Roots

Applejack trotted down the road towards Sweet Apple Acres, a relived smile spreading across her muzzle. Grass Roots was doing fine, and it was surprising how positive he was after all of this. Tomorrow was going to be interesting. It was all very strange, how a stallion could get hurt badly, lose his booth, and then get fired in a span of two days and still have a smile on his face. His positivity was very contagious, that was for sure.

As she entered the farm, she spotted Big Macintosh and Caramel standing by the barn having a talk, and she decided to say hello.

“Howdy, fellas!”, she called to them as she got closer.

They looked towards her and smiled, waving at her as she got to them.

“Hey there, boys, what’s goin’ on with y’all?”, she asked them:

“Well, Ah was just telling Big Mac about my friend, Roots”, said Caramel.

“Wait a minute, you know Grass Roots?”, Applejack asked with surprise.

“Oh yeah, Ah’ve known him for years. He’s one of my best friends. Noteworthy, Stitch, and I all visited him today. He was looking positive, that’s for sure”, Caramel said back.

“Ah see, well Ah visited him too. Ah did yesterday too, but he was in much better spirits today. He told me to not feel bad about all this. Ah tried, but Ah still do, honestly. Ah had to deliver some bad news to him, though”, she looked ashamed as she spoke.

“What’s the bad news, AJ?”, Big Mac asked.

“Well, see after his booth was destroyed, the owner of the market terminated the position”, Applejack sadly said.

“They fired him?!”, Caramel asked loudly.

“Yeah Mel, they did. That made me feel horrible, but he took it in stride. Ah then made him an offer. Last night, Ah spoke to Granny about all this, and she brought up how one of our farmhands quit, and suggested that we give Grass Roots the job”, Applejack explained.

Caramel and Big Mac seemed very content with her story and the offer.

“Ah think we should”, Big Mac spoke up, “Ah remember seeing him a few times, he really knows how to take care of fruit, always making sure they’re fresh, ripe, or clean. He’s perfect for this job”.

“Ah agree with Mac, he deserves it”, said Caramel.

“Well luckily for y’all, he accepted. Ah don’t actually know when he’ll be recovered, but Ah plan to visit everyday to check on him”, Applejack said.

The two stallions nodded, and the three split off to their own work. After a few hours of bucking, cleaning apples, and sorting them, it was dinner time. As everypony sat at the table and enjoyed our meal, Granny Smith spoke up.

“Ah have to ask you a question, Applejack, did Mr. Roots accept our offer?”, she asked her granddaughter.

“He did, Granny. In fact, he was very positive despite his firing and circumstances. It was honestly a bit inspirin”, Applejack admitted.

“He’s always been that way”, Caramel spoke up, “He barely lets anything get to him, and Ah’ve only known one thing that does get to him”.

“What might that be, Caramel?”, Applejack asked.

Caramel then remembered his friends secret, and thanked his lucky starts that he didn’t blurt it out.

“Well, uh, I promised not to tell anypony. It’s very personal to him”, Caramel recovered.

“Well alright, Ah ain’t gonna pressure you. It surprises me that something can get to a stallion that’s as strong as him”, Applejack said.

Caramel nodded and dinner went on as usual. After the table was cleaned, Applejack found herself sitting at the table, thinking about Grass Roots.

Her mind wandered to the way he looked at her, and she noticed that he always looked like he was in awe of her. She didn’t understand, so she decided that tomorrow, after her visit, she would visit Rarity. If there was any mare that knew about this kind of thing.

———————————————————————

“I just think she’s amazing, Notes. Everything about her is very lovely, and I mean everything”, Grass Roots said to Noteworthy.

Noteworthy was visiting Roots in the mid morning of the next day, and they were discussing the recent presence of Applejack.

“Man, I don’t know what’s gotten into you all of the sudden. I haven’t heard you talk like this in years. What’s in those painkillers, huh?”, Notes joked.

“Very funny, Notes. I’m sorry if I seem a bit lovestruck, it’s just I never thought she’d know my name, let alone be my friend. It’s all very surreal to me”, Grass Roots admitted.

Noteworthy laughed a little.

“Yeah, I understand. I’m happy for you, Roots. Though, I’m sorry it had to happen like this”, Noteworthy said.

“Why is everypony saying sorry? Sure, I bruised myself pretty bad and I lost my job, but some good came from it right? Not only with Applejack, but I get a better job too!”, Roots said excitedly.

“What do you mean? You lost your job?”, Noteworthy asked.

“Well, after I found out about my job, Applejack offered me a job working on her farm. I accepted, seeing as how I love their apples”, Roots explained.

“Hold on a minute, why did you lose your job? I’m happy for you and everything, but why did your boss fire you?”, Noteworthy’s confusion was clear.

“My booth got destroyed, and he terminated the position. He was actually going to fire me that day, but the accident happened. Applejack found that out, by the way, she went to him yesterday”, Roots explained.

Noteworthy nodded, until they heard the room door opened, and in walked Applejack.

