A Shy Warrior (Built Upon Dreams, Paid in Blood)

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Fluttershy works alongside her father, Sun-Loch as they harvest the last of their farm’s spring wheat. The cold late fall air makes their fur stand on end. Moving her scarf over her snout, Fluttershy bends down and grabs a fistful of wheat, cutting it with her sickle. The clean, crisp swoosh of her tool dances in her ears. Setting the cut bundle beside her, she moves on, cutting another fistful. Sun-Loch works to her right, his more significant stature allowing him to grab heartier fistfuls.

The early evening dew in the air, condensates on their fur and manes. Sun-Loch moves some of his red mane from his eyes and flicks the water off his hand before returning to task. Hearing his daughter groan, he looks over at her and sees her flapping her wings, flicking the dew off them. “You alright sweetheart?”

“No… My stupid wings!” She looks at her father. “I wish I was an earth pony like you Pa!”

“Why?” He asks, giving her a questioning smirk.

“Because… They always get cold, and they hurt when they molt and…” She grunts cutting another fistful of wheat. “I bet its way easier being an earth pony?” She drops her tool and crosses her arms. She looks down at the ground and stares at her hooves, her lips pouting all the while.

Her father hums as he throws his tool into the ground, the blade sticking to the soft soil. “Well not always.” He picks up a mound of wheat, tying them into a sheave. “Unlike you and your mother, I can’t fly.” He throws the sheave in the back of his putter-wagon.

“But…”

“But sweetie, I wish I can soar through the air!” He interrupts her, placing his hand in his armpits, flapping his arms like wings.

Fluttershy giggles at her father’s antics. “But Pa! You’re so tall, your wings would be huge!” She chases after him. They run through the fields, laughing and playing their little game of tag.

By the large porch window, sitting on the window’s bench, is Posey. A smirk is on her face as she watches her husband and daughter play in the stalks. The heads of wheat bobbing with their movements. “Bah, bah…” Looking to her right, she eyes her one-year-old son, Butterscotch, kicking his tiny legs in the crib next to the fireplace in the corner of the living room.

Smiling she walks over to her son and picks him up, coddling him in her arms. “Look at your sister and pa, aren’t they silly.” She points at them through the window. The wheat fascinates Butterscotch more than his relatives. With a laughing sigh, she shakes her head and runs her fingers through his mane. “I’m surrounded by sillies.” Her wings twitching from her laughter.

Grabbing Fluttershy’s waist, Sun-Loch raises her over his head. She giggles, sticking out her arms, her little wings flapping. Bringing her back down, he sits her down on the driver seat of his putter-wagon. “So, sweetie, you want to drive the wagon to the barn?”

Fluttershy’s ears perk up. “Can I?” She grabs the steering wheel, jumping up n’ down on the seat.

“Sure, just let me load the last of the sheaves into its bed.” He steps away, heading to the back of the vehicle.

While her father works, Fluttershy hums to herself, her six-year-old mind looking at the buttons, dials, and gauges with excitement. Curious, she presses one of the buttons on the center console. Nothing happens. With a frown, she turns the button a full ninety degrees. Still, nothing happens, building her frustration. Seeing the transmission stick, she moves it around, dull, clunky metallic sounds ring out.

“Bored Fluttershy?” Her father asks, leaning on the putter-wagon’s doorframe.

“Yeah…” She continues to mess with the transmission stick.

“Well, let’s solve your boredom, shall we?” He chuckles. She nods her head. “Well put that stick your messing with in neutral.” He points at the transmission stick.

She looks at it and reads the lettering on the ball on the tip of the stick. “Here? It says N?” She asks.

“Yep, that’s the one.” He replies placing both hands on the roof of the putter-wagon. She moves the stick into the middle indent. “Now see the key in the ignition, turn it.” She does.

The putter-wagon roars to life, is frame shaking from the engine’s motions. The radio blares out, a newscast echoes painfully into their ears. “Our stallions are at it again! A year into the war and they have won their first battle! They now celebrate, Mares woo them! Please continue to support our Stallions and push back our enemies who threaten our freedoms...” Sun-Loch presses the button shutting it off.

“Sorry, Pa,” Fluttershy replies, rubbing her ears.

He chuckles. “Don’t worry sweetie.” He scratches her scalp through her bonnet. “Now sit on my lap.” He gets into the putter-wagon. Fluttershy sits on her father’s lap and holds onto the steering wheel. Placing his left hand on the steering wheel, he puts his right hand on the transmission stick. “Keep your eyes on the gravel path and both hands on the steering wheel at all times.” He puts his hoof on the clutch and moves the transmission into first gear.

The putter-wagon rolls forward slowly, Fluttershy feels a giddiness as she eyes the barn. Sun-Loch smiles as he watches her turn the steering-wheel in the right directions. Pressing on the throttle, the putter-wagon rolls along the ground at a faster pace. The motor clunking and whining all the while. Nearing the barn, he helps her steer the vehicle into position. “Easy… Easy… And, perfect.” He presses the brake, stopping the wagon. Moving the gear into park, he pulls the emergency brakes’ lever and shuts off the vehicle. “Your first time driving, how did it feel?”

“Great! Let’s do it again!” She asks, giving her father a smile, as she bends her head back looking at her father with puppy eyes.

He looks away. “No, we need to load up the wheat in the barn.” He sets her down on the cold compacted dirt floor. “We need to let them dry if we want to sell them next week.” Fluttershy huffs in defeat as she follows her father to the bed of the putter-wagon.

Slaving over the stove, Posey watches the thin angel hair pasta simmer in the pot. Stirring it around, she plucks one of the strands from the water and tastes it. Liking what she tastes, she takes the pot off the stove and drains the water. Steam rises from the sink, engulfing her. Butterscotch watches from his highchair, his big eyes staring at his mother and the steam with wonder.

Stepping away from the sink, she places the pot on the counter. Hearing a giggle, she looks over her shoulder and sees her son smiling at her. “What’s so funny?” She touches her mane and feels it’s frizziness. “Oh… I’ll have you know dear, steam is good for a pony.” She smiles back at her son.

“We’re home!” Sun-Loch sings, stepping into the abode.

“But Pa, we’ve been home all this time!” Fluttershy giggles, skipping around him.

“Fluttershy it’s just a saying… Never mind.” He huffs, messing with her mane as he sets her bonnet on the coatrack.

Posey pokes her head out from the kitchen. “Well look at that, right on time.” She walks up to the dining table in the middle of the kitchen and living room, and sets down the pot of pasta. Father and daughter sniff the air, licking their lips. Walking up to his wife, he places his hands on her hips and pulls her into an embrace. “Sun-Loch! Not in front of the children!” She pecks his cheek, glancing at Fluttershy who’s giggling at them.

“What’s the matter dear?” Sun-Loch asks his wife.

“I still have to set the table!” Her blushing continues.

“What? I’m just happy you made my favorite dish.” He rubs his snout on her left cheek.

She blushes and pushes him away. “I’m glad you’re happy…” She looks at her husband giving him a sly smirk. “But if you don’t freshen up this instant, then there will be no pasta for you!”

Sun-Loch’s eyes go wide. “You wouldn’t dare?”

“GET!” She smacks him playfully. He runs off to the restroom in a fit of laughter. Hearing her daughter laughing as well, she turns her gaze to her. “You too young filly… Go!” Fluttershy shivers, running into the restroom. Posey sighs, stroking her brow as she looks at her son. “Butterscotch, I’m surrounded by sillies…”

“Oh, my Lord, I love this tomato sauce!” Sun-Loch mumbles, chewing his pasta in delight.

“Keep your mouth closed dear,” Posey states, feeding her son some mashed up pasta. Making sure Butterscotch swallows the bite without a fuss, she looks over at her daughter who’s carefully twisting her pasta on her fork. “Sweetie, you don’t have to make it perfect.”

“I know…” Fluttershy mumbles as she slowly rotates her fork. Getting the noodles to twist just right, she lifts her utensil to her mouth, making sure no noodles or sauce gets on her nightgown. She hums as she chews her bite.

Posey sighs and looks at her husband who takes a sip of his whiskey. She frowns at the drink as she picks up her glass of wine. Noticing his wife’s glare, Sun-Loch sets down his drink. “What is it dear?”

“Oh… Nothing.” She takes a long sip and sets down her drink before feeding her son another bite. Sun-Loch sighs, turning his attention to the day’s newspaper, glaring at the words.

Fluttershy looks at her parents with uneasiness as she eyes their alcoholic drinks of choice. She never understands why they drink them. Every time they did however, their breaths stink of a foul smell and their behavior changes. She hates that fact, but, still, a curious thought lingers in her mind. What did the drinks taste like? “Ma? Pa?”

Her parents look at her in questioning. “What is it, sweetie?” Posey asks taking a bite of her pasta.

“C-Can I have a sip of… Um… Your drinks?” She gives an innocent smile.

Posey and Sun-Loch stare at their daughter with wide eyes. Posey studies her drink and twirls it around in her hand. With a sigh, she sets it down. “Sure sweetie, only a sip of mine, but not your father’s.”

Sun-Loch frowns at his wife. “Why not mine?”

“Because, Sun-Loch, wine is not as strong as hard liquor!” She glares at her husband.

“One sip won’t hurt, besides I thought underage drinking was allowed in your culture?” He sighs, placing both hands on the rim of his plate.

“Wine Sun-Loch! Only wine… Only the poor and the cripples drink beers and hard liquors!” She gives her son a bite. “Beers and hard liquors are for drunkards! One sip and ponies will ruin their life!”

Fluttershy slowly sinks into her chair. “I… um…”

He chuckles. “Posey, one sip of whiskey will not turn her into a drunkard!”

“Simils tibi!” She glares at her husband.

“I-I… Earthen, Posey! Speak it!” Sun-Loch growls.

“You know what I said! You, atque conviviis!” She growls back.

“I’m no drunkard! And besides, you have no right to stand on a soapbox!” Sun-Loch hisses.

