"Extra, extra! Read all about it!"

It was to this chorus that the ponies of Equestria danced every morning. Newspapers traded hooves on the street, at coffee shops, train stations, and at work. In households, the paper would be divvied up and scattered among the members of the family. But the news, ah, the news was discussed around breakfast tables, in living rooms, and at work.

One word was on everypony's lips: Wheatland.

Wheatland. A name few ponies knew, but everypony had dealt with in some tiny, insignificant way at some point. Wheatland. The family-run farm near Fillydelphia. The largest producer of flour in the entire nation. Wheatland. The producer of no less than seventy percent of Fillydelphia's wheat.

What was Wheatland? It was security. It was being able to go to a bakery every day and never worry about them having run out of bread. It was knowing that come what may, there'd always be a bag of flour on the shelf with a big, bold W printed across it, burned into the very fabric of the sack.

There were other names that meant the same thing, of course. There was Orange Farms, from nearby Manehattan. No company exported as much to Griffonstone, and few companies rivalled its international standing. There was Sweet Apple Acres, the most productive string of apple farms there was, owned across dozens of families. There was Pear Productions, too. Although they never could overtake the Apple Acres in popularity, they still had quality standards above and beyond the norm.

These were the farming companies that had earned their stripes, delivering the best produce in titanic quantities. They were the gold standard of farms. And Wheatland, well, Wheatland was the best of them all.

And never, ever, did anypony expect it to burn to the ground.

Rainbow flicked through the pages of useless trivia. She skipped past the news, the advertisements and the obituaries. A couple dozen pages outright slid out of her hooves and she didn't make a move to stop them. Instead, she brushed them aside, where they fell in a disorganized pile on her desk.

After a brief moment of searching, she got to the section she wanted to read. Sports.

She checked her clock. It displayed eight-fifteen AM. She'd have a good half-hour at least before she'd start having to give out her assignments to the weatherponies. That left her plenty of time to see who won yesterday's Skyball match.

Her rickety office chair leaned and bent under her weight as she kicked her hind hooves up onto her desk. She knocked over a few piles of paper stacked across a series of in-trays. All rubbish. Requests for a cloud here and there. Sometimes a spot of rain for somepony's flower patch. All of them would be done and dusted within five minutes. Easy. Pointless. Weather was a predictable job when you could control it, make it bend over backwards to accommodate your every wish.

She groaned. Work was dull as ditchwater. But at least winter was on its way. Winter was always fun. Snowclouds were way more awesome than rainclouds, and snowball fights were always great!

Too bad Tank would have to head underground again. That'd be uncool.

A knock came from her door. Rainbow's ears flicked to face the noise: she had learned to recognize her co-worker's knocks. Thunderlane's was heavy, and he put far too much effort into each movement. Cloudchaser only knocked twice, but made sure you heard them.

This knock... Well, it was familiar, but it didn't belong to anypony she worked with. Not unless she was greatly mistaken, of course.

"I'm busy. Work starts at nine!" she grunted as loud as she could. "Come back then!"

With that, she dived back into the sports section. Her face fell. "Aw, Las Pegasus lost?"

The door rattled again, louder this time. Rainbow raised her eyebrow. From beyond the door came a loud, irritated voice.

"Rainbow, it's me. Quit bein' lazy! I need to talk to ya!" came the unmistakable, inimitable voice of Rainbow's more direct friend.

All of a sudden, Rainbow was on her hooves.

"Well, why didn't you say it was you?" she shouted, opening the door with a flick of her hoof. She brushed her mane back as Applejack strode into the room, her coat untidy and unbrushed. "What brings you to the weather office? Forget to order a raincloud or something?"

Applejack spun around to face her friend. Every muscle was tense. Her eyes, while ringed with dark, grey shadows, were alive with energy. "Worse. Did ya read this mornin's news?"

Rainbow looked over at her desk, glancing at the mess that used to be a brand new newspaper. "Yeah. Las Pegasus lost three-nil."

Applejack tapped her hoof on the ground. "I mean 'bout Wheatland!"

"Wheatland?" Rainbow asked, narrowing her eyes. "Doesn't ring a bell. Does he play for Manehattan?"