“Howdy, Roots”, she said, then soon noticed Noteworthy, “Uh, hello there. Ah don’t believe Ah know you, who might you be?”.

“My name is Noteworthy, I’m Roots’ best friend. I’ve heard a lot about you, Ms. Applejack”, Noteworthy politely said.

“Shucks, you ain’t gotta call me that. Anyway, how are ya doin’ Roots? Feeling a little better?”, Applejack asked.

“Yeah, I’m doing fine. Nurse Healing Heart says that I should be out of here by next week. That’s some good news, right?”, Roots said.

“You bet it is! Good to know that you’re healing right. Anyway, I just wanted to see you for a second, Ah have some errands Ah need to run. Take care, you two!”, she said and then exited the room.

When she was gone, Noteworthy looked at Grass Roots, and just like he’d expected, he had a big smile.

“Well, aren’t you happy?”, Noteworthy asked his friend.

“You bet I am, Notes”, Roots smiled.

———————————————————————

About an hour later, Applejack was in front of the Carousel Boutique. She walked into the shop and found Rarity sitting on her sofa, reading a book.

“Well, hello Applejack! I didn’t expect you here, today. Tell me, how are you on this wonderful Sunday afternoon?”, Rarity asked.

“Ah’m doin’ fine Rares, just needed to ask you something”, Applejack said a bit shyly.

“Now, Applejack, you don’t need to be shy. I’m here for you and our other friends. Tell me, what is it you need to ask me about?”, the generous mare asked.

“Well first, did you hear about the accident at the market two days ago?”, Applejack asked.

“Yes, I do believe I did. The poor fruit vendor got ran over by a cart while protecting a foal. Very courageous of him, I must say”, Rarity said.

“Yeah, well...That was mah cart. One of our cows got loose and hitched itself to it, then it got free and sent the cart towards the market, injuring Grass Roots and destroying his booth”, Applejack said sadly.

“Oh my! Applejack, don’t feel bad about this, alright? It was an accident. By the way, how do you know his name? I’ve never seen you go anywhere near his booth before”, Rarity asked curiously.

“Ah’ve been visiting him the hospital, just checking to see if he’s alright. He said today that he should be out soon. After his booth got destroyed, his boss fired him, so I offered him a job, which he accepted”, Applejack finished.

“Well, Applejack, that’s very generous of you. I must ask, though, why come to me with this? Not that I’m complaining, I’m just a tad confused”, Rarity said.

“Well, here’s the thing. The first time I went to see him, Ah saw this look in his eyes. It looked like he was in awe of me or somethin’. I don’t know if it was the accident, or if it was something else. Ah still see it in his eyes, even today”, Applejack explained.

Rarity perked up and smiled at her friend.

“Why are you lookin’ at me like that?”, Applejack asked in confusion.

“Applejack, I think he’s infatuated with you”, Rarity said.

This took Applejack by surprise.

“Dear, it’s nothing to be surprised about. You’re a very good looking mare, what stallion wouldn’t find you attractive?”, Rarity said supportively.

“Rares, Ah’m more surprised that he’d have a crush on me. I ain’t never seen him around before, so how would he know me?”, Applejack asked.

“Does he have a green coat and yellow hair?”, Rarity asked.

Applejack nodded.

“Well then yes, I know who you’re talking about. As long as I’ve been here, he’s been here as well. I believe we went to school together. He’s a pretty good vendor. He’s never pushy or mean, he’s nice and takes care of his product”, Rarity explained.

Applejack was really confused. If he had been here all this time, why didn’t she notice?

“In fact”, Rarity began, “I believe you put him on a team during Twilight’s first Winter Wrap Up”.

Applejack’s eyes widened a bit. She thought back to it, and she remembered seeing a stallion that looked similar to him. Green coat, yellow hair, and a root Cutie Mark. She then remembered that during the chaos, she ran past a stallion stuck in a ditch gutter, again bearing similar features to Grass Roots.

“Oh my stars, Ah think Ah left him in a ditch during that”, Applejack sweat dropped.

“Applejack, I think he may like you. If it’s awe that’s his eyes, then that proves it. I say when the time is right, you ask him about it”, Rarity suggested.

“Hold on, Rarity! Ah don’t even know how Ah feel about him. Sure he’s strong minded stallion and he’s been nothing but polite, but Ah haven’t known him long enough to decide”, said Applejack.

Rarity nodded, then an idea came to her head.

“How about you and I go to see him together tomorrow? I have all my all order completed, so I have nothing to do”, Rarity suggested.

“You sure, Rares? Ah don’t even know if he’ll remember you”, Applejack said.

“Well, we were in school together for about twelve years. Maybe he will, maybe he won’t, but I just want to see this look you keep describing”, Rarity explained.

Applejack thought about it, and then spoke.

“Alright Rares, you can come. I don’t want you mentioning anything, though. Ah know how you are with romance and what not”, Applejack firmly said.

“Oh thank you, Applejack! You have my word, I won’t mention a thing”, Rarity said.

Applejack sighed; it was gonna be a very interesting Monday.