Shorty Thinking and Tailtech were repairing on RESTORE machines. Laxtinct was there helping his friends on it. It was badly damages due to Rainbow Dash's carelessness and reckless pranks on almost everypony including them. Luckily, Rainbow Dash learned her lesson on the hard way, thanks to Ponyville Town Ponies and her friends.
Twilight Sparkle and her friends have arrived at the area. They're here to recover their lost memories.
"Hey, Shorty Thinking, we're back for our next appointment," Twilight Sparkle said happily, "So, how's the repairs? I hope Rainbow Dash didn't damage it badly."
Rainbow Dash groaned, "I said I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to go that far."
"Almost... And it's not so bad. If Rainbow Dash continued her pranks, this machine would have been destroyed," Shorty Thinking answered as he closed the machine's door. He then tested on his computer, "Okay, good to go! On what chapter are you looking forward?"
Applejack smirked in amusement, "You remember my cousin Tough Apple? We're here for that story."
Shorty Thinking groaned, "Your cousin better not destroy my items again! And believe me, you do not want to see my ugly face."
Rarity giggled in amusement, "Oh relax, Shorty. I'm pretty sure he did not come here for some mess."
Fluttershy nodded, "I agreed. He's nice and lot more gentle now."
"RAINBOW DASH!" The angry voice exclaimed in anger, causing the ponies yelped in concern.
The ponies turned to the entrance. They found angry Tough Apple holding his bonjo and toolbox entered the scene, making him growled in anger and annoying. He glared at nervous and worried Rainbow Dash.
"What. Did. You. Do. To. My. JOE?!" Tough Apple demanded in anger, "I'm getting annoyed by your pranks!"
Tough Apple threw the toolbox at Rainbow Dash, who dodged down at once while it hit at his office desk. The toolbox was damaged while his tools were thrown everywhere.
"Tough Apple, I needed that!" Shorty Thinking exclaimed in anger. He quickly checked and put his tools back into toolbox. Tailtech and Laxtinct helped him. He groaned, "Honestly, you're worse as Laxtinct when it comes of breaking my stuffs!"
Laxtinct groaned, "Hey!"
Tough Apple huffed, "Not my fault if Rainbow Dash hadn't pull a prank on me again!"
The ponies glared at nervous Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow Dash, we have the agreement," Pinkie Pie said in annoyance, "No more pranks until you know how and what they feel about it."
Ben Mare nodded, "One of these days. Your pranks are gonna get you into troubles. You're worse as Psychopath Joke!"
"I can't help it. I loved pranks. It helps me from being bored," Rainbow Dash said innocently.
The ponies including four Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike and Phobos groaned in annoyance, "Not us. We're still angry with your pranks!"
"And even me," Fluttershy said angrily, "I'm still mad at you about the monster trick on me."
Rainbow Dash groaned, "Critics..."
Laxtinct chuckled in amusement, "How about we forget about this and enjoy the relive the past again?"
The ponies groaned, "Fine..."
Twilight Sparkle and all of her friends sat on their RESTORE Beds. Shorty Thinking and Tailtech typed on their computer in readying them to relive in their past.
"Setting course for 'The Wild Temper Apple' Arc now!" Shorty Thinking reported.
"'The Wild Temper Apple'? Why not called 'Black Pony of the Family'?" Nyx asked curiously, "That sounds better."
Tailtech sighed, "Not really. In fact, ponies can easily get sensitive about ponies being called by that. A misunderstanding concept. Better avoid that as long as we can."
Tough Apple groaned, "I've got bad feeling about this especially this machine..."
Twilight Sparkle and her friends entered the past now...
Chapter 1: Meet My Bad Cousin
Twilight Sparkle, Ben Mare and Spike arrived at the Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack and Granny Smith were waiting. The Apple Family rook and guide the couples and their dragon to the backyard now. They were heading straight to the old and broke house.
Ben Mare is still owing the Apple Family for eating and drinking their supplies. He has to earn the bits and returned it to them.
"Come on, Granny Smith. Think it's good idea for Ben to work with him?" Applejack asked in concern, "He can be rough and tough."
Granny Smith huffed, "I'm pretty sure. This Demon Pony still owes me a lot of my apple supplies!"
Ben Mare groaned, "Somepony got funny way to let it go..."
