Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

73 - The Last Roundup Part One

Applejack watched the stovetop intensely, eyes following each little bubble and pop of what was in the pan. Her hoof hovered over the handle, ready for the proper instant.

Apple Bloom watched her sister with some confusion. "What's she doin' 'xactly?"

Granny Smith pat her gently on the back. "She's challengin' herself to speed and quality in her food. Gonna enter a big contest for that kinda thing."

"Oh wow." Apple Bloom didn't exactly understand, but her big sister had always been good at stuff. It was nice to see her being challenged to go farther. "Ah'm sure she's gonna win! Ain't she?"

Granny Smith snickered as Applejack slid the perfectly browned pancakes onto plates for the kids and started cutting the apple into neat slices. "Well, she'd better!"

Pear Butter gently pawed at Granny. "Don't be like that. Applejack will try her absolute best. Not like she knows how to put in any less effort. I'll be so proud of her either way."

"Thanks, ma." Applejack didn't look away from her preperation, moving busily from one to the next. "But there's a lot ridin' on this! An' it ain't just mah pride talkin'!"

Pear tapped at her chin softly. "Don't let the world rest on your pretty shoulders, Applejack dear. What's gone so bad you feel so pressed?"

"Pressin's about the problem." Applejack peered into the oven and took out a deep pan out onto the counter. "The town hall's busted. The farm needs things. The winnin's could make a huge difference fer the whole town!"

Pear Butter placed her hoof gently on Applejack's shoulder. "All valid concerns. I'm sorry y'all are having a hard time. You just keep at it and we'll support ya." She lifted Apple Bloom up so she could kiss Applejack on the cheek. "Love ya."

"Love ya too, Ma." AJ glanced down, smiling at the kiss. "Y'all the greatest." But she had no time to savor the family life, she had cooking to perfect, and she got right back to to perfecting her art.

Apple Bloom bounced in place, back where she had begun. "If ah know mah sister, she's gonna win every prize in the place!"

Granny laughed at the sheer enthusiasm, leading Apple Bloom along. "Maybe. We'll just have to see!"

---

At the town hall, ponies cheered and stomped as it was announced Applejack would be entering a contest. There was some mild confusion when it turned out it wasn't a rodeo. "Applejack has generously offered up her prize winnings." Mayor Mare smiled at the crowd before her. "We'll get the town hall fixed up when she sweeps at the Centennial Canterlot Cooking Contest!" The cheering only grow in volume as applejack smiled awkwardly.

"What have ah gotten mahself into?" she whispered to herself softly before stepping up to the mic. "Ah'm happy to help! Ah'll help get that hall put back together, to somethin' we can all be proud of." The cheering somehow found a louder volume. "Jus' ya all wait to hear how well it went!"

With that done, Applejack walked home to continue planning how she was going to beat out everypony else at the contest.

Over at the library, Twilight looked up. "I swear, I just heard Applejack..."

"I mentioned her." Moon Dancer went up to Twilight with a raised brow. "She's going to Canterlot for a cooking contest. I wanted to go with her for support."

Twilight shook her head. "Oh! Yes, Mom mentioned that. She'll be hosting Pear Butter, um, also mom, for the duration. They plan to both cheer on Applejack the whole way. She sounded rather excited about it." She shook her head. "More excited than I expected mom to be about a cooking contest."

"Yes." Moon Dancer sighed. "I've been trying to figure out the appeal." She opened up a book with a diagram of a kitchen. "Clearly some sort of math puzzle, with ingredients as variables to be adjusted..."

Spike snickered at the sight. "Best part is that you're not entirely wrong there." He snapped his fingers, on the way to do the door. "Cooking's one of the first sciences ponies ever learned."

"A puzzling science," Moon Dancer mused thoughtfully. "I must learn more. What can you tell me of it, Spike?"

The dragon froze. "Um, well, I guess I know a bunch of recipes." He suddenly frowned. "And so do you! You've cooked before, even if you forget sometimes eating is a thing ponies have to do."

"Yes." Moon approached Spike with a curious expression. "But there's more to know. I cast spells all the time, but I'd hardly call myself done with researching it."

"I suppose that's true." Spike rubbed behind his head a moment before he brightened. "Why don't you grab a cookbook? We are in a library and all. Grab one and cook something new! I'll taste test it when I get back."

"Good idea!" Moon wandered the library as Spike went on his way, and grabbed a suitable text to get reading.

Twilight watched her friend start in with a knowing smile. "Do you need me to read that for you, Moon?"

Moon looked up sharply, pulling the book in a bit more protectively. "No...I'm just...not sure what to do with it yet." She looked it over thoughtfully. "Spike wants me to...make a meal."

"I thought you already knew a good chunk of cooking recipes." Twilight walked over to join her friend, feeling an odd mix of amused and concerned. "You've cooked for him before, and yourself. Why so timid now?" She gently pressed against Moon's side. "Would you like me to keep you company?"

"Yes." Moon advanced on the kitchen with renewed confidence. "I would like that."

Twilight smirked softly as she followed followed after Moon. "We could all use a friendly hoof sometimes. I'll pass the ingredients."

"That would be useful." She sat before the stove. "This recipe calls for--" She began reading out the ingredients one by one without pause.

Twilight waved her hooves for just such a pause. "I didn't know we were gathering it all, but perhaps that's a good idea. Let's clear a space for that." With a swipe of her magic, she made a wide portion of the counter available for their cooking experiment. "Alright, start that list over."

