Chapter 22: Where the Apple Lies
Today was a fine day at Sweet Apple Acres as Big Mac, Applejack, and Clay were busy loading a wagon for Filthy Rich. The Apple family had just finished gathering and making their annual supply of zap apple jam and the wealthy pony was there with one of his business ponies.
"Well, that's the last of it, Filthy Rich," said Applejack as Big Mac and Clay loaded the last of the crates onto the wagon.
Filthy Rich was riding the wagon at the very front.
"Just Rich, please," the wealthy pony replied, "And on behalf of Rich's Backyard Bargains, thanks for another shipment of zap apple jam."
"Our pleasure," said Applejack, "See ya next time."
Then Filthy Rich's business pony pulled the wagon away with the wealthy pony riding in it. Filthy Rich waved goodbye as Big Mac, Clay, and Applejack returned the gesture. The three ponies watched the wagon disappear before heading back into the barn to continue their work. It was then they noticed a few stacks of crates were stacked up inside. Usually this wouldn't have been a concern, but there was a reason for concern this time around.
"Uh, Apple Bloom, did you pack up the cider into the same crates as zap apple jam?" Applejack asked.
"Sure did!" said Apple Bloom proudly, "Now that I'm gettin' older, I wanna prove I can handle more responsibility on the farm."
"But the crates aren't marked." Applejack remarked as she and Clay approached the filly. "You kept track of what went into which crate, right?"
"Oh. Um...y-yep," said Apple Bloom nervously, "I totally kept track of everything."
Clay looked at his sister-in-law skeptically while Applejack seemed to believe her.
"Good," Applejack replied, "Because we wouldn't want Filthy Rich to get a shipment of cider when he's supposed to get zap apple jam. You know how Granny feels about sellin' cider anywhere but on the farm."
"No kiddin'," said Clay as he rubbed his left ear, "My ears are still ringing from the time I made the suggestion to sell some cider at Canterlot. I even said it would be in person and one day only. First come, first serve too, and she still gave me an earful about it."
"I'll admit it wasn't a bad idea," said Applejack, "But Granny can be mighty stubborn about tradition."
"Guess that explains why you act the same way, honey." Clay remarked to his wife smugly as Big Mac snickered. Applejack just shot both stallions a loud raspberry.
"Gettin' back on track here," said Applejack as she looked at Apple Bloom again, "Are you sure he got the right crates?" Apple Bloom huffed indignantly.
"Sure I'm sure!" said Apple Bloom as she backed Applejack against a crate that was behind her, "Now why don't you, Clay, and Big Mac head on out to the house and let me finish up here?"
As Applejack's hind legs bumped the crate, the four ponies heard a familiar rattling of glass containers.
"Wait..." said Clay suspiciously, "These particular glass containers didn't make any sloshing sounds..."
Applejack then opened the crate and found that it was filled with jars of zap apple jam and not cider.
"If you gave Rich the zap apple jam," said Applejack, holding a jar in her fore-hoof as she and Clay glared at her sternly, "then what's this here?"
"Um...extra?" Apple Bloom said sheepishly and timidly.
"Nnnope," Big Mac said sternly as the two apple siblings and Clay glared at her.
Apple Bloom just winced and lowered her head in shame. She knew she was in trouble now.
*Main theme*
It didn't take long before Filthy Rich returned with the mistaken delivery as Clay and Big Mac both double checked all the crates to make sure each one had zap apple jam and not cider. While Filthy Rich knew this wasn't his fault, he was still feeling rather uneasy.
"Granny knows I-I wasn't tryin' to make off with a shipment of cider, right?" Filthy asked normally, "Because I would never do that."
"Don't worry, It's not your fault this happened." Clay assured Filthy Rich.
"Mah husband's right," said Applejack in agreement with her husband, "Don't worry. We know exactly whose fault it was."
Filthy Rich breathed a sigh of relief. Then his business pony friend pulled the wagon away. Filthy Rich then waved goodbye to Applejack, Clay, and Big Mac once again as the three ponies returned the gesture. Inside the barn, Apple Bloom was busy pushing some crates about, waiting for the inevitable lecture and possible punishment for her mistake. Applejack was the first to walk up to the yellow filly.
"Now why in tarnation would you lie to us, Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked sternly with Clay behind his wife.
"We know you want to be helpful, Apple Bloom," Clay added, "But you could've told us you forgot to label the crates instead of saying you knew what was inside. Filthy Rich would have been in deep trouble if Granny had found out they had cider. Who knows what would have happened to them if she thought they were trying to sell the cider against her wishes!"
"I was kinda hopin' I could fix it before anypony found out," Apple Bloom replied sadly.
"Apple Bloom, being grown up means taking responsibility for your mistakes," said Clay, "Not trying to cover it up and making things worse."
"Clay's right," Applejack added as Big Mac put down a crate behind her, "Tellin' lies won't fix anythin'. Trust me, I know."
"What could you possibly know about it?" Apple Bloom retorted angrily, "You've never told a lie in your whole life!"
