It was almost four in the evening the next day when Applejack started packing up the Sweet Apple Acres Vending cart as the Farmer’s Market came to a close. The other vendors had started packing as well, but Applebloom took notice that her sister was moving faster than the others.

“You in some kinda hurry Applejack?” she asked, curiously, wondering if her sister might still be angry that Applebloom had enlisted the day before. “Ya been rushin around all day.”

Applejack paused as she pulled the cloth cover over the apples. “Ah’m fine. Just got some place Ah gotta be in a little bit,” she explained, finishing her task. “Ya mind walkin the cart back home by yourself? Ah might be awhile,” Applejack asked, looking distracted.

“Sure,” Applebloom agreed. “Where ya gonna be?” she asked hoping her sister wouldn’t be too long. Their mother didn’t take kindly to them being late for dinner. She was more lenient now then when they were younger, but Ginger Smith Apples wrath was still to be feared.

Applejack looked distracted as she came up with a reply. “Ah’m just meetin a friend fer a drink. Ah’ll be home before dinner,” she explained as she started walking towards town hall.

Applebloom smirked as her sister left. “Didn know ya had a coltfriend AJ. When ya gonna introduce him tah yer family?” she called after her sister. Applejack didn’t seem to hear the taunt as Applebloom grabbed the cart and started pulling it towards home.

/////////////////////////////////

Applejack arrived at town hall and easily spotted the large tent the military was using for recruitment. “No turning back now,” she told herself. She walked through the flap on the front of the structure and looked around. A grey mare in a green uniform sat at a table near the entrance and behind her there were rows of stalls covered by curtains that Applejack guessed were for check ups. Lamps hung from the ceiling, lighting the interior.

“Is there something I can help you with?” the mare at the table asked, smiling sweetly at Applejack.

Applejack quickly scanned the open area of the tent for Dr. Reinstein. “Ummm… Dr. Reinstein asked me to come. Said he had an offer to make,” she told the receptionist, who gave her an odd look.

“His office is in the back of the tent,” the mare told Applejack, looking her up and down as she spoke.

“Thank ya kindly,” Applejack told the receptionist, eager to get away from the judging gaze of the mare whose eyes seemed to follow Applejack as she walked towards the back of the tent.

After a short walk Applejack came to a small cubicle at the end of the row that wasn’t covered by a curtain. Applejack peeked around the corner and saw Dr. Reinstein looking over several files and jotting down notes as he compared one to another. Applejack cleared her throat and caught the doctor’s attention.

“Oh, goodness, Applejack, I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” Reinstein apologized as he stood up to shake hands with Applejack.

“Jus’ got here actually,” Applejack said shaking the goat’s hand. “So what exactly did ya wanna see me about?” Applejack asked, hoping to get straight to the point. The sooner she figured out what she could do to help with the war, the better.

“Have a seat,” Reinstein offered, gesturing to a small chair on the opposite side of his desk. Applejack sat down as Reinstein retrieved a file from a drawer in his desk. “The Equestrian Military is funding a project that could possibly end the war,” Reinstein began, surprising Applejack. “We have been recruiting candidates for the project, but for this to succeed I need to know that we’ve picked the right soldier for the job,” Reinstein explained as he showed Applejack the file.

Applejack glanced at the complex diagrams and formulas in front of her. “Ya think Ah’m the right soldier fer the job?” Applejack asked, trying to make sense of the science jargon in the file.

“No,” Reinstein replied, earning a confused glare from Applejack. “I don’t think you’re a soldier at all. You are simply a mare who wants to do good,” Reinstein said thoughtfully. “Good intentions have more power behind them than any bullet from a gun,” he continued.

Applejack thought for a moment, letting the doctor’s words sink in. “If Ah agree to this, what exactly are ya gonna to need from me?” she asked, worried that any one of her ailments could prevent her from being eligible.

Reinstein smiled as he answered. “You and the other candidates will attend one month at Camp Nomad. A few other administrators and myself will choose the best candidate from among you,” Reinstein explained pulling a few forms from the drawer in his desk and sliding them to Applejack with a pen.

“What’ll happen to me if I’m not picked?” Applejack asked as she picked up the pen and looked at the papers hesitantly.

Reinstein took a moment before answering. “If you are half as good as you seem, I won’t let them pick the others,” he told her smiling. “I want somepony who can make a good choice without being given orders.”

Applejack took a deep breath as she started filling out the enlistment form.

/////////////////////////////////

Applebloom arrived home to the sight of her mother hanging laundry out to dry in front of the farm house, while Macintosh played with a few toys in the grass nearby. “Hey there lil’ buddy. How’s yer day been?” she asked her younger brother, picking him up as Ginger turned around. Ginger smiled as her daughter made silly faces at the colt, entertaining him for a moment.

“How was the market?” Ginger asked as she returned to hanging a sheet.

Applebloom set her brother back on the ground as she answered. “Kinda slow. Ah tell ya though, Applejack was antsy all day. Soon as everypony else started packing up she she was already sendin’ me back home with the cart,” Applebloom said, still curious about who Applejack had to rush off to meet.

Ginger gave her daughter a confused look. “Applejack is still in town?” she asked, earning a nod from Applebloom. Ginger sighed. “Ah suppose it’s not a problem as long as she’s home before dinner,” she told herself as she continued working.

Applebloom sat on the grass next to Macintosh and watched him as he picked up a toy soldier and made whooshing noises while pretending the soldier could fly. Applebloom smiled her brother play. “Ah’m gonna miss ya big guy,” she said sadly, pulling her brother into a hug.

Applebloom felt a pair of arms wrap around her and looked up into her mother’s eyes. “It’s gonna be okay Applebloom,” she said, comforting her daughter.

