Post by Applejack on Dec 25, 2013 18:54:01 GMT -5
A soft white blanket of snow covers most of Ponyville on this crisp, clear Hearthswarming Day morning, and Sweet Apple Acres is no exception. The hundreds of trees stand silently under their dusting of white, and over at the farmhouse, the chimney pours forth cheerful woodsmoke and the smell of cooking. Inside, Applejack and Granny Smith are bustling around in the kitchen, getting everything ready for their usual Hearthswarming dinner. "Land sakes, this here's gittin' harder every year! We need more hooves in here. Where's yer sister?" Granny grouses. "Prob'ly out in th' hangar again. What do ya need, Granny? Ah can do it!" Applejack replies. But Granny only closes the oven on a freshly-made pie and sighs. "She's out in that goldarned hanker again, ain't she? Never mind. Just take her out some lunch an' make certian she's okay." Nodding, Applejack sticks a couple of wrapped sandwiches on the other things already in her saddlebags and trots out to find her sister.
Apple Bloom is indeed in the hangar, inspecting some components of the Crusader and making some adjustments. While the Cutie Mark Crusaders are her bestest of best friends, the Crusader has become a real passion of hers, essentially a work of art. One can tell AB really cared a lot about this project in particular. The door into the cabin is open, as is the engine panel, showing what, to Applejack, must looks like overcomplex systems of pipes and pullies. How does anyone comprehend an engine?
Applejack taps the hangar door, then pulls it open. "Apple Bloom? Hay, y'all in here?" She catches sight of AB and frowns. "Tarnation, Bloom! How long've y'all been out here without yer scarf? Yer gonna catch yer death o' cold! Here, hold still!" AJ pulls a fluffy scarf the same color as AB's bow and wraps it around her neck several times. "Granny's been askin' fer ya. Are ya gonna be out here all Hearthswarmin'?"
Apple Bloom pokes her head out from working on the engine when she gets wrapped in the scarf! At first she seems a little caught off guard, but she finally squeezes it, glad for the warmth it gives. "Well... ah don't usually wear a scarf wahl workin' on th'Crusader. Could git caught on somethin'." Apple Bloom noses Applejack appreciatively. "Ah jus' wanted t'see if ah could tun'er up this mornin', see if ah could start'er in this weather. Ah was thinkin' ah should do somethin' special with it fer Hearthwarmin'."
Applejack's vague irritation blows away as quickly as it blew up. "Oh? What kinda thing y'all got in mind?" She digs out the green gingham cloth with the sandwiches and a bottle of sparkling cider packed in it and lays it down nearby. "Granny sent some lunch. Ya know you've been out here all mornin' already?" AJ chuckles and ruffles AB's mane. "Time flies when yer havin' fun, Ah reckon."
"Really? Ah thought it was still mornin'." Apple Bloom turns to look at the Crusader a few moments. It actually looks rather fit as a fiddle. She should start and fly just fine in this weather. The filly might not want to go up without a hot cocoa, though. Not to say the Crusader can't get toasty warm. "Ah'm still thinkin' on that." Apple Bloom ooohs when she sees the sandwiches and cider. "Maybe ah should head back t'the house, shouldn't ah?" She picks up one of the sandwiches.
Applejack sits by her sister. "Yeah, Ah reckon so. But, uh... maybe not just yet. Don't mind Granny, she's just bellyachin'. Ah already helped her make dinner." AJ seems to waffle for a moment, then digs something else out of her saddlebags: a long, flat Hearthswarming present, about two and a half feet by eight inches by three inches. She lays it gently on the ground by AB. "Reckon it's 'bout time ta give ya this, too. Happy Hearthswarmin', li'l sis."
Apple Bloom gasps and oooohs, setting her sandwich carefully aside (Very important to eat sandwiches.) and puts her hooves on the present. "Ah, Applejack, y'all didn't haive to." She tears into the wrapping with her teeth, as hooves are not great at opening presents.
