Apples'n'Wrenches

Chapters

Chapter 1: Introductions
Chapter 2: All in a Day's Work.
Chapter 3: School Days are Nuts
Chapter 4: Party Foal
Chapter 5: Mixed feelings are a Rarity
Chapter 6: Fair Game
Chapter 7: Flowers for my Darling
Chapter 8: Hat Trick
Chapter 9: Where we left off...

Chapter 1: Introductions

Apples ‘N Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 1: Introductions

“Granny! The rusty ol’ water pump is broken again!” Applebloom shouted back at the porch. She gave the pump a kick in one last attempt but it still wouldn’t yield.

Granny Smith sat in a rocking chair on the front porch, soaking in the warmth of the sun and glancing out at the farm. It was a gorgeous day; the skies were clear and there was a light breeze blowing through Sweet Apple Acres.

“Maybe you should go into town dear and get some help from the repair shop… Don’t go alone, though.” Granny said.

Applebloom walked back to the porch, “Where’s Applejack?” she questioned in a particularly adorable manner.

“I think she went off to visit with her friends dear… maybe Big Mac can take you instead?” Granny said.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac said, walking out of the house. Applebloom gestured for Big Mac to follow her and they left the farm closing the gate behind them.

“Be back by sunset!” Granny Smith said. Applebloom and Big Mac trotted off towards Ponyville leaving Granny to doze off in her chair. Ponyville was a good twenty minutes away from Sweet Apple Acres, so they took their time.

The repair shop was located in the center of town just past the marketplace. It was a fairly sized crimson building that stood out among the more common housing in town. A huge wooden sign hung over the door, which read, “Hammerplank’s Supplies and Repair”. There was a mailbox next to the door which at the moment was empty. A smaller sign in the nearby window read, “Yes, we’re open”. Big Mac and Applebloom stepped into the shop; a small bell chimed as the door swung open.

“Be with ya’ in a sec!” a stallion’s voice rang out from behind a workbench near the back of the shop.

“Nope… no… that won’t do... darn it, I coulda’ sworn it was here..!” the voice said in a frustrated tone, clinking metallic sounds could be heard as he was obviously sifting through a toolbox.

“Hey Big Bro, will this work?” A noticeably smaller, younger voice asked.

“Nope. Not unless we can use pliers to twist in a screw on that wheel.” The first voice replied. An average sized stallion got up from under the bench and ran a hoof through his mane. He was a denim-blue pony with a charcoal-black mane that was long and unkempt since more often than not he was probably too busy with work and didn’t have time to look after it. His tail was scruffy and of medium length, and his eyes were grey which shined like dusty pearls. On his flank was a small, grey wrench, a clear indicator of his attributes. He wore a typical worker’s vest with a name-tag that read, “Ficks”. He looked very tall for a stallion but Big Mac still dwarfed him immensely. A smaller colt appeared behind him. He was a much lighter blue with a scruffy navy blue mane that seemed to be all over the place. His eyes were a deep amber color, and His flank was marked with a small, grey hexagonal nut. Clearly, he was a relative and pupil of Ficks.

“Nut, I need the torque wrench. Any chance you have it hidin’ somewhere in your room?” Ficks asked.

“Nuh-uh. I remember last time I did that, Uncle ‘Plank gave me quite a fuss ‘bout misplacing his tools.” Nut said with some remorse.

“I remember that. Don’t think you were the only one who got that talk.” Ficks said with a smile, elbowing his little brother. “Anyhow see if you can’t find it while I take care of this costum-“, Ficks looked up to see a familiar red stallion standing in front of him. “By Celestia, Big Mac? No way!” Ficks said with glee.

“Eeyup!” Big Macintosh said.

“Wow, it’s been forever since I last saw you, how ya’ been doin’? Ficks asked in a cheerful manner.

“Mighty fine; will admit though, hasn’t been the same without’cha.” Big Mac replied.
Ficks looked down at Big Mac’s side to see the yellow and red filly with a confused expression on her face.

“And who might this be?” Ficks asked.

“My name’s Applebloom!” She answered.

Ficks extended a hoof out to Applebloom, “Well it’s nice to meet’cha Applebloom. Name’s Ficksitup but you can call me Ficks.” He said.

“Pleasure to meet’cha!” Applebloom said rather happily.

Nuttanbolt decided to poke his head out to see what was going on and who Ficks was talking to. Before he could ask, Big Mac beat him to the punch.

“Who’s this little guy?” Big Mac asked.

Nut introduced himself. “I’m Nuttanbolt, Ficks’ little brother.” He said with an easily detectable semblance of pride.

“I’m Big Macintosh. I’m an old friend of your brother Ficks. Nice to meet you.” The Red Stallion remarked.

Applebloom inspected Nut head to hoof, only to find that he too already had his Cutie Mark, much to her dismay. “Aw, come on! This one’s got a Cutie Mark too? Why can’t I have one!?” Applebloom asked almost enraged and most certainly irritated.

“Somepony woke up on the wrong side of the Haystack.” Ficks stated.

“She’s a bit fussy ‘bout Cutie Marks; ‘cause she don’t have one yet.” Big Mac grumbled.

Ficks looked at the filly and spoke, “Aww its okay Applebloom, everypony gets theirs eventually.”

“That’s what everypony says!” Applebloom yelled out before Big Mac put a hoof over her mouth.

“Bro, What does he mean about not being the same without you here?” Nut asked in a confused manner.

“Oh man, I never did tell you ‘bout that did I? I’ll tell you sometime, just remind me would’ja?” Ficks said chuckling a little bit.

“As good as it is to see you again, we are here on business… Our water pump stopped workin’ recently, and we thought maybe we could get ‘Plank or somepony to fix it for us.” Big Mac said.

Ficks scratched his head for a moment, then cheerfully responded, “Well, I’m afraid Uncle Hammerplank is out running an errand right now and he left Nut n’ me to watch the shop but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if I stepped out for a bit to help a friend.”

“How much is it gonna’ cost us?” Applebloom asked.

“For ya’ll? Absolutely no charge. If I’m fixin’ it, that means I get to go back to Sweet Apple Acres again. It’s been years since I seen those apple groves, I think that ought’a be payment on its own. Let’s head on out. Nut, Grab the toolset would’ja?” Ficks said, walking out from behind the counter, grabbing his hat and removing his work vest.

“Heh, you’ve still got that ol’ thing?” Big Mac chuckled.

Ficks donned a black cowboy hat. It was dusty and worn out a bit but still retained its shape. “I’d never get rid of it. Not in a million years…” Ficks said with a smile.

The group walked out of the store, and headed on their way to Sweet Apple Acres.

“So, how have things been goin’ round these parts, Mac?” Ficks asked.

“It’s goin’ okay. The farm’s been good to us. Not much has changed since you left, other than lil’ Applebloom now bein’ in the picture. How ‘bout you?” Big Macintosh asked.

“Well, I just got into town the other day, I had every intention to come down here right away, but my plate was absolutely full. Still, this’ll do. Lemme’ tell ya, Manehattan… It just doesn’t feel like home, even if it is where I was born.” Ficks said regretfully.

Applebloom gave Ficks a quizzical look and said, “Likely story! You sure don’t talk like a stallion from Manehattan..!”

“Yeah, I know. But time ‘round this family can change your mannerisms a good bit. Like I said, never did fit in with them Manehattan folk.” Ficks said.

“How come I’ve never seen that hat before, Ficks?” Nut asked. Ficks didn’t notice, but since they had left the store, Nut hadn’t taken his eyes off of it.
Ficks was silent for a second and replied with, “…’Cause this hat is pretty important to me, never wanted to see nothin’ happen to it.”

Applebloom, disinterested, began to strike up a conversation with Nuttanbolt, which gave Mac and Ficks a chance to talk without being listened in on by nosy siblings.

“So what brings you down to Ponyville again?” Mac asked.

“Well to put it quite simply, the family business needed help. ‘Plank’s been gettin’ older, and he really needed help runnin’ the shop. So I gladly volunteered to come down, plus I really wanted to come back to where I considered home anyways. It’s not much more complicated than that.” Ficks said. They approached the gate at Sweet Apple Acres. Ficks looked out at the surrounding area. The farm house stood out in the distance. Next to it was the red barn and beyond that were the apple groves. Ficks sighed happily. “Wow” he said, “It’s just how I remembered it all those years ago, it doesn’t seem like a single thing has changed.”

“Hey Big Maaaac!” A familiar voice shouted, though deeper than Ficks remembered it. He turned around to see an orange mare galloping up to the gate. Her blonde mane flowed behind her and her hat swayed back in the wind as she approached the group. Her emerald eyes glistened in the sunlight. Ficks thought he felt his heart skip a beat. “Granny said you n’ Applebloom had gone into town to get the pump fixed, where ya’ able t-“ she began as she noticed the blue stallion standing next to Big Mac. “FICKS!” she
gasped.

“Applej-AH!” Ficks said, as Applejack gave him a very tight, and slightly painful hug. As rough as the hug was, for some reason he didn’t fight it. His face displayed the most peculiar mix of joy and… pain.

“Oh my gosh I… I can’t believe it you’re actually here. I thought you’d never come back!” Applejack shouted, still gripping Ficks tightly.

“Uh…Jack. Ow?” Ficks said, struggling to breathe.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, I’m just so happy to see you n’ all.” Applejack said as she relinquished her grip on Ficks.

“No, no! It’s fine, that made my day actually. It’s great to see you too Jack. You don’t look like you’ve changed a bit… well…” he choked out his words. ”Well I guess you have grown up a bit since I last saw ya.” Ficks said. He could feel himself turning a little red, though honestly, he had no idea why. “What am I gettin’ all nervous about? Somethin’ ain’t right here.” Ficks thought.

Applejack gave him a playful smile, “Well you’ve certainly done some growin’ as well Sugarcube. And look you’ve still got that ol’ hat I gave you” She said pointing out the black hat he was still wearing. Ficks felt something strange again. Sugarcube; it had been quite a long time since he’d heard her call him that.

“Like I told Big Mac, I’d never get rid of it” Ficks said as he readjusted the hat on his head, “After all, you did give it to me.”

“Yeah, looks like your head finally fit into it too. It looks good on ya’ Ficks.” Applejack said, laughing a little. She looked down and saw Nut standing behind Ficks staring at her with curiosity. “Who’s this lil’ fella?” Applejack asked.

Nut walked out from behind Ficks and introduced himself again. “I’m Nuttanbolt, Ficks’little brother. Everypony just calls me Nut though.” He said in the same prideful tone as before.

Applejack giggled at him. “Well aren’t you just about the most adorable critter I ever done seen.” She said, ruffling his mane. Applebloom glared a little at her. “…Okay maybe the second most adorable…” Applejack said, giving Applebloom an apologetic look.

“So uh… Where’s Granny Smith. She’s still livin’ here ain’t she?” Ficks asked.

“Yeah, she’s in the house. Its great weather we’re havin’, but Ol’ Granny can only stand so much of it. She’s probably inside right now whippin’ us up something for dinner, but what brings ya’ here anyway Ficks?” Applejack asked.

“Big Mac told me ‘bout the broken water pump, and I offered to come down and take a look at it.” Ficks said.

“That’s what Granny said. I had just gotten back from town and needed Big Mac’s help with something. That’s when I’d noticed him and Applebloom went missin’.” Applejack said.

“Wait, you were asking for somepony’s help?” Ficks asked quite sarcastically.

“Yeah, learned my lesson about biting off more than I could chew awhile back…” Applejack said, rolling her eyes.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac said, smiling to himself.

“So... ‘bout that water pump? Ficks mentioned.

“Right! Yeah, its been a real big fuss lately.” Applejack said.

“Well then, let’s go take a look at it.” Ficks said with enthusiasm. They began walking towards the pump. Ficks glanced out at the apple groves. The apple trees seemed to go on forever, and the farm seemed to be a lot bigger than Ficks had remembered. It didn’t matter though. He was just happy to be at Sweet Apple Acres again.

“Alright… here it is.” Applejack said.

Ficks looked at the old pump. The red paint was chipping off in a few places and a few of the small parts on it were rusted. Other than that, it looked like it should have been working just fine. He used a wrench to mess with a couple of widgets and removed the lever and top part of the faucet. He then looked inside the tubing.

“Hmmm… Nut. I’m gonna’ need the pliers. Looks like somethin’s stuck in there…” Ficks said.

“Sure thing bro!” Nut replied as he began shuffling through the tool bag.

“How come Nut carries around the supplies?” Applejack asked.

“Well usually I don’t bring Nut along when goin’ out to fix things, but awhile back he insisted that he wanted to be more useful since he was still too small n’ stuff to use the bigger tools. So he started helpin’ out by carryin’ the tools for me. I also helped him learn all the different names and sizes of each tool that we used. He caught on pretty quick. That’s how he ended up gettin’ his cutie mark too. Lemme’ tell ya. You won’t see any other colt grab a tool and have it by your side faster than lil’ Nut here. He’s the best assistant ‘ahem’ best little brother a stallion could ask for. Plus him luggin’ around the tools gives him a lil’ workout every now n’ then.” Ficks said as he chuckled to himself. Applejack nodded in understanding.

Nut handed Ficks the pliers; Ficks held them in his teeth, put the pliers into the tube, grabbed onto something, and pulled. Suddenly, water burst out of the pipe and Ficks ended up covered in water, with an extremely dismayed expression on his face. At the end of the pliers, still held in his mouth, was an extremely saturated apple core. “Aww shoot. My hat!” Ficks yelled in dismay, dropping the pliers on the ground. He quickly pulled off his hat to inspect it. The hat was now soaked in water and began to droop around the edges. Ficks stared at Applejack with guilt.

“Aww don’t worry bout’ it Sugarcube. It’s just water. It’ll dry off.” Applejack said, patting Ficks on the shoulders.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” Ficks said, shaking the hat off and then readjusting it atop his head once more. Applejack turned away from Ficks and looked at the apple core on the ground that had been pulled from the pipe.

“How in the hay did that get in there?” Applejack asked, looking at the others. Big Mac simply shrugged, and Applejack spotted Applebloom’s hooves behind Big Mac. She had a pretty good idea who the culprit was.

“Applebloom…” Applejack said disappointed.

“I was just trying to make apple juice. Honest!” She said in a slightly defensive tone.

Big Mac slapped his hoof against his face, and shook his head. “Dangit Applebloom; that ain’t how you make apple juice!” Big Mac said.

Applebloom looked up at her disappointed siblings and apologized with, “I’m sorry… I thought if I put an apple core in there, the water would taste like Apple juice.” in a pitiful, sad tone accompanied by her infamous sad eyed face.

“Applejack, I thought you would’a taught this filly how to make Apple juice by now.” Ficks said.

Applejack shrugged. “I guess the thought never occurred to me.” Applejack replied. Applebloom continued to look at everypony with the saddest expression ever seen.

“It’s impossible to stay mad at her, isn’t it?” Ficks said.

Everypony else nodded. Ficks reassembled the pump and pulled down on the lever to check if it would work this time. Water came gushing out of the faucet and Ficks nodded to himself in satisfaction.

“Well, I guess that takes care of that issue, so… who’s hungry? Applejack asked her company. She could see Applebloom and Big Mac’s eyes light up with attention, but she also noticed Ficks’ reaction to the question. “Say Ficks, would you n’ Nut care to stick around for dinner? I bet Granny whipped somethin’ up real good tonight.” Applejack said in a hopeful manner.

“Oh I couldn’t possibly intrude on your company, I mean I don’t wanna’ be a bother or nothin’.” Ficks said.

“Nonsense, Sugarcube! It’ll be great to have you over again for a family meal. Come on in” she replied. There she went, calling him Sugarcube again…

They moved up to the porch, and into the house. Upon entering the house, Ficks and Applejack removed their hats, which got a quite puzzled look from Nut. “One minute you’re wearing a hat I’ve never seen before, and the next minute you’re taking it off? I don’t get it..!” Nut said, completely confused by his brother’s actions.

“It’s a hospitality thing. It’s rude to wear a hat indoors, you know.” Ficks said to Nut. “Plus I need to let it dry off now”

“Good to see that living in Manehattan hasn’t made you forget your manners, Ficks.” Applejack said.

“There’s a lot here I haven’t forgotten.” Ficks said. Nut was completely confused. His brother seemed different today.

Ficks was surprised at how well furnished the home still was. Family pictures, a painting or two of Sweet Apple acres, a bronzed, “First Apple Tree bucked by ____” trophy plaque for each pony, Applejack’s had a bite mark in it, and the usual, wooden, reliable seating arrangements. One picture that stood out to Ficks was one near the back of the collection, labeled, “Part of the Family” in which he appeared. He had completely forgotten about that photo. The Apple family had taken it the day before Ficks had left town. The Apple Family was a peculiar one, to be honest. You do enough for the family, and in the strangest way they accept you as a member of the family. Especially when you worked with them there for several months.

“Ficks? Oh goodness, look how much you’ve grown since you were a colt!” Granny smith said as she came into the room to meet with the group at the door. Ficks couldn’t give her the type of bear hug he used to when he was little. He was a Stallion now, a decently strong one at that. As such, he gave Granny a much gentler hug. It had, after all, been years since he had seen her. So no doubt she was a little more fragile.

“Aww Granny look at ‘cha. You don’t look like you’ve aged a bit. Lookin’ as pretty as ever.” Ficks said in a flattering tone.

Granny giggled a little, “ Oh Ficks you’re too kind. Well I guess this means we have some guests eating with us tonight, it’s a good thing I made extra.” Granny said.

They all took their seats, and started with some small talk over the various apple-related foods that Granny had made. Ficks had forgotten how good these meals were. He’d also forgotten how much he missed them. “So, Ficks- what did you think of Manehattan?” Applejack asked.

“It might be where I was born, but it never, ever felt like home after I lived here in Ponyville. This town is still home to me.” Ficks said.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac said.

“So what is Manehattan like?” Applebloom asked.

“It’s like Ponyville, but HUUUGGEE!!!” Nut remarked waving his hooves above his head to form an arc.

“He remembers it more fondly than I do. It’s a nice place if you can afford it, but it’s all about fitting into cliques. I can’t stand that, myself. Dad fit into the city life perfectly, but despite there being a couple of workshops here and there in Manehattan, I never did much feel accepted. In other words, it’s a great place to be if you’re uptight and wanna’ put your snout up at anyone you consider your lesser. Real pretty at night though, I’ll give it that much.” Ficks said.

“Yeah, Manehattan is certainly somethin’ else with all them city lights” Applejack said nodding in agreement.

“So how ‘bout you guys? What else’s new?” Ficks asked.

“You may or may not know, but Applebloom has gone on some crazy quests to find her cutie mark with two other fillies. It’s all pretty funny really.” Applejack said shaking her head, remembering all the ridiculous antics the trio had pulled.

“Wait a minute; does one of ‘em own a scooter? I remember some filly comin’ into the shop earlier today who couldn’t stop yappin’ about Cutie Marks.” Ficks said.

“Yeah! Scootaloo does! The wheel popped off her scooter the other day and she took it to get fixed.” Applebloom said.

“Oh! So that’s one’a your friends? Who’s the other of you three then?” Ficks asked.

“Sweetie Belle, she’s Ms. Rarity’s little sister. Together, we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Applebloom shouted.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac sighed. He’d obviously heard her shout that one too many times to count.

“Applebloom, quiet at the table…” Granny said. Applebloom promptly stopped shouting and slumped back in her seat.

“I see… tell me. Who exactly is Miss Rarity?” Ficks whispered to Applejack.

“Trust me, you’ll probably meet her eventually.” Applejack answered.

“Well a friend of the Apple family is a friend of mine. Tell ‘em they can stop by the store anytime, and I’ll fix their stuff; absolutely free.” Ficks said.

“Well gee, thanks! I will.” Applebloom said. The group continued to chat and eat until near dark. It was nice. Ficks hadn’t had a conversation with anypony he considered family for years. It was a good change in pace…

“…So that’s when I said, “Can’t hear ya’, I’m asleep!” Applejack said, laughing with the others about the matter. Ficks looked outside and noticed that the sun had gone down. His eyes darted towards the clock by the sink.

“Aw… heck, would’ja look at the time; I left the store open! I hope I didn’t get any complaints, otherwise Ol’ Hammerplank’s gonna’ have a fit.” Ficks said, eyeballing the clock on the other side of the room in panic.

“I completely understand. Listen, I run an apple stand in Ponyville most days, I’ll see if I can’t try n’ stop by the shop to visit every once n’ awhile. Anyway I’ll walk ya’ home.“ Applejack said.

“Alrighty then; I’m ready when you are! Nut? Come on, we’re headin’ out! It’s been great catchin’ up with ya’ll… Hope to do this again real soon, and I appreciate the hospitality.” Ficks said with a smile. He and Applejack left the table, along with Nuttanbolt. The two grabbed their hats respectively and waited until they were outside when they put them back on. Ficks’ hat had finally dried up and he nodded in satisfaction as he adjusted it on his head. The three started towards to Ponyville, and chatted on the way there. This time Ficks carried the tool bags on his back, as he could clearly see that Nut was in no condition for hauling anything else except his own four hooves. Ficks could see Nut was close to passing out... Probably ate too much of the apple pie.

“So, Applejack- what else’s changed ‘round here for you?” Ficks asked.

“Got myself into the strangest bunch’a misfits you ever done seen, they’re a good bunch though.” Applejack said.

“Really? You weren’t ever the overly social type.” Ficks said.

“Well at first it was circumstance; but we started hanging around more often and soon we found ourselves liking each other more ‘n more. Maybe I should introduce ya’ll to each other sometime.” Applejack said.

“Sounds great. They sure sound like an interesting bunch.” Ficks said.

“You have no idea…” She said. “So, what’s changed for you, other than comin’ back here?” Applejack asked.

“Well, as ya can see lil’ Nuttanbolt over there is the newest addition to my company here. He was born just about as soon as I came back to Manehattan. See, the reason we had to go back… Well, I’ll tell ya’ when we get back to the store, alright?” Ficks said.

“Alright; we’re just about there any whom. Ain’t too far of a walk to Ponyville, is it?” Applejack asked.

“Nah.” Ficks said as they walked in the pale moonlit night. He remembered how much he liked the cool and quiet nights in Ponyville. It was completely different from the sounds of the busy streets in Manehattan. Ficks never got used to it, and was never able to sleep well in that environment.
The three trotted their way into town shortly, and walked into the shop. No complaints were waiting at the doorstep or in the mailbox, to which Ficks sighed with relief. They walked into the shop, and The bell chimed again as the door opened. All the lights were off so either Hammerplank wasn’t back yet or he’d already gone to bed.

“Nut. Head up n’ get ready for bed. I’ll be there in a few.” Ficks said, as Nut did as he was told, and trotted up the stairs.

“So… about ya’lls reason for leavin’?” Applejack asked.

“Which I’m still mighty sorry ‘bout… Well, we’d gotten a telegram ‘bout Mom… She’d been carryin’ a colt and was due pretty soon. Dad would sometimes leave for Manehattan to go check up on her without me, which is why I was able to stay as long as I did in Ponyville. But, anyway, it was… Well, this time it was an emergency. She had gone into early labor. The doctors said she might not make it through; it had been really, really stressful on her…” Ficks stopped. He tried to clear his throat to speak again, but something was holding him back.

“Did she… make it?” Applejack asked with hesitation. Ficks paused for a moment, then looked down at his hooves and kicked at a bit of sawdust on the floor.

“No… she didn’t… Dad blames himself for not being there when he should have, and I told him it ain’t his fault- but he never listened to me; just told me that I didn’t know what I was talkin’ about; that I was just a kid, as usual… So, you see… He now had the burden of lookin’ after two colts at the time, Nut n’ me. He took it harder than anypony else, and only seemed content when he was mixed in with his work, so he hardly paid any attention to us. I ended up having to look after him and raise him myself ‘cause Dad just couldn’t do it. Anyways, after some time, we got word that family down here needed some help, and Dad’s hooves were full… as usual. So, I volunteered to go which was contested endlessly. But I went anyway... I just had to take Nuttanbolt; Dad said to. He knew he couldn’t take care of him if I wasn’t there, ‘Cause he was so darn busy with his work. Honestly I’m glad I never got into the whole accountin’ thing like he did…” Ficks said, removing his hat and putting it on the hat stand. “I just had to get outta’ there. I needed to come back here where I knew I’d be more useful… more free.”

Applejack gave him a hug, and spoke. “I’m so sorry it all turned out that way; that’s so sad. Why ya’ gotta’ tell me stuff like this, Ficks?” Applejack asked.

Ficks looked straight into her eyes.“…’Cause you asked, Jack.” he said rather frankly.

“Is there anything I can do for you Ficks? Anything at all?” Applejack asked

“No it’s fine.” Ficks said, “I think just gettin’ to see you again is all needed.”

She stopped hugging him, stepped back, and spoke again. “I know you’ve gotta’ put that silly colt to bed; and it’s ‘bout time for Applebloom to set down for the night too. We’ve both got things to do, so I guess I should be headin’ out…” Applejack said.

“I understand, Applejack. It’s been great catchin’ up with ‘ya again. I’m really lookin’ forward to tomorrow. I’ll see you later.” Ficks said with a smile.

“See ya’, Sugarcube.” Applejack said as she left Ficks’ home and workplace. There she went, calling him that again.

Ficks looked over at the workbench and stared at the scooter that he still needed to fix. “Guess it’ll have to wait til’ tomorrow.” He muttered to himself. Ficks walked upstairs to his little brother’s room, and opened the door. He was glad that Nuttanbolt had done as he was told and was already in bed, but he’d clearly been waiting for him. “So Nut... what’dya think of everpony today?” Ficks asked him as he walked into the bedroom.

“Well I guess Applebloom is okay, but she sure likes talkin’ about cutie marks a lot. Big Mac is pretty neat but he doesn’t like talkin’ too much... Granny Smith is really nice and her cooking is great, although I think I ate a little too much today.” Nut groaned as he rubbed his stomach.

“Yeah? And what’dya think of Applejack?” Ficks asked Nut again, this time with a little more enthusiasm.

“You sure seem to like her Ficks... tryin’ to impress her n’stuff like that.” Nut replied.

“Hey now, what’re you talkin’ ‘bout?” Ficks questioned in a defensive tone.

“You were actin’ all funny around her.... Do you like her or somethin’?” Nut questioned his older brother in a serious manner.

“Now don’t you go gettin’ funny things in your head Nut. We’re just really good friends n’ that’s it.” Ficks said, hoping Nut would drop the subject altogether.

“Yeah okay...So, how do you know the Apple family so well, Ficks?” Nut asked.

“Right now? Ah, I guess I can tell ya’, if you’re interested in a bedtime story.” Ficks said as he took a seat by Nut’s bedside.

“Yeah! That sounds great. This’ll be a new story I’ve never heard before.” Nut said.

“I guess I just forgot to tell ya’ over the years little guy, didn’t think it was important until now… Well, alright… It all started here in Ponyville, when Dad and me came here on a business trip several years ago, well… Dad was on a business trip, you see…” Ficks said.

* * *

“Well, here’s the shop…” Addemup, Ficks’ dad, said walking them into the store. Addem also had a charcoal black mane like his son, with a true blue coat. His eyes were grey as well. Addem was a mathematician- a mathematical genius, even. His mark was a calculator that on the screen read 3.14. Him and Ficks practically looked the same in almost every way. But personality wise, they were worlds apart.

“This place is pretty neat!” Ficks said, running his hoof through all the nifty doo-dads that he had absolutely no idea what they were for.

“Well I’ll be darned, if it isn’t my genius brother, Addem. Come to finally help your big brother out with his little finance situation eh?” Uncle Hammerplank said as he came walking out of the back of the shop.

“It’s good to see you again ‘Plank. I see you’ve kept the shop in good shape since I last saw it” Addem said as he gave his brother a hug.

* * *

“Ficks. Get to the interesting part!” Nut said.

“Ah! I swear… Alright, fine. Anyway… I was there for a couple of weeks, and I noticed this “Hiring now” sign. It was for Sweet Apple Acres, they had apparently lost a very helpful person, who had runaway to Manehattan. Anyway, with my dad’s consent, I offered my assistance. You see Ol’ ‘Plank had begun showin’ me how to use some of his tools while Dad was busy with the paperwork. So I figured I’d give it a shot and see if I was any good at fixin’ stuff rather than hang around the store all bored n’ such. As you can tell, they accepted my help. Unfortunately… I wasn’t too good at buckin’ apple trees so it was difficult at first.” Ficks said.

“So then what?” Nut asked

“Well, after a couple of weeks working there, I had discovered that I was pretty good at… well you guessed it!” Ficks said, running a hoof next to his Cutie Mark.

“Wrenches?” Nut asked.

“No, ya silly colt! Fixin’ stuff! I had managed to fix the wagon, the plow, the pump, and all kinds of other things… I was really helpful there; then, Applejack returned from Manehattan. Turns out she was the pony who had run away” Ficks said.

“Applejack? Manehattan? So that’s what she mentioned earlier?” Nut said, feeling a little less confused than before.

“Yeah, go figure, eh? City life just wasn’t for her either.” Ficks said.

“Just like you?” Nut Asked.

“Just like me.” Ficks replied.

* * *

“Oh, this darn thing… Just… Won’t… COME… LOOOOOSSSEEE!” Ficks shouted, twisting a wrench with all of his might. The nut fell off; and the plow fell apart. “Finally! Now I can get to cle-“ He was interrupted by Big Mac’s shout into the barn.

“Hey, Ficks! There’s somepony we’d like you to meet!” Big Mac shouted.
An orange filly with a blonde mane tied at the end; same with her tail, trotted into the barn, and gave Ficks a shy smile.

“This here’s Applejack, the silly filly who left for Manehattan a lil’ while back; The one we told ya’ ‘bout?” Granny Smith said, introducing her grand-daughter.

“Anyway, Ficks you’ve been such a great help to the farm an-“

“I get it, I’m not needed anymore…” Ficks said, as he passed Applejack and the rest, and exited the barn. Everypony looked behind themselves, with a confused expression on their face.

“Hey, where you goin’?” Applejack asked the departing colt.

“Home…” Ficks replied with audible sorrow as he kept walking. He proceeded to move towards the gate, saddened that he was no longer required at Sweet Apple Acres; he had just passed the threshold of the gate when he heard somepony shouting behind him to wait up. He knew who it was, and kept walking. She was a fast filly, that one; she caught up to him, and spoke once more.

“You know, it’s a mighty rude to walk out on somepony who’s introducin’ themselves… So, let’s try again. I’m Applejack.” Applejack said to Ficks.

“I’m Ficks and… I’m sorry; I was fillin’ in the hole you left when you went to Manehattan… Now that you’re back, I’m not needed anymore.” Ficks replied.

“Hey now, that’s not true. Nopony ‘round here fixes anything; Hammerplank is the only one and half the time he’s never in the shop anyway. Looks like you’re real helpful to have ‘round here.” Applejack said, attempting to console the sad colt.

“Are you sure I’m still needed?” Ficks asked Applejack.

“Yeah, I’m sure you are! Come on Sugarcube, let’s go ask Granny if you can stay! I bet she’ll even let’cha help with the upcomin’ harvest.” Applejack said, gesturing for Ficks to follow. Sugarcube... That made Ficks smile for some reason. He turned around, and trotted behind Applejack back to Sweet Apple Acres.

A few more months had passed. In that time Applejack and Ficks had learned more about each other. They found that they even had a lot in common. Ficks continued to fix things around Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack even taught him how to properly buck an apple tree.

“Dangit I’m never gonna get those darn apples outta’ that tree!” Ficks shouted as he kicked at a tree he had been bucking at all morning. The apples in it would shake, but none of them would fall out.

“It’s alright Sugarcube. You just gotta practice a lil’ more. You gotta put all your kick into your hind legs and you gotta make sure ya hit the very center of the trunk. Here lemme’ show ya.” Applejack said as she walked up to the tree. Ficks backed off and allowed her to stand where he was a moment ago.

Applejack balanced herself on her front legs and gave the tree a hard kick right in its center. Immediately several apples came loose and fell to the ground. “Now you try.” Applejack said giving him a little nudge. Ficks nodded to her. He took his place again. Ficks tried to balance himself just as Applejack had done. He pulled his hind legs back as far as he could and let out a loud grunt as he kicked with all his might.

His back hooves hit the trunk dead center. The whole tree began to shake and soon a barrage of apples came plummeting towards them. They soon found themselves buried in a pile of apples. Ficks and Applejack popped their heads out of the pile and stared at each other in bewilderment. The two then childishly giggled to each other.

* * *

“So what happened next?” Nut asked.

“Well, you see… Dad’s business trip turned into a really long visit. We were there for a good five or so months, as he kept the business afloat. As such, I continued to help out in Sweet Apple Acres; I even helped with the harvest like Applejack had said… Until we’d gotten word about mom’s situation in Manehattan… We had to go back; Dad n’ I fought about it, boy did we ever… But he pulled the ”I’m your father and I know best” card. ‘Course he never did explain to me then what was wrong with mom. I wish he had... Leaving that farm was one of the saddest days of my life… But I was given a couple of parting gifts, you see… Aside from the good memories.” Ficks said, looking back on the past.

“Like?” Nut asked.

“That hat you saw today, and this here Harmonica…” Ficks said as he brandished a polished, silver harmonica that he had brought from his room.

“Well I get the harmonica but what’s the hat got to do with anything?” Nut asked.

“Hold on ya crazy colt I’m gettin’ to it…” Ficks said.

* * *

“Ficks! Before you go, we want you to have somethin’!” Applejack shouted at Ficks, who was about to step into the carriage with his father in it.

“What’s… what is that?” Ficks asked.
Applejack hoofed over a black hat similar to hers, minus the gap in the front.

“Yeah… Grand Daddy’s ol’ Hat’n’Harmonica… Fixed up a lot of stuff back when he lived here, ran the farm with Granny… And we ain’t never found anypony who’d it be fittin’ to give to, aside from you… We’ll give it to ya’, on one condition…” Applejack said.

Ficks could barely speak; he knew how significant these objects were to the Apple family. He was able to weakly ask, tearing up slightly, “What?” to Applejack.

"Promise you'll come back someday. The farm won't be the same without'cha, We'll miss you, Ficks..." Applejack said, with a sad tone in her voice.

“I… I promise I’ll come back someday. Cross my heart hope to fly, stick an apple in my eye, I promise.” Ficks said with a weak smile.

“I’ll hold you to it. But until then Sugarcube…” She leaned in and gave Ficks a hug. “Good luck out there alright?” Applejack said smiling to him. Ficks began to pull away but Applejack wouldn’t let go just yet. Ficks didn’t try to fight it and let her hug him a little longer.

“Ficks, we need to go now!” Addem shouted from the carriage. Applejack finally let go of Ficks, with the saddest expression imaginable.

“I’m sorry ‘Jack…” Ficks said as he took a few steps back.

“Ficks I’m not going to tell you again. Let’s GO!” Addem yelled. He was getting angry now.

Ficks got into the carriage and the door closed. He watched as he was taken away with his father, and he left Sweet Apple Acres, and Ponyville; unsure as to whether he would ever see it again.

* * *

“And… In that time we lived in Manehattan, you were born. Now, we’re here. And we’re here to stay, alright Nut?” Ficks said.

“That’s a kinda’ sad story, Ficks…” Nut said.

“I know. But I’m back, ain’t I?” Ficks said.

“Say Ficks…” Nut said as he began to sink under the sheets in his bed.

“What is it Nut?” Ficks asked

“What was mom like?” Nut asked.

Ficks thought for a moment then gave Nut a little smile and rubbed his mane. “She was a real nice mare Nut; real pretty. You’ve got her eyes too. And lemme’ tell you, she had some of the prettiest eyes you’d ever seen. The way she would smile always lightened up yer day. She really did love you, Dad, and me with all her heart. She’d be proud to see how you’ve grown up. Still I’m sure she’s somewhere in a better place right now.” Ficks said. Nut didn’t notice, but Ficks was now fighting back a couple of small tears.

“Yeah…okay. Say, could ya play Ode to Joy on the harmonica?” Nut asked.

“Yeah alright sure but then it’s off to bed, ya hear?” Ficks said. He quickly rubbed his eyes.

Ficks began to play the first few notes of Ode To Joy. Within moments, Nuttanbolt was fast asleep.
Ficks got up, went to his room and lay in his bed. He stared out the window for a little bit. It was a full moon out tonight. A handful of stars were scattered across the night sky. He began pondering over today’s events… It was so great to see the Apple Family again. Big Mac was just as chatty as usual, Granny was still her sweet old self, Applebloom was quite a rambounctious little filly but adorable nonetheless, and Applejack…

Ficks lay on his back and stared up the darkened ceiling. There was definitely something different about her. Ficks couldn’t place his hoof on it. He also didn’t know why he’d acted so nervous in front of her today. He’d never done that with her before. Ficks shrugged to himself and turned on his side. He’d have plenty of time to think about it some other day. Though, one particular thought ran through his mind, “Maybe… Nah… She’s just a really good foalhood friend… At least, I think she is. I’m pretty sure… Maybe I’m thinking about it too much; Yeah I just need some sleep…“ he thought. So, he turned out the light, and began to drift off to sleep. Tomorrow, he knew, would be an interesting and eventful day.

To contact the writers of this story...

Jamescameronjackson@hotmail.com

t.schomburg@yahoo.com

Chapter 2: All in a Day's Work.

Apples ‘N Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 2: All In A Day’s Work

Ficks stood in a lush green field, no obstructions around him what so ever... He could see for miles, and tall blades of grass surrounded him. A light, gentle breeze made them sway back and forth, yet Ficks could feel no such wind blowing through his mane. It was as if he was frozen in time and the world was moving on its own accord. The sky cast an orange haze on the horizon as if a fire was raging in the distance. Ficks could not tell whether it was sunrise or sunset.

The fields went on forever. This place, so familiar yet so alien to him, he couldn’t help but feel that he had been here before. This place however, seemed to offer little comfort… only silence. It was a silence that left the field completely void of life; Ficks could not hear the whispering of the wind nor could he even hear his own breathing. He called out in an effort to see if anypony was there, if they would respond yet no words escaped his mouth. Though calm as the fields were, this dwelling silence had left him without a voice. Yet from out of nowhere in the silence, a faint voice called out in the distance…

“Ficks...” the voice called to him in a soothing tone. The voice sounded young and feminine... and familiar. Ficks spun around to see where the origin of the voice had come from. Out of the corner of his eye, Ficks noticed something that he hadn’t seen before. Several feet away, stood a single tree in the field. Its branches looked brittle and broken, and a few dried leaves hung from the ends of the branches. Ficks was almost certain that the voice had come from somewhere around that tree.. Then the voice called out again. “Ficks... can you hear me?” It sounded almost like it was coming straight from the tree itself. Ficks started to trot down the hill. His legs felt slow and sluggish, like it was his first time learning to walk again. “Ficks... where are you?” The voice continued to call out to him. Ficks tried to run faster but his legs would not respond.

Mom? Ficks tried to force the word from his mouth, yet he still couldn’t speak.

“Ficks..!” The voice called out again. It sounded louder than before. Ficks was beginning to approach the tree. Suddenly next to the tree, appeared a white mare. Ficks couldn’t quite make out the face but he was sure it was her. She stood next to the tree, motionless, waiting for him. Ficks was running at full speed but he wasn’t getting any closer to the tree or his mother.

Mom wait! Ficks tried crying out to her again. She couldn’t hear him.

“Ficks...can you hear me?” She called to him again. Her figure was beginning to slowly fade away.

Mom please don’t leave! Ficks was desperately trying to shout at the top of his lungs. Still no sounds came out.

Ficks had finally reached the tree but his mother was gone. “Ficks...” her voice still rang in his ears, “You need to wake up now...”

“MOM!” Ficks shouted, bolting up straight in bed, breathing heavily. Beads of sweat poured down his forehead. He sat there for a moment trying to collect his thoughts, but he was interrupted by a loud banging coming from the attic door of his room.

“Ficks, did ya hear me? Get’cher lazy flank outta bed!” His uncle Hammerplank called from the door as he gave it one last hard kick.

“A...Alright, just a second.” Ficks said.

“Just hurry it up would ya? We got work to do.” Hammerplank replied in a cranky tone.

It had happened again. A recurring nightmare that never seemed to go away. There were some nights he wouldn’t have it, but it always came back to haunt him eventually. It never changed. Always ending the same way, waking up with his heart pounding... and painful memories.

“I hate that dream...” Ficks said, ruffling his mane. He casually glanced around at his room. The morning sunlight peered in through the the roof window of the attic, almost reassuringly after such a dream.There were still some unopened boxes scattered around the floor, as he hadn’t finished unpacking, but there was already some furniture laid out which Hammerplank had provided on his own account. Ficks got out of bed, and opened the hatch-door to the staircase below. As much as he enjoyed having a room in the attic, he hated that door. It made him feel like some sort of prisoner, though he knew that wasn’t the case. He trotted down the stairs to the bottom floor where the workshop was, and walked into the back room where the kitchen was along with a small dining table. There, he spotted Nuttanbolt sitting at the table, with his Uncle Hammerplank eating breakfast with him.

Hammerplank was a light-blue stallion who was about ten years older than Ficksitup’s father, Addemup. He had a grey, messy flat-top styled mane. Unlike his brother, Addem, Hammerplank’s eyes were a blueish grey, and his mark was a wooden plank with a nail going through it, being struck by a hammer. Hammerplank was certainly aptly named, as most of his work around Ponyville had involved in building a decent portion of town. He had helped maintain and repair the town hall, built multiple structures in the marketplace, and even designed some of the housing in Ponyville. He’d been quite the asset, but age and a hard working life however, had finally taken its toll. He now walked with a limp in his right foreleg from a previous work accident that had occurred some time ago and his lower back often broke out in aches and pains. In order to prevent future injuries, ‘Plank was forced to resort to minding a simple repair shop and minimal jobs to keep himself busy.

Despite this, the store was his pride and joy. ‘Plank had bought it from an owner who had once used it for a storage warehouse. Afterwards it was made to suit Hammerplank’s purposes. The main room was the walk-in for where the costumers came in. Near the back was a doorway that led to a small hallway that split in three different directions. Straight through, the hallway led to the kitchen that was located in the back. To the left, the hallway led to the basement and supply room where ‘Plank worked on bigger projects. Finally to the right, the hallway stopped at the foot of a staircase, which led to two more floors. At the second floor was Hammerplank’s office and personal quarters. The third floor contained a small guest bedroom, which was currently being vacated by Nuttanbolt, along with a small bathroom. At the end of the hallway on the third floor was a small set of stairs that led to the attic, and Ficks’ room. Originally the attic was used as a second storage closet, but once Hammerplank’ had gotten word that he’d be having a few guests staying over, he was content to clear out most of the clutter and put in a small bed.

“Hurry up n’ eat your breakfast. You’ve got work to do today, Ficks.” Hammerplank said.

“You’re kiddin’ me! I’ve still gotta finish unpackin’, and I was s’posed to have the day off, right?” Ficks asked in a surprised manner.

“Well, looks like my back doesn’t agree. Besides, last time I checked, you weren’t staying here for free.” Hammerplank said. “I let you n’ Nut come down to live here out of the goodness of my heart, but that does come at a price. You promised to help run the shop and assist me with the customers, so I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain.”

“Yeah, I know Uncle. Don’t worry I have every intention on keepin’ this place in good business.” Ficks said reassuringly.

“Well alright then, glad we could come to an understanding” Hammerplank said, satisfied with his answer. Ficks sat down at the table with everypony else. A light breakfast of greenwhiches and some fruit were laid out on the table.

“You were certainly late gettin’ outta bed this mornin’. What happened to ya?” Hammerplank asked as he took a bite out of his food.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. It’s just that I had a... I had some problems with my alarm clock is all; can’t seem to get that darn thing to work right.” Ficks said with hesitation.

“Oh don’t you give me none’a that..! You’re tellin’ me that you can fix just about anything in Ponyville, yet a lil’ tick-tock machine is givin’ you trouble? Now that just don’t add up.” Hammerplank said as he chuckled at Ficks.

“I’m sure I’ll figure it out eventually...” Ficks said.

“Yeah or maybe you’re so tired ‘cause you were up so late. You weren’t off visitin’ with some mare I don’t know about were ya?” Hammerplank asked, with a smirk on his face.

“I wasn’t doin’ anything like that, I was just helping out a customer. That’s all, I swear” Ficks said.

“We were at Sweet Apple Acres and he was with Applejack the whole time.” Nuttanbolt said in a casual tone.

“NUT!” Ficks said as he glared at his little brother. Nut just smiled back at him.

“What? Not like it was supposed to be a secret or nothin’?” Nut asked in an adorable manner.

“Ahh so that’s where you were foalin’ around so late at night? No suprise, that Applejack has grown into quite a fine mare. I see her occasionally in the marketplace sellin’ her apples... She’s hard workin’, that one...” Hammerplank said, smirking at a now blushing Ficks.

“I’m tellin’ you it wasn’t like that, honest. I was... just helping her family fix the old water pump and then she invited us to stay for dinner. Of course I couldn’t refuse, after all I didn’t wanna be impolite or nothin’. But I swear that’s all that happened!” Ficks said. His cheeks were bright red now. He hated when he felt backed into a corner like this, it just made him more nervous.

“Uh huh, sure you were... Well that’s fine, go ahead and keep your secrets from your ol’ Uncle ‘Plank. But I’m tellin’ ya’... you ought ta’ ask her out quick before somepony else does.” Hammerplank said as he continued to chew his food.

“Alright, alright, just tell me what I’ve gotta’ do today.” Ficks said, rather disgruntled.

“Hold on, lem’me grab the mail…” Hammerplank said as he limped over to the counter to grab the stack of envelopes that were sitting there. He flipped through them looking each one over. He sighed rather heavily at some of the letters.

“What is it?” Ficks asked.

“Of course… more of these darn bills... I’m gettin’ too old for this junk. Yer lucky I don’t make ya help pay for these too, but no matter. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of chances to do that when yer older... Anyway here, these are the demands for today.” Hammerplank grumbled as he hoofed over the rest of the notes to Ficks.

Ficks looked over the list of orders that the different ponies in Ponyville had made. He chuckled a bit to himself. “These look simple enough. I reckon I should be able to finish by noon.” Ficks said in a bold tone.

“If you say so boy, but you better get yer flank in gear and head out now.” Hammerplank said as he took his seat again.

“Yeah alright, I’m goin’ I’m goin’...” Ficks said as he got up and grabbed the tool bag from the wall. He put on his orange workers vest, making sure his name tag was positioned correctly.

“Hey wait for me big bro!” Nut called out as he jumped down from his seat and started after Ficks.

“Hold it right there ya’ ruffian. Ficks can handle these himself. Besides, I’m gonna need you to help watch the shop and assist me with the walk-ins.” Hammerplank said. Nut stopped in his tracks and sulked back over to the table. He slumped into his seat and crossed his arms as he began to pout.

Ficks walked back over and ruffled his little brother’s mane. “Aww don’t worry about it lil’ guy. You can come with next time okay?” Ficks said reassuringly to Nut. His little brother looked up at him and nodded. Ficks headed to the front door. He grabbed his hat off of the stand nearby and placed it upon his head. “I’ll be back later, take care you two.” Ficks said as he walked out the door. The bell chimed as it opened and closed.

Ficks walked outside and took a deep breath of fresh air. The morning breeze had a cool, refreshing feel to it. He started to walk away from the shop when he noticed something sticking out of the shop’s mailbox. In fact, several things were stuffed inside the mailbox. Ficks inspected it to see what they were. More repair letters? He thought as he pulled the objects from the box. When he inspected the letters, he was a bit baffled by what he was looking at.

The first letter was bright pink and covered in random stickers. It looked like some sort of party invitation instead of an actual repair request. Sure this pony’s got the right address? He thought. He looked closely at the envelope. Sure enough the letter had the shop’s address on it and everything. Ficks shrugged to himself and continued to look at the notes. The next letter was a scroll that was tied up with a red ribbon that had a gold seal on it. It looked like something out of royalty. Ficks noticed that the edges of the parchment had singe marks on it, like it had been burning at one point. Ficks really didn’t know what to make of it as he continued. The next letter shined so brightly that Ficks had to shield his eyes just so he could read the return address. The envelope was pure white and sparkled because it was covered in some sort of glitter. The edges were covered in gold trimmings. Upon closer inspection, Ficks noticed that small jewels were encrusted into the actual parchment. Whoever sent this in obviously had enough class to go around. He looked at the last note. It wasn’t even a piece of paper or an envelope at all. It was just a leaf. Ficks tried to read the hoof writing on it but it was almost impossible to make out. It looked like whoever was writing it had been trembling the entire time. Ficks just shook his head in confusion as he stuffed the four notes into his saddlebag. “Might as well take care of these too... but I think I’ll save ‘em for last.” He said to himself. “… Now, it’s time to get to work.”

Ficks started off towards the front side of town and began making his rounds. It was still so early that most of his costumers weren’t even awake yet. On that account, Ficks tried to start with the problems that would take the least amount of time to fix so he wouldn’t disturb them anymore than he already was. After that he began to move on to the more complex demands. When Ficks started making the repairs around town, he felt energetic and focused. One look at the object that needed fixing and he knew exactly what tools he would need and how long it would take to finish. After awhile Ficks felt like he wasn’t even thinking about what he was doing. It was like his hooves and the tools were doing all the work. It’s what he liked about fixing things. He felt right at home when he was twisting a wrench or hammering in a nail. It felt like he was in his own little world. Time didn’t even seem like a necessity when he was working. Because before he could even stop to think about it, the job was already done. One minute he was replacing a wheel that had broken off of a wagon and the next minute he was hammering in tiles on a rooftop. It was like clockwork, the way he worked.

Ficks walked out of the home of somepony he’d just finished a plumbing issue with, sighing with relief that a good portion of his jobs were complete. Just four more jobs… Ficks thought to himself. Suddnely his stomach growled miserably. It was a little past noon and he hadn’t eaten anything since morning. Guess it wouldn’t hurt to take a break and get a lil’ bite to eat. But where am I gonna find some lunch? He thought. Then, he remembered Applejack was supposed to be in the marketplace today. A sudden craving of apples overwhelmed him. Luckily the market was just around the corner. Well I did promise I’d visit her today. He thought. So he hurried off in excitement.

After a few minutes of wandering through the rows of stalls and carts in the marketplace, he found Applejack by her apple cart with a look of sheer boredom upon her face. Big Mac stood on the other side of the cart watching costumers trot by.

“Hey, ‘Jack. How’s business?” Ficks asked, closing in on the stand. He waved to Big Mac as well. Big Mac simply smiled and nodded to him. Guess he wasn’t in a conversing mood today.

Applejack looked, shrugged, and spoke. “Hey Ficks... not so good today, don’t know what’s goin’ on. Do the apples look funny to you?”

Ficks inspected the fruits for anything peculiar, or out of place. He couldn’t find anything notable.

“Nope.” Ficks replied rather frankly.

“Does it taste funny? Give it a bite.” Applejack said.

“How bout I pay for it first?” Ficks asked.

“No need Sugarcube. You proably been out workin’ and I bet you’re hungry anyways.” Applejack said in a cheerful manner.

“I insist.” Ficks said, pulling out two bits from his left saddlebag and putting them on the counter.

Applejack was stunned by this. Two bits could buy him about a pound and a half of apples.

“Ficks, you’re overpaying for one apple..!” She said in a stunned and concerned manner.

Ficks looked behind himself to see if anypony was standing behind him. Nope.

“Well, Jack. Looks like you need the business right now anyways. Just keep the bits, Jack.” He said with a slight chuckle.

“Well... Thanks Sugarcube... Tell you what, the next few apples are free!” She said.

“I already paid for ‘em!” Ficks said with a chuckle. They both laughed at that comment for a few seconds, and soon the laughter died down. Ficks then took a bite of the apple, and spoke.

“Tastes fine to me.” Ficks says, taking another bite. That was one thing he loved about Sweet Apple Acres. They always grew the firmest, juiciest apples in Equestria.

“I guess nopony wants any apples today. Maybe they all wanted to eat pears or somethin’ instead.” Applejack said, with a slight chuckle.. There was a small moment of silence between the two. Ficks couldn’t figure it out and neither could Applejack. “Well, I should probably close down the shop, not getting any business anyway… Good to catch up with ya’, Ficks.” Applejack said.

“Yeah, I’ve got some work to do still anyways.” Ficks said. With that, Applejack’s eyes lit up. He’d seen that look before.

“Hey, maybe I can tag along. Big Mac can close up the shop, and I can see how you do your job. Sound good?” Applejack said, almost gleefully.

“Mac, you alright with this?” Ficks asked.

“Eeyup.” Big Macintosh said, as usual. Ficks nodded to him, sighed, and looked at Applejack once more. She was just staring at him with a big smile, just waiting for his response.

She knew darned well that he couldn’t say no to that look.

“Alright. I don’t see why not, I’ve only got four jobs left today anyways… Let me tell you, these notes are somethin’ else.” Ficks said, regarding the overly-done-up notes still in his saddlebag.

“Lemme’ see those real quick.” Applejack said playfully, as she snatched the notes from his saddlebag.

“Hey..!” Ficks remarked

“Aww come on sugarcube let me help ya out. Since you don’t have lil’ Nut here to be yer assistant, hows about lettin’ me be yer assistant for today?” Applejack asked. She looked at him with deep eyes.

Ficks got a little nervous again. When she asked him like that, he couldn’t possibly say no. Ficks gulped a few times then spoke. “Well... uh...okay, I guess it wouldn’t hurt anypony if ya helped out.” He said. She smiled victoriously at him and began inspecting each note intensely. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“You know what’s funny, Ficks?” Applejack asked.

“What?” He asked back.

“You ain’t gonna believe this, but these notes are from my friends.” Applejack said.

“You serious?” Ficks asked in a suprised manner.

“Yeah, I don’t even have to read the hoof writing to tell ya that. Wow this is so great, now I can introduce ya to all my friends and I’ll get to see ya work.” Applejack said with glee. Ficks looked at her ever-happy expression; he couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this excited. Plus he was pretty anxious to meet her friends anyway, so this all worked out pretty well.

Ficks smiled and replied, “Alright then, where to first?”

“Alright, well we should head to Sugarcube corner since that’s closest; that’s where Pinkie lives.” Applejack said.

“Pinkie?” Ficks asked.

“Oh, right. Sorry, I assume anypony I know already knows her. I forgot yer still pretty new here. Pinkie Pie works at Sugarcube corner as a cook; Mr and Mrs. Cake took her in some time ago, and she’s good at what she does, even if... Uh...” Applejack said, stammering through her sentence. Ficks raised an eyebrow at her difficulty with describing her friend. She wasn’t one to be at a total loss for words. “You’ll see when you meet her.” She said with an almost worried expression on her face.

“Ya’ll take care now.” Big Macintosh said as the two walked away from the applestand.

She took the lead, and Ficks followed. It wasn’t too long before they arrived at Sugarcube Corner. The house was remarkable in its design; Ficks couldn’t help but try to figure out how it stood, given its peculiar shape and look. The foundation itself didn’t even seem possible.

“Here it is. Looks like the note says she needs to have the oven fixed; I’m sure it ain’t nothin’ you can’t handle.” Applejack said, letting Ficks walk up to the door. He turned around and glanced back at Applejack, who gave him a smile of encouragement but at the same time was slowly backing away like she was bracing herself for something. Ficks knocked a couple of times, and the door swung open revealing a pink pony with a gleeful expression on her face.

Ficks hesitated for a moment, then spoke, “…Miss Pie? I’m here to fix the ov-”

“Himynamespinkiepieimhappytoseeyouiwasgettingworriedaboutthestovenotgettingfixedbutnowyourehereisthatapplejackhiapplejackitsgoodtoseey-” Pinkie shouted out the door. She didn’t even stop to breath between sentences.

“Pinkie!” Applejack shouted.

“Sorry, sorry! Let me restart.” Pinkie said, clearing her throat. Ficks looked at the pink pony completely taken a back by what had just happened. “I’m Pinkie Pie, nice to meet you!” She said rather gleefully, offering her hoof to shake. Ficks was utterly puzzled. However, he extended his own hoof and shook it.

“My name’s Ficks.” He said.

“Well duh! Your name is on your vest, silly! You don’t have to tell me that..!” Pinkie said, pointing to his nametag. Ficks looked down at it, tried to think of a response, but couldn’t. She was right.

“Sorry, just a formality. May I come in?” Ficks asked.

“Of course you can, silly! You’re here to fix the oven anyway, right? How could you fix the oven outside? I mean, I guess I could bring it outside but that would be a lot of hassle and it’d be rude to not let you in the hou-”

“Pinkie..!” Applejack said impatiently.

“Sorry! I’m just excited to meet a new friend of yours and get the oven fixed; he is a friend of yours right? I mean if he wasn’t then why would you be here?” Pinkie asked, letting Ficks and Applejack in.

“Yes, he’s a friend; a very good one at that. It’s good to have him back.” She said, removing her hat. Ficks had already done so, but did not know where to put the hat.

“Just put it on the counter over there, it’s no big deal!” Pinkie said gleefully as seemed common for her. Ficks put his hat on the counter, with Applejack doing the same.

“I assume the stove is over there next to the other kitchen appliances?” Ficks asked.

“Yeah, of course it is! Why wouldn’t it be?” Pinkie asked, confused.

“I’ve worked on some weird houses, let’s put it that way.” Ficks answered.

Ficks walked behind the counter, and to the oven. He opened it, grabbed a small lamp, and placed it inside to illuminate the oven. Within moments, he noticed something peculiar.

“Miss Pie, it looks like the pilot light is out. Also, the oven is a might dirty... What’ve you been using this thing for exactly?” Ficks asked.

“Well it wasn’t always me..!” Pinkie said.

Applejack slapped a hoof to her face. “Do I even have to ask?” Applejack asked.

“Nope! Applebloom messed up again. But it wasn’t that bad. This time only half of her batch came out charred and burnt” Pinkie said in an oddly cheery tone.

“Uh, Jack? Try to tell Applebloom not to mess with stuff she doesn’t quite know how to work, would’ja? That’s the second problem she’s caused that I’ve had to fix recently.” Ficks said.

“I have tried to tell her that. She ain’t too good’a listener...” Applejack said with a hint of embarrassment for her little sister.

“Well, like I said. Aside from the oven being dirty, the pilot light’s out.” Ficks said.

“Is that bad?” Pinkie asked in a worried tone, looking in on what Ficks was doing.

“Only if ya’ wanna’ make pastries and other confectionaries. Don’t worry; shouldn’t take long. Just need a match.” Ficks said. He got a small box of matches out of his Saddlebag, and struck it on the lighting surface.

“Before I get started, I’ma give the inside of this oven a good cleanin’. I reccomend ya’ clean it just a little more often, ‘specially with Applebloom gettin’ her cookin’ on.” Ficks said. He grabbed a rag from his saddlebags, and got to work on cleanin’ out the oven. Wasn’t long before the job was done, but it was still grimy as all hay. Just gotta’ get that pilot light up an’ runnin’ again... Ficks thought to himself.

Applejack watched as her friend got to work; How in the world did he figure this stuff out so quickly? She thought. He messed with a knob on the side, lit a match, then twisted a valve. Soon there wash a small flash as the flame in the oven came back to life and Ficks was already done.

“There ya’ go Miss Pie. All done!” Ficks said, getting his head out of the oven and standing up once more.

“Thank you! How much will it cost?” Pinkie asked.

“You’re a friend of the Apple Family, and this was a really simple problem. I’ll let payment slide; not like it would’a cost much anyway.” Ficks said with a smile.

Applejack raised an eyebrow to that one. “Ficks, you’re working on your uncle’s behalf. He’s gonna’ wanna’ see the expected payment. If you’re doin’ favors, I understand but this is a job ain’t it?” Applejack asked.

“Hm, well ya’ got a point there I guess... Doesn’t feel right to take payment for something so small though.” Ficks said, considering the outcome of him bringing finances back.

Pinkie walked over to Ficks with a tray on her back. On it. Was a dozen cupcakes assorted in various colors and even shapes. Ficks could only imagine they tasted different, too.

“Will this work?” Pinkie asked with stars in her eyes.

“Well, um…” Ficks said, stammering to get his sentence out.

“Well, you didn’t accept money as payment so I decided to give you the second best thing! Cupcakes!” She said gleefully.

