Chivalry Reborn

Chapter 11:

Down on the Farm

A I ran down the dirt trail from the town, I could see the area around me slowly change from town buildings and passerby ponies shift to what seemed like an army of trees. Hundreds of apple trees began to surround me, as I got closer to Sweet Apple Acres. Slowly to a light jog, I made an estimate of how long this place went on for. My eyesight couldn’t account for all the apple trees that covered the hills of the area. It must have taken a long to grow and maintain all these trees, though. That fact I was sure of.

As the path began to widen, and I could see the exit from the small forest of apple trees, I slowed once more to a normal walking pace. The trail led into an dirt opening. On the left, I could see a white fence with cattle herded inside.  Straight ahead stood a big red barn, probably the one I  saw from Ponyville. It had what do expect from any barn: big front doors with an opening at the top, where there sat an small array of flowers in a pot with an apple insignia on it.

To the right I could see some little shacks with bales of hay sitting neatly near each one.  From inside one of these huts, came out a crimson coated stallion. He was pretty big for his kind, I could tell. Strong looking form, with an orange mane that ruffled in the front land went down the back of his head kind of like how my black hair did with me; though his tail was kind of short, it didn’t go down past the marking of a green apple on his flank (Seriously. Tattoos. Why?) He was pulling out a plow, which dug into the ground behind him like it really didn’t want to go anywhere.  A fellow worker here, maybe?

I strode up towards him to ask him if he’d seen Applejack. Maybe he knows where she normally does this time of day. “Excuse me?” I call out politely.

The farmer stopped, letting his grip on the reigns of the plow out of his mouth. He turned slowly, looking at me with a look that pretty much said he was a easygoing guy. His dark green eyes were relaxed, as they looked in my direction.

“Eeeeyup,” he answered me with a simple response, looking at me like I was just another pony stopping by. He had the voice of a farmer, with that slightly deep voice and the accent that filled Applejack’s and Apple Blooms voices. He even had a grain of wheat sticking out of his mouth, that most farmers are shown with. “What can I do ya fer, stranger?”

“Yeah, I stopped by here to talk to a farmpony named Applejack.” I explained my situation to him, dipping my right hand in my pocket and scratching the back of my head. He seemed like a pretty cool guy. “She said I had some work to do around here in Sweet Apple Acres.”

He blinked, thinking about how truthful I was being. “Ya’ll that thang I saw fallin’ from the sky the other day?” He asked. With that question, I guess this is that “Big Maintosh” character that Applejack said saw me fall.

“Yeah, that’d be me.” I sighed, remembering hitting that tree on the landing. I move my hand from my head to shoulder instinctively, massaging it slowly. “No idea how I got up there though.” The red horse nodded his head in approval, probably more on the fact that he was right about what he saw and not about my incident. “So, do you know she is?”

“Eeeeeyup,“ he said the same line again, turning around and heading towards the barn. Apparently “Eeyup” was his version of my “Ya-huh.” “Wait here. Ah’ll go get her for ya.” He spoke in a cool tone, as he began to walk into the barn, at his own leisurely pace.

“Ya-huh,” I just follow his instruction, stretching my arms above my head, and sticking my hands back in my pockets, waiting patiently.

As the minutes passed, I watched the clouds roll by, thinking about the residents of this weird town. The locals were as Twilight and the Princess had said: they were  indeed quite friendly.  They gave me a weird look when I first came, sure, but that’s anyone’s reaction and more if a talking horse fell from the sky onto Earth.  Hell, if that happened, the poor thing would probably have disappeared into some laboratory to be experimented on and taken apart.

I still don’t know why I’m here though. Celestia said there were more answers in my own head than from her, right? So why am I even more confused than before? From I remember there were three ponies….soldiers, I think. They were running from two things….monsters.  The monsters were beating on one of them, while the other watched, and then…..

My head is killing me….

I rub my head slowly, turning my head downward at the ground. I shake my head to get the phase of pain out. It hurts to remember. I can remember only bits and pieces of my dreams. How am I supposed to remember something that disappears as soon as I wake up!? I open my eyes, sighing. This is getting hopeless. I should just accept that I’m stuck here, forever

I stare at the shadow of an apple tree, going back to waiting in silence. But then I noticed something wasn’t right here. I glance around  the field. Nothing seemed out of place. I scratch my head, looking around so more. Maybe I’m just a little paranoid. Then I noticed what was missing.

I don’t see my shadow anywhere.

I glance around, both confused and afraid. My shadow had to be cast SOMEWHERE. The suns hitting my entire body. There is NO excuse for it to be missing. I stop, realizing I’m letting myself get a little too freaked over this.

Okay Winston, relax. There has to be a reasonable explanation for why my shadow isn’t here. Now, first I look directly at my feet….

I look at my shoes. There’s a small ray of darkness stretching from them to the north.

Good. Now to just simply trance it, and I’ll find my shadow right the-

Well, it was there, alright. It just wasn’t a human’s.

