"Fluttershy! Where are ya Fluttershy?!" I shouted.
I was tryin' to search for her 'cause Applejack said she needed my help at the animal shelter, but after runnin' here and searchin' for her, then seein' that she wasn't here, I was kinda confused.
Although it didn't make sense to me that she would leave the door unlocked.
"Oh... Apple Bloom, you're here?" Fluttershy asked, as she walked through the back door.
"Yeah." I said. "I was lookin' for ya."
"I'm sorry. I was in the back, feeding Angel Bunny." Fluttershy apologized.
"That's alright." I said. "What did ya need me for?"
"Well... about that." Fluttershy started. "The only reason why I called Applejack was because I couldn't find Angel. And then I did, so I called Applejack back, but by then she said that you had already left for the animal shelter."
I looked at her. "Are you sayin' you don't need my help after all?"
Fluttershy gently shook her head. "Oh, no. I never said that. But I would stick around a while. He might get lost again, and if he does, I could use the help of getting him back."
"Ah, okay. I guess I could stay a while longer. In fact... I think I have a funny story to tell ya about my big sister." I said.
Fluttershy shook her head again. "That's not a good idea Apple Bloom. Surely you know better than to tell stories about others, especially if they're hurtful ones."
"But it isn't hurtful! It's funny!" I laughed.
"Well, okay. But you have to Pinkie Promise that it's not hurtful." Fluttershy said.
"Fine." I said. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"Good." Fluttershy said.
"Alrighty then." I said. "It began on a sunny day, just like this one."
"Apple Bloom! It's time for apple shakin'!" Applejack shouted.
"I told ya I'm comin'!" I shouted back. "I'm tryin' to find my shoes!"
"Aw geez. You're always losin' those things." Applejack said.
"I know." I said.
"Why, I think you'd lose your bow if it wasnt-"
"FOUND 'EM!" I shouted.
"You know that you don't have to shout, right?" Applejack asked. "I was right outside the barn after all."
"Sorry sis." I said.
"Now, we gotta gather up all the buckets in this barn and the apple cellar." Applejack said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Ya know why, silly!" Applejack said.
"I really don't, sis." I said.
"We're going to do apple shakin'. Remember?" Applejack asked.
"Ohhhhh." I said. "I do now."
"How could you forget about your favorite chore in the whole world?" Applejack asked.
"Applejack, I'm just a kid." I said. "I can't remember everythin'."
"I know that, but-"
"C'mon! Let's get to apple shakin'!" I shouted.
"Alright." Applejack said.
And then I started to run out of the barn as quickly as I could.
"Not so fast, sis." Applejack called out.
"What?" I asked. "Am I missing something?"
"Sorta." Applejack said. "We gotta collect buckets."
I came back into the barn slowly. "Told ya I forget."
"Maybe too much." Applejack said.
"I still wanna help you." I said.
"Well I wanted you to." Applejack said. "This is a lot of work to do for just one person."
"I know." I said. "But if you split that work evenly between the two of us, then it's fair." I said.
"That's a good point." Applejack said.
"Yep." I agreed.
"Apple Bloom, I hope you're not stallin'. We really can't afford that." Applejack said.
"You're right!" I said. "I'm going to buckle down and work my hardest!"
"That's what I like to hear!" Applejack said.
"Come on!" I shouted, as I grabbed an armful of buckets.
"I'm comin'!" Applejack shouted back.
And so I ran out to the field as fast as I could manage. Which, despite having a whole bunch of buckets, was pretty fast.
Although I was relieved when I finally got to the middle of the field. There I dropped the buckets and quickly placed them at the bases of the trees.
"Do you realize that you're going too fast for me now?" Applejack asked.
"What can I say?" I asked. "I'm eager to get started."
"I need a few minutes to get my buckets by the trees I'll shake." Applejack said.
"Can I start now?" I asked.
"Apple Bloom, this is a team effort." Applejack said.
"I know." I said.
"Well then. I just need a few minutes to get prepared, alright?" Applejack asked.
"Fine. I'll wait until you're ready." I said.
"That's all I ask, sis." Applejack said.
So I sat down by a bucket that was next to one of the trees I wanted to shake. And I stayed there, waiting patiently, until Applejack finished.
"Ya ready?" I asked, with a mouth full of apple.
Applejack turned around to face me. "Why are you eating the same apples we're supposed to use for making cider?"
I shrugged. "I got hungry."
"Well, I'll let ya get by with takin' just one, but that's all you can have until we press 'em into cider." Applejack said.
