014 Bushels ❦ [Action for Mahogany]

[buckyouup]

[Applejack has been quiet for the last few days. Hardly in the mood to talk, the southerner has been taking advantage of the warmer weather to get in some training. Never wanting to sit still, she takes every opportunity to run or fight or do something, but outside of her pokemon, she insists on being alone. She has to keep herself busy. So she doesn't think. So she isn't reminded.

One year. One whole year. And that's just the time she remembers. That's not counting the time she's been here before. She hasn't seen her family, her home, her orchard, in a year. She knows that time works strange here, that for her, time isn't moving back home, but that doesn't quite translate to her emotions. To her, she's spent a whole year of her life chasing strange animals while her family and her farm is without her. Stuck in some strange land, located who knows how far away from home. If she was never brought here, what would she have experienced at home? Would this year's haul be a good one? Did Apple Bloom get her cutie mark? She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think at all.

If you happen to be wandering in a secluded part of town, you may notice Applejack training. She may be running laps, or doing sit-ups, or training her pokemon, but one thing is instantly noticeable: she looks like shit. Her clothes are torn and her body is dirty and covered in scrapes and bruises. She looks like she hasn't slept in days. She doesn't want to. She dreams of home.]

Comments

[buckyouup]

Y'can't run an' jump in a hotel room, Sugarcube. Can't train your pokemon, neither. I can't stand bein' cooped up any longer.

[In this world.]

[foolishwren]

Relax.

I'm not telling you to go back to your hotel room. Sheesh.

<sub>[What do you think Heather is, AJ? A square? She's been here before. She's been here so many times.]

[She turns and beckons offhandedly.]</sub>

C'mon, follow me.

[sitdownbecider]

[She goes to take a step, but wobbles again. Damn these stupid human legs. If she had four legs, this wouldn't be a problem. Except it probably would.]

An' where exactly are you takin' me?

[foolishwren]

You'll see.

<sub>[DUN DUN DUN. Except no, it's not that ominous, because she's saying it with an impatient huff and rolled eyes rather than a serial killer grin.]

[But she does slow down, looking over her shoulder... and, without a word, cracks open another Pokeball. This time, it's a chubby, sleepy-looking Croconaw that appears. He blinks a few times before catching sight of AJ... but once he does, he immediately falls to all fours and nudges up to her side. ONE WALKING ARMREST, COMING RIGHT UP.]</sub>

[sitdownbecider]

H-hey!

[She tries to push the chubby croc away, but her arms are like limp noodles.]

I don't need any help.

[foolishwren]

Aw, let 'im. If you refuse, he's gonna eat cookies and watch soaps with tears in his eyes for like a week.

_{[And if AJ doesn't believe it, the giant sad red eyes looking up at her will probably confirm it. GODZILLA HAS DELICATE FEELINGS, OKAY?]}

[sitdownbecider]

[Oh man. How can she say "no" to those eyes? With a sigh, she relents.]

Alright, but let me do the walkin'.

[foolishwren]

It's a deal.

<sub>[She sets off again, a little slower than she normally would-- and Zilla plods along behind, faithfully letting Applejack lean on him as they go.]

[It's not too terribly long before they arrive at a country-club-ish building. There's barely anyone visible through the windows, but they're lit which would indicate that it's still open.]</sub>

Here. This place has a little gym area for working out. S'mostly old people and their Pokemon on treadmills, but it's got lights and heat, increasing your chances of not dying from exposure or falling and hitting your head on something in the dark by like... sixty percent.

[sitdownbecider]

Huh. I've never heard of this place. I reckon it would be nice t'work somewhere it ain't so cold.

[foolishwren]

I try to make a habit these days of finding places like this when I get to a new town.

Some nights you just need to beat the hell out of something that isn't gonna hit back, and a legally-provided punching bag is a healthier alternative than some of the other stuff I've tried that on.

_{[Like a brick wall. Her knuckles still have the scars.]}

[sitdownbecider]

[That's alright. You should see what AJ's feet looked like after she first tried bucking trees as a human. It's a miracle she didn't break her legs.]

Now that's an idea I can get behind.

[foolishwren]

C'mon.

The weirdly-fit grandmas won't care that you look like a hobo.

<sub>[Seriously AJ you need a shower and sleep BUT HEATHER WILL HUMOR YOU FOR NOW.]

[She troops right on inside. The place is more or less completely dead aside from some night staff and an office Meowth asleep by the potted plant in the lobby.]</sub>

[sitdownbecider]

What's that supposed to--

[She looks down at her clothes. Oh. Yeah. Maybe she should do something about that.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[YEAH. MAYBE.]

[But who gives a crap when you're working out. Heather just heads right into the gym area. It's no dojo but there's some weights and stationary bikes and the like.]</sub>

Much better than working out in some cold alley, right?

[sitdownbecider]

It ain't quite as private, but I reckon it's pretty nice.

[foolishwren]

Yeah, there is that.

But hey, at this time of night, it might as well be.

_{[There's a couple of insomniacs on the treadmills watching their little embedded TV screens and minding their own business, but other than that, the place is empty.]}

[sitdownbecider]

I suppose.

[She eyes the treadmill wearily. Well... she should probably just... drag herself over to that and get back to work.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Heather watches. She's FULLY aware that Applejack is practically dead on her feet. But she's also pretty sure that trying to talk sense into her isn't gonna work.]

[So if AJ tries to get on one of the treadmills, Heather won't stop her. Instead, she goes and hops onto one herself.]</sub>

Hey.

Watch this.

_{[She sets it to the highest speed.]}

[sitdownbecider]

Careful now! You'll hurt yourself!

[foolishwren]

Pfft. Watch the master and learn.

<sub>[... Yeah this will end well.]

[She clamps both hands down on the rails and then moves her feet onto the track. ... Or, well, a couple inches above the track. She proceeds to pump her legs as if she's actually running as it whizzes underneath her.]</sub>

YEAH, haha! WOO!

[buckyouup]

[Yeeeeah. That whole "you're going to hurt yourself" thing still stands. Just going to watch you with a confused look.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Aw AJ, she's trying to cheer you up!]

[She grins big.]</sub>

Dare me to actually try running on it?

[buckyouup]

I ain't sure I'm in any condition t'drag you to the hospital.

[foolishwren]

Oh, PFFT.

Like that'd even be necessary.

<sub>[SHE'S GONNA DO IT.]

[--SHE'S DOING IT!]

[SHE'S RUNNING!]

[SHE'S KEEPING UP-- NO SHE'S NOT.]

[thud.]</sub>

Ow.

[buckyouup]

[AJ stumbles forward to try and help Heather up.]

Told y'so.