Farmhand

Chapters

Guest
Stranger
Ponyville
Notes
Farmhand
Pasts
Invitation
Lunch
Midnight
Talks
Coffee

Guest

Applejack was relaxing quietly in a worn rocking chair, the heel of the chair resting against the wall. Applejack might have been rocking if the wooden piece was not resting on the wall and preventing her rocking backwards. Should she try, she would be met with a jolt, far from the relaxing purpose for which the chair was designed.

Applejack wouldn't say it had been a long day, per se, but the chores as usual had definitely taken a toll on her energy. However, try as she might, she could not drift off to sleep, though her body was screaming at her to do so.

Yawning for what seemed to be the thousandth time, she gently shifted the book on her lap. Her vision was blurred, as though she had drank a few to many bottles of mulled cider. She no longer knew what book she had been reading, now could she check through her seemingly drunken state. After all, she really did feel drunk. Eyes blurry, hooves numb, dizzy, though she knew these were all being caused by nothing except for her weariness.

It was a peaceful night, outside the window, as far as the eye could see. Or at least, as far as she could see after rubbing her eyes, which wasn't far, even if her sight was temporarily restored by the rubbing. The trees were swaying in a gentle breeze, more just the leaves rustling than an actual, visible swaying. The reds, greens, and yellows of the apples were dully visible through the dark, though light from her window and light from the moon fell over the skins, giving them streaks of white or golden.

Again, Applejack wished she could curl up in her bed and fall asleep, but she didn't bother to try. Not only had her previous attempts to do so failed, she was now to tired to even move to her bed. At last, it seemed, she might be able to find some sleep, as her eyes started to close, lids leaden. Maybe she could slip in a few hours before the sun rose and it was time to begin the chores again, which would last until just before dinner on a good day, at which point the rest of the day would be free for her and Big Macintosh.

Applebloom had it lucky, she reflected as her eyes closed fully. Though she was starting to help with the chores more, she wasn't really doing much, all things considered. Big Macintosh had been all for the idea of passing her almost more work than she could handle, but Applejack had talked him out of it. Applebloom was sixteen, exploring more and more, and Applejack thought it best not to stand in the way of this. As far as what sort of exploration, Applebloom was making more friends, exploring the town of Ponyville more, widening the friends she had, expanding her horizons, trying new things, and more ways that Applejack could not recall from the top of her head.

Just a moment before Applejack could escape to the realm of dreams, a gentle tapping noise reached her ears. Her subconscious told her to ignore it. After all, nothing could be amiss at a time as peaceful as this...

Then she heard hooves in the hallway, and her eyes snapped open.

"H-Hello?" She called softly, casting her eyes to her almost-shut door. For a moment, no answer came.

"Just me, big sis." Applebloom's gentle voice floated back to the orange-furred mare.

"Oh...are you..."Applejack broke off to yawn, her muzzle temporarily forced open. "expecting a friend at this hour?" She tried to lace her voice with suspicion, but drowsiness leaked into her speech overpoweringly, and that was all that was noticeable to Applebloom.

"No, somepony was knocking. I was going to see who it was, so you could get your rest." Applebloom's face popped into the room, her fiery mane framing her face.

"Are ya..." Applejack broke off as the gentle tapping reached them again, then cut off a few seconds later. "c-crazy? It could be a...a...a..." Applejack lost her train of thought as another yawn broke her mouth open.

"Don' worry, Aj, I'll be careful. Ya get some rest now, sis. Love ya." Applebloom silently closed the door and her hoof steps retreated down the hall. Before she could pursue the thought line she had lost, yet another wave of exhaustion swept through her, and, at last, she drifted off to sleep. Her forehead gently fell against the window, her mane cushioning the tiny fall, and the tiniest of snores began to punctuate the silence, as did another round of tapping.

"Hello?" Applebloom laid a hoof on the door, pressing an ear to the plate of wood as well.

"Yes." came the simple reply. No name or request. Applebloom should have turned the pony away right then, but she was young and innocent, and this did not occur to her. Luck shone upon the filly right then, because the pony on the other side of the door bode her and her family no ill.

"Who's there?" She tried, flicking her head so her mane fell away from her eyes, letting her see clearly. Unlike her sister, she had woken up to the tapping, feeling fully rested, and was not tired in the least.

"Somepony who n-needs help." She noted the stutter, and assumed it was from tiredness. His voice was quiet, secretive, and at the same time persuasive and interesting. Could a voice be interesting? Either way, it was definitely a stallion. He sounded like the sort who could move millions with naught but a microphone and a few words if he set his mind to it.

"What sort of help?"

"I'm hurt. Very hurt. I saw l-lights, from a window, which turned out to be on the second f-floor of this charming house. I, of course, seeing the light, assumed somepony was awake, and chanced k-knocking." Applebloom was a kind mare, without a doubt, and if somepony was hurt, she would do all she could do to help. What was the first step to helping this pony? Opening the door.

That was exactly what she did, opening the door to see a pony who was, most definitely, hurt. Scarlet blood was practically flowing onto the porch, and he was favoring one side heavily. His eyes were clouded with fatigue and weakness. It was a miracle he was still standing.

Unfortunately, Applebloom couldn't see where the actually injury or injuries were through the mass of blood, so she pulled him in while touching as little of him as possible, relying only on luck to not bump a wound. Blood spilled onto the wooden floor, but she would worry about that later. She was leading him straight towards the bathroom.

"What in tarnation happened to you!?"

"A pack of...timber wolves...Everfree..."

"You were in the Everfree forest!?! A whole pack of timber wolves attacked you and you lived to tell the tale?!?"

"L-Later." He muttered as she eased him onto the floor of the bathtub. Running warm water until it was stained red and filling an inch of the tub, lightly brushing the stallion's lower lip. What was visible of his coat was light blue, and his mane and tail were brown. Naturally, not just from the mud staining them. She glanced at his flank, but any cutie mark was obscured by blood.

Gently starting to wash him, she murmured soft words of encouragement, telling him he was going to make it and that he had done well to reach the farm. Several cuts and bites ran the length of one of his sides, and a huge gash was on his stomach. Other then that he was unmarked, but those were grave wounds indeed. She honestly couldn't be sure that he would make it. That's why when his eyes started to close, she panicked.

"Don't fall asleep!! Come on, stay with meh!! Don't die on meh!!!" She didn't know why, but some gut instinct was telling her to help him, and she absolutely did not want him to die.

"Don't worry, I'll wake back up." He promised her.

"How kin ya be sure!?" She whisper-yelled. He just let out the tiniest of chuckles and weakly shook his head.

Then he blacked out.

Stranger

He did, just as promised. He woke back up, warm and cozy, even if a bit sore, in the Apple's guest room.

When he blacked out, Applebloom managed to fight down her panic. She knew, in her heart of hearts, that he would do as he had promised, he would wake up. The wounds weren't anywhere where they might somehow disable him, and though she was no doctor, she guessed he would make a full recovery.Though she didn't know for sure, she was right.

She finished cleaning him. The wounds stopped bleeding at some point, and his breathing was shallow but steady. He had good reason to be glad he was unconscious as she scrubbed the slowly-congealing blood away, tugging at his fur though she tried to be gentle. He groaned softly in his slumber, and she silently shut the bathroom door with a back hoof, thankful she hadn't woke anypony. Yet, anyway. There was still the matter of getting him to the guest room, though.

Gently easing him out of the tub a moment or two after letting the water run dry, she laid him on the clean bathroom tile and reached up to pull the first air kit from the medicine cabinet. She had learned basic first air at summer camp a few years prior, before she had gotten her cutie mark. Working fast, she rubbed antibiotic ointment around the edges of the cuts, flipping him onto his back, then smeared it across the center of the wounds. After this, she bandaged his torso, covering all the cuts, and turned to his wing, seeing a deep cut under the ruffled feathers.

Now, something Rumble had once taught her should she ever marry a pegasus, was how to preen. In truth the preening aroused him and he had a thing for Applebloom at the time, so having her preen him was something that he liked very much. Anyway, he used wanting to teach her as an excuse. She let him, to humor him, although the attraction was far from mutual.

So, with the thought of him waking up comfortable and safe firmly in mind, she cleaned the cut and gently preened the wing, using her tongue to sort out the loose feathers and the old ones, until his wing had a glossy sheen and was bandaged. Carefully preening the other wing so they were even, she admired her work for only a moment before gently putting him on her back. He didn't weigh much, and she was able to quietly carry him to the guest bedroom and lay him down.

After that, it was a simple matter of tucking him in. She watched him for a moment, the light seeping from the doorway into the dark room illuminating one side of his muzzle with a golden glow. One side of his face was bathed in deep shadow, the other in the gentle light. For an absurd moment, she thought that his now relaxed features were rather attractive, then she shook her head and left the room, silently shutting the door behind her.

Through the next day he slept, each of the eight times Applebloom checked on him, he was sound asleep.

"He can't stay!! We don't even know the colt!!" Applejack had initially exclaimed.

"Come on, sis, he's hurt!! He should at least stay until he's well enough to travel!!" Applebloom had countered. Big Mac was watching silently, apparently now wanting to share his thoughts.

"Ah said no!" Applejack was arguing, but Applebloom could tell the mare's heart wasn't all in it.

"Applejack!! Imagine if this was me!! Wouldn't you want somepony to take me in and keep me safe!?"

"Ah'd want your flank at home!!! Then something like this couldn'ta happened!!"

"But what if it did! Would you want them to send me away, leave me ta die?" She wanted to scream, but she knew how to fight her sister. Now was when she needed to stay dead calm, and so her question was, quiet, calm, but insisting.

"Fine. Fine, Applebloom. He can stay, but only until he can travel."

"Thanks, sis!! Yer the best!!!" Applebloom hugged her tightly, and went upstairs to check on him, since she hadn't in a while.

He woke to the sound of hooves in the hallway, and slowly opened his eyes, yawning, stretching his forelegs over his head. He was a bit sore, but other then that he was comfortable. Warm, too. He remembered when he thought he might never be warm. When he was slowly bleeding out-

He shook his head. He obviously wasn't dying now. That young mare with the fiery mane must have saved him...or taken him to someone could help. Probably she had saved him herself, since she was walking through the door now.

"I'm glad you're awake," she murmured quietly, perfectly aware he might have a headache. He didn't, though. She walked forward until she was standing beside the bed, looking down at him. Feeling self conscious, he sat up,the blanket up to his lower stomach now, and looked back at her. She didn't say anything, so he decided to break the silence.

