Battle of the Moon and Sun

by EASTON

Chapter 4 = Apples

Ponyville: Sweet Apple Acres Fifteen minutes later

"So, why is this place called the heart of Ponyville?" As always Twilight had curiosity so a bit of culture would make her ask questions until she got an answer.

"Well, about fifty years ago, the Apple family began moving all over Equestria so they could have a better business and since they were a large clan they literally spread across the country. Sometimes the farms were the only thing that stayed but in this case, it attracted ponies so much that they built their houses here and it became a town."

"What was that attracted them so much."

"Have you ever had zap-apple products?"

"Of course. It's soooo good, mother always sends some pony to buy them when the season presents itself."

"They only grow in this orchard."

"I guess that explains it."

After walking a little further into the orchard the two saw an orange mare bucking apples from the trees with little to no difficulty. She wore a large Stetson and had three red apples for a cutie mark.

Minuette knew exactly who she was. "Hey AJ."

"Well, if it isn't our town's favorite night guard. Ah see you've gotten the special celebration break, that's mighty nice. What can I do for ya'?"

"Since I don't exactly have the time off, I have to help the supervisor from Canterlot oversee the preparations for the festival. So maybe you could help me by showing her."

"Greetings, my name is Twilight Sparkle."

As soon as Twilight finished her sentence the farmpony started shaking her hoof with all her spirit. "Well, howdy do Miss Twilight. I'm Applejack. Pleasure making your acquaintance, we here in Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends." She then released twilight from her grip yet the purple mare continued shaking. "So, what can I do for y'all?"

Minuette then stopped Twilight's hoof giggling a little after seeing her shake her hand like that. "As my friend told you, I'm here to check up on the pony in charge of the food in order to make sure it will be ready for tomorrow's main event."

"Well I can asure ya' that we Apples have it all under control so maybe you two might wanna stay for brunch and sample some of the food."

Twilight gave it a little thought; it was only the seventh hour, she had plenty of time to spare and it would probably be best she sample the food all the ponies traveling for the anniversary of her mother's coronation would eat. "Sure why not."

Applejack then rang an old rusty triangle. "Soup's on everypony." A stampede of ponies suddenly appeared out of nowhere dragging both Twilight and Minuette to the front of the barn where a large table that could handle just about everypony in town was set up. "Meet the apples.

"This here's Apple Fritter. Apple Bumpkin. Red Gala. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp, Big McIntosh, and Granny Smith."

To say Twilight was impressed was a bit of an understatement. "Wow. Is the entire apple clan here?"

"Almost. One of my cousins is out town helping in what will be Equestria's newest settlement, a small town under construction that will receive the name of Appleloosa. As for the fillies, they've gone off to play somewhere in town."

Half hour later

Twilight had been enjoying a nice brunch along with the Apples while they all told stories of fortunes, misfortunes and business, she really enjoyed hearing about the life ponies were having and passing some simple time as a normal pony. She eventually decided to slide a little bit away from the larger group to relax a little and avoid eating too much pie. However the old mare Applejack referred to as Granny Smith decided to join her. "So, we pass inspection?" She said joking.

"With flying colors. Thanks for the invitation Mrs. Apple Smith."

"'Twas nothing, and you can call me Granny."

Twilight then thought about what Minuette told her about the founding of the town. "So, Granny, Minuette tells me this orchard founded this town. Could you perhaps tell me more about it?"

