The All-American and Apple Pie

Friday night, first week of September, Puddinghead Memorial Stadium. The Canterlot High WonderColts were hosting the season opener against crosstown rivals Trottingham. A balmy autumn evening with the sky still blazing in the west. A perfect night with a raucous crowd with big dreams for the coming year. Football season.

Already up 21-0 late in the second quarter, Canterlot was driving again. Their multilayered offense had the Sheriffs completely flummoxed. Second and seven, the quarterback lined up in the shotgun, fullback to his left, twin wideouts to the left of the formation, tight end and the tailback lined up as a wing on the near side; Sheriffs showing blitz. The ball was hiked, and the defense bit on the fake. Instead of the anticipated draw play, the QB rolled right and passed to the wing back on a skinny post route for a big gain. Only the strong safety playing deep kept Canterlot from a fourth touchdown.

“Thunderlane’s pass to Soarin’ good for 28 yards, first down, Canterlot,” intoned the announcer. Wild cheering nearly drowned him out, especially from one blonde farmgirl sitting in the bleachers surrounded by friends and family.

Twilight Sparkle grinned, amused at her friend’s enthusiasm. “Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you, AJ?” she asked.

Applejack faintly blushed. “Jes…school spirit, is all,” she replied, totally failing at nonchalance.

From the farmer’s other side came a cackling laugh. “Ah, don’tcha try’n fool us, young’un! We all know yer sweet on that Soarin’ fella,” Granny Smith said.

“Y’all’ve been goin’ out fer a couple munths naow,” piped up Apple Bloom. “An I ken see whai. He’s a cute’un.” The youngest Apple sibling trailed off in admiration of her sister’s boyfriend. Applejack rolled her eyes, unsure if she’d rather have her sister crushing on Soarin’, or revert to just a year earlier and face endless taunts of “AJ’s got a BOY-friend, AJ’s got a BOY-friend, cooties, yuck!” Something about entering junior high had made Apple Bloom discover the opposite sex overnight.

Twilight just gave her friend a secret smile, almost a smirk. The raspberry- and rainbow-haired girls to her right did the same. They were privy to what most of AJ’s family members were not: that after their date three weeks ago, the senior running back had kissed the blonde junior, and not just some little peck, either, but a full long Prench kiss. Things had continued to get ever more serious, and the girls were already wondering how long it would be until Applejack handed in her V card.

Apple Fritter, the closest in both age and affection of AJ’s countless cousins, leaned in from the row behind. “They still don’t know?” she whispered.

Big McIntosh eyed the glances and smirks and whispers suspiciously, but years of growing up in an all-female household had taught him the value of silence. So he just worked the straw in his mouth and went back to watching the game. And other distractions; their very pretty friend Rarity and the rest of the cheerleaders, for example.

Third and two, within striking distance and ample time to score again before the half. I-formation, Thunderlane under center took the hike and pivoted, pitching it to Soarin’ on a toss sweep to the left. The back got the two yards and a few more before being brought down by the Sheriff linebacker. This time, though, the usually energetic Soarin’ didn’t pop back up. He rolled over onto his back, clutching his left elbow.

Applejack sat up ramrod straight, squeezing the hand of Twilight who squeezed back, as the team doctor and one of the team managers – who she dully recognized as Apple Bloom’s friend Scootaloo – rushed to the far side of the field. After a minute, they helped him up and over to the sidelines. She caught sight of Soarin’s parents headed down to the fence and followed them.

“…Nothing broken, probably a sprain,” she heard the doctor explain, the coach right there as well. “You should definitely get him checked out at the ER, though, get some X-rays just to be sure.” Soarin’ was biting his lip, obviously in a lot of pain.

His father Flyin’ nodded. “We’ll take him right now.”

AJ spoke up. “Uh, could Ah go with? If that’s okay with y’all.”

Soarin’s mom gave her a smile. “Of course, sweetie. You know where we parked?” Applejack nodded. “We’ll meet you there.”

“Tough break, Soarin’. Ya did good out there tonight. Let me know how it goes on Monday,” the coach said. Soarin’ just nodded, still grimacing.

Applejack sprang back up to explain the situation to Granny Smith. “…And I’m headed to the hospital, don’t know how late it will be.”

“Gowoun, young’un. Jes give us a call when ya need it, Big Mac can pick yu-wup.”

In the car, Soarin’ explained how it had happened. “He had me by the ankles. When I started to fall, I instinctively put my arm out. Guess I twisted it funny when I landed.” He blew out a breath in disgust. “And I was doing so well, too! Could’ve had a 200-yard game the way we were playing.”

Applejack started to pat him on the shoulder, then stopped, since she was on the left and didn’t want to jostle his arm. So instead she patted him on the thigh. Almost immediately, they both realized that this might not have been the best idea; she snatched her hand away, and they stared off in different directions, blushing furiously. The fact that he was still in his tight thin football pants and had actually removed the pads for the ride to the hospital didn’t help matters.

