//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 // Story: Poor Little Rich Pony // by Ugly-Duckling123 //------------------------------// Upstairs, Mac was bored. Because he was confined to his bed, and the floor boards squeaked when you walked on them, he couldn't leave his bed. He had a bookshelf by the bed with stuff to read, but they all looked boring at the moment. He finished the glass of water that was on the bedside table for him when he woke up again. And now he was just bored. 'Tap' 'Tap' 'Tap' "Come in," Mac said sitting up in bed. In walked Fluttershy carrying the bed tray holding the pie and fritters. "Um, hi Mac." Fluttershy said blushing coming over to the bed. "I bought you something to make you better, pie and fritters." she said holding out the tray. "Why thank you Fluttershy," Mac said ears turning pink, taking the tray and moving along his bed to let Fluttershy sit with him. "Your wrist feeling better?" Fluttershy asked first after she was next to him. "Better than it was when that beast tried to chew it off," Mac said shivering at the memory of the experience and the pain. With out warning Fluttershy grabbed it in her delicate hand and kissed it. "Better?" she asked smiling. Mac nodded. He wanted to say 'I think they got my lips too,' but knew Granny wouldn't allow that so he just kept eating. "These fritters are amazing," Mac said after taking his first bite of them. "Thank you," Fluttershy said hiding behind her hair. "If you want more there's lots more in the kitchen." "Listened to one of Granny's stories did ya?" Mac asked. All Fluttershy could do was smile and nod. "Mac," she asked looking away. "Yeah," he asked after swallowing. "You remember the other day when I found you in the barn?" Fluttershy asked grabbing and stroking her hair. "Did you mean what you said?" It took a minute for Mac to remember what he said and then he smiled lightly gripped Fluttershy's hand and said. "Yes. Yes I did. Especially the 'I love you Fluttershy.'" Then they kissed each other each thinking of the future, not noticing the rest of those in the house were on the other side of the door. Applejack pulled it too and smiled. "Seems like Mac's a bit faster than we thought Granny." she said "What do we do now?" "We let them go at their own pace my dear," Granny Smith said heading for her knitting room. "Was she like this with Ma, and Pa?" Applejack asked Filthy Rich as they went back down stairs looking for storage boxes for the fritters. "All parents get like this when the time comes Miss Apple," Filthy Rich said placing fritter on top of fritter into a box. "Remember, 'When two become one, you know your job is done.'" After school, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara walked back together to the farm all smiling arm in arm with each other. They had just reached the farm gates when Sweetie Belle asked "Hey Apple Bloom?" "Yeah?" Apple Bloom replied detaching herself to open the gate. "Can we go for some rides on Appleseed, or Nutmeg?" "I think that's something you need to ask Mac or Applejack," Apple Bloom replied running up to the house. "Ask us what Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked coming out of the house to greet her sister and her friends. "If we can go horseback riding." Sweetie Belle answered for her friend. "How about you just see them instead Sugarcube." Applejack said walking with them to the barn. "After last night I think they can do with some rest." "What happened last night?" Sweetie Belle asked looking around and seeing the same look on everyone's faces. "You didn't tell her yet?" Applejack asked surprised. "Tell me what?" Sweetie asked again annoyed. "Honey-Crisp ran away last night, and while Scoots took Mac into the forest, for him to find her, he was attacked by wolves." Applejack explained. "Is Mac better?" Sweetie asked shock on her face. "Fluttershy and I got to him and bought him back. So yes he's better. 'Shy's 'taking care of him' at the moment." Applejack said opening the doors letting the girls in first. "But Appleseed, and Nutmeg are being a bit more protective over Honey now so they wont leave her for as long as the riding takes." Applejack explained going to sit on the straw bench. In the stall holding Nutmeg and Honey-Crisp the foal was showing herself off to the girls. But every time she got close to them Nutmeg would step in the way and take her back to the back of the stall. Next to theirs Appleseed was eyeballing the girls and judging them. Seeing Scootaloo he paced around a bit and bumped into her arm. "Hey boy," Scootaloo said giving her attention to Appleseed instead of Honey-Crisp. "You remember me then?" "Horses have very good memory's Scootaloo," They all turned around to see Fluttershy at the door. "It helps them remember friends like you, and enemy's that might try and hurt them or their foals." "So he remembers how I stayed with Honey last night when he went off to find Mac?" Scootaloo asked rubbing Appleseed's nose. "As far as I can tell," Fluttershy said coming over to see them. "How's Mac then Shy?" Applejack asked raising an eyebrow when her friend started to blush. "He's gone back to sleep," Fluttershy said straight away. "But he said he likes my apple fritters." "You should come over more often then," Applejack said getting up and trying to let Nutmeg show the girls Honey. "Er... Fluttershy?" Sweetie Belle spoke up turning her attention away from Nutmeg. "If horses have good memory's to help them remember their enemy's... What did we do to Nutmeg to make her not want to show us Honey?" Fluttershy thought for a bit trying to remember yesterday. "It might be that you were the last ones here who were strangers to her, and she thought you took Honey," Fluttershy suggested. "But we didn't," they all cried. "Well you have to show her your friends and not foes then," Applejack said standing next to Nutmeg. "How?" "First thing, introduce yourself," Applejack said. "Gently and slowly hold out your hand while looking away but stay confident." All at the same time Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Tiara, and Scootaloo reached out their hands and looked away. One by one Nutmeg sniffed the girls hands and started to lick them when she knew they weren't threats to her. "Next, one way of showing a horse your their friend is grooming them. Fluttershy can you go up there and get some extra brushes please" Applejack said showing Fluttershy where to go. A moment later Fluttershy came back with four horse brushes and handed them out. "Ok, two on each side I think," Applejack said placing the girls on each side of Nutmeg. "The trick here is to go slowly and gently. Use one hand to swipe the brush along her body, while with the other one pat her making her know you are and will always be there." Applejack said doing what she just explained on Appleseed to show them what she meant. While the girls were doing this and Applejack was doing Seed, Fluttershy was trusted to look after Honey-Crisp. After about fifteen minutes of grooming, everyone turned back to Applejack to see what was next. "And finally, giving them a treat of some kind to say thank you for cooperating and to make double sure they know you are their friend." Here Applejack pulled out a bag of sugar-cubes and handed one each to the girls who in turn gave them to Nutmeg, who eat them and touched her fore head to the girls saying thanks when she was done. "Another way to earn an animals trust is to sing to them," Fluttershy said lightly patting Honey-Crisp. "Yeah, hey 'Shy how did you know that your lullaby would work on Appleseed yesterday?" Applejack said stepping back letting the girls pat Nutmeg. "I didn't," Fluttershy said smiling. "Mac says it might be because Ma sang it when both Seed's took her out to the forest." Applejack said smiling. "I've still never been to it myself." she said crossing her arms. "You'll love it AJ," Scootaloo said turning around smiling the most. "Ho.... How do you know about it?" Applejack asked. "That's where Mac had me wait with Appleseed for him to come back with Honey-Crisp." Scootaloo said. "But Honey came out first, and well you know the rest..." she said now turning her attention to Appleseed. "Yeah you came back on top of Appleseed, saying wolves got my brother," Apple Bloom said. "And they did... Didn't you see his wrist when he got back, and all those scratch and bite marks?" Scootaloo said. "What ever happened," Applejack said breaking up the girls. "We are all grateful that you were there to come back to get us Scoots."