A Dash of Apple Pie
In a peaceful, quiet morning of a cyan Pegasus cloud-home, slowly starting waking up for the day. She isn’t in that big of a hurry since she has the weekend off from her weather job. Rainbow Dash debated with her whether or not to sleep in longer since it’s still quite early on a Saturday.
Wait... why does today feel so important? What could it be that Dashie is forgetting, a holiday, a friend’s birthday or a party, no, no, no? What is she not remembering? Finally, deciding that she should go look at her Wonder-bolt calendar, instead of attempting to use with a bad memory of hers.
“WHAT THE-“. Rainbow screamed while looking at today’s date. Stopping herself from dropping a F-bomb as she freaked out.
Looking at the calendar, she remembered the essential event completely with a near heart attack. Rainbow isn’t one to loss herself-control but tomorrow is going be a significant milestone with her and her colt-friend and she forgets it, this isn’t good.
He’s going to hate her if she doesn’t try to fix this ASAP. She needed to get a special something but what could it be? Dashie absolutely knew what he wants but she would need to talk someone first about it. With that she flies out the window heading in the direction of the expert.
***
“Applejack, Applejack”!!
A panicked voice called out thorough Sweet Apple Acers. Getting the attention of orange mare’s while doing her farm duties. Applejack looked up into the sky knowing the voice, until she found a familiar cyan blur spending towards her.
“What does she want now; can’t she see that ah’m a busy with apple bucking? AJ mumbled to herself.
“AJ, you gotta help me with this”. An out of breath, Rainbow Dash said landing next to the farmer.
“What is it? Ah’m a tad busy” Applejack replied with a hint annoyance. “Ah have to gret th’ apples bucked ah wanna get a head start on apple buck session”. Applejack pointed to the area where she barely made a dent in.
“I know you’re busy but I forget Soarin’s and I one year anniversary until now, its tomorrow and I haven’t gotten him anything yet. Rainbow said dropping her well known cool act.
“Well Rainbow, ya shoulda thought ‘bout it sooner, ah ain’t bailed ya out like when ya forget his birthday four months ago”. Applejack scolded her friend.
“But all I just need to buy your family apple pies and I’ll be outta of your mane”. Rainbow pleaded.
“Oh, why didn’t ya just say so, Ah baked some yesterday and put them in the fridge. AJ said, suddenly having a better mood when the topic of money came up. “Follow ma”. Applejack taking her stress out friend to the main house.
***
In the kitchen Applejack open the fridge door. “Ya can take one for 5 bits”. AJ said standing behind the door.
“Umm, AJ, I know don’t how to tell you this but they are no pies here”. Dash said, feeling freaked out again as she looked in the empty fridge.
“What are ya talking ‘bout”. Applejack replied confuse. “Ah baked ‘bout fifteen the other day”.
“AJ, I’m telling you there aren’t any pies here” Dash said.
“What the horse apples.” Applejack said, finally looking in of vast emptiness of the fridge. “What happen to them? Ah nearly the whole day making them.”
“Well now what am I gonna do?” Rainbow snapped her cool slowing beginning to melt away from the nervous tension as she paced around the room. “I can’t not give Soarin nothing for our anniversary he’s never going to forgive me”.
“Rainbow, calm down, why don’t ya just get him a card or something?” Applejack suggested. “It’s better than nothing”. Trying to smooth over the anxiety as it started to rub off on her.
“A card, are you freaking kidding me, AJ?” Rainbow coldly said, stopped pacing to give Applejack a burning glare. “I rather come to him empty hoof then got him a crappy two bit card’.
“DASH, take a breather”. Applejack yelled fended up with the Pegasus’s terrible attitude. “It ain’t my fault that someone ate the pies and ya don’t need to be so rude”. Applejack finally growing a greatly needed backbone.
Before Rainbow could react a dark cream stallion entered the kitchen.
“Hey AJ, do you have more of those pies?” Caramel asked his mare-friend. Both mares looked each other, did he eat the pies?
“No Caramel, actually they’re all gone and we don’t know why. Do ya ‘now what happen to them?”
“Not at all, I don’t have a clue to what possibility could them...” He said with a suspicious expression.
“You ate the pies, didn’t you?” Rainbow blurted out, reading his guilty face.
Caramel nodded.
“Ya ate all fifteen of them by ya-self?”
“No, Big Mac and Blues had some too.” He admitted, on his knees begging forgiveness. “I’m sorry AJ, we couldn’t help it you make the best pies”.
