Applebuck Season - Real Episode (4)

Applebuck SeasonChapter 3: Baked Bads

Applejack bucked a tree, and then another, sending their apples cascading down into masterfully set buckets and landing. She bucked one more before finally feeling fatigue take her over. “Phew,” she said, dozing off a little. Shaking her head, she looked over to the tree. She lifted her back legs and attempted to hit the trunk of the tree but, instead, fell back into thin air. The tree was several feet behind her and already void of apples.

Twilight watched as Applejack repositioned herself, kicked back again, and knocked over an apple bucket. “What in Equestria is that pony doing?” she asked herself.

“Whoops…” Applejack said tiredly, beginning to walk to a different tree.

“Hey, Applejack!” Twilight called from her position. Although in mid-step, Applejack fell asleep. “Applejack!” Twilight called again, watching her friend sleep. “Applejack!” she tried again. With no response, Twilight teleported over to her sleeping friend. Once she was next to her, she yelled again. “Applejack!!”

“Whuh?” Applejack woke up, startled. She shook her head. “H-Howdy, Twilight.” She greeted with a weary smile.

“What is all this?” Twilight asked, looking behind her at an apple tree.

“It’s Applebuck Season,” Applejack answered, walking away to buck another tree.

Seeing the farmpony walking away, Twilight teleported to her side, just in time to see an unsteady buck of a tree and hear a drowsy “whoa” from her friend. “Applewhat Season?” She asked, looking  confused.

“It’s what the Apple family calls harvesting time.” Applejack explained, moving away from Twilight and to another tree. Twilight teleported once again be next to her friend. “We gather all the apples from the trees so we can sell ‘em.”

“But…” Twilight asked as Applejack continued to move on. “Why are you doing it all alone?”

“Cause Big Macintosh hurt himself.” Applejack replied.

Twilight teleported in front of Applejack. “What about all those relatives I met when I first came to Ponyville? Can’t they help?”

Applejack walked past her. “They were just here for the Apple Family reunion. They actually live all over Equestria, and are busy harvesting their own orchards.” As Applejack moved, once again, Twilight teleported herself to be in front of her. “So uh, I’m on my own.”

Twilight stood in front of her friend, not allowing her to move forwards. “Which means…” Applejack started. “I really should get back to work.” Silence. “Hem hem, hint hint, get back to work?”

Twilight looked disapprovingly at Applejack. “Fine,” she said, moving over.

“Uh, could you step aside, Twilight?” Applejack asked, one eye dropped, swaying dangerously.

“I just did,” Twilight said slowly, catching the mares attention to her right. “Applejack, you don’t look so good.”

Applejack looked at Twilight curiously, her eyes failing her with double, triple, vision. She shook her head clear and began walking to another apple tree, bucking in mind. “Yea… don’t any ‘a you three worry none, I’m just fine and dandy.” Miscalculating the distance she was from the tree she lifted her hind legs in the air and struck at what she figured was the trunk. She only hit air and fell backwards a bit. “Whoa.”

Twilight teleported in front of her friend. “Do you… want some help?”

“Help?” Applejack looked insulted and shook her head. “No way, no how.”

“But there’s no way you can do it all on your own.” Twilight insisted.

Applejack moved offensively close to Twilight, much like how she had done with Big Macintosh earlier. “Is that a challenge?” she tested.

“Um… no?”

“Well, I’m gonna prove to you that I can do it!” Lifting a hoof in defiance, she began to walk away. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got apples to buck.”

Twilight watched her friend leave, being unable to help the look of worry that showed on her face.

Rainbow Dash stood upon a fence post, wings flared, an impatient look etched upon her features. She tapped her hoof.  Looking back she saw Applejack rush up to her. “There you are!” she exclaimed, clearly annoyed.

Applejack yawned. “I’m a might sorry, Rainbow. I was busy applebuckin’ and I guess uh, I closed my eyes for a second and when I woke up, I was late. N-now, what’s this new trick of yours?”

