//------------------------------//
// Occupation! 
// Story: Winston the Atlas Beetle 
// by Material Defender 
//------------------------------//

	Perhaps sleep was a bit of an overstatement. Unlike pony compatriots, it would seem that Winston did not sleep: he waited, another side effect of being an insectoid creature, on top of being insanely strong despite subsisting on a completely vegetarian diet. Thankfully, while his body and part of his mind was set on standby mode, he had plenty to contemplate about over the course of the night.

This world was strange, almost completely idyllic--were it not for the ruffians he had an altercation with--to the point where it might just be a figment of his imagination. Had he even possessed an ounce of free will back in his own world? Were beetles even capable of going insane? Would it even be such a good idea to want to return to that glass tomb that he used to call home, and suffer daily through the ramblings of the collector and surrounded by bizarre trinkets?

At the very least, it would appear that Winston was surrounded by favorable company: Twilight Sparkle held an intellect that he found much pleasing; Applejack was quite the epitome of the honest and hard-working type; Fluttershy was the most kind and caring, if a little shy; Rainbow Dash was steadfast and loyal, if not a bit crude; and last but not least, was Lady Rarity herself, a most esteemed companion of the highest degree, which Winston was glad to have around. The only one he couldn't really put a tally on was Pinkie Pie herself, a most strange pony of spontaneous personality.

And then there was the topic of a more insulting manner: his nobility. Yes, going around as a self-proclaimed lord could send someone a long way if they managed to fake it long enough, but Winston was not the sort of beetle that would lie to others. He knew he had to attain the title officially somehow, and proudly display it like a badge of honor. Lady Rarity seemed to be of the sophisticated type: perhaps he could try to confirm the rank or a suitable substitute from her in the morning.

But, there it resided within his mind, like a single bright crystal in a confusing darkness, a goal above all things to strive for.

Winston would embark on a great quest to attain lordship!




Winston eventually found a way to put his mind to sleep. It seems that with sentience, he seemed to adopt some needed functions of it, as well, as his brain entered a hibernation mode and he essentially turned into a sleeping log. So it was a good night, especially after his little revelation.

He woke to the sound of tapping. Not the kind of tapping that one would hear when someone was tap-dancing, but a meaty tapping that sounded like a 'thunk'. He opened his eyes, wondering where the noise was coming from. Then he realized it was coming from his own carapace.

"Is... is he awake?" Whoever the assailant was poked at his shell again.

"Of course he isn't! He's a bug!"

"You saw him at the party last night, didn't you? A talking huge bug from the Everfree, and it doesn't eat ponies! I wonder if he has a cutie mark."

He jumped to his feet and wheeled around to look at the three fillies, making them jump back with his quick reaction. They all stared at him with apprehensive but curious eyes, not unlike those one would expect to see from a child in their explorative stages.

"Who, pray tell, are you?" he asked.

"I... I'm Sweetie Belle," one of them responded, a white-colored unicorn filly. "I'm Rarity's little sister."

"Oh! Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Belle," he said. He attempted to bow courteously, but only ended up hitting his horn into the ground. Curse his short stature! It already made him feel particularly inadequate that he had to look up to speak to Rarity, much less any other full-grown pony, but now he was talking at eye-level to these children! They all laughed at his mistake; well, at least they weren't scared of him.

"Howdy, Mister Winston!" another said. "I'm Applebloom!" She beamed up to him, her eyes bearing the most incredibly cute adoration.

"Hello, Miss Applebloom." She giggled when he said that. "Would you happen to be related to an orange pony, by any chance...?"

"You mean Applejack? Yeah, she's my sister!"

"How incidental! I do recall that I was going to ask your dearest sister for a job..."

"Oh, you mean you want to work on the farm? That's fine, usually no one likes to step forward 'cause it's a lot of work. Needs a lot of strength that earth ponies are known for," Applebloom said, nodding.

"Well, look no further, my dear filly!" Winston said triumphantly. "Dare I say, I may be the strongest being in all of Equestria!"

"Great! My sister would be glad to have you, then! She gets really tired when applebuckin' sometimes, so I think it'd be real nice if she could get a helping hoof!"

"A most excellent idea, little one! Now, there's the issue of the farmwork. I may be a lord, but a little physical work is not beneath me! It shouldn't be too difficult to give a helping... er, hoof around the farm!"

"Alright!" Applebloom said, turning to her friends. "Maybe we can get our cutie marks by helping ponies help other ponies!"

