Almost Easy

(Author's Note: First MLP Fanfic... rate and comment. PLEASE! Critique as well... just don't be like "OMG YOU SUCKKKKKKKKKK!" k? Anyways...)

((UPDATE 1: 10/26/2012; Made it easier to read and edited some parts))

Outside Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville:

“See ya Mr. and Mrs. Apple! You too Granny Smith!” The blue pegasus waved to the farming family, himself being a farmer.

“See you too, Calecune, sonny!” Granny Smith called back as they walked back through the gate leading to the farm. The sign reading “Sweet Apple Acres”.

Calecune walked on, adjusting his black cowpony hat. “Ah… ‘twas a nice day to be apple-bucking… made 1... 2... Carry the 4... 25 bits! Works for me… should last a bit. Heh. Bits, bit… PUN!” He said to himself, walking down the dirt road. “Hehe… Mrs. Apple is pregnant again too! No wonder they keep asking for my help… Didn’t realize that… glad to help, though! Now then… food… need food… ack, can’t say no to a little nap…” He spots a large sturdy-looking tree nearby. “PERFECT!” He flies up into the tree, laying down on a large branch, flipping over on his back and putting his hat over his face and falling asleep fast.

You see, Calecune (or “Cale” as he likes to be called by his friends) is unlike most pegasi… for one he was fostered by an Earth Pony couple… for you see his biological parents were killed by a rogue clan of dragon a long time ago… and this Earth Pony couple just happened to be close friends of his parents… so they took him in soon after the incident.

Cale grew up on the farm, so he knows the value of hard work. He left the farm when he was around 18 years old, setting off on his own… At first it was difficult, finding work in cities like Manehattan, Hoofington, or Fillydelphia… no need for a farmer pony. Then he came upon Ponyville… where he took on odd jobs to earn money for himself… mostly to just support himself. He didn’t have a house… just slept in random trees he found. He spent most of his time working at Sweet apple Acres… a local apple farm just outside Ponyville. He fit right in.

The Apple Family greatly appreciates his help, and he’s become known around Ponyville as a very hard worker and an overall nice stallion. A lot of the mares liked to hang around him, but he really hadn’t taken much interest in them, having had his heart broken so long ago by a yellow pegasus with a mane and tail that resembled fire. He also helps Little Macintosh, The Apple Family’s youngest son, learning the ins and outs of being a farmer when Mr. Apple isn’t around to do so.

Course, in a tree very few took notice of him… which works fine for him… course in due time that would change…

Now, everypony knows the Wonderbolts… fastest and most acrobatic team of ponies in Equestria… Performing shows is tough on a member of the Wonderbolts. So training is key, and Misty knew this by heart. The yellow pegasus joined them just recently, beating out a bunch of other hopefuls for the spot. Naturally, she practiced every day.

She had always wanted to join the Wonderbolts… it was her dream. And when she got the part, she was ecstatic. Course… their training program was harsh. Flying long distances in record times, winged push-ups, it was all intense. Course she pushed on through the pain… and now was a loyal member to them.

The pale yellow pegasus had a light blue-on-teal mane and tail… which was a stark contrast when those looked at her. Definitely attracted some of the stallions… course she ignored them as well, more or less focused on her training. She hadn’t a clue of what would happen though… none at all.

Misty was having the time of her life, doing complex spins and flips… barrel rolls and upside-down flying… course, she was getting a bit exhausted and decided to rest a bit… She spotted what seemed like a perfect little area, shaded by lots of strong, sturdy trees. She took off for them, and tried to land, but tripped immediately, and went sailing into a tree, which fell over.

“OW… Oh buck!” She said, getting up and brushing herself off, picking up her flight goggles that had fallen off. “Well, that went SWELL!” She said, sitting down near a tree, looking around at the scenery. “Beautiful day today…” She sighed, thinking she’d never be as good as the more veteran Wonderbolts, she couldn’t even LAND right… each ended in failure. Usually hurting herself or somepony else...

She sighed again and stood up. “I’ll never nail that landing… BUCK!” She kicked the nearest tree as hard as she could with her back leg, suddenly all went black.

“BUCK!” Cale awoke suddenly when he heard the scream, only to feel his tree suddenly shake and him losing his balance and falling onto… softness? He couldn’t figure it out, the ground was supposed to be hard and… gritty… He got up, dazed and seeing stars in his eyes and felt around… he felt something soft, like cloth, and got up, and shook his head a few times.

