downtoearthpony | 03 Apple Strudel

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03 Apple Strudel

Part A | Action | In and around 337 Brady Street

[It's early afternoon in Mayfield, and Applejack has been walking around town during the morning, only now just returning to her current residence, and noticing the little red flag on the mailbox sticking up. Always willing to be a helpful mare, she opens it up and carefully pulls the letters out with her teeth before closing it up and putting the flag back down. And, mostly because she's part of the 'family' living there, but also because she's a little curious, she sets down the letters on the sidewalk and sits back on her haunches to get a good look at them.]

Huh, looks like we're suppose to pay bills here. As if this place is just another normal town...

[Of course this does bother Applejack a bit. This means her not!Family at this house have to support her on top of themselves unless she provides some kind of income. And considering how most of the drones merely consider her a dog, finding a way to help pay for things is going to be pretty tricky. Applejack was still lost in thought about this when she noticed a few letters addressed directly to Theo, her house mate. All of which are marked "Homeowner's Association Committee."]

What in tarnation are these for?

[Gathering the letters up in a pile with her hooves, and then picking them up with her teeth again, Applejack decides to head inside and ask Theo about his mail when she stops short.

There's a package on the porch. Simply wrapped in brown packing paper and tied up, it's rather unassuming. She walks on up to take a look at who it's for and is slightly surprised to see it addressed to her. Well, probably for her. It actually says 'Applejack Crawford' for the recipient, but remembering what Rarity said about the package that gave her horn back, it's pretty safe to assume it's meant for her. Setting the letters aside on the porch, she unties the package, removes the paper, and finds....

Her hat. It definitely looks like her old stetson cowboy hat. Sitting down again, she takes the hat up in her forehoofs to take a better look. It looks old and worn, but anypony can age a hat, so it might not actually be hers. At least that's what she thought until she got a closer look. The familiar creases and scratches, dents and tears, were all there. Like a road map of memories she shared with it. Aging is one thing, but it's hard to believe somepony would go to all this trouble to make a replica of every little mark on her hat. Which of course means that it IS her hat, and that conclusion just brings back a flood of homesickness that Applejack was trying so hard to keep at bay. She gives herself a bit, hoping no one notices the tears, before cleaning herself up and putting the hat in it's proper place on her head. The comfortable feeling of it brings a smile to her face and she can't help but comment aloud about it.]

Gotta say Ah'm sure am glad to have this back. Felt rather naked without it.

[And with that, she gathers up the letters and wrapping to take inside to the house.]

Part B | Phone | Sometime later in the day, after Part A

[Applejack has put the phone on the counter to make an unfiltered call to the town in general. Don't ask how she dialed. Her muzzle still smarts. But for those who haven't met her yet, a female voice with an accent that you would think hails from the southwest Missouri Ozarks is speaking.]

Hey y'all, this is Applejack over at 337 Brady Street. So in the mail today there were some bills, and Ah realized it probably would be a good idea Ah did some paid work around here to carry mah own weight. Especially if Ah'm going to be here for awhile.

...So, um, anybody need a helping hand? Ah'm mostly used to doing farm work, but it doesn't look like there's much call for it around here currently. Ah'm pretty strong though, so if you need a workhorse, Ah could probably help out that way. Oh, Ah guess Ah can cook too. Ah usually just make treats and snacks for sale at mah stand, but ah've made a meal or two for my family, so Ah know mah way around a kitchen.

Well, that's all Ah had to say. If'n you have a job for me, or know someone who might be able to use mah help, Ah'd appreciate it if you let me know, thanks!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Workhorse? That's no way to talk about yourself, hon.

[ The woman's voice is gently scolding, but the trace accent is marginally similar. ]

Well, Ah would've said 'workpony' but lots of folks here seem to just look at me odd when Ah say stuff like that.

Doesn't change the fact that Ah meant Ah'm hard-working and best at working with mah hooves. And Ah didn't mean it in a bad way either, Ah'm fine with getting dirty and doing hard labor if that's what it takes to get the job done.

Oh! You were being literal! Sorry.

I don't have anything agricultural at the moment, but I'm planning to rework the yard to a garden in the the spring. That doesn't help you right now, but there might be another option.

Have you looked around for any of the restaurants that aren't run by drones?

Oh, Ah didn't really think about working at a restaurant. Been so use to getting mah hooves dirty on the farm, Ah guess Ah forgot to really consider it.

But um, which ones aren't run by drones? Ah haven't been to all of them yet so Ah don't know which are or aren't.

I haven't found all of them yet, but there's a cafe run by Kiku Honda, the personification of The State of Japan. If you are able to make pastries, there might be a market there.

