What Happened To Yesterday

Applejack pulled a cart through the orchards. Today he was going to make up his lateness by helping Big Mac. Sure, his brother didn’t actually need it but he needed to apologize somehow.

He saw his older brother amongst the trees. The stallion was massive, even compared to himself. AJ learned the hard way how strong he is, after all brothers like to wrestle.

“Hey Big Mac, mind if I work with you today?” Applejack jogged towards his brother with a crooked smile and helpful hooves.

“Nope.” Big Mac said calmly as he turned around and bucked the tree behind him. The apples fell off in bushels into the buckets Mac had placed around the tree. Applejack envied the precision his brother had, no matter what some apples always missed the buckets when he bucked.

“You still upset about me missin’ the morning?” Applejack went around and picked up the buckets and loaded them into the cart for his brother, he was going to be working his flank off to make it up to Macintosh.

“Nope.” Mac answered as he moved to the next tree, which already had buckets around it.

“Really?” Big Mac repeated the age old process of bucking an apple tree; turn around, dig your forehooves into the dirt, raise your back legs, coil ‘em tight, then let it rip. Once again the apples fell perfectly.

“Eeyup.”

“I just…I’ve been a little distracted as of late..” Once again, AJ collected up the buckets and put them in the cart.

“Berry?” Applejack froze when his brother said the name, the shocked look on his face obviously was amusing to Big Mac because the larger stallion smiled.

“Y-You know….?” Applejack stood in stunned silence as his brother bucked another tree expertly.

“Eeyup.”

“H-How…?” Applejack thought about every encounter he and Berry ever had, then it hit him. “Berry’s not quiet…” Applejack’s hoof met his face in a painful union of pure stupidity.

“Nope. Screamer.”

How Big Mac wasn’t freaking out or running to tell Granny AJ would never know. This was earth shattering, big news. How was Big Mac not disowning him?

“B-But…aren’t you upset? I’m gay, doesn’t that upset you just a little?” Applejack moved forward with the cart and picked up the buckets from two trees that Big Mac had bucked while he had been stunned.

“Nope. Love’s love.” Big Mac shrugged and  moved the hay stalk from one side of his mouth to the other.

“B-But ma and pa…Granny. They always told us it was wrong…” Applejack was desperately trying to catch up with his brother, but found his hoofing faltering from confusion and disbelief more than once.

“Old thinkin’.” Big Mac stopped and tapped his noggin. “Outdated.” He smiled and trotted over to his little brother. “I’ll always love ya, AJ.” With a mighty hug and a weak noogie Big Mac went back to work, leaving Appleack to think about what his older brother had said.

--

“OhthankyouRarity~!” Rarity found herself engulfed in a Berry hug. Haha, it’s a pun. Bear hug, Berry hug. Ugh, snap out of it Rarity! No time for jokes, process what you just said. Berry Bubble, living with you. Didn’t really think that one through, did you?

“O-Of course, Berry. It’s my pleasure…” Oh come on, that’s all you can say? Not: ‘Let’s set some ground rules’? ‘How about we think this through first’? Nothin’?

“I promise I’ll be the bestest roomie ever!” Oh god…roommates. Berry is your roommate now. Well, I suppose it can’t all be bad, right?

“Yes…well, if you’ll excuse me Berry…I have work to do.” Rarity pried herself from Berry’s iron grip, made sure he didn’t ruin her mane, and went back to her workroom so she could think this through.

Berry on the other hoof was simply ecstatic! He got out of making a hard decision, got a new rent-free room, and he got to live with his PFF! What’s not to be happy about? THIS CALLED FOR A PARTY!

Berry’s mind was exploding, he needed to throw a party! It’s been a week since his last one and he needed to throw one now! But…he couldn’t just throw one for moving in here, Rarity wouldn’t like that…he had the perfect idea.

--

“Alright class, I have a special assignment for you all today.” Cheerilee called the class’ attention to the front. Those who were done with their work had been socializing with their friends, and the others will working hard to finish the worksheets to prevent any homework.