Applejack suddenly looked a tad uneasy. Clay took notice of his wife's reaction.
"Honey? Are you tellin' me you have done this before?" Clay asked in surprise.
"Well, uh… um…" Applejack said nervously.
"Pffffffft...hahahahahahaha!" Bic Mac burst into laughter.
Applejack glared at her older brother until she and the others heard a familiar chuckle. They all turned to see Granny Smith entering the barn and laughing as well.
"What's so funny?" Apple Bloom asked since all the laughter puzzled her.
"Yeah, I don't understand." Clay added in agreement.
"Oh-ho, sugercube," said Granny Smith, "That's nothin'! Your big sister lied so much when she was a filly, the whole family ended up in the hospital."
"What?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed in shock as she jumped in the air.
"Eeyup," said Big Mac in agreement. Clay blinked.
"Wow..." Clay remarked, "And I thought a stubborn and honest Applejack got herself into deep trouble."
Applejack just had a very annoyed and deadpan look on her face and said nothing.
"Oh, she was much worse as a liar, littl' bro," Big Mac remarked with a smile. Applejack face-hooved herself and groaned.
"You might as well tell Apple Bloom the whole story," said Applejack bitterly, "Might even do her some good."
"Oh, this story should be interesting," said Clay.
"You gotta know, Clay," said Granny Smith as she pulled over a rocking chair out of the blue. When Applejack and Big Mac were just a wee bit older than you are now, Apple Bloom, they kept a-squabblin' over who would run the farm better..."
Flashback
Teenage Applejack and Teenage Big Mac were glaring at each other. Teenage Applejack was just a little taller than Apple Bloom with long skinny legs, her blonde mane tied into two unbraided pigtails. Big Mac looked just a tad smaller than he did now, but he was already muscular but his mane was shorter and stuck out sloppily on his head.
"All I'm sayin' is that you may have plenty of brawn," Teenage Applejack protested, "but I'm the one with the ideas on how to run things better around here!" Teenage Big Mac laughed.
"Applejack, Applejack, Applejack," Teenage Big Mac retorted haughtily, "ideas are all well and good, but you can't plow a field with 'em. I don't know how many times I've told you that."
"Too many!" Teenage Applejack snapped.
"You two horned toads better stop jabberin' and get to workin'!" Granny Smith snapped, losing her patience over the two teenage ponies, "Yeah, they'd better. I need you to go to town. The apple blight's been awful, and if we don't get more spray, cider season will be shorter than a dwarf crabapple tree!"
Teenage Applejack and Teenage Big Mac just snarled and stared each other down, but they did obey Granny Smith and headed into town together.
(Scene changes)
Along the way, Teenage Big Mac couldn't help but speak his mind. He was talking so much that Teenage Applejack felt her patience wearing out...very quickly.
"It's like I was just tellin' Cousin Braeburn last week," Teenage Big Mac continued, "Now there's a pony who knows how to put his back into a problem."
Teenage Applejack just gritted her teeth and growled, making it pretty clear she wasn't listening to him at all. She quickly perked up when she saw a familiar pony walked up with an unfamiliar mare.
This was actually a much younger Spoiled Rich. But at this time, she went by her maiden name, had her mane in a ponytail and she had a normal nose.
"Oh, hey there, Filthy Rich!" Teenage Applejack said cheerfully. This Filthy Rich wore a red bow tie instead of the necktie he wears now.
"Just Rich, please," the stallion replied and then turned to the mare standing beside her, "And I'd like you to meet my fiance, Spoiled Milk. Honey, this is Applejack and Big Mac, the two hardest workin' ponies at Sweet Apple Acres."
Spoiled Milk smiled at first, but then frowned and rolled her eyes when Filthy Rich introduced her to the two farm ponies.
"You work on a farm?" Spoiled Milk remarked snootily, "How quant."
"Oh, now, dear, be nice," said Filthy Rich with a chuckle, "Sweet Apple Acres makes zap apple jam. It's one of Dad's best sellers."
Spoiled Milk just glared, making it clear she didn't like being told what to do and stuck her nose in the air snootily.
"You mean one of your best-sellers," said Spoiled Milk and then stomped up to Applejack and Big Mac, "My amazing husband-to-be is running the Rich family business now. Did you know that? Well, now you do."
"Don't mind Spoiled Milk," said Filthy Rich as her walked up to her, "She's just proud of me. Uh, but Spoiled Milk is right. I'm in charge of the store now, and I'm just burstin' with ideas I wanna try!"
"Like what?" Teenage Applejack asked.
"Well, how 'bout this?" said Filthy Rich, "Cider season's around the corner. Why not let me sell it for ya?"
"That is an interesting idea," Teenage Applejack replied with interest.
"Well, maybe it's interestin', an' maybe it ain't," Teenage Big Mac remarked, "But it's definitely not a new idea. Granny Smith told us your grandpa, Stinkin' Rich, used to ask her every year if he could sell our cider in your store, and Granny told him every year about the tradition of everypony in Ponyville linin' up out at Sweet Apple Acres."