“Wine is different than hard liquor Sun-Loch!” Posey retorts, getting in her husband’s face.

“STOP!”

Butterscotch cries at the sound of his sister’s distress.

Sun-Loch and Posy stare at their daughter, seeing the tears that flood her eyes. Feeling guilty, they give her a soft smile. “Sweetie don’t cry.” Posey coos as she picks up her son. “Shh… Butters… Shh…” She tilts her head at Fluttershy, giving her husband a low glare.

He sighs and gets up from his seat. “Hey Flutters, we didn’t mean it…” Fluttershy lets out a sob and bolts to her room. “Fluttershy!” He sighs as he hears her door slam shut. “I’ll let her calm down before I enter.” He picks up his and his daughter’s plate, walking into the kitchen. “You need help dear?”

Posey nods to her husband as she rocks Butterscotch in her arms. “That would be lovely dear…”

Opening the door, Posey and Sun-Loch peek into their daughter’s room. All is quiet. The lamp on the nightstand is on, the soft glow of its halogen bulb tinting the room yellow. Stuff animals and toys layout on the floor of the small room. Her desk is full of drawn on papers and a drawer to her dresser is slightly open. Eyeing her bed, they see a lump under the sheets, the end of Fluttershy’s pink tail sticking out.

With a sigh, they step into the room. “Fluttershy, are you awake?” Posey asks, getting to her bedside. Fluttershy nods, the sheets moving with her movement. She smiles and sits on her bed, her legs hanging off its side. “Pa is here as well.”

“Hi, sweetie?” Sun-Loch calls out from under the doorframe. A moan leaves their daughter’s lips.

Posey lays her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk?”

“No!” Fluttershy moans.

“Why?” Posey asks, tilting her head, rubbing her daughter’s shoulder.

Fluttershy curls up more, the sheets squishing around her. “I’ll make you and Pa angry again!”

They look at each other, feeling guilty. “Oh, sweetie.” She looks at the mound that is her daughter. “Ma and Pa were just having a disagreement, that’s all.” She pats her daughters’ shoulder. “Married couples sometimes disagree on things…” Fluttershy pulls the covers off her head and stares at her mother with bloodshot eyes. “Granted, we could’ve handled the situation better.” She looks back at her husband, who nods his head.

“S-So, you don’t h-hate each other?” Fluttershy asks, looking at her mother with wondering eyes.

“Oh, we don’t hate each other,” Posey runs her fingers through her daughter’s mane. “Like I said, sometimes married couples disagree.”

“But, I started the argument!” Fluttershy moans, covering her snout with her bed sheets.

Sun-Loch sighs. “You started nothing Fluttershy, I will not have my daughter blame herself!” He walks up to her bed and sits next to his wife. “Now, enough with these tears.” He wipes them from her cheeks. Fluttershy huffs and lays her head on her pillow.

With a hum, Posey scratches behind her daughter’s ear. “You want us to sing you, your favorite lullaby?” Fluttershy nods, wiggling in her bed, getting comfortable. Smiling at their daughter, Posey and Sun-Loch begin the melody. Her voice soft and light, and his, thick and rough.

“Hush now, quiet now,

It’s time to go to bed.

Drifting off to sleep,

Leaving your joyous day behind you.

Drifting, off to sleep,

Let the joy of dreamland find you.

Hush now, quite now,

It’s time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quite now,

It’s time to go to bed.”

Finishing their lullaby, they open their eyes and look down at their daughter. Her soft snores grace their ears. With a smile, Posey kisses her daughter on the forehead. “Goodnight sweetie, see you in the morning.”

The afternoon day was a cool one, not as cold as yesterday, but just enough for the breeze to chill a pony.

Sitting on the floor by the coffee table near the fireplace, Fluttershy practices her cursive. She huffs as she finishes the letter ‘Q’. Moaning melodramatically, she lifts her head and stares out the kitchen window over the sink. She sees the silhouette of her hometown in the distance.

She never understood why she never went to school like other children. She had asked her parents once before. The only answer they gave was that she would be better off if they taught her instead of a teacher in some old smelly classroom. Still a part of her wanted to go to school, not to learn, but to make friends. She grumbles. She doesn’t have friends. All she has is her dolls and brother. She grumbles as she looks down at her ‘homework’.

Writing the letter ‘R’, she huffs sadly and stands up. Stretching out her limbs, she crawls on the couch and stares out the window. Their fields of spring wheat are mostly harvested, only two acres remain from the eight total they have. She giggles. The cut wheat reminds her of when her had to shave off his mane when he set it on fire.

Tearing her gaze from the wheat stalks, she eyes her father who sits on the porch’s steps. In his mouth is a pipe, make form cherry and hickory-cork. Light grey smoke lingers around him. The door to the house is open, allow the aroma of the smoke to make its way to her. Her snout twitches, making her rub it. But intregued by the inviting smells, she slips off the couch to quickly finish her work.

“How’s your cursive coming along sweetie?” Posey asks stepping into the living room from the back rooms.

“DONE!” Fluttershy shouts, holding up her paper.

“Let me see?” Posey asks. Fluttershy hands over her work. Reading the consecutive letters, Posey smiles. “Well your getting better, but you still need to work on your P's and Q’s. Now write it in pegasan.” She gives back the paper. Fluttershy frowns, laying dramatically on the coffee table. Smirking at her daughter’s expression, she giggles walking up to Butterscotch, picking him up off the floor. “You can take a break if you want.” Fluttershy sighs in relief as she bolts out of the house.

Posey eyes the vibrating door with a raised brow.

Sitting on his porch, Sun-Loch watches the trees of the Everfree forest in the distance swaying with the breeze. Beyond the forest’s tree line, he can just barely make out the bell tower of Hornell’s townhall, the closest neighbor to his home tome of Cameroon. With a sigh, he moves his pipe to the left side of his mouth and gives a puff.

“Whatcha doing Pa?” Fluttershy asks as she sits to his left.

“Watching nature and smoking my pipe.” He keeps his gaze on the forest, running his finger through her mane. Fluttershy watches her father puff on his pipe. His lips expertly holding the smoking instrument firmly in his mouth. Seeing him hold the stummel in his right hand, she copies him.

Noticing her antics, Sun-Loch makes a funny face. She copies him, but her giggles cause her to falter a bit. He makes another expression and switches hands. She copies him once again. With a chuckle, he looks to his right and rummages through his smoking pouch and pulls out another pipe. Checking to make sure it was clear of tobacco, he hands it to her.

Holding the pipe in her tiny hands, she manipulates it, studying the artwork carved into the wood. Looking up at her father, she copies his pose sticking the pipe in her mouth. The lingering taste of tobacco on the bit and button causes her to shiver. She spits out the bit and licks her lips in disgust. Sun-Loch chuckles at her expression. With a grunt she sticks the pipe back in her mouth and ignores the lousy taste as she copies her father’s pose once again.

“Dear what are your plans for the day… SUN-LOCH! Is our daughter smoking?” Posey asks in shock.

Fluttershy jerks, fearing her mother’s tone. Quickly Sun-Loch calms both his daughter and wife. “No… No dear, not at all, the pipe is empty…” He chuckles, moving Fluttershy’s pink bangs to the side. “She was copying my pose, so I thought of giving her a prop.” He smiles.

Posey gives them a raised brow. “Really?”

“Oh yes look…” He makes a grumpy face. As if on cue, Fluttershy copies him. “HA! Oh, Posey, you can’t disagree that she looks so adorable, look we’re twins!” He leans next to his daughter, their cheeks touching one another.

Posey looks at them, trying to form words as she palaces a hand over her lips. Her son in her right arm looking at his father and sister with soft eyes, oblivious to the situation.

“Oh… Let me get the camera!” Sun-Loch chuckles, getting up from the porch, running into the house.

Fluttershy looks up at her mother as she takes several pretend puffs of her pipe. Posey looks at her daughter with a smirk. “You’re turning into your father.” She rubs her brow. Fluttershy smiles.

Chapter 2

“Are you sure, what if the ponies in town hurt her feelings, what if she gets lost? What if…!” A kiss silences Posey’s woes.

Breaking the kiss, Sun-Loch looks into her eyes, caressing her cheeks with his right hand. “Now dear, she’ll be fine. Besides she needs to see the world, I think taking her to town during the farmers’ market will be a good experience for her.” He loads up a sign in the bed of the putter-wagon.

“But she’s barely been to town… You remember what the ponies thought of our marriage, your parents!” Posey holds her son close to her chest.

“Sweetie, I know that, but that’s only a small percentage of the city’s population.” He lifts the backend of the putter-wagon, shutting it. “Honestly I could care less what those ponies think of our daughter.”

“But she’s a halfling?” Posey looks down at her son. “All of our children are halflings….”

Sun-Loch sighs and places a hand under her chin. “Not all earth ponies are displeasing of halflings. I know this war has soured some opinions of other races, but as long as we stay patriotic and loyal to Earthen, they won’t fuss over us.” Posey sighs, resting her head on his shoulder. He hums, scratching the back of her neck.

“I’m ready!” Fluttershy sings, running up to the putter-wagon. She wears a light blue jacket over her white dress. Her bonnet flops with her movements as well as her bunny doll. Her pink tail is braided with a small green bow at the end of the braid. “I can’t believe I’m going to town!” She cheers skipping up to her parents.

Posey smiles at her daughter. “You seem very excited.”

“Uh yeah, I barely get to go into town… And… And, it will be fun!” Her wings flutter from excitement.

“Well, we can’t go into town until you say goodbye to your Ma and brother.” Sun-Loch comments, getting into the driver seat of the putter-wagon.

Fluttershy hugs her mother’s leg and kisses her brother on the forehead. “Bye Ma! Bye brother!” She crawls onto the passenger seat the putter-wagon.

“You be safe and obey your Pa, you hear,” Posey states, stepping back from the vehicle, watching her husband start the putter-wagon.

“I will Ma!” Fluttershy huffs. “Let’s go! Let’s go!” She turns to her father.

