Chapter 12- Applejack
Me: Alright, it's Applejack's turn now.
Itachi: Tid doesn't own the rights to Naruto Shippuden or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Me: Alright, let's do this.
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The day started out like any other- which seemed to be getting a little rote. After my ritual was finished I made my way to Sweet Apple Acres, the smell of apples seeming overwhelming. The dirt path that led from Ponyville to the farm was rid of apples, while rotted ones lay at the base of the trees from which they fell. The apples where not yet ripe, from what I could tell. I stopped in my tracks. How could they not be ripe yet? I thought in confusion. There were rotten apples at the base of the trunks, so how were they not ripe yet? Stranger things have happened. I thought shrugging it off. I continued down the dirt path until I came to the gate of the farm. A large wooden sign read "Sweet Apple Acres" in big red letters. I pushed open the wooden gate and walked up to the front door. I knocked and waited for a response. There was a loud crash inside and I heard someone swear very loudly before the door opened. An elderly pony with skin as green as the apples stood before me, her eyes half-open.
"Oh, hello sonny. How may I help ya?" She asked.
"Is everything alright? I heard a loud crash just now-"
"Everythin's fine, nothin' to worry about. Now, what can I help ya with?" She asked waving aside my question.
"Well, is Applejack busy?" I asked.
"AJ? Nah, I think she's right out back playin' with Apple Bloom. Want me to fetch her for ya?" She asked.
"No, that's fine. I'll just go and get her." I replied. "Well alright then." She said turning back and heading into the house.
I walked around the barn and was surprised by a sudden splash of mud that covered my cloak from top to bottom. Applejack and who I guessed to be Apple Bloom were wrestling in a puddle of mud and had stopped when they saw me. Applejack rose to her hooves.
"Sorry 'bout that, Tid. Didn't mean to get yer clothes all dirty." She said.
"It's fine, I'll just wash it later." I said. Apple Bloom ran up to me.
"Whoa, I've never seen anypony like you before!" She said zipping about me to get a better look.
"Well I'm not from around here." I said to her.
"Where'ya from?" She asked.
"The Land of Fire. More specifically, the Hidden Leaf Village." I replied.
"The Land of Fire? I don't think I've heard of that place." She said while she was on top of my head. I reached up and picked her up by her sides, holding her in front of me like a puppy.
"That's because it's not in this world. I don't know how I got here, but I came from a world where animals don't normally talk, save for a few trained ninja animals." I said.
"Oh," She said. I chuckled and placed her on the ground again. "So, what'cha here for?" Applejack asked. "I'm here to ask you to spend the day with me." I replied. Apple Bloom zipped up to Applejack. "Ooh, he wants to spend the day with you." She said. I blushed. "No, it's not like that." I said looking away.
"Yeah, okay." Apple Bloom said. "Don't mind her, she's just a youngin'." Applejack said giving Apple Bloom a scolding look. "Let me just get myself cleaned up." She said walking past me and into the farm house.
I stood against the side of the barn with my arms crossed while I waited for Applejack to return.
"Hey, Tid, can I ask ya somethin'?" She asked me.
"You just did." I replied grinning.
"Oh, well can I ask ya another question?" She asked.
"You just did." I replied. I was trying not to laugh. She started to get frustrated.
"I'm just kidding, go ahead, ask away." I said.
"Do you have a crush on my big sister?" She asked.
"How did I know you were going to ask me that?" I asked opening my eyes. I walked toward her and stooped down until I was eye level with her. Luckily I didn't have to stoop very low, as she was standing on top of an upright barrel.
"Listen, Apple Bloom. I don't like your sister that way, alright? I'm just trying to get to know everyone better." I said.
"Darn." She said looking away dejectedly. "Darn?" I asked slightly confused. "I just wanted to have a cool step-brother like you." She said. I chuckled.
"You don't know what I'm capable of. If I got close to your sister, I might put her and your entire family at risk. I can't have that, not for any of my friends." I said.