"So start a new tradition," Filthy Rich suggested, "Someday, one o' y'all will take over the farm just like I've taken over the store. I'm guessin' it'll be the one with the best ideas."
Filthy Rich leaned over to Applejack and gave her a wink, which made the teenage filly smile.
"Well, now, as I've said many a time before," Teenage Big Mac replied, "ideas are all well an' good, but you can't plow a field-"
"Ya know what?" Teenage Applejack firmly interrupted as her patience hit her limit and because she felt like she had something to prove, "How 'bout we give you three barrels of cider early, and if it sells well, we'll make a deal for the rest?"
"Oh, hey, now! Perfect!" said Filthy excitedly as he and Teenage Applejack shook hooves and then turned to his fiancé, "Come on, honey. I've gotta get everything ready."
Applejack smiled excitedly.
"Hoo-wee!" Teenage Applejack cheered and did a hoof-pump, "I tell ya, if the future means me runnin' Sweet Apple Acres and you bein' quiet, I can't wait!"
Teenage Big Mac just blinked and then gave the filly a stern glare.
(Scene changes)
He was still fuming by the time they had returned back to the farm with a large amount of sprayers on their backs.
"I just can't believe you make a deal with Filthy Rich without even talkin' to Granny!" Teenage Big Mac remarked as he and Teenage Applejack dumped th sprayers on the barn floor.
"Aw, Granny will love the idea," said Teenage Applejack. "And then she'll decided that I'm the one who should take over the farm. You'll see."
"See what?" said a voice. Both Teenage Applejack and Teenage Big Mac turned to see Granny Smith walk into the farm.
"Applejack here had another one of her "big ideas"," Big Mac told the experienced mare with an eye roll, "and I think we all know my position on ideas. You can't-"
"Can't plow a field with 'em," Granny Smith and Teenage Applejack said in annoyed and deadpan tones. Teenage Big Mac felt rather embarrassed and lowered his head in shame.
"Er...right," said Teenage Big Mac quietly.
"Big idea, hmmm?" Granny Smith said as she looked at Teenage Applejack skeptically. The Teenage filly felt nervous as she backed away with a sheepish smile on her face. Once she was standing beside Teenage Big Mac, she plucked up courage to speak.
"Actually, more of an opportunity." Applejack explained. "Ya see, we ran into Filthy Rich in town. Did you know he's running the family store now?"
"And what's this here opportunity mean for Sweet Apple Acres?" Granny Smith asked
"Well, uh, since cider season is almost here, he-or, I-I mean," Teenage Applejack stuttered, "I-thought it'd be a good idea to give him a few barrels of cider to sell at the store before the season starts."
"Oh, is that all?" said Granny Smith in a sweet tone, making Teenage Applejack smirk at Teenage Big Mac's expense, but Granny then yelled, "Absolutely not!"
Teenage Applejack just groaned and now it was Teenage Big Mac's turn to smirk. Teenage Applejack quickly recovered and scoffed.
"But, Granny, why can't we sell a few barrels o' cider early to Filthy Rich?" Applejack asked, "And how is it any different than when you gave zap apple jam to Filthy's grandpappy to sell?"
"Your cider and your jam ain't the same thing!" Granny Smith explained firmly as she held a jar on her fore-hoof, "Zap apple jam jars preserve the flavor for moons, but cider starts to spoil the second it comes out the press. That is why every year cider season, all of Ponyville lines up at Sweet Apple Acres. And first come is first served! Hmph!"
Teenage Big Mac and Teenage Applejack stared.
"I get what you're sayin', Granny," said Teenage Applejack, "But couldn't you make an exception just this once? I sort of promised." Big Mac just looked very indignant.
"Mm, meh-ehh," Granny Smith replied as she walked over to two crates that separated the good apples from the bad, "Besides, cider-makin' is iffy business. And we're probably not gonna have alot this year anyway, what with all the blight. I am sorry, Applejack, but you's just gonna have to un-promise."
"Oh..." Teenage Applejack sighed in disappointment.
(Scene changes)
The next day, Teenage Applejack and Teenage Big Mac were making their way through town to Backyard Bargains. Teenage Big Mac then saw Teenage Cheerilee walked past, smiled at her, and then went back to sternly looking at Teenage Applejack, who had a long frown on her face.
"I hate to say I told you so, Applejack, but-" Teenage Big Mac retorted.
"You an' I both know you don't hate to say anythin'," Teenage Applejack interrupted irritably.
"Well, I've always thought that the most important thing a pony can do is say exactly what's on his mind to anypony who'll listen," said Teenage Big Mac, which made Teenage Applejack's mood grow more sour as they walked, "so everypony everywhere always knows everythin' they're thinkin', and-"
"And you don't ever have to listen to anypony else," Teenage Applejack finished huffily, stunning Teenage Big Mac.
"What?" Teenage Big Mac said in shock.
"Exactly," Teenage Applejack replied bitterly as they arrived outside of backyard bargains.
As they walked inside, they noticed Filthy Rich had just finished tending to a young Mrs. Cake when he saw the two farm ponies.
