Appledashery

by Just Essay

Bedchambering

"We wish you a good night's sleep, your Majesty," said one of the many servants. Standing at the end of the Cider Princess' chamber, the multiple hoofmaidens curtsied as one, then smiled collectively at their ruler-to-be. "May the fortune of Philanthropy shine on you like the moon through your sleep."

"That is... mighty poetic," Apple Jewell remarked. She sat on the edge of her bed, clad in a silk nightgown. She almost raised a hoof up to fuss with her extraordinarily well-kempt mane, but stopped at her second with a nervous titter. Clearing her throat, she bowed her head slightly and said, "Y'all did good. I'll be sure to rely on yer expert graces once I have gotten coronated."

The servant smiled. They turned to leave. Amongst them, a little filly with a yellow coat avoided the Princess' gaze. She twirled towards the exit and shuffled off.

Apple Jewell's lips pursed. She gritted her teeth, then finally blurted, "Wait."

Every servant haulted in place. They turned to look at the Cider Princess. "Your Majesty?"

Adjusting her robe, Apple Jewell stood up. She sauntered forward a few steps. "You..." She pointed at the filly.

The tiny foal's amber eyes blinked, and she pointed at herself.

"Mmmhmmm." Apple Jewell slowly nodded. "Stay for just a moment." Her gaze drifted up. "The rest of y'all, you may leave."

The servants stood in place for a few confused seconds. Nevertheless, they curtsied, then shuffled off. The filly was left alone, trembling noticeably.

"Olivia... Steamstep, was it?" Apple Jewell asked, trotting closer.

"Yes'm, Your Majesty." The filly squirmed, her yellow cheeks turning red. "Have... h-have I done something amiss?"

"No. Not at all, darlin'."

"If... if you d-don't like the hairclips, then I'm certain I-I can have the older servants fetch more!" the child stammered. "Oh, I'm so sorry! This next morning is so important to you! I-I didn't mean to ruin it—"

"Shhhh..." Apple Jewell squatted before the filly, placing a graceful hoof on her shoulder. "Nothin' of the sort, sugarcube." The Cider Princess smiled. "As a matter fact, I'm mighty touched at yer kindness and humility. Just hold are ya, darlin'?"

"Erm..." The foal bit her lip. "I dun rightly know, Yer Majesty."

Apple Jewell raised an eyebrow. "What a quaint accent! Are you from the lower streets?"

"I... I-I reckon I never knew my parents, Yer Majesty," the foal said, her eloquent facade fading more and more. "But from what the foster homes have got written down, I hail from the lower ends of Philanthropy, so yer quite right."

"Well, ain't nothin' to be ashamed of," Apple Jewell said. "You came out alright, and I think yer accent is downright sweet-like."

"With all due respect, Yer Majesty, why?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why do you think it's sweet-like?"

"Well..." Apple Jewell stifled an elegant giggle. "Cuz we sound so much alike. Almost like we're sisters."

The filly's amber eyes twitched. "I... I-I'm sorry, Yer Highness. I'm afraid I dun hear it."

Apple Jewell opened her mouth, but lingered. "... ... ... y'all really dun, do ya?"

The foal shook her head slowly.

Apple Jewell took a deep breath. "Somethin'... just ain't right 'bout all of this. It's all so... sweet and familiar, and yet... yet..."

"Are you feelin' alright, Yer Majesty?" The filly leaned forward. "Want me to go fetch a doctor or somethin'?"

The Cider Princess slowly shook her head. "No'm. That won't be necessary. I just..." She lingered, gradually smiling with warm freckles "I just feel like somethin' gorgeous is comin'. Like a gentle... warm breeze on an open farm. Ya reckon?"

"I..." The filly grimaced slightly, looking worried. "I-I've never been on a farm, Yer Majesty."

"But..." Apple Jewell opened her mouth, but fumbled. At last, she smiled and shrugged. "It dun matter. But... but know this..." After a deep gulp, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around the filly.

The foal gasped, freezing in place. Eventually, she relaxed in the mare's soft, sisterly embrace.

"One way or another... I promise... I'm gonna protect you," Apple Jewell whispered, the ends of her ears twitching. "And every little thang like you. I... I feel like it's what I'm meant to do. I know it..."

The filly didn't know what to say. Her eyes wandered across the room. Just as she was about to shut her eyes, she spotted a shape in the doorway, and she gasped sharply.

"...!!!" Without a second thought, Apple Jewell hopped up and stood between the doorframe and the foal. Her muzzle hung open "...Momma!"

