> The Hoedown! > by FlutterPal > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Hoedown Issues > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Everypony, SIT DOWN!” Mayor Mare held the shiny black microphone in her light brown hoof as she watched the crowd silence and sit down on their haunches, the mayor glaring forcefully. She smiled respectfully once it was quiet and sure that everyone was listening. “Thank you. Now to represent Ponyville’s first annual hoedown hosted by the Apple family themselves!” Mayor Mare exclaimed into the microphone. The crowd cheered once Applejack, one of the members in the family trotted happily onto the stage held in front of the center of Ponyville. The mayor moved so that Applejack could make a speech out of the sound-projecting device about the hoedown, and its long list of qualities. Applejack was down-right happy to share a few paragraphs about the villages’ newest event, for she moved straight to the microphone and smiled to the whole crowd as they calmed their selves down. “Well, hi everypony! Ah sure am mighty happy to introduce this fun event here!” She took a deep breath as if she had stage fright, and moved on. “Well, let’s just say that there is going to be lots of games for your fillies to play while you go square dance and eat some food! The games include pin the tail on the pony, tug-o-war, as well as some filly games that are for different kinds. There’s Pegasus races, earth pony ring toss, and unicorn magic games! Don’t worry, plenty of games to play!” Applejack sweated a little like a hot day just came, even though it was the middle of the fall. “You sure will have fun at this event! We’ll even have square dancin’ lessons! Heh, and you can have some dinner here, and, well, I guess that’s it! See ya’ll tomorrow!” and Applejack left the stage trotting, sweating, and taking a few deep breaths. How the heck am I supposed to host this event? she asked herself. I've no experience with hosting, unless smaller parties count. She trotted back home to where Granny Smith was cooking soup for lunch and humming some songs, while all at the same time dancing. Applejack looked at her grandmother and smiled at the lovely humor she held. “Well, lookie here. Granny Smith is makin’ some wonderful soup, I have to say!” she exclaimed when right behind her she heard a familiar voice; “Eeyup.” She turned around to see Big Mac standing there smiling kindly and letting her younger sister Apple Bloom ride on his back. Applejack smiled even more to see the sight of brotherly love. “I am sure happy to know that you’re going to host this year’s first Ponyville hoedown! Who knows what surprises you’ll hide in this event?” Applejack heard her younger sister say. She smiled and helped Apple Bloom off of Big Mac to set her on the floor. “You’ll just have to find out!” “Could you three please go somewhere else while I’m cooking dinner?” Granny Smith complained. “Sorry, Granny Smith,” the trio of siblings apologized. Granny Smith only smiled and went back to her humming and dancing as Applejack, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom left the kitchen. ************************************************************ Applejack groaned and lay on her bed in confusion of being upset. “What am ah supposed to do? Fail in front of everypony?” she groaned some more while staring glumly at the ceiling. “Ah can’t host an event this big without anyone’s help. Ah’d just mess everythin’ up! The whole thing would be a disaster,” AJ thought about the town how it would possibly be after she ruined it. “Ah can’t believe I actually agreed to host it.” She shook her head slowly when Applejack heard Granny Smith call down for dinner. ************************************************************* Fluttershy watched the construction crew hammer down some medal nails as the hoedown was constructed together. She was a little out bounded by the sounds, but enjoyed seeing a bunch of stallions working their hardest. That was Applejack right there, if you asked her. The hoedown, as previously mentioned, was being built into the event being held today. There was a stage in the back, food on one side and games on the other, with an appropriate amount of space for square dancing in the middle. Some Pegasi were even setting up a race track for the Pegasus fillies to race! Fluttershy knew that Rainbow Dash had taught Scootaloo how to fly, so of course it would be fun for the little filly. The whole place was coming together well in a matter of minutes. But what really made Fluttershy excited was that the whole event was today, and that Rainbow Dash had asked for Fluttershy to go with her, even if it might be boring. The fact that Dash had still cared about Flutters was the only thing that she needed to feel happy. All of a sudden, Twilight walked up to Fluttershy and spread her wings to tap on the timid Pegasus’s back. “Are you watching the hoedown being built?” Fluttershy nodded. “Me too,” Twilight answered. Twilight folded her wings back to its resting place before speaking some more. “Yeah, I can’t believe Applejack is taking the whole event by herself. I say doing something like that is hard. I’d rather just ask my friends for help!” she smiled kindly at Fluttershy, and she smiled back. “Me too.” **************************************************** As the building of the hoedown ended, Applejack came a few minutes later to check on things quickly, considering the hoedown started in ten minutes. Everything was fine, Applejack had said as some ponies began walking into the hoedown. She turned on some rodeo music and watched the ponies walk around for a bit. Dribbles of sweat began to roll on her head as the ponies went to eat some stuff instead of going to the square dancing lessons. They will later, AJ thought. Applejack began to think she needed a schedule, and realized that had no schedule. Widening her eyes, she realized that everything was, literally, ruined. Princess Luna was coming for ‘more fun’, the ponies were most definitely bored, and now she had no schedule! For a moment she wished that she could be as organized as Twilight, before running into the hoedown in a full gallop. ******************************************************* Princess Luna ran across all of the tumbling artifacts and running ponies while saying, “This is just like last year!” Applejack watched, scared to death as her first event was ruined by a simple tap of ‘too much fun’. Why didn't I ask my friends for help? Applejack simply asked herself. This event wouldn’t have been ruined if I just asked for help! Twilight trotted up right next to her and asked, “Are you ok Applejack? Do you need help on this event?” Applejack nodded. “Ah need lots of help,” she said before staring up at Twilight and smiling. “Like, lots.” They both giggled as Fluttershy came over and sat down with them. “She needs help?” The two nodded and all three of them giggled. ******************************************************** Dear Princess Celestia, Today I learned that you should not hold your feelings in if you need help, and you really do need help. It’s always important to let out the truth, even if it might be scary. ~Applejack