Applejack's Parents Return...and they're PIRATES!

by HiddenMac

Prologue: Foul Voice on the Wind

"YEEEEE-HAW!"

What a glorious day for Apple-bucking! Celestia's Sun has started its slow ascent, the air is crisp but not cold, and acres of Apple trees are overloaded with ripe, juicy apples just begging to be harvested. Today is a day where one would be glad to be alive, and even happier to be an apple farmer!

Applejack sprinted past her brother, who lagged behind pulling the cart from out of the barn. Her exuberance proved infectious as Big Mac smiled to see his little sister so happy. Almost forgotten were the days when she decided to abandon the farm to live with high class relatives in Manehatten, now she could think of no greater purpose than to harvest those delicious apples with her loving family. A glorious day, plenty of apples, and her loving family; life could not get any better than this.

Well, almost her entire family...

"C'mon, Big Mac! This ain't no time fer goldbricking!" she playfully teased. "Hurry up 'n get a move on! We got tons of apples to harvest and only a short tahm to do it!"

"Eeyup!" her elder brother replied with his normal response.

With no patience to wait for the cart, Applejack sprinted ahead and rushed to the first tree. She faced away and lined up her aim...THWACK! Dozens of apples fall all around her to the ground. With unrestrained enthusiasm, she dashed toward the next tree...THWACK! Dozens more apples fall to the ground waiting to be retrieved. She looked forward to applebucking all year that when the time finally had arrived, she lost herself in the bucking and completely forgot about the retrieving. Apples littered the ground from every tree she kicked waiting for Mac to follow behind and clean up her mess. He'd hoped to get some kicks in too, but with his sister's over eagerness, he got stuck with the clean-up. At least place the baskets before you buck! he cursed under his breath.

After a few rows, Applejack realized she'd forgotten to place the baskets and went back to get some (and taunt her sibling for having such a slow pace). Finally, she started bucking properly, which slowed her pace some, but still not as much as her brother who also had to tow the cart.

After a few hours and many rows harvested, she decided it was time for a respite. She sat down and leaned up against a tree at the end of the row which overlooked the path to the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. Tilting her hat over her eyes, she kicked back and proceeded to take a well-deserved power nap in the late morning sun. She couldn't remember a time when she was so happy; she has friends, family, adventures, and best of all, she harvests faster than her elder brother. Life is good.

"Sing of plunder, start the attack;

We fight and sail with the wind at our back!"

Applejack's ear perked up. Did she just hear...singing? She lifted her hat just enough to peek a single eye out to find the source of the music.

"Sing of plunder, start the attack;

We fight and sail with the wind at our back!"

She thought she recognized the tune; as if she heard it when she was really young. Immediately, she had an assumption, though hoped it were not true. She jumped up from her nap and stood over the small embankment, looking down on the path to the farm as the singing voices grew louder.

"Sing of plunder, start the attack;

We fight and sail with the wind at our back!"

It's true! The day she long dreaded has finally arrived! Her perfect day had just turned into the perfect storm. Right at the beginning of Applebucking season, she would now have to deal with this problem; a problem in which she really did not have any plan or idea on how to solve. First things first: she'd have to call her brother; this involved him too. In fact, it involves the whole Apple Clan and, by extension, all of Ponyville.

"MAAAAAAC! MAC! GET OVER HERE!" she screamed.

Immediately the red stallion appeared from behind her as she kept her gaze on the problem approaching just over the ridge. Big Mac left the cart, though he was still winded from the morning's work and sprinting to help his flustered sister. He huffed as to acknowledge and question why he was so hastily summoned.

"Go get Apple Bloom..." Applejack quietly spoke, still in disbelief this day had finally come. She then turned around to her brother and started giving orders. "Go get her an' skedaddle! Take her to stay at Sweetie Belle's fer a h'wile! Prob'ly best if'n you make yerself scarce too!"

Big Mac stared back confused and disbelievingly. He wouldn't be so bold as to say she looked scared, but she sure did look...concerned. His gaze asked his sister to elaborate and why he must suddenly pick up stakes and flee with Apple Bloom.

Applejack continued with her explanation: "the greatest evil we've ever known is about to return and I don't want her here while I have to deal it. This is a fight Ah don't know if I can win, but Ah'll certainly go down fightin' every step of the way!"

She turned back around at sneered at this malevolence, which now sang and grew louder with every step closer to Sweet Apple Acres.

"Our parents have returned..."

Comments

[StarzGecko]

This is interesting. I like the idea and so far it's really well written. Keep going!