Some Distance Away From Apple Farm

The Survivor and Applejack walked down the dirt road to apple family farm. The life blood of Ponyville and home to one of it's founders, Granny smith. The Survivor walked looking around at the bright vibrant trees that taken over the scenery from the tranquil straw and stone homes of the town. They looked so livly and much like the residents here in Equestria. Innocent to anuy kind of real danger that couldn't be dealt with. When the bombs dropped there wasn't a thing anyone could do. Hide was the only answer to this level of destruction and that's just what the world did....hide. Now here he was, in a land untouched by fire and desperation. Where magic existence is a fact and there's real smiles on everyone's faces. No worries about where there next meal is, what's around the corner. If there's anything waiting to eat them in the dark night while their searching for supplies to bring home. That's one of the reasons he built his many settlements, to give them a place of safety. A bright light to keep the damn mutants and asshole people away....and he was both loved and respected by most in the Commonwealth.

'Man...if I could move a few settlements here....they'd be able to help rebuild the earth.' Sole thought as he walked along, Applejack next to him.

Applejack looked the Survivor over, noticing the overall lack of any real grooming. His main and face looked fine. The skin underneath his black beard was far cleaner then last she saw him.

'Maybe I should offer him a chance to clean up, maybe get his clothes looking new.' She thought while looking up ahead, 'Oh well look at that, were here.'

"This is it, come on sugarcube let's go! We're wasting day light!" Applejack said while picking up a jogging pace towards the apple trees, That were rising over the horizon.

"Right behind you Applejack." Said Sole as he started picking up the pace to catch up with Applejack.

He ran behind her as the ground began to slop up little by little the more he moved forward. It eventually got so slanted that he needed to use his hands a few times to keep from slipping. Sole eventually made it to the top where Applejack was leaning on a nearby tree...and just to the right of her was....the apple family farm. It was HUGE, the Survivor had made a few settlements to help supplie food to his many other settlements over the Commonwealth but this...his fields would only make up about a one percent of the huge crop in front of him. He had seen apples before but...these were perfect in every sense of the word. Round and red, juicy to the look and...was his mouth watering? Yes...yes it was.

'This is....outstanding' Sole thought as he walked past Applejack, gawking at the huge farm behind her. 'You could feed most of the Commonwealth with just what's here!'

"Come on ,partner. You gonna have to meet the rest of my kin, your gonna be working with ,em." Said Applejack snapping Sole out of his trance.

Sole scratched the back of his head while nervously laughing, "Right sorry, I spaced out there for a second. Let's get going so I can meet your...kin." The Survivor had rarely heard a southern accent that wasn't from a prewar robot. It was just something he hadn't much experience in...much like the bodies of most of the females in this world.

'Seriously, I mean they look like they were imagined by some guy who hadn't seen a women in decades. I wonder if Wanderer can explain it, or maybe Luna.' The Survivor paused in his thoughts, remembering the night goddess. Her long almost mist like hair, the color of her eyes...so bright and vibrant. The first time he saw her it wasn't really noticed but she was....beautiful....just like his last lover. 'Oh boy....I better be careful here. I can't get to attached to her, if I do...I'll break her heart when I leave but how come....I still wann-'

"Hey, Sole where here!" The shouting of Applejack brought Sole's inner wondering to a halt.

He looked forward to see a large farm house and a farm behind it, both made of wood. The farm was painted the traditional color of a barn and the house was a large two story building with trees all over the place.

Sole turned to face Applejack, "So what am I going to be doing and where do I start?" He asked enthusiasm filling him. It had been quite some time sence he last had a job in a peaceful environment.

Applejack smiled, "Glade your so eager to start working but first your gonna go on up stairs and wash up. Now give me your clothes and make your way up stairs to the bathroom." She said shifting her weight to one of her sexy hips, holding out a hand waiting.

"Umm." Sole started, "I...can't do that."

"Why the hay not?" She asked

"Well...I don't...we humans umm...we're always covered like all the time, and taking off our clothes in front of others...it's kind of a touchy subject of us." He said, looking everywhere but at her.

"Why is it so "touchy" ah subject, hmmm?" Applejack asked, not understanding what was so weird here.

