The Tale of Lord Barleycorn
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Chapter 28: Who is she really punishing?
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The front door slammed shut and Applejack felt as though the whole house grew a few degrees colder. She hadn't understood why Harvest Moon had been so tense when Carrot Top had arrived or why the older mare calmed down shortly after they had begun to talk, but now after hearing Harvest Moon's story and the abridged history this extended branch of the family had with her own, Applejack unwittingly began to share in her cousin’s nervousness.
None of the mares in the kitchen moved, as they heard the sound of advancing hooves and creaking wooden boards. When Applejack shot a concerned glance to her hostess she found Harvest Moon's teeth were tightly clenched; no doubt she was already imagining the worst.
When a shadow at last loomed over the threshold, Applejack heard somepony hiss as she took in air through their teeth as she braced herself.
The hoofsteps slowed and came to a stop, but after several tense moments a stallion poked his head from around the open doorway. He looked to be almost the same age as Applejack, a little stocky from what she could see of him, but he seemed in every way a strong farm pony. He looked about the kitchen, his eyes lingering on Applejack and Fluttershy before he turned his attention to Carrot Top with a worried expression on his face.
Applejack was about to inquire about this new stallion's identity when she heard Harvest Moon let out a groan. The older mare was leaning against the counter for support as she rubbed her forehead in slow, pacifying circles.
"Did I do something wrong?" The stallion asked defensively, looking ready to retreat back into the living room.
"No... but next time you might want to let us know it's you and not your dad." Carrot Top glared, but her anger quickly softened as she gestured to the other mares in the room, "Also, why don't you introduce yourself to your cousin."
Fluttershy blinked, "You mean this is Leadfoot?"
A smile finally appeared on Applejack's face. Maybe it was the tension, but she hadn't recognized her cousin at all. She could hardly believe that this was the same scrawny colt that had eaten five entire apple pies under the quilt table all those years ago.
"Uh, hi Applejack. Been a while, huh?" Leadfoot's eyes went to the kitchen window that his mother had been glancing at since Applejack had entered the house.
Applejack took several steps closer to her cousin, "Ah'll say. Ah remember when you an Ah were the same size."
Leadfoot stood silent for a moment as he quickly measured Applejack with his eyes, "I ain't that much taller than you."
"Tall enough. If ya get any bigger an' ya'll give Big Macintosh a run for his money." Applejack chuckled, "It's real good to see ya."
Leadfoot smiled, "Same here cousin, but you came at a really bad time, y'see..."
"We already told her, she knows." Carrot Top explained, "No need to go over that whole mess twice."
Leadfoot gave a slow nod of his head, "If you say so cousin Golden."
Somewhere, Applejack thought she heard a pin drop.
"Um, Leadfoot," Applejack interjected, "Why'd ya call Carrot Top ‘cousin?’"
Leadfoot grimaced, only now realizing the scope of his mistake. "What? I-I thought I you meant… what I came up here to say is..."
Unsatisfied with Leadfoot's fumbling, Applejack turned her attention to the carrot farmer. "Carrot Top?"
Having the eyes of everypony in the room on her did not help Carrot Top as she scrambled for any explanation, even a paper-thin one to throw at Applejack--anything was better than merely standing there in silence! The more Carrot Top pushed herself, the harder it became to formulate even the most hollow rationalization. It was only out of desperation that Carrot Top decided to pull a maneuver from Roseluck's repertoire...
"I don't know, this is the first time he's called me that." Carrot Top coughed out, "But if you'll excuse me I think I'll go back to the fields. I can't spend all day in here gabbing while there's work to do!"
Applejack bit her cheek to try and prevent herself from glowering at Carrot Top, "That had to be one of the worst lies Ah've ever heard. Ah... Ah guess there might be a real reason why she doesn't wanna talk about it, but she an’ Ah are gonna talk about this later fer sure."
"C-Carrot Top?" Leadfoot flinched, he knew he was on thin ice with his cousin, "I wouldn’t-"
Carrot Top rubbed her forehead with her hoof, straining to maintain a hospitable tone, "Leadfoot, I'll see you later."
"Hey Carrot Top?" Applejack ventured, "Ah um… wouldn’t mind gettin’ together fer lunch some other time, talk things over?"
Carrot Top hesitated as her hoof came to rest on the doorknob. Her nostrils flared as she stood frozen in contemplation.
"I’ll think about it." Carrot Top said, but her tone did not sound particularly hopeful.
