The Element of Empathy

~Eleanor's POV~

It was a very calm sunny day in Ponyville. Everypony was out and about doing their own thing and socializing. Twilight and I thought it was a good idea to get some fresh air. Since the ticket incident, about a week ago, Twilight really needs it to clear her head.

Suddenly, the ground started shaking under my feet. Everpony else felt it too, and there was a faint rumbling sound. It was getting louder. No, it was coming closer.

Rainbow Dash took off into the air and looked over the other side of town. After a few seconds, she shouted in a very loud voice, "STAMPEDE!"

Everypony looked over and saw what Rainbow Dash was shouting about. A large herd of non-morphic cows was stampeding toward Ponyville! Everypony panicked and started running all over the town. Some were smart enough to get indoors and shut the doors and windows. But only some.

The only Ponies that weren't running around in a crazy panic were Pinkie Pie and Mayor Mare. Mayor Mare was trying to get everypony's attention, while Pinkie was just... Well... Going with the vibrations of the ground.

"Hey...! This makes my voice sound silly!" Pinkie shouted, with a laugh and her voice reverberating.

Twilight looked at her and shouted, "Pinkie Pie, are you crazy?! Run!"

"Everypony calm down. There is no need to panic." Mayor Mare tried to assure everypony.

Rarity walked over to her, "But Mayor, whatever shall we do?"

"Look there!" Rainbow Dash alerted, getting everyone's attention.

We all looked at the cow herd and saw a familiar orange mare and brown dog running alongside them.

"YEEHAW!" The mare shouted in cheer.

The mare was Applejack. Everypony's panic turned to relief and they cheered for her. We all watched in suspense as Applejack and her dog, Winona, herd the cows into a more orderly formation.

"This is the best rodeo show I've ever seen." Pinkie Pie smiled, munching on a bag of popcorn. Wait, what?

Applejack whistled and Winona ran to the front of the herd. AJ jumped on the back of one of the cows and used a lasso to grab the leading cow. She ran alongside her and used her strength to veer the herd away from the bridge.

The herd calmed down and everypony that watched cheered. The other Ponies got out from their hiding places and gathered at the bridge.

Applejack smiled and twirled her hat, "Yee haw!" Then she made her way back to Sweet Apple Acres.

Once AJ was gone, Pinkie Pie cheered, "Yee haw! Ride 'em, cowpony!"

"Applejack was just... Just..." Mayor Mare tried to compliment, but couldn't find the words.

Pinkie Pie popped out from above us, hanging upside-down, and finished, "Appletastic!" Then she fell with a thud.

Mayor Mare smiled and nodded, "Exactly. We must do something to thank Applejack for single-handedly saving the town."

Pinkie Pie recovered from her fall and smiled, "I know. A party!"

Everypony agreed and we started with the preparations.

*A Week Later...*

The preparations for Applejack's 'Thank You' party were almost finished. With the help of everypony in Ponyville, we were able to finish in over half the time it would have took if Pinkie did it all by herself.

Rarity was just finished tying a red ribbon around a tree, near the Town Hall, as Twilight walked up to her and asked, "We all ready?"

Rarity nodded, "Just one last thing." Then she used her Unicorn magic to put up the apple banner over the top balcony of the Hall, "Now we're ready."

Twilight smiled and asked, "Is Applejack all set?"

"Actually, I haven't seen her all week." Rainbow Dash answered, as she returned from her watch.

"Not since the stampede." Pinkie added, as she arrived.

My stomach turned in worry, as I stayed quiet and played with my thumbs.

Rainbow Dash just smiled and assured, "But she'll be here for sure. Applejack is never late."

*A Little Bit Later...*

With all the preparations finished and the invitations sent, the party can start. Everypony gathered around the Town Hall. Twilight arrived at the podium with a stack of speech cards. She cuts the cards in half and straightened them out.

She grabbed the first card and spoke up, "Welcome everypony! Today we are here to honor a pony we can always count on to help in matters great and small. A pony whose contributions to-"

Rainbow Dash dashed in, interrupting Twilight's speech, "Did you see Applejack's slick moves out there? What an athlete. This week she's gonna help me with my new flying trick, and I know it's gonna be so awesome."

Twilight pushed Rainbow off the podium and picked up her cards again, "Exactly. And..."

This time, Pinkie Pie interrupted by popping in front of her, "This week, I get to run SugarCube Corner for the first time."

