Robotic Stallion Big Lugnut

by Hooves Like Jagger

I: Sparkplug

All across Sweet Apple Acres, things were dark and quiet...

Actually, that is a complete and utter lie. Never had such an unholy din broken out at such an ungodly hour at Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack sat up slowly. Her head wasn't quite in order yet, but she was certain she heard the pandemonium outside. The noises were mechanical in nature and deafening in volume. She rolled off her bed and mumbled as she placed her hat on her head. The sound was still getting louder and closer. Propping herself up on her windowsill, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes before looking out and down the road that stretched beyond Sweet Apple Acres and into the rest of Equestria.

"What in tarnation?" Applejack took note of a smoking silhouette coming up the road, throwing two shafts of light ahead of it as it clanked, clunked, and whistled along. Applejack watched as the wheeled contraption rolled into view and stopped right outside the gates of Sweet Apple Acres. Whatever it was appeared to be an enormous boxcar with a carriage tacked onto the backside with a few two-by-fours.

"Now what's all this so early in the mornin'?" Applejack turned about and headed down the stairs. When she arrived at the bottom, she was surprised to see a familiar figure with one hoof out the door.

"Big Macintosh, didja see that thinga-mabob comin' up the road?" Applejack skipped any sort of salutation. Big Macintosh wasn't really one for conversation though, especially at a time like this.

"Eeyup," Macintosh answered, his drawl sounding more like a drone as he recovered from being rudely awoken. The two of them dragged themselves out the door and moved towards the noise-making monolith in front of their property.

"Now, who'd you reckon would have the nerve to come a callin' at a time like this makin' such a racket?" Big Macintosh didn't respond, but Applejack didn't really think he'd have the answer anyway. Before the pair could arrive at the gate, another duo stepped away from the large vehicle and started up the path. Even in the meager sunlight, Applejack recognized the two tall, butter-colored and dapper dressed stallions approaching.

"Good morning to you Apples! Did you sleep well? Oh, I hope me and my brother didn't wake you up!"

"Flim Flam Brothers, what an surprise. Come 'ere to give me a good reason not to whip you both right now?" Applejack advanced on them, trying to drill holes into their heads with her stare. The brothers just smiled, their confidence evident. Flam was the first to speak up.

"Aw, now is that any way to treat an old friend?" The moustachioed brother leaned in a bit too close to Applejack.

"Old friend?" Applejack wanted to butt heads with him, but she also wanted to avoid impaling her head against his long horn. "And exactly 'ow long 'ave we been friends?"

"Now see here," the clean-shaven brother spoke up. "We've put that little cider incident behind us, so can't you do us the same courtesy?" Flim beamed brightly, threatening to light Equestria with his confidence of the sun didn't hurry up and get all the way into the sky.

"Well I never!" a raspy voice sounded off from behind Applejack and Big Macintosh. Applejack looked back to see old Granny Smith hobbling up the path accompanied by a groggy looking Applebloom.

"Well hello Granny Smith! I was wondering when you'd make an appearance!" Flam greeted her with a overly enthusiastic wave.

"I was beginning to worry you'd up and died since our last visit!" Flim turned about and stood next to his brother, both of them laughing at the joke. Applebloom trotted right up to Applejack and nudged her leg.

"What're they doin' 'ere?" she yawned.

"I dunno Applebloom." Applejack turned and glared at the brothers, "But I think they're 'ere to flap their gums s'more." Flim and Flam laughed much more heartily. This earned them more glares and increased ire from the Apples.

"Me and my brother simply have come to offer a very lucrative business venture to you fine people." Flam swept his hoof in front of the Apples, gesturing to the surrounding land.

"Not int'rested. Git back on yer... uh, whatever it is, and git out!" Applejack retorted.

"Now hold up," Flim stopped her. "You haven't even heard how much we're offering!" Flim leaned in and began whispering in Applejack's ear. Her dissatisfied expression suddenly morphed into wide-eyed interest.

"Continue," she mumbled as Flim withdrew, smiling deviously. Applejack stared straight ahead, not focusing on anything in particular aside from the huge number dancing about her head.

"I'm glad you've had such a change of heart." Flam smirked at his brother, then turned back to the Apples. "Our deal is simple, you prove that you manage this property better than we could, and the money is all yours!" Applejack snapped back into reality.

"And what's the catch?" Applejack probed.

