"How did I end up out here?" said Hitch as he walked through an orchard.

The boy had a basket with him as he was in a section of the apple orchard belonging to his Synchro professor, Ms. Applebloom. The woman had instructed him to go into a section of the orchard to pick apples and help someone. Who that someone was, Hitch had no idea. He was only given some initials. But to understand how we got to where we are, we need to go back.

It was another day at CHS. The students carry on with their lives like normal. With Friends and Family Day being a success, Celestia was pleased to announce one of the school's biggest events they hosted for the students. It was none other than the Fall Formal. And in the following weeks, festivities would be taking place to celebrate the Fall Formal. One of those things was the CHS' annual Fall Formal soccer game. And Spitfire was already hard at work, getting her players in shape to prepare for their big game weeks in advance.

And seeing as it was such a big event for the school. It meant everybody looked forward to showing school spirit in any way possible. One of the most ecstatic people was Pipp, as the social media girl had put up so many threads and tweets on her social media platforms.

"Give me an F! Give me an A! Give me an L! Give me another L! Give me a FORMALLY! What does that spell?" asked Izzy as she was in her cheerleading outfit, waving her pompoms while Sunny, Roll, and Zipp watched her. "No, seriously. What does it spell?" The girl was confused by what she shouted.

"It's pronounced Fall Formal, Izzy. Not Fall Formally," stated Roll.

"Oooooooooooooooh. My mistake," smiled the girl as she jogged over to sit on the couch Sunny was sitting on and took a bite from the fruit basket on the table.

"Well, I, for one, am looking forward to the Fall Formal," said Sunny as she had a huge smile. "I've been to something as big as this."

"Eh," shrugged Zipp. "I'm not really into all this stuff. I barely attend the Galas my mom throws in our mansion. I know my sister is going to be all over this thing. Me. I'm just happy with winning our Fall Formal homecoming game."

"Hey, everyone!" said Pipp as he burst through Mario and Pipp's dorm door.

"Why is our dorm becoming the sort of headquarters for us to gather?" asked Roll.

"Because... you got a private dorm all to yourself. Plus, the pool out back. And the glorious living space." stated Pipp while looking at her phone.

All the other girls looked at one another, confirming and agreeing with Pipp.

"So, with the Fall Formal coming up and having such short notice on picking out our dresses."

"It's literally weeks away, sis!" shouted Zipp.

"And since we don't have anything nice to wear," said Pipp as she ignored her sister's comment.

"Uhm, I have a semi-formal skirt dress," stated Sunny.

"So I took the liberty of making appointments at Mane Melody for us. Ms. Prem Hemline was generous to do it free of charge," said Pipp as she was already thinking of ideas.

"Well, thanks for that, Pipp," stated Roll.

"Speaking of which... is he..."

"My brother isn't here if that's what you're asking."

"Oh no, that's not what I- heh," chuckled the girl, hoping she could persuade Mario to go to the Fall Formal with her.

"He's with Hitch. But he never told me why?" said Roll.

"Why did I agree to this?" said Mario.

Hitch approached the boy to help him with cleaning up the park. However, he didn't expect how much they had to clean up. Vice-Principal Luna had gathered some other volunteers to help with the activity. Right now, Hitch was conversing with Sprout about who should take care of the area near the kids' section. Both hesitated about cleaning up all the trash as they couldn't agree. So they decided to settle it in the fairest way possible.

"Really, Hitch?" said Mario as he saw the boy putting his Duel Disk on.

"I am not cleaning diapers!" stated Hitch as he slotted in his deck.

"Well, neither am I!" responded Sprout.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their Duel Disks.

Hitch's Life Points: 8000-
Sprout's Life Points: 8000-

Turn 1: Hitch (Hand 5)

"Alright, pal. I'll start things off nice and slow," smiled Hitch as he drew his card. "Okay, I'll go easy and summon Shield Warrior(800/1600)!" Out came a warrior wielding a massive shield in its right hand while holding a lance behind him in his left.

"I'll lay one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 2: Sprout (Hand 5)

"Alright, my turn," stated Sprout as he drew. "Okay, let's see here... uhm... I summon Lonefire Blossom(500/1400) in defense mode," said the boy as a tiny lonely plant appeared. "Now I'll activate its effect to tribute one faceup plant on my field to special summon one plant-type monster from my deck. So I'll eliminate my Lonefire Blossom to summon my Mariña, Princess of Sunflowers(2800/2600)." A sunflower emerged; the petals started to open up as soon as the monster inside came out.

"Oh no," said Hitch as he realized the situation.

"Now, attack his monster!" commanded Sprout as his flower took out Hitch's lone warrior.

"Guess Sprout upgraded his deck since I last battled him," muttered Hitch as he adjusted the hat on his head.

"I end my turn with a facedown," stated the boy.

Turn 3: Hitch (Hand 4)

"Alright, time for me to get serious," smiled Hitch as he drew his card, knowing Sprout had upped his game. "I'll summon Changer Synchron(0/0) in defense mode!" A small robot appeared with wings spread out.

"That's all for this turn," stated the boy.

Turn 4: Sprout (Hand 4)

"Get ready to pick up diapers, Hitch!" exclaimed Sprout. "I activate the continuous spell card, The World Tree! Next, I'll play another Lonefire Blossom and activate its effect so that I can destroy it to summon one plant-type monster from my deck, so now I choose Chirubimé, Princess of Autumn Leaves(1800/2800) in defense mode." Sprout now had another plant princess as she arrived, with leaves falling. "Then the effect of my continuous spell activates. Since a plant-type monster was destroyed, I can place a counter on it. Now, time to attack!"

"Since my Shield Warrior is in the graveyard, by banishing him, my Changer Synchron can't be destroyed in battle this turn!" said Hitch as a mirage figure of his monster stood in front of the small robot as it tanked the hit from Sprout.

"I'll take out your monster next turn. Go ahead," stated Sprout.

Turn 5: Hitch (Hand 4)

"Let's hope I can draw something to help me. Here goes!" said Hitch as he drew his card and looked at it momentarily. "First, I'll send one monster in my hand to the grave, allowing me to summon the tuner monster Quickdraw Synchron(700/1400)!" Out came a small robot cowboy with a brown cape and one eye revealed from under its cowboy hat, having a white feather in it.

"Now, since a tuner monster is out on my field, I'm allowed to summon back the Quillbolt Hedgehog(800/800) I just sent away!" stated Hitch as his furry animal appeared. "But I'm not done yet! Next, I tune Level 5 Quickdraw Synchron with Level 2 Quillbotl Hedgehog to create a creature that can really give me a boost!" Hitch's cowboy turned into five giant green rings circling his hedgehog as a light surged. "I Synchro Summon, Nitro Warrior(2800/1800)!" Out came a mechanical minotaur humanoid robot as it let out a roar.

