Chapter 2. Rarity, Scars, Paint. (Rewritten)

Edited by Alternivity

Chapter 2. Rarity, Scars, Paint.

Celestia's sun was slowly beginning to rise over the land as the sleepy ponies below began to start their day.
Applejack heard the rooster crow, waking her from her sweet slumber, "I need a vacation."

She got out of her bed as she made her way towards her bathroom. Aj looked into the mirror and notice the crows feet under her eye lids. "A nice shower should wake me right up."

Once she finished her shower she walked out into her room and walked over to her mirror as she grabbed the brush off the table to brush her mane.

As she brushed her mane she noticed Matt was standing outside of the barn with the tray she had given him last night on the ground next to him. "He's up already?" She looked towards her clock and noticed it was 6:23.

Applejack sighed as she looked back into the mirror, "Rarity won't be up for another few hours. Might as well get some work done."

She placed her brush down on her table as she made her way out of her room.

She grabbed two apples from the basket sitting on the table near the door "This should hold us over till Big Mac cooks breakfast."

She made her way outside an made her way over towards Matt, "Mornin'! I brought ya somethin' ta hold ya till Big Mac gets up and starts cooking," she said, tossing the apple towards Matt.

Matt caught the apple in his hand, "Thank you Miss Aj."

"Ya can just call me Aj. Now, If ya'd follow me, I'll show ya what we need ta do today," she said starting to walked down the path way.

Applejack walked up to the tree and gave it a buck, knocking all the apples off the tree and into the baskets below.

"Ah'll buck the trees and ya just take the baskets over to the wagon and load 'em up," she said walking over to another tree and doing the same as before.

Matt did as he was told and picked up the baskets and placed them on the wagon.

Noon came along and Matt finished putting the last of the baskets on the wagon.

"The last of the baskets are on the wagon, Miss Aj," Matt said as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Wonder why Big Mac hasn't come by ta tell us our breakfast is done?" Aj asked out loud as she made her way towards the wagon, "Guess we'll find out when we drop off this wagon at the barn."

"If you want, I can pull the wagon."

"No, Ah'm fine with pulling the wagon, she said as she hooked herself up to the wagon and began to pull.

Matt noticed she was having a hard time pulling the heavy wagon, "Here, Let me help you." He offered, getting behind the wagon as he gave a push making it easier for Aj to pull.

"Thank ya kindly, Matt."

They parked the wagon in front of the barn.

"We'll unload these later, Ah'm goin' to go see what's takin' Big Mac so long with breakfast," she looked up towards the sky, "or Ah should say lunch."

She made her way toward her home as Matt opened the back of the wagon. He opened the barn door and began to unload the wagon.

Applejack walked into her home to see Big Mac in the kitchen cooking lunch and not breakfast.

"Mind tellin' me why ya didn't come get me when breakfast was done?" She asked glaring at her brother.

"Sorry, Ah completely forgot." He said looking at his sister "I'm making lunch to make up for breakfast."

"Alright, Well, Ya can forget about making me and Matt lunch, I'm gonna take Matt in ta town to get him some cloth's, We'll get some lunch while we're out."

"Thank you! I have no clue what i'm doing!" Big Mac said turning off the stove and dumping the burnt food into the trash.

She chuckled "I'll bring ya back something."

"Thank you!"

She chuckled again as she left her brother to clean up his mess.

She walked out the door to see Matt closing the wagon and saw it completely emptied, "Did he just unload that whole wagon by himself!? That was fast!" she noticed Matt look at her which made her quickly clear her mind as she walked over towards him "Ya didn't have ta unload the wagon, ya could have taken a break."

"I thought it would be wise to get them inside so we wouldn't have to do it later," he said.

"Well, Glad ya did. Now, I'm gonna take ya into town to get ya some new clothes."

"Like I said before, You don't need to get me clothes. I'm happy with what I have," he said, trying to avoid going into town.

"Now, yer gonna need some clothes that don't have holes in them," she said, getting behind Matt and giving him a push, "If Ah have ta push ya all the way there then so be it."

"Alright, I'll go," he said, taking a step forward. Applejack smiled as she walked along side him.

Rarity was humming as she moved along the room pulling out different color fabric as she started to create a new dress.

But her creativity would have to wait as she heard a knock at her door "B-But I'm not even done!" She yelled in her mind as she looked toward the door "Whoever is knocking better have something important to say or I'll destroy them!"

She quickly looked herself over in the mirror to make sure she wasn't a mess and made her way towards her door.

Applejack stood just outside Rarity's Boutique.

"Yer gonna like the clothes Rarity makes," Aj said, looking at Matt.

The door opened and Rarity stood with a smile on her face "Applejack! What do I owe the honor of this visit?" She asked as she notice the human next to her.

