To Test This Apple For Her Worth (Closed: River)

[SteelEagle]

Snore, snore, snore.
“Huh wah...”

Apple Bloom's head rose from its comfortable pillow home with great reluctance, as ensconced as she was in the beautiful serenity that was the mid-morning rest on the weekend. She almost never had a day like this! While her friends could often spend their weekends rising late and going to bed late, Apple Bloom was up at dawn and often readying for bed before the last rays of light vanished over the horizon. That was the life of a country filly though. She did chores before school and after school, and on the weekends that schedule rarely got easier. She couldn't complain though. It wasn't anything like what Applejack and Big Mac had to go through. They put their back to labor for so long that if they were anything less than Apples to the core they'd be struck silly by it all. That was what made the Apples the best family of all time. They were were willing to work hard and work long, and the included on the weekend.

Except today, apparently. Apple Bloom had asked her big sis last night what was the plan for today, if Apple Bloom had any chores on the docket. Applejack was mum on it, even said Apple Bloom could rest in! Well, color Apple Bloom purple, this was the best news she'd received in the last week. Of course that news was a lot bigger- she'd gotten her cutie mark! And she'd walked around with her flank displayed prominently as a result for a while, until Granny Smith told her it was indecent and such. And now she had her first weekend with her cutie mark, and her first mid morning rest with her cutie mark, and she even got new sheets- probably because she finally did her laundry, but new sheets with a new cutie mark anyway!

And so she had rested. And then rested some more when the crows croaked she had woken briefly out of habit, but made sure to go back to bed. But as the light shot through her blinds a little later, she found herself unable to resist. So her head rose from her pillow, a small and thin line of drool on her pillow as she snuggled it close out of habit and joy. She blinked several times and finally her head rose once more, followed by her sliming her way out of bed, the last thing out of her bed her back left hoof which had gotten caught up in covers for some reason. She walked slowly and contently into the bathroom, where she freshened herself up some. Some ten or fifteen minutes later she found her way downstairs, bow in hair, bright eyed and bushy tailed from her nice, long rest.

She yawned, looking around. Now where was her sister at?
“Applejack?” in the living room.
“Applejack?” in the kitchen.
“Applejack?” in the barn.
“Applejack?!” in the trees.

Where was that silly pony?

[Hippo]

If one looked down the road from the orchard towards Ponyville, they would hear the faint sound of a cow bell,  rhythmically ringing although sometimes missing a beat, to the rumble of the ground beneath it.  The wooden wheels of a cart ambiance around it, and pulling it was a strong earth pony mare.  The cart was a cage, for protection from outside or in depended on what was inside.  In this case, it was a lonely-looking young bovine calf, who wore brown spots that were faded and undeveloped.  The cow bell she wore looked uncomfortable, as the expression on the calf's face illustrated.  She did not look all too happy, but she had nothing to fear.

Applejack could hear her name being called by her sister.  She was looking for her.  "Ah'm over here!"  Applejack approached the large door side of the barn, slowed to a stop, and ungirthed herself from the pull cart.  "Look here at our newest visitor to the farm."  Applejack's eyes softened as she stuck her head towards the little cow.  "Isn't she just adorable?"

[SteelEagle]

It didn't take too much longer to find her big sister. Well, it normally didn't take this long at all but who was counting? You could normally find her pre-dawn to post-dusk working the fields. Today seemed a bit different, and that made Apple Bloom all the more excited about the prospects of another great Sweet Apple Acres day. The air of mystery around what she was doing today may only have existed with Apple Bloom- she doubted any of her friends would have been this curious about the slight adjustment of a daily routine- but it existed all the same, and she was beyond excited to see what was in store! Applejack was never quite not mum about what the day was to be used for. The fact she didn't say anything about today? Apple Bloom loved herself some good mysteries.

She trotted on over, waving to her cart using, cage deploying big sister. Ooh, what was in the cage? It could be just about anything. Maybe she had captured a wild manticore and they were going to house train it to protect the house. Maybe it was a cockatrice and they were going to use it to stop the foxes from taking chickens. Or maybe she had captured some devilish rustler looking to rob the orchard, steal cattle, and sweep a little young mare off of her hooves- she blushed, well, maybe not in a cage then. Oh, a timberwolf maybe? If they could capture one and learn how they thought maybe the Apples could figure out a way to get them to stop harassing the ponyfolk when they wandered into the Everfree. As she approached she got more and more excited, especially as Applejack spoke.

Well, it was better than all that. There was a cute little calf in there! She didn't look none too pleased but heck, she'd learn to be soon enough. All cows loved the Apples! They had lots of cows, and this one would find lots of companions and make lots of friends. "Awww, she is super pretty! What's her name? Where'd you get 'er?" She asked, two hooves on the cage and head sticking through the bars. "Howdy thar little one! Mah name's Apple Bloom, an' Ah'm gonna be yer friend!" 

[Hippo]

Applejack unlocked the gate on the cart, put a generous leash on the calf and gently guided her off the back end of the cart, where she would finally touch hooves with the greatest apple orchard in Equestria.  "Her name, is Arizona.  A ranch out west had a good runnin' relationship with some of the cow communities out there.  This one, they said, they had an issue with.  She kept wanting to fight other calves and other small animals needlessly.  They love her to pieces, but thought she could use a change of environment.  So, I volunteered and brought her here!  She'll probably go back to her family when she gets out of this phase.  We wouldn't want her to lose touch with her family.  But until then, she is going to get in touch with ours!  Aren't ya 'Zona?"  Applejack shouted praise of her lifestyle, but recognized the calf had a life of her own to live, and the Apple family was going to help her in any way they could, whether Arizona knew it now or not.  The calf looked worried, and did not verbally respond.  There was a lack of evidence if she could even speak at all.  But then she looked at Apple Bloom, and the yellow filly made her smile.  "Aw, look at that.  Youngins identifying with each other."  Applejack exhaled positively.  "The future really does belong to the young."

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom followed the little cow's movements, when she tilted her head, Apple Bloom followed suit. She sure was a pretty little thing! Why, she musta been the prettiest calf she ever saw. She didn't see too many though because she still wasn't working much with the cows at Sweet Apple Acres, but still, she was awfully pretty. And she had good muscles too! Not any of that flabby weak stuff she thought she'd see. This calf could probably buck herself an apple tree already, not that she would be expected to do so. But maybe she...nah, Applejack wouldn't want that. Probably. It would be pretty fun though, wouldn't it?

As she looked at the calf, Applejack spoke. So her name was Arizona? Well, that was a bit of a weird name for a cow but Apple Bloom wasn't a cow-naming expert, so how what would she know? She was a fighter, right? Well, that was good. They needed fightin' types here to protect the herd from some of the more vicious members of their extended family in the Everfree. A bit sad that she was being sent away from home to play here for a bit and learn the ways of the world, but heck, if you;re being sent away from your home then you may as well be sent to the best place in Equestria.

"Awww, well, Ah think that Arizona is awfully nice name! An' look, she's even smilin' right at me! Ain't that right girl? You wanna play?" Apple Bloom asked, eager face still pressed against the holding area. Arizona mooooed her heart out and stomped impatiently in place, tail twitching- she sure seemed to like that idea!