Queen Shindig stood before the entrance to the room. For a few seconds, her muzzle hung in a dull deadpan. Then, she smiled gently. "Careful, my little pony, or else you might ruin your forthcoming beauty sleep."

"My Queen!" The filly squeaked. She danced in place, near hyperventilating. "I... I-I didn't mean to mess up Her Majesty's mane! I... I-I was simply answering her questions—"

"At ease, little one," Shindig said, waving a hoof. "You're dismissed. Sleep well, so that you may too witness the glory of the Coronation tomorrow."

"Oh... Oh, yes! Thank y'all most kindly—I-I mean..." The filly cleared her throat, backing out of the room and bowing. "I am most exceedingly grateful to you, Your Majesty. I shall relish tomorrow morning with great joy." Then, with a relieved breath, she galloped down the long hallway.

Serenity Shindig used her horn's magic to close the door after her. She took a deep breath. "My beloved daughter..." Her eyes darted sharply in Apple Jewell's direction. "...why aren't you in bed?"

"I... I'm sorry, Mother, but I... I was just wonderin'..."

"The sharpness of your mind will get much exercise in the days and weeks to come." Shindig closed the distance between them, stretching a wing out to the robed young mare. "Now, you truly must be sleeping—"

"Why do I have an accent, Momma?" Apple Jewell asked.

Shindig froze in place.

Apple Jewell bit her lip. "Reckon I should sound more eloquent-like for bein' who and what I am... y'all think?"

Shindig blinked. "Oh..." She smiled warmly. "...is that all?"

Author's Note:

April 1 2015 Chapters: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T5fBhbF2EcCnm57jV8Ncr8cKhwDo7uFQznpb-j4ru5k/edit

Comments

[RoboRed]

"I once told you, ages ago, that I would come to your aid whenever the situation necessitated it. And though I may have just been trolling at the time—well—voila!" The tiny effigy spread its arms out with a big grin. "Here I am! So... what do you need help with—"

"YOU!" Rainbow Dash snarled, gripping the statue by the neck. Her eyes flashed the color of blood. "YOU KILLED MY FRIENDS!"

OH GODDAMN.

"SUCK ON MY ANGSTY EAST HORSE RAGE! GRRRR!"

-Rainbow Dash, 2015

[Lightning Bearer]

"Walt wouldn't approve of this." The construct struggled to keep her lunch in... even though she had never eaten any. "Or Roy for that matter."

Something tells me Eisner would be okay with it.

[Mister Saxon]

"I'm Epcot!" The mare replied, blinking fuzzily. "The Experimental Pony Chaperone of Tomorrow?" She fidgeted. "...occasionally Best Pony?"

[Sharp Quill]

Now really, Dash, isn't smashing Discord how you got into this mess in the first place?

[viofriedsevey]

To be honest, I was truly expecting an epic, out of this world april fools joke from you. And I was not not disappointed!!!!

[Fishberry]

And that's a wrap! Goodnight, everyone!

And happy April's Foals!

[Zaid ValRoa]

Great.
A reminder that I also have to catch up with this one...

[MidnightReflection]

WHA- Dear Luna my head actually hurts... I knew this chapter was going to be a crazy one... but this is full on Austrappledashery! I need to finish that...

[GluttonousFruitcakes]

Well, time to pack it up everyone. We're done here. This is the pinnacle of human achievement. We can all go home now.

[Salad king]

The real April fools is that this is how it actually ends, no more updates, story is over.

[Sheendough]

A big lipped alligator moment.

[Autumn Rush]

Because I've always wondered what an Appledashery/Austraeoh crossover April Fool's chapter would be like.

[MoonMirror]

I need to read Austreoh and the previous series before it now.

[YoshiFawful64]

Welp, they cuddled. I guess that's the end of Appledashery, then.

"SUCK ON MY ANGSTY EAST HORSE RAGE! GRRRR!"

Also, this is one of the best lines I've ever read.

[Sam the Anti-Ninja]

And this, children, is why we should never break the fourth wall. It takes way too much glue to fix it.

[Aatxe360]

5808956

I'm always home.

[zaponator]

"I remember who I am! What's more, let's cuddle!"

It was that easy!

[Leftover of Saikano]

This is the way the Internet ends
Not with a whimper but with a bang.

"...occasionally Best Pony?"

"Generally" you mean.

[RainbowJack2000]

Six Words To Title This Chapter

The fuck did I just read?

[FloydienSlip]

Goddammit, Skirts.

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

5808524 Eisner was a certified idiot who tried to ruin everything that Walt built, and stood for.

So you'll forgive me if I don't give a rat's rip what he'd be okay with.

In fact, he can eat worms and die, for all I care.

