"C'mon Apple Bloom. I reckon thas enough sellin' fer one day." Applejack called out to her younger sister.
Feeling dejected, Apple Bloom reluctantly walked over to her sister.
"Okay. I juss don' git it Applejack! How come yer so good at sellin' an ah'm not?"
"Whoa now little sis. There's sumthin' y'all gots to understand: and that's patience an not to be sort dang hard on yerself. Not everypony can sell things. Ah reckon that y'all git the hang of it sumday, but fer now let's head on home now, ya hear?"
Apple Bloom sighed and went to pack up the carriage. Apple Bloom had been trying hard the past few weeks to try and catch up to her sister's work ethic, strength, and success above all else. She had trained for weeks to make her legs strong to buck apple trees, and worked on her sales pitches for the monthly apple sales, but was quickly shut down after her most recent attempts. The Cutie Mark Crusaders haven't been meeting for the past few days, and Apple Bloom couldn't help but worry. The last thing she heard of either Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo was when Scootaloo had come over bawling her eyes out about something that happened. Apple Bloom tried her best to comfort her friend, but she ran off after Apple Bloom went to get her a drink.
"Don' feel so down now sis. Y'all did a mighty fine job today. Ah reckon Granny Smith outta reward ya with some fresh apple pie if we hurry home." Applejack said in a tempting voice.
"Gee, ya really think so Applejack?"
"Sure do. Now c'mon. Ah'll race ya home!"
"Okay!"
"Ohn yer mark... git set... GO!" Applejack said as she flung herself forward with all of her might.
Applejack knew that she was carrying a heavy load, so she wanted to make sure she got the carriage going as soon as she took off. Apple Bloom was far ahead, and kept looking back to call out to her sister.
"Y'all best catch up big sis! Ah might git all that apple pie to mahself!"
Applejack squinted from carrying such a heavy load and pushed herself harder. She could feel herself gaining speed, gaining adrenaline, and a large spot of pain in her legs. She pressed harder and found herself squinting from pain and eventually she closed her eyes. She felt the wind carry her. It flowed through her mane, and her hat flew off into the back of the carriage. Her mane ties also came off to let her mane flow with the wind around her. She squeezed her eyes tighter to cope with the pain, but she could no longer bare it. She started to slow down, and with that, open her eyes. After stopping at the front gates of the farm, Applejack took off her harness and laid on the ground.
"Wow sis!" Apple Bloom called out from behind. "How'd ya do that?"
"Lots... and lots... of practice...!" Applejack replied between gasps.
Applejack's ears perked up to a familiar sound, with an unfamiliar grunt. Applejack looked up into her orchard and saw a stallion with a light brown coat bucking the trees, and collecting the fruit.
"Apple Bloom. Go on inside now. Ah've got business to attend to."
"Who is that strange pony, Applejack?"
"Ah don' know. But I'm gunna find out. Go inside and eat yer pie Apple Bloom."
Applejack trotted over to the gate to her orchard and went in slowly and carefully, as to not make any noise.
*****
"Gosh, this sure is a nice field. The Apple family must be proud." I said trying to catch my breath.
I had been bucking apple trees all day for Big Macintosh since he hurt his hind leg in a race. Applejack had gone out with her little sister to sell the months' harvest, so it was up to me to gather the last of the crop to bring in to granny smith. The field went on for miles. It was a splendid sight to see as the sun began setting and the moon began to rise.
"An jus what in tarnation do yew think yer doin'?! Those are our apples, Thief!"
I turned around to see an orange mare staring me straight in the eye. I could tell she had intentions to kill, so I backed up slowly.
"Uh, ma'am?"
"Yew heard me! Now git!" She said turning half way around. "I don' wanna haf tuh make ya, but I will!"
This was obviously some sort of mistake, I wasn't a thief. I was just helping out.