Applebloom looked away as a question popped into her head. “Have ya ever felt like ya made a mistake ya can’t take back?” she asked, staring at the ground.

Ginger looked at her daughter and smiled. “Of course. Everyone does at some point. Ya just have to ask yerself why ya did what ya did. If it’s a good reason, one worth the sacrifice, than that’s all that matters,” she answered, hoping this would put Applebloom’s mind at ease.

Applebloom huffed as she wiped a stray tear from her eye. “Try tellin’ AJ that. She’s barely said a word to me since yesterday,” Applebloom said, hurt in her voice.

Ginger smiled. “Yer sister’s just bein’ protective. She hates the idea of you goin’ off to war as much as the rest of us, but Ah’m sure she’ll be there to see ya off. She’s never been one to stay angry fer long,” Ginger replied, earning an agreeing nod from her daughter “Now let’s get inside and get washed up fer dinner. If yer sister don’t show up soon though Ah’m sendin’ ya to get her,” Ginger said as she stood up and started towards the house.

Applebloom stood up to follow with Macintosh in her arms as the colt’s small hand shot in front of her face. Applebloom looked at the soldier in the hand surprised. “This fer me Mac?” she asked, earning a nod from the toddler. “Oh, thank ya. Just what I wanted,” she said as she accepted the gift and put it in her pocket as she followed her mother inside.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Applejack nervously stepped up to the front door of her home as the sun started to set, casting an orange glow over the porch. She knew that after giving her sister a hard time about enlisting she’d be in for more of the same, but she had to push through anyway. They’d find out eventually.

“Better sooner than later,” Applejack told herself as she opened the door and stepped inside.

"Applejack is that you?” Applejack heard her mother call from the kitchen.

Applejack took a deep breath before she stepped into the kitchen. “Yeah, sorry Ah’m home late. I had something I needed to do,” she replied as she stepped into the kitchen and saw her mother preparing supper.

A thumping noise came from upstairs and Apple Bloom arrived in the kitchen a moment later, with Macintosh riding on her back. “Hey sis, what took ya so long? Momma almost sent me to fetch ya,” Apple Bloom inquired as she moved to the dining room and set her brother in his high chair.

Applejack gulped. “Ah was…,” she paused, her hands starting to shake. “Ah was enlistin,” she admitted. The room went quiet as her family looked at her strangely, as though waiting for her to deliver the punch line to a joke.

“Whatta ya mean?” Apple Bloom asked, confusion etched in her tone. Their mother had yet to say anything or even turn away from the vegetables she’d been cutting, but Applejack knew
she was paying attention.

Applejack took a deep breath. “Yesterday at the market I met this goat, Dr. Reinstein. He made me an offer to join a special project and I went to see him today and told him I’d join’” Applejack explained, glancing at her sister and noticing the glare on Apple Bloom’s face.

Apple Bloom shook her head like she’d been slapped. “Ya… Ya signed up fer the army?” she asked, bewildered. Applejack nodded. “Ya got angry at me fer it yesterday and then it’s fine fer you to go and sign up!” Apple Bloom shouted angrily.

“Ah just wanna be there to watch yer back,” Applejack replied, trying to calm her sister.

Apple Bloom quickly left the room. “Ah can watch out fer mahself!” she shouted as she stomped up the stairs.

Applejack sighed in defeat. She had expected some anger, but she hadn’t realized how this would make her sister feel. Applejack turned to where her mother was frozen holding a knife over a carrot on a cutting board. “Momma?” she asked, hoping for a kind word or two. When she got no reply, Applejack stepped closer to her mother.

Ginger finally turned and revealed her tear streaked face. “Ah’ve lost my husband to this war. Just make sure Ah don’t lose mah children too,” she told Applejack, her words hitting like a brick.

Applejack quickly backed out of the room and went upstairs.

//////////////////////////////////////////

Flim sat in a chair facing a window, over looking a mountain side covered in several feet of snow. Footsteps outside his door alerted him to his visitor moments before his door opened. Flim turned his chair as his brother Flam entered with a pair of Minotaur soldiers following him and carrying a heavy iron box.

“I hope you’re ready brother, because today our plans take a new step,” Flam announced as he gestured for the soldiers to set the box on a steel table several feet from Flim’s desk. The soldiers then turned to face Flim as the stallion stood from his chair.

“Leave us,” Flim commanded as he walked slowly towards the box. Flam smiled as his brother lifted the top of the box, a bright purple glow emerging from the opening created. “Our vision does indeed take new light,” he commented as he lifted a golden tiara with a purple stone in the shape of a starburst from the box.

Flam grinned as his brother placed the artifact back in it’s container. “Shall I have it sent down to Dr, Solar for testing?” he suggested.

“I see no reason to waste anymore time,” Flim replied as he returned to the window and continued staring at the snow covered slopes. “Our new world order is close to being realized. Soon, all will bow before us,” he told his brother.

Author's Note

And here we are moving right along. Not much to say that the chapter doesn't do for me.

So moving to the answer for the trivia question from last week.

The members of Captain America's team from WWII....

The Sub-Mariner, aka, Namor, King of Arlantis and when submerged in water can match the Hulk blow for blow. The Original Human Torch, and Android gifted with Pyrokinesis, and his partner Toro. And last but certainly not least, James "Bucky" Buchannan Barnes, Now known as The Winter Soldier.

A shorter than average answer, but I needed a break after explaining Sliding Time before.

And moving on...

Cap's original Shield wasn't the Vibranium Disc he throws around now. When he first became a hero he had a badge shaped shield. So, What happened to Cap's original Shield and how did he get the Vibranium replacement?

Stay Tuned.