I yawned as I awoke semi peacefully. Ever since I started working at Sweet Apple Acres, my body had a natural alarm clock that would force me awake at around 4:00am to make sure I was to work on time.
I yawned again as I slipped out from underneath my warm blankets and onto my cold tile floor. Goddess… maybe I should just… stay in bed. Tell Applejack that I was sick or something. I quickly discarded the idea, knowing that my mild discomfort and sleepiness would soon pass.
I trotted into the dark kitchen of my small house and stumbled around, looking for the fridge. I finally stumbled upon it and opened the door. The bright fridge light briefly blinded my still sensitive eyes.
I groaned as I held my hoof over my eyes while they adjusted to the seemingly blinding light. After a moment’s pause, I took my hoof away from my eyes to look inside the fridge. “Nothing…” I muttered to myself as my stomach grumbled.
Figures, I had forgotten to go to the grocery store last night. I grumbled to myself, figuring maybe I’d just peck a few apples from the orchard for breakfast. I moaned tiredly to myself as I kicked the fridge door shut and made my way out of my tiny house and onto the still dark streets of Ponyville. Buggers were all still asleep… lucky.
* * *
Minutes later:
I arrived at the barn, forgetting to get my apples on the way, and began getting the wagon ready for the long day ahead. My stomach began to grumble more times than not. “Oh hush up you… I’ll feed you later.” I muttered but the feeling of hunger became more prevalent than before.
I rolled my eyes and gave a morning stretch. Today was going to be a ‘long’ day. I just knew it. I brought up my right foreleg and flexed. “Gangnam style… eyy sexy lady…” I chuckled to myself before rubbing my eyes and continuing my morning routine.
Things seemed to be going incredibly slowly and… where the hay was Applejack? She was usually out and about before I even got here. I quickly discarded the thought and continued.
Soon enough, a beautiful voice called out from behind me. “Hey, sorry ah’m late. Needed tah do some dishes before ah could get out here.” She spoke in a somewhat frantic voice.
“Oh no worries. Besides, I don’t think you’re late… two minutes early actually.” I said with a small smile as I looked to my wrist watch. Work didn’t officially start for another two minutes so technically she wasn’t late.
“A course ah’m late. Ah should be out before muh employees.” She told me and I chuckled.
“What if I came even earlier? Would you still come out before three in the morning?” I asked jokingly. She nodded.
“If yah could handle it… yeah, ah would.” She stated and I chuckled. Only she would be so naïve.
“So… you really do like me so much that you have to be around me every chance you get.” I laughed and she gave me a playful punch to the shoulder.
“Yah know that ain’t what ah meant.” She laughed then began to help me load empty baskets onto the wagon. As we loaded the baskets onto the wagon, she began to explain the plan for the day. “So we’ll start with the northern orchard then…” She trailed off as my stomach growled and interrupted her.
“Sorry… didn’t eat this mornin.” I apologized and she gasped.
“Yah never ate nuthin?!” She gasped and I nodded. “Why the hay not?!” She asked in a worried tone.
“Meh, don’t worry. I just needed to be on time was all.” I replied.
“Don’t say such things. Ah’ll understand if yer a little late, as long as it meant yah got somethin in yer tummy. Breakfast is the most important meal a the day. Now come on inside and let me make yah somethin tah tide yah over till lunch time.” She offered but I declined.
“Nah… beside, ain’t got nothin at home either. Forgot to get groceries last night.” I chuckled and she gasped.
“What the hay yah been eating? Grass?” She asked and I shook my head. “Well… yah can stay fer lunch but for Celestia’s sake. After work, go get somethin fer yer fridge. It’d look bad if muh employee died a starvation.” She told me and I smiled.
“Thanks. A date it is.” I laughed and she rolled her eyes as my stomach grumbled again.
“Ah’ll be back. Just… don’t go anywhere.” She ordered me then galloped off. That mare really had a kind heart. Almost too kind.
I continued to load both wagons until everything was set. I was just waiting on AJ. In technicality, I should just go and start working in the fields, but she had told me not to go anywhere.
After a few more minutes, Applejack returned with some goodies. Two large cinnamon rolls topped with icing. “Here, this should hold yah over till lunch time ah reckon.” She offered me one of the cinnamon rolls.
“Hey thanks…” I trailed off and gave her a wink. “Kind and beautiful. What a combination.” I chuckled and she rolled her eyes from my fail attempt of flirtatious attitude.
We both hopped up onto the wagon side and looked out to the Eastern horizon as the sun began to rise. “Ain’t it a beautiful mornin?” Applejack asked and I nodded.
“Not as beautiful as you, sweet cheeks.” I commented and she shook her head.
