Post by mannulus on Mar 17, 2020 9:23:45 GMT -5
It was Market Day in Ponyville and the Mane 6 were out wandering around while giving a hand to the Apples with their buying.
“Thank ye kindly, y’all” said Granny “It jest seems to get harder and harder each time to carry all that we need.”
“No problem”, said Twilight, “glad to help” with the others chorusing the same.
“Top of the mornin’ granny.” Said a voice from one of the stalls they were walking by. Granny froze, then turned her head her eyes widening with recognition.
“JOHNNY!?”
“The very same” said the pony who was an elderly dark green earth pony with a grey mane and a purple and yellow flower for a mark, wearing a tweed cap.
“Why you old buzzard, How the heck are ye!”
“Oh, tol’able tol’able, I see the years have been kind to you too, mahair.”
“Can’t complain. But where have you been? I haven’t seen you for ages!”
“Oh, around, around. Decided it was high time to try and get back into the business while I still have the strength.”
At this point, Twilight interrupted. “Hi, I’m Twilight. And you are?”
Granny’s eyes widened
“Y’all don’t recognize him! Why I though everyone knew….but oh yeah, I’m think of twenty odd years ago. This is Johnny Jump-Up, one of the best cider makers in the business. Probably the best, after us.”
Johnny’s eyes narrowed “I’d say we were pretty much on the level.”
“Ah don’t be like that. I may have forgiven you but that ain’t meant I’ve forgot when you said that that our cider business wouldn’t last long.
“The Pony of Shadows I did! I just said you made the best cider, for now.”
“There you said it again, threatening our cider!”
“Nah Nah, you misinterpreted. Your cider is indeed a rare and fine thing, but it doesn’t have the keeping. It’s “cider for now”.
“Well, I can’t argue that point.”
“Whereas mine is “cider for later”, mine is long cider
“Twilight nudged AJ” “Long cider?”
“Hard cider. From what Granny tells me, Johnny here makes the best hard stuff in all of Equestria. Even better than what comes out of Copper Kettle’s Pa’s workings.”
Rainbow Dash heard this and said “This I gotta try”
Johnny, must have heard her, cause he smiled gave a wink and filled a mug out of the barrel behind him, passing it to Dash. “Better go slow, since you aren’t used to…..” But by this point Dash had already drained the mug.”
“Hmm, not bad but I still think Granny’s is……..” Suddenly Rainbow Dash’s eyes crossed and she keeled over backwards.
“Heh, happens every time with the new ones.” Said Johnny with a wink.
At this point a familiar voice came into call
“Okay I got the cheese you wanted,,, Is there anything else you need”
AJ turned. “Bindweed, what the heck are you doin’ here.”
“Helping me out, naturally.” said Johnny
“Naturally, what y’all mean?” She turned to Bindweed “Did Cornpatch fire you.”
“No of course not”
“Then why are you here helping out Johnny”
Johnny piped up “And why should a son not be givin’ his father a hand?”
Applejacks eyes went wide “Johnny here is your FATHER?”
“Uh, yeah” said Bindweed a little embarrassed
“But I thought you said your dad’s name was Heartsease?”
“I was, back in the old country. He changed it when he came over here to what you people call it. Jonny Jump-Up, Heartsease, it’s the same flower.”
“Oh, So THIS is that Young Filly you were telling me about!”
“DA” Said Bindweed rolling his eyes a little and for a second developing a trace of his father’s brogue.
“Your SON!” Said Granny “So your son and my granddaughter…”
“Apparently it seems so” said Johnny with a sigh. “Well, I can of a lot worse families he could have chosen.” he said with a little wink
“And I can’t think of a better one.” said Granny.
“This is really OUR business” said AJ and Bindweed almost in chorus.
At this point, Rainbow Dash made a groan and opened her eyes.
“Now THAT’S cider.” She groggily turned her head to Granny “Why don’t YOU make something with that kind of kick.”
“Well, said Granny shuffling her hooves a little. The fact is, I don’t know how. I cam make sweet cider no problem, but the moment I try and let it sit, it turns foul. That’s WHY I had AJ take lessons with Copper Still, I hoped HE could teach her.”
“Now why didnya ask me?” Said Johnny a little affronted.
“You weren’t around, ya dummy!” snapped back Granny
“Well this has got to be corrected. Ain’t no potential daughter in law o’ mine not going to know the ruin na ceirde .”