"And next... I'll bring out Gauntlet Warrior(400/1600)!" A monster with a giant right arm appeared. "But he won't be around for long. Because I'm now going to tune Level 1 Changer Synchron with him to create another synchro monster!" Hitch's smaller robot turned into a giant green ring that circled his other monster with a light surging through. "How about giving me a hand, Armory Arm(1800/1200)!" Out came a single arm claw.

"Two Synchro monsters, but neither is strong enough to take down my Mariña, Princess of Sunflowers," stated Sprout.

"Well, I'm not done, pal," stated Hitch. "Now, I'll use Armory Arm's ability; with it, I can add a little more muscle to my Nitro Warrior's attack points!" The arm Hitch summoned attacked Nitro Warrior's right hand as it boosted its strength(2800 → 3800).

"3800!" said Sprout as Hitch's monster was now stronger.

"Oh yeah, and I'm not done yet!" smiled Hitch as he felt the adrenaline rush kicking in. "Because I'm also equipping him with Junk Barrage! And since I activated a spell card this turn, Nitro Warrior gains 1000 attack points for this round's attack!" Once more, the boy's monster boosted its strength(3800 → 4800). "Go, Nitro Warrior! Attack with Dynamite Crunch!"

Hitch's monster lunged forward as it powered up its right hand and brought it down on Sprout's Mariña, Princess of Sunflowers, destroying it.
Sprout's Life Points: 6000-

"Now, when Nitro Warrior destroys a monster, he can switch another monster into attack mode and strike again. Then, since an equipped monster destroyed a monster in battle, Armory Arm's ability deals equal to Mariña, Princess of Sunflowers' attack points."

Hitch's monsters changed Sprout's other monster from defense to attack mode. He then felt a shockwave as he felt the effect of Armory Arm.
Sprout's Life Points: 3200-

"But there's more."

"Really?" said Sprout as he had enough of Hitch dealing damage.

"Sorry, pal. Since Junk Barrage is in play, half of your Mariña, Princess of Sunflowers' attack points are dealt," said Hitch.

Another shockwave was fired at Sprout, and he took even more damage.
Sprout's Life Points: 1800-

"So, Nitro Warrior. Attack his monster and end this duel! Dynamite Crunch!" said Hitch.

The boy's monster reeled its arm back before thrusting it forward and destroying Sprout's remaining monster as it dealt the finishing blow to Sprout, who fell back.
Sprout's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Hitch

"Wow! Hitch actually pulled out some pro moves," said Mario as he was surprised that his buddy managed to wipe out all of Sprout's Life Points in a single turn.

"Yeah! I'm not picking up diapers!" exclaimed Hitch as he fist-pumped.

"Stupid Hitch. Got lucky..." mumbled Sprout as he grabbed a trash bag and began to head over to the kids' playground to pick up the trash.

"Good one, bud," said Mario as he approached his friend while giving a small clap.

"Right. Give me some!" said Hitch.

The boys lifted their hands to high-five each other as a throat clearing was heard. Hitch froze immediately as standing behind him was a large shadow looming over him. The person was none other than Vice-Principal Luna as the woman glared a hole into her student's back. Hitch gulped as he could sense the woman's presence and turned to see her unhappy expression.

"Should you and Mr. Mario be cleaning up the park, Mr. Hitch? Or are you too busy lollygagging about?" stated Luna with a firm tone.

"Um, well, you see, Vice-Principal Luna, I just... heh, heh, heh," said the boy as he was now scared of the woman.


"Next time, don't bring my name into this!" shouted Mario.

The two were at the school grounds as Luna had given them their punishment for messing about. In addition to the cleaning they had to do at the park, she told the pair to clean the front grounds before the day was over.

"I didn't want to pick the diapers!" said Hitch as he tossed a bottle into a blue bin.

"So getting into trouble is the better option. The last time I got in trouble, I nearly got suspended!"

"Come on, we're bros. We're supposed to have each other's backs," stated Hitch as he continued to pick up some litter.

"Not in everything!" responded Mario. "Now I'm thinking of abandoning you so you can suffer from all the girls ganging up on you."

The two friends began to argue as they weren't focused on cleaning up. Luna saw them as she rubbed her forehead, as it seemed even their extra punishment still had the teens fooling around.

"Teenagers," mumbled Luna, as it looked like she would have to get her hands dirty.

"Actually... I might be of some assistance," said Applebloom as she approached the Vice-Principal. "With yer permission, Vice-Principal Luna."

"Be my guest," said the woman as she allowed Applebloom to deal with the issue.

Applebloom approached her student and his friend as the pair continued going at it.

"So now you listen to me. What do I know?!" stated Hitch.

"Exactly!" responded Mario.

"Excuse me, y'all!"

Both boys turned as they were staring at Applebloom.

"Ms. Applebloom," said Hitch as he saw his Synchro instructor.

"Pardon for interruptin' yer conversation with yer pal. But I was wonderin' if you could help me with something."

"Help? S-Sure, Ms. Applebloom. I'm always willing to lend a hand." smiled Hitch.

"Great, bring yer friend too. Oh, and meet in front of the school on Saturday at 5 a.m."

"Saturday?" said Hitch.

"5 a.m.?!" yelled Mario.

"Um, Ms. Applebloom. I don't know if I can..."

"I'll give you extra credit and no homework," stated the farmer.

"Done deal!" said Hitch, without a second thought.

"Oh, you got to be kidding me!" said Mario as he grabbed his friend's shirt to stare at him for what he just committed.

"Hey, no homework. How can you say no to that?" responded Hitch, believing that to be a good enough reason to agree to his teacher's request.

"Easy... Say no," stated Mario. "It's Saturday. One of the few days we can do whatever we want. And we're going to spend it helping a teacher. And at 5 in the morning!"

"My brother will pick you up!" said Applebloom in the distance.

"I hate you," muttered Mario.


Saturday came, and it was 5 a.m. The sun was barely coming up as true to Applebloom's promise; Hitch and Mario were at the front of the school. The latter was yawning heavily as waking up at five was something he was not used to. Apart from Spitfire's early practice, that was on weekdays. It was the weekend, which meant they had the right to sleep in as a teenager if they wanted to. And nobody could argue that. But Hitch had to let the tempting offer from Applebloom of getting extra credit and no homework in her class sway him.

"Next time, I'm leaving you," said Mario as he was unhappy, tired, and hungry. "Where's your teacher anyway!"

"She said her brother would be here to pick us up," said Hitch as he stuffed his hand into his pockets.

