My Little Pony: Love is Everything - Episodes 1-2 (The Beginning)

by robbieierubino

Chapter 3 - The Farm

It was a blissfully sunny day; the breeze was pleasant, the birds chirping, and the sun was reflecting beautifully off the walls of the crystal castle, causing sparkling lights to dance across the lawns, and nearby houses. The two sisters exited their home and began to make their way down the winding path that leads to the village.

“Okay,” Dream said, pulling the scroll Twilight had given to them both out of her saddlebag and suspending it in front of herself with magic, “let’s go over the list.”

“Yeah,” Stardust agreed, peering at the scroll herself. “It shouldn’t be too complicated.”

“Alright then, let’s see.” Dream came to a halt so she could better focus on the writing. “Uh, check on the food preparation, make sure the weather’s coming along, look at the decorations in the town hall, aaaaand make sure the music’s up to scratch,” she read aloud. “Seems easy enough.”

“Wait.” Stardust examined the list closer, re-reading the tasks set before them. “This order,” she realized, “it’s… familiar.”

The unicorn looked at her sister in puzzlement.

“What do you mean, Star?” she asked.

“Look at the list,” the pegasus pointed. “Don’t you recognize the order?”

Dream shook her head.

“It’s the same order that Mom did these things in when she first came to Ponyville,” Star explained.

“Are you sure?” Dream’s eyes flicked over the parchment, then a loving smile crept its way onto her face. “That means this is the order she first met her friends in.” She looked over to her sister. “Do you think this has something to do with your dream, Star?”

“I'm 100% Positive,” answered Stardust.

But then, as Dream asked her sister, “And do you think that this is related to the dream you had?”

Art by SapphireFeatherdust

“What?” Stardust was confused. “No, I don’t think so. Why? Do you?”

“I don’t know,” Dream shrugged. “Sorry.” She sighed and put the scroll away. “Look, I’m just… this dream you’ve had has me a little on edge, and I guess I’m just trying to look for anything that would explain it. I guess this list is in this order because Mom’s getting all nostalgic.”

“Yeah,” Stardust agreed. “I think we just need to do these tasks just like mom did, and take our minds off this dream; our mothers are looking into it, so we have nothing to worry about!”

“Well, that’s one way to look on the bright side!” Dream smiled. “Alright! First stop; Sweet Apple Acres!”

“Here we come!” Stardust shouted in excitement, rearing up onto her hind legs and kicking her forelegs. “I can’t wait to see what Sweet ‘Apple’ Sapling and her family have prepared for the celebration!”

“Yeah! That gymnast may have only three hooves, but she sure can bake!” Dream agreed. “I’m sure she’s laid on an apple feast.”

As they laughed with joy, something in the distance caught Stardust’s attention; it was a low, familiar growl, one she had heard only the past night in her dream.

“What was that?!” she whispered, startled.

“Star?” Dream stopped laughing and took in the sight of her frightened sister. A worried frown crossed her face. “What’s wrong?”

The pegasus looked around them.

“I thought I heard something,” she replied slowly. “But…” She paused as she pondered over what she’d heard. After a moment, she decided she must be hearing things.

“Never mind,” she said, flashing a smile at her younger sister. “Let’s head to the farm.”

“Alright then,” Dream smiled back.

They began their walk to Sweet Apple Acres, Stardust still feeling a little on edge, but determined not to show it.

As they neared the center of Ponyville, Dream thought of something.

“Hey,” she said to Stardust, “do you remember when Mom told us about the time when she first met Auntie Pinkie?”

“Heh,” the pegasus laughed. “Yeah; she said she was all like ‘HUUUUAAAAAHHH’ and then ran away!”

Dream giggled.

“Yeah! And then mom said ‘Well, that was interesting alright.’”

They laughed, and carried on their journey to the farm, unaware of the horned, shadowy figure that was watching their every move.

---

The sun was still high in the sky, warming the air and lending the day a feeling of pleasant clam. Birds were chirping and butterflies fluttering as Stardust Spectrum, and Dream Mist passed through a trellis arch and into a farmyard. A huge, red barn stood tall in front of them, and the edge of an impressive orchard could be seen behind it.

“This is it,” said Stardust. “Sweet Apple Acres!”

“Sure is,” Dream agreed. “But where’s Sapling? She’s supposed to meet us for the banquet preparations.”

“Hmm.” Stardust quickly scanned the area. “I’m not-”

“YEEEEEEHAAAAAWWW!”

The sisters jumped at the voice that sounded from close by them, and they turned just in time to see a light-tan earth pony cantering towards an apple tree, cotton-candy colored mane and tail flying out behind her.

As they watched, the mare stopped on a bit, pivoted, and bucked her hind legs into the tree as hard as she could, sending shockwaves up the trunk and causing the apples high above to break loose from their stems and fall to the buckets below. The pony then sprung off from her position, arching into the air, where she executed a perfect summersault.

She landed flawlessly on all three hooves, the front-left limb being missing.

“Well, I guess we’ve found Sapling,” Dream remarked.

As the farmer saw the sisters walking towards her, she called out to them cheerily.

