For Her

Chapters

Introduction
Prologue
Chapter 1: New Beginnings
Chapter 2: Day One

Introduction

Survival was the only life that I have ever know. From beginning to days end, all I have ever know is struggle.

I grew up on the streets, no parents to care for me; no mother to hold me, no father to scold me. The streets were my home, the cold, my blanket for the night; hunger, my scolding for not doing better. I often embraced these feelings at the end of the day.

For the better part of my life I cared only for myself. I had no friends on the street, not even the other orphans cared for my company; though, I was sure my temper had a hoof in that. My tendency for being quick to anger was, for all of my life, the biggest enemy I had. Not even my mouth could rival my temper when it came to causing trouble.

My anger cost me more than just the company of another. Sometimes it did get me noticed, though not in the way I would have liked. Because of my anger, I endured beating after beating; I vividly recall a time when I was beaten so severely that I became known as “the horse of another color.” Thankfully, that didn't last for long.

After several years of beatings, I started to change. My new stature helped to keep most of the younger thugs away, the rest were kept at bay by my newly developed mass of muscles. My dark white mane grew longer as well, among other things.

I took the good with the bad. In addition to my physical metamorphosis I also changed mentally. I found myself thinking more of mares, a thought that seldom crossed my mind before then. I also became moody, and found myself taking offence more easily than usual.

It’s funny, I gained many advantages, but I wasted them. I changed from a little colt who would try and escape trouble to a stallion who made trouble. Being pushed around for so long has that effect, I suppose.

For all it was, I don’t regret a moment of it. True, I became a testosterone fueled brute, but life had a funny way of fixing problems. It was because of chance encounter one winter that everything changed for me. On that day, that cold winter day, something happened that set into motion a series of events that would change my life forever.

Prologue

Warmth was considered a luxury by those with no place to go. During the winter months, many traveled south in a desperate attempt to escape, to not have to struggle to stay warm. But there were those who could not, or would not leave. For those who stayed, the bounties of the concrete jungle were more plentiful. Though not an increase in such necessities, there were fewer mouths to feed and therefore food was easier to come by.

I would always stay in the city during the winter months. Even though I endured many hardships during my time on the streets, I eventually learned to accept it, and never wanted to leave. Fighting for so long made me appreciate what I had. Why would I want to abandon what I fought so hard for?

Overall, the winter months were my favorite. Ironically, I despised the cold; be it rain, snow, or ice. I loved the winter months because I got the chance to scavenge with little opposition; meaning I can hoard food for other times of the year when such necessities become scarce. Food was always the first to dwindle in supply, and as a result the street dwellers would turns against each other. On the streets, it was survival of the fittest.

Winter mornings were always a bother, the air stung my lungs with the intensity of a blazing inferno. So, breathing was always a problem during prolonged exposure without a scarf to filter the air. Another pain when it came to winter air was the wind; the wind was by far the most bothersome obstacle winter had in its arsenal of discomfort. It hurts just to image all that cold air bombarding my skin, like daggers slowly cutting away at my hide.

One particular winter morning, not long before Hearths Warming Eve, I awoke with the same old feeling. The blasted cold air woke when the wind decided to pick up my blanket and place its icy fingers on me. My eyes shot open and I bolted upright as a powerful shiver ran up my spine. What a way to start the day.

I started to rub the sleep from my eyes. “ I can tell today is going to be a great day,” I muttered with a lack of enthusiasm.

After expelling the weariness from my eyes, I looked around the alley. Just because my eyes were no longer burdened does not mean the rest of my body wasn’t. I was shivering and my teeth began to chatter as I started stretching to regain my mobility. At least until I could find a scarf or coat.

*** *** ***

By the time I had limbered up and fully awoken, the sun was already in the sky, and the moon had finally retired.The sun was shining brightly down on the city, bathing it in a warming embrace. Not that the temperature rose much as a result.

I started out my day by scavenging for food near one of the local restaurants. The aroma coming from the restaurant made it an easy choice. Freshly crisped straw fries mixed with oat omelets. Out back looked as though one might expect, several dumpsters with a loading area for the fresh supplies of the day. And what luck. The morning delivery had just recently arrived and nopony was around to watch the truck.

I quickly made my way over to the dumpsters behind the building. My heart was racing, adrenaline pumping, and my muscles were preparing themselves for action. On the other side of the dumpsters was my target: the produce delivery truck. I stayed there for a few moments, just to be sure that there was nopony nearby that I didn’t initially see.

After I decided that it was safe to proceed, I slowly made my way over to the back of the truck and opened its doors as carefully as I could. Unfortunately, I was too eager and I opened the doors faster than I intended. All of my muscles tensed at this mistake and I was prepared to haul tail out of there; the last thing I wanted was to go to prison for grand theft veggie.

Several moments passed and nopony appeared, so I relaxed my muscles and turned my attention back towards the truck. Inside were cate upon crate of cabbages! Initially I didn’t notice what was in the truck, my attention being on potential intrusion. I had expected a bit more variety, but I really couldn’t complain. Just for this opportunity to present itself was enough to make me overlook this fact.

I could control myself no longer. My hunger had been kept at bay for too long and it wanted out. I attacked the cabbage hoard with every fiber of my being. I tore and stomped and bit at every one of them that stood in my way. None were safe from my voracious appetite. Head after head fell victim to my hunger, and soon their numbers had been severely reduced and I laid there, belly full of cabbage and mind at ease.

As I laid there, cabbage leaves stuck in my dark white mane and covering my light gray coat, my eyes began to grow heavy. My head started bobbing and my eyes closed as I placed my head on one of the cabbages and began to enter the realm of dreams.

“My cabbages!” a voice exclaimed in disbelief.

I jolted up at the sound of him. “wha-huh?”

I found myself staring at who I assumed was the delivery pony. A typical earth pony with a brown coat and a short, dark gray mane. We stared at each other for what seemed like an hour, the only noise coming from the restaurant as the cooks began working. The stare-off was finally halted when he narrowed his eyes, furrowed his brow, and started shaking from the anger building up inside him.

Sure enough, he finally released his anger in one more outburst. “You ate my cabbages!” I took this as my cue to take off like a parasprite out of Tartarus.

I bolted out of the back of the truck as fast as I could, taking the angry cabbage pony by surprise. A belly full of pilfered cabbage made moving that fast a difficult task. Enduring the extra weight, I made my way down the street, the cabbage pony and two others trailing behind; it seemed that cabbage pony’s last outburst had alerted some of the kitchen staff.

“Ha ha ha, catch me if you can,” I yelled back to them as I turned the corner and ducked into the first alley on my right.