As if on cue, coming down the road was a pickup truck. The vehicle turned into the parking lot, and both teens saw it and made their way toward the area. The pair arrived at the truck and stared at it from the passenger side. Soon, the windows rolled down to reveal someone in the driver's seat. The man had moderate sap green eyes, light gamboge hair, and pale, light grayish amaranth skin. The boys looked at each other before Hitch cleared his throat to speak.

"Um, you Applebloom's brother?" asked the boy.

"Yup," said the man as he opened the passenger door to allow the kids to enter.

Both boys looked and shrugged as they began to climb in. Mario closed the door as he sat by the window with Hitch in the middle. The driver grabbed the stick and started the truck as he backed up from the parking lot before zooming down the road.

The drive was a silent one as the boys kept quiet. Well, moreso, Mario had decided to rest against the window to catch some extra zzzs. Meanwhile, Hitch was wondering if he should speak to Applebloom's brother. He was surprised that his teacher never mentioned having siblings, so he didn't know what to say to avoid disrespect.

"Um, so... Ms. Applebloom is your sister?" asked Hitch.

"Yup," responded the man.

"Okay. So... is she going to meet us where we're going?"

"Yup."

"Do you only say yes or no?"

"Nope."

"So you do talk?"

"Yup."

"So, what's your name?"

Before Hitch could get his answer, their vehicle came to a stop. The sudden halt jolted Mario awake. He looked about before realizing he was in the truck. The boys noticed the man getting out of the truck and followed suit. The pair were staring at the opening of what led to a large farm. Fields to the left were filled with vegetables, and in the background was a massive apple orchard that went on for miles and miles. Mario looked at the sign at the overhead arch gateway to the farm.

"Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres. Home of the largest apple orchard in all of Canterlot City."

"Makes sense. Ms. Applebloom's name is Apple-related. Plus, she is a farmer." stated Hitch.

The boys then saw Applebloom's brother walking past the gate as they began to follow him. They were passing by the many fields of vegetables, and the sounds of animals could be heard as the boys noticed some pigs in their pens and a chicken house; a rooster came out and let out a loud wake-up call to signal the start of the day. Since leaving CHS, the sun was barely coming up from the horizon, as there were still some shades of darkness.

The teens were following Applebloom's brother to the house next to the barn as he opened the door, the boys followed him inside. Upon entering, Applebloom was already in the kitchen as she was shown pulling some stuff from the fridge. The woman closed the door as she noticed her brother and the boys.

"Howdy, boys. Glad my brother brought y'all in one piece. Thanks, Big Mac."

"Yup," said the man as he began to head upstairs.

"So, that's your brother?" said Hitch.

"Yup. Mah, big brother. His name's Big Mac." explained Applebloom. "Anyways, glad you both could come. Mind helpin' me out. I was about to head out and check on the livestock."

"Sure thing," said Hitch, eager to help his teacher.

"Eh, I work better when I have food in my stomach," said Mario.

"Well, around here. You earn yer share. So if you want to get fed, you have to work. Come on!" said Applebloom as she began toward the door.

Hitch followed almost immediately as Mario groaned. He spotted an apple on the counter as he swiped it. The boys arrived at the hen house as Applebloom approached the small wooden structure. She lightly knocked on the door before opening it up; the chickens began to file out one by one as they exited their house.

"Here. Start feeding them," said Applebloom as she handed two buckets to the boys.

"Sure," said Hitch.

Mario tossed his finished apple away, grabbed a handful of the feed, and threw it. Almost immediately, the hens gathered and devoured the stuff like rabid animals. Hitch grabbed a handful of his bucket; however, when he was shown pulling his hand out, the chickens looked at him before they began to bombard the boy as he fell with a yelp.

"You good, bud?" said Mario as he bent down. A lone chicken sneaked in some pecks of the feed bucket near him.

"Yeah, I'm good," said Hitch as he sat up with some chickens getting off him and munching on the feed around him. "What is it with critters and me? I'm like a magnet to them."

A hen jumped in the boy's lap as he looked at the teen. The animal then nuzzled its head against the boy's face, showing love.

"Yeah, you're a real animal magnet," chuckled Mario as Hitch glared at his friend while the chicken nuzzled his face.

The boys then began to do the tasks that Applebloom instructed them. After feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs, the country gal had the teens feed the pigs, as the same thing happened to Hitch again. All the animals rushed toward him as they seemed to enjoy his presence.

With that, Applebloom gave Hitch all the animal feeding tasks as she used the boy's animal magnetism to her advantage and got things done faster. Meanwhile, Mario was given more physical tasks as he pushed and carried some stuff into the barn. The different critters constantly surrounded Hitch, and he almost regretted accepting Applebloom's offer.

"Guys. Guys!" said Hitch to all the animals around him. "Gees. Give Hitch some space, will you." The animals all blinked at the boy before stepping back, making the teen have an unamused expression.

"Keep it up, Hitch!" shouted Applebloom as she walked by in the background and encouraged her student. The boy groaned and mumbled as he dumped the food bucket into the bin.

"And he's supposed to be the one who's happy," said Mario as he found it funny that he was smiling when he was against this idea of coming to the farm and helping Applebloom while Hitch was miserable.

The boy lifted a hay barrel into a stack as a few strands flew into the air. Mario wiped his forehead when he heard a loud ringing.

"Soup's on, boys!" shouted Applebloom.

"Alright!" said Mario as he could feel his stomach growling.

Hitch heard the call as he left the bucket and headed toward the house. A lone cow noticed the bucket as it grabbed the hinge and carried it away to enjoy its private meal. The boy entered the house, as he was immediately hit with the scent of taste and delicious food. However, he was surprised that Ms. Sugarbelle, his Home EC teacher, was present as she pulled an apple pie from the oven.

"Ms. Sugarbelle?" said Hitch.

"Hello, Hitch. I'm surprised to see you outside of the classroom.

"Y-Yeah, me too," said the boy as he couldn't wrap his head around seeing their Home EC teacher in the home of his Synchro instructor.

"Guess I never mentioned it. Sugarbelle is my brother's wife," stated Applebloom as she sat down.

"Yup," said Big Mac as he kissed his wife before sitting at the table.

"Huh. What a small world," said Hitch before he noticed a figure sitting in the corner of the living room. The figure was an elderly lady who was asleep in her rocking chair. "So, who's the old person?"

At that moment, the lady's eyes shot open as she looked at Hitch, seemingly hearing what the boy said about her. She quickly grabbed her walking stick and approached Hitch, trembling with fear.

"Oh, you're screwed up," whispered Mario in his friend's ear before zipping away to avoid the old lady's wrath.

"Who you callin' old, young whippersnapper!" shouted the old lady as she aimed her stick at the teen.

"No one, ma'am. I'm sorry for disrespecting you by calling you old. I mean, you're not old. You're..." Hitch was stumbling over his words.

"I may not be a young gal like I once was, but I can still give you a good whippin'!" said the old lady.

