Finally at Pegasus A MLP: FIM and Ranma ½ X-Over

by Alicornian

Chapter 9: In for the buck, out with a bushel.

Chapter 9: In for the buck, out with a bushel.

It had been a full week since the Pink themed party and things didn’t look up for Ranma this month. The party damage accidentally caused by his female half had taken a large chunk of money out of his monthly budget to repair the damage done to the school and surrounding homes and businesses. He didn’t even know his female side could hit such a high note and while amplified by the speakers… he was glad he didn’t have to pay any medical bills as well. Sighing he looked over his old monthly budget and the newly recalculated budget. “Sigh, great.” He dropped the paper back on the table and worked the budget out yet again. So far he had done this ten times to be sure and well… he was glad he had a calculator. Math still wasn’t his strongest subject but it was needed. He had checked the balance ten times already and it was still the same. “Okay, we take out the repair bill, the food costs for this month, the cable bill, power bill, property bill, and that leaves me… ugh.” Ranma dropped his head onto his kitchen table once again. He was cutting it close this month, really close.

===

On the other side of his street James was having a similar issue. “That just can’t be right.” Unlike Ranma he was working the budget out on a laptop. He typed in the budget once again and sighed as it calculated the same amount. “Great… now I need to pick up a job to catch up the budget this month.”

===

Vinyl Scratch was still ticked at losing her old speakers but the new ones would do for now till she could purchase a new set yet she knew it wasn’t important at the moment. The new set of speakers where a portable and not as big as her old set and just didn’t have the bass she needed for her shows. Right now, the most important thing to her now was Octavia and the important date she’d be having this week. Going over her budget she found she was a few bucks short for the whole date and really needed the cash. Yet where was she going to get the extra cash at this point? That she really needed to figure out before the date.

===

Applejack still didn’t like the idea of having extra hands on the farm again but… being human meant you had very little choice in the matter. Apple bucking was now out of the option since well she couldn’t buck anymore. Sighing she looked over the sign one last time. Wanted: workers for short apple picking season with good pay and even better company, all those interested please come to the Apple Family Farm. Applejack nodded at her work yet still sighed.

She really wanted her friends to help her this season but due to school and family they couldn’t help this round. Twilight was visiting the city with her brother and sister-in-law, Pinkie had to watch the twins while the Cakes had to attend to a long list of birthday party orders, Rainbow and Scootaloo where prepping for the big race coming up next month and their mother was out training with The Bolts, then there was Rarity and Sweetie Belle having to attend weekend classes at the school for clubs. The only one left was Fluttershy and didn’t want her overworked. Blood or not she was family and she dearly loved her family and now had to rely on them for the season. “You take it easy there Mac! We don’t want another accident like we had last season.” She said over her shoulder to her big brother. “You worry too much sis. There won’t be any accidents this season.” Big Mac said as he tossed around yet another hay bale. “That’s what you said last season before you cracked a few ribs. Now take it easy.” Applejack scolded before. “Ah!” The sound of hay bales falling caught Applejack’s attention quickly! “MAC!”

===

Ranma and James both looked at the local paper with Vinyl right between them in the wanted section when they heard a bell ringing. “What’s that?” Ranma asked curious. “That’s the Apple’s alarm bell! They got an emergency come on!” Vinyl yelled taking off quickly. Ranma and James dropped the newspaper and grabbed their bikes, only stopping to pick up Vinyl before heading to the Farm. There they found AJ and young Bloom working on a large pile of hay bales. “Mac’s trapped under there!” AJ yelled at the three and they quickly got to work while Vinyl used Ranma’s bike to get to the Medical Center. “I told you to take it easy Mac! I told you!” AJ said grabbing and tossing bale after bale till she just broke down and cried with Ranma catching her as she cried. “I found him!” James yelled from the middle of the pile. “Is he…” AJ asked slowly. “He needs medical attention but he’s still kicking!” he yelled back gently checking him over.

“Come on let’s move these out of the way for the medical team.” Ranma said gently as the medical team finally showed up.