Applejack’s ears folded back. It wasn’t a no, but it wasn’t a yes either. "Ah think Ah’d almost prefer Discord goin’ back to his old ways than this. ‘Least that was simple as ‘git the elements an’ blast him.’"
With that said, Carrot Top turned the latch and opened the door. However, her attempt to leave the farmhouse nearly caused her to hit Summer Harvest with the door.
"Be a little more careful with the door there, cousin Golden." Summer said as he stepped aside. "Headin’ back out?"
Carrot Top's eye twitched, but neither Applejack nor Summer seemed to notice it.
Leadfoot braced himself for what was to come, but despite his uneasiness he managed to say, "I kept tryin’ to tell ya..."
Harvest Moon covered her face with her hoof as she held back a frustrated groan, "I could have sent them on their way when I had the chance, but no..."
Carrot Top meant to hold Summer up, or at least obscure his vision of the kitchen but the older stallion kept trying to peer over her shoulder. Finally tired of Carrot Top's obstruction, Summer leveled a glare that utterly withered Carrot Top's resolve. She didn't want to step out of the way, but the alternative was to stand there until Summer's glare shrank her down to nothing or he simply traveled around to the front door.
"Psst," Fluttershy whispered to Applejack, "I think we should go now..."
Applejack didn’t reply, she merely continued to stare at this newcomer.
Summer's first step into the kitchen elicited a flinch from Leadfoot, who glanced back at the safety of the living room. Leadfoot did not know the reason, but he couldn't bring himself to slink away from this with his tail between his legs… not yet at least.
Applejack's first impression of Summer Harvest was that he was an imposing figure. The olive-drab stallion stood tall with a presence that reminded Applejack of the less friendly royal guards she had the displeasure of meeting. He was tall, strong, and despite a few wintery hairs on his chin he didn’t look a bit weighed down by age or hardship. What did make Applejack flinch was the medical gauze wrapped tightly around his foreleg. Around top and bottom of these wrappings Applejack could see the furthermost extremities of some large gash that was closed but still red, and had the tell-tale markings of stitches that had just been removed.
This injury explained why the farm needed extra help but this one cut, however deep, could not be the reason the Harvest family’s farm was in such a state of disrepair.
When Applejack’s eyes again drifted up she found Summer was likewise appraising her. This was not a simple scan of her person, but a calculating audit that made Applejack very uncomfortable. There was something in the way he looked at her cutie mark that reminded her of the way Granny Smith would search for bad spots in a potato before she cut them out.
Summer then gave a contemptuous snort that nearly made Applejack jump, but instead of any harsh words Summer turned to Harvest moon with a notably softer shift in his face. "Nevermind me, I just came up to get an empty cart when I saw we had visitors coming near the house."
"Darndest thing, it was like those girls kept trippin’ over each other to find more things to do… like there isn’t enough to get done already." Summer said as he began to walk toward the sink, only to stop and face his wife once more, "These two aren't trying to sell something, are they?"
If the situation had be different, Harvest Moon might have laughed, "No, they aren't selling anything."
While Summer turned on the sink and drank straight from the facet, Applejack felt a need to speak to him. It still felt strange to think that he disliked the Apples, which was silly considering he himself was one by descent. There was also the temptation to be open with her thoughts, to get right to the point and call him on being hard headed. What stopped Applejack from acting on these feelings was a gnawing suspicion that she was standing on a powder keg.
Absently, Applejack wished that Twilight would have come with her to this farm. Twilight also had the luxury of knowing words Applejack didn't, and how to use them to properly mediate a situation. It was probably why Twilight was a princess now. Fluttershy might have had the benefit of actually being there and she did have a certain way with some ponies, sure, but despite her recent assertiveness Applejack had her doubts that Fluttershy could effectively deal with a stallion like Summer.
"Good, we can't have salesponies underhoof while there’s work to be done. ’Though I wonder why all of ya are in here like somepony was having an intervention." Summer said before taking another drink from the faucet.
"They're uh," Carrot Top started, but she stopped when she heard another voice trying to speak over her.
"We're just visitin' is all. Didn't mean no harm." Applejack said, "If'n we are, then we'll jus' be on our way."
Applejack motioned to Fluttershy to stand and to follow her in the direction of the living room.
Harvest Moon rested against the counter as relief washed over her like an ocean wave. No incident, no argument, just Applejack calmly walking toward the living room while Summer focused on the fields. Maybe she would be able to meet Applejack later in town after all. If she did there might be some way she could back up Golden Harvest's story, maybe explain to Applejack that 'cousin' is just a nickname for her. A little lie would be worth all of 'Carrot Top's' help these past several days.