“Ya know if ya asked ah woulda given ya all one”. Applejack glaring at her colt-friend, holding back from bucking him in the face even he deserved it, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.”Well Caramel, ya three greedy guts are going make thirty pies in two days”. She said, coming up with a suited punishment.
“AJ, that’s harsh, we can’t do that in two days”.
“If ah can do fifteen in a day, then you do thirty in two days. Here’s the recipe”. Applejack handed a piece of paper to Caramel.
“But why so many, isn’t that kind of nuts?”
“No its not and ’cause ah said so, plus ya’ll have two ponies helping ya.”
“AJ, what about me and Soarin, I still need to get him something. Remember?” Dash asked.
“Oh yeah, ah almost forget Dash, here forget her anniversary with her special someone and needs to a last minute gift.” Applejack said. “So make that thirty-one”.
“Couldn’t I just help you with apple-buck season instead, I really don’t like cooking”. Caramel complained.
Applejack glared at him coldly, getting right in his face. “Do it”. Caramel said nothing but nodded nervously. The farmer turned her attention to the Pegasus. “Dash, sorry ‘bout my-idiot-of-a -colt-friend. He’ll make ya one for free of charge right, Caramel”?
The stallion nodded once more. Applejack always scared him when she’s mad especially at him. Don’t ever mess with the Apple family is the lesson here or you just might find your ticket to slave labor.
“Umm AJ, it’s nice of you to get give Caramel to make me a pie. But it’s not his problem I didn’t get Soarin anything”. Rainbow said, feeling slightly bad for the stallion that’s in a huge heap of trouble. “I think should make him it and would be more special if I did it.”
“Ya got a fine point there, Caramel ya got lucky when Dash is with done her pie. Ya can with the thirty, got it?” Applejack said, taking the recipe from Caramel and giving it to Dash.
Caramel gave a sigh of relief then mouthed a “you thank” to Dash. With that the stallion left the room.
“Rainbow, ya know ah won’t be able to help to ya ‘cause ah’m a busy with apple buck session on its way.” Applejack said. “Are ya sure ya’ll be alright?”
“AJ, I’ll be fine, it can’t be that hard I’ll just follow the directions”. Rainbow said. “Now if you excuse I need to get baking, later”. She opened a window and flow out.
***
Flying in her kitchen and beginning to make the necessary preparations when she heard a....
“Knock, knock”
Rainbow grunt she hated being force out of a task especially this early into it. She headed to the door, opening it see to the crazy eyed mail-mare with a letter in hand.
“Hi Rainbow, I have mail for you” Derpy said, giving the letter to her,
“Thanks Derpy, now I’m going back to baking.” Rainbow said.
:”Back to baking?” Derpy questioned. “What are you making muffins?”
“No, it’s a pie for Soarin, our anniversary is tomorrow". Dash said.
“That sounds fun.” Derpy scowled. Wish I could help but I have mail”
“Well I need to get started but I’ll see you around”. Rainbow said.
“Bye and congrats on the anniversary”. The gray mare said.
“Thanks, tell Dinky I say hi”.
“Will do, tootles”
“What is with that mare and muffins”? Rainbow thought as she close the door behind her.
When Derpy finally left, Rainbow went in her house to open the letter from the envelope. She has been reading:
“Dear Dashie
I can’t hardly believe we been together for an amazing year .It seems like yesterday when we first at the Canerlot wedding. As celebration I’m taking out us both to dinner tomorrow to a surprise location. Hint: dress nice but don’t overdo it.
See you then.
From Soarin”
“He’s so good to me” Rainbow thought. “I’m glad I’m doing this for him. He’s the best. I better got started.”
Dash started reading the recipe.
“The Apple’s Family Pie
Ingredients:
Pastry for 2 crusts 8 cups sliced, peeled assorted baking apples - about 3 lbs. (Granny Smith, Cortland, Jonathan)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon milk
Directions:
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice.
Combine sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; add to apples and toss well to coat.
Fill pastry lined 9 inch pie pan with apple mixture. Dot with butter.
Place second crust on top of pie filling, cut slits in top of crust to vent. Seal the edges of the crust with a fork or by hand.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and milk. Brush mixture over top crust.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.”
“I don’t think I most of this stuff, better wing it.” Dash thought.
She went to check the cupboards, only finding wheat flour, whole cinnamon but she had no nutmeg. Rainbow let out an irritated groan; this is going to more work for her. Is there a difference between all-purpose flour and wheat flour, who cares? It’s all flour right, what could possibly go wrong?
