Dawn Before Twilight

by Dawn Darkness

Chapter 4: Applebuck Season

It was another great day in Ponyville. Crimson and I were having a walk together, and mind you, we're not in a "date-relationship" type of thing. We're just friends.

"Well, we sure have a day ahead of us," I said, looking at Crimson. "With Applejack going to have her moment with the apples, I would say that everything will be fine today."

"Indeed," Crim nodded.

Mind you, Crim is a nickname for Crimson I gave her. Although she still flushes in embarrassment whenever I say it, she doesn't mind it since we were good friends.

"Here," said Crim, "I heard Big Mac had injured his back super hard. Poor guy."

"Yeah." It was true. Big Mac, Applejack's brother, injured himself and was unable to work with her. I was sure that Applejack could handle it all fine on her end, but how would it be if she worked hard to kick those trees? I guess we'll just have to find out once we see her.

"It's probably gonna be hard for her," said Crim, "having to buck all those apples herself."

I nodded. As a matter of fact, I was rather concerned that she wanted to do it all on her own.

Then, we began to feel the ground shaking. Crimson and I hovered into the air to see the cause of the shaking.

"STAMPEDE!" Rainbow shouted loudly.

"Those are...cows?" I was surprised to find a horde of cows about to run into Ponyville.

Crim and I were able to get to safety alongside everypony else, but Pinkie, of course, just had to act all goofy again.

"Hey!" she laughed, her voice vibrating. "This is making my voice sound silly!"

"Pinkie Pie, are you crazy?" Twilight called to her. "Run!"

The Mayor did the best she could to get everything under control, "Everypony calm down. There is no need to panic."

"But Mayor," started Rarity. "Whatever shall we do?"

"Look there!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash all of a sudden.

We looked and saw Applejack coming to the rescue with her loyal dog.

We simply sat back and witnessed her and her loyal dog rounding up the cows, one by one.

I was impressed by the display.

"Now that's what I call a rodeo show," I said.

"Yep. This is the best rodeo show I've ever seen," Pinkie agreed and ate popcorn.

We could only watch as the cows were heading towards Ponyville. Fortunately, Applejack begged to differ.

"Come on, little dogies! Turn!" Applejack whistled. "Winona, put 'em up! Gotcha!" She managed to make the cows go to a different path from Ponyville and made them stop.

"Now," asked Applejack to one of the cows, "what was that all about?"

The cow she asked made a mooing sound before coughing. "Begging your pardon, Applejack, But, Moo-reilla here saw one of those nasty snakes."

The cows were startled.

"And it just gave us all the willies, don'tcha know," said the cow.

I rolled my eyes on that one. I recall back in my old high school, before I attended Bloodonia High, that one of my old school bullies once placed a live snake in my locker... and a poisonous one, too. I would have been a goner if the principal hadn't seen it and called both my parents AND emergency medical services in time. Not only did those bullies get suspended for the rest of the school year, but they were forced to do community service for that same amount of time because of that stunt.

"Applejack was just...just..." the Mayor couldn't find the right word.

"Appletastic!" Pinkie finished for her.

"Exactly," the Mayor nodded. "We must do something to thank Applejack for single-hoofedly saving the town."

"I know!" Looked like Pinkie Pie had an idea. "A party!"

We were now in town setting up the party for Applejack—who, for some reason, we haven't seen the whole week. I wonder what is holding her? Oh, right. Those apples. Guess I might need to check up on her before the party preparations are done.

Interestingly, when I did go to check on her... well…

She looked very tired. Her mane was a bit of a mess. I blinked as I watched her. "Um, hi, Applejack."

"Oh...howdy...Dawn," Applejack yawned tiredly in her greeting. "Why are ya here?"

"Well, I came to check to see how you were doing," I replied.

"Just fine," Applejack said hurriedly.

I raised a brow. She looked tired from bucking all those apples. She isn't even finished. And a week had gone since she started. "Do you need help—"

"NO!" Applejack shouted. I jumped in surprise at her shout. "I can do this on my own. I don't need anypony to help me," she continued.

"Okay," I said, "but maybe you should at least come with me. We pieced together this little ceremony in your honor."

Applejack blinked tiredly. She nodded as we trotted away from the farm.

It wasn't long before we reached Ponyville.

"Awkward." I heard Spike after we heard our friends' speeches.

"I'm here. I'm here." Applejack said beside me to them. "Sorry, I was just—whoa—I was just...whoa...did I get your tail? Miss Mayor. Thank you kindly for this here...award thingy."

I knew she was a bit restless, but this? She surely needs something to get herself some help with her harvest. I looked at Twilight, who looked right back at me as we watched our friend.

