Clean Slate

By Alaborn

Standard disclaimer: This is a not for profit fan work. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is copyright Hasbro, Inc. I make no claim to any copyrighted material mentioned herein.

Chapter 20: Summer

Summer.

It has two meanings. One meaning is the season that starts with the longest day of the year, a day marked by celebration. Everypony stays up all night to greet the sunrise.

The other meaning is that magical day, about two weeks earlier, when school ends for the year.

Sitting in school, that second definition of summer was on all of our minds. It wasn’t here yet, but the way everypony acted, we were definitely ready for summer. Instead, we were stuck in class, with beautiful weather taunting us from beyond the window.

Cheerilee did something called Family Appreciation Day every so often, where one of the foals would bring in a family member to talk about themselves or their job. Today was Scootaloo’s turn, and her father was presenting. The yellow earth pony stallion was describing his job as an accountant for the Ponyville, Fillydelphia, and Western Railroad. I remember Scootaloo always talking about how busy he was. I realized this was the first time I had ever seen him.

I wasn’t sure if it was primarily the weather outside or the subject matter, but it was clear scheduling Scootaloo’s father on this day was a mistake. Everypony in class was bored. Some rested their heads on their desks, while others stared out the window or doodled in their notebooks. Even Scootaloo was ignoring him. Her head was up and she feigned listening, but it was obvious she was staring beyond him, picturing the beautiful day on the other side of that wall.

I think I was the only pony interested in Turbo Tax’s speech. It wasn’t because of the way he talked, as his delivery left a lot to be desired. It’s probably better than the alternative, though; a pony who could make accounting sound interesting was a frightening concept. Instead, I was interested because these were principles I needed to understand to run my company. Some of his terms and methods sounded familiar. Perhaps I had learned the basics from my father.

“And then, the final envelope is mailed to Canterlot, along with the paperwork authorizing the transfer of bits from our bank to the Treasury. And that concludes a quarterly tax filing. Afterward, the entire staff heads to a local restaurant to celebrate,” Turbo Tax concluded.

“And thank you, Mr. Turbo Tax, for that... thorough account,” Cheerilee said. “No pun intended,” she quickly added. “Now, does anypony have any questions?”

I didn’t want to ask any questions about accounting, but I was curious to learn about his business. I raised my hoof.

“Yes, Diamond Tiara?” Cheerilee called.

“What are some of the challenges facing the railroad?” I asked.

“The biggest challenge we face is equipment modernization,” he replied. “Magical engines were recently developed, replacing teams of ponies as the main method of locomotion. But in determining whether or not to invest in these engines, we have to balance the profitability of a given route, the demands of the local rail authorities, and yes, even the tax consequences of these purchases.”

“And that’s all for today’s Family Appreciation Day,” Cheerilee said. “Thank you again for your time.” I could have asked more questions, but I think Miss Cheerilee finally realized just how out of it the rest of the class really was.

“My pleasure,” Turbo Tax replied.

“Now, please take out a blank sheet of paper,” Cheerilee told us. “This is the perfect opportunity for a pop quiz.”

That woke everypony up.

“I wrote a new inspiration song!” Sweetie Belle announced.

Before we could object, she started singing.

“Open your minds

And open your ears

And then your cutie marks

Will surely appear!”

“I appreciate the sentiment,” Apple Bloom said. “But I think I need to do something, not just listen to a song.”

I nodded in agreement. “I need to do something business related, I think.”

“Start your own building business! A partnership!” Scootaloo suggested.

“That’s... actually not a bad idea,” I admitted. “But it might be hard to find business, and fit it in around our work on the farm.” I also had something else in the works with my lawyer, Legal Plan, but I didn’t want to mention that yet.

“And speaking of that, we have to repair the fence before dark,” Apple Bloom said.

“Unless you girls want to help?” I offered.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shook their heads. “Let’s do something fun before you have to work,” our unicorn friend said.

“Hide and seek?” Scootaloo said. “That gives you two chances to get your cutie marks!”

I had no idea what a hiding or seeking cutie mark would look like, but I was happy to spend the afternoon having fun.

“I don’t get it,” Apple Bloom said.

I stared across the darkness of our bedroom, where my friend, my adopted sister, was pointedly not trying to sleep. “What is it?” I muttered sleepily.

