The Color of Apples

Chapters

II: Afternoon Sunlight
III: "It's not a pleasant story."
IV: "The farm's not going anywhere!"
V: "Liberated, maybe?"
VI: Exploring Strange New Territory
VII: The Best Laid Plans...
VIII: Terrible Puns? Yes, Terrible Puns
IX: A Pale Fluid...
X: Size Trumps Determination
XI: Madame Carnal’s Shop of Wondrous Desire
XII: Choices
XIII: Right in the Stones
XIV: One Wild Ride
XV: ...Memories of Apples...
Epilogue: A Speech
Epilogue 2: All You Have to Do is Ask
Epilogue III: Several Years Later...
Addendum: Sequel
Addendum II: What Sound do Hooves Make?
I: Morning Glory
Author's Notes & Questions!

II: Afternoon Sunlight

Loading the apples onto the cart was a simple job, compared to bucking them off of the trees. You just pulled the cart along, while Applejack put the buckets full of apples into the cart. She was quick enough about it to allow you to keep a slow pace, rather than starting and stopping. Soon enough the cart was full to capacity and the last of the buckets was balanced, precariously, atop the cart.

Applejack turned towards the farmhouse, and you followed ponderously, the cart forcing you to take your time with the turn, lest the apples fall. The walk to the farmhouse wasn’t particularly long, but it let your mind wander once more. Nothing seemed to stick, though, and you flitted from topic to topic without a care in the world. Soon enough the farm came into view, and you angled yourself towards the barn, knowing that you would have to bring the cart there for unloading.

As you got closer you could make out the massive form of Big Mac standing in front of the barn doors, waiting for you and Applejack to arrive with the load of apples. Less than a minute later and you brought the cart to a stop inside the barn. The three of you began unloading the cart, when you hear Granny Smith’s voice cut through the air. You can’t quite make out what she says, but both Big Mac and Applejack stop for a moment, and look at each other.

“My turn, right Big Mac?”

“Eeeyup.” Applejack nods and trots out of the barn, leaving you and Big Mac to take care of the apples. With only two ponies working, instead of three, the work takes longer, but you don’t mind. The two of you quickly work out a rhythm, and it leaves your mind free to wander once more.

Again you find yourself thinking about the orange mare who you worked for. She was beautiful, of that you had no doubt. But what was it that really attracted you to her, you wondered? There were many mares in Ponyville that were just as beautiful as Applejack, and even a few that were more beautiful. It also wasn’t her intellect. She wasn’t stupid, you would never think of her as stupid, but she wasn’t the smartest pony in Ponyville.

The more you thought about her, the more enamored you became with her. Perhaps it came from her fame? The Elements of Harmony were known throughout Equestria, and a good number of ponies came by from time to time just to meet the Elements. A tiny chuckle escapes your lips as you think of the last time some ponies came by to meet the Elements. They probably weren’t expecting to meet somepony as hard working as Applejack.

No, that wasn’t it. The fame she experienced was shared by the other Elements, and you didn’t think much of the other five. They were all beautiful, and good friends, but you didn’t think of them the same way you thought of Applejack. Applejack never let the fact that she was famous affect her life in any way. She did the same thing now that she did before anypony knew she was the Element of Honesty.

Your thoughts are interrupted by a solid smack, as a bucket of apples connects with the side of your head, sending you to the floor, along with the contents of the bucket. You hear a booming laugh echo through the barn, and you quickly recognize it as Big Mac. After a moment you join in; the massive stallion’s laughter being quite infectious. After a minute the laughter dies down, and the ache of the impact begins to leech its way into your thoughts.

You slowly make your way to your hooves, and Big Mac just watches you. He’s got a curious look on his face, and you can’t help but feel like he’s scrutinizing you. At first you shy away, unwilling to face this massive stallion. But, after a moment, you turn to face him head on, unable to just stand there passively while he observes you. This continues for a full minute before anything happens.

“I know you’ve got your eye on my sister.” You do your best to hide it, but you take a tiny step backwards at this, completely accurate, accusation. You don’t say anything, but clearly your facial expression is enough for Big Mac. “I don’t mind, since you seem an honest enough sort. But I’m telling you now; if you hurt my sister I’ll make sure that you never see her, or any mare, ever again.”

You meet Big Mac’s hard stare with one of your own, and every nerve in your mind tells you to back down, you match his gaze. After a moment, Big Mac is the one to turn away. “I never thought I’d meet a stallion who could get me to back down.” He begins moving buckets once again, this time without your help, since you're still feeling a bit too shaken to offer a helping hoof.

The last bucket is stored away, when Applejack reenters the barn, a smile on her face. You look at her, and the sunlight coming in through the barn door frames her, and you are lost in the moment. The slight sheen of her sweat makes her more beautiful than before, and the smile on her face makes you feel like you’re the only stallion in the world. You know that that’s not the kind of smile that she’s giving, but you can’t help but imagine, if only for a moment.

“Right then. Y’all have finished up with the apples?” Both you and Big Mac nod, and the smile on Applejack’s face widens just a bit. “Well then it’s time for some lunch.” She turns and heads out of the barn, and you just stand there for a moment, still too stunned by what you saw to start moving right away. After a moment you hear a sharp snort, and you snap yourself out of your stupor.

“Remember what I said.” Big Mac’s deep voice brings your gaze to his, and he’s got a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Now come on, it’s time for some grub.”

The two of you exit the barn, and you look around, at the farm around you, and you feel at ease. Unlike your old home, there was such a thing as peace and quiet. Soon enough you were seated at a small table on the porch of the farmhouse, and a plate of apple pancakes was sitting before you. You waited until everypony was seated, and had a plate in front of them before you started eating.

Lunch was almost always a silent affair at Sweet Apple Acres, and you knew that you weren’t going to be the one to break such a tradition. Instead you took the time to contemplate your feelings for the mare seated at the table next to you. You risked a quick glance at her, and you felt your heart flutter a tiny bit. Her beauty was in her whole form, you realize. There was no one part to this mare that made her so beautiful. It was the whole mare that made her beautiful. If any one part of her changed, she’d lose her beauty.

You allowed your thoughts to wander even further from the table at which you sat, to the town of Ponyville, which you now called home. It was a quaint little town, often filled with more activity than one would expect for a town of this size. You knew that the Elements of Harmony were responsible for this. They were known all across Equestria, and so many ponies would come to see them.

And then there were the usual random events that could happen to any town, but still somehow seemed to find Ponyville more often than anyplace else. The first instance your mind jumps to is the arrival of Cerberus in Ponyville. It hadn’t been a long, ordeal, from what you’d heard. Twilight, the local librarian, had swiftly dealt with that problem, and then things had returned to normal for most ponies.

Normal… Most ponies here live their lives without really knowing just how normal, and privileged, they were. You hadn’t been so lucky. Growing up in Manehattan had been both a dream, and a nightmare. The city offered so much to experience, and so many different possibilities that you had never wanted for excitement, or something to do. The schools were some of the best, save for the schools in Canterlot. Your parents had been moderately wealthy, and so you got to experience the occasional taste of upper-class living, even though it was infrequent. You had even made a few good friends. The type of ponies that you could spend hours with, and feel as though it had only been minutes.

But those were your early years, when you still thought that life was like a dream, and nothing could go wrong. When you were thirteen, and you had just finished up with another year of school, your parents asked you to start keeping journals, to give you something to look back on, and share with your own children when the time came. As you expect any pony would do in your situation, you ignored your parents, instead using the books they provided for drawings, and doodling.

Just a few months later, though, everything about your life had changed. You were no longer young and innocent. The police said that it was an accident, and that nopony could be blamed for what had happened. Not much comes through clearly when you think back to those days. Even the few journal entries you made didn’t make much sense, when you read them over. And then there was your sister. She was a beacon of stability through those treacherous times, but even she started to change. She-

“You okay there, partner?” Applejack’s voice rings through your mind, shattering your mental explorations, and you look up quickly, to see both Big Mac and Applejack staring at you, concern written clearly on their faces. “You were just sitting there, grimacin’ like somepony was draggin’ their hooves on a chalkboard.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking about my parents. Again.” They both knew that your parents were dead. You couldn’t hide something like that, even if you wanted to. It’d be too great an insult to their memories if you denied them like that. You hadn’t told them, or anypony for that matter, the truth about what happened. And it was likely that you never would.

“Well, if you’re sure.”

“I am,” you answered quickly. A quick glance passed between brother and sister, and then they both relaxed for a moment, before Big Mac stood up, and began walking towards the barn. You risked a glance at Applejack, and she looked back at you, concern still written on her face.

“Well, with that section of the orchard bucked, we’re done for the day. Y’all can head home now, if you like.” You give a small nod, but you don’t stand to go. Applejack continues to watch you, and you begin to feel self-conscious.

“Is something wrong, AJ?”

“I’m just wonderin’ what you could’ve been thinking that woulda made ya grimace like that. I know a thing or two about losing yer parents, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a look on my face quite like that.”

“Well, there’s a bit more to it than just losing my parents, but I don’t want to bore you with all the details. Anyway, the parts that aren’t boring aren’t exactly heartwarming, so I don’t want you to feel bad on my account.”

Applejack opens her mouth to speak, but she quickly closes it. A few moments of awkward silence pass before she tries again, this time avoiding the topic of parents entirely. “Well than how about we just go and enjoy the afternoon sun some? It’s a beautiful day, and we can just take a walk. Maybe even run a little race, and make a proper wager, unlike earlier.”

This gets a small laugh from you. “I doubt you could beat me in a race, considering you can’t even outbuck me.”

“We’ll see, partner. We’ll see.”

III: "It's not a pleasant story."

(REWRITE COMPLETE)

With a groan, you stumble across the arbitrary finish line that you agreed upon. You had stamina, but she had speed, and so you had lost, but only by a hair. In hindsight, a sprint, rather than a distance race, was a bad idea. Applejack wasn’t bragging, though. She was far too busy trying to catch her breath after the sprint.

The two of you stood there, panting, for a few minutes before you finally let out a laugh. Applejack just looked at you for a moment, before she joined in. The two of you simply laugh for a few minutes, the exertion of the run seemingly forgotten for the moment. As the laughter finally fades, you sit down, and then rollover, looking up to the skies above.

With your heart still pounding you try to calm yourself down by relaxing a bit on the hilltop that marked the end of your race. It’s been almost an hour since lunch, and, other than some words shared about the race, it’s been silent. You feel something brush your side, and you glance over to see Applejack lying next to you. Your heart continues its fast pace, although this time from something other than physical exertion.

You do your best to stay calm, but Applejack’s presence pushes you away from the relaxation you had been hoping for. You knew that she’d never do anything to make you uncomfortable; she’d learned her lesson during the first few weeks you had worked on the farm. Since then she’d always been so respectful of your private life, and today had been the first time since then that you’d shown any of the turmoil locked within your heart.

“So… Looks like I won the race.”

“That you did, AJ. That you did. Winner calls their prize, so name it.”

She doesn’t say anything for quite some time, and you enjoy the silence. The clouds slowly pass by overhead, and you try to identify some shapes hidden within their puffy white forms. A rainbow colored blur plows through most of the clouds as you identify a shape, but you don’t mind. You know that she’s just doing her job, and she’s still leaving behind a good number of clouds.

Skies like this were a rarity back in Manehattan. The only good place to watch the skies above was in the massive park in the city, but it was usually filled with tons of ponies, and it was hard to find a good spot to just lie down, and watch the skies. A brief flash of anger runs through you, but you stop it before it can go anywhere. Genetics weren’t fun, but there was no arguing with them. The doctors had explained to you that you were a blessing, but you only saw it as a curse.

A pegasus mother, and a unicorn father, and yet you had been born an earth pony.

You had been born plain.

There was nothing special about you. You were of average strength, and not particularly fast. The only thing you had was a stamina that could put any pony to shame.

“I have an idea what I want for winning the race.” Applejack’s voice is a good deal shakier than you were expecting, so you look over to her, and see that she’s looking right back at you. Her emerald colored eyes are looking right at you, and you could tell that there was something wrong right away. The spark that usually rested in her eyes was replaced by a blazing inferno. You wanted to back away, but there was something about her gaze that held you in place, almost against your will.

“I want to know who you really are. Ever since you moved to Ponyville I’ve been curious about you. I never said anything, since I figured that it was your business, and I had no right to meddle. But earlier, at lunch, I saw something in your eyes. What are you hiding?”

A nervous chuckle passes from your throat, into the world. Its sound is quickly swallowed by the vastness of the world, and you suddenly feel alone. Not alone in the sense that you’re by yourself, since you have Applejack right next to you, but alone in the sense that you don’t have anypony to turn to when things go really bad. You don’t have any family that you’re close to, and the truth of the matter comes rushing in, trying to stifle you.

“That’s a pretty hefty request, AJ.” Her gaze is unwavering, and you can’t help but smile at her stubborn nature. “You sure you want to know more about me? It’s not a pleasant story.” She simply nods, and so you let out an explosive sigh. “Fine.”

“I was born in Manehattan, to a pegasus mother, and a unicorn father. When I was born the doctors, and my parents, were flabbergasted that I was born an earth pony. The doctors ran dozens of tests on me, to see if I had developed properly, and when they found that I had developed properly they came to my parents with the news. It turns out that I had less than a one in a thousand chance of coming out the way I did.”

You climb to your hooves, and you take a few steps, before stopping and looking back at Applejack. From what you had heard her parents were both earth ponies, so she never wondered what could have been.

“My parents always thought of it as being lucky, but I could never shake a tiny hint of resentment towards them. I’ve long since gotten over it, but every so often there’s a pang of anger. Anyway, I spent my youth the same as any other colt, or filly. I went to school, played the silly games, and grew up. When I was around thirteen my parents gave me my first journal, asking me to start keeping track of my days, so that I’d be able to see how I’ve changed over the years. My sister had been doing it for seven years when I started, since she was that much older than I was.

“Just a few months later, though, my life changed.” A humorless chuckle escaped you, as you pondered just how to phrase the next part of your life story. “I was no longer an innocent pony, like so many others. The police investigated the ‘accident’ for a few days before it was declared just a freak coincidence. I still can’t recall everything that happened for a few months after that. All I can remember is that my sister became more of a parental figure in my life. She’d already started working, so she managed to support the two of us till I got a job of my own.

“Things were okay for a while. She was always so calm, and in control for those first few years. It was about a year ago that she really started to show the changes that had been taking place for longer than I thought. Looking back I can see the signs, but at the time they were happening I couldn’t quite make them out. I was too young to see it, and right before me I saw…” You stop for a moment. Applejack hadn’t moved from where she was, but she was watching your every move. You could see some tears forming in her eyes.

“I saw my sister pregnant. I can’t believe I was so naïve, but I didn’t know at the time what it meant, and my sister just passed it off as weight gain. When she gave birth, I remember a tiny orange pegasus around the house for a few weeks before it disappeared.”

You stop speaking for a moment, to allow yourself some time to think. As you open your mouth to continue you hear the sound of shouting voices. You turn to look down at the bottom of the hill, and you see the Crusaders making their way up the hill, and towards you and Applejack. With practiced ease you bring your emotional mask back up, and Applejack does her best to hide her tears.

The trio stops at your hooves, and all three are panting heavily from their sprint up the hillside.

“Hello girls. What brings you by? More crusading, I assume?”

“Yeah, we were heading to the clubhouse when we saw the two of you on this hill.” Sweetie Belle answers your question with glee, but soon Apple Bloom jumps in.

“Do either of you two have any ideas for things we could try? None of us can think of anything…” You turn to look at Applejack, and you are surprised to see that she doesn’t look at all like she was crying a moment ago.

“I’m not going to encourage any of this crusading. You’ve caused enough trouble for a dozen fillies.” Applejack’s response brings a smile to your face, and you turn to look at the Crusaders. All three are looking up at you with expectant looks on their faces.

“I’m going to have to go with Applejack on this one. Sorry, girls, but I can’t afford to upset my manager.” The three frown for a moment, but then Apple Bloom jumps up.

“Come on, girls! I’ve got an idea!” The other two quickly follow Apple Bloom back down the hill, and towards the club house, leaving you and Applejack alone atop the hill once more. You watch the trio leave, and your gaze lingers for a moment on the small orange pegasus running down the hill.

You turn back towards Applejack, and there’s a strange look on her face. You raise a hoof, to stop her questions. “I’m going to finish my story, then you can ask any questions you have. I want to get through this before I come to my senses.

“About a year ago I finally started putting the pieces together. Her behavior, and the way she’d come home from ‘work’ started to make more sense. Every night she’d promise me that she’d get me out of there before it was too late. Her body was being destroyed by what she was doing to it, but she was always promising me that she’d make it better for me.”

You sit down again, looking anywhere but Applejack’s face. “Just a few months before I came here it all came crashing down around me. You see, my sister came back from work with some stallion that I had never seen before. He was big, almost as big as Big Mac, if I remember correctly. He was shouting at my sister about some money, and she was just crying. That stallion shouted at my sister more and more, until finally he snapped, and hit her.”

You looked down at your hooves, and a shudder ran through your frame. You felt your entire body begin to shake more forcefully, and you quickly planted both of your hooves on the ground. You did it so forcefully that your legs began to hurt, but it helped, since it distracted you from the feelings of disgust running through you.

“I don’t know what came over me, but I attacked the stallion and I beat him to a pulp. My sister had to pull me off of him. I really wish she hadn’t. I really do wish that she hadn’t pulled me off of him…” A humorless laugh breaks the silence that chased your words, and your mind is filled with the images of the stallion’s broken face.

“I really thought I killed that stallion. All that blood on my hooves, and he didn’t die. I don’t know whether I am glad that I didn’t kill him, or whether I am angry that I didn’t. After my sister pulled me off, she gave me the biggest bag of bits I had ever seen. She looked at me, tears in her eyes, and she spoke to me more clearly than I could remember her speaking in months. She told me to run. She told me to run, and never come back home. She told me not to look back, because if I did, I might not be able to leave.”

You meet Applejack’s gaze once more, and you can see the question she’s dying to ask. “I did run. I ran, and I’ve never once gone back home. But I looked back. I looked back, and I’ve never forgiven myself for doing so. I looked back, hoping that she would be in our window. That she’d be there, watching as I left forever. But she wasn’t there. There was nothing there. At least, there wasn’t anything when I first turned to look.

“There was a flash in our window, and a loud bang. Then there was blood on the window. After I left the city…” Your voice trails off, as you can no longer continue speaking. Applejack moves from where she was seated, next to you. She wraps a hoof around your shoulder, and that pushes you over the edge.

For the first time since the day you left Manehattan you cried in the presence of another pony. Applejack kept a hoof around you the whole time, and after some time your tears finally begin to slow. You draw in a ragged breath, and then you finish what you started.

“After I left the city I wandered for a while. I roamed the countryside, going from town to town, working odd jobs, and earning some bits for myself, but I never settled down anywhere. I always kept moving, hoping that I could outrun my past. Needless to say, it didn’t work. Sure, I don’t have anyponies chasing me, but I do have it all locked up in my head. And hardly a week goes by that I’m not reminded of what I lost, and what was taken from me.

“And that story, AJ, is why I hide so much. I’m not pleased with what I’ve done, and what happened to me. The journals that I keep tell the tale more clearly than I ever could. It’s been almost a decade since my parents died, AJ. It’s been almost a year since I last saw my sister. And it’s been nine years since my sister gave birth.”

As you finish speaking you feel a strange weight being lifted from your shoulders. With the completion of your tale the depths of your emotions seem a bit less bleak. You finally feel like everything’s going to be okay.

“That little orange pegasus that your sister had… Is it…” You just nod, and continue to sit where you are.

Without warning you turn, and embrace Applejack. At first her surprise at your action is evident, but after a moment she returns the hug. You simply hold her, and enjoy the sensation of being held. It didn’t matter to you that it was Applejack. It could’ve been anypony at that moment. All that mattered was that you weren’t alone anymore. You finally had somepony that you could talk to without having to pretend.

“AJ. I want to thank you.” You push her back and look her in the eyes. “I want to thank you for asking me to tell you all of this. I’ve kept this inside for so long, and now I have somepony that I can be myself around. For the first time since Manehattan I can be myself!”

IV: "The farm's not going anywhere!"

You sat at your desk once more, writing down your experiences, keeping the journal that your parents asked you to keep. They’ve been dead for years, but you continue to write the journal, in honor of their memory. Finishing the entry for the day, you looked up to the shelf above your desk. On it rested almost a dozen journals, each one two hundred and fifty pages long, and each one filled to capacity with entries. With a sigh you close the journal, and put it on the shelf, upside down, and you head to bed.

The memories of the day still bounce around your head, and you can’t help but smile a bit at their recollection. The day started like any other, a quick run through town for exercise, then off to work.

And what a day at work it was. You finally had somepony that you could talk to. There was still a tiny nagging doubt in your mind, but you dismissed it. You weren’t going to let your mind get in the way of your hopes. You slowly climbed into bed, and you turned out the light. Sleep came quickly, and soon enough you were exploring the fantastical lands of your dreams.

With a groan you raise a hoof in a feeble attempt at warding off the sunlight that had managed to land right on your eyes. Unlike yesterday, you had no reason to get up so early, since it was Sunday. Still, you had a training regimen to keep, so you climbed out of bed. You walked out of your home and you breathed deeply of the fresh morning air. You attached the training weights to your legs, and you did a few quick stretches to limber up.

