Apples For Thought

by I had no idea

Chapter 3

It was a nice day for Ditzy Doo. She nearly finished all of her deliveries, and only got shouted at twice. Nearing the last house on her assignment list, she quickly lowered to her hooves. It's not like she couldn't fly to the farm in question, it's just that the trees were planted in the wrongest of places for any flight to take place. She happily trotted towards Sweet Apple Acres, humming a light tune. The noon sun warmed her face, and cleared most of the shadows. Yes, maybe some muffins are in order for this beautiful day. But! Job first, pleasures later!

As she reached the front gate, she nearly put the letters to the mailbox routinely—before she remembered that the mailbox was out of order, due to an old, old mistake on her part, of a time when she wasn't as qualified for the job as she is now. A time of a week ago. The time of the bourbon muffins. The day when Rainbow Dash finally recognized her awesome flying skills, and turned to her for advice! Namely "How in the hay can you fly backwards and upside-down at the same time?" While formulating a proper response, she might have poked the Apples' mailbox a bit, but it wasn't her fault that the rickety old thing catapulted on a beautiful arc, and disintegrated into splinters during it's flight. From that time, she agreed to deliver the Apples' mail into their hooves.

"Well, if you don't come out, I'm going in!" she thought. She checked her regulation muffin, which was an ordinary blueberry muffin, except for it being as old as Dinky, and reaching the unbelievable hardness of diamonds. She considered opening her own self-defense school, using only hooves and muffins, the 'Muffin Fu', but ultimately rejected the idea. The poor little muffins are meant to be eaten, not to turn them into weapons of mass destruction! Well, maybe it would not be so bad if they destroyed just a little mass, because the bathroom scale showed that she could stand to lose a little 'mass'.

She went straight to the house, ignoring the barn and other farm buildings, but nopony answered her knocks. Pondering if she should just go in, she heard some noises coming from the fields. "That must be them!" she thought. The mailmare immediately started trotting towards the source of the sounds, navigating between various farming instruments, before realizing she somehow tried to go through the barn instead of going around it. ”What a stupid layout” she thought, turning around, immediately stepping on the head of a rake, punching herself in the nose with it’s handle. She recoiled from the sudden assault, stepping back into a rogue caliper, yelping in pain, jumping forward, and tripping on a carelessly positioned seed sack. Getting fed up with the situation, she remembered that she can fly. Immediately darting to the air, she victoriously flapped her wings like a rabid dragon, prompting her to attempt exiting the barn half a meter above the door. The concussion caused her eyes to behave for a moment, but then they returned to their chameleon-like routine. She finally left the death trap, cursing.

Taking the route beside the barn this time, she wound up in the fields she remembered Applejack claim being ’Youseless’, only they weren’t empty this time. In front of Ditzy’s unbelieving eyes, a scene from the end days unfolded. Big Macintosh, the strongest, bravest, and reddest of Ponyville’s stallions, was running. From a mare. Absorbed so much in getting away, that he forgot to take off his plough, too. Ditzy rubbed her eyes. The scene did not change a bit. A blue mare was still chasing Macintosh, with a small sack that she will no doubt use to add a little spice to the poor stallion before eating him! Ditzy felt her knees go weak, and with a small shriek, she fainted.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Big Macintosh immediately stopped when he heard the scream. In fact, he stopped so fast, that Trixie nearly ran into him, but thankfully she also heard it, and slowed down to see the source of the sound. When they saw the unconscious mailmare, they looked at each other with guilt. Their efforts to prove to the other that they are, in fact, tireless and strong, devolved into running around at insane speeds, while also taking care of the seedplanting. True, they were effective, but they positively looked silly, or, as Ditzy has proven, menacing.

"Uh, is she all right?" Trixie asked.

"She'll be fine. She overreacts sometimes." the stallion replied. The unicorn suddenly giggled.

"I can't even begin to imagine how stupid we looked, competing like that. You know, Big Mac, I haven't had so much fun as today in a looooong time. So what do you say?" she extended a hoof. "Friends?"

Big Mac felt anger rise in him. If he could've become any redder, he would've been a tomato. He couldn't stop himself.

"Are ya for real, ya brat?!" he bellowed. His sound did some good to Ditzy; she jumped up, and started to recollect herself, looking relieved that they stopped, but completely clueless to the nature of Mac's rage. Trixie withdrew her hoof, not understanding the situation.

"What's the problem, Mac? What did I do?"

