Author's Note

Sorry everyone, I know I have been slowing down as of late. A legally blind man finding a job is pretty hard these days. But I will keep pushing the chapters out when I can.

May the darkness grant you peace.

Act 5: Applejack Introduces Her New Friends

Its was just another day for the earthbender. Up before the sun, training before the morning chores, and then breakfast. However, Applejack was going into town for a little while and had asked Zhou to come with her to meet her new friends. Those being the ponies she was with that night that Nightmare Moon had returned. They both walk along the road quiet at first, but then Zhou decides to poke at Applejack a bit.

“Don’t think I haven’t forgotten our bet, AJ. You better hurry while you can. Fall will be on it’s way soon.”

Applejack glared up at him, unamused.

“”Ah will do it when i get good and ready. You just wanna see me without my clothes on don’tcha?”

Zhou was about to say something when he indeed thought about it. Sure, the bet was fun when they were younger. But now that Applejack was a fully grown mare, and a very beautiful one at that. Fit, yet still has those lovely feminine curves, not to mention that sexy southern drawl of hers, it was getting rather hard for Zhou to see her as just family.

“Well...kind of?”

He said with a sheepish smile. Applejack’s eyes widened and a blush slowly crawled across her face.

“I am not gonna lie AJ. I have been with you for all this time like a blood brother. But as I got older, well I started seeing you as a mare that is very lovely to look at.”

She looks down a bit, that blush of her looking adorable on her freckled cheeks.

“Gosh Z. I never really knew you saw me that way at all. I know Ah should be thinkin’ that it’s a bad thing to look at me like that, but I know it’s not because well...you are not of blood.”

Zhou shook his head with a light smile.

“Forget I even said anything, AJ. I really shouldn’t have just sprung it on you like that.”

“I-it’s alright, Z. Honestly you have turned into a fine stallion yourself. You are both clever and strong. Not every stallion can lay claim to both of those. I think when you meet the others, they will be all over you.”

She said with a light jab in his side with her elbow. This making him give a light chuckle. They walked and talked a bit more on their way to town. The walk was nice and peaceful, just him and Applejack.He enjoyed moments like this. If he wasn’t training or working with the family in the orchard, you could always find Zhou lounging under a tree, hands behind his head and the occasional butterfly perching on his nose. Yes, life has been pretty sweet in this world for all the years he had been here. And honestly, he felt like nothing could ever replace it

They finally made their way into town, both of them waving to the familiar faces they knew and even to some they didn’t. The came up on a small restaurant with a few tables on the outside. The group in question was sitting at one of this tables looking over the menus until Twilight’s eyes caught both Zhou and Applejack approaching. She smiled widely and waves her hand to them to motion them over.

“We are over here!”

She said while flailing her arm about, something that Pinkie Pie should have done really. But she was too busy with stuffing her muzzle with a rather large bowl of ice cream. Both Zhou and Applejack wave back with smiles on their face.

“Hey gals! Sorry we took a little longer than expected.”

Applejack says as she quickens her pace towards the group. Zhou walked up to the table to see all other than Twilight and Applejack staring up at him with eyes of curiosity. The first one to stand up and approach him was Rainbow Dash, the cyan blue pegasus with a rainbow mane. He could tell that she was an athlete pony, just by her body structure and the muscles she had. Though Applejack had a bit more on her.

“I just wanna say...it was pretty cool of you to weaken Nightmare Moon the way you did. And all by yourself to! I don’t know what you are, but you are pretty tough! ‘Name’s Rainbow Dash, the greatest flyer in all of Equestria!”

She said before reaching out with her hand. Zhou smiling lightly and takes it, giving it a firm shake.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Zhou Lin. You can just call me Zhou, or ‘Z’ if you’d like.”

Next to look up at him was Rarity, a very posh and elegant looking mare. Out of all her features that caught his attention were her sapphire blue eyes. They were absolutely beautiful to look at, not to mention the rest of her was nice as well. She kept a girlish figure, but also had curves in the right spots, especially a generously sized chest. Though, he saw her eyes trail up and down his form, mainly looking at his clothing.

“My name is Rarity. A pleasure to meet you, darling. Though I must say...your clothing is rather unique. Odd, but at the same time, inspiring. Though, judging by the platting around your arms and legs, I imagine it is meant for combat. And yes, what Dashie said is true. But you nearly died on us that night. You should have been more careful.”

Zhou chuckled lightly and looked to the side.

