It was a perfect autumn afternoon. The sun peaked just above a ridge of clouds, there was just a tinge of chill in the air, and the smell of fresh cider wafted over Ponyville.
Rainbow Dash pushed the the last cloud into position, providing the perfect blend of sun and shade for the afternoon.
“Great job crew,” she told the pegasi who were working with her. “I'm taking off until tomorrow, and this year I'm going to get the first share of cider!”
Other than Eagle Eyes, the next weather shift manager, the pegasi cheered at the announcement. Rainbow’s difficulty and frustration over never getting cider for the first day of Cider season was a pretty well known fact among the weather team. “Race you to Sweet Apple Acres, Derpy!”
Derpy rolled her eyes at the absurd statement, which made her dizzy enough to sit down for a second. By the time Derpy had gotten up, Rainbow Dash was already hauling a cloud to nap on and was halfway to the farm. She licked her lips, anticipating the cool, refreshing cider. The rush of air and anticipation ripped joyful laughter from Rainbow Dash's throat.
The laughter wheezed to a stop as she arrived at the farm. Where she had planned to hitch her cloud stood a line that stretched over the hill, around the bend, and well out of sight.
“Hey Dashie!” called Pinkie Pie, who was busy setting up a gigantic gazebo style tent with streamers twirling around so thickly that they nearly looked like walls. Evidently she had the Cakes go all out as there was a table which practically groaned from all the pastries piled upon it. Clearly Pinkie had executed the biggest Cider Day party in the history of Ponyville for the afternoon before Cider Day “I'm glad you came with us to wait for cider this year, it's gonna be great!”
“Just one year I'd like to have cider,” Rainbow Dash grumbled to herself, as she dragged her cloud to the end of the line and secured it to the fence. With a sigh, she flopped onto the cloud and stretched herself out for a nap. “At least I'm probably not going to be the absolute last in line this year.”
A few minutes later she heard somepony begin to pitch a tent beneath her. With a kick to the cloud she reinforced her position, and felt a momentary thrill of victory at the shriek from below.
Before her face could complete a grin, it fell. Wincing at her faux pas, she peered over the edge of the cloud, and rubbed her face sheepishly. “Sorry Derpy! I thought you were taking my place. Wait, why do you have a tent?”
“No problem,” came the cheery reply. “I just didn't want to roll off in my sleep.” She peered into the distance, her eyes lining up for just a moment. “Hey, it looks like the party is about to begin. Do you want to go with me? Oh, and thanks again for inviting me to come to Cider Day, I forgot about it last year!”
For a moment Rainbow Dash thought about being bitter over her position in the cider line, but then she figured that it would be foolish to miss a party just to spite somepony else. “I'll be right there!”
* * *
On the farm, the Apples were taking a short breather from their usual cider making chores. The younger Apples sorted through the piles of apples to prevent the usual backlog of apple sorting, while Granny finished up her nap.
Apple Bloom found an opportune pause in conversation to change topics. “So, can I pleeease put a few ingredients into some of the cider barrels, pleeease,” she wheedled.
Her elder siblings sent each other annoyed glances. “We'd better tell her again or she'll go on for another hour,” stated Applejack through her grimace.
Big Mac looked back and forth between his two sisters, contemplating Applejack's statement. “Eeyup.”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as Applejack sighed, “As we've explained about a hundred times-”
“Seventy-six,” interrupted Big Mac. He couldn’t help but grin as his sisters shot him annoyed looks.
“Our cider keeps the farm afloat, sugarcube,” said Applejack as she looked back over at the filly.”So we can't just go around and messing with the recipe.”
“All I'm asking for is one barrel,” begged Apple Bloom as she gestured to the large stacks of barrels and apples. “It won't make that much of a difference.”
The Apple siblings began to bicker instead of sorting apples, but were interrupted when Granny woke up. “Would y’all quit your gabbing!”
The old pony eased herself off of the rocking chair and hobbled over to her grandkids. “Why don’t we all agree to a compromise? How about when we finish tonight, if we got a bit of cider left over where we can’t even half fill a barrel, Apple Bloom can play with putting whatever she wants in it?”
Apple Bloom squealed with joy as she gave Granny a big hug, but Applejack and Big Mac looked at each other with consternation.
“Granny, we have to think about future sales. If we sell junk, people just won't keep coming,” said Applejack. A cute little growl brought her attention back to Apple Bloom. “Not that your cider will be junk.” Seeing her sister was unmollified, she added with a blush. “I think I may have misspoken.”