"Ma'am, ah was jus-"
"A likely story. Ah caught ya red hoofed. Ah ain't gunna deal with you. Mah big brother will. BIG MACINTOSH!!!!!"
"Eeyup?"
I heard a familiar voice call.
"GIT YER KEESTER OUT HERE, WE GOT OURSELVES A GOSH DARN THIEF ON OUR HOOVES!"
I felt a slight rumble as I saw Big Macintosh come galloping down the path towards us.
"Where'd he go sis?"
"He's right here Big Mac!"
Big Macintosh and I exchanged looks, and he began to laugh at the situation.
"Wha- Big Macintosh! He's a thief!"
"Eenope. Lil' sis, this is mah friend from the next farm land over. His name's Ash. Been helpin' to gather the last of this months' harvest before them apples go bad. Now ah reckon y'all owe our guest an apology, and a proper Sweet Apple Acres welcome."
I saw the orange mare blush hard, and I laughed a little to myself.
"Ah know, ah know!.." she said with a frown on her face. "Pardon."
"I's alright ma'am. Ah would've dun the same thing if'n ah saw some varmint harvesting mah crop."
"Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres, Thief. High and low, we gots the best apples 'round, y'all best 'member that, so when you buy from us, y'all always come back." She recited as she disregarded my comment. "Ah'm goin' inside to check on Apple Bloom. Thanks fer yer help varmint. Y'all best be on yer way home now."
"Actually Applejack, he's stayin' with us for a while. He just moved out of his home, an' he needs a place to stay."
"Don't tell me... He's stayin' with us, ain't he?"
I gave Applejack a wide smile, and she replied with her head hung low and sighed.
"Well, ah better show yew to yer room. C'mon. Stay close, ah ain't comin' back tuh gitcha."
"Yes ma'am." I said shyly.
"Could ya stop it with the 'ma'am?' yer makin' me feel all old an stuff. Y'alls embarrassin' me Thief."
"Applejack?" Big Mac said calling out to us.
"Whut is it Big Macintosh?"
"He's new 'round town. I reckon y'all could give 'em a show 'round the place."
Applejack sighed and hung her head low again.
"Yes Big Macintosh. C'mon Thief, hurry up."
"Uh, Applejack? Mah name's not Thief."
"Ah know."
Silence. It roared in the Twilight air, and I looked around nervously, while continuing to walk behind the orange mare.
"Got a nice view back there? Git up here. Ah don' like nopony walkin' behind me."
I pondered for a minute and realized what she was talking about. I quickly trotted up next to her and resumed with my usual stride. I had to slow down here and there to give Applejack time to catch up with me. I knew I was big, but I hadn't really paid any attention to how big I had actually gotten over the years.
"So, where y'all from?"
"The next farm over."
Ain't that obvious? I thought to myself.
Applejack chuckled a little, then resumed her stern look.
"Ah reckon ah could sort that one out on mah own."
"'pologies Applejack. Ah'm from Stagecoach Bay, down by the coast. Down there we grow much different crops. We usually grow trees an rice in the fields. Thas actually how ah got mah name. Mah family got these seeds from a merchant in las pegasus, and it grew into an Ash tree. Thas how ah got mah name."
"Good to know, Thief. Wanna hear the story on how you got yer name? Yous was trespassin' on mah land, and harvesting mah apples!" she snorted at me.
I wanted to say something, but I knew that it was pointless. She was just too stubborn. I don't know why, but I liked it. She was everything I knew the stallions back home would hate: hard headed, independent, strong, yet kept up a nice mare figure. I caught myself staring at her front legs as they moved. She was limping, and I couldn't help but notice her mane was bothering her.
"Are you hurt?"
"Ah'm fine. Nothin to worry 'bout."
"You usually wear your mane in a ponytail, don' you?"
Applejack blew her mane out of her face with a quick breath and looked at me closely.
"Yes."
"Ah think it looks nice down. Ah can tell yew wear a hat too."
