Amidst the bright blue, cloudless sky, the sun glowed brilliantly as is curved and dazzled in the air. Everything sparkled with the radiant light of a new day. Even the rocky dirt path that led to Ponyville's Apple farm, Sweet apple acres, seemed to shine as if after a new rain. Most of the sleepy town beyond the farm was still deep in rest. Even the farmers were just finding themselves jerked awake by the roosters and their call of a new day. The mare of the farm, a orange earth pony by the name of Applejack, twitched her ear slightly as she heard the wakeup call of the farm. With a slight groan, she slowly sat up and rubbed her head, shielding her eyes from the incoming sun with the other hoof. Once the initial and familiar annoyance of waking up early and having the light go right into your eyes, Applejack resisted the temptation to slump back into bed and instead extended a leg to her nightstand, grabbing randomly at the assorted items that adorned it for a second before she found the familiar feeling of the cloth on her hat. She couldn't count how many years she had the hat for, she knew that it was part of what got her up in the morning.
The reminder that in part, the farm was relying on her. It was the busy season, and everyone on the farm had to put in more work then usual. Big mac tired himself from early in the morning to late at night. If Applejack looked outside right then, she probably could have spotted Big mac. She tried to get out at the same time as him, but he was determined not to let the farm sink under, and usually got up before the sun saw the edge of the bordering hills. Little Applebloom couldn't spend as much time with her friends anymore, she needed to help around as well. And as Applejack saw her sisters skills in harvesting and selling apples, that was certainly a last resort. Applejack stroked the hat thoughtfully for a moment before grabbing it and placing it firmly on her head. It was time to start the work day. She lowered herself out of her bed, savoring the last moments of the warmth of her covers before her hooves touched the creaky, dusty wooden floor that made up her room. She gazed around at the familiar peeling wallpaper, the dirty glass window, and a number of other disheveled items that would have made rarity scream in terror. And she smiled and breathed in the familiar scent of it all. As many flaws as this place had, she wouldn't trade it for the most high-class hotel in all of Equestria.
She walked along the floor, flurries of dust springing up at her hooves as they collided with the ground. She stopped briefly at the mirror, surveying herself before she went out. Her mane was tangled with leaves and twigs, mud stains blotched on her hooves, and her face was red from sunburn.
"Perfect." Applejack yelped cheerfully as she stepped away from the mirror and nosed her squeaking door open, her eyes bright, her mind ready for the day and the soreness in her legs from yesterday's work almost gone. Applejack exited the door, half running down the hall in her eagerness to not be late. The floorboards shifted under her weight as she galloped down the stairs and into the family room. She paused for a moment, looking at the scenery of the old, familiar, and comforting room. She spied the rocking chair, the table, the old cupboards, the peeling wallpaper that adorned the entire house, and even the small bed for Winona in the corner. But she was fairly surprised when she noticed the un-inhabitance of the room. Granny smith would usually be rocking in her chair, her eyes closed lazily and a snore escaping her muzzle. Winona would be curled up in her bed, her tail wagging gently in her sleep. But alas, not a single soul was to be seen. Applejack shrugged as she involuntarily skipped breakfast and opened the door…
"WHAT THE HAY!?" In front of her stood not only the members of her own family, but two other ponies that looked all too familiar. "WHAT ARE FLIM AND FLAM DOIN' HERE!?" Granny smith only turned her head towards Applejack and smiled gently.
"Meet the new stable hooves!"
Applejack's eyes scanned the two familiar unicorn stallions in front of her with an accusing steel gaze. It was enough that they had tried to scam the citizens of Ponyville and put the Apple family, HER family, out of business, but it was another thing to most over to their farm asking for a job. Sure, both sides definitely needed the work, but Applejack wasn't sure that she trusted them enough to let them help around her farm. Flim walked up to her with a smile on his face as he took his hat off and nudged her shoulder, exclaiming,
"What about it old pal?" Applejack sighed and pinned her ears back annoyedly.