"What does that have to do with Applejack?" Twilight asked, stepping aside and folding her arms.

Pinkie stared blankly at Twilight, then answered, "Oh. Applejack, one of the best bakers ever, is gonna help me. Applejack makes everything great, so free samples for everypony!"

Everypony cheered and clapped their hands at the announcement. Twilight pushed Pinkie off the podium, "Oh-kay, that's great." Then picks up her cards again, "Now if I could just make a point without being inter-"

This time again, Fluttershy snuck her way to the podium, "Twilight?"

"-Rupted." Twilight sighed and stepped aside for Fluttershy.

Fluttershy took the podium and apologized, "Twilight, I'm so sorry, but I just wanted to mention that Applejack is also helping me this week with the official bunny census, where we count up all the new baby bunnies that were born this season." Twilight rolled her eyes in impatience, "She's gonna help gather them using her wonderful herding skills."

Twilight glared at Fluttershy. Fluttershy timidly left the podium and rejoined the crowd.

Twilight turned to the crowd and asked, "Anyone else? Anyone? No?" Nopony replied. Twilight smiled, "Well then, as I was trying to say..."

Then she looked to her left and saw Mayor Mare smiling at her and batting her eyes.

Annoyed and lost patience, Twilight growled, threw her cards into the air and left the podium, "Urgh! Never mind."

Mayor Mare took the podium and cleared her throat, "And so, with no further ado, it is my privilege to give the prize, Pony of Ponyville Award..." She gestured to a large trophy, "To our beloved guest of honor, a pony of the utmost trustworthiness, reliability, and integrity. Ponyville's most capable and dependable friend: Applejack!"

Everypony cheered, as the curtains opened. Unfortunately everyone stopped to see that Applejack wasn't present.
Spike however was still cheering, "Cool! Way to go Applejack, that was awesome! I mean--" He realized nopony else was cheering and stopped with an embarrassed blush.

Mayor Mare cleared her throat in uncertainty.

Everything was quiet and still. "Awkward." Spike spoke up, voicing my thoughts exactly.

Then a familiar southern accent called from the back, "I'm here. I'm here." We all looked and saw Applejack arriving through the crowd. She yawned and dropped apples along the way, "Sorry I'm late--whoa-- I was just... Whoa... Did I get yer tail?"

Applejack walked in front of us. She looked exhausted. Bags under her eyes. Her walking pace was wobbled and she was carrying two buckets of apples over her shoulders.

To be blatant, Applejack looked like she was gonna collapse at any time.

She made it to the stage and to the podium with Mayor Mare, "Miss Mayor." Applejack pushed her aside, "Thank you kindly for this here... Award thingy." She yawned and looked at the trophy, "It's so bright and shiny and..." She looked at her reflection in the award and laughed, "Heh, heh, heh. I sure do look funny, heh."

She started making faces in her reflection of her award, "Ooo-ooo."

Pinkie Pie joined her in making faces, "Woo-ooo." "Ooo-ooo."

Twilight walked to the stage and spoke up, "Okay. Well, thank you Applejack for saving us from that scary stampede, and always being there for everypony."

Applejack yawned and smiled, "Yeah. I like helpin' the ponyfolks and..." She yawned again, "And stuff." She closed her eyes and started snoring for a few seconds. Then she woke up and shook her head violently, "Oh, uh, yeah. Uh... Thanks."

She took the trophy and dragged it with her back to Sweet Apple Acres. Okay, now I'm sincerely worried.

Once Applejack was gone, Twilight raised a brow, "Was it just me, or did Applejack seem a little--"

"Tired?" Rainbow Dash guessed.

"Dizzy?" Fluttershy whispered.

"Messy?" Rarity guessed, earning glances from the rest of us, "Well, did you see her mane?"

"'Overworked' is a word that comes to mind." I spoke up, folding my arms and tilting my head.

"She seemed fine to me." Pinkie Pie smiled, then repeated, "Woo! Woo!"

A welling feeling of deep concern made my stomach turn. Applejack's overworking herself to the bone and she's badly sleep deprived. Following my gut, I walked to the apple orchard.

Once I was there, I found Applejack bucking a tree full of apples. The apples fell in the baskets and Applejack took a moment to catch her breath. However she violently shook her head to wake herself up. She kicked the air and lost her balance for a second.