With your stretches done you begin your run with a smile on your face. As you run along the street you allow your mind to wander from topic to topic, and every distraction you see throws your mind down a new avenue of thought. Eventually, though, your mind settles on Applejack. This doesn’t really come as a surprise, though. Given what happened yesterday you’re surprised you didn’t come to this train of thought earlier.

What was it about her that made you comfortable enough to share that story? It wasn’t like other ponies hadn’t asked about where you were from, or what you did before you came to Ponyville. It certainly wasn’t the fact that you thought she was pretty, since many pretty faces had asked the same question. Perhaps it has to do with… With…

You wrack your mind for the right words, but they don’t seem to find you, nor you them. All you know is that you don’t know. Which, honestly, isn’t satisfying at all. Your run takes you to the outskirts of town, and you stop, momentarily, at the monument constructed outside of town. It’d been nearly a year since it had been built, and yet you had only been there on the day it had been consecrated. Then again, considering what happened there, it was no wonder you hadn’t come by again.

You turn away from it, and resume your run. You run a total of two laps around the perimeter of Ponyville before you call it a day. As you approach your home you spot a grey pegasus standing in front of your house. As you get closer you notice that it’s Ditzy, likely here with some mail. Except, today’s Sunday. There’s no mail on Sundays.

“Oh, hey,” she greets you, “I’ve got a special delivery for you. The post called me in just to deliver this.”

She holds a small letter out to you, and you grab it. “Hold on a moment, I’ll be back in a second.” You quickly dash into your home, and you grab a few bits. You rush back out, and you give them to Ditzy. “Here, go get yourself a muffin, or something. Consider it my thanks for getting this to me, despite it being a Sunday.”

Ditzy’s smile widens at your gift, and she quickly jumps up and takes flight, likely heading to Sugarcube Corner to get herself a fresh muffin. As she finally disappears from sight you turn, and head back into your home. You toss the letter on the coffee table in the living room before you head to your room to remove the training weights. Once again the strain of your muscles is all the indication you need to know that you’re still improving. A quick set of stretches, followed by a shower, finishes your morning routine, and you head back to the living room to open, and read, the letter.

You take a seat on the couch, and you take a good look at the letter. The return address is somewhere in Manehattan, but it’s not an address you’re familiar with. You ponder the address for a while, trying to place it relative where you used to live. After a few minutes you give up on trying to place it, and you flip it over and open it. You pull it out, and you see that it is hoofwritten. As you read your face shifts from the small smile that graced it due to your interaction with Ditzy, to a grim mask.

You let the letter fall from your hooves, since you found yourself lacking the strength to hold it any longer. You found your body moving of its own accord, and soon you were heading to Sweet Apple Acres. You finally reclaimed your motor control just as you reached the gate that led to the farm, and you stopped where you were. You looked at the letter once more. Could you really show this to her, considering that you only just told her what happened? Would it be right for you to heap more emotional baggage on to her shoulders when she was already carrying so much?

Before you could answer your own questions you heard a voice call out to you. It wasn’t the familiar voice of any of the farm ponies, but was instead the voice of one of your close friends. Admittedly, you were surprised to see him here on a Sunday.

“What’re you doing here,” you ask the pegasus approaching you.

“Oh, you know, just checking up on Applejack, and the rest of the Apple Family. I need to make sure my investments stay on track. Not that I expect them to stop doing what they’re doing.” A small chuckle escapes him before he continues. “That, and I wanted to see about picking up some more Cider. Rainbow goes through that stuff like its water sometimes.”

His response brings a smile to your face. “Should she really be drinking that much? It can’t be good for her.”

“You try stopping her.”

“Nah, she’s your mare, you stop her.”

“I’ll stop her when she starts drinking too much. Anyway, what brings you by the farm? They’re not doing any work today, are they?” His look takes on a more serious note. “Is AJ trying to do all the work on the farm by herself again?”

“Not as far as I know. I just came by to chat with AJ some, but,” you lower your gaze, “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, now that I have time to think about it.”

“You…” He starts laughing to himself, before he stops and looks at you again. This time, his laughter is louder, and you can’t help but join in. “You’ve got a thing for AJ, don’t you? Sweet Celestia, this is priceless! You? You’re the one she’s been talking about?”

At this, you stop laughing immediately, and the pegasus stops as well. “She talks about me?”

“Well, yeah. She talks about you quite a bit, but she says that she doesn’t know much about you. Hay, from what I can tell that’s what everypony thinks about you. You’re around town plenty, but you don’t tell anypony about who you are. And if you’re hiding something grim, and terrible, about your past, trust me when I say that I’ve got you beat.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that one.”

He raises an eyebrow, but shrugs it off. “Well, if you want to come with me to see AJ I’ll make sure the conversation stays on a fairly neutral topic, so that you can have some time to work out your feelings.” He puts a hoof on your chest, and he levels his gaze with yours. “Don’t take too long, though. There are other stallions who are vying for her heart.” He then pushes a bit harder, and you swear you can see something glinting in his eyes. “And if you hurt her, Big Mac will be the least of your worries.”

He drops his hoof, and his face becomes cheerful once again. “Anyway, let’s get going.” He turns and begins walking down the road once again, heading for the farmhouse.

“I’ll be there in a minute, Storm. Just…”

“Take your time. The farm’s not going anywhere!”

You looked at the letter for a moment, memorizing the address. Two years. Two years you waited. Well, you can wait a bit more. I’ve got a life to live. And maybe a mare to win… You crumple the letter, and then you dig a small hole outside the farm property line. You drop the letter into the hole, and you quickly fill the hole up. You take your first step back still looking at the small mound of dirt, as if afraid that the letter will somehow pull itself back out. You quickly turn back around and head towards the farmhouse, not giving the letter a backward glance.

As you approach the farm you spot AJ and Storm having a chat on the porch of the farmhouse. Storm is quite animated, while AJ is just sitting there peacefully listening. As you get closer you can make out some of what Storm is saying, and you manage to put together a few tidbits to build a picture. Something about some filly jumping across a gorge, but not quite making it.

As you approach Applejack notices you, and waves you over. You walk towards the pair, suddenly incredibly self-conscious. You step onto the porch, and it’s only now that you notice that Storm stopped his story as you walked over. You shoot him a glare, and he just offers up a smile.

“So, what brings you by today? You know that we don’t work on Sundays.”

“Oh, I just came by to hang out. Maybe spend some time around here while I’m not working. I also thought, maybe, if you didn’t mind, we could continue what we were talking about yesterday.” Applejack’s face brightens almost imperceptibly, but you manage to catch it. You are certain that Storm noticed too, since the smile on his face only gets wider.

“Well, AJ. Since you now have plans with the local endurance runner, I suppose I’ll just get my cider, and head back home to Dash.” He motions for Applejack to lead, and she makes her way to the cellar. Both you and Storm follow, and you shoot him a look. He simply shakes his head in return, and he puts on a small boost of speed to catch up to Applejack. You reach the cellar door just as Applejack and Storm begin descending, and you follow suit.

You’d only been down here a few times before, and so you took the time to look around. As you expected, and remembered, there were several barrels of cider with taps stuck in them close to the entrance, and you saw labels on them listing the batch of apples, and how long it fermented. You continued through the cellar, and you took in the rest of the cellar. There were dozens of other barrels, all with the same markings as the others, and you noticed some had labels stuck on them. You approached one of the labeled barrels, and you saw that it was an order tag.

Apparently the Apple family shipped their cider to a large number of places, including a few bars in Manehattan. You could only imagine the premium that those bars paid to get the cider the Apple family produced. You wandered through the cellar a bit more, looking at all the places the Apple’s shipped to, before you found Storm and Applejack moving a few barrels. You trotted over, ready to lend a hoof.

After a few minutes of moving barrels you got to the barrel that Storm had requested. Your jaw dropped when you saw the label on the barrel. That barrel of Cider cost more than you could hope to make in a year. More than you could make in two years! You looked more closely at the label, and you had to do a double take to make certain that you weren’t mistaken.

It was a barrel of Zap Apple cider.

“Zap Apple Cider?” Your question was brief, but it seemed to be enough for Applejack and Storm to get what you were asking.

“Yup. I had to shell out quite a bit for this barrel, but it was worth it. I’ve only ever had one mug worth of Zap Apple Cider, and it was probably one of the best tasting drinks I’ve ever had. It’s a present for Dash. Birthday, and whatnot.”

“We only make a barrel every few years, and that’s only if we manage to harvest every tree that produces Zap Apples. This batch came from a real good year, so we decided to make a barrel of cider. Hay, if I remember properly we actually managed to get two barrels out of that yield.”

“And it really costs that much for a barrel?”

“Yeah. We save it for real special occasions, so we don’t want to sell it without really getting what it’s worth.”

“Well, since I’ve got what I came for, I’ll leave you two alone.” He gives a wink as he turns to go, and you feel a blush come to your cheeks.

“Storm, you’d best leave now, before I forget my manners. Or, perhaps, I’ll just let Rainbow know what you told me about her last attempt at cooking your fancy human food?”

Storm’s face turned a shade of green that reminded you a bit of summer grass. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh wouldn’t I?”

“Jeez, I’m going! Can’t a stallion have his fun?”

“Not when it’s at my expense.” Storm walks out of the cellar, significantly less upbeat than how he entered. A few moments pass with neither of the two of you moving, and finally, after what feels like an eternity, Applejack turns to look at you.

“Human food?”

“It’s a long story…”

(Well, here it is. Not much happens, I know. But it's all about setting up for the future.)
(I've kept your name out of this, but I want to know if you, the reader, would like to have a name. If so, what? I can do either, but I want your opinions.)

V: "Liberated, maybe?"

(Inform me of any errors.)

“… And so we threw a party. And boy, was it one heck of a party.”

“Storm did all that?”

“All that, and more. I still don’t know everything that happened to him, but that’s what I know.” You let out a low whistle as you process everything Applejack told you about Storm. Through Applejack’s recollection of Storm’s story the two of you had moved out of the cellar, and into the orchard, where the two of you had simply wandered aimlessly.

You glanced at the sky above, trying to gauge the time of day, but the harsh light of the sun prevented you from seeing just how high it was. When you finally looked around, after unsuccessfully getting the afterimage from your eyes, you saw Applejack had taken a seat on the crest of the hill you had been walking up. A quick look around confirmed that it was the same hill that you had sat upon while you confessed your story to Applejack.

You take a seat next to her, and she leans into you just a bit. Several minutes pass by in silence, and you are thankful for the fact that you can use the silence to arrange your suddenly chaotic mind. The fact that Applejack was leaning on you threw you for a loop, and you were struggling to put together a coherent thought. Finally, though, you managed to arrange a thought, but Applejack beat you to the punch.

“Are you feeling better now that you’ve talked some about your past?” Her question seems straightforward enough, but you can’t shake the feeling that there’s another question buried beneath that one.

“I think I am, AJ. I feel… I don’t know; liberated, maybe? There’s so much more I can do now that I have this whole thing off my chest. But, I do have a question for you. One that Storm brought up.” You risk a glance at Applejack, and she’s looking at you, and if you aren’t mistaken there’s a blush on her cheeks.

“Oh? And what did that pegasus say that you would take seriously?”

“Well, considering that we were outside the farm the topic was you. And, well, your feelings.” You pause, and drop your gaze. “Your feelings about me, to be specific.”

She starts to speak, but you jump in, your nervousness propelling your mouth faster than your mind. “Storm was saying that you talked about me a lot, and then Storm thought it was funny that I was the stallion you were talking about. But now I don’t know if your feelings have changed, since you know more about me than you did before. I’m also, just now, realizing that I have no idea what I’m saying, so I’m just going to stop…” You can feel the heat radiating from your cheeks, and if you could you’d like to have a horn, just to cast an invisibility spell on yourself.

You feel a hoof brush your cheek, and you turn your gaze from the ground to the mare next to you. There’s a blush on her cheeks that can almost rival yours, and you feel your heart skip a beat. You find your eyes drawn to Applejack’s emerald pools, and in them you can see so much, and yet none of it scares you. You feel safe with her, and you know that she has so much compassion, and a desire to share it.

“Well, I have to say that I do have feelings for you, and I’d be lying if I said that they haven’t changed since yesterday.” You want to look away from Applejack, but her eyes have yet to release their hold on you. You suddenly feel a pressure in your chest, and you realize that you’ve been holding your breath since you started looking into her eyes.

As you exhale you notice that you can look away from her eyes, and you do, but only reluctantly. “But have they changed for the better?”

A quick peck on the cheek answers your question better than words ever could, and you look back to Applejack, and you willingly lose yourself in her jade colored eyes.

Much of the rest of the day was spent talking about nearly everything you and Applejack could think of. Now you, and the rest of the Apple family, are eating dinner in their dining room.

“… So, the girls and I crested a hill near the mountain, and there was Storm, protecting the Crusaders with his outstretched wings. As soon as he saw us, though, he dropped his wings, and then he dropped like a rock. I swear I’d never seen Rainbow quite that upset before. Storm, though, didn’t disappoint, and eventually he topped his stupid record time, and time, again. But those are different stories, for another time.”

Applejack’s story had filled most of the meal, and now you were simply letting the meal settle before cleaning up the table. You had heard that specific story before, but considering that it involved Apple Bloom directly you could imagine that she’d want to hear it a bit more often. Several minutes pass in relative silence before Big Mac pushes back from the table, signaling to everypony present that it was time to clean up.

In a matter of minutes the table is cleared, and you and Applejack are left to clean all the individual dishes, and utensils. You are drying everything, while Applejack is taking care of things in the sink. The two of you work in silence, and you let your mind wander, but you put limits on how far you’re willing to go. The window in front of you gives you a nice view of the orchard and even a bit of Ponyville in the distance.

Your thoughts latch onto the visual cue, and you find yourself thinking about Ponyville, and its inhabitants. It’s so different from Manehattan, and nearly every other town that you had spent time in. There were nice ponies to be found in Manehattan, there was no disputing that. But they were few and far between, and meeting one was a blessing. But here in Ponyville?

Ponyville was the epitome of kindness, and small town hospitality. When you had first gotten here you had a party thrown for you, and you had made your first friends within hours of arriving. And now, just five months later, you were beginning to open up. Only to a single mare, but everything has to start somewhere. But were you starting too late? What if they won’t accept-

A wet object lands on your face, covering both eyes, and elicits a laugh from the mare next to you. “I’m no fashionista, but I have to say that you wear that rag like a king.” You pull the rag from your face, and you were ready to hurl it back, but when you look at Applejack you find your desire for revenge gone. “You had that look on your face again, and I’m not going to let you act like that anymore.”

You look down at the rag you had in your hoof, and you let a mischievous smile form on your lips. You bring the rag back, as if readying to throw it, and Applejack’s smile flickers for just a moment. You quickly drape the rag across the top of your head, allowing it to soak your mane. “Everypony whose anypony knows that the wet dish rag is worn like this.” You maintain a regal position for just a moment, before you double over with laughter, and Applejack joins in. “However, as the king of the dish rags, I command you to finish the rest of the dishes on your own. Such is my decree!” Your laughter is only intensified by your acting skills, and the rest of the dishes fly by in a haze of laughter, and merriment.

As the last of the dishes are put in their respective places Applejack motions for you to follow, and you do so. She leads you out to the barn, and then up into the loft, and over to a ladder. The two of you are soon sitting atop the barn, and looking out over the orchard at the distant setting sun. You don’t say anything, not wanting to ruin the moment, and Applejack doesn’t speak either, allowing the silence to exist undisturbed.

Your train of thought leads itself to the same spot it was yesterday morning. Much like the rising sun, the setting sun was an undeniable beauty. The color of the sky turned a most magnificent shade of red and pink. The clouds added to the beauty, turning other shades of red, creating a wonderful vista. One that you would gladly share. Despite what your instincts, and more primal desires, told you, the view you enjoyed here wasn’t just Applejack, but also the bountiful views of nature.

Suddenly, the color of the skies, and where you were clicked in your mind, and you couldn’t keep the small chuckle from escaping you. You didn’t see it, but you knew that Applejack was looking at you. “The sky, it reminds me of the farm. But more than that, the apples, specifically.”

“The color of apples. My father would often say that.”

“It’s beautiful.”

The sky slowly turned darker red, and then, to a magnificent shade of violet as the sun finally dipped below the horizon. You shifted your gaze upwards, to watch as Princess Luna decorated her night sky with all the stars, and the moon itself. You could never see this while in Manehattan. The city never slept, and it never got dark enough to see the stars. The moon was almost always visible to some degree, but the stars were difficult to see, if not impossible.

You leaned back, adjusting your position to allow you to just watch the sky. As the last of the stars dotted the sky you saw the glow of the moon, but not the moonrise itself.

After watching the stars for a few more minutes you propped yourself up, and then you pushed yourself into a sitting position, next to Applejack, who had never lain down at all. You look at Applejack with a curious expression on your face, but she continues to look ahead and slightly up. You followed her gaze, but all that was out there was the stars and the sky. You were about to say something when a single shooting star streaked across the sky. It lanced across nearly the entire sky, starting around where both you and Applejack were looking, and disappearing from sight as it passed ‘over’ the barn.

You quickly make a wish, and it’s a simple one. The confidence to face your past.

“Make a wish AJ.”

“I did. And this one was one that I really hope comes true.”

You stand, getting ready to head back down, and then head home, but Applejack stays seated. You move up behind her, and you nuzzle her neck a bit, and then you move your hooves onto her back, and you begin massaging. Her back is incredibly tense, and it takes you quite some time to feel any progress, but your tenacity is rewarded when a small groan of satisfaction escapes the mare.

“Lie down, AJ. On your belly.” She complies, and you continue your massage. You take your time, making sure that the entire experience is enjoyable for her. You make sure to spread your attention evenly, and you lose track of time as you work all the kinks out of her muscles. You finally finish when you reach the bottom of her back legs, and you take a small step back to admire your work. Even with your incredible endurance it was hard work to make it through some of Applejack’s hardened muscles.

Noticing that you were done Applejack attempted to stand, but the sudden lack of tension in her muscles threw off her balance, and she found herself unable to stand. She attempted it a few more times before she let out a frustrated grunt.

“Well, this is quite the situation I’ve put you in, isn’t it. You can’t seem to stand, and you’re trapped on the roof of the barn. Seems like you need some hel-”

“I don’t need your help. I can do this on my own.” Applejack cuts you off abruptly, and you allow her a few more attempts before you stop her.

“This is stupid, AJ. I’m going to help, and you can’t stop me.” True to your words, you scoop Applejack onto your back, and you make your way to the ladder. After several precarious minutes you are making your way out of the barn, and towards the farm house. Quietly, so as not to wake the other members of the Apple family, you make your way upstairs. You stop when you reach the top, and you look down the hall in either direction, suddenly realizing you don’t know where Applejack’s room is.

“Um…”

“Second door on the left.”

“Thanks.”

You quickly turn down the hall, and open the door to Applejack’s room. You can’t make out much in the dark, but you do see the bed, and so you go there, and place Applejack on her bed as carefully as you can. She slowly moves herself under the covers, but her hat remains on her head. You take it off of her head and you place it on the small table next to her bed. She gives you a small smile, and you return it.

“So… I guess this is goodnight.” If awkwardness was a tangible substance the room would be filled with it right now.

“Yeah, that’s how it seems.”

You start turning to go, but before you do you lean in, and give Applejack a quick peck on her nose. Your cheeks begin burning, and you quickly turn to leave.

“Good night, AJ.”

Your final words to Applejack ring through your ears the entire trip back to your home, and continue to bounce around in your mind as you sit, and write out the latest entry in your journal. As you finish the entry you heave a massive sigh, and then you crawl into bed. Your final thoughts before entering the land of the sleeping are all of great importance. The letter, Applejack, and your life within the town of Ponyville.

VI: Exploring Strange New Territory

(As with the last chapter feel free to inform me of any mistakes I might have made)

Your alarm blares, rousing you from your dreams. You pound the clock with a hoof, and then you prop yourself up, looking at the clock. It reads five in the morning. You heave a deep sigh, and you slowly make your way out of bed. You head to the bathroom quickly, and then you head downstairs and grab your training weights. After putting them on you head outside, and begin your morning run.

You stick to your usual route, and before long you’ve got a good pace going, and you begin to think about the letter from yesterday.

It’s been a couple years since you left home, and not once had she sent you anything. Not a letter, a postcard, anything. To be fair, you thought that she was dead, but all the more reason for her to have sent you something to let you know. And now she wanted to come to live with you. To get away from the lifestyle that she has grown into, as she phrased it.

You knew better than to say yes, though. She’d become so involved with that life that she’d never be able to sever all ties. If she was to come here trouble would follow, and soon enough you’d have to leave here to get away from her. But you know that you wouldn’t actually leave here. You’ve grown attached to this little town, and a good number of the residents. Sure, some of them barely knew you, but they knew of you, and that was enough.

She’d try to send another letter, probably. One trying to appeal to your relationship with her as a brother. But you couldn’t let that sway you. She had done so much to hurt not only you, but Scootaloo as well. Scootaloo…

You need to tell her. But how to tell her is a difficult question. One you can’t hope to answer on your own. And just how much can you afford to tell her? What will her foster parents say? Should you ask them before you tell their adopted daughter the truth? Do they even know?