"Cutie Mark Crusader Helping Helpers, yay!" they all cheered.

Winston stepped forward, the floor of the Boutique giving way slightly as his claw landed into the plush carpet. Noticing some sliced apples sitting on a plate on top of a nearby table, he immediately relocated his present self to the table edge. 

"Curses... bloody table edge..." Winston said, thumping his stubby jointed claw against the table edge. "This is discrimination against the vertically-challenged...!"

"Oh, let me help you with that, Mister Winston!" Sweetie Belle said. Closing her eyes, she focused her magic and dragged the plate to the edge, putting the food within easy grabbing distance for Winston.

"Bless your soul, little one," Winston replied gratefully. With the opening of his mouth, the fillies watched in wonder as he suctioned in the food for immediate mastication within his mouth, then giggled when he gave out a burp. "Oh, goodness, please excuse me."

"I think that's actually pretty... uh, funny, the way you eat," Scootaloo said, giggling. "You don't eat like other ponies, do you?"

"Indeed, I do not, little one. On a good day, I just attach myself to the side of a tree and eat sap instead."

"Ew, gross, you just eat it straight from the tree?"

"Why not? It's fresh, you know. One can never deny the true quality of a properly-provided meal courtesy of Mother Nature."

"Eww," the girls said in unison.

"Very well! I shall not trample upon your dining sensitivities any longer. Please, Miss Applebloom, lead the way to your orchards. I sincerely hope that your sister will be inclined to help me."

"Do let me know if she doesn't," Rarity said, coming down the stairs. "If she is unwilling, I may be able to help persuade her otherwise. Thank you for last night, by the way. You've shown yourself to be quite the gentlecolt, if I do say so myself."

"It was nothing, Lady Rarity," Winston replied. "I am merely doing my part as an upstanding and chivalrous member of Equestrian society."

Rarity chuckled. "Well, I do wish more stallions were like you, Lord Winston. Unfortunately, your wish to join the upper rungs of Equestria's most sophisticated may turn out be less than what you expected."

"Whatever do you mean?" he inquired.

"The upper crust of society tend to be horribly shallow and superficial, my dear Winston. Very few will break out of their preconceptions of high societal standards and look down upon all those who are not with them... a habit that I fear may extend to you."

Winston nodded and sighed. So there was the chance of it ending up like this, after all. Then again, he shouldn't have been surprised, what with the collector's incessant ramblings on the banal and idiotic get-togethers of his own compatriots, all of whom shared equal wealth and nobility much like he did. To think that he might end up having to rub shoulders with such a crowd... it was no surprise as to why Lady Rarity wished to stay in Ponyville, where the denizens were more down-to-earth.

"Hmm..." Winston mused. "I shall deal with that issue as I come across it. Now then, I believe I have tarried for long enough. Miss Applebloom, lead the way to your sister's farm!"




"Applebuckin's real tough. Day in and day out of doin' nothin' but kickin' apple trees. Though if you are as strong as you say you are, Mister Winston, I don't think you'll have much trouble with it," Applebloom said, hopping along with her friends in tow as Winston trudged along behind them.

"I shall be the judge of that myself, little one," Winston said. "It's just applying a matter of physical force to a tree, how hard can it be?"

"Boy, Mister Winston, if only you knew how many helpers we brought in who said the same thing..."

"I am not of insufficient physical strength, Miss Applebloom. If anything, it should be that everypony else underestimates mine!"

Applebloom gave a short laugh. "Alright then, Mister Winston. My sister should be 'round here somewhere, if you can find her. If not, just ask my brother, Big Macintosh. He'll be around here somewhere, too. Might be tillin' the fields again with his plow, actually."

"Thank you, Miss Applebloom! I shall venture to look for them now. You three get along now, and do stay safe!" he shouted, as the trio of fillies ran off further into the orchard. "Hmm, now where are they...? Blasted orchard... trees all look the same..." he mumbled as he walked between the trees.

Eventually, he made his way out of the trees and into another clearing where he saw the barn sitting off in the distance as a red stallion worked in a nearby field with a plow. He could tell from where he exited the traces of the tracks and broken twigs the fillies had left on the other side of the road.

"Damn," Winston cursed. "I've walked in a circle."

"Um, 'scuse me, can I help you?" the stallion asked, eyeing the insect warily.

Winston abruptly turned and made no attempt to step forth, not wishing to put the stallion on edge. "Ah, yes, good day, my friend! Would you happen to know where Miss Applejack is? Or perhaps one Big Macintosh?"