“Since Ponyville’s eighty-second anniversary is coming up soon I want you all to write an essay on the most interesting Ponyvillian you know.” A collective groan came from the little ponies. “Now now, this assignment can be fun if you know who to talk to. I even have a few suggestions; like the Mayor, Granny Smith, The Elements of Harmony, Filthy Rich. Think of ponies like those.” Cheerilee watched as sparks of realization lit inside of her pupil’s heads.

“Well everypony knows my dad is the most interesting pony here, so I’m going to get the best grade.” Even Cheerilee wanted to roll her eyes at Diamond Tiara. Sometimes she could be such a pest, but she had to provide her students with encouragement.

“Your father is interesting and I’m sure your report will be delightful, Diamond Tiara.” Cheerilee smiled. “Now I want you all to come up with who your essay is going to be about and tell me so I can write it down.”

The class came to life with the chatter of excited foals. As soon as Cheerilee sat down at her desk she was met with the beaming faces of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Well that was quick. Then again, I’m not surprised.” Cheerilee popped open her book and grabbed a quill. “Applebloom?”

“Well since Granny Smith came to Family Day, ah’m gonna write mine about Applejack!” Of course she would choose her big brother, it was only natural.

“Scootaloo?”

“Rainbow Dash, duh.” The little orange pegasus’ wings buzzed excitedly at the thought of interviewing her hero. Once again though, this wasn’t a surprise. Scootaloo was obsessed with the Element of Loyalty.

“Sweetie Belle?” Cheerilee already had the R in Rarity written, she was just seeking confirmation.

“Berry Bubble!” Cheerilee’s quill went clear across the page, leaving a large black mark in it’s wake.

“You’re not going to write it about your sister…?” Cheerilee was expecting someone to say Berry, but not Sweetie Belle…perhaps Pipsqueak or Featherweight, but not the little unicorn standing before her.

“Nope, I wanna write mine about Berry. He’s always over at my house anyways.” Cheerilee shrugged, crossed out the ‘R’ and wrote Berry Bubble in big letters.

“Well alright, I’m sure that will be interesting.” As everything is with that stallion.

--

“Heeeeeeeeello Twilight!” Berry burst out of a book Twilight had opened, confetti following him. He was wearing his party invitation tuxedo and his traditional smile.

“AHH!” Twilight dropped the book and fell backwards. Berry pulled himself from the pages of the tome and landed gracefully on the ground. “Berry! What have I told you about hiding in my books?” Twilight stood up, fire in her eyes. She couldn’t count how many times shed told Berry NOT to hide in any books, bookshelves, or floorboards.

“I know Twilight, I know. But I have a party invite for you!” From his tux Berry pulled an envelope and handed it to his purple friend. She grabbed it from his grasp with magic and opened it.

“A mane-cutting party?” She asked curiously.

“Yep! Rarity’s going to chop my big ol’ mane down to size! I want to give it a good send-off!” His smile was met with a curious glance.

“Well alright, I’ll be there…but I have a date at six, so I don’t know how long I will be able to stay.” Twilight took the invitation and stowed it on the table in the center of the library.

“Okily-Dokily, Twilight. See you there!” Berry jumped high in the air, then swan dove into the book he came from, causing it to close behind him.

Twilight watched the book, half expecting it to explode or something.

--

“Psst. Fluttershy.” The yellow pegasus with her home on the edge of the Everfree Forest  heard her name get called from somewhere around the chicken coop. So that’s where she was investigating. Most of the time she would be afraid of something calling her name, but she knew this voice belonged to none other than Berry Bubble. A harmless creature.

She stuck her head in the chicken coop and was met with the most bizarre sight she’d ever seen. The coop had been transformed into the study of a Victorian era home, complete with fireplace and high-backed chairs.

In one of the high-backed chair sat Elizabeak, in the other sat Berry in his chicken costume from Nightmare Night, which he was wearing underneath a tuxedo. In his hoof was what looked like a glass of grape juice.

