//------------------------------//
// D 
// Story: Apple Loader 
// by shortskirtsandexplosions 
//------------------------------//

	"YEEEEEEEEEEE-HA!"  Applejack cheered and grinned.  "This was such a whizz-bang great idea, Fluttershy!  Why, I'm havin' the time of my life!"

"Th-that's so good to hear!"  Fluttershy smiled nervously, sitting on the seventh elevated row of a set of bleachers beside the mare and her mech.  Before them, a large round arena marked the heart of the Canterlot rodeo, where several ponies were taking their turns with cattle wrangling, bull-riding, and hog-tying.  "I figured that... uhm... 'a huge event with barrels, clowns, and ropes' had my best friend's name wr-written all over it!"

"Wooohoo!"  Wreeeeeeee!  Applejack pointed with a metal claw.  "Will you look at that?!  Calamity Mane is the best!  I swear, she could lasso a dragon in thirty seconds, all the while yodelin' the national anthem!"

"I... c-can only imagine."  Fluttershy giggled nervously.  Sweating, she squirmed in her seat and spoke aside to Applejack.  "Perhaps you could see her and the other rodeo ponies better if you... uhm... g-got out of your apple loader?"

"Are ya kiddin'?"  Ch-Chtung!  A pair of binoculars descended from the top bar, attached by swivel struts.  "I got all I need to see anythang between here and Chyneigh!  Why, if a flea was tap dancin' on Jockey Chan's muzzle, I bet I could see it too!"

"Oh... uhm... th-that's pretty... ... ...spiffy?"

"Speakin' of seein' the action, sugarcube..."  Wreeeee!  Applejack leaned towards the bleachers, squinting at the pegasus.  "Ya sure y'all can see the rodeo just fine from up there?!"

"Oh!  Uhm... absolutely!"  Fluttershy smiled, leaning away from the mech, her soft yellow body sloped at a sharp angle.  "No doubt about that!"

"But, I swear, you haven't laid yer eyes on the event for a single gul-durn minute since we got here!"

"Oh, I-I'm just happy enough to hear it!"  Fluttershy gulped, whimpering slightly.  "It's j-just that I'm not really fond of how the cattle and pigs here are being treated."

"Are ya kiddin'?"  Applejack giggled.  "T'ain't nothin' more comfortable than bein' tied up all tight and comfy with some rope!"

"R-really?"

"Well, at least that's what Granny tells me whenever I bring up Grandpappy, Celestia rest his soul."

"Uhm..."

"I know!"  Applejack sat up straight in the loader.  Whirrrrr!  "What you could use is some good eats!  They serve 'em to the audience in the stands, y'know!"

"That's really sweet of you to offer, Applejack, but I'm afraid I'm not—"

Cl-Clack!  Applejack dropped a dangling megaphone from the top of the suit and switched it on with a high-pitched whine.  "HEY SNACK STALLION!  YOOHOOO!"  Dozens of flinching heads turned, their manes billowing from the volume of Applejack's mech-speakers.  One timid pony in a striped shirt and paper hat shook, clutching his dangling tray of popcorn and caramel apples.  "YEAH, YOU!  HOWDY!  HOW MUCH FOR THAT BUTTERY-LOOKIN' POPCORN YOU GOT THERE?!?  I WANNA BUY SOME FOR MY GAL PAL FLUTTERSHY!"

"Uhm..."  The stallion dug at his ear.  "H-huh?!"

"SOME POPCORN!  FOR MY FRIEND!  FLUTTERSHY!  THIS BEAUTIFUL AND ADORABLY SHY PONY RIGHT HERE!  FLUTTERSHY!"  A shimmering grin.  "NOT SO HEAVY ON THE BUTTER, THOUGH!  SHE'S SINGLE, AFTER ALL!  GOTTA WATCH THEM PRETTY FLANKS!"

"Applejack!"  Fluttershy squeaked.  She squatted low in her seat and hid in the pink folds of her mane.  "Pl-Please!  Not so loud!"  Her muzzle flushed to the point of burning.  "You kn-know how I am with crowds!"

"SO HOW 'BOUT IT, BUDDY?!"  WREEEEEEE!  A metal hoof reached over the bleachers, forcing several yelping ponies to duck under its dark shadow.  "CAN I HAVE TWO BAGS?!  FOR FLUTTERSHY?!"

"Pl-please!"  The stallion shivered, dropping several treats from his tray.  "I-I'll do anything!  J-just don't hurt me!"  He held up two half-crumpled bags of popcorn.  "Here ya go!  Th-that good enough for ya?"

"THANK Y'ALL KINDLY!"  Applejack smiled.  CLAMP!  She grabbed the bags between two claws and dumped them in Fluttershy's lap.  "Well, will ya look at that!  He gave us all he had left!  Must be our lucky day!"  Whirrrr!  Applejack smirked at her friend.  "See?  You really shouldn't be so dag-gum nervous about askin' for what you want, sugarcube.  We're all on the same side, ya reckon?"

"Erm..."  Fluttershy poked her head out from behind her mane.  "Yes... I-I suppose we are—"

"Awwwww shoot!"  Applejack seethed.  "Where are my manners?"  Cl-Clack!  She turned the suit's right arm into a cannon.  "HEY, PARTNER, I FORGOT TO PAY YA!"

"No... pl-please!"  The stallion hobbled backwards, forelimbs raised.  "It's on the house—It's on the house!"

RAT-A-TAT-TAT!

Six bits flew over the bleachers—P-P-PING!—and ricocheted off his forehead.  He fell back, slamming into an entire row of ponies.  Everyone gasped and collapsed, shaking their seats to the core.  Seconds later, the bleachers imploded, sending a tremorous ripple through the arena.  In a disastrous circle, the remaining bleachers collapsed one by one, sending bodies flying and dust rising to the heavens, until all that was left was Fluttershy.

"Eeep—!"  She plummeted.  CLANK!  Only to be caught in one of the loader's metal palms.

"Easy, there, butterhoof!"  Applejack munched on popcorn.  "Mmmfff Yer liable to miss the action!"

"Uhm... if y-you say so... eheheh..."

"Hey!  Mrmmmmff!  What are y'all standin' around gawkin' for?!  Let's see more lassoin'!  Yeeeeeeeeeha!"  Applejack munched and grinned.  "What could possibly be more fun than this?"