The Depreciation Of Generosity
Stupid Discord! Applejack bucked a tree angrily. She'd been imagining his annoying smug head in place of the tree trunks for hours now. Or maybe she wasn't imagining it, and he had actually shaped her beloved trees into something of his own likeness. She wouldn't put it past him after what he'd done to her farm.
"Applejack! where are you, darling?"
Rarity's familiar voice broke through Applejack's personal vendetta on the smug unmoving trees.
"Ah'm over here, Rarity," she huffed as her aching hooves punched another tree. Its fruit quickly plummeted into the basket lying against the trunk. She carefully inspected the surrounding area for her friend, before seeing Rarity leisurely walking along the worn dirt path coming from her house. She waved her hoof happily, ignoring the endless apples still hanging above her in the trees.
By her reckoning, she'd be at this for the rest of the week.
With Big Mac sick, she'd been working overtime to bring in their latest apple harvest. He'd always managed to pick the worst times to be missing on the farm. And now... She'd never finish the harvest alone.
"Applejack, are you nearly finished? It's been dark an hour already." She looked up to the sky, surprised that the sunlight had gone away already. She sighed, wondering how in Celestia she would finish bringing in all apples in time.
Rarity gasped when she saw her.
"Applejack, you look absolutely dreadful!"
"Ah'm fine, Rarity. Ah've just had one heck of a day," she mumbled tiredly.
Applejack wearily pulled the load of apples in front of her. Her head slumped against the heavy bag and, with some effort, pushed it in the direction of the barn. Going over what was still left to harvest in her head, she was too distracted to notice the sack slowly float upwards into the air.
As the resistance against her forehead suddenly vanished, Applejack stumbled forward. Luckily, she was quick enough to put up a hoof, stopping herself from running headfirst into a tree. The tree shook from her impact, raining apples down on the two ponies.
"Oh dear. I'm dreadfully sorry Applejack," Rarity apologized as one last stray apple fell on her friend's head.
Applejack took a moment to glance down at herself. She didn't enjoy admitting it, but Rarity was right. Her body was aching all over from bucking apples day in and day out.
"Don't worry about it. I know you were only trying to help." She pulled herself out of the heap of apples she was in and joined Rarity on the path back to the barn. The latest pile of new apples floated behind them as they carefully made their way back through in the dark.
Applejack's eyes began to droop. Then she looked over accusingly at her companion. She'd never imagined Rarity would dare to visit her with it being so dark. She might run into a branch and ruin her perfectly styled mane.
"What brings ya all the way out here anyway?"
"Oh, do I ever need a reason to see my friends?" Rarity answered happily, waving a hoof to distract her friend. She looked carefully at her friend for the signs Fluttershy had told them about.
"Ya do when your friend is messier than a pig at feeding time."
The trees along the path were full of enormous apples. Odd, Rarity thought. Applejack should have already picked them.
"Don't be silly, Applejack," Rarity argued. She swiftly changed the subject to the one thing that Applejack did not want to talk about.
"Why have you been so busy lately? I haven't seen you since last week, when Celestia visited!"
Applejack tried to keep her eyes on her friend as the walked back, but she couldn't help but glare for a moment at the trees around them. She imagined them laughing at her behind her back as the two walked home. She sighed.
"It's a long story."
With Rarity's assistance, the two shortly arrived in front of Applejack's barn. Quickly tossing the bag inside, Rarity turned to Applejack, and braced herself for an argument. Applejack raised a hoof before she could begin.
"Ah know what you're goin' ta say," Applejack began. "First Fluttershy spends a hour worrying behind mah back, then Twilight tries ta lecture me about workin' too hard, and now ya want me ta catch a breather too!"
"I was going to say nothing of the sort!" Rarity huffed, disappointed Applejack had caught on. She quickly put on her most innocent face, and cleared her throat with a small, ladylike cough. "I was only going to invite you to the spa tomorrow."
"Sorry, Rarity. What with Discord and all, ah'm having trouble just saving up the bits for the next big disaster."
"My treat, of course. I insist."
Applejack paused. She did need a small break. And she would hate to turn down such a generous gift from her friend...
"Are you sure you don't mind? Ah mean, ah 'preciate the offer and all, but a trip to the spa ain't cheap."
Rarity scoffed at Applejack's reluctance to accept her gift.
"Nonsense! I have a special discount. You are my friend, Applejack, and as my friend I am taking you to a spa! It's been ages since we last had one together! After all, you'll be busy for days without Big Mac to help. Need I remind you what happened last time you overworked? And let's not forget-"
Applejack pushed Rarity's mouth shut with a weary hoof. She was too tired to listen to Rarity right now, let alone pay attention to what sounded like one of Twilight's famous sermons. If Rarity wanted to play dirty, so could she.
To her credit, Rarity only winced a little when she saw her hoof caked with mud lightly pressing against her lips. Rarity slowly backed away from her friend as if she been offered poison, or worse, a dress that was out of season.
"Okay," Applejack sighed. "Ah'll go. Ah can't say no to all of you, now can 'ah?"
"Oh!" Rarity was surprised that Applejack had accepted her offer so quickly. Well, so much for her preparations.
They quietly made their way back towards Applejack's house in silence.
"...Was it a good speech?"
Rarity smiled painfully.
"One of Twilight's very best, in fact. I had to spend an hour going over it with her before she believed I was ready to convey her arguments acceptably. I can still give you a scroll with all the details on if you'd like. Spike was kind enough to write it down for me."
Applejack fought the rising urge to roll her eyes.
"No thanks, Rarity. Ah'll see you tomorrow."