"Well..." Flim smiled. "If we win you have to give us Sweet Apple Acres!"

"What do you say Apples?" Flam chimed in. "With the money we're offering you could buy yourself another farm!"

"Another orchard!" Flim added.

"Renovations!"

"New tools!"

"Increased production!"

"And what's a little risk compared to so much gain?" the two concluded together.

"And... all we gotta do is...?" Applebloom asked, not quiet following some of the terminology.

"I'll put it simply," Flim started. "If one of you can buck down more apples than one of us in an allotted time frame, the money is yours! If not, your farm is ours!"

"Seriously?" Applejack inquired. The brothers beamed and nodded. Applejack sized them up. Sure, they were both pretty big, but that was just height. Both brothers were skinny and nearly as gussied up as Rarity. Applejack sneered at them.

"I'll take that bet!" Applejack declared. "But I have just one condition!" The brothers looked at one another, appearing a tad worried, but still smiling.

"And that is?" both brothers leaned in to ask.

"We gotta bring in a judge, someone to make sure you weasels don't try nuthin' funny!" The brothers heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Applejack noticed it, but before she could consider it she found the Flim Flam brothers were now stationed on either side of her.

"Dear filly, you may bring in anypony you choose to judge this contest!" Flim smiled leaned in closer, his words dripping with confidence once again.

"Bring in Princess Celestia for all we care! Our team won't do a single dishonest thing!" Flam sounded off. Applejack extricated herself from in between the two and gestured to Applebloom.

"Listen up Sugarcube, go down into Ponyville and get Twi, yeah hear?"

___________________

By the time Twilight Sparkle made her way onto Sweet Apple Acres with Applebloom, the sun had managed to fully rise. For Twilight though, it was far too early. She had been so engrossed in her studying last night she didn't hit her bed until long after the sun set. She didn't appreciate being awoken so rudely by Applebloom's knocking, but something in her brain made Twilight get up and answer the door. Applebloom then proceeded to drag her out of the library and up to Sweet Apple Acres, saying there was no time to explain. It turns out there was plenty of time to explain while the two made the trek. Now that Twilight was here, she could tell Applebloom hadn't made her story up. That didn't change the fact that Twilight sort of wished Applebloom had made it up, so Twilight could return home and sleep. At the same time though, she was glad it was the truth. It justified marching all the way out here so early in the morning.

"You're 'ere Twi!" Applejack broke into Twilight's musings as she approached.

"Morning..." Twilight yawned. Applejack turned and faced the Flim Flam brothers, who were lazing about their means of locomotion.

"She's 'ere! Let's get this done!" The entire company moved to the property entrance. Flim and Flam remained reclined on their machine while the Apples glared them down. Twilight stood between them, still looking a bit out of sorts. She turned to Applejack.

"Are you sure you need me to judge? These guys don't seem like they could beat you even if they cheated," Twilight observed. Applejack nodded. Twilight shrugged as Flim and Flam smirked at each other.

"Now 'ere's how this is gonna happen. We divided up the south orchard into two parts, each with what we believe to be the same amount of trees. Either way, I doubt anypony could manage to buck the whole thing in the fifteen minute time limit anyway. The pony who manages to buck the most apples wins!" Applejack finished her explanation and stepped up to the brothers. "Now which one of you 'ere has the guts to challenge me?"

"Big Lugnut," Flim answered immediately.

"I beg yer pardon?" Applejack turned up a brow. Flim and Flam motioned to their machine. "Now hold on a minute! That big machine is not allowed to do yer work!"

"What do you say judge?" Flam turned to Twilight. "Is this machine here before you allowed to participate?" Twilight stood around and blinked for a while, considering the implications of answering one way or the other.

"Uh... no?" Twilight answered before slipping into another yawn.

"So we can't use this machine you see right here in this competition, but say... oh, I dunno, another machine could? A smaller one perhaps?" Flam looked incredibly smug. Applejack didn't like it, but Twilight chimed in first.

"Fine by me," Twilight yawned again. Flim and Flam smiled at each other. They turned and faced their peculiar mode of transport. Applejack hadn't really examined it beforehand, but now that she was sure the brothers were up to something she scrutinized the machine. It wasn't the machine they brought last time. Same looking paint job, same big wheels and same couch on top of it. The main body of the machine was just a large, metal box. At least, it looked like just a box.