"Well what about Rarity?" She asked. I flinched.
"Rarity? What makes you think of her?" I asked.
"Well, Sweetie Belle's Rarity's younger sister, and I was just wonderin' if you'd stay away from Rarity to protect her and her family." She replied.
"I will always do whatever it takes to protect my friends. Of that, I assure you." I said.
"So you're not going to have a special somepony?" She asked. I frowned.
"I can't answer that," Apple Bloom looked at me with concern. I smiled.
"Cheer up. Don't worry, your sister will find someone even better than me to marry." I said patting her head.
"Thanks. I know you'll find somepony you like too." She said. I smiled.
"Maybe someday." I said. Truth was, I wasn't telling her everything.
A few seconds later Applejack came back. I stood and turned to face her.
"Shall we go then?" I asked.
"Yep." She replied. I gave Apple Bloom one last nod as we left Sweet Apple Acres.
"So, whad'ya have in mind fer today?" She asked as we walked down the dirt road toward Ponyville.
"I thought we'd have a little sparring match." I replied.
"Sparrin'? I don't want to hurt ya." She said. I laughed.
"I've been fighting practically my whole life. I've risked my life so many times it hardly phases me anymore. I'm not worried about getting a few bruises." I said.
"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn ya." She said. I led her to a secluded area I had set up for sparring the night before. It was a clearing in the Everfree Forest, so deep in no one would disturb our match.
"Here we are." I said as we entered the clearing.
"You're makin' us spar in the Everfree Forest?" She asked nervously. I nodded.
"Is this a problem?" I asked. She shook her head. I grinned.
"Good. Then let's begin."
We stood about twenty feet apart, facing each other. I raised two fingers in front of me and bowed to her.
"What're ya doin'?" She asked.
"I'm simply doing the customary proceedings for a sparring match. Two fingers means it is only a sparring match." I replied.
"Oh." She said. She bowed to me as well. As soon as she stood upright again, I went into a fighting stance.
"I'll let you make the first move." I said. She smirked and began to gallop toward me.
She jumped and attempted to bring her leg down on my head, but I raised my right arm and blocked it. I was surprised at how much force there was in the kick, as it caused me to slide back a little.
"Seems you had more power than I expected." I said as she landed on the ground a few feet away.
"Yep. Been apple-buckin' all my life." She replied with a smug grin.
"Then let's see how well you can block!" I said as I appeared behind her.
"What in the-?" She managed to say before I punched her in the face, sending her flying a short distance. I didn't put that much power in it, as I wasn't sure how much she could take. She winced as she stood, her side covered in dirt.
"What's the matter? That the best you can do?" She asked. "I don't know what I was worried about, you seem to handle pain just fine." I said. "Then give me all ya got." She said. "If you insist."
She galloped toward me again and tried the same kick once more.
"Don't you know any-" I was interrupted by a kick to the side of the head. It sent me flying backward into a tree. I winced in pain as I heard a crunch in the lower section of my back. I rose to my feet and wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth.
"I didn't see that coming." I said.
"Learned everythin' I know from Rainbow Dash." She said proudly.
"Well then I'm going to have to go all-out." I said. I activated my Sharingan. I ran at her full speed and went to sweep her legs out from under her, but she jumped.
"What? How did you-?" I asked in shock.
She turned her body and brought her leg down on me in another powerful kick, forcing me into the ground. Cracks spread from the impact site in the ground as her hoof drove me a few inches beneath the surface. I grabbed her leg and tossed her into the air. I sat up and looked at her. I stood and jumped into the air, bringing my fist down on her side and sending her into the same spot on the ground.
She shouted with pain as she impacted the ground. I landed on the ground and waited for the cloud of dust to disappear. As it began to clear, she leapt at me. Thanks to my Sharingan I was able to see her attack and I countered by catching her hoof and grabbing her by her face and shoving her into the ground.
