The sun shone brightly on the Ponyville market square. Ponies of all ages were bustling about from stall to stall, seeking out everything from carrots to celery to oranges and apples. As she made her way through the crowd, Twilight Sparkle looked around to see where one particular vendor had set up shop for the day. She was tempted to take to the air like some of the pegasi shoppers but decided against it. The smells of the fresh flowers, fruits, and vegetables were too enticing, and Twilight wanted to be able to take a closer look at the cornucopia of produce that was available.
Eventually, Twilight spied the weathered red paint of the Sweet Apple Acres market stall, set a little further back than its usual place. Breaking into a trot, Twilight made her way toward the back of the marketplace where she could see her friend Applejack waving to potential customers, hawking her wares.
As Twilight approached, the scent of the fresh apples was like a little slice of heaven as it wafted on the breeze. Twilight closed her eyes and just took it in, her mouth watering slightly.
"Howdy, Twi!" Applejack called out cheerfully when she saw her friend standing in front of her stall. "You come to get you some of the best apples of the season?"
"Good morning, Applejack!" Twilight beamed in return, and the two friends shared a brief hug. "Actually no, I'm not here shopping for food, though I must say your apples are very, very tempting. Rather, I came here to see you."
"Oh! Well come on over and set a spell," Applejack said, fetching a stool that Granny Smith sometimes used when she tended the stand and offering it to Twilight. "If it's alright with you, I'll jus' keep on mindin' the store while we chat."
"Of course, I know how important market day is for you," Twilight nodded as she moved over to take a seat on the stool. A couple of nearby ponies stopped to sample the ripe, juicy apples and Applejack excused herself for a moment. When she returned, she stuffed a hoofful of bits from the sale into a sack behind the counter. "Land sakes, if this keeps up I'll haveta get word to Big Mac back at the farm to bring out a couple more bushels."
"Well, you do grow some of the most wonderful fruit in all of Equestria!" Twilight proclaimed. "And that's exactly what I wanted to come see you about today. I can't think of anypony better than you to consult about starting a garden." A smile crept onto Twilight's muzzle as it always did when she started to research a project.
Applejack smiled widely in return. "I'd be honored to help ya, Twilight! I think it's a great idea for you to start a garden, it's the perfect time o' year for gettin' it all set up." Applejack rubbed a hoof under her chin a moment thoughtfully. "I reckon you'll be starting out with simple things, the basics an' all that. Perhaps a nice herb garden? I bet Spike'll love having fresh herbs for his cookin'."
Twilight held up a hoof, interrupting Applejack's train of thought. "Actually, I was thinking of something a bit more advanced than just herbs. I'd like to plant a full vegetable garden."
Applejack gave a nervous chuckle before looking back at Twilight. "I sure do admire yer spirit Twi, but gardenin' ain't all that easy, 'specially for a beginner. I think you'd be better off stickin' to a few herbs an' such until you get a feel for it."
Twilight shook her head slightly. "I appreciate your concern, Applejack, but I'm sure I can manage it. I do have over twenty books at the library on the subject, which won't take long at all for me to read. I came here hoping you might toss in a few pointers to complement my research."
Applejack took a deep breath before replying. "Now sugarcube, no offense, but you jus' can't read a bunch o' books an' expect to be able to jump hoof-first into the deep end when it comes to working the land. I really think you'll find it's a mite more tough than you're thinkin'."
Twilight shifted a bit on the stool. "Well, in addition to my studies on the subject, I do have the advantage of magic. Between my understanding of agricultural sciences and the ability to control conditions optimally with my spells, I'm confident that I'll produce great results."
Applejack picked up an apple off the stand, blew on it a little and then rubbed it on her coat until the fruit positively sparkled. "Twilight, I don' wanna sound like a broken record, but it's not as easy as it seems. What it really takes is that good ol' Earth pony magic to really shine as a gardener." Applejack placed the polished fruit back on the front of the stand where it could attract the eyes of more potential customers.
Twilight cleared her throat before she replied, this time in a tone that was decidedly cooler than before. "As you know, Applejack, I am an Alicorn, I do have the ability to channel Earth pony magic. I'm certain that would be sufficient to rise to the challenge."
Applejack dug a hoof firmly into the ground, her voice taking on a more stubborn note. "Well, I know you can, Twilight, an' I don't rightly understand all of how that works, I'm sayin' that having a mix of all magic ain't the same as bein' an Earth pony. I'd bet it's jus' not the same, so I don't want ya to get disappointed on your first try."
Twilight narrowed her eyes, and shot the farm pony a challenging look. "Are you betting me I can't grow a garden as good as you can, Applejack?" Twilight asked.
Applejack pushed her hat back a little further on her head, gritting her teeth a little. "T'aint a bet as much as a matter of fact."
For several moments, the two just stared at each other. Finally, Twilight broke the silence. "I think you're wrong, and I'm willing to make a bet to prove it. What do you say to a little green-hoof competition, hmm?"
Applejack gave a confident smirk. "I'd say yer soundin' more like Rainbow Dash than yourself, but if you wanna bet who can grow the best garden, you're on! What's the wager?"
Twilight pondered that for a moment, before her muzzle broke into a sly grin. "If you lose, then you will have to write for me a five page research paper on the theory of how Alicorns channel each of the three types of magic."
Applejack gulped, then said, "Fair 'nough. An' if you lose, then you got to come spend a weekend out at Sweet Apple Acres workin' the fields with me an' Big Mac to get a better 'preciation for Earth pony traditions."
Twilight stuck out a hoof. "It's a bet!" The two friends shook hooves to seal the bargain. "Now then, we'll need objective criteria for judging and an impartial panel, some equipment to measure the resultant product..." Twilight began.
"Whoa now, hold on. I think all that might be a bit much to manage. I'd rather keep this bet friendly-like. How about we agree on one thing to grow, an' whoever grows the biggest result wins?" Applejack countered.
Twilight mulled that over a moment. "Alright, I suppose that would be fair enough. What do you suggest?"
"How 'bout tamaters?" Applejack suggested.
"Tomatoes?" Twilight repeated.
"That's what I said," Applejack confirmed.
"Tomatoes are technically a fruit, not a vegetable," Twilight started to object, but acquiesced seeing Applejack's grimace. "OK, OK…tomatoes it is, then.”
“Hope yer lookin’ forward to some farm work, Twi. We’ll see who’s got the biggest in say, two moons?” Applejack offered.
“Two moons,” Twilight agreed, nodding her head.
“I’d best get back to business, sugarcube. I’ll see you later tonight with the rest o’ the girls,” Applejack said in way of parting.
“See you tonight, Applejack,” Twilight said before making her way back to the library to start her research for her winning garden.