"Ah came ta ask ya a favor." She said "Ya see, Matt here need's a new set of clothes and Ah thought ya could help out."

"But if you are to busy you don't have to worry about it." Matt said making Aj look at Matt.

"Why does he not want a new set of clothes?" She thought.

"I'm in the middle of making a new dress... But! It's been a while since I've made an outfit for a human! I'll just need to take a few measurements and get my old human measure out," she said walking back into her home as her mind was flood with new idea's of clothes for Matt.

Aj stepped inside and saw fabric all over the floor and her friend pulling out more fabric, "Okay dear, If you would please stand on this and take off your shirt."

Matt slowly backed toward the door "Um... C-Can I keep my shirt on?"

"I'm going to make sure my measurements are correct," She said noticing how close he was to the door,"now, If you are worried about Aj here looking, I'll have her turn around."

"T-That's not the problem," he said trying not to look at the mare.

Matt felt strange as he looked at his body to see it encased a light blue aura. He felt himself lift into the air and land on the platform Rarity wanted him to stand on "Now, If you would be so kind to remove your shirt, We can get started."

"Can I please keep my shirt on?" he asked as he kept looking at the floor.

Applejack notice his eyes were blood shot as he stared at the floor, "He look's like he's about ta cry... But why?" she thought, "Rarity, why don't ya just do what ya'd normally do, but with his shirt on?" Aj said looking at her friend, who looked at Matt, who was still looking at the floor. This made Rarity notice his blood shot eyes "Oh... Well, you can keep your shirt on, I'll just try my best to make sure I have everything correct." She said as she got to work.

As Rarity moved along Matt's side she noticed one of the tears in his clothes and that's when she saw a very long scar running across his skin, "That's why he didn't want his shirt off... He's been abused!"

When Rarity finished her measurements she wrote them down in her book, "Aj... Do you mind if I talk to you in private for a moment?"

"Sure," the two stepped into the back room as Rarity closed the door.

"First thing's first, when did you buy a human?" Rarity asked as she walked over toward's her fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Ah didn't buy a human! Mah cousin Braeburn bought him and gave him to me as a gift." She said "The only reason Ah took him is so Ah can set him free."

"You plan on setting him free? I'm glad to hear it! It's about time somepony did some good for these humans!" Rarity said with a smile. This surprised Applejack as she thought her friend wouldn't agree with her, "Now, There's another reason why I brought you in here is because I notice a long scar across Matt's side, I didn't get a good look at it, but it looks like a whip mark."

"How do ya know it looks like a whip mark?" Aj asked, curious as to how Rarity would know this.

"I've made a few clothes for some human's before and I've notice the marking's on their backs. Me being who I am told the authorities and they said they would handle it," she said taking a sip of her water.

"And what do ya want me ta do about it?" Aj asked.

"Nothing, Whoever owned him before must have hit him. You might want to get him to open up and tell you about his marks."

Then it hit her, Matt didn't want Rarity to remove his shirt. But, if it was just one scar he would make up a lie, "He must be hidin' more scar's on his back!" Applejack sighed, "Rarity, can ya also make him some pj's?"

"Of course darling! I'll make him a whole set!" she said with a smile, "Oh the ideas!"

"Thank ya Rarity," Aj said with a smile, "I'm glad Ah have such good friend's."

"It's no problem! I'll have some clothes ready for him around nine tonight, I'll even bring them by myself," she said.

"Ya don't have ta do that."

"But I do!" she said as she started walking toward the door, "Oh, Matt! Do you like the color red!?"

Aj chuckled as she walked back into the room as she watched Rarity pulled out different colors for Matt to pick out. She noticed his normally straight face curl into a smile, "First time I've seen him smile since he's been here."

"I have to say, You know a lot about what colors you want."

"In my spare time I paint," Matt said. "My last owner loved my painting's and would ask me to paint her."

"I see, and do you enjoy painting?"

"Yes, I enjoy it very much."

"Since we're out, we'll have ta pick up a paint sent," Aj said jumping in.

"You don't have to do that, Miss Aj." He said. She notice the smile on his face fade as he looked at her, "Wonder why he stopped smiling?"

"I have an old paint set up stairs! Only thing it needs is some paint," Rarity said putting the fabric down, "I'll go get it and give it to you as a gift."

"You don't have to do that," Matt said.

"But I do darling!" she said, leaving the two alone.

"When we're done here, we'll pick up some paint," Aj said, taking a seat next to Matt.

"You don-" Matt was cut off by Aj's hoof as it touched his lips.