“Stardust! Dream! Hi!!”

“Hi, Sapling!” Stardust greeted. “How’s the harvesting coming along?”

“Oh, it’s going great!” Sweet ‘Apple’ Sapling answered. “We’ve planted lots of trees, and the seedlings are growing well; we’ve got loads of apples this year as well, so we’ve got heaps to use for the Summer Sun Celebration Banquet! Actually, we’re just waiting for somepony to come around to check on the meals we’ve cooked.”

“Well, as a matter of fact,” Dream started, “we’re the ones who’ve been tasked with that. We’ve got to check on all the preparations for the celebration, and your place is first on the list!”

“You’re in charge of the food, right, Sapling?” Stardust asked.

“Yup!” Sapling chirruped. “Ma thought I was ready to handle everything this year, so I’ve been working really hard! Would you like to come to sample some of what we have ready?”

“Yes, that would be lovely,” Dream was swift to agree. “So long as we can do it quickly.”

“Hungry, are you?” the pegasus asked, nudging her sister playfully in the ribs.

“Excuse me, I’ll have you know that I never get hungry around noon,” Dream huffed, haughtily.

“Uh, excuse me, you’re always hungry now,” Star retorted. “No matter how much you eat in the mornings, you’re looking for more food at midday.”

“I do not!”

“Do, too!”

"Do not!"

"Do, too!"

"Do not!"

"Do, too!"

“Well, there’s no need to judge me about it!” Dream complained. “And, anyway, I’m not hungry today, so there!”

“I’m not judging!” Stardust shouted. “And we need to try the food anyway so what does it matter? Come on, let’s head over; Spaling can you lead the way?”

When Sapling did not respond, the sisters looked over only to find her stood stock-still, eyes wide, and the nub where her leg should have been twitching and flexing.

“Uh, Sapling?” Stardust prompted. “The food?”

“Oh!” Sapling jumped at the sound of the pegasus’ slightly raised voice. “Oh, yes, the food! I have to call my family!”

Quickly, Sapling rushed over to a wooden post that had been hammered into the ground. From it, swung a triangle, which the earth pony swiftly snatched up the stick for, and began to ring.

“SOUP’S ON, EVERYPONY!” she yelled, still banging the triangle.

A moment, later, the ground began to shake. Stardust and Dream glanced behind themselves, only to see a vast group of ponies galloping full tilt towards them.

The sisters joined in the run when the group approached them, being lead to a clearing in the orchard in which a cloth-covered table had been set up. When they reached the site, the group stopped, as did Stardust and Dream.

“Woah!” said Stardust. “What a stampede!”

“Yeah!” agreed her sister. “That was one wild run!"

They were about to say more, but then an orange earth pony with a blonde mane approached them, Sapling at her side.

“It’s a good thing y’all arrived in time for brunch,” Sapling told them. “The food’s all fresh, and there’s plenty of it! Also, my mom can’t wait for this celebration to happen so we may have made too much!”

“Howdy, Applejack,” Dream greeted the older mare.

“Well, howdy-doo, Dream,” Applejack nodded at the unicorn, “Star. It’s good to see you both. Pinkie would be here, but she’s down at the town hall, helping Rarity with the decorations.”

“Gosh,” said Stardust. “That must be a lot of work. But, I suppose she’s used to setting up for parties.”

“Yeah,” Dream giggled. “So! What do you have for us to try?” Her eyes scanned over all the Apples, mouth practically watering over the thought of all the food she would soon get to try.

Art by Thr3eGuess3s

“You heard her, Apples!” Aj shouted. “Show ‘em what we’ve got!”

Quick as a flash, the family presented their treats to the sisters, tossing the plates onto the table after they’d done so. Star and Dream watched in awe as the food piled up and up, almost until it reached the leaves of the nearest tree! Dream was practically salivating.

“Wow,” they breathed in unison.

“I know,” Sapling said. “We’re a huge family, and we’ve made an enormous collection of goodies for a happy, Apple Family meal! Sounds insane, but amazing, right ma?”

“Yeah,” Applejack agreed, ruffling her daughter’s mane. “It does sound insane, but we have fun, and that’s all that matters.”

“Mmm-hmm, I can’t wait to try some of this,” Stardust said, eyeing up the pile and wondering what she’s like to eat first.

“Well, Stardust and I are just here to taste what you’ve made, so we can’t have that much, and we can’t stay for long,” Dream reminded them. “And, besides, we’re not hungry.”

Her statement was punctuated by a loud growl from her stomach.

“Ah, yes,” Stardust smirked. “We’re definitely not hungry.”

“UGH!” Dream yelled. “Fine! You win! Let’s have brunch!” she finished with a smile.

The Apple Family laughed and cheered, all crowding around the table.

“Yeah!” shouted Sapling. “Brunch time!”

And so the feast began.

Author's Note:

CHAPTER CREDITS

• ART by SapphireFeatherdust and Thr3eGuess3s
• DIALOUGE by SapphireFeatherdust and robbieierubino
• EDIT by robbieierubino & Thr3eGuess3s

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PS - Feel free to send me an edited version of the chapter!