Applejack huffed. "Seriously? They're one of the biggest farmin' corporations in Equestria," Applejack said. "The biggest, in fact."

Rainbow defended herself from Applejack's aggressive voice by holding up her hooves. "'Kay, right. Big farming company. What's got you so worked up about them?" she asked, backing away from her friend to give her a little space. "You're all over the place. And it's morning. It's way too early for loud talk. Just... Don't talk too quick, 'kay?"

"Wheatland burned," Applejack declared. "Some wildfire got out of control, and their crops, all of it, it's gone."

Rainbow scratched her head. "That sucks. I guess they lost a lot of money then?"

Applejack shook her head. "Wheatland has enough cash to fix themselves up three times over. That ain't the problem." She eyed Rainbow. "Did you seriously not read the paper?"

"I did! I read the sports section," Rainbow retorted, tapping the disfigured remains of her morning paper. "I'm a busy pony, AJ. I don't want to waste time reading stuff that'll get me depressed anyway. There's never any good news in the news."

Applejack nodded. "Darn right. Rainbow, Wheatland provides over two thirds of Fillydelphia's food. Other cities have got a bunch of li'l farms to keep 'em going. Fillydelphia just has Wheatland." She leaned in for emphasis. "Now they don't."

Rainbow frowned. "So, what? They don't have any food left?"

Applejack shook her head. "Nope. Stores'll have to outsource. That costs money." She sighed. "Money some ponies don't have."

"So, it's a disaster all around?" Rainbow leaned against her desk. "M'kay, that sucks. I don't see why you're here, though. You could have just waited to tell me the news."

"Because," Applejack began, leaning in as her voice dropped to a whisper, "I might have an idea. And believe it or not... I need your help."

"Rares!" Applejack shouted as she stormed into the Carousel Boutique, the floorboards shaking with every step. "I need stallions! As many as you can get me!" The door rattled as it slammed behind her.

"You're used to bein' in control of the weather. That's what you fellas do, right?"

"Yeah. Sure. What are you getting at?"

Rarity looked up from her sewing, startled by the noise and Applejack's sudden demands. "Stallions? What makes you think I can give you stallions?"

Applejack stopped a few feet away from Rarity. What little signs of fatigue she had moments ago had faded away. Now, there was only her mission. There was only determination. Resolution. And no small amount of excitement.

"How easy is it to change a whole season? Like, turn Winter into Spring in one day?"

"Hard. But doable. If you're really, really good."

"'Cause every time you need some heavy liftin' done, stallions turn up," Applejack replied with a satisfied smirk. "As far as the eye can see. And believe it or not, I need me some stallions right about now," she said. Rarity raised her eyebrow. "Mares too, if they're tough. And I'm happy to compensate 'em for their trouble."

Rarity put down her spectacles. "I confess, my methods have somewhat less success on mares, compensation or otherwise notwithstanding. But what could you possibly need them for?"

"Are you really, really good?"

"I'm the best, AJ."

"Then, what if you were to go through all four seasons? All in a row. How long would that take?"

Applejack smirked. Rarity gave her a look. It was a look that indicated she knew trouble was coming, and whatever it was, Applejack was going to be splat bang in the middle of it.

"One month. That's the best time anypony set, and it was practically with an army of weatherponies. They called it the 'One-Month Year'."

"What about a week?"

"I'm gonna' save Fillydelphia, Rares," Applejack said. "All of it. I'm gonna make 'em a whole harvest and deliver it before their food runs out."

"...A week. For real?"

"For real, Rainbow."

Rarity widened her eyes. "But... Didn't you just finish your harvest? You've already sent your apples out to market! You're done! It'll take you months before another harvest is scheduled by the Ponyville Weather Board!"

"I'm not waitin' for Ponyville's weather. I'm makin' my own," Applejack replied. Rarity held her head in her hooves.

"...I'll need more ponies."

"I'll get more ponies."

"Let me guess... You went to Rainbow Dash?" Rarity shook her head. "You know the mare has no restraint. She'd agree to anything!"

"She did agree. And now I'm comin' to you." Applejack leaned in, her expression softening. "Listen, Rares. Ponies are in trouble. I can do this. I can do it, if only you help me."

"You're crazy, y'know that?"