He smiles. “Hush now, relax, we have plenty of time.” He shifts the wagon into drive and waves goodbye to his wife and son. “See you around five o’clock!” The putter-wagon rolls along the ground at a steady pace as he turns it onto the road leading into town.

As the putter-wagon hums along the road, Fluttershy keeps her gaze on their home port city of Cameroon that’s off in the distance. Birds fly high in the air. The winds are calm, the day is a good day to be out in about.

With a huff, she looks to her left, past her father at the Everfree forest. Eyeing a massive towering tree in the middle of the woods, its branches hanging mighty over the tree line. With a hum, she turns her bunny doll’s head to face the tree. “Look Mr. Angel Bunny, that tree is huge!” The doll’s black orbs glare at the tree with a dull expression.

Sun-Loch looks at his daughter with a smirk. “Are you two looking at that tree over there?” He asks. Fluttershy looks at her father and gives him a nod. “Well sweetheart,” He begins. “that tree out there is called ‘The King of None.’”

Fluttershy looks at her father with a curious gaze. “Why is it called that?” She holds her doll close to her chest.

Sun-Loch smiles. “Well many years ago, about three hundred years, a commander named Geyser held off the armies of Dirt during the battle of Earthen independence at the base of that tree. The final battle that determined our country’s fate.”

“Did he win?” She asks.

He looks down with a chuckle and scratches her back. “Of course, silly, if we lost that battle we’ll still be under Dirt’s rule.” He turns his gaze back to the road. “Won us our freedoms…” He tightens his grip on the steering wheel. ‘Ones that we’ll lose if we don’t end this war soon…’ He thinks to himself, staring at the road.

Fluttershy ponders her father’s expression, but not understanding it, she turns her attention back to the silhouette of her hometown. She can make out the five-story buildings mixed in with the four, three, two and one-story buildings. Numerous ships lay resting at the docks, their smokestacks,and sails blocking the horizon of the sea. The chimneys of the factories and warehouses that hug the harbor spew out black smoke. The distance sounds of the city’s busyness echo softly in her ears.

Excitement brews within Fluttershy, she can’t remember the last time she’s been in the city. The suspense of the unknowns is killing her. She looks at her father with a big smile. “You excited?” He asks.

“Yes! I can’t wait to help you sell the wheat we harvested!”

Fluttershy stands as close to her father as possible. Her eyes stare in awe and horror at all the strange sentient creatures that mull about the market.

Sure, she sees the familiar shapes of earth ponies who call the city home, but she also stares at buffalos, griffins, tabby cats, humans and minitours. She even sees a few rogue pegasi, unicorn and bat pony pirates and traders walking about. But her fascination is drawn to the halfling creatures among the crowds. They seem strange to her, almost alien, one of the halflings catches her attention, it’s a human female, her lower half is that of a pony as well as her ears.

“Hello?” A deep voice calls out, startling her. Fluttershy looks up and sees a griffin male towering over her. His eyes are golden-brown, his beak is broad and its tip sharp. His stature is two heads taller than her father’s. “Well hello, their little filly.” He speaks in a Russian sounding accent.

Fluttershy cowers behind her father.

“Sorry about that,” Sun-Loch states, looking down at his daughter. “She’s shy around new folk.” He pats her head.

“Ah, no worries, my daughter is the same way…” He lays one of his talons on the countertop of the stall. “So how many sheaves of wheat will forty-five griff-dolts give me?” He shows him the coins.

Sun-Loch looks down at the coins, pulling out a sheet from his chests pocket. “Well… let's see?” He skims the lettering on the page. While her father mumbles to himself, Fluttershy keeps her eyes on the griffin, studying him. “Ah yes, that will give you nineteen and a half sheaves, but for you, I’ll round it up.”

The griffin smiles. “Well, how about that, let me bring my cart over…” He leaves the stall, walking through the crowd. A few short seconds later he comes back and pulls the cart up to Sun-Loch’s putter-wagon.

Fluttershy watches them load up the cart from behind the stall’s counter.

“Well, that’s twenty sheaves, my friend.” Sun-Loch hums.

“And that’s forty-five griff-dolts for you.” The griffin smiles handing him the coins. Sun-Loch tilts his head as he gets behind his counter. The griffin turns his attention and smiles at Fluttershy. “You be good for your father filly.” He pulls his cart, disappearing into the crowds. Fluttershy tries to look for him, but not being able to make him out in the dense crowds, she sighs and lays her head on the counter.

Noticing her sad expression, Sun-Loch places his head next to hers. “You alright sweetheart?”

“No… I didn’t say hi… I’m too shy…” She wipes her tears away. “I want to sell some wheat!”

Sun-Loch chuckles moving her bangs from her eyes. “I’ll let you get the next one.” He kneels down, pinching her cheek playfully. “I know you can do it!” Noticing an earth pony mare approaching his stall, he stands up and offers his daughter the floor. “All yours.”

Timidly she steps up, noticing the mare approaching their stall. “Um…” She calls out.

The mare looks down at her with a flat lipped stare, raising her right brow. “Um, hello…” She looks at her father. “Is this your little one?”

“Yes.” Sun-Loch smiles. “Why don’t you say hello?”He pats his daughter on the back.

Fluttershy taps her index fingers together. “Uh… Hello Ma’am.” The mare stares with a monotone expression. Mustering up some courage, Fluttershy clears her throat. “Do… you want to buy some wheat?”

The mare huffs. “I would like three sheaves of wheat please.” She looks at Sun-Loch, ignoring the filly.

Sun-Loch’s smile disappears. Gritting his teeth, he takes a deep breath and walks up to his truck picking up the amount of wheat asked. “That will be thirty-five tokes.” Sun-Loch comments.

“What!?” The mare gives a frown. “Why in the hell did you raise the price! You’re selling three for the price of ten tokes!” She growls.

Sun-Loch gives the mare a stern glare. “Well, there is a sales tax for ponies like you.”

The mare snorts. “You’re a sexist pig!” She storms off heading back into the crowd.

With the mare gone, Sun-Loch huffs and sets the sheaves back in his wagon. Fluttershy stares at the spot where the mare disappeared into the crowd. “Why was she mad at you Pa?” She asks.

He gives her a sigh. “Some ponies get up on the wrong side of the bed.” Fluttershy frowns a bit and lays her head on the countertop once more. Seeing her sour mood, Sun-Loch kneels down next to her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing Pa… Just watching different people…” Her cyan eyes stare sadly at the crowds.

“And what about them interests you?” He counts the sheaves.

“How most of them don’t have wings like Ma and I.” She huffs, looking at her father. “Pa?”

“Yes, sweetie?” He looks down at her.

“Am I a mutation?” She asks.

He frowns. “Why would you ask that?”

“Well… most of the people in town are giving me funny looks…” She points to a human pony halfling across the way next to a glassware store. “And um… creatures like him!”

Sun-Loch sighs, kneeling down beside her once more. “Well, you and others like you are seen as different from the rest.” He sees her tears. “That difference though makes you special.” He wipes them away. Fluttershy smiles. Smiling, he gets up and walks over to the driver side door of his putter-wagon. “I know standing here with me can, and will get boring for you.” He points at her with a smirk. She giggles at his expression.

“It's not that boring!” She retorts.

“Oh, trust me it gets boring.” He hands her some tokes. “Why don’t you stretch your legs and walk around the town for a bit.”

“By myself?” She asks, pointing at herself.

“Yeah, why not, you’ll be fine, shoot when I was your age I wandered these streets all the time.” He pats her head. “With them tokes you can by yourself a snack.”

Fluttershy’s ears perk up. “What kind of snacks?”

“Well, there is a candy called, cotton candy.” He hums, leaning on the countertop.

“What’s that?” She tilts her head in wonder. “And why would someone eat cotton?”

He chuckles, running his hand through his mane. “Fluttershy is not actually cotton, it just looks and feels like it. It's just a ball of airy-sugar that melts in your mouth.”

“Really?” She squeaks.

“Really!” He repeats, poking her snout playfully.

Fluttershy giggles, stepping away from her father. Her laughter dies down however as she looks over her shoulder at the crowds. “Well… I guess I’ll go…”

“Well, what are you waiting for, get going… Oh!” He clutches his chest. “Fluttershy! Please bring me some cotton candy!” He lays on his stall’s countertop dramatically. Passersby’s look on with mild interest. “I need sugar! Hurry before it’s too late!”

Fluttershy giggles. “Ok, Pa!” She runs off into the crowds in search for the treat.

Sun-loch watches his daughter fade into the crowds. “Be safe… and make some friends sweetie.”

Walking through the streets of Cameroon, Fluttershy stares at the tall brick buildings in awe. Putter-cars and putter-wagons roll on past her, their fumes assaulting her nose. She covers her snout, trying to calm her stomach from the harsh fumes as she wanders closer to the buildings.

A savory smell washes over her senses. Stopping in her tracks, she looks into the store through the window and sees an earth pony making flatbread covered in garlic butter, salty dry cheese, andfried onions. She licks her lips, watching him cut up the bread into thin slices. Feeling hungry, she walks into the store.

The bell rings, alerting the baker and patrons of the store of her entrance. Some watch her wander up to the counter with flat stares or frowns. Blushing she tries hiding behind her bangs and the crown of her bonnet. “Um… Hello Mister?” She looks up at the baker.

“Yes, little one?” He looks down at her with a smile.

“Can I have one of those… um, bread slices?” She points at the flatbread. “They look yummy.”

The baker smiles. “That will be four tokes?” He hands her the slice of bread.

With a smile, Fluttershy hands him four tokes. With a hum, she takes a bite. Enjoying the taste, she nods. “Thank you, mister.” She heads out of the store. The baker nods with a wave and returns to his work.

Stepping out of the store she walks further down the streets towards the docks.

Hearing a multitude of giggles, Fluttershy looks up from her snack and sees a group of earth pony fillies and colts running towards her. She smiles at them as she watches them run past her towards the docks. Their delightful cheers gracing her ears brings a warm feeling to her. Seeing them turn the corner, she follows after them.

