Tinker Farmer Fluttershy

Cloque Worque and Big Macintosh climbed out of the hospital window, into the cool night air. Cloque Worque, almost immediately, turned and started walking towards the center of town.

"Where ya goin'?" asked Big Macintosh asked.

"I need to go to my wagon, to get a few things, before we get started," Cloque Worque replied, amiably.

"Well, then you're headed th' wrong way. We moved your car-"

"Wagon!"

"Fine, wagon. We moved your wagon to the outskirts of town three days after your accident. We, th' townsfolk Ah mean, felt that since we din't know if you were gon' wake up, or even what th' heck was in your wagon, it'd be best if we din't have it in the middle o' town."

Turning to face Big Mac, CW asked "don't you know that it isn't right to touch other pony's- er, dragon's stuff without asking them first?"

"You were in a coma. Ya weren't real talkative."

Cloque Worque stopped and just studied Big Mac, for a minute. He had seen boulders that looked less sturdy. He was about one and a half times the size of a normal pony. The stallion's musculature was toned, but not emphasized. He figured it came from some sort of manual labor, which would explain the yoke that he wore around his neck. His coat was bright red, with a dirty blond mane and tail. He had a green apple which had been halved for a cutie mark. He seemed much smarter than you would think, just by looking at him. Not necessarily educated, just intelligent. His IQ was probably similar to his stature: larger than the average pony's. He obviously cared for his sister as well. A family stallion. He didn't beat about the bush with things either. If he wanted to say something, he would. He was definitely an interesting pony.

"You're right," Cloque Worque admitted. "There are things in that wagon that could potentially hurt somepony. You made the right choice. And I shouldn't have expected you to keep it in the same place for two weeks. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so short with you."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it, Mister..."

"Cloque Worque. Cloque Worque T. Tinker."

"What's tha 'T' stand for?"

"The," came the reply, from the smirking dragon.

The large red stallion started chuckling.

"Clever. Obviously not your real name, but everyone is entitled to their secrets."

"That's very gracious. And you are?"

"Macintosh Apple. Folks 'round here just call me Big Mac, though."

"Hm. Fitting. Did you say Apple?"

"Eyup."

A smile spread across the dragon's face.

"You wouldn't happen to know a pony named Braeburn, would you? He lives out in..."

"AAAAAPPAALLOOOSSSAAA! Heh. Yeah, I know him. We're cousins."

"Ha ha ha. He's a good guy," Cloque Worque said. "Met him a few months ago. He actually helped the townsponies realize that I wasn't there to burn everything down. However, he did manage to get tangled up in an automatic pie crust maker I was displaying."

"He's a good kid, but he can be a little dim at times, bless his soul."

"So if you're an Apple, I guess that talk of a cider has a pretty good chance of happening. I had some of your family's brew out in Manehattan. The best I've tasted in a long time."

"Thank you kindly. But you haven't had our cider until you have a mug of it on tapping day. For now, you'll have to settle for the normal stuff that's sold at Berry's."

"Gladly. Let me just grab a few things from my wagon, first."

~*~

"Ahh. Much better. Glad I kept those wing wraps," Cloque Worque said.

He had his wings wrapped closer to his body than they normally lay. He was also wearing a black t-shirt that had an image of a white claw grasping a white wrench on it. On top of his head, he had a baseball cap sitting backwards, to hide his horns.

"Alright, Sir Apple," the dragon said, turning to his guide. "You know your way about town. I shall leave the navigation of the way to this 'Berry's,' up to you."

"Heh. OK. Just follow me then."

~*~

As the two of them made their way through the town, Mac would point out certain buildings, and tell Cloque Worque who lived there, what they did, the basic who's who of the town. Many ponies would start to say hello to Mac, but they'd falter a bit when they saw Cloque Worque. Macintosh tried to apologize for the treatment, but CW told him that it was to be expected.

Eventually, they got to Berry Punch's tavern.

~*~

The tavern had a healthy number of patrons, sitting at the bar, or in booths, in groups of two's and three's. The atmosphere was lively, but not rowdy. Music was playing from some corner, but it was hard to tell from which. There was enough ambient noise that it didn't drown out the music, but not so little that the music seemed overbearing. The scent of cider had wafted throughout the entire building for so long, the wood tables seemed to hold that fragrance. The lamps, strategically placed throughout the tavern, gave off enough light that the place seemed lit, but not bright. The whole place had a very "comfortable" feel to it.

"Wow. This is how a bar should feel," Cloque Worque said. "And I've been in some good one's."

"Eyup."

"Where do you want to sit?"

"I have a favorite booth. Follow me."

