I woke up to feel a slight tremble, wondering what it was. After waking up fully, I grabbed a party popper and shouted "EARTHQUAKE, WHEE!"

I then dashed out of the house, thinking of seeing cracks in the land, but to my random disappointment, it wasn't. However, I looked at the fields to see and hear increasing noises of galloping.

"STAMPEDE!" Rainbow Dash shouted and then I saw the other ponies running around and looking for cover.

I spotted Pinkie who didn't seem to pay attention to the incoming herd.

"Heeeeey, thiiiis maaaakes myyyy voooice soouuunnd siiilllyyy." she spoke.

"Cool," I said, "Miiiiind iiiiiiif Iiiiii joooooiiiiinnn iiiiiiinnnn?" I asked, doing the same thing.

"Pinkie Pie, Bond Racer, are you crazy, run!" Twilight yelled.

"Everypony calm down, there is no need to panic." Mayor Mare assured.

"Oh but Mayor, whatever shall we do?" Rarity asked in her dramatic fashion.

"Look there!" Dash yelled.

The herd was getting closer, but we then saw Applejack among them, looks like we could be saved here.

"This is the best rodeo show I've ever seen." Pinkie said whilst eating a box of popcorn.

"Oooh, can I have some too?" I asked.

Twilight rolling her eyes was all she could do, seeing our randomness.

The herd was getting closer and it seemed like Ponyville would get destroyed here, until I saw Applejack lassoing a rope to the front cow and with her strength, she got the stampede to turn to the right. We were saved at the last minute, talk about cutting it close. The trembling stopped after a moment and the ponies cheered at Applejack's bravery.

I had to join in, as Applejack yelled "Yee-haw!" before galloping away.

"Yee-haw, ride 'em cowpony!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Applejack was just, just..." Mayor Mare was interrupted.

"Apple-tastic!" Pinkie added in.

"Exactly, we must do something to thank Applejack for singlehoofly saving the town."

"I know...A PARTY!" Pinkie yelled.

I'm guessing Pinkie doesn't know about more to life than parties, but trying to question her would be a waste of time, so we all went along with the idea.

A few days passed since the pony prize award trophy needed time to be made I guess and soon, the town was covered in decorations, it looked very fancy as well, just not in the Canterlot fancy way.

I was with Rarity and Twilight, setting up the main decorations around the Town Hall.

"We all ready?" Twilight asked.

"Just one last thing." Rarity said as she lifted up a big banner with her magic and had it secured on the balcony, "Now we're ready."

"Is Applejack all set?"

Dash flew in, "Actually, I haven't seen her in a few days."

"Not since the Stampede" Pinkie said.

"But she'll be here for sure, Applejack is never late."

"Hmm, maybe I can go and look for her, just in case." I suggested.

"Good idea, Bond, the rest of us will stay here with the preparations." Twilight nodded

There was no need for more words, as I flew off away from Ponyville. Sweet Apple Acres was probably where she would be as I remembered what she said some time ago about bucking apple trees cause of a season or something. When I got to the farm, I saw several trees with apples on them and some without and in completely filled baskets. I then heard a tree getting whacked, I landed down and walked closer to find Applejack taking a quick breather after bucking an appletree, she looked tired and in rough shape.

"What on earth is she doing?" I asked myself.

She then bucked a basket and several apples fell out, she was walking slowly over before she stopped and fell asleep while standing.

"Applejack?" I called to her, but she didn't reply, she seemed to be fast asleep.

I then teleported to right in front of her face and asked her again, "Applejack!"

This time Applejack heard me, she woke up and shook her head.

"Howdy, Bond." she said quietly.

"What is all this?" I asked.

"It's applebucking season." she answered, moving towards the next appletree, "It's what the apple family call harvesting time. We gather all the apples from the trees, so we can then sell them."

"So this is what you meant a few days ago." I said, "Well, I can see that, but why are you doing it on your own?"

"Cause Big Macintosh hurt himself."