“How come I didn’t get my cutie mark? I built a ramp and two sets, and that trick box for the magic show, and still no cutie mark!”

“Isn’t that just a normal day in the life of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” I asked.

“But this felt different, like it was the right thing to do,” Apple Bloom said.

I tapped the wooded headboard of my bed with my hoof. “You made this, right?”

“Yeah, and with almost no help, too! Applejack and Big McIntosh let me use all the tools I wanted, too. It’s almost like they want me to do this.”

“Just build something else?” I offered. “Something nopony else in town has made?”

“Maybe,” Apple Bloom replied, sighing. “But it’s not just them, you know. I think Twilight’s made some hints like that, too.”

“Twilight,” I said. “That’s it! We’ll go to the library, and we’ll find a book with something awesome for you to build!”

“Yeah! That could work!”

“Well, good morning girls,” Princess Twilight Sparkle said. “How can I help you?”

“I’m looking for a book with something I could try to build. Maybe something big and wooden with moving parts,” Apple Bloom said.

Twilight Sparkle smiled knowingly. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, and you have my full support,” she said.

“I’m just here for moral support,” I said. “I think I’ll just read while I’m waiting. Do you have any books about recent history?”

Twilight Sparkle pulled a book off the shelf with her magic and levitated it in front of me. “Here’s one on the changeling hive of Queen Chrysalis, including the incident at the royal wedding two years ago.”

“Thanks,” I replied, before sitting down on a comfortable couch. I read this book, finding it interesting how often Twilight Sparkle’s name came up within.

I had just gotten to the section where Queen Chrysalis revealed herself to the celebrants when I was interrupted by raised voices.

Apple Bloom was happily coming out from between two shelves of books, one large tome balanced on her back. Twilight Sparkle trailed her, waving another book in front of Apple Bloom’s face.

“Look, it’s totem poles, made by the deer tribes of the northwest! I guarantee that nopony here has ever made one!” she said, a hint of desperation in her voice. The young alicorn then looked around nervously before pulling another book of the shelf. “Or how about cabinetmaking? It’s very important and very practical, and nopony in town makes cabinets.

“I appreciate your help, Twilight, but I’m happy with the book I found,” Apple Bloom replied. It looked like she was trying to suppress an even bigger smile.

Twilight Sparkle sighed and took away the book. I was afraid she was going to use her magic or position of influence as an excuse to take away Apple Bloom’s book. But instead, all she did was pull the card from the pocket at the back of the book, checking it out. “Good luck,” she said.

“Thanks, Twilight!” Apple Bloom said.

I set my book down and followed Apple Bloom outside. “What was that all about?” I asked.

Apple Bloom smiled and showed me the book. I read the title and smiled. From inside, I could hear Twilight Sparkle giving orders. We returned to the door, both of us placing an ear against it.

“Spike, take a letter, send it to the Princesses, and then alert the Elements of Harmony. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are going to try to build a siege weapon.”

I waved Apple Bloom away from the door. “She’s not serious,” I whispered. “Right? She’s not serious?” It did seem to me that she was speaking loud enough so that we would hear it, so that suggested it was a deliberate act. But still, she did sound worried.

“Aww, she’s just having a little fun with us. You should have seen her eyes when I plucked his book off the bookshelf!” Apple Bloom said.

“But you have destroyed a few things on your crusades, right?” The disasters I had experienced on our crusades were embarrassing, but didn’t damage much beside our own egos.

“Well, yeah, but I’m not going to bring anything I make into town.” She paused and set the book on a nearby bench. “Take a look at these.” Apple Bloom flipped through the book, showing a number of strange machines with sketches and descriptions. “This book tells you how these ‘siege weapons’ work, but not how to build them. And of course nopony’s seen one before. If I can take what I know about building and machines and make one of these, I’m sure to get my cutie mark!”

It actually sounded like a better plan than the average crusade. But I couldn’t help but think Twilight Sparkle was right. Surely there was something safer she could build?

After dinner, I noticed Apple Bloom was nowhere to be found. I grabbed my schoolwork and headed outside. Sure enough, I found her in one of the family’s old barns. She was studying her new book under the light of a lantern. Various tools and raw materials were scattered on the ground, forming an organized mess. An unused door had been commandeered to serve as a drafting table, and Apple Bloom was sketching designs on a large section of brown paper.