As the two of them made their way towards Big Mac's favorite booth, he was, once again, met with a bevy of greetings. This time, however, no one seemed to be startled at the fact that there was a dragon following him. Some even greeted Cloque Worque. Whether this was due to the cider, or to the overall atmosphere of the tavern, it was hard to say.

Not long after the two had sat down, a light plum colored mare, with a grape colored mane, came up to the table.

"Heya Mac," the plum mare called. "How've ya been?"

"Fine ah suppose," Mac replied. "And yourself, Berry? How's the bar?"

"Good, thanks for asking. Same as always. The drinks keep flowin'. The ponies keep smilin'," she said, a smile of her own growing. "Who's your friend?"

"Always good to hear. This is Cloque Worque."

"Oh, yeah," Berry said, recognition showing on her face. "You're that dragon from a few weeks ago. Finally woke up, eh?"

"Heh heh. Yeah. I figured that, at the very least, that deserved a celebratory cider, and Macintosh said that this was the best place in town. So here I am."

"Well, he wasn't lyin'. This is the best tavern in all of Ponyville. It's also the ONLY tavern in Ponyville. But thank you for the compliment Mac. So what'll you boys have?"

"Two ciders, Berry. Thanks."

"Sure thing. Be right back."

A moment later, Berry Punch came back to the table with two large frothy mugs of cider.

"Thank you," said Cloque Worque.

"Thank's a lot, Berry."

"Not a problem. It's always a pleasure havin' you here Mac," she said as she went back to the bar.

Cloque Worque looked a little thoughtful for a second, before saying "Say, Mac. Was it just me, or was she extra friendly with you?"

Covering a small smile with his mug, Macintosh said "I haven't the faintest idea."

"Uh huh," the dragon said, the gears in his head turning. "Actually, MOST of the mares we passed on the street seemed to be just a little bit more friendly than is normal. But I'm just an outsider. What do I know about how the ladies of this town greet others."

Mac just chuckled.

"Tell me, are..uh...you and Berry....uh..."

"Naw, we're not like that."

"What about any of the other girls we saw?"

"Nope."

"Seriously?" he asked, a look of astonishment on his face.

Macintosh sighed.

"It's not for the lack of them trying."

"Wow," the dragon said. "You, my Crimson Compatriot, are a lucky pony. But, in all honesty, none of them?"

Big Mac just shook his head.

"Alright, I'll take your word for it. You have a choice of all those mares and you're not with any of them? What's up with that?" Cloque Worque asked, shaking his head. "Do you just not....hey, Equestria to Macintosh. You in there?"

Mac, however, hadn't heard a single word that the dragon had said. Instead, he was staring towards the door, with a look on his face that said that most of his mental capabilities had checked out for the day.

"Hey, whatcha starin' at, bud?" Cloque Worque asked, turning around to look in the same direction.

He didn't see anything out of place. Just a few paintings, a plant, and a group of mares. He recognized the two standing closest to the big red stallion's line of sight. One was his sister, and the other was....

"Ahh... I see how it is," Cloque Worque said, a slightly mischievous smile splitting his face. "You're sweet on that purple unicorn, aren'tcha?"

Big Mac just shrank into himself, and made a noise that would have made more sense coming from a mouse.

"Well, have you told her how you feel?"

A minuscule shake of the head, and another squeak.

"What?!" he cried, gesturing at Mac with his mug. "A big, strapping, young stallion like yourself can't tell little old her? Why not?"

Another shrink, and, to Cloque Worque's surprise, a blush that showed through his red coat.

The whole situation was just a bit too funny for him. He couldn't help it. He started laughing. A loud, belly laugh rolled out of his throat.

One that caught the attention of a certain group of mares.

"Oh boy," he said, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "Here they come, champ. You ready for this?"

Mac fixed his draconian guest with a glare.

"You're havin' way too much fun with this."

"Hey, I was asleep for two weeks. Cut me some slack."

Mac just gave off a noncommittal grunt, and took a hurried sip of his cider.

~*~

To look at Macintosh's face, you'd think that the world was ending. However, it was just a group of mares coming over to their booth. Cloque Worque, however, was thoroughly enjoying himself, just watching the stallion's reactions. He noted the four mares, the two from the accident, a pink earth pony, and a white unicorn, as they made their way over. He wondered if he was going to have to be the first to talk.

Fortunately, someone else had different ideas.

"Macintosh Apple!" Applejack called across the bar. "What in the hay are you doin' here? I sent you to check on Mister Cloque Worque, and not only are you not at the hospital, you brought him to a bar?! What's wrong with you? You trade your brains for apples? You shoulda known better."

Shrinking even more, Macintosh just mumbled "Sorry, Sis."