Sole finally looked at her and said, "Humans don't really like being....nude in front of people even our most trusted friends. How about I get in the bathroom first then hand them to you?"

Applejack just shoke her head a little not being able to believe this, 'I mean come on, I was naked in front of alot of ponies. Most ta my friends have seen me naked even Spike and he's a male.' She thought as she agreed and lead him into her home.

The inside was as you'd expect from a country home. Comfy looking interior with lots of antique furniture that gave the home a kind old smell. It was large on the inside like Sole thought and reminded him of the inside of his own home before the bombs...just less electricity and more lanterns. There was a set of stairs to the right where Sole followed Applejack to the restroom.

"Alright, here ya go no get inside clean up and I'll have your clothes done once your out." Said Applejack who stood next to the door as the Survivor walked into the room.

'Looks alot like the one in the library.' Sole thought as he unzipped his Vault suit.

'What was that?' Thought Applejack as she peaked through the slightly opened door. When she looked through Applejack saw the Survivor's back as the vault suit fell. His back was....covered in scared tissue. She couldn't tell where his actual skin started and where the scars began. 'Oh my stars.. That poor stallion.' She thought as the reality of how much pain Sole has experienced hit her full force.

She turned around before she saw to much still deep in thought, 'I haven't even seen anything that can make a wound like that....maybe I should tell somepony else about it.' Applejack grabbed the clothes from Sole and walked down stairs, getting dinner ready.

Sole looked at his body in the mirror, 'I've forgotten just...how long...it's been sence I last...took that thing off.' He thought as he placed his hands on his chest which was just as bad as his back. The gashes and burns, stabes and cuts...so many memories. Contrary to what most believed a stimpack didn't just make a wound go away. It covered the wound in a artificial flesh and then mended it together. The process is far less effective when your always moving around dodging bullets and giant rocks being thrown at you. Sole moved his hand over the wounds and fealt the smooth new skin. He eventually stopped and went over to the tub where there was both a bath and shower. Sole decided on a shower and started the water, as he stepped into the clean, hot shower he could already see the noticeable difference in the color of the water. It was a mix of black and brown and the colors seemed to dance as they went down the drain.

Sole looked around in the shower to maybe find some soap. He was lucky and found...a damn pink bar of soap. 'Thank god Wanderer's not here. I'd never hear the end of it.' He thought as he grabbed the the bar of soap, and then started to look for a rag. There was one on the side of the tub which looked like it wasn't used. Sole started to rub the soap around in the rag to get it ready for himself. Once it was done he proceeded to wash himself... The soap smelled like flowers.

'Damn my life, even in paradise I still can't have what I need.' Sole thought, as he continued to wash.

He kept on washing till his scared tissue shined a little. During this he was able to hear a commotion coming from down stairs. It sounded like a bunch of kids running around down there. After finding some shampoo followed by conditioner he was finally done. Sole stepped out of the shower after he turned it off and started to dry off when he could definitely hear kids running around. Followed by a elderly yell that was lost in the wild mass of other noises. It seemed to be a mix of a man's and Applejack's voice mixed together. The door opened for a second which let in the entirety of the yelling but it was just as quick gone.

'I should get ready to meet the others. God forbid I make a bad impression.' Sole thought, as he dried off. He took notice of the small loss of muscle so he took note on his pipboy which he took off and left on the sink. Once he put it back on he looked for his Vault suit which was hanging on a bar for towls. He put it back on it's protection giving him comfort, Sole had installed some extra protection in the suit to help him out till he found some better armor. Which helped when stacked with the suit itself. He let out a sigh of relief as the suit closed around him. Sole then let his hand fall to his revolver and much to his pease of mind, it was there. The cold metal on the grip like a hand holding on to his and keeping him at ease.

"Man....I feel better." Sole said sighing as he opened the door. On the other side he heard noises coming from down stairs. He turned to the stairs and took a deep breath. "Here we go....this I where you earn yourself a true job, again." Sole walked down the stairs and came to a door way on his left as he rounded it he came faced with a dinning room full of ponies.

