Winston the Atlas Beetle

Chapters

Away, to a New Land!
Acclimatization!
Occupation!

Away, to a New Land!

The eccentric British collector carefully put the atlas beetle back into his cage. "Now, now, Winston, we have much to do. There's a lot of new artifacts coming in, and I don't want you getting lost now." Winston merely replied by walking into a hollowed-out synthetic log and sitting in it.

The lone man carefully shut the cage hatch and locked it, before looking around his great den, full of various trinkets, oddities, and various wall hangings. The fireplace cracked with life as the fire painted the room in a bright orange glow. The collector gracefully brought a cigar to his mouth before lighting it, giving a short puff before hurriedly exiting the door to meet his new arrivals.

On the opposite end of the table, a large opalescent crystal sphere sat atop a dais, marked at the base with an ornate carving of various horses, some with horns, and others with wings. This strange sphere came loose, and rolled towards the cage where the unwitting Winston sat. It gave a soft clank as it collided with the glass wall of Winston's cage.

Winston, of course, being the dumb beetle that he is, did nothing. He merely sat in his hollowed-out trunk being as happy as a clueless beetle like himself could be.

He certainly didn't seem to notice as the sphere began glowing a bright white, engulfing the whole room before it suddenly disappeared, returning the room to its original state... minus one sphere and dais. And one beetle.

Winston, again being the dumb beetle that he is, didn't care at all for it. Not one bit.

Then he was pulled through a rip in the fabric of time and space. And then he woke up.

The first thing he noticed when he opened his eyes, was that there was a bright blue sky above him. Oh, yes, a perfectly blue sky, shining and bright and unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Blue was such an interesting color. All blue-y and the like. But he knew that was just a reflection of the water on the planet's surface and--

Wait a bloody moment.

He could think? When in the name of the royal crown did he learn to think? This was impossible.

Then he realized that he was lying on the ground, upside down. Oh, even more fantastic. Stuck in the most humiliating position a beetle could end up in. He was lucky he didn't have any friends: they would have laughed at him, shortly before he challenged them all to a duel to the death for slighting his honor, as is the custom of his species. Thinking be damned: if he could think, he wouldn't just wallow around like he did back in that insipid cage like a babe with no limbs. No, he could think! And by the gods, he could get himself out of this mess.

His legs were different from what they were back then. They were stubby, strong, tough, jointed, like the arms and knees the human had. And unfortunately unable to spin around 180 degrees like some sort of machine to right himself. So all he could do with his new limbs was pathetically flail them in the air, like a babe that actually had limbs.

"This is BOLLOCKS!" he shouted through the forest that he now realized he was sitting in. Oh, so he could speak, much like that strange man back in the estate. He had to admit that he liked hearing his own voice; it had a nice charm to it. And the way the collector spoke, just utter brilliance. He could get used to having a voice.

So he continued. By the gods, he was absolutely unruly in his form. It was a lot larger than he remembered himself being, originally smaller than a cage but now as big as a medium-sized boulder, or the collector's office desk. He couldn't even flip over by swinging side to side. Curses. And his weight made it just a bit... okay, really painful to try to open his wings to flip himself. Curse humans for being able to right themselves without external aid. They were just lucky that most things that wanted them dead didn't have arms themselves.

He continued spewing profanities out of a mouth that he couldn't seem to find underneath his carapace, and began looking around at this upside-down world. A few more flails on his wide rounded back, and he quickly gave up. Damn this whole mess. Oh, he could pivot his head. That was a new one, being able to look around instead of turning his entire body like those strange wheeled contraptions he'd been in once or twice. It was a limited pivot, he would have to turn using his body, but at least he could look left and right. Yes, this would help a lot.

Oh, damn these horns. If only they were longer like his Hercules beetle cousins, then he might actually be able to right himself by trying to re-enact a backwards swan dive straight into a world of pain, most likely breaking his back but saving himself from being shamed by whoever found him sitting on his rump, legs in the air. But being trapped this long in what was considered a humiliating and defeatist position was getting on his nerves. He would just have to swallow his pride for this one.

"Grr... help! Is there any person nearby to perhaps help this humble beetle to his feet?!" Person. Strange he used that word. Should have been using 'beetle' and 'claws' instead, that human speech was certainly rubbing off on him. Then again, he was somewhere else, and it certainly wasn't in the cool tall grass that surrounded the estate. No, he was somewhere else entirely, dare he think, even a new world, actually!

He heard a roar as he turned his horned head to the left, seeing what looked like a... hmm, what did that collector call them, from that dusty old mythology journal of his? A chimera? Yes, that was the word for it... a chimera, skulking out of the woods and looking at the helpless beetle. It gave a snarl and licked its lips, certain that it had just found itself easy prey. Well, this was certainly becoming very interesting, and in such a short time, too!

"What the bloody hell are you staring at, you mangy mutt?" Winston shot at it. "You think you're going to be able to best me, Winston, the Atlas beetle?! Well, have at thee, good sir, and you shall quickly find just how a true beetle puts his mettle to the test!" He flailed his limbs again pointlessly for emphasis.

The chimera charged at him, bringing up dust in its wake as it did so. The fool certainly had never seen the likes of Winston before, as the charge quickly proved fruitless as it simply bounced off of Winston's plate carapace and righted himself on the ground. Exactly as he predicted, from such an unruly beast such as this one.

"Godless beast!" he shouted. "You shall now learn the true meaning of a warrior beetle! En garde!" He dug his claws into the ground and prepared to return a charge in kind. "Witness the true power of an Atlas beetle!" He began charging straight for the hapless chimera, who itself was rearing back in an attempt to swipe at him.

The chimera's scream could be heard for miles as it was catapulted into the Swayback Mountains by Winston's absolutely ungodly strength.

The residents of Ponyville looked up into the sky, turning their heads about as they heard a loud shriek emanating from the Everfree Forest. A blood-curling scream like that was certainly far from normal, and with such an intensity of fear, it quickly sent the denizens of Ponyville into a panic as they began to board up inside their homes.

The Elements of Harmony, minus Fluttershy, quickly gathered in front of Town Hall.

"What the hay was that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't know," Twilight said. "But whatever it is, it can't be good. It definitely came from the forest. We have to get to Fluttershy and help her before it's too late!"

"Agreed," Rarity said. "Let us not waste any more time! We must get to her!"

The rest of the group nodded, and they then quickly made for the outskirts of Ponyville, at the edge of the Everfree Forest, where Fluttershy's treehouse resided.

Well. That was certainly interesting. Winston knew his kind was monstrously powerful, but this was a sight to behold. Punting a creature as large as that like a golf ball on a good day. Indubitably, there would be naught a beast in this land that could hold a candle to his gargantuan strength. He felt proud of himself.

"Hmph. Consider it a lesson from such an esteemed beetle such as myself, beast, and rue the day you encountered Sir Winston, Knight of Her Royal Majesty... wait a moment." He thought that only applied to humans who had earned the title, like his former owner. Bah, such a man who kept beetle slaves in his cage could hardly be considered a lord.

Oh, well, no harm done in claiming himself as a self-proclaimed knight and lord. He liked that title, after all, it had such a regal tone to it. 'Lord Winston' sounded quite nice. He was sure he could do with a surname... until, Atlas! Yes, Lord Winston Atlas. That would do fine, and it also did his species justice in the most highest order possible.