She knew what I was thinking. I looked at Applejack, who dragged the Pony of Ponyville award with her. If she has worked restlessly over the past week with her apples, then I think she needs our help. She does look like one who is in need of it. I realized that when I came to get her for her honor celebration party for saving Ponyville from that cow stampede.

“Was it just me, or did Applejack seem a little…” Twilight started.

“Tired?” Rainbow asked.

“Dizzy?”

“Messy?” We looked at Rarity. “Well, did you see her mane?”

“She seemed fine to me. Woo-ooo!” Pinkie, of course, acted silly.

I rolled my eyes at our party pony. I looked at Twilight, voicing my thoughts. “Twilight, I think we need to go and help our dear friend.”

The unicorn nodded in agreement. “Yes. She must have worked tirelessly on her own. She needs our helping hoof.”

I agreed with her. Whether Applejack wanted it or not, we’re going to assist her in her harvest of those apples. Heck, I want her to show less pride and just accept her friends’ help. Even...if it means being persistent about it.

Later, Twilight, Crimson and I were watching our friend Applejack snoring as she was continuing to buck a tree.

“What on Earth is that pony doing?” Good question, Twilight.

“She has worked tirelessly,” Crimson noted. “That poor girl must’ve been hard at work, that she is working in her sleep.”

I wondered how that was possible. Working while asleep is a bad idea, even if it means hurting yourself in the process while you need to do it. I looked at a snoring Applejack. She does look a bit cute while drowsily…

“Applejack.”

The said pony snored.

Twilight tried again. “Applejack. Applejack...AppleJACK!”

The Earth pony blinked her eyes tiredly open. “Oh...howdy, Twilight, Dawn, Crimson…”

“What is all this?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the bucked trees whose apples were collected in buckets.

“It’s Applebuck season,” Applejack replied.

“Applewhat season?” Twilight asked.

“Neh, it’s what the Apple family calls harvestin’ time. We gather all the apples from the trees so we can sell them,” Applejack explained.

“But, you’re doing it alone,” I pointed out.

“‘Cause Big McIntosh hurt himself,” she added.

“What about all the relatives I’ve met when I first came to Ponyville?” Twilight questioned. “Can’t they help?”

Applejack sighed. “They were just here for the Apple family reunion. They actually live all over Equestria and are busy harvesting their own orchards. So, uh, I’m on my own. Which means, I should really get back to work.”

We didn’t move an inch from her.

“Ahem...hint hint, guys? Get back to work?” Applejack said.

“Fine…” We sighed and stepped aside from her.

“Could you step aside, friends?” Applejack continued.

“We just did,” I said with a sweat drop.

“Yeah. Besides Applejack, you don’t look so good,” Twilight added.

Yep. She was right on that. Applejack was very tired and exhausted. She seriously needs to accept our help, or else she will collapse on the spot.

“Eh, don’t any of you three worry none,” Applejack said hurriedly. “I’m just fine and dandy. Whoa!”

I shook my head at her near fall.

“But there’s no way you can do it all on your own,” Crimson pointed out.

“Is that a challenge?” Applejack looked directly at her.

“Uhm...no?” Crim quickly shook her head.

“Well, I’m gonna prove to you that I can do it!” Applejack was stubborn for sure. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got apples to buck.”

We looked at each other and sighed simultaneously before trotting away from the stubborn Earth pony.

“This isn’t going to work, if she keeps that attitude up,” Twilight said.

“You got that right,” I agreed. “Even if we did try it, Applejack would just be angry if we were trying to harvest some of those apples without her noticing.”

“So that option is out,” Twilight sighed.

“I’d say that we should try and make her stop and realize what she is doing,” Crimson suggested.

“Would that work?” I asked, raising a brow.

“No,” Crim said.

I gave a frown. “This is going to become out of hoof. I’ll go and talk with Grandma and Grandpa to see if they have suggestions for our friend’s situation.”

They nodded and I spread my wings to fly up to my grandparents’ house.

I was soon up at the house and landed on the cloud before trotting inside the building. I was met with Grandma who smiled sweetly at me.

“Dawn, you’re here. What’s up, dear?” she asked.

I cleared my throat once Grandpa came beside her. “I came to ask for some things regarding my friend Applejack’s ‘applebuck’ she has going on.”

“Hmm,” Grandpa thought for a moment. “The best thing we can think of is to be patient. Once she has gotten to the point of admitting herself of her need for help.”

“But, what if she doesn’t?” I wondered.

“Then, just be a good friend to her,” Grandma said. “Whenever your mother had done something, such as being stubborn, we were patient to let her cool off.”

“Applejack is kind of different from Mom,” I noted.

“True,” Grandpa chuckled. “But remember. The best advice we can give is being patient. She’ll come around when she realizes it on her own.”