“See this contraption?” Rainbow asked, gesturing to the middle of the town square. There was a large wooden tower, about twenty feet high, and below it was a teeter-totter of sorts. One end of the teeter-totter, the side on the ground and furthest away from the raised tower, was bare. The other end, the side in the air and the side closest to the raised platform, had  an ‘X’ decorating its seat.

“Uh…” Applejack started. “Yeah?”

“Well, I’m gonna stand on one end,” Rainbow gestured to the side of the teeter-totter away from the tower, “then you’re gonna jump down from that platform, launching me into the air faster than I can take off on my own.” She paused on slightly before continuing the explanation. “Once I’m in the air, I’m gonna do some amazing flips and spins, that are sure to impress the Wonderbolts!”

Applejack looked unsure. “Isn’t that a might dangerous?”

Rainbow chuckled. “Not for a pony who can fly.” She flew over to her end of the launcher.

“Well, alrighty then,” Applejack said. She was confident that her friend knew what she was doing and so  walked over to her own side with haste.

Standing on the top of the tower, she looked down to her target. Rainbow was standing confidently on one end of the launcher, while the other waited in the air for Applejack to land on. Her vision, however, failed her again, and only showed various smudges of color.

“Ready?” Rainbow shouted so Applejack could hear. “One… two… three!” Applejack took the cue and jumped from the platform. Unfortunately, instead of landing on the launcher, she landed face first on the ground, next to the launcher. “Uh, maybe I wasn’t clear,” Rainbow said, trotting over to her fallen friend. “You’re supposed to land on the other end.”

Lifting her head from the ground, the farmpony let her eyes roll with dizziness. “Got it,” she replied.

Three jumps later, she continued missing the launcher. Rainbow, still at her position on the teeter-totter, looked peeved. “Applejack, what the hay is going on?” she raised a hoof to the air in frustration. “I mean, I thought I was working with Ponyville’s best athlete!”

Applejack shook her head. “You are!” she insisted. “I’m okay, really. I- I have an idea. Watch this.” Reaching up to where she was supposed to land, she pulled her end of the launcher downward, lifting Rainbow into the air, but not off the pad. “Ta da!” Rainbow glared at her. “Oh, maybe not. I’m sure to get it this time!” She let go of the pad to trot back over to the raised platform. Unfortunately, her actions sent Rainbow back to the bottom with a hard thud. Laying on her stomach, and slightly confused, Rainbow wasn’t ready to go yet.

Applejack, now at the top of the tower, looked down confidently. “Hehe, he, here I go!” She jumped off.

“Wait!” Rainbow yelled, flailing her front hooves. The earth pony landed squarely on the pad, launching Rainbow high. She was in earshot just long enough to yell “Applejaaack!”

“You’re welcome!” she shouted back.

Lying on the library’s astronomy balcony, Twilight read a book propped up on other books. She was enjoying herself until a crash from in front of her accompanied a beat-looking Rainbow Dash on her railing. “…can I help you?”

Rainbow groaned. “I… think somepony else needs your help.”

“Applejack?” Twilight guessed, though knowing the answer almost for certain.

“Yup,” Rainbow replied, lowering her head.

Applejack bucked another tree, this time with no baskets to catch the falling apples. She picked up an apple to deposit in her saddle-basket and then raised her head to put it away. However, being completely unaware of her surroundings, she hit the top of her head on a branch sticking out. Painful ringing could be heard in her ears.

“Applejack, can we talk?” Twilight asked from behind her.

The earth pony looked over. “Can bees squawk!?” she shouted. “I don’t think so!”

“No,” Twilight said. “Can we talk?”

“Twenty stalks!? Bean or celery!?”

“No! I need to talk to you!”

“You need to walk to the zoo!? Well, who’s stoppin’ you!?”

“I need to talk to you!!!”

“Oh, well why didn’t you say so!?” Applejack replied, still yelling. “Whatcha wanna talk about!?”