What he saw unnerved him, after regaining his vision… he had fallen on somepony! “Oh dear Celestia… What do I do?? WHAT DO I DO-… water, need water!” He scurried off to a nearby river, scooping up water in his hat and returning to the now unconscious pony. He immediately dumps the contents of his hat onto the pony.

“WAAA!” She immediately jumps up and smacked him really hard, out of defense for herself.

“OW!” he said, rubbing his snout. “What the buck was that for?!” He seemed a bit irritated that she had slapped him after HE saved her… technically.

“Oh my gosh! I-I’m sorry!” she looked at him rubbing his nose, “I-I didn’t mean to… it was an accident…”

“Some accident… that hurt!”

“I’m sorry…”

“You’re fine…. What’re you doing out here anyways?”

“OH… I was practicing…” She looked back up at the tree, “What were you doing?”

“Oh…I was napping when it seems you kicked my tree I was sleeping in… then I fell… on you.” He looked her over. She was stunningly… attractive, probably about his age, little shorter than himself… and… that outfit… a Wonderbolt? He couldn’t believe it! Out of all the ponies he could fallen on it was a Wonderbolt!

"I-I’m sorry I kicked your tree... I didn't mean to..." She looked down. He couldn't tell if she was blushing or not.

"Hey, hey... Don't fret! You didn't know..."

"If there's anything I can do to make it up to-... DINNER!" She yelled.

"Make it up to dinner? Heh?" He looked at her oddly.

"Dinner... I mean... Let me treat you to dinner! It’s the least I can do... Being as I disturbed your slumber and what not..." She looked at him and smiled.

"Oh... Umm... I'm... Fine..." Is she asking me out? he thought to himself, "You don't have to do that..."

"Oh it’s my fault for waking you! I want to make up for it and I won't take no for an answer!" She had already started off towards... "Err... Where am I?"

"You're near Ponyville. Unfortunately if you keep going that way you'll just enter the Everfree Forest." He chuckled to himself.

She blushed, although he couldn’t see through her flight suit. “Oh… uh… well then this is awkward…”

He laughed a bit. “Here, I’ll escort you to town… you look like you need a bit of rest after I fell on you!”

“Oh… you don’t have to… you have a house I assume?”

“Uh… no… I don’t” He scratched his head, “I just… sleep in trees when I need to. I don’t have a place of my own at the moment.” He smiled slightly.

“Oh? But why?” She was looking at him with her head cocked to the side.

“Oh, no reason… just really haven’t a use… now c’mon…” He said, taking her hoof and walking her in the opposite direction she was heading.

“Where are we going?” She asked him, clearly forgetting what she offered him.

“Uh… you said you’d buy me dinner… and we really need to make sure I didn’t accidentally damage anything when I fell on you.”

“OH YEAH! I forgot… whoops!” She giggled lightly.

“Heh.” he said to himself, letting go so she could walk herself.

“So… what’s your name?” She asked him, catching up to his fast-paced stride.

“Oh… It’s Calecune. Or ‘Cale’ for short… my closest friends call me ‘Cune’ but I prefer ‘Cale’ better.” He smiled at her warmly, “What’s yours?”

“Misty. I’m a recent recruit to the Wonderbolts…”

“Oh Celestia I LOVE the Wonderbolts! Been to a ton of their shows! Maybe I seen you there!” Maybe this day will turn out better than I thought…

“Oh, I‘ve only been in a few shows so far… More of the halftime show than anything…”

“…oh… I usually go and stuff my face with nachos when that happens…” He hung his head a bit after saying that, thinking he offended her.

“Oh, it’s fine really… I don’t mind. I’m getting better… it’s just I missed the landing back there whilst practicing and kicked your tree in frustration… Which I’m still REALLY sorry about…”

“Calm down, geeze… you sound like a broken record… in a good way of course, heh…” Better not try and blow this… She’s offering to buy me dinner… She is really attractive though… ack, get a hold of yourself Cale… You said you weren’t gonna date anypony after… her… But what if this is second chance for me? Better try and not screw it up… see where this takes me… “…But I don’t mind, honestly… the only way anypony woulda known I was up there is if they looked straight up… which nopony does.”

“If you say so…” He is kinda cute… change subject… Course this is the only way I know of to repay him… Could invite him to my place back in Cloudsdale… nah, he wouldn’t agree to it… wow he seems strong… a really good-looking stallion at that… handsome too… She was totally lost in thought.

