While doing some research on her family, Applejack stumbles across the name Apple Annie and immediately wants to know more.
While doing some research on her family, Applejack stumbles across the name Apple Annie and immediately wants to know more. What will she do once she learns about her famous relative? We'll just have to wait and see.
One day after a long day of work, Applejack decides to dig deeper into her family history. She goes to the shelf and pulls down a book with an old leather cover with an apple and a pistol carved into the cover. She then begins to read. "Back before movies and comic books, all of Equestria was entertained by a single mare, a mare named Apple Annie Oak Tree. She was a sharpshooter by trade and the ponies loved it, including the princesses. Apple Annie would travel all across Equestria performing her sharpshooting stunts. Her favorite trick was the tri-lasso duel pistol apple shoot extravaganza. It was also her most popular and beloved trick. Her home, though, was far from fancy and fringe. It was a simple country farm called Apple Hill. She lived there with her four sisters and her brother. Her parents had died not long after her brother was born, so Annie was the head of the house."
"Huh?" says Applejack, "that's weird. There's not much about Apple Annie in here, just her time as a sharpshooter. I wonder if Goldy would know more about her. I'll go and ask her in the morning."
The next morning, Applejack goes to Goldy Delicious's. As soon as Goldy hears the knock on the door, she opens it and lets Applejack in. "What family member do ya wanna know about now?" asks Goldy.
"Can you tell me about Apple Annie Oak Tree?" asks Applejack.
"Your famous great aunt Apple Annie, sure," replies Goldy with a smile. She then sits Applejack down, pours her some apple crisp tea, and then begins to tell her the story of Apple Annie's life. "Your great aunt Apple Annie Oak Tree was born to my brother, your uncle Grant Oak Tree and his wife Morning Mist Oak Tree one rainy summer day on August 13th, 1860. When she was fifteen years old, she took her younger sisters and brother with her to watch her compete against Franklin Flankler, a visiting sharpshooter. Your great aunt ended up beating him. A few days after that, she was approached by Buffalo Billiard, leader of the Buffalo Billiard Wild West Show, and was asked by him to join to which she agreed as long as she could take her sisters and brother with her, to which Buffalo, the old coot, agreed. Within the following weeks, Annie became a star, great, if not greater, than Franklin. On her second show with the show, she did her famous tri-lasso duel pistol apple shoot extravaganza, which was beloved by all the beholders and soon became a staple of her act every show. She then went on to travel the world and got medals from Saddle Arabia, Trottingham, and even Caballara. Soon, she was a star. Business ponies began to make posters, dolls, t-shirts, lunch boxes, cider mugs, and so much more with her image on them. Your great aunt Apple Annie loved all the fame, until Franklin moved away to join a rival show: Buck Tooth Billiard's. When he left, that destroyed your great aunt. She continued to show, though, because she knew the ponies loved her. She sucked it up and smiled on despite her heart being broken. Luckily for her, that heart ache only lasted two years because within two years, the two shows reunited and became one show once again. A week after it started back, the two married. They then showed together for thirty more years up until your great aunt's death."
"Please tell me more," begs Applejack.
"Come back tomorrow and I will, sweetie, it's just time for my nap," replies Goldy. Applejack nods, thanks Goldy for the information on her great aunt, and then heads on her way. She's just glad to know that she's related to a sharpshooter. After all, it just proves how much fire and flare is in her blood. She can't wait to see if she can pull of her great aunt's trick at the next rodeo. Maybe, just maybe, she'll pull it off no hitches attached.
The next day, Applejack returns to Goldy's to hear a bit more about her great aunt before heading off to the rodeo that afternoon. Applejack, once at the rodeo, excitedly goes off to practice her great aunt's trick. She practices the trick for over five hours before finally going out and doing the trick in front of all the rodeo attendees.
As she does the trick, the attendees go wild. They go even more wild as soon as they see that she actually pulled off her great aunt's tri-lasso duel pistol apple shooting extravaganza. After the display, Applejack is bombarded by the press and has her pictures taken and she even gives in and gives them a review.
The next day, the newspaper comes out with the title: FIRST PONY TO PULL OFF THE TRI-LASSO DUEL PISTOL APPLE SHOOTING EXTRAVAGANZA-IS IT IN THE BLOOD OR JUST LUCK? Soon, the article makes its way all across Equestria and soon everypony is talking about Applejack.