A glance back at Summer revealed that he had finished drinking from the faucet like a sloven bachelor and was now giving the apples that sat on the counter a stern glare.
"Where did these come from?" Summer asked as he continued to stare at the ripe, red fruit.
Such a question seemed innocuous enough for Applejack to turn her head, "Uh, I brought them."
Summer clucked his tongue as he continued to regard the apples with quiet disdain as he seemed to be mulling something over. Another glance at Applejack seemed to confirm something for him as he strode up to the counter.
"Well you can take them back." Summer knocked one of the apples on its side with a tap of his hoof, "From my experience, every Apple's got at least one worm in it."
"Worms?" Applejack mouthed the word, no sound was actually made but there was a distinct vibration that came from Applejack's throat that was characteristic of a growl.
Harvest Moon shot her husband a warning glance, "Summer..."
"What? It's true. Like they say, all it takes is one bad Apple to ruin them all. Maybe it’s this one..." Summer tapped the offending apple again, but this time it rolled hard enough to double back and roll off the counter.
The apple hit the hard floor, sending a small spray of juice before it began a wounded, wobbling roll under the kitchen table. Applejack's eyes followed its entire journey, and she continued to stare at it before looking back at Summer. The difference she saw in his face was as subtle as adjusting a picture frame, but there was something in his stance or perhaps a glint in his eye confessed to some malign satisfaction in insulting Applejack's wares.
Applejack furrowed her brow, "Fer yer information Ah ain't seen a bad apple in years. 'From what Ah heard, that one got thrown out years ago."
Fluttershy blinked, not expecting Applejack to fire back like that. She cleared her throat to try and get Applejack's attention away from Summer, but her friend continued to scowl back at the olive-colored stallion.
"That's different than I remember it," Summer's tone was now unmistakably sarcastic, "Afterall, if the apple that was thrown out was bad, then the apples that came with it were trash too--and it would seem that they were."
Disparaging remarks were something that Applejack had not encountered often when the topic of her family came up. Occasionally somepony would take some off-color jab at Granny Smith but normally that was it. Other times it was a simple good-natured ribbing that Applejack could simply dismiss as utterly harmless. A few ponies during her short tenure at Cherry Hill Ranch in Dodge Junction had scoffed at Sweet Apple Acres but that had come across as friendly competition, not unlike how Rainbow Dash liked to boast about her abilities.
Here, there was nothing to suggest that Summer was engaging in friendly banter. This was open scorn for the Apples and everything they worked for. The aged wooden floor of the kitchen creaked as Applejack groaned a little as she began to ignorantly press down with her forelegs as her muscles tensed. She had once joked about rearing up and kicking Big Mac for smart mouthing her, here she might actually do it.
"Applejack, I think we should leave..." Fluttershy whispered.
"Applejack? Orange Twist's filly?" Summer chuckled dryly, "Last I heard you'd just gone back to that haughty apple orchard after staying in Manehatten. You'd have been better off not surrounded by ponies who'd mollycoddle you."
"Mollycoddle!?" Applejack sputtered, Fluttershy was now completely forgotten. "Ah've never been- How thick is that head of yours to think that Ah've ever had it easy?"
Summer rolled his eyes, "Never done much thinkin' for yerself, have ya? I told your ma what kinda family she was gettin' into but she didn't listen. She bought into what the Apples were sellin'."
"An' what pray tell was the family 'sellin'?" Applejack demanded.
"That I was an ungrateful colt and my pa was a nutter." Summer sneered, "I will say she had a better head on her shoulders than most Apples, she never let them make her 'just another Apple.' Though, in the end they buried her in the family plot so she might as well be."
"You ain't got no right to be talkin' about my ma like that!" Applejack shouted, "Y'call yerself a farmer but this here farm's nothin' compared to Sweet Apple Acres!"
Fluttershy looked back at the living room, her escape route out of the farm house. Leadfoot was hiding from the safety of the living, with only the tip of Leadfoot’s ear exposed to more clearly eavesdrop on the ensuing argument. For whatever reason, Leadfoot peeked out and his eyes locked onto Fluttershy’s for a moment, and she felt he might be as uncomfortable as she was.
Leadfoot gestured for Fluttershy to come take shelter with him in the living room. The idea was very tempting, even just being out of Summer's line-of-sight would calm Fluttershy's nerves immensely. Slowly, with cautious, quiet steps Fluttershy began to back away. A glance to the side door showed that Carrot Top had already disappeared out to the fields, presumably.