I stared at what I was looking it, slacking my jaw slightly. There, in the place of my shadow, was a horse’s. Only the hind legs were with my feet, the forelegs stood in a little ahead of my body planted on the ground on all fours. It had my hair, wings and a horn, just like the one stealing my reflection.

I blink, stepping a few steps back slowly. The stallion followed my lead, never missing my feet. I rub my eyes slowly. Am I going insane?  I look at my hand, wiggling the fingers.  I tilt my head to the side to look at what the silhouette was doing. It had one of its forelegs up to its face, as it head its head tilted down at it.

….I don’t get this.

“Well, howdy there, Winston!” A feminine southern accent came from ahead of me.

I look up to see Applejack, smiling at me with her hat tilted slightly downward. She was pulling a large cart behind her, probably to use to carry the apples back and forth.  “Here ta learn how ta applebuck, ah reckon?”

I just look at her, expressionless. “Yeah,” I solemnly respond. “Say Applejack, what do I look like to you..?”

She looked confused at the question. “Ya’ll look like nothin’ I’ve ever dun laid eyes on. You claimed to be a human, with yer two long legs and two of those….things on your forelegs.”

“Hands, Applejack.” I corrected her without thinking about it. So, Applejack sees me as a human. Good. “And what do you see as my shadow?”

She seemed to be looking at me like I should have been in the nuthouse. “Yer shadow’s just the same as yer body, I’d say.” She answered me slowly, unsure where I was going with this. “Ya’ll okay, Winston? I think today might not be a good day for applebuckin’ for ya.”

“No, no, I’m fine.” I looked back behind my shoulder. The horse was still there in the place of my shadow. “Just wondering if I was seeing things for a moment.”

She can see me as my normal shape, body and shadow alike. Yet it was still there, following my every move. Maybe I really am losing my wits.

I quickly changed the topic back to working. “So, anyway, are we gonna buck, or what?”

The cowpony looked at me, slightly doubting my words. “Yeah, I suppose.” She began to turn slightly and head towards the entrance to the forest of apple trees. “Just don’t overdo it, ya hear?”

“Crystal.”  I walk behind the cart she towed inside, once again entering the apple-filled safari area.

As we walked a few miles into the forest, we slowed to a stop at a few trees that each had three small wooden baskets underneath them, each positioned under a cluster of apples grouped together.

Applejack slowed down, removing the metal harness from around her torso. She turned her head over shoulder, looking at my condition.

“Now ya’ll absolutely certain you’re okay to applebuck?” She still sounded uncertain about me exerting myself. “We can always do this another time.”

I sighed deeply. This was already the third time she’s asked me if I was okay to work. “Yes, Applejack. I am absolutely, positively sure that I’m okay to kick a tree.”

“Well, alright…” Sounding reluctant, she turned back, walking towards the first tree. “Just watch how I do it first, jus so ya’ll know the technique.”

She then proceeded to pivot around, lift up her left hind leg and slam it against the tree, making the plant shake violently from the sheer force.

WHAM!

The apples broke free, seemingly all at once, falling into each of the baskets like rain from a thunderstorm.

“….Wow.” I whispered to myself. I stood there, amazed. She only kicked the tree once, and made every single apple from that tree! Just how much muscle was in this mare!? Actually, no I take that question back. I don’t wanna know.

“Tain’t nothing compared to what my big brother Macintosh can do!” She smiled with modest pride, trotting my way while carrying one of the now full baskets. “He could buck four trees in a line at once with a single go! Y’all should watch him sometime!”

I’d rather not. I might get my face rocked off.

“Alright now, now it’s your turn, partner.” Applejack nudged at the tree next to the one she just bucked. “Give it a shot at that one, thar.”

“You got it.” I approached the tree, turning around to face away from it. Okay, now just put all your strength into your left leg, and…

I kicked the trunk of the tree with all I had.

Thnk

It felt like I broke every bone in my leg for a second.

“….” Applejack winced at how I jumped slightly at the shock of pain shooting up my leg in utter silence.

I limp forward slightly. Okay, ow. Maybe that wasn’t the way for me to do it. I glance back at the baskets under the tree. Not a single apple fell. I sigh, looking back down at the ground. I had failed epically.

“Now don’t you fret, Sugarcube.” Applejack tried to comfort me. “It took years for me to be able to buck the way I do now. Y’all just need a couple more weeks of-”

“RAAAAAH!”

WHUMP!

I had turned around, cutting off Applejack’s sentence, nailing the tree full force with a downward hook from my left hand: my best striking motion.

Several apples fell from the tree, and fell into the baskets below. A lot stayed, clinging to the branches, but I didn’t care. As long as I got even one down, it was fine. I just didn’t want to fail completely.

“Well, wouldja lookie here~,” Applejack chuckled at the sight of my aspiration.  “Winston’s got a slight knack for applebucking!”

“Ha, you think so, huh?” I laughed a little too, smiling at my small victory. My hand was pretty banged up, though. It had several small scratches from the bark, and was on the verge or bleeding, but I can deal with a little pain. I should be able to get used to this kind of work with a little time. After all, I lived here now.