*** *** ***

That alley was disgusting, even by alley standards. Filled with garbage bags, most of which had broken open. When I decided to duck in there I didn’t notice until I was in mid air, heading towards the pile. Dead fish had nothing on this stink; I would have rather jumped into a dead fish pile than go through that again. If living on the street had taught me anything, it had taught me to always expect the unexpected. Never again will I forget this hard-learned lesson

As I was making my way down the street, I noticed that more ponies were avoiding me more than usual. I was ninety-five percent positive that it was because of that stink hole I decided to duck into.

“Grr. This is perfect, just perfect. I know it was too good to be true; I find a ‘free’ meal and then I go swimming in garbage. How could this possibly get any worse?” I grumbled as I continued down the street, some pieces of garbage still stuck in my mane. “I swear if I ever see that cabbage pony again he will PAY!”

As I made my down the street, my mind began to wander. At first first they were relatively simplistic and I was able to dismiss them with ease; however, my mind soon began to wander to more complex and private thoughts. Thoughts that concerned certain individuals that I happened to be passing. Dang, my home city had some attractive mares.

My thoughts kept me from thinking too much about how much longer I had to go until I got to my destination. Too bad I didn’t have any extra time, I was beginning to enjoy my mind trip. By the time I reached my destination my mind snapped back into focus.

In front of me was an abandoned lot, left to be reclaimed by nature. What was left of the space was an empty lot littered with dead spots where the grass refused to grow. Litter was by no means a rarity here. There were numerous piles of trash on the property, though most of them were up against the buildings on either side of the property. A group of five ponies, three earth ponies and two unicorns, were in the back of the lot. The biggest one looked as though he was expecting me and was motioning for me to join them.

I casually approached them. “Well, well, well. What have we here? Another group of stubborn idiots who refuse to leave during the winter season?” I inquired as I stopped in front of them.

The earth pony who invited me over adopted a new expression. His irritation was more apparent now. “If it isn’t Mercury Quicksilver, to what do I owe the pleasure?” He began to glare at me.

The rest of the ponies continued what they were doing before I arrived. However, the kept their eyes focused on me, too bad they weren’t very good at doing it unnoticed.

I chuckled. “Why do you think I am here you idiot? You are the one who ‘invited’ me to come over. If I didn’t any know any better, I would say that you were about to do something stupid...again.”

“How very observant of you. If I am so ‘stupid,’ as you say, then why did you come over? You had to have known how this was going to turn out. I’d say you are the real idiot here.” He laughed while throwing back his blue mane. “Boys, teach this piece of trash to respect his betters!”

“Very well, show me you pansies are made of. I have a few moments to spare, just try not to fall too fast. I want to some fun before this is over.”

At the command of their boss, the other ponies encircled me. He, however, decided to back up and let his cronies do the work. What a coward.

I couldn’t help myself, I let out a deep, ominous laugh. I looked around; the two earth ponies were in front of me and the two unicorns had taken up positions behind me. Most likely to prevent me from running. Like that was going to happen. I narrowed my eyes on my targets while mentally deciding who got the first hit.

He who makes the first move is predestined to fail. Impatience must have consumed them because the two earth ponies in front of me charged simultaneously. They may have been fast, but they were by no means agile. I was easily able to sidestep the first earth pony and use the second as a shield as the unicorns launched a volley of spells. I can only imagine how painful it was for my trusty shield to take those spells. He served his purpose well.

His body fell to the ground much worse for the wear after taking two spells at the same time with no protection. The second earth pony was not as gullible. He chose to keep his distance while the two unicorns in the back took aim. Good for him, bad for them.

Seeing such an opportunity present itself I lept into action. The earth pony was more concerned with playing the defensive and foolishly sidestepped, easily allowing me to charge the unicorns unhindered. Noticing his mistake too late, the earth pony made an attempt to close the gap and stop me. Bad move. By that point the unicorns were firing wildly, desperate to give the earth pony time to catch up to me.

Several of the wild shots were lucky and managed to hit me; unfortunately, since their spells were weaker due to their rapid casting. Had I been hit by a one of the spells that hit the first earth pony, a slowly cast spell that was much more powerful, I would have been down for the count. Fortunately, fear had set in and corrupted their judgement, causing them to fire wildly in an attempt to suppress me.

The earth pony was starting to close the distance. He was about to tackle me when one of the spells hit him in the chest. It didn’t do more that knock the wind down out if him. Dragging his sorry hide off the ground, he rushed to catch up. He had lost much ground with that stroke of bad luck. At this point, no matter how hard he push himself, he wouldn’t be able to stop me from getting to his only support.

I took several more hits before I managed to reach the first of the two unicorns. These unicorns were not without sense either; they had used their distance advantage to spread out. His eyes were filled with fear as I leapt at him. Whilst in mid-air I took two more hits from those annoying spells, one in the tail and the other in the chest. It was in vain, I pushed through and landed right in front of him, turned, and bucked hard. My hooves connected with his chest and sent him flying into the pile of trash about five feet behind him.

The other earth pony was about half way to me when I had finished with the first unicorn. I needed to get rid of the other annoying spell flinger. Too late to turn my attention towards him because the other earth pony was almost on me, and I was losing strength. I hate when the universe decided to screw with me. No other choice. I had to take out other earth pony, and something told me I couldn't use him to block the next spell.

The rapid fire stopped as the earth pony reached me. He seemed drained, but willing to delay me until his unicorn friend could lock on. With more time to aim his shot, there was little to no change of the unicorn missing his next shot. I had to act fast if I was going to succeed.

Swing and a (close) miss. The earth pony threw several more unsuccessful swings, but none connected. I could only dodge him for so long as my strength was beginning to wane and my muscles were burning like the sun. He threw another swing that I managed to dodge, but it was a trick. As I dodged, he recovered and swept at my hooves, sending me to the ground. He stood over me, grinning like a devil. I knew that that unicorn would fire his spell at any moment, ending it for me. I laid there on my back, my head on the ground, staring my maker in the face (or should I say horn?), royally screwed. At least I would see it coming. I could only await the end.

Surprise! My timing could have been better, but it worked. As the unicorn cast his spell, I swept at the hooves of the earth pony standing over me and quickly rolled out of the way. The earth pony came crashing down to the ground, and into the path of the spell. I had never been more proud of myself than at that moment.

Exhaustion was starting to overtake me, but I managed to get back on all fours. It must have done a number to the unicorn as well, considering that when I turned to face him he was on the ground, passed out. That last spell really was his last spell.

I had nearly forgot there was still one more piece of trash for me to deal with. Unable to get much movement out of my body, I slowly turned to face that coward of a leader. Nothing pissed me off more than a leader who would treat lackeys like wood to cast to the flame, just so they can fulfill their own ambitions.

