The Everlasting Hope

by Plasmadon

Applebuck Season

Chapter 3: Applebuck Season

I awoke to the first rays of dawn. It was a beautiful sight, now that Celestia and Luna decided they would work together on the sunrise and sunset. I rolled off the barn, grabbing my ocarina as I went. I found the Wolves in the field I was sleeping in last night, all curled up peacefully. I nearly had a D’AWWWW moment when I saw the youngest of the troop, a little cub I named Nightstar, curled up next to his mother.
Damn wolves. Why do they have to be so cute?
Daniel and Starlight greeted me at the edge of the field. They looked exhausted, bags under their eyes and movements jerky.
“You’ve been up keeping watch all night, haven’t you?” I deadpanned. The two nodded, too tired to speak.
“Go and rest for the day. You’ve earned it.” Without another word, my friends collapsed on the ground next to each other. I chuckled and went to the center of the field.
Now for the hard part.
I hadn’t done my daily routine in four days now, and though the salads were low fat, I still needed to maintain muscle.
(Daniel here. Let’s skip ahead. You probably don’t want to read about how a pony gets all sweaty.)
I noticed Applebloom as I was doing my one-hoof push-ups. She, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were standing at the edge of the field. I finished my fifty set, but I thought of something else. I wasn’t tired yet, so I recreated my experiment from yesterday. I used magic to make a carbon copy of myself, from dirt this time. Its unseeing brown eyes stared forward as it summoned a fake Keyblade. I summoned mine, and… well, you can tell what happens from here.
Thirty minutes later, I was thoroughly exhausted and stopped the fight. What did you expect from a magic golem that can match you blow-for-blow? I stood there panting. After a minute, I called up another rain cloud and showered off.
“Hi, Andrew!” Sweetie Belle called as I shook off. Applebloom ran up to me, but Sweetie and Scoots stopped in fear when they noticed the wolves. I beckoned to them from the top of the hill.
“They won’t bite!” I shouted back. “Well, only if I tell them to.”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo picked their way carefully around the wolves, only breathing normally when they got up to Applebloom’s position. I suddenly had another idea.
“Girls, you wanna see some magic?” I asked. They nodded, confused. I focused on recreating the dragon I had made yesterday. My horn flashed with a gold aura, and I felt Hope fill me with power. The dragon appeared slowly, pulling the water it needed from the clouds directly. As it finished, I let its eyes open. The one on the left was pure black, while the one on the right shone with white light. I heard the fillies gasp. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo hid behind me, while Applebloom just stared on in wonder. I finally felt a bit of strain from the dragon and stopped its construction before it gained free will and intelligence. It halted. Its body trickled into the ground, leaving behind two orbs of light and shadow. They combined, and in a burst of fire, became nothing. I sat back, now so tired I felt like I’d pass out.
“Applebloom, would you get me a few apples, please?” I asked. “Magic like that really takes it out of me.” She nodded and tried bucking a tree, which yielded about a dozen apples. I swallowed three, then split the rest between the fillies.
A few minutes later, I was feeling relatively normal (meaning I didn’t stumble all over myself when I tried to walk). I led the fillies down to the base of the hill. Just before we got to the orchard, a black flicker caught my eye.
“Hi, Nightstar,” I said, not looking up. The cub peered out from behind the tree.
“How’d you know I was there, uncle?” he asked.
“Too slow, Night. You’re getting there, but you’re still just too slow to beat my eyes.”
Night hung his head. “Sorry, uncle.”
I laughed. “What do you have to be sorry about, Night? You’ve got to be the fastest kid I’ve ever seen.” I looked up to see the girls only slightly ahead. “Girls, come here.” I presented Nightstar. He looked at them with a little uncertainty.
“Girls, this is Nightstar. He’s the youngest member of the pack.”
Scootaloo leaned back a little, and Sweetie Belle had fear in her eyes, but Applebloom was shining with happiness. She bounded forward, taking Nightstar by surprise.
“Hi!” she exclaimed. “Ah’m Applebloom! If yer one of Andrew’s friends, then ah hope we can be good friends too!” Nightstar was definitely taken by surprise, I can say that much. He stumbled a bit, wheeling backwards.
“Really?” he asked. “You’d want to be my friend?”
Applebloom looked a bit confused. “Why wouldn’t ah?”
Nightstar looked down again. “Well, I’ve always been the… runt… of the litter.” He spat out runt as an insult. Applebloom sized him up carefully, then gave him a thump on the head.
“Ow!” Night muttered. “What was that for?”
“Well, ah’ve always been the ‘runt of the litter’ too. See, us three are the only ones in Ponyville without Cutie Marks.” She showed him her flank for emphasis. “Just because yer a runt doesn’t mean ya gotta be alone yer whole life.” She gave Night a small smile. He slowly returned one.
“Uncle Andrew, is it okay if I stay with Applebloom and her friends for the day?” he asked me, grinning. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle gasped before jumping on me.
“Please, Andrew?” Scoots begged. She gave me the puppy-dog-eyes. I then proceeded to have a heated argument with myself.
No. I say it one more time, no.
But… the eyes…
NO!
“Sure.”
Goddamn you conscience! You’re supposed to be immune for that stuff.
Night jumped up and down with Scootaloo. “Thanks, Uncle!” he said. They both crushed me in a hug.
“Alright, I get it. You’re happy. Now, could you please stop before my ribs and spine shatter?” I asked in a pained voice. They gave me sheepish smiles and backed away.
“God, I hope there’s a masseuse in this town. My back is killing me from all that applebucking yesterday.”
Applebloom looked at me funny. “Yeah, Aloe and her sister Lotus run a spa in town.”
“Okay, I’m not one for spas, but who wants to be the most relaxed ponies in Equestria?” I asked. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom squealed, while Night and Scootaloo sighed.
“Alright, let’s go,” Scootaloo muttered. She fluttered off, followed closely by Night. Sweetie, Applebloom and I followed them. Though the two fillies had a bounce in their step, I couldn’t reciprocate, as the pain in my back made it a challenge to even walk.
The spa came into view shortly after we left the forest (and I was in agonizing pain the whole time). I sighed with relief when I saw Aloe sitting in the window, looking bored. The bell above the door tinkled when we opened it, and Aloe rushed over.
“Why, hello Dusk!” she said in a cheery French accent. It didn’t escape me that she used my Equestrian name instead of my real one.
“Hello, Aloe. How much will it cost for me, three fillies, and a wolf to get full treatments?” I asked tiredly, motioning for Night to reveal himself to Aloe and Lotus. They recoiled slightly, but quickly recovered.
“Nonsense, Dusk.” Aloe looked slightly offended. “All first-timers get their treatments free. As for the wolf… we have a treatment for Applejack’s dog, Winona, which would most likely work.”
“Thanks,” Night said. Again, the sisters managed to hide their surprise.
“Right this way,” Lotus said. She beckoned the fillies to a steam-filled room, while another assistant led Night off deeper into the spa, and Aloe brought me to a high table with an indent in it.
About an hour later, I emerged from the spa with my little charges, feeling completely refreshed.
“Ahh,” I sighed. “That massage was the best I’ve ever had.”
This massage was completely put out of my mind, however, when the ground began to shake. My body involuntarily vibrated, and my voice decided to go along for the ride.
“H-e-e-e-y-y-y-y!” I exclaimed. “T-t-t-t-h-h-i-i-i-s-s i-i-i-i-s-s-s c-c-c-c-o-o-o-o-o-o-l-l-l!”
“Pinkie, Andrew, are you two crazy?!” Twilight called from somewhere. Oh no, I’m crazy. What’s the big deal?
“YEEHAW!” I heard a familiar voice shout out behind the now-noticeable stampede of cows. I grinned from ear to ear. Pinkie sat down next to me, holding a bag of popcorn. I levitated a few kernels to myself and hoof-bumped her.
Applejack was single-hoofedly bringing a stampede of cattle under control.
Why does she have to be so damn awesome, as well as hot?
Several minutes, an explanation by talking cows, and Winona introducing herself to Night rather… ecstatically, I was sitting by Pinkie and the Mayor.
“Applejack was just… just…”
“Appletastic?” Pinkie and I supplied. The Mayor nodded.
“Exactly. We must do something to honor her for helping out so much and saving the town…”
Pinkie grinned, then turned towards the computer screen. “You readers are thinking what I’m thinking, right?” she asked. My jaw dropped.
“Dear God… Pinkie… are you a fourth-wall breaker?”
“Well duh, silly!” she exclaimed. “Didn’t you see the way I cut the fade-out at the end of episode 2?”
“Sorry, Pinkie. Must have still been on Earth during that one.”
“Um, can somepony explain what those two are doing?” Rarity asked the small group of ponies behind us. I grinned.
“We, my dear Rarity, are destroying reality bit by bit.”