"Well, looks like the foal's got a good pair of eyes after all. She can tell the difference between cornstalks and apple trees." Summer goaded, "I'm sure Granny Smith taught you that herself when she wasn't being an old shrew that can't leave well enough alone. Now if you'll kindly get your plot off my land I've got corn to pick."
"Now hold on a second you slanderin' billy goat!" Applejack barked, now seething with rage, "You take that back about Granny right now!"
Summer regarded her with mock fascination before flaring his nostrils, "No. This isn't your orchard, you don't get to tell anypony what to do."
"Ah said take that back!" Applejack hissed through clenched teeth as she took several steps closer to Summer.
Summer stood his ground and narrowed his eyes, "Or else?"
"Ah'll teach you some manners, that's what." Applejack growled.
"Alright, that's enough!" Harvest Moon shouted, "I'm not having any violence in my kitchen so the two of you can cool it, right now!"
Fluttershy relaxed from her hiding spot, finally somepony was stepping in to get things under control.
"Ah wasn't gonna-"
Harvest Moon cut Applejack off with a zip-your-lip gesture. "I don't care what you were gonna do." Harvest moon then turned to her husband, "You go on and git’ out to the fields. If you stick around and cause another fuss while we have company I'm giving your helping of my stew to Leadfoot."
Fluttershy heard Leadfoot mutter, "Who is she really punishing?"
Summer showed no change in his temperament, he merely glanced once at Applejack, then Harvest Moon before he casually walked out the side door.
With Summer gone, Harvest Moon's shoulders fell as she shook her head.
"Is he... always like this?" Applejack asked, her agitation leaving her in waves as she took several calming breaths.
"Only when the Apple family's brought up, and honestly, this is one of the better times this has happened. A few choice words can send him into a real tirade about how they treated the Harvests so poorly. Some of it's true, but he's holding onto it more than I like." Harvest Moon shook her head, "But you looked like you were about to start a fight."
Applejack's ears fell back, "Ah didn't mean to, he just... I ain’t never had somepony get me that riled up..."
Harvest Moon took a moment to gather herself and to glance out the kitchen window. She could see Summer was headed out to the barn, presumably to get the cart he’d initially come up here for. She couldn’t see his face from this angle, but from how heavy his hoofsteps were she didn’t need to see it to know he was livid. Harvest Moon hoped the visiting mares were smart enough to give him space until he could cool off.
"I know he's got a temper, but if you had started a fight you'd be the bad pony here and he'd feel justified." Harvest Moon turned her attention back to Applejack, "I'm already sure what he's going to be talking about come supper time and our helpers are already uncomfortable after the last time they brought your family up."
Applejack blinked, "Carrot Top brought me up?"
"No, it was... Roseluck I believe." Harvest Moon said after a moment's introspection.
"Roseluck? The florist?" Applejack asked.
The umber mare blinked in surprise, but quickly rolled her eyes, "Dunno why I thought you wouldn’t know her. Yes, that’s her."
Applejack raised an eyebrow, it wasn't hard to guess who the rest of the help Harvest Moon had was. The flower ponies had all up and left town almost at the same time that Carrot Top had. Their friendship with Carrot Top also led to an explanation to why they were here, helping out a friend in need, or more aptly a friend's family in need.
Applejack smiled a little despite her earlier actions, "Sorry if Ah riled him up. Ah'll head out to see if Ah cin get my friends an' me to meet somewhere else while Ah tell 'em about Barleycorn."
"Lord Barleycorn. Always use a spirit's title, it's proper manners." Harvest Moon reminded Applejack, "But, it would be best if you went ahead and did that. Just... remember what I was tellin' you earlier about Summer. If your orchards weren't doing so well you'd be extra touchy if the subject was brought up."
"Ah guess..." Applejack mumbled half-heartedly.
"I'm sorry your visit ended up this way. Maybe I can visit Ponyville sometime in the future." Harvest Moon offered as she picked the displaced apple from under the table and placed it with the others, "Once we get things in order around here, I mean."
Applejack nodded, but it was more of a reflexive response than a genuine gesture. It sounded like Harvest Moon was thinking this farm could get back on its hooves despite Summer not wanting any help. A simple call to the rest of the family could solve this in a week of hard work but that didn’t sound like Summer would appreciate it.
"If you could, tell Carrot Top Ah'll be seein' her later fer me?" Applejack asked.