You shift your attention away from your troubles for a moment, to see where you were along your route when you suddenly realize that you were in a sprint, and not even on your route. You slow to a stop, and your fatigue catches up with you. It takes you a moment to realize where you were, and you look around for a moment, and realization hits you. You had wound up in front of Scootaloo’s home. It was far too early to head up there and talk to them, but you knew that you would have to come back here as soon as you could. It’d be bad if Scootaloo found out about her parentage from anypony that wasn’t you.

With a degree of reluctance you turned away from the house, and you resumed your run. Unfortunately you couldn’t quite get into it, and so you ended up focusing on the running, rather than your thoughts as you usually did. Sooner than you’d like, you get back to your home, and you head inside before dropping off the weights. A quick glance at the clock told you that you were on schedule, and so you began the walk to Sweet Apple Acres.

With the Summer Sun Celebration rapidly approaching the farm was going to be busy for these next few days, and you welcomed the challenge. From what you had heard the Summer Sun Celebration had taken on special meaning to most of the ponies of Ponyville a few years ago, when Nightmare Moon had returned. You had only heard most of that second, or third hand, back in Manehattan. But, when you arrived in town, you had learned more about it than you really wanted to know.

You spotted Big Mac emerging from the farmhouse right on cue, and so you settled down in your regular spot. Big Mac sat next to you, and you waited for Applejack to arrive, as was routine. The usual amount of time passed, but there was no sign of Applejack. You waited just a bit longer before you turned to look at the farmhouse, and yet there was no sign of Applejack to be found. You glanced at Big Mac, and he only shrugged. You raised a hoof to begin walking towards the farmhouse when Applejack emerged.

Were it not for the fact that you knew her face so well you’d never have picked up on the fact that it was slightly haggard. It was just the tiniest bit of droop to her eyelids. As soon as she saw you looking, though, she perked up, and the usual spring was returned to her step. You offered a small smile, and then you turned back around, ready to receive your orders in the usual fashion. You counted the steps, as you always did, and soon enough she was standing next to you, and she laid out the plan for the day.

Eight hours later, and you were sprawled out on the porch of the farmhouse, your amazing stamina all but worn through. Big Mac and Applejack had both been worn out almost an hour ago, but you had told them you would finish off the last few rows of trees on your own. It was a stupid decision, but it was helpful to the farm, since they would be able to keep to their schedule now. You felt something blissfully cold splash onto your chest, and you cracked open an eye to behold Applejack standing next to you, a large mug in her mouth, and another balanced precariously on top of her head.

You weakly raise a hoof, to grab the mug from atop Applejack’s head, but you can’t manage to reach it. Applejack pours the contents of the mug in her mouth onto you, and the cascade of cool water acts as a balm to soothe your body. A content sigh escapes your lips, and Applejack gives you a warm smile. With more grace than you could ever hope to muster Applejack grabs the mug from atop her head, and she places it next to you. You grab it, and bring it to your lips, eager to drink the contents.

The cool liquid makes its way down your throat, and you feel even more refreshed than you did mere moments ago. Halfway through the mug you slow down, and stop. You felt cooler, and your body was more relaxed, but you were still too stiff to think about getting up. Applejack sits down next to you, and she simply looks out at the farm. Unable to move much, you decide to follow suit, and so the both of you are just enjoying the scenery. A light breeze plays across your body, and the chilling effect it has on you is more than welcome.

Several minutes pass in silence before you hear the heavy hooffalls that you can only assume belong to Big Mac. You manage to move your head to the side, and you see Big Mac looking down at you with a smile slightly larger than his normal one. When he notices that you’re looking at him, he gives a nod, and you feel a sense of satisfaction pass through you.

“Looks like that renowned endurance of yours has limits after all.”

“Yeah, but I managed to kick your flank Big Mac.” A short groan escapes you as you shift position slightly. “You owe me a dozen cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner.”

“Eeyup.” He sits down next to you, but not as close as Applejack did. You don’t keep track of time, and eventually Big Mac stands, and heads inside. A bit more time passes, and you hear Big Mac calling Applejack inside. She stands, and heads in, leaving you to your own devices outside.

You try to stand a few times, but the stiffness of the muscles prevents you from rising. Determined not to be beaten by your own body you try several more times before you finally succeed in rising into a standing position. Your legs complain bitterly at this treatment, but you manage to push the pain from your mind. You force yourself to take a few steps to stretch out the muscles, and hopefully work on easing up the cramping. You take a few tentative steps follow your first ones, and soon enough you are limping at a fairly decent pace. And by that you meant that Granny Smith could outpace you.

Still, you were moving, and that was good enough for the time being. You were about to step off the porch, to continue your stretches when you heard the sound of the door opening. You turned to look, and you saw Applejack at the door. She motioned for you to follow, and so you went over, and followed her inside. She led you to the dining room, and you took your seat. The Apple family quickly set out all the food that Granny Smith had prepared, and then they all took their seats.

The meal passed quickly, but the taste wasn’t diminished by the haste with which you ate. The family quickly cleared everything away, and they all staunchly refused your offered aid. When they finished with the table Big Mac left to go pick Apple Bloom up from the Carousel Boutique. Granny Smith took a seat in her favorite, and only, rocking chair and promptly fell asleep. Applejack beckoned for you to follow once more, and you did. She led you up to her bedroom, and you hesitated for only a moment before following.

She opened the door and walked right in, but you hesitated. This was strange new territory for you, and you wanted to treasure the moment. You entered the room, and the first thing you noticed was the abundance of trophies littering the room. They weren’t just tossed about, but they were organized by event. It took you a full minute just to read all the different categories in which Applejack had excelled.

After taking in the trophies you realized that there was little else in the room. Applejack was sitting on her bed, looking at you expectantly, and you realized that you had taken a step into the room before simply stopping and gawking. You put all the spring into your step that you could, not much, and you approached the bed. Applejack patted the bed to her right, and you climbed up. She leaned into you for a moment, and you simply enjoyed the sensation.

“I wanted to thank you for helping out so much today. It means a lot to us.”

“Well I’d hate to let you fall behind. We’ve got tons still to go, though, and if I have to be this sore everyday, well… I guess I’ll just have to push through.”

“Well you’ll have help. And I’ll do what I can to help out your muscles. Now lie down so I can return the favor from yesterday.” You raise an eyebrow, but you say nothing. You roll onto your belly, and then you spread your protesting legs out.

“I haven’t really done this kind of thing before, so if you could…”

“Don’t worry, AJ. I’ll give you some pointers.” A soft chuckle escapes you as she gets started, and soon enough she’s rubbing out some of the tension. You give her some advice as she goes, and before long she’s doing a great job, and you don’t have to help her out any further. She takes extra time on the really stiff muscles, and your groans of satisfaction let Applejack know just how well she’s doing.

It takes almost an hour for her to get your entire body, and by the time she’s done you’re feeling significantly better than you were before you even started today’s work. As she finishes with your neck you brace one leg on the bed, and you expertly roll yourself over, along with Applejack, resulting in you lying on top of her. A blush appears on her cheeks immediately, and you can feel one on your face as well.

“I, uh. Well, I wanted to thank you for the massage.”

“Oh? And how, exactly, did you mean to do that?”

“I had a few ideas…” Your voice trails off, and you suddenly feel self conscious. Applejack just looks at you expectantly, and the twinkle of her eyes draws you in. You move forward slowly, feeling her warm breath on the end of your muzzle. You get closer and closer to her, and you close your eyes.

You feel the lightest of contact, when a gasping noise sounds behind you. You turn your head around as far as it will go, and standing in the doorway is Big Mac, and Apple Bloom. You just look at them for almost a full minute, without a single word being spoken, or a single move being made. With nearly agonizing slowness Big Mac reaches out a hoof for the door, and he slowly closes it, never breaking eye contact with you. As you hear the door latch you turn your head back around, to look at Applejack once again.

Her expression is far different from what you had expected, and you cock your head at her, trying to figure out just why she was looking at you that way. Your answer comes a moment later when she bursts into laughter. You follow suit a moment later, realizing just how absurd that situation really was.

“You should’ve seen the look on your face when you realized that it was Big Mac! Priceless!”

Despite your embarrassment you still try to recover what you can. “Well I’d have been a bit calmer if it weren’t for the fact that Big Mac could beat me to a pulp with three hooves tied behind his back!”

Applejack just looks at you for a moment, the look on her face changing once again. She quickly kisses you, before she lowers herself back down. “I wouldn’t let him lay a hoof on you.”

You feel your mind shutting down due to the kiss, and you manage to shift yourself to land next to Applejack, rather than on top of her. You simply stare at the ceiling for a few minutes before you find yourself staring into a pair of emerald green eyes once again. “I’m afraid that I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We’re not quite at ‘that’ stage of the relationship yet.”

You slowly process her words, and when the meaning finally sinks in you can’t help the blush that rushes to your cheeks once again. “I wouldn’t have even thought to ask, AJ. I’m a fairly patient stallion, so I can wait.”

“That’s good, because I don’t want to rush this. Now get home, and get some sleep. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Before I go… I was wondering…”

Applejack sighs, but you can tell that she’s not actually upset. She gives you another kiss, and you feel your heart soar. “Good night, AJ. I’ll see you tomorrow morning…” You turn to leave the room, and you can’t keep the spring out of your step, and Applejack notices, as her final comment makes all too clear.

“Get home safe, lovercolt. I’d hate to have to come rescue you out there.”

(Oh, and for those interested, check out my latest blog post. I sometimes get lonely while writing, and some people to chat with would be nice.)

VII: The Best Laid Plans...

You were still filled with energy as you entered your home, and you grabbed the latest journal from the shelf. You flipped open to the latest page, and suddenly you found yourself unable to write down your thoughts for the day. Not because nothing had happened, but because you lacked the words to really put your thoughts to paper. You looked at the page for a few minutes before you just wrote down a few simple words.

I kissed, and was kissed by, Applejack.

The silly grin that was on your face persisted as you laid down in bed, and got ready for sleep. Tomorrow, after work, you’d take care of the issue with Scootaloo. Despite the happiness you felt that simple thought was enough to pull the smile from your face.

“Nopony ever said that life was easy…”

The alarm’s blaring came just minutes after you woke, and you landed a hoof atop the clock, silencing the blaring quite effectively. You sat up, and climbed out of bed, feeling more energetic, and more refreshed than you normally did. As you began leaving your room you glanced over at your desk, and lying on your desk was the journal you had taken down yesterday. You went over, and read it once more, before closing it, and putting it back up on the shelf.

With a small smile painted on your face you went downstairs and grabbed the training weights. You hesitated for a moment before putting them on, realizing that a lighter work out wouldn’t hurt, considering what’s going to be going on today at the farm. You grabbed the lightest weight set you had, and you buckled them around your legs before heading out into the young, new, morning.

Your run was the same length as usual, but without the extra weight it felt like far shorter than normal. You pulled the weights off your legs, and then you began the walk to the farm. The dawn sky drew your attention and you welcomed the distraction. The color, combined with the fading stars gave it a beauty that you’d hate to miss seeing. Soon enough you were on the outskirts of town, and in the distance you could make out the edge of the Apple family property. A voice caught your attention, and you turned to see Storm and Rainbow Dash both walking down the road towards you.

You waited for them to catch up before beginning to speak with them.

“Storm, Dash, what brings you by this early? Aren’t the two of you in bed till noon, usually?”

Dash rolled her eyes in response, and Storm gave a weak smile. “I’ll have you know that we’re up no later than eleven. The weather doesn’t take care of itself, you know.”

“What I do know is that the weather is supposed to be done by nine!”

“Yeah, well, since Rainbow is the captain of the weather team, and I’m the only other member I don’t have to get up until she does. Good leaders should lead, not follow.”

Rainbow shoved Storm playfully, and Storm lowered his head in mock sadness. “I think somepony wants to spend a night on the couch.”

“No! Come on, Dashie, I was joking. You know that, right?”

You simply roll your eyes, and continue towards the farm, leaving the two lovers to their quarrel. Soon enough the two dropped into silence, and you were thankful for it. Their bickering was a bit annoying, but you could tell by the tone that it wasn’t really a serious argument. When you reached the entrance to the farm you couldn’t prevent a quick flick of your gaze to the small mound of dirt that hid your newest secret. The walk down the road to the farm was a relief, since it put distance between you and the letter.

As you reached your customary spot you looked to the farmhouse just as Big Mac emerged from the door. What surprised you, though, was an energetic Apple Bloom rushing out of the house. She had a great big smile on her face and she ran past you without a second glance. You looked over to Storm, though, and she was giving him a quick hug. You feel a smile tug at your lips, and you look away.

Big Mac takes his customary spot next to you, and you glance at him quickly. “So, where’s she off to? No school today?”

“Nope. No school till next week, on account of the Summer Sun Celebration. Although just once I’d like to see her get up this early for school.” You nod in response, and even chuckle a bit, and then you turn your gaze back to the glow on the distant horizon. The usual amount of time passes before you hear the door open once more, and you hear the sounds of hooves on wood, before it changes to the muted thud of hooves on packed earth. You feel Applejack move next to you, and she leans on you for a moment before she announces the jobs for the day.

“Right, everypony listen up. It turns out that the princess will be coming and a good number of other canterlot ponies will be coming too. Because of this we’re going to have to kick up our efforts in order to get things done in time. Storm, Dash, the two of you are in charge of the Northern section of the orchard. That’s a few hundred trees, so you’d best get going right away.” They both threw casual salutes to Applejack before they took flight to the north.

“Big Mac, you’ll have the Western section. Twilight and Rarity should be coming by before long to help out where they can.” Big Mac nods before heading off to the Western section, leaving just you and Applejack in the small clearing in front of the farmhouse.

“And what about us, AJ? Where are we headed?”

“You and I get to tackle the North Eastern section. It shouldn’t be too bad, considering it’s the smallest section of the farm. But don’t think that’ll make it easy. Some of those trees are as stubborn as I am.” You both share a quick laugh before heading to the barn to gather buckets and other supplies.

Several hours pass, and you and Applejack finish the last tree in your section. You place the final bucket of apples onto the cart, and then you just sit in place, unwilling to move for a few minutes. When Applejack had said that the trees were stubborn you didn’t realize just how stubborn she meant. It had taken you almost a dozen bucks to get some of the trees to release their fruity bounty. But now you were done, and you had every intention of relaxing for a moment before continuing.

Applejack took a seat next to you, and then she leaned into you. You wrapped a hoof around her, and she moved just a bit closer to you in response. You glanced at Applejack out of the corner of your eye, and then you looked forward again. You began to shift your weight onto your legs just a bit, and then you pushed yourself onto Applejack, and she let out a surprised yelp as you pinned her beneath you. You gave her a warm smile, and she returned your smile with a mischievous one. You raised an eyebrow at her, and then she quickly rolled the two of you over.

You attempted to switch positions again, but Applejack stopped your efforts before they could begin with a quick kiss. She lingered close to you, her warm breath washing across your face. You raised your head a bit, and you kissed her back. You raised a hoof up, and you wrapped it around her head, gently pulling her deeper into the kiss. You felt a moment of resistance, but it quickly dissipated, and then you felt her push into the kiss a bit harder.

You pulled back from the kiss, and Applejack moved her head back as well, allowing you to see the deep blush on her cheeks. You could only imagine the color on your own cheeks. You look her in the eyes, and you find yourself lost in her eyes once more. Without thinking about it you move to kiss her once more, when a groan of disgust shakes you from your stupor.

You look around, trying to find the origin of the groan when you spot the Crusaders a short distance away, looking at you with disgusted looks on their faces.

You drop your head to the ground, and an exasperated sigh bursts from your lips. “Really? Really? I swear, AJ, it’s like the world doesn’t want us to enjoy a moment together…”

“I don’t know, last night was pretty good all things considered.”

“You’re not helping the situation, AJ.”

“Oh? Would you like me to stop?”

“Well, I’d rather not have an audience…”

Scootaloo pantomimes a vomiting motion, while Apple Bloom desperately looks for something to look at that isn’t you or Applejack. Sweetie Belle takes the initiative to speak to the two of you, despite your provocative stance. “Well, we were going to tell you about our latest idea for crusading, but I can see that the two of you are busy, so we’ll go…”

“It isn’t rock climbing, is it?” Applejack’s voice is quite serious, and the Crusaders all look at her with contrite expressions on their faces.

“No. We were going to search for buried treasure.”

“Well just be sure to be home for dinner. Now get on out of here! We adult ponies have work to do.” The crusaders quickly run off, leaving you and Applejack where you had left off.

“So… Where were we?”

“We’re getting back to work.”

You heave a sigh, and Applejack climbs off of you, and she heads over to the cart, and you follow close behind. You hook yourself up to the cart, and you both begin the walk back to the barn. It doesn’t take long, and when you finally spot the barn you see Storm and Rainbow Dash both sitting outside the barn, drinking something from some mugs. When you finally get close enough to hear them they drop into silence.

“When did you two finish? And where’s Big Mac?”

“We finished up a little while ago. And Big Mac should be here any minute, Twilight and Rarity were both helping him load up his cart when we saw them last. Or, I saw them. Dash here checked on you two when we finished, and I checked on Big Mac. And since she got back Dash hasn’t been able to stop laughing, so would you tell me what the joke is?”

Before Applejack can say a word you jump in, eager to defuse the situation before it can get out of hand. “We, um… Well, we were… You know what; I’m not going to answer that question.” An excellent job of defusing that situation, to be sure.

Rainbow Dash looks at you with a wicked grin on her face. You begin shaking your head rapidly, but the grin only widens in response.

“Well, Storm, these two lovebirds were lying in the orchard making out. Then the Crusaders showed up, and I could barely contain myself. The look on their faces was picture perfect!” Near the end of her explanation Rainbow Dash began laughing, and soon after she finished Storm joined in the laughter. A nervous chuckle escaped you, and you felt your cheeks begin to warm from embarrassment. The laughter only persisted for a moment or two, and the silence that followed was worse than the laughter.

Big Mac’s arrival was welcome, as far as you were concerned, and with his return also came Twilight and Rarity, both of whom seemed fairly tired from their work. With a small start, you realize that you had never brought your apples into the barn, so you quickly move into the barn behind Big Mac. All the others stayed outside, and so just you and Big Mac took care of the apples. It was easy work, compared to bucking them off the tree, and the barn was fairly cool on the inside, so you weren’t going to complain.

“So, I see you and my sister are getting… familiar with each other.”

“Yeah, we are. But she doesn’t want to rush it, and I wouldn’t dream of rushing her, so it seems to be working out. At least, for now.”

“Well she hasn’t said anything to me about it, so I can only assume that you haven’t really done anything she’s uncomfortable with.”

“I’m glad. I don’t want to mess up, and cost us our friendship. That would suck. A lot.”

“Well, don’t tell her I told you, but there’s one specific aspect that AJ looks for in a colt. One that she found in Storm, way back when. It’s something that you wouldn’t expect her to look for.”

“What’s that? I can think of a few things, but you’d know best.”

“The one thing that Applejack wants to see in-”

A shrill cry stopped Big Mac’s speech, and you turned to look to the door. Without a second thought you rushed to the door, and threw it open. You looked around the immediate area, and there was nopony to be found. You saw a bunch of hoofprints leading down the road, though, and so you broke into a run down the road, hoping to catch up.

When you reached the end of the road, you also reached the source of the cry from earlier. Your run quickly slowed to a trot, and then a walk, before you finally came to a stop.

Sitting there, on the ground, in front of a small hole in the ground, was a group of three fillies. The one on the left had one of her white hooves wrapped around the shoulder of the middle one. The one on the right was a mirror image of the filly on the left, save for the difference in coat color. The filly in the middle, though, was the focus of your attention. Her purple eyes looked right at you, and the tears streaming down her face increased.

“Scootaloo, I…”

VIII: Terrible Puns? Yes, Terrible Puns

(As usual, let me know of any errors present. Oh, and a quick shout out to Mcyav. He's a cool guy. If you check him out, let him know Howitzer sent you.)

Scootaloo simply looked at you, tears streaming down her face. You felt paralyzed, and when she stood up you wanted to run, to hide yourself from the fury that was doubtlessly coming. But it didn’t come. She just cried.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I… Your mother, my sister… I didn’t know what to tell you.”

“So you just hid it from me?” Her tone began changing, going from sad to angry. “Why wouldn’t you tell me? Who told you that I didn’t need to know? What other secrets are you keeping?” She began advancing, her hysteria growing with each step. “Why don’t you ever talk about yourself? Are you just full of all sorts of secrets? Why won’t you answer? Who are you?”

“Scootaloo, I didn’t… Just…”

“No! No more lies!” She stopped in front of you, her face contorted into a mask of anger, pain, and sadness. Before you could muster a response the little orange filly turned and ran from you, pushing her way past the others without a care for any of them. You stood in place, unable to muster a response of any sort. The letter was lying on the ground where Scootaloo had dropped it, and everypony present refused to look at it, save for you.

You moved to where the letter landed, and you picked it up, crushing it into a tight ball of paper. You glanced at all the ponies present, and they had all averted their eyes, which only served to magnify the shame you felt. You began to walk away from them all, simply to get away from it all.