"I see, but what about the other relatives you briefly told me about, when I first met you a few years ago?"

"They were only just here for the apple family reunion. They live all over Equestria and are busy harvesting their own orchards, so ah'm on my own. Which means, ah should get back to work, ya know, hint hint."

I was feeling concerned about her after hearing all that, "Whilst I can understand why you need to do your job, you shouldn't be working on your own too hard without taking a break, especially when you have a job as big as this."

"Oh don't you worry none about me, ah'm just fine and dandy." she then walked over and began to buck another tree, she missed.

"Applejack, you don't look so good, do you want me to help?" I suggested.

"Help? No way, no how." she replied.

"But this is an enormous land of appletrees, there's no way you can do it on your own."

Applejack then moved closed to me and looked at me right in the eyes, "Is that a challenge?!"  she asked with a stern look.

Here, I decided to have a bit of fun with her. "Why of course it is, I bet that I can buck that side of the orchard faster than you."

"Well, ah'm gonna prove to you that ah can do it faster than you! Now if you'll excuse me, ah've got this side of the orchard trees to buck!" she snapped.

So the challenge was on, with my wing-power and magic, I got one quarter of my side with baskets full of apples and applying the same process to the next quarter until I had my side of orchard completely full of apple baskets in record time. After I had finished, I looked over to see Applejack still struggling to do even one quarter of her side.

Without her noticing, I flew away and back to Ponyville to tell Twilight about what I've seen.

By now, there was a crowd, gathered around the Town Hall, but they seemed to be muttering about why Applejack hasn't turned up.

I decided to take the stage and explain briefly about the issue. "Attention everypony, Applejack isn't coming here to accept her trophy and your cheers. She's far too busy working on her applebucking season and she's very tired from it all. So on her behalf, I'll take the trophy so I can give it to her. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news here, but at least you now know why."

"Very well, Bond. You may take the trophy for Applejack." Mayor Mare said, smiling. "I'll take it from here."

I nodded. I lifted the trophy which was lighter than I thought, I then grabbed a small banner with my magic and had it wrapped around the trophy and me so it wouldn't fall off. I walked off stage and over to Twilight as I had another idea.

"Twilight, I think you should come with me this time, I need a second voice."

"Sure thing, Bond." she replied.

We walked from Ponyville to the farm and I could see Applejack was about to buck her last tree on her side of the challenge.

Twilight was surprised by how she looked and she walked over to her as I placed the trophy to just outside her family's home. I flew back to where she was bucking the tree and then the apples fell into the basket. She did it, she managed to do her side in the end, a lot slower, but I was quite impressed with her determination, even though she was being stubborn today.

"Hah! Look, ah did it. Ah harvested my entire side of the acres without your help. How do ya like them apples?" Applejack said in her proud way.

Soon, Big Mac turned up, "Umm, how do ya like them apples?" he asked and we then looked to find another area of trees with apples of them, I didn't even know there was another area.

Applejack's pupil's in her eyes grew smaller and began mumbling odd words until she fainted.

Twilight and I came on over to see if she was okay.

"Applejack, Applejack?" Twilight asked.

"Huh?" was all Applejack could reply with.

"Oh good you're okay." Twilight smiled before putting on her serious look, "Now Applejack, I completely respect the apple family ways, you're always there to help everypony in need. So maybe you could put a little of your stubborn pride aside and allow your friends to help you."

"Okay Twilight." Applejack replied.

"I am not taking no for an answer...what?"

"Yes Twilight, yes please, ah could really use your help...and yours too, Bond." she pleaded.

Twilight and I smiled, we finally got her to understand.

"Allow me to pick you up and take you inside your home." I said to Applejack.

"Thanks, sugarcube" she smiled

I helped her get up with my foreleg and carried her on my back, walking her home whilst Twilight went off to find the other four mares to help us out. I walked into her home and it was the first time I ever been into Applejack's family house. It spoke Country all over it a mile away, but I kept that pointless fact to myself. I helped Applejack get off my back and onto a sofa where she could finally rest and I sat beside her.

