Start of the Harvest and Realizations
AJ P.O.V
I was out working in the orchard doing my chores alongside Big Mac. It was almost Hearth's Warming Eve, so we had to get as many apples down before they froze. We were planning on making cider to give to everypony at Twilight's castle when the night came. Too bad we didn't have some extra hooves to help out. It was going to be a great Hearth's Warming Eve, I could feel it, but I just couldn't figure out why. I was hoping I could talk to Big Mac during our hard work, but he was more interested in completing his work than making small talk with me.
Several hours later of bucking, me and Big Mac walked up to the barn to unload the crates of apples that we collected. I've noticed lately that Big Mac has been coming out of his shell more and more. I haven't said anything to him about it because I figured it would put him back in his shell. It was only a matter of time before he got himself a mare friend of his own.
"So, Big Mac," I started.
"Eeyup?"
"Are you planning on bringing anypony special to the celebration at Twilight's castle?"
I thought maybe he would bring Marble Pie, Pinkie's sister, or maybe even Cheerilee if Marble couldn't make it.
"Nope."
I nodded my head, rather disappointed in his decision, but decided against it to ask him any more questions and headed up to my bedroom where I could see the glorious, celestial sun setting down over the horizon.
Since Big Mac wasn't going to bring a date, I figured I wouldn't have to either, even though the thought of it would be nice. Most of my friends wouldn't think that I cared one bit about having a special somepony, but it does pop into my mind every now and then. I laid in my bed thinking about what my date would look like if I had one.
Probably taller than me, with a light coat similar to mine, a mane and tail with two different colors, unlike me, and absolutely no facial hair!(it itches. Don't ask how I know), and a unique personality.
I thought for a while and imagined multiple ponies that could relate to my perfect stallion but there was only one pony that came to mind that made me almost yelp at who I'd just described.
Flim of the FlimFlam brothers.
How could this be?! He's a lying, manipulating conman! He made a liar out of me! Well, not exactly.
I calmed myself down before I exploded. Why him? In all honesty, he describes my perfect stallion to the point. Had I ever thought about him before? Of course I have, but not in an admirable or good looking way. Now thinking about him in this new perspective, I guess he is somewhat handsome, and he sure does have an interesting personality. Too bad it would NEVER happen considering our pasts with each other.
My head began to hurt from this sudden rush of realization, so I decided to laid my head down and try to go to sleep, with only one thought remaining in my over flowing brain.
I like Flim.
AJ P.O.V
I woke up with a pounding headache from the night before, and Applebloom nudging me wasn' t much help.
"Applebloom, what do you want?"
"Um, I think you could come downstairs."
I lifted my head off the pillow to see Applebloom in a distress state. I groaned as I got up off my bed before I could rest my head back down to make my headache go away and followed Applebloom downstairs.
"So, what's the problem?" I asked.
"More like a surprise if you ask me," Applebloom said," Just look for yourself."
We rounded the corner to the first floor of the house, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Flim and Flam were standing in our living room, and the worst part was that Big Mac and Granny Smith were smiling, not yelling at them to leave.
"Uh," I started out," Granny, what's going on here?"
"These two, manipulatin' whippersnappers are here to help us 'course!"
Was she being for real? Did they give her another tonic to get her to lie? I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. First Flim and Flam appearing and then finding out they're here to help! What in Equestria was happening to me?
"What are you talking about, Granny?"
As Granny was about to respond, Flim cut in and told me himself what was going on.
"Well, as you know, dear Applejack, and probably despise, we were nothing but cruel and despicable to you and your family. After our last run in at the swim meet, we decided our inventions were going to far, and we had to put a stop to this before it became something worse. Now, we are not here just to apologize for how much despair we caused on your family but to also help on the farm to make up for what we did. I know this is all of a sudden and you don't think to highly of this idea, but Flam and I decided this was a better time than ever to help you ponies with Hearth's Warming coming up soon. We figured you ponies would have lots of work, and by what Big Macintosh has told us, there is a lot of work to be done. We are more than willing to help your family get ready for Hearth's Warming Eve."