"Well, if it ain't my new business partner!" said Filthy Rich warmly.
"Uh, about the cider, Rich..." Teenage Applejack said nervously.
"Take a look at what I did last night after we made our deal!" said Filthy Rich excitedly as he zoomed off to another part of the store.
Filthy Rich then opened a circular curtain. Inside the curtain was a rather nice apple display for the cider.
"Whoo! Ha!" said Filthy Rich excitedly, "Pretty great, huh?" Applejack looked rather uneasy.
"The thing is," said Teenage Applejack timidly, "I-I don't think I can get you any." Filthy Rich was stunned.
"What?" Filthy Rich said as he shook his head in shock before he glared at the two farm ponies. "Well, I did all this work on your say-so! We shook hooves and everything."
Teenage Big Mac went to do damage control as Teenage Applejack nervously held a fore-hoof to her mouth.
"Well, you see, at Sweet Apple Acres," Teenage Big Mac tried to explain, "we've always been about quality, and while your basic jam jar'll keep-"
"Plus it's been a tough harvest this year," said Teenage Applejack, cutting her brother's explanation off, "what with all the blight."
"Gah!" Filthy Rich snapped, "Sounds to me like you're tryin' to make excuses! Whenever Granddad dealt with Granny Smith, she kept her word! If you can't do that, maybe our families should stop doin' business together! All together!"
"Now, now the thing is, Rich," Teenage Big Mac tried to explain once again, "t ain't really up to us. Y'see, Granny's-"
"Uh, sick!" Teenage Applejack blurted out before sucking her lower up and looking away. Teenage Big Mac shot her a fast glare.
Filthy Rich's glare softened instantly.
"Wait, Granny's sick?" Filthy Rich said in surprise, "I-I had no idea."
"Ee...yeah," Teenage Big Mac replied, "Nopony did."
He then gave Teenage Applejack a subtle glare, only for the filly to kick him back in reply.
"Uh, what Big Mac means is," Teenage Applejack continued, "Uh, we've been tryin' to keep it quiet. Don't want people to make rash decisions about doin' business with Sweet Apple Acres just because we're, uh, a little short hooved at the moment."
Teenage Big Mac just glared at his younger sister, but Filthy Rich seemed to believe her.
"Oh, my!" Filthy Rich exclaimed, "O-Of course, of course! I am so sorry. Please let me know if there's anything I can do."
"Much appreciated," said Teenage Applejack, her eyes darting back and forth quickly while Teenage Big Mac just stood beside her with a long face, "But right now, we-we only ask for your understandin' during this difficult time." Teenage Applejack then quickly pushed Teenage Big Mac out of the store.
"Mm-hmm," said Filthy Rich in concern as he watched the two teenagers leave with a worried look on her face.
(Scene changes)
Back at the barn, Teenage Big Mac and Teenage Applejack were sitting at a table waiting for dinner. While Granny Smith was busy getting something ready for them to eat, Teenage Big Mac wasted no time venting his frustrations over what had happened at Backyard Bargains.
"You were supposed to tell Rich the simple truth!" Teenage Big Mac scolded while Teenage Applejack just sulked and ignored him as she sat across from him, "But instead, you made things worse with a giant lie!"
He then stomped his fore-hooves on the table firmly to make his point clear.
"W-W-What was I supposed to do?" Teenage Applejack protested, "You heard Rich. If I told him the truth, he was gonna stop doin' business with us altogether."
"Yeah, but that's only because I..." Teenage Big Mac quickly stopped talking. At the corner of his eye, he saw Granny Smith walking into the kitchen backwards carrying a bowl of tossed salad, "I forgot to ask if we had any oat crumbles for this delicious lookin' salad, Granny."
The two teenagers just smiled innocently. Granny Smith irritably grunted.
"Yeah, I'll go take a look," Granny Smith said annoyingly before heading back into the kitchen and muttering to herself.
Once they were clear to speak again, Teenage Big Mac wasted no time getting into Teenage Applejack's face.
"That was only because you made promises you couldn't keep!" said Teenage Big Mac, "There's gotta be a better way out of this mess than by makin' up some story about Granny bein' sick!"
"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Teenage Applejack remarked.
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK
Suddenly there was a knock on the front door, Teenage Big Mac and Teenage Applejack rushed to open the front door. There outside was Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk. The former was holding a bouquet of roses in his fore-leg and the second was just looking rather snooty.
"Sorry to drop by unannounced," said Filthy Rich. "We just wanted to come by to wish Granny a speedy recovery."
Look, Sis," said Big Mac in a tone filled with sarcasm, "Our good friend, Mr. Rich and his fiancé… are here! Oh, and they brought flowers! For Granny! On account o' she's sick! Like you said. Ain't that sweet?"
Teenage Applejack just grew more annoyed as Teenage Big Mac continued speaking that she found it harder and harder to mask it. Then the doors rattled as Granny Smith was about to walk into the room.
"Uh, excuse me one second!" said Teenage Applejack as she took off, lunged at Granny Smith to shove her back into the kitchen.