"Sure thing missy. Me and my family were pilgrim pony folk, back when I was a little filly. Oh, we ventured far and wide, collecting new seeds and sellin' the old. But my pa was the finest seed collector in all of Equestria. Then, one day, the Smith family found themselves in the most brilliant, most grand, most magnificent of all cities. A place called... Canterlot. Well, I bet your hooves to hindquarters I had never seen anything like it before nor since. And as if the beauty of that city wasn't enough, suddenly, she appeared. Princess Luna, the most regal of all ponies. When lo and behold, she stopped to look at my pa's seed collection. Then Princess Luna saw that we were plumb-tuckered and hankerin' to find our forever home. And bein' a royal Princess and all, she knew exactly the place for us to lay down our stakes. My pa gave the Princess a mighty thanks. We quickly found that land near the Everfree Forest, and we built our first home. Next, we planted our first orchards. But an orchard don't grow overnight, and we were getting mighty short on food. Now mind you, we were cautioned about the forest, and we knew that it was not fit to enter. But I knew there was critters livin' there. There must be somethin' to eat. It was dark and musty, and I won't lie, it was scary. But every inch was covered in plant life, and before I knew it, wasn't I standin' in front of the most incredible apple trees! I had never seen anything that bore this kind of colorful fruit! Oh I started picking apples quick as a whip! I turned, and there before me stood the timberwolves! I've never run so fast in my life. I did the only thing I could think of. My pa and I planted those special apple seeds, and before our eyes they grew like wildfire. Why, we had full grown trees faster than you could say 'lickety split'. Then each year, I paid close attention to the signs of the zap apples' special harvesting times. How the weather affects the Everfree Forest, how the timberwolves howl when the zap apples first start growing, and how they zapped away if you didn't pick 'em all in one day! And the fruits of our labor were the best fruit we ever tasted. Soon enough I was mixing up batches of zap apple jam. Just like harvestin' the zap apples had its special rules, so did makin' zap apple jam. I learned that you gotta be extra friendly with the bees, otherwise their honey won't taste rightly sweet to mix in with the zap apples. Who'd'a thought that glass jars needed talkin' to? Or that zap apples like pink polka dots? But magic is as magic does. Just funny that way. Then ponies started comin' to our farm from far and wide just to get a taste of my zap apple jam. Some of them decided to stay, like Stinkin' Rich. Matter of fact, the first thing he ever sold was my zap apple jam. And before we knew it, we had ourselves a nice little town, bustling with all kinds of ponies. And that is how Ponyville was founded."

Twilight was amazed at the story the old mare had just told, but she soon realized that time would not last forever. "Thanks for the tale Granny, but I best be going." She turned to Minuette so she could signal her on the matter but she then heard the laughter of fillies. She then saw two young ponies, a brown filly and a yellow filly both with red mane. The first one had a pair of scissors decorated like an apple; the other had a potion vial marked with an apple puffing sone green smoke, the vial was crossed behind with a hammer, a rather odd cutie mark.

When the two young ones saw twilight the yellow stopped running and headed towards the house. The brow one was surprised to say the least. "Apple Bloom, where are you going!?" She then turned to Twilight to greet the mare. "Sorry about that mam, she doesn't usually act like that. I'm Babs Seed. I guess you're the inspector for the 'Night Crown Celebration.'"

"Indeed I am. So, who was that?"

"She was my cousin Apple Bloom and one of the four ponies in charge of this farm."

Twilight joined the group only to tell Minuette about the fact that it was time to leave but when she reached the group the young filly named Apple Bloom approaching but she was wearing something, a Night Guard armor. She was only wearing the armor and no shoes or helmet, so that marked her as a recruit. "Recruit Apple Bloom reporting for duty."

Applejack saw her younger sister in the uniform and reproached her. "Apple Bloom what have we told you about bragging?!"

"But I wasn't bragging. I'm supposed to present myself in uniform in front of the princess."

"Wait what?"

It was at that point that Minuette intervened. "You hadn't noticed? Twilight is the young Princess of Equestria."

Everypony in the Apple family stared blankly and nopony broke the silence until Apple jack spoke. "We're so sorry Young Princess. We don't have no fancy food or anything, and we didn't bow properly. Please forgive us."

Twilight just gave a little giggle at how the Apples reacted. "Don't worry. If I wanted that kind of attention I would have made a formal announcement with guards all over the streets and all that. Today I'm just Twilight."

"Even so, we should have recognized you. We're sorry."

Twilight then turned to Apple Bloom who was still saluting. "At ease. So, Apple Bloom, you're a Night Recruit. I didn't know we had a descendant of Johnny Appleseed in our ranks."

"I'm kind of new. I joined about a month ago after I got my cutie mark."

"I see. And may I know what talents you include our forces with?"

"Well first there's potion making. I can brew any potion in Equestria and Zebstrika. I can also make just about anything, from clothing, as long as it's not fancy or complicated, to buildings. The tool shed in this barn was made entirely by me."

"Well it's good to know the soldiers of the future can be well counted on."

Twilight then signaled Minuette that it was time to leave. "It was nice meeting you everypony and I appreciate your hospitality, but I best be going." And with that all the Apples waved goodbye to the to ponies.

Once out of Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight took out her checklist and checked to see what was next. "Now, the next pony should be Rainbow Dash, she's in charge of the weather."

Author's Note:

Been some time since the last chapter. But I did say school would take some of my time so there's that.

Next chapter should be out by November tops and unfortunately it will be pretty much a mirror to the show's cannon of meeting Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy.

Comments

[LuminousSpark]

I can brew any potion in Equestria and Zebstrika

Zebstrika?
img.pokemondb.net/artwork/zebstrika.jpg

[EASTON]

>>LuminousSpark Yes, that's where I got the name for the country of zebras.