Sweet Apple Acres
It was a bright, hot and cloudless summer day and all around the farm the Apple family was doing what it did best. Working as a unit and getting various chores done left and right. Big Mac was pushing a wheel barrel full of Apple's while his father Bright Mac took the time to pick apple after apple from the individual trees in the field for his son to cart over to his mother who would take the different shipments of fruit to be sorted by Granny Smith. Currently the only Apple not working was the youngest and she was not happy about it.
"But maaaaaaa! Ah wanna help with the harvest!" Little Applejack whined as she stood outside the house near the big red truck that her mother and father usually drove back and forth to the markets in town. She pouted and had her arms crossed not the least bit happy her mother wasn't letting her help with the harvest.
Buttercup was wheeling a barrel of apples over to a different location."Now none of that sugarcube, ah know ya wanna help us in the fields but yer much too young right now sweetie. You'll plum tucker yourself out and be all sore and out of sorts by the time the sun began to set. Your brother can tell ya personally it ain't fun. Right Big Mac?" Buttercup asked her son with a cheeky smile.
Big Mac whom was pushing a barrel of apples blushed and gave a sheepish chuckle and he nodded and said. "Eeeyup"
Buttercup giggled and rolled her eyes as he was beginning to take after his father after using that quick and easy phrase. Turning to see her still pouting daughter she put on a bit of a pout of her own. "Aw c'mon now AJ sugar; why the pouty lips huh? Most kids love havin' a whole three days off school to play and relax and its almost the summer time"
Applejack huffed and kicked a nearby rock. "Well I don't feel like goofin' off like some ninny; I wanna help ya'll run the farm and be like you and Pa!" Applejack proclaimed.
"Even me and daddy know when to take a break and a day off sugarcube. Now you help out a lot already as it is but this here harvest comin' up is work for the big apples of the family and that's that." Buttercup stated with a stern tone added to her normally otherwise cheery southern drawl.
Applejack knew her mother using that tone meant that there was no point in arguing further. With a sigh she slumped and shoulders and puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. "Fine; can I go in and help Granny round the-"
"Ohhhh no you don't! You are takin' a day off ta go and have some gosh darn fun and that's final cowgirl!" Buttercup was wise to Applejack and her little schemes to try and get around her motherly orders but not this time. She wouldn't have a repeat of the hospital incident. Applejack had a tendency to get into trouble when she was just left to her own devices or around someone who wouldn't keep an eye on her; if only the girl had a friend.
Mulling it over for a moment she remembered something; the little girl that Applejack had met in the park not long ago. What was her name? Rari? Rara? Rarity! Yes the little snow skinned girl whom Applejack had said she'd helped retrieve her kitten from a tree. The one she was certain Applejack would probably jump at the chance to spend time with.
"Say sugarcube; hows about we go and see that one lil gal you met at the park?" Buttercup asked her pouting child whom seemed to perk up at the mention of the white skinned girl.
"Ya mean Rarity? But ah dunno where she lives." Applejack answered dejected.
Buttercup smiled. "Oh but ah do."
Applejack's expression turned from pouting to surprised. "Say whuh?"
Buttercup giggled and relished how quick the mention of information on this girl got her excited. "Her mama came by Sunday ta pick up a couple fresh apples for a pie she's makin' and she had lil Rarity with her but she was in the car. Guess she ain't wanna 'get her new shoes dirty' as it were"
"Sounds about right." Applejack muttered with a small blush on her orange cheeks still.
Buttercup chuckled recounting the memory of how she acquired the girls address. "So her mama and I got ta talkin' and I shared a little of my pear-apple pie with her and she loved it and wanted me to come over to do a lil bakin' some time and wellll-" Buttercup held up a little sheet of paper with Rarity's moms number and address on it. "-She also said she'd love to have ya come over ta play with Rarity some time to if'n ya wanted to that is"
Hearing all of this Applejack felt a warmth come to her cheeks as she thought of the idea of seeing Rarity again and getting to know the girl a little better. Applejack didn't really have any friends outside of Big Mac but didn't he really even count as a 'friend' because he was her brother so it was different; Applejack had no female friends and if Rarity was to be her first? She couldn't have picked a better one.
"O-Ok sure; ah'll go and hang out with Rarity. Ah guess a day off ain't that bad" Applejack said muttering the last part.
Buttercup rustled Applejack's golden hair and began to walk into the house to go use the phone. "Well alrighty then! I'll give her ma a call and see if you can go over n play; then I'll whip ya up some snacks ta take with ya alright sugarcube?"
"Okay mama" Applejack replied following her mother.
"Good. Now look once ya done had yer fun and lived a little bit you can come back and help me and Granny round the house alright?" Buttercup knew she would have to promise to compensate her daughter for all this effort later on but it would all be worth it she was sure.
"Alright." Applejack replied simply.
"Great! Ya'll go and get a bag ready and just wait for me at the truck alright sugarcube?" Buttercup said with a smile as she went to the kitchen to go use the phone on the wall.
"Okay mama" Applejack said going upstairs to her room to pack a bag.
Buttercup made her way into the kitchen and picked up the phone dialing the number to Rarity's mother and was delighted when she heard the other line pick up. The woman spoke in a refined and posh tone as a sophisticated woman often spoke though she did not speak with the air of superiority others did.
"Hello?" Cookie asked happily.
"Afternoon to ya Cookie; this is Buttercup from over at Sweet Apple acres." Buttercup said kindly.
"Oh my well hello darling! Fancy you should call I was just about to call you myself!" Cookie exclaimed happily very clearly happy with the coincidence.
