Travelers Tales: The Apple Of My Eye

by Slippin_Sweetie

Wreckage Wrap Up

The three were promptly put to the work; it was as simple as asking Mayor Mare what they could do to help. It was simple; it was brutal; it was.…grunt work. They were tasked with removing debris from the area, dragging large gems into wagons to be sent away.

“Okay, girls, pull!” Exclaimed Applebloom, the three fillies quickly pulled a large crystal tied with rope and wrapped it around their torsos. They grunted and huffed as they pulled the large gem unto a wagon. The three collapsed as two Unicorns removed the ropes around their waists.

“This…is exhausting….” panted Sweetie Belle.

“Yeah, maybe…maybe we should go back to trying to sell real estate.” Smirked Scootaloo.

Applebloom sighed, “Oh, come on, quit your belly-aching. I do work like this all the time.”

“No offense Applebloom, but we aren’t exactly used to working like this,” Sweetie Said as she climbed out of the wagon with Scootaloo and Applebloom.

“Yeah, we’re not Apples,” Nodded Scootaloo.

“Neither are the rest of our friends and volunteers, but they’re still lending a hoof; now come on, girls, let’s clean this mess up!”

The girls collapsed into the dirt as they let out a groan.

“.....Maybe after a water break.” Conceded Applebloom

After some water, the three return to their labor, pulling gems into the wagons headed to the Crystal Empire for recycling. These stones contained powerful magic, or at least that’s what Discord said. Who was sitting aloof on a pile of gemstones.

“How are you helping again?” Groaned Scootaloo as she ripped a large stone from the pile.

“I’m supervising.” Replied Discord as he filed his claws.

“You can literally do anything; why can’t you just move the crystals into the wagons!?”

Discord tsk’d, “Twilight wouldn’t want me to do EVERYTHING for you, would she? Besides, hard work builds character. Just look at your friend over there.” He’d gesture to Applebloom, dragging two heavy gems toward a wagon.

Scootaloo sighed as she began dragging the large rock toward the wagon.

Hours of hard labor beat down Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, but their friend Applebloom stood with the hardest of workers. While the two were exhausted and, by all accounts, were perfectly justified in calling it a day. Applebloom toiled.

Her brow soaked with sweat; her yellow face had a distinctive red hue over it as she huffed and puffed. Her hooves stained with dirt and mud, but she forced herself forward as if she were a starved animal mere inches from food.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle trotted behind Applebloom and the large stone before pressing their heads against the hard crystal and pushing it while Applebloom pulled. The three quickly put the last gem of the day into the wagon. Applebloom fanned herself with Applejack’s hat as she began staring at the piece of clothing intimately. Her sister’s words from yesterday were panging against her head like a drum.

“Whenever you’re alone or feeling down, take off your hat and look at it; remember that we’ll always be with you.”

Her words stung like hot coals as Applebloom placed her sister’s hat atop of her head and huffed, “I gotta go; I need to help Big Mac and Granny Smith back at the Orchard.”

“What!?” Exclaimed the girls, “You just worked a full day already!” Scootaloo said.

“You can’t just burn the candle at both ends, Applebloom; you’ll wear yourself thin.” Insisted Sweetie Belle.

“I’ll be fine; I’ll see y’all tomorrow for more volunteering, right?” Applebloom said as she faced the other girls.

Scootaloo and Sweetie looked at one another, feeling somewhat uneasy. Truthfully this back-breaking volunteer work was not in the cards for them. It didn’t provide the Cutie Mark they were seeking, and the job had more than enough ponies for them to be excused but….

“Sure!” Squeaked Sweetie, “We’ll be here tomorrow!”

Scootaloo remained silent before Sweetie Bell smacked her side with her hoof, “Oh, yeah! Totally…. we’ll be right back here tomorrow.”

Applebloom smiled as she tipped her hat to her friends, “Great see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow….” Sighed Sweetie Belle.