“Don’t you have some homework to do?” I asked.

“A little. But I really wanted to study this first.”

“You know Applejack doesn’t like it when we put something ahead of our schoolwork or chores,” I warned. “So let’s review the vocabulary list together.”

I called out words, and Apple Bloom muttered definitions, muddled because of the pencil that stayed in her mouth. Afterward, I sat near her and worked on the math assignment. Algebra was not something I had studied before, but it helped if I thought about the problems in other terms. How much would a price need to rise if the cost of one component doubled? How many payments of 12 bits were necessary to pay off a balance? All of these were finding the unknown, too.

Finally, Apple Bloom rolled up her paper. “Do you have a plan?” I asked.

“I think so. I’ll try building this tree-bucket thing in a small scale first.” She looked around the barn. “But I’ll need to buy some gears and stuff.”

“I’ll help you buy what you need,” I volunteered.

A trip to the hardware store saw Apple Bloom pick up several bags of wooden and metal pieces, many of which I couldn’t recognize. As the school year neared its end, I continued to spend my afternoons and evenings with Apple Bloom, supporting her work and making sure she didn’t neglect her homework. It was unusual that we spent so much time away from the rest of the family. I got the feeling that they didn’t care for it, but I hoped they understood Apple Bloom’s feelings.

A clatter of wood interrupted my studies one afternoon. “Darn it!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I ruined another gear. Now I’ll need to buy another one.”

Apple Bloom looked stressed. I was afraid that if she didn’t release some of her anger, she’d end up taking it out on another piece of her model. “What would you say to a trip to the gym before you go shopping?” I suggested.

“Let’s do it.” Apple Bloom secured her toolbox to her back and hurried out of the barn.

The late afternoon crowd at the gym looked different. There were more younger mares and stallions, and a fair number of pegasi, I think from the weather teams. Snowflake was working this afternoon, and he greeted us with a friendly hoof bump. Apple Bloom headed straight for the punching bag, and I went to practice lifting with my hind legs.

I secured my hooves and lifted. The familiar click click click was interrupted by a clunk, followed by a jarring shift in the weights. The vibrations ran up my hind legs unpleasantly. The same thing happened when I repeated the lift. I decided to find a different machine.

I instead decided to try the bench press. Snowflake came over to set it up and spot for me. The muscular stallion knew just how much I could safely lift, and removed several weights from the bar. As always, he was supportive of my exercising, even if I was lifting what to him was a trivial amount of weight. Once the bar was strapped to my forehooves, I slowly lifted it from near my barrel to as high as my forelegs would lift it.

It didn’t feel like I was exercising long when Apple Bloom returned, sweating and looking a lot more relaxes. “How come you’re not working your hind legs?” she asked.

“Something feels wrong with the machine,” I said.

“Show me what’s wrong,” Snowflake said. He secured the barbell and headed over. I followed, feeling unsteady on my tired forelegs.

“Just lift and feel the movement of the weights,” I said. Apple Bloom did so, effortlessly lifting the weights I struggled with. Sure enough, she heard and felt the same problem I noticed.

“Be right back,” Apple Bloom said. She dashed away, and returned with her toolbox. First she removed all the weights. She then worked quickly, taking wrenches and screwdrivers in her mouth, until the machine’s inner workings were revealed.

“Now try it again, slowly,” she ordered. I pressed down, lifting the empty platform as Apple Bloom watched the inner mechanisms. When we heard that clunk, she asked me to hold it there. I glanced back, seeing Apple Bloom inspect each gear, lever, and wire. Snowflake stood over both of us, watching with interest.

“Found it,” she said. “There’s a broken gear, missing a tooth. Shouldn’t be hard to fix.”

Snowflake inspected her discovery and nodded. “You know, Apple Bloom, I could use somepony to help maintain these machines. Want to earn a few bits?”

Apple Bloom smiled at his suggestion. I nodded encouragingly. “You should do it. It’ll help fund your little project.”

“I’ll be glad to work for you,” Apple Bloom said. “Just tell me when you’d like me to come by.” She looked again at the weight machine, and then turned to her tool box. She dug into it, rapidly pulling out tools, until she found a pencil and a used sheet of paper. Finding a blank spot on the paper, she took the pencil in her mouth and started sketching a design.

“Inspiration?” I asked. Apple Bloom nodded tersely in reply.

