THE APPLE OF MY EYE
CHAPTER 8
Applejack smiled as her dog playfully grinned up at the earth pony, expecting a
Long walk. "Hold still Winona, we still gotta get ya'll leash on yet!" She chuckled at the excited canine. She grabbed the red leash from the cupboard, attaching the leather to Winona's collar, all the while the dog getting in Applejack's way. Once finished the farm pony stood on her legs, awaiting a chance to open the door, Winona jumping at the wooden door ecstatic. Applejack frowned, "now that's no way to behave missy, sit!" The mare sternly glared down at the dog ,Winona sitting on the floor expectantly. Applejack opened the door, turning around to wave goodbye to her Granny. Before she could utter a simple goodbye, Winona had bolted down the street barking loudly. "Ahhh, see ya Granny-" the orange mare cried out the door as she was tugged along and out the door by the canine. "Winona, slow down girl!" Applejack tried putting on the skids as Winona dragged her along the dirt roads. Applejack was hauled past the sweet apple acres sign. The farm pony struggled, gripping the leash tightly in between her front hooves. Applejack with her back hooves digging tightly into the ground, grabbing her precious hat in her mouth as the material threatened to fly Up into the air. "Winoa, Winoa!" Applejack's tried crying out behind her hat. "Slo Dow this instan!" The farm pony yelled behind her headwear, the seemingly desperate canine now starting to pull her into town. Winona struggled to haul the heavy Orange mare, Applejack's hooves going white with her extreme grip. How can she pull may weight?! Panicked thoughts raced through the farm pony's mind. Where is she taking me!? The earth pony dodged a rock, now trying instead to stop the dog, keep up with her. Applejack's questions where answered as the dog suddenly jerked to the left, nearly swinging the frightened green eyed earth pony into a large tree. Winona suddenly schreeched to a halt, sending Applejack flying forwards into the soft grass.. "Oh Celestia." She sat up, her vision swimming. "Oh, Applejack thank goodness your here!" As Applejack's vision cleared she heard the voice of a familiar unicorn. She stood up , placing her hat neatly on her head. "What is it Raritay?" The farm pony turned to her diva friend. "Opal, wopal is in a tree, and I can't get her down!" The Orange mare turned towards the large tree she had nearly smacked into, the one that Rarity was currently pointing towards, underneath a smug/ happy looking Winona was looking at her owner proudly. "Um, good girl..." She patted her loyal companion while looking at Opalesence sitting stubbornly in the tree. "Raritay, why didn't you just use your magic?" Applejack turned her head so she could stare at the white mare out of the corner of one of her lime green eyes. "I was afraid of frightening her, or even worse, hurting her!" The mare's purple mane bounced slightly as she worriedly spoke. "Well, alrightie then..." The farm pony removed her hoof away from her canine's soft fur, setting her hat carefully onto the grass. Applejack moved towards the towering tree above her, setting her hooves in some grooves and starting to climb the tree's reasonably wide trunk. She stretched her hoof out and latched onto the first branch, it wobbling slightly under her weight. With a Deep breath, she swung up onto the branch, it shaking even more. Finding a small groove in the bark she set one of her back hooves into it, looking for somewhere to put her other three hooves. She found another groove for her other hind leg. Seeing the next branch she starting to reach for it, suddenly, she Lost her balance, and as she started to fall, her instincts took over and she launched herself at the branch, it just in her reach. She made it with one hoof, the other three flailing helplessly in the air. Applejack swung her other foreleg up and grabbed the branch, her back legs kicking as the mare slowly pushed herself onto the second branch. "Oh please be careful darling!" Rarity called worriedly from below. Applejack sighed, leaping expertly onto the last branch,the one with Opal. Catching her breath the farm pony turned to stare at the cat, the White feline giving her an angry glare, Applejack sat, the branch creaking with the pressure. "Alrightie young un, let's get you dow- ow!" Applejack reached for Opal, but quickly retracting her hoof as the cat swiped at it with her sharp claws. Applejack cradled her hoof, three bleeding marks around her ankle area. Shaking the sting off, She tried again, this time slowly moving towards the cat. Opal growled before turning around to clean herself. "We have a stubborn one here." The Orange mare chuckled, "luckily I am one, two can play at this game!" Applejack grinned, murmuring under her breath. "Fine I didn't want you to get down anyway!" She swiftly turned around before sting back down and crossing her front hooves, the branch once again groaning form the sudden movement. Opal snorted, holding her head high. After awhile the cat realized the pony was still there! Growling the feline stood up and leapt elegantly off the branch. "Yes!" Applejack cried throwing her hooves into the air. The branch groaned, a slight snapping sound filling The air. "Ah have a bad feelin' bout' this..." The mare trailed off as the branch let out some more snapping sounds. With one more groan and a loud snap, the branch fell from the tree, carrying the farm pony with it. "Ahhhhhhh!" She Shouted as the branch fell.
