Applejack awoke to the sound of the rooster crowing in the chicken coop.
It was fairly standard; the Apples woke that way every morning. Then Applejack and Big Macintosh would head downstairs to do the chores before breakfast. Apple Bloom and Granny Smith both went back to sleep; one because she was too young, the other because she was too old. Unless, of course, Apple Bloom had school that day. Then she got up with the others. However, it was summer vacation at the moment, so she could rest and enjoy her day off.
For Applejack and Big Mac, there were the farm duties to take care of. Applejack fed the chickens, goats, and pigs, and Big Mac led the sheep out to one of the treeless pastures on the farm. Then he would head to the barn and start milking the cows; if Applejack finished her side early, she'd come and help him. Then they'd lead the cows out to pasture, as well. That done, they'd check over their farming equipment and tidy things up in preparation for the day. Whoever got to the house first got to make breakfast for the others.
Today, though, something felt off. Really off.
When Applejack headed outside to start feeding the animals, it was quiet. Now, it was normally pretty quiet on the farm in the mornings. Most animals were still asleep. The daily business hadn't quite fully started yet; it was just revving up. The mornings were very peaceful for Applejack, and she took this time to breathe- to just take a few deep gulps of fresh air and think over her plans for the day. To watch the sun rise. Other ponies liked to sleep in, but she relished these quiet hours, before the day had really woken up yet. It was therapeutic.
But, today, it was too quiet. There were no birds singing their "good morning" songs to each other. There were no squirrels dashing between the trees in their attempts to snag an apple before Applejack caught them. The Vampire Fruit Bats were already asleep. All of them. Some of them liked to stay awake during the day, and eat apples while it was still warm out. Some of them liked to stay awake at night, and eat their meals in private. But they were all curled up in their wings, hiding their faces. It was like they were avoiding something. Even the pigs weren't snoring, for Pete's sake! They were just catnapping! A catnapping pig is plain unnaturally wrong.
Applejack went about her chores with a sense of wary uneasiness about her. She'd seen the farm animals act like this a few times before. Each time, it meant that there was something unfriendly in the area. The phrase "in the area" could differ in its meaning, from within ten yards to within ten miles, but if it was "in the area," then the animals considered it a threat. Or, potentially a threat anyways. Some critters, like the manticore, were potentially extremely dangerous beings that had to be respected, but they weren't active threats unless you made them mad. Whatever it was, Applejack knew she didn't like it.
She met Big Mac at the doors to the barn. He was in the process of ushering the cows out. Applejack stepped up beside him and raised an eyebrow. "You sure finished quickly today."
Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup." He gestured his head toward the cows walking out the door. His sister's eyebrow raised a little higher, but she looked anyways. Then she frowned. The cows were walking very slowly along the path, staying close to each other and peeking out from behind the barn doors to make sure the coast was clear. They weren't nearly as eager to seize the day as they should be.
"What has gotten into the farm today?" Applejack wondered out loud. "I mean, you've felt it too, right Big Mac?"
"Eeyup," Big Mac replied solemnly. "Something's been here."
"Been?" Applejack repeated. "You sure it ain't still here? The critters seem pretty nervous still."
Her brother shook his head. "Nope. 'Fit were still here, the cows'd refuse to come out at all. As it is, they're just hesitatin'."
Applejack nodded. "Makes sense. Hope whatever it is don't plan on comin' back. We've got enough work to do 'round here already without worrying about some freaky-whatsit making trouble." She started to turn around and make for the house, but felt a big hoof on her shoulder.
Big Mac gently spun her back and looked her in the eye. Applejack grimaced. "That's yer serious look. What's wrong?"
The red stallion reached under the yoke on his neck and pulled out something small. "Found this in the hayloft." He held it out for Applejack to see. She gasped. It was a little clump of shiny, thick black fur.
"Please tell me that's from one of those darn cats that keep sneaking in the barn..." the orange mare murmured.
Big Mac gave her a look that meant she knew exactly what it was. "Nope."
Applejack sat down heavily. "It's... it's one of them things, isn't it?" Her brother nodded. "And it was in our hayloft?! What was it doing there, sleeping?"
"You know they do more than that, sis."
"I know! I know, wherever they go, it means something. It always means something. But, why'd it have to pick us for? We got enough on our plates already!"
Big Mac put a hoof on her shoulder again. It was firm and heavy, as his comfort always was. "We'll find out soon 'nough." He said this decisively, as if to put an end to the conversation. His eyes stared directly into Applejack's; unlike how lenient he normally was when it came to arguing with her, this time he left no room for debate. They had to wait and see.