"What's your name?" It was the first thing that came to mind.

"My name is...Applebloom. What's yours?" She tilted her head ever so slightly, the movement was barely noticeable.

"That's a beautiful name." He murmured, avoiding her question altogether. "I take it you saved me?"

"That ah did. I couldn't let ya stay out there, ya wouldn't have lasted much longer. I could save ya," She sat on the edge of the bed. "I couldn't not save ya, so..." He smiled at her, knowingly, though he didn't understand at all. She made it sound like she actually cared. She couldn't though, after all, she had only just met him. Not that she would care about him even if she had known him...

"Anyway, ya said timber wolves attacked ya?"

"Yeah, they did. Wish I hadn't said so..."

"Why?" She narrowed her eyes in confusion, what he had said didn't quite make sense to her. Why hide what had happened to him?

"Don't want you to waste attention on me." She realized from his expressions and that statement that he didn't have the highest self esteem. He figured her saving him was a waste of her time, probably wondered why she did it.

"It isn't a waste, ya hear?" He shook his head softly.

"You don't have to be nic-"

"Stop." She told him sternly. "Saving you was worth it, and ah don't want ya to say otherwise."

"Why?" He didn't propose the question challengingly, just as a simple question. All the same, she couldn't find an answer immediately. Saving him was the right thing to do, she hadn't thought of why specifically. He mistook her silence for an answer in and of itself, however, and smiled sadly. She had delivered the silence unintentionally, but it was what he had expected nonetheless.

"Because yer a pony just like me. It wouldn't ta been right to leave ya out there. If that isn't an answer, then I don't know what is." He nodded, but the damage had been done when she failed to answer quickly.

Grunting, he slowly pushed the blanket down and stood, leaning against her for a moment as he righted himself. She planted her hooves and pushed up, raising him, and he nodded in thanks.

"Hey, ya still didn't tell me your name!" She realized aloud.

"My name doesn't matter." He told her indifferently. He hadn't been nice, far from it, since waking up, but he hadn't been mean either. She was already getting a grasp of his personality.

Which is if she wanted an answer, she had to;

He blinked in surprise as she embraced him softly, not holding him tightly, her arms barely around him. She didn't mean anything by it, she only wanted an answer. Even though he recognized the attempt to manipulate him, he found himself unable to stop it.

"It matters to me. Please tell me your name?" She had drawn back before the hug lasted longer then was appropriate, but the effect had started immediately, and he was more open to suggestion now.

"My name...my name is Quill."

"That's an interesting name." She said without preference to any particular liking or dislike. Curious, she peeked at his flank. The sight that greeted her was a beautiful black quill laying across a roll of parchment, the feather of the quill sleek and downy.

"That is a beautiful cutie mark..." She breathed, admiring the feather's detail; "What's your special talent?"

"I'm an author." He said, without going into specifics.

"That's amazing...what do you write?" At this his face seemed to tighten slightly, he was retreating back into a shell and she was powerless to stop it.

"All sorts of things." Then, to change the subject; "I'm guessing I won't be allowed to stay?"

"Oh, you'll be able to stay. Your not yet well enough to travel. When you are, my older brother and sister want you to go..."

"Hmm...I suppose I can't do anything about that."

"Are you saying you want to stay longer then that?" She tilted her head curiously again.

"I'm safe here. That's more then I can say of my home."

"And where is that?" She asked, referring to his home. He simply smirked and told her;

"That's enough questions for now." She laughed in spite of herself.

"Why don't ya come downstairs and have a bite to eat. Can you walk?"

"Yes, my legs aren't hurt." He answered. This meant that he was, actually, well enough to travel, and he vaguely wondered why Applebloom was making excuses for him to stay longer.

"Okay, then, let's go!" She held the door for him, and then they slowly headed downstairs, Quill absolutely ravenous, Applebloom willing to eat.

Ponyville

"Ya look well enough ta travel ta meh." She had said accusingly, glaring at her little sister. "Yer legs aren't hurt in the least!!" Applebloom had shifted from hoof to hoof in front of her, Quill had observed her calmly. His face was carefully composed, devoid of any emotion. Either he was totally calm, or he didn't want her to know how he felt.

"To much movement, and he'll break open those wounds." Applebloom said smoothly; "That right there is cause not to travel."

"Well, ah won't have him taking up space in that guest room, Applebloom." She told her sister, like this would instantly end the argument.

"Bu-" Applebloom began to argue, but Quill cut in now.

"I'm sure there's an inn or something. I'll stay in the town I saw, and I'll be fine." He tried for a smile, he didn't really have a reason to stay here, anyway. Yet again, Applebloom opened her mouth to argue, but then she shut it again.

"Fahn!! Go ta Ponyville and good riddance!!" She turned on her hoof and stormed out of the room. Applejack glanced from Quill to the door which Applebloom had gone through, then followed after her little sister. Quill took this as his cue to go, and he headed for the door, remembering the reason he had been favoring one side when he arrived. The bottom of one hoof was practically shredded, but he ignored this.

He decided to fly, to take the pain off his hoof, but remembered that his wing was bandaged. Which took his thought back to Applebloom.

Shaking his head, he limped steadily on for the town, glad that the cuts, all of them, really, had had a bit of time to begin healing before he set out again. He was far from totally healed, though, and curious looks were cast his way as he set hoof on main street. There was a castle at then end of this street, made of beautiful crystal, or at least that's what it looked like. That was far off, though, as it looked fairly tiny.

The buildings on either side of the road leading there were mostly shops of some sort, it seemed, and all buildings stopped a few hundred yards short of the castle. Several streets branched off this one, but undoubtedly some more were blocked from his view by the buildings. The shops themselves were cheery, painted with bright colors and bearing playful, colorful or otherwise festive signs.

He had limped a few hundred feet, tops. when, somepony wandered up to him, seemingly curious. He was clean, at least, but his mane and tail both looked like he'd just rolled out of bed, and he was bandaged. The bandages themselves were no longer fully clean, either. Probably looked like something out of a daring do book, what with his fur standing on end in places and the fact that he looked like he'd been through a fight. Of course, he had, actually, been through a fight. Not to say that it had ended well for him, or the wolves for that matter, but a fight nonetheless.

"Heya!!" He whirled, forcing himself to stay calm, to face whoever had somehow snuck up on him. It was a pink mare with a curly and quite frankly adorable mane. Her eyes were a bright, clear blue, and he found himself licking his lips unconsciously, as the color reminded him quite keenly of cotton candy. Luckily she didn't notice the lick, because it didn't look like the most appropriate gesture.

"Your new to town!!!" She beamed. It wasn't a question.

"That I am. Pleasure to meet you." He met her eyes politely, not keen on ending the conversation somehow.

"You know what this means!! There's gonna be a PARTY!!!" She jumped several feet into the air, and Quill couldn't help but crack a smile.

"What's your name?" She came down from the bounce and miraculously landed sitting on his back. She kept her legs spread, though, off the bandages, being careful not to hurt him.

"My name is Quill." He told her, then asked for her name in return;

"Didn't I say!? My name is PINKIE PIE!!!" She nipped his ear playfully, and he laughed, gently easing her off him. She bounced away, singing tra la la, and Quill vaguely wondered why exactly she had said there would be a party. It didn't matter, though, he was sure he wouldn't be attending. Who in their right mind would invite him to a party? Shaking the thoughts from his head, he headed to a nearby shop, which had a vibrant selection of flowers, dominant among them several colors of roses. The mare at the counter had a cream-colored coat and red hair, with lighter colored highlights. She grinned nervously as he approached.

"Looking to buy some roses? Of course we have other flowers too..." She was trying to be polite, but her nervousness was clear all the same. Quill shifted his bags a bit, answering quickly.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not looking to buy."

"That's okay, don't worry. Is there some other way I can help you?" She was relaxing, starting to understand that he was friendly.

"Well, I was wondering whether I might find a hotel or inn of some sort anywhere nearby?" He posed the question politely, and the mare seemed only to be getting more comfortable with him.

"Well, there is an inn a few streets over, actually! It's quite lovely!"

"May I have your name?" He was talking in a certain way on purpose, his voice dripping with flattery, though he wasn't trying to flatter her so much as keep her in a good mood. They seemed to go hoof in hoof in this case, though. She giggled, blushing slightly, and answered;

"My name is Roseluck. What's yours?" She locked the shop and walked out, saddlebags looking pretty empty draped across her back. They started walking companionably down a side street, Quill assuming she was leading him to the inn.

"My name is Quill." he told her, friendly enough.

"And I'm guessing your new in town?" She glanced over at him.

"That I am." He nodded, eyeing her guardedly.

"Well, where are you from?" She seemed genuinely interested, green eyes flashing curiously.

"Oh, I'm from a ways away. What about you?" He turned the conversation away from himself as politely as possible.

"Oh, I'm a Ponyville filly through and through. I was raised here, never decided to leave. I mean, I've traveled, seen new places and such, but Ponyville was always meant to be my home." They had stopped in front of a long but low two story building. The sign out front read Lyra's Human Style Beds, and under that in smaller print, which are exactly like pony beds but longer. Roseluck laughed merrily as her eyes scanned the sign.

"Why don't you come out for a drink or two? You seem nice, and I'm meeting some friends at Berry's Bar. You seem tense, you should relax!" She giggled, watching his face for a reaction.

"Thanks, but I'm not sure how much more walking I can do. I'm afraid I can't tonight."

"Oh, maybe another time, then?" She persisted, taking a step closer.

"Oh, I'm sure I can go another time. Thanks again for bringing me here." He smiled, then waved to her and headed inside. Once the door was shut behind him, he resumed his emotionless mask and walked up to the counter, where a mint-furred unicorn stood smiling brightly at him.

"Hello!!! I haven't seen you around!!" She never let her smile falter.

"Um, yeah, I'm new. How does everypony know I'm new around here?" He inclined his head slightly, curious.

"It's a small town, new faces don't go unnoticed. Would you care to rent a room?" He nodded pulling a few bits from his bags, all the money he had brought with him.

"Six bits...we're cheap, that's enough for two nights." She told him cordially, smile fading a bit to a smirk. He replied with a smile of his own, the lopsided grin gently splitting his features.

"Is something wrong with the rooms, for them to be so cheap?"

