The Split Core

Source Code just learned that, not only is Braeburn a brother of his, but he was also born with the name Apple Crisp. He had no idea how to react to this, other than with pure joy. He wanted to ask Braeburn more, but the moon was finally up, and he was feeling tired, with the train ride, sweltering heat, and the fact that he just used all of his energy to scream in happiness. He went to bed, not even feeling hungry, and he fell asleep almost immediately. Braeburn still had some crops to tend to, so he went back to the farm.

The next morning, Source Code woke up to see that a pamphlet had been placed on the nightstand next to his bed. He picked it up, and it turned out to be the rules for the Apple Pie Contest.

Rules

1. Magic is forbidden.

2. Do not spy on other contestants.

3. Only use the tools that are provided.

4. Do not start a new round early. The host will tell you when you may start the new round.

5. Once the host declares "Stop" you must stop.

6. Cheating of any form is prohibited.

7. Both members of each team must participate.

Anypony caught breaking the rules will be disqualified.

Contests

1. Apple bucking: This round is timed. Each fallen apple earns the team 1 point.

2. Apple peeling: Each team will be given 100 apples to peel. The round ends when the first pair peels all of their apples. Each apple peeled earns the team 1 point.

3. Pie making: The round ends after every team makes an apple pie. The judges will taste test. The pair with the best apple pie wins 100 points. The second best pie earns 50 points, and the third best earns 25 points.

Winning

The team with the most points will be declared the winner, and receive 50,000 bits as prize money. Second place gets 25,000, and third place gets 10,000.

Source Code had never done any of the activities listed in the rules, but he's a really competitive pony, so he went outside to find Braeburn, and saw him bucking the apple trees right by the house. He ran up to his brother, and said,

"Hey, Braeburn."

"Oh, hey App-- uh, I mean Source Code."

"You can call me Apple Crisp if you want."

"Alright, Apple Crisp. What brings you out here?"

"Well, I need to confess something. I saw the rules for the Apple Pie Contest, and I have to tell you that I haven't done anything in the contest before. I've been working with technology all my life, so I don't know anything about farm life."

"Huh. That would explain why your cutie mark looks all science-y, but I'll gladly show you how it works. After all, ya just found out that you're an Apple family member, so ya gotta learn eventually. How strong is yer kick?"

"Actually, I do have a strong set of legs."

"Show me what ya got on this apple tree here." Source Code was eager to try out his strength, so he walked up to the tree, turned around, and kicked as hard as he could. Every single apple fell. "Holy horseapples! That's some of the finest bucking I've seen in a looong time. Ya sure you haven't done this before?"

"I'm positive. Anyway, you seem like you could use a hoof with this. Need my help?"

"With legs like that, sure I could."

"Alright!" Source Code then ran through the orchard, bucking every tree he saw, cleanly knocking off every apple each time.

"Wheeeeeew-wee! I'm impressed, Apple Crisp! Where did you get such amazing leg strength?"

"I guess the fact that I was a runner is school might have helped."

"Well, whatever it was, it's sure coming in handy now."

"Yeah. But I still don't know if I can peel apples, or even make pies."

"Well, go back in the house, and I'll be back in an hour or so. I'll show you how."

"Thanks, Braeburn!" Source Code then walked back into the cottage, and found a seat in the living room. He decided to look through the family album Braeburn had yesterday, and saw something interesting. He saw a page titled "Sweet Apple Acres", and there was a picture of a family with an orange mare, a red stallion, an old green mare, and a yellow filly. Source Code thought he'd get to meet them if he came to the competition, so he set his mind on going to Ponyville with Braeburn, before turning the page. The next had another family, and the page was labeled "Cobbletown". They all had corn on their flanks, for some reason. None of them looked like they could be related, but Source Code didn't think about that too hard. The next page was Braeburn and himself, with their father. This must have been taken before their father passed away, since Source Code looked so little in this picture. He closed the book, and put it down, and saw Braeburn coming in with a barrel of apples.