Applejack opened one eye, realising the branch still hadn't hit the ground. Rarity was smiling thankfully, the branch gripped in her magic aura. "Thanks Sugarcube!" The southern accented mare leapt of the branch, rushing Towards Winona and her hat. "No thank you dearest, you got my Opal Wopal out of the tree!" The fashion forward unicorn snuggled her cat, the grumpy feline struggling in her magic. "Now are you ok?" Rarity came up beside her. "Yes, just a little winded that's all!" Applejack smiled firmly. "Oh, she's scratched you, come, I have some bandaids in my bathroom." She led the element of honesty towards her boutique's door. " ah'm fine ah don't need one!" She cried out to Rarity. "Nonsense, come on!" The element of generosity walked inside her door, followed by a sighing Applejack. Applejack sat at Rarity's fancy kitchen table, ignoring the inviting food smells as she waited for her friend to return with the bandaids. "Here we go!" The fashion designer cheerfully trotted in, holding a first aid kit with her magic. She hummed a tune as she worked, delicately wrapping the bandaid on with some savlon. "There we go!" Rarity finished up, stepping back to admire her hoofiework. "Thank ya'll kindly Rarity, now if you excuse me I have to go finish walking Winona!" Applejack stood from her chair and started trotting out the door "yes of course, see you, and thank you again!" Rarity politely waved, Opal sitting behind her on the steps. Applejack walked towards her companion, who was sitting patiently under the tree. Winona's tail wagged as Applejack came closer, picking up the leash In her mouth. "Alright girl!" She gave the signal to go, Winona eagerly, but not to quickly, taking off, her hardworking owner racing beside her.
After arriving home and shutting the door behind her Applejack cried. "Ah'm home!" The only response being a little Applebloom trotting down the stairs smiling. "Howdy Applejack, how was the walk?" The small filly walked towards the mare unclipping her slightly less energetic dog. "Usual, although I had to save a cat from a tree." Applejack smiled down at her younger sister lovingly. "Where's granny and Big mac?" Applejack questioned the absence of the older gaurdians."granny wanted to sell some of her Apple pies she baked while you where gone, so Big Mac went with her" Applebloom explained adorably blinking her orangey- red eyes. "Right..." Applejack looked around, realising nothing was broken or out of place. "Well, it's an hour till dinner, so you go play." She shooed the filly, the red maned foal eagerly climbing the stairs. The Orange mare turned and opened the fridge, finding some pre-made fritters she could easily heat up in the oven for the apple family's dinner. She slid them onto a tray and then cheerfully pushed them into the oven,Turning the dials and watching for a minute as the oven now glowed brightly. Applejack yawned, her mane slightly more frazzled then usual. As she sat on her chair, a image of a certain dragon spiked her mind. Applejack shook her head, ignoring the sudden image out of nowhere. The mare yawned again, resting her aching muscles and tired bones as she relaxed on her chair. She started to lower her head, it almost touching the table when she heard a whimper. Turning her head Applejack looked up to see Winona, pawing at her food bowl. "Alrightie girl, ah'll be right there." The farm pony's chair squeaked as it was pushed backwards. She opened a cupboard, collecting the food from inside and poured the right amount of the contents into her playful dog's bowl. "Good girl" Applejack smiled down at her dog as she woofed down the contents. Yawning again the Orange mare stretched and slowly clambered up the stairs, hoping to lie down for a while. But as soon as she collapsed onto her soft bed she fell into a light sleep.