I couldn’t wait to see her get back to work.

We arrived home in time to do some chores. Apple Bloom was handling repairs around the house, while I was working on dinner. The stew I was cooking, a recipe taken from one of the library’s cookbooks, made use of my first crop of carrots. I hoped everypony would like it anyway.

I stayed out of Granny Smith’s way as she made apple pie. That would hopefully balance out my stew in the Apples’ minds.

By the time Apple Bloom had finished her chores and washed up, dinner was ready. The table was crowded by my stew, a bowl of peas, a basket of fresh bread, and a platter of fried hay nuggets. Apple Bloom grabbed a hoofful of nuggets and hastily consumed them.

“May I be excused?” she said shortly afterward.

Applejack gave a reflexive nod and Apple Bloom ran out the door. “Thanks!” she called, before Applejack realized what she had done.

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack yelled. “You come back here!” I’m sure Apple Bloom could hear her sister’s loud voice, but she could always claim she didn’t. Plausible deniability.

“Apple Bloom found some inspiration at the gym, and I think she really wants to work on her new design,” I said.

Big McIntosh stared at Applejack. “Let her go, sis.” Applejack still looked upset, but went back to her food.

And with Applejack’s mind elsewhere, she didn’t even notice she was eating carrots for dinner.

For the most part, dinner proceeded normally. We talked about the work on the farm. Applejack discussed apple sales in the market. I brought up our schoolwork, making sure I mentioned how Apple Bloom and I were working together on studying for our finals.

After dinner, we packed the leftovers in the icebox, ready for tomorrow’s lunch. But then I thought about my sister. “Applejack, Big McIntosh, I want to bring some more food to Apple Bloom. May I go?” I asked.

“Sure thing, Diamond,” Big McIntosh replied.

I donned my saddlebags, filled with our schoolbooks, and then carefully packed soup, peas, and the rest of the fried hay into a basket. I departed, taking the basket in my mouth.

The fried hay still smelled good. It was terrible reheated, though, so I hoped we could finish it. The soup would be good, though.

Drat. I forgot to pack a spoon.

I turned around, walking back to the farmhouse. When I opened the door, I heard quiet but insistent talking in the living room, unmistakably an argument. I stopped, still in the door frame, and listened.

“Can you tell me what she’s doing wrong?” Big McIntosh said. “Did Miss Cheerilee say something to you? Is she shirking on her chores? Not bucking apples?”

“No. You know the answer is no, Mac,” Applejack replied. “But family is important, and Apple Bloom’s been stuck in that barn, and not letting any of us in.”

“She’s got Diamond Tiara,” Big McIntosh corrected.

“Yes, but I just want to see Apple Bloom for an entire evening. We haven’t been doing that. It’s been so long, almost...”

“Two months,” Big McIntosh interrupted.

“What? No, it’s been a month, maybe a bit less,” Applejack said.

“Two months is the time you spent in Manehattan, trying to earn your cutie mark,” Big McIntosh said. “I put in some long hours that summer. And Granny Smith, even with those pains in her hip, she spent quite a few hours bucking apples.”

The living room fell silent. Big McIntosh must have hit a nerve.

“Look, sis,” Big McIntosh said, “Apple Bloom has done some crazy things to try to discover her special talent, but this isn’t one of them. Trust her this time.”

I propped the door open with the basket, so that it wouldn’t bang shut. I crept in quietly, and retrieved a spoon. Departing, I couldn’t help but think about the argument. I was glad to have an understanding brother, but Applejack had a point. Apple Bloom was getting a little obsessed.

She really needed to earn her cutie mark for this.

I found Apple Bloom working away in the barn, tightening the screws on some part of her contraption. “I thought you might be hungry,” I said, placing the basket next to her.

Apple Bloom opened the basket and popped another hay nugget into her mouth. “Thanks, Diamond Tiara.”

“Now let’s get to that practice exam,” I said. I opened up my saddlebags and pulled out a math problem set. “Okay. The equation is y = 4 – x²/16. First question. Describe the shape of the curve,” I read from the practice exam.

I heard the sound of gears before Apple Bloom responded. “A little like this.” I looked up, and something slimy smacked into my muzzle. A lukewarm buttered pea was now resting on my practice exam.