"Which is crazier? The fool, or the pegasus that knows it's crazy and is still goin' along with it anyhow?"

Rarity swallowed. "I'll... I'll make some calls."

Applejack beamed.

"Rarity... You're a guldarn' hero."

Rainbow scratched her chin. Applejack held her breath for a moment.

"Well, you know I never let my best friend down," Rainbow told her as plans and schemes danced around like lights inside her eyes. "But more than that... I reckon this'll be pretty fun."

Applejack grimaced. Every five minutes of thinking on her part led to conjuring up some new problem for her to face. Winter Wrap up in a day with only a fraction of the horsepower, for example. Getting Fillydelphia to lend her enough storage for a whole harvest's worth of crops. Getting enough feed for the trees. Oh, that was a big one. Sweet Apple Acre trees were some of the best around, but even they had their limits. Growing a whole new harvest so soon after the last one would mean they had to draw twice as much nutrients from the ground... Nutrients Applejack had to somehow provide.

Applejack darted into the post office, snatching paper and pen straight off the shelves. Under the post office clerk's watchful eye, she wrote two letters, both in clear, concise writing. Both found their way into envelopes, and stamped within the minute.

"Special delivery. How fast can y'all get these to Fillydelphia and Appleoosa?" she asked.

The clerk didn't bat an eye. "Special delivery? The one to Fillydelphia will get there come lunchtime. The one to Appleoosa will only arrive in the evening."

Applejack swallowed. "What'll I have to pay to get the letter to Appleoosa there by lunch?" she asked.

The clerk's eyebrow raised. "Ten bits for an extra-special delivery. That'll get you what you want."

"Then I want that."

Three more stamps were slammed onto the envelope. Applejack let herself indulge in a self-satisfied smile. The clerk gave her a look.

"There. All done. They'll both be at their destinations come one o'clock."

Applejack nodded, and was out the door without even saying goodbye. She had no time. There was a very specific deadline she had to meet, and this time, she needed Fluttershy.

Big Macintosh scanned the scene before him with a look of concerned surprise. It was rare indeed for ponies to gather in similar numbers at the farm outside of the reunion and cider season. He couldn't help but be both impressed and worried.

Applejack pushed through the small crowd of stallions (and the odd mare), adjusting her hat in a businesslike manner. Fluttershy was there too, accompanying Applejack. Chatter surrounded Applejack, washing over her. Questions about why they were there went unanswered until halfway through the crowd, she grunted "I'll tell ya. Give me a second."

Rarity gave the crowd an anxious look. Some weren't the most patient of ponies. Fluttershy managed to creep through the mob and reach Rarity, giving her a confused look.

Applejack clambered onto a crate, elevating herself above the crowd. All eyes turned towards her. She cupped her mouth with one hoof, and bellowed.

"All right! You're all here!"

Silence spread through the ranks. Applejack didn't smile. This was where the work began.

"As y'all might have heard, Fillydelphia is in a heck of a lot of trouble. They ain't got enough food to survive without buyin' it in bits an' pieces, and that'll just plain bankrupt 'em."

The crowd nodded, their body language indicating appreciation. Fluttershy tilted her head.

Applejack nodded to herself: the stakes were clear to everypony present. "That's where we come in. We're gonna' accelerate the weather. Not in Ponyville: just here. Just on my farm. We're gonna' run through the seasons and squeeze out one more harvest. One harvest, that I'll be sendin' to Fillydelphia. We sell 'em our apples normal price. They won't get poor buyin' Sweet Apple apples." She gave them a look. "Thing is... We've only got one week before their food runs out. Longer, and they'll buy. They'll buy as much as they can, or start goin' hungry."

A murmur spread through the crowd.

"...One week?"

Applejack nodded. "One week. That's why we ain't wastin' time, and why we're in such a hurry. Now, I've got it on reputable information that the weather can go through all those cycles in time. And I know my trees can handle it, with the proper care and horsepower. That's where y'all come in."

"Wait a minute..." one of the stallions shouted, "How is this possible? On who's authority can this be done?"

Applejack squared her jaw. A cool, brisk breeze brushed through her mane, eliciting a shiver from everypony present.