After more than an hour and a half spent driving to the hospital and in line at the ER waiting room, the concerned parents and girlfriend were reunited with the patient. “Well, I’ve got some good news: definitely nothing broken,” said Nurse Redheart, looking at the X-rays. “But it’s a pretty nasty sprain, you’ll need to be in a sling for at least two weeks, and take it easy after that. Sorry, kiddo.”

Soarin’ was crestfallen at the news that he’d miss much of his senior season. “That long?”

“I gave you a shot of cortisone for the swelling, so if you don’t stress the joint, it might heal faster. And take this to the pharmacy, they’ll give you something for the pain.” She handed his father a prescription and headed out with his chart.

Soarin’s parents looked at each other in relief. AJ was also eased by the news, although her eyebrow rose as it seemed to her that Soarin’s gaze followed Redheart’s retreating backside a little too intently. Got a thing for nurses, do you?

“So, ah, how did the game end?” Soarin’ asked nervously, scratching the back of his head, knowing he just got busted.

“We heard it on the radio, 47-8,” his father answered.

“Come on, let’s get you home, sugar dumpling,” said Tippy Tappy, causing AJ to snicker and Soarin’s blue face to turn purple.

“MOM! Don’t call me that!”

She simply shushed him and turned to Applejack. “You sure you don’t need us to take you home, dear?”

“No, ma’am, Ah sent Big Mac a text a few minutes ago, ’e should be along shortly.”

Soarin’s family stayed until Big Mac’s truck pulled into the parking lot. “We’ll, ah, be waiting in the car. Come on, Flyin’,” his mom said, dragging her husband behind her.

The teenagers stood awkwardly at the entrance, all too aware of the three pairs of eyes on them.

“So. Guess I’d better get going, then. See you Monday? Maybe sooner?”

“Earlier ’f Ah can manage it. ‘Sugar dumplin’,” AJ said, fighting back giggles.

Soarin’ sighed. Of all the times for Mom to pull out that name… “Well. Good night, then.”

As he turned to go, Applejack took his good arm and stretched up to kiss him, softly. “Good night.”

Swinging up into her brother’s truck, AJ adjusted her hat. “Naow dun you say a THANG, Big Mac. Ah know how you can get when ya start jawin’. Soarin’s a good guy.”

McIntosh gave his sister a sidelong glance as he started the engine. “Ah know he is. An’ Ah’m happy for y’all. Why shouldn’t Ah be?”

Applejack relaxed. “No reason, Ah jes’ didn’t want ya to get all big brothery.” She shot a crooked grin at him. “The college girls not bitin’? Or do ya have a sweet spot fer uptown girls?” Mac coughed. “Ah saw how interested you were in Rarity’s splits. You know all ah mah friends have had crushes on you since the fifth grade, raight?” she said casually as she replied to a text from Fluttershy. True to her name, the animal lover didn’t care to go to the games because of the crowds, but had been nearly as concerned about Soarin’s injury as anyone else once she heard.

“She’s, ah, naice. She’s got a generous heart.”

“Heh. Yeah, an’ that generous heart sits raight underneath a generous pair ah’ boobs, but Ah’m shore you didn’t notice theyem,” AJ snarked. Rarity’s endowments had been the envy of the other girls…until they finally got Fluttershy into a swimsuit, of course. A day that Rainbow still referred to as “Hooters – Hi!”

“Ease up, Applejack. Ah got mah own practice game to worry about tomorrow.”

“Too bad it ain’t real.”

Big Mac shrugged. “Redshirt. Better this way,” the freshman fullback for Equestria State said simply.

They chatted idly on the long drive back to the farm. It was nearly midnight by the time they turned off the paved road and headed onto the long dirt drive. The lights on in the barn indicated that the little party was still going on. “You comin’, Big Mac? An’ don’t give me no excuses about your game. Ah’ll bet Rarity is there.” Her brother hesitated, but followed her.

Sure enough, the fashionista was holding court over the half-dozen males in attendance, mainly AJ’s cousins who lived further out. She was clearly at the flushed and giggly stage of intoxication.

Applejack peeled off to secure her own drink from Apple Fritter and gossip. Sipping on SoCo, she got the details on the game from Rainbow, including how one of Canterlot’s touchdowns came courtesy of a player already being dubbed the “XX Factor,” the wide-out and punt returner Sunset Shimmer – along with a bit too much praising of Thunderlane’s butt, not that AJ disagreed – and heard from Rarity about how Berrywater caught her boyfriend behind the bleachers making out with Sandi Castle. “So, Twi’s not here?” Her friends gave her near-identical looks. “Raight, raight, dumb question.”