"Yer gonna have ta stop that," Aj said removing her hoof, "I'm tryin' ta make ya happy while yer here, if ya need paint for this paint set then we'll pick some up, if ya need clothes we'll get ya clothes, if ya need a book, we'll go see Twilight since she runs the library an' that," she said, giving Matt a smile. "Ya don't need ta worry about being yelled at or told we spent bit's on ya so ya have to do as ah say, just enjoy ya time here."

"Thank you Miss Aj," Matt said giving her a small smile.

"And ya gotta stop calling me Miss, Ah sound like an old mare," she said, cracking a smile.

"I'll try Aj."

"There ya go!"

"Alright! I've got the paint set!" Rarity came down the stairs with a big box, "It's been so long since I've seen this old thing, I hope you'll enjoy it," she said, giving the box to Matt.

Matt opened the box and looked inside to see all the paint brushes and a few blank canvases and an easel inside, "Thank you Miss Rarity."

"You'e very welcome!" she said with a smile, "Now that I know what you want, You two can go do whatever you want while I get to work on your clothes."

Before the two could say anything they were shoved out and the door closed, they heard a lock click, "Guess she really wants ta work on yer clothes."

"Guess so."

The two walked through the busy streets of Ponyville.

Applejack notice the looks they got as they walked the streets. She could hear the whispers.

"Is that Applejack? I thought she didn't like humans?" said a mare.

"I bet she bought him because she can't get a boyfriend," said another.

"I heard she uses him for kinky stuff."

Applejack's temper was getting the best of her when she heard Matt.

"Don't listen to them, They just want to get your blood boiling," he said as they walked.

"H-How did ya know what Ah was thinking?" Aj asked surprised.

"I saw the look in your eye. You were getting angry at what the others were saying," he said looking forward.
"You've been through this haven't ya?"

"As you would put it 'This ain't my first rodeo," he said.

"Funny," Aj said with a smile. "So, Where do ya want ta eat?"

"Where ever you want to eat Miss Aj." Matt said.

"Ah know a place." She said looking at the restaurant in front of them. It wasn't one of those fancy restaurant's. It was a simple restaurant "Ya gonna like the food here."

The two walked up to the restaurant, "Welcome to The Cannon Club Restaurant! How can I help you?" the mare at the door said with a smile.

"Can Ah get a table for two?"

"Of course!" the mare said as she waved for the two to follow her.

Matt looked around to see some human's sitting inside the restaurant eating on the left side while the ponies on the right sat an ate, "Your human will have to go sit with the other humans," the mare said stopping Matt in his tracks.

"He's gonna sit with me," Aj said looking at the mare.

"I'm sorry, but the law states that no human can sit with a pony in a restaurant."

"But, If the pony has medical problems and needs a human by his or her side then that human is allowed to be with that pony," Matt said remembering when his old owner used this to get him to sit with her during lunch when the two would go enjoy Celestia's beautiful sun.

"And what medical problem does she have?" the mare asked.

"Ah have black-outs," Aj said. "If Ah don't have Matt here give me my pills, Ah might not wake up."

The mare looked at the two and allowed Matt to walk through.

"Here are your menus," the mare said placing them in front of the two. "When you are ready to order just wave for me."

The mare walked away and Aj sighed, "Where did ya learn about that loop hole?" Aj asked.

"My last owner, she use to take me to restaurants and never wanted me to leave her side so she made up this fake medical problem and I would be sitting there with her," Matt said looking over the menu.

"Good ta know," Aj said. "So, tell me a little about ya self."

"There isn't really anything to know," Matt said as he placed the menu down knowing what he wanted to eat.

"Ya paint, there has ta be more to ya then that," she said, placing own her menu down.

"That's really it, I just paint," he said, looking away from her.

"Do you read in your spare time?" she asked.

"No, I'm not really a big book person," he said looking back at her.

"So that book Ah gave ya ta read wasn't good then?"

Matt sighed, "I-I can't read," he looked down at the menu.

"Ya can't read?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, I can't read."

"But... How?" She asked as she noticed that his menu had pictures and hers didn't.

"I thought you knew? Human's aren't allowed to read or write or... Paint," he said.

"T-That's just wrong! Ya have a mind!" she said, getting very angry.

"Calm down, Miss Aj, if you get angry here we might get kicked out," he said getting worried as he noticed the other ponies looking at them.

Aj noticed this and tried to calm her angry mind, "Alright, when we get home I'll teach ya how ta read," she said.

"You don't have to do that Miss Aj."

"I do," she said, looking at Matt. "You deserve to know how ta read."

"My last owner... Miss Sawdust was teaching me how to read," he said in a whisper.

"She did? Why?" Aj asked.

"She believed what you believe," he said as he noticed the mare walking back over towards them.

"Are you two ready to order?" she asked.

"Yes, I'll have the salad with extra tomatoes and extra ranch," Aj said, handing her the menu.

