Many thanks to my editors: BrackMadar, Jamza, Hybridnecros.
--- Apples and Wheat ---
“Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist
-- The Wolf and the Moon --
-----
Holo mumbled incoherently, as the sun's warm rays stirred her from a deep slumber. The wolfish mare lethargically rolled onto her back and stretched her forehooves wide, rubbing herself against the tall wheat stalks, before the sensation's familiarity registered with her memory. Startled, Holo bolted upright and looked about the familiar rolling hills, covered in ripe, golden wheat stalks as far as the eye could see.
For a brief moment, Holo felt a pang of fear that she was back in the little mountain village that had been all but a prison for so many long years. However, as Holo looked about the golden fields, she saw no village in the distance and no ponies tending or harvesting the golden wheat stalks. After calming herself, Holo noted she was lacking her new clothes and the hangover typical of a night of drinking. Perplexed by this turn of events, Holo slowly walked about the field, looking for some recognizable landmark or indication of where she had awoken.
"Can it be?" Holo whispered to herself as she saw a small stone slab a short distance away.
As a faint recognition bloomed into vivid memories, Holo found herself running at nearly full speed to the distant granite slab. Upon arrival Holo nearly gasped, for before her was a round granite slab with a stylized, crescent moon carved in the center.
"Will wonders ever cease," Holo mused with a smile and sat before the crescent moon, running her hoof over the engraving in the smooth granite, "Hmm, I do hope I remember the call correctly."
Sitting up straight, Holo closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then sang a song from a time long since relegated to a nearly forgotten chapter of history.(1)
To hear the raven's call by night
To catch a wolven howl
The Moon waits beyond the trees
To guide the dreamer's soul.
Holo solemnly sang with her eyes close and a small, serene smile upon her lips while the golden wheat stalks danced around her on an unfelt breeze.
Keeper of Dreams hear my words spoken from my heart
Guide this dreamer's flight, to and fro this night.
Holo opened her eyes and waited with her ears perked up for any sign of a familiar, and long missed, friend. Unfortunately several long moments passed with no sound to be heard, save the rustling of the endless golden fields of wheat stalks. Holo closed her eyes, letting a mournful sigh slip past her lips as her ears drooped. Mentally chiding herself for allowing her hopes to be so easily raised. But as the wolfish mare slowly trotted away from the granite slab, to explore the dreamscape her subconscious had created, a faint and far off voice caused her ears to twitch.
To wait at night upon the dream
To seek the midnight hour
The Moon hides beyond the gate
To hear the dreamers prayer,
.
Holo dashed back to the granite slab as fast as her hooves could take her as the distant, regal voice sang and sang back the reply.
Keeper of Dreams hear my words spoken from my heart
Guide this dreamer's flight, to and fro this night.
And again the regal voice sang back to her. However, this time the voice came, not from somewhere far across the golden fields, but right beside Holo and sang solemnly with her.
To walk amongst the shadows by day,
To call upon the sleeper
The Moon whispers on the wind
To drown the dreamer's sorrow.
Luna, Princess of the Night and Keeper of the Dreamlands, sang with her eyes closed as she draped a wing around her old friend's shoulders. Holo close her eyes and leaned against the dark alicorn, relishing her long absent friend's touch and together the old companions sang the ancient songs final stanza.
Keeper of Dreams hear my words spoken from my heart
Guide this dreamer's flight, to and fro this night.
For a time the pair remained in the silent embrace, both enjoying the simple feeling of each other's long missed presence.
"I should have known only you would use a song from our youth to call me," Luna said with a soft smile as she hugged her dear friend closer with her wing.
"I missed you greatly, my dear friend," Holo said keeping her eyes closed and leaving her head resting against the dark alicorn's shoulder.
"And I you, my dear wolf," Luna replied before resting her chin on Holo's head.
As much as the Night Princess was enjoying the silent closeness, there were things to discuss and a visit to explain.
