Zap Apples
Sombra woke up to a ringing of his alarm. Uhg, it was so very early, as he started to wonder why his alarm was ringing it spoke up. "Time to wake it its zap apple jam season"
"Shit! Leary, turn off my alarm." Sombra said as he bolted out of bed and to Discords door which he knocked on rapidly. He had forgotten, they promised to help Applejack again this season. They both helped in cider season and in zap apple jam season, along with her friends.
"What the fuck Sombra, what do you want, do you even know what time it is?" Discord hissed as his friend, his mind covered in a sleepy fog.
"Its zap apple jam season!" Sombra hissed back, "and we promised we would be there."
"Shit! Go get the coffee ready, I'll go get the baby." Discord said as he ran off to the nursery. He grabbed the pre-packed bag Cadence kept at the ready for when she needed to go out with Flurry. He turned around in a rush and then very slowly, very carefully, picked up Flurry from her crib. He cradled her in his arm as his eyes glowed a paper appeared. He wrote Cadence a note and went up to her bedroom door. He cracked it open just slightly and taped the note inside the door. He then dashed off to the kitchen.
Sombra had just finished the pot of coffee he was making and was pouring it into two cups when Discord came strolling into the kitchen. He picked up the cup and tossed the whole thing into his mouth, eating it in one bite.
Sombra followed that motion except he put his cup into the dishwasher. He watched as Discord ripped a hole through time and space, they both entered it and ended up on Applejack's farm.
"Hello," yelled Applejack, she had been up for the past hour feeding all the animals.
"Shhhh." Discord and Sombra said at the same time as they both pointed to Flurry.
"We have to watch Flurry. She's currently asleep, so hush. You'll wake her up." Discord scolded Applejack, if she woke up now, she would be cranky later.
"Sorry, wait how ya gonna help if ya have to watch her?" Applejack whispered if they had Flurry, how were they going to do this?
"We're gonna switch off. I'll buck and Discord will help make the jam. His powers would be better suited for making the jam anyway, since you know, it's quite a chaotic process." Sombra suggested but Applejack seemed very hesitant. "Or we could leave." Sombra assumed that they were not wanted unless they were paying attention to only this.
"No!" Applejack yelled, she needed their help. She needed all the help she could get.
"Shhhhhh." Discord and Sombra said together, scolding Applejack once more, but Flurry did not wake.
"Sorry, I guess thata be fine." Applejack said as she went off with Sombra. She brought him over to the section he was to buck. "Alright this is ya section, get as much as ya can done." She said as she left him to his own devices.
Sombra bucked his first tree, he could use his magic to levitate them all down. That wasn't all that fun, when reforming he spent a good amount of time here. He really grew to appreciate the physical aspect of apple bucking, sometimes things were nice without using any magic. This was one of those things, so he did it the earth pony way. By hoof, at least until he had to use magic, he was on a timer.
Applejack was halfway through her first section when she could hear the distant sounds of Discord obsessing over Flurry. It was incredibly distracting. "Pika-BOO!" Another tree missed. She grumbled to herself, how was she supposed to do anything if Discord was so distracting? She started trotting over, to tell him off, of course.
"IAhehiwrairla." Flury said as she rubbed her hooves all over Discord's face.
"Awww," Discord said as doted on her some more, scratching her ears, rubbing her head, scratching her belly with his claw. She clumsily grabbed his claw and started chewing on it. "Flurry, we talked about this. No biting. I know it hurts, so here." Discord said as he poofed up the new and improved bubble octopus. Now for teething babies, it was cold and hard, it would bring peace to her painful gums. "Chew on this my sweet little heart crusher."
Flurry bit down on the octopus and it was like heaven on her flaming gums. "eiohwho" She said, her mouth full of octopus.
"I'll assume that was a thank you, you're very welcome darling." He said as he cooed at her, going back to fretting over her, scratching and petting all the places she liked. "You are just too cute, I love you so very much. You're gonna be the best princess ever. Better than every princess combined, your gonna make all the past princess look bad!"