"I'll just have the fish."

"Alright, I'll have your food ready for you two real soon," she said, leaving the two.

"Ya eat fish?" Aj asked.

"I know ponies don't eat it, but when I saw it on the menu I thought it would taste good," he said.

"Remind me ta buy some fish then," she said as she took a sip of her water.

"You don't need to do that."

"Remember what Ah said?" she said, reminding him he need's to enjoy his time here.

Matt nodded his head, "Good, So we need paint and fish before we head home... Anything else?"

"That would be it," he said as he felt himself smile, "It's a shame it's going to end like last time," a voice said making his smile fade as he watched the mare returned with their food.

After the two ate their meal's they got what they needed from the market and made their way home.

When the two arrived home, Aj helped Matt set up his painting equipment in the barn.

"Alright, yer all set up now," Aj said with a smile.

"Thank you," he said.

Aj notice the smile had returned and she was happy to see it back, "Yer welcome," she said as she made her way out the barn, "Ah better give Big Mac his lunch, if ya need me ya know where ta find me." She left Matt to do whatever he wanted to.

Celestia's sun began to go on it's setting journey when Matt set up outside, near the fence. Now that he could paint once more,he could at last capture the beauty of the rolling hills illuminated in Celestia's light on his canvas. As his brush busily tried to duplicate this beauty the sharp, joyous bark of a dog caught his attention. His eyes snapped to the the source to find Applejack hauling a wagon full of apples. A yellow Filly lied on the peak of the mound, her face in the quiet state of sleep. The scene before him was even more beautiful and picturesque than the hills that lay before him, a smile silently grew across his face as he brought out a new canvas.

The brush danced across the plain surface, attempting to immortalize the scene it's wielder was witnessing. Every stroke was soft, yet firm, and every every line flowed in the serenity of tranquility. The look on Matt's face grew more tender yet focused with every stroke of the brush. His smile, this moment, was something that he knew no one could take away from him. This feeling was one that was his, and his alone, in the radiance of Celestia's setting sun. With these thoughts in mind, and the air of complete, relaxed bliss, he painted.

Applejack picked up her sleeping sister and carried her back inside as she noticed Matt sitting out near the fence painting and this made her smile, "Ah'm glad ta see him doin' something that makes him happy."

Matt noticed Aj was going back inside. He then noticed the sunlight that was allowing him to paint was slowly fading, "I better take this inside, I have what I need to finish this," he thought, grabbing his gear and taking it back to the barn.

When he finished putting his thing's way he noticed the wagon of apples just sitting there and he knew the birds would come for them if he didn't get it inside the barn.

So Matt walked over to the wagon, pulled it inside and placed it in a stall, "There we go," he thought as he made his way over to his bed to lie down.

"Dinner's done," Matt looked up to see Aj standing in the doorway with a tray of food. "Ah had Mac make ya some fish."

"Thank you, but I could have eaten what you guy's were eating," he said taking the tray.

"Ah figured you would like some fish instead of oats," she said.

Matt chuckled, "You're right."

Applejack giggled, "Well, Ya know what ta do when yer done with yer food. Tomorrow I'm gonna teach ya how ta read," she said making her way to the door.

"Applejack," Applejack stopped dead in her track's as she turned her head to look at Matt. She was surprise to hear her full name come from Matt.

"Y-Yes?"

"Thank you... For everything," he said with a smile.

"You're welcome... Matthew," she made her way out the door. "Goodnight Matt."

"Goodnight Aj."

Aj smiled as she walked back toward her house.

Aj walked into her room and got ready to sleep.

She walked over to her mirror, grabbed her brush and brushed her mane. She looked into her mirror and saw Matt sitting on a stool as he painted. This brought a smile to her face as she brushed her mane.

After brushing her mane she made her way to bed and got ready for a goodnight's sleep.

Matt covered the painting up so nopony could see it till he was done. He looked over at his cot and saw the bag's of clothes Rarity had dropped off for him, "I have to say, Miss Rarity know's how to make some nice clothes," he thought as he looked for a pair of pjs. "Here we go," he put the pj's on and got into bed.
His mind drifted into darkness as a blue mist entered the barn.

The mist took form of a pony and the pony just looked at Matt, "I am sorry I couldn't keep my promise to your parents Matthew, But know that I shall continue to watch over you to protect you," the pony said, "I will make sure you're dream's are full of happiness," the pony waved her hoof over Matt's sleeping body and the blue mist dropped onto his body as a smile crossed his face, "Sleep tight, Matthew." The pony faded away.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note

Here is Chapter 2. Hope you all enjoy and as always tell me what you thank.

I want to thank TheGreathPandaKing for helping out with the paint scene.