"So what have I missed, my friend?" Luna asked looking down at Holo.
"A great many things," Holo said with a sigh and tired eyes, "After you left I stayed at a rural village for a time, then I resumed my travels after finding a good companion to stay with me."
“Yes, my sister mentioned you visited her once after my… departure,” Luna said as Holo´s dreamscape shifted and they found themselves atop a wagon, slowly moving but with no driver, “She also said that you had a traveling merchant with you.”
“He was a good stallion,” Holo replied quietly as she looked forlornly over the wagon's edge to empty harness, where her chestnut and silver peddler belonged, but was not.
Though Luna's curiosity was piqued, she knew it would be foolish to ask about what was so clearly a painful memory. Instead she kept her wing wrapped tightly around her long missed friend.
"What of your activities today?" Luna asked, gently nudging the wolfish mare's head.
"Oh, I had quite a bit of fun, but first let me tell what your sister's brilliant student thought of me before we even met," Holo replied with a smirk.
---
"And then she fainted!" Holo finished with a grin while Luna laughed leaning against her wolfish friend for support.
"Oh, I did not know young Twilight could be so easily worked into a panic," Luna said between chuckles smiling broadly.
"It was most entertaining," Holo said then sighed contentedly, leaning back against the dark alicorn. "Then I attended a party in my honor where I had my fill of fine ale and delicious cider."
Luna chucked with her wing lazily draped over Holo, when a thought occurred to her, "At whose home are staying at my friend?"
"Are you implying I cannot find my own bed to rest in?" Holo asked with a quirked eyebrow.
Luna rolled her eyes at her friend's assumption. "Nay, but I remember you were always one to be clingy in your sleep," the night princess said with a chuckle.
"I do not remember you ever complaining about my company," Holo countered with a flat look.
"It is hard to complain when one's tongue is occupied with-" Luna began, but was interrupted when a hoof was abruptly shoved against her lips.
Luna looked down at Holo with a raised eyebrow.
"We agreed that was not to be brought up again," Holo said with a slight blush, "Besides we were younger and easily influenced by our emotions."
Luna chuckled and gently pushed Holo's hoof away. "Fair enough, my old friend."
"But to answer your question, I am staying with the Apple family of Ponyville," Holo replied, gazing upon the rolling hills of golden wheat stalks.
"Ah, so you're staying with fair Applejack," Luna said with a smile.
Holo stared at her old friend with a raised eyebrow for a moment, "'Fair' Applejack?"
"What? She is a fine example of earth pony beauty," Luna said with a smile that bordered on devious.
Holo felt her cheeks reddened ever so slightly at the implications of the off hand statement.
"It would be wise to not attempt any claim upon Applejack," Holo stated curtly as her tail twitched in annoyance.
Luna raised an eyebrow at her friends tone in surprise, before a grin slowly worked it's way across her lips.
"You have feelings for her don't you?" Luna asked with a Cheshire grin.
Holo turned away with an indignant humph, "That is none of your concern."
"Apologies, my dear wolf. However, are you certain you do not wish to discuss this?" Luna asked with genuine concern.
"It is a matter I shall contemplate on my own," Holo replied with soft sigh.
Luna pursed her lips in thought for a moment, "I understand, my old friend, but if you wish to discuss this matter I am always willing to listen and give advice."
"Thank you, Luna," Holo replied with a smile.
"Though it still does not change the fact that Applejack is quite fetching," Luna added with a conspiratorial wink.
Holo just rolled her eyes, then laid against the dark alicorn while her tail swayed lazily, "Not that I am complaining, but why are you only visiting me in my dreamscape and not face to face?"
"In all honesty, my dear wolf, I was unaware you were still in Equestria after all these years," Luna replied as her eyes wandered over the subtle curves of Holo's lovely flank, enjoying the old memories that danced in her mind.
"Ah, so your nag of a sister informed you of my return," Holo replied without opening her eyes.