Now, he felt hungry. Thankfully, his kind feasted on tree sap and fruit, and although the latter was unfortunately not present, the former was. In the form of a lush and green forest that sat all around him. It would be a glorious feast, one that he felt that he deserved, and the trees certainly won't die any time soon from missing sap given their size compared to Winston.

"Bon appetit!" he happily said to himself as he jumped at the nearest tree.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy!" shouted a voice. Fluttershy stopped tending to the wounded squirrel and looked outside to see the rest of the Elements of Harmony crossing the bridge to her house. "Fluttershy? We need to speak with you!" Rarity shouted, running up the slope that led to her front door.

Dash quickly opened the door and breathed a sigh as she noticed Fluttershy sitting on her couch, a squirrel with a bandaged leg sitting right next to her. "Thank Celestia you're safe, Fluttershy! We were totally worried about you!" Dash said, before quickly moving to the windows and warily gazing out into the forest.

"Didn't you hear that scream earlier?" Twilight asked the sitting yellow pegasus. "We thought the worst had happened to you, and we came to check!"

"Oh, um, I'm fine, Twilight. Thank you for checking up on me." Fluttershy meekly smiled. "Is it... s-still out there? In the forest?" she continued.

"Darn tootin' it is, sugarcube," Applejack said. "We ain't heard nothin' like this before! But--oh, wait! Spike!"

"Spike!" Twilight's ears perked up. "We can get him to take a letter to Princess Celestia to get help! Quickly, back to Ponyville!" The five quickly bolted out the door, as Fluttershy calmed down the squirrel before walking to the door. An angry white bunny jumped on her back and poked his finger at the forest.

"Oh, Angel. Do you think you can take care of the animals here? I promise I'll bring you help," Fluttershy said.

Angel held his angry gaze, before giving a silent sigh and nodding.

"Oh, thank you," Fluttershy said, nuzzling him, before he pushed her back and gave her a 'go on, get to it!' gesture.

Fluttershy nodded and quickly exited the door, and went to Ponyville to catch her friends.

"Hrnng... oh, I say... that was... the most exquisite... sap... I've ever had..." Winston was lying flat on his belly, underneath the shade of the tree, basking in the glorious feast this single tree had provided him. He had found his mouth; it was located... well, right where a mouth should be. He could move apart his carapace to feed, but in all other cases, kept his mouth covered.

Well, he was here now, wherever he was, and it looked like it was to stay. He was capable of thought now, strangely enough. He recalled that strange opalescent sphere glowing brightly while he stood around like a complete dolt and took the blast straight on; that must have been what granted him passage to this world, and his capabilities for thought. Very interesting, aside from the fact that it seems to have disappeared from his immediate vicinity.

He could make a home here. A glorious challenge of living in a dangerous forest, surrounded by acres of food, and no eccentric human to keep him locked up in a cage. It was like he died and went to heaven, so to speak.

But enough of that! The enterprising beetle knows to scout his home territory, and that was exactly he would do. He jumped to his claws and began walking in a direction opposite of the large mountains he had punted the chimera to.

"Spike!" Twilight smashed through the treehouse's front door, scaring Spike, who was filing books on one of the shelves. "Take a letter!"

"Alright, alright!" He quickly ran to a table and grabbed a scroll and a quill, quickly dipping it in ink before looking at Twilight, waiting for her words. Fluttershy entered the treehouse shortly after and quickly joined her friends.

"Just tell the Princess that we have a situation on our hooves! There's something big going on in the Everfree and it sounds dangerous! We need help!"

"...and done!" Spike quickly rolled up the scroll, blowing a green flame as it disintegrated. Within the span of a few blinks of the eye, Spike belched up another scroll in the same green flame. He quickly opened the letter, his eyes quickly darting around it. "The Princess is sending guards to help!"

"Oh, thank her," said Rarity. "I couldn't just imagine having to go up against whatever made that dreadful noise!"

And within another few blinks of the eye, there was the sound of flapping wings outside of the treehouse. The group of seven quickly exited into Ponyville to find four guards landing in front of them.

"We came as quickly as we could," one of them said. "What's the problem?"

"There was a huge scream coming from the forest!" Pinkie said, popping up out of nowhere in front of the guard's face. "It was really loud and scary and terrifying, and I really hope it's not a monster, because monsters don't like parties, but maybe they like cupcakes, so I was thinking that--" Dash put a hoof over her mouth as she mumbled the rest of her words as if her mouth wasn't covered.

"There was something in the forest, and the ponies here are afraid of finding out what it is if it comes to Ponyville," Twilight said. "We need to find and deal with it before this situation gets out of hoof."

"Very well then, ma'am," said the lead guard. "We'll go looking for--"

There was a scream as Fluttershy noticed something walking through Ponyville. It looked like a giant brown... bug?

Not more than half an hour's trek through the forest and he'd found a settlement! Bless whatever deities that beetles believed in!

This was fortuitous. A town, and in rather fine condition, it seemed. Winston delighted at this discovery, wondering who the natives were, before actually encountering them face-to-face. With a scream as a greeting. Well, if that was how they greeted guests, then Winston assumed that he could do no harm by returning the favor, screaming back at the fainted yellow pony. These creatures were so lively. He loved it.

His jubilant revelation was cut short, however, as he found himself surrounded by four winged guards. He was amused as the sight of pegasus, and even unicorns in the distance. This race was equine, it seemed, and roughly about the same size as he was, albeit slightly taller, forcing him to look up slightly if he needed to talk to them. Should it come to fisticuffs, he was well-prepared for a physical confrontation.

"Well, I do say!" he exclaimed. "Is that how you greet new visitors?"

"It can talk?!" shouted a cyan pegasus in the distance.

"I can indeed talk, my dear pegasus. Now, if you'd be so kind, would you do me the favor and kindly call off your guards here?" he said.

"No way! We don't know what the hay you are! Why should we trust ya?" said an orange pony wearing what seemed to be a hat of origin from the American south, void of wings or horn. So there were 'regular' versions of the equine species, it seemed.

"What are you? And did you have something to do with the scream in the forest?" asked a purple unicorn.

"Why, yes, I did indeed, my lady. There was an annoying beast proving troublesome to deal with. I took the liberty of... relocating his present self to the mountains." Winston turned and looked at the mountains before turning back to them.

"Eh... what?" said the cyan pegasus. "You mean you bucked that thing to the Swayback Mountains?"

"Indeed. See, I am an Atlas beetle. My kind are capable of holding up to 850 times our own weight! You can imagine the sort of strength that can be used if I decided to kick or headbutt someone. So, please, it would be in your best interests to not start an altercation with me."

The ponies--at least, that was what they were, they seemed to small to be actual horses to Winston--carefully eyed him. The purple one sighed.

"Very well. Guards, please let him be. But stay in town, just in case."

"Understood, ma'am," said one of the armored pegasus, giving Winston the look.

"Fear not, my good guardsman," Winston said, walking up to him. "I do not seek to start trouble in this town."

"A guardsman? What's a 'man'?" said the guard.

"Oh. Sorry, force of habit. What do you call yourselves here, then?" Winston asked.

"We call ourselves ponies. And you're a beetle?"

"An Atlas beetle, my good friend. And judging by my circumstances, I may also be the first and last talking beetle you see."

The yellow pegasus had recovered herself and was being consoled by a white-colored unicorn, giving Winston looks as they whispered to each other. The others had approached him and were now standing in front of the guards.

