It was a sunny, summer day as Applejack busily trotted to her farm-house. She had just finished her morning chores and now was preparing to fix lunch.
She walked into the kitchen and set out several slices of bread on the counter and slathered peanut-butter on all of them: one for herself, one for Big Mac, one for Apple Bloom, and for Babs, who had come to pay them a visit.
“Woo-wee,” Applejack said with a feeling of satisfaction as she slathered apple butter on the bread. “This is a fine day, I tell ya.”
It had been a good day. The chickens had given a full load eggs that morning and she had managed to tend to the west-fields in record time. Applejack felt good about herself.
Normally, she would have summoned the fillies to the house for lunch, but she was feeling so good, that she decided she would do something nice, and take it to them.
“They'll like this,” she said as she packed the sandwiches and juice packets into a wicker basket.
When she had finished, she headed out towards her little-sister's tree-house, where she knew they'd probably be.
As she came closer, she was about to call out their names, but she heard strange, whispering noises.
Applejack smiled.
What could they be whispering about? It must be something secret, she thought.
She normally respected her sister's privacy, but in this case, her curiosity was naturally piqued, so she moved closer, making sure not make a sound, so she could listen-in on the conversation.
Applejack stood at the base of the tree and listened closely to the voices.
“Do you really think we should be doing this?” she heard the thick accent of her cousin ask.
“Of course!” her sister's voice chirped in reply. “It'll be fun!”
“I dunno, Apple Bloom...are you sure?”
“Don't worry,” Apple Bloom said reassuringly. “I've seen the adults do it plenty of times.”
Applejack frowned. They weren't talking about...that, were they? She listened closer.
“But...what if somepony catches us?”
“Nopony's gonna catch us,” Apple Bloom said. “We're in the clubhouse, where nopony can see us.”
“I don't know about this...” Babs replied reluctantly.
“Look, it's easy, I'll show you how. I even got this thing from Applejack's room.”
Applejack heard some rustling above her as hoof-steps rattled on the floor.
Did she mean she had gotten her...Oh no! Was here sister...? Surely, they weren't. They were too young! Weren't they...?
She listened on.
“So what do we do?” Babs asked.
“Simple, all you do is...” Apple Bloom's voice came down to a barely audible mumble as the two moved about inside.
Applejack couldn't believe her ears. Apple Bloom and Babs? But they were cousins! Not that Applejack had any problem with that, but they were still only fillies!
“You just stick it in here,” Apple Bloom said.
“In there?” Babs asked.
“Yeah, right there.”
“I don't think it'll fit...”
“Sure it will. Trust me, Babs.”
Applejack cringed. Should she try to stop them? She didn't know. She was almost in a state of shock over what she was hearing.”
“Okay, ready?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Uh...yeah, I guess,” Babs replied.
“Alright, one the count of three: one, two...”
Applejack heard a thump and then a scream of pain.
“Ow!” Babs yelled. “That hurt!”
“Sorry Babs,” Apple Bloom apologized.
“Why'd ya do that so hard?” Babs snapped angrily.
“I didn't mean to...” Apple Bloom replied.
“Seesh, now look at this mess! There's blood all over it!”
“It'll stop,” Apple Bloom said. “Here, let me wipe it up...”
All the color drained from Applejack's face. She had just...in their club house! Oh Celestia...
“There, better?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yeah, I suppose,” Babs said.
“Good, and I'll make sure not to do it so hard the second time,” she said. “Don't worry though, it gets easier the more times you do it.”
"If you say so..."
“Okay...Ready?”
“Yeah...”
Applejack listened a long time and didn't hear anything except some whispering every so often and the occasional thump on the wooden boards.
After a little while, though, she heard Apple Bloom again.
“And that's how you do it,” she said, panting. “Phew! Look at me! Now I'm all sweaty! Now it's your turn Babs.”
“I ain't so sure about this...”
“Don't worry, you'll do fine!”
Applejack had nearly fainted by this point. She felt her hoofs trembling and wanted to stop it all, but she didn't dare walk in; not while they were...
Applejack gulped.
She wanted to turn away, but found she couldn't. She could only stand and wait in utter horror for the sickening spectacle to end.
After a while, she heard Babs again.
“Am I done yet?” she asked, out of breath.
“Almost,” Apple Bloom said. “Keep going. I'll tell you when.”
Time passed and then Applejack heard Babs yell.
“What is it?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I got some in my eye!”
Apple Bloom laughed.
“It's not funny!”
“I know, I know, I'm sorry,” Apple Bloom apologized. “How's it taste?”
“Sweet,” Babs said, smacking her lips. “But is it suppose be sticky?”
“That's how it usually is,” Apple Bloom replied.
“I don't know,” Babs said. “It's been a long time now. You think we should be getting back to the house? I think lunch is soon and I think your sister will be wondering where we are.”
“Yeah, I think so,” Apple Bloom said. “Applejack will be getting curious, and I wouldn't want her to find the club-house like this. But you gotta admit that it was fun though.”
“Yeah, it was actually,” Babs said, chuckling. “We'll have to do it again some time.”
“Wanna do it one more time before lunch?”
“Sure, why not?”
Applejack couldn't take anymore. She rushed up the tree-house latter and burst open the door.
“Noooo!” she yelled.
When she looked inside, she saw Apple Bloom and Babs sitting around her prized apple-juicer, with crushed apple skins and pulp strew all across the clubhouse floor. Babs had some juice on her face, as well as a bandage around her hoof where she seemed that she had cut herself.
“Hiya, Applejack!” Apple Bloom greeted her happily. “Want some fresh squeezed apple juice?” she asked, holding up a full glass.