Applejack stared back at him, biting her lip. Finally, she blew out a stream of air and gave a small nod. "Fine. You're right. There's no way to stop the thing if he's already gone to who-knows-where. If he's let himself shed, that means he wants us to know he's been here. So... we'll just have to be ready, I guess." Big Mac smiled slightly and nodded back. He stuck the clump of fur underneath his yoke again, and the siblings began to walk back to the house together.
After a moment, Applejack spoke again. "Big Mac... I don't want you mentioning this to Granny or Apple Bloom just yet. I want to figure out how to tell them on my own. There's no need to get them worrying if this turns out to be something small in the end, right?"
There was no reply for a moment. Then, reluctantly, Big Mac gave a, "....Eeyup..."
Applejack gave him a sideways look, but said nothing else.
The morning turned out to be a glorious one. Celestia expended a little extra energy to make the sun's rays particularly bright that day. The pegasi didn't leave the sky cloudless, but left fluffy cushions of white here and there to break and compliment the endless blue. Warm, yellow light poured in through the Apple family's windows and into their kitchen, living room, dining rooms, and bedrooms. As the golden rays gently swept over the last two sleeping ponies' faces, they groggily blinked the night away and congregated toward the smell of apple pancakes in the kitchen.
Apple Bloom bounced up and down in her seat excitedly, watching her family prepare breakfast. Applejack and Big Mac had, due to their earlier chat, reached the house at the same time that day, and so they were working together. Applejack mixed the batter and poured it in the pans, while Big Mac flipped the flapjacks and occasionally added a few extra chunks of fruit to the cakes as they heated. Granny Smith was setting out the plates and listening to her grandfilly regale the tale of her dream the night before.
"An' then Scootaloo zoomed into the air and blasted the big worm-thingie with her laser eyes! The worm-thingie burst into confetti, an' Pinkie Pie jumped out of it with her party cannon an' threw us a big party for saving the day. An' Princess Celestia was there! She gave us all medals an' named us the official Cutie Mark Crusader Ponyville Savers YAY!" The yellow pony gave a jump and a squeal at the end of her story. Applejack jumped slightly at the sound, and quickly turned back to the mixing bowl, hoping no one saw. Granny Smith was too busy hoof-bumping Apple Bloom to notice, but Big Mac saw and shook his head.
"Well, that was a rip-snortin' dream, to be sure!" Granny Smith commented, thumping a hoof on the table for emphasis. "I'll tell you 'bout mine soon as the flapjacks are done." She turned around to her other two grandfoals. "Hey!" she shouted. "Are the flapjacks done yet?!"
Applejack jumped again, then sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, granny, they're just about done now. I'm just rinsin' off the bowl here real quick." Next to her, Big Mac hefted a big plate of finished pancakes with his mouth and set them on the table in front of Apple Bloom.
"Yay, apple flapjacks, my fav'rit!" she shouted, getting ready to dig in.
"Only a few of them, Apple Bloom!" Applejack called from the sink. "Don't go eatin' the whole plate like last time! I don't want you to be sick again. Or to have to remake breakfast again."
Apple Bloom sighed, but took a small stack off the top of the pile. Everypony else gathered around the table and took their share, then there was some clutter and confusion as they passed the toppings: syrup, cinnamon-sugar, chopped fruit, and butter.
"Hey, pass that over here!"
"Say please, Apple Bloom."
"Ugh. Please."
"Here you go."
"Hey, gimme some of that!"
"Sure thing, granny."
"Wait, she didn't have to say please!"
"Hush now, Apple Bloom."
Finally, everypony was ready to eat. Applejack looked in satisfaction down at her plate. Four perfectly flipped apple flapjacks, coated in syrup, a dash of cinnamon-sugar, and a little pat of butter dead center on the top flapjack. It was almost beautiful, especially after a long (and worrying) morning's work. The mare licked her lips and opened her mouth wide, bending down to take a big, tasty bite...
Ding Dong...
"Applejack, could you get that, deary?"
Said mare sighed. "Yeah, okay, granny." Oh, well. She'd get to the pancakes in a minute.
Applejack got up from the table and headed over to the door. Behind her, Apple Bloom looked up from her plate, her muzzle smeared with sticky syrup and fruit bits. "Hey, she still didn't have to say please!"
"Hush now, Apple Bl-" Applejack automatically started to say as she opened the door. The words left her mouth, however, at the sight of what- or who- was on the other side. She gaped for a minute.
The other three ponies at the table jumped as the door was suddenly slammed shut. The force of the slam caused their plates to jerk on the table- Big Mac caught his just before it fell over the edge. They all looked wide-eyed at the cause of the commotion.
Applejack was leaning against the door, breathing heavily and just as wide-eyed as the rest of her family. She looked at them and blinked a few times, trying to calm down enough to talk. "I... I..." She took a huge swallow of air, then paused a minute while her breathing slowed. "I don't think we should open the door," she finally got out.