"Well, that's Granny Smith. You mess her crops, she will teach you a lesson or two," Spike remarked in amusement, "Especially how Flim-Flam Brothers did to their Apple Cider."
Twilight Sparkle nodded, "Yeah, I agree with Spike. Granny Smith can be a little ticked over her apples. It's best to do it and don't test her temper. Or would you rather be inside the Hydra's stomach again?"
Ben Mare sighed in annoyance, "Don't get me started."
The ponies have arrived at the broken old house. Applejack knocked the door gently. The door was opened but slammed very hard, the purple muscular and big Earth Pony with short green mane and tail, his cutie mark - a rotten apple emerged out while holding a Ruby Shotgun at them.
"Get off my property, you lousy son of the-!" The muscular pony exclaimed in anger but stopped. He yelped in concern as he put his gun aside, "Granny Smith! What the hay are you doing here?! I didn't cause any troubles! Really!"
Granny Smith groaned, "We'll see about it, Tough Apple. We'll see about it. Pull that stunt on me again. I'll have to take the allowance again."
"Fine..." Tough Apple groaned in anger. He then noticed Ben Mare near with his family and friends. He hummed, "So, who's little pork bait?"
"Pork bait?!" Ben Mare asked angrily.
Tough Apple nodded, "Yeah. I can still smell the Hydra's saliva on ya. And I'd say ya must have make him very hungry for him to eat ya. Must be bravest or dumbest you are to fight with that monster. Nopony could have survived it and beat it."
Ben Mare scoffed, "Well, I'm the first pony to beat it, even though I got eaten so many times. Yuck. I hate the inside a lot."
"Dang nab it! We didn't come here for talk about Hydra Fighting story. And actually that was stupid for a pony to fight that thing," Granny Smith remarked in annoyance yet amusement. Ben Mare groaned in annoyance while others laughed. She huffed, "Enough of it. This stallion needs some work! And he owed us a lot of bits for stealing apple cider and apples! He was that wild animal - Demon Pony!"
"This little fella?" Tough Apple asked in amusement. The ponies nodded in agreement. He laughed in amusement, "Kid, you're lucky that Granny Smith didn't kill ya. If that happen, you'd be dead."
"Thanks for the advice..." Ben Mare remarked in annoyance.
Applejack sighed, "Well, anyway, we came here to ask you be Ben's supervisor and guide in handling some apple cargo especially packing, delivering and giving to the customers. And I don't want them to squashed and ruined!"
Twilight Sparkle nodded, "And by the way, make sure you take easy on Ben Mare. He's new here."
"And don't forget, he's a prince," Spike added.
"Hmm?! Me?! And this little pork bait is prince? Ya must be joking, Jackie," Tough Apple said in annoyance, "Why on hay do I need to take of runt?!"
"Do you want to stay here or not, Tough Apple?!" Granny Smith demanded in annoyance while hitting Tough Apple's head. Her grandson nodded in concern. She screamed in anger, "Then, get to it before I sent ya to stay with Breaburn for the rest of your live! And not to mention, I ain't gonna give you some allowance if you both don't do the job well."
Tough Apple groaned in annoyance, "Of all the ponies, I'd have to take the job..."
"Well, get back to work now! I want them done properly! I'll have Big Mac on you both," Granny Smith said in annoyance, "So, get to it!"
Twilight Sparkle gave a kiss on Ben Mare's cheek, "I'll be back to check on you. So behave. And don't get on Tough Apple's bad sides."
"Here's the list of what to do and what to don't," Spike said as he passed the list to Ben Mare, "That'll help you avoid getting taste of Tough's bad temper."
Applejack turned and glared at Tough Apple, "Now remember. No mess up."
"Don't worry, cous. I won't make a mess of it." Tough Apple said in annoyance. He headed off, "Come on, pork bait, we've got some work to do."
Ben Mare huffed, "Coming. And stop calling me 'pork bait'. I'm not a pig or a bait for some monsters to eat!"
Tough Apple and Ben Mare headed off at once. The rest of their friends watched them off.
"You'd think they'll be alright?" Twilight Sparkle asked in concern.
Applejack smiled while put her hoof over her best friend's shoulder, "Now, don't you worry. It'll be alright. Tough Apple maybe rough but he ain't wild animal as we thought before. As long your boyfriend follow your list, it'll be fine."
