out, chattering the moment. “If’n ya wanna get to the station in time, ya gotta go pack yer bags,” she implored, unable to look at her two younger siblings.
“How long were ya there?” AJ sighed as she asked her older sister.
Purity shrugged, trying not to show off any emotion, but failing spectacularly if her refusing to make any eye contact was any indication. “Long ‘nuff, now go get ready. I’ll get ‘Bloom ready fer school.”
Applejack nodded, standing up from the table and heading up the stairs. In the kitchen, Apple Bloom looked up at Purity.
“Ya sure I hafta go ta school?” she looked up to her green sister, unfazed by the small ones big, brown eyes. “Can’t I help AJ pack?”
Purity shook her head. “No, ‘Bloom. It’s almost time fer school anyways, if tha sun is givin’ any clues,” she said, pointing towards the bright morning sun that was shining through the windows. “That clock on tha wall was always an hour slow, anyways.”
She then gently took the still sullen Apple Bloom in hoof, placing her on her back and walking up the stairs. “Iffin it’ll make ya feel better, we can drop Applejack off before we go ta school, so that way ya can say goodbye. That sound good?”
Apple Bloom nodded, wrapping her hooves around Purity’s neck. “I guess so.”
Purity smiled. “Alright then. Let’s get ya ready.”
It wasn’t until she saw her little sister moving to the second floor to get ready that Applejack realized that Bloom had left her with a big, red ribbon on her lap. She knew why, of course. The big, faded red piece of cloth was her lucky bow. It’d been worn half way to heck, but it was the only thing that she had that belonged to their mother. With one, final, longing look back at the little sister she was going to leave behind, she headed up to her own quarters and began her own preparations. Applejack was joining the army, after all, and come Hell or high water, she was going to do more than provide for her family. She was going to make them proud.
Applejack was going to make herself proud.
//////////////////////////
Applejack was awoken by the gentle prodding of somepony’s fist on her shoulder. She shook her head slightly as she tried to wave the unwanted disturbance away, though it was futile as whatever it was just kept poking at her upper body. She grimaced as she finally opened her eyes and went to sitting more upright, as much as it pained her.
Looking down upon her was a white pegasus mare with a bright blonde mane and a firecracker cutie mark. She had evidently wanted claim on the extra seat that Applejack had taken up while trying to catch a few winks.
“Why, hellooooo there!” The white pegasus chirped, extending a hoof in greeting and an ear to ear grin on her face. “My name is Surprise Kaminsky Pie! What’s yours?”
Applejack wiped away the sand from her eyes, and, while she was still a little tired, the happy, open expression on the other mare’s face was enough to quell any potential animosity for now.
“I’m Applejack Apple,” she said, still shaking away some sleep. ”An’ what kinda name is Kaminsky?”
Surprise smiled, plopping down right next to Applejack. “That was my maiden name but after I got married I thought since I don’t have a middle name I’ll make that my middle name so I did!” She finally took a breath. “Do you have a middle name?”
“Ashleigh,” Applejack answered, now finally fully awake.
“Wow!” Surprised exclaimed. “Applejack Ashleigh Apple. That is a really pretty name,” she said, her smiling broadening even more, “and wow all your names start with an A! Guess your parents must have really liked alliteration or something.”
“I guess,” Applejack said, brief nostalgic memories of her parents drifting through her mind.. “Wait…” She paused, getting several new thoughts gathered as she remembered parts of the pegasus’ spiele. “Ya said yer was married and in the service?”
“Yup!” Surprise beamed with pride and joy. “Got married three months ago!”
In a flash, she pulled out a golden ring that was hung around a silver chain from under her green army fatigues, which was hanging around her neck.
Applejack smiled slightly. “Congratulations. But why are you here an’ not him?” she asked, ducking as Surprise placed her duffle bag in the overhead compartment.
Upon hearing Applejack’s question, Surprise cocked an eyebrow. “Uhhh, because he’s blind in one eye. And I'm just as capable as any other pony at blowing things up!” she announced with a great flare in voice, apparently quite proud with her capability for causing wanton destruction. “I even make my own fireworks for a living!”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend ya, Surprise.” Applejack apologized with a nervous wave of her hoof.
Surprise cooled visibly.
"Yeah, I’m sorry, too,” she admitted. “It’s just that I had to face more than a few bullies back home to get here...guess it made me a little more snappy than I should be.”
Applejack shrugged. "I reckon ya can't be blamed then," she then looked down at her wire thin frame and let out a laugh. "But, the way I figure it, basic ought’a do us both a heapin’ helpin’ a’good, right?”
Surprise nodded. “That’s right!” she said, her perky nature once more returning to the conversation. “So, Miss triple A, what did you do before answering the call to help defend our fair Equestria?" she asked, tilting her head slightly and scanning Applejack, as if she were an art critic studying a painting. “I want to say that you're a farmer, given your Southwestern-Ozark accent. And judging by the faint smell of apples, you’re family is leasing an apple orchard,” she then nodded with her eyes closed. “But, because of how skinny you are, you’re parents had to work themselves pretty hard, eventually getting sick and ending up in the big farm in the sky, leaving you with your siblings to run the place. Eventually,” she opened her eyes back up. “You found a poster and decided to use the money from signing up to help pay the rent!" She then paused, her intuitive expression changing to one of tentative questioning. "Did I get it right?"
Applejack’s jaw dropped and her eyebrows shot up at the near magical deduction of her life story.