“Rainbow Dash dropped in to see me today!” Twilight answered, knowing that if she didn’t shout she wouldn’t be heard.

“That’s quite neighborly of her!”

“Yes, except she crashed into my balcony after you launched her into the air!” Twilight said pointedly.

“Oh, yeah,” Applejack replied, no longer shouting. “I wasn’t feelin’ quite myself this mornin’.”

“Because you’re working too hard and you need help!”

“What? Kelp? I don’t need kelp! I don’t even like seaweed.”

“Help!” Twilight screamed. “You need help!”

“Nothin’ doing, Twilight. I’m gonna prove to you, to everypony, that I can do this on my own!” She turned to walk away, only to bump into the same branch she had previously hit. “Now if you’ll excuse me,” Applejack said, stumbling away groggily. “I’ve gotta go help Pinkie Pie.”

Twilight sighed.

“Now, Pinkie Pie, are you sure you’re up for baking the muffins and running the store this afternoon?” Mrs. Cake asked. She, Mr. Cake, Applejack, and Pinkie were all standing in the main lobby of Sugarcube Corner. The Cakes were packing boxes of sweets, preparing for their departure.

“Yes siree bob, Mrs. Cake,” Pinkie answered with a huge smile. “Plus, I have Ponyville’s prized pony to help me out. Why, she’s the best baker ever! Right, Applejack?”

Applejack looked over at Pinkie, hearing only muffled words coming from her. Trying to wake herself up, she gave her head several vigorous shakes. Mr. Cake said confusedly, “No? You’re not the best baker ever?”

Applejack sounded surprised. “What? Oh, no! I mean, don’t you fret. I can bake anything from fritters to pies in the blink of an eye.”

Mrs. Cake chuckled nervously. “Oh, right. Well, see you later, girls!” With that, the two shop owners left. Applejack shook her head again, trying to stay awake.

Pinkie put her hooves on Applejack’s cheeks, ceasing her attempts at consciousness. “Stop with the shakin’, it’s time to get bakin’!”

Shortly after, Pinkie stood in the kitchen, reading out of a red and white checkered cookbook propped up on the counter. All around her were various measuring tools, ingredients, and dishes, waiting to be used in whatever recipe that was desired. “All righty,” she began. “I’ll get the sugar and the eggs. Can you get me some chocolate chips?”

Applejack woke up quickly from the snooze she had been taking. “Eh, what wassat?”

“Chocolate chips,” Pinkie repeated, oblivious to the fact that Applejack’s hearing wasn’t at its best currently.

“Chips, got it.” Applejack walked over to the other side of the room to the snack cabinet. “Tater chips… all salty and dry? Okey dokey.” Grabbing the bag, she deposited a good amount of potato chips into the mixing bowl for the cupcakes. “What next?” she asked.

“Baking soda,” Pinkie answered cheerfully, too distracted to see that a mistake had been made.

“Soda?” Applejack asked to herself. “Perfect! That’ll get the tater chips nice and wet.” Opening the refrigerator and taking out a bottle of cola, she proceeded to empty its contents into the bowl. “Now what?” she shouted.

“A cup of flower,” Pinkie said, still not noticing the mistakes being made.

“A cup ‘a sour?” she repeated confusedly, yet unfortunately not loud enough for Pinkie to hear and correct. “Well, lemons are sure sour. One cup of sour, comin’ up.” Picking up a measuring cup next to a bowl of lemons, she added lemon juice to the mix. “Anythin’ else, Pinkie?”

Pinkie said to Applejack happily, “One last thing: wheat germ.”

“Ugh, wheat worms? Oh, that must be fancy talk for earthworms,” she reasoned not-too intelligently. Walking out the kitchen door and into the back yard, she scraped her hoof on the ground, making a small hole. Picking up a mouthful of worms, she made her way inside and added them to the slushy mix.

“Now, that’s gonna be delicious!” Pinkie declared, looking at the image of the cupcake batter in the cookbook.

Applejack eyed the real ‘batter’ with distaste. “If you say so.”