"What in Luna's moon is she trying to do?" I asked myself.

Applejack repositioned herself and kicked again, but she ended up kicking one of the baskets over. She sulked, "Whoops."
She walked over to pick up the apples.

"Hey Applejack!" I called.

Instead of answering me, Applejack laid on the ground and fell asleep.

"Applejack?" I repeated with a raised brow.

Applejack didn't answer and started snoring.

I'm gonna hate myself for doing this. I walked over to the sleeping Earth Pony and shouted as loud as I could, "APPLEJACK!!"

Applejack shot awake. She stood up and shook her head violently again. Applejack looked at me and smiled, "Oh, howdy Ellie."

"What is all this?" I asked, looking around the orchard.

"It's Applebuck season." Applejack answered, walking over to a nearby tree. She kicked it and lost her balance for a second, "Whoa."

"Applebuck season?" I repeated, walking beside her.

Applejack nodded, "Neh, it's what the Apple family calls harvestin' time. We gather all the apples from the trees so we can sell 'em."

She walked to the next tree. I walked beside her, "But why are you doing it all alone?"

"'Cause Big McIntosh hurt 'imself." Applejack answered casually.

"And Apple Bloom?" I asked.

"She's in school. And she's not strong enough just yet."

"Granny Smith?"

"She can't do this anymore."

"What about your other relatives? Red Gala? Apple Fritter? Golden Delicious? Can't they help?" I asked in deep concern.

Applejack sighed and kept walking, "They were just here for the Apple family reunion. They actually live all over Equestria and are busy harvestin' their own orchards. So, uh, I'm on my own."

I stepped in front of her, stopping Applejack in her tracks, "Which means, I should really get back to work." Applejack looked at me and cleared her throat with a small smile, "Ahem... hint hint? Get back to work?"

I nodded in understanding and stepped aside.

Applejack wobbled for a second then asked me, "Could you step aside, Ellie?"

"I'm right here." I told her, then asked, "You sure you're alright, Applejack? You're not looking too good."

Applejack violently shook her head again and kept walking, "Eh, don't any of you three worry none, I'm just fine and dandy." She tried to kick the next tree, but missed by an inch, "Whoa."

I walked over to her and put my hand over her shoulder, "Do you... Need some help?"

Applejack raised a brow at me, "Help?" Then shook her head and removed my hand, "No way, no how."

"But there's no way you can do it all on your own." I pointed out.

Applejack glared at me, "Is that a challenge?"

My eyes widen, "What?" I quickly shook my head, "No!"

"Well, Ah'm gonna prove to you that Ah can do it!" She shouted, then walked off to the next tree, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got apples to buck."

The worrying feeling in my gut worsened. I sighed and made my way back to Golden Oak Library. Inside, Twilight was reorganizing the shelves. And Spike was helping her going through the alphabetical order. I took my journal from my bedside drawer and went to the balcony.

Princess Celestia gave me a journal on my first day in Equestria, to keep track on how I'm settling in. I haven't written in it often, since Sunset Shimmer left. But now, with Twilight Sparkle and her lessons on friendship, it gave me a reason to write again.

Of course, Twilight also forced me to write my thoughts about the lessons we learned as well. She can be very persuasive when she wants to be.

I started writing in my journal, until I was startled by something crashing on the balcony's fence. I looked and it was Rainbow Dash.

"Can I help you, Rainbow?" I asked her.

"I think somepony else needs your help." She told me.

"Let me guess. Applejack?" I guessed.

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yep."

I closed my journal, put it back in my drawer and made my way back to Sweet Apple Acres. One thing that sticks with Applejack: When she's done her job in Ponyville, she goes straight back home.

When I arrived, Applejack was still bucking the apple trees. Only problem was she had full baskets over her shoulders and she was picking up the apples that fell.

Applejack picked up an apple and hit her head again a branch, "Ow!"

"Applejack, can we talk?" I asked, making my presence known to her.

Applejack stared at me, played with her ear, then leaned closer to me.

"Applejack, can we talk?" I repeated in a slightly slower tone.

"Can bees squawk?!" She shouted, then scratched the back of her head, "I don't think so!"

I shook my head, "No. Can we talk?"

"Twenty stalks?" Applejack shouted, "Bean or celery?"

I shook my head again, "No!" Then I shouted, "I need to talk to you."