Even from where I stood, I could tell that he was terrified. He was trembling and quickly looked to each of his cronies, hoping that one of them would get up and come to his aid. I slowly began moving towards him, breathing heavily as I went along. The closer I got the more terrified he seemed to become.

Finally, I stood before him, and my breathing had returned to normal. He began to speak, but was immediately cut off as I brought my head down to connect with his. The impact rattled my brain, causing me to stagger before recovering a few moments later. I stood over that jerk’s fallen form, glaring down at him. My wrath had finally been sated, but at what cost? Every inch of me was throbbing, every muscle was screaming out in agony...and I had a splitting headache.

Dripping with sweat, I began to walk away. “I thought you would have learned your lesson after the last three times. It seems you can’t teach a dumb dog anything. By the way, enjoy your nap. Consider it your gift for the holidays. Because if you try this again after the holidays, you are going to feel it.”

The sidewalk was as far as I managed to get. Everything I endured had taken a toll on my body, and I needed rest. My vision became blurry and my muscles gave out on me. The sweet embrace of sleep quickly overtook me.

*** *** ***

Night had begun to fall upon the city. Shadows started to dance as the sun was retiring to make way for the moon. The street lights had not yet turned on, but they would soon. A gentle snow had started to fall, filling the air with millions of snowflakes. They seemed to dance as the slowly fell to earth.

Going by the position of the sun in the sky, I made the assumption that I had been out for about two hours. Not that it helped much. I was still sore, and now I was also cold. I guessed the temperature had dropped; though, the cold had helped to dull my pain. Too bad my head was still killing me. Why did I have to headbutt that loser? I laid there for a while before I tried to get up.

Though I managed to get off the ground, it took several attempts to stay upright. When I was finally able to stand, I looked around. The ponies from earlier had yet to recover, but I could see that they were all breathing. With a slight limp, I moved over to one of the unicorns and took his scarf. The scarf was an ugly mixture of blue and yellow stripes. When I put on the scarf, I noticed something else: it was also smelly and itchy. Still, it was better than nothing.

*** *** ***

By the time I had made it back to my alley, the street lights had come on. The sun had fully set, and now the shadows danced under the command of the guardians of the night. Snow was continued falling from the sky; still dancing and enchanting all who saw it.

Somehow, and I really don’t know how, I managed to make it all the way back to my alley. It seemed to take forever, and if that wasn’t bad enough, every step I took wore away at the cold that had so generously dulled my aching muscles. All I wanted to do was go to sleep.

As soon as I reached my mattress, I threw myself onto it. It felt so comfortable, much more so than that abandoned lot. Something, however, didn’t feel right. When I reached over to grab the blanket, it didn’t want to budge. Pulling harder, I managed to get the blanket free.

Underneath the blanket there was a little filly with a coat of cream and a mane of dark pink. She was fast asleep...in my bed! I jumped up and I stood there in disbelief. I could feel the hatred welling up inside me. My muscles tightened and I narrowed my eyes.

“What do you think you are doing in my bed!?” I yelled.

When the little filly didn’t respond, I felt the blood pulsing through my veins, carrying the hatred to every party of my body. As I was about to grab her by that tail, she woke with a start. She didn’t notice me immediately. She was more interested as to why the blanket was no longer protecting her from the cold.

Clearing my throat with authority, I repeated myself, “What are you doing in my bed!?” I moved in closer, placing my face in front of hers, to make sure she heard me this time. “What… are you doing...in my bed?”

Tears started to well up in her eyes. “ I-I-It was cold, a-and I just w-wanted to get warm.”

“That is not an excuse. This is my bed, and those are my blankets. So, why don’t you do yourself a favor and get your little butt out of my bed...before I decide that it needs to be kicked out.”

“But i-it’s c-cold. Where will I g-go? Please let me stay here.” She was in tears at this point. Her eyes were like a faucet that couldn’t be shut off.

I pulled my face out from in front of hers and looked down upon her.“No!” I barked back. “It is of no concern to me if you have somewhere to go or not. Out here on the streets it is everypony for themselves. Now get out of here!”

With my finals words being thrown in her face, she took off crying. Behind her, she practically left a trail of tears. Into the night she ran, off to bother somepony else. Finally, I could get my rest. Who cared what happened to her? She was young, she had a chance to escape. After all, she was smart enough to take my advice when those thugs wouldn't.

So inviting, so warm. My bed beckoned. As I crawled under the cover, my anger seemed to dissipate. Her problems were not mine. Only thing I should be concerned with was my own well being. Who was I kidding? She wouldn't last the night. I wrestled with these thoughts until I finally drifted off to sleep, where they plagued my dreams.

*** *** ***

Several weeks had passed since that night. No matter how hard I tried, I could not help thinking of that little filly on that cold winter night. I often found myself thinking of what became of her. Some nights I even laid awake in bed, trying not to think of her. At some point or another, I would find myself thinking of her. She clouded my mind.

Never before had my mind every obsessed with somepony, not counting the many mares I often saw throughout the day. Was this what guilt felt like? Was I guilty over sending her off to die? There was no way. Her problems were not mine, and I was not responsible for a random street pony.

About three weeks later I found myself downtown. It was a fairly typical winter day; the air was cold and the wind occasionally picked up. That part of the city was bustling with activity on that particular day. You couldn't move five feet without bumping into somepony else. Even the public restrooms were crowded.

Confetti flew through the sky, mixing with the slight snowfall. Buildings were decorated in honor of the event. Most of the buildings had banners of blue and yellow. It felt kind of weird wearing my new scarf to the celebration.

There sure was a lot of air traffic for a celebration. Overhead pegasi zipped by. They seemed to be doing aerial tricks, showing off for the crowds. The pegasi flying over head seemed to be more organized than most. Then it finally hit me, they were the Wonderbolts. I had heard of them before, but never actually seen one. For an ‘elite’ flying squadron they sure were flashy. Even their flight suits were gaudy.What, were they going to impress the enemy into submission?

“We love you Spitfire!” a group of pegasi down the street yelled out.

A gravel colored unicorn, on the other side of the street, was being pulled away by a police officer. “Marry me Soarin!” she drunkenly blurted out.

As I started to shake my head, I made my way down the street and away from the idiots watching the show. It was a struggle, I had to push my way through wave after wave of onlookers. No sooner had I got out of the crowd, I slammed into a light blue pegasus with a multi-colored mane. Neither of us hit the ground, but we were both stunned for a few seconds.

Being the first to recover, she shook her head and turned her attention towards me. “ Hey! Why don’t you watch where you are going.”

“You have two eyes that aren't broken, not to mention wings. Why didn't you make use of them and avoid me?” I replied while trying to get the world to stop spinning.