"My family has been growin' apples for decades. And my weather expert is in the Wonderbolts," she replied, omitting to mention Rainbow was only a reserve. Despite this omission, it seemed to satisfy the crowd. "I'll answer any other questions you have in due time, but first, we've got a mighty important task to do." She paused, capturing their attention once again. "There are a bunch of animals that make Sweet Apple Acres their home, and they're about to get real cold, real quick."

At that, Fluttershy became far more agitated, her eyes widening as realization began to dawn. "Oh, dear..." she muttered.

Applejack nodded. "Yup. We need to get all these animals out of the orchard. You might have noticed a bit of a chill in the air right 'bout now?" The crowd looked among each other, and began nodding. "That's Ponyville's worth in weatherponies drainin' the place of heat. We ain't got much time."

Fluttershy swallowed.

"How long do we have?" she asked. "How long until Winter comes?"

Applejack almost felt sorry for having to say what came next. "I put Rainbow in charge of bringin' the snow," she said in a sombre tone of voice. Fluttershy blanched. "I told her we needed it by nightfall so the trees have plenty of time to go cold." She took a deep breath. "I'd expect her by late evening."

Silence washed over the crowd. Fluttershy stood, her wings drooping by her sides. A few of the stallions more sensitive to nature also began shaking their heads in disbelief. Squaring her jaw, Fluttershy span towards the crowd, fire in her eyes.

"Everypony! Split into groups of three and line up! We need to get any amphibians near Ponyville lake and move the mammals to the Everfree!" she shouted as loudly as her little voice could manage. "We can do this if we organize!"

Applejack watched as the mob of stallions scurried around in circles, pairing up and forming groups. They were quickly whipped into action by Fluttershy's stern instructions. She looked over towards Rarity.

"Rares? Can you fetch Twilight for me? I have a feelin' we'll need her for Wrap Up tomorrow."

Thunderlane and his crew flashed across the sky, leaving only a blur and broken clouds in his wake. The wind that followed him and his weatherponies brushed against the outskirts of the orchard, rustling what little leaves were left behind from autumn.

Usually, whenever the temperature had to be decreased, this was done over a longer, extended period of time. The winds created by hundreds of pegasi lazily flying in pre-determined patterns sucked the heat from the countryside and dumped it elsewhere. Clouds would then keep the landscape insulated, turning an entire region into a massive refrigerator.

Thunderlane only had a few hours before Rainbow brought the clouds with the handful of pegasi she had taken with her. Thankfully, the area he was tasked with cooling down was a fraction of the size of Ponyville, but the speed... His wings were already beginning to ache.

A few colourful blurs flashed across his vision. Thunderlane grit his teeth. So, the ponies inside the gigantic micro-climate were already beginning to evacuate the birds. It was a start, he thought.

"Faster, guys! We need to get the orchard down to near-freezing temperatures before the boss-pony gets here!" he shouted, adjusting his goggles as he did so.

Fluttershy was scurrying left and right, ushering startled badgers, squirrels, and marsupials of all sorts West. All around her, dozens of stallions did their best to keep up, scooping up as many of the critters as they could in baskets. A lot of the animals required constant attention to keep them calm.

"It's all right! You'll be back home in a few days, I promise," Fluttershy assured them.

A particularly grumpy pair of rats folded their paws at her.

"It's either that, or you'll have to grow your Winter coats faster than usual."

That, at least, got them moving. Even the furriest of animals could feel the sudden chill, the unmistakable cold that heralded Winter. Many of the forward thinking workponies were already wearing scarves. Fluttershy watched the army of animals form orderly lines, packing up nuts and other foodstuffs for their quick and unscheduled hibernation.

"I hope this is worth it," she muttered. It didn't take long for her to remember the stakes at hand. Her brow lowered. "It is."

Ponyville throbbed with agitation. They could feel the sudden shift in wind, and noticed the distinct lack of some of their populace. Then word spread of Applejack's crazy plan.

Featherweight pounced on the opportunity like a panther. His juvenile mind wrapped around the concept of the local farm attempting the impossible for Fillydelphia. He smiled in the depths of his printing room. Dozens of other fillies and colts surrounded him.

"My brother's out there! He's not said hello once today!" Rumble grumbled.

