I was about halfway down Applejack’s driveway when a thought hit me. There still was an hour or two before I had to be at home. Even though we couldn’t be partners... We could still be friends, right? I could still hang around with Applejack, maybe even help her with some work... Wait a minute. What was I thinking? Me, work? I shook that idea out of my head. Work, no. But talk? That sounded a lot more do-able. Besides, I didn’t want to go home yet. Home was boring. I didn’t want to risk being on Facebook at the same time as Lightning Dust, anyways. I un-friended her last week, and from what I knew about her, it was safe to assume she was out for revenge.
Sighing, I turned around and headed back to Sweet Apple Acres. Once I reached the farm, I glanced around, looking for anyone who could tell me where Applejack was. Spying a barn with its door hanging slightly ajar, I walked up to it and pushed it open farther. Big Mac was inside; trying to fix something that I could only guess was farm equipment.
“Hey,” I said as loudly as I could. Startled, he glanced up.
“Where’s Applejack?”
Big Mac stood up and pointed behind me. I looked over my shoulder, noticing a large hill that oversaw the entire apple grove.
“Try up there. It’s where she goes whenever she needs to think about important stuff,” he informed me.
“Thanks,” I said, waving as I dashed out of the barn.
I slowly climbed up the hill towards where Applejack sat. She was gazing out at the myriad of apple trees that were all visible from the top. A few feet behind her lay a tattered old volleyball.
{So she does practice quite a bit...} I thought, pushing away the nagging disappointment that had risen up inside me at the sight of it.
Picking it up, I gently tossed it into the air. It was a good, solid ball, even if it looked all gross and old. Glancing back at Applejack, who apparently hadn’t noticed I was behind her, I bounced the ball lightly off my forearm and watched as it hit her squarely on the head.
“What in tarnation...?” She whipped around, a startled look on her face.
Finally, I couldn’t contain my giggles any longer. “Pfft... hahaha... you... ahahaha didn’t...hahaha... even... hehehe... notice... ahahahahaha!”
“Rainbow Dash!” she said in a mock angry voice.
“I just couldn’t resist... Your face was priceless...”
“Are ya done?”
“Ahem. Yeah.” I motioned to the volleyball that now lay on the ground slightly behind her. “Wanna play?”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Are ya still goin’ on ‘bout that competition thingy?”
“No, no, no.” I raised my hands defensively. “Just for fun. As friends. No strings attached.”
“Well, okay then. Ah’m sure Ah could manage that...”
“Yay! I mean, awesome! Let’s go! Last one down the hill is a rotten apple!”
“Oh, you’re so on, sugarcube!”
We sprinted down the hill, both of us equally content on claiming the victory. Stumbling onto a nice dirt-packed area that would make a decent court, we both fell down, giggling. I propelled myself to my feet, grabbed the volleyball and whacked it towards her. She reached for it, but it sailed over her head.
“My point!” I yelled.
Applejack didn’t say anything; she merely tossed the ball back to me so I could serve again.
I extended my arm and delivered a straight, clean serve. She bumped it back towards me lightly. Seizing the opportunity, I pounded the ball into the dirt. It bounced in, giving me yet another point, before rolling away.
Applejack looked dazed. “Ah’ll get that.” She walked over and picked up the ball, tapping it back towards me. Instead of catching it, I let it collide with my forearms, sending it over to her. She reached towards it, but not fast enough.
I furrowed my brow. That was an easy hit. She should’ve had it for sure! Being competitive was only fun when both people involved were actually trying to win.
Despite Applejack’s lack of enthusiasm, we kept on playing. Sort of.
“That’s, like, the fifth time!” I hissed under my breath when my friend halfheartedly swiped at the volleyball, apologizing as she missed it yet again. Applejack smiled wearily at me as she sent the ball flying over my head with a terrible serve.
Finally, I had enough.
“Hey, Applejack, are you okay?” I asked, glaring at her.
“Uh, yeah. Ah’m perfectly fine,” she replied stubbornly.
I let out an exasperated sigh. There was only one thing I could think of that would make her act so despondent. “Look... don’t worry about the whole volleyball thing. I don’t want to pressure you or your family to make a serious commitment to it and neglect your farm.”
Applejack looked down at the ground. “Ah know. Ah jus’ hate lettin’ other people down, even if it may be all too much fer me tah handle.”
“Hey, like I said, it’s totally cool. Besides, my awesomeness can get a bit overwhelming,” I told her with a grin, trying to emphasize my point.
She cracked a small smile. “Don’t flatter yerself, sugarcube.”
We both burst out in a fit of giggles.
“You do really want to play, don’t you?” I murmured after the laughter had died down.
“Ah’d be lyin’ if Ah said no.”
Suddenly, I stood up and walked over to where the volleyball lay neglected.
“Well, what’s stopping us? First to ten points wins!”
XXX
After about an hour or so of intense barnyard volleyball, both of us were too exhausted to continue any further. Tucking the ball underneath my arm, I began to make my way home. Applejack walked with me back to the gate that led out of Sweet Apple Acres to the main road.
“That sure was fun, wasn’t it?” Applejack commented.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Maybe we could play again some other time!”
“Ah’m willin’ to let that happen as long as certain conditions are fulfilled,” a voice from behind us said. Applejack and I whipped around, startled.
“Granny Smith...?” Applejack gasped out.
The old woman smiled at her granddaughter. “Yer silblings and Ah jus’ made a deal. Any time spent on the court will have to be made up on the farm whenever you can. Isn’t that right, Big Mac?”
“Eeyup,” Applejack’s brother confirmed, coming up behind Granny Smith with Apple Bloom in tow.
“And we decided tah split yer chores so you don’t have tah worry about ‘em while you practice!” the younger girl said excitedly.
Applejack wrinkled her brow. “Ah’m confused. Practice what?”
“Volleyball, of course! Isn’t that what ya wanted?” Apple Bloom said, gazing up at her elder sister.
“That’s jus’ too kind, y’all. Ah can’t let ya do this for me,” Applejack said, blushing.
“AJ, please. It’s the least we can do for you,” Big Mac told her, placing his hand on her shoulder.
I grinned. This had worked out better than I had dreamed! “So, all you guys are willing to let her play, huh? How about you, AJ? Whaddaya think?”
“Why, me?” Applejack said, smiling. She grabbed the ball out of my hands. “Ah’m game, sugarcube!”