To Forge a Legend

Patrick, or Art Mind as long as he remains in his pony form, was as expected, rendered unconscious after drinking Zecora’s shape changing potion.  Yes, it was wrong of me not to tell him it would do that, but as I had experienced firsthand, you would rather be knocked out rather than feel your mind being rearranged and altered to where you could not only gain the ability to change nearly at will, but be able to be able to use ether body as well as you can.  Trust me, sleeping through it would be better for him in the long run.

Besides, it was a long train ride and since I told the girls, before entering our privet quarters, which we both intended to take a small nap before making it back to Ponyville.  And that was exactly what I planned on doing.  With Art sleeping on the top bunk happily snoring, I hoped into the bottom bunk and closed my eyes as the slight rocking of the train lulled me to sleep.

When I awoke once again, the train released its loud whistle and alerted the citizens of Ponyville of its arrival.  As expected, the whistle awoke Art as well, because I could hear him mumbling something under his breath after the whistle ceased its loud screech.  I was the first to crawl out of bed with Art sluggishly crawling off of his top bunk and falling onto the floor heavily which only got him to grunt loudly and groan “Stupid floor” as he struggled to get back to his hooves.

I chuckled lightly as we waited for the train to stop completely and departed, meeting up with the girls at the train station.  We made small talk as we walked down the street and said our good-byes as one by one we began to depart.  Eventually, I followed Applejack back to her home down the long stretch of dirt road.  I as we walked in silence, I glanced to my right and saw a large orchard of apple trees hidden behind a white fence which was mimicked to my left view.  I felt a tinge of uncomfortableness at just how obsessed with apples Applejack’s family was.

It was Applejack’s voice that brought my attention back to reality and not towards the sea of apple trees.  “So Dusk, how much do ya’ll know about livin life on th’ farm?”  Granted, I was never one for conversations.  But I assumed answering any questions she may have had wouldn’t be too bad.

“I actually grew up on a farm for a few years with my mother until I needed to move to a small city.  It wasn’t until a few years ago that I returned to farm life and it felt right.  So I guess I can say somewhere between four to six years.”

She seemed to be pleased with this because I saw a small smile grow on her face as she looked back at me.  “That’s good, mean’s less of the ropes ah’ll need ta show ya’.”  Several more moments passed by in silence until we made it to the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, a large red barn sitting off in the distance that looked like a regular barn you would find in the human world with a matching silo sitting next to it.  Not too far from where we were sat yet another barn, but this one looked as though it was fashioned to be more like a house rather than for storage.

As we made our way up towards the house-barn, which I assumed was where the Apple Family resided, I spotted a rather elderly pale green mare rocking in an old fashion rocking chair, her messy grey mane poking out and standing out in random places.  When she spotted Applejack and I walking up towards the house, she offered us a nice big old smile and waited for us to get close enough before she spoke.

“Well, looky here.  Did ya’ll finally bring home a coltfriend to give me great-grand fillies, AJ?”  Where Applejack chuckled softly at her grandmother’s teasing, I gave her a warm and polite smile, remaining quiet until she introduced me.

“Not quiet, granny.  This here’s Dusk Blade and Celestia was hopein’ we’d give him a place to sleep until he got under his hooves.”  She looked over to me with her usual smile and took a step to the side as she introduced us.  “Dusk, Ah’d like ya’ll to meet Granny Smith.  Granny, Dusk Blade.”  I bowed my head slightly as I told her it was a pleasure to meet her.

This got Granny Smith to cackle for a moment before she looked at me with a warm smile.  “Well, ain’t ya just th’ definition of polite?  ‘course ya’ll welcome to stay here for as long as ya need.  As long as ya don’t min’ getting a bit sweaty with farm work.”

I let a confident smile slip onto my lips as I said “Actually ma’am, I prefer a job that makes me sweat.  It isn’t a job if you aren’t coming back sore and exhausted by the end of the day.”  The way Granny’s expression changed from good nature to interest made me feel slightly uncomfortable, though I never let it show and returned to my polite smile.

“Really now?  That’s mighty strange ta be hear’n that from a unicorn.  Usually ya’ll can’t stand getting all sweaty and sore.”  Ah shit, I forgot I was a unicorn!  I still expertly hid my panic as I nodded politely and looked towards Applejack, who has a slightly impressed look on her face.  Guess I just earned some brownie points with her.