“E’yup!” Big Mac lightly teased Applejack before turning to Apple Bloom. “What your sister and I are trying to say, is that we're sure that you'll have something tasty, but since our whole farm is dedicated to quality, even a tasty product could have repercussions if it isn’t good enough.”
“But it’ll be real good!” said said the filly as she bounced up and down. “I promise it will!”
“And we’re sure of that, sugar,” said Applejack. “But it isn’t something we can take a risk on. I’m sorry.”
“Well, hold on,” said Big Mac as he sat back with a thoughtful look. “I got an idea. Instead of arguing about it, why don't we just offer other ponies a refund if it isn't to their liking?”
“Huh, that could work.” Applejack looked over at her sister, and offered a hoof. “Agreed, sis?”
“Agreed!” Apple Bloom reached out and shook her sister’s hoof.
The Apples returned to their work, determined to have the Cider Season kicked off right. They worked as the sun stood still in the Equestria sky during the afternoon hours, until Celestia began to lower it for the evening.
“How many barrels will we have?” asked Apple Bloom as they finished the second to last barrel.
Granny looked over the diminishing piles of apples. “Looks like slightly over 32 barrels today.”
Applejack whooped in joy while Big Mac nodded, satisfied with a job well done. Granny grinned toothlessly, “That's better than last year, I reckon.”
However, Apple Bloom frowned and silently prayed that she would have a chance to spice some cider this year, but, prudently, she bit her tongue rather than bothering her family. After all, the answer would come relatively soon.
After a few more minutes, the Apples had almost finished sorting the piles. The elder siblings looked at each other and shrugged. “I guess you can have the last barrel,” Applejack begrudgingly told her sister.
Apple Bloom hugged her family. “Oh, thank you!”
Quickly she galloped to a nearby shed and grabbed a tub with her mouth. Slowly, she dragged it to the apple press. After the older Apples shared a quick look of concern, Big Mac and Applejack grabbed the sides of the tub and were about to dump the contents into the press.
“Wait!” shouted Apple Bloom. “I need to know exactly how much is in the press to put the right amount of stuff in.”
Applejack opened her eyes in shock at Apple Bloom’s mature and thought-out request, while Big Mac measured the contents of the press. “About seven mugs,” he reported.
The older Apples watched as Apple Bloom carefully measured out a few bunches of various herbs, a bit of salt, a heaping spoonful of honey and a fairly large amount of water into the mix.
“Are you watering the cider!” shrieked Granny Smith in terror.
Applejack and Big Mac tried to warn Granny, but Apple Bloom had already begun to bring her set of charts, graphs, and various recipes – both mundane and alchemical – to prove that she knew what she was doing. With a sigh, both of them jumped onto the press and pressed Apple Bloom’s barrel as quickly as they could.
Luna raised the moon well before they had sealed Apple Bloom's barrel, and the presentation came to a crashing halt, since nopony could tell whether she was holding a recipe or chart anymore.
Calling it a night, the Apple family stumbled into their beds.
* * *
Just as Celestia and Luna began to edge their respective celestial objects towards daytime positions, Granny Smith and Applejack popped out of their beds to cook up a quick but filling breakfast, because Cider Season was the most draining part of Apple Bucking Season it was larger than usual.
Big Mac, exhausted from twin marathons’ worth of pressing, awoke somewhat slower and spent quite a bit of time stretching the kinks out of his back and legs. Apple Bloom slowly woke as the cracking and groaning coming through the thin walls to her room acted as if they were a disgusting alarm clock. With an enormous yawn, she trotted towards the kitchen, where she prepared some sacks of grub for lunch in the field.
“Come and get it!” hollered Granny Smith unnecessarily, as Big Mac strolled over to the kitchen with a brief compliment about how delicious everything smelled.
Instead of their usual stroll through breakfast, the Apples dug into their platters, barely allowing any sounds other than the chewing.
Applejack stood from the table first. “All right, lets get moving!”
Big Mac rolled his eyes and proceeded to all but dive into the pot of cooling porridge as a response to Applejack's impatience.
“Leave him be,” stated Granny with a touch of criticism in her voice. “He's got to keep up his strength to keep the press rolling.”
The spluttering from the inside the pot seemed to be agreement.
“Come on!” Apple Bloom bounced towards the door. “He'll catch up!” and raced towards the cider stand.