CW tried to mask his snickers by taking a drink.

"And you!"

The snickers stopped immediately.

"You should know better, as well! You were a vegetable yesterday! You should be restin'! And now here you are carousin' with mah idiot of a brother. Just because you ain't mah kin don't mean I can't scold you as well!"

It was Big Mac's turn to hide his laughter.

"A pleasure to see you, as well, Miss," the dragon said with a smile. "I don't think that I got your names the last time we spoke."

The tan mare sighed. "Mah name's Applejack. This here's Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity."

"How do you do, Miss Sparkle."

"Hello, again."

Cloque Worque nodded to the other two mares. "Miss Pie, Miss Rarity.

"Hiya! I'm Pinkie Pie!"

"Charmed, I'm sure," said Rarity, dropping into a graceful bow.

"Come! Sit!" said the dragon, glancing at Mac with a look that was maybe forty percent well-meaning, and sixty percent mischief. "This is a celebration of my 'awake-ness'. Have a cider! Relax a while!"

Cloque Worque forced himself to ignore the volcanic glare Macintosh flashed at him.

"Oh, I don't know," said Twilight. "We're meeting a couple of friends soon, and I don't want to be late. What do you think, girls?"

As the mares talked among themselves, CW leaned over to Mac, and whispered "Hey, here's your chance man. Ask her to sit!"

Unfortunately, before the red stallion could make up his mind, the choice was made for him.

"I don't think we can, tonight. We've had these plans for a while now, and we've really been looking forward to it. You understand, right?"

Macintosh looked like he wanted to say something, but all that came out was "Eyup."

Cloque Worque just shook his head, sighing to himself.

"Well then, I guess we'll see you later," Twilight said.

Mac looked like someone just kicked his puppy.

"Take care," Cloque Worque said, taking a sip of his drink.

"Oh hey," said Pinkie Pie, "here are our friends."

Cloque Worque looked up, and almost spit out the cider he had just drank.

A cyan pegasus was making her way towards the group.

Followed by the pretty, yellow pegasus from the town's square.

"Hey you guys," the cyan pegasus called, "we've been lookin' all over for you."

As the two came closer, Macintosh noticed that CW was trying his hardest to become a part of the bench, that he sat on.

"Oh, hey Mac. Huh. So this is the dragon? I thought he'd be bigger." The cyan pegasus sniffed. "Pleased ta meetcha. The name's Rainbow Dash. You might've heard of me."

"Hello Miss Dash, it's nice to meet you." Cloque Worque turned to the other pegasus. "G-good to see you again, Miss. I- uh...I don't believe tha-that I caught your name."

The yellow pegasus just kind of glared at Cloque Worque.

"Fluttershy," came the terse reply.

"T-that's a very lovely name."

Fluttershy didn't respond.

"Fluttershy, what is the matter with you?" asked Applejack.

Fluttershy just continued to glare at the dragon.

"I don't trust him," she said, through gritted teeth.

"Well," Rainbow dash said. "This just got awkward, so I think it's time for us to get goin'. Glad to see you up and about Mister Cloque Worque."

Then, they all, with the exception of Fluttershy, exchanged good-byes.

She just glared at him.

After the mares had left, both CW and Macintosh visibly crumpled. They looked like they had just seen a long, brutal battle.

Cloque Worque took his mug in claw, raised his head, said "Mares, man," and downed it all.

Big Mac just Eyup'd, and drained his, as well.

~*~

The next morning, Macintosh woke up on his family's sofa with a killer headache. He couldn't remember the last time he had a hangover this bad. Heck, he couldn't remember how he got home. Or much at all, for that matter. He got up at the smell of flapjacks, and made his way to the kitchen. There he found his grandmother, Granny Smith, cooking the previously mentioned flapjacks, and his youngest sister, Applebloom, poking a lump that looked suspiciously like a dragon.

"Ugghhh... Mah head is killin' me. Hey, Cloque Worque, you alive?"

"Barely," came the almost inaudible response from the lump.

"Well, Macintosh, you jus' sit yerself right on down," said Granny Smith. "These'll be dun' in a minute. Don't try to talk much before you eat anythin'."

Mac gladly sat down and shut up.

~*~

After breakfast, and a healthy amount of painkillers, Macintosh walked out onto the porch, where Cloque Worque was sitting. They just sat there for a while, not saying anything.

"This is nice," Cloque Worque said, breaking the silence.

"Eyup."

"I'm glad it's so pleasant here."

"Why?"

"Well, since I no longer have a way to power my wagon, I have to stay in town for a while."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It was nice of your grandmother to give me the spare room."

"Eyu-WHAT?!"

~*~