"No, don't worry. I mean, they aren't wonderful, but they're clean and functional." She let her smile fade completely, to be replaced by an exhausted, depressed look.

"What's wrong, if I may ask?" He asked her, looking at her in a compassionate expression. Quill got attached to easily, cared to much because of that.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry." She handed him a key and took the bits. "Your room is at the end of the hall on the right." She nodded to a door on the left of the counter, indicating he should leave now. Now he was on thin ice, but;

"Please won't you tell me what's wrong? I hate to see a mare upset..." She looked at him curiously, and then shook her head softly.

"Meh, it's just that my best friend and I stopped talking. I did it, it was my fault!!" She closed her eyes and shook her head, looking deeply ashamed of something.

"What do you mean?" He wanted to help. Actually he didn't, but he was going to try anyway.

"I mean she lied about who she was, lied about it for a long time, and at first when she told me I got over it, but then I had to go and make a big deal where there wasn't one, just because I was mad!!"

"Why would she lie about who she was?"

"It's a long story...I don't want to go into it." She dried her watering eyes with the fur on her fore-hoof.

"I won't force you to tell me. But if you need somepony to talk to, you know where my room is." He smiled warmly and headed through the door."

"Thanks, for everything, I didn't get your name, though. Mine is Lyra." She called just before he could shut the door behind him.

"It's Quill. And I'm happy to help." And the door was shut.

Notes

Quill was writing in a sort of frenzy, quill determinedly etching letters onto the pages, which were slightly yellowed with age. He was very near the end, and he knew it, yet he wasn't rushing. All good things come to those who wait. He knew this. There was no need to rush, so, as usual, his quill slowly filled line after line.

Turning the page. Last one. He was more focused then he had been in a long time, he had to make sure this ended well. So close...halfway down the page, in fact. Our hero was safe, for the moment. So was the pony he was traveling with. So what if a huge threat was looming over their heads? So what if tomorrow wasn't promised? They had now.

Last sentence, last one. Quill scratched that onto the page, then sharply dotted the sentence, and leaned back, carefully laying his quill down. He flexed his right wing, slowly, then let it relax against his side. He didn't fancy the taste of feathers, so he had taught himself to write with his wings instead.

"Finally done..." He muttered to himself, shutting the book slowly after blowing lightly over the letters to dry the ink. It was probably around mid-day by now, but with the curtains drawn and door shut, the room was a dull gray twilight.

Quill closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, the burning in his eyes slowly abating. He'd been writing for Celestia knew how long, but now he was done. He would probably wait a few weeks, now. Done.

"Done..." He felt like some deep void inside him had been filled, and he was free from the oppressiveness that had lurked there before. Not to say that writing had been a bad thing, but it was nice to have a break, however brief it was. Everypony had their limits.

There was a soft tap on his door, and he opened his eyes slowly. He didn't want to answer, but unfortunately for him, he was never the rude type.

"Yes?" He called wearily, tiredness echoing in his voice. He wasn't really tired, just felt like it because he'd been sitting still for so long.

"Umm, Quill? I'm supposed to deliver a note to a...Quill?" The voice was airy, cheery, and maybe a little distracted. He opened the door to see a gray mare with a blonde mane, her eyes gazing in completely different directions, neither one looking at him. She was holding a roll of paper in her wing, which she passed to him.

"Thank you," he murmured as he took the paper. She hummed happily and trotted off down the corridor, disappearing from the hall and then the building within a few moments.

Smiling lopsidedly, he unrolled the paper and scanned the few hastily written lines.

I was in the library. Meet me there?

The note wasn't signed, nor was it random. They weren't simply in the library and wanting to see him, something there had caused them to write to him. He wasn't sure who or why, but he trotted in the direction of the library nonetheless.

Sorry for the short chapter next will be longer!!!

Farmhand

She was leaning forward in a chair, deeply engrossed in a book. The cover was blank, no title to show what she was reading, but she was extremely focused on whatever it was. Her black coat was neat and a bit glossy, her mane spilling over one shoulder, the blonde highlights shining against the brown. Her light blue eyes danced along the pages quickly.

Somepony cleared their throat, and she looked up slowly, to see her friend from oh-so long ago.

"It's been a while." Quill looked down at her, then slid into a seat across the table from her and glanced at the book.

"What are you reading?" He raises one eyebrow, still watching her, face hard to read. She took a soft breath and slowly closed the book, folding down the corner of her page. She looked up at him, her normally playful and mischievous eyes looking anything but.

"Quill, where did you go?" She gazed at him searchingly.

"I asked what you were reading." His face, too, was set differently than normal, currently cold and stony.

"Take a guess, smart-flank. How do you think I found you? Tons of ponies know your name, you've been lucky if you've avoided attention so far. I needed only ask around to find out you were in town. Some mare named Rose told me."

"So...my book." Not a question.

"Yeah, genius. Now where did you go?"

"It doesn't matter." He glared, refusing to budge.

"Quill." She stared at him, then her face softened and she sat back, looking at him. "Quill, you don't understand how worried I was." She blinked, regarding him coolly, not sure how she should act at this point.

"I'm sorry that I worried you. I thought I had to go." He told her. That much was true at least. Now, it seemed, the mare had realized she wasn't getting any answers out of him.

"Tainted...Diamond." He muttered her name slowly, teasing out the word, and she raised an eyebrow at him in question.

"It's been nice seeing you again." He stood, no intent to say more.

"I'll be seeing you again." She nodded, and walked out of the library, leaving him alone as she trotted down the stairs and out the door. Shaking his head, he walked slowly to the staircase, looking down over the rail. To his surprise, Apple Bloom was there, hunched over a book similar to the way Tainted had been.

He almost called out, then thought better of it as a young white-coated mare walked from between two bookshelves and sat next to her.

"I can't find books on Timber Wolves mating habits anywhere!!" The white-coated pony exclaimed in a whisper-yell.

"It was a weird paper ta assign us ta begin with." Apple Bloom groaned quietly, shutting the book and relaxing in her chair, shifting. Her flanks probably hurt like hell, assuming she'd been there for a while.

"Think we should call it a day and head out?" Apple Bloom looked at her friend, then sighed and nodded. As luck had it, she glanced around at the balcony when she stood. He started to duck away, but she had already seen him.

"Quill!! What're you doing here!?" Several ponies glared at her from nearby tables for her noise, and she blushed, grinning sheepishly. She murmured a few words to her friend and then headed to the stairs, starting up. Quill grinned shiftily, glancing at Apple Bloom's friend, who was waiting by the table and looking up, smiling in an odd way. He couldn't quite figure out why she was smiling, and it unnerved him somehow.

"Where have ya been? Ah haven't seen ya aroun'."

"Oh, I've been staying in an inn, finishing something up."

"Project for school?" She looked up to him, curious.

"Oh, no, I'm done with school." His eyes widened, he hadn't meant to say that, per se.

"But how, ya can't be any older than meh..." Apple Bloom looked confused, then shook her head. "Doesn't matter." She wiped the confused face away and replaced it with a friendly smile.

"So, what was it ya were workin on?" She smirked, a twinkle in her eyes. Not that he was looking at her eyes, or anything. Her smirk was knowing, like she knew something and wasn't letting on. Not that he was looking at her lips, or something like that.

"So, Quill, tell me, your last name wouldn't be Fletch, would it?" He flushed, looking down slightly to meet her eyes.

"How did you know?" He asked, like he didn't already know.

"Apple Bloom, I'm gonna head home. See ya tomorrow!!" Apple Bloom's friend smirked, winked, and headed out the doors, leaving Apple Bloom and Quill roughly alone. Apple Bloom blushed and turned back to Quill, then glanced down.

"Your books are quite popular. I would've recognized you by now if there was a picture in your book." She was smiling widely, now, getting excited. "And it's only been a couple years, yer book got so popular!! I should have realized it was you at first but of course I couldn't really have but sweet Celestia I can't believe I met you and din't realize it and I-" Quill laid a wing against her side.

"Stop, please. That's what I hate about writing." He looked at her, eyes slightly narrowed.

"What, the...what?"

"The attention. That's why I didn't send a picture in with the book." She looked at him, confused for a moment.

"But what's wrong with attention?" She tilted her head, excitement simmering down.

"I like a quiet life. I've never had friends save for two, I try not to draw attention to myself, quiet is just what I like."

"Wait wait, two friends?!!?" Her eyes widened in surprise, and she took an involuntary step back.

"Uhh...I meant I've never had many friends. Like usually no more then one or two at a time." He lied quickly. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and leaned closer, looking at him as though she could see the truth same as his fur.

"Hmm...you're to easy to read. You're lying. Tell me more?" Quill shook his head, glad all talk of his being an author was forgotten.

"Come on, Quill, please?" Her eyes widened slightly, and he glanced around. The ponies had filtered out of the library, he and Applebloom were the only ones in sight.

"Umm...no. Not gonna happen." He looked away, staring hard at a poster that said Celestia reads!!! with a picture of the princess reading a foal's book. The book was Green Fish Ornate Fish Twenty One Fish Eight Fish.

"Quill," She gently laid her hoof on his chin and turned his face back towards her. "What's the matter. You're trying so hard to hide it, but ah kin tell, you're depressed. Ya just don't want anypony to worry about ya. Don't want them to care."

"You're right, okay? I don't want anypony to worry, because there are ponies with far bigger problems then mine." He tried to walk past her, but she pinned him gently against the wall, not giving up on answers yet.

"Quill, ya kin trust meh...then again I guess ya don't have a reason to..." She glanced away nervously, scared she was pushing to much.

"You're right, I don't have a reason to...but..." He looked at her nervously before continuing; "I do, though. I know you're not going to judge me, I figured that much out by now." He chuckled softly, looking up.

"Quill, yer right, ahm not gonna judge ya," She released him, letting him stand by himself, but he didn't leave. Something made him stay. "But ya don't have ta tell me anything. Just remember, ah do wanna listen. I don't know what has happened to ya, but ahm here for ya no matter what." She smiled wanly, watching him closely. To her surprise, his eyes were wet. A moment later he blinked, though, and the tears were gone as fast as they had appeared. It was a moment before he spoke again.

"Thank...Thank you, Apple Bloom..." He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, and didn't let go for several moments. When he did back away, a light blush was staining his face.

"Look, Apple Bloom, I-"

"No." Apple Bloom put a hoof on his chest and he stopped talking immediately. "Why don't ya come stay with us for a few days. I'll talk Applejack into it." She was determined to get more answers out of him. She needed more time with him to do that.

