Apples and Rainbows -A summertime story

It looked like the day was shaping up to be a good one in Sweet Apple Acres. The sun was just peeking out towards the farmyard from between the vast and majestic Equestrian Mountain Ranges.

The rooster crowed his morning greetings, and muttering darkly, I rolled out of bed and stumped downstairs to the dimly lit kitchen.

Big Mac was sitting down in an the old overstuffed armchair in the corner, newspaper in hand waiting for me, as always. "Come on A.J." He called, folding the newspaper and standing up, "Yore five minutes late!"

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I scowled up at him. "I was up jest a minute ago actually. Y'all must'a been up at midnight to call me late for an applebuck!"

Chuckling, he patted me patronizingly on the head and walked over to the front door. It squealed in protest as he threw the ancient thing open. Pausing just outside to look up at the sky, he grunted in contentment. "Well now look at that! Sky's clear, grounds dry and apples are ready to be bucked. All in all, a perfect start to the day!"

"Yup." I agreed, heading out and standing beside him, while also scanning the skies. "Well, lets git going' then!"

Pausing to throw my work boots on, and grabbing my old Stetson from it's hook, just inside the barn door we headed off, past the  carrot gardens and corn fields, right along to our main source of income and the pride and joy of the Apple family.

The majestic and vast apple orchards!. Standing before the gate, we stood in silence staring at the vast forests of green and brown and the soft crimson of apples a'plenty.

"Alright then, A.J hows about you start over in the western fields and make yore way up t' the north gate, because I know yeh can do it in under an hour." Big Mac stated, and I smiled at his praise, rare as it was. "Meanwhile Ah'll go down there, to the east section and meet up with ya up at the gates. Together, we'll move on down south and with any luck, be finished in a few hours."

"Sure thing, big bro" I confidently replied and began to head off toward my section. However, as I started off, a I felt a restraining hand upon my shoulder, and turning found Big Mac, faint amusement in his eyes, upon the other end of it.

"What d'yall want now?" I asked suspicious. See, I know my brother pretty well, (I oughta seeing's how hes my bro.) and I had learned, through the hard way mostly, me being as stubborn as he, that whenever Big Mac finds something funny, I'll bet you a bushel of apples that no-one else does.

"Now A.J." He began, mock concern in his eyes. "Are y'all sure that you can actually handle this job. I mean, you are a girl and all, so I yeh need help, jest give us a shout and I'll be there ok?

As always, my gut instincts are correct. I felt my face grow hot as anger surged through me. "Jest a girl!" I snapped furiously. "Jest a girl huh? What in th' hay are y'all tryna say, Big Mac? That 'cause Ah'm a female, that means Ah'm Inferior teh y'all? Why, ah bet ah could buck twice the apples y'all could, ya mean, rotten-apple munchin mud baby!"

To my annoyance, Big Mac merely snorted in laughter and pawed the ground with the toe of his leather boot. "What? You buck more apples 'n me?" He chuckled, shaking with unrestrained mirth. "Hah! Dream on, lil' sis, that'll be the day."

  We stood, chest to chest, glaring at each other, all thoughts off Apple-bucking forgotten with this tense clash of sibling rivalry.

"Well alrigh' then." I blurted, anger getting the best of me. "If y'all are so confident, then let's you and me have a competition to see who's the best apple bucker in the world! And the loser has to do a punishment, as decided by the other!"

Big Mac agreed enthusiastically, confidence in every fiber of his body. "Eeyup, You've gotta deal!"

"We've got two hours before school to buck the most apples and at the end of the two hours, the loser, being the one what collected the least amount of apples, is the loser and must carry out their punishment." I clarified. "Big Mac, if I beat y'all, then ya gotta ask Fluttershy out to dinner!"

It was no secret at Canterlot High that B.M and Flutters liked each other. Unfortunately both were too shy to ask the other out. So I figured that by challenging him with this, I'd be actually doing him a favour.

He stumbled back, blushing furiously. I felt confident, sure that he wouldn't take me on. So when he stood tall, angrily roaring 'Fine, Ah accept your challenge!" I was not a little surprised. "And when Ah beat y'all." He growled menacingly. "Yeh gotta go right up teh Rainbow Dash, embrace her tightly and plant a kiss upon her cheek."

I was so startled that I backed up and tripped, landing on my butt with an undignified thump. "Are y'all outta yeh mind, Big Mac!" I cried incredulously, picking myself off the dusty ground. "There aint no way ah'm gonna mosey on upta Rainbow and kiss her jest to satisfy some sick dream of yores!"

He merely sniggered and replied; "Well, its ok if y'all back out now. Ah wont hold it 'gainst ya, y'all being a girl and all!"

For a couple of moments, we just stared at each other, Me, pale, seriously doubting my bucking skills and he, smirking confidently, arms folded across his chest. His casual smugness filled me with a rage so hot, it burned away all my fear and doubt and I realised that I didn't care about losing, I just wanted to wipe that smug smile off his face.

"Your on Big Mac, lets do this!" He gaped at me in silence for a few seconds, astonished by my unexpected response. Then he pulled himself together, albeit a trifle nervous.

"All y'all sure ye wanna do this, A.J?" He  asked worriedly. "Ah sure wouldn't hold it against ya."

"No way, ah am not backing out now, lets go!" I replied and sprinted off, taking him by surprise and gaining a few seconds. Over the course of the next two hours, we both strained our muscles and sweated heavily, each dreading our punishments. The sun was slowly rising into the sky, bringing with it an unwelcome breeze of warm air, working against our bodies and making it harder for us to focus.

Eventually, we were forced to stop, as we were left with only half an hour till school and had to freshen up. Panting heavily, I carried my last bucket towards the barn and dropped it off by my collection.

We counted each others collection for a few minutes.

"Right, I counted 635 apples for y'all." I replied, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"And it looks like you've got the same." Replied Big Mac expressionlessly. "Yeeha!' I cried, throwing my hat up into the air. "Looks like nobody's gotta do their punishment!".

"Hmmm...But on a second glance, you appear to have a rotten apple here, which doesn't count." So saying, he held up a blackened apple and my heart fell. "As it stands now, I have 635 apples and you have only 634 apples. Therefore you lose and must pay the price!" So saying, he snickered evilly as I closed my eyes and groaned aloud.

"Alright fine. You win Big Mac, congratulations." I spat out, taking a swipe at him, which he neatly dodged. "Alright, I gotta get up to the house and get ready for my... kiss" I ground out, fingers clenched. Big Mac laughed aloud as he looked behind me. "Ah well, you dont need to get ready, she's coming for yeh!"

Dread coursing through my veins, I turned towards the Northern gates, and sure enough, my doom came roaring towards me, a huge dust cloud chasing behind.