She raised a brow at me, "Yah need to walk to the zoo? Well, who's stoppin' you?"

"I need to talk to you!" I shouted louder.

Applejack stared at me for a second, then smiled, "Oh! Well why didn't you say so? What you wanna talk about?"

"Rainbow Dash dropped by the library today!" I told her.

"That's quite neighborly of her!" Applejack smiled.

I shook my head, "Not really! She crashed on to the balcony, after you launched her into the air!"

Applejack looked away, "Oh, yeah." She sulked and returned to normal volume, "I wasn't feeling quite myself this morning."

"That's because you're working too hard and you need help." I told her in my normal tone.

Applejack looked at me and shouted, "What? Kelp?" Then raised a brow, "I don't need kelp. I don't even like seaweed."

"HELP!" I yelled, "I said you need help!"

Applejack glared at me, "Nothin' doin', Ellie. I'm gonna prove to you, t'everypony, that I can do this on my own."

She walked off, only to hit her face against a branch again, "Ow!" Then she looked at me, her eyes like Ditzy's, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go help Pinkie Pie."

With that, she wobbled off to Ponyville. I took a deep breath to calm my frustration.

*Later that day, in the Ponyville Urgent Care...*

Twilight, Spike and I arrived to the Ponyville Urgent Care center. We got a call about half of Ponyville were suffering very bad.

"We came as soon as we heard." Twilight told the head of the care, Nurse Redheart.

"Oh thank you, Twilight." Nurse Redheart sighed in relief, "We need all the help we can get."

Twilight, Spike and I looked at the patients. Green in the face. Keeled over in pain. Hugging their stomachs. Even vomiting in provided buckets.

"Oh no!" Twilight gasped, "What happened?"

Spike picked up a half-eaten muffin on the ground.

"It was a mishap with some of the baked goods." Nurse Redheart answered.

Pinkie Pie shook her head, "No, not baked goods, baked bads."

I took the muffin from Spike's hand and examined it, "Potato chips." I licked the muffin and smacked my lips in thought, "Soda. Lemon juice." Then a worm poked out, "And worms?"

Realization hit me, "Oh, no. Applejack!"

Applejack's sleep deprivation must've made her misheard Pinkie's instructions!

Spike started eating one of the bad muffins he found on the ground. "Want one?" He asked me and Twilight.

Twilight looked away in disgust, but I made my way back to Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight followed behind me.

*Back at Sweet Apple Acres...*

I found Applejack laying on her back on a tipped over wheelbarrow in a large bucket of apples. She fell asleep.

"Applejack, we need to talk." Twilight spoke up.

Applejack shot awake, "Wha, huh?" Then looked at me, "Oh, it's you, Ellie." She yawned, then frowned, "I know what you're gonna say, but the answer is still no."

I shook my head, "Not to upset your applecart, but you need help."

Applejack struggled to pick herself up, "Hardy har. And no I don't."

I walked toward her and took hold of her forearms, "Here, let me help you."

Applejack looked at me, "Help?" Then slapped me away, "No thanks." Then she forced herself back to her hooves, "A little more..." Her hand slipped a bit, "Little..." She stood up, "There."

She grabbed the wheelbarrow and made her way to another tree, "I'll prove that this apple can handle these apples."
Applejack went on all-fours and started kicking the tree. But nothing was happening, "Come on apples fall off!"

Twilight decided to speak this time around, "A.J, I think you're beating a dead... Tree."

Applejack looked and Twilight was right. The tree had no leaves. And it was Summer. So, the tree was dead.

"I knew that." Applejack quickly replied, then walked deeper into the orchard.

Twilight and I followed close behind her.

"Actually Applejack, I had something else to talk to you about." Twilight told the overworked farm girl, "Ellie and I just came back from Ponyville Urgent Care and--"

Applejack cut her off with an annoyed sigh, "You know, I'm a little busy to get lectured right now, Twilight."

"But if you'd just let us help-" I started.

Applejack cut me off with a growl, "Ugh." Then shouted at me loudly, "No, no, NO! How many times do I gotta say it? I don't need no help from nopony!"

Then she left in a huff.

I sighed in light annoyance, "Ugh. That girl's as stubborn as Shimmer."

Twilight looked at me with a raised brow, "Who's Shimmer?"

"Uh..." I scratched the back of my head, "No-one you need to know."

