Where the Carrot confronts the Apple
There are three things that are certain in life. Taxes, death and apple bucking season in Sweet Apple Acres. It doesn’t matter if it is spring, summer, fall or even the winter as apples are always ripe for the bucking on the old Apple’s farm. It is just one of the many things ponies of Ponyville have taken for granted since certain event transpired on that faithful and long night.
But one poor pony made a terrible mistake. She noticed this and had asked herself “Why”. How come Applejack gets to harvest apples all the time while everypony else has to go through tiresome farming to get a decent sized harvest. Why does Applejack always get to supply Ponyville with apples during special events. Why does everypony like apples more than carrots!
Burdened by these thoughts Carrot Top concluded to do what any responsible and mature pony would do. Grab her binoculars and spy on her neighbor to learn the dark secrets of apples.
So it was early morning and the sun was just dawning when Carrot Top commenced with her master plan. In the safety of her bush she watched the Apple clan with utmost diligence.
The youngest member of the clan packed her bags and went on her way to school. Nothing unusual about that. Applejack went to barn, no doubt with some sinister motive on her mind. And the oldest de facto patriarch went to the apple trees themselves. The moment Carrot Top was waiting for, to see what trickery the stallion would perform on the forbidden fruit. He approached an apple tree with couple of baskets carefully placed around the tree and then… he kicked the tree.
Was this it? Was the kicking part of some secret ceremony? Or was it done so the apples would fall from a tree right into the baskets. Clearly Carrot was missing something, how did apples know to fall perfectly into the carefully placed baskets on the ground. Same thing happened to a next tree and to a tree after that. Now some would say that the definition of insanity is expecting different outcome from same action but sanity has no place in ponies’ mind.
Time passed and the process continued but Carrot Top was not a quitter. She was sure the next tree will give her a sign. Any sign. Any moment now…
“Carrot what are ye doin’ in that bush?”
Now Carrot was no coward, you can ask any of her friends if you don’t believe it. The cry she released from her lungs was merely a battlecry and she did not jump two feet in the sky no matter what some certain ponies will later say.
“Berry, keep it down. You are ruining my cover.”
Newcomer was non-other than Carrot Top’s other closest neighbor Berryshine, better known as Berry Punch. Now Berry was an easygoing pony that enjoyed finer things in life. Berry took one look towards Carrot’s prey and came to an understanding. “Ach, watchin’ the certain stud in his prime. I canae blame ye, Ah would like to tackle that big lug meself if you get what Ah mean.”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous,” blurted Carrot while blushing with bright crimson color. “Look just get down here, we have a serious issue on our hooves. And keep your voice down.”
Berry complied. “Fine, so why are we bein’ nosy? Och Ah get it. Yer lookin’ for an openin’ when Applejack is nae on the farm to grab yerself-“
Carrot focused her best death glare on Berry. It was slightly more intimidating than a glare of a small puppy but a death glare nonetheless. “Finish that sentence, I dare you”.
“- a barrel of cider?” Of course Berry knew better than to make her timid looking friend angry. Puppies can bite too and many good ponies were lost because of that.
Satisfied with answer Carrot figured that Berry could be of use to her. She could always deal with her later if the need arises. But now instead she pointed towards Big Mac and said, “Look, Big Mac is picking apples.”
To say that Berry was confused would have been an understatement. She looked at Carrot like she fell from a tree then at Big Mac and then at Carrot again. “Carrot ye dae ken that this is an orchard, aye?”
“I ken, I mean I know that. But well it is always apple picking season. Do you remember any time when they aren’t picking apples?”
Berry scoffed but then she started to think. Slowly realization crept into her head. “Sweet Celestia’s sunny bum ye’re right. Never gave it a thought b’fore.”
Happy that she gained an accomplice Carrot Top concluded, “And we are going to get to the bottom of this mystery.”
Berry nodded. “Right, so what have ye seen so far?”
Carrot Top resumed watching Big Mac through binoculars. “Well Big Mac is kicking trees. And apples fall. Um maybe we need a better approach”
“Aye, Ah agree. How about we check the barn? Unless ye want to watch some more sweet flanks.”
The timid anger returned with vengeance. “No! I mean yes. I mean, you just want to sample early cider don’t you.”
Berry scoffed at that remark. “Na, the cider willnae be ready yet and it would be a travesty tae spoil it. Ah bet they have some kind of special enchanted manure stored in there.”
Carrot Top nodded. “That would make sense, I was kind of expecting there to be a ritual instead. But if you are right then maybe they wouldn’t notice if we took a bit. For the good of the Ponyville of course.”
“Aye fer good of the Ponyville,” Berry agreed. “Although maybe library princess is behind it. Ye sure it didnea start after she came? Ye ken, like most of crazy things.”
Carrot Top hesitated for a moment. She was not sure because after all she did not even notice anything strange for so long. How many other things are going around Ponyville and nopony is aware that something is simply not natural. Carrot shook her head and decided it isn’t now time to have existential crisis. She raised her hoof to her lips and waved Berry to follow her. Slowly she walked on tips of her hooves from tree to tree while looking for any sign of danger. Berry on the other hand merely opted to walk towards barn thus earning a scolding look from Carrot. Luckily the coast was clear and no Apple was anywhere in sight.