Peeking around the corner, Fluttershy watches the children climb onto a docked ship, playing a game of pirates. It looks fun to her. “What do you think Mr. Angel Bunny?” She holds her doll out in front of her. Its black beady eyes stare at her blankly. Looking back at the children she frowns. ‘I want to play… Maybe I can ask?’ She slowly walks over to the group.

As she nears them, a small filly sees her and announces her approach. The children turn their attention to her, staring at her shaking wings. A brown-furred colt, with a maroon colored mane and tail, stares at Fluttershy with his amber eyes. Seeing her standing at the ship’s loading ramp, he gives her a sly smirk. “What do you want?” He asks.

“Um…” Fluttershy mumbles. “I was wondering if I could um…” She scrapes her right hoof along the gravel.

Frowning, the colt jumps down from his perch and walks up to her. “Wondering what?” He asks in a harsh tone.

He towers over her. Nervous, she holds her doll closer to her chest. “I was wondering if I could play… with you?” She responds.

The colt laughs, causing her to flinch. “Really!?” He puts his hand to her forehead. “You? Play with us!” He pushes her head back, causing her to stumble back. “Do you even know how to play pirates?”

Tears form in her eyes. “Yes…” Fluttershy nods.

The children laugh at her.

“Wait! Aren’t you that filly that lives on that wheat farm just north of the city?” The colt stares at her with a questioning glare.

“Um…” Fluttershy feels her cheeks blush.

“You are!” The colt laughs with the rest of his posse. “You’re that winged halfling freak my Ma and Pa told me about!” He pokes her forehead with his index and middle finger.

Tears roll down her cheeks. “I’m not a freak!” She sobs.

“But you’re a halfling! Halflings are not natural!” He laughs shoving her some more.

“But… I’m not a freak!... AH!” The colt pushes her to the ground, causing her to drop her doll. “Why?!” She looks up at him in tears. “All Mr. Angel Bunny and I wanted to do, is play with you…”

The colt waves his hand dismissively. “Pffth, Whatever… You still play with dolls!?” He looks down at the bunny. “HA! He’s your only friend? HA!” He laughs. The rest of the children taunt her with a chant.

Smirking he picks up the doll. “What are you doing?!” Fluttershy shouts in fear.

“Getting rid of your only friend!...”

“YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!” A squeaky southern accent shouts over the docks.

The colt, his posse, and Fluttershy look towards the road and sees a freckled orange furred earth pony filly, with a braided blonde mane and tail, staring at them with stern green eyes. Her red dress and the crown of her bonnet flaps with the soft breeze blowing over the docks.

“Why should I?!” The colt growls.

Fluttershy watches as the filly approaches.

“Because it’s not nice!” The filly huffs, getting in the colt’s face. The colt growls and raises his left hand, making a fist. “You’re going to hit a filly?” She asks, giving him a smug grin.

The colt frowns. “Yeah, I am!” He swings at her.

Dodging the hit, the filly punches him in the face. His friends gasp as they watch him fall to the ground with a thud. The colt grabs his snout, tears flooding his eyes as he stares up at filly in fear. The filly looks down at him with a menacing frown. “Now you leave her alone!” The colt nods and scampers back to his group with his tail tucked in-between his legs.

Smiling at her work, the filly looks down at Fluttershy and offers her a hand. Timidly Fluttershy accepts the offer and stands back on her feet as she grabs her doll. “Thanks for saving us.” She states, showing her doll to the filly.

The filly smiles. “No problem!” She puts her hands on her hips. “The names Applejack!” She giggles at herself.

Fluttershy giggles and copies her. “The names Fluttershy!”

They giggle at their antics. “So whatcha doing out here, by your lonesome?” Applejack asks, tilting her head to the side.

Fluttershy blushes. “Well I was looking for something, then I saw them playing and… well…”

“What were you looking for?” Applejack tilts her head to her left.

Fluttershy puts her doll up to her face. “Cotton candy…” She sighs. “I don’t know where it is.”

A broad smile comes to Applejack’s lips. With a giggle, she grabs Fluttershy by the hand and leads her back to the street. “I know where we can find cotton candy!” She proclaims.

“You do?” Fluttershy squeaks.

“Yeah, I do!” She looks back at the pegasus filly. “Come on!”

A moan of delight leaves Fluttershy. Nothing has ever wowed her this much before. The cotton candy she holds in her hands is the softest thing she has ever tasted. The sugar coating her lips sends a shiver down her spine. Looking over at Applejack, watching her enjoying her own cotton candy, she gives a smirk.

Seeing Fluttershy looking at her, she swallows her bite. “So, do you like it?” Applejack asks. Fluttershy shakes her head. “I knew yer would…” She twirls the cotton candy stick with her fingers. “How old are you?”

Fluttershy looks down at her hooves that dangle over the dock’s edge. “I’m six… you?”

Applejack takes a bite. “I’m seven, and mah brothers eleven!” She talks as she chews. “Do you have any siblings?”

Fluttershy nods. “Yes, a one-year-old brother.”

Applejack taps her chin. “Um… I know this is like really soon… But um… Do you…” She swings her legs, her tail laying over her lap. “You want to be friends?”

Fluttershy’s cheeks blush. “You don’t think I’m a freak?” She flaps her wings.

Applejack shakes her head. “Nope, I have a cousin that’s half unicorn.” She takes another bite of her candy. “Besides I think they're cool, I sometimes wish I could fly like griffins, dragons, and pegasi.”

A smile comes to her lips. “Then yes, I’ll be your friend!” Fluttershy giggles. “I always wanted a friend!”

Applejack smiles and drags Fluttershy into a hug. “YAY! I finally made a friend!”

Fluttershy gives a puzzling look. “Wait!? You don’t have any friends?”

Applejack releases her and looks at her lap in embarrassment. “Well… no… not best friends… Can we be best friends?” She fidgets with her fingers.

Fluttershy gives the biggest smile she can muster and hugs her new best friend. Both of them giving squeaks of joy. The sounds of dull splashes grace their ears, interrupting their embrace. Looking over the edge of the dock, they see their cotton candy dissolving in the ocean water below.

“Oops…” They both say in unison. Looking at each other with gaping mouths, they giggle at their own expressions.

“Looks like we’re gonna have to buy some more?” Applejack sighs, looking at the paper sticks that once held their treats.

“Yep.” Fluttershy quips.

Fluttershy and Applejack walk along the main street of Cameroon, piecing on their newly bought cotton candies. Their tails flick with their movements as they weave in and out of the crowds.

“Hey, Fluttershy?” Applejack chirps.

“Yeah?” Fluttershy looks over at her friend.

“Um… Do you want to come over to my house for a sleepover tonight?” She asks with a sheepish smile.

“Sleepover, what’s that?”

Applejack stops in her tracks and stares at her friend wide-eyed. “You never heard of a sleepover?!” She asks with a gasp.

“No…” Fluttershy mumbles.

Applejack gets all giddy and paces around her friend in a circle. “It’s when you invite your friend or friends to yer house, and you do all sorts of fun stuff, like tag, hide n’ seek, ghost stories, pillow fights and, and a whole bunch of other fun stuff!” Her walk slows as she comes to a stop in front of her friend. “Or that’s what I’ve heard…” She kicks the ground. “I always wanted to have a sleepover…”

Fluttershy begins to feel giddy herself. “That sounds like fun!” She jumps up n’ down in place. “Let’s do it!”

“Aw shoot! Really?” Fluttershy gives her a nod. “Oh, I can’t wait, let's go ask our Pas!” Applejack cheers, grabbing her hand.

Seeing her father in the distance, Fluttershy feels butterflies forming in her stomach as she nears. She notices a tall, muscular red colored stallion with a dark-chocolate colored mane and tail, wearing a brown Stetson and blue-jean overalls and a plaid polo-shirt, talking to her father.

“Hello, Papa!” Applejack sings, running up to the stallion. Fluttershy watches as her friend jumps onto her father’s legs, giving him a hug. “Papa! Papa! I’ve made a friend!” She giggles, looking up at her father with a broad smile.

“You did, who is it sugar cube?” The stallion asks.

“Her! Her name is Fluttershy!” Applejack points at the pegasus in question.

Fluttershy shyly waves as she steps up to her father. Sun-Loch proudly smiles at hisdaughter, placing a hand on her head. “So, what did you and your friend do today?”

“Well…” She looks up at her father. “We ate a lot of cotton candy.”

“That explains my daughter’s hyper-ness…” The stallion chuckles.

“Oh! And I saved her from some bullies!” Applejack hangs on her father’s left leg.

He chuckles once again, rustling her bonnet and mane. “Well shoot little missy, I bet you taught them a lesson?”

“Yeah! Fluttershy and I are best friends now!”

He smiles as he turns his attention to Sun-Loch. “Well shoot mister… uh?”

“Son-Loch.” He gives him a hand.

The stallion takes it. “I’m glad my daughter has made friends with yours.”

“I’m glad as well…”

“Core Seed.” He replies with a smile.

“Well Core Seed, I’m just glad she’s made a friend, she’s been really lonely at the farm.” He nods at her wings. “Most folks find her, well, you know.”

Core Seed waves a hand. “Ah shoot, them wings of hers don’t bother me, I have a brother who married a unicorn and a cousin who married a tabby cat.” He looks down at Fluttershy and gives her a smile. “We Apple folk at least in these necks of the woods don’t care what race or species you are, as long as you got’s a good heart.”

“Well, that’s good to hear.” He pats his daughter on the head. “Your family is welcome to come by if you want for dinner one of these days.”

“That’s a mighty fine offer, and I extend the same offer to you.”

As their fathers speak to one another, both Fluttershy and Applejack give each other smiles and silent nods. “Pa?” They both ask in unison.

Both stallions look down at their daughter, in bewilderment.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Yeah, sugar cube?”

