"Are ya goin' ta tell me why did ya brought me here?" Asked the orange mare wearing a stetson hat.
"You will see in a moment." The lavender unicorn replied, when they approached a cottage. "Fluttershy would like to introduce somepony to you."
"Fluttershy? Whom? Did she found herself a coltfriend or what?" She laughed and knocked the door.
After a moment a yellow pegasus opened the door. "Good morning girls. Please come in."
"Howdy Fluttershy! Twilight told me that there is somepony here I really have to meet." Said Applejack as she entered.
"Um... It will be better if you sit down. Warkot, could you please come here?" Fluttershy called.
"Sit down? Is he that handsome? Heheh! But what a strange name is that?"
"Yeah... He will sweep you off your hooves." Twilight muttered.
After a moment a big shape emerged from the next room. Applejack froze with her mouth agape, she backed off a bit and started to speak in shaking voice. "Wha- What the- What?!" Her look jumped between Fluttershy and the ork.
"Applejack, this is Warkot. He is an ork, and he's my guest. Warkot, please meet Applejack she is my friend."
She said while walking to the orange mare and put her hoof on her friend's shoulder.
The greenskin looked at the newcomer. "Hi."
"Eheh... Howdy." She then turned to Fluttershy and whispered through the clenched teeth. "Do ya always have ta get into something dangerous?"
"Applejack." The pegasus scolded her quietly.
"Ah wanted to say... Its a great pleasure ta meet ya... Warkot." She said and put a forced smile on her face. "Twilight said ya wanted to talk about something." She added in nervous voice.
"Yes. But before we get to that I have to tell you the story of our guest"
The three mares sat by the table and Fluttershy started to relate the last two days to Applejack. The orange mare was listening carefully, glancing from time to time at the greenskin who was leaning against the wall. After several minutes pegasus finished her story. "And that's why we thought that he could help you at the farm."
Applejack nodded slowly. "Are ya sure he doesn't..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "... pose any threat?" She looked at Fluttershy with uncertainty in her eyes.
"Don't worry Applejack. I told Warkot how is he supposed to behave. Besides I'll be there to look after him."
After a moment of consideration Applejack answered. "Well Ah wont say no to mah friend's friend. And he look mighty strong, he will surely be useful on the farm."
"Thank you Applejack!" Fluttershy beamed. "Did you hear it Warkot? We found you a job, isn't that great?"
The ork looked at her dully. He wasn't so sure if it was a good thing that he will be surrounded by more of these strange creatures. "Uuuh... Yeah."
"It's all fine but one problem remains." Applejack interrupted. "How are we supposed ta get him ta the farm unnoticed?"
Then Twilight spoke. "I think we will just go through the town. There is no sense in keeping him hidden from everypony if he is going to stay here for a while."
"Are you sure Twilight?" Fluttershy asked unconvinced.
"Of course! What can go wrong?"
"HELP! HELP!"
"MONSTER! MONSTER!"
"EVERYPONY RUN!!!"
Inhabitants of Ponyville started to panic as soon as three mares and an ork entered the town. Twilight facehoofed, Applejack sighed and shook her head, Fluttershy and Warkot looked at each other.
"Err. Sorry boss?" Said the ork shrugging.
"Calm down everypony! He wont hurt you!" Nobody listened. Twilight stared at the panicking ponies with visible irritation. "Grrr... I should have foreseen that. Fluttershy, could you borrow me the whistle I gave you earlier?"
The yellow pegasus walked to her, pulled out a small object from between her feathers and gave it to her friend.
"Cover your ears now everypony." She said, materializing earplugs in her ears. When she was sure that all her companions were ready she blew the whistle.
The deafening whistle, which cracked the windows in nearby building, pierced the air causing everybody to stop dead in their tracks. Seeing that her invention worked, Twilight dismissed the earplugs and returned the whistle to Fluttershy. "Thank you for your attention." She spoke to shocked inhabitants. "This creature here is our guest and he wont hurt anypony. His name is War-" A loud whizz, which seemed familiar to her, interrupted her speech.
The group looked over the roofs and noticed a cyan shape flying incredibly fast in their direction. "GIRLS! BEHIND YOU!"