"Do you have a name?" asked the purple one. "Oh, my name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. This is Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. And the other unicorn back there is Rarity, and her friend is Fluttershy."

An odd choice of names, but Winston figured he couldn't complain. "I am Lord Winston Atlas, proud Atlas beetle," he said, tilting his head up in pride.

"Lord?" Dash asked.

"Yes." He stood there, looking at them with his beetle head, blinking a few times.

"What are you a lord of?" Applejack said, circling him and examining his strange carapace.

"I am a lord of... the... forest?"

Applejack gave him a look. "Really?" she asked disbelievingly.

Damn. Well, he certainly hadn't thought that far in advance. "Oh, very well. I am a self-proclaimed lord. Take that however you will. But I am an Atlas! And bloody proud of it!" He stomped one of his claws into the ground.

"Hiya!" Winston instinctively jumped back as Pinkie Pie appeared in front of his face. "Do you like cupcakes? Or pies? Or sweet stuff? How about parties? Do you like parties, Mr. Winston? You know, at first I thought you were a monster, but then you came into town and then Fluttershy screamed and then you screamed back at her and I thought it was just so funny--"

"What she's asking..." Dash said, covering her mouth. "...is if you would like a party."

"Hmm, a party, you say?" He noticed Rarity and Fluttershy walking towards him, Rarity continually pushing Fluttershy on. "Well, I could enjoy a fine party. I do not, however, eat sweets. I can only eat tree sap and fruits."

"Oh, you don't eat meat then?" Twilight asked. "Sorry, it's just that usually a lot of things in the forest eat meat..."

"I take no offense, dear Twilight. Were I to see a being approach my town from a forest full of beasts, I, too, would have assumed him to be a carnivore." They exchanged a light laugh until Winston noticed Fluttershy looking nervously at him.

"Uh... h-h-hello," she said meekly.

"Do not fret, my good... er... pony! I mean you no harm! I simply thought that your scream was a method of greeting among your kind, and saw fit to return the favor! I did not mean to scare you."

"I-it's okay..." she whispered. Winston figured that she must have been the shy type. Well, as if the last part of her name didn't give it away...

"You speak like such a gentlecolt," Rarity said. "I didn't catch your name the first time, mister...?"

"Winston. Winston Atlas. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Miss Rarity."

"Oh, my," she said. "Truly a gentlecolt. Well, gentlebeetle."

"It is fine, Lady Rarity, I can adjust to your cultural terms. From what I know about this whole equine business, you're a mare, and the males are stallions?"

"Yes, and the younger ones are the fillies and colts, respectively."

"You seem to use the terms interchangeably," he noted. He ignored Applejack as she began poking at the carapace guarding his wings.

Rarity shrugged. "It's just a sign of the times. The words can be used quite loosely."

Pinkie had stood staring at Winston for the longest time now... and then exploded. "OKAY! I'm totally going to plan that party now for Mr. Winston! I'll bring you lots of fruit, okie dokie lokie?! We'll hold it at Twilight's treehouse, okay, so don't be late? Well, you won't be late, you don't have any place to stay, silly! So make sure you're there, okay? Pinkie Pie... away!" She hopped away towards Sugarcube Corner.

"Is that... normal for her?" Winston asked Rarity. He received only a nod in reply.

Winston certainly found his new surroundings to be adequately interesting. Well, among other things, of course.

Acclimatization!

It was strange, to be sure. Winston sat in the library treehouse as the five ponies, minus Spike, who was busy trying to file books, and Pinkie, who was off to plan the party, since Twilight interrupted him earlier, were eagerly talking among themselves, peppering him with the occasional question in between about where he came from, and what the others of his kind were like. He'd taken to answering them as simply as he could, but apparently, another sentient race such as a beetle was something that confounded even Twilight.

The guards had taken up positions outside of Twilight's treehouse, Winston had noticed. That was fantastic, it was like he had his own little bodyguard detail now! Well, he was certainly capable of holding his own, but having a little help couldn't hurt, right?

Being around the same size, if not a bit smaller, than the ponies had made it that much easier for him to fit in. He could easily sit down on their cushions and walk through their doorways, and even eat their own food, though it was just the fruit; he couldn't possibly imagine eating grass or hay.

And then there was that strange bout of memories he had. It would appear that he had some strange accumulation of memories, like some weird understanding about his own species as well as being mixed in with what he definitely knew as general human knowledge, things like culture, politics, locations, people, times... and it was all in that little armored head of his. And then he still had to grapple with the words here. He was a beetle. His caretaker was a human. And these were ponies. Yes, he'd have to remember that. At least it would seem that ponies share the same general cultural standards like back in the old world.

And here he was, sipping away on a straw, ingesting apple juice. It had pleased him that he could ingest alternate versions of his sustenance. The tiny little hole that he opened up in his carapace led directly to his mouth, which was quite fortunate for the straw. Then again, he was kind of glad that the ponies didn't have to see what his mouth actually looked like... not that he'd know, since he hadn't see it, either.

"So, Winston, do you... have any family?" Twilight asked him.

"Hmm? Why, I cannot seem to recall of any... Most of our species tend to prefer solitude. It does not affect us in the way it affects other living beings."

"Ah, I see. But... doesn't it get lonely at times?"

He stopped sipping on his straw, then thought for a moment. "I suppose so. Nothing dreadfully terrible, of course. But we Atlas beetles like to have our alone time." He went back to drinking.

"Oh, do you think you could tell us about your species courtship rituals?" Rarity asked.

He stopped for a moment, engulfing the conversation in silence. "We are a fairly stubborn and headstrong species, Lady Rarity... I do not think it would do you much... good... to learn about how we find proper life partners." He coughed. "It is best for a lady such as yourself to simply concern yourself with matters pertaining to yourself," he quickly ended.

"Oh, please, darling, don't be a drama king, I'm sure it can't be that bad, coming from such a gentlecolt such as yourself."

"Very well." He emptied his drink before sliding the cup slightly forward on the desk. "We find... a partner."

"Yes, and...?"

"If we find the female in the presence of another male, we fight to the death for her in a battle of honor, and to truly show which one of us is the right partner for the female."

"Oh... well... that's certainly... interesting?" The thought of colts willing to fight to the death over a mare certainly was a morbid thought to entertain, though it certainly wasn't impossible to happen if they were out of their minds well enough.

"Well, that was how they did it in the old days," he said. "I am the first of my kind to venture beyond the dusty old box of tradition! Well, and aside from that, I do believe that I am the first of my kind capable of... bluntly speaking, thinking."

"Really? Where did you come from, then? How did you get here?" Twilight asked.

"I don't remember, Miss Twilight. One moment, I was simply back at home, sitting in my log home and minding my own business, when I recall a giant white orb rolling towards me. Then it glowed really bright, and then I was brought here, and suddenly, I was much larger than I was previously, and then I could think! Now, this thinking stuff is quite astounding, if I do say so myself. I can understand how much people like to think."

"So you couldn't think before you arrived here?"

"Indeed. My intelligence quota was equal to that of a rock, I believe. A little bit above, actually, I can't flatter the rock that much. Well, I guess that's changed since I've arrived here. Now, I do believe I've entertained enough of your questions. What say you answer some of mine?"

"Sure," Twilight smiled. "What would you like to know, Winston?"

"Those guards out there," he said. "Who do they work for? I don't recall villages being able to arm town guards with shining gold armor."

"Oh, those are Princess Celestia's royal guards. She's the ruler of the land of Equestria."