"How did you-?" She asked as she stared at me from the ground.
"My Sharingan." I replied. She rose to her feet and charged at me once more.
"Sorry, but a trick-attack won't work on me anymore." I said flipping her over my shoulder, sending her flying head over tail into another tree. She shook her head and stood once more.
"You're persistent, aren't you?" I asked. She nodded.
"Been that way my whole life." She said. I grinned and crossed my arms.
"Then give me your best shot." I said. She grinned and charged full-force at me.
I saw her attack and raised my arms to block, but she managed to kick me in the chest. It hit like a cannonball and sent me flying through several tree trunks, shrapnel flying everywhere. I crashed into one final tree and slid to the ground, blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. How was she able to move so quickly? I thought in disbelief. I painfully rose to my feet and wiped the blood from my mouth. I can see her attacks, but it doesn't do any good if I can't block them.
I walked back into the clearing to see Applejack waiting patiently.
"'Bout time you came back. I thought you'd quit on me." She said.
"Heh, not a chance." I said.
She charged at me again but this time I dodged to the right. She flew over my shoulder and I grabbed her by her tail and swung her over my head and into the air. Can't use the Lotus, that'd kill her. I reminded myself. I sighed and jumped into the air after her, twisting my body and bringing my leg down on her with as much power as I could muster on her stomach and sent her into the ground. Another cloud of dust shot into the air, blinding me. As I fell back to earth I felt something kick me in the stomach, sending me back into the air. She recovered already?! I thought dumbfounded. There was another kick to my stomach that sent me even further into the air. My eyes widened. No, there's no way this is- I thought. We emerged from the dust cloud and I saw Applejack with a fierce look on her face, blood dripping from somewhere hidden by her mane.
"I ain't losin' to you!" She shouted. She bit my cloak and tossed me toward the ground. She then tucked in her arms and legs and fell like a bullet toward me. I was helpless as I watched her approach, my Sharingan revealing to me what she had planned. She picked up speed and delivered a massive head-butt to my stomach, winding me and forcing me to cough up blood. Her strength was beyond what I had anticipated. We flew into the ground and a crater formed from where we impacted, cracks shooting out in multiple directions. I shouted in pain as another dust cloud shot into the air. The fight was over, and I had lost.
As the dust cleared, Applejack lay next to me, panting heavily. I struggled to catch my breath, blood filling my mouth as I gasped for air.
"Sorry, didn't mean to go that far." She apologized as she turned to look at me.
I struggled for a few more minutes to fill my lungs with air, but I managed to do it. She stood and extended her hoof to help me do the same. I painfully moved my arms to push myself up to a sitting position, disregarding her gesture.
"It's fine. I'm just glad I met someone who can beat my Sharingan with their Taijutsu." I said smiling at her.
"Tai- what now?" She asked. I spat on the ground next to me to clear my mouth of the blood.
"Taijutsu, it's kind of like an advanced form of physical fighting. In fact, if you learned how to use your Chakra, you could probably rival some people I know." I said thinking of the two men in matching outfits with similar bowl-cuts and eyebrows.
I winced as I stood to my feet.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" I asked her.
"I already told ya, Rainbow Dash taught me." She replied.
"Oh. Are you and Rainbow Dash good friends?" I asked.
"Sorta. We're kinda rivals." She answered. I chuckled. Reminds me of Kakashi and Guy. I thought.
"Well you're very talented. I'm sure your parents are proud of you." I said.
She flinched and looked away. Uh-oh. I thought.
"I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine, it ain't your fault." She cut off. We stood there in silence for a while.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what happened?" I asked. She looked at me, tears flowing from her eyes.
"I don't know." She said. I placed my hand on her shoulder. Then, I did something I rarely did. I stooped down and hugged her.
"It's alright, I know how you feel." I said.
"Y- you do?" She asked.