"Aah!" Granny Smith yelped as she was sent flying back into the kitchen.
CRASH!
Teenage Big Mac winced at the crash. In the kitchen, Granny Smith was recovering from Teenage Applejack's surprise attack.
"Golly, what in tarnation?" the experienced mare retorted with their dinner salad on her head and all over the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Granny," said Teenage Applejack, trying to sound apologetic, "I-I didn't see ya there."
"Ya came blastin' in so fast, t' weren't possible to see nothin'!" Granny Smith snapped.
"Can you got out to the barn?" Applejack said nervously. "I, uh, I think I might've left a blight sprayer in the orchard."
"Are you outta yer apple-pickin' mind?!" Granny Smith snapped as she stood back up on her hooves and poked the filly's forehead, "It's suppertime, girl!"
"I know, but, uh, if we forgot a sprayer," Teenage Applejack tried to explain, "I'd wanna get it before dark. You go start countin', a-and I'll tell Big Mac we'll be right back, okay?"
Granny Smith just glared before she headed outside. But Teenage Applejack quickly pushed her out of the house and slammed the door shut. She leaned against it while standing on her hind legs to catch her breath.
She then took a deep breath to recompose herself as best as she could before peeking outside to see that Teenage Big Mac was just chatting away to keep Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk busy.
"...so from that moment on, I look to referrin' to myself as Big or Large or..." Teenage Big Mac rambled on until Applejack zipped up to him.
"Oh, Applejack!" said Filthy Rich. "Your brother was just explainin' why he always wears his yoke."
"Even though we asked him how your grandmare is doing!" Spoiled Milk said huffily.
"Oh, well, you know how Big Mac can get to...to talkin," said Teenage Applejack as her brother wiped his brow, "especially when he's upset. And right now, he's just as worried about Granny Smith as I am."
Applejack then gestured for the two visitors out of the barn and shut the door.
(Scene changes)
It wasn't long before they reached the outside gate of the farmland.
"Oh, dear," said Filthy Rich, "Is she doin' that bad?"
It was then Teenage Applejack saw Granny Smith busily shoving a crate filled with sprayers into the barn.
"Well, one thing's for sure, she..." said Teenage Applejack with a wince, "she shouldn't be seein' anypony right now. In fact, I'm gettin' more upset just thinkin' about it. Excuse me."
Teenage Applejack just zoomed off. While Teenage Big Mac started talking to Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk again, Teenage Applejack head bucked Granny Smith inside the barn and headed inside.
"D'oh!" Granny Smith yelped as she made a hard landing, "What in the frilly fumidil has gotten into you?!"
"Sorry, Granny," said Teenage Applejack, "I just decided if I helped you, it would go faster."
"Well, you're too late," said Granny Smith, "All the sprayers are here."
Applejack sternly looked at the crate, but was actually looking around it so she could see if her brother was keeping Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk busy.
"Oh, good," said Teenage Applejack, "Uh, say, Granny, when did you first fight the apple blight again?" Granny Smith smirked.
"It was my second year here in Ponyville," Granny Smith explained, "Uh, they was before I had the rick on the one knee."
Teenage Applejack noticed that Granny Smith had her eyes closed as she told the story. This gave the teenage filly the chance to quietly tip-hoof out of the barn and get back to the others.
Once again, Filthy Rich had a puzzled look on his face and Spoiled Milk looked annoyed.
"...and others say that's how the trees got to growin' so tall," said Teenage Big Mac, "but to me, it's just how I got my cutie mark."
"But we asked when we could come back to see Granny," said Spoiled Milk.
It was then Teenage Applejack rushed up.
"Uh, Big Mac didn't wanna be rude, but you just can't see Granny right now," Teenage Applejack tried to explain, "because she's..got apple blight!"
Filthy Rich gasped.
"I thought only trees got that blight!" Filthy Rich pointed out. Even Teenage Big Mac gave his little sister a glare that said he agreed with the wealthy pony, but it went unnoticed.
"Yeah, that's usually the case," Teenage Applejack replied, giving her older brother the stink eye, "The doctors think it's from workin' in the orchards for so many years. Y'see we had to take Granny to Ponyville General. We just got back right before you showed up."
Spoiled Milk also had a skeptical look on her face as Teenage Applejack gave Filthy Rich a sheepish and nervously smile.
"Oh, my," exclaimed Filthy Rich, "That is terrible!"
"Ew! It's not contagious, is it?" Spoiled Milk asked worriedly.
."Um, I'm sure you'll be fine," said Teenage Applejack as she walked up to the spoiled mare, "but you should leave..." Applejack gave a definitive cough, "...just in case."
"You're right," said Filthy Rich to the teenage filly, "We're gonna have to hurry if we wanna get there before visitin' hours are over." The two ponies then trotted off.
"That's right," said Teenage Applejack and then blinked in realization, "Wait. Get where?"
"Why, the hospital, of course," said Filthy Rich. "I'm sure we'll see you there."
He and Spoiled Milk walked off. Applejack was now panicking as Teenage Big Mac gave a deadpan and disapproving look behind her. He didn't wait long before speaking up.