The present is weirdly heavy, too, and it quickly becomes obvious why. Inside are two stout planks of lacquered applewood... each of which has been carefully, painstankingly carved into a bas-relief of the words 'The CRUSADER' and the CMC logo, the inside stained dark so the words and border stand out brightly. Each corner is pre-drilled with a hole for a mounting screw. "Ah got ta thinkin'. Mac an' me, we don't really get what yer doin' here, but... if'n somethin's gonna be important ta y'all, it should be important t'us too."
Apple Bloom's eyes go so wide when she sees the craftwork. "It's..." She gasps and hugs her sister tightly. "Ah love it! It's perfect!" By the look of it, Apple Bloom should probably mount it on the interior. She can find a nice prominant place for it. "Ah love it. Ah really do!"
Applejack tugs AB close and squeezes her hard! That knocks over the sandwich, but she catches it deftly. "Just... make sure, whenever ya take it out, ya come back to us... 'kay?"
<OOC> Applejack -> th09.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2012/082/2/5/applejack_and_apple_bloom_hug_by_blazky-d4tpwgd.png
"Ah promise, ah always will. Fer t'day ah gotta figure out what t'do with th'Crusader t'make this a great Hearthwarmin' fer Ponyville!" Apple Bloom runs a hoof along the nameplate in admiration. She is touched that her family is so supportive. She takes her sandwoch and takes a big bite out of it to think. After a moment, she swallows. "Hey... kin we make... uh... about a thousand apple fritters?"
Applejack laughs. "Ah don't think we got that kinda time. Or spare apples. Ah got an idea - why not go ask Pinkie Pie if'n she got somethin' y'all can use? She's always got them... cannon things. An' she got stuff stashed all over th' dang place!" She stands up. "Ah gotta get back ta th' house. Make sure yer back in time fer dinner, 'kay? Wouldn't wanna miss that."
"Sure. Ah'll make a break fer Sugarcube Corner." Apple Bloom hugs Applejack again and gathers her lunch and the cider. "Ah'll be back fer dinner. ... Ah hope." She runs out of the hangar, leaving the Crusader cabin and engine compartment wide open.
Applejack chuckles indulgently, and gently closes the doors AB left open. As she leaves the hangar, she gives the Crusader a long, suspicious look, then sighs and smiles. Whatever happens, this thing makes AB happy. So it's a good thing. The inside of the hangar becomes dark and quiet again as the door shuts; outside, Applejack trots back to the farmouse. Time to check on the cornmeal roast.
Apple Bloom is indeed in the hangar, inspecting some components of the Crusader and making some adjustments. While the Cutie Mark Crusaders are her bestest of best friends, the Crusader has become a real passion of hers, essentially a work of art. One can tell AB really cared a lot about this project in particular. The door into the cabin is open, as is the engine panel, showing what, to Applejack, must looks like overcomplex systems of pipes and pullies. How does anyone comprehend an engine?
Applejack taps the hangar door, then pulls it open. "Apple Bloom? Hay, y'all in here?" She catches sight of AB and frowns. "Tarnation, Bloom! How long've y'all been out here without yer scarf? Yer gonna catch yer death o' cold! Here, hold still!" AJ pulls a fluffy scarf the same color as AB's bow and wraps it around her neck several times. "Granny's been askin' fer ya. Are ya gonna be out here all Hearthswarmin'?"
Apple Bloom pokes her head out from working on the engine when she gets wrapped in the scarf! At first she seems a little caught off guard, but she finally squeezes it, glad for the warmth it gives. "Well... ah don't usually wear a scarf wahl workin' on th'Crusader. Could git caught on somethin'." Apple Bloom noses Applejack appreciatively. "Ah jus' wanted t'see if ah could tun'er up this mornin', see if ah could start'er in this weather. Ah was thinkin' ah should do somethin' special with it fer Hearthwarmin'."