Applejack looked sad, probably thinking about how she acted, I saw a tear fall.

"Applejack, I don't blame you for how you behaved today, we all have our off days. So you don't need to be as sorry as much as you are right now." I said.

"But ah am sorry, sugarcube." she sniffed, "How can ah still have friends after the way ah acted?"

"Because we're your true friends and true friends always forgive each other in the end. No matter how small or big the problem is."

I then pointed to her the trophy I had brought from the town sitting by the fireplace.

"That was for when you prevented the stampede from stomping all over Ponyville, you were a hero that day." I said to her.

Applejack then smiled and gave me a welcoming hug, which I accepted as I was big fan of hugs.

"Thank you, Bond...don't tell Big Mac cause he's the best brother ever, but ah wish ah had another brother, like ya."

In our hug, my mood changed a little as hearing those words reminded me of my long past. "I wish I had one too." I whispered.

We pulled out of the hug.

"Ah'll go and get some sleep, you and the others can help finish off bucking them trees. Ah'll come out with drinks later."

"Alright, rest easy." I said. I then walked out of her home and as if right on queue, Twilight and the others showed up. We then got to work on the remaining appletrees and bucking every last one, filling the baskets with apples.

The time went by so quick that it was almost the beginning of the sun going down, but the work was finally done.

Applejack then came out, well rested and back to her normal self, "Hey there ya'll, ah got some fine apple juice waitin' for ya."

We then came by over to a table with bottles of apple juices and straws.

"Girls...and you Bond, ah can't thank ya enough for this help, ah was acting a bit stubborn."

"A bit" Twilight giggled

"Okay, a might stubborn and ah'm awful sorry. Now, ah know the town gave me the prize pony award, but the real award is having you six as my friends."

We then drank our apple juices...it was quite sweet but tasty all the same, just how I like my drinks...well apart from when Berry Punch likes to try and sneak a bottle into my suit and the less said about that, the better.

"Phew! That applebucking sure made me hungry!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"And I've got the perfect treat!" Spike said who I didn't realize was here, he showed us a plate of some dodgy looking food.

Pinkie Pie flinched "Eeew... Spike, that's the leftovers from the party, I threw those away, where'd you get them?"

"From the trash." Spike replied.

Everyone made disgusted faces and shouted "EW!".

"Just a little nibble? Come on." Spike encouraged.

However, every pony declined his offer with disgust.

"Ah know how to solve this, apple pies." Applejack then showed us a couple of small pies.

"You cooked those as well? You're not overworking again, are you?" I asked.

"Nope, Big Mac made these for us while was he was recovering from his injury."

I then smiled again, after enjoying our apple pies, we all began to take the walk back home, but not before saying our goodbyes to Applejack.

"Just remember, next time your applebuck season comes around, just ask for us and we'll be here." I said to Applejack.

"Thanks again, ah sure will, ya take care now."

"Same to you, ta-ra!"

We were walking on our way back to Ponyville when Twilight looked over at Spike.

"Spike, take a note, please." Twilight asked.

Spike brought out his writing utensils.

"Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight began. "My friend Applejack is the best friend a pony could ever have, and she's always there to help any pony. The only trouble is, when she needs help, she finds it hard to accept it, so while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it's also about accepting what our friends have to offer. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

That sounds like a good lesson to me, we all then exchanged our farewells, before I trotted off back home just in time to see the moon rise. I got myself into bed, I then noticed that I didn't put on my suit and shoes today. That didn't matter though as I was doing a lot of zooming around today and the clothes would've got me too hot and sweaty a bit.

I got into bed and waiting until my sleep got the better of me and my eyes and I thought about the lesson learnt today, or as I'd like to put it in a shorter sentence...let your friends or other people/pony/whatever help you. Next Chapter: Griffon The Brush Off Estimated time remaining: 28 Hours, 59 Minutes