"Yes, ma'am!" saluted Hitch.

"Pff. Kids today have no respect for their elders. Thinkin' they smart..." mumbled the old lady as she began to walk toward her seat.

Hitch let out a breath he was holding in as he sat beside Mario, who was already putting some pancakes on his plate.

"Hitch, Mario. Meet mah family. My older brother Big Mac. His wife, Sugarbelle. And that there is mah grandma, Granny Smith." Applebloom introduced her relatives to the teens.

"Nice to meet you," said Hitch with a wave, though Granny Smith stared a hole at the boy as she didn't forget what he called her a moment ago.

The group sat down and began to enjoy a hearty breakfast. During their meal, Applebloom told both teens about her family history, and both teens were surprised to hear that the woman had many relatives. She also told the boys about her family's apple orchard and their small business selling many apple-related products.

"Now that's a filling breakfast," said Mario as he leaned back in his chair after eating a satisfying meal.

"Glad you enjoyed it," said Sugarbelle as she placed some plates in the sink and began to wash them. "And Hitch, I've been meaning to talk to you. You've vastly improved your cooking skills."

"Thanks, Mrs. Sugarbelle. Having Sunny tutor me has definitely been a big help," said the boy to his cooking teacher.

"She's a wonderful girl. You're lucky to have someone as cute as her by your side," stated Sugarbelle.

"What did you say?" asked Hitch as he didn't quite hear what the woman said.

"Oh, nothing," smiled Sugarbelle.

"Alright, y'all. Breakfast is over, but we still got work to do!" said Applebloom as she got Mario and Hitch's attention. "It's time to pick apples."

The woman got up and headed out the door as Hitch and Mario followed her with Big Mac trailing behind. They all headed to the barn; they opened the doors and pulled out some fruit baskets as Big Mac started up the tractor before rolling out of the barn and into the field.

"Alright, Mario, you hand this section to the west. And Hitch, you handle the section to the east. Once you've finished your area, blow your whistles, and Big Mac will bring the wagon to load the stuff." stated Applebloom as she pointed at a farm map and assigned their assignments.

Both boys grabbed their stack of buckets and began to head out.

"Hitch, wait up!" said Applebloom as she got her student's attention.

"Yes, Ms. Applebloom."

"Almost forgot. Would you mind giving this to the person who is also in your area?" said the woman as she pulled out a small rectangle device resembling Hitch's Duel Disk.

"Um, sure," said the boy as he grabbed the device. He turned it over and gave a thorough look as he could see it was just a normal Duel Disk, like the one he had. "So, what's the person's name?"

"Their name is... Aj."

"Aj. Got it," said the boy as he put the device in his back pocket and grabbed his stack of baskets as he headed out.

Applebloom waved her student goodbye when he was out of sight; a smile appeared on her face. Her plan was set in motion.


And that's where we are now. Hitch roamed about the area he was assigned with a basket. The boy was looking around for this Aj to give them the device Applebloom had instructed them to deliver. The boy was looking around, but he wasn't seeing anybody else. He'd thought it would be easy to see or hear someone bucking apple trees, but it was almost impossible.

"How am I supposed to find them? I don't even know who this person looks like," stated Hitch.

As the boy passed a tree, a shadow moved from up above. Hitch kept looking about as the shadow was moving from tree to tree with such swiftness and balance. While the boy couldn't see, he did have a sense of dread come over him. Like he felt he was being watched. He backed into a tree and looked about as the figure was shown at the top. The teen leaned his head back to see up at the tree, but nothing was there. Hitch was terrified as he slowly backed up and hugged the basket. The figure was shown landing behind the boy as it stood there until the boy felt something.

Hitch gulped as he turned to see the shadow behind him. He let out a yelp as he fell backward and had the basket he was holding fall on his head.

"Oops, sorry there, partner," said the figure as they bent over.

Hitch was under cover of darkness until the basket was slightly lifted to allow some light in. As the light came in, it revealed the figure's face. One of the key details that the boy noticed was a cowboy hat they wore and their freckles.

"You good, sugar?" asked the person who turned out to be a woman.

"Yeah," said Hitch as he stood up and removed the basket from his head.

"Didn't mean to frighten you. Thought you were an intruder," said the woman with her country accent.

"It's alright. No harm, no foul," said the teen as he dusted himself off.

Hitch then turned as he got a good look at the woman. She had moderate sap green eyes and hair that was pale, light grayish olive. Her attire consisted of brilliant gamboge shorts and vest, a short white shirt underneath, brown cowboy boots, and a stetson hat on top of her head. Another thing to note was her hip area, wide, and with the rear end to fill out her shorts nicely.

"So, what's a kid like you doing in these parts?" asked the woman as she walked past the boy to kick a tree with one of her legs and put an arm out. As if on cue, an apple fell into her hand as she began to munch on it.

"Wow, strong legs," muttered Hitch as he put that thought out of his mind.
"Well, I'm actually here to help my teacher. Her name is Ms. Applebloom."

"Applebloom, huh?" said the woman as she kept on munching her snack to hide the smile she had on her face.

"Y-Yeah. I'm a student in her Synchro class. She asked me to help her out today."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah. She sent me to pick some apples. And to return this." said Hitch as he pulled out the device from his back pocket to show the woman.

"I see. Mind if I?" asked the woman.

"Sure, just... don't damage it," stated Hitch as the woman took the device and looked it over. One thing the woman noticed was the initials that were emblazed on the device. "She said I had to give it to someone named Aj. Do you know where I can find them?"

"I sure do," responded the woman.

"Great. So, can you tell where they are?" asked the boy.

"That depends," responded the woman.

"Uh, what?" asked Hitch, unclear what the woman meant.

"You attend CHS, right?" asked the woman as Hitch nodded. "And you're a duelist, right?" Once more, the boy confirmed her question. "Alright, show me what you got."

In one instance, the woman put on the Duel Disk as it wrapped around her wrist.

"What?" said Hitch.

"Show me what kind of skills you got, sugarcube."

"Um, well, I guess that couldn't hurt. But... are you sure you should be messing with that device? I mean, what if..."

"Trust me. I know this Aj person. They'd be fine if I used it." said the woman as she turned on the Duel Disk, which projected an emerald color card tray. She reached into her shorts, pulled out a deck, and slotted it in. "By the way, I never got your name, partner."

"My name?" said Hitch as he turned on his Duel Disk; it projected a slightly different green-colored card tray than the one the woman was using. "My name's Hitch, madam."

"Pleasure to meet you, sugar. I'm Applejack!" smiled the farmer.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said the Duel Disks.

Applejack's Life Points: 8000-
Hitch's Life Points: 8000-

"Mind if I start, sugarcube?" asked Applejack.