“Don’t you want to keep that in the family?” said AJ
Johnny sighed. I’m, getting old, better someone know it than no one. Besides,” he gave another little leer “it sound to me like it IS staying in the family. Some come over tomorrow with a load of apples and I’ll be showing ya how it’s done. Bring your friends too.”
“The, Thank you” said Applejack flustered, then she said “wait, where DO you live.”
“Oh,” said Bindweed, Pippin Hollow”.
“Right,” said Johhny he turned to Bindweed “Gather up the pots and the old tin can m’boy, we’ve got cider to make.”
The next day the Mane 6 arrived. In a lot of ways Pippin Hollow looked a lot like Sweet Apple Acres. There were apple trees all over the place. Though, unlike those at SAA, these were gnarled and twisted Applejack gave one a knock with her hoof “I ain’t sure, but I think these trees are on their own original roots; they ain’t never been grafted. These things is OLD.”
“Does that make a difference?” said Twilight.
“Just that it would have taken a LOT longer to get them to fruit. It’s just odd is all.” She paused a second “Actually this whole thing is a little odd, The amount of apples Bindweed told be to bring ain’t HALF of what ah’d usually use for a batch of cider.
“Guess were gonna use some of these then as well.”
“Got it in one” said Johnny who came through an opening between two of the trees followed by Bindweed both lugging carts with baskets, a cider press, and barrels. “So the first thing we have to do is get some of these beauties down.
“Not a problem” said AJ raring up to do an applebuck.
“Careful, careful” said Bindweed, “Like you guessed these trees are old. Kick em’ too hard and you might snap them off.”
“Raht” said AJ and gave the tree near her a more moderate tap. Apples rained down and the rest of the Mane 6 gathered them up and put them in the basket. Rainbow Dash took a bite out of one, and made a face.
“Ugh” these apples taste HORRIBLE.
“Well” Said Johnny, real cider apples usually do fresh.”
“You use bad tasting apples in your cider ON PURPOSE?” Said AJ
Johnny nodded. “As you might have guess this isn’t like your granny’s cider. If you be makin’ “cider for now”, it’s fine to use just the sweetest apples. But long cider be much more complex. Things change a LOT in the barrel. Long cider is sorta like the world, it needs all types, INCUDING the sour and the bitter.”
“Thank ye kindly, y’all” said Granny “It jest seems to get harder and harder each time to carry all that we need.”
“No problem”, said Twilight, “glad to help” with the others chorusing the same.
“Top of the mornin’ granny.” Said a voice from one of the stalls they were walking by. Granny froze, then turned her head her eyes widening with recognition.
“JOHNNY!?”
“The very same” said the pony who was an elderly dark green earth pony with a grey mane and a purple and yellow flower for a mark, wearing a tweed cap.
“Why you old buzzard, How the heck are ye!”
“Oh, tol’able tol’able, I see the years have been kind to you too, mahair.”
“Can’t complain. But where have you been? I haven’t seen you for ages!”
“Oh, around, around. Decided it was high time to try and get back into the business while I still have the strength.”
At this point, Twilight interrupted. “Hi, I’m Twilight. And you are?”
Granny’s eyes widened
“Y’all don’t recognize him! Why I though everyone knew….but oh yeah, I’m think of twenty odd years ago. This is Johnny Jump-Up, one of the best cider makers in the business. Probably the best, after us.”
Johnny’s eyes narrowed “I’d say we were pretty much on the level.”
“Ah don’t be like that. I may have forgiven you but that ain’t meant I’ve forgot when you said that that our cider business wouldn’t last long.
“The Pony of Shadows I did! I just said you made the best cider, for now.”
“There you said it again, threatening our cider!”
“Nah Nah, you misinterpreted. Your cider is indeed a rare and fine thing, but it doesn’t have the keeping. It’s “cider for now”.
“Well, I can’t argue that point.”
“Whereas mine is “cider for later”, mine is long cider
“Twilight nudged AJ” “Long cider?”
“Hard cider. From what Granny tells me, Johnny here makes the best hard stuff in all of Equestria. Even better than what comes out of Copper Kettle’s Pa’s workings.”
Rainbow Dash heard this and said “This I gotta try”
Johnny, must have heard her, cause he smiled gave a wink and filled a mug out of the barrel behind him, passing it to Dash. “Better go slow, since you aren’t used to…..” But by this point Dash had already drained the mug.”