Ficks was completely puzzled. Turning down payment out of kindness is one thing, but to turn down the fruits of one’s labor, Ficks simply couldn’t do. He also could not argue with her logic.
“Yeah, that’ll certainly do..! Thank you, Miss Pie, these look delicious.” Ficks said, grabbing his hat.

Ficks walked up to the door and held it open, waiting for Applejack. She grabbed her hat, put it on and walked out of Pinkie’s house. “Thank you, Ficks.” She said, proceeding. Ficks soon followed, and the door closed behind him.

It wasn’t long before the door behind them swung open, however. The pink pony hopped out of the door, and galloped in front of the two, stopping them.

“Hey Applejack!” Pinkie shouted.

“...What?” She asked, wodnering what could possibly be so urgent.

“Since you’ve got this friend coming back to ponyville after Celestia knows how long, you know what we should do!?” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Oh no...” Applejack said under her breath.

“What?” Ficks asked regarding Applejack’s statement.

“We should throw a party!” Pinkie said with unbridled glee.

“A party?” Ficks asked, raising an eyebrow at the suggestion. Him coming back wasn’t that important, was it?

“A party!” Pinkie shouted once more.

“Just go with it.” Applejack whispered to Ficks.

“Um. Alright. I guess that sounds fine. When should it be? Who’d come to it anyway?” Ficks asked.

“All of Applejack’s friends, that’s who! We should do this tonight!” Pinkie shouted. Applejack perked up at the statement, and spoke.

“Pinkie, ‘much as I appreciate the idea, we just can’t do it tonight; Ficks still has work to do and I can’t imagine he won’t be tired when he gets home, and I’d like to just sit back and relax. Besides, how are you gonna’ manage to get everypony there tonight? We’re all busy..!” She said.

Pinkie Pie thought for a moment, and said, “Well I guess I cou-”

“Pinkie. Let’s just do this tomorrow, alright?” Applejack said.

“Okay! I’ll go tell everypony!” Pinkie said as she started to hop away, but was stopped by Ficks.

“Miss Pie, while I appreciate it I really don’t think you need to let everpony know right now...” Ficks said.

“Oh don’t you even worry your pretty little head Fixy or Fixems or...wait what was it?” Pinkie pie asked.

“It’s Ficks.” He said with reluctance.

“Right I knew that.” Pinkie said as she slammed the door leaving the two to continue on their way. Without a doubt, Pinkie was one of the most peculiar ponies Ficks had ever met.

“So, who’s next on the list?” Ficksitup asked.

“Hmm...” hey looky here at this one.”Appljack said as she pulled out the scroll with the ribbon tied around it. “I know where this one came from, these are the pieces of paper that Twilight uses to write her notes with”

“Twilight? That’s quite a name right there.” Ficks said with an impressed look on his face.

“Yeah, she’s the unicorn that’s stayin’ at the library in Ponyville.” Applejack said.

“Unicorn?” Ficks asked with both eyebrows raised.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t believe it but, Twilight is actually one of Princess Celestia’s students. She’s real gifted in usin’ magic. So she’s really somethin’ else.” Applejack responded in an almost bragging tone.

“Are you pullin’ my leg, or what? A student of Celestia’s? How in the world did you meet somepony of that stature?” Ficks asked.

“Let’s just say she’s pretty new to Ponyville as well sugarcube.” Applejack said.

“Yeah that’s true, you always have been the welcome wagon for anypony new in town.” Ficks said smiling at her.

“Oh you, always knowin’ how to make a mare feel special.” She said. Their eyes met for a moment and Ficks could feel himself turning a little red.

“Yeah, I guess.” Ficks said letting out a light chuckle. Then everything was silent for a moment. “Erm, anyway I guess we shouldn’t keep your friend waiting.”

“Oh right, yeah let’s go” Applejack said. Ficks trotted closely behind her since he figured she knew the way to the library. It was nice to have her tagging along and introducing him to her friends. Yet Ficks couldn’t help feel uncomfortable with her around him now. He had no idea why though. He glanced over at her, and for the first time he really noticed how much her blond mane gleamed in the sunlight like locks of gold, just how red the three apples adorning her fl- What the heck am I doin’? Why am I starin’ at her flank!? He thought in panic.

“Uh, Ficks? Somethin’ catch your eye?” Applejack asked.

“What? Uh, no. I just uh... I needed to readjust my saddlebag that’s all.” Ficks said nervously. He began adjusting the straps hastily on his saddlebag while Applejack stared at him intently.

“...Right. Well come on, we’re almost to the library.” Applejack said. As soon as she turned around he breathed a sigh of relief. What’s gotten into me? He thought.

A few minutes later, they approached a particularly massive tree adorned with windows and a balcony. This was one of the more peculiar structures Ficks had seen; considering it wasn’t really much of a structure at all. It was just a tree. It looked like some filly had built their own tree-house and had gotten a little carried away. The two trotted up to the door and Ficks knocked on it.

Nopony answered the door. Ficks tried knocking again. There was still no answer. “Do ya think she’s not home or somethin’?” Ficks asked.

“Oh she’s home alright, she’s probably just up in her room with her head stuck in a book again” Applejack said. She went ahead and opened the door. Ficks hesitated for a moment and then followed her in.

He was amazed by the interior of the library. The tree had pretty much been hollowed out and replaced with shelves and shelves full of books. In a corner, stood a small pedestal with parchment and an ink vial resting atop it. Ficks inspected the papers. Some of them had bits of notes scribbled on them. Others were a list of ingredients. One seemed to read an incantation for some sort of spell. Another seemed to be a map of stars and constellations. Whatever they were, it didn’t make an inch of sense to Ficks. Other than the stacks of papers that were sprawled all over the place, the library seemed to be very organized.

“Hey Twilight where you at? I got somepony you need to meet!” Applejack shouted. There was a loud thump from upstairs as another door opened up. A light purple shaded unicorn came trotting down the stairs. She spotted Applejack and gave a hearty smile.

“Oh Applejack hey, it’s so good to see you. I’ll admit though I wasn’t expecting anypony today. You sort of caught me at a bad time. I was just upstairs studying another one of the books I was reading on the constellations and zodiacs. I just couldn’t put it down. I’ve been reading all day.” Twilight said as she greeted her friend.

Applejack rolled her eyes amusingly, “Yeah I figured that’s what you were up to. But you really weren’t expecting anypony today?” Applejack asked.

“Nope. I dedicated the whole day to reading.” Twilight said, still grinning.

“So you completely forgot about the letter you sent to the repair pony?” Applejack asked.

“Wait how did you know about that? He’s not here already is he?” Twilight asked. Her smile was now gone. Applejack moved aside to reveal the blue stallion who was still admiring all the little trinkets that were laid out on some of the shelves. Ficks suddenly realized that all eyes were on him and spun around in surprise, knocking over a small statue in the process.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry about that. Uh... my name’s Ficksitup. I’m here to fix your problem.” Ficks said, a little embarrassed now.

“Don’t worry about that. I think I should actually be the one who is sorry.” Twilight said with a reassuring smile, “I was so caught up in my studies that I completely forgot you were supposed to be coming over today. Honestly it seems no matter how organized I am, I always forget something.”

“It’s no problem miss. So, how can I help?” Ficks asked as he removed his hat and placed it on a nearby desk.

“Well you see, it’s the library balcony out there.” Twilight said.

“What about it? It seemed okay to me outside.” Ficks said.

“That may be so, but when I tried walking out on it a few days ago, it felt really wobbly. It’s like something heavy landed on it and knocked some of the support beams loose. I really can’t imagine what could have caused it.” Twilight said.

“I see. Well then I’ll go take a look. But uh what exactly is so important about that balcony of yours anyway?” Ficks asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Well, sometimes I keep my telescope out there and use it to stargaze and take notes on the constellations I watch. It’s a really good place to watch the stars when I can’t go to my usual spot on the hilltops just outside of Ponyville.” Twilight responed proudly.

“Wow so you like the stars eh? I enjoy lookin’ out at the night sky too every once and awhile.” Ficks said, trying to make some sort of a good impression. He could tell this unicorn had brains and was a heck of a lot smarter than he was. He didn’t want to seem like an imbecile.

“Oh so you know about constellations too? Tell me do you know what month the constellation Equuleus can be seen the most clearly during the night?” She asked with bright enthusiasm.

“Uh... well... Sorry, I... Well frankly I just think the stars are kinda’ pretty is all. Never really bothered to know their names.” Ficks said.

Twilight gave a bitter look of disappointment, “Well do you know anything about space?” She asked in desperation.

Ficks got a little nervous, “Uh... sure... Yeah, I know my planets pretty well. Let’s see... ya got Earth, Mares, Unicury, and … uh Plutony?” He said with a weak smile. Twilight just responded with an unimpressed look.

“Actually it was confirmed quite a few years ago that Plutony is in fact only a foal planet. So in truth, it is no longer an actual planet in the Celestial System.” Twilight said. Ficks just looked at the ground in defeat. “You really don’t know anything about astronomy and astrology do you?” She asked.

“No I don’t. I guess I sorta skipped that stuff in school.” Ficks confessed.

“Oh well, that’s okay I guess. Anyway, I know you didn’t come here to talk about stars. Lets get down to business shall we?” Twilight asked as she began walking outside. Ficks followed her with his head hung low in shame. Somehow this unicorn managed to make him feel dumber than a pile of sticks in less than a minute. Applejack walked behind Ficks looking at him with a worried expression.

“You okay sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Ficks responded.

The three of them walked outside and around the tree until they were right under the balcony. Ficks looked up and inspected the beams trying to see if he could find anything obvious. “I can’t see anything from here, I’m gonna have to get up higher. Um you wouldn’t happen to have a ladder I could use, would you?” He asked Twilight.

Twilight just gave him another stupefied look. “Why would I have a step ladder? Shouldn’t you have one for jobs like these?” Twilight asked.

“Have you ever seen somepony carry around a ladder all day? It’s not exactly practical.” Ficks said.

“But didn’t you read my letter? I’m sure I wrote in there what the issue was. Which means you would have known to bring a ladder in the first place, right?” She asked him. Ficks just stood there in silence. He hadn’t even bothered to read the letters since he’d saved them for last. Not to mention that Applejack had been holding onto them the whole time. Ficks began to feel very foolish.

“Well I guess you’ve got a point there...” He stated.

“You don’t seem to be very organized today Mr. Ficks” Twilight claimed. Applejack opened her mouth to object at Twilight’s rather hasty comment but Ficks spoke first.

“Now hold on there Miss Twilight. I may not be the smartest stallion ‘round, and I may not be the best prepared either, but I got a job to do and I’mma get it done no matter what.” Ficks said boldly. Applejack was a bit shocked. She’d never seen Ficks act this way towards anpony before.

“And how do you intend to do that?” Twilight asked him, oblivious to his increasing irritation.

He thought for a moment then spoke, “I’ll just go out on the balcony myself and fix it from there. I’ve got a hammer and some nails. So I should be able to fix it just fine.” He said as he began walking back towards the front door.

“Wait, WHAT?” Both Applejack and Twilight said at the same time. They started after him.

“Ficks you can’t do that, it’s too dangerous.” Applejack said.

“She’s right, even I won’t risk going out there.” Twilight said

“I know what I’m doing alright.” Ficks said harshly. He entered the library and trotted up the stairs. He approached the door that led to the balcony and opened it. Unorganized am I? I’ll show her a thing or two. Ficks thought angrily. He looked at the balcony and scanned for anything that looked structurally unsafe. Everything seemed fine. He cleared his throat and slowly placed one hoof onto the platform. He could feel a few of the floorboards creak under his weight but nothing seemed to give way. Applejack and Twilight watched nervously from behind. Ficks placed a second hoof onto the balcony. So far so good. He thought. With one last stride he placed all four hooves onto the balcony and slowly began to make his way towards the side by the railing. He peered over the side and spotted one of the support beams. Sure enough the beam had come loose from whatever it was that caused it. Ficks pulled out his hammer and reached into his saddlebag for some nails. “Alright I see where it needs to be reinforced, now all I gotta do is hammer in a f-” He began, then suddenly he heard the floorboards groan underneath him.

The last thing he saw were the horrified looks of Applejack and Twilight as the floorboards underneath him gave way and he began plummeting towards the ground. The next thing he knew, he found himself lying on his back looking at the sky. He tried to get up but a sharp pain struck him in his hind leg. Ficks cringed in agony. Stupid... that was really stupid. He thought. Applejack and Twilight galloped over to where Ficks was lying. He was now covered in leaves and dirt. He also had a few scrapes on his legs.

“Oh my gosh Ficks! Ficks are ya alright?” Applejack asked hysterically.

“Oh no, okay just wait there. I’ll go and get the doctor right away!” Twilight said in a panicked manner.

“No no, I don’t need a doctor. I’m fine. I can walk.” Ficks said. He got up, fighting the sting that now burned in his back leg. Applejack rushed to his side and helped him up.

“Are you sure?” Applejack said. Ficks just looked at her with cold eyes.

“I’m sure. It’s just a scratch.” Ficks said.

“Oh no, look at the balcony. Now how are we supposed to get it fixed?” Twilight asked looking up at the gaping hole on the balcony floor.

“Twilight! This is hardly the time to be thinkin’ about that!.” Applejack said.

“I’m sorry Applejack, you’re right what am I thinking? Ficks are you sure you’re going to be alright?” Twilight asked.

“I said...I’ll be fine.” Ficks started. “Listen, I’m... I’m really sorry Twilight. I can’t do anything about the balcony right now. I’mma have to make another day to come down here and fix it when I’m... better equipped.”

Twilight nodded her head in understanding. Applejack ran into the library and grabbed Ficks’ hat off of the desk. She returned and helped place it back atop his head. Ficks got up and started walking away, leaning himself against Applejack for support.

“I guess I’ll see you later Twilight...” Applejack said. The two of them left the library leaving Twilight to tend after the fallen branches and broken wood... as well as her own guilt.

They had been walking for awhile, not speaking to one another. Ficks had barely noticed that he had taken to Applejack for support, who seemed unphased by it.

“Hey. I think I can walk now.” Ficks said.

“Ya sure sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah I’m fine. Thanks for helpin’ me out.” Ficks said. He pulled away from her slowly. He now had to limp to dull the pain.

“Ficks you don’t look good, maybe you should just go home. I’m sure my friends can wait a little longer to get their problems sorted out. Right now you should go home and get some rest.” Applejack said. Ficks smiled lightly at her generosity, and began to speak again.

“I appreciate your concern ‘Jack, but I have to kindly refuse. Like I said, I have a job to do and I won’t rest until it gets done.” Ficks said. Applejack stared at him in disbelief. Ficks really had changed since she last saw him.

“Alright if ya insist sugarcube.” Applejack said.

“So where to next?” He asked.

Applejack looked at the next letter, which was the one that sparkled and had the encrusted jewels on it. “Hoh boy, this one oughta’ be a doozy…” She said as she read the address. “Hope you remembered some’a yer manners from Manehattan, ‘cause Rarity is one tough unicorn to impress.”

“Wait a sec… we’re goin’ to see Miss Rarity now?” Ficks asked. Great another unicorn... he thought in dismay.

“Well yeah, who’d ya think we were goin’ to see? Princess Celestia herself?” She asked with a chuckle.

“It’s not that... it’s just… I hardly think I’m lookin’ anywhere decent enough to be steppin’ in a shop’a that kinda of quality lookin’ like this…” Ficks said as he inspected himself.

He just now noticed that the day’s work had finally effected his overall appearance. Besides the incident at the library that had left him scraped and bruised, he was covered in sweat and dirt, his hat was dusty, and his mane and tail were ruffled even more than usual. To put it simply, he was a mess.

Applejack just laughed at him. “Oh come on Sugarcube, you know I was just jokin’ with ya and besides, ya’ never cared too much how ya’ looked ‘round anypony else, or even me, for that matter.” Applejack stated.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” Ficks said, trying to feel a little more reassured, but he was still nervous.

They approached the building where Rarity lived. Ficks looked at it in awe. The building certainly looked like the most intricate out of all the other structures in Ponyville. It looked as though somepony had taken a piece of Canterlot, stuck it there, and had forgotten to come back for it.

“Don’t think I’ve ever seen somethin’ quite like that in Ponyville before. Certainly looks new compared to all the other houses here.” He said, still admiring the outside structure.

“Well from what Rarity’s told me, it’s pretty much been around as long as the other places here. She’s just spruced it up a bit for her lil’ fashion business.” Applejack said.

The two approached the door, but Ficks stopped right where he was, and spoke. “Listen, I think you should knock this time.” Ficks said, somewhat nervously.

“Are you still worried about how you look right now? Alright, fine. I’ll knock for ya’...” Applejack said, rolling her eyes and knocking on the door. “Rarity! Hey, ya’ home?” She shouted at the door.

She opened the door and walked in. Ficks peered over her shoulder, while remaining by the door. The interior decoration, to him, was just as pretty as the outside. Purple, gold, and ivory, was strewn about all over the place. Applejack looked around the store for Rarity, to find her at the furthest corner working almost obsessively over yet another dress. Rarity stopped what she was doing to greet her friend.

“Ah Applejack my dear so good to see you, have you finally come to take up my offer to get something done about that mane of yours?” Rarity asked in a cheerful manner.

“Nah, I’m just stoppin’ by with a friend.” Applejack replied.

“Oh well if that’s the case, then I’m afraid you’ve caught me at a rather unfavorable time. I have to get this dress done by tonight and I’m still waiting for that repair pony to get here to fix my sewing machine.” Rarity said in an exhausted tone.

“Uh Rarity...” Applejack said.

“Of all the times that confounded machine had to break it had to be now, right when I have over ten different orders coming in...” Rarity said. Applejack rolled her eyes in frustration.

“Settle down Rarity, the rep-” Applejack began.

“I can’t just settle down Applejack. I have dozens of dresses to make, my machine is broken which means I have make them all by hoof, and that confounded repair pony is still not here!” Rarity complained as she threw her hooves up.

“Rarity! I said the repair pony is here!” Applejack shouted in frustration. Rarity looked up at her friend and smiled lightly.

“Well why didn’t you say so dear?” Rarity asked politely. Applejack rolled her eyes and walked away to let Ficks handle matters from there. He stepped inside the shop and walked towards the white unicorn with haste. Rarity dropped what she was doing, galloped towards him, and spoke.

“Thank goodness you’re finally here; my sewing machine has stopped working and I ne- Goodness where are my manners. I am Rarity and welcome to my boutique sir.” She said calmly.

“I’m Ficks, pleasure to mee-” He began.

“Yes yes that’s nice, now if you’ll please. I believe you are here to fix my problem?” Rarity asked impatiently.

“Well yes but weren’t you gonna tell me ab-” Ficks started before he was abruptly interrupted again.

“Now now, there’ll be plenty of time for chit chat later. Musn’t waste anymore time. That machine isn’t going to fix itself you know.” Rarity said

“Uh okay. I guess that’s the sewing machine over there?” Ficks said, gesturing at the object on the table she had left the dress on.

“Yes, that’s the one. It simply stopped working, and I can’t get it working again! Nopony has any of them in stock, and I simply must get this dress done by tonight!” Rarity said.

“I understand, I’ll see what I can do then.” Ficks said as he approached the work table.

Before him, laid a defunct sewing machine. He pulled out a screwdriver from his saddlebags, removed the top, and began his work. He peered inside looking at all the rods and drives that formed the inside structure of the machine.

“Well?... What’s wrong with it?” Rarity asked peering over Fick’s shoulder.

“Hmmmm, I don’t think I can see anything that’s wr- ” Ficks started as he moved a wire aside. He saw something glimmering near the bottom of the machine where the threads were fed into the rods. “Wait, there’s somethin’ jammed in between two of the feed gears.” He said. He pulled out his pliers and placed them inside the machine. He moved them around until he felt that he’d grabbed onto something and gave a small tug. Immediately he pried a small gemstone from the gears and placed it onto the table. Rarity stood in disbelief as she stared at the crystal jewel. “Now I haven’t done a lot of sewing in my days but I’m pretty sure that ain’t supposed to be in there.” Ficks said.

“Oooooooh... I knew I never should have let Sweetiebelle borrow my machine for that talent show of hers.” Rarity said as she stomped her front hoof on the floor in frustration.

“Well I’m sure she didn’t mean to cause ya any harm. It was probably just an accident.” Ficks said.

“She could have broken it! This would have been terrible for business! Do you even know how long it would have taken to get a quality machine like this replaced?” She asked.

Ficks just scratched his head and shrugged at Rarity. She continued to stare intently at him. She was being completely serious. “Uh, I guess it would probably take a few weeks or so to get a new one. With a business like yours I assume it would be difficult for ya to get anything done around here until it arrived” Ficks said.

“Exactly. Well it’s good to see that you at least have some common sense on this delicate matter... Still, I suppose thanks are in order for doing this little favor for me and of course you will be paid handsomely for a job well done.” Rarity said. She pulled out a small purse and opened it up. “Alright then, how much will it be?”

“Well it was a pretty easy fix, so I guess it’ll just be five bits for it all.” Ficks said cheerfully.

“Very well then. Five bits it is.” Rarity said. She pulled out five coins and began to hoof them to Ficks. Suddenly she stopped and made a slightly distorted face, and took a couple of steps back. “On second thought, here let me take care of that” She said, using her magic to open a pocket in Ficks’ saddlebag and let the coins fall gently into the pouch while keeping her distance.

“Uh… thanks..?” Ficks said in a confused manner.

“It’s nothing personal dear, it’s just that cleanliness is well… good for business and I’m afraid I can’t risk soiling my hooves right now. After all I still have dresses to make.” Rarity said. She tried to sound as polite as she could about the whole thing, but Ficks couldn’t help but feel a bit taken aback by her comment.

“Right, well I guess I’ll be goin’ now. I hope you have yourself a fine day Miss Rarity” Ficks said as he began walking to the door. He tried to hide his expression of discomfort.

“Yes yes, thank you... Now if you’ll excuse me I have to finish my work. So many dresses to make and so little time…” Rarity finally said as she wandered off to the far side of the boutique to fetch a couple more pieces of fabric. Ficks walked out of the store and walked over to where Applejack was waiting for him.

“Sorry I didn’t stay in there with ya’, I thought I’d let’cha do yer job without me causin’ a ruckus with Rarity. Sometimes we get into the darnedest arguments and it makes quite the scene so I thought I’d just let you two get acquainted. So what’dya think of her?” Applejack asked enthusiastically.

Ficks stood there for a moment then gave her a light smile. “She seems like a very nice mare.” He lied. Once Applejack had turned around, the smile disappeared from his face. Ficks didn’t feel like telling her about what Rarity had said to him, even though it didn’t sit well with him at all...

“So looks like we just have one last stop and then yer all done for the day.” Applejack said

“Well actually ‘Jack, we have two stops to make before I’m done.” Ficks replied. She gave him a puzzled look.

“If you don’t mind I’d like to stop by the shop to…well…clean up a bit before I run that final errand.” He said with some reluctance.

“Oh now don’t tell me that Rarity actually made a fuss about you bein’ all dirty n’ stuff Ficks? Don’t worry about it sugarcube, she’s always been stubborn as a mule ‘bout that kind’a thing. It ain’t got nothin’ to do with ya’.” Applejack said. Ficks smiled, reassured just a little bit by her comment. She suddenly smelled a pungent odor that seemed to be coming from Ficks.

“Though I will admit, ya do kinda’ stink Ficks” She said chuckling.

“Yeah yeah, very funny. Anyway come on, let’s get to the shop so I can take care of that and then we can go and help out that last friend of yours.” Ficks said.

They approached the shop a few moments later. Applejack looked up at the sign hanging above the door. She smiled as she admired the shop’s exterior. “Looks like yer uncle has been keepin’ the shop in good condition.” She said as Ficks walked towards the door.

“Yeah, this shop is his pride and joy. Anyway I’ll just be a sec. Would you like to come in for awhile?” Ficks asked.

“Nah it’s alright sugarcube. I’ll wait our here. You just go ahead n’ clean yerself up. Don’t worry I ain’t goin’ nowhere.” Applejack said.

Ficks smiled and nodded. He walked into the shop and took his hat and vest off. With haste, he trotted up the stairs towards the bathroom. Ficks then proceeded to wash himself. What a mess... he thought. In a short time, he was as clean as he was this morning when he awoke. He left the bathroom, and as he came walking back into the main room of the shop, he saw Nut standing by his stuff, eagerly waiting for him.

“Wow, you’re back already?” Nut asked with excitement.

“Hey lil’ guy. Well no, not exactly. I just stopped by to clean myself up, I still have one more job to do before I’m all done for the day.” Ficks answered.

Nut’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Can I go with? Please, please big bro?” He asked in desperation.

“And what about the shop and Uncle ‘Plank? He ain’t gonna be too happy when he finds out his only assistant has run off.” Ficks said.

“You kiddin’? This place was soooo boring. While I could have been helpin’ you out, I ended up cleaning all the shelves and reorganizing the entire tool cabinet. Almost nopony came in today. Besides he’s down in the basement fixin’ Celestia knows what. You gotta let me go with. Please.” Nut said. Ficks looked at him and sighed.

“Alright fine. But you gotta promise to be on yer best behavior” Ficks said, as he put on his vest, toolbag, and donned his hat once more. Nut followed him hastily out of the door. Ficks looked to his left to find Applejack, sitting against the store’s front, hat tipped down for shade.

“I didn’t take that long, did I?” Ficks asked sarcastically.

Applejack tipped her hat up and spoke. “Nah. Just bright out today.” She said.

“Not for too much longer, I don’t think. Sun’s settin’. We ought’a get movin.” Ficks said, offering a hoof to help Applejack up.

“Repayin’ the favor, Ficks? My leg ain’t hurt y’know.” Applejack said as she got up on her own.

“No, just trying to be helpful. C’mon, let’s head out.” Ficks said, as he gestured the two to follow. He walked next to Applejack while Nut followed close behind. “So, this fourth friend’a yours... What’s her name?” Ficks asked.

“Name’s Fluttershy. Real good with animals and other small critters.” She said. Ficks looked back at his little brother and received Nut’s mischievous grin once more.

“What about nosey lil’ siblings?” Ficks asked in a joking manner.

“Funny you’d mention that. She once had to watch Applebloom and her friends... Turned out alright, but looking at the note, she needs her table repaired and I can’t help but figure it’s the same table that those rascals broke.” Applejack said, rolling her eyes at the thought.

After a few turns and straight-aways, the amount of buildings faded. Not too far in the distance, a small cottage could be seen just on the edge of the Everfree forest.

As they approached the house, Ficks couldn’t help but be taken aback by how many creatures freely wandered around the yard. He looked back to see what Nut was doing, and could see his little brother watching the the different animals run amok with a certain look of enthusiasm on his face.

“Come on little guy.” Ficks said with a chuckle, as he gestured to his little brother to catch up with them. Before they got to the door, Applejack put a hoof in front of Ficks.

“If her name wasn’t enough of a sign, she’s rather shy towards new folk. Let me take care of this one, alright?” Applejack said, in an almost concerned manner. This mare really must be shy for Applejack to give such an important warning. Ficks nodded in agreement. Applejack walked up to the door and knocked lightly. A few seconds passed and then from behind the door a faint voice could be heard. “Umm... nopony’s here right now.”

“Fluttershy. It’s me, just open the door would’ja?” Applejack said in an impatient tone. There wasn’t a response. The door however finally opened with hesitation. Ficks watched as a light yellow mare stepped out from behind the wooden door. Her long pink mane fell loosely along her head. Her bangs covered one of her eye to the point it looked like she was hiding behind her hair. From behind her hair, Fluttershy peeked outside to see an un-familiar Blue stallion and colt. She drew back into her house and attempted to close the door, to which Applejack responded by putting herself in the door half-way. Applejack knew full well Fluttershy wouldn’t be able to close the door on one of her best friends.

“The repairman’s here to work on the table Fluttershy. No need to be afraid, he’s one of my friends.” Applejack said, attempting to comfort her friend.

Fluttershy was still doubtful, but responded, “Sorry... it’s just that it got so late that I began to think he wasn’t coming so I just decided to lock the door and go to bed.” She said apologetically.

Ficks approached her slowly. “There’s no need to apologize ma’am. I’m the one who should be sorry. I sort of ran into some... delays. So that’s why it took so long to get here.” Ficks said attempting to make amends for his tardiness. Fluttershy began to back up into the house again. The look on her face said she was still nervous about him. Ficks stopped advancing and took another moment to speak. “Sorry, where are my manners? My name is Ficksitup. I received your note about a table that needed to be fixed. So here I am.” He said with a smile.

Some of the anxiety in her face let up but she was still hesitant. “Oh yeah, that’s right. I sent a note. I was well... I was hoping that maybe the note would have just gotten lost. After I sent it I didn’t want to get the table fixed anymore... but you’re here so I guess that’s okay too...” Fluttershy said with her head looking at the floor. Ficks scratched his head in confusion. This pegasus was certainly a peculiar one.

“Now that don’t seem to be much of a convenience. I mean what’s the use in keepin’ a broken table around in such a fine little house as yours?” Ficks asked. He was making what little attempt he could to get a proper answer out of her.

“Well... I was going to throw it out, but I’ve had it for so long that I... just couldn’t possibly get rid of it.” She replied back to him. Ficks shook his head in defeat. There was no use in trying any longer.

“Alright, I understand. Just go ahead and show me the table and I’ll see if I can work my magic.” Ficks said.

She looked up at him and stood there silently. An immense awkward feeling filled the entire room. “...Oh do you mean right now?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well... I suppose I can always come back tomorrow.” Ficks said in a heavy sarcastic voice. Fluttershy lowered her head again, this time so low that her hair drooped around the floor.

“I understand... I’m sorry to have wasted your time...” She said in a somewhat regretful tone.

Ficks slapped a hoof over his face. “No no, I wasn’t being serious. Of course I’d like you to show me the table now, please.” He said. Of all the costumers he had to deal with, this one took the cake.

Fluttershy just nodded and gestured Ficks to follow her into the next room. Ficks looked inside of the house for a table, but did not find one. Instead, he found a mangled mess of wood and nails, all twisted together in ways that didn’t even seem possible. The shape that the wood formed reminded him of some abstract modern art statue that appeared in those fancy museums.

“Umm... is this it?” Ficks asked. He was hoping it was some sort of prank that was being pulled on him, but Fluttershy just looked at him and nodded in all seriousness. Ficks sighed and looked back at the table, or at least what was left of it. “I don’t mean to prod or nothin’ but... how exactly did this happen? You didn’t do this, did you?” He asked her.

“Oh no no no, I didn’t do this. I mean I wouldn’t really know what to do with a table. I mean well this table didn’t really serve any purpose. I just sort of let it sit here. Or well... you know...” She said. Ficks could tell she was getting nervous again but he didn’t want to provoke her anymore.

“Pretty much when my lil’ sister and her friends were stayin’ over for the night, their rambunctious behavior ended up getting the table broken. Then to make things worse they went n’ tried to fix it themselves with some hammers and nails.” Applejack chimed in to save her friend.

“Uh... I don’t really know how to put this Fluttershy, but honestly... there are some things that even I can’t fix. I’m afraid this table’s no good anymore.” Ficks said with a pang of guilt. He really did feel bad that he couldn’t do anything to restore the table to it’s former beauty. In a way, it almost hurt his pride as well. He could fix almost anything, yet... for the first time, he couldn’t live up to his reputation. This time Ficks hung his head in shame.

“Oooh, I knew I should have just gotten rid of it. I’m really sorry. Now I really have wasted your time here.” Fluttershy said. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

“Please Miss Fluttershy it’s not your fault. I just can’t do anything to fix it, that’s all.” Ficks said trying to stop the pegasus from making a scene in her own house.

“I don’t see what the fuss is all about. Why dont’cha just make a new table, big bro?” Nut said from out of the blue. He had wandered in from the other room when he’d overheard the situation.

Ficks’ ears pricked up when he heard Nut’s suggestion. “Hey! That’s it. Nut yer a genius! Gosh why didn’t I think of that?” Ficks said as he grabbed his little brother, and gave him a one-armed hug and ruffled his mane. “You sure are a smart lil’ colt. Now I know why I let ya tag along”

“No problem big bro.” Nut replied with a smile on his face.

Applejack laughed at the two siblings. “Gosh you two sure are cute when you’re acting like that.” she said. Nut smiled generously at her while Ficks began blushing a little.

“Uh, well, thanks... I guess...” Ficks said, struggling to reply coherently, to which Applejack giggled at. “So anyway, Nut where in the heck have you been all this time anyway? Once we’d come in, you went and wandered off and I didn’t see ya until now.”

Nut just smiled innocently and replied, “Well I was lookin’ around the house just lookin’ at all the stuff here when...” Suddenly out of nowhere a small rodent like creature popped out of Nut’s mane. “... I found this little guy.” He said as he looked up at the animal now eyeballing everypony in the room.

Ficks jumped back a few feet. “What is that?” he asked in panic. The creature looked up at Ficks with beady little eyes. It had a small, slender body and small little paws that it used to cling to Nut’s mane. It’s tail wagged around in all directions as if it had a mind of its own. At one point, its mouth seemed to quiver into what looked like a little smile.

“Oh my...” Fluttershy said. “That’s a baby ferret. Isn’t he just the cutest?” Suddenly out of nowhere, a carrot struck her in the back of the head. Everypony turned around so see a small white rabbit hopping away with an angered expression.

“What the heck was that all about?” Ficks asked. Fluttershy was a little shocked but she just shrugged it off and rubbed the back of her head.

“Oh sorry, that’s Angel. He’s my little pet bunny. He doesn’t seem to get along with much of the other animals here... especially ferrets.” She replied, “Bunnies and ferrets don’t always get along too well. I could never get rid of Angel. So I’m not sure I can look after this little one anymore...” She gestured at the ferret that was still dancing on top of Nut’s head.

Nuttanbolt’s expression turned into one of hopefulness. Ficks knew that look; a full on cheesy grin with barely contained excitement.

“Nut, I don’t know if we can take care of a pet right now...” Ficks said.

“Aaw! Come on! I’ve never had a pet before!” Nut said, pleading to Ficks. He was making a sad eyed face that would have even given Applebloom a run for her money.

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of, Nut.” Ficks said.

“Sugarcube, last I recall you’ve never had a pet either, right?” Applejack asked.

“No, the city was never a place for a pet.” Ficks said.

“Well, we don’t live in the city anymore, Ficks!” Nut said with the continued use of his grin and desperate eyes.

“Ficks if I might make a point on the whole issue here. Nut’s pretty new to the town, which means he ain’t got too many friends right now. With a little critter like this, it’d make a perfect companion for a lonely colt like him.” Applejack implied.

“Yeah? Well I never had anypony to be my friend either and I turned out just fi-” Ficks began but stopped himself after he realized what he’d just said. He looked at Applejack who’s face now had a look of utter shock. “I’m... I’m sorry ‘Jack. That ain’t what I meant by that.” Ficks said. Stupid...Stupid! He thought to himself.

“It’s alright sugarcube, I understand what you were implying.” Applejack said with her eyes looking at the floor. The tone in her voice suggested that she was still a little hurt by his comment.

“It’s up to Fluttershy anyway.” Ficks said.

“I don’t mind. It seems like he’s very fond of him anyway.” Fluttershy said. She wasn’t kidding. The ferret seemed to be rooted to his head like his paws were actually glued to Nut’s hair. Ficks soon realized that all eyes were fixed upon him with anticipation, waiting for an answer. The ferret even stopped climbing all over Nut as if he was listening too. Guess I have no choice. He thought.

“But, y’know, Nut... We’d still have to ask ‘Plank either way.” Ficks said

“Well then let’s take him home and ask him.” Nut suggested impatiently.

Ficks sighed in dismay. “Ugh alright ya lil’ pain in the flank. We’ll take him home.” Ficks said. Nuttanbolt’s face lit up with delight. Even the ferret seemed to act excited because it had started running around Nut’s head even more energetically than before. “But remember... if Hammerplank says no, then he’s gotta go.” He added. Nut nodded in understanding and trotted off to play with his new companion.

“Well I guess that wraps things up then.” Applejack said.

“Oh, right. Anyway miss Fluttershy. I hope you don’t mind, but if you’d like I can build you a brand new table and bring it here when it’s finished.” Ficks said as he turned back to Fluttershy who was now sitting in a corner. She had spaced out awhile ago so she looked at him as if she had just awoken from a nap.

“Oh... well, I guess that’s fine if you know... that’s what you want to do. I mean I don’t mind. Though, I don’t know if I still want another table right now...” Fluttershy said in her usual shy tone.

“Please, let me do it for ya. It’ll be nice to help out another friend of Applejack. So don’t even worry about it. I’ll have that table made in a jiffy.” Ficks said reassuringly.

Fluttershy nodded at him and went back to hiding her face behind her hair. Applejack decided to take things from there. “Well, then Fluttershy we gotta head out now. It’s been good uh... chattin’ with ya. I’ll see ya tomorrow or something.” Applejack said as she began heading towards the front door.

“Okay...” Fluttershy said. Ficks was confused. Now she sounded sad, like she was upset that her company was departing when awhile ago she was reluctant to let anypony in to begin with. Ficks just shook his head and gave her a simple wave goodbye. He followed Applejack to the door with Nuttanbolt and the ferret in tow.

“You have yourself a good night Miss Fluttershy.” Ficks said as he shut the door after the others had walked out.

Ficks walked out behind the others, departing from the small cottage in the outskirts of town. Nut was completely occupied with the ferret he picked up, which was still tossing and turning in his already scruffy mane. Applejack was ahead of the group, however. Ficks trotted up to her, and spoke.

“Hey, thanks for comin’ along. This woulda’ been twice as awkward without’cha here.” He said.

“No problem.” Applejack said, with a strange lack of emotion.

Ficks looked away from Applejack for a moment, and avoided eye contact for a second. “I’m sorry about that comment, Jack... About the lack of friends thing...” Ficks said.

“It’s fine. We all make mistakes.” Applejack said somewhat coldly.

“Do you want me to walk ya’ back home?” Ficks asked in a somewhat apologetic manner.

“I’ve got this, Ficks. I appreciate it, but maybe another time. Besides, you’ve gotta’ get home and get some rest right? After all, I’m sure you’ve got more work to do tomorrow.” She answered.

“You’ll still talk to me right?” Ficks asked.

“Why wouldn’t I? You’re my friend.” Applejack said. Ficks didn’t know why but that didn’t seem to make him feel any better. It only filled him with more guilt.

“Alright I guess I’ll see ya around then.” Ficks said as he waved goodbye. Applejack turned away and began trotting back home. The two brothers began walking back to the shop. Ficks walked with his face drooping in pure exhaustion while Nuttanbolt continued to trot energetically with the ferret bouncing around on his back. How that colt managed to maintain so much energy was a mystery to Ficks.

“So do ya think uncle ‘Plank will let me keep him?” Nut asked.

“Well Nut... I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” Ficks said as they continued towards the shop.

***

“No, no, absolutely not.” Hammerplank said, glaring at the rodent sitting upon Nut’s head.

“Aww come on Uncle, he ain’t got nowhere to go.” Nut said with saddened eyes.

“I let you two come down here to live with me... and now you bring some rodent into my neatly maintained workspace? What did you think my answer would be?” Hammerplank asked angrily.

“Uncle please try to understand, we were just tryin’ to help out one of the custom-” Ficks began but Hammerplank put his hoof up to stop him.

“No, no more of your excuses Ficks. The rodent’s gotta go.” Hammerplank said bluntly.

“It’s a ferret.” Nut corrected his uncle.

“I don’t care what it is! It’s not staying!” Plank replied in a stern manner.

Nuttanbolt couldn’t figure out what to say at the time. He knew when Plank said no, he meant it... Nut started tearing up at Plank’s answer.

“Oh boy,here we go...” Ficks said under his breath.

Nut started with a couple of sobs, and a barely audible whine. Soon enough, he started to cry about the whole thing, sometimes interrupted by neigh incomprehensible words, sounding something similar to, “But...he’s...got...no...where...to...goooooo.” At least, that’s how Ficks interpereted it.

Hammerplank’s brow was furrowed, but at the same time he could see Nut really wanted to keep the ferret for his own.

“Please, Uncle Plank... do it for him. Just look at him. He’s a mess.” Ficks said, pointing to his little brother.

Plank continued to look at the groveling colt, who had collapsed into a physically impossible mess on the floor, like most kids seem to have the odd ability to do. Hammerplank sighed. I’m gonna regret this. He thought.

“Alright... fine. The rat can stay.” He said.

Still sobbing, Nut was oblivious to what his uncle had said. Ficks nudged him with his hoof, getting only a glimpse from Nut.

“He said you can keep him, Nut.” Ficks said.

Nut quieted down a bit, and perked up ever slightly. He looked at his uncle and asked, “You mean it?”

“Yeah I mean it. But he’s your responsibility. So you take care of him and you feed him.” Plank reiterated. “And if I catch him in my shop where he don’t belong... he’s gone.” He added.

Nut nodded in understanding. He got up slowly, almost weakly, and started to walk upstairs with the ferret still in his mane. “Thanks, Uncle...” He said, walking upstairs. In a few seconds, the shutting of a door was heard, and Hammerplank looked at Ficks in an accusatory fashion.

“What’d I do?” Ficks asked.

“Nothin’ yet... Just don’t make me regret this Ficks. I assume today’s business went off without a hitch?” Plank asked.

“Uh, not quite. Only two jobs didn’t get done. One was a broken balcony, which I just wasn’t prepared for, and another was a destroyed table, which the client sort of... canceled.”

Hammerplank let out a sigh, and spoke. “Alright. Can’t help it if somepony cancels, but you better get that balcony fixed. I’m not gonna let costumer satisfaction fall just ‘cuz you failed to remember your tools or something. Anyway, I’m headin’ to bed; I’m tired as heck.” Plank said as he walked to the staircase.

“Alright then goodnight uncle and hey...” Ficks started. Hammerplank turned back to face Ficksitup. “Thanks for lettin’ Nut keep the ferret.”

“Yeah yeah, well you can thank me by takin’ out that trash before you head to bed.” Hammerplank said pointing to a black plastic bag next to the work bench.

“Alright I’ll get it done” Ficks said as he grabbed the bag and headed out the door. Night had finally fallen in Ponyville. The sky was clear and full of stars and crickets were herping in the distance. He walked around to the back of the shop where a large garbage bin stood among piles of discarded wood and junk metal. He tossed the bag in and sighed heavily. He couldn’t believe that the day was finally done. So much had happened today, some things he rather would have forgotten about. At least Nut had gotten a new pet out of it all. Either way, Ficks was just glad it was all over and he could get some sleep.

As he turned the corner to go back towards the front door, Ficks ran into somepony who had been standing in front of the shop. He stumbled backwards but quickly recovered to see who he had run into. On the ground sat a bewildered grey pegasus with a blond mane. Ficks rushed over and helped her up.

“I’m really sorry for bumpin’ into ya like that ma’am. Are you alright?” Ficks asked her. It was then that he got a good look at her face and more importantly... her eyes. They were looking in opposite directions. One was looking left and the other was looking right. Frankly, the look on her face could not be described by any word he knew. All he knew, was that it confused the heck out of him.

The pegasus looked up and smiled at him. “Muffins!” She shouted with glee. Ficks stood there dumbfounded. Did she hit her head or something? Ficks thought.

“Um I’m sorry I didn’t understand you, but are you alright?” Ficks asked the question again. She continued to smile blankly at him.

“I found the muffin pony. I’m a good knocker.” She said, flapping her wings wildly about.

Ficks confused expression only got worse. “Uh... well can you tell me your name? You’ve got a name right?” He asked in desperation. Something told him this pegasus wasn’t playing with a full deck and honestly, he wasn’t really in the mood for meeting anypony new tonight. Then he noticed the saddlebag she was carrying. On one of the pouches there was some letters stitched onto the front pocket. The letters read Derpy. “Oh so is that your name? Is your name Derpy?” He asked her.

She began jumping up and down with joy. “Congratulations! You win the grand prize.” Derpy said with excitement. Ficks just looked at her in disbelief.

“Okay then... well glad to see yer okay, but I gotta get goin’ now, so you have yourself a nice night Miss Derpy.” Ficks said as he began walking towards the shop’s door. Derpy stopped smiling and ran after Ficks. She stood in front of the door to prevent him from walking in.

“Ma’am, I really need to get back inside.” Ficks said at the pegasus blocking his path.

“Wait, I forgot.... I forgot to tell the muffin pony something!” Derpy cried hysterically. She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a white envelope.

“What is that?” Ficks asked, looking at the envelope. Wait then that must mean she’s the mail mare. Ficks thought. But what the heck is she doing out at a time like this? And why is she giving me a letter right now?It should have come in with the rest of the mail this morning.

“Equestria has been brought to you by the letter A and the number 7!” Derpy cheered as she hoofed over the letter to Ficks. He looked at the letter and then back at her.

“I don’t understand Derpy...” Ficks said. Derpy shook her head furiously.

“Look look! A is the letter of the day!” She said as she pointed at the return address on the envelope. Ficks looked at what she was pointing at. When he read the name and address, all expression disappeared from his face.

“I understand... thank you Derpy, but now I really need to go.” Ficks said. The Pegasus smiled and flew off into the moonlight. Ficks opened the door to the shop and headed straight upstairs to his room in the attic. He turned on the light on his desk and slumped onto his bed and began looking over the envelope again and again. The Manehattan stamp on the right corner, the unmistakable marked address of Hammerplank’s shop and Ficks’ own name, and of course the return address on the left...

Addemup
07 Trot St.
Manehatten, EQ, 67992

Ficks sat there for several minutes, silently glaring at the envelope. He pondered over whether or not he would open it. Finally he let out a grunt of frustration and crumpled up the envelope. I don’t care what he has to say anymore. He wasn’t there for me then and he’s NOT gonna be there for me now. Ficks thought as he discarded it into a bin by the desk. He laid on his back and stared at the ceiling.

The day had left him fatigued and depressed. He’d finally been introduced to most of Applejack’s friends that he had been so eager to meet... yet nothing seemed to have worked out the way he imagined it would. Ficks ran through the days events in his head.

Pinkie Pie, seemed like a decent mare, but she was one of the most energetic ponies he’d ever met, and he had no idea how Applejack could keep up with her. Twilight Sparkle, clearly, was an intelligent mare that was gifted enough with magic to be Princess Celestia’s protege, but in no way did that justify the way she acted towards his, “Lack of preperation”. Rarity was a harsh reminder of Manehattan, and while she was clearly dedicated to the craft of her dresses, she seemed to be a bit too... finicky about small things. Fluttershy was clearly a kind-hearted mare, but he was more concerned with the fact that she was so stubborn over the idea of meeting anypony new. Maybe he caught them at a bad time, and maybe they weren’t so bad, but Ficks’ impressions of them were not the best at the moment. Not only that, but he had also failed two of his jobs today, and Applejack...

Ficks still couldn’t get over what he had said to her, a dear old friend of his that he came all the way from Manehattan to see again, and he said something as stupid as, “I did fine growing up without any friends” How in the hay could I say such a thing to Jack? Ficks thought to himself. Stupid, Stupid Stupid... He lay there hopelessly, looking up at the ceiling. He thought he would be able to fit into Ponyville just fine with Applejack around and doing what he loved to do. Instead he felt like an outcast, more than ever before. He had nopony right now.

Ficks got up from his bed and walked over to one of the boxes he had left open from unpacking the night before. He reached inside, pushing away a few items and trinkets, and pulled out a small wooden frame. He sat back down on the bed and stared at the photograph behind the small pane of glass.

A much younger Ficks stood in a grassy field in front of a small, colorful oak tree, smiling childishly at the camera. Next to Ficks was a slender and tall white mare. Her blond mane hung loosely around her gentle face. She smiled warmly at the camera with her deep amber eyes and held her arm around Ficks. On the bottom of the frame, etched in the wood were the words, The Greatest Flower I’ve Ever Cherished.

A single tear ran down Ficks’ cheek and fell gently onto the frame. Oh mom...What am I going to do?

To contact the writers of this story...

Jamescameronjackson@hotmail.com

t.schomburg@yahoo.com

Chapter 3: School Days are Nuts

Apples N’ Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 3: School Days are Nuts

Nuttanbolt awoke in his room with excitement. Today was finally the day he’d been waiting for ever since he had gotten to Ponyville. It was his first day of school. Looking back on his early days in Manehattan, he’d never been to school before. His big brother, Ficksitup, had pretty much taught him everything he knew so this was going to be a completely new experience for him. He leapt out of bed and ran out of the room. He trotted down to the hall towards the stairs that led to the attic. Nut didn’t bother knocking since he knew his brother wouldn’t hear it anyway. He pushed the door open with his head and ran over to Ficks’ bedside. He crawled onto his bed and began jumping up and down in attempt to awaken his slumbering brother.

“Ficks wake up. Wake up! It’s time for school. I get to go to school!”

“...I don’t wanna go to school...Five more minutes.” Ficks mumbled from under the covers.

“Not you ya big lug nut, me!”

Ficks slowly opened his eyes to see his brother staring at him with wide, blissful eyes. He rolled over in his bed and looked at the clock on his nightstand next to him. When he saw the time, he growled very loudly. “Are you foalin’ me? Nut, it’s 4 in the mornin’! Why in all of Equestria are you wakin’ me up this early? You don’t have to be at school until 8 am!” he cried out hysterically. Nut stopped jumping and looked at Ficks in a confused manner.

“You mean to say school doesn’t start ‘til later?”

“Yeah! That’s exactly what I’m sayin’! There’s no reason to be wakin’ up this early. Heck, I coulda gotten at least two more hours a’ sleep.” Ficks grumbled again and rolled back over.

“Well how was I supposed to know that? I’ve never been to school before.”

It was no use. Ficks was already back asleep. Nut’s expression dimmed, as he trotted back downstairs to his room. He hopped back into bed, though restless as he was, and tried to go back to sleep.

A few hours later Nut was jolted awake by his brother frantically shaking him from his bed.

“Get up Nut!” Ficks shouted at him.

Nut rubbed his eyes as he stared at Ficks, “Whaaaa, what is it?” he asked, yawning.

“Nut we both slept in, we gotta hurry, you’re gonna be late for school!”

Startled and disgruntled, Nut struggled to leave his bed in panic. His legs were caught in his bed sheets so he clumsily rolled out of bed and hit the floor with a loud thump. He looked up to see Ficks snickering at him with a mischievous grin on his face. He got up and looked at his clock. It was 7am.

“You said school started at eight!” Nut proclaimed angrily.

“Yeah I know. I just thought I’d getcha back for wakin’ me up so darn early this mornin’.” Nut gave an unimpressed look and trotted past his brother out of the room. The two then trotted downstairs into the kitchen and took a seat at the table.

“What’s for breakfast?” Nut asked impatiently.

Ficks opened the fridge in an attempt to find something to make. He sighed glumly. “Greenwhiches...again. I’m too lazy to make anything practical right now and besides, cookin’ ain’t exactly my strong point. I’ll probably burn the shop down before you get eggs and hashbrowns.” Nut smiled at the thought of it. He imagined everypony in town fleeing in terror as the entire village erupted in flames. All he could see was Ficks standing in the midst of it holding only a frying pan and having a dumbfounded expression on his face.

“Yeah you’re terrible at it. Remember that one time when you tried to make the cake for my eighth birthday? You almost set the whole apartment on fire. Boy was Dad really mad a-” Nut stopped short and looked at his brother who had stopped what he was doing. Ficks looked over at Nuttanbolt who was biting his lip nervously.

“It’s alright Nut. We don’t need to worry ‘bout him. Anyway, I guess we’ll stick with simple meals fer now alright?” Nuttanbolt nodded his head to comply.

After breakfast, they both headed upstairs and finished getting ready for the day. Nut got his saddlebag together placing a couple of pencils and pieces of paper in one of the pockets. He placed a few books in the other. As he finished packing everything he looked over at the bed and saw his small ferret sleeping on the corner of the bed. Its nose quivered for a moment. It let out a large yawn before continuing to sleep peacefully, undisturbed. It seemed completely unfazed by all the events that had occurred this morning. Nut smiled at the creature. Taking care of this lil’ guy is gonna be easier than I thought. He filled up a bowl with water and another one with some food that Fluttershy had given to him the night before. It was only a little to last through most of the week. She did tell him though that he could stop by anytime to get more food when he had run out. He set them down at the edge of the bed. With that settled, he quickly headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Afterwards he rushed down the stairs to the front of the shop where Ficks was waiting for him.

“Ya ready to go ‘lil guy?” Ficks asked.

“Am I ever!”, Ficks looked at Nuttanbolt’s side and gave him a puzzled look.

“Uh Nut... what about your books and stuff?”

“Oh, right!” Nut said as he dashed back upstairs to get his bookbag. I can’t believe I almost forgot these! He threw them over his head and onto his back. After a gallop back downstairs and to Ficks’ side, the two left their home and trotted towards the school.

“Well yer certainly bright eyed and bushy tailed this mornin’. Yer not excited or anything right? I couldn’t possibly tell from this mornin’. His witty sarcasm fell on deaf ears.

“Am I ever. I can’t believe I’m finally gonna get to go to school!”

“Now you know this ain’t gonna’ be all fun and games, right Nut?”

Nut rolled his eyes and replied, “Oh, come on how bad can it be?”

“You’d be surprised...” Ficks said, with a dismayed expression on his face.

When they arrived at Ponyville Elementary, Nut was a little surprised at what he saw. Despite being almost ten years old, he had never seen so many fillies and colts in one area before. They were trotting around the playground together expressing joy and laughter. Unfortunately, Nut didn’t know a single one of them as far as he could see.

“Hello there, can I help you two?” A violet mare came trotting from out of the schoolhouse towards the two brothers. Ficks stepped forward and casually introduced himself.

“Hello ma’am, my name is Ficksitup. My lil’ brother here’s just been enrolled recently. We were hopin’ to find the teacher here. Do you know where she is?” The mare chuckled then gave him a big grin.

“Well look no further Mr. Ficksitup. I’m the teacher here. My name is Miss Cheerilee.” She extedended her hoof and Ficks generously shook it.

“That’s great, saves us the trouble of tryin’ to get this little guy all situated with.” Ficks gestured for his little brother to step forth. Nut confidently strode up next to his brother.

“Hiya. I’m Nuttanbolt. But you can just call me Nut.” he said with a similar semblance of pride that Ficks was all too familiar with. Cheerilee chuckled again and stooped down to his eye level.

“Well it is very nice to meet you Nuttanbolt. I’m Miss Cheerilee and I’ll be your teacher. I’m fairly certain you’ll be an interesting and exciting addition to my class.” Little did she know that she was going to get just that. She gave him another reassuring smile. “Well since we actually already started school a week ago, you might be a little behind with some of our lessons, but fear not I’ll make sure you get caught up with the rest of us.” Ficks let out a few soft grunts to get their attention. He had been fidgeting a bit. As happy as he was that Nut was getting to know his teacher, he still had errands to run.

“Alright, Nut. I gotta’ go take care of some business around town. You sure you’ve got this?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it.”

“Alright, you take care now.”, he put a hoof on his brother’s shoulder and added, “And stay out of trouble.” He tipped his hat and began trotting towards the east side of Ponyville. The bell from the school tower chimed loudly to signal that it was 8 am. The bell was loud and nearly startled Nut since he was standing right underneath the tower itself. As he revived himself from the spook he’d just been given, he thought that he felt something. He turned his head and looked at his bookbag. For a moment he could have sworn he felt something shift inside there. He was tempted to inspect but Cheerilee interrupted his investigation when she put a hoof on his shoulder.

“Class is about to start Nuttanbolt. Why don’t you head inside and find an open seat in the classroom.” A few classmates had already run inside so Nut did the same and stepped into the classroom. As he stepped inside, the confidence that he had been carrying on his shoulders had completely flown out the door.

Everywhere he looked there were rows of desks that were slowly filling up with several fillies and colts. The walls were littered with random posters. Some listed number systems while others displayed vowels and sentence rules. One showed the different planets in the Celestial System. One small one near the back of the room showed a small colt explaining the importance of washing your hooves. To Nut, none of them made sense. The overall feeling was alien to him. Being in a new and unfamiliar place like this. And the noise... This had to be the noisiest place he’d ever been to. Even the busy streets of Manehattan couldn’t compare to the commotion that was being caused by Nut’s fellow classmates. If this is what school is like then I shoulda’ just stayed home.

“Alright class, take your seats please.” Cheerilee spoke as she walked towards the front of the classroom. Everypony took their seats and became silent. Nut looked around in desperation and finally found one of the few remaining empty desks in the back of the room. Since he felt unsure in this new environment, he hoped he could avoid any sort of social interactions and stay hidden in the back of the classroom. Unfortunately, Cheerilee had already spotted him. She had memorized where each of her students sat accordingly so it was very easy to spot the newly occupied desk in the back. “Well as you may or may not know class, we have a new student today.”

Nut peeked over the shoulders of his classmates in front of him to see she was staring intently at him with a smile on her face. He didn’t say anything. He merely continued to sit in his seat nervously. She then gestured for him to come forward.

“Come on up, don’t be shy.” she beckoned to him. Nut got up from his seat and slowly approached the front of the classroom. He could tell that all eyes were on him now which only made him even more nervous. He took his place next to Cheerilee and looked at everypony. “Well, go on. Tell us your name.” She gave him a slight nudge.

Nuttanbolt only stood in awkward silence looking at everypony in the room. There were a few grunts and coughs from the audience. This was a completely unexpected experience for him and the longer he stood there, the worse it felt. He noticed Applebloom for the first time that day, sitting in the front row. She gave him a little wave but he couldn’t even move his legs to respond. He was frozen with anxiety.

Cheerilee leaned in and whispered in Nut’s ear, “Is this your first time in front of a big group?” Nut nodded his head rapidly with wide eyes. “Just relax, and tell us your name, don’t worry.”

With a gulp, he finally spoke. “Uh... my name is... Nuttanbolt...” He said hoarsely. He got a few strange looks from his introduction. It wasn’t so much that his name had caught everypony off guard. It was the way his voice had tweaked and cracked as the words left his mouth. It sounded like some sort of dying animal that needed to be put out of its misery. A few classmates giggled in the back, Cheerilee gave them a stern look which silenced them immediately.

“Why don’t you tell us where you’re from Nuttanbolt.” Cheerilee suggested. Nut looked at her and then back at the class. His increasing discomfort made it difficult for him to think straight. He couldn’t even remember where he was from. Why wasn’t it coming to him? He began racking his brain for an answer. After what felt like minutes of lost thought, he finally remembered the answer he was looking for.

“I’m from uh... Manehatten.”

“Well thank you for the introduction Nuttanbolt, you may take your seat again.” Nut walked as fast as he could back to his desk and sat down with relief. He put his head down on the desk. Some of the others were looking back at him with weird looks on their faces. He tried his best not to make eye contact with them. Applebloom spun around in her desk and flashed him a big grin. He returned in kind with a slight smile. It was good to see a familiar face again, but it didn’t make him feel any better.

“Today class we’re going to learn a little bit about Equestrian world history.” Cheerilee said as she walked over to the easel with various papers on it. A few classmates groaned. “Now now, it’s not that difficult and I’m sure some of you will find it even a little interesting. So if you’ll all please turn to page seventeen in your history books, we can get started.”

Everypony did as they were told and removed their books from their saddlebags. Nuttanbolt reached into his bag to get his book when he felt something soft and...furry. He peeked inside and almost yelped in surprise. Staring back at him was his pet ferret, which was snuggling between his book and pencil bag. He quickly scanned the room to see if anypony else had noticed. When he was sure they hadn’t seen anything, he turned back towards the ferret which was beginning to climb out in an attempt to explore its new surroundings. Nut gently stuffed the ferret back into the bag, staring at it with wide eyes that said, What in the hay are you doing here? The ferret simply looked back at him with innocent curiosity.

He was completely dumbfounded. He could have sworn the ferret was still sleeping on his bed this morning. Unless... suddenly Nut felt a shadow over him. He turned his head to see Cheerilee standing by his desk. Nut almost yelled from being startled by her presence.

“Is there something wrong Nuttanbolt?” Nut quickly shut the pocket on his bag, almost smashing the ferret’s head in the process.

He gave a slight gulp then flat out lied, “Oh uh... no ma’am, it’s just that I uh... I guess I forgot my book today.” Cheerilee gave him a small look of disappointment but then smiled again.

