‘Boom.’
Your eyes snap open and the fragrance of apple blossoms and fresh squeezed cider waft past your nose. Opening your eyes you turn your head to look at the source of the cider smell. You see Applejack walking towards you with two mugs balanced on her back. You groan lightly as you stand up extending a hand in front of you to maintain balance. Your muscles tighten uncomfortably, not yet used to the life of a farmhand. Applejack had been the first pony you met when you moved into Ponyville. That encounter turned out to be a benefit for both of you. You got a job and she got a loyal, efficient farm hand.
You grunt as Applejack shoves a mug into your hand, you still haven’t gotten used to her abnormal earth pony strength. Irregardless, you bring the mug up to your mouth and take a swig. The taste of fresh squeezed apple cider brings back memories of the first time you ever had cider. That was two years ago, just after you moved to Ponyville. Looking back you find it hard to believe that you ever thought about living life without cider, or friends to drink it with. Sure you were a bit of a recluse in Trottingham but you never really had any friends before then. However, moving to Ponyville helped expand your social life, especially when Pinkie Pie got involved. You shudder as you try to ward off memories of the ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party’ she held for you.
That attempt is made far easier when you take hold of Applejack’s words like a drowning sailor would a life vest.
“So, Anon, ya got yer work done for the day?”
You take another swig of cider before responding to her.
“Y-yeah,” You cough out having choked on a bit of cider. “I set up the baskets in the west fields and checked to see if there were any sick tree. All in all everything’s fine.”
“Whew. An’ here I thought we’d fall behind in Apple Bucking Season again.” Applejack swings her hat off with her right hoof then clutches it to her chest. “My hat’s off ta ya Anon, ya did good.”
You grin then hold out a fist, Applejack meets it with a hoof of her own. Sharing a mischievous smile you and her then try to empty your individual mugs as fast as possible. Despite the practice you put in for a couple of days prior to, Applejack beats you. Setting her mug down on a stump Applejack wipes her muzzle with her left foreleg.
“Hah.” She spits out. “I beat ya again Anon.”
Coughing you quickly kneel down on the ground and try to clear your throat. Applejack tries to help by smacking you on the back a couple of times. It kind of helps, while her efforts succeed in clearing your airway you know you will have a couple of bruises tomorrow morning. Your physical lament is interrupted when you hear three little cries of “There’s Anon! Let’s get ‘im.”
In no time at all three fillies careen into you, making you crumple to the ground. Groaning in mild pain you know you’ll have three specific filly shaped bruises on your chest in the morning. At least you’ll have matching bruises on your back. As the dust settled the sun shone on the three little victorious fillies sitting you.
“Hah! We got you!” Crowed Scootaloo stomping her little hooves on your already battered chest.
“Yeah Anon,” Piped up Sweetie Belle. “We totally surprised you this time.”
“Girls,” Said Apple Bloom. “I think we’re hurting him.”
In a flash the three little troublemakers jump off of you. Sucking in air you hold it to make sure they hadn’t broken your lungs. Then in a slow release of air you let the fillies know how you feel.
“Oooooowwie.”
The girls look suitably ashamed, Apple Bloom spoke up first.
“I’m sorry Anon.” She cries as she nuzzles your neck. “We just wanted to surprise you is all.”
“Yeah.” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo added on. “We just wanted to have fun.”
“We’re sorry.” They cried as tears shone in their eyes.
Seeing your favourite trio crying did no good for your current condition, in fact watching those fillies cry just makes your heart spasm unhealthily.
“Girls. Girls.” You say in a desperate effort to survive the sadness, “You surprised me is all, I’m not hurt. I said ‘ow’ because of how hard Applejack hit me.” A clever lie. Applejack shoots you a dirty look and you stare back plaintively. The effects of your kind words are immediate, your little filly fan club perk up now knowing they didn’t hurt their unique companion and part time guinea pig. Then their minds catch up with the line you said.
“What!” They cry out in shock, Apple Bloom quickly turns to her sister. “Applejack how could you!”
“He was chokin’ on cider.” Applejack shot back. “What was I supposed to do?”
The two sisters argued for a short while in which time you noticed that the CMC were more singed than usual. Plus they had a faint ashy smell to them, maybe it had to do with that booming noise you heard earlier. Lifting your head up you sniff a bit the collar of your shirt. Great, the smokey smell got on you too.
“Girls.” You say while lying on the ground. They don’t hear you as they are talking with each other or Applejack.
“Girls!” You say a bit louder.
“What?” They all shoot back.
“Why do all of you smell like smoke?”
All of the fillies immediately look down at the ground or shuffle their hooves not wanting to talk. Applejack sniffs the air then contorts her face as the smokey smell coming off of the fillies hits her.
“Heavens to betsy what did you girls do?”
Each crusader looked to the other for an explanation and seeing as none of them had one Scootaloo was the first to speak. Stepping forward she began her tale.
“So there we were,” Scootaloo started. “Sitting around in the clubhouse trying to-umm- think of ways to help everypony when Sweetie Belle started acting like, really strange. So AB and I tried to stop her, ya know? But she didn’t stop and then she started to ru-”
“-Scoots, stop.” Applejack asked. “I know yer lyin’ so I want the truth and don’t nonya lie. I’ll know if ya do.” She intently stares at each of the crusaders until sweat started pouring from their tiny bodies like rain. Apple Bloom broke first.
“We destroyed the clubhouse, please don’t be mad AJ.”
Scootaloo was second with Sweetie Belle being a close third. They all had the same short explanation. When pressed for a more concrete answer the crusaders looked at Apple Bloom who chuckled nervously.
“W-Well it would be better if ya saw it fer yersevles.”
Coming to a bend in the orchard trail you walked behind Applejack but maintained a steady pace beside Apple Bloom.
“So, one of your girl's’ experiments went wrong?” You ask in curiosity.
“Not just ‘wrong’ Anon,” Squeaked Sweetie Belle, “It went horribly wrong.”
“Yeah,” Agreed Scootaloo. “There was like, smoke and maybe some fire and I- I was kinda scared.”
“It’s all mah fault.” Declared Apple Bloom. “I tried to make a potion without Twilight or Zecora around to help me and I ruined our clubhouse. I’m sorry girls.”
“Ahh come on,” You say with a little spark of enthusiasm. “It can’t be that bad.”
Just then you bump into Applejack’s rear and fall onto your butt.
“Ahh. AJ if you’re going to stop in the middle of the orchard like that warn- me… next…” You trail off as you see what the orange farm pony was staring at. It was the CMC clubhouse, and it was worse than anything you imagined.
Author's Note
22/31. It's almost Halloween! What are you going to dress up as?
