Mistaken for Strangers

by Evan MacIan

The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn

Chapter One

The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn

Rarity lay awake in her bed trying to decide whether it would be better to go back to sleep or go throw up. A sudden twinge in her stomach made the decision for her.

Big Mac cracked his eyes open at the sound of retching. He squinted as the sun shined in his face, no longer shielded by another pony’s body. Rolling over, he saw his wife in the bathroom, leaning over the toilet. Big Mac yawned.

“It’s late,” he said. “Ah should’ve got up already.”

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you,” Rarity said.

“S’rry. How’a ya doin’?”

Rarity groaned. “I feel horrible. Horrible, ugly, and fat. Do I look fat?”

Big Mac laid his head back down and closed his eyes. “Ya look beautiful,” he mumbled.

“You aren’t even looking,” Rarity said.

A faint snore answered her.

“Big Mac!” she said sharply.

Big Mac started and scrambled awkwardly out of bed. “Ah’m up, Ah’m up.” He yawned again. “Ah’ll go make breakfast.”
He trotted out of their bedroom and into the kitchen. Granny Smith was already there, gently rocking back and forth in her chair.

“Mornin’, Big Mac,” she said. “Ah already went and got the stove all stoked fer ya.”

“Thanks, Granny,” he replied gratefully. He filled up a tea kettle with water and put it on the stove. As he waited for it to boil, he cracked some eggs into a skillet. He scrambled them up, adding spices and chopped onion. While he did that, Granny put some uncooked biscuits in the oven. When the tea kettle began to whistle Big Mac hastily set down the spatula and ignored the eggs while he took the water off the stove. Grabbing a mug, some cream, and a can of instant coffee mix, he quickly stirred them all together. He took a sip, and gave a contented sigh. Normally he hated instant coffee, but these days he never had time to brew a real pot. “Ya want any?” he asked Granny Smith.

“Naw, Ah’ll jus’ have some orange juice,” she answered.

Big Mac nodded. He took another sip and turned to stir the eggs. The sound of someone entering the kitchen made him freeze. He spun around, and exhaled with relief when he saw it was Applejack.

“Is she up yet?” Applejack asked.

“She’s awake, but she’s still feeling sick,” Big Mac answered.

“Thank goodness for morning sickness,” Applejack said, moving to the counter and quickly making herself a cup of coffee.

“Eeyup.”

Big Mac finished cooking breakfast and set the food on the table. He and Applejack suddenly heard the sound of hooves in the hallway.

“Hi, Rarity,” came Apple Bloom’s voice through the door.

Without hesitating, Applejack threw open the window, and she and Big Mac dumped their coffee outside, all while Granny watched from her chair.

“She’ll catch ya,” Granny said with a grin.

“Shh,” Applejack answered.

She and Big Mac set their cups down just as Rarity and Apple Bloom trotted into the kitchen.

“Good mornin’, Apple Bloom, Rarity,” Applejack said.

“’Mornin’,” Apple Bloom replied, while climbing into a chair and scooping some eggs onto a plate.

“Good mor—” Rarity stopped in mid-sentence and sniffed.

Big Mac and Applejack gave each other a nervous glance.

Rarity said, “Were you two drinking coffee?”

Granny Smith gave a slight cackle.

Applejack threw her a glare “N-nope,” she said, presented her mug. “See? Empty.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes. “I can smell it,” she hissed. “Oh, I think I’m going to be sick. You know I can’t stand coffee!”

“Ya didn’t used to mind it,” Applejack muttered.

“What was that?!” Rarity snapped.

Big Mac hastily cut in. “Now, Rare, don’t be mad. Ah jus’ put on some water for tea, and Ah figured Ah’d have a quick cup ’fore ya came down. Ah didn’t mean to stir up yer ‘food aversion.’”

Rarity sighed, and buried her face against the table. “Ugh. I’m sorry, everypony. I’m acting simply awful again, aren’t I?”

“Nah, it’s okay,” Big Mac replied.

Apple Bloom said, “Yeah, we know it’s jus’ the ‘hor’mones’ talkin’.”

“What was ‘hormones talking?’” asked Sweetie Belle as she entered the kitchen.

“Oh nothing, dear,” Rarity answered. “I was just making a foal of myself again.”

“Was it coffee again?” Sweetie Belle asked Apple Bloom in a whisper as she sat at the table.

Apple Bloom nodded.

“Hurry up and finish eating,” Applejack said. “Y’all don’t want to be late for school.”

“Oh, and I need to get down to the boutique,” Rarity said. “I have a checkup later this morning, so I need to open a little early. That reminds me, Applejack, after my appointment Twilight and I are going out to lunch. Would you care to join us?”