“Now then, finish up this’un, and we can move onto tha next one.” The orange pony gave me my next order of business, dumping the apples into the cart and moving back to her tree, grabbing a new basket with her mouth.

“Yes’m!” I called back, going into a boxing position and lashing out a right jab at the bark.

“Ha….Haa….Oowwwwch~” I shake my numb hands back awake, sitting on a tree stump. My hands feel like they wanna fall off at the drop of a hat.

I look back at the work me and AJ had done. 57 trees were now fruitless, Applejack bucking 50 of them off, and as for myself, I could only muster seven before I couldn’t feel my hands anymore. Applejack left a few minutes ago to go get a first-aid kit.

Striking from an arc seemed to solve my problem with rocking the tree with enough force to make the apples fall off. I had went into delivering several jabs, hooks, and kicks to make the apples release the branches. The faster I hit in a succession, the more force the tree rocked. It seemed to work for me for now.

I look up at the sky. The sun’s moved from one side of the sky, to the other. That must mean it’s the afternoon. I look down at my watch for a specific time. 2:43P.M. I nodded my head in approval. I’ve been doing this for 2 hours straight. I expected to call it quit after the first half hour. I lasted longer than I thought with a little ambition.

Applejack hurried back to me with the first-aid kit in her mouth, placing it down next to me. “Ah can’t believe you, “She muttered at me, huffing at me like a teacher to a bad student. “going out and busted up your hooves like that.“

They're called *hands*, I told you. My mind retorted for my lips to say, but I didn't allow them to.

She began to rant at me, while I sat there, treating myself. It’s only to be expected, anyway. She has no idea how to treat something she’s never seen before.

“Ya’ll cain’t force yerself to do more than what ya can do. Believe me, ah’ve tried.” She looked to the side, faintly noticeably blushing to herself at the memory. “It didn’t end too well.”

“What’d you-tssk! - do, ruin the town in some kind of sleep deprived frenzy or something?” I spoke as I dabbed some alcohol on the cuts my knuckles and fingers.

Applejack stepped back slightly, surprised. “How’d ya know? Did Pinkie Pie tell you?”

Wait, *what*?

I paused for a second, stopping the process of wrapping up my fingers in bandages. I looked at the flustered pony, questioning what she just said. “You mean to tell me that you WRECKED THE TOWN from applebucking?” I said in a loud, unbelieving tone.

Applejack’s face lit up, glowing as red as the apples we collected. “It wan’t like that! Ah needed to gather all tha apples for Applebuck Season, ya see, and Big Macintosh was hurt, so-“

I sighed, raising my right semi-bandaged hand to stop her from babbling to explain herself. I could understand why she did it then. She probably had worked herself to the bone so her brother could rest. I used to do that every time my mom would become ill. I'd run around the house, doing her chores, as well as mine, so she could sleep easy in bed. I usually ended up exhausted and with a small case of the sniffles of my own, but I felt happy I could help my mom in any way.

“I get it, you worked twice as hard for your brother,” I spoke quietly, going back to covering my wounds. “And I respect that. I’m glad you had the heart to do that for your brother, AJ.” I finished up wrapping my knuckles, cutting the rest of the roll off with my trusty throwing knife.  As another small chance to tease somepony popped into my head, I began to smirk playfully. “Just try not to ruin the town next time you try something like that.”

Applejack just turned right around, pushing her hat against her face to hide it. “Oh hush, and git back to patchin’ yerself up, ya idjit!” She kicked me in the knee lightly.

“Ah! Hey!” I snipped at her, chuckling.  I rubbed my knee lightly. “I’m still hurt here, mind you!”

“If ya’ll can buck seven trees clean, ya’ll can take one kick to the knee.” She spat back, obviously annoyed by being embarrassed by a newcomer.

“Ya-huh, sure.” I murmured to myself, starting on my other hand.

Within a few minutes, I had finished tending to my hands. I had wrap my hands in a fashion so that I could cover the wounds completely, but at the same time, still use my hands to perform tasks. Each finger was wrapped individually, while the knuckles were covered by wrapping the bandage between my thumb and index finger.

As I checked my handiwork, I heard a familiar bubbly voice springing towards Applejack and I. “Finally, I found you!”

Oh, Christ, here we go…

It was Pinkie Pie, bouncing her way down the path towards where I sat . “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“Looking for who?” I asked, though I knew the answer.

“You, silly!” She pointed her hoof at me giggling, grabbing me by the shirt collar with her hoof. (Again, what the hell!?) “Come on! We’ve gotta go!”

“Hey, hey!” I yelped in protest, starting to get dragged by the abnormally haired mare. “Go to what?”

“The PARTY, of course! Don’t tell me you forgot!” She said hastily, starting to go into a gallop. “Now, hurry! You’ve got a Pinkie Party to have!”

I groan to myself, letting myself get dragged along. I could see Applejack start laughing to herself, as she began to follow us towards Sugarcube Corner, towards what I suspect to be a very crazy party.