There was a long wooden table with a old green mare at the head of it. She had silver hair and a aura of wisdom around her. On her left was Applejack and across from her was a large red pony with orange hair. He was as buff as Sole was and then some, what the Survivor took notice of next was three little ponies sitting closely next to each other. One had a big bow in her red hair with a tan like color, she was closest to Applejack. There was a white one with a horn and a strange color of hair that was both pink and a light shade of purple. She was in-between both the tan one and another one. This one was all orange with deep purple hair and a set of wings....small wings. They all looked at him with faces of awe as he walked a little further into the room. Once he entered the room was full of silence, a whole minute going by till Applejack decided to do something.

Applejack stood up and walked over to the Survivor, "Well dang, took ya long enough now. Why don't you sit down and we can all eat. Then the little ones have a few questions, if you don't mind?" She asked escorting him to his seat.

Sole sat down and looked at the food in front of him. It gave off a sweet aroma that made his stomach confirm he was hungry. The food looked like a kind of tart covered in a thick orange jello sause that had chunks of apple in it. He looked around at most of the other ponies eating, the young ones gave him a few glances. Except the orange one with the small wings, she looked directly at him. Putting a fork full of food in her mouth occasionally.

'I can tell she's interested, that curious gleam in her eye is a dead giveaway.' Sole thought as he put his first tast of the food inside his mouth. 'This tastes fucking great!' He thought as he ate more until his plate was empty.

The others were done a few minutes later. Full and content the Survivor prepared for the questions he was going to be asked. He was a little surprised when the old one stood up first. She licked her lips and strained to see him but she eventually made him out...after talking to both the table and the chair he was currently in.

"Why, hello there young visiter from the stars. My name is Granny Smith but everypony just calls me Granny, nice to meet ya!" This Granny Smith was incredibly fit for her age because when she shoke his hand it hurt not alot, certainly no super mutant but still.

"Hello, my title is Sole Survivor but every...pony here has started calling me Sole. I guess you can too." Said Sole as he let go of her hand. He then looked over to the large red one, "and who might that be?"

"Oh that's just my big brother, Big Mackintosh. Most ponies just call him big Mack for short." Said Applejack as she wrapped an arm around Mack's large body. She then went and grabbed the little pony with the bow in her head, "and this is my little sister Applebloom."

"I'm not little! I'm a grown up just like you, not no foal." Applebloom said while pouting, the Survivor couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

The white one got up from her seat looking a little timid as she walked up to him. "Ummm....what are you?" Her voice was high, probably good for singing.

"I'm a human," Sole lowered down to one knee to make himself a little smaller. "Don't worry I'm not mean. In fact I'm a very liked and respected man where I'm from. Now...what's your name?" He smiled as he extended his hand for a shake.

"I'm.... Sweetie Bell, it's nice to meet you." She said as her small hand was grasped by his. 'He's so warm.' Sweetie thought as she let go of Sole's hand.

Thetablege one walked up to him with her chest puffed out and her head held high, "I'm Scootaloo and I'm the fastest scooterer alive!" Scootaloo said while striking a heroic pose like her favorite pony, Rainbow Dash. "One day I hope to be the best in the world, like Rainbow Dash!"

"You know Rainbow Dash, how so?" Asked the Survivor.

"I'm her adopted sister, and Sweetie Bell is Rarity's sister." Scootaloo pointed at Sweetie Bell who was still a little nervous but was slowly warming up to Sole.

"Alright, alright... Give him some space! Now y'all can ask whatever ya want, but if he says no don't push it....he's been through alot." Said Applejack giving him a slight sorrowful look before turning back to the kids.

'What's that about?' He thought, 'I'll ask later.' Sole stood back up and saw Applejack place the little ones back at the table. She motioned for him to sit across from them and he did. After he became comfortable he looked towards the ponies who sat across from him. The three of them all looked ready to pop with all their questions.

Sole looked at between the three of them, "I will answer most of your questions, like Applejack said if I say no. Don't push it. You will go one at a time so I can answer your questions clearly."

"Y'all get three questions each, ya hear. No more no less." Said Applejack

"Awwwww!" All three of them said in unison.

"Okay, me first!" Said Applebloom, "How old are ya?" She squinted her eyes like she was gonna make him crack if he tried to lie.

"I'm over two hundred years old. Next." Sole said, as if he didn't notice the absurditie that just came out of his mouth.