"Aye, that she did," Luna replied with a snicker, "And I am to tell you that we will be visiting you in a day, my dear wolf," the night princess answered before giving Holo's cheek a quick, affectionate nuzzle.
Holo slipped away from Luna's nuzzling with an annoyed look, "By 'we' you mean that your sister shall be accompanying you?"
Luna let out a weary sigh at her old friend's stubborn petulance. "Oh come now, Holo. Surely you can be tolerant if not courteous for just one day?"
Holo let out an annoyed huff and laid back against Luna, "Fine, fine. I shall behave for your sake, my dear moon."
"Thank you, my dear wolf." Luna said with a smile before placing a kiss upon Holo's forehead.
Holo sighed contentedly, snuggled against Luna with the dark alicorn's wing lazily draped across, before the world was suddenly and violently tossed about, which threw her out of the comfortable dreamscape.
Holo groaned as another rock on the dirt road caused the quickly moving wagon to jostle her about the wagon's interior, further aggravating her already painful hangover. Holo tried to open her eyes, but immediately shut them as the early morning sun burned her eyes painfully.
Rubbing her eyes, Holo rose up from the pile of blankets with a scowl and voiced her annoyance, "Lawrence, I cannot sleep if you insist on jostling the wagon like this."
The squeak of the wagon's wheels came to a slow stop, and for the briefest of moments Holo saw the outline of a stallion wearing a thin green coat under the wagon's harness. The outlined figure slowly turned and looked back at Holo with a slightly perplexed expression, "Who?"
Holo blinked several times as the silhouette of her peddler changed to that of an orange mare wearing a Stetson. After a brief moment, recognition caught up with her hungover mind and the wolfish mare's cheeks acquired a lovely red hue, "Applejack?"
"O' course, who else were ya expectin'?" AJ asked tilting her hat back curiously.
"Never mind," Holo replied rubbing her head and doing her best to hide her growing blush, "Just pull the wagon with more care, it seems my hangover is making me see things."
"Ain't mah fault you drank so much," Applejack muttered to herself then resumed the journey to Sweet Apple Acres, though at a slightly slower trot.
With a tired sigh, Holo laid back down amongst the few blankets while she pondered the snippets of her dream, but she could not keep the glimpse of her peddler out of her mind.
Perhaps, you are more like him than I realized at first, Holo thought to herself as she looked over at Applejack trotting along and pulling the wagon along.
~ Erstwhile ~
Twilight Sparkle slowly rose off her bathroom floor with a pained groan, "Ugh, too much alcohol."
This wasn't the first time the young scholar awoke to the harsh consequence of partying a little too hard with her friends.
Twilight gingerly rubbed her aching head, feeling slightly better after the rather forceful evacuation of her stomach. That is, until the scent of her stomach's leavings of undigested food and alcohol nearly caused a second vomiting fit.
Biting back a dry heave, Twilight quickly flushed the toilet and ambled her way down to the kitchen for some strong coffee.
Spike was already cooking up a light breakfast when Twilight slowly made her way into the kitchen and plopped down into her chair.
Glancing back as he heard the familiar scrape of the kitchen chair on the floor, Spike smiled at his slightly hung over big sister, "Morning Twilight."
The big sister in question, merely grunted in reply before quickly scooping the waiting cup of hot coffee between her hooves.
"Uh oh," Spike said as he felt a familiar pressure build up in his gut.
With a deep belch the little dragon produced a scroll with the familiar seal of Princess Celestia. Out of habit, Spike unfurled the scroll and read it aloud to Twilight.
My most faithful student Twilight,
My sister and I found your previous letter to be most informative and have to decided to speak with Holo, the Wise Wolf face to face. Since this will be a brief and informal visit. I would like you to gather as much information about Holo, her plans involving her stay with the Apple family, and any other relevant matters. My sister and I shall be arriving tomorrow morning. As such, there is no great rush and I will accept your report while I am in Ponyville.