"Tellin' Filthy Rich that Granny's in the hospital just made everythin' a hundred times worse!" said Teenage Big Mac. "What are we supposed to do now?!"
Teenage Applejack looked back to the barn before she smiled.
"I got it!" Teenage Applejack exclaimed.
(Scene changes)
The two ponies headed into the barn, where Granny Smith was still talking with her eyes closed. She never knew that Teenage Applejack had ever left. Teenage Big Mac was right behind the filly.
"Dropped my second best teeth right in the pigeon, and that was the worst case of apple blight I have ever seen!" Granny Smith finished as she finally opened her eyes.
"I'd love to hear more, Granny," said Teenage Applejack quickly, "but we gotta get to the hospital right away!"
"The hospital?" Granny Smith remarked, "Why? Who's sick?"
"You are, apparently," Teenage Big Mac remarked.
Teenage Applejack gritted her teeth at him before speaking again.
"What he means is you're needed at the hospital," Teenage Applejack corrected, glaring at her older brother.
"Heh. Whatever for?" Granny Smith asked curiously.
"It's the apple blight!" Teenage Applejack explained shakily, "It's startin' to infect ponies now! The doctors need an expert opinion, and nopony knows more about fightin' blight than Granny Smith!"
Applejack then smiled nervously.
"Well, what in tarnation are we waitin' for? Let's go!" Granny Smith said and started walked off.
Teenage Big Mac tried to speak, but then Teenage Applejack shoved a green apple into his mouth and smirked smugly. Teenage Big Mac glared at his little sister.
(Scene changes)
The walk was rather short as the Apple Family started making their way to the hospital. Granny Smith had a casual smile on her face, Teenage Big Mac had a long face, and Teenage Applejack was on high alert. She then gasped silently when she saw Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk approaching the hospital in the other direction.
"You know," said Teenage Applejack, "we're supposed to go in, uh, in the back! Uh, to avoid anypony in the waitin' room with the blight."
Granny Smith and Big Mac looked at her skeptically but still followed her as they entered the hospital from a back door. As Teenage Applejack led the group down the halls, she winced once again when she saw Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk walking down another hallway in front of them.
"Oops! I almost forgot!" said Teenage Applejack quickly as she shoved Granny Smith into a nearby room. Teenage Big Mac just had a bored look and went to stand outside.
"Hrk!" Teenage Big Mac yelped as the teenage filly pulled him into the room.
Then a few seconds later, Granny Smith appeared wearing surgery attire.
"This is perfect!" Teenage Applejack told the experienced mare as they walked out, "Now you don't have to worry about catchin' the blight."
"If you say so, dearie," Granny Smith replied in a muffled tone due to her mask.
"Now you wait right here while I, uh...check on your presentation!" Teenage Applejack said nervously, her eyes darting back and forth before she took off.
"What in the rotten rhubarb is goin' on here?" Granny Smith demanded but the teenage filly had already ran off.
Teenage Applejack soon arrived in the waiting room and found Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk standing in front of the reception desk.
"Fancy meetin' you two here!" Teenage Applejack said with a nervous laugh.
"Well, we told you we were coming," Spoiled Milk pointed out.
Filthy Rich turned to face her and she quickly put on a smile.
"Well, I'm glad we found you, because I can't seem to find Granny's room or any nurses who've even heard about a pony with apple blight," Filthy Rich pointed.
Teenage Applejack began to sweat.
"Granny's room. Sure!" Teenage Applejack replied, "Just go down here, take a left, then a right, go down some stairs, up a bunch more stairs, uh, through the cafeteria, left three more times, and then you're there! Easy as Granny's apple pie!"
The teenage filly then laughed nervously, sweated, and then walked off.
"Uh, aren't you comin' with us?" Filthy Rich asked curiously.
"Uh, I'll catch up!" Teenage Applejack replied, "I gotta find Big Mac!"
Teenage Applejack then took off as quickly as she could. She quickly reunited with Granny Smith and Teenage Big Mac.
"Okay, Granny," Teenage Applejack told the experienced mare, "just wait here one second and we can go." She then went to shove Teenage Big Mac into another room.
"Where are you two going?" Granny Smith asked firmly.
"Big Mac can't come!" Teenage Applejack replied quickly, "He, uh, might be contagious!"
"Contagious?!" said Teenage Big Mac and Granny Smith together.
But before the teenage stallion could protest, Teenage Applejack managed to overpower the larger stallion and shoved him into the room before Granny Smith could ask any more questions. The experienced mare just watched them disappear with a skeptical look on her face.
Inside the room, Teenage Applejack quickly grabbed a white sheet that was on a gurney.
"All right, climb up here and I'll cover you up," Teenage Applejack told her older brother, "Then I'll bring Rich in, tell him you're Granny Smith, but you're not allowed to take the sheets off. You moan a few times, he leaves, and this whole thing is over."
Big Mac felt his patience reach his limit.