"Umm...it's actually the last night I payed for at the inn. If you're sure...but she really doesn't want me to stay there."

"Well there's one solution to that!" Apple Bloom looked at him.

"And what's that?"

"Ya kin help around the farm, make yourself useful to her! Like a farmhand!!"

"Where does that term even come from, I've never quite known what a hand was." He looked at her curiously.

"Oh, it's just one of those things ya say that doesn't really make any sense. A term without a known start! Anyway, if you stay as a farmhand, Applejack maght even let ya stay without putting up a fight!!" Apple Bloom seemed excited at this idea, and she almost reared up.

"I only have one question, Apple Bloom." He was still looking at her intently. Not that he liked looking at her, or anything.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Why do you want me to stay with you?" Her mouth fell open slightly. Suddenly learning more about him seemed a feeble excuse that would raise the question of why she wanted to. And that was not a question she could answer.

"Because your my friend and ya need a place ta stay!!" She blushed and looked away, covering her open mouth with a hoof. Quill blushed, too, finding this oddly adorable, and wrapped a wing around her. Because she was his friend, not because he wanted to get closer.

"So let's head back!" She stepped sideways to get closer and started heading down the stairs. They walked out companionably and headed towards Sweet Apple Acres. He didn't think Applejack would let him stay easily, but they didn't need to worry about that until later. Right now, he had a friend and that was what mattered. Now. Now was all that mattered.

A/N-I don't expect most of you to understand Quill's last name, it has a personal meaning for me. Please leave a comment!!

Pasts

"Fahn, ah guess. But yer not makin no fortune." Applejack looked at him through narrowed eyes, obviously not fully agreeing with this at all. But, as Apple Bloom had pointed out, help with the many chores of the farm was never a bad thing.

"You screw up even one time, colt, and yer gone. Ya hear?" Applejack looked at him, then to Apple Bloom as the younger pony started to speak.

"Applejack, why don't ya like him? Ah mean, ya seem ta downright hate him. Why?" Apple Bloom didn't sound accusatory or anything, just curious. Applejack blinked slowly and straightened up.

"Ah don't hate him, little sis." Apple Bloom was right, though, Applejack had a genuine dislike for Quill, though he hadn't really done anything to inflame her.

"Well, ya don't like him, to say the least. He hasn't done anythin to ya." Apple Bloom stepped a bit closer to him protectively, eyes starting to narrow irritably. Before things could escalate, Quill stepped forward and spoke.

"Money is no object to worry about, I have more than en-well I have enough to live off." Applebloom's eyes widened, and she practically shot into the air.

"Applejack!!! Ya gotta like him now!!! This is Quill Fletch!! You know you love his book, so don't even lie!!!!" Off to the side, Big Mac's eyes narrowed. That fact seemed like bad news to him, not good. Applejack's eyes, however, widened, and she took an involuntary step back in surprise.

"Apple Bloom! Yer kiddin meh!! Ah thought ya were an adult, and yer barely more than a colt. Hmm...yer kiddin meh Apple Bloom?" She looked from Quill to her sister uncertainly. Quill blushed and looked down, Applebloom just smiled excitedly.

"Nope!!!" She exclaimed as Quill adjusted his mostly empty bags, and looked over at her.

"Wait wait wait, how do ah know that's true?" Applejack narrowed her eyes and stared at him. "Kin ya prove it?" Quill blinked in surprise, and so did Apple Bloom. Neither of them had expected this, but after a moment Apple Bloom looked at him furtively.

"Well...there's this, I guess..." Quill pulled the battered leather book from his bags, which looked rather old. Applejack and Apple Bloom both stared at it dumbly for a moment. Applejack caught on first, and her eyes widened. Apple Bloom saw her sister's face and came to the same conclusion as her sister.

"ANOTHER ONE!!??!!" Big Mac's face darkened more, and he stood abruptly, leaving the room. This went unnoticed by the three across the room.

"Um...yeah, a sequel, actually." Applejack bounced so high that her hat actually brushed the ceiling, and Applebloom leaned against a chair for support. Quill blushed darker, smiling.

"Quill, ya blush an awful lot." Applebloom commented, still mostly focused on the book."

"Sorry. Anyway," He opened the book at random and passed it to them, "that should prove I'm me." Applejack snatched the book and sat down hard next to Apple Bloom, bending over the book. Apple Bloom joined her, and Quill let them read for several moments before gently taking the book and returning it to his bags.

"Don't want to spoil the story, but it's ready to be sent in to the publishers, so you shouldn't have to wait to long. Can we stop talking about it now?" Quill smiled sheepishly, scratching his head.

"Yeah, sure sugarcube. Stay as long as ya like!!" Applejack smiled widely, shaking his hoof vigorously. Apple Bloom returned to his side, without thinking about it.

"How about" Quill began, "I don't pay to stay here, but I help with the chores for free? That could be my payment?" He raised an eyebrow, curious. Applejack nodded, still beaming.

"Sounds good ta meh!!"

"Don't treat me special, though. Please. I'm a regular pony, just like you." He smiled, and Applejack's smile stayed, though she nodded emphatically.

"Well, ah gotta finish up the chores. Ya kin start helping tomorrow. Apple Bloom, why don't you get Quill settled in?" Apple Bloom nodded, and Applejack passed through the door.

"Come on, Quill, ya remember the way to the guest room?" Quill nodded, and together they headed up to the room. It was clean, the bed made, ready for the next guest who came along.

"Guess that's me..." Quill muttered under his breath, to soft for Apple Bloom to hear. He set his bags on the bed and looked around. A finely crafted desk rested in one corner of the room, a bed in another. A bare bookcase rested in the third, and the door in the fourth. Another door rested in the same corner as the one to get in but on another wall, which led to an empty closet.

"Not the biggest, not the best." Apple Bloom suddenly remembered she wanted to know more about him and walked across the room, sitting on the large bed.

"So, Quill, kin ya tell me a bit about yourself? Since we'll be staying under the same roof for a while, an all."

"Well...I guess I could tell you some." He walked over to sit with her and looked at her. "But fillies first."

"Well, there isn't much to know about me. I used to obsess over finding out what my cutie mark was, with my two friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. We were aiming to get our cutie marks together, so that we could get jobs together and spend...well the rest of our lives together. We loved each other like sisters, ya know?" She watched him for a moment before continuing.

"A few years back, when we were thirteen, actually just a few weeks after we had gotten our cutie marks, Scoots moved up to Cloudsdale, with the plan of starting middle school and taking disabled fliers lessons. Her wings were half the size of a normal wing, see, and she never actually got her grown-pony wings. I feel bad for her...anyway, Sweetie and I sort of spaced out a bit after that. The three of us did get almost identical cutie marks but...Scoots was gone. I won't pretend that wasn't a blow." She looked down at her lap now, and Quill wrapped a wing around her.

"That's who you saw in the library with me today, Sweetie Belle. She and I are still friends, but things just haven't been the same since Scoots left. We may still be friends, but we aren't as close as we once were. I haven't gotten close like that with anypony since then, because I'm always worried they'll disappear like she did. It takes a toll, not trusting, but ah just...can't help it." He turned her to face him, squeezing gently.

"Anyway, since we got our cutie marks, we've been doing the things ponies our age usually do. Reading romance novels and fantasy adventures and other dramatic books, " She looked at him pointedly as she continued, "Talking about colts, suffering crushes and heartache, spacing out a bit from our families only to grow unfathomably close again later, and ya know...it all sounds kind of dumb when I say it. Ah feel like ah could be doing something more and I'm just not, but... ah dunno what." Quill was silent for a long moment before he answered her.

"Well..." He rubbed his eyes before looking at her. Though his eyes were dry, a tear track had left a slight indentation on the fur on one cheek. "I'm sure, Apple Bloom, that whatever you are meant to do, you'll find it. What did you get your cutie mark in?"

"I've never been totally sure. They appeared when my friends and I stopped being selfish and worrying about ourselves, immediately after helping somepony else get realize what her true talent was. Being compassionate, maybe? Helping others?"

"You seem plenty compassionate, more than that really, since I've met you. What was her special talent in the end?"

"Well," Apple Bloom chuckled softly, and continued; "Her cutie mark was a diamond tiara. That's her name, too. She thought she had to be perfect as a diamond. Really, though, her special talent was being as beautiful as a diamond inside as well as out. Since she realized that, she's been loads happier."

"Helping others. By being compassionate. Seems maybe your mark is for helping others be happy. But I believe I owe you a few answers..." Apple Bloom smiled a tiny smile, and he smiled unwillingly in return. It was worth it, making her laugh. For a brief moment he thought that smile could light up all of Ponyville, but he dismissed the thought.

"Yes ya do, Mr. Quill." She pushed him down playfully, and he just curled up, head on his hooves, looking up at her somberly. She curled up in front of him, and though their tails hung over the edge of the bed, they fit together perfectly. Several moments passed, and she began to think he had decided against speaking at all.

"I was born in Manehattan...that's where I lived until I was thirteen years old. Living in Manehattan wasn't...safe. Sooo I ran towards Appleoosa, where I stayed for a few years. Somepony uh...found me. So, I decided to flee to Ponyville. See, I wanted to go a way that I wouldn't be followed, if she followed. So I made a stupid choice and headed through the Everfree forest. I made it almost all the way without incident, but...a few hundred yards from the treeline I was ambushed by a pack of Timber Wolves, and...well, I barely made it to the farm. You saw what I was like when I got here a few nights ago. That pony...she found me anyway. Quickly, too. So I've decided not to run this time. She wants answers about something that happened, and she really does deserve to know, but...I don't like talking about my past." He fell silent, scowling, looking down at the blanket now.

"Quill...there's a lot you aren't telling meh..." She looked at him uncertainly, not sure but thinking she wouldn't get any more out of him just now. She'd made a start, anyway.

"Yeah. Yeah...there is a lot I'm not telling." He nodded, saying it casually.

"Quill...ya just told me way more than yer comfortable with...didn't ya..." Not really a question.

"Again, yeah..." He was still looking down at the blanket. Apple Bloom bumped his forehead with her muzzle, nuzzling him softly.

"Quill, ya did good. Ahm glad ya told meh what ya did." She pulled her face away, and he slowly lifted his face to look at her.

"That...wasn't easy...but it felt good to say." He chuckled softly, stretching slightly."