Flim and Flam fired two beams of green magic from their horns, up into an antenna on the machine. Instantaneously, the end of the box facing the group swung open, hitting the ground with a metallic thud. Since it wasn't facing the sun, the Apples and Twilight couldn't see what lay in the depths of the box's darkness. The brothers shot two more beams of energy into the opening in the box. A brief green flash, then nothing.

Everypony sat in silence, just waiting.

"What's goin' on?" Applejack asked after a minute passed. Flim and Flam looked at each other. They huddled up and whispered between each other, exchanging some barely audible words of frustration. Concluding their meeting, they looked back at the others.

"Excuse us for a moment." Flim and Flam scurried into the box themselves. There was another green flash, accompanied by Flim and Flam running back out. This time, something happened.

In the depths of the box, two green points of light became visible. Deep within the darkness the sound of metal against metal rang out. Slowly and rhythmically, accompanied by loud whirring, the noises grew closer. Applejack, Twilight and company looked on as a towering figure emerged from the darkness. At first glance, it appeared to be a large, grey stallion with a faded green harness around its neck. It wasn't a stallion though. It wasn't covered in hide, but shining metal. Its eyes were black pits with shining green points. It had no mane and its tail was a thick, black cord. On either flank was a darkened image of a nut for a lug bolt.

"Land... sakes..." Applejack looked up at the robot's expressionless visage as it clanked and whirred its way up to her. Only the Flim Flam Brothers didn't look surprised. Instead, they looked quite pleased.

"Meet Big Lugnut! He'll be your opponent," Flim announced.

"Now hold on right there!" Applebloom began to protest, but Applejack butted in.

"Fine! I can easily outbuck your fancy robot!" Applejack grunted and moved herself over to the makeshift starting line just beyond the gate. Big Lugnut followed shortly behind.

"Well... if Applejack doesn't have a problem with it." Twilight followed behind them, moving in front of the starting line. Flim and Flam slapped hooves.

"Big Lugnut, buck as many apples as you can, alright?" Flim commanded.

"Affirmative," a metal voice rang out from the robot. Applejack nearly jumped at the noise. It was a voice completely void of any emotion or inflection. It was almost as if someone had thrown a rock at the thing and the voice was just the resulting sound.

"Don't let them mean 'ol robot scare you sis! You kin do it!" Applebloom cheered.

"Pipsqueak, who's that there chap with the sour face?" Granny Smith questioned. Big Macintosh shushed her. Twilight looked at either competitor. Applejack was poised, ready to sprint off. Big Lugnut was still, so still that if he were alive he would have appeared very peaceful. Something about being made of metal made him menacing instead.

"On your marks..." Twilight raised a hoof. Applejack tensed up.

"Get set..." Applejack was ready to explode forward.

"Go!" Big Lugnut left a only a cloud of dust and a confused Applejack as he kicked off the ground and right past Twilight. Applejack recovered quickly and galloped off after him into the orchard. The spectators watched as the two started bucking the apple trees. Applejack was proving why she was the best apple-bucker around, darting about and slamming the trees hard with her hind legs. Each movement was fluid, each step was deliberate, and each kick was exactly as powerful as it needed to be. This was Applejack in her element.

Big Lugnut was the exact opposite. Lugnut made a beeline from tree to tree, slamming each one with a single hind leg. The force of simply raising his leg into the tree was more than enough to dislodge the apples within it. It was a cruel looking, unnatural display. It wasn't an elegant act, but clumsy. It was far from ineffective though. Every spectator would agree, the robot was keeping pace with the pony.

Soon, both of them disappeared too deep into the orchard to be directly observed. Everyone could see the tops of the trees shaking and hear the sound of the heavy impacts. Twilight looked up at the timer Flim and Flam had set up, watching it count down. When the fifteen minutes came to pass, the mechanical clock started ringing loudly. In the distance, the trees stopped moving. Shortly afterwards, two figures emerged from the orchard. Applejack, looking completely winded, and Big Lugnut, covered in a couple of leaves. Applejack slowly walked up to Twilight and plopped down on her rear.

"Go 'head and count 'em Twi..." she panted. Twilight nodded and headed off into the orchard herself. Applejack sat resting by herself, the onlookers stayed back and waiting for the final decision before rushing in. One pony, however, cast a shadow over Applejack as he walked up. Applejack looked up into his cold, green eyes. As unfocused as they were, she couldn't shake the feeling that the eyes were looking at her. Even the robot's neck was craned down slightly. He was definitely looking at her.