It had been a week. A week and four days since I’d landed myself in Equestria, and I’d finally managed to convince myself someone did not put a large dosage of bath salts in my Mountain Dew. The two parts of it that unnerved me were:
1. I was a person- erm, pony- from another dimension. Even though I was in pony form and I had a good cover, it still freaked me out just how accepting these ponies were of everything. It was a peaceful system, but that system only survived because nothing was trying to cause harm.
2. The fact that I had only seen AJ twice in the past week. Normally, she was helping her friends, and as such, got to see her all the time. Hell, I was living in the loft of her barn.
5. You get the reference, right?
As Pinkie and I put up the last streamers for the party (the damn ribbons at the bottom of the gazebo kept disappearing to who-knows-where), I had to shoo off Applebloom and her friends. I was now officially a babysitter, seeing as Rarity, Big Mac, and the matron of Scootaloo’s orphanage (she’s like me, except orange, has wings, and is female [Scootaloo, I mean]) offered to pay me to keep them occupied. I was now stashing a handy sum of bits, ready to be used anytime.
I waited in silent anticipation for AJ to finally reappear. Once Twilight had been interrupted (for the third time) the curtain was pulled back to reveal…
Nothing.
“Where’s Applejack?” Spike said from next to me.
“Quite a good question, Spike. In fact, you just gave the universe an opening for her to show up. in 3… 2… 1…”
“Ah’m here!” a groggy voice called back. I turned to a mystified Spike.
“But… how did you…” he muttered.
“I’m friends with Pinkie,” I stated flatly.
I glanced over at AJ. She had bags under her eyes, she was stumbling, and she was dropping apples left and right. Okay, now I know why she’s been missing for a week. No one should go out in public looking that tired.
“Sorry ah’m late, everypony,” she muttered, stumbling again. “Whoa- ah was just- whoa- did I get yer tail, Miss Mayor? Thank ya kindly for this here… award thingy.” She yawned. “It’s so bright and shiny, and- I sure do look funny, heh- ooh.”
Okay, either AJ is thoroughly exhausted, or she is high as fuck.
“Okay…” Twilight said, obviously disturbed by AJ’s behavior. “Well, thank you Applejack for saving us from that scary stampede, and for always being there for everypony.”
“Yeah. Ah like helping the pony folks. Um, thanks.”
AJ trotted back to the farm with the award in tow and a trail of perfectly good apples behind her.
“Was it just me,” Twilight asked, “or did Applejack seem a little…”
“Tired?” Dash said.
“Dizzy?” Fluttershy whispered.
“Messy?” Rarity asked. We all looked at her. “Well, did you see the state her mane was in?”
“I was gonna go with stoned, but I’m guessing you ponies don’t have drugs here,” I said.
Twilight sighed and trotted off after AJ. I followed at a brisk pace, hoping to figure out what was going on.
After about a half hour, Twilight and I reached Sweet Apple Acres. The heat of the sun was unbearable, and I was sweating by the time I passed the gates. Applebloom automatically shot into the clearing with a huge mug of lemonade.
“Applebloom, you have no idea how much I appreciate this,” I gasped. I chugged the drink, holding it with one hoof, and ruffling AB’s mane with the other. She laughed a bit, then tackled and proceeded to question me.
“So, what’cha doing here do early, Andrew?” she asked. I sighed.
“Applebloom, what’s been going on with AJ? She looks like she’s met Morpheus.” Twilight gave me a questioning look, but I just shot her a glance that said I’ll tell you later.
“Well, ah don’t know ‘bout this Morpheus fella, but Applejack’s been trying to harvest all the apples in the orchard.”
“Is she crazy?!” I shouted, startling Twilight. “I’ve seen those orchards myself! They go on for miles in all directions!”
Applebloom nodded. “She’s still stubborn as a mule.” I noticed a mule that had happened to stroll on by. “No offense,” I murmured.
“None taken,” it replied.
Oh, just fuck my life right now. Now I have to deal with talking donkeys too?
Oh, and if you haven’t noticed, I’ve been a bit crabby today. Guess what pink bouncing creature broke into the barn, found my secret napping place, and woke me up at four in the morning?
Twilight and I found AJ bucking apples nearly an hour later. She was even more erratic than before, and was often knocking herself over instead of the apples. I walked up to her, sighing.
“Well, howdy there, Andrew,” she said, head twisting around. “What can… what can I do ya fer?”
“What you can do, AJ, is put your stubborn pride aside and ask for some help,” Twilight said flatly. AJ looked shocked.
“Twilight, that ain’t very nice of ya!” she said, a bit irritated. “Besides, ah ain’t being stubborn. Big Mac got hurt by an outta control cart a few days ago, and Applebloom ain’t strong enough to buck yet.”
“Hey!” I said. “What about me and the Wolves?”
“Yer not technically family,” she stated. Great excuse, AJ.
“What about your friends?” Twilight asked. “We’d love to help you if you need it.”
“Ah said no, and that’s final!” AJ exclaimed, bucking a tree in her annoyance. One of the apples flew so far off the tree it impaled itself on my horn.
“Classic,” I explained to Twilight, who was on the ground laughing at me. I brushed the remains of apple off my horn and looked up to find that AJ was already halfway down the path, bucking apples again.
“Does that pony ever give up?” I sighed, putting my face to my hoof. Twilight shook her head.
“I’ll give you fifty bits if you can get her to stop.”

