My Little Hero

Chapter Seven

I reached the farm and quickly went up to the room I had stayed in the previous night. Normally I wouldn't run from something like this, but because of how tight of a community this was, I dare not mess with them. I quickly grabbed my bag and pulled it onto my back. I started to leave when I saw Applejack standing in the doorway, panting.

"Mind tellin' me what the heck happened back there?" she demanded from me. I growled and looked away. She came up to me and pushed me hard with her hoof. "Ya better start talkin', Hero."

"I lost my temper," I mumbled.

"That's an understatement if I ever heard one. Ya rammed yer horn into one of my friends. We all thought ya killed her. Now she's runnin' around like nothin' happened." I remain quiet, still looking away. I felt her hoof on my cheek and she forced me to look at her. "What did ya do to my friend?"

I pulled away and turned away from her. "Technically, I killed her. Or she would have died if I didn't give her that pill."

"What was it?"

"It's a pill I made. It's from an old recipe for a healing potion from my land. Heals all wounds. But I had to give it to her fast before she bled to death."

She stared at me for a long while. I could see the hurt in her eyes. I didn't think I would be able to talk myself out of this. "What are ya?" she demanded. "And don't ya lie to me."

I took a deep breath. "Ok. You already know I'm not from this world. You probably already guessed that this isn't really my form. I'm not a pony. I'm human...mostly."

"What's a human?"

I had to think. "Bipedal," I said, standing up on my hinge hooves. "Has hands...kind of like paws but with longer digits." I waved my front hooves. Then I thought of a better idea. My horn glowed and my metal melted and formed into a small statue of what I looked like, complete with a coat. "It's not to scale, but this is more or less what I really look like."

She stared at me. "And why did ya attack Pinkie Pie?"

I sighed. "I was frustrated. The outfit was great, until Rarity said she made it as if I was royalty. I was fine with getting help from your friend Twilight until I found out she was a princess. I don't like parties or crowds. Then I get lectured about not taking help from a princess. And Pinkie Pie comes up calling me a prince as if she knew I was one."

"What's the big deal?" Applejack asked. "Ya said ya weren't a prince. And ya don't even know Twilight. Ya just met her."

I looked away again. "I...I'm technically a prince."

"What?!"

"I didn't choose to be one," I growled, more to myself. "I..."

"Get out," she interrupted. "Ya came to us for help. I took ya in so ya had a place to stay while ya were stuck here. We go out of our way to have ya talk with Twilight and ya blow her down because she's a princess when yer a prince yerself! Then ya attack one of my friends because she called ya a prince?!"

"A.J."

"Get out! I want ya out of my house now! I never want to see ya again!"

I frowned as I looked down. I wanted to argue. I wanted to get her to understand my feelings. But I just felt bad. I had not only hurt Pinkie Pie back there, but I had hurt Applejack and every other pony also. I just took a deep breath. "Yes, ma'am," I said softly.

I walked passed her, my metal melting and reforming as my jewelry. I could see tears in her eyes as I walked passed her, and I heard her collapse on the floor in a fit of tears as I went down the hall. I wanted to go back and convert her, but I knew if I didn't want to sign my own death wish, I needed to just move on.

I had stepped out of the house when I saw Pinkie Pie running over. I was confused for a moment when she ran up to me. "Hero! What are you doing? You left so quickly. Did you not like the party?"

This just confused me more. "Umm, Pinkie? You're talking to me?"

"Sure, why not?"

"You do realize what I did to you, right?"

"Oh ya, you stabbed me with your horn. You even still have some of my blood on you. "

I...I don't...what is this pony? She's not normal. I just almost killed her and she's acting like it was nothing to worry about. She should have been afraid of me. "And you're okay with that?" I asked her.

"Well, no. But you did save me, so it's alright!" I tilted my head staring at her. "Look, I get it. I can get a little hyperactive and over step my boundaries. But you saw what you did and saved me."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "Pinkie Pie. You are one weird pony. You must be insane to even want to come near me. And yet, you forgive me just like that?"

She gave me a big grin. "Pretty much."

I had to laugh. "Pinkie, I will repeat this. You're weird." I laughed harder and she joined in on the laughing. Once I regained myself, I looked at her. "You can be very annoying sometimes. But I see you make people happy. And I guess that's what you're good at. I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier...And, well, nearly killing you."

"That's alright!" she said, putting a hoof around me. "Friends?"

I chuckled. "Sure."

She cheered as she gave me a big hug. "Come on, I'm sure there's still time to party!"

I frowned. "Probably not a good idea for me to show up."

"Nonsense," she said, pushing me along. "Stick with me. They'll forgive you once they see how sorry you are."

I bit my lip. I was sure I was going to get crucified if I showed up in front of the others. Pinkie may have forgiven me, but the others might not be so forgiving. I looked back at the house, worried about Applejack.

"Pinkie, I really think I should just go."

"Oh come on. We can't let a little thing like this break up your friendship with everypony. Besides, as a prince, you need some connections here, right?"

I stepped aside, making her fall. "Why do you keep saying I'm a prince?" I asked her.

"Because you are, aren't you?" she asked, getting back up. "I know cause I can sense it with my Pinkie senses."

I frowned at her. "I'm no prince," I said. "A prince wouldn't hurt his friends like I did."

"So? A prince can make mistakes too, right?"

I sighed. "I guess. Do me a favor and don't mention me as a prince again."

"Okey dokey," she said with a little squeak of a smile. I rolled my eyes.

After a moment, we were back at Twilight's place. I looked up at the place before I hung my head in shame. Pinkie gave me a push, so I walked in. All the other ponies had left except for Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy. They sat at the round table with Twilight and a little dragon, who was seated next to Twilight. They all looked up and frowned at the sight of me. Pinkie smiled.

"It's alright, everypony," she said. "He's with me."

"Are you sure you can trust him?" Dash asked.

"Sure I do. He saved me after all."

"Ya, but it was because of him that you got hurt, Pinkie," Twilight said.

"And he could have left me to die, but he didn't. He realized what he did and apologized." They looked skeptical of the whole time.

I sighed as I stepped forward. "Look," I said. "I'm sorry for my actions. If you don't want me here, I'll leave. I just need a little help getting home."

They looked at each other. "I wouldn't mind you staying for a little while longer, but if you want to leave, I'll help," Pinkie said.

"Well, he did save Pinkie after hurting her," Rarity said.

"She wouldn't have needed it if he hadn't attacked her in the first place," Twilight said.

"Ya, and after the way he yelled at her and turned down Twilight's help, why should we help him now?" Dash asked.

"Shoot, I think we should at least give him a chance," Applejack said from her seat.

Wait a moment. Applejack? How did she get here before Pinkie and I?

"I don't like him," Fluttershy said. "I say he leaves here and find his own way home."

"Ladies..." I began.

"I agree," Dash said.

"Girls..."

"We should at least see him out," Rarity said.

I started to growl again. "Would you all stop for a moment?!" I shouted. They all frowned at me, except Pinkie.

"What's wrong, Hero?" Pinkie asked.

"How did Applejack get here before Pinkie and I?" I pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"I mean, I left her at Sweet Apple Acres where she was crying her eyes out after kicking me out."

"Come to think of it," Pinkie said. "I think I remember her running after you when you left."

They all looked at Applejack. I looked at her also and noticed something. "Applejack?" I asked. "Where are your freckles?"