A Jug Of Apple W(h)ine And Thou...

by Mr Merritt

Chapter Two

Normally whenever Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo got together their days were spent pondering what kind of cutie marks an Earth, Pegasus and unicorn filly might want. That would be followed by a misadventure that usually resulted in no cutie mark and some sort of mess to clean up. Even so, they would not be deterred from comparing notes and looking forward to another day and another chance at gaining their marks.

But not today…

Today found the young Apple pony lying in one corner of the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse on her back, with a cool cloth draped over her face and all sorts of miserable sounds of self-pity being heard from her. A little ways away, at a small table sat her two best friends and fellow Crusaders trying (and failing) to ignore her misery.

“So, what do you think it was this time?” asked Sweetie Belle, chin in her hooves and trying not to look at her prone friend. “I mean, this is like the third time in two weeks she’s been complaining about something Peppermill fed her.”

“Who knows…” grumbled Scootaloo. “All I know is that she can’t possibly be as hurt as she is acting. Applebloom has a cast iron bottomless pit for a stomach.”

“Urgh…” was the pitiful wail from the corner.

“You don’t suppose Peppermill is doing all of this on purpose, do you?”

“Nah. He isn’t the type. Chances are Applebloom probably demanded he do it.”

“Cain’t you girls see ahm sufferin’ over here?” Applebloom snapped, lifting the cloth off of her face long enough to glare daggers at the other fillies.

“Maybe if you told us what you ate that is hurting you so much we would know how to make you feel better.” explained Sweetie.

“Ugh, ah don’t wanna think about it.” Applebloom rolled onto her side, her back to her friends, and muttered darkly to herself.

“Well then don’t expect any sympathy from me. If you aren’t up for crusading then I’m going to go and hang out with Rainbow Dash.” snorted Scootaloo.

“Don’t go…please…” came a sad request from the corner. “It was…”

“Yes?”

“Was…”

“Yes?!”

***

A few hours earlier…

“Are you…really sure you want…to go through with this?” This was the unhappy question posed by the grey Earth colt to his female sibling as she sat at the kitchen table with a ferocious scowl on her face.

“Ahm sure.” The pure intensity of the filly’s glare at the object in the center of the table made Peppermill wonder if he shouldn’t just make a run for it. But he also knew that there was no way he could out-run Applebloom, especially in the mood she was in.

Ever since her adverse reaction to the glass of wine a few nights earlier, Applebloom had fallen into a foul mood. Peppermill attempted to explain how having been raised in a restaurant meant he had access to foods some ponies didn’t like high end wine. As well, because his father believed in catering to any and all patron regardless of species, it meant the colt had the unique opportunity to experience food that most herbivores with flatly run away from. Just because he could handle this sort of thing and she couldn’t didn’t make him any better than her.

The apple filly did not buy this one bit.

As a result, she had begun a single-minded crusade (outside of cutie marks) to prove to herself and her little brother that anything he could do, she could do just as well. Peppermill, much to his dismay, found himself searching back into his memories of the various meals that had been a staple of his family’s establishment to see what he could offer the filly to try. No matter what he found, and no matter how tame it seemed to him poor Applebloom simply could not stomach any of it.

Today Peppermill had decided to try and simply scare his sister into forgetting about this desire to toughen her tummy to exotic cuisine. He came up with what he felt would be something even Applebloom would refuse to try. It took a bit of work and some promises to a certain grey filly with impressive gourmet tastes herself to procure this tidbit, but he hoped and prayed to Celestia and Luna that it would do the trick.

“Have you ever…heard of Caesar salad?” asked Peppermill of his sister. She took her burning gaze from the object of her ire long enough to glare right in the colt’s dark eyes and shake her head in the negative. “It’s a special salad…found all over Equestria. Nopony remembers…who this ‘Caesar’ pony might…have been but this…dish was named for him.”

“Huh, that don’t look lahk any salad I’ve ever seen…”

“While there are…many variations of…this salad, there is only…one true recipe that…any chef worth their salt…would follow to be…authentic. The proper…version of it contains…greens, cheese…egg…”

“Ahv had eggs before, thought they ain't mah favorite...”

