Lucky Leaves

Clover had decided to trot over to Sweet Apple Acres that day. She felt that her friends deserved a treat. So she'd decided that some apple pie would be nice. Or maybe some apple muffins? And we all know that the Apples make the best-

"Hey!"

I'm tellin' it like it is, Cripps Pink. Now stop interrupting.

"Hmph. Fiiine."

With that annoyance out of the way, where was I? Oh, yes.

Clover had gotten there and saw Applejack kicking one of the trees, causing the apples to fall in well-placed baskets underneath the tree.

She smiled. "Wow, Applejack! You must be pretty strong. And magically so, too."

Applejack grinned proudly, then paused. "Y'ain't wrong, but how do ya figger?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, scientifically speaking, at the strength you were putting into that, considering the force imparted upon the tree's trunk, it might typically be enough to not only crack the tree, but knock it over. Let alone the fact that there probably wouldn't be any apples dropped at all."

Applejack deadpanned. "Have y'all been hangin' out with Twilight recently?"

Clover blushed sheepishly. "Plants are kind of my thing. One of my things. I have a few things."

Applejack smiled. "Well, it ain't hard at all. It jus' takes a bit of effort and some practice. Havin' Earth magic don't hurt neither. Wanna give it a whirl?" She said, moving to the next tree.

Clover stepped up to the tree. It was heavy with fruit. Clover narrowed her eyes. Almost immediately, a targeting reticle appeared in her vision. It stopped at a point on the tree, about halfway up. The sweet spot.

Clover nodded. She turned around, aiming for that spot. She kicked with about half of her strength. About two thirds of the apples fell into the baskets placed below.

Applejack was impressed, which she expressed with a whistle. "Whoo-ee! Purty good fer a first timer." She gave the tree a kick with one leg, dropping the rest.

Pleased with herself, Clover went to the next one. Narrowing her eyes again, she saw the reticle appear again. After a moment, the reticle disappeared, a question mark in its place

This tree had no sweet spot.

"What's wrong with this one?" Clover asked.

"That there's Ol' Grandpa. First tree planted here. Ain't been growing so many apples recently. Not sure why."

"Have you tried asking the Land?"

Applejack gestured to the rest of the orchard. "Too much inner'ference. Just use a bit more-"

Clover had lined up again. She kicked with one leg, hitting the tree with a resounding crack. The tree began to fall.

"Care." Applejack finished, wincing. She trotted over to the tree.

Clover was horrified. "Just my luck! I didn't mean to-"

"It ain't yer fault, sugar-cube. This happens now an' then."

The falling tree hit the one next to it, knocking the fruit from both.

"Well, well. Looks like ya hit the sweet spot after all." Applejack joked. "And lookee here! If that don't beat all."

As it turns out, the tree had been mostly rotted out on the inside. Only the renowned resilience of the Apple family's famous trees kept it growing anything at all. It would have had to be removed in a few months at any rate.

As thanks, Clover was sent home with dinner and dessert for four. She was, though, asked to stay for lunch first.

As it turns out, if you're eating with the Apples, it's okay to say no after a second slice.

Filled to the brim on both sides, Clover made her way home.

"How they managed to put all of that in each box, I doubt I will ever know."