“Can Fluttershy spend the night tonight!” Applejack asks jumping up n’ down.

“Can I?” Fluttershy whines, sticking out her bottom lip.

Both stallions stare at their daughters in confusion. They have pulled off a double whammy, a sneaky attack, cornering them in their trap. “Well, I don’t know…” Sun-Loch mumbles. Both of them are lost for words as they mull over their daughters’ pleas. As fathers of small little fillies, they wanted to spoil them, but there is an obstacle they have to face.

“I don’t know, we’re gonna have to ask your mother.” Core Seed states, earning whines from his daughter.

“But I want to have a sleepover with my new best friend!” Applejack huffs, crossing her arms.

“Oh…” Fluttershy feels defeated when she sees her father’s expression.

Both stallions look at their daughters with pained expressions. One thing that’s for sure, fathers’ hate seeing their daughters cry. Taking a deep breath, both stallions give their children a smile.

“I guess it’s alright…” Core Seed pats Applejack’s head. “You can have your friend over for a sleepover…”

“YAY!” Both fillies cheer, skipping with one another.

Sun-Loch looks at the fillies with a smile, watching them plan out their night of fun. “We’re just going to have to pack an overnight bag when we get home.” He looks at Core Seed. “Where do you live, I can drop her off.”

“Oh, just up the ways, that away.” Core Seed points over his shoulder. “But I don’t mind making a trip to your place and just taking her back to my place.”

“Well then, sounds like a plan.”

Chapter 3

Fluttershy sits next to Applejack riding in the backseat of Core Seed’s putter-wagon. Applejack’s older brother Macintosh sits in the front seat next to their father. Fluttershy smiles as she stares out the window watching the trees of the hills surrounding her home city, thinking about how her father persuaded her mother to let her go to the sleepover…

Posey looks out the window and sees two putter-wagons pulling up to the driveway of the wheat-barn. Curious she picks up her son and steps outside to see the new arrivals.

“MA!” Fluttershy shouts, jumping out of her seat and running up to her mother. “I’ve made a new friend!” She clutches onto her mother’s legs.

Posey looks down with a smile. “You did?” She glances at the other putter-wagon and sees a red-furred earth pony stallion getting out of his vehicle along with his two children. She sees an eleven-year-old colt with red fur and a blonde mane standing to the stallion’s right, and to the stallion’s left is a seven-year-old filly with orange fur, freckles, and blonde mane.

“Hello, Mrs. Posey.” The stallion’s children wave.

“Well hello, dears.” Posy smiles at them. “And whom you might be?”

The stallion chuckles. “Well this is my son Macintosh, and this is my daughter Applejack.” He pats his children on their heads. “And mah name is Core Seed Ma’am.”

Posey smiles at the stallion’s manners, “Well nice to meet you Core Seed.”

“MA!” Fluttershy whines.

Posey looks down. “What is it?”

“Pa said I could spend the night at Applejack’s!” She jumps up and down. “Can I, will you let me?”

Posey gives her daughter a raised brow. Her attention turns and sees Applejack giving her a pouty lip and puppy eyes. “Well… this is on such short notice…” She looks at her husband. “What about the farm work, don’t you need help?”

“I always need help sweetie, but I think it will be good for our daughter to get out once and awhile.” He walks up to his wife. “Besides, it will give us some alone time.” He whispers into her ear. She blushes at his words.

“Don’t you worry Ma’am, we’ll take good care of your little filly.” Core Seed places a hand over his heart. “Apple’s honor.” He gives a goofy smile. His children giggle at his actions.

Posey smiles at the family before glancing down at her daughter. “Alright, you can go.” She scratches her daughter's neck. “Now hurry and pack up!” Fluttershy giggles and runs into her house. Applejack to full of excitement runs after her.

“I think we should play hide n’ seek when we get home!” Applejack states, playing with her braids.

Fluttershy moves her gaze from the window and glances at her friend “That sounds like fun.”

“Yay, and my brother can be the one that’s it!” Applejack proclaims, giggling to herself.

Macintosh grunts in frustration. “I just want ter relax sis…” He sighs, looking at their orchard’s apple trees that were coming into view.

Applejack frowns at her brother. “Yer gonna play with us!” Applejack huffs, crossing her arms.

Macintosh sighs. “I don’t want to!”

“Why not?” Fluttershy asks calmly.

Mac looks back at her with a blush. “I… I want ter read mah book.”

Core Seed smiles, chuckling to himself at the children’s conversation. “You can read your book son after yer help wear your sister and her friend out.” He nods to the fillies in the backseats.

“It will take forever for us to get tired Papa!” Applejack giggles, Fluttershy nods in agreement. Core Seed shakes his head, shifting up a gear. Macintosh sighs and lays his head against the window of the passenger door.

Stifling a giggle, Fluttershy looks out her window, eyeing the many groves of apple trees lining the dirt road. Tilting her head some more, she sees a large two-story barn fifty-feet away. Its outer shell seeing better days. Just a few yards from the barn sits Applejack’s house. It’s a simple one-story home built out of oak and cedar. A bronze roof protects the house from the weather. Small three by three feet windows dot the home, while one large six by three feet bench-window sits by the front door.

Looking into the home through the large window, Fluttershy can see an elderly earth pony mare in her late fifties sitting in a rocking chair by the fireplace. While a younger earth pony mare in her late twenties sits on the couch talking to her.

“That’s grandma’s tree.” Applejack points at a large apple tree directly in front of the house, towering over the home.

“Why is it your grandma’s?” Fluttershy’s left ear falls flat.

“Well… She calls it her lucky tree.” Applejack smirks. “She says it grows huge apples… but I never saw any big apples on it since I can remember…” She rubs the back of her head. Macintosh shakes his head.

“Really?” Fluttershy asks in wonder.

“E-Yup!” Macintosh says in a goofy voice, causing the fillies to giggle.

Core Seed smiles as he parks the putter-wagon next to the barn. “Well, we’re here.” He holds out an arm in a sweeping motion.

Overwhelmed with tension and excitement, Applejack and Fluttershy jump out of the vehicle in a flash, running into the orchard in a fit of giggles. “Mac, tag you’re it!” Fluttershy laughs, shorting Macintosh’s name as she weaves in and around the apple trees with Applejack.

Macintosh blushes at her nickname she gives him. Shivering away his embarrassment he picks up a basket of unsold apples. Seeing his son’s reaction, Core Seed takes the basket from his son with a smirk. “Hey?!” Macintosh huffs in confusion.

“Why don’t you go play… I mean you’re it.” He looks through the thicket of apple trees and sees the fillies peaking at them behind one of the trees. “You’re not going to let them beat you, now are you?” Core Seed asks, giving his son a sly smirk. Macintosh looks at the fillies and gives them a playful-menacing smirk as he rolls up the sleeves of his plaid-polo-shirt.

-Two Hours Later-

Macintosh hides in the rafters of the barn on the second story. Flakes of dust float in the air around him. One lands on his snout, tickling it. Rubbing his nose, he reorients himself, getting into a more comfortable position.

Keeping his ears at full attention, he listens for a set of feminine giggles. As if on cue, he hears them. Peaking over a crate of canned goods, he sees his sister and Fluttershy walking into the barn. His sister’s orange fur and Fluttershy’s canary yellow fur standing out like sore thumbs in the dim light of the fading sun. Watching them scan for his whereabouts, he holds in a giggle. They were clueless about where he’s hiding. He wasn’t going to lose to them. He picked a great spot.

“Where can he be?” Applejack huffs, opening the doors to a small closet within the barn. Not seeing her brother behind the tools within, she shuts them with a grunt.

“He’s really good at hiding… Maybe he learned magic from your cousin and he's invisible?!” Fluttershy wonders, awed by her own thought as she searches through a hope-chest.

Applejack laughs. “If mah brother grew one of them horns, like them unicorns then yes, but I don’t think he can do that… He’s an earth pony!” She squeaks. “Or… did he grow a horn?”

Macintosh rolls his eyes at her question.

With a huff, she nears the back of the barn and looks up at its rafters. Pondering for a moment. “Wait a minute?...” She sees the ladder that leads to the rafters is missing. ‘Could he have?’ She thinks. ‘Cheater!’ She frowns. “Hey, Fluttershy!?”

“Yeah?” Fluttershy looks over her shoulder, breaking her gaze from the tractor.

“Can yer fly up there and search fer the ladder?” Applejack asks pointing at the rafters. Fluttershy looks up at the spot her friend is pointing and smirks, nodding her head slyly.

Macintosh feels himself go numb. Fearing that he might be seen, he backs further into the corner.

Nervous, Fluttershy opens her wings and gives them a soft flap. She tries to remember what little training she had received from her mother. She is still too young to entirely fly without some assistance from her elder. Looking at her friend, seeing the broad smile on her face, she swallows a lump and begins flapping her wings as fast and as hard as she can.

Macintosh’s jaw hits the floor as he watches her fly up to the rafter. The flight isn’t graceful or correct in proper flight rules and behaviors, but it is enough to lift her off the ground allowing Fluttershy to grab the ledge of the rafters.

Pulling herself up onto the rafters, she catches her breath, letting her sore wings rest. She gives herself a smile. Her mother would be proud. Applejack is hopping up n’ down with glee. “Did you find the ‘ladder’ yet?”

Scanning around, Fluttershy gives a frown as she walks around the rafters. Climbing onto several crates, she looks about,studying her environment like a lion would. Macintosh inches himself closer to the corner of the rafters where it meets the roof. Angling his back to fit snuggly up against the ceiling, he watches Fluttershy’s every move. “I'm not going to lose!” He huffs under his breath.

“Hey Applejack?!” Fluttershy calls out, coming up to the ladder. “I found the ladder!” She picks up one of its ends and lifts it up showing her friend.

“Oh… Did you find him?” Applejack asks in a defeated tone.

“No…” Fluttershy replies in the same tone. “Not yet.”

“Well,” Applejack puts her hands on her hips. “He can't be far…!”