“I see,” I smiled. “Thanks, Grandma, Grandpa. I’ll go and see Applejack.”

“Have a good day!” They called as I went out and flew away from the house.

I looked down to find Applejack tiredly trying to help Rainbow Dash. Ooh, this is a bad idea. If she has gotten to her limit by bucking those apples, then I think I’ll need to stop this before it gets out of hoof.

“Well, I’m gonna stand on one end, then you’re gonna jump down from that platform,” Rainbow instructed Applejack by gesturing to some platform. “Launching me into the air faster than I can take off on my own. Once I’m in the air, I’m gonna do some amazing flips that are sure to impress the Wonderbolts.”

“Isn’t that a mita dangerous?” Applejack asked.

“Pfft!” Rainbow dismissed it with the wave of her hoof. “Not for one pony who can fly.”

“Well, all right-y then. Oh my.”

I could see Rainbow was unaware of our friend’s drowsiness.

“Ready? One...two...three!”

Applejack crashed down on the ground. I shook my head at the scene before me.

“Um...maybe I wasn’t clear enough…” Rainbow realized. “You’re supposed to land on the other end.”

“Got it.” Applejack grunted at least three times.

“Applejack. Rainbow!” I called to them from above and landed near them, safe from the platform. “What the hell is going on here?”

“You ask me, but Applejack was supposed to help me with my flips,” Rainbow replied, and then she quickly spotted Applejack. “Wait...Applejaaaaack!”

I looked as Rainbow was flung into the air with her scream. I sighed before hearing Applejack.

“You’re welcome!”

I shook my head at the drowsy Earth pony, who was oblivious to my presence for some reason as she trotted away.

I ran after her. “Applejack! APPLEJACK!” I called after her as she stopped. “I need to talk to you.”

“What? You need to walk to the zoo? Well, who’s stopping you?”

I shook my head. “I need to talk to you.”

“Oh! Well, why didn’t you just say so?” Applejack said. “What do you wanna talk about?”

“I want to know why you just sent Rainbow into the air,” I said.

“Yes,” Twilight appeared by my side. “And dropped Rainbow Dash in to see me today.”

I blinked. “She was sent onto your balcony, Twilight?”

“Indeed,” she nodded.

“That’s quite neighborly of her,” Applejack said.

“Yes, except that she crashed onto my balcony while I was reading after you launched her into the air,” Twilight said to Applejack.

Applejack realized, “Oh, yeah. I wasn’t feeling quite myself this morning.”

I shook my head. “No, definitely not.”

“Because you’re working too hard and you need help,” Twilight added.

“What? Kelp?” Applejack asked. “I don’t need kelp. I don’t even like seaweed.”

“HELP!” Twilight practically yelled. “You need HELP!”

“Nothin’ doin’, Twilight.” Applejack shook her head. “I’m gonna prove to you, t’everypony, that I can do this on my own. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta help Pinkie Pie.”

Twilight groaned loudly as well as I. “That stubborn, hard-working pony!” she exclaimed. “She is going to hurt herself if she keeps this up!”

“I agree,” I nodded.

“I’ll go and be certain she doesn’t get anypony else in trouble,” Twilight said.

“All right. See you later.” I waved to her as she trotted away.

I was alone now. Applejack has had her hard day with those trees. Sure she doesn’t accept our help if she wants to prove herself capable of doing it, I’m going to be firm and just try and mind on my own until Twilight has knocked some sense into her. With that in mind, I turned to the path of Ponyville trotted towards the town. I’ll be having some distance from Applejack, since if we keep on telling her to get help, she will no doubt snap at us. And I don’t want that to happen to me or my friends.

“Dawn!” I looked up and saw Crimson landing on the ground. “I looked all over for you today. Where were you?”

All I ever said was this: “One word: Applejack.”

“Oh,” Crim blinked, something coming to her. “I too had her help me with something for today, but she made some bad food that made me a little sick in my stomach.”

“You were feeling sick?” I asked, worried about her.

“Not too bad,” Crim added. “Just a bit this morning when she arrived to cook with me. But, oh my, I shouldn’t have done that if she was so tired.”

“She indeed is tired,” I agreed. “Earlier, she launched Rainbow to Twilight’s balcony and is now heading for Pinkie Pie’s place at the Sugarcube Corner.”

“Wow...talk about some stuff going on,” Crim said.

“Eeyup,” I nodded.

Crim trotted alongside me to Ponyville as we were going to Sugarcube Corner to see Pinkie Pie. Once we got there, well…

Nopony was in the building, only the pink party pony was here at the desk. She looked to be crying but when she raised her head to find me and Crim, her eyes sparkled with hope.

