Nightly Horrors

Prologue

First story to be posted! I feel like Applejack doesn’t get enough fics where she is the bad pony, I'm working on another story too, where six friends go to Equestria. Which one should I finish first?

THUNK. A dozen bright red apples fell out of the ancient tree, landing neatly in three baskets spread around the tree. Each one hit the center of the old wooden basket precisely. Perfect. Of course, how could they not be? Applejack mused to herself. I am the best apple bucker in all of Equestria. Applejack caught herself and frowned, unconsciously wiping the sweat out of her face with an orange hoof. She might be good, but she shouldn’t be telling herself she was perfect. Applejack didn’t want to turn out like Rainbow.

“Sis! Ah got you water!”  A shrill voice called, pulling Applejack out of her thoughts. She spun around quickly, her hat threatening to tilt sideways, and chuckled. A familiar red-haired filly was teetering back and forth, attempting to balance a bucket of water on her back. A fair amount splashed onto the dusty ground.

“Let me get that for yah, Applebloom.” Wrapping her teeth around the bucket, Applejack lifted the bucket off her sister’s back and put it on the ground. Plunging her face into the bucket, she gulped down over half the bucket before remembering her manners.

“Ah’m sorry Applebloom. Where are mah manners today? Thank yah for thah water.” Applebloom beamed at her sister.

“Anything for you sis. Now..ahbout mah cutie mark..” Applejack groaned inwardly, and tuned out her sister’s babbling about another unsuccessful attempt at finding her cutie mark. When would this silly filly learn patience?

“Ah told you Applebloom, ya’ll get your cutie marks when you are ready!” Applejack took another sip of the water, but instead of swallowing she spit it out quickly. The flavor was off. A subtle but distinct taste, she had tasted it before but could not identify. Alcohol? Drugs?  One of Zecora's potions?

“Applebloom..”

“Yeah sis?”

“Did yah put anything in thah water?”

“Yup! Ah was goin' to the market like yah asked me too tah see if our new plow had arrived yet, and ah found a salespony passing through. He was sellin’ some cool stuff, and ah found a packet of something. Ah asked what it was, and he said yah put it in yah water and it keeps you from being tired-like! Ah figured you could use some since your buckin’ apples all day. It only costed seven bits!”

Applejack frowned. “Applebloom,” She lectured. “Ah told you not to take anything from strange ponies. That could have been terrible! Ah could have died or gotten too sick to buck the rest of the apples this season, making Big Mac have tah do twice his work! Could yah think before yah act sometimes?”

Applebloom looked down, her eyes watering.  “Ah, ah just thought yah would like it, ah, ah didn’t mean to do anything wrong.. Ah’m sorry!” At this point, Applebloom burst into tears.

Applejack sighed. “Ah’m sorry Applebloom. I didn’t mean tah be harsh with yah.” Applebloom continued to sob, making Applejack feel like crying. She hated to see anypony sad. “How about ah let you wear my hat?”

Applebloom jumped in the air, all sadness forgotten.  “Really? Ah get to wear yah hat? Ah’m gonna be Applejack today! Ah can buck apples and ah have an awesome cutie mark!” Applebloom ran up to a unbucked tree, attempting at the last moment to spin around and buck it. Instead her front hooves collapsed and she slammed into the tree. Applejack chuckled, jerking her head up to knock off her beloved brown hat. In one fluid movement she caught it mid-air with her hooves and put it on Applebloom’s head, as her slightly dazed sister attempted to stand up.

“Ah’ll be back to workin’, yah hear? Go help Granny Smith with thah dishes.”

“Yes ma’am Applebloom!” Applebloom trotted off, the brown cowboy hat slipping down over her eyes every few seconds.

“Ah wonder what was in that powder..” Applejack mumbled, then shook her head, facehoofing. Focus Applejack! You have another dozen trees to get done before Luna raises the moon.

So how was it? I’m terrible with the accent, I know I know. The other chapters are gonna be far longer, this was just a prologue. I know its rushed, but I had about 30 minutes to write this at 12:30, so expect better written and longer chapters in the future.