Your Music's Pretty Great
Sweet Apple Acres is a relatively calm place, home to some of the friendliest folk in town. Life flows like a stream, and just about everyone is happy. The farm’s mane hand, Applejack, had finally brought upon something different. Taking up the base, the land is commonly beaming with music. Sounds of rock, jazz, or simple strums to cool off the stresses of everyday life. You name it, she can play it.
As the sun lowers in the distant horizon, Applejack has a tendency to play from her roof, the birds singing along with her. It brings upon a peaceful vibe, the music normally rocking her little sister asleep every night.
One late evening, in the dead of winter, the sun just barley peeking its head over the horizon, a light snowfall caking the ocean of trees, Applejack plays her base atop the roof of the barn. Just a few simple strums, music similar to a lullaby. She stares up at the ever darkening sky, letting her bright golden hair whip freely in the quiet breeze.
She loved stargazing, just watching them as the snow bites at her cheeks. Giving her fingers a break, she sets the base down beside her, resting her hands beneath her head, tightening her scarf.
“Ah’ love it here,” she whispers to herself.
Suddenly, a series of branches could be heard crackling from below her. Assuming it was a just an animal, she continued her soon to be nap. The snapping noise quickly returned, followed by the harsh stomps of footfalls in the snow. Peering off the edge of the roof, a murky figure could be seen marching about the orchard.
Her eyes shrank to pinpoints, spotting the intruder. She had locked up the front gates of the farm only an hour ago and nobody was allowed in. She stood up, yelling from the roof, “Hey, who’s out there?!”
The figure seemed to turn towards her before darting off through the trees. “Oh no you aint’,” she mumbled to herself before leaping off the farm, a perfect landing in the snow blanketed soil below. Now in pursuit, she ran full speed in the direction the figure darted off to. She was heart set on keeping out thieves and such and this guy certainly looked like one.
Slowly gaining on the person, she watched as his convers stomped freely in the snow, as if his tremendous speeds took no effort. The person was a definite male, one who possessed some rather impressive agility. He easily hopped to the nearest tree, moving through the branches like a squirrel. Applejack watched, stunned as he leaped from tree to tree, turning the orchard into his personal jungle gym.
Failing to catch her monkey like intruder, she took a breath, exhausted. “You tired already?” a muffled voice asked from the tree tops.
Applejack shot her head upwards, nearly falling backwards at the sight the loomed above. She saw a boy, sitting atop a high tree branch. He wore what looked to be a metal mouth guard, bright orange goggles shielding his eyes. The farm girl didn’t know how to respond as she stood frozen in a trance. “You wanted to tell me something?” the boy asked, obviously soaking in the farm girl’s fear, it was candy to him.
Applejack shook her head furiously, regaining her train of thought. “W-who are you?” she stuttered.
The boy slid down his mouth guard, letting it dangle from his neck, “I’m Toby, and what would your name be?” he reached over for a nearby apple, taking a bite from it.
“You put that down!” shouted Applejack, “those apples are this orchard’s property, and we don’t need some thief like you running in her an eatin’ them all!”
He spotted the obvious scowl on her face, feeling the need to be honest. “Ok,” Toby began, dropping the half eaten apple to the snow blanket below, “I just needed something to eat. I’ve been traveling a lot lately and I’m starving.”
“And why should ah’ believe that? You just may leave and sell those apples for yourself.”
Toby slipped off his goggles, letting them rest over his messy brown hair. “You may not know me, but I’m a very trustworthy guy.”
She only rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over the bright yellow coat that wrapped itself around her. “Just please leave,” she groaned.
Placing a hand below his chin, he wore the slyest grin. “Ya’ know, let me cut you a deal.”
“Ah’ don’t negotiate with thieves!” she growled.
“Just hear me out here,” he said, stretching out his arms. “I’m pretty comfortable in this here tree, ya’ see?”
Applejack only stared bitterly as he readjusted his positions on the branch, looking as if he was about to take a nap. “If you can get me out of this tree, I just may make it worth your time.”
“Now what in the hay is that supposed to mean?” she yelled, “knocking you out of that darn tree doesn’t mean anything?!”
“Are saying you can’t do it?” smiled Toby, his grin growing tenfold.
“I could knock you outta that tree with ma’ arms tied behind ma’ back!”
“Prove it.”
As the words left his lips, Applejack reached into her pocket, throwing an apple at the boy at unrealistic speeds. The fruit hit him square on the forehead, causing him to lose his balance. In a matter of seconds he was back on the orchard floor, his face buried in the snow. “Lucky throw,” he mumbled into the dirt.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Well look at that,” she wheezed, “little boy talk’s tough but got no muscle!”
“Oh please, I wasn’t paying attention!” Toby protested, his face turning red. He really didn’t expect her to succeed so easily.
“Excuses, excuses,” she giggled, shaking her head.
Cooling himself off, he cracked a grin. “I will admit, you’ve got a good arm.”
“Ah’ guess you could say that,” it was now her turn to wear the sly grin.
“Well, you did manage to get me outta that tree, so I might as well live up to my side of the bargain.” Toby slipped off his backpack, digging through it. He pulled out a large stack of papers.
“What’s all this? Your homework?” she laughed.
“Quite the contrary,” he said, handing her the stack, “It’s your homework”. Confused, she gave the wad of papers a closer look, noticing that they were sheets of music. “What is all this?” she asked, wearing a look of both misunderstanding and gratitude.
“I uhh… thought you may have wanted to try playing some of this stuff. I came across it in some empty music shop.”
“How’d you know I play base?”
“I hear you all the time when I walk by here, playing on the roof. So… I just figured.”
Applejack’s scowl had dissipated long ago, now a very thankful grin. “Wow, well, thank you so much for this.”
“You never did give me your name,” he smiled.
“Applejack… its Applejack.”
They remained silent for a moment before Toby broke it. “You know, your music’s pretty great. I hope this, uh… gift is worth your while.”
She went red before losing her grin, now somewhat lost in thought and emotion. “Thanks Toby, that means a lot.”
Slipping his mouth guard and goggles back on, he began heading the other direction. “Well, Applejack, I guess I’ll see you.”
“Wait,” she called out, still holding the music to her chest. “Do you want to… ah’ don’t know, do something tomorrow?”
He smiled behind his mouth guard. “Sure thing, Applejack, that’d be nice.”
And with that he bolted down the isle of trees, disappearing within the branches.
Applejack didn’t sleep that night, far too busy… thinking… thinking of someone new in her life. She rested the stack of music on her bedside table, drifting off into a world of thought.
Thoughts of her and her new mysterious friend… Toby.