"Need somethin' pard'ner?" Applejack got up and planted herself before the robot. It gave no response. The two remained locked onto each other until Twilight emerged from the orchard. Flim, Flam and the Apple Family gathered around to hear the results. Twilight looked at the competitors, her face revealing nothing about the results.

"Big Lugnut your total was ninety trees exactly," Twilight announced. Applejack's heart sank into her stomach. That's a lot for working only fifteen minutes. Not impossible, but Applejack knew she could only do that well on a good day. She wasn't sure how she did. She hadn't counted, she just focused on moving and bucking as fast as she could. She glanced back at her family. The look in their eyes told her they also understood the situation, but they hadn't given up hope. She caught a glance of Flim and Flam, both looking quite pleased with themselves.

"Applejack," Twilight turned to Applejack, "you bucked ninety-two."

"Say what?" Applejack didn't have time to be relieved as she was swarmed by her family all at once. Flim and Flam's mouths dropped right open.

"You did it!" Applebloom cheered.

"Eeyup!" Big Macintosh followed in suite. Granny Smith said some things, but it was mostly unintelligible mumbling. Flim and Flam turned to each other, eyes wide. They quickly fell upon Twilight.

"Two trees?" Flam protested. Twilight smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"Two little trees?" Flim growled.

"Two simple trees?" Flam added.

"Two mere..."

"Measly..."

"Miniscule..."

"Meager..."

"Miserable trees?" the brothers finished together.

"Ah-hem," Applejack strode up to the pair, "I believe you gentlecolts owe me a bit o' money. Whaddya say, friends?" Flim and Flam looked at each other, making the fact they hadn't intended to lose painfully obvious. Flim managed an empty smile.

"Let me and my brother get that for you!" Flim started off towards the machine.

"But we-" Flam tried to stop him, but Flim grabbed him and pulled him along. Applejack smiled and trotted over to Twilight.

"Yer not just makin' it up, right Twi?" Applejack could barely contain her excitement.

"I was surprised myself. That robot really put up a good effort. I'm amazed those two could even build something like that," Twilight mused as she and Applejack wandered over to the machine. The rest of the Apples were heading back to the farmhouse, feeling a bit tired after being awoken so early and getting wrapped up in all that excitement.

"How does this machine even work?" Twilight asked the simple farm pony. Applejack just shrugged.

"Would you like a demonstration?" Flim yelled over the sound of his vehicle's engine suddenly starting. Before either Applejack or Twilight could respond, two beams of green magic shot out and hit the two prongs on Big Lugnut's harness. He whirred a bit, then started to march towards the farmhouse.

"Hey! What's the big idear?" Applejack shouted at the brothers.

"Here's the 'idear' my little pony," Flam called back.

"We've got a new deal for you! Surrender Sweet Apple Acres to us, or we'll have Big Lugnut here tear the whole thing down!" Flim issued his ultimatum.

"No deal!" Applejack shouted before running after the metal juggernaut. She stopped in front of it and bucked it with all she had.

Bad idea.

Applejack felt a rigid shock go through her body as the metal horse keep on despite her pushing against it. Applejack couldn't believe the robot's strength. It wasn't even that she was tired from bucking apples. Applejack felt like she was just pushing against a solid wall.

"Twi! Do somethin'!" Applejack called out to her friend.

"What should I do?" Twilight panicked.

"I dunno! Use yer magic! Anythin'!" Twilight reached out with her magic. She grabbed onto Big Lugnut and tried to stop him by force. Big Lugnut glowed with the same radiance of Twilight's horn, but struggle as she might the robot kept marching forward. The advance was slow but sure. Twilight let up, noticing the futility of her effort.

"Try somethin' else!" Applejack shouted, still pushing against the robot's front. Twilight thought a moment. On a whim, she shout out a bolt of magic at the prongs Flim and Flam had used to control Big Lugnut.

"Nice try sister, but he only responds to our magic!" Flim shouted.

"Besides, I doubt you even have it in you to override our spell!" Flam guffawed. Twilight didn't let up, despite their jeering. Something had to give. She focused harder on what she was doing. Slowly, yet surely, she began to feel the nature of the magic controlling the machine. There was no way around the spell, not for her. Flim and Flam were right, it was designed to take orders from them, and them alone. She dug deeper though, feeling out the inner workings of the machine. Beneath all the wires, gears, and iron plates there was something else. Something powerful. She could feel magic radiating off of it. It wasn't a part of the machine, but it was in there, fighting to control it. Magic blocked it from taking total control of the machine. She felt the spell damming up the energy. Twilight knew she could break it open. Twilight hesitated. She didn't know what would happen afterwards.

