Chapter 4: good talk, bad discovery PART 2

Tea had played out like most evening, followed by Apple Bloom going off to finish her school work, leaving the older siblings to clean up. Applejack was washing up the few plates while Big Macintosh had gone out to check the doors of the new barn were locked and the chickens where all safe.

Granny Smith silently entered the kitchen. "Applejack?"

"Oh, howdy there Granny!" Applejack greeted her with the same bubbly expression she always used, despite having a suspicion that the older mare had discovered her secret... was he still a secret?

"Well." Granny Smith stepped closer, scrutinizing at her granddaughter.

"What?"

The older mare just raised an eyebrow, something that applejack herself had gotten into a habit of doing. "Don't act like ya’ll don't know what Ah’m sayin’. Who’re ya hidin’ in ya ma and pa’s old barn?"

Applejack froze. "How did you-"

But she was cut off by her grandmother. "Easy enough. I saw ya headin’ out there with some toast this mornin’."

"Oh." Applejack felt almost devastated that somepony knew of her hidden guest.

"So who is he?"

"How do you know it's a he?" Applejack was shocked at how much her old family member could find out just by watching her.

“It’s pretty obvious,” Granny admitted. “If it were a mare, ya would have introduced her by now, but ya haven’t. I sure hope you have a reason to hide him."

Applejack sighed. "I do, Granny. you see-“

"It's fine, child." The senior Apple gently brushed her hoof through Applejack’s mane. "You don't need to explain. Now take his apple pie and don't come back till sundown. Ah’m sure he’d appreciate some company."

Applejack knew not to answer back to her elder and accepted the pie and instructions.

"Yes Granny."

The creaking of the barn door woke the stallion from his daydream. He just looked up to see an orange hoof poke through the entrance. "You’re back!" This time his voice was happy and playful.

"Ah sure am." Applejack came into view, a slice of still steaming apple pie on her back. "Here, got you some food."

The stallions face glowed as his belly grumbled. Both ponies chuckled. "Thanks" the pegasus said, looking over his meal before digging in. Applejack watched as he began to eat. She was fascinated by his manners, despite eating on a hay bale.

Her mind wandered back to earlier when she had spoken to Rainbow Dash. How could she tell her about this stallion? He seemed nice enough and needed her help. She may not be the Element of Generosity or Kindness, but she knew when her help was needed and he was such in need of assistance.

Her eyes looked back over the stallion she didn't even know his name. Then she remember that important detail. How could she have be so thoughtless. "Can I ask you summat?"

The pegasus looked up, eyes full of curiosity "Sure."

Applejack sat down on a second bale of hay. "What's your name?”

The stallion just stared at her, his face expressionless. "Coz, ya know, I never really asked and I told ya mine,” Applejack went on. “I was gonna ask before now. Plus I know where you’re from, I thought Ah should learn more about you." Applejack was almost panting for the lack of air she was allowing herself in between the panicked words.

The ocean blue pegasus just smiled. "You don't need to explain. My name is Diablo." He uttered this with so much clarity it made Applejack pause for a moment. He was such a nice, well-mannered stallion, but his name suggested an evil being, as did his flight team.

"That's nice," Applejack replied, smiling back at the stallion. She felt at ease knowing the name of the intruder. Diablo had confided in her and it was clear that the stallion was not like the others of his team, but Applejack knew that Rainbow could never see beyond the fight suit.

Diablo’s smile faltered, as though his name something to be frowned upon. "No, my name is one to be feared." His voice became harsh and controlling like the first time they’d met “It’s my mother’s humor"

"What do ya mean?"

The stallion’s face dropped in anger. "’Diablo’ means devil." Something in the way he said this made

Applejack question her right to ask what she did. It was clear that Diablo hated his mother, and that was something Applejack couldn't understand.

A silence swallowed the ponies "You don't seem to like your ma," Applejacks pointed out the obvious.

"No I don't!" Diablo’s answer was blunt and gave Applejack enough information that this subject should be avoided, at least at present. The silence continued, allowing Applejack to think, until Diablo spoke.

"Applejack?"

"Yes, Diablo?"

"Well... you asked me a question, can I ask you one?"

To Applejack, this was a welcoming change of subject. "Yeah sure, go ahead," she yawned.

The ocean blue pegasus gave the mare a blank look mare before asking. "Why did you leave in such a hurry this morning?” His words were careful and compassionate, as though he felt unwanted and feared upsetting her. ”Did I scare you? Cause if I did, I‘m sorry."

Applejack shook her head. "No no, its fine Diablo. It wasn’t you, Ah just had to…. it’s kind of a long story." Applejack yawned again. That day's work was starting to catch up with her.

"Tell me more about the Shadowbolts," Applejacks requested. Out of habit, she looked at Diablo with a pair of tired-looking puppy dog eyes.

"What you want to know?"

"Anything." Applejack shuffled her bale a bit closer to the stallion and laid her head on her hooves. Diablo just smiled.

"Ok, well... Ummm... A year after Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon, she had a celebration and a flight team was created. They named themselves the Wonderbolts." Applejack listened, her eyelids becoming heavy. "But Nightmare Moon had been watching and planning her escape. She found out about the Wonderbolts and was determined to find better pegasi to make her own team alongside her, with all the other many plans she had for when she took over Equestria."

Diablo thought for a moment, remembering the story from his foalhood. "Nightmare Moon kept an eye open for any ponies that may be worthy; she found the best of the best. She managed to stir up some bat ponies to get them to rebel. Celestia discovered the flight team and banished them deep into the Everfree Forest where nopony would find them.” Diablo paused. “Any questions so far?"

The blue stallion looked over at his audience, wondering if she’d understood. To his surprise the golden mare was curled up, her hay bale right next to his, fast asleep. Her hat had fallen to one side and presented her smiling face.

Diablo unfurled his good wing draping it over the mare’s back. "You know, Applejack? Maybe you’re not so bad," he whispered to the dreaming mare, before laying his head next to hers and slowly falling into a dreamworld of his own.