"Don't ya think it would feel good ta tell meh even more?" She narrowed her eyes playfully, asking him. He laughed in response and bumped his nose with hers gently, looking at her.

"Maybe...maybe another time." He stood slowly, and she stood with him, both climbing off the bed.

"Ahm here for ya, Quill. Don't forget." She wrapped her forelegs around him in a hug. He almost pulled away, but he relaxed and returned the hug after a moment.

"Quill...ah promise, ya don't have ta be scared. Not with me anyway." She nuzzled against him before pulling away. For a moment they stood there, looking at each other awkwardly. Quill started to look away, but Apple Bloom pulled his face back towards her and looked at him, unsure of herself. She seemed to be internally debating something. She shook her head, almost imperceptibly, and backed up slowly, apparently deciding against whatever it was.

They stayed for a moment, and thankfully hoof steps coming up the stairs saved them from having to break the silence themselves.

"Apple Bloom? Quill? Ah got dinner waitin...hope yer hungry, Quill..." Applejack walked down the hall and poked her head into the room, looking from Apple Bloom to Quill and back.

"I am. Thank you, Applejack." Quill smiled vaguely, and Apple Bloom smiled too, walking forward. Quill followed her downstairs and took a seat next to her at the table. Big Mac sat across from Apple Bloom, Applejack from him, and Granny Smith, as Applejack introduced her, at the head of the table and to Apple Bloom's left.

"So, Quill, why don't ya tell us a bit about yerself?" Applejack looked at him interestedly, and he hesitated. Apple Bloom saved him, however.

"He grew up in Manehattan, stayed in Appleoosa for a few years, and came here after. Life was pretty boring for him." She winked at him playfully, faking the insult so they wouldn't ask any more questions. He smiled at her gratefully. Turning back to his food, Quill finished in the space of a few minutes. Big Mac was also done, but the other three were still eating.

"Colts." Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, not really meaning it, and Applejack smiled unwillingly. After that nopony really knew what to say, so they finished in silence.

Later, Quill crawled into bed, pulling the blanket over himself with a yawn. He felt like he could sleep for years, stomach full and eyelids heavy. Apple Bloom poked her head in, looking at him.

"Need anythin Quill?" He shook his head, flashing a smile uncertainly. Apple Bloom nodded.

"If ya do, my room is first on the right upstairs." She drew away, shutting the door, and her hoof steps receded down the hall. Sighing contentedly to himself, he fell asleep slowly.

A/N-Her room actually is upstairs and first on the right. You'll know if you saw the Cutie Pox episode. Pleeeeeeeeeease drop a comment I really wanna know how I did if that's okay, because this is my first real chapter story. Thanks for reading!!

So you know, this story is copy/pasted over from my wattpad. That's why the author notes are part of the chapter instead of in da special box.

Invitation

With another set of hooves to help, the chores were done by midday. They'd started at dawn, sure, but now they had half the day free. Initially Applejack had planned to give him the same amount of chores Apple Bloom if not a little more, but he had helped with more than she asked, doing a surprisingly good job, until Applejack was free too. She laughed as she walked off towards Ponyville at a trot, not having expected to be free for at least another few hours.

Applebloom had come upstairs, where Quill had gotten clean and was now carefully preening, working on his second wing. He shook his head, blushing slightly, and spit a few feathers into the trash, laying on his stomach on the bed with the trash on the floor beside the bed. She stayed in the doorway, watching, and wondering why he was blushing so badly. Then she remembered what preening did to pegasi, and blushed herself. She guessed he needed to preen every so often. His wings had been looking messier then a smashed apple the last few days.

Now, however, as he finished the wing he was working on, they looked sleek and glossy, and she tilted her head, admiring them. For a moment she wondered what it was like to have wings, to be able to soar freely through the air, and to walk on those fluffy white clouds that so often soared overhead. To kick through the clouds that needed to go and to round up the stray clouds that sometimes wandered down to the ground. The air offered so many more opportunities, and there was a solid iron door between ponies and it. Wings were the keys to get through.

He put his head on the blanket, wings still spread, and the blush gradually faded from his face. Roughly a half hour later, his face was completely clear and the lustful gleam was gone from his eye. It was then that he slowly stood, seeing Applebloom, and his eyes widened as he blushed again, out of embarrassment this time. She vaguely wondered why she had been standing there so long. She had sort of zoned out watching him.

"How long...have you been standing there?"

"Uhh...I just say ya finish up yer right wing...I kinda zoned out..." She was blushing, too, now, feeling like she had intruded on something private. He shook his head roughly for a moment, then stopped.

"It's okay, what's done is done. Anyway...did you need something?" He tilted his head ever so slightly, looking at her as his blush slowly faded.

"Well, ah was gonna head over to the Carousel Boutique. That's where Rarity and Sweetie Belle stay. Rarity is Sweetie's older sister, and she's a huge fashionista. Anyway, ah wondered if you would maybe wanna come with me?" She pawed the floor, looking down nervously. It was getting old, but she needn't have worried.

"Course, I'd love to come. Lead the way." He snapped his wings shut and walked up to her. She smiled, laughing softly, and led him from the room.

The building was festive, he thought to himself, with bright colors and beautiful decorations. Apple Bloom knocked on the door without hesitating, although nothing happened.

"Silly meh," she giggled, looking back at Quill, "ponies are supposed to just walk in. This is technically a store of sorts." And she pushed the door open, walking in with Quill.

"Welcome to the Carou-oh hello there Apple Bloom, darling. Who's your fri-oh, this must be Quill!" It was a white mare, her purple mane styled into curls, and her deep blue eyes shining. She was, in a word, beautiful.

"I see you've talked to Applejack?" Quill raised one eyebrow, and Rarity nodded in response. At least he assumed this was Rarity, for he could see a resemblance to Sweetie Belle in this pony.

"Yes, dear. I must say, though, I've never read your book. Reading isn't exactly one of my hobbies. Pinkie and Fluttershy also haven't read them, but Rainbow and Twilight sure have. We were wondering whether you might join us at the castle for lunch tomorrow? Applejack was going to tell you about it, oh dear, maybe I shouldn't have..."

"It's okay, Rarity! Ahm sure Quill would love ta!!" Apple Bloom nudged him encouragingly, and he nodded, smiling.

"They wanted you at noon, darling. Pinkie and Applejack were going to bring the food, and those two are quite the bakers. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. Now, darlings, I'm assuming you came here to see Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom nodded, and Rarity made a tsk tsk noise.

"I'm afraid she's at Sugarcube corner. I daresay they won't want their little date interrupted. Sorry to say, you two." She smiled warmly, not wanting to offend them, just relay a message.

"That's okay, Rarity. Thanks for telling us." Apple Bloom smiled, too, and together, she and Quill retreated through the door.

"Well, that blows..." She leaned against the wall between the door and a window. Quill wrapped a wing around her reassuringly.

"I'm sure we could think of something else to do, don't worry about it." Apple Bloom leaned against him comfortably and closed her eyes, yawning softly.

"Tired?" Quill looked at her concernedly, then leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes as well.

"Maybe a little...I didn't get any sleep last night."

"Hmm...why's that, Apple Bloom?" He stayed he was, then they both slid down the wall so they were sitting Lyra-style, and he squeezed her slightly with his wing, holding her close without really thinking about it. He was totally relaxed, now, but he felt like there was something to say. Something on the tip of his tongue that he wanted to, needed to, say, but he didn't know what. Pushing the thoughts from his mind, he listened for her answer.

"Ah had...some stuff on meh mind. Ah didn't manage to clear my head enough to fall ta sleep." She glanced up at him abashedly, and he smiled, deciding she didn't want him to ask what she was thinking about. So, he didn't.

"Well, hopefully you sleep better tonight." He nuzzled her softly, feeling oddly content. Suddenly, that urge to say something returned to him, the urge to get something massive off his chest, and still, he didn't know what. He let out a shaky breath, trying to ignore the feeling. She noticed the uneasy sign and slowly turned, still leaning against him with his wing around her, and looked up at him. The street was empty for now, so they were alone.

"You okay?" Her eyes were wide, and he looked at her steadily, wrapping his hooves around her.

"Apple Bloom..." He stopped, shaking his head slightly, not sure what he wanted to say.

"Yes?" She turned more, so she was almost in his lap, and then shrugged, getting the rest of the way into his lap. He wrapped his other wing around her, too, looking up at her. "What is it, Quill?" He blushed, unsure as to why.

"Umm...I'm not sure.." He blinked at her, still looking up into her eyes. She was starting to blush as well, and she, also, was unsure why.

"Are ya sure ya don't know?" Her ears were perked up, and she looked almost...hopeful?

"Yeah...I have to say something...I just...can't...don't know what...sorry..." Quill looked apologetically up at her, but she smiled and shook her head.

"Don't be sorry, ya didn't do anything wrong. Ahm sure you'll figure out what it was ya needed ta say sooner or later." She leaned a bit closer without meaning to, and he blushed darker. She was just planting her hooves to stand, though, and she slowly stood, taking her time in straightening. Quill frowned slightly, missing the warmth, then blushed at his thoughts and stood, clearing his face.

"It's getting late, maybe we should head home..." She looked at him, and again she looked like she was internally debating something.

"Y-Yeah...I guess so. We're gonna miss dinner."

"That's okay, I'll fix us something." She smiled and stepped up to him. His breath caught as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, but she let go as quickly as she had taken hold and backed up, turned, and backed up again so she was next to him. Together, they started heading off for the farm, close enough that they were touching.

Quill almost said something, but he gently bit his tongue. Now was what mattered. And now, he had Applebloom. He realized what a weird thing that was to think and blinked, but kept walking with her. After all, it was true, in a way.

Lunch

Quill and Applejack stopped in front of the castle's large doors, and Quill raised a hoof to knock. Before he could, however, Applejack pushed the right door open and walked inside. Quill shrugged and followed her inside, more nervous than he was showing, and shut the door behind him with a back leg.

"Raght this way, Quill." Applejack led him a ways down the long entrance hall, which was dotted with large sets of double doors. He was full of nervous energy, and felt as though he could punch a hole through the wall by tapping it. Everyone feels like that sometimes, right?