"Don't ya 'Mac' me, ya gloating girland! What did ya do? I'll tell ya: ya made a fool out of mah sister, ya brought an Ursa into town, and ya prob'bly did somethin' shady wherever ya came from, and, to top it off, ye were prob'bly tried having fun at mah expense! Yer nothin' but a pile of decadence!"

Ditzy gasped. "She's a relative of the Princess?"

The other two looked at her, confused. She became unsure, too. " Y'know, the new Princess, in Canterlot?" she asked sheepishly.

Trixie chuckled. " No, I'm not related to her." She turned back to Mac with a serious expression. "Look, I know that I did a few… nasty things that I am not proud of. Just give me a chance to explain."

"Why? So ya could sweet-talk me into believing yer the most innocent pony in Equestria?"

"Hey Mac," Ditzy chirped, "if your life is not in any kind of imminent danger now, I'd like to give these letters to you. Dinky and Amethyst are waiting for me. It's pumpkin week!"

Mac took the letters, thrown off from his stern stallion routine. Ditzy waved to them, and took flight straight towards Ponyville. A fading shout could be still heard from her. "And try to disarm your traps in the barn! You could stun a bear with them!"

The pegasus mentioning her foals made Big Mac remember about Applebloom. As if to a cue, her voice could be heard upon entering the farm. "Hey, bro! Ah saw Ditzy fly away, did Ah get a letter?" She quickly found him, her smile faltering a bit upon seeing the unfamiliar mare. It didn't take long for it to return, nudging his brother slyly. "Oh, Ah get it." she whispered to his ear conspirationally. "Ya wanted to spend some tahm with yer special somepony!"

"What? No!" Big Mac replied without a second thought. "She's just stayin' for dinner, then she will have someplace important to go." He said the second part a bit threateningly.

Trixie shrugged. "Fine. Don't come crying to me when your conscience won't let you sleep!" With that, she took off for the house. Applebloom looked at her brother confused.

"Go in, sis. Ah'll put these away, but Ah'll be there in a minute." Applebloom nodded, and trotted after Trixie. Big Mac collected the discarded farming equipment, and his thoughts. What Trixie said was true; in a way, Big Mac was entertained, too. But there is still the matter of humiliating AJ and her friends, not to mention the damage caused by the grumpy Ursa. Finally, he decided to listen to her story, and make a decision after that. He finished restoring order to the barn (which looked like a hurricane hit it), and finally reached the house. He could hear a voice from inside. "Now, be amazed!" Anger crept up his throat again. He leaves her for a minute, and she tries to bedazzle his sister? He nearly started giving her a piece of his mind, when he entered the room, but then Trixie spoke again. "Pick a card. Any card!" Appleboom took a card at random. "Okay," the unicorn instructed her,"now take a good look at it, and put it back to the pile!" The filly obliged excitedly. "Now…" Trixie paused for effect. "was it this one?"

Applebloom shook her head disappointedly. "Nah."

"Woe is me!" Trixie exclaimed. "My skills seem to have dwindled, unless…" She turned to Big Mac, as if only noticing him now. "A-ha! You took the card!"

"What? No!" the stallion denied defensively.

"Then how do you explain…" she ruffled his mane, startling him, and pulling out a card in the process. "this?" Applebloom glanced at the card, and her excitement returned. "That was it!"

Trixie smiled smugly. "Was there ever—" A loud growl from her stomach interrupted her. "… You know, I'm gonna take this as a sign, and stop saying that. By the way," she turned to Big Mac, "you owe me three more words."

"Owe you? Why?" the stallion asked, completely forgetting their previous agreement.

Trixie nodded. "Excellent. Now, I don't want to look too greedy, but I am positively starved."

"Me too!" Applebloom added enthuastically. "What's there to chow on?"

"Apple soup, fried apples, and a surprise for dessert."

"Let me guess… pear pie?" Trixie asked sarcastically.

"Think of something else. Here we don't care about a-pear."

Trixie's eyes widened as she turned to the filly. " You didn't tell me your brother is so puntastic!"

Applebloom giggled. "Yeah, he only jokes home. Ah haven't seen him to do so much as smirking when he's not on the farm."

"Let's drop the subject, 'kay?" Big Mac scoffled.

He quickly served the soup, which was enjoyably warm by the time. They wished a good appetite to each other, and started eating. Trixie took a careful sip from her spoon, but as soon as she tasted the soup, she started shoveling it in her mouth with an amazing speed. Applebloom stared at her, pouting. "Ya know, if Ah eat like that, AJ or Granny Smith scolds me ra'ht away."

