"C'mon Apple Bloom. I reckon thas enough sellin' fer one day." Applejack called out to her younger sister.
Feeling dejected, Apple Bloom reluctantly walked over to her sister.
"Okay. I juss don' git it Applejack! How come yer so good at sellin' an ah'm not?"
"Whoa now little sis. There's sumthin' y'all gots to understand: and that's patience an not to be sort dang hard on yerself. Not everypony can sell things. Ah reckon that y'all git the hang of it sumday, but fer now let's head on home now, ya hear?"
Apple Bloom sighed and went to pack up the carriage. Apple Bloom had been trying hard the past few weeks to try and catch up to her sister's work ethic, strength, and success above all else. She had trained for weeks to make her legs strong to buck apple trees, and worked on her sales pitches for the monthly apple sales, but was quickly shut down after her most recent attempts. The Cutie Mark Crusaders haven't been meeting for the past few days, and Apple Bloom couldn't help but worry. The last thing she heard of either Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo was when Scootaloo had come over bawling her eyes out about something that happened. Apple Bloom tried her best to comfort her friend, but she ran off after Apple Bloom went to get her a drink.
"Don' feel so down now sis. Y'all did a mighty fine job today. Ah reckon Granny Smith outta reward ya with some fresh apple pie if we hurry home." Applejack said in a tempting voice.
"Gee, ya really think so Applejack?"
"Sure do. Now c'mon. Ah'll race ya home!"
"Okay!"
"Ohn yer mark... git set... GO!" Applejack said as she flung herself forward with all of her might.
Applejack knew that she was carrying a heavy load, so she wanted to make sure she got the carriage going as soon as she took off. Apple Bloom was far ahead, and kept looking back to call out to her sister.
"Y'all best catch up big sis! Ah might git all that apple pie to mahself!"
Applejack squinted from carrying such a heavy load and pushed herself harder. She could feel herself gaining speed, gaining adrenaline, and a large spot of pain in her legs. She pressed harder and found herself squinting from pain and eventually she closed her eyes. She felt the wind carry her. It flowed through her mane, and her hat flew off into the back of the carriage. Her mane ties also came off to let her mane flow with the wind around her. She squeezed her eyes tighter to cope with the pain, but she could no longer bare it. She started to slow down, and with that, open her eyes. After stopping at the front gates of the farm, Applejack took off her harness and laid on the ground.
"Wow sis!" Apple Bloom called out from behind. "How'd ya do that?"
"Lots... and lots... of practice...!" Applejack replied between gasps.
Applejack's ears perked up to a familiar sound, with an unfamiliar grunt. Applejack looked up into her orchard and saw a stallion with a light brown coat bucking the trees, and collecting the fruit.
"Apple Bloom. Go on inside now. Ah've got business to attend to."
"Who is that strange pony, Applejack?"
"Ah don' know. But I'm gunna find out. Go inside and eat yer pie Apple Bloom."
Applejack trotted over to the gate to her orchard and went in slowly and carefully, as to not make any noise.
*****
"Gosh, this sure is a nice field. The Apple family must be proud." I said trying to catch my breath.
I had been bucking apple trees all day for Big Macintosh since he hurt his hind leg in a race. Applejack had gone out with her little sister to sell the months' harvest, so it was up to me to gather the last of the crop to bring in to granny smith. The field went on for miles. It was a splendid sight to see as the sun began setting and the moon began to rise.
"An jus what in tarnation do yew think yer doin'?! Those are our apples, Thief!"
I turned around to see an orange mare staring me straight in the eye. I could tell she had intentions to kill, so I backed up slowly.
"Uh, ma'am?"
"Yew heard me! Now git!" She said turning half way around. "I don' wanna haf tuh make ya, but I will!"
This was obviously some sort of mistake, I wasn't a thief. I was just helping out.
"Ma'am, ah was jus-"
"A likely story. Ah caught ya red hoofed. Ah ain't gunna deal with you. Mah big brother will. BIG MACINTOSH!!!!!"
"Eeyup?"
I heard a familiar voice call.
"GIT YER KEESTER OUT HERE, WE GOT OURSELVES A GOSH DARN THIEF ON OUR HOOVES!"
I felt a slight rumble as I saw Big Macintosh come galloping down the path towards us.
"Where'd he go sis?"
"He's right here Big Mac!"
Big Macintosh and I exchanged looks, and he began to laugh at the situation.
"Wha- Big Macintosh! He's a thief!"
"Eenope. Lil' sis, this is mah friend from the next farm land over. His name's Ash. Been helpin' to gather the last of this months' harvest before them apples go bad. Now ah reckon y'all owe our guest an apology, and a proper Sweet Apple Acres welcome."
I saw the orange mare blush hard, and I laughed a little to myself.
"Ah know, ah know!.." she said with a frown on her face. "Pardon."
"I's alright ma'am. Ah would've dun the same thing if'n ah saw some varmint harvesting mah crop."
"Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres, Thief. High and low, we gots the best apples 'round, y'all best 'member that, so when you buy from us, y'all always come back." She recited as she disregarded my comment. "Ah'm goin' inside to check on Apple Bloom. Thanks fer yer help varmint. Y'all best be on yer way home now."
"Actually Applejack, he's stayin' with us for a while. He just moved out of his home, an' he needs a place to stay."
"Don't tell me... He's stayin' with us, ain't he?"
I gave Applejack a wide smile, and she replied with her head hung low and sighed.