"That's fair." I said, as I pushed myself up off the ground. "Atleast I'll have some extra energy."
"Now are you ready?" Applejack asked.
"Of course." I said.
"Then there's no more time to waste." Applejack said. "START SHAKIN'!"
"Can do!" I shouted.
And so it finally started.
I know that the people that live in the city don't like doin' chores like country people do. But I have a feeling that I would still like to do them even if I was born as a city girl. And that's because I have one thing that all them city people don't. I was raised right.
But I'm not going to be bitter. I didn't have time to be, either. I was in apple tree shakin' heaven!
"Apple Bloom!" I heard Applejack shout. But I wasn't payin' attention.
"APPLE BLOOM! I NEED MORE BUCKETS!" Applejack shouted, but this time it was at the top of her lungs.
"Applejack! Ya could've scared away crows screamin' THAT loud!" I said.
"It ain't my fault. I kept callin' for you, but you wouldn't answer." Applejack said. "And by the way, you need more too."
"Oh." I said, as I looked down at the ground. There was a whole bunch of apples surrounding my feet. "I'm really sorry 'bout that."
"It's fine." Applejack said. "Now go get more buckets so we can keep workin'."
"Sis, yes sis!" I said, as I ran towards the barn at top speed.
After I got there though, instead of hearing the sound of footsteps in the distance, it was nothing but silence.
"Applejack?" I shouted.
That was accompanied by even more silence.
Then I got concerned.
"Applejack... did ya faint or somethin' like that?" I asked, after I got to the outside of the field.
Then a tree shook.
And I was terrified now.
I did the only thing I could think to do at that point. I didn't talk, I didn't move. I was too scared to do so, but still.
"...What the hay?" I heard Applejack ask.
"Sis?! Are you alright?" I asked.
"Run." She said. I still couldn't see her at this point, though.
"What was that?" I asked.
"RUN!" Applejack shouted.
And then she came running out of the field, screaming. And behind her were bees.
"APPLEJACK! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" I shouted.
"I SHOOK THE WRONG TREE! GET MY PHONE AND CALL BIG MACINTOSH!" Applejack shouted.
"WHERE IS IT?!" I shouted.
"IN THE BARN! I LAYED IT ON A BALE OF HAY!" Applejack shouted.
"ALRIGHT!" I shouted.
Almost immediately, I ran straight to the barn. I wasn't sure how serious the situation really was, but I knew that my sister needed someone to help her.
After I was safely inside the barn, I looked on all the bales of hay. No sign of a phone on any of them.
Applejack ran by the barn right then, but the only thing I noticed was her screaming.
I don't know what got into me after that, but something about her scream was funny.
So I started to laugh.
"APPLE BLOOM! QUIT LAUGHING AND CALL MY BROTHER BEFORE I GET STUNG!" Applejack shouted.
But that didn't help me any. It only made my laughing fit worse.
And even though she kept telling me to do so, finding her phone was the farthest thing from my mind.
And I was laughing just as hard in reality. Apparently, even after two weeks had passed, it was still as funny as it was then.
Fluttershy wasn't laughing though. Instead, she was starin' at me.
"I'm... I'm bein'... I mean... This is... Cathartic!" I said through my giggles. "Sweetie Belle... taught me that."
"Apple Bloom, I think you need to calm down." Fluttershy said.
"Nah... I'm fine!" I said. But I didn't stop laughing.
"But, Apple Bloom, you're-" Fluttershy started.
"Bees! She shook a... tree that... had bees... in it!" I giggled.
"Apple Bloom, you need to look behind you." Fluttershy said. I still didn't listen.
Then I fell down on the floor, and rolled around on it, still laughing.
"Apple Bloom!" A stern voice called out.
"Uh oh." I said. Suddenly, getting stung by bees wasn't so funny to me anymore.
"You're darn right uh-oh. Get up!" Applejack scolded.
"I didn't mean to talk like that about ya sis. I really didn't." I said.
"Yeah, well. You can think about that while you're grounded for... I don't know how long. But I have a long walk home to think about it." Applejack said.
"Sorry." I said, as I looked down.
"It's too late for that now. We're goin' home." Applejack said.
"I guess this means I won't have a helper to keep Angel Bunny in plain sight?" Fluttershy asked.
"Well, I guess I could help ya with that before we leave." Applejack said.
"Can I?" I asked.
"Nope. I think you've done just about enough." Applejack said.
I then plopped down in a chair. And the only thing I was feeling right now was shame.