Applejack pushed through a set of doors and disappeared inside. Quill followed, glancing around. He walked into a large dining room, with a large table seemingly made of crystal taking up the center of the room. Gold-backed chairs circled the table, ten of them even. He recognized Pinkie instantly, she was sitting directly across the room from him. A rainbow-maned mare he assumed to be Rainbow was to her right , and Rarity to her left. Next to Rarity sat a young looking mare who, to his surprise, sported both wings and a horn. He knew, of course, of the princess of friendship who resided in Ponyville, but he hadn't ever expected to have lunch with her. Applejack went and sat next to Twilight Sparkle, if he had heard right, and the only pony he didn't know here was a yellow-furred mare with a long pink mane, who he assumed to be Fluttershy. He hesitated for a moment as to where to sit, so Twilight rolled her eyes playfully and gestured to the seat next to her. Quill took the seat, grinning nervously.

"HI QUILL!!" Pinkie chirped happily, and he turned his gaze to her.

"Nice to see you again, Pinkie. Nice to see all of you." Pinkie beamed wider until her smile was getting scarily large.

"Your welcome-to-Ponyville-because-you're-new-to-Ponyville-party is almost ready!!!" She leaned forward, forelegs on the table.

"Umm...Thank you Pinkie. Where will it be?"

"Oh, yeah, can't tell ya that. I can't spoil the surprise, silly!" She sat back, and started to eat a cupcake she had produced from Celestia-knew-where, rather than the large amount of food on her plate.

"So, Quill, I'm so glad you could make it!! It's quite an honor to meet you." Twilight smiled cordially, obviously not totally sure what to say. Unable to help himself, Quill chuckled.

"Princess Twilight, you're a princess. Surely meeting me isn't an honor, I'm just a writer."

"But your books are awesome!!!" Rainbow exclaimed, flaring her wings out excitedly.

"Well, he only wrote one, Rainbow Dash, but yes, it was quite good." Twilight inclined her head slightly.

"Not better than Daring Do, but still pretty bucking good." Rainbow grinned.

"Yeah, Daring Do is quite the writer, and a nice pony, too." Rainbow's jaw dropped, as did Twilight's, and the other four ponies looked around at them in confusion.

"You met Daring Do!? I mean I did too, but I didn't know..."

"Er...yeah, Dare and I had a run in a few years back. She needed help with something, and since I had figured out who she was...she came to me. She and I write each other from time to time now." He explained slowly, being evasive as far as giving details.

"Your friends with Daring Do!!!!!!!??????????? Dare?? Pet names!?? Wha???" Rainbow Dash's eyes burned with envy, and Quill had to bite down a laugh.

"Pen Pals, yeah." Twilight leaned over to whisper something in his ear.

"I never said this, but your eye for detail is more than a bit keener than Daring's. Just saying." She pulled away again quickly.

"So what exactly were the circumstances of your meeting Daring Do, darling?" Rarity spoke up from Twilight's other side.

"Oh...it was in Appleoosa...doesn't really matter."

"Well, Quill, your book was awesome." Rainbow said with finality, and Applejack nodded while Twilight hummed in agreement.

"And there's anotha one!" Applejack cut in within a moment, and Rainbow's eyes widened. Twilight looked to him for confirmation. Quill was getting more comfortable now.

"Umm...yeah. I sent it in to the publishers the other night. Haven't gotten a letter back quite yet. Although they did give me some bits in advance when I told them I was going to write it."

"Oooh!! How many!?" Pinkie looked at him with a gleam in her eye. Her face glowed pink, then her mouth opened and a massive bite of turkey was stuffed into her face. Quill realized Twilight was responsible and smiled to himself.

"That's none of your business, Pinkie."

"Sowwy Twi..." Pinkie mumbled around her bite, then swallowed.

"I might have to read this book, you ponies make it sound quite wonderful." Rarity interjected.

"You totally should!! It's an all nighter!! Scratch that, it takes more than a night to read!!" Rainbow flew up in a loop, her food gone, and landed neatly in her seat a moment later.

"So, Quill," Twilight spoke, "Is the second as long as the first?"

"A bit longer, but around the same, yes." Quill nodded slowly.

"Sorry, Quill, if we're making you uncomfortable." Twilight noticed his discomfort at the attention. "So, how long are you staying in Ponyville?"

"Well, I don't actually have anyplace else to be...so, I was considering staying here permanently." Rainbow grinned at this, and Twilight sat back thoughtfully.

"What about your fam-"

"Do not talk about my family." Quill said harshly, making all six ponies blink in surprise. "They aren't...in my life anymore." The ponies around him narrowed their eyes in confusion, but Twilight caught on right away.

"I'm sorry, Quill..." She leaned over slightly and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She pulled away again after a moment, looking at him.

"We'll make sure not to talk about them." The other ponies were catching on now, and they all looked down at their laps somberly. Quill took advantage of the silence to finish his food quickly.

"So. You're staying in Ponyville for the foreseeable future, and your second book is in the process of being published?" Pinkie tried to turn the conversation away from the sad topic it was currently on.

"Yeah, pretty much. At least I think it's being processed for publishing." Pinkie smiled a tiny smile. The mood was starting to lighten again. Everypony was finished, and the plates started to glow pink as Twilight stood.

"I'm going to wash the dishes, I'll see everypony later. Quill, feel free to stop by anytime." Twilight left the room, the plates floating ahead of her. Applejack got down and headed for the door, beckoning for Quill to follow. Together, all six of them left the castle and headed in different directions. Applejack fell into place beside him.

"Ahm sorry...that didn't go as well as I'd hoped." Applejack smiled apologetically.

"It's okay, Applejack. That was bound to happen eventually. They walked on in silence, plodding for the farm.

"Why don't ya take today off? Go have some fun." She told him as they meandered through the gates onto the farm.

"Are you sure, Applejack? I'm happy to help." Applejack nodded firmly.

"Ya go an get yer mind onta somethin happy, ya hear? I'll do the chores today. Big Mac will have gotten a start while we were gone, I'm sure there ain't much left." She smiled weakly, and Quill hugged her gratefully.

"Thanks, Applejack." He nodded thankfully and trotted into the house.

Sighing softly, he headed upstairs to his room. He felt like he could sleep off the rest of the century. He plopped onto the bed and closed his eyes, a yawn splitting his muzzle. Groaning once, he drifted off to sleep.

Midnight

It was hours later when Quill woke up. A single shaft of moonlight was falling onto the bed, lightening the fur on his foreleg.

An unbidden wave of energy seemed to course through his veins, making him want to fly. Fly far, and fast. Maybe he could slip downstairs without waking anypony~

Well, that plan was a bust. He was halfway down to the door when he heard a noise from the kitchen. To be honest he misjudged that a little bit. It was a noise from the dining room.

Walking through the low door, he saw Apple Bloom rubbing her eyes blearily, in a chair. Her mane and now we're messed up, and she looked like she'd been sleeping with her head on the table.

"Sorry if I woke you..." Quill rubbed the back of his head abashedly, and Apple Bloom shook her head, yawning softly.

"It's fine Quill...I don't need much more rest than that." She laughed airily, still waking up, "-I passed out after dinner and it's the middle of the night." She glanced at a clock on the wall to confirm this. "I've been sleeping near eight hours. Ahm up for the day." Her speech was pressured, she looked like she was a bit nervous about something.

"So um...why are you up?" She asked, blushing for some reason.

"I've slept longer than you, though not by much. Plus I feel reeeeally energetic. I wanted to fly for a while." He was calming down slightly, the adrenaline seemed to have abated, but he still felt the urge to do something.

"Ya gotta tell meh, what's it like to be able to fly?" She walked a bit closer, softly pulling the ribbon out of her mane and dropping it, not really paying attention. Maybe she as still not fully awake, he thought to himself as she stopped a tail-length away.

"Well...it's definitely a sort of freedom." He said, unsure quite how to explain.

"Yes, but how? It must be amazing! Bein able to go to cloud and air cities and such, being able to rest on the clouds and so on? What's it like?"

"Well..." He thought for a moment before continuing, "—It's amazing, really. To be able to ride the air currents and flit around? And you can get the most amazing views...you haven't seen a sunset until you've watched one from a cloud. But anyway, it really is amazing. To feel the wind in your fur and on your face, it's a rush like no other I've known. But you have to be careful in storms and in strong winds, and so on. The wind can help you fly or it can just as easily pin your wings to your sides and make you fall to your...well, your death." He told her, watching her intently all the while.

"Sounds like it could be real amazin or else real scary." She shuddered softly. He realized his energy had faded, he was calmed down totally now.

"Is it really the best rush you've felt?" She asked softly, voice not betraying any emotion. The odd question caught him off-guard.

"Yes, though I haven't done many things to give a feeling like that." He told her quietly, unsure where this was going. He hated being unsure.

"Sorry for asking..." She mumbled softly. Another step closer, she didn't seem to realize she'd done it.

"Why are you sorry?" He smiled softly and watched her closely for a reaction.

"Ah...Ah don't know...ta be honest..." She looked down at the floor in embarrassment. Being gentle, he put his hoof under her chin and lifted her face so they were eye to eye.

"Don't be sorry. I'm not going to get mad at you for no reason." He told her in soft tones, slowly taking his hoof away.

"Yer right, ah know. I just get worried is all. Ah haven't had the best...social life." She chuckled softly, her tone silently telling him not to ask.

"Sorry to hear that." He pulled her close on a whim, brushing her mane back softly.

"Not your fault or your problem." She told him, relaxing in the hold he had on her.

"Doesn't mean I can't sympathize, does it?" He asked her softly.

"No, ah suppose not." She smiled, unsure what to say. Then she laughed quietly, though the reason as to why entirely eluded her.

"Well, hopefully our friendship never goes sour." He thought aloud, glancing up for a heartbeat.

"Quill, you can let go of me if you want." Apple Bloom felt obligated to say that, though she really didn't mind.

"What if I don't want?" He asked softly. She stared at him, slack jawed, and he laughed, letting go of her and glancing at the counter off-hoofedly.

"Sorry, that was a weird question." He told her as he took a half step back.

"I didn't really mind." She told him, stepping closer and nuzzling his shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm glad. Still...sorry for saying that." She laughed, pulling away to look at him, eyebrows up slightly.

"Stop being sorry. You don't always have to be sorry. Say...why are you sorry so often?" She asked him, thinking back to several times he'd apologized for nothing since he'd been there.

"Let's just say..." He swallowed slowly, eyes glazing over slightly as old memories resurfaced, "—I used to have to be sorry. To avoid getting, punished. Let's just leave it at that okay?" She frowned, confused, not entirely sure she understood. More and more she found her curiosity being aroused by him, and she didn't know if she hated it or succumbed to it.

