Author's Note
The cover art is by LifeOnCloud9 if you do a reading please credit the artist
Sweet Apple Secret
Sweet Apple Acres the largest, and most prosperous apple orchard in all of Equestria. It is difficult to imagine that it only takes a small handful of ponies to manage an orchard that is well over five times the size of any other. Some say that it is genetics. That the Apple family has always been great farmers. Though if that were so then why were they drifters before forming Ponyville? Others say that it isn't them that makes their trees grow so well, but rather the perfect soil. I assure you that this is not the case. The truth is not so simple as to say that it is genetics, good soil, or even agricultural knowledge. No, the truth I am afraid to say is far more grim than a simple explanation. Though sometimes it is best to leave the truth alone.
The clock ticks away in its rhythmic fashion as two young mares drink tea at the kitchen table. One an orange earth pony with a blonde mane and tail. Her name is Applejack she is the chief operator, and overseer of her family's vast apple orchard. The other one a yellow Pegasus with a flowing pink mane and tail. She is the animal caretaker of Ponyville. When a creature was in need whether it be a cute little bunny an injured baby bird, or even the likes of a manticore. She would be there; her abilities with animals only overshadowed by her unfathomable kindness. She is Fluttershy.
" I have to say it is awfully nice to spend some alone time with you Fluttershy. I can't even remember the last time we just sat down and relaxed,"
" Oh I agree this has been a long time coming. I am just glad I was able to come over! Even if it is for just a couple of minutes, but um if you don't mind me asking. What is this tea? I've never had anything like it before,"
Fluttershy hums as she takes another sip of the strange tea that Applejack had prepared for them. Normally whenever Apple jack had company over she would make some apple themed drink, or platter, but not this time. Instead she had made this light green tea. When Fluttershy took her first sip it had tasted incredibly bitter, but with each sip that followed she was finding herself more, and more enraptured by it. As it was now her belly was filling with a warmth that seemed to spread throughout her body. As if she was submerged in warm water.
"You like it? Its an old family recipe,"
"I love it, but I can't seem to place its flavor. Is that nutmeg I am tasting, or maybe Cinnamon?"
"No its not,"
"Then what is it? Come on tell me,"
"I'm not sure that would be a good idea sugar cube. After all this is an OLD family recipe. It has been protected by the Apple family for countless generations,"
"Oh come on Applejack! It is just tea. Please? I promise I wont tell any-pony,"
Applejack's ears twitch at those last words. Her face dims slightly as her eyes cascade from her cup over to Fluttershy. With a sigh Applejack lowers her head.
"Are you sure you really wanna know Fluttershy? This ain't something you can just back out of once you know,"
"I'm sure,"
Applejack's expression becomes somber as she lowers her hat over her face and gets up from the table.
"...alright then follow me,"
Applejack opens the door, and heads outside Fluttershy for her part gingerly gets out of her chair, and follows her long time friend outside into the cool evening air. When she steps out Applejack nods her head, and begins to walk into the orchard.
Their journey was long and for the most part quiet. Almost too quiet. There were no crickets chirping in the grass. Nor locusts buzzing in the trees, or even an occasional bird song. No, the only sound was that of dried leaves crunching under their hooves. This uncomfortable silence gnaws at Fluttershy making the mare feel as if she were alone in the growing dark. She looks at the silhouette of Applejack. The orange earth pony seemed off in the setting sun's light. It was as though she were a completely different pony. There was no joy in her face she looked as if some-pony had just died. Could this secret truly mean that much to her family? Was it right of her to ask in the first place? Fluttershy's heart sinks as these thoughts drift through her mind? Guilt was now weighing heavily inside her chest. Swallowing the lump in her throat Fluttershy opens her mouth only for Applejack to break the silence for her.
"Ya know the story of how Ponyville was formed. Right Sugar-cube? Of how Granny Smith and the rest of the Apples were allowed to settle down here. To grow our...apples,"
The air grows cold as the last rays of sunlight fade into the night sky. The silence around them only seems to intensify now that it is encompassed in shadow. Fluttershy shivers as the surrounding cold pricks at her skin. If it was the cold air, or the silence she could not tell.
"If ya believe what Granny Smith tells the young uns. We survived cause of how fast Zap-apples grow, but that ain't exactly how it actually happened. Ya see zap-apples did make easier for our family to survive for that first year, but the thing is zap-apples aren't reliable for a sustainable source of food. So ya see we were still in a mite pinch,"
The warmth in her stomach begins to recede leaving her with an empty feeling, and also a unknown tingling sensation. Fluttershy looks at Applejack the earth mare still kept her same somber expression. This was really starting to concern Fluttershy she never knew Applejack to be this stoic. In a sense she might as well be with Pinkie Pie's sister Maud. With a gulp Fluttershy tries to speak her concerns.
"Umm Applejack are you ok? You don't seem to be yourself,"
"..."
"Aj?"
" What were supposed to do? We couldn't just rely on zap-apples to feed us year round. We didn't know how often they grew so we came to a consensus,"
Fluttershy gasps as the night air suddenly bursts with life. She hadn't even noticed that the foliage had changed until now. The trees were different now. They didn't seem to be traditional apple trees, but rather twisted shells of something else. It could just be her imagination, but they looked as if they were alive. After all trees are notorious for taking strange shapes in the shadows of night. Taking a deep breathe she turns her attention back to her friend. Her eyes grow wide as fireflies flutter around the earth pony like a lantern. Now glowing with an ominous light Fluttershy feels colder than ever. As a matter of fact her legs felt incredibly cold almost to the point of being numb.