"Oh? To what do I owe the pleasure sugar?" Buttercup teased sounded flattered.
Cookie gave a posh and light giggle as she replied "Well it was such a nice day and as you know our daughters are off school for a three day weekend; little Rarity, while I am astonished and proud of her interest in fashion and high society at an early age? Doesn't have many friends who are....lets say down to earth enough to want to play and relax...Honestly how so many parents have brats for children is just beyond me" Cookie sounded like she was rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
"I couldn't agree more with ya there sugar; why just the other day at the market I saw some kid about Applejack's age throwing the mother of all tantrums out in public simply cause his mama wouldn't give him a quarter for a gumball machine and so instead of just puttin' her foot down? Girl dumps out her whole coin purse and lets the kid get what he wants." Buttercup sighed in annoyance. She had half a mind to go over to that woman and chew her out for being so soft but she didn't want to make a scene.
"Oh darling tell me about it! Why just last week while I was getting my hair done at the salon? Goodness there was some woman who flipped out on the stylist and made her cry because ONE of her hairs was not as conditioned as the other and had forced an entirely new stylist to show up to the salon just to fix her hairdo!" Cookie said aghast at how cruel selfish and incredibly spoiled this woman was. "And it doesn't help that her name is Spoiled"
Buttercup scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable, folks 'round here really oughta be ashamed of themselves actin' like that well into their adulthood. It don't set a good example for the kids; anyway that ain't why we called sugar. I do believe OUR lil girls could use some fun and relaxation time for bein' such good lil girls don't cha think?"
"Oh I do agree 100% darling absolutely! So what did you have in mind?" Cookie asked curiously.
"Well here at my place its a might busy what with the in coming summer harvest and the Cider season is about to kick up again what with the weather getting nicer." Buttercup stated with a chuckle knowing the work was gonna be hard because people in this town and all over the country LOVED sweet apple cider both the pear and apple variants.
"Oh indeed! I must remember to pick up a couple of cases for Hondo. Heheh that man sure loves to as he says 'crack open a cold one with the guys' as it were; pft men" Cookie said with a playful scoff at her husbands love for alcoholic cider and sport talk with his manly friends he would converse with at work.
"Hehehe ah know the feelin' sugarcube but ya can't blame him. We do have the best Cider this side of the country after all if ya don't mind my boast. How is things between you and the hubby eh? Everythin' alright since the last time?" Buttercup sounded a touch worried as the last time they really discussed her husband was a bit testy because the two had been going through a small martial spat.
"Oh dear yes things are wonderful! We were just having well a um...dry spell; as it were" Cookie sounded flustered and like she was blushing.
"Oh?" Buttercup mulled that over for a moment but then got it right away and blushed as well. "Oooooooh! Oh my so uh...did ya'll um...'hash it out'?" She said trying not to sound crass and use more dirty southern lingo to describe the two making up.
"Oh yes we did! We have just been trying to spend more time together lately as he's been away for work a lot these past few months and while I too and occupied by my work managing? A lady misses the touch of her husband after so long"
"Heheh oh sugar don't I know it. It's been pretty rough round here what with Bright havin' just gotten surgery and all but he's doin' fine and is strong as ever. I just wish the man would slow down some times. Doc said if he keeps on pushin' his body like he does some harvest his big ole heart will give out before he's 50" Buttercup said sounding very scared at that prospect knowing it was entirely possible considering her husband while strong as a stallion was a stubborn as a mule and she knew for a fact Applejack got her stubborn nature from his side of the family.
"Oh goodness I do hope he takes it easy as well but have faith darling I am sure he'll be okay." Cookie said with a soft reassuring tone.
"Yeah you're right; anyway enough about our drama. Hows about I just bring AJ on over to your place? I imagine ya got a spot where the girls can play?"
"Oh why of course darling Rarity has a big enough room for at least 6 or 7 friends to come and play so it's not even a problem. Why in fact not too long ago she made friends with the mostly delightfully adorable and shy little girl I have ever had the delight of meeting! It was her mother Rarity took little Opalescence to the day she met little Applejack in fact."
"Oh well ain't that nice. Well I say it would be plum nice for AJ to come over and play with lil Rarity for a lil bit." Buttercup affirmed happily.
"Oh splendid! I'll go tell Rarity she is going to have company! Poor dear will have a fit if a friend comes over and she is anything but perfect looking." Cookie tittered happily over her daughters obsession with her looks at such a young age.
"Right; I'll get and get Applejack and we'll be over faster than a jackrabbit on a sugar rush"
"Hehehe oh you and your country slang. Ta-ta Buttercup!" Cookie would hang up the phone.
With a smile Buttercup hung up the phone and when she turned around she saw Applejack coming downstairs. She was dressed in her blue overhauls and a red stripped t-shirt under it along with her favorite brown cowgirl boots with the stetson her daddy gave her about a year ago that she never went anywhere without.
"Ready to saddle on up cowgirl?" Buttercup asked as she grabbed the keys to the truck.
"Let's ride!" Applejack said holding out her arms to her mother who was coming closer to her and then embraced her in a hug as the curly haired woman lifted her up off the floor and put her on her shoulders.
"Yeeeeehaw! Let's ride AJ" Buttercup said as she left out of the house with Applejack on her shoulders and they ran to the truck. Once at the truck she would place Applejack down and the little cowgirl would hop into the passenger seat of the truck. Buttercup would get in the drivers seat and the two would head off to the home of Rarity post haste riding off into the distance into the bustling city of Canterlot.