"This is spinnin' way out of control, Applejack!" Teenage Big Mac shouted angrily, "Now I know you thought sellin' cider in Filthy Rich's store was a good idea, but it ain't worth lyin' to him about Granny bein' sick and needin' to go to the hospital, or fibbin' to Granny about them wantin' her to come here to talk about the blight, or-"
Applejack's patience faster than a pony gulping a fresh mug of cider until...
"BIG MACINTOSH, PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE!" Teenage Applejack yelled at the top of her lungs. Teenage Big Mac did stop talking, but still glared at her, "This ain't about my ideas. If Rich finds out about all the lies, he'll cut off ties with us and the farm'll go under! Now do you want the worst to happen, or do you wanna help?" Teenage Big Mac just looked at her bluntly.
"Why can't you be Granny?" Teenage Big Mac protested, "You're her size, and this is all your fault in the first place!"
"I would, but if I let you do the talkin', you'd just ramble on and on until we got caught!" Teenage Applejack retorted.
Teenage Big Mac just groaned as he lay down on the gurney with a long face.
"Just lay down, keep still, and promise me you won't say anythin' for once in your life!" Applejack instructed as she grabbed the sheet.
"Eeeeyup," Teenage Big Mac replied in a dreary, unconvinced tone.
Teenage Applejack quickly put the blanket over him and then saw Granny Smith walking past the room. Applejack winced.
"Granny!" Teenage Applejack called out, but then squeaked when she saw Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk enter the hallway.
"Granny!" Teenage Applejack called out in a much quieter tone. She quickly walked up to the experienced mare.
"It's about time," Granny Smith remarked, "What is goin' on around here?!"
"Uh, Granny," said Teenage Applejack, "they need you to wait here! I'll come get ya!"
She quickly shoved Granny Smith into a broom closet, shut the door, and leaned against it on her hind legs. It was then Filthy Rich and Spoiled Rich approached.
"There you are!" said Filthy Rich, clearly out of breath, "We've been going in circles looking for Granny's room!" Spoiled Milk nodded in agreement. Applejack just smiled sheepishly.
"Well, you're in luck," Teenage Applejack replied. "'cause it's - it's right over here, and this time I'll make sure you don't get lost."
The teenage filly then lead the couple into the hospital room where Teenage Big Mac was. None of the ponies even noticed that another hospital worker was rolling that very gurney right out of the room. Teenage Applejack was surprised to see that the gurney was gone.
"What in the dadgum-?!" Teenage Applejack said in shock.
"What now?" Spoiled Milk asked impatiently.
"He - I mean, she was right here!" Teenage Applejack told the group and then rushed out of the room with a frantic look on her face.
Then something came to the teenage filly's mind and she winced.
"Oh, no. We gotta go!" Teenage Applejack said quickly.
"I-Is that Granny Smith?" Spoiled Milk said in surprise.
Up ahead was the gurney that Teenage Big Mac was resting on and heading off in one direction with a couple of other ponies wearing operating attire.
"Where are they takin' her?" Filthy Rich said worriedly.
"You three, don't lose that gurney!" Teenage Applejack said.
Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk rushed off.
It was then the real Granny Smith exited the closet.
"Granny, what are you doin'?" Teenage Applejack demanded as she approached her grandmother, "You were supposed to stay there!"
"It was a supply closet!" Granny Smith snapped.
The teenage filly just smiled sheepishly.
"Oh. Uh..." Applejack stuttered, "Well, okay, come with me, but be quiet! You know, save your voice for the big presentation!"
Granny Smith just gave the filly a suspicious look as Teenage Applejack walked off at a brisk pace to look for the gurney and Teenage Big Mac. Granny Smith simply followed behind her. Then they reached a pair of double doors and opened them. Teenage Applejack gasped at what was inside.
This room had several ponies who were about to watch a live demonstration of a pony undergoing surgery or an operation. And Teenage Big Mac was the patient about to be operated on.
To make matters worse, Filthy Rich and Spoiled Milk were sitting in the stands. Filthy Rich looked worried and uneasy. Spoiled Milk looked absolutely bored. Teenage Applejack gasped in utter horror as Granny Smith walked into the room. The teenage filly was about to follow when another pony, named Hippocratic Oath, stopped her.
"I-I-I'm sorry, but you can't get any closer without a gown and mask," Hippocratic Oath told her.
"But-but-but-but that's my brother on there!" Teenage Applejack protested.
"Don't worry," Hippocratic Oath answered, "This is our best doctor. She'll have your brother back on his hooves in no time."
Teenage Applejack groaned loudly.
"Now the apple blight is a serious disease!" Granny Smith began. One masked surgeon spluttered.
"Did she say...apple blight?" he asked a masked nurse standing beside him.
"I think she said "gasket mites"," Masked nurse remarked.
"And once your trunk turns red like this," Granny Smith continued as she grabbed Teenage Big Mac's fore-leg, "the only thing to do is prune the branches."
"Oh, no! Granny!" Filthy Rich said in shock as Spoiled Milk looked uneasy.
"Did you say..."prune them branches"?" the masked nurse asked shocked and puzzled.