Why was she getting so cold? Its not like she wasn't used to midnight walks, but this was something else. It is as if she was wading through an icy river. Why was it that every time she looked at her friend she would get colder? Why did she look so different from normal? The lantern of fireflies surrounding Applejack did not help matters. Their illuminous aura gave her a ghostlike presence. Fluttershy starts to contemplate going back. However her decision is made for her as Applejack stops in front of a wall of ivy.
"On the night of the Harvest moon they gathered here, and it is here our story really begins sugar-cube,"
The wall of ivy begins to slither, and squirm like a pit of vipers. An opening soon shows itself to the mares, and Applejack steps forward. Fluttershy stands there alone unsure as to what she should do. This seems to be a lot of effort for a simple secret recipe. She turns around, but the thought of walking through an unknown forest at night with no guide forces her to reconsider. With a hard gulp Fluttershy runs through the opening doing her best to catch up with Applejack. Fluttershy runs through the dark until she sees the glowing lantern that is Applejack patiently waiting for her to catch up.
"As I was saying they gathered here during the harvest moon, and it is here they summoned something to help them survive...the queen of the dryads. She agreed to help them, but at a terrible price. If they wanted her help they would have to sacrifice at least one pony every harvest moon. They begrudgingly agreed and she told them to eat of her fruit. As soon as they did they were blessed with the most wonderful of gifts. Our orchard came to life in more sense than one, "
A howling wind rushes past the mares, and the clouds overhead begin to move revealing a nursery, but not just any nursery a nursery of pony shaped trees. Fluttershy gasps as she looks at some of the trees for they looked like ponies from Ponyville. Octavia the famous cellist with a large branch bursting through her chest. Thunderlane's wings twist and bend as they bare large amounts of fruit on their heavy branches.
One tree in particular looks especially terrifying as if straight out of a horror novel an amalgamation of Lyra, and Bon Bon warped just beyond recognition. Laying half sunk into the ground near them was Doc the look on his face tells the tales of his last moments. They were not pleasant ones. Then she sees HER glistening in the moonlight. Twilight Sparkle fully sprawled upright her jaw stretched to its fullest length. Tiny branches pour out of every orifice. Her wings and mane bare more fruit than any other tree around her, and when Fluttershy looked out across the moonlit field she could see the faces of countless other ponies frozen forever within their last moments alive.
"Isn't it just marvelous!? They were changed they became...living apple trees! So became Ponyville a town raised on the fruit of the Apple family literally. Every harvest moon some lucky pony is chosen to become part of our family secret, and this year it...was...you,"
"What!?I...ugh," Fluttershy grips her stomach and cries in pain. Her eyes dilate as she coughs up several drops of blood.
"What's wrong sugar-cube? Is the tea not sitting right? Here let me make you some more,"
Applejack walks up to Twilight, and stabs the tree with a nearby spigot. A glowing light green sap pours from it. Fluttershy gasps as she realizes what the tea really was. She cries out in pain as a sharp pain stabs her insides. Looking down at her hooves her eyes grow to the size of dinner plates. Her skin bubbles as thin white wormlike roots begin to wriggle their way free from underneath. She screams in horror as she watches them grow ever longer. She turns around, and runs towards the exit.
Applejack watches as her friend runs into the forest. Applejack trots along after her friend humming apples to the core.
Fluttershy runs through the forest completely blind to her surroundings. The only thing on her mind was the image of Twilight frozen in wood, and bark. She trips on an overturned root. Struggling to get up she looks behind her. Long writhing roots in her tail are burrowing themselves into the earth. She screams as she forces herself to get up pulling several of them out. Her body spasms as more roots pierce through her skin. She tries to use her wings, but is unable to move them so she forgoes them.
With every passing second more, and more roots crawl out of her skin. One of her hind legs is now completely covered while the other one hardens and transforms into living wood. Fluttershy cries as she tries to escape this...this nightmare.
"This has to be some kind of bad dream! Any moment now I am going to wake up, and Aj is going to chastise me for having such an awful dream about her,"
With more than half of her body now covered in blood, and roots something new happens something she wished hadn't happened she could hear...voices. On the wind were cries of horror, pain, and anguish as Fluttershy passes more, and more of her predecessors. They scream at her to help them to...kill them, but she could not help them in any way it was already too late her to help any pony.
New waves of pain radiate throughout her body as she feels her bones twist, and crack under their new pressure. She wishes that it would just end already that she would just wake up at any moment, and it would all be over. She tries to crawl her way out of the forest as her forelegs slowly transform in front of her. Before long she has reached the end of the apple orchard. The light of the rising sun lights the sky above Ponyville. If she could only get there she could warn every-pony. However her journey ends as an orange hoof lands right in front of her face.
"I tell you what I am surprised you made it this far. It was rather amusing to watch you run for your life, but this is where it ends sugar-cube,"
Fluttershy cries as her hind legs, and tail plant themselves into the ground. Her body rises into the air as her skin turns to wood. Fluttershy screams into the air as her head is the last to turn. Applejack whistles in appreciation as she gazes at her new tree. The light pink apples glisten in the morning sun. Applejack plucks one and takes a big bite.
"Mmm mmmm mmmm! Boy howdy these apples sure are sweet! Almost like..sugar,"
Applejack laughs at her own joke as she grabs a shovel, and starts to dig around her new tree. She would be taking it back to the nursery later.