"By all means," said Hitch as he was being a gentleman and allowing the woman to go first to allow her a chance against him and his skills.

"Thank you kindly," responded the country gal.

Turn 1: Applejack (Hand 5)

"I draw! I summon Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio(1200/800)!" A black scorpion appeared before Applejack, roots on its back running up to a plant sprout behind its stinger tail.

"Predaplant? Never heard of those," said Hitch softly as he was unsure of what cards Applejack was using.

"Now the effect of my Scorpio activates; when he's summoned, I can send one monster from my hand to the grave, and in exchange, I can special summon 1 'Predaplant' monster from my deck. So an' send my Predaplant Cordyceps to my grave and special summon mah Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra(1000/1500)." A snake with a body like a plant vine slithered in front of Applejack, its jaws patterned like flower petals.

"Since I summoned Darlingtonia Cobra from mah deck, I can use its ability. Now I can add one 'Polymerization' from mah deck to mah hand." Applejack's duel disk then slotted out the card for her to grab.

"Polymerization. So she's a Fusion user," said the boy as he was learning more about his opponent.

"Ah, then set one card facedown and end my turn. Now let's see what you've got, partner."

Turn 2: Hitch (Hand 5)

"Alright then. Here goes," said Hitch as he drew his top card and looked at his hand. "To begin, I play the spell card, Recarination of Hope. So by sending two cards from my hand during my 2nd Standby Phase, I can add a monster card to my hand from my deck." Hitch selected the two cards he wanted to eliminate as he sent them away.

"Next, I summon Speed Warrior(900/400)!" Out came Hitch's monster as it zoomed out from the portal and quickly turned around to face Applejack's side of the field. "On the turn that Speed Warrior is summoned, its attack points are doubled(900 → 1800). So, Speed Warrior attack! Hyper Sonic Slash!" Hitch's monster skated forward as it twisted its body to land on his hands and spin his legs.

"I activate mah facedown! The trap, Plant Food Chain! This gives Ophrys Scorpion an extra five hundred points!" Yellow tendrils sprouted from the scorpion's back and entwined around its tail(1200 → 1700). Speed Warrior's attack struck the scorpion and destroyed it.
Applejack's Life Points: 7900-

"I end my turn," said Hitch.

This isn't her first rodeo, based on the moves she's made and that trap card she set. Better be careful.

Turn 3: Applejack (Hand 4)

"It's my turn!" said Applejack as she drew with a flourish. "I'll start by activatin' Predapruning. Ah, use it to revive Ophrys Scorpio from the graveyard!" Applejack's field shook and ripped open a chasm; Ophrys Scorpio crawled from within it. Applejack picked a card from her hand and swung it into her duel disk. "Next, Ah, activate Polymerization! Ah, fuse Darlington Cobra with Ophrys Scorpio!" The crowd cheered as Applejack's two monsters swirled together in a vortex of green light. "Ah, combine mah stinging predator and venomous predator, and let a vicious new plant bloom!" Applejack took the card, her duel disk ejected as she held it up high. "Ah, Fusion Summon Predaplant Chimerafflesia(2500/2000)!" A large coil of vines burst from the chasm and splayed out on the field. A large circular mouth ringed with teeth and surrounded by plump pink petals was at the end of the largest of the vines, and two smaller mouths rose beside it on smaller vines.

Applejack pointed at Speed Warrior on Hitch's field. "I activate Chimerafflesia's effect; I can target any monster on the field with a lower level than it and banish it!" Chimerafflesia lashed out its two-mouthed vines toward Speed Warrior. The vines wrapped around Hitch's monster as it struggled before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"That's not good!" said Hitch as he was even more worried.

"Yer darn right, sugarcube. Chimerafflesia, attack him directly!" instructed Applejack. Her monster shot two vines toward the boy as they smacked him and made Hitch kneel.
Hitch's Life Points: 5500-

"I end mah turn," smiled Applejack.

Turn 4: Hitch (Hand 2)

Hitch managed to get up as he rotated his arm. The boy was looking at Applejack as the country gal was smiling. The teen could see this would be challenging as the farmer had some serious skills.

"It's my turn," said Hitch, drawing his card.

Ms. Applejack has one tough monster. If I don't do something, she's just gonna keep banishing my monsters. And since her monster is Level 7, I have to something that's eight or higher not to be affected by that ability. That's not easy.

"I place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 5: Applejack (Hand 3)

"That all, sugar? Was expecting more," stated Applejack as she drew. "Now, Chimerafflesia, attack him directly!"

"I activate my facedown, Spirit Force!" stated Hitch as his facedown flipped up. "Thanks to this trap, I take no battle damage this turn. Plus, I can add one Warror-type tuner monster with 1,500 or fewer defense points from my graveyard to my hand. So I'm adding my Quickdraw Synchron back to my hand!" stated Hitch as his card slid out for him to retrieve as Applejack's attack ended.

"Not bad, sugar. I end my turn," smiled the farmer.

Turn 6: Hitch (Hand 3)

"Alright, time to turn things around," said the boy, preparing to mount a comeback. "First, since two turns have passed since I played my Reincarnation of Hope, I get to add any monster I want to my hand." The boy touched his screen as he looked through his entire deck, trying to determine his best plan. He decided and clicked confirm as the card slid out for him to grab.

"Then I draw," said Hitch as he took his turn's Draw Phase. The boy looked at his current hand and eyed them.

Hope this works.

"Now, I'll discard Quillbolt Hedgehog to summon my Quickdraw Synchron(700/1400)! And because I have a tuner monster out, my Quillbolt Hedgehog(800/800) revives itself. Next, I summon Tuningware(100/300)." Hitch's next two monsters appeared as the boy had everything set up. "Now, I'm tuning my Quickdraw Synchron with my Quillbolt Hedgehog and Tuningware!"

Quickdraw Synchron turned into five giant green rings circling Quillbolt Hedgehog and Tuningware as a light surged. "It's time for me to rev things up! I Synchro Summon, Road Warrior(3000/1500)!" A warrior dressed in a gold color scheme appeared with a fierce look. "Thanks to Tuningware's ability, I get to draw a card when it's used for a Synchro Summon. Next, I activate Road Fighter's ability. Once per turn, I can summon one Level 2 or lower Warrior/Machine-type monster from my deck. So I summon out my Turbo Booster(0/0)." A yellow machine monster appeared as it jetted onto the field.

"Now, Road Fighter, attack her Chimerafflesia!" commanded Hitch.

"You may have summoned a stronger monster, but I got one more trick to show. I activate Chimera's special ability! When it battles, the monster it fights loses a thousand points, and Chimerafflesia gains it back!" Chimerafflesia's two vine mouths swung toward Road Fighter as they drained some of its strength(3000 → 2000, 2500 → 3500).

"Good effort, sugarcube."

