Change

by Just A Random Pegasus

Cider Season

As the days went by, the Apples quickly realized that they had the worst shortage of cider in, well, probably forever. Flim helped Applejack de-stress by having more casual conversation between friendship work, but it only could do so much for the mare.

The mare in question was currently pacing around the barn, counting the barrels of cider over and over again.

"Twenty?! We only have twenty?! Mac, have we gone to every tree and bucked all the apples in the orchard?!"

Mac looked up at the barrels, counting them as well. The stack seemed about only half the size as it has been in past years. He sighed.

"Applejack, we need ta save some apples for our other apple treats. We can't let down those who regularly buy our treats."

Applejack turned to him, her eyes bloodshot. "Mac, we're already gonna disappoint a bunch of ponies!" She looked outside, seeing the line growing outside the orchard. She groaned. "Ah'll have ta make an announcement to the line so they won't be surprised when we run out."

Big Mac nodded. "That's a good idea. Actually, Ah'll do it. Y'all should be at the stand."

Applejack's ears flopped. "Okay... should we get this all loaded?"

Mac nodded again, walking towards the small cart. "Eeyup."

Reluctantly, the two loaded the cider into the cart, which all stacked up easily. At this moment, Apple Bloom walked in.

"Should Ah help with the stand?"

Applejack shook her head. "Not this year, Bloom. Ya need ta help Granny make pies."

Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Why?"

"'Cause we're gonna have to give these ponies somethin' to make up for the cider they won't get. Hurry along, now." To that, Apple Bloom nodded and ran out of the barn. Mac looked back to her.

"AJ, don't get this paranoid. They'll understand."

Applejack's eyes widened as her ears flattened. "Mac, have you even-" Mac threw a hoof to his sister's mouth, silencing her.

"AJ, Ah'm sorry, but Ah don't wanna hear all this negativity. We're gonna make the best of our situation instead of mopin' over it. Got it?"

Applejack nodded as Big Mac took his hoof off. "Sure."

He nodded as he got in the harness, pulling the cart along. Applejack sighed as she walked behind him, feeling sick. She could already tell today was going to be a disaster.

---

Many ponies had gotten out of line after Mac made an announcement to the line, but there were a bunch of new ponies that were just arriving after the announcement was made. It would be impossible to tell everyone about the shortage with all the newcomers.

Meanwhile, Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash's cheerful face and sighed. "Cider season has officially begun," she said in a monotone voice. Dash's reaction was the exact opposite.

"Yessssss!" She yelled, hoof-pumping and pointing at Pinkie Pie, who was in line behind her. "In your face, Pinkie Pie! I get the first mug of cider this year!" She said, sticking her tongue out.

Pinkie giggled. "Well, you did camp out here for about a week to beat me. I'll have to raise the stakes next year!"

Dash waved a hoof. "Whatever. Time for my cider!" She said, slamming her hooves on the counter. "I'll take two mugs, please!"

Applejack bit her lip. "Uh, sorry, RD, but only one mug per pony."

Dash put her hooves to her head in shock. "What?! Why?!"

Applejack raised a brow. "Ah told y'all about the shortage. We need ta save as much as possible."

Dash groaned. "Fine. One mug is better than none, I guess," she said, holding out her hoof. Applejack filled the mug, handing it to her. She smiled as she received it, her mood doing a 180. "Thanks!"

Applejack nodded. "No problem!"

Pinkie bounced up next. "Give me some cider, Applejack!"

Applejack poured some into Pinkie's mug and gave it to her. "Enjoy!"

Pinkie drank it in one gulp, licking her lips. "Oh, thank you! That was so good! Also, where have you been?"

Applejack tilted her head. "What do ya mean? It's not the time for small talk, Pinkie."

Pinkie put her hooves on the table. "No, this is important! I barely see you anymore!"

Applejack's eyes widened. "Oh! Well, Ah've been working extra hard on the farm. Ah'm sorry."

Pinkie blinked. "Okay, then! I thought you might have been hiding something from us!"

Applejack gulped. "Yeah..."

"Well, anyways, we need to totally have a sleepover tomorrow!"

Applejack's ears perked. "Oh, yeah! That sounds like fun!"

Pinkie shot confetti out of her mane, some of it hitting the already annoyed mare behind her. "Woohoo! I'll go tell everyone!" She said before bouncing away. Applejack chuckled for a second before turning to the mare in line.

"Sorry about that," she said, pouring a mug of cider. As she did, she looked at the line behind the mare.

Is it just me, or is that line longer than normal?

---

As Applejack was trying to get cider for a hopeful mare, dread fell upon her. She only filled the cup halfway before she ran completely out of cider. Her heart plummeted as she gave the mare the mug, looking to the ground.

"Sorry... but we're out. This is all we can give ya," she said. The mare sighed of relief.

"Well, at least I got some," she said, leaving the line. Everyone behind her was instantly struck with a look of sadness. Applejack jumped on the top of the stand, her heart pounding.

"Ah'm sorry, everyone, but we're all out of cider. We have apple pies in the barn to make up for it if you-"

"Aww, come on!" A mare a few feet away yelled. Everyone instantly erupted into yells and chatter.

"I've been standing for an hour and a half!"