"Incredible! Royalty!" he exclaimed, earning a few laughs from the ponies. "We should do well to seek out audience with her this instant! As the first of my kind and self-proclaimed lord, I must report my patronage to her immediately! Oh, this will be a problem, royalty usually have such horrid waiting times, perhaps we could schedule an appointment in advance so we--"

"Don't worry about it, Winston," Dash said. "Twiilght's an egghead, and not just any egghead, she's Princess Celestia's personal egghead student!"

Twilight gave Dash a look before returning her happy gaze to Winston. "What Dash said is true. I am Celestia's personal student. If you want, I can get you an audience any time you wish."

"Such leniency from a monarch," he muttered. "Practically unheard of from where I come from."

"Oh-oh... um, it's not a... monarch... Princess Celestia rules with her sister, Princess Luna," Fluttershy said, her voice barely discernible despite sitting next to Winston.

"Luna, you say? Do your esteemed princesses have an affiliation with cosmic bodies, by any chance?"

"Of course they do, sugarcube! Celestia raises the sun, and Luna raises the moon!" Applejack said.

"What? They can raise entire cosmic bodies? What manner of sorcery is this?" Winston asked. "From where I originated, the sun and moon saw fit to rotate themselves just fine! Did your world's cosmic bodies perhaps have an accident that made left them incapable of performing their functions? Hit their heads, perhaps?"

"Uh... well, no, it's just always been like that. The Princesses are over a thousand years old, at the very least," Twilight interjected.

"Now that I must call shenanigans to, Miss Twilight!" He stood up on his cushion, causing Fluttershy and Rarity, who were both sitting next to him, to jump back a moment. "Such longevity is absolutely unheard of in my world! Well, that is, unless you're a tree... but that's out of the question! How could one of an equine species have such long lifespans?"

"Uh, honestly, Winston, we don't really know," Dash said. "I guess you can say it's just always been like that. There are some books that Twilight had in her library talking all about how they showed up."

"Very well, then, I shall peruse these books later at my leisure."

"Uh... can you even read Equestrian?" Applejack asked.

"Well, write something, and we shall see," Winston responded. Twilight merely grabbed a scroll and quill from across the room and wrote down something on it, before sliding it over to Winston to see.

All the ponies looked at him in anticipation. "Well?" Dash asked.

"It says 'Winston'. I think you would do better to write something that I cannot easily recognize," Winston said.

"Oh, I got this," Dash said, giggling as she pulled the scroll over, writing something on it. She slid it back towards him.

"...'Rainbow Dash is the most awesomest, coolest, and fastest pegasus in Equestria'..." he said. All the ponies looked at Dash.

"What? It totally worked. He can read, see?" she said. "So now he can spend some time reading through all those boring books you have. You should totally give him the Daring Do series, everypony loves those!"

"Dash, he said he wanted to know about our history, so I'm sure--" Twilight began.

There was a loud crash through the roof as a pile of wood and branches hit the ground. Winston immediately jumped to his claws and raised his head towards the clump of wood, leaves, and branches.

"Aha! An intruder has appeared, most likely a common rabble thief! Stand back, my dear ponies, I shall deal with this! Stand, fool, and prepare for Winston the Atlas beetle to send you to your maker!" he shouted.

"Wait, hold on!" Dash said. "Derpy, is that you?"

"Uh, yeah... sorry, Dash," said the grey mare. She poked her head out of the pile, her mane covered in leaves and branches.

"That was certainly the flying accident, my dear pony," Winston said. "Say... are your eyes always like that?"

"Yeah. It's just something that I've always had."

"Hmm. Do be careful next time. Such property damage would most likely tarnish your reputation. What is the nature of your occupation, Miss Derpy?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm the mailmare! I deliver the mail!" she grinned.

"Mailmare, yes? Quite interesting to see that you ponies have a post system." Every little thing he learned about this new land intrigued him even more.

"Yep, we do!" Derpy's grin faded. "Oh, no! I'm late for my route! Gotta go!" She bolted through the hole she had made in the roof.

"That was interesting," Winston said. "I suppose there are a number of ponies that have a multitude of occupations, Miss Twilight?"

Twilight nodded. "Yep. Most ponies usually stick with a job that suits their cutie mark, though. Oh, that's the mark on their flank."

"I see." Winston would have turned his head to see if he had a cutie mark, but it would appear that he couldn't do that. If he were a human, he might have been able to. But he wasn't, so he would have to make do with his limited scope of sight.

"It doesn't look like beetles have any cutie marks," Spike said, walking up behind him. "You don't seem to have anything around at all, actually. Your whole shell is just one color!"

"Yes, my dear Spike. That is how beetles are supposed to look," Winston said flatly. "And what of you? You are a dragon. I am sure you do not have a cutie mark, either."

"Oh. Well, that's true, I guess."

"Okay, enough chit-chat!" Twilight said. "Spike, take a letter!" The dragon grabbed another quill and scroll nearby.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today, we had heard a scream coming from the Everfree Forest, and asked that you dispatch guards to help us investigate. It turns out that it was actually a creature from the forest getting kicked all the way to the Swayback Mountains! Can you believe that? And it turns out that a beetle, Winston--

"Lord Winston Atlas," Winston corrected.

--Lord Winston Atlas turned out to be the one who did so. He can even speak! He has shown himself to be harmless, and wishes to join pony society! Please reply back soon.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle.

Spike rolled up the scroll and away it went with a puff of green fire.

"What?!" Winston said. "That's how you send official documentation? Why has this not become the standard for your land? Such a means to deliver post would be absolutely revolutionary! Smoke-mail! Well, it would be called something different from that, to be sure, but just think of how amazing it would be!"

"As far we know, sugarcube," Applejack said, "Spike's the only one who can do that. And those letters go straight to the Princess herself! Unless Equestria suddenly finds itself with more dragons, I don't think that's gonna happen."

"Dragons are uncommon here?"

"Of course, dear," Rarity replied. "Dragons are usually such an uncouth bunch, after all. Spike here is a delightful exception." Spike blushed. "The rest you will most definitely not want to meet," she quickly ended.

"Very well. I shall take your word on the brutishness of these dragons, Miss Rarity. What else shall we attend to?"

Spike burped as another letter appeared before him. "Well, that was fast," he said. He opened up the scroll and cleared his throat.

To my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle,

I would wish to speak with this Lord Winston Atlas at his earliest convenience in Canterlot. Please send me a letter when you are able to so that I may arrange for a carriage ride for our new friend.

Your proud mentor,

Princess Celestia

"Egads!" Winston exclaimed. "To think that royalty wishes to speak with me, a lowly beetle? I am most humbled. Perhaps it would have something to do with the embellishment of my own title? I wonder if she will respond in a most unkind manner to my appearance."

"Aw, shucks, it's alright, sugarcube," Applejack said. "The Princess don't bite. She's a very nice pony up close, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Should we venture forth immediately?" Winston asked. "I see no reason to tarry on my first-ever appearance before the Princess--"

Pinkie smashed through the roof, making another hole in the ceiling. "Ow... oh, hiya, Mr. Winston! I almost have your party all set up now! I was just testing out my new party cannon. It's going to be a blast! Everypony in Ponyville is going to be there! I mean, who doesn't want to meet a totally new beetle like you! Don't worry, I'll have as much fruit as you can possibly eat, so don't feel bad about splurging! I'm really sad that you can't eat cupcakes, because everyone loves cupcakes, but I guess there are just some things out that can't really eat cupcakes, so maybe we should try pies? How about pies, Mr. Winston? Are pies okay for--"

"Alright, Pinkie, we get it! He'll be at the party, okay?" Dash said.