Applejack's breath hitched as the flood of memories of her father drowned her head. He used to fret and obsess in much the same way. Telling them how great they were, how they would grow up to be great, how proud he was. She trotted right up to Discord. "Heya Discord."
"Hello, Applejack." Discord responded flippantly, he looked at her once then did a double-take. It looked like she had seen a ghost. "Are you doing alright?"
"This will be mighty strange but can I have a hug?" Applejack asked she wasn't sure what was wrong with her head. This was Discord, lord of chaos, and she wanted some of that attention Flurry was getting. Was she going crazy?
"Sure I love a good hug," Discord said as he scooped her up in his arms. Was that all? All she needed to do was ask, he did not mind dishing out hugs.
Applejack leaned into Discord, felt his claw scratch her ears, felt his soft fuzz, his warm embrace. It wasn't the same but it was still nice. She smiled as she hugged him harder, she didn't care if this was crazy it made her feel good.
Flurry Heart was sitting the table staring at Discord's back. He wasn't paying attention to her anymore that was something she didn't like. "Aijiejfijfew" she said, but he wouldn't turn around, so she poofed onto his face. "huehhh."
"I'm sorry Flurry, Applejack needs attention right now. You'll have to share. Do you remember what your mother told you about sharing?" Discord stared in Flurry's sparkling eyes, and he wanted to cave, he couldn't. It sucked, but Cadence was right, he and Sombra did spoil her too much. They still did, but they tried not to contradict what Cadence was trying to teach her. Discord moved Flurry from his face to his head. He conjured a second clawed hand to scratch Flurry.
"Sorry about that Applejack......Applejack? Are you ok?" Discord asked as he started to feel Applejack hug harder, then start to shake.
"No, I know it be a might strange but ya remind me of mah father." Applejack couldn't stop her tears, everything he did reminded her of her father. Even the way he scolded Flurry, wishing to dote on her instead. Applejack's father spoiled her and her brother in much the same way.
Discord didn't know what to say, so he joked. "Your father was a Draconequus?"
Applejack snorted lightly at the thought, "yeah we're secretly related, just like Pinkie and me."
Discord smiled just a bit, glad he cheered her up. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you."
Applejack looked up into Discord's eyes, he looked so concerned. It made her feel better. All that reformation sure was worth it. "He would fret and fuss over us. I miss him." It was more than that, Fluttershy was right, she was always right. He was more than just the lord of chaos. He was a friend, she wished she had been on that bandwagon sooner. Joining Fluttershy from the start, instead of doubting her for so long.
"Well I do love fretting, maybe there's something I can do to make you feel better?" Discord added, he hated that he made one of the elements of harmony cry.
"Do you think you can fret over Apple Bloom? She got her cutie mark, and we fretted, but it wasn't the same." Applejack asked. She knew it wouldn't exactly be the same with Discord, but she also felt that her family got nowhere close to the same feeling. It just felt so off, even Big Mac agreed when she asked him later. They were missing that father-like figure, she assumed stealing a little bit from Flurry wouldn't be too bad.
"She did? I had no idea. Well, bring her over." Discord's heart stung, another thing he had been left out of. He felt so....used. He could see why he needed to do this, but he was just filling a void. All the elements did this from time-to-time, when they weren't parading Discord and Sombra around like trophies. They missed out on a lot, unless their powers were needed, then they were needed. He watched as she brought Apple Bloom over to him, and it stung once more. He had to be considerate, one upset element caused more elements to be upset. Plus he did favor the cutie mark crusaders, so chaotic.
"You got your cutie mark?!?!?!" He said as he picked her up and sat her onto the table. That way he wouldn't have to crane his neck awkwardly, he poured his affection into her. Though he wasn't really feeling it all that much.
"Ya want to see?" Apple Bloom yelled as she raised her hindquarters, and pointed her hoof to her cutie mark. "See!?"
Discord just stared, confused "I have no idea what that could mean." He said before he felt a sinking feeling. "OH NO! Does that mean no more crusaders? You made such great agents of chaos. Who will give your sister headaches now?! I mean, besides me, of course."