“I wondered how long you were going to take, Elizabeak and I were having a riveting discussion on the socio-economic trends of Modern day nobility.” Berry nodded towards his compainion, who shocked Fluttershy by actually talking.

“Quite.” The chicken said in a haughty female voice.

“Anywho, I have an invitation for you.” From within his breast pocket Berry pulled an invitation and hooved it to the confused pegasus. “Now if you’ll excuse me.” Fluttershy pulled her head out of the coop and stepped aside to let her strange friend pass. Without even taking a look at the envelope, Fluttershy looked back into the coop, which was now back to normal…save the chicken with a wine glass full of grape juice next to her.

--

Rainbow Dash was flying lazily through the sky. She wasn’t doing anything in particular, just flying. It was fun to just feel the wind blow through your mane and feathers, exhilarating even.

“Beep beep! I’m a cloud!” A pink fluffy cloud sped past her at mach speed. Surprised, Dash lost her synch between her wings and nearly stalled. Luckily she was Rainbow Dash and recovered masterfully.

“Come back here, cloud!” Dash flew after the speeding cloud, wanting to catch it and beat it into fog for disturbing her peace. Strangely enough, the cloud stopped, turned around and flew towards her.

Dash let out a scream as she collided with the cloud, which burst into cloud bits and sent Rainbow Dash hurtling through the sky attached to Berry.

“Berry?!” It was a legitimate question. After all, how could an earth pony fly in a cloud? Well don’t worry about that, there’s a story happening! Pay attention!

“Hi Dashie!” The duo came to a halt mid-air when Berry spoke. Dash looked down at the ground, her eyes wide. Berry let go of her and waved. “Bye Dashie!” She fell like a rock.

Rainbow Dash was not unfamiliar with ground collisions. She had her fair share, that’s how she knew this was going to hurt….bad. When she collided with the earth, she didn’t connect with a solid, immovable object. It was like hitting a cloud, which wasn’t exactly a good thing because she penetrated the dirt and rock for a few feet before coming to a complete stop.

Berry fell to the ground like a feather, gently landing by the hole his speedster friend left. He reached his hoof down and pulled her out by the scruff of her neck, Dash was simply dazed. Berry, not feeling like giving her a spiel, took an invitation out, stuck it in her polychromatic mane, and sat her down.

Dash didn’t question what in the hoof just happened, it was a bad idea to question Berry Bubble…it would drive you mad. So instead he fell onto her back, looked up at the sky and said two words:

“Stupid cartoon…”

--

Applejack was busy bucking apples, he had left Big Mac to his own devices and decided to continue his work from yesterday. The east orchard was about fifty percent done at this point and there was still a lot to go.

“Hey…AJ?” Applejack’s heart skipped a beat, or maybe ten. There was one thing he wasn’t expecting to hear today, that was Berry’s voice. Granted, he hoped to hear it…he hoped to hug the stallion as hard as he could and never let go. But for now, simply seeing him would do.

Good news; he looked good. Not sad or tired. He was wearing a tux, he looks good in a tux. Bad news; his eyes were sad…oh so sad.

“Oh…hey Berry.” There was an awkward silence that seemed to pervade the deepest parts of the universe, the win stopped blowing through the leaves, the birds stopped singing. The only sound was of two broken hearts in close proximity to each other. “Listen, about yesterday…”

“Applejack..please. Don’t….I just came here to give you this…” Berry reached into his tux and pulled out an invitation. Instead of handing it to the other stallion, he put it on the ground. “You don’t have to come, but I would like you to…”

Berry didn’t do anything ridiculous. He didn’t turn into an apple, he didn’t jump into AJ’s hat, he simply walked away. Applejack didn’t deserve a whimsical exit.

--

Sweetie Belle was standing outside of the schoolhouse with her two best friends. It always felt great to leave the stuffy building that smelled of books, it was like being released from prison after a forty year sentence.

“I can’t wait to get our cutie marks in apple bucking!” Scootaloo yelled happily. She was always the most gung-ho Crusader, her way of compensating for her lack of flight.