With a shared chuckle at the energy of youth, Applejack and Granny trotted after her.
“Perfect Cider weather,” Granny noted as she ambled towards the stand.
“E’yup,” agreed Apple Bloom as she finished arranging the mugs and coin chest on the table.
Applejack gently maneuvered a barrel onto the table as Granny Smith set up the megaphone.
“Are ya’ll ready?” Granny asked. Applejack's nodded that they were.
Granny tapped on the megaphone twice and then called “Cider season has officially begun!” to the cheering crowd.
“Wait!” cried Apple Bloom running toward the megaphone. “I've made a special cider which I think you may prefer. We're so sure that you'll love the cider that we'll give you your money back if you don't like it! And I bet you'll be so grateful that you'll give an extra bit per mug!”
The other Apples shook their heads at Apple Bloom's simultaneous underselling and overselling her brew, but she didn't notice them or the other ponies who, embarrassed for her, dug at the ground.
As always, Pinkie Pie was the first pony in line and she dropped a sack full of bits onto the table and grabbed a foaming cup of cider. With four gulps, she had drained it and proclaimed, “I had thought you couldn't top your previous year's cider, but now I know that it's repeatable!”
The crowd, except for Rainbow Dash, who grumbled as Applejack filled mug after mug with cider for Pinkie Pie, cheered in excitement over the announcement that the cider was up to snuff..
Big Mac galloped over in time to assist Applejack place the second barrel onto the table. The cider flowed quite quickly as pony after pony bought cider for themselves and their families. As barrel after barrel emptied, Rainbow Dash glanced more and more quickly between the line and the remaining barrels to figure out if she could possibly get a mug this season.
As pony after pony shunned her cider, Apple Bloom's smile became more and more forced.
Applejack poured the last drop of regular cider well before Rainbow Dash made it to the stand.
“Horse-apples,” she stated before realizing that there was at least Apple Bloom's cider left.
Most other ponies, who had a chance to buy cider the year previous, left the line as soon as the regular cider sold out including the few ponies in front of Rainbow Dash.
Apple Bloom, seeing how many ponies shunned her cider, could just barely contain her tears.
Rainbow Dash, somewhat confused by the desertion of the others strolled over to the stand, “Any cider in a storm,” she muttered to herself. For a moment, Rainbow remembered the cooking mishaps that she had heard occurred around Apple Bloom, but with one glance at the crushed filly’s eyes she swallowed her concerns, “One mug please.”
As Apple Bloom handed her the mug, Rainbow Dash faked a grin and, in an attempt to get it over with, gulped down the mug in three quick gulps.
The look of shock on Rainbow's face sent the remaining ponies stampeding home. Just before Apple Bloom really started to bawl, Rainbow Dash asked “How many mugs are in the barrel?”
Apple Bloom was so surprised at the question, her first sob died halfway through her throat. “Mugs?” she looked blankly for a moment, “I,” she stretched out the pronoun to give herself time to remember the question “reckon about eight mugs. Why?”
Rainbow Dash emptied out her purse onto the table and frantically counted her bits. After having counted the coins three times she blushed, “Can I owe you two bits?”
Apple Bloom counted the bits twice before telling Rainbow Dash that her count seemed off, “You seem to have six bits too. . . OH! You mean . . . “ her voice cracked with a mix of hope and excitement as she realized what the pegasus was asking her.
Rainbow Dash chuckled at Apple Bloom and ruffled her mane. “Of course, I owe you the extra bit for each mug. Oh! Can I also borrow the barrel until tomorrow morning?”
Apple Bloom sighed in relief as she attempted to surreptitiously wipe the tears which had welled up in her eyes.
Applejack stepped in, tossing a grin to her friend. “Ah, shucks, I'm sure that it will be alright if you don't pay those last two bits and if you return the barrel tomorrow.”
Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide with joy, which propelled her high up into the sky with her prized barrel. The air rushing past her face and the cider in her belly bubbled into a maniacal chuckle.
Finally, she could turn the tables on Pinkie Pie and give her a taste of her own medicine. In moments she finalized a plan; The first step was to perfect her laugh, so she zoomed towards the ground again and stopped right before the cloud she had used as a tent. She cleared her throat and began to laugh maniacally before jumping on the cloud, which sent a bolt of lightning towards the ground. Nodding at the results, she imitated her favorite princess, though the imitation was marred because she could not contain the lopsided grin on her face. “Laughter: check”
Back on the ground, Applejack half pulled her eyes from the spectacle Rainbow was making of herself. “Sis, What in Equestria was in that cider?”