“So then… how’s it like… being a Wonderbolt and all?” He thought he caught a glimpse of her checking him out. Must be my head playing tricks on me… that was one hard fall… Yeesh…

She snapped out of her trance as her eyes immediately focus back on his face. “Oh… I-its awesome! I love it! Being able to fly free and do tricks and stuff… it’s awesome! You look like you could fly very well!”

“Oh… uh… I’m… not a good flier. These wings… almost never used so they barely have enough muscle to even lift me off the ground. Nah, it’s the rest of me that strongest… I do odd jobs and work on a farm for a living.” He looked off into the sky.

“Oh…” A pegasus that can’t fly? Wow… that’s… odd… He seems really nice, though…

“…Anyways we’re almost to Ponyville… I think you’ll be fine… I don’t see any adverse effects from the impact.”

“Oh ok… Ummm… You point out the restaurants… I’ve only been to Ponyville once…” She looked at the town covered in the sun’s orange glow. It was getting late.

“Okie dokie then… Umm… There’s a really nice diner not too far from here…” He looked to a rather large building draped in white, green, and red.

“Ooooh! That one right there?” She asked him eagerly.

“Mmmmhmm…”

“WELL C’MON!” She grabbed his hoof and literally dragged him down to the entrance of the restaurant, his face smashed into the ground.

After realizing she’d done that she quickly backed up. “Oh my gosh!” She put her hooves over her mouth.

Cale stood up, and shook the dirt off his coat, and spit out some grass he caught on the drag up there, “Pfft… peh… patooey… Calm down a bit… If I didn’t know any better I’d say you’ve developed a crush on me…” Good going Cale…

She blushed deeply. “O-oh u-uh I-I’m just doing this… because I feel like I owe you for… disturbing your slumber!” Better not rush things, Misty... you're in no position to be dating at this moment... even if the stallion in front of you is extremely cute...

“Anyways…” He walks up to the pony standing by the door ready to seat the next pony. “Table for two, please.” He told him.

“Right this sir and Madame…” He led them to a fancy booth and laid two menus down on the table.

“I’ll be right back… restroom!” Misty bolted off towards the mare’s room and Cale sat down and looked at the waiter, “Nice accent Mark.”

“Do you really think so? The boss says I need to practice on it…” He seemed to lose his Italian accent rather quickly.

“Haha… It suits you…”

“You really think so? Oh right… who was that beauty you walked in with?” He asked him.

“Her name’s Misty… she’s Wonderbolt…”

“Fine piece of work she is as well… how’d you score?”

“Well… this isn’t a date. She offered to buy me dinner after knocking me out of my tree on accident.”

“Dude… you should keep her.”

“Oh?”

“Ch’ya… Who knows, this could be a way of forgetting about Spi-”

“SHHH… I told you not to mention her name… I don’t wanna go through that again…”

“Then get this mare before another stallion snatches her up!”

“Like you?”

“Oh well uh… Dill wouldn’t appreciate that…”

“I thought you broke up with her?”

“Almost… oh, here she comes, dude. I’m serious… Grab her and don’t let go. Now, what shall we have, mademoiselle?”

Misty took her seat across from Cale, Looking at the waiter she tells him, “Well… just a… daffodil and daisy sandwich, hay bacon strips, and a tall glass of apple cider.”

“Cider? Whoa. Didn’t see that coming… anyways I‘ll have the same…” Maybe he was right… I should try and see if I can get her… Celestia be my witness…

“Cale?” She giggled.

He jumped at the sound of his name. “Oh, oh uh… sorry, got lost there for a moment…”

“This place is nice…” She changed the subject rather quickly.

“Ya… I come here for their breakfast… eat lunch at the farm where I’m employed… and dinner at my friend Shade’s house.”

“So… you work on a farm?” she eyed him as he removed his hat and laid it aside.

“Yep… every day. I’m also a tutor to their youngest son, and only son… Teaching him about farm life… I grew up on one.”

“So you grew up on one? But you’re a pegasi! You have wings!”

“Ya, so? I lived with Earth Ponies… They were my… foster parents, per say.”

“Foster… wait you’re adopted?”

“More or less orphaned… my parents died soon after I was born.”

“Oh… uh… s-sorry I asked…”

“Nah, you’re fine…” He looked her over.

“…Getting kinda hot in here isn’t it?” She said, fanning herself.

“A little bit.” He said, eyeing her.