“Well Granny, Ah’m gonna go an’ get Dusk here situated out in tha guest bedroom and then go out in tha field and help Big Mac.”  Applejack said as Granny gave her a confirming nod.  I, however, decided to speak up.  Little did I know this would earn an unexpected reaction from both Apples.

Unmoved from my current spot, I spoke with a polite tone in my voice.  “Actually, Applejack, I was hoping to get some time in so I can work off some energy I have built up.  Mind if I help you?”  This caused Granny Smith to stop rocking in her chair and Applejack to turn around with moderate surprised expressions on their face.  I felt myself shrink back, feeling as though I just broke an unspoken taboo of some kind, though my polite smile never wavered.

After an uncomfortable few moments in silence, Applejack turned to me and asked “Are you sure, sugarcube?  Ya’ll don’t haf ta work the moment ya get here.”  The concern on her face made my heart feel warm for some strange reason.  Deciding to push this feeling to the side for now, I regained my strong posture and gave her a firm nod.

“This one’s a keeper, AJ.”  Granny blatantly said with a satisfied smile on her face.  AJ held a similar smile as she shook her head slowly before walking over to me and stopping next to me.

“A’right.  But if ya want ta take a break, go ahead and rest fer a spell.”  I gave her a firm nod as my smile grew slightly.  With that, we both decided to walk into the orchard and began to work a bit late.

By the time I finished helping Applejack and Big Macintosh, who was a large red earth pony with a similar mane color as me and who I had gained a similar response and accepting smile from after our introduction, the sun had almost set and we were all heading back.  A yoke donned around all of our bodies and carrying the wagons back to the barn.  I had earned several concerned looks from Applejack throughout the day whenever I felt my strength leave my body momentarily because of the unicorn’s weaker body frame.  It made me wonder whether or not my human body might have been stronger than the unicorn’s body.  Eventually, however, despite my body crying for me to rest, my lungs burning from over exertion and sweat pouring from every part of my body, I was able to not lag too far behind from the two farm ponies.

When we placed the wagons in the barn and removed our yokes, I rolled my shoulders and felt them crack and pop which hurt for a moment until I relief replaced it.  I guess the pop was loud enough for both Applejack and Big Macintosh to hear because both of their ears perked up and looked over at me which made my eyes widen and look around in hopes they were looking at something else.  Sadly, they weren’t.

“Ya’ll right there, sugarcube?  That sounded awfully loud.”  Applejack asked with concern once again on her face.  I sighed softly as I waved it off dismissively as I walked up to meet them back at the door of the barn.  Big Mac watching me and closing the barn doors once I was clear.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.  Just need to get this body used to manual labor is all.”  That earned a look from Big Mac and Applejack, which I returned with equal confusion.  When I asked what was wrong, they both began to laugh.  This earned an even more confused look from me as I glanced around and wondered if something was on my face.

Eventually, Applejack calmed down long after Big Mac’s chuckles died and whipped a tear away from her eye.  “Whew.  Dusk, ah think ya’ll fergot you were a unicorn again.”  At that instant, I felt my brain stop and the small voice in my head yell ‘YOU FUCKING MORON!’  I slapped myself in my face and slowly dragged it downward, stretching my face as I sighed with exasperation before my hoof returned to the ground.  This earned another bout of laughter from the Apples as we turned back to start heading to the Apple family’s home.

I had mostly stopped sweating when we walked through the front door and the sweet scents of dinner made my mouth water and my stomach growl loudly.  Applejack and Big Mac both chuckled lightly after hearing that where AJ decided to add “Gosh Dusk, is there a sound I hadn’t heard your body make yet?”  I decided to let out a quick bark and smiled when she lightly hit my shoulder and giggled.

The interior of the Apple Family’s home instantly gave me the feeling of being back at the farm of the family who I had helped in the human world.  Judging by where the sound of an oven opening and closing was coming from, the kitchen was not far from the entrance.

Before I could take in the environment fully, however, the sound of a dog barking caught my attention.  Turning to the source of the sound, my eyes shot open and I swore they started to sparkle as I suddenly lost all sighs of stallioness as I squeaked “Puppy!”  The dog that was running towards me was a happy border collie with a white coat with brown blotches.  I didn’t even notice Applejack giving me a warm smile as the dog hopped on me and started licking my muzzle, to which I responded with talking to it like it was a baby and earned a happy bark from it.