You couldn’t recall how long it took you to get home, all you knew was that eventually you thumped your head into your door. It took you several minutes of fumbling to open the latch, but it eventually yielded to your efforts, and then you stumbled into your living room. You threw the wadded up letter onto the coffee table, and then you sat on the couch, the letter on the table right in front of you.

After what felt like minutes, a gentle knocking sounded from the door. A grunt escaped you, neither positive, nor negative, simple an affirmation that you were alive, and had heard the sound. The pony at the door must have taken it for a positive response, since you heard the sound of the door open, and then the sound of the door closing once again.

Shortly after the pony takes a seat next to you, and then a hoof wraps around your shoulders. The warmth of the embrace does nothing for you, and yet you find yourself unable to escape the hooves of the pony. You reach out one hoof to the letter, and you pick it up.

“All of this trouble caused by one piece of paper.” You look at it for a few minutes longer, and then you break the silence that had fallen. “But it’s not really the paper’s fault, is it? The fault lies with both me, and my sister. Her, for her lifestyle, and me for my weakness. I should’ve told Scootaloo sooner, but I didn’t, because I was afraid of my past. I was too much of a coward to accept where I came from, and what it did to me.”

You turn your head to the pony next to you, and the emerald pools of Applejack’s eyes look back into yours. “I caused this, AJ. I caused this, and I don’t know how to fix it.”

She just nuzzles you gently, and you collapse into her embrace, weeping openly.

How long you wept for, you could never say. All you knew was that eventually you came to in your bed, the curtains closed, and a warm presence beside you. Your throat felt ragged, and breathing was unusually difficult, but you had renewed purpose. You weren’t going to stand idly by while your past tore apart everything you had worked to build.

You slowly sat up, and the presence beside you clung to you, and you looked down to see Applejack lying beside where you were seconds ago. You were tempted to wake her, and tell her what you were planning, but that would’ve only made it harder to do. You carefully eased yourself off the bed, and you made your way into the bathroom, where you quickly took care of what needed to be done, and you then stood before the mirror, looking yourself in the eyes.

The fur on your face was matted, and looked ragged from your tears, so you quickly splashed some water in your face, and in a couple minutes you looked vaguely presentable once more. You returned to your room, and Applejack was sitting on your bed, looking right at you as you came in. Her shoulders visibly relaxed as she saw you reenter the room, and you offered her a sad smile.

“This would’ve been easier if you had stayed asleep, AJ.”

“What would’ve been easier?”

“I’m going home, AJ. I ran from my problems two years ago, hoping that I could escape what I’d done, and what had happened to me. But now I see that unless I deal with the problem it’ll continue to haunt me, and ruin my attempts at happiness. I could deal with that, to be honest. If my past hurt me, and only me, I’d be okay with that. But it’s not just hurting me. It’s also hurting the ponies that I care for, and that’s too much. I’m going to go back to Manehattan, and I’m going to find some resolution. Even if I have to dig through the criminal underworld, I’m going to find out what really happened to my parents, and why my sister chose now to come back into my life.”

“But…”

“No, AJ. I can’t let my past hurt any more ponies. And you’re not coming with me. This is something that I need to do on my own.” Applejack climbed off the bed, and walked over to you, her face mere inches from yours.

“I’m coming, and that’s final. Besides, I don’t need your permission.”

“No, you don’t. But I don’t want you to get hurt. Manehattan is…”

“Don’t think to lecture me about Manehattan! I spent some time there, and I learned more about it than I care to know.” You held her gaze for a moment, and then her eyes softened. “Please, there are some things a pony shouldn’t have to face alone, no matter how strong they think they are.”

You look down to the ground, knowing that you wouldn’t be able to stop her from coming, whether you liked it or not. You raised your head back up, and you gave her a weak smile. “I suppose having some company wouldn’t be all bad. Hay, maybe you’ll get to meet my sister. Assuming that she’s not drugged out of her mind…”

The train station of Ponyville was usually a fairly busy place when a train was scheduled to leave, or arrive. The first train to leave in the morning was no different. Dozens of ponies milled about the station, either waiting for somepony to arrive, or, in your case, waiting to depart. Applejack had returned home after your discussion, and had informed her family of the situation, without going into too much detail, and had then come back, a small bag of her belongings across her back. The two of you had just three days to take care of everything before the day of the summer sun festival. Three days to find the answers you craved.

You had taken to pacing the length of the station, your body unwilling to just sit and wait for the train. On your twentieth trip down the length of the station a shrill whistle was heard coming down the tracks, and your ears perked up at the sound. You walked back to Applejack, and then you tossed your own bags across your back. All you had was a pouch full of bits, the crumpled up letter, and your latest journal. Oh, and the latest issue of Daring Do, loaned to you by Rainbow Dash.

The last few minutes passed quickly, and the train finally arrived at the station, letting off the weary passengers, and allowing the train to refuel. You and Applejack had secured a small booth for yourselves, and the two of you quickly made your way there, eager to have a place to just relax for the half day trip. It takes a full hour for the train to fuel up, and load up, but once all is said and done the train lurches into motion, and you’re on your way.

The first few hours pass in silence. You just watch the rolling hills pass by, and you enjoy the clouds as they pass as well. After watching the hills for a time you pull out the book you borrowed and you read few chapters. As you close the book, you lean back, and let out an explosive sigh. Applejack looks up at you, and you refuse to meet her gaze.

“I suppose there are some things I should tell you before we get there.” Applejack raises an eyebrow, but says nothing. “In case you haven’t figured it out, my sister, and I lived in less than stellar conditions. In fact, I’m pretty sure that there was never a health inspector by. That’s where we’ll be going first, since I want to see if she’s there. If she is, this trip will likely be shorter than planned.” You begin rubbing your hooves together nervously. “But chances are she won’t be there, and we’ll have to dive into the pit of filth that is the Manehattan prostitution ring.”

“How do you know she’s still doing that?”

“Once a pony gets into that line of work it gets harder and harder to get out. She accumulated so much debt doing what she does that she’ll never be able to buy her way back out. And the only other way out is to die.”

“I never saw anything like that when I went to Manehattan.”

“It’s not really something that you’ll see if you aren’t looking for it. A lot of the ponies in Manehattan know the various signs for a prostitute, and the small gestures that they make to lure in stallions, or mares, who are interested. Even harder than that is finding the ringleaders.” You open your mouth to continue when a gentle knocking comes from the door. You climb down from the seats, and you head over, opening the door. An elderly mare is standing there, with a small cart in front of her.

“Would you like some tea, and cookies? We offer complimentary snacks, or breakfast for just three bits.”

You give a smile, and then you go to your bag, and pull out ten bits. “Two breakfasts. And you can keep the change.”

“Oh, thank you! I’ll be sure to get those to you as soon as I can.” As she walks away you hear her talking to herself about what a cute couple, and you roll your eyes. You go back to your seat, and Applejack gives you a smile.

“Thanks for breakfast. Normally I either eat something quickly before coming out to work for the day, or I meet up with one of the girls to get something at a café.”

“Well, I figured that I could do this, since I’m going to be putting you through quite a bit over the next few days.” You look her in the eyes, and she looks back, unflinching. “It’s going to be hell, AJ. You’re going to have it worse than I am, though. You’re young, pretty, and unblemished. It’s a good thing you’re as tough as you are, or this would be next to impossible.”

“Glad I could be tough enough for you.”

“It’s not a problem, AJ. I admire, really. I have endurance, but I’m not really into fighting. You, though, from what I’ve heard, don’t seem to have a problem with violence.”

“It’s not like I enjoy it!”

“No, but you’re good at it. Anyway, do you have any questions about what we’ll be doing?”

“No, but I want to learn some about your sister.”

“Oh, jeez.” You bring a hoof to your face, and then you rub it down your muzzle as you look back at Applejack. “Her name is Sunburst, after her orange coat. Mom and Dad doted on her for years. Her beauty was unparalleled, and she had more coltfriends than I could count while I was growing up. I often saw her making out with them, but I never told our parents, since we were too close for me to do something like that to her. After our parents died she started changing, as I’ve already explained.”

“Your parents named your sister after the color of her coat? But what about your name? It’s not like-”

“No. Don’t say it. I loathe my name. I never forgave my parents for that atrocity they saddled me with.” You pause for a moment, before you chuckle weakly. “‘Saddled’. We wear… nevermind.”

“If you insist. Although I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

“Anyway… In the weeks before I left my sister began to change in ways that I didn’t approve of, but she insisted that it was for the betterment of our family. She’d start coming home drunk, and she even started dying her coat and mane different colors, claiming that it was for the business she was in. The only thing that she never changed, even though it became possible, was her cutie mark. No matter what, she kept that the way it was. A microphone with a pair of wings behind it.”

“Her talent?”

“She had a voice that could make statues weep tears of joy, or bring the most savage beasts in line. After our parents died I can only recall her singing once, and that was just days before I left home.” Another knock comes from the door, and you open it to see the same old mare as before, this time with a cart laden with more elaborate food.

“I’ve got your breakfast for you, dearies. I told the chef about you two, and he whipped up a few pancakes for you, in addition to some French toast. I do hope you two enjoy. Oh, and deary,” she turned to you, “could you help an old mare with the table? I’m getting a bit too old for this.”

You nod, and follow her into the hall. Once you enter the hall she turns to look at you, and she beckons you to come closer. You oblige, and she speaks in hushed tones.

“She’s a looker, she is. Keep her safe, sonny. Manehattan is no place for an innocent mare like her.”

“Trust me, I won’t let anything happen to her. I’d put my life on the line for her.”

“I’m certain that won’t be necessary, deary. Just keep her close.”

IX: A Pale Fluid...

(What's that? Another chapter? But Howitzer, you just posted chapter 8!)
(As usual, any errors, let me know.)

You watched the city approach in the distance, and it filled you with a sense of bittersweetness. You were finally coming home, and yet you felt like you would rather be anyplace else. The skyline, iconic to so many, filled you only with a sense of finality. Within the next three days you’d be making some of the hardest decisions of your life, and you weren’t sure if you were ready for all of this. You glanced at Applejack, and a surge of rightness filled you. You weren’t doing this for just yourself. You were doing this for Scootaloo, and the rest of Ponyville.

The bridge approached quickly, and soon you are crossing the Hoofson River. You looked down the river, and out in the distance you could make out the bay. And from there it took mere moments to find the massive statue of Celestia that lit up the bay at night. You recall walks in the southern park, watching as the shining beacon illuminated the entire bay.

A few moments later, and your view was cut off, as the train went below ground, heading for the massive terminal near the center of the city. The abrupt change from light to dark startled you, and you nearly fell backwards. You looked over at Applejack, and she had a smile on her face.

“I never rode the train in, or out of, the city. The sudden change startled me, is all.” She gives you a larger smile, and she shakes her head. You quickly stuff your things back into your saddlebags, and then you take a seat once more, waiting for the train to arrive at the station. It only takes a few more minutes of traveling to arrive, and soon the train grinds to a halt at the platform.

The two of you make your way off the train, and into the station, and you look around you, taking in the familiar sights and smells of the station. Without missing a beat you begin walking towards the most convenient exit, and Applejack follows close behind you. You effortlessly weave between the ponies rushing to their destinations, and before you know it you’re standing on the sidewalk outside the station. Applejack takes a few moments longer than you, and you can tell that she’s not used to such an environment.

You take a deep breath, and the smells of the city fill you up, bringing back memories of all sorts. You look down the road, and then back to Applejack. You motion for her to follow, and she does so. It takes the better part of an hour to make it to the exterior of your old apartment building, and it looks just like it did the day you left. You look up to the window that you knew was for your old room, and before your gaze can make it all the way up a hoof rests on your shoulder.

“Don’t look, sugarcube. You can’t afford to get sentimental just yet.”

“I know, AJ. It’s just… It’s hard to come back here.” You shrug off Applejack’s hoof, and then you walk up to the door, and you quickly enter the combination that it was when you left. Much to your surprise the door quickly opens, and you make your way inside. Applejack follows, and soon enough you’re standing outside your old apartment. Apartment one on the ninth floor. Numbered 9001, it was home for longer than you ever thought it would be. You raised a hoof to knock, but something held you back.

You held your hoof out for almost a full minute before you dropped it back to the ground. You looked up at the ceiling, and you closed your eyes, before taking a deep breath. Without stopping to think about it, you quickly raised a hoof, and knocked on the door three times in rapid succession. A brief pause followed, and then you knocked two more times. That was the way you and your sister had always knocked. It was how you knew that she was home, or how she knew you were home.

The silence that followed your knocking filled you with dread. If she’s not here… Sweet Celestia, let her be here. You lowered your head slowly, not wanting to accept the fact that your easy solution was so quickly cast aside. You moved one hoof over to the doorknob, and the other to the small knocker that was centered on the door. With difficulty you managed to get your hooves into their appropriate positions, and then you pushed on the knocker, and the knob, in just the right fashion, and you were rewarded with a soft click.

The door slowly swung open, and you pushed the door open faster, wanting to get the first look over with as quickly as possible. The small living room was a complete mess, littered with empty bottles, and other pieces of garbage that weren’t so easily identified. You gingerly entered, taking care not to step on anything too fragile. A sickening squishing sound came from below your hoof as you put it down, and you looked down to see a pale fluid oozing out of a rubber tube, and you quickly looked back up, desperately trying to forget what you just stepped in.

The remaining steps to get to the kitchen were, thankfully, free of any squishes, but you still didn’t want to think of what you were stepping in that didn’t go squish. The kitchen wasn’t much better than the living room, but at least the floor was mostly clear of debris. On the table, though, was a stack of parchment that caught your eye. You walked over, still watching your step, and then you saw what the stack of parchment was.

You quickly looked through the pile, and a frown appeared on your face. Almost all of it was bills that had to be paid, that your sister had deferred. But on top of the stack was a collection of almost a dozen drafts of her letter to you. They were almost identical to each other, save for the shaky hand writing, and stains littering the pages. The wording was almost the same across all of them as well, and you just put the stack down, unwilling to look further than you had already.

With a sigh, you turned to look down the short hallway that led to the bathroom, and the bedrooms. You began the walk, and the first room you checked was your own. Surprisingly, it was almost exactly how you left it. It was as if it had been preserved. Memories threatened to boil to the surface, but you beat them back, unwilling to reminisce right now. You turned from the room, and then you headed to your sisters room. Again, to your surprise, it was incredibly neat. Not like yours had been, but compared to the rest of the apartment it was practically spotless.

As you turned to leave the room you noticed a picture frame sitting on the bedside table, and you went over to look at it. When you saw what it was a picture of you couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down your cheeks. It was a family portrait, taken just a few weeks before your parents had died. You quickly put the frame back down, and then you walked out of the room. Applejack quickly moved to embrace you, but you pushed her back.

“One room to go, AJ. One more room, and then I’ll let myself break down. But not yet.”

You stopped at the door to the master suite, and you pushed it open. The sight that greeted you filled you with revulsion, but you still entered, unable to look away. The room was filled with the most perverted instruments you had ever seen. You felt the ground beneath your hooves, and it had an awful moist feeling to it, but you didn’t care. You continued making your way into the room, until you were at the foot of the bed. A tear ran down your cheek, and it landed on the carpet with a soft sound that was lost to your senses.

You turned to look back at Applejack, and she just met your blank stare with a sad expression. You made your way out of the master suite, and then you managed to make your way back to your old room. Once you got there, you just stood in place, trying to rationalize what you’d just seen. Applejack’s presence did nothing to calm you, and so your mind just continued to shut down, until finally you blacked out.

You woke up some time later, your head throbbing. A soft hoof made its way through your mane at regular intervals, and when you finally opened your eyes you saw Applejack looking at you with tears in her eyes. When she saw you open your eyes she quickly pulled you into an embrace, and you returned it half-heartedly.

“You just collapsed. I didn’t know what to do, so I just held you.”

“It’s okay, AJ. I just… I just need to get out of here. I need to go, and never come back here. I thought it would help, but this has only made it worse.”

“Come on, sugarcube. Let’s go.”

Applejack led the way out of the apartment, and soon the two of you were standing outside the building. You finally managed to shake your stupor enough to start moving on your own, and so you looked up and down the street, trying to remember just where it was that you needed to go next.

You began delving into the loathsome depths of your mind, dredging up the worst things you remembered about your sister’s profession, and all the nuances that came with it.

As your memories returned, you turned left, and began walking down the street. You began to see eerily familiar faces, but none of them seemed to recognize you. After almost an hour you made it to your destination. To nearly any pony it would just seem like an ordinary intersection, but to those who knew the streets it was a veritable cornucopia of carnal pleasure. You spotted a few ponies working the oldest trade, and you shook your head slowly, unwilling to watch as they tried to entice the passing stallions.

You nudged Applejack, and she looked at you, and you motioned to one of the bars near the intersection. She followed, and you walked into the bar, the bouncer barely acknowledging your existence. You took a seat at the bar, and the bartender eventually worked his way over to you. He looked you up and down once, and then did the same for Applejack.

“What’s yer poison?”

“No poison, just a glass of ice, and a glass of water.” The bartender narrowed his gaze for a moment, before he moved back just a bit.

“You sure you want that, kid?”

“Yes. And don’t skimp on the ice.” The bartender’s eyes widened a bit as you completed the brief exchange. He went into the back of the bar, and left you to your own devices for a bit. You turned to look at Applejack, and her gaze was flitting from pony to pony, unable to sit still in this hellhole of a bar. You put a hoof on hers, and her gaze flicked over to you.

“AJ, I need you to calm down, and let me do the talking. You’re acting so nervous that it’s rubbing off on me. And I can’t afford that when I’m dealing with these ponies.”

“I just can’t help it. There’s so much wrong with this place.”

“I know. Hopefully we won’t be here for long.” Several tense minutes passed before the bartender returned with a glass of ice, and a glass of water. You clutched the glass of water, and then you pulled it closer, along with the napkin that was below it. Scrawled on the napkin it said:

Meet me at the corner booth in five minutes.

You let a small smile cross your face before you brought back your emotionless visage. “We’re okay, AJ. They don’t think we’re cops, so hopefully things will be okay.” After five minutes you got up, and made your way to the corner booth, and then you sat down. You were only seated for a moment before a red unicorn came over and took a seat across from you. Right behind him came a massive earth pony that would make Big Mac look small in comparison.

“So, I hear you’re looking for some exclusive services?” The unicorn narrowed his gaze as he looked you over. “Name the slut, and I’ll name the price.” You had to bite your tongue to keep from shouting at him, and so you stayed silent for a moment.

“Yeah, I’m looking for Sunburst. Orange pegasus, microphone cutie mark.”

“I know the mare. She’s a real feisty one. Likes it rough, that one does.” The stallion looks at Applejack for a moment, and his eyes widen a tiny bit, before narrowing once again. “But, clearly you have better company than that slut. Unless, of course, you’re looking to get into the business with this fine catch of yours.”

Before Applejack can respond you put a hoof on hers, and you can feel her shaking. “No, she’s not for sale. She’s a fine catch I’ve made, and I won’t have her soiled in such a way.”

“I’m sorry, I think that came across as a question. I wasn’t asking, I was telling. Lock Jaw, take this mare to the back. She’s a fine one, and I know a certain stallion who’d be quite interested to see this mare again.” You turn to look at the massive pony, just as he wraps a hoof around Applejack. You leap from your seat at the pony, but your attack simply falls off of him, not even moving him. “You see, I remember you. You’re not going to save your sister, you stupid colt. You should just count yourself lucky that I’m not taking you in, considering how much some mares pay for a good slave. And even some stallions would pay to have you.” He pushes you back into the booth, your strength leaving you as you watch the massive pony carry Applejack away.

“Just leave the city, and consider yourself lucky that you’re alive.”

You hold back your words, knowing that for once, silence would serve you better than a sharp tongue. Just before she gets pulled into the back you meet Applejack’s gaze once more, and the terror present in her eyes shakes you to the core. You look around the bar, only to see that not one pony was even looking at you. Not even one pony had taken an interest in what was happening.

You were alone in Manehattan. Again.

X: Size Trumps Determination

(Not as long as the others, and for that I apologize. Still it's setting the stage.)
(Oh, and look at this, if you like.)

You felt hollow as you walked up the stairs that led to your old apartment. Not only hollow, but also in great pain, as your wounds plagued your every step. After the shock had worn off you had vaulted the table, and fought the massive stallion, desperately trying to get Applejack away from them. Needless to say, size trumps determination nine times out of ten. After being thrown from the bar, you had stumbled, staggered, and limped your way back to the apartment. Or, at least, you had made it to the door, only to find it locked once again.

You vaguely remembered locking it, and so you figured that your sister wasn’t home just yet. You couldn’t tell whether you were relieved that she wasn’t home, or whether you were upset about it. You just leaned on the door for a moment while you caught your breath. As you readied yourself to open the door you heard a voice call out your name. It was a voice you hadn’t heard since you left the apartment. You turned your head to see an elderly mare approaching you.

Mrs. Field was one of your old neighbors, and she was known throughout the building for her amazing cookies, and good cheer. You smiled weakly at her, before looking away from her, not wanting her to see the sorry state you were in. She got closer, and she said your name once again.

