Have you ever heard the saying, the way to somepony’s heart is through their stomach? I’ve never believed that, I mean, shouldn’t there be more in your feelings for somepony than what they cook? That’s what I thought, until one day when I tasted something so good, I simply realized that there are times where something so small, seemingly insignificant, can tell you everything about somepony that you need to know in order to fall for them. My name is Soarin, and I’m a Wonderbolt. Because of that position, I was required to go to the Grand Galloping Gala, where I tasted this incredible, indescribably delicious pie. Apple Pie.
When I had the chance to, I tried to find the mare that I had bought it from, but unfortunately for me, she seemed to have packed up her stand and moved on. That was understandable. Looking around at everypony there, I doubt most of them would have given that poor girl one bit for something as seemingly simple as apples. If they only tasted them, she would have had to beat them away with a stick. But as it stood, I wouldn’t doubt it if I was the only customer she had that night. She seemed so familiar, but I couldn’t put my hoof on where I’ve seen her before. The more I thought about her, the more infatuated I became with that beautiful farm girl face of hers. And her smile was so warm and honest.
Sadly, it would seem that I wasn’t meant to meet her again as nopony could tell me anything about her. A few months later, my infatuation started to affect my concentration in practice, which Spitfire was not too happy about. After scolding me profusely as my captain, she settled down a bit and started being concerned about me, as my best friend. I can’t keep things from her, I never could, so I told her everything. After laughing at me for being ridiculous, she asked me a question that I never really asked myself. “Are you serious about this?” She asked. I thought long and hard on those words and decided to not hold back from what these feelings were telling me. I gave Spitfire a solid and unwavering “Yes!” and she gave me one week as long as when I got back, I wasn’t allowed to space out anymore. Exactly one week to be precise. I had exactly 168 hours to get myself back or there was going to be an unspecified punishment. Knowing Spitfire, it wasn’t going to be good if I was late.
I took off as fast as I could, scouring all of Equestria as fast as possible. I had gotten leads of the Apple Family and, seeing as it was actually my only lead, I started hunting down Apple relations in every town, every city, every village, and I realized something. This family is HUGE!!! All of them that I met was nice enough and pointed me in the direction of the next nearest relations, but none of them were her. My weak was almost up and I still had countless Apple families to see. Exhausted, I wandered into the saloon in Appleloosa. My target was an Apple settler named Braebern. Maybe he could tell me something, I hoped. But while at the saloon, I had a chance encounter that seemed like fate, or maybe I was just desperately grasping at straws. Two ponies who introduced themselves as the FlimFlam brothers were griping and complaining that Appleloosa was just as bad as Ponyville, in that for some reason, they can’t get any Apple family members to work with them and their super cider squeezy contraption. I asked if they had seen a mare with an orange coat, blond hair and green eyes. They said that there was an Apple farm pony with that description. I didn’t even bother hunting down Braebern, and took the first train to Ponyville. I was hopeful, but it wouldn’t have been the first time that week that somepony almost fit her description, so I was more cautiously optimistic.
The moment I got off of the train, I bolted to Ponyville’s Apple family orchard. The first pony I saw there was a large red pony who introduced himself as Big Macintosh, Big Mack for short. Apart from some “eyups” and “nopes” that’s about all of the conversation I got out of him. But it was enough for a start. The pony I was looking to see was his sister, and she wasn’t on the farm at the time. Big Mack didn’t know where I could find her, but then a little filly popped up out of nowhere saying that “Applejack” Which I assumed was the name of the pony I was looking for, “went off to run some errands for Granny Smith.” After taking me to Granny Smith only to find that she was asleep, and nothing we tried changed that, Apple Bloom, the little filly, said that she and her fiends could help me find Applejack. I had only two hours until Spitfire’s deadline, which meant that if I flew back at my top speed, I’d need to leave in an hour and fifteen minutes. The race was on to find this Applejack, and I prayed that she would be the one I was looking for.
Apple Bloom and her friends, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo, dragged me all over the place. We heard that “Applejack went this way”, “Applejack went that way”, “you just missed her”. More and more it felt as though it was just a wild goose chase. After all of that running around we ended up right back at the Apple farm, and we had no idea where Applejack was at. I had three minutes until I absolutely had to go and I began to freak out. Apple Bloom asked why I wanted to see her sister so badly. I sighed and explained the situation as best as I could, mostly because I needed to calm down and talking helped. Apart from getting all exited that I was actually, as they put it “The real Soarin from the real Wonderbolts!” I don’t get when fans say it like that, I mean, are there imposter Wonderbolts out there or some clone that I should know about? Anyhoof, apart from that, they couldn’t help but laugh at it just like Spitfire did. Was it really that strange?
It was time for me to go, so I thanked Apple Bloom and her friends for trying to help and took off. I had touched down just a few seconds before my time was up. Seeing my sullen face, Spitfire didn’t bother asking how it went, instead putting us right back into training. I did my absolute best to stay focused and everything, just as we had agreed, and that’s how my search ended.
………………………………………………………………
The next day, Soarin was sitting out on a stray cloud after morning practice. Noticing her friend’s obvious quandary, Spitfire waved the team off to the showers and sat next to him.
“I thought you were crazy, chasing after something like that,” she said, trying to break the tension. “But to be honest Soarin, I admire you for being able to follow your heart the way you did.”
“A lot of good that did me,” Soarin groaned. “You were right to laugh, the whole thing was just silly of me.”
Spitfire placed her hoof on Soarin’s shoulder, “I don’t think that. You know that if I did I would probably rub it all in your face.”
Soarin laughed. “Yeah, you’re a real jerk like that Spit.”
“Hey, I’m still your captain, lover boy.” Spitfire laughed back. Happy to see Soarin joking again.
“Hello,” said a wall eyed mare who suddenly popped her head up through the cloud, right between Soarin and Spitfire.
“Ahhh!” they both jumped. Soarin was the first to recover and say, “Who are you?”
The mare giggled and her eyes were aligned now. “I’m Derpy, and I’ve got a package for you. At least I think it’s for you. I sometimes deliver the wrong packages to the wrong pony. You’re Soarin right?”
“Yes, I am Soarin.” Soarin replied, confused at why a pony who apparently mixes up the mail regularly, would still be employed as a mail mare.
“Here you go.” She said, pulling out a box with her eyes in different directions again.
Soarin didn’t know which eye to look at as he took the package. “Thank you, Derpy was it?”
“You’re welcome,” she smiled and took off. “See you later.”
“Wait, don’t I have to sign something for the package?” Soarin said, but Derpy was already gone.
“That was strange,” Spitfire said. “So what’s in the box?”
There was a tag on it that caught Soarin’s eye. He looked at it closely for a moment, not believing his eyes. Once he was sure that the tag said, “From Applejack,” he quickly opened the box and smiled at Spitfire.
“Apple Pie.