“Well that’s no good. How can you learn with us if you don’t have your book? Well luckily I have a spare that you can use for now. Just make sure to bring your own next time, okay?” She walked over to her desk in the front of the room and opened up a drawer. She pulled out a worn textbook and returned to Nut’s desk. She placed it on his desk and returned to her place by the easel in the front. “Page seventeen please.”

Nut opened the book casually glancing down at his bag. The pocket bulged at one side where the ferret was hiding. I just hope he doesn’t suffocate in there.

Cheerilee opened up her notebook as she began her lecture, “Now then we shall start with the founding of Equestria and the discovery of the outside territories. Many lands outiside of Equestria were discovered in the early fifteen hundreds by the colt-quistadors including the famous Hernán Coltez. When given leave by Princess Celestia, the colt-quistadors had hoped to discover new cultures, resources, and other colonies to trade with, to better benefit early Equestria as a whole...”

She pulled down a world map from the top of the chalkboard while a few ponies had begun jotting down notes, but Nuttanbolt was only half listening to the lesson. He still had to worry about his stowaway. He didn’t risk pulling out a pencil or piece of paper as to avoid providing the ferret another chance to escape. Hopefully he wouldn’t need it. I’ll just listen to everything she says, yeah. I don’t need to take notes anyway. I’m a pretty good listener. He thought. He knew he was going to have to get the ferret out of here, but he was going to have to stick it out until the first break.

Cheerilee’s lesson continued full force, “... and with the southern movements of the explorers soon led to the discovery of Zebrabwe, which is now the known homeland of the Zebras...”

Nut soon found himself slipping in and out of consciousness from sheer boredom. His head bobbed back and forth as he struggled to stay awake. The hours of lecturing seemed to never end as the teacher went on and on. Nuttanbolt’s ability to listen drifted in and out as she continued. Time had all but slowed to a crawl. Eventually, he succumbed to his boredom as his head hit the desk with a soft thump. Moments later he was fast asleep.

Cheerilee shut her notebook, “... and that is how early Equestria was made.” she finally concluded. The bell chimed loudly from the tower which pulled Nuttanbolt out of his slumbering state.

“Huh... whaa... ?” He wiped the drool from his face.

“Alright class, it’s time for recess. Go on out and play. We’ll continue where we left off when you come back.”

Everypony trotted out of the classroom laughing and talking to each other, leaving Nut by himself in his desk. Nut waited until everypony else had left before he finally grabbed his bookbag and trotted out the door towards the playground. He began moving towards the end of the school where there were less students. The less attention he had, the easier this would be. Hopefully he could leave the ferret somewhere outside in a hidden spot for the time being and then he could retrieve him after school. He spotted a tree on the outskirts of the schoolyard. It was big and provided a lot of shade... or in his case, cover. Nut began making his way towards the tree. As long as nopony saw what he was doing he’d be home free.

Out of his left ear, Nut heard what sounded like a small skirmish coming from the other side of the playground. Nut turned around to see what the cause was.

Off in the distance he saw Applebloom with two other fillies which he could only assume were her friends. One was a white unicorn and the other was an orange pegasus. The three of them stood out immensely when they were together. Two other fillies approached the group. One of them was grey, wearing a pearled necklace while the other wore a small tiara on her head. The two of them together gave off a very snobby rich presence to them. Nut knew the type. He’d had plenty of run ins with them in Manehatten. They were nothing but trouble. He could see that Applebloom and her friends had very discontent looks on their faces. Nut looked back at the tree and then back towards Applebloom. He finally let out a sigh in desperation. Guess the ferret will have to wait. He thought. He quickly trotted towards the group. As he got closer he was beginning to hear the conversation. The filly wearing the necklace was in Applebloom’s face.

“What’s the matter Apple-doom? Did you and your friends fail to find your cutie marks again? What did you try this time? Pottery making? Or no, let me guess, circus side-shows?” The gray filly sneered. Her friend laughed with her.

“Heh, good one Silverspoon.”

“Ah don’t know what yer talkin’ bout princess.” Applebloom sneered back with denial.

“Oh pleeease. Don’t even try to deny that sad excuse of a performance that you and those other two blank flanks tried pulling off that night. That really had to be the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. Well... at least you made me laugh, so I guess it wasn’t that bad... but it was still pathetic.” Applebloom and her friends glared at Silverspoon. They hoped they had finally put that night behind them. Apparently not.

Nuttanbolt had heard enough, “What’s goin’ on here?” he intervened.

Silverspoon replied immediately with, “Oh well if it isn’t the new colt from Manehattan. If you really feel the need to butt in, we’re picking on these blank-flanks. Wanna’ join in on the fun?”

“No... Applebloom’s a friend of mine.” Nut said in a straight forward tone.

Silverspoon was shocked. “You mean to tell me you actually know this blank flank?”

“Yeah, I do. You got a problem with that?” Nut became defensive of his new friend.

“Why of course; you already have your Cutie Mark... although I have no idea what it’s for nor do I care; you have no reason to be speaking with these wastes of trotting space!”

“Hey just cause we ain’t got cutie marks doesn’t mean we’re worthless n’ speak fer yerself. Yer the one who’s a waste a space ya spoiled filly!” Applebloom butted in. Silverspoon ignored her comment and returned her attention to Nut.

Nut was appalled by her comments. “No I’m not! Just ‘cause I have my cutie mark already doesn’t make me better than anypony, and you ought to me ashamed’a yourself for thinkin’ such a thing!” Nut shouted. Their sudden outbursts had begun to draw the attention of other students who had begun to gather around the group. Once again Nut felt a little uncomfortable with all eyes on him, but he stood his ground.

“I can’t believe you’re standing up for these bla-”

“You stop calling them that! They have names!”

Silverspoon was now getting flustered with Nut’s stubbornness. She took a few steps closer until she was in his face like she had been with Applebloom. “And what if I don’t stop calling them that? What are you going to do about it? Huh?” She was using every bit of influence she had to instigate him. She wanted to see what he would do.

Nut began to feel increasing hostility toward this filly. Oh I can think of a few things I’d like to do to wipe that stupid looking grin off your face... He thought angrily. But he knew that wasn’t going to solve anything. Besides that, she was a girl. There was just no way he could hit a girl, no matter how badly she was starting to deserve it.

“Well... I’ll... I’ll... I’ll tell the teacher on you.” Nut replied pathetically. Of all the responses he could give, that was the best he could come up with? Silverspoon literally burst into tears with laughter.

“Are you kidding me? That’s the best you can do? I should have known, you’re just as worthless as those blank flanks. You’re a pathetic little colt, Nut. You can’t even come up with a good comeback!” Nut stood there silently, taking every individual word like a hoof to the face. Some of the other students had also begun to laugh with Silverspoon, which only added salt to the wound. He had to muster every bit of willpower to fight back the tears that were welling up. “What’s the matter? You’re not gonna start crying are you? What a baby. Why don’t you just go home Nut? Yeah, that’s right. Go home and cry to mommy...”

Nut could literally feel his temper snap like a twig. His tiny amber eyes now glowed like hot embers. There was nothing to hold him back. He’d had enough of her outbursts. He took a step forward and was about to raise his hoof when suddenly Silverspoon screamed in fear. Nut snapped out of his trance of rage to see that her smirk had disappeared from her face and was now replaced with sheer terror. She wasn’t scared of him though, she was looking above Nut, on top of his head...

“WHAT IS THAT! OH MY GOSH IT’S A RAT! HELP, HELP ME!” Silverspoon pushed herself through the crowd nearly trampling several fillies in the process. Nut looked up to see the ferret standing on top of his mane.

“Oh no...” He had been so distracted that he didn’t even notice the ferret had gotten free from his saddlebag and had climbed out. Everypony in the crowd looked at Nut and then at the ferret on his mane. The ferret looked at all of them with beady little eyes. Then complete chaos erupted.

Everypony began screaming in terror and running around in panic. The loud screams made the ferret anxious with energy. It jumped down from his mane and began to scurry over the playground.

“Wait! Stop, come back!” Nut cried out, but the ferret didn’t listen. It ran around in any direction, often taking the opportunity to playfully chase after an unsuspecting student. From the way that they were all terrified of the small creature, they had most likely never seen a ferret before. Everypony began taking drastic measures to escape. They ran to any object they could climb on: trees, jungle gyms, each other.

Silverspoon was backed into a corner. Her eyes darted back and forth in panic. She curled up in a ball, like she was pretending this was just some bad dream. Though her panic attack was interrupted when the ferret had found her hiding spot. It slithered towards her like a snake with legs. Silverspoon let out a blood curdling scream. “HELP! HELP ME! GET IT AWAY FROM ME! GET THIS THING AWAY FROM MEEEEE!” The ferret ignored her pleas and casually leaped onto her head. Silverspoon fainted from fright and collapsed on the ground. The ferret then rolled off her head and began to playfully bat at her pearl necklace with its paws.

Nuttanbolt turned back to Applebloom and her friends with a look of desperation. “Applebloom what am I gonna’ do? I need to get that ferret. If my brother or Uncle ‘Plank find out about this, I’m dead!” Applebloom stood there thinking for a moment. She then turned to her friends who were watching the chaos continue in the distance. The two seemed to be enjoying the disturbance on this rather boring day of school.

“Well girls? What’dya think? Looks like another poor sap is need of the Crusader’s help.”

“Yeah we’ve got this one in the bag, no problem!” Scootaloo said.

“We’ll catch that critter if it’s the last thing we do!” Sweetiebelle said.

They put their hooves together then shouted in unison, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS: PEST CONTROL!” They threw their hooves up in the air. Nut just stared at them in disbelief. They returned to their huddle position to discuss their next plan of action.

“Alright we’ve got ourselves a Ferret to catch. Any ideas?” Applebloom asked.

“That thing is one slippery little devil, there’s no way we’ll be able to catch it by hoof.” Scootaloo chimed in.

“Shucks, yer right. Then how are we s’posed to nab him?”

“Hey! Doesn’t Miss Cheerilee keep some butterfly nets in the closet? I bet we could use those.” Sweetiebelle suggested. Applebloom looked at her and smiled.

“That’s a great idea! Alright let’s get those nets and catch this rodent!” The three broke out of their huddle and began trotting towards the schoolhouse. Applebloom turned back to face Nuttanbolt again. “Have no fear Nut. We’ll have that critter caught in no time!”

“Okay, just please don’t hurt him.” he said as they fled to the building. For some reason he couldn’t help but feel that those three were only going to make matters worse...

***

“Alright, Miss Fluttershy, that should just about do it.” Ficks said prominently as he finished sanding down a newly built coffee table. He wiped a few last traces of sawdust from the top and stepped back to admire his craftsmanship. Fluttershy came in from the other room to look at it herself.

“Oh my, it’s absolutely wonderful.”

“Well it was nothin’, just a simple table, but I’m glad you like it.” Normally he didn’t boast about his carpentry skills and rather preferred to be modest about the whole thing, but he was just happy he was able to make up for his previous failure from the other night.

“I still think it’s very nice.”

“Well alrighty then. Is there anything else you’d like me to do to it while I’m here?”

Fluttershy let her mane fall in front of one half of her face,“Oh, well umm... no I wouldn’t want to cause a fuss or anything like that, I’m sure it’s fine.”

“You sure? Anything else you need done will be free of charge.” he offered.

She let her head hang below her shoulders as if she was trying to resist the urge to speak, “Well you see um... my old table was blue and I guess it looked nicer that way since it sort of matched with all the other furniture... you know that sort of thing I guess.”

“So you’d like me to paint it sometime?”

She nodded her head, “Yes please!” She squeaked shyly.

“No problem!” Ficks said as he put his tool saddle on, “I’ll just have to stop by another time when I have my paintin’ utensils.”

“Okay then...” Ficks finished packing up his tools and the spare lumber that he had brought with him. Before he had a chance to leave Fluttershy quickly rushed over to him. “Wait before you leave, I wanted to ask you something.”

Ficks put his things down to look at her again, “Sure thing, ask away.”

“I just wanted to know how your little brother was getting along with his new companion?”

“His little compa-? Oh right, you mean the ferret. Yeah we managed to convince our uncle to let him stay at the shop. Nut’s doin’ his best to take care of the little guy.”

“Oh well that’s nice to know... I was afraid that he was going to cause all sorts of trouble for you.”

“Trouble? Why would the ferret cause any trouble?” Ficks was a little hesitant with his last question. He suspected that Fluttershy was hiding something.

“Well um... you see, that ferret has been known to wander off sometimes. He can be very sneaky. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to catch him after he had run off somewhere.”

“Well I can assure you Fluttershy that we’ve got everything under control. Right now that little critter is sleepin’ on Nuttanbolt’s bed behind a locked door ‘til he gets back. Ain’t no way he’s gettin’ out of there.” His answer didn’t sound as confident as he had hoped it would. He had no idea why. There was just this gut feeling he had... that something wasn’t right.

“Oh... okay then. I’m glad that you were able to make it work out.”

Ficks looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. “Speakin’ of little critters, I’ve gotta head over to the schoolhouse and pick up Nuttanbolt now.”

“Oh right, of course... I’m sorry if I kept you waiting.” She shyly backed into a corner again.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be sure to stop by again to finish that table. ‘Til then Fluttershy, please have yourself a nice day.” He donned his hat and walked out the door with his supplies. He waved goodbye and began double-timing it towards the schoolhouse.

Within minutes he closed in on the school yard. He had hoped to see Nut waiting for him, ready to go home. Instead he came across a much more unpleasant scene. Everywhere he looked he could see colts and fillies leaving the school with distraught expressions on their faces. Their parents were hurriedly escorting them off the school grounds, including a small gray filly that was walking with her mother. She was crying hysterically while her mother held her in attempts to comfort her.

“Oh mother it was horrible! It was running around everywhere, I swear it almost killed me! I thought it was going to eat me...!” she sobbed in agony.

Ficks stared at them with confusion as they walked past. What in the hay happened here? He got his answer when he finally reached the schoolhouse and saw Nuttanbolt sitting on the steps by the front door. Cheerilee was standing next to Nut. She saw Ficks approaching and gave him a rather disapproving look. Hoh boy, here we go...

“Mr. Ficksitup?” Her tone was sharp and stung like ice.

“Yes ma’am uh... good to see you again. I hope there wasn’t any trouble from uh...” He nervously glanced around then swallowed, “Please tell me nothin’ happened here today.”

She continued to look disapprovingly at him. “Mr. Ficksitup, I’m not sure how you two were brought up but I would have hoped that you would know that pets are not allowed at school under any circumstances.”

“Pets? What in the hay are y-” Ficks’ stopped when he figured it out. He turned his attention to Nut who was still sitting on the stairs. In his arms he was holding, as Ficks had figured, the small ferret. Nut looked up at his older brother. When their eyes met, he knew he was in a whole new heap of trouble. Ficks began glaring at him to show that he was not happy about the situation, not one bit. Nut bowed his head in shame to avoid further eye contact.

“Ma’am I’m very sorry about all of this and I honestly have no excuse for any of it, but please you need to tell me what happened.”

“Very well if you’ll follow me...” Cheerilee said as she gestured Ficks to follow her into the classroom, leaving Nut to wallow on the stairs. A minute later, Applebloom, Sweetiebelle, and Scootaloo came trotting from the side of the building to meet up with Nut at the door.

“Ya see? I told ya we’d catch that pesky critter eventually.” Applebloom panted, sounding out of breath. Truth was, they had chased the ferret all over the school. They had finally managed to catch it using an empty fish bowl they had found in the now obliterated classroom.

“Yeah but you three nearly destroyed half the school in the process!” Nut complained.

“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad. Look, the schoolhouse is still standing and nopony got hurt.” Sweetiebelle said cheerfully.

“Well... not exactly. I think some of the desks in there can’t ever be used again, a lot of books got torn up, and I’m pretty sure Silverspoon is going to have nightmares for weeks.” Scootaloo said. The three fillies giggled at the thought.

“Yeah well I say she gits what she deserves for pickin’ on Nuttanbolt here. By the way, thanks for stickin’ up for us back there Nut.” Applebloom flashed a big grin at him. He only nodded back.

“Yeah... no problem.”

“Well as a way of returnin’ the favor, if ya ever lose that little guy again, you just let us know and the Crusaders will git him back for ya.”

“No really that’s okay you don’t need to do th-” He never got a chance to finish as they started to cheer excitedly. They began dancing, until Cheerilee stepped out onto the steps with Ficks behind her.

“Uh oh. We gotta get outta here!” Scootaloo yelled as the three quickly began running away.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook young ladies. I will be talking with your parents today!” Cheerilee yelled after them. They were already out of earshot, so she turned back around to face her current situation with the two brothers. “Well I hope you now understand the gravity of the issue Mr. Ficksitup.”

“I understand ma’am. I just don’t... how can one ferret cause so much trouble?”

“It wasn’t just him bro! It was those three girls, they turned the whole place upside down trying to catch him. I didn’t need their help. I had it all figured out, honest. If they hadn’t tri-” Nuttanbolt began but Ficks put a hoof up to stop him. He glared at him to make sure he wouldn’t interrupt again.

“Well he is right about that. Those girls have been known to be quite troublesome on occasion.” Cheerilee said in attempt to defend Nut.

“Yeah I can imagine...” Ficks hadn’t forgotten the last problem that he had to deal with that involved Applebloom.

“Well even with their involvement I’m afraid that Nuttanbolt must still be held responsible for today’s disturbance. Because of that, I have no choice but to schedule a parent/teacher conference to get this sorted out.” Her tone was cold but regretful. She hated having to schedule conferences with the parents. She usually did her best to get along with every one of her students, but sometimes... there were exceptions.

Ficks suddenly felt a ping of anxiety when he heard her comment.

“Um ma’am that’s sorta easier said than done.”

Impatiently she replied, “What do you mean? I just need to speak with either the father or the mother.” Ficks winced at the mention of his mother.

“Well you see that’s the thing...” Ficks began but he stopped and looked back at Nut who was listening to them. Ficks gestured Cheerilee to walk a few feet away until they were out of earshot. There he filled her in on all the details from the passing of his mother to how they had ended up staying with their uncle at the local shop. When he had finished, she stood there silently thinking to herself. Finally she spoke after giving it some thought.

“I’m very sorry to hear about that Mr. Ficksitup. I... I had no idea that all this was going on.” Her usual cheerful manner was all but gone in the conversation.

“It’s alright. We usually don’t tell very many ponies about our situation, but I figure yer an exception.”

“Putting that aside, you said that your uncle is currently looking after you both?”

“Well yeah... but what’s that got to do with anything?” Ficks asked rather forcibly.

“Well in your position, that technically makes him both you and Nuttanbolt’s legal guardian. In the absence of parents, the guardian is entitled to all responsibilities over the siblings they look after. Which means they handle all parental matters, including teacher conferences.” She looked at him glumly.

Ficks’ ears pricked up at the mention of teacher conference again. There was no way he could let Uncle ‘Plank have a parent teacher conference with Cheerilee. “Ma’am I understand that completely, but please, you can’t have that meetin’ with our uncle. If he found out what happened and that the ferret was involved... we’d have to get rid of him for good.”

“I’m sorry Ficksitup, those are the rules and I’m merely following the teacher’s policy. If a student is involved in any sort of misbehavior then we have to report it or speak with a pa-”

“He’s a good kid! I’m tellin’ ya he won’t do it again! If you’ll please just give him another chance I swear! I’ll... I’ll even help fix the desks that were damaged as repayment. Just please don’t say anything about this.”

Cheerilee thought for a very long time. She moved her glance from Ficks to Nuttanbolt and then back to Ficks. She knew that she was taking a risk if she didn’t report this. At the same time though she felt pity for the two brothers. Their current state was already troublesome enough and she didn’t wish to cause anymore conflict at home. Finally after a few minutes she spoke,

“Alright, I’ll let this one slide. But I will be keeping my eye on him from now on.”

Ficks looked at her with an ecstatic expression. “Oh thank you miss. You have no idea how much this means to us. I’m tellin’ ya we won’t forget it.”

“It’s no problem Mr. Ficksitup. Now then, I think you two should hurry home. Wouldn’t want to keep your uncle waiting.”

Ficks shook her hoof to thank her once again, and then gestured Nut to grab his things and follow him. As they were walking away, Cheerilee called out to Nut.

“Mister Nuttanbolt?”

“Yeah?...” Nut said as he faced his teacher.

“Be sure to bring your book next time... and not your pet. Or at least wait until we have show and tell to do that.” Once again a smile appeared on her face which comforted Nut a little.

The two brothers walked back to the shop in silence. Nut followed his brother a few feet behind him. He looked up to see if Ficks was angry or not but he couldn’t tell. He only had a blank expression on his face.

“Are you mad?” Nut asked quietly. He flinched, expecting a barrage of angry words to come out of his brother’s mouth. Instead, Ficks kept walking ahead in silence. A few minutes later though, Ficks finally stopped to speak. He sighed and then spoke softly.

“No Nut... I’m not mad. I’m just... disappointed that’s all.”

He was glad that his brother was not enraged with him, but he still felt guilty.

“Why are you disappointed bro?” He was pretty sure what the answer was.

“Because Nut, I trusted you to take full responsibility of that pet... and then you go and let a thing like this happen. On your first day of school!” His tone was harsh and struck fast.

“It’s not my fault Ficks! I thought I had him locked up in my room. Somehow he managed to get into my bookbag. Even then I had no idea he was gonna do this!”

“It doesn’t matter Nut. You shoulda’ double checked to make sure that thing was really in your room.”

“I’m sorry Ficks... I really am. I didn’t mean to let anypony down...” Nut had started crying and ran into Ficks’ arms. He sobbed miserably into his chest, soaking his coat with tears. Ficks stood there and hugged his brother gently. He ruffled his mane and spoke again.

“Hey hey hey ‘lil guy, take it easy. Ya didn’t let me down alright? Don’t worry about it. Ya just made a mistake. It’s all behind us now. Besides you promised not to do it again right?”

Nut sniffed and wiped the tears from his eyes. He manged to muster out a muffled Uh huh from his mouth with his face still buried in Ficks’ coat.

“Well alright then. I don’t think we’ve got anything else to worry about.”

Just as Ficks said that, the ferret climbed out of Nut’s bag to investigate what all the ruckus was about. Nut looked up and smiled at the curious pet that was now resting on his head again.

“Well... we still have this little guy to worry about.”

“Yeah... keepin’ him outta trouble is gonna be quite a task. He certainly is a little oddball ain’t he?”

Nuts ears pricked up and he looked at his brother excitedly. “That’s it Ficks! That’s what I’ll call him. Oddball!”

“Wait. You mean to tell me ya never named the darn thing yet?”

“Well... I couldn’t really think of any good ones at the time. But I guess from everything that happened today and you just sayin’ it now, it’s perfect.”

“Well if you insist Nut, he is your pet.”

Nut looked up at the ferret and spoke. “What d’ya think lil guy? You want that to be your name?” The ferret did a little dance to show its appreciation which made Nut giggle. “Well alright then, from now on I’m gonna call you Oddball.”

The two continued walking to the shop together with their spirits in a much lighter mood than before. Nut walked along with Oddball clinging to his mane and his bookbag feeling a few pounds lighter, since most likely there were no more stowaways.

“So... not bad for my first day at school huh?” Ficks just looked him straight in the eyes and scowled.

“Don’t press your luck kid.”

To contact the writers of this story...

Jamescameronjackson@hotmail.com

t.schomburg@yahoo.com

Happy Back to School Everybrony

Chapter 4: Party Foal

Apples N’ Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 4: Party Foal

Around five pm there was a soft tap on the front door of the repair shop. Normally costumers would be able to just walk in, so there was no need to knock. Hammerplank however, had decided to close the shop early for personal reasons.

“Nut can you get that? Tell ‘em we’re closed for today ‘n we’ll be open again tomorrow around nine.” Ficks said as he tightened a bolt on Scootaloo’s scooter. After days of putting it off, he had finally found the time to get around to it. He could hear Nut open the door from the other room, and heard a familiar voice talking with his brother. Before he knew it, Nut was trotting back into the room.

“Hey Ficks, it’s your marefriend!” Ficks put his wrench down and gave him a solemn look.

“I told you before Nut, Applejack and I ain’t like that!”

“I never said it was Applejack.” He was grinning mischievously.

“Well who else would ya be talkin’ about?”

He continued to pester him, “Oh so she is your marefriend?”

Ficks glared at his little brother. “No no that’s not what I- Ugh, never mind ya nosy little colt.” He gently shoved his brother aside and trotted to the front door. Sure enough, Applejack was standing there. She tilted her head and cracked a friendly smile.

“Hey Ficks!”

“‘Jack? Hey, what’s goin’ on?” He gestured for her to come inside. She obliged to his request, and took a seat on the couch in the lobby.

“I came to make sure yer still goin’ to the party.” she said, removing her hat, “You are still goin’ right?”

Party..? He thought. “Wait, do you mean that party ‘what’s her name’ was talkin’ about? Pinkie Pie?” Ficks asked, completely befuddled.

“Yup that’s the one. Only the best party thrower in all of Equestria.”

“I didn’t think she was actually bein’ serious ‘bout the whole thing.”

“Pinkie isn’t serious about a lot of things, but when it comes to parties, she’s all business...”

“I figured.” Ficks replied, “I’m guessing I have to go too.”

“Yeah, when Pinkie throws a party and invites you... you’d do best to show up.” Applejack said, harshly remembering the last party related incident with her friend.

“Well I guess I’d do best to not refuse then, so what time should I be there?”

“I’d show up at 6 since that’s when she’ll be expectin’ ya, but I got somethin’ ta’ ask ya’.” She got up from the couch and walked over to him.

“Yeah?”

“I heard today was a might eventful at school, and it had a lil’ somethin’ ta’ do with a certain ferret.”

Ficks put a hoof over his face in shame. It was truly amazing how news got around this town so fast. “How’d ya figure that?”

“What can I say? Applebloom ain’t never been too good about keeping secrets.”

“Ah I see now.” Ficks grimaced at her confession, “Yeah, Oddball manged to sneak into Nut’s bookbag apparently... Darndest thing; sneaky little fella.”

“Hey it wasn’t all his fault” Nut proclaimed loudly, “Those fillies nearly destroyed the school!” He had overheard the discussion and was now attempting to preserve his pet’s clear conscience. Ficks looked at him with an unimpressed look.

“Yeah, but who left his bookbag unattended and let him sneak into there in the first place?”

“Hey! You said you weren’t mad at me about it.”

“I still ain’t mad but don’t think yer bein’ dismissed from this ‘lil skirmish either.”

Nut gruffed a little hmmph and stormed back up the stairs to most likely go pout in his room. Ficks turned back to Applejack, rolling his eyes. She shrugged at him.
“The things I have to deal with... but he is a ‘lil right. Those three fillies were a slight cause in this whole mishap. But you didn’t punish Applebloom too badly or nuthin’ right?”

“Nah, she’s done worse” Applejack confessed, “So this is nothin’. At least the school is still standin.”

“Yeah that’s true. Well I’m glad we didn’t get her into trouble.”

“Trust me...” she said with regret, “It takes a lot more than a ferret to get that filly into trouble...”

“Yeah she’s a peculiar one at that. Well anyway thanks for remindin’ me ‘bout the party. I can’t believe I’d almost forgotten ‘bout it.”

“I find it pretty hard to believe you’d forget all about yer own party Ficks.” Applejack looked at him intently, which made Ficks a little nervous.

“Well I uh... I didn’t know if you were still comin’ to the party or not.” he said shyly.

“Ficks you know me. Not even all the apple trees in Equestria would keep me from comin’ to your party. After all... you’re my friend.” Once again their gazes met. Her emerald eyes shined with a hint that she meant every word that she had spoken. As he looked at her, Ficks could feel his heart beating a little faster. This feeling was beginning to occur more and more every time he saw her. It felt like parasprites were in his stomach. His lips felt dry, he couldn’t even open his mouth to respond. All he could do was just stand there and smile stupidly at her.

“Get a barn you two!” Nut shouted from the stairs. His outburst broke Ficks from his trance.

“That’s enough outta you!” he shouted back. Nut scurried up the stairs with Oddball in tow. He could hear him giggling all the way up to his room. Applejack chuckled along with him.

“Oh that ‘lil brother of yers, he really is the cutest. But obviously not as cute as you...”

“Listen I’m tellin’ ya I really have no idea what he’s talkin’ ab- wait... what?” Ficks did a double take and shook his head to make sure he’d heard correctly, “What was that last part?”

She only gave him another smile and turned around to leave. She put her hat back on and opened the front door of the shop.

“Nothin’ Ficks... I’ll see you at the party.”

She walked out the door, leaving Ficks slightly dazed and confused. At the same time his heart was doing backflips in his chest. Did I hear her right? Did she say...? Nah couldn’t have he thought dismissively. He wallked up the stairs and entered Nuttanbolts room. He was sitting on his bed playing with Oddball who was jumping off his pillow and doing somersaults on the sheets. When he saw Ficks enter the room, Nut merely gave him a sly smile.

“You make this too easy.”

“I honestly have no idea where you get that sense of humor from, you sure as heck didn’t get it from me.” Ficks said as he sat down next to him on the bed.

“Yeah, well I have no idea why you don’t just ask her out already. You obviously like her.”

“Oh hush up will ya? Geez, yer startin’ ta sound like Uncle ‘Plank. Anyway, what would you know ‘bout who I like and don’t like? Yer just a colt after all. Okay? I’m tellin’ ya, we’re just friends.” he said defensively.

“Yeah you keep tellin’ yourself that bro.” Nut said as he smirked at him. Ficks was a little annoyed that his little brother wouldn’t drop the whole idea of him and Applejack, but at the same time he couldn’t really blame him. Ficks himself couldn’t honestly tell what he was to her right now. He wanted to be friends with her, that was just fine with him. But the way she smiled at him, the way she spoke to him, and the way he would look at her. It all felt like so much more to him. Nut started waving a hoof in front of his brothers face. Ficks remained unfazed.

“Helloooo, anybody in there?” Nut asked. He started knocking his hoof rapidly across Ficks’ head.

Ficks finally shook his head and looked at him, “Wha? Oh... sorry, anyway come on. We’re leavin’ for the party.” Ficks said as he got up and walked out of the room.

“You mean I can come with?” Nut put Oddball down and gave his brother a puzzled look.

“Well of course you can Nut, why wouldn’t I have my own ‘lil brother come to my party?”

“Well, yeah that makes sense.” Nut said happily as he jumped down and followed him out of the room. Before he could get to the stairs however, Ficks put a hoof out and stopped him.

“The ferret stays...” He pointed towards Oddball who was poking his head out of the doorway. Nut quickly rushed back to his room and shooed the ferret into his bed.

“Sorry little guy, but we can’t afford any more trouble from you... just not today at least. We can cause more mischief some other day. Only this time, we won’t cause it at school.” Nut whispered as he tucked the ferret under a blanket. Oddball looked up and stared at him intently as if to comply that he understood what he had said. With that, Nuttanbolt quickly refilled his water dish and left the room. This time he made sure Oddball didn’t follow him out before shutting the door.

The two of them began walking towards the front door when Nut stopped and looked back up the stairs.

“Do you think Uncle ‘Plank might want to come along?”

“Nah, I checked on the ole coot awhile ago. He’s fast asleep. I swear that stallion is spendin’ most’a his days nappin’ instead a running the shop like he’s supposed to. No wonder he asked me to close the shop early...” Ficks said as he rolled his eyes.

After making sure all the lights in the shop were turned off, they both trotted out the door. Ficks donned his hat and shut the door quietly so the bell wouldn’t chime loudly. Without further delay, they made their way towards Sugar Cube Corner.

***

When they had arrived, Ficks could already hear sounds emanating from the first floor. Music and muffled laughter could be heard from behind the door. Before Ficks even had a chance to knock, the door swung open. Behind it was Pinkie Pie, wearing a large party hat.

She made a huge grin and began hopping excitedly around Ficks. “Hey! You made it I didn’t think you’d actually make it in time because you were like a minute late and I started getting worried that you wouldn’t come because I threw this party just for you afterall and I was preparing this all morning-”

“Wait you were up all mornin’ gettin’ this party ready?” Ficks interrupted. Pinkie stopped jumping for a moment and stared at Ficks intently.

“Well duh... I always get up early to throw a party! Well actually I always get up early, in fact I don’t even really sleep.” She began giggling loudly. Ficks took a few steps back, slightly disturbed by her burst of energy. Thankfully Applejack appeared behind her to greet Ficks and Nuttanbolt.

“Aw come on fellas, don’t tell me you ain’t accustomed to Pinkie’s hospitality yet?” she said as Pinke dashed off to do Celestia knows what.

“Honestly ‘Jack... I don’t think I ever will.” Ficks said with a slight chuckle.

“Bro... who the heck was that?” Nut asked in confusion.

“I’m sure you’ll get to meet her sometime tonight.” Ficks said with concern.

“Yeah it does take some gettin’ used to...” Applejack said in agreement, “but what are ya waitin’ for? Come on in, Everypony’s waitin’ for ya!”

She gestured for the two brothers to follow her inside. The interior of Sugar Cube Corner looked completely different from the last time that Ficks had been there. The ceiling was littered with streamers and decorations to the point where the actual ceiling was barely visible. Balloons were scattered around, bumping around randomly in tied up bunches. Several tables were set up with a vast assortment of confectioneries, pastries, hors d’oevures, and other edible delicacies. Several punch bowls sat on the far end of the table which contained most likely several different flavors. A phonograph sat on one of the tables, playing a simple but uplifting and melodic tune. Whether this was one of Pinkie’s simpler parties or one of her more elaborate ones, Ficks could tell she had taken extreme measures to prepare all of it. Then he saw something that caught his eye. Among the streamers on the ceiling, hung a long white banner that stretched across the ceiling from wall to wall. In bright gold letters were the words, Welcome Home Ficks. He was completely surprised by this addition to an already amazing presentation.

“Whaa? What is that?” he stammered. Applejack walked up next to him and gave him a friendly nudge.

“A little something I came up with myself. Just thought it might make the evening real special. Since after all... you said this was home to you.”

Ficks felt his heart lift again. He didn’t know what to say. He could feel a smile form over his face. All of this and even Applejack contributed in such a small yet caring way.

“‘Jack I can’t belie-”

“Hey everypony, the party guest is finally here!” Pinkie shouted, as she shoved Ficks forward. When he was placed into the center of the room he finally saw who all of the other guests were. His smile dispersed from his face. Ficks felt immediate discomfort when they all stared back at him. From left to right stood Applejack’s friends, the very same ones he had helped out the day before.

“Oh... well hello there Ficksitup. It’s nice to see you again.” Twilight said, looking up from a book she had been reading, unsurprisingly.

“My my, isn’t this quite the coincidence?” Rarity added.

“...Oh hello again. Glad you could make it...” Fluttershy said shyly from behind one of her friends.

“Hey what’s up? Name’s Rainbow Dash.” said a bright blue pegasus who was standing next to Fluttershy. Her rainbow mane made her stand out among her friends immensely. Ficks stared at her curiously. Applejack had never mentioned her before. He wondered why.

“Nice to meetcha, but um... why do ya’ll seem surprised to see me here? Didn’t Pinkie tell ya that this was a party for me?” Ficks asked everypony, “And what about the banner? I’m sure that was a dead giveaway.”

Everypony looked up at the banner hanging ominously over their heads.

“Oh well.... would you look at that. We didn’t even see that hanging there.” Twilight said with a nervous laugh.

“Well, even with the banner as a hint we thought that this was just another one of Pinkie Pie’s random parties, we were never told that you were the...guest of honor.” Rarity said. To Ficks, her tone seemed to suggest that if she had known the party was for him, she might have not considered coming. He suddenly remembered why he wasn’t comfortable around her in the first place. That attitude of hers...

“Oh but we’re still happy to be here... after all, we love going to Pinkie’s parties...” Fluttershy chimed in. Ficks knew she was just trying to be nice but he still felt like a mutual feeling of longing to be anywhere but here was among everypony, even him.

Suddenly, a party horn sounded, making a loud squeak throughout the room; to which everypony turned their heads. Pinkie burst out of the kitchen carrying a tray of cupcakes on her head and a big grin on her face.

“I brought the cupcakes! NOW it’s a party!” she yelled. With that, the awkward moment was broken and everypony resumed what they had been doing. Ficks was relieved that Pinkie had once again saved him from complete discomfort. However he still hoped he would be able to leave a little early to avoid any further skirmishes. Nuttanbolt ran over to Pinkie Pie to eagerly accept her generous offer of baked goods. Ficks let him run off and decided to move towards the far corner of the room. The party had already gotten off to a rather rotten start, at least to him it did. Applejack spotted him in the corner and trotted over to him. She gave him a concerned look.

“Ficks? What’s wrong?”

He looked up at her and managed a phony smile, “It’s... It’s nothin’...”

She looked at him, unimpressed, “I know that ain’t true Ficks. You never really were good at lyin’ to me. Now go on, tell me what’s wrong.” Applejack asked forcefully.

Ficks sighed then whispered to her; as if the others could hear him anyway. “Truth is ‘Jack... I don’t really wanna be here, nopony wants to be here. I’m pretty sure some of ‘em still don’t like me too. I mean you can just see it in their faces.” He hung his head pathetically.

“Oh, horseapples Ficksitup, yer only havin’ issues with everypony ‘cause yer lookin’ at it that way! What makes you think anypony here thinks that way about you?” she asked in a somewhat authoritative tone.

“Pardon?” He knew she could be forceful sometimes but never like this.

“You heard me, yer makin’ a big fuss ‘bout everything that happened yesterday. That stuff’s all behind ya now. That balcony was bound to break eventually. Who cares what Rarity’s sayin’- half the time it’s all nonsense anyway. ‘N believe me... that table was beyond fixin’. There’s no reason for ya to be makin’ yerself feel like a big sap. You made some mistakes yesterday, that’s all!”

Undeniably, she was right, and Ficks knew it too. He had been so worried about how everypony felt about him that he’d forgotten that he was here to have a good time.

“Well... I... I’ve never really been to something like this; what do I even do?” Ficks asked.

“Take the bull by the horns, Ficks. It’s your party afterall, get out there and have some fun. Come on, let’s dance.” She said. She grabbed his hoof and started dragging him towards the center of the room where everypony else had gathered. Ficks tried to resist but she wouldn’t let go.

“Wait, wait a minute ‘Jack. I can- I don’t even know how to dance!”

“Come on sugarcube! Ya’ won’t know unless ya try!”

When she called him that, how could he possibly resist? They reached the center of the main room where everypony else was dancing. They made some space for him and Applejack. Music was blasting from the phonograph at full volume now. The song was now fast paced and jazzy. Pinkie was jumping up and down in unison with the beat.

“Yeah! I told you this was my jam!” she cried out as she began to bounce faster. Fluttershy and Rainbowdash danced next to each other, giggling loudly while Twilight and Rarity attempted to make conversation through all the noise.

Applejack finally let go of Ficks’ hoof and began dancing as well. Ficks just stood there awkwardly, scratching his head. She moved next to him and bumped into him with her flank.

“Come on Ficks, ya just gotta move yer legs! Go for it!” she yelled to him and continued dancing. Ficks started blushing. He shook his head and tried his best to move. Finally he started tapping his feet. Eventually he got the feel of the music and began to sway back and forth. He gradually began to feel his legs loosen up and soon he was grooving in his own goofy way. He didn’t care. For the first time since he had gotten here, he was finally having a good time. They continued to dance together. He moved next to Applejack and tried to dance next to her. Unfortunately their steps didn’t match up so they ended up bumping into each other again. When they did, they both started laughing.

A few minutes later they both retreated to the table where the punch bowl were set up. Ficks leaned against the table panting heavily with a few beads of sweat hanging on his forehead.

“Phew, I’m tellin’ ya. Not even all the work I’ve done in my life coulda’ prepared me for that.” He gulped down some punch greedily. Applejack chuckled at him attempting to cool himself off.

“Gotta’ say Sugarcube. Ya didn’t do too bad for yer first time.”

“Really? I thought I could barely keep up. Yer way better at it than me ‘Jack.”

“Yeah that may be so... but that’s only cuz I’ve had practice.”

The two chuckled together. Ficks remained quiet for a moment before he started up again.

“Hey ‘Jack?”

“Yeah sugarcube?”

“Thanks a lot... I really needed that. I feel much better.” He gave her another smile. She returned the smile with her own and put a hoof on his shoulder.

“No problem Ficks.”

The two of them continued to sit there watching the others enjoy themselves before Ficks asked another question.

“What should we do now?”

“Hmm... I know. How ‘bout ya get reacquainted with everypony again. I’m sure they’ll all be in a much more talkative mood now that they’re havin’ a good time.” Applejack suggested. Ficks thought for a moment then nodded to her.

“Guess it can’t hurt to try... But what about you?”

“Go on ahead Ficks. I’ll letcha chat without me botherin’ ya. Besides you can’t have me all to yerself. At least not now...” Ficks raised an eyebrow. Was she teasing him again? He could never tell for the life of him when she was joking or not. She turned around and walked away, leaving him to decide on his next motive.

Alright... Who do I talk to first..? He thought as he scanned the room; Pinkie was playing pin the tail on the pony, with Fluttershy; he decided to not interrupt their game and continued searching. Rainbowdash was sitting down and talking with Nuttanbolt. Well he’s certainly the social pony tonight. Ficks thought. He figured he would be. Nut had that adorable charm to him that even Ficks couldn’t deny was an advantage he had over him. In the distance he saw Twilight in the back of the room by the kitchen. She was using the magic from her horn to hold a quill and was writing on a piece of parchment.

“Well, guess I might as well start somewhere...” Ficks said to himself as he trotted over to her. He approached her slowly to see what she was writing. As it turned out, she seemed to be a writing a letter that looked similar to the one he had received from her the other day. “Whatcha doin’?” he asked.

Twilight jumped at the sound of his voice. “Oh, Ficksitup! Sorry you startled me, but uh... hey how’s it going?” she asked awkwardly as she picked up the parchment that she had dropped.

“Sorry bout’ that. I didn’t mean to scare ya. I was just curious as to what ya were doin’ all by yourself over here.”

“Oh this? Well if you must know, I’m writing a letter to Princess Celestia.”

“A letter? Right now? Why are ya writin’ her a letter, at a party of all times?”

“Well I sort of have to keep her updated on all the different things I do or learn here in Ponyville. I meant to write her one earlier, but I sort of... got sidetracked. I’m writing it now so I don’t forget again.”

“Updates? What do ya mean?” Ficks was becoming more puzzled by all of this.

“Well that’s sort of the whole reason I’m here in Ponyville right now. Princess Celestia sent me here to learn the importance of friendship and interacting with other ponies. So when I learn something new, I let her know. Since I’m still her student, I guess this is kind of homework to put it one way.” she elaborated.

“Wait she sent you here to learn about... friendship? How does that even work? Doesn’t it just come natural to ya when ya make new friends?”

Twilight gave him a rather disgruntled look. “It’s not that easy for me... Truth is, I’m not very good at making friends. When I was studying in Canterlot, I was spending more time in the library reading instead of making friends with the other students there.”

“But what about all the friends you’ve made here? Looks to me like you get along just fine with them.”

Twilight hung her head low. “Even they are difficult to get along with all the time. Sooner or later, I always just want to go back to the library and be by myself. It’s just who I am I guess. I’m more comfortable with being alone than being with friends all the time. I’ve tried reading tons of books on friendship and having fun and all sorts of other things, but none of them have been able to help me.”

This was a side of Twilight that Ficks had never seen before. Before she had seemed like somepony who knew everything there was to know. From stars and apparently... fixing roofs, he thought she was the most knowledgeable pony that he’d ever met. Now he realized that even someone like her had her quirks.

“Ya know Twilight... not everything can be found in a book. Sometimes ya just gotta get out there and do things from experience. N’ for the record, I’d say you’ve done a pretty fine job makin’ friends.” Ficks said to her with enthusiasm. She looked up at him and smiled.

“Thanks Ficks, you know... you’re not such a bad stallion yourself. In fact I’d say you’re pretty clever.” Ficks smiled at that. The first compliment of the night from somepony else beside Applejack. “Also...” she added, “... I just wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday. I shouldn’t have pushed you like that. I know that you are smart stallion. I shouldn’t have insulted your intelligence. I realize now that it was my fault that the balcony got wrecked even more and that you got hurt.”

Ficks put a hoof up to stop her. “Woah, now hold on Twilight; that wasn’t your fault. I let my pride get the better’a myself, and me gettin’ hurt was all on my accord. I should be the one apologizin’ for breakin’ yer balcony, I also ain’t chargin’ for the damage I did. Wouldn’t be right.”

“Really? You would do that? I should at least pay for the first reparations shouldn’t I?”

“Last I recall, I never got the chance to make any reparations. I was too busy countin’ clouds on my back. Bruise still hurts too...” he said as he rubbed the side of his flank.

“Well yeah I guess that’s true. I’m just glad you weren’t more seriously injured. But still there must be something I can do to make it up to you.”

“I assure ya, Twilight. There won’t be any need for that.”

She thought for a moment. Suddenly her eyes lit up with excitement at the thought of an idea.

“I know! Ficks, how about I mention you in my letter to Princess Celestia? I’m sure she would love to hear about you. I could tell her all about how you’ve been helping my friends. It would be great. What do you say?”

Ficks was shocked at the idea. “You’d do that? I mean I’ve never even seen Princess Celestia before let alone talked to her, and now you want to tell her all about me in a letter? I don’t know...” he said with a hint of doubt. Why would the ruler of Equestria care to hear about him? After all he was just a simple repair pony.

“It’s alright. I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to.” she said, sounding a bit let down. Ficks looked at her and then sighed.

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I mean if it’ll help with yer whole friendship studyin’ thing then by all means, have at it.”

Twilight smiled again. “Thank you Ficks. I’ll be sure to put in a really good word for you. I’ll be sure to have Spike send this as soon as possible.”

“Spike? Who’s that?”

“Oh right. Sorry, I can’t believe I never told you about him. Spike is my assistant at the library. He helps me with all the chores and mails the letters I write to Princess Celestia. I’ll be sure to introduce you to him when you come over to fix the balcony. He would have come with tonight but he’s staying home, sick. He ate too many jewels the other day. Poor thing, I told him it was unhealthy to eat that much in one sitting. But he just wouldn’t listen.”

“Wait. He... Eats jewels?” Ficks asked.

“Yes! Dragons adore jewels.” Twilight said quite plainly.

Dragons!? Ficks thought. He’d heard stories about dragons from old mare’s tales in Manehattan and if any of them were true, he couldn’t imagine why Twilight would have one as an assistant.

“You mean ta’ tell me that you’ve got a dragon livin’ here in ponyville?” Ficks asked in a somewhat nervous manner.

“Yes. He’s just a kid though. Is something wrong?” she asked, puzzled.

“What? No, I’m uh... just fine. Yeah I’m all good.” Ficks said as she smiled weakly.

“Well okay then. Anyway it was good talking to you again Ficks. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got to finish this letter.”

She wandered back over to where her letter was and began writing again. With that Ficks assumed that their conversation was over and continued on his way. As the party progressed he looked around to see what everypony else was doing. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were now playing a different party game than before. Nuttanbolt was still with Rainbowdash. He was sitting down with Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo. He didn’t even know that the Crusaders were here. He never saw them when he had arrived. The three of them were sitting in front of Rainbowdash who was telling some sort of story. As Ficks walked by he could hear bits of her story; something about getting her cutie mark and sonic rainbooms. Scootaloo was staring in awe, nudging Nuttanbolt at the same time.

“See! I told you she was awesome.” she exclaimed at Nut loudly. Rainbowdash grinned at all the attention she was getting.

Well at least he’s still havin’ a good time. Ficks thought. He started looking for Applejack. He finally found her but she was busy scolding Applebloom for something again. That filly just couldn’t seem to keep out of trouble if she tried.

It seemed that everypony was occupied at the moment. There was only one pony who didn’t seem to be present. Ficks started looking around for a certain white unicorn but to no avail. With that he decided to see if he couldn’t find something to snack on at the food table. As he started to trot that way, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and sure enough, the very unicorn he had been looking for was staring right at him.

“Miss Rarity?” Ficks asked weakly.

“Please Ficksitup, just call me Rarity. No need to be so formal. We’ve already met now, so there’s no use for that.” she adressed authoritively.

Ficks was a little taken aback but he continued to listen to her anyway. “Well... um okay then, Rarity. Was there something ya wanted to tell me?”

She brushed her mane back then took a deep breath. Collecting her words she finally continued.

“As a matter of fact, yes. I did want to discuss something with you, if you’ll hear me out.”

“Uh sure, go ahead.”

“Well, first off I just wanted to thank you again for fixing my sewing machine the other day. You’ll be happy to hear that I was able to finish all of my dresses and get them shipped out to my clients.”

“Yeah, glad to hear it...” Ficks said rather coldly. He was starting to walk away, but Rarity yelped from behind.

“W-wait! There’s something else I wanted to say.” she said. Her tone had changed immensely. Before she had sounded all high and mighty, now she sounded... desperate.

“What is it?” Ficks asked. He was growing impatient. Whatever it was this mare wanted to say, why didn’t she just say it?

“It’s just that well... I... I wanted to say...” she shut her eyes then forced out the last few words, “... I’m sorry.”

Ficks’ ears pricked up in suprise. “What’d ya say?”

Rarity cleared her throat again. “I’m telling you that I am sorry. I realize that I was being rather rude the other day. I mean it’s not that I wanted to be rude, it’s just that you looked so filthy and I jus-” Ficks raised an eyebrow. Was this mare really apologizing? If she was, she really wasn’t doing a good job. “Wait no, that’s not what I meant! I meant that I just need to have a clean work environment and you were- oh who am I foaling? I’m sorry I called you a dirty stallion and kicked you out of my shop!” she finally cried out hysterically.

“Wait. You called me a dirty stallion?” Ficks asked, now taken aback instead of comforted by her apology.

“Who me? No I would never call you a dirty stallion... at least not to your face. I mean, yes. I might have have called you that after you left, but please I didn’t mean it. At all! I was just so stressed out and I’m not accustomed to having stallions act with such kindness.” She sounded like she was about to start crying or something. As much as Ficks wanted to walk away from how annoyed he was by her confessions, for her sake, he stayed put.

“You say yer not used to stallions actin’ kind with ya. Did something happen that makes ya think so harshly about ‘em?” Ficks asked with curiousity. Rarity bit her lip when she realized that she had said too much.

“Well... let’s just say something happened between me and a stallion, who I thought was supposed to be extraordinary. Turns out he was a complete let down. I’d rather not bring it up again.”

“Life can be disappointin’ sometimes. You learn to deal with it...” Ficks said coldly. Rarity looked at him with somber eyes. Thankfully, no tears were welling up in them.

“But that’s not fair. I never did anything to deserve to be treated this way. I was nothing but generous to that schmuck of a stallion. Just as I have been nothing but generous to y-” Ficks gave her another unimpressed look. Rarity groaned in defeat. She knew she wasn’t fooling him, “Okay okay... I was wrong. I was anything but generous to you that day but that is now why I also wished to speak with you. I would like to... if you’ll allow me to... let me make it up to you somehow. Let me express my kindness and generosity towards you.”

Ficks put a hoof over his face. Oh great, now this one wants to make it up to me too. What in the hay could she possibly offer? He thought, now agitated.

“You want to make it up to me? I don’t mean to be rude or nuthin’ Rarity but I really don’t see what else you could possibly do for me since we obviously lead such busy lives.” he said with a hint of sarcasm. Rarity stood there, thinking for a moment. She had a look on her face that made her look overly stumped. She really had no idea how she could make up for her rudeness to this stallion. What could she offer? The only things she knew about were fashion and keeping her mane well kept. Unless...

“What about your mane?” she finally asked.

“What about it?” Ficks replied, now once again annoyed at the sudden change in subject.

“Well... I mean. Look at it. It’s clearly... unkempt. I assume you’ve never done anything with it before have you?”

“No I really have no reason to. I just let it grow out. Since I’m a stallion after all why would I have any reason to do anything with it?”

Rarity realized her plan was starting to fold on itself. She had to step it up.

“Well I’m merely trying to say that... well, it just has so much potential. I’m willing to bet after a stop at the salon or somewhere else, you could have a completely new look. A handsome stallion like yourself wouldn’t want to waste that kind of potential would you?”

Ficks didn’t think he couldn’t get anymore annoyed with this mare. Now she was pushing it. First she had insulted him the other day, and now she was trying to suck up to him. Still he thought for a moment. His mane was getting a bit out of hoof for even himself to handle. He constantly found himself brushing his mane out of his eyes when he was working and in the mornings, his mane looked like the storm of the century had blown through it. Perhaps it was time for a little trim. Plus this mare was making as much effort as she could to make amends for her previous behavior. The offering was starting to not sound like such a bad idea.

“Well I suppose it wouldn’t hurt...” Ficks said. Rarity’s eyes lit up gracefully.

“Oh, I knew you couldn’t refuse such a surpassing offer such as this. I’ll set up an appointment at one of the best places I know. Once they’re done with you, you’ll look absolutely ama-”

“Rarity, please! Just a trim, alright? I don’t need nothin’ fancy. I appreciate the offer, but please, don’t over do it.”

Rarity gave him a doubtful expression and then sighed loudly.

“Oh very well then, I’ll set up an appointment and have them do something modest. But at least let them do something. I can’t just have you getting a boring old trim. You should at least let them make it a little... oh how would I put it... trendy!” she pestered. She wasn’t about to let him off that easy.

Ficks sighed with fatigue, “Ugh, alright fine whatever. Do what you like, but nuthin’ fancy. Also it can’t be this week since I’m gonna loaded with work.”

Rarity gave herself a little cheer. “Yes of course, whenever the time is fitting for you. I’ll make the appointment as you see fit. I’m so glad you decided to accept my offer. I’m sure we’ll get along much better now.”

“Yeah... I can hardly wait.” Ficks groaned with heavy sarcasm. Rarity looked over her shoulder to see if anypony else was within close range before she turned around again.

“Oh yes, Ficks. There is one last thing I wanted to ask you...” she said in a very serious tone.

“Yeah alright what is it?” Ficks asked hoping she would leave after this.

“Tell me, and be completely honest... Are you and Applejack da-”

“WATER BALLOON FIGHT!” Pinkie Pie shouted from out of nowhere. Suddenly a water balloon came sailing from out of the blue and hit Rarity square in the face. It immediately burst open, spilling water all over her face and mane. Rarity spun around and glared, water dripping from her now drooping mane.

“PINKIE! How dare you! Oooooh when I get my hooves on you, you’re going to be sorry...” she yelled. With that she took off after Pinkie who was hopping away giggling the whole time.

Ficks watched them run off to some other part of the room, completely bewildered. He breathed a slight sigh of relief. I thought she’d never leave. Thanks Pinkie, I owe ya again. Ficks thought, chuckling. He made his way to the front door and stepped outside, in desperate need of some fresh air. The night air was cool and crisp which comforted Ficks greatly. The moon was shining brightly which gave off a luminescent glow on the ground.

Ficks sat down, leaning against the wall of the shop. He looked up at the stars thinking to himself. I wonder if Twilight’ll let me borrow one of them star-books. Maybe I can learn all them names that she was talkin’ ‘bout the other d- His thoughts were broken when he heard somepony approaching from the side. He quickly turned his head to see who it was.

Applejack came walking up from outside of the store. She smiled at him, though she looked pretty worn out as well. She took a seat next to Ficks, taking a moment to catch her breath.

“Well you certainly look like ya had yerself a good time.” she said cheerfully. Ficks took his hat off and placed it on the ground next to him. He brushed his mane back and stretched to relieve some of the tension in his back.

“Yeah you could say that. I was able to talk a few of the girls again. You were right, I did get along better with them this time.” He lied of course since he really didn’t feel like explaining his conversation with Rarity. He had a feeling that Applejack knew he didn’t favor her at the moment. So he didn’t want to make it worse.

“That’s great Ficks. See, I told ya you’d get along better with ‘em tonight. You doubted me... but I told ya.”

“Alright alright. No need to rub it in, geez.” She smiled again and removed her hat as well. Her mane fell gently to her side as she turned her head. Ficks stared curiously at her mane. The red ribbons that held them down at the end made her mane bob back and forth as she scratched her head. She noticed that he was staring at her.

“What is it Ficks?”

He quickly snapped into attention, “Oh nothin’. It’s just that you never told me why you’re always wearin’ those things in your mane all the time. Well... then again I guess I never asked either.”

She chuckled. “Well I wear ‘em so my mane doesn’t get everywhere in my face when I’m workin’ on the acres. I guess I kinda got comfortable with the look so I just keep it that way all the time now.”

“I see. Well I guess that was an obvious answer. I don’t know why I even asked. I suppose it’s just that I’ve never seen your mane any other way.” He chuckled lightly at his own dumb curiosity.

She smiled at him again. “Well if you want to see my mane without em, why don’t ya help me for a sec’ here. They’re coming loose anyway so I need to re-tie them again.”

Ficks gulped nervously. “Oh... uh... okay. What do ya need me to do?”

“Just pull the ribbons loose and they should come undone on their own.”

“Right...sure. No problem.” Ficks nervously leaned closer to her. He reached behind her head. As his face brushed past her mane, he could smell a scent of apples in her hair. The aroma was almost intoxicating to him. With his teeth, he lightly tugged on the ribbons in her mane. They slowly came undone and fell to the ground. Applejack shook her mane loose, letting it fall gently around her face. Ficks backed up again to look at her. What he saw made his stomach twist in knots.

She looked at him shyly and asked, “Well? How’s it look now?”

Ficks couldn’t even find the means to think straight. She looked completely different to him. Her mane rested around her shoulders and would sway every time she turned her head. From the glow of the moonlight, it seemed to shine like golden threads. Her emerald eyes peered from underneath her bangs that hung loosely over her forehead. He was at a complete loss for words.

“Well?”

Ficks felt a lump in his throat. He felt like his whole body was heating up for no reason. Finally he mustered up enough sense to speak. “Uh it’s just... wow. You look... great. Like I mean, really great.”

Applejack blushed a little. “Oh now yer just sayin’ that sugarcube.”

“No I mean it. You look... amazing.” His head was spinning. He wanted to say she looked beautiful but he didn’t nearly have enough courage to tell her. She smiled again.

“Well thanks Ficks.” she folded up the ribbons and placed them in her hat, “Maybe I’ll keep it this way every now and then” He couldn’t help but smile at that. He wouldn’t mind one bit if she did that.

The two of them snickered together before falling silent again. He looked up at the night sky again for what felt like several minutes before he spoke again. “Ya know ‘Jack... I’m really glad that you were here to help me out tonight. I know it sounds like nothing but I mean it. I’m really glad you came.”

“I already told ya Ficks. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Yeah I know that, but I’m still happy that you did.”

“Well sugarcube... I’m glad that you came back to Ponyville after all those years. I know it don’t seem like much either, but I’m really glad you came back.”

Ficks looked at her and gave a faint smile. “I told ya ‘Jack. I made a promise I’d come back. So I wouldn’t miss this for the world either...”

She leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. Ficks’ eyes widened and his face turned as red as a tomato. She sighed and then smiled.

“That makes me happy Ficks. I’m glad you kept your promise to me...”

For a moment, Ficks continued to let her sit there resting her head against him. He was so nervous. His heart was beating so hard that his chest hurt. But this moment felt so right to him. A part of him wished they could stay like this forever.

“‘Jack... there’s something I wanted to say.” he finally said, breaking the silence.

“What is it sugarcube?” She looked up at him eagerly.

“I just... I wanted to apologize for what I said the other day.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we were at Fluttershy’s and I said that I never needed any friends when I was young. I didn’t mean that. I did need a friend back then. And you were the filly who became the best friend I could ever have. I never meant to upset ya. I was just confused that night and I didn’t know what I was talkin’ about and I-” She put a hoof to his mouth.

“I don’t care about that Ficks. I know you never meant it. I just care that you’re here now... with me.” She stared at him, not once looking away. Ficks gazed deeply into her eyes.

“‘Jack I-”

“Stop talkin’ sugarcube.”

She leaned in and placed her lips to his without hesitation. It happened so fast that he didn’t even have time to react. She closed her eyes and leaned against him even more. Ficks thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest. His eyes widened with shock. Was this really happening? She kept her lips firmly pressed to his, not once moving away. After that, everything seemed like a dream. There wasn’t any way to fight it. He felt a rush of exhilaration flowing through him. He finally shut his eyes and pressed against her as well, embracing the warm touch of her body against his. For the first time in his life, Ficks felt complete and utter bliss. It had been ten years since he had seen her. Ten years of waiting for something good to finally happen to him, and now... it was one of the greatest moments of his life. Nothing could ruin this moment now. Nothing.

