Studying Earth Magic

by Richer19

Chapter 6

"Now before we get started, there is something that I should warn you." Applejack said as she lead her friend through the North Fields. All around, baskets were already placed down in preparation for all of the applebucking that was going to be done. Twilight was still daunted by the sheer scope of the whole project; remembering the time that Applejack tried to do the whole thing on her own returning to her mind. She could only hope that she wouldn't pass out from exhaustion. The path that they were taking was winding and hard to follow but the alicorn was getting a strange sensation that she was about to enter something that would be considered sacred.

Once the two ponies passed by a tree truck, Twilight couldn't help but let out a gasp of shock. There were looking at a clearing in the farm though it wasn't a true clearing as there was one thing that caught her attention. It was an apple tree but unlike the others around it; this one was grander and larger. To Twilight, it felt like she was looking at the heart of Sweet Apple Arcs as this tree gave the sense that it was as old as Celestia herself. Applejack makes her way to the trunk and says "This here is 'Leg breaker'. Oldest tree on the farm and the one tree you have to promise you won't attempt to buck."

"Why is that?" Twilight asked, confused as to why Applejack would tell her not to buck a tree especially since it looked like it was ready to be harvest.

Applejack couldn't help but chuckle a bit before saying "Well there is a reason why we call him 'Leg breaker'. Only Big Mac has the strength to buck this tree." She looks up at the apples before adding "A pity he is in Canterlot now. The apples from Leg breaker are what make our cider the best in Equestria."

Twilight realized how important harvesting this tree was but if not even Applejack, who Twilight would consider the strongest of her friends physically, was unable to harvest the tree; then what chance did she have. Still without those apples, the Apple family wouldn't be able to make their famous cider and that would most likely hurt their business.

Those thoughts continue to plague at Twilight's mind as she left the clearing and got started on the North field. True to what she expected, the tress here were harder to buck then the ones in the South field. Yet it was thanks to her practice their that Twilight was able to make some measure of progress. Unlike yesterday, she tried to not let her slowness get to her as she was still new to the whole thing and her legs would get tired much faster than ponies who have been doing this their whole lives.

When the work day was done, the Apple family plus one made their way back to the house for another meal. While the rest of the family was chatting away, happy about another productive day; Twilight kept her lost in her thought. Her mind going back to Leg Breaker and how much that one tree meant to them. It was then that she decided on a plan so ludicrous and crazy that even she was sure it wasn't going to work. First she had to wait for the Apple family to fall asleep and then under the cover of darkness, Twilight snuck her way out of the farm and towards the North Field.

Her goal...harvesting Leg Breaker. It seemed simple enough and most likely Applejack was just exaggerating and Leg Breaker was just like any other tree. It took her a while to find the clearing though and under Luna's moon; the farm gave off an eerie vive to it. The alicorn almost got the sensation that she was trespassing but chalk that up to nerves.

When she found the clearing, she was once again humbled by the sheer size of the tree. Something like that should have been impossible to grow and yet here it was staring at her as if challenging her to deny his presence. Twilight let out a small gulp as she makes her way to the trunk. The wind started to blow hard enough for the other trees to sway and to Twilight they look like they were closing in on her as if ready to come out of the ground and stop her. She starts looking around, taking deep breaths to try and calm her nerves. When her flank touched the trunk of the tree; she let out a gasp before realizing that she was just worrying over nothing. Laughing at herself for being silly, she places a hoof on the tree and rubs it. Unlike the other tress, the trunk on this one felt...ancient like it was as old or even older then Celestia. Yet the bark was rough and full of life which would imply that it was just as old as the other tress on the farm.

As she rubbed her hoof, she became aware of an...imperfection in the bark. No...upon closer inspection she felt four imperfections and all of them were in the shape of a hoof print. The Lunar light revealed the spot to her and saw the four hoof prints...or more accurately the rear hoofs of two ponies who have bucked Leg Breaker. She guessed that one of them was Big Mac and the other was Applejack and she once again reminded herself of the kind of raw power those two have inside of them.

Her observations done, she turns around and places her hooves on the trunk. Vaguely, she was aware of the wind stopping and sensed the farm going silent like it was holding its breath. Taking a deep breath, she rears back before delivering a solid buck and waited to hear the sounds of falling apples.

There was nothing.