“Yer a fool.” She laughed playfully and gave me a friendly punch to the shoulder. I leaned my body into hers and nudged her back. Suddenly we both heard a bark and only seconds later, Winona appeared.
She leaned her front side down and playfully wagged her tail. Her ears suddenly perked up as she spotted the cinnamon rolls. “Ah don’t think so Winona. Yah ate muh entire drumstick yesterday.” Applejack stated.
Winona began to whimper and whine as her eyes became wide as saucers. Applejack let out a playful sigh then tore a small piece of her cinnamon roll and tossed it to Winona who caught it in her mouth.
The dog probably didn’t taste it as she immediately swallowed then begged for more. “No more Winona. No more beggin.” Applejack ordered the dog but she didn’t listen. Soon her eyes began to water up. Her expression made my cold heart melt.
I let out a pitiful sigh then hopped down from the wagon. “Alright Winona, but this is the last bit. So enjoy it.” I told the dog and her face brightened.
I pulled a small piece off my cinnamon roll with my left hoof and offered it to the dog. She took a second to think then in a flash of motion, lept forwards and snatched the large cinnamon roll out from my right hoof and dashed away with it.
The whole action took a few seconds to process in my head as Winona quickly scoffed down the entire cinnamon roll in mere seconds. “BUUUUCCCCK!” I yelled as my stomach growled yet again.
Applejack snickered to herself. “Didn’t yah learn from last night?” She asked and I gave her a cold glare.
“You hush… Winona!” I hissed and she looked over to me then slowly walked towards me with a look of happiness on her face. “Dog… you are sooo dead!” I scowled. In another brief motion, she lashed her face forwards and snagged the small parcel of cinnamon roll in my left hoof and rushed off with it, this time completely out of sight.
“GAAAAAHHHHH BUCK!” I yelled again. Applejack tried to stifle a laugh but ended up just rolling on the ground laughing. I gave a very irritated frown as I looked to the sunrise. ‘Stupid day is going to take forever to end… maybe I should just fake sick.’ I thought to myself.
Applejack sighed as she trotted over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Yer too funny. Here, ah reckon ah’ll share muh cinnamon roll with yah.” She offered. I returned her smile.
“Thanks AJ… you’re too kind… stupid dog.” I muttered the last part under my breath as I took the half that Applejack offered me. I kind of felt bad taking half of hers but I guess she offered so that made it alright. I looked over to her and smiled faintly. She noticed my stare.
“What?” She asked curiously.
“You kissed me.” I replied with a smile and she blushed furiously.
Author's Note
So yeah... the dog at work, Bear, pulled kind of the same thing at work except it was my Apple Fritter, not a cinnamon roll. And a cute redneck pony didn't kiss me on the cheek and offer me half of hers... sometimes I wonder who is more spoiled. Bear, the dog, who basically gets whatever he wants from me, whether it be doughnuts, ice-cream, chocolate milk. Or Slick, the cat, whom I buy Doritos and feed him. Sometimes that bird will kill a pigeon and gets poultry.
I licked the inside of my mouth. The day had been hot and seemingly endless, but finally it was finally coming to a close. I let out a deep sigh as I placed the last of the apple baskets on the wagon.
I looked over to Applejack and smiled faintly. She noticed my stare and tilted her head to one side. “Need something?” She asked and I gave a nod but didn’t answer what I needed. “Well? What is it?” She asked curiously.
“You.” I laughed jokingly and she rolled her eyes.
“Ah don’t think that’s gonna happen. Yah should go talk tah Rarity, she likes more handsome looking stallions… or maybe Rainbow Dash, she’s pretty boastful, so you two would go together pretty well.” She commented and I chuckled.
“Yeah but I only love one mare.” I replied and she rolled her eyes. “Any of which. Let’s get these wagons back to the barn so I can go home.” I told her and she raised her eyebrow.
“Wanting to go home so early? Thought maybe yah’d want tah stay and watch the sunset with me?” She asked in an obviously teasing voice.
“It’s a date then… eyy sexy lady.” I began to do a ridiculous dance which made her snicker. We quickly subdued our laughter and hooked ourselves up to the wagons. I began to pull the hefty wagon along with ease while Applejack followed suit. If there was one thing anypony should know, it’s that earth ponies are generally stronger and more heavily built than any other breed of pony.
“So about this sunset date…” I trailed off teasingly and she gave a small chuckle.
“Ah was just kiddin, ah got too much chores tah do tonight.” She replied. I scrunched my nose and gave an expression of disappointment.
“Fine… I didn’t want to see the stupid sunset with you anyway.” I replied in a serious voice. She laughed. “I was serious.” I lied convincingly.