“Well, I am afraid confronting enemies and problems head on is part of my nature. I am an earthbender after all. We don’t back down.”

Rarity giggled lightly at this, she looked him up and down with half lidded eyes.

“I must say...you do have an impressive physique. And you are rather handsome for not being a pony. I bet you would look rather dapper in a tuxedo with a tailcoat. Would you mind terribly if I took your measurements at one point, darling?”

Zhou blinks a bit. The thought of him wearing something so...fancy just didn’t strike with him.

“I think I will stick with what I got. But it is very sweet of you to offer Rarity. Thank you.”

She gives him a bit of a pouty face while crossing her arms under her bust. Just then then, the pony who was face first in ice cream suddenly appears in front of him with a big smile. Somehow with no ice cream all over her at all. He didn’t question it.

“Hey there, big guy! My name is Pinkie Pie, it’s a pleasure to meet you! Wow, six years and i have never seen you in Ponyville?! That is crazy! Well, we will have to throw you a party anyways! And I promise it will be the best party ever!”

“A party? Well that is sweet of you to offer, but you don’t have to..”

He said as he puts his hands up in front of his chest.

“Oh I insist! There we be music, food, games and all kinds of fun stuff there!”

Zhou smiled and caught a bit of movement in his peripheral vision. It was that of a yellow pegasus mare with a pink mane. She stared up at him with a shy, but curious glance, hiding her face behind her mane slightly. Zhou had one thing going on in his mind when he saw this.

So...adorable…

He turns to look at her, his blue eyes locking with hers.

“And who are you then?”

“I am….Fluttershy. It is nice to meet you Zhou. I have seen you around town the few times I got to the market.But I am...usually pretty shy when it comes to meeting new ponies.”

He chuckles lightly and slowly reaches up, lightly patting her on the head with a nod.

“And it is nice to meet you as well, Fluttershy.”

The mare flinched at first when he did this, but then seemed to nuzzle in his gentle touch with a sway of her tail. They may be sentient and humanoid, but they still loved being petted, even Applejack did when she wasn’t in public. After introductions were made, the group sat down and ordered lunch. They group asked Zhou about where he came from and and what exactly earthbending was. Twilight taking down any notes that she could that she hadn’t found out about him already.

“So, let me get this straight. You can control and manipulate the ground, rocks or any form of earth WITHOUT magic…?”

Asked Rainbow Dash, still in a state of disbelief after he had got done explaining his methods of earthbending.

“Mhm, earthbenders are born with the gift. Not sure how, but we can work on it over time and we become masters of it. Back where I am from, there was a little girl that was an earthbender, and she was blind. And yet, she beat everyone down she came across. It was amazing.”

“You will definitely have to show me sometime! I’d definitely like to spar against you as well!.”

“Well, I won’t lie. You will have me at a disadvantage since you are a flyer. I have never faced an airbender before, but I know that style of bending is one that I would have trouble facing off with. But sure, I am down for a good spar.”

Dash’s smile broadened and she jumps over to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder with a giggle.

“Huh, pretty cool of you to admit I would be a challenge for you, Z. You are alright!”

“And he is a pro at using these things on his back to. He never leaves the house without them. In fact he actually made these himself just last month. He impresses me and the family with every new talent he shows.”

He lightly rubs the back of his head and chuckles lightly.

“Awww..come on AJ. You are a pretty talented mare yourself. Not only are you good at bucking apples, you are an excellent fighter yourself. You have many talents, all of you do. You may not know it, but you tap into them each day. They may not be on your flanks, but still.”

The group listened to him as he talked. It is something they never really thought about, Sure, they had the special talents, but they never thought about the talents that branched off from that main one.

“You know, when you put it that way, it does make me feel like I have more to offer...you have quite the optimistic outlook on life…”

Said Applejack as she rubbed her chin in thought. Smiling up at the man.

“Oooh, clever and strong….you don’t find that in a lot of stallions these days, darling…”

Said Rarity as she bats her eyelashes at him flirtatiously.

“I can only imagine what else we can learn from him. It’s rather exciting!”

Said Twilight as she clapped her hands together while she bounced in her chair, ever the hunger for knowledge with this one it seems. Yes, things did start rolling in motion for the earthbender. Who knew that he would end up in a world like this, become a member of a family of these being and end up befriending five more in the future as he lived in the world. Even meeting it’s rulers, Things were being set into motion for his destiny. Though what his destiny was, would have to be learned down the road in his life. As the young man will indeed be facing trials. Emotionally, mentally, and physically.