CRACK!

SNAP!

“AHHH!”

Several loud snapping and wooden cracks ring out loudly from within the barn, causing the structure to shake. Shivering in fright, Applejack and Fluttershy look around with wide eyes, their ears flat against their heads.

Whipping her head around, Fluttershy looks over her shoulder and sees a good-sized hole in the rafters. Stepping up closer to it, she looks down into it and sees Macintosh at the bottom, dazed and confused, with his head bobbing around, his forehead, bleeding slightly. Both fillies look at the scene with worry. Nervous, Applejack runs out of the barn. “PA, MACINTOSH HURT HIMSELF!”

Macintosh lays on the couch near the window, facing the entrance to the kitchen and dining area. Burlap bandages are wrapped around his forehead and right hoof keeping the gauze-pads over his wounds in place. Several pillows are under him, supporting him in a semi-upright position as he grumpily stares at his book.

Applejack’s and Macintosh’s grandmother Granny Apple Smith and their mother Autumn Apple sit by the fireplace in their own rocking chairs, knitting scarfs, and hats. Fluttershy and Applejack sit in front of them, playing with dolls they had dragged from Applejack’s room.

With a sigh, Macintosh moves, trying to get into a more comfortable position, but a searing pain shoots across his back. With a whimper, he lays back down on his pillows. Hearing her son’s discomfort, Autumn Gold looks at her son with a comforting smile. “You need anything, sweetie?”

Macintosh looks at his mother, trying to hide his tears. “No, Ma…” He mumbles. His mother gives him a look, question his statement. Faltering a bit, he nods, giving into her stare. With a smile, she gets up and heads into the restroom down the hall. Hearing a set of giggles, he turns his attention to the fillies. “What’s so funny?!” He glares at them.

Both fillies hold a hand over their lips. “Yer crying!” Applejack laughs.

“Well, yer cry when its dark and yer need a candle next to your bed to sleep!” Macintosh grunts.

“That’s not true!” Applejack huffs. She slowly bows her head and makes circles with her index finger on the hardwood floor. “Sort of…” Fluttershy giggles at the sibling’s playful banter.

“Okay, children stop this nonsense.” Autumn Gold quips. “Here you go, sweetie.” She pours out a brown colored liquid into the bowl of a metal spoon and feeds it to her son. Macintosh shakes his head and shivers, his tongue sticking out in disgust as he swallows it. Smirking at her son’s reaction to the medicine, she hums turning her attention to the fillies. “So, what are you two playing?”

“We’re playing knights!” Fluttershy speaks up. “Mr. Angle Bunny is the king, and he’s trying to save the queen!” She points at Applejacks stuffed animals, several of her stuffed teddy bears surrounding her stuffed doggy-doll.

“But these evil bears have captured the queen!” Applejack points at the doggy-doll. “But Mr. Angle Bunny and his armies will save the day!” She proclaims, holding up a wooden earth pony soldier doll, wearing a grey army-uniform.

“Hey, those are my action figures!” Macintosh whines, noticing his toys.

“They’re Mr. Angle Bunny’s soldiers!” Fluttershy huffs along with Applejack.

“No, they’re not!” Macintosh huffs back.

Autumn Gold puts a hand to her temple and rubs it as the children bicker back n’ forth. ‘Oh colt… it's going to be a long night…’ She thinks to herself.

“Suppers ready!” Core Seed calls out. His voice a saving grace, ending the children’s feud.

“Come one kiddies, get’a flanks a moving!” Granny Apple Smith hoots.

Fluttershy and Applejack run into the kitchen giggling to themselves, while Posey helps her son to the dinner table.

Stepping into the kitchen, Fluttershy smells the spicy cabbage roast Applejack’s father cooked. Looking at the dining table, she sees it resting in its steel-pan, steam rising off its surface. Licking her lips, she takes her seat next to Applejack and Macintosh. “Who’s hungry?” Core Seed asks holding a knife in his hand.

“I am!” All three children say in unison.

“And that’s how mah Pa and I created the Zap Apple Jam recipe.” Granny Smith chuckles as she rocks in her rocking chair by the fireplace, telling the children stories of her past.

“What does it taste like?” Fluttershy asks, laying her head in her hands, her legs swinging in the air.

“Oh, they taste delightful…” She looks out the window. “That tree out there grows the apples needed for such a jam.” She points at the tree. “White Delights… The rarest of the apples.” Granny Smith hums, sinking into her chair.

Macintosh sits on the hearth of the fireplace near the firebox, letting the warmth of the fire sooth his sore back. Applejack sits next to her friend watching as her grandmother fades off into dreamland. Hearing her snores, the children giggle at her, as her lips flap about from her shallow breaths.

Core Seed chuckles. “Looks like it’s time for bed.” He reads the time on the clock. It reads seven-pm. “You children better run off and take a bath now you hear.” He gets up heading to the entrance of the hall, pointing a finger at the restroom. “Ma will be there shortly to help bathe you.” The children moan and whine, disobeying his commands, but his stern grunt tells them otherwise. Slowly the trio gets up from the floor and heads to the restroom.

Stepping into the restroom, Macintosh turns on the copper furnace and faucet, letting the warm water flow into the white-cast-iron-tub. With the water roaring into the metal bowl, both brother and sister begin undressing from their day clothes. Fluttershy, on the other hand, blushes at the idea that she would be nude in front of her friends. Seeing her flustered appearance, Applejack gives her a puzzled look. “You never bathed with your brother before?”

Fluttershy cheeks redden some more. “Um yes, I have… but I… Um?” She didn’t want to sound mean. “I just never um…”

Applejack understands her embarrassment. “Well, it's just like bathing with your baby brother except we’re there!” She smiles.

Macintosh notices Fluttershy burying her face in her hands. “I think that didn’t help…” He looks at the scared pegasus. “We need to bathe together, it saves our parents a lot of tokes if we do.” He sets his polo-shirt on the floor and works on undoing his belt.

Fluttershy studies Applejack’s embarrassment. “You’re family’s poor?”

Applejack sighs as she sets her bonnet on the sink’s counter. “No… not poor… Just um… Don’t say anything, but mah brother and I listened in on our parents arguing about money…”

Fluttershy looks down at her hooves. “My parents do the same thing…” Her tail flicks instinctively.

“Then you understand,” Macintosh grumbles taking off his pants. Even though he is used to being nude in front of his sister, Fluttershy is a stranger… He had already scolded her about not getting undressed and here he is blushing madly. Fluttershy stares at Macintosh, the image of his form sends shivers down her spine causing her to blush. Fighting his embarrassment, he quickly crawls into the tub, sinking into the warm bath water.

“Are you children in the bath?” Autumn Gold asks from behind the door.

“Yeah!” Macintosh replies.

“No…” Fluttershy and Applejack reply in unison.

Opening the door Autumn Gold walks into the restroom with three bathe-towels and three pairs of nightgowns for them. “Alright, you fillies undress and get into the tub.” Quickly, Applejack and Fluttershy untie their dresses and lets them fall to the floor. Without haste, they jump into the tub taking their place next to Macintosh. With a hum, Autumn Gold pulls out a bar of tar-soap from under the sink and begins to lather it in her hands. Humming a soft melody, she scrubs their manes, one by one. “Once I get you all cleaned up, dry off, and it’s off to bed.” She giggles as she scratches the back of her daughter’s ears. “You three are going to have a busy day tomorrow.”

Dressing into their nightgowns with no lack of embarrassment coming mostly from Macintosh and Fluttershy, they brush and floss their teeth and head off to their room.

Stepping into the bedroom, Fluttershy sees that there are two beds in the room. 'Apparently, the siblings share a room,' Fluttershy thinks to herself. She sees one of the beds on the right side of the room in the corner, it's MacIntosh’s by several action figures laying around the base of the bed, and by the color of the sheets being very masculine colors. Applejack’s bed is on the left-hand corner, hugging the wall where the door to the room is situated. The end of her bed is covered in dolls and stuffed animals of varying age and wear.

Tired and sore, Macintosh flops on his bed, face first. His head smacking his pillows with a poof. A happy sigh leaves his lips, his young voice echoing off the walls of the room. The fillies giggle at his manners, he’s too tired to care. Smiling at one another, they crawl into the other bed and get under its sheets.

Stepping into their room, Autumn Gold, and Core Seed smile at them as they walk up to their bed. “Applejack, Fluttershy, is there anything you two need?”

“Can you light my candle, Papa?” Applejack asks, pulling the sheets to her chin.

“Sure can…” Core Seed pulls out a box of matches from his shirt’s pocket and strikes one of them, lighting the candle. A soft glow floods the room, basking it in warm orange.

Bending down, Autumn Gold kisses the fillies on their foreheads. “Goodnight, let the Lord bless this night and all your dreams, little ones.” She gives them a soft smile as she says the traditional prayer told to children before bed. Getting up she walks over to her son, bending down, she hears his soft snores. With a smirk, she kisses him and repeats the prayer. Walking to the door with her husband, she gently shuts the door, only allowing the room to be bathed in moonlight and candlelight.

Rolling over on her side, Applejack stares at her friend. A broad smile plastering itself on her lips. “Fluttershy?”

“Yes?” Fluttershy turns over to face the earth pony.

“I just want to say, I’m glad we’re friends.” Applejack places her right hand under her head.

Fluttershy feels a warm sensation form in her chest. “Friends for life?”

Applejack giggles. “Friends fer life!” She fists up her left hand giving it to Fluttershy. Fluttershy giggles as well and returns the gesture with her own fist, fist bumping.

Chapter 4

-Five Years Later-

“Caught any yet?” Butterscotch asks Macintosh, as he watches the plastic bobber on his fishing line float on top of the water.

“Naw…” Macintosh mumbles reeling in his line.

Fluttershy and Applejack sit on the trunk of a downed tree resting along the river’s edge. Applejack leans against one of its thick branches. She hums a tune as she reads her book, a content smile on her face. Fluttershy sits opposite of her, her own book in her hands. But her attention is not on the book, it’s on Macintosh. She watches him throw his line into the river. Her cheeks blush as she watches his arms muscles flex and his long mane flow with the wind.