"Okie dokie lokie!" She jumped to her feet and hopped off as streamers seemingly fell on the ground from out of nowhere.

"Perhaps I should become accustomed to being in Ponyville first..." Winston said. The ponies, and Spike, simply nodded.

Winston hadn't anticipated the number of ponies that had actually arrived at the party, which took place within Town Hall. Lots and lots of pastel colored ponies, all meandering about and having jovial casual conversation.

On the honor of the royal crown, he could not have things go wrong tonight. Yes, he would make sure that events proceeded along as swimmingly as possible. On his own word, Lord Winston Atlas would most certainly not appear the fool tonight! At least if things went wrong in the physical sense, he could easily outmatch any pony in Equestria. Of that, he was most certainly sure.

He pondered over his next series of actions as he vacuumed in a piece of apple into his mouth. The apples here were most certainly not lacking in any sense, for certain. He wondered if Applejack had something to do with these apples, what with the apple relevance being in her namesake and all.

"Okay, beetle of the hour, your time is coming up!" Dash whispered to him. "Ready for your big introduction?"

"No. This is actually quite the most terrifying situation I've been in so far. Well, aside from 'so far' being 'since this morning', that is."

"Don't sweat it, Winston. I'm sure everypony will like you!"

"I would hope so." He sucked in another piece of apple. Dash raised an eyebrow at his strange method of eating before shaking her head and returning to the rest of the party, grabbing a mug of cider on her way back towards the crowd.

Winston tuned out the sounds of the party, and aside from a question from a pony or two, most tended to just stare at him from afar. They seemed to know that the party was for him, but were too wary of the strange insect to actually socialize with him. Understandable, he thought to himself. If anything, they most likely had been able to piece two and two together and realized that he had either dealt with the monster from the forest or, the more likely situation, that he actually is the monster from the forest.

"Hey, everypony! Let's all give a big Ponyville welcome to our newest resident, Winston!" Pinkie shouted. Winston had to resist the urge to correct her by giving his title and surname, but fought against making himself look like an arrogant fool. The crowd stomped their hooves into the ground. It must be their form of clapping, Winston thought. "Come on up, you big beetle! Introduce yourself!"

"Huh? Oh, certainly!" His claws clacked across the wooden floor as he made his way up to the stage. Pinkie had to adjust the microphone to his height, though, earning a few light-hearted chuckles from the crowd. "Hello, denizens of Ponyville! My name is Winston! I know many of you have heard the commotion in the woods today. Fear not, that was merely a monster that I promptly dealt with! You all must also be curious as to what I consume for my diet! Unfortunately for you all, I do not eat meat, but fruit and tree sap instead! That is all!"

Winston walked down the stairs into a crowd of lively ponies, all bursting with questions after learning that he wasn't some sort of bloodthirsty beast just watching all the ponies in the room so he could make a move.

"Wow, so you're an actual talking beetle? I've never seen one before!"

"How did you fight the monster in the Everfree? How big was it?'

"Can you fly?"

Winston's head turned as he was barraged with questions, trying to answer them all. "Yes, I am talking beetle! I kicked the monster in the Everfree to the Swayback Mountains, and it was a chimera, so perhaps you could chance a guess to the creature's size. And, yes, I can fly!"

They let out an excited murmur after the last part. "Can you show us?"

"Very well. Stand back!" The ponies cleared out in a circle behind him as Winston opened his shell, revealing his powerful insectoid wings. He began to flap as the ponies watched in wonder as he lifted off the ground. His wings were certainly a lot more powerful then he had remembered them. Trying to maintain his float required barely any effort on his part.

"Wow!" shouted Pinkie. "I didn't know you could fly, too!" She giggled. "Maybe we need another party!"

"That shan't be needed, Miss Pinkie!" he shouted, the buzz of his wings earning the attention of all in the room. "I do believe one party is adequate for my needs!" He began to descend to the ground as the ponies, despite some of them also holding the ability to fly, stood in amazement at him. They quickly closed in around him again as Winston could see the Twilight and Fluttershy looking at him from afar, wearing faces indicative that they weren't exactly envious of his situation.

"Alright, alright, give him some space!" Dash said, pushing through. The ponies began to disperse as they continued their amiable discussion over Ponyville's newest arrival. "Sheesh, I haven't ever seen any new pony in town get that much attention before... but then again, you aren't a pony." She laughed.

"I appreciate you aid, Miss Dash. Being beleaguered by the attentions of a whole town... certainly not what I expected. Still, though, I do believe I sold my introduction fairly well."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short, darling." Rarity had walked over, holding a cup of red liquid. "You were absolutely marvelous. And to think that I finally have another pony--ah, beetle, as outstanding as yourself. When we finally visit Canterlot, allow me to show you only the most finest establishments in the city. I have feeling that you'd enjoy it." She hiccuped a little. "Oh, dear, I believe the alcohol is getting to me."

"You serve alcohol at these parties?" Winston asked. That would explain why he hadn't seen Spike around...

"Oh, don't fret yourself, dear. It's only just a party, after all, what good would it be without proper *hic* refreshments?"

"Uh, Rarity, I think you drank too much," Dash said. "And normally I don't drink that much, especially when I have work the next day." So it was a weekday, then. Winston noticed as groups of ponies began to leave the party, most likely preparing to turn in for the night for their daily tasks the next day.

"Oh, don't be so *hic* ridiculous, Rainbow darling... *hic*" Rarity looked into her cup, scowling when it was no longer filled. "Everypony should learn to *hic* enjoy themselves once in a while, don't you *hic* agree?"

"Oh, dear," Winston said. "It appears that she has been wholly inebriated."

"Aw, hay," Dash said. "I have to bolt. I have to wake up early tomorrow so I can move the clouds before they end up ruining AJ's harvest. See you soon, Winston!" She walked to the door, giving a short wave to Winston, before flapping her wings and taking off.

"Well, I'll be," Applejack snorted, observing tipsy mess that was Rarity. "I ain't seen her like this for a while, especially not since that time after the Grand Gallopin' Gala."

"Oh, Winston dear," Rarity sang. "Could you be a gentlecolt and *hic* fetch me some more, please?" Winston would have accepted... except for the fact that she was facing towards the wall waving her cup around in the air... and talking to a table lamp.

"It would appear that our dearest Rarity is perhaps not sound in mind as of this moment," Winston said. "As the first act of goodwill as Lord Winston Atlas, I shall escort dear Rarity back to her home!"

"Oh, shucks, sugarcube, that's mighty nice of ya," Applejack said, before leaning close to him. "Just be careful around her when she's like that, she can get a bit... snooty. Her place is the Carousel Boutique. You'll know when you see, it's practically the largest tent building in the entire town."

"Oh, that. I do believe I know what building it is."

"Just be careful, she kinda likes to talk a lot when she's a little tipsy," Applejack laughed.

"I've suffered through worse," Winston responded, remembering the insufferable eccentricity of the collector, mindlessly rambling on in that proper tongue of his berating his servants and endlessly recalling his tales of "adventure" (it wasn't really an adventure when you hire hundreds of workers to do it for you) in East India.