Twilight recognized this voice and reacted at the last moment, stopping the rainbow-maned pegasus, who was throwing threats and flailing her hooves aggressively right before the surprised ork's face.
"Urrrrr?" It took Warkot a while to comprehend the situation. All of a sudden a creature with a strange mane appeared in front of him and apparently it wanted to fight. Slowly and uncertainly he raised his hand, clenching his fist and looked questioningly at Fluttershy.
"Warkot don't." The yellow mare said firmly and shook her head.
"Rainbow Dash calm down this instant!" Twilight shouted and cyan mare stopped kicking.
"Okay okay! Let me go!" She yelled and the unicorn put her on the ground. "Could somepony explain to me WHAT IS THAT?" She asked, emphasizing three last words and pointed her hoof at the greenskin.
"Rainbow Dash don't be rude." Fluttershy scolded her.
"His name is Warkot." Twilight interjected. "If you give me a moment I will explain who he is and what he is doing here... again."
Rainbow Dash sat down and crossed her hooves on her chest, looking expectantly at Twilight. Behind her gathered a group of ponies, whose curiosity overcame their fear. The unicorn sighed. "Lets get over it." Then, once again, she and Fluttershy told the story of the greenskin.
Twilight exhaled in relief when they finally left the town. Though they managed to stop panic caused by the ork's appearance in Ponyville, the atmosphere of fear and tension accompanied them entire time they spent in the town. Streets, normally crowded that time of the day, were becoming deserted as soon as they approached. In the eyes of ponies watching them from behind the street corners and windows they could easily see fear or at least uneasiness caused by the presence of the green-skinned creature.
"Well... It wasn't that bad." Twilight broke the silence.
"Yeeeah... Give him some time and he will definitely become local favourite. "Said giggling Rainbow Dash, who was flying above the group.
Then Fluttershy spoke. "Warkot please promise me something. First, if you ever want a watermelon just ask. Don't take it from the stand when the owner covers under it in fear. Second, when you eat, please do it so that there won't be pieces of meal on your face. I think that mare who saw you cowered in red remains sustained a shock... I think I will go to her tomorrow and see if she is alright."
"Okay boss!" The ork replied, though he had no idea what the pony meant.
"At last! Here we are!" The group entered the farm and saw a vast orchard along with several buildings. "Welcome to the Sweet Apple Acres! We grow the best apples in whole Equestria! I will think what could ya help us with in a moment, but first lets say hello ta mah brother." Applejack said in proud tone and started to walk in the direction of the red pony who was renovating a chicken coop near the main barn. Busy stallion didn't hear the newcomers and continued to hammer nails until his sister spoke. "Hey Mac! Ah found us a helper."
When Big Macintosh turned around and saw the greenskin mallet fell from his mouth. Red stallion felt, an unfamilliar to him, sensation of being really small. He tried to speak but only managed to nod.
"This is Warkot and he will help us on the farm." Another nod. "Ah'll get him ta the orchard to check what he is goin' ta help us with."
They left dumbfounded pony alone and left for the orchard. Macintosh shook his head. Ah swear. AJ hangs out with stranger and stranger fellas every day.
Four mares and an ork approached the apple trees on which ripe apples awaited to be harvested. Applejack turned to the boy. "Lets check if ya can applebuck. Look at me." She trotted to the nearest tree and delivered a powerful buck, bringing most of the fruits to the ground. "Now ya try."
Warkot approached the next tree and kicked it... with rather poor effects. Ork grimaced dissatisfied.
"It's okay big guy. It never works fer the first time. Try again."
The second try didn't bring any results aside from increasing the ork's frustration. No dumb bush will make fun of me! This time Warkot used his fist, but despite the fact that some of the fruits started to fall down he still wasn't satisfied. He continued delivering a barrage of punches to the tree, despite Applejack's cries. After few hits he headbutted the trunk and looked at his work. All apples fell from the tree, along with most of its branches, on the trunk there was a big crack running from the place where the ork's skull hit it. "Hur hur! Done gud an' proppa!" He grinned and looked at the ponies.
Applejack stared at the destroyed tree, she barely held tears of sadness and rage. "Ya... Ya..." She took a few deep breaths and calmed down. "Ya know what Warkot. Ah think it will be better if ya just help me ta pull the cart with the apples to the barn. Okay?"