Noticing her friend staring off into space, Applejack moves her attention from her book and looks in the direction her friend’s looking. “Oh…” She giggles. “You like mah brother?” She teases, giving her friend a sly smirk.

Fluttershy jerks, her mindless haze breaking. Blushing she looks at her friend with wide eyes “What?!” She places her book and her knees against her chest.

“You like mah brother!” Applejack giggles.

Fluttershy blushes as her eyes jump from Macintosh to Applejack. “Uh… No…”

Macintosh's ears perk up as he overhears their conversation. “You can’t lie to me, I know you too well.” Applejack chuckles. “Amid it, you like him!” His cheeks blush. “I… I… Even if I did, I’m too young!” Fluttershy replies with a moan. Macintosh’s face feels hot. ‘She likes me?’ He questions.

“You won’t be in three years!” Applejack grumbles. She sees her friend melting into a ball of embarrassment. Shaking her head, she gets up and walks up to the colts standing at the river’s edge. “So, have you caught anything?”

Butterscotch looks over at the orange-furred filly and gives a sigh. “No… they’re not biting.” He frowns. “Stupid fish…”

“What about you, brother?” Applejack asks. She notices his flushed cheeks and slyly smirks. “Brother?”

“Uh…” Macintosh stutters, the haziness in his mind falling away. “No luck for me sis…”

Applejack nods slowly and huffs as she watches the water flow on past them. “Well I’m hungry, let's go!” She twirls around and heads up to trail to Fluttershy’s house.

Butterscotch grumbles, clipping the hook to his fishing pole, as he follows her. Fluttershy, still an embarrassed mess, slips off the tree and quickly runs up to her friend. Macintosh watches her as they ascend the trail. His cheeks redden further as he studies her movements, causing him to feel different about her. Shaking his head of his thoughts, he quickens his pace, catching up to the trio.

Standing side by side Fluttershy and Macintosh try their best to calm their emotions.

“Are they okay?” Butterscotch whispers to Applejack.

“No…” She giggles quietly. “They’re in love…”

“I’m in the lead!” Butterscotch giggles, his young squeaky voice echoing off the trees as he skips towards his house along the rocks poking out of the river.

“I’m catching up!” Applejack shouts, breathing heavily as she nears him. Butterscotch looks back, his eyes go wide in mock fear. He giggles, picking up the pace, the tip of his fishing pole swaying about as he swings his arms out to help his balance.

Fluttershy and Macintosh follow after them. Her skips are light and graceful, while his are heavy, lacking balance.

Jumping on the riverbank, Butterscotch tosses his fishing pole on the ground and takes off at a full tilt. “The last one off the rocks is it!” The rest follow his lead. Macintosh grumbles as he’s the last one off.

“Mac’s it!” Fluttershy giggles, sticking her tongue at him.

Macintosh smirks and gives chase. Butterscotch and Applejack run to the right through the grove of oak trees, while Fluttershy runs into the fields of wheat. Eyeing Fluttershy, he runs after her with a laugh.

Running through the stalks of wheat, Fluttershy worms her way up to her house, trying to make her path hard for him to follow. She giggles to herself, she can see the roof of the barn coming into view.

THUMP!

CRUNCH!

A chill runs down her spine as she hears Macintosh gaining ground. Flapping her wings, she gives herself a boost of speed… “AH!” She trips over a rock poking up from the ground. Tumbling across the ground she appears from the thicket and lands on her back, dazed and confused.

“OW!” Macintosh trips over the rock as well. Tumbling across the ground for a few seconds, he throws out his arms and catches himself before his body weight crashes on top of Fluttershy. Their snouts touch tips and their breaths mix with one another. Both children stare at each other with curious and embarrassed eyes. “Uh… Hi…” Macintosh breaths shallowly.

Fluttershy’s cheeks redden as their snouts push into each other. “Hi…” She feels a pleasant chill run up her spine. ‘He looks a lot stronger up close, so…?’ She couldn’t put a finger on it. She’s never felt these feelings before. Over the past five years, she has been growing into a teenager. She’s eleven now and just started puberty not too many months ago. Macintosh being fifteen, however, has just about finished going through puberty. He’s a lot more muscular, his shoulders are broader and he’s tall for a colt his age. “Um… It looks like I’m it…?” Fluttershy stutters with a blush, embarrassed by her own thoughts.

“Uh…” Macintosh is lost for words; the smell of her shampoo stuns him. “Yeah… I guess you’re it…”

Off in the distance not too far from where they lay, Butterscotch and Applejack stand under the doorway of the barn, watching their siblings’ awkward romance. “Stop laughing!” Applejack growls through clenched teeth. “You’ll give our position away!”

“You’re laughing too!” Butterscotch giggles his reply.

The longer he stares the urge to kiss her becomes overwhelming. Breathing in, calming his nerves, Macintosh moves his lips closer to Fluttershy’s. Time slows down for Fluttershy as their lips meet, her cheeks redden even further as she feels his lips on hers.

“HOLD IT!” Sun-Loch’s booming voice echoes across the farm. Macintosh and Fluttershy jerk in fear. “Colt! What do you think you’re doing with my daughter?” He asks walking up to them, his hands on his hips, a pipe resting on his lips.

“Nothing sir!” Macintosh stutters getting off Fluttershy. He looks at the ground, rubbing the back of his neck. “We were…”

“Nothing? It didn’t look like nothing.” Sun-Loch crosses his arms.

“Pa it was nothing…” Fluttershy silences herself as she sees her father’s expression.

“Colt you should know better, she’s not of age yet to be involved in such activities.” Sun-Loch chews on the end of his pipe. “You’ll have to wait another three years before you can court my daughter.” He smiles, offering them a hand. The children take his offer and stand up from the ground. He gives them a playful smirk. “Now run off, both your Ma’s fixed lunch for you fillies and colts.” Fluttershy blushes as she gives her father a smile. Macintosh does the same as they run towards the house with Applejack and Butterscotch following close behind.

“Hey what’s with…” Core Seed steps aside. “Whoa, what’s the rush?” He watches the children run past him into the house. With a laugh, he steps up to his friend. “What’s with the all the commotion? Hell, my son and your daughter look like they turned into ripe tomatoes with how much they’re blushing!”

Sun-Loch looks at the stallion with a smirk. “Your son tried to kiss my daughter.”

“And you broke it up?” Core Seed whines in mock sadness. “What a shame.” He smiles as he flicks ash off his cigar. “I knew mah colt had feelings for your kin.” He takes a puff of his cigar. “Do you think she does?”

Sun-Loch sighs as he smacks his lips, enjoying the tobacco. “I think so, but I don’t know if she has come to the realization yet.” Sun-Loch watches his fields of wheat dance with the breeze. “She just hitting puberty after all.”

Core Seed hums a reply. “Well, I think she’ll make a fine wife and mother one day.” He chuckles.

Sun-Loch looks at the stallion with a raised brow. “You don’t mind your son having feelings for my daughter.” He shrugs his shoulders. “You know on the count of her wings.”

“Nah… Like I said before, I could care less about her appearance.” He lays an arm over his friend’s shoulders. “As long as she has a kind heart, that’s good enough for me.” Sun-Loch smiles and returns the stallion’s affection.

Fluttershy looks at Macintosh with wide eyes, her cheeks still red as she slowly chews her bite of pb and j. Feeling her eyes digging into his soul. Macintosh looks at her, his cheeks turn his red fur, redder. Butterscotch looks at the two and sticks out his tongue at their young affection for one another.

“You’re in love.” Applejack teases.

Fluttershy shivers. “What?!” She looks at her friend, mortified by her statement.

“You’re in love!” Applejack sings. Butterscotch drops his sour face and joins her, taking joy in his sister’s embarrassment.

“Who’s in love?” Posey asks from the couch as she looks at them, pausing her conversation with Autumn Gold.

“Fluttershy and Mac are!” Butterscotch and Applejack laugh. Fluttershy cowers in her seat. Macintosh buries his face in his hands.

Posey laughs at her daughter’s expense. “MA!” Fluttershy whines, horrified she would take her brother’s side.

Autumn Gold giggles watching her son melt in his seat. “Oh, young love, isn’t such an innocent thing to behold?” She asks Posey.

Posey nods. “Oh, very much so…” She runs her fingers through her mane. “I once had a few crushes when I was a filly.” She lets out a sigh as she lays her head on the back pillow. “Did you have any crushes?”

“Oh yes.” Autumn Gold nods. “But not many.” She puts her knees on the couch. “When I became of age, I had to take love more seriously. My parents did expect me to find a mate and I just couldn’t let my heart fall for just any stallion.” She hums looking out the window eyeing her husband helping Sun-Loch with his putter-wagon.

Posey looks down at her lap, her smile leaving. “I don’t think I want Fluttershy to marry so young.”

Autumn Gold gives her a raised brow. “Well, she could wait until she’s sixteen, but that’s pushing it…”

“I married my husband at twenty, I think that’s a good age to marry.” Posey huffs, not in anger but is frustration. “Is that too old?”

“Oh, no, not at all.” Autumn Gold scratches the back of her head, her mind trying to processes the mare’s mood. “Um… In Wingthington, is child marriage a thing?”

“No,” Posey replies. She notices the children had finished their meals and are now playing a game of cards.

“At what age do pegasi marry?” Autumn Gold lays her head in her hand, her elbow resting on the couch’s back pillow.

“On average, twenty or twenty-two years of age.” Posey looks at the mare with a dull expression. “But when it comes to the poor and imbeciles of Withington society… well, it can vary wildly.” She picks up her glass of water and takes a sip.

Autumn Gold picks up her own glass. “You know there’s nothing wrong with her marrying young.” She smiles. “Especially when she has loving parents, she’ll always be in good hands.” She lets a hum slip past her lips. “And if she marries my son, she’ll have a good husband to boot.” She sings.