"Alright, I'll drop it fer now." She told him slowly, trying to clear her head and bring her thoughts back to the present.

"Thanks, Apple Bloom." He said to her as she brushed her mane back. He found himself staring, if but for a moment, at her, before she looked back up at him and he looked away.

"Ah saw that, Quill. What're you thinkin about?" She asked softly, pulling his face back to hers. She was, he reflected, very comfortable touching. Then again, so was he. Had he always been like that? Somehow he felt the answer was no.

"I'm thinking about..." He thought for a moment, the old memories starting to drown out his other thoughts, his eyes very slowly but visibly clouding over.

"Quill, are ya alright?!" She asked him concernedly, looking at him uncertainly.

"Y-Yeah..." He swallowed with some difficulty, shaking his head, and dispelling the thoughts that were tainting his head at the moment.

"I'm o-okay." He blinked, forcing the burning in his eyes away.

"Quill, ya look a bit sick..."

"I said I'm fine." His voice had turned stony now as he took a step back.

"Quill, don't-"

"I said I'm fine!!" He said harshly, another step taken backwards. Worried for him, she stepped forward.

"Quill, calm down. Please." She looked at him uncertainly, and like a spell, his face softened.

"Sorry, Apple Bloom..." His whole demeanor changed, and he looked down in shame.

"Heya, don't be sorry. Ya looked like somethin was really botherin ya?" She took one last step so she was muzzle to muzzle with him.

"I'm fine."

"Quill, ah know what fine really means." She looked at him, saying that bluntly as ever. For some reason Quill rubbed a spot on one foreleg self consciously, though there were no marks, blemishes or scars there at a glance.

"Of course you do."

"Quill, ah've been there, when Scoots left." She said bluntly again. Quill almost looked...guilty? Shaking her head, she kept her gaze on him and her thoughts on that moment. Her thoughts kept wandering, though, to-

"Well, would ya mind telling meh what ya were remembering? Ah could tell, ya were thinkin about somethin past." He nodded slowly at this, watching her.

"Are you always this blunt?"

"Why beat aroun' the bush?" She shrugged aimlessly.

"Alright...no I don't really want to explain what I was thinking about...if you don't mind..." He looked up at the ceiling to avoid meeting her eyes.

"Quill, Ahm not gonna make ya tell me anythin ya don't want ta. But remember, that if ya do want ta talk at some point, Ahm here for ya." He smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Apple Bloom. Really." He looked back at her, a mild blush staining his face.

"Welp, Ahm gonna get started on the chores. It's dawn." She smiled, backing up slowly."

"I'm gonna help this time!" He laughed, igniting a laugh from her, and they left the house together.

Talks

Long chapter just because ^-^

Big Macintosh pulled Quill aside as he was walking back to the house, just having finished his chore load. Apple Bloom was off finishing up some school project with Sweetie Belle. Something to do with timber wolves, was all she had said before she'd rushed off.

"Something the matter, Big Mac?" Quill rolled his shoulders, wariness taking root in his joints.

"Yeah. Yer getting awful close ta Apple Bloom." He said bluntly.

"You apples sure do cut straight to the point, huh? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." Quill was honestly confused, though he kept his face relaxed, even aloof.

"Don't play stupid with me, colt!" Big Mac looked furious. Quill kept calm, figuring this was some weird over-protective-big-brother thing.

"I honestly have no clue."

"You two are just getting closer. Always wrapping your wing around her when yer walkin back to the house. And the hugging!!" Quill had to fight not to laugh.

"Big Mac, you don't have to worry. She's my friend. Friends hug. My wrapping a wing around her is just another way for a Pegasus to hug somepony." He smiled, blushing without quite knowing why.

"Uh huh." Big Mac kept a stony face, and suddenly Quill frowned, finding it hard to remain pleasant.

"Big Mac, do you have some kind of problem with me? I've done nothing but treat you and your sisters well, help with the chores, and be a friend to Applejack and Apple Bloom. I haven't done a single thing wrong to you or either of them. So if I did something to offend you, please let me know!!" Quill's eyes were narrowed in anger. Big Mac regarded him for a long moment before answering.

"It's your book." Quill blinked in surprise.

"Pardon?"

"It's your book. It's like a pony who's at least thirty wrote that."

"Mhm. I'm proud of that, actually."

"Lots of adult themes. Some steamy parts. Some gory parts. Some very, very, very dark parts." Quill still didn't understand.

"If you don't like don't read. I've never met a hater before, but there's a first time for everything~"

"Quill, the thing is, you'd have to have a bucked up, twisted, dark mind to write somethin like that." Big Mac finally said bluntly, giving up beating around the bush.

"No, actually. I have a bucked up, twisted, dark past. Not mind. I just think about things that have happened...channel the emotion from that into what I write. It seems to work. My books are popular aren't they?" It took Big Mac a moment to come up with an answer for that.

"Look, ah don't want somepony who could write somethin like that having anything to do with my sister."

"Well, unfortunately I'm friends with your sister. You can't do anything about it either or in her eyes you just took away one of her few friends." Quill said. In the way of friends Apple Bloom only talked about him, Sweetie Belle and Twist. Quill knew Big Mac would hate, or at least dislike him for this, but he also knew that Apple Bloom's brother couldn't retaliate. At least not at the moment.

"Fine. But I'm watching you, Quill. Remember that."

"Have fun, pedo!!" Quill muttered as he walked away.

"What was that!?" Came an angry voice from behind.

"I said good talk, brother-in-law!!" He called back teasingly, anger making him torment the stallion. He didn't mean anything by it at heart. He didn't ever hear Big Mac's mumbled reply as he turned tail and walked back to the house.

Irritable now, Quill trotted up to his room and slammed the door. This didn't go unnoticed, and a moment later there was a soft tap on the door.

"Quill, y'all right?" Applejack was standing in the hall, shifting nervously from hoof to hoof.

"I'm fine, Applejack!" His face betrayed the truth, although she had no way of knowing that.

"Quill, ya don't sound fine. Is something bothering ya?" Obviously, at least to her, something was, but she knew it would help him more to say it aloud himself.

"No, I'm alright." He was slowly calming down.

"Alright, then, if yer sure." Her hoof steps receded slowly down the hallway.

(Carousel Boutique)

Sweetie Belle sat on the edge of her bed, looking down at Apple Bloom, who was finishing the last few words on her paper.

"I hate mating habit papers." She told her scarlet-maned friend.

"It's actually quite a fascinating subject sometimes, if a bit disturbin." Apple Bloom laughed at the face Sweetie was making, like she'd smelled a dead dragon corpse that had been laying in the hot sun for a week.

"Sure, Apple Bloom. So, tell me about your new "Farmhand" or whatever. Rarity told me about him. Some kind of writer, isn't he?"

"He wrote those books you read a couple years back and weren't a big fan of." Sweetie nodded slowly.

"You loved them. I wasn't a fan, the steamy scenes bugged me. I find participating in such activities positively revolting." Apple Bloom laughed shortly.

"You sound like your sister. And you can't think that badly of sex, you did let Button Mash pound you after all." Sweetie Belle blushed scarlet and bopped Apple Bloom on the head.

"Shut it!" She exclaimed in a very unladylike way. Apple Bloom just laughed and closed her book. After a moment, Sweetie Belle's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Nice way to change the subject, Apple Bloom. "So tell me about him." Apple Bloom laughed harder, and it took a long moment for her breath and speech to return to her.

"He's a great guy, really. He's Caron and he doesn't want anypony to worry about him. It seems like he needs a bit of help though." She said slowly.

"What do you mean by help?" Sweetie tilted her head.

"Somethin about his past is disturbin to him, and he seems to have trouble copin with the things he's been through. Usually though ya can't tell."

"Uh huh...go on..." Sweetie Belle was interested, though her attention was waning slightly.

"Well he's a hard worker, for sure, and obviously very creative. He's humble, though, doesn't like attention, and he's strong, too. Very strong. Like, ah don't understand this pony strong! He literally cracked a tree he was bucking once. Just blushed and apologized."

"You sure do pay attention to this pony. Tell me more." Sweetie was smirking now, though Apple Bloom was unsure why.

"Well...ah dunno what else ta say. He seems really helpful. He can cook too. He can sing! Really well!! He doesn't know I heard him though." She giggled, and Sweetie's smirk turned to a grin.

"Why are ya smiling like that?" Sweetie Belle ignored the question.

"Don't you have any conplaints? Anything about living with him that annoys you?" Apple Bloom thought for a long moment.

"Nothin. He's a great friend and houseguest."

"Maybe...more than a friend?" Sweetie winked teasingly. Apple Bloom gazed at her blankly.

"What do ya mean?"

"Well, think, Apple Bloom. You could list twenty good things about the pony without even trying. But, you can't find one negative thing to say about him?" Apple Bloom was catching on.

"No, ah don't lahk him lahk that." She blushes delicately, glaring at her unicorn friend.

"Come on, Apple Bloom! It's soooo obvious! Okay, hear me out. Have you ever been thought to yourself, seemingly randomly, that he smelled good? Like, right after doing a lot of work when he ought to smell awful?" Sweetie was grinning from ear to ear. Literally. It was a tad creepy actually. Since when could pony faces bend like that? MORE POWER TO HER MOTHA BUCKA!!!! Apple Bloom hesitated, then shook her head firmly. At this, Sweetie rolled on her back, laughing and pawing the air.

"Wow!! You hesitated. You have!!! Who knew, his sweat would be a turn on instead of a turn off to you!"

"Sweetie Belle!! Nothin about him is a turn on ta meh!!" Apple Bloom exclaimed in embarrassment, blushing darker.

"Fine, the , riddle me this." Sweetie clopped her hooves together.

Has he ever been hurt and you felt like you had to help him without quite knowing why?"

"Yeah, he was really hurt when he got ta the farm, but I had ta help him because he would've died if ah didn't!" Her breath was uneven, and she was blushing steadily darker.

"Alright, fair enough. I have one more, though. You said your sister sent him away at first. Were you mad about that, or sad, and didn't quite know why?" Apple Bloom remembersed storming off to her room in anger that he had to go, and her blush began to match her mane.

"M-Maybeh?"