Apple Bloom laughed, "we were worried 'bout that too! We actually got out cutie marks together, all together. We have the same job! We're gonna help others find their purpose! We figured it out by helpin' Dimond Tiara find her path, even if she was a big ol' bully."
"Wow, that's a lot of responsibility, are you ready?" Discord asked her, she was still very young, so he was slightly concerned.
"Yes! With mah friends, I can do anything!" Apple Bloom yelled confidently.
That made him less worried, she sounded like the elements. She would be just fine. "Well, if you want to cause some extra chaos." He said as he dropped a red whistle over Apple Bloom's head, "you can always call me." He snapped up a sticker that read 'Chaos Agent: Discord approved' on it. "There now you have two cutie marks and two purposes in life, now go cause some chaos."
"Thank you Discord, if I need ya I'll let ya know." Apple Bloom said, she wondered how many courses she could set up with Discord's help. Was it possible for a pony to get a cutie mark in chaos?
"No problem," Discord felt that sting again. If he was needed. He was never needed. She really was like the elements.
"Don't encourage her givin' me headaches." Applejack mock scolded, her sister was going to be doing that regardless of Discord's encouragement.
"Of course she will, she is supposed to. She's your family. You taught me that, so I guess it's sort of your fault." He tried to joke. He picked Flurry off his head and cradled her in his arms. At least he had Flurry and Sombra, something was much better than nothing.
Applejack noticed Discord seemed to be upset. She had no idea why, was, was it family? Just like how she had been upset. "You know ya never told me 'bout ya kin."
Discords heart dropped, "I....."
"Where have you been? I have been bucking trees by myself!" Sombra yelled, purple pouring from his eyes. He was peeved. He finished his section and the next three before he realized that a break was being taken.
Thank Celestia for Sombra, Discord thought to himself. It was easy bait, but he did not care, as long as he was out of this conversation. "Applebloom has her cutie mark."
"What no way can I see?!" Sombra rushed over to Apple Bloom who told him all about her mark. He felt a singular sting to Discord, he missed out, again.
"We should get ya one!" Apple Bloom said as she pointed at Sombra's blank flank.
"Oh I'm not really a pony. I just look like one, I'm sort of like Discord." Sombra explained, "I won't get one, even with your help." A cutie mark was something Sombra never really fretted over, even when he was younger. He always knew he'd never get one.
"You don't have one either?" Apple Bloom asked Discord.
"Not a pony, well part pony, but not enough to have a cutie mark." Discord explained, he could probably conjure one up for himself but it wouldn't be the real deal.
"How did that work? We're ya kin like that?" Applejack asked.
"Yeah, or....did ya loose 'em... like we did." Apple Bloom asked. She had never seen either of their parents nor heard of them.
"Uhhhh," Discord said as Sombra remained silent. It was a question they avoided and for good reasons. Neither of them knew what to say.
Sombra coughed, "uh um I..." He looked away and to Discord, he held hope that he'd do something that made the conversation change.
"Girls!" Granny Smith scolded "ya are clearly making 'em uncomfortable. They been kind enough to help every year and ya are stressin' em out. I taught ya better than that! Now leave 'em alone, we only got a few more hours left till the zap apples disappear." Granny turned to Sombra and Discord, "I'm mighty sorry, ya don't have to say anything if ya don't want ta. Now get back ta work."
"Thank you, Mrs. Smith," Sombra said, grateful that he wasn't cornered into an uncomfortable situation.
"Mrs?!!? While no ones called me Mrs since I turned 40." Granny waved her hoof dismissively.
"You're over 40? I thought you were no older than 25." Sombra said with a smile, he liked Granny Smith she was filled with knowledge, fun stories, and her cooking was some of the best he ever tasted.
"Aw! Ya should come 'round more often. Ya make me feel so young!" Sombra brought Granny back to a time where her husband was around, all the jealous stairs he would get. It was rare to feel that young again, especially when your grandchildren sometimes treated you like you were crazy. Of course, she still loved them to the moon and back.