"I'm not done because, from my hand, I'm activating the quick-play spell, Half Shut! With this, I can target one monster on the field and cut its attack points in half, and as a result, it can't be destroyed in battle this turn. So I choose your Chimerafflessia!" declared Hitch. A tornado funnel blew toward Applejack's monster as it lost some of its strength that it sapped away from Hitch's monster(3500 → 1750).

Hitch's monster reeled its fist back as it made contact with Applejack's plant, sending some pain along its vines.
Applejack's Life Points: 7650-

"That's not all, 'cause I now activate the ability of my Turbo Booster. By tributing itself, it can destroy your monster since it battled my Road Fighter!" said the boy as his tiny monster rocketed forward and collided with Applejack's plant, destroying both.

"Alright, kid. You got me on that one," smiled Applejack.

"Thanks," said Hitch. "I end my turn."

Turn 7: Applejack (Hand 4)

"It's my move! First, I use the other effect of my Chimerafflesia in my graveyard. The turn after it gets destroyed, I can add a Fusion card from my deck to my hand." She then touched her screen, searched for the card she wanted from her deck, and clicked on it as it slid out for her to grab. "I'll activate Fusion Recovery immediately to get Polymerization and Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio back to mah hand. And then summon Scorpio."

Applejack flipped a card out of her hand as her scorpion appeared. "I'll use Scorpio's ability and discard Rose Lover from mah hand to summon Predaplant Flytrap(400/800) from the deck!" The ground in front of Applejack cracked open. A small spindly vine with hand-like leaves and a pair of jaws formed from two large leaves grew up from the crack. Applejack smiled. "See that there? That's the monster that's gonna take out yours."

"You gotta be kidding. How is that little thing supposed to take down my Road Warrior?" asked Hitch.

"Why don't I show you?! I use Predaplant Flytrap's special ability and place a 'Predator Counter' on your monster." Flytrap opened its jaws and shot a glowing purple seed at Road Warrior. The seed landed on Road Warrior's shoulder and sprouted into a tangled mass of green and purple vines, a growth in their center pulsing with purple light. "As long as that Predator Counter is on yer monster, its level is sapped to 1." Applejack pointed. "And now, Predaplant Flytrap attacks Road Warrior!" Flytrap lowered to the ground and slithered like a serpent toward Hitch's monster.

"That little thing can't stand up to my warrior," stated Hitch.

"You sure?" smirked Applejack. "Flytrap's got a special ability. See, any time it battles a monster with a lower level, that monster gets destroyed instantly!"

Hitch's eyes widened, "No!"

Applejack's Flytrap stopped before Road Warrior, raised, and opened its jaws. The Predator Counter on Road Warrior glowed brighter and exploded in a cloud of green spores. The spores fell around Flytrap and took on the same glow as the Counter. Before Hitch's eyes, Flytrap grew taller and bigger until it towered over Road Warrior, and its jaws were as large as a person. It dove down and snapped its jaws over Road Warrior's head. The monster convulsed and exploded in a spray of purple and green spores.

Applejack smiled.` "When Flytrap destroys a monster with that effect, its level increases by its level. So now my Flytrap gains eight levels, making him level 10." Flytrap slunk back to Applejack's field, still glowing.

"My monster!" shouted Hitch.

"Scorpio, attack him!" instructed Applejack as her monster leaped onto Hitch's shoulder and crawled to his hand. The monster then struck him with his stinger.

"Ow!" said Hitch as he quickly swatted the monster from his hand. He fell to a knee as he felt the pain from the scorpion's sting as it faded after a second.
Hitch's Life Points: 4300-

"I set two cards facedown and end mah turn!"

Who is this gal?! She's tougher than anybody I've faced. I'm doing my best to hang in, but she's running circles around me.

Applejack was smiling as Hitch managed to get to his feet. The cowgirl was putting the boy through the wringer as she wanted to see if he could keep up with her skills, and with the cards she set, she was giving the teen another chance to see if he belonged in the same league as her.

Turn 8: Hitch (Hand 2)

Hitch drew his card as he looked at his hand. He had very few options as he wasn't expecting Applejack to get rid of his Road Warrior since he would use it for his strategy. Now, that was completely out the window. He looked at Applejack's field and saw the two facedowns the country gal had set. The teen stared at them hard, trying to figure out what to do.

"What's the matter, sugarcube? My facedowns scare you," taunted Applejack with a smile as she toyed with the boy.

"N-N-No," said Hitch with not the utmost confidence in his voice, "I'm just trying to figure out if those you set stop me from summoning anything powerful or to protect your Flytrap?"

"Maybe. Or I could be bluffin' both ways. It'd be right silly of me to make moves that obvious, wouldn't it?"

Hitch stared at Applejack evenly, the country gal having a more confident poker face as the teen struggled with the mind games she was playing with him.

"Focus, Hitch! Focus!" said the boy to himself as he tried not to let Applejack get into his head. He shook it before looking back at her facedowns. "Even if I knew what they were, they're still your best option. So, of course, you would play them."

"Just as ah know, you're probably gonna try to defend yourself or summon one of yer Synchro monsters because that's your best move." Applejack nodded. "But that's the kind of game this is, ain't it?"

"Move and counter-move, anticipate and intercede until one of us can't do it any longer and falls behind," said Hitch as he slowly understood what Applejack was saying, which caused the woman to smile.

"For someone at your skill level, you've done a decent job keeping up with me. I must commemorate you for that."

"Thanks," said the boy.

"But.. Ya ain't seen nothin' yet, sugarcube." Applejack raised her duel disk in front of her and leaned forward. "If you wanna win this thing, you gotta come at me with everything you've got!"

Hitch drew with a flourish and a smirk. "This duel is only getting started!" Hitch drew and slid his card into his hand and then looked over the array of cards. He thought momentarily before lowering his cards and looking at Applejack evenly. "The trick now is figuring out what manner of protection those facedown cards offer you."

"Ain't it?" Applejack nodded.

"I'll start by playing Monster Reborn to bring back my Road Warrior!" said Hitch.

"Just what I expected," smirked Applejack as Hitch was shocked again. "I reveal my facedown, Fiendish Chain!" The trap card flipped up, and four black chains emerged from it. They snapped around Road Warrior's limbs and pulled tight, sparking. "With this card in play, Road Warrior can't attack, and his effects are negated."

"Great," muttered Hitch as Applejack stopped him in his tracks again. "I summon Max Warrior(1800/800)!" A monster wielding a staff with a magnet shaped like a U appeared. "Now, Max Warrior, attack Predaplant Flytrap! And during the battle, Max Warrior gains 400 extra attack points."

