Poison Kiss

I push the gates of Sweet Apple Acres open. Apple Bloom is so happy to see me that she throws the apples into the air and hugs me. "Do ya' like mah new hat Rarity gave me?" I ask.

"Ah, sure do!" Apple Bloom says. I put my old hat on her head. It droops over her eyes. "Are ya sure ya don't want it no more." She says.

"Yep, it's an old family tradition to pass the hat down to our younger siblings. This used to be Big Macintosh's hat a long time ago. Ain't that right Big Mac?" I ask.

"E-yup!" He says.

I begin kicking the trees and putting the apples in the basket. I'm surprised that Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle got so much done for me. "How are you feeling, sis?" Apple Bloom asks.

"Ah feel as good as new." I say kicking the tree trunk. A few apples fell out along with something brown. I yelp and run behind a tree.

"Applejack, it's just a rotten apple." She says. I peek from behind the tree. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were pointing and laughing at me. Even Big Mac was laughing.

"Jackie's afraid of apples! Jackie's afraid of apples! Jackie's afraid of apples!" They chant. Is this the thanks I get for saving their lives?

"It ain't funny." I grumble putting them in the basket and kicking the apple.

"Lighten up, Applejack! We were only joking." Scootaloo says.

"Next time Ah'll let yall get stung and then we'll see how funny it is." I mutter.

"How bout you have some apple pie. That always cheers ya up." Apple Bloom says. She hands me a plate of it. I haven't eaten an apple in three days. At Sweet Apple Acres that's all we eat. I take a bite. It tastes sweet but not as wonderful as I can remember. It makes me miss the taste of Fluttershy's smoothies. How can this happen? I never got sick of eating apples. I'm not Strawberryjack. I'm Applejack. "Is there something wrong?" Apple Bloom asks. I shake my head and get back to work.

Just before my hooves touch the tree Rainbow Dash's words dance in my head.

( Applejack! That's what you said last time. You're passing up an opportunity to hang out with us for WORK? Work,work work, is that all you do?Don't you ever do anything fun? Doesn't it bother you that you spend most of your life kicking trees and selling apples? Do something for yourself for once, Applejack.BUZZZZ!!! Jackie's afraid of apples! Jackie's afraid of apples! Jackie's afraid of apples!)

"Applejack!" Apple Bloom cries.

"What?" I ask kicking a tree really hard.

"Your cutie mark…" Sweetie Belle says.

"It's gone!" Scootaloo says. I look at my stare at my empty flank in horror.

"Applejack, are you okay? You're not yourself." Apple Bloom says. I kick the last tree with apples on it and dump it into the box.

"Ah know. Ah gotta fix this. Ah know what Ah've gotta' do! The first time ah got mah cutie mark ah left home and went somewhere fancy. Then I'll find out how much I miss it here and my cutie mark will come back." I say.

"Ah hope you're not mad at me. Ah know you ain't afraid of no apples. Sorry." She says.

"It ain't you. It's me. Rainbowdash told me that I'm wastin' mah life here. Ah know she's wrong. I love workin' with mah family and greetin' customers. Ah wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes ah wonder if there's somethin' more out there."

"Ya can't go." Apple Bloom whines.

"Let her go. We're way ahead of schedule anyway." Big Mac says.

" Did ya just say a whole sentence?" I ask.

"E-yup!" He says.

"See yall later." I say. I close the gate behind me.