Trixie looked up, embarassed. "Sorry, it's just that I'm so hungry, and this is so good!"

"Ah know, ra'ht?"

Big Mac smiled to himself. If only it would this easy to impress other ponies like this… Alas, the ponies who are well fed tend to look for other… visible body traits in other ponies rather than talking to them first. He watched amused as Trixie snarfed down her portion, voicing her satisfaction with happy sighs. New plan. Instead of carefully planning a date next time, he will make sure the mares eat some of his cooking first. A foolproof plan!

The unicorn snatched the bowl with the fried apples, and took a more than healty portion of it. Big Mac supposed if she did not blow up on the spot after eating all of it, she will be immobilized for days. It was comforting, if a little bit disturbing, to see somepony appreciate a meal so much. Still, a promise is a promise, and he has not gotten all of his doubts out of the way.

"So" he looked at her expectantly, "what's yah' story?"

"Yeah!" Applebloom interjected, "How didya find yah' cutie mark? I bet not some uncool way like everypony in the town, by doin' useless stuff tha' they knew they were good at!"

Trixie giggled, but her mouth was full of fries, so it sounded rather like a clogged vacuum cleaner. "Looh' kihd," she started, distributing fried apples equally in a half-meter radius, "Ah' been' hastin' an a'hvanc'd ih'lusion hpell in tha' moonlaht' while tryin' ta look like an oak tree." She gulped down the food in her mouth. "Don't ask why."

Applebloom looked at her confused. "Can Ah even try tah' get mah cutie mark like that?"

Trixie shook her head. "Sorry kid, you just don't have the required talent to do that." Applebloom hung her head. "You simply don't look like an oak tree." the unicorn continued.

The filly brightened up. "Can ya teach me how tah' be a tree?"

"I wouldn't recommend it, unless you want to spend the rest of your life guessing what third of your talent is." Big Mac shot up an eyebrow. Trixie pointed at her flank. "The moon. It has nothing to do with my talents with tricks and illusions."

"Ya can divert the topic, but ya can't evade it foreva'h." the stallion stated calmly.

"You know, there's not much to it." Trixie replied, wondering. "I think it's of no surprise if I tell you that I started doing my magic shows at a young age. I have dealt in mysteries, and trickery of life to entertain, bringing amazement to many of my fellow townsponies. Their admiration was the best thing in the world, and I yearned for more. When I left town, I hurried to Manehattan — I was eager to be known and praised by more. Needless to say, that wasn't the case. I had a few visitors, some even applauded me, but that was far from enough. I was disappointed. So when a businesscolt offered a place in a variety show, I agreed. He told me that I had potential, but needed to change the premise of the show itself. 'Don't show them your stuff right away, kid,' he said, 'make them want to see your stuff.' I interpreted that as to goad the audience, to taunt them. The next show went by nearly the exact routine that you could have seen last time I was here. And you know what the funny thing is? They loved it. Manehattan ponies enjoyed seeing their fellow cityfolk humiliated. All the time I spent there, I did my little show as many times as I could, gaining more and more hubris along the way. Technically, it was a kick in the flank when those two colts brought that Ursa here."

"Wait."Big Mac interrupted."Two colts?"

"Yeah, Mac!" Applebloom added. "Didn't ya know? Snips and Snails brought the Ursa to town so that Trixie could vanquish her!" She caught up with her own words. "Wait a second... ya Trixie?"

"No, my name is Innocenty Innocentson, and I have no idea who this 'Trixie' is, but boy, does she sound pretty!" she winked at the filly, who replied with a confused smile.

"Anyways, yeah, I kinda left bearing a grudge for that Twilight character 'cause she made me look like a fool in front of a whole town, but in hindsight, that kinda was the stuff I was doing all the time. You know, this day made me realize something. I did not enjoy my show. I acted high-and-mighty on-stage, but treated my fans demeaningly. In the depths of my heart, I did not want their admiration for that. But today... I had so much fun. I remembered the countless times I've spent devising new tricks, testing them in theory and practice, and finally, show it to an audience. That is what I've missed."

Big Mac scratched his chin. "Ya know, Ah think Ah believe ya. But ya'll need tah' apologise tah' Applejack and her friends, too." Trixie slammed her hoof to the table, staggering the two Apples.