"Wow, Applejack!" says Braeburn to his cousin, "that trick you pulled today was impressive!"
"Thanks Braeburn," replies Applejack, "it's great aunt Apple Annie's old trick. I figured I'd give it a go."
"You did well," replies Braeburn. "Who knows, maybe you'll become the next Apple Annie?" He begins to laugh as he walks off.
Applejack goes off to get prepped for her next event. She's glad the trick went over well yesterday. Now, all she has to do is her hurdle jumping and hay bale throwing events. In comparison, she can definitely agree, these are a whole lot easier than the trick she managed to pull yesterday.
A few hours later, she goes out and scores the gold in hurdle jumping and an hour after that, she scores another gold in hay bale throwing. Her sister, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo and her friends cheer from the crowd. Applejack is a success and honestly, she doesn't mind in the slightest.
That night after the rodeo has drawn to an end, Applejack goes off to dinner with her friends and family. They all eat at the Appleloosa Cider Hut. As they're eating, Twilight raises the question. "How exactly did you learn that trick? Is there something you aren't telling us?" She raises her eyebrow.
"It's a family trick, it runs in the blood."
"A trick like that doesn't run in the blood," replies Twilight. "Which family member of yours was the first to pull that trick?"
"Fine, fine," replies Applejack, "the trick used to be done by my great aunt Apple Annie Oak Tree, the greatest sharpshooter in Equestria in her day."
"You're related to a sharpshooter?" says Rainbow. "That's awesome!"
"Looks like you've learned a lot about your family lately," says Twilight, "first your parents, now your great aunt, that's fascinating."
"Yeah, yeah it is," replies Applejack. "I just wish I had known my great aunt, alas, she died way before I or even Big Mac was ever born."
"So the article was right about it running in the family?" questions Rarity curiously.
"Yep," replies Applejack.
"Doll, you're a star now," says Rarity, "that's big!"
"Yeah, I guess," Applejack moves her hoof in a circular motion on the table then takes a sip of cider.
Two hours later, Applejack returns with her family and friends to Ponyville. Tomorrow, she'll tell them more about her great aunt. After all, she feels they, as her friends and family, have the right to know.
The next day, Applejack comes out and tells all of them all about her great aunt. How she was the greatest sharpshooter in all of Equestria's history. How the tri-lasso duel pistol apple shooting trick was her signature trick, absolutely everything. By the end of it, they all stare at Applejack in awe. They had no idea and are glad Applejack came out and told them. After all, this is big and not something she should've ever kept to herself. After all, months before this, it took her three months to tell them about how her parents died, however, this only took her a few days. Needless to say, her friends and family are impressed. They embrace her in a hug. Their friend is a descendant of a sharpshooting star and they can all agree, that is pretty darn cool.
The next morning, Applejack goes once again to Goldy Delicious's place.
"I saw you in the paper," says Goldy as soon as Applejack opens the door. "I see you managed to pull off your great aunt's trick."
"Yeah, I was proud when I managed to pull that off," replies Applejack blushing. "Now can I hear more about aunt Apple Annie."
Goldy nods and brings out scones for them to share as she tells Applejack more about her great aunt. "Your great aunt, after she died, was buried in the Sweet Apple Acres Cemetery. Shall we go visit her grave?" Applejack nods. The two then head off and a few hours later, they arrive at the cemetery. They then proceed to head over to the grave with the name Apple Annie Oak Tree Flanklin carved into it. Beside it, Franklin Flanklin is buried. Tears form in Applejack's eyes. Until now, she didn't know these grave stones were even here.
"I wish I could've met you," sighs Applejack, putting her hoof on Annie's gravestone. She begins to cry. Goldy comes up behind her and puts her hoof on Applejack's shoulder. Applejack takes her hoof off the grave and the two leave the cemetery and return to Goldy's house where Goldy tells Applejack more about her great aunt's days as a foal, before she was famous. These stories make Applejack smile. She can't believe she was ever related to someone so beloved by absolutely everything, it's amazing and she's glad to know these stories, these are stories she'll definitely pass down to her own children someday and that makes her smile.
The next day as she's bucking apples, Applejack can't help but think about her great aunt Apple Annie Oak Tree.
"What ya thinking about, big sis?" asks Apple Bloom.