"Apple Bloom, you like Quill! Admit it to yourself!" She paused to sniff the air. "REALLY APPLE BLOOM!?" A faint but present sweet scent had tainted the air in the room.

"So you want him around, you only see the good in him, you want to keep him safe, you like his scent, and now you're aroused while we're talking about him!" She hiccuped from laughing so hard.

"Fine, alright!" Apple Bloom ran a hoof through her mane, getting off the bed.

"There ya g*hic*go, Apple Bloom. Now the question is, what're you gonna do about it?"

"Nothin!!" Apple Bloom sounded firm on this, and the scent was fading as she calmed down.

"Aw, come on Apple Bloom! You should tell him how you feel!"

"Ahm to shy fer that. Ah most certainly will not be tellin him anything!" She gathered her things and left before Sweetie Belle could reply.

Dinner that night was eaten in an uncomfortable silence. Quill was deep in thought. Was Big Mac right? Was he getting closer to Apple Bloom? If so, was that a bad thing? Somehow he didn't think so. But that aroused more questions than it answered. If it wasn't bad was it good? If so, why? He had no idea how he felt towards the young mare sitting across from him, and he didn't know where to begin sorting it out.

Apple Bloom was more sure of how she felt than he was, but she was unsure what to do about it, to say the least. Was Sweetie Belle right? Should she do something about this? She couldn't, though, really. No way no how. She was to shy, and there as simply no possibility that he could like her back. And Sweetie Belle was right, she hadn't been able to name any flaws about him. Was there something she was missing because gf infatuation? She'd had to sort out the mess of emotions in her head later...

After dinner was over and the dishes were washed, Quill went upstairs to his room, still lost in thought. He didn't know how long he'd been laying there when there was a soft rapping on his door.

"Come in." He looked up as Apple Bloom stepped in slowly.

"Need anything, Apple Bloom?" He watched her as she came over to stand beside the bed, and he sat up so they were almost eye to eye.

"Ah was wondering if ya wanted some ice cream before b-bed." She said softly, and he smiled.

"I'd love some." She giggled and smiled, pulled him downstairs with her, gently, taking him to the kitchen.

A moment later there were two bowls of ice cream sitting on the counter, and Apple Bloom produced a can of whipped cream from the fridge, giving them both a more-than-generous amount.

"Isn't that um...a lot?" He chuckled, and she glared playfully.

"Watch it, mista." She waved the can at him threateningly, and he laughed harder.

"What're you g-gonna do!? Spray me?" He was mid laugh when a jet of the whipped cream hit his muzzle. He froze, staring at her.

"Sorry!" She smirked, obviously not sorry, and wiped most of it off with her hoof, casually licking her hoof clean. Quill watched this silently, the fur on his muzzle still glazed with white.

He made a snatch for the can, but she twisted away, and another round of the whipped cream hit his shoulder.

"Apple Bloom, I'm gonna-!!" She tackled him, spraying a copious amount onto his face and chest, and he just spluttered indignantly. Still more hit his upper stomach before there was a quiet rasping noise, alerting the ponies the can was empty.

"Really, Apple Bloom? I can barely even see!" It was true, his cheeks were coated with the cream, which was partially blocking his vision.

"Hmmm..." She scooped as much as she could off his face, licking her hooves clean again. She was still sitting on his waist, straddling him.

She scooped it off his chest, licked, stomach, lick, but at that point she couldn't really get any more off. Groaning in embarrassment, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

Those eyes flew open again, however, when something small and wet rasped over his cheek.

"Apple Bl-?" He glanced at her unevenly. She was blushing slightly as she licked his cheek again.

"Just getting ya clean..." She licked a few more times until the fur on his cheek was glossy and blue.

An odd sort of tingling went through his belly as she moved down, cleaning off his neck with slow, steady, licks. The simple act of cleaning his fur was an odd sort of pleasure to him, though he managed to keep his breathing even.

Until she slid down to his chest. Her soft tongue rasping over his chest send tingles running down his spine, and he arched his back by a hair. After a moment that felt like an eternity, his chest was clean, which only left his stomach.

Moving down, she drew her tongue in steady strokes over his stomach, until the last of the whipped cream had disappeared down her throat.

"Y-Yer clean now." Her voice was shaky, and she wiped her mouth sub-consciously as she crawled off him, standing slowly. He took a moment longer to stand, and when he did, he looked at her questioningly.

"Just helpin ya clean off. Since it was meh fault ya got dirty, after all." She was smirking, now, and something about the look on her face ignited a series of thoughts he shouldn't have been having.

"Umm..." Before he had time to react, his wings sprang up, thoughts of her cleaning more places than she had filling his head.

"Heh, why are ya wings like that? Ah don't know much about pegasi..."

"D-doesn't matter." He laughed nervously, and she walked up to him, looking him in the eye.

"Tell meh, Quill." Something in her voice...he didn't know how to explain it, but it was...different. A sweet scent he attributed to the ice cream hit his nose.

"It really doesn't m-matter..." He looked down at her uncertainly, and after a long stare, she shrugged. Her eyes looked slightly clouded.

"Ah uh...need ta go ta my room. Good night, Quill." She smiled warmly, and he wrapped his arms around her in a hug, slowly pinning his wings to his sides again.

"Good night, Apple Bloom." And she was gone.

A/N-Okay guys I wrote this while both doing role-play and reading a very descriptive clopfic, so don't judge the final result. If your dirty minded then a third of this sounded incredibly wrong to you.

Coffee

The next time he bumped into Tainted was a few days later. He was sitting in a small coffee shop, a half empty cup on the table in front of him. He hasn't noticed her walk in, but she slid smoothly into the seat across from him in the booth, a coffee mug glittering on her bright blue magic. For a long moment, silence reigned between them. It wasn't much longer than that, though, that Tainted broke the silence.

"I thought you ran again." Worry momentarily creased her brow before her face cleared. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer whilst she nursed her drink.

"I almost did. But I couldn't leave."

"Why not? You had no problem running away back in Appleoosa." Her face showed annoyance, and maybe hurt, before her face once again relaxed.

"Well, I have a friend here. Apple Bloom." Tainted smiled knowingly, her smile lifting her eyes.

"I saw her. She was with her marshmallow friend. Don't know her name, though." Quill bit his lip to softly disperse the laugh rising in his throat.

"Her name is Sweetie Belle. And she is best marshmallow, so lay off." He made his voice teasing, playful. It wore away some of the tension between them.

"Well, Rarity is a pretty good marshmallow too. But Sweetie is probably tastier." Tainted said this seriously, and they both shared a laugh.

"So why was it you didn't run? I was going to set out in a day or two to keep looking."

"I told you, I have a friend now. I didn't want to leave her." He blushed ever so slightly as he said this. Memories of that night with the whipped cream came pulsing through his mind, sending a rosy blush to his face and neck. Ever since that night, they hadn't done anything else, hadn't kissed not even hugged, though they had spent more time with each other. In the four days between then and now, they had grown almost inseparable. Big Macintosh's dislike for Quill seemed to increase tremendously, and Applejack had been keeping a closer eye on the two, though she tried not to be to obvious.

"Simply a friend? Your blushing quite terribly~" Despite the lack of intimacy, as he said, they'd gotten closer. Whenever he was away from her, he found he wanted to be in her company again. He finally had a best friend, and he loved it.

"Yes, Tainted, just a friend." He chuckled softly and nodded. Tainted didn't look totally sure she believed him, but she let the matter drop for now.

"Whatever the reason, I'm glad you didn't run." She smiled at him good naturedly. To his surprise he answered with;

"I am too. I figured you deserved answers, but that doesn't really mean I'm ready to give them..." He shook his head, drawing a breath.

"You know something? I'm hungry." He called over the waitress, gesturing for Tainted Diamond to wait. Once he had taken a bite of a very well baked coffee cake, he returned his attention to Tainted.

"This is what I can say." He told her softly. "After I ran away from you and Rubyshade, I went to Appleoosa, since it was fairly out of the way, since it was only a few miles from Everfree." Tainted nodded for him to continue.

"When you found me there, as you know, I left. I wasn't ready to face you. I was...I'm still..." He looked down at the table before he continued. "—still ashamed of what happened. I honestly wish I'd never told you two."

"Quill, I promise, we aren't judging you. It happened because of what they did, to your sis-"

"Do not mention her." Quill narrowed his eyes. Tainted raised her hooves in mock surrender.

"Sorry, Quill." His voice was shaky, and he was heated with a flush.

"Talk about an over reaction! I bu-!" Her hoof slid over his mouth as she put her other hoof to her lips. His voice had been rising, and a few ponies were curiously turning their heads in his direction.

"Sorry, Tainted. Anyway, when I ran, I got here within a few days, at the price of going through the Everfree forest. I was ambushed by wolves just before I reached Sweet Apple Acres. That's all there is to say." Wasn't true. He knew it. She knew it. But she knew more than she had last night, so she was okay. For now.

"And you're staying in Ponyville now?" She asked him, voice still soft.

"Yes, indefinitely." He nodded, the flush fading and his shaky voice slowly returning to normal. The conversation devolved into silence as Quill finished the cake, quickly regaining control over himself.

"So," Quill eventually spoke again, "—where is Rubyshade, anyway? Is she searching somewhere else?" Tainted shook her head, a lock of her brown mane falling in front of her eyes. Snorting in contempt, she brushed it back.

"No, she isn't looking for you. She hung on to the hope that you'd return at one point. She wants us both to come back, Quill. I know you won't but...if you're staying in Ponyville then I am too, I don't want to lose you again. Can't we go and get her? It'll just be a short trip to Manehattan and back..." She looked at him pleadingly, "—the poor filly is probably still in that house. Deep down, I don't think she was ready to leave home." Quill looked down in uncertainty, not at all sure what to say to that.

"Well...it has been an awfully long time, so it would be nice to see her again. When do you want to go?" Tainted Diamond's face split into a grin at this, and she had to restrain herself from leaping across the table to hug him.

"I want to leave...well as soon as possible. I already have travel bags because I was going to come look for you." Quill nodded and laughed.

"I'll head back to the farm and explain what's going on. I'll meet you at the station, and we can catch the nine o' clock train?" Tainted nodded, still beaming.

"Thanks so much, Quill!" She stood, blue eyes flashing, and left. Quill sat there in that booth for a long while, contemplating. He still wasn't completely ready to face them, but she had said they weren't judging him for it...it really was his fault in the end though...

Shaking his head, he stood and started to head back for the farm.