Chapter 7:
Technology Meets Magic Part 2
Applejack exited the farm house followed by the rest of the family and their three guests. As Gus is the last one to exit, Big Mac places his hand on his shoulder which made him stop.
"Ya don't look like a type person tah do some labor, why don't ya just sit with Granny Smith and keep her company?"
"I could do that, can you lead me to her?" Gus replied.
"Eeyup" Big Mac replied as he leads him to a bench beside a rocking chair where Granny Smith is.
Meanwhile, Applejack and Gary stopped on top of the hill giving a good view of the entire field, which made Gary's jaw dropped.
"I HAVE TO HARVEST ALL OF THAT!?" Gary shouted with shock.
"Nnope, just over there" Said Applejack as she points a smaller group of apple trees but it's still a rather large number. "Now, don't worry of yur pretty little head about it, Twi and Spike are comin' to help out. And, just'n time too, typical Twilight " She added as she saw Her friends on the entrance of the farm. Applejack waves her arm to notify their position and they slowly approaches them.
"I hope we're not late" Said Twilight as she stops infront of Applejack and Gary. "Yur just right on time, now let's git started" Said Applejack as she leads them to the smaller group of apple trees.
"So, we just pick them one by one?" Asked Gary as he feels tired already with all the walking.
"Oh hay no, dat will take days to get them all" Applejack replied as she stops near an apple tree and places baskets around from a nearby cart. "We here in Sweet Apple Acres, we do it our way" She continued as she made one step back and bend her knees a bit and launched a powerful kick to the tree which made it shake like there was an earthquake. Then Apples started free falling from the branches and shoots inside the baskets which mediately got filled with fresh red apples. Gary in the other hand is still processing of what currently just happened.
"Now it's your turn partner" Said Applejack as she passes by Gary with baskets full of apples and heads to the cart. Gary inhaled deeply as he heads to the next apple tree which is filled with apples. He turned around and saw Spike and Twilight gathering some of the apples that didn't shoot in the basket. He faces the tree again and inhaled deeply once more.
"Okay, you got this. If a girl can do this, so can I" He said to himself and took one step back.
Back at the farm house, Applebloom appeared from the main door with two empty buckets in each hand and followed by Nathaniel who agreed to help her to water the newly planted apple trees. "Now you two be careful now" Said Granny Smith as they pass by her.
"We will" Applebloom replied as she begins to run to the water pump. "Now slow down, Applebloom. I'm not really in my best condition just yet" Said Nathaniel as he tries to keep up with the energetic little girl.
"Your friend seems to be in a bad shape, what happen to the poor feller?" Granny asked Gus as he sits calmly on the bench. "Well, to make it short, he fell. But he is okay thanks to this girl named Fluttershy." Gus replied.
"Ah see, then wha about you? Ya got a piece of cloth over yer eyes. Ya reminded me of pin the tail of the pony, back at Applebloom's birthday a few months ago"
"I covered them because I can't use them, I'm born blind" He Replied.
"Come again?" Granny asked as she bends a bit to hear better.
"I said I covered them because I'm blind"
"Of course yer blind, silly. Ya got the piece of cloth tied around yer head" Said Granny as she leans on the rocking chair. "What about that Gary? Is der somethin' wrong with him?"
"No, ma'am. He's in good condition if I heard everyone right, but he is kinda..." Gus paused as he heard a shout of pain which came his younger brother. "Fragile" he finished with a sign.
At the source of the shout, Gary is rolling on the ground hugging his injured leg with his eyes tightly shut. He slowly opens one when he heard footsteps approaching and saw Applejack towering over him. "Sorry, I fergot to let yah wear dis." She then tossed a curved metal plate with straps attached to it. "Dis will protect yur leg from injury"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE THAT TO ME EARLIER?!" Gary shouted as his temper slowly rises.
"Like ah said, Ah fergot" She answered back as she heads to the trees to continue harvesting. As Gary sits up and still hugging his injured leg, Twilight sat next to him with first aid kit in hands. " I knew something like this would happen, so I came prepared" She said as she opens the kit. With the help of her magic, She slowly puts Gary in proper position so she can tend his wounds. She then conjures an ice pack and placed on the bruised leg and gently wraps it to his leg so it wont fall off.
"Can't you just magically heal it?" Gary asked as the pain slowly drifts away.
"I'm still learning a few medical spells, but I won't risk it. Who knows what might happen to your leg" Said Twilight as she made finishing touches to the dressing. "And done! All you need to do is just sit tight for awhile so it can heal much faster"
Gary nodded in reply as crawls under a tree to sit on the shade. "Thank you, Twilight"
"No problem, what are friends for" she replied as she heads to the cart to help Spike with the baskets.
half an hour later, Gary is still under the tree watching the clouds fly by as he thinks of a safer way to harvest the apples. "I could try to pick them with magic" He said to himself mentally as lift his left arm and tries to pick the apples from it's branches, but with the lack of knowledge about magic and from his current state, he can only pick one by one. "Blast it, I can't do this at this speed, need a better idea". After thinking really hard, he remembers on of his earlier projects he made back at the barn. "Hmmm, the powerfist will be a perfect tool for this kind of job. All I need to do is head to the barn and get it" He shakily stands upright and uses his magic to pick a long fallen branch and used it as a crutch."Huh, easier said than done" He said mentally as he makes his way to the barn.