“WHO WANTS CAKE?” Pinkie Pie shouted from the front door. The two of them immediately pulled away from each other. Both of their faces had turned bright red. Pinkie saw the two of them sitting on the ground outside and giggled. “Oh silly. What are you doing sitting in the dirt? You’re supposed to be inside having fu- wait a minute!”

They stared at her nervously. She glared suspiciously at them with big eyes. “What Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked with hesitation.

“There’s something not right here...” Ficks and Applejack both looked at each other, fearing the worst. Finally Pinkie shouted out, “Where’s your hats?”

They both exhaled happily. “Oh... uh right here. Yeah... found my hat” Ficks said. He picked his hat up off the ground and laughed nervously. Pinkie stared at him, squinting with a serious expression, then grinned at him.

“Okie dokie lokie!” She took off back into the shop, squealing and giggling. Ficks then looked at the ground and sighed with relief. If she had seen what they were doing, he might have died from embarrassment. Applejack quickly got up and placed her hat back on her head. She didn’t put her ribbons back in, so her mane still fell loosely against her shoulders. She looked down at Ficks and smiled at him. They were both still blushing. She leaned down and planted another kiss on his cheek.

“Come on Ficks. Let’s not keep ‘em waitin’.”

Ficks got up, rubbing his cheek. His face had turned bright red again. He nervously put his hat back on and walked over to Applejack. He smiled at her with his heart beating slow but steady again. She winked at him and trotted inside. The moment had ended almost as soon as it had begun, but he didn’t feel a single ounce of regret that it had happened. Ficks turned around and looked up at the night sky one last time. A huge grin appeared over his face and he chuckled to himself. With that, he trotted into Sugar Cube Corner and reunited with his guests.

Chapter 5: Mixed feelings are a Rarity

Apples N’ Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 5: Mixed Feelings are a Rarity

After only a few days passed, the first signs of Autumn had begun to arise in Ponyville. The leaves on the trees were beginning to change colors. Some had turned a dark maroon while others were a bright orange or a golden yellow. Every now and then, a few of the leaves would break away from their branches to be carried away by the gentle fall breeze. It created a serene kind of setting where the they would dance in the wind as if they were in a ballet of the seasons. Small clusters of clouds littered the sky where the sun occasionally peaked out from behind to shine rays of warmth on the ground. Even with all of this going on around them, most of the town folk continued about their business and daily routines without falter, but still keeping in mind the ever approaching winter.

From the window of his attic, Ficksitup glanced outside at the morning scenery while he cheerfully played a melody on his silver harmonica. The tune was sweet and simple and put him in a rather optimistic mood, that is until Hammerplank marched up the stairs and started banging on the attic door, angrily shouting through the hinged wood.

“Would ya quit it with that darn thing and get down here already? We’re still runnin’ a tool shop here, not an orchestra!”

Ficks rolled his eyes and sighed. Last time he recalled, no musical orchestra that he had ever heard of used a harmonica in their ensemble. Still, he didn’t allow his uncle’s musical ignorance to put his cheerfulness out of commission. He placed the harmonica in a special cushioned case that he had fashioned for it and left his room with a cheeky grin.

He trotted downstairs into the kitchen. Unintentionally, he had a slight stride in his step that recieved confused looks from both his uncle and Nuttanbolt, who were sitting at the table eating breakfast as he strode past them towards the fruit bowl on the counter. He was humming the tune that he had previously been playing on the harmonica a minute ago. He gracefully snatched an apple from the bowl and began munching away at it, savoring the juicy flavor of the red fruit. He couldn’t help crack a smile as he continued to chew eagerly on it. Hammerplank stared at him with a puzzled expression.

“Well yer certainly bright eyed and bushy tailed this mornin’ arent’cha? What’s got you in such a good mood, nephew?” Plank asked curiously. Ficks stopped eating and swallowed to flash another smile at the two of them.

“Why wouldn’t I be, uncle? I’ve been gettin’ a lotta’ work done these past few days. I slept great last night and I can tell it’s gonna be a beautiful day today.”

Hammerplank was a little shocked at Fick’s sudden surge of enthusiasm. He got up from the table to stare out the kitchen window, pulled a few of the shades down and peered outside. The entire sky was covered in overcast, with large bloated clouds blocking out the sun entirely. He frowned and turned back to face his nephew.

“I can understand bein’ satisfied about yer progress with work and everything, but I don’t think you got yer head on straight about the weather. Sun’s practically been blotted out, heck it might even rain today.” Hammerplank proclaimed angrily, “Darn Pegasi couldn’t have picked a worse day to stick those stinkin’ clouds over this town, and on a Monday of all days! Clearly they never have to worry about havin’ to work on an early mornin’ or nothin’, ‘cuz they’re too busy soakin’ up the sun in their magic sky castle while the rest of us are breakin’ our hooves on solid ground in the rain, just to make a livin’!”

“It’s called Cloudsdale, uncle.” Ficks corrected.

“Whatever! Point is, the least they could do is cut us some gosh darn slack and give a little more sunshine during this time of the year... or at least a darn warnin’ that it’s gonna rain so I don’t bother getting up outta bed.”

Ficksitup gradually tuned out his uncle as he continued on his Pegasus tangent. He was flailing his hooves in the air as his outbursts continued. Though to Ficksitup, his uncle did seem to be on to something. It was true that the winged citizens of Cloudsdale appeared to have a substantially smaller workload than the common earth ponies in Ponyville and Equestria as a whole, but Ficksitup could tell that Hammerplank was blowing it all way out of proportion.

Ficksitup assumed that a Pegasus had just as much responsibility as any other pony he knew. After all, from what he’d seen, it sure didn’t look easy moving all of those clouds around. It probably took at least two pegasi to move one big cloud. So to move a whole group of them would take an entire workforce to get it done. Ficksitup thought back to the Pegasus he had met the other night, Rainbow Dash. He wondered how much work she could do in one day. What she lacked in strength, she could most definitely make up in speed, and she most certainly looked like a fast flier. No doubt that was how she earned her rather unique name. He continued to eat his apple, deep in thought, when his uncle stopped and noticed that he was once again being ignored. Hammerplank snatched the apple away from his hoof and glared at him.

“Hey, what was that for?” Ficksitup cried out.

“I ain’t done with you yet. You still haven’t told me what’s got you in such a spectacular mood all of a sudden. And don’t tell me it’s the sunny day we’re havin’, cuz I know that’s a load of manure.” Ficksitup frowned at his uncle, who stared back at him intently. His uncle seemed particularly grumpier than he usually was in the morning.

“I’m tellin’ ya ‘Plank, it’s nothin’. What, am I not allowed to be happy for once?” He asked defensively. Hammerplank raised an eyebrow.

“Really now? It’s nothin’?”

“Yup, nothin’ at all.”

“It couldn’t possibly have to do with a certain party that you two might have wandered off to some odd days ago?”

Ficksitup gave a slight look of surprise. Another secret had been digested by his ever intuitive uncle, without fail. Ficksitup whipped around to face his younger brother who looked equally surprised by their uncle’s dead on accusation. He glared slightly at Nut. Why that lil’ snitch... He was about to open his mouth to reprimand him. Hammerplank, reading his mind, put a hoof up to stop him.

“Don’t you blame Nut. He didn’t tell me anything. I just happened to hear everything in my office when I was home that day.”

“But I- How did you even hear all that? I thought you were asleep.”

“I’m a light sleeper kiddo.” Hammerplank said harshly, “And if you ever get the bolts to call me an ole coot behind my back again, you’ll be danglin’ off the nearest cliff beggin’ to Celestia herself. Got it?”

Ficksitup quickly lowered his head in shame like a cowering dog that had just been caught by his master for relieving himself on the carpet. “Yes uncle. I’m sorry.”

Hammerplank finally broke his frown and let out a bellowing laugh which caught Ficksitup and his brother off guard.

“Well off course you’d still be right though. I am an ole coot! You just aren’t allowed to say it. Only I am.” he said through chokes of laughter. Ficksitup gave him a another unimpressed look. Once again, his uncle had succeeded in effortlessly pulling his leg and making him look like a fool. Nuttanbolt burst out giggling at his brother’s humiliation. Both Ficksitup and Hammerplank quickly stared him down to shut him up.

“I’m pretty sure you have somewhere to be right now too, young foal...” Hammerplank scolded to his younger nephew. Nuttanbolt glanced at the clock and yelped in panic.

“Oh horseapples, I’m gonna be late for school!” He jumped down from his seat and bolted up the stairs to get ready. Ficksitup chuckled as he watched his brother finally get some of the flak from his uncle’s verbal onslaught. Hammerplank turned around again to face Ficksitup.

“Now then, you still haven’t told me what’cher so happy ‘bout. Clearly something spectacular must have happened at that little extravaganza to get ya all riled up.”

“Oh come on ‘Plank. You’re still ridin’ me about that? Just let it go already.”

“Nuh uh. No way. I ain’t movin’ til I get an honest answer outta’ you Ficksitup.” Hammerplank crossed his arms and slumped in his chair as if he was gluing himself to the seat to emphasize that he had no intention of leaving. Ficksitup groaned with rolled eyes and sat in the chair opposite of him.

“Okay, I had a really good time at the party. There was food, confetti, and dancin’, it was a real rodeo, end of story.” he said, hoping that would end his uncle’s pointless interrogation. Hammerplank merely grinned.

“And Applejack was there too, right?”

“Well... yeah of course she was, She’s the one who invited me in the first place.” Ficksitup said with hesitation.

“Yeah? You sure that ain’t why you had such a great time?”

“What are you gettin’ at here?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Ugh, yes. I did enjoy her company at the party. In fact I’m sure I had a much better time because she was there. Ya’ happy now?” Ficksitup asked impatiently.

“Alright alright I get it. I was just askin’. Geez, don’t get yer saddle in a bunch, nephew.”

“Well alright then.” Ficks said as he turned around in his seat to reach for another apple. Suddenly he felt his uncle hanging right over his shoulder.

“Did ya mack it with her? Eh? Eh?” he asked, nudging him and making light clicking sounds with his mouth. Ficksitup couldn’t help it. His face immediately flustered red with embarrassment. It had been days since the night of the party, but the image still hung fresh in his mind.

Stop talkin’ sugarcube... The words played over in his head as he envisioned that moment when he had shared his first kiss with her. His lips still tingled from the sensation that he had felt from her kissing him like that. The whole thing sent a mixture of emotions spinning through his subconscious. He quickly shook his head and turned away to hide the color in his face.

“I don’t know what yer talkin’ about.” Ficksitup stammered. Hammerplank burst out laughing and lightly slapped his hoof across Ficksitup’s back.

“Ya did didn’t ya? You sly dog, I knew you were gonna do it sooner or later. I just knew ya couldn’t resist a pretty ‘lil thing like her. Atta, boy Ficks. Now yer becoming a stallion. I’m proud of ya.” Ficksitup frowned at him while he rubbed his back.

“Hey come on now, I never said I did anything like that, alright? We just danced a little and hung out with her friends, that’s it.”

“You danced with her too? Wow kiddo, yer really makin’ an impression on this mare aren’tcha? No wonder she was so eager to snog with ya. Tell me, did she use her tongue?” Hammerplank pestered with bitter chuckles. Ficksitup was appalled and disgusted by his uncle.

“You’re a sick stallion, you know that ‘Plank? I don’t know why you’d ask something like that. No, she didn’t use her ton-” Ficksitup slapped a hoof over his mouth when he realized what he’d just said. Hammerplank raised both eyebrows with wide eyes and busted out with even louder laughter than before.

“Dear Celestia, ya’ did mack it with her! I knew it. I absolutely knew it! And here you were tryin’ to deny it. I told you Ficks, yer a terrible liar, you really are.” Ficksitup just glared at him. He hated the fact that he was no good at lying to anypony. Worst of all, his uncle knew it and he always made a spectacle out of the whole thing every time he caught him fibbing like this. There was just no winning with him.

“Hush up will ya? Geez... okay so yeah. I might have kissed her, but that’s it. I swear nothin’ else happened.” Ficksitup confessed angrily. Hammerplank gave a sly smile, deciding that he was finally done toying with him.

“Alright alright. I’m done with ya. See that wasn’t so hard now was it? You know you can’t keep secrets from me, especially the good ones like that. So ya really shouldn’t even bother tryin’.”

“Fine, whatever. Can I go now?”

“Yeah alright, yer dismissed but I still gotta ask ya one more thing.” Hammerplank said as he got up from his chair. His tone had changed to become more serious.

“What?”

“You really like this mare don’tcha?”

“Yeah, I guess. Why?”

“Have ya told her that yet?”

“Well I... no, not really. I don’t even know how I should tell her that. I mean, this all new to me. I’m sure she knows that I like her. So there wouldn’t really be any need to actually tell her. Right?” Hammerplank stopped smiling and gave Ficksitup a stern look.

“You need to tell her, Ficks. You shouldn’t keep a mare waitin’ for an answer like that. She’s clearly shown her affection towards you and it wouldn’t be fair to make her second guess herself with hesitation.” Ficksitup stared blankly at his uncle. He had no idea where all of this was coming from. First his uncle had been pestering and teasing him to no avail about the whole thing, and now suddenly he was trying to act like some sort of relationship expert.

“What would you know about that sort of stuff anyway, Plank?”

Hammerplank was silent for a moment before he answered,“Trust me Ficks, I’ve... well, let’s just say I’ve been in that wagon before. I know you don’t listen to me very often and believe me, I know you don’t. But hear me out; if you don’t tell her soon it’s gonna come back and bite ya’ in the flank later.”

Ficks looked at him with confusion. His uncle continued to stare at him intently. He knew Hammerplank wasn’t always the serious type. In fact he was more likely to crack a joke before actually being sincere about anything that wasn’t work related. But on that rare occasion that he really was trying to get a point across, all joking was scarce. Ficks closed his eyes and sighed.

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind. Can I go now?”

“Yeah, go on. Get outta’ here.” Hammerplank tossed the half eaten apple back to Ficksitup. He held the apple in his hoof, staring at it. For a moment, he got a whiff of the sweet scent that emanated from the red fruit. The smell started bringing up images of Applejack in his mind again, how her mane had smelled of apples that night and the look of it when her hair was down without the ribbons. He couldn’t shake the memory from his head. She had looked so different that night... so beautiful. The mere thought of it made his stomach flutter uncontrollably and his heart pound. Hammerplank gave a low grunt to snap Ficks back into the present.

“Ahem, shall I leave you and the apple alone for a moment?” he asked, teasingly. Ficksitup turned his head and scowled at him. After Hammerplank had left, he finished his breakfast and headed upstairs again. Nuttanbolt scurried past him with his bookbag in tow. Ficksitup turned around and called back to him.

“Hey Nut, ya’ want me to walk ya’ to school today?”

“Nah it’s fine, I can make it there myself.” Nut shouted as he bolted out the front door. Ficks gave a faint smile and continued towards his room. Inside, he trotted towards the desk that was next to his bed. On a nearby chair, hung his tool bag and hat. He effortlessly slung the saddle bag over his shoulder and onto his back. He grabbed his hat and placed it on his head. As he did, something came fluttering out of the hat from underneath the brim. It fell to the floor, to which Ficksitup immediately looked down to see what it was. On the wooden planks of his room, rested a small red ribbon. He picked it up and examined it closely. It was one of the ribbons that had been used to tie Applejack’s mane. It was more than strange how it had ended up there. The mere concept perplexed him. How in the hay did this even get here? he wondered, staring at it curiously. He could have sworn that she had kept them in her hat the entire time. Apparently not. He figured he could just return it to her at sometime, though he realized that wasn’t the biggest problem he had at the moment. How was he supposed to get her out of his head, or more importantly, how was he supposed to confess to her? Now that he pretty much knew how he felt about her, he couldn’t just sit around and not let her know. What do I even say? He thought nervously. Ficksitup was trembling with anxiety. He didn’t know if he was even ready to tell her. Hammerplank made it sound so easy, but the mere thought of telling Applejack something as important as this made Ficksitup nervous beyond comprehension. He shook his head vigorously. I gotta get her outta my mind. No distractions. Gotta focus on the task at hoof. He thought reassuringly. He would tell her eventually, he was certain. But for now there were other, more pressing matters to attend to.

Ficks trotted down the stairs again and knocked on the door to Hammerplank’s office, which served as his personal quarters.

“Come in.” Hammerplank called from behind the door. Ficks opened it and peered inside. His uncle was sitting at his desk filling out a document. When Ficks tried to take a closer look at the parchment, Plank noticed his wandering eyes and quickly stuck the paper back in a folder. He stuck it in the open drawer of his desk and slammed it shut. “What do you want?” he asked impatiently.

“Oh right. I was wonderin’ if ya might know where we kept the ole wagon for the shop? I need it for something I’m doin’ for a client of ours.” Ficks asked. Hammerplank stared at him curiously and then dismissed whatever suspicious thought he had developed in his head.

“Yeah, it’s in the tool shed behind the shop. Just be careful. I’ve got a lot of stuff in there that I’m still workin’ on, so don’t break anything.”

“You got it. Thanks uncle.”

The shed rested firmly against the back wall of the shop. It was a medium sized, two door, barn shaped shed that was covered in white paint that was slowly chipping away. Inside, there were shelves stacked with wooden boxes filled with spare parts and broken gadgets. At the back of the shed sat a large workbench. Along the wall hung several tools of variant sizes and occupations. Scattered throughout the floor were several large devices that were covered in white tarps. The entire room was smothered in dust. Clearly those “projects” that Hammerplank was working on had been unfinished for quite awhile now. Knowing his uncle, Ficksitup assumed they probably weren’t going to be completed any time soon either. The wagon he was looking for was resting in the center of the shed. Ficksitup quickly inspected it to make sure that all four wheels were still attached and tightened correctly. He quickly fastened the neck yoke around his shoulders and gave the wagon a good tug. It sluggishly rolled its way out of the shed. The wheels creaked and groaned as they rotated. Ficks sighed miserably. He knew pulling this thing was going to wear him out by the end of the day, but it was necessary for what he was going to be doing. He quickly rushed back into the shed to grab the last few things he needed: several large planks of wood, a tin can filled with nails, a saw, and most importantly, a ladder. There was no need for another hammer since he already carried one with him in his tool bag. He loaded the supplies into the back and re-positioned himself in front of the wagon. Confident that he had everything he needed, Ficks pulled the wagon around to the front of the shop and was on his way.

Despite the more than gloomy weather, the streets were already flourishing with business. Shops had their doors open with signs hanging in the windows, welcoming customers in. The market stalls were filled to the last crate with every kind of fruit and vegetable that there was to offer. Ficksitup looked on with curiosity as he observed the different shop keeps and their methods of attracting potential costumers. Some were tossing out bargains that were too good to refuse (or to be true). He’d seen the method before. It happened more times than he could possibly count.

It was the oldest trick in the book for the merchants in the larger-than-life market district of Manehattan. They would offer unbelievably great deals on their goods, such as three for the price of one or buy two bags today and receive a third one tomorrow, free of charge. They would merely throw these bargains out as bluffs to lure customers in. Once they’d managed to hook somepony gullible in, that’s where the deal stopped sounding so great. It would turn into a one sided barter where the shop keep would end up making more bits than his goods were worth and the customer would probably end up going home with less than what they had to begin with or even empty hooved if they were really unlucky. It was a dishonest and horrid way of doing business, but Ficksitup knew they were only doing it because they felt that they were obliged to do so. After all, they were competing against dozens of others in the market. Apparently it wasn’t any different here. Though, at least here in Ponyville, they weren’t swindling their customers of everything they had. Ficksitup just wished they could show a little more honesty with their work.

That’s when he saw her. He didn’t walk too far before he had arrived where Applejack’s stall was. As he spotted her, Ficksitup jumped in panic. He tried to run for cover, nearly choking himself in the process since he was still attached to the wagon. He quickly unlatched himself and ducked behind a nearby stall. She didn’t see me, did she? Ficksitup thought. Breathing heavily he poked his head out from the side and looked in her direction. Applejack was too busy bartering with a customer to notice anything around her. Ficksitup sighed with relief and relaxed against the stall he was hiding behind.

“Okay...” he said to himself, “I’m here now. Should I tell her? I mean, I don’t see why it wouldn’t hurt to try right now. I bet she’s even waiting for me to go up there right now and tell her... I should tell her.”

Ficksitup continued to bicker with himself before he felt watchful eyes over him. He gazed up to see the owner of the cart he was leaning against glaring at him.

“You gonna’ buy something Romeo or just sit there and babble to yourself?” the mare asked shrewdly. Ficksitup stared back at her and smiled awkwardly.

“Uh, sorry. I’ll just be on my way now.” he said as he got up. Shaking off his minor embarrassment with the shopkeeper, he looked over at Applejack again. She was continuing to speak with another pony at her stall. She had a light, welcoming smile on her face that made Ficksitup’s heart skip a beat or two. It was the perfect time to tell her. After all that had happened that night at the party, it seemed almost necessary to tell her now. It might as well be a time when she was in a good mood.

“I’m gonna tell her.” he said confidently. He began making his way towards the apple stand. Her blond mane seemed to sway in the fall breeze in slow motion. She was still smiling, her emerald eyes gleaming with warmth. Ficksitup started to trot faster towards the stand. She didn’t notice him getting closer. This is it, he thought, I’m gonna tell her... He was ten feet from where she was standing before he stopped dead in his tracks. He broke out in a nervous sweat. He had gotten so anxious about telling her about his feelings that he hadn’t even thought of anything to say. I’m such an idiot. Applejack turned in his direction which made him dive for the nearest cover he could spot. Thankfully, it was another fruit cart. His heart was pounding; he was sure that she had spotted him. He peered around the cart. He’d apparently gone unnoticed as she continued to talk with her costumer.

He could hear a bit of the conversation between Applejack and the stallion she was dealing with. The conversation sounded pretty heated, even argumentative. Letting curiosity get the better of him, he positioned his head so his left ear stuck out from behind the cart and listened to what they were saying.

“Please mister, I’m tellin’ ya, these here are the finest apples in Equestria, grown right here at Sweet Apple Acres, only the finest apple farm in all of Ponyville. There’s no way you could resist such delicious fruits as these.” Applejack said in a desperate tone. The stallion who she was bartering with gave a low grunt of dissatisfaction.

“The finest you say?” he said as he waved a hoof over one the carts, “These apples have to be in the worst shape I’ve ever seen. Just look at them. This one is dented on the side, this one looks as if it’s been tossed in the dirt, this one looks too rotten to eat, and-” he gasped as he pointed at one specific apple sitting atop the pile.

“Is that a worm?”

Applejack looked at the accused apple and chuckled unnervingly.

“Well sir, aside from the worm, the only reason these apples look the way they do is because we harvest em ourselves and we take every apple we get. We know a bad apple when we see one and I assure ya, there are no bad apples here. They may not look it, but they’re still juicy and tasty on the inside.”

The stallion still looked unimpressed. He pondered for a moment before continuing.

“Well I’m still not convinced. Even if I were to buy these apples, I’d say they were only worth half of what you’re selling them at.”

“Alright fine.” Applejack said with new found confidence, “Let’s make ourselves a deal partner. I’ll give ya five apples for six bits. Six is how much I charge for two. Sounds like a fair deal, right?”

The stallion scratched a hoof under his chin while he thought for a moment. He then gave a coy smirk. For some reason, it made Ficksitup fluster with anger as he watched Applejack continue to debate with him. Ficksitup wanted to do nothing more than to step in and help her. He’d even tell that stallion to eat dirt, but he had no idea whether that would really help her anyway. It’s not like he was selling the apples. He also knew she wouldn’t let him step in to help. That’s just the way Applejack was. Always taking things head on by herself. He decided to remain hidden and continue to observe her conflict. If things started to go south then he would step in to help her whether she wanted it or not. Then again, the stallion looked a few sizes bigger than Ficksitup. Heck, this stallion could have given Big Mac a run for his money. Either way, he didn’t care. For Applejack, Ficksitup was willing to face a full grown dragon for her.

“Hmm, I suppose. Alright I’ll accept.” the stallion stated, “But I don’t want just any sort of apples. I want the best ones you have and unbruised of course.”

Applejack exhaled heavily to avoid losing her patience. This was a tough costumer no doubt, but still a customer. She had no intentions of letting this one slide.

“Alrighty then, we’ve got these here red ones that we just picked this mornin’.” she said as she began pulling a few apples from one of the carts on the side.

“No, not those.”

“Okay...well how ‘bout these ones. Green apples that are so tangy and juicy, you’ll be tempted to buy more than just five.”

“Nope, not those ones either.”

Applejack glared slightly as she continued to go through the assortment of apples that she had brought with her, each one he had turned down. She finally sighed deeply in defeat as she faced the stallion.

“Sir, I’ve shown ya every apple I’ve got and you don’t want any of ‘em. How am I s’posed ta make a deal when you won’t even buy what I’m sellin’?”

The stallion stood there and smiled again.

“Not all of them. How about those ones?” he said as he pointed at a basket sitting on a shelf above her head. The basket was filled with six apples that varied in color. Three red ones, one yellow one, and two green ones. There was, however, something peculiar about them. The apples practically gleamed and shined like they had been hoof-polished. They looked almost brand new, like they hadn’t even been touched. Applejack looked up nervously when she realized he’d seen them.

“Um... well, those I ain’t exactly sellin’ partner. I’m savin’ em for somepony else.”

The stallion gave Applejack a look of disapproval. He turned around and slowly began to walk away.

“Well then, I guess if you’re not selling those apples, my money’s no good here. I’ll just take my business elsewhere.” he said in an insulting tone, “I hear the pears are rather ripe this year anyway.”

The stallion began trotting away without hesitation. Applejack bit her lip nervously. Ficksitup was about to get up to help her, but just before the stallion was out of earshot, she lowered her head and called out.

“Five bits!”

The stallion turned around and slowly trotted back to the stand, passing Ficksitup who continued to glare at him.

“What’s that you say?” the stallion asked. Applejack continued to keep her head bowed, hiding her face below the brim of her hat.

“Five bits. The ones in the basket. You can have ‘em for five bits. Take it or leave it.”

The stallion merely flashed a smug expression as he pulled out the money. He tossed the coins into the pouch that hung around her neck and grabbed the basket from the shelf. With the handle held in his teeth, he walked away.

“Pleasure doing business with you.”

Applejack sighed heavily, and with a rather glum expression, rest her head on her hoof.

“Sorry sugarcube, guess there won’t be any apples for ya afterall.” she mumbled to herself.

“I think I’ll take six apples.” A familiar voice chimed in.

Applejack looked up to see Ficksitup standing there, with a comforting smile as he perused the apples before him. He had finally decided to come out of hiding. There was no sense in leaving her in her current state after witnessing such a disaster of a bargain. She returned the smile but quickly became glum once again as a wave of guilt fell over her.

“So how much’a that did ya hear?” she asked.

“Heard most of it, saw some of it.” Ficksitup replied. Applejack refused to keep her head up, she was having a difficult time making eye contact with him.

“I’m sorry, sugarcube. I meant to save those for ya’, I really did. I thought you’d like ‘em.” She said, still downtrodden.

Ficks leaned on the counter, in an attempt to get eye level with her.

“Hey, come on ‘Jack don’t worry about it. Looks to me that you were just tryin’ to make the best deal and you did what you could to get it. Besides, I wasn’t that hungry anyways.” He said with a light chuckle. She finally looked up and frowned at Ficksitup to let him know that his remark hadn’t exactly made her feel any better than before.

“You don’t understand Ficks.” She said, putting a hoof on his shoulder, “I was saving those apples for you, and then I go ahead n’sell ‘em off to some two bit snob for a few bits. That ain’t fair to you Ficks. I mean, do ya even know how long it took me t-” Ficks finally put a hoof up to stop her. For some reason he was being a lot more assertive while talking to her than he ever had previously. There was just something that he felt within him was giving this new found confidence. Maybe he would tell her after all.

“It’s not a big deal, ‘Jack. An apple’s an apple, and I don’t care if it’s got a giant bruise or a even a worm, long as it’s from you.” he said sternly.

Applejack weakly smiled before succumbing to light chuckles.

“Aww heck sugarcube, I gotta admit... that’s probably gotta be the worst line I’ve heard from ya yet.”

Ficks began blushing a little. Though he couldn’t argue with her. It probably was the corniest line he’d delivered to her.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just tryin’ to make ya feel better that’s all. But hey, you gotta admit... it’s workin’ ain’t it?” Ficksitup asked as he gestured at the smile that was still on her face.

“Yeah yer right, but even so sugarcube, I don’t think buyin apples to cheer me up is gonna work everytime I’m upset.”

Ficksitup chuckled awkwardly. It seems that was all he did when he attempted to make her happy. He did it the first time when he’d noticed that her business had been rather slow that one day. Now he was doing it again. He couldn’t help feel slightly guilty as well.

“Yeah, I guess that’s gettin rather old. So, tell me then. What else could I do to make ya happy?”

“Well sugarcube...” She said with an oddly coy expression, “How bout you give me another kiss?” Ficks’ eyes widened at the prospect of doing this. One side of him wanted nothing more than to embrace her offer, but the other half halted him from progressing. Of course she wasn’t waiting for his reply. Applejack was already leaning over the stall towards him. Just before she made contact with his lips, Ficksitup reeled back causing Applejack’s face to fall forward and hit the stall with a loud thump.

“Wait ‘Jack. Right here in the middle of the market? In public of all places?”

“Oh for Celestia’s sake, Ficks, it’s just a kiss.” She said with annoyance as she rubbed a hoof over her sore chin.

Just a kiss..? He thought, pondering what she meant by that. Does that mean the other night was just a kiss too?

“Sorry ‘Jack, I don’t mean to sound nervous or anything, but I guess I ain’t too keen on doin’ that sort of thing here.”

She gave him another glum expression.

“Not that I don’t want to do it or nothin’, I just don’t wanna be seen k- I mean I don’t want anypony to get the wrong idea... ya know that we’re... oh horseapples I give up.” Ficks said submissively as he realized he was only making things worse for himself.

“It’s alright Ficks. I was just teasin’. I’m not tryin to make ya nervous; it’s not like we’re datin’ yet. I was just havin’ a little fun, that’s all.”

A lump formed in Ficksitup’s throat at the mention of the word dating. They were in fact not dating at the moment. But after all that had happened that night, it only seemed reasonable that they should be at this point. The thought of it made Ficksitup a little more than concerned.

“Still, what about that night at the party? Were you just teasin’ me then too?”

Suddenly the atmosphere between the two of them became very tense and heavy. Applejack looked down at her hooves, clearing her throat, giving herself time to think.

“Well I... come on Ficks, it was a pretty wild night. I guess it was just a spur of the moment. I couldn’t really control myself. I hope ya didn’t take it the wrong way or nothin’. I guess I was just showin’ my appreciation for showin’ me a good time that night.”

“So it was just a kiss?”

“Yeah I guess so. Is that alright with you?” she asked with hesitation. Ficksitup stood there for a moment. To him, what she was telling him was that the kiss she had given him that night wasn’t meant as any means to show her affection towards him or anything, but was really just a sort of gesture. Maybe she really doesn’t feel the same way that I do. He thought admittedly. So if I told her now, she wouldn’t understand, or she might even be scared. The idea seemed to be offering itself to Ficksitup without any sort of driving purpose. It was like his head was just assuming that this is what she really thought. Which means it might be a bad idea to tell her now. Ficksitup concluded fearfully. I gotta be sure she’s even remotely interested in me the same way I am before tellin’ her anything.

“Yeah, of course ‘Jack. I got no problem with it just bein’ like that. In fact I’d have to say I’m kinda relieved. I thought you were tryin’ to tell me something else, but if it’s just a kiss then there’s no problem here!” Ficks bellowed excitedly.

She stopped smiling and muttered unhappily under her breath, “Ya’ don’t have to sound so happy about it...”

“What was that?” Ficksitup asked.

“Nothin’ Ficks, but hey, while yer here, there was something else I wanted to ask ya.”

“What?” He asked, all but totally pliant to whatever she’d suggest this time.

“Well, fall is pretty much here, and ya’ know that means we gotta start harvest season on the farm soon. I thought I might ask if ya wanted to help us out this year since yer back in town anyway. Ya know, if yer not too busy.”

Ficksitup scratched his chin for a moment. “Well, I don’t think I’ve got anything else to do around that time, so I s’pose I could help.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll help ya’ ou-AH!”

“Aww thanks sugarcube.” She said, giving him a hug over the counter. “Gosh it’ll be just like the first time you came to Ponyville.”

Ficksitup was blushing again. It was a shame that he wasn’t willing to tell her now, since he wanted nothing more than to confess to her right there and then. But he was still hesitant as to whether it would be the right time, contrary to how badly he wished to do so.

“Yeah, it’ll be just like ole times ‘Jack. It’ll be a lotta’ fun.”

“Well good, I’ll hold ya to it.” she said, “So don’t you go changin’ yer plans on me, ya hear?”

“Of course ‘Jack. I’ll make sure I’m there no matter what. Heck, if ‘Plank locks me up in the attic, I’ll just sneak out so I’m there.” he joked. Applejack giggled at the thought of Ficksitup being locked up in a high room like some sort of mare in distress.

“Alright sugarcube, I trust ya.”

There was a soft booming noise emanating in the distance which made the two of them look skyward. The clouds that had been hanging over the town had grown slightly darker and thicker. There was no doubt that it was bound to rain any moment.

“Looks like it’s about to start pourin’ soon.” Ficksitup said glumly.

“Yeah, I guess I might just close up shop early. Doesn’t look like there’s gonna be too many more customers today anyway.”

“No kiddin’. speakin a’ which, I almost forgot I’ve got my own business to attend to.”

“Ya do?” she asked curiously. Ficksitup quickly trotted over and retrieved the wagon to answer her question.

“Yeah, remember the library balcony, and how I pretty much destroyed it?”

“I’ll admit, it’s pretty hard not to remember.”

“Yeah well I figured I’d finally get around to it. Certainly isn’t gonna fix itself, and with the rain comin’ in, there probably isn’t gonna be another ideal day to do it.”

“As busy as ever sugarcube, that’s a shame,” she said as she brushed a hoof over his shoulder. “And here I thought we were gonna finally get to spend some time together.”

Ficksitup flustered red again. It was times like these when he could never tell if she was teasing him or being relatively serious. At the same time he was feeling guilty too. She was closing down her apple stand just so she could be free to spend time with him, and here he was running off to go do work instead. It scared him sometimes when he realized how much he was like his father.

“I know ‘Jack, but c’mon. I promised Twilight I’d finally fix that darn thing, So I can’t just leave her hangin’. You’re her friend after all, you understand, right?”

“Relax, Ficks. I understand. Go do what ya need to do. we’ll meet up some other time.” She said as she gave him another warm smile. Ficksitup returned in kind and began reattaching himself to the wagon.

“Thanks for understanding ‘Jack. Well, I’m off. I’ll see you later,” He said, tipping his hat and trotting away, leaving her to close down the stand. As he drew further away, Applejack’s smile vanished. She lowered her head and muttered to herself.

“I just wish you could understand too, sugarcube...”

When he was certain that Applejack was both out of sight and earshot, Ficksitup threw down his tool bag and began shouting.

“Gah, what an idiot! Ficksitup, you stupid stallion, why didn’t you tell her?” His mind was racing with a mixture of anger and frustration. “That Hammerplank made it sound sooo easy, and yet I couldn’t even make an attempt to tell her!”

He knew that he had decided to wait to tell her at some other time that proved to be more convenient, but something was telling him that he should have told her then, instead of waiting. It was like he was still feeling pressured to confess to her as soon as possible, like the clock of life was slowly ticking in his face, telling him he was running out of time.

“Nevermind that,” he proclaimed, “It’s too late to do anything about it now. I gotta get to work to take my mind off it. I need to fix that stupid porch- I mean elevato- I mean balcony. Gah, whatever!” With nostrils flaring, he began pulling the wagon towards the library. Of course though, his path of righteousness was interrupted by the cry of a frilly voice from behind him.

“Aha! Finally found you.” The voice cracked excitedly.

Ficksitup reeled around to see Rarity beaming gleefully in his face. His face became completely expressionless. Dear Celestia this is NOT what I need right now...

“Miss Rarity. How convenient to see ya today,” he said sarcastically.

“I know right? It’s so fortunate that I found you on such a dismal day, and please Ficksitup, just call me Rarity. I thought we’d already established that before.”

“Right, I’ll try to keep that in mind, Rarity. But uh, why exactly is it fortunate that you found me?”

“Well isn’t it obvious? If I hadn’t found you, then we would have been late for our appointment.” she said with satisfaction.

“Appointment?”

“Oh for goodness sake, Ficksitup. Don’t tell me you already forgot.”

“Forgot what?” He asked impatiently. She sighed glumly.

“Very well, if you insist that I refresh your memory... Do you recall at the party how I promised to return the favor for helping me in the boutique, as well as making up for my rather inexcusable behavior?”

The conversation hung vaguely in his head, but Ficksitup did begin to recall the words they had exchanged that night, as well as the fact that he had accepted her offer.

“Oh yeah, that. Yeah I remember. But what’s that got to do with an appointment?”

“Ugh, Ficksitup dear, please, try to work with me here. I made an appointment to get that mane of yours tidied up.”

“Wait, you made an appointment for that?”

“Oh yes, of course. It’s already booked for today and fully paid.”

“Gosh darnit Rarity!” Ficksitup snapped, “I thought I said nothin’ fancy. And if ya haven’t noticed, I’m kinda in the middle of something already. We can’t go today.”

She looked past him and stared at the wagon filled with building supplies. She gave him an unimpressed look.

“So you’re pulling a dusty old wagon around filled with junk? My my, it does look like busy work,” she said with the same tone of sarcasm that he had used on her. Ficksitup simply slapped a hoof over his face.

“That’s not what I’m doin’, Rarity, and that ain’t the point neither. The thing is I have work to do and a client to help out. I can’t decide not to go, just so I can trot off to some beauty parlor.”

“Well, the point I am making, my dear stallion, is yuo would really refuse something from me of all ponies? Something that has already been paid for? Out of the sheer goodness of her own heart? How could you?” She accused.

“But I-”

She continued to stare at him scornfully. Ficksitup was slightly taken aback. Even when he knew that he was right for wanting to go fix the balcony, she was somehow managing to make him feel guilty. First Applejack, now Rarity. Geez, how many mares am I gonna manage to upset today? He thought while he bit his lower lip. Rarity began to make light sniffling sounds, like she was about to start crying.

Ficksitup cursed under his breath. He knew he couldn’t refuse something that somepony had paid his way to attend. Even though he learned a good portion of his respectable manners from the Apple family, his mother was the one who had taught him that one should never turn down a friendly offer, no matter who it was from.

“Alright, fine,” Ficksitup sighed, “Where are we going?”

Rarity’s face changed from sadness to giddy excitement in a matter of seconds.

“Oh marvelous, I simply knew you wouldn’t refuse,” she cheered, “Now then, if you’ll just follow me, we’ll be on our way.” Ficksitup nodded and began pulling the wagon staying close behind her. She turned around and looked at him with confusion. “Why are you still dragging that thing along with you?”

“Well I can’t just leave it here.”

“Of course you can. Come now, Ficksitup, it’s not like anypony is going to steal a dusty old wagon.”

“I guess so, but still-”

“Not another word mister; now leave it here. You can retrieve it after we’re done.”

Refusing to let him reply, Rarity forcefully assisted him in unlatching himself from the wagon and eagerly shoved him in the desired direction. Ficks looked back at the wagon regretfully as they continued to walk away. Hammerplank is gonna kill me...

As they continued walking, Ficksitup began to contemplate the current situation. It seemed like only a moment ago he had been talking to Applejack about what had happend that night at the party, and now he was walking to Celestia-knows-where with Rarity of all ponies. It made him rack his brain for any justifiable reason as to why he was still making any effort to get along with this mare at all. Her prissy-like attitude towards everything, including getting dirty, as well as her overall mannerisms were generally unappealing to him. Still, he had to acknowledge that she was in fact doing a favor for him today, and that should count for something. Perhaps this would give him the opportunity to start over with her. He might even be able to make a better acquaintance with her. After all, she was still Applejack’s friend...

“Well, here we are.” Rarity announced.

Lost in thought, Ficksitup accidentally rear ended her, almost causing her to lose her balance. He shook his head and smiled awkwardly as she frowned at him.

“Well, if I had known you were this eager to get your mane done, I would have scheduled sooner.”

“Sorry, wasn’t lookin’ where I was goin’.”

“It’s quite alright dear, but please do watch yourself next time.”

“Right, got it,” he said stupidly. Ficksitup stared at the building that stood before them. It looked abnormally large for just a simple salon. With large stained glass windows and gold linings along the roof, it looked more like an elaborate, one story hotel.

“Sure looks expensive, Rarity, exactly what kind of salon is this?”

She suddenly started giggling uncontrollably.

“Oops, did I say salon? What I meant to tell you my dear, is that I made a special appointment at the day spa,” she confessed happily.

“Wha- day spa? Rarity, I said no fancy stuff!” Ficksitup yelped.

“Well, there’s nothing you can do about it now, darling. Now go on, march.”

She practically barked her orders at him. Ficksitup advanced towards the door without further hesitation. Deciding to use this as an opportunity to get on the right hoof with her this time, he casually opened it and allowed her to go first. The look on Rarity’s face was one of shock. Clearly this was another gesture she was not accustomed to receiving from the opposite gender. She smiled gracefully to show her appreciation as she strolled past him.

As he looked around, he couldn’t deny he was impressed with the decor. Though fixing things was his primary focus, Ficksitup had come to appreciate good interior decorating in a building, if not due to a combination of Hammerplank’s minor lessons in carpentering and his mother’s keen ability to make even a dump look like a castle fit for a king. Upon walking in, the cashier at the front desk looked up at them. Her eyes lit up with excitement at the sight of Rarity. Ficksitup could only assume that she was a frequent, and most likely, large spender here.

“Good afternoon, Miss Rarity. Will it be ze usual?” The blue and pink mare at the counter asked in a thick accent.

Yep. She comes here aaalllll the time... Ficks thought.

“Not today, Lotus dear. I’m here for the two-o-clock,” Rarity said. Lotus’ smile disappeared as she nodded eagerly. She pulled a clipboard out from under the desk and began inspecting it thoroughly. A slight grin appeared over her face as she found Rarity’s name on the list.

“Ah yes, here you are. I have you down for ze appointment at two pm. For both you and one... Mister Foul-up?”

“It’s Ficksitup.” he corrected, now insulted. Lotus looked him over, head to hoof with disgrace. She gave him an expression of dissatisfaction.

“Simply filthy...” she muttered.

“Pardon?” Ficksitup replied.

“Ssh! No talk.”

“Now wait a minu-”

“No talking. Work to be done. First we get you cleaned up.”

Another pony appeared from behind the counter. She grabbed Ficksitup’s hat from his head and hung it up on a nearby rack.

“Hey!” Ficksitup cried out.

“No more talking; you’ll get it back after special treatment.”

“Special treatment?” He whimpered, “Rarity, what is she talkin’ about? Hey, help me out here.”

As they continued to pull him into the back room, Rarity merely responded with a snarky grin. Ficksitup could only assume he was in for something either terrible or otherwise, unexpected.

***

“Take it easy on me, w-AAUUGH!” Ficksitup yelped, feeling several joints in his back pop from the pressure. As he lay on his stomach atop the massage table, he couldn’t help but let out short, audible howls of agony. It was an uncanny mixture of pain and sudden release of tension. The pony who was standing on his back merely pressed her hooves harder.

“Struggling only makes it hurt more. Too much tension. Relax!” She barked firmly

“I’m tryin’, but how am I s’posed to relax when yer- Oh dear CelestiAHHH!” He cried, as several more joints in his lower back cracked. It sounded like dry leaves being crunched underneath somepony’s hooves. Across from him on the other table, Rarity chuckled at the scene he was making. She showed no signs of aggravation or pain as the pony giving her the massage practically walked all over her.

“You really should try to relax, dear. I guarantee you will feel much better.” Rarity advised.

“I’m tryin’ to, but it’s darn near impossible.”

“Oh, don’t be such a little drama queen. I pay to get these all the time.”

“You mean to tell me that ponies actually pay for this?” He questioned disbelievingly through grit teeth.

“Of course dear; I simply adore getting a good massage. It really helps me unwind at the end of the day.”

“Easy for you to say; at this rate I’m not even gonna’ be able to walk home.”

Rarity merely giggled at him again. Eventually Ficksitup’s back had gone numb, and therefore could no longer feel the pain emanating from his joints. He couldn’t even feel hooves pressing down upon him. At this point he couldn’t help but actually feel a bit relieved. He had finally managed to, unbelievably, relax. It felt like his whole body was melting on the table. On one hoof, he wanted to hate it. He never cared for special treatment like this. On the other hoof however, he couldn’t deny that he was starting to enjoy himself a little bit.

“Ya know...” he muttered cheerfully to himself, “This ain’t all that bad.”

The next thing he knew, the pony who had been massaging him got down from the table and threw a towel over his head. Forcefully, she tugged his arm, making him get down from the table.

“Next station!” She commanded.

“Wait what? Are we done already?” Ficksitup asked with confusion. The spa pony rolled her eyes and continued to push him towards the next room.

“Relax dear, we’re just going to the baths.” Rarity explained, following close behind him.

“Baths?”

“Of course darling. They’re not going anywhere near that mop on your head until it’s been washed.”

“Wait Rarity I don’t think I’m exactly comfortable with- Rarity? Wait Rarity. Hey come on. I don’t wanna do this!”

Ignoring his pleas, Rarity veered right towards a pink door while the mares pulled Ficksitup to the left towards a blue door.

“Do try to enjoy yourself dear, this is, after all, your day at the spa.” she advised as she disappeared through the door. Ficksitup was pushed into a small white room with a large, round tub sitting in the middle. It was already filled with steaming hot water. Ficksitup gulped nervously. Without waiting for him to get in, one of the mares gave him a gentle nudge. He fell clumsily into the bath, making a large splash. He winced, expecting the water to be boiling hot. Thankfully, it was only warm. He surfaced, shaking his head with bewilderment. Water now dripped relentlessly from his mane. The two mares returned, carrying sponges and shampoo. Ficksitup’s eyes grew wide with concern.

“Ooooooh no. Don’t even think about it,” he snapped. They ignored him and continued to move towards him. One of them even glared at him with hostility.

“Struggling only makes it worse. Now, hold still.” she ordered. Ficksitup tried to climb out, but the other mare held him down by his shoulders with surprising strength for her size. He started to panic.

“Now hold on a sec ladies. I know this is yer job and everything, but I am perfectly capable of cleanin’ myself thank you very much!”

It was no use. They went about their business and began scrubbing his mane thoroughly. They made sure not a single strand of hair was left untouched. The entire scenario was beyond awkward for Ficksitup. He couldn’t even begin to remember the last time he had felt this uncomfortable or embarassed. They finished scrubbing his mane and dumped a pail of water over his head, rinsing his mane of all the shampoo. Ficksitup couldn’t help but note that his mane felt slightly cleaner than before. However, he still didn’t like the fact that they had cleaned him rather forcefully without his consent. They finally allowed him to get out of the tub. The mare tossed him a towel, thankfully allowing him to dry himself off. After that he was shoved into the next few rooms over.

The room he now stood in looked like a regular salon, with two rows of barber chairs lining the mirrored walls. He was directed into one of the chairs while the mares left to go somewhere else. A few moments later, Rarity appeared from the door that he had just previously come from. She was wearing a towel over her head, obviously coming from the baths as well. She took a seat in the chair next to his and smiled.

“There now. Don’t you feel much better?” she asked.

“Well, I certainly feel clean, if that’s what you mean,” he replied. Removing the towel, Rarity shook her mane loose, letting it fall over her face. To him, she looked remarkably different with her mane straightened compared to how it always was. Puffy and curled. Although he didn’t really think anything of it. He felt that it would have been polite to give her some sort of compliment, but he had no relevant interest in her so there wasn’t really any obligation to say anything. She looked back at Ficksitup and smiled eagerly.

“Well then, I think you’ll be just fine.”

Two unicorn stylists came trotting into the room, carrying combs and scissors. The moment that Ficksitup had initially agreed to had finally come. Getting his mane done. He could only hope that this would be the last thing on Rarity’s agenda for torturing him.

One of the stylists took her place behind Ficksitup. She began to examine his mane, looking for a place to make the first cut. She wrapped a smock around his neck, and began combing his mane to straighten out the knots.

“Zis will take awhile,” the stylist lamented glumly.

“Now hold on a sec,” Ficksitup protested, looking fearfully at the scissors that now levitated over his head. “Just what are you planning on doin’?”

“Ugh, I must comb zis horrid mane, then I must make ze cutting, and then we curl to make it fabulous. You wish to tell me how to cut now?” She asked with hostility.

“As a matter of fact I do ma’am. I only agreed to getting a trim here. I’m not getting anything fancy done with my mane. Understand?”

The stylist looked to Rarity for means of engagement. Rarity simply nodded her head at her. With that, she put the scissors down and sighed.

“Very well. We will have ze usual for Miss Rarity, and just a trim for ze gentlecolt,” she sneered, turning her head towards Ficksitup. He flinced slightly, expecting her to lash out at him. Admittedly, this was exactly the reason he had no interest in vanity or high-class leisurely activities. Everypony was just so snobby. Well, almost everypony... Ficksitup thought as he looked towards Rarity. There was no denying that she had been more than generous today, even it wasn’t exactly what he expected or wanted. While the stylist set to work on her mane, Rarity merely laid her head back with eyes closed, like she was dozing off into her own little world. He figured this must be like heaven to her.

“I simply can’t believe after all of that special treatment, darling, you still haven’t been able to relax.” Rarity chimed in. Apparently she had not dozed off just yet.

“How would you know?” Ficksitup asked defensively. She sat up in her chair and looked at him with concern.

“Such hostility. Is that really any way to speak to a lady?”

“No,” he admitted. “I just really don’t like this fancy stuff.”

“Oh, well if you didn’t wish to partake in this, all you had to do was say so.”

Ficksitup wished he still had his tool bag with him; that way he could take his hammer and smash it over his head. This mare... he thought angrily. He grit his teeth to avoid losing his temper. Taking a moment, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He turned to her and smiled.

“No, it’s fine, Rarity. You offered to do this for me, so I had to accept. I’m very grateful that you let me come along.”

“It is my pleasure darling,” she said, returning the smile. “After all, we want to make you all the more presentable to our dear Applejack, do we not?”

Ficksitup looked at her, completely surprised.

“What do you mean?” He asked, trying to deny the unmistakable fact she was implying.

“Oh please, Ficksitup dear, you make it far too obvious. When we were at the party, as far as I could tell, you simply could not take your eyes off her. Admit it, you fancy her very much.”

He was getting the sudden feeling of déjà vu, like he was back at the shop being confronted by his uncle again. He figured there was no point in trying to deny it any further this time. He only hoped he wouldn’t have to go into as much detail with Rarity as he did with Hammerplank.

“Yeah, I guess so. So it was that obvious eh?”

“You were not exactly hiding it Ficksitup. In fact, I’m surprised nopony else noticed.”

“I suppose it’s probably better they didn’t.” Ficksitup said, recalling how Pinkie Pie had almost caught Applejack and him in the act. He shuddered at the thought of it. If Pinkie found out, she’d probably want to tell all of Equestria.

“Well, since you do like her so much, what do you intend to do?” She asked, batting her eyelashes gracefully. Ficksitup blinked uncomfortably. It really was just like this morning.

“Well, I don’t know. I mean, my uncle did tell me to do one thing-”

“Your uncle?”

“Don’t ask. Lets just say he found out as well.” Ficksitup quickly replied. She let out a light snicker.

“Anyway, he told me I should just tell her. He was sayin’ that it ain’t fair to keep her waitin’ or something like that, but I don’t know...”

Rarity leapt from her seat, nearly giving both the stylist and Ficksitup a heart attack in the process. She stared at Ficksitup with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

“Of course you should tell her! Ugh, why would you even have second thoughts? Clearly your uncle is a gentlecolt who knows what he is talking about. You should listen to him more often.”

“You ain’t the only one who thinks that,” Ficksitup muttered.

“But really dear, why would you hesitate to tell her such a thing as this? If it was me, I would want to hear those confessed words of love as soon as possible.” Rarity said, blushing a little from embarrassment, “Please don’t take that the wrong way.”

“I never intended to.” Ficksitup said, “But if you really want to know, I just don’t know if I’m ready to tell her. I mean, I don’t even know if she feels the same way ‘bout me.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“You would hesitate to tell her the most important thing that she will hear in her entire life, just by the chance that she might not feel the same way?” She asked hysterically.

“Yeah, wouldn’t you? I mean, if it was another stallion.”

“Why would I need to? It’s always the stallions who confess first anyway. Then the lovely mares that we are decide whether to accept or not.”

“I had no idea it was that simple.” he said sarcastically.

“Though I suppose if there was this stallion that I really liked, and I wasn’t willing to wait for him to take the first step, I guess I might just walk up to him and say, ‘I’ve always wanted to tell you this...’” she started as she grabbed one of his hooves for emphasis. His face turned red hot. “I’ve known you for quite awhile but it’s a feeling that I simply cannot hide anymore...” She leaned in close to his face. He looked almost constipated from how nervous she was making him. “Ficksitup...” Rarity was about to whisper the next words into his ear before she succumbed to fits of laughter.

“I’m sorry darling. I simply can’t say it when you’re making that face,” she said, almost crying from laughing so hard.

“Why would you do that?!”

“Oh please don’t take it seriously darling, I was just teasing you.” She giggled finally calming down.

“Yeah, hilarious,” he grumbled.

“And, no offense Ficksitup, but you’re not exactly my type anyway.”

“Oh, I see.” He said, sounding almost a bit disappointed. Detecting the tone in his voice, she quickly smiled again.

“But if it means anything to you, then I want you to know that you are without a doubt the kindest stallion I have ever met.”

Ficksitup couldn’t help but grin a little.

“Ya think so?”

“Oh yes, definitely. Which is why I couldn’t be happier for Applejack. It’s so wonderful to know that she has such a handsome gentlecolt looking after her.”

“Thanks Rarity. That actually means a lot to me.”

“You are quite welcome my dear.”

“I guess I should apologize while we’re at it.” Ficksitup said. Rarity gave him a perplexed look.

“What do you mean, darling?”

“I haven’t exactly been the gentlecolt that you fancy me to be recently. I was a little rude towards you, and I apologize for that. I think we just got off on the wrong hoof, and it’d be mighty nice if we could maybe start over. I’d hate to be on bitter terms with a good friend of Applejack.”

“I suppose I deserved some of it, dear.” Rarity said, waving her hoof dismissively, “Either way, I still wholeheartedly accept your apology, and I would be more than grateful to start again with you.”

“Friends?” Ficksitup asked, extending his hoof.

“Friends.” Rarity confirmed, accepting his hoof. The two of them shook and grinned at each other, “Besides, now I can get a discount if my sewing machine breaks again.”

“Yeah, sure.” Ficksitup joked. The stylist finally let out a howl of frustration.

“For ze last time, hold still before I cut off your ear!” She shouted, grabbing his head with both hooves and straightening it in the position she wanted. Ficksitup froze in his seat and refused to move again until she had finished cutting.

***

The two of them walked out of the spa. The sky had once again grown darker and looked on the verge of bursting into a rainstorm. Rarity looked up with disappointment.

“Oh what rotten luck. I get my mane done and now it’s going to rain. Speaking of which, what do you think of it, Ficksitup? she asked, waving her head back and forth so her mane would sway.

Ficksitup stared at it and gave her an expressionless look. He honestly couldn’t find any noticeable differences to it.

“It looks the same Rarity.”

“Hmph, shows what you know. But look at you. My my, you certainly look much better,” she said, pointing at his newly trimmed charcoal mane.

“Really? I think it just looks okay,” he said as he readjusted his hat over his head.

“Honestly Ficksitup, why must you always wear that dirty old thing. You can’t show off your new mane if you just cover it up with a big hat.”

Ficksitup glared at her slightly but smiled again. He figured there were still some things that couldn’t be helped with her attitude. Either way he was willing to work around it.

“Because, Rarity, this hat was given to me by somepony very special and I don’t intend on gettin’ rid of it anytime soon.”

“Oh very well darling. I suppose we can’t change everything about you in one day.”

“Guess not,” he quickly said with a chuckle. Another loud boom came from the sky as more thunder echoed throughout the clouds. Rarity looked above herself again fearfully. She obviously wasn’t a fan of rain.

“Wel,l I’d love to stay and chat dear, but it looks like this terrible weather is about to come down upon us. You know me, I wouldn’t dare get caught in this rain with a newly styled mane.”

“I understand, Rarity. I’ll let you be on your way,” he said, tipping his hat.

“Thank you darling. Well if you wish to chat again, then by all means don’t be a stranger. You know where to find me. Maybe we can find a nice suit to fit you into sometime.” She suggested, eyeballing his shoulders as if she was already making measurements. Ficksitup tried to hide his look of disapproval.

“Yeah, maybe some other time.”

“Well then, I bid thee farewell darling. I must be off.” she said, turning to leave.

“Of course, you have yerself a nice day Rarity.” He said, waving her goodbye, “And hey, thanks for the advice.”

She turned around and smiled again.

“Of course Ficksitup. It’s my pleasure. Just remember... don’t be nervous and take your time, but don’t wait too long to tell her.”

“Right, got it. I’ll remember that.”

“You take care now,” she said as she finally trotted away.

Ficksitup waved until she was out of sight before he turned around to head back in the direction of where he had left the wagon. He flashed a small grin. The day had gone considerably better than he would have anticipated. True, he had endured probably the most questionable spa day in his entire life, but on the bright side, he had renewed his friendship with Rarity. Her attitude towards everything being uncouth felt immensely easier to handle. Not to mention he felt considerably more confident about confessing to Applejack than he had before. Although, there was still the fact that he had once again put off fixing the library balcony to yet another day. He just hoped Twilight wasn’t going to be too upset with him. He didn’t worry about it too much though. Knowing Twilight, Ficksitup figured she was way too busy with her nose stuck in a book to notice anything like that. Still, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to procrastinate it any further before it became a noticeable problem that couldn’t be ignored any longer.

Within a few minutes, he had reached the area where he had abandoned the wagon. Thankfully, Rarity was right and the wagon still sat there, undisturbed. Checking to make sure nothing was missing, Ficksitup circled the wagon before he reattached himself to it. Getting his bearings straight, he started heading back to the shop. He figured he would be able to take a short cut through the market since there probably wouldn’t be anypony there due to the weather. Though before he could go much further, he heard another familiar voice call out from behind him.

“Ficks?”

Ficksitup turned his head to see Applejack trotting up to him. She was carrying a small basket on her back. She looked slightly shocked that she had found him here.

“Applejack. Hey. What are you doin’ here? I thought you went home already.”

“I was lookin’ all over fer you,” she said, sounding out of breath.

“You were?” He asked, now curious.

“Yeah, when I got home, Granny Smith had made one of her apple pies so I figured on a cold day like this it would be nice to bring ya some. But when I got to the library, Twilight said you never came. I was lookin’ all over town. I was worried about you sugarcube. I thought something had happened to you!” She said hysterically.

Ficksitup suddenly felt beyond guilty for deciding to not go to the library. Not only had he abandoned his job, but now he had even managed to worry the one mare that meant everything to him.

“I’m sorry ‘Jack, I didn’t mean to scare you like that. You know I would never do that on purpose.”

“I know Ficks, but I was still worried. Don’t do that to me.” She asked as she lightly punched his arm with her hoof.

“Ow okay, okay. It won’t happen again.”

“Now that I know yer okay, where did ya go anyway?”

Ficksitup suddenly felt himself break out in a sweat. He knew he was caught and there was no way he would be able to fib his way out of this one. Then again, it wasn’t like he had anything to hide.

“Well that’s the thing,” He said, chuckling nervously, “You see, I was on my way to the library and then I sorta got sidetracked.”

“Sidetracked?”

“Yeah, I kinda ended up goin’ to the day spa with Rarity instead of goin’ to the library.”