"Uh, I hate to bother you when you look so concentrated sugarcube, but would ya mind hurryin' up a bit?" Applejack watched as her house grew closer and closer. Twilight threw caution to the wind. With one final push, she broke the spell.

Big Lugnut stopped in his tracks. His whirring gears went silent as his eyes went dark. Applejack looked up at the metal pony. She breathed a sigh of relief, allowing herself to collapse in front of the motionless machine. Behind her, Applebloom emerged from the farmhouse.

"What's all the racket?" Applebloom asked, completely oblivious to the events that had just unfolded. Applejack ignored her for the moment and turned back to the Flim Flam brothers.

"Aight, now which one of you wants to get kicked by Equestria's best apple bucker first?" Flim and Flam cast a casual glance at one another.

"Just a minor setback," Flam chuckled. The unicorn brothers shot two more green bolts, hitting the harness prongs before either Twilight or Applejack could react.

"March, Big Lugnut!" Flim commanded.

Big Lugnut did not march. Instead, his head began spinning around at high speed. Applejack stepped back as the robot began convulsing, issuing painfully loud, mechanical whirs and grinds as its metallic body contorted.

"Error! Error!" the soulless voice called out as its body parts spun and its eyes flashed all different colors. "Error! Error! 404 page not found! Ponynet Explorer is searching for a sol-sol-sol-all your base-base-basebasebasebasebase!"

"Hit the deck!" Applejack shoved Applebloom back inside and slammed the door to the farmhouse. She ran and grabbed Twilight, dragging her into a nearby ditch. Even Flim and Flam ducked down in their vehicle.

"You have sel-selected Mi-Microtrot Sam as your de-de-de-de-buyitfuseitbreakitfixit harder better faster st-st-st-stronger! Assimilate! Assimilate! This violates the p-p-p-p Cloptimus Prime directive! Roll out!" All sound from Big Lugnut ceased. Applejack and Twilight peeked over. Big Lugnut was just standing there normally, eyes empty.

"What in blue blazes jus' happened?" Applejack whispered.

"Is it over?" Twilight dared to ask.

"Daisy! Daisy, give me your... an...swer... truuuuuuuuu..." Big Lugnut issued its final message, its voice droning into the lowest octave it could manage before it fell over onto its side unceremoniously.

"I think it's over..."

"Twi, don't jinx it!" Applejack shushed her. It was too late. As they looked on, Lugnut slowly got back on his feet. Its previously empty eyes were now occupied by points of purple. Its neck whirred around side to side before staring straight ahead.

"Where did everypony go?" the robot asked. Applejack was surprised by the voice she heard come from it. It was still pretty artificial sounding, but it wasn't depressingly low or bereft of inflection anymore. If she had to sum it up in one word, it would be "believable".

Still, neither Twilight or Applejack dared to exit the ditch.

Big Lugnut kept rotating its neck, looking to either side. He turned his neck a full one hundred and eighty degrees and spotted the Flim Flam brother's vehicle. Keeping its eyes fixed on it, Big Lugnut turned about and started clanking over to it. Flim and Flam instantly assumed the worst.

"Let's get out of here!" Flim declared. Their engine roared as they made a wide U-turn and headed out of Sweet Apple Acres and away from Ponyville. Big Lugnut responded to this by breaking into a gallop. Applejack and Twilight emerged from their hiding spot and watched the chase disappear down the road.

"Serves 'em right!" Applejack stamped a hoof, "I hope that contraption chases 'em right out of Equestria!" This thought was interrupted by the growling of Twilight's stomach. Right on cue, Granny Smith swung the farmhouse door open.

"Soup's up!" she called. Applejack turned and smiled at Twilight.

"Breakfast?" she offered.

"If that wouldn't be too much trouble," Twilight and Applejack laughed as they headed into the farmhouse. Granny Smith was still peering around outside.

"Eh... where did them Flibberty Gibberty brothers go?"

