• Published 21st Oct 2016
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Appledashery Vol. Two - Just Essay



Rainbow Dash and Applejack have a long, joyous, arduous relationship.

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Golden

"I must say, Miss Applejack..." Fancy Pants trotted leisurely down a row of orchards. It was later in the afternoon, and the gentlecolt had followed the family back to Sweet Apple Acres. Presently, the well-suited stallion was squinting into the bright sunlight reflecting off the verdant treetops. "This land is beautiful. Most beautiful. You and your lovely family should be proud."

"Heheh..." Applejack smiled. "Darn tootin' I am."

"I cannot pretend to say that I know anything about the finer arts of exercising a green hoof..." He brushed his hoof through low-hanging leaves from a branch or two. "...but I'm a firm believer that a farmer's land is an extension of her or his spirit. And—if you ask me..." He swiveled to face her, smiling. "Your spirit soars."

"All the credit doesn't go to me, Mr.... erm... Fancy." Applejack looked towards the farmhouse. Winona's barks could be heard, along with Apple Bloom's giggling voice. The filly and the dog chased each other while Big Macintosh and Granny Smith stood chatting on the front porch. "This land—and everythang you see here—is the result of my folks' hard work."

"I... erhm..." Fancy Pants took a deep breath. "I presume I saw them up on the hill as we arrived."

Applejack gulped. "That's right."

"A most handsome resting place." He nodded. "I suspect they were the heart of Ponyville as well, to some degree."

Applejack narrowed her eyes at him. "... ... ...how much did Mayor Mare tell you?"

"Hmmmm..." An elegant smile formed under his monocle. "...about as much as you would expect. Perhaps more so. And yet—in each and every word—professed to the highest degree of respect and admiration." He dabbed his forehead as bulbs of sweat formed in the hot sun. "A lucky few of us sire more than just children. Communities are like foals—in a way—and no less precious."

"Are... are ya burnin' up?" Applejack gestured nervously towards the house. "Cuz we can take the tour inside if ya like! Let y'all cool down—"

"Heheh..." He waved a dismissive hoof. "I can stand a little heat, Miss Applejack. And if you're worried about my jacket—perish the thought. I admit with very little pride that I have far more where that came from." He glanced off down the orchards. "The benefit of owning three separate stallion outfitting chains."

"I just wanna make sure that yer comfortable during yer visit and—"

"Please, Miss Applejack." He looked at her squarely. "From now on, I must humbly request you refrain from treating me as though I am some sort of divine member of royalty. The fact that I am an affluent businessstallion should have no bearing on the respect that I deserve from you or anypony else. And—as for our current venture—it would be more proper to think of me as a partner." He winked, smiling. "Which is precisely what I am."

Applejack gulped. "Okay..." She nodded, smiling through her freckles with relief. "...partner."

"Haha! Smashing!" He slicked his mane back and grinned into the sunlight. "How I do adore that countrified drawl! That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Heh... I reckon not..."

"I'm positively charmed to be here, my little pony." He took a deep breath, admiring the rows upon rows of apple trees. "In the heart of such rugged industry."

Applejack kicked at the blades of grass beneath them with an almost foalish gesture. "Erhm... Fancy Pants? If ya dun mind me askin' you a rather strange question?"

"Well, I do believe I have eloquently disassembled the walls of social pretense between us, my dear." He nevertheless straightened his monocle and regarded her curiously. "By all means, do fire away."

"I can't say that I've ever met much rich city folk so plum interested in farmin' life down here in the heart of Equestria. How come yer just so... so...?"

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "Talkative?"

She smiled. "I was gonna say somethin' stupider."

"I highly doubt that. Go on and say it."

"Yer just so... so..." Applejack fidgeted. "...friendly-like." She winced even as she said it. "I mean... on top of the willingness you've shown in investin' in us, it's not what I expected at all."

Fancy Pants leaned back. "Am I to guess correctly that your only connection to wealthy ponies is Filthy Rich?"

"Now dun get me wrong..." Applejack waved a hoof. "He's done amazin' thangs for the family. He's bailed us out of multiple kefluffles—some more or less money-related—and he's spread news of our cider and zap-apple jam near and far. On top of that, he's been a long-time friend of Granny Smith and the rest of the Apple family... it's just..." She blew out the side of her muzzle. "...I guess some thangs change. Maybe he's havin' troubles of his own. It's hard to say."

"Even in spite of your recent turmoil, you are willing to forgive him?" Fancy Pants asked.

Applejack blinked, not expecting that statement. "Well... uhm... the Riches go way back with the Apples. They're part of how we got started with the apple-harvestin' in the first place. Sweet Apple Acres and Barnyarn Bargains used to be like peas and carrots. So... I guess in more ways than I can count... we're like family." She gulped. "And it's hard not to forgive family, even when things get ugly."

Fancy Pants nodded thoughtfully. "Your empathy is a very strong fruit indeed."

"Heh..." Applejack bore a bashful smile. "That's one way of puttin' it."

Fancy Pants paced around a tree, occasionally feeling its bark with his hoof. "I would love... absolutely love to prattle on and on about how much of a financial genius I am. I've done some ambassadorial duty for Equestria on the side. Even dabbled in politics a bit." He turned to squint at her. "Did you know I once convinced an entire tribe of diamond dogs to trade with the Commerce Department of Canterlot?"

"Well, shoot..." Applejack blinked. "That sounds plum amazin'. You could write a book on that!"

"Well, one that's unfinished, sadly... but..." He waved his hoof between them. "I'm getting off topic. A thousand apologies."

"S'all good."

He paced towards her. "Fact of the matter is... none of my skills could have made as much an impact on this world that they did... if it weren't for the lofty position from which I first embarked upon my illustrious career."

"I... I don't follow."

"I'm talking about fortune, Miss Applejack," he said. "Something given me—provided me—by ponies far more gifted... and hardened by the struggles it took to establish such a lofty foundation to begin with."

Applejack's brows furrowed. "Yer talkin' about yer parents."

"Not all farms are mud and roots, my little pony." Fancy Pants leaned back, gesturing. "If it weren't for the lifelong business toils of my father—and the charming social connections of my mother—I would have stumbled upon this world a far poorer stallion, and I'd have accomplished far less. Instead, a great deal of the harvest was cultivated before my arrival. I simply took the seed that was given to me and planted it even deeper to spread the wealth. And while I have established a sizable name for myself, I owe it all to the ones who came before me. Much like you, my dear! I greatly suspect we both possess an openness of mind to understand this... and respect it."

Applejack nodded. "Reckon so..."

"Thus... I cannot for the life of me fathom treating those around me with a dismissive attitude. So much has been given to me... and it's up to ponies like myself to give back. We live such precious, fragile lives. Why add stress and pressure, unecessarily? Harmony is something we must work for—whether we were raised with rustic barns or silver spoons." He smiled, winking. "Partners, yes?"

"Heheh... sure..." Applejack nodded. "That's a refreshin' perspective."

"One that you needn't be preached to about." He chuckled good-naturedly. "Forgive me if I wax poetic on occasion. Simply put..." He cleared his throat and stated: "The Golden Rule applies... no matter what trot of life you come from or endeavor to reach."

Applejack breathed in. "I hear ya."

"Indeed."

Silence.

"Would..." Applejack smiled, glancing at the farmhouse where the family was gathered, then back at him. "...would you like to sample some of our product...?"

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