===

Nurse Redheart sighed as she slowly came out of Big Mac’s medical room and out into the waiting room where the Apples, Ranma, Vinyl and James were waiting. “How is he Velvet?” AJ asked looking up. Redheart or Velvet Hearts as she was now known sighed. “He’s going to be laid up for some time. His right arm and left leg were broken from the pile up. He was smart to protect his head and chest the way he did. He’s lucky to have only got out that with some broken limbs.” AJ just growled. “I told that brother of mine to take it easy! Now we have to hire a crew!” Ranma, James, and Vinyl looked to each other and thought hard on this before they all nodded. “AJ, if you like we’ll help you out.” Ranma offered. “What’s that?” AJ asked shocked. “Hire the three of us. We’d be more than happy to help you this season.” James added with Vinyl nodding.

“I well… thanks yawl. I didn’t know what me and Bloom would do if we had to do the work all on our lonesome.” AJ said taking off her hat. “Not a problem AJ, it the best we can do after what happened.” Ranma said smiling. AJ just smiled back nodding.

===

The next day after school the group, plus Fluttershy showed up at the farm to start picking. AJ showed Ranma, James, and Vinyl how to pick the apples and how to have them stored and even went as far as tell Ranma about the farm itself, while keeping the original details out of it. “We here at Apple Family Farms sell and make apple products we sell to the town’s markets. Everything we make is farm fresh and delivered just the same.” AJ said putting another basket of apples into the back of a hand drawn cart. “You must sell a lot to have so many apple trees.” Ranma responded adding two baskets of apples to the same cart.

“You bet your bike on that Ranma. Apple Family farms been here for four generations and we aren’t going to change our ways for nothing.” Ranma nodded at this. He liked the work a lot. It was very labor intensive and forced his body to do a lot up upper and lower body work exercises while making the job extremely enjoyable by letting him work with dear friends. He was already planning on his next pony figure when thunder clapped. “Hey AJ I just remember I have a huge report to get done. Mind if my sister Ranko takes over for me?” AJ looked at Ranma and then saw the one behind him just turn extremely happy yet shy at the same time at the name.

“Go right on ahead Ranma just be sure she knows how we do things here on the farm before you go and send her.” Ranma nodded and headed to a safe place to change his clothes before it rained. A few moments later Ranko showed up smiling and offering to help out the farm.

===

Fluttershy’s heart jumped when she heard that Ranko would come to the farm to help out as well. She sighed under her hair as she blushed at the memory of her singing. She had such a lovely voice and so wanted to hear it once again. “You alright sugar cube?” Fluttershy looked up at her cousin and turned bright red from blushing and hid behind her hair. “I… I’m fine AJ.” Applejack raised an eyebrow at this. “You sure Summer? Yah look like you’ve been out in the sun too long.” This got her a mild squeak from the shy Pegasus turned human girl. “Sigh. Come on Summer, yah can talk to me you know.” She didn’t want to let anyone know yet that she had a crush on Ranko, especially Applejack.

Applejack’s family was somewhat old fashioned and Fluttershy often worried just how she would take it that she was once a filly-fooler. Well she still was but she didn’t know the human word for this as of yet. For now she had to keep quiet or she’d be well… unwelcome?

===

Fluttershy really started to worry Applejack. She was family and whatever the issue was she would support her no matter what. Looking behind her as who was currently working on the next tree and her cousin she soon put two and two together and got tree. Or something like that. She turned to her cousin and smiled. “We’ll talk later okay and don’t yah worry none, just follow your heart and you’ll be right as rain.” Fluttershy sighed at this and gave Applejack a smile. “Thank you. I… think I will.” AJ nodded then turn to the group working. “Alright all, it’s starting to get mighty muddy out here so let’s load up and head into the house before we all catch ourselves a cold. I’ll warm up some nice cider for us along with a good old fashioned Farm healthy meal for all of you.” Everyone smiled at this except Ranko. “Um, mind if I just have regular cider AJ? I’ve never had hot cider before.” AJ blinked at this. “Never had Hot Cider before? Well this’ll be a first for you than Ranko. And don’t worry I can make you just some warm cider if you like.” Ranko just laughed slowly at this. “Um right… thanks.”