"Now hold yer horses, I'm coming back with more." Braeburn dashed off before Source Code could respond. Source Code picked the book back up, and saw a picture from what appeared to be a family reunion of sorts. A bunch of ponies were standing in front of the same barn from Sweet Apple Acres, except for an orange mare, who was lying on her side. Oddly, the Cobbletown family wasn't there. He turned the page again, and found an envelope in there. Oddly, the name Apple Crisp was on the front. He decided to open the letter, and it read:

"Dear Apple Crisp (or whatever your name is now),

This is Braeburn, your brother. I know you were just adopted by a family from Las Pegasus, and you'll most likely never see this letter, but if by some miracle you are reading this, know that I only hope you're somewhere safe, whether it's back here with me, or in your own home somewhere. You're my brother, Apple Crisp, and I love you. Please, if I ever need you for anything, I hope you'll agree to it, because I'd do the same for you.

--Braeburn"

Source Code read through that letter about 30 times, almost entranced by it. Braeburn came in with a few more barrels, and said,

"Alright, Apple Crisp, ya wanna learn how to peel apples, then let's get started." He trotted to the kitchen, and grabbed two peeling tools. "Here ya go. First, watch me." Braeburn used his peeler to thinly slice the apple he had in his hoof. It looked perfect when he was done. "Alright, now you try." Source Code grabbed a peeler, and an apple, and tried to slice it, but he cut a bit too deep. "Naw, ya gotta loosed up your grip a bit. You'll cut too deep with all that force." Source Code tried again, and this time it was a lot better. Sure a bit of the fruit came off, but for his first time, it wasn't too bad.

"How's this, Braeburn?"

"Not bad. Could use a bit of work, but alright for a first time. I think I can handle the rest of these. Why don't ya go into the kitchen and get the stove workin'? You do know how to light the stove, right?"

"Oh yeah, I help my mom out with cooking all the time back in Las Pegasus. I just haven't cooked anything by myself before."

"Well, then, get going." Source Code trotted into the kitchen, and lit the stove. It was ready within minutes. "Alright. I think we have plenty of peeled apples here. How about we move on to the pies?"

"Alrighty then." Braeburn came in with a barrel full of peeled apples. They were all so perfectly peeled, it was almost incredible.

"Can ya grab the knife, Apple Crisp?"

"This one here?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Source Code grabbed the knife, and came back to the kitchen counter. "So ya gotta slice the apples really neatly. Almost no room for error. Can I see the knife really quick?" Source Code handed him the knife. "Alright, watch me." Braeburn cut the slices into almost perfectly cubic pieces. Source Code couldn't believe his eyes. "Now you try." Braeburn handed the knife back to Source Code, who grabbed an apple, and cut it into pieces. Braeburn marveled at how even they looked. "Oh my goodness, again it looks so great!" Source Code felt proud of himself. "I'm glad you wanted to be my partner for the Apple Pie Contest, because with your natural skills, we might just finally win this!"

"Finally? What do you mean?

"Well, I haven't exactly won before. I've come in 2nd lots of times, sometimes even 3rd, but I've never won."

"Really? But you seem so great at what you do."

"Well, lemme tell ya, my cousin Applejack is even better." Source Code was speechless. A pony better than Braeburn at everything involving apples? Impossible! Just then, a letter arrived through the front door, and Braeburn trotted to the door and picked it up. He opened it, and read out loud,

"Dear Braeburn,

It's your cousin Corn Maize. I just thought I should tell you that my family needs to stop in Appleloosa on the way to the Apple Pie Contest, and was wondering if you thought we could go together? I'll be sure to see you soon."

Source Code recoiled at the name Corn Maize. Maybe he was the one he saw in the family album. Braeburn then walked back into the kitchen, and said,

"I can handle the rest of the pie-making, Apple Crisp. You can go do whatever you want."

"Thanks, Braeburn. You wouldn't mind if I left to go back into town, right?"

"'Course not, go ahead." Source Code trotted out the front door, then dashed into the horizon.