Rainbow grabs all the “right” ingredients out with a couple slight replacements. Dash may not have a lot of experience with cooking but she is willing to challenge herself for Soarin. She gets a cutting-board and some Cortland apples (that she “borrow” from Applejack) well as a huge butcher-knife. That could easily slice your hoof in half if you’re not careful enough.
Dash begins slices the apples until they were bite size pieces. She put them in the measuring cup. Only just realizing that she ran of apples, she needed four more cups.
“Horse craps, I‘m out of apples, now what do I do?” Rainbow thought. “I don’t want to risk AJ, seeing me take her apples; I got lucky the last time.”
Dash looked around her kitchen to see only pears in a fruit bowl.
“Close enough, he once told me that he like pears”
Rainbow grabbed the pears and went back to chopping she tossed the sliced apples and pears with lime juice in a large bowl, which was the closest thing that she had to lemons.
“Lemons are overrated anyway”.
Now getting the sugar for the pantry, merely finding a small amount of brown sugar, this could a problem. Although she only cared for a split second before dumping the entire bag in the mix, even bothering to measure first.
“The more, the better, who doesn’t love sugar?”
Since Rainbow didn’t have any nutmeg, she decided to double the cinnamon. She took the cinnamon sticks, placing them in a plastic bag. Then taking a glass and smashing them until they were a dusty power. Followed by adding an egg and some butter too along side with some milk.
***
Once Dashie was finish with the filling poured in the piecrust which brought from Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner (she was getting lazy and didn’t want to anymore the extra work). She then put the pie in the oven at 425 degrees. Taking a deep breath, she finally saved now, all she needed to do is the pie out in fifteen minutes.
***
The Next Day
“Knock, knock”
Rainbow went to the door and opened it to a certain light blue stallion. His usual spiked up navy mane was smooth down to a slick mane-style. He even had a red tie on and bouquet of colorful flowers, how sweet! Dashie wasn’t under dress either. She was wearing a black dress that she borrowed from her friend, Rarity. Her mane was actually brushed and had been straighten for the occasion that Rarity also helped with.
“Dashie, you look beautiful tonight” Soarin said, eyeing up his smoking hot mare-friend and giving her the flowers too.
“Thanks, you don’t look so bad yourself”. Rainbow blushed, he’s such a charmer.”Want to come in, I got something for you”. He gave her a quick a kiss on the check before entering the house,
“Sure”.
Rainbow leads him into the kitchen. She got the pie for the fridge and placed it in front of him at the table.
“Whoa, did you make this?” Soarin said.
“Yes, want a slice?”
“Why not,, thanks babe”.
Dash went to get a knife for cutting and a plate. She handing them to Soarin, Rarity would never forgive her if she got her dress dirty. Soarin cut himself a small slice and put it on the plate,
He grabbed the fork and took a big chuck of the pastry as pie is his favorite dessert. He immediately regretted it, it’s was the nastiest pie ever. It was probably the worse pie, it tasted like limes. How he despised limes and it had a weird sweet cinnamon-y aftertaste, ew. Also it is undercooked and had pears in it when it should be an apple pie He could have easily gagged right there and then. But since he’s a good sport, he swallowed it; resisting the temptation to spitting it out in a napkin. Well Dash wasn’t looking and was putting the flowers in a vase.
“I hope you like it; I spent the whole day making it for you”. Rainbow said, unintentionally guild tripping him. Almost like now he must eat the disgrace of a pie,
“Oh yes, it’s so good”. Soarin lied, not wanting to hurt her feelings. “Where did you get the recipe”?
“From Applejack, but I change some things since I didn’t have everything needed”. Rainbow answered proudly. “It’s kind of a funny story, I’ll tell you about it later”.
“Like what exactly?”
“Like I had to no lemons so instead I used limes”. Dash said. “Are you going finished that?” She pointed to the half-eaten pie.
“Umm, I don’t to spoil my appetite for dinner”. Soarin said. “We should probably get going now, it’s a long flight”.
“Umm, ok where are going anyway?” Dashie asked. Finding a little bit weird that he didn't to finish his pie by now. She saw him once eat a pie in under a minute.
“To a new place called “The English Gentle-Colt”. Soarin said.
“I’ll put your pie in the fridge and you take it home”.
“Yeah, take it and throw it right in the garbage can“. Soarin thought. “Sure, thanks babe. We should probably get going now:”
The End