AppleYou

After a short, uneventful walk, you and Applejack finally arrive at what you guess is the orchard. The first thing you notice is the trees, which -to your dismay- are full of apples.

Dear Celestia... They don’t expect me to harvest any of them, do they? You think, incredulously. Your worry must have been showing, because Applejack looked at you, and smirked.

“Calm down there... We won’t make ya do it all alone.” She says. With a loud groan, you look away, staring at the sky, not wanting to face the huge task ahead of you.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to do any of it...” You grumble.

Sighing, Applejack trots over to you, and puts a hoof on your shoulder.

“Listen, pal... You gotta do this. Buzz was very clear on that.” She says, with a frown. You simply groan again, and collapse onto your flank, with a small whump.

I wonder if I can fake a heart attack or something... But then I won’t get those bits... Dammit... Buzz, I hate you so much right now... You think.

“Alrighty, enough dilly-dallyin’!” Applejeack says, in her infuriatingly jovial voice. She takes your hoof, and effectively drags you through the gate, and towards the big, red barn, and the farmhouse next to it.

After a short, bumpy ride along the ground, Applejack picks you up, and lets you dust yourself off before turning to the farmhouse.

“GRANNY! BIG MACINTOSH! APPLEBLOOM! OUR... GUEST HAS ARRIVED!” She calls. You wince, the loudness of her voice making your ears ring.

The door to the farmhouse slowly opens, and three ponies walk out. A short, pale yellow filly, with a messy red mane, and a blank flank bounds out, an excited smile on her face. The next is a tall, red stallion, with a messy, light brown mane. He has a large, green half apple as his cutie mark. The last is a wrinkled, light green mare, her grey mane tied up in a ragged bun.

The filly bounds up to you, her small eyes wide, and full of curiousity.

“What’s yer name, mister?” She asks. Before you can reply, Applejack frowns, and taps the filly’s head.

“Didn’t cha ever learn any manners?” She asks.

“Ya gots ta say hello first, Applebloom.” She says, in a scolding tone. The filly looks down, and paws the ground slowly.

“Sorry, mister... Uh...” She shakes her head, and grins again, as if nothing had happened.

“Hiya! Ah’m Applebloom! Ah’m so excited, we don’t get many visitors...” She says. You roll your eyes, and look at the other two ponies.

“And you are...?” You ask.

The old mare looks at you, and smiles, slowly trotting forward, and looking into your eyes. You frown, and step backward, filled with discomfort at being so close to the old mare, who smelled vaguely of old apples. Applejack scowled, and kicked you in the leg.

“Show some darn respect! That’s mah Granny Smith!” She hisses. Rolling your eyes, you step back towards the old mare, who didn’t seem to have noticed anything.

The mare smirks, and shakily reaches over, slowly prodding your slightly bulging belly.

“Hoo boy, we got some work ta do with you!” She says. You don’t reply, simply scowling at Applejack for forcing you through it. Applejack grins smugly at you as the green mare goes back to stand next to the silent, red stallion.

The stallion was silent, simply standing there, staring straight ahead. You raise an eyebrow.

“Uh... Hello? Anyone in there?” You ask. He nods slowly.

“Eeyup. Ah’m in here.” He says, simply. You blink.

“Uh... All... Righty then...”

Applejack sighs.

“Big Mac is a stallion of few words.” She says. Once again, he nods. You blink again, surveying the strange family.

What the hell am I getting myself INTO? You think, worriedly. You sigh, and nod.

“Alright then... Now, I’m beat. What say we get some lunch, then relax for a few hours, and maybe think about discussing the possibility of maybe working.” You say. Big Mac shakes his head, deviating from what you thought was some kind of pattern.

“Nnope.” He says, in that infuriating;y simple way that makes you want to throttle something.

“He;s right. We hafta get ta work now.” Applejack says. Big Mac nods, before turning, and trotting toward the barn. Applejack follows, beckoning for you to do the same. Applebloom grins, and waves to you before turning, and walking back to the farmhouse, jumping happily around Granny Smith. You ignore her, and get moving.

You let out a groan as you walk into the barn, and see Big Mac hitching himself up to a cart full of empty barrels. Applejack gives you a grin, one that made you, once again, want to throttle something.

“Now, we can’t just ease ya into this stuff. Even with yer pot belly, we hafta keep things runnin’ smoothly. So ya will hafta get used to keeping up with us.” She says.

“Ah’ll go easy on ya for today, and maybe tomorrow. But after that, yer on yer own.” She says, as Big Mac starts moving, towards the trees nearest the barn.

You sigh, and follow, making sure to go as slow as possible, in the vain hope they would forget about you.

“HURRY IT UP!” Applejack cries.

Nope... No luck there... You think. With a loud, drawn out groan, you follow, promising to make this as hard as possible for Applejack.

How dare she expect me to do work! I mean... Seriously, come on!

You sigh, and walk towards what you would gladly bet will be your doom.