A Slice of Apple – A Slice of Life
“Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!”
Applejack yawned and tossed the covers off her bed. Rolling over so that her legs where under her and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she removed a tattered picture from beneath her pillows. She gave a sad smile before replacing it beneath the pillow. AJ decided that she could stand to waste a few minutes. From her position on the bed she watched through the far window as the first rays of sunlight peeked out from behind the hills, causing the apples in the orchard outside to glimmer like stars.
A happier smile crept onto Applejack’s face. Sweet Apple Acres was the best place in Equestria, she had the best friends anypony could ask for, and she had the best window view ev-
“Breakfast is ready, Jackie.”
Applejack jumped in complete surprise. Jerking her head around, she found that her brother had poked his head through the doorway. She wasted no time in launching a weaponized pillow at the offending stallion.
It connected with a satisfying thump. “Darn it, Mac! Ah was havin’ a moment.”
Big Mac chuckled at her discomfort. “You? A moment? Ah didn’ think ya had it in ya, Jackie.”
AJ glared daggers at him before reaching for another pillow. “Oh yer gonna get it now, Macintosh. Stay still while I wind-up.”
Big Mac’s eyes widened as he realized that he was out gunned. Dodging another flying marshmallow, the big red’s head beat a hasty retreat back through the doorway. Applejack’s own head popped out after him just as he reached the stairs at the other end of the hallway.
“…And ya know how much I hate being called Jackie! It’s AJ! Get it right next… oh fiddlesticks.” Applejack trailed off, having watched as Big Mac turned and gave her a wink before disappearing down the stairs. Her sigh expressed both irritation and a familial love at her brother’s antics. She knew it wasn’t going to change anything no matter what she said. Big Mac would continue to be her annoying big brother anyway. She sort of kinda liked it that way too. Instead she simply called down after him, “Gimme a few minutes, I’m not ready yet.”
Heading back into the bedroom, Applejack grabbed her pillows and proceeded to rebuild her bedspread. Sitting on the finished product, AJ reached over and removed her brush from the nightstand drawer. She whistled a simple tune as she began brushing her mane and tail, working out several tangles which had formed overnight. Retrieving her hairbands from the bedside table, she soon sported her signature ponytail. Finally, finishing the last bars of the tune, AJ ambled over to her dresser and placed her favorite hat on her head.
Tap tap tap...
Letting out a frustrated growl, AJ headed over to the door, “Can’t a girl get any privacy? Ah told ya I’d be down in a minute, Mac. Now quit…” Applejacks voice trailed off and she stood stock still, having opened her door to an empty hallway.
“Huh?”
A burst of giggling prompted Applejack to turn back towards the window. Now she could see a couple of familiar pink hooves sticking up above the window sill, waving spastically. Unable to quite comprehend the situation, AJ walked over and unlatched the window.
Sticking her head out, AJ found Pinkie Pie sprawled on her back on the roof, giggling uncontrollably beneath the window.
“He-ha-ha… I guess that’s why… ha-ha… you don’t tap on the glass.” Pinkie managed to say, between fits of giggles. She then made a fairly good fish face before descending into another bout of laughter. Applejack hesitantly joined her. I mean, what else could she do when faced with a Pinkie? After a short while, AJ managed to get enough words together to ask the important question.
“Pinkie… How’d ya get up on the roof?”
Pinkie stood up instantly and began jumping in place, punctuating each word with a jump, “I. can’t. tell. you!”
Worrying about the potential side effects of Pinkie’s jumping on the roof, Applejack beckoned her in through the window, “Uhh, right… We’ve got breakfast ready downstairs, why don’t ya come in and we can have some of Granny’s pancakes?”
“Woohoo! Pancakes!”
Applejack ducked aside before she could be bowled over by the overeager earth pony’s entrance. Closing the window, AJ turned to find her friend already zipping around the room, looking at anything and everything.
“So this is your room huh? It’s cool! We should have a slumber party sometime! What’s this? And that, and the other thing!” Cried Pinkie happily, moving from AJ’s trophy case to where a tattered lasso and bridle where hanging.
Uneasy at the attention her room was getting, AJ replied, “Oh, ah… those aren’t anything. Just some old duds and stuff… um, Pinkie… what’re ya doin’ now?”
Pinkie had stopped her antics and was now staring as intently as she could at a blank spot on the wall. Without turning her head or even blinking, but with a cheery voice, Pinkie answered, “Isn’t it obvious? The wallpaper and I are locked in a duel to the death. No need to worry though! I just won.”