“You were at the day spa? With Rarity?”

The look on Applejack’s face seemed like a mix between anger and confusion. Ficksitup had no idea how to take it.

“I didn’t exactly have a choice, Jack. I mean, she already made the appointment and everything.”

“You two planned this?”

“No, no, no. I had nothing to do with this. She did this all on her own.” Ficksitup said, waving his hooves back and forth. Applejack looked at him, still unimpressed.

“And ya didn’t think about tellin’ me this?”

“I didn’t have time. Plus, I didn’t know you’d be lookin’ for me. I mean, why does it matter?”

“Why wouldn’t it matter Ficks?”

Her tone was becoming increasingly hostile. Ficksitup could tell he’d done something stupid again.

“Yer not upset or jealous are ya?”

“What? Me, jealous? Heck no. I just didn’t know you ‘n Rarity were so friendly all of a sudden,” she said defensively. Ficksitup wasn’t completely convinced but decided to continue anyway.

“I didn’t expect us to get along this well today either Jack, but it happened. If it really bothers ya that much, then I’d be happy to make it up to ya.”

“It’s fine Ficks, you don’t need to do anything.”

He noticed that she had stopped calling him sugarcube. Perhaps he was in a lot more trouble than he thought. Deciding to try to lighten the mood, he took the basket from her and peered inside. The several slices of apple pie teased his nostrils with a sweet scent that made his mouth water.

“Thanks for bringing me the pie, Jack. It looks really good.” He said as he placed the basket back on the ground at his hooves. She looked up again and gave him a faint smile.

“Yeah, yer welcome. I hope you like it.”

The two of them stood in silence. Applejack looked off in the distance at a couple of leaves that were blowing in a circle while Ficksitup just stared at his hooves and kicked up some dirt. The longer they remained quiet, the more uncomfortable it was. At any moment, Ficksitup knew she was going to just turn around and leave. Say something... say something you idiot. he thought angrily. If there was a time for action, then this was it. It was time to listen to what Rarity and Hammerplank had said. Now was the time to confess. He needed to tell her.

“Hey Jack. There’s something I wanted to say.”

She didn’t look up but she perked her ears forward to let him know she was listening.

“I know I’ve kinda waited a long time to tell you this, but I think it’s about time I got this off my chest.” he said as he swallowed nervously to clear his throat. This was it.

“Jack... I lo-”

Another loud boom sounded over them as the thunder clapped loudly in the sky. Almost inconspicuously, several drops of rain began to fall from the clouds. Applejack looked up again as the rain began to soak her hat. She wasn’t smiling... Which made Ficksitup’s heart sink tremendously.

“It’ll have to wait Ficks. I gotta go home. Granny’s probably waitin’ for me.” She said, turning away to leave, “Enjoy the pie.”

She walked away while Ficksitup stood there, letting the rain fall down relentlessly upon him. He almost couldn’t believe what had just happened. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. While she was getting further away, she was walking slowly like she was still waiting for him. Go after her... don’t let her go. Go after her dammit. Ficksitup started to bite his lip. He tried to move forward, but his legs were glued to the ground. He lowered his head and cursed under his breath. Applejack stopped for a second and waited. Whether she was waiting for him, he didn’t know. He looked up again, his hat now drooping wet. He still couldn’t move. After what felt like a minute had passed, she continued to walk away. Ficksitup felt absolutely powerless at this point. The second most important mare in his life was slipping away from him, and all he could do was stand there and continue to get soaked. It was a cleansing rain, yet it seemed to wash away all the happiness that he had gained that day. Applejack finally disappeared around the corner of a nearby shop. After that, Ficksitup could do nothing but stand there a little while longer. The rain still fell without falter.

When Applejack had turned the corner, she quickly leaned against the wall. She sunk to the ground and looked up at the clouds as it continued to soak her face with raindrops. It was the only thing that hid the tears that were now running down her face.

To contact the writers of this story...

Jamescameronjackson@hotmail.com

sharkbite9204@gmail.com

Chapter 6: Fair Game

Apples N’ Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 6: Fair Game

Ficksitup stood outside the library and glanced at the balcony with scorn. It had rained for three days straight without end and there was no doubt that the floor boards from where the balcony had broken were ruined beyond salvaging. The prolonged exposure to the rain would most likely have caused the unprotected parts of the wood to rot to the core and he could only assume that mold had most likely started developing in the wood as well. In theory, the balcony would have been completely obliterated and could never be completed or repaired in under a day, which would mean more work for him. Of course, however, Ficksitup had predicted this, and brought extra boards of reinforced wood as well as other building materials. He knew the balcony was going to need to be completely redone, and was in no position to be complaining since it was his own fault for putting it off in the first place.

“That balcony is an affront to society, and darnit I am gonna’ fix it!” Ficksitup said in a rather determined tone.

“Oh, quit’cher yammerin’ and help me unload the wagon already, dammit!” Hammerplank yelled from behind.

Since Ficksitup had known the job was now going to require more advanced carpentry treatment, he had enlisted, or to put it more accurately, begged for his uncle’s help. Hammerplank had been reluctant to assist him at first, figuring that Ficksitup should own up to his own irresponsibility but at the same time knowing better than to leave an unfinished job at the hooves of an amateur. However, he eventually agreed. After all, he didn’t want his nephew putting the shop’s reputation to shame.

“Alright alright, I’m gettin’ it uncle,” Ficksitup said. “Geez. Ya don’t have to be so grumpy.”

“Ya’ kiddin’ me?” Hammerplank shouted back. “Of course I do! Do you even realize how cold it is today?”

Ficksitup shrugged. “I don’t know, about fifty or so degrees.”

“Exactly!” Hammerplank started shouting.“To me that’s freezing. Yet here I am, getting my flank up on a day when I could be sleeping in a warm bed, and just to help you fix a stupid balcony!”

“Ya would’ve had to get up to open the shop anyway and I never said you had to come along,” retorted Ficksitup. “I just asked for yer help, that’s all.”

“Yeah? Well you didn’t have to put this off for so long neither.”

Ficksitup groaned in defeat when he realized that his uncle had made a valid point. He started pulling the wood from the wagon and stacking the planks next to the tree trunk of the library. Afterwards, he put on his orange workers vest.

“Hey, Plank? I’ll get back to helpin’ ya in a minute. Just gotta’ let Twilight know we’re here.” Ficksitup called as he walked towards the front door of the library.

“Oh sure, let the old horse with the
bad back unload all the equipment while you chit-chat with your friend,” groaned Hammerplank. “Well go on, get it over with,” he added dismissively. Ficks rolled his eyes as he knocked on the door and called out Twilight’s name. Within a few moments, the door swung open. Curiously, there wasn’t anypony there to answer it.

“Uh, hello? Twilight, ya home?” Ficksitup called into the library.

“Down here...” A small, male voice answered.

Ficks looked down to see the source of the voice. Before him stood a short, purple dragon with an extremely curious look on his face.

“You need something, dude?” the dragon asked.

Like a filly that had just seen a spider, Ficksitup started squealing in panic and slammed the door shut. He dove behind the cart to hide behind Hammerplank, who was still unloading the equipment.

“What the...what in the hay is wrong with you?” Hammerplank asked, all but yelling at his nephew.

“Dragon! There’s a dragon in there....I saw it, a dragon, there is a dragon in there!” Ficksitup cried, flailing his arms around like a mad mare.

“Dragon? There is no way a freakin’ dragon could...” Hammerplank furrowed his brow. “You know what? Never mind, I don’t have time for this, just wait here.”

Hammerplank walked up to the door and knocked lightly. The same small, purple dragon opened it again and stared up at him.

“Sup?” he said, waving to Hammerplank, who simply stared at the him, unimpressed. In fact, he looked at the dragon with furrowed brows for a good ten seconds before turning back towards Ficksitup.

“You gotta be joking, right?”

“You saw it too?” Ficks gaped. “I told you, Plank, that’s a real dra-”

Hammerplank grabbed his nephew firmly by the collar of his vest, shaking him. “Get your manure together ya’ little pansy!” he whispered in a hostile tone. “It’s a three-hoof tall dragon that probably couldn’t hurt a fly!” He snorted. “I’m almost ashamed to call you my relative at this point, jeez. Never thought you’d be such a sissy over a lizard.”

“But I-”

“No, you’re gonna get this manure figured out. I am not gonna have my own nephew skip out on the job because of a little reptile!” Hammerplank yelled as he pushed Ficksitup towards the door even as he tried his best to resist his uncle. His efforts proved in vain, and Hammerplank refused to let him back away from the door, glaring. Swallowing nervously, Ficksitup put his hoof up to knock. Before he could, however, he heard a muffled argument coming from the other side.

“What do you mean somepony’s at the door?” asked a feminine voice.

“Yeah, there’s two stallions...some old geezer and another one in a hat. I think they’re trying to sell us stuff or something,” the dragon’s voice answered.

“Old geezer!?” Hammerplank shouted angrily, “Why that little f-”

“Selling stuff?” Ficksitup quickly interrupted. “We’re doin’ no such thing. Well... not intentionally.”

“Why didn’t you let them in?” the female voice asked.

“I was about to, then the one in the hat slammed the door in my face,” answered the dragon defensively. “It’s not like I’m the one being rude here.”

“Honestly, Spike I thought I’d taught you bet - wait. Did you say one was wearing a hat?” the female voice asked excitedly, and then the door opened and Twilight Sparkle stuck her head out to meet her visitors.

“Uh, hi there, Twilight,” said Ficks, tipping his hat nervously.

“Oh, hello Ficksitup!” chirped Twilight. “How are you?”

“I’m uh... I’m doing well,” answered Ficksitup nervously, refusing to take his eyes off of the dragon. Hammerplank simply shook his head in shame while Twilight turned to see what he was looking at.

“Oh, I guess you’ve finally met my assistant. Allow me to give a proper introduction,” said Twilight, clearing her throat, “This is Spike, the dragon.”

“I never would’a guessed.” Hammerplank mumbled under his breath.

Ficksitup swallowed.

“Uh... hi there, Spike. Pleased...pleased to meet you,” he finally stuttered.

“Likewise...” Spike replied rather sarcastically. Twilight smiled at their exchange before she turned to Hammerplank.

“Oh, and who might this be?” she asked.

“Oh yeah,” began Ficksitup, “this is my Uncle Ha-”

“Hammerplank, Miss Twilight,” his uncle interrupted, “owner of Hammerplank’s Repair and Supplies, at yer service.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mister Hammerplank,” replied Twilight warmly, extending a hoof.

“The pleasure’s all mine, my dear,” said Hammerplank, taking her hoof and planting a soft kiss on the top of it. Twilight giggled softly while both Ficksitup and Spike stared at them in appalled shock.

“Dude, that’s creepy,” Spike whispered.

“Uncle!” shouted Ficksitup, mortified.

“What?” Hammerplank turned to him, quirking a brow. “Can’t an old fellow be a gentlecolt to a young lady every now and again?”

“You know exactly what,” Ficksitup muttered.

“Alright, fine.” Hammerplank sighed, and released Twilight’s hoof.

“So, what brings you two here today, anyways?” asked Twilight.

“Oh right, well to put it frankly, we’re here to fix the balcony. I figured I’ve put it off long enough.” Ficksitup said rather confidently.

“Oh, you don’t mean that balcony, do you?” asked Twilight as she looked towards where the balcony was firmly rooted into the trunk of the tree.

“Of course I mean that one,” replied Ficks, “what other balcony would I be talkin’ about?”

“Well you see, I uh... I kinda already...” She trailed off and bit her lip nervously. Ficks blinked.

“What is it, Twilight?”

She finally shut her eyes. “I already fixed it myself,” she said hurriedly, cracking one eye open to glance up at Ficks cautiously.

“Wait...wait, what? How?” he asked in shock.

“I read a book on it,” said Twilight, looking back into the library and levitating a book to the door. She dropped it into her hooves and held it up in front of Ficksitup. Squinting, he was able to read the title aloud.

“A Foal’s Guide to Enchanting Carpentry & Other Magic Solutions...” He frowned. “I didn’t even think they wrote books like these. Can you believe it, uncle?”

“Makes me wonder why the heck I’m still workin’ anymore...” grumbled Hammerplank in response.

“Wait wait wait, I gotta’ see this for myself...” Ficksitup said, backing up to get a proper look at the balcony. He had realized that ever since they had arrived at the library, he had never actually taken the time to inspect the structure thoroughly, figuring that he would get the chance to see it when they had started making the repairs. He trotted over until he was right under the the foundation. What he saw, or more appropriately, what he didn’t see, simply made his jaw drop. Where a gaping hole and several splintered pieces of broken wood should have been was the flat underbelly of the balcony. Indeed, the holes had been repaired, mended in such a way that nopony would have ever known it was broken in the first place.

“You’ve gotta’ freakin’ be kiddin’ me...” Hammerplank hissed, and shot a very unimpressed look at Ficksitup, who could tell that he was not exactly in his uncle’s good graces at the moment. Avoiding the cold glare, he turned to face Twilight again.

“So... you...fixed it? All by yourself?”

“Yes,” she chirped, “it was quite easy, really. The book pretty much walked me through it and...” She paused. “Well, okay I didn’t fix it all by myself. Spike helped. While I was reading the instructions, I sent him to the shop to get some wood for the repair itself. To be honest, that’s why I was surprised that you showed up today. I figured that when he showed up for the wood, he would’ve told you that I was doing it myself, so you wouldn’t need to come.”

Hammerplank let out a low guttural laugh which made all three of them look at him with confusion.

“That’s a good one, Miss Twilight. Yeah, listen here, sweetheart. I remember every customer that walks into my store and lemme’ tell ya, not once did I see that little pipsqueak enter my shop. Trust me, I would have noticed if he had.”

“Hey, who you calling a pipsqueak?” demanded Spike, irritated.

“Same one who called me an old geezer, pipsqueak.”

The two of them glared at each other before Twilight stepped in and put up a hoof out to stop them.

“Spike? Where exactly did you get those planks of wood?” She asked, turning towards the purple dragon who was now trying to look completely innocent. He looked up at her slowly when he began to realize that he had been caught.

“Uh... well, when I said that I did exactly what you told me to do, I kinda...lied.” He swallowed. “You see, I didn’t buy the wood from anypony in particular. I kinda...found them.” He trailed off, but Twilight could tell that there was more to it.

“Go on...” she prompted, staring at him intently. Spike was beginning to feel the tension that came from having all eyes centered on him. His gaze darted from left to right as he realized that he wasn’t going to be able slip away this time around, and with that, his prolonged confession went full throttle.

“Okay,” he began, “so I was going to the shop like you asked and I was gonna’ buy the wood, honest. But then as I was walking there, I happened to pass by some vendor in the market who was selling gems at a really low price. They looked so good and I was so hungry that I just couldn’t help it. I’m sorry, but I used the money to buy all the gems she was selling!”

And with that, Spike fell quiet, gasping for air. The three ponies merely stared at him in silence for a moment, still completely confused.

“Okay... while I appreciate the honesty, Spike,” began Twilight, “that still doesn’t answer my question. Where did you get the wood from?”

“Oh yeah, that,” said Spike, obviously relaxing. “I found them in an old cart outside the market.”

Suddenly, Ficksitup slapped a hoof over his mouth. He knew what Spike was talking about.

“Oh manure...” he muttered to himself nervously.

“It was pretty convenient, if you ask me,” Spike continued. “They had been sitting there for hours, so I figured nopony wanted them. I used the wagon to haul them here, then I returned the wagon after I was done.”

“Well how ‘bout that, eh?” Ficksitup said with another shiver of nervous laughter. He could feel his uncle’s ice cold stare baring down upon him again.

“Say, nephew...”

Ficksitup turned around slowly, too scared to attempt to run away.

“Y- yes, uncle?”

“Ya told me ya lost some wood just the other day. It couldn’t possibly be the same wood that this little guy’s talkin’ about, right?”

“D- did I say that? Coulda’ sworn it was somepony else who told ya that. I mean, I would never be so irresponsible as to- ”

“Could ya c’mere for a sec’?” Hammerplank asked with a false smile. Ficksitup slowly approached his uncle, already knowing what was in store for him. Hammerplank firmly grabbed him by the collar of his vest and pulled him close to his mouth to whisper into his ear.

“That’s strike two, mister, and I am really sure that you do not wanna hit strike three with me today. At this point, I’m convinced you’re actually tryin’ to piss me off. First you get my flank up on a cold mornin’ only to cost us the job anyway due to your lack of priority, and now you let shop resources get stolen right from under our noses by a...a reptile! This is coming right out of your freakin’ paycheck, ya hear me? You pull this manure again and I swear to Celestia I will nail you to the roof of the shop and use you as the new mascot for my store!”

“Uh-uh-understood uncle...” Ficksitup answered, still shaking, before he tilted his head to the side curiously. “Hold on...I have a paycheck?”

“Ya do now...” answered Hammerplank, releasing his collar. “I got a wild hair and figured a stallion your age could use a few extra spending bits. I intended to tell ya later, but I guess this is as good a time as any.”

And with that, Hammerplank let out a small grunt as if it pained him to make even the most feeble of attempts to be polite to his nephew. However, this didn’t matter. Even though Ficksitup had just incurred the wrath of his uncle chewing him out like that, he couldn’t help but flash a small grin at his uncle’s rather uncanny way of being affectionate.

“Wow... thanks, uncle.”

“Don’t get too cheery, buster. This month’s pay is pretty much out the window thanks to this little stunt. You wanna earn your pay? Then you’d better be ready to work your flank off next month.”

With that, the brief moment of happiness was over, and the two of them approached Twilight and Spike to continue with the matter at hoof.

“Listen, I’m sorry about all this,” began Twilight. “I feel bad that you two came all the way down here even though I already fixed the balcony myself...it’s just that with this fall weather the skies are particularly clear at night, and I knew it would be a perfect time to get some of my star gazing done, so I simply could not afford to wait any longer. Again, I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to steal your job.”

“Don’t worry about it Twilight. It ain’t yer fault,” Ficksitup said assuringly.

“Yeah, it’s not like you were procrastinatin’ or nothin’...” Hammerplank said, shooting another glance at his nephew. Ficksitup merely sneered in response.

“Well, I guess so, but since you two are actually the experts at this kind of stuff...how did I do?” Twilight shifted nervously from one front hoof to the other. Ficksitup took a moment to take another glance at the balcony.

“Was this your first try with this kind of thing?” he asked.

“As a matter of fact, it was.”confirmed Twilight.

“Wow, I ain’t gonna lie,” said Ficks with a smile, “but you did really good on this.”

“Really?” she squealed with excitement.

“Yeah, that’s pretty impressive,” he said, “if yer that good, I’m willin’ to bet uncle ‘Plank would even let ya work at the shop.”

“I wouldn’t mind that...” Hammerplank said with a mischievous smirk. Ficksitup ignored his comment, praying that Twilight had as well.

“Aww, thank you Ficksitup” she said cheerfully, “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m better off staying at the library. You know me... can’t stay away from a good book.” .

“Yeah, I figured as much,” said Ficks with a chuckle.

“Are we done here?” Spike interrupted, “I’m hungry.”

Twilight glared down at her assistant, who just stared back up at her without a care for the current conversation. He even went so far as to open his mouth and point down his throat to emphasize his ever growing hunger.

“Yes, scales-for-brains, we’re done here,” sighed Twilight. “I’ll be inside in a moment to get you some gems for breakfast. Now go inside and be grumpy somewhere else.”

“Fine,” Spike mumbled as he slowly lumbered back into the library.

Twilight turned back to face the two stallions, shaking her head in exasperation. “Dragons...” she sighed. “They can be such grumpy creatures sometimes.”

“Oh, I think I know one creature in particular” said Ficksitup, “that can be much grumpier...” He shot a look at his uncle, and Hammerplank merely gave him a swift kick with his hind leg, causing him to nearly lose his balance. The two of them started glaring at each other, but before the situation could get worse Twilight interrupted..

“Anyways” she said cheerfully, “that reminds me, I was just about to go inside and make some tea. Would you two like to come in and join me? I’d certainly like the company, seeing as it’s usually only Spike and me who are here in the morning.”

“Oh... well, as much as we’d like to,” Ficksitup began, “we really should go, since we’ve got a lot of wo-”

“Of course, we’d love to come in!” Hammerplank interrupted. “After all, we’d hate to have come all the way down here for nothin’...” He grabbed Ficksitup by the shoulder and pulled him in close, hugging him tightly. “Right, nephew?”

Hammerplank was glaring at him full force and Ficks struggled to pull away, at this point unable to tell whether his uncle was just doing this to make him feel even more guilty about the job heist or if he had some devious plan conjured up in his head that perhaps involved a certain purple pony. Whatever the reason, Ficksitup wasn’t exactly in a position to argue about it.

“Alright...I guess it would be nice to come inside for awhile,” said Ficksitup, finally giving in. “It is pretty cold out, anyways.”

“Splendid,” said Twilight delightedly. “I’ll get started on the tea right away!”

And with that, the two of them followed Twilight into the library. While she was busy in the other room, Hammerplank and Ficksitup took a moment to settle in, beginning to peruse the many books that littered the shelves of the main room of the library.

“You know, Ficks...” began Hammerplank, “I’m taking a bit of a hit because of you. I mean, tea? You know I’m full on coffee drinker. You owe me big time.” He was looking at a book which Ficksitup which could not decipher at the moment.

“Yeah, I know that,” Ficks replied.

“Still... that Twilight friend of yours is certainly a real piece of work. So this wasn’t completely a waste of time. How come ya never mentioned her before, nephew?”

“Because of that charade you were pullin’ outside. That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you about her. And now I regret even bringin’ you along in the first place.”

“Aww yer no fun kiddo. I’m just tryin’ to make her aquaintance, that’s all. It’s completely harmless.” Hammerplank said, giving him a wink.

“Yeah sure... just don’t let it go to yer he-...er, ‘Plank...what are you doin’?” He raised an eyebrow as he watched his uncle digging through another one of the bookshelves.

“None of yer business, boy,” growled Hammerplank, “just looking for a dictionary, that’s all...” He shuffled a book across the shelf. “Geez, you’d figure a damn library would have dictionary around here somewhere...”

“Why do you need a dictionary, uncle?” asked Ficks, furrowing his brow.

“I already told you,” replied Hammerplank, “it’s none of yer business, so butt out. I just wanna look up the definition for somethin’.”

“Hey, I’ve got a definition for ya to look up,” returned Ficks mischievously.

“Oh?” Hammerplank glanced up at him. “And what would that be?”

“Why don’t ya try lookin’ up the word fillyphile?” Ficksitup insisted with a coy smile on his face.

Hammerplank looked up at him sharply.

“What’s that, nephew?” he said after a long moment, “ya say ya don’t want a paycheck?” He smirked. “Well...alright then, that works for me.”

“Knock it off, ‘Plank.”

The two exchanged glares. Breaking the tension, Twilight floated a small tray of tea into the room, and onto a table. Spike came lumbering in behind her, carrying a bowl full of assorted gems.

“I’m back with the tea, everypony,” she said cheerfully.

Ficksitup thanked her, and then Twilight noticed that some of the books had been moved around. The book next to Hammerplank was enveloped in a purple aura as she levitated it back onto the shelf.

“Were you two actually reading these?” she asked. “I didn’t think anypony else cared about reading at all, besides myself.”

“Well, no we weren’t exactly -” Ficksitup attempted to say, but he was interrupted by Hammerplank shoving him out of the way.

“Of course, Miss Sparkle, if I may call you that ma’am,” said his uncle, puffing out his chest just slightly. “Believe it or not, I happen to be quite the...ah, the bibliomaniac.”

Ficksitup rolled his eyes at Hammerplank’s sudden, gentlecoltly mannerisms, but Twilight only smiled.

“Wow, really?” she exclaimed, “no offense, but I never would have taken you as the scholarly type of stallion, Mr. Plank...if I may call you that.” She giggled softly. “Tell me, do you enjoy reading more current works or are you somepony who prefers the classics?”

She was obviously impressed, Hammerplank seemed to swell further beneath her gaze.

“You can call me whatever you like, m’dear,” he said slyly. “Now, to answer your question...while I do enjoy the works of some modern ponies, I particularly enjoy the pieces done by Louis Corral, back in his days.”

“Oh my goodness, really?” Twilight squealed, “I absolutely loved his series ‘Flora’s Adventures in Wonderland’. Oh, and his poems are so exquisite.” She sighed. “Although they’re nothing compared to some of Walt Whitmane’s work. Still, I just can’t believe I’m not the only one who knows about his writings.”

“Ah, so yer a fan of Whitmane, eh?” grinned Hammerplank. “Yeah, he’s a rather eccentric fella, but nonetheless a marvelous writer.” He paused, seeming to consider something more a moment, before the grin returned. “Tell ya what, ma’am,” he said, “why don’t you and I go in the other room to discuss some more of his work while we go over that little ordeal of you usin’ our own supplies for your personal home project? Merely as a formality of course, nothin’ personal.”

“Of course, I completely understand.” Twilight obliged, “I like your thinking. If you’ll follow me, I have the spare room in the library that we can use...” She paused. “But, are you sure Ficksitup will be alright by himself here? I feel bad just leaving him.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about him,” said Hammerplank, “he can chat it up with scaly over here while the grown ups are talkin’.” He gestured at Spike, who was sitting on the couch, munching greedily on a gem.

“But Ficksitup is technically the same age as I am, isn’t he?” Twilight asked.

“Oh sure,” drawled Hammerplank, “when it comes to age, you two are practically indifferent, but when it comes to maturity...” He shot a glance at his nephew, who was becoming increasingly irritated. “Not quite so much, I think you’ll find..”

“Oh, come on, ‘Plank!” cried Ficks indignantly. “Are you serious? I am very mature!”

Hammerplank merely awarded him an entirely unimpressed expression,, clicking his tongue once or twice against the roof of his mouth before he shook his head and turned back to Twilight.

“Now would ya’ look at that?” He gestured back at Ficks. “He’s even throwing a tantrum and everything.”

Twilight giggled softly, and by that point, Ficksitup had pretty much given up on anypony taking his side.

“Oh, Mr. Plank, please,” said Twilight, flashing a comforting grin at Ficksitup. “You really shouldn’t tease him like that. I assure you, first hoof, that I know Ficksitup can be a very charming and mature young stallion when he wants to be.”

“Are you sure you met the same Ficksitup I know?” asked Hammerplank with a chuckle, and Ficksitup glared.

“Darn it, Plank,” he hissed, “would ya stop makin’ me sound like a stupid kid already?”

Hammerplank rolled his eyes. “When yo quit whining like one, numb-skull.”

Ficksitup pulled closer to Hammerplank to whisper into his ear: “How about you quit hittin’ on mares barely half your age!”

Just as quietly, Hammerplank replied: “Touché.”

“Oh, Ficksitup?” chirped Twilight, interrupting their little spat. Ficks turned his attention away from Hammerplank.

“What is it?”

“I’d almost forgotten to mention this,” replied Twilight, “but Applejack was here a few days ago looking for you. When I told her you weren’t here, she seemed pretty concerned. Did you ever find her?”

Ficksitup suddenly felt a little uneasy in his stomach. He had tried to forget about what had happened that day, but the mention of Applejack brought up the memory of that considerably less-than-joyful moment in which he had failed quite miserably in his attempt to confess to her. He remembered how upset she had looked herself, almost as if on the verge of tears. Even as he pondered over it then, a while later, Ficksitup still couldn't fathom what had made her so upset in the first place.

“Yeah...I saw her,” he answered finally.

“You don’t sound very thrilled about it,” replied Twilight, titling her head to the side questioningly. “Is everything alright between you two? Did something happen?”

Ficksitup’s eyes shot around the room, looking at everything but Twilight. He shifted from hoof to hoof. Twilight simply waited for an answer he couldn’t give. He appreciated her concern for himself and Applejack, but the last thing he wanted was another pony involved in his private problems. Surprisingly, Hammerplank came to his rescue.

“I’m sure, my dear,” he said, “that whatever crazy things those two are doin’ is none of our business. You know how it is with youngsters... just let the boy have his secrets, Miss Sparkle.” He shot a quick look at his nephew, who was staring at him with a puzzled expression. He merely smiled and gave him a wink. Ficksitup realized his uncle’s intentions and nodded his head in gratitude.

“Well, if you insist...” Twilight said, disappointed, “I suppose if there’s nothing else to discuss then we might as well go ahead and take care of the matter involving the balcony.”

“You read my mind, Miss Sparkle. Lead the way,” Hammerplank replied with an almost-gracious smile.

“Of course, the spare room is just over here,” explained Twilight as she began walking towards the far side of the library with Hammerplank in tow. Before disappearing through the doorway, she turned around to face Ficksitup, who was currently examining the pot of tea with fixed attention. “Please help yourself, Ficksitup. We shouldn’t take too long,” she encouraged, “and as to whatever it is that’s troubling you...well, I hope you find the solution”

Ficksitup looked up at her and gave a weak smile, which she returned before disappearing into the other room. Hammerplank poked his head out around the frame of the door and gave Ficks another wink, though this one seemed far less innocent. Ficksitup gave him a scornful look as more of a warning than an expression of disappointment, fully aware of his intentions. Hammerplank let out a few light snickers before he shut the door, leaving Ficksitup alone with the dragon.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t as nervous as he had previously been around Spike. He figured it must have been because the little guy seemed far more docile just sitting there on the couch, eating his gems like they were the only thing that matter in the world. Still, Ficksitup didn’t trust him for the sole reason that his colt-hood fears couldn’t be put behind him by simply being stuck in a room alone with a dragon for several minutes.

Trying not to think about the whole situation,, Ficksitup attempted to pour himself a cup of tea, though he failed rather miserably. He fumbled about with the kettle for several seconds, nearly spilling water all over in the process. Shuffling the bulky contraption between his front hooves, he tried to get a firm grip on it so he could lift it up, but every time he nearly managed this, it would just slip out and clatter back onto the tray. The slick surface of the porcelain made it impossible to get a proper grip anywhere. Ficks bit his tongue lightly and squinted in concentration, but his growing frustration wasn’t making the work any easier. At this point, he was going to end up breaking the kettle if he squeezed it any tighter. Finally he managed to grip it just right, pinching the sides with the tips of his hooves. He slowly maneuvered the kettle towards one of the small cups on the tray. Hovering it over one of the cups, he began to tilt the kettle waiting for the broth to start pouring out of the spout. Almost... almost got it...

“Need some help?” Spike asked, right behind him.

“DEAR CELESTIA ON A ROCKING HORSE!” Ficksitup shrieked, tossing the kettle into the air. Spike watched it sail right over his head and quickly took a few steps back, catching the kettle in his claws.

“Geez, dude, calm down,” he said, setting the kettle safely back onto the tray. .

Ficksitup pressed his hoof to his chest, fearing he’d just suffered a heart attack. “Don’t scare me like that,” he wheezed.

“Sorry,” said Spike, “I was just trying to help.” He smirked. “You kinda looked like you need it.”

Ficksitup glanced back at the teaset with shame. “Yeah, I guess I do,” he admitted.

Spike walked over to the table and grabbed one of the cups from the tray. Ficksitup took a seat on the couch and watched the dragon effortlessly perform the task that he could not. Quite gracefully, Spike poured a generous amount into the cup, not spilling a drop, and set it onto the coffee table in front of the couch. After watching that, Ficksitup couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of the opposable digits on Spike’s claws.

“There you go,” Spike said with a smile.

“Um, thanks,” Ficksitup replied. He stared into his cup, uncertain. He’d never had tea and had no idea what to expect. He sniffed at the stuff with curiosity. It had a strange odor that he couldn’t identify, but there was a slight herbal scent to it. Letting the aroma get the better of him, he placed the cup to his mouth and sipped. He suddenly reeled back up and cringed as the bitter liquid filled his mouth and lingered. He coughed, wiped his mouth with the back of a hoof, and sneered at the cup in disgust.

“Who in their right mind would ever drink this stuff?” he muttere to himself.

“Sugarcube?” Spike asked.

Ficksitup’s ears pricked up in attention and he spun around with a startled look on his face.

“Yes, Applejack?” he asked, stupidly.

“Wait... what?” Spike asked, completely confused.

“Oh, I uh... um, nevermind. It’s nothing,” said Ficksitup hurriedly, color flooding his cheeks.

“Okaaaay,’ said Spike, quirking a brow. “I was just asking if you wanted sugar.” He held up a small dish filled with a small white mountain of sugarcubes. “It’ll help with the bitterness.”

“Wait, you put sugar in this stuff?” asked Ficks, now surprised.

“Of course,” Spike answered. “Who’d be dumb enough to drink tea without sugar?”

“Well, I...” Ficksitup started, now feeling quite foolish. “I guess I didn’t consider it.”

“Whatever. You want one or two?” Spike held up a few cubes in his hand.

“Um, two I guess.”Ficksitup accepted the cubes from Spike and plopped them into the tea, grabbing a spoon from the tray. He stirred the cubes around until they’d fully dissolved into the liquid and set the cup back on the table.

“Try it now,” said Spike, leaning forward eagerly.

Ficksitup lowered his head and took another sip. The taste was completely different from before, just from a few lumps of sugar. In fact, it wasn’t half bad. He looked back up at Spike and nodded his head in approval.

“That’s pretty good,” he decided.

“I told you so,” replied Spike smugly, taking his seat on the opposite side of the couch. He placed the bowl of gems in his lap and continued to stuff the small jewels into his mouth. Ficksitup felt slightly disturbed as he watched the dragon swallow one gem after the other. Spike noticed his fixed gaze and looked back at him with a quirked brow.

“What?” he asked, slightly perturbed.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” asked Ficks. “I mean eatin’ solid gems like that...”

Spike looked at the half eaten gem in his hand and shook his head in confusion. “No, why would it hurt? I eat these all the time.”

“Still, I mean...” Ficks bit down on his lower lip. “Wouldn’t that like, tear up yer throat or somethin’?”

“Um hellooo...” Spike answered, pointing a finger at himself, “Dragon, remember?”

“Oh, right, sorry. It’s just that I’ve never met a dragon, so I never knew what they ate,” said Ficksitup, feeling foolish once again. “To be honest, I was always afraid you guys ate us ponies or somethin’.”

“Eat a pony? That’s disgusting,” Spike said, slightly apalled. “What the heck would make you get an idea like that?”

“Well...I...uh...” Ficksitup began, “I really don’t know, actually. Just some old story from the city, I guess.”

Spike sighed as if he had just had an enormous and exhausting epiphany.

“That’s right,” he said. “I forgot you’re not from around here. Well. No, we do not eat ponies. We dragons are on a strict gem-only diet.” And as if to demonstrate, he tossed another jewel into his mouth, biting down with a loud crunch.

“Well,” said Ficksitup, watching him chew with mild distaste. “I’m glad to know that, at least.”

Sitting there and talking with this dragon was actually making Ficksitup a little more comfortable than before. All those silly rumors and tales he’d been told as a colt were being blown out of the water one after another. This dragon didn’t seem like someone who would eat anypony in particular. In fact, considering his size, Ficksitup figured that Spike couldn’t eat anypony even if he tried. Therefore, whatever reason he had to be scared of Spike in the first place was completely beyond him.

“Since you seem pretty new here...” Spike said through a mouth full of gems. “What exactly do you do around here anyway?

Ficksitup just stared at him in shock. “Are you kiddin’?” he asked. Spike merely responded with a light shrug.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Ficks began. “Just take a look right here, and you’ll know exactly who I am and what I do around here.” Pride was easily noticeable in his face as he shifted to give Spike a better view of the silver wrench adorning his flank. Spike stared at it for a second, tilting his head in confusion before looking back up at Ficksitup.

“You’re a tool?” Spike guessed.

The prideful look on Ficksitup’s face melted away instantaneously.

“Wait, what? No! I am not a tool!” he cried. “I’m a mechanic, and I fix things, darn it.”

“Oooh, now that actually makes a lot more sense,” Spike said, casually glancing up at the black hat adorning Ficksitup’s head. “But what about that hat?” he asked, puzzled, “If you’re a mechanic then shouldn’t you be wearing a hardhat or something?”

“Oh, this?” asked Ficks, taking the hat off so Spike could get a better look, “Well... to put it simply, this hat is very important to me. So I wear it all the time, regardless of what I’m doin’.”

“What’s so special about it?” Spike asked, and Ficksitp glanced away; this was something that he really didn’t want to delve into, but he knew there wasn’t any other way around it.

“It’s special because somepony special gave it to me,” he answered reluctantly, cradling the hat in his hooves. “Losing this hat would probably be the second worst thing that could happen to me.”

“What’s the first thing?”

Ficksitup swallowed.

“I’d rather not say...”

Realizing he wasn’t willing to explain any further than that, Spike resumed feasting on the last few remaining jewels in his bowl. Still holding the hat in his hooves, Ficksitup sat there quietly, thinking about that day in the rain. He had been so close. All he had needed to do was say three little words and everything would have been okay. He wouldn’t be feeling so miserable right now, sitting on that couch and racking his brain trying to figure out what he did wrong in the first place. But he was miserable, and it was all because he didn’t say three stupid little words...

“Say, Spike?” Ficksitup began.

“Hmmm?” Spike choked out through a mouthful of gems.

“I know this is a kinda dumb question to ask, what with you bein’ a dragon and all, but...” Ficksitup paused before continuing. “Say there was this mare you liked, and you really wanted to tell her how you felt... but when you tried to confess to her, ya’ ended up making her upset instead. Not sayin’ that confessin’ to her was what made her upset or nothin’,” he added hastily, “But with her bein’ upset and all, well... how d’ya suppose you could apologize to her?”

Spike stopped eating and gave Ficksitup a sincere look, “Let me guess...” he said. “It’s the same one who gave you that hat, isn’t it?”

For a baby dragon, he was pretty sharp.Ficksitup swallowed.

“Yeah...” he mumbled.

“That’s easy...” said Spike. “If it were me, I’d get her a great big gemstone to give to her. It would be my way of saying sorry”

“Really?” Ficksitup gave him a perplexed look, “That’s it?

“Oh yeah, definitely.” Spike said. “In fact, I know the mare I like would love it if she got a gem from me.” He suddenly clamped his mouth shut and looked in the opposite direction, praying that Ficksitup wouldn’t try to investigate any further.

“Wait.” Ficksitup was beyond curious. “You mean to say that there’s somepony that you like?”

“I never said that!” Spike stammered.

“Oh, yes you did,” Ficksitup sneered, letting out a light chuckle. “Come on, tell me... who is it?”

Spike looked moderately panicked.“Hey! No fair, you never told me who it was that you liked.”

“That’s because we never made that kinda deal, Scaly,” Ficksitup said with a grin.

“Scaly? Why, you..!” Spike growled. “Well, I’m not telling you anything until you promise to tell me who you like.” He crossed his arms and stuck his forked tongue out. The two glared at each other before Ficks finally sighed in defeat.

“Alright fine, ya’ overgrown lizard” Ficksitup said, “But yer gonna’ tell me first.”

“Fine...” Spike sighed. He started glancing around the room nervously to see if anypony else was around. He then gestured for Ficksitup to lean in closer so that he could whisper in his ear. Ficksitup obliged, but gave him a confused look, wondering why he felt the need to whisper in the first place.

“I’m listenin’...” Ficksitup said.

“Are you ready?” Spike asked. Ficksitup nodded impatiently in response, “Okay, the truth is...” he started, “I have a crush on Rar-”

Several loud knocks came from the front door of the library before the door burst open. Spike jumped up in surprise, letting out a yelp. The two of them stared at the doorway to see who had so abruptly arrived without warning. Rarity herself came trotting into the room, currently unaware of the two boys who were staring at her from the couch.

“Twilight, darling,” she called, “are you home? I just wanted to say thank you for letting me borrow this book on Foalkari for a few days. It was extremely useful! Who but the Ponjabi would have thought to use satin with coarse cotton?” Rarity levitated a book out of a particularly fashionable saddlebag and placed it perfectly straight on its shelf. When there was no response, she finally took notice of her surroundings.

“Twilight dear, where are you?” she called, letting her eyes wander around the room in search of her friend until her gaze finally fell upon Ficksitup and Spike on the couch.

“Uh, hi Rarity,” Ficksitup said, rather surprised.

“Ficksitup?” Rarity smiled, though she looked rather bewildered. “How good to see you of course,, but what are you doing here at Twilight’s house of all places?”

Ficksitup shrugged. “Originally, I was here for business. I was finally gonna’ fix Twilight’s balcony,” he explained. “But it turns out that she did it herself because I didn’t get here sooner...because somepony decided it would be a better idea to go to the spa instead.”

Rarity merely grinned in response to his obvious accusation. “I already told you, dear,” she cooed, “about how that appointment was booked days ago. There was no way we were going to cancel, and don’t try to deny that you didn’t have a good time, because I know you did.”

“Even if that is the case, Rarity, that doesn’t change the fact that all the supplies in that wagon were stolen while we were at the spa,” Ficksitup muttered,, slightly irritated.

“Were they really?” she asked.

“Yes.” Ficksitup confirmed, “Which if I recall, you told me ‘it’s not like anypony is going to steal a dusty old wagon’.” he said through a crude impression of her voice.

“The wagon was still there, right?” Rarity asked, ignoring his petty attempt to insult her.

“Well yeah, but-”

“Then I’m still not at fault here.” she said, grinning victoriously.

“How does that work?” Ficksitup asked, completely lost.

“I said nopony would steal a dusty old wagon, not the contents inside it.” she explained, “And since the wagon was still there when you got back, it means I am still right”

Ficksitup slapped a hoof over his face as he was forced to admit defeat to Rarity’s warped, but nonetheless, flawless logic.

“Yeah, well even if the wagon didn’t get stolen, it doesn’t exactly replace the boards that Twilight used to fix her balcony.” Ficksitup stated

““What? Twilight took them? That’s so unlike her, how can you be absolutely sure it was her?” Rarity asked, completely befuddled at the prospect of Twilight stealing anything.

“Now hold on, Rarity. I never said it was Twilight who took them.” Ficksitup quickly said.

“Well then, who else would have taken the supplies and given them to Twilight?” Rarity continued to question him.

Ficksitup’s eyes darted between her and Spike, who had a very worried expression on his face. Ficks could almost see the beads of sweat dripping down Spike’s head. He could imagine what Spike was trying to say to him with those ever pleading dragon eyes.

"Well I uh..." Ficksitup started, glancing at Spike again, "I don’t exactly know who she got them from."

“Really?” Rarity asked, unconvinced, “You have no idea who got all those planks of wood to her house?”

“Nope. Not a clue.”

“So she just happened upon the pile of boards in the wagon and decided to drag them all the way here on a whim, is that what you’re saying?” Rarity asked.

“No that’s not-”

“I can tell you’re hiding something from me, dear. You know who it was that took them, don’t you?” Rarity asked, a small grin now spreading across her face.

“I never said that.” Ficksitup stammered.

She advanced on him, one eyebrow cocked, until she was mere inches from his face, “Has anypony ever told you that you are a terrible liar, Ficksitup?

Why does everypony keep tellin’ me that? he thought, And why am I suddenly the guilty one here? Rarity pushed closer, forcing him to back away, a nervous smile on his face. Rarity merely beamed back at him, making him even more uncomfortable. Spike, meanwhile, watched from the couch, not sure how to react.

Ficksitup hit something solid. She’d backed him into a bookcase. “You’re not leaving this spot.“ she whispered, “Until you tell me the truth.”

There was no getting out of it. Rarity had him cornered and she knew that he was lying to her face. Ficksitup was beginning to think this wasn’t worth trying to save the scales of some dragon. Rarity’s eyes drilled into Ficksitup’s very being, seemingly prying at every piece of information he was holding back from her. ‘How does she do that!?’ he wondered, held transfixed by her piercing gaze.

“What do you want from me!?” Ficksitup pleaded.

“I already told you...” She said in a low, hushed tone, never breaking her grin. “The truth.”

He couldn’t fight her eyes anymore. That piercing gaze had been honed to a brutal sharpness, and he was about to break. He shot another panicked look at Spike.

Rarity caught it.

“Spike, dear?” she said, turning to face him, “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this, would you?”

Now it was Spike’s turn to panic. “Uhh… N-No Rarity, I wasn't even near the market that day, and I certainly didn't spend all of Twilight's money on gemstones!” Spike answered, giving Rarity an awkward smile, his eyes shifting rapidly.

“Funny...” Rarity said, “I don’t recall mentioning a market.”

Spike gulped nervously when he realized he’d screwed up tremendously. Now she definitely knew that the both of them were lying through their teeth, or in Spike’s case, fangs.

Rarity fluttered her eyelashes before giving him a mesmerizing gaze as she smiled sweetly.“Awww Spikey, you wouldn't hide anything from me, would you? That would just break my little heart!” she whined, throwing a hoof over her eyes. She peeked beneath it, making certain her act was working.

Spike jumped up from the couch spilling some of the remaining gemstones on the floor. “I can’t take it anymore! It was me! I took the planks! Twilight needed the supplies and they were just sitting out in the middle of the marketplace! I didn’t think anypony wanted them, honest!” Spike bellowed. That was twice in one day that he had been pressured into confession.

Rarity shifted her attention from Ficks, who slumped to the floor in relief, and approached Spike.

“Spike!” she gasped, giving him an expression of pure shock, “I can’t believe you would do such a thing. Surely you would know better than that.”

“But...” Spike started, but Rarity simply pointed her nose up and let out a dismissive, ‘hmph’.
“But Rarity!” Spike pleaded

“But nothing, Spike,” she interrupted, disappointment evident in her voice.

At this point, Ficksitup couldn’t help but feel sorry for the little guy and tried to come to his rescue

“Come on Rarity, it’s not like he knew the wagon belonged to me.”

Spike looked up at Ficksitup who gave him a faint smile. Rarity however continued to give them both a dissatisfied look.

“Well he still should know better than that.” Rarity snapped.

“Just give him another chance.” Ficksitup pleaded, “Besides, we both know that he wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to steal the boards if we hadn’t decided to go the spa.”

“How are you still trying to blame me for this?” Rarity demanded.

“I’m not!” Ficksitup quickly replied, “I’m just sayin’ if I hadn’t left the wagon there in the first place, then he wouldn’t have stolen them.”

Rarity gave Ficksitup a sincere look before turning her gaze towards Spike again. The small dragon looked up at her with sad puppy eyes, waiting for her response.

“No. You’re right, Ficks.” Rarity said, “I’m sorry for making you leave the wagon there, it’s my fault Spike’s in trouble.”

“It’s alright Rarity.”

“Well it seems that once again I owe you for all your troubles.” Rarity sighed, “Perhaps this time we can book an appointment at the tr-”

“No no, please. Ya don’t need to do that again.” Ficksitup interrupted, waving his hooves back and forth.

“Fine, if you insist, darling.” Rarity said, “But at least let me make it up to you some how.”

Ficksitup paused for a moment, deep in thought while he considered her offer. He finally looked up at her again and gave her a sincere expression.

“There is one thing...” Ficksitup finally said.

“Yes anything, dear.”

“Since you’re here anyway” Ficksitup started, “There’s somethin’ I need to talk about with ya.”

“What is it?”

Ficksitup quickly glanced around the room making sure nopony else was there to hear them. He knew Spike was there, but he figured he wouldn’t know what they’re talking about anyway. Although Spike had figured out where the hat had come from so there was no predicting that’d he would catch on with this as well. Ficksitup however knew he didn’t have a choice and decided to tell Rarity with the dragon listening anyway.

“It’s about Ap-”

The door from the back room of the library burst open as both Hammerplank and Twilight came walking out, laughing hysterically to each other.

“Oh my gosh, I cannot believe he did that as a little colt, that is too funny.” Twilight exclaimed, almost brought to tears from laughing so hard.

“I know right?” Hammerplank choked, “You should have seen his face when I caught him in the act, priceless.”

The two of them continued to laugh before they noticed the trio standing around the couch in the main room.

“Oh hello there, Rarity.” Twilight chirped, “I didn’t even hear you come in, how have you been?”

“I’m fine darling. Just returning that book you let me borrow.” Rarity answered, approaching Twilight. She looked at Hammerplank and gave him a curious look. “Who’s this?” she asked.

“Oh this is Hammerplank, Ficksitup’s uncle.” Twilight said, introducing the older stallion, “He owns the repair shop in town.”

“I see...” Rarity said, giving him another curious look, “Nice to meet you darling, my name is Rarity.”

She extended a hoof, which Hammerplank hesitated to take at first, but eventually obliged.

“Charmed.” Hammerplank grummbled.

“We were just in the other room discussing some business matters involving the um, supplies I used from his shop.” Twilight confessed.

“Yes, I’d heard about it...” Rarity confirmed, shooting another look at Ficksitup and Spike. She continued to chat with Twilight while Hammerplank walked over to Ficksitup who had sat back down on the couch. Spike had lumbered off upstairs, most likely to avoid getting scolded by anypony else. Hammerplank took a seat next to Ficksitup and gave him a serious look.

“What?” Ficksitup asked.

“Who in the heck is this girl?” Hammerplank asked, waving a hoof in Rarity’s direction.

“She’s a friend.” Ficksitup explained, detecting the slight opposition in his uncle’s tone.

“Seems pretty stuck up to me...”

“Yeah I know that, she’s not that bad once ya get used to her though.”

“Whatever you say kiddo, but she seems... ‘difficult’ to me.”

“Ya have no idea.” Ficksitup whispered.

The two of them continued to sit there quietly while the girls chatted for several more minutes. They finally finished and walked back over to the stallions on the couch.

“Well thank you again for letting me borrow the book, Twilight dear. It was most helpful.” Rarity said, “Now then if you don’t mind, I really need to head out. Lots of things to do. Fashion and all.” she added.

“Of course, Rarity. Thank you for stopping by and returning it. I hope you enjoy the rest of your morning.” Twilight replied, cheerfully.

“I will.” Rarity said, approaching the door. Before she opened it, she turned around and glanced at Ficksitup, who was still sitting on the couch. “Ficksitup?” she called. His ears pricked up and he turned around to face her.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Aren’t you coming? You agreed that you would help me with that problem that I’m having at my boutique, did you not?” she asked, giving him a wink. Ficksitup sat there, completely confused by what she’d just said. Finally the hint caught up to him and he nodded his head rapidly.

“Oh, right. That thing, yeah. I’ll be right out.” Ficksitup replied. Rarity gave a quick smile and walked out the door.

Ficksitup grabbed his hat off the couch and started for the door. Hammerplank quickly caught him before he could reach the door and pulled him next to his face to whisper in his ear.

“What in Celestia’s name are you doin’?” Hammerplank asked, frantically. Ficksitup tugged at his arm, unable to convince his uncle to release him.

“What?” Ficksitup asked, “I’m just going to help her out with somethin’, not like it’s a big deal.”

“Are you stupid?” Hammerplank snapped.

“What are you talkin’ about?”

“Look I don’t know what it is that yer doin’, but you’d better watch your ass.” Hammerplank warned, “She spells trouble.”

Realizing what his uncle was implying, Ficksitup merely shook his head in response. “Don’t worry about it, uncle. Trust me, it’s not like that.”

“Yeah? Ya say that now and then the next thing ya know, yer up to yer knees in manure. So watch it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, uncle. Can I go now?” Ficksitup asked. Hammerplank didn’t respond, only letting go of his arm. Ficksitup smiled and then headed for the door.

“Hey! Wait a minute mister!” Hammerplank shouted.

“What is it now!” Ficksitup groaned.

“Who the heck is supposed to help me get all this crap back to the shop?”

“I don’t know, maybe Twilight and the lizard can help you or something.” Ficksitup suggested, “Wait. Forget that I said th-”

“Hey, that’s not a bad idea.” Hammerplank said, another mischeivous grin appearing over his face, “Forget the lizard and I’m on board for this.”

“Please stop, uncle.” Ficksitup pleaded, “Don’t try anything funny anymore.”

“Alright fine, ya buzzkill.” Hammerplank promised, “Now run along with yer little friend and get outta my hair.”

Ficksitup groaned in annoyance and ran out the door, leaving Hammerplank alone with Twilight.

“Soooo, Miss Twilight, what’dya say? You help me get this junk back to the shop and I’ll drop the charges that we worked out in the other room.” Hammerplank insisted, still grinning.

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked.

“Oh yeah, I think that’s a fair deal.” Hammerplank explained, “You help me out and problem’s solved.”

“Well if you insist.” Twilight said, “But we’ll at least have Spike help us out, seeing that he’s the little thief that started this.” she teased.

“Do we have to?” Hammerplank asked, “We don’t really need him, right?”

“It’s the least he can do.” she added, “Spike? Come down here please! You have one last chore to do this morning!” she called upstairs.

There was no answer from the room above. Twilight took a few steps upstairs and called Spike’s name again. There was still no answer. She looked at Hammerplank and shrugged in confusion.

“Wonder where the little runt has run off to.” Hammerplank grummbled.

“I have no idea.” Twilight admitted, “It’s not like him to just run off without telling me.”

“Let’s just hope he’s not up to anymore trouble.” Hammerplank quickly added.

***

Meanwhile, outside the library, both Rarity and Ficksitup walked around aimlessly before she broke the silence between them as they moved on.

“So what is it that’s bothering you?” Rarity asked

“I messed up.” He said, hanging his head.

“How?”

“I... I didn’t tell her; I tried to bu-”

“Ugh, darling please start from the beginning, and follow me, this is no place for such a conversation.” The two changed course, presumably to wherever Rarity was leading him, and continued the conversation. “So, you were saying?” She asked, honestly curious as to what was causing Ficksitup to be in such a terrible state.

“I ran into Applejack after you and I left the spa.” Ficksitup explained, “She asked where I had been. She said she’d been looking for me.”

“Why was she looking for you?”

“I told her I was gonna’ be headin’ over to Twilight’s to fix the balcony that day. Apparently she decided to visit me, and when I wasn’t there, she got worried and came lookin’ for me.”

“Well see? She was just worried about you and she wanted to make sure you were okay. I think it’s rather adorable if you ask me.” Rarity said with giddy shivers. “I don’t see why you should be upset about that.”

“Yeah, well she didn’t seem very relieved when I finally did explain to her where I was. I don’t understand why sh-”

“Wait! You told her?” Rarity all but shouted at him.

“Well, yeah I m-”

“Ficksitup, you imbecile! You definitely should not have done that!”

“Wait, why?” Ficksitup asked as they reached the entrance of Rarity’s Boutique.

“Because! You do not tell somepony you like that you’re going to do one thing, and then do the other. And you especially don’t tell them about it! Especially when it involves another mare!” she shouted hysterically.

“Well I can’t just lie to Applejack!” Ficksitup retorted, opening the door for Rarity, with a confused expression on his face. “And what other excuse would I have had?”

“Anything would have sufficed! But actually telling her that you were with me? That was a mistake.” Rarity said, walking into the boutique and tossing her saddlebag on the floor.

“Why would she be upset if I was with you?” Ficksitup asked, shutting the door and placing his hat on the nearby stand. “Yer her friend after all.”

Rarity sighed heavily and shook her head in frustration. “Ficksitup, you are a kind and caring stallion.” she paused, “But you are such an idiot!”

“Why am I the idiot?” Ficksitup demanded, now irritated.

“Is it really not that obvious?”

“No. It isn’t.”

“Ugh, this is going to be harder than I thought.” Rarity groaned.

“Just tell me.”

“Okay let me explain this to you as simply as I can.” Rarity started, “Whether you are aware of this or not, it’s pretty obvious that Applejack thinks very highly of you and holds a very special place in her heart for you.”

“So that means she does like me?” Ficksitup guessed.

“Yes!” Rarity exclaimed, “And if you didn’t already figure that out, then you really are hopeless.”

“But you told me not to make assumptions.”

“I never said that!” Rarity shouted, “Still, the point is that Applejack likes you very much and right now she doesn’t even know you feel the same way because you haven’t told her yet!”

“That’s because you told me to take my time.” Ficksitup said through grit teeth.

“Well now you’re out of time, dear.” Rarity said as she began pulling a piece of fabric out from one of the drawers in her dresser, “All because you decided to tell her that you were with me and now she thinks we’re an item!”

“What?” Ficksitup exclaimed, “We’re not datin’, why in the hay would she think that?”

“Ugh, use your common sense.” Rarity scolded, pointing a hoof at his forehead, “It’s the implications!”

“I’m not trying to imply anything. We were just doin’ somethin’ that you arranged for us.”

Rarity was silent for a moment while she began stitching the piece of fabric that she had cut for a dress she was making. As she continued to push the fabric through the sewing machine gently, an uneasy silence filled the room, broken only by the whirring of the sewing machine’s gears. The silence made Ficksitup uneasy. He imagined that Rarity was just standing there trying to figure out how to deal with him. Once again, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all his fault that he was frustrating everpony around him.

“Ficks’...” Rarity uttered, finally breaking her silence, “There is something that you absolutely must understand.”

“What is that?”

She turned around from the sowing machine and gave Ficksitup a sincere look. “As long as I have known Applejack, she’s never been close to anypony else, besides her friends and of course her family.” she began, “As far as I can tell, she’s never even once had a certain special somepony on Hearts and Hooves day. She’s been alone all these years.”

“Really? Nopony?” Ficksitup asked, her words finally starting to sink in.

“You understand now? She’s been waiting for you all these years. She’s been hoping for the chance to finally tell you how she’s felt and now she’s unsure of herself because she thinks that you’re no longer interested in her.”

“But I am interested in her. Heck, I lo-” Ficksitup stopped, as he was too embarrassed to say it in front of Rarity.

“I know you do, darling.” Rarity said, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “But you shouldn’t be saying that to me, it’s her that you need to say it to.”

“I know, I know. But that’s what I can’t seem to do right.” Ficksitup whimpered. “Every time I try to tell her, I just... screw up.” He threw a hoof up in the air and sunk to the ground, bowing his head as he stared at the floor while he sulked. Rarity left her sowing machine and walked straight towards Ficksitup util she was standing right over him. She stamped her hoof loudly on the ground to make him look up.

“That’s quite enough out of you!” she barked. “I will not have you sit here pouting in my home any longer while she’s still out there waiting for you to confess.”

Ficksitup cringed at her sudden burst of energy. Rarity glared at him, waiting for an answer. He looked back up at her with a somewhat pitiful expression.

“Then what am I supposed to do?” he asked.

“Well sitting here waiting for the whole world to feel sorry for you is certainly not the answer!” She yelled, extended a hoof, gesturing him to take it. Ficksitup eventually took it and helped himself back up. “So you had a few bad runs and you didn’t get your chance to tell her yet, sitting here depressed isn’t going to fix that. You pick yourself up and try again.”

“I guess yer right.” Ficksitup admitted.

“You’re a stallion, are you not?” Rarity demanded, Ficksitup nodded his head furiously, “Then if you really are one, you’ll go out there and get her back!”

“Yer right.” Ficksitup confirmed.

“It’s not like she’s rejected you yet! You still have a chance!”

“Right!” Ficksitup couldn’t wait any longer, and nopony else was going to solve his problems for him. He got up, and started towards the door. “I’m gonna’ tell Applejack that I love her!” he finally shouted. Rarity started stamping excitedly in approval of his new found confidence.

“That’s the spirit, darling. Now you finally underst- Wait. Where are you going?” Rarity asked, noticing Ficksitup was walking towards the door.

“Where do ya’ think I’m goin’? I’m gonna’ go tell her right now.”

“Good heavens, darling. Are you insane? You can’t go tell her right now.”

Ficksitup stopped at the door and turned around with a confused expression on his face, “Wait whaaa? Why not?”

“Darling you still have an apology to make. If you go and confess to her now, there’s no way she’ll believe you.”

Ficksitup was completely befuddled by what she was saying. “Then what in the hay was that big speech for?”

“Well I had to get you out of your little funk somehow...” Rarity said, grinning. Ficksitup sighed glumly and walked back over to her.

“Alright then.” he said, “What do you suggest?”

Rarity stopped smiling and started pacing back and forth, obviously considering the options that Ficksitup had. While he could very well go and confess to Applejack right now, he knew that Rarity had a valid point. Whether Ficksitup wanted to accept it or not, he was still at fault for upsetting Applejack in the first place. Rarity was correct when she assumed that Applejack wouldn’t take his confession seriously if he didn’t apologize first. Once he finally considered that, Ficksitup knew he was going to have to listen to whatever plan Rarity was currently conjuring up. Her eyes suddenly lit up and the smile appeared on her face again as she made a bee line towards Ficksitup.