"I activate my facedown, Call of the Earthbound. Thanks to this trap, I can change the attack of your monster. So my Scorpio takes the hit!" said Applejack as she saved her Flytrap from being destroyed. The scorpion leaped into the air as Hitch's monster took it out.
Applejack's Life Points: 6650-

Not only did she lock me out of using Road Warrior, but she was also prepared to protect her Flytrap. She planned for both scenarios. I hate to say it, but she's outperforming me.

"Since Max Warrior destroyed a monster, until my next Standby Phase, Max Warrior's attack and defense points are cut in half, and it becomes Level 2," stated Hitch(1800 → 900).

"That's all," said the boy.

Turn 9: Applejack (Hand 3)

Applejack drew, looked at her card, and pointed across the field. "Once more, ah, use Flytrap's ability and put a Predator Counter on Road Warrior." Flytrap opened its jaws and spat a green spore onto Road Warrior; the spore struck its chest and grew into a glowing purple and green vine. Applejack swung her hand out. "Ah, attack Road Warrior with Flytrap!" Flytrap chittered and slithered across the field. It reached Road Warrior, grew tall enough to overshadow it, and snapped down to bite its head. Hitch's monster exploded, the chains binding it, fading into smoke.

"I end mah turn with a facedown."

Turn 10: Hitch (Hand 1)

"It's my turn, and now the effect of Max Warrior wears off. So his attack points return to normal, and he's now Level 4 again," stated Hitch. "Now I draw. Then, I summon Junk Synchron(1300/500) in defense mode. And thanks to Junk Synchron's ability, he can bring back a Level 2 or below monster from my grave if I negate its effects. Sonic Chick(300/300), fan your feathers in defense mode." A small baby chick wearing red boots appeared and let out a squeak.

"And since I control two monsters in defense mode, I can summon my Backup Warrior(2100/0)! Now... Level 3 Junk Synchron tune with Level 5 Backup Warrior!" Junk Synchron pulled its chord, turning into three giant green rings that circled his comrade as a light surged through. "Behold as razor-sharp steel shards and iron-clad alloy scraps are forged together to create a powerful new force! I Synchro Summon, Junk Destroyer(2600/2500)!" A bruiser-like warrior appeared as it had four arms.

"Now Junk Destroyer's ability activates! When it's Synchro Summoned, I can destroy cards on the field up to the number of non-tuners I used to summon it. So your Predaplant Flytrap is gone!" said Hitch. His monster powered up his fists as all four shot out and destroyed Applejack's monster.

"Now, Junk Destroyer, attack her directly!" said Hitch as he had a clear shot at Applejack's Life Points.

"Not this time! I activate my facedown, Counter Gate!" Applejack's card flipped over to reveal a mirrored panel. "I can play this when you declare a direct attack. So now I negate yer attack and draw a card. Should it be a monster, I can summon it in attack position." She drew her card and flipped it open. "I got Predaplant Spinodionaea(1800/0), so I summon it." The mirror displayed an image of a large green lizard, its skin vibrant green like a vine. The mirror shattered, and the lizard leaped onto the field with a growl. A mouth formed of plant leaves sprouted on its back and opened, the maw quivering.

"I'll end my turn," frowned Hitch.

Turn 11: Applejack (Hand 3)

"My turn, and I'll summon Predaplant Squid Drosera(800/400) in defense mode." A plant monster appeared as it looked like a squid and had many eyes along its body.

"I then end my turn."

Turn 12: Hitch (Hand 1)

"Now's my chance! Here goes!" said Hitch as he drew his card. "I summon Nitro Synchron(300/100). And because I have a tuner monster, I can summon Boost Warrior(300/200). But these two won't be around for long, at least not in their present form. Now... Level 2 Nitro Synchron tune with Level 1 Boost Warrior and Level 4 Max Warrior!" shouted the boy. Nitro Synchron's gauge value above its head turned to the right as it was ready to get into gear. It turned into two giant green rings as it circled its two other comrades as a light surged through. "Now it's time to rev it up with one of my favorites. I Synchro Summon, Nitro Warrior(2800/1800)!"

"Next, Nitro Synchron's ability activates. Since it was used to Synchro Summon a 'Nitro' monster, I get to draw a card," stated Hitch as he looked at his deck.

This is it. If I don't draw the right card, I'm done.

Hitch put his hand on top of his deck as he drew with a flourish. He slowly turned his card over as a smile came over him.

"Oh, yeah. I play the equip spell, Junk Barrage, onto Nitro Warrior! Because I played a spell, Nitro Warrior gains 1000 attack points for this round!" stated Hitch(2800 → 3800). "Now, Nitro Warrior, attack her Predaplant Spinodionaea!" Hitch's monster lunged forward, raising its fist and taking out Applejack's monster.
Applejack's Life Points: 4650-

"Now Nitro Warrior's ability activates since it destroyed a monster in battle; I switch your Squid Drosera into attack mode. And then it gets to strike again! But thanks to my Junk Barrage, since the equipped monster destroyed yours, you now take damage equal to half of the destroyed monster's attack points." stated Hitch as his monster put its arm out and fired a soundwave at Applejack, who stood there and took the hit.
Applejack's Life Points: 3750-

"Now Nitro Warrior, take out her Squid Drosera!" commanded Hitch as his monster rushed in for the second attack and took out Applejack's tiny monster.
Applejack's Life Points: 1750-

"Now Junk Barrage activates, and you take damage equal to half of Squid Drosera's attack points!"
Applejack's Life Points: 1350-

"Now, Junk Destroyer! Finish her off!" said Hitch as he looked to win.

"I reveal my facedown, Card Defense. So, I can negate yer attack by discarding one card from mah hand. Then I get to draw one card to replace the one I lost!" said Applejack as a wall of cards appeared before her, stopping Hitch's monster from making contact.

"I end my turn," said Hitch as he had nothing else to do. "But I'm just about to win."

Applejack didn't say anything as she smiled. Soon, something happened. Three seeds with thorns appeared before the country gal; they soon flew forward and attached themselves to Hitch's monsters. They shined with a purple light in a second as they felt something affecting them.

"My monsters! What did you do them?!" asked the teen.

"I didn't do anythin', sugar. You did," said Applejack as her smile grew. "See, when you destroyed my Squid Drosera, you activated its special ability. An ability that, when it's destroyed, attaches a Predator Counter onto each one of yer monsters. And their Levels drop to 1!"

Turn 13: Applejack (Hand 3)

"And with that... It's time to win," said Applejack as she drew her card, but she could already tell what it was without looking at it. "They say don't count yer chickens before they're hatched, but I've already won this duel. Now... I play Predapratice! This lets me special summon my Predaplant Nepenthes(1600/1000) from mah hand." Dark brown roots sprouted in front of Applejack, two vines on the top blooming into twin mouths.