“Hello, Mrs. Field. It’s been a while.”

“Oh yes, your sister was quite distraught when you left. She spent almost a week just crying. I never did find out why you left, though.”

“It’s a long, and sad story, Mrs. Field. I don’t want to burden you with my woes.”

“Nonsense. You’re sister won’t be home for another hour or so, and I don’t want to think about you just sitting her for an hour with nothing to do. So, you come with me, and I’ll whip up some cookies for you.” You open your mouth to protest, but she’s already heading back down the hallway, cutting off any potential response you could make. You reached into your bag, and you ripped a single page out of your journal. You scrawled a note on it, stating where you were, and that she should come by.

With the note firmly secured to the door you turned, and followed Mrs. Field down the hall. When you finally made it to the door she had only a smile for you. She let you into her apartment, and then she ushered you into the kitchen. You took a seat at the small table, and then you placed your head in your hooves. Ten minutes passed in silence, and then a plate of cookies was placed in front of you. You saw they had small bits of chocolate in them, as well as some peanut butter.

“You still remember my favorite cookie?”

“Mrs. Field never forgets a favorite, dear. Now have a cookie, and tell me what seems to be troubling you. Oh, and why you’ve come back after so long.”

You looked Mrs. Field in the eyes as you recounted the gist of why you were finally back, as well as why you looked the way you did. By the time you finished Mrs. Field no longer had her usual smile on her face. Instead there was just a large frown on her face.

“Oh my. Dear, you need to get back Applejack. The longer you wait the less your chances are of getting her back unharmed. Or even at all.”

“You think I don’t know that!” You slammed a hoof on the table as you shouted at her. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Field. I shouldn’t yell at you. It’s not your fault.”

“No, it’s not. But I understand what you’re going through.” A gentle knocking came at the door to the apartment, and you quickly glanced at the clock, realizing that an hour had passed. You looked back at Mrs. Field, and she gave you a sympathetic smile. “I’ll be there in a moment, dear. Just hold on.” She looked back at you, and then she stood up. “I’ll let her into the living room. Come in when you’re ready to.”

Mrs. Field walks out of the room, leaving you alone with the plate of cookies, and little else to distract you. You hear the door open, and then the voice of your sister. You can’t quite make out the words, but just hearing her voice is enough to push you over the edge. A few tears make their way down your face, and you quickly wipe them away. You push back from the table, and you stand up. You turn to look at the doorway to the living room, and you take a deep breath.

You step into the living room, and you see that your sister is sitting in such a way as to prevent her from seeing you unless you move in front of her. She and Mrs. Field weren’t really talking all that much. Mrs. Field noticed you behind Sunburst, and she made a small gesture for you to go ahead. You took a tentative step forward, and then another. It seemed to stretch for hours, but you knew it was only a matter of seconds.

You heard a gasp as you entered Sunburst’s field of vision, but you didn’t turn right away. Instead, you stopped, and then waited a moment. You turned to look at her, and tears were streaming down her face. Every part of you screamed out that you should embrace her, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do it. Your name was the first thing she said, and for the following minutes, it was the only thing said in the room.

“Why did you come back?”

“I came to see you. But more than that, to ask you some questions. But none of that matters now.”

“Wha… Why does that not matter?”

“Because your pimp took my marefriend, and I can’t get her back!”

“My…”

“Yes, Sunburst, your pimp! I wanted to find you, so I went to the Ruptured Duck, looking for your pimp, and he just foalnapped Applejack from right in front of me! And he had a stallion with him who I couldn’t even budge.”

“Lock Jaw.”

“Yeah, him. Now you’re going to help me get Applejack back. You have a way into all of the meeting places for the pimps of the city.”

“You want me to what?” You took a step closer to her, and she backed into the chair as far as she could.

“You, dear sister, are going to help me to find my girlfriend. And if we have to scour every whorehouse in this city, we will. That mare was the first pony I told about what happened here. I’m not going to just let go of her. She wouldn’t leave me, and I won’t leave her.”

“Dear, please calm down.” Your vision clears and you realize that you were just inches from your sister, and you had a hoof pressing on your sister’s chest hard enough that it actually hurt you. You quickly recoil, looking down at your hoof as though it was covered in blood. And, for just a moment, it was.

“I’m sorry…”

“I’ll help you.” You look up at her, and she has a tiny smile on her face. “I’ve never seen you so passionate about anything, and if this is what you want then I’ll help you.” You move closer to her, and then you embrace her.

“Thank you.”

Sunburst unlocked the door to the apartment, and you followed her in. She sighed as she picked her way past all the debris, and you took extra care not to step in anything this time. When you finally made it to the kitchen you stopped Sunburst, and she looked back at you. You pointed at the letter, and her face dropped.

“You’re actions in the past made things hard for me as I tried to find a new home. Just days ago I finally came to terms with everything that happened. Applejack is the one who got me to open up. I was going to start telling more ponies about what happened, until I would finally get to Scootaloo, and tell her the truth.” You grab a letter, before you drop it. You then pull out the crumpled up letter. “Then I got this from you. Two years, Sunburst. Two years with nothing, and then this? I couldn’t deal with it, so I buried it, hoping to run from yet another problem.

“It didn’t work, though. Scootaloo and her friends tried to go searching for buried treasure, and they found it. Scootaloo had her whole past laid out to her without a single bit of forewarning. Now she hates me, and you.” You soften your tone as you continue. “But if you help me in this, I’ll forgive you. You didn’t cause all of this, but you didn’t help things either. All I ask is that you get me through this in one piece.”

“I’ll do it. But when we’re done I’m leaving the city. I’ve been saving bits for the past two years, and I finally have enough to pay off all my debt.”

“Just how much do you have?”

“Just over twenty thousand bits.”

“I’m not even going to ask…”

“I didn’t get it all that way! Most of it I earned through actual jobs. But once you have your first time you’ll want to keep doing it till you can’t even walk straight.”

“We are not having this conversation! Sweet Celestia, Sunburst, I don’t need that kind of talk, especially from you.” She just smirked at you in response. “Whatever. I need to know all the pimps you know of in the city. We’ll start with them, and work our way out till we cover the whole city.”

The next few hours were spent poring over old maps of Manehattan, as well as digging through Sunburst’s memory, and dredging out just a few names. You pinpointed their locations, and with some deductive reasoning you picked your first, and most likely, target. They were just a short distance away, and so you hoped that it would reveal something useful.

“We’ll start our search tomorrow morning, bright and early. I want to cover as much ground as we can, as fast as we can. But for now, I suggest we get some sleep. I want to be well rested for what’s coming up over the next few days.”

As you turned to head to your old room your sister called out your name. “Don’t call me that. You know I hate my name.”

“Sorry, but I want you to know that I’m here for you completely. I haven’t taken any drugs since you left. I want to help you get your mare back, no matter the cost.”

“Thanks, Sunburst. Now get to bed, we’ve got a long day ahead of us.” You walked to your room, and you tossed your saddlebag onto your desk as you had done for years. Then you sat down, and pulled out your journal. You glanced at the clock, and then you began writing. Several pages later, and you pushed back from your desk, all your thoughts recorded. Another glance at the clock revealed that you had spent almost an entire hour just writing down all your thoughts for just one day.

With a groan you climbed out of the chair, and you walked over to your bed. You climbed into bed, and then you looked out the window. “I’m coming to get you, AJ. If I have to deal with every lowlife in this city to get you, I will.” You quickly fell asleep, and your dreams were filled with grim visions of the future.

(The stage is set. Let the great search begin...)

XI: Madame Carnal’s Shop of Wondrous Desire

(Don't let the name dissuade you. Again, if you find an error, inform me.)

You rolled around in bed, sleep having long since released its tenuous hold on your conscious mind. It was only six in the morning, and you knew that Sunburst would likely still be asleep. You didn’t want to do a run, since you didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks while in Manehattan. It wasn’t that you couldn’t handle yourself, it was just that if you did have to take matters into your own hooves, it could get messy, and that wouldn’t be a desired outcome. Instead, you spent another half hour desperately trying to bid the merciful release of sleep to return.

Finally, enough was enough, and you crawled out of bed, and to the bathroom. You quickly took a shower, and after finishing up in the bathroom, you went to the kitchen. You stopped dead in your tracks as soon as you entered the kitchen, though, as you saw, and remembered, what the kitchen looked like. You gingerly picked your way through the kitchen, and the living room, and you exited the apartment. It had been a while since you went up to the roof, but you desired the tranquility provided by the view, and the remarkable lack of noise from the city below.

The entire building was quite tall, and so it took you almost fifteen minutes to make it all the way to the roof. The sun had long since risen, so you didn’t get to enjoy the sunrise, but you still got to enjoy the beauty offered by the impressive cityscape sprawling before you. Your apartment was far from the tallest building in Manehattan, but for the area, it was the tallest, and so that afforded you an uninterrupted view for quite some distance in nearly every direction.

And, yet, even with the tranquility provided by the view, you couldn’t get your mind off of Applejack, and the entire situation that you’ve put her in. And to make matters worse, this probably could have been avoided, had you simply taken the initiative to deal with Scootaloo before she found the letter. Hay, if you hadn’t hid the letter outside your home this could’ve been avoided. Better still, your sister could have simply not written the letter!

No. I can only control what I do. No matter how much I want to, I can’t change what others do, only how I react to it. You approached the edge of the building, and you looked over the edge. There were already ponies making their way along the street, and the road was beginning to fill with some carriages heading to work, or taking their cargo to some new warehouse. You pulled your head back from the edge, and you took a seat, staring once more up into the vast blue infinity of the sky.

You were lying in that position when some pony made their way up to the roof. It wasn’t that strange, so you didn’t divert your gaze. What was strange, though, was the fact that the pony hadn’t said anything to you yet. It used to be that when you came up here anypony that came up would offer a greeting of some sort. Whether it was a polite ‘hello,’ or a simple grunt to acknowledge your existence, there was always something.

“I figured I’d find you up here.” Sunburst’s voice confirms your suspicions, but you don’t make any moves to look at her.

“Yeah. I woke up early, and so I came up here.” The sound of hoofsteps grew louder, gradually, as Sunburst came closer to where you were lying down. “We should get going soon. Our first stop isn’t very far, but I want to hit as many places as we can today.”

She spoke your name, and so you rolled over to look at her, but instead of a smile on her face, as she used to have whenever she used your name, she was serious. You adjusted your position until you were seated, and you motioned for her to start.

“Why are you doing this? I understand that you like her, hell, maybe you love her. But what you’re planning is just stupid. They have more goons than you could ever hope to beat, they’ve got more hiding holes than you could ever hope to find. What you’re trying to do is noble, brave, and undeniably adorable, but it’s a stupid, stupid, thing to do.” She moved a step closer, and she placed a hoof on your chest. “You’re one stallion. One stallion against the greater part of Manehattan’s criminal underground. What chance do you have?”

You brushed aside Sunburst’s hoof, and you stood. It only just struck you that you were taller than your sister, and for just a moment she had the tiniest spark of fear in her eyes. “I may just be one stallion, but I’m not going to just give up because it’s going to be hard. If I die, at least I’ll know that I tried.” You allow a small smile to grace your lips as you remember a small running joke that had run between you and your sister for years. “But, what are the chances of me dying? Just like that old doll of yours, I’m indestructible.”

“I still hate you for what you did to it.”

The moment of family bonding persists for a moment, and then you move past your sister, and towards the stairwell. “Come on, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”

You walked out of the warehouse, a slight limp plaguing your every step. Sunburst followed behind you, but she kept a good distance between you and her. After walking just a few feet you finally just sat down, and you raised your left front hoof to your face, so you could get a better look at it. There didn’t seem to be anything visibly wrong with it, so you just shook it out, hoping for the throbbing to stop.

“Jeez, bro, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“That creep was asking for it. And it was a good way to vent some frustration. Besides, it’s not like he’ll remember what happened.”

“Still, just one punch to take that stallion down? He was a full head taller than you are.”

“Size isn’t everything.” You gingerly placed your hoof back on the ground, and it seemed to be less painful, but it still tingled uncomfortably. “Let’s go get some dinner, and then we’ll hit that last place… Where was it again? Some porn shop?”

“Yeah, Madame Carnal’s Shop of Wondrous Desire. It’s one of the most successful shops in the area, although I don’t know whether it’s for the shop, or the prostitution ring in the back.”

“Either way, it’s next on our hit parade. Now let’s go, I’m famished.” And so you both made your way to a little diner on the corner, tastefully named Diner 69. The two of you quickly got a table, and you began looking at the menu. It all seemed palatable enough, so when the waitress came over you and your sister both placed your orders.

Your drinks came quickly enough, and so you let your mind wander just a bit. Before you could dive into a topic for mental exercise, though, you caught a tiny snippet of some conversation that perked your interest. Sunburst began to speak, but you waved her down, and she fell silent.

“… And so this guy tried to take on Lock Jaw. One tiny guy, against Lock Jaw.”

“Heh. Poor kid never stood a chance. So, why’d he attack Lock Jaw anyway? No one’s dumb enough to do that.”

“You’re telling me. Anyway, Red took this kid’s mare, and he tried to attack Lock Jaw, hoping to get her back. I can understand why, though. Mare’s a feisty one. A real looker too.”

“Is she now? She up for public use, or…”

“Nah, Red’s got her in ‘training’ for a special client.”

“Damn. Ah, well. There’s still plenty of tail to chase.”

“Yeah, this one mare I found, she had this thing stuffed up her…”

You quickly tuned out the conversation, no longer interested in where things were headed. You looked back at your sister, and she had a curious look on her face. You shook your head, and she just nodded. You let out a sigh, and then you glanced at the clock over the entrance. You’d been checking out the city for the past eleven hours, and you were no closer to finding Applejack than you were this morning.

The waiter came over before too long, and placed your food in front of you. You looked down at it, suddenly feeling less hungry than you were a minute ago. Still, you managed to eat most of it, knowing that you’d need the energy. Sunburst finishes before you, but she still keeps her silence, knowing that you’d talk about what you’d overheard when you were done.

You finish, and pay, and soon enough you and Sunburst are walking down the street, heading for the porn shop. You quickly explained what you heard, and Sunburst just shook her head.

“Not many mares are able to hold up under the special training. From what I’ve heard it’s a terrible mixture of pleasure, pain, and mental stimulation. It just breaks down the mind, and then rebuilds it for pure pleasure. If we don’t find her soon…”

“Don’t say it. We’ll make it in time. We have to.” Silence fell upon the two of you as you continued making your way down the sidewalk. You looked up at the sky, and you could see that it was nearly the same color as the day you had given AJ her massage. And when you had tucked her in, and given her that quick kiss.

The memories spur you on, and your pace picks up just a tiny bit. Soon you arrive in front of Madame Carnal’s Shop of Wondrous Desire. There’s just a single neon sign to indicate its presence, but it’s enough to attract a fairly steady flow of customers going in, and coming out. You manage to get yourself in line, and you realize just how quickly the line is moving. You move along quickly, and then you enter the door, and you head down several flights of steps before you start to hear the thumping sound of a bass system.

When you finally reach the main store you just stand still for a moment, the images you see searing their way into your mind. There were ‘toys’ everywhere, and even some mares, and stallions, demonstrating their use on themselves, and each other. You made your way through the shelves, looking to see if you could find someone who works here. You pass by a shelf, and despite your focus you can’t help but stop for a minute to stare.

It was a strange pink colored appendage. It had a single large flat area, with four thin extrusions sticking out on one side, and then another thicker, but shorter, appendage sticking out on the side. A mare approached, and picked it up, before looking at you.

“Hey there, my name’s Bucking Wild, welcome to Madame Carnal’s Shop of Wondrous Desire! Are you interested in this hand?”

“This what?”

“It’s a hand. Based on some ancient mythological creatures, or something. All I know is that they’re great for some serious foreplay. Want a demonstration?”

“Sweet Celestia, no! I’m not here for toys, I’m here to see the living merchandise.” Her eyes quickly narrowed, and her tone changed from teasing to serious.

“Oh. Well then follow me. And say nothing till we reach the back.” You nod, and Sunburst follows you, her face red from the strain of holding back her laughter. The mare you followed led you through the back door of the place, past two mares doing unspeakable things to each other, and then you were going down a new hallway. There were dozens of doors leading off the hallway, and from behind some of them you could hear some groaning, or shouting. You even heard the word human shouted from behind another door, and you marveled at the absurdity of the situation.

After several more doorways you were ushered into a small room with a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling by a wire. There was a table in the middle of the room, with a chair on either side. You took one seat, and then you waited. Your patience was rewarded soon enough, as an earth pony eventually entered, and took a seat opposite you.

”So, kid, you looking for something quick and dirty, or you looking to get involved?”

“I’m looking for a pimp, actually. He’s stolen something of mine, and I aim to get it back.”

“Look, kid.” His tone quickly grew agitated, and you knew you needed to wrap this up before he found out why you were really here. “We ain’t in the business of being honest. If he’s got something of yours, just accept it, and move on. I mean, what, did he take one of yer girls?”

“Yeah, that’s what he did. And I aim to get her back.”

The stallion heaved a sigh, and then he put his hooves down on the table. “You ain’t a pimp, are you? You ain’t even interested in a quickie, or nothing. You just want your mare, and that’s it?”

“Yes.”

“Fuckin’ white knights… Fine, what’s her name, cutie mark, and coat color?”

“Wait, are you serious?”

A small smile grew on the face of the stallion, and he nodded. “Yeah, kid. I am. I see a tiny bit of myself in you, and I wonder what would’ve become of me if I’d done what you’re doing. I mean, do you know what could happen to you if you said the wrong thing? Or if you pissed off the wrong stallion?”

“Yeah, I do. And the stallion I pissed off is Red.”

“Shit. Kid, your mare’s screwed. Short of a miracle, you ain’t getting her back.” The stallion turned to look into the shadows behind him, and then he looked back at you. “If she hasn’t been shipped off already, you’ll find her at Dock seventeen. It’s a warehouse along the river. You’ll need to hit it around midnight if you want the best chance.” The stallion leaned close, and you leaned in as well. “Kid, don’t be like me. Not all the mares and stallions in this business chose it. I know I didn’t. Save her. Save her, or die trying, because if you’re going through all this for her, then you won’t be able to live without her.”

XII: Choices

(Let me know of any mistakes I made. Pardon the brevity.)

It was nearly midnight, and you and Sunburst were across the street from the warehouse, crouched down in a small alleyway. From what you could see there was little worth noting about Dock 17. You hadn’t seen anyone go near the building in almost an hour, so you began to doubt what the stallion had told you. You let out a frustrated snort as you turned away from looking at the building, and you then stomped a hoof in frustration. We spent three hours getting here, and finding this place, and for what?

Just as you were about to tell Sunburst that it was time to leave she suddenly stiffened. You quickly moved to see what was going on, and you had to do a double, and then a triple take to make sure you weren’t imagining things. There, standing in the light illuminating one of the entrances was the red unicorn from before. But more than that was the massive hulk of a pony behind him. And, there, on his back, was Applejack.

It took every ounce of self control you had to stop yourself from sprinting over there right now, and taking back Applejack. The two ponies stood at the door for a moment, and then they entered. The door closed after them, but not before a pony quickly stuck their head out to see if they were being watched. Luckily you were too far to be noticed, so the pony closed the door.

“Sunburst…”

“I saw. That was her?”

“Yes.” You quickly stood, and then you felt a hoof on your shoulder, and you turned to look back at Sunburst.

“The frontal approach won’t work here, bro. I’ll give you a lift to the roof, and then we can, if you’ll pardon the pun, get the drop on them.” You pondered her plan for a moment, before all the pieces began to arrange themselves in your mind.

“Instead of you carrying me, I’ll find a way up on my own. I want you flying around, looking for anyponies that might spot me, or give away what I’m doing. A lone pegasus is nothing worth noting, but a pegasus carrying an earth pony? That’s suspicious.” You looked back over at the warehouse, and then you knew what needed to be done, although you loathed using your sister for this. “Go and fly a quick lap around the building, and see if there’s any easy way up to the roof. I’ll wait here while you do it.”

She gave a quick nod before she took flight, silently powering her way through the air. In her absence you suddenly felt vulnerable. You backed up along the alleyway a short distance, until you were well away from the street. Several tense minutes passed, and then you heard a sharp crack. You rushed to the entrance to the alleyway, and you began scanning the skies, hoping to find some trace of your sister.

“No, no… Dammit, Sunburst, where are you?” Several more minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Sunburst. “There’s no way it should take this long.” And yet you continued to wait, the tense minutes seeming to drag into infinity. “Fuck it, I’m going in.”

And, with your declaration of intent, you followed it to the letter. With grace and elegance you leapt over the crate you had been using as cover, and you made your way to the side front of the warehouse without spotting anypony. You began making your way along the front of the building, towards the northern side of the building. You made sure to stick to the shadows. It only took a few moments for you to get to the side of the building, and you cautiously snuck a glance around the side. Thankfully, there was nopony in your field of vision, so you moved around the corner.

There was a large stack of crates taking up most of the space next to the building, but there was a small path leading around the outside edge, so you moved over to it, and you peeked around the corner. Again, it was deserted, so you began moving along the crates. After walking for a few seconds you reached the end of the pile, and you peeked around the corner, but then you quickly recoiled, praying to Celestia that you didn’t get spotted. Standing around the corner were two earth ponies. That wasn’t what really got you going, though. They were standing over the motionless body of your sister.