“Ah know! Why didn’t we think of this sooner?” Applebloom interjected. “Ah mean ah live on the farm, shoulda tried this years ago!” The earth pony and pegasus looked to their unicorn friend.

“I can’t come today. I’m helping my sister today.” Both of them let their jaws fall, Sweetie wasn’t the most prestigious Crusader, but she still had a duty to them. “We’re giving Berry a makeover, so maybe I can get a beauty cutie mark.”

“Didn’t we try that already…?” Applebloom asked.

“We tried it with mares, not colts. Maybe there’s a difference.” Sweetie defended her stance. “But don’t worry, I’ll be crusading tomorrow, I promise.” Two-thirds of the CMC watched as their last member sprinted off towards her home. They turned to each other, shrugged, and turned towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Sweetie Belle on the other hoof was thinking about what she was going to ask the object of her essay. She knew he was born a rock farm, he told them that during his cutie mark story. But when did he come to Ponyville? Where’s his family? Does he have a special somepony?

She had so many questions for her adopted big brother.

--

“A little to the left, Berry. We want this perfectly centered.” Somehow Berry had acquired a barber’s chair. Rarity didn’t ask how, she didn’t want to know. She did want the chair to be perfectly centered for this celebration he was planning though. Leave it to Berry Bubble to set up a party for his mane.

The earth pony easily pushed the chair across the chair. Don’t worry, Rarity already made sure it wouldn’t scuff anything, it’s padded on the bottom.

“Right there.” It was perfect. When the time came she could turn all of her lights on the chair and make a true spectacle of the act! Centered and ready. “Thank you Berry.”

“Nah, thank you for letting me throw a party here. I’ve never thrown a part in the boutique before. It’ll be super fun!” Berry had already put streamers and banners up, then assured Rarity that they would come down without leaving any unsightly holes in her walls or ceiling.

“So who all did you invite, Berry? Only close friends I hope.” Rarity went about, moving more sensitive materials out of the room and laying a tarp around the chair to make sure her perfect floor didn’t get pink hair all over it.

“Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Applejack. So yep, close friends.” Rarity froze.

“You invited Applejack…?” berry nodded, too caught up in his own world to register the shock and worry in Rarity’s voice.

“Course I did! He’s still my friend, Rarity. He may be acting like a meanie, but that doesn’t mean he’s not my friend.” Berry gave a smile to mask the pain behind the statement itself. It’s like calling a murderer a good guy, it just didn’t feel right.

“Well…alright. But if he says anything to you just tell me and I’ll kick him out, okay?” Berry acknowledged her with a nod and went back to his own preparations, humming a little tune as he did so.

“I’m home!” The call came before the door even opened. As soon as the little unicorn entered and spotted Berry, she smiled. “Berry, what’re you doing here?”

“Oh nothin’…” He said rather nonchalantly. “Just…Throwing a party!” He shouted the last words with gusto, which caused the Sweetie to cheer with the same excitement. “I figured my mane needed a going away party, so I organized one!”

“Good, because we got an assignment at school today to write a paper about an interesting pony we know and I want to write mine about you!” Sweetie hopped up in the barber chair and opened her saddlebags.

“Are you sure Sweetie? I am right here, after all.” For her part, Rarity actually looked offended. Like she had just been delivered a slap across the face.

“Yeah, but I live with you. I already know everything about you, Rarity. I wanna learn stuff I didn’t know…that and I heard Silver Spoon say she wanted to write hers about you. It would be unfair for me to deprive a filly of learning about you.” Berry watched as Sweetie manipulated her sister expertly. He saw Rarity assume her ‘holier-than-thou’ pose and fluff her mane.

“You do have a point. I would hate to see a young filly robbed of the chance to learn more about moi.” Rarity gave a self-assured giggle and smile. “I applaud you for acting like a true lady, Sweetie Belle.”

“Alright.” Berry took a seat in front of Sweetie Belle. “I’ll answer a few questions before the party starts. So shoot!” He watched as the little unicorn took out a notebook and a quill. He was surprised when he saw Sweetie actually use her magic to hold the quill. He’s never seen the filly use magic before.