"You are young." Sombra said as he picked up Granny's hoof and kissed it gently. "I'll get back to work Mrs. Smith." Sombra said as he sauntered off to whatever section he was on. He supposed it didn't matter, he would just keep bucking.
"Ya know what ya deserve a break. They been notten but slackers." Granny said as she shoved him to the barn, it wasn't all that hard. It was almost noon, she was going to make every creature lunch. She decided she was going to make Sombra and Discord something extra special, a dish she used to make her husband and son. They were looking so thin these days and it was a hearty meal.
"I'll take Sombra's place. Now that Flurry is awake I can take her bucking with me." Discord got up and wandered off to his section. More than glad that he didn't have to have an awkward discussion.
Granny pushed Sombra inside her home. "Keep me company while I cook." She said as she hobbled off to the kitchen.
"I would love to," Sombra said as he followed her into the kitchen. He wondered what kind of story he would be told this time. He sat down on one of the wooden chairs as Granny got out a pot.
"Allow me," Sombra said as he activated his magic and brought the pot to the stove.
"Ya think ya can bring these ta me to?" Granny asked as she grabbed her cookbook and turned to page 30. She looked at it fondly it had been so long since she made this meal.
Sombra skimmed the recipe for what he needed: avocado or coconut oil, yellow onion, red pepper, sea salt, black pepper, jalapeño, cloves of garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, tomatoes, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, coconut sugar, and corn. He activated his magic and gathered what he could. Putting it on the table for Granny. "I'm sorry, but we don't have some of these ingredients. We don't have chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, or jalapeño."
"Oh, I wasn't expectin' to make this. I should go ta the market." Granny said she started to gather her purse.
"Allow me, you would get more done if I did it for you," Sombra offered, but in all honesty, he had no idea where to find any of those ingredients. He wouldn't want Granny to have to go through all that work, especially when he could do it for her. Plus he could go get some help.
"Ya such gentle-colt, if ya insist." Granny Smith smiled, it would give her time to prepare all the ingredients she had.
Sombra dissolved into smoked and rushed to Pinkie Pie, he knocked on the door to Sugar Cube Corner. It swung open.
"SOMBRA! What are you doing here?" Pinkie bounced at the sight of her friend. She was more than elated to see him.
"I need help finding these ingredients," Sombra said as he levitated a list to Pinkie Pie. He was glad to see her, she was his favorite element, besides Fluttershy.
Pinkie took one look and knew exactly where to go, "follow me." She said as she bounced off.
Sombra trotted calmly next to her, giving an interesting picture of one hyper mare and one steely stallion. Sombra did not mind though, after being around Discord for so long, he was more used to this sort of behavior. Until he wasn't, Pinkie bounced a little slower today, he could tell because he sometimes outpaced her. Her hair looked a little less bouncy, her smile a little less wide. "Everything ok Pinks?" He asked.
"You could always read me like a book, can't hide anything from you." Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing and walked next to Sombra. "Do you think I'm random?"
"Compared to Discord, your book is an easy read. Not as much as Discord but a little bit. Why?" Sombra asked, he hated seeing Pinkie so upset, and she was clearly distraught. She had reformed him, he felt like he owed her, for being the element to back his reformation first. Of course, followed by Fluttershy.
"I feel like I'm hearing more creatures say it, I think...they might be using it to ignore me. I know I'm random sometimes, but sometimes I'm being serious. They just blow me off." Pinkie Pie pouted, was she crazy?
"You know you should talk to your friends about that. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. If it helps, I like your randomness it makes you, you." Sombra said as he smiled. Looks like he helped an element this time, instead of the reverse.
"You really think that?" Pinkie asked as she started bouncing at her normal rate.
"Of course!" Sombra said.
"Thank you Sombra, you're right I should talk to them, you are one smart cookie." Pinkie Pie felt better, Sombra was very smart, and he was right. She should talk to her friends, she sure was glad Sombra was one of them.
Sombra was back in the Apple's kitchen with everything he needed, Granny was halfway through the recipe. With the rest of the ingredients, her chili was up and cooking.
