The Marine

The market, I only come here out of necessity mostly because it feels a lot like Wall Street to me. I hate Wall Street they take their balls, and they dip them in cocaine, and they wipe them all over each other. Bunch of people trying to make bargains and deals, I just buy in bulk and wait until I run low. That's just my personal view of it, I was showered, dressed, and ready to start working. I walked up to the stall where Applejack and Applebloom were standing at the stall.

I cleared my throat as I approached. "Hey girls."

"Hey, Mick." Applejack said. "Now what you want ta do is-"

"AJ, I've worked retail before, I know how to do quick math." I cut her off.

Applejack crossed her arms. "Oh, really? Where did you work?"

"It was a company in my world, it was a lot like Barnyard Bargains, but on a more global scale. I had to wear red and khaki." I threw out that last part for no reason at all.

Applejack smiled. "Alright then, Apple Bloom behave yourself for Mickey. I've got to go back to the orchard."

"Alright Applejack, I'll behave." Apple Bloom said while looking out for customers. She then looked back to me. "So, Mickey. How old are you?"

"25." I answered the young Apple.

"Is that old?" She asked again.

"It's not that old. What about you?"

"I'm 237." Apple Bloom said.

"So do you measure your years differently?" I asked the little one.

"There are 365 days a year. 366 every four years." Apple Bloom pointed out.

"Than how old is Celestia?" I asked.

"Some say that she's as old as the planet itself." AB said.

"Well that's stupid." I commented.

"So, you're a lot younger than me." Applebloom said as she rung up a customer.

"Yes." I put the apples in a bag and handed it to the pony who purchased them. "But humans live until about 80 or 90, 100 if we're lucky."

"Oh." Applebloom looked at me. "So we're not going to have you around for long?"

"I don't like measuring by the years we have, but by the memories that a person makes and the effect they make on the people they meet." I said. "It makes me feel a little better about myself."

"Sorry, it's just that sometimes years fly by and ponies...die." Applebloom said with sorrow in her voice.

"I know you didn't get much time with your folks Bloom, but I'm not going anywhere." I said as I helped another customer, as the pony walked away I got a hug from Apple Bloom.

"Ya know, my sister really likes ya." Apple Bloom muffled into my shirt. "I kinda would like to see ya as my brother."

"Things like that aren't simple for me Bloom." I said as I tapped her hand.

Applebloom let go of the hug. "Why?"

"Have you ever seen a soldier, Apple Bloom?" I asked the filly.

"I've met Twilight's brother, does that help?"

"Yes and no, Shining Armor is a guard. He stays at home and protects, I'm a soldier I go to other places and kill." I explained. "Killing someone, it takes a toll on a person's psyche. It's something that someone should never do, but people do."

"What does that mean?" Bloom asked.

"I'm broken Bloom, I'm a broken...pony and it hurts." I said.

"Can anypony help?" Bloom asked.

"Actually, you can." I said.

"How can I help?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I wasn't talking to you Apple Bloom." I turned to look at Applejack. "Are you willing to help me Applejack?"

"Sugarcube, the girls and I have been waiting for that for over 2 years now. Apple Bloom, can you get the stall back home without any trouble?" Applejack asked her little sister.

"Yes, I can. I promise." Apple Bloom started to pack up the stall.

I walked over to Applejack. "So I'm guessing that Twilight has some long and drawn out plan that will eventually get thrown out the window?"

"Something like that." Applejack looked down at me. "What changed?"

"How do you mean?" I asked her.

"You decided to talk to us, in the 3 years that you've been here you have never opened up to us." AJ said. "Something changed."

"What Fluttershy said this morning really weighed heavily on my mind, I think...enough time has passed where I can be open with you girls. Maybe, we could have something. But, it's going to be slow."

"I understand, but I got a request." AJ said.

"Go for it, although I can't say I would accept it." I said.

Applejack had a little blush. "M-May I hold your hand?"

"That's going to look like you're holding hands with a child." I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as I imagined it. "Sure." I held out my hand.

Applejack slowly smiled and grabbed my hand with hers. It felt like I was putting my hand into a fuzzy baseball glove. I just smiled as she blushed. "Alright, now we got to go to Pinkie's so she can get everypony together."

"Alrighty then, let's go." I started to walk with AJ to Sugarcube Corner.

While we walked side by side ponies were whispering and I just looked at them with my evil eye. So what, I was holding hands with a woman almost twice my size. I was walking down the street with someone who could easily put me on her back and tote me around with no problem. I just smiled to myself and kept walking with AJ, we got to Sugarcube Corner pretty quickly considering it was like 500 feet away from the market. This town is really small when you stop and think about it, anyways AJ opened the door and I walked in with her. Pinkie was behind the counter when she saw and she had a huge gasp like she did in the first episode. What? I watched a few episodes, don't judge me. Wait, who the hell am I talking to? It's not like anyone is going to read this. I swear I'm going insane sometimes.

Pinkie just looked at the both of us. "Applejack, is he ready?"

"Yes, I am. I would've appreciated it if you asked me instead of her."

"Sorry, Mickey." Pinkie apologized. "I just wanted to be sure."

"Yes, I'm ready to talk about my past. I'm ready to start a relationship. Just as long as we take it slow. Got it?"

"Yes, but." Pinkie said and I already knew where she was going with her line of questioning.

"If you're wondering what changed my mind, it was Fluttershy. Now let's go." I pointed out the door. "I know that Sugarcube Corner closes around the same time as the market does."

The three of us started to walk towards Twilight's castle. I still had my hand in AJ's and she was still smiling and blushing the entire time.