“Hey! Now that ain’t nice.” Applejack called over to me.
“Well sometimes the truth hurts, doesn’t it?” I told her in a still serious tone. She gave a gasp of shock from my cold tone. I looked to her with a blunt face. Suddenly myself restraint snapped and I burst into laughter.
Her look at first was one of confusion and shock but then she too quickly joined in on the laughter. “Ah thought yah was serious!” She laughed and my laughter quickly faded.
“Oh, I was. The look on yer face just made me laugh is all. You were like…” I trailed off and did a stupidly ridiculous face. She gasped again, once again on the thought that I was serious about the sunset idea being stupid.
“Yah… yah really think that a sunset date with me would be stupid?” She asked worriedly. I couldn’t laugh at that. It seemed to heartbreaking with her tone the way it was. It kind of sounded like she was about to cry if I said yes.
“Pfft, no… I mean well, no as in yes as in… dammit now you have me thinking. Give me a second… The idea of a date with you would be a dream come true, no matter what we do.” I told her and she let out a breath of relief. “You didn’t think I was serious did you?” I asked jokingly and she nodded.
“A little… yeah.” She replied.
“Oh… sorry. I didn’t mean it.” I apologized.
“It’s alright, but yah’ll have tah repay me fer givin me such a fright.” She told me. I scratched my head in thought of how I could possibly repay her.
“Okay… uhm, how can I repay you?” I asked and she thought for a moment.
“Tell yah what. Yah stay fer dinner an help me clean up. Then after that yah can take me on a ‘romantic’ date tah watch the sunset.” She told me. I smiled then brought up my hoof.
“YES!” I whispered to myself in excitement. She rolled her eyes and blushed, with a smile splayed across her face.
We arrived at the barn and unhitched the wagons. I wiped some sweat off my forehead. Today had been about +30 degrees and the heat waves could literally be seen in the orchard.
Applejack trotted over to the freezer and pulled out two fresh drumstick ice-cream cones. During lunch break, she had gone down to the local grocery mart and bought some goodies. Although she had to get Rainbow Dash to fly the ice-cream back. If she hadn’t, then the ice-cream would’ve melted before it got to the freezer.
“Here!” Applejack called out and tossed me a drumstick. As I unraveled the wrapper, we both heard the all too familiar bark of Winona. Jeeze, her bark was like ‘Jaws’ theme music. Whenever you hear it, you know something bad is going to happen.
We both hopped up on the wagon side and began licking the ice-cream. Winona quickly sat in front of us and began to beg and whimper. “No Winona, no more beggin. Now get.” Applejack ordered the spoiled mutt, but it was no use. Winona just kept begging.
After I had finished most of the ice-cream atop the cone, I felt a little sad for the dog. She had a thick fur coat that probably insulated the unforgiving heat wave which was still partly going on.
I looked to my ice-cream. Maybe if I held her neck in a headlock then brought the ice-cream so it was just within her reach then… I nodded to myself then hopped off the side of the wagon.
“What the hay are yah doin?” Applejack asked in a semi confused voice.
I looked back to her and smirked. “Trust me. I have an idea.” I told her. She just rolled her eyes as she watched me put Winona in a headlock. She didn’t mind because her mind was set on getting some ice-cream.
I wouldn’t really mind if she took a bite out of the cone because there wasn’t much ice-cream left. And besides, she wouldn’t be able to fit the entire cone in her mouth anyway.
I slowly brought the ice-cream towards her face. She leaned her face back a bit and slowly opened her mouth as if to lick the cone. “That a girl Winona. See yer gettin the hang of…” I was cut off as she suddenly lashed her face forwards and snatched the entire cone by the top.
She didn’t crunch the cone and instead held it firmly in her jaws before pulling her head back and out of my headlock. She quickly scampered off with my entire cone in her mouth.
“BUCK! WINONAAAAAA!” I roared and Applejack tried painfully to stifle a laugh but soon burst into laughter. “Buck!” I hissed to myself.
She subdued her laughter for a brief second then wiped a tear from her eye. “Great plan Marestein.”
Author's Note
Great plan Einstein... exactly what I was telling myself at work. I mean, it seemed logical at the time. 'Hold dog in headlock, bring ice-cream just within reach, then let dog take a bit but he'd only be able to get a little because I had him in a headlock.' Not the case however because he had his head a little further back so when I brought it up to him he was able to snap his head forwards and snag my ice-cream cone, the entire thing... bastard. Those drumsticks are like 3.50$ I might as well just buy the dog a Wendy's hamburger for Christ's sake.
So that's it for now, if I have anything else happen, I'll make another sequel. Should call it 'The Winona eats' series. Will post link to the sequel if I do it.