“What? Say that again, I dare you.”

“I would, but I am still seeing colors after that crash. They should call you Colorful Disaster, or maybe Rainbow Crash...yeah, Rainbow Crash. I think it suits you.”

Her eyes narrowed and her light blue face slowly turned purple. I could tell she was pissed, not that I cared at that moment. I had no intention of getting into a shouting match with her. Although it was pretty funny, how when she got angry the blood in her face turned it purple. I was barely able to suppress my snickers...barely. Before she had the chance to start yelling, I moved away and quickly slipped into a nearby crowd.

*** *** ***

It took some time to make my way through the crowd I had ducked into. Apparently, there were more ponies residing in that crowd than I had anticipated. Worse yet, that group merged with another just before I had the chance to escape. On the bright side, that multi-colored menace didn't bother to follow me.

After making it out of that crowd, I headed towards the nearby park. The noise of the masses had dwindled to near silence upon reaching the park. Most of the trees in the park had lost their leaves, but there were a few evergreens scattered around the park. Snow was starting to gather on the ground, making patches here and there.

The park was bare of all but a handful of ponies when I entered the park. Every pony in the city was attending the celebration downtown, but there were some who decided to avoid the crowds. Silence greeted me as I made my around the park. It was blissful. It had been so long since I had felt so at ease; until a noise shattered the veil of happiness I was draped in.

The noise itself was faint at best, but I wanted to find the source so I could relieve my stress on it. My serenity had been stolen from me. I had come all this was just so I could get some quiet. Now I felt more angry than I had since that run-in from earlier. When I found who was making that sound, I was going to destroy them.

As I galloped, searching for the source of my irritation, the wind started to pick up.My face started to burn and my eyes were filled with tears. I could see the source of the noise as I rounded a hill. Near the public restrooms was a group of earth ponies bearing down on a fourth, smaller one, who was screaming for help.

With my lungs slowly being killed by the cold, I had no choice but to trot over. When I reached the group, they had their prey cornered up against the side of the restroom, blocking my view of their victim. I wanted nothing more that to buck all of them into the pond. I really wanted to resume my walk in peace. At least now I had a chance to relieve my frustration.

“ What the heck is going on here?!” I demanded.

One of the three predators turned around to face the one who was sticking their nose into a matter what didn't concern them. “ That is none of your concern. So, why don’t you just turn around and leave...before things get ugly.”

“Seriously?! This became my concern the second you glue factory rejects interrupted my walk. So, if you care to keep your teeth, I recommend that you tell me what you are doing.”

“We don’t have to tell you anything. We outnumber you three-to-one. Now, I am feeling generous today as I want to resolve this matter quickly. So, I offer you this: leave now and forget this happened. Otherwise, we are going to have a problem. What will it be?” a second assailant said as he and the third pony turn to face me.

Their offer intrigued me. However, my anger was not going to go away all by itself. I pondered on this for a moment. Making my choice, I turned around. Fury was coursing through my body, leading my actions. I brought my rear hooves back, compressed my muscles like a spring, then released.

My hooves found their mark, each one connecting with a different face. The two hoof warmers were struck down, landing in front of their would-be victim, who was curled up in a ball. The little pony flinched as if shot when my hoof warmers landed.

The remaining assailant stood, eyes wide in disbelief. He couldn’t comprehend what he had just seen. In an instant his friends were both dropped in a single strike. As he stared at his friends’ fallen forms, he began hyperventilating.

When I turned to face him, I grinned a toothy grin and spoke, “Well, it seems to me that you are up a creek without a paddle. As I am feeling generous, I shall present you with a choice. Do you, a, share the same fate as your friends; or do you, b, apologise to the little one and drag your friends out of here before I withdraw my offer? You had better hurry lest I make the choice for you.”

The last assailant wasted no time in making his choice. He promptly collected his friends, apologised, and took off like a rocket in fear of me changing my mind.

I approached the pony cowering against the side of the restrooms. “You can get up now, they are gone.” My eyes grew wide and my blank expression fell as the little pony rose. “Wha-It’s you! You’re the little twerp who tried to steal my bed.”

Before me stood the same little filly who had been a burden on my mind since our encounter. Her eyes were wet and her mane was unkept. She had twigs and leaves stuck in her tail. Somehow, and I would never know how, she had managed to survive for the past three weeks. She said nothing as I stared at her. I was dumbfounded as to how she got there. Instead of responding, she approached me and hugged my legs.

I was completely caught off guard. Standing there with her hugging my legs, I was at a loss for words. Never before had I experienced the warmth of a hug. This feeling, her hug, had...evoked feelings I had not felt since the innocence of my childhood. It was as if her gratitude was washing away all of my negativity. Even if she was just an earth pony, there was something magical about her.

“You get into all kinds of trouble, don’t you? “ I managed a chuckle. As I craned my neck, she gripped my legs harder and started to weep.

I was not well-versed in the act of consoling another. Unsure of how to proceed, I was hesitant at first. What was I supposed to to do in a situation such as this? Being unsure frustrated me, but somehow her hug kept my emotions in check. With no clue on how to proceed, I pulled out of her hug.

Now it was her turn to be shocked. This only seemed to upset her more as she slumped to the ground. Before she had the chance to do anything else, I scooped her up and returned the favor. I had no trouble holding her in one hoof since I was easily twice her size. I fought against myself as my eyes began to return to their old habits. Finally, it happened, I could contain myself no longer.

She finally accepted my gift and threw her hooves around my neck. I held her close, her tears matting my mane and leaving spots on my coat. How the mighty had fallen. Previously I installed fear in those who dared to oppose me; now I was weeping like the little filly I had in my embrace.

“You have caused me so much grief, and I don’t even know your name.”

She withdrew her head from my mane and looked me in the eye. “My name is Strawberry Tart.”

“All of this would have never happened if I hadn't cast you aside before. But I am going to make up for it. From now on, I will take care of you.”

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Strawberry Tart and I had been traveling across Equestria for the past month. Since the temperature had risen, I had decided it was time to start looking for work to support us. I was tired of living from day-to-day, so we gathered what little we had to our names and set off. We had been to several other cities in the past month, none of which had anything for us. Everywhere we went was a waste of time. There was no work to be found anywhere.

It was just before noon when we arrived at a small town called Ponyville. We had been traveling non-stop since daybreak. The sun was out and bathing everything it touched in its warming glow. It was pleasantly warm with a cool, gentle breeze that would occasionally blow across the land.

We were exhausted and hungry from our travel. The last time we had eaten was lunch the day before. Sadly, there was not much food to be found on our way. What little we had found we ate sparingly, so as to make it last longer. I wished that we had some food, not for me, but for her. I didn’t need anything...no matter how convincing an argument my stomach made.

