[Sweet Apple Acres] An Apple A Day (PM to Join)

[WillowWisp]

Perhaps all those late nights out studying were finally taking their toll. After all the last few had been a little chilly and one night it rained. That was really her fault for not remembering the scheduled storm, but she was already out at that point so she didn't want to turn back in the middle of her exploration. Though now, as Willow Wisp slowly trudged around her house, she was mentally kicking herself for it.

'Oh... what is that saying again?' she sniffled as she walked out of her home, squinting her eyes in the sunlight. 'An apple a day... keeps the doctor away... yeah that's it. Maybe I should get some apples.'

Usually she just stopped by the farm to get more lemons for Morty since they usually didn't show up in the market. Now and then she bought apples when she was out in the town, but she didn't currently have any, so she turned and made her way toward Sweet Apple Acres. Surely they wouldn't mind if she stopped by there instead of going to the stand in the market.

It took a little longer than normal for Wisp to make the walk, her head down as she kind of dragged her hooves along. Her head hurt, her eyes were sore and if it weren't for her dark pelt her face probably would be more obviously flushed. The Unicorn was clearly under the weather but she going to do her best to play if off.

'Hello...' she stifled a little sneeze as she finally walked through the main gate of the farm. 'Anypony around?'

[FlankSteak]

After a long hard day of apple bucking, Big Macintosh was eager to put his hooves up for the afternoon. He'd busted his hump to get all his chores done early so that he's still have some time to relax in the sun. He slide his harness off his neck, and with a shake of his head, flipped it off himself and onto a hook on the wall of the barn. He smiled and let out his typical "Eyup." Though no one was around to hear him.

As he left to go take a dip in the river, he heard someone call.

"Ah, dangit." Big Macintosh rolled his eyes. He hadn't seen his family all afternoon, so his hopes of putting his hooves right away were now dashed. Big Macintosh muttered to himself, "There's a market in town, but NOOO... they HAVE to come out to the farm... E'Yup." Lowering his head and kicking a clod of dirt in disdain. As the farm gates came into view, Big Macintosh saw a black mare with a blue mane. He recognized her from afar cause she'd been a regular to the farm lately, picking lemons for her bat.

Big Macintosh picked up his pace a bit. Sure he was sometimes flustered with visitor to the farm, but that was no reason to make ponies unwelcome.

"Afternoon Ms. Wisp, are you here for more lemons?" Big Macintosh called out to her as he came towards her. "Thought we got you enough last time to last you a while." As He got closer, he noticed that she looked tired. He knew she was the night owl type, so she should have looked more refreshed this late in the afternoon.

"Hmm... Are you feelin' Okay Ms. Wisp?" Big Macintosh inquired. He'd become quite good at knowing when someone wasn't felling the best.

[WillowWisp]

Wisp seemed a little in daze as Big Macintosh headed her direction. Her head was hung and her eyes half lidded. As he spoke she put on a weak smile and looked up. 'Ah, Big Macintosh... good to see you. No, no need for lemons. I have plenty. Morty is one happy little... well not little... maybe slightly pudgy would be a better description for him right now. He really seems to like the lemons I get here.'

She couldn't help it, her head felt a bit heavy and she let it droop again. Tired? Yeah, maybe she was just tired. She didn't want anypony worrying about her after all. If anything it was just a little cold or something she could sleep off. But not without playing into that old adage of keeping doctors away with apples.

'I was just thinking about getting some apples. I know there is the cart in town but since my house is kind of on the edge, it's almost easier just to walk over here. Plus I didn't know...' she paused for a moment sniffling so she wouldn't sneeze. '...didn't know if the cart at the market was still open at this point. You don't mind right?'

She sighed softly and closed her eyes for just a moment. 'Sure is warm for this time of the day,' she commented even though it was a rather mild day.

[FlankSteak]

Big Macintosh was a bit confused when Willow Wisp said that it was warm out. To him it felt just right. Big Macintosh Looked a bit closer at Willow. She looked, well, she just didn't look well.

"Um... Well, it might be a tad warm out right now," Big Macintosh humored her. "It's no problem at all to come by the farm if it's closer for you than going all the way into town. Now before we get you some apples, how would you like a cool glass of apple juice." Big Macintosh voiced with a hint of concern.

Big Macintosh wasn't any dummy when it came to reading other ponies. His two little sister's gave him plenty of experience. AJ was always overworking herself, and Applebloom had often felt under the weather. Although most of those days were before she had made friends with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"Well just follow me Ms. Wisp. I'll tell you all about the different apples we have to find the right one for you."

[WillowWisp]

At least it seemed like she wasn't bothering anyone by coming out to the farm. Last thin she needed to do was wear out her welcome from the one place that sold lemons. That would earn a stern screeching from Morty if she messed that deal up. But from the sounds of it, if it was easier for her to walk there than out to town, it was welcome.

'A cool drink?' Wisp looked up and nodded. Something cool sounded really good at that moment. Perhaps a little apple juice would be a booster for that whole 'apple a day' thing. That way she'd get something then, and then she could eat an apple or two when she got home.

'That actually sounds really good,' she smiled weakly as he beckoned for her to follow, and started after. 'The apple best for me? Whatever keeps the doctor away.' She caught herself letting that slip. She didn't want him to think she was sick. No! She was just tired. That was it. 'Hehe, apple joke. I'm sure you hear that one a lot huh?' Well it wasn't the best cover up, but it was something.

[FlankSteak]

"An apple a day? Well I probably eat about 10 apples a day, E'Yup." Big Macintosh said smiling at Willow. He moved himself along side her so they could chat as they headed up towards the farm house. "Now I have heard that saying before, but really never thought about it much. But there might be something to that say," Big Macintosh raised an eyebrow as he look towards Wisp. "I have hardly ever been sick. And even when I hurt myself last Applebuck season, I recovered fairly quickly, E'Yup."

