Chapter 1
"Y'see, sugarcube, y'have to line your hooves up properly w'the base of the tree. Make sure the barrels are positioned under the tree like so. Then, all it takes is a good, sturdy kick and -- "
Twilight sighed for the umpteenth time. "Yeah, I get it. The apples come down and go neatly into the barrels we've set at the base. I've read all the books in the Ponyville library about the process."
"Yeah, but books ain't nothing like the real thing! It takes strength and lots of practice t'get just right." To demonstrate, Applejack positioned herself beneath the tree and bucked, hitting the trunk square and center. Twilight watched as the apples rained down, fresh and ripe, ready for the harvesting season.
"This would be so much easier and faster with magic," Twilight noted.
"Aww, apple bucking is a long-standing tradition, Twi," Applejack said. "Tradition's more important than magic. At least, that's how it is here at Sweet Apple Acres." She ran over and bucked the next tree with ease.
"I think I'll...just sit here and watch," Twilight said as she took shade beneath the biggest apple tree. It was a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky, and Twilight had been invited by Applejack to witness and partake in 'apple bucking season' for a day. Twilight decided to go as part of her continuing research on the magics of friendship; however, none of her studies had prepared her for the work. Sure, Applejack was barely breaking a sweat...but she was used to this! She did this, year after year, and this was Twilight's first time not only in such a rural setting, but the first time she had been asked to do manual labor in a long time. She could break a sweat over books just fine, but over apples...
Twilight's eyes widened. I guess that way, Applejack and I are really similar! she thought to herself. Both of us are very passionate about what we do, and we won't stop until it's just perfect. In addition, we don't really like asking others for help, although I'll do it long before Applejack will. It's that determination and integrity that makes A.J. such a great friend. She continued to watch Applejack as she worked on the trees nearby, noting how conditioned Applejack was for this work, how she was barely breaking a sweat, and how...toned...her hind legs were after years and years of work. It wasn't something she was trying to notice...honest! It was just there, right in front of her.
"Al'right, Twi! Your turn!" Applejack pointed to a nearby tree with one foreleg. It was small and skinny, with a few apples in its branches. "You get this here sapling."
Sapling? "So I get the baby tree?" Twilight retorted as she rose to her hooves.
Applejack shook her head. "Naw. I'm afraid I'll knock the poor thing over with my hooves. I'm much too strong. But it'll be perfect for ya."
Twilight was about to use sarcasm again until she realized Applejack was right. She trotted over to the tree and sized it up -- couldn't have been more than fifteen hands high. Applejack's toned legs would snap this tree in a split second. "Oh, this will be easy," she said with confidence as she positioned herself in front of the tree. She took a couple of practice kicks, deliberately missing but trying to get the feel of bucking. "How do I look?" she asked Applejack.
She missed the blush on Applejack's face by a mile. "Um...yeah. Go fer it."
"Right." Twilight put all of her concentration into aiming the kick just right. She wanted to make sure this was perfect! Then, when she was absolutely sure she was ready to go, she leaned forward and bucked backward...and felt nothing.
"I missed?!" she yelled as she looked behind her; she had kicked too far to the left. "Aargh!" Now this was getting embarrassing, and Twilight didn't know why. She took a deep breath. "I...have...got...to...GET THIS!" she yelled as she bucked again, this time to the left of her previous mark. It hit right on target, and the apples dropped...right on her head.
"Ow!" Feeling dizzy, Twilight lost her balance and hit the ground. She tried to rise to her hooves, but tumbled back down to the ground again.
"Hey Twi, y'alright?" Applejack asked as she trotted over to her friend.
"Yeah," Twilight said. "Maybe I hit that tree a little...too hard."
Applejack reached Twilight's side and handed out a hoof to help her up. Whenever Applejack reached out a hoof to Twilight, no matter where it was, no matter what they were doing, it always reminded her of the time when Twilight was about to fall off the cliff, and she was hanging on to Applejack. Back then, Applejack had needed Twilight to let go, for her own good, and Twilight had trusted her.
She trusted me! Applejack said to herself, and she smiled...until she realized Twilight was staring at her.
"Um...earth to A.J.?" Twilight asked, looking up into Applejack's green eyes.
There was no way Twilight could miss the blush now. "Oh, sorry about that, Twi," Applejack said as Twilight grabbed onto her hoof and hoisted herself up. "Musta' spaced out there fer a minute. I do that sometimes when I'm out here alone, bucking trees all season." She didn't tell Twilight that it was often the same purple unicorn who held her thoughts.
"Regardless, y'got them all down here from this one sapling," Applejack said. "But the apples missed the barrels. Not sure how we're gonna...oh." She watched as Twilight used her magic to maneuver the apples back into the barrels. "That'll do, I suppose."
"No problem," Twilight said with a smile. "I did miss the barrels, after all. Is this the last tree in this grove?"
"Yep! This grove's done! I'll get Big MacIntosh to help me get these barrels into the barn a bit later. Y'wanna go inside for some dandelion sandwiches and some cider? It'll be a good way to cool off!"
Twilight trotted along her friend as they headed toward the house. "Sounds good to me! Though I don't know how you do it, A.J. If I had to buck trees all day, I'd be exhausted!"
Applejack just smiled, not revealing the newest source of her energy. "Aw, shucks."