“How didja know all that?" She asked, her eyes widening.
“I deduced it!” Surprise answered simply, whipping out a deerstalker and a pipe. Her expression then softened and she put an foreleg around Applejack's shoulder and added with genuine sympathy, “Sorry about your parents, by the way. That must have been terrible."
Applejack was somewhat taken aback by the pegasus' near supernatural deductive skills, but more importantly, this pegasus, who was a stranger no less, had actually expressed clean cut sympathy for Applejack. Ever since Applejack was a filly, most ponies, especially unicorns and pegasi along with a hand full of self-righteous earth ponies, had done nothing but look down on her weak and slender frame, seeing her as nothing but a liability or an obstacle. But lately, with that, admittedly quite dapper soldier, that cookey griffin and now this upbeat blonde, she couldn’t help but feel as if she were on a roll with meeting newer, nicer folks.
“It’s fine,” Applejack responded with a smile. “Thank ya, though,” she paused, then began again. “Do ya mind me askin’ what brought you here?”
"Well, I make and sell fireworks and firework accessories!” Surprise announced proudly, before letting out a dreamy sigh. “But my true dream is to work in movies.”
“Movies? Like in Applewood?” Applejack asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. She had expected that the mare would be more inclined towards something like parties. “What kind of films?”
“PORN!!!” That sudden burst nearly gave Applejack an asthma attack all by itself. Surprise, however, must have found the outburst to be funny, as she was practically sobbing with laughter. “I swear I’m kidding,” she finally answered, having calmed down slightly. “I’m so sorry! I just had to see your reaction!”
Applejack tried her best to gather herself, taking deep breaths to bring her heart rate down while also simultaneously trying not to cause an accidental asthma attack. “Please don’t do that again” She said, looking towards Surprise with concern. Surprise seemed to notice, as her laughter trailed off and she straightened herself out.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, shouldn’t have done that.” She said, wringing her hooves guiltily. “But in all seriousness, I’d like to go to Applewood. Probably comedies. That way I can bring smiles to every corner of the world!”
“Don’cha need to know somepony in that business to even get yer hoof in the door?” Applejack asked, leaning against the windowsill of the train car slightly.
“Oh, no worries about that! I’ve got my fair share of buddies in Applewood,” Surprise replied with confidence. ”I’ve managed to sell some radio plays I wrote, like The Two Thousand Year Old Mare for instance. Currently working on a spy spoof, too, but that might not get finished for awhile.”
“Well,” Applejack scratched her head in confusion. “If’n you got work making fireworks and writing scripts, then why, in Luna’s luscious Equestria, are ya in the army?”
Surprise just looked at Applejack for a long, awkward moment before speaking in a very serious and somber tone. “Simple. Evil wins when the good do nothing, but demons run when the noble and just go to war,” And then, as if a switch had been flipped, she was back to her jovial self. “So that’s why, silly!” She smiled wide. “It was just the right thing to do and besides, if I can be an engineer, I’ll have access to the good explosives.”
Surprise then smiled deviously and wrung her hooves, and Applejack nodded slightly before looking out the window with a reserved expression. She watched as the world raced by outside, feeling incredibly disappointed in herself. Surprise had come for possibly the noblest and most genuine reasons to put her life at risk, and why was Applejack here? Just to earn a quick paycheck and nothing more.
“I guess then I must look pretty greedy to ya. I’m just here so I can use the pay ta cover those new taxes and pay the farm bills,” Applejack said glumly.
Surprise lowered her eyebrows slightly, and put a sympathetic hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, asking, “So you're trying to help your family?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Applejack said, still looking away and out the window. It didn’t help that Applejack had left her entire family behind to go on this trip, including Apple Bloom, who had seemed visibly heartbroken when Applejack had stepped onto the train earlier that morning.
“Then I don’t think you're greedy at all!” Surprise declared, throwing her forelegs unexpectedly around Applejack. “We just have a different reasons coming is all. But at the end of the day, what’s important is that we’re both here to help those who can’t help themselves. So don’t be so gosh-darn glum, ya silly-filly!”
Applejack couldn’t help but feel a warmth go through her at Surprise’s words.
“Ya’ll always this chipper, sugarcube?” she asked, giving surprise a questioning smile.
Surprise nodded admittedly.
“Yupperdoodles!” she said, before her face became thoughtful and she put a finger to her chin. “Well except for that one time with the oak trees, the angry sparrows and a pecan pie,” she added, her expression souring somewhat. “In fact, I don’t think I can ever really look at durians the same way again.”
Applejack blinked awkwardly for a moment, not sure if Surprise was joking, or if something really bizarre involving oak trees, angry sparrows, pecan pies and durians had somehow traumatized the white pegasus. Try as she might, she couldn’t figure out a way to connect the wildly disjointed dots of whatever must have happened, and she came to realization that it just might be for the best. She was snapped out of her ponderings with the sudden jolt as the train car they were riding in came to a stop. She looked out the window to see that the train had in fact, reached the station.
“YAY THE TRAIN STATION!” Surprise exploded with joy, hopping up with an explosion of confetti to match.
Applejack didn’t have a chance to figure out where the strange confetti had come from, as Surprise was already out the door, bags in hoof. Applejack reached below her seat, sliding out her very small and humble looking rustic leather suitcase, and slinging it over her back like a backpack.
“Well, here goes nuthin’,” she whispered.
She then took a deep breath and made her way out of the train car to brave her new world.