“Hmm, not bad but I still think Granny’s is……..” Suddenly Rainbow Dash’s eyes crossed and she keeled over backwards.
“Heh, happens every time with the new ones.” Said Johnny with a wink.
At this point a familiar voice came into call
“Okay I got the cheese you wanted,,, Is there anything else you need”
AJ turned. “Bindweed, what the heck are you doin’ here.”
“Helping me out, naturally.” said Johnny
“Naturally, what y’all mean?” She turned to Bindweed “Did Cornpatch fire you.”
“No of course not”
“Then why are you here helping out Johnny”
Johnny piped up “And why should a son not be givin’ his father a hand?”
Applejacks eyes went wide “Johnny here is your FATHER?”
“Uh, yeah” said Bindweed a little embarrassed
“But I thought you said your dad’s name was Heartsease?”
“I was, back in the old country. He changed it when he came over here to what you people call it. Jonny Jump-Up, Heartsease, it’s the same flower.”
“Oh, So THIS is that Young Filly you were telling me about!”
“DA” Said Bindweed rolling his eyes a little and for a second developing a trace of his father’s brogue.
“Your SON!” Said Granny “So your son and my granddaughter…”
“Apparently it seems so” said Johnny with a sigh. “Well, I can of a lot worse families he could have chosen.” he said with a little wink
“And I can’t think of a better one.” said Granny.
“This is really OUR business” said AJ and Bindweed almost in chorus.
At this point, Rainbow Dash made a groan and opened her eyes.
“Now THAT’S cider.” She groggily turned her head to Granny “Why don’t YOU make something with that kind of kick.”
“Well, said Granny shuffling her hooves a little. The fact is, I don’t know how. I cam make sweet cider no problem, but the moment I try and let it sit, it turns foul. That’s WHY I had AJ take lessons with Copper Still, I hoped HE could teach her.”
“Now why didnya ask me?” Said Johnny a little affronted.
“You weren’t around, ya dummy!” snapped back Granny
“Well this has got to be corrected. Ain’t no potential daughter in law o’ mine not going to know the ruin na ceirde .”
“Don’t you want to keep that in the family?” said AJ
Johnny sighed. I’m, getting old, better someone know it than no one. Besides,” he gave another little leer “it sound to me like it IS staying in the family. Some come over tomorrow with a load of apples and I’ll be showing ya how it’s done. Bring your friends too.”
“The, Thank you” said Applejack flustered, then she said “wait, where DO you live.”
“Oh,” said Bindweed, Pippin Hollow”.
“Right,” said Johhny he turned to Bindweed “Gather up the pots and the old tin can m’boy, we’ve got cider to make.”
The next day the Mane 6 arrived. In a lot of ways Pippin Hollow looked a lot like Sweet Apple Acres. There were apple trees all over the place. Though, unlike those at SAA, these were gnarled and twisted Applejack gave one a knock with her hoof “I ain’t sure, but I think these trees are on their own original roots; they ain’t never been grafted. These things is OLD.”
“Does that make a difference?” said Twilight.
“Just that it would have taken a LOT longer to get them to fruit. It’s just odd is all.” She paused a second “Actually this whole thing is a little odd, The amount of apples Bindweed told be to bring ain’t HALF of what ah’d usually use for a batch of cider.
“Guess were gonna use some of these then as well.”
“Got it in one” said Johnny who came through an opening between two of the trees followed by Bindweed both lugging carts with baskets, a cider press, and barrels. “So the first thing we have to do is get some of these beauties down.
“Not a problem” said AJ raring up to do an applebuck.
“Careful, careful” said Bindweed, “Like you guessed these trees are old. Kick em’ too hard and you might snap them off.”
“Raht” said AJ and gave the tree near her a more moderate tap. Apples rained down and the rest of the Mane 6 gathered them up and put them in the basket. Rainbow Dash took a bite out of one, and made a face.
“Ugh” these apples taste HORRIBLE.
“Well” Said Johnny, real cider apples usually do fresh.”
“You use bad tasting apples in your cider ON PURPOSE?” Said AJ
Johnny nodded. “As you might have guess this isn’t like your granny’s cider. If you be makin’ “cider for now”, it’s fine to use just the sweetest apples. But long cider be much more complex. Things change a LOT in the barrel. Long cider is sorta like the world, it needs all types, INCUDING the sour and the bitter.”