"You're speakin' to him," the stallion replied from afar.

"Excellent! I was told that I could seek a job opportunity here on the farm on behalf of your little sister! Were you perhaps present at my introduction party last night thrown by Miss Pie?"

"Pinkie Pie? Naw, I don't go to those parties."

"Ah, I see, then! Well, in any case, you might have heard the scream of a creature being tossed afar into the Swayback Mountains a day or so ago. That would be my doing, good sir."

"You bucked that thing straight to the mountains? Shoot, even I'm not that strong."

"You flatter me, friend!" Winston said, imperceptibly tilting his head higher with pride. "I assure you, that act was entirely in self-defense, and I mean no harm to anypony in Equestria. Now, please, could we perhaps find some time to talk over this job offering?"

"Well, I'll have to get Applejack, since she runs this farm along with me," Mac said.

"It is no trouble, my good stallion. I shall wait here at the outskirts of your premises until you are ready to speak to me!"

"Alright, then," Mac said, pulling off the plow's attachments and readjusting his yoke. "You just wait here, and I'll go get my sister."

"Of course." Mac walked off into the orchard as Winston stood still like a statue. A single leaf bounced off the shine of his back carapace as he looked like a strange rock standing in the middle of the road, his dark colors clashing with the bright sky and colorful orchard around him. A bird landed on his horn and began chirping nonchalantly as Winston watched it with interest.

Eventually, Mac returned with Applejack, exiting the orchard near where he entered, and pointed at the gated fence that was the entrance to their home. Applejack smiled and trotted over.

"Howdy, Winston! I hear Mac says you want a job here at Sweet Apple Acres!"

"Indeed I do," Winston said, bird still on his horn.

Applejack chuckled. "I see you're good with the animal fellers."

"Hmm, must be the bug thing. I wager that they think I'm a tree."

Applejack laughed again. "Well, 'least it's nice to see you fittin' in 'round here. You didn't have any trouble escortin' Rarity back home, did you?"

"Ran into some uncouth ruffians, but other than that, it was nothing that a beetle of my caliber couldn't solve. She is fine, and I had the chance of running into Sweetie Belle and company this morning, which is what led me to you."

"Well, that's just fine. Come on, let's head on down to the trees and see if you can't collect a few bushels of apples."




"So, how does this work again?" Winston asked.

"It's simple: you simply hit the tree hard enough at this spot..." Applejack tapped the trunk of the tree, a spot roughly about slightly above eye height for Winston. "...and knock down the apples for collection."

"Well, that doesn't sound too hard." He walked up to the tree and tried to hit it with his stubby claws. After trying a few times, he gave up and stepped back. "These jointed legs are proving to be equal parts annoying and useful simultaneously."

"If applebuckin' ain't your callin', then I guess there might be somethin' else for you to do... maybe Rarity might have somethin' for you?"

"Please, Miss Applejack. If I were even remotely knowledgeable on the subject of fashion, I would be annoying Lady Rarity to her wit's end right about now. Unfortunately, it seems that due to my physical capabilities, I am best suited off for more laborious work, as ironic as that may seem for one who sounds like they come from a city."

"Does that mean you're going to give it another try?" Applejack asked.

"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I assume you have other matters to attend to, so perhaps in due time, I will find a way to properly 'buck' this tree, as you say." Applejack nodded and headed off, continuing with her ongoing apple harvest, leaving Winston to deliberate on a new method to gather apples.

He circled the tree several times, attempting to size up the toughness of the trunk and gauging just where he should strike. Unfortunately, such a time-consuming method of examining a tree was something that Applejack probably wouldn't appreciate, so he merely settled to strike the tree with his horn.

Standing a horn's length away, he lowered his head and readied to swing. In a single moment, he quickly lifted up his head with great force and slammed into the side of the trunk with his horn. The reverberation barely registered on his mental footnotes, since battling with the horns was a common affair with his species.

Several apples plopped out of the tree.

"No... no, this shall not do. In order to succeed, I must attempt to level this tree with the wrath of an angry god! I must remove the apples from their smug perch and prepare them for collection!" Resolving on his new solution, he walked away several paces from the tree and stomped his claw into the ground, preparing to charge the tree like he did the chimera in an attempt to gain access to its fruity treasures.

"Whoa now, pardner!" Applejack said, stepping in front of him. "What do you think you're doin'?"