____________________

Big Lugnut stopped in his tracks. He watched the Flim Flam brothers drive off into the distance. He put zeros and ones together and came to the conclusion that the two ponies on that locomotive didn't want to talk. He spun his neck around to look at what he had left behind. On the horizon was the mess of red buildings he had left behind.Big Lugnut reeled around and began trotting back towards it. If anypony was there, he did not know. It appeared a lot more promising prospect than the blank horizon that weird machine had run off into.

____________________

With all the excitement of the morning, Applejack was hoping to spend the afternoon relaxing with her friends down in Ponyville. The sun stood directly overhead, assuring her that Flim and Flam had not wasted her day. In fact, she ought to thank them. With the combined effort of her and Big Lugnut, she was able to buck her quota for the day shortly after Twilight left. Applejack finished washing up and was making her way back down to the kitchen, when she heard knocking at the front door.

"Now who could that be?" The knocking came again. "Comin'!" she assured whoever was on the other side. She just hoped it wasn't the Flim Flam brothers, returning to cry for mercy. If she had to guess, it was probably just Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looking for Applebloom. That wasn't the case right now though, since all three had headed down to their clubhouse shortly after breakfast. Applejack dismissed the thought of the visitor being unsavory. After Flim and Flam, most anypony would be a welcome guest. Applejack put a hoof on the knob and opened the door up.

"Hello," Big Lugnut greeted her. Applejack shut the door. Big Lugnut knocked again. Applejack reopened the door, slowly this time. Big Lugnut was indeed standing on her stoop.

"That was rude," the robot complained.

"What in tarnation are you doin' here?" was the only question Applejack could come up with in light of the surprise she was feeling.

"I was in search of somepony to tell me where I am," Big Lugnut explained, his neck whirring as he surveyed his current surroundings.

"What're you talkin' about? Yer a robot! Ain't you got a map or somethin'?" Applejack questioned. Big Lugnut didn't say anything for a moment.

"Did you just call me a robot?" he asked.

"Well, ain't ya?"

"No, I am not a robot. I am a pony similar to yourself," Big Lugnut insisted. Applejack's brow furrowed.

"What're you tryin' to pull? Did Flim and Flam put you up to this?"

"Who?"

"Flim and Flam! The couple a snakes who made you!" Applejack pointed an accusatory hoof at Lugnut, who backed up a bit in response.

"You are mistaken. As a pony, it was two ponies who made me, not snakes," Big Lugnut's neck craned down, staring Applejack down with his purple eyes.

"Flim and Flam are ponies!" Applejack stamped a hoof. Big Lugnut's neck shot up and he became quiet again. Applejack stared at him, wondering what the mechanical horse was thinking. It took a couple of seconds before Big Lugnut leaned back down and addressed Applejack.

"Are you saying my parents are named Flim and Flam?" Applejack heaved a frustrated moan before gracing the question with an answer.

"You're a robot! You don't have parents! Flim and Flam are brothers and your creators!" Applejack persisted, stamping her hoof down with each statement.

"Ma'am, did I wrong you in some way to merit this behavior?" Big Lugnut asked. Applejack was taken aback for a moment. The tone of voice sounded legitimately apologetic. In fact, throughout this whole conversation, Big Lugnut had been using tones of voice appropriate to the situation. Applejack didn't let it get to her though, recalling who she was dealing with.

"In fact, ya you did do somethin'! You tried to destroy my home!" Applejack cited the incident this morning.

"That is a lie. I have no such memory," Big Lugnut quipped.

"Are you tryin' to pull the wool over my eyes?"

"That is a lie. I have no such wool." Big Lugnut stamped, or rather slammed, an iron hoof down.

"Ya know what? How's 'bout you git off my property before I melt ya down and make horseshoes?" Applejack threatened. Big Lugnut shook his head and took a step back.

"My apologies ma'am," he sounded a bit panicked. "Today has not been an optimal day for me and I..."

"Not a good day? Yer not alone pard'ner!" Applejack yelled before slamming the door in Big Lugnut's face. Big Lugnut stood on the porch in silence. He knocked on the door.

"I am sorry for whatever you think that it is I did."

"I don't care!" Applejack yelled from the other side. Big Lugnut looked down and kicked some dirt around with his hoof. He knocked again, but before he could say anything he was met with a shrill, "Get outta here!"

Big Lugnut turned about and headed down the path he came up until he reached the gate again. He looked right. Nothing but the blank horizon he had come from greeted his vision. He looked left. There appeared to be a large collection of buildings off in the distance. Big Lugnut trotted off, hoping to find more hospitality down the road.