You took several deep breaths to calm yourself, and then you backtracked a bit, and then you climbed up the pile of crates till you stood atop the large pile. You moved over to the edge as quickly, and quietly, as you could. The two ponies were smoking, and drinking what you could only assume was beer. You steadied yourself, and then you leapt from the pile of crates. Gravity quickly asserted it’s hold on you, and you plummeted towards the unsuspecting stallions below.

The feeling of your hooves connecting with the heads of the two ponies sent tremors running up your arms, but you were too hyped up on adrenaline to notice. You quickly leapt from the prone forms, and you waited for one to make a move to stand, but they both remained down. As your adrenal high passed, you pushed both stallions away from your sister, and then you crouched down, checking for a pulse, or some sign of life. Her breathing was faint, but present.

“Sunburst… Sunburst, answer me!” You raised your head as Sunburst let out a weak cough. “Oh, thank Celestia.”

“It’ll take more than a gunshot wound to take me down, bro. But a crash landing too? That’s pushing it.” She finished with a coughing fit, but there was no blood, which you knew was a very good sign. As her coughing finally slowed, and stopped, she closed her eyes. “I’m just going to rest, for a few minutes.”

“No, sis, keep your eyes open, damn it! Sis? Sunburst!” She didn’t respond to you, and you had to bite your tongue to keep from screaming. You looked from the building to your sister over and over, weighing the options, and trying to pick the right course of action.

Your sister, or your marefriend?

Your future, or your past?

You stood, having made your decision. You could only hope that it was the right one.

(Fear not, the brevity of this chapter will be made up for in the coming chapters. Besides, this is the best cliffhanger ever!)

XIII: Right in the Stones

(And the events continue to unfold. Enjoy. You should know what to do with errors by now.)

You quickly made your way back atop the pile of crates, and then you leapt to the roof of the warehouse, making sure to absorb the impact with your legs. With your new vantage point you began exploring the roof, looking though the sloped windows that somehow always seemed to adorn the roofs of buildings like this. Most of the windows yielded nothing worth noting, but a few showed some ponies wandering the stacks of crates. You began testing windows in the area for open ones, and just as you were beginning to lose hope one yielded to your efforts, and it opened smoothly.

You dropped down a few feet to the top of the crate that was below the window. On silent hooves you began wandering the crates, looking for any ponies that looked important. The place was far larger than you thought, and it took you quite some time to get the whole place mapped out in your mind. After almost twenty minutes of leaping from crate stack to crate stack, you finally found the red unicorn. But more than that, you found Applejack.

She was still on the back of the massive stallion, but now she was moving, clearly awake, and displeased with the current situation. You knew that you stood no chance with all the guards present, so you watched as some stallion in a suit approached the red unicorn. They shook hooves, and then they turned to enter a small office located nearby. The massive stallion simply stayed where he was, and the other guards began milling about, heading back to continue their patrols.

Through one of the windows in the office you spied the two stallions opening a bottle of booze, so you knew that you had some time to get things tipped in your favor, if only a little. You began moving amongst the guards, repeating your tactics from outside, and meeting with success nearly every time. The one time it didn’t work, the stallion and you tussled for a moment, before you cracked him across the jaw with a hoof, knocking him out.

With a good number of the guards taken care of, you made your way back to where Applejack was being held. You took a deep breath, and then you grabbed the gun you had taken from one of the guards. You didn’t know if it was loaded or not, but you hoped that you wouldn’t have to use it. You walked into the light, and the massive stallion looked at you with a curious expression on his face, before it slowly turned into one of recognition.

“Little pony. You should not have come here.” His voice is thickly accented, and his words are a bit difficult to make out through it. “Now we fight, stallion versus tiny baby stallion.” His stance shifted slightly, and you also adjusted yours. You had speed, of that you were almost certain. You were also confident that you’d be able to keep up this fight longer than he could. But one solid hit…

With surprising speed the stallion lumbered forward, hoping to land a single solid hit on you. You raised the gun, before pulling the trigger. The resulting crack echoed through the whole building, and you saw the massive stallion flinch as the round struck him in the shoulder. Despite his wound, he continued his charge, and at the last second you dove to the side.

Much to your chagrin the stallion quickly stopped, and adjusted his position. Nothing that big should be able to move so damn fast! Within seconds it was charging again, and you knew the gun needed to be reloaded before it could be fired again. Or, you thought so, since pulling the trigger accomplished nothing. With surprising grace you dive aside, narrowly dodging the hulking behemoth so intent on turning you into a dead pony. You toss aside the gun, its usefulness having come to an end.

Without something more to tip the scales this battle would be a game of cat and mouse, and common knowledge dictated who would win that battle. “Stand still little stallion! I just want to crush you!” You steadied yourself for the next charge, and, predictably, it came. This time, though, you dove at an angle to the back, putting you to his side as he stopped his charge. He whirled around to the right, the side you were on, and he swung a hoof at you. You barely had time to move your head to avoid the blow.

A swift swing of your own hoof met the side of his head, and you accomplished little other than hurting your hoof. Lock Jaw quickly shifted his balance, and he threw another punch, and again you moved to the side at the last possible second. Another viper quick blow landed on the side of his head, and you were rewarded with a grunt from Lock Jaw, and a sore hoof. Rather than throw another punch, the mass of pony in front of you simply lunged forward, knocking you on the ground.

“Now I will kill you!” He raised a hoof over your head, and you watched as it came down, seemingly in slow motion. You raised a hoof of your own to meet his, and you somehow managed to stop his hoof mere inches from your face. The stallion’s eyes went wide as you then began to push his hoof up. A smirk appeared on your face for a moment, and then Lock Jaw looked down to where you were looking. With a swift kick you landed your hoof between his back legs, and then the beast jumped back, one massive hoof quickly moving to his stallionhood, and the other keeping his balance.

In his moment of weakness you jumped up, and began peppering him with punches to the face. You landed a few solid hits before he swept a hoof at you. You weren’t expecting it, and so it managed to hit you solidly across the head. The whole world seemed to go white as you sailed through the air. It seemed to last for a few minutes, but it wasn’t long enough, as you felt the ground welcome you back with open arms. You slid several feet before you came to a stop.

You climbed to your hooves once more, and you glared at the leviathan standing proudly in the middle of the splash of light. “Is there problem, little colt? Are mine punches too much for your tiny baby frame?” A low chuckle escaped the stallion as he lowered his head, and he charged once more. You repeated your earlier technique, albeit sloppier. You managed to land a solid punch on his right eye before you jumped back to avoid his body slam.

He surprises you with a charge, and instead of trampling you, as he expected, you clutch his face. He stops moving completely, as you cover his eyes, and then he begins thrashing about wildly. Several tense moments later, and he smashes your back into a crate, hoping to dislodge you. Your grip loosens, and an idea races through your mind. You brace a hoof on his neck, and as he swings his head towards the crates once again, you push off his neck, moving yourself out of the way, and letting Lock Jaw smash his face into the crates.

A massive roar of pain bursts from the stallion, and he quickly backpedals, desperate to put distance between himself and the object of his misery. As he moves back you can see jagged splinters sticking out of his face at all angles, and there is even a trail of blood leading from him to the crate. You look at the hole in the crate, and your eyes go wide. “Really? Fucking, really?” Sticking out of the crate are several rubber hands, similar to the ones from the porn shop.

You don’t dwell on the ludicrous nature of the crate, or its contents, and instead you rush the massive stallion, hoping to take advantage of his wounded state to finish him off. You grab one of the larger pieces of wood off the floor, and then you bring it up in a vicious uppercut to his chin, sending him reeling. You follow it up with a quick swing to his gut, which doubles him over. You wind up, and smash him over the head, causing him to finally drop to the ground. He’s still moving, to your surprise, so you keep whacking him in the head till he finally stops. The stick is covered in some blood, and there’s a large bloody spot on top of the stallion’s head.

You let the stick fall from to the floor, and before it reaches the ground you hear a slow clap. “Well done, lad. Truly impressive. Lock Jaw was probably one of the toughest ponies I have ever hired, and you beat him. Granted, he was never the smartest pony. There were a good number who could outsmart him, but there were even fewer who could outsmart his hooves.” You turned to look at the red unicorn who was standing over the squirming body of Applejack. The other stallion, who was wearing a suit, was looking at you with malice in his eyes. But beyond that malice was something else. Somehow, this stallion knew you.

“But, such is life. Now then, you’re clearly quite capable, having gotten in here without much fuss. I have a proposition for you. I’ll forget about all the ways you’ve transgressed against me, and all you have to do is give up this silly quest of yours, and agree to work for me.” You remain silent, unable to put your hatred for this pony into words. “I pay quite well. Far more than your parents could ever hoped to have made. Perhaps, if they had made the kind of money I’m offering they wouldn’t have… died?”

“How the hell do you know what happened to my parents?” The words burst out of you before you could stop them.

“Ah, well, Acres, it seems you were right. This is that colt. And that must mean that this,” he motions towards the shadows, and out comes two stallions, with your sister limply supported between them, “is your dear sister.” He moves closer to her, and he lifts her chin. Her eyes flutter open, and as they recognize what they see they widen. “Well, Sunburst, it seems that you’ve finally gotten out of the industry. But, I suspect, not how you wanted to go. I never should have trusted that incompetent thug two years ago. He was beaten bloody by this colt, and then he didn’t have the stones to finish you off.”

“It’s a shame that you’re as good looking as you are. I hate killing pretty mares.” Red moved himself closer to Sunburst, and then Sunburst reared back, and spit into his face. With a shout of disgust the unicorn recoiled, and then he smacked Sunburst across the face with a hoof, sending a trail of saliva and blood across the floor. “It seems that I’ll have to make this painful for you. A quick death wouldn’t be suitable, would it? Ah, but my offer still stands. What say you?”

“You can take your deal and shove it up your ass. I’m not going to work for somepony like you. I'd never work for anypony that would sell others for their bodies."

The suited stallion approached Red, and then he whispered in his ear quickly. “It seems that I can’t stay to enjoy your company any longer. We’ll have to settle this some other time, then. Don’t worry, though, I’ll be sure to keep this mare of yours in good condition. I wouldn’t want to damage such special merchandise.” He then turned to look at the two guards. “Do what you will with the mare and the colt. I don’t honestly care. Just make sure they both suffer.” You watched, seemingly paralyzed, as Red and the suited stallion moved over to Applejack. In a flash of light you watched as the trio disappeared.

With them gone you suddenly found yourself able to move once again. You sprinted at the two guards, and the terror written on their faces made it quite clear that they weren’t going to put up a fight of any sort. In a matter of moments both guards had been dispatched, and you had Sunburst’s head resting in your lap. Her breathing was rapid, but she was still breathing. Her eyes were open, but her gaze flicked from spot to spot, never lingering on anything.

“Sis… I’m going to get you out of here. Just hold on. Please.” You quickly hefted her onto your back, and then you made your way out of the warehouse and onto the streets once more.

XIV: One Wild Ride

(Here's Chapter XIV. Enjoy.)

It took nearly half an hour to get to the nearest hospital, and even with your sister bleeding to death on your back it took almost another fifteen minutes before she was admitted. Throughout the entire process you were silent, only saying what was absolutely necessary, and nothing more. The last thing you remembered was being ushered out of a room as several doctors began sticking Sunburst with needles, and putting a mask over her muzzle.

Now you find yourself in a waiting room alone. Your entire body is sore, and covered in a pattern of bruises that speaks volumes about the punishment you endured. You stand on shaky hooves, and you begin exploring the waiting room, hoping to find something distracting. Just as you reach the magazine rack you hear the sound of a door open, and you turn in place, hoping that it was a doctor with good news. Or any news.

The doctor closed the door behind himself as he entered, and you felt your heart beat faster. The doctor continued his approach, and the doctor noticed your piercing stare, and a small smile flashed across his face. “She’s alive. We managed to get the bullet out, and we managed to get her patched up as best we could, but she’s unresponsive to all external stimuli. I’m sorry, but she’s in a coma.”

The doctor continued his explanation for several more minutes, and you just tuned him out, unwilling to hear his words. “Can I see her?” Based on the doctor’s reaction you must have interrupted him, but he didn’t seem to mind too much, and he motioned for you to follow. It took several minutes to reach Sunburst’s room, and when you did you drew in a sharp breath as you saw her hooked up to almost a dozen different machines.

You slowly entered the room, and you moved to Sunburst’s side. You placed a hoof on her forearm, and you just held it there. The doctor eventually pulled you out of the room, and then he pulled out a clipboard, and he thrust it towards you. You looked down to see a bill, and you gasped when you saw the total. “I could buy a house for how much this costs!”

“Yes, well, medical care isn’t cheap. Now, how do you plan to pay for this?”

“Um… I’ll have to go and collect the bits. Can I come back in a few days to pay?”

“I’ll have to speak with my superiors, but I don’t see why not. We’ll just have to keep your sister here until you, she, or someone pays for her bills.” You nod, and glance back at Sunburst’s unresponsive body. Without a second thought you rush down the hallway, simply following the signs marked ‘Exit’ until you found yourself outside the hospital. You glanced at the sky, and you could see the sun at its zenith far overhead.

Half a day gone, and you had no clue where to start your search for Applejack. In the time that’s passed they could’ve gotten her as far as Ponyville, and even a bit further. However, you doubted that they’d take her out of the city, since Manehattan was one of the largest hubs of ponytrafficking in all of Equestria. You wracked your mind, desperate for any kind of inkling as to where they might’ve taken Applejack. The pony in the suit offered the clue you were looking for, and you realized just where you’d have to look.

The underground of Manehattan had hundreds of little hideouts throughout the island, and some of them catered to the higher levels of society, offering the most attractive mares, and the swankiest settings. Downtown, near the financial district, was a club called The Conductor’s Dirty Secret. It was built in the remains of one of the cities old rail stations, and it had the best reputation for mares in the whole underground. You would be willing to bet any number of bits that that’s where they’ve taken Applejack.

It’d take quite a bit of time to get there, and you knew that you’d have to go now, to get there in time. You broke into a run, relying on your stamina to get you where you needed to go. Your sore muscles protested every step of the way, but soon enough you got to your destination and you ran up the nine flights of stairs till you made it to your apartment. You passed right by it, unwilling to face the mess again. Instead you went down to Mrs. Field’s room, and you knocked several times.

The kindly old mare opened the door, and as she saw you, her mouth dropped open. “Come in, dear. Please.” You didn’t hesitate to do as she bid, and soon you were seated in her kitchen once again. Rather than offer you cookies, she gave you a large bag of ice, and a willing ear.

“Mrs. Field, I need help, and I hope that you can offer me that help.”

“Name it, dear. I may not have much, but what I can offer I’ll gladly give.”

“I need money, Mrs. Field. More than you could ever hope to give me. Last night I was stupid, and now Sunburst is paying the price for it. I went to the docks looking for my marefriend, and Sunburst ended up getting shot. Now she’s in the hospital, in a coma, and I can’t afford her medical bills. And, to make matters worse, I think I know where my marefriend is, but I’ll never be able to get to her.”

“Well, for your marefriend, where is she?”

“I think they’ve taken her to The Conductor’s Dirty Secret… But I don’t know for certain. It’s my best guess.” You rest your head in your hooves, and you hear Mrs. Field get up, and head into her bedroom. She comes back several minutes later with a suitcase on her back.

“You’ll need some fancier attire to get into The Conductor’s Dirty Secret. From what I’ve heard it’s a fairly upper class place.”

“What? Mrs. Field, what are you doing?”

“Dear, I’m not blind. This mare means so much to you, and I’d hate to see you lose it all. Now, go put on that suit, and don’t come back till you look nice and spiffy. A Stallion needs to looks his best when he rescues his damsel.”

You grab the case, and you quickly put on the outfit, marveling at just how well it fit. You’d never say it out loud, but you thought you looked quite good in the suit. And, if it wasn’t ruined by the end of the day, you’d ask to keep it. You looked back at Mrs. Field, and she had a new suitcase up on the table. You hadn’t even seen her move it to the table, and she had a sparkle in her eyes.

“Now, dear, how much did you say those medical bills were?” A faint click preceded the opening of the case, and a smile to match Mrs. Field’s came to your face.

You strode up to the entrance to The Conductor’s Dirty Secret, all fear wiped from your face. The bouncer barely glanced at you as you strode in, and you heaved a mental sigh of relief, glad that you had made it in so easily. However, getting in was going to be the easiest part of the whole mission. You knew the seedier parts of the underground, but here, where everything was rich, posh, and upperclass, you were out of your element. Luckily you looked the part, so little attention was paid to you.

As you entered the main room for the club you marveled at the ancient, and massive, steam engine in the middle of the room. It was resting on the same tracks that once served as the main rail line for Manehattan, and you just gazed at the engine. However, you quickly lost focus on that, as several mares waltzed out along the sides of the engine, their attire provocative enough to draw your eye. You felt a blush surge to your face, so you quickly looked away, desperate for a distraction.

You found one, in the form of the bar, and so you approached casually, hoping to Celestia that your blush had faded. The bartender made his way over, and he put a napkin down on the bar, and he nodded at you. “What would you like to have, sir?”

“Martini, shaken, not stirred.” The bartender bows gracefully, and turns to prepare the drink. You, meanwhile, scan the audience for any ponies that you may recognize. Nopony sticks out, and so you turn back to the bartender as he returns with your drink. You place a small stack of bits on the bar, and the barkeep tilts his head at you.

“Sir, didn’t you know? Drinks are free today, in honor of our esteemed hosts latest successes.”

“Ah, yes. I’d forgotten. Still,” you push several bits across the table, towards the bartender, “consider this a tip, then.”

“Thank you, sir.” He grabs the small pile, and you put the rest back in your pocket. You glance at the watch Mrs. Field had given you, and you see that it is just a few minutes until the first ‘show.’ You didn’t ask Mrs. Field how she knew so much, but you decided that some questions were better left unasked. As the crowd began to settle down, you made your way along the back of the crowd, towards the train cars that served as private lounges, party rooms, and miniature casinos.

You passed almost a dozen train cars before you reached the caboose of the train. The caboose had no patrons nearby, and you weren’t surprised, given the fact that it was used mainly for storage. You approached it carefully, acting far more confident then you felt. You grabbed the latch for the caboose’s door, and you opened it, and climbed in, making sure to close it behind you.

Several frantic minutes of searching yielded the prize you sought, and with a small smile you pulled the briefcase out. Inside the case was the only weapon that Mrs. Field’s agent would be able to get in, but it was more than enough for you to do what needed to be done. You labored against several crates, moving them out of the way, until you found the manual brake box for the caboose.

“Thank Celestia these trains aren’t used anymore. A single manual override for the brakes in the caboose? Piss poor planning.” You opened up the box, and with a sharp jab you wedged the crowbar into the lockbox. Several jiggles proved that the crowbar was solidly in place, and that the brakes for the train were now disengaged. The trap is primed.

You then returned to the briefcase, and you pulled out the scroll within. You were incredibly careful with it, since you knew what it would do when it was activated. Gingerly, you put it inside your suit, making sure not to be too hasty about it.

You exited the caboose with the same feigned confidence with which you exited. You made your way back towards the front of the train, and as you arrived the show came to an end.

You stiffened as you saw Red, and the suited stallion talking in hushed tones near the front of the train. You watched as the duo made their way along the train, until they arrived at the cabin, and then they climbed in. The trap is about to be sprung You let out a small sigh, and then you went back to the bar, the bartender making his way back over to you once again.

“Ah, you’re back. Another Martini, then?”

“No, actually. I just wanted to know if you knew anything about that red unicorn, and the suited stallion that just entered the cabin of the train.”

“That would be Red, and Mr. Bits. Red is a… collector, if you will. And Mr. Bits is a stallion who enjoys the mares that Red collects. They’re not the nicest stallions around, but they both bring plenty of business, so the owner allows them to stay.”

“Thank you.” You push away from the bar, and while you were making your way across the bar you ran through the steps that Mrs. Field had told you. Never be rough with the levers, they’re like friends. Just the right amount and they’ll love you forever. Too rough, and they’d never do what you wanted. As you got closer you watched as Red and the suited stallion moved from the cabin to the third train car down the train. You quickly climbed up the train, to the cabin, and then you looked at what you had to work with.

“The things I do for love…” You quickly took care of all the steps required to start the engine, and then you placed the scroll inside the furnace. “Right, here’s hoping that Mrs. Field didn’t waste her time with this.”

Several Hours Ago…

You let the smile on your face widen as you look at the mountain of bits within the case Mrs. Field had opened. It was more than you could ever hope to have in one place. Words failed you, and you just reached a hoof towards it, expecting it to be snatched away, but it wasn’t, and you just laid a hoof upon the pile.

“You see, dear, quite some time ago, before you, or even your parents, were born I was an immensely successful baker. I made the best cookies and treats in all of Equestria. I’d get orders from every corner of the globe and tons of them. Over the course of several years my little bakery grew and grew until I couldn’t manage it on my own anymore.” She lets out a wistful sigh, and she continues. “I’d become something of a celebrity in the baking business. Rival bakers were so desperate to know my secret recipes that they’d send all manner of thugs to try to coerce me into revealing what I knew. Luckily, I managed to buy myself a set of guardponies to protect me, and we grew very close. Now those two have a business of their own, and they do jobs for me as favors for helping them start their own business.”

