The Last Apples of Autumn

by CristalGalaxy

Rating: everyone
Tags: Applejack, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1009

Waking up to greet the day with a fresh batch of apples. What more could a mare want?

Waking up to greet the day with a fresh batch of apples.

What more could a mare want?

Cover art by the talented Huussii

Published 2016-01-13 21:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-01-13 21:40:02 UTC

The Last Batch

I stretch with a yawn, my eyes closing in pure satisfaction as I feel my muscles relax and loosen, my hooves lightly brushing against the soft fabric.

A bird chirps outside of my bedroom and a smile forms on my lips as I decide to open the window, hopping off my bed in glee and pushing the covers aside.

With a hoof, I pull the two panes appart and a nice breeze hits my face.
My eyes close once again and my nuzzle lifts higher in in the air, doing its best to absorb every single smell that is present outside.

The fresh air rejuvenates me and my hooves slam against the wood under the window, contracting themselves as a newfound energy runs through my body, making me shudder in excitement.

I turn and head towards the bedroom door, grabbing my hat on the way and sticking it on my head, a now bright smile illuminating my face.

My door swings open and my hooves make me fly through the corridor as if they knew what was coming. I gallop down the stairs and through the living room, although making sure I won't disturb my still sleeping family and start taking more cautious steps.

A light green scarf with small apples sowed to it is laying on the coat hanger, so I lift my hoof up and grab it, throwing it around my neck with a giggle upon realizing it had attached itself to my neck in one go.

I open the kitchen door and take a few steps into the outside.
A sense of pride takes over me as I embrace the whole land that lies before me with big eyes.
It wasn't the first time I was seeing the Orchard like this, with the beautiful streaks of orange, brown and red covering the once green leaves.

But it still made me as happy as ever, to know that it was mine. My Orchard gained with hard work and perseverance throughout the years with the help of my family.

A cold breeze runs through me, bringing me back to reality and I feel grateful to be wearing such a warm scarf. Perhaps Rarity was right after all...
I shake myself ; there are too many distractions around here.

My hooves take off and I start to trot towards the long line of apple trees lying just a few meters away, my breath forming small clouds of vapor in the now icy cold air.
For some reason, everything always seems to be colder in this part of the Orchard.
That's why I'm looking here for the last Apples of the season, searching somewhere nopony else would even look.

I can see their shimmering orange leaves that sparkle under the sun after the morning due and avert my gaze from them to look for my desired fruits : Apples.

The sensation of the fresh soil beneath my hooves gives out an impression of walking on the purest of clouds.
Nothing compared to that terrible hard concrete coming from Manehattan and other chemical cities.

Then finally, in the middle of quite an unpleasant thought, I see my goal. The thought is cleared out. A much more pleasant picture takes place in my mind.
The last Apples of the season.

Their bright red color is beautifully contrasting with the orange and brown shades that surround me.
It's such an amazing sight – apparat from Zap Apple season - to watch them like that. Knowing that they're the last ones, I could do it all day.

With a content sigh, I approach the tree and turn my back with a little regret, scared that they'll disappear from my grasp if I look away, lifting my hind hooves up and slamming them with all my strength against the wood, although making sure I won't break down the whole tree.

Bits of bark crumble to the floor but I don't pay attention to them, focusing instead on the red Apples that are tumbling down to me.
I quickly notice I had missed a crucial detail and rush to extend my hooves out and push the two baskets under the place where the Apples will finish their trip.
They land with a soft thump in the two baskets, in perfect condition, un-squished and just how I ~~like~~ love them.

I walk towards them and stick my hoof in one of the old baskets, fumbling around for a moment and grabbing an Apple before bringing it to my mouth.

I bite in the fruit and some yellowish juice starts to flow from it, dripping down my hoof and making me shudder for it immediatly became cold upon making contact with the chilly air of the outside.
The sweet taste and amazing flavor make me lick my lips to catch every single drop of it, as if my tongue would hate to see even the smallest of drops be fed to the earth.

A sensation of pure bliss takes over me as I finish it off in just a few more bites.
It was perfect.

My head slides underneath the seal that is keeping the two wooden baskets attached to each other, my muzzle briefly smelling the soothing sent of the soil as it comes near to touching the ground and I get up, making sure no Apple will fall out and eventually rot on the ground, making the most horrible of wastes.

When I'm sure the two baskets are well positioned on my back and no Apple will be left behind, I start to walk to the end of the Orchard, crunching dead leaves as I proceeded forward.

A sign that indicates 'Ponyville' and points to the right soon comes in view and I follow that direction, ready to sell the last of my Apples before waking up my family and spending a nice Sunday afternoon with them.

The smile I had while waking up still hadn't left my lips.

Author's Note

This probably should have come out for Thanksgiving... :facehoof: