The Unknown Element

"So Song, why were you at the schoolhouse today?" Applejack asked.

"Well i finally got my mom to agree to let me tell everypony about were i actually come from." I said.

"That's great! Then we don't need to hide that from anypont any more?" she asked, looking excited about being able to tell the secret that she kept for all of these years.

"Eyup, we sure can. But to answer your question on why i was at the schoolhouse was because i told them about it, and also my little sis is know going to school now." I told her, then a question popped into my head. "Why were you there, isn't Apple Bloom out sick?"

"Well, uhh you see i saw you talking to Cheerilee yesterday and i wanted to know what about. So i decided i wrap up work early today to come to talk with Cheerilee and when i got there you were there." She looked away looking a little embarrassed. Then she looked back at me and asked "So your mom finally let your little sis move in with you, huh?"

"Yeah, and i was thinking that when Apple Bloom is feeling better i bring her over." I said.

"Well that be just great, and speaking of Apple Bloom i have to go check on her. See ya tomorrow?" She asked with what looked like a little bit of hope.

"Sure, i'll even get my sis to come over as well. That's if Apple Bloom doesn't have anything to contagious?" i looked at her waiting for an answer.

"Nah, she just has a touch of the flu. I'm sure she'll be better by mourning." She said while walking down a road that we found to be the quickest way from the schoolhouse back to Sweet Apple Acres.

"Okay, then i'll definitely bring her by.See ya tomorrow." I said walking in a different direction. I didn't live far from their farm, but still a nice little walk.

"Yeah, see ya." She said.

I stopped and turned my head to look at her walking away. Man she sure is cute, only if i had the courage to just at least ask her on one simple date. I mean i know how to sorta phrase it to where it doesn't sound like i'm asking her out, but still something inside of him was stopping himself from asking.

Later that day after finishing picking up some groceries i made my way back to my house. Unfortunately i bumped into Pinkie Pie, don't get me wrong i do like her and the amazing party's she throw's. Still she talks at like a million miles a minute and i had to get back to my house to check up on my sis, also had to get some of these groceries in my refrigerate before they spoiled.

"Listen Pinkie, i have to go put these groceries away." I said when i realized that she was going on about one of her long stories.

"Why didn't you say so? I mean wasting perfectly good food isn't good ya know." She said now looking for her next victim. Then she darts off somewhere else.

"Yeah thanks for the advice." I said under my breath.

"You'r welcome!" I leaped a good ten feet into the air. When i looked Pinkie was in a barrel right behind me.

"Stop doing that, you nearly scared me half to death." i told her trying to slow my heart.

"Oops, sorry didn't mean to scare you that bad, but man you jumped really high." She said laughing.

I finally got to my house, which was a nice little cottage on the outskirts of town. I walked in and put the groceries away, and then sat down with my back a little sore from having those groceries on for so long. That's when i heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." I said loud enough for the pony to hear. I looked as the door opened and saw who it was. "Pumpkin." Is all i said before i got tackled in a bear hug.

"I missed you, i mean i know you visited two weeks ago but that felt so long ago." Pumpkin said tightening her grip.She looked up and i saw some tears in her eye's, and i picked her up and gave her a comforting hug back. "Thank you." She said know falling asleep.

"Hey how about i take you to your room so you can go to bed. i already have something planned for us tomorrow." She looked up at me with tired eyes most likely from the long trip here, and it was late. She tried to say something but i stopped her and took her up to her room. "And don't worry i'll bring your stuff in, and we'll start to unpack after we get done with the plans i have okay." She nodded and pointed to a envelope that just appeared there.

"Mom told me to give that letter to you." She said yawning and then her head hit her pillow and she was fast asleep.

I grabbed the envelope and walked downstairs. I unpacked the carriage and paid the driver, gave him a nice little tip to. When i walked inside i went over to the envelope and opened it. My mom always wrote to me, and vice versa. It was the most easiest way for her to communicate with out her exposing herself. Which now that Celestia and her decided it was time to let the citizens of Equestria know about the kingdom i come from, that would not be a problem now. I started to read and felt the joy and happiness that i just had disappear.

The next day i woke up Pumpkin and told her to get ready. She of course being a kid wanted to know everything that i had planned. All i told her was we were going to hang out with one of my friends who also had a little sister about the same age. So we walked over to Sweet Apple Acre, me with a question weighing on my mind. How can i tell anypony, especially Applejack, that i would be leaving for a little while?

Of course this would be hard on Pumpkin to since she just got here last night, but my mom promised she will send another family member to watch her while i'm gone. That's if i didn't already have somepony in mind to take her in, which if i can talk to Applejack she might take her. From what i understand from the letter it seems that there's a dispute going on and my mom thinks i'm the only one who can resolve it, and she prefers not to get Pumpkin involved. Which i completely agree and why i need to talk to Applejack before i go in three days.

My family is great, but most of them are to stuck up and i rather not expose Pumpkin to that. I don't know how she did it but my mother managed to avoid exposing her to that kind of environment for all of these years. I mean i lived here since i was just a little colt, and Pumpkin grew up around those people. It wasn't until my second visit home that i discovered how stuck up a lot of my family was.

But now isn't the time for that, for it's time to start thinking about how i'm going to tell Applejack i'm leaving, and how am i going to convince her to take Pumpkin in while i'm gone? That's when i bumped into somepony.

"Oh, sorry, excuse me." i looked up not realizing that i was hanging my head down in thought, and saw that i had ran into Big Mac.

"No, problem. Why the long face?" He asked looking at me with strong and kind eyes.

"Just thinking, hey where's Applejack?" I asked trying to avoid telling him. Of course he just kept staring at me for a few seconds before he answered.

"She's back at the house." He answered turning around before saying something else. "Oh and try to be gentle when telling her, she does like you a lot, and this might hurt her ya know?" He said and then galloped off leaving me with a shocked expression. Did he just take a wild guess and got it right?

I started to get more nervous with Big Mac's word's in my head. Looking over i saw Pumpkin staring at me with concern, and before she could say anything i gave her a reassuring smile and just kept on walking. I could still feel her concern stare on me but i guess she knows not to pressure somepony when they obviously have a lot on their mind.

"Hello." I called as i knocked on the door. When the door opened we were meet with a smiling Applejack.

"Hey Song, and howd'y to you little miss. You must be Pumpkin, my your brother wasn't kidding when he told me that you'r just a little cutie." Applejack said getting a blush of embarrassment in response from Pumpkin. "Ah sucks i'm just messing with ya, but he has told us a lot about you. So shall we get started, i figured we start off with a picnic okay?" She looked at me for the answer.

"Yeah that sounds great." I said trying not to show anything on my face or in my eyes, but by the way Applejack looked at me she had caught on to something.

"Alright let me just go get Apple Bloom and the Picnic basket. Come on in and make yourself's comfortable." She said pointing to the living room.

Me and Pumpkin took a seat on one of the sofa's, Granny Smith taking one of her naps in her chair. We waited in silence listening to Granny snore. I know that Pumpkin knows that there is something wrong with me but she didn't want to push me, thus creating a very awkward silence.

"So Apple Bloom is the one you wanted me to make into a friend?" she asked.

"Yeah and i think you two will get along great, and you two have something in common." I said. She then looked at me with questioning eyes. "Your both blank flanks." i said trying not to sound mean about it. I know that she got bullied about it, and so did Apple Bloom, that's why i wanted to introduce them to each other.

"What really? Why didn't you tell me, i would have raced here." She said now very excited to meet Apple Bloom. Watching her get this excited brought a small smile to me, but i was still trying to figure out how i was going to break the news to everypony.

"Alright this looks like a good spot to set up our picnic. Song do you mind helping me get everything ready, girls you two can go and play, we'll call for you when its time to eat okay." Applejack said, and with that the two young filly's squealed and started to run around like they just got on a sugar rush.

It only took about twenty minutes to get everything ready, we called for the girls to come and eat. But there was still an awkward silence, not between me and my sister but between me and Applejack. For once again somepony knew something was wrong with me but didn't want to push it. After we eat i'll invite Applejack over to my place to talk to her in private, at least that's what i hope i do and not screw it up. Will she think it's a date, and if so i'm going to hurt her bad, but what if i just tell her that i just wanted to talk to her about something personal.

No that won't work, in fact i think that she'll definitely think i'm making a move on her. Wait a minute why am i thinking about this when i need to figure out how to tell her. Alright, i guess i should just ask her to come over.

"Hey you okay, you've barley touched your food?" Applejack asked which snapped me out of my thoughts. I look and realize that everypony else had already finished and my plate seemed untouched, except the one bite in the sunflower sandwich. The two young fillies were off playing, leaving me alone with Applejack.

"Well, uhh, i actually wanted to ask you something." i said feeling even more unconformable by the second, i look at Applejack who was waiting patiently for me to ask the question.

"Well, what do ya want to ask me?" She asked showing concern and something else i couldn't put my hove on.

"Okay, what i wanted to ask was well..." I took a deep breath before asking. "I was wondering, if you don't mind that is, if you could come over to my place tonight? Because there's something i really need to talk to you about." I look at her expecting her to yell at me, saying she never wanted to see me again, but instead she put one of her hooves onto mine and looked me in the eyes.

"Why can't we talk about it right now?" She asked showing more and more concern in not only her eyes but also in her face.

"It's just something i feel safer discussing in private." i look away pretending to see what our sisters were doing.

"Alright i'll be over before dusk. But if you want this to be a private conversation, then i think i can convince Granny to watch our sisters tonight. You know have them sleep over at my place." She said not taking her stare off of me.

When we proposed the idea of a sleepover at Applejack's the two fillies became very excited by the idea. I was now getting ready for when Applejack came over. This was really going to be hard, since Applejack had been my very first friend when i came to Ponyville, then there was a knock on the door, it was time.

"Hey Applejack come in." I said, and once again i was nervous but this time it wasn't because of how cute she was.

"You okay, i mean even now your acting nervous. If something is wrong you know you can tell me right?" She asked when i guess she saw my through me, oh what magic friendship can bring.

"I figured you could see through me, and yeah there is something wrong, but first do you mind if we have a drink first?" I asked, not only to stall but also to help calm my nerves.

"Why sure we can." She said getting off the couch and moved toward the kitchen. "Where do you put your drinks?"

"Oh, i'll get it. You just sit down and relax." i said running to the kitchen before she could respond. Thankful for the moment of alone time i know had to calm myself enough to even carry anything, then i remembered i have a horn and i just use my telekinesis to help carry the cider and glasses.

"What taking ya, i mean i'm not trying to rush you or anything." I heard Applejack call.

"I'm coming, just give me a few more seconds." I said now walking back to the living room. "Okay, here we go." I poured some cider into two glasses, now normally cider is good for pony's, but this was magic cider. Meaning that if your not careful you could lose half the night. Applejack tasted it and looked at me and smiled, then she waved her hoof to the seat next to her.

"I'm guessing that this is magic apple cider right?" She asked. I just give her a nod as i take a couple of sips. She put her glass down and looked at me and sighed. "Alright i know that there's something bugging you, and i don't think it's what i think it is. So why don't you just say it?"

"I knew you thought i had come onto you." i tried to say under my breath.

"So you don't like me, you don't even care how i feel about you is that it?" She asked angrily, the look on her face was one of both anger and hurt.

"Wait, what? That's not what's this is about." i replied trying to calm her down.

"Then what is it about, i mean you me over to your house, i let your sister have a sleep over at my house just so we could talk in private. What else could it.." She was trying to hold back the tears but was losing. I couldn't resist, but i wrapped my forelegs around her in a hug. Though she tried to fight it she eventually calmed down.

"Listen, i do like you. In matter of fact i like you a lot, but that's not the reason why i wanted to talk to you in private." I said and looked down to see she was staring at me with teary, and questioning eyes. I sighed knowing i know had to finish. "Like i said i do like you, but know that i admitted my feelings for you, what i have to say is even harder to say." I dropped the hug and looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry Applejack, but i'm moving back with my mom in three days,"