Your mentor and friend Princess Celestia.
P. S. Luna asks if you could see if Pinkie Pie could make two dozen moon pies for her.
"Thanks, Spike," Twilight replied before sipping on her coffee again.
Then what Spike had read aloud finally registered in her groggy mind.
"TOMORROW MORNING!?"
Next Episode:
Wolf and a Day on The Farm
ITS ALIVE
whaaa whoooo
Is nice seeing this updated.
Anyway, i think it was nicer when we did not know if Lawrence was human or Pony in this world and a little bit too much forced shipping. Also the song was really nice, i tried singing it but the last verse always came out weird (to and fro)
Shipping? So Applejack x Holo shipping? I can get behind that.
4253981
I'm confused. Why are people are expecting humans in this crossover? It's Spice and Wolf being set in the MLP universe. Meaning the Soice and Wolf is part of the MLP universe in this crossover. I don't see how humans are expected.
4253985
Didn't plan on shipping them in all honesty. The story kinda flowed that way as I was writing.
4254038 Is not expecting humans, is just leaving the info in the dark. Its like you gave that info just to say "humans dont exist". Although it could totally end up being pivotal to the plotline but that is just the early impression since it came so out of nowhere (in contrast with mysterious air you were keeping).
4254062
Oh I see. Hmm guess I should've been a bit more detailed in that regard.
it may just be me but AJ's legs in that image makes my eye twtich
4254038 Meh, friendship was what I came here to read. I guess if it isn't I'll take my leave. Thanks for the story so far!
4254259
No harm, no foul. Have a good day.
Well that was a pleasant chapter. Though I never took Twilight for heavy drinker. Who'da thunk it?
Hmmm, interesting turn of events. Not that this wasn't wholly unexpected, you did leave hints all over the place, but wouldn't Holo be a bit more... worried about having another relationship? She's obviously still affected by Lawrence's departure from this world so I'd think she'd be more apprehensive about starting another one.
If she's looking for comfort in this day and age so that she can actually relax and not have to hide herself, metaphorically speaking, who else than with someone you love? I can see that. I'd see her as more stand offish about it though. The want, the drive, to be with someone is ever present but the pain of being alone again would be at the forefront of her mind. Conflicting elements of being alone and being with company that will eventually disappear, I'm not quite sure which is worse.
4254038 So Holo is falling for Applejack, but will AJ fall for Holo? That alone will keep me reading. A part of me cries yea, a part of me pleads for neigh.
*Sorry had to horse pun, it's in my contract.
I have a COLOSSAL feeling that I'm going to love this story. Just due to the fact you are doing a crossover of one of my #6 favorite anime! I wish you the best of luck with this!
4254486
One word: Spoilers.
4254557
We will see I suppose. My writing method is more of visualization than outlines.
4254751
Thanks! I need all the luck I can get.
4254828 Spoilers again? Ah man, I gotta stop guessing.
New chapter, yay!
HOLY FUCK IT'S THIS STORY!! OMG I REMEMBER!
Thanks for getting me into Spice and Wolf as well xD That show is great!
Are you referring to the talking horse owned by Lawrence?
i12.mangareader.net/spice-and-wolf/1/spice-and-wolf-968165.jpg
4254828
I can see the way you write you don't really have an outline. Still enjoying the story even if it decided to a turn more personal. Maybe even more because characterization can go deeper. However, it's somewhat a shame because I can't see an ending that isn't a bit sad now.
Is that jealousy from Luna?
This should tide me over till the next volume is released (Wednesday).
You know, I just speed read this story after seeing it in the featured box and I have one thing to say... thank you. Thank you so much for writing this.
That show was so amazing and its characters so deep that I truly knew them... I feel like that you have managed to do that beautifully. The only reason I have to be sad is because I miss Lawrence so much and feel awful that Holo can't have him.
4256383
OH MY GOD!! I totally forgot!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Thanks for reminding me.