"Welp, time to start on the rest of it," Granny announced as she gathered pots and pans.
"Wait I thought that was lunch," Sombra said confused, wasn't that for all the Apples?
"Naw I wanted to make ya and Discord somethin' special for all y'all's help." Granny clarified, it wasn't a big deal, and she had enjoyed making the dish. It made her feel young again, she was feeling a lot of that today.
"You know what Mrs. Smith, let me, when is the last time you've been weighted on hoof and hoof?" Sombra asked, not giving Granny a chance to answer as he dashed into the living room. He pushed the chair into its shadow then took it to the kitchen. This allowed it to fit through the door and it was easier to carry. He set it up at the kitchen table. He lifted Granny in his magic and into her chair. "Why don't I cook you lunch?"
"I don't even remember the last time I had a break." Granny smiled, "or lunch cooked for me by a hoofsome creature like you."
"Mrs. Smith you flatter me too much," Sombra said with a dismissive hoof wave. He truly did enjoy her company. She was a very interesting mare.
"Would ya like to hear bout the time Apple Rose kicked her stalker in the bits?" Granny Smith asked, one of the reasons she liked Sombra is he would listen to her stories, all of her stories. He never tried to avoid them, or dismiss her.
"I would LOVE to hear about that," Sombra said with a smile, sounded like this story would be a wild one.
"Well, when I was youngen Rose was a bit of a....well a hussy to put it lightly. She attracted many admirers, twas all fun and games ya know? Till one of them started followin' us 'round. At first, we kid 'bout it cuz we thought it twas a joke. Maybe it was a friend playin' pranks on us.
Then it didn't stop, we got mighty worried, rightly so. We went directly to the mayor. He escorted us everywhere for a while and the stalker neva showed up, so we thought were safe. Till the mayor stopped escorting us, then we realized it had to be taken into our own hooves.
So one night, late, Rose went to go 'pick crops'. She put on quite the show and it made her stalker act. He came a runnin' she then swore at him in such language. I dare not repeat it. Kicked him, straight in the crotch, never saw hide nore hair of him again. But if ya and ya friend wish to know what she said. Ya can come on over durin' the Apple Family Reunion and ask her. I'm sure she'd love to repeat it." Granny said as she whipped out two invitations to the Family Reunion. She slid them across the table to Sombra.
"Oh Mrs. Smith, I couldn't intrude on your family like that." Sombra said, Granny was a very nice mare, and he could see why she would help produce one of the elements. Sometimes it surprised him that she wasn't one of them.
"Nonsense, I like ya so ya get to go. And stop callin' me Mrs. Smith my name is Maria. It's been such a long time since I made a new friend, I hope you don't mind befriendin' an old folk like me." Granny smiled at Sombra, she had the same group of friends since she turned 55, so it was nice to make a new one. She wondered if there was a family member she could pair him up with, she would love it if he joined her family.
"Well, thank you, Maria. I'd love to come, so would Discord. You are not old that old, in fact, I'm way older. Would you like to hear a story?" Sombra said, it was his turn to tell a story.
"I would love ta," Granny said, she was the one who usually told stories, or Applejack, if something had happened. She was excited to hear something new.
"This is about the time I thought trains were giant carnivorous snakes." Sombra started.
Applejack, Discord, Big Mac, and Rainbow Dash, who joined late, all finished bucking. Flurry was currently asleep in Cadence's hoof. She had shown up after her meeting had ended to see her baby. They were off to the kitchen for lunch when loud laughter stopped them in their tracks.
"So of course since I was terrified I sucker-punched Twilight in the muzzle." Sombra laughed, it was terrifying at the moment but it was rather funny now.
"The element of magic?!" Granny gasped.
"Give me a break Maria, I thought she was sacrificing me to a carnivorous snake. How was I supposed to know it was a train?" Sombra snickered as he stirred the soup some more, making sure it didn't burn. "She had a black eye for a week, of course, I felt very bad afterward. Discord made fun of me for three months straight dangling toy trains in my face going. "Look Sombra it's a snake hisssss." Sombra said doing his best Discord impression causing Granny to laugh some more.