“Oh. Dawn, Crimson!” Pinkie said as we trotted up to her. “What are you doing here?”

“We came to see if Applejack had been here,” I replied.

“She has,” Pinkie nodded. “She was going to help me with baking muffins this afternoon, but she made them sooo bad that the customers grew sick before they all went to the hospital.”

What?! “What the hell? Pinkie, you saw how tired she was, right?” I asked just in case.

“I did, but I never knew she was that tired,” Pinkie replied. “But she was making the muffins weird and all that with the ponies being in the hospital.”

I looked at Crim, who had the same thought as I.

“We’re going to stop Applejack before anything else is happening,” I said.

“Ooh, I would love to help!” Pinkie bounced up on the desk and landed down between us. “When do we start looking?”

“First, we’re going to the Urgent Care,” I said.

“Sure,” Pinkie nodded as we trotted out of the building, with the party pony bouncing along the way to Ponyville’s Urgent Care.

When we got there, the sight of sick ponies got me worried along with Crim. “Okay, I knew what Applejack did was not good, but this is worse.” I hated to admit it, but these poor ponies looked to be done for the rest of the week before they could go out again.

“Indeed it is,” Nurse Redheart agreed with me. “I take it you’re friends of Twilight Sparkle?”

“We sure are,” Pinkie nodded. “And my apologies for making those bad muffins. I had not realized what was in them when they were done.”

“Your apology is accepted, Pinkie Pie,” Nurse Redheart said.

While I was looking at the sick ponies made me think of one time I, too, had been sick from eating bad food. I never thought I would see others do it, but now that I think of it, I should probably get out of here.

Pinkie could sense my thoughts for some reason. “Let’s go and check on Fluttershy before anything happens.”

I nodded with Crimson before we went out of the Urgent Care.

We quickly saw Fluttershy at her cottage with Applejack and her dog Winona before the bunnies were frightened off by the Earth pony and dog.

“Well...damn,” I cursed as the bunnies were rushing off to Ponyville. “This isn’t going to go well…”

Pinkie and Crim could only nod in agreement.

We were soon at the farm again and saw Applejack continuously bucking trees. Twilight was also there with Big McInstosh by her side.

Applejack grunted. “Ha! No, I don’t. Look, I did it. I harvested the entire Sweet Apple Acres without your help. How’d ya like them apples?”

“Um, how do you like them apples?” Big Mac asked in return.

Applejack mumbled as she saw the trees were empty of apples. “Where’d all the apples…?” She sighed.

I watched the brother of Applejack leave as I trotted toward the lone Earth pony. “Applejack…”

“Oh, hi...Dawn,” she greeted.

“Look, we respect the Apple family ways,” I told her. “You’re always there to help anypony in need, so maybe you should put your stubborn pride aside and allow your friends to help.”

She sighed. “Okay, Dawn.”

“And I am not taking ‘no’ for an answer—huh?” I blinked. “Sorry?”

“Yes, Dawn. Yes, please. I could really use your help,” Applejack finally said.

I smiled as Pinkie and Crim came into view. “Let’s get buckin’ away!” I said to them.

They nodded as we assisted Applejack in bucking those trees that remained.

Later, I was in the library with Twilight as she wrote to Princess Celestia through a letter.

“Dear Princess Celestia,
My friend Applejack is the best friend a pony could ever have, and she’s always there to help anypony. The only trouble is, when she needs help, she finds it hard to accept it, so while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it’s also about accepting what our friends have to offer.
Your faithful student,
Twilight.”

I saw her have Spike send it to the Princess and I couldn’t be happier for Applejack to have finally accepted our assistance by the end of the day.

“It looks like we managed to get a good thing out of the day,” I said to Twilight.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Applejack surely was stubborn through the whole week, and now she accepted us for the harvesting. That is what true friends do.”

“By helping each other out,” I added in agreement.

Spike had gotten some of those trash-looking muffins out, and we were disgusted by them as we declined his offer for his special ‘treat’. He shrugged and ate one himself, which I could only do one thing and that was look away from the disgusting sight.

Comments

[WatchTower1992]

10964013
Allow me to throw you a link to chapter 1 of My Journey In Equestria: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/500647/2/my-journey-in-equestria/1-from-out-of-nowhere
Compare that chapter with chapter 1 of your story, and you’ll notice the similarity.

[WatchTower1992]

10964013
Oh, right. I get it now. You published chapter 1 of your story before I published chapter 1 of mine. My apologies!

[Dawn Darkness]

10964017
No thanks. I'll pass. I have other interests right now, such as reading fiction books (in Danish) and do my own currently. So I have no time to read your fanfic.

[WatchTower1992]

10964020
Anything you say. Go have fun!