“Mind if I take my outfit off? It’s getting a bit stuffy…” She said, unzipping the front.

“Oh.. Uh… I don’t… whoa.” He watched as she slipped out of her suit, her mane falling freely for a change, as she revealed she was a beautiful pale yellow, and, quite frankly, the most beautiful mare he’d ever laid eyes on.

She laid it next to her and pulled a brush from her pocket in it and began brushing her hair. “Something the matter?” She giggled.

Cale hadn’t a clue that his mouth was wide open. Here he was, sitting in front of this exquisite-looking mare and he couldn’t speak! She was everything… well, everything he liked in a mare, appearance-wise... And she was very nice too, course… he’d have to get use to her. Maybe if he could ‘provoke’ her to buy him dinner again…

“What, too much?” she looked at him, giggling, “Close your mouth, or flies might get in.”

Cale regained his composure and redirected his attention away from the stunning mare, “No… not at all.” He smiled weakly. Nice save, Cale, nice save…

“You know… this is nice. It really is.” Cale looked at her as he said this, her glistening light-blue mane flowing through the bristles of her brush.

“Well, it should be!” She put her brush away and looked up at him.

“Heh?” he was puzzled.

“How many ponies get treated to dinner by a Wonderbolt?” She smiled slyly.

“Heh… didn’t think about that.” The waiter had just set out their drinks. “Thank ya…” Cale took a large sip through the straw and gagged, Misty couldn’t help but laugh.

“WHAT THE…. Oh… this isn’t my drink…” He had apparently stuck his straw not in his drink, but, mesmerized by her looks, stuck it In the randomly open ketchup bottle! “Bleh…” he returned his straw to his actual drink this time, turning a deep rose red.

“I’m sorry but that’s hilarious!” She couldn’t quit laughing, this only made Cale blush deeper.

Cale continued to sip his drink slowly, as Misty calmed herself down and took to looking around at the other ponies in the restaurant. Finally, their food arrived. “ABOUT TIME!” Cale said enthusiastically.

Mark set their food down and then hastily stepped away, Cale stared at his food as it was going to do a trick of some sort.

“Cat got your tongue?” Misty asked, picking up her sandwich.

“Ladies, first.” It’s all he could think of but he said it with a smile.

Misty giggles and took a bite of her sandwich, of which Cale then took a bite of his.

They both remain silent for much of the meal, both pegasi enjoying their food whilst they looked into each other’s eyes. After a while all that was left was a few crumbs and a random rock Cale got in his sandwich, which nearly broke his teeth.

Cale was still busy rubbing his sore tooth when another waiter laid their bill on the table. Cale reached under his black Stetson and pulled out his wallet, only to be shooed back by Misty’s hoof, “Oh no you don’t, I said I was gonna pay for this meal so allow me, Monsieur.” She reached into her Wonderbolts outfit and pulled out her checkbook from the chest area and wrote out a quick check, placing it in the bill holder and setting it back down, putting her checkbook away. She also proceeded to fold her outfit up as well, “Welp, might as well keep it off… gets hot in there at times.” She giggled as she laid it on the table, folded neatly.

“I bet.” Cale hopped out of his seat and took the bill up to the counter and within a few seconds walked back to the table, “Shall we?” he said, extending a hoof and helping her out of her seat.

“Delighted!” she grabbed her suit and held his hoof to support herself as she got down from the booth.

They both walked to the front, and stood there for a minute outside the entrance and looked at each other.

“Um… That was nice! Thanks…” Cale scratched the back of his head nervously.

“I enjoyed it as well, Cale… We’ll… have to do this again sometime.” She threw her suit over her shoulder.

“Oh, no, no, no… I shouldn’t burden you like that.” He looked back at her.

“OH, I’m sure my leader won’t mind… I take off for a week soon, maybe we should get together then… You’re nice to hang out with… I need someone to help me forget about work sometimes.”

“Really, now?”

“Mhmm.” She nodded and spread her wings, “I’m afraid I’ve kept you too long, I must get back to Cloudsdale…”

“Aww…. Won’t… won’t you stay for a little longer?”

“I’m afraid I can’t, Cale… I’m sorry. I’ll keep in touch, though… until then bye!” and with that she flew away. Cale watched her silhouette in the moonlight, slowly getting smaller and smaller until she disappeared from his sight. Cale sighed to himself and stepped off the front entrance to the restaurant.

“Dude… I’ll take her if you won’t.”

“Shut up, Mark.”