"It'd be no problem at all," Harvest Moon then directed her attention to the two younger ponies standing in the living room, "and I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk more to you, Fluttershy."
Upon hearing her name Fluttershy stepped out so she could be fully seen by both of the remaining mares in the kitchen.
"It's not your fault. I had a nice time talking to you about the wild plants you can find in the forest." Fluttershy said, eager to put the incident with Summer behind them. "And if you come to Ponyville we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other."
"Maybe I'll come with, I wouldn't mind seeing Sweet Apple Acres." Said Leadfoot, "And Ponyville for that matter."
Fluttershy nodded, "I'd like that."
"Ah would too. Uh, if some of our friends show up before we git a chance to tell'em, just have'em head back to Tablecloth's." Applejack said as she turned to leave the kitchen.
Harvest Moon walked with her guests to the front door and held it open for them like a good hostess should. She still wore a look of regret for what had happened, but she tried to smile for what it was worth.
"Have a safe trip back to Ponyville." Harvest Moon said as the two stepped out onto the porch.
"We will, see ya later!" Applejack called back as they walked out to the road.
Fluttershy waved her goodbye, taking in one last look at the shabby farmhouse before she could focus on the dirt road that lead back to town.
Applejack however kept her focus on the weeds that grew in scattered patches in the road. She said nothing as the fields changed around her, and did not look up until she heard Fluttershy clear her throat a little too aggressively.
Realizing she had left her friend in an uncomfortable silence, Applejack cleared her throat before addressing Fluttershy; "Huh?"
"I said; are you okay? You've been really quiet." Fluttershy inquired.
Applejack glanced at her friend, but continued walking, "Sorry Fluttershy, I ain't tryin' to ignore ya. Ah've... just got a lot on mah mind."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Fluttershy asked.
Applejack stopped in the road and took a deep breath, something that Twilight mentioned several times, apparently it helped to calm her down when she was feeling stressed out. "When we first got to the farm Ah thought Corn Crib and Harvest Moon were embarrassed by their home."
Fluttershy nodded as she sat on the side of the road, "I was thinking the same thing until Harvest Moon talked about Summer’s grandfather. I had no idea things were so bad between your families."
"Yer tellin’ me..." Applejack rubbed her forehead, "But there’s more to it than that. This whole situation don't feel right, an' Ah ain't just talkin' about Summer."
"I think I know what you’re talking about. A lot of things we've seen today have been every strange." Fluttershy looked around at the forest, then the sky, then back to Applejack, "I never would have expected Carrot Top to be here though."
"That's what Ah mean, if it was just been Summer being a lunkhead Ah might be able ta wrap mah head around this. But... everypony callin' Carrot Top 'Cousin Golden,' the way she acted when I brought it up... an' Roseluck, Daisy, and Lily Valley bein' here? On top of that we got the weather an’ the weird soil, an’ the crops, an’ that scarecrow actin' like a school teacher...." Applejack groaned as she rubbed her forehead with her hoof, "Tryin' to piece all this together is givin' me a headache."
"Let's just focus on finding the girls first. Then we can start talking about what to do." Fluttershy's brow furrowed with worry, "But... are you going to be okay?"
Applejack looked back down the road toward the Harvest family farm. Leadfoot had been hospitable for the most part, but he seemed just as reluctant to talk as Corn Crib was about talking to her. Harvest Moon on the other hoof was excellent company although her tastes in cooking were not what Applejack would have stuck around for. In retrospect, she was now more grateful than ever for springing for that meal at Tablecloth's.
"I dunno. Summer's bad-mouthin' aside, it don't feel right leavin' kin, even kin like that in dire straights." Said Applejack as she took a second look back down the road.
Fluttershy winced, "But Harvest Moon said Summer didn't want help."
Applejack thought for a moment, then grinned, "Yeah, an' that crabby doctor said that 'Barl-' erm, that 'Lord Barleycorn' was plannin’ something fer the whole town. Not sure what a play has to do with it though..."
"We could ask, if he's still there with the foals." Fluttershy offered, "I don't know what he means to do with a party, but Pinkie always has good results with hers."
Applejack raised an eyebrow, "You aren't worried about him being some rabbit-eatin' monster anymore?"
"I don't think he's dangerous," Fluttershy explained, "I mean, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe the bunnies exaggerated when they told me that he cut them up and cooked them."
Applejack shuddered, but quickly brushed such an image aside. "Alright, let's go talk to a scarecrow."
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To be continued...
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