"Well, sure!" Granny Smith replied as Teenage Applejack danced on her hooves nervously in a panic, "What else you gonna do once the blight gets this bad?"
Granny Smith then walked over to cart that had some tools covered up. She then removed the cloth to reveal an operating saw on it. A very sharp operating saw to be precise. Everypony, including doctors, nurses, Filthy Rich, Spoiled Milk, and the rest of the audience gasped in horror.
Teenage Applejack was starting to have a panic attack. Even Teenage Big Mac was sweating heavily under the cloth since he could hear what was going on. In fact, he was so nervous that he couldn't even figure out if he should speak up at the moment.
Then...Teenage Applejack finally found her voice.
"Everypony, just stop!" Teenage Applejack shouted as she leaned her head back. Everypony stopped to look at her, "This is all a big misunderstandin'!" She then panted a bit to catch her breath and her words, "Actually...it's a big lie."
Teenage Applejack rushed inside and pulled off the blanket to reveal her older brother underneath it. Everypony else gasped in shock.
"Big Mac?!" Granny Smith interjected as she removed her operating mask. Filthy Rich gasped.
"Granny Smith?!" Filthy Rich exclaimed, "What is goin' on here, Applejack?"
"This is a darn good question," Granny Smith added as she glared at the teenage filly. Teenage Applejack sighed.
"I'm not sure if I was worried that nopony was listenin' to my ideas or just nervous that I wouldn't be the one to end up runnin' the farm, but..." Teenage Applejack explained, "But...I promised somethin' to Filthy Rich that I couldn't deliver, and I was too embarrassed to admit it."
"So Granny was never sick?" Filthy Rich asked.
"And there ain't no apple blighted ponies?" Granny Smith asked as well.
"Nnnope," said Teenage Big Mac.
"Those were all lies," Teenage Applejack confessed, "A-And I thought if you found out, you'd stop doin' business with the farm. So I just kept tellin' more."
"So she's not a doctor?" was all Hippocratic Oath could say.
"Please don't make Granny Smith and the farm suffer for what I did!" Teenage Applejack pleaded to Filthy Rich, "This whole thing is my fault!"
"That's...not entirely true," said Teenage Big Mac, "Maybe if I paid more attention to what you had to say instead of talkin' all the time, none o' this would've happened in the first place. I just need to...talk less and listen more. Especially to you." Teenage Big Mac then gave her little sister a hug.
"Thanks, big brother," Teenage Applejack replied with gratitude, "and whether it's me runnin' Sweet Apple Acres or you, I know it'll be in good hooves."
They shared their tender hug a little longer.
"Well, that's nice," said Granny Smith quickly before adding sternly to both teenage ponies, "but I don't know what in blazes you two are talking about! I ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon!"
Granny Smith blew a raspberry definitively before continuing.
"Runnin' the farm. Not after this display! Not likely!" said Granny Smith before walking up Filthy Rich, "And don't you go gettin' any ideas about cuttin' ties with Sweet Apple Acres, or I'm goin' right to your grandpappy. Get me?"
Filthy Rich cowered into his seat from being scolded and sweated heavily. Spoiled Milk scooted away from him.
"Um, yes, ma'am," Filthy Rich stuttered.
"Now, who here still wants to hear about the apple blight?" Granny Smith asked, trying to change the subject, as several ponies raised their hooves, "Now when I was filly..."
End Flashback
Back in the present, Apple Bloom was just listening to every detail of Granny Smith's story.
"I can't believe you told all those lies!" said Apple Bloom to Applejack in shock.
"Yeah, honey! What were ya thinkin'?!" Clay asked his wife in disapproval. "This is like worse when you didn't come back to Ponyville from Dodge Junction!"
"It's not a story I'm proud of, but it taught me a lifelong lesson about being honest," Applejack replied. Big Mac and Granny Smith hummed in agreement.
"Especially after all the extra chores I had her do," Granny Smith added, "That girl was too tired to even try lyin' again after that." Big Mac chuckled in agreement.
Clay smiled.
"Well, I'm just glad you learned a very valuable lesson, Apple Pie." Clay said as he hugged Applejack close, making the orange pony smile contently.
"Thanks, honey." Applejack said with a sweet smile as she and Clay nuzzled each other lovingly.
"I hope you learned somethin', too," Applejack asked Apple Bloom.
"I sure did," said Apple Bloom, "I learned that nopony starts out perfect and sometimes you gotta make a few mistakes to figure out who you are."
"Eeyup," Big Mac said in agreement.
"Very true," Clay added.
"But I think the most important thing I learned is who really runs Sweet Apple Acres," said Apple Bloom.
"Granny!" said all four ponies together.
"You're darn tootin'!" Granny Smith replied sternly, "Now everypony quit your lollygaggery and get back to work!" The four ponies were startled, even Clay looked rather uneasy.
"Yes ma'am," said Clay nervously.
"Right after we have a glass of cider," Granny Smith added as she held a tin plate with a cider bottle and glasses.
Everypony laughed.
They might not be perfect, but they were Apples forever and they loved each other very much.