“I’ve got it!” she exclaimed triumphantly.

“What is it?”

“Alright, so we know that you still need to apologize to her.”

“Yeah”

“And we now know that you both like each other.”

“Of course”

“But you still need to find a way to confess so she takes it seriously.”

“I guess so.”

“Then I have the perfect solution for you.” Rarity finally concluded. Ficksitup merely stared at her with eager anticipation. “You two need to go out on a date.”

“A date?” Ficksitup asked, completely bewildered by the prospect.

“Isn’t it just divine?” Rarity chirped, “You can take her on a nice romantic date and at the end you can confess to her. It’s perfect!”

“It doesn’t seem like it’s gonna’ be that easy.”

“What do you mean, dear?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure that Applejack isn’t exactly into all that fancy romantic stuff.” Ficksitup claimed with much doubt. “I’m pretty sure she’s into more simple things.”

Rarity gave him an unimpressed look. “What would you suggest? A rodeo?”

“Hey that’s not a bad idea.” he uttered excitedly

“Oh yes that sounds like a fantastic idea.” she bellowed sarcastically, “Maybe you can confess to her right after the bull riding competition!”

Detecting her opposition, Ficksitup frowned at her and started sulking again. “Well then what do we do? I can’t do something with her I know she won’t wanna’ do.”

“Hang on, I may have one final solution.” Rarity said as she trotted over to her work desk at the far end of the room. Opening a drawer, she levitated two small strips of paper out into the open and carried them back over to Ficksitup. She made a huge grin as she presented the pieces of paper to him.

“What are these?” he asked.

“These, darling, are tickets to the upcoming Fall Harvest Festival. It’s a huge event that they hold in Ponyville every year to celebrate the upcoming harvest before winter arrives.”

“Festival?”

“Oh yes, it’s a great big fair that they set up just outside of town, rides and everything. I’ve never gone but I’ve heard it’s quite fun.”

“Then why do you have tickets when you’ve never even wanted to go.”

“A previous client of mine gave them to me to express her gratitude for a dress I made for her. You know I simply couldn’t refuse.”

“Then why didn’t you just give them to somepony else?”

“Well I-” Rarity stuttered, suddenly blushing for no apparent reason. “I originally thought that if you weren’t occupied at the time that well...” she paused, “Maybe you would have wanted to go with me.” She looked at the floor and shifted uneasily between her front hooves.

“Rarity I-”

“It’s not like it was going to be a date or something!” she suddenly shouted, “I just thought it would be nice if we both went since the two of us have never been there before. That’s all. Besides, you obviously need these now more than me. The fair is in a three days and you have to take Applejack there and use it as your chance to-”

“Rarity it’s alright, I get it.” Ficksitup interrupted, putting a hoof up, “I need to confess to her at the fair.”

“Geez.” she muttered, sticking her head in the air, “Just take the tickets and don’t make me regret helping you.”

“I appreciate it.” he said, smiling graciously as he accepted the tickets. He walked over to the rack and quickly stuffed them under the brim of his hat. After returning to Rarity, he sighed deeply with relief. “Well, I have the place to take her on the date. Now I just have to figure out how I’m gonna’ ask her out.”

“That will be the easiest thing you do.” Rarity confirmed.

“It is?”

“Yes. Those tickets will serve as your apology and your offer to take her on a date. Two birds with one stone, I say.

“Heh.” Ficksitup mummbled, scratching his chin, “That might actually work.”

“Of course it will, here, why don’t you try it now?” Rarity suggested, trotting over to her wardrobe.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you should practice with me.” she said, giggling as she pulled out a small hat.

“I don’t know Rarity...” Ficksitup said as his eyes wandered around the room, “What if somepony sees us? They might get the wrong idea and think we’re d-”

“Oh quit acting like a stubborn mule and come here.” she barked, placing the hat on her head. It was a small brown cowgirl hat that almost resembled the one that Applejack usually wore. Inspecting herself in the mirror, Rarity quickly tilted the hat upward and nodded when she was satisfied with the look.

“What exactly are you doin’? Ficksitup asked with curiosity.

“Don’t you see it, dear? I’m going to pretend to be Applejack and you’re going to pretend to ask me out.”

Taking a moment to look at her with the hat on, Ficksitup couldn’t help but admire the fact that she made it look fairly convincing. True, she wasn’t the real Applejack. Nopony could replace her, but for the sake of getting Ficksitup to play along, it did the trick.

“Oh I get it.” he said excitedly.

“Good. Now go ahead. Ask me out.”

“You mean now?”

“No. You can do it after winter is over. Of course now!” she snapped.

“Right, sorry.” Ficksitup muttered. He swallowed nervously as he tried to collect his thoughts. He bit his lower lip as he tried to force the words out. It was almost embarrassing how couldn’t even manage to say it when it was just Rarity. “Applejack?...” he finally forced out. Rarity leaned forward, awaiting the words to start flowing out. “Will you... will you go o-” His knees started shaking as he attempted to force the last part out. “Will you go out with me?” he finally shouted.

The words flew out of his mouth like a balloon slowly being deflated. It was squeaky and high pitched and it made Rarity burst out laughing.

“Oh my goodness, that’s the best you can do?” she shrieked through fits of laughter.

“It’s not as easy as it looks!” he stammered, now bright red from embarrassment.

“I know you can do better than that.” she teased. “Here let’s see if we can’t try something els- WHAAA!” she yelped as she tripped over the saddlebag that she had left on the floor.

By instinct, Ficksitup immediately threw his hooves out in front of him and caught her in his arms. Leaning into him, Rarity slowly looked up. As the hat fell to the floor, they realized they were mere inches away from each other’s faces.

“You really shouldn’t do that.” she mumbled as she looked away, now blushing.

“Do what?”

“Catch me when I fall for y- I mean...” she paused, “When I lose my balance like that.”

“I guess it can’t be helped.” Ficksitup uttered as he let her go.

“I know, but you wouldn’t want anypony getting the wrong idea now, would you?”

“No. I don’t”

The two of them stood there in silence for a moment, looking at their own hooves, too embarrassed to look at each other. It was an awkward moment that Ficksitup had not planned on having, but now that it happened, he was unsure as to how he should take it. There was this new feeling now lingering in his chest. Something that he didn’t even know he should be feeling at all. Uncertainty.

“Well then.” Rarity finally chimed in, clearing her throat, “You could still use some more practice, so let’s get to it.”

“Right.” Ficksitup agreed. He picked up the hat and handed it back to her. She gave him a faint smile as she placed it back on her head. The two of them continued to practice in her boutique, spending plenty of time getting all the words and motions right. All the while, they had been completely unaware that a small, shadowy figure was watching them from one of the far windows...

***

Around midnight, there were several taps that came from Applejack’s window. Slowly opening both eyes, she heard the noises and rolled over in her bed to look out her window. The tapping sounds continued to emanate from just outside the panes. Rubbing her eyes, Applejack sat up in bed, taking a moment to wake herself up.

“What in tarnation is goin’ on?” she mumbled as she eased herself out of bed and approached the window. She peered outside into the black void of night, trying to investigate where the sounds originated. There wasn’t anything she could distinguish among the dimly lit ground surrounding her house. Suddenly, what looked like a small rock, came sailing straight into her window, making the same tapping noise that she had heard.

“What the hay?” She threw open her window and stuck her head outside. “Who’s out there?” she whispered with hostility.

“‘Jack. It’s meeee.” A familiar voice hissed from below. Applejack couldn’t see anypony below but she knew only one stallion that called her that name...

“Ficks’? What’re ya doin’ out here? Do ya even know how late it is right now?”

“I know, I know. But I really need to talk to ya’.”

“And this couldn’t have possibly waited until mornin’?” she demanded angrily.

There was a moment of silence.

“No.”

“Ugh. Fine. Just gimme’ a minute.”

Applejack slammed her window shut and trotted out her bedroom door. She quietly eased her way downstairs, trying to avoid waking anypony else in her house. She finally stepped outside and began looking for Ficksitup. He was sitting at the end of the barn, waiting for her to come find him. As she let the door clatter shut, he looked up and smiled as she trotted towards him.

Ficksitup was about to say something, but before he could, the moon appeared from behind the night clouds, shedding a pale ray of light on the acres. In the light, he noticed that Applejack wasn’t wearing the ribbon in her mane again. It caught him completely off guard as he was forced to stutter with his words.

“‘Jack I uh... um... wow.” he finally managed to utter.

“What do you want, Ficks?” she asked, impatiently. “I’m really tired right now.”

“Oh right, well I uh... just wanted to... say hi.” Ficksitup said, giving her a stupid grin. Meanwhile in his head, all he could think was Stupid... stupid, stupid idiot...

“That’s it?”

Ficksitup continued to smile awkwardly at her, too busy racking his brain in attempt to find the right words he needed. I can’t believe this! He thought, I just went over this hours ago! What the heck am I doin’? Applejack continued to give him an unimpressed look as she impatiently waited for him to give a better explanation for his reason for showing up unannounced late a night. When it didn’t come, she just shook her head and turned around.

“I don’t know what’s gotten’ into ya Ficks but I’m goin’ back to bed. I suggest ya do the same.” she said as she started walking back towards the front door.

Ficksitup started to panic. It was turning into a repeat of what had happened that day in the rain. She was walking away and he couldn’t even muster the strength to call out to her. Applejack was only a few feet away from the door. His muscles began to tense up and he shut his eyes in frustration. His entire body was fighting against him as he struggled to open his mouth. She reached the door and began pulling it open. Ficksitup thought his head was going to burst from the tension. Please. Say something. She stopped, standing just outside the doorway, practically giving him one last chance. Ficksitup finally opened his mouth, but all that came out was a low, guttural croak. With that, Applejack opened the door all the way and disappeared into the house.

No. Not this time...

“Wait!” Ficksitup cried out, a little louder than he expected. The door opened up and Applejack peered outside in his direction.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m sorry.”

“What?” she repeated, confusion present in her voice this time.

“I said I’m sorry, Jack”

She stepped outside again and approached him so she could hear him clearly.

“What’re ya sorry about?”

“I’m sorry I lied to ya.” Ficksitup confessed, “I’m sorry I told ya I was goin’ to Twilight’s and then ran off with Rarity. I never meant to make ya worry about me.”

“Ficks I-”

“Wait please, let me finish.” he continued, “I know I was an idiot for sayin’ all those things to ya without even considerin’ yer own feelins’.”

“Ficks’ slow down please, I can barely understand what’cher talkin’ about.” Applejack begged.

“It’s my fault I didn’t ask you this sooner but I-”

“Ficks!” she shouted, trying to make him stop.

“Applejack, will ya please go out with me!” Ficksitup shouted at the top of his lungs. His voice practically echoed through the entire acres.

Applejack stopped and stood there, completely shocked by what she just heard. She was so surprised that she almost didn’t believe it.

“W-What?” She stuttered, still taken aback by his question.

“I messed up, ‘Jack. So, I wanna’ make it up to ya’...”

Applejack’s ears perked up, indicating that she was listening. He was relaxed now, and felt as though he could be completely straightforward with his intentions. He took a step closer to Applejack, who showed no resistance to the gesture.

“I wanna’ take you out on a date, ‘Jack.” Ficksitup said, Applejack’s eyes lit up in surprise at the proposal. “The Fall Harvest Festival is in a couple’a days, and I want to take you there.” Ficks said, his tone becoming slightly softer as he continued.

Applejack stared at him in both surprise and disbelief.

“You... You really wanna’ take me out on a date, Ficks?”

“Yeah. It’s nothin’ fancy, nothin’ too complex... Just you and me at the festival” Ficks said, inching slightly closer once more. “Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“Why me?” Applejack said, tilting her head.

Ficksitup’s brow furrowed, his thoughts became confused. ‘Why me?’ she asked. Ficksitup reached out, and took Applejack’s hoof into his own. She watched his movement, but let it happen.

“’Cause. I... I think there’s somethin’ here ‘Jack, and I wanna’ show ya that I really mean it.” Ficks said in a rather frank tone. “Things have just been so outta’ whack lately that I haven’t really had the chance.”

Things had been different...

Ever since Ficksitup had come back, Applejack hadn’t been feeling quite the same. At first, he had been nothing more than just an old friend coming back home after ten years, but now there was something different. It was something she felt in her own heart that she could no longer deny. Ficksitup implying that he thought there might be something, made that feeling even stronger. Part of her didn’t want to believe it, but the more she looked at him, the more his grey eyes peered right back into hers, the more sincere his apology seemed to her and the more that feeling grew. Nopony had ever looked at her quite like that, even less, had the courage to ask her out. In reality, she could feel herself struggling to prevent herself from bursting out with irresistible joy. Her heart was fluttering uncontrollably. It was exactly what she had been waiting to hear.

“Sugarcube...”

His ears pricked up in excitement when he heard her utter that word. She said it...

She leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Ficksitup’s heart leapt out of his chest. He knew that it wasn’t as electrifying as the one she had given him that night at the party, but it had an even more satisfying quality than the last. To him it meant that he’d finally done something right.

“Apology accepted.” Applejack whispered, giving him a faint smile.

“You mean...?”

“It’s a date, Sugarcube. I’ll go with you.” She said warmly.

“That’s great!” Ficksitup uttered, excitedly, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He started shaking her hoof uncontrollably. He was so happy that he couldn’t find any other way to express it. There was one other way that he wanted to however...

He leaned in to attempt to return the kiss with his own. Applejack chuckled and put a hoof to his mouth, stopping him a few inches from her face.

“Easy there, Sugarcube. Save it fer the festival.”

Ficksitup looked at the hoof on his mouth, looked back at Applejack and smiled softly, taking her hoof into his own once more, and lowering it.

“Alright.” He said softly, still staring into her eyes.

There was a moment of silence, as would happen every now and then between the two. Ficksitup kept a hold of her hoof, and guided her back to the front door of her home. Finally letting go, he opened the door for her, and he stepped aside.

“Ficks?” Applejack said, turning around one last time.

“Yeah?”

“Goodnight.” She said with a warm smile.

“Goodnight, Applejack.”

With that, Applejack closed the door, and Ficksitup started home. As he walked back, his step became lighter, and more energetic. His heart started racing, and a wide smile grew on his face. He could hardly contain his joy, and began to chuckle with glee.

For the first time he finally had a date.

And he was going to make sure that it was one night that neither of them would forget.

Chapter 7: Flowers for my Darling

Apples N’ Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 7: Flowers For My Darling

“Rarity, are ya sure about this?” Ficksitup asked as they stood outside the small flower shop in Ponyville’s marketplace.

“Of course darling.” Rarity proclaimed, “Did you really think you were done after just asking her out?”

“Uh, well... no, but I thought that was the hard part. Wasn’t it?” He asked, perking his ears with sudden optimism.

She gave him a dissatisfied look. “You’ve never been on a date before, have you?”

“No.” he admitted pathetically, his hoof slowly pawing at the ground like an unsure colt may when first presented with such a question. Truth be told, in matters such as this, he almost felt like one.

“Yes well, unfortunately that can’t be helped.” Rarity continued, “However, the least I can do is help you out, since it is your first date.”

“Gee, thanks.” Ficksitup replied sarcastically, ears finally dropping from their extended springboard of hope back to reality.

“Oh don’t be such a little pessimist.” Rarity said, rubbing one of his cheeks with a hoof, “You should be more excited.”

“I am, I am.” he answered, “But I ain’t so sure this is the best idea.” He stared at the flower shop once more with slight opposition.

Rarity tossed a hoof over her face and shook her head. “I already told you, darling, you need to pick out some flowers for Applejack.”

“Do I really have to?”

“Yes!” she snapped, “Since you didn’t want to get her a gift and you absolutely refused to sing for her...” She shot an accusing look at him. “This is the least you can do.”

Ficksitup reeled back at her sudden outburst and glared back. “Well first of all, there is no way in heck that I would sing, ever. And second, what’s so special about flowers?”

“Ficksitup darling, it doesn’t matter who it is, any girl appreciates getting flowers from somepony that likes them. Applejack included.”

“Even if she would like flowers, I don’t see why she’d want somepony like me to give ‘em to her.”

“Ficksitup please, why are you being so difficult about this?” Rarity asked, giving him a concerned look.

He was silent for a moment. It wasn’t needing the flowers that bothered him. He had simply avoided all flower shops for the last ten years. The last shop he had been in had been his mother’s all those years ago. She had picked a spot directly in the middle of Manehattan where her flowers could be seen and sold to both natives and visitors to the bustling metropolis. She always enjoyed finding that perfect bouquet for any and every situation. From the unlucky bachelor at the last minute on Hearts and Hooves day, to a dash of color for a sick relative, and of course the most amazing bridal bouquets, were her stock and trade and she loved every moment of it.

Thinking of her brought back painful memories he tried so hard to keep repressed, but the beautiful flowers glistening in the window made that next to impossible. It was an odd mixture of guilt and remorse, as though entering any shop but hers would be a betrayal of her memory.

Of course, he wasn’t going to tell Rarity that.

“I just don’t like flower shops.” Ficksitup replied cooly. “It’s all the pollen, makes me sneeze.”

She glared at him through narrowed eyes. There was something he wasn’t telling her, but she knew pestering would get her nowhere. She wondered if a stallion’s thick headedness when it came to matters of the heart was born of a misplaced sense of personal pride or if they all had the emotional maturity of foals. She decided to give Ficksitup the benefit of the doubt and assume it was pride, or at the least, cold hooves. She finally decided on the gentle approach. “Ficks,” she said sweetly, laying a reassuring hoof on his shoulders, “Please dear. Just remember you’re doing this for Applejack.”

He finally nodded in agreement, “Alright.” he answered.

“Excellent.” She chirped, “Now let’s hurry up and get in there, you only have a few hours.”

She started pushing him through the door, Ficksitup didn’t resist but he kept looking back at her with confusion as she shoved him into the shop.

“Rarity please, ya’ don’t have to be so forceful.”

“Well it’s not my fault that somepony decided to wait for the day of the festival to take care of this.”

““It snuck up on me!” he stammered, trying to make an excuse.

“Ugh why do you stallions insist on never being aware of the time? And how could the day ‘sneak’ up on you? Are you really trying to tell me that you forgot about your own date?” she demanded.

“Well I-”

“Oh no, I won’t hear anymore of your excuses, mister. You’re going to pick out a nice bouquet of flowers and then you’re going to go give them to her right after this.”

He decided to keep his arguments to himself, and followed her inside with a smile.

They began to wander the store down aisle after aisle of fresh, brightly colored blooms, the crisp smell of the freshly blossomed buds nearly hypnotic. Ficksitup relished in the memories. He had loved to play in his mother’s shop, absorbing the colors and the smells, playing hide and seek in the huge pots stored in the greenhouse. It had felt safe, a peaceful center in the wild world around him.

It hurt to remember, but the memories made him smile all the same.

“What about these, Ficks?” Rarity asked.

Ficksitup shook his head, returning to the present, and looked back at Rarity, “I’m sorry, what?”

“Ugh, darling would you please stop daydreaming and help me pick something out?”

“Okay, okay I’m lookin’.”

“Now here, look at these.” Rarity suggested as she held up a large bouquet of bright red roses.

Ficksitup stared at them, rather unimpressed, “Seems a bit over the top, don’t ya think?”

“Perhaps, dear, but roses represent passionate love and I would say you two fit the bill for that” she said with a grin.

“It just feels weird, I mean do you really think Applejack would care about all that mushy stuff?”

“Okay... fine. Let’s look at something else.” she suggested, trying not to break her smile. They walked a little further into the shop and investigated a row of tulips that sat on a shelf by themselves. They varied in color from pink to yellow. Rarity quickly selected a small bunch of red tulips. “Here. These will do just as nicely.” she said, handing them to Ficksitup, “Not as over the top as roses but they still represent a declaration of love. They’re perfect.”

“I don’t know...” Ficksitup added, staring at the flowers. “I’m not even sure if ‘Jack would like the color red. Don’t ya thi-”

Rarity couldn’t take it anymore, she stamped her hoof on the ground and started glaring at him. “Of course she likes the color red!” she snapped, “What do you think Applejack and her family spend all day harvesting?”

“Um, apples?” he assumed.

“Red apples, you imbecile!”

Ficksitup thought about it for a split second and then smiled stupidly, “Oh yeah, yer right.”

Rarity smashed her head on the nearby table and let out a long sigh of aggravation, “Ficksitup, why are you such an idiot sometimes?” she mumbled.

“Sorry Rarity, I’m just not used to this thing. After all, I’ve never even gotten a girl flowers.” he apologized.

“I know dear, and I’m sorry for yelling and calling you an idiot. It’s just frustrating.”

“What’s frustrating?” Ficksitup asked, concerned, “Me bein’ an idiot?”

“No, it’s not that.” Rarity quickly answered, “It’s just... I want you and Applejack to be happy together and I don’t want you to mess it up- not saying that you would, but I’m stressing myself out trying to help you with this.”

Ficksitup gave her a faint smile, “I know you agreed to help me with this, Rarity, but ya don’t have to if it’s too much trouble.”

“No it’s okay, dear. I want to help you with this.” she confirmed, “Just please, try to be a bit more flexible with these kind of things and I’ll do my best to be a bit more patient.”

“Alright, deal.”

They looked back at the red tulips and then back to each other. “So what do you think? Should we get these ones?” she asked.

“Hmmm, I still think we should get a different color.” Ficksitup said.

Rarity did her best to restrain herself from pulverizing him. “JUST PICK ONE!” she snapped.
Several of the other customers in the store began to look in their direction to see what all the commotion was. In a panic, Ficksitup quickly grabbed the nearest bouquet without looking.

“Okay here, these ones.”

Rarity inspected the flowers he picked out. Her eyes suddenly grew wide with surprise. “Wow, that’s actually a good choice.” she said, impressed.

Ficksitup stared down at the flowers to see what he had even selected. In his hooves, was a small bouquet of bright yellow tulips. Tied around the stems was a small white bow and a blank square tag for writing the name of the individual who was receiving them.

“Ya think so?” he asked.

“Oh yes, giving somepony yellow tulips means you’re hopelessly in love with them. I think that describes you spot on.” she said, smiling again.

“Yeah I guess it does.” Ficksitup admitted, chuckling a bit. He paused and then tilted his head in curiosity. “You seem to know an awful lot about flowers and their meanin’, Rarity. What’s up with that?”

“Oh, well let’s just say I’ve received plenty of flowers in my days.” she said pridefully.

“From other stallions?” Ficksitup guessed.

“Of course. After all, how can anypony resist a fine beauty such as me?” Rarity said, waving her mane back and forth and fluttering her eyelashes.

“That attitude usually does the trick...” Ficksitup muttered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Oh nothin’.” Ficksitup said, his eyes darting from side to side, “I just said I’m surprised that ya aren’t datin’ anypony yet.”

The comment made Rarity break her smile as she stared at the ground. “Well as I’m sure I’ve told you before Ficks, I’ve yet to meet somepony that’s worth dating.”

“Ya mean somepony who shares yer same interests or is just as fashionably savvy?”

“Good heavens no, nothing as shallow as that.” Rarity quickly corrected him. “What I mean is that I haven’t met anypony who has been sincere about their feelings with me.”

“Really? Not a single stallion you’ve met has actually been interested in ya?” Fickstiup asked with doubt.

“They’re interested in me.” she paused, “Just not for the reasons that I want them to be.”

“That sounds unlikely.”

“It’s true. The only time they ask me out or proclaim they’re feelings for me is strictly for my looks. And if they do share a taste in fashion like me, it’s strictly business. I just can’t seem to get both.”

“Rarity...”

“Even if they did take the time to get to know me, I doubt they’d want to be with me.” Rarity sighed, “They’d probably think I’m just another inconsiderate, gem loving, fancy girl with only a taste for high class stallions.”

“Now I know that ain’t true.” Ficksitup finally interrupted, which made Rarity look up in surprise. “Sure ya’ like all that fancy stuff, but I can personally say that yer one of the more generous mares that I’ve met in my days.”

“Ficksitup I-”

“After all, ya took me to that day spa, even if it was torture for me, it was still somethin’ that ya did outta’ the kindness of yer heart. And yer helpin’ me out now by givin’ me advice on how to confess to Applejack. If that ain’t generosity, then I don’t know what is.”

Rarity smiled and put a hoof on his shoulder. “Thank you Ficksitup, dear. That means a lot to hear somepony say that.”

“No problem, I’m certain yer gonna’ find somepony that likes ya for who ya are.”

“Yes, you’re right, darling. No sense in worrying about it now.” she admitted, “Now then, let’s go ahead and get these flowers purchased.” Ficksitup nodded his head in agreement and began making his way to the clerk’s counter near the front of the shop. As he walked away, the smile disappeared from Rarity’s face. She quickly muttered to herself, “Ficksitup, you jerk.”

As Ficksitup made his way to the counter, he passed by a small clay pot filled with small white flowers. The branches they rested on seemed to seep right off the edges of the pot, like they were trying to grow their way out. He stopped and inspected the flowers with almost hypnotic fascination. Once he got a whiff of the distinct scent that they gave off, he knew exactly what they were. Jasmines. Rarity finally caught up and noticed what he was staring at.

“Jasmines?” she asked curiously, “What’s got you so interested in them?”

Ficksitup continued to stare at them, refusing to look away. “They were my mother’s favorite.” he finally answered. “After all, she was named after them.”

Rarity did a double take. “Your mother’s name is Jasmine?”

“...Was.” he answered, “She used to own a flower shop kinda’ like this. She even had a whole wall covered with these ‘cause she liked ‘em so much.” He gestured at the white flowers again.

Rarity paused for a moment, afraid to ask the question that she had a feeling she already knew the answer to. “You mean she’s...?”

“Yeah.” Ficksitup answered.

“Was that why you didn’t want to come here?

He merely nodded his head in response.

“Ficksitup I’m so sorry, if I’d known that, I wouldn’t have made you go.” she said with guilt.

“It’s okay.” Ficksitup replied, “I suppose it’s time I moved on anyway. She would have wanted that.”

“I suppose so, but this must still be hard for you.”

“Nothin’s ever been easy for me, Rarity. But ever since I’ve gotten back to Ponyville, a lot of good things have happened. I think she’d be happy to know I’m doin’ just fine now.”

“I suppose you’re right, dear...”

Ficksitup smiled at her and gently placed the small pot of jasmines in his saddlebag. “I think I’ll pick these up too. Just... a lil’ something to remember her by.”

“I think that’s a very nice idea, Ficks.” Rarity added.
They walked to the front of the store and placed the flowers on the counter. Ficksitup paid for them, wished the cashier a pleasant day, and left the store, a small bell ringing as the door closed behind them.

Outside, Rarity began prancing around with giddy excitement.

“Oh these are just absolutely wonderful, darling. Applejack is simply going to love them.” she chirped, smelling the tulips in his bag.

“Ya think so?” Ficksitup asked.

“I know so.”

“Right. Well then all I need to do is go give ‘em to he-”

“Oh no, not quite yet.” Rarity interrupted.

“Why not?” Ficksitup asked, confused. “I thought ya’ said I needed to give ‘em to her right after this?”

“Well, yes I did say that. But then I remembered you still need to get ready, I hate to admit it, but you’re quite a mess right now.” Rarity said, eying him head to hoof.

Ficksitup gave her a solemn look. “I suppose.” he admitted.

“Also...” Rarity added, a grin appearing on her face, “As it turns out, Applejack has asked me to come over today and help her get ready.”

“She what?” Ficksitup asked, now flabbergasted.

“Oh yes.” Rarity said, still grinning. “It looks like she wants to look her best for you tonight and she’s asked me to help her achieve that.”

A wave of images started swarming through Ficksitup’s head as he tried to imagine what Applejack might look like after Rarity was done with her. Whether he wanted to or not, he couldn’t deny that Rarity was certainly no amateur when it came to making herself look presentable. Since he already admired how Applejack looked without any other sort of touch ups or clothing, he couldn’t even fathom how he’d react after this. He began blushing as his imagination started running wild.

“Don’t you worry, dear.” Rarity continued, “I’ll make sure it’s nothing over the top. I know there are some things that even Applejack won’t agree to, but I guarantee, when you see her tonight...” she paused, “You’ll drop dead.”

“Oh uh okay.” Ficksitup stuttered, still flustering red.

“Now go on, hurry up and get ready. I trust you know how to make yourself look decent. You can show up at her house in an hour.” She began shooing him away, “This will take awhile.”

“Right, I’m goin’.” Ficksitup obliged. He started walking away as he turned his head. “And Rarity...”

“Yes, darling?”

“Thanks again, for all of this.” he said, extending a hoof.

She looked at it with disappointment and then back up to him. She then smiled and ignored it as she threw her arms around him to give him a hug. Ficksitup nearly jumped in surprise at the sheer unexpectedness of her action.

“Anytime, dear. Just don’t mess this up, okay?” She said, giving him a wink.

Ficksitup smiled back at her and nodded his head excitedly, “I won’t.”

He waved goodbye to her and started hurried back to his uncle’s shop. As he disappeared around the corner of the marketplace, Rarity’s smile vanished. As she slowly made her way towards Sweet Apple Acres, she sighed glumly to herself.

“Why are all the good stallions taken these days?”

***

The bell on the door chimed as Ficksitup walked into the shop, already hearing his uncle shout from above that he would be down in a moment. Not wanting to get him involved, Ficksitup attempted to quietly trot up the stairs to his room, only to be stopped by his little brother just before hitting the attic floor.

“Hey!” Nuttanbolt said, jumping out of his room with a smile, startling his older brother, causing him to jolt. The ferret could be seen squirming out of the room behind him, inspecting the hallway vigorously with its nose before taking a left turn away from the two ponies.

“Hey, are those flowers?” Nuttanbolt asked, a cheeky, knowing grin appearing on his face. He may have been young, but he wasn’t born yesterday. Ficksitup could see his brother’s cheshire grin spreading and both knew the cause.

“Don’t.” He responded pleadingly, knowing internally that his offering was kindle to his brother’s fire.

The grin only grew wider, as did his eyes.

“Don’t do it..!” Ficksitup said, raising a hoof to stop him, though he guessed at this stage the only thing that could have stopped his brother was Celestia herself.

The shout seemed to pierce the very fabric of time.

“Hey Uncle Hammerplaaaaaaank!”

Ficksitup’s eyes widened as he heard a heavy trot up the stairwell

“What the hay is it Nut, I’ve got a cus- ...Are those flowers..?” He asked, an eyebrow raised, with a devious grin growing on his face.

Ficksitup stammered, looking back at his little brother and uncle in a shifty manner, both still grinning at him. He slapped a hoof to his face and sighed in defeat. He knew that they knew what was going on. To make it worse, he knew what was about to be said, how it was going to be said, and how he was going to respond. No fate could be worse than knowing full well what was about to happen and having no power to stop it from taking place.

“So...” Hammerplank started, walking up to Ficksitup, and around to see the object which he was hiding. “Who are these for, eh?”

Ficksitup rolled his eyes, refusing to respond.

“Are they for your maaaaaarreeefriiieeend?” Nuttanbolt chimed in, teasing his older brother.

“Which of your marefriends is it, boy?” Hammerplank asked with a distinct mixture of mischievousness and vigor that seemed to set Ficksitup askew.

“They’re for Applejack, you old crone. Applejack.” Fickitup replied swiftly to that rather disturbing train of thought, allowing no more of this multiple marefriend talk to interfere with the advancement of this event.

Hammerplank and Nuttanbolt, perhaps expecting more resistance from the repair pony, exchanged a shared look of amusement and a tiny pinch of shock. They both turned to Ficksitup.

“Well now, at least you’re not being all sneaky about it like all them other times.” Hammerplank said with a smile, nodding his head as if tipping an imaginary hat. Ficksitup had no chance to respond quickly.

“Ahh, fiddlesticks! Where’d Oddball scurry off too now?” Nut asked in desperation, his ears picking up the faint scurry of the rodent as it explored the surroundings. He trotted off in a bid to find the creature before it did any more damage than it had done the last time it had escaped- Nut didn’t know if his allowance would ever be able to pay for Diamond Tiara’s, well, Tiara.

“Now that leaves you and me.” Hammerplank said in a rather frank manner. “So, what’s the full story kid?” He asked.

‘Where to begin...’ Ficksitup thought. “Well... I went out to The Acres last ni-”

“In the middle’a the night? Oh, you dog, you..! Keep goin’, I’m listenin’.” Hammerplank said, nudging Ficksitup with his elbow.

Ficksitup sighed and smirked at his uncle’s remark. “Yes, in the middle of the night... Called her down, asked her out on a date...”

“Aaaand? That’s it? Just a date? You could have done that in the middle of the day, you fool! There she was all in her night-dress and in bed and you-” Hammerplank asked with his curiosity rising faster and faster along with his blush before Ficksitup glided past him, blowing past him with his eyes closed.

“She said yes, so yeah, it’s a date.” Ficksitup replied calmly, his voice even and yet infected with some small sense of whimsy. He was more than a little overwhelmed by his uncle’s infatuation with every fine mare he saw and seeming obsession with the younger ones. Especially when it was Applejack that was the apple of his eye, as blatant and painful a metaphor as that was. Despite this affront to his personal sensibilities, he found it rather easy now to deflect his uncle’s vapid, inane ramblings, as if such words were so sticky with lunacy that they were dispatched with almost no concern heeded. He turned back to his uncle, his face set hard and his eyes betraying some inner softness.

Hammerplank saw his nephew, heard his nephew, but did not see his nephew. This was the type of sincere combination of tone and body language that he hadn’t been witness to in many years. Hammerplank’s eyes grew soft as well as they met Ficksitup, the inner warmth behind them in some ways both infectious and mesmerizing. Hammerplank smiled.

“I always did think you looked like your daddy when you really tried.” Hammerplank replied with a chortle, approaching his charge rather gaily.

“Wait, what?” Ficksitup replied as his ears went smoothly down his head.

“Always wondered when you two would finally take the time to get your flanks together.” Hammerplank replied, allowing that line of discussion to die off for a little while.

“Well, yeah... I guess it took long enough.” Ficksitup said in a rather pitiful tone, a weak laugh dying on his lips.

Hammerplank raised an eyebrow of genuine concern at Ficksitup. “What they hay was that, Ficks?” Hammerplank asked. Ficksitup looked back and merely shrugged, as if trying to eject that burrowing question from his core.

“C’mere.” Hammerplank said, putting his hoof on Ficksitup back and leading him along. An awkward few seconds followed, as Ficksitup was not used to his uncle leading him along in a manner that did not include the shattering of the house’s silence.

“Where ya taking your marefriend to for this date?” Hammerplank asked

“Takin’ her to the festival.” Ficksitup replied, noting now that he had rarely heard of a first date at a festival for anyone other than little colts and fillies. Then again, those romance stories always sounded nine-tenths foolish and full of lies.

“Yeh, a farm pony like her just migh’ like that. They like gettin’ all down and dirty.” Hammerplank replied with his characteristic smirk. Ficksitup rolled his eyes at his uncle’s off kilter comment.

“Just stop with your comments already, Plank.” Ficksitup replied with a tinge more playfulness than he had intended. Then again, he hadn’t expected his uncle to be this...unusually upbeat about this.

“Now you know I can’t do that, Ficks. Don’t try to change what can’t be changed. Now, have you thought ‘bout how much this is gonna cost?” Hammerplank asked, assuming that his nephew wasn’t daft. The expression of sudden awareness on his nephew’s face was more than a little disappointing.

“Uh, wait.. I...” Ficksitup uttered, only now thinking about needing finances for the date. It hadn’t even remotely crossed his mind yet. Hammerplank looked at Ficksitup and groaned at the oft airheadedness of his nephew.

“Ugh, c’mere Ficks.” Hammerplank said, guiding him back down to his room. Upon reaching it, Hammerplank moved ahead of Ficksitup, and gestured to follow him into his room, divided from the walk in office. Despite being here a decent time, Ficksiup hadn’t exactly ever ventured into Hammerplank’s room. He was surprised to see that it was decently well kept, desk sitting by a window, adorned by various office supplies. The real eye catchers however, were picutres on the wall. One or two pieces of art, and more than one picture of family. This room truly was alien to Ficksitup, plenty of these things he hadn’t ever seen before.

“Your room is... nice..?” Ficksitup said, still taken aback by this fact. His uncle always struck him as the type to never take the time to tidy anything else up. The rest of the house usually had a spare tool or two laying around it, and the basement, which most work was done, was often a total travesty that his uncle described as, “Organized Chaos”, which eluded Ficksitup. The room made his done-up attic seem ramshackle, and makeshift in comparison. Hammerplank had walked to a side of the room where a safe had adorned the wall, the contents of which, were not Ficksitup’s business. One image on the wall stood out to him; a picture of his family during a meetup in Manehattan many years back. The image of Addemup with a smile he couldn’t remember, his mother who was twice as ecstatic in the image, and a very young version of himself brought a warm smile to his face. “Huh...” Escaped Ficksitup’s mouth, simply taken aback.

“What?” Hammerplank asked, looking back.

“Didn’t know you kept these around.” Ficksitup said, still bewildered by this.

“He may have skipped town, but he was still family.” Hammerplank said in a rather frank manner.

“Wait. Skipped town?” Ficksitup asked with a sudden spike in curiosity.

“Yeah, yer dad was from here,” Hammerplank said, looking back once more at his nephew. “...You knew that, right?”

Ficksitup simply stared back at his uncle, dumbfounded. “...No.”

“Huh. He really din’t talk about home did now did he..?” Hammerplank stated as he moved from his safe, slamming it shut, to the wardrobe, some irritation with that fact present in his voice. Ficksitup moved from the wall as his eyes wandered to Hammerplank’s nightstand, adorned by a candlestick, and an image of which had glass had refracted the light in such a manner that he couldn’t see it clearly. Upon approaching it, and blocking the light from the steadily lowering sun, he was able to make out what looked to be a young Hammerplank, with a rather fetching... ‘Pegasus...’ Ficksitup thought.

“Hey Plank... Who’s this?” Ficksitup said, inching closer. Hammerplank’s head whipped around, “Hey, don’t touch that!” He snapped, whirling on Ficksitup. Ficksitup backed away from the photo, knowing his uncle meant business. Hammerplank sighed, and looked at the image past Ficksitup.

“...Someone I used to know. Now, c’mere, I got somethin’ picked out fer’ya.” Hammerplank said, walking back to the wardrobe. Ficksitup looked back at the picture with curiosity, and walked to Hammerplank.

“Wait, picked out? Hammerplank, it’s just a festival, I don’t need to wear an-”

“You kiddin’ me kid?” Hammerplank said, givjng his nephew a very serious look. “Doesn’t matter where yer’ goin’, this is your first date.” Hammerplank said, poking Ficksitup in the chest with a hoof as he said First Date. “Don’t’cha wanna’ look good for her? I can bet’cha a million bits that she’s gettin at least a little done up for you. Ya’ don’t wanna’ disappoint her, right?” Hammerplank stated in a rather frank, and concerned tone.

“...Nah, I guess you’re right Plank.” Ficksitup said, considering the fact that Rarity said she was gonna’ help Applejack look nice for him. Hammerplank hoofed him a decently dressy white, collared shirt.

“Now go get cleaned up, and put that on when yer’ done. Don’t take too long, either. I’ll give you a little spendin’ money on the way out alright?” Hammerplank said, leading Ficksitup out of his room.

“...Yeah, alright.” Ficksitup said with an earnest expression of gratitude. He glanced at the clock. For whatever reason, Ficksitup felt the need to be hasty about this. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, ‘Plank..!” Ficksitup said, leaving the room. Hammerplank walked back into his room, sat on his bed and looked at the picture that caught Ficksitup’s curiosity, and sighed.

It would have been the perfect way to have ended the afternoon, but Hammerplank was not afforded this luxury. What started as a low groan turned to a rumble and then a storm as Nut, tracking Oddball throughout the building, drew closer and closer to the room. Oddball squirmed its way into the room and then along the wall while Nut leaped in with a smile, like a cat chasing a mouse.

“Nuttanbolt, wha-” Hammerplank began, head perking up as he attempted to track the rodent.

“I almost got him! I almost got him!” Nuttanbolt replied with the purest excitement, seeing Oddball’s tail peak out from behind a desk. There would be no hiding from Nuttanbolt, seeker of ferrets.
As Ficksitup made his way to get ready, the last sounds he could pick up unrelated to his personal mission were those of a struggle, an uneven one, between a stallion, a colt, and a rather cheeky rodent. He was glad that he would be dealing with an entirely different type of struggle.

***
“There, all finished.” Rarity chirped as she put down the mascara wand.

“Rarity are ya sure about this?” Applejack asked, her eyelashes now batting with irritation. “This doesn’t feel right at all.”

“Darling please, don’t rub your eyes, it’ll only make it worse.” she insisted, “And yes. I’m positive. You’ll look irresistible.”

Applejack merely frowned at her and grabbed a nearby towel as she began wiping her face vigorously. “Forget it. I ain’t wearin’ this stuff, it’s drivin’ my eyes crazy.”
“No, Applejack wait. Don’t-” Rarity pleaded in vain as she put her hoof down, unable to stop her friend from undoing over twenty minutes of effort put into applying all that makeup to begin with. She would have to admit defeat, as bitter a pill as that was to swallow.

It hadn’t been due to lack of effort, mind. Not that anypony would ever accuse her of such a thing when fashion was the topic, but she would never do less than the best for a friend. It wasn’t even being generous; it was just being a good friend.

But even the best intentions couldn’t override the sheer wall of resistance put up by Applejack.
Rarity was having flashbacks to the several times she had attempted to dress Applejack. Each time had been what felt like a fight to the death. Only this time, Applejack was absolutely unwilling to budge on most things. Rarity had spent a shocking amount of time simply finding a color she’d agree to wear, let alone attempting to find a fashion suitable for the occasion, Applejack’s desires, and Rarity’s sensibilities. Despite being reminded of those times, and expecting resistance, Applejack had been uncharacteristically stubborn today, refusing to bend to Rarity’s will even the slightest at times. Rarity wondered if it was the same with all Apple mares or if Applejack was a unique case. She silently hoped it was a unique case, Celestia save their stallions if it was not.

Still, she could count on a small number of hard-earned victories in this fashion battle. If it was up to Applejack, she probably would have went out in nothing special to mark this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Be that as it may, Rarity would have none of that. This was undoubtedly, even if it was something as breezy as a festival, a special occasion. No matter how stubborn Applejack had been or intended to be, Rarity would do her best to make her look presentable for Ficksitup.

And she knew that she had most certainly done so.

Applejack was undoubtedly a work pony. While she never had the smell nor sight of a common ruffian or ill-kept mare, straight from work it was possible to see signs of her struggle with nature. A smidgen of dirt on her legs, mane caked from sweat and mud, beads of both still dripping from her coat, her legs twitching in reflexive motion after a day of bucking and hauling.

Today however, in no small part due to her own additions, Applejack looked more than presentable. She had removed the ribbons that often held her mane in place, which Rarity knew full well Ficksitup was fond of, if her loose mane at the party some time back was any indicator. While attempting to select something for Applejack, which would be far easier in her absence, Rarity had told her to get cleaned up. Upon returning, she was surprised at how much better she looked.

When not caked with sweat, mud, and indifference, her mane was simply beautiful as was her healthy coat. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that many a stallion harbored impure thoughts about her that had her in just such a condition. Though still hesitant to have put it on in the first place, Applejack’s orange coat and blond mane contrasted rather well with her somewhat loosely worn red plaid shirt, which was the nicest looking thing they could settle on.

“Applejack, Darling, you really should dress like this more often. It’s quite flattering!” Rarity said, gushing over Applejack’s appearance in an attempt to make her more comfortable with her new look.

“It ain’t so bad... But do we really ha-”

“YES. Yes, I- we absolutely have to! This is your first date, Applejack, consider whom you’re doing this for in the first place?”

“Well I-”

“Don’t you want to look nice, and presentable for him? I mean that is what you called me here for in the first place. No point in fighting it now. Besides, you look fantastic dear.”

“You really think he’ll like this?” Applejack asked in an uncharacteristically coy manner.

“Applejack, he can’t take his eyes off of you when you’re not dressed for an occasion, of course he’ll like it.” Rarity said, rolling her eyes.

Applejack blushed at the notion that Ficksitup couldn’t stop looking her way. “He really can’t..?”

Rarity let out an exasperated sigh as she threw a hoof over her face; a trademark of hers. “Applejack, what is the matter with you lately? Just look at you! You’re more nervous than Fluttershy on a runway! What has gotten into you?” She asked,

Applejack looked down and around, her eyes squinting and moving as if trying to see that which could not be seen. She shook her head.

“Just first date jitters, I s’pose. Hey, how’s Sweetie Belle doin’? She was s’posed to come over last night for a slumber party with Applebloom, but she never came!” Applejack asked earnestly, both wondering what could possess her body to feel such a shiver and why one-third of the Cutie Mark Crusaders hadn’t been doing much crusadin’.

Rarity raised an unimpressed eyebrow, as though to say, ‘I know what you’re doing.’ without actually saying it.

“Uh... So you um, how about those snappy dresses you make, huh? Any new ones?” Applejack said, again in a pitiful attempt to divert from herself, which Rarity still wasn’t buying. She crossed her legs, displaying that she wasn’t willing to move on until Applejack displayed her virtue most nobly and fessed up to whatever it was she was hiding. However, crossing her legs wasn’t necessarily the greatest tactic when she had to make minute adjustments, seeing as her horn was busy combing and refining Applejack’s frolicking mane.

“C’mon Rarity, I’m nervous here. Cut me some slack, wil ya?” The stubborn farm pony cracked meekly for a moment, and Rarity let out a rather amused sigh of defeat. She drew in close to make a minute adjustment on her shirt, a smirk on her face.

“My dresses are coming along perfectly, darling. You wouldn’t believe how well I’m doing in Hoofington, of all places. I never thought I’d get even one of those port-town dwellers to take a glance at one of my fine dresses. It turns out that even ponies who smell like fish all day still want to look absolutely fabulous!” She finished excitedly, momentarily dropping the engagement with Applejack to partake in one of her favorite hobbies, the discussion of just how well she truly was doing. It wasn’t being conceited if one was asked.

“Hoofington? Seems a mighty odd place for your business to be doing so good- no offense intended.” Applejack replied, Rarity’s comb working through her mane, brushing her out of some compulsive habit.

“Yes, it is quite unusual, isn’t it? But what can I say, my sweet Applejack- quality is quality, no matter where you find it. Now if you would be a dear and lower your head just the tiniest bit?” Rarity asked, approaching Applejack’s flank so she could get a better look at the back of the mane.

Applejack didn’t like taking orders from Rarity, especially when it involved her body. This time however she obeyed the command and tilted her head a little low, allowing the comb to work deep inside.

“Ya never did answer me, Rarity.” Applejack said with a grin, deciding to deal with this situation the best way she knew how: Pestering answers out of the fashionista.

“Oh? What about?” Rarity responded absent mindedly, focused in on the knots that still seemed to occur in Applejack’s mane. She shuddered at the thought that Applejack’s mane had become so used to ponytails that they naturally stuck together, clumping in all the wrong areas.

“Sweetie Belle- Oww! Not so rough, Rarity!” Applejack complained as the comb found a particularly tight knot and showed little mercy.

“I do apologize, Applejack. Your mane is so beautiful, but there are just so many knots underneath..! Simply dreadful! As for Sweetie Belle, I don’t quite know. She hasn’t been by as often as she used to and when she is over, she always seems to be practicing her singing, always blushes when I ask her why. One day soon however, my Sweetie Belle is going to get her cutie mark in singing and be a star!” She unabashedly made a small movement in her stance, more than happy to imagine designing beautiful dresses for her famous and talented sister. Whether she was more excited for Sweetie Belle or the opportunity to have a famous singer advertising her wares on a daily basis was open to interpretation.

Finally satisfied with her work, Rarity gestured for Applejack to turn around to finally face the mirror that she had brought along.

“Well?” Rarity said, grinning with prideful anticipation. Applejack’s eyes widened, eyebrows raised as she turned herself to different angles to get a better view, the look of surprise never leaving her face.

“Huh.” She said, still surprised.

“Well, what do you think?” She asked, still waiting on her answer.

“...Yeah, that’s... Good, it works.” Applejack said in a rather frank manner, to which Rarity took no offense. She knew that Applejack was not one to over embellish on things like this, and knew her well enough to know that was a compliment. She seemed more relaxed as well, which Rarity saw as an opening to get to the bottom of her friend’s reasons for acting so nervous.

“Glad you like it darling, but please, if you don’t mind, telling me why you were so tense?” She asked, causing a surprised reaction from Applejack. It crossed her mind to say to defend her ‘tense’ status, but she sighed in defeat, realizing there was no point in fighting Rarity anymore.

“I ain’t lyin’ when I say I’m nervous, Rarity. I’ve never felt this way before, all these butterflies in my stomach, my first date and all that. I feel like I’m not myself, like I’m some other pony, and I don’t know what to say or do.” Applejack’s answer came in a low, almost worried tone. Rarity’s look was one of concern, as rarely had she seen her friend anything less than certain in her mindset.

“Oh, Applejack, that’s perfectly normal. No reason to be so...wound up about it.” Rarity replied, feeling her own words were a little hollow. She was wound up about this as well and she couldn’t quite place her hoof as to why. She couldn’t help but feel as though somehow it was peripherally related to Ficksitup, and it bugged her. She wasn’t entirely sure why she too, was tense, even if it was far less so than Applejack.

“I guess yer’ right Rarity... I just ain’t used to this whole thing. Ya’ think he feels the same way?” She asked with audible concern.

“Positive.” Rarity said with a re assuring smile.

Suddenly, loud thumps were heard from below, causing Applejack to jump a bit as her eyes widened.

“How’s my mane look, is my hat on straight, what about my shirt did I forg-”

“Applejack, darling please! Calm down would you? Now go on, he-”

“He’s heeeeeeree!” A filly’s voice shouted from the stairwell.

Applejack gave Rarity an unsure look, who bobbed her head in the direction of the hallway. “...Thanks Rarity.” Applejack said, sighing and leaving her room. To her surprise, the door still wasn’t opened. Applejack cautiously walked over to the door, and opened it. She was taken aback by what she saw.

Before her stood Ficksitup, but not as he usually looked. He was wearing a rather dressy white collar shirt, with one button loose at the top, and sleeves worn long. He even looked far cleaner than usual. Of course, he still wore the hat that she had given him all those years ago.

“I uh, um...” She stammered, unable to really say anything coherently at the moment. Ficksitup was also looking at her, taking in the details of her uncommonly dressed appearance.

“Hi.” He said in a rather frank manner.

“...Hi.” She replied coyly. “You look really great, Ficks.”

Ficksitup smiled, chuckled and blushed slightly. “Well, you ain’t lookin’ too bad yourself.” His eyes widened however, as a shadow was cast over Applejack. Behind her he saw a red stallion with a look on his face that didn’t exactly scream joy. Then again, what face of his screamed anything?

“Hey there, Big Mac.” Ficksitup said plainly, more than a little nervous as the red stallion continued past Applejack, grabbed Ficksitup, and half-dragged him to the the side of the front door.

Then he was silent, just looking at Ficksitup for a few seconds. He didn’t have to say anything.

“Don’t worry, Big Mac, I’ll make sure she’s safe.” Ficksitup said proudly.

“Eeeyup.”

He still stood there with the same look.

“...And I’ll bring her home on time?”

“Eeeyup.”

Still there, still looking. Ficksitup could feel the heat from the stare burrowing holes in his head.

“And...I won’t do nothin’.”

“Nnnope.” The massive stallion replied matter of factly.

“Or else you’ll take care of me.” Ficksitup added knowingly, gulping.

“Eeeyup.” Big Mac replied, turning his head towards the remains of a tree near the house. Ficksitup could only gaze with horror as it had been bucked in half.

“One leg.” Was all Big Mac said as he trotted back inside of the house, nodding politely at Applejack before retreating further inside.

“Oh, hey ‘Jack... Got’cha some flowers.” Ficksitup said, hoofing her the Bouquet of bright yellow tulips. Applejack’s eyes lit up, and an expression of shock grew on her face as she took them.

“I.... I don’t know what to say... Nopony’s ever gotten me flowers before... Thank you.” She said with an earnest smile. Ficksitup nodded as she walked back into her house. Curious as to why had hadn’t followed, Applejack turned and spoke. “Well come on in, Ficks.” Applejack said, gesturing for him to follow. With a slight smile, and a cautious look to Big Macintosh, he followed her inside.

“Aaaaw!” A young voice cooed. Applebloom stared at the flowers Applejack was carrying with starry eyes, seemingly thrilled that her sister had been given such a thing. “That’s so sweet, did Ficksitup get those for ya’?” Applebloom asked as her sister placed them in a nearby pitcher.

“Yes he did.” Applejack said, looking back at Ficksitup with a smile. Applebloom was still looking at her sister with glee. “Ain’t that his way’a sayin’ he loves you?” She said, giving her sister a wide grin.

“Applebloom..!” Applejack said, blushing furiously at the prospect as Applebloom continued to give her a cheeky grin. Ficksitup let out a snicker of his own at their antics, receiving a slight glare from Applejack, which stopped Ficksitup right then and there, pretending he hadn’t laughed in the first place. Granny smith creeped into the room with a confused expression on her face.

“What’s all this ruckus about?” She said in a brittle tone.

“I’m just goin’ o-”

“Applejack’s goin’ on a date with Ficksitup!”

“Applebloom!” Applejack said again, blushing even more than she was before.

“She’s goin’ on a date, she’s goin’ on a date, she’s goin on a da-” Applebloom said, skipping around the room until Big Macintosh set a hoof onto her mouth to quiet her. Applejack sighed and nodded at her brother as she made her way to Ficksitup, who grasped her hoof in his own, causing her eyes to widen at the sudden gesture.

“Ready to go, ‘Jack?” He asked in an unusually calm manner.

“Uh, yeah. Sure..!’

“Just be sure to bring Applejack back before her bed time!” Granny Smith said in a shrill tone, causing Applejack to put a hoof over her face.

“Alright. Y’all take care.” Ficksitup said, walking out with Applejack, and closing the door behind them.

And suddenly, it hit her. Rarity removed her head from the floor, listening to the conversation below and cursing that her hair was now dusty as a result. She now knew why she was tense, and nervous in lieu of recent events. She hadn’t harbored any particularly poor feelings towards Ficksitup, and lately she had certainly warmed up to him.

Perhaps, moreso than she was currently comfortable with.

She couldn’t find words to describe the feeling she was experiencing, or the fact that she was... Yes, she was envious of Applejack, and only now was she realizing it. Envious, because she wanted what Applejack surely had. What bothered her more was that it wasn’t just a primal, visceral, physical longing, either.

But why was she feeling so strongly about him? He was nothing like what she had typically aimed for. He wasn’t high class, he didn’t have fine tastes, he... treated her like a lady, was generally kind, and an honest to goodness nice Stallion. And he wasn’t hard on the eyes, either, which she regrettably admitted to herself. There was something comforting behind a pony such as Ficksitup, warm and regal in matters of the soul. Easy to love-

“No.” she said to herself, finally leaving Applejack’s room. ‘I will not allow my personal feelings to get in the way of two ponies I consider dear friends. I refuse.’ She thought to herself in a small moment of fleeting panic, imagining the great sorrow of the two ponies as they drifted apart due to her savage and barbaric greed.

Shaking her head and muttering to nopony in particular about the needs of the heart, Rarity packed away her things in her saddlebag and left the house quickly and oddly defeated, head hung low and heart even lower.

Chapter 8: Hat Trick

Apples N’ Wrenches

By The Write Bros.

Chapter 8: Hat Trick

Ficksitup and Applejack soon arrived at the Fall Harvest Festival, the smell of food and various livestock penetrated the air. The ground was already worn in and ponies were kicking up a storm of dust as they approach the entrance.

It was soon Ficksitup and Applejack’s turn to approach the ticket stand that guarded the entrance. The mare in the stand looked at them with the most pleading eyes, as if she had seen nary a sale that night and asked in a tone more reminiscent of a demand or a sincere plea., “Would you like to buy some tickets for the games and rides?”

“Um, sure, twenty bits worth, please.” Ficksitup replied as he dug out twenty bits. He wasn’t sure if it had more to do with wanting to show Applejack or a good time or if he wanted to just make the ticket-mare look a little less anxiety ridden that night. She tore off a strip of tickets and passed them over. With a soft smile, Ficksitup accepted the strip of tickets and the two ponies made their way past the entrance and into the festival itself.

It was an unfamiliar feeling, like he was floating on a raft in an ocean. Even so, something about it felt right, the feeling of Applejack’s hoof in his own as they approached the festival. He wasn’t sure what it was, pride or confidence, but simply holding her hoof swelled whichever feeling it was. He looked over at her, still enthralled by how she looked today. He was surprised at how good she looked in a shirt like that, and how much it stood out from her coat. But then again, he wasn’t surprised at all. He was convinced she would look great no matter what. He couldn’t help but look at her loose mane, untangled and flowing in the light breeze. Constantly, that drew his eye and reminded him of the first time he saw that, once again recalling his first kiss.

“Ficks?” She said with a light smile, looking back at him.

“Uh, sorry. Just um... Did I mention you look great?” He said with a cheeky grin. Applejack chuckled and replied, “Yes. I think you did Sugarcube.”

Ficksitup was taken breathlessly by her green eyes, feeling as though he was seeing them again for the first time. He could only guess that now that something was official, maybe those eyes held something more behind him than his quaking heart could have ever hoped for, in equal measure joy and fear. Love, if this was how it felt, was all together beautiful and terrifying. It rendered him mute, and yet again, there was a slight moment of silence between them. The urge to wrap his arms around her, hold her close, and kiss her was nagging at his mind, but he knew that now was not the right time.

“Well, come on. We’ve got a bunch to do and only so much time to do it. After all, I gotta’ take you home before your bedtime, right?” Ficksitup said with a particularly sly smile. Applejack chuckled and gave him a light shove in return.

The festival was bustling with life. Ficksitup was surprised at just how much was going on, the sights, sounds, smells, it was all rather new to him. He couldn’t quite pin the age range, since he could see a clutch of foals tearing across the ground one minute only to be slowed by two chatty elderly mares. His confusion was palpable and instead of being called out on another of his slow moments, he took the initiative in declaring his social ineptitude. He had to score points for that, at least.

“Y’know, ‘Jack... I ain’t ever been to a festival like this before.” He said, still curious as to what was going on around him.

“You’re jokin’..! Never?” She said, baffled.

“Nope.”

“Well then you ought’a try some cotton candy! Ain’t a festival without some’a that, or maybe a funnel cake or somethin’..!” Applejack said, taking the lead, surprising Ficksitup in the process as she drug him along by the hoof.

As he followed, he continued to look around at the sights. Spinning wheels, a roller coaster, various games, a ferris wheel...

“Here we are. Hey, can we get a coupla’ things of cotton candy?” She asked in a raised tone. The stallion behind the counter nodded. “That’ll be four bits.”

“Alright I-”

“I’ll pay.” Ficksitup said, getting the amount of bits out of his shirt. “Sugarcube, ya’ don’t have to pay for both of us.” She said with a smile.

“I insist, ‘Jack.” Ficksitup said, placing four bits on the counter as the stallion hoofed him two things of Cotton Candy. Ficksitup gave one to Applejack, and gave his own a curious look.

“...Thanks, Ficks. You didn’t have to do that y’know.” Applejack said, grabbing her cotton candy. It was mighty kind of him, but for an independent mare, it set off some small sense of wounded pride. She wasn’t Rarity, darnit, and she didn’t want to be made to feel like she was. She smiled at her own overblown sense of concern and the two exchanged soft smiles, Ficksitup, looking at his cotton candy with a somewhat befuddled look on his face.

“So... How d’ya eat this stuff?” Ficksitup asked, glancing at Applejack in an attempt to see how she was pulling it off.

“LIKE THIS!” a high pitched voice said, bursting out from behind Ficksitup, and eating his entire bunch of cotton candy in one fell swoop. It was a veritable extinction level event if you were cotton candy, and it happened so quickly.

“Pinkie Pie!” Applejack said angrily, brow furrowing at Pinkie. Ficksitup simply watched Pinkie Pie devour his cotton candy in horror, contemplating how in the world she even pulled that off. He was utterly baffled at both her ability to utterly destroy the confection, and her ability to all but appear out of thin air.