"That's it! Applejack! I was really annoyed that I can't remember her name, even when I read it on your fliers."

"Those were a failure." Big Mac stated with a bit of sadness in his voice. "Nopony came tah' the farm because they've seen them." He looked Trixie in the eyes. "But Ah suppose ya have a good reason why ya showed up on our doorstep with only a saddlebag and nothin' else?"

The unicorn shifted around nervously. "Yeeeeah... about that. I might or might not have challenged Twilight of the clan Sparkle to a magic duel yesterday."

"Ya did what?!" Applebloom shouted. Big Mac raised a brow.

"Ya had a magic duel with the Element o' Magic?" he asked unbelievingly.

"I thought it's an honorary title, like the Mayors!" the blue mare said defensively. "Besides, I challenged her to a spectacularity contest!"

"Specta'hcularity? Is that even a word?" Applebloom interjected.

"So anyways, I miiiight have turned some guardsponies' coat black, and I might have made a medium to large hole in the middle of Gearhead Street." Trixie finished.

Big Mac closed his eyes, and buried his face in his hooves. "So basically, ya turned Canterlot against yerself, too."

"Well, the princesses weren't there, but yeah, kinda."

Big Mac raised his head. "So what'll ya do now?" Trixie shook her head.

"I don't know. I've lost most of my stuff in that bear attack, and I really don't want to go back to my parents' house to beg for bits."

"Ah know that feel." the stallion exclaimed. He suddenly perked up. "Wait, Ah think the Mayor took custody of yer stuff which was left unharmed. Maybe we could ask her tah' return them."

Trixie beamed like a watchtower. "Really? That would be sooo nice!"

"But" Mac continued, "we can only visit her tomorrow morning, 'cause she's not available 'round now. In return, help me with the rest of mah chores today, and ya can sleep here today."

"Deal."

"Big Maaaaaac!" whined Applebloom. "Dessseeeert! Ah want it noooooooooow!"

"Manners, young lady!" he scoffed, but he produced a large plate from the refrigerator.

"Now, who wants some apple parfait?"

_______________________________________________________________________________

The rest of the day passed quickly. Before they knew it, they were done with every chore Big Macintosh could think of. After a few rounds of card games, they went to sleep, hoping to catch the Mayor early.

________________________________________________________________________________

Big Macintosh darted awake. The sun has not yet risen, but he woke up exactly at 5 a.m. precisely. He always woke up at 5 o' clock, his family could have set the watches to him. In fact, whenever they had to be set, they were indeed set to him. He trotted down the stairs, and spotted the unicorn slumbering on the couch. She was sleeping on her back, her head tilting down on the edge of the couch, touching the ground. He poked the showmare.

"Mmmmrmmh." she groaned. "No more cups of tea, they make me edgy."

She slowly opened her eyes, and recognized Big Mac. "What?" she yawned. "No breakfast in bed?"

"Very funny." he replied. " Get yerself together. We need tah' make a plan so nopony would recognize ya on the way to the Mayor's office!"

"I think I have an idea." Trixie stated, fully awake.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Big Macintosh and Applebloom trotted down the streets of Ponyville. They only encountered a few mares on the way, whom they politely greeted. It wasn't long before they reached the Mayor's office. The stallion knocked on the door.

"Come in!" a voice called.

The two entered, and were greeted by the sight of the First and Only Mayor of Ponyville making airplanes from the paperwork.

"Oh, Big Mac, Applebloom, hi." she said with a chipper smile. "What can I do for you?"

"G'morning, ma'am. Actually, it's not fer me, it's fer her." he motioned towards Applebloom.

The Mayor turned to AB, but before she could say a word, a bright flash came from the filly; her body seemed to grow to twice it's size, and her color changed to blue. Also, she grew a horn. The brown mare was taken aback.

"You are that showmare responsible for the Ursa attack!" she accused Trixie.

"I seem to remember differently." the unicorn replied. "I've came for my stuff that was recovered from my wagon."

"Yes, yes of course."

The earth pony proceeded to a wardrobe, and produced a slightly torn hat, a ragged cape, a weathered chest, and a jewel box. Trixie opened both, and eyed the contents. "Yeah, everything seems to be in order."

"Wait!" the Mayor stopped the blue mare, her eyes lighting up greedily. "You need to pay a 300 bit safekeeping fee."

