The Equestrian Journal, by Anonymous - Day 21

>You're on a mission to find a steady job.  Twilight doesn't understand why you want to work, saying that you had no need to.

>Different walks of life, you guess.

>Today you were going to start simple:  apple-bucking with the Apple family.  Applejack said she'd be glad for the help and offered a fair wage.  She leads you into the orchard, "Let's see what y'all got ta work with."

>Alicorns have earth pony strength, right?  This should be easy.  And you were an inch or two taller than her, so surely you can handle this.

>You stand staring at the tree.

Um.....Applejack?

>"Yeah?"

.....how does one buck a tree?

>She gives you an are-you-fucking-kidding-me look before turning away from the tree, balancing on her forelegs, and giving a strong kick with both hind legs.  Apples fall neatly into the baskets around the tree.

Okay, seems simple enough.

>You move to the next tree and turn away.  You concentrate, trying to balance on your front legs, but it's shaky at best.

>'Best to just do it as fast as possible before I trip' you think to yourself.  You lean forward and kick as hard as you can,

>only to land on your face as your hind legs go up into the air.  Applejack bursts out laughing.

>"Oh wow! Ah've heard from Twah about yer troubles with stairs but that was jus' sad!"

Whatever, I've got a better idea.

 

>"Oh yeah? You gonna smash yer face into the trees? Cuz Rainbow already tried that."

Heh, funny, but no.

>You begin to just magic the apples out of the tree, but after you pull a few down Applejack starts flipping her shit.

>"Y'all c'n keep yer fancy magic an' take it somewheres else! We work fer our livin' here!"

I don't see why.  If I practice I'm sure I could clear swathes of the orchard at a time.

>"An' then what!  There's still the issue of sortin' them, an' lil Applebloom can only sort so fast."

Well then you could help her sort.

>"Y'mean to be takin' mah job with yer stupid magic!  Ah can't believe this!"

It would be more efficient!  The Apple family could generate mo-

>"Y'all're missin' the point!  We don't need yer fancy magic here!"

Alright, fine, Jesus.

>"Who's Jesus?"

Uh.....nevermind.

>"Anyways, if ya can't buck, maybe ya could help sort apples with Applebloom."

>Oh boy, children.  You try to buck the tree once more, falling on your stomach this time.  You try hovering in the air and kicking, but with nothing to hold against the tree barely shakes.

Yeah...I guess. Sorry I'm no good for bucking.

>"S'alright sugarcube.  If it makes ya feel any better, I don't see no harm in usin' yer magic to grab apples while yer sortin' em."

I'll give it a try.

 

>This is mind-numbling.

>All you have to do is determine what color category an apple falls into, and put it into a suitable barrel.  Every now and then you find an apple that could go either way, but it just means the taste is in between and could be taken either way.

>Applebloom is pleasant to work with and not annoying at all.  But as nice as the conversation is, the work is dull and you're so far outpacing her that the two of you frequently find yourselves waiting for the next round of apples.

>Big Mac comes up with the next wagon.

Hey Big Mac, would I be in the wrong if I helped carry more apples back here?

>"Nnnnope."

Cool.  Hey Applebloom, I'm gonna go grab some baskets from AJ.  Will you be alright?

>She nods and goes back to sorting.

 

>"Whaddaya think yer doin'?"  Applejack noticed immediately when you started levitating some baskets.

Your sister and I are sorting faster than you two can bring in, so I'm gonna help speed you up a bit.

>"Ah said, we don't need yer fancy magic ta keep pace here."

AJ, I'm just trying to help.

>"And you are!  But Ah dunno if this is honest work."

I'm not pulling the apples down with magic.

>"No, ah suppose not."

>You trot back to Applebloom with four baskets hovering around you before getting back to sorting.  A few minutes go by silenty before Applebloom speaks up.

>"Mah sister ain't too pleased, is she?" Clever girl.

No.  I don't understand why she's so opposed to using magic.

>"Yer from far away, right?  You probably haven't heard of Winter Wrap Up?"

Do explain.

>She explains how the winter here is brought to a close deliberately by all the ponies in the town, but with no magic.  Apparently it's an old tradition from the old days of managing the land without unicorn magic.

>"So ya see, AJ an' Big Mac won't accept usin' magic fer farmin', because it ain't how earth ponies did it in the old days."

So they're only against it isn't how they've always done it?

>"Well...when you say it like that, it really sounds bad, but it's not.  We make a good, honest livin' this way every year."

You seem pretty smart about this.

>"Applejack taught me that."

>So the whole tradition is that earth ponies are the ones who manage crops because they're the ones with the tie to nature.  If they were to employ magic it would be stepping over their expertise.

>You can understand AJ's point of view, even if you don't agree with it.

 

>After helping them out that day, the Apple family invites you in for dinner with them.  It's pretty early compared to what you're used to, sunset having not even started.  Still, you have no other plans so you accept.

>As you enter the house with Big Mac and Applejack, you notice Applejack is in a sour mood.

>The food is amazing.  The atmosphere is less so.  Applejack isn't talking at all, and of course Big Mac isn't going to be a conversationalist.  You desperately meet Applebloom's eye; you'll need her help to save the situation.

>You give a slight nod when she looks to you, and she replies with her own.

>"We sure got a lot done today, wouldn'tcha say Big Mac?"

>"Eeeyup."  Thanks for participating, Mac.

>"It's a good thing you hired on Anon today, sis!"

>Applejack brings her attention back to the table, just muttering a "yeah"

>Whelp, you tried.  Everybo..pony is about done eating anyway.  The rest of the dinner passes in silence.

>Applebloom and Granny Smith clear the table.  Big Mac goes upstairs.  You and Applejack step outside.

>"Here's the pay fer yer...help, Anon."

>You put the bits in your bag, turning back to Applejack before she can get back inside.

Hey Applejack?

>She sighs and turns back to you. "Yeah?"

I'm sorry I trampled your tradition.

>Her eyes go a bit wider before she gives you a smile.

>"Ah didn't figure yew'd understand."

I didn't know.

>"How didja not-"

I'm from very, very far away, Applejack.  I hardly know the history of this place.  Applebloom had to explain it to me.

>"That's...raght....Ah guess ah shoulda known.  No hard feelins?"

Of course not.  I appreciate letting me try farm work, but it's not gonna work for long.

>"Ah understand.  Y'all have a good day now."

See you around, AJ.

 

"Dear Princess Celestia,

 

Today I learned an important lesson about friendship.

 

And a fun way to poke fun at your student without her knowing using this journal.  But seriously, I started looking for a job to stick with while I live here.  I worked at Sweet Apple Acres for today, finding it didn't work out for me.  I shouldn't even have to say that trying to buck apples didn't work out.  I suggested using magic to pick the apples 'lickety-split' but Applejack flipped out on me when I tried.  I ended up helping sort apples and carrying them around, again with magic.

 

I pissed off AJ pretty bad.  Her younger sister later told me about the old days before the three pony races came together, explaining why the farmers are all earth ponies.  It's funny how much tradition can mean to someone.  I guess I'm used to businesses doing anything they can to make as much money as possible.  Ponies only care that they have enough.  Your world wins over Earth yet again.

 

Good night, Celestia."