"Cock-a-doodle-doo... Oh, I wonder what Granny Smith and Big McIntosh are up to. I bet they're applebuckin' their way through the Red Delicious trees. Oh, what I wouldn't give for just one bite."
Celestia, give me a sign. I'm not happy here in Manehattan. I love my aunt and uncle Orange and thank 'em for takin' me in, but talkin' all proper and eatin' little vittles ain't sittin’ right with me. What should I do?
Watching the sky from her window, Applejack prayed for a sign. Looking in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres nearly two minutes passed before she turned away and went to get ready for the day. "Auntie Orange, what's the plan t’day?" she drawled.
"Now, Applejack. We speak properly in this home."
"I apologize, Auntie. I am working on it the best I can. How are the plans for the day coming along?" Applejack asked slightly slower than usual as she formed the words in her mind as she spoke them without her country accent.
"Much better. Now, today we have a meeting with the Grapes, wine with a few prominent ponies from across Equestria at lunch, a late meeting with a troupe from Las Pegasus, then time to meet with Fancy Pants for the photo shoot we’re going to sponsor. We have breakfast scheduled for an hour at the plaza, so we have to get you to the spa. Let's go, we can't be late," Aunt Orange stated, clapping her hooves twice.
Faking a smile, Applejack followed her Aunt from her room and her day began. Forty-five minutes of having four spa mares combing, clipping, and fluffing all over her body hurt and annoyed the filly, but she didn't fight it because she did admit that she looked and felt better once it was all over.
She looked as pretty as she felt with her braided blonde mane and pink bows holding them together, accented by a blue scarf she felt ready to take the day by the tail.
A taxi took Applejack and her family to their breakfast, the adults chatted, and Applejack did her best to speak as little as she could so she wouldn't embarrass herself like the evening before. A simple burp turned into a near uproar, and she still felt guilty about it.
Lunch was equally dull for the filly. The meal was the size of an apple and similarly disappointing for her appetite, yet she ate slowly and copied her aunt’s movements and bite sizes.
"Oh, your niece is so well mannered. I absolutely adore her, I want to just eat her up," a gryphon exclaimed after Applejack used a countryism accidentally.
There was a chorus of laughter at her full eyed expression. "Auntie, she's not really gonna eat me, is she?" She blushed and ducked her head. One more meal, one more party, one more ride, then I'm done. Ah'm headin' back to the acres.
"Oh my, if it isn't the Oranges. Darling, I haven't seen you two for months. Life in Las Pegasus is so exhausting: Work, work, work. Life is great, don't misunderstand, but sometimes I wish I had a simple life in the country compared to the rush of the big city," a mare said as she hugged Applejack's aunt and uncle. "And who is this quiet little darling?"
"This is our niece, Applejack. She's moved here from Ponyville, isn't that right dear?" Aunt Orange asked Applejack who nodded curtly.
"Ya betcha, Ah’m here from the countryside and it's a real treat livin' here, reckon you'd last an hour on the farm though. Did ya know the food here ain't nothin' but a bite of vittles and the hoity-toity clothes," she tossed the scarf to the floor, "and way Ah gotta wear my mane," she began fussing with her braids, "are as annoyin' as sittin' in the mud while the pigs play around ya," Applejack finished and pushed her aunt's hooves away.
Her aunt and uncle tried to excuse the well dressed and groomed filly’s outburst before the mare before them laughed jovially.
"Oh, dear I love her. She's the perfect filly for a role I'm casting and with my help she'll be a star in no time." Leaning in, the mare asked Applejack, "Would you like to be a star?" Applejack took a step back and tried to understand what she was being asked before slowly nodding her head with furrowed brows. "Great. I'll have my driver pick her up tomorrow morning and we'll go down to the recording studio for a voice over to see how well she is before I have my lawyer contact you with details. By the way, my name is Tell Vision." Tel Vision stated, standing tall and striking a dramatic pose while pursing her lips before she turned and moved to the snack table to gather some food.
"Uncle Orange? Is she really that important or is she a little unstable?" Applejack asked with her manehattan accent.
"I know she seems odd, but she is one of the most important talent scouts in Las Pegasus. If she says you have a chance, you have a chance. I can't believe that you had a feeling to use your normal voice at that moment! Are you sure you didn't plan that out?" he asked as Aunt Orange looked at the now disheveled filly.