I could also use some help for a catering job, and that might be a way to get your reputation out there.

Well, Ah don't mean to brag, but if it involves apples, Ah can make it! I know how to make an apple pie, apple fritters, apple brioche, caramel apples, apple strudel, apple crumble, or even an apple brown betty.

But if'n you're willing to give me Ah chance, Ah'm sure Ah could be of help for your catering job!

That would be good, that would mean I can focus on the savory treats, and leave the apple sweets to you.

Thanks! Ah appreciate that. Would you like me to meet you somewhere so Ah can show you what to do or provide?

Why don't you let me know when you're baking, and I can come to you?

That works, Ah might even be able to bake some things tomorrow. Just need to check with my house mate and what's in the kitchen to see if'n Ah need to drag someone down to the store for supplies.

Sounds good! Let me know when you're ready.

Sure will, and thanks again for the offer!

Doesn't the town usually assign you a job? Though, if you're a woman, I guess not always...

Well, for some reason most of the town seems to think Ah'm some sort of dog, so Ah didn't start off with a job.

It's a little weird, to be honest, Ah mean, where Ah come from, ponies keep dogs as pets and here Ah am, being treated as a pet by those drones...

Some... sort of dog?

Wait, you're a pony? Like Rainbow Dash?

Oh, you know Dash?

...And kinda. Ah mean, we're from the same place and she's a good friend of mine, but she's a pegasus pony while Ah'm an earth pony.

Which means... what, exactly?

Well, Ah guess you could think of each type having different abilities. Pegasus ponies can fly, walk on clouds and create certain weather effects like rain. Us earth ponies can't fly, but we're pretty strong and durable, let me tell you.

Whoa, that's pretty amazing!

Ah guess it kinda is, if'n you're not use to it. It's so commonplace to where Ah'm from you hardly notice it. Like the ponies that can fly or the unicorn ponies that can use magic.

I'm not used to ponies being like this at all, really...

Oh, yeah... Ah keep running into folks who say stuff like that... Seems most folks around here aren't use to us ponies from Equestria.

So it's a whole world like that, huh? I can hardly imagine... But then again, I bet the concept of humans being a dominant species is pretty strange to you, too.

It is a little strange for me, but Ah'm doing my best to take it in stride. There's a lot of strange creatures where Ah'm from, so it's not too hard to imagine things like hue-mins existing. Though Ah don't think Ah've heard of anything like them before in Equestria.

Ah'm mostly surprised by how most hue-mins, no matter where they're from, say that most animals and ponies back home aren't intelligent or talkative.

Maybe not talkative, but anyone who says that ponies and horses aren't intelligent obviously hasn't spent any time around them.

See, that's what Ah said once even! Animals where Ah'm from are pretty dang intelligent even if they don't speak, so Ah asked my house mate if maybe they were smart but no one really noticed it.

He said it wasn't the same, though.

Well that's just dumb on his part.

Ah get the feeling it was more of something he really didn't know anything about or considered and just wanted to forget it. He can get a bit snippy at times, it seems.

I might be looking to hire a few people later on for a... project...

[He coughs, then changes his tone of voice]

You cook? You bake? Have you been by the bakery? Unless there's a drone boss that I haven't noticed, it's all actual people making dough.

It's a pun!

[Applejack is just letting that pun go by with mild amusement, she's heard worse, really.]

Well Ah'm still a little new to town so Ah haven't had a chance to check the bakeries or such, but Ah'll give them a look see tomorrow, thanks.

And if you need help with that project of yours, just let me know when and Ah'll come and see if there's anything Ah can do to help out.

I work there. Well, the town seemed to assign me there and... it's not so bad of a job.

[Haha! He might have a prospective employee for the Mayfield HQ of his company! Might. He'll have to play this right.]

We can talk. See what we can do for each other. That sort of thing.

Well sounds like a plan then! What's the address and when would it be a good time for me to stop by to see what Ah can do?

The Bakery is just in the central part of town. With all the shops, right? If you want to talk about the other possible work, come by 457 Stone Street sometime in the evening. Ask for Doctor Doofenshmirtz.

[Everything's coming together! Plans are in motion! Whee!]

Alright then, Ah'll try to stop by the bakery tomorrow sometime and then maybe later your place if working there doesn't pan out. How's that sound?

Absolutely perfect. It sounds absolutely perfect!

[Must... resist the urge to make with the blatantly evil laughter...]

[Applejack is totally missing any sinister undertones here.]

Glad to hear that! Ah'll see you soon then!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

03 Apple Strudel

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B (What are the chances of Doofenshmirtz mistaking AJ's stetson hat for a fedora?)

Highly Probable! :D

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