"Listen, Thief, ah don' know whut kind of yeller bellied sap sucker you are, but you ain't gon' start gettin' friendly like with me, ya got that?"
I swallowed hard. She could see straight through me.
"Yeah." I said staring into her deep green eyes.
"Am ah clear?"
"Crystal."
I could see her eyes let up a little, and a smiled slightly.
"Good. There's yer bunk. Git sum shut-eye. I'll see y'all in the mornin' Thief."
"Wouldn't miss it fer the world, AJ." I said.
She stopped for a second in her tracks and looked back at me. I didn't look at her, but I could feel her gaze creep up my legs and to my face.
No pony calls me AJ, 'cept mah friends. 'Specially not some thievin' varmint.
*****
Yew see... Ah was embarrassed when ah found out yew were one of Big Mac's friends...
Why is that AJ?
I thought yews was a thief an all.... Ah'm sorry.
I's all right Applejack. I... Sort of have somethin' to tell you...
Whut is it?
When we first met, I-
"Up and at 'em Thief. We gots things to do."
I opened one eye to see Applejack staring me in the face. I wasn't complaining, but it was a bit early to be getting up. I rose my head and looked out the window. The sun was just peaking over the plains, and I grumbled to myself a bit.
"Ah don' wanna hear nuthin' outta yew Thief. Y'all wants tuh live here, yew best hop on outta bed and git along."
"Right. We got stuff to do today?"
"Yessiree. We gots tuh go git breakfast for the family 'fore they wake up. I do it every mornin'."
"Alright, let me git mah bags."
Applejack was watching me closely. I could feel her eyes penetrate my back, and go straight into the walls. She was just standing there, looking at me. I felt a little nervous, and started sweating. Beads of sweat began to form on my body as I searched around for my bags. I found it quite odd that Applejack was just staring at me. I hadn't done anything wrong, had I?
"Ah'm juss gonna wait outside by the gate for ya. Hurry up."
"Okay." I responded thankfully.
I don't know why I was so nervous. It was only me and her, and it's not like something had happened between us. I found myself staring at the wall, and quickly snapped back into reality. I headed for the door, but stopped to look at something I found peculiar. There, hanging on the wall, was a picture of Applejack putting on her hat for the first time. She looked incredibly happy... It almost made me uncomfortable.
"You comin' or whut? I ain't got time to fool around now!"
"Ah'ma comin'!" I said out the door.
I took one last look at the picture and smiled, before heading out the door to meet the orange mare and her impatience.
"Finally. Now can we git a move on?"
"After yew Applejack." I said holding the gate open.
"Thank yew kindly, Thief."
"Applejack?"
"Yes?"
"Why do yew keep callin' me 'Thief'?"
"Didn't ah tell y'all yesterday?"
"Ah know..."
"Good. Then ah got nuthin' to explain."
After that, there was silence. I tried to occupy myself by looking at the trees on the way back to town, but I always ended up looking at the only thing that interested me: Applejack. My eyes wandered around in circles, from the trees, to the path, to Applejack, back to the trees, to some animals, to a pony that walked by, and then back to Applejack.
"Was it a special day?" I asked, breaking the roaring silence.
"An' to whut day are yew referrin' to?"
"The day yew got yer hat."
"Why do you care?" She retorted as her eyes dropped to the ground.
"Well, ah saw the picture of yew when you got it... An' ah was juss curious."
"It was mah father's hat. He gave it tuh me when mah mother died. Ah don' remember him givin' it to me, ah was too small."
"But, that hoof-"
"Was mah brother's. He presented it tuh me when he thought ah was old enuff. Thas why him an' me are so close."
I saw tears well up in her eyes, and I wanted to wipe them away for her, but I knew that would raise some questions. She sniffed and a tear rolled down her cheek, but she kept her eyes forward, and didn't break her stride.
She was tough alright, but not that tough. I guess I'd have to try harder to gain her trust, and friendship.