"First of all, I'm not your old pal," she grumbled, moving away from Flim. "And second of all, how could you fall for their tricks again!?" Big mac exchanged a nervous glance with Granny Smith, who ultimately passed the explanation to Applebloom by nudging her.
"Uh… big sis? We really need the help…."
"So why not hire some pony else then?!"
"Well, they said that they were willing to work for really cheap…" Applebloom smiled nervously at her disheveled big sister. Fortunately for her, Applejack targeted her raging question at Granny Smith.
"But why trust THEM?" Granny smith sighed as she looked down.
"Applejack, you yourself said that every pony deserves a second chance."
"Granny! We given them a second chance already!"
"Well I think that the third times the charm, right boys?" Both Flim and Flam nodded eagerly and Applejack sighed.
"I still don't trust them… but I suppose that we can learn to forgive and forget." Applejack stomped up to the brothers and pinned her ears back as she looked them in the eyes. "And don't you dare make me regret this, because if you do, it won't be soon forgotten."
Author's Note
Written for a shipping war with LiVELIfE.
"No no no! You may be a good product hoaxer, but you ain't got a clue on how to applebuck!" Applejack sighed in extravagant annoyance, her assigned task being one that did not in the least please her. Her watchful green gaze was narrowed, the reflection radiating from her eyes showing a tan unicorn flailing his back legs desperately at an apple tree that stood its ground stubbornly, refusing to spare the assistant even one of its juicy, perfectly ripe apples. Applejack lifted an orange hoof to her forehead, groaning as she smacked it into her fur. "I keep tellin' ya, keep yer frame straight and kick the tree with both hooves in formation!" Flim, the stablehoof who she had gotten the task of supervising for the time being, gave an equally exasperated sigh and glared at his "Manager."
"What does it look like I'm trying to do?"
"I don't know, but the hay it is it ain't workin'!" Flim looked about to bite back a sharp remark as he continued struggling to do his job. Applejack bowed her head in annoyance and bit her tongue, thinking of all the work that she could have done while she was sitting here, getting burned in the hot sun and trying to teach the hopeless how to work a farm. For the princess's sake, It was downright unfair! Applejack glanced back up and saw that the same scene remained- the tree would not do what it was told. Applejack shook her head, finally standing up and walking to help Flim. As she neared the tree, she gave Flim a sharp glance, full of disapproval. She squared herself, her movements instinctive, and struck out with her hind-legs, hearing a satisfying crack as they collided with the tree. But, with a quick glance around, she saw that not a single apple had been given to the buckets neatly placed along the edges, ready to catch the fruit that wouldn't drop. Applejack looked up, seeing that there were indeed apples to be harvested. She gritted her teeth in annoyance as she struck the tree again, this time feeling the response of about 5 pounds of apples dislodging themselves from their branches and pummling the country mare. Applejack fell to the ground with a thunk, her head spinning dizzily as she closed her eyes and bit back a yell. First she woke up to some of her worst enemies asking for a job and a place to stay, wasting work time helping those that she didn't want or need to help, and now even her own trees turning against her. Applejack opened her eyes slowly and saw Flim giggling like a school girl. "I'll have you know this ain't the least bit funny."
"Oh come on... its just a little bit funny." Applejack quickly gathered her sprawled legs under her, picking herself up and pinning her ears against her head, looking straight at Flim with an ice cold glare. "Neither of us wants to be here right now. So you better get your dang self to that next tree before we both get in trouble." Flim only raised an eyebrow at the mares annoyance, but smiled and continued his work.
"Whatever you say boss." Flim proceeded to walk to the next tree in line, not bothering to take the buckets as his horn illuminated in a green aura and the apples were magically plucked off the tree in perfect sync, and then lowered themselves into the buckets from the previous attempt at harvesting. Applejack sighed and glared at him.
"Usin' magic in farmin? It just ain't natural-" Applejack broke off as she saw Flim trotting off to the next tree, pretending not to hear her.