“But, Mrs. Field, I can’t expect you to pay for all this. And I still need to get back Applejack!”

“I’ll send off a letter, and you just head on down to the club. I promise you it’ll be taken care of. Oh, and the caboose will be the place where I’ll have my men put all you’ll need.”

The Present

You opened the scroll and immediately it burst into flames. You shut the furnace door just in time, and the scroll turned into a blazing inferno. You carefully monitored the pressure inside the boiler, waiting for it to hit the sweet spot. I still can’t believe that Mrs. Field knew all this… The needle steadily rose till it was in the green, and you grabbed the lever that would engage the drive pistons. Hold… The needle continued its rise, slowly accelerating. You raised a hoof to the whistle chain, and with a solid yank you pulled it down, releasing a piercing wail.

You held it for several seconds, and then you pulled the lever back. The trap is sprung. With a lurch the train came to life. Now, the wall that was used to seal the train tunnel wasn’t flimsy. But, a train weighing what this one does smashed through it with ease, and with barely a jolt to be felt. You worked quickly to keep the train accelerating, and before long you had managed to get it up to its optimal cruising speed. A bright flash blinded you as you exited the tunnel, and emerged onto the bridge leading out of Manehattan.

“YOU!” You turned just in time to see Red lunge at you. He managed to tackle you to the ground and he stared daggers at you as he held you down. “Why won’t you take a fucking hint? You’re not getting that stupid mare back! And now you’ve demolished my favorite club! I wasn’t going to kill you before, but now? Now you’re done for!” His horn glowed a sickly red color, and you felt your limbs stretching out against your will. “These horns of ours have more uses than just being the focal point for our magic, you know? In the older days of our race they were used to stab enemies, to keep them away. I’ve heard that due to certain changes in our minds, the sensation of stabbing is positively orgasmic. I aim to find out!”

You watched, wide eyed, as the unicorn pointed his horn down at your chest. You strained against the magical bonds holding you, and you felt some give in one of your arms. You threw all of your strength into your arm, and with a strange tingling sensation you broke free of the magical shackle, and your hoof connected squarely with the jaw of the unicorn. He rolled with the blow, and you struggled to your feet as quickly as you could.

“I’m not going to let you win this, Red. I’ve been through too much.”

The unicorn glared at you, and then his horn glowed once more, and you felt yourself being thrown. The world tumbled several times around you, and then you crashed into the door of the first train car. You crawled along the ground for a moment, until you found a chair. You used that to climb to your hooves, and then you looked back to the door you had crashed through. Red climbed through a wicked smile on his face. His horn began glowing again, and you braced yourself, desperate not to be thrown, or pinned, again. You weren’t his target, though, as several pieces of furniture began floating.

You dodged the chair that was thrown, but the table managed to clip you, and send you spinning. Luckily, you managed to use the momentum to dodge the next few pieces of furniture, but by the time you finished your impressive display of grace you were off balance. A single chair collided with you, and it sent you spinning, and crashing through the door of the train. You climbed to your hooves once more, and this time you made sure you were ready when Red marched through the door. Rather than attack him, though, you turned tail, and sprinted down the train.

You kept running till you made it to the second to last car, and then you stopped, as the door was locked. You heard a laugh, and you looked back the way you came to see Red approaching once more, this time with the suited stallion beside him. “Nowhere left to run to. Now just give up, and end this little game. You can’t beat me, you stupid stallion. Unicorns have always been better than earth ponies. This little confrontation just proves it.” You looked around, desperate for some way to gain an advantage. Instead, you spotted the ladder to the roof of the train, and you quickly dashed up it, hoping to accomplish… something. This may not be the best move I’ve ever made…

You ran back along the train, towards the front. You had progressed several cars before you were engulfed in a massive cloud of thick black smoke. You remembered what Mrs. Field had said just before you left, and you realized that you had been given the advantage you needed. If he can’t see me, he can’t use his magic on me.

You could make out the sound of hooves on the roof, and then you began homing in on the sound, hoping to catch Red unaware. You caught a glimpse of him through the smoke, and so you lunged at him, landing a solid punch before he recovered his wits, and he cast you off with a simple spell. You retreated into the smoke once again, and you listened carefully to the sound of Red’s hooves as he began advancing once again.

With another powerful lunge you tackled Red once again, and you managed to punch him several times in rapid succession before he managed to fling you off.

“Enough of this childish game!” A wave of force knocked you over as it passed by, and then you saw that a magical field had moved up the length of the train, diverting the smoke around the train, and creating a tunnel of smoke around the top of the train. You looked back to Red, and he had a horrible scowl on his face. “We end this now. Like the earth ponies of old, hoof versus hoof.”

You began running towards him, and he did the same, and you met with curses, punches, and groans of pain. The battle was fairly even, despite his lack of magic. Your battle raged along the length of several train cars, the gaps offering small challenges. You were losing, though. Soon enough, you were beaten back to the second to last car once again, your back hooves barely on top of the roof still. Red charged you, knocking you off the third car, and through the door of the second car. You both tumbled amidst the shattered remains of the door, and you recovered enough to look around the car.

Your gaze locked onto the object of your desire, and her eyes locked on yours. “Hey, AJ. I, uh… I came to rescue you. But some help would be appreciated.” You grabbed the lock that was holding AJ in the cage, and you pulled on it mightily, but to no avail. “Unsurprising, I can’t break the lock.”

“No, but I can break you!” You felt an otherworldly pain race along your arms as your entire body was pulled, but your grip on the lock remained strong, and with a painful jolt the lock breaks free from both your grasp, and the door it was holding shut. “Uh oh…”

You look up to see Applejack kick open the door, and stand between you and Red. With speed you had seen just once before Applejack closed the distance between herself and Red faster than you thought possible. Before Red could recover his wits, Applejack turned and bucked the unicorn, sending him sprawling back into the train car ahead of yours. You slowly advance to stand next to Applejack, and you watch as the suited Stallion approaches.

“Well, it seems that some things weren’t meant to be. And your past will remain a mystery, my silly little stallion. I could’ve told you so much, and helped you even more, but you tossed aside my offer for this mare. I hope she was worth it. Now, I-”

A sharp explosion cut off anything further that the stallion could’ve hoped to say, and you watched, wide eyed, as the train cars entered the massive fireball left by the exploding engine. You wrapped a hoof around Applejack, and you dove backwards, hoping to shield her from the blaze. The last thing you saw before everything went black was a wall of fire approaching rapidly.

You came to some time later, your head pounding. The wreckage of the train was all around you, a good portion of it still on fire. You raised your head to get a better view of what was going on, and you looked down at your body, and you grimaced, as much from pain as from what you saw. Most of your fur had been burned off, and there was also a good amount of damage to the skin itself. Each breath you drew sent ripples of pain down your throat, and you slowly climbed to your hooves.

You glanced around, looking for any sign of Applejack, and you soon find her sprawled on her side. You nuzzle her neck, and she opens an eye to look at you.

“Howdy.” You smile at her, and you lie down next to her, the exhaustion you felt finally catching up with you. “I’m glad you found me. I was starting to think you weren’t a gentlestallion after all.”

“Nah, I just thought I’d let you sweat a bit, before I’d swoop in and save the day.” You drape a hoof across Applejack, and she closes her eye, and she pulls herself towards you. You let her do so, despite the lances of pain running along your back. You look around at the destruction you created, and you felt a smile tug at the corners of your mouth.

Your hoarse voice sounds out, informing the wild life within earshot of your thoughts on the past few minutes.

“That was one wild ride.”

XV: ...Memories of Apples...

(A finale, of sorts. There will be an epilogue, along with a sequel.)

Your alarm sounded, and you groggily hit the snooze button, demanding from the infernal device just another five minutes of rest. Not out of compassion, but programming, the device yielded, and five minutes later it sounded once more, its shrill cry requesting your immediate attention. Grudgingly, you silenced the alarm once again, and you rolled out of bed, making sure not to rub your bandages too much.

You entered the bathroom, and grimaced as you looked at the scar that ran along your cheek, marring your otherwise untouched facial features. Your back was almost completely covered in bandages, and a good portion of your chest was also bandaged. You took care while cleaning yourself, making sure to remove the bandages in the appropriate order. The shower was agonizing, as the warm water flowed along the blisters and open cuts along your back.

Thankfully, you had grown adept at washing your burns, and so you finished quickly. Already your skin had begun to heal the wounds, but even the vaunted healing of earth ponies would struggle to fix what you’d done to your body. Another fifteen minutes were spent rewrapping your back, and applying the appropriate salves. With a small smile, you exited the bathroom, and you headed down to the front door of your humble home.

Rather than head to Sweet Apple Acres, as was the norm, you made your way to the medical clinic. The streets of Ponyville were beginning to fill with merchants looking to head to the marketplace, and some gave you polite nods as you passed by them. You were free from distractions, so you thought back on the events that followed your daring, albeit stupid, rescue…

You heard a voice calling out, but the words were muffled, so you couldn’t make out a word of it. You cracked open an eye, and the only thing you could see was the infinite expanse of the blue skies so far above. It was so peaceful that you managed to leave your troubles behind, for a time. The agonizing pain of your back faded to a dull throb as you felt yourself begin to lose all sensation in your body.

A different voice sounded out this time, and it had such a different tone to it, that it pushed itself further into your awareness than the other voice did. It was soft, and feminine, with an accent. A beautiful accent, bringing back memories of apples. But even that voice slowly faded from your perception as the world began to grow narrower, and you slowly lost sight of the rubble around you.

You felt a pressure on your side shift, but it barely registered, and the world began to grow darker. Is this what its like? Just a slow fade to black? The pressure intensified, and then your view of the beautiful blue sky was replaced with the face of a mare. Her beauty stood out amongst the sky, and you raised a hoof to her cheek. Her mouth opened, and you could tell that she was speaking, but her words never made it to you.

Your words sounded out clear as a bell in your mind, and you could only hope that they reached the mare in front of you as clearly as they sounded to you. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can hear you.” The mares eyes widened, and she began speaking again, only her words still failed to reach you. You looked into her eyes, and snippets of your past flitted through your chaotic mind.

Sound slowly began filtering in as you looked into her eyes, but suddenly her gaze shifted, and then she began speaking again, but clearly not to you. Without her eyes to look into the world descended back into silence, and soon you could see nothing but the mare before you. The sky behind her slowly faded to black, and the sensations of pain rushing to your brain faded to nothing, and you just let it happen.

But then, she looked back down at you.

Those eyes. You watched her mouth move, and you could hear her words in your mind, if not in your ears.

“I love you.”

You tried to respond, to tell her you felt the same, but no matter how you tried you couldn’t get control of your body. As you fought for control the world continued to fade, this time, though, the mare was fading too. Her eyes stayed, though, twin emeralds shining as bright lights against the blackness that threatened to swallow you. From the silence came a single exclamation, and then nothingness.

“No!”

A massive jolt surged through you, and you felt your body convulse violently. Your eyes snapped open, but all they saw was a blinding whiteness. Muddled voices sounded around you, but they were lost to the ringing in your ears. A mare moved between you and the light source, and her words were swallowed by the ringing, but the smile on her face spoke volumes. Several minutes later, and you were reclining on a bed in a small room not far from where you woke up.

Several machines surrounded you, and you could actually hear the repetitive tone of the heart monitor beside you. As you relaxed you saw a mare speaking to a nurse at the desk outside. You recognized her, despite the bandages wrapped around her body.

“Applejack.” You wanted to shout out, but the scratchiness of your throat prevented you from exceeding a normal speaking voice. It seemed to have been enough, though, as the mare turned, and her eyes widened. She rushed into the room, and she quickly embraced you. The pain that lanced along your back was worth it, though, for the look in Applejack’s face as she pulled back from the hug. She quickly kissed you, and you felt the passion in the kiss. After a moment you pushed her back, and she let you.

“I knew I’d get you back, AJ. I just didn’t know how much it would take out of me.”

“And I knew you’d come.” She embraced you once again, and you let her. “Now let’s get you fixed up, and back home.”

You reached the clinic, and the nurse looked up as you entered, and she gave you a small smile. She knew why you were here, and so no words were needed. You hesitated at the door to Sunburst’s room, not sure what you’d do there. You cast aside your doubt, though, and you pushed through. She was in the exact same condition as when you had her brought here from Manehattan, not that you were expecting any changes. You had hoped, though. Hell, you’d even written to Celestia at Twilight’s insistence.

But now you were helplessly standing and watching as your sister existed apart from it all, in a world of her own creation. Was it one of love and compassion, or a place where her deepest fears and insecurities plagued her every moment? You couldn’t even hope to guess, and you suspected that you’d never know anyway.

You sat for countless hours, until you heard the sound of a door opening. Your first guess was Applejack, but the filly that entered silently surprised you. She just walked over to the chair on the opposite side of the bed, and she just looked at her mother for quite some time.

“Tell me about her.”

“Everything?”

“Yes. I want to know about her. She’s… She’s my mother.”

“Sunburst was… Well, she wasn’t the most morally upstanding mare…”

<><>

“…And then she just told me she was going to rest a few minutes. The rest… Well, you already know the rest.”

Visiting hours had ended quite some time ago, but the nurse had let you stay, not wanting to interrupt the moment that you were sharing with Scootaloo. You wanted Sunburst to wake up throughout the whole time you were speaking, but she never stirred, or did anything that would indicate that she was aware of anything happening outside her own little world. You stood, wincing from your injuries, and you placed a hoof on Sunburst for a moment, trying to think of something to say, but everything that came to your mind sounded hollow.

The door opened again, and you saw Applejack enter the room. She moved next to you, and you welcomed her company. She pulled on your hoof gently, bidding you to leave, and you let her, not wanting to spend any more time in the company of the comatose mare.

Just as you reached the door, you looked back one last time, and you met your sister’s eyes.

“I knew you’d look back. You always did.”

(Epilogue, then Author's Notes)

Epilogue: A Speech

(Epilogue. It's not answering certain questions, since those will be answered in the sequel.)

You sat at a small bench as the Summer Sun celebration raged around you. You didn’t feel left out, though, as a good number of ponies came by and thanked you for what you did for Applejack. A few times you spotted your sister mingling with the ponies of Ponyville, and every time you spotted her she looked like she was having more fun than she’d ever had before.

And, much to your surprise you even spotted Twilight with a stallion that you hadn’t seen before. They seemed to be talking quite a bit, and you noted with mild interest that the stallion was a pegasus, but more than that you couldn’t honestly say. Though you remained seated for most of the party, the arrival of Celestia required you to pay homage to the ruler of Equestria.

When you heard your name called by the princess, you immediately stood up straight, looking towards the stage. And there, on the stage, stood Applejack next to a smiling princess. Considering that it was the princess who was speaking you decided to let it slide that she used your name. You wove your way through the crowd till you arrived at the stage, and the Princess beckoned you to come up, and so you did.

“My little ponies, this stallion has gone above and beyond what we normally expect from a coltfriend. He braved the corruption of Manehattan to save Applejack, the Element of Honesty. And for this, we all owe him our thanks. Without his efforts we would’ve lost something very dear.” The stomping of hooves made you blush, and you offered a wave before lowering your hoof, feeling like a fool. You heard the sound of a throat being cleared, and you saw Celestia motioning towards the small podium.

“Aw geez.” You walked over to the podium, and suddenly you lost all coherence, and no words would come to you. “Um… Hello, everypony.” The crowd remained silent, waiting for you to make some dramatic speech. “I’d just like to say that… Well, I’m not really that special. I just did what I thought was right. I’ve made, and will continue to make, my share of mistakes.” You looked over at Applejack, and she gave you a warm smile. “But, you should never be afraid to try. Embrace the mistakes you’ve made, and let them guide you to a better future. Nopony is perfect…” You paused, finally realizing what your mind had been telling you all along.

“Nopony is perfect, and in that imperfection lies a special kind of beauty. The kind of beauty that only that certain special somepony will be able to see.” You stepped back from the podium, and you looked over at Applejack. Without even the tiniest bit of hesitation you swept her hooves out from under her, holding her up with one hoof while you balanced on your other three. “I’ll always be there, Applejack.”

“I know.”

You quickly plunged in, planting a massive kiss on Applejack’s lips, taking the time to savor the moment. Were it not for the fact that your lips were busy you knew that you’d be smiling the biggest smile ever.

A single voice cut through the crowd, and you knew the stallion that voice belonged to. Everypony in Ponyville turned to look a the grey pegasus as he shouted out above the crowd. “Hey, Taupe, I knew you could do it! But do us all a favor, and get a room!”

"Shut up, Storm! You know I hate that name!"

The suited stallion slowly approached the desk that stood in the middle of the poorly illuminated room, all confidence sucked from his being. The sound of his hooves on the floor echoed back to him moments after he took each step, forcing him to hear his own impending doom. He knew the cost of failure, but he still hoped. That damned unicorn swore that the earth pony and her coltfriend wouldn’t offer a significant challenge, but the coltfriend proved far more resourceful than he had feared. At best he had thought he’d be a minor irritation. Instead, he had proven to be a worthy adversary, truly worthy of the victory he’d earned. Were they not enemies he could be friends with that stallion.

Finally he reached the desk, and he stopped, knowing that the pony in the chair knew he was there. The voice that greeted him was the pinnacle of courtesy, but the anger laced within the words cut deeper than anypony could ever manage.

“I’ve read your report. I must say that I am quite disappointed in you. Truly, your failure is of grand proportions.”

“My lord, surely you can understand! We didn’t have sufficient knowledge about the stallion. All our reports indicated that he wasn’t anything to worry about.”

“I know what the reports said.” The chair turned, and all the suited stallion could clearly make out were a pair of eyes, faintly glowing. “And I also heard that you were one of the best mercenaries in Equestria. It seems that you bought that title to go with your cheap suit.” The eyes shifted color slowly, and the suited stallion found the words rising in his throat abruptly cut off. “I trust that I needn’t remind you of the price for failure?”

“No, my lord. I am aware of the cost.”

“That’s good, because your price was paid.” With a casual toss a red unicorn head landed on the desk, a trail of blood forming as it slid across the smooth surface. “Your failure, and his, were the same, and he paid the price for the two of you. Now, my agents have discovered new intelligence, and so you’re going back out into the field.” The voice lost all semblance of courtesy, and a slightly more manic tone set in. “Don’t fail me again, or losing your head will be the smallest, and biggest, concern of yours.”

“Yes, my lord. I will not fail you again.”

(Ooh! Mystery! Rate, and comment please!)

Epilogue 2: All You Have to Do is Ask

You rolled out of bed, the alarm’s silence welcomed. You had been awake for hours, now, but you remained in bed, unable to find anything to do till your time came. You decided earlier that you wouldn’t do your running today. You had also showered already, so there was nothing between you and your destination. The walk to Sweet Apple Acres was a peaceful one, and you let the serenity wash over you.

You glanced to the sun once again, and it’s brilliant colors reminded you of why you loved it. The clouds so far above were painted in the most wonderful shades of red, purple, and orange. Were it not for the fact that you have someplace to be, you’d just stop and observe the beauty of nature. The trees swayed gently in the breeze that added just the right hint of coolness to the sun’s heat. After the full day spent in the sun, you welcomed it with open hooves.

The celebration yesterday had also been spent in the heat of the sun, and although you hadn’t been active, it had still taken a lot out of you. The conversations with all the ponies of Ponyville regarding your adventures in Manehattan had been wide and varied, with some ponies even wanting to know the naughtier bits of what you had done, and seen. Storm had taken an unusual level of interest in the ‘hand’ sex toys, but you had steered clear of that topic.

You paused at the end of the roadway that led to the farmhouse, and you looked to the small hole that had started your whole adventure. Scootaloo hadn’t fully forgiven you for what you had said and done, but she was warming up to you again, and that was progress enough for you. You looked away from the hole, and back up the roadway, and you placed one hoof ahead, ready to face what awaited at the end of the road.

The trees surrounding the road were clear of every apple, an impressive feat considering that both you and Applejack hadn’t been around for it all. Big Mac had enlisted the help of Storm and Rainbow Dash for most of the work, and Pinkie had also helped out quite a bit as well. Somehow you found it hard to imagine Pinkie working on the farm, and the mental images that came to mind brought out a chuckle. The farmhouse finally came into view, and it looked just like it did every morning.

You walked up to your customary spot, and you took a seat the same as you did every morning, except that you were facing West, towards the setting sun. It was just over the horizon, and you knew that it wouldn’t be long till the door opened, and the reason for your visit would come out. You heard the door open, and you couldn’t stop yourself from looking over to the door. Sadly, it was Big Mac coming out of the house. He met your gaze, and he began walking over, his face set in its usual mask of impassiveness.

He took his seat next to you, and you opened your mouth to speak, but at the last moment you closed it, thinking better of it.

“You certainly are persistent. Considering what AJ told me about what she went through, I’m amazed you did as well as you did.” He let out a snort, and then he continued. “Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I doubted you. It’s just that most ponies would’ve likely asked for something in return for what you did.”