“And these…” Peppermill motioned to the object in the center of the kitchen table. Applebloom stared with intensity and perhaps just a hint of trepidation at the container before her. It was, for all purposes, a small metal can. It had rounded corners and a metal key placed at one end, which appeared to be for the purpose of peeling off the lid and revealing its contents. With a resigned sigh, the colt reached over and slowly turned the key over and over.

…

…

…

“Hrmm…” The noise from Applebloom’s throat was a pretty solid indicator to the colt that this was going to get interesting in a hurry. He wasn’t surprised in the slightest that it was a direct result of the pungent aroma wafting from the can as he opened it up fully. The filly began to chew her bottom lip anxiously as she peered into the can at…

“Fish? Ya gotta be kidding me!”

“Actually they…are called sardines. But you…have the right idea.”

“Why would any pony in their right mind eat a salad with a fish in it?”

“Few ponies actually…know about sardines being…a part of the…traditional recipe. In fact I think…my father was probably the only…chef in Canterlot that…put them in it. Of course…he always made sure…not to mention it too often. Believe me Applebloom…the difference between this salad…with and without sardines…is very noticeable.”

“And yer tellin’ me you actually…eat…those things?” Applebloom’s face began to take on a slightly green hue, a stark contrast from her yellow coat.

“I’ve been known…to crave the occasional one or…three.” Deciding the time was right to go for the proverbial knockout blow, Peppermill began his ritual. It was completely true that the colt had eaten sardines in the past, and while they were most certainly an acquired taste for an herbivore, he genuinely liked them in small numbers. He had developed a unique eating style that was as much for show as it was for consumption.

The grey colt carefully grasped one of the tiny fish by the tail between his forehooves and lifted it high above his head. Applebloom’s amber gaze was locked on the tiny creature as Peppermill tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and…

*plop*

*gulp*

…down it went. He chewed for a moment, savouring the salty oil that the sardine was packed in, and then swallowed. The entire time Applebloom could only stare in growing horror at what her little brother was doing. Finally the colt gave the filly a satisfied smile.

“This particular…brand is always…very good.” For a long few moments there was absolute silence in the room as Applebloom looked at Peppermill, then to the can of sardines, then back at him. The apple filly seemed to shake with unbridled rage, then she lunged for the can, grabbed a sardine between her forehooves…

…held it over her head…

…the sardine swayed in her grip…

…a single drop of oil glistening on the end of the fish’s head caught the colt’s eye…

…she opened her mouth…

…the drop of oil fell…

…

…

…

“YEARGH!!!”

***

“Ah tossed that dang fish across the room and ran fer the bathroom. By the tahm my stomach stopped flippin’ out Peppermill and those *shudder* sardines were gone.” Applebloom, having been forced to relieve her traumatic experience, laid back down with the cloth back on her face and a forehoof rubbing her agitated stomach.

“That’s probably the grossest thing I have ever heard.” remarked Sweetie Belle with a shudder of her own.

“All it took was one drop of…whatever those fish were covered in and you are still suffering?” quipped a skeptical Scootaloo. “Are you sure you aren’t just looking for sympathy because you found something else that Peppermill can eat that you can’t?”

“You’re supposed ta be mah friends. You’re supposed to feel sorry fer me…” answered a sullen Applebloom.

“Not when you brought all of this on yourself.” The Pegasus filly stomped over to where Applebloom lay, and frowned down at her. “You aren’t telling us everything. There has to be more to it than just what you can’t stomach.”

“You wouldn’t understand…you are an only pony.” was the rather dour answer.

“I’m not an only pony. Maybe I can understand.” offered Sweetie hopefully.

“But you ain’t an older sister!” snapped Applebloom, who suddenly sat up and tossed the cloth against the wall. “You jus’ cain’t understand. Just…just leave me alone.” With that the Apple filly stormed out of the clubhouse leaving Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to watch in dismay and confusion.

Author's Note:

I have been wanting to write that 'sardine scene' for such a long time.

And so help me I love writing dialogue for Applejack/Applebloom (even is the spell check doesn't :)

Comments

[-Brutus]

Yay for salted sardines!

[Everfree Bliss]

2452755 I prefer tuna I have despised sardines since I ate something gross in the sardine I think it was a bone and a hair in a can I opened and it wasn't my hair an no one was around at the moment!