“Uh, Hi Pi-”

“Oh-hey-you’re-both-here-at-the-festival-and-there’s-still-plenty-to-do-and-you-two-look-awfully-nicely-dressed-to-come-to-the-festival-hey-wait-are-you-two-” Pinkie said with a massive gasp, all but springing into the air as she did so.

“Are you two on a date?” The pink pony asked with the utmost suspicion in her voice.

“I uh...” Ficksitup stammered, looking at Applejack. He sighed, grabbed her hoof in his own yet again, and spoke. Subconsciously, Applejack squeezed it and this seemingly jolted the answer from him.

“Yes.”

Pinkie Pie started giggling abruptly, and began bouncing around, rambling about all sorts of things. “Oh-my-gosh-this’ll-be-so-much-fun-we-can-go to the roller coaster or the spinny thingamajiggy or the karts or maybe throw hoops or horseshoes or-” Pinkie rambled, finally cut off by Applejack placing a hoof in her mouth.

“...Pinkie, we’re on a date. For just the two of us?” Applejack said, reminding Pinkie of the circumstances.

“Oh. Right, well maybe you can go on the-whrily-thing-or-maybe-you-two-can-go-take-a-ride-on-the-duck-things-and-the-river-or-maybe-go-on-the-ferris-wheel-or-” Pinkie said, suddenly stopping in her tracks.

“Twitcha twitcha twitchy twitch...” She said, staring at nothing in particular and suddenly zooming off, as though she had never been there in the first place.

‘Um... Applejack?” Ficksitup asked with an estranged look.

“Yeah?”

“...What in the hay just happened?”

“Oh. That just her Pinkie sense’a tinglin’.” She replied in a rather frank manner.

“Her... Her what?” Ficksitup asked, completely baffled.

“Long story, don’t you worry ‘bout it Sugarcube... Sorry ‘bout your cotton candy, by the way.”

“Ain’t your fau-”

“Wanna’ share?” Applejack asked, moving it slightly closer to Ficksitup.

Ficksitup glanced at Applejack who had a quick smile on her face, for a brief moment, his brain sputtered and all he could squeak out was “Sure.” Ficksitup nervously moved closer to Applejack and started nibbling on the cotton candy. Applejack nibbled on the other side. It was more awkward than it was romantic.

Before Ficksitup could get lost in the moment, as decidedly odd a moment to be romantic it was, “We better get a move on if we want t’see the festival before they close.” Applejack suggested. Ficksitup looked at her again, “Um, sure, why don’t you lead the way?”

The two ponies began to walk around stopping at a booth or two to check out the merchandises or games, taking bites out of the cotton candy as they went along. It wasn’t long before they heard the voice of Rainbow Dash arguing with a game operator. It could be hard to tell sometimes if it was arguing or whining, though Rarity had given them pointers on the finer points of both of those. She was also contemplating writing a book about complaining, though she had to explain to Fluttershy it was a joke. Kind of. Sort of.

“C’mon, I threw that ring right onto that peg! That Wonderbolt action figure is as good as mine!” Rainbow Dash argued, hovering off the ground with her right front leg extended towards the sky and the left front leg on her hips.

“And I keep telling you that you missed! Now get outta here or play again!” A cream colored unicorn with a brown handlebar mustache and long flowing brown mane with a straw barber shop hat on top said rather festively, unable to entirely lose the tone used to attract ponies to play his game. Very much like a siren.

Applejack and Ficksitup traded confused looks before walking over to Rainbow Dash to see what all the commotion was about.

“Rainbow Dash, what in the hay is goin’ on here?” Applejack asked as she approached Rainbow Dash’s side.

“This clown is running a rigged game! I threw three consecutive rings onto that peg that has a special edition Stormchaser the Wonderbolt action figure on it, and he won’t give it to me!” Rainbow half moaned and half yelled her case, her voice breaking as she looked at the pristine action figure of the newest Wonderbolt.

Ficksitup looked up at the peg, “Um, Rainbow Dash... I don’t see any rings on there.”

The Pegasus scowled at the Earth pony, and if looks could kill, Ficksitup would have died many deaths. Luckily, her anger was still pointed at the proprietor of all corruption in Equestria, a random carnival pony and his allegedly rigged ring toss game.

“Well that’s because he butters up the pegs! It’s impossible for the rings to stay put if the pegs are buttered up!”

“And I keep telling you, that those pegs are not buttered up!” Shouted the unicorn.

Applejack hoofed the cotton candy over to Ficksitup and placed her hoof on Dash’s shoulder before speaking to the opreator. “I’m mighty sorry for my friend here, she can be a bit stubborn when it comes to winnin’.”

Rainbow Dash snorted air out of her nose and rolled her eyes, “Oh, you’re one to talk!”

Applejack shot Dash a glare. “Would you mind givin’ her ‘nother chance?” She asked, tearing off a ticket and hoofing it over to the unicorn. The operator eyed the trio suspiciously, “Well alright then, but this is your last chance!” He proceeded to give Dash five more rings.

Dash’s eyes narrowed and a cocky smile came across her face, “It...is....on.” She picked up the first ring and concentrating hard on the peg, she tossed it into the air. The ring circled around the peg before flying off. Dash let’s out a frustrated groan. She picked up the second ring and tossed it with the same result. In fact, every ring she tossed ended with the same result and with Dash growing increasingly frustrated after each toss.

After the final ring almost made it onto the peg before flying off again, Dash lets out a frustrated scream, “This game is rigged!”

“Now c’mon Rainbow Dash, you had your chance.” Ficksitup replied, hoping that Dash wouldn’t turn her frustration onto him.

“That’s right Rainbow Dash, you had your chance.” The unicorn sneered, he placed his two front hooves onto the counter at the front of the booth and let out a taunting laugh, just then a stick of butter fell out of his shirt pocket. Applejack and Ficksitup and the unicorn looked at the butter in shock. Rainbow Dash looked both victorious and terribly angry, an unusual and somewhat disquieting visage.

“AH-HA!” victoriously shouted Dash, “I knew it was rigged!”

“Hey hey, easy there filly, keep your voice down!” the unicorn replied in a hushed voice. “If they knew I was buttering up my pegs, they’d throw me out of here!”

“They should throw you out of the festival, you cheat!” She replied in haste, her eyes settling on the Stormchaser Wonderbolt figure. “Now, why shouldn’t I get you kicked out of here?” Dash asked, eyeing him up like she was figuring out whether to fit her mantle for his head or for a new action figure.

“Tell you what, you keep quiet about this, and....and I’ll give you that action figure you want so badly. How’s that sound?” The unicorn obliged with a cheesy grin, knowing both the score and his lack of options.

“Sounds like a deal to me!” Dash squealed excitedly. The unicorn quickly floated the action figure down from it’s peg and over to Rainbow’s hooves.

“Now just hold on one cotton pickin’ minute!” Applejack protested, but before she could speak, Rainbow Dash took off into the air with the action figure in her hooves. All Applejack could do was let out an annoyed sigh. Rainbow Dash had her victory for the night and knew that it could only be downhill from there and besides- she had an action figure to play with. Who needed to fill up a water balloon with a squirt gun when you already had the only prize worth winning?

Applejack walked back over to Ficksitup, “Sorry ‘bout that Sugarcube.”

“It’s ok, you had to help out a friend, I understand.” Ficksitup replied with a smile on his face, Applejack couldn’t help but smile back. Applejack never realized it until now, but Ficksitup was a very understanding pony, always willing to listen to her and be very forgiving when she gets distracted by her friends, or by her business. It was at times frustrating to see him so passive, she wanted to just beat his face in until he started to be less willing to bend over for others. Of course, maybe beating somepony’s face until they became more assertive was a foolhardy tactic.

Applejack walked closer to Ficksitup, her deep emerald eyes meeting his stone gray eyes. “You know Sugarcube...”

“GANG WAY! LOOK OUT!” Scootaloo shouted as she zipped right between them on her Scooter, knocking Applejack off balance like the demon of ill-timing herself. Ficksitup was able to grab onto her hoof at the last minute to stabilize her. Applejack blushed after she regained her balance, due less to physical contact and more because she had been caught off guard.

However, before the couple could resume their walk a timid voice spoke., “Um...excuse me...” Behind them was Fluttershy with Angel riding on her back.

“Well hey there Fluttershy, how can we help you?” Applejack replied with a friendly smile. She knew how meek Fluttershy tends to be around new ponies, and Ficksitup was still somewhat new to Fluttershy.

“Well...if it’s not too much trouble, have you seen Scootaloo come by here?” Fluttershy continued.

“She actually just zoomed right pass us.” Ficksitup replied, giving Fluttershy his own friendly smile.

“So umm...what are you two doing, if you don’t mind me asking?” Fluttershy quietly probed.

“Well, Ficks and I are on a date, truth be told.” Before Applejack could speak another word, Fluttershy’s eyes brightened up and she put her hooves together and an excited squeal escaped her. “A....a...a...date!? Oh, that’s just wonderful! Oh this must be so exciting for you two! You’ll have to tell me all about it!”

“Umm, maybe later Fluttershy, a date generally only includes two ponies in it.” Applejack explained as she tried to calm down her excited friend.

“But it’s just so wonderful and magical, I must hear all about it!” Fluttershy pleaded.

“Later Fluttershy.” Applejack replied, adding some firmness in her voice. Just then Angel rapidly thumped Fluttershy’s head, “Oh...well....um... we need to be going anyways.” Fluttershy hovered away while quietly yelling for the three fillies to come to her in an orderly fashion.

“That rabbit is a bit of a jerk, isn’t he?” Ficksitup asked as the two ponies began to walk again.

“Yeah, wish I could make rabbit stew out of him.” Applejack replied with a hint of malicious in her voice.

Ficksitup looked at Applejack in a shock and horrified manner, Applejack chuckled, “Oh it’s just a joke, relax, I’d never do anything to hurt a friend and you know it.”

“So, now that we’re done with untimely interruptions by your friends...” Ficksitup stated, a mixture of bluntness, jovial tidings and frustration playing out across both his face and tone. Applejack saw through that veil.

“Yeah, let’s get goin’, this festival ain’t gonna’ last forever.” She replied, taking him in hoof as the two trotted deeper into the festival, hoping to somehow elude the agent of annoyance that somehow managed to follow them and disrupt any semblance of privacy. Of course, maybe it was foolish to expect privacy but it didn’t stop a pony from trying to find a little space to take in invited company. With that in mind, Ficksitup spotted a dark corner between a couple of booths that weren’t exactly getting much attention. He tugged in that direction, getting an estranged look from Applejack, who went along with whatever he was doing. They slipped into the area, and found that they were in fact alone.

And ever since Ficksitup had arrived in Ponyville, they hadn’t too much time alone without the risk of someone bugging them. Ficksitup took off his hat as they sat behind the booth, and shot a stare at Applejack, finally able to be around her with nopony else around.
“What?” She asked, smiling at him with curiosity.

Before she knew it, Ficksitup had leaned in, and placed his lips to hers. She jumped slightly, with a sharp inhale through the nose, eyes widened that he could see as he closed his eyes. He could feel any tension she had suddenly release as she placed a hoof on his side, accepting his sudden romantic gesture. After a short time, he pulled back, only to see a somewhat dazed Applejack.

“That’s what... Still owed you from the other night, ‘Jack.” He said with a sly grin.

She hadn’t expected that. It was sudden, without warning. Abrupt. It was unlike him to be so spontaneous, so impulsive. She figured he’d kiss her at some point, she expected it to be later and not so soon. Even so, she didn’t hate Ficksitup being so spontaneous.

In fact she rather liked it. It was definitely a change of pace. Even so, she was still slightly taken aback by the whole thing. Looked back at him, she wanted to return the favor, maybe even take it a step further than he had. But something held her back from doing so, something she couldn’t quite place her hoof on, and it bugged her. Confusion wasn’t too unfamiliar to her, but not knowing what she was feeling was starting to grate on her nerves. Every impulse said to kiss him back, but something was stopping her.

“...’Jack?” Ficksitup asked, genuinely concerned about how long she had been in such a state. “You alright?”

“Uh, yeah I’m... Fine, I just didn’t expect that is all.”

“Oh, well... S-” Ficksitup said, suddenly stopped by an orange hoof.

“Sugarcube it’s fine!...You didn’t do nothin’ wrong.” Applejack said barely above a whisper.

The two ponies stood there, unsure what to do next. Ficksitup had many ideas running through his head, but most of them seem too brash or bold to act on this soon in the first date. Well, he had acted on at least one impulse that had been somewhat well received, though he imagined the other ideas trotting around his skull were less suitable. He wanted nothing more than to just pull Applejack close to him and from there do whatever felt right in the moment, whatever that was and wherever it took them.

Applejack made the next move, though it wasn’t to return the romantic gesture. She seemed to regain her composure and tugged him towards the swarming crowds of ponies enjoying the festival.

“We still have a date here, Ficks.” She said with that same smile that had been plastered on since the start of the night still shining, broken only a few times by the events that had transpired. It wasn’t a facade nor did she feel a strain from the muscles, almost as if something was dulling her to any imperfection of soul or flesh.

The air wasn’t thick, but the tension was certainly high, and they could both feel it.

“So...” Applejack started, in an attempt to break the existing tension a bit. Ficksitup looked at her with a raised eyebrow, expecting more.

“How’s Nuttanbolt?”

“Huh? Oh, Nut’s fine. Heard he’s been gettin’ to know the class a little better. Even made a couple’a friends.” Ficksitup said, surprised by her line of questioning. “How’s Applebloom? She seemed like she was in a pretty good mood today.”

“She’s doin’ pretty good. Probably wouldn’t expect it from an Apple Family member, but she’s got some’a the best grades in her class.” Applejack said in a somewhat proud manner. Ficksitup cocked his head in response to this.

“Wouldn’t expect it? Why not?” He asked, genuinely confused.

“Come on, Sugarcube. The Apple family’s a bunch’a farm ponies. Applebloom bein’ bright? Ain’t nopony who expe-”

“Applejack! Don’t say that... Y’all are more than ‘just’ Farm ponies.”

“That’s real sweet’a you Fi-”

“I mean it! It takes a lot of smarts to keep all that harvest information together and all. You gotta know...uhh, lots of stuff, I’m sure. Well, I know that you need to keep everything in order, make sure that you keep a tight timetable to make sure the harvest don’t fail and all, right? That takes brains! Your family ain’t dumb at all.” Ficksitup replied on a bit of a tangent, needlessly defensive.

Applejack chuckled.

“Well, ya’ got a point there sugarcube, but most’a that is just experience’n all. Truth is, I never did half as well as Applebloom is, Big Mac’s the same, and I don’t even think Granny attended no school.”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit ‘Jack.” He said with a slight smirk.

“Not really, Ficks. I read’n write just as well as anypony else, but my teacher was always fussin’ ‘bout me, ‘talkin’ right’. Felt... What’s the word? Deprecatin’?” She asked with an inquisitive look.

“Sounds about right.”

“Worst of all? Math. Hated it, just not any good at it. Never made that much sense to me.”

“That makes two of us.” Ficksitup said with a slight chuckle.

“Huh. Had you figured for good at that type’a thing. I just don’t get it, ya know? Past a certain point an’ all, I mean. It was just such a chore and then ya star’ getting into all of these dif’rent equations and all that and...tarnation, it still makes my head spin.”

Ficksitup blushed, “Nah, the best I could ever do with math is my adding and subtractin’, used to frustrate my dad to no end that I didn’t show the same aptitude for math that he did. Truth be told, the only class I found interesting was shop class. I would always stay an extra few minutes after the class has ended to finish up a project. Heh, teacher always got mad at me for leavin’ it behind... But I did get extra credit.”

“Well, you are a mighty fine mechanic Ficks, the way I’ve seen you handle your tools, it’s like you’re workin’ your own magic. Are you sure you’re not a unicorn?” Applejack asked winking at Ficksitup and nudging him with her elbow.

“Aw shucks, ‘Jack... Yer makin’ me blush.” He said with an honest chuckle.

“Well glad it’s gone the other way ‘round for once... But enough horsin’ ‘round Sugarcube... We’ve got a festival, plenty’a things to do... and all night to be here. What’cha wanna’ do?” She asked, putting a hoof around him, all but dangling off of him in a somewhat playful manner. Ficksitup smiled, and looked around the area. Something did indeed strike his fancy.

“...’Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“You wanna’ make tonight special? Don’t get me wrong, it already is... But I think I just found a way to make this even more memorable.”

“How?”

“Come on”. Ficksitup said, taking the lead. He took her over to a seat in front of an older stallion with an easel, and art supplies.

“Hey, how much for a sketch, sir?” Ficksitup asked in a frank manner.

“Sugarcube..!” She said with a nudge.

The Stallion turned to look at them, with a face that spoke interest. “...Ten bits. Take a seat over there, when you’re ready.” He said. Ficksitup nodded, and led Applejack to the seat.

“What exactly are ya’ doin’ Ficks?” She asked in a very curious manner.

“...It’s our first date ‘Jack. One way or another we’ll always remember it... I just figure that a reminder couldn’t hurt.” He said with an earnest smile as they took a seat. Getting his supplies ready, the Older stallion took a curious look at them.

“Well what are you two, strangers? Get a little closer.”

Applejack gave Ficksitup an uncertain look with a smile, as though she was trying to figure out just what he was doing. He wrapped a hoof around her, and pulled her closer to him.

She expected it to be awkward, and tense. Uncomfortable even. But for whatever reason, it was just the opposite.

“Alright, that’s good... Now hold still a bit, would you? Gotta’ get this right.” The artist said, head disappearing behind the easel, only re appearing to take a peek back to them from time to time.

Applejack’s tension all but disappeared with a relieved sigh as she slid a hoof behind Ficksitup, pulling herself slightly closer. She leaned on him fully, head on his shoulder, just as they had been about a week ago at the party. But this moment was softer, more comfortable. He was somepony she could lean on, for once. So often had others relied and leaned on her, when she was looking for support herself. And now she was fairly certain she’d found it.

Simply being that close to her brought him comfort. The sights and sounds of his surroundings seemed to dull. To him, she was all that existed at the moment. The feeling of her arm around him, her warmth so close to him was relaxing. The sound and feel of her breathing, the slight adjustment of her arm around him, the gentle nudge as she leaned into him further, were all welcome. Ficksitup was more certain than ever about how he felt, and still curious if she'd felt quite the same. But it didn’t matter, simply holding her there brought him comfort, peace even. To have nothing else on his mind but her was something he embraced.

For both of them, it was nice to be with someone they knew genuinely cared about them. As with other soft moments between them, they were unsure how long the sketch took. Even so, it hardly mattered. They had both spent plenty of time alone. Plenty of time supporting others and not having someone else to lean on. In the few minutes that they spent holding each other in silence, that changed.

Uncertainty was becoming less of a feeling either one of them were experiencing. At this moment, they felt nothing but comfort, being next to the other. Even so, neither knew how to say it out loud. Though they hardly felt they needed to.

“Alright... Done.” The artist said, flipping the easel to face them.

A look of curiosity, awe and shock grew on their faces. The artist was quite skilled indeed, having captured every detail with ease, and finesse. It was a simple sketch, no color to it. Simply lines on paper, and yet it looked so convincing, that it had indeed captured a moment in time that no photo could ever hope to.
“Huh... So... That’s how we look?” Ficksitup asked, bewildered at the piece.

“Together?” Applejack added.

“...Yes.” The artist replied in a rather frank manner.

“Hold on ‘Jack...” Ficksitup said as he got up from the seat. Applejack sat there to soak in everything that had just happened.

“You said ten bits, ri-”

“No.” The artist said, packing his art supplies up, and getting his things together. Ficksitup was stunned.

“...N...No?” He asked, completely befuddled.

“You heard me... They say that true works of art are priceless...and that’s easily my best work in a while.” He said, shifting his eyes to the artwork. Ficksitup nodded, and removed the art from the easel. With little delay, the artist was gone, nary a trace of him being there in the first place. Troubled are the thoughts of an artist who saw something special and felt inadequate to capture it.

“That’s a pretty piece’a work there Sugarcube...” Applejack said as she examined the art.

“I didn’t know you were so vain, ‘Jack.” Ficksitup said with a smirk.

“Oh, you!” Applejack said with a chuckle and nudge. Once again, there was a moment of silence.

“Alright well enough’a the mushy stuff Sugarcube. We’ve got a festival to mess around in, c’mon!” She said, taking his hoof and lead, once again.

Today the sun seemed to set quicker than usual. Ficksitup wasn’t sure if it was just him, or if it really was doing so. It didn’t matter though. Applejack was right. There’d be time to be sappy and sentimental about everything later. Tonight, the goal was just to enjoy the other’s company, which thus far, had certainly been achieved.

As it got darker, finally, the lights turned on. Ficksitup hadn’t seen lights at night quite like this since his days in Manehattan, which was some time ago, now that he thought about it. He found the sights and sounds quite distracting.

“Sugarcube? Ficks?” Applejack asked the bewildered Ficksitup, who snapped to attention.

“Huh? Oh, uh, sorry.” He said, blushing in embarrassment.

“It’s fine. Still remember my first time at the festival. Ever played Skee ball?” She asked in a rather cheery manner.

‘Skee what?’ He thought, befuddled at the strange nomenclature. “Uh, no. What’s Skee Ball?”

Applejack looked at him in shock. “You don’t know what Skee Ball is? Yer’ kiddin’ me!”

“No..?”

“Shucks, I thought even a city boy like you would’a known what that was! Here, lemme’ teach ya’ how to play it.” Applejack said, dragging him over to, what to him, looked like very peculiarly designed things.

‘City b-... well, okay.’ Ficksitup thought, at first taken aback by the comment. She was right though, even with his dialect and penchant for his hat, he wasn’t exactly from a small town.

“Speakin’a which Sugarcube... Why do ya’ talk like me?” She asked, earnest curiosity visible on her face.

He honestly had to think about that for a moment. Putting a hoof to his chin, eyes drifting in thought, he couldn’t think of anything for a short while. Then it hit him.

‘She’s gonna’ hate this.’ He thought.

“Honestly ‘Jack? For one, picked it up ‘round you... And I hadn’t quite thought of it ‘til now, but... I guess it reminded me’a you. Same with the hat, I guess.” He said with a shrug.

Applejack’s mouth fell agape at his response, blushing ever slightly. “Sugarcube you are full of it today aren’t you?” She said with a laugh.

“Yeah, I guess... So, how do ya’ play this... Thing?” Ficksitup said as he gave the object a curious look.

“Alright, what’cha do here...” Applejack said as she picked up one of the balls, and placed it in Ficksitup’s hoof. “Ya’ get a good amount a leverage, roll it, and try ’ta hit the hole at the top. Lower ya’ go, less points. Higher ya’ go, more points. Give it a try..!” She said, letting go.

Ficksitup looked at the ball in his hoof, pulled his arm back, and swung it forward. He watched as it rolled upwards, which to him seemed to defy all logic what so ever. It hit the ramp, and landed directly in the top hole Ficksitup felt both inexplicable glee and excitement at the event, and he had absolutely no clue why.

“Okay, stop pullin’ my leg Sugarcube you’ve done this before.” Applejack said in disbelief.

“No, seriously, I haven’t! I don’t even get how that happened, I m-”

“Then it’s beginners luck..! Keep goin’ til you hit two fifty! Ready to play?” She asked with a cocky grin.

“Yes.” Ficksitup said, suddenly looking forward to this.”

The two proceeded to play the game that Ficksitup still found somewhat peculiar. With each toss, the score flipped, and somehow, he kept a consistent lead.

And even though he was lucky with the game tonight, she’d kept a pretty even score with him. Applejack tossed the ball down the upwards alley, and landed square in the middle, evening her score with his. They both had managed to hit 230. He looked over to her, and he could see the sweat on her brow. Enjoying herself as she was, she wasn’t about to lose. He waited for her to sling the ball up the ramp to throw it himself.

And while doing so, he slipped up on purpose. Applejack had managed to hit 20, as he hit 10.

Applejack looked over to him with a raised eyebrow. “You let me win didn’t you?”

“What naah, I was tryin’ my best. You’re better than me is all.” Ficksitup said with a sly grin.

“Oh fess up would’ja Sugarcube? I know ya’ did..!” She said, playfully nudging him as she led him away from Skeeball.

“My hoof slipped, honest!”

“Aw, doesn’t matter Sugarcube... I’m just happy to be here with ya’.” She said, pulling him closer to her as they walked on. Ficksitup thought about that for a moment, and responded. She let him go and playfully bounced into the night, liberated of the need to be wound up with someone she could, quite literally, let her mane down for.

She bounced ahead and Ficks trailed behind, his eyes soaking in the scenery. He never thought he’d be here, with her, never in a million years. The full lifespan of Celestia could have come and gone before his heart would have accepted his reality. Yet, here it was, and it was here in all of it’s plaid-wearing, mane loosened, coat shinin’, tail flowing freely in front of... ‘Oh dang...’ Ficks thought, lost.

“Yeah... So am I.” he responded absentmindedly and distracted. Applejack caught on and peeked back to see him caught up in her loose tail. She gave a playful, almost hungry smile.

“Yer lookin’?” She accused more than asked, though her tone was flirtatious and more than a bit excited. All he could do was sheepishly smile and nod, against which she chuckled and fell back towards.

“C’mon, Sugarcube.”

The night went on. They’d lost track of time, and other things around them. Ficksitup hadn’t enjoyed himself like this in...

Ever. Even when he was but a Colt, he never had fun like this. The festival had been a massive new experience for him. Games...

“Yes!” Ficksitup shouted as he knocked down all of the standing cups with the last throw. He picked a large stuffed bear, and gave it to Applejack, with a tip of his hat. She squealed in delight. Something he’d never expected to see.

The games were something else. Such a strange bunch of things he’d never seen or done before, but each one he enjoyed rather thoroughly. Couldn’t beat her on the high-striker though. She just about bucked that thing into orbit. Among other things, rides...

“Oh no...” Ficksitup said as his trolley neared the top.

“It’ll be fine Sugarcube, just hold on..!” She said, laughing at his cowardice. He tried to put on a stong-man show about it, but as he had been told several times before, he’s an awful liar.

“Applejack?”

“Yeah?”

“In case anything happens-”

“We’ll be fine!”

“I l-aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Ficksitup shouted as the roller coaster finally began to fall, and raced down into a series of twists and turns.

Fear. Fear was the only thing Ficksitup could feel right now. He was still shouting at the top of his lungs. Even so, he felt his hat fly off, as he was far too concerned with what he figured was self preservation, by holding onto the bars in front of him. Before he knew it, the ride was over as soon as it had started.

‘NEVER AGAIN NEVER AGAIN NEVER AGAIN OH SWEET CELESTIA ON A ROCKING HORSE NEVER AGAIN.’ He thought, stumbling out of the cart. He began to feel his head. Just hair, no hat. His eyes began to race around.

“‘Jack I lost my ha-”

“Ficks, it’s fine!”

“Bu-”

“Not buts, Ficks... We can find it later alright? It’s no big deal.” She said in a calm manner, hoof on his shoulder as she attempted to calm him down.

Her calmness struck Ficksitup as odd. Applejack would be worried about the hat as well, as this was more than just a hat; it once belonged to her grandfather. It was wracking Ficksitup’s mind right now that she was so calm about it suddenly being gone. After all, she gave it to Ficksitup when they were simply children, and the thought of it going missing would normally have made her leap away to go catch it. However, at this moment, in this place, she was held still by more powerful concerns.

She was right. He had after all said that it reminded him of her. But now that he was back with her, he didn’t need the reminder.

“You’re right... Yeah, we’ll find it later, but isn’t it important to ya’ ‘Cause it’s your grandfather’s?” He asked.

“Well sure, yeah it was Grand daddy’s hat but it ain’t like we’re gonna’ lose it forever. We’ll find it later... Let’s just focus on us.” She said, putting a hoof on his face as she comforted him.

“...Yeah, okay. Let’s do that.”

Ficksitup learned that he hated roller coasters from that, and as such refused to go on any more, “High octane” rides present. Still enjoyed a carnival game or two though. The sun had fully set by now, and only the lights of the festival and Ponyville illuminated the area now.

“Hey.” Applejack said as they walked along.

“Yeah?”

“...Thanks. Tonight’s been great Ficks... It’s gettin’ late though. Wanna’ call it a night?” She asked.

“Nah, not yet... Got one more thing I wanna’ do ‘Jack.” Ficksitup said, taking the lead.

“Oh? What might that be Ficks?”

Ficksitup had been eyeballing a particular structure all night. The Ferris Wheel. It was one of the slowest, and highest rides in the festival.

“I wanna’ go up there’.” Ficksitup said as the approached the wheel, his eyes eating the ride up. The line was short, and he figured he’d be able to get in pretty soon.

“Y’know, I’ve never gone up there now that I think about it... Alright.”

After some waiting, the two finally managed to get into an empty trolley. It rose slowly, but surely. Applejack leaned into him, and rested her head on his shoulder once again. ‘Heh, I guess that’s our thing...’ Ficksitup thought as the cart slowly rose.

“Excuse me, sir?” An achingly feminine voice cooed from behind the stallion in charge of the ride.He turned and was confronted by a stunning mare flippantly playing with her mane in such a fashion as to be sultry.

“Would you be a dear and stop that particular cart at the top?” She said, pointing to the cart Applejack and Ficksitup had just gotten into. “Two very dear friends of mine just got in there and it's their first date. I’d hate for them to miss out on something...special.” She said, batting her eyelashes. The stallion giggled vapidly. “Okay...” He said, facing the control panel. Rarity then snuck away, as though she had never been there in the first place.

Ficksitup was surprised at the sights. It was all so bright from up here. Applejack was still leaning on him, moving her hoof further along his back.

She said. “I ain’t ever been this high up ‘fore, y’know?”

“Yeah?”

“Nah, not here anyway. Been to Cloudsdale, but never seen Ponyville up high at night.”

“Wait, you went to Cloudsdale..?”

“Yeah, long story. Remind me to tell ya’ sometime...”

“Heh, alright...”

They had reached the top finally, and suddenly the Ferris wheel abruptly stopped. The two looked at each other, befuddled at the occurrence.

‘This is just way too perfect to be coincidence...’ Ficksitup thought, with a suspicion that he knew who was behind it.

“We stopped didn’t we?” Applejack asked.

“Looks like...” He said, looking out at Ponyville below. The town was gorgeous, dark streets illuminated by the street lights and glowing windows of homes.

“Wow...” Applejack said, looking out to the town. “It’s so pretty...” She said, all but entranced by the town’s appearance.

“Yeah... I can think of a few things that are prettier though...” Ficksitup said, sitting back and looking at Applejack.

“Like what?”

“I dunno’... You’ve been to Manehattan right? Ever seen the skyline at sunset? The city at night? Just about the only thing ‘bout that place I miss.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen that and it was pretty. What else?” Applejack asked, now more interested in what he had to say.

“I bet you can vouch for this, but Cloudsdale seems awfully pretty. What, with all those rainbows and clouds up in the sky.”

Applejack laughed. “Yeah, it is a might pretty but if you ain’t a pegasus ya’ gotta’ watch your step.”

“I bet... Maybe those mountains way over there, I bet you can see everything from way up high.” Ficksitup said, pointing a hoof to a particularly high peak.

“Actually went up there to save the town from a dragon with my friends once!”

“You’re jokin’! Really?”

“Yeah. Can’t take the credit for that one though, Fluttershy saved the day there... But you’re right. It’s a hay of a sight. Anything else?”

“...Yeah, I can think’a somethin’ else.” Ficksitup stated, Applejack still looking at him, wondering what he’d say next.

“Such as?”

‘Here we go...’ He thought, thinking this was it.

“...You.” Ficksitup said, taking her hoof in both of his. Applejack blushed heavily, and her eyes raced around.

“Sugarcube..! I... Aw, quit pullin’ my leg Ficksitup, I’m just a farm filly, ain’t nothin’ pretty ‘bout me.”

“You’re more than just some farm filly, ‘Jack.” Ficksitup said with the utmost sincerity. Applejack continued to blush, mouth agape, unsure of what to say.

“...Ficks I... I don’t know what to say... I...” She said, silenced by a hoof.

“I’ve been meanin’ to say this for a little while... And... I...” He said, looking into her emerald eyes. He was reminded of a few nights ago at the party, under such similar circumstances. Her all but glowing golden streaks of hair loose in the moonlight, the warmth of her beside him, the sincerity that her eyes spoke to him with but a look. It gave him pause. She removed his hoof from her mouth, and continued to stare into his eyes.

“...Applejack, I think I love you.” He said, finally admitting how he felt to her. Her face showed a slight expression of shock, uncertainty even.

“Ficks, I-”

“...Stop talkin’ ‘Jack...” Ficksitup said as he placed his lips to hers. She was taken ever so slightly by surprise, yet at the same time she almost expected it. She wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him closer intensifying the moment by just enough. Ficksitup replied to her gesture by wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. ‘This is it...’ He thought, lost in the kiss. Everything faded out around them. The noise of the town below, any of the sights and sounds, all gone in a dimming flare until it was non-existent.

Just them.

More to his surprise, he felt her mouth move agape, not confused, but surprised by what seemed like an invitation. Loosening his jaw ever slightly, he too responded with an open mouthed kiss. It became more heated by the moment, as he ran his hooves through her loose mane, and she did the same. Every second that passed, the kiss, this moment, became more intense. More sincere. Each brush of a hoof against one’s neck, each quiet moan of delight, every moment meant something more. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a tongue brushed his lips. He was surprised she was willing to take it so far, and responded in kind, meeting her tongue with his, tied with the response of an intensified grip, as though both of them were completely unwilling to let go. It was all so unfamiliar to either of them.

It was ecstasy. The warmth, the proximity, the taste, the overall feeling of kissing her in such a manner was almost too much to bear. Each moment of it was absolutely intoxicating, a drug of choice that he never wished to end. It was an absolutely timeless moment, where everything else was forgotten. After enough time, their lips parted, and eyes re-opened, looking each other directly into the eyes. They said more with that moment, that kiss, then they ever could have aloud.

“...Well, that was quite the, uhh, display.”

Both of their heads snapped back from each other, realizing only now that the world had not, in fact, been able to ignore them as well as they had been able to ignore it. They had reached the bottom of the wheel and found themselves relatively face to face with Twilight, who looked equal measures uncomfortable and giddy, as well as the cutie mark crusaders and a somewhat struck Fluttershy further away.

“Um... Hi.” Ficksitup said, climbing out of the cart, Applejack’s hoof in his own as he helped her out of it.

‘Dangit, just can’t do these things without somepony noticin’ can we?’ He thought.

“Uh, hey Twilight.” Applejack said, eyes racing around as she blushed in embarrassment.

“I’d ask if you two were on a date but...the answer seems rather obvious.” She said, suppressing a giggle with her hoof, though the cutie mark crusaders several paces behind her couldn’t manage to tie down their mixture of giggles and joyous cooing. Fluttershy stood there as stiff as a tree.

“This might be an..awkward...time to bring this up, but have either of you seen Spike tonight?” Twilight asked, her eyes betraying the fact that it was a question once considered vital that had importance only because she had coherent thoughts to go along with it. Behind her, Fluttershy fell down, giving out a near noiseless eep as she did so. Applejack almost felt like calling out timber.

“No, Twilight, I-I can’t say I have.” Applejack replied slowly, her eyes still wide with a mix of shock and embarrassment as the two ponies were gently let off of the wheel. Ficksitup cautioned a gaze up and saw several ponies had taken notice of their kiss and were waiting to come down and catch a better glimpse of the couple that had rather publicly unleashed themselves on one another.

“Oh, shoot. Can’t imagine where he could have gone off too, already checked Rarity’s house... And yard. And the tree. No sign of him there... Wait, where’s your hat?” Twilight asked, leaning in on the top of Ficksitup’s head to examine it. She really had no concept of personal space it seemed when science, research, or investigation gave her cause to discard, causing Ficksitup to reel back.

“Lost it on the roller coaster, ‘Jack convinced me we’d look for it later...” He said, as a thought burst into Applejack’s mind.

“You know Twi, I’m sure Spike has already gone home. He probably just went out to find some more gems to eat.” Applejack replied, trying to reassure her friend. Ficks started to notice that her eyes started to lose some of their vibrancy, as if her color was starting to drain.

Twilight eyes were still worried, but she always trusted Applejack’s words. She was the Element of Honesty afterall. “You’re probably right Applejack.” Her eyes almost blew up as a thought crossed her mind.

“Maybe you two could use some tea after such a...well, I guess the night couldn’t have been cold for you two, since there is steam rising from your heads...uhh, I mean, I just got this new recipe from Zecora and I’ve been waiting to try it! Oh, and Ficksitup, before I forget I have a book for your uncle, I’m sure he’ll love it!” Twilight eyes sparkled as she talked.

“Great....” Ficksitup said in an annoyed tone, he didn’t need to be reminded of his uncle flirting with Twilight.

“Well Twilight, that sounds dandy! I’m sure little Spike is all safe an’ cozy in his bed by now. Better make sure he’s fine, we don’t want you castin’ another spell on the entire town like last time.” Applejack replied, ribbing at her friend as her thoughts turned away from the kiss. Still, hard to miss the lack of extra punch normally behind her words, like she was operating at an increasingly weaker pace.

Twilight lowered her head and furrowed her brow at Applejack’s comment. “Well at least I didn’t overwork myself to the point I couldn’t save the town from a stampede of bunnies.”

“What..?” Ficksitup asked.

“Long story Sugarcube.”

“...How many of those do you have?” Ficksitup said as he fell behind Twilight with Applejack close by, though she tended to drift. She gave him a knowing smile, and then retreated as if in mistake.

“I have about forty-seven stories.” Fluttershy said as she slowly pulled herself up from the ground, only now coming back around from her shock induced collapse. The cutie mark crusaders had found something new and noisy to play with and before Fluttershy could go further, she was whisked away. The three ponies gave her a look for a second before Twilight smiled and started trotting towards the exit.

The two started to walk at a slower pace than Twilight, no longer holding hooves, but Ficksitup now had an arm on her back, keeping her as close as he could at the time. Twilight started yammering about how the various constellations in the sky were especially visible tonight, but eventually for words faded into indiscernible noise. Whatever she was saying didn’t matter to them.

“If somepony’d told me that in the time of a little over a week, an old friend would come back home, take me out on my first date, and tell me that he loves me, I’da said that they were readin’ too many romance novels and needed to go outside...” Applejack said, her tone somewhat odd. It was a mixture of disbelief and...as Ficks was hearing it, a slight tinge of horror, if he wanted to be completely honest about what he was hearing. Mares...?

“...Antila can be so beautiful this time of year!” the unicorn continued, oblivious to the two behind her.

“If somepony had told me that I was gonna’ fall head over hooves for a childhood friend, take her on our first date and told her how I felt, I’da just turned around in disbelief...” Ficks said with a wide smile, squeezing her gently and softly. She gave a half-hearted chuckle and turned to the ground.

“And Circinus? So hard to see behind Alpha Centauri, but if you can, it is breathtaking! Reminds me of you, Applejack, since that was the constellation I spotted right after I helped you take care of applebucking season.” The unicorn continued her astronomy lesson, this time turning back and seeing that the two were both far away and entirely invested in each other.

“Funny thing, innit Sugarcube..?”

“Yeah.”

“So, I heard Big Mac and Cheerilee are pretty serious, wedding bells and all that.” Twilight said as a test. Neither responded.

Applejack looked at him with with curious, almost panicked eyes. “So... what you said back there, on the Ferris wheel... You meant it?”

“I heard she’s expecting triplets!” Twilight said with a fake gasp.

“Applejack... When I say somethin’ to you, I mean it.” He said, stopping her in her tracks. “I love you. I mean that.”

“I’m on fire.” Twilight near muttered, not making out what the two were saying but starting to feel like her constant need for someone to listen to a lecture was ill placed here. She continued trotting, silent now, her ears perked.

Applejack looked at Ficksitup with a mixed bag of happiness and what he could only place as the beginning stage of a full-blown panic attack, and gave him a firm hug. It wasn’t quite what Ficksitup was expecting, but he held her in return. She was breathing heavily and out of pace. Ficks was worried, and with cause good enough to give it word.

“Are ya’ okay, ‘Jack?” He asked, looking into her eyes and knowing that whatever she was about to say, she wasn’t. Her pupils were doing stunts and her eyes seemed devoid of any dampness. Time slowed down for Applejack and she was soon in her own head.

‘Are ya’ okay, ‘Jack?’ Applejack honestly didn’t know how to answer that. Three simple words caused a hurricane of emotions that Applejack didn’t know how to decipher. Three little words that figuratively knocked Applejack onto her flank. The confusion that she felt at home earlier that very night only intensified with the introduction of those three little words. She was saved momentarily by Twilight’s immaturity in these affairs.

All Twilight could do was feel both a little uncomfortable at the display as she stopped and turned at her door, feeling like the invited third wheel. She couldn’t stop a rather loud and somewhat immature giggle this time.

Ficksitup parted his head from the embrace, and gave Twilight a very unimpressed look, letting Applejack go. She got away from him and almost lost her footing.

“Sorry, Ficksitup it’s just not something I’m used to. Believe me, I’m happy for you two, it’s cute. Now, come on inside,” Twilight said as she opened the door. “I’ll get the Tea ready, my- BY CELESTIA!” Twilight exclaimed, rushing into the house. Ficksitup gave Applejack a somewhat concerned and worried look.

“We should probably check that out..” Ficksitup said, parting from Applejack. She simply nodded, and followed him inside the house. As they entered, they bore witness to Spike bearing a black hat, tossing it at the fireplace. A purple aura enveloped the hat, and stopped it mere centimeters from the flickering embers of the blaze. Twilight floated it swiftly onto Ficksitup’s head, and gave Spike a very intense stare as she advanced on him.

“Spike, what in the hay are you doing throwing that hat into the fire!? What in the world has gotten into you!? First you go missing all night and then I come home to find you throwing a friend’s hat into the fireplace!?” She exclaimed wildly, befitting a mother shocked at the action of an only child.

“What the hay Spike? What’d I do to you?” Ficksitup asked, completely distraught. He could never catch a break; have a great date, get involved in a yelling match.

“It’s not what you did to me, it’s what you’re doing to my friends!” Spike said, rage evident in his voice.

“Wait, what?” Twilight asked, her tone raised as her mind reeled from the confusion.

“I’ve been following this liar all night while he took Applejack around the festival, lying to her the whole time!” He shouted.

“...Liar? Spike, what the hay’s gotten into you? Ficks is terrible at lyin’! He’d never get away with it anyway if he was lyin’.” Applejack started in an enquiring tone before it became hardset and defensive.

“Oh really? Well you’re right about one thing! He’s not getting away with this little white lie. Or should I say, Rarity!?” Spike shouted, pointing an accusatory claw at Ficksitup.

“Wait, what?” Ficksitup asked, absolutely taken aback by both Spike’s accusation, and clever use of relating Rarity to a white lie, so much so that he could only repeat what Twilight had said.

“Yeah! The other day, I saw him over at Rarity’s place getting all close with her and stuff, like he was with Applejack today!” Spike shouted and from somewhere deep inside Applejack’s brain, furious work began.

“First of all, why were you hanging around Rarity’s hou-... You know what, I don’t want to know. Second, how do we know you’re not just making this all up?” Twilight asked.

“Elementary, Twilight! I have the answer right in Ficksitup’s hat!” Spike said, pointing at it.

Applejack shot a look at Ficksitup’s hat, and taking a chance, she took it off of his head to examine it.

“Hey!” Ficksitup said, smarting from the rough gesture.

“As you can see, there’s more than one stray whit of purple hair! Proof that Ficksitup got a little closer to Rarity than he should be getting, and proof that it was frequent! I should know, I was there each time! He was getting all lovey dovey on Rarity, holding hooves, giving each other all romantic looks and all that crud.” Spike said, still pointing a claw at Ficksitup.

Applejack rolled her eyes at Spike and gave a nervous chuckle as she looked at the ground. “Spike, you could’a put that hair there. Celestia knows you’ve gotten close enough to Rarity more than once to get a stray hair from her.”

“First, that’s creepy. Second, I didn’t plant it.” Spike said in a somewhat defensive manner.

“Spike, this is a load of manure. Yeah I was at Rarity’s but I wasn’t doin’ any’a what you said.” Ficksitup said in a defensive tone, only realizing he just made things that much worse.

“Wait, what?” Applejack replied, making her the third pony in twenty-five seconds to say it. Conclusions started to coalesce in a fevered, terrified mind, and now all that could happen would be further incrimination of the innocent.

“Wait, Ficksitup... What were you doing at Rarity’s?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, what were you doing? Oh wait, I know exactly what you were doing! You were getting all personal with Rarity behind Applejack’s back!”

“I was not! I was just there practi-”

“You were what?” Applejack asked, suddenly shocked that Ficksitup was even admitting anything like that. her snout flared once mightily, the gavel hammered down.

“Wow Applejack you’re right, he really is a bad liar.” Spike said, scoffing at Ficksitup. Twilight shot a glare at him, and looked back at Ficksitup.

“Oh like you’re one to talk, Spike. You know, I thought we made up the other day!” Ficksitup shouted.

“Oh, we did until Rarity walked in, got all up in your face and took you home, and you willingly went with her behind Applejack’s back!”

“Is that what this is all about? I was only goin’ there ‘cause I needed to get ready for tonight’s date is all I was doin’! I was just there as a friend anyway!”

“Like hay you were, you tool!”

“Overgrown, mutant, fire breathin’ skink!” Ficksitup shouted at Spike.

“Hey! Don’t call him that, he’s just a baby dragon!” Twilight defended Spike, head shooting in between the two.

“Besides, she ain’t yours anyway!” Ficksitup shouted.

“Oh, well then who’s is she!?” Spike shouted back with a glare.

There was a silence after that. Twilight gave Applejack and Ficksitup a concerned look.

“...’Jack? We ought’a leave.. Twilight?” Ficksitup said, tipping his hat as he began to walk out the door. He was stopped by a hoof on his back, pressed in a rather firm manner.

“Ficksitup.”

“What?” Ficksitup asked, still angry about current events.

“...Tell me honestly, Ficks...What is Rarity to you?” She asked with an extremely concerned expression. Something inside was boiling, and the evenness, calmness, of her voice was perhaps more terrifying than any scream could be.

“Wait, what? I... What? What do you mean?”

“...I mean, is she somethin’ more to ya’? Was Spike tellin’ the truth? Were you really gettin’ all personal with her and such?” The conviction in her voice was more than a little telling. Her mind had been made up, now she was waiting for the pot to boil over. High emotion has a way of playing tricks on somepony and the more powerful they are, the greater the degree of reaction. Applejack had felt something powerful tonight, and the fires of the blowback were stoked until she was consumed.

“Rarity’s a great friend, ‘Jack. She’s been plenty nice to me and you in helpin’ us out, and yeah we get along fine and have had plenty’a good conversations and whatnot but that doesn’t mean anything. I’d never go behind your back, ‘Jack. I love you, and you know that. I was just there to get ready for tonight’s date and yeah things got a little heavy here and there but it didn’t mean nothin’... I lo-”

“Shut it...” Was Applejack’s quick, terse reply. Her eyes were glossed, her form heaving with heavy, deep breaths, her snout flaring of no conscious accord. Judgment.

“You’re a liar, Ficks. You...you ain’t nothin’ but a good for nothin’ LIAR!” She roared, stomping her front hooves onto the floor with such ferocity that several books fell off their shelves. She could either believe that her dear friends were liars or he was, and the evidence could no longer be denied. Her heart was more than broken, it was in pain, screaming such bloody murder that her very soul ached in pain. No, there would no justification for this.

“You ain’t just a liar, but you can’t STOP IT. Why ya’ play these games, you good for nothin’ piece’a manure?! You wanna be with Rarity?! BE WITH HER! Don’t yo- NO! You can’t have her either! You ain’t good enough for her, you ain’t good enough for me! You ain’t good enough for any’a my friends, you rootbuckin’ crud bucket! Y- You LIED to me! You USED me! What-” She said, her body quaking with fierce, near uncontrolled energy as she approached him, pushing him up against the wall. Her eyes were wild, back right leg tapping against the floor.

“WHY?”

“I...” Ficksitup struggled to say something, anything, but he was paralyzed. He’d never seen Applejack this angry, this furious. It honestly scared him. Not just for himself, but for her. For them. He didn’t know what would happen.

“NO! I don’t want to hear more of YOUR LIES! SWEET CELESTIA HOW COULD I BE SO DUMB! You must’ve been having one big ‘ol laugh in your lyin’ head when you were calling me smart, I bet. ‘Look at the silly farm pony, I’ll get what I want from her and from her cute friend on the side, too!’ I-” She turned away from him, wanting with every fiber to just buck him through the tree itself and then keep on doing it until she reached a mountain and he was just a pile of jelly. She was kept still only by the image of Twilight and Spike, almost shaking with fear as they backed away from her. She took a deep breath and turned around, avoiding eye contact as she snatched the hat away from him with her teeth.

She didn’t trot towards the door, nor canter or gallop. She walked in silence, her own mind abuzz with the greatest of confusion, her very conscious being wracked by near-endless depths of sheer and unadulterated... unknown.

Nopony could take such abuse and not say something. Ficks felt naked and somewhat defenestrated by the loss of the hat, and being the object of abuse from two creatures at the same time had to invoke some sort of response.

“Y’know I find it kinda’ funny that one minute you ain’t worried about the hat flyin’ off’a my head, sayin’ that it doesn’t matter, and the next minutre you’re snatchin’ itn offa’ my head for no good reason!” Ficks spat out assertively, voice quivering from a shock-induced defensiveness and sheer panic.

She didn’t even bother looking at him, staring out the door as her voice evened out.

“You ain’t good enough for it.” She whispered before she placed it atop her own hat.

“Don’t come near me. Or my friends. Or my family. If you do, Big Mac’ll be the least a’ your worries.” This piece of manure wasn’t worth her granddaddy’s legacy in any way, and that was the honest truth. She walked out of the door and within moments, a fierce, powerful trot began, each step an attack on the Earth as her pent-up rage was being taken out on poor, innocent paved walkways and not the proper target, Ficksitup’s face.

Watching her leave him there, helpless, shook him to the core. He just sat there on the doorstep of the library. Twilight and Spike were both giving him a concerned look.

“...Ficks? Are... Are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“...This what you wanted lizard?” Ficksitup said, turning his head to Spike. “This what you wanted!?”

“Wait, w-what? N-no I-I-” Spike began, making him the final member of the foursome to have said it, though he would receive no congratulations for this feat other than justified fury.

“Don’t you tell me this ain’t exactly what you were aimin’ for ya’ little overgrown gecko, don’t you dare tell me otherwise! This is exactly the manure you wanted! I got half a mind to beat you into non existence but you ain’t hardly worth it ya’ dang runt! I ought to buck you straight to whatever little nest you came from, but you ain’t wort-” Ficksitup roared at the increasingly terrified little dragon. Suddenly, he found himself floating in mid-air, unable to move. Twilight’s horn glowed vibrantly, her face hard-set and stern.

“Ficksitup, out. I know you’re upset, but I’m not going to let you threaten Spike. Get out and stay out until you can act like a stallion and not like some enraged colt!” Twilight nearly screamed, her own heart racing as her maternal instincts kicked in. Within a few moments, Ficksitup was out on his flank, the door shut tight and locked as the lights dimmed. As the waves of his rage subsided, he could hear what sounded like small sobs from Spike, the little baby dragon never having witnessed such a raging storm of emotion as he had just seen- and been the cause of.

And now, Ficksitup was alone in the middle of the night, completely without anything but his thoughts. He sat there, helpless to do anything about what had just happened. Not only had he messed up with Applejack, he just messed up with what might have been the only pony present that might have even been willing to help him.

All he could do was walk. Just... Walk away from tonight. ‘Maybe it’s all just a really bad dream and I gotta’ wake up...’ He thought, suddenly in denial. He got up, and started towards his house.

The Ponyville lights started to turn off as he walked by, Ponies finally tired and going to bed. He found it all very ironic, as he continued on. In minutes, the brick red house stuck between a couple others was visible. It didn’t seem right, though. The ground floor’s lights were on. They shouldn’t be on this time of night.

Ficksitup was shocked at the fact that he wasn’t sobbing up a storm, or something. Though he felt hardly strong enough to even muster up a tear. He opened the gate to his house, closed it, and proceeded through the front door.

“...So then I told the guy, ‘No, that won’t work, you just don’t have enou-’” A familiar voice said, interrupted by Nuttanbolt’s shouting.

“Ficksitup! You’re home, did you have a good night? Was it fun?” Nuttanbolt asked in a cheery manner as he grasped Ficksitup leg, completely unaware of the events that had transpired. Nuttanbolt’s smile faded as he looked at his older brother’s face. He knew that look, and it wasn’t a good one.

“Hey there, Ficks. How’d your date go, you look like a wreck. She must’a been-”

“Plank. Shut up.” Ficksitup said in a blank tone. Hammerplank’s face almost grew angry, but knowing Ficksitup, a blank tone wasn’t a good thing. The kitchen light was dimmed by a shadow of a stallion that Ficksitup couldn’t quite make out.

But he knew who it was.

The stallion drew closer, his features becoming more visible. His coat was a rather deep blue, his eyes grey, his hair as black as Ficksitup’s albeit with a few grey streaks, and his mark a calculator with 3.14 on the screen.

“...Hello son. It’s been awhile.”

Like Apples ‘N’ Wrenches? Wanna’ show your appreciation? Send us your best fan art and we’ll feature the top ten in our next chapter. It can be a scene from one of our previous chapters or one of the characters, anything really. Have fun and thank you for reading!

Chapter 9: Where we left off...

Apples N’ Wrenches
By The Write Bros.

Chapter 9: Where we left off...

“Hello son. It’s been a while.”

Ficksitup couldn’t believe it. He absolutely could not believe it. At first he hoped his eyes were playing tricks on him or that maybe he was just hallucinating. Anything was better than accepting that the individual standing before him was his father. The bespectacled stallion casually stepped forward, to which Ficksitup quickly backed away in response.

“What- what is this?” Ficksitup demanded in a harsh tone. “Yer jokin’ right? This is all some sort of sick joke, right?

The solid blue stallion gave him a puzzled look before speaking, “Why do you seem so surprised to see me, son? I thou-”

“Don’t you ‘son’ me, Addemup!” Ficksitup interrupted, pointing a hoof at his father who was now stunned by his sudden outburst. Ficksitup then turned his attention to his uncle. “Plank! What in the hay is he doing here?”

Hammerplank stood up, annoyed by his nephew’s imputations. “Watch your tone, kiddo.” He warned, “Don’t get snippy with me, alright? I didn’t say anything ‘cause I thought ya knew he’d be showin’ up.”

“Why would I know if he’d be coming down here?” Ficksitup hissed. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have even let him in the house.”

Hammerplank ignored his comment and continued. “Well that’s kinda’ why we’re all surprised that you didn’t tell us he’d be showing up.”

“That makes no sense. No sense at all.”

“Look kiddo, I only assumed ya knew about it because of the letter.” Hammerplank responded, shrugging his shoulders, “When you didn’t tell us anything, I just figured that you were okay with him paying a visit.” He then furrowed his brow in thought of his previous statement, “That, or ya just didn’t wanna talk about it.”

“Letter? What letter?” Ficksitup asked, raising his voice again.

“Ya’ mean ya never got it?”

“What letter?” Ficksitup shouted, his patience running thin.

“Hmm, I guess I should have assumed that things had gone awry when he never wrote back...” Addemup quietly added. Without anypony really noticing, he had been standing in the corner of the dining room, almost pretending to be invisible. He was waiting for the opportune moment to re-enter the conversation. Apparently, it was as good a time as any.

“Yeah, but I highly doubt he would have been inclined to do that anyway.” Hammerplank whispered back.

The two older brothers nodded to each other. “I suppose that’s true.”

Ficksitup’s already thinning patience finally ran out as he forcefully stamped his hoof on the floor, the sound echoing throughout the entire house. “WHAT LETTER?!” He screamed.

His outburst made the room fall silent. Nuttanbolt, who had been watching from the doorway of the kitchen, was starting to tremble slightly. As long as he’d known his older brother, he had always been able to look up to Ficksitup as the kind of stallion to keep a cool head in any situation. For the last ten years, Ficksitup had never had an outburst. Even after the trouble Nuttanbolt had caused at his school recently, he still remained relatively calm throughout the entire debacle. But this... he had never seen his brother this angry before, and it scared him. Nuttanbolt wanted to do nothing more than run upstairs and hide in his room until everything had settled, but he was too petrified to move. All he could do was cover his ears to try and block out the yelling.

Hammerplank waited for Ficksitup to calm down before he continued.

“Well, as yer father had just explained to me prior to ya’ comin’ home rather early…” Hammerplank began, giving his nephew another cold glare, “He sent you a letter a while back to let ya know he’d be comin’ down to visit you n’ Nut. We both assumed that you’d gotten it, but decided not to tell anypony.”

“I don’t- that doesn’t even make sense- I never…” Ficksitup trailed off as he began racking his brain for any hint of him receiving a letter from his father. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Nothing was coming up. As far as he could tell, the day he left his father was the last time he’d ever had or wished to speak with him.

Suddenly like a flash of light, a memory from almost a week ago flew into his mind. That third night since he had returned to Ponyville, he received an envelope that was addressed to him. The return address in the top left corner, the name was…

“...Dammit.” Ficksitup swore under his breath. His legs were now trembling uncontrollably. He had completely forgotten about that night. When he received the letter, all he had done was crumple it up and throw it away, not giving it a second thought. Apparently it had now come back to bite him on the flank. Hammerplank could see the expression in his face and sat back down, satisfied that his nephew finally understood.

“So you see so- I mean… Ficksitup?” Addemup began, “I thought you knew I’d be coming down to see you again. I’m sorry that this came as such a surprise to you.”

Ficksitup reeled around, angry once again. He stared at his father in disbelief, his eyes burning with rage.

“Why the hay wouldn’t I be surprised? Ten years, ten long years after mom died and you didn’t give a damn about either of your sons, you suddenly show up, acting like everything is all hunky dory!”

“But that’s the thing...” Addemup quickly tried to explain, “The reason I’ve come down here is because of your mother.”

“What?” Ficksitup interrupted once again, “Did ya’ come all the way down here to tell me that ya’ finally gave her a funeral? You didn’t bother to do that for her ten years ago either!”

“No that’s... that’s not it, Ficksitup. Please, just... hear me out.”

Addemup sounded like he was nearly on the verge of tears. He was trying to do everything he could to reach out to his son. Yet it felt like no matter what he did, Ficksitup wasn’t willing to listen to him. At all. Like he was just filtering everything in one ear and out the other.

“If you’ve got something to say then say it, old man.” Ficksitup quickly snapped.

Addemup decided to risk it, “Please... I know you’re mad at me and you have every right to be. But honest to Celestia, I really am trying to be here for you. Both you and Nuttanbolt. I’m only trying to make up for all those years of neglect. Can’t you at least give me one cha-”

“Have you lost your mind!?” Ficksitup exploded, “What kind of world exists where I would ever give ya' another chance to ruin my life?”

Addemup could practically feel his heart shattering as his son turned away from him, he put a hoof out in one last attempt to reach out to him. “Ficksitup... please.”

“No! No, not tonight, not right now! Absolutely not! I’ve got enough goin’ wrong in the world without you of all ponies just decidin’ to randomly waltz in like you own the place!” Ficksitup shouted, brushing past his father aggressively. “And if there’s any common sense left in ya, then you’d better be gone by tomorrow!”

“Ficks! Calm do-” Hammerplank said, trying once again to get his nephew to settle down. But Ficksitup’s head snapped to his uncle and he was stopped mid sentence.

“I appreciate what you’ve done for me so far Plank, but right now I haven’t got time to deal with this manure and you ain’t got a say in this either!” Ficksitup scolded as he started up the stairs. His uncle’s hoof on his shoulder stopped him. Ficksitup’s head whipped around, his gaze meeting his uncle’s.

The look on his uncle’s face, was one of short patience, and an obvious attempt to get Ficksitup to think straight. But the rage in Ficksitup’s eyes quickly overcame his uncle’s look of concern. The pure hatred, as well as the unmistakable hint of sadness Hammerplank could feel, made the old stallion ease up, and let go of his nephew.

