“Gosh darnit, ya come back here already!” struggled Applejack as she tried to lasso Winona, but failed miserably.
...
Yes, this was one of those mornings already. Ever since Winona grew an intense anger and irrational fear against taking baths, Applejack was put in charge of tugging her into the bathtub. It’s only happened once or twice, but both of the times Winona ended up running away from the tub. Surely, Winona wasn’t going to let a damn pony force her into that wretched bathtub again won’t she? After all, she was the most obedient dog somepony could ever hav-
Yeah right.
Waking up at five in the morning was already in the schedule of Applejack, but waking up at five in the morning with the task of taming a nearly wild dog wasn’t exactly in her schedule. Ever since Winona changed her mindset about baths, it was Applejack’s task to do the dirty work. But what was the bad thing about a bath, anyway? It wouldn’t harm anyone, or anypony, it’s just basic self hygiene.
Unfortunately for Applejack, Winona didn’t have that.
Applejack firmly stood up from her bed, already wishing this wasn’t one of those mornings. She facepalmed, knowing that this wasn’t going to be a good day either. She started to comb her mane, place her famous Stetson on her head and do a quick warm-up before the action started. After all the morning rituals were done, she then strode down the staircases connecting her room, in the way down she found her big brother, which she warmly greeted.
“Oh hey, Big Mac! Pretty darn early for you over here.” started Applejack.
“Eeeyup.” Big Mac started to eye and wink at a certain laso lying on the kitchen’s table.
Applejack sighed, “Yah yah, I know what mah duties are, Big Mac! Believe me, I’m going to get that darn vernit inside that bathtub this time. I bet fifty bits! Yes, fifty! We on for a deal?”
“Eeeeeeeyup.” he calmly replied. He already knew that her little sister wasn’t going to be able to capture that beast.
“Oh you’ll see. Yah better be finding those bits already.” she chuckled at the statement, but her amusement faded just when she darted her eyes unto the laso. Sighing, she took a hold of it and exited the building. She also found a wooden tub lying nearby the entrance.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
In the meantime, a certain canine was curled up inside of the Apple Family’s barn, completely asleep. The morning breeze started to strike against the wooden planks that surrounded the barn, making audible noises. After several bumps, Winona perked her ears up… she knew something was about to happen. Suddenly the barn’s doors where crashed open, revealing a silhouette of a pony with a Stetson on.
“It’s bath time for someone! Winona, you better not put a fight this time.” Just when those words came out of the silhouette, the canine whimpered and dashed throughout the barn, not wanting to have that awful water coating all of her delicate fur.
“WINONA!” Applejack yelled, already tired about all of this fuss. She wasn’t going to let this dog win over her this time. She was going to win that bet with Big Mac.
Oh yes.
Preparing her lasso with her talented muzzle, Applejack quickly tied a knot on the rope, creating an oval shaped entrance-- perfect for her prey, which lost no time in scurrying away. Lassoing Winona by the neck wasn’t going to work, the rope always found its way to cut off and leaving her to run away once more. A hogtie was the best choice.
By this point, Winona had already exited the barn and went unto the field. It was a vast apple orchard field, surely there had to be a place for her to hide.
Not this time.
Applejack lost no time in going outside as well, quickly catching up on her target. For a canine, Winona was very fast… too fast.
“WIIII- NOOOO- NAAAA!! Come back here NOW!” Applejack was about to lose her mind already. She swore she saw Big Mac outside eating a bowl of popcorn, totally enjoying the scene before his eyes. He was going to be a rich pony today.
The duo continued dashing along the field, neither wanting to give up at any time. Winona wasn’t going to take that darn bath, no, she was going to show her owner who was the boss. Applejack was determined to get her into the tub and was going to win that darn bet with her brother.
“Gosh darnit, ya come back here already!” she threw the lasso hoping to hit her target, but missed by an exact inch. Winona managed to gain a lot of distance when such action happened, slowly leaving Applejack behind.
Applejack fell on her plot, due to the force in which the lasso was thrown towards the devilish canine. She turned her head to the side and found a chuckling Big Mac.
“Yes I know, I’ve been going around in a circle.” said Applejack, facepalming all the time.
“Eeeyup.” restated Big Mac.
“And no, I’m not going ta lose that bet! Don’t even think about it, big boy!” With that she picked herself up, galloping away from the pony.
“Eeee-nope.”
~-~-~-~
After several seconds of galloping, Applejack found herself getting closer to Winona who was starting to get tired. She was slowing down, quickly pulling breaths in to continue her master escape plan going.
This wasn’t the occasion.
Applejack used the golden opportunity to throw the lasso around Winona, this time, it miraculously snatched the dog in between her four legs, capturing and restricting her from any more movement. Applejack came closer to her prey and whispered, “Gotcha.”
She started to pull Winona down the orchard field, exactly where the wooden tub and soap were waiting for the duo. Winona beginned to whimper and struggle between her hogties.
“Sshh.. calm down girl. It’s just a single bath, ‘kay? Ya need it alright, ya really do stink. A lot.”
Winona’s shifting and whimpering continued.
“Winona! Calm down already! It’s just water, it’s not going to do anything to ya, believe me. It feels really good after ya take a good shower, Ah promise nothing’s going to happen to ya!”
After hearing those soothing words, confidence struck Winona. Why would her owner lie about the bath? Why would the water want to kill her? It’s.. just water. Due to the attachments she's had with Applejack before, she could understand her facial expressions and what they meant.
Her struggles came to an end and her whimpers slowly came to a halt.
“That’s it! That’s it… all ya had to do mah deary.”
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
The trajectory back to the barn itself wasn’t that bad, Applejack untied Winona from her restraints and both the pony and the dog calmly strode along the orchard field. No conflict in between them anymore, just peace and quietness.
When the pair reached the barn, they immediately saw Big Mac with his jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe it— he lost the first bet to her sister— and somehow he was proud of it, her sister was finally putting a challenge up to him. He proceeded to shed a manly tear.
“So yeah! Look who’s up to a bath! Oh and yah still owe me bits, don’t think Ah forgot that!” Applejack said.
“... Eeeyup.” Big Mac said, with a smile plastered on his face.
Applejack sat on the grass, motioning Winona to jump into the tub. The soapy water was ready for anything it could encounter. With a bark, Winona leaped inside the tub, splashing several waves of water unto Applejack’s face.
“Ooooh! Hey, calm down girl! Ah know it’s your first time, but ya gotta take it easy.” Applejack said, giggling all the time. She brought a clean soap to start rubbing Winona’s back…
What followed were several laughs, giggles, more laughs, and lots of love in between. After the bath was finished, Winona was squeaky clean, just like a rubber ducky. She happily licked Applejack’s face, and she replied with a well deserved hug.
Ever since that day Winona never feared baths again, taking in count all of the affection of course. She grew a strong emotional attachment to Applejack, and the two never had any more conflicts up to now.
Applejack was also a rich pony that day.
The End