I stalked around town after that, hoping something good were to come of it. To my surprise, a heavenly smell was wafting up the street from Sugarcube Corner. When I turned the corner, I was met with the most delicious muffins I’d ever seen. They were golden brown, flaky, and overall superb. I noticed AJ was standing behind the counter, though, so I decided to hang back and see if anypony got poisoned.
I was a very good judge in that regard.
I watched as Derpy Hooves, who had delivered mail to the Acres every morning, dropped to the ground, clutching at her stomach. The other ponies keeled over as well. Pinkie frowned.
“Aw, come on! They can’t be that bad,” she said, taking a bite out of a muffin. She immediately began to vomit. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw AJ trotting back to the farm. I followed, watching her stop by Rainbow Dash, then lost interest and dashed over to Twilight’s library.
“Twilight?” I called from the depths of the tree. She scooted over on a ladder.
“Oh, hey Andrew. “What do you need?”
“I was wondering if you had any books on advanced magic.”
“Okay, I think there’s one right over here…” she rummaged through the shelves before pulling out an enormous black tome. She dropped it to me, nearly tearing her own foreleg off in the process from trying to lift it. I thanked her and struggled to the balcony, where I opened the magic book to a random page.
“Magic,” I read, “Is most commonly known as grammarye, for its use of mental language. Indeed, the only limitations of a unicorn’s magic is its imagination, as well as what energy they can muster. As such, the spells in this book are highly dangerous and can only be performed by the most powerful of unicorns, ere Death you will meet.” I chuckled at that. “This first spell is not often used for anything besides installing fear, but the possible uses for it are deadly. To create a copy of what you are thinking, simply imagine an element of nature coalescing to form that object.” Just then, a rainbow blur went flying into me.
“Hi, Dash,” I muttered.
“Hey,” she said back, albeit a little tiredly. I went back to reading my book while Dash took off. After several hours, I decided to leave the library and head back ‘home’.
And I was greeted with another goddamn problem. Great.
“Applejack!” Twilight said desperately.
“NO!” AJ yelled. “Ah will not accept any help from anypony!” she bucked another tree. “Ha!” she exclaimed triumphantly. “See? Ah harvested all of Sweet Apple Acres, all by mahself! How do you like them apples?”
Big Mac trotted up from behind me. “How do you like them apples?” he said, pointing to a whole other field of covered apple trees. AJ gaped. She muttered incoherently for a moment, then dropped to the ground, unconscious. I sighed and picked her up.
“Twi, you go and round up the girls. I’ll keep AJ from breaking her legs.” Twilight nodded and zoomed off. I trotted back to the farm, AJ on my back (again). As I reached the house, I swore I could see Applebloom trying lemonade herself in the kitchen. Good. She finally knows good taste. I got to AJ’s room and carefully deposited her on the bed. Then, very slowly, I made my way out to finish Applebuck Season.