Pinkie Pie was running around the room... and then the walls... and then the ceiling, cleaning up the mess that the party had left behind. Winston seemed to be repeatedly shocked by some newfangled capability of hers every single time he'd seen her. Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy quickly gave their thanks to Pinkie for the party before leaving the Town Hall.

Rarity was still mumbling at the wall when Winston approached. "Miss Rarity..."

"...and that was when I suggested that *hic* she use a completely different fabric, so--oh, dear, hello, Winston! I didn't notice *hic* you there! I... was I just talking... to the wall?"

He chuckled. "Yes, you were. I do believe now would be a proper time to return home, Lady Rarity." He bowed before her. "Please allow me to do so."

"Oh, so gentlecolt-ly," she giggled, before eliciting another hiccup. "Please lead the way, Lord Winston."

This was Winston's first sentient grasping of the night sky. It was beautiful. It was serene. Calm. Peaceful. So many things. He walked slowly towards the strange tent-like building that was called the Carousel Boutique. Rarity must be the purveyor of many cloth goods within Ponyville, though he did question the reasoning why ponies even wore clothing when they were nude most of the time. Given, he didn't wear clothing either, but he wasn't naked: he was just wearing his carapace.

The trek to the entrance was still quite away, though, and Winston had to stop between bouts of steps to help Rarity stay on her feet. She seemed to be off in her own little world, mumbling things about Canterlot this, clothing that, about gems and elements and friendship and many other things.

"Well, well, look what we have here." Hooligans. Just what he didn't need to end this night. The two earth stallions walked out of an alleyway from the buildings on his left, seeing Winston and the alcohol-dazed Rarity. "Looks like we have a good pick tonight."

"Leave now and you might all live to see the sun in the morning," Winston said. Lord or not, he wasn't about to let these cretins lay a single hoof on Lady Rarity. He gently pushed her away as she looked confusedly between the ponies and Winston.

"We'll see about that, you talkin' bug. Get him!" The two earth ponies charged him, running to his sides and turned their backs, attempting to buck him. Winston immediately clamped his claws into the ground for the impending impact, but he feared not: his species was trained for this. Brutal close combat with direct force was the only way that males fought, after all.

The hooves gave a small clack as they hit his carapace, leaving no dent and having no effect on Winston whatsoever.

"Huh--what? Damn, he's tough..." said one of them, backing off, then turning to kick him again. Their repeated attempts only felt like Winston was being shaken by someone with a very lax grip. Pitiful at best, laughable at worst. They eventually stopped trying to kick him as Winston simply lifted one of the ponies up with his horn and slammed him down on to the ground.

If they could have seen Winston's smile, then they would have turned tail and ran at that moment. The thrown pony groggily got to his feet, his mind spinning from the force at which Winston had tossed him into the ground.

"My honor demands that I should fight you both to the death! But I think for your sakes, and Lady Rarity's, I think beating you senseless will do just fine." He waved his head towards the air repeatedly, preparing to engage in glorious battle with his horn, ready to defend his and Lady Rarity's honor, to the death if need be.

But deciding against that, he issued a final warning. "You have slighted my honor and have expressed direct harm towards one of my friends! Leave now, and hope I do not find you again. For if I do, it will be the second, and last, time."

He stamped his claw into the ground, preparing to charge should the idiots not heed his warning.

"O-okay!" said one of them, looking to his pal. "This bug's serious business, man, we gotta skip town!" They began running off for Ponyville's north exit, as Rarity walked up to Winston.

"My goodness, I don't think I've ever *hic* seen a pony as crass and as lordly as yourself simultaneously," she laughed. "Thank you for that. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't *hic* been around."

Winston merely chuckled. "As if I could let such a slight leave a stain on your grace and honor, Lady Rarity."

"Oh, there you go again, with your *hic* pleasantries. I feel very fortunate to have made your acquaintance, Lord Winston. I sincerely hope that our friendship, as with the other residents of Ponyville, will be prosperous and *hic long-lasting." She giggled. "Oh, I haven't said something like that for such a long time."

"You are drunk, Lady Rarity. Please, let us continue to your home."

It took quite a while for Winston to get Rarity into her bed. She wasn't complying, and had only resorted to giving drunken compliments to Winston for just so happening to be in the right place at the right time. Though it was something that he didn't like to consider: what would have really happened if he hadn't been around? Would one of her friends have escorted her home? Would she have gone back by herself?

There was something rotten in the state of Equestria. Winston didn't like it, and as much as the town had been nice, there appeared to be some... uncouth elements, as well. He would have to see about resolving such villainy in his spare time. Perhaps that should be a topic of discussion when he visited the Princess.

But now was the time for rest, walking downstairs to the living room that Rarity had so tastefully furnished. Thankfully, he didn't need beds much like ponies did, since all he needed to sleep was a cushion. He lay the thoughts to sleep and let his dreams take him as he sat down, closing his eyes.

Occupation!

Perhaps sleep was a bit of an overstatement. Unlike pony compatriots, it would seem that Winston did not sleep: he waited, another side effect of being an insectoid creature, on top of being insanely strong despite subsisting on a completely vegetarian diet. Thankfully, while his body and part of his mind was set on standby mode, he had plenty to contemplate about over the course of the night.

This world was strange, almost completely idyllic--were it not for the ruffians he had an altercation with--to the point where it might just be a figment of his imagination. Had he even possessed an ounce of free will back in his own world? Were beetles even capable of going insane? Would it even be such a good idea to want to return to that glass tomb that he used to call home, and suffer daily through the ramblings of the collector and surrounded by bizarre trinkets?

At the very least, it would appear that Winston was surrounded by favorable company: Twilight Sparkle held an intellect that he found much pleasing; Applejack was quite the epitome of the honest and hard-working type; Fluttershy was the most kind and caring, if a little shy; Rainbow Dash was steadfast and loyal, if not a bit crude; and last but not least, was Lady Rarity herself, a most esteemed companion of the highest degree, which Winston was glad to have around. The only one he couldn't really put a tally on was Pinkie Pie herself, a most strange pony of spontaneous personality.

And then there was the topic of a more insulting manner: his nobility. Yes, going around as a self-proclaimed lord could send someone a long way if they managed to fake it long enough, but Winston was not the sort of beetle that would lie to others. He knew he had to attain the title officially somehow, and proudly display it like a badge of honor. Lady Rarity seemed to be of the sophisticated type: perhaps he could try to confirm the rank or a suitable substitute from her in the morning.

But, there it resided within his mind, like a single bright crystal in a confusing darkness, a goal above all things to strive for.

Winston would embark on a great quest to attain lordship!

Winston eventually found a way to put his mind to sleep. It seems that with sentience, he seemed to adopt some needed functions of it, as well, as his brain entered a hibernation mode and he essentially turned into a sleeping log. So it was a good night, especially after his little revelation.

He woke to the sound of tapping. Not the kind of tapping that one would hear when someone was tap-dancing, but a meaty tapping that sounded like a 'thunk'. He opened his eyes, wondering where the noise was coming from. Then he realized it was coming from his own carapace.

"Is... is he awake?" Whoever the assailant was poked at his shell again.

"Of course he isn't! He's a bug!"

"You saw him at the party last night, didn't you? A talking huge bug from the Everfree, and it doesn't eat ponies! I wonder if he has a cutie mark."

He jumped to his feet and wheeled around to look at the three fillies, making them jump back with his quick reaction. They all stared at him with apprehensive but curious eyes, not unlike those one would expect to see from a child in their explorative stages.