Twilight looks up and sees the apples still where they were. In fact they look like they hadn't even moved an inch. Surprised, Twilight tried again but the tree refused to release its hold on the fruit. Again and again the alicorn bucked but the tree continued to resist her efforts until she was forced to lie on the grass softly moaning from the slight pain in her rear legs. She felt drained, both physically and mentally as she couldn't understand why she was unable to buck this one tree when all others would have. Without really thinking about it, she looks at the tree and whispers "What makes you different from the others?"

The wind blew causing Twilight to shiver as the trees started rustling their leaves. She felt...odd like she was experiencing one of her magic surges back when she was a foal yet...it was coming from outside rather than in. She looks around, trying to find the source but unable to locate a thing. It was then that she heard a sound; one that was familiar yet seemed alien and coming from behind her. Turning around to look at the tree, she let out a gasp at what she saw.

Materialized in the either was what she could only describe as a specter. She remembered reading about them and how they would appear in places where magic was at its strongest. So why was one here now? Surly this clearing isn't a high magical source or she would have sensed it the moment she landed in Ponyville all those months ago.

Looking closer, she saw that the specter had taken the form of a colt. However due to the greenish energy; it was impossible to identify who this colt is. The colt was busy bucking at Leg Breaker and from the frustrated expression on his face; Twilight was able to guess he was having the same trouble that she did. Eventually the colt flopped onto the ground just as a ghostly voice said "Now there you are. I've been looking all over for you."

Twilight looks behind her just to see another specter, this time a stallion, walk by her and move till he was in front of the colt. It was hard to see the stallion's expression but the colt had a rather guilty expression which Twilight was all too familiar with whenever she got a talking to from her parents. "I'm sorry pa." The colt replied in such a sad tone that Twilight almost felt her heart skip a beat.

The stallion seemed to relax given his shoulder movements and says "Ah shoot I can't stay mad at you." The stallion picks up the colt and carries him to the tree before sitting down with his back against the trunk. The colt giggles and smiles from the whole action but once settled he goes into calm silence.

The two stay that way for some time before the colt says "Pa...why can't I buck Leg Breaker?"

The stallion looks down and replies "Cause Leg Breaker is a special kind of tree."

"Why is it special?"

"Cause it was the very first tree I planted. Which means only I'm allowed to harvest fruit from it."

"That's not fair. I want to harvest Leg Breaker and show you what a big pony I am."

The stallion chuckles a bit before placing the colt down and making sure he was facing him. Rubbing his mane with his hoof, he says "Son...someday you will be in charge of Sweet Apple Aces. When that time comes, you will understand how to get the apples off of Leg Breaker."

Twilight wanted to hear more but the wind decided to blow causing the specters to vanish and leaving her alone with the trees. She wasn't sure why she was shown that vision until she realized something. Officially, the property of Sweet Apple Aces is registered to Big Mac. So if that is the case then Big Mac must have been that colt which means...

"This is your father's tree." Twilight whispered in silent reverence. She was witnessing what was probably the last thing Big Mac had to remember his parents. She felt wrong, like she wasn't supposed to be here considering that she wasn't a member of the Apple Family and the fact she wasn't an Earth Pony. She turned around and was about to start making her way back to the house when she remembered the reason she was here in the first place. She turns around to look at the tree before saying "I know now how important this is to Big Macintosh. But right now his family needs your apples and I promised him I would help Applejack out." The wind wiped around and she got the sense that the tree was...challenging her. Letting out a snort, she charges at the tree, with as much determination and will as she could muster. What happened next appeared to be in slow motion as she spun around on her front legs like she saw Applejack do so many times before striking the tree with the force of her will behind her.

And all of Ponyville awoke to the sound a Royal Canterlot power scream.

Author's Note:

Hope you like it the climax.

Comments

[Twilight978]

While there go her legs

[Twilight Shine]

6221297
I agree

Welp... A.J is gonna be angry.

[i_am_the_jam]

Odd, I thought her Earth Pony Magic™ would be augmented with her being an alicorn...

[pahnazd]

Well... that's one way to cripple yourself. Good going, Twi.
Unless you didn't cripple yourself, in which case, again, good going, Twi

[Kage no Brony]

6222067

A newly ascended Alicorn versus a tree who has had Earth Pony Magic poured into it for many years and even seems to have sentience of it's own?

It's lime a level 20 wizard deciding they can take a level 30 on alone. You're badass, yes, but not that badass.