The Cassandra Chronicles

by CassandraMyOCisBestpony

Chapter 50: Bad Luck

Applejack was going to Appleloosa to help out in the rodeo and visit Braeburn. He had gotten a wrist injury as a consequence of going too long without seeing Applejack.

Because the Cutie Mark Crusaders were going along, Cassandra would be joining them. Applejack wasn't allowed to watch the three little fillies by herself.

"Now y'all just mosey along with Cassandra. Ah gotta stack these hay bales in a top heavy pattern. Ah hope you ain't too disappointed that ah won't get ta spend much time with ya."

"We ain't" assured Applebloom.

"Hey cuz, welcome back to Aaaaaaaaaaaapleloosa!" said Braeburn.

"Well howdy Braeburn," said Applejack in a sultry tone, "how's about you an' me go practice rope tricks?"

"Rodeo practice? But ah thought we were gonna..." he blushed as the implication dawned on him, "ohhhhh. Heh heh, you're naughty, cuz.

"Hey AJ, you might want to watch that stack," said Cassandra, pointing at the haystack swaying back and forth.

"Hmmm, nah, it'll hold," said Applejack, "now if yeh'll excuse me an' Braeburn, we gotta discuss some stuff in private." The two of them went back to Braeburn's house.

A gust of wind picked up, and the haystack rocked back and forth, getting more and more sideways with each swing, until finally, it reached the tipping point and collapsed,

"Look out everypony!" cried the sheriff.

"Not to worry, sheriff, I'm on it." said Cassandra. "You three, stay back here," said Cassandra to the CMC. Then, she took to the air and flew in circles around the falling hay like a light blue tornado. When the dust cleared, the hay was neatly stacked in a pyramid shape, and not a single bystander had even a scratch on them.

"Whoa Cassandra, that was radical!" said Scootaloo, "I wish I could do that and get a cutie mark in saving ponies."

"I wish I could be you" said Sweetie Belle, "well except for the part where I do naughty things with Rarity, of course."

"Why did you three get closer?" demanded Cassandra, "I told you to stay back! You could've gotten seriously hurt if you were being watched by somepony less capable than me!"

"We're sorry." said the CMC.

There was a hoof print on the ground with a horseshoe imprint. "Ah knew it" said Braeburn, "this accident musta been caused by Troubleshoes! What else besides an evil pony could cause a 50-foot Jenga tower to fall over?"

"Physics?" said Cassandra.

"Bunk! Ah ain't buyin' it!" said Braeburn

Cassandra sighed, "fine, if you need evidence, I'll go find some."

"Braeburn, it ain't safe ta leave th' kids by themselves" said Applejack, "ah need you ta watch them tonight"

"But AJ..." whined Braeburn

"Don't worry, ah'll make it up to ya tomorrow," she said with a wink.

---

Braeburn struggled to stay up all night, but he kept watch. Then Applejack came by and declared "Ah couldn't stay away! Hold me Braeburn!"

The CMC used this as a diversion to escape. They followed the trail of mysterious footprints to a trailer in the woods. When they opened the door, they discovered the cleanest house they'd ever seen.

"Oh, hello there" said Troubleshoes.

"Ugh" groaned Cassandra, facehooving, "Let me guess, Applejack did something stupid and you took the opportunity to escape?"

"Eeyup" said Applebloom.

"Now we're here to find out the truth about Troubleshoes and help him come up with a solution," said Sweetie Belle.

"You're too late" said Cassandra, "I already taught him that he wouldn't fall down so much if he cleaned up after himself once in a while and didn't leave all his stuff on the floor."

"Well..." said Scootaloo, "what about his clumsiness? He should be a rodeo clown."

"Absolutely not!" said Cassandra, "they might look like they're just injuring themselves, but in reality, they're performing a carefully choreographed routine, and if they don't follow it properly, somepony could get seriously hurt or killed!"

"But then what do we do?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"I was just about to do it before you three came in. Ever since the Starlight Glimmer debacle, I've been researching cutie mark spells." Cassandra could do magic despite bring a pegasus. "I have one that can invert anypony's cutie mark. I haven't found any use for it before now, but Troubleshoes' cutie mark just so happens to be something that has a different meaning depending on the orientation."

"So you can flip that horseshoe over an' make him have good luck instead!" said Applebloom, finally connecting the dots. "Wow Cassandra, yer so much smarter than Applejack!"

"Who ain't?" replied Cassandra.

"Thank ya so much Cassandra!" said Troubleshoes, "ah knew mah luck had turned from th' moment ah met you."

"The one thing I don't get" said Scootaloo, "is how you went to every single rodeo without being seen. You're huge!"

"Ah never understood that mahself," admitted Troubleshoes, "there were tons of times where ah was sure that Braeburn saw me, but he didn't seem to notice. He was just starin' off into space murmurin' 'Applejack, Applejack.'"

"It's a mystery," agreed Cassandra, not wanting to say anything in front of the foals.

---

They went to the rodeo, and Troubleshoes won first prize, thanks to Cassandra's level 99 coaching skills. Applejack built the 50-foot haystack again to win the lasso competiton.

"You should take that down now," advised Cassandra

"Well ah'm gonna ignore yer advice" said Applejack, "now send in the clowns!"

The rodeo clowns did their routine perfectly, encouraged by Cassandra's presence. They got tons of laughs, but none as big as when the haystack fell on Applejack and she died.

The end.

Comments

[Thought Prism]

Your continued treatment of Applejack is by far the greatest of any story, ever.

[CassandraMyOCisBestpony]

6197137 You sure know your music.

[Pimapifi]

6151883
THIS IS THE GREATEST COMMENT I'VE EVER READ

[CassandraMyOCisBestpony]

6758545 You're too kind