"Fluttershy! Ya' in there, girl? Ah need ya' help with somethin'!"

Applejack bashed her hoof against the wooden cottage door, whilst keeping a tight grip on her sister's leg. No matter how hard the filly tried, she could not break free of the vice-like hold that linked her to her sister.

"Applejack! Quit crushing mah hoof! You're gonna break it!" Apple Bloom grabbed hold of the orange mare's hoof, groaning and grunting as she tried desperately to break free.

"Hush up!" Applejack growled back to her. "Fluttershy, you there?"

The door swung open, and both ponies looked down to see a small white rabbit with its arms folded, tapping its foot impatiently.

"Heh... hey there, Angel. Yah seen Fluttershy anywhere?" Applejack asked. Angel's eyes widened, and he hopped outside the doorframe and past the two sisters. Both looked in the direction of his travel and spotted the yellow pegasus floating slowly towards them, holding a basket.

"Oh! Applejack, is something the matter?" she asked, whilst Angel tried to leap into the basket. She placed her hoof into the basket and handed him a long and thick carrot, which he grabbed from her. The pegasus smiled as her beloved bunny ran back inside the cottage whilst nibbling his treat.

"Fluttershy, I got me a problem. Ya' see, Miss Bloom and her lil' crusader club thought it would be a smart idea to let the cattle outta the pen to try and herd 'em! Three fillies tryin' to control an entire herd of cows, can ya' believe it?" Applejack tightened her grip on her sister's hoof, causing her to wince and pout.

Fluttershy placed the basket on the ground as she made a graceful landing. "Well, what do you need my help for? Are they hurt? Did any of them run off?"

"Naw, nothin' like that. Ya' see, the cattle we have are miiiighty antsy right 'bout this time o' year, so their jus' itchin' to get themselves a taste o' freedom. You open that gate jus' a liiiiitle too far, and boom!" The orange mare punched the air, causing Fluttershy to squeak and flinch.

"Well, how was ah 'sposed to know they'd be that fast?" Apple Bloom said, her voice quivering slightly. "I told ya' sis, we had it all under control 'til-"

"'Til they decided they'd taken a fancy to the barn! Twenty- no, thirty cattle chargin' into a wooden barn, Apple Bloom!" Apple Bloom could feel her sister's grip become even tighter, which brought tears to her eyes. "They flattened that thing lickety split! Did ya' ever stop to think 'Ya' know, maybe it ain't such a bright idea to let these cows outta the pasture! Ah mean, what if they go an' stampede straight into the house? Or the barn? Or even Ponyville? I could really get somepony hurt, acting as like such a foolish filly!'. I mean, why didn't ya' jus'-"

"Umm... excuse me, Applejack, but I don't see what I'm supposed to be helping with." Fluttershy looked at Apple Bloom, who had her eyes closed and her head bowed. Applejack tugged at the filly's hoof, but she did not look up.

"Well, me an' Big Mac herded all the cattle up and got 'em back to where they belong, but we need a lil' time to fix up the barn. Ah need somepony to watch Apple Bloom so she don't get no more of those wonderful ideas o' hers!" The older sister finally released her hold on the filly, and she snatched her hoof away. "So could ah ask ya' to watch her for the day?"

"Oh, I... well... have you asked Twilight or Rarity?" Applejack nodded her head.

"Ah asked 'em both, but they said they were busy. Ah would have asked Rainbow an' Pinkie too, but ah don' trust those two keep to the meaning of 'punishment'." Fluttershy looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Punishment? What are you saying?" she asked.

"Ah wan' her to stay with you to think 'bout what she did. That means no fun, no friends..." Applejack gave her sister a piercing glare. "...no crusadin'!"

"You coulda' trusted me to-"

"Ah think ah've trusted you once too often, this time. Jus' don' let her outta your sight, Fluttershy. Ah'll be back later on to pick her up." The orange mare trotted away from the cottage, down the dusty path that lead back to Ponyville. The pegasus reached out to stop her, but she came to a stop as she glanced back to the sulking filly.

"What was that all about?" she whispered, offering a comforting hoof to Apple Bloom.

"She's jus' mad at me cus ah got the idea- well, it was Scootaloo's idea, really- the idea to try our hooves at cattle herdin'. So we go an' sneak into the pasture, bein' real quiet an' all. Ah cause a ruckus to get the herd movin', 'cause there ain't no point in herdin' what's already herded, yeah? Things were jus' dandy at first, we got a couple o' them under control, but then Sweetie leaned on the gate and-" She cringed as she remembered the booming crash the barn made as it tumbled to the ground. The collision of beechwood and bovine rang in her ears like a thunderclap. Next Chapter: What is now a slight expansion of the previous idea Estimated time remaining: 7 Minutes