“When are we going to get something to eat, Silver? I am hungry,” she said as we neared the small town.

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” I said, trying not to sound as depressed as I am sure I did. I had to stay strong, for her sake. She couldn’t know how bad things really were. “I am sure we will find something.”

“Okay. If you say so. So, where are we headed anyway? Are we going to find something there or are we going to have to start over again? I am tired of moving.”

When I stopped to wipe the sweat from my brow, I responded, “I already told you, we are headed to a small town called Ponyville. It will be different from what we are used to. There won’t be as many ponies there, and it won’t be as loud. In terms of work, I don’t know what to expect.”

When she finally noticed that I had stopped, she halted and turned to me. “Are you ok? Do you want to rest for a bit?”

“No. I will be fine. I just wanted to take in the scenery before we reached town”

She giggled that bubbly giggle of hers. “You are so weird. Hurry up, I want to get there before dark.”

“Really? I thought that we could wait till night fell and look at the stars in the sky. Maybe you could tell me one of your stories again,” I playfully replied as I started moving again.

*** *** ***

It took us another hour before we finally reached town. During our chat, we decided to take some time to play a game. In the end, we spent more time staring at the clouds than actually moving. I would like to say that I let her win, but that is not the case. She was quite imaginative when she wanted to be.

Ponyville was not quite what I expected. When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was how bustling the small town was. All around us, unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi went about their daily lives. All of them waving or smiling at us as we passed by. In retrospect, I am not sure what I was expecting.

The second thing that I noticed when we arrived was the massive structure jetting out of the ground. On the far end of town, there was a massive crystallized tree. Sitting in the tree was some sort of building. I will admit, it was quite impressive; although I was not sure why such a small town would have such a building.

As we made our way through town, I was captivated by the air quality. Other aromas also mix with the air, such as that of flowers, bread, cake and other assorted sweets; and what I could only assume was the smell of the local restaurants. All of these fragrances seemed to be perfectly balanced. They never mixed or overpowered one another, and the closer you got to their source the stronger they became.

We arrived at a local tavern. The exterior was fairly simplistic and matched the architectural style of the town. The only noticeable difference was that is was larger than most of the residential buildings. It also had a large wooden sign; the sign itself had a red background with white raised letters that read: Berry’s Punch House.

I turned to Strawberry Tart. “I want you to wait out here for a few minutes. I won’t be long, promise.”

“Ok!” she said, smiling.

Inside the tavern was a bit different that I expected. Inside the air reeked of tobacco smoke. The bar was not full,but not empty either. Several unicorns were smoking and playing cards at the center table. Over in the corner two pegasi were having a merry time as they drunkenly sang a song I was not familiar with. Whatever it was, it was catchy.

As I made my way to the bar, I could feel all eyes fall on me. I didn’t catch any of them staring, but I could feel them sneaking peaks. The bartender was an earth pony who was busy washing one of her mugs. She was so focused on her work I didn’t think that she noticed me approaching. Even when I arrived at the bar, she seemed to ignore me, completely focused on her work.

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I had a chance to she cut me off, “Welcome to Berry’s Punch House. My name is Berry Punch. What will you be having?”

I stood there with a stupid, confused look on my face. “I thought you didn’t notice me. You didn’t even look up. “

“Didn’t have to. You aren’t the quietest fellow. Now, what will you be having?” she replied, not even bothering to look up

“Are you even going to look me in the face? It’s rude to address somepony without even looking at them.”

She let out a long sigh before looking up. “ Look, you either need to buy something or leave. I am trying to work.”

“That’s better. Isn’t is nice to look your customers in the face?” She gave me a look that showed me that she did not view me as a customer. “ I am here for something, but it is not to get drunk. I am looking for work. Do you have any leads?”

“Sir, this is a place of business. If you are not here to make a purchase--whether it be food or drink-- then you are going to have to leave.”

She was starting to test my patience. I could feel my blood begin to boil as I looked at her. “Fine! If you are going to be like that I-”

My outburst was cut short when Strawberry Tart tugged on my mane. I had been so focused on our conversation that I didn’t even notice her. The tavern wasn’t exactly quiet, but I should have been able hear her hoofsteps on the wooden floor. Maybe I had, but I didn’t take notice of it. Regardless of why I took no notice, I turned my attention to her.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, returning to my voice to a calmer state. “I told you to wait outside while I took care of some business.”

She motioned for me to bring my head down. I complied. She cupped her hooves and whispered in my ear, “I need to go to the bathroom.” My eyes went wide as she spoke. This was perfect...just perfect.

“Where are your restrooms?” I asked as I looked back at Berry Punch.

“Restrooms are for customers only. But...she can use my private one--much cleaner,” she said in a more pleasant tone. She then lead Strawberry Tart into the room behind the bar.

Upon her return, my only concern was why she was without my charge. “Where is she?!” I demanded, nostrils flaring. Being hungry had a way of messing with the mind...and my temper.

“Um, the restroom...you know, the one I just took her to.” She was about to say something else, but waved it off instead.

Was it wrong for me to worry? I was just concerned for her; it would devastate me if something happened to her under my watch. “ Is it a crime worry? All we have are each other, and I would sooner jump off of a cloud before left something happen to her,” I said as my gaze drifted to the floor.

“No. I suppose it is not. But improper care is. Now, you were saying something earlier about looking for work”

Hearing this reminded me of my earlier outburst. It stirred up some frustration, but I knocked it aside since she had become more reasonable. “ Yeah, I was going to offer to buy the information from you,” I said as I reached for my money. When I brought my hoof back up, I placed two bits on the counter.

She pushed the money back to me when she looked down at it. “ We don’t sell information here, only food or drinks. ”She looked back at the me then resumed, “And this isn’t even enough to buy the bottle the drink came in.”

My head grew hot as the blood rushed to my face. “What the heck?! You tell me to buy something, and the second I offer, you refuse and throw an insult my way. Are you trying to set me off? Because if you are, you are going in the right direction!”

What happened next shocked me out of my mood. She glared at me with such intensity that I couldn’t help but shut up and listen. “Listen here. I am not doing this for you. I am doing it for her. If she wasn’t with you, I wouldn’t help you, period. ”He words stung, but they were filled with truth. She took out a piece of paper and began writing something. When she had finished, she handed it to me. “Head out to Sweet Apple Acres and give this to my friend AJ. She should be able to help you”

We stood in silence for quite some time, at least five minutes. Her response was more malicious than I had expected. In a strange way, I was impressed. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had been put in my place.