"Yes. My parents were killed long ago." I replied. She took a step back and I withdrew my arms to my side.
"Do you know who did it?" She asked. I nodded.
"Who?"
"I'm sure the answer to that will be revealed eventually." I said. She looked away. I looked toward the sky.
"Applejack, when we fought, were you trying to prove something?" I asked. She looked at me with wide, almost shocked eyes.
"How did you know that?" She asked. I closed my eyes and lowered my head.
"Because sometimes when we lose something dear, we feel as though we are weak. I think you were trying to prove that you are strong, not for yourself, but for your parents. Am I correct?" I asked. She didn't say anything, instead looking at the ground.
"Tid, can I tell ya something?" She asked.
"Go ahead." I replied.
"It happened a long time ago, when Apple Bloom was still a baby. Mom and Pop left the farm for a few days to handle some business, but they never came back. A few days later we received a letter tellin' us our parents were dead." I looked at her and I could hear her choking back a sob, tears barely escaping her clenched eyelids. I put my hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Applejack. I understand how hard it is to hear that your parents are dead." I said.
"Ever since then, I've felt powerless. I've felt like I ain't good enough to be their daughter. That's why I couldn' lose to you, I couldn' be weak."
"Applejack, you are not weak. Just because you couldn't do anything for your parents, doesn't mean you're weak. I couldn't do anything for my parents either, but I know why they died, and why I couldn't do anything. It wasn't because I was weak, it was because-" I stopped myself. I shook my head and looked back at her, her eyes focused on me and tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Look, what I'm trying to say is, don't beat yourself up for your parent's deaths. You are one of the strongest ponies I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." I said. She sniffled before jumping over and hugging me, knocking me over.
"Thank you, Tid. Nopony's ever said those things to me." She said. I smiled.
"You're very welcome. If I couldn't cheer my friends up when they're down, what kind of shinobi would I be?" I asked. She released me and held me at arm's length.
"Wait, did you just say 'friend'?" She asked. I nodded.
"I'm sorry, I thought we were friends?" I asked. She smiled and hugged me again.
"Thank you. I sure am glad to have a friend like you." She said. A few seconds later she released me and sat on the cracked dirt ground next to me.
"Sorry, didn' mean to get all mushy on ya." She said. I chuckled.
"It's alright, I don't mind." I said. I looked up to the sky and saw the sun receding lower and lower in the sky. I stood up and extended my hand to Applejack to help her do the same, but she disregarded my offer and stood up on her own power.
"Come on, I'll walk you home." I said. "Well alrighty then."
We walked through the Everfree Forest in silence, hearing nothing but the sounds of the crisp autumn leaves crunching beneath our feet (and hooves).
"Tid, why did you pick me to spend the day with today?" She asked still staring forward.
"I chose you because I've spent the past week getting to know you ponies, since I can tell we're going to be doing a lot together. To be honest, you're the last one, but I assure you that's not because I like you any less than the others. That's just how it happened." I replied.
"So, yer tellin' me it's not because you... You know." She said. I looked at her.
"I'll be honest with you Applejack; I don't have feelings for you. Sorry, but that's just how it is. However, it's not because you're unattractive. You have many great qualities that I'm sure will help you find the one you're looking for." I said. My face had started to turn red out of embarrassment. We walked in silence for a little while longer, but curiosity got the best of me.
"You... You didn't have feelings for me, did you?" I asked. She looked at me.
"Nah, I just thought it was kinda weird when you asked me to spend the entire day with ya." She replied.
"Oh, alright. I'm glad we're on the same page." I said. She nodded and we emerged from the Everfree Forest. I escorted her back to her farm and we stood in front of the gate.
"Well, that was fun." I said.
"Yep. You put up a pretty good fight." She said. I laughed.
"Well I should get going. See ya later." I said.
"See ya, partner." She said. We turned in opposite directions and began walking away. She's gonna do great things one day. I thought.
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