"Who, pray tell, are you?" he asked.

"I... I'm Sweetie Belle," one of them responded, a white-colored unicorn filly. "I'm Rarity's little sister."

"Oh! Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Belle," he said. He attempted to bow courteously, but only ended up hitting his horn into the ground. Curse his short stature! It already made him feel particularly inadequate that he had to look up to speak to Rarity, much less any other full-grown pony, but now he was talking at eye-level to these children! They all laughed at his mistake; well, at least they weren't scared of him.

"Howdy, Mister Winston!" another said. "I'm Applebloom!" She beamed up to him, her eyes bearing the most incredibly cute adoration.

"Hello, Miss Applebloom." She giggled when he said that. "Would you happen to be related to an orange pony, by any chance...?"

"You mean Applejack? Yeah, she's my sister!"

"How incidental! I do recall that I was going to ask your dearest sister for a job..."

"Oh, you mean you want to work on the farm? That's fine, usually no one likes to step forward 'cause it's a lot of work. Needs a lot of strength that earth ponies are known for," Applebloom said, nodding.

"Well, look no further, my dear filly!" Winston said triumphantly. "Dare I say, I may be the strongest being in all of Equestria!"

"Great! My sister would be glad to have you, then! She gets really tired when applebuckin' sometimes, so I think it'd be real nice if she could get a helping hoof!"

"A most excellent idea, little one! Now, there's the issue of the farmwork. I may be a lord, but a little physical work is not beneath me! It shouldn't be too difficult to give a helping... er, hoof around the farm!"

"Alright!" Applebloom said, turning to her friends. "Maybe we can get our cutie marks by helping ponies help other ponies!"

"Cutie Mark Crusader Helping Helpers, yay!" they all cheered.

Winston stepped forward, the floor of the Boutique giving way slightly as his claw landed into the plush carpet. Noticing some sliced apples sitting on a plate on top of a nearby table, he immediately relocated his present self to the table edge.

"Curses... bloody table edge..." Winston said, thumping his stubby jointed claw against the table edge. "This is discrimination against the vertically-challenged...!"

"Oh, let me help you with that, Mister Winston!" Sweetie Belle said. Closing her eyes, she focused her magic and dragged the plate to the edge, putting the food within easy grabbing distance for Winston.

"Bless your soul, little one," Winston replied gratefully. With the opening of his mouth, the fillies watched in wonder as he suctioned in the food for immediate mastication within his mouth, then giggled when he gave out a burp. "Oh, goodness, please excuse me."

"I think that's actually pretty... uh, funny, the way you eat," Scootaloo said, giggling. "You don't eat like other ponies, do you?"

"Indeed, I do not, little one. On a good day, I just attach myself to the side of a tree and eat sap instead."

"Ew, gross, you just eat it straight from the tree?"

"Why not? It's fresh, you know. One can never deny the true quality of a properly-provided meal courtesy of Mother Nature."

"Eww," the girls said in unison.

"Very well! I shall not trample upon your dining sensitivities any longer. Please, Miss Applebloom, lead the way to your orchards. I sincerely hope that your sister will be inclined to help me."

"Do let me know if she doesn't," Rarity said, coming down the stairs. "If she is unwilling, I may be able to help persuade her otherwise. Thank you for last night, by the way. You've shown yourself to be quite the gentlecolt, if I do say so myself."

"It was nothing, Lady Rarity," Winston replied. "I am merely doing my part as an upstanding and chivalrous member of Equestrian society."

Rarity chuckled. "Well, I do wish more stallions were like you, Lord Winston. Unfortunately, your wish to join the upper rungs of Equestria's most sophisticated may turn out be less than what you expected."

"Whatever do you mean?" he inquired.

"The upper crust of society tend to be horribly shallow and superficial, my dear Winston. Very few will break out of their preconceptions of high societal standards and look down upon all those who are not with them... a habit that I fear may extend to you."

Winston nodded and sighed. So there was the chance of it ending up like this, after all. Then again, he shouldn't have been surprised, what with the collector's incessant ramblings on the banal and idiotic get-togethers of his own compatriots, all of whom shared equal wealth and nobility much like he did. To think that he might end up having to rub shoulders with such a crowd... it was no surprise as to why Lady Rarity wished to stay in Ponyville, where the denizens were more down-to-earth.

"Hmm..." Winston mused. "I shall deal with that issue as I come across it. Now then, I believe I have tarried for long enough. Miss Applebloom, lead the way to your sister's farm!"

"Applebuckin's real tough. Day in and day out of doin' nothin' but kickin' apple trees. Though if you are as strong as you say you are, Mister Winston, I don't think you'll have much trouble with it," Applebloom said, hopping along with her friends in tow as Winston trudged along behind them.

"I shall be the judge of that myself, little one," Winston said. "It's just applying a matter of physical force to a tree, how hard can it be?"

"Boy, Mister Winston, if only you knew how many helpers we brought in who said the same thing..."

"I am not of insufficient physical strength, Miss Applebloom. If anything, it should be that everypony else underestimates mine!"

Applebloom gave a short laugh. "Alright then, Mister Winston. My sister should be 'round here somewhere, if you can find her. If not, just ask my brother, Big Macintosh. He'll be around here somewhere, too. Might be tillin' the fields again with his plow, actually."

"Thank you, Miss Applebloom! I shall venture to look for them now. You three get along now, and do stay safe!" he shouted, as the trio of fillies ran off further into the orchard. "Hmm, now where are they...? Blasted orchard... trees all look the same..." he mumbled as he walked between the trees.

Eventually, he made his way out of the trees and into another clearing where he saw the barn sitting off in the distance as a red stallion worked in a nearby field with a plow. He could tell from where he exited the traces of the tracks and broken twigs the fillies had left on the other side of the road.

"Damn," Winston cursed. "I've walked in a circle."

"Um, 'scuse me, can I help you?" the stallion asked, eyeing the insect warily.

Winston abruptly turned and made no attempt to step forth, not wishing to put the stallion on edge. "Ah, yes, good day, my friend! Would you happen to know where Miss Applejack is? Or perhaps one Big Macintosh?"

"You're speakin' to him," the stallion replied from afar.

"Excellent! I was told that I could seek a job opportunity here on the farm on behalf of your little sister! Were you perhaps present at my introduction party last night thrown by Miss Pie?"

"Pinkie Pie? Naw, I don't go to those parties."

"Ah, I see, then! Well, in any case, you might have heard the scream of a creature being tossed afar into the Swayback Mountains a day or so ago. That would be my doing, good sir."

"You bucked that thing straight to the mountains? Shoot, even I'm not that strong."

"You flatter me, friend!" Winston said, imperceptibly tilting his head higher with pride. "I assure you, that act was entirely in self-defense, and I mean no harm to anypony in Equestria. Now, please, could we perhaps find some time to talk over this job offering?"

"Well, I'll have to get Applejack, since she runs this farm along with me," Mac said.

"It is no trouble, my good stallion. I shall wait here at the outskirts of your premises until you are ready to speak to me!"

"Alright, then," Mac said, pulling off the plow's attachments and readjusting his yoke. "You just wait here, and I'll go get my sister."

"Of course." Mac walked off into the orchard as Winston stood still like a statue. A single leaf bounced off the shine of his back carapace as he looked like a strange rock standing in the middle of the road, his dark colors clashing with the bright sky and colorful orchard around him. A bird landed on his horn and began chirping nonchalantly as Winston watched it with interest.