“Now watch carefully,” Apple Bloom said. She reloaded, and another pea fired out, this one landing on my outstretched tongue. And the arc it traced was a pretty close representation of the equation on the test.

“You got it to work!” I said.

“Yep! And now to build the full size model.”

With a week left in school, Apple Bloom completed her project. Early on a Saturday morning, with the older Apple siblings on the south side of the farm, Apple Bloom pulled out the full model. It was an impressive contraption of wood and gears and rope. For this test, Apple Bloom used a large chunk of dirt. She placed it, and with the pull of a lever, I saw the machine work its magic. Except it wasn’t magic, just earth pony ingenuity and engineering.

I whooped and jumped at Apple Bloom’s success, but it didn’t attract any reaction from her. She didn’t even check her flank, which I noticed remained blank. “Aren’t you happy it worked?” I asked.

Apple Bloom pulled out a large diagram and spread it on the base of her creation. “Yes, but what I really want is to add these improvements. Come on; let’s go to the hardware store!”

When we took a break from our chores, we hurried to town. Apple Bloom rattled off a list of items, by technical name and with their dimensions precisely identified.

The hardware store owner scratched his head. “That’s a mighty expensive order, Apple Bloom,” he said.

“I have the bits,” she replied, dropping a bag of bits on the counter. She was ready to spend all of the money she earned fixing the machines in Snowflake’s gym.

“And I don’t normally carry most of these,” the stallion added. “But I know a stallion with a specialty shop in North Fillydelphia. I’ll wire him with what you need. It’ll probably take a week to get here.”

“But I want it now!” she pouted.

Apple Bloom’s special order arrived early, on Wednesday. Applejack had lain down the law: absolutely nothing was to be done before chores were finished and two hours of studying completed. I helped out Apple Bloom, volunteering to take on her share of the field chores.

Convincing a fully grown apple tree to drop all its fruit, using only my earth pony magic to connect with the tree, took a long time. I can see why the Apples used their bucking technique. Slow or not, I filled bucket after bucket with apples while Apple Bloom had the opportunity to finish her masterpiece.

I don’t know if the warm feeling I felt was the June sun, my earth pony magic, or knowing I was helping Apple Bloom.

Friday was the last day of school. It was only a half day, but it was the worst possible way to spend half a day. The final exam covered everything we had learned that year, in every subject. For four grueling hours, all anypony heard was the scratching of pencils and the shuffling of papers.

“Time’s up!” Miss Cheerilee announced. “Pencils down, everypony. Please sit quietly while I collect your papers.”

I stretched my sore neck and jaw. All around me, my classmates had the same idea. Flanks shifted in seats as the outdoors called.

After an interminable wait, Cheerilee finally spoke. “Class dismissed! Have a nice summer, everypony!”

In the blink of an eye, we were outside. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo rushed up to us. “You want to hit Sugarcube Corner? I’m sure Pinkie Pie has an awesome ‘You’re done with exams!’ party going on,” Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom shook her head. “I have something to finish up. But why don’t you come down to the farm tomorrow, about an hour before sunset? I promise there will be something big!”

“You mean as big as...” Sweetie Belle started.

“Bigger than that,” Apple Bloom said confidently.

I have to admit, even I was curious. After receiving her special order, Apple Bloom had worked by herself. Not even I knew what her improvement was going to be. But she was confident that she would finish by tomorrow, and invited the entire family to watch.

“Can you at least give me a hint?” I asked before we went to sleep.

“Sorry, Diamond Tiara, but you’re going to have to be surprised, too,” she replied. “But there is something you can bring from the garden tomorrow.” She came over to my bed and whispered in my ear.

I smiled. “That sounds like fun!”

I stood outside the old barn at the appointed time. Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo were wildly speculating about Apple Bloom’s surprise. But I was more interested in what the adults were saying.

Applejack, Big McIntosh, and Granny Smith were all present. But I also noticed Princess Twilight Sparkle, along with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity. I could see Applejack telling her close friends about Apple Bloom’s little event, but I did find it suspicious that all the Elements of Harmony were present.

My suspicion was confirmed as Rarity spoke. “And just why were you so insistent we come today, darling?” she asked Twilight Sparkle.

“It’s going to be a big day, and we want to support Apple Bloom, right?” Twilight Sparkle said. The twitch in one eye belied her calm tone of voice.

