Rotten Apples

by Visual Spectrum

Chapter 1

Princess Celestia brought out the sun, and the Apple family woke up to do their morning chores. Applejack and Apple Bloom bucked apples while Big Mac carried them to the house. The cart was far too heavy for Apple Bloom or even Applejack to pull once it got filled.

Granny Smith watched her three grandchildren working when she got a letter. She read it and dropped it in surprise. Flabbergasted by the news, she walked out and stopped the three working ponies, "I got a letter! Y'all will want ta see it!"

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac, stopped what they were doing to see what Granny Smith was talking about. The elder pony handed the letter to Applejack who read aloud, "Dear Apples, I've heard of the competition that will take place in Ponyville, so I will be visiting. From, Corn Maize."

"Corn Maize is comin' here?" Asked Apple Bloom in shock. She then realized, "Wait! Who's Corn Maize?"

Applejack laughed, "Corn Maize is a distant cousin of ours."

Apple Bloom was annoyed that she never heard of him, "Do we have any other cousins I don't know about?"

"There is also Source Code, but he ain't like most Apples. Technically, he and Corn Maize ain't Apples. They are just part of the family tree, just like Aunt and Uncle Orange," Explained Applejack.

"Eeyup," Big Mac commented.

Applejack asked Granny Smith, "Is Source Code comin', too?"

Granny Smith shook her head, "I don't know. He never visited, so I can't imagine. I've heard from Braeburn that he's stayin' in Appleloosa right now. If Braeburn visits, I reckon Source Code will be with him. That's enough of this now. Get back to the chores, y'all!"

The Apples returned to their chores and worked until they were finished. When they walked into the house, they noticed that Granny Smith baked an apple pie for them. The four Earth Ponies sat at the table and enjoyed their pie.

After Apple Bloom finished eating, she felt that she had to tell her two friends. She galloped to the park where she noticed Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle playing. She galloped faster and ran into Scootaloo knocking her into the ground, "I'm sorry, y'all. I'm just very excited!"

Scootaloo laughed, "It's no problem. What's going on?"

"Do you have a plan for getting our cutie marks?" Asked Sweetie Belle happily.

"Not quite," Apple Bloom replied. The other two frowned. Apple Bloom continued, "Corn Maize and maybe Source Code are visitin'!"

"Who?" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle asked in unison.

"They're my cousins," explained Apple Bloom, "Corn Maize is definitely comin' for the Apple Pie Contest, and Granny Smith reckons that if Braeburn comes, he's taken' Source Code with him."

"Why haven't you mentioned them before?" Asked Sweetie Belle.

Apple Bloom shrugged, "I never met 'em,"

"Not even at the last reunion when all the Apples were there?" Asked Scootaloo.

"They ain't Apples technically. They are distant cousins of mine," Apple Bloom answered. She looked at the clock, "I need to get home. I don't wanna be late!" She ran back home before her two friends had a chance to say something.

"Ya need to get ready, Apple Bloom," Applejack instructed. Apple Bloom ran to her room and got ready quickly. After the four of them were ready, they trotted to the train station to wait for Corn Maize.

"Do y'all think Braeburn is comin'?" Asked Apple Bloom while they were waiting, "Granny Smith said he'll bring Source Code with him. I get to meet two more members of ma family!"

"I don't know," Replied Applejack. She wanted to meet both Corn Maize and Source Code, but there is no telling if Braeburn and Source Code were coming.

A few minutes later, a train appeared in front of the station. Several ponies got off including young stallion with a hat similar to Applejack's and a corn on his flank. Apple Bloom was the first to notice him, "Granny Smith, is that Corn Maize?"

Granny Smith looked at the stallion the young filly was pointing at and replied, "Sure is!"

Apple Bloom trotted up to Corn Maize, "Howdy! I'm Apple Bloom, your cousin," She greeted.

"Howdy there, Apple Bloom," Corn Maize replied, "Where's the rest of the family?"

Apple Bloom led Corn Maize towards her family. Granny Smith hugged him almost instantly and introduced him to the family, "This is my grandson, Big Macintosh, and this is one of my granddaughters, Applejack," she introduced pointed at the respective pony when doing their names, "I see you've met Apple Bloom."

Applejack shook her cousin's hoof, "Howdy! Welcome to Ponyville! We'll sure make your visit somethin' to remember."

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh agreed.

"What do ya do?" Applejack asked.

Corn Maize shrugged, "Nothin' much, really. I grow corn then harvest it. Sometimes I'd chase critters and help ma with the cookin'."

"We here do that, too, but with apples," Applejack explained.

Corn Maize laughed. Just as they were about to head back to Sweet Apple Acres, a stallion shouts, "Howdy!"The ponies turned around and saw two stallions. The one who said "howdy" was Braeburn. The one next to him was Source Code.

"Hello," Source Code greeted. He didn't have the typical country accent of an Apple.

"He ain't like most Apples," Braeburn explained.

Without another word, everyone trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres. The journey was uneventful.

"I reckon y'all came here for the Apple Pie Contest, too," Corn Maize figured.

"Sure did! Braeburn answered, "It took lotta convincin' ta get Source Code to come, though."

"Actually, he convinced me to participate in the contest. I was going to come, anyways,"Source Code corrected.

"I wanna participate, but I have no pony to enter with. I was gonna enter with someone, but I know she wouldn't accept. It ain't somethin' she'd do,"Applejack admitted.

Corn Maize thought for a moment then replied, "Perhaps you can enter with me. I wasn't expectin' to enter."

"Ya weren't?" Apple Bloom asked surprised.

"'Course not," Corn Maize replied, "I came to watch the competition, but I'll enter so Applejack can enter."

The entries didn't open until tomorrow, so the ponies had nothing else to say about the contest. They ate supper then went to bed. Corn Maize, Source Code, and Braeburn slept in the guest room.

Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony. Hasbro does.
Source Code belongs to ZekeOfTheFreaks http://www.fimfiction.net/user/ZekeOfTheFreaks