The silence was broken by the return of Strawberry Tart. As she returned, we both greeted her. She returned to my side as I returned to my shocked state. When she noticed my frozen state, she asked me if we were going to go find something to eat.

Her question shook me out of my awkwardness. “Huh? Oh, yeah, lets go find something to eat. I am sure we can find something,” I told her.

We began to leave, but Berry Punch called out to us as we reached the door, “Wait! If you are looking for something to eat, I can whip something up. I’ll just start you a tab and you can pay me after you get paid.”

Strawberry Tart’s face lit up like a rainbow upon hearing those word. Her eyes grew wide and she smiled so big it made my face hurt. If she was as hungry as I was, then she was probably holding back a considerable amount. Honestly, I was surprised she wasn’t bouncing off the walls with excitement. However, I am sure she was not far from that point.

The meal wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but after not eating for about a day, it was pretty satisfying. Veggie burgers and crispy straw fries. Berry Punch had generously made us lunch...although she made it for both of us, the face she wore while serving told me all I needed to know: you only get to eat because she is with you.

We ate our meal at the bar. Berry Punch decided to eat with us. However, I am sure she did it so she could talk with Strawberry Tart as we ate. Since she didn’t take much notice of me the entire meal, I knew she sure didn’t do it for my benefit.

After we had finished our meal, we took the time time to let it digest. All of the partons had left while we were eating. I assumed it was to go back to work, but I really didn’t care either way. Berry and Tart continued their conversation, leaving me in silence. Occasionally, Strawberry Tart would take notice and pull me into their conversation. That, however, never went very well. It usually ended with me and Berry Punch trying to mentally squeeze the air out of each other. I went to use the restroom myself after so long; when I returned, something was a bit off. Berry Punch had stopped giving me those looks. What the heck did they talk about while I was away?

It was finally time for us to go after ten minutes of talking. Thank Luna! By the end, I was about ready to cut my ears off. How could they have possibly talked for so long? I was glad to finally be free of that mare. I would have vowed never to go back, but she kind enough to feed us on a charge. Until I had paid her back, I would be indebted to her. I think she got some kind of kick out of it, knowing it made me feel uneasy. Or maybe, just maybe, it was a genuine gesture of goodwill.

As we were leaving, I could have sworn I heard her whisper in my ear, “Take care of her.”

*** *** ***

As per her advice, we headed to her friend’s farm, Sweet Apple Acres. It was good a thing we decided to let our meal digest before we made our journey. The scenery along the way was about what is was on the way to Ponyville. Beautiful wilderness surrounded us, greeting us, guiding us. It wasn’t long before we started seeing apple trees. This made me wonder just how big Sweet Apple Acres really was.

Not long after seeing the apple trees, we began playing another game. This game was all about, what else, apples. Our goal was to find as many hidden apples on the ground as possible. I was winning for the longest time, but then she came out from behind and started leading. So...many...apples. How was she doing it? I promised myself that the next time I groomed her mane I would look for a horn.

By time we had reached Sweet Apple Acres, it was late afternoon. The sky was like a canvas and the sun was the brush, painting the sky with a broad spectrum of colors. The colors seems to dance as a soft breeze swept across the land. It was truly a sight to behold. Even the clouds, though few in number, seemed to add to the perfection that was the heavens above; untainted by pegasi who would obstruct such a view with their presence.

As we made our way down the dirt path leading to the farmhouse, I began to worry. What if Berry Punch had lied. There was, however, no reason to do that. She seemed genuinely interested in helping us out--or at least Strawberry Tart. Also, what if this AJ had no positions available, and this whole trip was a waste of time? I didn’t know what we would do if we came all this way for nothing. We used all of our remaining supplies getting here. If we didn’t find work here, I would be forced to make a very difficult decision.

Upon arriving at the farmhouse, I knocked at the door. No answer. I knocked a second, third, fourth time. Still no answer. My heart dropped into my stomach. My throat felt tight as I tried to swallow. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t care too much, but this was about us, not just myself. What was I going to do? It was going to be dark soon, and we had no place to bunker down for the night.

So close. We were so close! What was I going to do, now that I had exhausted my options? I really didn’t want to, but I figured that she was more important than my pride. I was going to have to beg Berry Punch to work for her. Honestly, that scared me more that not finding a job at all. There was something about her that left me uneasy, but I had to do what need to be done.

As we were about to leave, I heard a voice calling out to us, “Hold on there! Y’all only just got here. Ah haven’t even had the chance to welcome ya yet.”

Over by the edge of the orchards, there stood an orange mare. Her mane was the pleasant color of straw, as was her tail. Upon her head she wore a brown hat that seemed to tie in with her country accent. Her posture told me that she was at home amongst the apple trees. She wasted no time in making her way over to us. Upon closer inspection I saw that she was sweating and covered in a fine layer of nature.

“Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres! My name is Applejack. What brings you all the way to this little slice of heaven?”

Instead of offering her a response I gave her the note. She took the note and began to read. Her smile faded as she read the note. When she finished, looked back at me, then to Strawberry Tart, then to me again.

“Is something wrong?”I asked, curious of why her eyes were so greedy.

Her smile returned and she replied, “Nothing at all. I just wanted to get a good look at my new worker. Now, let’s go inside and we can discuss the details over a hot meal!”

*** *** ***

“So, how are you finding everything so far?” she asked as the three of us sat at the large table.

Before I had the chance to respond, Strawberry Tart jumped in. “I love it here. Everypony is so nice to us. I think that Silver likes Berry Punch.” After finishing speaking, she went back to eating.

I nearly choked on my water when she said that. All Applejack could do was laugh as my lungs took on water. My little pony was going to be my undoing.

After I had regain the use of my lungs and Applejack had finished laughing, I responded to her question, “Well, it is better than most, if not all, of the places we have been so far. I think we have a chance of making a life here”

“Glad to hear it. Now..what do you plan on doing about her?” she said while motioning towards Strawberry Tart.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, trying to hold my tongue. No matter what she said, I had to hold my tongue at all costs.

“Well, she can’t rightly be working around the farm during the day. You could get into serious trouble with the local truancy officer.”

“Truancy officer?” I asked, not knowing what she meant.

“Yep. If she isn’t in school, both of you could get into trouble. Since school is out for the weekend, she can play with my sister, Apple Bloom, while we work.”

“Before I forget, where is everypony else? This table is kind of big for just you and your sister.”

“Well, Granny Smith went with Big Macintosh to Manehattan. He needed to go to the doctor there to find out how his leg is doing --he had an accident a few weeks ago, and now we are short-hoofed. They should be back in a few days. As for Apple Bloom, she is spending the night with her friends and won’t be back until tomorrow.”