"You should have tried harder!"

"I thought Sweet Apple Acres was reliable!"

Applejack fought the urge to pull her hat over her head. "Ah'm sorry, everypony!"

"You just lost a lot of business!" Someone else yelled. Applejack couldn't look anyone in the eye.

"Ah'm sorry! Ah can't help the shortage..."

This only sparked more outrage, and Applejack couldn't take it. She pulled her hat over her face and ran away from the orchard, past the line and towards a place only she knew. A certain clearing in the woods where she could be by herself.

---

She felt horrible for leaving like she did, but couldn't take any of it. All the stressors and paranoia she had all seemed to come true.

As she bolted into the woods, she didn't care about how many spider webs she ran into or how many sticks she stepped on. She just had one destination: get to that clearing. No one would come looking for her there. She got into the clearing, immediately laying down and letting the tears fall. For once, Applejack couldn't hold it all in. The past week had been too stressful to her, and everything just built up.

"...Applejack?"

Applejack's head shot up, her eyes meeting Flim's. How could I forget he stayed here?

"Uh..." Applejack whimpered, turning her head. She felt absolutely pathetic. Her pupil was witnessing her break down because she can't handle a few rude comments.

Applejack felt him sit next to her. "What's wrong?" He asked. Applejack kept her face away from him, still whimpering. She soon calmed down, taking a few deep breaths.

"R-remember how Ah told ya about-about the shor-shortage?"

Flim nodded. "Yeah."

Applejack sighed. "Well... there was bare-barely any c-cider, and ev-everyone got mad a-at me. Ah've just... Ah've been s-so stressed and y-you take this and... Ah just can't take it."

Flim stayed silent for a moment. "Applejack... there's not much I can do to help. But... would a magic massage help?

"W-what's that?"

"Here, I'll show you," he said, activating his horn and casting an aura around her back. The magic seemed to give her back a massage, letting her relax a little.

"...Thanks."

"No problem. My brother and I would always do this to ourselves when we were stressed."

Applejack smiled. "W-well, it feels real nice," she said, drying her tears and sniffling. "It's calmin'."

Flim nodded. "It is. It took me a while to get it as good as it is, but I finally got better with enough practice."

Applejack completely sprawled out, letting the magic overtake her legs. "Thanks again. Now that Ah'm relaxed, maybe Ah can quit bein' such a baby."

Flim raised a brow. "Applejack, those words go against things you've taught me so far."

Applejack finally looked up at him, his comforting glance making her feel warm inside. "Huh?"

He nodded. "Yes. You told me that it's okay to have your downtimes, and you wouldn't be a pony without them. You told me that the other day. And now, you're beating yourself up for crying over something that's been really bugging you."

Applejack blinked a few times. "...Huh. Well, thanks for puttin' it in perspective. Ah never realized that," she said, taking relaxed breaths. "So... Ah'm not overreactin'?"

Flim shook his head. "You're not. High expectations can be hard to make. I completely understand everything you're going through."

Applejack smiled. "Thanks for that. Thanks for puttin' up with me in general, Flim."

"You're welcome. It's the least I could do."

Applejack nodded, looking away. "You're... you're really an amazing friend," she said softly, looking towards him.

"I... am?"

Applejack nodded. "Yeah. You're exhibiting perfect friendship right now. Ah think... y'all can go get a job."

Flim smiled. "Really?"

Applejack nodded. "Yeah. Well, Ah may have one last thing ta teach ya first."

Flim nodded. "Alright. You can show me tomorrow, since you're not in a good shape today."

Applejack shook her head. "Ah can't. Ah'm sleepin' over with mah friends tomorrow."

"Alright. I'll wait till the day after, then."

"But... why? Ah can teach ya right now."

Flim shook his head. "No, don't. Trust me when I say that you need rest. I've been in your situation a thousand times before, and a good nap has always helped me. Plus, I'm fine with waiting. I like these woods."

Applejack nodded. "Alright. As long as you're okay with waitin'."

Flim nodded. "I am, don't worry about it. Get rest," he said, stopping the massage. She pouted.

"Ah wish Ah was a unicorn just so Ah could do that to myself," she said, standing up. He stood up as well.

"Yeah, it is really nice. So... see ya in a few days?"

Applejack met his eyes and her stomach fluttered for a second. "Uh... yeah. See ya," she said, turning and waving. As she left the woods, confusion struck her.

Why did I run here? My brain told me I wanted alone time, but I know for a fact Flim's always here. Did I just... want to see him? Why would I want to see him instead of my best friends? I've only known the true him for about a week! I just now consider him a friend!

Applejack picked up the pace, looking back at the woods one last time. She couldn't help but want to go back in.

Must be the massage... I think...

Comments

[HolyCross9]

For some reason, the thumbs up/down feature isn't working on the story.

[Just A Random Pegasus]

8253537

What do you mean by that?

[SySheepish]

Oh boy

[Yoshifan30]

Oh boy that didn't go as planned and now Ponies are very upset and so much stress that she's dealing with she couldn't take it anymore but flim was worried about how applejack is feeling right now and it was nice of him to give her massage despite the stress and everything and it feels like they are getting much closer to each other still I wonder her friends and her family will react to this