For the first time in weeks, Applejack was finally back to work on the farm. While she still hadn’t endorsed the Mayor or Filthy Rich, this was one of those days where she especially couldn’t deal with the political process, considering all that had went on last night at Fluttershy’s. Today, the cowpony needed to vent her frustrations with some good old fashioned applebucking. She cancelled her lunch meeting with Rich with the excuse that it was a family crisis.

Of course, she wasn’t using a bogus excuse.

Applejack managed to buck the entire southwest field by the middle of the morning. Celestia’s sun was now shining down in full over Equestria, and the earth pony was sweating and parched. Feeling deserving of a little break, Applejack cozied herself under Bloomberg 2, her new favorite tree, and cracked open a bottle of her own brand of cider. Ever since the meeting the other day outside the Golden Horseshoe, the earth pony found herself in the cider making mood. Usually, she would only make some with her whole family for the occasion of Cider Season, or whenever her friends wanted to get their drink on to start the weekend (and to party through it….and to cap it off), but for the past two days, Applejack was using all of her free time to brew her “famous” cider.

“Ya know you can never match’m…” the orange cowpony thought to herself as she took a swig of her fermented juice. The sentiment was shared by Granny Smith: who although never criticized Applejack for her own concoction, did lament during every cider season that the ponies who lined up across town to drink it “didn’t know what they was missin’.”

This was true. There were few ponies left in Ponyville old enough to remember the brisk taste of Crispin’s original recipe. Cider making was the stallion’s special talent, and nopony in the Apple family was able to match his skill.

“If only Ah could just figure out that dang recipe!” Applejack thought to herself time and time again. As beloved as Crispin was by everypony, he did have his flaws as a ponies. Although kind and generous, the late brew-master was closed-off and rather secretive, particularly about his secrets of cider. For the purposes of intellectual property, he couldn’t just tell anypony his recipe, but he also refused to share it with anypony in his family. His wife, his mother, and his children were all left in the dark about the method of making a good chunk of the Apple family’s income. His untimely death only complicated matters, and the first family of Ponyville suffered financially with nopony to carry on the recipe for the best cider in Equestria.

That is…except for Ferrier….and Saltlick.

Applejack lied flat on the ground and stared at the blue sky that was protruding through the gaps between the branches on Bloomberg 2. Her thoughts concerning everything that had been happening in the last two days were locked in a race. Her nostalgia for the days when her father was alive; her recent surge of cider production; and the stunning new revelations concerning the passing on of the recipe from Crispin to Ferrier were all piling together in a giant mess of contemplation inside the cowpony’s head. Applejack shut her eyes and rubbed her forehead with her hooves trying to ward off a migraine.

All of this made her oblivious to the fact that somepony was standing over her.

“What’re you doing?” the voice of a young colt resonated into the ears of Applejack, who immediately jumped out of her position in a state of pure shock.

Before Applejack could gather her thoughts, the sound of colts’ laughter filled the surrounding area. The orange earth pony looked forward; below her stood a yellow earth colt with a messy brunette mane, and in front of her hovered a little white pegasus. Walking behind the duo was none other than Fluttershy’s father himself, Saltlick. It occurred to Applejack that the two colts were Fluttershy’s nephews, Free-fall and Dragon-kick, who she and everypony else met the night before. What the hay were they doing here?

The two colts continued laughing until Dragon-kick interjected, “I totally scared you!”

Applejack took offense as she replied, “Did not!” in a tone common to that of a school-filly on the playground.

“He did so!” Free-fall retorted coming to the defense of his brother

“Boys, don’t be arguing with her!” the aged stallion called out to his grandsons. “Come on back here.”

The colts complied a gathered to the side of their grandfather, who made a slight chuckle. He looked toward the still stunned cowpony.

“Sorry about that. These two are looking to pick a fight with anypony, but they never wanna get their hands dirty? Colts, huh?”

Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, Ah suppose. So what brings y’all here to Sweet Apple Acres?”

“Grandpa wants to give you his cider recipe!” Free-fall piped up. The burnt-orange gave the young pegasus a stern glare. Saltlick looked back at Applejack. He proceeded to rub the back of his neck with his hoof.

“I um…just wanted to uhh….you know…only if you wanted….”