"Wait ah apple pickin minute... Over two hundred! No way!" Said Applebloom.

"Yeah your lying, only an alicorn and earth ponies can live that long. Princess Twilight said so." Said Scootaloo.

"Hm hm hm, you three should sit back for a bit...I have a long story to tell." Sole's said as he rested his feet on the table.

The Survivor told the same tale to the he did the Princess, leaving out the more graphic events. He didn't... He didn't want to bring up his wife. These ponies were big hearted among other big things on their chest. Sole knew if he said anything about it they'd all try to feel sorry for him, and he was no charity case. He always put himself before others and this was not going to be any different.

'I can deal with my own demons.' He thought, as he was finishing up his story.

"There I was, facing the dreaded Death claw as it picked me up and tossed me across the street. I was scared I'd never seen something so powerful. I looked it in it's dead eyes seeing no fear. I raised my minigun a little and it took a step forward. The Death claw stook noe sniff of the air and a mediately knew what I was going to do. Roaring a mighty roar it charged at me zigzagging in other directions to throw off my aim!"

"What did you do?" Asked Scootaloo in an alarming voice, she wouldn't admit it but the story was starting to rattle her nerves.

"Well," Sole said, "I didn't take aim. I twisted my torso and as it closed in I bashed it with the clip of my minigun. It fell from the force of impact and ran away." He raised his head in pride, though in reality he pumped that Death claw full of 5mm till it's arms, legs and head were shredded off. Still they were just kids no need for THAT to be burned into their nightmares, right?

"Wow, your like....cooler then Rainbow Dash times two!" Said Sweetie Bell a smile on her face with enthusiasm in her eyes.

"I wouldn't go THAT far but....maybe I don't know, 20% cooler? Thanks sounds right." Scootaloo said after giving it some thought.

"I have to say...it was quite outstandin." Spoke Applejack, as she walked over and stood on the side of the Crusaders.

"Anymore questions to ask?" Sole was looking over them and noticed that they we're talking to each other in a tight group.

They seemed to reach an agreement as Scootaloo walked up to him said, "That actually answered most our questions, but there's one more we all have."

"Shoot."

"Where's your Cutie Mark?" The Crusaders asked in unison.

"Umm..." Sole leaned over to Applejack, sence she was the only grown being in the room at this time. "What's a cutie mark?" He whispered.

Applejack smiled contently, "it's ok Sole, youngens the place where humans livbe don't have any such things as a cutie mark." She said louder then Sole wanted.

"Your mean,"

"You don't have"

"A special...."

"Talent?" The cutie mark Crusaders said each line till saying the last line al together.

"Well....most humans don't have a special talent..." The three seemed saddened, but the Survivor had a idea, an actually good one at that. "But we have something even greater."

"What could be better then a cutie mark?" Asked Sweetie Bell.

Sole walked up to them taking a knee, "We humans...have a purpose... Something in life that drives use to push our limits. Fix the impossible, change destiny and even bend power like the sun to our will....a human can do, but a human with a purpose can change for better...or worse." He looked across the three of them, "Now if just a purpose can do that...then imagine what you'll get. If you add a special talent on top of that. Seems like that human or...pony would be almost impossible to stop." He smiled as the Crusaders looked at each other whispering as he walked over to Applejack.

"So...how'd I do?" He asked.

"You start tomorrow. Till then you gotta get home, I'm sure Wanderer is ah waitin for ya. Best not keep him waiting." Responded Applejack, the Survivor agreed and was just about to walk out the door when Applejack stopped him, "Hey, Sole!"

Sole turned around, "Yes Applejack?"

"Did they hurt..." Her voice was still almost like stone, and the Survivor cought on very quickly.

Sole looked down trying not to say anything. He was actually about to leave out the already opened door....when he stopped. 'You can't hide forever...' Sole turned back around a cold and depressing look in his eyes, ".....yes....yes it did."

With that the Survivor walked on into the town. A feeling of weight still pulling on his heart.

Author's Note

Aaaaaaaaand Done! This was a little bit of a pain but, this a labour of love. The next chapter will be soon and then after that, editing... Yay. anyway now the real challenge begins! Where to look for an editor? Any suggestions I'd be happy to take them, but as it is....

Till next chapter, your dirtymike69