"Then my spell allows me to add a 'Predap' card from my deck to my hand. Now... It's time. I play Polymerization! So I fuse my Predaplant Nephenthes and Pterapenthes!" A purple vortex with tendrils of green energy appeared behind Applejack and drew in her two monsters. The vortex spun and flashed, its light growing. "I combine mah reptilian predator and mah twin-headed predator and unleash a vicious botanical nightmare!" Applejack held her card up. "I Fusion Summon! The vicious, voracious, and venomous Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(2800/2000)!" She slammed her card on her duel disk, the card tray lighting up purple.

The ground shook as a massive plant bud grew behind Applejack and rose into the air. It shone purple and burst apart, a dragon flying out of it and circling the field. Its body was lithe and green, armored in hardened purple growths with thorns emerging from them. Orbs of orange light lit up on its claws, shoulders, and wings, pulsing with energy. The dragon stopped its flight above Applejack, a vine-like tail lashing the air, and roared.

"What the?" said Hitch as he stared at the massive dragon, looking at the boy like a chew toy.

"Since I Fusion Summoned my dragon, he gets an attack boost equal to all your monsters' attack points!"

"WHAT?!" said Hitch as he looked at Applejack's monster. An aura of purple energy lit up over his field of monster, and trails of it swirled into Applejack's dragon. The orbs on its wings grew brighter(2500 → 8200).

"8200 attack points!" shouted the boy as he witnessed his own monsters' strength being used to power up Applejack's mighty dragon.

Applejack waved the final card in her hand as it got Hitch's attention. The woman flipped her card over to reveal what it was. "By getting rid of my second copy of Squid Drosera, I activate its ability. So now my monster attacks every single monster of yours with a Predator Counter on it."

"All of them?!"

"Finish him off!" shouted Applejack.

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon swooped down and flew forward. The orbs covering its body sent energy streams curling into its mouth, assembling into a large fireball. The fireball launched and engulfed Hitch's field, a plume of smoke shooting into the air. The boy looked away, teeth gritted, as his monsters melted and exploded. The chain reaction sent the teen off his feet as he tumbled a few feet back through the dirt before stopping.
Hitch's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Applejack

Applejack's monster roared as it asserted its dominance over its opponent. It looked down at its mistress, lowering its head to her level. Applejack put her hand out and rubbed her dragon's face as she thanked it for its help. The dragon growled softly before it disappeared. The farmer was left alone as she looked at Hitch, still on the ground.

The kid's got heart, but he still needs work. Though... I'll admit. He's a tough cowboy. It's strange; he reminds me of... me. Little sis, you got one of a heck of a student on yer hands.

Hitch slowly was coming to as he awoke from being hit by Applejack's final attack. He managed to sit up as the woman stood over him. Applejack extended her hand to the boy as he accepted it, and she pulled him to his feet. Once he stood, he and Applejack locked eyes. The teen and country gal kept their gaze on each other. Nothing was said. And nothing needed to be said as the two kept their hands locked while staring into each other. Applejack wanted to know what the boy could do; one thing was sure: he managed to earn her respect. Respect. From one generation to another.

They finally broke their hands as Applejack slowly began to walk past the boy, giving one final look at him. She leaned over into his ear and whispered something to him, getting a reaction from the boy before she continued walking. Hitch turned around as he kept his eyes on the woman. He seemed to feel something with the woman who had just beaten him.

"You're Aj, aren't you?" said the boy as he addressed the woman.

"Right as rain, sheriff," responded Applejack as she tossed an apple to Hitch, who caught it with one hand.


It was evening as Hitch and Mario were shown in the pickup truck as Applebloom asked Big Mac to drop off her student and friend back at CHS.

"Appreciate the help, boys," said Applebloom as she stood near the passenger's window to look at the boys inside the truck.

"No worries. It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. If you ever need some extra hands on the farm, give us a call," stated Mario.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Applebloom as she looked over Mario to see Hitch. The boy was in the middle as he had his head down, seemingly having something on his mind.

"Hitch... Hitch... Hitch!"

"Huh?" said the boy as he snapped out of his thoughts and looked over to see his teacher.

"I'll keep mah promise. I'll make sure you get extra credit and no homework for helpin' me and mah family," stated Applebloom.

"Oh, yeah. No problem," said the boy as he responded to his teacher.

The truck started as it began to head down the road. Watching the vehicle drive off into the distance was Applejack. The country gal was looking out of her room's window as she sat on the window still. Soon, the door to her room opened.

"So... what do you think?" asked Applebloom as she stood in her older sister's room doorway.

"He's got heart. He's tough. Like me. Keep me updated on him." said Aj to her little sister.

"Of course, sis," said Applebloom as she left and closed the door.

"Hitch, buddy, you good?" said Mario as he noticed his friend still had his head down.

"Y-Yeah, just... have a lot on my mind," said the boy.

Prove to me!


It was now nighttime as the moon was high above Sweet Apple Acres. The house of the Apples was shown as nearly everybody was asleep. The only light shown was from a small lamp that was on. Inside her room was Aj as she lay on her bed with her laptop on her knees. She was currently on a video call with someone.

"So, have you taken an interest in him?"

"He's an interesting kid, for sure. It's strange... I see a lot of myself in him. I've asked Applebloom to update me on him." the farmer stated.

"I see," said Isaac.

The World Champion was shown on a private jet flying high above the clouds as the sun rose. He was heading to his next appointment when he was contacted by Aj, who wanted to talk with him regarding her run-in with Hitch.

"By the way, did you see my son?" asked Isaac.

"I saw him. Didn't have a chance to talk. What did you say to him during Friends and Family Day?" asked Aj.

"Nothing... he walked off..."

"Hang in, there, sugarcube. I'm sure he'll come around. Family's the most important thing anybody can have." said Applejack as she spoke from experience.

"I just hope he sees that. And maybe... this group of friends he hangs out with can help him," said Isaac.

"By the way, sugar. You don't have to keep sending us more of yer money. It's been years of you doing this, and thanks to your finances, we've been able to grow our farm and business, but we don't need any more from you." said Applejack.

"I know, but I want to. Friends help each other, remember," stated the World Champion. "Glad we could talk... Jacklyn."

"Now on there, city slicker! I said to never..."

The video call ended as Isaac had pushed the button to end it and cut off Aj abruptly. The World Champion smiled, knowing he could always get a rise from the country gal as she despised being called by her birth name.

"Some things never change," smiled Isaac as he leaned back and looked out the window. The jet soared above the sky as the sun began to rise on a new day where the World Champion was.

Author's Note: We now have the next big event to look forward to and that's the Fall Formal. And it seems Hitch has had his own adventure in helping out his teacher, Applebloom. It seems he has caught the eye of a certain country gal. Though the words whispered to him, and a sign of respect from one generation to another. Need I say more.