“It was just some mint and a couple of herbs from the Everfree forest,” defended Apple Bloom before she realized what it would sound like. “I looked them up in Twilight's library and checked with Zecora first – they shouldn't do THAT!” She pointed to Rainbow Dash's empty cloud.
“It didn’t,” stated Rainbow from behind the two Apples, causing Apple Bloom to startle. “The cider is so perfect that I'm finally going to give Pinkie a taste of her own medicine!” she turned to Applejack. “Could you come over to the Twilight's castle for a sip of cider before turning in for the night?”
Applejack's face turned from confusion to anticipation. “Sure, I'll be there,” she stated, downplaying how tempting a nice cool cider would taste after a hard day’s work.
Rainbow Dash sped off, shouting, “Great, see you then!”
Apple Bloom looked after Rainbow Dash with a frown on her face and her head tilted in confusion, “What did she mean by that, sis?”
“Tartarus, if I know,” replied Applejack. “I think maybe it isn’t as ominous as it sounded -- maybe a prank. But we can’t stand here gabbing; if we don't get back to making cider we can't sell any tomorrow.”
Apple Bloom clapped her hooves together in anticipation. “Can I make another barrel today?”
Applejack stared at her sister for a moment. “Let me talk with Granny and your brother.”
The elder ponies conferred together quietly with an occasional point of the hoof towards Apple Bloom and what seemed like a couple of chuckles and giggles. With exaggerated solemness the three heads of the Apple Farm turned towards Apple Bloom and Applejack told her firmly.“You can flavor no more than a third of the Barrels.”
In a moment of confusion, Apple Bloom's face fell, but then it brightened up. “Really!?” her voice cracked.
The three of them nodded their heads in confirmation causing Apple Bloom to squeal in delight as she hugged them so hard that she hung off the ground for a second. Upon releasing them she pranced around excitedly cheering, “Thank you; Thank you; Thank you.”
Applejack chuckled at her sister while Granny stated mock peevishly. “Well if you don't quit your gabbing you're not gonna have any barrels to mess around with, so let's get going!”
With grins all around, they got back to making cider for the next day, and as all apple cider days, they worked as long as they could see the apples to sort for cider. When the moon hit its apex, the Apple family worked out the kinks in their muscles from the long, hard day of work.
Applejack trotted towards Twilight’s Castle, dreadfully curious about how Applebloom’s cider tasted.
Granny shouted a warning, “Don't stay up too late y'hear?”
Applejack waved to her family as she chuckled to herself over Granny’s concern.
* * *
As Applejack strolled towards the castle she remembered Rainbow Dash's statement about Pinkie. “Oh no,” she said as she broke out into a gallop. “That's what she meant. I've got to stop her before she says something stupid.”
At the palace, Rainbow Dash was passing out mugs of cider with absurd flourishes when Applejack skidded into the room. Rainbow nearly tossed Applejack a mug before she grabbed her own, “Aww, so sorry Pinkie. All the cider is gone.”
Applejack put her face into her hooves as Pinkie looked confused at the mug in Rainbow's hoof. “What about that one? I thought it was polite to share with your friends?” she stated in obvious confusion. “That's what we did on the rock farm.”
Rainbow Dash took a breath for her maniacal laughter, but noticed the set of disapproving frowns on her friend’s faces. “Well every year she grabs nearly a bucketful of mugs. . .“
Rainbow's ears drooped and she pawed at the ground and turned to Pinkie. “I had just hoped you would stop hogging cider if you had a taste of your own medicine.” She reluctantly pushed her cider filled mug over to Pinkie after the pink pony’s tears started to flow.
Applejack shook her head at the mess that Rainbow Dash had gotten herself into and trotted over to Pinkie to give her a great big hug. “Rainbow,” she scolded,”You should know she gives those ciders to the school. Maybe you didn't know because you Apple Bloom helps with the farm during cider week.”
“No!” sobbed Pinkie, barely coherent. “It's true, I” - she blew her nose -“take an extra mug for myself! It's just so hard to resist the cider that I have to buy an extra one for myself. And if anypony is sick I drink theirs too!”
Rainbow Dash's jaw almost unhinged in shock at how poorly she had judged her friend. “I am. Such. A. Dolt.” she told Pinkie Pie, “Can you forgive me?”
