Life of an Apple

     It had been a few years since Applejack was born. She'd grown into a hardworking filly with a blonde mane and tail and pale freckles on her cheeks and between her bright green yes. She and Big Mac had a close bond. Today was Applejack's first day of school.

     Apple Drops had finished fashioning Applejack's blonde mane into a ponytail. She laughed at the result. "It's so sloppy," she told Redstreak, who was preparing lunches nearby.

     Applejack turned her head slightly to look at her "ponytail." "I like it," she told her mother. "I like it sloppy." She then whipped up her blonde tail in her mother's light orange face. "Do my tail, too!"

     Once it was time to leave, Big Mac led his sister to the Ponyville Schoolhouse. On the way, other ponies with brighter colored coats turned to stare.

     "They're staring at us," Applejack whispered up to her brother.

     "That's because we're farmers," Big Mac replied, glancing up at his brown cowpony hat. "There aren't a lot of farmers in Ponyville. Only at Sweet Apple Acres.

     They reached the schoolhouse, where several other fillies and colts were playing. One of the colts, a mint-green one with dark hair about Big Mac's age, approached them.

     "Hey, Macintosh," the colt greeted him. "You should come and--" He then noticed Applejack. "Who's that?"

     "I'm Applejack!" the filly squeaked. "Today's my first day here!"

The colt laughed. "I'm Othello." He turned to Big Mac. "Your sister?"

     "Eeyup!" Big Mac replied. "Should we show her around?"

     Othello shrugged. "I guess."

     Applejack smiled up at Othello, her green eyes gleaming. "Is school fun?" she asked. "We learn stuff, right? Like how to add things! Big Macintosh told me about that!"

     Othello laughed and nodded. "Yep! You'll learn to write, too, Applejack."

     Applejack nodded. "Can I go make friends?"

     Othello glanced at Big Mac. "You want her to meet some of ours, Macintosh?"

     "Maybe later," Big Mac said. "Let's let her find friends on her own."

     "Yay!" Applejack shouted. "Thanks, Big Macintosh!" She bounded off to where other fillies were playing.