“When were you born?”

“Pfft, easy one. February fourteenth, Nine hundred and eighty-nine.”

“You were born on Hearts and Hooves day?” Rarity spoke up, she never actually knew that. Every year they had his birthday in the summer. “Why did you tell us June twenty-second?”

“Because I like to have a surprise party every year, duh!” Berry laughed. “Nothing’s better than a birthday party you forget about!” Rarity ungracefully face hoofed, Sweetie jotted down the weird answer she was given.

“Where were you born?”

“Oh man, I am so going to ace this.” Berry said confidently. Whether he was serious or not was yet to be seen. “Pie Family Quarry, Badlands, Equestria.”

“Pie family..?” Sweetie Belle questioned. “Your last name isn’t Pie.”

“Well no duh. Only the girls in my family have the last name Pie. Like my sisters Inky and Blinky Pie. Or my Granny Pinkie Pie. We’re a matriarchal family.” Berry seemed to be lost in his explanation. “That means the mares run the show, us stallions are just the stagehooves.”

“Oh.” Rarity could tell Sweetie Belle didn’t understand some of what was said just by that one word. She’d help her little sister translate it all later. “Umm, when did you come to Ponyville?”

“Ooh! I like this one, it was in…nine hundred and ninety-five. I was only fifteen.” Berry’s eyes drifted to the door, which had an athletic blue pegasus standing in it. She saw the conversation and decided to intervene by flying up behind the note taking filly and grabbing her shoulders.

“And you know who the first one ol’ Bubble Butt here met was? Why none other than the amazing, the spectacular, the awesome….Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow Dash took her spot next to the pink stallion and affectionately put a wing around him. “You haven’t changed much in seven years, Bubblegum. Well, you’ve gotten taller and helped defeat numerous threats to Equestria…but besides those, you’re still the same old colt who tackled me into a snow drift because you said you like rainbows…” Dash contemplated for a second. “Shoulda known you were a flamer.” Berry and Dash hugged, Rainbow Dash being affectionate was very rare. “But that’s why I love ya.”

“D’aww. Love you too Dashie.” Berry nuzzled his friend lovingly, he was met with playful hooves pushing away.

“Alright, alright. Get offa me. I don’t want your rainbow-ness rubbing off on my Rainbow-ness.” Berry laughed at his friend and took his spot beside her. “So when’re we chopping off your mane?”

“We have to wait for everypony else to get here, Dash. It would be rude to proceed without the proper audience.” Rarity came over and joined her friends. “Unless you want me to cut your mane, you will wait.” Dash looked appalled at the idea of somepony touching her mane with a cutting implement.

“Alright Sweetie, next question.” Berry urged the unicorn.

“Do you have any hobbies?”

“You mean besides sucking-” Dash’s vulgar reply was met with a pink hoof going into her mouth.

“Well..” Berry said, slowly removing his hoof from Dash’s mouth while making sure she wouldn’t finish her question. “I love to throw parties! But you know that…I like to watch Dashie fly, that’s really fun because she’s a super good flier. Oh! I’m a spokespony for the LGBTAE.”

“The…what…?” Both Rarity and Sweetie Belle were fairly confused by the acronym.

“He likes to teach ponies why being a colt-cuddler’s a good thing, squirt.” Rainbow ‘Brash’ spoke before she could think. She was used to referring to Berry with the slang term.

“That’s a mean word, Rainbow!” Sweetie Belle squeaked defiantly. “That’s not nice!” The pearl white unicorn filly stood up as tall as she could. In a second Berry was making her sit down again.

“It’s okay, Sweetie. Rainbow doesn’t mean it in a mean way, she says it like a joke….haha. Hoho. Heehee. A joke. But still, it’s a bad thing to say and she shouldn’t say it around impressionable fillies.” The pseudo-glare Dash received from her long time friend made her give a weak defeated smile. “But I think that’s enough questions for now, the party’s going to start soon.”