They soon loaded up the cart and made their way through the rain back to the Apple Family’s farm house with Ranko getting up to James real quick do to a major worry. “I think I’m in trouble James. If I get any of that hot cider on me I’ll have to explain the curse to them and I don’t want to do that right now.” James nodded at this. “Hey AJ I’ve been thinking, what’s in your Cider that makes it so good?” AJ just smiled at that as she helped pull the cart with Vinyl. “I’d love to tell you but it’s an old Apple Family secret that’s been passed down from family member to family member and I just can’t go around spouting off family secrets now can I?” James shook his head. “No but well… never mind.” AJ stopped and looked at him. “Come on now, out with it.” James sighed. “Well since Ranko hasn’t had the Hot Cider before well I was wondering if there would be anything in it that she could be allergic too.” AJ took her chin and nodded at this. “You’re a good friend to be concerned about that and I’m a might sorry for not thinking about that. Anything you allergic to Ranko?”

Ranko sighed inwardly at this. “Well there are some spices I’m allergic to but I forgot what they were. Ranma’s better at keeping track of what ones.” AJ nodded at this. “Well… I guess I can reveal a few of the spices we use but not many. We use nutmeg, cinnamon, and all spice for the main ingredients.” Ranko thought on them and knew Kasumi used such Spices a lot but… well she also was seen eating a lot of food with such ingredients. She was stuck. “Well I’m not allergic to those that’s for sure.” AJ nodded at this and continued onward towards the house and then looked back at her friend. “Well tell you what Ranko. I’ll just set you aside a cold one for you and whenever you’re feeling like having some hot cider you can come over and ask.” Ranko blinked at this. “You sure? I don’t mean to offend.” AJ stopped the cart inside the barn and started just left the cart for the time being. “Not offended at all Ranko. I think it be best we start you out slow and work you on up to the good stuff that’s all.” Ranko smiled at this. “Thank AJ.”

===

Weeks went by and it was soon time for the group the stop for the upcoming Fall Festival and the famous Running of the Leave race. “Well thank yawl for helping out my farm. Don’t know what we’d do without all yawl help.” AJ said next to her brother, sister, and cousin. “Not a problem AJ. If you ever need the help we’re more than willing to help you out.” Ranma said smiling with his friends. “Well we just can’t let yawl go without something in return.” Big Mac said handing over some bags. On top was an envelope with the rest filled with bottles of apple juice, cider, and of course some good old Granny Smith apples. “Ah thanks Mac.” Vinyl said taking out and munching into an apple. “Oh yeah, nothing beats Apple Farm fresh picked apples.” Ranma and James nodded at this. “Oh and one last thing. Summer?” AJ said nudging her cousin. “Oh um. Ranma…” Summer said coming forward. “Hmm?” Ranma asked looking down into her hands. In them was a freshly baked apple pie. “Can you um, give this to Ranko for me? If you don’t mind.” Ranma looked up at Summer and smiled. “I’ll be sure she gets it.” Summer turned red at this and hid behind her hair smiling. “Well take care yawl and see you all at the races.” Bloom yelled as the group soon walked off and towards their homes.

“So… how much you think we got?” James asked holding up the envelope. “Not sure.” Ranma handed the pie over to James and opened up his envelope and nearly fainted. “NO WAY!” Inside was a check for a thousand dollars. “For only a few weeks work that’s a lot!” James said handing back the pie to Ranma and checking his with Vinyl which was the same amount. “Continue working for them after the races?” Ranma asked to his friends. “Continue working!” the other two said smiling after taking out an apple each and biting into it.

To Be Continued.

Comments

[NightmareKnight]

I was just wondering when this would update again. Yay, more Ranma 1/2 shenanigans. Now to read.

[NightmareKnight]

Math was still wasn't his strongest subject

I do believe that's one too many was/was nots.

I saw a few other mistakes, but I was too engaged with the story to take notice.

[Alicornian]

1575280

Ah! Thank you for catching that!

Edit: Corrected

[Rachel Rayne]

vinyl is best person