With determinant look in her eyes Carrot looked towards her partner. “Are you ready for what lies behind?”
“Hah Ah was born ready. Together, on three?”
Carrot nodded, this was it. “One”
Soon the secret will be revealed. “Two”
Finally the moment has arrived. “Three!”
“Howdy neighbors!”
Again must be mentioned that Carrot Top was most certainly not scared and she did not jump five feet in the air as Berry will later claim. It was more like two and half feet really and the cry was not high pitched nor did it hurt local dogs in the five mile radius.
Applejack was taken aback by Carrot's reaction. “Whoa there, Ah didn’t mean to frighten you. Was just being neighborly. So what brings y’all here to Sweet Apple Acres?”
Carrot tried to regain her senses and blurted out a response, “Bird watching!” It was a great explanation at least Carrot thought so. What else would a pony use binoculars for, not for spying on neighbors obviously.
But Berry then opened her big mouth and blurted out another response, “Carrot was lookin' at Big Mac!”
Applejack chuckled, “Well Ah can hardly blame her, mah brother sure is good looking.”
The fiery rage burned brightly within Carrot. She had had all she could stand and she would stand no more. “For the last time I am not spying on Big Mac, I am not interested in him one bit!”
Applejack tipped her hat and her expression soured. It was then that Carrot remembered at whom she was yelling at and all of her rage fizzled out like a candle. There is a reason why mares of Ponyville kept their distance from the most handsome stallion and the reason was staring into the Carrot’s mortal soul.
“Are ya sayin’ that mah brother ain’t handsome?”
“I, I, I-” Carrot stuttered. She looked at Berry for support but even she was frozen in place. Berry's eyes screamed to run but Carrot's legs did not listen. “I did not mean it Applejack. I am sorry.”
Applejack chuckled once again. “Nah sorry Ah couldn’t resist. You should lighten up Carrot we are all friends here. So is there anything Ah can do for two of you?”
At this point Carrot was exhausted from emotional roller-coaster this day had been. She wanted a conclusion and she was going to get it. “I give up, all I wanted was to know how come it’s always apple picking season. How come you always have so many apples?”
Applejack was stumped by the question. She paused waiting for the punchline but to her surprise Carrot was sincere. “Well that’s quite simple sugarcube. We have a wide selection of apple types that bloom at different seasons and Sweet Apple Acres is quite big so it takes time for me, Big Mac and Apple Bloom to get all the apples.”
Sadness filled Carrot akin to a foal that learned that Santa Hooves was not real. She released a barely audible whisper, “That’s it?”
“Fraid so, only Zap Apples are special and well they most certainly aren’t ripe all the time.”
Berry came to her friend in need and tried to comfort her. She had to be strong now for both of them in this dark moment. “There, there Carrot Top. What do ye say we get a lunch or somethin’? Ye must be starvin’ by now.”
Little pony responded only with slight nod.
“Ye’ll see, a full belly makes everythin’ better.” She turned to Applejack and waved her good bye and two friends were on their way.
On the outskirts of farm Berry and Carrot were walking in uneasy silence. Carrot was dragging her hooves barely even looking what is in front of her.
“Look Ah know ye’re disappointed but cheer up. Look at the bright side. You did get to enjoy certain pair of fl-“
Before Berry could finish her sentence she got punched in the shoulder. It was not particularly hard punch but enough to get Berry’s attention and notice two glaring eyes burning with rage. Berry smiled for she was never happier to see that look.
“Why did you tell Applejack I was stalking her brother! Do you have any idea how scared I was!”
Still sporting a large grin Berry replied back, “That was the only thing that popped up in me mind. It’s more believable than bird watchin'.”
“You do remember I have a coltfriend! What if he starts thinking that I am ogling other stallions!”
“Ah willnea tell him obviously and Ah doubt Applejack is one to spread gossip. And like ye would be the only taken mare to take a notice of Big Mac.”
Carrot blushed and instantly took interest in the nearby apple tree. Such a simple fruit really and yet so much can ponies learn from its shiny surface.
“You know, shame the mystery was not a mystery at all. I’ll never have all the carrots I want.”
Berry closed her eyes and defiantly proclaimed a simple truth, “It’s better this way, Ah mean imagine if we had to work without a break fer a whole year? Ah am busy as it is already, thank ye very much.”
Carrot rolled her eyes and playfully retorted back, “Hah right, like you wouldn’t just force your little sisters do all the work.”
“What can Ah say, hard work is good for the wee ones. It’s our duty as big sisters to teach them the hard lessons.”
Carrot smiled and said, “Never change Berry. Never change.”
And so the ponies returned to their blissful state of mind unburdened by the dangerous illness known as curiosity. Never again shell they look at apples and think something is wrong with them. But a mind is a curious thing and who can say when will next little pony try to learn things that were never meant to be known. But for now at least Carrot is once again happy.