Applejack was woken by the smell of delicious food wafting in from the kitchen, the scent inviting her, drawing her in. The earth pony rolled out if bed, slowly climbing out of her sheets. Stretching out her legs, Applejack had a thought. Wait a minute, what time is it?! The Orange mare flicked her head towards her Apple shaped clock that sat on her bedside table. 6:25?! "Oh mah, I slept in, seriously slept in!" Applejack raced out of the room, preparing to launch herself down the stairs before realising her family was all seated at the table, cheerfully eating their meal of fritters. "Ah, your up sleepyhead." Big Mac's deep voice alerted Applejack's granny of the Orange mare's presence. Applejack slowly descended the stairs, feeling a lot more refreshed after her 'short nap'. "Here you go dearie, we saved just enough for you!" The elderly earth pony pushed a plate full of fritters towards the tired farm pony. "Thanks Granny" Applejack started eating the scrumptious food, the delicacy igniting her taste buds. "Tired?" Big Mac asked the obvious question, trying to start up a conversation, something he usually wasn't very good at. "Yeah, it's been a long day!" Applejack replied, her chipper mood having returned with the fullfillment of delicious food. "Ah, think you should take the rest of the night off and go to bed early dear, we can take of your chores" Granny Smith politely insisted. "What!" Applejack squealed. "Ah still have the chickens, pigs, cows and sheep pens to lock, shut and lock the gate, clean up dinner-" the Orange mare started a long list of her chores before being cut off by Applebloom's little hoof. "We honestly can take care of your chores AJ" Applejack stared down at the little filly, her cute bow bobbing slightly. "Yeah you work to much young un' let us handle this!" The tea green mare started picking up the empty plates, carrying them Over to the sink. Applejack looked uneasy, she didn't like others handling her responsibilities "are ya'll sure ya'll can handle all mah chores?" Her lime green eyes flickered over her three family members unsure. "Eyup" the red stallion answered bluntly. "Well alrightie then..." The hardworking mare, started ascending the stairs, still tired from the days hard work.
Snuggling under the covers, she placed her well worn hat onto her bedside counter and flicked off the light, Applejack's eyes slowly getting used to the dim lighting. She eventually fell into a deep sleep.
Applejack's eyes opened, her eyelashes flickering. She saw she wasn't in bed, she was standing in front of a giant tree, it was massive, taller then the sweet Apple acres barn! Applejack took a step back, her eyes laced with confusion. Suddenly she heard a cry. "Applejack help me!" Looking up she saw a familiar dragon, clenching onto a snapping branch for life. Gasping in shock she yelled back. "Ah'll be right there Spike!" The mare raced as fast as her legs could carry her, but no matter how fast she ran, she wasn't getting any closer to the tree. Spike's claws digger deeper into the branch, it almost completely off the trunk. "Ahhh!" He schreeched as the branch fell from the tree, flinging the young dragon off towards the very long fall down. Applejack's eyes widened in panic and she took a leap, but just as she was about to catch Spike, he stopped midair, surrounded by a magical blue glow. The purple and green reptile sighed in relief, "thank you Rarity!" he smiled happily. "No worries my dear!" Rarity stepped into Applejack's view, slowly lowering Spike to the ground. He turned around and hugged the White unicorn. Applejack slowly stepping off into the shadows of the large tree.
Her green eyes snapped open, confusion racing through her brain until she remembered where she was, and that it was only a dream. "What a weird dream" Applejack didn't give it much thought as she walked downstairs, ready to prepare for breakfast.