I marched my way back to Ponyville. Twilight followed close behind me, humming a tune. My heel tapped the ground and I felt something uneasy surge through me.

I stopped in my tracks, "Twilight, hold up. You feel that?"

Twilight stopped and looked at me, "Feel what?"

"The ground." I answered, removing one of my sandals. I pressed my bare foot on the ground, "It feels heavier than normal."

Then the red-maned gardener mares gasped, "The horror, the horror."

Twilight and I looked and saw the three gardener mares laying on the ground.

"It was awful." The pink one with a blonde mane grimaced.

"A disaster. A horrible, horrible disaster." The pink and green one shouted.

Twilight looked where the pink and green one was looking and the street was calm and quiet, "I don't get it."

The pink and blonde one got to her hooves and ran to the garden of her store, "Our gardens, destroyed."

The red-maned one ran over to the flowers, "Every last flower, devoured."

"By... By... THEM!" The pink and green one shouted, pointing to the other side of the street.

On the other side was a large group of bunnies, eating the leaves and grass of the street.

Fluttershy was having trouble getting them to listen to her, "Oh my. Oh... Please stop, little bunnies. Oh no! Please, let's go home. Oh my goodness."

My temper reached its peak, "Alright. Enough is enough!"

I marched back to Sweet Apple Acres and was able to find Applejack kicking another tree at the top of a hill.

I don't know how I was able to find her so fast. It was like I knew the orchard like the back of my own hand.

"Must... Keep... Buckin'... Just... A few... More. Must finish harvestin'." Applejack mutter to herself, as she kicked the tree.

"Alright, Applejack. I'm not going to take this anymore." I told her, "Your apple bucking hasn't just been causing you problems! It's over-propelled Pegasi. Poisoned half the town. And scared bushels of innocent kittens. I don't care what you say... You! Need! Help!"

Applejack kicked the tree again. The apples fell into the baskets and she smiled, "Ha! No I don't. Look, I did it." I looked and the orchard was clean from apples, "I harvested the entire Sweet Apple Acres without your help. How d'ya like them apples?"

"Um, how do you like them apples?" Big McIntosh asked, looking to the other side.

Applejack was only able to clear half the orchard.

Applejack was overwhelmed by the shock, Where'd all the apple...?" She mumbled in incoherent gibberish and fainted.

"Applejack?" I called, "Applejack!"

Applejack opened her eyes and looked at me, "Huh?"

I smiled in relief, "Oh, good, you're okay." Then turned serious, "Look Applejack, I respect the Apple family ways." Applejack looked at the other half of the orchard, "You're always there to help any pony in need, so could you let your pride go and let your friends do the same for you? Let them help you in return of helping them?"

She closed her eyes and nodded, "Okay, Ellie."

I smiled and gave the farm girl my hand, "There you go." Then helped her to her hooves, "Now, let's get you some rest."

*The Next Day...*

With Applejack well rested, she and I asked our friends to help with the rest of the orchard. They were more than happy to help.

While the others were working, I wrote into my journal,

Dear Princess Celestia,
Our friend Applejack is the best friend a pony could ever have, and she's always there to help any pony. The only trouble is, when she needs help, she finds it hard to accept it, so while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it's also about accepting what our friends have to offer.
Your student,
Eleanor May the Hedgehog.

Applejack arrived with a cart of seven bottles of apple juice, "How about y'all take a little break? I got some fine apple juice waitin' for ya!"

The others stopped working and gathered around the cart.

"Girls, I can't thank you enough for this help." Applejack admitted, "I was acting... A bit stubborn."

"A bit?" Twilight repeated with a raised brow.

Applejack nodded, "Okay. A mite stubborn, and I'm awful sorry." Then smiled, "Now, I know the town gave me the Prized Pony award, but the real award is having you six as my friends."

The girls and I grabbed a bottle each and started drinking.

Rainbow Dash sighed, "Phew! That applebucking sure made me hungry."

"And I've got the perfect treat." Spike smiled, lifting an arm-full of the 'baked bad' muffins from yesterday.

"Eeew... Spike, I threw those all away." Pinkie exclaimed in disgust, "Where'd you get them?"

"From the trash." Spike answered casually.

Disgusted, the girls and I stopped drinking our juices and walked away.

Spike followed behind us, "Just a little nibble? Come on."

In unison, we were said no.