“Well, I take it ya’ll like dogs don’t cha’, Dusk?”  Applejack giggled as I continued to pet her pet collie.  I chuckled a bit as I continue to give the dog attention until Big Mac walked past me with a small smile on his usually expressionless face and their pet followed him with a wagging tail.

I slowly stood up and whipped my mouth free of dog slobber before I answered AJ’s question.  “Oh yeah, I love puppies and especially border collies.  My mother got me one a few years after I was born and for the early years of my life she was my tormentor.”  I chuckled lightly as I remembered my childhood pet before continuing.  “But after she turned around five, she was my best friend and my protector.  That dog was possibly the best dog ever.”

“She was my favorite pet because she was part of my family and was my rock after my mother passed away from Cancer.  When I was depressed she helped me find my strength.  Eventually, however, I had to put her down because I couldn’t stand to watch her suffer any more.  I love that dog and still think of her whenever I find myself with nothing much do.”  I chuckled sadly at her memory as I shrugged.  I only thought of the fond memories we had and didn’t want to think of the last moments she lived, her constant seizures and the fact she was losing control of her bodily functions.  Those were not the memories she would want me to remember her by and I knew it.

Little did I expect to find a foreleg over my shoulder and being pulled into a half hug by Applejack, her eyes holding sympathy and understanding.  “Ya lived a hard life, didn’t ya Dusk?”  I gave her an indifferent shrug and told her how I simply learned to live with it.  I needed to stay optimistic; I needed to stay positive for sanity’s sake.

“Ya’ll a good stallion an’ I’m sure ya ma would be proud of ya if she saw ya’ll now.”  I chuckled at her caring words and decided to return the half hug.  After a moment of comfort, I reached over and shoved her Stetson over her eyes in a joking manner and laughed as I moved away from her.  When she fixed her hat, she gave me a warm smile before chasing me upstairs where we got cleaned up for supper and she got revenge by splashing my face with comfortably cold water.

When I made it back down with Applejack, I spotted yet another Apple that I had yet to meet.  The young light yellow filly sat next to Big Macintosh with an expression of surprise, her eyes wide with interest as her crimson mane and tail was styled with a cute little bow.  I gave her a warm and polite smile as I nodded to her and made my way over to the other side of the table yet waited to seat myself.

Applejack walked up next to me and gave the pony a big smile as she raised a hoof towards me and introduced me to the small filly. “Apple Bloom, this here’s Dusk Blade.  He’s gonna be livin with us fer a spell or two and be helpin out around the farm during his stay.  Dusk Blade, this here’s my little sister Apple Bloom.”

I bowed my head politely once again towards Apple Bloom and gave her a bit of a bigger smile and accidentally let my southern drawl slip “Hope ya’ll don’t mind none.”  My eyes shot wide open as I slapped my mouth with my hoof and looked around nervously.  After seeing all of them raise an eyebrow at me I cleared my throat and spoke again without the drawl.  “Sorry, that happens sometimes when I get too relaxed.  Won’t happen again, I promise.”

“Now why are ya’ll ashamed of ya accent, sonny?”  Granny Smith asked as she walked over and dropped off the last plate of warm food onto the table where I suspected she planned to sit.  The look on every other Apple’s face asked the same question and I felt my face begin to heat up for the first time since High school.

I took a deep breath as I decided to sit down next to Granny Smith and waited for Applejack to sit down before I started to explain.  “As I said, I was born and raised on a farm for some years.  For the longest time I was unaware my teachers thought I had a problem speaking and gave me an extra class to try and rid me of my southern drawl.  I ignored it for a long time until I started to take chorus as a class and my instructor drilled me every day about how I spoke and how it affected my diction.  Afterwards, I decided to hide it and began to speak like every other student.”  I began to wave my hoof dismissively as I continued “It’s not that I’m ashamed of it or anything like that, mind you.  It’s just when you spend over half of your life being told your way of speaking is wrong, you tend to get this habit of speaking proper.”  I unintentionally growled with hidden anger when I said the last word before deciding to use my magic to lift a chunk of mashed potatoes to my mouth.