Turning his head, Ficksitup continued to walk up the staircase, uninterrupted this time. “Nut... Get ready for bed. Now.” He said, continuing to trot upstairs. Not ten minutes ago, Ficks was in shock over what happened tonight. Now... All he felt was anger. Anger he hadn’t felt in years. From probably what he considered to be the worst first date, to his neglectful father showing up without warning, it was all too much. He didn’t want to deal with any of it anymore.

Realizing that the verbal battle was over, Nuttanbolt uncovered his ears and slowly inched his way into the dining room where the two older stallions now stood in silence. Nuttanbolt stared up at Addemup, who could only return his gaze with a look of grief. The small colt then turned towards his uncle, who at the moment was furrowing his brows in deep thought. The feeling of two small eyes upon him, made Hammerplank end his train of thought and look down at his nephew. He flashed a small reassuring grin and then flicked his head in the direction of the staircase, encouraging Nuttanbolt to get a move on. Nuttanbolt nodded his head before quietly shuffling up the stairs towards his room.

Hammerplank looked at his brother in disbelief. “Well that could'a gone a whole lot better.” He said in a frank tone.

Addemup looked to his brother and slumped into a nearby chair before speaking in a barely audible, but nonetheless, broken tone, “I should have seen this coming. I’m a complete idiot. I knew to expect that my reception might be cold, to say the very least and yet I still took the risk to come down here. And now it’s like he hates me even more...” He let his head sink until it hit the table.

Hammerplank was even slightly unnerved at how badly Ficksitup’s verbal onslaught had practically broken down his younger brother, piece by piece. It was like Addemup had been reduced to an empty shell, completely devoid of any emotions besides utter depression. He hadn’t seen him in years, but Hammerplank had a vivid memory of when there was a time that the stallion in front of him was once abundant with emotion. All because of her.

“Look don’t let it get to ya’ a whole lot.” Hammerplank said, putting a hoof on Addemup’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, “From what I can tell, it sounds like he’s had a rough night, even before you showed up.”

Addemup only grumbled in response. Hammerplank frowned at his unenthusiastic reaction but continued anyway.

“I’m sure after a bit of sleep, that stubborn kid will be a more than willin’ to sit down n’ have a chat with ya.”

He wrapped his arm around his younger brother and grinned excessively. Addemup looked back at him in silence for what felt like several minutes before nodding. He took a deep breath and exhaled before a miniature smile appeared on his face. Hammerplank could no longer hold his cheshire grin. He’d finally managed to pull a small shred of emotion out of him.

“Alright then ‘Plank, I’ll take your word for it.” Addemup responded quietly.

“That’s the spirit, Addem.” Hammerplank chirped, leading his younger brother into the living room. As the two of them passed the staircase, Hammerplank quickly glanced up, his smile disappearing for a moment as he muttered, “But I still ain’t too sure he’s gonna’ take the truth very lightly...”

***

Nuttanbolt crawled into bed as was the usual routine, though tonight, with a little less energy than he normally did. In a way he felt scared and confused about the entire situation but at the same time, a little excited. This was, in fact, the first time in five years that he was finally able to see his father again. He had so many questions he wanted to ask Addemup. Like where he had been all this time or why he was finally visiting them now. Nuttanbolt knew, however, that his questions would have to remain unanswered at the moment as his brother silently strode into his room and next to his bed. He looked up at Ficksitup, who was trembling silently. To Nuttanbolt, he looked like he was in pain. Like something or someone had physically hit him and he was now trying to recuperate from his wounds.

“Ficks?” Nuttanbolt quietly asked.

“Yeah?”

“You alright?” he asked, looking with legitimate concern. Fickitup’s eyes shifted away, and back to his little brother.

“I’m fine, Nut... Don’t worry about it.”

He didn’t believe Ficksitup any further than he could throw him, in other words, not at all. But he knew that pestering him about it wasn’t going to get anything out of him, so he eased up, pausing for a few seconds before speaking up again.

“So... is that really our dad down there?”

“What? He didn’t tell ya himself,” Ficks snarled. Nuttanbolt, shocked by the harshness of the response, looked away from his brother.

“I didn’t even really get to talk to him all that much. I was just listening to Uncle ‘Plank and him talking to each other for awhile. He was about to come and talk to me but then you came home. So I didn’t say nothing to him, honest.”

Ficksitup realized that his little brother was answering merely out of fear in hopes of calming him down rather than just answering his question. Upon that revelation, Ficksitup exhaled deeply before putting a reassuring hoof on Nut’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, I understand, and I’m sorry for gettin’ angry at ya.”

“It’s fine.”

Ficksitup pondered for a moment whether he wished to explain to his little brother at all about the dilemma he was facing with their father’s unexpected arrival. But he was already exhausted from the series of events that had ensued throughout the day and going into detail about a serious family matter this late at night with his sibling would only rob him of what little strength he had left. Plus he didn’t want to send Nuttanbolt to bed with such heavy thoughts on his mind. No child his age should have to deal with or even think about these kind of problems. Ficksitup only wished he could have had the same luxury when he was younger.

Turning his attention to Nuttanbolt again, Ficksitup noticed that his little brother still appeared to be expressing a substantial amount of concern for his older sibling. The way his amber eyes seemed to peer right through him as if they were saying, “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?” made Ficksitup’s whole body swarm with guilt. He hated leaving him out of the loop, but he was only doing this for his younger sibling’s own good.

Nuttanbolt’s seemingly hypnotic stare was broken when the both of their attention was drawn to floor after hearing the barely audible clatter of miniature claws across the wood floor. Looking down, they could see Nuttanbolt’s ferret, the infamous Oddball, scurrying across the floor at the foot of the bed. Using his snout to investigate, the ferret stopped every few inches, his nose quivering at lightning speed as he quickly snatched up a crumb that he’d managed to find. He eventually stumbled upon a rather impressive pile of crumbs that looked like leftovers from some cookies next to one of the bed posts. Oddball practically dove into the pile, almost squeaking in delight over the new spoils he’d discovered. Using this as a chance to change the topic, Ficksitup quickly looked up to give his brother a devious grin. Nuttanbolt responded with his own innocent smile, realizing that he’d been had.

“You’ve been sneakin’ food into yer room again, haven’t ya?”

“It was just a few midnight snacks, honest.”

“Plank is gonna have a fit if he finds out. Ya know how much he hates havin’ food upstairs ‘cuz of the ant problems n’ everything.”

Nuttanbolt flashed a smug grin, “Well he isn’t gonna’ have to find out.”

“Oh?” Ficksitup asked, rather curious as to how his mischievous brother could possibly escape a verbal lashing from their uncle.

“That’s right.” he said with utmost confidence, “Because I’ve got my very own portable vacuum cleaner.” He gave a wink as he glanced down at his furry companion, who at the moment had just finished clearing away the cookie debris from the floor. If one had looked close enough, they could have probably seen a small whiskered grin appearing over the weasel’s face. With that image and his little brother’s rather smart alecky remark, Ficksitup couldn’t help but break out into a small fit of laughter.

“Alright ya got me there, Nut.”

A small giggle from his little brother made Ficksitup crack another half-mooned smile. As much of a normally unimportant topic of discussion as it was, the little tid bits of humor that they were sharing right now was helping to ease some of the pain that Ficksitup was still feeling in his chest. It was a welcoming distraction.

However the ever lingering feel of fatigue was finally pushing its way into Ficksitup’s body as he let out a heavy yawn.

“Well, alright then fearless raider of the pantry, it’s getting late and you’ve still got school in the morning.” Ficksitup said, stretching his back in the process. It seems only now, that it felt sore. “I ain’t gonna be responsible if ya can’t focus in class.”

“Okay then.” Nuttanbolt answered, obediently. He quickly shuffled his body deeper under the covers until he was flat on his back and his head was resting against the pillow. As if this was his cue, Oddball quickly scurried up one of the bed posts and began kneading at the covers near the end of the bed before making a few small rotations around the spot he had picked out and then finally curling up in a ball. He’s only a hyperactive furball when he wants to be... Ficksitup thought.

With that, the two of them exchanged their goodnights as Ficksitup killed the lights and then finally shut the door as slowly and as quietly as he could.

Outside Nuttanbolt’s room, Ficksitup stood there for a moment, a million different things rushing through his head, all too fast for him to give any specific thought more attention than the others. With that, he decided that this was as good a sign as any that he was officially too tired to think straight and therefore should head up to bed.

He quietly trotted his way up towards the attic steps. As far as he could tell, there were no sounds coming from downstairs on the first floor. To that, he gently nudged the attic door open with his hoof and stepped into his room.

Ficksitup was greeted with silence and pitch black darkness. The small round window in his attic usually provided an excellent source of light at night, since the moon would shine right through it, providing a luminescent glow in his room that was soothing to come home to after a stressful day. Though tonight, the thick dark clouds that were splattered across the sky also blotted out the moon, leaving his window without a source of light and his room... an empty void.

Trying to maneuver his way to the bed across his room, Ficksitup didn’t bother trying to find the lamp to turn on. The darkness was rather welcoming to the mood he was in. Besides, he would have had to turn it off again when he went to sleep.

Feeling his front legs hit the edge of his bed, he stopped and let out a long sigh, like he was exhaling all of the days events. He slowly lifted his arm up to remove his hat before succumbing to the bed’s welcoming escape into dreamland, but as he felt his way across his head, all he felt was the tussled strands of his messy charcoal black mane.

“Oh... that’s right.” he mumbled.

Like a train, all the memories of what went wrong on his date with Applejack slammed back into his head. The pain that he felt because of it had also returned, uninvited. The wave of emotions now swarming through him combined with his already increasing fatigue made Ficksitup finally collapsed onto his bed. He immediately buried his face into the covers, practically begging the mattress to swallow him up. When that didn’t work, he just shut his eyes and tried to block out everything. Slowly beginning to drift deeper and deeper into slumber, all he wanted was to fall asleep and forget everything. Or maybe he already was asleep and now he was just hoping to finally wake up from this nightmare.

I just can’t ever get a break...

***
With the arrival of morning, light pierced the attic window and straight onto Ficksitup’s face. Feeling the warmth of the sunlight peering into the room, he slowly opened one eye and then both. Turning his head away from the direction of the light, he let out a low guttural groan before pulling the covers over his face. The amount of rest he’d managed to get last night was hardly enough to qualify as sleep and it was showing through the amount of soreness he was feeling all over his body. His legs felt like jello and his head was throbbing slightly from a rising headache. His mind was practically screaming at him to to not get up. Ficksitup had half the heart to listen to his own advice but he knew that lying in bed all day wasn’t going to accomplish anything.

Still groaning like an old stallion with a bad back, he clumsily rolled out of bed. One of his hind legs was still wrapped in the covers which resulted in him toppling face first onto the floor. He would have screamed in agony had he not been so groggy. Though he did feel different. Now his forehead was hurting even more than it did when he first woke up. Using the nightstand next to his bed as support, he pulled himself up. An unfortunate mistake.

As he pulled his face up to the nightstand, Ficksitup was met with the small frame that held the photo of him and his mother smiling carelessly at the camera. The face she was wearing in the picture almost felt like his mother was laughing at his expense for not being able to even wake up properly.

“Oh... don’t look at me like that.” he whined.

He quickly turned away from the photograph and lazily made his way to the attic’s hatch. As he reached down to pull it open, he glanced down at his arm that was slightly covered by a ruffled white sleeve. It was then that he realized that he was still wearing the collared shirt that his uncle had lent to him last night. He was too fatigued to take it off so he just slept in it. Though it probably would have saved him the trouble of how he was feeling now that he noticed it.

Ficksitup was immediately thrown back into the memories of everything that had happened last night. It was a complete recap. From the first moment that he had arrived at the Apple Acres to get Applejack for their date, to the unforgettable kiss they shared on the ferris wheel, and of course... the entire debacle that took place in the library. He simply could not fathom how what was going to be a perfect night of bliss and romance, could spiral out of control and turn into a complete nightmare. There were no words to describe it. The only thing he could feel was regret. Regret for even remembering it.

If only they had decided to stay on that ferris wheel a little longer...

If only they they hadn’t bothered to follow Twilight back to the library...

If only he’d forgotten about that stupid hat...

Maybe then he wouldn’t be in this situation and maybe then he wouldn’t be feeling like the unluckiest individual in the world at the moment. Mustering what little strength he had, Ficksitup aggressively tore the shirt off of his chest. Hearing a few small rips, he was fairly certain that he pulled off a button or two. He didn’t care. He tossed the shirt onto the bed and opened the attic hatch, stumbled down the steps before slamming it shut.

Making his way downstairs, he made a quick pit stop in the bathroom on the second floor in high hopes that his uncle might have some pain relievers stashed away in there. He pushed the door open and strode into the depressingly small lavatory. With the bathtub, toilet, and sink taking up most of the already small amount of space, there wasn’t really a lot of standing room. Not to mention the fact that the dark olive colored wallpaper that covered all four walls was anything but attractive. It was, overall, a rather ugly bathroom. Then again, as far as Ficksitup could assume, his uncle wasn’t exactly keen on interior decorating. Though one could never tell with how well organized he kept his own office.

Mulling over that rather perplexing thought, Ficksitup stopped in front of the sink before raising his head and glancing into the mirror that hung directly over it. It was then that he realized how much of a toll that his exhaustion had taken on him. Potato sack-like bags hung underneath his eyes. His mane was sticking up in every direction, making him look like some sort of deformed porcupine, and for some reason, his cheek was smudged with dirt. He was a complete wreck and his still throbbing head wasn’t making it any better. Remembering what he had come in here to do, Ficksitup pulled open the mirror, which also served as small door for the small medicine cabinet that lay behind it, and scanned the contents inside. Thankfully, he found a small tube filled with pain relievers and removed it from the shelf. He popped two pills out of the tube before throwing his head back and swallowing them in one gulp. He turned on the sink and took a quick slurp of water to wash them down, using this also as an opportunity to wash his face. The splash of cold water on his cheeks and forehead felt unbelievably soothing. He scrubbed at his cheeks several times, making certain that he got rid of the dirt stain. Once he was satisfied, he turned the faucet off and grabbed a nearby towel, drying his face. So far, the sensation of cold water and soft cotton on his face were the only good things to have happened to him this morning. He hung the towel back on the rack and continued his trip downstairs.

When he finally reached the kitchen, all he could think about was filling his antsy stomach with food. That was where he was confronted with problem number two of his seemingly dire situation of an overall terrible morning. Sitting in a chair at the far end of the dining room table was his bespectacled father, Addemup, who at the moment, was busily scribbling numbers down on a piece of paper. Sensing his son’s presence, Addemup looked up from his work and flashed him a small cautious smile.

“Good morning, Ficksitup. Sleep well?”

Ficksitup gave him a short glare before stifling out a cranky ‘no’. Addemup’s smile faltered for a moment before returning to its original shape. He had a feeling his son wouldn’t be too idle for conversation in the morning, but for whatever reason, he felt a little more confident about talking to him now then he did last night.

Ficksitup made his way to the fridge, not making a sound the entire time, and pulled open the heavy metal door. As his son was rummaging through the contents, Addemup decided to use this as chance to start up the conversation again while he was distracted.

“So uh, Hammerplank filled me in a little last night.” He began, clearing his throat. “He told me you had a date with that mare from the farm at the edge of town.”

Ficksitup slammed the refrigerator door shut, making his father jump slightly. Addemup assumed that was the only answer he was going to get out of him, and from the sound of it, he could tell he had hit a touchy subject. As his son took a seat at the other end of the table, his makeshift breakfast laid out on the table, Addemup merely gave him a look of pity.

“I guess that didn’t go too well...”

Ficksitup gave him a sharp look. For a moment, Addemup regretted making that last remark.

“Gee how’d ya know?” Ficksitup asked with bitter sarcasm.

Deciding to play along rather than go against it, Addemup cleared his throat again before responding, “I had a hunch.”

“Wow you must be some sorta’ super genius if ya’ figured that out all out on yer own, Addem.” Fickistup sneered, refusing to let up on the sarcastic comments.

Apparently, playing along wasn’t going to work.

“Well... if it’s any consolation, I am sincerely sorry that it didn’t work out, Ficks. From what Hammerplank told me, this Applesmack girl sounded like a really nice catch for you.”

“Her name is AppleJACK!”

“Right. Applejack. Sorry. Still not too good with names it seems...”

“I don’t recall when ya ever were.”

So much for small talk... Addemup thought regretfully. He put his pencil down and removed his glasses. He pulled a small handkerchief out the pocket of the black pin-stripe vest he was wearing at the moment. As he began polishing his spectacles, he took the moment of silence to recollect his thoughts. On the bright side, at least his son wasn’t pressing on the matter that he was still here since he vividly recalled Ficksitup’s extremely threatening demand to leave last night. Addemup quickly considered if leaving would have in fact been for the better. Sleeping on the sofa in the lobby was certainly no easy feat. He just as easily could have gotten a room in the nearby hotel. But doing that would have just been a bigger temptation to leave town without getting through to his son at all. At least staying here in the shop gave Addemup more incentive to try and talk things over with Ficksitup. After all, he did have a very pressing matter of information to disclose to his son. It was just getting him to listen that was going to be the real challenge.

Noticing that company was rather scarce at the moment, Ficksitup began looking around curiously. It didn’t seem like anypony else was in the house at the moment.

“Where’s Nuttanbolt?” Ficksitup quietly asked.

“Already at school.” Addemup responded, still polishing his glasses.

Looking at the clock, Ficksitup grumbled at this new revelation. It was nearly noon, meaning that he’d slept in far longer than he had anticipated. Reading the negativity in his voice and facial expressions, Addemup gave a small forced chuckle.

“Hammerplank, was going to wake you up originally, but decided to let you sleep in instead. From the look of it, it doesn’t seem to have done you a lot of good anyway.”

“Where is he anyway?” Ficksitup asked, ignoring the last comment.

“In the shed around back. Said he was working on some old projects... Oh speaking of work.” Addemup said, his eyebrows perking up in remembrance, “Your uncle told me to make sure you got these...”

He got up from the table and grabbed a stack of small envelopes sitting on the kitchen counter. He gently placed the stack in front of his son. With a mouthful of food, Ficksitup inspected the stack of letters in front of him. There were a lot of them, which meant a lot of repair requests. Which meant of course that he had his work cut out for him today. Ficksitup shuddered at the last thought. He then gave his father a cynical look that seemed to say ‘Did you have to give these to me now?’

Sensing that his son was anything but impressed by the sudden workload dropped in front of him, Addemup merely shrugged his shoulders.

“I guess work never stops for heartbreaks, eh?.”

Ficksitup quickly gave him another sharp glare.

“Ya really are an ass sometimes. Ya know that, Addem?”

With that, Ficksitup got up from the table and stormed out of the dining room, not even bothering to clear away the mess he’d left from breakfast. Meanwhile, all Addemup could do was smack his own forehead in frustration. He didn’t mean to let that last comment slip, but it sort of came out anyway. If he was honestly trying to get his son to not hate him at the moment, he was failing miserably.

A few minutes later, Ficksitup came back into the dining room, now wearing his orange workers vest and his tool bag hanging on his back. He grabbed the stack of letters and stuffed them into one of the pockets before making his way towards the back door near the kitchen. As he was heading out, Addemup quickly made one last attempt to try and comfort his son before he headed off to work. The least he could do was try to give some fatherly advice about relationships. He’d been down that road before.

“Listen Ficksitup. I know you’re still upset about whatever it is that happened last night with this girl, but please... don’t let it get to you while you’re at work today. Just try to concentrate on your job or something and let this whole date thing go. I’m sure there are plenty of mares out there that you can date in the future. I guess this one was just a bad apple-”

Addemup slapped a hoof over his mouth, his eyes becoming as wide as saucers as he realized the unintentional pun he just made. 'Oh boy, here we go...'

Ficksitup reeled around, his entire face flustering with absolute rage. His cheeks were puffing out as he struggled to contain his anger. To no avail, he exploded in a flurry of words at his father.

“Ya know what, Addem? You can go jump off the nearest cliff for all I care! I don’t give one piece of manure about what you think!”

“Ficksitup. Please, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say th-”

“No! Enough of yer damn apologies. I don’t have time for this. I have work to do.” Ficksitup shouted as he began storming out the door before he quickly turned around to make one last remark, “And yer one to talk about work. Seems to me like ya’d still lug yer work around rather than think about what yer gonna say before sayin’ it!”

Addemup gave him a perplexed look before he realized what his son was implying. He looked down at the small piece of paper that was still sitting on the table. He then turned back to face his son to attempt to explain.

“No, Ficksitup. That’s not work, that’s just a-”

Ficksitup slammed the door in his face before he could finish. Addemup let out a heavy sigh as he took another glance at the Sudoku puzzle sitting on the table. The eighty one square grid on the piece of paper was half finished with several single digit numbers littered across it. In a way, Addemup could sort of see why his son would have mistaken it for work. But in truth, it had nothing to do with his work profession at all. It was just a pastime of his that he enjoyed doing since he was a small colt.

Alas, it appeared that once again, Addemup had royally screwed up in trying to make even the most simple of conversation with his son.

“This is not going to be easy, is it?” he rhetorically questioned to himself.

***

Out on the groves of Sweet Apple Acres, the entire land was bustling with activity. With the Fall Harvest Festival finally over, the entire family was putting their noses to the grindstone, fully aware that the actual harvest was just around the corner. Between maintaining their reputation and overall devotion to the business, the Apple family made very sure to draw a fine line between work and play. Everypony knew full well that they would need all the help they can get to get the harvest done on time and in an orderly manner. Which was why the farm was teeming with energy as the apple workers scattered around like ants scavenging an abandoned picnic. Looking seemingly disorganized at a glance, they were in fact very robust and focused on their objective with only one thing on their minds. Apples.

Preparations needed to be made, teams needed to be formed to divide the labor evenly, equipment needed to be set up, and of course, the apples needed to be tested for ripeness. Of course those were just the actions that were being done as a prelude to the harvest. Picking, or in this case, bucking all of the apples was going to be the real challenge.

Far off on a hill near the far corner of the acres, Applebloom was lazily lounging in an apple barrel underneath a tree, attempting to catch a quick nap. Since the Apple Family had requested help from everypony, a few strings were pulled to excuse her from school for the week. Cheerilee, her teacher, made no objections of course in allowing Applebloom to cut school for several days based on family matters. Though she made certain that Applebloom didn’t shirk on her schoolwork either, sending her trotting home with a hearty stack of homework to do in her absence.

Though even with Applebloom now readily available to do her part, at the moment, there wasn’t anything she could do. She was too small to handle the heavy equipment, her organization skills were severely lacking to allow her to help with making the checklists or other related things, and she still wasn’t strong enough to buck apples on her own. Since she had no desire to do any of her assigned homework so early in the day, boredom was the only thing keeping her company.

She was jolted awake from her little snooze as she heard a loud crack emanate from the tree she was lying under. Another loud thud pierced her eardrums. She let out an irritated groan and pulled her bow down over her ears, trying to plug them up and drown out the sound. Another crack, hard enough for Applebloom to feel, rang out, echoing across the acres. A small apple shook loose from the tree and plummeted towards the ground. Missing its target, the red fruit hit Applebloom square in the face.

“OW!”

As she began gently caressing her throbbing snout, her sister, Applejack, poked her head out from behind the tree, smiling at her apologetically.

“Sorry ‘bout that ‘lil sis.”

Applebloom looked up at her, glaring, her nose now slightly red from where the red missile struck her.

“Do ya have to do this right now?” Applebloom asked, “I’m pretty sure they said the apples ain’t even ready to be harvested.”

“I know that” Applejack responded.

Applebloom began flailing her arms around, “Then why in the heck ya doin’ it now?”

Her older sister gave her a determined look before turning back to the tree, remembering what she was doing a moment ago.

“I’m just gettin’ in some practice” she said, giving the tree trunk another swift kick.

Applebloom merely rolled her eyes, “Yer always practicin’. Don’t ya ever get tired?”

“Nope”

The truth was that her legs were probably the sorest they had ever been in her life. Applebloom couldn’t see it, but from her hips all the way down to her hooves, Applejack’s body was quivering in agony. All the walking around she had done the previous night, combined with past few days that she had spent bucking trees the entire time, had pushed her body to its limits. The lack of sleep that she got also didn’t contribute too much in reducing her pain. Though of course, that was only one factor to her currently stressed out state...

Hanging the front of her body over the edge of the barrel, Applebloom let out a long sigh as her sister continued to buck relentlessly at the tree, obviously not getting the hint that she wanted peace and quiet. Letting boredom get the best of her, Applebloom decided to strike up conversation since a nap was now out of the question.

“So how’d the date with Ficks go?”

Applejack was so staggered by the question that she accidentally kicked the tree slightly harder than she had intended, causing some of the bark from the trunk to shatter before chipping off onto the ground.

“I uh... what?” she sheepishly asked, “Didn’t quite catch that.”

“I said...how did yer date with Ficks go?” Applebloom repeated.

“Why ya wanna’ know so badly?”

“Ya didn’t really say much about it when ya got home last night. Just thought I’d ask now.”

Applejack snorted in frustration, wishing that her younger sister hadn’t remembered the whole ordeal from last night. When she came home, she was doing everything she could to maintain her composure without completely breaking down in front of her family. They were eager to ask her about the date, but she quickly dismissed their questions by telling them she was tired and didn’t want to talk about it. Applejack figured that her grandmother and siblings knew there was more to it than that, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to be alone. It wasn’t until she finally made it to her room, quickly shutting the door behind her, that she finally collapsed on the floor before bursting into tears. Through blurry and soaked eyes, she realized she was still holding her grandfather’s old hat. The one she had given to Ficksitup. The one that caused this whole mess. Tossing it angrily across the room, she started weeping heavily again, burying her face in her arms.

Applejack couldn’t recall how long she stayed awake, sobbing into her pillow, but she was certain that she eventually cried herself to sleep. Quickly shaking her head in attempt to forget about all of it, she snapped back into the present and gave Applebloom an expressionless look.

“It was fine.”

Applebloom raised an eyebrow, a little put off by her older sister’s curious answer. She knew that she was lying. Everypony in the house that night could hear her in her room, crying for Celestia-knows how many hours. Applebloom was going to knock on her door and ask what was wrong, but her brother, Big Mac, stopped her at the last minute. He put a hoof on her shoulder and gave her one of those looks that he always makes that tells somepony exactly what he means without any need for words. The look he gave her that night was to leave Applejack alone and let it go. With any common sense, Applebloom assumed that bringing it up now would still be an inopportune moment. So deciding to be more cautious but without completely giving up her investigation, she decided to choose her questions a little more carefully.

“So is Ficks still gonna’ be helpin’ us out with the harvest this year?” Applebloom asked.

“I’m not sure.”

“Why not?”

“I told ya, I don’t know.”

“But I thought ya said he promised to help us?” Applebloom mock-whined.

Applejack jerked her head towards her little sister, glaring in annoyance. She was more than fed up with Applebloom’s pestering, “Well I guess he changed his mind!”

Applebloom flinched slightly, but was still satisfied that she was getting on the right track in finding out about what happened last night.

“So the date didn’t go well.”

“Whaa? I didn’t say that!” Applejack snapped, stunned by Applebloom’s conclusion even if it was true. Though she wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of having her figured out so easily.

“Then how come Ficks isn’t comin’ to help us out now?” she asked, knowing full well what she was getting into. She added one last question to help drive Applejack over the edge. “What did ya do to upset him?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Applejack shouted

Applebloom simply shook her head, giving her sister a look of false concern. “It was yer cutie mark, wasn’t it? He just didn’t like yer cutie mark.”

“That ain’t it! If anything, it’s all his fault!” Applejack finally yelped.

“Aha! So ya admit it. The date did go badly!” Applebloom jeered victoriously.

All Applejack could do was give her sister an unforgiving glare. She hated how nosy Applebloom tended to be sometimes as well as her uncanny ability to find out about the truth, no matter how hard somepony tried to hide it. Children did seem to have that sort of ambition when it came to getting involved in things that had nothing to do with them. An ambition, that Applejack had become all too aware of in her little sister’s case.

“Fine. So maybe it did. Doesn’t mean I wanna’ talk about it.”, Applejack finally responded.

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t, Applebloom. And because it ain’t any of yer business.”

“But I wanna’ know what happened.” Applebloom whined. She was certain that she could get a few more tidbits of information if she pressed a little harder on the subject.

“Dangit, Applebloom!” Applejack finally snapped, “I told ya it’s none of yer business and that’s final!” She spun around and gave the tree another swift kick in the center of its trunk. With a loud thump followed by a long groan, the tree tilted slightly. There were now two hoof-shaped dents implanted in the trunk where Applejack kicked it. The tree was also bent to the side from the impact. Another sharp kick like that and it was sure to break.

Applebloom cowered back into the harvesting barrel. Perhaps she pressed a little too hard. Her older sister stood there silently, her breath heavy, and beads of sweat now running down her forehead. That last kick as well as finally snapping at her little sister had consumed the last of Applejack’s energy. She was completely worn out. She angrily brushed past her sister and stormed down the hill. She’d done enough work for today. All she wanted now was to rest her legs and regain a fraction of the sleep she had lost last night. Though Applejack doubted she would be very successful in getting any sleep now. Applebloom’s rather ill-timed reminder of the date had put her in a funk that wasn’t going to be very easy to liberate herself from.

As she made her way to the bottom of the hill, Applejack was suddenly overshadowed by an enormous figure. She reeled around to see her older brother, Big Mac, standing at her side and giving her a curious look.

“Not now, Big Macintosh.” Applejack glumly sighed. She attempted to brush past him, but he stuck one of his massive red hooves out in front of her, blocking her path. He gave her another concerned expression.

“Come on sis. Tell me.” Big Mac gently commanded.

Applejack became flustered with agitation again. She was officially fed up with everypony being concerned for her and asking stupid questions about the date. “I already told Applebloom about this n’ the same thing goes fer you brother. I... don’t... wanna... talk about it.”

Big Mac merely let out a small sigh. He forgot time to time how stubborn she could be. In this situation, she was no different. However, he had his ways of bypassing her seemingly impenetrable wall of obstinacy.

“Alright then...” he said, tilting his head until several of the joints in his neck cracked loudly, “ Guess I’ll have a talk with Ficks myself. Sure he’ll be willin’ to tell me what’s goin’ on.”

Applejack detected the threatening tone in his voice and felt a pang of fear and concern for Ficksitup. For a moment she couldn’t tell if he was joking or actually being serious. For as long as she’d known him, she’d never seen Big Mac raise a hoof at anypony. But when it came to protecting his little sisters, she figured that rearranging the anatomy of somepony else was fully within reason.

“No wait! Big Mac, please. Don’t hurt him.” Applejack yelped, pushing herself towards him, trying to prevent him from walking any further. Big Mac looked down at her, giving her a quizzical look.

“What’s the problem?”

“I... I don’t...”

Even Applejack was slightly taken aback by what she just said. She had every reason to hate Ficksitup right now, even Rarity too. Afterall, it was the two of them who had been gallivanting behind her back. At least that’s what Spike had said. As much as she didn’t want to believe anything that dragon had to say, the evidence still seemed to point towards the same conclusion. Or at least it had when she was in the throes of some fiery, disputable and unknowable paranoia. But when her brother threatened most likely to bring physical harm to Ficksitup, she still couldn’t help but express general concern for him.

“You... what?” Big mac asked.

“I... Ya’ don’t need to do that.” Applejack finally stammered.

Big Mac let out a long sigh, “Alright then.”

She exhaled in relief, slightly assured that her older brother wasn’t about to go on a mini-rampage throughout the town to find the blue stallion. Still, she could tell that Big Mac had questions. Questions she would rather have left unanswered. But at the same time, these were questions that Applejack didn’t know whether she could answer honestly herself. Judging her previous statement as well as the obvious fact that she was currently conflicted with herself, Big Mac spoke up again.

“So y’aint mad at him?”

She was a little taken aback by the question, “Wha? Of course I am. I mean...” she hesitated slightly with her answer, “I mean, why shouldn’t I be? He’s the one who was goin’ behind my back and doin’... Celestia knows what with one’a my best friends.”

Big Mac stood there, silently brooding over his sister’s answer. He didn’t show any expression of somepony in deep thought, just standing there with a blank face while he stared out at nothing. It was one of the things that frustrated Applejack about her brother, immensely. She knew when he got like that, Big Mac was thinking hard about something, but she could never guess what it was.

Eventually he spoke again, “Sounds t’me like ya don’t have the whole story.”

Applejack opened her mouth to interject, but stopped herself once the words had really sunk in. Maybe she didn’t know the whole story...

“I’m just not sure what I can believe right now Big Mac.” she replied dejectedly.

He nodded before continuing, “Then ya oughta think it over before ya cause irreparable damage.”

“What’re ya’ say-”

“He may be a mechanic sis... but there are some things that even he can’t fix.”

Those last few words hit her the hardest. Applejack was suddenly swarming with a mixture of doubt, guilt, and fear. Doubt that the accusations from Spike were in fact, not true. Guilt that she may have been the one who caused all of this. And fear that she may have lost, not one, but two of her best friends.

She was so lost in thought, that all she could let out was a barely audible, “Okay.”

Applejack then trotted away towards the house, leaving Big Mac with a shred of satisfaction that he may have actually helped his sister with her emotional turmoil. That, or he just made it worse. He couldn’t tell. What he did know, as he began making his way towards the front gate of the acres, was that there was still one last thing he needed to handle... personally.

***

Ficksitup left the house of his last customer, wishing them a pleasant afternoon as he shut the door. As he counted the last few bits from the payment, he let out a long sigh of relief.

“Finally done.” he muttered as he tossed the bits into his saddle bag.

The sun was well on its way to setting in the distance, leaving little time before nightfall. The number of jobs that Ficksitup had been given today hadn’t been exactly any sort of challenge and could have easily been finished much sooner. But he had decided to take certain precautions that inevitably caused delays. Ficksitup had made sure to stay clear of the marketplace as well as not even looking in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres. He had taken extra care to stay clear of Rarity’s boutique. He had no desire to speak to her today and was certain that the feeling was mutual. Among the stack of envelopes, Ficksitup had even received a letter, requesting volunteer assistance towards helping to break down and deconstruct the rides and attractions from the festival, which he kindly declined. The last place he wanted to be was at the fairgrounds.

Ficksitup’s body had been worn out by the day’s labor, if the physical strain wasn’t enough, the emotional and mental strain of Addemup’s presence in the shop made his hooves feel like they were encased in cement. He could take pride in one thing though; that he had put in a good day’s work, and that was enough to put a smile on his face.

His plan was simple, to get from the door to his soft warm bed without too much distraction and fuss. The thought of being able to unload the day’s stress as his body hit the bed put a small smirk on his face, and a little spring in his steps.

With his new goal in mind, Ficksitup began to proceed towards the shop. Confident that nopony would halt his progress, he rapidly picked up the pace until he was in full gallop. Darting past the houses in town, everything was a blur as he hastily closed the distance between him and his abode. He could see the roof of the repair shop appearing over the horizon. It wasn’t much farther.

“Almost there,” Ficksitup wheezed. A few seconds more and he’d be home free. As he climbed over the horizon, he could see that familiar shop come into view. What he didn’t see, however, was the large figure that stood in his path. His eyes dilated, and he dug his hooves deep into the dirt road in a feeble attempt to slow himself down. It wasn’t enough.

For a moment, he believed that he’d impacted a brick wall. That guess wasn’t far off, at least comparing how hard his hit was, or that light shade of maroon. However, Ficksitup realized it wasn’t a wall when it heard breathing heavily. Adjusting to the low light, he look upward at what he just hit. When their eyes met, his heart stopped. Big “Mac” Macintosh. The cold, unwavering glare that came from him was enough to drain the color from Ficksitup’s face.

“Oh no...” He gasped, still trying to catch his breath.

“Get up” Big Mac’s booming voice commanded. His voice bellowed through the air and even vibrated through Ficksitup’s smaller frame. Ficksitup cowered and backed away, visibly shaking. Big Mac intensified his stare, “I said... get up.” the red pony commanded. How he was able to have such a loud commanding voice without yelling, Ficksitup will never understand.

In an instant, Ficksitup snapped to attention even though his body was still visibly shaking, he dare not move an inch.

Big Mac nodded in approval as he took a step closer, Ficksitup couldn’t move, his hooves felt as though they were bolted to the earth below.

“You’ve got a lot of explainin’ to do,” Big Mac proclaimed, leaning down leaving his face not but an inch and a half from Ficks’. The combined size and done of the larger stallion was more than enough to intimidate Ficksitup, and he was barely able to croak a response. “O...Okay.”

‘One leg’ Ficks recalled. That memory of the halved oak tree, felled by none other than the maroon pony that stood before him at this moment. If he could do that with his hind legs, there was no telling what would happen to Ficks, if Big Mac was given the chance.

When Big Mac’s retracting hoof was sighting, Ficks shut his eyes to keep from seeing the pain that was about to be inflicted upon him. Instead, he shaked a bit, and opened a single eye to see Big Mac had slammed his hoof down on the ground beneath them. “I guess you’re here t’make good on that promise, ain’t’cha Big Mac,” Ficksitup said in a rather defeated tone

“I’m here to hear the whole story ‘fore I do anythin’.” Big Macintosh said in a calm and collected tone.

“You... Wait, you what?”

“Applejack wasn’t too keen on tellin’ anypony what went wrong, and I know y’aint dumb enough to do somethin’ that bad. She can be, and is, a mite stubborn at times. What happened?” he questioned.

“So... You’re not here to-”

“If I were here to hurt’ya, I’da done it by now, wouldn’t I? Don’t think I ain’t willing to do to you what’cha did to m’little sister’s heart. An’ if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s Applejack bein’ in some sorta distress. She don’t cry unless it’s somethin’ well worth cryin’ about.”

“Wait, cry-... I... shoot... I deserve a punch just for that alone...” Ficks said glumly, hardly able to make eye contact with his all but adopted big brother.

“Just come out with it, Ficksitup.” Big Macintosh said, setting a hoof on his shoulder. Ficksitup did not expect that motion of comfort.

“...Y’ain’t mad..?” Ficksitup asked, truly baffled.

“Heck yes I am Ficks. But I’m willin’ t’hear your side of the story.” Big Macintosh said in his ever comforting, contemplative tone.

“Last night... last night was frankly the best night’a my life...until the end, that is,” Ficks began. “We held hooves, played a few games, and, well, we kissed. You ever kissed a gir- silly question, don’t answer. But’cha know? You get kinda’ lost in that.” It hurt saying that, having to recall their embrace, a feeling of pain...but also one of pleasure. No matter what happened, no matter what was said, it was a memory he’d never dare to forget.

“Mac, I treated her to the best night I possibly could. I...” Ficks said, stopping himself.

Big Macintosh raised an eyebrow, as if to inquire further. Ficksitup gave his next few words some serious thought. If he said the wrong thing again, it could end up going even worse than last night. If he said the right thing, it may still go poorly. ‘...No... Ain’t a doubt in my mind about that...’ Ficksitup thought, finally deciding what his next few words would be.

“I love her, Mac. I swear on my name and by Celestia, I love that girl. She can think whatever she wants’a me but I love her. I didn’t realize it at first when I came but after that party thrown at Sugarcube Corner. After... after that night I couldn’t think of anypony else and I didn’t want to.” It was hard to tell, but Ficksitup could almost see a softening in Big Mac’s furrowed brow.

“...Then tell me honestly Ficks. Did’ya go behind her back with somepony else?”

Ficksitup stared Big Macintosh dead in the eyes with the straightest expression he could muster.

“...No. Course not.” Ficksitup said earnestly.

There was a short, tense silence between the two stallions. Big Macintosh sighed as he put a hoof to his face before slowly dragging it down.

“You better not make me regret this, Ficksitup. Y’got one last chance. One. Last. Chance. My sisters are all the family I got, and I’d put m’self in front of a train rather than let’em get hurt. But you understand, don’cha?” Big Macintosh commented, making an obvious remark regarding Ficksitup’s duty to Nuttanbolt.

“Yeah, I get that... Thanks for that...and for not breakin’ my legs.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” Big Macintosh said with a grin, maintaining a serious tone. He turned his back, and walked back to the farm.

Oddly enough, it didn’t hurt as much to see the farm anymore. Granted, it wasn’t the most pleasant sight, and he was going to avoid it...but still. It didn’t hurt as much. Ficksitup gathered enough courage to finally walk back home and face his father with what he needed to say. It wasn’t very long before he was at home once more. As he entered, Ficksitup removed his vest and attempted to remove his hat before he realized it was, again, not there.

‘...That ain’t the only thing I’mma try to get back...’ he thought, proceeding into the kitchen. Once again, he was met with his father’s rather overbearing presence... but it wasn’t just him. Hammerplank was also patiently sitting with an... Unreadable expression.

Trying his best to avoid the company currently occupying the dining room table, Ficksitup made his way for the stairs. Even with the recent conversation he’d just had with Big Mac still running through his mind, the desire for sleep still prodded at his aching body. Shuffling quietly across the floor, he was an inch away from the staircase before he heard a voice call to him from the kitchen.

“Ficksitup?”, the voice gently asked.

He halted before he could even place a hoof on the first step. His right ear twitched slightly as he heard a chair sliding across the ground and the shuffling of somepony getting up as well as hoofsteps marching towards him. Turning around slowly, Ficksitup watched as his father, Addemup, came striding out of the kitchen and pausing right behind him.

Wanting to ignore him but still too tired to simply object, Ficksitup let out a small, lifeless answer.

“Yeah?”

“Uh, how was work?” his father asked eagerly.

“Fine.”

“Oh... well, that’s good then. Glad to hear everything went well.” Addemup said meagerly. The impression that his son wasn’t in the mood for talking to him was fairly clear but he still felt obligated to try conversing with him.

“If you don’t mind, Addem, I’m really tired so I’m going to bed.” Ficksitup said, letting out a yawn to emphasize, “We’ll talk tomorrow or somethin’.”

“Yeah that’s... fine.” his father responded glumly, “Hope you get some well deserved rest.”

Ficksitup merely nodded in response as he began making his way up the stairwell. Addemup turned around looking at Hammerplank, who was peering from the doorway of the kitchen. He gave his brother a puzzled look, wondering what had happened. Addemup lowered his head before shaking it disappointingly. Hammerplank slapped a hoof over his face and sighed heavily. He then gave Addemup a determined look, brows firmly folded over his eyes, as he pointed a hoof at his brother and then pointed it towards the stairwell. Addemup shrugged in confusion, one eyebrow raised. Hammerplank hung his head over his shoulders, letting out another exasperated sigh. He almost wanted to slam his forehead into the wall because of how daft Addemup was being. He then repeated the motion with his hoof, more sharply than before. Again, Addemup simply shrugged in response, completely unaware of what his brother was trying to imply.

Hammerplank finally stomped his hoof in anger.

“Go talk to him, ya moron!”

Addemup reeled back, slightly startled by his brother’s outburst. But Hammerplank was right; he had something he needed to talk to his son about, and allowing Ficksitup to delay it again and again like this wasn’t going to get it sorted out any sooner. Giving Hammerplank an adhering salute, Addemup stumbled up the stairs to go after his son.

He reached the attic door and stopped for a moment. He took a few deep breaths before he lightly tapped his hoof on the door. Ficksitup’s weary voice bellowed through the attic floor.

“Come in.”

Addemup pushed the door open with his head, almost brushing his spectacles off in the process, and stepped into the attic. Ficksitup was standing next to his bed, having just tossed his orange vest and tool bag in a corner.

“I’ve never actually seen your room here. Hope you don’t mind the intrusion.” Addemup said, stumbling with his words. It still felt like being in the house at all was intruding.

Ficksitup would have minded, but he was still too tired to object. He merely gave his father a quick glance before continuing on with whatever it was he was in the middle of doing. Addemup took the opportunity to take in his surroundings. The room seemed so small for a stallion of Ficksitup’s age. It reminded him of the previous living conditions that he had endured himself during his early days in Manehatten. Cramped, dark, only a few bits of furniture, and next to no sources of light. The only room left was for the few personal affections that one would have brought along.

On that thought, Addemup’s attention was drawn to the small nightstand next to the bed and the contents resting upon it. The frame containing the photograph of both Ficksitup and his wife as well as the pot of jasmines sitting next to the frame. Addemup couldn’t help but let a small smile form across his lips.

“Heh, I remember the day we took this.” Addemup proclaimed as Ficksitup turned around to see what he was looking at, “You were so excited that day because it was the first time we took you to that park.”

Ficksitup concentrated on the small frame, vividly recollecting the memories from that day. Since he’d been born, he had never left Manehatten before. It had been his first chance to actually leave the city. The park was on the outskirts, where it lay among a vast open field of grass and trees. In the middle, past several park benches and a small playground, was a large oak tree on small hill. That was where they had decided to pose for the picture that now nestled in the wooden frame.

“Yeah, I remember that.” Ficksitup murmured. A delicate smile flashed across his face, unable to resist reminiscing in a positive manner over the fond memories of when they had all been an actual family. “You planned that picture, or was it just spontaneous?”

“What? You think I just carried a camera around with me all day for manure and giggles?” Addemup responded, letting out a light chuckle.

Ficksitup smiled and replied, “No, I guess not.”

It was at that moment that something had happened, something that hadn’t occurred in a very long time. A moment where father and son could share a fond memory together and even enjoy the humor from it. It was a brief moment, but nonetheless, a moment that made Addemup feel ten times happier than he’d ever been.

Addemup turned his attention towards the nightstand again, more specifically, towards the second object resting upon it. The small pot of jasmines.

“Ahhh, I see you still remember these were her favorite.” he said, bending his neck down so his face was level with the pot. He inhaled deeply, letting the sweet scent of the small white flowers flow through his nostrils. The scent was still very strong, meaning that they were fresh and therefore couldn’t have been bought more than a few days ago.

“I could never forget.” Ficksitup replied, almost taking pride in his devotion to preserve his mother’s memory. “I picked those up while I was getting the flowers for Applejack.”

Addemup could sense the bitterness in those last few words. He casually placed a hoof on his son’s shoulder before giving him an empathetic look.

“You two really were an item, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, we were...”

There was a slight pause before Addemup continued, “Listen Ficksitup, I really am sorry that things didn’t work out for the two of you. From what your uncle told me, you two were becoming practically inseparable... and I know that’s what makes it the most difficult.”

Ficksitup merely nodded, feeling particularly indifferent about the entire thing now because of the conversation he’d just had with Big Macintosh. As it stood, the situation between him and Applejack was no longer in dire jeopardy. Still, he had to take into account that he’d only figured this out recently and couldn’t expect his father to be caught up just yet. At least Addemup seemed to be actually caring for once...

“Hmm now that I think about it...” Addemup muttered. He began pondering, rubbing a hoof under his chin. Like cogs and gears clicking and turning in his head, he was brainstorming for just the right thing to say.

“Relationships...” he paused again, “Relationships are kind of like combining like terms in an algebraic expression.”

Ficksitup did a double take, completely thrown off by what his father just said.

“I’m sorry, what?” Ficksitup asked.

“Yeah.” Addemup continued, “You see, in order to combine two like terms in an expression, those two terms need to have matching variables. Therefore, if the variables match up, the terms can be combined to form a new term, which creates a new simplified expression.”

Ficksitup could feel his left eye twitch as he continued to stare at his father in bewilderment. Addemup stared at him enthusiastically, ensuring that he was still paying attention. Like a professor in lecture, he adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat before continuing.

“Now, however... if the terms do not have matching variables, then it is impossible to combine them, meaning that the terms are simply non compatible.”

Addemup finished his explanation with a satisfactory grin upon his face. 'There isn’t a problem in the world that can’t be explained with mathematics', he thought to himself happily. It wasn’t just the fact that he had confidence in the trade that pretty much made up his entire life since colt-hood. It was also the plain and simple fact that he had no other way of expressing himself in a better way than with numbers and equations. Either way, he was sure of himself that his rather uncanny explanation of his son’s situation was enough to show that he did indeed care.

Ficksitup was at a complete loss for words. He didn’t understand a single thing that Addemup had just said.

“What the hay does any of that even mean?” he stammered.

The smile faded from Addemup’s face. Every now and then, he had the tendency to forget that not everypony had a critical understanding of mathematics like he did. His son was no exception. It still frustrated him that Ficksitup wasn’t getting it, but he was not about to give up.

“What I’m trying to say...” Addemup began, “...is that you and Applejack may have come together to form an expression, but your variables didn’t match up. Which means you two simply weren’t compatible together.”

“Do you mean...?” Ficksitup faltered.

“Yes, you and Applejack just weren’t meant to be together.”

Ficksitup had humored his father by listening to him this long, but with that final remark, he was in no mood to listen any longer.

“Just who in the hay do ya’ think you are, tellin’ me who I am or ain’t meant to be with?” Ficksitup demanded in the same hostile tone that he’d used with his father the previous night.

“Ficksitup, wait. I didn’t mean t-” Addemup attempted to respond, but Ficksitup wasn’t going to let him finish.

“No. This is exactly what I’m talkin’ about.” Ficksitup began, “Ya’ disappear from our lives for several years and then ya show up and act like ya know everything about me... like ya’ actually care.”

“But son, you and Nuttanbolt left me all those years ago. Remember?” Addemup corrected, attempting to insert a little logic into the conversation.

Ficksitup put a hoof up, about to retort with another snappy remark before he hesitated, realizing that his father wasn’t wholly wrong.

“Yeah, that may be... b-but not once... not once did you even try to stop us. Not once did you ever try to find us and bring us home. Ya’ just let us walk away, like ya’ didn’t care.” Ficksitup responded defensively.

“I know I didn’t Ficks.” Addemup said, “But it’s not because I didn’t care; it’s because I knew you wanted to leave and I respected your choice to do so.”

“Sounds more like an excuse to me...” Ficksitup grumbled.

“And what exactly was I supposed to do?” Addemup asked, “Make you stay with me, where it was painfully obvious that you were unhappy?”

The question was so upfront that Ficksitup was completely thrown off again. Despite his relentless bombardment of disdain and contempt towards his father, Addemup still produced a sound argument that couldn’t be disagreed with or denied. Regardless, Ficksitup’s defiant attitude showed no sign of letting up.

“Well, maybe we wouldn’t have left if ya hadn’t made us so miserable in the first place.”

That remark finally pushed Addemup over the edge. His eyes burned behind his spectacles with a fire that hadn’t been lit in a very long time. It was a transformation that was like a mad scientist turning into an abomination from something going horribly wrong in his lab. In the blink of an eye, Addemup went from being a timid broken father to an assertive and unrelenting power of authority.

“Dammit, son! If you’d stop being so headstrong for one second, I might actually have a chance to explain myself!”

His voice was loud and heavy as it filled the entire room. The floorboards seemed to shudder in fear from his outburst. For a moment, even Ficksitup was speechless. Only for a moment.

“Well I-” Ficksitup began.

“No! That’s enough out of you for one night. You’re going to shut up and listen now.” Addemup shouted. He’d already snapped and he wasn’t going to get another chance to speak his mind, even if it was this way, “I don’t see either of you for five years, I come here to finally explain myself, and what do you do? You slam the door in my face!”

Ficksitup stared in absolute disbelief. He could hardly believe that the stallion bearing down upon him was the same one a minute ago.

“I-”

“You have every right to be mad at me, Ficks. I know I screwed things up as your father and no amount of apologizing will ever fix that... but when you don’t even give me the chance to explain myself... that hurts. It breaks my damn heart.”

A sliver of tears began to run down Addemup’s face. Ficksitup continued to remain silent.

“Letting you and Nuttanbolt leave all those years ago was the second biggest mistake of my life. Dear Celestia, if I could go back in time and stop you, I would have!”

The tears were now flowing down past his neck, his spectacles were fogged up, and his words were becoming more slurred as he attempted to keep his disposition and not completely break down.

“You say I don’t care about you. You say I don’t want you and Nuttanbolt back in my life... but that’s not even remotely true! You’re my son... I love you. I’d never abandon you.”

Addemup strode over and wrapped his arms around his son. Completely stunned by what just happened, Ficksitup stood absolutely still as Addemup placed his head over his shoulder. He listened as his father quietly wept, the tears running down his back as they dripped away from his glasses. Ficksitup could feel his grip tighten around his shoulders and neck but continued to remain still. It wasn’t painful or suffocating. It just felt... desperate, like his father was trying to squeeze out all the locked up emotions that Ficksitup had kept buried away for so many years. Ficksitup could feel his chest tightening as he too attempted to fight back tears now forming in his eyes. He couldn’t fathom why they were coming, they just were. He hated it, he didn’t want to forgive him. But with his father finally here, acknowledging him for the first time again in over five years, it brought comfort to him as well.

“I’m so sorry, son. I’m so, so, sorry I did this to you.” Addemup whispered.

Ficksitup slowly raised a hoof and placed it over his father’s shoulder, returning the gesture in kind as the tears began running down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry too... dad.” Ficksitup whispered softly.

The two of them continued to stand there in silence, arms wrapped around each other, with only their quiet sobbing filling the attic. After five years of not speaking to each other, with only hate keeping them apart, this one moment, this one gesture... made up for all of that.

A few minutes passed before Addemup finally relinquished his grip. He let out a few short grunts as he cleared his throat, pulling a handkerchief out of his vest to which he used to wipe his now damp spectacles.

“I’ll admit...” he said, wiping his eyes with the cloth, “It’s nice to be able to cry like that again, I haven’t done it in awhile.”

“Yeah.” Fickstiup replied with a weak smile, wiping an arm across his face, “You always were a big softie.”

Addemup managed to let out a small chuckle. He offered his now soaked hankerchief to Ficksitup, which he kindly refused. Addemup stuffed the handkerchief back in his vest and placed his glasses upon his snout once more, adjusting them until they were positioned correctly. Blinking several times, he turned his attention towards Ficksitup.

“Well then, now that that’s settled... I was hoping I could finally talk to you about why I’m here.” Addemup addressed, regaining the calm and collected disposition he had a moment ago.

“Oh yeah, right.” Ficksitup responded, a little surprised at first that Addemup had brought it up so abruptly, “If I remember, ya’ said it had something to do with mom?”

Addemup did not respond right away, but eventually, he gave Ficksitup a short nod. He gestured Ficksitup to have a seat on the bed. Doing so, Addemup followed afterwards, taking a seat next to him. Addemup cleared his throat one last time before continuing.

“Son, do you remember ten years ago, the day your little brother, Nuttanbolt, was born?”

The question was so simple, yet so painful to answer. It was a memory that Ficksitup had done his absolute best to shut out. Yet, here it was once more, staring him in the face.

“Of course I do.” Ficksitup answered slowly, “That was the day that mom...”

“And do you remember what I said to you in the hospital?” Addemup interrupted.

Ficksitup took a moment to think about which part of that day his father was trying to make him recall. Then it dawned on him...

***

Ficksitup sat in the chair with eager excitement, just down the hall from the operating room where his mother was. He could hardly believe it, he was finally going to have a little brother. He remembered how excited he had been when his dad told him too. Ficksitup wondered if his little brother was going to look just like him. If he did, then Ficksitup wanted to teach to him to be just like himself. He would show him how to use tools and they could fix things together.

He couldn’t wait to get back to Ponyville and tell Applejack too. Ficksitup was sad that he had to leave Sweet Apple Acres and her behind to go with his dad and come here but he was happy at the same time, since he knew that he was finally going to have a younger sibling. He knew Applejack would understand. Afterall, he did promise to come back someday. Maybe he could bring his little brother with next time. He held the cowboy hat that Applejack gave him in his hooves, squeezing it tightly in anticipation.

The clock on the wall across from him ticked on. He watched the minute hand rotate around and around endlessly. It seemed like forever. Every now and then, Ficksitup would get up from the chair and walk down the hall towards the double doors that led to the operating room. He wanted to go inside but his dad specifically told him he was not allowed inside. Something about getting in the doctor’s way, but Ficksitup didn’t buy it. His dad probably just wanted to see his newborn brother first.

Hours passed by. Ficksitup had fallen asleep on the chair, curled up in a little ball, still gripping the hat in his hooves. Suddenly his ears pricked up as he heard the doors open up down the hall. His eyes shot open. He lept out of the chair, his hat falling to the floor. He ran over to the doors, just as the doctor was stepping out. He had a very solemn look on his face, one that confused Ficksitup greatly. The doctor stood there quietly, before finally noticing Ficksitup. His blank expression turned into a frown as he placed a hoof on Ficksitup’s shoulders.

“I’m sorry kid...”

With that, he walked down the hall and disappeared behind another set of double doors. Ficksitup shrugged it off and pushed his way through the doors in front of him. Finally, he arrived in the operating room. There were monitors and and trays filled with shiny tools everywhere. At the far end of the room, there was a small white crib sitting against the bleach white walls. Ficksitup walked over and looked inside. Wrapped up in a sky blue blanket, eyes closed, was a small colt. Ficksitup’s eyes grew wide with excitement. He finally had a baby brother. He turned around, finally noticing his father on the other side of the room. He was sitting at the side of the bed where his mom was resting.

“Mom! Dad! He’s here, he’s here. My little brother is finally here!” Ficksitup cheered.

His dad didn’t move or even turn his head. He continued to stare at the bed where Ficksitup’s mother lay. Ficksitup tilted his head in confusion. He walked over to his dad and placed a hoof on his back. His dad flinched slightly at Ficksitup’s touch.

“Dad, didn’t you see? My little brother is-”

“I know, son.” Addemup interrupted. From where Ficksitup stood he could now see that tears were running down his face.

For some odd reason, it scared him. Ficksitup placed a hoof on the bed, nudging his mother’s side.

“Mom. Why is dad crying? He should be happy right now, I have a little brother.”

There was no response. Her eyes were closed, her golden mane covering one side of her face which was void of any expression.

Ficksitup nudged at her side again. “Mom? Mom what’s wrong?”

Again, no response.

Now Ficksitup really was scared. He looked to his father in desperation.

“Dad! What’s wrong why won’t she say anything?”

Addemup fought back another wave of tears as he took a deep breath and placed a hoof on his son’s shoulder.

“Your mom’s just asleep right now, son.”

The answer didn’t sit well with Ficksitup, at all. He tugged at his father’s vest trying to get him to look him in the eye.

“She needs to wake up. She has to see my new brother.” Ficksitup yelped.

Addemup began sobbing again, “Your mother isn’t going to wake up, Ficksitup.”

For whatever reason, that response scared Ficksitup the most. He didn’t understand at all. He just wanted her to wake up and see how happy he was about his little brother. He began pushing at her side again.

“Mom! Come on mom, wake up!” Ficksitup was now crying, his tears dripping upon the bed, soaking the bed sheets.

“Please mom!” Ficksitup sobbed, “Wake up, wake up, you need to wake up!”

***

Ficksitup shuddered for a moment as the pain from the memory receded. He stared at his hooves, which were still trembling slightly before he looked up at his father again.

“Yeah, I remember.” Ficksitup replied, “Why?”

Addemup swallowed heavily, adjusting his glasses, and tugged on his vest. He was always fidgety when he was nervous.

“Well you see...” he started, “I know what I said to you that day made you understand that your mother was gone...”

“Of course.” Ficksiutp agreed, “ I know I was just a little kid then and didn’t fully understand what was goin’ on. But I get it now.”

“No that’s not it, Ficksitup.” Addemup said, removing his glasses and placing them in the front pocket of his vest, “I... Wasn’t completely honest with you that night...”

Ficksitup gave his father a look of great concern. He had no clue what Addemup was going to say and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to hear it.

“What are you saying, dad?”

Addemup looked Ficksitup straight in the eyes, not turning away once.

“Your mother isn’t dead...”

Ficksitup’s eyes expanded instantaneously as the words left his father’s mouth.

“...She’s still alive.”

To our most faithful and dedicated readers,

I’m not even going to begin to attempt to excuse the immeasurable delay for the release of this chapter. And I know what you’re thinking, “A whole lot of time for just another cliffhanger, geez guys come on.” Well, yeah, you’d be right to think that. Regardless, we ask that you trust us and realize that there is indeed a reason to our madness.
Either way, we've been through a lot of troubled times while developing this fiction, both personally and story-related. There are too many factors to count that caused us to put this off (most of it my own fault); but understand that we have not abandoned Apples N Wrenches, not by a long shot. No matter the cause, this story is going to have an ending... one way or another.
To those that have stuck with us this far, you guys are beyond awesome. It is truly a heartwarming thought to know that there are still readers out there who await the conclusion of one OC’s tale in a much larger and better known world. For that, we are eternally grateful and will continue to cherish the support you have given us. Again... thank you.
-Tom