Eventually, Mac returned with Applejack, exiting the orchard near where he entered, and pointed at the gated fence that was the entrance to their home. Applejack smiled and trotted over.

"Howdy, Winston! I hear Mac says you want a job here at Sweet Apple Acres!"

"Indeed I do," Winston said, bird still on his horn.

Applejack chuckled. "I see you're good with the animal fellers."

"Hmm, must be the bug thing. I wager that they think I'm a tree."

Applejack laughed again. "Well, 'least it's nice to see you fittin' in 'round here. You didn't have any trouble escortin' Rarity back home, did you?"

"Ran into some uncouth ruffians, but other than that, it was nothing that a beetle of my caliber couldn't solve. She is fine, and I had the chance of running into Sweetie Belle and company this morning, which is what led me to you."

"Well, that's just fine. Come on, let's head on down to the trees and see if you can't collect a few bushels of apples."

"So, how does this work again?" Winston asked.

"It's simple: you simply hit the tree hard enough at this spot..." Applejack tapped the trunk of the tree, a spot roughly about slightly above eye height for Winston. "...and knock down the apples for collection."

"Well, that doesn't sound too hard." He walked up to the tree and tried to hit it with his stubby claws. After trying a few times, he gave up and stepped back. "These jointed legs are proving to be equal parts annoying and useful simultaneously."

"If applebuckin' ain't your callin', then I guess there might be somethin' else for you to do... maybe Rarity might have somethin' for you?"

"Please, Miss Applejack. If I were even remotely knowledgeable on the subject of fashion, I would be annoying Lady Rarity to her wit's end right about now. Unfortunately, it seems that due to my physical capabilities, I am best suited off for more laborious work, as ironic as that may seem for one who sounds like they come from a city."

"Does that mean you're going to give it another try?" Applejack asked.

"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I assume you have other matters to attend to, so perhaps in due time, I will find a way to properly 'buck' this tree, as you say." Applejack nodded and headed off, continuing with her ongoing apple harvest, leaving Winston to deliberate on a new method to gather apples.

He circled the tree several times, attempting to size up the toughness of the trunk and gauging just where he should strike. Unfortunately, such a time-consuming method of examining a tree was something that Applejack probably wouldn't appreciate, so he merely settled to strike the tree with his horn.

Standing a horn's length away, he lowered his head and readied to swing. In a single moment, he quickly lifted up his head with great force and slammed into the side of the trunk with his horn. The reverberation barely registered on his mental footnotes, since battling with the horns was a common affair with his species.

Several apples plopped out of the tree.

"No... no, this shall not do. In order to succeed, I must attempt to level this tree with the wrath of an angry god! I must remove the apples from their smug perch and prepare them for collection!" Resolving on his new solution, he walked away several paces from the tree and stomped his claw into the ground, preparing to charge the tree like he did the chimera in an attempt to gain access to its fruity treasures.

"Whoa now, pardner!" Applejack said, stepping in front of him. "What do you think you're doin'?"

"...trying to applebuck?" he slowly responded.

"Pardner, if you're tryin' to run down the tree to get to the apples, you're doin' it wrong. And if half of what you say about your strength is true, I'd rather not end up losing a tree in the middle of harvest season, thank you very much."

Winston sighed. "Very well, Miss Applejack. I shall tone down my efforts and try not to destroy the tree."

"I'd 'preciate that. I forgot to part to you everythin' that I tell all the helpers: these trees should be treated with love and respect. It won't do you no good if you're just goin' to trample every tree in the orchard, you know. Do it right, and you'll be rewarded with success. You get me?"

Winston shook his head up and down, the closest thing he could manage to a nod. "Yes. Actually, now that you put it like that, I guess it does make more sense." Positioning himself facing sideways next to the tree, he prepared another head-swing at the trunk. Bringing in more force with him this time due to the extended swing time, he slammed into the trunk and was showered with apples.

"See! That ain't so hard, now is it?" Applejack said, smiling. "Now, what'd you change to do it better this time?"

"I don't know..." he said. "I just simply thought of the tree as something that provides us with food, and that we should cherish it for what it does. So I attempt to hit it hard, but restrained myself a bit to protect the tree."

"Now that's exactly what I wanted to hear; in the Apple family, we always respect our trees. You did pretty good for a newcomer, Winston. Now come on, you can help me with the rest of the orchard. We'll split half and half and we'll meet up for breaks and lunch. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yes, it does, actually. So we're just going to finish up this orchard together and then return?"

"This orchard?" Applejack said, chortling. "Pardner, we ain't even done with a tenth of the orchard yet." She walked towards the edge of the orchard they were in as Winston followed. When they cleared the trees, a huge horizon full of trees on various hills and lowlands nearby awaited them. "Now that is the whole orchard. Think you can handle it, Winston?"

"Oh, dear... well, I'll try my best...?"

"You've returned!" Rarity said, plating the last bits of dinner just as Winston returned to the Boutique. "I trust that you've obtained a job due to your absence for most of the day?"

"Yeah, how was it, Mister Winston?" Sweetie Belle asked, sitting at the table.

"It was... very strenuous," Winston replied tiredly. "I am glad that beetles cannot feel heat nor fatigue, but I do feel extremely tired. Would you happen to have any sap, or fruit?" He walked up to the table and peered over the edge at the vegetable contents of the plates.

"I'll prepare some fruit for you, Winston," Rarity said, pulling out a knife and an apple from the refrigerator. "So how did the work day go?" she asked, working adeptly with her magic and cutting into the apple. "I trust there were no complications as unexpected as the one we encountered last night?"

"It went quite swimmingly, actually." Rarity sat a plate of sliced apples in front of him and a cup of water, which he gladly took to, downing it all with refined gusto. "I managed to clear my share of the field earlier than Applejack did."

"Oh, is that so? You managed to outwork the strongest pony in Ponyville at her own tasks?"

"Well, I seemed to have managed to cut down on the time it takes on harvesting because I simply swing my horn at the tree trunk, while she has to position herself properly in order to kick."

"Doesn't that hurt, hitting trees all day long with your head?"

"On the contrary, Lady Rarity, I don't even feel the blow. You see, much of my own species is conditioned for more dangerous and forceful fights with horns, so compared to that, I'm simply just hitting the tree with a force one would need in order to smash potatoes." He peeked into the cup and slightly tilted it, draining the water as he finished with a smack. "Ah! Now, if you do not mind, I do believe that I am going to sleep."

"Well, if you need a bed, I can prepare one upstairs for you--" Rarity began.

"No need to do so, Lady Rarity. You have been far too kind in your generosity, and I can make do with a simple floor cushion... it's not like I have a head to rest on a pillow, after all. I bid you and Miss Sweetie Belle a good night."

"Good night, Mister Winston!" Sweetie Belle said, mouth full of food, as he exited the dining room.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity said, shocked. "Please chew and swallow your food before speaking!"

Winston chuckled to himself as he made himself comfortable on the floor cushion in the darkness and silence of the living room, and tuned out the noise of the world around him as he sat down and went to sleep. The moonlight shined in through the window as it reflected off of his carapace, painting the room in soft glow. It contrasted with the lights still on in Rarity's kitchen as the conversation between the two sisters continued on as they shared their day's events.

It would only be a matter of time until he met the Princesses, and he fully intended on making a good impression...