Applejack woke up with a start. At first she couldn’t understand why she was in such a rush, but then she remembered Applebuck Season. Racing outside to the starry night, she completely ignored the fact that she was not in the fields anymore, but rather in her room. She opened the door to reveal an astonishing sight: all of the trees in the orchard had been bucked clean, without a single leaf on the ground. Looking around to see who did it, she finally found her culprits: five mares and a grey stallion were curled up at different places in the clearing. Beside each of them was a member of the Wolves, snoring softly. She smiled, knowing they must have worked themselves to the bone. She picked up Andrew and carried him to his temporary bed. Unbeknownst to her, he opened an eye just a fraction of an inch. He grinned as she set him down and went to get her other friends.
“I was on someone else’s back for once,” he whispered as she turned a corner. “Goodnight, my friends.”
He closed his one eye and drifted off to sleep again.

Comments

[ozpakko]

Why does it switch to third person at the end?
Still, this story is just awesome.
Rainbow Dash would probably read this, other than Daring Do's books.

[Plasmadon]

everyone, i try to keep the POV changes to a minimum. unless it's to describe a crucial story event, like the POV change in the upcoming chapter 6, i won't do it anymore. sorry!

[rainbowdash_25]

more! more!! more!!! lol plz update the story im hooked ur such a good author.

[ExcitedReader]

Well this chapter just completely destroyed the 4th wall

[Ponysun]

A young emo faggot is suddenly self-inserted into a poorly made story.

[Lavram]

OH MERCIFUL LUNA, PLEASE, I WANT TO READ MORE. oh yeah and spike said "Me gusta."

[jplsnake252719952012]

1009310 dont be a bitch dude>>1006363this is a great story and i cant wait to tead more keep up the good work

[Ponysun]

1010621

nice name

[jordanwriter]

3. yes, i get the refrence. 1, 2, 5.... 3 sir