"No, Uncle. I had no idea. No one said a peep about her to me, and I was just frustrated, as it happens. I apologize if I embarrassed you both," Applejack pawed the floor.
"Not at all, sweetie," Aunt Orange chirped and gave her a hug. "No one would guess your talking like that would get you a job offer at your age. Let's mingle and rub it in the faces of everypony we cross," she said proudly, "Our niece is going to be a movie star!"
"Miss Jack? You're needed on stage," a stallion called through her dressing room door many years later.
"Very well. I'm coming, tell the director I'll be there in a few minutes," Applejack replied.
She looked at herself in the full-size mirror and smiled. A nice suit, her mane was curled, and she was expertly groomed by some of the best in the business. Her voice was calm, eloquent, midwestern Equestria that held no posh or fancy tones in and of itself unless she wanted them.
Here we go Jack, time to start another one of these things. Smiling and straightening her body, she took a deep breath and began vocalizing different notes and keys, changed the tones of her voice across all the octaves she could make, and finally drank a whole glass of water. Turning to the door, she opened it and walked out into the hallway. Just another day; nothing to it. Just walk through the curtain, she thought still smiling. Don't be nervous.
The brown curtain neared and her heart raced. She shook her head and composed herself. Putting her smile back on she walked quickly through the curtain to a crowd of screaming ponies chanting her stage name. "Jack, Jack, Jack!"
Taking a seat next to four other ponies behind a clothed table, she sat at the end and waved to the crowd of various aged colts and stallions.
The announcer spoke up on the PA system. "Welcome and thank you for coming to the convention! Here is our panel of voice actors for our show 'Myths, Facts, and Fiction'. You all know Jack, who voices 'Europa,' next we have Rhyme Lyric who voices "Plum,' Mill System who voices and 'Jacob,' and last, but not least, Time Watch, who voices the lead character 'Mark.'
"All are well-known voice actors for various animated shows and TV spots. Jack is the member of the Apple Orchard Alliance which donates fresh fruits and vegetables to disaster victims and orphanages across Equestria."
The crowd cheered, stomped, and hollered as Jack waved to the crowd. Leaning to the mare next to her she whispered. "I get tired of all this sometimes. Don't you?"
"I wish I could have half what you do. You even know the Princess! I'm so jealous," Rhyme whispered back and smiled.
Great, she's star-struck, too.
"So, I'll leave the floor to you ponies to ask your questions; then afterward we'll have photos and signatures!" The announcer shouted over the chants of Jack's name.
Walking into her dressing room, Jack walked to a nearby chair and fell into it on her side. "I swear, if I have to answer another nerd’s questions about goblins, or humans, or if puppies are really reverse aging dogs I'm gonna scream at them to get an encyclopedia," Jack stated in frustration.
"Oh, you don't want to do that. You have a reputation to uphold," a stallion said from behind her. Without moving Jack greeted him.
"Big Mac, how'd ya get in here, and why are you here?"
"I'm your manager, and it's my job. Plus I'm your brother, and I love you. If you feel stressed, you can take a vacation. You're one of the-"
"Yeah, yeah. One of the most popular ponies in Equestria. The whole nation knows me, and I have meetings with the Princess and blah, blah, blah. Ya know, BM, I love what I can do fer the ponies, foals, and critters of the world but," she sighed. "I wonder what life woulda been like if I'da stayed on the farm."
"Well, ya didn't, and don't call me 'BM.' Ya got famous and used the money to buy the farm a full time staff. Ya let me go back to school and you-"
"Shut up, Mac. Ya talk too much," she said with a sigh. "Sorry, I'm just tired and hormonal. I could use a break. When's my next break between shows, conventions, movies... All of it?"
Rifling into his saddlebag he pulled out a schedule book and moved next to Jack as she laid on the chair. "Looks like you have an opening for three days in 7 months." Moving her head up she looked at him in disbelief.
"Really? Why'd I get so much scheduled?"
"It's not all work. You have to file reports and check on new hires to your executive staff. Visit orphanages and speak at donation meetings, fundraisers. The list goes on."
"That sounds like work to me. Too much of it," she said laying her head back. "I hate hard work right now, I guess it's good I'm not back on the farm. It'd kill me." Smiling, she looked at Big Mac and they shared a laugh.
"Big Mac?"
"Yeah, Applejack?" She smiled to hear her old name.
"I think I need a vacation on the farm. See Granny Smith, mom, dad, and Applebloom; it's been a long time."
"Eeyup."