The late afternoon sun shined down on the two of them, and a pleasant breeze blew through the trees, filling the air with the scent of apples. Even though he was hoping to have a bit of time to himself, Big Macintosh found himself with a smile on his face as he walked long side Willow Wisp. He hadn't been able to talk with many other ponies besides family since himself and Applejack had been put in charge of the family farm. And even though he didn't really know Willow Wisp all that well, he just had a feeling that they would get along just fine.

"Well, why don't you just have a seat over there on the porch, and I'll fetch us some drinks. Would you care for Apple Juice, or maybe some Cider?" He asked Willow as they approached the house.

[WillowWisp]

'Ten a day?' Willow Wisp blinked a bit surprised at that. Then again she was thinking in one sitting. She suppose as she thought a bit more on it, in the course of one day, ten wasn't that many. However she counted the amount she ate during a day. And as it was, she didn't really eat apples too often before moving to Ponyville. In the town she grew up there wasn't an apple farm, so apples came either from other towns or a small harvest on the local farms grew on the side.

'Well it's a good thing you heal up quickly... even if it's not due to apples. This place looks pretty big. It would be bad to get behind in working.'

Even with the breeze she still felt warm. It was hard to think, let alone come up with anything to say. She hoped her silence wasn't off putting. After all she showed up at the farm, to then just be quiet seemed a bit rude. At least Big Macintosh seemed like the quiet type himself. Maybe he liked other ponies who didn't just rattle on all the time.

'Juice?' Oh yeah he was offering her a drink. She had dazed a little and almost completely spaced on that. 'Yeah, juice or cider, I don't mind. Whatever is easiest for you to get.' Normally she would have asked if he need help, but she felt dizzy, like her head was too heavy to hold up. So as the reached the house she just took a seat like he'd mentioned.

[FlankSteak]

Big Macintosh began gathering the things he needed to make the fresh apple juice. The apple juicer was already sitting on the porch, but the "crusher" piece was inside the house in the kitchen. He gather it up along with a large bag that held about 50 or so apples. He came back out onto the porch and dumped the bag of apples into the lower half of the juicer, which appeared to be just the bottom half of a barrel with a faucet sticking out of the side. The apples almost filled the entire space. Big Macintosh then placed the "crusher" on top of the apples.

"Just one more minute Ms. Wisp, have to get a pitcher and some glasses." Big Macintosh smile at Willow. He went back into the house and returned again with a tray holding a large pitcher and two glasses with straws. He placed the tray on the table next to Willow and then took the pitcher a placed it under the faucet on the apple juicer. He reared himself up and placed his front hooves on top of the juicer.

"Um... Sorry if this startles you Ms. Wisp, but I need to get a bit mean with these apple now." Big Macintosh said with a gentle smile. But that smile faded, and a face with sheer determination took its place. He shoved downward with great force, causing the porch to creak. The sound of apples being crushed turned into the sound of a mash being slopped around. Once the apples where pulverized, it was much easier to keep a good rhythm on the apple juicer. After about a minute, Big Macintosh stopped mashing. He got hopped off of the juicer, his hooves landing with a solid thud on the porch. He opened the faucet and a sparkling golden liquid flowed into the pitcher. Once the pitcher was filled, he turned off the faucet. Picking up the pitcher, he trotted over and filled the glasses, then placed the pitcher back onto the tray.

"There ya go... Ms. Wisp... fresh Sweet Apple Acres... apple juice." Big Macintosh said, out of breath. He then sat in the chair next to Willow and took a big long drink from his glass, almost emptying it. The cool apple juice refreshing him. "Now... What kind of apples are you looking to get?" He was still a little winded.

[WillowWisp]

Now she had to admit, it was quite the show of strength watching him smash the apples into juice. After all it had been a pretty big bag he'd dumped into the masher. And he didn't seem to have any trouble with it. Wisp probably would have seemed more impressed though if her head wasn't spinning.

"Wow," she blinked slowly. "That looks like it takes a lot of muscle. Then again with all the work you do on the farm here, I'm not surprised that you're strong."

There was hardly any enthusiasm in her tone though. In her mind it sounded much more excited and impressed. But what came out was just a flat and tired tone with no emotion in it at all.

"Thanks for the juice, it looks really good." And it was. The cool drink seemed to easy the heat she was feeling in her face, even if just a tiny bit. There was just something about homemade products that always tasted ten times as good as something bought from a market that had been shelved for awhile.

"Ah, this is nice," she smiled weakly. "Now... apples... well... I do tend to like tart things. Granny Smith apples are pretty good." She looked up for a moment and stared off in a daze for a bit. "Shoot it must be windy... look at those clouds dart around." Of course there were only a couple clouds in the sky and there was barely a breeze. Wisp was merely seeing doubles.

[FlankSteak]

""Well thank you Ms. Wisp, but are you sure you are feeling ok?" Big Macintosh asked her with concern. She hadn't seemed her regular self from the moment she arrived. As he watched her turn her attention to the clouds and comment on their movement. But the fact that their lack of movement tuned him into that she was not doing well at all.

"Umm... Ms. Wisp? Are you feeling well?" Big Macintosh said as he lend in closer. He pressed his forehead against hers'. He didn't mean anything by this, but just to check her condition. The fact that she felt quiet warm against his skin brought forth more concern within him.

""If you don't mind me saying Ms. Wisp, I think you should be home in bed. We can talk more in depth about apples another time. For now lets get you home." Big Macintosh got up from his seat and nudged his nose at Willow's shoulder for her to get up. Big Macintosh knew he was being a bit pushy, but he didn't feel right leaving Willow Wisp in this condition.