"I do feel a lot younger," Granny said honestly. "Do ya often get treated like ya an old coot?"
"More like an artifact, it took me forever to get this sketchbook back. It wasn't even mine, it was Discord's. They kept telling me it had to be preserved, you know we're alive right? It's pretty much stealing, also if you want to see his art. You could just ask him. I mean he is around." Sombra said frustratedly, "that doesn't include all the other things I had to fight to get my hooves back on."
"Discord is an artist? Well colored me surprised, I had no idea." Granny Smith said.
"He's an excellent one too, his paintings are something else," Sombra said.
"Sombrraaaaa that's so nice of you. I was gonna prank you with trains but now I'm gonna hug you." Discord said as he picked up his friend. Is then snaped a train and hung it from his horn like a hearth's warming fire ornament. "Hissssss." He snickered, he couldn't resist.
Sombra just rolled his eyes, "I'm terrified," he said with a smirk.
"Bring 'em over here why don't cha." Granny Smith said as she patted the seats next to her. "Ya can both sit right next ta me."
"Thank you, Gran-" Discord started.
"Call me Maria, I insist ya sit down. I'll get ya food." Granny said not even waiting for an answer. Of course, they sat down. Granny set two bowls down in front of them and gave them a heaping amount of food. "Now I want cha to eat as much as ya want." She said as she poked them both in the sides. "Ya ribs are practically out cha sides, ya gonna starve to death. I can't have that happen on my watch."
"What about us Granny?" Applejack asked, in a state of shake. She had heard very few ponies call her Granny, Maria.
"Ya got hooves, get it ya self. My friends are gonna be jealous when I tell them how two strappin' fellows joined me for lunch." Granny bragged as she rocked her chair she would have to give them a call after this. She felt as young as Applejack was. She reveled in their attention.
"You mean stallions aren't always joining you for lunch? That surprises me, I suspected a young mare such as yourself to capture the attention of many a colt." Sombra said.
Granny slapped him on the back with her hoof causing him to breathe out from the force. "Ya are my favorite colt Applejack ever brought home." She pointed a hoof to Discord "ya too. Ya both so helpful and so nice."
They both smiled as they dug into their meal, as they put the spoon into their mouths you could practically see their pupils turn into stars.
"Maria, what is this? This has to be the best thing I have ever eaten." Discord asked as he downed the whole thing, bowl and all. "Oops, I got too excited." He said as he proofed up the bits needed to pay for the bowl.
"I'll get ya a new one, but try to not eat it," Granny said pushing his bits away and getting him a new bowl, picking up Sombra's bowl on the way. She filled them up and gave them back, "there's enough left ta feed eight full-grown stallions. Take the leftovers wit ya."
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This was awesome. I really liked this chapter. The duo made friends with Granny Smith, and improved their friendship with AJ. Also,
Their baby now.
Oh yeah! This is what I’m talking about! You my dear autor friend contradict this picture
novelninja.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/fanfiction-copy1.jpg
10342920
Thank you, I was so anxious about it. (i added it in and was considering another like it maybe.)
lol maybe just a bit, I swear her biological parents take care of her too.
10342931
Awww, thank you, friend, so much. You have no idea how worried I was about this chapter. I'm glad you liked it, and the rest of my story.
Great chapter, I love your Granny Smith, she just sounds adorable and the best grandma ever.
Also I give you my respects with your handling of Pinkie having everypony dismiss her as random, is one of those things that you don't notice the problem until is pointed out. But I have to say her response to Sombra's advice should be a little more elaborate to fully sell the impact.
Keep working on this awesome chapters. I wish you the best
10342949
Thank you, she is definitely best grandma. I will work on that, (this is the sudden chapter i pm'd you about.) I'll work on it a little more and thank you so much! I hope you continue to like my story.
10342959
I agree I like how she treats them like she would want to be treated and doesn't care about their past or anything else.