About half an hour later, Pinkie walked into the main lobby, two trays of muffins with her. “Free muffin sample spectacular!” Pinkie presented, placing the trays of freshly baked muffins on the counter of Sugarcube Corner’s main lobby. They looked delicious, with brown bodies, yellow tops, and what can only be described as brown and pink “spots” decorating the top.

At least two dozen ponies stood around the counter, looking at the muffins eagerly. Many licked their lips at the appetizing sight. Others simply stared, openmouthed. Everypony was smiling.

Walking up next to Pinkie from the kitchen, Applejack announced loudly, “Yeah! Muffin spectacles! Get ‘em while they’re hot.”

Nurse Redheart pulled back the curtain on the outdoor nursing area, not having enough room in the hospital itself to store her patients. “We came as soon as we heard,” Twilight said, Spike next to her.

“Oh, thank you, Twilight,” Nurse Redheart said, allowing both the unicorn and dragon to take in what they saw. “We need all the help we can get.”

Inside the area, many ponies lay painfully on beds, all looking about to get sick. It was evident there were not enough beds for all the sick who had come in as some ponies even laid on the floor. In the end though, the results were the same. Everypony was moaning in pain, some using the assistance of buckets to relieve themselves, while others were simply being treated to medically.

“Oh, no,” Twilight said, looking on in pity.  “What happened?”

“It was a mishap with some of the baked goods.” Redheart explained while Spike picked up a partially eaten muffin, one which had a worm poking out of it.

“No, not baked-goods…” Pinkie Pie corrected weakly, “baked-bads.” With the thought of what she had eaten she tried to hold back a hurl.

After Twilight’s initial surprise worse off, she got angry. “Applejack,” she muttered under her breath.

“Oh, man,” Spike said happily, chewing on the cupcake he had found on the ground just seconds ago, while holding onto a few others. He lifted one in the air for Twilight. “Want one?”

Applejack stood in the apple orchard once again, trying her best to get the immense amount of work needed done completed. Next to her was a lone, but large, apple tree. Underneath it, a few feet away from her, rested a wagon filled to the brim with apples. She gave a halfhearted kick to the tree behind her and promptly fell asleep. It was the falling apples, one of which hit her on the head, that woke her up. , “What? Huh?” she asked quickly. With no answer to accompany her, she went back to work.

Walking backwards with a wagon attached to her belly, Applejack attempted to dump the load of apples it carried into a large crate strategically positioned between a nook of two humps in the orchard. Trying to tip the wagon over, she merely rolled down the hump, sending her and the wagon back ninety degrees. Hanging there upside down, her hat now on the ground, she fell asleep once more.

Twilight approached the sleeping farmpony, an edge to her voice. “Applejack, we need to talk.”

Applejack woke up to the sound of Twilight’s voice. “Whuh? Huh? Oh, it’s you, Twilight.” She yawned, too tired to right herself. “I know what you’re gonna say, but the answer is still no.”

“Not to upset your apple cart,” Twilight said, gesturing toward the wagon. “But you need help.”

“Hardy har,” she said, still sleepy. Shaking her hooves, she tried to tip the wagon, and herself, back down. It failed. “And no I don’t.” With a grunt she tried again to help herself back up, but failed.

“Here,” Twilight said politely. “Let me help.”

“Help?” Applejack exclaimed before Twilight could say another word, or make another move. “Nooo thanks!” She struggled mightily for a few seconds, and eventually righted the cart back into its proper position. “There.” Applejack proclaimed, walking over to another tree. “I’ll prove that this Apple can handle…” she lifted a single rear leg, ready to strike the nearby tree, “…these apples.” She kicked the nearby tree with her tired hoof. Nothing happened. “Come on…” She kicked twice again. Nothing happened. “…apples.” She kicked again, this time with both back legs. Still, nothing happened. “Fall off!” She continued to kick with all her might, or, whatever might she had left in her.

Twilight grimaced. “AJ, I think you’re beating a dead… tree.”