“But seriously, what is this big day, anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Apple Bloom’s been building something, and I reckon she wants to show it off,” Applejack replied.

“Building what?” Fluttershy asked.

“Don’t know. Those two fillies have been keeping mum. But I did hear some talk about tree buckets.”

“What the hay is a tree bucket?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Ooh, ooh, I know! It’s one of those long poles with a basket to sit in, so ponies can reach the top of trees!” Pinkie Pie said.

“No, that’s not it,” Twilight Sparkle corrected. “That machine has a very specific name. It’s... darn! It’s on the tip of my tongue!”

“Twilight, I told you there was nothing to worry about!” Applejack said.

“I know, Applejack. I listened to you, and I didn’t bring the Elements of Harmony.”

I watched the young princess carefully. I had no doubt she was prepared to cast a spell to summon the Elements if something went wrong. I did my best to remain inconspicuous, as I stood in front of two pumpkins I had harvested. The two gourds were the unfortunate victims of some rabbit’s predation, and were now rotting.

Apple Bloom finally exited the barn, pulling what looked like the machine I had previously seen. It was covered by a tarp, but I recognized its wheels and base.

The eyes of three fillies, seven mares, and one stallion fell on Apple Bloom. She gave a bow. “I’ve been working very hard to make this for you. I’d like to thank Twilight Sparkle and the library for her help. Now, behold! The tree-bucket!”

She pulled off the tarp, revealing her machine for the first time to somepony other than me. Murmurs of “what is it?” came from most of the ponies in the crowd.

Twilight Sparkle was not one of those ponies. Once she picked her jaw off the ground, she pointed. “That’s... you built a trebuchet!” she stammered.

Apple Bloom looked at Twilight Sparkle curiously. “Oh. I didn’t know the word was pronounced all fancy.” She turned to me. “Diamond Tiara, the pumpkin?”

I picked up the rotting pumpkin by its stem. Together, Apple Bloom and I lifted it into the rope sling hanging from the beam of the trebuchet, its counterweight already lifted. It was ready to fire. Apple Bloom pulled a lever. The heavy boulder dragged one end of the beam down. From the other end, the rope whipped around, and at the top of the arc, the pumpkin flew out, heading into the Everfree Forest. Its flight path formed a nice parabola before we heard it splatter among the boughs in the nearby trees.

“Cool!” Scootaloo said. But she was alone in that sentiment; the other ponies were gaping over what Apple Bloom had accomplished.

Apple Bloom dashed into the barn and a short time later, pulled out another tarp-covered machine. This must be what she had been working on alone. “And after that, I made an improved tree-bucket,” she announced.

Removing the tarp, Apple Bloom revealed a siege weapon a lot like the one she made before. This one featured a metal arm, and instead of using a heavy boulder as a counterweight, it appeared to make use of springs. She gripped a crank in her mouth and turned it. The first several turns were easy, but soon she was struggling. She dug her hooves into the ground. The muscles in her well-toned neck bulged as she continued to tighten the mechanism.

“Another pumpkin, Diamond Tiara?”

I responded by picking up the second rotted pumpkin. Again, I helped Apple Bloom put it into the trebuchet’s sling. This time, I ran away from the machine, standing next to Applejack.

Apple Bloom gave her improved trebuchet one final check. She adjusted a couple of levers, altering the elevation and angle. Then, she placed her hoof on a lever.

With one mighty tug, the lever loosed the arm of the trebuchet. The incredible energy stored in the springs was released, and the pumpkin flew into the air at a tremendous speed. It flew so fast and so far, we lost sight of it, and didn’t hear it when it landed.

All eyes were on Apple Bloom as she jumped gleefully. A glow formed on her flank, and when it faded, it revealed her cutie mark, a hammer and wrench crossed over an apple.

With that, Apple Bloom was buried under three fillies. We congratulated her for finally attaining her cutie mark, with more congratulations coming from the adults. Even Twilight Sparkle had to smile when she saw how happy Apple Bloom was.

I still think Twilight Sparkle was unhappy over what Apple Bloom made, but she couldn’t resist learning. “So how does it work?” she asked her.

Apple Bloom happily explained her creation, about how it worked, and the inspiration she found in books and other machines. The technical terms she used went over my head. Only Twilight Sparkle and, strangely, Pinkie Pie seemed to follow her.