"I dunno AJ! He was rather effective don't you think?" Said Rainbow Dash who was rolling on the ground and laughing.
The orange mare sent her a murderous look and hissed through the clenched teeth. "Yes Rainbow, Ahm pretty sure."
Then the work begun. Applejack brough a cart and tied a rope to it to make it easier for the greenskin to pull. When everything was ready Applejack started to buck the trees, while Fluttershy with Warkot begun to load the apples on the cart. Twilight was observing the giant at work and taking notes about him, whereas Rainbow Dash was doing nothing at all, aside from teasing Applejack.
After about two hours they finished their work and Applejack invited everyone for a dinner. The orange mare prudently seated her guests by the table outside the barn and left to prepare the meal. After several minutes she returned, carrying saddlebags and a big tray on her back filled with food, right behind her walked an eldest member of their family, Granny Smith.
"Granny please meet Warkot. He will be helping us at the farm." Applejack introduced the commando.
"By Celestia's beard sonny! What did they fed ya with that ya grew so big?"
"Urrrr..." The ork was unsure what to say.
"Granny he is from far away. Where he is from everypony look like him."
"Hmmm... Ah think that he should see a dentist. His teeth doesn't look good."
Rainbow Dash rolled under the table, barely restraining herself from bursting into fit of laughter.
"It was nice ta meet ya. Ah'll leave ya younglings alone. Good appetite!" The old mare said and walked away in the direction of the house.
Applejack with Fluttershy's help set the food on the table, then she sat by it and kicked Rainbow Dash, who was still rolling on the ground. "Let's eat."
Next several minutes passed in silence as everyone was savouring Applejack's delicious cooking. By Fluttershy's advice everypony put themselves a second course along with the first, as she knew that the food wont last long with the greenskin nearby.
Finally the yellow mare broke the silence. "So Warkot? Will you help Applejack with her work?
"Yeah. But I liked the tree punchin' more. It woz more fun."
"NO!" Applejack shouted. "Errr... I mean... Ah respect yer willingness to help, but ya will help me more by pulling the wagon. Leave trees to me. " She then sent him a forced smile.
"Okay." Better dat than beein' bored ta deff.
The orange mare, trying to clear the atmosphere a bit, spoke to the ork. "Ah was curious Warkot... Do ya have many friends where ya're from?"
The boy scratched his head and looked at her questioningly. "Wot'z a friend?"
Mares froze and stared at him. After few moments of silence Fluttershy muttered. "W-what do you mean by 'What's a friend'?"
"Weeelll... Wot'z a friend? Duh." The ork shrugged.
Fluttershy shook off and started to speak with commitment. "A friend is somepony you care a lot for and who cares about you. Somepony who is like a family to you even if you are not related. Somepony for whom your well being is more important than her own and who will always stand by your side no matter what. A friend is ready to risk his health and life to help you in danger! You realy don't have anypony like this where you are from?"
"Urr... Nah." Warkot replied. Idea portrayed to him by Fluttershy was as alien to his race as personal hygiene. "Well dere iz Grabsnik, 'e makes a gud grog. But dat sneaky git tried to swindle me of beer barrel, so I let 'im taste some of me shoota. Hur hur hur! Git now thinkz twice 'fore 'e cross me."
Fluttershy's eyes widened and tears appeared in them. H-how couldn't he have any friends? None... Nopony? For a pony something like that was unthinkable. How can they live like that? Without warmth and trust. Without love and friendship... Tears started to flow on her cheeks and she tackled ork's neck, hugging him vigorously.
Disoriented ork froze. He didn't know what that gesture meant or how to react. Urrrrr? Wot da zog!? Why iz she sticking to me like dat? Why iz 'er face leakin'? Datz weird. Weird an' definitely unorky!
After few moments Fluttershy broke the hug and looked at the boy, laying her hoof on his cheek. "Don't worry Warkot. We are your friends now. And... And you will have more. I promise."
"Uuuur... Fanks?" Dumbfounded ork replied. He had no idea what she meant and he was unsure if he wanted to know. Wot in Mork's name are dey up to? Itz gettin ugly 'ere.