"...trying to applebuck?" he slowly responded.

"Pardner, if you're tryin' to run down the tree to get to the apples, you're doin' it wrong. And if half of what you say about your strength is true, I'd rather not end up losing a tree in the middle of harvest season, thank you very much."

Winston sighed. "Very well, Miss Applejack. I shall tone down my efforts and try not to destroy the tree."

"I'd 'preciate that. I forgot to part to you everythin' that I tell all the helpers: these trees should be treated with love and respect. It won't do you no good if you're just goin' to trample every tree in the orchard, you know. Do it right, and you'll be rewarded with success. You get me?"

Winston shook his head up and down, the closest thing he could manage to a nod. "Yes. Actually, now that you put it like that, I guess it does make more sense." Positioning himself facing sideways next to the tree, he prepared another head-swing at the trunk. Bringing in more force with him this time due to the extended swing time, he slammed into the trunk and was showered with apples.

"See! That ain't so hard, now is it?" Applejack said, smiling. "Now, what'd you change to do it better this time?"

"I don't know..." he said. "I just simply thought of the tree as something that provides us with food, and that we should cherish it for what it does. So I attempt to hit it hard, but restrained myself a bit to protect the tree."

"Now that's exactly what I wanted to hear; in the Apple family, we always respect our trees. You did pretty good for a newcomer, Winston. Now come on, you can help me with the rest of the orchard. We'll split half and half and we'll meet up for breaks and lunch. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yes, it does, actually. So we're just going to finish up this orchard together and then return?"

"This orchard?" Applejack said, chortling. "Pardner, we ain't even done with a tenth of the orchard yet." She walked towards the edge of the orchard they were in as Winston followed. When they cleared the trees, a huge horizon full of trees on various hills and lowlands nearby awaited them. "Now that is the whole orchard. Think you can handle it, Winston?"

"Oh, dear... well, I'll try my best...?"




"You've returned!" Rarity said, plating the last bits of dinner just as Winston returned to the Boutique. "I trust that you've obtained a job due to your absence for most of the day?"

"Yeah, how was it, Mister Winston?" Sweetie Belle asked, sitting at the table.

"It was... very strenuous," Winston replied tiredly. "I am glad that beetles cannot feel heat nor fatigue, but I do feel extremely tired. Would you happen to have any sap, or fruit?" He walked up to the table and peered over the edge at the vegetable contents of the plates.

"I'll prepare some fruit for you, Winston," Rarity said, pulling out a knife and an apple from the refrigerator. "So how did the work day go?" she asked, working adeptly with her magic and cutting into the apple. "I trust there were no complications as unexpected as the one we encountered last night?"

"It went quite swimmingly, actually." Rarity sat a plate of sliced apples in front of him and a cup of water, which he gladly took to, downing it all with refined gusto. "I managed to clear my share of the field earlier than Applejack did."

"Oh, is that so? You managed to outwork the strongest pony in Ponyville at her own tasks?"

"Well, I seemed to have managed to cut down on the time it takes on harvesting because I simply swing my horn at the tree trunk, while she has to position herself properly in order to kick."

"Doesn't that hurt, hitting trees all day long with your head?"

"On the contrary, Lady Rarity, I don't even feel the blow. You see, much of my own species is conditioned for more dangerous and forceful fights with horns, so compared to that, I'm simply just hitting the tree with a force one would need in order to smash potatoes." He peeked into the cup and slightly tilted it, draining the water as he finished with a smack. "Ah! Now, if you do not mind, I do believe that I am going to sleep."

"Well, if you need a bed, I can prepare one upstairs for you--" Rarity began.

"No need to do so, Lady Rarity. You have been far too kind in your generosity, and I can make do with a simple floor cushion... it's not like I have a head to rest on a pillow, after all. I bid you and Miss Sweetie Belle a good night."

"Good night, Mister Winston!" Sweetie Belle said, mouth full of food, as he exited the dining room.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity said, shocked. "Please chew and swallow your food before speaking!"

Winston chuckled to himself as he made himself comfortable on the floor cushion in the darkness and silence of the living room, and tuned out the noise of the world around him as he sat down and went to sleep. The moonlight shined in through the window as it reflected off of his carapace, painting the room in soft glow. It contrasted with the lights still on in Rarity's kitchen as the conversation between the two sisters continued on as they shared their day's events.

It would only be a matter of time until he met the Princesses, and he fully intended on making a good impression...