"Great aunt Apple Annie and her legacy as a sharpshooter and what that means for us," replies Applejack.
"Yeah, Apple Annie, from what Granny has told me, was the most famous member of our family ever, but she oft forgets to leave out that our great aunt came from nothing into a life of fame," adds Big Mac. He then bucks another tree and Applejack does the same.
After a long day of apple bucking, the three siblings go to Goldy's to learn more about their great aunt Apple Annie Oak Tree. Goldy gladly tells them everything like she did for Applejack a day after Applejack first learned about Apple Annie. Goldy even takes all three of them back to Apple Annie's grave stone. As before, Applejack bursts into tears, but unlike last time, Big Mac and Apple Bloom do the same. After a few minutes, they leave the cemetery. They then return to Goldy's and learn so much more about their great aunt.
Three hours later, the siblings return home to the smell of hot pancakes. They then sit down to eat with Granny Smith and Granpear. The five happily chat and laugh and tell stories as they eat dinner. A few minutes into dinner, though, the talk about Apple Annie is brought up by the Apple siblings. Granny Smith then agrees to tell them all about the other half of the story that Goldy never got around to telling them. After five hours, Applejack, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom know absolutely everything about their great aunt: the amazing sharpshooter, Apple Annie.
"Why never tell us about her before? We had to go talk to Goldy just to get the stories." Asks Applejack.
"Because, after her death, sharpshooting was retired as a sport and we weren't allowed to really talk about it or her anymore," replies Granny Smith.
"I, I had no idea," replies Applejack. "Is that why the book about her was hidden in the dust of the top shelf?" Granny Smith nods.
"Yes," replies Granny, "but I'm guessing you managed to get it down and read it." Applejack nods.
"Yep," responds Applejack.
"Well, the truth about her being our relative is now in newspapers all across Equestria because you pulled off her trick, so, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her earlier," sighs Granny.
"It's fine, Granny," replies Applejack as she gets up and goes over and hugs her grandmother. "You did what you thought was best for us, but now that the truth is out, it's going to stay out for a long while and we just have to live with that now."
"Speaking of which, Celestia and Luna want you to come and perform your great aunt's special trick for them," responds Granny Smith.
Applejack nods. "Gladly, I'll do anything to please the princesses. I'll head out first thing tomorrow morning, thanks." Applejack kisses her grandmother on the head then heads upstairs to pack. A few minutes later, the rest of the family retire to their rooms for the night and within an hour, every member is fast asleep, thinking about Apple Annie as they sleep with the exception of Granpear.
The next day, Applejack takes her props and luggage and heads for Canterlot bright and early. At the train station, Applejack hops on the train and makes it to Canterlot by midday. That afternoon, she practices for three to five hours before going off to show the trick to Celestia and Luna.
In the royal gardens, Applejack does the tri-lasso duel pistol apple extravaganza on for the sisters. They clap and cheer as they watch. They haven't seen the trick for several years and they're glad to see some pony, one of Apple Annie's relatives no less, bring the trick back from the dead.
After the display, the sisters congratulate Applejack. "Good job Applejack, your great aunt Apple Annie would be proud."
"Awe, thanks," replies Applejack blushing.
She then goes inside and enjoys dinner with the royal sisters. At dinner, the three talk about Apple Annie and her legacy in the world of Equestrian entertainment. Applejack can't help but smile. She's so thrilled to be hearing the royal sisters praise her great aunt.
The next day, Applejack makes the headlines once again: APPLEJACK PERFORMS TRI-LASSO DUEL PISTOL APPLE SHOOT EXTRAVAGANZA FOR ROYAL SISTERS AND IS PRAISED FOR CONTINUING HER GREAT AUNT'S LEGACY. As she reads the paper on the train, Applejack can't help but smile. Maybe, just maybe, she'll be the next Apple Annie after all.
Several years of training later, Applejack is the new sharpshooter in town and all the ponies love her. They praise her every time she pulls off her great aunt's trick and when she pulls off new gun and lasso tricks of her own. Applejack can't help but admit she enjoys the fame. She even drags her brother and sister with her to every event. Apple Bloom can't help but brag to all her friends how famous her big sister is. Applejack can't help but smile. She's a success outside of her family farm, something she had never dreamed would happen, and now she's living her dream come true and nothing could be better than that.