Twilight Sparkle sighed, "You're right. So, how about apple cider juice?"
Her friends nodded and chatted in agreement. They turned and headed back to Sweet Apple Acres for some drinks.
Both Tough Apple and Ben Mare were working on farm's field. They were using their ploughs in plowing the field. It's easy for Tough Apple in handling the job while Ben Mare struggled in pulling it since it's too heavy for him to move. Tough Apple noticed it.
"Oh, for the love of Celestia! Do I have to do everything?!" Tough Apple exclaimed in annoyance. He approached and screamed at Ben, "What's with you and your plowing, pork bait?! Don't you have some muscle in handling this kind of job?!"
Ben Mare groaned, "It's heavy, you know."
"Bah! No excuses, pork bait! I expected some hardworking! So keep pushing before I'll use my Ruby Shotgun at you! Coz nopony gonna make fun of Tough Apple!"
"Okay! I'm doing it! I'm doing it! I'm doing it!"
Ben Mare groaned as he pulled his plough as hard and quickly as he can in plowing the field. Tough Apple smirked in amusement as he returned to his work.
"Works every time. I'm good at it."
They both continued plowing the field. They then put two to three seeds on the ground while covering it with dirt before moving to next and another. They finished the first field, then they moved to the next one in making another plow field and added to it with seeds. They did the same thing for other fields.
Tough Apple and Ben Mare were now bucking the apples out from the trees. They gathered into the baskets while moving to the juice making machine. Tough Apple looked through the apples while separating the good one from the bad before putting them on the rollers. He then noticed Ben Mare putting the apples on the rollers, making him even annoyed and angry.
Tough Apple slammed his hoof on Ben Mare's head hard, "Are you stupid, pork bait?! Didn't your mum taught the differences between good and bad? Do you wanna get the bad aches to your tummy? Do ya wanna be pukie?! Or worse - poison to your family?!"
"You could have just said than hitting me," Ben Mare groaned while rubbing his head, "That really hurt, you know."
"Action says louder than words, bob. Ponies got some hearing problem. So, I make them see it by my fist," Tough Apple said in amusement before looked at the apples, "You've gotta look the difference of good and bad, partner. By how you work on it, you just put them all into it. You've got eyes problem or something?"
"Geez. You've got funny way to help ponies."
"Well, what do you expect - a babysitter or something? Well, pay attention, partner; because I only said it once, only once before we moved to the juice making roller. This is where the fun begins."
"Fine. So, how you tell the difference?"
"Get rid of the rotten and bad scents of apples. Then, put the apples on it. Let's do it now."
Tough Apple helped and taught Ben Mare about separating the rotten and bad apples from good one. They then out the apples on the roller.
Tough Apple smirked proudly as he got onto the roller, "You keep on finding the right apples and poured them on the rollers. I'll handle making juice. When the barrel is filled, put another barrel. And make it quick. This is fast and fury, pork bait!"
"Yeah, sure." Ben Mare nodded in agreement, "And stop calling me 'pork bait', bonehead mule!"
"Bonehead mule?!" Tough Apple asked in amusement. He chuckled in amusement, "And here I thought that everypony loved to insults ponies with 'mule'. That is so hilarious. You really need to work with that, pork bait. No offense, Mr. Mule."
Ben Mare groaned in annoyance, "No offense too, Mr. Mule. And I'm still using it for that knucklehead."
Mr Mule smiled, "None taken. And besides, I'm use to it."
Ben Mare continued checking and separating the bad and rotten apples from good ones. He then poured the apples onto the rollers. Tough Apple make a run on it in squeezing and making the apples out of juice. It poured into the barrel into full. With the barrel filled, Ben quickly moved it aside and replaced with another before he returned to put the apples into juice making rollers. They spent hours of working on the projects.
"PORK BAIT! I said keep those sheep and cows together! You're letting them off! Do I have to do everything by myself?! Winona, keep them together! They're out of the lines again!"
Ben Mare groaned in annoyance, "Will you stop calling me that, Bonehead Mule?!"
Both Tough Apple and Ben Mare, and even little dog Winona were keeping the sheep, pigs and cows together while herding them straight to their own farm panel. Both Tough Apple and Winona were used to the job, though the tempered pony can easily get tempered in making sure the farm animals together.