Applejack looked upwards and saw that she what she had been kicking the entire time was indeed…a dead tree.

“I knew that,” she lied, trying to sound sure of herself. She walked down the orchard path, un-bucked apple trees mocking her way with every step.

Twilight followed. “Actually Applejack, I had something else to talk to you about. I just came back from Ponyville urgent care and-”

“You know, I’m a little busy to get lectured right now, Twilight,” Applejack said heatedly, continuing to walk down the orchard path..

“But if you’d just let me help-”

“Ugh! No. No! No!” Applejack stopped suddenly to turn her head back at Twilight. “How many times do I gotta say it?” She began to walk away once more. “I don’t need no help from nopony!”

Twilight said with frustration. “Ugh! That pony is as stubborn as a mule!”

Baby bunnies could be seen frolicking happily as Fluttershy, Applejack, and Winona walked on a dirt path, side by side, and into the bunny roundup grounds. Fluttershy, as peaceful as ever, looked ahead as she talked to Applejack. “Oh, Applejack,” She began. “Thank you so much for offering your herding skills for the Annual Rabbit Roundup.”

Applejack groaned in irritation, her exhaustion clearly taking over her mood, and patience, at this point. “Why, are we doin’ this?”

Fluttershy turned her head to look at her friend as they continued down the road. “Well, lots of new baby bunnies have been born, so it’s my job to get a count of all the new families.” She smiled, pleased.

“Fine,” Applejack growled. “Can we just get on with it?”

Fluttershy took no notice of the farmpony’s shortness. “Certainly, but remember, these are bunnies we’re dealing with, not cows. They’re a timid bunch and need to be treated gently.”

Applejack sounded annoyed, raising her head in cheek. “I do not need any direction on corrallin’ critters. Right, Winona?”

Winona barked happily in agreement.

Poking their heads up as the group came closer; many different rabbits looked to their new arrivals. They came first to greet  Fluttershy sincerely, practically able to feel her kindness. “Okay, little bunnies,” she said tenderly. “I need you all to gather right here in the middle.” She gave them all a warm smile.

Suddenly, Applejack stomped an intimidating hoof down. “That’s right,” she exclaimed irritably. “Let’s go, bunnies. In the center! Hop to it!” With this, every single bunny darted off down the path, scared for their lives. Fluttershy looked on with surprise. “Swell,” Applejack steamed angrily. “Just swell!” Without another thoughts hesitation, the farmpony took off after the bunnies, Winona right next to her.

Feeling threatened, the bunnies scattered in all directions, hopping for their lives. “Put ‘em up, Winona!” Applejack yelled as she continued to run after them. With her cue, Winona chased the bunnies herself, trying, but failing, to gather them into a circle herself.

Fluttershy couldn’t help but look stunned at what was transpiring. “Applejack, Winona! Stop!” she looked to the bunnies as they continued to flee. “You’re scaring them!”

“We know what we’re doin’!” Applejack snapped, running faster up a hill. “Get along, little bunnies!”

Using the assistance of Winona, the farmpony was finally able to corral the  large group of bunnies into a tight circle, herding them together against the grounds fence. Winona growled as both she and her owner   moved towards the petrified bunnies in a menacing manner.

“Oh no…” Fluttershy mummered, knowing what would happen next.

Unable to back up any further, the bunnies suddenly bounded past the two in a blind panic. They ran out  of the grounds together, and in the direction of Ponyville.

The ground of Ponyville trembled and, for the second time that day, Rainbow Dash flew high up into the air, squinting into the distance for the source of the commotion. Seeing the problem, she yelled at the top of her lungs, “stampede!”

Just as before, ponies everywhere scattered. Some pulled their mats in while others ran blindly for shelter.  Soon, it could be seen that hundreds of bunnies were charging through the main streets, leaving trails of destruction in their path.

A few ponies watched as the rabbits toppled and ruined everything they passed over. Some ponies were fortunate enough to get inside before the creatures hit.

Others weren’t so lucky.