Trixie nodded. "All right." then she produced a bag of bits from her chest, and threw it on the desk. "That should be five hundred bits, plus-minus ten or so. Please use the remainder to renovate the streets so that no produce will be lost due to bumps in the road." She winked at the dumbfounded stallion, and emptied the few things found in the two containers to her saddlebags. With a bit of hesitation, she put the robe and the hat in the chest.

"Give it to somepony who needs it."

She hurried out of the room.

Big Mac caught up with her on the street. "That's it? Ya just leave? After getting yer stuff, ya go away, 'cause you don't need anything else from us anymore?"

Trixie shook her head.

"No, Mac, I don't just leave. I have a few things I've got to attend to, and with my stuff in check, I should really get on with them. Maybe visit my parents, too. It's been too long since we last talked. I promise to write, I know the adress now. And you know what, you can send replies to me, too."

"Ah don't even know where tah' write." the stallion said embarassed.

"Then improvise. I think Twilight Sparkle surely knows a way to make letters reach somepony. She is the personal student of a Princess, after all. By the way, what do you say to a Nightmare Night party? I've got a terrific idea for costumes, I just need to get a few things. Sorry for being so back-and-forth with my speech, but I never had a pen-pal."

Big Mac sighed.

"If it's nothin' like yer shows, Ah guess it's all ra'it."

Trixie clapped her hooves enthusiastically.

"Good! But now I've got to hurry, or I'll miss the 9 o' clock train."

Big Mac accompanied Trixie to the train station. On the way there, the two chatted about neutral things, but when they reached it, a train has just arrived. Trixie turned to the stallion, and extended a hoof. Big Mac shook it.

"Well, this is goodbye, Big Macintosh., Not a final goodbye, though, so see you later! If not anytime else, then on the day of Nightmare Night!" She approached the train, but turned back. "And... when your sister gets back, tell her I'm sorry. I'll apologise in person, too, but let's give it a head start, shall we?" She jumped on a carriage, and took a seat near the window.

The train soon departed, and she waved to Big Mac until he disappeared to the distance. She felt satisfied. She rediscovered her purpose, made a friend, and got an unsurpassable costume idea for Nightmare Night. Oh yes. She grinned. Today will be a good day.

THE END

Author's Note:

Rewritten the ending a bit. Still not satisfied.

Comments

[Perteks]

Wat?
Already end, duuh i though it will be much more longer but anyway good story hope for sequel

[I had no idea]

1665876
Yeah, the last part feels rushed to me too, but I'm kinda occupied with my other story now, and yes, I'm planning a sequel to this.

[zyr1987]

Since I'm full of turkey, and a feeling a bit of indigestion, I'll point out a few typos, rather than do a full workup of typo and grammar errors

Absorbed so much in getting away, that he forgott o take off his plough, too

forgot to

Finally, he decided tol isten to her story, and make a decision after that

to listen

"Let's drop the subject, 'kay?" Big Mac scoffled.

Scoffled isn't a word, methinks, though I could be wrong

[Cusi]

LOVED IT! I just love how your portray Trixie. And who would've known Big Mac was such a trickster?
Awesome story, loved the humor and interactions between characters. Sequel?

[I had no idea]

1667476
Those typos... goddamn autocorrect.
And if scoffled is not a word, I'll make it a word! Mwahahahaha!
1674759
Sequel's halfly written in my head, but now I'm typing the story I've actually written down in form of a raw manuscript.

[I had no idea]

1667476
Fix'd. If there are any more, tell me.

[Pegasister131]

The end??? I kinda wanted to see some maxie shipping

[ILurvTrixie]

muffins are in
were

she can fly
could

plough
While correct, you used plow in the previous chapter. Unified spelling and all that.

they are
were

Ditzy has
had

girland
Not a really real word, but very folksy... Let's keep it.

were prob'bly tried having fun
were prob'bly trying to have or prob'bly tried having

a-pear."
...a-pear-rances? The pun seems incomplete.

who are well
were

he will make sure the mares eat
would, ate

she will be
would

promise is a promise
was

he has not gotten all of his doubts out of the way.
had, the end of the line is a bit clumpy. 'had not cleared his doubts away' might be an option, but it still works as is.

full of fries,
apple fries or fried apples?

"You simply don't look like an oak tree."
Trixie did?

what third of
a third

a watchtower.
...A lighthouse?

will be
would

Annnd first story gone through. I hope you finish those sequels at some point. Still, a nice bit of 'Trixie is Actually Competent!'