We finished the rest of our meal of our meal in silence. The meal was much better than our lunch. But it was a home cooked meal, unlike our lunch. By the time we had finished, I felt like I was going to pop. I couldn’t even remember when last time I felt like that was--or if I had ever felt like that.

After dinner, it was time for us to get cleaned up. I had no problem being grimy and greasy; it was just like old times. Strawberry Tart also tried to get out of taking her bath, but Applejack wasn’t going to have that. I was about to take her upstairs for her bath, but Applejack offered to do it for me. She probably did it for other reasons, but I didn’t care because I got out of taking mine.

While they took their bath, I remained in living room and read a book that I had brought with me. It was the first time I had had time to read since we departed the last city we stayed in. Applejack was the first to descend the stairs. I didn’t take much notice since I was absorbed in my book. She came by and sat on the other end of the couch.

Without looking up I asked,” Where is she at?”

“I gave her Apple Bloom’s room for the night since Apple Bloom won’t be using it tonight.” She looked at my book. ”What are ya readin’?”

“Of Pegasi and Unicorns.” My nose still buried in the book as I answered her question.

“What is it about?”

I looked up from the pages of my book and closed it. It was apparent that I wasn't going to be able to read much with her here. “It is about a two ponies: one a unicorn, the other a pegasus. Together they have traveled across Equestria, but they can never find what they are looking for. All they want is to be able to find a place to call their own. But their journey is filled with misfortunes that force them to keep moving from location to location. In short: they want a better life, but fate is working against them.”

“Sounds like an interesting story. Anyway, it is getting late and ah had better hit the hay; we have a busy day tomorrow. Oh, by the way, ya can sleep in Big Mac’s room tonight. Sleep tight.”

Chapter 2: Day One

The night was pleasant, cool, but not cold. Applejack had decided to lend me Big Macintosh’s room for the night. Comfortable was an understatement, his room was a paradise. It was large room with a large bed in the middle of the room. The walls were decorated with family pictures; they ranged from pictures of individuals to larger group pictures that contained twenty or more. On the nightstand, however, there was picture that stood out from the rest of the ones in the room. For some reason Big Macintosh kept this particular close when he slept. In the picture only contained four ponies: an older green one, a tall, muscular red one, a small one with a bow in her hair, and finally, Applejack herself.

Aside from all the pictures, there was not much else in the room. The only real furniture in the room was the bed and the nightstand. Big Mac was a very simple pony, it seemed. It must have been nice to have such a large family. All of those ponies you could share your thoughts with. I may have had Strawberry Tart, but she could never understand me. She was too young and too naive. I had taken her from the street to ensure that she would never understand me.

Once during the night, I awoke with a start. The room was bathed in moonlight. Sweat had overtaken my mane and body. I sat up and looked around the room, trying to remember where I was. After several minutes of confusion, I remembered. Well, I was awake now, and there was no going back to sleep for a bit. Even though I wasn’t ready to go back to sleep, I wanted to stay in the piece of cloud that Big Macintosh used as a bed. But I got up instead. Until I felt tired again, I would pace around the room.

Eventually, I made my way to the window the was on the right side of the bed. An ocean of black glass greeted me when I arrived. The stars in the sky were the fish that inhabited the world above, adding to its pristine beauty. I was captivated by this sight. The night was never like this in the city. In the city the pollution and lights overpowered the night sky, making it look weak and dreary. Here, in Ponyville, at Sweet Apple Acres, the world was a much different place.

After what seemed like mere minutes staring out the window, I began to feel my eyelids grow heavy. I let loose a yawn that mane my eyes water slightly. Usually when I wake up in the night it take about an hour for the fatigue to return. So, how long had I been in my trance? It didn’t matter, I was tired and made my way to the bed.

I arrived at the bed, about to crawl in, when something caught my eye. Something on the other side of the room was staring at me from the closet. There was nopony else here, so why did I feel like I was being watched? I tried to focus my eyes on the closet,but had no luck. My eyes were telling me to get to bed, but my brain wanted to know.

At first it seemed like my body was winning the argument, but my mind won me over. I made my way for the closet at the back of the room, near the door. Though I knew there was nopony else in the room, I still cautiously made my way to the closet. I didn’t know what to expect. For all I knew, there could have been a nasty surprise awaiting me. When I arrived at the closet, I was hesitant to open it at first. But my hesitation soon faded, and I threw open the ajar closet door.

On one of the shelves in the back was a little, gray doll with mop hair and button eyes. It sat there, looking me in the face with its button eyes.Why in Equestria did Big Macintosh have that in his closet? He was not as simple as I had previously assumed. Big Mac was a confusing individual. I didn’t think I wanted to remember this encounter. Hopefully, I would wake up in the morning and it will all have been a bad dream.

My body had decided that it was time to sleep, so my once again the fatigue hit me like a buck to the face. I fell to the ground while I desperately tried to silence my impact. I didn’t want to wake anypony else in the dead of night, so I did what I had to. Bracing myself, I stuck out my head and presented my face to the floor.

Thought the crash wasn’t incredibly loud, it still sounded like a cannon going off to me since there was no other sound to mask it. And possibly because my ears were so close to the point of impact. Unable to get back up, I decided to crawl to bed. When I arrived at the foot of the bed, I wasted no time in climbing in. It was much more comfortable than the floor, especially now that I had a reference to that feeling. It took no time for me to drift into the realm of dreams.

*** *** ***

When Applejack called us down for breakfast, the sun had yet to light the sky. At first I didn’t want to get up, but the second that smell hit my nose I jolted up. That heavenly aroma was enough to put both of our meals yesterday to shame. It smelled sweet apples and fried dough. I could hardly wait.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, I made my way downstairs. Applejack was already dressed and eating at the table. Strawberry Tart was also eating at the table. It made no sense. Strawberry Tart has never once voluntarily got up early. She was the world’s worst when it comes to waking up early. But there she was, fully awake and stuffing her face with an assortment of apple based confections.

When I thought about it, it didn’t seem so ridiculous. If the air was filled with a sugary aroma, she would be the first to know. Strawberry had the appetite of a full grown stallion when it came to sweets. If there was one thing she would never refuse, it was sweets. You could not control that girl around sweets.

After seating myself at the table, I started piling my plate with food. My eyes were just as hungry as my stomach was. Such a large breakfast. Pastries, fried apples, applesauce, and much more filled the table. Before long, my plate was full, and I had started eating. It shouldn’t have been possible, but it was. Applejack’s breakfast was better than her dinner.

“How did y’all sleep last night? Applejack asked as we were busy filling our bellies.

About a minute passed before I finally replied, “ Better than I have had in a long time.”

“That’s good to hear. There is something I wanted to tell you. Last night I got sidetracked and forget to mention the details of your employment. Before I say anything else, I need to know your names,” she said with a warm smile.