Moon reread it. "...Okay." She looked around a bit helplessly. "Do you think we need it all, or can we leave something out? Or replace it?"

"Well, the book might give you an idea why they selected that recipe." Twilight waggled her head, giving a lopsided grin. "But, for the first time? Let's follow the instructions." She put a hoof at her chest. "That is how we're both comfortable, hm?"

"True." Moon resumed calling out ingredients as Twilight brought them over with her magic. She looked over the many different things curiously. "I never stopped to consider cooking as a whole, instead of as individual tasks for individual results. Just examining these reagents takes on a different lens."

Twilight nodded slowly at that. "It's just...math, right? Recipes are like plans." She lined up the last ingredient, then bumped her hip against Moon. "Shall we begin? There's no time like the present."

"Very well." Moon shrugged her shoulders, then cracked her neck. "Let's see what happens." With careful magic, she started to assemble the various items into the recipe's desired form.

---

Elsewhere, and later, in Canterlot, Applejack was sweating. She had many good reasons to be doing so, the heat of the kitchen pressing in on her, to say nothing the pressure of performing for what felt like thousands of pairs of pony eyes behind her. She had to cook it perfectly. She placed the garnish gently, but was just as swiftly off to another dish. She had several she needed to get done at about the right time.

Then, a minor miracle occurred, one that would be lauded as legendary by culinary ponies of years to come. All of her dishes were done within moments of each other. The timing was so close, the food so hot, and it looked absolutely perfect. Applejack swiped her hooves against one another as she turned. She saw the judges and waved them over with a big smile.

"Hiya!" She motioned proudly to her creations. "Fer the main course, ah got me some deep fried flounder. The batter was based on mah fam'ly secret recipe. Goes great with mah apple coated carrot soup. Finish up with mah baked pie crust apples with caramel sauce. The vanilla ice cream is a traditional treat!"

The judges traded glances, amazed that all of these were fresh from the oven. One stepped forward, a mare wearing a judge's pin and chef's hat. "You get top marks on speed, but there's more to food than that." Her discerning eye passed over the foods critically. "Mmm. Hm. Eight."

Applejack perked an ear. "Eight what?"

"Eight of Ten on appearance. Quite lovely." She nodded as the other judges did as well, seemingly largely in agreement on that assessment. Good, great even, but not perfect.

Another judge cleared his throat. "Smells delightful. Eight."

"Eight?" Applejack gulped nervously.

The third judge had an even more critical look. "The presentation's exquisite, but I'd cut the carrots smaller." He motioned over the food. "It makes it a bit too messy for my tastes." He gave a soft frown, but didn't give a number.

They argued among themselves, their numbers high and low, not all agreeing on each step. The mare leaned in with a smile, horn glowing. "But we should try the highest importance." The others were also unicorns, all wielding a floating fork. "Taste."

As the bites were taken, Applejack waited with bated breath. "How is it? Will I place?"

"Hmmm..." The three looked between one another.

The mare, who seemed to have been elected spokesperson, waved a hoof. "Ten for taste! In fact..." She turned to the others. "Agreed, Ten!"

The other two ponies nodded happily in return, and Applejack nearly exploded from joy.

The mare waved at the score board, which rose with a smile.

Dominating the crowd, Velvet was almost screaming with joy. "That's my daughter! Woo, ten of ten! I'm losing it!" She bounced on her seat, far too excited for the stately affairs of the cooking competition.

Fortunately, Pear was there to gently wrestle her friend down and gently shush at her until some amount of order was returned to the hall.

The head mare looked away from the outburst, back to Applejack. "The scores are complete. We have to judge the rest. Mind, a ten for flavor is a step forward, but it not an assured win. All the numbers matter, and only in their totality can you claim victor today. Good luck." She led the other judges off towards the next ready chef with a final nod.

Applejack took a moment to catch her breath, relieved. At least the hardest part was done.

Behind her, a stallion was glaring at the crowd. He had his hat pulled down over his eyes. His mane was hidden under a bandana, and he had an apron tied across his barrel.

A pony beside him reached over and patted his back. "Nothing but beginner's luck," he whispered to the first. "When they taste ours, they'll be blown away."

The judges rendered harsh judgements on each cook's preparations. A variety came to each, none managing a straight ten spread, but they weren't done, only about halfway through the hall and its many hopeful chefs. Applejack watched the score board and the floating magical display showing the judges as they tried and discussed each prepared meal.

Then they came to the pair of stallions.

The lead judge lowered her gaze critically over their efforts. She leaned in and sniffed deeply. Then she closed her eyes and muttered softly under her breath.

The first stallion smiled brightly. "We prepared it using an ancient tradition."

"Thousands of moon's old," added the second. "Thought to be lost to ponykind."

But would that impress the judges?

Author's Note:

Cook-off! Applejack's in a contest, but the pieces are clearly in different positions.

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Comments

[TheGJ90]

Okay, Pear Butter, I know you have faith if your daughter. But, just in case she loses... make sure you have a lasso ready!

[Booster Spice]

Uhoh.

Someones made a Steak and Kidney pie.

[GrimmWolfDragon]

My thought doing the whole entire last section was food wars

[David Silver]

11828933
An appropriate enough anime for this yes.

[GrimmWolfDragon]

11828934
Nice 👍

[howard035]

It'll be great to see how things shake out differently for an Applejack with her mother present.

[redandready45]

Can't wait...