"I thought you couldn't change seasons that quickly. I thought it took weeks of preparation," said another.

"Yeah, well, they won't succeed. Mom says it just isn't possible."

"They've got to!" Dinky exclaimed. "Otherwise, Fillydelphia's in trouble!"

Featherweight simply sat at his chair, tapping his hoof. Oh, the possibilities. Where the other ponies argued, the editor of the school newspaper pondered.

"Well, I know what I'm doing," he declared, demanding everypony's attention at once. "I'm going to make headlines."

Thunderlane wiped cold sweat off his brow. Two of his fliers had landed for a rest. He hadn't. He was the one who'd get shouted at by the boss-pony if he did.

He looked down at the column of animals leaving the orchard. Almost there, he thought.

A shadow passed over him. Surprised by the change in light, he stopped, hovering in place, and looked straight up.

"Out of time," he muttered.

"How many are left?" Fluttershy asked over the din.

"I finished my batch!"

"Family of foxes coming through!"

Fluttershy stepped aside, letting the yawning mammals past her. The mother gave her a wicked glare. Fluttershy returned with her most apologetic smile.

"Is that all of them?"

Fluttershy's attention was drawn by Applejack storming towards her. "Flutters!" she bellowed. "We're out of time! Thunderlane says Rainbow's almost here!"

Fluttershy's eyes darted around wildly. "Everypony? Are there any animals left here?"

"Just a bear who growls at anypony who comes too close," Caramel said. "But I don't think he'll care much about the cold anyways."

Fluttershy turned towards Applejack. "You have a bear?" The farmpony shrugged.

"I don't tend to mind animals who don't eat apples livin' in my orchard," she explained, then turned to face her workers. "In that case... take cover, everypony! This is Rainbow Dash we're dealin' with! She will not go easy on us."

As stallions and mares alike tightened their scarves and flattened themselves against tree trunks. Applejack gave Fluttershy an appreciative pat on the back. "Good job," she said. "I knew the animals would listen to you."

"Oh, thank you. But it was a team effort," she said, the compliment erasing the oncoming danger from her mind.

"Incoming!"

Applejack looked up.

The dark grey clouds rumbling towards here looked more like a tidal wave to her. An army. Legions of cumuli flanked cumulonimbus tall as siege towers. Weatherponies flew ahead the main force, officers organizing the clouds into formation.

And the general, the admiral, commander of all she surveyed, rode the tallest cloud, wings spread wide as she observed the orchard.

Applejack blanched. She felt like she was about to be swallowed whole by the incoming onslaught. "That's a lot of snow," she said.

Ponies everywhere tensed, bracing themselves for the cold.

Rainbow held her hoof up. "Steady!" she ordered, screaming above the rumbling clouds, the deafening wind. "Wait until we're in position!"

Applejack closed her eyes.

"Hit 'em!"

Dozens of weatherponies at once slammed their weight into the snowclouds, letting loose their payload like an cloud of arrows. Snowflakes like ninja stars hit the leafless trees, caking them in white within seconds. Wind blasted the ponies below, stealing their breath and leaving them choking on the cold. Rainbow had brought winter many times before. She had done it in an orderly fashion. She had accidentally dumped a whole cumulonimbus on top of Ponyville whilst trying to prevent it. But this was the first time in her life she was attempting to hit them as fast as physically possible.

Nopony could ever fault her enthusiasm.

Applejack dove behind a sturdy-looking tree, already caked in snow. Her hat was threatening to depart from her head due to the strong winds, and frost had already started crawling up the tree trunks. Her eyes couldn't even see they were watering so much from the cold. She gasped. "Eesh! That's brisk!"

From above, the clouds Rainbow had brought settled over the Acres like a dome. Rainbow blanketed the farmland with a quilt of grey clouds, sealing its climate off from the rest of the world. The cold was trapped inside, unable to get out.

Sweet Apple Acres was now its own micro-climate. Winter had arrived.

The setting sun was invisible behind the clouds. Applejack waded through the knee-high snow towards Rainbow, landing daintily in the midst of the white landscape. Her feathers bristled in the cold, and she admired her handiwork. "Y'know, there are only maybe three pegasus ponies in Equestria who can whip up a snowstorm like this in a single day," she said. "Good thing you're best buddies with one of them, right?"