“Sure, Ah’d be happy to. Is Twilight gonna be at the checkup?”

“Yes,” Rarity answered. “She’s just completely immersed herself into medicine since I got pregnant. I dare say she knows more about it now than anyone else in town.”

“That’s Twi for ya,” Applejack said. “Anything catches her attention and she won’t stop till she’s read a dozen books ’bout it. A bit overboard if ya ask me. The way Ah figure it, ponies been giving birth all on their own since the dawn of time. Don’t see the need for all this fancy mucking about.”

“Dern straight!” Granny Smith replied. “That’s how we did it in mah day.”

“Now listen, ya two,” Big Mac cut in, “that’s jus’ plum foolish. Ain’t no harm in being safe.”

“Ah was jus’ teasing is all,” Applejack said defensively.

Rarity glanced at the clock. “Oh, girls, you’re going to be late! Go get your school supplies, quickly!”

“I don’t know where my homework is,” Sweetie Belle said as she and Apple Bloom started for their room.

“Oh for goodness…” Rarity hurried after them. “Where did you put it last?”

Big Mac waited until Rarity had left the room, then turned to Applejack and Granny. “Listen, AJ, Granny, Ah don’t want you putting no dumb ideas in Rare’s head. Last thing Ah need is her thinking that she don’t got to be careful.”

“Aw, come on, Big Brother,” Applejack replied. “Ya know Rarity ain’t about to stop taking care of herself. Least of all ’cause of some offhand remark Ah make at breakfast.”

“Jus’…” He gave an exasperated sigh. “Jus’ don’t do it, okay?”

“Alright, alright, Ah won’t.”

Big Mac nodded. “Okay then,” he said. “Ah’m gonna go get started in the western fields.”

Granny Smith gave a chuckle as he left the kitchen. “Yer pappy was the same way,” she said to Applejack. “Ah remember when yer ma was carryin’ Big Mac, there weren’t nothin’ that could get him to settle down.”

Applejack shook her head. She’d be glad when the foal was finally born.

*****

Rarity and Twilight exited the doctor’s office together and started making their way over to AJ’s apple stand.

“Where do you want to go eat?” Twilight asked. She seemed more energetic than usual.

“I was thinking we could eat at that nice little outdoor café by Applejack’s stand,” Rarity replied. “They have those wonderful grain shakes.”

Twilight nodded her agreement.

The two walked a little bit in silence. Twilight had a slightly goofy grin on her face.

“Oh, this is all so wonderful!” Twilight suddenly burst out. “I can’t believe one of my friends is going to have a foal!”

“It’s not for a while, Twilight,” Rarity reminded her.

“Yes, but still. Aren’t you excited?”

“Oh yes,” Rarity said. “Well… sort of. Not exactly.”

Twilight looked surprised. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Rarity explained, “I know I should feel excited, and I suppose a part of me does. But more than anything else I feel nervous. It’s just been so stressful. I’ve found myself snapping at people and getting worried over nothing. Yesterday I started crying because a button popped while I was working on a dress.” She laughed. “Imagine! Crying over a popped button.”

“Well,” Twilight said, “it’s understandable. All the hormones your body is—”

“Oh yes, I know, I know,” Rarity interrupted. “Every time I get emotional people say ‘it’s just the hormones.’ Well, it’s not just hormones. It’s also fear.”

Twilight couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Oh, we’re already at Applejack’s stand,” Rarity said, giving the earth pony a wave. “Let’s drop this dreary subject and go enjoy lunch.”

Applejack greeted them as they walked up.

“Hey there, Twi, Rare. Ah’ll be with ya’ll in a second. Ah’m jus’ finishing up.”
Applejack turned her attention back to the sideburn adorned pony at her stand and handed him a basket of apples.
“Here ya go, Ace. Ah’ll see ya next week.”

The tennis player gave a muffled “thanks” around the basket handle and carried the apples away.

Rarity gave a disapproving grimace after him. “Really. Muttonchops didn’t look good even when they were popular.”

Something seemed odd about the transaction to Twilight, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it.

“C’mon, y’all. Let’s get something to eat.”

The three made their way to the nearby outdoor café, where they sat and ordered lunch.

“The food’s nice, but Ah can’t stand their prices,” Applejack said as the waiter left with their order.

Something clicked in Twilight’s mind. “Applejack, I think Ace forgot to pay you for those apples.”

“Naw, Ace never pays,” Applejack said.

The two mares looked at her in surprise.