4256406
Thank you for your kind words.
4256297
Trust me there will be some big and heavy feels in a few upcoming chapters. Jealousy? Oh ho, there will be, but not what you're thinking!
>>>“Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” >>>
And yet living in dreams leaves one completely unaware of the world outside his own mind. Hence, reality is forever out of their reach and they remain trapped in the limited world of their cut-off imaginations.
The wise know to dwell in both worlds, the waking and whimsical at needs be, balanced upon the foundation of reason.
(Philosophical BSing for da win!)
4256195 He's saying Lawrence was the stallion. The events of Spice and Wolf didn't happen in the "human" world, but instead happened earlier in her life (in Equestria) which would make Lawrence a stallion, and not a human.
Sage's response to a similar comment:
4256545
Oh you have a Ph.D. in B.S. too? Awesome!
Here rests Twilight Sparkle, who died from overexertion during a hangover, when her troll teacher told her she was coming for a surprise visit in less than 24 hours. RIP.
Thank god! The shipping is happening soon! Woooo!
4257332
Oh good, Her Gaming Majesty, finished dark souls 2 in time for the story updates.
That tears it, this story is so good, I need to watch Spice and Wolf again. Holo's always been an interesting one; crafty in her personality and adorable when seeking companionship.
Your just now adding the romance tag! It was obvious applejack and holo were going to get together if past chapters was any indication. The scene where holo woke up in Apple Jack's room was what I'm talking about.
4257224 and your comment is not funny because we know twilight won't die from that she would just use an anti hangover spell and do some speed cleaning If that happens. This is set sometime in season two right.
4257355 Games. They keep you procrastinating. Happens a lot. I just spend my time on here, or Wattpad, pr youtube. Those are where I procrastinate. But I also manage to read every update...
4257243 -
My little wolfie, my little wolfie
aaah, aaah, aaah, aaah...
I used to wonder what friendship could be
My little wolfie...
Then you all shared your apples with me...
Great juices, lots of tastes!
Many apples, all so sweet!
Juices flowing, who needs meat?
And cider makes it all complete!
I bless all you little ponies:
Do you know you're all my very best friends?
OH MY GLOD SOME ONE DID A SPICE AND WOLF CROSS. RIOD RAGE
that huge 7 page report you thought was due next week?
ITS DUE TOMORROW!
4257158 BS = Philosophy So one can truly say they have a B.S. in Philosophy! (academia humor)
4257107
I knew that, I was just pointing out that there was a talking horse in the series that was never explained.
4263344 Ah, my apologies then. Sarcasm is tough to pick up with text.
Sorry I kinda missed the last draft, Sage D: Had a super busy week with my girlfriend visiting and had absolutely no time to spend reading anything :P But it looks really good to me, wouldn't have changed a thing ^^
You know, I'm usually not fond of crossover shippings and such, but LunaXHolo and ApplejackXHolo are oddly now within my favor.
this lil' nigga better update more then just once every couple months.
4273238
It's fine. I'll just haunt your dreams with paper work.
4280883
Flying fish? Talk about fast food. -rim shot-
4281484
My work schedule of 50-ish hours a week plus my studies are to blame.
That was funny That was very sweet chapter I'm glad the story is still alive I WANT MOAR SOON If that is alright with you
LOVE IT (I especially love the applejack/Holo pairing!) i imagine if it season three (Or maybe four) i see applejack wondering if she should mention HE is also out
"Whose he, tirek?" Holo asked
"Tir-who? no it's the draconequi."
"Discord? but how! And if so why doen't this place look more crazy." Holo asked
"Yeah... you might wanna sit down for this."
All was quiet in ponyville till they heard someone screamed "SHE ORDERED FOR HIS FREEDOM!?!"
*smirks*
I really loved the little dream sequence with Holo and Luna.
Can't wait to see the next chapter keep up the good work.
A very well made fic, and you capture Holo so well! Keep up the good work!