“No, no, no.” Pinkie sobbed, “I should have asked you if you wanted some – the weather teams are so busy that time of year. I just keep forgetting to ask.”
Rainbow Dash felt stunned by guilt, so Fluttershy gathered the courage to try to bring peace to the discussion. “I'm sure it was my fault. When Rainbow Dash woke me to get cider that year, I hadn't thought to ask why you took so many mugs, and I should have.”
“I am. The. Worst. Friend. Ever,” Rainbow Dash bemoaned.
“Darling, I must agree. After all, you're trying to steal MY role as drama queen,” joked Rarity.
The friends shared a laugh and the mood turned from awkward to celebratory.
Applejack had to cut out before the night from a new cider tasting into a “Misunderstanding Make-up” party, so Twilight transported Applejack to her room in Apple Acres, and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was fast asleep.
* * *
A new dawn rose and the Apples fell into their chores, cooking breakfast, stretching, and preparing the booth for a new day's sales.
“Let us tell the town about your cider today,” Applejack reminded her sister, as she made the last adjustments to the booth. Apple Bloom nodded. Applejack turned towards the megaphone
“Alright, Ponies, we have two excellent sets of Cider today, the traditional Apple family recipe, and something pretty special we hope to make a regular part of Cider sales!”
At first all of the ponies in line decided to buy the familiar style cider until one brave pony decided to try something new. “This is BUCKING amazing! Why, in Celestia's name, didn't you tell us how good it was!”
From that moment on, there was a run on Apple Bloom's cider. It seemed like everypony compared it to something else; “Minty!” “Refreshing like a fresh melon.” “Cool like a dip in the pond!”
When Applejack poured out the last drop of Apple Bloom's cider the ponies who had hoped to try the new cider groaned in disappointment. Big Mac stomped on the table to get the attention of those in line, and he nodded towards Applejack.
“I have important news!” she announced. “We won't be selling cider tomorrow.” Big Mac had to slam on the table quite a bit more to drown out the disappointment from the crowd. “We're giving it free at the cutecenera!”
The crowd roared in approbation, but Apple Bloom frowned, “Somepony else got their mark before me – again?!” she squeaked in frustration.
She frowned as her family nearly fell all over themselves laughing about something. Huffing, she looked away from them, which happened to be towards the crowd, and saw Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell at the back of the crowd. So, somewhat in a huff, she trotted over to them.
“Who got their cutie mark?” she demanded. “Was it one of you two? That would be OK, but if another younger pony got it, it would be mortifying.”
Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom for a moment trying to find out, “Are you serious?”
Apple Bloom frowned as she turned to Sweetie Belle to see if she could explain.
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes as she pointed at Apple Bloom’s flank.
“Oh,” Apple Bloom stared at the half-apple with a golden drop dripping from it and realization slowly dawned on her. “OH! I've finally gotten it!”
Apple Bloom grabbed both of her friends and gave them a tight hug that would have made Big Mac proud. Her friends returned her hug, but the hug petered out sooner than usual. Apple Bloom was confused “Is something wrong? Why do you look so glum?”
Sweetie Bell sighed, “Now that you have a cutie mark you won't be a Crusader anymore.”
Apple Bloom laughed, “Well, I might not try some of the crazier ideas that we may come up with, but that's no reason I can't be a member. I even think that I may have some more ideas how you can earn cutie marks by expanding on what you know in cool ways – like, Scootaloo, you could set up fiery hoops over shark tanks and jump through them. And Sweetie Bell . . . you can . . .” She paused, searching how to advise her friend.
“Oh thanks, are you saying I can't do anything,” Sweetie retorted with only slightly-mock bitterness.
“No,” explained Apple Bloom. “I just know you like ‘froofy’ things and I'm not so good at those, but we have time to figure them out together.”
Scootaloo puckered her lips as if she had bitten a lemon. “When did you become a boring grown up?” she loudly groused.
From just far enough away to have overheard Applejack turned to Big Mac. “She really is growing up this time,” she whispered
Big Mac hugged his sister, “I just wish Ma and Pa were here to see it,” he stated, tears in his eyes.
“Eyup.” Applejack hugged him back, a tear a mix of pride and sorrow rolled down her cheek. “So do I. But, they’d be upset if we didn’t get back to work.”
After calling for Apple Bloom to finish up with her friends, the four adult Apples turned back towards making cider for the winter.
Author's Note
Thanks to Bloodlord jenson for his editing and ScoBionicle for the use of the picture.