“Ace never pays?” Rarity repeated incredulously. “But you make everypony pay!”

Applejack looked uncomfortable. “Yeah, well, Ace is a family friend.”

“Applejack,” Rarity said, “I was a family friend, and you made me pay until I was married to Big Macintosh.”

“I still pay,” Twilight added.

“Well, Ah can’t afford to jus’ go giving all my friends free food all the time,” AJ said defensively.

The waiter came and set their food down on the table.

“Sure, AJ, we understand that,” Twilight said. “We’re just curious as to why Ace is a special case.”

“Ace is…” Applejack hesitated. “Ace is a friend of Big Mac.”

“He is not,” Rarity said flatly. “I would know.”

“Look, jus’ ‘cause you’re his wife, don’t mean—”

“I. Would. Know.”

Applejack looked at the determined frown on Rarity’s face and gave a defeated sigh. “The truth is... Big Mac does know Ace... but Ah can’t say how.”

“You mean you don’t know? Or…?” Twilight said.

“Ah mean Ah know, but Ah can’t tell ya.”

“Excuse me?" Rarity said. “I think I have a right to know!”

“Ah ain’t saying ya don’t, Ah’m jus’ saying it ain’t mah place to be speakin’ ’bout it!” AJ quickly wolfed down her sandwich and tossed a few bits onto the table. “Now, Ah got to get back to the stand,” she said with her mouth still full. “You’ll jus’ have to ask Big Mac yourself if ya want to know more.” She quickly trotted off, leaving a confused Twilight and a confused and annoyed Rarity.

“That was weird,” Twilight said.

“Yes,” Rarity agreed with a frown. “Well if she thinks this is the last she’s heard of this…”

“Um, excuse me,” a voice said.

Rarity and Twilight looked over and saw Ditzy Doo sitting at a nearby table.

She gave them a nervous grin. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop or anything, but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation, and I think I might know what Applejack was talking about.”

“Why don’t you come sit over here?” Twilight suggested.

“Oh, okay.” The grey pegasus picked up her plate with her mouth, and sat down in the spot AJ had vacated.

“Now, darling,” Rarity said sweetly, “what was that you were saying?”

“Oh, well, maybe I shouldn’t. I mean if Applejack—”

“Listen, Ditzy,” Rarity still spoke sweetly, but her voice suddenly had an added edge. She leaned in close to the pegasus. “You are going to tell me what you know, and you are going to tell me right now."

Ditzy shrank down in her chair. Unlike Applejack, she had no experience in dealing with an irate and pregnant Rarity. One eye stayed locked on the menacing mare before her. The other slowly slid to the side, as if searching for an escape route. “Okay,” she squeaked.

Rarity leaned back. “Take your time, dear.”

“I don’t really know the whole story,” Ditzy started, “but I guess it all happened a number of years ago. It was right around the time that Big Mac and Applejack’s parents died. Big Mac was in my class when it happened. He had always been one of the rowdier students.”

“Big Mac?” Twilight said surprised.

Rarity shushed her. “Go on.”

Ditzy continued, “Yeah. He was always getting in trouble for drinking and fighting. I mean, he wasn’t a bad kid, those things were just his idea of a good time. It’s not like he ever did any serious harm. But then there was the fire, where his parents… and he got darker. Angrier. He stopped coming to class, stopped hanging out with his friends. I heard people talk about how ‘poor Granny Smith can’t control that boy.’ It was around then people started saying he was trouble.”

This time it was Rarity’s turn to interrupt. “Oh please. I refuse to believe that Big Mac was ever ‘trouble.’”

“I’m just telling you what people were saying,” Ditzy said quickly.

“Fine,” Rarity said, “but what’s that have to do with Ace?”

“Well, he and Ace had kind of a rivalry.”

“Why?” Twilight asked.

“Um, it’s kind of hard to explain. Ace was the top athlete in the school, but Big Mac was well known for being really tough and strong from working on the farm. I guess Ponyville was just too small for both of them. It never got too serious. Mostly it just meant that they avoided each other. All that changed about a month after Big Mac dropped out of school…”

*****

Ditzy was walking home after another day of school. She was taking an out-of-the-way path back home, through some alleyways rather than the crowded main streets. She hoped that her route would help her avoid meeting certain ponies from school.

She was wrong.

Ditzy turned a corner and almost bumped into Ace coming the other way. His startled expression was quickly replaced by a large grin. It was not a friendly look.

“Hi, Derpy,” he said. “Going somewhere?”

“Home,” Ditzy answered meekly. She unconsciously started to back away from him.

