Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

74 - The Last Roundup Part Two

One of the judges nodded firmly. "A clear 10 for authenticity."

Another was quick to raise her hoof. "If it tastes authentically. Do you have documentation of this 'lost recipe?'"

"Eeeh... I left it in my other outfit. But I have the word of my ancestors!" The stallion bowed, leaning in as he did. "But more importantly, you can tell, can't you? It's the right thing, to eat!"

The judges paused at that. Slowly they began to nod. The head judge among them. "We can't give a ten for authenticity then, being unable to say what it should appear as, or taste like. But, fear not, most recipes displayed today weren't aiming for that." She leaned in. "Let's consider its appearance."

The judges whispered among themselves, debating its lift, crisp, and arrangement among themselves. A number went up on the board, seven.

The stallion's partner worried his hooves together. "They didn't give us the authenticity points! I thought we had that in the bag!"

The first snorted. "They haven't tasted it yet!" He stepped forward boldly. "Just you watch!"

The judges eyed their offering uncertainly, but dutifully bit into it. It crunched beneath their teeth, just to become soft a few inches in. "Mmm, delightful composition," complimented one judge.

"Savory, with a dash of sweetness," called another. They did seem pleased with what they were tasting.

More numbers appeared on the board as they came to final conclusions.

Applejack shifted uncomfortably, her gaze switching between the scoreboard and the duo in the center of attention. That was some daring creativity there...

Finally, the head judge took the stage, leaving them with a taste score of nine and a half. They had all the numbers for all the dishes. It was time to tally them up. "Let me begin by saying each and every one of you have come out swinging today." She nodded at the arena full of chefs. "I tasted nothing but the sweet effort and care of you all, and it is my sincere pleasure to have been selected to preside over this event."

The judges joined her on stage to clap for the contestants.

The announcer pony smiled over them all. "And now, for the one moment we all came here for. The announcement of the winners!"

Applejack, and just about every chef there, was sweating heavily. All those pretty flowery words were nice, but they were just pushing back the final decisions. "Top marks for taste, ah got that." She grinned up at the board, where her ten for taste still blazed brightly. "C'mon!" She kept her voice low, lest she interrupt the announcement.

But it was the stallion who'd scored the nine and half who drew the loudest applause. The lead judge's eyes shone as she addressed the crowd. "Today you have tasted the fruit of tradition and innovation. This talented chef has proven there are still wonders to be discovered in this world!" She pointed proudly to the winner. "Third runner up for taste, Mr. Windwhistle!"

Whistles and cheers filled the hall as the stallion galloped up to collect his trophy. There was some stiffness in his walk. It was a win, but it wasn't the big trophy, or the big cash prize. He'd go home with a smaller pot. "Thanks kindly."

The lead judge nodded as she turned her eyes back to the chefs. "There was one chef that really stole our tastebuds today! She's fresh, as fresh as her wonderful offering. I could taste a delicious future ahead of her. This is her first competition ever, and she's taking second place!" The spotlight came down on Applejack. "Our second place winner! Come on up."

Applejack had that same stiffness, forcing a smile as she approached. In her mind, she ran the numbers. Second place was nice and all, but the pot was considerably smaller. Would Ponyville be able to afford its new town hall? "Thanks kindly." She accepted her trophy. "It was a real pleasure sharin' some Apple Family love wit' y'all." The crowd cheered and stomped as she returned to her booth.

And the moment the music swelled again, Applejack slumped into her chair with a sigh. She'd given her best effort. Now the big money would go to the first place winner.

The head judge straightened up, her expression falling more serious. "Now, we come to our grand champion. The pony who took the biggest leap forward in the world of cuisine today! Our first place winner gets not only a thousand bits, but a five year supply of fresh produce from any farm in Equestria!"

Applejack perked at that. Any farm? She had her eyes locked on the stage. If she could get that winner to pick Sweet Apple Acres, well, that'd be a mighty large sum of bits. Her lips moved with soft mutters as she worked out the math involved in that.

"That means the top prizes this year total up to 4,750 bits! Plus, of course, a handsome trophy." The announcer beamed over the audience. "Who will win it? Whoever you choose, everypony put in their very best, and for that, we applaud them!" The lights dimmed as a drum roll played, the tension growing in the crowd. "Now, ladies and gentleponies! Our lead judge!"

The lead judge nodded at the announcer before facing the chefs squarely. "It was a combination. They didn't score the highest in raw taste, but that's only one part of a meal. The presentation--" The board highlighted the three chefs that scored the highest there. "Balance--" Different numbers glowed. "--and mouthfeel were all competing, and can turn a good food great, or a great dish into a disaster." Her horn lit up, the number rising with a glow. "Our winner, the chef who won us all over with a sense of passion and history in their craft, who delighted our mouths with their delicious inventive mixture...is! Chef Red Delicious!"

The crowd burst into a roar of cheering. Applejack didn't clap or stamp with them. She had her own business to focus on. She had to speak with this Chef Red Delicious, and hopefully convince him to choose her farm to buy his fresh produce from. And, in so doing, provide a much needed infusion of funds into the Apple family coffers.

Shoot, the amount of bits going to the farm outstripped what was given directly for winning in the first place! As the crowd wildly cheered, she slipped away into the shadows and worked her way through the other stalls of chefs, looking for that pony.

She didn't get too far, suddenly pounced by her honorary mom, with her actual mom a step behind. The two were congratulating her and smiling and--Applejack shoved Velvet back. "Love ya both, but ah gotta talk to that Red Delicious and ah gotta do it now." She turned her eyes on Pear Butter. "Ah promised to come back with bits, and if he says Sweet Apple Acres, well--" She rolled a hoof in the air.