Not bothering to look at the other Apples, who I expected to be on the border of shock, disgust and sheer rage, I continued to eat until Applejack spoke up.  “That…”  She paused and when I looked to her, I was right in my assumption because her face was twisted with utter disgust.  “Now that’s about that the most…I-I can’t even begin to imagine….Ooh that just burns my biscuits!”  What surprised me more than anything at the moment was Big Mac’s expression.  His usual neutral expression was now replaced with a firm frown.

I began to wave my hoof around dismissively once again as I attempted to calm the Apples down.  “Listen, I know how you all must feel, trust me my father was less than happy about it.  But where I’m from what is right and what is wrong is decided by the pony with the biggest pocket and largest list of friends.”  I release a defeated sigh as I used my magic to mess around with the peas for a bit before continuing.  “I don’t like it one bit and if I had the power, I’d change it in an instant.  But even if I fought tooth and hoof to change it to where one could have any accent, somepony else would just sweep up and change it back in an instant.”

“Ah don’t ever wanna go to where you’re from.”  Apple Bloom said miserably. “No offense, Dusk.”  I gave the young filly a warm smile as I reached over and patted her mane before sitting back down and telling her I don’t blame her.  In truth, a part of me actually wished I’d stay here and start a proper family.  But I knew what I needed to do and that was bringing Patrick and I back home to our world.

It had taken me a while to bring the mood back to normal and after I had succeeded, it was finally time for all of us to go to bed.  I had eaten quiet a meal and thankfully was completely full, but still helped with cleaning the dishes.  After finishing up with the last of the dishes, I decided to take a quick shower to clean off most of the grim and relax my muscles from the long day.  My mind wandered off to different subjects and I felt a hint of rage boil up at how wrong the world I lived in was.  But there were things that made it somewhat worth living in, family and friends and my dream.

After I dried myself off and walked out of the bathroom, I found Applejack waiting for me with a look that simply screamed sympathy.  It required quite a bit of willpower to not allow my eye to twitch out of habit.  I didn’t enjoy pity or sympathy from anyone, it made me feel weak and I despised that feeling.  It was why I trained so hard to perfect my body and mind, so I never needed to feel weak, helpless or useless ever again

It didn’t stop it from returning when I got the very look AJ was giving me now.

I watched as she moved up towards me, her mane and tail released from their ponytail and allowed free and her hat having been removed.  It a strange way, she seemed beautiful.  After she got a bit closer to me, she stopped and looked at me as if she wanted to confirm something with me and I felt myself shake my head as I offered her a polite smile.  I don’t know what I said no to, but I had a distinct feeling I would have said no even if I knew.

She seemed to become a bit more depressed at my rejection and took a step back before lifting her head to me once again.  Her voice was soft, gentle and held the element I despised, sympathy.  “Listen, Dusk.  Ah couldn’ begin to understand what ya been through.  Somethin’ is tellin me you aren’t telling me everthing and ya’ll been through a lot.  Ah couldn’t-“

I raised my hoof to stop her from continuing what she was saying and did my best to control the anger that was beginning to rise up from my stomach.  I needed to stay calm; I needed to stay in control no matter what.  After taking a moment and looking at her, seeing her expression I returned to giving her a polite smile before I said calmly.  “Applejack, I do thank you for your concern and am glad you know a bit more about me.  But I am actually really tired at the moment and would like to simply go to sleep.  Can we talk about this another time?”

Applejack’s expression grew darker after hearing my words, but nodded slowly after a while and pointed to the door at the far end.  “The guest room’s over yander at the end o’ the hall.”  Satisfied with her dropping the subject, I gave her a nod and wished her a good night as I made my way to the guest room.  Before I closed the door, she spoke up once again.  “Goodnight sugarcube.  If ya’ll need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.  Ah wanna make sure ya feel welcomed.”

After giving her a gentle nod and once last ‘good night’, I closed the door and made my way to the bed on my right which leaned against the far corner of the room.  I didn’t really get a good look due to a mixture of pure exhaustion and irritation.  By the time I laid my head down on the pillow, I almost instantly fell asleep, but a feeling started to scratch at the sides of my mind.

I recognized it as the pain of closing out a possible friend.  But I resolved myself to avoid making friends in this world at all costs.  After all, we wouldn’t be here forever.

Right?