"Well, why ever not?" Granny Smith demanded. "He was polite 'nuff to knock!"
Big Mac looked warily at Applejack, silently asking if this had anything to do with earlier. Apple Bloom caught this look and frowned, turning to her sister. "Hey, what's goin' on? Why won't you let whoever 'tis in? An' why's Big Mac givin' you that look?"
"Hush now, Apple Bloom," Applejack snapped.
"Hey, now!" Apple Bloom glared, affronted.
Granny Smith pushed her plate away. "Enough, both of you'ins! You're takin' away my appetite! Alright, move over, Applejack, I'll open the door myself." She got up from her seat and headed for the door. Big Mac started to get up as well, worried that things were escalating too fast.
"Waitaminit, granny, I-" Applejack protested, but Granny Smith bumped her out of the way with her hip and opened the door herself.
"Good mornin' somepony!" She shouted jovially as she opened the door. Then, just like Applejack, she froze and gaped at the doorstep. Big Mac and Apple Bloom, who had run up to join her, gaped as well. Obviously neither of them had expected this.
There at the door was Flim.
There at the door was the most exhausted, dirty, stressed, torn-up, scared, close-to-tears Flim that they had ever seen, his hat in his hooves and his ears flat on his head.
He looked back at them, biting his lip, tensed as if he expected them to slam the door in his face again. When it appeared that they were all in too much shock to do so, he tentatively spoke.
"Ahem... Good morning, Apple Family. I... um, seem to require your assistance."
Granny Smith opened and closed her mouth a few times. After a second she got her jaw working again, and said, "Well, that might be the most unexpected thing I ever did hear."
"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed.
"Quick, shut the door on him afore he comes in!" Applejack shouted, trying to squeeze herself around Granny Smith.
"No, wait!" Apple Bloom pulled her sister back. "I wanna know what he's doin' here, first!" She pointed a hoof at Applejack when the mare opened her mouth. "And if you tell me to hush one more time, I'll buck you!"
"Reasonable enough," Granny Smith commented, although no one was sure whether she was talking about finding out what Flim was doing there, or if she was talking about Apple Bloom bucking Applejack.
Applejack huffed. "But, granny!"
"Hold on a minute, there!" Granny Smith gave her grandfilly a disapproving glare. "This youngun might've been a pretty big thorn in our side before-"
"That's an understatement," Applejack growled.
"-but he's obviously gone through a buncha trouble gettin' over here to ask fer our help with somethin', and I say that he at least deserves a willin' ear."
"Eeyup," Apple Bloom agreed, nodding gravely. Flim seemed to relax just a little bit.
"And if he don't have a good reason, you an' Big Mac can buck him off the property yourselves." Granny Smith finished with a stomp of her hoof.
"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed, also nodding gravely. Flim grimaced.
Applejack looked back and forth between her siblings and her granny, deep frustration etched on her face. Her eyes scrunched in concentration, then determination. For a minute, it looked like she was going to say no. Then she looked at Flim.
He was giving her puppy dog eyes.
Flim.
Was giving her puppy dog eyes.
That was just plain unnaturally wrong.
Gritting her teeth, she sagged her head in defeat. "Fine. Just be quick about it. Our flapjacks are getting cold."
At the mention of food, Flim's stomach rumbled loudly. His ears flattened a little further in embarrassment when Apple Bloom and Applejack both snickered. It was obvious he had run all the way to the farm without eating anything that morning. Big Mac and Granny Smith shared a glance, and Bic Mac almost imperceptibly nodded.
"I don't suppose you'd like to join us for breakfast?" Granny Smith asked.
Flim perked up and opened his mouth to answer, but Applejack stepped in for him. "No!" she shouted. "Absolutely not! I ain't never gonna sit at the same table as him and eat flapjacks and chat like everythin's okay! I refuse!"
Flim visibly deflated at that remark, then straightened himself, trying for some semblance of dignity. "Of course. I understand, given our history. I'm perfectly fine-" his stomach rumbled again, louder this time. Apple Bloom still snickered, but Applejack just gave an exasperated snort.
"Aw, both of you, shut up." Granny Smith back up until she was physically pushing Applejack out of the way, making room for Flim to get through. "Get your hiney in here. Big Mac, would you be a dear and fix a plate for him?"
Big Mac nodded and walked back into the kitchen. Apple Bloom excitedly stepped to the side as Flim cautiously stepped inside; she was happy as peaches to have such an unusual break in her morning routine. This was some kind of game to her, some big adventure.
Applejack narrowed her eyes at the cream pony who followed behind her brother towards the dining room. "Alright, granny. I'll eat with our darned-near enemy. But I ain't gonna like it."