“And then I thought, I could do even better if I used elements of the Party Cannon!” Apple Bloom said excitedly. Pinkie Pie beamed, and looked ready to plot with Apple Bloom.

Applejack stepped in, pushing the two ponies apart. “I’m going to have to put my hoof down here,” she ordered. “This here machine is going back into the barn, at least until we have a nice long talk with Twilight, the mayor, and anypony else who’s responsible for this sort of thing.

Apple Bloom slumped, disappointed. But Applejack pulled her into a comforting hug. “Don’t feel down. You made something nopony else could, and I’m proud of you, sugarcube. But that doesn’t change the fact that we have to think of other ponies’ safety.”

Summer. By its other definition, it was tomorrow. Apple Bloom and I were looking forward to staying up all night to greet the longest day of the year. We were allowed to sleep in late, ensuring we’d have the energy to last until sunrise, and only had light duties in the orchard that day.

Our dinner was nothing special, but I was looking forward to dessert. But we would have to work for that sweet treat. Applejack supervised as we built a fire pit, a circle of stones in a cleared area of dirt at the edge of the farm. We placed kindling under larger logs. Finally, Applejack struck a match, lighting a paper that was in turn used to ignite the kindling.

Once the fire was roaring, taking away the night’s chill, we turned to the task at hoof. Marshmallows and chocolate bars, both from Bon Bon’s confectionery, waited next to a plate of graham crackers. Apple Bloom and I smiled at each other as we speared the fluffy white treats on the end of thin branches, and then placed them over the fire. Soon, we were enjoying fresh s’mores.

Applejack happily accepted the s’mores we made for the rest of the family. “Now you two have fun tonight,” she said. “Don’t take the fire out of the circle, and don’t do anything else funny.”

“Yes, Applejack,” we both said.

After stuffing ourselves thoroughly, I lay side by side with Apple Bloom by the fire. We gazed up at the night sky. Wherever pegasi controlled the weather in Equestria, the sky would be clear. Luna blessed her sister’s greatest day with a beautiful arrangement of stars in the sky. She was a true artist, preserving the essential constellations used by navigators while creating art with twinkling stars and faint distant nebulae.

In the distance, a timber wolf howled. Without the walls of the farmhouse between us and it, the howl sounded very loud. I shivered. Apple Bloom grasped my hoof, as if to say it was okay.

“So what’s your plan to earn your cutie mark?” Apple Bloom asked me.

“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.

“Applejack let it slip that you’re going to be doing something over the summer, and I want to know what.”

“I talked with Legal Plan, my father’s lawyer, and he helped arrange an internship. I’m going to work at Rich’s Barnyard Bargains.” Apple Bloom looked like she was going to ask the obvious question, so I elaborated. “Not like before. I’m going to work in the office building downtown.”

“What do you do in an internship?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I’m not really sure. Mostly learn how the office works, I think.”

“Won’t it be kind of awkward for everypony else, knowing that you’re going to be the big boss one day?”

“Possibly,” I admitted. “But it’s important for me to learn, and I really want to earn my cutie mark.

A timber wolf howled again. It sounded louder, but I’m sure it was my mind playing tricks on me. That didn’t stop me from scooting closer to Apple Bloom.

We spent hours just talking about nothing in particular. After a while, fatigue was getting to us, and we just relaxed. The occasional word exchanged between us ensured we didn’t fall asleep.

“Fire’s getting low,” I mused at one point, staring into the fading flames. I looked up in the sky. The position of the moon indicated it was around three o’clock in the morning.

Apple Bloom got to her hooves. “I’ll get some more firewood,” she said tiredly.

I stirred the red-hot coals with a stick. The smell from the fire was foul, all sulfur and decay.

The hairs of my coat rose as terror threatened to paralyze my body. I managed to turn my neck.

Behind me, very close behind me, a fearsome creature composed of mismatched, jagged pieces of wood leered at me. Its green eyes glowed unnaturally. It exhaled, a foul green and black cloud of death washing over me.

I screamed.

I fought to get my body to react. My hooves scrabbled at the ground. My first instinct was to place the fire between me and it. It circled around the fire, pursuing me slowly. I noticed two other timber wolves closing in.

