Meanwhile, Applejack was looking up helplessly at the dilapitated barn. The painted boards of wood had fallen away in places, and each and every one was chipped in some fashion. The roof had a gaping hole in its middle. And as for the doors and windows? Yeah. Don't even get me started on the doors and windows.

The cowpony sighed. The Apple family couldn't afford enough money to fix the barn, and nopony at Sweet Apple Acres had a renovation Cutie Mark.

While Applejack pondered away at the barn dilemma, Applebloom slunk up to her. Her ears were drooping and even her bow sagged. The little filly nudged her older sister, who looked down in surprise.

"Uh, hiya Applebloom," greeted Applejack dully. Applebloom simply sighed dejectedly in reply and promptly fell down onto her flank.

"Bad mornin'?" asked Applejack kindly.

"Horrible!" exclaimed Applebloom, waving her hooves around all of a sudden. "Scootaloo crashed her scooter last evenin' an' she's gone tah get it fixed! So ah had tah walk ALL dah way tah Carousel Boutique, and THEN Sweetie Belle was practicin' singin' cuz she thinks she's figured out how tah get 'er Cutie Mark 'n Rarity said that none of 'em c'n be disturbed 'n Scootaloo's too busy wif' her scooter 'n I'M BOOOOORED!"

Applejack couldn't help but laugh at her younger sister's cute whine. "Dun' worry, sis. If anypony needs ya more'n ah do, ah'll be banished to dah moon."

"Whyyyy d'ya need meeeee?" whined Applebloom, despite the slight perking-up of her head.

Applejack gestured up at the broken-down barn. "The barn's seen better days 'n this, an' ah need somepony tah lend a hoof. Ah'm pretty sure ya'll were the pony who fixed up mah old clubhouse, now, aren'tcha?"

Applebloom nodded.

"Well, then," said Applejack in a mock-serious tone, "ah need ya tah help me fix up dah barn. Ya think ya c'n do 'at?"

Applebloom looked at the barn, then back at her older sister. "Well, 'course ah can, AJ! That there barn jes' needs a bit of sprucin' up!"

And before Applejack could do more than blink, Applebloom had zipped off. A second later, she returned, hefting along a large toolbox. Big Macintosh was with her.

"Hey ya, Big Mac!" called Applejack. "Whatcha got there?"

"'Parrently, Applebloom needs me tah see this," replied Big Mac.

Granny Smith suddenly appeared as well, a lively spark in her eyes. "Well, ah'll be! Looks like ol' Applebloom's got a show tah put on fer us all! Yee-HAW!"

Applebloom grinned broadly from behind a mouthful of nails. Big Mac chuckled slowly and picked up the heavy toolbox with ease.

"Eeyup," he smiled.

"Applebloom's gonna show us how she's gonna 'spruce up' dah ol' barn," explained Applejack, as Granny Smith and Big Mac settled down to watch the show. The orange mare sat between her brother and grandma and watched as Applebloom - eager showing clearly in her eyes - set down the nails and hammer. Big Mac threw the toolbox to her and it landed expertly in front of the filly.

"Fillies an' gentlecolts!" called Applebloom, in a passable imitation of Mayor Mare. "Today ah'm here tah show ya'll what a lil' filly like me c'n do to a big barn like 'at!"

At this, she gestured grandly at the barn in all its sorry state, which was obviously a cue for the other ponies to start clapping and hooting.

"You show 'em, Appy!" whooped Granny.

"Eeyup!" shouted Big Mac.

"Show us whatcha got, Applebloom!" called Applejack.

Applebloom blushed, pleased at the attention, as the applause and yelling died down.

"Prepare tah be amazed!" the filly yelled, and suddenly she had picked up the hammer and nails and was zipping around the barn.

She painted, hammered, nailed in, repaired, shone up, and all-round renovated the barn in a matter of a few seconds. She stopped briefly to replenish her nails and pick out a few more tools, then she was off again, a pink-yellow-orange blur. The rest of the Apple family watched on, amazed and flabbergasted.

Finally, the little filly stopped, slightly out of breath, on her hind hooves, two nails held by her teeth and a hammer in her right hoof. Applejack, Granny Smith and Big Macintosh gaped, astonished, at the barn.

If before it had been dilapitated, now it practically glowed. The doors, windows, walls and roof had been expertly repaired and painted over with a glistening coat of red and yellow paint that clashed perfectly together. There were glass panes held in place by the window frames, and there were already a few interested birds perching on the roof. A giant apple-shaped weather-vane stood proudly atop the roof.

Finally, Applebloom broke the stunned silence. "Well? D'ya like it?"

Granny Smith turned to face the excited little filly, then hung her head dejectedly. "Naw, Appy, ah can't say ah can."

Applebloom's face suddenly fell. The filly dropped the tools she was holding and let herself fall into a depressed sitting pose.

Then, Applejack relenquished, and corrected Granny. "We LOVE it!"

With cries of "Eeyup!", "Yee-haw!" and "You go, Appy!", the Apples launched themselves at Applebloom, tousling her mane up and catching her around the waist. Big Mac threw Applebloom into the air excitedly, and as she flew, laughing, her flank glowed a white shade, and her Cutie Mark appeared.

Giggling, Applebloom landed on her hooves and beamed. Applejack beamed too, and motioned for Applebloom to come closer. When she was within whispering distance, Applejack said quietly to the filly, "Ah think ya've gotten yer Cutie Mark."

Applebloom then sucked in air at a rate so fast it sounded like Pinkie Pie's trademark gasp. She whipped around and struggled to get her flank into view in her excitement. "WHATISITWHATISITWHATISIT?!"

It was an apple. A red, shining apple with two perfect green leaves. However, there was a catch: two nails were embedded into the apple's right side. The Apple family cheered as one and reunited once more in a family hug.

"It's beautiful, Appy," whispered Applejack into her sister's ear while they all laughed and smiled and cheered.

And that was all Applebloom needed to know for now.