Ace followed closely, subtly maneuvering her until she was backed into a corner where two building edges met.
“You should be careful about go into lonely places like this, Derpy,” Ace said. “What if you got hurt? There’d be no pony around to help you.”

Ditzy just kept her head down, avoiding meeting his eyes. Just wait, she told herself. He’ll get bored eventually, and then he’ll leave. Just don’t say anything.

Ace hooked a hoof under her chin, raising her head until she was forced to look at him. His grin widened when he saw that her eyes had crossed. “Derpy,” he said softly. “Are you ignoring me?” He gave her head a slight shake. “Answer me, bitch!”

“Maybe ya jus’ ain’t worth her time, Ace.”

Ace quickly turned around.

Ditzy looked past Ace and saw Big Macintosh standing in front of him.

“Why don’t you get out of here, Macintosh?” Ace said. “This is none of your business.”

“Ah’ll decide what is and isn’t mah business. An’ right now Ah reckon you ought to leave Ditzy be,” Big Mac said in a relaxed tone.

“What do you care, Macintosh?” Ace said. He sniggered. “Or maybe you want to take the retard for a roll in the hay?”

Big Mac looked unimpressed. “Well, we all know that ain’t what you want. After all, she ain’t a colt.”

Ace’s eyes narrowed. “You better watch it, Macintosh.”

“If ya got a problem with me, you’re welcome to do something ‘bout it.” Big Mac’s expression suddenly darkened. “But Ah’d be careful if Ah was you. This here is a lonely place. There’d be no pony to help ya if ya got hurt.”

Ace tried to look defiant, but it was clear his words had an effect. Ace glared for a moment, then gave a snort and started walking down the alleyway away from Big Mac. “I’ll see you around, Macintosh,” he said.

Ditzy stepped away from the wall. “Thank you,” she said.

Big Mac was still looking down the alley after Ace. “Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

Ditzy took another step towards him. “We haven’t seen you around school for a while. Are you ever coming back?”

Big Mac turned towards her. “Ah don’t reckon,” he said gruffly.

Ditzy could smell booze. “I just think, uh, that you should consider it. I mean, I know it must be tough for you, with your parents, but—”

He wheeled towards her, his face twisted in anger. “What do you know?!” He was almost shouting.

Ditzy took a shocked half step back.

“Ya don’t even have the sense to keep yourself out of trouble, an’ now ya gonna tell me what ya think is a good idea? ‘Cause Ah don’t really feel like getting lectured by a fool! Why don’t ya jus’ get out of here? Get out of here, Derpy!”

Without another word, Ditzy turned and fled from the alley.

*****

Twilight and Rarity were quiet after Ditzy finished her story. After a moment Rarity broke the silence.

“Well, it sounds to me like Ace was perfectly awful.”

Ditzy gave a sad smile. “He’s not like that now. A lot of us were different when we were young. I know Ace would change how he acted if he could.” She then added quietly, “And so would Big Mac.”

“Well, I don’t see what he’d have to take back,” Rarity said. “From what you told me Big Mac acted perfectly honorably. It certainly doesn’t explain why Ace should get free apples every week.”

“Like I said before, I don’t know the whole story,” Ditzy replied. “I do know that wasn’t the end of it. Ace was pretty mad after that, and I think they might have actually fought later. But if you want to know about that, you’ll have to ask someone else.”

“Oh, I will,” Rarity said, narrowing her eyes. “I intend to get to the bottom of this.”

----------

Author's Notes:

The chapter title is taken from an Alison Krauss & Union Station song
The story title is taken from a song by The National
Story picture is by RustedRabbbit

I would like to thank Hyperexponential and Ponyfanficer for their invaluable help in critiquing this story.

Comments

[Taxus]

I begrudgingly acknowledge the quality of that cliffhanger.

[pmcollectorboy]

This still doesn't appear underneath your story tab.

[Kraid]

I dunno why but I've always liked this pairing. Nice story. I thought your first one was cute but you definitely have a nice setup for later chapters. I cannot wait to see more.

[Admiral Stoic Rum]

okay I'll bite. since this is supposed to be a continuation, the characters feel a little different, but its another story. so lets see where this goes

[MisterMoniker]

Welp, I'm glad The Lucky One got a sequel. Can't wait to see where you take this.

[Elitist Scum]

Yay! Sequel! This is interesting... Carry on.

[Stunt Monkey]

I am so confused! I don't remember them ever getting married in the first one, regardless, this is a well written fiction and I look forward to more.

[Hooves Like Jagger]

A song by The National for the title and a song by Blitzen Trapper for one of the next chapters?

You're not just my hero, you're my super hero.