Pear Butter started, getting where Applejack was going. "Well! Then you best get hurryin'. Want backup?" She pointed between the grinning Velvet and herself. "We're here an' ready."

Velvet waved a hoof. "You just go ahead and get him signed up. We'll chat if he needs somethin'."

"Just keep it casual." Applejack started off with determination. With the secret blown, she didn't even bother hiding or sneaking as she marched up towards the large red pony. He was like Big Macintosh' distant cousin. "Howdy there. Congratulations on yer big win!"

Red smiled politely and shook Applejack's hoof. "Why thank you. How's your day goin'?"

Applejack held strong. "Goes just fine." She bobbed her head at the stallion. "Took second place, as ya saw. Ain't a bad day, right?"

"On your first try." Red nodded firmly. "A mighty good showing. Maybe next time you'll keep me out of the top spot, hm? Always nice to see fresh culinary faces."

Applejack had to agree with that. "That's somethin' to be said for sure. Though, ah gotta ask, what's gonna make your next cookin' contest the best there's been?" She leaned in with a sly smile. "Ah know somethin' that'll give you a mighty big edge. Ah got 10/10 in taste fer a reason."

"Did you now?" Red was smirking back at her. "I don't think a single recipe will make my next venture better than this, but whatcha got, sister?"

Applejack put a hoof on her chest."Only the best apples anywhere in 'Questria! Ya got yerself a whole year supply, if you name our orchard, and we got the apples waitin' to go onto a dish and on into hungry ponies." She pointed up at the board, where her 10 for flavor still rested. "You want the best ingredients, don'tcha?"

"Why, of course!" Red held his hand in front of his mouth. "Say, that does sound mighty nice. Do you really have a 10 in flavor?" He was skeptical, but also amused. His eyes went up to look at the board, and there it was, a big ten. "There you are, wow. A ten for flavor on your very first try? That really is something." He shook his head. "Almost took the big trophy from me right away!"

"Hey now, ah don't got a full decade o' practice, but ah got some real talent fer food. 'Sides, ah woulda had ya beat in taste if it weren't fer that ninth point with the balance." She swung her hoof. "Still got practicin' to do. But ah had the ingredients. If ya had Sweet Apple Acres apples, ya woulda blown me out of the water."

"Hmhm." Red chuckled softly. "So you're telling me, you put more faith in the farmer than the cook, eh?" He snorted into a laugh. "I'm playing with you. A real dish rests on so many heads, you could lose track really easily. Fine ingredients is one step, but it's an important one." He looked past Applejack suddenly. "Are they with you?"

Pear Butter stepped up when noticed. "Sorry, don't mean to be intrudin'. Jus' wanted to sweeten the deal. If you do pick our humble farm, we'll toss in some of our award winnin' cider with it. A mug with every barrel of apples."

"Not just a mug either." Velvet nudged Applejack from behind. "One barrel to each of your chefs that you teach your cookin' classes to."

Red's eyes widened with that. And so did Pear's. "Now ya cool down there." She gently pushed Velvet back. "A mug of cider. We can't give more apples than what's paid fer." She laughed nervously. "Apples don't grow on trees."

Applejack applied a hoof to her face. "Pardon them. So, we gotta deal?"

Red swayed a little before he leaned in. "Yer pushin', but why yer acting like I don't know Sweet Apple Acres is confusing." He bonks Applejack gently on the head. "I was there last reunion."

Applejack blinked numbly, reconsidering Red. Yes, she had seen him. "Well, shoot! Swaddle me up and call me a filly, ah'm feelin' powerfully silly right 'bout now. Ah'm talkin' to another Apple! Today's really took one out of me."

Red pat her on the shoulder gently. "It's been a long day. But, yeah. The apples aren't as good where I live. Having Sweet Apple Acre apples would be like a taste of home, er, your home, I suppose. Either way, sure. I don't have another farm I'd leap to picking." He pointed at Applejack. "Just write that down somewhere."

"Already on it!" Applejack nodded to her moms, who were both watching with bright smiles. She rolled her eyes as they took off in separate directions, both off to put the deal down in ink. "Come to think of it, ah think ya just gotta tell the ponies in charge of this here contest?"

The announcer pony was just approaching. "Congratulations! Did you pick your farm? If so, I can take that down and we'll reach out to them. If they agree, the food'll be delivered to you in twelve even portions through the year."

"I'd be honored." Red extended his hoof to the announcer. "I'll be looking forward to working with you. My choice of produce is Sweet Apple Acres. Make sure they know what we talked about. A bonus."

The announcer inclined his head a bit, looking between Red and Applejack. "A bonus?" He laughed with a smile. "Oh-ho-ho! We have an industrious farmer. Well, his choice is his choice." He waved away. "And, since you're here, we can go over the terms."

Author's Note:

A name like Red Delicious, what family did you think he was part of, Applejack? Who's a silly pony? I think you are, Applejack.

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Comments

[TheGJ90]

Of course, it would take family to keep Applejack from fussin' and frettin' over not taking the top prize for the town!

Looks like Rarity won't be left in the desert with Pinkie Pie in this universe.

[David Silver]

11838753
Worst. Possible. Thing.

[Booster Spice]

Red Delicious?

The only way that guy culdve been more obvious if someone got hybrid vigour crossing a Macintosh with a baking Apple and ending up calling the giant super cooking apple result a Red Dwarf.

[Hobbestc]

Way to take advantage of a not perfect situation. Go AJ!