Applejack’s mouth was simply agape. She was finally able to silence Saltlick’s stammering with, “Ya wanna give me mah daddy’s recipe?”

The aged stallion was able to give a smile. “Absolutely, miss.”

_____________________________________________________

Applejack decided to treat her guests to some lunch. Always being the hospitable type: Granny Smith whipped out plenty of food for Fluttershy’s dad and nephews. Being a nice day outside, the party decided to dine at the picnic table by the orchards. Saltlick decided to make a contribution by brewing some of Crispin’s recipe. Granny Smith and Big Macintosh were initially skeptical of the revival of this once thought to be dead formula, but the instant the old mare’s lips touched the concoction, she knew it had to be true.

“Well ah’ll be a monkey’s oncle!” the senile coot exclaimed as she danced with pure joy. “Mah son’s legacy still lives on.”

“E-yup.” Big Mac concurred in a satisfied tone.

Everypony eventually gathered at the table and like the night before, the mood was jovial and the conversation lively. Applebloom was enamored in conversation with Dragon-kick free Free-fall about how they earned their cutie marks. Meanwhile, Applejack, Big Mac and Granny Smith were gassing on with Saltlick about the cider. All were showering the barkeep with praise about returning Crispin’s famous recipe. The orange stallion blushed a deep shade of red.

“Oh come on guys, really, it was nothing. Ferrier talked about Crispin all the time. To this day, I’m amazed that anypony could come up with a recipe so universally beloved. Back in Foalando, everypony wants a tall, salt-rimmed glass of Crispin’s Original. It was because of him that Ferrier and I made our dreams come true. I had my own business, and Ferrier got to carry on his best friend’s legacy. Before Ferrier died, he made me promise that I would come to Ponyville to meet you all, which worked, because I also hadn’t seen Flutters in a long time. I tell you what, when she told me about all the crazy adventures she had with you and all your friends, it made me giddy as all be. Our families were closer than I thought. The only way I could possibly thank you guys was to give you back the recipe. You are the rightful owners after all.”

Big Mac’s smile faded as he had an epiphany. “If that’s the case, why did Ferrier skip town all those years ago without giving us Dad’s recipe?”

Granny Smith and Applejack glanced with suspicion at their new acquaintance.

“Well, I mean. Ferrier told me about how everything was falling to pieces around here after Crispin died. Before he died, he made it clear to Ferrier that he wanted to wait until you kids were older until he taught you the recipe. Ferrier didn’t have time to wait around for you two to grow up. His business was going under since his cider connection was cut off, and he had to get out of Ponyville to start someplace fresh. He had always meant to come back and give you guys what belongs to you, but he and I were wrapped up in starting a place of our own. Once he died, I made the resolve to come here and do the job for him.”

Applejack sat silently as she thought about what had happened after her father died. Ferrier was correct, everything was going to pieces. Crispin left behind many things: a pregnant widow, two (soon to be three) children without a father, a mother who was forced to bury her only son, and a now-failed bar. Applejack’s mother eventually became so compounded by the stress of losing her husband and pregnancy, that when she finally gave birth to her last child, Applebloom, she succumbed to the same heart failure that claimed Crispin. As a filly, Applejack was so grieved and confused about all the tragedy that one event had caused. So much so, that she tried to escape all of it and start a new life in Manehattan.

But you all know the rest of THAT story.

Applejack looked up at the aged stallion and extended her hoof to his shoulder.

“Ah’m just glad we have the back at all. For the longest time, we thought it was lost forever. It doesn’t matter that we weren’t the first to get it. Frankly, it worked out pretty well considering Ah met ya as a result.”

Saltlick gave a warm grin to his newfound companion, the awkwardness evaporating from the moment.

Big Mac gave out a resigned sigh. Saltlick was an alright pony, and what was important was that Crispin’s recipe found its home with the Apple family.

Eventually, the conversation turned lively again, with the topics ranging from Applebloom’s blank flank, to cider, to Big Mac’s “secret” courtship with Cheerilee.

Applejack was enjoying herself to the point that she forgot about all the unpleasantness about the night before.
Needless to say, a storm was coming.

Next chapter: Rarity enjoys the company of Foxy, and Rainbow Dash makes her triumphant return to Ponyville. Stay Tuned!

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