Applejack's vague irritation blows away as quickly as it blew up. "Oh? What kinda thing y'all got in mind?" She digs out the green gingham cloth with the sandwiches and a bottle of sparkling cider packed in it and lays it down nearby. "Granny sent some lunch. Ya know you've been out here all mornin' already?" AJ chuckles and ruffles AB's mane. "Time flies when yer havin' fun, Ah reckon."
"Really? Ah thought it was still mornin'." Apple Bloom turns to look at the Crusader a few moments. It actually looks rather fit as a fiddle. She should start and fly just fine in this weather. The filly might not want to go up without a hot cocoa, though. Not to say the Crusader can't get toasty warm. "Ah'm still thinkin' on that." Apple Bloom ooohs when she sees the sandwiches and cider. "Maybe ah should head back t'the house, shouldn't ah?" She picks up one of the sandwiches.
Applejack sits by her sister. "Yeah, Ah reckon so. But, uh... maybe not just yet. Don't mind Granny, she's just bellyachin'. Ah already helped her make dinner." AJ seems to waffle for a moment, then digs something else out of her saddlebags: a long, flat Hearthswarming present, about two and a half feet by eight inches by three inches. She lays it gently on the ground by AB. "Reckon it's 'bout time ta give ya this, too. Happy Hearthswarmin', li'l sis."
Apple Bloom gasps and oooohs, setting her sandwich carefully aside (Very important to eat sandwiches.) and puts her hooves on the present. "Ah, Applejack, y'all didn't haive to." She tears into the wrapping with her teeth, as hooves are not great at opening presents.
The present is weirdly heavy, too, and it quickly becomes obvious why. Inside are two stout planks of lacquered applewood... each of which has been carefully, painstankingly carved into a bas-relief of the words 'The CRUSADER' and the CMC logo, the inside stained dark so the words and border stand out brightly. Each corner is pre-drilled with a hole for a mounting screw. "Ah got ta thinkin'. Mac an' me, we don't really get what yer doin' here, but... if'n somethin's gonna be important ta y'all, it should be important t'us too."
Apple Bloom's eyes go so wide when she sees the craftwork. "It's..." She gasps and hugs her sister tightly. "Ah love it! It's perfect!" By the look of it, Apple Bloom should probably mount it on the interior. She can find a nice prominant place for it. "Ah love it. Ah really do!"
Applejack tugs AB close and squeezes her hard! That knocks over the sandwich, but she catches it deftly. "Just... make sure, whenever ya take it out, ya come back to us... 'kay?"
<OOC> Applejack -> th09.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2012/082/2/5/applejack_and_apple_bloom_hug_by_blazky-d4tpwgd.png
"Ah promise, ah always will. Fer t'day ah gotta figure out what t'do with th'Crusader t'make this a great Hearthwarmin' fer Ponyville!" Apple Bloom runs a hoof along the nameplate in admiration. She is touched that her family is so supportive. She takes her sandwoch and takes a big bite out of it to think. After a moment, she swallows. "Hey... kin we make... uh... about a thousand apple fritters?"
Applejack laughs. "Ah don't think we got that kinda time. Or spare apples. Ah got an idea - why not go ask Pinkie Pie if'n she got somethin' y'all can use? She's always got them... cannon things. An' she got stuff stashed all over th' dang place!" She stands up. "Ah gotta get back ta th' house. Make sure yer back in time fer dinner, 'kay? Wouldn't wanna miss that."
"Sure. Ah'll make a break fer Sugarcube Corner." Apple Bloom hugs Applejack again and gathers her lunch and the cider. "Ah'll be back fer dinner. ... Ah hope." She runs out of the hangar, leaving the Crusader cabin and engine compartment wide open.
Applejack chuckles indulgently, and gently closes the doors AB left open. As she leaves the hangar, she gives the Crusader a long, suspicious look, then sighs and smiles. Whatever happens, this thing makes AB happy. So it's a good thing. The inside of the hangar becomes dark and quiet again as the door shuts; outside, Applejack trots back to the farmouse. Time to check on the cornmeal roast.