I swallowed the food I had in my mouth and said, “My name is Mercury Quicksilver, and-”

“I’m Strawberry Tart. Thank your for the food Ms. Applejack”

“You’re most welcome Strawberry Tart.” She looked back at me. “ It is nice to meet you, Mercury Quicksilver!”

“Likewise, “ I responded with a mouth full of fried apples.

“Now, on to the details of your employment here at Sweet Apple Acres. Your job is to do what you’re assigned. It may consist of a number of tasks, or just one, on a given day. You will be paid at the end of every week after the appropriate deductions have been made.”

“What do you mean by deductions? What kind of job deducts money from my pay?”

“Well, it’s simple. We provide ya with food, a place to sleep, and water. In return, ah will make deductions from your pay to cover your expenses. It is a fair deal.” She extended her hoof.

I took a moment to process what I had heard. We couldn’t afford to abandon a job over something so small. “I don’t like it...but I accept your terms of employment, “ I said before shaking her hoof.

“Now that you are officially employed here we can finish our meal. Better hurry though. The sun will be soon, and we need to be out there by then!” she said with a grin of enthusiasm.

*** *** ***

After we finished breakfast, Strawberry Tart offered to help Applejack with the dishes. While those two did the dishes, I went upstairs and washed my face. If I was going to be working, I didn’t need food on my face distracting me. Today was my first day of work, and I needed to prove myself to Applejack. I needed her to know that I could do what she needed done. Maybe that way she would keep me on longer than fall.

Applejack had explained to me that the job would only last until mid fall. After which point, she would no longer require my services. Though she sounded sympathetic, I doubt she would keep me on unless I could show her that she needed me. Without this job, Strawberry Tart and I would be back on the streets.

After the dishes were finished, I came back downstairs and received my assignment for the day. My first task of the day was an easy one. All I had to do was milk the cows. How hard could milking a cow be? Milk a few cows then get my second assignment for the day. Easy as pie.

As it turned out, milking cows is a lot harder than I had imagined it to be. Especially if they have more than twenty cows to milk. The cows were not used to me being near them and were restless the entire time. Not only that, but they also kicked the bucket over more than once. All that milk was wasted because those stupid cows decided it would be funny screw with me.

After about four hours of milking those beasts of burden, I was finally done. Out of the forty-nine buckets of milk I was supposed to collect, only twenty-three survived. My first day of work and it was already starting to get to me. How was I supposed to impress Applejack if I couldn’t even collect milk?

My second task of the day was to feed all of the animals on the farm. It was much easier for me to do because it was so simple. All I had to do was go around the farm and give each animal the appropriate feed. However, there was a catch. The animals were scattered around the farm, and the feed was all in the barn. So, I had to make multiple trips all over the farm.

First, I had to feed those walking hunks of beef. This time they were not as frustrating as earlier in the morning. When they saw the feed I had brought, they gathered around like a swarm of parasprites. I could have simply “forgot” to feed them, and as tempted as I was, I decided against it. Not really a good reason to keep me on if I killed all of Applejack’s cattle.

By the time I finished feeding all of the animals, it was time for lunch. I was starving after all the work I had done. As I made my way to the main house, I heard ringing of some sort and Applejack calling me in for lunch. Before I reached the house for lunch, I took a moment to stop and enjoy the breeze. The air felt good blowing through my mane after all the work I had done. When I finished enjoying the breeze, I went directly to the house.

When I arrived at the house, I could smell the food being cooked. The smell of roasting apples and veggies permeated the air. My mouth soon grew wet, and my stomach growled out its lonesome growl. I could hardly wait. Applejack’s cooking was first rate, nothing else could compare.

As I entered Applejack greeted me, “ Welcome back! How did ya like your first day of work?”

“It was ok,” I lied. Truthfully, I hated every second of it. Mainly because of those cows. Those spiteful milk machines… I hated them more than anypony would know.

“Glad to hear it. Go have a seat at the table with everypony else, and I’ll bring the food out shortly.”

I nodded and took a seat at the sable, where Strawberry Tart and three other fillies were talking. She looked like she had made some friends. I smiled at the sight of her and the other fillies laughing and conversing. It made me happy to see her adjusting so well.

True to her word, a few moments later Applejack brought out a tray of sandwiches. We swarmed the tray almost as soon as it touched the table. After she had placed the tray, Applejack took her place at the table.

*** *** ***

Lunch was fairly quiet. Not much was said. After Lunch had concluded, Strawberry Tart and her new friends went off to play. They had said something about an initiation of some kind for their club, but I wasn’t really paying attention. I was too full and too tired to care.

Even though I was tired and full, I was determined to get back to work. All of those sandwiches were weighing me down, but I didn’t care. I was determined to impress Applejack. However, I never got the chance to return to work.

As I was heading outside, Applejack called me back inside. Curious about what she wanted, I went back into the house. Inside the living room, I found Applejack sitting on the couch. When she noticed me standing in the doorway, she motioned for me to sit down.

“I would rather stand if you don’t mind.”

She shrugged. “Ah wanted to talk to you. It is rather personal, so ah decided to wait until we were alone.”

What did she mean by that?! Was she messing with me...or did she have another motive? My mind raced trying to figure out what she wanted to talk about. I tried my best, but I couldn’t keep my mind from exploring the darkest depths. All the while, my face got redder and redder.

“Ok,” was all I managed to get out.

“First of all, ah am glad to see you are a hard worker, really ah am. However, that is not what ah wanted to discuss,” she said in a serious tone. Even her eyes were serious.

I stood there confused. “ Um, what do you mean? I am getting mixed signals.”

“What ah wanted to talk with ya about concerns Strawberry Tart.”

“What about her?” I asked,even more confused than before.

“Well, it’s just that there is quite an age difference between the two of ya’ll. I just want to be sur-”

“Of what? I don’t like what you are implying! I would never do anything to hurt her!” I spat out. I may have been confused, but her implication was enough to turn my frustration of the day into anger. “Everything I do, every sacrifice I make, I do it for her.”

She was taken aback with my outburst. She was silent before a few moments,then she spoke, “ Ah just want to be sure. It’s just so...unusual for a pairing like yours.”

“I can’t believe this. You of all ponies should know our relationship! You have seen us firsthoof, you should know how I feel about her.”

“Ah know, but-” I didn’t let her finish. She had infuriated me so. Whatever she had to say, I didn’t want to hear. Not with my anger building as we spoke.

I turned to leave, but before I exited I told her, “We are done here. I have nothing more to say to you, but I will leave you with a final thought. Who are you, that presumes much, but asks little?” With those final words, I took my leave.