Fluttershy and Macintosh blush from her words. With a groan, Macintosh lays his head on the table. Fluttershy hides behind her the cards in her hands. Applejack rolls her eyes as she places a card on the table.

Posey looks at the mare, giving a small smile. “I know…” She sighs, finishing off her glass. “But you forget, you’re talking to a mare who just got used to wearing a bonnet and believing in a God who lives in the clouds and whose son died on the cross for our sins.” She giggles. “Let me at least still live with the fear that my daughter can get married at fourteen!” She rubs her eyes, shaking her head.

Autumn Gold shakes her head as well, giggling. “Oh…” She moans, clutching her stomach.

Hearing their mother in pain, Macintosh and Applejack look over at her with worried eyes. “Ma, are you alright?” Macintosh asks. Fluttershy and Butterscotch ears fold back as they study the mare.

“I’m fine…” She looks down at her protruding belly. “It’s just the foal kicking.”

Posey looks at the mare’s belly with a smile. “You excited?”

Autumn Gold nods. “Yes.” She giggles. “Shoot, who am I kidding! I’m ecstatic!” She places her hands on her cheeks and squeezes them. “I always wanted a large family!” Her mouth hangs open as she grabs Posey’s hands, pulling them to her chest. “Have you dreamt of a large family?”

Posey blushes as she feels the top of Autumn’s breasts. “Um… I don’t know…” Noticing her embarrassment, Autumn Gold lets go of her hands and gives an apologetic smile. Posey nods, telling her all is well. “I think I’m okay with only having two kids.” She puts her hands under her chin, her eyes focusing on her lap.

“Just two?” Autumn Gold tilts her head. “Oh, I cannot accept it!” She puts her hands on her hips. “You and your husband have the potential to make many beautiful foals.” She wags her finger in Posey’s face. “You should continue until your foal making factory shuts down young mare!” She giggles to herself.

Posey blushes. Autumn Gold’s tone flusters her to the point that her wings extend out, their feathers frizzy and fluffy from stimulation. Her children laughing at her expense only increases her embarrassment. “Oh… I’m going to get you one day Autumn!” She growls.

Autumn giggles. “Oh, I know, and I’ll be expecting it!” She puts a hand to her lips, trying to control her laughter.

“And the same goes for you!” Fluttershy and Butterscotch shut the mouths, killing their laughter. They look at their mother, their lips puckered, eyes wide.

“What on earth is going on in here?” Sun-Loch asks as he steps into the home, looking at the children and mares in confusion.

Core Seed laughs, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I think we stumbled into a mare moment.” He pats his back as he steps into the kitchen, leaving the confused stallion to his thoughts. “You kids finished with your game?” Core Seed looks at the children with a smirk.

“Sort of?” Butterscotch mumbles.

“Why Pa?” Applejack bends her head back, glaring at her father with raised brows.

“Well, Sun-Loch and I need your help with the putter-wagon!” Core Seed shouts playfully. “So, come on now, let’s go!”

“I WIN!” Butterscotch yells, slamming his cards on the table, before bolting out the door.

“HEY, YOU DIDN’T WIN!” Fluttershy growls, chasing after her brother. Applejack and Macintosh shrug their shoulders and give chase.

Shaking their heads, the adults look at one another with broad smiles. “Why don’t you mares start on dinner, we shouldn’t take too long.” Sun-Loch chuckles, still amused by the children’s antics.

“Sure, what do you stallions feel like having tonight?” Posey asks, smirking at her husband.

“We don’t know,” Core Seed replies for Sun-Loch. “We’ll leave that up to you mares.”

“Oh, so brave of you stallions, especially with a mare whose pregnant.” Posey sly smirks at the stallions.

Autumn Gold smirks as well. “Oh, yes, very brave of them…” She giggles, getting up from the couch.

The stallions feel a chill run down their spines and they eye their wives nervously.

“Let’s head to the kitchen to get a head start on the prep work.” Posey hums dragging Autumn Gold along.

“I’m craving something exotic, something with cheese and chocolate!” Autumn Gold winks at her husband.

“Uh… Now you two, don’t go too overboard, you hear!” Sun-Loch sternly shouts. The mares’ giggles only get stronger as they ignore his demands. “Oh, crap…”

Sun-Loch stares at his supper. He’s teary-eyed, overjoyed that it’s a normal bowl of navy bean soup. “Thank you, Lord…” He mumbles to himself.

Fluttershy and Butterscotch stare at their father with raised brows, unsure of his behavior. “Uh, is Pa okay?” They look at their mother.

“Yeah, is Pa okay?” Applejack asks her mother as well.

The mares skeptically eye their husbands. Their murmuring and sobbing, confounding them. “Did we break them?” Posey asks as she stirs her bowl.

“Um… I don’t know?” Autumn Gold tilts her head, her eyes narrowing as she studies her husband.

Bored of their parents’ antics, the children quietly resume their eating as they chalk up their behavior to ‘adult stuff’. Chewing, Fluttershy looks at Applejack’s bowl and sees she has a few bites left. “Applejack?”

“Yeah?” She looks up from her bowl, still chewing.

“After we finish eating, you want to read our book?” Fluttershy scoops up the last of her beans onto her spoon.

“Hell yeah!”

“Applejack! Watch your mouth young filly!” Autumn Gold chastises.

“Yes, Ma…” Applejack mumbles her response as she finishes her bowl. “Come on let’s go!”

Butterscotch looks at Macintosh with hopeful eyes. “We can play a board game.” Macintosh states with a smirk. Butterscotch smiles gleefully as he shoves the last of his meal into his mouth.

With their legs sprawled out and their heads propped up by a mound of pillows, Fluttershy and Applejack contently read their book by the fire. Each of them holding the book’s corners. Their eyes jump side to side as they scroll through the words filling the pages. For them at this moment in time, their surroundings do not exist anymore as their minds transport them to the book’s world.

Macintosh throws the dice into an empty box. Reading the dots, he picks up his marble and moves it along the circular board. “Your turn.” Butterscotch eyes his piece and sees he needs to move it four spaces to win the game. Biting his lip, he shakes the dice and tosses them into the box. He frowns when he sees he rolled snake eyes. “Ouch…” Macintosh hisses in mock disappointment. Butterscotch crosses his arms and pouts.

Sun-Loch and Core Seed sit by the radio next to the couch, closest to the fireplace, both listening intently to the baseball game being played in the northernmost province of Earthen.

“What do you think of this one?” Posey asks as she sits back down on the couch.

Autumn Gold takes the small glass container from her hands and smells the wax. “Mmm… What scent is that?”

“It’s called ‘Peach Berry n’ Cream.” Posey takes out another one. “And this is ‘Forest Pine’.”

Autumn Gold smells the other one and hums in delight. “How did you get into the business of selling candles?”

Posey smiles. “Oh, I was wanting to work again, help bring in some more tokes to pay the bills.” She picks up a box from the floor. “You know we just bought one of them telephones.”

“Oh yes, my husband wants one. We heard they’re quite the item to have. Shoot, instant communication to anypony in Earthen.” Autumn hums as she watches Posey rummage through the box. “Mighty interesting if you ask me.”

“Well someone from church told me about selling candles.” She pulls out some small candle lights. “And she told me since I have a telephone, I could do most of my selling from home.” She hands Autumn two candle lights of the scents she smelled earlier. “Here take them and give them a try.”

“Well shoot sugar cube, let me at least pay for them?”

“No, it’s alright, they’re for trying out anyways.” She looks through her box. “The company I work for says it a great way to bring in customers.” Posey smiles pulling out several more. Autumn Gold looks wide eyed at the candles and opens her hands.

“A Rick Rock Jamerson is up to bat ladies and gentlecolts! Here’s the pitch… And it flies high, soaring, it is gone! Homerun! The Miners are up two, nothing in the bottom of the sixth!”

“Yes!” Sun-Loch cheers. “Homerun!”

Core-Seed claps. “Take us to the world series!”

The children look up from their activities and listen to the game.

“Ymin is up to bat! He takes position on home plate…”

-The sound cuts out-

“Hey! What happened to the game?” Butterscotch whines.

The stallions look at the radio and frown.

“We interrupt our program to bring you this important announcement… *Patriotic music plays in the background* “Stallions, mares! Our men are marching strong to the front lines of the southern front… We have pushed back Wingthington forces from the island of Gem and the coastlines of Boulder Bay… With the threat of Pegasi invasion halted, we move south, to reclaim lost land in the early parts of the war, stolen by Unicorpia… Our stallions and colts march proud to win this war, and the hearts and minds of our fellow countrymen… Take hold, pray for peace…” Sun-Loch turns down the radio and gives a long-tired sigh.

“You don’t want to hear the news?” Core Seed wonders.

“Would you want to listen after five long years of the same talking points over and over again?” Sun-Loch grumbles as he gets up from his chair. “What’s the point anymore?” He sulks into the kitchen.

Posey gives Core Seed a solemn smile. “He lost his brother to the war.” Fluttershy looks at the fire, trying to fight off her emotion. Applejack looks at her friend and understands her hurt.

“We lost family to the war as well.” Core Seed replies. “Some died while others were captured.” He looks at the fire raging in the fireplace. “Lord only knows what they’re going through.”

“Not to change the subject so drastically,” Autumn Gold speaks up, not liking mood the conversation is going. “But I just remembered. Are you going to the lunar festival this weekend?”

Posey thinks. “Um, maybe?” She looks into the kitchen. “Honey are we going to the festival?”

“Ooh, can we go!” Fluttershy and Butterscotch beg.

Sun-Loch steps out of the kitchen and sees his children are about to burst with emotions. “Sure, I can’t see why not. Sounds like it would be fun, heck we can even set up our picnic spot by our favorite tree.”

“YAY!” Fluttershy and Butterscotch cheer.

“WOO!” Applejack and Macintosh join in.

Their parents shake their heads. “Well, I guess that’s a yes.”