//------------------------------//
// Ponyville 
// Story: The 7th Element 
// by thunderhawk7865 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 4: Ponyville

Dan raised his neck to get a better look. Indeed, there was a quaint, but fairly large village of cottages. Dan could make out the figures of stallions and mares alike at work and play in the streets.

"Wow...horse drawn horse-drawn carriages...Ponyception!" Dan chuckled to himself as he entered town with Rainbow Dash.

"Well, this is nice." Dan said to Rainbow Dash as he entered town. "Not too big and not too small. I like it." Dash was flew beside him and asked, "So, what're you gonna do first?"

"Oh, well, somepony told me to go see Twilight Sparkle for a living space while I'm here...know where I can find her?"

Dash laughed, "Yeah, that egghead is my friend."

"Funny name to call a friend, Dash..." Dan said, closing his eyes halfway and smiling.

"No, oh..." Dash said, realizing it sounded wrong. "Well, it's term of endearment for her...she's always into her books, studying stuff."

"Ah, Celestia's student, now I understand..." Dan thought. "What does she study?"

"Everything."

"No, seriously..."

"Everything!" Dash retorted. "She lives in a bucking library, what else is she supposed to do all day?"

"True enough..." Dan chuckled. "You've been asking me all these questions... What do you do here, Dash?"

Rainbow Dash put to hoofs on her hips proudly. "Well, I-"

"Apples! Get yer fresh apples here!" An orange mare with a blonde mane and a cowboy hat intervened, sidling up to Dan. She was wearing a saddlebag full of fresh apples. "Mah good sir, I haven't seen ya'll before..."

"Gah!" Dan said, stepping back. "I'm moving here from Cloudsdale soon and-"

"And I was just showing him around!" Dash said, flying down and hovering between the apple pony and Dan, kind of a scowl on her face for interrupting.

"That's nice, Dashie... What's yer name, sugarcube?" The pony asked, brushing Dash aside. "Mine's Applejack."

"Blue Bass, but call me Ace." Dan smiled, extending a hoof. "Nice to meet you Applejack. I assume you own that apple orchard I saw coming out of the woods?"

Applejack lit up instantly and shook it. "Yessir! We harvest the best apples in all of Equestria!"

"Can I try one?" Dan said, gazing at the apples. He wasn't one for apples back on Earth, but apples here looked delicious... Maybe it was his new horse diet talking.

"Sure can!" Applejack said, bucking one out of the saddlebag. "First one's on the house!"

Dan caught it in his mouth and chomped it down in one bite like a popcorn kernel. "Whoa...I just ate an entire apple in one bite, and I don't even care about seeds...or the core! It's so-"

"Delicious!" Dan exclaimed, causing everypony to look at him. "These are the best apples I've ever tasted, Applejack!"

Applejack smiled and brushed her hair aside, "Yer sweet, Ace. Come by the orchard later, you can buy some once you get settled in. Ah'll even give ya a new pony discount!"

Dan acted as if he had a hat and tipped it, "Much obliged, AJ." He smiled as she chuckled and turned to follow Dash as she flew onward. Behind him, the ponies who saw Dan's exclamation were gathering around Applejack, begging to get a taste.

"She's cool." Dan said, running up to her. Dash rolled her eyes, "She's the tomboy of the town."

"It seems like you're one too, Dash..." Dan said, cocking his head to the side at her.

Dash blushed, "Well, uhm, yeah, but...is that bad?" She turned to him, stammering.

"No, not at all." Dan shook his head and pointed ahead. "Is that tree-house thing the library?"

Dash shook her head to regain her composure. "Yep! Follow me! I'll introduce you too Twilight."

Some mares who stood idly by watched as Dan and Dash ventured toward Twilight's place. "Have you ever seen Rainbow Dash act like that before?" One said to the other.

"No, no I haven't..." the other said. "She's always bragging about her tomboy status, and she just defended herself right there..."

"Did you see how she was looking at that new stallion, Blue Bass?" Another mare said walking up, sighing heavily. "Whenever he wasn't talking to her, she got kind of lost in his mane..."

"Or his golden eyes..." The first mare said.

"Or long wings... I thought she said she didn't like anypony." The third one said.

"Girls, I believe Ponyville's weather captain has a little crush..." The second mare said.

"We'll see how long THAT lasts..." The third one laughed.

They all giggled as Dash and Ace reached the door of the library.