Applejack swallowed. "It'll be tough clearin' this tomorrow."

Rainbow frowned. "Maybe. I'm hoping that the warmth from outside will melt a bit of it before too long. Even a cloud blanket like this can only do so much to insulate it, y'know?" She kicked the snow. "Still, it won't be a cakewalk." She looked at the band of stallions Rarity had managed to muster. "This all you could get?"

Applejack bit her lip. "I asked Rarity for stallions. I'm amazed they were even willin' to come."

"Oh, you asked Rarity?" Rainbow asked, understanding dawning. "Heck, I'm surprised there aren't more, then."

"Applejack!" came a shout from the distance. Applejack gave Rainbow a knowing smile.

"Anyways... I think my solution has just arrived," she said, turning to face the source of the voice.

Rainbow followed suit.

At least a dozen Earth ponies trudged through the snow, brushing wayward flakes off their coats with their Stetson hats. Rainbow widened her eyes.

"Well," she said, but couldn't think of anything to say.

"I have to tell ya, cuz, you weren't kiddin' when you said you were serious 'bout makin' winter in a day," said the pony in front. He pulled his jacket tighter around him, and blew some snow out of his mane. "I'm guessin' you ain't playin' around."

Applejack grinned. "Nice t'see y'all could make it, Braeburn. How're the Appleoosa Apples doin'?"

Braeburn gestured at the ponies behind him. "Rounded up what Apples would come, and a few of our farmhooves. What'd ya say to twenty-eight more workers?"

Applejack patted her cousin on the back, knocking even more snow off his mane. "I'd say that's half what we need," she said. "But we'll make it work."

Braeburn kicked his forehooves into the air. "You betcha!" To the Appleoosa ponies, he gave a loud whoop of excitement. "Y'hear that? We're makin' food for Filly!"

Applejack put her hoof on Rainbow's side, breathing in. "Well, RD, do ya think we can do it?"

Rainbow glanced at her friend's hoof, and flashed her most cocksure grin. "What? Break all the records for weather manipulation and make enough food for an entire city all in the same week?" She nudged Applejack in the side. "Easy. I could do this in my sleep."

Applejack leaned into Rainbow's side, an amused smile playing her lips. "I thought you'd say that." She sighed. "Today was the easy part. Tomorrow we'll have to clear all this up." Her expression darkened. "And then... We harvest."

Applejack collapsed onto her couch, kicking her hooves into the air. A brisk breeze followed her into the house, and she angled herself closer to the fire. Night poured in through the windows.

"Ya really put yer hoof in it this time," came Granny's strained voice.

Applejack rubbed her eyes. All her hard work that day had caught up with her all in one go. "It's for a good cause, granny," she replied. "'Sides, I took my precautions this time. I ain't doin' this harvest all by my lonesome."

Granny harrumphed, and rustled the fire up with a poker. "It's a start. The weather weren't meant to be messed with like that." Granny jabbed the poker in Applejack's direction. "It'll blow up in yer face, mark m'words!"

Applejack smiled to herself. "That's why I went to Rainbow first," she said. "She hates it when things blow up in her face." Applejack sat up. "Y'know I heard some fancy scientist say that Rainboom of hers ain't physically possible? I reckon Rainbow simply don't care. She either gets what she wants, or she spins out of control completely. That's what makes her kinda special." Applejack removed her hat and scarf, then shrugged. "So laws o' nature or no, I'd set my chances at around fifty-fifty."

Author's Notes:

Chapter one, everybody! What challenges will the team face?

This idea actually stemmed from a writers group thread where I was countering people trying to claim the timeline was off because of the placement of certain seasons. I replied that they could control the weather, so seasons weren't really as accurate as they should be. Then one of 'em retorted that if they did a few days summer, autumn, and winter, the plants would all die.

Somewhere from that idea, I came up with this.

Next chapter will be out tomorrow. In fact, all the chapters are in their final editing phase and will be released every day until the full story is published, so be sure to check in soon if you enjoyed this first chapter! If you liked the story, don't forget to upvote! Feel free to comment (I always read all comments, even if I don't always reply), and have a good one.