You stood, and walked a few steps away, looking up to the sky. You turned to look back at Big Mac, and you stopped. “How could I ask for something from her? She’s already given me more than I could have hoped for. She gave me a reason to confront my past. She gave me a reason to get up each morning. Sure, I did all that already, but my heart was never in it. Even before I actually confessed any of my feelings I came here to see Applejack more than I came here for the bits.”

“So you don’t want anything in return for saving AJ?”

“No, of course not! Sure, it’d be nice to have something, but what I’ve got is better than any reward. I’ve got the best marefriend a stallion could ask for.”

“Then you have my blessing. But remember what I said. You ever hurt AJ, and I’ll make sure that you never do anything ever again. And Storm’s going to lend a hoof to make sure that you stay that way for a long time.”

“I fought, and beat a stallion bigger than you, Big Mac. I’m not afraid of you, or anypony that you could get to help you. But I understand what you’re saying.” You move back over to your customary place next to Big Mac, and you take your seat once again. “Anyway, Applejack will always be scarier than you. She’s got legs that could buck a pony to Canterlot and back in a single kick.” Following your words there is a small chuckle from Big Mac, but silence dominates the air following your brief chat.

You heard the door open once again, and it took all your self control not to look again. You heard the hoofsteps on the wooden porch, and they abruptly changed in tone, as they transferred from the wood of the porch to the earth you knew so well. You knew where the pony attached to those hooves was going, since that’s where they went every day. You knew just how many steps she’d take before she reached the spot she was heading, and you could barely contain your excitement. She stopped next to you, and felt her lean into you.

“Big Mac, you can head inside. This evening will be light work, so I won’t need your help.”

“Eeyup. You two play nice now.”

With Big Mac gone you and Applejack simply watched the sun set in silence. You wrapped a hoof around Applejack, and she leaned into you a bit more, letting her weight settle against you. When the sun was finally gone for the night, you let your hoof move from around Applejack, and then she moved away from you enough to support her own weight, but not enough to break contact.

“Come on, AJ. I want to treat you to a nice picnic, and a great view.”

“A picnic, and a great view? How can I resist?” Her controlled voice barely hides the laughter that threatens to boil over, but you ignore it, knowing that tonight was going to be special for the two of you.

After walking for some time, you arrive at the peak of the hill where you confessed everything to Applejack. You looked around, admiring the cloudless night, before you looked to the small basket that sat atop the hill. Despite his slightly irritating mannerisms, Storm does what he says. Storm had delivered this basket here just a short while ago, as per your instructions. He even made sure that there were no clouds overhead. You moved to the picnic basket, and you opened it up, revealing the contents.

You quickly spread the blanket out on the ground, before you placed the candle on the center, and you lit it. The mood lighting set, you pulled out a bottle of aged cider, and then you pulled out two glasses, and you filled them, before setting them down, and sitting next to the candle, motioning for Applejack to sit next to you. She did so, and then she leaned into you once again.

This. This is what I want from my life. But just thinking it isn’t enough.

“AJ. I’ve done both very little, and quite a bit, with my life. I’ve had my ups, and my downs. More downs than ups, but hay, who’s counting? And now I’ve found something that I’m willing to fight to keep.” You turn to look at AJ, and you can see the blush on her cheeks. “You, AJ, are that reason. I’m more than content to just spend my time with you, here on the farm. Celestia herself could offer me the world, but I’d rather just have you. And so, I’d like to formally ask you; would you be my marefriend?”

Rather than answer with words, Applejack gave you a brief kiss. “I’ll take that as a yes?”

With a swift shove, Applejack pushed you over, and you fell onto your back. The pain that lanced up your spine was momentary, but it made its way to your face, and Applejack’s face flashed with concern. “I’m fine. Carry on, I like how this is going.”

“Oh, hush, you.” She moved her body over yours, till your heads were even with each other, and then she kissed you once again. The kisses continued, till you finally wrapped a hoof around Applejack, and you pulled her into a deeper, and more passionate kiss. By the time you broke the kiss the two of you were out of breath, and feeling better than ever.

“AJ… Could we…”

“Sugarcube, all you have to do is ask.”

And so you did. And it was great.

That, my friends, is the end of The Color of Apples. I may go back and do some editing, but this is it. I’ve begun planning the sequel, but nothing is solid just yet. Give me some time, and I’ll probably have something for you all pretty soon.

The title for the sequel hasn’t been finalized, but I think it may be Shattered Dreams. I’ll be sure to let you know through a blog when I finish the first chapter, and get it posted.

Stay Golden.

AVANTE!

-Howitzer

Epilogue III: Several Years Later...

(I thought this up while at work, and so I decided that I'd write it up, and see how it went. It's not well thought out, and it's probably not very well written, but I liked it. As the title indicates, this takes place in the future of the Nameless Romance Series Universe, so take it with a grain of salt.)
(Without further ado; Enjoy)

You paced the room with a calculated precision, each turn made after just the right number of steps. Ace’s arrival at the farm had been unexpected, but not undesired. His frantic explanations of what was happening, though, had sent you into a panic that would’ve made some of the ponies of Ponyville seem sane and rational. Rather than waste time panicking at the farm, though, you had started a sprint into town, ignoring the looks you got as the sound of your hooves pounding drowned out any voices that might’ve been calling to you.

That was three hours ago. A glance at the clock revealed that it was actually growing closer to four hours, now. Another piercing scream shattered your concentration, and the pattern of your steps was thrown off once again. You wanted to barge into the room where Applejack was, but you knew that they’d throw you out before you could make it in there. That is, after all, what happened the first time you tried to get in. Something about you violating the clean room that they had set up. You, honestly, didn’t care much for their procedures, but if it would put Applejack at risk, you understood.

“Pacing won’t make it go by faster, Taupe. Just sit down, relax, and wait for them to tell you that it’s okay for you to go in.” Storm’s words pierced your thoughts, and you cast a quick glance at him before you resumed pacing. “Or don’t listen to me, and keep trying to wear a groove into the floor, that’s cool too.”

When you were at the furthest point in your route you opted to speak to the gray pegasus. “I can’t just stand idly by while Applejack deals with this. It’s my foal too, damnit! And it’s my fault that there’s this risk of complications!”

Storm just sighed before shaking his head. “Are you really all that surprised, though? Given your unique genetic standing, are you surprised?”

“No, but that doesn’t make it easier on me. Or on AJ.”

“And what do you hope to change by pacing?”

“N... Nothing. I just hate this feeling of helplessness.”

“Sometimes, Taupe, there’s really nothing you can do. Sometimes you just have to sit back, and let the roller coaster of life take you where it will.” The pegasus motioned to the seat next to him, and you started making your way over. “It’s not like I condone sitting around doing nothing. I just know that you can’t change what’s happening right now.”

You took the seat next to Storm, and he put a hoof on your shoulder. “Am... Am I ready to be a father?” You looked up at Storm, and he just kept looking at the floor. “What if I can’t cut it? What if I mess our foal up? I know that Applejack is cut out for this kind of thing, but me? I’m just a... Just an ordinary stallion. I can’t raise the foal of an Element of Harmony.”

Storm turned to look at you. “I take it that Applejack hasn’t told you what she thinks of you.”

You hesitated for a moment, not fully understanding what Storm was driving at. “What do you mean? She’s told me what she thinks of me.”

“Well, duh. She’s told you some of what she thinks of you. But there’s more to it. There’s stuff that she’s said about you that she hasn’t told you. Like the fact that she wishes that she could see problems the way you do. Or the fact that she admires your dedication to whatever you try to do.”

You snort in response to that. “Yeah, because I’m so different from her in that regard. She’s the mare who tried to pull a whole harvest on her own, remember?”

“Yeah, but she refused to ask for help, or think of some other way to tackle her problem. She takes her problems head on, figuring that she can just make her way through with brute strength. But you? You try every way that you can think of until something works. And even then you try to make it work better. For you, there’s no such thing as good enough.”

“For me there’s no such thing as good enough? I don’t even know what to say to that, Storm. It’s like you’re trying to be deep and philosophical. But you’re failing miserably.”

“Pfft... Like you know anything about being deep, or philosophical. You’re about as deep as a puddle.”

You knew what he was doing, and you knew that it was better than fretting over Applejack’s occasional cries. “At least I’ve got some substance, then. I’d rather be a puddle than a glass of water.”

Storm was about to reply when a particularly long cry from Applejack gave him pause. Both his gaze, and yours, moved to the door. A minute later, and a stallion walked in, an expressionless mask on his face. You stood as he approached, and yet he betrayed nothing with his gaze.

“Taupe?”

You nodded hesitantly, afraid of what he might have to say.

“You’re a father.”

You walked into Applejack’s room slowly, your mind still in a daze. The stallion’s words echoed through your mind, seemingly an unreal statement to come to terms with.

Applejack holds the bundle close to her body when you walk in, her gaze settled on the foal in her hooves. Her eyes flicker up to you when she notices that she has company, and she wordlessly beckons you over. When you stand next to her, she turns the foal to look at you, and you feel your heart skip a beat when your daughter looks up at you, her eyes shining with the innocence of youth.

Her coat was a light yellow color, and her small mane was as dark as your own. Her eyes, though... She had Applejack’s piercing green eyes. Without asking permission, you clambered up onto the bed to be with your wife, and she scooted over just enough to make room for you.

“She’s...”

“A pegasus. Just like her aunt.” You moved a hoof closer to your foal, and she grabbed it in her own hooves, her grip surprisingly tight. A tiny yawn escaped her, and then she cuddled up to your hoof, her eyes closing. “We need a name, Taupe.”

You took her from Applejack, and then you held her close to your chest, her eyes opening when you moved her. You thought back to the short list of names that you’d come up with together, and one seemed to jump out at you. You looked to Applejack quickly, and she nodded, a smile coming to her face. “Welcome to the world, Opal Apple. It’s a magical place.”

Addendum: Sequel

Not much here to see, really. This is just here to make sure that anyone who reads this to completion knows that there is a sequel. Wouldn't want people to read this just to think that it's all over, when it isn't.

So, here's a link to the sequel. Enjoy.

I Would Give to You

And here be the link to the sequel's sequel. Enjoy that too.

Faux Pas of the Heart

AVANTE!
-Jet Howitzer

P.S. With this acting as my most popular story to date I figured I'd come here with a question regarding fan art. Namely, is anyone interested in making their rendition of Taupe? Seriously, he's gotten so little described about him, I'm interested to see what you guys can come up with. Just let me know if you're interested.

P.P.S. Rising Sun, the prequel to this, is undergoing a rewrite. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it this time.

Addendum II: What Sound do Hooves Make?

They go Cloppity Clop. Yeah, this is my acceptance of the fact that I've written some clop, and now I'm going to do what some of you are probably looking forward to. I'm going to write the scene that takes place at the end of this story, since many of you have clearly seen through my writing to make out the implications. So, I'll be writing the scene. It'll be a separate story, since I don't want to have to change the rating for this story. I'm doing work on it slowly, since I want it to come out right.

I'll post a blog when it's done, and a link to that story here when it's done. That way you don't have to search for it if you're reading this story in a single sitting.

AVANTE!
-Jet Howitzer

I: Morning Glory

You came to a stop in front of your small home, only slightly winded from your run around the town. You had been doing this on a regular basis for months, now, and your stamina had increased rapidly. You started your post run stretches, and you relished the tension that was present in your limbs. Each tiny jolt of pain let you know that you were still improving your body, and that you didn’t need to add more weight yet.

At the thought, you pulled the training weights off your hooves, and with their removal you felt even lighter on your hooves than normal. With your exercise done you began the long walk to Sweet Apple Acres. The Apple family had been kind enough to give you a job on their farm when you came to town a few months ago, and you were eager to earn your pay. You weren’t as big as Big Mac was, but when it came to bucking trees endurance did pay off sometimes. Sure, Big Mac could knock apples off in a single go, but you could keep going much longer than he could.

The trip passed without thought, and soon you were walking down the path that led to the farmhouse, and you looked to the east to see Celestia’s sun peeking over the horizon. As you look away from the sun rise you see the door to the farm house open, and Big Mac walks out. He was always the first up, with Applejack not rising till about fifteen minutes later.

You approached Big Mac, and he gave you a small nod, his customary greeting. You returned it with a nod of your own, and the two of you just stood and watched the sun slowly make its presence known. You took the time to really enjoy the sunrise, since it was one of the few beauties you knew in your life. Certainly there were beautiful ponies in Ponyville, but their beauty was a fleeting thing. A few words could shatter their self-made sense of worth, and their physical beauty could be destroyed by an inner ugliness.

That was one thing that the sunrise never needed to fear. Its beauty was a constant in this ever changing world, and for that you made sure never to miss its rise. Truly it was a timeless beauty. A splash of warm colors across the horizon, bringing life-giving light to all pony-kind. Not only was it a physically beautiful thing, it was mentally refreshing as well. Each day it would rise, travel across the sky, and set in the west. It was a constant in every ponies life. Anything, and everything, would change with time. From the mountains, to the oceans, all of it would change in time. But Celestia’s sun was a constant.

Even in the bitter cold of winter the sun would faithfully rise, and shed its light upon the land, bringing happiness to the ponies, if not warmth. Then, after the long winter, spring would come, and once more the sun’s light would bring new life to the land. Summer would mark the celebration of the sun. It made sense that the celebration of the sun would take place during the season in which it is the most significant object. Fall would mark the waning period of the sun’s prominence. The days would shorten, and then finally winter would come again, completing the cycle.

Through it all the suns beauty was an unforgettable companion. But that beauty was fleeting, in your mind. Each morning you would come here to the farm to work, true. But there was another reason for your prompt arrival. You would never say anything, but you didn’t work at Sweet Apple Acres for the money alone. Since your arrival you had been asked to work at many different places, Sugarcube Corner, almost every stall in the marketplace, and even the Library. But you turned them all down, because none of them could pay you what you were paid at Sweet Apple Acres.

You heard the door open once again, and it took all your self control not to look yet. You heard the hoofsteps on the wooden porch, and they abruptly changed in tone, as they transferred from the wood of the porch to the earth you knew so well. You knew where the pony attached to those hooves was going, since that’s where they went every day. You knew exactly how many steps it took, having memorized it weeks ago. Each step just reminded you of the fact that you were alone, though.

You had tons of friends, thanks to a certain pink pony, but there was nopony for you to share your life with. Despite your joy at being on the farm, there was a sadness buried deeper still. When your parents died, all those years ago, you were depressed, but you always kept up a smile. Your façade was so well executed that nopony ever realized just how well you were faking it. Even the Element of Honesty couldn’t see through your ruse.

Just a few more hoofsteps, and she’ll stop and take the time to appreciate the sun, then we start working. The count was perfect, but a few extra steps were added this time. Soon you felt the presence of a pony by your side, and you knew that she was next to you. You couldn’t keep the smile from your lips, but it never made it to your eyes. The mare beside you adjusted her hat in a tiny fashion, and a smile graced her lips. You turned to look at her, breaking the routine you had established when you first started working here.

This was the first time you had ever looked away from the sunrise before being given your job for the day. Not that it was ever needed, since you already knew what the plan was for the day. The mare gave you a wider smile than the one already on her face, and she quickly laid out the jobs that you would each be undertaking. Big Mac would have to tend to the fields, which were in desperate need of plowing, meanwhile you and Applejack would tend to the Northwestern plot of apple trees.

Silently the three of you went about your tasks, Applejack heading to the orchard to make sure that all the trees were ready to be harvested, Big Mac heading to the barn, alongside you. You pushed open the large barn door and you allowed Big Mac to enter first. You followed him inside, and you took a moment to appreciate the barn. It was older than you were, by far, and it still stood. The stalls stood filled with various pieces of farm equipment, and you even spotted the barrels of cider that were aging.

Big Mac lifted up his plow, and parked it on top of the cart you were hitching yourself to. Big Mac opens up the barn doors all the way, and you begin pulling the cart out of the barn. Soon you arrive at the field where Big Mac will be working, and he pulls the plow off of the cart with little difficulty. You lend a hoof, where you can, and soon Big Mac is hooked up and ready to plow. He gives a small nod to you, and you begin pulling the cart along once more.

You continue your trip with the cart, and soon you are amongst the apple trees. Their neat and ordered rows make it easy to navigate the cart through, and you are free to lose yourself to your thoughts. Despite the smile you received from the farmpony, you knew it was a friendly smile, and nothing more. You wish that it was something more than a friendly smile, but you had long since given up on that hope. Or, at least, you told yourself that you had given up on that hope. Soon you spot the orange mare moving between the trees, setting up some buckets, and you maneuver through the trees to get to her.

You come to a stop just a short distance away, and soon you are unhitched from the cart, and you begin helping Applejack set up the buckets beneath the trees that are ready to be bucked of their apples. The setup takes some time, but soon you have set up all the buckets, and you limber up your back legs, ready to start bucking. You pick a tree at the end of a row to start with, and you line yourself up, and with a satisfying crack you buck the tree. A rhythmic thudding a moment later informs you of your success.

You hear the sound repeated a moment later, as Applejack mirrors your motion on the first tree in the row next to yours. You glance at the tree above you, and you see plenty of apples still nestled amongst the branches. You deliver another swift kick to the tree and another series of thuds signify your further success. You glance up at the tree, and are satisfied to see that the apples have all fallen from their lofty perches amongst the branches of the tree.

You slowly head to the next tree, but before you make it you hear another crack, followed by thuds, and you look over to see Applejack has already finished her second tree. She sees you watching, and a smile graces her face. Her smile widens further, and she dashes along to the next tree, and she bucks that one as well. The results are what you expected, and nearly all the apples fall from the tree on her first kick. She gives a laugh, and she shouts out to you.

“Ah bet Ah’ll beat you down the next five rows, slowpoke!” Her voice is colored with her accent, and you lose yourself in her voice before you realize that you’ve been challenged. That, and that you’re already losing the challenge. You feel a grin grow on your face, and for the first time in weeks it’s a genuine smile.

“Not if I have any say in this! Loser has to do two rows for every one the winner does!” You knew you had only a slim chance of winning, but that just made it all the more fun for you. You keep your solid pace up for the next two hours, bucking each tree twice to get all the apples down. The rhythm puts your mind at ease, and once more the world is as it should be. You’re working on the farm, and being paid at this very moment.

You were dead even with Applejack, and you got to watch her work. This was why you refused every other job offer. You loved to watch this mare work, her coat glistening in the sunlight, the light reflecting off her emerald colored eyes. You soon notice that you are ahead, and going to win the bet. You’re almost a dozen trees ahead, and with just one more to go you know that victory is assured. You approach your final tree, and you want to win, but something stops you.

Instead of bucking the tree, and claiming victory, you move to Applejack’s trees, and you buck them. You start at the last tree she’d have to do, and, just a couple minutes later, you and Applejack come face to face. She’s sweating quite a bit, and you give her a smile.

You trot over to your last tree, and with a single solid kick you knock all the apples down. Applejack returns your smile, and you give a small bow. “It seems that you’ve won our small wager. All your trees were finished before mine. I concede to your superior abilities.” As you rise from your bow you see Applejack coming over to you.

She looked like she wanted to say something to you about what you did, but instead she gives a small shake of her head, the smile staying in place. “If you’re done acting the fool, let’s go and load up the cart, and get some lunch.” Applejack turned around, and began collecting some of the baskets on her back, bringing them over to the cart.

The pay here wasn’t great, but the view was all you could ever ask for.

Author's Notes & Questions!

Well, it’s been a hell of a trip, and I have to say that I’m pleased with this story for the most part. The plot went through some changes as I wrote it, and I considered rage quitting a few times when I was writing a few of the chapters. Luckily for all of you I squashed that desire. When I started this story, so long ago, it wasn’t really going to go anywhere, or be much of anything. It was just going to be a stallion with some secrets worm his way into AJ’s heart, and then it would end there. But then it turned into so much more in my mind, and I just couldn’t resist writing what came to my head.

The story you see is completely free of any editor’s hand. Every chapter was written and posted as you see it. Yeah, I write quite well without any assistance.

Anyway, I don’t really have all that much to say about this, so I think that I’ll just cut to the chase and answer some questions that I think may pop up regarding this story.

Is Taupe an example of Gary Stu?

No, honestly, I don’t think so. He never displayed any powers beyond his means. Sure, he knew some stuff, but that didn’t put him in a position of supreme power. (You can only get that from a mandate by the masses, not some farcical aquatic ceremony) As far as I can tell he’s an ordinary pony who managed some fairly impressive displays of heroism that could’ve been accomplished by anypony.

Did I rush the relationship?

Yeah, I think I did. Would I do it differently in a rewrite? Again, yes. I’m happy with the way things turned out, though, so it’ll suffice for now. If I ever decide to torture myself with rewriting this story, though, I’ll be sure to let you all know, so you can brace yourselves.

Is there going to be a sequel?

YES. I intend to do the rest of the main 6 (Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy), each with their own OC, and plot. They will be connected to each other, though.

Would I like to order Eggs, spam, bacon and spam?

No.

That’s all, really. Feel free to post any questions you have, and I’ll answer them in a follow-up chapter, with credit given to the asker. You can ask Taupe, Applejack, Sunburst, or me, any questions you like, and I’ll see to it that they get answered. Ask whatever! Really. Just say who you want to ask, though.

I don't do the whole, author's notes thing very well...