Chapter 1
Rainbow Dash paced back and forth on the train platform, a nervous frown frozen on her face. Twilight and Pinkie Pie sat watching her, Twilight frowning as well and Pinkie giggling at something only she knew.
“Relax, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight finally told her. “The train's not going to get here any faster because you're moving.”
Rainbow sat with a sigh. “I know that! But still, what if something happened? What if there was a rock slide? Or maybe an avalanche! Maybe the train went too fast around a curve, and plunged into valley, and then exploded!”
“Don't be silly,” Pinkie interjected. “If the train went of the side of a mountain, it wouldn't explode, it would do something more like boom, smash, crash!” She did a little somersault to emphasize each word, sending Rainbow into an even deeper depression.
“Oh-for-the-love-of...” Twilight buried her face in her hoof, exasperated.
A train whistle in the distance caught all three's attention.
“It's here!” Rainbow Dash was off like a blue lightning bolt as she flew out to meet the train. Pinkie merely giggled as she started bouncing after her at a more subdued pace, leaving Twilight in silence to contemplate all of her life choices that lead up to that moment.
Twilight lifted her head as she heard the creak of wheels approaching. Applejack had arrived with her family's wagon, which she unhitched next to the platform.
“Howdy, sugar cube. Where'd that Nervous Nelly get to? Had to use the little filly's room?”
“Her and Pinkie went to go greet the train” Twilight deadpanned.
“Hehe, that sure sounds like RD. That girl can't handle herself even around normal cider.”
The train finally came into view, Pinkie jumping on top of the cars and Rainbow Dash circling overhead.
“It's here!” she shouted again, Pinkie echoing her playfully.
The train pulled up to the platform lethargically until it came to a full stop. Twilight immediately went up to the conductor to apologize profusely for her friends' “enthusiasm”, while the others moved to the last car to pick up their cargo.
A stallion in a blue vest was waiting for them, holding a clipboard. “You Applejack?” he asked.
“Sure as sugar.”
“Then I'll need you to sign here, please.”
Rainbow Dash hovered over AJ's shoulder as she read the cargo manifest.
“Wait, you only got one barrel of cider?” Rainbow Scoffed. “What the hay are we going to do with one barrel?”
“Quality over quantity, Rainbow. This cider was one of the very first barrels to ever come out'a Sweet Apple Acres.”
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened in awe. “Wow. Is it safe? You know, to drink?”
“Would it matter to ya either way?”
She put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Probably not.”
Pinkie was still dancing on top of the train as she sang little tune she had just made up.
“The cider's here. The cider's here. Why do we cheer? The cider's here!”
“Alright,” the stallion said after getting his clipboard back, “let me just open up the doors here...”
The train doors slid open to reveal the single largest barrel of cider any of them had ever seen. Rainbow Dash let out a low whistle.
AJ tipped her hat forward respectfully. “We sure don't make 'em like we used to.”
The majority of Ponyville was gathered outside of Town Hall the following day. Applejack and Mayor Mare stood in front of a grandiose purple curtain, the latter preparing to address the crowd. Twilight and the rest of AJ's friends stood closest to the stage.
Rainbow Dash couldn't stop fidgeting. Every time she thought about what was behind the curtain, her mouth would begin to water and she would have to use every ounce of self control she had to not rush the stage like an angry manticore.
She was shaken from her thoughts when someone shoved her roughly from behind. She caught herself from falling over and turned in anger to chew out the klutz, but there was no one behind her.
“What the...”
She scanned the crowd, trying to find the culprit. There! A hooded figure was quickly moving away from her.
Rarity noticed Rainbow facing the wrong direction. “What are you doing, Rainbow?” she asked with a raised brow.
“Huh? Oh, uh, nothing. I'll... be right back.”
Rainbow Dash walked into the crowd in pursuit of the suspect, quickly vanishing from sight. Rarity continued looking in the direction she had gone with a worried frown. She turned back towards the stage just in time to hear the start of the Mayor's speech.
“Good afternoon, fillies and gentlecolts,” Mayor Mare began. “We have a special treat for you today. The Apple Family have recently discovered, and recovered, one of the very first barrels of cider from their very first harvest!”
This started quite a few conversations in the crowd. It was common knowledge that the Apple Family made the best cider in all of Equestria, but to imagine a barrel of the first best cider in all of Equestria... Rainbow Dash wasn't the only one whose mouth was watering now.
“And, we've been assured that the contents are as fresh as the day it was made. So the Apples have generously decided to share their cider with the entire town!”
This news was met with jubilant celebration and hoof-stomping. Mayor Mare waited patiently for the noise to die down a full minute later.
“So now, without further ado, here to unveil their gift for us is Applejack!”
More hoof-stomping, though this one didn't last quite as long.
“Thank ya kindly, Mayor. All of the good folks of this town have always taken care o' us. This is just us returnin' the favor. May I present to y'all, the greatest cider in the world!”
The curtain rose to reveal... nothing. The crowd let out a collective gasp as Rarity feinted, crushing spike as he tried to catch her.
AJ was simply dumbstruck. After a few moments she was finally able to find her voice. “The greatest cider in the world... is gone!”