And being April 1st, I should've known that this wasn't an actual chapter.

Same goes for another fic that I just read.

Soooooo, until this miserable day is over, I'm taking every story-update with a grain of salt.

God, I hate April Fool's Day.........

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

5809680 An April Fool's joke chapter.

That's what.

[durandana]

Oh lord, Hajile is back

I can't stop laughing

Send helppp

[Jake The Army Guy]

"Walt wouldn't approve of this."

That depends. Is Discord Jewish?

derpicdn.net/img/2013/3/30/283119/full.png

[Lunarius]

Rainbow Dash immediately slammed him against the bars of the nearest jail cell, shattering him into a hundred pieces.

M-M-M-M-MONSTER KILL. Wait a minute...this isn't Ynanhluutr. How the heck did I end up over here?

[Nasty Mister Monket]

What? Colon, you're telling me I need to read this too?!

[Scohinyha Sanka]

5810169 I feel your April fools pain.

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

5811136 Thank you.

Seriously, I'm considering getting off the internet completely (with the exception of Google Docs) for the rest of today, and just doing some drawing and writing til this day finally and mercifully comes to an end at midnight.

Honestly, I've been hoodwinked with prank chapter "updates" not only here, but in just about all of the stories that I follow that have updated so far today.

Hence, my urge to just burrow under my covers and hide every time the calender hits April 1st. Mainly because it's a complete and total waste of my online time when it comes around.

[Scohinyha Sanka]

5811193 Doesn't sound to bad a way to spend your day. (Where I live, april fools day ends 35 minutes from now.)

Indeed and Youtube isn't much better. I mean, The first ten or so video's that turned out to april fools videos Is fine but afterward just becomes frustrating.At least we can be glad tomorrow that it's 364 days before it returns.

Why couldn't be on 29th February instead.

[Super Trampoline]

Haha like 2/3rds of the commentators are the same people who read the Austraeoh series.

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

5811418 If you're talking about about writing and drawing, no, it definitely is not.

Because very honestly, I've got a picture that I started of Applejack in her anthro form as she appears in my Anthro AU fic, that I started clear back in November of last year, that is still just in the pencil-work stage!

Seriously, I just need to get off my lazy tush and get those darned things done so that I can get them scanned in and ready for upload to my DA account!

Yeah, I hear ya there.

And where YouTube and April Fool's concerned, even Hasbro is getting in on the act with that fake CMC anthro series promo!

(Not that I wouldn't mind seeing an MLP anthro spin-off series (hey, EqG is getting one, so why not?!); just so long as it wasn't done in that faux-anime/Sailor Moon type of crap.)

And again, I hear ya there.

Or maybe get rid of it completely? I'd be behind that 1000&!

[TwilightUCrazy]

She ran into Apple Jewell, who promptly kissed her straight on the lips before gasping: "I remember who I am! What's more, let's cuddle!"

"Buh?" Rainbow Dash stammered. Just then, the Cider Princess wrapped her hooves around her, and just as the universe began imploding—

You utter... UTTER bastard.

[BabySkittleMonster]

What the hell? Is it April Fools day or something?

[Simple Facade]

I feel like I've missed something significant... Oh wait, there it is in the author's note.
"HRESSSSSSSHA" is my very favourite sound effect.

As for the real deal chapter: You go AJewell, remember all the things!

[Shipmun]

I hate April 1st. It rustles my jimmies.

All hail Scootaloo!” An entire campus of ponies bowed low, chanting to the heavens. “May you aide us in our age-long struggle against the blind forces of Verlaxion!”

But sometimes I can't be mad at this day for some reason. I can approve of some parts, right?

[Sam the Anti-Ninja]

both chapters was fun, but I'm tired now, so I'll just throw something random on the page and be done. My high school test taking strategy in a nutshell.
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[DrEggnog]

That was the best April Fools joke I've ever seen.

[arancaytar]

Apple Jewell took a deep breath. "Somethin'... just ain't right 'bout all of this. It's all so... sweet and familiar, and yet... yet..."

The masquerade is cracking

[SnowOriole]

"One way or another... I promise... I'm gonna protect you," Apple Jewell whispered, the ends of her ears twitching. "And every little thang like you. I... I feel like it's what I'm meant to do. I know it..."

Awww.

[bronyheat]

That April fools chapter is hilarious! It's a shame I didn't know about Appledashery back when reading Ynanhluutr all those years ago; it feels like I missed out on something special.

[Shady Eyes]

10745371
Don't feel too bad haha! I'm here reading Appledashery and haven't touched any of Austraeoh yet so all the references people are talking about in the comments are going right over my head