The first timber wolf lunged. I jumped away. A blur of movement, and I saw Apple Bloom pummel the creature with her forehooves, before turning and delivering a powerful buck to its jaw. The branches collapsed, but only temporarily. It was reforming. And the other two timber wolves were flanking us. We pressed close together, stumbling as we backed away.

“YOU GET AWAY FROM MY KIN!”

There was a powerful crack, and one of the two timber wolves turned into kindling, flying high through the air. Applejack stared at the last standing timber wolf, challenging it. The sound that I had first thought to be my heartbeat had been the pounding of Applejack’s hooves as she ran to protect us.

The third timber wolf pounced, only to be driven off by a glancing blow from Applejack’s hooves. She monitored it and the first timber wolf, now completely reformed. She spared a glance at us. “What are you two doing? Run back to the farmhouse!”

Applejack picked up a burning log in her teeth. The orange flames illuminated her grim countenance as she brandished her makeshift weapon. Despite being made of wood, these monsters showed no fear. I heard more hooves as Big McIntosh approached, a barrel balanced on his back.

Apple Bloom tugged on my foreleg. With that gesture, I remembered to run. I heard pounding hooves. Cracking wood. Grunts, yelps, and howls. I dared not look back.

Apple Bloom and I stared out the window, in the direction of the Everfree Forest, the direction from which Applejack and Big McIntosh would return. We waited. It felt like hours, but as the rational part of my brain fought to regain control, I recognized only minutes had passed.

In the moonlight, I saw a figure approach rapidly.

One figure.

Big McIntosh slowed as he reached the porch, and opened the door with a grace that belied his size. He quickly shut it behind him. In the darkness, it was hard to see his expression. He looked no worse for the wear, but there was the smell of sweat and something else unpleasant about him.

“Where’s Applejack? Is Applejack okay?” We both challenged Big McIntosh, and I couldn’t remember who asked which question.

Big McIntosh pulled us both close. “Don’t you worry. Applejack’s safe. We’re all safe.”

The big stallion released us. I felt something sticky in my coat as he pulled away. It was the source of that bad smell.

“Where’s Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked again.

“She ran to town to report the attack. We’ve got to alert the mayor and Twilight and the weather team.”

“The weather team?” Apple Bloom wondered.

“What did you do?” I asked.

“We killed the timber wolves.”

Apple Bloom and I gasped. Big McIntosh calmly lit a lantern.

“Most timber wolves are smart enough to be deterred by a few powerful bucks to the face,” Big McIntosh explained. “If that doesn’t work, we burn them. I understand they really don’t like that feeling.

“But some are stubborn. They’ll keep calling branches from the Everfree Forest to their bodies. So we make sure that won’t work by covering their burning forms with tar. I don’t know how it works, but it does.

“One of the timber wolves made it back to the Everfree Forest. So the weather team needs to be alerted in case a fire catches there. And the town needs to know about the attack.”

“You... killed it?” Apple Bloom said.

Big McIntosh nodded sadly. “We didn’t want to, but we had to. Even a timber wolf has its place in Equestria, but that place is not killing ponies.”

The big stallion looked at us, and then himself. “Now let’s get washed up.”

Tar was far worse than tree sap for getting out of one’s coat. Fortunately, the scrubbing distracted us from our worries. But once we were clean, we thought of Applejack. We headed to the living room, watching the approach from the window. The three of us waited in silence, the lantern flickering.

Finally, we heard the sound of hoofsteps approach. The door opened, admitting a saddened Applejack. Her head was bowed.

“Applejack! Your hat!” Apple Bloom shouted.

The front of Applejack’s familiar Stetson was burnt. Part of the brim was gone, and the crown was scorched. She took it off, and slowly spun it around on one hoof. “Well, I’ll be,” she muttered.

Applejack placed her hat on the rocking chair and then embraced Apple Bloom. “A hat can be replaced, sugarcube. You can’t,” she said. She then hugged me. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”

As we separated, I noticed the first light of Celestia’s sun through the window. It was time to welcome summer, and welcome it as a family.

Author's Notes:

I chose to use EquesTRON's not-so-serious suggestion of Turbo Tax for the name of Scootaloo's accountant father because it fits surprisingly well with the active names I used in Scootaloo's Family.

I like to think that his given name was Turbo, and his father hoped he'd become a great racer. But instead, he became an accountant.

And speaking of jobs, that's next chapter.