End Of Days
By: TCSNxs
Bucking the trees near the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was putting in her usual effort. The early autumn sun was just past its high point. The temperature was comfortable enough to think Celestia herself had taken a vested interest in the weather that day. The harvest was almost done with just a few scattered trees remaining.
Mac was teaching Applebloom and her friends the technique of Applebucking on the far end of the farm. The elder members of the Apple family quickly agreed to teach the Cutie Mark Crusaders in an area of the farm that was due to be replanted anyway. Given the young fillies perchance for destruction, the Apples decided to use it to their advantage.
The fruit fell with ease after a practiced snap of her rear legs. Applejack worked the contents of baskets into her cart and was preparing to haul away the harvest when a yellow form came trotting towards her. Applejack smiled at she recognized the pony approaching.
“Hey Fluttershy,” Appjejack greeted the yellow pegasus as she came near, “What brings ya around, sugarcube?”
“Oh...hey Applejack,” the naturally shy pegasus spoke, “I just wanted to check on Moorice’s UTI.”
“Beg pardon?”
“Udder Track Infection. It seems the poor dear ate something she shouldn’t have during her last trip to Ponyville.”
“Last Ah saw, she was with the others in the barn. When your done, care for some lunch? Granny’s bakin’ a few pies and we’re testin’ a new cider recipe.”
“If it’s okay with you...” the pegasus squeaked but didn’t hide behind her mane. Applejack noticed she seemed to be breaking herself of the habit, but didn’t give it much thought beyond a smile.
“Wouldn’ have asked ya otherwise,” the farm pony spoke with a smile before motioning to the cart, “Ah got to put these in the cellar anyway, so Ah’ll walk with ya.”
The two gave a casual saunter as they worked their way towards the barn. Applejack had been working with Flutteryshy for awhile to overcome some of her shyness in ways that didn’t involve catchphrase spouting minotaurs and evil chaotic entities.
“Ya know Rarity’s tryin’ to put on a fashion show for her fall line in Canterlot in about a month,” Applejack, being as subtle as she could, dropped hints, “She needs a few models for her outfits. Care to give it ago?”
Fluttershy looked to Applejack and chewed on her bottom lip but refrained from hiding behind her mane. Applejack smirked a bit, “Ya don’t hafta. Just thought ya might be interested is all.”
Fluttershy’s face visibly relaxed, “Thanks Applejack. I don’t think...I’d like to do that again.”
Applejack loved to pull the pegasus’ chain once in awhile. She chuckled as they approached the barn. Fluttershy moved through the open doorway while the farm pony headed for her prized apple cellar. The day was shaping up nicely. A good friend, good food, good harvest, and good weather. Yup. Nothing could spoil it.
Applejack worked open the door with her teeth and let it crash to the ground. Just then, a deep yell of “Consarn it!” followed by a ricocheting boom coming from the far end of the farm.
“Well, we probably saved a few weeks effort uprootin’ trees,” Applejack apologized to nopony in particular. She gave a sympathetic wince as a small black mushroom cloud billowed upwards in the distance.
~(o)~
The Apple family, in addition to the Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy, were sitting around the dining table. Mac’s already short blonde mane was missing some length as a wisps of smoke were still coming from his newly docked tail. His looked seemed a bit blanker than usual, as if his mind were projecting itself on a beach somewhere else. Fluttershy swore she smelled burnt dog fur, but she held her tongue as Winona was still hiding under Applejack’s bed. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were none the worse for wear, though each looked as if they were trying to psychically reduce their time grounded. Granny Smith was somehow sleeping in the a rocking chair at the head of the table. Fluttershy chalked it up to her medications from Dr. Feelgood.
“Applebloom Apple, ya know we only use blastin’ powder to uproot tree stumps,” Applejack nearly growled at her sister, “What in name of all things Red Gala did ya think you were doing?”
Applebloom tried her best puppy eyes, but upon hearing her full name, she decided to drop the routine. She pondered through the limited responses all fillies have at the age and decided that “Ah don’t know” wouldn’t explain the three barrels of black power pilfered from the family’s storage shed. The only thing left was the truth.
“Well sis, we thought we’d try our hoof and bucking the trees,” she would not look her sister in the eye as she spoke.
Sweetie spoke next, “But it was sooo hard. We thought to try and make it easier.”
Scootaloo flitted her wings, “Yeah! So when Applebloom said you guys had blasting powder in storage, Sweetie Belle thought up the idea and I hauled it with my scooter.”
“If we could get all the trees at the same, it would be easier and more...hey, what’s that word?” Applebloom looked to Sweetie.
“Efficient?”
“Yeah. Efficient,” Appleblom flashed a triumphant grin to her sister. She turned it to Mac, but he was still checked out.
“We thought to try on one tree with just a little bit. But we didn’t think it so many with it,” Sweetie offered.
“It was an accident,” Scootaloo piped in.
“We forgot to cap the barrel and it might be some of the powder trailed back to the other barrels,” Applebloom finished the story while digging a hoof into the floor.
“We’re sorry!” all three sang in unison.
“Girls, you know what you were doing is dangerous,” Fluttershy offered a sympathetic expression, “You could have really hurt somepony.”
“Eeyup.” Mac offered, though his expression remained blank as he stared straight forward.
“We know. It’s just frustratin’ when we’ve done everything to get our Cutie Marks. Ah'd even make a deal with Discord to get it,” Applebloom spoke as she was sidling towards the door. Mac slowly put a hoof on her tail No way she was escaping this. Mac finally broke his trance and look to his youngest sister before his face turned a paler shade a red.
“Wait. What in the...” Applejack looked to her sister’s flank.
“Oh my,” Fluttershy finally hid behind her mane.
“Nope,” Mac finally blinked as he eased off Applebloom’s tail. He rose slowly and moved towards the bathroom, muttering the word like a mantra.
“Hey girls, look!” Applebloom was on the verge of an emotional explosion. A red stick of blasting powder with the fuse lit had appeared on her flank.
“Applebloom! You got your Cutie Mark!” Sweetie and Scootaloo cried in unison. The trio embraced like they’d won a victory for blank flanks everywhere.
“Ya know, there’s a reason why we can’t get any insurance on the farm,” muttered a forlorn Applejack.
Fluttershy put a sympathetic hoof to her friend’s shoulder, “I’m sorry Applejack.”
Applejack looked to her friend, “Ah guess this means you won’t be watching them tomorrow night?”
“No,” Fluttershy deadpanned.
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DEMOLITIONS! YAY!”
“NNNNNOOOOOPPPPPPEEEEEEE!!!!” came the cry from the bathroom, followed by deep bassy sobs.
“Celestia save us all,” muttered Granny Smith as she looked up from her slumber, seeing the three fillies doing a circle dance.
