I wiped my brow. It was hard work, running around from tree to tree in order to catch the apples in the barrel. Sweat beaded on my forehead. I ran back and forth from tree to tree, left and right. It was kind of like a maze. A labryinth of sorts. Kind of like that book series, Mary Packson and the Apples of the labyrinth. Yeah, kinda like that. Oh my Celestia, I loved reading. It enabled me to go off and explore the world without spending a lot of money. Perfect.
"C'mon Applebloom, we gotta get these apples bucked if we're going to be able to make the cider this season." Applejack called, pulling her legs back and forth, bucking trees in her sight. I sighed. I was getting so tired. This was worse then when Pinkie Pie had taken over Applejack's job. And it didn't help that it was hotter then a egg on a sidewalk in July. Honestly, she felt as cooked as a caramel apple in sizzling, well, caramel. She had once had a dream like that. No, a nightmare. A pile of candy shaped like a mare had thrown her into the sizzling, bubbling caramel. Scary.
"I'm going as fast as I can Applejack." I cried, stumbling over a tree root. Applejack closed her eyes, lowering her hoof toward me. I took it, giving her a nod of approval and thanks. She could be annoying at times, but she was my sister, and she was eventually all I had. No matter what, I had to be there for her. Even if it meant having to do hot and sweaty work. Seriously. A LOT of sweaty work.
"I'm sorry Applebloom, it's just that this harvest is really important. This is what makes us through the winter. You remember how tough last winter was. We barely made it. I don't want you to suffer." Applejack explained. I sniffed, wiping my eyes. I never thought of it like that. Yes, I remembered how much winter was hard on us, but I hadn't thought about the emotional stress Applejack had gone through. Aw pony feathers, no I felt sorry for her. Wait, what was I thinking? Of course I should feel sorry for her, she was handling most of the stress on running the farm. She derserved my pity, and I should help her whenever I could. I immediately felt also guilty. How dare I?
"I'm sorry Applejack, I never thought of it like that before." I said, hugging my sister tightly. And with that, I returned back to work, lifting the basket onto my head with my hooves. Applejack brought back her legs into a kick. She prepared to kick the tree, and I raced underneath. I just barely caught the hail of apples that rained down.
"That's it, that's the last one, time to get squeezing." Applejack called, giving one last kick. She gave a sigh of relief. She was clearly glad that her part of the work was over.
After all the bucking was done, Applejack and I brought them to Granny Smith. There, she and I started to sniff out the good and bad ones. I was actually pretty good at this. Not only at apple catching, but apple sniffing. Wow. That sounded wrong. I blushed as I thought about how I should stop staying around Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Honestly, they were corrupting me more and more. I hated them. No, hate was a strong word. Disliked. Disliked them.
"Now Applebloom, you have to be careful about your nose. One bad apple, and the whole bunch is ruined. You saw what happened with those ruffians Flim and Flam. Rightly so." Granny Smith said, tossing away a mushy leaking apple. Gross. How could Granny Smith stand to pick those messes up?
"Yes Granny." I replied, throwing a marvelous apple toward the machine we used for apple crushing. After we had all the apples crushed,I followed Granny Smith toward the barn. I opened the door for her, remembering to be a nice filly, especially to my elders. That way, the big, bad, nasty karma wouldn't come and get me.
"We had just the tiniest bit of sugar prepared so our cider will be just at the right sweetness. You get that, Applebloom?"
"Yes Granny. I really like making cider with you." There was a sudden flash, and Granny and I turned to see a full cider mug on my flank. I sprang up in the air, bouncing around and around not unlike Pinkie Pie at somepony's birthday party. I was also about as happy as Pinkie Pie. Why? You'll see.
"My cutiemark, I got my cutiemark!" I cheered, raising my hooves in a celebration dance. I couldn't believe it. I had done it! I had achieved what I had been trying to do for my whole life. I couldn't believe it. FINALLY! Oh my Celestia, yeah!
"Well, how dee-doo-dee, I'll be darned" Granny Smith said, positively beaming at me. I beamed back, smiling as wide as my mouth would allow. My face was starting to hurt, I was smiling so wide.
"What is all the commotion he- oh my celestia, Applebloom, you got your cutiemark. Our little Applebloom is blossoming. Oh I'm so proud." Applejack said as she pulled us into a big group hug. I squeezed her back, still smiling. Then I raised a hoof, massaging my cheeks. Again, ow. Seriously, why would your face hurt when your happy? It didn't make any sense at all.
"This calls for a celebration!" Applejack said, plopping a party hat on my head. Wow. Random much? Whatever. Anyway, Applejack dragged in a phonograph, putting on a record. Dance music started to play as we danced the day away. After having packed the cider away, of course. But the point was, we partied oh so very hard.