Flim looked back at his brother, who then added," We don't expect you ponies to be instantly friendly with us, but we would like to show you nice folks how nice we can really be."
After taking all of this into account, I could've sworn my head was about to burst, but instead I passed out from all of the overwhelming thoughts flowing through my mind. The last thing I remember seeing before I toppled over was Flim running towards me.
AJ P.O.V
"Oh, I hope she's okay. I didn't mean to overwhelm her."
"Don't worry, deary. I'm sure she's fine."
"W-Who?" I moaned. I opened my eyes to find Flim right beside me, holding my head up with his hoof with his other hoof wrapped around my waist that kept me from hitting the ground. I blushed slightly at the sight I woke up to.
"Why you, of course," Flim answered with a smile.
I turned my head to look at him, and I saw real concern in his eyes. I felt butterflies begin to turn in my stomach as I remembered how special this pony was to me in my mind.
"Thanks." I began to sit up by myself and realized my hat had fallen off and landed a few feet away from me.I reached for my hat, but before I could get any closer to my Stetson hat, Flim had it levitated in his lime green aurora, floating it over to me and gently placing it on my head.
"I'm not dying, Flim," I said jokingly.
"Well, I'm here to make sure of that." He held out his hoof, and I took it, standing up with ease. I looked around the room and realized that Big Mac, Applebloom, and Flam were all gone.
"Where'd the rest of them go off to?"
"Back to work," Flim said,"You were out for about an hour."
"That long?"
"Well," Granny interupted," The rest of them wanted to know when you woke up, so I'll go tell them you're okay. Flim, I want you to stay here with Applejack to make sure she stays okay."
"I'll be fine, Granny."
"You will be with him."
Before I could argue with her, Granny walked out the door to find the rest of the family and the newest friend to the family.
"Would you like to sit down on the couch?" Flim asked.
"Most definitely."
I walked over to the couch and sat down with Flim right beside me. For the first time since I woke up, I realized that he wasn't wearing his usual "costume."
"Where's your clothes?"
"Oh, when you had past out, I got you before you fell to the floor, but my shirt wasn't so lucky. It got stuck on the corner of the table and ripped it," He gave a small chuckle before adding," It left me a little something, too."
I turned my head to see what Flim was talking about to find a good-sized cut on Flim's side. I gasped from all the blood still pouring out of the cut.
"Geez, Flim! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Before he could stop me, I rushed to the kitchen and grabbed the closest cloth. I hurried back before Flim could loose anymore blood than he already had. I held the cloth on top of the cut and the blood began to slow down. I looked up to see Flim staring at me while I was holding the cloth.
"Are you okay, Flim?"
"I just didn't realize being kind to another pony could come back around and be kind to me."
"Hey, that's how friendship works." I winked at him and slowly removed the cloth. The blood had stopped, but I had to get the bacteria that had gotten into the cut.
"One quick second."
I hurried along to the bathroom and grabbed some alcohol to relieve the cut. Returning to the living room, I noticed Flim was upset. Of what, I didn't know, but I wasn't about to let that go by unnoticed but first things first.
"Applejack," Flim said looking up,"Is that alcohol?"
"Yes. It's for your cut so it will better."
"But doesn't it stiINg!?"
Before he could say another word, I poured some alcohol on the cut. I guess I should have warned him, but then he would have said no. His face was contorted into agony, and I saw a few tears find their way down his face. I grabbed Flim's hoof and put it on the cut while I went to go grab another cloth from the kitchen. I came back and wiped the tears off of his face.
The pain had finally began to subside, and Flim looked in pain but also relieved that it wouldn't hurt anymore.
"Thank you, Applejack."
"No need to thank me. I just did what I had to do for a good friend of mine."
Once I finished getting rid of the messy clothes, I decided I would ask Flim why he was upset before somepony else came to the house.
"I noticed you were upset earlier, Flim."
Flim looked down," Was it that obvious?"
"Yep, and I think you should talk about it."
I could tell he was trying to find a way out of talking about his feelings, but he knew he wasn't going to get away without some explanation.
"Well, I suppose I should start from the beginning..."