Ben Mare struggled in his job as he tried to pursue and get one or three animals back to herd. Sometimes he gets into accidents such as mud, slammed into tree's holes, tripped by banana's peel, fall into water and even got knocked and kicked by the animals. Despite of that, he managed to get them back to the group.
After keeping and herding the herd, the ponies and a dog guided and led the animals into their own farm panels - cows, sheeps and pigs. It is done.
Ben Mare sighed as he laid down on the ground, "Man, that is so tiring..."
"This is nothing, pork bait. Compare in dealing with little chickens, this is easy," Tough Apple commented in amusement while putting his hat properly, "Alright, let's get going. We've got couple of chores to do. And it's serious business."
Winona barked happily while Ben Mare groaned in annoyance and upset about the work.
Tough Apple and Ben Mare continued working on the chores and business. Though both are having troubles in working together, but nevertheless they continued to finish the job.
First task - they all feed to the animals - cows, sheeps, chickens, pigs and ducks. Tough Apple screamed at the animals from disturbing as he was pouring the food on their plates. Ben Mare struggled as farm animals tickled and disturbed him a lot.
Second task - they were all delivering the crates of the apples, apple cider and vegetables to some markets, restaurants, cafe and some houses while getting the bits. Though Ben Mare often forget about collecting the bits and even lost one or two items to the thieves since he's used to give charity and being librarian than doing a job; he managed to get the job done well.
Third task - Tough Apple and Ben Mare were watering the farm while keeping the bugs especially the parasprites off the garden. Both struggled in handling the jobs especially bugs and parasprites keep disturbing them. Nevertheless, they solved the problem - Ben Mare watered the plants while Tough Apple deal with the bugs.
Despite some of messes and troubling in partnership, both Ben Mare and Tough Apple handled well in their jobs. And they did it well. Big McIntosh saw everything as he smiled proudly and relief of it.
Ben Mare and Tough Apple sighed in relief as they all sat on the tree. They were all drinking their apple cider. They both sighed happily.
"Not bad for the job, pork bait," Tough Apple commented in amusement, "I thought you'd be like nothing but fancy chickedee brat. No offense. I got issue with royalty once."
Ben Mare smirked, "None taken. My cousin Blueblood sometimes got issue with peasants and the customs. But he's good pony, just stubborn to show it."
"Yeah. No kidding..." Tough Apple noticed Big McIntosh arrived at the scene. He smiled, "Big Mac, nice to see you here? Check on us about the business?"
Big McIntosh smiled, "Eeyup."
"Don't worry, cous. I got along well with this pork bait. I've gotta admit it, he's not such a small fry. I guess he'd really show the Hydra or two about messing with him."
"Eeyup."
"But I would like to see pork bait getting eaten again. It's so hilarious."
"Nnope."
"Hey! That wasn't funny, you know!" Ben Mare said in annoyance. He turned to Tough Apple, "Big McIntosh doesn't talk much, doesn't he?"
"Nnope," Big McIntosh smiled.
Tough Apple sighed, "That's big guy for you. He's kinda shy one since he left the school from Ponyville Schoolhouse. And don't let his gentle muscles fool ya, he's smarter than ya think, even me. Of course, I hate schools but I ain't stupid since I got anger issues. And I'm still learning too."
"Make sense. I hate school since I've got bullies problem," Ben said in annoyance. He thought in realization, "By the way, Tough; why aren't you with the family? It's kinda... strange and weird?"
Tough Apple and Big McIntosh looked surprise and concern as they wondered if they should tell Ben about the history.
"You worry about me, bug guy?" Tough Apple asked. Big McIntosh nodded in concern. He sighed, "Well, it ain't pretty one. But I'm pretty sure you'll understand about this. And why I ain't with the family but lived alone. Ya ready?"
Ben Mare nodded, "Yeah. I'm ready."
Tough Apple sighed, "Here we go. Time to tell you a story..."
To be Continued...
Review and Suggest...
Author's Notes:
1) I originally wanted to do one story but I decide to make some chapter 3 - 4 at least. Tough Apple belongs to JusSonic. I actually almost convinced that he belongs to his friend -Julaya64.