Pinkie turned and walked off smiling, oblivious to the strange look Applejack was giving her. Glancing back at the section of wall, AJ noticed for the first time that there was a small piece of wallpaper which had peeled off and curled up. The deterioration was strange… AJ could have sworn that the wall hadn’t been like that… before Pinkie… no. AJ refused to acknowledge the possibility. Resolving to get Pinkie down to breakfast quickly before the hyperactive pony could do anything else weird, AJ turned around and was startled to be confronted with Pinkie’s face… inches away from hers.
“BLIMEY!”
Pinkie’s eyes took a moment to stare into AJ’s soul, before a huge grin split her face in half.
“I didn’t know that you kept your dress from the Gala. Rarity said that you lost it and later found it burned and laying in a ditch somewhere.” Pinkie said, gesturing towards the ponykin in the corner, an eternal look of innocence on her face.
Feeling hot and sweaty all of a sudden, AJ removed her hat and fanned herself a little before replying, “Yeah, um, about that… Hehe… Don’t tell Rarity ok, I’d never hear the end of it… Or Rainbow Dash for that matter! Could ya do that for me?”
Pinkie gained a semi-serious look as she drew her hoof across her mouth, pawed at the floor a little, flicked her hoof, and then made a couple other grand gestures before stopping.
Applejack was confused. “So… does that mean ya won’t tell ‘em?”
Pinkie gladly explained, “Uh, YES! Obviously that’s why I zipped my mouth closed, then locked it with a key, then dug aMmmphmphMMphMPHPHT…” She was interrupted by AJ sticking a hoof in her mouth.
“Ah get it, darlin’. There’s no need to do… all that to prove it. I know ah can trust ya, so thank you.”
“MMPHTMPPHTMPH!” Pinkie nodded.
Applejack wiped her brow, heaving a relieved sigh. Looking back up, she was again surprised to find a distinct lack of a Pinkie Pie standing in front of her.
Squeak squeak squeak…
“Tarnation…” thought Applejack in irritation, “…what is it now?”
Looking around in annoyance AJ spotted the Pink terror over on her bed… bouncing. Bounce… squeak, bounce… squeak, BOUNCE… SQUEAK. AJ’s left eye started to twitch.
“LookatmeApplejackThisbedisawesomebutIbetyoualreadyknewthatsinceitsyoursandall…” Bounce… squeak
“Pinkie.” Bounce… squeak
“YoushouldtrythissometimeOhbutIbetyou’vedonethattoosinceitsyours…” Bounce… squeak
Pinkie!” Bounce… squeak
“Ijustgohigherandhigherandhigherandthenbackdownagainbutnexttimewillbe…” Bounce… squeak
“PINKIE!” Bounce… the exuberant mare froze mid-air, defying all physics, before leaping down to stand in front of AJ.
“Yes, Applejack?” she said calmly.
“YER GONNA BREAK MAH… PLEASE… NNNnnggggrrrrr… don’t do that!” Applejack had to wrestle herself back under control. The bed was again a complete mess now. Snorting furiously, she told herself to just take deep breaths. Yeah, that was it… deep breaths.
Pinkie frowned slightly, thinking that AJ might be feeling to sick or something to have fun, “Um… okie dokie… Ooooh, what’s this?” Pinkie lifted her hoof off of the object and picked it up. “Look AJ. It’s an old photo! I wonder who these pon…”
Applejacks eyes widened, “NO, STOP! DON’T TOUCH IT!” She lunged for the picture, snatching it from Pinkies hoof before anything else could happen to it. Scowling, she stalked around Pinkie and replaced the photo beneath its pillow. She prepared to give Pinkie a stern reprimand… but was stopped cold by the sight before her as she turned around.
Pinkies mane had flattened and she was now sitting on the floor crying. “I-I…I’m s-s-so-sorry!” She bawled quietly, “I… di-didn’t mean… t-to do it… AJ I sw-swear I…” The rest of her apology descended into fits of sobbing.
Applejack wanted to be angry at Pinkie Pie. She wanted to be furious at her for touching the only picture she had left of them… but she couldn’t bring herself to be mad at Pinkie. Not now. So she let it go. The unintended insult… the anger… the repeated annoyances… all of it. She sighed heavily and just let it all out.
“I forgive ya, darling.”
